Chapter 77 – After Secretly Marrying a Top Star, She Got Cheated On (6)

When did Yang Nianjiao and Yu Bing get here? No—how did they even know she was here? And that she was in Yu Yu’s car?

Yu Liuxue’s entire body stiffened as she forced out a smile uglier than crying and guiltily called out, “President Yang, Sister Yu… what brings you here?”

Yu Bing looked at her blandly, her expression unreadable, the same cold indifference that kept everyone at a distance. Yang Nianjiao stared at her with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, then turned to Yu Yu and said with a clear edge in her tone, “Yu-jie, thanks for giving her a ride.”

After that, Yang Nianjiao pulled open the unlocked car door, grabbed Yu Liuxue by the wrist, and yanked her out of the car. Yu Liuxue purposely lost her footing and stumbled right into Yang Nianjiao’s arms. With a dark face, Yang Nianjiao caught her. If this weren’t such terrible timing, she would’ve loved nothing more than to yell at her right then and there.

Without a second thought, Yang Nianjiao shoved Yu Liuxue into Yu Bing’s arms and turned to get into her own car. Yu Bing instinctively caught the human sandbag thrown at her, only to have Yu Liuxue cling to her like an octopus. Yu Bing lowered her lashes and looked down at her. Yu Liuxue gazed up at her pitifully and whispered, “Sister Yu, don’t misunderstand…”

Yu Yu was just about to roll up her window when she heard that. Her eyes swept coldly over Yu Liuxue’s face. The Gu Qingzhi she remembered was quiet and obedient, always timidly following behind Xiao Nian, obeying her every word. It made people feel exasperated just looking at her. But after the divorce, Gu Qingzhi had become sly and heartless, flippant and flirtatious—like she had one foot in four or five relationships at once.

Even an octopus couldn’t juggle that many.

Yu Yu was sure the Gu Qingzhi of the past wasn’t faking it. She rolled up the window, gave Yang Nianjiao a slight nod, and her car sped off like an arrow from a bow.

Yu Bing had driven over, and so had Yang Nianjiao. Now Yang Nianjiao was in her car, buckling her seatbelt. Yu Liuxue stared at her, unsure whose car she should get into. No matter whose car she chose, she’d be in for a scolding either way.

While she was still hesitating, Yang Nianjiao finished buckling up and drove off without so much as a glance in her direction.

Yu Liuxue: “…!” President Yang! Did you forget your little sweetheart?!

She quickly looked to Yu Bing, who was trying to pull her off. But Yu Liuxue clung to her tightly, refusing to let go. Yu Bing was silent for a moment before saying, “Get in.”

As soon as she heard that, Yu Liuxue let go and sprinted to the car with Olympic-level speed, got in, closed the door, and buckled her seatbelt—all in one swift, stunning move. Yu Bing stood there for a few seconds, answered a phone call, then finally got in and drove her away.

Yu Liuxue clutched the seatbelt nervously. After a while, she tried to explain, “Sister Yu, don’t get the wrong idea. I didn’t mean it like that…”

Just as she was preparing a grand speech to defend herself, Yu Bing looked over expressionlessly and said, “Save that for Nianjiao.”

Yu Liuxue died on the spot.

She leaned against the window, teary-eyed. “System, I clearly changed to a dog-blood drama world. So why… why am I still living such a tragic life?”

If it wasn’t Yang Nianjiao’s moods, it was Yu Bing’s. If not Yu Bing’s, then Yu Yu’s. She must have been a mahjong tile in her past life, the way her luck was this rotten.

The system offered a brief moment of silence for her misfortune, then chirped cheerfully, “Host, in a dog-blood world, anything is possible.”

Yu Liuxue: “…”

Yu Bing took Yu Liuxue straight back to the company. The moment she saw the familiar building, Yu Liuxue panicked. Not good. She quickly opened the car door to flee, but Yu Bing grabbed her wrist. “Where are you going? Nianjiao wants to see you.”

