Chapter 74: After Secretly Marrying the Top Star, She Got Cheated On (3)

When Xiao Nian used to attend events, she often saw Yu Bing. Diyu Entertainment had many top-tier celebrities, and Yu Bing was always seen beside these heavyweight stars. Not only did she provide close protection herself, she also brought a few bodyguards to ensure the artists’ safety. A long time ago, there had been an incident where a fanatic fan attacked an actress in public. If Yu Bing hadn’t reacted in time and taken the blow, that veteran actress would have been disfigured on the spot.

The incident caused a huge stir, making headlines for several days. Since then, Yu Bing, once an unknown bodyguard, shot to fame. Not only did Diyu Entertainment’s artists fight to have Yu Bing as their personal bodyguard, even artists from other companies tried to poach her with high salaries.

But Yu Bing turned them all down—because she had a good relationship with Yang Nianjiao, the daughter of Diyu Entertainment’s former president.

Xiao Nian had been in the industry for years and had already heard all this from her manager. That’s why, when she saw Yu Bing step in first to catch her wife, her expression turned so ugly. Yu Bing now only followed Yang Nianjiao’s orders. Yang Nianjiao hadn’t just lifted the suspension and ban on Mercury Girls, she’d also approved Gu Qingzhe to join the talent show. And now, she’d even gone so far as to send the company’s top bodyguard to protect Gu Qingzhe—

An 18th-tier nobody.

Xiao Nian couldn’t help but wonder: Could it be… Yang Nianjiao has taken a liking to Gu Qingzhe?

Trying to steal her from under my nose?

And while she’s at it, put a green hat on me?

While Xiao Nian’s thoughts spun rapidly, Yu Bing had already caught Yu Liuxue steadily and gently set her down. She knew that girls at this age had delicate skin, so she’d held back her strength. But when she glanced at Yu Liuxue’s fair thighs, she still saw a few clear finger-shaped bruises.

Yu Bing pressed her lips together, expressionless.

Yu Liuxue’s vision blurred, and a weightless falling sensation overtook her. She flailed instinctively for something to hold on to—then suddenly, a pair of arms caught her firmly. She bumped into someone’s chest and caught the faint, fresh scent of laundry detergent. Before she could even register the warmth of the other person’s body, she was already being politely set down.

The entire process took less than five seconds.

Yu Liuxue, still shaken, tried to stand but felt dizzy and began to fall sideways again. Yu Bing quickly caught her, her face expressionless, silently watching the girl’s pale face. The moment she supported her, Yu Liuxue collapsed fully into her arms, looking soft and weak.

Xiao Nian’s face darkened as she pulled her hand back. Gu Qingzhe was hugging and clinging to another woman right in front of her. Did she even take her seriously?

Yu Liuxue had her back to Xiao Nian and didn’t notice her presence. She leaned contentedly into Yu Bing’s arms. After a moment of enjoyment, she tilted her face up gently. “Sister Yu, thank you for saving me.”

“If you hadn’t caught me, I don’t even want to imagine…” She paused deliberately, then glanced upward, meeting the panicked eyes of the trainees above. Her gaze lingered on the one responsible before turning away, a hint of hurt on her face.

At that moment, staff members from the production team rushed over. They first surrounded Xiao Nian, asked a few questions, and after confirming she was fine, finally turned to Yu Liuxue. “Are you hurt?”

Their tone implied that if the contestant was unharmed, they expected her to return to the stage.

Just as Yu Liuxue was about to respond, Yu Bing’s cool voice interrupted her. “She’s in shock. I’ll take her to the hospital for a checkup.”

With that, she prepared to carry Yu Liuxue away. Considering the girl was wearing a short skirt, Yu Bing took off her black shirt and wrapped it around Yu Liuxue’s legs. Underneath, she still had a black sports tank top on. As Yu Bing held her by the waist and thighs, Yu Liuxue instinctively leaned in toward the warmth of her skin, her face flushing.

This sister was too sexy.

