Chapter 1: A New Beginning

“Ziyao, are you ready to join the production today?” From within the black sedan, the Production Assistant called to confirm her schedule with Lin Ziyao. This individual trainee was handpicked by Director Chen from some unknown place to join the show.

Because Director Chen personally selected her, the Production Assistant was quite courteous. He came in person to pick her up, and even he, who had seen many stars alongside Director Chen, found himself captivated by Lin Ziyao’s appearance.

Lin Ziyao, unaware of the Production Assistant’s thoughts, stared blankly, not responding. Her mind was in turmoil, and it all boiled down to four words.

I’ve time-traveled!

Time travel wasn’t the point; the crucial detail was that she had become a girl!

According to the memories of her original self, Lin Ziyao was invited by Director Chen to participate in a dating reality show.

The story was quite cliché. At the time, Lin Ziyao was short on money and working a job. It was during this job that she encountered Director Chen. Struggling to cast the right actors, Director Chen was immediately drawn to Lin Ziyao’s appearance and invited her to join the show. Desperate for money, Lin Ziyao eagerly signed the contract.

“Did you understand what I just said?”

The Production Assistant knocked forcefully on his notebook, trying to bring her focus back.

“Ah? Sorry!” Distracted, Lin Ziyao hurriedly apologized.

The Production Assistant sighed: “Let me explain again. Your task is to stir up drama in the show, making it more engaging for the audience.”

As she took the script from the Production Assistant, she understood her role in this reality show: to play the part of a ‘green tea’ character.

Turning to the car window, she saw her own reflection. Her eyebrows were fine and long, her skin fair, and her eyes occasionally glistened with a hint of moisture, easily evoking a protective instinct in men. If she had seen this face in her previous life, she would have been unable to resist becoming a devoted fan in under ten seconds.

Good tea indeed! Lin Ziyao thought to herself.

Before she could examine herself further, the sedan arrived at the shooting location, a secluded resort currently closed for the off-season.

The Production Assistant slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering something. “Oh, I almost forgot. Due to the closed environment, we need to hand in our phones.”

He quickly retrieved a plastic container, gesturing for Lin Ziyao to place her phone inside.

Seeing this, Lin Ziyao hesitated: “Can I call home first?”

Although she stepped away, the Production Assistant could still hear snippets of her conversation.

“Grandma, are you taking your medicine as the doctor prescribed?”

“Don’t worry about the hospital bills. I recently found a good job, so you can focus on your recovery.”

After hanging up, Lin Ziyao placed her phone in the plastic container and followed the Production Assistant to report to Director Chen.

This was the reason the original Lin Ziyao agreed to participate in the show. She needed money. Her elderly grandmother was in the hospital, and the costs were overwhelming. Lin Ziyao had to juggle multiple jobs just to cover the expenses. The constant stress had taken a toll on the original Lin Ziyao, pushing her to the brink.

“I’ll take care of Grandma,” Lin Ziyao promised softly, feeling a rare sense of purpose.

But in her previous life, Lin Ziyao was just an ordinary office worker with a casual interest in entertainment. Lucky enough to be invited by Director Chen due to her appearance, she knew her luck couldn’t last. A pretty face would only get her so far, and soon, her limitations would become apparent.

There was no choice but to take things one step at a time. If push came to shove, she might have to drop out of school and find work.

With a sigh, Lin Ziyao found herself at the shooting site, where Director Chen was sitting in a chair, smoking a cigarette while overseeing the setup.

Noticing someone approaching, Director Chen stubbed out his cigarette and turned to see who it was. Recognizing Lin Ziyao, he greeted her warmly: “Ziyao, you’re here?”

“Director Chen!” Lin Ziyao felt a sense of gratitude toward the director who had offered her an advance payment.

After exchanging greetings, Director Chen gestured to a nearby seat. “Go and get acquainted with the other guests. I still have some final details to attend to. Once everyone is here, I’ll explain the show’s format. Remember, filming has already started.”

Turning to look, Lin Ziyao noticed someone had arrived even earlier than her. She quickly reviewed the guest information provided by the Production Assistant.

Yang Tian, a web celebrity on a popular platform, was also a trainee under Star Entertainment. Known for sharing his life on social media, he had gained a significant following even before his official debut. This appearance on Director Chen’s show was likely a strategic move to boost his profile.

Eager to understand her costars before filming began, Lin Ziyao extended her hand to Yang Tian in greeting: “Hello!”

Hearing someone approach, Yang Tian, who had been lost in thought, looked up. Lin Ziyao was unlike anyone he had ever met, instantly evoking a protective instinct. Her delicate voice only fueled his imagination.

As Yang Tian tightly grasped her hand, Lin Ziyao felt a shiver run down her spine, eager to pull away.

Despite Yang Tian’s intense gaze, Lin Ziyao struggled to accept it.

[System detected: Reality show setting. Allocating appropriate tasks for the host.]

System!

The sudden appearance of the system caught Lin Ziyao off guard. She hadn’t expected it to activate so soon, thinking it was just a fictional concept.

Distracted, she exchanged a few pleasantries with Yang Tian, eager to find a seat and check the tasks assigned by the system.

“System, have you assigned the tasks yet?”

[Please instruct the host to have one of the guests experience a lap pillow.]

“Wait! There’s only Yang Tian here right now!” Lin Ziyao’s vision blurred as she read the task. This system was more trouble than it was worth.

The thought of Yang Tian resting his head on her lap sent a chill down her spine.

[This is a beginner task, with two optional rewards available.]

The system revealed the range of optional rewards, captivating Lin Ziyao’s attention. Familiar works from her previous life were included, along with scripts from movies and TV shows. If every completed task offered rewards like these, it would be enough for Lin Ziyao to establish herself in the entertainment industry of this world, despite her lack of initial resources.

However, the system’s next message brought her back to reality.

[Please complete the task within one hour. Failure to do so will result in task failure.]

She needed to figure out how to make one of the upcoming guests rest on her lap.