You're actually pretty nice

Although he had only recently become popular, he had appeared in quite a few dramas before that. It was pretty normal for her to know him...

Before he could finish that thought, Su Tangtang's voice rang out again: [He's the one who promoted a fake romance with an actress from his cast, only for it to turn real-and then she dumped him because he was too short!!!]

[No wonder that name sounded so familiar. I just read the gossip about him.]

[Didn't expect him to come on a Dating Reality Show too, though.]

[I just wonder...]

She discreetly glanced at a certain part of Qiao Yufan's body: [Just how short is he?]

[Ugh, no pictures? One-star review!]

( *・ω・)✄

Qiao Yufan: "!!!"

His eyes flew wide, his lips pressed tight, and his nostrils flared. His expression changed in an instant!

I'm not! You're making things up! That's slander!

He wasn't short!

That woman just didn't appreciate quality!!!

Some rich kid had started pursuing her, so she'd made up that lousy excuse to shut him up!

He opened his mouth to refute Su Tangtang, but she piped up again: [Oh-ho, this guy has a kink like that too? He likes his girlfriend to call him... while they're doing the deed.]

*[...]*

Qiao Yufan: "!!!"

"Su Tangtang, shut your mouth!" His face darkened, and he glared furiously, looking ready to steam with rage.

Su Tangtang: "???"

Baffled and confused, she thought: [What did I say? My mouth's been shut this whole time, hasn't it?]

Only after yelling at her did Qiao Yufan seem to realize that. She really hadn't even moved her lips, much less made a sound.

How the hell am I supposed to argue with that?

Fuck, do I just have to swallow this humiliation?

Perhaps sensing the change in the way he looked at her, Su Tangtang grew puzzled again: [What's with that look?]

[He's short and has weird kinks, and now he's blaming me?]

ㄟ( ▔, ▔ )ㄏ

[Looks like the book was right not to include pictures. I'd be afraid of getting a stye from looking.]

[Hmph! ＜(｀^´)＞]

Qiao Yufan: "?!!"

Weren't you just asking for pictures?

Weren't you just asking for pictures?!

Su Tangtang, have you got any fucking shame?!

No, wait, I'm nothing like that in the first place.

But how am I supposed to say that?

Besides, judging by the looks the other four were giving him, they had clearly all heard Su Tangtang's thoughts.

He was depressed.

He was despondent.

He went straight into the house, found a sofa, and sat down, hugging a cushion without another word.

"Yufan, what's wrong?" There was another man and woman on the sofa inside.

The woman had accidentally cut her hand while peeling an apple, and the man was disinfecting it and putting a bandage on for her.

Seeing him return in that state, they couldn't help asking.

But Qiao Yufan still hugged the cushion in silence, looking as though he had lost the will to live.

[What happened? Qiao Yufan looked really angry just now.]

[He must've realized Su Tangtang wanted to latch onto him for clout. He's doing the right thing. The farther he stays from her, the better, before she gets her hooks into him!]

[But that's no reason to ignore our Ruyin.]

[Exactly! Our Ruyin kindly asked him a question, and he just ignored her? Anyone who didn't know better would think playing a supporting male lead and trending a few times had gone to his head.]

Meanwhile, the other four still out in the yard struggled to hold back their laughter. Once they recovered a little, one of the male guests took Su Tangtang's suitcase and led her inside.

"Xuliang, that's enough." Just as they reached the doorway, they heard Xue Ruyin speak from the sofa. Her face flushed shyly as she withdrew the hand Liao Xuliang had disinfected and bandaged.

Liao Xuliang smiled, gazing at her with eyes so tender they could melt. "Be careful not to get it wet when you shower tonight."

[Aaaaaah, Liao Xuliang is so good at taking care of people! I'm shipping these two already!]

[Yin Yin is so pretty. I'm a woman, and even I'm falling for that shy look!]

[A handsome guy and a beautiful girl. This pairing is absolute perfection!!!]

Hearing his words, Xue Ruyin immediately lowered her head shyly and replied, "Okay."

As though only then noticing the people coming in, she rose from the sofa and said with a smile, "You must be the new female guest?"

"I'm sorry about earlier. I accidentally hurt my hand, and Xuliang had to disinfect and bandage it for me. I didn't deliberately avoid coming out to greet you, so please don't be angry."

Su Tangtang: "?"

[Holy crap, a little two-faced bitch?]

[The novel didn't lie to me!]

Xue Ruyin: "?"

What was that voice?

Liao Xuliang, who had been about to back up Xue Ruyin, also froze. Who had just spoken?

The next second, Su Tangtang tugged at the corners of her mouth and said, "Why would you think I'd be angry? This is our first time meeting, isn't it? You might get angry because someone irrelevant didn't come out to greet you, but please don't project that onto me. Thank you."

[Ha, you little fake. Didn't see that coming, did you? I know exactly how to handle your type!]

Xue Ruyin: "?"

Her expression stiffened at once, and she unconsciously wrung her hands. "Please don't misunderstand. That's not what I meant."

[Aaaaaah, what is Su Tangtang's problem? Our Ruyin was speaking perfectly nicely to her. What's with that snide attitude?]

[Couldn't latch onto the male guests for clout, so now she's coming after our Ruyin? Drop dead, Su Tangtang!]

[Hang on, I don't think Su Tangtang said anything wrong. Didn't Xue Ruyin's remark automatically assume Su Tangtang was already angry? What's wrong with setting the record straight?]

Looking at her expression, as though she had been bullied, Su Tangtang shrugged indifferently. "Who knows whether it was deliberate?"

"Miss Su!" a man's voice suddenly rang out, displeased and carrying an undisguised chill.

But before he could continue, Su Tangtang's thoughts sounded: [Oh, here comes the knight in shining armor?]

[I wonder if he knows the beauty he's rescuing is all surgical handiwork, from her face to her body.]

[Oh, there's nothing wrong with openly admitting it. Everyone wants to look good, after all. But selling herself to her fans as a natural beauty? That's going too far, isn't it?]

[Let me see. So she went to Korea to get it done. As for her face, she had...]

"Tangtang, you must be tired after your trip, right?" Xue Ruyin cut off the rest of her thoughts, inviting her over to the sofa to sit and rest.

Su Tangtang raised an eyebrow: [Changed her tune that fast? Something's fishy.]

[But if you want me to sit over there, I'm going to do the exact opposite.]

[Being contrary is my specialty. Hehe.]

( ´^ิω^ิ｀)

She blinked and swept her gaze over the others present before finally settling on Qiao Yufan, the only person she had greeted.

Qiao Yufan: "?!!"

I shot upright from my deathbed!

Su Tangtang, you've already feasted on my gossip. You can't come back for seconds!

Even emperors knew to spread their favors around!

Su Tangtang: [He's the only person I've greeted so far. If I sit beside him now, his fans probably won't accuse me of using him for clout, right?]

Qiao Yufan sighed in relief and stood. "Tangtang, come sit here. I'll get you a glass of water."

Su Tangtang: "!"

Outwardly, she said, "Sure, thank you."

Inside, she thought: [Your little guy might be a bit short, and you've got weird kinks, but you're actually pretty nice.]

Qiao Yufan: "..."

What do I do if I don't feel like getting her water anymore?

But seeing the sweet smile on Su Tangtang's face as she looked at him, he went over to get it anyway.

Once Su Tangtang sat on the sofa he had just vacated, the atmosphere grew somewhat quiet. Naturally, someone needed to liven things up.

After glancing at Xue Ruyin, who showed no intention of speaking, the young woman widely known in the industry for getting along with everyone stepped up first. She had long, curly black hair and a slightly round face, and greeted Su Tangtang with an easy smile. "Hello, Tangtang. I'm An Ruzhi. It's nice to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you."

Su Tangtang gave her a picture-perfect, eight-toothed smile in return. "Hello. It's nice to meet you too. I look forward to getting to know you."

Inside, she was scratching her head again: [An Ruzhi?]

[That name sounds familiar too. Let me search it up. Hehe, ๑乛v乛๑]

An Ruzhi: "!!!"

Girl, please, I'm begging you. Don't search!!!

She blinked her big, round eyes at Su Tangtang again and again, hoping she would pick up on the hint.

But Su Tangtang was already completely engrossed in the gossip and wasn't looking at her anymore.

Apart from the strange expressions on Xue Ruyin's and Liao Xuliang's faces, the other three guests all wore the same look: here for the gossip.jpg.

If there really had been snacks there, they felt they should have held them in both hands and munched away while watching the scene unfold.

Qiao Yufan, who had just returned with the water: "!!!"

Your Majesty, have you finally learned to spread your favors around?

[(:[_Summoned to the imperial bed_]]