The Trash A Really Doesn't Want to Go Viral [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 25

Liang Yitang felt someone tug at her. When she turned to look, Ye Miaoyi’s gaze was no longer on her. Instead, Ye was instructing the paparazzi, “Make sure you capture everything clearly.”

Ye Jibai covered his face and shouted, “No filming!”

He glared hatefully at Yu Youqing. “Yu Youqing, you’ve got some nerve now, huh? You dare lay hands on me here today—do you really think I’ll let this slide? And you even brought her—” He pointed at Ye Miaoyi. “This useless omega sister of mine, who should be off getting married instead of stirring up trouble here.”

Yu Youqing flexed her wrist. “Do you want another slap?”

The force behind her earlier strike had been so strong that the mark was still visible on Ye Jibai’s face.

Ye Jibai felt a thick, metallic scent fill his nose. When he wiped at it, his hand came away smeared with bl00d.

Seeing Ye Jibai lunge forward, Yu Youqing swiftly sprayed inhibitor mist in his direction and ducked behind the paparazzi’s cameras. “Film him,” she ordered.

Liang Yitang watched, stunned. The spray took immediate effect, and the oppressive aura around her dissipated instantly.

Liang’s assistant rushed in shortly after, frantically asking, “Yitang! Are you okay?!”

Only then did Liang snap out of her daze. For the first time, she wasn’t repulsed by the paparazzi—instead, she felt relief. “Film everything!” she shouted. “Director Ye loves coercing actresses—how does it feel to be on the receiving end?”

Camera flashes erupted one after another, blindingly bright, capturing every bit of Ye Jibai’s humiliation.

Ye Jibai’s entourage hesitated, unwilling to act with Ye Miaoyi present.

His head pounding, Ye Jibai roared, “You overestimate yourselves! Who dares stand in my way? Who dares oppose Ye Jibai?! You want to go against the Ye family?!”

Yu Youqing massaged her sore wrist, clicking her tongue in disgust before grabbing a wet wipe from the table to clean her hands. Surveying the wreckage, she ignored Liang Yitang and walked out with Ye Miaoyi.

Liang followed.

Behind them, Ye Jibai barked at his men to block the paparazzi. “Anyone who leaks today’s events is finished in this industry.”

…

Liang Yitang caught up to Yu Youqing, her expression conflicted. “Hey, stop.”

Yu Youqing turned. “What?”

Liang bristled at her indifferent tone, which snuffed out the flicker of gratitude she’d felt. Still, if Yu Youqing hadn’t intervened, she’d likely have been forced to drink by now…

“Those photos won’t get out. I heard Ye Jibai silencing everyone on my way out,” Liang said. The words of thanks lingered on her tongue, but she swallowed them when Yu Youqing seemed unfazed. “Aren’t you worried about making things worse for yourself by crossing him?”

Yu Youqing smirked. “How strange. Shouldn’t you be gloating? It’s not like this affects you.”

Though Liang had been present, she’d only lost a endorsement deal. The one who’d thrown the punch wasn’t her, so Ye Jibai’s retaliation wouldn’t target her.

Liang scowled. “Forget it! Pretend I never said anything.”

Yu Youqing let out a quiet “Oh” as she watched Liang Yitang take two steps forward before suddenly turning back to quickly say, “Thanks, I’m leaving.”

Yu Youqing was baffled by this unexpected gratitude, finding it increasingly peculiar.

Since when did Liang Yitang thank her? Weren’t they supposed to be sworn enemies?

Ye Miaoyi approached and whispered, “Did Ye Jibai’s provocation somehow change her personality?”

Yu Youqing shook her head, equally confused. After leaving with Ye Miaoyi and getting into their car, they soon received a forwarded message.

Ye Miaoyi showed Yu Youqing the video on her phone—footage of Yu Youqing punching Ye Jibai until his nose bled, complete with his damning statements, all clearly recorded.

“How’s this?”

Yu Youqing smiled. “Perfect. Wishing you all the best.”

Ye Miaoyi grinned. “Leave it to me.”

–

That evening, a newly created gossip account on Touchbo released a heavily blurred video with the explosive caption:

Exclusive Leak: Hidden Rules Scandal at Celebrity Bar Tonight! New Money Power Broker Lures Rising Star Actress Under Pretense of Contract Talks—Only to Get Beaten Up by Her Friend! Even Scriptwriters Wouldn’t Dare Write This Heroic Rescue!

