What's Wrong with Spoiling You? [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 50

Tan Yun had already seen through the nature of this competition—there was no fairness to speak of. Even if justice was eventually served for her, there was no point in continuing the competition.

 

Gu Yuan was quickly taken away by the medical staff who arrived in haste. The host hurried onto the stage to diffuse the awkwardness, holding the revised judgment results in his hand. “After careful consideration, our judging panel unanimously agrees that Ms. Tan is the original designer. Now, let us welcome—”

 

The spotlight fell on Tan Yun’s position. She bowed deeply and addressed the camera, “I came to this competition with confidence. The leak of my work was due to my own failure in keeping it confidential. But this judging panel has truly disappointed me, so I’ve decided to withdraw from the competition.”

 

With that, she resolutely walked onto the stage to retrieve her design. The internet instantly erupted with comments.

 

—Respect. I’d quit too. This competition is utterly meaningless, riddled with shady practices that are downright shocking.

 

—Honestly, I feel sorry for the judges. What a waste of talent—losing someone like Tan Yun.

 

—I love this attitude. Fully support your decision to quit. Never watching this kind of live broadcast again. Disgusting.

 

Underhanded tactics could happen anywhere, but this was the first time netizens had witnessed such blatant foul play live. Many expressed their disillusionment with the competition.

 

In the end, Tan Yun politely smiled at the camera before turning to cling to Yun Bo’s arm, apologizing, “I’m sorry, Yun Bo. No trophy for you to show off this time.”

 

Yun Bo ruffled her hair. “You’re my trophy.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai’s lips twitched, and she quickly made herself scarce. “Alright, you two keep being mushy. I can’t take it anymore.”

 

Yun Bo checked her watch. She had to get to the film set within half an hour. “Can you and Cheng Xiaoai take a taxi back?”

 

Tan Yun nodded. “Then hurry to the company. Don’t let this delay your work.”

 

With that, she waved and headed toward Cheng Xiaoai.

 

Yun Bo watched for a moment before driving off toward the studio.

 

Cheng Xiaoai eyed the disappearing car and asked, “Should we follow her?”

 

Tan Yun patted her forehead and shook her head. “I trust her.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai patted her shoulder. “That’s the right attitude, Xiao Yun. It’s rare to find someone who cares about you this much.”

 

“I know!” Tan Yun exhaled in relief. “I doubted her before because I wasn’t confident enough.”

 

As soon as she finished speaking, her phone buzzed.

 

Cheng Xiaoai teased, “Tsk, probably a message from your better half.”

 

Tan Yun nudged her with an elbow, but as she opened the message, her smile froze.

 

“What’s wrong? What happened?” Cheng Xiaoai leaned over to look, and her expression quickly shifted too. “This photo…”

 

Tan Yun stiffened, her pupils dilating in shock.

 

The person in the photo was all too familiar to her.

 

“Who sent this?” Cheng Xiaoai asked cautiously, noticing her pallor.

 

“Gu Yuan.” Tan Yun turned off the screen, her composure returning swiftly. “After everything we’ve been through, if I still don’t trust her, then there’s no point in continuing this relationship.”

 

“Glad you see it that way.” Cheng Xiaoai sighed in relief.

 

In the photo, Yun Bo was seen entering a hotel with one man and leaving with another.

 

Most importantly, it was at night—Gu Yuan’s implication couldn’t have been clearer.

 

Cheng Xiaoai wasn’t sure if she should reveal Yun Bo’s identity now. Although the competition issue had been resolved and she had already withdrawn, announcing their relationship…

 

…after all, it was between two women…

 

Tan Yun slipped her phone into her pocket. She claimed not to care, but ignoring it was easier said than done. She had never asked Yun Bo about her workplace, trusting that if Yun Bo hadn’t mentioned it, there must have been a reason.

 

Cheng Xiaoai called a ride on her phone and patted Tan Yun’s shoulder. “Tan Yun, trust your instincts.”

 

“Yeah!” Tan Yun nodded firmly. She believed Yun Bo was the right person for her.

 

No sooner had the two stepped into the hotel than the company called. Even though this was an individual competition, the company had high hopes for her to win the award.

 

Now that she had unilaterally withdrawn, it would inevitably affect the company to some extent.

 

“It’s the boss,” Cheng Xiaoai hesitated, unsure whether to answer. After all, they had acted impulsively this time.