Yu Liuxue instantly clutched her stomach, furrowing her brow with a pained expression. “Sister Yu, can I talk to President Yang another day? I think I ate something bad… my stomach hurts so much I can’t even walk… my legs are shaking…”

She kept going until she noticed Yu Bing simply watching her in silence—not even bothering to offer comfort. Yu Liuxue almost couldn’t keep up the act. She shut her mouth sheepishly. “Sister Yu, you have to help me plead for mercy later, okay? I’ll repay your kindness with my body if I have to.”

Yu Bing: “…” Indifference.

The stomach pain was fake, but Yu Bing really did carry her like a princess. Yu Liuxue was stunned. “So Sister Yu has such a soft heart?! If I’d known earlier, I would’ve laid it on thick with her sooner.”

She snuggled happily in Yu Bing’s arms, quietly giggling to herself.

But that moment of sweetness didn’t last long. Yang Nianjiao’s face was thunderous, the storm looming. As soon as Yu Bing set her down, Yang Nianjiao narrowed her eyes at Yu Bing with disapproval, then looked coldly at Yu Liuxue. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

Yu Liuxue fumbled for her phone and realized it had powered off. She answered cautiously, “President Yang, I didn’t mean to ignore your calls. I forgot to charge my phone during today’s shoot, and it shut off on its own…”

It was at least a decent excuse, but Yang Nianjiao’s expression didn’t improve. She leaned back lazily in her chair, her brow creasing with a hint of disdain. “Gu Qingzhi, didn’t I warn you? No dating allowed right now.”

Yu Liuxue was truly innocent this time. She blurted out, “President Yang, there’s nothing going on between me and Sister Yu Yu! She’s Xiao Nian’s agent—how could I possibly like her? Besides, Sister Yu Bing has saved me so many times and treats me so well. I’d never hurt her like that!”

Yang Nianjiao followed her logic, then slammed the desk in fury. “So you have feelings for Yu Bing?!”

Yu Liuxue: “…!” That’s something I will absolutely never admit.

Face full of grief, she asked the system, “Is it really that hard to fall in love around here?”

Yu Bing looked over, lips twitching slightly before she turned away again and quietly continued peeling one of the tangerines that Yang Nianjiao had placed nearby. The sweet citrus scent drifted through the air. Both Yang Nianjiao and Yu Liuxue turned toward her. Yang Nianjiao’s temple throbbed. She picked up her phone and barked, “Bring me two copies of the contract.”

In less than three minutes, the secretary delivered the documents. One copy went to Yu Liuxue, the other to Yang Nianjiao. Yu Liuxue took a glance and nearly dropped dead on the spot.

[Agreement: Until Gu Qingzhi earns one hundred million yuan for DY Entertainment, she is strictly prohibited from dating, publicly or privately. Any violation will incur a five hundred million yuan penalty…]

Yu Liuxue: “…”

The boss really racked her brain to stop her employees from dating.

Whether she wanted to or not, she had no choice but to sign. Signing it would at least give Yang Nianjiao some peace of mind. As Yu Liuxue scribbled her name, she thought to herself: fine, no dating. Just don’t make anything official, right? A little flirtation doesn’t count, does it?

Her little schemes clattered like abacus beads. Yang Nianjiao gave her a flat glance but didn’t plan to press her too hard. Otherwise, if Yu Liuxue gave up and turned her sights on her instead, that’d be even worse.

Yu Liuxue had no idea Yang Nianjiao was actively avoiding her now. After happily signing the agreement, she was immediately kicked out of the office—Yang Nianjiao cold and ruthless like a heartless ex after pulling up their pants.

Yu Liuxue returned to her single apartment, feeling more and more that the place was cold and lifeless.

Yang Nianjiao frowned, arms crossed, deep in thought. She finally turned to Yu Bing and asked, “Do you think… she has feelings for your sister?”

Yu Bing popped a tangerine slice into her mouth. “She just wants to seduce my sister into being her agent.”

