Dating Show Side Character, Getting Rich by Roasting People

CHAPTER 20: How Do You Know It’s Not A Surprise?

　　When Sheng Yi said that, everyone froze for a second before blurting out at the same time, “What?”

　　“No way.”

　　Jiang Yicheng frowned. “Bro, you’ve gotta be joking.”

　　With a face like that, plus being in a band, even ten girlfriends would be considered modest. And yet he’s saying he’s been single since birth? Who would believe that.

　　Even Chu Ling didn’t buy it. She turned to the system, shocked. “People still use this kind of image nowadays? Isn’t that just asking to get exposed? Like, give it two days and either some ex comes forward or netizens dig up dirt proving he lied. Totally not worth it!”

　　System: “...”

　　System: “But aren’t you also—”

　　“I’m different.” Chu Ling said confidently. “I’ve got this public-enemy halo where everyone hates me. He doesn’t.”

　　In her mind, it would be weirder if anyone actually liked her. Forget being single since birth, she was pretty sure she could stay single her whole life.

　　Lin Zirun teased Sheng Yi, “You’re in a rock band and you’ve never dated? That doesn’t sound very rock at all.”

　　“Does it?” Sheng Yi replied.

　　Sheng Yi let out a small laugh, his tone relaxed. “I actually think being in a band but still single since birth sounds even more rock.”

　　That did make Chu Ling curious. She asked the system, “What’s his character setting? Saying stuff like that, isn’t he afraid it’ll blow up in his face later?”

　　The system checked for her and replied, “In the original story, he’s a side character who shows up later to compete with Qin Shuo, triggering a love triangle. But because of his presence, Qin Shuo feels pressured and actually steps up, which pushes the male and female leads’ relationship forward. In the end, Sheng Yi confesses in the final episode, fails, and leaves with regret. Nothing else happens with him.”

　　Chu Ling suddenly understood. “So he originally wanted to pick Wen Shu too.”

　　Since he’d watched some of the show before, he must have already had one of the girls in mind. If it was Wen Shu, then it made sense why he clashed with Qin Shuo. After all, the more determined Qin Shuo was, the more convinced Sheng Yi would be that the one behind the rabbit mask was Wen Shu.

　　Who would have thought it’d turn out to be her instead.

　　Chu Ling still wasn’t fully convinced about his claim of being single since birth. But if it really was true—

　　She thought it over, then looked at him with a sympathetic gaze. “It’s fine. Even if you’ve got, you know, some… hidden condition, life can still be good.”

　　Sheng Yi froze for a second, then broke into a smile. “Want to see my medical report? Other than staying up too late, I’m pretty healthy.”

　　While they were talking, the chef had already started bringing out tonight’s dinner.

　　Chu Ling hadn’t eaten all afternoon because of the styling prep, so by now she was absolutely starving.

　　For once, they didn’t have to eat outside or cook for themselves, so Chu Ling was more than ready to dig in.

　　The only pity was that tonight’s table was a long rectangular one. From her spot, a lot of the dishes were placed a bit far away. Worse, the ones in front of her were mostly veggies and cold plates, probably because the production team figured a female celebrity would want to watch her figure and wouldn’t eat much.

　　…Too bad for them she was the type who could eat all she wanted without ever gaining weight. Talk about good intentions gone wrong.

　　Sheng Yi caught her eager glance, as if she wanted to reach but couldn’t really stand up to grab what she wanted. He leaned slightly toward her and asked, “Want something in particular?”

　　Chu Ling paused, then said, “Anything’s fine. I don’t have food restrictions.”

　　Sheng Yi raised his brows, a little surprised. “A celebrity with no food restrictions?”

　　Chu Ling tilted her chin and shot back, “Does a lead singer have any?”

　　Sheng Yi actually nodded. “Yeah.”

　　Just then, the chef came over to refill his wine glass.

　　“No need, thanks.”

　　Sheng Yi said, “I don’t drink.”

　　The words caught everyone off guard. They all looked at him with a bit of surprise. “Wait, you don’t drink at all?”

　　Sheng Yi nodded. “Never.”

　　“No way.”

　　Lin Zirun chuckled, trying to coax him. “Come on, tonight’s the perfect occasion. It’s your first day here, just a sip or two to celebrate.”

　　“I just tried it, and it’s actually good wine,” Jiang Yicheng added. He owned a bar himself, so he knew a thing or two. “The alcohol content isn’t high. Two glasses won’t get you drunk.”

　　But Sheng Yi had already covered the rim of his glass with his hand. He still wore a faint smile, but what came out of his mouth was unexpectedly sharp. “Sorry, I’m new so I don’t know the rules. Is drinking the required initiation ritual here? If I don’t drink, does that mean I have to leave the show?”

　　Other than Chu Ling, it wasn’t often someone spoke so bluntly.

　　The mood around the table instantly chilled.

