After A Secret Marriage With The Trending Queen - Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The clip of the live stream spread online, sparking heated discussions. Fans cried out in sympathy.

“Qin Qin has suffered so much lately. Sending you hugs.”

“Oh my god, cyberbullying is terrifying. My heart aches for her.”

“Nooo, don’t quit! What will we do? QAQ”

“Passing by as a bystander, this girl actually has a very straightforward personality. She was brave enough to step forward and take responsibility. I like her.”

“A new form of publicity stunt?”

“The person above, stop with the conspiracy theories, okay? Have you ever seen someone use quitting the industry as a stunt? Why would she care about that if she’s leaving?”

“……”

…

“Ye Qin quit the industry. What are you going to do now?” Yang Li asked.

Wang Lin put an arm around her. “I’ve earned enough money; it’s time for me to retire. After Lin’er’s summer vacation, let’s go traveling. Let me take you and our son on a trip around the world.”

“Are you really planning that?”

“Yes. We can make some investments with our savings. It’s more than enough for a comfortable life for the rest of our lives. If you stay in this circle for too long, your heart changes. Since we have a chance to get out now, we should leave decisively.”

“Do you think… there’s still a chance for Ye Qin and Shen Lu?”

Wang Lin offered a small smile. “It’s hard to say. I warned her many times, but right under my nose, Ye Qin still fell for her. Everything that’s happened now is her own choice. I just hope she won’t regret it in the future.”

With that, Wang Lin sighed deeply, a sigh of regret for Ye Qin’s departure from the industry.

Although Ye Qin was clearly determined to leave the entertainment industry indefinitely, it had to be said that this press conference was an unexpected stroke of luck—an accidental success. Public goodwill toward her skyrocketed. People admired her character and demeanor, and public opinion was instantly reversed. Real-time online searches surged, and the topic became a top trending search. Ye Qin’s company executives were ecstatic and wanted to invite her out to dinner to discuss future development strategies, but Ye Qin declined. She was no longer interested in anything related to the entertainment industry.

“Now everyone is urging you to go back. Are you going to reconsider?”

“Sister Wang, there’s a place I want to go. Alone.”

“Alright then. Be careful,” Wang Lin said, no longer bothering her.

…

Ye Qin drove her private car, the navigation set for the A-City Prison.

“Are you satisfied now, with all of this?” Ye Qin asked, sitting in the visitation room.

The middle-aged woman in the prison uniform, though bare-faced, still possessed a certain allure, but her complexion was poor—which was to be expected for anyone locked away from sunlight in prison.

The middle-aged woman seemed frantic, but the presence of the guards kept her from acting out.

“What kind of madness is this?!”

“News travels fast in prison?”

“You quit the industry! How am I supposed to get out now?!”

“Get out?” Ye Qin sneered. “Who said I was going to bail you out? If it weren’t for you, would I be going through all of this? Speaking of which… I really have you to thank.”

“I am your mother!” the middle-aged woman yelled, trembling with emotion.

“I haven’t had a mother for a long time,” Ye Qin said, keeping her composure. “Today is the last time I’m coming here. I just wanted to tell you that you’ve completely ruined my life. You will spend the rest of your life here, alone.”

With that, Ye Qin picked up her bag and prepared to leave. Just then, the middle-aged woman shouted at her retreating back, “Two months ago, someone came to see me. She said her name was Tan Xueying.”

Ye Qin’s steps halted, but she continued to walk out without looking back.

Back in the car, Ye Qin desperately pounded the steering wheel. It really had nothing to do with Shen Lu after all. She should have realized it sooner. She had fallen into Tan Xueying’s trap. Why hadn’t she known this earlier!

Slamming the accelerator, Ye Qin drove toward Shen Lu’s house.

…

A frantic ring echoed at the door. Shen Mother went to open it and froze. “Qin Qin…”

“Mom, is Shen Lu home?” Ye Qin asked immediately.

Shen Mother paused. “Come in quickly.”

The two sat down to talk, and that’s when Ye Qin learned that Shen Lu had been gone for a while. “Do you know where she went?”

Shen Mother shook her head. “She wouldn’t say. She calls occasionally to let us know she’s safe.”

Ye Qin fell into distress and self-reproach. Unable to watch her suffer, Shen Mother suggested, “Why don’t you ask Shen Jing? He’s close to Lu Lu; he might know something.”

Ye Qin nodded, pulled out her phone, and called Shen Jing. Shen Jing was at an internet cafe. Receiving a call from Ye Qin startled him, and his hand holding the phone trembled. “Sister… Qin?”

“Shen Jing, I’m asking you, do you know where your sister Shen Lu is?”

“I don’t know. She’s traveling around. The day before yesterday, she sent me a picture of herself at a Buddhist temple.”

“Can you send me that picture?”

“Sure, I’ll find it for you.”

Soon after, Ye Qin received the photo on her phone. Suddenly, the mystery was solved. Ye Qin knew the place; she had mentioned to Shen Lu more than once that she wanted to go, but work had always been too busy, and she couldn’t spare the time.

“Mom, do you think they can reconcile this time?”

“I’d bet they can,” Shen Mother said with blind confidence.

…

That day, Shen Lu returned to the hostel after her usual walk, only to be told by the owner that someone was looking for her, waiting at the coffee shop next door.

Curious, Shen Lu went to the meeting. The moment she saw Ye Qin, her emotions surged, and she froze, unable to move. Her first instinct was to run away. Ye Qin, in a panic, quickly chased after her.

Since the hostel was in a remote area and it was the off-season for tourism, the area was sparsely populated. Shen Lu ran until there was no road ahead. When she turned back, Ye Qin had already blocked her path.

“Why are you running when you see me?”

Shen Lu faced her with confidence. Ye Qin wasn’t her boss anymore, so what was there to fear? “Didn’t you tell me to get lost? I’m gone now, so why are you looking for me?”

Ye Qin pursed her lips and lowered her tone. “…It was my fault. I was wrong. Can you forgive me?”

Shen Lu nervously fiddled with her fingers. “None of that matters anymore, does it? Is my forgiveness really important to you?”

“It’s very important,” Ye Qin blurted out.

Shen Lu mumbled, “Oh, and about ‘Cloud Chong Cottage,’ since I’m not working for you anymore, let’s get a divorce.”

Ye Qin smiled incredulously and reached out to pinch her chin. “I just remembered that the contract is still valid, so the demand you just made is invalid, isn’t it?”

Shen Lu panicked. “I…”

“Come back with me. Stay by my side,” Ye Qin said, her tone allowing no negotiation.

“I don’t want to. I refuse,” Shen Lu turned her face away, a hint of playful banter in her refusal.

Ye Qin, desperate not to let her leave, resorted to a less dignified tactic. “In that case, I might have to sue you for breach of contract. Do you have 50 million yuan?”

“You!” Shen Lu glared at her. “Shameless!”

“I’m going to be shameless just for you today.” Ye Qin released her chin, turned, and said, “Hurry up and follow me.”

Shen Lu reluctantly followed. They walked one behind the other, the setting sun casting beautiful long shadows on the ground.