Dating Show Side Character, Getting Rich by Roasting People

CHAPTER 79: The Male Group Variety Show Judge

　　Love really does make people a little dumb, Chu Ling thought.

　　If it had been her old self hearing words like this from someone else, she would have shaken her head. Young people these days, always talking about forever and the future as if it’s set in stone. It sounds nice now, but who knows when they might change their mind.

　　But because it was Sheng Yi saying it, her heart softened completely, like it was wrapped in a gentle, warming current.

　　“You’re annoying,” she whispered.

　　Sheng Yi looked surprised. “Why?”

　　“You’ve made it so I don’t even hate as purely as I used to,” Chu Ling said with a half-joking tone. “I can’t believe it, but I actually want to trust what you’re saying.”

　　“…..”

　　Sheng Yi chuckled and leaned his head against hers. “Just so you know, I’m not trying to use sweet words to trap your thoughts. I just… never mind. It’s fine. I don’t need to say it. I’ll prove it through what I do.”

　　Chu Ling blinked at him. “Really? I’ve seen some people say that but never actually do it.”

　　“…..”

　　Sheng Yi couldn’t help pressing a hand to his forehead. Just as he was about to say something else, Chu Ling took his other hand in hers.

　　“I know. At least for now, I really like you.”

　　“As for the future…” She leaned closer and fluttered her lashes. “Just try your best to make me like you for a little longer, okay?”

　　Sheng Yi smiled and gently held her fingers, saying with determination, “I’ll give it my all.”

　　—

　　After the rumors about ‘Perfect Match’ CP allegedly cheating spread, both of their studios scrambled to release statements, saying it was just two friends visiting a room to chat about work. It was completely a misunderstanding and nothing like what people were saying online.

　　But netizens weren’t fools, and few believed the official response.

　　The couple’s carefully maintained image over the years was gone for good.

　　Chu Ling, the accidental instigator, stayed completely out of it. Even when her manager asked, she answered with genuine innocence. “It really has nothing to do with me. I just happened to be passing by. I wasn’t trying to record anything. They just happened to bump into each other.”

　　“Passing by isn’t the problem,” her manager, Xu Jie, said with a sharp look, “but why didn’t you cut the live stream right away to avoid trouble, and instead brought the whole audience along to watch the drama live?”

　　Chu Ling went quiet.

　　Is this the benefit she fought for everyone, for her fans?

　　Okay, she admitted that she did not cut off the live broadcast because she wanted to escalate the situation, but who made the couple mock her and Sheng Yi on the first day? It's no wonder she took advantage of the situation.

　　“You’re really not afraid of offending people, huh?” Xu Jie sighed. “First Qin Shuo, now Xie Qing and He Ming. Don’t you care about your career in the entertainment industry?”

　　Chu Ling shrugged. “Honestly, I think they’re the ones who’ll be bothered more than me.”

　　Xu Jie paused, speechless.

　　Chu Ling added casually, “Besides, I wasn’t doing so well to begin with. Can I really get worse?”

　　Xu Jie could only shake her head. She had to admit, Chu Ling had an oddly relaxed attitude about it.

　　At least for now, Chu Ling’s popularity was soaring thanks to the “scandal master” coverage, and the heat around her CP with Sheng Yi was strong.

　　But real high-quality projects were hard to get. She had offended too many people, and many in the industry were too afraid to work with her.

　　On the other hand, the brave ones who dared to hire her were mainly variety shows.

　　“There are a few variety shows interested in you right now,” Xu Jie said. “Though the schedules clash a bit. You should decide which one you prefer.”

　　“The first one is a marriage life observation show. It focuses on couples on the brink of divorce, giving them a new living environment and observing their emotional changes.”

　　Chu Ling blinked. “I’m not married yet. Do I need to get a marriage certificate for the show first?”

　　“You’re a guest judge!” Xu Jie snapped. “What are you thinking?”

　　“I know, just joking,” Chu Ling said with a laugh. “Though… would it even be okay to have me on? I might convince them all to break up.”

　　The show clearly wasn’t afraid to take the risk. Chu Ling’s reputation alone could make this program stir up more scandals.

　　“You’d better be careful about who you offend,” Xu Jie warned.

　　“Then there’s this one. A male idol group survival show. They want you as a judge.”

　　Chu Ling looked surprised. “Me?”

　　She shook her head. “They must have the wrong person. I’m not an idol, I don’t know how to sing or dance. The only thing that has something to do with music is that my boyfriend is the lead singer of a band. What could I possibly do there?”

　　“You’re not going as a mentor,” Xu Jie said. “Your title is Chief Critic. The production wants you to give feedback from an audience perspective, point out what’s good or bad, and deliver sharp, direct impressions. The professional advice and guidance will come from the experts.”

　　“Oh, the title is fancy,” Chu Ling said with a knowing smile. “Basically they want me to roast a bit, maybe drop a few golden lines, and use my heat to boost the show, right?”

　　Xu Jie muttered, “That’s kind of your strength anyway.”

　　Basically, the shows that invited her were all looking for buzz and willing to take risks.

　　“I personally recommend this one,” Xu Jie said.

　　Chu Ling asked, “Why?”

　　“Because here, people are easier to offend,” Xu Jie said bluntly.

　　Chu Ling paused, then asked the system, “Does the original story mention if any top-tier stars will appear on this show later and shake up the entertainment world?”

　　System: “As far as I know, no.”

　　Chu Ling smiled. Perfect. Then she could freely roast without worry.

　　She nodded to Xu Jie. “Let’s go with this one.”

　　After a pause, she added, “And if there’s a chance, keep an eye out for any scripts that come up for me.”

　　Xu Jie raised an eyebrow. “You want to act, but you’ve already offended so many in the industry?”

　　Chu Ling shrugged. “Variety shows pay quickly and it’s over once it’s aired. Acting is different.”

　　If she could land a role in a classic drama and play a character people would still hate years later, she would have permanent retirement security.

　　“I'm watching for you.”

　　Manager Xu Jie said, “But you know how hard it is. You offended Qin Shuo back then, which cut off at least forty to fifty percent of the film resources from that side.”

　　“Plus, they have a lot of shady dealings. They hate anyone who doesn’t play along. Honestly, I’m afraid if you, the so-called ‘scandal master,’ go over there, all their dirty laundry will get spilled.”

　　“Other scripts… I’ve looked at them. Most aren’t worth your time. Your current popularity means you don’t need to settle for petty villain roles anymore……”

　　“Eh——”

　　Chu Ling quickly said, “Xu Jie, you’re wrong. I want to play villainous roles, especially ones that don’t get a redemption arc, no tragic backstory, just purely bad. I love that. You can’t take away my chance to act my true self, please.”

　　System: “……”

　　Xu Jie: “……”

　　This kid has lost her mind.

　　—

　　《Shining Star Path》aired that day, and even before the livestream started, the hype in the chat was already off the charts.

　　【Finally, another survival show! You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this!】

　　【And it starts live from the first stage, no audio fixes, no edits, fully raw talent. Every trainee gets to be seen. This is insane.】

　　【One hundred boys, wow, I need to pick my pick carefully.】

　　【Everyone’s here for the boys, but I’m just here for Chu Ling, okay?】

　　【+1. When the show announced she’d be the chief critic, I clicked immediately.】

　　【After watching all her roast compilations from Heartbeat Lab, I keep replaying them. Seriously, no one in the whole entertainment industry speaks the truth like Chu Ling.】

　　【Why would the producers invite her? She’s not even a professional.】

　　【Of course it’s for hype, doesn’t matter if the trainees survive or not, greedy show.】

　　【Let’s see which unlucky trainee the producers will sacrifice first, haha.】

　　【? Why can’t Chu Ling just come and speak for us, the audience?】

　　【Anyone who has seen Chu Ling’s roast compilations knows she’s not random. The people she calls out deserve it. If someone does well, she won’t yell at them.】

　　【But if a trainee messes up… good luck to them.】

　　【Haha, Chu Ling really is Chu Ling, queen of drama and hot topics. The show hasn’t even started, and there are already hundreds of comments because she’s judging.】

　　【The producers must be thrilled seeing this hype, hhhh.】

　　【No matter what, trainees better brace themselves. With Chu Ling here, it won’t be easy. Be prepared, don’t cry when she roasts you.】

　　At 7 p.m., the show officially aired.

　　First to appear were the mentors. Besides Chu Ling, the show invited two vocal mentors, two dance mentors, and one rap mentor. All were competent artists with little controversy.

　　After introducing them, the host said, “Finally, let’s welcome our special guest, the show’s Chief Critic—Chu Ling.”

　　Chu Ling walked out from backstage, slowly approaching the camera.

　　She wore a white off-shoulder gown, and her black wavy hair rippled beautifully with each step. Under the bright lights, she seemed to glow effortlessly, radiantly beautiful.

　　Facing the zooming camera, she smiled, waved, and greeted, “Hi.”

　　【With all this talent, I almost forgot our Chu Jie actually has that divinely blessed, “born-to-be-a-celebrity” face.】

　　【So beautiful, Sheng Yi, you lucky guy!!!】

　　【All you trainees, listen up!! If your camera presence isn’t better than Chu Jie’s, don’t even think about debuting, got it?!】

　　Chu Ling stepped into the center of the stage, took the microphone from the host, and said, “I know a lot of people are wondering why I’m here. I’m not even a professional.”

　　“But I think most of the people watching this show aren’t professionals either.”

　　She continued, “In other words, we ordinary people are exactly the audience of this show. And you, the one hundred trainees who are about to perform tonight, are the ones who have to work hard to win us over.”

　　“After all, it’s in the hands of us non-professionals whether you get to debut or not.”

　　She lifted her chin slightly and said, “So show us your best. And don’t hate me for being blunt, because if you really want to debut, there will be voices in the future far harsher than mine waiting for you.”

　　“I’m just here to give you the simplest, most basic lesson.”

　　“That lesson is called—welcome to the cruel entertainment industry.”

 

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