Dating Show Side Character, Getting Rich by Roasting People

CHAPTER 8: The Final Showdown at the Peak of Pretentiousness

　　Originally, the production team really did plan to stir up some drama around Chu Ling’s so-called low emotional intelligence.

　　But once random viewers started tuning in, they were like… wait a second, she’s not exactly wrong?

　　Some people who couldn’t stand the fake vibes spun up their own trending topic, #Chu Ling's Anti-Pretentiousness Expert#, and started discussing it.

　　【Chu Ling, are you allergic to pretentiousness? I get you, girl. Same here.】

　　【Trying to act all intellectual in front of a female celeb only to crash and burn… secondhand embarrassment is off the charts. If I were that guy, I’d want to crawl into a hole.】

　　【When the romantic City Walk turned into pushing a wheelchair I laughed out loud. Has any dating show in history ever had a scene like this? Is this even a date anymore?】

　　【Not gonna lie, my first thought was ‘a princess and her servant’… though isn’t that a little harsh on the guy?】

　　【He had it coming. The artsy softboy routine only works until someone like Chu Ling shows up. Imagine what he’d be like in front of another girl.】

　　【Lin Zirun ran through the full combo of childhood trauma, avoidant attachment and ¹emotionally unavailable boy vibes, but it didn’t land. Chu Jie doesn’t internalize, she claps back.】

　　The discussion exploded in popularity.

　　Clips of Chu Ling’s scenes were cut and reposted everywhere. Even people who normally had zero interest in dating shows were showing up to see what the fuss was about.

　　The showrunners only cared about views and engagement. They didn’t care who got dragged, so of course they rolled with it.

　　Lin Zirun kept scrolling and scrolling… and by the end, his face had turned green.

　　All he could do was switch to a secondary account and angrily post a few comments, hoping to shift the conversation back.　　　　

　　【Did Chu Ling buy this trending topic herself to clear her name?】

　　【No manners and still trying to save face? Seriously? Chu Ling's fans, have some self-respect.】

　　But those comments were met with tons of replies from actual bystanders.

　　【Who's even her fan? That comment was way too nasty.】

　　【No one’s defending Chu Ling, people just enjoy watching a smug guy get smacked down.】

　　【Guess it’s a case of the wicked getting what they deserve. I don’t even like Chu Ling, but this had me laughing so hard.】

　　【Why do I feel like the Male Guest No.2 has major f-boy energy? He pulled those tricks way too smoothly… pretty sure he's fooled a lot of girls before.】

　　Lin Zirun stared at the replies popping up one after another, feeling his temples throb harder with each one.　　　　　

　　……　　

　　Qin Shuo and Wen Shu were the second pair to come back.

　　That actually surprised Chu Ling a little.

　　She had thought, as the original male and female leads, the two of them would stay out longer.

　　“You're back?”

　　Lin Zirun had just pulled himself together. From the kitchen, he called out, “Did you two eat yet? I'm cooking right now. If you haven't, you can try my cooking.”

　　Wen Shu had just opened her mouth to say, “Not yet” when Qin Shuo immediately cut in, “No need. I have a dish I want to cook today.”

　　Lin Zirun got the message right away and nodded politely, then glanced at Chu Ling.

　　With the current online backlash against him, people were even starting to question if he was a scumbag.

　　So he had to tread carefully now. No matter how much he hated Chu Ling deep down, he couldn’t show it on the surface, or people might really think the rumors were true.

　　“You really don't want any?”

　　He tried again, “Think of it as doing me a favor.”

　　Chu Ling gave a soft chuckle. “Doesn’t seem like you're lacking favors.”

　　So shameless.

　　With a skin that thick, did he really need hers?

　　Lin Zirun looked regretful. “Alright then, I’ll just make enough for myself.”

　　Wen Shu glanced at Chu Ling, assuming maybe she needed to diet because she was a celebrity.

　　But when she turned her head, she saw Chu Ling lying on the couch, opening up a food delivery app. She was… ordering takeout.

