Dating Show Side Character, Getting Rich by Roasting People

CHAPTER 84: Do You Have Any Other Dreams You Want Me to Make Come True?

　　Chu Ling swore that when she first joined this audition show, she definitely didn’t have any grand plan to reform the whole system. She just wanted to make a little money.

　　At first, she thought boy group idol fans would be really harsh and critical.

　　But after a few episodes, not only were there hardly any fans scolding her, a surprising number of viewers actually switched sides and became fans of her as a mentor.

　　By pure accident, her overly strict way of scolding trainees made them double their efforts just to avoid being yelled at, and their skills improved as a result.

　　There was no way around it. They were genuinely scared of Chu Ling.

　　After all, when Chu Ling criticized someone, she didn’t care whether they had fans or not, whether they had a powerful background, or whether they were under a big company. If she didn’t like it, she would call it out, with zero favoritism.

　　Other mentors might consider your identity or check your background.

　　Chu Ling didn’t even listen to the director, so who could stop her!

　　Even the most popular trainees, if they performed poorly, were treated the same way.

　　And the way she criticized was always precise.

　　After recording, the production team interviewed her. They asked how, despite not being a professional mentor, she could immediately pinpoint the trainees’ problems when giving feedback.

　　Chu Ling replied, “Maybe it’s because I’m good at finding faults in the tiniest details.”

　　At first, she thought this behavior was harsh and unfair. But in the following second and third round performances, the trainees who stayed on stage worked harder than ever and delivered one outstanding performance after another.

　　In the end, by the time the audition was nearing its finale, almost nobody was scolding her anymore.

　　Chu Ling herself found it a little strange. “Why do you think they don’t scold me anymore?”

　　System: “……”

　　Listen to that. Is this even human language?

　　Sheng Yi: “……?”

　　He smiled in confusion. “Isn’t it better that they don’t scold you?”

　　Still, he worried a little. After being criticized online for so long, maybe Chu Ling had gotten used to it, and now encountering normal public opinion felt strange to her.

　　Chu Ling didn’t explain the reason. She simply said, “I’m just curious.”

　　“I feel like I almost left the trainees with a psychological scar. Yet the fans are commenting under my Weibo, asking me to scold more. Some even said that being scolded by me is worth it if the person they like gets more screen time.”

　　It had to be said. That was surprisingly clever reverse thinking.

　　Sheng Yi thought for a moment and tried to explain. “The trainees who really didn’t have the skills have mostly been eliminated. The ones who remain are willing to work hard, and being pushed to improve, they wouldn’t complain about you. It’s like top students not worrying when the teacher is strict.”

　　Chu Ling’s words were harsh, but objectively, they really did help the trainees.

　　And that was the truth of it.

　　But Chu Ling still hoped they would complain a little.

　　Since hardly anyone was scolding her, she had no choice but to make a small account and post negative threads about herself on various forums—“Is it just me, or is Chu Ling really over the top?”

　　She wrote a whole 800-word rant, detailing how terrible she was, criticizing her for saying anything for money, and claiming she just wanted fame.

　　The comments below were all the same:

　　【? Don’t pick on her.】

　　【What would I even watch without Chu Ling?】

　　【Have you ever thought it’s Chu Ling who brought this show to life? Otherwise, who would even follow it?】

　　【She’s not wrong. Whose fan are you, getting triggered just because she criticized your idol?】

　　Chu Ling: “……”

　　She didn’t know whether to be touched or exasperated. Here she was, posting a thread to stir trouble, and a whole group of people was defending her.

　　—

　　The new house Chu Ling bought came fully furnished, but she still redecorated a few rooms to fit her personal style.

　　When everything was finished, she brought Sheng Yi over to check it out.

　　“How is it? Not bad, right?” Chu Ling asked.

　　“I used to think I’d only ever live in a house like this in my dreams.” Sheng Yi didn’t hold back his praise. “It’s beautiful.”

　　“Of course. That’s my taste,” Chu Ling said with a smile.

　　“Give it about half a year, and we should be able to move in,” she added.

　　“Oh, I also saved a special room for you, underground. Want to check it out?”

　　“Basement?” Sheng Yi joked. “Are you sure it’s for me and not to lock me in?”

　　“You’ll know when you look,” Chu Ling replied.

　　He followed her to the basement and paused in surprise as she opened the door.

　　Inside was a huge rehearsal room, roughly twice the size of the one they were currently using.

　　Though there were no instruments or equipment yet, the basic setup alone showed it was a high-quality rehearsal space.

　　“Since it’s in the basement, the space is pretty big,” Chu Ling explained. “I had someone test the soundproofing. It’s really good.”

　　“I know how much you love music. You can practice here at home, and if you want to rehearse with your teammates, they can come here too. It’s perfect for that.”

　　Before she could finish, Sheng Yi suddenly grabbed her.

　　He held her by the waist and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around in the air twice.

　　“Hey—”

　　Chu Ling braced herself on his shoulders, laughing uncontrollably.

　　She had expected Sheng Yi to be happy, but not like this.

　　After spinning her a few more times, he finally set her down, still holding her tightly.

　　He bent slightly, his face close to hers, and Chu Ling could hear his excited, eager breathing.

　　“……Thank you.”

　　Sheng Yi’s voice was a little thick.

　　Every time he thought he already liked Chu Ling so much, he realized he could always love her even more.

　　His girlfriend, the person he loved, constantly said she didn’t believe in promises or think about the future. She would get grossed out by romantic lines, but in action, she fulfilled every promise and lived out those words.

　　Her love was always direct and effortless.

　　Chu Ling was extraordinary.

　　He loved her more than anything.

　　“I……”

　　Sheng Yi’s mind felt a little scrambled, and his first reaction was to ask, “Can I… do something for you?”

　　Chu Ling didn’t hesitate. “Do it.”

　　“……”

　　Sheng Yi clarified, “I mean, can I do something for you, for real?”

　　Because what Chu Ling had given him was just… too much. Too good.

　　“Hmm……”

　　“I don’t really need anything either,” Chu Ling admitted after thinking for a moment.

　　“Then… why not think about me a little more?”

　　She blinked and added, “If I’m not around, and one of those nights you can’t sleep comes, can you spend a bit of that time thinking of me?”

　　“I can feel it,” she said softly.

　　System: “……”

　　To anyone else, that sounded like some cute, teasing love line.

　　But from Chu Ling, it was basically the same as saying—me, Chu Ling, transfer money now.

　　Longing was a kind of negative emotion too, after all.

　　She said she could feel it, and she really could!!

　　Sheng Yi paused, a little stunned. “Just like that?”

　　“What else?” Chu Ling smiled. “You were expecting me to charge you rent or something?”

　　System: “Wait… if you calculate it, didn’t he already pay?”

　　True.

　　All the emotional value Sheng Yi had poured out while secretly pining for her, tossing and turning every night, basically counted as enough rent.

　　Chu Ling asked him boldly, “Then how about you? Do you have any dreams left that you want me to make come true?”

　　The question sounded incredibly domineering.

　　But Chu Ling glanced at the balance in her account and said with even more confidence, “I’ve been… making a little bit of money lately.”

　　Just a tiny little bit. Well, a billion tiny little bit, really.

　　“……Actually, there is one.”

　　Sheng Yi thought for a moment, then said seriously, “In two months, our band will hold our first solo live show. Would you have time to come see us perform?”

　　Chu Ling hadn’t expected it to be something so simple.

　　She pretended to think it over. “Two months from now, huh? I’ll have to check my schedule first.”

　　She noticed Sheng Yi looking a little nervous and smiled. “You really want me to come, don’t you?”

　　“For me, this performance is very important.”

　　“If you’re there, it’ll feel more meaningful, like you’re witnessing it.”

　　He paused, then added, “…Of course, if you really can’t make it, that’s fine too.”

　　“Time is one thing,” Chu Ling said, “but do I really have to go? If you’re performing live and I’m sitting in the front row, will anyone even be paying attention to your performance?”

　　She teased, “They won’t all line up to get my autograph, right? After all, I am pretty famous now.”

　　“There’s a VIP box on the second floor. I’ll reserve the best spot for you and have security in place. No one will bother you.”

　　Sheng Yi looked at her with eyes bright and hopeful, like a little begging puppy. “You could make time for me?”

　　“Mm……”

　　Chu Ling dragged out the end of her syllable, then laughed at his anxious expression. “Of course. Even if I had no free time, I’d make time for you.”

　　—

　　On the day of the performance.

　　Chu Ling wore a hat and mask, sitting in the VIP box on the second floor.

　　She had looked around when she arrived. The venue held about a thousand people. Not huge, but already the biggest stage Sheng Yi’s band had played on.

　　The floor space below was already packed with the audience.

　　It was surprising that over a thousand tickets had sold out so quickly.

　　Their band had really improved since before.

　　Spotlights shone down as Sheng Yi strummed his guitar and waved to the enthusiastic crowd. “Good evening, everyone. We are—Mayfly Party!”

　　This was the first time Chu Ling had officially watched them perform on stage.

　　She had to admit, even though Mayfly Party wasn’t very famous—and the lead guitarist and singer had to appear on a dating show for exposure—their music was actually pretty good.

　　Chu Ling had been sitting in the VIP box, but after two songs, she couldn’t help standing up.

　　Live shows were just that infectious.

　　And Sheng Yi on stage was different from usual.

　　Normally, he didn’t hide his sharpness, but he still held back some of his presence.

　　The moment he stepped on stage, guitar strapped on and microphone in hand, it was like some hidden switch had been flipped. His presence exploded outward, and his charisma was several times stronger than usual.

　　Chu Ling listened to the waves of ecstatic screams from the crowd and looked at him on stage, certain that anyone who had seen him live would find it hard not to fall for him.

　　All he needed was one chance, and he would prove himself.

　　He belonged on a bigger stage.

　　Chu Ling thought, no, she was sure, that one day he would play on the grandest stages.

　　And it wasn’t just him. The drummer, keyboardist, and bassist all synchronized perfectly, carrying one song after another.

　　Two hours flew by, and they were almost through their set.

　　“This is our last song,” Sheng Yi announced. “Do you all want to hear something special?”

　　The audience shouted in unison, “Yes!”

　　“Then this one’s for you. It’s our new song, never released anywhere else. You’re the first to hear it.”

　　Sheng Yi held the microphone, his tone softening. “The song is called Just Because. I hope you’ll like it.”

　　When the intro began, Chu Ling immediately recognized it.

　　It was the song Sheng Yi had played for her before.

　　Looks like he had finally finished the lyrics, and tonight was the perfect occasion for its debut.

　　But when Chu Ling heard the words, she froze for a moment.

　　The lyrics told the story of a boy falling for a special girl, someone unlike anyone else. The world might see her as a little unusual, even treat her unfairly, but he loved her all the same.

　　When Sheng Yi reached the chorus, a line that almost sounded like a confession, he looked up at the second floor and met Chu Ling’s eyes.

　　In that instant, it was as if a light went on in her heart.

　　No wonder he had asked if she liked the song.

　　It was a love song written for her.

　　He had played only the melody for her before, quietly finished the lyrics without telling her, invited her to the live show, and now was performing this special gift in front of thousands of people just for her.

　　Chu Ling’s gaze locked with Sheng Yi’s, and her chest felt warm and fluttering.

　　This was… unbelievably romantic.

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