After A Secret Marriage With The Trending Queen - Chapter 60

Chapter 60

“Um, the yak butter tea they serve for breakfast here is really good,” Shen Lu said, throwing off the blanket and getting out of bed. She put on her jacket. “I’ll go down and bring some up.”

She was gone from the doorway in the blink of an eye. Ye Qin picked up her phone to text Wang Lin.

“I found Shen Lu. I’m ready to come back.”

Wang Lin immediately understood the meaning of the brief message. When she replied, her hands were trembling with excitement: “As long as you come back, I’m always here.”

This was wonderful. They would be able to fight side-by-side on this path again.

…

A week later, Ye Qin and Shen Lu appeared at the A-City Airport. The terminal was loud, packed, and bustling. The media and fans, who had caught wind of their arrival early, appeared in the arrival hall and surrounded them.

“Shen Lu, you ungrateful wretch, how dare you show your face!”

“Ungrateful wretch! Ungrateful wretch!”

Some overly emotional fans in the crowd hurled insults and curses at Shen Lu. Ye Qin immediately stepped forward to shield Shen Lu, preventing anyone from harming her. In the past, it was always Shen Lu protecting her. She never thought there would come a day when she would be the one protecting Shen Lu.

Ye Qin’s first event after returning was a press conference. Shen Lu, as usual, prepared to do her job, but this time, she didn’t have to watch from behind a computer screen or across vast distances. Instead, she could stand beneath the stage to cheer her on.

Ye Qin’s demeanor was much better than at the last press conference. “I’m back,” she announced. “**I will continue to fight in this industry. I will prove to those who tried to defeat me that I, Ye Qin, am not one to give up easily. I also want to thank my assistant, Shen Lu. She was the one who woke me up and guided me. And to her, I must also offer a solemn apology. Will you forgive me?”

Having said this, Ye Qin looked at Shen Lu in the audience and directed the microphone toward her.

Shen Lu was suddenly put on the spot and felt a little flustered. All the cameras instantly focused on her. Her face flushed, and Shen Lu stammered, “I… alright, I forgive you.” Ye Qin, you really did it. You forced me to say that in front of everyone.

The right to speak returned to Ye Qin: “The past rumors caused Shen Lu no small amount of harm. I want to tell my fans here that she actually loves and supports me just as much as you do, and I hope you will no longer hurt her because of me.” She then bowed deeply.

What was supposed to be a comeback press conference was forcibly turned by Ye Qin into the “Apology to Shen Lu Conference” and the “Begging Shen Lu for Forgiveness Conference.”

Wang Lin had a massive headache, but she couldn’t control Ye Qin anymore, so she decided to just let her be.

By this time, Shen Jing had also returned to his job. His salary had increased by a few notches thanks to his sister’s association. As the turmoil subsided, life seemed to instantly return to its calm state.

Ye Qin had become much more Zen now. She would no longer compromise herself, or others, to do things against her conscience for work, nor would she do unwilling jobs for money. As a result of this selection process, the public appearances actively seeking her out were few and far between.

Her first announcement after her re-emergence was an interview on a famous celebrity talk show. Ye Qin had participated once before, but that was years ago, right after she first became famous. Going back now would surely be a different experience.

…

In the backstage dressing room, Ye Qin took the opportunity to send Shen Lu away and quietly called Shen Jing: “Did you take care of the matter I assigned you?”

Shen Jing sounded smug on the other end: “Sis, it’s been done for a while. Don’t worry, I guarantee it’s foolproof.”

“Good, that’s good. Did Shen Lu notice anything suspicious?”

“No, absolutely not.”

The show began recording. Ye Qin walked onto the stage and first greeted the audience and the cameras: “Good evening, everyone. I’m Ye Qin.”

The host warmly welcomed her to sit down: “How have you been lately?”

“Very well,” Ye Qin replied, sitting down.

“Things were quite tumultuous a while ago. Why did you suddenly decide to return after retiring from the industry?” The host was famous for her direct and scathing interview style.

“Well…” Ye Qin paused. “Because of one person’s influence, I suppose.”

“And who might that person be?”

“A very important person,” Ye Qin smiled.

“Alright, I won’t ask too many follow-up questions,” the host cleverly changed the subject, then asked, “But let’s talk about this important person: is it a man or a woman?”

Laughter erupted in the audience. It was humorous and gossipy—exactly the effect they wanted. Ye Qin covered her mouth, answering with a surprising hint of shyness, “A woman.”

The crowd cheered. The audience was clearly eager to know who this important person Ye Qin spoke of was.

The host also knew her boundaries and didn’t press the matter further, instead switching the topic: “What kind of courage forced you to hold that press conference and talk about your parents’ issues?”

If this were the old Ye Qin, she would have likely blown up when asked that question. But now, she had already made peace with it. From the day she held the press conference to clarify everything, she had become fearless. Her parents’ issues no longer terrified or forced her to hide. It was simply a part of her destiny. Since she couldn’t hide or conceal it, she might as well lay it bare for everyone to see.

“It was like something that had scared me for years, and now I’ve overcome it.”

Ye Qin’s answer was truly the perfect response.

“I hear you’ve prepared something else to do today?”

“Yes,” Ye Qin confirmed. Since the host brought it up, Ye Qin elaborated: “Today is a very important day. It’s my assistant’s birthday.”

Shen Lu, standing below the stage, was completely bewildered, being called out once again. Ye Qin glanced around and fixed her gaze on Shen Lu, waving her over, “Hurry, come up!”

Shen Lu hesitated, embarrassed that the filming schedule was being delayed. The director on the side also walked over and urged her onto the stage.

Facing the spotlight and cameras, Shen Lu was visibly restrained. Ye Qin snapped her fingers. Shen Jing, disguised as a staff member, wheeled out a custom-made cake. Ye Qin and the host, as pre-arranged, began singing “Happy Birthday.” Even the audience was infected and joined in.

Shen Lu’s eyes quietly reddened, looking at Ye Qin with disbelief. Ye Qin quickly took her hand and pulled her forward: “Hurry, make a wish!”

Shen Lu closed her eyes. Under the gaze of the crowd, she quietly made a wish: I wish I could stay by your side forever.

“Ye Qin is so good to her assistant.”

“I know, I’m so jealous.”

“…” The audience members whispered to each other.

Afterward, Shen Lu stepped off the stage, leaving the interview time to the host and Ye Qin.

“Shen Lu, someone is looking for you.” Just then, a staff member came to find her, and Shen Lu hurried out.

The person was standing on the curb, shadowed by the backlight. Shen Lu didn’t recognize them at first, not until the person turned around.

Tan Xueying?

“Why are you here?” Shen Lu asked, lacking her usual friendliness. She couldn’t smile warmly at the person who had caused her and Ye Qin so much trouble.

“I came to see you. Happy Birthday, Shen Lu,” Tan Xueying said. She pulled a finely wrapped small gift box from her pocket. The hand that reached out was trembling. Tan Xueying hadn’t been seen in public for a while, and Shen Lu didn’t know what had happened to her.

“No need,” Shen Lu refused without hesitation.

Ye Qin, who had finished recording, did not see Shen Lu when she came off the stage. Asking around, she was told Shen Lu had gone outside. Ye Qin went to look for her. Unexpectedly, when Tan Xueying saw Ye Qin come out, she immediately stepped forward, hugged Shen Lu, and forcefully kissed her.