“Hmm?” Sister Jin noticed something off about her artist. “What scheme are you cooking up this time~?”
Cha Susu bashfully lowered her head. “Well… you know, Sister Jin, I have this good friend…”
Sister Jin frowned. Cha Susu had tons of “good friends.” The girl knew how to work a room—sweet-talking her way into everyone’s good graces.
“Which friend of yours?”
Cha Susu pouted playfully. “The green-haired girl I had dinner with the other day~ She’s super pretty, right~?”
“Hmm?” Sister Jin thought for a moment and immediately remembered. Liang Sheng’s looks were striking—impossible to forget.
“Oh… that girl. What about her?” Sister Jin had a vague, uneasy premonition.
“I want… hee hee hee~ Sister Jin~ We’re super close. You’ve seen the recent episodes—could she maybe…?” Cha Susu’s eyes turned pleading and adorable.
Sister Jin shot it down immediately. “No. Absolutely not!”
“Why not~!” Cha Susu jumped to her feet, hurried over, and wrapped her arms around her manager’s in a coquettish hug. “I really, really want to hang out with her on the show! Pretty please, Sister Jin~ I’m under so much stress lately~”
Who could resist a cute little girl like that, clinging to your arm and wheedling in that sugary voice? Sister Jin caved quickly. “And if she comes, your stress just vanishes?”
“Nope!” This little green tea nodded vigorously. “She’s amazing at cheering people up. Super funny too!”
Sister Jin sighed helplessly. “But, Susu, that girl’s gorgeous. I mean… way prettier than most of the female stars on this show. Won’t she steal the spotlight? Won’t she overshadow you?”
“No way!” Cha Susu planted her hands on her hips, brimming with confidence. “I’m a natural at grabbing attention—and the cameras love me!”
Sister Jin still looked skeptical.
“Oh, come on! Even if she steals my thunder, it’s fine!” Cha Susu was getting a bit frantic. “Her family’s loaded. She’s set to inherit the business! She has zero interest in acting or singing!”
Loaded? Sister Jin’s eyes lit up. She misunderstood Cha Susu’s point and nodded knowingly, flashing an “I get it” grin. “Ah, that’s the angle. Fine, she can come. I’ll talk to the director.”
Cha Susu: “?”
What did she get? Why don’t I get it?
She had no clue what her manager had suddenly “understood,” but hey—she’d gotten the green light. Now her beloved Liang Sheng could join the show and keep her company.
Cha Susu plopped back into her seat, swinging her legs happily as her mind wandered into fanciful daydreams.
Would fans ship me and Liang Sheng as a CP? The thought popped into Cha Susu’s head, and she even came up with a title. As a die-hard Overbearing CEO fangirl… how about “The CEO’s Little Showbiz Wife”?
Eee~ So embarrassing! Cha Susu slapped her hands over her flushing cheeks, squinting her eyes in delight while wriggling in her seat.
Right! Gotta tell Liang Sheng the good news! After ten minutes of solo rejoicing, Cha Susu finally remembered the green-haired girl she’d left hanging.
“Shengsheng, big news! You can come hang with me on the variety show!” Cha Susu typed it out and hit send.
Hee hee~ Liang Sheng’s gonna be thrilled~ Cha Susu could already picture that radiant, sunny smile.
But when Liang Sheng read the message, her beaming smile froze solid.
“On… on TV?” Like a glitchy robot, Liang Sheng slowly—oh so slowly—raised her head with rusty, jerky movements. She glared at the smirking Akino Kazuko beside her and exploded. “This is gonna kill me!”
“What’s wrong? Pfft~” Akino Kazuko couldn’t help but chuckle. Just imagining her host fumbling through a TV appearance had her dying to laugh.
Liang Sheng slapped on her “face of suffering.” “Think about it. Me, with my social anxiety—facing cameras and a huge audience…”
“Ha?” Akino Kazuko’s mouth twitched. “You? Social anxiety? Liang Sheng, if you’re gonna lie, at least make it believable! You’re not anxious—you’re a social superstar! A total social terrorist!”
Liang Sheng scratched her head. “That’s just my outer shell. Deep down, I’m a total socophobe.”
Akino Kazuko: “…”
Words failed her.
“Anyway, it’s your call whether to go.” Akino Kazuko shrugged. “My advice? Do it.”
Liang Sheng let out a heavy sigh. “Of course I’m going! She invited me—if I say no, she’ll get pissed and her favorability toward me will tank.”
With that, she messaged Cha Susu back. “Sounds good~ But Susu, crowds scare me a bit—what do I do?”
Cha Susu replied instantly. “No worries, Shengsheng! You can stay quiet the whole time. Just interact with me during segments. You’re just a regular guest—the cameras won’t linger on you much.”
Those words eased Liang Sheng’s heart a little.
Not much camera time? Perfect. Just what she needed.
“When is it?”
“Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 PM sharp. Location: Starlight Studios downtown.”
“OK~”
Cha Susu was a busy bee—after a few quick replies, she went silent again.
“Probably off recording something,” Liang Sheng guessed as she flopped back onto the bed. “Man, being a celeb is exhausting!”
Akino Kazuko nodded. “It is tiring. But fame means big bucks.”
Liang Sheng bobbed her head. “True, true. Stars rake it in. Me? If I don’t earn my keep, I just inherit a few hundred billion—or more~”
Akino Kazuko: “???”
That was straight-up humblebragging, right?
She glanced at her host again. Liang Sheng wore that punchable, smug grin.
Yep. Total Versailles moment.
“Keep strutting why don’t you!” Akino Kazuko tsked.
“No choice—blame my rich dad~” Liang Sheng crossed her legs. “Not using a great dad’s resources? That’d be dumb. Especially when he’s such a doting girl-dad~”
—— ——
Wednesday rolled around fast. Liang Sheng got ready bright and early.
A couple days earlier, Cha Susu had sent over the script.
Liang Sheng had always figured variety shows were improv-heavy. Turns out, not so much.
