Being the Diva’s Rumored Girlfriend [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 1

Mi Man slowly opened her eyes, lying on her side in bed as she half-heartedly glanced at the flood of notifications on her phone.

#Star Girls Members Dating Each Other#

This small search term had appeared on the trending list, attracting considerable attention.

Cheng Jing and fellow group member Yao Xuan officially announce their relationship!

Congratulations to our sister for finding the girl she loves!

This couple has always been low-key, but they’ve finally gone public!

Congratulations!!

Mi Man’s finger paused as it scrolled past the photos on the screen.

Cheng Jing—a girl she’d known for over a decade.

At some point, Mi Man had begun to feel differently about her than others. She wanted to grow closer, to narrow the distance between them…

Mi Man sat up in bed, tying her long hair into a ponytail. The summer heat made the air feel stifling, but even more oppressive was the restlessness this news had stirred within her.

A shower did little to relieve the summer heat, but at least it made her feel somewhat refreshed.

When she picked up her phone again, the trending topic had already faded.

Mi Man opened Cheng Jing’s Weibo, where the latest post was the very notification that had unsettled her.

Cheng Jing: Want to see a smile that belongs only to me @Yao Xuan

Drops of water from her still-damp hair trailed down Mi Man’s delicate collarbone, soaking into her thin tank top.

An indescribable bitterness filled her heart. After liking her for so long, she still couldn’t make that person look her way even once.

Mi Man truly didn’t understand—what was it about her that wasn’t good enough?

Her breath came out hot and heavy.

This summer… was far too scorching…

————————

“Are you okay?”

Mu Xiaoxiao, who had always been on good terms with Mi Man, looked startled to see the normally teetotaler holding a bottle of fruit beer from the fridge.

There was nothing graceful about the way Mi Man twisted off the cap and tilted her head back to gulp it down.

Orange liquid spilled from the corners of her lips, quickly dripping onto her chest and staining her top.

“It’s so hot in here. Don’t you all feel it?”

Mi Man turned to her friend, casually closing the fridge door as she carried the half-finished drink to the coffee table, rummaging for the air conditioner remote.

For easier management, all six members of the girl group lived together in one suite—sleeping quarters upstairs, leisure space downstairs.

‘Beep beep beep—’

Mi Man turned on the AC, closing her eyes as she listened to the sound from above, trying to savor the not-quite-refreshing coolness.

Having never seen Mi Man like this, Mu Xiaoxiao was clearly taken aback.

In her memory, Mi Man had always been the quiet, well-behaved type. Though not the most popular in the group, she’d always stayed within bounds—never stepping out of line, never drawing attention.

Now, dressed in just a tank top and shorts, a bottle in one hand and the remote in the other, she was a sight that made Mu Xiaoxiao curious.

Sitting on the couch, Mu Xiaoxiao watched Mi Man’s back and asked, “Are you upset?”

Mi Man didn’t answer, but her eyes betrayed her.

“Why torture yourself?” Mu Xiaoxiao pulled a pillow onto her lap, sighing. “Cheng Jing’s announcement was decided after discussions with the management. There’s nothing you can do even if you’re unhappy.”

Indeed, this whole incident was precisely a publicity stunt orchestrated by the talent agency.

Since Cheng Jing had decent popularity within the group, and the other girl had some resources at her disposal, it was only natural that they latched onto each other for mutual benefit.

The entertainment industry is simple at its core—it’s all about grabbing attention, securing resources, and chasing clout.

These were things Mi Man had known even before debut, so why couldn’t she just let it go?

Tilting her head back, she took another swig, the burning alcohol scorching her throat and making her choke violently.

“Cough, cough…” She coughed until the corners of her eyes turned slightly red before wiping the droplets from her lips.

Mu Xiaoxiao watched silently, unsure how to comfort her.

Though Mi Man rarely spoke, anyone with eyes could see she had feelings for Cheng Jing. Yet she stubbornly refused to voice them, and now things had spiraled into this mess—far from what she’d wanted.

“Take it easy on the drinks,” Mu Xiaoxiao said softly, watching the flushed pink at Mi Man’s tear-stained eyes, as if she were crying. “What kind of girl do you like? If it’s really that bad, I can introduce you to someone.”

Why torture yourself like this?

Mi Man shook her head. “I’m just in a bad mood and wanted to drink more water.”

Mu Xiaoxiao: “…That’s alcohol.”

Mi Man blinked, picked up the bottle, and frowned. “No wonder it tasted awful…”

Mu Xiaoxiao: “…”

About ten minutes later, the alcohol hit hard. Despite her light outfit, Mi Man curled up on the sofa, still complaining about the heat.

“Hot? More like lovesick!”

Mu Xiaoxiao draped a blanket over her and sighed. “Do you want some hangover meds? Can you even tell one from two right now?”

Mi Man giggled. “I can.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Xiaoxiao, if I had a girlfriend too… do you think she’d notice me again?”

“…Don’t talk nonsense. Where would you even get a girlfriend?”

Besides, Cheng Jing never liked you in the first place. What’s the point of stirring up trouble?

You’ll just end up drinking again.

“The manager’s coming soon,” Mu Xiaoxiao patted Mi Man’s flushed cheeks. “I’ll say you’re not feeling well and need to rest in your room, okay?”

Mi Man leaned her forehead against Mu Xiaoxiao’s, their faces close.

“Xiaoxiao, do you think Cheng Jing will break up with her girlfriend?”

“Probably not.”

“What if I go public with someone too?”

Mu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but laugh. This girl barely spoke to strangers, flashing nothing but polite smiles even to fans. Who would she even “go public” with?

“Listen,” Mu Xiaoxiao took Mi Man’s hand firmly. “Don’t do anything reckless, or the company will make things hard for you. If it gets bad enough, they might even kick you out of the group.”

Though her words were stern, Mi Man, lost in her drunken haze, wasn’t listening.

Her mind was filled with images of Cheng Jing and her girlfriend. Why, despite her own feelings, had she never gotten a second glance?

If someone appeared who could make Cheng Jing see her… wouldn’t that change everything?

“Hey… what if we go public instead?”

Mi Man raised her head and looked at her friend before her, saying, “Just make it public for five minutes. If there’s no reaction, I’ll take it back.”

Mu Xiaoxiao had a look of utter confusion on her face.

This girl was definitely drunk.

“Stop messing around. You’re not sober right now. Go get some sleep first.”

As she spoke, Mu Xiaoxiao tried to pull her up from the couch.

Clutching her friend’s hand tightly, Mi Man curled up as much as possible, refusing to let her move her, pretending to be a snail.

“Just five minutes…”

“No.”

“Please…”

“Mi Man.”

“Please…”

“……”

In the end, unable to resist Mi Man’s drunken antics, Mu Xiaoxiao sighed. Fortunately, neither of them had many fans, and they often joked around like this. Even if they posted something like this, it would probably just be seen as best friends fooling around, and no one would think anything more of it.

Mu Xiaoxiao thought Mi Man was being foolishly stubborn, but there was no way to talk her out of it.

After all, strictly speaking, today counted as Mi Man’s heartbreak.

It was best not to provoke a heartbroken woman.

“Five minutes. Once the time’s up, delete it immediately, got it?”

Mu Xiaoxiao was exasperated. She pursed her lips and said, “Then tag me in it.”

Mi Man actually wanted to know Cheng Jing’s reaction. If she really stirred up some gossip with another girl, would Cheng Jing care? Would she finally notice the one who had always been by her side?

If things went smoothly, the next part of the script would be Cheng Jing realizing her true love, turning back, taking Mi Man’s hand, and declaring undying love or something like that…

The more she thought about it, the worse it got. Mi Man’s head spun, and in a moment of impulsiveness, she decided to go through with it. She opened the tagging list.

Mu—Mu—Mu—Mu—

Found it!

Mi Man tapped the profile picture, then looked up at her friend with flushed cheeks and said, “Five minutes. If nothing happens, I’ll delete it.”

Mu Xiaoxiao swung her slender legs impatiently. “Yeah, yeah, just post it already!”

Mi Man sent the post, then slowly closed her eyes.

About a minute later, Mu Xiaoxiao, sitting beside her, tilted her head and asked, “Did you post it?”

Mi Man felt dizzy. She nodded.

Mu Xiaoxiao frowned. “Why didn’t I get a notification?”

Drowsiness overwhelmed her. Mi Man handed her phone to her friend, then slumped weakly onto the fabric armrest of the couch.

Mu Xiaoxiao opened the phone and took a look—then nearly had a heart attack.

Mi Man: Let’s make it official too @Mu Yunshu

Mu Yunshu: @Mi Man Sure~