Dating Show Side Character, Getting Rich by Roasting People

CHAPTER 55: What's Wrong with Divorce?

　　Chu Ling nodded thoughtfully, then said, “You mean the news was released by Qin Shuo?”

　　Wen Shu was startled. “How did you—”

　　“I’m not stupid.”

　　Chu Ling gave her a calm glance. “You told me before that Qin Shuo is your ex. Judging by the timing, he should be your only ex. If this ex-husband isn’t him, then who else could it be?”

　　She thought about it and found it rather strange.

　　There was no way Qin Shuo didn’t know. If he put the news out, then once people started digging into Wen Shu, they would definitely dig up his past as well.

　　When that happened, his own image would take a hit. He was a celebrity, and a divorce would hurt his reputation far more than it would affect Wen Shu, an ordinary person.

　　Yet he still went ahead with it.

　　Chu Ling frowned slightly. “Could it be that he actually wanted people to find out about him?”

　　In the original plot, Qin Shuo was supposed to reveal the truth himself during the final episode, right before confessing to Wen Shu.

　　By then, their relationship would have progressed smoothly, and this sudden twist would send the show’s drama level through the roof. The whole internet would ship them as the ultimate ¹broken-mirror-turned-true-love couple. In the end, Wen Shu would accept his confession, and the two would reunite.

　　On the surface, it looked like a perfect happy ending.

　　But Chu Ling had already come to understand what kind of person Wen Shu really was.

　　With Wen Shu’s personality, if she were suddenly forced into that situation, with her past thrown out into the open and the entire world pressuring her to get back with Qin Shuo, she wouldn’t even have a choice. If she refused, the netizens would tear her apart.

　　So no matter what she truly felt at the time, she would be cornered into nodding her head.

　　And now, although the earlier dates hadn’t gone his way, maybe Qin Shuo still wanted to follow that plan.

　　Expose Wen Shu first, drag her public image to the lowest point.

　　Then, when people inevitably dug up his involvement, it would flip the script and generate another wave of hype. After that, he could once again play out a dramatic “chasing after his wife at all costs” arc in front of the entire audience, forcing Wen Shu into reconciliation.

　　In order to achieve this, he didn’t even care if his own reputation went down with hers.

　　It was practically self-destruction.

　　Either he got Wen Shu.

　　Or Wen Shu’s image was ruined, and no one else could have her.

　　Chu Ling sneered inwardly.

　　So this is the male lead of a romance novel. Of course he has to be at least a little unhinged to qualify.

　　“At worst, I’ll just quit the show.”

　　Wen Shu let out a sigh. “The recording’s almost done anyway. I don’t have any real feelings for anyone here, so there’s really no reason for me to stay.”

　　Her personality was a little like an ostrich. Whenever something happened, her first instinct was to hide.

　　She thought, if the director came to talk to her about quitting, she would probably agree.

　　Of course, leaving the show early would cause losses for the production team, and she would likely have to pay quite a hefty penalty. Fortunately, she could afford it.

　　“Why should you be the one to quit?”

　　Chu Ling immediately objected. “Even if everyone else agrees, I don’t.”

　　Wen Shu blinked blankly. “…Huh?”

　　“Look at the people who left before you. They all made serious mistakes. All you did was not publicly announce your divorce. That’s hardly a crime. Why should you leave?”

　　Chu Ling added, “It’s like me not telling the world how many zeros are in my bank account. What business is that of the netizens?”

　　Wen Shu: “…”

　　Even in such a tense moment, Wen Shu couldn’t help but laugh at her. “I don’t think that’s quite the same thing.”

　　Chu Ling pressed on. “And besides, quitting would only make it look like you’re guilty, like you really have something to be ashamed of. But that’s not the case.”

　　Wen Shu hesitated. “Then… then should I just stay here? Would the netizens accept that?”

　　Chu Ling thought for a moment, then said, “Strike first.”

　　“Before the rumors spread too far, we make the first move and respond.”

　　—

　　The production team had been closely monitoring the online chatter, and sure enough, they quickly approached Wen Shu.

　　After a brief discussion, they agreed to her proposal.

