Chapter 43: Even a King-Sized Bed Feels Crowded with Three People

When Pei Qiaonian saw the message, his mind froze for several seconds as he tried to process it.

His friend wanted to sleep with Xu Yunzhuo?

Absolutely not.

But now, with Xu Yunzhuo inhabiting his body and about to sleep with his friend, it somehow seemed—acceptable…

He hadn’t even managed to ask further before a string of messages from Xu Yunzhuo arrived.

Upon learning that Wei Zhichen had come looking for him, Pei Qiaonian felt a headache brewing.

Of his two friends, Wei Zhichen was the most meticulous; it was only a matter of time before he discovered something was off.

But if he confessed this bizarre situation...

He could already imagine Song Qingli mocking him for a lifetime.

Just the thought of it made him abandon the idea of coming clean.

Irate Bro: [I’ll come by tonight.]

Xu Yunzhuo: [???]

What? You’re coming too?

She turned to look at the large bed beneath her and grimaced. Even a six-foot bed would be cramped for three people.

Pei Qiaonian had just sent his message when the balding associate director came looking for him.

He immediately locked his phone and looked up.

The associate director marched over, full of anger. “Xu Yunzhuo, this isn’t what we agreed on!”

Clearly here to confront him.

Pei Qiaonian sneered. “You never discussed it with me in the first place. You just handed me a lousy card and expected me to be a servant for those six people. Maybe you should look in the mirror—are they even worthy?”

The director was speechless.

Excellent. The person before him was truly out of his mind, clearly not interested in playing along any longer.

“If you refuse to cooperate, I’ll have to force you off the show.”

The associate director inwardly scoffed. If not for pity, there’s no way he’d have given Xu Yunzhuo the guest commentator spot for one episode. Instead of being grateful, she’d caused trouble for the director. On the very first day of the live broadcast, she’d nearly ruined everything. Sure, it generated some buzz, but without following the script, the program just couldn’t go on.

He thought his words would intimidate her.

But Pei Qiaonian simply counted on his fingers, “According to our contract, if you terminate me without cause, you owe me ten times my appearance fee. I’m only here for one episode, that’s fifty thousand—ten times means five hundred thousand. Remember to transfer the money, Associate Director.”

The associate director was fuming. The highest fee they’d ever paid was two hundred thousand for Pei Jin, but to give Xu Yunzhuo five hundred thousand in compensation—he’d probably drop dead on the spot.

He wanted to retort, but seeing how immovable Pei Qiaonian was, he could only clench his fist and snarl, “Fine, just you wait.”

Pei Qiaonian remained unfazed. He’d heard that line from countless people; this associate director couldn’t even get in line.

Next was the CP assignment segment.

It was done by drawing lots.

[Wow, finally! Best Actor Pei just has to draw my darling Huan Huan; they’d look perfect together!]

[Fei Xing-ge definitely fits the rich heiress. I want to see how a rebellious little wolf gets tamed by a gentle, sophisticated lady—hilarious.]

[This Gu Qi looks like a total goofball… How could anyone pair up with him?]

Pei Qiaonian wasn’t required for this segment, but all six guests were seated—and there was no seat for him.

He wasn’t used to wearing heels, and after a whole day in flats, his feet were killing him. Yet the production team blatantly denied him a chair, obviously bullying him for being a minor celebrity.

Expressionless, Pei Qiaonian walked into the live camera’s view. Noticing an empty spot at the end where Hu Biting sat, he said, “Could you scoot over a bit? I’m exhausted.”

Hu Biting raised her brows, flashed a bright smile, and shifted over readily. “Of course, have a seat.”

Pei Qiaonian didn’t hesitate; standing all day had worn him out.

Because of his sudden appearance, the associate director monitoring the camera nearly passed out from rage. “Get Xu Yunzhuo off the stage! What is she doing? This is a live broadcast, not her personal playground!”

But the director, seeing the spike in live viewership, was delighted.

The screen was filled with comments: [Haha, Crazy Queen has lured me back in. I wasn’t interested until she appeared. She’s hilarious.]

[Is this scripted? Is it? Is it? Is it really appropriate to cast such a wild character? I’m dying over here. Did you see everyone else’s faces change except Hu Biting?]

With one more person squeezed in, everyone was uncomfortable.

Gu Qi, clearly used to a life of luxury, couldn’t stand it. “Why is there suddenly an extra person? Are you trying to roast me alive? Where’s the crew? Can someone do something?”

He wore a thick gold chain and kept adjusting his collar to show it off.

Pei Qiaonian knew enough about Gu Qi. He was what you’d call a nouveau riche; his father had made a fortune in real estate after receiving a windfall from property demolition. They were from Yuncheng, hence his strong southwestern accent.

Maybe because he was new money, Gu Qi always looked down on others.

But Pei Qiaonian had no respect for his family, and Gu Qi himself was nothing but a lazy good-for-nothing.

Pei Qiaonian glanced up lazily, lips curving in a mocking smile. “Sounds like you’ve eaten too many mushrooms and it’s muddled your brain. Is the crew your daddy? All you do is whine for help. If you’re hot, get out. Stop making noise here.”

[See, I knew Crazy Queen wouldn’t let us down—she’s really going for it now, haha.]

[I’m siding with Xu Yunzhuo this time. Gu Qi has such an obnoxious attitude—I love seeing the arrogant rich put in their place!]

[Is the crew deliberately not giving Xu Yunzhuo a chair? She’s been standing all day—it’s no wonder she’s tired. Just because she’s controversial doesn’t mean she deserves to be treated like this…]

Even the director was surprised to see the barrage of comments supporting “Xu Yunzhuo.” In the past, everyone had resented her, and yet her antics always brought a surge in viewership.

The associate director was frantic. “Director Xu, please replace Xu Yunzhuo. She’s only going to wreck everything. There’s still time to fix this.”

But Director Xu, after a moment’s thought, shook his head, eyes bright as he watched Pei Qiaonian. “Let’s observe a bit longer. I think she has potential.”

The associate director was speechless.

Gu Qi slapped the table and stood up.

Seeing his aggressive stance, Pei Qiaonian rose as well, rolling his wrists. “Looking for a fight?”

Even in a woman’s body, he hadn’t forgotten his years of martial arts training. Dealing with a pampered wastrel like Gu Qi would be a breeze.

Gu Qi’s bravado faded instantly.

At that moment, Xie Zhiyuan stepped in to smooth things over, pulling Gu Qi back. “Enough, Gu Qi. We’re still recording. If you have issues, let’s discuss them privately later, all right?”

Thanks to Xie Zhiyuan’s intervention, Gu Qi snorted and shot Pei Qiaonian a sidelong glance. “You got lucky!”

Pei Qiaonian just sneered and sat back down, not taking his words to heart. His attitude was even more arrogant, making Gu Qi grind his teeth in frustration.

Xie Zhiyuan offered Pei Qiaonian a gentle smile, but Pei Qiaonian was quick to notice the disdain and contempt hidden in her eyes.