Wish to Get Rich But Wear a Scumbag A - Chapter 22

They arrived at their destination, but Yan He was still asleep.

Her sleep quality was excellent; neither the car horn nor the noise from the filming location could rouse her.

“Yan He, we’re here,” Qi Xingwan said, removing her eye mask engraved with the words “Wake me up for food” and shaking Yan He awake with unwavering impartiality.

Yan He rubbed her eyes, still groggy, and leaned against Qi Xingwan, whining, “I still want to sleep…”

“We’re here, and everyone’s waiting. The pilot episode won’t be long. You can sleep at the hotel after filming.”

Perhaps because the cameras were rolling, Qi Xingwan’s voice was unusually gentle, like the soft murmurs between lovers.

Yan He was momentarily dazed and obediently followed her out of the car.

The scorching sun beat down, instantly turning even the most sleep-deprived person into a panting mess.

Thankfully, the production team had some conscience and chose a northern summer resort for filming. Otherwise, Yan He would have unleashed her wrath.

The eight guests consisted of two married couples and two dating pairs.

To each their own, the show aimed to cater to every romantic preference, ensuring there was a type of love story for every viewer.

After getting out of the car, they headed straight to the VIP lounge through a private channel.

This wasn’t about flaunting status; it was to avoid the chaos of the public areas and prevent disruptions to airport operations.

Qi Xingwan dragged Yan He along, arriving last.

She pressed her palms together in apology. “I’m sorry, something came up and delayed me.”

Yan He mimicked her. “I’m sorry, I overslept and was delayed.”

“Well, that’s a first. You actually apologizing?”

An unfriendly voice cut through the crowd. It was Du Yihan.

In the original novel, this brilliant director had a past conflict with the Original Host—more precisely, a conflict between the Original Host and his wife, He Jiamu.

Five years prior, He Jiamu’s theater troupe had been rehearsing a play in Shui Town, and one of the Original Host’s followers was there to gain experience.

The Original Host, fiercely loyal to her friends, braved the scorching sun to bring Shen Tinglan along and support her friend.

At the time, He Jiamu was neither a renowned stage actress nor the troupe’s leading star, merely a talented apprentice.

The play was ambitious, and both the Original Host’s follower and He Jiamu were vying for the role of the Female Lead.

The follower, having joined the troupe years earlier, was considered a veteran by seniority. However, her skills couldn’t match He Jiamu’s, and she was ultimately rejected.

Yan He, who had come to support her friend with investment funds, was given a welcoming banquet by the troupe.

Unable to win fairly, the follower resorted to underhanded tactics. She immediately began badmouthing her rival upon meeting Yan He and later framed He Jiamu during the banquet.

The Original Host’s brain was no better than a paramecium’s.

She believed everything her lackey told her, immediately demanded the theater company recast the female lead, and even slapped He Jiamu across the face.

Fortunately, Shen Tinglan had grown suspicious of the lackey around that time. She silently investigated the matter, cleared He Jiamu’s name, and thoroughly discredited the lackey. The Original Host, now thoroughly manipulated, slapped the lackey herself and declared Shen Tinglan her best friend.

Yan He recalled this plot point, marveling at the Original Host’s utter lack of moral boundaries.

A normal person who made a mistake would do everything possible to apologize and seek forgiveness from the injured party.

A slightly less ethical person might pretend nothing had happened.

But the Original Host? She was beyond redemption. Not only did she refuse to apologize, she even insinuated that He Jiamu was aloof and falsely virtuous.

Du Yihan only learned about this incident much later. Naturally, she was furious and harbored deep resentment toward the Original Host.

Coincidentally, Qi Xingwan’s first leading role in a film was also Du Yihan’s directorial debut. Their mutual success had forged a strong bond between them.

Yet Qi Xingwan had married the Original Host—a creature of such low character. Combining old grudges with fresh grievances, Du Yihan never showed the Original Host any kindness on variety shows, seizing every opportunity to deliver barbed remarks.

