The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 22

Xu You and Lu Ting-shen were locked in a silent, bitter struggle for dominance. Zhang Jing, caught squarely in the middle, was dying of awkwardness. Seeing that Zhong Yan seemed to be recovering, he was just about to find an excuse to slip away when he heard more footsteps approaching from the hallway.

The recording of the results had finished. The members of Playing Group B poured into the lounge to check on Zhong Yan—and surprisingly, the members of Group A followed right behind them. The small lounge was suddenly packed to capacity.

Group B had rushed in with high spirits, but upon seeing the others already in the room, the girls froze at the doorway, their movements becoming stiff and cautious. They greeted Zhang Jing politely and then cast curious glances at the two strange men. They didn’t know who they were, but both were exceptionally good-looking.

Zhang Jing gave a brief introduction. When they learned that the more mature-looking man was the CEO of the Dingming Group, An Tao gasped in surprise. Tian Jingyu, who had been lingering outside the door, immediately elbowed her way into the room.

Low-level starlets rarely get the chance to breathe the same air as a corporate president, let alone one as powerful as the newly appointed head of Dingming. This was the first time An Tao and Tian Jingyu had seen Lu Ting-shen in the flesh.

After greeting the big boss, An Tao wondered why a CEO would be at a public performance—and specifically in Zhong Yan’s lounge. Tian Jingyu, however, had a much clearer idea. Yu Junran didn’t lie; Zhong Yan and CEO Lu really do have a history.

A moment later, trepidation set in. If CEO Lu finds out I drugged his woman and made her faint, I’m finished.

Tian Jingyu hadn’t come to the lounge out of concern; she was there to confirm whether Zhong Yan suspected she had been drugged. Furthermore, it would have looked suspicious if she were the only person from Group A to show up, so she had egged her teammates on to “visit their rivals”—claiming it was a gesture of “friendship first, competition second.”

Observing Zhong Yan, Tian Jingyu noticed she showed no signs of anger. She was even smiling. Tian Jingyu felt relieved; it seemed Zhong Yan truly believed it was just low blood sugar. And why wouldn’t she? most people wouldn’t jump to the conclusion of being poisoned over a simple dizzy spell.

Zhong Yan’s smile was wide because she had fully expected Tian Jingyu to show up. Criminals always return to the scene of the crime to check their handiwork. She wanted her there; after all, how can a play reach its climax without the lead antagonist?

With Group A present, the audience was perfect. The more witnesses, the better. She shot a look at Xu You, who caught the signal and began his performance.

“Oh, Teacher Zhong, low blood sugar comes from eating too little,” Xu You said, feigning worry as he looked her up and down. “Trainees have such a high activity level every day; you shouldn’t skip meals just because you’re afraid of getting fat. You’ll ruin your health.”

He paused, then added with a concerned frown, “I think you look thinner than before. You aren’t taking diet pills, are you?”

Zhong Yan replied, “No, I’m not dieting. I usually eat quite a lot.”

Xu You, now fully immersed in his role, began to freestyle beyond the script they had discussed on the note. “That’s good. You’re working so hard; don’t mess around with weight loss. We had an actress at Origin Point who ate very little and was constantly taking those ‘sugar blockers.’ Once, during a wire-stunt for a period drama, she fainted from low blood sugar.”

Tian Jingyu’s eyelid twitched. Why did he have to bring up sugar blockers…?

Xu You raised his voice, ensuring everyone in the room could hear him clearly. “I only mentioned her because I was worried you might have taken some of those messy weight-loss supplements and that’s why you collapsed.”

Zhong Yan thought to herself: Xu You is a true producer; he’s got too many ideas. He’s adding scenes and changing the script on the fly. This plot progression is a bit abrupt.

But it didn’t matter. The effect was achieved.

Almost everyone among the trainees knew that Tian Jingyu took sugar blockers daily to control her weight. At Xu You’s mention, every eye in the room instinctively turned toward Tian Jingyu.

Tian Jingyu has sugar blockers. Tian Jingyu and Zhong Yan are rivals for the Center position. Zhong Yan fainted right after the performance…

The dots connected. Suspicion began to bloom in everyone’s minds. Tian Jingyu felt her entire body go rigid under the collective gaze of the room. She was certain Xu You was implying it was her. Everyone—the teammates, the PD, even CEO Lu—was looking at her.

Yet, because no one had named her directly, she couldn’t defend herself without it looking like a confession. Her face turned a deep, angry red.

Zhong Yan quietly admired her “speechless” expression. It was beautiful. Ugliness can be so scenic. Zhong Yan had no hard evidence, but she didn’t need any. This wasn’t a court of law. The court of public opinion was more than enough.

The rumor that “Tian Jingyu poisoned Zhong Yan” would spread from these trainees to the entire roster, then to the staff. Someone would eventually leak it online. It would ferment on forums, move to social media, and spread like wildfire. Suspicion, rumors, and gossip—the “mouths of the many”—were enough to destroy a reputation.

