I Swear I Don’t Want to Be Everyone’s Favorite - Chapter 60

Anyway, the only person Jiang Luoyue sees and cares about now is herself.

What Zhou Ruonian dreamed of, and how terrified she was because of it, Jiang Luoyue had no way of knowing.

She had been exceptionally busy lately. Summoning Souls was a film of decent quality, and with overwhelming marketing and the “Jiang Luoyue effect,” its box office earnings soared visibly, breaking into the top ten of the year’s box office rankings in just a few days.

The production team knew exactly who to credit for the success. Wherever they went for promotions, they brought Jiang Luoyue along. Considering the hefty fees they offered and the rare opportunity to meet her fans, Jiang Luoyue had been running nonstop for days. She even had to catch a red-eye flight to make it to the Hate Me livestream.

As soon as she landed and got into the program team’s car, Jiang Luoyue, too exhausted to keep her eyes open, fell asleep.

She was a professional with a strong sense of responsibility, well aware that she couldn’t afford to be caught in any unflattering angles. Before dozing off, she made sure to cover her face with a hat.

On screen, her breathing was steady, and she slept peacefully.

Off screen, the netizens who had been ready to tease her were left bewildered:

【Luoyue, Luoyue, wake up!】

【@Ning Fuguang @Fu Yunqing @Yu Jingtang @Xiang Fan Whose wife is asleep? Come claim her.】

【Even though I can’t see her face, I can’t help imagining how someone can look this adorable even while sleeping.】

Soon, the topic #JiangLuoyueSleepingOnLive# trended on social media.

By the time Jiang Luoyue was woken up by a call from Yu Qing, the screen was filled with a blur of “hahaha” scrolling too fast to read, alongside a viewer count surging by tens of thousands every second.

Thinking she must have misread the numbers, she blinked and rubbed her eyes.

The comments sped up even more, with even more “hahas” flooding the chat. Only then did Jiang Luoyue realize she hadn’t misread after all.

It wasn’t 300,000 viewers it was 400,000.

And in the few seconds she’d been spacing out, another 50,000 had joined.

If she remembered correctly, wasn’t it Monday? Shouldn’t people be working instead of watching her sleep? What were they trying to achieve?

Amused and exasperated, Jiang Luoyue quickly apologized to the livestream audience while recalling Yu Qing’s stern warning from their call: Luoyue, you’re genuinely famous now. You have to be mindful of every word and action.

She sweet-talked the viewers for a bit, and the screen was instantly flooded with “We forgive you! We forgive you!” Jiang Luoyue chuckled. Before continuing to placate these easily won-over netizens, she noticed the unfamiliar street scene outside the window.

The filming location for the sixth episode was set by the seaside in S City. Having lived there for years and visited the area several times, Jiang Luoyue was familiar with the route. But now, it was clearly deviating from the expected path.

Was this the program team’s arrangement, or had the driver taken a wrong turn?

Jiang Luoyue paused for a few seconds before suddenly reaching out to mute the livestream microphone.

In the next moment, the photographer in the passenger seat turned around and locked eyes with her. Staring back, Jiang Luoyue was certain she detected a hint of helpless despair in his expression: “Congratulations, you’ve been selected as this episode’s undercover agent. Please draw your secret mission now.”

According to the rules, the photographer was supposed to inform Jiang Luoyue of this as soon as she got in the car. But who could have predicted that the young star would immediately fall asleep? The driver had no choice but to take the long way round, waiting for her to wake up.

Feeling even more awkward, Jiang Luoyue: “…”

“My apologies,” Jiang Luoyue said, forcing herself to maintain composure and not let her inner turmoil show. “Please, go on.”

The photographer immediately spilled everything, pouring out the rules they had been holding back all this time.

Specifically, the shooting location for this episode was a newly developed but not yet publicly sold villa area by the seaside in S City. The production team had rented a standalone villa, where the five guests would live together for three days and two nights while collaborating to complete tasks.

The more Jiang Luoyue listened, the stranger her expression became.

This kind of reality show, where people live together and work as a team, had a more familiar name: a dating show.

The director, desperate for viewership but not forgetting that Hate Me was fundamentally a competitive show, racked their brains before deciding to plant a mole among the guests.

The mole’s task was to find ways to prevent the other guests from completing their missions. Meanwhile, every day, the guests would vote to eliminate the person they suspected the most.

