Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO-Chapter 543 - 335: Thanks for the Blow, Little Dummy!
Maybe I can ask Nora about it then...
Thinking about it.
Flora Loughton said, "We’ll talk about it when you get back."
"Alright." Katherine Collins said, "Is it convenient to live at Cloudwater Haven, did the plan work out?"
"It’s in progress." Flora curved her lips, then gently said, "I heard you’re teaching Nora how to act, I’ll leave Nora in your capable hands..."
...
At the dinner table.
Nora Scott, Pedro Langley, Oliver Scott, and Marcus Shaw sat around together.
Oliver and Marcus were in a hurry, eating like they were fighting. On normal days, they’d chat a bit while eating, but recently they’ve just been gobbling down food, not even having time to say an extra word, and rushing off to the study as soon as they’re done.
—— The monthly exams are approaching.
Sipping hot soup, Nora stirred it a couple of times with a spoon and asked Pedro Langley, "Haven’t seen Loxley and Jack Carter around lately?"
Marcus, not being a professional chef and owing to limited time, mostly cooked simple, home-style dishes.
For someone like Nora with a picky palate, she’d occasionally eat it without complaints, but after having too much... she started to miss Loxley, who would even brew a single soup for three hours or more.
"Yeah." Pedro nodded slightly, "They’re out doing business."
Taking a sip of soup, Nora raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "Venturing out on their own?"
"... Helping me do business."
Pedro felt at a loss for words at her line of thinking.
"The two of them?"
An elderly grandpa who should’ve retired ages ago and a youngster fresh into society...
Helping Pedro with business?
Pedro said nonchalantly, "Small business."
"Oh."
Seeing his casual demeanor, Nora didn’t press further.
Pedro suddenly asked after putting a piece of food on Nora’s plate, "There’s a show called ’Escape Room’ tonight, are you going to watch?"
"Is it the one focusing on ’Mechanical Techniques’?" Oliver looked up, a bit excited.
Marcus glanced at Oliver suspiciously.
This guy usually seems buried in studies, yet he manages to dabble in everything from high society gossip to entertainment shows to hobbies. Where does he find the time?
"Yeah."
Pedro nodded.
Placing the soup bowl aside, Nora picked up her chopsticks and asked, "Is it airing today?"
Pedro was surprised, "You’ve been following it?"
"A friend mentioned it’s starting soon." Nora replied casually.
’Escape Room’, this online variety show, has a total of 12 episodes, featuring 6 different escape rooms.
Nora participated in the design of two escape rooms.
She was in charge of one, themed Horror Hospital, for which she knew the blueprint and storyline; she designed one, themed Zombie Academy, where she was responsible only for the blueprint design.
Once the final product was submitted, it was approved without a hitch.
This was something Pedro was also aware of.
Since she had participated in the show, of course, Nora paid attention to its airing, although she wasn’t particularly invested.
—— As long as the quality of the guests is up to standard and doesn’t drag the show behind too much, the Horror Hospital and Zombie Academy episodes she worked on will definitely rank among the top ten episodes of the year.
After all, since she didn’t participate in the other escape rooms, she didn’t know the specifics and couldn’t comment on them.
After a brief pause, Nora asked, "What’s the theme of tonight’s episode?"
"Horror Hospital."
The first episode was the one she was in charge of?
Nora’s lips curled into a smile, showing some interest, "What time?"
Pedro, understanding her intent, answered, "Eight o’clock tonight."
Speaking of which, it was somewhat beyond his expectations.
Every year, Cool Ridge Media produces online shows, and in the first year, they plan and select which shows to produce for the next year.
Pedro had long since handed Cool Ridge over to others for management, and whether it was self-produced dramas or online shows, he wouldn’t review them, leaving it up to them entirely.
Early last year, while handling some matters at Cool Ridge, he overheard a discussion about the current year’s shows and the ’Escape Room’ concept. It was still under discussion and hadn’t been finalized.
When they mentioned ’Mechanical Techniques’, it naturally reminded him of Nora.
Thus, a show that should’ve been eliminated during the selection planning ended up being brought up by him for special consideration and preparation started at the end of the year.
He thought if there was a chance, perhaps they could entice Nora to guest star. He hadn’t even considered at the time that there would be any further interaction between them.
Unexpectedly —
The show’s creative team sought external help and happened to come to Nora for assistance.
Nora, eating and drinking, playing around, directly decided on two escape rooms.
Upon reviewing the submitted work, Pedro rejected all four other escape room designs, ordering a complete overhaul.
The other four designs were merely satisfactory, while the ones Nora submitted were perfect. Mixing them together, with quality disparity, would tarnish Nora’s professional level.
Oliver blinked, eager to give it a go.
Setting down his bowl and chopsticks, Marcus stood up, glancing down at Oliver, who had two bites left, reminding him with a hint of melancholy, "You still have three exam papers."
