With five million dangling before him, Xu Chao followed, stars sparkling in his eyes.
Soon, the Real and Fake Husbands Program began officially announcing its guests.
Newly crowned best actor Lou Jun.
Popular young star Shen Xinbai.
Lin Yang of a punk-styled boy band.
Inside a Western restaurant, the pink-haired boy sat across from Xu Chao.
"Chaochao, I knew you'd join, so I had my dad invest tens of millions early on and get me a spot too."
Without the bar's ghastly lighting, his pink hair gleamed in the sunlight. With his snowy skin and big, round eyes, he looked like a soft, adorable little bunny.
But the moment he opened his mouth, he became a vicious bunny.
"The first episode is a jungle adventure. We can take the chance to push that bitch Shen down a mountain, or lure a black bear into eating him. Let's see how he fights you for Lou Jun then!"
Xu Chao: "..."
Those words were exactly the same as in the original novel.
But events had unfolded very differently. In the end, the original Xu Chao had fallen down the mountain and broken his leg, while a black bear had clawed the pink-haired boy's face, disfiguring him.
The pink-haired boy was named Lin Yang. He had money and a dad to back him up!
From the readers' perspective, the original Xu Chao had saved Lin Yang from kidnappers when they were children. They had become best friends from then on, doing every rotten thing together.
But from the original Xu Chao's perspective, Lin Yang was just a stupid but obedient, rich lackey who was just as hopelessly lovesick as he was.
The difference was that the original Xu Chao thought Lou Jun was handsome, dashing, and a cut above the rest, so being lovesick over him was only right. But the social climber Lin Yang liked was tacky and pathetic, not worth it at all.
Tsk. Since when had trash come in different grades?
Lin Yang had poured money and resources into making that social climber famous, only for the man to turn on him when their relationship came to light, falsely claiming Lin Yang had coerced him and releasing footage to smear him as someone who slept around in group sex.
In the end, Lin Yang's father had died of rage, Lin Yang had jumped off a building in depression, and the Lin family's vast fortune had gone to the social climber and Shen Xinbai.
While reading, many readers had been thrilled, believing justice had been served and they had gotten what they deserved.
But however stupid and vicious Lin Yang was, he should have been judged by the law, not met an end like that.
At that thought, Xu Chao said, "I remember your group's on tour, right? Focus on practicing. Why join a dating show?"
"Dancing's exhausting. I'm not practicing. My dad sponsors the whole tour. The others just need to practice and perform properly."
Xu Chao gave two dry chuckles. "Your dad puts up the money, you put in the work, and they reap all the benefits. Watch out for them tripping you up behind your back."
He had contributed so much money and effort, only to end up accused of using his influence to bully and exploit his bandmates, and using his wealth to slack off and act like a diva!
Lin Yang said haughtily, "My dad arranged all our group's endorsements. They're too busy sucking up to me. None of them dares mess with me."
Xu Chao wanted to talk some sense into him, but the sight of his smug little face made him laugh too. Forget it. There was no rush.
Just then, a text arrived. Xu Chao casually sent a few replies, and a call came right after.
"Xu Chao, this is your last warning. Take down the trending topic, and don't hurt Xinbai again, or you'll never have me!"
Caught off guard by that torrent of idiocy, Xu Chao was speechless. "If you're sick, get treatment. Don't come here and make an ass of yourself."
Lou Jun sneered on the other end. "You deliberately had the bar manager ask me to pay, then posted the video online. Wasn't it all to threaten me into becoming your man?"
Xu Chao's scalp prickled. "Shut up! That's disgusting!"
Lin Yang couldn't stand by and watch Lou Jun bully Xu Chao. He snapped, "Lou Jun, be smart and give in to Chaochao. Then I'll get someone to take down the trending topic. Otherwise, I'll release more dirt on you. Tell me you're not scared!"
"You're using such dirty tricks to force me to submit!" Lou Jun roared again. "Xu Chao, do you think this will make me fall in love with you? Dream on!"
Xu Chao: "..." The overpowering stench of melodramatic romance was choking him!
Xu Chao looked at Lin Yang. That mouth had played a major part in his miserable fate in the original novel!
Lin Yang was rather proud of himself and puffed out his little chest smugly.
Xu Chao couldn't help laughing too. If he couldn't beat them, he might as well join them.
"Lou, since you're so high and mighty and refuse to submit yourself to me, pay up instead. You've borrowed five million from me in total over the past few years. Pay me back!"
Lou Jun grew even angrier. "You lent me all that willingly!"
