Chapter 87 — After Secretly Marrying a Top Star, I Was Cheated On by Her (16)

Yu Yu really wanted to give Yu Liuxue a proper scolding. But as a professional agent with standards and ethics—especially with Yu Bing present—she held herself back. What Yu Liuxue saw instead was the most terrifying sight she had encountered in a long time: Yu Yu let out a soft chuckle. Behind the lenses of her glasses, her eyes curved slightly in amusement, and her red lips tugged into a smile, suddenly becoming approachable.

Yu Liuxue shuddered and instinctively hid behind Yu Bing, carefully leaning closer, blinking her shiny black eyes. “Sis?”

Yu Yu’s voice was gentle. “She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

Yu Liuxue had just opened her mouth to answer when Yu Yu added warmly, “If it hurts, I’ll take you to the hospital for a little shock therapy.”

Yu Liuxue: “…!”

I didn’t expect you to be into that kind of thing, Sis!

Unlike Yu Yu, Yu Bing suddenly lowered her head. A fleeting smile touched the corners of her lips, so fast no one could catch it. A moment later, she looked up again, face completely serious. “Sister, let’s go.”

Yu Yu’s expression instantly shifted. She cast Yu Liuxue a cold, slicing glare, then turned with commanding presence, one hand shoved in her pocket. Her heels clacked sharply against the floor, each step echoing loudly, making Yu Liuxue’s heart tremble.

In that moment, Yu Liuxue felt her only safe harbor was Yu Bing. To avoid any misunderstanding, she quickly explained, “Sister Bing, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean what I said earlier.”

“I’m just bad with words. I didn’t know how to explain, and it caused a misunderstanding.” Her pitiful appearance was extremely deceiving. Yu Bing pressed her lips together, listening to her continue with a crestfallen look, “I know I’m not likable, but Sister Bing, I really didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Please don’t take it the wrong way.”

She looked exactly like someone trying to cover up their guilt while pretending they weren’t. Up ahead, Yu Yu scoffed coldly. Yu Liuxue immediately fell silent. She blinked and thought, if Yu Yu had come just a little later…

Yu Yu had come specifically to bring Yu Liuxue back to the office to sign an endorsement contract. Liuxue had good looks, was young, and both her appearance and temperament matched the image of a certain light luxury brand. It hadn’t taken much for Yu Yu to snatch the deal from Xiao Nian’s agent.

The word “snatch” was appropriate here—after all, the brand’s General Manager for Greater China was Yu Yu’s close friend of over a decade.

No matter how furious Xiao Nian’s agent got, they were helpless against Yu Yu. In the industry, Yu Yu had long been infamous for her bulldozing ways. Once she set her sights on something, no one could take it from her. Only by dealing with her directly would you realize how truly terrifying this cold woman could be.

Yu Liuxue had thought it was just a standard contract. But when she opened the file and saw the bolded and enlarged name of Party A, she froze for a moment—then jumped up in delight and ran over to Yu Yu in tiny excited steps, her eyes sparkling. “Sis, you’re amazing!”

“You’re so good to me, I don’t even know how to repay you!” She was so thrilled that her words tumbled out chaotically. Yu Yu’s expression finally eased a little. She looked at Liuxue with detached calm and said, “Hurry up and sign.”

Liuxue smiled sweetly and turned around obediently. “Okay!”

As she walked back, she looked over her shoulder every few steps, a broad smile on her face, overflowing with open and unfiltered joy. Her eyes curved with her smile, filled with starlight. In that moment, as she glanced back with a hint of bashful teasing, she was enchantingly captivating.

Yu Yu casually lowered her gaze and pushed up the silver-rimmed glasses on her nose.

Leaning against the wall, Yu Bing quietly observed Liuxue’s cheerful expression. In her eyes, it was as if only Yu Yu remained. That splash of color at the corner of her eyes was like a poppy—addictive and impossible to resist.

Yu Bing thought, So it’s true… Gu Qingzhi really does like Sis.

She’d suspected it for a while, but when she saw with her own eyes how the small, cheerful Liuxue ran up to Yu Yu to act all cute, a wave of indescribable emotion swelled in her chest. She stood straight and said calmly to the pair, “You two go ahead, I’m heading back.”

