Fall In Love With A Substitute

“She brought it upon herself,” Jian Yixin said.

When Li Fei received the assignment, she plucked up the courage and asked Jian Yixin why she wanted to have Ye Zixuan dig her own grave. Jian Yixin simply smiled in response.

Still, regardless of whether it was the smile or the tone, both appeared apathetic as well as ruthless.

Ye Zixuan was the one who wanted to take advantage of public opinion to trample Lin Qinglu into the mud, so don’t blame her for also using the other’s methods on the other party.

Li Fei watched her expression and didn’t dare ask again, swiftly attending to the assignment, item by item, until it was completed.

Since the banquet was livestreamed, as soon as the scene aired, people cut it into a GIF that circulated like crazy: as a result, “Embarrassed for Ye Zixuan” quickly exploded on Weibo.

Once the incident was disclosed, Starlight’s Public Relations Department immediately went into full operation, manipulating the marketing accounts in their hands to frantically whitewash it.

Inside the lounge.

Ye Zixuan lamented to Shen Yu, “I… I don’t know what to do.”

Shen Yu said, “Don’t panic. Let’s first clear up the situation.”

Ye Zixuan listened to Shen Yu and first sent a Weibo post.

@Ye Zixuan: Tonight was really embarrassing, but after seeing you guys being so understanding of me, I suddenly feel that it isn’t such a big deal anymore! Calm. Ye Lil’Xuan isn’t flustered #love[1]

Shen Yu explained, “Promptly clarify things. You must not let the situation fester. The fans will all believe you.” Since the fans’ eyes are completely blind anyway.

“Will they really…”

“See, the results are pretty good.” Shen Yu pressed on said Weibo post and directed Ye Zixuan’s attention to the comment section below. Sure enough, the situation was favorable.

Ye Zixuan’s statement was witty and cute, at once winning the support of die-hard fans. It also conveniently attracted the wave of fans passing by.

Shen Yu smiled and confidently spouted, “It’s not such a big deal—”

“Come look at this Weibo post!” Shen Yu’s assistant suddenly cried out.

Entertainment Trail: For Ye Zixuan to “mistake” the endorsement as her own, of course, it isn’t because she’s a sweet, naive young woman. Could a sweet, naive young woman have survived in the entertainment circle until now? #LitCigarette [attached image]

It was a long image and within it included Ye Zixuan’s manager Gao Min and that Water Army’s, Party B’s, chat records.

If one read through all of the records, they would see that Ye Zixuan planned and executed the whole scheme herself, trying to drag Lin Qinglu down into a trap without any hesitation. Moreover, she even made the office prepare water troops. By having them pretend to be passersby and increase the momentum, dirty water would then be viciously poured onto Lin Qinglu.

This Weibo post completely reversed the situation.

The just then celebrating-that-Big Sister-had-gotten-a-blue-blooded-endorsement Lin Fen had been @’ed all of a sudden. Once she fixed her eyes upon it, she stopped celebrating, immediately rolling up her sleeves and demanding an explanation.[2]

Some people condemned the office for marketing while also secretly selling out Party A, but the majority of people were just simply eating melons[3], uninterested in the office’s professional integrity. They surged lock, stock, and barrel toward Ye Zixuan’s latest Weibo post.

“Scamming to advance? Care to explain?”

“Still able to keep your composure even now? Feeling flustered yet? #dogeface”[4]

“Obscene”

“Thank you to the 18th line for pasting such auspicious words and delivering to my Lu a blue-blooded endorsement #cuppedfists”[5]

“Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha @ConfusedBehaviorAwards

“Keeping quiet after it’s out in the open?”

#Ye Zixuan’s Confused Behavior# and #Ye Zixuan Fabricated Rumors About LinQinglu# surpassed the previous related topics and rushed to the very top of trending, hoisting Ye Zixuan up for all to see. Besides the words of freezing irony and burning satire said under the Weibo post, there were also a few radical fans who directly hurled insults using disgusting language.

Ye Zixuan snatched the phone away and incessantly brushed over the screen. She gripped the phone with so much force that her fingertips became white.

Shen Yu’s complexion also turned ghastly.

The one who was so confident in his intelligence just a moment ago was presently so annoyed by his self-approval.

“Little Lily,” he called softly. Unreconciled and utterly helpless, he asked, “…Did President Ji say anything?”

Ye Zixuan closed her eyes for a bit, not answering Shen Yu. She closed Weibo and opened a communication software. The screen was filled with information that she had sent to Ji Jing.

After a furious interrogation along with a rational grilling, she feigned sobbing and dependency.

Ji Jing didn’t reply with a single line.

Ye Zixuan hurriedly took a few breaths as she felt deeply worried in her heart. The words on the internet continuously flashed right before her eyes, while Ji Jing’s unfulfilled promise made her boil with even more rage. Her whole body shook, and she was just itching to savagely hurl the phone at the wall.

“…Who on earth found out about you guys? It was Lin Qinglu, wasn’t it!” At the moment, Gao Min was holding her phone and anxiously pacing about the room.

“Give me the phone,” Ye Zixuan muttered, suppressing the flames of fury as she was in front of Shen Yu.

“But—”

“Give it to me!”

Gao Min awkwardly handed over the phone.

Ye Zixuan got straight to the point: “How much money should I give you for you to be willing to speak?”

“Ye Zixuan?” After the other side recovered from their shock, they were also frank: “I really am unable to disclose that. This boss’ status is too high, so I can’t afford to offend them. It’d be useless even if you knew since you can’t afford to offend them either. Don’t ask any more.”