Xu Chao rolled his eyes. "If it wasn't willing, that would be robbery. Cut the crap and pay me back!"
With that, he hung up decisively and opened Weibo for a look. The video from the birthday party at the bar sat high on the trending list, with the entire internet mocking those two for eating their fill and taking things home, shamelessly greedy.
No wonder Lou Jun had completely lost it.
The two were enjoying themselves when they caught a whiff of cloyingly overpowering perfume.
Xu Chao wrinkled his nose. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a slightly plump middle-aged woman approaching him, her gaze arrogant and contemptuous.
"You're extorting money from someone in broad daylight. Your character is poor and your behavior vulgar. I advise you to straighten yourself out."
Xu Chao was baffled, but his voice remained gentle. "Do you need me to call you an ambulance?"
The wealthy woman's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
Xu Chao shrugged. "I mean, lady, are you okay? If your mental illness is acting up, hurry up and get hospitalized. Why are you acting crazy out here?"
The wealthy woman went pale with anger and pointed at Xu Chao. "You-you!"
Xu Chao picked up his phone and began dialing. "Forget it. Looking at your mental state, you can't communicate normally anyway. I'll do a good deed and call you an ambulance."
"You're the one who's sick! Xu Chao, just you wait!" Thoroughly rebuffed, the wealthy woman stormed off!
There were idiots every year.
This year had an especially large crop.
But how did she know his name?
Just then, Lin Yang said admiringly, "Chaochao, you're amazing. I thought you'd be all constrained after marrying into the Fu family, but you're this tough even with Fu Sichen's second aunt. That's my Chaochao!"
Xu Chao let out a sound. "That was her!"
Lin Yang looked confused. "You don't know her?"
Xu Chao immediately changed tack. "Of course I do. Jin Feng. She looks elegant, beautiful, and dignified, but she's pettier than a pinhead, with a mouth filthier than shit."
Lin Yang: "..."
In the original novel, Jin Feng had loathed the original Xu Chao and frequently hurled abuse at him. He had also been the sort to bully the weak and fear the strong, never daring to talk back when she scolded him.
Xu Chao didn't give a flying fuck. He wasn't scheming for the Fu family fortune or dreaming of becoming the wife of the Fu family's head. Who cared about all that?
But Jin Feng was furious. She immediately edited the audio she had secretly recorded and posted it online.
She also spent lavishly to push it to the top of the trending list, then took it home to complain to the old patriarch.
Netizens had still been discussing Lou Jun and Shen Xinbai eating their fill and taking things home, but the moment the story of Xu Chao extorting five million came out, the tide turned.
[He just opens his mouth and demands five million from Best Actor Lou? Why doesn't he just rob a bank! With an amount that big, they can send him straight to prison.]
[Those two are partners in crime, scheming together behind people's backs. People with morals this rotten should be blacklisted outright!]
[Haha, congratulations to everyone who just said Xu Chao had that innocent-but-sexy look. You asked for proof and got it. Now he's just an innocent-looking jailbird.]
Meanwhile, back at the restaurant, Xu Chao had long since put down his phone and was enjoying his food with a little wine. Just as he was getting tipsy, his phone chimed with a text.
Xu Chao read it out groggily. "Fu Sichen transferred five thousand to you... Wait, how many zeros are there?"
His head instantly cleared and his vision sharpened. He counted the zeros with his finger.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven!
Seven zeros!
Fifty million!
Fu Sichen had transferred fifty million to him!
What was this, payment for his life?!
Xu Chao was both scared and delighted. Unable to figure it out, he simply grinned foolishly. Lin Yang leaned over too. "Fifty million! Young Master Fu is so generous!"
Xu Chao had a fantastic attitude. Enjoy today's wine today-missing even one glass would be a crime!
"Oh, right, you mentioned a new male strip club opened. Come on, this young master will treat you and broaden your horizons."
As long as Xu Chao was willing to take him along.
Lin Yang was happy doing anything.
But after thinking it over, he said cautiously, "Chaochao, we should disguise ourselves properly. It won't be good if my dad finds out about me or your husband finds out about you."
"You need a disguise, but I don't. Fu Sichen's abroad. How would he know I'm living it up back home?"
Without the slightest qualm, Xu Chao boldly thumped his chest.
"When life is good, enjoy it to the fullest! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! Let's go, go, go! Male strippers, here I come!"
He turned excitedly, only to be caught off guard by the man's refined, coldly handsome face.
That sight was no less terrifying than seeing an evil spirit from hell.
"Fu-Fu-Fu Sichen!"
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