The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 43

As soon as the third performance results were announced and Zhong Yan returned backstage, she saw Xu You charging toward her like an unleashed puppy.

“Sister!”

“Watch your influence! We’re in public!” Fortunately, Zhang Jing grabbed him just in time.

Trainees were filing out of the studio, and the backstage area was a hive of activity. Zhang Jing shot Xu You a warning glare, forcing the young man to reluctantly settle down. The other trainees greeted Zhang Jing, no longer surprised to see “yet another visitor” for Zhong Yan. At this point, it was a ritual: every recording, someone extraordinary came to find her. Teacher Zhong was simply on another level.

Zhong Yan sent her teammates back to the dressing room and walked toward Xu You and Zhang Jing. She greeted Zhang Jing first, then turned to Xu You.

“Oh? You’re here again?”

“Sister, what do you mean ‘again’?” Xu You widened his eyes, his brow furrowing into a piteous pout. “I overcame a mountain of obstacles and ditched the film set just to see you perform, and you say I’m ‘here again’? Do you dislike me?”

Zhang Jing felt goosebumps erupt all over his arms. “That’s enough, kid. Stop acting. It’s nauseating!” He slapped Xu You on the back and turned to Zhong Yan, who was smiling as if she found Xu You’s antics entertaining.

Zhang Jing marveled at her psychological fortitude. He gave her a respectful smile. “Teacher Zhong, you’ve worked hard. Three public performances, and you’ve swept every single ‘Group First’ and ‘Individual First’ award. You are the first person in the history of survival shows to achieve such a Grand Slam. Congratulations!”

The voting results for the third show had been predictable: “Dolls” easily took first place, and Zhong Yan had once again secured the top individual spot by a landslide.

Zhong Yan smiled. “I have to thank you, PD Zhang. You’ve created such an excellent program and provided me with this stage. You are my Bole¹.”

Zhang Jing beamed. “I wouldn’t dare take that title! You are my benefactor. I only hope you’ll continue to look out for me regarding our future management partnership!”

Xu You watched the two of them trade flatteries with sheer disdain. “Will you two stop with the ‘business mutual-admiration’ society?” He turned back to Zhong Yan, feigning anger. “Speaking of the partnership—Sister, do you think of me as an outsider? You started a company and didn’t tell me! Even this guy Zhang Jing knew before I did!”

Xu You had learned about Yanstar Entertainment from Zhang Jing. Initially shocked, he soon had a moment of clarity. In the entertainment industry, fame, fortune, and power were inseparable. One only truly stood at the top of the pyramid when they held all three. To have power, one first had to become the Capital. He had only seen the fame and fortune layers; he hadn’t realized Zhong Yan’s endgame was so much higher. Her ambition was staggering.

She really is a fascinating woman, Xu You thought. The only one of her kind.

Yan Shi had stayed on stage to record a few extra promotional lines. By the time he returned backstage, the trainees had mostly gone. Only Zhong Yan, still in her stage costume, stood out like a beacon among the plain-clothed staff.

For today’s performance, her look was “Dark Fairytale.” Her long black hair was curled into vintage waves and pinned into a classical aristocratic crown. She wore a black-and-purple Gothic court-style tailcoat dress. The corset cinched her waist impossibly thin, while the skirt was puffed out with layers of lace and tulle into a magnificent, doll-like silhouette.

She looked like an exquisite porcelain doll from a haunted castle—something one would want to steal away and keep as a private treasure. Yan Shi lowered his eyes, his ears burning. He felt ashamed for even thinking such a thing.

He saw her talking to Zhang Jing and Xu You. As he approached, Xu You perked up.

“Oh right! You too!” Xu You looked at Yan Shi. “I did some digging. Are you really signing with Sister’s company?”

“I’m not ‘going’ to sign. I already have,” Yan Shi replied succinctly.

“You rascal!” Xu You playfully punched his shoulder. “Origin Point invited you to sign and you refused, all so you could throw yourself into Sister’s embrace!”

“Hey, don’t bully my company’s artist,” Zhong Yan tsked at Xu You, stepping in front of Yan Shi to shield him.

Yan Shi froze, staring at her hand near his chest. He knew Xu You was joking—the punch hadn’t been hard, and Zhong Yan’s slender arm couldn’t truly shield his tall frame—yet he felt a strange, budding sense of joy at being “favored.”

Xu You’s face shifted instantly from fierce to “pitiful puppy.” “Sister… you’re scolding me for another man? Am I no longer your favorite younger brother?”

Zhong Yan rubbed her chin, looking at Xu You with a playful glint. “Then how about this: quit Origin Point and throw yourself into my embrace too? I don’t mind having one on each side.”

The three men stared at her. Zhang Jing was shocked, Yan Shi was blushing, and Xu You’s eyes lit up. “Hey! That’s a great idea! Let me consider it seriously.”

Zhang Jing shook his head with a wry smile. These two—one loved to be a brat, the other loved to play along. They were two peas in a pod. He looked at the quiet, reserved Yan Shi, whose face was as red as if he had a fever.

To change the subject, Zhang Jing asked, “Teacher Zhong, when do you plan to announce Yan Shi’s signing?”

“After the finale, along with the news of the debut group’s management.”

Xu You grinned. “Wow, Sister is going for a total bombshell debut?”

Zhong Yan didn’t speak, her smile serene. She was in a great mood. The third performance was over, and the Best Girls journey was nearing its end. In two weeks, it would be the Debut Night. Her grand plan of several years was about to bear fruit.

Xu You was happy too. Since Zhong Yan had her own company and the management rights, she would never have to bow her head under Dingming’s roof again. “Haha! Now Dingming can’t steal you from me! I noticed that CEO Lu didn’t even show up today. The whole world is finally quiet!”

As he spoke, Yan Shi’s expression shifted slightly. It was indeed a good thing the man hadn’t come. He glanced at Zhong Yan, but her expression didn’t change at the mention of the name. He wondered if her private affairs had been settled.

Suddenly, a staff member ran up to Zhang Jing, looking frantic. “PD, we have an emergency PR crisis!”

Zhang Jing rubbed his temples. “What now?” He motioned for the others to stay put while he stepped aside. “Tell me over there.”

The staff member didn’t budge. He shot a nervous glance at Zhong Yan. “PD… it’s better if I say it here. The crisis… it’s about Teacher Zhong.”

Everyone’s attention snapped to him. Xu You was the first to speak. “About Sister? What kind of crisis could she possibly have?”

The staff member handed over his phone. They crowded around to see a Trending Topic on the screen. Xu You read it aloud:

“Zhong Yan… Marriage?!”

Xu You stopped abruptly. Yan Shi and Zhang Jing’s faces paled.

“This is clearly rumors and slander. Handle it immediately!” Yan Shi, usually soft-spoken, cut in with uncharacteristic anger.

“Yes, get in touch with the platform and have it taken down. This is ridiculous,” Zhang Jing added.

But Xu You’s voice rose in a shocked pitch as he scrolled down. “With Dingming? Lu Tingshen? An engagement?!”

Yan Shi froze. Memories of past encounters flashed through his mind, forming a terrifying connection. He snatched the phone from Xu You. The top-voted post from a marketing account read:

“Famous author ‘Zhong Yan’—who is also the top-ranking contestant in ‘Best Girls’—is reportedly getting married. Her groom? Lu Tingshen, the heir and CEO of the entertainment giant Dingming Group. Reliable sources say Zhong Yan herself comes from a prestigious background as the daughter of the publishing mogul, Wensheng Group, and has been engaged to Lu Tingshen since childhood. A socialite joining a survival show, debuting at Center while becoming a billionaire’s wife. Are you shocked yet?”

Below the text was a photo. The background was a grand ballroom in a luxury hotel. A man and a woman stood by a window. The man’s back was to the camera, but his expensive suit and commanding posture suggested a high status. The woman’s profile was visible. She wore a tailored purple haute couture gown, a luxury clutch in hand, with dazzling jewels at her ears and neck. Every movement exuded the effortless grace of the upper class.

Yan Shi had seen many versions of Zhong Yan, but never this one. This version of her seemed miles away—a “flower on a high peak” that he could never reach.

Zhang Jing looked at Zhong Yan, his mouth agape. “Teacher Zhong… this is fake, right?” If this was true right before the debut night, it was a disaster!

Xu You chimed in, “Yeah, Sister! It’s fake, right?!” Argh, that Dingming jerk is finding new ways to harass her!

Yan Shi didn’t speak. He just stared at her, his dark eyes filled with hidden tension and dread.

Amidst their frantic questioning, the person at the center of the storm remained remarkably calm. She didn’t look surprised; she was simply staring at the photo in the post, deep in thought.

After a moment, Zhong Yan looked up at their varying expressions and said slowly:

“In a certain sense… it’s not exactly fake.”