The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 5

Outside the studio, silence returned to the corridor after the Dingming Entertainment group departed.

Zhong Yan had already entered the room. The other girls, assuming she would be out quickly, began adjusting their makeup and posture, preparing for their own turns. However, the peace lasted less than two minutes before a sudden commotion nearby broke their concentration.

“Producer Zhang, Zhong Yan should be right over here, shooting her promotional photos.”

“Good, good. Let’s hurry over.”

As the voices drew closer, the girls turned to see staff members leading the show’s producer, Zhang Jing, toward them at a brisk pace. Behind them followed a handsome stranger who appeared to be around the same age as the trainees.

The girls began to whisper among themselves.

“What’s going on? Why is Producer Zhang here in person?”

As the head of the entire production, the Producer only appeared for major events. A simple promotional photo shoot didn’t require the “Big Boss” to personally oversee it.

“I don’t know. Who’s that guy behind him? He’s so handsome! Is he an idol? A guest?”

“I don’t think so. The guests are already set—besides Yan Shi and Yu Junran, there are no other male stars. I’ve never seen this guy before; he’s probably not a celebrity.”

As they spoke, Zhang Jing’s group reached the studio door. The girls silenced their whispers and quickly bowed to greet the Producer.

Zhang Jing nodded absentmindedly, scanning the line. When he didn’t see Zhong Yan, he asked, “Where is Zhong Yan?”

The girls froze. Mimi was the first to realize he was looking for the independent trainee from earlier. She pointed toward the studio. “She’s inside.”

A smile broke across Zhang Jing’s face, one he couldn’t hide. The girls were secretly stunned. What could possibly make the Producer this excited? Isn’t Zhong Yan just a ‘Triple-No’ contestant?

At that moment, the door opened.

“Thank you, teachers. I appreciate your hard work.”

Zhong Yan stepped away from the backdrop. After thanking the photographers, she prepared to leave, but the door was pushed open from the outside before she could reach it.

She blinked in surprise at the crowd gathered at the entrance, led by Zhang Jing.

“Teacher Zhong! What a pleasure to finally meet you!”

Zhang Jing was beaming, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. “My dear, why didn’t you let us know beforehand? I had no idea you were participating in the show! I haven’t been able to host you properly!”

As he spoke, the girls in the corridor gasped.

What kind of “big shot” could make a Producer use such a respectful tone? Even a “Center” favorite like Tian Jingyu from Dingming wouldn’t receive this kind of treatment.

They looked at Zhong Yan again, their attitudes performing a total 180-degree turn. Some wondered what kind of “Hidden Royalty” she was. Others were already regretting not being more friendly earlier—they had missed the chance to start a friendship with a VIP!

“Yes, Teacher Zhong, you’re being far too distant. You even kept me in the dark.”

Xu You peeked out from behind Zhang Jing.

Zhong Yan had been momentarily stunned by Zhang Jing’s sudden warmth, but the moment she saw Xu You’s smirking face, it all clicked. In this world, the only person who knew that “Zhong Yan” was actually the famous author “Zhong Yan” (using a homophonic pseudonym) was Xu You.

Sensing the weight of the curious and intense gazes from the girls in the hallway and the staff in the studio, Zhong Yan realized she was at risk of her “identity being exposed” (falling off her horse).

She offered Zhang Jing a polite smile. “Producer Zhang, you are too kind. I was actually looking for a chance to thank you properly for giving me the opportunity to compete.” She purposefully glanced at the long line in the corridor and added, “Everyone is still waiting for their shoot. Why don’t we go somewhere else to chat?”

Zhang Jing caught her drift immediately. He realized his excitement had made him careless. If Zhong Yan hadn’t disclosed her identity as a famous writer on the application, she clearly had her own plans.

“Right, right. We shouldn’t hold everyone up.”

Remembering the shoot, Zhang Jing looked at the staff and then back at Zhong Yan. “Teacher Zhong, you’ve finished your shoot, right? How was it? Are you satisfied? If there’s anything you want to adjust, just tell the photographers!”

The photographers’ hearts skipped a beat. They remembered that while the Dingming trainees had taken over an hour, Zhong Yan’s shoot was over in five minutes. Because they hadn’t known she was a VIP, they had rushed through to stay on schedule. To be fair, Zhong Yan was a natural in front of the camera, so the shots were successful and quick.

However, with Zhang Jing asking like that, they worried she’d be unhappy about the “one-hour wait for a five-minute shoot” experience. They had seen many “Royalty” contestants before; usually, the stronger the backing, the worse the temper.

The photographer looked at her nervously, but Zhong Yan gave a gentle smile.

