Chapter 79 – After Secretly Marrying a Top Star, I Was Cheated On by Her (8)

A bodyguard like her?
Yu Liuxue instinctively turned her head and immediately saw Yu Bing’s icy cold face. Her heart skipped a beat—did Yu Bing hear everything she had just said?

In a panic, Yu Liuxue feigned indignant anger and said, “I won’t allow you to speak of Sister Yu like that. She’s the most precious person in my heart.”

Zhou Zhou’s eyes lit up, calculating inwardly. So this bodyguard meant that much to Gu Qingzhi? But then she frowned. “Didn’t you say you liked Xiao Nian? What’s wrong with you? It’s only been a few days and you’ve already changed your heart?”

Yu Liuxue chuckled mischievously, “None of your business.”

Zhou Zhou’s face flushed red in fury, rendered speechless. Yu Bing cast her a faint glance, then wordlessly dragged Yu Liuxue away. Yu Liuxue looked at her with barely concealed delight, full of anticipation as she asked the system, “Where do you think she’s taking me?”

The system pondered briefly, then jinxed, “To Yang Nianjiao’s office?”

Faced with the all-too-familiar surroundings and the same old path, Yu Liuxue looked like she was about to cry. Teary-eyed, she looked up at Yu Bing and pleaded, “Sister Yu, I’d like to be alone right now.”

Yu Bing calmly replied, “Nianjiao went out on business. Just rest on her sofa.”

Yu Liuxue had just opened her mouth to protest when Yu Bing coolly interrupted, “If you go back to the apartment, won’t that girl bully you again?”

That girl, of course, referred to Zhou Zhou. Yu Liuxue was taken aback. She edged closer, moved, and said sweetly, “In this world, I have no one. Only you, Sister Yu, truly care about me.”

Yu Bing gave no reply.

Meanwhile, Zhou Zhou leaned against the wall, watching Yu Liuxue and Yu Bing’s departing figures with a calculating look. She scratched her chin and narrowed her eyes. The only reason she got close to Xiao Nian was to take everything Gu Qingzhi had, then stand triumphantly above her, watching her fall apart in defeat.

Now, Xiao Nian seemed to have developed a slight interest in her, and Zhou Zhou had already planned her next moves. She was even prepared to use her looks to completely win Xiao Nian over.

Once she succeeded, Gu Qingzhi would be devastated by the news. She would fall into depression, never recover, and might even quit Mercury Girls altogether.

But now Zhou Zhou gritted her teeth in frustration. She hadn’t expected Gu Qingzhi to move on so fast! It hadn’t been that long, and now she was already eyeing a mere bodyguard?

That bodyguard… did have some charm. With her cool, aloof demeanor, she was clearly a hard nut to crack. Conquering someone like that would definitely feel satisfying. Zhou Zhou smirked coldly, “She’s the most precious person in your heart?”

“Too bad. Soon, I’ll be the most precious one in her heart.”

Clenching her fists, Zhou Zhou’s expression turned dark again. “Gu Qingzhi, if I find out you’ve changed your mind again soon, you’re done for.”

Xiao Nian was easy enough to pursue, but she had still put in some effort. Now that she was on the brink of success, she had to change targets again just because of Gu Qingzhi’s shifting tastes. It was like swallowing a fly—disgusting and infuriating, like Gu Qingzhi had deliberately played her.

She stomped her foot in anger, silently cursing Yu Liuxue to hell and back. Never in her life had she seen someone so fickle—declaring love one moment and abandoning it the next without a second thought. What a scumbag.

Sure enough, Yang Nianjiao wasn’t in her office. Yu Liuxue tried to get some information out of Yu Bing, but the latter claimed to know nothing. The two sat side by side on the sofa. Yu Bing handed her a cup of hot water, and Yu Liuxue accepted it with a sweet smile. “Thank you, Sister Yu.”

Yu Bing didn’t look at her. “Why did you withdraw from the competition?”

Yu Liuxue had messaged her while she was busy working, so she hadn’t seen her phone. By the time she checked it, the news of Yu Liuxue’s withdrawal had already exploded online, accompanied by all sorts of wild rumors. Yu Bing immediately called, only to find that the phone had been turned off. She rushed back to the company as fast as she could, and found that Yu Liuxue had actually messaged her much earlier.