The brand-new account had thoroughly obscured faces in the footage and distorted voices.

The clip initially showed just two figures—a man and a woman. The long-haired woman in a dress had her wrist forcibly gripped, her reluctance palpable amid shattered glass near her heels. Fragmented audio played:

“You’re not afraid I’ll expose this?!”

“Go ahead… try it. You’re not the first to threaten me.”

“Don’t you want that endorsement deal…?”

Though muffled, these three lines stood out with chilling clarity, painting an unmistakable picture of coercion.

This was textbook sexual exploitation!

When the suited man violently yanked the woman closer, viewers collectively held their breath.

Then another figure burst into frame—casually dressed but moving with lethal precision, delivering a nose-shattering punch to the man.

A new voice growled: “What’s wrong with hitting you? It’s hardly my first time.”

Holy sh1t, this is real??

That’s ultimate ride-or-die friendship!!! I need a friend like this

No way—wasn’t the rescuer an omega? She just wrecked an alpha!

When she cracked her knuckles and asked “Want another round?”—DEAD. That’s gotta be an alpha! Marry me!

Which actress is this? OP clearly knows more. Who’s been negotiating endorsements lately? And who’s this “new money” predator?

Given his arrogant threats, this creep’s probably victimized multiple actresses

Drop more tea OP! We’ll boost this trending

This feels legit—they made a burner account because it’ll get censored soon

That actress looks familiar… fans would recognize her silhouette

“Damn, it just hit me—among the female celebrities actively taking endorsements lately, isn’t Yu Youqing one of them?”

“Don’t jinx it, man! No way it could be Yu Youqing, whoever it is.”

“Three seconds—someone tell me who this heroic best friend is! I need all the deets on this badass alpha!”

As the discussion heated up, the post suddenly vanished, and the rising hashtag was promptly taken down.

But barely ten minutes later, an account called “Xiaole Leaks 2.0” reposted the exact same content.

“Here we go, folks—found the new account!”

“Didn’t believe it at first, but the deletion convinced me. Classic investor manipulation.”

“Disgusting! Who the hell is it?! They’re definitely watching now, girls. Watch while you can—the video can’t be saved, but I screen-recorded it.”

“Is that female celeb’s friend okay? Could she get targeted? Is she also in the industry?”

“Must be. I recognize that bar—lots of celebs hang there.”

“That slap was legendary! Textbook execution, brutal!”

“Casual outfit… If I had to name a female artist who dresses like that, only one comes to mind.”

“?????”

“Same brain, huh?”

“Wait—that long wavy hair, those heels, that dress… Feels like Liang Yitang vibes.”

“?”

“Remember that variety show Yu Youqing and Liang Yitang did together? They even swapped clothes. Weren’t they close?”

“No way, fans said Yu Youqing was just acting.”

“This is just girls supporting girls! We gotta expose this person!”

By the time comments surpassed hundreds, the account got banned again.

“Not bad…” Yu Youqing smirked at the “content unavailable” notification on her phone. “Netizens are sharp tonight.”

Her name had been dropped, yet no one believed she’d do this for Liang Yitang.

She knew Ye Jibai would keep suppressing any leaks. No matter—this was just the beginning.

Many speculated the assailant had to be an alpha.

Yu Youqing examined her bruised knuckles.

Jiang Musheng once said she lacked the edge to play a rogue alpha convincingly.

Well, did this count?

Not that she’d ask. Jiang Musheng was busy—by tomorrow, this would be buried anyway.

Her wrist ached from the impact. Ye Jibai’s words and actions had been too infuriating—she’d swung harder than intended.

Totally worth it.

Ye Miaoyi texted: “The Ye household’s in chaos.”

“Classic Ye Jibai move. The family’s furious—he thought hush money would work, never expecting we had the full video.”

“An artist truly can’t compete with the Ye family, but with this in my hands, if they don’t hand over Wind to me, I can ruin Ye Jibai’s reputation. To protect themselves, the Ye family will have no choice but to swallow this bitter pill. Though I must say, your hand must be hurting—was it painful?”

