Chapter 123: The Rose with Thorns

Page 1/3

Zhou Yun had overlooked one detail: the video was released slower than the script. After arriving at the estate, she watched the fourth episode of the dating show—specifically the one where she proactively went on a date with Tang Zhichu—and it sparked backlash. At that moment, Zhou Yun realized that after the episode aired, both Tang Zhichu and Chen Siyang would be criticized. That’s why she wrote something and only sent it to Wang Xiucai from DY today.

Wang Xiucai was too slow; the video hadn’t even been released when someone else beat him to it on Weibo. The subtleties couldn’t have been noticed by just any viewer; there was definitely someone behind the scenes pushing this forward.

For Zhou Yun, this was a warning bell.

Would Tang Zhichu do such a thing? Zhou Yun’s answer was no. Despite his gentle exterior, he was proud and wouldn’t do something so self-indulgent. Tianhe Entertainment might—but not in that way. The article portrayed Chen Siyang as invisible, constantly highlighting Tang Zhichu without reflecting Tianhe Entertainment’s stance.

As for DY? According to the article’s narrative logic, it was likely DY—but why would DY’s PR team use Weibo instead of their own channels? Why give away the hype for free? Obviously, that was impossible.

To Zhou Yun, the answer was becoming clear: it was either Chen Siyang or Jiang Lan, with the latter being more probable.

If she were an ordinary girl, she’d probably be sulking or feeling wronged by now. But Zhou Yun was different. After sorting out these matters, she became calm.

Zhou Yun stood up. Today’s yoga session—done!

“What do you want for dinner?” Zhou Yun asked Tang Zhichu, who was sitting on the sofa.

Tang Zhichu put down his phone and, seeing Zhou Yun’s flushed face from exercise, stood up and said, “You go shower and change first. I’ll cook.”

Zhou Yun shook her head. “I’m already sweaty. I’ll cook first, then shower. Check those projects—are you still going to be a challenger next episode?”

Tang Zhichu looked at her, stunned for a moment, then smiled with admiration: “You really are a little clever one!”

Zhou Yun chuckled and went into the kitchen.

Indeed, next episode she couldn’t be a challenger.

Yu Huazi had made her stance clear; now that the two were openly confronting each other, more specific feedback was necessary.

Online, the dating show’s buzz continued to escalate.

Wang Xiucai finally finished his video. Not only did he have a detailed script, but he also edited footage from the dating show, making it even more stirring than the article on Weibo.

It carried the same implication: Tang Zhichu and Chen Siyang were deliberately not together.

There was even a tragic tale of star-crossed lovers escaping capitalist control, more dramatic than a movie.

While everyone was busy gossiping, a DY blogger named Xiao Yan covered Tang Zhichu’s song “If I Could Have You.” The likes skyrocketed like a rocket launch.

Within an hour, it surpassed 200,000 likes and gained many followers.

That’s when others realized: it was no longer time to gossip—they had to act.

Thus, “If I Could Have You” quietly spread across DY.

The tragic star-crossed lovers escaping capitalist control, now backed by a concrete work, repeatedly trended on hot searches. Not only insiders but some economists even joined in the analysis.

Those obsessive fans who shipped the couple were dumbfounded—how could they still criticize? It seemed the mood had shifted; Tang Zhichu and Chen Siyang not being together actually elevated the entire story and show.

Since the Weibo article went viral, many celebrities had expressed their views on Tang Zhichu.

“I rewatched the finale and then went back to earlier episodes. I admit, I was convinced. @Da Liu Talks, Sugar God is brilliant! Writers, take notes—this could easily be a movie. I’ll definitely buy tickets!”

“@Da Liu Talks, amazing! Besides the first date, the second one too. Watching Sugar God teach those trainees, look at his expression—it’s obvious he’s thinking hard, probably feeling sorry for the dance he made Yang Yang do. I wasn’t shipping them before, but now, wow, I’m all in!”

“@Da Liu Talks, brilliant angle. Same here—after another watch, I’m shipping them even more. @Tianhe Entertainment, look what you’ve done to Sugar God. Bet you’re stunned now, haha!”

“Amazing to behold—handsome and brilliant, calming his girlfriend while toying with the production team, even manipulating Tianhe Entertainment and DY’s decisions remotely. I suspect Sugar God saw the fans’ backlash hurting Chen Siyang and deliberately leaked info through blogger @Da Liu Talks! What a genius!”

“Whoa, scary when you really think about it. Government should test Sugar God’s IQ!”

“Shocked! I didn’t know amateurs could play reality shows like this. It’s the pinnacle of variety shows!”

While many industry insiders marveled, another party spoke up.

Yu Hua said: “It’s not as exaggerated as you think. I asked Sugar God—most of it was coincidence. But one thing’s undeniable: he’s incredibly talented. We’re honored to have Sugar God join ‘Original Music Alliance.’ Don’t miss episode three next Saturday.”

A dating show ended, and many parties’ popularity soared.

At the eye of the storm, Tang Zhichu was washing dishes.

He had intended to remain silent, letting the criticisms fly, hoping to win over Chen Siyang amid the chaos.

Page 2/3

But now, he was at the center of the storm.

Jiang Lan had good intentions. Tang Zhichu recalled that before coming to Shudu, when he and Jiang Lan watched the show together, Jiang Lan was already sketching and jotting notes on the coffee table.

She was probably already pondering this matter.

It wasn’t so bad. Even without the dating show’s buzz, Tang Zhichu planned to make a big splash in the music competition show.

Early accumulation—without bold moves, how can one succeed?

Low profile was for after fame and fortune.

Having washed the dishes and tidied the kitchen, he stepped out and saw Zhou Yun hadn’t come downstairs yet.

After dinner, she had gone upstairs to shower.

There was one unread message on his phone—from Jiang Lan.

“The road ahead is long yet bright; the past is calm yet full of waves. I believe you can handle this situation. Keep going!”

Tang Zhichu was replying when Zhou Yun came downstairs.

She wore a pink set of pajamas, carrying a laptop, her hair still damp.

As she descended, she spoke, “I gave you the WeChat contact for someone in DY’s operations team. Chat with them when you have time. Check which content is gaining the most traction, and guide the others. Since this is work, daily updates are basic. Tell them once followers exceed 800,000, they’ll start business cooperations. Jun Ge’s team is excellent, but you can’t rely on them for content or videos. It’s mainly on us.”

Taking advantage of the obvious traffic pool, Zhou Yun held a small meeting with Wang Xiaoyan.

At DY, early on, the most important thing was to accumulate followers and develop a unique style.

Seeing Zhou Yun put down her laptop, Tang Zhichu pointed at her hair.

Zhou Yun touched it and said, “It’s fine. I’ll dry it soon. Want to do a face mask?”

Tang Zhichu shook his head.

Seeing that, Zhou Yun touched her own face and decided against it.

Fresh out of the shower, bare-faced, her skin was delicate, lips red, teeth white—she didn’t really need skincare.

Zhou Yun sat next to Tang Zhichu but kept working. She currently managed nine small online influencers. Unlike Huang Zejun, whose studio was just himself.

The show ended, and as small dating show boss, Huang Zejun seized a wave of traffic.

By nine p.m., Huang Zejun had over a million followers; Wang Xiaoyan surpassed 600,000.

Zhou Yun had to worry about work.

“Old Tang, I think it’s a bit slow. Can I do some things under your name?” Zhou Yun suddenly asked Tang Zhichu.

Tang Zhichu nodded. “Do as you wish.”

Zhou Yun smiled mischievously. “Good, then I’m relieved. Incubating influencers depends on luck, but picking the right ones is different.”

Tang Zhichu trusted Zhou Yun. Though she sometimes took risks, she wasn’t reckless. Her personality suited entrepreneurship.

However, Zhou Yun’s move also revealed something.

Tang Zhichu asked, “Are you really planning to stay behind the scenes?”

Zhou Yun hummed in agreement, then looked back at her laptop. After a moment, sensing something, she hugged her laptop and leaned on Tang Zhichu.

“With official backing and your support, if I can’t handle DY, I’m useless. If I move to the front stage, it’d be a waste of resources. Maybe I’m better suited behind the scenes.” She turned to look at Tang Zhichu. “I want to cooperate with Sister Lan.”

Tang Zhichu immediately understood what she meant. To run an influencer company well, you needed business resources to leverage big influencers.

Jiang Lan’s food company was a stable business resource; a good partnership would be mutually beneficial.

“I’m not close enough with Sister Lan to influence her work. Go talk to her yourself—why ask me?” Tang Zhichu said seriously.

Zhou Yun snorted twice, then put down her laptop.

Like a cat, she slipped into Tang Zhichu’s arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Tang Zhichu was startled and didn’t move.

