Chapter 85: After Secretly Marrying a Top Star, I Was Cheated On by Her (14)

“Manager?” Xiao Nian and Yu Liuxue were both stunned. Since when did Yu Yu become her/my manager?

Once she recovered from the shock, Yu Liuxue was so thrilled she threw herself into Yu Yu’s arms right in front of Xiao Nian. She affectionately wrapped her arms around Yu Yu’s slender waist and, with a radiant gleam in her eyes, said, “Sis, you’re finally willing to protect me?!”

She was so overjoyed that she rubbed her face against Yu Yu’s suit without caring about her makeup, leaving powder smudges all over her. Yu Yu frowned in slight disgust and tried to push her away, but Yu Liuxue clung to her like a stubborn little flower, refusing to let go.

Yu Yu had no choice but to give up and let her cling shamelessly.

Xiao Nian’s emotions were in utter chaos. In that moment, rage, regret, and bitterness all surged through her at once, to the point she could almost taste the bitterness on her tongue. Her body trembled slightly, but she forced herself to remain calm. She looked up and said in a flat tone, “Sister Yu, when did you get together with her?”

She tried to sound composed, but her gaze betrayed everything—suspicion so deep it couldn’t be ignored.

Yu Yu’s lips twitched coldly. “Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Yu Liuxue turned around, letting go of Yu Yu and stepping protectively in front of her. She indignantly interrupted Yu Yu, saying, “Ms. Xiao, what are you saying? How can you misunderstand her like this? She’s been so good to you, and now she’s being viciously attacked by your fans because of you. How can you still hurt her like this?”

She looked like the one who had been wronged, like a baby chick trying to protect a mother hen. Puffing herself up, she tried to look fierce as she faced off against Xiao Nian. “There’s nothing improper between me and her—everything is clean, pure. Absolutely none of what you’re imagining has ever happened.”

At that, Yu Liuxue lowered her head, her voice tinged with sorrow. “She’s so amazing, so perfect… everything I’ve done has been of my own free will.”

“Ms. Xiao, you’ll regret doubting her like this one day.” Her final words were resolute, her eyes shining black and bright. That kind of conviction made Xiao Nian suddenly feel panicked and unsettled. She opened her mouth, about to speak, but Yu Yu tugged at Yu Liuxue’s clothes and pulled her away. She gave Xiao Nian a brief nod and left, dragging the reluctant and constantly glancing-back Yu Liuxue with her.

As they walked away, Yu Liuxue deliberately clung to Yu Yu’s arm, beaming as she spoke to her. Even though Yu Yu remained indifferent, the scene still pierced Xiao Nian’s heart like a knife. She stood there, unwilling to believe that nothing had happened between Gu Qingzhi and her former manager.

Yu Yu had always been reserved and strict, emotionally distant. If she had no feelings for Gu Qingzhi, she would never have tolerated her repeated displays of affection. If it had been her instead, Yu Yu would’ve already scolded her harshly.

She refused to be swayed by Yu Liuxue’s one-sided claims.

Yu Liuxue had only taken a few steps clinging to Yu Yu’s arm when she suddenly spotted Yu Bing leaning against the wall. Hands in her pockets, Yu Bing’s posture was casual. As she noticed Yu Yu’s gaze, she slowly looked up and cast a cold glance at Yu Liuxue.

Yu Liuxue flinched instantly and reflexively let go of Yu Yu, standing up straight like a well-behaved child.

“System, when did she get here?” Yu Liuxue asked in a panic, her eyes repeatedly darting to Yu Bing’s expressionless face.

The system responded grimly, “She’s been here a while. Only three seconds later than Yu Yu.”

Yu Liuxue: “???”

Yu Yu and Yu Bing exchanged a glance, then nodded and walked together toward the Mercury Girls’ dressing room. Yu Liuxue was stuck between them, too afraid to say or do anything. Her brain was spinning so fast she didn’t even realize she was walking in sync, moving the same foot and arm at the same time. Yu Bing and Yu Yu both looked at her, then turned away without a word.

Yu Yu thought: Gu Qingzhi’s outfit for today’s event is way too short. I need to have a serious talk with her stylist when we get back.

As for Yu Bing—she had no opinion on the matter.

Back in the dressing room, Zhou Zhou poked her head out from behind the others. When she spotted Yu Liuxue sandwiched between Yu Yu and Yu Bing, she cautiously walked up to her and whispered, “Did Xiao Nian leave?”

Yu Liuxue rolled her eyes. “What do you think?”

Zhou Zhou immediately looked aggrieved. Just seeing Xiao Nian earlier had nearly scared her soul out of her body. Xiao Nian’s fans already hated her and constantly attacked her online. If anyone saw her interacting with Xiao Nian, she’d never shake off the reputation of being a clout-chaser.

Biting her lip, her mind a chaotic mess, Zhou Zhou suddenly blurted out, “Gu Qingzhi, can I sleep with you tonight?”

Yu Liuxue immediately went on high alert. Tilting her head and narrowing her eyes slightly—you want to sleep with me?

“No.” She still had to cook dinner for Yu Bing tonight. This was a rare chance to get closer to her—how could she let Zhou Zhou mess it up? She rejected her without hesitation and with firm determination.

Stung by the blunt refusal, Zhou Zhou flushed with humiliation. She quickly changed her tone and sneered, “Who even wants to sleep with you.”

Yu Liuxue: “……”

News that Yu Yu had become Gu Qingzhi and the Mercury Girls’ manager spread quickly. The other members looked at Yu Yu with complicated expressions. Even though they hadn’t been active in a while, that didn’t mean they knew nothing.

Yu Yu—the one who single-handedly launched Xiao Nian’s career—that legendary manager?!

And now she was managing them?

They were thrilled. Did this mean the company was finally paying attention to the Mercury Girls again? But then they realized—it was probably because of Gu Qingzhi. The excitement quickly faded.

Just like fans had said, right after the group’s comeback, Gu Qingzhi had immediately started her solo activities. No matter how you looked at it, it felt unfair. They also wanted to work hard, become more popular, and do solo activities alongside group ones. Gu Qingzhi had just joined one talent show—why did that earn her such special treatment?

If given the chance, they could join a show too—and do even better than Gu Qingzhi.

Yu Yu glanced coolly at the other three, then signaled the assistant to pack up and prepare to head back to the office.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

Xiao Nian walked in and scanned the room. Her gaze landed on Zhou Zhou.

Zhou Zhou instinctively shrank back, hiding behind Yu Liuxue.

Immediately, Xiao Nian’s sharp gaze locked on her. Yu Liuxue: “…”

So innocent. So wrongly accused.

Seeing Zhou Zhou’s reaction, Xiao Nian’s expression turned ice cold. Since when did she and Gu Qingzhi get so close? Back during the variety show shoot, when Gu Qingzhi almost fell, Zhou Zhou had rushed in to catch her without hesitation—and right in front of her too.

Where does that leave me?

Xiao Nian’s voice came out hoarse. “Zhou Zhou, come. Come home with me.”

Zhou Zhou trembled and hid even further behind Yu Liuxue. She said nothing, silently locked in a standoff with Xiao Nian. The room’s atmosphere immediately turned suffocating. The others didn’t dare say a word, though their minds were racing.

What is happening? Why had Xiao Nian come all the way here to tell Zhou Zhou to go home with her?

Could it be… that Zhou Zhou and Xiao Nian…

Just then, Yu Yu stepped forward toward Xiao Nian. Poised and composed, her presence was flawless. “She’s my artist. If you have anything to say, say it to me.”

Then, she gestured toward the door, signaling they should talk outside.

Xiao Nian gazed at Yu Yu intently. At that moment, she felt that Yu Yu was incredibly unfamiliar. Once upon a time, Yu Yu had been the person she trusted the most, the one who helped her handle countless difficult problems just like now. But never had she imagined that, after they ended their professional relationship, Yu Yu would so quickly find someone new—and of all people, it just had to be her ex-wife.