If the mole was eliminated, the game would end immediately. Conversely, if the mole survived until the last day, they would receive a mysterious gift.

In other words: a game of Werewolf.

After hearing the rules, Jiang Luoyue fell silent, and the photographer also looked guilty and said nothing. Both were silently “praising” the director and the rules in their hearts. After several seconds, Jiang Luoyue summarized it herself: “So, I’m the troublemaker.”

The photographer, well-versed in rhetoric, immediately replied, “How could that be? You’re clearly the mastermind behind the scenes, controlling the economic lifeline of Hate Me and stirring up storms with a flick of your hand!”

Whether she could actually stir up storms, Jiang Luoyue wasn’t sure, but seeing how hard the other person was trying to comfort her, she cooperatively drew a task card.

The moment she saw the card, Jiang Luoyue instantly retracted all her previous criticism of the production team.

Who said Hate Me was a bad show? This ridiculous show was absolutely fantastic!

The task card, printed in black on white, listed three missions:

1.Make any guest drink two glasses of lemon juice.

2.Make any two guests argue with each other for five minutes.

3.Make any two guests confess their feelings to each other.

Each task was filled with the production team’s signature mischief. Jiang Luoyue was already used to this kind of “maliciousness,” but what truly surprised her was the last task: mutual confessions.

Before coming, she had been troubled by the suspicion that everyone seemed to like her. No matter how she handled their relationships, she felt it would be incredibly awkward.

But this task offered Jiang Luoyue another way to solve the problem,

As long as she encouraged everyone to confess their feelings to each other, whether or not anyone actually had romantic intentions, her hints would make it clear that at least Jiang Luoyue herself had no interest in romance.

They were all smart, respectable people. Once they realized this, they would surely back off and let the matter drop gracefully.

Thinking this, Jiang Luoyue finally felt the heavy stone in her heart slowly lift. For the first time in her life, she was grateful for the production team’s habit of treating their guests like pawns.

The photographer couldn’t see the task card but noticed her increasingly radiant expression and asked curiously, “Is the task that easy?”

“No,” Jiang Luoyue shook her head, joking, “It’s just that after being toyed with by them for so long, I finally get to toy with them too. I’m thrilled.”

The photographer: “…” Since when was “toying with” a good thing? Why did she say it so casually? It sounded like something that couldn’t be aired!

Biting back her complaints, she tactfully reminded her, “We’re still live.” You should tone it down.”

Jiang Luoyue didn’t catch her hesitation and only remembered the neglected audience after being reminded.

In the blink of an eye, she switched back to that gentle, composed demeanor: “Sorry, I just took a phone call.”

Many netizens were as gullible as ever, falling into her arms with just a beckon.

But there were still some who remained unmoved by her charm, discussing another matter instead: [“A phone call? Fu Yunqing just took one too.”]

[“Still on the phone right before meeting up? That’s our Luoyun Yueqing for you. Do you have a CP like this?”]

[“? Bullshit, the one Jiang Luoyue was talking to was Yu Jingtang.”]

[“It was Ning Fuguang, okay? I’ve been watching her livestream their mute times match up perfectly.”]

[“The director also took a call. Could they be on a group call?”]

[“If it’s a group call, why can’t us esteemed VICs listen in?! Hurry up and release it as VIP behind-the-scenes footage, production team!”]

While the livestream chat went off-topic, the car finally entered the villa complex.

The production team had really gone all out this time, renting a five-story villa. Even without residents, the greenhouse garden was filled with cultivated flowers, creating a vibrant spring-like scene that showed no signs of winter.

Jiang Luoyue thought she would be the last to arrive after all the delays, but to her surprise, only three people were in the living room when she entered.

Ning Fuguang was observing the greenery by the window. Xiang Fan sat upright, scrolling on her phone yet giving off the vibe of reviewing major projects. Fu Yunqing stood with her arms crossed, looking impatient and keeping her distance from everyone as if drawing a clear line.

Jiang Luoyue’s smile faltered.

Where were Yu Jingtang and the production team?

Before she could ask, Fu Yunqing, who had spotted her, stood up: “Why are you so late?” It was clear the others had been waiting for a while.

Her tone was intimate yet slightly aggrieved. Jiang Luoyue curved her lips: “Traffic was bad. What’s wrong?”