“This matter was us not handling it honestly; however, the money was in place, so we took the money and went to work. You should also understand where we’re coming from.”

When the Chief of the Water Army thought of how because he sold out Ye Zixuan, he was able to completely fill his pockets, he began treating his single-use goldmine a lot more warmly:

“You should carefully think about who you may have recently offended. Behind that person stands a respected Buddha, after all.”

The other person hung up. Ye Zixuan’s figure didn’t move whatsoever, and her mind was in a jumbled mess.

Lin Qinglu has a cunning backer behind-the-scenes?

Isn’t she the most proud and aloof one, never agreeing to lower her head for profit? How is this possible?

“Maybe it really was Lin Qinglu, and she deliberately dug a pitfall for you!” Shen Yu snarled.

“It isn’t her,” Ye Zixuan spat out irritably as she endured the loathing within her heart.

Her hatred for Lin Qinglu was of the highest degree—especially at this point, when the remaining feelings of being unable to hate Lin Qinglu were utterly wiped from existence. But she also clearly knew that Lin Qinglu wouldn’t do this sort of thing.

Lin Qinglu did not so much as even spare her a single glance, much less expend energy on these ideas.

With regards to Lin Qinglu, this imposing mountain, she had believed that she would soon successfully overcome her, only to fall off the cliff at the last moment and plunge to the ground in an especially wretched manner.

Two kinds of feelings pulled her down. Ye Zixuan dejectedly curled up her body.

Bang!

A loud noise caused Ye Zixuan to lift her head. To her surprise, Ji Jing appeared before her:

“I’m late.”

Ye Zixuan instantly cast aside Shen Yu and leaned on Ji Jing’s shoulder, wailing. Choking on her tears, she blubbered,

“What is going on? The endorsement, the endorsement was mine, wasn’t it?”

Ji Jing’s hands clenched into fists. He struggled for quite a while yet was unable to voice out words of apology and just said, “There was an unexpected turn of events, that’s all. I’ll make sure the Public Relations Department deals with it properly and reduces the impact as much as possible.”

“But—” Ye Zixuan’s face wrinkled together, and she was incredibly angry within her heart. What bullshit! It was clearly his fault! He’d only feel humiliated if the blame was pinned onto himself!

“When I went abroad this time, we discussed making you the supporting actress for a very popular TV series.”

Ye Zixuan blanked and eyed Ji Jing.

“For the matter this time, I already arranged for Xiaozhou to investigate it, so you don’t have to worry. Just focus on preparing for the show overseas.”

The light returned to Ye Zixuan’s eyes.

Ji Jing, looking at Ye Zixuan’s swirling hair, said in a deep voice, “Who else has a trending scandal? Ones from our company.”

Xiaozhou promptly checked, “There’s also Xu Weiwei and Di Qi being tied together as a couple pairing.”

“Buy off the hot search for this and make it the very first.”

“Di Qi is only a new talent…” And Xu Weiwei is Starlight’s number one, who is far superior. Xiaozhou couldn’t help but remind the president.[6]

“Go do it!” Ji Jing bellowed.

The most important thing right now is to divert attention away from Ye Zixuan and reduce the zeal surrounding her incident by having someone else contain it. Besides, the company buying off the hot search for the actress is to the actress’s gain. Who is Xu Weiwei to be dissatisfied?

Around the male and female lead, the atmosphere was relaxed and dense with feelings of affection that were as sweet as honey. Next to them, the spare tire Shen Yu was met with a bitter and astringent sight. Seeing the goddess throw herself into the embrace of his direct superior, his heart ached to the point that it felt numb.

Trying to keep his tone as relaxed as possible, he said, “With President Ji personally acting, it will definitely be—”

“President Ji, the Public Relations Department found out after contacting Weibo’s staff that Miss Ye’s position on the hot search was bought. Moreover, they bought three.”

Ji Jing gnashed his teeth: “Repurchase all of them!”

“All… All of the prices have been fixed and can’t be changed.”

“……”

The room settled into a deathly stillness for a period of time. No one dared to let out a breath.

Shen Yu sucked in a breath and said heavily, “There’s still one way.”

The author wants to say something:

Ji Jing curses furiously, “Shit!”

The spare tire Shen Yu: It’s time for me to enter the stage!

TL Notes:

RIP Shen Yu the spare tire

[1] hmm not sure if “Little Ye Xuan” would be better. Was also debating whether or not to do “Ye Xiao’Xuan” or smth similar instead but i’ll just keep it as is for now. damn you Ye Zixuan with all these nicknames…

[2] not too sure of this person’s gender yet btw

[3] the thing about “eating melons” or “melon seeds” is probably something you’ve seen in a lot of novels. It has about the same meaning as “eating popcorn” or “peanut gallery”; essentially people who have interest in a spectacle but don’t have anything worthwhile to say

[4] 狗头 (gou3 tou2): the emote seems to be doge, so i just TL’ed it as such; also in China the slang is usually used for things said in a satirical or humorous way

[5] 十八线 (shi2 ba1 xian4): “eighteenth line/rank”; Can be used to describe not very well-known celebrities like a “rank” of sorts. Here, its used as a taunt/in a sarcastic way, kinda like saying they’re “bottom of the barrel”; 抱拳 (bao4 quan2):  is the action of cupping one’s fist in the other as a sign of respect, congrats, greeting, or farewell

[6] the author actually put “霍启” (huo4 qi3) here but i’m pretty sure it’s a typo and they’re referring to “Di Qi” who was just mentioned