Transmigrated as the CEO's Top-Tier Stand-in - Chapter 95

Chapter 95

The dinner itself was not particularly eventful—at least, Ji Yu thought so.

The sea breeze was gentle, blowing into the food stalls late at night, carrying a hint of winter’s chill mixed with the salty ocean scent, spreading across the brightly lit restaurant.

It was a normal dining scene, but through the show’s editing, it gained a subtle flavor in the eyes of the audience. For instance, Meng Rendong knew that seafood was mostly cooling (in TCM terms), so she specially ordered a warm, nourishing porridge for Ji Yu. This unexpectedly steered the entire dinner table conversation toward the topic of health and wellness.

“When we were young, we didn’t pay much attention to our health. Now that we’re getting older, sigh… Recently, I’ve been monitoring my dad’s intake of health supplements, and it’s insane.” (Movie Star)

“That’s true. Work in the industry is often irregular. Sometimes all your time is spent rushing between different locations morning, afternoon, and night. If you don’t keep exercising, even completing basic work can feel exhausting.” (Host)

The two older veterans spoke casually about their younger days.

Honestly, very few people at the table could fully enjoy the seafood feast. The older ones worried about high purine levels, while the younger actresses worried about calories, fat, and so on. Ji Yu also had many dietary restrictions due to her medication.

The only one who didn’t really need to worry was Meng Rendong. After all, she didn’t rely on her looks or popularity for a living. As the owner of the Imperial Court, as long as her subordinates continued to generate wealth and she managed the company well, that was enough.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t very interested in the seafood feast.

Instead, she constantly leaned in to quietly ask Ji Yu questions. One moment, she asked if she wanted a drink, mentioning milk or coconut water. The next, she asked if drinking just porridge would make her hungry easily, and if she wanted some other staple food or small snacks.

Meng Rendong was simply accustomed to wanting Ji Yu to have a better appetite and eat more, and she didn’t think her words would cause any issues. Little did she know that the production team edited all her questions into the final cut—in the eyes of the audience, her concern for Ji Yu was far beyond ordinary.

Even very close girlfriends wouldn’t typically keep their eyes entirely on their friend during a meal, constantly asking about their well-being. Throughout the dinner, Meng Rendong barely ate anything herself, focusing solely on Ji Yu. The two seemed to exist in their own small world. Although they listened intently when others spoke, giving respect to the seniors and colleagues, it was clear at a glance that their intimacy was exceptional.

Before long, the topic suddenly drifted toward gossip. This was basically an unspoken script for this variety show—a gathering of people discussing gossip and leisure life topics… whether it was about raising children or the current state of the industry, all meant to foster closeness and generate buzz for the show.

The seniors present who were already married naturally didn’t shy away from talking about relationships. However, the younger people, especially the actresses in the industry, usually avoided topics of romance to prevent affecting their careers. Thus, the production team clearly focused the conversation on them. They knew they were skilled at handling such questions, but what if? What if someone got too enthusiastic and let slip a secret? That would be fantastic!

“I haven’t really thought about relationships… I feel like they affect my career too much.” (Actress 1)

“When I go home for the New Year, my parents do rush me, saying things like, ‘You’re at this age now, if you don’t hurry up, you might not find anyone later…’ At that time, I feel helpless, and I tell them, ‘Mom and Dad, I’ve finally started getting decent scripts. If I start dating, won’t my career fall into a slump before it even reaches its peak?'” (Actress 2)

The answers from the two actresses were within everyone’s expectations. All eyes then turned to Ji Yu and Meng Rendong. After all… their relationship was quite unusual.

Ji Yu and Meng Rendong suddenly became the focal point of the entire table. Sitting at the far end of the long table, they didn’t seem flustered. Ji Yu put down her spoon, pondered for a moment, and said seriously:

“Before, I didn’t have the luxury of thinking about ‘dating.’ Back then, I mostly thought about whether I would fall behind my friends if I didn’t perform this dance well, or if I would be eliminated soon…”

Everyone present knew about the dark period trainees go through before debut and nodded in agreement. The seniors, however, chuckled and teased:

“What about now?”

“Oh, now you’ve debuted. Is it even more off-limits to think about it? After all, fans nowadays have pretty strict demands on idols.”

“What if you weren’t an idol? Would you date now?”

The seniors took turns teasing. Even the two contemporary actresses looked at her with slight smiles. After all, everyone in the industry knew that an idol’s career relies on fans. While an actor dating or marrying might slightly impact their career, an idol’s relationship is a nuclear-level destructive blow to her career development.

Ji Yu smiled along with them. Then, she looked down at the porridge in her bowl, paused for two seconds, and continued: “If I weren’t an idol… it probably wouldn’t be very smooth either. I feel like I lack the capacity to love.”

“I probably am not suitable for dating because I’m afraid I would hurt the other person.”

This answer surprised everyone. Even the viewers watching the show later were quite taken aback. They expected to hear Ji Yu submitting to parental arrangements, pursuing blind dates, or Ji Yu being career-focused and uninterested in dating. They never expected to hear Ji Yu express fear of hurting a lover.

Why?

“Why do I feel like our Yu Zong has a heavy story?”

“Although I strongly disapprove of idols dating, emmm, I don’t know why, ever since the reality show, Ji Yu’s state has worried me. Something feels off.”

“Ji Bao, why would you think that! I’m not afraid of being hurt! Come date me!”

“All you people trying to steal my wife get out! Because of your comments, Ji Yu has been coaxing me for a long time next to me.”

“Why does she feel she lacks the capacity to love? I don’t know why, but hearing that makes my heart ache for her… Did Ji Yu go through some bad experience?”

While the comments section was filled with intense confusion, it was Meng Rendong’s turn to answer the question on the show.

The smile on Meng Rendong’s lips faded slightly. She heard the industry veteran ask her: “President Meng must be different from us. You don’t have to worry about public opinion and can freely marry, right?”

Meng Rendong’s expression was calm. Although she still wore a polite smile, it felt like the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Fortunately, they were on a show, and the camera angle wasn’t perfectly clear. They only heard her casually mention:

“Someone on Weibo dug up the type of person I like before.”

Her voluntarily bringing up her own romantic gossip surprised everyone. At the time, it was the peak of Ji Yu’s survival show popularity. The hot search stayed up for a long time, and few people were unaware of it.

After saying this, Meng Rendong didn’t wait to see how much the people present knew about the story. She paused, then continued on her own: “Actually, I think I’m the type who would have had a high chance of having an early relationship.”

“I used to like someone. Later, due to some accident, we separated. Since then, I’ve always hoped for a reunion with them.”

“I believe I won’t be with anyone else in this lifetime.”

When these words landed, the table echoed with gasps: “Wow.”

“Wow!”

“Unexpectedly pure…”

Modern society seemed to no longer advocate for such pure emotions. Many people feel proud of their extensive experience on social media and secretly look down on those who ‘hang onto one tree,’ thinking they are foolish. How long has it been since someone expressed their feelings so openly in public?

Everyone present was a veteran of the glitzy entertainment industry, having seen countless genuine and fake emotions. That’s why they were so surprised by Meng Rendong’s words on the show. In their understanding, statements like “I will only love one person my whole life” or “I will only love them” could only be spoken by children. Only children would be so naive as to believe the person they pursue will be with them for life.

Even the audience in the comments section was shocked.

“??? Dominant CEO with a pure heart?”

“Damn, why do I suddenly feel like she’s kind of foolish?”

“Do you believe it? I certainly don’t.”

“I feel like this persona she’s building is fake.”

Meng Rendong, however, didn’t care what impression she left. She calmly continued to dismantle the crab legs on her plate until someone at the table asked again: “Then, President Meng, have you ever considered what if the person you like doesn’t end up with you?”

Meng Rendong restrained the urge to look at Ji Yu. She knew that a single glance from her now would let everyone know that Ji Yu was the person she liked, which would essentially be a public declaration. So, she held back repeatedly, answering as calmly as possible:

“Of course, that situation could happen.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ji Yu’s fingertips clutching the spoon tighten. Her fair skin was dazzling, but the question was addressed to her. Why was Ji Yu so nervous?

The curve of Meng Rendong’s lips lifted slightly before she continued: “But for me, as long as she can return to my world, just watching her like this is already satisfying.”

“Whether we can date, the initiative isn’t in my hands.”

Ji Yu’s heart skipped a beat at the latter half of her sentence. She felt as if… Meng Rendong was confessing to her in public.

Her earlobes involuntarily flushed, thankfully hidden by her hair. Just then, an actress next to them, perhaps unknowingly, added fuel to the fire:

“What if the person President Meng likes is the type who feels they lack the courage to love, just like Ji Yu? Would you actively pursue her?”

Comments: “!!!!”

“What does she mean by that!”

“Is this show trying to stir up trouble?”

“Holy cow, holy cow, holy cow! Doesn’t she know Ji Yu and Meng Rendong are no longer involved?!”

“She has zero emotional intelligence! Why is she so gossipy?”

“Ah ah ah ah ah, please leave our Yu Zong alone! She just debuted! She doesn’t want to date or create hype, thank you!”

As the episode reached this point, everyone, both on and off-screen, was holding their breath nervously. Meng Rendong thought her turn was over and didn’t expect such a sudden and critical question. She subconsciously raised her eyes, meeting Ji Yu’s gaze simultaneously.

Their eyes locked for less than a second. Meng Rendong was the first to look away, afraid that if she spoke while looking into Ji Yu’s eyes, her unconscious emotions would spill out.

She thought her answer was nonchalant:

“I will give her courage.”

“So she won’t feel afraid or retreat because of loving me.”

But the moment the words left her mouth—Ji Yu heard her heart, which simply refused to calm down, beating fast: thump, thump.

Two hours after this episode aired.

#MengRendongConfessestoFirstLoveAgain#

#MengRendongJiYuCourage#

Related topics once again soared up the hot searches. Ji Yu’s fans were furious and rushed to clear the news feeds, only to find that the show had directly released two more episodes. The more explosive content from the second episode was immediately pushed up:

#JiYuRetirementfromtheIndustry#

All the fans: “!!!!!!”

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