“The teachers were very professional and efficient. The photos look great.”

“That’s good to hear.” Zhang Jing turned to the staff with a broad smile. “Everyone has worked hard. Extra drumsticks for dinner tonight! It’s on the house!”

The staff breathed a collective sigh of relief. As they thanked the boss, their opinion of Zhong Yan skyrocketed. They mentally resolved to retouch her photos with extra care to make her look even better.

Zhang Jing was ecstatic. He had been worrying about a lack of fresh buzz for the show, and now a “one-of-a-kind” headline—Best-selling Author Joins Idol Survival Show—had dropped into his lap.

He invited Zhong Yan to a private lounge to discuss their cooperation. Xu You slipped in as well. Given his close relationship with Zhang Jing and his status as Zhong Yan’s only acquaintance, Zhang Jing didn’t stop him.

To call Xu You an “acquaintance” wasn’t entirely accurate. He had first met Zhong Yan three years ago. At the time, he was a newcomer to the industry. Thanks to his mother’s connections, he started much higher than others, becoming a producer at Origin Entertainment at a very young age.

However, the labels of “Young” and “Connected” made him seem unreliable. Many copyright holders had backed out of deals once they saw his college-student face.

Zhong Yan was the only one who had sat down with him and truly connected. Their ideas and visions were perfectly aligned; Xu You felt as if he had found a kindred spirit. Over three years and two successful collaborations, they had become both professional partners and like-minded friends.

The reason for the “acquaintance” uncertainty was that Zhong Yan was incredibly mysterious. While Xu You would occasionally talk about his own life, Zhong Yan never did. She never shared personal information. Even after three years, Xu You knew her name was Zhong Yan, but nothing about her background.

He could have investigated her, but he chose not to. Despite his casual and loose personality, he wasn’t the type to dig behind a friend’s back. If she didn’t want to say, he would respect her privacy. Besides, he enjoyed the mystery.

Like now—Zhong Yan joining an idol survival show? This bizarre turn of events was incredibly entertaining to him.

Zhang Jing was equally curious. After some pleasantries, he asked, “I truly didn’t expect Teacher Zhong to be so young and beautiful! But with your talent and fame, why would you want to participate in an idol show?”

“Because I like it,” Zhong Yan replied with a faint smile. “I love writing, and I love the stage. I believe that as long as you have a passion for it, anyone can try anything.”

Zhang Jing thought to himself: What a perfect ‘official’ answer. “Passion explains everything.” She hadn’t even debuted as an idol yet, but she already mastered the art of “Idol PR.” She was a natural.

“Haha, Teacher Zhong is right.” Zhang Jing didn’t push further. He had more important things on his mind. “However, I heard that you used to be unwilling to show your face in public. Has your mind changed now that you’re on the show?”

He was confused—if she was willing to be on TV, why hide her identity during registration?

He added, “Since this is your first variety show, you might not know: once the program airs, secrets cannot be kept—especially for someone with your level of fame.”

“I understand your confusion, Producer. Previously, for personal reasons, it wasn’t convenient to reveal my identity. But now, my perspective has indeed changed.”

Zhong Yan had kept her identity secret to hide it from the Zhong family. Becoming a best-selling author was the first step in her life plan. If her parents had found out what she was doing before the time was right, she feared they would interfere with her future. Back then, she needed to keep a low profile, build her strength, and make her fortune in silence.

Now, that first step was complete. Best Girls was the second step—and the perfect time to reveal herself.

Zhong Yan said directly, “By joining your show, I fully intend to be open with the public.”

Zhang Jing breathed a massive sigh of relief and became even more delighted. “It is our show’s honor to be the platform for Teacher Zhong’s debut.”

He had been worried that if she refused to cooperate with the marketing, it would be a missed opportunity. Now that she was on board, he could use her as his “trump card” and create massive hype.

“You’re too kind, Producer. However, regarding how we reveal this, I have a small idea.”

“Oh? Please, tell me.” Zhang Jing reigned in his excitement, wondering what her condition would be.

Zhong Yan said, “I didn’t reveal my identity during registration because I didn’t want word to leak too early. I want the audience to get to know me as a trainee objectively first, rather than looking at me through the ‘colored lens’ of being a famous author.”

“Hmm… I see,” Zhang Jing mused. “You want to keep the ‘Zhong Yan’ identity as a suspenseful twist for the broadcast, rather than using it for pre-show promotion.”

Zhong Yan smiled. “From a marketing perspective, you could put it that way.”

Zhang Jing went silent, calculating the potential in his head. Then, he looked up with a brilliant smile.

“Teacher Zhong, you truly are a great writer. That ‘script’ is much more interesting.”