What's Wrong with Spoiling You? [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 49

Although the head judge thought so in her mind, she still followed through with the instructions and said to the staff, “When the live broadcast starts later, please escort Tan Yun’s support group to the audience seats.”

 

The staff member asked again, “Only Tan Yun’s support group?”

 

The head judge glanced at Nie Qingjun and inquired, “Should we invite Miss Gu’s support group as well?”

 

Nie Qingjun only wanted to confirm her suspicions but couldn’t show favoritism toward anyone, so she replied, “Invite them as well.”

 

The staff went straight to the waiting area and escorted them to the audience seats. Considering Yun Bo’s identity, Cheng Xiaoai couldn’t help but ask, “Will there be any negative consequences if you appear on screen now?”

 

Yun Bo couldn’t back down at this moment. If she did, the internet would only say Tan Yun’s support group lacked confidence.

 

She replied, “There shouldn’t be any immediate repercussions.”

 

Her current appearance was vastly different from her former self as the superstar Yun Duan. Unless someone was very close to her, most wouldn’t recognize her as the same person.

 

Of course, that didn’t rule out eagle-eyed netizens or her most devoted fans.

 

The staff led them through a side door to the main venue. The two support groups came face to face, and just as she had imagined, Gu Yuan and Mi Nuan were indeed in cahoots.

 

Yun Bo’s gaze only briefly swept over them. Dealing with Mi Nuan wouldn’t take much of her time or energy, but the woman sitting beside the head judge was another matter.

 

Two powerful auras clashed in the air. Yun Bo wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with her—they had met once before in a shopping mall.

 

But she hadn’t expected her to be Nie Qingjun. If that was the case, her relationship with Gu Yuan on stage must be quite close.

 

Gu Yuan’s eyes darted around, brimming with scheming intent. “Do you know what I wanted to tell you at the hotel? I might as well tell you today.”

 

Her hat was pulled low, trying to crush Tan Yun’s confidence before the live broadcast began. “That woman has been kept by countless men. I have plenty of photos of her entering various hotels with different men. Would you like to see them?”

 

“Shut up!” Tan Yun snapped.

 

Gu Yuan was pleased with her reaction. “Don’t think I’m slandering her. I can tell you plainly—ever since she splashed juice on me that time, I’ve had someone follow her every day.”

 

“Don’t go too far, or I won’t let you off the hook,” Tan Yun said through gritted teeth, her fists clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms. She wouldn’t allow anyone to slander her beloved.

 

“That’s all I have to say. If you’re interested, I can send you the photos.” Gu Yuan could already picture Tan Yun’s devastation after losing the competition and suffering this emotional blow.

 

If her face weren’t too disfigured to show, she would have burst into unrestrained laughter.

 

Tan Yun struggled to control her emotions, refusing to act rashly. “Do you really think I’d believe a word you say?”

 

“Believe it or not, suit yourself.” Gu Yuan sighed sympathetically, clicking her tongue twice. “Didn’t you find her attitude that day suspicious? Trying to strangle me over a single photo – doesn’t that strike you as strange?”

 

Tan Yun had personally witnessed Yun Bo grabbing Gu Yuan’s neck, though she later chose to believe Yun Bo’s explanation and the incident faded from memory. Now that Gu Yuan brought it up again, doubts began creeping in.

 

Gu Yuan delivered another blow: “You still don’t even know where she works, do you?”

 

Tan Yun gritted her teeth, struggling to control her emotions while silently reminding herself not to doubt her beloved over a few words from Gu Yuan.

 

“That’s none of your business.”

 

As the judging panel prepared, the host took the stage for opening remarks. Tan Yun couldn’t process any of it, her gaze lifting to find Yun Bo in the audience seats.

 

Seeing the storm of questions in Tan Yun’s eyes, Yun Bo silently mouthed: “Be good, don’t overthink. I’ve got this.”

 

Yun Bo had worked tirelessly online these past two days. When the livestream began, there were surprisingly few hateful comments – it seemed everyone was calmly awaiting the results.

 

The host asked, “Before announcing the results, I’d like to ask both contestants about your design inspiration.”

 

The camera turned to Tan Yun, who answered without embellishment: “This outfit was made for the person I love most. I simply adore seeing her proudly wear my creations everywhere.”

 

Yun Bo’s lips curved slightly, as if saying, “You’ve always been my pride.”

 

The host smiled. “We heard Miss Gu sustained facial injuries but still persevered to compete – truly moving!”

 

Gu Yuan, whose design was plagiarized, grandiosely declared: “My inspiration comes from every girl who loves beauty. I’ve always dreamed of creating clothes that help all women face life with confidence.”

 

Her statement fell painfully flat. Nie Qingjun’s eyebrow twitched involuntarily.

 

Only the head judge stood applauding, gazing at Gu Yuan with admiration.

 

“After days of deliberation with our panel and special guest fashion designer Ms. Nie, we’ve conducted thorough analysis of both contestants’ designs regarding silhouette, style, and technique.”