 

Tan Yun suggested, “Just put it on silent and give a vague ‘mm-hmm’ or two.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai thought it was a decent plan, but just as her finger hovered over the answer button—

 

A booming female voice came through. “Xiaoai, what you guys did was absolutely badass! Hats off—countless hats off!”

 

Cheng Xiaoai hadn’t even had time to mute it. She shot Tan Yun a disbelieving look. “Am I hearing things?”

 

“I… don’t think so?” Tan Yun wasn’t sure either. She had braced herself for a scolding.

 

Hearing no response, the boss paused. “What, I’m praising you, and you’re not happy about it?”

 

“No, no…” Cheng Xiaoai quickly explained. “It’s just… first time being praised like this. A bit overwhelming.”

 

Most of the company had watched the live streams over the past two days. Everyone knew who the real plagiarist was—but they also knew how powerful Gu Yuan’s connections were. No one had expected them to come out on top.

 

Tan Yun leaned in and asked, “What’s the higher-ups’ stance?”

 

“This was your personal competition—what does it have to do with the company?” The boss admired her bold withdrawal, finding it incredibly cool and fearless.

 

Hearing that, Tan Yun relaxed. “Boss, can we take a day off?”

 

“Granted! Hell, take two!” Seeing her thoroughly humiliate Gu Yuan had been immensely satisfying.

 

Cheng Xiaoai blew a kiss through the screen. “Boss, I hope your blind date goes well this time.”

 

“Alright, go enjoy yourselves!”

 

After hanging up, Cheng Xiaoai clicked her tongue in amusement. “Honestly, the boss is way more reasonable than I thought.”

 

Tan Yun nodded in agreement. “How about we go on a trip these next two days?”

 

“Sure! Invite your beauty—see if she’s free to join us.”

 

“Deal!”

 

As the two were heading toward the elevator, a woman wearing sunglasses approached and greeted them, “I wonder if you two have a moment. I’d like to invite you for coffee.”

 

“You! You’re… that…” Cheng Xiaoai stared at the woman uncertainly.

 

“Yes, it’s me.” Yun Chu lowered her sunglasses slightly, letting them catch a glimpse before quickly pushing them back up.

 

Tan Yun rarely followed Weibo gossip and naturally didn’t recognize her. Tilting her head, she asked Cheng Xiaoai, “Who is she?”

 

“Your family—” Cheng Xiaoai caught herself mid-sentence and corrected, “She’s Yun Duan’s younger sister, the superstar on Weibo—Yun Chu.”

 

“Yun Chu?” Tan Yun had heard the name before, but that was two years ago. Plus, the glimpse had been too brief, leaving no lasting impression.

 

Online rumors claimed Yun Chu didn’t get along with Yun Duan. Her sudden appearance now must mean she was scheming something. Cheng Xiaoai asked warily, “What do you want with us?”

 

Yun Chu had expected them to be thrilled upon seeing her. Their guarded demeanor left her somewhat disappointed. “I admire Miss Tan’s designs and was wondering if she could create a custom outfit for me.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai, an avid Weibo user, had never liked Yun Chu’s attitude and wasn’t a fan. She quickly guessed Yun Chu’s motive—riding on Tan Yun’s online popularity.

 

Tan Yun, who hadn’t taken a liking to her at first glance, refused outright. “Sorry, I don’t take private commissions.”

 

Yun Chu was taken aback, wondering if she’d misheard. “Miss Tan, do you know who I am?”

 

“Aren’t you Yun Chu?” Tan Yun replied.

 

Yun Chu was even more confused. “If you know who I am—”

 

Tan Yun cut her off. “Company policy prohibits private commissions. If you’re serious about collaborating, you can go through the proper channels.”

 

Most people would jump at the chance to work with a celebrity. Yet Tan Yun had dismissed it so casually. Yun Chu couldn’t understand it.

 

Moreover, she’d set aside her pride to approach Tan Yun personally. Being rejected like this was a blow to her ego.

 

“Miss Tan, don’t you think your attitude is a bit—”

 

“A bit what?” Tan Yun couldn’t pinpoint why she disliked Yun Chu so much. “I’ve made myself clear. If you want to work together, contact the company.”

 

Yun Chu, used to being fawned over wherever she went, couldn’t stomach such treatment. “Don’t push your luck!”

 

“Sorry, we won’t be working with you.” With that, Tan Yun pulled Cheng Xiaoai away.