　　So, just two hours after the rumors began spreading, Wen Shu sat down at a table. Facing the main camera, she greeted calmly, “Good evening, everyone. I’m sorry to take up a bit of your time, and some public space, but I want to address the rumors about me that have been circulating online.”

　　【Here it comes, here it comes! I didn’t expect her to respond this fast.】

　　【Out of all the guests, she’s definitely the quickest to speak up. And it looks like she’s the only one doing it herself.】

　　【Is Wen Shu going to leave the show? I really like her though…】

　　【If it’s true, then she should be treated the same as the others. The last two people lied and got kicked out. Just because she’s a woman doesn’t mean she should get a pass.】

　　Wen Shu kept her expression composed.

　　She had practiced several times beforehand, so she felt somewhat prepared. Taking a soft breath, she said firmly, “I admit, I have been divorced.”

　　That one line sent the barrage of comments into an uproar.

　　【I thought it was just a rumor. Turns out it’s true.】

　　【Oh my god, she doesn’t even look that old. How young was she when she got married? It doesn’t fit the image she shows.】

　　【I always thought she came from a rich family. Would a young lady from that background marry so early? This whole persona feels fake now.】

　　“But I don’t believe divorce is a crime.”

　　“Divorce doesn’t mean someone has bad character or poor morals. It just means two people weren’t suited for each other, so they separated.”

　　Her hands, clasped tightly on the table, betrayed her nerves. Even so, she looked straight into the camera. “I believe that even if I’m divorced, I still have the right to pursue happiness. That’s why I signed up for Heartbeat Lab.”

　　【She makes it sound so righteous, but it doesn’t change the fact that she lied.】

　　【Agreed. She can’t cover up her deception with pretty words.】

　　【Where’s Chu Ling? Shouldn’t she be calling Wen Shu out? If she stays quiet, then it’s a double standard.】

　　【All of them lied to create fake personas. Why is Wen Shu allowed to stay? Male Guest No.1 and Male Guest No.3 got kicked out for less.】

　　“…Well, well.”

　　“Someone’s actually feeling sorry for Lu Shixuan and Jiang Yicheng?”

　　The next moment, Chu Ling appeared on camera, holding her phone.

　　She tapped on the very comment she had been reading, then gave a soft laugh. “If you miss them that much, why don’t you go comfort them on their accounts right now? Quitting the show doesn’t mean they’ve quit the internet. If you feel bad for them, tell them directly. Honestly, I didn’t know there were people with such… unique tastes, actually rooting for a cheating man and a fake rich second-gen. I support it. Absolutely.”

　　【Chu Jie!】

　　【Chu Jie actually showed up!!】

　　【I’m dying. Her tongue is still as sharp as ever. That’s the Chu Ling we know.】

　　Wen Shu shot her a nervous glance.

　　According to the original plan, she was supposed to handle this on her own.

　　It was her issue, and Chu Ling shouldn’t have been dragged into it.

　　If Chu Ling defended her, the backlash from the netizens would hit her too.

　　Chu Ling: As if that would stop me. This is exactly what I want.

　　She casually pulled out a chair and sat down beside Wen Shu. “Of course I’m fine. I'm just here to listen to the gossip and see what the netizens are getting excited about.”

　　【A divorced woman pretending to be pure? She fooled so many people! Shouldn’t she apologize?】

　　“Fooled your feelings, did she?”

　　Chu Ling shot back without mercy. “So just because you type a few angry words on a keyboard, that counts as her deceiving your feelings? If it’s really that easy to trick you, you should be careful. One day you might fall for an online scam.”

　　“And besides, aren’t you all missing the point here?”

　　She asked, “Did she ever say she hadn’t been married before? No, right? She didn’t walk around with a loudspeaker announcing she was never married. So where exactly is the lie? What did she deceive you about?”

　　【Fine, maybe it’s not deception, but it’s still hiding the truth, isn’t it?】

　　【Exactly. Hiding it isn’t honest either.】

　　“…That’s true.”

　　Wen Shu was about to speak. “I admit, I didn’t handle it well enough…”

　　“What, so unless she tears open her scars and puts them on display, you won’t be satisfied?”