 

Reading from her notes, she continued:

 

“We’ve found similarities yet distinct differences between Miss Gu and Miss Tan’s works. For instance, Miss Gu employs the Ruyi Collar while Miss Tan uses the Pipa Collar. Considering the overall design, Miss Tan’s collar appears rather awkward.”

 

Gu Yuan lifted her chin triumphantly, but her brief moment of pride vanished as she saw the barrage of comments:

 

—WTF are they blind? How is the Pipa Collar awkward? It’s a classic short qipao style – are these real judges?

 

—After seeing online comparisons these past days, I’m Team Tan Yun. This head judge is full of shit – blatant lies!

 

—Seriously, what’s awkward about the Pipa Collar? Judges must be playing games.

 

The head judge’s remarks carried obvious bias, each so-called piece of evidence strained beyond reason.

 

“Ms. Tan’s cheongsam is overly ornate, with clashing colors and chaotic, disorganized patterns. The embroidery is crude.”

 

The moment these words were spoken, the live chat exploded.

 

—Seriously, sis, are you fucking kidding me? This piece only uses a few pastel-colored floral patterns—where’s the clash? Don’t just gloss over it—explain yourself!

 

—Am I the only one who thinks this description actually fits Gu Yuan’s work?

 

—Crude embroidery? Sorry, but I genuinely can’t see it.

 

After hearing this critique, Tan Yun knew the judges hadn’t properly examined her work—or worse, they had but were deliberately lying, just as netizens suspected.

 

Gu Yuan, who’d been monitoring online reactions, had expected them to dump all the blame on Tan Yun as before. Now that the accusations were turning against her, she couldn’t hide her unease.

 

Tan Yun found some solace in the fact that the anticipated smear campaign hadn’t materialized. She glanced gratefully at Yun Bo in the audience. Cheng Xiaoai had told her how Yun Bo had been working tirelessly behind the scenes to expose the truth online—clearly, her efforts had paid off, making netizens recognize the real plagiarist.

 

The head judge, who’d assumed today would unfold like previous sessions, trembled as she spoke. Her notes were hastily prepared, banking on the panel’s ignorance.

 

“Therefore, our judging panel unanimously believes Ms. Tan excessively referenced Ms. Gu’s—”

 

Before she could finish, every judge beside her hit their rejection buttons in succession. The head judge froze.

 

Her panicked gaze darted to Nie Qingjun, a seasoned veteran who’d witnessed countless such scenes. There was no way Nie would bail her out now.

 

Setting down her pen, Nie Qingjun easily deduced Yun Bo’s hand in this retaliation for Tan Yun. Aligning with the head judge would mean sinking into quicksand. Rising to her feet, Nie declared sternly, “Today’s incident is far more serious than mere misplaced notes.”

 

Snatching the materials from the head judge, she tore them apart with icy fury. “I demand a proper explanation.”

 

The head judge and Gu Yuan onstage were stunned—especially Gu, who nearly bolted from the platform. This wasn’t the script they’d agreed on! Hadn’t the judges been prepped to support her? Why were they rebelling now?

 

Nie’s motive for shredding the documents was simple: they bore her signature. These unapproved notes would implicate her if leaked.

 

Realizing the tide had turned, the head judge whispered desperately, “Ms. Nie, surely you—”

 

A thunderous slam of Nie’s palm on the table silenced her. “I expect answers. Now.”

 

The live chat went berserk, targeting the head judge and Gu Yuan:

 

—Holy shit! This woman’s running a dictatorship?!

 

—Team Nie all the way! Knew there was more to this—truth wins!

 

Meanwhile, those who’d sided with Gu Yuan found themselves eating crow.

 

—Damn it, serves you right for getting disfigured! Why don’t you just die, you plagiarizing bitch? Ahhh!

 

—The plagiarism dog is playing the victim. How many people have you slept with?

 

—Weren’t you so full of yourself before, head judge? Throwing shade left and right—weren’t you having a grand time? How much did the plagiarism dog pay you to risk your neck like this?

 

Gu Yuan shook her head as she looked at Nie Qingjun. “It shouldn’t be like this…”

 

Tan Yun finally let out a sigh of relief. “Now you see, don’t you? I told you plagiarism never ends well.”

 

Gu Yuan snapped, grabbing her collar. “Tell me! How much did you pay them?”

 

Tan Yun wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Get off!”

 

Gu Yuan shoved her hard, then turned to the cameras, screaming hysterically, “I’m the original author! I didn’t plagiarize!”

 

Yun Bo quickly stood up and moved to the side of the stage, afraid Gu Yuan might lash out and hurt Tan Yun.

 

Gu Yuan looked ridiculous, her hat fallen to the ground, but she didn’t even bother picking it up. Instead, she rushed off the stage straight toward Nie Qingjun.

 

“Qingjun, did they get something wrong?”

 

Seeing her on the verge of a breakdown, Nie Qingjun feared she might say something she shouldn’t. She glanced at the security nearby, signaling them to drag Gu Yuan away.

 

Gu Yuan grabbed her hand. “Qingjun, didn’t you say you’d help me?”

 

Her voice was low, trembling with panic.

