What's Wrong with Spoiling You? [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 48

Tan Yun wasn’t good at lying to her face, but she didn’t know how to respond either. “Yun Bo, where do you work?”

Her fingers tracing the wine glass paused slightly as Yun Bo pulled Tan Yun into her lap with one arm. “Who did you meet today?”

Tan Yun hung her head, her heart a mess of emotions. She feared that speaking the truth would sever their relationship completely, yet staying silent would only deepen the misunderstanding.

“No one.”

“No one?” Yun Bo studied her sullen expression—this clearly wasn’t a “no one” situation. She began mentally eliminating possibilities.

Gu Yuan? Currently hospitalized for cosmetic surgery recovery—impossible.

Mi Nuan? Highly likely. She was undoubtedly involved in this plagiarism incident. Was she trying to rekindle old flames with her little fox?

Yun Bo tightened her grip slightly, nuzzling Tan Yun’s cheek with her chin. “What are we now?”

“I… don’t know…” Tan Yun whispered, though in her heart she’d long since claimed Yun Bo as her girlfriend—the woman she’d marry someday.

“Don’t know?” A chill ran through Yun Bo. After all their kisses and intimate touches, with only one final step remaining, now she claims not to know?

Fury rose instantly. Yun Bo pinched Tan Yun’s cheek. “I’m disappointed, Xiao Yun.”

She drew out the name “Xiao Yun” deliberately. Hearing this, Tan Yun’s heart ached with grievance. She pushed Yun Bo away and leapt from her lap. “I’m going to shower.”

Rubbing her chest where she’d been pushed, Yun Bo watched her retreating back in confusion.

Clearly some misunderstanding had occurred. She followed and knocked on the bathroom door, first listening carefully before speaking in measured tones. “Xiao Yun, what’s wrong?”

Yun Bo could tell—something must have been misinterpreted. Normally if Tan Yun encountered problems outside, she’d come crying to her. This silent treatment and physical rejection meant the misunderstanding must be serious.

She knocked again. “Xiao Yun, if I keep things from you, it’s only to protect you from being hurt.”

Inside, Tan Yun wasn’t showering but standing facing the wall, toes pressed against the tiles.

She kicked the wall lightly, berating herself in whispers. “You take advantage of her affection to act recklessly, don’t you? Keep this up and someday when she stops loving you, you’ll regret it bitterly!”

Outside, Yun Bo couldn’t hear these words. She kept knocking, fearing this rift might become permanent. “Xiao Yun, let’s talk this out properly. Whatever misunderstanding there is, we’ll resolve it together.”

Tan Yun heard every word clearly. She stared at her palm for a long moment before suddenly slapping it against the wall—the sharp crack unmistakable.

Yun Bo froze momentarily before pounding on the door urgently. “What are you doing in there?”

Hearing the panic in Yun Bo’s voice, Tan Yun—never one to take tantrums too far—quickly opened the door. “I’m fine!”

Yun Bo’s expression turned grave. She seized Tan Yun’s wrist, inspecting the reddened palm silently before leading her wordlessly to the bedroom, where she sat on the edge of the bed massaging the injured hand.

After a long while, she finally suppressed the emotions on her face and asked, “Did you meet someone today or hear something unpleasant?”

“No, I was just in a bad mood. You know how it gets when… that time comes. I get really irritable.” Tan Yun avoided her gaze, hiding the truth. “I had nowhere to vent when I got back, and you always spoil me so much, so I just…”

“Alright, enough.” Yun Bo enveloped Tan Yun’s hand in her own. “You can take out all your anger on me, but I have one condition.”

“Hmm?” Tan Yun looked up at her. “What condition?”

Yun Bo sighed, her eyes filled with tenderness. “You mustn’t hurt yourself in the process, understand?”

“Yun Bo…” Tan Yun was relieved she hadn’t mentioned what happened earlier. If she had voiced her suspicions, it would have broken Yun Bo’s heart.

She nestled into Yun Bo’s lap and pointed to her own chest. “Yun Bo, push me away. It’ll make me feel better.”

Yun Bo tapped her nose playfully. “You little minx. If you feel better, how would that make me feel?”

“Then what should I do?” Tan Yun couldn’t shake the guilt over her earlier outburst.

Yun Bo, ever the problem-solver, had a way to ease her remorse. “I’m hungry.”

“Huh?”

“Not willing?” Yun Bo traced a circle over Tan Yun’s chest. “My heart aches so much. Is this the aftermath of being pushed away?”

