Chapter 256: Chapter 254: Monkeys Love Beauty

Song Jiayan’s scheming completely shattered Xie Fu Yao’s perception of him.

Xie Fu Yao scrolled through Song Jiayan’s trending topics, filled with rage and indignation. Next came Xu Jiali’s.

The people’s voice of reason?

Keeping it real?

The internet’s mouthpiece?

’Netizens actually used all these phrases to get Xu Jiali trending?’

’What did Xu Jiali do to deserve this?!’

When he saw Xu Jiali dissing Jiang Beibei, dissing him, and even dissing Zhang Jingxing on the reality show, Xie Fu Yao was certain he knew what her future held.

’She’d never make it big.’

But now, looking at these trending topics, Xie Fu Yao couldn’t help but wonder if he was out of touch.

’Have I lost touch with online trends?’

’Why would this kind of behavior actually attract fans?’

’Has the industry really become this tolerant?!’

Xu Jiali had turned a disaster into a blessing, and it made Xie Fu Yao’s gut ache with rage.

’How is everyone who sticks with Wen Ying so damn lucky?’

’Song Jiayan at least has some talent—he can sing, after all. But who the hell does Xu Jiali think she is???’

’Why should she get to ride this wave to stardom too?’

After scrolling through Xu Jiali’s trending topics, Xie Fu Yao finally moved on to Wen Ying’s.

The screen was filled with "Doctor Wen." By now, he was too numb for his emotions to be stirred. This woman’s backing was terrifying, beyond anything he could have imagined.

’There was even a strange sense of familiarity...’

’But thinking back, he was sure he’d never met her.’

When he saw Wen Ying crossing the river on a single bamboo stalk, Xie Fu Yao’s jaw dropped.

When he saw Wen Ying’s pet displaying human-like behaviors, Xie Fu Yao felt that fate was literally handing her success on a silver platter.

When he saw monkeys delivering supplies to Wen Ying while she was out looking for them, Xie Fu Yao was just... "!!!!"

He’d been attacked by monkeys!!!

’So why were monkeys voluntarily delivering supplies right to Wen Ying???’

’Were all these monkeys just a bunch of pervs?’

’Was it all about looks???’

’If it was about looks, he wasn’t bad-looking either! Otherwise, the agency wouldn’t have picked him!’

’The only other possibility was that the damn monkeys were all male!’

’If they had been female monkeys, maybe he would have gotten some supplies too!’

’Those male monkeys must have been jealous of his good looks and talent! That had to be it!’

Thinking about it that way made Xie Fu Yao feel a tiny bit better, but his gut still ached with resentment.

Seeing the trend about "Doctor Wen, the Divine Pen" made something click in Xie Fu Yao’s mind. He vaguely recalled seeing a trending topic during his only day off from training.

’A psychologist who live-streamed fortune-telling?’

’And something about her drawing a talisman paper that helped a man survive a car crash?’

At the time, he had dismissed it all as sensationalist nonsense, so he’d scornfully ignored it.

But now, seeing Wen Ying draw a flame on a piece of paper with a pen, blow on it, and have it burst into flames...

’Could she be the same live-streaming doctor he’d written off as a sensationalist fraud?’

A jolt went through Xie Fu Yao’s heart.

Later, he’d heard plenty of acquaintances talk about this psychologist, but he figured she wasn’t in his industry and their paths would never cross, so he still paid her no mind.

His mind was entirely focused on his own bright future.

But now, watching this video, Xie Fu Yao suspected that Wen Ying was very likely that same fortune-telling psychologist and streamer.

If that was the case, then what had happened with Jiang Beibei and Zhang Jingxing finally made sense.

He had originally assumed the director had fed her that information. But now, it seemed the rumors were true: this woman could know everything you’d done in your past just by looking at your face!

’How terrifying!’

’Thank god he had dodged a bullet!’

He hadn’t left the show like Jiang Beibei and Zhang Jingxing, and the story Wen Ying mentioned—about him bullying other students as a child—hadn’t appeared on any trending topics. Xie Fu Yao figured he’d made it through this crisis. From now on, he just had to avoid provoking this uncanny woman!

Meng Xiaoyi stared at the trending topics with a pout, her mood absolutely foul.

"Brother Xie, am I really being a ’green tea’ like they say? Why is everyone on social media saying that about me? This is just my personality. I was completely sincere with you, Beibei, and the others. I’m so upset."

Xie Fu Yao, "..."

’Aren’t you perfectly aware of how manipulative you are?’

’Is she asking me this on purpose?’

But as her groupmate, Xie Fu Yao knew he had to maintain a good image on camera. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"The famous poet Shakespeare once said, ’There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes.’ The same goes for netizens. Just relax and be yourself. There’s no need to get upset over what other people think. You are you, the one and only Meng Xiaoyi."

Comforted by Xie Fu Yao, Meng Xiaoyi’s mood did indeed improve.

"Wow, Brother Xie, you know so much!"

Xie Fu Yao listened to Meng Xiaoyi’s flattery, feeling quite satisfied. ’He had written that line down and memorized it for an occasion just like this!’

’This time, the netizens won’t think he’s an idiot!’

"So you’re a one-of-a-kind ’green tea.’ Is that what you meant, Xie Fu Yao?" Xu Jiali, who had apparently been listening in, even clapped sarcastically.

Meng Xiaoyi’s face turned ashen. "Xu Jiali, were we talking to you?"

"Oh, my bad. I just couldn’t help myself. Next time you two talk, I’ll be sure to cover my ears!"

Meng Xiaoyi, "!!!"

’Is she implying our conversation is filth that would dirty her ears?’

"Zhao Qi, you’re in our group. Why do you insist on hanging out with them?"

Since the day’s filming was over, Meng Xiaoyi wasn’t worried about showing her true colors.

"Because I want to. What’s it to you?" Zhao Qi shot back, annoyed.

"I... I just don’t understand. We’re supposed to be a team. During filming, you were always so impatient with us, but so eager to help Wen Ying and her group."

"Because I want to. Can you understand plain English?"

Meng Xiaoyi bit her lip. Of course she understood.

’She just never expected a man to be so ungentlemanly. So rude!’

’No wonder he’s so disliked!’

Xie Fu Yao frowned at Zhao Qi. "Zhao Qi, that’s no way to talk to a lady, is it?"

"Heh, so I should just put on an act like you? I bet you’re cursing Meng Xiaoyi in your head right now. You’re such a hypocrite."

"You—!"

"Brother Xie, let’s not stoop to his level. I’m so hungry."

Xie Fu Yao was speechless. ’I’m hungry too! Is it really a good idea to announce that in front of everyone?’

’Aren’t you just embarrassing us even more?’

Xie Fu Yao decided this couldn’t go on. What if he actually got sick from starvation on this show?

"I’ll give the production team a call."

Xie Fu Yao got up and stepped to the side, though not too far away. It was nighttime, after all, and wandering off alone could be dangerous.

’There were too many of those damn monkeys in these woods; they could ambush him at any moment!’

It was unclear what Xie Fu Yao said, but in the end, the production team sent someone over with two pieces of bread and a bottle of water.

Meng Xiaoyi took the bread and ate it with relish, shooting glances at Wen Ying and Xu Jiali from time to time.

’So what if you won? You’re still stuck eating the same food as us.’

Xie Fu Yao ate his bread and drank from the same bottle of water as Meng Xiaoyi.

No one said a word about a man and a woman drinking from the same bottle.

"Wow! Xie Fu Yao, what do you think your fans would do if they knew you were sharing a water bottle with Meng Xiaoyi?"

Xie Fu Yao shot Xu Jiali a cold glare. "They won’t find out."