She sneaked a glance—then quickly looked away, trying to act all proper. But she couldn’t hold out more than three seconds before sneaking another peek. Just as she did, a gaze landed sharply on her. Startled, Yu Liuxue looked up—only to meet Yu Bing’s eyes.

Yu Liuxue blinked innocently and immediately put on a well-behaved expression.

The whole time, Yu Liuxue never once acknowledged Xiao Nian, who watched helplessly as her wife was carried away by another woman. She couldn’t help but feel like there was a hint of green above her head. Just as she was about to chase after them, a staff member picked up the mic from the floor and stopped her. “Teacher Xiao.”

Xiao Nian snapped back to reality—she still had to host the show and couldn’t leave.

There was a strange bitterness in her chest.

The other contestants whispered among themselves. Some didn’t know what had just happened, only that Gu Qingzhe had suddenly had an accident. Those who did know quickly stepped in to explain. “Gu Qingzhe accidentally fell. Luckily someone caught her. I heard she’s being taken to the hospital now.”

“What? Is she okay? How did she fall?” The girl who pushed her widened her eyes in feigned surprise. “Could it be that Gu Qingzhe has anemia or something and got dizzy?”

“Could be. She’s so skinny…”

As the show’s prime controversy magnet, Yu Liuxue’s safety was of top concern to the director. He immediately sent a staff member to accompany Yu Bing to the hospital. The staff member knew Yu Bing and was aware of her combat prowess, so even though she looked down on Gu Qingzhe for her attention-seeking behavior, she didn’t dare show it.

Diyu Entertainment sending Yu Bing meant Yang Nianjiao was clearly taking Gu Qingzhe seriously.

The staff couldn’t help but scoff internally—Diyu Entertainment was a major company, yet they were backing a comeback artist with a stained reputation? Did Yang Nianjiao not care about ruining the brand her father had worked so hard to build?

While Yu Liuxue was at the hospital, the internet exploded.

“Emergency! Gu Qingzhe fell from a two-meter-high stage during a recording and has been rushed to the hospital!” Hundreds of influencer accounts added the show’s tag and the story went viral instantly, the comment section splitting in two.

“Really? Why didn’t that clout-chaser break her neck? My Nian-jie is suffering. How many more times will she be dragged into this woman’s drama? Is her company trying to leech all the way to debut?”

“The scripted drama is so obvious. Season 2 is so disappointing. It’s always Gu Qingzhe this, Gu Qingzhe that. All the other girls are getting overshadowed. The group’s doomed.”

“What’s wrong with Gu Qingzhe? She’s been doing well. I don’t get it—who exactly is she pissing off? Why so many hate posts?”

“Jealous losers, get lost! Protecting my sweet Qingzhe! If your fave has no fans, don’t blame mine!”

Everyone: “…?” Gu Qingzhe actually has brainless fans now?!

Yu Liuxue’s checkup showed no issues. The staff called the director with the results, and he immediately demanded she return. Yu Bing glanced at the staff, disapproval in her eyes, but Yu Liuxue turned to her and said, “Sister Yu, thank you again. When I make some money, I’ll treat you to something yummy. I need to go back and film now.”

The staff urged her along. As she rushed to the car, Yu Liuxue turned back and waved at Yu Bing with a bright smile.

Yu Bing gave a barely noticeable nod before the car door shut with a bang.

Once the door closed and all eyes were cut off, the staff member sat opposite Yu Liuxue, her tone turning stern. “If anyone asks what happened today, you must say you fell by accident. Understand?”

Yu Liuxue blinked and said aggrievedly, “But the contestant next to me clearly pushed me…”

Before she could finish, the staffer cut her off coldly. “You’ll say what you’re told to say—unless you don’t want screen time anymore. Do you even know who she is? And who are you? Can you compare?”

Yu Liuxue never imagined things would get this bad. She blinked curiously and asked earnestly, “Then who is she?”

The staffer sneered, “The director’s niece.”

