Dating Show Side Character, Getting Rich by Roasting People

CHAPTER 6: Caught in the Act

　　Is that so?

　　So she became like this because of the trauma from her childhood and the lack of love from her family?

　　Chu Ling thought about it carefully.

　　She had actually considered this question before.

　　After all, she really wasn’t a welcomed child from the moment she was born. No matter where she went, people just didn’t seem to like her.

　　But because of that, she never learned to accommodate anyone. The world knocked her around, and she turned into someone with a sharp tongue, a tough spine, and a fiery temper.

　　Maybe a lot of people thought that was a bad thing.

　　But Chu Ling liked her personality just fine.

　　The person she was now, was someone she chose to become.

　　Sure, a lot of people are shaped by their childhood or their family.

　　But Chu Ling was sure of one thing. The guy in front of her? He wasn’t analyzing her because he liked her or cared about her.

　　He didn’t understand her at all. He never even tried to. He was just using some generic psychology formula, trying to show off what he knew and make himself look impressive.

　　Talking about childhood trauma hits home for a lot of people these days.

　　So he probably figured that if he threw out some popular buzzwords, he could take a shortcut to get close to her, maybe even win her over.

　　“Oh?”

　　Chu Ling casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tilted her head toward Lin Zirun. “You really know a lot about psychology?”

　　Her beautiful eyes locked on him, the corners of her eyes slightly lifted, lips curved into a bright and confident smile.

　　Lin Zirun couldn’t help but lose focus for a second.

　　...Sure, Chu Ling might have a nasty reputation.

　　But he had to admit, that face of hers was dangerously gorgeous.　　

　　If she really fell for him, dating a celebrity didn’t seem like a bad deal.

　　Lin Zirun came back to his senses and smiled slightly. “I minored in psychology in college, but my understanding is only superficial.”

　　He added, as if being modest, “If you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to relax around me. Think of me as an old friend you've known for years, not just some guy you barely met. You can open up and say whatever’s on your mind, how about that?”

　　“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t mind being your emotional support.”

　　Chu Ling glanced back at the cameraman and the big lens following them.

　　...Does he think she's stupid?

　　She raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer to Lin Zirun, as if she was going to whisper in his ear.

　　The air seemed to grow ambiguous at that moment.

　　Even though he knew they were being filmed, Lin Zirun couldn’t help but feel a flicker of nervousness as Chu Ling approached.

　　He’d met plenty of beautiful women before and usually stayed cool and collected, knowing how to handle himself.

　　But Chu Ling’s level of beauty had a way of throwing people off.

　　Could it be that she really was touched by what he said? Was she about to open up to him?

　　He leaned down slightly, waiting to hear what she had to say.

　　“But I mind.”

　　Chu Ling said it clearly.

　　Lin Zirun froze for a second.

　　Chu Ling took a step back and smiled. “So, what you’re saying is, I’m two-faced?”

　　Lin Zirun quickly replied, “Of course not!”

　　Chu Ling didn’t give him a chance to explain. Instead, she asked, “Do you use this trick on every girl?”

　　Caught off guard, Lin Zirun denied it again right away. “No.”

　　“Good,” Chu Ling said calmly. “Because I heard psychologists aren’t supposed to date their patients. It’s a power imbalance.”　

　　She let out a laugh and shot back, “You studied it, didn’t you? Don’t tell me you don’t know.”

　　【For a second there, I really thought this was going to be one of those classic trauma-healing redemption arcs... Guess I was overthinking.】

　　【Same old Chu Ling. Sure, she’s got a sharp tongue and her EQ is practically nonexistent, but at least she doesn’t try to whitewash herself. Staying messy and honest is kind of comforting.】

　　Lin Zirun seemed to realize something. His expression shifted, and his tone got a little rushed. “Sorry, I didn’t think it through. I just wanted to... get to know you better. Understand the real you. Please don’t take it the wrong way.”

　　“Then can I use the same method to get to know you?”

　　Chu Ling asked in return, “You’ve been going along with everything I said from the start. Is that a people-pleasing trait, or are you just highly sensitive?”

　　Lin Zirun blinked. “Huh?”

　　Chu Ling's voice turned playful. “You love analyzing people so much... is it because your own childhood left some scars, too? Did it train you to constantly observe others for survival and self-defense?”

　　Well, two can play the textbook psychology game.

　　Let the spell battle begin.

　　【She’s savage. Her words feel like they’ve been dipped in poison.】

　　【Male Guest No.2 looks like he’s about to pass out.】

　　【He showed concern out of kindness, but ended up getting criticized for it. Chu Ling’s EQ is seriously low. Isn’t this the rudest date in the history of dating shows?】

　　【Brace yourself, the queen of awkward dates has arrived.】

　　【I’m not a fan of either, but the guy’s the one who started digging into her trauma on a live broadcast. That’s not cool.】

　　【Still, Chu Ling didn’t have to be that harsh. Her words really cut deep.】

　　“See that? That’s the moment! The drama we needed!”

　　In the control room, the director, who had been monitoring every camera angle, clapped his hands with excitement as the comment count soared.

　　“Quick, buy up the corresponding trending search!”

　　“Uh... is that really a good idea, Director?”

　　One of the staff members hesitated and said, “If we push this onto the trending searches, aren’t we just leading people to bash her? Is that kind of heat really good for the show?”

　　“You don’t get it. This is exactly the kind of effect we want!”

　　The director waved it off. “When Chu Ling and her manager signed the contract, they knew perfectly well she was here to stir up controversy for the show. Look how cooperative she’s been, constantly creating buzz. The more attention, the better.”

　　Thus, #Chu Ling Confronts The Male Guest On Her First Date# and #Chu Ling Low EQ Comments# were bought into the trending searches.

　　At first, most viewers in the livestream were either Chu Ling haters or fans of the Male Guest No.2. They all looked down on her behavior.

　　【Was that really necessary? She basically insulted everyone genuinely struggling with mental health. That’s not something to joke about.】

　　But once the trending tags started drawing more people in, some curious onlookers replayed the clip and began to see things differently.

　　【Wait a sec... speaking just for myself here, I didn’t feel offended. I actually thought it was kind of funny.】

　　【I stopped by out of curiosity, and honestly, Chu Ling didn’t seem out of line at all. What’s really weird is asking someone about childhood trauma on camera】

　　【I came across this because Chu Ling's low EQ hashtags was trending. But I didn’t think she was lacking in emotional intelligence — I actually thought the way she handled the situation was pretty clever.】

　　【Fake low EQ: She retorted to the male guest.】

　　【Real low EQ: She was so moved that she spilled her life story in five minutes.】

　　【Why am I getting slight red flag vibes from this Male Guest No.2?】

　　【Seriously, it’s textbook player behavior. Next comes the comfort talk and fake empathy, all just to trick girls into letting their guard down.】

　　【Ladies, remember this! The people who act like they know you best are sometimes the ones who’ll hurt you the most. Don’t go around telling just anyone your traumas or weaknesses.】

　　【Exactly. Even if it's true, never share it with a guy you barely know. It’s too risky!】

　　【Help, am I too naive? There was a moment just now when I actually believed the Male Guest No.2... I even thought their chemistry was kind of cute.】

　　【Shipping everyone and everything will only hurt you in the end!】

　　Lin Zirun wisely stepped back, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “I was out of line,” he said softly. “If you’re uncomfortable with this topic, I won’t bring it up again.”

　　Chu Ling simply nodded without saying much.

　　The photography exhibit was drawing to a close.

　　As they were about to leave, Lin Zirun turned to her and asked, “Want to grab a coffee? There’s a really nice café nearby.”　

　　Chu Ling agreed, “Sure.”

　　The café wasn’t far from the photography exhibit. As soon as they walked in, the rich aroma of coffee drifted over. There weren’t many people inside either, making it a quiet little spot tucked away from the noise.

　　“I used to come here a lot,” Lin Zirun said. “The coffee here is really good. You should give it a try.”

　　Then he asked, “But do you know what I love most about this place?”

　　Chu Ling asked, “What?”

　　Lin Zirun shook his head and closed his eyes, putting on a mysterious air. “Listen.”

　　Chu Ling blinked. “...?”

　　Just say it or move on, please.

　　After waiting awkwardly for a while and getting no response from Chu Ling, Lin Zirun opened his eyes and said, “The music.”

　　His expression was a little melancholy. “You don’t really find many places playing vinyl these days. But this unassuming café plays records all day, and it’s all classical music.”

　　“Only when I sit here listening to Tchaikovsky, Bach, or Mozart can I find a bit of peace in this busy city.”

　　Some of his earlier fans, who had been getting dragged by random viewers during the trending fiasco, jumped on the chance to fight back.

　　【Lin Zirun has such great taste.】

　　【He’s really a romantic person. Give up on Chu Ling. She obviously doesn't understand you.】

　　And to be fair, Chu Ling really didn’t.

　　“Vinyl record players are discontinued or something?” she asked.

　　Lin Zirun replied, “...Not really.”

　　Chu Ling said, “Then can’t you just buy one and listen at home?”

　　What’s with all this poetic brooding?

　　Lin Zirun: “...”

　　The waiter brought over two cups of coffee. Lin Zirun held his cup gently, deliberately putting on a slightly melancholic expression. “I just think it’s a shame. Fewer and fewer people these days appreciate classical music.”

　　“You know, I’m the kind of person who’s always chasing things from the past.”

　　“The world is changing so fast. If we move too slowly, we might not be able to keep up with its pace. But sometimes, walking slowly allows us to notice more of the beautiful things along the way.”

　　Then Lin Zirun continued in a calm, effortless tone, “Have you ever read The Moon and Sixpence?”

　　One look at Chu Ling and he figured she hadn’t.

　　He gave a quiet, smug laugh in his mind before carrying on. “In the book, Maugham wrote, ‘He picked up the moon while everyone else was busy grabbing sixpence off the ground.’ I think, in a world that’s so materialistic and restless, I’d rather be the one looking up at the moon.”

　　Chu Ling nearly choked on her coffee.

　　She set her cup down and looked at him with a slightly amused smile.

　　That look made Lin Zirun’s heart flutter again for a moment.

　　Of course. She’s a celebrity, probably doesn’t have much in her head. She’s never read a proper book, so she’s got to be impressed by my depth and intellect.

　　That’s what he thought.

　　Sure, she’d reacted strongly to the whole childhood trauma topic earlier, but like he said, that was just a defense mechanism. Deep down, maybe she was already moved.

　　“But Maugham never wrote that,” Chu Ling said casually.

　　The entire café went dead silent.

　　【I’m wheezing this is the most epic fail ever.】

　　【Please, I’m cringing so hard my toes are building a castle.】

　　【Wait, this guy’s a writer? Now I’m really questioning the quality of his work.】

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