The Film Queen Is Cold and Ruthless, Only Sends Money - Chapter 5

Qiao Miao was the nurse who had chatted with Su Yun in the hospital.

At first, like many netizens, she believed Su Yun had no redeeming qualities.

The fact that Su Yun was engaged to Jiang Zhi was likely due to Su Yun relentlessly pursuing her.

But within the week after Su Yun woke up, she realized the truth was completely different.

Su Yun would thank her politely after she changed her dressings.

Su Yun would discuss all sorts of entertainment industry gossip with her, treating her like an old friend.

Occasionally, when they came across love-hate dramas between two or more people, Su Yun would even offer her earnest life advice like how warm words couldn’t compare to a hefty sum of money, and that she should always remember to worship the God of Wealth.

Su Yun would also comfort her when she got scolded by the head nurse.

Including but not limited to,

“Sure, you got criticized, but at least your paycheck got docked too!”

“You got scolded twice yesterday and only once today, what progress!”

Qiao Miao felt that without Su Yun’s “comfort,” she might have recovered faster.

As a nurse, she interacted with many people.

She could quickly tell whether someone’s intentions were kind or malicious.

With Su Yun, even if her words were blunt, the kindness in her eyes was genuine.

So when it was time for Su Yun to be discharged, Qiao Miao even teared up.

Su Yun was visibly surprised. “Why are you crying? Do you really not want me to leave? Should I stay a few more days?”

She quite enjoyed chatting with Qiao Miao.

Qiao Miao: “…”

Qiao Miao decided to be honest. “I had spicy chicken for lunch.”

She was crying from the spice.

It had nothing to do with missing Su Yun.

Su Yun fell silent for two seconds before sighing dramatically. “Oh, Qiao… our bond has faded.”

“You didn’t even invite me to share the spicy chicken.”

Her hospital meals never had any chili in them.

＊

Today was Qiao Miao’s day off, and she found herself reminiscing about the day she said goodbye to Su Yun.

She picked up her phone and ordered herself some spicy chicken for delivery.

While waiting, she idly browsed through the latest updates on Weibo.

#The variety show Dear Them is about to premiere, what are everyone’s thoughts?#

【My idol’s on it, so of course I’ll watch!】

【+1, even if it means eating dog food, I still want to see it. I heard the preview will be out soon.】

【Heh, I’m not a fan of anyone, but the drama on this show is always juicy! I feel like this season will be one big battlefield!】

【You’ve nailed the essence of the show. Honestly, I just want to see what antics Su Yun will pull next.】

【Nothing Su Yun does surprises me anymore. My only question is can she ever stand on her own without Jiang Zhi?】

【Su Yun? Is she that famous? Why do I feel like I’ve seen her name everywhere today?】

This question effectively halted the conversation.

After all, calling Su Yun “famous” would be a stretch—she had no notable works.

But saying she wasn’t famous would make their discussion seem pointless.

Not to mention, it might even give her more attention.

Qiao Miao scrolled to the bottom and, while everyone else stayed silent, began typing.

【QiaoQiaoQiaoQiaoQiao: Don’t listen to their opinions, just watch the show when it airs and judge for yourself. Su Yun is actually really nice.】

Qiao Miao decided to “let bygones be bygones” and set the record straight about Su Yun.

Of course, it also helped that the sweet and sour ribs Su Yun had shared with her were delicious.

Her comment successfully drew everyone’s attention.

【No way, is that “Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao” a fan of Su Yun?】

【Seriously, live long enough and you’ll see everything! These days, even someone like Su Yun has fans?】

【It just hit me does “Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao” mean Su Yun is a good person?!】

【If Su Yun can be a good person, I’ll achieve enlightenment on the spot.】

【You’ve single-handedly provided today’s comedy gold, hahahaha…】

Qiao Miao wasn’t surprised by the replies to her comment.

If someone had told her a week ago that Su Yun was actually gentle, a little funny, and exceptionally down-to-earth, she would’ve immediately dismissed them as a paid shill for Su Yun.

Of course, she still thought they were a shill now.

After all, if Su Yun just kept her mouth shut, she might vaguely resemble someone gentle. 🙂

But Su Yun wasn’t the scheming, utterly wicked person netizens made her out to be.

She believed that once the variety show started, everyone would see a different side of Su Yun.

By then, no one would doubt her anymore.

Oh, and she had a tiny selfish wish too.

Su Yun’s sharp tongue shouldn’t be something only she got to experience.

【Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao: I’m not Su Yun’s shill everything I said is true. If you don’t believe me, just wait until the show airs.】

【Why does “Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao” sound so baseless yet so convincing at the same time…】

【Honestly, you’re just spouting nonsense that sounds plausible…】

【Hey, you there, mind your own business. Go play somewhere else, maybe take a language class when you have time.】

【So does anyone actually believe her?】

【CarrotPorridge: I sure don’t. How about this, “Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao”, let’s make a bet? If Su Yun acts like her usual self when the show airs, you livestream eating durian while doing a handstand.】

【CarrotPorridge: If Su Yun really is how you describe, I’ll livestream eating durian while doing a handstand.】

“CarrotPorridge” was a fan of Liu Yangran, so naturally, she wouldn’t easily buy into the idea that “Su Yun is a good person.”

She made this bet to pressure “Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao” into backing down.

After all, if the other person was a shill, they wouldn’t go to such lengths, they’d just leave now.

Once the show started, if “Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao” reneged or didn’t livestream, she wouldn’t lose anything. Plus, it’d prove they were just Su Yun’s hired help.

After thinking for a moment, Qiao Miao agreed to the bet through the screen.

Who would’ve thought someone would be so eager to put on a show for her?

It’d be a shame not to accept such a kind offer from this enthusiastic netizen.

【Qiao Qiao Qiao Qiao: Deal. But if I’m right, you’re the one who has to livestream eating durian while doing a handstand.】

“CarrotPorridge” hated durian the most, which was why she’d subconsciously suggested eating it instead of something else.

She hesitated for a moment, an inexplicable sense of dread creeping into her heart.

【CarrotPorridge: Fine. Everyone who sees this thread is a witness.】

【Yeah, I can help witness it!】

【Me too, I’ll be waiting for both of your livestreams!】

【Following both of you now, I’m the internet’s wild judge, and neither of you is getting away with backing out!】

After wrapping up the discussion, Qiao Miao found Su Yun’s Weibo and hit follow.

Only then did she notice the latest repost on Su Yun’s account already had over 100,000 comments and likes?!

–

When Li Xinyi received the call from the production team of Dear Them, she had no idea what was going on.

“Hello, is there an issue with the contract?” Li Xinyi asked.

In the few seconds she waited for a response, countless PR strategies flashed through her mind. As long as Su Yun hadn’t broken any laws or caused any scandals, she could smooth things over.

However, the voice on the other end sounded amused. “There’s no problem with the contract. We just wanted to discuss something regarding the pre-show promotions.”

Li Xinyi was puzzled. The promotional plans had already been finalized, why were they calling her separately about it? “What aspect of the promotions are we discussing?”

Moreover, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the production team was being unusually polite.

It gave her the uneasy impression that they were buttering her up before dropping bad news like canceling Su Yun’s participation in the show.

Hearing the confusion in her voice, the producer explained, “Have you checked the trending topics yet? It’ll make sense once you do.”

Li Xinyi opened the trending list and was immediately blinded by the headlines at the top.

#SuYun
#BlameOthersInsteadOfReflectingOnYourself
#SuYunLiuYangran
#WhyIsSuYunSoGoodAtClappingBack

Every single trending topic was, without exception, related to Su Yun.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she tapped on one of the tags.

The discussions underneath were unprecedentedly lively, but to her surprise, it wasn’t the usual flood of curses and hate from antis.

Instead, it was mostly curious onlookers and bewildered haters?

[What’s gotten into Su Yun? Did she suddenly go on a rampage?]

[Doesn’t she usually ignore comments on Weibo?]

[Gotta admit, Su Yun’s comebacks are next-level. I’m memorizing them word for word.]

[I just finished reading Su Yun’s posts, and the next second, my roommate’s alarm went off for the nth time. I immediately woke her up. I used to feel guilty about doing that, but now I’ve seen the light blame others instead of reflecting on yourself! Watching her scramble to turn off her alarm (probably scared I’ll wake her up again tomorrow) feels so satisfying!]

[The above is straight out of a revenge novel.]

[Wait, how is Su Yun getting away with this just by saying a few words? Do the people she clapped back at deserve it?]

[I’m one of the people she replied to. Honestly, she didn’t delete my comment or block me, and her response didn’t even have any curses. I’m just sitting here feeling confused and weirdly amused.]

[Same. And it’s not just netizens, she even went to Liu Yangran’s comment section.]

[No one within a five-mile radius was spared…]

[This is getting funnier by the minute. Now I’m really looking forward to seeing how Su Yun and Liu Yangran interact when Dear Them airs.]

[+1. Both of them are going to be so entertaining.]

[+10086. I take back what I said about not watching the show. When it premieres, someone better @ me hard.]

[+1008611. The production team must be reading this. If you’re planning to drop the show tomorrow, make sure Su Yun gets plenty of screen time!]

[How can you guys wait until tomorrow? I need a live stream link NOW!]

…

Li Xinyi then clicked into Liu Yangran’s Weibo and saw Su Yun’s replies. She couldn’t help but smile.

All her earlier tension and worry had completely vanished.

She understood the intention behind the production team’s special phone call.

Su Yun’s move not only improved her own reputation but also boosted the visibility of the show Dear Them.

Under normal circumstances, securing all the top trending hashtags would require at least a seven-figure promotional budget.

It was easy to imagine just how much benefit Su Yun had brought to the production team.

Though Li Xinyi phrased it as a question, her tone was definitive: “So, the production team wants Su Yun to be more active on Weibo?”

“Yes, this would also help promote the show, which benefits all the guests.”

The show’s producer had even more in mind. Before the program had even aired, one of the guests was already publicly sparring on Weibo.

Once the show premiered, all that traffic would converge.

Li Xinyi weighed the pros and cons in her heart.

Judging from the situation on Weibo just now, it was advantageous for Su Yun.

As for Liu Yangran, it was common knowledge in the industry that she was riding on Jiang Zhi’s coattails. Since Su Yun and Jiang Zhi were currently linked, there was no need to worry about burning bridges.

“Su Yun’s Weibo activity over the next month will help promote the show,” Li Xinyi’s mental calculations were loud and clear. “But once the show airs, Su Yun’s edited screen time needs to be increased.”

The variety show would be broadcast live in its entirety, but not everyone would have the time to watch the full version.

Therefore, the production team would later edit the live footage and release it online as a supplementary version.

Li Xinyi wanted to ensure that Su Yun’s portrayal in the edited footage was fair and balanced, starting now.

They were all businesspeople, and every concession was a trade-off of interests.

After just a few minutes of consideration, the production team agreed to the terms.

The view from the third-floor balcony of the villa was exceptionally good. It was early summer, and the sunlight was bright and warm.

By the time Li Xinyi called, Su Yun finally learned what had happened. “I just casually replied to a few comments, I didn’t expect it to trend.”

After responding to Liu Yangran, her Weibo account had crashed.

She tried logging back in but failed, so she gave up. It wasn’t until Li Xinyi called that she found out about the commotion.

“Just follow your own rhythm,” Li Xinyi instructed. “Too much of a good thing can backfire, don’t post too many updates in one day.”

At first, netizens might find it novel, but if Su Yun replied to every single comment, it could have the opposite effect.

“Don’t worry, Sister Li. I never intended to argue with them in the first place, I’ll keep it measured.”

Su Yun admired the scenery of the villa district, finally allowing herself to relax.

Exhausting activities like online fights were best kept to a minimum.

“I’ve negotiated with the production team to increase your edited screen time. Make sure to perform well on the show.”

Su Yun: “…”

She really just wanted to slack off.

–

As the trending topics began to gain traction, Wen Yun had already taken notice of Su Yun’s situation.

Su Yun wasn’t new to trending she had even trended before due to various bizarre antics that earned her widespread ridicule, with rankings that weren’t low.

Wen Yun would help suppress some of it, but she couldn’t be too obvious.

But today, seeing Su Yun climb to the top of the trending list genuinely surprised her.

“Your girl here is quite something, huh?” Wen Yun joked, showing Jiang Zhi the trending topics.

Jiang Zhi managed her own Weibo account. Aside from reposting promotional content for collaborations, she had full autonomy over everything else.

Of course, her autonomy meant she posted nothing at all.

Wen Yun often mused that being a fan of Jiang Zhi required both perseverance and patience.

Jiang Zhi almost saw the trending topic as soon as she opened the app.

It had to be said, Su Yun’s reply was genuinely amusing. Some of her words even made Jiang Zhi’s lips curl slightly.

At the moment, the discussion on the platform was mostly from neutral bystanders, free of prejudice or malice. Jiang Zhi simply instructed, “Keep an eye on the developments and make sure no hired trolls stir up trouble.”

“I’ve already informed the PR team,” Wen Yun nodded. Then, pointing at Liu Yangran’s post, she added, “Don’t you think Su Yun’s response is standing up for you?”

Wen Yun had long been fed up with Liu Yangran’s marketing tactics and attention-grabbing stunts.

But given the public sentiment, any statement from Jiang Zhi’s side would be twisted into accusations of bullying a newcomer or leveraging her status to suppress others.

No matter how much Wen Yun and Jiang Zhi’s PR team wanted to retaliate, they had to swallow their frustration. Today, Su Yun’s reply under Liu Yangran’s comment had given them a much-needed sense of vindication.

Hearing this, Jiang Zhi froze for a moment before lowering her gaze and murmuring, “Don’t overthink it.”

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