Chapter 80 – After Secretly Marrying a Top Star, I Was Cheated On by Her (9)

The moment Yu Liuxue turned her head, Yu Yu’s previously hidden face came into view. Yang Nianjiao frowned, looking displeased as her gaze fell upon Yu Yu. Yu Bing stood behind Yang Nianjiao, hands in her pockets, expressionless. She watched calmly as Yu Liuxue clung to her sister’s car, spouting vulgarities, not even blinking once.

Zhou Zhou suddenly caught sight of Yu Yu’s face. Shocked, she pointed at her and gasped, “You—you’re not Xiao-laoshi’s…”

Yu Liuxue immediately coughed to interrupt Zhou Zhou. Cautiously glancing at Yang Nianjiao, she said, “President Yang, I have something really important to discuss with my sister. Look, I’ve been so well-behaved lately—can’t you let me leave the company just this once? Please?”

After she spoke, Yang Nianjiao remained unmoved. Left with no choice, Yu Liuxue released her grip on the car door and turned to walk toward Yang Nianjiao, preparing to convince her with reason. Yang Nianjiao instinctively took a step back, her eyes full of suspicion. “What important matter do you have that you need to go around me to discuss with an outsider?”

She sneered. “Don’t even think about it.”

Yu Liuxue was instantly distraught. On the verge of tears, she turned back to Yu Yu and called out softly, “Jie…”

Yu Yu lifted her eyelids slightly and glanced at her sister before turning to Yang Nianjiao. “President Yang, I’ll have her back in half an hour. On time.”

Yu Yu was Yu Bing’s biological sister. Since she had spoken, Yang Nianjiao had to give Yu Bing some face. Though clearly unwilling, she nodded and nudged Yu Bing forward. “Go with her. Make sure she doesn’t stir up trouble.”

Letting Yu Bing accompany Yu Liuxue was both a way to monitor and protect her. Even after racking her brains, Yu Liuxue couldn’t come up with a reason to refuse.

Just as she opened the front passenger door, Yu Bing slid into the seat first and politely said, “Thanks.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?” Something felt off.

She could only resign herself to opening the rear door and getting in. Once she shut the door, Yu Yu drove off from Diyu Entertainment’s entrance. Yang Nianjiao and Zhou Zhou stood outside, the latter staring in confusion at the car disappearing into the distance, her mind in turmoil.

She needed to straighten things out: she was sure that woman was Xiao Nian’s agent. But now that same agent was at Diyu Entertainment’s entrance—clearly having come specifically to pick up Gu Qingzhi. Zhou Zhou had seen Gu Qingzhi’s reaction with her own eyes. The girl had looked incredibly pleased upon hearing her agent had arrived, as if she’d been waiting for this. That alone showed they had an unusually close relationship.

But hadn’t Gu Qingzhi previously set Xiao Nian up? As Xiao Nian’s agent, shouldn’t she hate Gu Qingzhi?

Unless…

Unless Gu Qingzhi, to get back at Xiao Nian, had deliberately seduced her agent.

The more Zhou Zhou thought about it, the more it made sense. She let out a soft hiss, starting to worry. So… does Gu Qingzhi really like Xiao Nian’s agent? Should I steal her bodyguard first, or go after that clueless agent being strung along?

As her thoughts spiraled, Zhou Zhou felt a strong urge to curse. How could Gu Qingzhi be this shameless?! Saying things like “what’s wrong with being interested in several women,” or “is it my fault I like them”? If it’s not her fault, is it the world’s fault then?

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Zhou Zhou stomped her foot and turned back toward the dorm, planning to interrogate Yu Liuxue thoroughly once she returned. But as she lifted her eyes, she saw Yang Nianjiao narrowing her eyes at the direction the car had left, her expression cold and unreadable.

Zhou Zhou’s heart skipped a beat—right! How could she have forgotten about President Yang?!

Gu Qingzhi had once been “unspoken ruled” by President Yang! She’d slept her way into Yang’s bed and wasn’t exactly a stranger to her!

Zhou Zhou nearly fainted on the spot. She silently began counting on her fingers: President Yang, the bodyguard, the agent, and Xiao Nian—the idol already cast aside by Gu Qingzhi. In such a short time, Gu Qingzhi had managed to flirt with four powerful women at once?!

God, what on earth is happening in this world?

Zhou Zhou suddenly felt like her own past schemes were child’s play compared to Gu Qingzhi’s. She couldn’t be as shameless, nor could she seduce that many women at once.

As she stood stunned, Yang Nianjiao shot her a sideways glance and left without a word. The sound of her heels echoed loudly as she walked. Her figure, viewed from behind, was graceful and commanding, full of allure. Zhou Zhou was left more confused than ever. Just what did all these people, including President Yang, see in Gu Qingzhi?

Gu Qingzhi was broke and obscure. Her face… well, she was somewhat pretty, sure. And her petite figure might stir a protective instinct, but that still didn’t explain how so many powerful women were into her all at once!

Zhou Zhou was now burning with curiosity. She desperately wanted to uncover Gu Qingzhi’s methods, to learn them, and then use those very tricks to steal away every woman Gu Qingzhi had entangled.

But after that curiosity came a deep sense of humiliation.

She had been pampered since birth, always adept at playing both men and women, and yet she’d lost to someone like Gu Qingzhi?

Meanwhile, Yu Yu hadn’t planned on taking Yu Liuxue far. Since her sister was tagging along, she casually picked a dessert shop nearby, didn’t bother with secrecy, and just opened the door and walked in.

Yu Liuxue cautiously shielded her mouth and nose with her hand as she approached Yu Yu and whispered, “Jie, there are so many people here. What if someone recognizes me?”

Her body was soft and small—shorter than both Yu Yu and Yu Bing. After that pitiful gesture, both women lowered their eyes and stared at her blankly.

Yu Liuxue forced herself to blink innocently, pretending not to notice their coldness. “Jie?”

Yu Yu subtly shifted away. “What do you want to eat?”

Yu Liuxue turned quickly to Yu Bing and asked sweetly, “Sister Yu, what do you want to eat?”

Yu Bing’s calm eyes revealed no emotion. “I’m not eating.”

Oh, right. Yu Liuxue suddenly remembered—Yu Bing didn’t even drink bubble tea. So she ordered a dessert and a cup of black tea. Yu Yu paid for her, then led her to a secluded corner of the shop.

Covering her face, Yu Liuxue asked, “Jie, you’re not eating either?”

“You wanted to see me, didn’t you?” Yu Yu sat down, crossing her legs and facing the entrance. Then she turned to respond flatly.

Yu Bing sat a few tables away, casually flipping through a magazine. Yu Liuxue blinked and smiled sweetly. “Yes, I have so much to say to you. But you never reply to my messages.”

As she spoke, her expression turned slightly aggrieved. “Jie, did I accidentally upset you somehow? I’m sorry—I’ll be more careful next time.”

Yu Yu remained unmoved. Glancing at the black tea placed before Yu Liuxue, she tugged her lips into a faint smirk. “I thought you preferred green tea.”

Yu Liuxue pretended not to understand the implication, and after a brief moment of feigned disappointment, she brightened up again. “Jie, I’m really happy you came to see me. If I had known earlier, I would’ve dressed up the way you like for our little date.”

Yu Yu coldly interrupted her. “Let’s get to the point.”

Yu Bing’s eyes flickered slightly. What kind of “date” was this supposed to be? She stared at her magazine, lost in thought.

Yu Liuxue smiled charmingly, finally dropping the act. She asked earnestly, “Jie, have you thought it over? I think I’ve been doing pretty well lately. Of course, if you’re willing to help me, I could do even better.”

She leaned in slightly, the back of her hand brushing Yu Yu’s thigh, gently rubbing it twice. Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she beamed with delight. “Jie, to me, you’re the most amazing person in the world.”

She called her “sister” so affectionately that it almost sounded too intimate. Yu Bing stared at that page of the magazine for a long time, yet she didn’t take in a single word. Her attention was entirely drawn to Yu Liuxue beside her.

Yu Yu, without changing her expression, glanced at the mischievous little hand, adjusted her clothes, shifted her posture, and took the opportunity to distance herself from Yu Liuxue. Her tone was flat, even bordering on indifferent. “You’d better not regret this later.”

“How could I?!” Yu Liuxue opened her little mouth in feigned surprise, then beamed brightly. “Being able to work with you, sister, is the happiest thing in my life! It’s everything I’ve ever wished for!”

Yu Yu had encountered many “green tea” girls before, but never one quite so clumsy and superficial as Yu Liuxue. Her tricks were amateurish. With Yu Yu’s experience, she could see through Yu Liuxue’s little ploys at a glance—there was no chance of being fooled.

Perhaps the reason Yu Yu had tolerated her this long was precisely because she was so transparently green.

Her thoughts were plainly written across her face. Just by listening to her tone, one could tell what little schemes she was plotting. There was no real threat. And because she was good-looking, sometimes when she was acting seriously, there was even something oddly charming about her.

Still, Yu Yu didn’t want to spend any more time with her. She was always making unwanted advances, like a petty scoundrel. Yu Yu had achieved her goal today. After their discussion, she stood and told Yu Bing, “You take her back.”

Yu Bing nodded. “Take care. Get home safe.”

Yu Liuxue stared longingly at Yu Yu’s departing figure, frowning. “But didn’t you promise President Yang you’d personally take me back? What if something happens to me on the way? How will she explain it to him?”

Yu Bing gazed at her with a blank expression. Yu Liuxue’s heart skipped. She immediately smiled sweetly and scooted closer to Yu Bing. “Of course, with you protecting me, Sister Yu, I’ll be just fine.”

“You’re so amazing, Sister Yu. No one in the world could beat you.”

Yu Bing put down the magazine. “Eat.”

“…Oh.”

Zhou Zhou sat alone in her apartment, growing more and more indignant the longer she thought about it. Gu Qingzhi was such scum, yet no one had seen through her true colors. Zhou Zhou, unable to contain herself, picked up her phone and messaged Xiao Nian. She had thought Xiao Nian would be busy filming, but to her surprise, Xiao Nian replied instantly. Zhou Zhou was delighted and quickly started chatting with her.

During the conversation, she casually mentioned that Yu Yu had met up with Yu Liuxue today. Once she confirmed that Xiao Nian already knew, she replied gloatingly, phone in hand: “Teacher Xiao, I’m afraid I won’t be able to return to the set for a while.”

Xiao Nian immediately asked, “Why?”

Zhou Zhou sent a crying emoji. “Since Gu Qingzhi dropped out of the competition, President Yang wants to relaunch the group. Now I’ve been grounded by my manager in the company dorm. I can’t go anywhere. But I really want to see you, Teacher Xiao. I never thought that after we parted that day, we’d be separated for this long…”

Xiao Nian was silent for a moment, then sent a message back: “Just rest in the dorm for now. When I have time, I’ll come get you and we’ll go out together.”

Zhou Zhou was overjoyed. “Really?! You’re the best, Teacher Xiao. I like you so much!”

Xiao Nian chuckled softly.

But the smile quickly vanished. Gu Qingzhi had secretly met with her manager? What was she planning? A flicker of unease rose in Xiao Nian’s heart. She opened Weibo and, using the method Yu Yu had taught her, navigated to her own fan discussion page. As soon as she opened it, she saw a post from a fan with a photo.

“Can someone help me confirm—are these two people Sister Nian’s manager and Gu Qingzhi?”

Her heart instantly dropped. She tapped on the enlarged image, and Yu Liuxue’s affectionate smile filled the screen. Her face darkened in an instant. What was Gu Qingzhi up to? Was she trying to steal her manager away?

She looked so happy, eyes full of Yu Yu’s shadow. No matter what, she refused to believe that Gu Qingzhi had no designs on Yu Yu.

Panic began to set in. What about Yu Yu? Did Yu Yu have feelings for Gu Qingzhi? If Yu Yu turned away from her and threw her support behind Gu Qingzhi, what then? She couldn’t afford to lose Yu Yu, nor could she stand by and watch Gu Qingzhi gain a foothold and grow powerful enough to challenge her.

If Gu Qingzhi gained enough clout, she’d surely one day expose their past marriage.

Xiao Nian’s brow furrowed. Anxiously, she forced herself to appear calm as she called Yu Yu. “Sister Yu, I need to talk to you. Can you come over?”

Yu Yu was driving. Hearing this, she didn’t even blink. Her gaze remained fixed on the road ahead as she replied coolly, “I’ll be right there.”

Xiao Nian must have found out about the meeting with Gu Qingzhi.

