The Scumbag A Really Doesn't Want to Become Famous [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 54

A drunk person’s true intentions lie beyond the wine, they simply use this fleeting courage to pry open the cracks of their hidden desires.

Yet, the moment Jiang Musheng asked if she could have a hug, she had already braced herself for rejection. She was well aware that it was only under the influence of alcohol that she dared to voice such a request, that she had crossed a line first.

But then, the other woman responded softly, wrapping her arms around Jiang Musheng’s neck.

“Can’t really hold it against someone who’s drunk,” Yu Youqing murmured in her ear, though Jiang Musheng couldn’t tell if the words were meant for her or for Yu Youqing herself. “You have to indulge those who’ve had a drink.”

Not only did Yu Youqing return the embrace, but she also rested her other hand on Jiang Musheng’s back, patting gently as she spoke. “Teacher Jiang, how did you get this drunk? Aren’t you feeling awful? Can you even hear what I’m saying?”

This was a hug Jiang Musheng had longed for, for far too long.

She was a greedy woman. Now that she had this embrace, she wanted more.

Seeing Jiang Musheng remain silent, Yu Youqing continued her soothing pats, guiding her back inside. Needless to say, she had never seen this side of Jiang Musheng before like a pliant, touch-starved human cat, seemingly devoid of any resistance.

Of course, even sober, Jiang Musheng never really stopped her from doing anything.

But this was different.

“Teacher Jiang? We’re almost home.” Yu Youqing had already ended the hug. She knew better than to take advantage of someone’s vulnerability. If she kept holding onto Jiang Musheng while she was drunk, wouldn’t Jiang Musheng think her some kind of lecher once she sobered up tomorrow?

She had just guided Jiang Musheng to the living room sofa.

The moment she let go, Jiang Musheng slumped down luckily, the sofa was right there to catch her.

Yu Youqing stood above her, looking down in a fluster, while Jiang Musheng, tilting her head up, took in every flicker of her expression. Yu Youqing felt utterly exposed under that gaze.

“I’m heading up,” Yu Youqing said.

She couldn’t stay here any longer. Why was it that even though Jiang Musheng was the one who had been drinking, she was the one whose mind was growing hazy?

She had barely turned away, her body not yet following, when her wrist was swiftly caught.

“Don’t go.” Jiang Musheng’s words were clear, her eyes fixed on Yu Youqing as she spoke deliberately, a faint smile playing at her lips. “You’d just leave a drunk person here like this?”

“That wasn’t my intention, I just thought!” Yu Youqing cut herself off mid-sentence. Thankfully, she hadn’t blurted out what was really on her mind. She sat back down on the sofa beside Jiang Musheng. “You’re not drunk?”

Jiang Musheng chuckled. “Why do you keep asking that?”

Because if Teacher Jiang really were drunk, Yu Youqing could do something without feeling guilty about it.

But she certainly couldn’t say that out loud.

“Didn’t you have anything else going on tonight? What brought you here all of a sudden?” Yu Youqing changed the subject.

Jiang Musheng gave a soft hum and said, “I didn’t know you were going to that event. I had initially declined and wasn’t planning to attend.”

So why did she end up going later?

Yu Youqing didn’t hear Jiang Musheng answer her question.

After a moment of thought, she realized Jiang Musheng hadn’t finished speaking. The woman continued, “When I found out you were going, I came to pick you up. When investors invite actresses to dinner, they usually expect something in return. I didn’t want you to be at a disadvantage.”

Jiang Musheng’s bluntness left Yu Youqing at a loss.

This night was unusual, and the events of the day had been equally so. They filled Yu Youqing with both trepidation and a flicker of courage.

Perhaps tonight, she could ask the questions she normally wouldn’t dare to. After all, by tomorrow, Jiang Musheng might not remember any of it.

After speaking, Jiang Musheng seemed to be waiting for her to say something and fell silent.

After a long pause, Yu Youqing finally spoke. “Jiang-laoshi.”

“Hmm?”