Oh, and I’m the real wife of mentor Xiao Nian, Yu Liuxue thought, not that any of you know. She fell silent, mentally scrambling to figure out who she could count on for support. But she hadn’t been here long and wasn’t close to any of the real power players yet.

So Yu Liuxue gave up. “Okay.”

The staffer studied her for a moment to confirm she’d accepted her fate, then finally looked away.

She only gained her current popularity by clout-chasing Xiao Nian. She might be able to do that for a while, but she can’t cling to Xiao Nian forever. Diyu Entertainment probably sent her to compete just to capitalize on her current buzz. Otherwise, what qualifications does a low-tier nobody who’s been in the industry for two years and still buried in obscurity have to be selected?

Before the event even ended, Yu Liuxue returned to the venue. Her roommates rushed over with concern. “Qingzhi, what happened? Are you hurt?”

The staff was right behind her listening. Yu Liuxue glanced at them and forced a guilty expression. “I’m not hurt. It’s all my fault—I wasn’t paying attention and missed a step. That’s why I fell. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Her roommates quickly reassured her. “It’s okay, it’s okay, as long as you’re fine.”

This statement was immediately leaked online by “a random audience member who just happened to witness the entire thing.” Most people believed it, and soon the internet was saying that Gu Qingzhi wasn’t just malicious—she was also incredibly dumb.

The event continued. Xiao Nian found a moment to glance in Yu Liuxue’s direction and saw her bouncing around energetically, seemingly unaffected by the incident and even laughing happily. Xiao Nian narrowed her eyes—was Yang Nianjiao sending someone to protect her really something worth that much joy?

She couldn’t help but wonder—just how long had Gu Qingzhi been secretly cozying up to Yang Nianjiao?

Aside from Yu Liuxue’s accident, the event proceeded smoothly. The fansite photographers’ cameras were full of stunning shots of their favorite contestants. As soon as the event ended, they rushed home, fired up their computers, and began editing the photos to post and boost their favorites’ popularity.

If just one of these photos went viral, their favorite contestant’s popularity could skyrocket—she might even be on her way to a solid debut.

Every fansite manager was working at full throttle, ready for a showdown. But Gu Qingzhi didn’t have a great reputation. Even though Yu Liuxue’s performance of The Moon Reflected on Erquan Spring proved she wasn’t just a pretty face, she didn’t have a dedicated fansite. Only a few diehard fans used their phones to casually snap a few photos.

Those fans didn’t even bother editing—the photos were posted immediately. After browsing Weibo, Yu Liuxue slumped in despair. “System, this is just too pathetic.”

Other contestants had stunning, professionally edited photos with polished skin and perfect lighting, practically looking like posters. Hers? Blurry messes.

The system tried to comfort her. “Host, maybe unedited photos are more convincing? You’re so naturally beautiful—you’ll definitely explode in popularity and leave everyone in the dust.”

Yu Liuxue nodded. “You’re right.”

Popular contestants usually had top-tier fansite managers and large fanbases. Once fans received the edited photos, they would flock to the show’s official social media and flood the comments with flowery praise, posting the prettiest photos to promote their fave.

Yu Liuxue scrolled for a long time but couldn’t find a single promotional post about herself. She couldn’t resist taking a screenshot and sending it to Yang Nianjiao on WeChat. “President Yang, maybe you could hire someone to pose as my fansite manager, and bring in a water army to hype me up a bit?”

Yang Nianjiao looked at her phone. “…” She immediately flipped the screen face-down on the table.

Variety shows attract a lot of discussion, and clickbait marketing accounts often stir up drama for traffic. Yu Liuxue saw just that—an account posted nine polished photos of the top contestants, then launched a poll: “Here are the nine freshly released edited pics of the popular girls. Who do you think is the future visual center of the group?”

Girls are especially sensitive about looks. They might not care about being the first pick or the final debut winner, but their fave must be the prettiest in the group!

Fans poured in, arguing passionately. Yu Liuxue got excited and jumped in with a sockpuppet account: “With all due respect, that’s clearly an unedited photo of Gu Qingzhi. Just because she doesn’t have a fansite manager doesn’t mean you can compare her candid shot with everyone else’s polished edits. Marketing account, do you have no heart?”

