A Pair of Evil Women's Love - Chapter 39
Chapter 39: [VIP]
At the recording studio.
The crane arm passed overhead.
“Everything will be recorded as scheduled.” Fu Haitang was dressed smartly, her demeanor and appearance now completely different from when she first joined the TV station two months ago.
Sini walked over quickly with a script. “Haitang, can you take a look at this?”
Fu Haitang glanced at the shooting schedule. “That’s fine. Go ahead.”
“I heard Director Ren is taking a day off today?”
Two staff members walked by, muttering something. Fu Haitang’s sharp ears caught the key phrase and she looked up from her documents.
“…Hey, that’s not surprising. Come on, let’s not talk about it here!”
Fu Haitang lowered her head, closed her documents, and strode towards the studio.
“Hi~” Fu Haitang’s hair was in black curls, and her makeup was just as good as the trainees. “Everyone!” Fu Haitang clapped her hands to get their attention.
The room gradually quieted down, with all eyes on Fu Haitang.
“The instructor for Class D.”
“I heard she’s very good, and her brain is sharp.”
“Fu Yilan was made famous by her.”
Fu Haitang raised an eyebrow, then spread her hands and turned around in front of everyone. “What’s wrong? Do I look good today? Why is everyone staring at me?”
Fu Yilan stood behind the crowd, silently watching Fu Haitang show off. After a moment, she was finally amused by her cocky demeanor and a smile appeared on her lips.
Everyone laughed.
Fu Haitang then brought the conversation back to the topic at hand.
“Our first task today!” Fu Haitang cleared her throat. “Everyone, look behind you!”
Studio No. 2 was the same as usual, with a similar setup to the first time Fu Yilan had been here. The seats were arranged in a pyramid, and the C-position at the top was still the most coveted spot.
Fu Haitang smiled and said, “I’ve been wondering, after the first two public performances, why haven’t I seen anyone sit in that seat?”
Everyone gasped, then turned their gaze to Fu Yilan in the corner.
The audience’s favorite from the first two public performances was right here!
Gu Jingjing clenched her fist. She really couldn’t understand it. Fu Haitang was actually giving a shout-out to Fu Yilan on camera?
Fu Haitang: “Let’s give a round of applause and invite our poll champion to take the seat!”
Fu Yilan had been voted first by both online and live audiences in the first two public performances, earning her the title of “poll champion” from the station.
Fu Yilan was stunned.
Chen Na’s body trembled. “That’s great! Yilan! You can finally sit there!”
Fu Haitang tilted her head. “Fu Yilan, what are you waiting for? If you don’t sit, what will others who get first place do in the future? Will they sit or not?”
“What a green tea,” Gu Jingjing said sarcastically.
Fu Haitang chuckled and invited Fu Yilan again. “Poll champion?”
Fu Yilan: “…”
Chen Na urged: “Hurry up! Yilan!”
Fu Yilan raised an eyebrow. “Help me up.”
“I’ll do it.” Fu Haitang walked over with a smile, taking Fu Yilan from Chen Na. “I’ll help you up.”
Fu Yilan leaned on a crutch on her right side, and Fu Haitang on her left. She suddenly felt a sense of wonder, realizing that her ability to sit in this seat today was likely inseparable from Fu Haitang.
The C-position was high enough to overlook the entire Studio No. 2. It truly was a different view from up there. Fu Yilan put down her crutch and sat down, suddenly feeling as if all other mountains were small.
This position seemed to have a magical power. Fu Yilan pursed her lips, her palm stroking the golden armrest of the seat, her eyes shining with ambition.
“Thanks to you,” Fu Haitang turned off her microphone, “this is my first time standing this high.”
“Click.”
A staff member took a photo.
Fu Haitang said, “Hey, I’m not down yet!”
Sini, next to the photographer, said, “It’s so shippable… No, it looks so good! This is the one! Straight from the camera, no edits!”
Fu Yilan smiled.
Then Fu Haitang bowed slightly and quickly walked down the pyramid.
After a lot of back-and-forth, Sini refused to delete the photo. Fu Haitang had no choice but to follow the shooting schedule. The second part of today’s recording was the class reassignment.
