Chapter 29
#Xiao Jingxi Has Lost It#
#The Xiao-Rong CP Was Just for Publicity#
#Your CP Is Fake#
With just one sentence, Xiao Jingxi set off a tidal wave.
Not only did three hashtags hit trending within a minute, the livestream’s viewer count skyrocketed, and the scrolling comments went insane.
The dating show staff were collectively dumbstruck.
The CP once hailed as “the most promising official couple on the entire internet,” the CP that fans swore “if they aren’t real, then I must be fake”—was about to fall apart?!!
And it was being torn down personally by the male lead himself?!!
[????????????]
[HAHAHAHA so this wasn’t a dating show, it was a “crazy show”? Director Niu, fck your grandma]
[Got it, it’s all scripted, Director Niu is just trolling us again]
[♪ Director Niu ♪ fck ♪ your ♪ mom ♪ ohhh ♪]
[I can’t take this anymore! One punch to blow up the earth! Your grandma’s eggs, your sixth uncle’s cantaloupe, your cousin’s pumpkin, your grandpa’s chicken leg, your auntie’s grapes, your mom’s cucumber, your dad’s bread—kill kill kill!!]
Passersby rushing in from Weibo: “???”
Everyone’s gone mad!
On-screen, Xiao Jingxi’s handsome face was devoid of any warmth.
“To cooperate with the drama promotion, we interacted frequently these past months. The ratings went up—it should have been a good thing.
“But our CP fans grew, and people started misunderstanding our relationship. That wasn’t my intention.
“If this continues, it’ll affect us both. So I’d rather clarify it now.
“Since we’re here on a dating show, we should get to know the other guests. That’s the whole point, don’t you think?”
He was smart—skillfully hiding the fact that their CP was manufactured, and explaining everything away as “promotion.”
The fans’ obsession was just a misunderstanding. Their intimacy was nothing more than normal drama marketing.
He had wiped his hands clean.
The private hype contract between them—he didn’t mention at all.
But Xu Shuangrong should have understood perfectly.
“…I know.”
She was very tactful, smiling as she echoed his words, “I really am about to join a new drama crew. You’ve thought it through carefully. Then let’s stop the drama promo.”
Xiao Jingxi finally exhaled in relief.
This was why he never spread rumors but was willing to hype a CP with Xu Shuangrong: she was smart, hardworking, and he was willing to lend her his popularity.
Now that he didn’t want to continue, she wasn’t making a scene.
“Then let’s leave it at that. I’ll head in first,” Xiao Jingxi said with ease.
“Mhm.”
Throughout, Xu Shuangrong had been perfectly composed, as if she didn’t care at all.
But the moment Xiao Jingxi turned away, her expression dimmed.
She bit her lip lightly, her eyes misted with unshed tears.
A beauty in sorrow—utterly heart-wrenching.
[Ahhhh baby don’t cry! Seeing you cry makes me want to cry too]
[Xiao Jingxi is just a scumbag. What promo? Since when does promotion require this level of intimacy? He deliberately flirted with Shuangshuang under the excuse of “promo,” made her fall for it, then just said “we’re done.”]
[Shuangshuang’s acted in so many dramas, and she’s never done lovey-dovey hype for promotion. That proves she never cared about publicity. She was serious all along!]
[Wuwuwu my Shuangshuang]
[A goddess who shines alone!!]
Her act of staying strong in public but crying in private instantly saddled Xiao Jingxi with the reputation of a man who “starts what he can’t finish.”
On the rooftop, Xie Mi chewed a stalk of foxtail grass, watching with relish.
Worthy of being the future Movie Queen indeed.
In the original story, Xu Shuangrong only started developing feelings for Xiao Jingxi near the end of the show. Which meant that here, in the early stages, she hadn’t felt anything for him yet.
This scene she played now not only established her as rational and gracious in front of Xiao Jingxi, but also subtly backstabbed him.
While he was being scolded as a scumbag, she would reap sympathy from viewers.
She was never a simple character.
Ah, right—this was actually a female-lead revenge story.
The heroine, Xu Shuangrong, was born poor and endured hardships since childhood. She swore to become the top Movie Queen and trample everyone who had bullied her.
Along the way, she hardened her heart. No emotions, no morals, doing whatever it took to succeed.
After acting in several dramas with no splash, she set her sights on Movie King Xiao Jingxi.
Climbing her way to him, even knowing he had a girlfriend, she used him for CP hype. That was her first move.
Later, on the dating show, she used You Hongxuan, used Qiu Chengye, used Liu Woxing… used anyone she could, and eventually rose to the peak.
Her only mistake—was truly falling in love with Xiao Jingxi.
By the finale, she confessed everything to him. And Xiao Jingxi, who by then loved her deeply, accepted her despite knowing she wasn’t a pure, innocent girl.
They ended up together, careers and romance both triumphant.
At the cost of a few stepping stones, of course.
The original heroine being one of them.
…
Xu Shuangrong returned to her room from the garden without a word, not emerging for a long while.
After some time, Liu Woxing went looking for her. But the room was empty.
The bathroom door was ajar. From inside came faint sobbing.
Cautiously, Liu Woxing pushed the door open. She saw Xu Shuangrong’s mic left on the sink, while Xu Shuangrong herself sat on the floor, knees hugged, quietly crying.
“You…” Liu Woxing started, then remembered she was still wearing her mic. She quickly removed it and placed it on the counter.
Then she stepped closer and asked softly, “Are you alright?”
“Woxing…”
Xu Shuangrong raised her head, her eyes red like a rabbit’s, “I wanted to act like nothing was wrong, but I… (choking)”
“I know.” Liu Woxing’s heart softened. She comforted her, “You must have real feelings. It’s his fault.”
“No, he’s wonderful. It’s my fault.”
Xu Shuangrong shook her head, “Before coming on this show, everything was fine. I don’t know what went wrong. Suddenly he… with Xie Mi… Maybe I just wasn’t good enough to keep his heart.”
Liu Woxing hesitated, saying nothing.
Xu Shuangrong tugged at her sleeve, “Woxing, there’s something I can’t keep inside anymore. Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
“Actually… I saw Jingxi and Xie Mi meeting privately at midnight. I don’t know what they talked about—I didn’t have the courage to ask. Maybe from that day on… everything changed.”
After speaking, she buried her head back in her knees, shoulders trembling.
But no response came. The silence stretched on and on.
Until she finally looked up at Liu Woxing’s reaction.
After a pause, Liu Woxing firmly said, “No—it’s Xiao Jingxi’s fault. It has nothing to do with Xie Mi.”