"..."
Oliver shuddered.
He quickly finished his meal without even having time to swallow and followed Marcus into the study.
"Is being a sophomore really this busy?"
Seeing the two in such a rush, Pedro was slightly surprised.
"Mid-month exams are next week, betting on first place." Nora’s tone was casual, then she paused and added a bit disdainfully, "The one who loses has to do the other’s laundry for a month."
"What’s the point?"
"...Bored to death."
If we’re going to bet, might as well go big, no need to make childish agreements.
*
After dinner, it was about time.
Nora Scott connected her phone to the TV for screen mirroring, and while Pedro Langley was cleaning up the dishes, she watched the first episode’s preview.
The editing was very engaging. The theme of "Horror Hospital" was showcased to the max with a series of quickly connected scenes. It was terrifying, thrilling, exciting, and mind-bending, with the guests screaming louder than each other, and the highlights followed the guests’ reactions, each revealed one by one.
Just watching the trailer made the audience look forward to the final cut.
However, after watching the whole thing, Nora Scott’s expression was a bit cold, and she seemed a bit salty.
After Pedro Langley cleaned the dishes and stepped out of the kitchen, he felt a chill at the first step.
He looked up and, sure enough, met Nora Scott’s gaze.
Narrowing her eyes, Nora asked coldly, "You know Cool Ridge Media’s self-produced reality show, right?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know the guests?"
"More or less."
Pedro Langley roughly estimated when he answered.
Nora Scott’s voice turned completely cold, "Did you slot Rosa Sullivan in there?"
"..."
Suddenly feeling a bad premonition, Pedro Langley’s eyelid twitched.
Rosa Sullivan?
After thinking for several seconds, Pedro belatedly remembered that name.
— Flora Loughton’s prized student?
— The one with the tabloid photo rumor with him last time?
"No."
Thinking of this person, Pedro immediately replied.
The air felt sour...
Then, Pedro explained, "The guests are handled by the production team."
He knew Luna Durant wanted to become a regular guest on "Escape Room," so he skimmed the list of regular guests and then removed Luna Durant from it.
— Didn’t want Luna Durant participating in the escape rooms designed by Nora Scott.
Trying to keep the names Luna Durant and Nora Scott as far apart as possible, hoping Luna would never hang around Nora and upset her.
"Not for Flora Loughton’s sake?" Nora asked.
Sitting down beside her, Pedro chuckled helplessly, "Flora Loughton doesn’t get involved in this."
"...Oh."
Nora’s furrowed brows slightly relaxed.
"Is this you being jealous of me, or jealous of Flora Loughton?"
"Both."
Nora crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, speaking with justifiable boldness.
Pedro couldn’t help but laugh.
Indeed, she was his favorite little jealous bean.
"Without anyone’s strings being pulled..." Nora paused, then asked suspiciously, "Isn’t she an ordinary person?"
It’s no wonder she immediately associated Rosa Sullivan with Pedro Langley and Flora Loughton when she saw her in the trailer.
Reality shows do feature ordinary people, but they are usually distinguished from the main guests, especially guest-focused shows. In the trailer, Rosa Sullivan appeared as a guest, no different from the others.
— Moreover, from what she knew about this episode, there was no segment for ordinary people. At most, there would be "tool people" playing "ghosts."
"I’ll ask."
Pedro Langley sent a message to Nathan Salt.
Nathan Salt, as the PR manager, needed to know a bit of everything. After contacting someone from the production team to inquire about the situation, he quickly gave Pedro an answer.
"Said she’s an heir of a Mechanical Techniques family, knows some tricks, seemed interesting," Pedro briefly introduced, asking, "You have Mechanical Techniques families?"
"A facade."
These days, the academic community knows more about "Mechanical Techniques" than any so-called family.
With disdain, Nora asked, "Which family?"
"Sullivan Clan in Xiangel City."
"..."
One Rosie Sullivan.
One Rosa Sullivan.
Are they sisters?
Noticing Nora’s silence, Pedro felt concerned and asked, "Are they impressive?"
"Impressive?"
Nora chuckled lightly.
Scrolling through her phone, she opened the episode of the variety show updated at 8 PM and, in a casual yet scornful tone, said, "Their hype is pretty impressive. Boasting about a Mechanism City, Oliver Scott and Marcus Shaw researched for three months, and they’re still better than them."
Pedro Langley: "..."
Clearly, she was dissatisfied with the Sullivan Clan in Xiangel City.
Meanwhile—
Oliver Scott and Marcus Shaw, preparing to go out for a drink of water, exchanged looks.
Oliver Scott lowered his voice, "So in big sis’s eyes, we’re that impressive?"
"...She means the Sullivan Clan in Xiangel City is as bad as we are," Marcus Shaw reminded him without any hope.
Oliver Scott: "..."
Thanks for the blow, you little dummy!
