The Trash A Really Doesn't Want to Go Viral [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 20

Yu Youqing thought to herself.

If she were bold enough, she should say something like: “Kiss me and I’ll know if it’s real.”

But she didn’t dare—because she already knew it was real.

The moment Jiang Musheng leaned in, the cramped space inside the car became suffocating. Especially when Jiang Musheng spoke, the warmth of her breath brushed against Yu Youqing’s ear, sending waves of tingling sensations down her spine.

Still dazed, Yu Youqing resignedly pulled up the “Add Friend” interface on her phone. Only then did she sense Jiang Musheng chuckle softly, and finally, she felt like she could breathe again.

After adding each other, the car door unlocked.

Silently, Yu Youqing walked upstairs with Jiang Musheng and retreated straight into her room.

Because Jiang Musheng was home, Yu Youqing could only scream internally—over and over again.

Ahhhhhhh!

Even in a drama, they wouldn’t dare write something like this, right? A top-tier idol asking for my WeChat? And saying she wants to “give it a try” with me?

So… what kind of “try” did Jiang Musheng mean?

A “let’s chat and see” kind of try? Or… a casual, no-strings-attached kind of try?

She wasn’t naive to the industry. She knew that with just a crook of Jiang Musheng’s finger, any type of omega would willingly flock to her side.

So after turning it over in her mind again and again, Yu Youqing could only chalk it up to Jiang Musheng’s half-serious, half-joking remark.

She stared at her phone.

They had added each other half an hour ago, but their chat remained empty except for the system notification:

Congratulations! You’ve added each other. Start chatting now!

Chat about… what?

Yu Youqing tapped into Jiang Musheng’s Moments. There were no personal photos—just sporadic posts every six months or so, mostly promotions for her dramas.

This woman’s private life was either genuinely dull or entirely consumed by work.

When her phone buzzed, Yu Youqing’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She quickly exited Jiang Musheng’s Moments.

Tiantian: Sis, the statement’s been posted. Everything’s fine now! Thank goodness Teacher Jiang didn’t make a big deal out of it. When I first saw her in the conference room, I almost had a heart attack! But turns out she’s actually pretty easygoing.

Tiantian: I think this is a great opportunity, sis!

Tiantian: I was worried we’d end up on Teacher Jiang’s bad side, but turns out she and President Lin are good friends. That’s some solid backing!

Tiantian: If you ignore the hate, this whole thing actually boosted your visibility. At least three mid-tier endorsements are reaching out to us now. But our main focus should still be securing that dating show.

This was insider information.

The major streaming platform Juzi TV was preparing a new dating show with substantial capital backing—and naturally, high standards. Previous dating shows had relied on scripted drama between ordinary participants, edited into juicy clips for viewers. But this time, the program aimed higher, setting stricter requirements for guests.

The first rule was non-negotiable: Only those with sufficient popularity would receive an invitation.

Yu Youqing had just made her comeback and clearly wasn’t qualified yet, but this wave of popularity gave her a boost.

Before, she might have chatted with Tiantian about work matters, but now her mind was completely elsewhere.

“……”

Can I not go to the dating show?

Yu Youqing knew it was unlikely. She had promised the company she’d follow arrangements, and backing out now would mean unaffordable penalties.

She exhaled heavily, staring blankly at her phone screen.

Jiang Musheng had created too many illusions for her, making her want to follow her heart for once.

But she understood—what right did she have to be willful in her current situation?

Tiantian: ???

Tiantian fired back: Sis! Are you crazy?! That dating show’s six episodes pay seven figures!

Well, that was that. Tiantian’s words snuffed out that tiny spark in Yu Youqing’s heart.

What did willfulness matter? Money was what counted.

So she turned off her phone, trying to calm down and think rationally.

……

Damn it, there was no calming down.

Just remembering Jiang Musheng saying “let’s try” made her heartbeat spiral out of control—the panicky kind of out of control.

She reopened her phone and, after much deliberation, could only send Tiantian one message: Uh, hypothetical—if an impossibly perfect alpha started dating, what would be the reason?

Several minutes passed with no response—Tiantian was probably stunned by the question.

Just as Yu Youqing thought Tiantian wouldn’t reply and was about to say it was just a joke, her screen flooded with question marks, as if the realization had finally hit.

…Sis, do you have feelings for Teacher Jiang?

Yu Youqing: ?

How did Tiantian immediately land on the nuclear option?! Sure, there was attraction, but jumping straight to “liking” was too much.

The typing indicator kept blinking, so Yu Youqing waited.

You absolutely MUST hold it together. Aren’t you the woman determined to make bank? How can you get tangled up in romance?!

Most importantly, your AO compatibility rating with Teacher Jiang among netizens would be negative. Literally.

That said… anyone who actually got with Teacher Jiang would skyrocket to the top. The money would come rolling in…

Yu Youqing pondered.

She hadn’t said anything—how did Tiantian know she meant Teacher Jiang?

But of course.

An impossibly perfect alpha—given the context, who else could it be but Jiang Musheng?

When not face-to-face with Jiang Musheng, Yu Youqing’s thoughts were crystal clear. Her fingers hovered over the screen, about to respond when another message arrived.

Tiantian: And remember? Teacher Jiang has that white moonlight. They say childhood sweethearts lose to fateful encounters, and fate loses to the white moonlight in someone’s heart!

At the mention of the white moonlight, that tiny flame in Yu Youqing’s heart was drenched as if by a downpour, completely extinguished.

She replied: Just a random question. You’re overthinking it.

Setting her phone aside, Yu Youqing laughed inexplicably and murmured, “Must’ve been momentarily possessed…”

She was well aware of it.

In her previous life, after her popularity faded, her luck gradually ran out too. In the end, she died in desolation, forgotten by all. Even if her lingering curiosity about Jiang Musheng from that life persisted till now, it was about time to put a stop to it.

She had been given a rare chance to start over, and she didn’t know if she would fall ill again later. Before that, aside from saving enough money, the best course of action was to leave the entertainment industry.

Wasn’t she supposed to film a drama with Jiang Musheng later? Regarding this, staying friends was the best option—otherwise, it would only lead to awkwardness between them. No matter what might happen between them, Yu Youqing needed to keep her position clear.

Taking a step back, she was an omega, and Jiang Musheng was an alpha. Even without any emotional involvement, they could easily get entangled due to instincts during certain periods—which made it even more dangerous.

Though Yu Youqing hadn’t had the chance to experience love herself, she was a firm believer in true love. She disliked the idea of her emotions being influenced by alpha-omega compatibility or pheromonal attraction, and she certainly didn’t want to be some stand-in for a white moonlight.

But as she thought about it…

Before her rebirth, she and Jiang Musheng had practically no interactions. It was only after her rebirth that they crossed paths more frequently.

Yet, these encounters weren’t enough to develop feelings. So when Jiang Musheng asked her, “Want to give it a try?”—after the initial confusion subsided and she calmed down—Yu Youqing could only attribute it to one thing:

Was Jiang Musheng nearing her rut? Hence the heightened craving for an omega, or perhaps she was just looking for a convenient substitute.

Coincidentally, neither scenario was something Yu Youqing could accept. So she planned to focus on her work and keep her distance from Jiang Musheng the rest of the time. That would be best for both of them.

Before going to bed, Yu Youqing reached up to touch the back of her neck, then opened the bedside drawer to check the suppressants she kept inside. Only then did she turn off the light and close her eyes.

Her heat was approaching soon—better safe than sorry.

At three in the morning, Yu Youqing was awakened by a dry heat in her throat.

Perhaps due to the mental strain from earlier and overthinking, she—someone who never woke up at night—found herself wide awake.

After checking the time on her phone, she tried to go back to sleep, but minutes later, she reluctantly got out of bed.

She went downstairs to the kitchen for water.

At this hour, there was no risk of running into Jiang Musheng.

She filled a glass of water, moving with deliberate quietness. Even though this was her rented home, after the conversation with Jiang Musheng earlier, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy moving around.

In truth, once she attributed Jiang Musheng’s actions to either lingering feelings for a white moonlight or mere biological impulses, the weight in Yu Youqing’s heart lifted.

Deep down, she never believed Jiang Musheng’s affection could truly be hers.

Those preferential gestures only made her uneasy.

Yu Youqing stared blankly at her half-empty glass—

She came from an unremarkable background.

The reason she had entered the entertainment industry so early was simply to earn money quickly. Her family was ordinary; she had been raised by her grandparents and had grown up without much sense of security.

So when she became famous, she soared fast—and fell just as quickly. Back then, Yu Youqing hadn’t understood the rules of this industry. Charging ahead recklessly, her downfall was inevitable.

She seemed to recall something, a faint smile curving her lips.

Back then, despite being temperamental and willful, her thoughts had been the purest—acting directly on whatever she wanted to do, truly childlike at heart.

Unlike now, where growing up meant everything had to be weighed and reconsidered endlessly.

Yu Youshen turned around, only for the smile on her lips to freeze instantly.

The person standing by the window seemed to sense her gaze and turned around, meeting her eyes before walking toward the kitchen.

Yu Youshen had no idea how long Jiang Musheng had been standing there. From her angle when she came downstairs, there had been a blind spot—she hadn’t noticed Jiang Musheng at all.

Was she also unable to sleep this late at night?

The room wasn’t lit, but the moonlight spilling in made everything visible enough.

As Jiang Musheng approached, Yu Youshen instinctively shifted slightly to the side and spoke first, “Can’t sleep, Teacher Jiang?”

Jiang Musheng nodded. “I was thinking about some things.”

That must’ve been quite a long while…

Glancing at the time, Yu Youshen thought silently.

Jiang Musheng studied her. “You couldn’t sleep either?”

“I was thirsty, so I came down for water.” Yu Youshen shook her head, avoiding Jiang Musheng’s gaze. Looking at her would only make her restless, unsure how to react. “I’ll head back up now.”

Her evasion didn’t escape Jiang Musheng’s notice. Just as Yu Youshen moved to pass by, the woman suddenly caught her wrist.

Yu Youshen’s heart skipped a beat, and the cup slipped from her hand, shattering with a sharp “crack” against the floor.

“Don’t move!”

Yu Youshen blurted out, immediately crouching to gather the broken pieces. There was no way she’d let Jiang Musheng clean up after her.

But in her haste, she didn’t notice a small shard slicing her finger.

Before she could even react, she was abruptly pulled upright.

“You—”

Her eyes lifted to Jiang Musheng’s stern expression, and the rest of her words died in her throat.

“Let me handle it.” Jiang Musheng spotted the cut on Yu Youshen’s finger instantly and guided her to the living room, seating her on the sofa before retrieving the first-aid kit.

Watching her move about, Yu Youshen said, “It’s really not necessary.”

But Jiang Musheng flicked on the lights, replacing the moonlight with a warm glow and dispelling any lingering drowsiness. She opened the kit, pulling out antiseptic and cotton swabs before kneeling in front of Yu Youshen to tend to the wound.

The cool touch made Yu Youshen shiver. Ignoring the inexplicable flutter in her chest, she extended her hand. “Teacher Jiang, I can do it myself.”

Jiang Musheng frowned, the cotton swab still in her grip.

“It’s just a small cut—no need to worry. It’ll heal by tomorrow.” Yu Youshen wasn’t concerned. It was just a glass shard, and the wound was tiny—hardly worth the fuss.

She reached for the swab, but Jiang Musheng withheld it. Yu Youshen looked at her, puzzled.

Jiang Musheng repeated firmly, “Let me.”

…Fine, then.

Yu Youshen couldn’t hold Jiang Musheng’s gaze for long before yielding. In moments like these, she was acutely reminded of the unyielding dominance of an alpha—something she, as an omega, simply couldn’t defy. So she relented, letting Jiang Musheng take over.

Some bl00d still seeped out. In the end, Jiang Musheng frowned in thought. Yu Youqing watched as Jiang Musheng pondered for a moment before taking out gauze from the first aid kit, a question mark slowly rising in her heart.

“Uh, that’s not necessary… Teacher Jiang, you’re not thinking of bandaging me, are you?”

Jiang Musheng: “Otherwise?” Her hands paused momentarily.

Yu Youqing instinctively pulled her hand back slightly, looking at Jiang Musheng with wariness and amusement. “A wound this small just needs a band-aid.”

As she reached for the band-aids inside, Jiang Musheng said, “Why won’t you listen to me?”

If it weren’t Jiang Musheng, Yu Youqing probably wouldn’t have even responded. She knew Jiang Musheng meant well, but clearly the teacher lacked some basic life experience. It made sense—Jiang Musheng likely had assistants taking care of everything in her daily life.

“Teacher Jiang, I can do it myself, really.” Yu Youqing glanced at Jiang Musheng quickly before adding, “How can you be so unreasonable?”

Only then did Jiang Musheng straighten up, watching as Yu Youqing took out a band-aid before saying, “Why can’t you let me help?”

Yu Youqing replied offhandedly, “One should do their own things.”

She applied the band-aid herself.

Jiang Musheng went to the kitchen to sweep up the broken pieces. Yu Youqing, who had been planning to slip back to her room, found her escape route blocked once again.

With her tasks taken over by Jiang Musheng, Yu Youqing now found herself with nothing to do. She could only sit there quietly, preparing to thank Jiang Musheng later.

There was a subtle, unspoken understanding between them—neither brought up their earlier conversation again.

After finishing the cleanup, Jiang Musheng returned. She looked at Yu Youqing’s face and suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

Yu Youqing was baffled. “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing. Let me wipe your face, then you can go back to sleep.” When Jiang Musheng returned with a damp cotton pad and basin, Yu Youqing finally felt uncomfortable enough to protest again: “Teacher Jiang, I—”

“‘I’ll do it myself’? How many times have I heard that tonight?” Jiang Musheng wasn’t oblivious to Yu Youqing’s guardedness—toward her, and toward everyone else.

This was what struck Jiang Musheng most about Yu Youqing’s transformation. She was nothing like before. The past two years had clearly taken their toll.

Yu Youqing had become obedient and sensible, with none of her former willfulness. She treated those around her well and complied with the company’s arrangements, even when they seemed unreasonable at first glance.

Yet compared to her wariness toward others, Yu Youqing seemed even more cautious around Jiang Musheng specifically.

Jiang Musheng had been thinking about what Lin Xuqiao mentioned before leaving:

“That girl has been with the company for over a month now, working hard. She’s not as difficult as people say. Like today—she knew she could have milked this opportunity with you endlessly for publicity, but she didn’t. In fact, her first instinct was to distance herself from you.”

“Interesting. I thought she was the type who wanted instant success, but it seems she prefers steady progress. Though… given how hostile her fans and yours are toward each other, I’d say she still has an uphill battle.”

Lin Xuqiao’s words immediately halted Jiang Musheng’s train of thought.

She had indeed considered using her connections to help Yu Youqing, but she respected Yu’s independence.

…

“I just don’t want to trouble people. I’ve already bothered you enough,” Yu Youqing said truthfully. After a pause, she added, “Besides, you never really lecture me or make me do anything.”

Jiang Musheng replied, “You weren’t listening when I did try to reason with you.”

Yu immediately knew Jiang was referring to their car conversation earlier. Instinctively avoiding the topic, she resigned herself to letting Jiang wipe her face clean.

Jiang’s movements were gentle, and Yu didn’t dare move, frozen like a statue.

“Done.” Only when Jiang spoke did Yu blink, her lips parting before she finally voiced her thoughts: “This feels like you’re taking care of a child.”

Jiang chuckled in agreement, adding, “You do act like a child sometimes.”

“?” Yu found Jiang’s remark strangely unsettling. Her first instinct was to retort: “So you were just taking care of a kid then?”

Jiang countered, “Weren’t I?”

Yu glanced at the band-aid on her hand, swallowing her words before finally standing up to leave.

At the staircase, Jiang’s voice followed her: “I hope what I said in the car didn’t scare you.”

Yu turned back seriously, meeting Jiang’s gaze without flinching this time: “Teacher Jiang, I understand. I won’t take it to heart. And about this incident… I’m truly grateful you didn’t make an issue of it. I’ll try not to trouble you so much in the future.”

Jiang frowned—Yu’s response was completely unexpected. “What I meant was—”

“I understand perfectly, Teacher Jiang. But I think you might just find me temporarily interesting. I currently have no such thoughts myself.” Yu’s tone was sincere. “Someone as smart as you must know what I’m trying to say. Goodnight.”

With that, Yu fled upstairs like a startled rabbit.

Jiang watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.

She understood perfectly well—Yu was telling her: I don’t like you. There’s no possibility between us.

She’d definitely scared Yu.

…

Yu woke unusually early the next day.

Normally a late sleeper, she found herself awake at dawn. Sounds from downstairs—what seemed like suitcase wheels—caught her attention.

Her phone showed just 6:00 AM.

Then the front door closed. Jiang must have left with luggage, probably catching a flight.

But she hadn’t slept until 3 AM last night? The thought surfaced unexpectedly in Yu’s mind.

Yu picked up her phone and opened Touchbo.

Compared to yesterday, the scarf incident’s heat had cooled slightly though it still lingered in the top seven trending topics. With nothing better to do, Yu bravely clicked into the hashtag.

“I just believe our Teacher Jiang is kind-hearted and doesn’t take it to heart. Anyone can tell this scarf thing is just Yu Youqing trying to ride on her fame.”

“My heart aches for our Teacher Jiang.”

“When will Yu Youqing finally fade into obscurity??? #TeamFlopFish#”

“Ugh, and how could she have the nerve to ask Teacher Jiang to scoop snow for her on the show? Doesn’t she know his hands can’t handle the cold? She must be doing it on purpose!”

“To be fair, unless you’re a fan of Teacher Jiang, you might not know about that. Maybe it was just a coincidence.”

“There are no coincidences with her. She’s just being dramatic.”

“I actually thought Yu Youqing seemed considerate on the show—she even brought extra coats. But after this, everything feels calculated.”

“No way I’d ever become a fan. More like an anti-fan.”

“I think we shouldn’t be so biased…”

“Yeah, last night, Zizi even dropped into the fan group chat and told us she bought that scarf herself. Yu Youqing was just helping her out by not mentioning it.”

“They’re from the same company. Who’d believe that?”

Yu Youqing was surprised. She had expected an overwhelming wave of criticism, but scattered among the comments were a few defending her.

Her mindset was solid—she wouldn’t let the targeted hate get to her. Those supportive remarks came from Yin Zi’s fans, who even shared screenshots of Yin Zi’s messages in the group chat.

She also discovered a dedicated anti-fan community on the platform called the “Flop Fish Squad.”

Curious, Yu Youqing clicked in.

The group had been created just over twenty days ago—around the time she made her first red carpet appearance after her return. In that short span, it had already amassed nearly 80,000 members.

Impressive. So many people disliked her.

“Yu Youqing hasn’t posted in two days. Too scared to show her face?”

“Flop, flop, flop!”

“Would she dare? She’d get torn apart if she did! Can’t stand seeing her on the show.”

“LOL, she even had the audacity to prance around in front of Li Rongcheng, who’s called her out before. Who does she think she is?”

“From the red carpet to the scarf incident, every move she makes is about piggybacking off Teacher Jiang. Can’t she survive without clout-chasing? Check out this timeline I made.”

The user had meticulously documented every public appearance Yu Youqing had made, noting outfits, details, and timestamps. The effort put into it was almost impressive—if she didn’t know better, Yu Youqing might have mistaken them for a devoted fan.

She was still browsing with amusement when Tian Tian messaged her.

“Free tonight? There’s a livestream promo for that short drama. You’ll be on with Cheng Shunzhu.”

Cheng Shunzhu was the male lead from the web series she’d acted in. A few years younger, he had gained popularity as a sunny campus heartthrob before being scouted. Now graduated, his agency had tested the waters by casting him in the web series.

He played an omega, while Yu Youqing portrayed his alpha older sister.

Compared to a newcomer like him, her acting was passable, so they’d gotten along well on set. Still, her role had been minor, and she’d wrapped up filming quickly.

Yu Youqing replied with an “Understood,” and her phone immediately rang.

It was an unfamiliar number, but when she saw the location, her gaze froze.

Songcheng?

She hesitated for a moment before answering.

The voice on the other end was confident and carried a teasing tone.

“I have an endorsement for you.”

“?” Yu Youqing found the voice familiar but frowned. “You are…?”

“Tsk, you heartless woman. I’ve only been gone a few years, and you’ve already forgotten me?” The voice continued, “Darling, you’re really breaking my heart here.”

After a few seconds of silence, a smile spread across Yu Youqing’s face. “Bulbasaur.”

The other end choked on the nickname before roaring, “Don’t you dare call me that!!!!”

Yu Youqing had recognized who it was by the second sentence.

Ye Miaoyi—her childhood playmate. But when Yu Youqing entered the entertainment industry in her teens, Ye Miaoyi had moved abroad with her family, and they lost contact.

“I’m back, but the situation’s a bit complicated. I’m still in Songcheng, but I saw you on that variety show,” Ye Miaoyi said bluntly. “Coincidentally, I have a jewelry brand looking for a spokesperson. I want you.”