Her tone was dripping with exaggerated grievance, making Tan Yun’s face burn crimson.

Yun Bo pressed further, testing her limits. “It’s been two days. How are the flowers blooming?”

Flowers? Flowers! Flowers…

The word turned Tan Yun’s mind to mush. “They’re… blooming fine…”

“Really? Then I’ll inspect them.” She bent her knee slightly. “Can you rub them yourself?”

Blushing, Tan Yun nodded, only for her hand to be firmly trapped.

Yun Bo said with mock seriousness, “Scratch my itch for me.”

……

……

Yun Bo hadn’t anticipated the plagiarism scandal earlier, and her schedule was packed with a full day of filming.

She had already negotiated with the director to reschedule today’s shoot, freeing up three hours to accompany Tan Yun and resolve this matter once and for all.

Three hours—for her, it was more than enough.

With Yun Bo by her side, Tan Yun felt somewhat reassured, though worry still gnawed at her. She knew Gu Yuan had powerful connections.

This confrontation would be livestreamed, with several judges and guest adjudicators announcing their verdict to determine who would advance in the competition.

The one found guilty of plagiarism would be blacklisted indefinitely.

Though Gu Yuan was still recovering, this was a pivotal moment for both their careers. Even if she was confident of victory, she wouldn’t pass up any chance to humiliate Tan Yun.

She arrived early, sitting in the audience with a hat and mask, only her eyes visible.

Once the judges were seated, she swiftly took center stage, facing the cameras head-on.

The livestream hadn’t begun yet, but once it went live, she knew the online audience would rally behind her—she was playing the sympathy card.

Tan Yun had always believed that the innocent need not prove their innocence, so she saw no need for unnecessary actions. She only stepped onto the center stage after Gu Yuan had gone up first.

For the past two days, Yun Bo had deliberately kept her from checking the online backlash. She guessed that once the live broadcast started, there would be no shortage of people cursing her.

The judges were each organizing the documents on their desks. Once they were ready, a woman in a black evening gown walked in from the side door and took a seat beside the head judge.

Gu Yuan’s eyes lit up, her voice hushed but brimming with smugness, “See that woman in the black gown? That’s Nie Qingjun, an internationally renowned fashion designer.”

Tan Yun had also noticed the woman in black. She had seen her in magazines before—her slightly pointed chin, the stray lock of hair always clinging to her right temple.

Nie Qingjun noticed her too, struck by an inexplicable sense of familiarity. She turned to the head judge beside her and said, “Let me see her file.”

The head judge immediately handed over a copy of the documents, adding with absolute certainty, “She’s the one who plagiarized.”

Nie Qingjun’s movements paused briefly at those words before she murmured something ambiguous, “Perhaps it’s not her.”

On stage, Gu Yuan was still gloating in a low whisper, “She’s a friend of mine.”

“Your friend?” Tan Yun was puzzled, never expecting her to have such an influential connection. “Then she probably isn’t a good person either.”

“You—!” Gu Yuan snapped furiously. “Just so you know, I’ve already won this competition.”

Tan Yun’s heart grew heavier. If this woman chose to help Gu Yuan, she would lose for sure—without even a chance to turn things around.

Seeing the growing distress on Tan Yun’s face, Gu Yuan felt immense satisfaction, her injuries no longer aching. “After this competition, I’ll have my lawyer sue you. I won’t let you get away with hiring someone to attack me.”

Tan Yun glanced gloomily at Nie Qingjun again, just as Nie Qingjun happened to look back. Their eyes met.

Nie Qingjun gripped the corner of the documents tightly, her expression uncertain.

The head judge chatted warmly with her, “I heard you’re good friends with Miss Gu. Honestly, I admire her—she’s very talented.”

Nie Qingjun seemed not to hear her, lightly tapping the table. “Who came with her today?”

The head judge assumed she was asking about Gu Yuan on stage and replied, “Miss Gu arrived with a friend.”

“I wasn’t asking about her.” Nie Qingjun vaguely remembered seeing Tan Yun at a mall before—back then, she had been with someone else, the contemporary superstar Yun Duan.

If her guess was right, that person must have come with her today.

The head judge glanced at the two on stage. If it wasn’t Gu Yuan, then it had to be Tan Yun.

“What’s the matter?” the head judge asked.

“Invite them to the audience seats,” Nie Qingjun said, wanting only to confirm her suspicion.

The head judge gave her a puzzled look before suddenly understanding. Even harsher than me—so ruthless. She wants to humiliate her in front of her own friends and family. Tsk tsk…