A sudden urge to laugh welled up in Xiao Nian. She looked calmly at Yu Yu’s aloof but sharply defined face and said, “Are you in charge of your artist’s privacy now too?”

Yu Yu looked up. “That’s my job.”

Her reply was watertight, leaving Xiao Nian speechless. Unable to argue with Yu Yu, Xiao Nian turned to Zhou Zhou. “Zhou Zhou, I’ve been waiting for your answer. Whatever it is, I hope to hear it from you directly. Of course, I’d prefer if we could sit down and talk it through properly.”

Zhou Zhou hesitated. She was afraid Xiao Nian might do something, but she also felt it was time to make things clear. If Xiao Nian kept coming to her and they were caught on camera, it could be a huge problem. Besides, she was off work now, with no more appointments to attend. So, Zhou Zhou slowly nodded. “Okay.”

Once Zhou Zhou made up her mind, she walked toward Xiao Nian. Yu Yu didn’t say anything more, only instructed in a businesslike tone, “Call if anything comes up.”

Xiao Nian left with Zhou Zhou.

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue quietly approached Yu Bing and blinked, whispering, “Sister, do you remember our plan from earlier today?”

Yu Bing looked down and nodded. Just as Yu Liuxue was about to cheer up, Yu Bing suddenly turned to Yu Yu and said, “Sister, Qingzhi is treating us to dinner. Want to come?”

Yu Liuxue: “…!” Dead on the spot.

Yu Yu glanced nonchalantly at the devastated Yu Liuxue and curled her lips into a smile. “Sure, I have a few things I need to talk to her about anyway.”

Yu Liuxue never imagined that the one to ruin her date with Yu Bing wouldn’t be Xiao Nian, Zhou Zhou, or even Yu Yu—but Yu Bing herself. She pulled a long face, convinced whatever Yu Yu wanted to “talk about” couldn’t be anything good.

Zhou Zhou hadn’t seen Xiao Nian in a long time. When they met again, the awkwardness between them was palpable. Xiao Nian said nothing, just stepped on the gas pedal—hard. The car shot forward like an arrow from a bow. Zhou Zhou sat stiffly against the door, staring out the window, her heart thudding with anxiety.

The atmosphere in the car was suffocating. Xiao Nian glanced sideways at Zhou Zhou and broke the silence. “Have you been doing okay lately?”

That question immediately irritated Zhou Zhou. Okay? How could she be okay? Your fans were slandering me like rabid dogs, accusing me of clout-chasing. Try living through that yourself! Her anger flared, but Xiao Nian misunderstood her silence.

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I should’ve come to you sooner,” she said softly.

Lately, work and promotions had kept her busy, so she could only contact Zhou Zhou online. Her being upset was perfectly reasonable. A faint smile appeared on Xiao Nian’s lips. “Zhou Zhou, please forgive me this time, okay? I won’t do this again.”

Zhou Zhou perked up—this wasn’t how she thought the conversation would go. She cautiously turned around, gripping her seatbelt tightly, and asked in a small voice, “Xiao Nian-jie… do you like me?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she held her breath, praying that the answer wouldn’t be what she feared.

Xiao Nian’s smile deepened, her expression soft and filled with fondness. She didn’t answer aloud, but Zhou Zhou immediately understood what she meant. Her heart sank. Crap. Her mouth went dry, and she wanted to cry.

She never expected that her first time trying to flirt would be such a failure—and with none other than Xiao Nian, someone loved by both men and women.

Zhou Zhou knew she couldn’t keep going down this road. She lowered her head, voice growing quieter. “Xiao Nian-jie, I think… maybe you misunderstood…”

The smile on Xiao Nian’s face vanished instantly. Misunderstood? Impossible. She remembered Zhou Zhou standing on tiptoe to kiss her on the cheek. If she didn’t have feelings for her, why would she do that? It couldn’t just be gratitude.

Xiao Nian pressed her lips together, trying to stay calm. “Zhou Zhou, tell me. Did something happen?”

