Being the Diva’s Rumored Girlfriend [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 19

As the elevator slowly ascended, Mi Man could feel the tension in the air growing stronger.

 

Mu Yunshu held Mi Man’s hand, both of them staying in the corner, while Cheng Jing stood by the elevator door, her back turned to the two of them, making it impossible to see her expression at the moment.

 

To say it was awkward would be an understatement. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, Mu Yunshu was here to see her girlfriend, while Cheng Jing stood there like a third wheel, making the atmosphere unavoidably delicate.

 

Mi Man blinked and thought for a moment, realizing she might be overthinking things. After all, Cheng Jing had a girlfriend, and even if she didn’t, Mi Man herself was already in a relationship.

 

Why would Cheng Jing even care about the current atmosphere?

 

In those brief ten or so seconds, Mi Man’s mind was in complete disarray. She didn’t know what to do or how to handle the situation.

 

Fortunately, the elevator doors soon opened. Cheng Jing stepped out and glanced back at Mi Man, whose face had turned pale, saying, “Don’t forget to return to the rehearsal room for dance practice later.”

 

Mi Man met her gaze and nodded slowly.

 

As the elevator doors closed again, Mi Man felt as if all her strength had drained away.

 

Mu Yunshu looked down at the person in her arms, sensing that she was hiding something.

 

“Isn’t that your team captain?” Mu Yunshu said unhappily. “You didn’t want her to see us like this?”

 

Mi Man shook her head. “No, I just didn’t expect her to show up suddenly.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Mu Yunshu was feeling particularly jealous. She didn’t even know why she was so bothered, but her intuition as a woman told her—she didn’t like the person who had just stepped out of the elevator.

 

In fact, she even found her somewhat annoying.

 

When the elevator doors opened again, Mu Yunshu took Mi Man’s hand and led her out.

 

This was the company’s office area, unlike the floors below where there were dance studios and recording spaces. When the staff saw Mu Yunshu leading their artist in, all eyes turned toward them.

 

It had been four months since Mi Man and Mu Yunshu made their relationship public, and most people had already come to terms with it. After all, celebrities dating had nothing to do with ordinary folks.

 

Besides, Mu Yunshu was 28 this year—considered quite old in the industry—so there was nothing wrong with her finding someone she liked to spend her life with.

 

On top of that, her PR team had handled the situation well, minimizing backlash. While losing some fans was inevitable, the overall outcome was still favorable.

 

So, when everyone saw Mu Yunshu walking in hand-in-hand with Mi Man, their first reaction wasn’t “Oh, they’re together,” but rather, “Why is she here?”

 

“Why is Mu Yunshu here?”

 

“Is she picking up her girlfriend?”

 

“She’s so busy—she actually has time to date? I thought it was just a publicity stunt.”

 

“Even if it was a stunt, they should’ve picked someone more controversial. Mi Man seems too innocent to stir up any drama…”

 

“Shh, keep your voice down!”

 

The whispers around them reached Mi Man’s ears, and only then did she realize she had somehow followed Mu Yunshu into the office area without thinking.

 

“Um…”

 

Mi Man glanced around at the unfamiliar faces, feeling a little nervous. “You came to see President Fu—why did you bring me along?”

 

To be honest, it was partly her fault. She had been momentarily distracted when she saw Cheng Jing and forgot to leave with her, mindlessly following Mu Yunshu upstairs instead.

 

Mu Yunshu’s high heels clicked sharply against the floor. Tall and long-legged, she walked with an air of effortless grace.

 

However, because Mi Man’s legs were shorter, she had to slow her pace to keep up.

 

“Anyway, you still have some time before rehearsal, right?” Mu Yunshu said. “Perfect timing—I wanted to spend a little more time with you.”

 

She said it loudly, drawing envious glances from those around them, their expressions practically screaming, What a loving couple!

 

Mi Man hesitated. She had assumed Mu Yunshu wanted to discuss something serious and hadn’t thought much of it, so she followed her to Fu Yilan’s office.

 

At that moment, in the general manager’s office, Fu Yilan was reviewing the next quarter’s work schedule and the upcoming auditions for new trainees.

 

Hearing the door open, she assumed it was her assistant and casually said, “Just leave it there,” only to hear a familiar voice respond.

 

“Not even taking a break at noon? You really are dedicated.”

 

Fu Yilan looked up to see two figures—one tall, one short—standing at her office door. Behind them, she could spot her employees craning their necks, eyes practically bulging with curiosity as they strained to peek inside.

 

Frowning, she said, “Close the door.”

 

Mu Yunshu shut the door and gestured for Mi Man to take a seat on the nearby sofa.

 

Fu Yilan, still lounging in her wheelchair, lazily eyed the two of them. “What brings you here? If you want to go on a date with your girlfriend, do you really need to do it in the general manager’s office?”

 

Did they think this was a café or something????

 

Mi Man was also puzzled as to why Mu Yunshu had brought her here. Since signing with the company, she had rarely visited the upper floors.

 

“We’re here to discuss a collaboration,” Mu Yunshu said, pulling up a chair in front of Fu Yilan. “I want to invite Mi Man to star in an upcoming ad for our studio. There’s a role that suits her perfectly.”

 

Fu Yilan paused. “What kind of ad?”

 

Mu Yunshu smiled. “A promotional campaign for a new chocolate product.”

 

————————

 

Meanwhile, Cheng Jing returned to the dance studio to find the other members sitting in a circle on the floor, chatting. She walked over to the table and set down her water bottle.

 

Yao Xuan, who had somehow already returned, was still red-eyed as she stared at Cheng Jing. Seeing her stop by the table, she quickly approached.

 

“Can… can we talk?”

 

Cheng Jing didn’t turn to look at her, replying flatly, “About what?”

 

Yao Xuan lowered her head. “I know I’m not as outstanding as you, but I think I’m still pretty good. My family has connections—my uncle and aunt are executives in the entertainment industry. Being with me wouldn’t be a disadvantage for you.”

 

Cheng Jing stopped what she was doing and, after a pause, asked, “What are you trying to say?”

 

“Can we not break up?” Yao Xuan bit her lip. “I don’t know why you’ve been so unhappy lately, but your absentmindedness has been hurting me too. We’re the ones who are supposed to be together. I don’t want you thinking about someone else every time we’re together.”

 

“I wasn’t thinking about anyone else,” Cheng Jing turned to look at her. “Being with you is just a publicity stunt for the company. When the time is right, we’ll announce our breakup to generate buzz. You should know all this.”

 

“But aren’t we actually dating?”

 

“I never intended to date anyone.”

 

Cheng Jing said to Yao Xuan, “I just enjoy the feeling of being pursued, understand?”

 

Beautiful women are often aloof, especially someone like Cheng Jing, who was never destined to be ordinary from birth.

 

Born into wealth with indulgent parents, she was adored at school and stood out effortlessly even in the entertainment industry, always the center of attention.

 

Having lived this way her whole life, Cheng Jing naturally expected everyone to worship her.

 

But this girl before her seemed to harbor inappropriate expectations.

 

Yao Xuan never imagined the person she loved would say such things. She recalled showering Cheng Jing with gifts and luxury items, even asking her uncle to pull strings for her—only to be viewed like this?

 

Being lumped together with those mindless fans???

 

This was… utterly humiliating!

 

Yao Xuan’s face flushed an ugly shade of purple.

 

Cheng Jing continued indifferently, “We’ll remain the perfect couple publicly and interact as friends privately. Isn’t that fine?”

 

Yao Xuan shook her head. “No. I want to be with you properly. What do you take me for?”

 

A backup option?

 

Or some on-call simp???

 

Frowning slightly, Cheng Jing smiled. “Don’t get worked up. This attitude benefits no one.”

 

“What? I’m treated like some pathetic follower and can’t even speak up for myself???”

 

“…”

 

Their argument drew attention from other group members, who all turned to look.

 

Tear-streaked and hoarse, Yao Xuan demanded, “What exactly am I to you?”

 

A stepping stone?

 

Or some parasite feeding your vanity?

 

Even a dog would’ve developed affection after so long together—so why was she still being looked at like trash???

 

Yao Xuan couldn’t comprehend what made her so lacking.

 

“You’re being too loud,” Cheng Jing frowned.

 

“Loud?” Yao Xuan gaped. “So I should just stay silent?”

 

Surveying her hysterical girlfriend, Cheng Jing sighed wearily. “If only you could be as composed as Mi Man.”

 

She murmured this so softly only Yao Xuan heard it clearly.

 

Yao Xuan’s eyes widened, tears forgotten as the implication sank in.

 

So… so that’s how it was…

 

Even Cheng Jing seemed surprised by her slip. “You’re emotionally unstable. Take the afternoon off rehearsals and rest in the dorm.”

 

Disgust twisting her features, Yao Xuan shook her head before fleeing.

 

As the others exchanged confused glances, Mu Xiaoxiao asked, “Captain, why did Yao Xuan run off?”

 

Cheng Jing turned back to glance at them impassively and said calmly, “It’s nothing. Yao Xuan hasn’t been in a good mood lately. Everyone, let’s skip the break and get ready to practice.”

 

She spoke as smoothly as if the person who had just run out wasn’t her girlfriend at all.

 

The group exchanged puzzled looks, but with Cheng Jing unwilling to explain and Yao Xuan already gone, they had no choice but to stand up and prepare for practice.

 

Mu Xiaoxiao pursed her lips, secretly relieved that Mi Man hadn’t witnessed this scene—who knew what she would have thought.

 

The afternoon passed quickly. It wasn’t until nearly the end of practice that Mi Man finally came downstairs.

 

Seeing her return, Mu Xiaoxiao complained, “What happened to you? I asked you to buy me a sandwich at lunch, and you took the whole afternoon! I’m practically starving to death!”

 

Mi Man looked at her apologetically and said with a wry smile, “I was in President Fu’s office all afternoon and couldn’t get away.”

 

Mu Xiaoxiao blinked in surprise. “President Fu? That mysterious CEO of our company?”

 

Mi Man nodded.

 

Curious, Mu Xiaoxiao asked, “Why were you in President Fu’s office? We’ve been with the company for so long, and none of us have even seen this legendary CEO. What do they look like? Male or female? Attractive? How old are they?”

 

Before Mi Man could answer, Cheng Jing called her name.

 

“Mi Man.”

 

Cheng Jing looked at her and said helplessly, “You should have let me know you’d be gone so long with Mu Yunshu.”

 

Mu Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened. “Wait—Mu Yunshu was here too??”

 

Mi Man nodded apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t expect it to take this long.”

 

Rather than scolding her, Cheng Jing asked, “What did you and Mu Yunshu talk about that kept you until now?”

 

After a moment’s thought, Mi Man replied, “Mu Yunshu wants me to film a new chocolate commercial with her, so she came to discuss it with President Fu.”

 

Logically, having Mi Man star in an advertisement was a great opportunity—more exposure meant more fame, which would benefit the company. However, the compensation offered by the product company didn’t satisfy Fu Yilan, given Mu Yunshu’s immense popularity, which naturally commanded a higher price.

 

The shrewd businesswoman Fu Yilan began playing a game of push-and-pull with Mu Yunshu, determined to secure a larger share. The two went back and forth, alternating between casual conversation and heated arguments, until they finally reached an agreement on the profit split by the end of the afternoon.

 

Before leaving, Mu Yunshu had invited Mi Man to dinner, but Mi Man felt she’d been away from practice for too long and declined, not wanting to upset the other members. Fortunately, the shoot was scheduled for the following week, so they would meet again soon.

 

When the others heard that Mi Man was going straight from a variety show to filming a commercial, an awkward silence fell over the group.

 

One of the girls teased, “Is Mi Man about to blow up and become famous?”

 

“Haha, if you really make it big, don’t forget about us!”

 

“Honestly, I wish I had a beautiful, kind older sister to comfort me too~”

 

Mi Man laughed along with their playful banter. If she really couldn’t avoid standing out, she hoped her success might bring some of the spotlight to the rest of the group as well.

 

After all, the Star Girls group wouldn’t be complete without any one of its members.

 

Cheng Jing looked calmly at the girl before her, a slight smile curling at the corners of her lips. “This is a good opportunity. Mi Man, you should seize it.”

 

Mi Man nodded in response.

 

Meanwhile, back in the general manager’s office, Mu Yunshu was growing visibly impatient.

 

“You promised before that you’d consider transferring Mi Man’s contract, didn’t you?”

 

Fu Yilan kept her head lowered as she fiddled with her computer, replying indifferently, “At the time, I thought you were joking.”

 

After all, bringing up something from two years ago so abruptly had taken her by surprise.

 

Mu Yunshu pouted. “You businesspeople—your words are all lies.”

 

Fu Yilan finally looked up from her screen, eyeing the childish Mu Yunshu with confusion. “Why are you so insistent on having Mi Man? What’s so special about her?”

 

Mi Man was the quiet, obedient type—exactly the image the company had crafted for her. She didn’t need to say much; just standing quietly in the background like a delicate vase was enough.

 

And Mi Man had adapted well to this persona, since it wasn’t far from her true nature.

 

But in the entertainment industry, well-behaved, accommodating girls were a dime a dozen. Fu Yilan couldn’t fathom what exactly Mu Yunshu saw in this girl.

 

Was it her awkwardness?

 

Or her slow reactions?

 

Could it be that Fu Yilan had lost touch with current trends and no longer understood what the public wanted in a girl?

 

Mu Yunshu met her gaze. “I have my reasons.”

 

“Don’t give me that,” Fu Yilan retorted, standing to pour herself a glass of water before settling back into her wheelchair. “You’ve had your eye on Mi Man since the day I signed her. As the company’s owner, don’t I deserve to know why?”

 

At first, Fu Yilan had assumed Mu Yunshu was just bored. Later, after Mu Yunshu starred in a few dramas and quieted down, she stopped paying attention to the matter.

 

But now, after such a short time, Mu Yunshu was at it again—how could Fu Yilan not be curious?

 

Mu Yunshu lowered her head. “Do you remember when we were street performers before our art school exams?”

 

Back then, they were both sixteen, dreaming of making it big in the entertainment industry, so they’d teamed up to perform on the streets.

 

Neither of them needed the money—it was just youthful recklessness.

 

Fu Yilan frowned. She vaguely recalled that period, but wasn’t that over a decade ago? Who even remembered that far back?

 

Seeing her friend’s blank expression, Mu Yunshu scoffed. “Mi Man used to come watch my performances back then. Of course I remembered her.”

 

Fu Yilan fell silent for a long moment, studying the slightly embarrassed Mu Yunshu.

 

Mu Yunshu was now twenty-eight, while Mi Man had just turned twenty.

 

So, over a decade ago…

 

Fu Yilan glared at her friend with undisguised disgust. “You’re disgusting.”

 

Mu Yunshu: “…”

 

She had merely known Mi Man as a child—why was she being insulted like this?