After hanging up, Xiao Nian felt relieved. Thank goodness she had Zhou Zhou. If she hadn’t found out in time, by the time Yu Liuxue had her way, it would have been too late. She still couldn’t gauge Yu Yu’s true feelings, so she sat on the sofa, trying to plan how to subtly sound her out.

Yu Yu arrived soon after. Xiao Nian was surprised by how quickly she came.

Yu Yu explained, “I happened to be nearby.”

Xiao Nian nodded, but inwardly remained guarded. She placed her phone in front of Yu Yu, staring straight at her. “Sister Yu, this photo was taken by a fan.”

Yu Yu’s lashes lowered as she glanced at it. Without a flicker of emotion, she said, “I’ll have someone delete it.”

“No need,” Xiao Nian forced a smile, then probed further. “But Sister Yu, why were you meeting Gu Qingzhi? Did she ask to see you? Is she trying to use our divorce to get something from you again?”

“No.”

Yu Yu denied it immediately. “She told me a while ago that she wanted to meet. I happened to have time today, so I drove over.”

Xiao Nian’s heart tensed. She hurriedly asked, “What did she say?”

Yu Yu’s lips twitched slightly. She turned and looked Xiao Nian in the eye. “She said she’d do whatever I said. That she’d obey me completely.”

Xiao Nian was momentarily speechless. She wasn’t sure if Yu Yu was lying, but she was certain Yu Yu had said that deliberately—as a warning.

Licking her lips, Xiao Nian said, “Sister Yu, I’ve been in the industry for three or four years now. I think I deserve to have a little private life.”

Like maybe some flirtation, or a relationship.

Yu Yu didn’t want to argue about such things. “You’re quite popular now, but you still need to be careful. I’ve told you before—any of your actions could be magnified infinitely and become your downfall.”

Her manager was lecturing again. Xiao Nian had little patience for it and replied perfunctorily, “Don’t worry, Sister Yu. I know what I’m doing.”

Yu Yu didn’t press further. “That girl who’s usually around you won’t be returning to the set anytime soon. Focus on filming. Doing your job well is more important than anything else.” She added one last reminder, “Don’t disappoint your fans.”

Xiao Nian nodded. Whether she truly listened or not was unclear.

Yu Yu walked out of the room. Standing by the door, she thought back to when Xiao Nian was still unknown. Back then, Xiao Nian was desperate for fame. She listened to everything Yu Yu said, remembered it all, and never once disobeyed.

She seemed like a stranger now.

Yang Nianjiao had big ambitions. While planning a comeback for Mercury Girls, she was also plotting a solo path for Yu Liuxue. Recently, she had frantically contacted musicians and producers in the industry, buying up a collection of songs to save for Yu Liuxue’s future.

But before a concrete plan could even take shape, a film company had already reached out to her, wanting to buy one of those songs. Yang Nianjiao vaguely remembered that particular track—it was high-quality, well-arranged, and she had no intention of selling it.

Yang Nianjiao flatly rejected the request. “Sorry, this song has already been assigned to an artist from our company.”

The other party quickly followed up, “May I ask who it is?”

“Gu Qingzhi,” Yang Nianjiao replied as she leaned back in her chair, smiling lightly. “If you really want it, selling it is out of the question—but we can collaborate.”

There was a moment of hesitation. “How would the collaboration work?”

Yu Liuxue had just been escorted back to her apartment by Yu Bing. She was planning to hang out with Zhou Zhou when Yang Nianjiao called her straight to the President’s Office. Without any preamble, Yang Nianjiao ordered, “You’re going to start rehearsing a new song with the teacher right away. In half a month, you’ll be singing the theme song for Xiao Nian’s new drama.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?!”

Xiao Nian’s new drama?

“That might not be appropriate…” Yu Liuxue replied demurely, though she was grinning so hard it almost split her face in two.

Yang Nianjiao raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want it? I’ll give it to Zhou Zhou, then…”

“No! President Yang! I’ll go right now, I’m going!” Yu Liuxue rushed to the teacher’s side, puffed up with determination. “Don’t worry, President Yang! I’ll give it my all and won’t embarrass you!”

To sing the theme for Xiao Nian’s drama? Yu Liuxue could barely hold in her laughter. If she performed well and outshone Xiao Nian, wouldn’t that drive Xiao Nian absolutely crazy?

News spreads fast in the industry. Xiao Nian, as the drama’s leading actress, quickly heard about it from the director. Her expression shifted instantly. No one else dared to disturb her, not knowing what had happened. She sat quietly in a corner, deeply unsettled.

Gu Qingzhi? With just her limited popularity, how could she land such a premium opportunity?

Could it have been Sister Yu pulling strings? Aside from Sister Yu, no one in the industry had the power to get Gu Qingzhi such a top-tier resource. Just like when Yu Yu helped her, an unknown at the time, land her first lead role. Everyone had speculated that she must have had a sponsor or powerful backer—but her biggest backer had simply been Yu Yu.

Yu Yu had impeccable instincts. Xiao Nian’s debut was backed by award-winning actors and a top production team, and it had catapulted her to overnight fame.

Now, everything happening felt eerily similar. Though Gu Qingzhi was only singing the theme song, the drama featured a renowned director, veteran award-winning actors, herself as the lead, and a host of popular stars. It was one of the year’s most anticipated series.

She could already see it—Gu Qingzhi would be like her back then: shooting to fame overnight and cementing her dominance in the music world.

Xiao Nian’s feelings were complicated. She couldn’t believe her own manager had helped Gu Qingzhi steal this resource. Could it be that Yu Yu was interested in Gu Qingzhi? Since when? Had it started a long time ago?

Was Yu Yu’s decision to sign her all those years ago not because Xiao Nian had offered her a bandage when she was injured, but because she’d already had her eyes on Gu Qingzhi?

Now that Xiao Nian and Gu Qingzhi were divorced, had Yu Yu finally seized her chance—choosing to abandon her and turn to the person she had always secretly favored?

How could this be?

Xiao Nian tried to stay calm, but the calmer she got, the more convinced she became. No wonder Yu Yu had encouraged her to divorce quickly. With all the properties, all the cars, and 230 million yuan in assets—she’d agreed to the divorce out of her complete trust in Yu Yu.

Now, Xiao Nian felt like the whole world had conspired against her—and the betrayal was so deep it could circle the globe three times.

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue was completely immersed in her vocal training. The thought of outshining Xiao Nian made her so giddy she couldn’t keep a straight face. Seeing her so smug, Zhou Zhou got annoyed—especially since she had lost a bet to Yu Liuxue, incorrectly guessing who would debut in the center position.

Zhou Zhou decided not to see Yu Liuxue for a while. She needed to find somewhere to hide until Yu Liuxue completely forgot about it.

Yang Nianjiao was inspecting Yu Liuxue’s progress in the recording studio, looking serious and strict. Seeing her, Zhou Zhou unexpectedly decided to stay hidden nearby. She quickly began calculating: Yang Nianjiao and Gu Qingzhi were clearly close, and with Xiao Nian now under her thumb, maybe it was time to try winning over Yang Nianjiao.

Yang Nianjiao was always giving Gu Qingzhi the best resources. If Zhou Zhou could get close to her, it would be like cutting off Gu Qingzhi’s strongest support—no matter how much she struggled, she’d be powerless.

With this in mind, Zhou Zhou stayed hidden, eavesdropping.

She’d only been listening a short while when someone familiar stormed into view. Zhou Zhou froze—Xiao Nian? How did she even get into Diyu Entertainment? Wasn’t she afraid of being caught?

Xiao Nian shoved open the studio door, pulled off her sunglasses, and scanned the room until her eyes landed on Yu Liuxue. Her voice was icy: “Gu Qingzhi, how dare you cheat during our marriage!”

Zhou Zhou jerked her foot back before it could step out of hiding. Wait—what?!

Cheating during marriage? Who got married? Who cheated?

Heart pounding, Zhou Zhou held her breath and tried to piece together Xiao Nian’s words. Then it hit her like a thunderbolt. Could it be… that Gu Qingzhi and Xiao Nian weren’t just idol and fan, but actual wives?

But…

Hadn’t President Yang already cast the proverbial couch with Gu Qingzhi? And wasn’t Gu Qingzhi’s true love that cool, aloof bodyguard? Not to mention the cold, no-nonsense manager?

So where exactly did Xiao Nian, the supposed legal wife, rank in Gu Qingzhi’s heart?

Zhou Zhou was thoroughly confused. She couldn’t help but boldly theorize: if she managed to win over Gu Qingzhi, wouldn’t that be like conquering the bodyguard, the manager, and Xiao Nian all at once?