Just as Tang Yao hung up the phone, her takeout arrived.
She happily went to pick it up.
Spicy and stinky snail noodles!!
Tang Yao’s appetite was whetted, and she dug in right away.
Two days later, news that Academy Award-winning actor Gu Jingchen and his “white moonlight” Ling Xinran were teaming up for a dating show flooded Weibo.
Their ship fans instantly turned into crazed fans, screaming with excitement and crawling around in the shadows.
With the two of them suddenly becoming a huge sensation, Tang Yao’s name naturally came up.
Netizens unleashed a barrage of sarcastic jabs.
[Haha, the real deal is about to be on a dating show, and yet a certain someone is still acting like a fool!]
【She’s got no family background, no academic achievements—just a decent-looking face—and she’s delusional enough to think she can become Mrs. Gu. What kind of fantasy is she living in?】
【Exactly. It’s like when the tiger’s away, the monkeys make a fuss. My Xinran’s studying abroad, and she’s trying to worm her way into the Gu household!】
【The real deal is back, and she’s still clinging on like a leech! Has she no shame?】
【Assemble!! Protect our people’s hero!!】
【Forget it, forget it—here, take it. At least you’ll have something.】
【Being Mrs. Gu is a dream?? It’s a living nightmare, isn’t it?】
【(Laughs) Scumbag, die! Scumbag, die! Scumbag, die!!】
Tang Yao laughed. She coughed twice, then began to speak in elegant Chinese:
【Is that so? No big deal, but are you saying your older sister is a tigress? That’s not quite right—I think she’s more like a stray dog, a bloodthirsty vulture that tears people to shreds.】
【Sending my best wishes to that scumbag and that slut!】
【My eye condition is cured! I’m single now, and the line of guys I like stretches all the way to the Land of the Dead!!!】
【(Middle finger) (Middle finger) (Middle finger)】
【Hoping to piggyback on this thread—I need to set the record straight: I have absolutely no connection whatsoever with that scumbag Gu Jing anymore. All the stupid things I did in the past were committed by my alter ego. My “love-brain” has been removed via craniotomy and is dead and gone. I’ve washed my hands of it all and am back to being a “Sea King.” Welcome, everyone, to my luxurious ocean-view fish pond~】
【Hey hey hey, I’m still alive. The last few who tried to kill me ended with government jobs. Come at me! I’ll get you a government position.】
【I’m not interested in “Phoenix Men.” I only like athletic guys with 185cm height, eight-pack abs, and rock-solid loyalty. Checked out your profile—really like it. Added you, but I’ll have to turn you down.】
【Oh! Getting desperate! (Zhen Zidan snickers, pointing at a photo of someone)】
A group of netizens instantly lost their composure, and Tang Yao’s few remaining fans jumped into the fray to trade insults.
Though few in number, they were as fierce as wild bulls.
Before long, the male and female leads actually dropped into the comments section.
Ling Xinran: [Everyone, please stop bashing Ms. Tang. There’s nothing wrong with love.]
This not only showcased her gentleness and generosity but also subtly implied that Tang Yao was still clinging to Gu Jingchen.
Her fans were immediately swayed; they rushed to praise her while berating Tang Yao for being shameless.
Tang Yao rushed over upon hearing the commotion and replied with a smile: [√b[1]Chinese internet slang, √b is a visual abbreviation and homophone joke for 牛逼 (niúbī), a very common expression meaning “fucking awesome” or “badass”. niúbī … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2971185_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2971185_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.]
Gu Jingchen: [? Tang Yao, don’t go too far! Apologize to Xinran!]
Tang Yao: [You’re a √b, too.]
Then, the two who had suddenly appeared were instantly taken down.
Before long, Tang Yao had dominated dozens of trending topics, her buzz completely overshadowing that of Gu Jingchen and Ling Xinran—all thanks to her iconic insults.
#Give me a middle finger, and I’ll take on the whole world# (Viral)
#Come on! Kill me! Damn it, I just got into grad school—it’s still fresh. Come on!# (Viral)
#Don’t assume that just because someone’s perched on a branch, they’re a phoenix—it could just as easily be a “phoenix guy.”# (Viral)
#Sure enough, when she’s riled up, she’s as beautiful as her mental state.# (Viral)
People heard the dating show was premiering, happily logged into Weibo, and silently logged out three seconds later.
There’s no other reason—the insults were just too vile.
Netizens couldn’t resist firing off some scathing comments:
【To be honest, I didn’t like her before, but now I think her mental state is beautiful.】
【Just a casual observer here—is there really someone in the Chinese entertainment industry who dares to speak her mind like this? I’ve decided to become her fan.】
【Wait, do people in the Chinese entertainment industry eat this well?】
【Has this bitch changed her tactics again? Playing crazy to get attention?】
【Xinran’s belly is already showing, and she still hasn’t let it go!】
Tang Yao: 【Showing? Does she have a tumor?】
【Hahahaha, that’s hilarious—a tumor.】
Tang Yao fiercely clapped back at hundreds of thousands of people, and only collapsed when she was completely exhausted.
