After Differentiating into an O, Pampered by an A - Chapter 27

After the livestream ended and the rankings were announced, fixed guest Zhao Tian unfortunately took last place.

Ye Xing’s punishment card was incredibly simple, so the last-place person only had to run two kilometers along the seaside boardwalk. For a male Alpha like Zhao Tian, this was a piece of cake. Consequently, the filming for the punishment segment of Our Countryside is So Beautiful — Zhou Island Special ended smoothly for everyone except him.

Ye Xing and Ding Ling sat before a computer, scanning rows of sales data. They discovered that the account that had bought out all the dried fish in Ye Xing’s livestream was a newly registered one. It didn’t even have an ID name, just a string of numbers. This made them even more curious about who this “whale” was. Even the director couldn’t help but suspect “insider manipulation,” as such tactics aren’t unheard of in the business world.

However, suspicion isn’t fact. Finally, they looked at the tip rankings. When the name of the top supporter appeared, Ye Xing’s brow twitched.

ID: Shen Xiaoqian will sleep with Ye Xing eventually

!!!

The staggering amount convinced Ye Xing that it was exactly the Shen Xiaoqian she was thinking of. This kid is a bit of a spendthrift. If I’d known she’d go to all this trouble, I would have just given her my bank account number directly.

Ye Xing thought this jokingly, but she was still happy, knowing that a portion of this money would be donated to charity in her name.

While Ye Xing was talking to the director, Ding Ling received a call from the company. The livestream had just ended, but the words “Salted Fish Queen” were already firmly trending on Weibo, even suppressing the previous gossip about Lan Xinqiao and Ye Xing. The footage of the inventory being cleared out the second it was listed went viral, leaving netizens stunned by Ye Xing’s “miraculous” selling power. Chuan’ai Entertainment called Ding Ling, telling her to bring Ye Xing back immediately—reporters and media outlets were already lining up for interviews.

At that moment, Ding Ling looked at Ye Xing and stood a little taller, feeling a motherly urge to cry. She knew her eye for talent hadn’t been wrong; Ye Xing’s “flopping” was only temporary. Now her star had truly “turned over like a salted fish,” living up to her high expectations.

Evening.

In the airport VIP lounge, Ye Xing wore large glasses that covered most of her small face, with a baseball cap pulled low. She was dressed in a lazy, comfortable milk-white leisure suit. She sat in the same corner Shen Yushu had occupied the day before, scrolling through Weibo. The upward curve of her lips was impossible to suppress; she was finally tasting what it felt like to be popular. No wonder the original host had lost herself in vanity and self-destructed.

But Ye Xing didn’t dare. She reminded herself to stay low-key and humble. Looking at the increasing number of comments, she remained neither happy nor angry. She was still thinking about the person who bought the fish.

“Sister Ling, do you think the person who bought all that dried fish is really just a case of ‘more money than brains’? Eating that every day for 365 days would take years. They’re going to turn into a salted fish spirit!”

Ding Ling raised her lashes and rested her tablet on her lap. “Who cares if they’re a fool or if they eat it? Either way, I’m grateful to this fool—no, not a fool. To someone who helped you go viral on this show, she is my Goddess!”

Ye Xing’s brow furrowed even more. Her manager wasn’t just fiercely proud; she was a bit maniacal.

Ning Youyou came over after handling the luggage check-in, her face flushed. “Sister Xing-xing, Sister Ling, the luggage is checked. The ‘Salted Fish Queen’ plaque has been handled via air freight; it should arrive in Jiangcheng the day after tomorrow.”

Ding Ling looked at Ye Xing with a look of utter helplessness. “I truly give up on you. Why are you bringing that plaque back? You aren’t actually going to hang it at home, are you?”

Ye Xing looked up and smiled. “You guessed right. I’m going to hang it up and let it encourage me constantly.”

Ding Ling: “…”

Ye Xing smiled and returned her gaze to her phone. Feeling a bit of discomfort in her stomach, she headed to the restroom. After coming out, they boarded. Unexpectedly, they ran into a familiar face in first class.

“Teacher Ye? What a coincidence, we’re on the same flight,” came Lan Xinqiao’s cloyingly sweet voice. Her assistant was sitting beside her.

Ye Xing gave a faint “Mm” as a greeting, trying hard to keep her annoyance from showing. Ding Ling followed behind and gave Lan Xinqiao a slight nod.

Lan Xinqiao’s momentum had been strong these last two years, but after hearing what Ye Xing had said about her on set, Ding Ling was over her. Furthermore, when the “scandal” posts came out, Ding Ling had immediately contacted Lan Xinqiao’s manager. If the news blew out of proportion, both sides would have to clarify together. However, the other side had flatly refused, saying the heat would die down on its own. Ding Ling had been furious; she now realized why Lan Xinqiao was so successful—with skin that thick, it was hard not to be famous.

Ye Xing, unaware of Ding Ling’s mood, felt a twisting pain in her stomach. She sat down immediately, regretting the iced lemonade she’d had at the airport.

As the plane landed in Jiangcheng, Ding Ling took off her eye mask and noticed Ye Xing’s pale face. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Ye Xing knit her brows. “It’s fine, Sister Ling. Probably just the lemonade bothering my stomach.”

Ning Youyou, across the aisle, immediately apologized, blaming herself for buying a cold drink, and asked the flight attendant for hot water. Ye Xing felt a bit better after sipping it.

Fearing they would be recognized, the three of them delayed their exit. Though an artist, Ye Xing’s current tier didn’t justify paying for the VIP private exit yet. A waste of money! So they headed toward the regular exit, trying to stay low-key.

“Teacher Ye.”

Lan Xinqiao appeared out of nowhere, perfectly timed. Immediately, the blinding flash of cameras erupted. Ye Xing wore her sunglasses, appearing as calm as still water, though she couldn’t help but squint beneath them. The exit was packed with reporters and fans who had come to meet them. The moment Ye Xing appeared, the fans’ screams nearly blew the roof off the airport.

Ding Ling acted decisively, signaling Ning Youyou. The two flanked Ye Xing and led her out so fast her feet felt like they were flying. Finally safe inside the car, Ye Xing sat in the back, panting slightly and feeling even worse.

Meanwhile, in another luxury van, Lan Xinqiao held a compact mirror with her rhinestone-encrusted nails, elegantly smoothing her hair. A faint smile remained on her lips. Her manager was confused. “Xinqiao, why did you use the regular exit? Didn’t I arrange the VIP one? Do you know how chaotic it is when two stars come out at the same time? Luckily you got out safely.”

Lan Xinqiao put down the mirror, her voice no longer sweet. “Sister, aren’t you helping me negotiate that luxury brand resource? You said they didn’t think I had enough ‘heat.’ Well, I just found a way to boost it.”

The manager understood immediately. “So you want to use Ye Xing for hype again?”

Lan Xinqiao pursed her lips and shook her head. “It’s not all hype. I just realized on this show that she’s different from before. She has more charm now. It’s hard not to be moved.”

The manager looked baffled. “Lan Xinqiao, are you crazy? What’s the use of Ye Xing being good-looking? If your benefactor finds out, do you think they’ll let you off? Don’t joke around.”

Thinking of her benefactor—who spent almost all their time abroad with their wife—Lan Xinqiao snorted. “What’s there to fear? Like I said, it’s just hype.”

Having been away from Jiangting for three days, all Ye Xing wanted was to go upstairs and see Little Grape. Ding Ling looked at her. “Ye Xing, are you sure you’re okay? Your complexion is still poor, and you didn’t even touch the porridge I ordered.”

Ye Xing shook her head. “I’m fine, just tired.”

Ding Ling assumed that was the case and told Ning Youyou, “Youyou, don’t go up. Let your Sister Xing-xing rest. Bring the luggage over tomorrow.”

After saying goodbye, Ye Xing walked quickly into the elevator. Watching the numbers rise, her heart was full of anticipation. She wondered if Little Grape would still recognize her. Suddenly, she felt a wave of dizziness, and a strong sense of nausea surged in her chest. She pressed down the discomfort, her palms covered in fine sweat.

Ding—

The elevator doors opened. Ye Xing immediately rang Shen Yushu’s doorbell. She had messaged her before the flight, saying she was coming for the cat tonight.

The door opened within three rings. Shen Yushu appeared in a dark green silk pajama set, her long hair loose and flowing. She wore a pair of “ascetic” silver-framed glasses, her eyes lazy as she raised her lashes.

“The cat is inside. Come in and get her yourself.”

Ye Xing: “…” Truly a high-cold beauty.

Well, considering she looked after Little Grape, Ye Xing wouldn’t complain. This was her first time inside Shen Yushu’s home. At the entryway, Shen Yushu’s unique perfume mixed with a pleasant sea-salt room fragrance filled her nose. Ye Xing instinctively relaxed, momentarily forgetting her physical discomfort.

She peeked inside. Though she couldn’t see the whole place, she noticed the floors weren’t made of gold like she’d imagined; rather, the house was filled with cool tones that matched the owner perfectly.

“Meow~”

Shen Yushu came over carrying the cat carrier. Seeing her darling, Ye Xing was so excited she almost jumped. Her gaze stayed fixed on Little Grape, then her brows knit. “Shen Yushu, what did you feed her? Why does she look so much fatter…?”

Shen Yushu set the carrier at Ye Xing’s feet and looked at the kitten. “She isn’t. It’s your imagination.”

Is it? Ye Xing went to pick up the cat, but the nauseating dizziness hit again. She reached for the cabinet in the entryway to steady herself, but a hand reached out and caught her.

Shen Yushu steadied Ye Xing’s swaying body, a ripple finally appearing in her calm eyes. “What’s wrong with you?” She had noticed Ye Xing’s pale, exhausted face since the door opened.

Ye Xing looked up into Shen Yushu’s deep, beautiful eyes, a corner of her mouth curling up. “Nothing, I… urk.”

Before she could finish, Ye Xing couldn’t stop herself from dry-heaving.

Shen Yushu’s grip on Ye Xing’s arm slowly loosened, her fingertips brushing against the girl’s smooth, pale skin. Her eyes slowly turned to frost. “You’re throwing up because you saw me?”