Starlet Taotie Chapter 5
Chapter 5 Savage
【LOLOLOLOLOL】
【the only thing that can beat emotional speeches is talk about food】
【I’m laughing like a dumbass in my dorm, what do I do, I’m falling in love】
【I declare this the best episode of Over Here this year!!】
Jiang Tao no longer bothered with the dumbfounded host. She quickly took off the inflatable costume and headed straight backstage for she had already Tong Tong walking in with her long-awaited snacks.
Tong Tong was practically bursting with excitement backstage. “Jie! You were amazing! Do you know you’re trending right now?! And it’s not even a negative trend!”
“You’ve finally turned things around, jie!”
But Jiang Tao simply extended her hand calmly. “My snacks.”
Tong Tong: “……”
She awkwardly handed over the food, but couldn’t help asking, “Jie, don’t you want to check your trending topic?”
Jiang Tao: “No.”
It’s not like checking it would give her a piece of meat.
At that moment, Fang Yiran walked over with his manager.
Offstage, he seemed a bit more shy than he had been onstage. “Jie, really, it was all thanks to you we won the first two rounds.”
Jiang Tao was fully focused on eating and didn’t respond.
Tong Tong quickly apologized, “Sorry, jie is always very focused when she eats.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine, I understand,” Fang Yiran said hurriedly. Then, a little shyly, he added, “Can we add each other on WeChat?”
Tong Tong: “……”
To say that her phone was broken would only led them to be misunderstood, so she could only sacrifice her own phone.
After adding Jiang Tao on WeChat, Fang Yiran left, looking completely satisfied.
Tong Tong then earnestly advised Jiang Tao, “Jie, you really should get a new phone. Otherwise, it’ll be really inconvenient in the future.”
“Isn’t that why I have you here?” Jiang Tao asked, puzzled.
Tong Tong froze.
She had long grown used to being suppressed by Sun Jianxian and had almost forgotten why she entered this industry in the first place. But Jiang Tao’s words reignited a small spark in her heart.
“I understand.” She looked at Jiang Tao with determination. “Jie, I won’t let you down!”
Jiang Tao: “?”
…
At that moment, Ann Lisa had changed her clothes and redone her makeup.
Her manager looked at her with concern. “Lisa, are you okay?”
She cast a calm glance at her manager. “What now?”
“Y–You’re not angry?” the manager asked hesitantly.
Ann Lisa found it strange herself.
Rationally, she knew she should feel furious and resentful.
But in reality, her emotions were eerily calm, as if someone had taken away all her hatred toward Jiang Tao.
Seeing that she wasn’t hysterically cursing Jiang Tao like usual, the manager let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I was worried about how to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
Manager: “About Jiang Tao, ah. She’s already made it into two trending topics, and in less than half an hour, her Weibo followers have increased by fifty thousand—Lisa? Lisa, what’s wrong?!”
Ann Lisa clutched her chest, teeth clenched. “Jiang Tao and I… cannot coexist under the same sky!”
…
The final round was called ‘Room of Chocolate’, a brand-new segment in ‘Over Here!’.
The production team placed six objects made entirely of chocolate in a room. The guests had to pick out the correct six items from among a hundred objects. Anyone who chose incorrectly would receive punishment.
To give the guests a clearer idea, the production team had prepared an extra chocolate item for demonstration.
It was a vase.
At first glance, it looked no different from an ordinary vase. Only upon touching it could one feel the difference.
All the guests put on disposable gloves and took turns examining the vase.
Jiang Tao was the last one.
The chocolate vase wasn’t very heavy, and it gave off a faint cocoa fragrance.
The night she had transmigrated, she had already tried chocolate for the first time from Young Master Lu’s fridge. Even now, she couldn’t forget that silky, sweet flavor.
Holding the vase, she looked at the host expectantly. “Can this be eaten?”
The host smiled. “Of course it can.”
The moment he finished speaking—
Jiang Tao took a bite and chomped off half the vase.
The host: “?!!!”
【HAHAHAHAHAHA】
【So that’s what you meant by ‘can it be eaten’】
【Play on words strikes again】
Jiang Tao licked her lips in satisfaction.
The taste wasn’t quite as good as the chocolate from Young Master Lu’s fridge, but as long as it was edible, she wasn’t picky.
The host wiped his non-existent sweat and quickly moved things along.
“This is our chocolate room. Everyone must stay outside the room and observe. You’ll have five minutes to inspect and make your choices. Once time is up, you must decide immediately, and during the tasting stage, no changes will be allowed.”
Following the host’s direction, everyone looked over.
It was a glass-walled room. Inside, a hundred different objects were scattered around: tables, chairs, vases, ashtrays, shoes, books… just about everything you could think of.
Picking out six correct items from a hundred was no easy task.
The guests tried all sorts of tricks, but after a flurry of effort, nothing worked. In the end, they could only regroup with their teammates to discuss.
Ever since adding her on WeChat, Fang Yiran felt their relationship had gotten closer. He walked straight up to Jiang Tao. “Jie, which ones do you think are real?”
Jiang Tao disregarded his words, staring fixedly at the room.
Fang Yiran followed her gaze but couldn’t figure anything out. “Jie, what are you looking at?”
Jiang Tao: “Say, if we pick the right ones, we can eat them?”
Fang Yiran: “???”
【Ran Ran.exe has stopped working】
【Still thinking about eating props… can you consider the production team’s feelings for once lol】
【Honestly though, eating that much chocolate sounds kinda satisfying】
The two of them got so absorbed in their discussion that they completely ignored Ann Lisa beside them.
Unwilling to be left out, Ann Lisa forcibly inserted herself into the conversation. “Tao Tao, the production team worked hard to prepare these props. Isn’t it a bit selfish to think like that? If you want chocolate, you can just buy some after the show.”
Fang Yiran frowned slightly, her words did not sit right with him. “Lisa jie, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
【The production team didn’t even say no, why is Ann Lisa acting like that?】
【Exactly. They’ll replace the props next time anyway. isn’t that better if Jiang Tao eats them? Avoids wasting food】
【Lisa is just being considerate toward the staff. Not like certain a shameless someone, only thinking about taking advantage of the production team】
【kek playing the white lotus[1] now r we? No ones stupid here, who r u trying to fool?】
Jiang Tao didn’t get angry. Instead, she asked in confusion, “Do you like eating chocolate too?”
Ann Lisa: “?”
“If you want some too, I can ask for you too,” Jiang Tao said seriously.
Under her bright, intent gaze, that spine-chilling feeling Ann Lisa had experienced on the trampoline resurfaced.
She instinctively took a step back. “I… I don’t like chocolate!”
“That’s great!” Jiang Tao accidentally let it slip, and quickly coughed to cover up. “I mean, since you don’t like chocolate, I don’t mind helping you eat it.”
Ann Lisa: “…………”
【LMFAO just admit it, you want it all for yourself!!!】
【Ann Lisa internally screaming: I was fking dissing u and all u can think about is FOOD?!】
【My stomach hurts from laughing, why didn’t I realize Jiang Tao was this funny before?】
Jiang Tao seemed to realize this was a viable strategy, so she went around asking Fang Yiran and the three other guests from Team B one by one, then happily ran off to find the host.
The host was completely baffled.
This was the first time he had encountered a guest like this; someone who didn’t care about losing or being punished, but only had food on her mind.
And what did she mean by asking on behalf of everyone? Clearly, she was the only one who wanted to eat it!
The production team huddled together backstage for an emergency discussion, and finally made a decision.
“Alright. But if you choose incorrectly, there will be a punishment. You’ll have to work as an intern for one day in the next episode.”
“No problem,” Jiang Tao agreed immediately. “As long as meals are provided.”
Director: “……”
Why did this feel like shooting themselves in the foot?
【LOLOLOL the production team really never learns】
【Confirmed! Jiang Tao is the show’s natural enemy!】
【No one can outplay Jiang jie! fangirls】
Jiang Tao walked off, completely satisfied.
At this point, Fang Yiran wasn’t even concerned about his own choices anymore. He enthusiastically started offering suggestions to Jiang Tao.
“Jie, if you’re going to fleece the production team, go big. Make it hurt!”
The members of Team B also gathered around, laughing. “Yeah! They’ve been messing with us all night, it’s time they paid the price.”
“Didn’t the director say it? The more unlikely, the more likely it is to be real.”
Ann Lisa had already learned from a staff member which items were made of chocolate. Hearing this, she came up with a plan and deliberately guided them toward thinking about large furniture like tables and chairs.
As expected, everyone was misled. In the end, they unanimously agreed that the table was most likely made of chocolate.
Seeing that her ploy had succeeded, Ann Lisa secretly rejoiced.
Jiang Tao, you want to build a kind of gluttonous persona?
Let’s see you break your teeth on this!
Once all the guests had made their selections, it was time for the most exciting part: the taste test.
The staff began bringing out each chosen item one by one. Only Jiang Tao’s object remained.
Since the table was too large, she had to go inside the room herself to verify it.
And that pushed the audience’s anticipation to its peak.
Could Jiang Tao actually pick the correct chocolate item and fleece the production team hard?
All cameras focused on her.
Step by step, as she walked into the room, the tension in the air rose.
The entire studio fell silent.
Everyone held their breath.
Even the other guests craned their necks, trying to see inside.
Jiang Tao crouched down slightly, parted her lips to reveal neat, pearly white teeth, and bit down on the corner of the table.
A triumphant smile appeared on Ann Lisa’s lips.
Go on, bite.
This is where you make a fool of yourself.
But in the next second, a crisp crack rang out.
The corner of the table snapped clean off.
The onlookers: “!!!”
Simultaneously, the smile on Ann Lisa’s face froze.
The camera zoomed in on the jagged break, splintered wood clearly visible at the fracture.
Even the livestream comments went silent for a few seconds.
After a long pause, a single comment slowly drifted across the screen:
【Savage. That was way too fking savage.】
TL Note: As some of you may have noticed, someone finally came around and this novel finally has a proofreader. Everyone, please welcome bwth!!! Thank you so much for reaching out and taking the time to help out, it’s very much appreciated! ^^
Footnote:
[1] White Lotus (白莲花) in modern Chinese slang describes a person who appears incredibly pure, kind, and innocent on the surface but is actually manipulative, selfish, and calculating.
