The Scumbag A Really Doesn't Want to Become Famous [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 42

Ji Fu watched in stunned silence from the side, fully expecting Jiang Musheng to be displeased. Who would tease someone like this? Yet to her surprise, Jiang Musheng actually took the bowl and went inside.

She thought about it, Jiang Musheng helping her? No way. But helping Xiao Yu? That was perfectly acceptable.

Wei Xi brought out some fruit for her: “Don’t worry about it, come have some fruit and take a break? I cut some oranges for you.”

“Thank you.” Ji Fu hadn’t even noticed when Wei Xi had prepared the fruit. Cheng Shunzhu eagerly shuffled over to join them. “I thought I was the only one doomed to be ordered around. Turns out even Teacher Jiang gets treated like this now I feel balanced.”

Ji Fu and Wei Xi exchanged a glance, seeing the same thought in each other’s eyes.

“Balanced? What balance? How can you shamelessly let Teacher Jiang work alone in there?” Ji Fu marched straight to Cheng Shunzhu’s side and mercilessly kicked him toward the kitchen. “Go wash the dishes!”

Cheng Shunzhu: “…” Fine, you win.

Xu Yuyu and Yu Youqing didn’t go far, as Xu Yuyu had deliberately chosen a spot where they could still see the kitchen.

Yu Youqing asked, “What did you want to talk about?”

Xu Yuyu signaled for her to turn off her mic and did the same.

[Here we go again, the familiar mic-off routine!]

[Seriously, why do you two have so many things we can’t hear?!]

[This is infuriating!]

[They’re probably just discussing how to pick people later, why the secrecy?]

[Our little Shunzhu only gets bullied, hahaha! But honestly, as a guy, he should’ve been more proactive! Good kick, Zaozao!]

[From the audience’s perspective, I can reliably say that every time our little Xu calls Yu Youqing away, she’s up to something.]

[Relentlessly trying to make Teacher Jiang show signs of jealousy.]

[Teacher Jiang isn’t focused on washing dishes, I saw her looking at Yu Youqing!]

[Sorry, sisters, but I’m defecting. I never thought Yu and Jiang could be a thing, but now I’m wavering.]

[Same here!]

[I’d pay good money for super hearing right now!]

[Am I the only one who thinks Wei Xi and Zaozao might have something going on?]

[Place your bets who’s picking whom as their crush tonight?]

The live chat buzzed with excitement over tonight’s potential pairings.

Compared to the start of the show, far fewer people were now leaving hateful comments about Yu Youqing. Her recent behavior had won over those open to change, and even those who remained skeptical no longer mindlessly followed the crowd in bashing her.

With her mic off, Yu Youqing wondered what Xu Yuyu wanted to ask that required such secrecy.

“Two questions, but they’re a bit personal, so I turned off the mic. Of course, if you don’t want to answer, that’s fine, it’s already a bit intrusive of me.” Xu Yuyu dropped her usual teasing demeanor and asked seriously, “First, are you planning not to leave a message for Musheng today?”

The question was blunt and sharp. Yu Youqing didn’t think for long. Since both of them had turned off their microphones, she didn’t hide anything: “Yes, I don’t plan to choose Teacher Jiang again. Once was enough.”

“Was it really enough?” Xu Liyu smiled. After learning some details, she had pretty much figured out why Yu Youqing was reluctant to let loose, those who had been burned by public backlash would take great risks to be themselves. Clearly, Yu Youqing wasn’t ready to take that risk yet.

Xu Liyu continued, “You already know what I’ll choose. When we went out this afternoon, I said I’d give you my share. You know what? Even though Mu Sheng and I are such close friends, I’ve never seen her like this before. When I’m with you, she actually gets jealous sometimes. I’ve never seen that side of her in all these years.”

And this wasn’t just ordinary jealousy.

As Jiang Musheng’s longtime friend, Xu Liyu knew Jiang Musheng was well aware that she couldn’t possibly have feelings for Yu Youqing. Yet, whenever Xu Liyu chatted, teased, or interacted with Yu Youqing, Jiang Musheng couldn’t help but react. That reaction stemmed from an uncontrollable possessiveness, one that lashed out indiscriminately, overpowering reason in the moment. That was why Xu Liyu had picked up on the signs. This wasn’t just a passing fancy; there might even be some history here.

