I Want To Retire From the Circle but Become Famous by Acting Poorly

The next morning, Su Chengyang stood expressionless in front of the mirror in the room, waiting for Lin Yu to bring her toiletries.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and noticed a prominent red mark on her neck, as if someone had bitten her last night.

“Uncle Liu bought you an electric toothbrush,” Lin Yu walked over and placed the toothbrush and towel in front of Su Chengyang.

Looking up into Lin Yu’s gentle smiling eyes, she felt the urge to bite him twice out of anger.

“How am I supposed to go out and see people like this?” Su Chengyang said in frustration.

Lin Yu leaned against the door, crossing his arms and seeming quite satisfied with his masterpiece. “It’s okay.”

“Of course, you think it’s okay. It’s on me!” Su Chengyang replied angrily.

Lin Yu unbuttoned his collar and hesitated, “Well… then maybe you can kiss it back?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

Throughout the day, Su Chengyang avoided lifting her head whenever possible and used her hair to cover the mark. She barely managed to get past the two elders, but when she played games with Xiao Lu in the evening, she was still discovered by Xiao Lu.

After seeing it, Xiao Lu wrinkled her nose and said, “Is it only on your neck? I don’t believe it!”

With that, she gestured to take off Su Chengyang’s clothes.

Su Chengyang was startled and said, “It’s only here! Don’t mess around, I’ll complain to Lin Yu later!”

Shaking her head, Xiao Lu said, “That’s impossible. He slept with you all night, and my cousin brother didn’t do anything?”

Su Chengyang: “…”

She blushed and glared at the other person, then sat aside.

Xiao Lu couldn’t believe it and said, “How can my cousin brother is not as good as a beast?”

But as soon as she looked up, her cousin brother, who was not as good as a beast, was standing at the door, smiling ambiguously and saying, “Disappointed?”

Xiao Lu’s face stiffened, and she quickly shook her head, “No, no.”

Later, when no one was around, Lin Yu whispered in Su Chengyang’s ear while teasing her, “What should we do? It seems like I can’t hold back anymore, I’m not as good as a beast. And you? When will you let me be a beast?”

Su Chengyang bit him hard twice, feeling embarrassed almost to tears, “Shut up!”

After staying with their elders in the old residence for two days, Su Chengyang and the other two returned home.

Lin Yu had to go back to work, and Su Chengyang had to attend the first event after the New Year.

After the New Year, everyone became busy with their own matters. Su Chengyang studied and worked at the same time, afraid of wasting such a good opportunity. If she could achieve satisfactory scores this year, she would be able to save a lot of time.

In mid-March, the cast of <Travel> gathered together.

They had long known about Su Chengyang and Lin Yu’s romantic relationship, so that evening they specifically asked Su Chengyang to bring Lin Yu along and forbade Lin Yu from driving.

That night, they relentlessly made Lin Yu drink, and he ended up drinking a lot. They somehow found out that Su Chengyang had no family around, so they claimed to be her family and warned Lin Yu that if he dared to bully Su Chengyang, they would make sure he regretted it.

Lin Yu accepted their words without objection.

Su Chengyang watched the scene of them arguing and felt her heart filled with a deep sense of gratitude.

In the past half year or so, they had all made progress individually and became popular entertainers in the industry. But when they gathered together, it felt as if nothing had changed, and there was no sense of unfamiliarity.

This hard-earned friendship is engraved in everyone’s hearts.

They took a group photo in the hotel, with Su Chengyang and Lin Yu standing in the middle. Su Chengyang held Lin Yu’s arm, just like a newlywed couple receiving blessings from friends.

After the photo was posted, the hashtag #TravelReunion# quickly trended. While netizens marveled at their friendship, many also noticed the intimate gestures between Su Chengyang and Lin Yu, leading to various rumors and gossip. However, both of them didn’t pay any attention to it and didn’t respond.

In April, Su Chengyang received an audition invitation.

