SWNOVELXO Chapter 47 - Doesn’t mean she’ll like just any girl
Hearing the news, Tang Yuan wasn’t surprised at all; after all, Meng Yao’er hadn’t exactly kept it a secret.
Tang Yuan gave a soft chuckle and confidently said, “It doesn’t matter; no matter who it is, they won’t stand a chance.”
Her intuition told her that Jiang Zi would choose her.
【Honestly, I’m kinda baffled by what Meng Yao’er is doing here.】
【Isn’t her picking Jiang Zi pretty much self-destructing as the “third wheel”?】
【Hold up, Jiang Zi and Tang Yuan aren’t even officially together yet, okay? Meng Yao’er liking Jiang Zi is fair competition, right? I’m all for the Little Witch and Junior Sister ship.]
【Even if it’s fair competition, I’m not rooting for her. No one’s allowed to split my CP.】
【I came here rooting for the Loyal Puppy and the Witch ship. Why does my fate have to be so tragic?】
【This plot twist is so wild. It’s like every ship is breaking apart—fine, I’ll bite. Let’s see just how far they’ll take this chaos.】
“Hahaha, alright then! Now, please leave a heartfelt message for the person you choose.”
“Just a reminder: the entire interview video will be shown to them during the mutual selection round.”
Tang Yuan nodded. “I know.”
“Alright then.” She looked into the camera, feeling a bit embarrassed as she realized the intimacy of the moment. Her gaze wavered briefly before she steadied herself and spoke sincerely. “Jiang Zi, I want to eat a meal you’ve cooked. Not just noodles, but rice, along with a bunch of dishes we both like. When that day comes, I’ll answer that question you once asked me, and this time, I’ll give you a clear answer.”
Last time, Jiang Zi had asked her that question seriously—was it a confession? At that time, Tang Yuan had panicked and dodged it.
Despite this, their relationship remained as close as ever, and Tang Yuan felt that the way she and Jiang Zi acted had already crossed the line of friendship.
Even the fans were convinced they were a real couple, yet neither of them had actually clarified things.
Tang Yuan understood that Jiang Zi was leaving the choice up to her.
Truthfully, Tang Yuan’s heart was complicated. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to define their relationship; she knew she was emotionally reliant on Jiang Zi—very much so.
But she couldn’t understand why her favorability level never seemed to grow.
She even began to doubt whether her feelings for Jiang Zi were sincere enough, to the point where she couldn’t bring herself to confront Jiang Zi’s feelings head-on.
Tang Yuan suddenly relaxed, giving a light smile. After a brief silence, she continued, “Of course, I might be a bit slow when it comes to love. I need to hear a clear answer from you too, so I don’t end up overthinking and misinterpreting things.”
Jiang Zi was a reserved person and had few friends. Ever since Tang Yuan had gotten close to her, Tang Yuan had been her only friend.
With such a unique friendship, it was natural for her to feel something different from the usual friendships.
So even Tang Yuan wasn’t sure if this was just Jiang Zi’s way of treating a close friend.
Once she finished speaking, Tang Yuan took a deep breath and signaled to the crew.
“Alright, that’s it for the interview. Tang Yuan, you’re free to go now.”
Tang Yuan stood up. “Thank you, everyone. Great job!”
Back in the common room, everyone was engrossed in their phones, and the room was unusually quiet.
Tang Yuan calmly sat down in an empty spot, not trying to start any conversations.
But as soon as Meng Yao’er saw her return, she slid over, leaning close and looping an arm around her shoulders.
She really clung to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and pressing her soft chest against Tang Yuan’s arm, even subtly brushing against her.
Tang Yuan’s eyes widened, and her skin prickled as she quickly pulled away, staring at Meng Yao’er in confusion, much like a wary cat.
Meng Yao’er seemed amused by Tang Yuan’s reaction. She wore a bright smile, but her gaze held a sharp, predatory glint, like a viper poised to strike.
Tang Yuan felt a chill as she asked, “What are you doing?”
“Oh, don’t be so tense.” Meng Yao’er slumped in the seat Tang Yuan had just vacated, looking soft and relaxed. “You know I picked Jiang Zi just like you, right? Don’t you have anything you’d like to say to me?”
Their exchange drew the attention of the other two women in the room, who looked up from their phones but said nothing, observing the situation.
Tang Yuan walked over and sat down beside Jie Xin, ignoring Meng Yao’er’s sudden outburst.
Jie Xin tugged on Tang Yuan’s dress, whispering, “Did you two have a fight?”
“No.” Tang Yuan rubbed her arm where Meng Yao’er had brushed against it, trying to shake off the lingering goosebumps. “Who she likes is her business; there’s no need for us to fight over it.”
Though Jie Xin didn’t fully understand the dynamics of the “girls’ circle,” she knew Jiang Zi was a popular choice. “Aren’t you worried she might steal Jiang Zi from you?”
“Nope.” Tang Yuan glanced over at Meng Yao’er, who was still watching her intently. Tang Yuan responded with a sarcastic, forced smile.
Then she added, “Even if Jiang Zi likes girls, that doesn’t mean she’ll like just any girl.”
She emphasized the word “even.”
Meng Yao’er burst out laughing, her smile blooming like a flower. “You’re pretty confident, aren’t you, Tang Yuan?”
“I’m confident in Jiang Zi.”
The tension between the two was palpable, almost like a clash of swords, but somehow, there was an odd undertone to it as well.
Tang Yuan picked up her phone, deciding to ignore Meng Yao’er, and opened the livestream to check the comments.
【Quiet, I’m thinking.】
【Why do I feel like Meng Yao’er not only likes Jiang Zi but might also have a thing for Tang Yuan?】
【Explosive move here! My girl Yao’er is out here cosplaying as a Yandere witch and finally found her new groove, huh?】
【Poor Tang Xiao Yuan, her reaction has me laughing so hard.】
【I’ve got a bad vibe about Meng Yao’er; watching her gives me goosebumps.】
They didn’t have access to the stream of the boys’ group right now; switching cameras wasn’t working, so they had no choice but to wait patiently.
Speaking of the boys’ group, they had a few more people on their side, yet their selections were pretty swift.
Everyone knew that Jiang Zi had joined their house specifically to choose Tang Yuan.
But then there was Deng Peiluo—a dedicated actor who knew his task was to create some on-screen chemistry with Tang Yuan. Even if his chances seemed slim now, it didn’t stop him from making a move.
As for the others:
Qi Hongqiao, who’d partnered with Jie Xin for the past two rounds with great feedback, surprisingly wrote down Meng Yao’er’s name. He explained in his interview that Meng Yao’er had a dark-sweet personality that intrigued him, so he wanted to give it a shot.
Guan Zi’an, on the other hand, was unwavering in his choice of Ling Jun. He genuinely liked her mature vibe, and it seemed he might actually have feelings for her. But, sadly, it was pretty obvious that his heart was in the wrong place.
An Chuxing, following the script, also picked Meng Yao’er.
And then there was Xiu Luzhou… with his script partner sitting right next to him. He was well aware of the game’s rules: Jiang Zi was off-limits, picking Tang Yuan wasn’t necessary, and since Meng Yao’er and An Chuxing were already scripted together, he courteously left that couple alone.
So, from the regular cast, he picked Ling Jun.