The next day, she was once again woken up by a phone call.
It was a call from her agency—the dating show had started filming, and the car sent to pick her up was already waiting downstairs at her apartment building.
After writhing and screaming in bed for ten minutes, Tang Yao got up, freshened up, then lugged the briefcase she’d packed downstairs and got into the production team’s car.
The dating show was called *Heart-Flutter*, directed by the entertainment industry’s renowned Director Li.
Rumor had it that many celebrities wanted to be on the show but never got the chance; if it weren’t for her rise to fame after taking on a terrorist single-handedly, she would never have been selected.
Actually, she hadn’t wanted to come in the first place, but she’d already blown through her 500 yuan.
She had no choice but to bow to the demands of life.
Tang Yao said, “I don’t know—they said room and board were included, so I came.”
As soon as Tang Yao got into the car, she settled down.
The producer sitting next to her explained:
“Miss Tang Yao, your role on this variety show is to play off against Miss Ling. You’ll bring up the rear in the game challenges, occasionally give Miss Ling a hard time, and just add a bit of entertainment value and buzz to the show. You’ll receive an appearance fee once the show wraps up.”
Tang Yao lifted her eyelids. “Hah, you think a pittance will make me act all high and mighty? You know exactly what I’m capable of!”
What the hell? How dare he tell her how to do her job?
Three black lines slid down the PD’s temples: “Five million.”
Tang Yao sat up straight. “OK, I’ve been playing the villainous female supporting role since I was a kid. I’m a pro at this. Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”
So he was her money god after all. Well, then, no problem.
“Don’t worry, leave it to me,” Tang Yao assured him with a confident look.
To perfectly capture the evolution of romantic chemistry and emotional dynamics between the participants, this dating show was broadcast entirely live.
As soon as the live stream went live, tens of thousands of viewers flooded in.
The show hadn’t released the guest list; so far, only Gu Jingchen and Ling Xinran were known to be participating.
So no one knew Tang Yao was there either—because if they had, no one might have watched the livestream.
【It’s finally live!】
【I’m rooting for the Gu-Ling couple! Anyone who opposes them will be treated like “that Yao”!】
【I can’t wait to see the other guests! I wonder who else is there.】
Tang Yao: “You little brat, don’t get ahead of yourself. You’ll find out in a minute.”
The camera cuts to a theater.
Gu Jingchen and Ling Xinran are sitting in the audience, smiling and waving at the camera. The sight of this handsome man and beautiful woman sends the live chat into a frenzy of screams.
【I’m swooning! He’s so handsome!】
【They’re such a perfect match!】
Director Li then steps forward with his crew, his face beaming with excitement.
“Welcome, everyone, to our show *Heart-Flutter*! I know you’re all curious about the other guests, so let’s give a big round of applause to welcome our mystery guests!”
Gu Jingchen and Ling Xinran immediately joined in.
First to appear was a male guest. He had a sunny, approachable look, with bright, wide eyes—he looked just like a cheerful college guy.
“Hey there, everyone! I’m Fu Yang from the XVO boy band, and I’m also a college student. It’s an honor to be here on *Heart-Flutter*!”
Fu Yang is an idol who has been a trainee for two and a half years—he’s a versatile talent who excels at singing, dancing, rapping, and basketball.
Tang Yao: “Chicken Feet, are you showing your true colors now?”
【Aaaah! A younger ‘puppy’ type!】
【I love this!! The production team really knows how to pick people!】
【A guy who’s older! The production team totally gets me!】
Gu Jingchen and Ling Xinran smiled and clapped, welcoming him.
Fu Yang walked down to the audience and sat down. Before long, a girl took the stage.
She was adorable, with a youthful and energetic bun hairstyle, and her dimples when she smiled were absolutely sweet.
“Hello, everyone! My name is Sun Rongli. I’m currently a student, and I’m so happy to be here!”
【Holy crap! Sun Rongli! The beauty-genius! The top scorer with a 710 on the college entrance exam! And they say she even took the exam just for the experience!】
【Wow, this production team is amazing! They can get anyone to appear on the show!】
【An older man and a younger woman! This pairing is absolutely perfect!】
The audience immediately cheered her on.
Before long, another guest came on stage—and this time… sliding in on their knees?!
And this guest was also… wearing a mask?
A Longtu mask, no less!!
【Holy crap! A genius on the left, a lunatic on the right, and she’s right in the middle—she’s the chosen one!】
【The production team is amazing—they’ve invited an Academy Award-winning actor, a top student, and.. Old Six[2]means a troll jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2971185_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2971185_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });!】
Tang Yao cleared her throat and began introducing herself.
She pointed at Fu Yang and Sun Rongli.
“He’s ‘Big Guy,’ she’s ‘Big Girl,’ and I’m… ‘Xu Jun Da[3]chinese chess Grandmaster jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2971185_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2971185_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });’~ (choked up)”
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