Because her recent work didn’t involve acting, Lin Yu never insisted on managing Su Chengyang’s physique. She wasn’t too strict about her diet either.

But receiving the script was different. If the role required it, she definitely had to lose weight. So when Su Chengyang received the audition invitation, her initial thought was to refuse, but she didn’t dare to.

Lin Yu brought the script to her and said softly, “I’ve read the script for you. Leaving aside the plot for now, the character you’re supposed to portray is very well-written. She is a cultivator who prioritizes the greater good before herself, and she is a kind of popular favorite character known for her beauty and strength in recent years. There’s a high demand for this drama online, so it’s highly likely to be a hit.”

Su Chengyang furrowed her brows and asked, “There must be many artists who want this role, right?”

Lin Yu nodded and said, “Yes, my senior sister, Miss Shang are among them. The character you’re auditioning for is the most popular one in the book, the female lead Ye Zhaoyang.”

Su Chengyang took the script and flipped open the first page.

Casually, she said, “Miss Shang is also auditioning for this role. I probably don’t have much hope, do I?”

After all, she was the Queen Shang Xingyu.

Lin Yu shook his head and said, “Not necessarily. The director is very strict in the casting process.”

Su Chengyang pursed her lips and replied, “Oh.”

“If your contract with the company expires during the filming period of the drama, you don’t have to renew it. It won’t affect your contract with the production team.”

Su Chengyang said, “The situation hasn’t even started yet.”

Anyway, Su Chengyang didn’t have much hope, after all, there was still the Queen, Shang Hangyu.

Seeing that the contract was going to expire in a few months, Su Chengyang actually didn’t want to take on the role. Some variety shows and endorsement activities were enough because Lin Yu wouldn’t force her to lose weight for those.

On Wednesday, Lin Yu brought Su Chengyang to the audition venue. There were many artists who came, Jiang Shanqi and Han Songxue also came for auditions, but they were auditioning for other supporting roles.

Watching the artists coming out one after another, Su Chengyang wasn’t nervous at all. She felt that with Shang Xingyu around, this role definitely wouldn’t be given to her.

Finally, a few hours later, Shang Xingyu just came out of the audition room when Su Chengyang was called in.

As she passed by Shang Xingyu, she saw the confident expression on her face, and Su Chengyang felt like she had already secured the role!

But due to her professionalism, Su Chengyang still portrayed her inner character, Ye Zhaoyang. When she finished her performance, she noticed the strange expressions of the directors on the other side. Su Chengyang thought they were dissatisfied with her performance, but she didn’t care.

However, just as she walked a short distance away, she was stopped by a director who chased after her.

The director, panting, looked at her and asked intermittently, “Miss Su… would it be convenient to try the styling and makeup?”

Su Chengyang’s relaxed expression stiffened slightly, “What?”

Lin Yu smiled as she looked at her, “Congratulations.”

Shang Xingyu stood not far away, her face darkened as she watched the two of them.

Su Chengyang glanced at him, then at the director, and her eyes instantly turned red.

Because there were more than just the three of them present at the time, it didn’t take long before the news of Su Chengyang obtained the role of Ye Zhaoyang was exposed and became a hot topic.

Netizens and fans of the actress exploded in an instant:

【? ? ?】

【Su Chengyang surpassed Shang Xingyu?】

【Are you kidding? A rookie artist who debuted less than two years ago surpassed the Queen?】

【Isn’t it too much to say that there was no behind-the-scenes manipulation?】

【Um, could it be because of Starlight Entertainment’s Prince?】

【To be honest, I’ve suspected something fishy between them for a long time, especially after seeing that photo of them together.】

Once someone mentioned Su Chengyang and Lin Yu, a bunch of people started digging up various information about them.

【Damn! They used to watch movies together! Hand in hand!】

【(Whispering) It’s an open secret in the industry that they are together.】

【I can’t believe it! They are really compatible!】

【Su Chengyang got the role through Lin Yu? Disgusting.】

【Su Chengyang doesn’t deserve the position!】

【Su Chengyang, get out of the entertainment industry!】

That night, as Su Chengyang looked at all the online insults, she felt helpless. Did you think she wanted to take on this role? She didn’t want it at all!