　　Noticing Wen Shu’s confused look, Chu Ling casually asked, “Wanna order together?”

　　Wen Shu hesitated and asked, “If you're ordering takeout, why not just eat what they’re making?”

　　Chu Ling looked genuinely confused and asked back, “Didn’t you eat it yesterday?”

　　Wen Shu: “…..”

　　Alright then.　　

　　Qin Shuo’s cooking yesterday really didn’t make anyone want a second try.

　　“If I have to trust someone in this house, I’ll choose my food delivery guy.”

　　After placing her order, Chu Ling asked, “You sure you don’t want to join?”

　　Wen Shu hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. “I’m good, thanks.”

　　Chu Ling put her phone away without pushing. “Alright then.”

　　Qin Shuo was new to cooking. He had spent over three hours yesterday in the kitchen and ended up serving a half-cooked beef stew.

　　Today, he was determined to redeem himself.

　　He had secretly looked up recipes in advance, picked dishes with a lower difficulty level, and promised himself that tonight’s dinner would be both tasty and filling.

　　Not long after, Chu Ling’s food arrived.

　　She went to the door to grab it, came back with two bags, walked over to the sofa, and handed one to Wen Shu, who was reading.

　　Wen Shu blinked and said instinctively, “I didn’t order anything.”

　　“I know,” Chu Ling replied. “But you’re hungry, right?”

　　“And let’s be real, you didn’t get full from what Qin Shou cooked yesterday, did you?”

　　Most of the dishes from last night were barely touched. The guys with bigger appetites ate a bit more, but among the girls, Chu Ling noticed almost no one really dug in. Even finishing the salad felt like a courtesy.

　　She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Besides, it’s already past six. Who knows when he’ll finish cooking.”

　　“Eat first. No point starving while waiting.”

　　Wen Shu stared at her for a moment. Then, as the smell hit her, her stomach growled loudly.

　　She looked embarrassed right away, her face flushing a little as she accepted the takeout. “Thanks.”

　　She was about to settle down at the coffee table when Chu Ling tugged her toward the dining room.

　　“It’s too cramped here. Let’s eat at the dining table instead.”　　

　　Since he only had to cook for himself and also wanted to leave space for the Film Emperor in the kitchen, Lin Zirun just made a simple meal for one.

　　He was almost done eating when the smell hit him. He looked up, surprised. “What’s that?”

　　“Can’t you tell?”

　　Chu Ling pulled out a chair and sat down like it was no big deal.

　　“Takeout.”

　　The kitchen and the dining room were only separated by one door, so Qin Shuo heard the commotion. He looked up, frowned, and turned to Wen Shu. “You ordered takeout?”

　　Chu Ling answered, “I did.”

　　【Chu Ling is so manipulative!】

　　【Fine if you don’t want to eat, but Qin Shuo wasn’t even cooking for you. Why stop others from eating his food?】

　　【Totally intentional. That kind of petty move is obvious.】

　　【Okay but do we really have to hate on Chu Ling this hard? She was ordering for herself and just brought Wen Shu some too. Doesn’t mean she did it on purpose, right?】

　　Well, Chu Ling did do it on purpose.

　　Throwing shade at the original male lead, casually sabotaging the lead couple’s storyline, and earning the collective dislike of both the male lead and his fans — she really was fulfilling her duties as a classic toxic supporting character.

　　She even bragged to the system, “I did pretty well, didn’t I?”

　　The system stayed silent.

　　Qin Shuo said, “But takeout these days is really unhealthy.”

　　“Is it though?”

　　Chu Ling shrugged and started opening her food. “It’s probably healthier than Teacher Qin’s half-raw beef stew.”

　　Qin Shuo’s face turned even darker. He ignored her completely and turned to Wen Shu. “You’re really going to eat that?”

　　His voice was as serious as ever, and his eyes carried a silent pressure that felt like it weighed a ton on Wen Shu’s shoulders.　　

　　But after two seconds of silence, Wen Shu opened the takeout bag and said calmly, “Yeah.”

　　“.....”

　　Qin Shuo said, “I’m almost done cooking. If you wait just a little longer, it’ll be ready.”

　　“I’m not waiting.”

　　Wen Shu interrupted him, “I don’t want to wait anymore.”

　　Qin Shuo was stunned.

　　Chu Ling nodded right on cue. “Good. Should be done before ten, right? Then Wen Shu can treat it as a late-night snack.”

　　Qin Shuo didn’t respond.

　　He remembered how Wen Shu used to always listen to him. No matter what he said, she would quietly go along with it.

　　Now she was actually saying no to him.

　　He went quiet for a moment, then pushed aside the half-prepped meat and said, “If you were going to order takeout, you should’ve at least told me.”

　　Chu Ling tilted her head slightly and suddenly smiled. “Teacher Qin really lives up to the ‘teacher’ title.”

　　Qin Shuo looked confused. “What do you mean?”

　　Wen Shu seemed to get it. She blinked quietly, looked down at her food, and muttered, “... You really like to manage people.”

　　Chu Ling made a check mark in the air. “Bingo.”

　　Wen Shu glanced at her and couldn’t help but laugh. Then she kept her head down and went on eating, while Qin Shuo just stood there, completely baffled as he looked at the two of them.　　

　　—　　

　　By the time it hit ten at night, Qin Shuo still hadn’t finished cooking, but the other two pairs of daters had already returned.

　　The girls’ group had a shared lounge on the third floor, and Ye Weiyang suggested they all gather there for a chat to share their date experiences and exchange a bit of information.

　　Gao Yan was the first to speak. She looked completely wiped out, but her eyes were sparkling. “I went out with Jiang Yicheng today. He took me to his ranch and even let me pet one of his horses!”

　　She turned to Ye Weiyang. “You were with Lu Shixuan, right? So how was it? Where did our CEO take you?”

　　Ye Weiyang smiled. “We had dinner and then went to a concert. He said the tickets were hard to get. The orchestra came from France, and this was their first tour in China, so he insisted I had to hear them live.”

　　Chu Ling rolled her eyes inwardly.

　　Lu Shixuan and Lin Zirun might as well battle it out for the title of King of Pretentiousness.

　　“What about you, Wen Shu?”

　　Gao Yan looked over. “You were with our Film Emperor Qin Shuo, right? Ooh, tell us, where did he take you?”

　　But there wasn’t much joy on Wen Shu’s face.

　　Her relationship with Qin Shuo had always been more of a business arrangement. She’d admit that, in the beginning, she had her own hopes. Qin Shuo had been someone she admired and looked up to.

　　But a few years of marriage had worn down those feelings.

　　They’d divorced. And just as she was ready to start fresh, here he was again, on this show.

　　All she felt now was that he just wouldn’t go away.

　　“Mm... we went on a hot air balloon ride,” Wen Shu hugged her knees, speaking slowly. “It went really high. I got kind of scared at one point, and Qin Shuo held my hand.”

　　For a moment, she really had felt a flicker of that old spark.　　　

　　【Ahhh so romantic.】

　　【I missed the livestream, I’m definitely watching the edited replay later!】

　　Chu Ling jumped in first to stir the pot. “You’re not even a couple yet and he’s already grabbing your hand? That’s bold. Kinda rude, honestly. Zero boundaries.”

　　The system went quiet.

　　Qin Shuo’s fans immediately exploded.

　　【Ugh, here comes Chu Ling again.】

　　【Is she jealous of our Wen Shu or what?】

　　【Talking about rude, no one’s ruder than you!】

　　【It’s a dating show, of course they’re gonna interact! Let me ship my couples in peace!】

　　Only Wen Shu paused for a second.

　　It was true. There was nothing between her and Qin Shuo anymore.

　　So what did it even mean, him sending out this kind of unclear, ambiguous signal now? If he really liked her, why didn’t he do anything back then?

　　“In a couple of days, I think there’s an event where the girls can pick their dates instead.”

　　Gao Yan spoke up. “What do you all think?”

　　Ye Weiyang seemed to catch that Gao Yan had something on her mind and smiled as she threw the question back. “What about you? Got anyone in mind?”

　　Gao Yan looked a little shy, then admitted, “Today’s date with Jiang Yicheng was actually pretty fun. If I get the chance, I’d probably pick him again.”

　　Ye Weiyang nudged her playfully. “So you’ve already got your eyes on someone, huh?”

　　“No I don’t,” Gao Yan laughed, then turned the question around. “What about you?”

　　“Me?”

　　Ye Weiyang gave a soft smile and sounded easygoing. “I’m good either way. It’s still early, so getting to know a few more people isn’t a bad idea.”

　　Wen Shu nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think it’s good to keep an open mind and see how others are too.”

　　Chu Ling picked up on the undercurrents swirling beneath the surface.

　　Setting Wen Shu aside, it was clear that Female Guest No.2 Gao Yan was very happy with Male Guest No.3, Jiang Yicheng. Whether it was mutual or not remained to be seen, but a potential couple had already formed.

　　And Ye Weiyang? While she said all the right things, it was obvious her first date with Male Guest No.1, Lu Shixuan, didn’t exactly sweep her off her feet.

　　Which made sense.

　　Chu Ling thought Ye Weiyang looked like a successful, accomplished woman; she certainly didn't seem like the type to listen to Lu Shixuan’s ramblings and then gaze at him with starry eyes.

　　Unexpectedly, she heard the system’s real-time feedback — and the comments were now blasting both Ye Weiyang and Wen Shu.

　　Chu Ling frowned. “Why?”

　　The system replied, “Changing partners on a dating show is a major taboo, especially for the girls. Even though this was only the first round of dates, some viewers already got attached to their favorite couples. If one side seems interested while the other backs off, that just makes it worse.”

　　Based on today’s dates, Lu Shixuan and Qin Shuo had both shown clear interest in their partners.

　　But those two girls had actually said they wanted to explore other options.

　　In the viewers’ eyes, that just came off as ungrateful and indecisive, like they were still eyeing other dishes while holding a full plate.

　　So naturally, the audience slapped them with labels like “player” and “tease” without even giving them a chance to explain.

　　Chu Ling went quiet.

　　She knew it. People in this novel world were way too fake. They could find something to yell about no matter what happened.

　　Even her perfect face got hate. No point reasoning with this crowd of fools—

　　Wait.

　　Actually, there was a point.

　　“You should’ve told me sooner!”

　　Chu Ling snapped at the system, clearly annoyed.

　　The system was confused. “Huh?”

　　Chu Ling turned to the others and said casually, “I’m definitely switching. I feel like I’ve got a general read on what kind of person Lin Zirun is, so next time I want to see what the others are like.”

　　What no one expected was the barrage of comments that followed:

　　【I’m crying. Did she realize the Male Guest No.2 is a walking red flag and decide to bail?】

　　【This is the first time I’ve fully supported Chu Ling. Judging from his performance today, Male Guest No.2 is really not that good…】

　　【Nooo if Chu Ling switches, who’s going to keep roasting this fake-deep pretentious poet guy? If anyone else lets him monologue I’ll be heartbroken, OK?】

　　Chu Ling: “…”

　　Wait a minute.

　　Why aren’t you all yelling at me now??

　　

________________

🌪️ Lin Zirun's Emotional Combo Glossary:

Childhood Trauma: Past emotional wounds from early life that affect behavior and relationships in adulthood.

Avoidant Attachment: A type of attachment style where a person avoids closeness, pushes others away, and fears emotional dependency.

¹Emotionally Unavailable Boy Vibes: The cool, distant, “I-don’t-do-feelings” attitude. Often includes:

• Refusing to open up

• Running from intimacy

• Acting like a mystery wrapped in a sad playlist

Doesn’t Land: Means the emotional act didn’t work or have the intended effect.

Doesn’t Internalize: She doesn’t absorb guilt, blame, or emotional manipulation.

Claps Back: Responds sharply, confidently, and unapologetically. No hesitation, no mercy.

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter