Her Wild Rose - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Madam

When Tang Tang woke up, for a moment, she had no idea where she was.

She opened her eyes and looked up at the pearl chandelier casting colorful reflections on the ceiling, then at the deep blue wallpaper with golden patterns on the opposite wall, and finally at the overly luxurious nightstand beside the bed.

This wasn’t her room.

Her alcohol-dulled brain finally began to function. She instinctively clutched the blanket to her chest, nervously trying to recall what had happened the night before.

“You’re up?”

Just as she was deep in thought, Su Qian suddenly walked in holding a health-tea thermos, looking at Tang Tang with a teasing expression. “If you sleep any longer, the entire production team will be stuck waiting for you.”

Figures. Nothing good ever happens when Su Qian shows up.

Tang Tang gave Su Qian’s tea cup a sideways glance, tilting her head sarcastically. “That’s because we young people are still growing. Not like some people—so old they have to carry a thermal mug around.”

Oh? The silly kid learned to talk back?

Su Qian raised an eyebrow and took a deliberate sip from her mug right in front of her. “Sure, I’m old, but at least I can hold my liquor—unlike some people who drink and get all emotional.”

!

Drinking and getting emotional?!

Tang Tang’s eyelid twitched. She instinctively recalled her drunken antics last night. Clinging to her “never lose face” principle, she stiffened her neck and insisted, “So what if I got drunk? Not like someone who schemes even while drinking.”

Oh boy, she’s looking for a fight, huh.

Su Qian didn’t bother to argue with her over such childish things. She glanced at the girl, whose face was calm but clearly flustered inside, and mischievously decided to let her discover later that her drunken drama had been recorded.

“Fine, I scheme. But you better get moving, young one, or you’ll embarrass all your fellow Gen Zs,” Su Qian said as she stood, carrying her tea out of the room.

The door finally closed. Tang Tang crept barefoot to it, pressed her ear against the wood, and waited until Su Qian’s heels faded into the distance. Then, like a thief, she dashed back to her own room.

Finally, home sweet home.

Looking at the minimalist white decor of her room, she breathed a sigh of relief. The weight on her chest lifted. She flopped down on the sofa and began replaying her earlier conversation with Su Qian in her head.

That tsundere woman, always had to argue over everything. Why did she let her off so easily this time?

Something was off. Definitely fishy!

Tang Tang felt like a female Sherlock Holmes, untangling clues with ease. She pulled out her phone to message her manager, Dong Yu.

Just then, her phone vibrated. A Weibo notification popped up:

“Shocking! Tang Tang confesses drunkenly to Su Qian on Besties reality show—years of tension revealed to be caused by…”

Uh-oh…

Tang Tang stared at the headline. She recognized every word, but together they might as well have been in an alien language. She couldn’t make sense of it.

I’m doomed… totally doomed…

Her hands trembling, she opened Weibo. The trending topics were a nightmare:

• #TangTangDrunk

• #BestiesTruthOrDare

• #IsTheOneYouLoveAtThisParty

• #WhatHappenedBetweenTangTangAndSuQian

The entire trending list was covered with related topics. Tang Tang stared at them with a pale face, fingers hovering—should she click in?

Screw it. If I’m going down, I want to know why.

She gritted her teeth and clicked into the top trending video. Less than thirty seconds in, she closed it with a dead-eyed expression.

It’s over. She might as well quit the industry. How could she ever show her face in entertainment again?

Tang Tang lay in bed punching her pillow, wishing she could hang herself with a noodle.

Right then, her WeChat pinged with a message from Shen Jia.

(Tang Tang, ride the trending wave—post something and gain followers.)

Excuse me… is it legal to report a boss for exploitation?

Tang Tang wept internally, then resentfully posted a Weibo update:

@TangTang: Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive and drink. Cherish life. Stay away from alcohol. [Sobbing.JPEG]

She was just recovering from despair when a reply from Su Qian popped up.

@SuQian: So… was that the bus to kindergarten? [YouKnowWhatIMean.JPEG]

Wha—?! That old hag has lost her mind!

Tang Tang’s pupils dilated with horror. She instinctively opened Su Qian’s Weibo, and when she confirmed it was really her verified account, she collapsed back onto her bed in utter defeat.

Screw trending, screw clout, screw followers.

She didn’t want anything anymore. She just wanted to run far, far away—to a planet where Su Qian didn’t exist.

“Miss Anran, the director and other cast members are waiting in the dining room.”

Just as Tang Tang was contemplating quitting the show, a staff member’s familiar voice came from the door.

Tang Tang frowned and replied. She looked into her wardrobe and picked something plain and unremarkable.

Wherever there are cameras, there’s drama. She’d just be a quiet, pretty background character.

She followed the staff to the dining room, a self-satisfied grin on her face—Plan Successful.

“Wow, you got ready fast.”

Su Qian approached with a tray holding a bowl of congee and a boiled egg. She scanned Tang Tang from head to toe with a familiar lazy smirk. “Guess you’re living up to that ‘young and vigorous’ label.”

Why does she haunt me like a ghost?

Tang Tang eyed Su Qian warily. Under the woman’s amused gaze, she bolted.

That flustered escape… was unexpectedly adorable.

Su Qian shrugged at the camera and took a seat with a clear view of Tang Tang. She rested her chin in her hand, her expression soft.

For some reason, just remembering Tang Tang saying “I like you” last night calmed Su Qian’s heart.

Maybe this… is what having a family feels like.

‘Aaaah Su Qian’s auntie smile—why is this so sweet?!”
“The kindergarten bus… why does that make me think of NSFW things?”
“Keep going, upstairs neighbor—you’re making sense.”
“Been in the GL fandom for years—those two are 100% a thing. Definitely a “second-chance romance.””

As the barrage of comments flew by, Tang Tang sat stiffly among the non-celebrity guests, pretending to admire the gloomy, overcast sky.

“Wow… what a nice day.”

The guests: …

“She’s panicking, I’m telling you. Look at her panic.”
“LMAO this isn’t good weather—it’s just good drama.”
(Breaking news: Celebrity on travel show claims it’s sunny during a thunderstorm—is this delusion or drama?)

…

“Eat this boiled egg. Good protein.”

And there she was again—Su Qian, back like a stubborn ghost. She sat beside Tang Tang as if they were lifelong companions. “Too much sugar gives you cavities… and makes you gain weight.”

Tang Tang had no energy to deal with her nagging. She kept stabbing her cake with a spoon, pretending it was her drunken self from last night. “Gain weight? Cavities? I almost left Earth last night. Who cares about a balanced diet…”

After ranting, she remembered Su Qian—her tormentor—was right beside her. She scooted away and whispered in warning:

“Can you not follow me around? Push me too far, and I swear—I bite.”

“Oh?” Su Qian stirred her coffee elegantly. “Then bite me. Let me see what you’ve got.”

This woman has been possessed since that drink!

Tang Tang’s face twisted with disbelief. She scanned Su Qian up and down, then gave up trying to reason and moved to another seat—only for Su Qian to drape her arm over her shoulders.

“Don’t go. The cameras are on us.”

Su Qian leaned in, whispering like it was pillow talk. “Wanna bet? If you run off again, I’ll buy a trending tag that says: #SuQianTangTangSecretlyMarried#.”

“You—shameless, Su the Scoundrel!”

Tang Tang finally gave in to her shamelessness. She stabbed her cake with the resolve of a martyr. “Fine. It’s just a meal. We’ll eat together.”

Su Qian grinned in triumph, patting her shoulder. “Silly kid, choose your words wisely. Soon enough, you’ll be Mrs. Scoundrel Su.”

!

Tang Tang’s cheeks flared red. She slapped her hands over her face, only to realize her ears were burning too.

At that moment, the long-absent director finally arrived. He gestured for everyone to gather so he could explain the rules.

“Welcome to the Besties reality show, everyone! We’ll be spending the next month together,” said Director Li Xiang, a young man in his 20s whose past shows had all been viral hits. “Since it’s a travel show, those with money can travel freely. But those without? You’ll have to budget-travel. We’ll split you into five random teams. Each team gets ¥1000. You’ll have to earn the rest through odd jobs with your teammates.”

Wow. Teams?

Tang Tang instinctively looked at Su Qian beside her and prayed with all her might that they wouldn’t end up on the same team.

“The breakfast coupon you got this morning—don’t throw it away. The ones with matching colors are your teammates. Go find your team!”

As soon as Li Xiang finished, the restaurant buzzed with activity. Tang Tang nervously picked up her green-colored coupon, already bracing for the worst.

If her memory wasn’t failing her… the one Su Qian left on the nightstand was also green.

Turning like a zombie, she saw Su Qian holding a green coupon—and jumped to her feet.

“This isn’t fair! I refuse to be on the same team as that smug tsundere!”