Fans mid-argument paused. “…?”

Wait, that’s a raw photo of Gu Qingzhi? Damn, she looks that good unedited? And she doesn’t even have a fansite?

This quickly spread within the fandom circles. People mocked her harshly—clearly her reputation was so bad that no one was even willing to take pictures of her, let alone edit them. But the excitement didn’t last long. Fans who had discovered her through The Moon Reflected on Erquan Spring fired back: “So what if she doesn’t have a fansite? Even our candid phone pics are better than your edited posters!”

Everyone else: “…?”

I’m so pissed. So pissed. Beyond pissed!

Gu Qingzhi’s popularity surged again. With that unedited photo alone, she won a round. Some casual fans who followed top idols also came over to support Yu Liuxue. She was very pleased with the situation and logged out of her alt to resume filming. It was time to form groups for the first performance song. Yu Liuxue didn’t care who she was teamed up with—she assumed she’d be picked last because of her reputation. To her surprise, she was the first one chosen.

And the person who picked her? The director’s niece—the same backstage contestant who had shoved her earlier.

Xiao Nian, as one of the mentors, also had a shoot today. She saw Yu Liuxue again only after the groups were formed. Yu Liuxue was sitting cross-legged on the floor, two sheets of A4 paper with lyrics laid out in front of her. She sat away from the others, who were chatting excitedly. Quietly leaning against the wall, she kept her head down, saying nothing.

Xiao Nian had learned from her manager what really happened when Yu Liuxue fell, and she also knew who was behind the pushing. When she saw Yu Liuxue grouped with that girl, she immediately understood the plan: Gu Qingzhi had high popularity, so the niece picked her to benefit from the attention. But because Gu Qingzhi was too popular, the niece feared being overshadowed. So she conspired with the rest of the group to isolate Yu Liuxue and keep her from stealing the spotlight.

They probably even gave her the fewest lyrics during line distribution.

Xiao Nian’s guess was spot on. Yu Liuxue was assigned only two lines. Seeing the others with several times more lyrics, she nearly walked out then and there. She had no interest in hearing any more discussion. She got up and went straight to the director. “Director, if I’m only getting two lines, I’m not doing this show.”

“I’ll quit right now.”

The director had thought that Gu Qingzhi—lacking any backing—would be an easy pushover. But looking at her now, determined and unyielding, he realized he had misjudged. The production team immediately sent someone to investigate the lyric distribution.

Yu Liuxue followed the staff back and soon received the most lines in the group—second only to the niece.

But it was clearly intentional. They gave her the most difficult part—chorus and high notes. Yu Liuxue touched her nose. I’m just a second-rate erhu player. Can I even pull this off? Are they setting me up to fail for the drama?

After reviewing everyone’s rehearsal results, Xiao Nian sent Yu Liuxue a message before leaving: “Come to my waiting room. I’ll coach you.”

Yu Liuxue glanced at her phone, then turned it off. Over the next few days, she stubbornly practiced despite her scratchy, underwhelming voice. During the final rehearsals, the other contestants gathered to watch the spectacle. “Gu Qingzhi sounds so bad—even if the king of pop showed up, he couldn’t save her. I don’t believe anyone would still like her after hearing her sing.”

Xiao Nian waited in the lounge but Yu Liuxue never showed up. She was in a foul mood. With a cold snort, she gave up on helping her.

Yu Liuxue’s roommates were worried, but she acted totally confident. When she got on stage, she transformed completely. Gone were the pitchy, off-key tones—her voice during the chorus was lazy and sultry, uniquely captivating, like a lover whispering in your ear, sending chills down your spine. And her high notes? Smooth and refreshing—an absolute delight.

The niece was stunned. What the hell? Were you pretending to be tone-deaf just to trick us? You sing this well—how am I supposed to shine or gain votes now?

She panicked and butchered her performance—off-key, cracked notes. She burst into tears as soon as she got off stage. Not long after, news came from the production team: they were requesting a re-recording. Without a second thought, Yu Liuxue called Yang Nianjiao. “President Yang! Has the car arrived to pick me up?!”

Yang Nianjiao grumbled, “It’s been here. You finished that quickly?”

Yu Liuxue didn’t reply—she hung up and ran for the Rolls-Royce. Before the door closed, she gave a look to the staff chasing after her, as if to say: I’m not your niece—pamper her if you want to.

“Sis! Drive!”

The secretary glanced at the staff before starting the car like an arrow loosed from a bow. Once at Yang Nianjiao’s office, Yu Liuxue plopped down on the couch. “President Yang! You have to stand up for me!”

Yang Nianjiao looked at her secretary. The secretary nodded and exited, closing the door. Yang Nianjiao set down her pen and asked lazily, “What happened?”

Yu Liuxue let out a breath. “President Yang, I totally outdid myself in this performance! Once the episode airs, my popularity is bound to skyrocket. But I’m worried the director might cut down my screen time, or even edit my scenes to make someone else look better—because his niece is in the same team as me.”

Yang Nianjiao was well-versed in the backgrounds of all the contestants. After listening to Yu Liuxue, she nodded and agreed, “No problem.”

“There’s one more thing,” Yu Liuxue said, suddenly bashful. “The director’s niece didn’t perform well, so the director wanted to reshoot the scenes. I refused, and before today’s filming wrapped up, I just ran off and came back.”

Yang Nianjiao: “…?”

Dead on the spot.

Yang Nianjiao felt like she must have the worst luck in eight lifetimes to end up managing someone as troublesome as Yu Liuxue. She weakly waved her hand to shoo her away. As Yu Liuxue was almost at the door, she turned back and asked again, “President Yang, you’ll take care of this for me, right?”

“Get out!”

Yu Liuxue quickly scrambled out of her office and happily went next door to eat spicy hot pot at a little shop.

As Gu Qingzhi’s teammate, Zhou Zhou kept close tabs on Yu Liuxue’s every move. Watching Yu Liuxue’s popularity surge after joining the show—even trending a few times—made Zhou Zhou burn with jealousy. Why her? She wasn’t prettier, and Zhou Zhou came from a better family. So why was Yu Liuxue more popular?

Zhou Zhou ran off to her agent again, pouting and complaining, “Sis, Gu Qingzhi’s popularity is skyrocketing. When are you going to start promoting me?”

Her agent had a headache. She had no choice but to tell the truth: “President Yang hasn’t made a final decision about your group’s direction yet, so we have to wait a bit more. She’s swamped right now—once things settle, she’ll give a response.”

Zhou Zhou wasn’t satisfied at all. After leaving her agent’s office, the more she thought about it, the more she felt the company was unreliable. If she wanted to be famous, she’d have to do it herself. Since Gu Qingzhi became popular by clout-chasing Xiao Nian, then she could do the same. With her own charm, becoming friends with Xiao Nian shouldn’t be hard.

She immediately called her parents, hoping to leverage their connections for a meal with Xiao Nian. She planned to subtly tell Xiao Nian she’d been a longtime fan to build rapport. Zhou Zhou sneered to herself—Xiao Nian is Gu Qingzhi’s idol? Well, too bad. She’ll be mine from now on.

To her surprise, Zhou Zhou’s parents actually made it happen. The director of the new script Xiao Nian was reviewing happened to know Zhou Zhou’s parents. When he heard that Zhou Zhou was a fan and wanted to meet her idol, he readily agreed.

After receiving the news from her parents, Zhou Zhou carefully dressed up and headed to the restaurant. She had seen an interview with Xiao Nian before, where she said she didn’t have a specific type—just that “the right person” was enough. Zhou Zhou had pondered that line. Wasn’t it just a roundabout way of saying “I’m easy to pursue”?

When it came to chasing people, Zhou Zhou figured she was second to none.

She was full of confidence. As soon as she entered the room, her eyes locked onto Xiao Nian. Xiao Nian was simply dressed and wore light makeup, yet her stunning features and aura made her stand out. Xiao Nian noticed Zhou Zhou’s gaze and glanced back lightly, then looked away.

Zhou Zhou bit her lip. Not interested? Why? Is my chest not big enough? My waist not slim enough?

She sat down, and the director, fearing Xiao Nian might be displeased, took the initiative to introduce them. “This is a friend’s daughter. She’s your fan. Her parents said she’s been dying to meet you ever since she heard I knew you. I couldn’t refuse, so…”

Zhou Zhou quickly jumped in, “Hi, Sister Xiao Nian.”

It was their first meeting, so she didn’t dare be too forward. Even her outfit was deliberately sweet and innocent, making her seem naive and harmless. After the director’s introduction, Xiao Nian’s attitude did warm up. She gave Zhou Zhou a slight nod and smiled. “Hello.”

Xiao Nian’s beauty wasn’t just hype from brainless fans. When Zhou Zhou looked into her deep eyes, she momentarily lost her senses. She’d seen all kinds of beauties, but never someone like Xiao Nian—who exuded allure like a walking bottle of pheromones.

Zhou Zhou’s dazed expression was misinterpreted by Xiao Nian as a starstruck fan overwhelmed by the moment.

With that thought, Xiao Nian chuckled softly and used her signature move—a gentle expression—as she asked kindly, “Can you drink? Never mind, you’re still young. What would you like to drink? I’ll order for you.”

Zhou Zhou snapped back to reality, her face and ears blazing red. She bit her lip lightly. “Anything’s fine.”

So embarrassing! She’d just gotten bewitched by a woman she’d only met once and zoned out in front of her. She was always the one making others fall head over heels—how did it flip today? Zhou Zhou had only heard that Xiao Nian looked a hundred times better in person than on screen, but she hadn’t expected the gap to be this huge.

Unwilling to give up, Zhou Zhou peeked at Xiao Nian again, only for Xiao Nian to turn, sensing the gaze. She wore a faint smile, subtly distant, yet strangely captivating.

Zhou Zhou’s heart pounded and her cheeks grew hotter. She froze.

What’s happening to me? Why am I acting like this? She felt just like those awkward, shy girls who mustered up the courage to confess to her—clumsy and inexperienced. Xiao Nian was probably laughing at her inside.

Luckily, there were only the director and Xiao Nian present.

Seeing Zhou Zhou’s flushed face, the director chuckled and said, “She’s just shy.”

Zhou Zhou’s face turned even redder—not out of shyness, but out of frustration. Ugh, pathetic! She’s just Gu Qingzhi’s idol! Gu Qingzhi didn’t even blush when she saw her, why are you blushing? Have some self-respect!

Xiao Nian’s mood suddenly improved. The gloom brought by Yu Liuxue these past days was swept away. She accepted the juice the waiter brought and personally poured a glass for Zhou Zhou. Zhou Zhou, still flustered, didn’t want anyone to see her like this, so she kept her head down, quietly eating and drinking, never interrupting Xiao Nian and the director’s conversation.

Her carefully crafted plan completely fell apart.

After leaving the room, Zhou Zhou stomped her foot in frustration. Her attempt to charm Gu Qingzhi’s idol had failed. Xiao Nian and the director followed her out. The director suddenly said he had something urgent and asked Xiao Nian to give Zhou Zhou a ride. Zhou Zhou immediately perked up—Gu Qingzhi’s idol was going to drive her home?

What kind of heavenly luck was this?

She pretended not to know, and when the director told her again, she feigned nervous reluctance as she watched the only familiar person leave with a look of longing. Xiao Nian picked up her car keys, her expression unchanged from earlier. The lighting was dim, and when Zhou Zhou glanced at her quickly, she found her even more captivating than before.

The roles had suddenly reversed—Zhou Zhou, who had come to hunt Xiao Nian, had become the prey instead.

Xiao Nian stopped nearby. “Where do you live?”

Zhou Zhou gave an address but was internally conflicted. Was she really about to let Gu Qingzhi’s idol drive her home? After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “Maybe I should just get a ride myself. If someone takes a photo…”

Xiao Nian turned her head and chuckled. “It’s not safe for a young lady to take a cab alone at night. Don’t worry, there are no paparazzi here.”

She walked back to Zhou Zhou, stood in front of her, and said in a lowered voice, “If someone does take a picture, I’ll say you’re my friend’s kid.”

Zhou Zhou hesitated for a while, then agreed. She told herself, This is Gu Qingzhi’s idol offering to drive me home. It’s not like I’m seducing her. She got into Xiao Nian’s car. It smelled lovely inside—just like Xiao Nian herself. The car was small and dimly lit, making the atmosphere feel almost intimate.

Zhou Zhou suddenly became alert. Wait—could Gu Qingzhi’s idol be… interested in me?

But Xiao Nian didn’t do anything inappropriate. She politely drove Zhou Zhou home and waited until she went inside. Zhou Zhou looked back several times, suspicious, then suddenly turned around and, seizing the moment, asked tentatively, “Um… Sister Xiao Nian, can I add you on WeChat?”

“If not, that’s okay—”

“Sure.”

Zhou Zhou froze, the rest of her sentence dying in her throat. After getting Xiao Nian’s WeChat, she returned home dazed, feeling more and more bewildered. They’d just met—why would Xiao Nian be willing to give her contact info?

Her phone buzzed. Zhou Zhou quickly checked.

It was a message from Xiao Nian: “Get some rest. Good night.”

Zhou Zhou: “!!”

She didn’t sleep all night, tossing and turning in bed, wondering—Is Xiao Nian into me? Or is she just like me? Open-minded and casual?

Although she didn’t know the answer, that didn’t stop Zhou Zhou from going out of her way to the company the next day to show off to Yu Liuxue. She stopped Yu Liuxue, who was about to head to the company cafeteria for some buns, and said smugly, “Gu Qingzhi, I got your idol’s WeChat last night. Want it? Beg me. If you beg, I’ll give it to you.”

“My idol?” Yu Liuxue blinked. Who? Since when did I have an idol? Why don’t I know about this?

Zhou Zhou huffed, “Let me tell you, last night Xiao Nian not only drove me home, she even told me goodnight first.”

“She thinks I’m a fan of hers, just like you.”

Realization hit Yu Liuxue, and for a moment, her feelings were complicated. She’d originally thought Xiao Nian was hanging out with Zhou Zhou because Zhou Zhou was the proactive one, but from what she just heard, it was clearly Xiao Nian who was more enthusiastic. She found it baffling—could it be that Xiao Nian liked to mess with young girls’ feelings?

Yu Liuxue’s subtle expression greatly pleased Zhou Zhou. Before leaving, Zhou Zhou threw down a bold declaration: “Gu Qingzhi, just wait. I’m going to win over your idol. That’s the price for going against me.”

Every time she thought about Yu Liuxue’s expression, she felt a rush of satisfaction. So what if you got famous clout-chasing Xiao Nian? I actually got your idol and am dating her! Zhou Zhou felt certain Gu Qingzhi would lose her mind when the time came.

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue was starving. She grabbed two buns, a steamed roll, two sticks of fried dough, and a cup of soy milk in one go, then quietly sat down with her loaded tray in a corner. The more she thought about it, the more she felt Xiao Nian was a twisted heartbreaker—even her fans weren’t safe.

Still, dating a fan did sound kind of thrilling. The other person liked you, was completely devoted… who wouldn’t like having a pretty girl gazing at them with adoration?

Yu Liuxue bit into a fried dough stick and suddenly shivered. She said to the system, “I’ve never seen anyone as scummy as Xiao Nian. All those other scumbags I’ve seen before are nothing compared to her.”

Xiao Nian was the ultimate scumbag—after all, she had tons of fans, fame, and a position no one could shake. Even if her public image collapsed, there would still be plenty of fans eager to date her.

