After A Secret Marriage With The Trending Queen - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

“Click, click, click…” The incessant, loud shutter sounds filled the air, and the sudden flashes of light made it impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

At the same time, Ye Qin’s hand was still firmly gripping Shen Lu’s. They were… surrounded by the media.

Although Shen Lu had seen scenes like this before, the protagonist was usually Ye Qin. Now, she had also become the focus, the center of attention under the cameras. Her mind was in a daze.

Ye Qin, however, seemed calm. She had anticipated this moment. She pulled Shen Lu toward her car, ignoring the questions hurled by the reporters.

“Get in the car.”

“Oh… okay.”

Once they were in the car, Ye Qin started the engine and drove off quickly, leaving the group of reporters behind with a blank expression. These were the media contacts of Tan Xueying’s side, and Ye Qin didn’t care about offending them anymore.

The car sped up rapidly. Shen Lu glanced at the speedometer on her side, noting it was already close to 100 mph (likely 100 km/h in this context). Seeing Ye Qin drive onto the cross-sea bridge, she involuntarily swallowed. “Sister, you’re speeding…”

Ye Qin was unmoved and stepped harder on the accelerator.

Shen Lu grabbed the handle above her head, terrified she might lose her life. But what was the deal with those reporters earlier? She summoned her courage and asked, “Sister, why did you come?”

The screeching sound of the huge tires gripping the ground was harsh. Ye Qin slammed on the brakes, pulling the car over to the side. She turned her head and looked at her with a cold smile. “You know perfectly well.”

“…I… I don’t know,” Shen Lu mumbled, pouting.

Ye Qin grew a little impatient and asked, “Did those reporters follow us?”

Shen Lu quickly turned to look behind, and after confirming carefully, she turned back. “No, no, we lost them.”

“Let’s go back then.” Ye Qin restarted the car and made a U-turn.

On the way back, Wang Lin called. Ye Qin drove and reached up to press the answer button in the car, then adjusted her earpiece.

“Sister Wang… yes, we’re back.” She hung up after that.

Shen Lu sat in the passenger seat, not knowing what to say. In truth, she was still quite stunned by everything that had happened that night.

“Because you’re mine…” Those were Ye Qin’s exact words. Thinking of this, a blush crept onto Shen Lu’s face.

Ye Qin, who was driving with a cold, silent expression, secretly glanced at Shen Lu and noticed she looked completely lost in thought. Her anger instantly vanished, and her expression softened considerably.

“Did you promise Tan Xueying anything?” The question that had been bottled up for a long time finally came out.

“Promise what?” Shen Lu was confused.

“Oh, no, nothing.” Ye Qin mumbled to herself, a smile even appearing on her face.

…

The two finally returned to the hotel safely. Wang Lin was extremely anxious and chastised Ye Qin right in front of Shen Lu, giving her no face at all.

“Do you know what consequences your recklessness will have?”

“Now look! Tomorrow, the two of you are definitely going to be front-page news.”

Shen Lu felt a little guilty and stepped forward to speak on her behalf. “Sister Wang, actually, this is my fault. I shouldn’t have gone out to dinner with Tan Xueying. If I hadn’t gone, none of this would have happened.”

“It’s not your fault. I told you to go,” Ye Qin said.

Wang Lin looked at Shen Lu. “Ye Qin, go back to your room. I need to talk to Shen Lu.”

Back in her room, Ye Qin received another message from Tan Xueying.

Tan Xueying: Everything can still be salvaged. Come alone, and tomorrow’s media won’t show anything you don’t want to see.

Ye Qin sneered and immediately replied: Who do you think you are.

So what if I’m in the news? Hadn’t she, Ye Qin, been in the news enough already? One more time wouldn’t hurt. Since she had done it, she had long been mentally prepared to deal with everything. In fact, if she hadn’t gone tonight, she would have been left with regret.

Wang Lin took Shen Lu to the hotel’s coffee shop and ordered two coffees.

“What happened today, you are to pretend never happened.”

“Huh?” Shen Lu was startled.

“I don’t want to repeat unnecessary words. If you encounter reporters tomorrow, this is what you’ll say…”

Sister Wang’s intention was for Shen Lu to lie and firmly deny everything that happened tonight.

“You know that it hasn’t been easy for Ye Qin to get where she is. She’s a child with a particularly unfortunate fate. I was the one who brought her into this industry, and I personally brought her up. I don’t want to see everything she has worked so hard for ruined. Can you understand?”

Shen Lu nodded. “I understand.”

One tactic of celebrity public relations is to flatly deny everything. As long as the other party doesn’t have solid evidence, they can’t do anything.

Although Tan Xueying’s plan was thorough, Wang Lin was not a pushover. The moment Ye Qin drove out with the keys, she had already begun planning countermeasures. She had already contacted the restaurant, and the surveillance cameras were completely offline that night. Since reporters only managed to take photos of Ye Qin and Shen Lu at the entrance, a mere photo proves nothing. The media’s one-sided claims are not enough to bring Ye Qin down.

Shen Lu lifted her coffee cup and took a sip. The atmosphere was awkward and heavy.

“You still remember the contract terms, right?”

“I do,” Shen Lu nodded cautiously.

“It will be half a year soon, and there are four and a half years left. Once it expires, you’ll receive a sum of money and can go live the life you want. At that time, you and Ye Qin will go your separate ways. I hope you now do your job and fulfill your contractual obligations. Other non-existent, inappropriate thoughts, please do not have them, please curb them.”

Shen Lu bit her lip and remained silent.

Wang Lin pressed again. “Do you understand my meaning?”

“…I… I understand.”

“That is good. It’s late now. Remember my words.” Wang Lin finished speaking, took money out of her bag, put it on the table, stood up, and left.

Shen Lu remained seated, slightly bowed her head, seemingly holding back something, tightly biting her lip. She felt her eyes suddenly becoming a little moist.

…

Just then, her phone rang in her pocket. Seeing it was Shen Jing calling, Shen Lu wasn’t in the mood to answer and immediately hung up. She lay on the table, burying her face in her arms.

A moment later, the phone rang again. Shen Lu irritably took out her phone. This time it was Ye Qin calling. She hesitated for a moment before answering.

“How are you?”

Shen Lu nervously picked at the corner of the table. “I’m fine. I’m very well.”

Ye Qin sensed something was wrong. “What did Sister Wang talk to you about?”

Shen Lu forced a smile, pretending everything was fine. “Just some precautions on how to handle things tomorrow. Sister Qin, do you need anything else? If not, you should get some rest.”

“I do need something,” Ye Qin quickly said.

“…??” Shen Lu didn’t speak, waiting for her to continue.

“Come over first. I’m in the room.” Ye Qin said, and then hung up first.

The busy signal buzzed in her ear. Shen Lu held the phone, momentarily dazed.

“You’re late.”

As Shen Lu gently pushed the door open and poked her head in, she heard Ye Qin, sitting on the sofa filing her nails, say this without looking up.

“I… I went to the restroom,” Shen Lu’s expression was a little panicked.

Ye Qin finally looked up at her, her voice ethereal. “Are you nervous?”

“No, no, I’m not.” Shen Lu wiped her forehead and walked towards her, asking as usual, “Sister, why did you call me here?”

The next second, Ye Qin stood up, pulled her close, and embraced her. Her lips came close to Shen Lu’s ear, almost touching. “How do you feel about this?”

Shen Lu’s heart raced, uncontrolled, feeling like it was about to leap out of her chest. “I… I… I don’t feel anything.”

“You’re lying,” Ye Qin said, exhaling a puff of warm air near her ear.

Suddenly, Shen Lu pushed her away and dodged out of her embrace. “Sister, stop messing around. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.” She made a move to walk away.

“You can’t leave!” Ye Qin’s voice halted her. “Shen Lu, you like me too, don’t you?”

Shen Lu’s back stiffened. She turned her head and laughed heartily. “Sister, you’re kidding me again, hahahaha…”

Ye Qin’s face was cold as she walked towards her, lifted her chin with one hand, and said flirtatiously, “Have I ever told you that your acting is truly terrible?”

Shen Lu kept swallowing.