CHAPTER 11: WHAT TO PRETEND (CATCHING BUGS)

Yu Xinyan successfully received an A rating, but the barrage of live comments did not ease up. More people would still be competing for spots in Class A—could she really hold her ground?

With the suspense hanging in the air, the attention on other trainees was momentarily overshadowed.

News of Yu Xinyan’s A rating spread rapidly across major gossip forums. Netizens began fervently debating whether Jiang Su had a hand in it. A trainee who had been stagnant for years suddenly skyrocketed to an A—Jiang Su was truly something else…

[Honestly, making it this far is already impressive. Even if she drops back to C, in our hearts, she’s still an undisputed A.]

[Tch, already admitting defeat? Why even bother then? Should’ve just told Jiang Su not to talk big in the first place.]

[No denying that Yu Xinyan was outstanding today, but the other trainees are also very strong…]

[Waiting for the final class placement results.]

The studio was filled with an air of tension and restlessness.

Dong Jiayu sat there, utterly confused, feeling strangely out of place.

As the competition continued—

[Lin Sifeng still went for A! 666! Waiting for a comeback.]

[Ding Xuan only chose B. Well, at least that’s a safe bet.]

Soon, all the trainees rated B had completed their second performances.

[…Yu Xinyan won, and so did Jiang Su.]

[? The comment above, are you a prophet? How do you know already?]

[And they say there’s no script. Yeah, right.]

[Are you guys dumb? Just count how many people actually wrote down A. It’s not hard.]

That logical comment was quickly drowned out by the flood of others.

Meanwhile, the mentors exchanged glances, surprise flashing in their eyes.

Zhao Qiuying picked up the completed ranking booklet and announced in an unhurried tone, “Now announcing the results: 33 trainees in F rank, 20 in E, 16 in D, 19 in C, 7 in B, and 6 in A…”

Not only was the livestream chat stunned, but even the trainees on site were completely dumbfounded.

[Holy—Jiang Su is a legend!]

[Still not many people dared to pick A?!]

[…So Yu Xinyan doesn’t even need to compete. She’s secured a spot in A.]

[On the other hand, D and C are overcrowded, meaning a tough elimination round for them. I didn’t expect so few people to choose B either…]

[This system is brutal. Every trainee must think carefully before picking—better to play it safe with C or D to avoid being eliminated and steadily earn points.]

[This round… this round, what level is Jiang Su playing at? Did she predict this entire situation in advance?]

[555 I apologize, Jiang Su. I misjudged you earlier.]

[Yu Xinyan is beyond lucky to have a friend like her. Must’ve done some serious good deeds in her past life.]

The livestream chat was once again flooded with Jiang Su’s name.

Dong Jiayu noticed that everyone’s gazes toward Jiang Su had become even more intense.

It was absolutely baffling!

The following PK battles had their own moments of excitement.

But the more intense the fights became, the more people couldn’t help but envy Yu Xinyan—she had it too good. They almost wished they could switch places with her!

Finally, the second round of ratings was over.

The eliminated trainees tearfully bid farewell on stage.

Jiang Su, meanwhile, was starting to feel bored. She fiddled with the snack bag in her lap, wondering whether she should open it. Hmm, could she eat during a recording? The contract didn’t seem to mention it…

The livestream comments instantly seized the moment.

[Jiang Su is so cold. Others are crying because they’re leaving, and she’s just playing with her snacks.]

[? Hello? If you flunk out of school, what does that have to do with the top student?]

[Hahaha, LS girls, you get it, right?]

With that, the livestream ended.

Jiang Su let out a small chuckle and finally tore open the bag of chips, holding it in her hand as she lazily walked down the stage, snacking as she went.

Wow, what flavor was this?

Crispy, fragrant, with a slight numbing spice.

Jiang Su had never tasted anything like it before. She narrowed her eyes in contentment.

Zhao Qiuying turned his head just in time to catch this moment.

Did she really enjoy eating these snacks that much?

For a fleeting moment, a rare hint of innocence could be seen in her eyes…

Jiang Su gradually walked closer.

…Would she come up to me? Would she say something to me? The thought unconsciously crossed Zhao Qiuying’s mind.

But just then, Yu Xinyan and a group of other trainees surrounded Jiang Su, beaming as they chatted with her, seemingly asking about the snack.

Zhao Qiuying was curious too—was it really that good?

“Qiuying.”

Dong Jiayu’s voice rang out from behind him. She smiled and said, “Didn’t expect the recording to run this long… I’m starving. How about grabbing dinner at Qiuting Yue later?”

Qiuting Yue was a private dining restaurant.

For some reason, Zhao Qiuying suddenly felt a tinge of irritation.

He turned his head. “Thanks, but no.”

Yelena quickly caught on and considerately suggested, “We just finished the second evaluation. How about we all have a meal together? Just the mentors and trainees.”

Jiang Sheng was in a great mood and immediately said, “It’s on me!”