 

Cheng Xiaoai had never seen Tan Yun so firm. Wondering if she’d missed something, she probed, “We just offended a celebrity. Do you think she’ll retaliate?”

 

“Let her. She’s just like Gu Yuan.” Tan Yun hadn’t grasped the gravity of the situation. “Who knew celebrities could be so shameless? You’d never tell from their public image.”

 

“Alright, stop being angry. Have you heard? Her relationship with her sister is really bad, and now she’s still riding on her sister’s coattails for clout.” Cheng Xiaoai kept staring at her face as she said this, trying to gauge her reaction.

 

Tan Yun felt a bit unsettled under her gaze and touched her face. “What? Is there something on my face?”

 

“No, I just thought you looked really cool earlier. I regret not recording it.”

 

“Really?” Tan Yun sighed regretfully. “If only I’d known, I would’ve recorded it and sent it to Yun Bo.”

 

Cheng Xiaoai thought for a moment, still worried about Yun Chu’s retaliation, and said, “How about you message Yun Bo? If anything happens later, we’ll at least have a plan.”

 

“Good idea!” Tan Yun took out her phone, deleted the message Gu Yuan had sent, and then texted Yun Bo.

 

—Yun Bo, I think I’ve offended a celebrity.

 

By the time Yun Bo arrived on set, the director had already started filming.

 

She stood to the side and watched for a while, noticing that Dong Yang had improved significantly since last time—no more getting NG’d over a dozen takes in a row.

 

The stylist and makeup artist quickly got her ready, just in time for her scene. After finishing one take, she received Tan Yun’s message.

 

She replied: Which celebrity?

 

—Yun Chu, the younger sister of superstar Yun Duan. She asked me to make clothes for her, and I refused. She told me to just wait and see!

 

—So, what do you want to do, sweetheart?

 

Tan Yun was just venting for fun and replied, “Crush her!”

 

—Alright, crush her!

 

Receiving the reply, Tan Yun was thrilled. “Xiaoai, isn’t my beauty just the coolest?”

 

Cheng Xiaoai’s lips twitched. “Well, the entertainment industry is about to be turned upside down.”

 

Yun Bo chuckled and called Youyou over. “Has Yun Chu’s post been taken down yet?”

 

“Not yet. From yesterday to today, the second top trending topic has been ‘Yun Chu Responds.’ Her Weibo followers have skyrocketed by 2 million.” Youyou pulled out her tablet and opened Yun Chu’s Weibo homepage. “From yesterday to today, she’s gone live three times.”

 

Her clout-chasing was quite successful—her Weibo reposts hit 200k, and likes surpassed 300k.

 

Yun Bo skimmed through the comments, appreciating the tone. Not bad—she’d managed to whitewash herself pretty quickly.

 

Wuli Chuchu: I’m so envious of Chuchu and Duanduan’s sisterly bond! The post her sister made yesterday was so touching. I remember when her sister was in that car accident, Chuchu’s eyes were always red. Just thinking about it still breaks my heart.

 

The second comment was from her high-profile fan account.

 

Little Fox’s Wife V: After entering the entertainment industry, there are so many things I can’t or dare not say. But now, I just want to tell Chuchu—stay strong.

 

The cringe was palpable.

 

Of course, some netizens saw through the act and commented below.

 

Miss Chestnut Has No Summer: “Cherish me for a lifetime” doesn’t sound like something you’d say about sisterly love. And “For your beauty like a flower, fleeting as running water”—that’s about romance, isn’t it? Like, “Be my wife forever”? Is this really how you want to chase clout? Do you think we’re illiterate?

 

Reading further wasn’t worth it. Yun Bo handed the tablet back and said, “Post something and crush her!”

 

“Huh?” Crush her?

 

“Yeah, crush her!”

 

Youyou thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully—they needed depth. “Should we clarify that Weibo post of yours too?”

 

“What Weibo post?” Yun Bo took her phone out of her bag. Whatever Youyou was planning, she had things to do as well.

 

“The hotel door photo has been circulating online for days now. Shouldn’t we respond?”

 

Yun Bo logged into her Weibo account. “The photo isn’t wrong.”

 

“Huh?” Youyou felt dizzy for a second. It seemed Yun Bo didn’t want to clarify the post. But then again, it was her freedom—the contract didn’t restrict her relationships.

 

Youyou began drafting a response, then showed it to Yun Bo, who glanced at it and deleted everything. “Be sharper. Don’t tiptoe around it. Who’s the contract lawyer the company assigned me?”

