After a Dating Show with My Rival Movie Queen Went Viral, We Were Forced to Live Together - Chapter 1

Beijing’s climate was dry with little rain, and September still carried the lingering heat of summer.

Downstairs at the steamed bun shop, towering stacks of bamboo steamers billowed with scalding steam, adding to the vibrant, bustling atmosphere of the street filled with cars and pedestrians.

Inside the small apartment, sunlight streamed through the window, casting a grid-like pattern across the milk tea-colored walls.

Ding-a-ling.

The phone’s ringtone shattered the silence, finally waking Chi Yu from her hangover.

The screen displayed the name “Scumbag Red.”

“Hello?”

Chi Yu’s voice sounded unfamiliar, as if it weren’t her own.

A teasing voice came from the other end of the line: “Yo, superstar! Still asleep at this hour? You were really drunk at my bar last night, weren’t you? Not just pretending?”

Chi Yu squinted, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight streaming through the window.

Warm rays slipped between her fingers, making it difficult to keep her eyes open.

“…You’d better not call to insult me, this eighteenth-tier actress, while I’m still half-asleep…”

“Hey, I’m not insulting you! You went viral with your very first drama after returning to China. Calling yourself eighteenth-tier is just being disingenuous.”

“Oh, remember Linda from last night? The one you were drinking with? She’s been pestering me for your contact information. You know, the one who kept clinging to you.”

“……”

The reminder triggered fragmented memories in Chi Yu’s hazy mind.

Her friend’s bar opening was a riot of surreal lights, where fragrant bodies danced with unrestrained joy.

The bar, naturally, was a Les Bar.

Chi Yu sat on a high stool at the bar, her fingers lightly swirling the square glass she held by its rim.

A faint, lopsided smile curved her lips, and in the dim, suggestive lighting, her deceptively innocent doe eyes shimmered with a watery sheen.

She had barely settled in when several people approached to flirt.

The most persistent was a blonde woman in a skin-tight sequined slip dress, who shoved her perfume-drenched business card down Chi Yu’s cleavage.

The woman had been eyeing Chi Yu for some time.

She had noticed the girl’s long, pale legs crossed, her slender ankles above beautifully defined insteps, and the delicate, platform-less stilettos on her feet.

Her face was undeniably pure and sweet, with long hair cascading over her shoulders, the strands naturally wavy, soft, and fluffy against her fair cheeks.

A pair of doe-like eyes sparkled with lively intelligence, their watery depths shimmering like liquid light. Her skin was porcelain-white, and her lips were slightly plump and pouty.

Yet when those doe-like eyes lifted, their gaze became unexpectedly alluring, radiating an inexplicable charm.

Even without a word, those naturally luminous eyes seemed capable of mesmerizing anyone who met their gaze.

This bar, recently opened by a friend, was named “Obsession.”

The way the woman was looking at Chi Yu could certainly be described as obsessive.

As she tried to clink glasses, she pressed her body closer.

“Hi~ Call me Linda.”

Her bold approach drew envious glances from onlookers.

“She’s actually hitting on Chi Yu?”

“Chi Yu just returned to China after filming her first drama. Even the supporting actors are blowing up! She’s got some nerve!”

“That’s Linda—a hot girl in the lesbian scene. Her family’s loaded. Don’t let her innocent looks fool you; she’s a total player!”

“I wouldn’t mind being played by someone as stunning as her.”

“She’s gorgeous, comes from a wealthy family, and even got into the entertainment industry because of her looks. It’s just too enviable! Reincarnation must be a skill!”

“Chi Yu is practically part of the entertainment circle now. If it weren’t for Jin Hongjin’s bar opening today, she probably wouldn’t be here mingling. What a shame.”

“Damn it! Someone beat me to it. I should have gone to talk to her earlier.”

“……”

The surrounding area buzzed with lively music, punctuated by hushed whispers.

Chi Yu smiled, completely ignoring the chatter.

Her slender, pale fingers slipped into her neckline, retrieving a business card saturated with strong perfume.

She held the card delicately between her index and middle fingers, the tips of her beautifully manicured nails swaying slightly, the fragrant breeze almost overwhelming her senses.

“Oh~ I’m Chi Yu.”

Linda: “I know. I recognized you the moment I walked in. Tonight, you’re mine.”

Too direct.

Chi Yu maintained her smile. “I’m not that famous yet.”

She had only acted in one drama since returning to China, and even that was a supporting role. With no second project lined up, she found herself with a gap in her schedule. Her manager had mentioned wanting to get her on a variety show, but Chi Yu hadn’t given it much thought.

Linda eyed Chi Yu with amusement. “Miss Chi, you’re quite the sensation in this industry, aren’t you?”

Fueled by alcohol, she dared to say anything.

Chi Yu raised an eyebrow slightly and lifted her wine glass.

“I don’t entertain clients.”

“Hahaha—”

Linda laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. “Who could afford someone like you, Miss Chi?”

A burst of laughter erupted around them, but it was quickly drowned out by the pounding music.

Chi Yu gripped the rim of her icy glass with one hand and pressed it against Linda’s thigh.

“What a shame, beautiful lady. I have a proper job now.”

The frigid glass made contact with the outside of Linda’s honeyed thigh.

“Aiya~!”

Linda immediately let out a coquettish giggle, feigning annoyance as she retreated slightly, repeatedly saying, “You’re so annoying~”

Chi Yu: “If I’m so annoying, why are you leaning in?”

“Why would you suddenly want to enter the entertainment industry?” Linda pressed closer, her body almost touching Chi Yu’s. “Is there someone you care about in the industry?”

The curve of Chi Yu’s lips barely shifted, but inside, it felt as if someone had suddenly pricked the softest part of her heart with countless tiny needles.

Someone I care about in the entertainment industry…?

“Heh.”

Her smile slowly faded, and when she looked at Linda, the feigned enthusiasm in her eyes had vanished, replaced by cold indifference.

The bar’s kaleidoscopic lights swirled, occasionally illuminating Chi Yu’s pale cheeks.

As if her mood had been soured, her brows drooped listlessly, long lashes veiling the color in her deer-like eyes.

“So you’re a reporter? I don’t entertain paparazzi after work.”

She suddenly became unapproachable, as if the flirtatious Chi Yu from moments ago had been a mere facade. This cold, aloof version was the real Chi Yu.

If she said she didn’t like something, she meant it. If she said she didn’t want something, she meant it.

She didn’t care much; after all, she lacked nothing.

“……”

Linda’s smile faltered, and the surrounding gazes turned meaningful.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I… I…”

Chi Yu didn’t even glance at her. She flipped the perfume-drenched card face down on the table, raised her glass, and drained it in one gulp. She then pressed the empty glass, with its lone circular ice cube, firmly onto the fragrant card.

The card, now damp, looked as disheveled as the expression on Linda’s face.

Jin Hongjin swiftly stepped forward and draped an arm around Chi Yu’s shoulders.

“Alright, alright! Our ‘top act’ has finished her ‘hosting duties’ for today. Ladies, please come again next time! Who knows, if our ‘top act’ is in a good mood, she might even have another drink!”

As she spoke, cheerful, lively music filled the air, followed by a burst of laughter.

Chi Yu glanced at her friend, her eyelids lifting slightly.

“Mm, ‘Mama,’ that’s enough for today. This slave shall now retire.”

Her words diffused the awkward tension.

“Alright, alright, you’ve already brought a ton of business to my bar today. Can’t you see it’s packed? You’re the one we have to thank for that!”

As she spoke, Jin Hongjin dragged Chi Yu into a private room.

Inside, the liquor was neatly arranged, and several mutual friends were already singing karaoke. When they saw the newcomers, they laughed and demanded a penalty drink.

Jin Hongjin struck a heroic pose, hands on her hips. “Our ‘top performer’ has been amazing today, earning her keep! Whatever she wants to drink or play, it’s all on the house!”

Amidst cheers from their friends, the group clinked glasses and reveled in the lively atmosphere.

Chi Yu couldn’t remember how much she’d drunk or who she’d talked to the night before.

Someone had even mentioned that long-buried name, and the mere mention of it stirred a strange feeling in her chest.

She couldn’t quite describe it, but it left her feeling inexplicably uneasy.

Someone had also made a bet, and after a round of uproarious laughter, the loser pulled out their phone and dialed a number.

By the end of the night, she couldn’t even recall if the private room door had been pushed open or who had entered.

Chi Yu only remembered the door to the private room being pushed open, revealing a slender, graceful figure silhouetted in the doorway, carrying a faint jasmine fragrance.

As the jasmine-scented figure approached, its features gradually sharpened into focus, until even the delicate brush of those fragrant strands of hair against her cheek felt vividly real.

But her eyelids grew heavy, blurring her vision until everything faded into an indistinct haze.

“……”

“Oh, that Linda,” Jin Hongjin’s voice pulled Chi Yu back from her dazed state. “She’s absolutely smitten with you, crying her eyes out.”

“Why don’t you consider taking her in?”

Chi Yu grabbed her laptop from the side and opened it. “If you like her, you take her. Stop dragging me into this.”

“Aiyo, I can’t handle her.”

The friend on the other end of the line clicked his tongue. “Hey, Miss Chi Yu, when are you coming to my bar for a drink? You’d boost my sales.”

Chi Yu tilted her head, cradling the phone as she casually scrolled through Weibo, her tone indifferent. “My manager said I should avoid places like that from now on. Besides, he wants to see me today. I don’t have time.”

“Seriously? I already planned everything for our get-together,” her friend said. “No offense, but why would you take a job? Don’t tell me you’re really joining the entertainment industry just to follow that person…”

Chi Yu cut her off with a sharp “Tsk!” before she could finish.

She slammed her laptop shut. “How did I get home last night?”

“Last night?” Jin Hongjin asked tentatively. “You don’t remember?”

“Stop wasting time and just tell me.”

After a long hesitation, Jin Hongjin finally spoke. “Everyone was pretty drunk last night. Then, that guy used your phone to call a number… and asked your… your friend to come pick you up.”

“My friend?” Chi Yu asked, puzzled. She instinctively straightened up. “I just got back to the country recently. My family practically disowned me for wanting to join the entertainment industry, so I only hang out with you guys, my so-called ‘fox friends and dog companions.’ We were all together last night. Who else would it be? Which friend?”

Jin Hongjin chuckled obsequiously. “It was… it was… your ex-girlfriend.”

“The Best Actress, Gu Yuan.”