The bustling chatter, the low whirr of a blender, the sharp clatter of knives—each sound layered into a chaotic chorus. For a moment, the noise pressed in from all sides, blurring face and voices together until the scene felt unreal, like something staged. And in that moment, An Ning understood:
She had transmigrated into the novel she had once read.
The kitchen stretched wide, too polished to be real, every counter gleaming under the studio lamps. The sweep of camera lenses and the glare of reflections off stainless steel turned the room into something less like a kitchen and more like a stage—every detail carefully curated for cameras.
There were eight of them in total—the participants of _Heartbeat Cottage,_a dating show that had taken the internet by storm.
Characters she had once known only as words on a page now stood flesh and blood before her. No longer names in a novel, but living people with voices, gestures, thoughts, and feelings all their own.
And she knew exactly who she had become.
An Ning — the cannon fodder of the story.
In the original plot, "An Ning" was nothing more than decoration—a foil, a stepping stone, never meant to shine.
Her personality was ill-suited for the live-streaming environment, where every word, every glance, was magnified a hundredfold. There were no rehearsals, no script to hide behind—only real feelings, in real time, dissected by millions of watching eyes.
Silence was edited into arrogance, composure twisted into aloofness—none of it helped when the heroine was busy piling on more fuel.
[Does she think she's better than everyone?]
[#TwoFacedQueen]
[So fake, even her smile looks cold]
It went without a doubt that she had flopped. The reputation she painstakingly built—piece by piece, role by role, in thankless supporting parts—was tarnished beyond repair.
[#MostHatedContestant] trended for days. From there, her career slid downhill, each step faster than the last, until it ended in quiet, complete ruin.
But that was the _original_An Ning's fate.
A faint chime echoed in her mind.
[Melon-Eating System Activated]
A small melon with a crown appeared in the corner of her vision, wobbling eagerly like a child too excited to sit still. Its tiny crown tilted left and right as though it might topple at any moment.
An Ning didn't say anything. Instead, she turned back to the sink, hands moving steadily as she rinsed the vegetables under the cool running water.
Behind her, a voice chimed in, light and sweet. "An Ning, do you need any help? But since none of us are good at cooking, I guess we'll just stay out of your way instead."
An Ning's lashes lowered slightly. She knew that voice.
Sun Qiaolian, the original heroine.
Her lips didn't move, her expression didn't flicker. But in her mind, she almost laughed.How could someone say such things so shamelessly?
[Qiaolian is sooo considerate 🥺 even when she can't cook she's still offering help!]
[That's real humility! Unlike some people who act all high and mighty 🙄]
[Lian-lian is the kindest, she's just too good for this industry 😭✨]
[Hahaha Lian'er is helping out by staying out of the way 😂]
The ever-so-familiar tone—the same saccharine kindness laced with invisible barbs— that the original "An Ning" had to endure throughout the entire duration of the show.
"If I remembered correctly," she said evenly, rinsing the last of the vegetables, "we're supposed to take turns cooking, aren't we? Today should be your turn with Shen Xiyu, I only stepped into help out on the side because you asked me to."
Sun Qiaolian faltered for the briefest moment, the smile on her lips stiffening before she smoothed it out again. Her lashes fluttered once—then her gaze flicked, ever so briefly, toward the nearest camera.
[Lol did you see her looking straight at the camera?? actress vibes 🤡]
"I didn't know you minded, An Ning," she said softly, her tone gentle, just tinged with hurt. "I only thought since you seemed so capable in the kitchen, it would be easier if you handled it. I didn't mean to trouble you."
[Ahhh she sounds so apologetic 🥺]
[See? Qiaolian's always so understanding, she even blamed herself 😭✨]
[But wait…didn't An Ning just point out it was supposed to be Qiaolian's turn? 🤔]
[Still, she's good at making herself look pitiful 😅]
[LMAO Sun Qiaolian is playing the pity card again]
"You could have said that you didn't want to help," Han Yichen's voice cut in smooth and measured. The words rang polished, rehearsed—a performance, not defence. His gaze slid toward An Ning, the same soulful air that had once bled through the ballads earning him legions of fans. "Qiaolian was only being considerate. There's no need to make it sound so harsh"
An Ning's eyes narrowed briefly. Her lips parted. "Speaking of which, didn't you disappear on me halfway through dinner preparation? Turning up at the end when the food was done - "
"I had an inspiration that I need to write down," Han Yichen interrupted, his tone calm and firm, as though that excuse alone justified everything. He leaned slightly closer, his expression perfectly framed for the cameras. "For a songwriter, inspiration can't wait."
[Wahhh Yichen-ge is so dedicated 😭 no wonder his songs are so good!]
[But wait…he left her to cook alone? Isn't that a bit much? 🤔]
[Lol prioritizing music over food, that's such a Han Yichen thing 😂]
[Inspiration >>> cooking, who wouldn't understand that??]
Before An Ning could answer, another voice cut across the kitchen.
"I am starved. An Ning, you didn't start cooking yet?"
The voice belonged to a woman in her twenties, standing at the kitchen's entrance like it was her runway. Her figure-hugging designer dress shimmered faintly under the studio lights. She leaned lazily against the doorway, her polished look radiating wealth and leisure.
The contrast was almost laughable: An Ning at the sink, sleeves rolled back, hands damp with running water—and Wu Shiyun strutted in as though the kitchen existed solely for her to be admired.
An Ning only wrung the water from her fingers, her expression steady, as if the glittering entrance hadn't touched her at all.
[Wow her dress is 🔥 who even wears that in the kitchen??]
[Wu Shiyun didn't come to cook, she came to conquer ✨👑]
[She looks like she came straight from a runway 💃]
[Lol sis…you're hungry but also not lifting a finger??]
[Not gonna lie though, she's gorgeous 😍]
[Designer dress in the kitchen = rich second-gen vibes confirmed]
[It's Wu Shiyun! Of course she'd enter like this ✨ queen behavior ✨]
Wu Shiyun. The beloved daughter of the Wu family. A spoiled born with a golden spoon—and the girl who had come chasing after Shen Xiyu.
"Interesting, I think the production team have to pay me another salary—as the chef of the group," An Ning said lightly.
"Didn't you cook for the past two days —" Wu Shiyun stated, tilting her head as if puzzled.
The knife paused mid-slice, the steady rhythm cut short. Her grip tightened, knuckles paling under the studio glare.
She remembered.
In the original plot, it had started the same way—light excuses, little shifts of responsibility. At first, the others had joined in: chopping a few vegetables, stirring a pot, pretending it was teamwork. But slowly, those helping hands vanished. Excuses piled up, one after another, until the original An Ning was left cooking alone—day after day, for the rest of the show.
For the entire duration of the dating show.
And this was no thanks to Sun Qiaolian. With that soft smile and gentle tone, she had said it was better if everyone stayed out of the way—otherwise, they would only bring extra trouble to An Ning.
Sweet words, poisonous results.
What looked like dutiful hard work on set was twisted into arrogance on screen:she hogged the kitchen, she wanted the spotlight, she acted superior.
Somewhere, a camera lens lingered on her profile, drinking in the faint curve of her lips. Let them record it. Let them broadcast it.Not this time.