They stared at each other, then Zhou Yun leaned in.

Her cheeks flushed, long lashes, her gaze instantly softened into a tender, seductive warmth.

The soft, warm touch lasted only a few seconds before Zhou Yun pulled away and gently rested against his chest.

“This isn’t surrender. I just don’t want to let go. You know? You’re putting pressure on me,” she whispered.

Tang Zhichu took a deep breath, suppressed his impulse, and hugged her back.

Page 3/3

“I’ll never pressure you, but I won’t stop you from shining. In my heart, you’re the best person for a career—that’s your inherent value. You can be my support, and I’ll be yours,” Tang Zhichu said softly.

Zhou Yun hummed and hugged him tighter.

That night, they shared a bed again.

But nothing crossed the line.

Tang Zhichu held back. If he crossed the line now, he knew Zhou Yun’s personality—she’d develop a strong sense of ownership and had the ability to push Jiang Lan and Chen Siyang out of the picture.

For the future, he had to wait.

Jiang Lan was like water, Chen Siyang like a cat, but Zhou Yun was a rose with thorns.

The next day, Tang Zhichu saw Zhou Yun off all the way to the airport.

It made him a bit dazed, as if he were her gentle refuge.

At the same time, Tang Zhichu felt relieved. Yu Hua wanted Chen Siyang to appear for one episode, but now there was no need to worry.

Tang Zhichu was driven to the airport by Uncle Zhong, Yu Hua’s driver, who took him on a tour around Shudu before returning to the estate.

In the afternoon, musicians began arriving at the estate; the new episode’s recording was about to start.

Tang Zhichu was busy composing demos in his room. If not for calls from the production team, he might have been late.

Today was the sixth episode of “Original Music Alliance” recording.

When Tang Zhichu appeared at the entrance of the hall, one by one, the musicians stood up. Their gazes were strange.

The shock from the bloody love story felt like yesterday, only to be immediately followed by a variety show-level masterpiece.

Tang Zhichu grinned, showing his teeth, then looked back and said, bewildered, “What’s going on? Is a VIP here?”

That question broke the odd atmosphere.

Everyone then greeted him warmly.

“Brother Tang! Long time no see!”

“Sugar God! Awesome!”

“Little Tang, my IQ’s 126—what about you?”

“Sugar God, I didn’t offend you, don’t get me! Hahaha!”

Tang Zhichu shook his head and laughed, then complained seriously, “What are you thinking? I’m not that amazing. The production team, Tianhe Entertainment, and DY got heavily criticized, so they pushed me out front to take the blame. Even I don’t believe it, and you do? They threw me into the storm—it’s ruthless!”

His explanation won nods.

The buzz was so huge that even those uninterested in the dating show wanted to know what happened. The outside world was building Tang Zhichu up as a myth.

“I told you, he’s too amazing. I don’t even know how to face you.”

“Feeling sorry for you—it’s ridiculous.”

“Little Tang, be careful next time. Don’t let people take advantage.”

Tang Zhichu nodded repeatedly, playing the victim.

At Wildfire Alliance, Sig had thought Tang Zhichu’s image suddenly grew mysterious and considered recognizing him as a big brother.

But Tang Zhichu’s explanation was reasonable.

It was all capital—capital manipulating public opinion to save the three investors being criticized, pushing Tang Zhichu forward. Very plausible.

Suddenly, Tang Zhichu became the victim.

Sig grumbled, “I hate this industry’s routine—when something happens, they always push it onto unrelated people. Damn it.”

This time Yun Miao didn’t scold Sig but looked at him as if he were foolish.

“Sis Miao, right? Isn’t this bullying? They say Little Tang planned the ending from the start. The production team couldn’t even do that. How can they blame Little Tang? And so many people believe it. I’m baffled—are audiences these days okay?” Sig continued ranting.

Many agreed. They were insiders; it’s true variety shows have scripts, but results depend on chemistry between people. No one plans the ending from the start and manipulates Tianhe Entertainment and DY like puppets. That’s nonsense.

Tang Zhichu looked at Sig with a sad face and gave a thumbs-up: “Good brother!”

Sig hugged him. “It’s okay. Forget them. Honestly, it’s kind of fun. If someone praised me like that, I’d wake up laughing in my dreams. Relax, brother. This is pretty cool.”

Yun Miao laughed and asked, “So, are you and Chen Siyang together or not?”