 

“Zhang Xian, the famous one,” Youyou replied. “This hasn’t escalated to a legal issue yet. We probably don’t need to pursue legal action against her.”

 

“Not against Yun Chu.” Yun Bo scrolled through her contacts. “Call him tomorrow and have him visit Gu Yuan at the hospital. I’m suing her for infringement.”

 

“Infringement?” Youyou didn’t need to think hard to know who she was really targeting. “Duanduan, are you coming out?”

 

“Coming out? Coming out of what?” Yun Bo didn’t understand.

 

Youyou exited the Weibo page and searched for the meaning of “coming out.”

 

Baidu Encyclopedia: Coming out (or outing) refers to the act of publicly revealing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Conversely, choosing not to disclose is called “staying in the closet” or being “closeted.”

 

Yun Bo nodded approvingly. Modern people sure knew how to play. “Remember to add a picture.”

 

“What picture?”

 

“A closet.”

 

Youyou: “…”

 

At exactly 6 p.m., Weibo exploded again.

 

Sina Entertainment V: “Sisterly Love Between Yun Duan and Yun Chu? Yun Duan’s Manager Responds: Bullshit! Only Backstabbing ‘Love’”

 

On the 15th, netizens exposed superstar Yun Duan spending the night with a D-list actress, displaying intimate behavior. On the 20th, Yun Duan’s manager @YouYouJiang posted a lengthy Weibo condemning Yun Chu for over a dozen offenses, including backstabbing, stealing roles, threats, and kicking her out of the family. Now, we have two questions: 1) Who was Yun Duan’s Weibo post on the 16th really about? 2) What’s the deal with the closet picture in YouYouJiang’s post? ImageImageImage

 

Youyou had only dared to post the lengthy Weibo after reporting to the company. Glancing at Yun Bo, who was still busy, she asked, “Duanduan, what are you working on?”

 

“Liking posts!” Yun Bo grinned, showing her Weibo homepage.

 

Meanwhile, Yun Chu, who was discussing a script with a director, had no idea that within just this hour, her company had blocked all her projects and decided to blacklist her.

 

Just as Yun Chu accepted the script from the director, her assistant whispered something cryptic in his ear.

 

Soon, the director’s smile froze. His expression darkened as he took the assistant’s phone, scrolling for a while before looking up at Yun Chu and standing. “Sorry, but we can’t sign this contract.”

 

“Director, didn’t you just say I was perfect for this role?” Yun Chu quickly stood up from her chair. Many directors had called her over the past two days, but this was the only project she’d responded to.

 

With just one step left in the process, how could he suddenly refuse to sign? She reached out to grab the director’s arm, her voice soft and delicate, “Isn’t it a bit early to invite me for late-night snacks before it’s even dark?”

 

The implication in her words couldn’t be clearer—she was openly offering herself for casting couch favors.

 

The director disdainfully brushed off her hand. While it was easy to exploit an actress, he wasn’t foolish enough to spend money on a blacklisted star about to be shelved.

 

“I suggest you watch your conduct.” The director turned and left without even taking back the script he’d given her.

 

Yun Chu chased him out of the private room, intending to plead further, but then suddenly remembered something. She frantically pulled out her phone from her bag.

 

When she saw the top trending topic, she let out a scream of despair.

 

“Yun Duan, I’ll never let you get away with this!” She angrily threw her phone to the ground, stomping on the screen with her high heels, her face twisted in rage. “Yun Duan, I’ll crush you! I’ll stomp you to death, you bitch!”

 

Meanwhile, the director was shouting through a megaphone elsewhere. Yun Bo handed her phone to Youyou, saying, “Find that comment from the netizen.”

 

“Which comment?” Youyou had just exited the page she was browsing, sensing another massive task coming her way.

 

“The one saying Tan Yun was the other woman in the hotel photos.” Yun Bo closed her eyes while the makeup artist touched up her makeup, then added, “Remember to like it.”

 

“Huh?” Youyou glanced at her phone again—hundreds of thousands of comments. How was she supposed to find one specific comment in this ocean?

 

She swallowed hard and suggested, “Duanduan, maybe I could just… find you more closet design pictures instead?”

 

Yun Bo gave her a sidelong glance: “Hmm?”

 

Youyou wanted to cry but had no tears: “I’ll find it!”

 

Her inner monologue: “Fans should remember—behind every superstar’s romance, there’s a long-suffering manager!”