Zhong Yan knew her methods lacked “procedural justice.” But using wicked means against a wicked person felt perfectly appropriate.

Seeing the scene had reached its limit, she decided to wrap it up. She put on a facade of pure innocence and shook her head at Xu You. “I didn’t take anything like that. My fainting shouldn’t have anything to do with those pills.”

Then, she turned her clear, sincere eyes toward Tian Jingyu. “But Jingyu, aren’t you taking those? You should be careful not to ruin your health. After all, health is the most important thing, right?”

Tian Jingyu’s face shifted between shades of red and white. She forced a single word through her teeth: “…Right.”

Zhong Yan’s smile grew even more angelic. “Good! I was so worried about you.”

Watching Tian Jingyu struggle to keep her face from contorting—as if she had just swallowed a fly—Zhong Yan laughed like a demon in her heart. Enjoy the nausea, darling.

The “grand play” ended. Tian Jingyu quickly found an excuse to flee, and the Group A trainees followed. Zhong Yan felt she had rested enough and wanted to return to the viewing room with Group B to finish the recording. More importantly, she didn’t want to stay in the same room as Lu Ting-shen.

She thanked Xu You, expressed her apologies to Zhang Jing for missing the recording, and declared she was fit to continue. But just as she was about to leave, linked arm-in-arm with her teammates, the silent Lu Ting-shen finally spoke.

“Wait. I have something to discuss with you.”

The girls of Group B stopped. Zhong Yan was forced to stop too. She prayed he wasn’t talking to her, but when she turned, his gaze was locked onto her like a laser.

“Uh…” Zhong Yan began mentally crafting a polite refusal.

“Zhong Yan,” Lu Ting-shen interrupted, “what I want to discuss is something you are interested in. I suggest you stay.”

Something I’m interested in? The only thing she wanted from him was a canceled engagement. If he was here to tell her the results of his talk with her parents, then it was worth hearing.

“Oh. Fine then.” Zhong Yan smiled at her teammates, gesturing for them to go ahead and promising to join them soon.

Lu Ting-shen glanced at Xu You and nodded to Zhang Jing, signaling that they should leave as well. He wanted to speak with her alone. Zhang Jing didn’t know what Lu’s angle was, but he knew better than to interfere with Dingming’s business. He grabbed Xu You’s arm to pull him out.

He pulled. He failed.

“I also have things to discuss with Teacher Zhong,” Xu You said, glaring at Lu Ting-shen. He stepped closer to Zhong Yan and squinted his eyes into a smile. “Sister, me first.”

“Alright, alright, you first,” Zhong Yan indulged him.

Xu You beamed. He tilted his chin and shot a condescending look at Lu Ting-shen. “Then make him get out.”

Zhong Yan looked at Lu Ting-shen. This is difficult. Lu Ting-shen was like a stone in a latrine—hard and smelly. She couldn’t move him and didn’t want to get her hands dirty trying. She looked back at Xu You and blinked, signaling: You want him out? You kick him out.

Lu Ting-shen was on the verge of losing his temper at the sight of them colluding. But seeing Zhong Yan looking back and forth between them as if she were caught in a difficult position, he suppressed his anger.

“Two minutes,” Lu Ting-shen barked. He turned and walked out.

Zhong Yan’s eyes widened. He actually left? Was he drugged too?

With only the two of them left, Xu You leaned into her ear and whispered anxiously, “Sister, why did you agree to talk to him?”

Zhong Yan couldn’t possibly be interested in anything that man had to say. Xu You had expected her to refuse. A warning bell went off in his head. She wouldn’t actually consider working with Dingming, would she?

He pouted, looking like a pathetic puppy. “Sister, didn’t I come first in your heart? Don’t forget me when you’re rich and famous… you can’t sell your copyrights to Dingming…”

Zhong Yan realized he had misunderstood. She laughed. “I never said I was selling anything to them.”

“Then what are you talking to him about?”

“Uh… don’t worry about it.” Since she couldn’t explain the broken engagement, she simply ruffled his hair like a pet. “Just rest easy. You’re still my one and only ‘Brother.’ When I’m rich, I won’t leave you behind.”

With that promise, Xu You was satisfied. He wasn’t stupid; if it wasn’t business, then based on Lu Ting-shen’s possessive attitude, it was likely private business—perhaps an old grudge. He didn’t push. Respecting her privacy was the foundation of their partnership.

“Oh, and,” Zhong Yan continued ruffling his hair—the texture was actually quite nice—”good job just now. Gold star for your performance.”

“Just a verbal praise? No reward?” Xu You grinned mischievously, pushing his luck.

Zhong Yan took her hand off his head and flicked her thumb and forefinger together into a “finger heart.”

“Your reward: Sister’s love.”

Just as Xu You was about to complain about her perfunctory rewards, the door swung open. Lu Ting-shen walked back in with a dark expression.

“Two minutes are up.”