But Yang Nianjiao wasn’t convinced. Gu Qingzhi might be young, but her heartbreaker tendencies were showing more and more. She warned Yu Bing, “Watch out for her. Don’t let her get too close to your sister.”

“And you—stay on guard too.” After all, she’d personally heard Yu Liuxue say she wanted to sleep with Yu Bing.

Yu Bing didn’t take it too seriously but still nodded. “She doesn’t get many chances to interact with my sister.”

“Besides, she can’t beat me.”

Yu Liuxue had no idea Yu Bing was out here dropping truth bombs. She was busy lurking online with a sockpuppet account, stirring up drama. The system found her behavior ridiculous, but Yu Liuxue was having a blast, completely addicted.

Another episode of her show had aired yesterday. Gu Qingzhi was no longer the Z-list starlet who rode on others’ fame but had become the production team’s chosen one—a self-directed, self-acted drama queen of epic proportions.

Her “pretend to be weak to prey on the strong” act had already been seen through by many, yet despite this, people continued to watch with great enjoyment. In fact, they genuinely loved Yu Liuxue’s performance on the show. Her acting was just right, and she had a keen sense for timing—deliberately creating conflict when needed to produce editing highlights, and earnestly showcasing herself when the moment called for it. Some viewers would just start getting annoyed and unfollow her, only to be won back by her outstanding performance on stage.

People kept saying, “No wonder Gu Qingzhi has always been the most talked-about contestant on the show. With that clever little brain of hers, it’s honestly a waste for her to be an idol.”

Fans chimed in, “Thanks for the compliments, everyone! Please keep supporting Qingzhi-jie, and don’t forget to vote for her daily! On behalf of Qingzhi-jie, thank you all~”

But some also analyzed, “Gu Qingzhi’s performance is too prominent—I suspect she might be forced to withdraw in the end. Here’s why: she’s already a member of Mercury Girls. If she leaves Mercury Girls to join a new group, she’ll be harshly criticized by Mercury Girls’ fans. And with Yang Nianjiao’s personality, she’s not the type to lend out her cash cow like that.

Also, the scripting around Gu Qingzhi on the show is very obvious. I strongly suspect that all her actions were planned in advance with the production team—to deliberately stir drama and draw attention, helping boost the show’s buzz. Once she’s no longer useful, she’ll be kicked aside by the production team. Even if not, they won’t let her debut.”

The fans replied without missing a beat: “You vote one, I vote one—tomorrow our girl debuts!”

No matter how many conspiracy theories or malicious haters roamed the internet, Gu Qingzhi’s popularity continued to rise steadily. Support stations and fan pages were springing up like bamboo shoots after the rain, painting a thriving picture of harmony. After reading a netizen’s analysis, Yu Liuxue immediately came up with a reason to quit the show. She had already gotten what she wanted from participating. Her relationship with the production team had been mutually beneficial long enough—now it was time to say goodbye.

But before withdrawing, she had to make one last earth-shaking move.

Yu Liuxue had everything planned. However, based on Yang Nianjiao’s earlier comments, she seemed somewhat against the idea of her quitting. So Yu Liuxue cautiously crept to Yang Nianjiao’s office, not daring to enter. Like a gecko, she pressed herself to the door, cleared her throat, and said, “President Yang, I have something I’d like to discuss.”

Yang Nianjiao lifted her eyelids, “Want to quit?”

Yu Liuxue was startled, then quickly smiled. “President Yang, you really know me.” She stepped inside and explained seriously, “President Yang, I feel that if I make it to the finals and debut with the others, my future development will be limited.”

“Please rest assured—before I announce my withdrawal, I’ll definitely create a huge buzz for myself. I won’t let you down.” Yu Liuxue sat obediently on the couch, looking stunning.

Yang Nianjiao gazed at her quietly. Gu Qingzhi had a beautiful face—big, watery eyes with an innocent, pitiful air, a delicate oval face, sharp chin, refined features, and fair skin. Combined with her fragile aura, she exuded an almost deceptive charm. It was easy to fall into her trap without realizing it.

