After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Am in a Relationship with My Scummy Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother - Chapter 29

Old Jiu was completely dazed when he received the phone call from Shu Yueqing.

Although Old Jiu’s small manor had no signal and was secluded from the world, there was still a wired landline connected from the company. At first, he wondered why the company was calling him so late, but as soon as he picked up, Shu Yueqing’s voice came from the other end.

“Is Huo Qingzhuo with you?”

That was the very first thing Shu Yueqing said.

Old Jiu looked suspiciously at the phone, then at Huo Qingzhuo, then back at the phone. “Shu Yueqing?”

Hearing that name, Huo Qingzhuo also looked toward Old Jiu.

“It’s me. I’m asking if Huo Qingzhuo is with you,” Shu Yueqing said, her voice clearly tinged with anxiety.

“Why are you asking that?” Old Jiu’s scrutinizing gaze landed on Huo Qingzhuo, as if trying to discover something hidden.

“I saw tonight’s trending topics. After something like that happened, she must be terrified. Forget it, Old Jiu, hurry up and give the phone to Huo Qingzhuo. I’ll talk to her myself,” Shu Yueqing urged, impatient with Old Jiu’s questioning.

Old Jiu’s gaze fell once more on Huo Qingzhuo, who had remained calm from start to finish. Terrified? Terrified of what?

However, Old Jiu didn’t dawdle. He handed the phone to Huo Qingzhuo and then crossed his arms, his stare making Huo Qingzhuo feel entirely uneasy.

“President Shu, is something the matter?”

Huo Qingzhuo turned her back, pretending not to notice Old Jiu’s gaze.

“I’m very sorry about what happened tonight. Are you okay?” Shu Yueqing hadn’t expected such an incident to occur, and her tone carried a hint of annoyance at herself.

“I’m fine. It was an accident. There’s no need for President Shu to worry; I’m quite alright.” Huo Qingzhuo was extremely polite. This matter truly wasn’t Shu Yueqing’s fault, but with Old Jiu standing right there, she couldn’t say much more.

“I will definitely investigate this thoroughly and give you an explanation.” Feeling that Huo Qingzhuo was becoming increasingly distant and polite, Shu Yueqing felt a bit unadjusted, a bitter taste lingering on her tongue.

The two chatted for a few more moments. After Huo Qingzhuo hung up and turned around, she met Old Jiu’s half-smiling gaze.

Huo Qingzhuo kept her eyes forward, acting as if she saw nothing, and walked straight past Old Jiu back to her room.

With both Old Jiu and Shu Yueqing investigating simultaneously, their efficiency was naturally beyond reproach. Coupled with the police report, things became much easier to handle.

By the next day, the results were out.

Huo Qingzhuo’s trip had indeed been low-key; no one knew about it except for her and her assistant. However, the leak didn’t happen there. It came from the photo Huo Qingzhuo took with that little girl.

After taking the photo, the little girl couldn’t resist sharing it in Huo Qingzhuo’s fan group. The photo leaked out, was noticed by certain people, and the information was sold.

Since Nine Heavens began airing, Huo Qingzhuo had been very careful. Aside from event venues, she was rarely seen and almost never captured in private photos.

Consequently, this attracted a group of fans and paparazzi, as well as some ill-intentioned people looking to stir up trouble. As for who instructed the person who threw the balloon, the culprit refused to reveal anything from beginning to end, claiming it was merely a prank he wanted to pull.

Shu Yueqing was not satisfied with this result, but Huo Qingzhuo did not want to pursue the investigation further. The matter was temporarily laid to rest.

In just two or three days, the name “Huo Qingzhuo” remained high on the trending lists. From being maligned to the clarification, and then the attack, it successfully pushed Huo Qingzhuo’s popularity to a new level. Discussions were everywhere.

At the same time, rumors about a “sugar daddy” behind Huo Qingzhuo began to surge.

“Popularity really brings a lot of trouble. You’ve got more than your fair share,” Old Jiu remarked, leaning back on the sofa and flipping through a magazine while chatting with Huo Qingzhuo.