The Original Host had always been spoiled and pampered, unable to tolerate Du Yihan’s occasional jabs. She would erupt into curses at the slightest disagreement, and at her worst, she had even resorted to physical violence, forcing the production crew to frantically cut the cameras.

That past incident had resurfaced as damning evidence against the Original Host, fueling public criticism.

No matter, Yan He thought. The Original Host couldn’t endure it, but I can.

The Original Host had left behind enough messes; one more wouldn’t make a difference. She would own it.

Yan He bowed deeply to He Jiamu, her voice sincere. “Teacher He, I’m so sorry!”

“The cameras are off. What are you pretending for?” Du Yihan stepped in front of her wife, her disdain for Yan He palpable.

Her voice, though slightly husky, was remarkably clear. Perhaps due to her professional habits, her speech had a rhythmic cadence, like a commanding general issuing orders.

Only then did Yan He realize the production crew had already stopped filming. It made sense—even the biggest stars couldn’t film in a private waiting lounge; it would disrupt other travelers.

For the moment, the lounge was empty except for the follow-cam PD, who seemed to still be gathering footage.

Clearly, this scene wouldn’t make it into the trailer.

Yan He breathed a sigh of relief.

Scenario:

Yan He, furious, decides to teach the arrogant young director a lesson. She glances around, grabs a throw pillow from the lounge chair, and hurls it at the clueless director.

Requirement: Emotionally charged, precise movements.

Yan He: “……”

Fine, fine. You see I’m living too comfortably and want to stir up trouble, huh?

You want to force me to run around the world with a megaphone shouting, ‘I bumped my head during a midnight bathroom trip, so don’t hold me accountable for anything,’ right?

Emotionally charged and precise movements?

Do you think teacher trainees are actors you can just boss around?!

Yan He didn’t need to act furious; she was already seething with rage, practically ready to breathe fire.

Before grabbing the pillow, she remembered to survey her surroundings.

Great, everyone’s just watching the drama unfold.

Don’t think I didn’t see you, Li Jin! Your fingers are practically burning through your phone screen from tapping so fast!

No wonder you’re a gaming streamer—your hand speed is insane…

And Zhou Yunuo, I don’t even want to talk about you. Who taught you to pull out sunflower seeds from your pocket and start snacking like some celebrity watching a show?!

He Jiamu stepped in to mediate, tugging on Du Yihan’s arm. “Yihan, what happened in the past is over. Don’t—”

“Waaah!” Yan He roared, trying to psych herself up. She grabbed the pillow and started banging it against her head, then aimed it at Du Yihan’s toes and hurled it.

He Jiamu: “???”

Performance Task Completed

The task was done, but Yan He was about to die of embarrassment.

I just want to escape this world.

Du Yihan was momentarily stunned. “You… you’ve lost your mind?”

Yan He proudly lifted her chin. “You’re finally catching on!”

Yes, exactly! Don’t forget to promote me tomorrow!

Her words silenced not only Du Yihan but also Li Jin, who paused his snack sharing. Zhou Yunuo, however, remained blissfully oblivious, cracking sunflower seeds.

“Want some?” she even offered Yan He a handful.

Yan He: “……”

“What? You’re not an actress, so you don’t have to worry about gaining weight. Just try some—these are roasted by my grandma, they’re different from the ones they sell outside,” Zhou Yunuo insisted, pressing the seeds into Yan He’s hand with an air of seasoned wisdom. “I don’t usually share these with just anyone.”

Yan He sensed a juicy rumor brewing. “Aren’t you going to give any to Mu Xu?”

“Pfft, we’re just pretending. We used to be too closely tied together from past collaborations, so we’re here to untangle ourselves on the show.”

Yan He was shocked, instinctively glancing at the filming crew.

“Don’t worry,” Zhou Yunuo said calmly. “With you and Director Han here, they’ll definitely cut out anything embarrassing from the waiting room footage. Besides, you’ve got talent—why don’t we pair up on the show and see how it goes?”

Mu Xu’s expression stiffened at her words.

Yan He, already won over by Grandma’s sunflower seeds, eagerly agreed. “Sure, sure! I—hey, hey, stop pulling my ear!”