Take now, for example. Even though Jiang Musheng was washing dishes, she was still sneaking glances at Xu Liyu and Yu Youqing.

Yu Youqing admitted she’d noticed Jiang Musheng treating her differently these past two days. She wasn’t completely oblivious to emotions. But she wasn’t so bold as to think that her significance to Jiang Musheng was so great, great enough to overflow with affection.

Jiang Musheng had expressed interest in her early on, but Yu Youqing knew it was because of some resemblance, not because of her alone.

Seeing Yu Youqing stay silent, Xu Liyu pressed on, “Lin Xuqiao is a good friend of mine. I know she signed you, so I’ve looked into what happened with your previous agency.”

Yu Youqing finally looked up.

“If you’re keeping your distance from Musheng because of the marketing tactics your former company used, I can understand that,” Xu Liyu said. “We can help. Taking down a company isn’t that hard. It doesn’t have to be a lingering concern for you.”

Yu Youqing shook her head. “Thank you, but I’ll handle it myself. Between Teacher Jiang and me,  it’s not just because of that.”

She hadn’t known Xu Liyu for long. Even though she now knew Xu Liyu, Lin Xuqiao, and Jiang Musheng were close friends, she wasn’t familiar enough with any of them to hand over her problems so easily. And as for public opinion, how could a simple clarification change years of negative perception overnight?

Right now, Yu Youqing just felt stuck.

Jiang Musheng’s actions had clearly led everyone to assume there was something more between them, while Yu Youqing kept retreating. This was a dating show, and Jiang Musheng hadn’t openly expressed any intentions toward her on camera. She couldn’t just march up to Jiang Musheng and demand she stop seeking her out.

Appearing on the same show meant they were now colleagues in a sense, so maintaining surface-level courtesy was necessary.

Sigh.

How should she explain this?

“You hesitated.” Xu Liyu had been carefully observing Yu Youqing’s expressions the entire time and now wore a knowing smile. “If you really had no feelings for Mu Sheng at all, you could’ve just told me outright that you don’t like her. No hesitation needed. So why did you pause?”

Right.

Yu Youqing had long realized this herself.

She could tell everyone that she would no longer use Jiang Musheng for clout like before, yet when Xu Liyu confronted her directly, she couldn’t bring herself to say it, because deep down, she wasn’t sure.

Jiang Musheng’s unintentional closeness, her touch those moments had genuinely stirred her heart, and it was beyond her control.

Yu Youqing steadied herself. “Teacher Jiang is outstanding. Anyone who spends time with her would struggle not to develop feelings.”

Xu Liyu stared at her. “You’re really guarded, aren’t you? Your former agency must’ve done a number on you.”

“Is there anything else you want to say, President Xu? If not, I’ll take my leave.”

“There is, one last thing.” Xu Liyu raised a hand to stop her. “Are you the Hunter?”

Yu Youqing’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly composed herself and smiled. “Yes, I am. How did you know?”

“Just a guess. Seems I was wrong.” Xu Liyu chuckled dismissively. “Even if you were, I wouldn’t expose you. That’d be way more fun watching Mu Sheng get mad, hahaha!”

Yu Youqing had already turned her mic back on and lowered her head with a faint laugh. “I told the truth, but President Xu didn’t believe me.”

She returned to the living room, leaving the audience only hearing her mic-activated remark, completely clueless about its meaning.

[Ahhhh! What did you two talk about?!]

[This is getting intense! Judging by the vibes, I think Yu Youqing might actually like President Xu!]

[Wrong! I think it’s Xu Liyu who’s got a one-sided crush on Xiao Yu. Haven’t you noticed how she always follows her around?]

[That doesn’t add up. No way two friends would compete over Yu Youqing.]

[What’s wrong with friends? If they both like the same person, can’t they compete? It’s not like they’re playing dirty.]

[No way. I refuse to believe anything other than President Xu being the ultimate wingwoman.]

[Maybe it’s just a spicy love triangle, hahaha!]

[Here’s a scary thought, check the show’s popularity rankings. Yu Youqing’s name is way ahead, almost tied with Teacher Jiang’s. The exposure this show’s giving her is insane.]

[So what? She’s smart. She knew exactly how to use this show to build her reputation and public appeal. Soon, everyone will forget what kind of person she used to be.]

[Honestly, I’m sick of you guys condemning her outright. This is a dating show! Whoever she wants to date is her choice.]

[Some people just love playing internet police. They can’t resist standing on their moral high ground and judging everyone.]

Xu Liyu turned her mic back on and followed.

Yu Youqing went straight to the kitchen, where Jiang Musheng was still washing dishes.

By the time she arrived, Jiang Musheng was already finishing up, effortlessly placing the cleaned dishes into the sterilizer.

“Just leave it, I’ll take care of it in a moment,” Jiang Musheng said, showing no intention of letting Yu Youqing help. Just then, Xu Liyu happened to walk in, and Jiang Musheng’s gaze immediately shifted to her. She took the bowl from Yu Youqing’s hands and placed it into Xu Liyu’s grasp, saying, “Put this in the sterilizer.”

“?” Xu Liyu was both amused and exasperated. “What’s this about? I came here to find Xiao Yu. Why are you making me work the moment I arrive?”

“This is what people who’ve eaten should do,” Jiang Musheng replied, continuing to wash new dishes and stacking them without expression, only directing Xu Liyu to tasks.

Xu Liyu muttered, “Using official duties to settle personal grudges.”

Jiang Musheng: “If you still have time to talk, does that mean there’s not enough work?”

Xu Liyu: “…”

With nothing left to do in the kitchen, Jiang Musheng told Yu Youqing to wait outside, so she had no choice but to sit back on the sofa.

The production team had already started handing out white answer boards, instructing them to write down the name of their preferred partner for this episode later.

Since Jiang Musheng and Xu Liyu hadn’t arrived yet, everyone exchanged glances at each other’s boards, in no hurry to write anything down.

Wei Xi approached Yu Youqing and quietly asked, “Xiao Yu, will you write the same name as before?”

“Trying to get info out of me? I won’t tell you. Let me see who you’re writing,” Yu Youqing teased, pretending to peek at Wei Xi’s board. Wei Xi quickly shielded it, her face turning slightly red. “I haven’t written anything yet.”

“Then why ask me? Don’t worry, I definitely won’t write the same name as you,” Yu Youqing chuckled, staring blankly at her own empty board.

She had already known who she would write today.

This is just a game. Follow the rules, win the game, and don’t overthink it, Yu Youqing told herself, trying to suppress the unease in her heart.

Cheng Shunzhu and Ji Fu were as noisy as ever, the two of them always bickering when together. Wei Xi watched Cheng Shunzhu with envy.

She wished she could be like Cheng Shunzhu, able to chat so freely with Ji Fu even if it was just bickering rather than freezing up in front of her.

Once Jiang Musheng and Xu Liyu finished cleaning the kitchen and joined them, the production team began announcing the rules.

“This time, the format is different from the first round. You’ll directly choose your crush face-to-face by writing their name on the whiteboard. Additionally, you’ll also select who you think might be the ‘Hunter’ among the guests. Only if three correct votes identify the Hunter will it count as a success; otherwise, it’s a failure, and the Hunter will receive a corresponding reward.”

“No discussions. Just write down your answers, and we’ll ask and guide you accordingly. Please be sure to choose the person you genuinely like the most.”

The guests all settled into their seats.

Yu Youqing gripped her pen, not looking anywhere else. After a brief moment of hesitation, she wrote down a name.

“In order, starting with Ji Fu.”

When called upon, Ji Fu revealed her board on it were two names, both Xu Liyu.

Xu Liyu: “???”

“I chose to give my heartthrob vote to CEO Xu this round because I watched their haunted house livestream and thought CEO Xu performed really well. She’s the type where if I went to a haunted house with her alone, I wouldn’t have to be afraid at all.” Ji Fu wasn’t making excuses, she genuinely didn’t know who to pick this episode. She admires people who are fun to be around, so she chose Xu Liyu.

Xu Liyu said, “If you chose me, why did you also pick me as the hunter? If you’re wrong, you’re just giving special benefits to someone who doesn’t deserve them.”

“You seem like one,” Ji Fu replied. “You’ve been especially attentive to Xiaoyu, so I think it’s you.”

Xu Liyu countered, “A hunter could be attentive to everyone, but I’ve only been attentive to Xiaoyu. Trust me, you’ve got the wrong person.”

As she said this, Jiang Musheng’s gaze shifted over, a faint frown creasing her brow.

Then, when no one was paying attention, Jiang Musheng erased and rewrote a few things on her whiteboard.

“My turn!” Cheng Shunzhu revealed his board. “My heartthrob pick this round is Ji Fu. Her cooking tastes great, even if she’s not exactly gentle always hitting and scolding me. Why are you glaring at me? I’m just telling the truth!”

His guess for the hunter’s identity was a question mark.

Cheng Shunzhu shrugged. “I couldn’t figure out who it is, and the director never said we couldn’t leave it blank, so I didn’t write anything.”

When it was Wei Xi’s turn to reveal her board, she could barely look up at the camera. Yu Youqing whispered in her ear, “Don’t be afraid. Remember what the director said? Follow your heart and choose the person you like the most.”

Encouraged by Yu Youqing’s words, Wei Xi’s expression gradually shifted from uncertainty to resolve. She gave Yu Youqing a grateful glance before finally showing her board.

“I chose, Ji Fu.” Though Wei Xi managed to face the camera, she couldn’t bring herself to look at Ji Fu especially since Ji Fu hadn’t chosen her this time. She rubbed her nose sheepishly. “When I first left her a message, it was purely because I really wanted to get to know her. Over these past couple of days, I’ve discovered so many things about her that I admire and want to learn from. Like today, I had no idea she could cook so well.”

[Our sweet Wei Xi, my heart!]

[Not a single word of confession, yet every word is a confession this is it, isn’t it?]

[Wei Xi is the best! Who knew a behind-the-scenes photographer would be such a gem on a variety show?]

[Isn’t Wei Xi’s determination so endearing? Even though Ji Fu didn’t pick her, she still showed her board.]

[But I also ship Ji Fu and Little Bamboo (whispers)]

[Just let them fight it out, hahaha!]

[No way they’re fighting, Ji Fu could easily take down a male omega with one kick.]

[So, no way they’re catching the hunter this round.]

Ji Fu looked at Wei Xi in surprise. She hadn’t expected Wei Xi to still choose her.

When they went out today, Wei Xi barely interacted with her outside. Only when they returned to cook did Wei Xi come over quietly to help.

Wei Xi: “I chose Cheng Shunzhu as the hunter. The reason is simple, he always claims to be one, so I’m just granting his wish.”

Cheng Shunzhu: “Thank you, you’re a good person. I should’ve written your name instead.”

Wei Xi finally finished her part and sat down with relief. Just as she sighed, Yu Youqing whispered in her ear, “Ji Fu has been watching you for a while now.”

Wei Xi: “!”

Yu Youqing wanted her to seize the opportunity and urged, “Don’t be shy. Quickly make eye contact with her.”

Wei Xi muttered, “How could I dare? You can’t look someone you like in the eye.”

“Why not?”

Wei Xi said, “Because if you do, all those little thoughts in your heart will spill out.”

“You could take a quick glance and then look away.” As soon as Yu Youqing said this, she felt something was off, it felt strangely familiar. Wasn’t this exactly what she usually did with Jiang Musheng?

Wei Xi fidgeted, unable to bring herself to do it. Instead, she turned to Yu Youqing and said, “Why don’t you go make eye contact with Teacher Jiang first? If you can do it, then maybe I can too.”

Yu Youqing: “Me?” She didn’t dare.

“See! Making eye contact with someone you like is really hard.” Wei Xi was certain Yu Youqing must share her struggle. “And haven’t you noticed? The person who develops feelings first is usually even more afraid to meet their crush’s gaze than the other way around.”

Yu Youqing wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but then she thought about herself.

She never dared to look Jiang Musheng in the eye, only stealing glances when she could.

She really had been the one who noticed Jiang Musheng first, even back from her hospital bed in her past life.

Yu Youqing could only vaguely reply, “That’s not necessarily true. It depends on the person.”

A staff member announced, “It’s Yu Youqing’s turn. Please reveal your answer board.”

Xu Liyu cut in, “Can I go first? I can’t wait! Do you mind, Xiao Yu?”

Yu Youqing naturally said she didn’t.

“Look!”

Xu Liyu revealed her board. She had bolded and enlarged Yu Youqing’s name, framing it with a heart pierced by an arrow. “I’m voting for Yu Youqing today. I had so much fun with her, even though I crashed this date. I hope we’ll have a chance to go out alone sometime.”

Jiang Musheng had always politely glanced at each person’s board for a second or two when they revealed it.

But this time, as soon as Xu Liyu showed hers, Jiang Musheng’s eyes fixed on Yu Youqing’s name and stayed there.

Xu Liyu said, “I also chose Xiao Yu as the hunter. Mainly because I don’t know who else to pick everyone’s so skilled, I feel like all of you could just be regular guests.”

“Well, if you think so highly of me and believe I played well,” Yu Youqing chuckled appropriately, “I’ll reveal my results too.”

She uncovered her board.

Jiang Musheng’s gaze immediately followed, blinking once to make sure she wasn’t seeing things.

[Xu Liyu]

“Today, I had a great time at the amusement park with Teacher Jiang and President Xu. Since I already chose Teacher Jiang last time, this time I gave my vote to President Xu.” Yu Youqing now fully understood why Wei Xi had been so timid back then.

Though she clearly hadn’t chosen Jiang Musheng, she still didn’t dare to look at Jiang Musheng’s expression. In fact, she even felt a vague sense of guilt, as if she had done something wrong.

This game was way too difficult, it really wasn’t suited for her.

Right now, Yu Youqing could only pray that Jiang Musheng hadn’t chosen her.

She continued, “As for the Hunter, since I only interacted with Teacher Jiang and CEO Xu today, I had to choose between them. I picked CEO Xu, hopefully, I didn’t make the wrong choice.”

Ji Fu was a bit confused. “Are you two in some kind of love-hate relationship? You’re supposed to pick your crush, but it feels more like sworn enemies exchanging blows.”

Her remark made everyone laugh. Although Jiang Musheng didn’t smile, her slightly tense expression softened a little.

Cheng Shunzhu also chuckled. “Isn’t it obvious? My sister and CEO Xu have a mutual friendship vote going on it’s got nothing to do with romance.”

Xu Liyu wasn’t having it and glared at him. “Stop talking nonsense. Get out of here.”

After Yu Youqing finished speaking, only Jiang Musheng was left to reveal her choice.

The camera focused on Jiang Musheng.

“Who will Teacher Jiang pick?” Wei Xi whispered to Yu Youqing. “If she votes for you, then you two won’t have a mutual selection this time. Wouldn’t that be awkward for Teacher Jiang?”

Yu Youqing’s heart pounded, but her voice remained calm. “That won’t happen. First, Teacher Jiang wouldn’t choose me. Second, she wouldn’t put herself in an awkward position, so none of that applies.”

Without hesitation, Jiang Musheng flipped her answer board.

Everyone: “!!!”

Yu Youqing saw her own name clearly written in bold black letters.

Usually, when a guest revealed their choice, there would be murmurs of discussion. But this time, when Jiang Musheng showed her board, the room fell dead silent.

Everyone knew Yu Youqing had already mutually selected Xu Liyu this round.

Yu Youqing wasn’t just stunned, she was frozen, unsure of how to react.

Meeting everyone’s gazes, Jiang Musheng said calmly, “I chose Yu Youqing. No particular reason. Seeing her enjoy herself made me feel relaxed. As for the Hunter—”

Below her answer, the Hunter’s candidate list was visible. Originally, Xu Liyu’s name had been written there, but it was crossed out and replaced with “Pending.”

“I haven’t figured out who the special role is yet, so I wrote ‘Pending.’ Initially, I thought it might be Liyu, but if it were her, she probably would’ve exposed herself by now, so I crossed it out.”

Xu Liyu retorted, “I feel like you’re subtly insulting me.”

The director stepped in. “Before we wrap up, let’s reveal whether the Hunter’s guess was correct. According to the rules, three correct votes are needed. This time, Xu Liyu received the most votes, but unfortunately, you didn’t succeed. The real special role player will receive a reward, but it’ll be given privately.”

“Thank you all for your cooperation in this episode! That’s a wrap for today’s recording. We hope everyone will follow the edited version later and join the discussions with more comments.”

This was mainly addressed to the audience. Despite viewers clamoring for more, the production team shut off the cameras.

The guests removed their microphones and returned them to the staff. The director announced, “That’s a wrap! Everyone can head out now. Your managers and vans are waiting outside.”

Yu Youqing let out a sigh of relief.

She wasn’t in a hurry to leave. After retrieving her phone, she checked her messages, Tiantian had asked her to wait a little longer as things wouldn’t wrap up so quickly.

There had been no communication between her and Jiang Musheng the entire time.

Wei Xi wasn’t in a rush either and went upstairs with Yu Youqing to gather their belongings. Seeing that Yu Youqing still seemed dazed, she sidled up to her and said, “See? I told you Teacher Jiang would pick you. You didn’t believe me.”

Yu Youqing replied, “At the time, at the time, I had already matched with Young Master Xu. Teacher Jiang could have easily replaced my name with someone else. Wait a minute come to think of it, did no one vote for Teacher Jiang this time?”

“Actually, apart from your first vote being for Teacher Jiang, none of us dared to choose her,” Wei Xi admitted frankly. “To be honest, if the production team had allowed us to pick two people, I’m sure everyone would’ve written Jiang Musheng’s name as their second choice. Teacher Jiang is an idol, a mentor, we never imagined we could actually date her. Put it this way: if I had to go to an amusement park with Teacher Jiang, I’d probably be so nervous I wouldn’t even know how to walk properly.”

“If that’s the case, is it still considered liking someone?”

Wei Xi gave Yu Youqing a strange look. “Xiao Yu, how can you be so confused? What we feel is admiration, it’s different from actual romantic affection.”

“Different?”

“Teacher Jiang has countless fans who adore her, but that kind of love comes with distance. Even if everyone claims they could be her girlfriend, deep down, they know it’s practically impossible,” Wei Xi explained, looking at Yu Youqing. “Take this show, for example. Every one of us would’ve wanted to choose Teacher Jiang, but in the end, you were the only one who actually did it.”

Yu Youqing froze, her hand gripping the handle of her suitcase.

She thought for a moment, hearing the sound of footsteps descending the stairs outside likely the others leaving one after another.

“There’s still one thing I don’t understand.”

Yu Youqing hesitated before continuing, “We said before that Teacher Jiang wouldn’t put herself in such an awkward position. So why did she still do it?”

Wei Xi looked at her with an expression that said, It’s obvious to everyone but you. “If it were me, and I saw the person I wanted to choose had already matched with someone else, but I still went ahead and picked them anyway then all I’d want is just a tiny bit of their attention or acknowledgment.”

The sound of footsteps on the stairs had stopped outside, but the echoes reverberated in Yu Youqing’s heart, churning the once-calm waters into chaos.

She didn’t even bother with her suitcase anymore, flinging the door open and rushing out.

Jiang Musheng wasn’t downstairs. Yu Youqing stopped a staff member and asked, “Where’s Teacher Jiang?”

The staff member replied, “She just left already out the door.”

Panic surged through Yu Youqing, though she wasn’t even sure why she was so frantic. Without letting anyone stop her, she dashed toward the exit like a gust of wind.