In that moment, Yu Bing had slammed the gas pedal, racing back at record speed. She guessed that Yu Liuxue had probably holed up in the apartment, and sure enough, the moment she stepped out of the elevator, she saw her teammate bullying her.

Yu Bing silently tightened her grip on the water cup. “Honestly, withdrawing isn’t the end of the world. Life is long…”

Before she could finish, Yu Liuxue jumped in, “Then Sister Yu, will you walk this road with me?”

Yu Bing turned to look at her. Yu Liuxue wore a pitiful expression, her eyes wide and filled with hope, almost begging for a yes. She nervously clenched her hands into fists and said carefully, “Sister Yu, I just got divorced. I’m all alone. The road ahead is so long and dark—I don’t know how to go on. I’m really scared.”

“So… could you stay with me?” Her lips trembled as she added, sobbing softly, “I know I’m asking too much, but…”

Suddenly, the image of Yang Nianjiao appeared in her eyes. Yu Liuxue flinched on the spot and quickly composed herself. “President Yang, you’re back so soon?”

Yang Nianjiao sneered. “If I hadn’t come back quickly, were you planning on getting married again?”

Yu Bing’s lips twitched into the faintest smile.

Yu Liuxue, feeling guilty, didn’t dare respond. Yang Nianjiao threw her bag on the table, crossed her legs, and narrowed her eyes with authority. “You’re not allowed to leave the company freely for the next month. Stay hidden until the finals are over.” She looked at Yu Bing and tilted her chin slightly. “Yu Bing, find someone to keep an eye on her.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?” Isn’t this just house arrest for imperial concubines?

She hurriedly said, full of sincerity, “President Yang, there’s no need for that. I’ll behave. I promise to stay in the apartment and bond with my teammates.”

Teammates? Zhou Zhou? What bonding was there to be done?

Yang Nianjiao clearly didn’t believe her. “It’s settled.”

As she was about to leave, Yu Liuxue turned to Yu Bing for help, but Yang Nianjiao suddenly looked back, her gaze sharp. “You’re not thinking of seducing Zhou Zhou too, are you?”

Yu Liuxue flinched again. After a barrage of explanations and guarantees, Yang Nianjiao finally believed she wasn’t interested in Zhou Zhou.

Fair enough—Yu Liuxue’s left heart chamber held Yu Bing, the right held Yu Yu. A childish and boring person like Zhou Zhou wouldn’t stand a chance unless she was blind. Yang Nianjiao called her secretary in, gave some instructions, and then looked back at Yu Liuxue still sitting on her sofa with a frown. “Why are you still here?”

Yu Liuxue: “…!” Wait—was I supposed to leave?

She immediately stood up. “President Yang, I’ll leave you to your work. I’m going now.”

“Wait,” Yang Nianjiao stopped her again. “Your Weibo will be temporarily managed by the company. You are not allowed to post or go online in the near future. Got it?”

This was to prevent Yu Liuxue from acting on impulse and ruining her plans. Today, Yu Liuxue’s withdrawal had been like a bomb dropped into a calm lake, disturbing everything. Yang Nianjiao might not have suffered much, but the production team, which had been relying on her for buzz, was in total chaos.

Frantic and desperate, they tried to get Yang Nianjiao to change her mind, suggesting the company declare Yu Liuxue’s account hacked and the withdrawal post a malicious fake. But Yang Nianjiao wasn’t a fool. Why would she do something that wouldn’t benefit Yu Liuxue in the slightest?

She was certain that if she really went through with it, the artist’s reputation would be utterly ruined—so much so that it wouldn’t be cleaned up even in ten lifetimes.

Gu Qingzhi already had a history of deliberately stirring up controversy involving Xiao Nian. If another scandal broke out, the label of “Gu Qingzhi fakes accidents for clout, always chasing hype and stirring up drama” would be permanently stuck to her. To put it more bluntly, the program’s viewership and buzz had nothing to do with Yang Nianjiao. Whether ratings soared or plummeted, she neither earned a bonus nor bore any loss.