　　Chu Ling leaned in. “Then from now on, why don’t you slap a label on your forehead every time you go out, listing every single ex you’ve ever had. Otherwise, by your logic, you’re being dishonest.”

　　【But marriage isn’t the same as dating. A lot of people care about whether someone has been divorced. Didn’t she think about how the male guests would feel?】

　　“Yes, some people would care.”

　　Chu Ling replied, “But let me ask you, does she even like anyone on this show?”

　　“She hasn’t shown interest in a single guest. She hasn’t taken things further with anyone. So why should she bare her privacy? Would you pour out your private life to someone you don’t plan to date?”

　　At first, most of the comments had been angry about Wen Shu’s so-called dishonesty.

　　But after Chu Ling’s words, many suddenly felt the reasoning made sense.

　　After all, Wen Shu really hadn’t planned to be with anyone. She even turned Qin Shuo down. If she never intended to move forward, then why should she be forced to reveal something so personal?

　　“If that’s the standard, then everyone on this show should be required to disclose their marital history, or at least their relationship status.”

　　There are also several men who appear on dating shows but have girlfriends, and no one said a word about that.

　　“And come on, it’s the twenty-first century. What’s wrong with being divorced? Since when is divorce a crime? The sign-up rules for this show never said divorced people couldn’t join.”

　　Chu Ling even clapped her hands together. “Honestly, anyone who survives the so-called cooling-off period of divorce deserves applause. We should be celebrating the fact that she got rid of her ex-husband!”

　　“…Speaking of my ex-husband.”

　　Wen Shu paused, then said, “I hope everyone stops digging into him.”

　　【Why? Is there something shady about him?】

　　Her expression grew serious. “Because he really was a terrible person.”

　　Chu Ling feigned curiosity. “Oh? What happened?”

　　Wen Shu answered, “During our marriage, he gave me the cold shoulder countless times. Nothing I said ever reached him. To him, I might as well not have existed.”

　　Chu Ling gasped theatrically. “Wow, that’s awful.”

　　Wen Shu’s voice grew quieter. “He often felt we couldn’t let anyone know we were together.”

　　Chu Ling scoffed. “If he wouldn’t even acknowledge your marriage in public, then what? Was he keeping his options open, preparing for an affair?”

　　Wen Shu lowered her gaze. “He always thought I was the one benefiting from the marriage, so I should endure it. Otherwise, I was being unreasonable.”

　　Chu Ling’s eyes widened. “That’s straight-up gaslighting!”

　　Wen Shu admitted softly, “He made decisions for me all the time, even when it wasn’t what I wanted.”

　　Chu Ling smacked the table. “That’s pure male chauvinism. A total control freak!”

　　The two went back and forth like this, and the comments began to sway.

　　【What a scumbag. I never thought Wen Shu’s past was like this… poor girl.】

　　【Thank goodness she divorced him. Congratulations on escaping the sea of misery!】

　　【With a jerk like that, why would you ever stay? You deserve so much better!!】

　　Meanwhile, in another room.

　　Qin Shuo had been sitting leisurely, waiting for Wen Shu to come find him. Instead of a visit, all he got was her live broadcast response.

　　Fine, let her talk. With Wen Shu’s personality, she was bound to trip up eventually. He even hoped that, out of frustration, she might let slip some hint that they had once been married, giving sharp-eyed netizens enough clues to uncover the truth.

　　If that happened, he could use the wave of public opinion to his advantage.

　　If the scandal blew up, both families would have their hands tied, and Wen Shu would still have no choice but to come back to him.

　　But now, staring at the flood of comments tearing into her “scumbag ex” and calling him inhuman…

　　Qin Shuo froze.

　　Wait a second. Isn’t this the worst time for anyone to connect the dots back to him?

________________

Glossary:　

“Broken-mirror-turned-true-love” is a metaphor.

It comes from the Chinese idiom 破镜重圆 (pò jìng chóng yuán), which literally means “a broken mirror made whole again.” The image is of a mirror that’s been shattered but somehow pieced back together, symbolizing lovers who separated or broke up but later reunite.

So in that sentence, it means:

👉 The audience would see them as a couple who once fell apart but managed to reconcile and rekindle their love, making it even stronger.

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