The Scumbag A Really Doesn't Want to Become Famous [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 37

Yu Youqing: “?”

After a moment, Yu Youqing blurted out in stunned confusion: “Me? How could it be? The Hunter?”

As soon as she spoke, all eyes turned toward her.

The production team had just finished explaining that identities couldn’t be revealed, yet Yu Youqing immediately outed herself and it seemed like a completely natural reaction.

Cheng Shunzhu immediately protested with a laugh, “Sis, that’s some next-level gameplay. Self-reveal isn’t credible you definitely aren’t the Hunter because I am! Why steal my identity?”

“Are you guys playing some new kind of game here?” Wei Xi held a regular guest card and couldn’t tell who might be different from her. “Could there possibly be two Hunter roles?”

Xu Liyu: “No way, don’t fall for their tricks. Guests can pretend to have special roles, and both Hunters and Free Agents can act like regular guests to avoid being voted out.”

She then asked, “Musheng, what’s yours?”

Jiang Musheng pinched the thin card between two fingers and calmly said, “Regular guest.”

The production team had never seen such gameplay before and hurriedly intervened: “No, no! You can’t just reveal your identities like this right after receiving them!”

Yu Youqing: “Director Zhao, we did reveal them, but it seems no one believes anyone anyway. It’s not that different from what you expected.”

She wasn’t wrong.

Ji Fu  chimed in: “Isn’t this way more fun? Hahaha, I think neither Zhuzhu nor Xiaoyu is the Hunter you’re both trying to trick me.”

“I’m not tricking anyone,” Yu Youqing had fully regained her composure by now. She turned to Cheng Shunzhu and said, “If special roles get voted out, the game ends early. Why are you so eager to prove you’re the Hunter?”

Jiang Musheng glanced toward Yu Youqing. Being the closest to her, it was easy to see what card Yu Youqing held with just a slight turn of her gaze.

Noticing this, Yu Youqing immediately pressed her card tightly against her palm and turned to stare back at Jiang Musheng with a wary expression that clearly said, “What are you looking at?”

Jiang Musheng smiled faintly and looked away.

[Alright ladies, place your bets, who’s the real Hunter?]

[Process of elimination: first, we can rule out Yu Youqing]

[She’s clearly a skilled player, being the first to reveal herself. Usually, those who play like this either don’t know how to play or are experts at it]

[Spot on, sis! Every word makes sense. So does that mean Zhuzhu is the Hunter?]

[If Zhuzhu really is the Hunter, I’m sweating for him lol. A grown man trying to romance everyone? Hahaha]

[Be confident love knows no gender]

[Love may be genderless but there’s still alpha/omega dynamics here. None of the omegas here are into omega/omega relationships. Poor Zhuzhu’s in danger]

[Assuming Zhuzhu might have a special role, then who’s the Free Agent?]

[Hard to guess!]

[Earlier I thought Teacher Jiang would suit the Free Agent role, but she already said she’s a regular guest]

[Probably CEO Xu lol, it fits her too]

Unbeknownst to Yu Youqing, netizens had already ranked her as one of the most strategic players.

She already knew she was the Hunter, and she still hadn’t figured out who the Free Person was. Right now, she felt completely in the dark. Who would’ve thought she’d be so unlucky as to actually draw this role card?

As the Hunter, her mission was to pursue everyone in other words, she had to play the field and chase after them all.

It was giving her a headache. Did this mean she had to pursue Jiang Musheng too?

This was practically life-threatening.

She asked, “So what benefits does the Hunter get?”

The director replied, “Before gaining favorability points from other guests, you must follow the program’s tasks without refusal, or you’ll face penalties. As you accumulate more favorability, the Hunter gains more choices but we’ll reveal those details later.”

Yu Youqing pressed, “What about now?”

The director said, “The identity cards have been collected. For now, you’re free to do as you please, just like before.”

Yu Youqing exhaled deeply. “I’ll go cook.”

The director added, “The Hunter will receive tasks later. The crew will contact you.”

“…”

Yu Youqing headed straight for the kitchen, choosing to play dead.

Jiang Musheng also stood up.

No sooner had Yu Youqing filled the sink with water to wash vegetables than Jiang Musheng appeared behind her, effortlessly taking over the task and plucking the baby bok choy from her hands.

“Go rest for a while,” Jiang Musheng said, commandeering Yu Youqing’s spot by the sink with a slight frown. “Why do you always take on so much?”

Yu Youqing wanted to avoid the upcoming tasks, but the thought of Jiang Musheng being one of her targets made her head throb even more.

She knew that even if she told Jiang Musheng not to help wash the vegetables, Jiang Musheng would just find something else to assist with.

So she moved on to peeling garlic.

“Leave it to us,” Jiang Musheng said, realizing she had developed an inexplicable discomfort seeing Yu Youqing work. After checking the time, she added, “It’s still early. Let others handle the prep work.”

Yu Youqing blinked. “?”

“Teacher Jiang, I can manage on my own. There’s no need to help so much,” Yu Youqing replied. “I’ve always cooked and prepped ingredients by myself before. It’s quick.”

Jiang Musheng washed the vegetables meticulously, setting the cleaned bok choy aside before arranging ginger and garlic within easy reach. She even took the half-peeled garlic clove from Yu Youqing’s hands.

As she leaned in, Yu Youqing heard Jiang Musheng ask quietly, “How did you learn this?”

Yu Youqing was caught off guard. “Huh?”

Jiang Musheng studied her for a moment before saying, “You couldn’t do any of this before.”

Now it was Yu Youqing’s turn to freeze.

She had heard many variations of this statement, “You couldn’t do this before, how did you learn?” People expressed surprise at her newfound skills, praising her while subtly implying it was good she had learned.

Yu Youqing had always accepted this interpretation.

But in Jiang Musheng’s words, she detected something entirely different.

Jiang Musheng was asking why she had learned these things as if she shouldn’t have needed to, as if she had every right to remain unskilled in them.

This realization stunned her.

In Jiang Musheng’s simple question, Yu Youqing unexpectedly sensed a profound seriousness, a weight of genuine concern.

This was Jiang Musheng wasn’t it just my imagination?

Yu Youqing murmured, “Teacher Jiang, if you were the hunter, it would be a breeze for you.”

Jiang Musheng’s words had been so impactful that Yu Youqing forgot to wonder how Jiang Musheng knew she used to be clueless about everything.

Just as she was at a loss for words, Cheng Shunzhu called out to her, “Sis, come here! Don’t just stand there. The crew said you need touch-ups.”

Jiang Musheng said, “Go ahead,” even handing Yu Youqing a clean towel to wipe her hands.

Yu Youqing was led outside to the courtyard. The moment she sat down, the director approached, looking like he had something to say while glancing back inside.

Apart from Yu Youqing, who had come out for touch-ups, all the other guests were still inside.

Director Zhao said, “Your mission is here.”

Yu Youqing: “…” Thanks, but I’d rather not hear it.

“The hunter must receive heart-fluttering messages from the guests during each recording to accumulate favorability. If none are received by the evening, there will be a mandatory penalty task the next day. By the end of the entire show, you must receive at least one heart-fluttering message from every guest.”

Yu Youqing felt like crying but had no tears left.

Director Zhao added, “Your target for this episode is Xu Liyu.”

Yu Youqing: “Say that again??”

“Xu Liyu,” Director Zhao cleared his throat. “That’s the arrangement. You must get Xu Liyu to voluntarily do something for you before tomorrow’s recording ends. That’ll count as mission success.”

With a heavy heart, Yu Youqing returned to the living room.

She noticed that the people in the kitchen had changed to Ji Fu and Cheng Shunzhu, while Jiang Musheng and Xu Liyu were nowhere to be seen.

Yu Youqing pulled Wei Xi aside and asked, “Where are Teacher Jiang and President Xu?”

Wei Xi replied, “Just now, Teacher Jiang seemed to have something to discuss with President Xu. They went to the backyard.”

Yu Youqing headed to the backyard.

It was her first time there, and she was surprised to find a glass greenhouse, along with a swing and those old-fashioned outdoor exercise machines you’d see in parks.

Jiang Musheng and Xu Liyu were partially hidden among the plants, only their heads visible. Xu Liyu’s bright red hair stood out, making her easy to spot.

As Yu Youqing approached, she faintly overheard their conversation.

“So, what’s the point of you doing this?” Xu Liyu’s tone carried a hint of teasing. “If you don’t tell me, I won’t cooperate.”

Yu Youqing paused. It seemed Jiang Musheng and Xu Liyu were discussing something private, and she didn’t want to intrude.

A few seconds later, Jiang Musheng’s cool voice responded, “There doesn’t need to be a point.”

“This is the first time you’ve ever asked me for a favor. Even if you don’t say it, I already know.” Xu Liyu chuckled. “I’m just curious, what finally made you break your usual detachment?”

Yu Youqing: “!!!”

She felt like she’d stumbled upon something major. No wonder Jiang Musheng and Xu Liyu were talking here without the crew around.

“When should I send it?” Xu Liyu asked again.

Afraid of hearing more than she should, Yu Youqing quickly opened the greenhouse door and stepped inside.

“Am I interrupting?” Yu Youqing forced herself to make awkward small talk. “I just came to ask if either of you have any dietary restrictions. I’m preparing dinner.”

Xu Liyu raised an eyebrow. “Oh, what a coincidence.”

Jiang Musheng gave Xu Liyu a faint glance before saying to Yu Youqing, “I’ll eat anything. Let’s go, I’ll assist you.”

“Anything? You’ll eat anything? I thought you couldn’t handle peanut products?” Xu Liyu shot Yu Youqing a meaningful smile. “Right, Xiaoyu? You’d know better than me.”

Yu Youqing replied, “It’s the least I can do. By the way, Director Xu, what would you like to eat? Let me show you my skills tonight.”

Jiang Musheng’s gaze settled on Yu Youqing.

Xu Liyu feigned surprise, “Why the sudden concern for me? I thought you came to fetch Musheng.”

“I came for both of you.” Yu Youqing wasn’t one for games not that she took things too seriously, but she tended to overthink things, making it hard for her to relax.

Xu Liyu chuckled, “I’m not picky. Those waiting to be fed shouldn’t make demands on the cook. You two go ahead, I’d like to admire the flowers for a while.” She was clearly trying to give Jiang Musheng and Yu Youqing some alone time.

Jiang Musheng had been ready to leave with Yu Youqing, but noticed the latter hadn’t moved.

Yu Youqing couldn’t approach Xu Liyu directly, she needed to find a roundabout way to get Xu Liyu to leave her a message. The problem was, she barely knew Xu Liyu.

Though she’d earned some goodwill by cooking for everyone yesterday, when it came to voting, people still went with their first impressions.

How could she ensure Xu Liyu would vote for her?

Know thy enemy.

Yu Youqing remained rooted to the spot, but after racking her brain, all she could come up with was, “Admiring flowers? Director Xu, what kind do you like?”

The question left everyone flower admirers and non-admirers alike speechless.

The next moment, Yu Youqing felt a cool touch on her wrist.

Before she could react, the gentle tug shifted her balance. Looking up, she found Jiang Musheng standing before her, brows slightly furrowed.

She looked decidedly unamused.

Yu Youqing: “?”

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