The Scumbag A Really Doesn't Want to Become Famous [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 63

After speaking, Yu Yousheng lowered her head again.

She could feel her face burning.

Jiang Musheng was smart—she must have understood that by saying this, Yu Yousheng had already admitted in her heart that she was falling for her.

Yu Yousheng felt a whirlwind of emotions.

On one hand, she was relieved to have finally spoken her mind. On the other, she was overwhelmed with regret—why had she chosen this moment to confess?

But then she heard—

“I chose you,” Jiang Musheng said, her voice unwavering. “That was my answer from the start.”

A soft palm rested on her head, smoothing down her tousled hair before gently tilting her chin up, bringing their gazes together.

The gesture left even Jiang Musheng flustered. Though she was the one lifting Yu Yousheng’s chin, she quickly withdrew her hand, her fingertips burning as if they could set her whole body aflame.

Yet her tone remained composed. “Don’t be upset.”

After a pause, she added, “To me, tomorrow is just another day of work—not a date.”

She had no special feelings for Shen Tingyao. Since they had met on the show, they were simply colleagues working together. Jiang Musheng drew a clear line.

Yu Yousheng blinked in confusion. “Jiang-jie… do you think I’m strange?”

Jiang Musheng smiled gently. “Not at all.”

How could she not be strange?

She was the one who had claimed she had no interest in Jiang Musheng, the one who said they had no future because she didn’t want a relationship. Yet here she was, backtracking, accompanying Jiang Musheng on a camping trip, and even vaguely admitting she didn’t want her to go on a date with someone else.

Wasn’t that the definition of contradictory?

She felt like a tangled mess, twisted up inside no matter where she turned.

But as Jiang Musheng stroked her hair, smoothing the unruly strands, it was as if she were also soothing the crumpled mess of Yu Yousheng’s heart.

“You don’t think I’m being unreasonable?” Yu Yousheng pressed, her mind brimming with questions—enough to keep her talking for days.

“How is it unreasonable? It’s perfectly fine.” Jiang Musheng chuckled. She knelt beside Yu Yousheng’s bed, meeting her at eye level. “Besides, what does it matter if you are? If I can let you be as unreasonable as you want around me, I’d be happy.”

Jiang Musheng still understood propriety so well. She knelt rather than sat on the bed—such small details never failed to make Yu Yousheng’s heart flutter.

Who would be happy about someone being unreasonable? Yu Yousheng frowned, yet she couldn’t deny that Jiang Musheng’s words felt undeniably right.

“Yu Yousheng?” Jiang Musheng called when she didn’t respond.

Yu Yousheng heard her and wondered—this wasn’t the first time Jiang Musheng had said her name, so why did it sound so tender now?

Had her brain stopped functioning? Was she losing all reason in the face of Jiang Musheng’s gentleness? Because suddenly, everything seemed softer—the room, the bed she was so used to, even the air felt more comforting than before.

“What do you mean?” Yu Youqing voiced her confusion, “I’ve never seen anyone who’s happy when others are being unreasonable.”

Jiang Musheng replied, “But that only applies between you and me.”

“You’ve been doing exceptionally well on this show from the start, always considering others thoughtfully. So I understand the concerns weighing on your mind.” Jiang Musheng’s voice was calm yet carried clearly to Yu Youqing’s heart, “I suspect this is your disguise—not the hypocritical kind, but one I believe you understand. Do you know what I mean? I truly wish you could let your guard down around me and freely show your temper.”

Jiang Musheng chuckled, sounding almost a little embarrassed, “I don’t mind admitting this—I think… if there ever comes a day when you’re unreasonable in front of me, I’d genuinely be happy.”

“You… are really strange,” Yu Youqing finally responded after a long pause, fully grasping Jiang Musheng’s meaning.

Jiang Musheng shook her head, “Only now, when the live stream is off, would you say that to me. When will you be able to speak like this in front of everyone?”

“That day will never come,” Yu Youqing lowered her gaze.

“You carry too much burden and pressure on yourself,” Jiang Musheng sighed, knowing Yu Youqing’s current demeanor was also shaped by past experiences with verbal abuse. She didn’t push further, choosing instead to guide her gently, “You consider everyone else but forget yourself. Xiao Yu, your own comfort should always come first.”

“Since when did you start lecturing me?” Yu Youqing masked the tremor in her heart with feigned exasperation, “Everything I do is because I want to.”

Not entirely for others, but also for herself. Yet Jiang Musheng was right about one thing—in overthinking others, she had neglected herself.

But Jiang Musheng had always been considering her on her behalf.

Thanks to Jiang Musheng’s comfort today, Yu Youqing had come to accept the fact that Jiang Musheng would go on a date with Shen Tingyao tomorrow, and the thought no longer felt as unbearable.

“Sleep well tonight, don’t overthink things,” Jiang Musheng said, seeing Yu Youqing’s emotions had stabilized. Since this wasn’t Yu Youqing’s private room, she couldn’t stay much longer. “Goodnight?”

“Goodnight,” Yu Youqing tightened her blanket and nodded, “You should rest too.”

“…What are you doing?”

Outside the door, two heads were huddled together in secrecy. When Ji Fu arrived in the morning, she found Wei Xi and Cheng Shunzhu crouched by the door, clearly up to no good. She tapped Cheng Shunzhu’s shoulder from behind, startling him so badly he nearly jumped.

“Shh!” Cheng Shunzhu immediately pulled Ji Fu closer, whispering through the slightly ajar door, “Sister Youqing and Teacher Jiang are having a private talk inside. We’re not eavesdropping, just… observing.”

Ji Fuzao: “…?”

Is there any difference?

Truthfully, they couldn’t hear much from outside, but they could vaguely make out the movements between Yu Youqing and Jiang Musheng.

Just the sight of Jiang Musheng sitting by Yu Youqing’s bedside was enough to ignite their gossip-fueled excitement.

“What’s Teacher Jiang doing in there?”

“She’s crouching down, she’s crouching down! Is she going to kiss Xiaoyu?”

“Why is Xiaoyu still under the covers? Shouldn’t she be inviting Teacher Jiang to join her?”

Ji Fu, standing at the very back, could barely see anything, but the back-and-forth chatter between the two made her itch with curiosity. She leaned in and said, “Don’t just talk—let me have a look too…”

Just then, the door suddenly swung open.

Jiang Musheng looked at the three stunned faces outside. “What are you all doing here?”

In unison, the three replied, “Just passing by.”

As long as they firmly denied it after being caught, no one would realize they’d been eavesdropping!

The trio quickly made way for Jiang Musheng, who didn’t press further and walked away.

Once inside, Wei Xi saw that Yu Youqing seemed ready to sleep, so she suppressed the urge to ask what had happened.

What on earth had they talked about?

It was clear—at first, Xiaoyu had seemed a little sulky, but after Teacher Jiang came in, she turned into a happy little fish.

What kind of magic was this?

Late at night, Yu Youqing should have been asleep, but she was still thinking about what Jiang Musheng had said to her.

“Think more about yourself.”

If she really listened to her heart, what did she truly want?

Yu Youqing missed her old self—the fearless version of her who, before realizing she was being used by her former agency, had been bold and unrestrained, riding high on her instant fame after debut.

Now, having tasted the bitterness of hitting rock bottom, she clung desperately to every opportunity, terrified of having no way out.

She lacked confidence, but Jiang Musheng had told her she could be her support.

Yu Youqing wasn’t skeptical—she just didn’t dare to gamble again.

Unable to sleep, she tossed and turned.

Wei Xi wasn’t asleep either. Hearing Yu Youqing’s restlessness, she tentatively asked, “Xiaoyu?”

“Ah, did I wake you?” Yu Youqing froze, her voice laced with guilt.

Wei Xi: “No, I was already awake. What’s wrong? Thinking about something?”

“…Yeah.”

“Is it about Teacher Jiang’s date with Shen Tingyao tomorrow?” Wei Xi understood. “If you’re uncomfortable, just find a way to join them tomorrow!”

“No.” Yu Youqing’s voice was muffled, refusing to admit it. “It’s the show’s arrangement. It’s not like I can just change it.”

“The show’s rules are flexible—haven’t you figured that out after filming for so long?” Wei Xi said.

Yu Youqing stayed silent.

Wei Xi: “…Xiaoyu, haven’t you noticed how much more attention you’ve been paying to Teacher Jiang this season? Are you—”

Yu Youqing cut her off sharply: “No!”

Wei Xi laughed. “I hadn’t even finished saying what you might be feeling about Teacher Jiang.”

Yu Youqing flipped over again and muttered, “I’m going to sleep!”

Wei Xi: “…”

The next day, Yu Youqing slept until noon.

One perk of the show was the high degree of freedom—aside from completing assigned tasks, the participants could do as they pleased.

The other pairs had completed their mutual selections the night before, so they’d gone on their dates early in the morning. Yu Youqing had been left unpaired, but Wei Xi and Ji Fu had invited her to join their activities for the day.

Meanwhile, the show’s staff informed Yu Youqing that as the “Hunter,” she needed to win over at least one person each episode. In the previous episode, she had already received heart-fluttering messages from Cheng Shunzhu and Xu Liyu, marking those two as completed targets.

At noon, Wei Xi and Ji Fu returned early to find Yu Youqing curled up on the sofa watching TV or at least pretending to. The news was playing, but her gaze was distant, clearly lost in thought.

“We’re going to play badminton this afternoon,” Wei Xi said as she sat beside Yu Youqing, casually asking, “Teacher Jiang and the others haven’t come back yet?”

Yu Youqing: “Ah.” She had no idea.

Ji Fu and Wei Xi exchanged a glance. “What are you watching?” Ji Fu asked.

“Uh… the weather forecast, probably,” Yu Youqing mumbled.

Yet, the TV host was currently reporting last year’s crop yields.

Ji Fu and Wei Xi saw right through her but didn’t comment—Yu Youqing was clearly distracted.

That afternoon, they headed to a nearby sports center for badminton.

But once they arrived, they realized they were short one player. Wei Xi suggested, “Crew, we’re missing someone. Can we invite a nearby group to join? That way, we’ll have five people, and the extra one can be a floater.”

The staff immediately caught on. “No problem.”

[Wait, that look from the staff… I smell a setup.]

[Wei Xi, have you been corrupted? Feels like this was prearranged with the crew.]

[Who’s nearby? I’ve been on Yu Youqing’s POV and haven’t switched—no clue.]

[Breaking news: It’s Teacher Jiang and Shen Tingyao, LOL.]

[????????]

[?]

[I’m starting to think the show’s doing this on purpose.]

[Another showdown? Pitting Yu Youqing against Shen Tingyao again? The crew wouldn’t miss such a juicy opportunity for drama.]

[LMAO, here we go.]

[No way, are they really going to make Yu Youqing suffer like this? Watching Jiang and Shen team up?]

[Oof—my heart aches for her, but I’m here for it.]

[I’m basic and I love it.jpg]

[Why are you all voicing my exact thoughts?!]

Yu Youqing was idly spinning her racket in her hand when, to her surprise, Jiang Musheng and Shen Tingyao walked in through the door.

Shen Tingyao was the first to wave. “What a coincidence, huh?”

Coincidence? Yu Youqing instantly knew this had to be the crew’s doing.

Otherwise, why would they arrange for just the three of them to play without additional partners, forcing them to call in other guests?

Yu Youqing locked eyes with Jiang Musheng.

She noticed that when they entered, Jiang Musheng and Shen Tingyao weren’t walking side by side—their body language said it all.

Staff: “How do you want to split the teams?”

Yu Youqing volunteered, “I’ll be the floater. If anyone gets tired, I’ll sub in.”

“No, no, that won’t work!” Wei Xi raised her racket. “I’m already exhausted.”

“Me too,” Ji Fu chimed in. “We did a lot of physical activities this morning. Another round in the afternoon is too much. Xiao Yu, can you take my place?”

The moment Ji Fu said that, Wei Xi backtracked. “Right, right! In that case, I’ll pair up with Xiao Yu.”

Shen Tingyao said, “Then we don’t have your troubles here. It’s just me and Teacher Jiang playing together. Xiaoyu, can you play?”

Yu Youqing felt she was being rather impulsive. Shen Tingyao’s words sounded like a challenge, and she shouldn’t have responded, but she still said, “I can play.”

She stepped onto the court, so Ji Fu sat down in the waiting area nearby. When Yu Youqing came up to stand with Wei Xi, Shen Tingyao smiled and said, “Isn’t this unfair? Two alphas against two omegas.”

Unexpectedly, Jiang Musheng replied, “Omegas can be opponents too. Who said omegas can’t play badminton?”

“Well, no one,” Shen Tingyao paused briefly before getting into position. “Let’s begin then.”

The serve started with Shen Tingyao, diagonally opposite Yu Youqing.

Yu Youqing had mentally prepared herself for Shen Tingyao’s smashes—after all, an alpha acting so arrogant must have some skills. To her surprise, Shen Tingyao’s serve looked imposing but landed softly on Yu Youqing’s side. Not only did Yu Youqing return it effortlessly, but she also found a gap in the opponents’ defense and scored.

Yu Youqing: “…?”

Why did this feel so easy? As if she had won without breaking a sweat?

Wei Xi cheered, “Xiaoyu, we won!”

“Just one point. Let’s go again.” Shen Tingyao gave Yu Youqing an unreadable look. “Congratulations.”

This time, Yu Youqing’s side served. When Wei Xi sent the shuttlecock toward Jiang Musheng, they rallied back and forth, both sides getting into the rhythm. Then, Shen Tingyao launched a fierce attack, completely different from before—her aggressive shot nearly hit Wei Xi straight on.

Wei Xi froze.

In that instant, Yu Youqing dashed forward. She couldn’t return the shot, but since Wei Xi was stunned, she couldn’t just let her stand there and take the hit. She pulled Wei Xi behind her but had no time to dodge herself.

“Xiaoyu!”

“Xiaoyu!”

Amid the two voices, there was the sound of a racket being dropped and footsteps approaching. Yu Youqing felt a sharp sting on one cheek as the shuttlecock landed at her feet.

She was dazed, her face stinging slightly. Turning, she saw Wei Xi’s anxious expression.

Who had called her just now?

The next moment, both Jiang Musheng and Shen Tingyao were standing right in front of her.

[?]

[Did everyone outside the court see that?!]

[I saw it.]

[Damn, me too.]

[Why does Shen Tingyao have the same expression as Teacher Jiang?!]

[Front-row observer here—this is normal in badminton, nothing personal. Our Yaoyao didn’t mean it.]

[Shen Tingyao was going to win the point, but Xiaoyu pulled Wei Xi away and couldn’t dodge in time.]

[This is wild. I thought Shen Tingyao, as a rival, would be happy. Why doesn’t she look pleased?]

[Report from off-court—the first “Xiaoyu” was shouted by Teacher Jiang!]

[The second “Xiaoyu” was from Wei Xi. Ugh, why does Teacher Jiang calling her “Xiaoyu” sound so sweet?]

[Xiaoyu’s face is red.]

“I’m sorry!” Shen Tingyao hadn’t expected this to happen and rushed over to apologize sincerely. “Let me check…”

Jiang Musheng stepped forward, blocking Shen Tingyao, and looked at Yu Youqing with concern. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s fine, really. Don’t make such a big deal out of it, or people will think something serious happened.” Yu Youqing was flustered by the attention. She gestured to the crew off-camera to indicate she was okay and shook her head. “It’s just a hit from a badminton shuttlecock, not like I got punched. No need to apologize—bumps and bruises are normal in a match.”

Yu Youqing was about to suggest they continue playing—after all, they should uphold the spirit of sportsmanship! But before she could speak or even raise her hand, someone grabbed her wrist.

“Come here.” Jiang Musheng had never been this assertive before. She directly led Yu Youqing to the sidelines and sat her down, frowning as she said, “Let me take a look.”

Yu Youqing protested, “It’s just a minor—”

“It’s already red.” Jiang Musheng paid no attention to her downplaying. All she knew was that the shuttlecock had struck Yu Youqing’s face squarely.

Yu Youqing asked, “…Where’s your racket?”

“Don’t know.” Jiang Musheng couldn’t care less about that right now. Noticing the slight swelling on Yu Youqing’s face, she quickly grabbed some anti-inflammatory ointment and opened it.

“I can do it myself,” Yu Youqing said.

“Let me. You can’t see it properly.” Jiang Musheng applied the ointment gently.

Yu Youqing’s gaze darted around, feeling extremely awkward. She noticed Shen Tingyao watching them guiltily from a distance, not daring to approach. Swallowing hard, Yu Youqing blurted out without thinking, “Aren’t you going to tend to your date?”

Jiang Musheng’s fingers paused briefly.

After a long moment, she replied calmly, “Court rules—the injured take priority.”

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