I Swear I Don’t Want to Be Everyone’s Favorite - Chapter 39

Before Jiang Luoyue could press further, a staff member hurried out of the office building: “What happened?”

“Just chatting, nothing happened.” Before Fu Yunqing could speak, Jiang Luoyue cut in. With Yu Jingtang’s earlier flawless performance, she didn’t dare let anyone else take the initiative. “Did you prepare a wheelchair?”

Fu Yunqing snapped back to reality and shook her head: “No need for a wheelchair.”

Using a wheelchair would totally lower her standards! If it weren’t for playing the sympathy card last time, Fu Yunqing would rather die than sit in one!

Jiang Luoyue looked at her expressionlessly: “If you don’t use a wheelchair, how are you going to get in? Hop in on one leg like a golden rooster?”

Imagining that scene, Fu Yunqing was left speechless.

As she turned to knock on the car window, Jiang Luoyue saw Fu Yunqing’s assistant in the back seat of the van, covering her mouth, having eavesdropped for who knows how long, her shoulders shaking with laughter: “It’s in the trunk, I’ll get it.”

Watching Fu Yunqing settle into the “special care seat,” Jiang Luoyue finally realized: “You’ve been here for a while, haven’t you? Why didn’t you go in?”

And with a wheelchair available, why wait until she arrived to put on a show and slowly make her way in?

Fu Yunqing: “…”

Of course, it was to play the sympathy card and act pitiful. Who would have thought she’d overdo it and nearly fall?

But she couldn’t possibly reveal such an embarrassing thought process. Instead, Fu Yunqing retorted: “Does it matter? If I went in first, wouldn’t you and Yu Jingtang end up being photographed together again?”

Jiang Luoyue: “What does this have to do with Yu Jingtang?”

Yu Jingtang wasn’t even here, so why was Fu Yunqing suddenly bringing her up?

Fu Yunqing declared righteously: “I’m just preparing for the worst.”

Although Jiang Luoyue was too shy to confess, Fu Yunqing had already mentally claimed her as her own. The past could be overlooked, and friendships could continue, but in the future, Jiang Luoyue could only pair up with her for publicity.

What was Yu Jingtang? Once Fu Yunqing confessed, she would be Jiang Luoyue’s rightful girlfriend.

Jiang Luoyue was speechless: “You’re prep”

Before she could finish, a staff member chimed in: “Speaking of which, Teacher Xiaotang did wait here for a long time before going in.”

“See!” Fu Yunqing fumed. “She just wants to be photographed with you. Does she think no one can see through her little schemes?”

Jiang Luoyue rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. She could only hope they’d avoid running into Yu Jingtang, not daring to imagine what kind of sharp outburst Fu Yunqing might have if they met.

Come to think of it, even in a wheelchair, why was Fu Yunqing so talkative? What “cripple” was as spirited as her? Remove the cast, and she’d be ready to fight, tearing into anyone in her path.

But then again, perhaps it was precisely because she was in a wheelchair that Fu Yunqing channeled all the energy she’d usually spend walking into talking.

In that moment, Jiang Luoyue found herself agreeing with Xiang Fan’s nonsensical behavior for the first time. On one condition: if Fu Yunqing’s injury wasn’t her leg, but her mouth…

Perhaps Jiang Luoyue’s sincerity paid off, as when they went upstairs, the room with Yu Jingtang’s name on it remained tightly shut. Xiang Fan and Ning Fuguang’s rooms were open, indicating they hadn’t arrived yet.

With no opponent in sight, Fu Yunqing had no choice but to stand down. Watching her being wheeled away, Jiang Luoyue breathed a long sigh of relief, even finding the live-streaming equipment in the room oddly endearing after all, it wouldn’t talk, sitting quietly, bringing a sense of peace.

This interview session was longer than the last one.

First, Jiang Lianyan got injured during the live stream, followed by Fu Yunqing posting a photo of her cast on Weibo. Hate Me had been criticized for several days in a row. As soon as the live stream began, the director assured the audience that the program team would enhance safety measures and do their utmost to avoid risks.

At the same time, they would also collect task ideas from all the guests for future recordings.

“Hate Me, we are always one!”

The director spoke passionately, while Jiang Luoyue struggled to maintain a smile, inwardly scoffing that with a show titled Hate Me, who besides the director would think everyone was united?

The live chat saw right through it:

[The program team is implying that if you get hurt with your own ideas, it’s your own fault.]

[Feels like Fu Yunqing is being targeted. Not sure, let’s wait and see.]

Coming up with ideas wasn’t difficult for Jiang Luoyue. She casually wrote down a few game tasks from the previous season of Hate Me and considered it done. After saying a few good words about the program team and chatting with the live chat for a while, just as Jiang Luoyue thought the interview was over, someone handed her paper and a pen.

In a spot the camera couldn’t capture, a staff member held up a prompt card:

[Write down the person or object you believe is most important to Xiang Fan.]

At the same time, Fu Yunqing also read the content on the paper.

The person or object most important to Jiang Luoyue?

Fu Yunqing fell into deep thought.

She recalled Jiang Luoyue’s home. A home is the most private space and one that best reflects a person’s personality. But Jiang Luoyue’s home was empty, it lacked nothing, yet it also lacked everything. Aside from Jiang Luoyue herself and a few potted plants, the entire place felt lifeless, devoid of any discernible preferences.

She couldn’t very well write “succulents,” could she?

Yu Jingtang had recently posted a Weibo update, cunningly featuring only the succulents in Jiang Luoyue’s home. If she wrote that as her answer, what if she were accused of getting the idea from Yu Jingtang?

She was the one who came first!

The more she thought about it, the more Fu Yunqing resented Yu Jingtang. Staring at the paper, she boldly wrote down three characters: Fu Yunqing.

The moment a barrage of question marks flooded the live chat, a staff member snatched the paper away: “You can’t write the names of other guests.”

Fu Yunqing: “…?” Why was she being restricted for writing her own name?!

She was extremely frustrated but didn’t argue. Instead, she rewrote her answer as “family.”

Although Jiang Luoyue had never mentioned her family, whoever raised her so well must have cherished her deeply. The program team’s sudden question, coupled with the emphasis on secrecy, most likely had something to do with a future task.

Come to think of it, would she be meeting Jiang Luoyue’s family for the first time in the next episode? Was this like meeting the parents? What should she do?

As Fu Yunqing’s thoughts drifted far away, Jiang Luoyue finished writing her answer.

She didn’t know Xiang Fan well, and the program team was clearly aware that the guests weren’t familiar enough to “know each other’s important items.” The question was merely for show.

Jiang Luoyue naturally went along with it and wrote down someone she was certain held no importance in Xiang Fan’s eyes.

As they left, the staff reminded them to keep their answers confidential. Jiang Luoyue smiled and agreed. The moment she stepped out, she saw Fu Yunqing humming a tune, her face slightly flushed, radiating pure joy.

Upon seeing Jiang Luoyue, Fu Yunqing suddenly became more reserved. She stopped muttering to herself and didn’t bring up Yu Jingtang again.

She hadn’t been like this when they went in.

The speed of the change in expression made Jiang Luoyue marvel, just what kind of prank had Fu Yunqing written to be so well-behaved?

Could it be related to her? She thought jokingly, a little curious, but still held back. After all, the recording was about to start, and no matter how mysterious it was, the answer would be revealed that day. Jiang Luoyue wasn’t lacking in patience to wait.

But Fu Yunqing misunderstood her gaze and nodded, saying, “Do you want to know what I wrote? Although the production team requires confidentiality, if you beg me to tell you, it’s not entirely impossible.”

Jiang Luoyue remained silent for a few seconds, glanced at her sideways, and quietly stepped further away.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “I was curious earlier, but now I’m not.”

Fu Yunqing:

That afternoon, after Ning Fuguang and Xiang Fan finished re-recording their interviews, #HateMe once again topped the hot search list, with countless netizens heatedly discussing the game segments the guests had written.

Fu Yunqing’s imagination was bizarre, starting with, [“Truth or Dare, but you can only choose truth. Anyone who picks dare has to do 100 frog jumps in public and say, ‘Dian Dian is mighty.'”]

Just as someone was confused about “Who is Dian Dian?”, they were hit with a photo of a dog: “…”

When it came to humiliating people, the young lady was truly an expert!

Yu Jingtang wasn’t particularly skilled at variety shows and only wrote a few sports activities. Xiang Fan, perhaps addicted to survival, suggested the production team find a haunted location for an adventure. Since she wrote while talking, the live stream was temporarily shut down several times due to feudal superstition.

Ning Fuguang bluntly remarked, “If you’re out of ideas, hire more scriptwriters or check out the audience comments. Why squeeze the guests dry?”

Netizens suddenly had an epiphany, and HateMe was flooded with thousands of critical comments in the live stream.

In contrast, the only one who took it seriously and wrote a genuinely interesting game segment was Jiang Luoyue. The public always holds goodwill toward sincere people, and many began praising her. This stood in stark contrast to the overwhelming criticism from a week earlier, where she was accused of being cold-blooded and unapproachable.

The Jiang Residence.

The warm sunlight streamed into the room, falling on the piano, making even the dust particles sparkle.

Jiang Lianyan sat on the piano bench, her fingers brushing over the keys, but she couldn’t focus at all. After hastily playing a piece, the piano teacher pointed out the issues, only to be met with her retort: “I admit I’ve been neglecting practice lately, but to regress this much in such a short time shouldn’t you reflect on your teaching skills?”

The woman was left speechless and was soon escorted away by the servants. Jiang Lianyan glanced at the bruise on her knee, her frustration and impatience reaching a peak.

For the past week, Jiang Lianyan had been waiting for Jiang Yu to expose Jiang Luoyue’s scandals and ruin her reputation. But as HateMe was about to air, not only were there no negative rumors about Jiang Luoyue on the hot search, but all the discussions were filled with praise and admiration for her.

Those words felt like thorns in her eyes, so disgusting that she couldn’t even close them without feeling sick. Unable to bear it any longer, she reached out to Jiang Yu, who claimed to be too busy with work and still investigating Jiang Luoyue, asking her to wait a little longer.

Throughout her life, Jiang Lianyan had never had to wait more than a week for anything she wanted.

She intuitively sensed something off about Jiang Yu’s attitude but couldn’t figure out the reason. Furious and anxious, she shifted all the pressure onto Zhou Ruonian.

If he still couldn’t deal with Jiang Luoyue, Jiang Lianyan would make sure the Jiang family dealt with Zhou Ruonian first.

The contract drafted by the Jiang family was riddled with traps. Zhou Ruonian believed that the Jiang family had recognized her talent, which was why Jiang Lianyan had signed the agreement with her. Little did she know that she was merely the most suitable pawn the Jiang family had identified.

With no background to speak of and an inflated sense of self-importance, such a person was all too easy to manipulate.

At this thought, Jiang Lianyan let out a cold sneer. It wasn’t until a servant knocked on the door to announce Zhou Ruonian’s visit that she resumed playing the piano.

After being pressured, Zhou Ruonian claimed to know Jiang Luoyue’s biggest scandal, but the specifics and how to proceed required a face-to-face discussion with Jiang Lianyan.

The melodious notes of the piano filled the air, and Jiang Lianyan finally immersed herself in the music, only stopping half an hour later. After washing her hands, she went downstairs and saw Zhou Ruonian, her face etched with hesitation and anxiety.

A faint smile tugged at Jiang Lianyan’s lips, but before she could greet her, her gaze was drawn to the middle-aged woman beside Zhou Ruonian, who was scrutinizing the calligraphy and paintings in the living room.

“And who is this?” Jiang Lianyan’s smile faded as she crossed her arms.

Zhou Ruonian hurriedly replied, “Jiang Luoyue’s mother.”

–

On the way back, Yu Qing was in high spirits and informed Jiang Luoyue that the company had finally found a suitable assistant for her, who would start soon. Through the video call, Jiang Luoyue caught a glimpse of the new assistant a ponytailed, innocent-looking young woman named Xiao Lu.

Yu Qing remarked, “She’s a bit green, but that’s good! It means she can learn and do anything!”

Jiang Luoyue: “…” She couldn’t help but feel like she was looking at her own post-graduation self.

Unaware of her thoughts, Yu Qing chatted idly with her and mentioned the recent collaboration offers they had received. A couples’ magazine, a water bottle endorsement, Jiang Luoyue stared at the large water bottle she had used during the jungle survival show: “…”

Even if they were looking for a spokesperson, shouldn’t this brand have approached Fu Yunqing? After all, Fu Yunqing was the one who chose it.

“They did,” Yu Qing said with a laugh, as if reading her mind. “But her endorsement fee was too high they couldn’t afford it.”

Jiang Luoyue: “Am I cheaper?”

Yu Qing stated objectively, “Your popularity isn’t as high as Fu Yunqing’s, so it’s normal for you to be more affordable. Once you stir up some CP buzz, you’ll surpass her after the variety show ends.”

Jiang Luoyue had no interest in surpassing Fu Yunqing. Sighing, she turned her attention to the scripts. Surprisingly, this time, she had received over a dozen offers, and even the smallest role was for a female supporting character, a treatment usually reserved for highly popular stars.

At first, she was thrilled, but the more she read the scripts, the more she sensed something amiss.

A quick online search confirmed her suspicions: two-thirds of the scripts were invested in by entertainment companies under the Jiang conglomerate, and Jiang Yu was currently overseeing that division. In other words, without Jiang Yu’s approval, these scripts would never have reached Jiang Luoyue.

Why?

Perplexed, Jiang Luoyue directly asked Yu Qing, who seemed equally clueless: “I’m not sure either. They all arrived suddenly this morning.”

The production quality of these scripts was decent, and with sufficient marketing, most could achieve moderate success.

Yet Yu Qing advised bluntly, “I don’t recommend accepting any of them.”

Even if a pie falls from the sky, one must consider who’s throwing it. If the Jiang family is offering it, it’s likely a trap to exact revenge for Jiang Lianyan and drag Jiang Luoyue down.

Jiang Luoyue had considered this possibility, but thinking of Jiang Yu’s character, she hesitated and shook her head. “She wouldn’t resort to such methods.”

For Jiang Yu, if someone displeased him, he’d simply make them disappear. The trending searches targeting Jiang Luoyue after Jiang Lianyan’s injury were proof enough of that.

But after Yu Qing’s remark, Jiang Luoyue belatedly realized that, aside from the obvious bot attacks on the day of the incident, the public opinion offensive had been weakening day by day. By now, the online vitriol had become almost negligible.

This wasn’t Jiang Yu’s style of doing things.

Nor was it the Jiang family’s.

Even if Jiang Yu didn’t intervene, Jing Lan would have stepped in.

What had happened in between to make the Jiang family suddenly halt their offensive? Had something gone wrong on Jiang Lianyan’s side?

While Jiang Luoyue was lost in thought, Yu Qing retorted, “Whether she uses such tactics or not, we still need to be wary of her. With a sister like Jiang Lianyan, what kind of good person could she possibly be?”

Yu Qing didn’t know the full story of Jiang Luoyue’s conflict with Jiang Lianyan, but that didn’t stop her from siding with her own artist.

Unable to figure it out, Jiang Luoyue decided to stop worrying. In her previous life, she had undergone three DNA tests with the Jiang family, all confirming her identity before she was officially recognized. She was absolutely certain of her blood ties to the Jiang family.

Even if things escalated to the worst-case scenario, where the Jiang family sought to ruin her Jiang Luoyue could always reveal her identity publicly.

As Yu Qing would say, with a sister like Jiang Luoyue, what kind of good person could Jiang Yu possibly be?

At the thought of that scene, the corners of Jiang Luoyue’s eyes curved upward.

She suddenly realized that the Jiang family, which had once filled her memories with fear and humiliation, had unknowingly become nothing more than a trivial seasoning in her life. Whether to use it or not, and how much, was entirely up to her.

When had it changed to this?

Just as she was lost in thought, her phone chimed. Jiang Luoyue glanced down and saw that the director had added the cast members of Hate Me to a group chat titled “One Big Happy Family.”

[Hate Me Director]: Haha, this will be our space for communication from now on. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions! [handshake]

Instantly, four question marks popped up in the group.

[Xiang Fan]: The biggest problem is the group name.

At the same moment the message was sent, a system notification appeared: [Ning Fuguang] changed the group name to: Strangers Who Despise Each Other.

A few seconds later, Yu Jingtang added a suffix: (Except Jiang Luoyue).

Fu Yunqing smugly replied: [Fu Yunqing]: Jiang Luoyue and I are family. As for the rest of you? Go play somewhere else.

Jiang Luoyue typed: [I never said that.]

The group chat was instantly flooded with the other three mocking Fu Yunqing, but no one bothered to change the group name again. Staring at the uniquely symbolic suffix, Jiang Luoyue couldn’t help but chuckle.

It seemed it had all started from the day she met them.