 

Nie Qingjun had only offered help because Gu Yuan still had some use—but now? Not only was she useless, she might even drag Nie down with her.

 

She yanked her hand back sharply and scolded, “Miss Gu, if you’ve done wrong, you must take responsibility for your actions.”

 

Netizens quickly picked up on their connection and started digging deeper.

 

—This woman was so smug earlier, probably thinking Nie would back her up. Too bad Nie stayed out of the judging to avoid suspicion.

 

—I don’t believe their relationship is that simple. Nie Qingjun probably wanted to help the plagiarism dog, but now that things have turned, she’s just saving herself.

 

Nie Qingjun bit her lip. “I wanted to give you a chance to admit your mistake on your own. I never thought you’d go this far—bribing the judges!”

 

“That’s not true!” Gu Yuan shrieked. She tore off her mask, revealing a disfigured face—her nose collapsed beyond recognition, her eyes bulging like a ghost crawling out of the screen.

 

She spun toward the cameras and screamed, “Don’t listen to her lies! She’s the one who promised to help me! I didn’t plagiarize—I don’t need to admit anything!”

 

This was all her own doing. Tan Yun felt no guilt—just the satisfaction of karma. Serves her right!

 

Gu Yuan completely lost control. Her gaze shifted from the cameras to Tan Yun, and she lunged at her like a madwoman.

 

Yun Bo moved just as fast, kicking her aside.

 

Tan Yun had been about to run offstage. Still shaken, she looked up from Yun Bo’s arms. “Are you hurt?”

 

The moment Yun Bo acted, instinct had taken over—and the cameras caught it all.

 

Netizens cheered, praising her for doing the right thing.

 

Yun Bo had kicked with full force. Gu Yuan lay on the ground, groaning in pain, unable to get up. But she still managed to snarl, “I won’t let you get away with this!”

 

This farce was being live-streamed online, putting immense pressure on the organizers, as it indirectly affected the reputations of several investors.

 

Yun Bo adjusted her angle to avoid the cameras. “Let’s get off stage first.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai was waiting for them below, casting a worried glance at Yun Bo, unsure how this would affect her.

 

Tan Yun took the warm water handed to her and said, “Finally, my innocence is restored.”

 

Yun Bo wrapped an arm around her waist, smoothing the stray hairs by her ear with a smile. “No, this isn’t over yet.”

 

“Hmm?” Tan Yun screwed the cap back on the bottle. “What else is left unresolved?”

 

“She still hasn’t answered for stealing your work before.” Of course, that wasn’t the only thing. Yun Bo was the type to keep accounts meticulously, ensuring every debt was repaid in full.

 

The staff below had already called for an ambulance to prevent her emotional outburst from harming others.

 

The head judge was still processing what had just happened. When she finally snapped out of it, she grabbed Nie Qingjun, begging for help.

 

Nie Qingjun shoved her away, her expression dark with warning. “You’d better keep your mouth shut from now on, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

 

The head judge had only falsified the evidence under her orders. Now that Nie Qingjun was abandoning her, panic set in. She chased after her, pleading, “Senior Nie, this wasn’t part of our agreement!”

 

Cheng Xiaoai watched Nie Qingjun walk past, stifling laughter at her constipated expression.

 

“That ‘crude embroidery’ you criticized—do you even know who made it? Zhou Huixiu, Master Zhou!” She pointed to where Mi Nuan had been sitting earlier. “Her apprentice was right there moments ago. She’s probably reporting this to her teacher right now.”

 

The head judge’s vision darkened. Zhou Huixiu? A legendary figure in the embroidery world. And she’d called the work “crude”—directly insulting the master’s craftsmanship.

 

Nie Qingjun hadn’t expected them to have connections to such an embroidery master. Had she known, she would never have helped Gu Yuan.

 

Forcing a smile, she replied, “I’ll personally apologize to her. Thank you for the reminder.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai waved her off. “Don’t thank me. I can’t handle your gratitude.”

 

Earlier on stage, Gu Yuan had smugly told Tan Yun that Nie Qingjun was her good friend. Cheng Xiaoai had assumed Nie Qingjun would side with Gu Yuan, but she’d only protected herself. Her impression of Nie Qingjun soured further.

 

“Senior Nie, I used to admire your work,” Tan Yun said politely. “But you’ve truly disappointed us. Someone like Gu Yuan—you shouldn’t have helped her.”

 

Nie Qingjun’s face stiffened. “I didn’t choose to help her. I genuinely appreciate your work.”

 

“Who needs your appreciation? We can’t stomach the kind of ‘appreciation’ you people offer.” Cheng Xiaoai’s words carried a sharp edge, implying their so-called appreciation was just plagiarism.

 

Nie Qingjun’s face turned ashen, rendered speechless.

 

“I think there must be some misunderstanding between us.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai raised an eyebrow. “Misunderstanding? This is fact!”

 

Nie Qingjun retorted, “Miss, there’s no need to be so aggressive.”

 

Tan Yun tugged at Cheng Xiaoai and said, “Let’s head back first. The results are out anyway.”