Jiang Ning didn’t notice Huang Wanqing’s actions. Seeing an empty seat, she simply sat down.
Huang Wanqing didn’t say a word, but her pleased expression was unmistakable.
[I just realized—does Huang Wanqing simply not want Wei Lan sitting next to her?]
[No, I think Huang Wanqing intended to have Jiang Ning sit beside her from the start. She’s just awkward with words and didn’t know how to say it.]
[Seems like it… I just rewound and checked the replay. Huang Wanqing kept glancing at Jiang Ning, wanting to talk to her, but Jiang Ning didn’t notice.]
The audience was speechless.
Seriously…
If you want Jiang Ning to sit next to you, just say it! What’s with the tsundere act? No wonder you get so much hate.
Once Jiang Ning sat down, Huang Wanqing finally mustered the courage to strike up a conversation.
But after fumbling for words, all she managed to blurt out was, “Jiang Ning, you’re crowding me.”
At first glance, it sounded like Huang Wanqing was picking a fight.
[…]
[Now I understand why Huang Wanqing gets so much hate.]
[Girl, even tsundere behavior has its limits. Is this how you make friends??]
[I’m dying of laughter. Jiang Ning’s obliviousness today is off the charts—she doesn’t seem to notice anything.]
Jiang Ning truly didn’t notice anything.
When Huang Wanqing said she was being crowded, Jiang Ning simply shifted slightly.
But just then, Xi Yue plopped down on Jiang Ning’s other side.
Jiang Ning paused her movement, then quietly shifted back toward Huang Wanqing.
Jiang Ning: “We’re both girls—it’s fine to squeeze in a little.”
Huang Wanqing felt pleased inside. Though she muttered, “Who wants to squeeze with you?” her body betrayed her.
She subtly shifted closer, pressing against Jiang Ning.
Xi Yue watched as Jiang Ning moved closer to him, then quietly shifted back. “?”
Xi Yue sneered, “Got ants in your pants?”
Jiang Ning: “Since you cooked, don’t ask for trouble.”
[I can’t—these three are killing me. I’m deleting my earlier comments telling Huang Wanqing to get out of this show. She should stay; this is too entertaining.]
[I’m laughing so hard. Any sisters living near the live-stream villa? Can someone go over with a megaphone and tell Huang Wanqing the truth?]
Dinner began.
Wei Lan’s chopsticks immediately went for the chicken drumstick in the center of the table, in the braised chicken dish.
The next second.
Another pair of chopsticks swooped in, snatched the drumstick, and placed it in Jiang Ning’s bowl.
Xi Yue: “You’re not growing at all, little potato. Eat more.”
Shen Yiqiao chimed in, “Yeah, you just fell into the water a few days ago and caught a cold with a fever. Eat more to recover.”
Not wanting to be left out, Huang Wanqing immediately picked up the other drumstick and placed it in Jiang Ning’s bowl.
She said tsundere-ly, “Eat more. People might think your family starves you.”
Wei Lan, who had been about to take that drumstick: “?”
Wei Lan looked around in disbelief, then at the drumsticks now all in Jiang Ning’s bowl, feeling both aggrieved and indignant.
He turned to Qin Lang and asked, “Am I being excluded?”
Qin Lang had also sensed the undercurrents between Huang Wanqing, Jiang Ning, and Xi Yue but chose not to comment.
Hearing Wei Lan’s innocent question, Qin Lang replied affectionately, “Nothing like that. Don’t overthink it.”
Wei Lan’s shattered heart was slightly mended by Qin Lang’s words.
Then Qin Lang added, “Silly boy, they’re just ignoring you.”
Wei Lan: “…”
Why was he the one getting hurt every time on this show?
He just wanted to eat a chicken leg!
…
Wei Lan was filled with grief and indignation.
His usually simple nature was unexpectedly stirred by a competitive drive.
When he returned to his room to sleep that night, he called his bandmates: “They won’t include me. Is there any way for me to get more screen time?”
After some thought, his bandmates quickly came up with an idea.
“Aren’t people online shipping you and Jiang Ning? Go ask Jiang Ning’s agent if they’re willing to collaborate.”
“Yeah, the hype from a CP pairing comes fast. Jiang Ning’s agent probably won’t refuse.”
Wei Lan thought it made sense, and he had a very good impression of Jiang Ning.
If possible, it might even lead to a romantic connection. Hehehe.
So Wei Lan urged his own agent to contact Song Yushan.
Wei Lan’s agent still had high hopes for him. He was young, had debuted recently, and with a few more years, he was sure to rise.
The agent shamelessly contacted Song Yushan, summarizing all the benefits of a CP collaboration between the two.
This kind of thing was all too common in the industry, and the benefits were indeed significant—otherwise, it wouldn’t be so widespread.
Once the variety show ended and they “unbound” the CP, it could even stir up fans and generate another wave of traffic.
Besides, although Jiang Ning was currently generating a lot of buzz, her comeback was recent. Who knew if her popularity would fade after this show? Wei Lan, though only a third-tier idol, was more than enough to pair with Jiang Ning for a CP collaboration.
Given the clear advantages and no downsides, the agent thought Song Yushan would agree without hesitation.
Unexpectedly, Song Yushan refused outright without even considering it.
Wei Lan’s agent was completely baffled.
But he wasn’t ready to give up. He used his connections to reach a higher-up at Xingyao, hoping to pressure them into making it happen.
The higher-up, however, called him back and said, “Jiang Ning? How come I don’t know about an artist under Song Yushan by that name?”
“Wasn’t she signed recently? And it caused quite a stir?”
“Really, there’s no such artist. I couldn’t find Jiang Ning’s contract anywhere. Song Yushan is Xi Yue’s exclusive agent. Without Xi Yue’s approval, who would dare assign an artist to Song Yushan?”
Hearing this, Wei Lan’s agent felt a chill run down his spine.
As an old hand in the industry, he knew exactly what this implied.
So he called Wei Lan and said, “Wei Lan, drop this idea for now. There’s something off between Xi Yue and Jiang Ning. They’re probably not just friends.”
Wei Lan rolled around on his bed, throwing a tantrum: “I don’t care! I want to pair up with her! This is my only wish in life. If I can’t pair up with her, I’ll be so upset I won’t even be able to eat chicken legs!”
The agent: “…”
He scolded, “Pair up with a Ghost! If you can’t eat, it’s fine—you could stand to skip a few meals. Your face jiggles when you perform. Behave yourself! If you don’t listen, I’ll arrange for you to pair up with Zhong Hui or Qin Lang!”
Wei Lan: “…”
For a straight guy like him, the agent’s words were as devastating as an atomic bomb.
Damn! That was downright vicious!
After hanging up, Wei Lan grew angrier the more he thought about it.
At his age, he was naturally rebellious. The more his agent forbade him, the more determined he became to do it.
Since the manager wasn’t helping, he would take matters into his own hands!
So Wei Lan secretly registered several alternate accounts, following the fan communities dedicated to his pairing with Jiang Ning and several fan sites.
He began frantically boosting his own popularity and leaving comments.
At that moment, the mischievous Wei Lan was still feeling quite pleased with himself.
Little did he know that soon, this would be exposed publicly, infuriating Xi Yue to the point of wanting to blacklist him, and he would nearly be beaten to death by his own manager.