Yang Nianjiao understood this well. She responded flatly, then added, “Let’s see how you perform before making a decision.”

Yu Liuxue immediately jumped up happily. “Thank you, President Yang!”

Just before she left, Yang Nianjiao squinted and asked, “You’re not quitting just so you can rush back and live happily ever after with your two Sister Yu’s, are you?”

Yu Liuxue: “……” I swear I’m innocent, Boss!

The pre-final performance was critical. As the top-ranked contestant, Yu Liuxue had the right to pick her teammates first. In the past, she had always been modest and courteous, never fighting for anything on the show. But now, the more unambitious she had seemed before, the more aggressive and sharp she appeared today. She immediately selected contestants ranked second through eighth, then added a few powerful but underrated gems to form a super team.

Those picked looked at her, then at their fellow temporary teammates, filled with dread. Was Gu Qingzhi crazy today?

Their team was either full of highly popular members or ones with outstanding strength. As fans would say, it was a clash of the gods. Everyone had barely made it to the final round, on the verge of debuting, only to have Gu Qingzhi come stir the pot and throw everything into chaos.

After picking the team, they went to their practice room. Yu Liuxue volunteered to be team leader. Then it was time to select the center (C) position. Yu Liuxue tapped the floor, “Everyone takes a turn performing. Everyone gets a chance. No refusing. After watching everyone, we’ll vote anonymously. Fair and square. Let’s start from the left.”

Some contestants started to feel uneasy. Gu Qingzhi’s desire to perform today was too strong. Had she switched to a new script? Was she no longer pretending to be harmless?

Regardless of their suspicions, they performed seriously—after all, their futures were on the line. When it was Yu Liuxue’s turn, she held nothing back, unleashing her full power. The contestants were stunned: “…!”

Holy—was Gu Qingzhi seriously aiming for the center spot?!

They knew she’d been hiding her strength, but they hadn’t realized just how powerful she really was. It would be hard to justify not giving her the center. Even though the vote was anonymous, what if the editors exposed their votes for drama? Then they’d be cursed out by the whole country!

With that in mind, everyone voted honestly for Yu Liuxue. And so, she became the only contestant in the show’s history to receive 100% of the votes for center. When the results were announced, Yu Liuxue knelt dramatically, eyes full of tears, “Thank you all for recognizing and supporting me. I promise I’ll lead us to victory!”

After the vote, they split up the lyrics and began rehearsals. Some practiced choreography; whenever conflict arose, Yu Liuxue rushed to mediate. Whenever someone lagged behind, she patiently guided them after filming. Initially, some were skeptical, thinking she was just putting on a show. But after a week, her genuine effort started to show results.

With all the mentors praising them, the team finally realized that Yu Liuxue was genuinely kind, capable, and extremely smart.

Some contestants discussed in private, “If we debut, I think Qingzhi would make a great leader.”

“With her popularity, if she’s the leader, no matter who gets center, other fanbases will be furious. You all know how our fans are—none of them acknowledge each other, only Gu Qingzhi. She’s been targeted so many times since the show began—has it ever shaken her popularity? She’s always been number one. If center goes to anyone but her, not even we’ll be okay with it, let alone the fans.”

“So what do we do? I’m already used to following Gu Qingzhi’s lead. She’s clear-headed, methodical, trustworthy, and protects our interests. If someone else becomes leader, I won’t be able to adjust.”

“Then let her be both the leader and center. Honestly, I’d be grateful just to debut.” said a strong contestant who was on the edge of elimination.

Yu Liuxue happened to walk in just then. Hearing this, she patted that contestant’s back and looked at her seriously, “Don’t worry. You’re so talented—I’ll make sure you debut.”

The girl froze, then hurriedly said, “Qingzhi, don’t mind us. We were just joking.”

In truth, Yu Liuxue was already considering who should fill her spot after she withdrew. Since she wanted to be seen as a good person, she had to go all the way. Her good reputation was key to her future development. After some thought, she still believed this girl was the best fit—talented, good-looking, but stuck in a small company with no backing, relying on fans desperately voting to reach the finals.

After settling on her successor, Yu Liuxue gave her extra support behind the scenes, making sure her performance stood out.

On the day of the performance, the venue was packed with fans and audience members. Once Yu Liuxue and the others finished getting styled, they went on stage to perform. As soon as the performance ended, voting and rankings were announced. Then it was finally time for a holiday break. Xiao Nian had also taken time off to attend. As a mentor, she was supposed to provide timely reactions to help with editing. But the moment Yu Liuxue appeared, she was stunned.

Was this still the Gu Qingzhi she knew? As beautiful as a porcelain doll, yet like a budding flame-colored rose. Her radiant smile and glowing eyes were impossibly captivating.

She had never seen Gu Qingzhi like this before. Just one fleeting glance was enough to leave her breathless, her heart skipping a beat uncontrollably from the stunning impact. But that wasn’t the end of it. Xiao Nian knew Yu Liuxue’s capabilities—barely passable at best. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been shelved by DY Entertainment for so many years. Yet at this moment, watching the person on stage, someone who deliberately hid their brilliance but still outshone every other contestant, Xiao Nian was suddenly filled with a deep sense of doubt.

Had she never truly understood Gu Qingzhi? How could she have grown so much in such a short time?

Xiao Nian had come from a girl group herself, so she could tell at a glance—after today, Gu Qingzhi’s fancam would very likely go viral and break into the mainstream. And once she broke out, that would be the day Gu Qingzhi truly rose to prominence. An inexplicable unease welled up inside her.

She could no longer see through the moves Yu Liuxue was making. She couldn’t help but imagine the worst—

Was all of this done to get revenge on her? To make her regret everything?

Yu Liuxue was smiling radiantly amid the cheers of the fans. It wasn’t until today that she could openly and proudly enjoy the stage. Every move she made was dazzling and alluring, each subtle expression under perfect control, so captivating that no one could look away. Gu Qingzhi had a great figure, a slim waist and long legs, and her styling today was flawless. Even though she stood in the very back corner, she was still the most eye-catching contestant on stage.

After the performance, Yu Liuxue and the contestants left the stage amid the fans’ wild cheers.

There was no suspense in the voting results. Yu Liuxue, at full power, garnered twice as many votes as the second place, leaving everyone with a sense of helplessness.

Gu Qingzhi had both strength and buzz. If she were to debut in the future, who else would have a chance to rise to fame? Wouldn’t they all be crushed and forced to live under her shadow? It wasn’t just the contestants—now even the director was getting worried.

Yu Liuxue had completed her task. Just as she was about to leave, Xiao Nian came out as if by coincidence. She stared at her calmly, stopping in front of Yu Liuxue, while Yu Yu kept watch by the door for anyone who might suddenly show up.

Yu Liuxue raised her brows in surprise and asked deliberately, “Ms. Xiao, are you looking for me?”

The title “Ms. Xiao” made Xiao Nian lose focus for a brief moment. Back then, Gu Qingzhi used to love trailing behind her and calling her that, though in a much sweeter, cuter tone—nothing like the casual indifference in her voice now, which felt so unfamiliar.

Xiao Nian tried to keep her composure, but her thoughts inevitably went dark. “Gu Qingzhi, what exactly are you trying to do?”

Yu Liuxue instantly lost interest and replied lazily, “Ms. Xiao, I hope you remember—we have no connection anymore. I have no obligation to explain anything to you.”

She gave her a half-smile, eyes glinting. “Ms. Xiao, have you forgotten? We’re already divorced.”

Xiao Nian was left speechless, but a nameless fury surged within her. “Gu Qingzhi, you—”

Before she could finish, Yu Liuxue swiftly cut her off, glancing at Yu Yu leaning by the door. She tossed a flirty wink and said ambiguously, “Sis, I’m heading out first. Don’t forget to call me sometime—I’ll be all clean and waiting at home for you.”

Xiao Nian: “???”