Huo Qingzhuo, who was trying to read a book, felt weary. “Let’s not just issue a clarification this time. Let’s announce the company certification. I’m legitimately signed to a company; there’s no sugar daddy. By the way, I haven’t even been to the office yet. Who else is signed to our company?”

“You,” Old Jiu said without looking up.

“And?” Huo Qingzhuo’s hand paused while turning a page.

“Just you. You’re the only one.” Old Jiu couldn’t help but look up and laugh. “We are a film and television production company; we don’t usually sign artists. I registered a new project specifically just to sign you. Who else would there be?”

“No wonder I don’t even have a manager yet.” Huo Qingzhuo finally realized how whimsical Old Jiu was. “Well, that’s great. Once the company is certified, the ‘fact’ that I’m being kept will be hammered in. I’ll be hammering the nail myself?”

“Give me a break. You make it sound like I’m the one keeping you. That big sugar daddy Shu Yueqing is waiting in the wings. If she found out about that rumor, wouldn’t she come over with a knife to chop me down?”

Ever since that phone call, Old Jiu finally admitted that her judgment had been off. It turned out Shen Junfu really had nothing to do with it, but the fact that Huo Qingzhuo and Shu Yueqing were entangled was still hard for Old Jiu to accept.

“I actually wish it were true. I hope President Shu can see through my strong exterior to my fragile heart and become my sugar daddy. Unfortunately, President Shu hasn’t given me the chance,” Huo Qingzhuo sighed with a hint of regret.

Old Jiu glanced at Huo Qingzhuo and curled her lip in disdain. “Shu Yueqing is such a shrewd person; how does she still think you’re an innocent, pure flower of the motherland? But fine, she’s a fake prude and you’re a real rogue. You two are a match made in heaven—a perfect pair of idiots.”

“I think you’re the one being ‘perfectly’ ridiculous,” Huo Qingzhuo retorted.

Closing her book, Huo Qingzhuo realized that as long as she was next to Old Jiu, she wouldn’t be able to get any reading done.

“By the way, Nine Heavens is about to reach its finale. The final wave of promotion is starting soon. You’re also about to start school; make sure to coordinate your time so there are no conflicts.”

Old Jiu reopened her magazine and reminded Huo Qingzhuo. Then she muttered to herself, “This magazine is good. I can arrange a shoot for you. It’ll serve as the final activity for you and the ‘Ancestor Couple’ with Jing Bai. Then Jing Bai will retire, and you two can uncouple.”

Huo Qingzhuo left the arrangements to Old Jiu and had no objections. After all, following the clarification, some people online had started to apologize. Many fans of the “Ancestor CP” who had left after the scandal returned. Plus, the fact that Jing Bai spoke up for Huo Qingzhuo despite the backlash actually made the CP’s popularity soar even higher.

The day after the finale, the final variety show related to Nine Heavens went online. The popularity was explosive, especially the interactions between Huo Qingzhuo and Jing Bai, which nearly made the fans scream.

Actually, it wasn’t much. The two just interacted normally. However, in private, Jing Bai and Huo Qingzhuo had a good relationship, and he tended to look after her. Thus, in the program, he was mostly seen defending and protecting Huo Qingzhuo.

Since Jing Bai wasn’t close to the others, he followed Huo Qingzhuo around just as he did on set. With the deliberate editing of the post-production team, it looked like a “Queen and her Knight Commander” dynamic. The bullet comments were filled with: “The Ancestor Couple is real!”

Shu Yueqing logged onto her alt account as usual. She didn’t even get halfway through the variety show before she decisively exited. When she went back to the discussion group—which had now become a full-blown “Super Topic”—it was entirely filled with CP posts. She felt even more frustrated.

The result was that while Old Jiu was enjoying her afternoon tea, she received a call from Shu Yueqing. Even across the phone line, Old Jiu felt like she was being frozen to death.

“From now on, you are not allowed to market any CPs for Huo Qingzhuo,” Shu Yueqing commanded coldly.

Old Jiu: “???” What kind of fit is this ancestor throwing now?

“You’re ordering me? It’s useless.” Old Jiu was quite firm. Shu Yueqing was the major shareholder, but she was the Chairman.

“She just turned eighteen. She’s only eighteen, Old Jiu. Where is your conscience?”

Since she truly couldn’t do anything to Old Jiu, Shu Yueqing was fuming.

“Conscience? I don’t have one! Why would a capitalist need a conscience? Pfft.”

Clack. Old Jiu hung up the phone, feeling refreshed in body and mind. Man, after all this time, I finally caught an opportunity to get back at her.

Huo Qingzhuo, who was currently shooting a magazine cover with Jing Bai, knew nothing of this.

“Qingzhuo, let’s go grab dinner after the shoot?”

After changing into the last outfit, Jing Bai had completely lost interest in his acting career. As expected, a lazy person like him was better suited for a dull, boring life of eating and waiting to die.

Huo Qingzhuo straightened her collar. Considering this was their last collaboration, she agreed.

Having learned their lesson from last time, Huo Qingzhuo and Jing Bai were much more cautious. They found a place that reportedly belonged to Jing Bai’s family—it was absolutely confidential and safe.

Fully armed in their disguises, they arrived low-key at the location. As they walked down the hallway, Huo Qingzhuo felt Jing Bai tug at her, and he took off his mask.

Looking ahead, she saw a woman with an extreme “goddess” aura walking toward them. She wore a black long dress paired with a blazer—both beautiful and sharp.

Before Huo Qingzhuo could figure out what was going on, Jing Bai had already opened his mouth to greet her.

“Auntie Rong, it’s been a long time.”

Huo Qingzhuo: “…?”

She looked at Jing Bai, then at the stunning woman. Huo Qingzhuo was confused. The age gap between these two can’t be more than a few years, right? Won’t he get hit for calling her that?

It turned out he wouldn’t.

“Auntie Rong” stopped her pace, looking at Jing Bai and Huo Qingzhuo. “You two came to eat together?”

“Yeah,” Jing Bai nodded, introducing her to Huo Qingzhuo. “Qingzhuo, this is Auntie Rong.”

Looking at the innocent, “silly-sweet” Jing Bai, Huo Qingzhuo took off her mask. “Hello, Miss Rong.”

Huo Qingzhuo naturally wouldn’t follow Jing Bai’s lead. Firstly, she needed to maintain distance from Jing Bai; secondly, with such a small age difference, calling someone “Auntie” upon meeting would be awkward. Jing Bai likely had a family connection, but if she said it, it would be embarrassing.

However, after Huo Qingzhuo spoke, the other party didn’t say anything. She just looked at her quietly. Just as Huo Qingzhuo and Jing Bai were becoming confused, “Auntie Rong” nodded. “This world is really small, isn’t it? Huo Qingzhuo? Let me introduce myself. My name is Rong Qing.”

Rong Qing?

Huo Qingzhuo looked at Jing Bai, then back at Rong Qing. This world really was small.

The person Huo Qingzhuo had sent the thank-you email to had never replied, yet unexpectedly, they had run into each other here.

The group exchanged some pleasantries, but since Rong Qing had just finished eating with friends, they only chatted for a few minutes before she left. However, the friend request that Huo Qingzhuo had never been able to get through was finally accepted.

While the two of them ate, Huo Qingzhuo couldn’t help but ask Jing Bai, “Why do you call her Auntie Rong?”

Seeing that Huo Qingzhuo and Rong Qing knew each other, Jing Bai was quite happy, so he didn’t hide the origins at all.

“Auntie Rong and my little aunt—that’s Old Jiu—they grew up together. When I was little, I was often sent to Auntie Rong’s house. So, even though Auntie Rong is only seven years older than me, I follow the family rank and call her Auntie. If I called her ‘Sister,’ she wouldn’t be happy about it; it would mess up the seniority.”

Rong Qing and Old Jiu were childhood friends, and Old Jiu and Shu Yueqing were friends… This was truly a coincidence.