In the secondary bedroom of Cloud Peak Apartments.
Su Qianqian sank into the single-seater sofa, clutching a fluffy cloud-shaped pillow tightly in her arms. She wore simple loungewear, her delicate, fair ankles exposed as her bare feet rested on the soft carpet. Her long, seaweed-like hair cascaded loosely, a few strands draping over the pillow, framing her exquisite face.
She tilted her head slightly, her chin resting on the plush edge of the pillow, her almond-shaped eyes fixed intently on the empty air before her. On an invisible screen, Lin Shu and Qiao Xi sat facing each other.
"Heartbeat Cabin: Friendship Edition..."
Su Qianqian repeated the name of the variety show silently in her mind.
According to the information gathered by System 007, this was a reality show with a brand-new format. The previous season, Heartbeat Cabin: Romance Edition, had been wildly popular.
Netizens had flooded the comments: What, friendship doesn’t deserve love too?
We want to see girls being sweet with girls!
We want to see guys bonding with guys!
At its core, it was just another way to ship pairings—only under the guise of friendship.
The format was unique: entirely livestreamed.
No script, just raw, everyday interactions.
The production team had invited four celebrity regulars, four ordinary participants from different backgrounds, and one guest star.
Eight people meant things might stay peaceful.
But with nine? That changed everything.
Yet Qiao Xi’s sugary voice still echoed in her ears: "It’s a livestream—every tiny mistake gets magnified!"
Su Qianqian tightened her grip on the pillow. She understood Lin Shu and Qiao Xi’s malicious intentions.
A livestream meant no safety net of post-production editing.
Every minor slip-up, every fleeting expression, every easily misinterpreted remark...
With the right manipulation, thousands of viewers would catch, amplify, dissect—even maliciously spread—them in real time.
If she underperformed during the livestream, or if Qiao Xi successfully framed her...
Labels like "spoiled," "useless," "scheming," or "socially inept" would stick to her instantly, obliterating her public goodwill.
What Lin Shu wanted was for her to fail before she even began—to tarnish her image before she could properly step onto the acting stage.
Even with Gu Chengyu backing her, recovery would be nearly impossible.
Su Qianqian buried her face deeper into the soft pillow, leaving only her glistening almond eyes exposed.
But a livestream also meant authenticity.
No misleading cuts, no post-production distortions.
Every move she made, every smile or frown, would be presented to the audience exactly as it happened.
It was an enormous risk—but wasn’t it also an opportunity?
She didn’t need to team up with anyone, nor did she fear low rankings or superficial friendships with industry insiders.
All she needed was a chance to be seen, to lay the groundwork for her future acting career.
Friendship? She had no interest in faking it.
The entertainment world here, according to System 007’s data, was a blur of corruption—worse than even Gu Chengyu’s circle.
Sure, his crowd played around with women in twisted ways, but at least they maintained basic manners and upbringing.
But in showbiz? The repulsive fetishes during ambiguous encounters, even drug use, money laundering...
A cesspool of vices.
People like Lin Shu and Qiao Xi, who dabbled in media manipulation and crushed newcomers, were considered relatively decent by comparison.
What should she do?
She didn’t want to play Qiao Xi’s game, nor did she want to fake camaraderie.
Maybe she could just be a silent, ethereal beauty?
With her looks, she could easily stand out on visuals alone.
She exhaled softly, loosening her grip on the pillow slightly, her gaze drifting to the window. The clear light in her eyes shimmered faintly.
Just then, System 007 pinged in her mind:
[Host, Gu Chengyu is back—his car just entered the garage.]
Su Qianqian froze for a second before instinctively straightening her posture, hugging the pillow tighter.
The memory of last night in the car flashed through her mind—
A delicate flush instantly spread across her cheeks.