Only a fool would help someone who constantly exploits their company’s artists just to grab attention.

Yu Liuxue’s move was brilliant. It immediately shattered the widely spread rumor of her being the “Chosen Girl.” What kind of chosen one would quit the competition right before the finals? Gu Qingzhi had always held the top spot in votes. According to haters and sour fans, her debut was guaranteed—totally in the bag.

If there weren’t something deeper going on, who would choose to fade out just when success was within reach? Mercury Girls wasn’t popular to begin with. If Gu Qingzhi could debut with the group, her popularity would ensure she received the best resources. Isn’t that why people enter the entertainment industry—to become famous? Who would willingly give up such a golden opportunity?

The haters were stunned into silence. In their private groups, they anxiously asked around:

“What’s going on with Gu Qingzhi? Why did she suddenly quit? Sure, I insulted her pretty badly, but I didn’t think she’d actually withdraw!”

“Don’t panic. Let’s wait for more info. Maybe it’s just a publicity stunt?”

“There’s no way this is a stunt, right? She can’t be that shameless. If she’s using something like this to stir up buzz, I swear I’ll be her lifelong anti.”

It wasn’t just the haters who were in disbelief—the real fans were even more unwilling to accept it. After all their tireless efforts promoting her day and night, even calling on relatives and classmates to vote, how could their girl just drop out at such a crucial time? “Unwell”? That’s just an excuse. She shone so brightly on stage, outshone everyone, and smiled so radiantly—how could she possibly be unwell?

There must be something shady going on!

Gu Qingzhi’s withdrawal had to be due to some underhanded scheme! The theory was this: the production team feared her growing popularity would overshadow the director’s niece. So they tried to suppress her. But Gu Qingzhi, being full of righteous integrity, refused to bow or yield. As a result, the team made up some excuse to force her out. So corrupt, that production team! So corrupt, Diyu Entertainment! And the CEO, Yang Nianjiao—she was only interested in profits, completely disregarding the well-being of her artists. She and the show’s producers were clearly in cahoots!

In the blink of an eye, conspiracy theories about shady dealings exploded. Yang Nianjiao’s expression darkened as she watched Yu Liuxue’s fans drag her into the mud. Grinding her teeth, she felt a fierce urge to give Yu Liuxue a good beating.

She should never have let her run wild.

In this storm, the ones who suffered the most were undoubtedly the production team. They got blindsided by Yu Liuxue’s maneuver, then blasted by her fans, lost one of their most buzzworthy contestants, and ended up taking the fall for Yu Liuxue. And worst of all—they couldn’t say a word in their own defense.

They didn’t dare reveal the truth, nor could they deny that Gu Qingzhi had indeed quit.

After an emergency meeting, the show’s official account finally released a statement confirming that a certain contestant had withdrawn. Just a few words, yet within minutes the comments exploded past ten thousand.

“Oh my god, I’ve never seen a production team this heartless. After milking our girl dry, they just kicked her aside. Wake up, please! From the first episode to now, only Gu Qingzhi’s solo cams have gone viral. Be honest with yourselves—isn’t she the one carrying your whole show?”

“My girl was just filler while the niece took the crown. Fine. I’ll just say this—when you finally form your group, may it flop so hard it drills into the earth’s core. Let’s never meet again, or I swear I’ll curse you every time I see you.”

“But I heard from someone on the team that Gu Qingzhi posted about quitting on Weibo without consulting anyone. The production team had no idea.”

“You heard from someone? Who exactly? Tag them—I want to see.”

The news of the withdrawal caused a huge stir. But with Yang Nianjiao’s tight control, things were developing exactly as Yu Liuxue had planned.

When Zhou Zhou heard that Yu Liuxue had dropped out, her first reaction was: Was that bodyguard really that important to Gu Qingzhi? She gave up fame and popularity just to be with her? Is Gu Qingzhi out of her mind?

A wave of frustration washed over Zhou Zhou. People would kill for the kind of spotlight Gu Qingzhi threw away. Pacing furiously in her room, she fumed like she herself had been the one forced to quit.

Eventually, Zhou Zhou calmed down and came to a firm conclusion: Gu Qingzhi must be insane.

No sane person would act this recklessly.

She opened her door and just happened to run into Yu Bing, who had brought Yu Liuxue home. Zhou Zhou instantly flashed a gentle smile, bashfully tucked her hair behind her ear, and gazed at Yu Bing with affection. Yu Bing, however, passed by expressionlessly and told Yu Liuxue, “Stay in your room. Someone will come take care of you soon.”

Yu Liuxue tilted her head longingly. “Sister Yu, won’t you stay with me a bit longer?”

Yu Bing shattered her fantasy with a cold reply. “I’ve got things to do.”

As Yu Bing walked away, Yu Liuxue narrowed her eyes at Zhou Zhou, who was still watching Yu Bing’s back with keen interest, clearly planning to make a move. Yu Liuxue immediately frowned.

“Why are you still here? Were you waiting at my door on purpose? Trying to get my attention?”

Then she curled her lips into a sly, wicked grin. “Well done, woman. You’ve succeeded in catching my eye.”

Zhou Zhou: “???”

You need to watch fewer CEO dramas.

With a scoff, Zhou Zhou spun around and slammed her door. A few moments later, her muttered insult floated through the air: “Lunatic.”

Zhou Zhou couldn’t figure out how Yu Liuxue got the impression she was interested in her. The mere thought of it made her shiver in disgust. She quickly shook it from her mind. No way. Absolutely not. Gu Qingzhi had nothing that could attract her. There was no chance she’d ever fall for her.

Back in her room, Yu Liuxue suddenly realized she had dragged Yang Nianjiao into this mess. Without hesitation, she made a decision:

From now on, whenever she saw Yang Nianjiao—she’d take the long way around. She absolutely couldn’t let herself get caught.

After logging off Weibo, she sent a message to Yu Yu:

“Sis, was I not smart or careful enough this time? Is that why you’re still ignoring me?”

Then, savoring each keystroke, she typed another:

“Maybe you could kindly teach me instead? I’ll listen to everything you say and do exactly what you want until you’re satisfied.”

Right after sending the message, the note on Yu Yu’s profile changed to “typing…” But even after three minutes, no reply came. Yu Liuxue scratched her cheek. “?”

With no response, she quickly gave up waiting.

Even though Xiao Nian was busy filming, her manager Yu Yu wasn’t having an easy time either—no easier than Yang Nianjiao. Both had their hands full. In Yu Yu’s case, she was dealing with Xiao Nian’s fanbase, whose feelings had become very complicated.

Many of them had been Gu Qingzhi’s haters ever since that fake controversy years ago. They’d been taking every opportunity to diss her and vent their resentment.

But among them, some had grown strangely attached through all the hate. Even worse, a good number of them had been drawn in by Yu Liuxue’s most recent fancam and had actually started to like her. Just as they were about to switch sides and become real fans, they found out they had helped bully Gu Qingzhi into quitting.

Everyone: “???”

Oh no. Did I just push my own pick off a cliff with my own two hands?

For a while, the anti-fan group was in total disarray. The real haters were utterly confused—wasn’t this supposed to be a group dedicated to hating on Gu Qingzhi? She had finally withdrawn from the competition, so why did everyone suddenly seem full of regret and heartache? Were these people actually undercover fans pretending to be haters?

Some radical fans even turned on Xiao Nian, blaming her instead. They believed that Gu Qingzhi’s psychological breakdown and her decision to withdraw at such a critical moment were all caused by Xiao Nian’s earlier public statement distancing herself from Gu Qingzhi.

Yu Yu was busy dealing with this mess.

There weren’t many people who turned from Xiao Nian’s fans to haters, but Yu Yu wasn’t the type to let things slide. Once she finished scrubbing the malicious comments and deleting the chaos on Weibo, she finally had a moment to rest. Still, even after rereading Yu Liuxue’s messages several times, she didn’t respond.

Yu Liuxue, having been grounded by Yang Nianjiao, couldn’t leave the house. Fortunately, the heroine had volunteered to keep her company, so she wasn’t bored at all.