Considering he earned hundreds of millions in music royalties every year, treating everyone to a meal was hardly a big deal.

The trainees too?

Zhao Qiuying responded with a simple, “Alright.”

But before they could leave, the head director stood up, clapped his hands, and said, “Hold on, everyone. Before you go, let’s do some interviews first—”

Zhao Qiuying frowned, turned his head, and his voice was unexpectedly cold: “We’ve been recording since 9 a.m., and it’s already 7:11 p.m. The mentors have food, but the trainees don’t need to eat? Hmm?”

His mic was still on, so his voice was slightly amplified, making sure everyone heard him clearly.

The director froze.

Dong Jiayu was also caught off guard.

Zhao Qiuying was known in the industry for his good temper—polite and gentlemanly. It was rare for him to express his emotions so directly.

No one could help but be surprised.

The trainees, however, were on the verge of tears, thinking, Damn, no wonder W has so many fans!

Xuan Wen coolly chimed in, “Yeah, we can record after we eat. There’s plenty of time in the coming days.”

The director had no choice but to back down awkwardly, even offering, “How about I treat everyone instead?”

“No need. You all should eat too,” Zhao Qiuying said indifferently. “I’ll cover the bill for the staff.”

The director’s expression grew even more awkward, but he had no choice but to agree.

Dong Jiayu, who hadn’t managed to get a single word in, could only smile and ask, “I’ve only recorded for a day, but can I tag along for dinner?”

Zhao Qiuying didn’t respond.

Instead, Yelena smiled and said, “Of course! It’s an honor to have you join us, Teacher Dong.”

With that, the group started heading out.

But Dong Jiayu couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.

She keenly sensed that something had changed.

Before, Zhao Qiuying wasn’t particularly fond of her, but he maintained a polite attitude due to Zhao Bo’ang. At one point, when he thought she and Zhao Bo’ang were getting married, he had even been especially cordial.

But now?

It seemed like Zhao Qiuying was growing impatient with even acknowledging her.

Dong Jiayu clenched her fingers but kept a polite smile on her face.

No, that’s impossible.

I haven’t done anything to offend him.

As they exited the building, people began getting into their cars.

Dong Jiayu, dragging her long gown, suddenly stepped on the hem of her dress.

Everyone turned to look.

In that moment, she appeared somewhat out of place.

Just then, her manager, Sister Wang, hurried over and lifted the hem of her dress for her, smiling. “What’s wrong? Going to eat with Qiuying?”

Dong Jiayu replied, “No, with everyone.”

Sister Wang’s expression shifted slightly before she forced a smile. “Go ahead, then.” She then assigned an assistant to follow Dong Jiayu to prevent any further wardrobe mishaps.

This outfit of hers was only suitable for walking the red carpet or sitting still—it was a nightmare for actual movement.

By the time they arrived at the hotel, Dong Jiayu was already regretting her decision.

Meanwhile, Jiang Su walked ahead, her steps light and brisk.

“Jiang Su, I passed by a dessert shop earlier—their mango pomelo sago is amazing! Let’s go try it later?”

“Jiang Su, this hotel’s crab roe tofu is especially delicious!”

“Jiang Su—”

The lively chatter continued up front.

A group of them followed the waiter, heading toward the private dining room with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, another group paused briefly.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Cheng?”

Cheng Yue frowned.

What the hell?

Am I starting to hallucinate Jiang Su’s name now?

At that moment, Zhao Qiuying finally got the chance to walk beside Jiang Su. He lowered his voice and said, “The crab roe tofu here isn’t the best. I know a place that does it even better.”

Jiang Su, however, paused slightly. “I like eating meat.”

Without hesitation, Zhao Qiuying said, “Qiutingyue specializes in beef and lamb. We should try it next time.”

Behind them, Dong Jiayu couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

Dragging her gown, she walked slowly behind the group. When she turned her head, she unexpectedly caught sight of a familiar figure.

Cheng Yue!

“Cheng—” Dong Jiayu had barely uttered a word before she tripped and fell, letting out a soft cry of pain.

Her assistant panicked and rushed to help her up.

Cheng Yue’s secretary was momentarily stunned.

The secretary asked, “I think I just heard Actress Dong’s voice. Should we check?”

Cheng Yue frowned. “Didn’t she call earlier, saying she was sick and in the hospital?”

The secretary hesitated. “Uh… really? I think she was on a show today.”

“Oh,” Cheng Yue muttered, frowning. “Then why the hell was she pretending to be sick? Every damn day, it’s always something—this ache, that pain. I’m not a doctor. If I could miraculously cure people, I’d start by fixing the idiots at the negotiation table…”

He turned to leave. “Let’s go. If she tries to make a scene and scam us, are you going to give her five million to keep her?”

The secretary: “…No.”

Behind them, Dong Jiayu weakly called out, “…Cheng Yue!”

But the figure had already disappeared.