From Trashy A to the Heiress’s Little Son-in-Law After the Idol Competition (GL, ABO) - Chapter 48

A barrage of “hahaha” comments swept in like an overwhelming army. The one who made them laugh wasn’t Xiao Yanjin, Shi Zhengyi, or He Rou but the aloof and elegant Ji Yunuo, the young lady known for her refined demeanor.

Because Ji Yunuo’s foot was stuck in the mud.

To make matters worse, her body was tilted at an awkward angle, completely unlike her usual poised and graceful posture.

The usually composed young lady could only furrow her brows in distress, biting her red lips, her pitiful yet stubbornly proud expression tugging at everyone’s heartstrings.

[The gap moe is real, who wouldn’t love this version of Miss Ji?]

[Wuwuwu, my young lady is so adorable!]

Xiao Yanjin, still busy catching fish, kept an eye on Ji Yunuo’s movements.

Seeing her like this, her heart ached unbearably!

She immediately transformed into a little rocket and dashed over only to get stuck in the mud herself. Worse still, the splattering mud ended up on everyone else.

All eyes turned to the disheveled alpha.

Xiao Yanjin grinned sheepishly. “I got too excited, you’re not gonna yell at me, right?”

Shi Zhengyi: “Get lost!”

With no time to retort, Xiao Yanjin carefully made her way to Ji Yunuo’s side.

Ji Yunuo, who hadn’t seen her fall, let out a faint, displeased hum. “This game isn’t fun at all.”

Xiao Yanjin, too concerned about her girlfriend to argue, nodded eagerly. “Right, right, right.”

She held out her hand for Ji Yunuo to steady herself, and only then did Ji Yunuo manage to take a step forward.

“Big sis, why don’t you go sit up there?” Xiao Yanjin suggested worriedly.

“No. I can’t just hold everyone back,” Ji Yunuo muttered, though her tone was still full of complaints.

“I still think it’s not fun. It’s so dirty and sticky. I’ll have to wash so much when we get back.”

“Right, right, right,” Xiao Yanjin agreed without hesitation.

Whatever her wife said was law!

[Ahhhh, is Miss Ji acting spoiled right now?!]

[Oh my god, this is too sweet, I’m deceased!!]

[I’ll say it again, NuoYan CP is real, don’t you dare doubt it!]

“Why is there so much mud on your face?” Ji Yunuo finally noticed the splatters all over her.

Her heart clenched. “Isn’t it dirty?”

Xiao Yanjin just stared at her and shook her head. “Not dirty.”

Ji Yunuo pulled her toward a clear, clean stream and carefully rinsed her off, muttering, “If it gets in your ears, it’ll be hard to clean. Be careful.”

Xiao Yanjin nodded obediently. If not for the others around, she would’ve nuzzled into her sister’s arms and acted spoiled right then and there.

Those delicate hands scooped up clean water, gently wiping at her clothes as if polishing a masterpiece.

She couldn’t stand being dirty and she couldn’t stand her girlfriend being dirty either.

[!!!!!!!! Sorry, everyone, I’ll drink to this first, whether they get married later depends on all of us supporting them!]

[Even I, a mere hibiscus flower, am stunned. Is shipping a CP always this good? My mood has been soaring for days!]

[If they don’t get married, I won’t accept it!! I’ll contribute 1,000, let’s see if they’ve gotten their marriage certificate yet!]

The director and assistant director were also stunned. These two were way too dedicated—if all CPs were like them, the profits from “shipping bait” would be endless!

Later, Shi Zhengyi and Jiang Nan’s team won.

And, of course, the trending topics followed soon after.

Ji Zhiye was still in a meeting at the company when a troublesome project made her lose her temper with her subordinates.

The subordinates didn’t dare to make a sound until Wei Qin called.

Taking a deep breath, Ji Zhiye answered the phone with a sweet smile: “Darling, what’s up?”

Subordinates: “……”

Is this the same CEO?

Wei Qin: “Come home early after work. I have something to tell you.”

Hearing the calmness in Wei Qin’s voice, Ji Zhiye thought it must be something serious.

She rushed home before work even ended.

“Qin Qin, are you okay?”

Wei Qin’s eyes burned with jealousy. “Of course I’m fine. It’s Nuo Nuo who’s the issue.”

Ji Zhiye sighed in relief. “That’s good.”

Wei Qin glared at her, prompting Ji Zhiye to quickly correct herself: “What happened to Nuo Nuo?”

Wei Qin pulled her down to sit, turned on the living room TV, and played a replay.

Clips of Ji Yunuo and Xiao Yanjin’s interactions from their variety show flashed before Ji Zhiye’s eyes.

Hmm, they really do look sweet together.

Wei Qin felt like she was about to get high blood pressure. She pitifully nestled into her wife’s arms and whined, “Has this child grown up and stopped listening to me? How many times have I told her, and when has she ever listened?”

“Their CP has a huge fanbase maybe it’s the company’s request. Qin Qin, you know how it is. When a drama airs, it’s practically a crime not to ship the leads.”

Wei Qin sighed. “Look at the way Nuo Nuo gazes at Xiao Yanjin, it’s full of adoration. I’ve never seen her look at anyone like that. What’s so great about Xiao Yanjin anyway?”

Ji Zhiye finally realized her wife was jealous. Why get worked up over a child’s crush?

“But don’t you think they make a cute pair?”

Wei Qin suddenly flared up, twisting her ear and scolding, “Say that again!!”

Ji Zhiye winced and begged for mercy. “I was wrong, I was wrong!”

Wei Qin huffed and continued leaning against her. Though she had watched all the livestreams and seen her daughter’s rare, longing smiles something she had never witnessed before she still couldn’t accept it. What was so special about Xiao Yanjin? Nuo Nuo used to hate her, why would she look at her with such fondness?

That evening, the alpha team enjoyed a lavish dinner.

The omega team, however, got watery porridge and pickles.

He Rou stirred the thin porridge with her spoon, then stared at the unappetizing pickles in shock. “Director, you’re really serving us this for dinner?”

Director Zhang: “You lost the bet.”

He Rou rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile, the alpha team feasted on meat, fish, and an array of desserts and drinks, the rich aromas making He Rou itch with envy.

Xiao Yanjin glanced at the omega team, distracted.

Is sister only having porridge for dinner?

She’s already so thin…

Xiao Yanjin couldn’t bear it, but this feast was the result of Shi Zhengyi and Jiang Nan’s efforts. How could she just give it away?

[Shi Zhengyi is so dense! He Rou’s stuck with porridge, hurry up and share some food with her!]

[She’s too busy stuffing her face to care about the poor beta.]

[And Xiao Yanjin! After all those sweet interactions with Miss Ji this afternoon, now she won’t even look her way. These alphas are all faking it!]

[If this keeps up, I’m going to lose it. If my girlfriend treated me like this, I’d seriously consider breaking up, though I know they might not even be together.]

[“They’re definitely not together, just putting on a show for us. If they were really dating, would they be eating so casually like this?”]

“Director!” Xiao Yanjin’s voice suddenly echoed through the room.

“Can I give my portion to them?” Xiao Yanjin glanced at Ji Yunuo: “It doesn’t seem right for them to just eat plain congee.”

[Ahhhh! Xiao Yanjin is worried her girlfriend might go hungry!]

He Rou pitifully called out: “Yanjin, you’re so kind.”

Jiang Nan nodded: “I’ll share my portion with them too.”

Shi Zhengyi narrowed her eyes, no matter how she looked at it, it seemed like the alphas had a traitor in their midst. Was Xiao Yanjin actually an omega pretending to be an alpha?

She had no choice but to play along magnanimously: “I have a chicken drumstick here.” She placed it in He Rou’s bowl.

He Rou looked up in confusion.

Shi Zhengyi shrugged: “You like drumsticks, so this is for you.”

Xiao Yanjin went around sharing her food, and when she reached Ji Yunuo, she specially took out a plate of braised pork for her, smiling as she said: “Protein, to replenish big sister’s energy.”

Ji Yunuo gave a graceful smile and happily accepted the braised pork she had specifically set aside for her.

[I hereby declare Xiao Yanjin is more marriage material than Shi Zhengyi!]

[Such blatant favoritism, I love this alpha, though of course, this alpha belongs to Miss Ji!]

Director Zhang was also quite pleased Xiao Yanjin was truly too professional and knew exactly how to play up the act!

This livestream’s popularity was all thanks to her (though there were plenty of criticisms too).

…

After the group variety show ended, it was time to promote their debut album.

Music shows were divided into six major programs like Music Show, MMXX Stage, and Dance TV, where singers and idols could compete in terms of digital streams and fan support. These shows effectively promoted their songs while also providing authoritative rankings that reflected both song quality and fan engagement.

The viewership ratings for these shows weren’t low, solely because fans would watch intently on their phones or TVs to actively vote for their idols.

These programs were broadcast live, and the comment sections were already packed to the brim.

2the ABO entered their promotional period their debut song was titled “Fly Toward the Light,” an uplifting, youthful track.

Three months after debut, their sales had already reached five million, surpassing even top-tier boy groups.

The ranking criteria were based on 30% album sales, 20% fan support and voting, 20% audience reception and digital streams, 20% live performance (judges’ scores), and 10% live audience text votes.

This episode of Music Show featured several popular boy and girl groups competing for the top spot on the weekly chart.

Right now, another group was performing on stage soon, it would be their turn.

“Look, that’s the girl group that debuted two years ago,” Shi Zhengyi said, eyes full of admiration as she chatted excitedly with He Rou. “Their leader is a rapper, I really like her.”

He Rou seemed unconvinced. “Their company is famous, they blew up right after debut.”

Xiao Yanjin stood in an open space to get a better view.

This is a sweet-style girl group called “Water,” and true to its name, the group is not only full of sweet girls with gentle smiles but also dances with the soft, flowing grace of water.

After two years since their debut, they’ve had three hit albums and boast a fiercely loyal fanbase. Beating them in this round would be quite a challenge.

Once they finished their performance, Xiao Yanjin and the others took the stage for their own song.