Yu Youqing replied cheerfully: “Once you turn Wind into a top-tier brand and secure my jewelry line, the pain will be worth it.”

Ye Miaoyi: “Absolutely!”

Yu Youqing then recalled how Liang Yitang had thanked her before leaving. That woman probably thought she’d gone out of her way to stand up for her—as if!

From the moment she learned Liang Yitang was meeting Ye Jibai, her only goal had been to capture this damning footage. Even if it had been someone completely unrelated, Yu Youqing would have gone and beaten Ye Jibai up regardless.

Liang Yitang just happened to appear tonight, conveniently becoming an unwitting actor in this premeditated drama.

The videos would be repeatedly posted and deleted throughout the night—with the deletions carried out not just by the Ye family, but also by people Yu Youqing and Ye Miaoyi had arranged.

Yu Youqing understood the rules of this game better than Ye Miaoyi: the more something appeared to be suppressed, the more fiercely the public would believe and rally behind it.

The footage had been blurred to conceal her identity, but the Ye family would recognize Ye Jibai’s handiwork. With the scandal at this heat—just as the Ye family had positioned Ye Jibai for prominence—the moment this video went public, his value would evaporate, dragging the family down with him.

To salvage their reputation, the Ye family would have to comply with all their demands.

And this footage would remain forever in Ye Miaoyi’s grasp.

After her shower, Yu Youqing noticed her wrist was still slightly swollen.

She’d bumped it against the table corner after slapping Ye Jibai, but in the heat of the moment, she hadn’t felt a thing. Only now, relaxed after bathing, did the discomfort register.

She remembered Jiang Musheng kept a first-aid kit in the living room. Heading downstairs, she found no ointment inside. Just as she turned to leave, her phone rang.

She nearly dropped it when she saw the caller ID—Jiang Musheng, and it was a video call?!

For a second, Yu Youqing hesitated to even pick it up.

It was 11:30 PM.

Her first thought was absurdly practical: How does Jiang Musheng still have energy after such a packed schedule? Doesn’t this woman ever sleep?

The call ended before she could answer. Had it been a misdial?

Then a notification popped up:

Jiang Musheng: Bought some medicine. Had the delivery person leave it at your door. Be careful when retrieving it.

Yu Youqing’s heart skipped a beat.

What did this mean??

Checking the security feed to confirm no one was outside, she swiftly opened the door and retrieved the small bag. Inside was precisely the bruise ointment she needed.

Her mind reeled. The “typing” indicator under Jiang Musheng’s name lingered for an eternity, yet no new message appeared—as if waiting for her response.

After agonizing over how to reply, she initially typed “Thank you” twice, then decisively deleted it. On principle of courtesy, she instead called Jiang Musheng back.

“Teacher Jiang?” Yu Youqing noticed the silence on the other end—so quiet she could hear steady breathing, which inexplicably made her tense up. “What do you want me to do with these medicines…”

For a fleeting moment, she wondered if Jiang Musheng had seen that video, but she quickly dismissed the thought.

With such heavy pixelation and voice distortion, who could possibly recognize her? Besides, anyone who even suggested it might be her would face fierce backlash. In everyone’s eyes, she simply wasn’t the type to do something like that.

Her hand had been injured in the collision, and she hadn’t even realized it herself. How could anyone else know?

“Doesn’t your hand hurt?” Jiang Musheng’s tone paused, carrying an inexplicable weight, but then she sighed—Yu Youqing could almost hear the resignation in it. “Follow the instructions. Apply it once before bed, massage gently, and it’ll feel much better by tomorrow.”

Yu Youqing: “?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Teacher Jiang.” Yu Youqing doubled down on playing dumb.

Jiang Musheng cut straight to the point: “I saw it—the brave little heroine.”

“But shouldn’t you consider the consequences before rushing into things?”

Yu Youqing felt an odd pang of guilt. She had no idea how Jiang Musheng had figured it out when even the sharp-eyed netizens hadn’t caught on so quickly.

Oh, right—was Jiang Musheng here to lecture her about recklessness? Because she’d offended the Ye family?

Just as Yu Youqing was about to respond, she heard the other woman mutter to herself, “If you really wanted to fight, why use your fists? You’d just dirty your hands.”