What did get on her nerves was that Zhou Zhou, taking advantage of her confinement, was maintaining a flirtatious relationship with Xiao Nian while also trying to seduce Yu Bing. When Yu Liuxue got wind of this, her eyes nearly rolled back in fury, and she almost passed out from the sheer outrage.

Trembling with anger, Yu Liuxue pointed a finger at Zhou Zhou’s room. “I’ve never seen such a shameless woman—eating from one bowl while eyeing the pot.”

The system fell silent for a moment, then replied with a clueless kind of sincerity, “But Host… isn’t that exactly what you do?”

Yu Liuxue: “???” Spits!

Zhou Zhou failed in her attempt to seduce Yu Bing. She didn’t have many good qualities, but she was definitely resilient. The more setbacks she faced, the more excited she got. Realizing Yu Bing was hard to get made her even more eager. She rolled up her sleeves for another attempt—but Yu Bing started avoiding her altogether, even skipping work, which left Zhou Zhou thoroughly disappointed.

She was soon grounded by her agent too, restricted from going anywhere. With nothing better to do, she hung around Yu Liuxue, giving her real-time updates on contestant rankings, trying to provoke her.

Yu Liuxue, cradling a bag of chips in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other, raised her eyebrows after hearing Zhou Zhou’s report. “As expected, the show is completely dull and boring without me.”

Then her eyes lit up mischievously. “Zhou Zhou, how about we make a bet?”

Zhou Zhou immediately grew wary. “What kind of bet?”

“Let’s bet…” Yu Liuxue tilted her head, thinking. “On who will debut as the Center Position. If I lose, I’ll do whatever you say. But if you lose, you have to tell me honestly—do you like me?”

Zhou Zhou was furious, stomping her foot. Yu Liuxue quickly cut her off, “One word—deal or no deal?”

“Deal! Why wouldn’t I?” Zhou Zhou sneered. “If you lose, you have to quit Mercury Girls, quit the entire entertainment industry, and give me that bodyguard of yours.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?”

“I’m not betting on Sister Yu,” she added seriously. “Anyone but her. We’ll compete fairly for her.”

After a moment’s thought, Zhou Zhou agreed. She crossed her arms and said with a mocking smirk, “Gu Qingzhi, you’ve already lost. You can’t beat me. Didn’t you used to like Xiao Nian so much? But to her, you were nothing more than a clout-chasing wannabe. Now she’s already mine. Soon we’ll be official.”

“No matter who you like, they’ll all end up being mine—including that bodyguard.”

Yu Liuxue ignored the scumbag Zhou Zhou and continued munching on her chips. A little while later, she suddenly received a message from Yu Yu: “I’m outside your company.”

Yu Liuxue’s eyes lit up. She tossed the chips aside and bolted out of the room. The moment her foot stepped outside, someone who had been secretly watching her sent a message straight to Yang Nianjiao’s phone. Yang Nianjiao’s eyelid twitched, and she immediately got up and left her office to stop Yu Liuxue before she could cause trouble again.

On her way downstairs, she ran into Yu Bing. Without a second thought, Yang Nianjiao grabbed her and said, “Gu Qingzhi ran off.”

Zhou Zhou saw Yu Liuxue dash past her with a bright, beaming smile and instinctively followed. Was she this happy because that bodyguard had shown up?

Outside the building, Yu Liuxue immediately spotted Yu Yu in the car. She ran over, threw herself on the car window, and grinned. “Sister, you’re finally here. I missed you so much, the red beans have sprouted and the iron tree’s blooming.”

Yu Yu: “…”

Zhou Zhou stood nearby in utter confusion. “…?” Wait—wasn’t she into that bodyguard? Who the hell is this woman? Does she like her too?

Zhou Zhou nearly fainted. She couldn’t hold it in anymore and exploded, “Gu Qingzhi! Just how many women are you into?!”

Without missing a beat, Yu Liuxue turned around and said, completely self-righteously, “What’s wrong with liking a few women? Is it my fault I fell for them? You—”

“…!”

“Yang—Yang Zong? Sister Yu?”

No! Sister Yu, Bing-jie, President Yang—let me explain!