“25 trainees were eliminated after the second public performance, leaving 54 trainees!” Fu Haitang raised her voice, holding up her script and gesturing for everyone to look at the screen behind her. “You need to be divided into 5 classes! The number of people in each class will be determined by the song and dance you choose!”
“Five classes?” Chen Na was surprised. “What does ‘song and dance’ mean? Before, we always divided into classes first and then chose our dances, didn’t we?”
Fu Haitang tilted her head. “I believe the audience wants to see something different. So this time, we’ve made a small change to the rules! You choose the song and dance first, and then you’re divided into groups!”
Song and dance?
Fu Yilan frowned and glanced at her own right foot.
Fu Haitang: “Oh, and this time, we’ve added two new vocal groups. Trainees in these two groups can focus on singing and have minimal dancing, while the other two groups will focus more on dancing.”
“Why!”
As soon as Fu Haitang’s words fell, someone complained.
“Why were there no vocal groups in the first two phases, and now they’re adding a vocal group specifically after Fu Yilan got injured?”
“Teacher,”
Lin Meixue stepped forward. She was a trainee from Class A with experience debuting overseas. After returning to the country, she signed with Fengying Media. She was a talented singer and dancer, and along with her partner Lin Meilin, they had a decent number of CP fans.
Fu Haitang’s eyes curved as she said, “Yes! It’s to benefit Fu Yilan.”
Everyone: “…”
Sini was dumbfounded. “Hey, if it’s an inside story, it’s an inside story, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone admit it so openly!”
Fu Haitang ignored Sini’s advice and said loudly, “Do you know why?”
“Because–” Fu Haitang turned to the side and pointed at Fu Yilan at the top of the pyramid. “She’s the rating guarantee for this show!”
Fu Yilan instantly became the target of everyone’s stares. A vein on her forehead throbbed. She was truly thanking Fu Haitang a million times over, thanking her for drawing so much hate for her!
“…”
“Everyone,” Fu Haitang said with a look of mockery. “In the entertainment industry, not being famous is a sin. You want a say? Use your influence to speak up. Unless you can steal Fu Yilan’s spot as the poll champion, the show will continue to give her a free pass!”
In the morning, the group divisions and song selections were completed. The remaining work was for the trainees to contact the music instructors to divide the lyrics and rearrange the songs. After that, they would contact the dance instructors to choreograph the dances.
The hosting work for the day was over. With Fu Haitang’s help, both openly and covertly, Fu Yilan was placed in the vocal group.
Sini caught up with Fu Haitang. “Don’t you think what you did was too much?”
Fu Haitang didn’t stop. She was on her way to the editing room to have the clip edited immediately. Hearing the question, she said, “What’s too much?”
“I know Fu Yilan is very famous, but… but helping her so openly, even changing the singing and dancing competition rules for her! Is that, is that appropriate?” Sini said. “Do you know you’re going to be cursed out by the fans of other artists!”
Fu Haitang was unusually calm. “Are you afraid of being cursed out when you’re in this line of work?”
Sini was stunned. “You, what are you thinking?”
“Either you make a show popular,” Fu Haitang stopped and met Sini’s gaze firmly, “or you make a person popular.”
Instantly, the scene of Fu Haitang pushing Fu Yilan onto the stage floated back in her mind. Sini suddenly understood. “You, do you know that if what you’re doing is wrong, and the show or a certain trainee doesn’t become famous, you’ll be the first one to be fired!”
Without the variable that was Fu Yilan, she certainly wouldn’t have this courage. But she had chosen Fu Yilan, the female lead of the whole book, the person of great destiny!
“Nothing will happen to me,” Fu Haitang’s eyes curved. “This is the only chance!”
Sini stomped her foot. “Oh! What ‘only chance’? What are you talking about!”
The only chance.
The only one!
To use Fu Yilan’s momentum and luck to support her own career while Fu Yilan was still unknown!
If she missed this, or if she met Fu Yilan after she had already become famous, Fu Yilan might not even give her a second look. When one person becomes a god, even their dogs and chickens ascend to heaven with them!
Miss it and it’s gone forever.
Fu Haitang took a deep breath and plunged into the editing room.
That night.
#A-StationDailyPreview.