Yu Yu looked at her. “Let’s go together.”

Normally, she would’ve agreed. But this time, unexpectedly, she refused. Yu Yu immediately turned to study her, narrowing her eyes with a sharp gaze that seemed to pierce straight through.

Yu Liuxue had just picked up the pen. Hearing this, she looked up and said sweetly, “Sis, take care! Send me a message when you get home so I know you made it safely!”

Yu Bing didn’t respond. Her steps didn’t falter for a second.

After signing the contract, Yu Liuxue got ready to head back to her apartment. But before she left, she noticed Yu Yu’s gaze was full of ill intent. Afraid Yu Yu would come after her, she quickly made her escape.

Yu Yu casually stowed the contract. She hoped her suspicion was wrong.

Thanks to Liuxue’s efforts, “Gu Qingzhi” was gradually shedding her old reputation. No longer seen as a fame leech or scandal magnet, she was now hailed as the most inspirational new-generation singer rising against all odds. After her song went live, she topped every chart. Data from all major platforms followed suit, completely outshining the usual crowd of internet stars.

One marketing account even posted a poll: “Who do you think is the most successful contestant from ‘That’s You 2’?”

Gu Qingzhi won by a landslide.

With the drama Snow Slash riding high in popularity, its theme song became instantly recognizable. The moment the opening chords played, excited viewers flooded the screen with bullet comments: “Here comes the battle anthem!” The song’s immense popularity was evident. From editing to score to casting, Snow Slash was praised as a production made with heart. Some new actors even gained traction because of it, but no one expected the biggest winner to be Gu Qingzhi.

The theme song’s debut scene was devastatingly emotional, making fans both love and hate it. Even those unfamiliar with Snow Slash knew just how powerful the theme song was—it was unforgettable.

Just a few months ago, Gu Qingzhi had been a disgraced nobody forced to quit mid-season. Who could’ve imagined that in less than six months, she would stage such a dazzling comeback and jump straight to B-list status?

Some said she just got lucky—one hit song didn’t mean she could keep going. But Yang Nianjiao had anticipated this. When recording the album, she had also arranged for Liuxue to sing a few theme songs and inserts for some small-budget films. She’d even pulled strings to get Liuxue a song slot in a highly anticipated domestic animated film.

Now, after so long, those films were about to be released—including that much-anticipated animated feature.

Lately, Yu Yu had been using her Weibo either to interact with the official account of Snow Slash or to promote movies that featured songs sung by Yu Liuxue. Fans were puzzled: “When did Qingzhi sing so many songs? Why didn’t we hear anything?”

“Never mind, I already bought every ticket. Sis, I’m renting out the whole theater to support you!”

Xiao Nian had already joined a film crew. Her days were packed with acting, and aside from her new drama, she didn’t have mental space for anything else. But today, while walking past a group of female staff with her agent, she suddenly heard Gu Qingzhi’s name.

She stopped without thinking.

“Wow, I don’t know how Gu Qingzhi got so lucky. Maybe she only joined That’s You 2 just to meet Xiao Nian in person?”

“Could be. Maybe she just wanted to use Xiao Nian’s fame to get some attention.”

“No way. Xiao Nian is her idol. If that was her plan, she wouldn’t have quit the show. I heard she barely even saw Xiao Nian during filming—probably to avoid suspicion…”

The agent turned and looked at Xiao Nian. “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Nian gently shook her head. Indeed, back when she and Gu Qingzhi filmed the show together, Gu Qingzhi had rarely taken the initiative to approach her. Perhaps it was to avoid suspicion, or perhaps out of fear. But Gu Qingzhi had truly liked her—her eyes had always sparkled as she looked at her, gaze full of admiration, peeking at her like a timid child gazing up at a god.

At that time, Xiao Nian hadn’t yet risen to fame. Every time she caught Gu Qingzhi looking at her, the latter would instantly blush, hastily leave the homemade meals and lovingly crafted desserts on the table, and dash off like a rabbit, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Even getting a word out of her had been difficult.

