The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 39

The bus engine rumbled, vibrating slightly amidst the girls’ chatter.

“You said a big shot came looking for Zhong Yan, but Xia Meng went instead? So, who was he actually there for?”

With the performance over, everyone on the bus had relaxed, and fresh gossip spread quickly as entertainment. Just as they were discussing it, one of the subjects of their rumors appeared at the door. Zhong Yan boarded the bus.

The voices hushed as the girls stole glances at her. Zhong Yan seemed to be in a good mood, humming a little tune as she sat down next to An Tao, who was waving her over. It looked like she was going back to the dorms with everyone else.

So, that big shot really wasn’t looking for her, the girls whispered to themselves.

An Tao pulled a large, bright red apple from a bag and handed it to Zhong Yan. “Hungry? It’s been washed.”

Because of the performance, no one had eaten much all day. Fearing her teammates would be starving, An Tao had prepared snacks in advance. Zhong Yan took the apple and bit into it, the sweet juice bursting in her mouth.

She leaned against An Tao playfully. “My Mommy Tao is so thoughtful! Mwah!”

An Tao laughed, pinching Zhong Yan’s cheek as she took an apple for herself. “I heard them saying someone was looking for you,” she whispered. “That ‘CEO Lu’ they mentioned… it couldn’t be the CEO of Dingming, could it?”

She remembered CEO Lu appearing in Zhong Yan’s dressing room during the first performance. Why was he back again? Even An Tao was beginning to feel curious about their relationship.

Zhong Yan nodded. “It’s him. But he’s not looking for me; Xia Meng is looking for him.”

An Tao studied Zhong Yan, her confusion deepening. “Xia Meng is looking for him? Then why do you look so happy about it?”

Zhong Yan chuckled, her words slightly muffled by the apple. “Mmph… let’s just say it’s the joy of doing a good deed.”

Playing matchmaker was a good deed, right? Most importantly, at the thought of the male and female leads falling in love so Lu Tingshen would stop harrassing her, how could she not be happy?

But just as she was celebrating, a figure appeared at the bus door, wiping away tears. Zhong Yan looked up to see Xia Meng, her eyes red and her expression full of grievance.

Zhong Yan froze. Why was she back so soon? She thought the leads would have plenty to talk about. She had even told Secretary Wen to drive Xia Meng back to the dorms later.

Looking at Xia Meng’s face, the conversation clearly hadn’t gone well. Zhong Yan’s smile faltered. Did my matchmaking fail?

Under the gaze of the entire bus, Xia Meng walked straight to Zhong Yan’s seat, sobbing softly. “…He wants you to go over there. Now. Immediately.”

“Huh?” Zhong Yan blinked, then immediately shouted to the driver, “Sir! Everyone is here, let’s go!”

Go my foot.

Before the driver could react, another person boarded. Secretary Wen stood at the door with an apologetic bow to the driver, then looked at Zhong Yan. His posture made it clear: if she didn’t get off, he wasn’t leaving.

Zhong Yan was speechless. She didn’t want to delay the other girls’ rest, nor did she want to make life difficult for a fellow worker like Secretary Wen. Reluctantly, she stood up.

An Tao noticed she still had the apple in her mouth. “Should I take that back to the dorm for you?”

Zhong Yan waved her off and stepped off the bus, still munching on the apple. Meeting that jerk doesn’t require dignity. Filling my stomach is more important.

Lu Tingshen watched the bus headlights flash in the night as it pulled away, revealing two figures walking toward him. He huffed in annoyance and looked away.

A short distance away, a white van approached. Yan Shi, finished with his work, was about to leave when he saw the trainee bus depart, leaving a man and a girl behind. The girl was dressed in ancient costume.

Even from a distance, the girl’s silhouette looked like Zhong Yan. The man was a stranger in a sharp suit. Seeing the girl follow the stranger toward the roadside in the middle of the night, Yan Shi grew worried and ordered his driver to follow them.

As they got closer, he confirmed it was indeed Zhong Yan. He saw her being led by the stranger into a black Rolls-Royce Phantom. Through the window, he could see the back of a man sitting in the rear seat.

A luxury car, an assistant, and the power to take someone from the set.

Few people fit that description. Recalling the argument Zhong Yan had with a man in the dressing room during the first show, Yan Shi suspected the man in the car was the CEO of Dingming Entertainment, Lu Tingshen. He frowned and told his driver to park a discreet distance away.

Inside the Rolls-Royce, Lu Tingshen was seething. He ignored the door opening as Zhong Yan sat down, waiting for her to apologize first.

However, after a long silence, the only sound in the car was the loud crunch of someone eating an apple.

Lu Tingshen couldn’t take it anymore. He turned his head, his face grim, only to find Zhong Yan eating like a focused hamster, her legs crossed and swinging rhythmically as if he didn’t exist.

“Don’t you think you owe me an apology?” he demanded.

Zhong Yan swallowed a piece of apple. “An apology? For what?”

She was the one who was annoyed. Her matchmaking had failed, and she was forced into a small space—no, a small car—with him. “Shouldn’t you be the one apologizing? You have no grace. You can’t even talk to a young girl without making her cry.”

Useless, she thought. No wonder he’s nearly thirty and still single.

“Did you want me to have a passionate, smiling conversation with her?” Lu Tingshen sneered. “You know what she wanted to talk about. Did you really think I would agree? Or did you arrange this because you wanted to plead for Yu Junran too?”

“Not at all. I don’t care about Yu Junran. I just meant… I hoped you two could talk… well…” Zhong Yan struggled with her words. It felt weird to say she wanted them to fall in love.

Annoyed by her own hesitation, she decided to be blunt. “What I mean is, are you interested in her? Do you like her?”

Lu Tingshen froze. Then, realization dawned on him. He looked at her with utter disbelief. “Zhong Yan… you’re actually trying to push me toward another woman?”

Her recent contact and “warmth” weren’t a change of heart; they were a more calculated form of rejection. And he had been a fool—canceling important work, hand-picking a gift, and rushing an overseas shipment. For a whole week, he had looked forward to today.

His hand brushed against the hard velvet box in his pocket. The sharpness of it sent a surge of bitterness and heartache through him that outweighed even his anger.

Zhong Yan thought: How is this pushing him away? It’s returning him to his original owner. But for some reason, the leads weren’t “sparking.”

Seeing him look so heartbroken, she sheepishly put down the apple. Why do I feel like the villainous playboy here?

“Fine… if you don’t like her, I won’t introduce you anymore, okay?” she said, softening her tone slightly. “But really, we aren’t a good match. Stop wasting your time on me. Let’s break off the engagement.”

Outside, a light drizzle began to fall, leaving streaks on the glass.

“I know you started your own company,” Lu Tingshen said quietly after a long silence. “I know you signed Li Xing and took the Guanke partnership from Dingming. You want to write, produce, and be a star. I can agree to that. After we marry, I will allow you to do whatever you want. I won’t trap you at home as just a wife and mother. If now isn’t a good time for a wedding, we can just finalize the engagement and wait for the right moment.”

He turned to her. “So, do not mention breaking the engagement again.”

His tone was domineering, yet his eyes betrayed a sliver of desperate longing. Zhong Yan looked down and sighed.

“That’s exactly why we aren’t compatible, Lu Tingshen.” She raised her eyes to meet his. “You will never understand. Whatever I want to do, I do not need your ‘permission’.”

Lu Tingshen looked into her eyes. They were calm, sincere, and firm—but they held not a single trace of affection. Those beautiful eyes were enchanting, yet they were breaking his heart without mercy.

Zhong Yan decided enough had been said. She opened the small partition window to the front. “Secretary Wen, please drive. Take me back to the base.”

Secretary Wen looked at Lu Tingshen. With no order from his boss, he gave an apologetic gesture and didn’t move the car.

“Tell him to drive,” Zhong Yan said to Lu Tingshen. “I’m going back.”

Lu Tingshen remained silent, his emotions hidden in the shadows. His sharp profile was illuminated by the dim light, but his thoughts remained unreadable.

Zhong Yan’s expression darkened. Seeing no point in staying, she reached for the door handle to get out. Her phone and bag were on the bus, but she could find a security guard to help her.

But as her hand touched the handle, she heard a sharp click.

The doors had been locked.