She knew the reason for being late didn’t matter, what mattered was that Fu Yunqing was clearly upset.

Sure enough, as soon as she asked, Fu Yunqing poured out her grievances: “It’s just”

Unfortunately, Fu Yunqing had barely started when Xiang Fan glanced up and interrupted sarcastically: “It’s just a trivial matter. Are you in kindergarten? Do you have to argue about everything?”

What followed was the ‘battlefield’ scenario Jiang Luoyue knew all too well. Fu Yunqing accused Xiang Fan of making terrible films, and Xiang Fan played Fu Yunqing’s latest short drama in response. They bickered relentlessly, neither willing to back down.

Jiang Luoyue didn’t understand why the two had been arguing since the first episode and were still so hostile toward each other as the show neared its end.

Just as she felt overwhelmed, Ning Fuguang pulled her away from the conflict and whispered close to her ear: “Fu Yunqing wanted to invest in Xiang Fan’s new movie but got rejected.”

Jiang Luoyue was puzzled: “Why?”

Wasn’t that a good thing?

At least from her experience in filming, no director would turn down extra funding.

“Also,” Jiang Luoyue took a step back, avoiding Ning Fuguang’s proximity, and looked up at her, “You don’t need to get that close. I can hear you.”

The winter wind was icy, and the walk to the villa had already turned Jiang Luoyue’s ears bright red. Yet Ning Fuguang’s voice, soft as a feather, deepened the blush.

The warmth from her ears spread to her cheeks. Ning Fuguang gazed at her faintly flushed face, smiled, and took her suitcase, placing it alongside her own.

“The prerequisite for the investment is that Fu Yunqing must also have a role in the film.”

Jiang Luoyue instantly understood.

Xiang Fan welcomed investments, but she did not welcome investors bringing their own actors into the crew, that was her principle. However, for Fu Yunqing, such a straightforward rejection felt like a deliberate “slap in the face,” and it was only natural for her to feel enraged.

After Ning Fuguang finished explaining, she stared at the box with a satisfied expression.

Jiang Luoyue noticed this small gesture and hesitated for a few seconds before deciding to let Ning Fuguang have her way, not forcing the issue of separating the boxes.

She turned her attention back to the two arguing and felt absolutely certain: getting these two to confess their feelings to each other was an utterly impossible task.

Jiang Luoyue sighed and, while thinking about her mission, began to mediate.

Fortunately, the conflict between Fu Yunqing and Xiang Fan had nearly fizzled out while she was talking with Ning Fuguang. Now, they were both just putting on a show of being mildly upset. As soon as Jiang Luoyue offered them a way out, they both quickly took the opportunity to step down.

Even as they backed down, Fu Yunqing still had to feign indifference and say, “If it weren’t for your sake, there’s no way this would be settled so easily!”

Jiang Luoyue sighed. “I know you’re incredibly charming, and many people like you.”

Fu Yunqing casually replied, “What about you?”

“Huh?”

Jiang Luoyue was taken aback. Before she could gather her thoughts, Xiang Fan, standing behind her, succinctly remarked, “Must be exhausting, having to coax a child.”

“It’s not that bad,” Jiang Luoyue chuckled wryly.

Besides, she had been meaning to say earlier: if Xiang Fan was mocking Fu Yunqing for being a kindergarten child, then what did that make her, the one arguing with a child?

By the time she remembered Fu Yunqing’s question, the other woman had already moved several meters away, engrossed in reading a book as if she had completely forgotten the earlier exchange.

Jiang Luoyue glanced around and finally recalled the question she had meant to ask from the start. “By the way,” she said, “where’s Yu Jingtang?”

Ning Fuguang, who was standing close by, heard the question and replied with a faint, teasing smile, “You’re so concerned about her?”

Fu Yunqing looked up from her book. “The production team isn’t even here, and you’re only asking about her?”

Xiang Fan raised an eyebrow. “Do I even need to say anything?”

Jiang Luoyue: “…”

One person was missing out of five, wasn’t it normal to show some concern? Why were they all so on edge?

She suddenly felt a bit resentful and directed a glare at Ning Fuguang, who was closest specifically, she fixed her eyes on the other woman, raised her brows, and put on a fierce expression, trying to convey her displeasure.

But after a moment, Jiang Luoyue regretted it, feeling she had been too emotional, and quickly averted her gaze.

Ning Fuguang, who had caught the entire scene: “…”

It took her a few seconds to realize that Jiang Luoyue had just glared at her.

Not only had she glared, but Jiang Luoyue had also subtly rolled her eyes. Even though she had turned away quickly, Ning Fuguang had seen it.

The discovery left her with an indescribable feeling. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and she couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Jiang Luoyue was always polite to everyone. Polite, yet distant. Even when they seemed familiar, their relationship remained superficial. She never joked around, never got angry, and treated everyone as if they were superiors she couldn’t afford to offend, maintaining courtesy while keeping a clear boundary.

This was the first time Ning Fuguang had witnessed such vivid anger from her.

She didn’t find it unpleasant at all. In fact, she hoped Jiang Luoyue would express more of her true self.

Especially in front of her.

Was it because of that goodnight kiss she had given her last time?

Ning Fuguang’s thoughts drifted aimlessly, but just because of this possibility and the vivid expression on the face of the person before her, her mood suddenly grew calm, even joyful.

She didn’t understand what was happening to her, like a teenager in the throes of puberty, unable to suppress the restlessness in her heart at a single glance from someone she liked.

But Ning Fuguang didn’t reject this feeling. After a few moments of silence, she suddenly spoke up, as if to herself, making an excuse for Jiang Luoyue: “But with five people suddenly becoming four, it’s really noticeable. It’s only natural for Luoyue to ask.”

Xiang Fan shot her a glance. “Who asked you?”

Fu Yunqing was even more direct. “Who gave you permission to call her that?”

“Luoyue didn’t refuse, so why are you in such a hurry?” Ning Fuguang brushed it off, even feeling that the other’s anger was a catalyst for the atmosphere. She calmly turned to Jiang Luoyue. “Luoyue, what do you say.”

Before she could finish, her voice abruptly cut off as she noticed someone suddenly appear behind Jiang Luoyue.

Jiang Luoyue blinked, not yet understanding the reason for her pause, when the cool touch of fruit brushed against her lips.

The fresh scent of fruit mingled with a faint trace of perfume enveloped her. Instinctively, she took a bite, and the tartness of the strawberry filled her mouth, causing her to unconsciously scrunch up her face.

She turned around to find Yu Jingtang standing right behind her.

Yu Jingtang seemed to have been there for a while, dressed in casual home attire, holding a plate of cut fruit.

“I’ve been on the second floor all along,” Yu Jingtang said with a smile upon seeing her, explaining her whereabouts before softly asking, “Is it sour?”

Jiang Luoyue had just nodded in understanding when Yu Jingtang picked up another piece of strawberry and brought it to her lips.

With the strawberry already touching her mouth, she couldn’t very well refuse. Jiang Luoyue had no choice but to take a bite. “Thank you.”

She hadn’t forgotten the others around her and was about to steer the conversation back on track when Yu Jingtang suddenly produced a lip balm, interrupting her thoughts. “I noticed your lips looked a bit dry during your livestream.”

Jiang Luoyue instinctively pressed her lips together but didn’t feel any dryness or cracking. Still, having accepted the fruit, she felt obliged. Under Yu Jingtang’s gaze, she uncapped the lip balm.

She didn’t know how much Yu Jingtang loved strawberries, but even the lip balm carried a strawberry scent, sweet and cloying, like a drink overflowing with syrup.

She applied it quickly and was checking her reflection when Yu Jingtang lifted her eyes.

Fu Yunqing had completely set aside the book she’d been holding upside down from the start, staring at Yu Jingtang with a hostile glare.

As for Ning Fuguang and Xiang Fan, their angry gazes were almost tangible, as if they wished they could bore right through her.

But what did it matter?

Bathed in the downpour of their glares, Yu Jingtang thoughtfully handed Jiang Luoyue a tissue, watching as she wiped off the excess lip balm. Having just eaten the strawberry, Jiang Luoyue’s lips were a vivid red, and her gaze softened, shimmering with a gentle, watery tenderness.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Luoyue asked, looking up in confusion upon noticing Yu Jingtang’s stare.

“Nothing,” Yu Jingtang replied with a smile. “I just feel very happy.”

As long as Jiang Luoyue’s attention and concern were directed at her in that moment, that was enough.