Xiao Nian drifted into thought for a moment. Had Gu Qingzhi chosen to join the show just to get close to her?

And now?

Was it because love had turned to hate that Gu Qingzhi went to such lengths to steal the manager she once trusted the most?

But Xiao Nian didn’t have the luxury to dwell on Yu Liuxue’s motives, because someone online had begun systematically exposing things about her and Zhou Zhou from their time together on set. The images and captions were highly suggestive, painting their barely budding relationship as something real.

Her manager was in a panic, rushing back to the company to discuss countermeasures.

Xiao Nian’s fans, however, stood firmly by her. They expressed their faith in her character and swore that she would never do such a thing. Coordinated groups pushed back at the marketing accounts spreading rumors: “Hope the dirty money you’re earning is worth it.”

“One photo, and you just make everything up—why not go dig up every pic of Nian-jie with other celebrities and say she’s involved with all of them?”

Other fans who weren’t into online drama and preferred supporting her career quietly wrote, “Let’s wait for an official statement.”

Yu Liuxue, ever eager to fan the flames, grinned and showed the trending topic to Zhou Zhou. “Sweetie, you’re on the hot search.”

In the room next door, Zhou Zhou rolled her eyes in exasperation. She wasn’t blind. Her notification count had already maxed out—no need to check to know that Xiao Nian’s fans were probably cursing her entire family by now.

The more Zhou Zhou thought about it, the more she regretted it. Why had she messed with Xiao Nian in the first place? Was Xiao Nian someone she could afford to provoke?

Now that things had blown up, her only hope was that Yang Nianjiao and Yu Yu would speak up to clear her name. If they did, she could address it openly, her fans could fight back without guilt, and she could preserve what little popularity she had left.

But if Yang Nianjiao and Yu Yu refused to help…

Zhou Zhou slumped in despair. If she had no other way out, maybe she’d just have to muster up the courage and seduce President Yang, just like Gu Qingzhi had done.

Two days passed with no response from Xiao Nian’s side. After her manager returned and discussed the matter with the company, they decided Xiao Nian would remain silent—neither confirming nor denying, and let the public speculate. Xiao Nian was hesitant, but the manager explained, “Staying quiet shows you’re focused on filming, and unaware of this baseless gossip. Meanwhile, it keeps your name trending so the public doesn’t forget you while you’re on set.”

It made sense. After thinking it over, Xiao Nian agreed.

Her fans waited and waited, but no clarification came. Some explained, “Nian-jie is working hard on set and doesn’t have time to deal with this. Please, we beg these marketing accounts to leave her alone! If she were in a relationship, she’d tell us herself. And we’d support her. But we won’t stand for lies and clout-chasing.”

Others weren’t convinced. “She clarified the Gu Qingzhi rumor pretty fast back then, didn’t she? The media caught them together, and her manager released a statement right after. Why stay silent now? Must be hiding something.”

Die-hard fans quickly chimed in, “She’s no longer working with that demonic ex-manager. Thanks for asking.”

Curious netizens who hadn’t followed closely were stunned to learn Xiao Nian had changed managers. Where was the old one now? After some digging, they were shocked to discover that Xiao Nian’s former manager was now managing Gu Qingzhi.

“Does this mean the original incident had more to it than we thought?!”

Xiao Nian’s fans: “Get lost! There’s nothing hidden—stop spouting nonsense!”

Yu Liuxue laughed so hard she nearly fell onto Yu Bing’s shoulder. She hadn’t expected Zhou Zhou’s scandal to end up helping her. There was more to that story, and now that the truth was about to come out, Yu Liuxue immediately opened Weibo and posted a meme: “Life is hard, sighing…” along with a selfie.

Then she quickly switched to her alt account and gleefully fanned the flames across different threads. Yu Bing silently watched her slender fingers typing away at lightning speed, holding a large phone that made her look like a child in adult clothes.

Yu Bing’s gaze never left the screen. Without looking up, Yu Liuxue casually said, “Back then, I was framed so badly by Teacher Xiao. I will make the truth known.”

“From now on, I’m yours. If Teacher Xiao tries to retaliate, I’ll gladly die in your arms…” She hadn’t finished speaking before Yu Bing lightly tapped her finger and cut her off.

Yu Liuxue paused, then smiled brilliantly. “You’re the best, sis.”

Yu Bing’s eyes swept past her radiant face. Though she sat with perfect posture, her heart skipped a beat.

When Zhou Zhou saw that Xiao Nian still hadn’t addressed the rumors, her expression soured. Just as she was about to seek out Yang Nianjiao, Diyu Entertainment finally released an official statement clearing her name. In short: complete fabrication—keep it up and we’ll send you a lawyer’s letter.

Though legal threats had become routine in the industry, Diyu Entertainment’s firm stance helped shut down some of the noise and salvaged Zhou Zhou’s reputation.

Now the internet was in an uproar.

“I thought it’d be Xiao Nian who clarified things, but it turned out to be Zhou Zhou?! Could it be that Gu Qingzhi told her something? They’re teammates, right? If that’s the case, then Zhou Zhou probably knows what really happened back then. That’s why she’s so desperate to avoid Xiao Nian, afraid of getting dragged into it.”

The theory quickly gained traction, and people began discussing it with friends and coworkers. Everyone was debating what kind of person Xiao Nian really was—her character, her private life, everything.

Yu Liuxue smirked and typed again: “I have a cousin who works in the entertainment industry. She told me that Xiao Nian’s former manager didn’t leave for simple reasons.”

Her posts and Weibo interactions earned her a wave of new fans. With her recent efforts, her follower count quickly surpassed ten thousand. When she posted her latest Weibo, people flooded the comments with things like, “I have a friend with a terminal illness, and her dying wish is to hear more from this blogger.”

But Xiao Nian’s fans soon caught wind and descended on her comment section, turning it into a mess. Yu Liuxue noticed Yu Bing’s eyes shift to her face and immediately said, “Teacher Xiao is really terrible. Sister Yu was so kind to her, and she still doubted her. I have to help Sister Yu get justice and clear her name.”

Her tone was full of righteous indignation, but Yu Bing said nothing, her expression blank.

After a few seconds, she finally spoke in a cool voice. “Sit properly.”

Yu Liuxue glanced down and realized that, just like at home, she had casually and lazily leaned on Yu Bing as if using her as a pillow. The two of them now looked incredibly close, like lovers deeply in love. Yu Liuxue gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Oh…”

Over the past few days, with Yu Liuxue fanning the flames and stirring up trouble, Xiao Nian’s image had started to become increasingly ambiguous. Her acting skills were indeed excellent and widely praised by audiences, but whether her character was as admirable as previously rumored—no one could say for sure anymore.

Xiao Nian was furious. She had no idea who was targeting her, but her current company’s inaction and poor response deeply frustrated and humiliated her. If this continued, all her efforts would be in vain—her good reputation, her well-crafted public persona, all down the drain. Swallowing her anger, she picked up the phone to speak seriously with her agent.

As soon as the call connected, her agent spoke with a cheerful tone, “Xiao Nian, just in time! The company has secured a new movie script for you. The pay is seventy-five million. Didn’t you always want to transition into film? You’ve heard of Director Jiang, right? Our boss personally recommended you to him several times before he finally, reluctantly, agreed to give you a shot.”

“It’s happening tomorrow, so get ready. This is a rare opportunity. You can’t mess this up!”

The agent’s persuasive tone immediately made Xiao Nian abandon her plans to confront them. Seventy-five million? And a film by Director Jiang? Xiao Nian thought for a moment. “Alright.”

She did want to shift into the film industry, elevate her image, and solidify her position once and for all. By then, even if Gu Qingzhi revealed everything, she wouldn’t be afraid. Her foundation would be solid enough to remain unaffected.

But when she thought about Gu Qingzhi’s recent rise, Xiao Nian still regretted letting Yu Yu go. If not for Yu Yu, Gu Qingzhi would never have developed so smoothly.

Xiao Nian quickly passed the audition and signed the contract with her agent. Just as a trace of a smile appeared on her face, she heard that the films Gu Qingzhi had promoted earlier were gradually being released. These were low-budget productions that normally wouldn’t attract much attention, but thanks to Gu Qingzhi’s tireless efforts in promotion, the box office earnings on opening day doubled the initial projections.

Moreover, several of the films were receiving great reviews, and their box office figures were steadily climbing. Numerous film critics opened their reviews with statements like: “I only watched it because of Gu Qingzhi, but to my surprise, she blew me away…”

Before release, these films had barely drawn interest. It could be said that Gu Qingzhi had almost single-handedly carried their box office performance. One particular art film stood out, its momentum nearly surpassing some big-budget blockbusters. In this film, Gu Qingzhi drastically changed her style—her voice was magnetic and languid, and the moment she spoke, it was breathtaking.

Who doesn’t love a hidden gem? Especially one as versatile and beautiful as her? Gu Qingzhi, on the strength of these few films alone, broke into the ranks of top-tier artists.

Rumor had it that multiple film and TV projects were vying to work with Gu Qingzhi. In their eyes, she had become a symbol of prosperity. Whether it was Snow Slash or the films that followed, the results had been without exception—consistently good. As a result, they believed that having Gu Qingzhi in a project was a surefire way to guarantee ratings and box office success.

Xiao Nian sneered—superstitious nonsense.

But her disdain couldn’t stop Gu Qingzhi’s meteoric rise. Yu Yu was now buried in endless information every day, carefully screening for collaborations most beneficial to Yu Liuxue’s growth. The Mercury Girls group’s activities were nearing their end. Yang Nianjiao glanced at the group’s earnings report, then at Yu Liuxue’s solo performance, picked up the phone, and said, “Dad, I want to make a new bet—with Gu Qingzhi. A billion.”

“I bet she’ll become a pop queen.”

Another half month passed. Yu Liuxue’s solo promotions were also coming to an end, but she’d exchanged her entire year’s worth of rest days with Yang Nianjiao in order to get Yu Bing. Even though her solo projects had wrapped up, Yang Nianjiao and Yu Yu still scheduled plenty for her: a fixed host spot on an outdoor variety show, a regular guest role on a talk show, and her first mini solo concert. Ticket sales had already opened on the official site.

The moment sales began, all 1,000 tickets sold out in a single second.

Yu Liuxue rested her chin in her hand, her pretty eyes skimming over her three-month itinerary. With a sigh, she said gloomily, “Zhou Tiantian, I really envy you. You don’t have to work yourself to death like I do.”

Zhou Zhou sat two meters away on the couch. Hearing this, she gritted her teeth. “Gu Qingzhi, don’t get cocky.”

Yu Liuxue smiled slightly. “Tiantian, how about we make a deal? If you agree, I’ll let you be a guest at my concert.”

A guest? Zhou Zhou was tempted. If she could appear at Yu Liuxue’s concert, it would give her public recognition a big boost. But despite the temptation, Zhou Zhou still maintained a calm and unaffected demeanor. “You tell me the deal first.”

“This will benefit both of us,” Yu Liuxue said, blinking. “You just need to accidentally like a post on Weibo. That’s all.”

“Whose?”

Yu Liuxue immediately told her the handle of one of her alt accounts. Zhou Zhou searched it on Weibo, then frowned. “Don’t tell me… this is you?”

“Oh! My Tiantian is ridiculously smart!”

Zhou Zhou: “……”

She agreed to the deal, and sure enough, her “accidental” like was quickly noticed. The post she liked, quite coincidentally, was one exposing the relationship between Gu Qingzhi and Xiao Nian. Not long after her like, marketing accounts began screenshotting it: “What does Zhou Zhou know?”

Her fans were shocked and quickly tried to explain, “Our Tiantian just likes searching her own name and probably tapped the like button by accident while scrolling. Please don’t make baseless accusations!”

Despite their efforts, few believed it. Everyone was convinced Zhou Zhou knew something and was using the slip as an opportunity to subtly expose the truth.

The incident began to escalate and soon landed on the trending list. Moments like this test an agent’s crisis management skills. Yu Yu immediately issued a Weibo post clarifying everything—defending both Zhou Zhou and Yu Liuxue. Meanwhile, over at Xiao Nian’s side, her agent acted like nothing had happened, promoting Xiao Nian’s new film and sarcastically mocking “certain people desperate for fame and full of petty tricks.”

The contrast was immediate and obvious.

Xiao Nian’s fans were furious. What kind of agent was this? How could someone be so incompetent? At this rate, all of Xiao Nian’s hard work would be destroyed by this one person. Finally, they began to remember the good old days with Yu Yu.

Some fans rushed to Yu Yu’s Weibo to comment:

“Sis, please come back! You worked with Nian-jie for so long. I know your bond is deep. You treated her like your own little sister. Can you really stand by while she’s being wronged?”

“Sis, even though you’ve left, I know you can’t let go of Nian-jie. If you could just take one step back and lower your head, Nian-jie would definitely be happy to work with you again.”

“Teacher Xiao is your reason for existing. Please, come back to her side!”

An old man on the subway was reading his phone.

Yu Liuxue really couldn’t understand these people. Now they were begging Yu Yu to return to Xiao Nian’s side, and yet they could still justify describing Yu Yu as Xiao Nian’s appendage. Without hesitation, Yu Liuxue logged into her main account and replied under each such comment:

“Sorry, but she’s mine.”

She personally stepped in, immediately drawing everyone’s attention. Yu Liuxue had barely enjoyed the moment for two minutes before Yu Yu called her. “What are you doing?”

Yu Liuxue spoke softly, aggrieved, “Sis, I just couldn’t bear to see you being wronged, so I wanted to speak up for you and seek justice. You’re clearly an independent person, yet they’re trying to reduce you to just Xiao Nian’s accessory out of their own selfishness. And now they’re morally pressuring you to go back to her—why should you?”

“She treated you that way, and you’re already hurting enough. Now they’re saying things like that again.” Yu Liuxue gripped the phone sadly. “Sis, even if you scold me, if I had the chance to do it all over again, I’d still choose to do the same.”

“To me, you’re the best sister in the world. You’re incredibly precious. So why, in their eyes, do you have to be someone who can be summoned and dismissed at will like a tool?”

“They’ve never considered your feelings. They’ve never cared about your emotional state.” Her voice firmed. “You’ve protected me for so long. This time, let me protect you, okay?”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Yu Yu’s cold voice responded, “Your Weibo account has been taken back by the company.”

She hung up right after—decisive, clean, without the slightest hesitation.

Yu Liuxue blinked innocently. When she turned around, she saw Yu Bing standing not far away. Instinctively, she stepped toward her with a radiant smile. “Sister, you’re here!”

Yu Bing’s task today was to ensure Yu Liuxue completed the variety show shoot smoothly. She nodded calmly at the words. Yu Liuxue ran over happily, and only later did she find out that the production team had also invited Xiao Nian. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then suddenly turned to Yu Bing and said, “Sis, I need to use the restroom.”

Yu Bing was about to go with her, but Yu Liuxue quickly said, “No need, I’ll be right back.”

She slipped out of the room and went straight to Xiao Nian’s dressing room. The moment Xiao Nian saw her, her face darkened.

No one else was present. Yu Liuxue approached with a smile. “Ms. Xiao, long time no see.”

Xiao Nian suddenly stood up. “Was it you behind all of this?”

Yu Liuxue tilted her head. “I don’t really know what you’re talking about, but if you think it was me, then sure, let’s just say it was me.”

Xiao Nian was so enraged she could hardly breathe. Yu Liuxue blinked with innocent eyes, a wounded look on her face. “I used to like you so much, Ms. Xiao. But you never once truly looked at me.”

“Did you know? It really broke my heart. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get close to you. Even though we were in a relationship, you kept shutting me out, making me feel like I didn’t belong in your life, like I was your only stain.”

“So…” Her voice dropped. “If I can’t have you, then I might as well destroy you.”

The moment she finished speaking, Xiao Nian lunged forward, about to strike. But just then, the door was pushed open from the outside. Yu Liuxue turned around and immediately ran to Yu Bing, throwing her arms around her.

“Sis, she bullied me. She was going to hit me.”

Yu Bing lifted her gaze calmly to Xiao Nian, her tone flat. “You’d better be sure you can win.”