Chapter 84: After Secretly Marrying a Top Star, I Was Cheated On by Her (13)

Zhou Zhou had the strange feeling that she and Gu Qingzhi were in some sort of puppy love, secretly dating, only to be caught red-handed by their heartless homeroom teacher. In reality, she wasn’t afraid of Yang Nianjiao at all. In fact, she had the guts to lash out at Yang Nianjiao on her very first day in office, which was likely why she’d never been in Yang Nianjiao’s good graces.

But now…

She felt an inexplicable sense of guilt. It came from nowhere and left her utterly unable to defend herself with confidence.

Yu Liuxue was in an even worse position to explain what had just happened. With their heads down, the two of them were dragged by Yang Nianjiao into the President’s Office. Yang Nianjiao sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, legs elegantly overlapped, her finely sculpted face cold and stern, sharp eyes scanning back and forth between the two of them. If looks could kill, they’d have been riddled with holes by now.

Yang Nianjiao lazily picked up her water cup, lips curving slightly, and asked slowly, “Alright, go on—who’s the 1, and who’s the 0?”

Yu Liuxue instinctively turned to Zhou Zhou, desperately making exaggerated faces at her: This is all your fault, so you’d better explain it properly. Gritting her teeth, Yu Liuxue had always thought Zhou Zhou was just a big-breasted airhead heroine—never in her wildest dreams had she imagined Zhou Zhou could be so scheming.

She didn’t even blink when throwing her under the bus.

She really hadn’t seen through Zhou Zhou’s deviousness at all (smiling).

Zhou Zhou was a mess inside. How could she possibly say it was all a coincidence? And that it happened because she suspected she might have feelings for Xiao Nian, so she came to use Yu Liuxue as a lab rat to test her own heart? If she dared say that—not just the love-averse Yang Nianjiao, even Yu Liuxue might jump up and smash her kneecaps.

With her head down, Zhou Zhou gripped her hands in silence like a wooden statue.

Yang Nianjiao gave a cold sneer and turned her gaze to Yu Liuxue. “Gu Qingzhi, you answer.”

Even though Zhou Zhou was willful, in Yang Nianjiao’s eyes, the real culprit was likely Yu Liuxue. She had never been obedient: first secretly marrying Xiao Nian behind the company’s back, then setting her sights on Yu Bing and Yu Yu, constantly scheming to seduce the two sisters. And now she had her eye on her own teammate, Zhou Zhou? It wasn’t all that surprising.

Was falling in love really that fun? She kept trying again and again to break company rules.

Being called out, Yu Liuxue hesitated for a long moment before finally replying honestly, “I’m sorry, President Yang. I lied just now. Actually, I’m the 0.”

Zhou Zhou: “……?!”

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Did I just find out something I really shouldn’t know?! Her eyes widened in horror, staring at Yu Liuxue’s bashful expression in disbelief.

Wasn’t the real issue here that they were being mistaken as lovers by President Yang? Shouldn’t the point now be to clarify that there was no intra-team relationship and they didn’t violate company rules? Zhou Zhou spiraled into self-doubt.

Yang Nianjiao awkwardly didn’t know whether to put down her cup or not. Holding it mid-air, she offered a dry smirk. “At least you’re honest.”

Zhou Zhou panicked. She hardened her heart and confessed, “President Yang, I’m not in a relationship with Gu Qingzhi. I just wanted to use her to test myself. I really don’t have any feelings for her.” After a pause, her tone turned slightly disdainful. “How could I possibly fall for someone like her?”

Yu Liuxue: “???” I feel very offended.

Yang Nianjiao casually watched the two of them tear into each other like dogs in a fight, completely unbothered and even tempted to lock them up together for thirty days. But with Mercury Girls about to begin a new round of activities, she could only fantasize about that scenario.

The two were harshly scolded by Yang Nianjiao, then further lectured by their agent at her request, and finally told off again by their team captain when they went to practice half an hour later.

Yu Liuxue slumped weakly against the cold wall. “System, I feel so cold inside. And outside, too.”