At 10 PM, the hashtag was successfully pushed to the top of the trending list.
A 30-second clip went viral across the internet.
Fu Haitang stood in the studio, a look of mockery in her eyes, making a bold statement to all the trainees: “In the entertainment industry, not being famous is a sin. You want a say? Use your influence to speak up. Unless you can steal Fu Yilan’s poll champion position, the show will continue to give her a free pass!”
The entertainment industry’s veil of pretense was torn away in a single move.
Also at 10 PM, A-Station released the solo poster for the champion of the second public performance of “Group Show 07” on its official Weibo account.
11 PM.
#ThePrincessAndHerKnight trended on the hot search.
The trending content was a photo. In the photo, Fu Yilan was sitting on the top of the pyramid, with no makeup and a simple, fresh summer outfit. Her lips were pale, and her post-injury exhaustion was evident.
Fu Haitang, on the other hand, was dressed exquisitely, wearing heels nearly 10 centimeters high, with big wavy hair, smiling sweetly as she stood next to Fu Yilan.
Under another trending topic, Fu Haitang was being cursed out.
But this comment section was full of people shipping Fu Haitang and Fu Yilan.
Fu Yilan got her phone during her break and was almost shocked when she went online. She couldn’t understand why people were sending her private messages asking what her relationship was with Fu Haitang.
(Lanylan! You and that staff member are so well-matched!)
(Lanylan! Is your on-screen partner an Alpha or a Beta?)
(Lanylan—can I ship you? If I can, I’m going to feast!)
(Baby! Your career is important! You absolutely, absolutely cannot fall in love during your rising period!)
(You’re a publicity hound, you %#%￥#%*(&%￥#))
Fu Yilan: “…”
Fu Yilan closed out of Weibo, and a message from another app popped up.
It was from Fu Haitang.
(You!)
(Didn’t the publicity team let you look at the poster before they released it?)
(Why did you choose this one?)
(Couldn’t you have chosen a solo one?)
(The Young Miss is going to kill me!)
There were several messages in a row, and the last one showed that she was actually afraid of Gu Jingjing seeing it?
Fu Yilan scoffed. (Don’t misunderstand. I just didn’t refuse Sini’s suggestion.)
Fu Haitang: “…”
“What do you have to explain?” In front of her, Gu Jingjing stood with her arms crossed, looking at Fu Haitang. “You really have a thing with Fu Yilan. You give her a shout-out on camera, and now you’re even helping her with a fan couple?”
Fu Haitang was brave enough to do anything, but she truly wouldn’t dare to create a fan couple with Fu Yilan!
“…I didn’t,” Fu Haitang said, unable to speak her mind. “Young Miss! Please listen to me!”
Gu Jingjing was furious and raised her arm. “Lu Gege betrayed me, and you’re betraying me, too!”
Fu Haitang didn’t dare to resist and braced herself for the slap. She closed her eyes, waiting for the sound of a slap to hit her ears.
“?”
Only the sound, no pain?
Fu Haitang opened one eye. She was not prepared for what she saw, and a cold sweat broke out all over her body. She widened her eyes. “Fu Yilan? Young Miss!”
Gu Jingjing was forced back two steps, cowering in the corner of the hallway. She covered her right cheek and let out a few tears. “You… you actually dared to hit me…”
Fu Yilan glanced at Fu Haitang, who was drenched in cold sweat. The situation in front of her was even worse than if she had received ten slaps from Gu Jingjing.
“I,” Fu Haitang looked at Fu Yilan, then at Gu Jingjing. “You…”
“You useless person! What are you looking at! Do something!” Gu Jingjing roared.
The text of the plot in her mind synchronized. Lu Jing was nearby? Fu Haitang gritted her teeth, raised her arm, and her target was Fu Yilan!
The other’s palm came with the force of the wind. Fu Yilan was mentally prepared for the slap. She tilted her head to take it, knowing that this slap was the best way to dispel Gu Jingjing’s suspicions.
However, the expected pain never came. The crisp sound of a slap landed on someone else.
Fu Haitang held her left cheek, stumbled back a few steps, and bumped into the Young Miss. Gu Jingjing coughed, covering her face, and looked up at the person who had arrived.
Gu Jingjing: “…”
Fu Haitang: “…”
Fu Yilan: “…”
The plot in her mind seamlessly synchronized.
[…The expected pain never came. Fu Yilan opened her eyes. A large hand blocked the slap and then slapped the owner of the hand back!
The omega driver bumped into Gu Jingjing, and both looked disheveled and comical.
“Are you okay?” Lu Jing pulled Fu Yilan close and asked with concern. “Are you hurt?”
“Hurt?” Gu Jingjing yelled, pulling Fu Haitang back to reality. “I’m the one who’s hurt! Lu Jing, are you blind?”
“…”
Fu Haitang’s face was swollen, and she didn’t dare to say a word.
Lu Jing: “Jingjing, this is a TV station. Have you considered the consequences if it gets out that you had your person hit a trainee who needs to be on camera?”
“Let go of me.”
“Let go of her!”
Fu Haitang: “…”
Fu Yilan and Gu Jingjing spoke at the same time, looked at each other, and then both looked at Lu Jing again.
“Let go of me.”
“Let go of her!”
Lu Jing frowned. He didn’t let go of Fu Yilan. Instead, he held her more tightly. “Come with me…”
“Slap!”
Fu Yilan slapped him with all her might.
Fu Haitang: “…”
Gu Jingjing: “…”
Lu Jing covered his right cheek, a look of disbelief on his face, and took a few steps back.
“Teacher Lu,” Fu Yilan said righteeously. “Given the distance and space, I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to be hugging an omega. Please have some self-respect!”
Lu Jing, a mentor who needed to be on camera, was speechless.
Gu Jingjing came to her senses and pounced on Fu Yilan with a vicious expression. “Fu Yilan! I’ll tear your face off!”
“Young Miss! Young Miss, don’t!” Fu Haitang hugged Gu Jingjing’s face. “Don’t chase her! Don’t chase her! There are surveillance cameras outside of this corner!”
Fu Yilan left.
Lu Jing also left, covering his face with a look of dismay.
A few minutes later.
They were in the same old spot. Fu Haitang was holding a bag of ice to Gu Jingjing’s left cheek with her left hand and a bag of ice to her own right cheek with her right hand.
Gu Jingjing put down the mirror. “How am I supposed to record the show like this! Hiss—Can you be gentler! It hurts so much!”
Fu Haitang: “…Yes, Young Miss. Please be patient. Young Miss, I’ve prepared a mask for you. Please wear it later.”
Gu Jingjing sighed. There was nothing else to do but wear a mask. Her suspicions about Fu Haitang being in Fu Yilan’s camp had vanished. What angered her more was that Lu Jing was actually defending Fu Yilan!
Not only that, but he had no reaction after being slapped!
“Hmph!”
“Ugh!”
“I’m so mad!”
Gu Jingjing was so angry that her body twisted. She kept kicking and waving her hands, about to lose her mind. Fu Haitang quickly comforted her. “Young Miss, don’t be angry! You’re the champion of the second public performance! You have to perform well!”
A pair of black eyes glared at her fiercely. Gu Jingjing cursed, “Didn’t you say you’d give that little tramp Fu Yilan a free pass! You’re so useless! I don’t know why I even bothered to put you in the TV station!”
“Young Miss~” Fu Haitang said soothingly. “I said that just so that Fu Yilan will climb higher! And fall harder! Just you wait! I’ll handle things, you can rest assured!”
After sweet-talking and deceiving Gu Jingjing, the big boss, she still had a more difficult person to deal with.
One in the morning.
Fu Haitang drove back to the apartment, took a few deep breaths, and finally had the courage to push the door open.
Fu Yilan was waiting at the door of the apartment, looking at Fu Haitang with a blank expression. “You wanted to hit me?”
Fu Haitang: “…”
“You actually dared to hit Lanylan!” Ji Xiaotong peeked out from behind Fu Yilan, swinging her arms like a turtle’s fist in Fu Haitang’s direction. Then she scurried over and handed her a whip. “Mom… Lanylan, here! Teach that big villain a lesson!”
“Come to the bathroom,” Fu Yilan said coldly.
Fu Haitang felt a sudden panic. “Hey… you’re not actually going to hit me, are you?”