[Ahhhh, finally seeing their stage!!]

[What kind of magical girl group is this? So funny in variety shows and dances this well too!]

[If you ask me, Xiao Yanjin put in a lot of effort. The group’s popularity definitely has a lot to do with her.]

The Water girls watched from backstage, and one of them clicked her tongue. “So that’s Xiao Yanjin.”

Another member said in surprise, “She sings pretty well.”

“Pretty well? Someone with so many scandals actually debuted. Who even likes her?”

“Enough,” the leader quickly covered her mouth, looking flustered. “Don’t let others hear you. It’ll ruin our group’s image.”

Afterward, both groups went backstage for interviews.

There were two hosts, one was the girl group leader, Bai Li Zhaoyan, and the other was a member of a boy group, Meng Shiguang each assigned to interview one of the girl groups.

Xiao Yanjin stood in the second row, right behind Ji Yunuo.

Ji Yunuo’s style was that of a gentle, scholarly senior. Her slightly wavy hair from the group’s reality show days had been straightened, revealing a fine part in her hair that Xiao Yanjin couldn’t help but stare at.

[Everyone, look!! What’s Xiao Yanjin doing??]

[Who knew her weird obsession was staring at her wife’s hair part!!]

Both groups introduced themselves one after another.

When it was Xiao Yanjin’s turn, she smiled playfully and said, “Hello everyone, I’m Xiao Yanjin, the high-note specialist of the group. Please support us!”

[Wait, isn’t the high-note specialist the youngest?]

[Oh right, Xiao Yanjin is the maknae. But this just shows she wants to prove herself with skill.]

[Yanjin’s high notes are amazing, okay? Stop talking nonsense!]

Sure enough, the moment Xiao Yanjin appeared, the ratings spiked.

The executive director watched as the barrage of comments grew, wondering if he was seeing things.

Why were so many of these comments bashing Xiao Yanjin? He had to look again.

After the interviews, both teams headed to the waiting room.

Several other groups were already there, waiting for everyone to gather before the rankings were announced.

Meng Shiguang’s boy group was also present. The moment Ji Yunuo entered, all eyes turned to her.

“Hey, isn’t that the famous Young Miss Ji?” a male Omega asked curiously.

“You’ve seen their variety show, haven’t you?” another male Beta chuckled.

A male Alpha narrowed his eyes, sizing her up. “As expected of a young miss, flawless in every way. But someone that perfect is boring. I think that red-haired Beta is more attractive.”

“That’s He Rou, the sexy idol. Rare to see that type.”

The Alpha swallowed and smirked. “Seems like she’s got a fiery personality too.”

The Omega had been staring at Xiao Yanjin for a while and grinned. “Everyone in their group is so good-looking. That Alpha’s not bad either.”

“That’s Xiao Yanjin. Rumor has it she’s a scumbag Alpha. Don’t fall for her you’ll only end up hurt.”

Xiao Yanjin and the others greeted everyone before finding seats to settle in.

He Ruan glanced around and asked, “Is there any water?”

Shi Zhengyi muttered under his breath, “There’s water over there, can’t you get it yourself?” but still stood up to fetch it for her.

“Here, take it.”

He Ruan huffed but couldn’t hide her smile. “Thanks.”

Xiao Yanjin quietly sidled up to Ji Yunuo and whispered, “Ugh, the moment we walked in, those alphas couldn’t stop staring at you.”

Ji Yunuo was both amused and exasperated, no wonder this girl had been sulking earlier.

“Really? I didn’t notice.”

“Of course you didn’t need to. I noticed for you.” With that, Xiao Yanjin moved to another spot, conveniently blocking those alphas’ line of sight.

He Ruan took a sip of water, tilting her head back, elongating the graceful curve of her neck, a subtle yet alluring gesture. Her crimson curls swayed, exuding a mature, feminine charm.

If Ji Yunuo’s beauty was the kind that drew female alphas, then He Ruan’s fiery allure was what captivated male alphas.

This very scene caught the attention of one of those alphas.

“Hello.”

A smooth, pleasant male voice made He Ruan pause mid-sip.

“I’m Xie Kun.”

The voice faded as the man walked away, but before He Ruan could react, a slip of paper found its way into her hand. Unfolding it, she saw a phone number, Xie Kun’s contact details.

She looked up just as Xie Kun’s peach-blossom eyes met hers, a roguishly handsome smirk playing on his lips as he arched a brow.

How interesting.

He Ruan smiled and quickly added him.

“What’s that?” Shi Zhengyi suddenly appeared out of nowhere, eyeing the note with suspicion.

He Ruan promptly tossed it into the trash. “Just garbage.”

Though not as observant as Xiao Yanjin, Shi Zhengyi knew He Ruan well enough to sense something was off. Watching her now, fingers flying across her phone screen, she seemed engrossed in a conversation with someone.

In this world, fans didn’t strictly forbid idols from dating, but relationships inevitably cost them some devoted admirers hence why many idols kept their romances under wraps.

From what she knew, plenty of lesser-known idols around them had been in relationships.

That dreamy look on He Ruan’s face… Could she have just caught the eye of some alpha here?

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