She had figured it out: although the heroine of this world seemed like a sweet ditz, she was not to be underestimated. Still, Yu Liuxue felt that “sweet ditz” no longer suited Zhou Zhou’s persona. So she decided to rename her—Black-Bellied Dog.

A scheming mutt through and through.

On the day of Mercury Girls’ comeback, the schedule was already packed. True to her word, Yang Nianjiao assigned Yu Bing as a personal bodyguard to Yu Liuxue. At first, people speculated that Mercury Girls must be Diyu Entertainment’s prized daughters—getting elite bodyguards and all. But soon, everyone noticed that Yu Bing only stayed by Yu Liuxue’s side, as if no one else mattered.

Whispers began to spread: “So Gu Qingzhi really is Diyu’s true golden girl. Mercury Girls are just her supporting act! Poor other girls.”

Yu Liuxue’s fans clapped back immediately. “What true daughter nonsense? If it weren’t for Qingzhi, none of the others would’ve even had a chance to return to the spotlight. Stop trying to stir the pot and learn some decency.”

Harsh words, but not wrong. Gu Qingzhi’s group had been irrelevant for years, and it was only thanks to her gaining popularity through variety shows that the long-shelved members were even allowed back on stage. Most of Mercury Girls’ fanbase was Yu Liuxue’s. The fans of the other members and general group stans didn’t dare say a word—they couldn’t argue with the facts.

Still, some were successfully provoked. Outrage grew, and fans of other members began to unite, gradually turning into anti-Qingzhi factions.

Yu Yu, ever the sharp manager, immediately sensed the storm brewing around Yu Liuxue. She didn’t say a word and simply continued fulfilling her contractual duties. In two days, the highly anticipated Snow Slash would air, and her contract with Xiao Nian would officially end. Xiao Nian had already stated clearly—she wouldn’t be renewing and had jumped ship to another veteran entertainment company.

Yu Yu heard the new contract was incredibly tempting. A friend in the industry mentioned it briefly, and there was no denying it—big money had been thrown around.

After all, Xiao Nian was currently a blazing hot star with several smash-hit dramas under her belt. A major IP adaptation was about to launch. Her acting skills were solid, and Snow Slash would likely become another classic. She was in demand, with both big and small companies eager to poach her.

But…

Yu Yu’s lips curved slightly. Only she and Gu Qingzhi knew that Xiao Nian’s only real assets were her looks and acting. In the years they worked together, if Yu Yu hadn’t kept her tightly in check, Xiao Nian would never have become the clean, pure, untouchable idol everyone adored.

Xiao Nian was, at her core, a woman who would do anything to achieve her goals. She had deliberately approached Yu Yu and made herself impossible to ignore. Yu Yu could’ve signed anyone, but Xiao Nian’s ambition had stood out—so she chose her.

After signing, Yu Yu did all the dirty work on Xiao Nian’s behalf, taking the fall for every controversy. That’s why fans believed Xiao Nian was flawless—untainted despite her hardships—and loved her all the more.

Leaning against the window with her arms crossed, Yu Yu couldn’t help but wonder: if she became Gu Qingzhi’s agent, would Qingzhi want her to use the same tactics against Xiao Nian?

If so… that might actually be fun.

The moment her partnership with Xiao Nian ended, Yu Liuxue literally jumped backstage in excitement. She clenched her fists around her phone, a smile forming on her lips. Now that even Yu Yu had abandoned Xiao Nian, could her fall from grace be far behind?

Yu Liuxue immediately sent a message to Yu Yu: “Sister, my door will always be open for you. No matter where you want to go, I will be waiting for you to come back.”

Yu Yu glanced at the message on her phone. A door? More like a cabinet door.

She still had things to deal with, so after replying with an emoji, she went quiet. Yu Liuxue sighed softly and noticed Yu Bing’s gaze drifting toward her. She quickly lifted her face into a smile and walked over to Yu Bing with a beaming yet measured expression.

“Sister Yu, thank you so much for what you did just now. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve been humiliated in front of everyone.”

Earlier at the event, a hater had thrown a bottle of water onto the stage. The situation was critical, but thankfully Yu Bing reacted quickly, rushed forward, and pulled Yu Liuxue aside, catching the entire bottle mid-air. The person who threw it was subdued by security and sent to the police station. Fans below the stage offered her comfort, but Yu Liuxue was still shaken.

She patted her chest. Her outfit today was quite revealing—any small movement made her fair skin almost dazzle in front of others. Yu Bing averted her eyes and replied calmly, “Just doing my job.”

Yu Liuxue glanced down at her own chest, then leaned in on purpose and said sweetly, “Sister Yu, you’re so good to me. I don’t even know how to repay you.”

“How about I treat you to dinner after today’s event?”

“I’m a great cook. Whatever you want to eat, just tell me and I’ll ask my manager to prepare it.” She deliberately stood within Yu Bing’s line of sight. The moment Yu Bing’s gaze touched her, she immediately looked away, maintaining a composed, ascetic demeanor.

Yu Liuxue didn’t feel discouraged. She stopped at just the right moment. “Sister Yu, I’ll be relying on you a lot from now on. If you don’t agree to this, I’ll feel too embarrassed to trouble you again…”

Her voice dropped, sounding a bit downcast. After a moment’s hesitation, Yu Bing agreed.

Anyway, Gu Qingzhi can’t beat me, she thought.

Having successfully invited Yu Bing, Yu Liuxue happily got in the car and headed to her next event. Sitting in the car, she rested her face in her hands and asked the system, “Has Yu Yu completely left Xiao Nian?”

“She has,” the system replied.

“Perfect!” Yu Liuxue grinned, opened her phone, and used a secondary account to rush into an anonymous forum, quickly posting: “The truth you have to know about Gu Qingzhi faking ties to Xiao Nian…”

Bored internet users saw the eye-catching title and immediately clicked in excitedly.

Xiao Nian’s fans, seeing someone finally exposing Gu Qingzhi’s tricks, also clicked the post with enthusiasm.

But as soon as they finished reading the first line, their smiles froze.

“Gu Qingzhi faking ties to Xiao Nian was last year’s news. Let me walk you through it. Are Gu Qingzhi and Xiao Nian merely idol and fan—or are they secretly a couple that’ll leave your jaw on the floor? First, look closely at this photo. Behind Gu Qingzhi is a shop. If you search for that shop online, you’ll see it’s a unique boutique in a high-end neighborhood. You won’t find another like it anywhere else in the city.”

“In addition, I personally went there and took a photo from the same angle during the day. The match rate between the two photos is 99%…”

Xiao Nian’s fans didn’t even finish reading before lashing out: “What the hell?! How much did Gu Qingzhi pay you? I’ll give you ten times more!”

“I understand that Gu Qingzhi needs attention for her comeback, but it’s wild that you’d come up with something this ridiculous. Xiao Nian clearly said in an interview what her ideal type is, okay? Honestly, I think she’s more likely to like Zhou Zhou than Gu Qingzhi.”

“Don’t bring up Zhou Zhou now. Are you Mercury Girls planning to take over the entertainment industry with your fake scandals?”

After posting the photos, Yu Liuxue browsed the replies while sending the link to Yang Nianjiao. “Boss Yang, take a look. My past relationship with Xiao Nian is about to be exposed. My career’s just taking off—will this affect my future?”

Yang Nianjiao’s brow twitched as she asked suspiciously, “You didn’t stage this yourself, did you?”

Yu Liuxue held her phone with an innocent face. “I did, Boss Yang.”

Yang Nianjiao: “…?”

The post was quickly screenshotted and shared by numerous marketing accounts on Weibo, attracting countless onlookers. Then one sharp-eyed account dug up an old clip of Yu Liuxue participating in a variety show where director’s niece had framed her and pushed her off a tall platform. In the video, Xiao Nian had instantly thrown away her mic and rushed over alongside Yu Bing. And when Yu Bing caught Yu Liuxue, Xiao Nian’s expression was quite telling.

People had already speculated back then about the relationships between Gu Qingzhi, Yu Bing, and Xiao Nian. Now with this new post, discussion exploded online.

“A top celeb and a Z-list star? This couple is too shippable!”

“??? Are you serious? When those photos surfaced back then, the entire internet said Gu Qingzhi was deliberately clout-chasing. What kind of couple openly admits the other person is using them to get famous?”

Xiao Nian’s fans were furious and fought back: “Our Nian-jie didn’t say or do anything. Even if she did something wrong, it must’ve been because her manager forced her!”

Xiao Nian had just signed with a new company when this scandal broke out. Fortunately, her new manager wasn’t one to sit idly by. Without even asking for the truth, they directed their PR team to shift all the blame onto Yu Yu—regardless of whether she’d done anything or not.

Gradually, fans were brainwashed and began claiming that Yu Yu was a wicked, heartless woman—someone who ruthlessly exploited artists for her own gain.

Xiao Nian had always known that Gu Qingzhi would eventually expose this, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon—and right before her new drama’s release. Though she now had buzz and attention, the impact wasn’t positive, and it was bound to hurt her future development and access to resources.

Still, the only thing that gave her some comfort was finally cutting ties with Yu Yu. Otherwise, with Gu Qingzhi attacking from the front and Yu Yu stabbing from behind, even a god couldn’t save her.

The new company had fought hard to sign someone of Xiao Nian’s caliber, so they treated her like a treasure. After this incident, the CEO personally came to console her: “Don’t worry. Trust in our company’s strength. No matter who’s trying to target you, we’ll handle it cleanly.”

Xiao Nian was deeply moved, and the CEO, satisfied, waved his hand and said, “It’s that Yu Yu woman, right? Go after her.”

Suddenly, all firepower was directed at Yu Yu. Holding her coffee, she took a calm sip, and finally, a ripple stirred in her eyes. Her lips curved slightly in a hint of amusement—she had underestimated Gu Qingzhi.

A well-played game of using others to do your dirty work.

Yu Liuxue genuinely wanted to say she was innocent. She never expected things to blow up like this, much less that Yu Yu would become the one to take the fall. She had only wanted to lay some groundwork—Xiao Nian had warned her that war was coming and told her to prepare, so she tried to stir things up a bit.

Who knew Yu Yu would end up being the scapegoat?

Yu Liuxue dabbed at imaginary tears in the corners of her eyes, and guiltily messaged Yu Yu: “Sister, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I dragged you into this and now you’re being cursed at by Teacher Xiao’s fans. When do you have time? Let’s meet. I want to apologize to you in person!”

After reading the message, only one thought crossed Yu Yu’s mind: A cat crying over a mouse—how fake.

At this moment, what Yu Yu wanted to know even more was whether this was the decision of Xiao Nian’s company—or Xiao Nian herself. Having worked by Xiao Nian’s side for many years, Yu Yu knew her every thought like the back of her hand. Even if Xiao Nian so much as sneezed, Yu Yu could guess what she was planning to do.

Yu Yu silently set down her coffee. Maybe it was both.

She had thought that she and Xiao Nian could part ways amicably.

Yang Nianjiao was telling her secretary to prepare a statement. She was planning to help Yu Liuxue clarify the situation. Yu Liuxue’s career had only just begun to improve; if her past marriage were exposed, she could forget about staying in the industry. As a girl group member, even dating was taboo. But to have been married and divorced, while also flirting with four or five women? That was an unprecedented disaster.

Suddenly, her private line rang.

The secretary looked up, about to answer, but Yang Nianjiao waved her off. “It’s fine, I’ll take it.”

Once the call connected, the person on the other end spoke in a cold and even tone: “This is Yu Yu.”

Yang Nianjiao raised an eyebrow slightly.

After touching up her makeup, Yu Liuxue got out of the car with her team and headed toward the stage to prepare for the performance. Zhou Zhou stood beside her, clearly not in a good state. Yu Liuxue narrowed her eyes, observing her closely. Ever since Zhou Zhou had set her up that day, she had been on high alert, worried that Zhou Zhou might pull another stunt and drag her down into a place of no return.

Zhou Zhou sensed her gaze, shot her a faint glance, then quickly looked away with a cold huff.

Yu Liuxue: “…?”

Zhou Zhou had been in a terrible mood lately. She had no idea how to shake off Xiao Nian. Xiao Nian was deeply in love with her, but she had only ever intended to have some fun. Zhou Zhou couldn’t help but think that everything that happened today was because of Yu Liuxue, and so she wanted to see her even less.

Seeing Yu Liuxue reminded her of Xiao Nian. And thinking of Xiao Nian reminded her of Yu Liuxue.

Today, she’d been caught in the fallout from that online post. Xiao Nian’s fans were tearing into her with vicious insults—calling her “irrelevant by birth,” saying being a flop was her “natural camouflage.” All of it boiled down to the same thing: they looked down on her for being unpopular. Zhou Zhou gritted her teeth. She refused to believe she would always be this insignificant.

She was determined to surpass Gu Qingzhi’s popularity and trample her underfoot.

As the music began to play, Zhou Zhou instantly switched to a sweet expression. Yu Liuxue caught a glimpse of her through the corner of her eye. “…?”

That kind of smile made her uneasy.

The Mercury Girls’ schedule was public, so it was easy to track their movements. After finishing the performance and recording session, Zhou Zhou went alone to the restroom. Just as she came out, she spotted a familiar figure walking quickly toward her. She trembled all over and bolted like a frightened rabbit.

Yu Liuxue had just arrived and hadn’t even said a word before Zhou Zhou dashed away with a swoosh. She turned around, hand half-raised in confusion—what in the world?

The sound of heels grew louder behind her. Yu Liuxue turned her head and came face to face with Xiao Nian’s dazzlingly cold and beautiful face. In that instant, she too wanted to run. But Xiao Nian was faster, and as luck would have it, there wasn’t a soul nearby.

“I might as well have seen a ghost.”

Xiao Nian had originally come to find Zhou Zhou, but instead ran into the unaccompanied Yu Liuxue. Her body reacted before her mind did—those long legs stepped forward and blocked Yu Liuxue’s path. Xiao Nian took off her sunglasses, her face expressionless.

“Did you post that thread?”

Yu Liuxue immediately waved her hands in panic, looking both alarmed and disappointed. “How could I? Miss Xiao, how could I ever do something like that?”

Xiao Nian stared at her without blinking. “If it wasn’t you, then who was it?”

“Besides you, me, and Yu Yu—was there a fourth person who knew?”

Yu Liuxue blinked and kept up her sorrowful act, explaining anxiously, “Miss Xiao, it definitely wasn’t Sister Yu Yu. She’s not that kind of person. She likes you so much and always puts you first. She would never do something like that.”

Finally, she added with emphasis, “I swear on my life, it absolutely wasn’t her.”

Xiao Nian was instantly filled with rage. Swear on your life? Just what kind of relationship had developed between her and Yu Yu? How could she trust her so unconditionally? Had Gu Qingzhi been secretly meeting with Yu Yu behind her back every night she wasn’t around?

Xiao Nian gritted her teeth. “If it wasn’t you, and it wasn’t Yu Yu—then what? Was it me?”

“You’re coming with me. We need to talk properly.” Xiao Nian reached out to grab Yu Liuxue, but another hand shot out even faster, stopping her.

Both Xiao Nian and Yu Liuxue looked up at the same time. Yu Liuxue, surprised, spoke: “Sister?”

Xiao Nian’s face darkened. “Yu Yu?”

“What are you doing here?”

Yu Yu gave a perfectly measured smile and replied in a formal, businesslike tone, “Hello, I’m Gu Qingzhi’s manager. From now on, if you have anything to say, you can say it to me.”