Wuwuwu, her boyfriend is an inconsiderate devil!

Amidst a barrage of curses, there were occasional explanations from Su Chengyang’s fans. However, Su Chengyang indeed didn’t have many impressive works, and the internet was still full of mockery. Whether it was the fans of Shang Xingyu, the fans of the so-called “rival,” or simply people who couldn’t stand her, they all criticized her.

Just when the internet was overwhelmingly defending Shang Xingyu, Shang Xingyu suddenly posted on Weibo amidst the storm: 【Being present and feeling happy.】

Attached to the post was a strange video.

【Su Chengyang doesn’t deserve the position!】

【Sister Shang must be here to criticize Su Chengyang!】

【She’s using her body to climb up, it’s really disgusting.】

. . . . .

Some people clicked on the video and found that it was shot from a sneaky angle, as if it were a hidden camera.

In the video, Su Chengyang was sitting on the ground without any image, helplessly clutching the legs of a man, crying and shouting, “I won’t act! I won’t go to Mongolia! What does the director see in me? Miss Shang acts so well, why did they choose me? I feel so wronged! Wuwu…”

The man bent down, revealing a perfect profile, and rubbed her head with his hand. “There’s roast lamb in Mongolia. You can eat as much as you want, and I’ll pay for it.”

Su Chengyang’s face brightened, surprised as she looked up. “Really?! I don’t have to lose weight?”

The man chuckled, “Yes.”

Then, he added nonchalantly, “But on the condition that you lose weight before the start of filming.”

Su Chengyang cried even harder with a “waa.”

“Liar! Devil! Lin Yu, I want to break up with you!!”

Upon hearing the last two words, the person filming shook their hand, and in the frame, the man’s slender fingers gripped Su Chengyang’s chin, his tone low: “Say it again?”

The man bent down, his lips touching hers.

Just before their lips met, the video abruptly ended.

Barrage comments:

【… What? This is a script that A-list actors would fight to be in. What are you complaining about?】

【She cries so well, and I love it.】

【My wife!】

By the end, the barrage comments had gone crazy:

【Break up???】

【Damn!!!!】

【Ah ah ah, I can’t believe this is real!】

【Help, I’m dying, they’re actually a couple!】

【Cameraman! the kiss! Why is there no kiss? You’ve ruined my big chicken leg for tonight!】

After Shang Xingyu release of the video, online public opinion drastically reversed, and everyone started discussing the relationship between Su Chengyang and Lin Yu. No one was paying attention to the characters anymore.

In less than half an hour, various terms related to Su Chengyang appeared on the hot search list on Weibo.

When netizens and fans were clamoring for a statement, Lin Yu calmly retweeted the Weibo post from the company, with the caption: 【She’s angry with me now and wants to break up. She said, ‘Does she have no face?’ Please stop mocking her. Also, I want to inform everyone here that Chengyang will terminate her contract with the company in August.】

Once he retweeted it, the Weibo post gained even more attention.

【No breaking up allowed!】

【Lock them down! Both of you, lock yourselves down for me!】

【Why terminate the contract?】

【Obviously! Terminate it so she can become the boss lady!】

【You two are so compatible, please treat my girl well.】

【Boss Lin treats his girl well.】

【It’s so strange, I don’t find it surprising at all that Boss Lin and Chengyang are together!】

【Lin Yu: Thank you all for your blessings.】

【Su Chengyang: Thank you, everyone.】

After a while, a new term soared to the top of the hot search list.

#ChengYuCoupleLockedUp#1

TL/Note: So, we have reached the end of the main story. Next, there will be 5 extra chapters, but the original author has combined them into one. I will divide it into 3 parts because it’s almost 16,000 words (T^T).
If I manage to finish it on time, I will publish those 3 parts simultaneously (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧.