Call him successful, and the whole internet hated him; call him a failure, and he had the whole internet hating him.

Chi Yining picked up his phone and blearily looked at the caller ID: Sister Ling.

It was his manager, Ma Ling.

"Chi Yining! You've caused trouble for me again today! Will you only be satisfied when you've angered me to death? I've been at the company dealing with people handing in their resignations today, and I'm already swamped, yet you're still acting up like this! I honestly don't know what to say to you anymore!"

It seemed Ma Ling had given herself some counseling. She wasn't even roaring at the top of her lungs like she used to.

Had something happened?

Oh, right! At this point, the cannon fodder original owner's company was about to go under too! That was why Ma Ling was so overwhelmed that she couldn't spare the attention to scold him anymore.

Chi Yining replied calmly, "Sorry, Sister Ling. It won't happen again."

"Hmph, I don't believe a word of your bullshit! Also, pack your things. Your ticket's booked. Your flight is at ten tomorrow morning. You're going to the seaside cottage on Zhongmen Island to film a dating show! Don't cause any trouble! I've sent the address to your phone."

Ma Ling's words jolted Chi Yining fully awake!

"A dating show? Sister Ma, can I not go?" Chi Yining sat bolt upright and patted his face with his left hand. How had he forgotten about this?

"What the hell are you talking about? You signed the contract yourself! If you don't go, you'll owe the director five million in damages, ten times the contract fee! Do you have the money to pay that?"

Chi Yining was utterly helpless. Five million was even further beyond his means. As someone with social anxiety, wouldn't living with such a large group of people kill him?

But right now, he had nowhere else to go either.

Gritting his teeth, Chi Yining asked, "Are meals included?"

Ma Ling fell silent on the other end...

Half a minute later, he heard her take a deep breath. "Yes."

"All right. Thank you, Sister Ling. I'm hanging up."

On the other end, Ma Ling sat in her office and put down her phone.

Strange... hadn't Chi Yining insisted on filming this show because Gu Chengyuan was in it?

His tone today had sounded strange too, without that usual tormenting energy of his.

Was he sick?

Sensing something was off, Ma Ling opened Chi Yining's Weibo.

His profile picture was still those green dreadlocks so hideous they could make someone cry. As if the smoky eye makeup weren't enough, he'd painted his lips black too. The selfie taken from above even showed his black driving loafers.

She really had no idea where this kid had picked up that tacky delinquent style. He wouldn't listen to a single arrangement the company made. They had only grudgingly kept him because he had good natural looks.

His distinctive way of grabbing attention really had made him famous, but it was infamy, with the entire internet hating him. He was only heading further down that path.

Now the whole internet was mocking his idiotic, cheesy confession video and his acting. Some had even turned his photos into memes...

Ma Ling didn't know whether to call him a success or a failure. Call him successful, and the whole internet hated him; call him a failure, and he had the whole internet hating him.

That was precisely why Director Feng of the dating show had overcome every obstacle to get Chi Yining into the lineup, no matter what.

As long as Chi Yining was there, whether people cursed him out or whatever else happened, the traffic was guaranteed!

She casually scrolled through Chi Yining's Weibo. He actually hadn't traded insults with netizens today? Had the sun risen in the west?

The next day.

Early that morning, Chi Yining, who had gone hungry for a day, ordered a simple bowl of noodles without meat at a roadside breakfast stall.

After finishing it slowly, chewing thoroughly, he went to a pharmacy and bought a bag of medical masks and a bottle of spray for abrasions.

The young female shop assistants hadn't recognized him at all. For the first time, Chi Yining felt that the original owner had been useful after all. At least he had been good at applying makeup.

Better early than late. By nine, Chi Yining already had his boarding pass. Since his suitcase exceeded twenty inches and couldn't be taken on board, he had no choice but to check it in.