“If you’re drunk, then there are some things I’d like to say to you, things I want to ask you about,” Yu Youqing knew this was somewhat unreasonable, but under normal circumstances, she would never have dared. “If you’re not drunk, then I’ll just go to sleep.”

The corners of Jiang Musheng’s lips lifted slightly. “Alright, then I’m drunk.”

Yu Youqing froze.

She hadn’t expected Jiang Musheng to comply so readily.

Jiang Musheng wasn’t drunk, she understood the implication perfectly.

Yu Youqing had questions she wanted to ask but normally wouldn’t dare. She hoped Jiang Musheng would treat them as fleeting words spoken in drunkenness, forgotten by morning. Or better yet, that Jiang Musheng would pretend these questions had never been asked the next day. If Jiang Musheng could do that, then Yu Youqing would speak.

The moment Jiang Musheng responded, Yu Youqing knew she wasn’t drunk at all.

Yet Jiang Musheng had given her boundless indulgence, and this special treatment filled Yu Youqing with courage.

She adjusted her posture slightly, meeting Jiang Musheng’s dark gaze.

“Jiang-laoshi, did you come because you didn’t want me to be taken advantage of?”

Jiang Musheng answered without hesitation. “Yes.”

Yu Youqing’s suspicions were confirmed. She admitted that, in this moment, beyond surprise, the first emotion she felt was happiness.

Once the first question was out, the rest became easier.

She continued, “Do you realize that by doing this, you’re essentially telling the investors you want me as the lead? And do you know that once the fans find out, everyone will—”

“Will what?” Jiang Musheng’s tone remained calm, a stark contrast to Yu Youqing’s. She even smiled faintly. “The only thing I care about is whether this benefits you. If it does, then I want to do it. You don’t need to worry about anything else because the premise of all this is my belief that you can handle it. Why bother with the rest?”

Jiang Musheng added, “If you can do this well better than anyone else then no one else’s opinions should matter. Of course, there’s one more condition: do you want to do it?”

“I…” Yu Youqing blinked in confusion.

She had always considered many things. When deciding whether to do something, her thoughts revolved around whether it would affect Jiang Musheng or her team behind the scenes. Throughout this process, it seemed she had never once considered whether she actually wanted to do it.

And Jiang Musheng, she was the only one who had ever asked her this question, the only one who so firmly believed she could do it well.

Yu Youqing’s heart began to ache.

So this was what it felt like to be chosen with such conviction?

To truly feel like she had someone to rely on, someone who would let her be reckless and unrestrained without worrying that she would leave, without fearing she would think her childish.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Musheng propped herself up on her elbows. It was clear she was still tipsy her movements were slow and slightly strained but her dark eyes were bright under the light, her voice soft, as if coaxing her. “What do you think?”

“I want to act.”

When Yu Youqing spoke again, her voice carried unmistakable certainty. “I do. I want to do this.”

If Jiang Musheng hadn’t asked her today, Yu Youqing might have forever treated this as just another task forced upon her, something she had to complete. But after hearing Jiang Musheng’s words, in that quiet moment, she had finally heard the voice deep within her heart.

She wanted to prove she could do it.

Even if many would assume she was just chasing clout by securing this script to act opposite Jiang Musheng. Yet she knew, Jiang Musheng was one reason, but not the only one.

As someone who had returned to the industry later than most, Yu Youqing knew this script was exceptional, both in terms of production and its potential impact. She didn’t want to miss it, much less lose the chance to act alongside Jiang Musheng.

“If you want to do it, then do it,” Jiang Musheng said. “What’s there to fear? Only by doing your best can you give yourself the confidence not to be afraid.”

“Believing in yourself is the first step to success.” That night, Jiang Musheng had faintly glimpsed a trace of vulnerability in Yu Youqing’s heart. Though it was barely revealed, it still made her ache. She reached out, resting her hand on Yu Youqing’s head, ruffling her hair gently. “Trust me.”

“I will.” Yu Youqing nodded firmly.

“Anything else you want to ask?”

What remained were more personal questions.

“Jiang-laoshi, why don’t you want me to suffer? I don’t know if we’ve ever met before, if there was ever a moment that made you treat me differently.” Yu Youqing sighed before continuing, “To be honest, I never took your words on the snowy mountain seriously. Because I didn’t see how there could ever be a beginning for us.”

Jiang Musheng said, “First question: I don’t want you to feel wronged because I can’t bear to see you cry. To delve deeper when one person doesn’t want another to suffer, especially between an alpha and omega, what other reason could there be?” She chuckled, having thought she could state it plainly but finding herself circling the point, hoping the other would understand. “Second question: I don’t know if my phrasing made it seem like I wasn’t serious when I made that suggestion, but I want to tell you that wasn’t the case. Why would there be no possibility?”

Yu Youqing replied, “Because you said you have a white moonlight.”

Jiang Musheng was stunned into silence. She had no idea this was the reason Yu Youqing had rejected her for so long.

“Right before we went to the snowy mountains, I heard your radio interview. You said you had a beloved white moonlight, and the whole internet was scrambling to be that person.” Yu Youqing had thought she could recount this calmly, but she caught a tinge of bitterness in her own voice. She quickly adjusted, forcing what she believed was a neutral expression. “I don’t care about white moonlights in general, but if I’m in a relationship, I don’t want to be someone’s substitute.”

Yu Youqing exhaled deeply.

Finally voicing this lifted a weight off her chest, only to replace it with another heavy burden.

Having laid it out like this, there was no chance left between her and Jiang Musheng.

There was no way Jiang Musheng would forget that white moonlight otherwise, why would she need a substitute?

Jiang Musheng looked at Yu Youqing with a mix of amusement and exasperation, her tipsiness fading. “It’s not what you think. That person is actually—”

“You don’t need to explain. I get it. Anyway. I’m not looking to end my single life either.” Yu Youqing admitted she still felt a pang of jealousy toward that white moonlight in Jiang Musheng’s heart, unable to remain entirely composed. Frowning, lost in thought, she even scrunched her nose before asking in a muffled voice, “But I am curious, Teacher Jiang did you ever manage to win over your white moonlight?”

Jiang Musheng studied her for a long moment before answering gravely, “No.”

“Oh.” Yu Youqing had expected to feel relieved hearing this, but instead, she only tasted bitterness.

Why? How could anyone reject someone as wonderful as Teacher Jiang? If they didn’t want such a good thing, why not let someone else have it? Why did Jiang Musheng still hold onto that memory?

To mask her dejection, Yu Youqing added lightly, “So even Teacher Jiang has someone she can’t win over.”

To her surprise, Jiang Musheng continued, “I was almost there.”

“?” Yu Youqing froze, her breath hitching. After a moment, she forced out stiffly, “Then, congratulations.”

Then why bother with me?!

And why come here tonight to spout all that nonsense about not wanting me to feel wronged?!

Jiang Musheng said, “But she refused.”

Yu Youqing: “…” She no longer wanted to speak with Jiang Musheng, because she didn’t want to hear Jiang Musheng recount the long-pursued story with another omega.

So she gave a perfunctory “oh” and was about to suggest Jiang Musheng go rest, but the usually considerate Jiang Musheng seemed like a completely different person now, utterly failing to notice Yu Youqing’s disinterest in continuing the conversation. Jiang pressed on: “Don’t you want to know why she refused?”

“I don’t,” Yu Youqing hummed. “I don’t want to hear about you and that white moonlight of yours.”

From Yu Youqing’s now unconcealed expression, Jiang Musheng confirmed something she’d long wanted to verify.

She cared.

So, she did care. If her feelings hadn’t already changed in significance, why would she care?

“Because she said,” Jiang Musheng spoke directly, “she currently has no intention of ending her single status.”

She looked at Yu Youqing, the corners of her eyes lifting as her lips curved into a smile: “Tell me, what should I do about her?”

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