Zhou Zhou saw she wasn’t angry and secretly sighed in relief. She mustered her courage and met Xiao Nian’s eyes. “Xiao Nian-jie, honestly… I don’t even know if I like you or not. But I don’t think we’re a good match.”

“Your fame is so high already, and I’m just a rookie artist, barely getting started. We’re not on equal footing. And more importantly, I’m in a girl group—a female idol. Our company strictly forbids dating. If I got into a relationship and fans found out, they’d be so disappointed.”

She ended with a conclusion. “So, Xiao Nian-jie, I just want to focus on my work right now. I’m not in the mindset for a relationship.”

She had said so much, but all Xiao Nian heard was the first half of her words. That thought alone improved her mood. She smiled gently. “That’s okay. Take your time. I’ll wait for you.”

Zhou Zhou was dumbfounded. She thought she had made herself perfectly clear—why wouldn’t Xiao Nian give up? She scrunched up her face in distress. Xiao Nian asked, “Is there anything else?”

“Well…” Zhou Zhou scratched her ear. “Actually, Xiao Nian-jie… I think I might like Gu Qingzhi…”

Xiao Nian slammed on the brakes.

Yu Liuxue suddenly sneezed. Yu Bing and Yu Yu turned to look at her at the same time, their faces equally cold—like two blocks of ice with features carved into them. Yu Liuxue immediately sat up straight and changed the topic. “Sister Yu, Sister Bing, what would you like to eat? I’ll cook for you.”

“Anything’s fine,” Yu Yu replied indifferently.

She glanced at the blanket over Yu Liuxue’s knees and silently messaged the stylist: “It’s going to rain and get colder tomorrow. Restyle their outfits and send them to me for review.”

Yu Liuxue turned to Yu Bing. “And you, sis?”

Yu Bing also said she didn’t mind. Deflated, Yu Liuxue looked away. Her date had vanished into thin air, and now she was stuck as their little kitchen maid. She couldn’t help but grumble to the system, “System, can we talk? Next time, can you make me rich?”

How many times had she been stuck playing the poor girl? Couldn’t she once be a rich heiress whose only life goals were maxing out her credit cards and enjoying some steamy love affairs?

The car pulled up in front of her apartment building. Yu Bing and Yu Yu got out, one on each side. Yu Liuxue followed right behind Yu Bing. Just as she bent to stand up, Yu Bing turned and reached out her hand. Delighted, Yu Liuxue placed her hand in Yu Bing’s and stepped out of the car in high heels. “Thank you.”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Yu Bing, but Yu Bing’s attention was entirely on her sister. After a slight nod, Yu Yu’s gaze swept over.

Yu Liuxue dejectedly led the two of them home. They sat comfortably on the couch as if it were their own place. Slowly, she tied on an apron and lazily fetched ingredients from the fridge. Yu Bing finally seemed to come to her senses and walked over. “Need help?”

Yu Liuxue nodded quickly and pulled her into the kitchen.

A little while later, Yang Nianjiao heard about the dinner through Yu Yu. Since Gu Qingzhi rarely cooked, she wasn’t about to miss it as their boss. She arrived with enthusiasm, holding her purse. After entering, she sat beside Yu Yu and began chatting. “I never thought you’d come to my place.”

A long time ago, Yang Nianjiao had tried more than once to poach Xiao Nian but had never succeeded. Well, now things had changed.

Yu Yu’s smile was faint. “Neither did I.”

The two of them exchanged a knowing chuckle. Then Yang Nianjiao said, “You’ve had a few interactions with Gu Qingzhi, so you should already know what kind of person she is. I have complete confidence in your ability, but there’s one thing you must be especially careful about.”

In fact, even if Yang Nianjiao hadn’t said anything, Yu Yu already knew. But now that Yang Nianjiao had brought it up specifically, Yu Yu began paying special attention to that matter.

Yu Liuxue had no idea that Yang Nianjiao was coming. She was enjoying a rare moment of peace with Yu Bing. Zhou Zhou also didn’t know Yang Nianjiao had arrived. After parting with Xiao Nian, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Fuming, she shoved open the door to Yu Liuxue’s apartment without even looking and shouted, “Gu Qingzhi, you’ve ruined me! If it weren’t for you, how would I be so confused about my feelings, not even knowing whether I like Xiao Nian or you…”

Suddenly, she saw two expressionless faces on the sofa.

Zhou Zhou’s voice came to an abrupt halt. It was as if someone had grabbed her throat. She froze on the spot, her beautiful eyes widening in shock. Why were President Yang and that fierce-looking new manager here?!

Her mind was in chaos when Yu Bing pushed open the kitchen door and looked at her coldly. At the same time, Yu Liuxue craned her neck out from behind Yu Bing, gritting her teeth and glaring at her with an expression that made it clear she wanted to smash her to pieces.

Zhou Zhou instinctively took half a step back. “……”

Sorry, wrong place.

She turned to leave, but Yang Nianjiao sneered, “Stop right there.”

Zhou Zhou stopped immediately. Her joints creaked like rusty robot gears, and she froze in place like a wooden statue, too scared to move.

Yang Nianjiao looked her up and down and casually said to Yu Yu, “Looks like there’s one more person you need to keep an eye on now.” She folded her arms, crossed her legs, and said leisurely, “Well, since you’re here already, why don’t you stay for dinner?”

Zhou Zhou was on the verge of tears and quickly refused, “No, no need, President Yang. I’ve already eaten.”

Yang Nianjiao tilted her head. “Really? You came in such a rush—you must be hungry by now.”

Zhou Zhou: “……”

She was forced to stay. Sitting on a stool in the corner, she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. Yang Nianjiao and Yu Yu took turns sizing her up, making her too scared to even breathe. Her heart was pounding so hard she almost suffocated on the spot. Eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore and quickly stood up. “I’ll go see if Gu Qingzhi needs any help.”

The kitchen door slammed shut behind her. Zhou Zhou walked over to Yu Liuxue and hissed in a low voice, “What are President Yang and the manager doing here?”

Yu Liuxue shrugged innocently. “They just got here.”

Zhou Zhou nearly fainted. If she had known they were here, she never would’ve barged in and shouted like that. Now there was no way to clear her name, not even if she jumped into the Yellow River. She glared at Yu Liuxue. “This is all your fault. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten entangled with Xiao Nian.”

“She’s developed real feelings for me now. So what am I supposed to do?”

Yu Liuxue’s interest was piqued. “Then be with her. Try dating her for a while. If you realize you really don’t like her, you can be with someone else. Problem solved.”

Zhou Zhou frowned. “So you’re saying I should cheat on her?”

Yu Liuxue blinked innocently, her face clearly saying “exactly.” Zhou Zhou immediately got angry. “You don’t even like her anymore. Why would I cheat on her for your sake?”

“Aren’t you the one who’s still tangled up with President Yang, can’t forget the new manager, and is also stepping on the toes of that bodyguard behind you?” Zhou Zhou rolled her eyes. “At the very least, if I’m going to do something, I should go after someone you like.”

Yu Bing, who had been quietly chopping vegetables this whole time, glanced sideways at them.

Hearing that, Yu Liuxue suddenly raised her voice. “So you admit it! You want to steal the people I like! And don’t you dare say you don’t know your own feelings. Isn’t it obvious? You just want to snatch them away so I’ll finally notice you. And once you succeed, I’ll be left with no one but you. Then you can easily win me over.”

Yu Liuxue looked heartbroken. “Zhou Zhou, I can’t believe it. Even now, you still have such strong feelings for me.”

Although Zhou Zhou’s heart was a chaotic mess, hearing this made her so angry she turned and stormed off. As she yanked open the kitchen door, she shouted, “Fine! If you say that’s how it is, then that’s how it is! Gu Qingzhi, just wait. One day, I’ll make you completely obsessed with me—”

She turned around mid-sentence and came face to face with Yang Nianjiao’s fake smile and Yu Yu’s emotionless expression.

“……!”