Yu Liuxue had taken a few days off at the apartment and skipped filming, so she had no clue what had happened since. So when she eagerly sat in front of her iPad to watch the show, she grew more and more confused. Is this still the show I was in? What kind of insane editing is this?

Despite interference from Yang Nianjiao, she hadn’t escaped the dreaded “evil edit.” Yu Liuxue herself remained calm, but others were furious, flooding the comments section with rage: “I don’t want to see Gu Qingzhi anymore. Can the producers please give more screen time to the other girls?”

They even listed the airtime of other contestants to compare with Yu Liuxue—one of her alone was equal to ten of the others combined.

Yu Liuxue’s fans weren’t having it and fired back: “Qingzhi has popularity and buzz, so what if she gets more screen time? If you’re mad, go talk to the director—why take it out on Qingzhi?”

“I think our Qingzhi is gorgeous, naturally trending, and brought in tons of fans from Moonlight over the Spring. Why shouldn’t she get more screen time? Instead of picking on her, maybe spend more time helping your fave build a better image—you might get more votes that way.”

Others: I’m so pissed off I could explode!

When the episode showed Yu Liuxue singing off-key and failing to correct it, the mentors roasted her one after another. Fans of other contestants immediately felt vindicated and righteously declared: “Could the script be more obvious? Even a dog wouldn’t listen to that. How can someone like that get so much screen time?”

“She couldn’t even stay on pitch during rehearsal. I doubt she’ll improve on stage.”

As soon as they said that, the official performance began. No one had any hope for Yu Liuxue. But when she opened her mouth, a lazy, sultry voice came through the speakers and headphones, making everyone think the same thing: Lip sync? Pre-recorded?

That lip-syncing is too damn good. I almost believed it.

The director had originally planned to use her stage as a teaser, but his own niece was in this group. If the stage aired one episode earlier, it would help her in the votes. Since Yu Liuxue did well, he wanted to reshoot it—but she had already fled. Left with no choice, he had the rest re-record their performances to support his niece. As for Yu Liuxue’s airtime…

Yang Nianjiao came over forcefully and warned him. He didn’t dare make drastic changes, so in the end, things turned out as they did.

The director had been worried at first, but when he saw that viewers were all questioning whether Yu Liuxue had lip-synced, he was overjoyed. What’s this called? When you’re cursed, even cold water gets stuck in your teeth. No matter how well she sang, people still suspected she was faking it.

Yu Liuxue never expected she’d be accused of lip-syncing. Tearfully slumped over her desk, just about to vent her frustrations, her phone rang—Xiao Nian.

“Come out. I’m at your office entrance. Step out and you’ll see me.”

“I don’t have time,” Yu Liuxue thought for a moment and turned her down.

Xiao Nian didn’t call again, so Yu Liuxue assumed she had left. But when she stepped out of the company in her slippers, someone suddenly came up beside her and silently pulled her to the side. Yu Liuxue was startled and, upon seeing the person’s face, exclaimed, “Xiao Nian?”

Yu Liuxue immediately began to struggle. She instinctively grabbed a passerby for help—only to look up and realize it was Yu Bing.

Yu Bing’s face was expressionless, not even a hint of surprise. Her calm, deep eyes stared at Yu Liuxue, making her feel like she was the one being unreasonable. Xiao Nian tugged at her again, and Yu Liuxue clung tightly to Yu Bing’s arm, pitifully begging, “Sis, save me!”

Xiao Nian wore sunglasses and held tightly onto Yu Liuxue’s wrist. “Gu Qingzhi, come home with me.”

She tried to make Yu Liuxue let go, but no matter what, Yu Liuxue wouldn’t release her grip. Left with no choice, Xiao Nian looked at Yu Bing. “This is between me and her. It has nothing to do with you.”

Yu Bing lowered her gaze slightly, signaling Yu Liuxue to let go. Seeing the resistance in her eyes, she said calmly, “She’s an artist under my company.”

Xiao Nian curled her lips. “She’s my woman.”