　　【Wow, the Male Guest No.5 has a bit of a temper, making everyone feel awkward.】

　　【But refusing to drink is normal, isn’t it? He’s a singer, of course he’d want to protect his voice.】

　　“There’s no such rule,” Qin Shuo finally spoke, his eyes fixed on Sheng Yi. “But usually no one goes out of their way to kill the vibe.”

　　Qin Shuo had no good feelings toward Sheng Yi. Thinking about how he had just tried to steal Wen Shu from him—even if it turned out to be a mistake—still left him wary of the younger man.

　　Among everyone here, Sheng Yi was probably closest to Wen Shu in age. He didn’t know if Wen Shu actually liked this type, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to give the kid a little warning.

　　Here, Qin Shuo had the highest status, was the oldest, and had the most fans. Normally no one would dare offend him. He fixed his eyes on Sheng Yi, curious how he would respond.

　　【Whoa, anyone else feel that undercurrent of tension brewing at the table?】

　　【Of course. The new guy trying to steal his girl earlier must have really rubbed him the wrong way.】

　　【…But come on, it was just one segment. And Sheng Yi didn’t even end up dancing with Wen Shu. Isn’t this a bit petty?】

　　【This only proves how possessive Qin Shuo is! I’m living for this jealous Film Emperor energy of Qin x Wen!】

　　“Hello.”

　　In the middle of the standoff, Chu Ling suddenly raised her hand and called to the chef. “Do we have any ¹cephalosporin on this cruise?”

　　Chef: “…”

　　The chef hesitated. “I’m not sure about that. I might have to ask around.”

　　“If you do, please bring one over for this gentleman.”

　　Chu Ling pointed at Sheng Yi sitting next to her.

　　【????】

　　【Wait, what the hell is Chu Ling trying to do!?】

　　【Alcohol with antibiotics equals game over. Is she trying to send him home in one shot!?】

　　Even Sheng Yi froze for a second before laughing. “What grudge do you have against me?”

　　“Exactly, what grudge?”

　　Chu Ling looked across the table at Qin Shuo, smiling as if she were throwing the question back at him. “The guy already said he doesn’t want to drink, but no one believed him. So might as well do something to make it clear, right?”

　　After all, if he really did take cephalosporin, no one here would dare push him to drink again—that could actually kill someone.

　　“Everyone says competition is cutthroat these days. I didn’t think drinking culture had made its way into dating shows too. Since Teacher Qin thinks not drinking kills the mood, then once he’s had the cephalosporin, feel free to keep toasting him. Have fun.”

　　Sheng Yi chuckled at that, pushing his glass aside. “What do you think, Teacher Qin? But since we’re far from a hospital, I’ll play it safe. Life’s precious.”

　　He added, still joking, “But if you really want to keep the mood going, Teacher Qin could always drink a couple more glasses yourself.”

　　Chu Ling raised her hand again and told the chef, “Here, top up Teacher Qin’s glass. Take it as a toast to the newcomer.

　　Qin Shuo: “…”

　　Normally one person killing the vibe was enough. Now there were two.

　　He had always found Chu Ling’s sarcastic tone annoying, and now there was actually someone who could banter along with her.

　　“…It was just a joke, don’t be so serious.”

　　Qin Shuo had no choice but to smooth things over for himself. “Look, this glass is yours. Welcome aboard.”

　　“If that was a joke,” Chu Ling shot back, “then Teacher Qin really doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.”

　　Qin Shuo: “…”

　　Sensing the tension, Jiang Yicheng quickly jumped in to break the awkwardness. “Let’s just eat. If you want to drink, drink. If you don’t, then don’t. It’s just a small thing.”

　　That page was turned for now.

　　Afterward, Sheng Yi noticed Chu Ling’s gaze. Without saying much, he pulled over the dishes she wanted but couldn’t reach and set them in front of her.

　　“Thanks,” he murmured to her.

　　“What for?” Chu Ling countered. “Don’t you think I was just trying to get you in trouble?”

　　Sheng Yi glanced at her and smiled. “I’m not dumb enough to believe that.”

　　After all, she wasn’t the one actually trying to harm him.

　　Chu Ling hadn’t done it specifically to help Sheng Yi anyway. She had just taken the chance to jab at the Film Emperor and earn a little pocket change from his fans—well, from other people’s fans.

　　The food today was actually pretty good, Chu Ling thought as she ate.

　　If Lu Shixuan were still here, he’d probably be rambling nonstop again, critiquing whether this dish was authentic or bragging about where he had eaten better versions before. Annoying as hell.

　　Good thing he was gone.

　　Chu Ling thought quietly to herself.

　　As for the new guy… whatever else he was, at least he was easier on the eyes.　　

　　—　　　

　　After dinner, the eight of them chatted a little before heading back to their rooms.

　　Since Sheng Yi was new, and his personality wasn’t exactly the most likeable, Chu Ling worried he might steal away some of her hate comments. She logged on to check.

　　Thankfully, all was well. People were still cursing her more.

　　The same thing, when done by her or by Sheng Yi, got completely different reactions.

　　When it came to attracting hate, Sheng Yi still couldn’t beat her.

　　Chu Ling didn’t know why she felt satisfied about that, but either way, her mood was good. After that, she went next door to find Wen Shu.

　　Once she confirmed the cameras were off, Chu Ling said, “Your guess was right. The production team must have tipped off Qin Shuo.”

　　Otherwise, there was no way he’d be so certain. He might have observed more and avoided picking the wrong person.

　　Luckily the two of them had swapped this time, or Wen Shu probably wouldn’t even have been able to enjoy dinner properly.

　　“You really think so?”

　　When Qin Shuo picked Chu Ling, Wen Shu herself hadn’t known if she should feel relieved to have her suspicion confirmed, or just sad.

　　She thought, maybe it could still be a coincidence. Even now, as she told Chu Ling, her tone carried doubt. “You don’t think I’m just being narcissistic, right? I mean, me actually imagining that a Film Emperor would… would go to the production team just to make sure he could date me—”

　　Chu Ling was speechless. She flicked Wen Shu on the forehead and scolded, “Babe, can you stop being so pathetic?”

　　“Look, he’s the one breaking the rules and scheming against you. Instead of feeling guilty, he doesn’t feel a thing, and you’re the one drowning in guilt. With a personality like this, aren’t you just begging to be bullied?”

　　Wen Shu: “…”

　　“But at least now we know. Consider it a warning. Next time there’s a date, we’ll figure something out.”

　　Chu Ling checked the time. “Ah, time to send the crush message.”

　　“The good news is, you finally don’t have to send yours to Qin Shuo today.”

　　Wen Shu nodded. Heaven knew how suffocating it had been for her, having to text him after their dates.

　　As for Chu Ling, according to the rules, hers should go to the newcomer Sheng Yi.

　　She had already thrown a few barbs his way at dinner, even deliberately hinting in front of everyone that maybe his lifelong single status meant he had some kind of health problem. Yet when she checked backstage, Sheng Yi hadn’t contributed even a sliver of negative emotion.　　

　　Unlike Wen Shu—who also never gave her negative emotions—Wen Shu was just genuinely good-tempered. Any rare negative emotions she had were probably all thanks to Qin Shuo.

　　But judging from the way Sheng Yi refused to drink earlier, he clearly wasn’t the smooth, agreeable type either. By all logic, he should have been just as fiery.

　　Chu Ling racked her brain to draft a text, carefully poking at a possible sore spot, and finally hit send.

　　【You lied on camera, didn’t you? Bet you were actually disappointed to end up picking me instead of Wen Shu, huh?】

　　At the moment of being called out, there should be at least a flicker of embarrassment.

　　After sending it, she checked the messages she had received.

　　【Turns out they really had ²cefalexin on hand. Learned something new. Next time I’ll have a ready-made excuse too. PS: thanks for not stepping on my foot today, you saved my shoes.】

　　Pretty polite, actually.

　　She wondered what his reaction would be when he saw her message.

　　Without realizing it, Chu Ling’s lips curved slightly. She asked the system, “So? Did we get money from him?”

　　System: “…N-no?”

　　Chu Ling: “?”

　　No reaction at all?

　　She hadn’t expected that not long after, she would actually get another reply.

　　For the first time since joining the show, a male guest had texted her back.

　　【How do you know it wasn’t a pleasant surprise?】

　　……

　　Inside another room on the cruise ship.

　　After sending the text, Sheng Yi recalled how he felt in that moment.

　　When the mask came off, the face he saw wasn’t the one the crew told him about. Instead, it was a strikingly beautiful face that hit him straight in the eyes.

　　For a second he froze, caught between doubt, confusion, and daze, as if his heartbeat had skipped a beat.

　　The crew definitely wouldn’t lie, and Qin Shuo had also chosen wrong, which meant they both received the same spoiler.

　　Yet the outcome turned out differently.

　　Disappointed?

　　Sheng Yi thought, he wasn’t Qin Shuo, and he didn’t like Wen Shu. He was just following the script, so why would he be disappointed?

　　More than disappointment or surprise, what he felt most right now was curiosity.

　　Curious about why the answer was wrong, curious about why Chu Ling switched masks.

　　Curious why this actress, who supposedly had such a terrible reputation outside, didn’t actually seem that bad when he interacted with her.

________________

Glossary:

¹“Cephalosporin” is a type of antibiotic.

Doctors give it to fight bacterial infections.

So if someone takes cephalosporin, it’s usually because they have an infection that needs medicine.

²Cefalexin (or cephalexin) is actually a type of cephalosporin.

Think of it like this:

Cephalosporin = the whole family of antibiotics.

Cefalexin = one member of that family.

So all cefalexin are cephalosporins, but not all cephalosporins are cefalexin.

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter