Helping My Ex-Wife Find Love Every Day - Chapter 8

To prevent eavesdropping, Su Ti La rushed to the door as if her butt was on fire. After confirming that no one was around, she closed and locked the door.

“Is that true?” She poured Qiu Qing Shi a cup of hot water, feeling both shocked and terrified.

Qiu Qing Shi’s career was soaring. Many people were waiting to find fault with her. If this matter were exposed, who knows what kind of trouble it would cause.

Qiu Qing Shi took the cup, her trembling hands warming themselves on the hot surface. “I saw it with my own eyes. How could it be false?”

Saw it with her own eyes!

That’s explosive!

Su Ti La was shocked. Her lips parted, and she managed to speak with difficulty: “Did you see CEO Yao being intimate with her, or… catching them in the act?”

Qiu Qing Shi bit her lip, her voice dropping two octaves, and mumbled, “Not exactly.”

Su Ti La clutched her overly startled heart, thanking heaven and earth. She took a breath and said, “If that’s the case, perhaps you misunderstood CEO Yao.”

She had worked for the Yao family for ten years and knew Yao Xiangyi well. She was known for her integrity and forthrightness, and she hated despicable, underhanded deeds. To say she was cheating… was unlikely.

Unless she was drunk and acted recklessly.

Qiu Qing Shi rubbed her face: “I personally saw her say ‘want to marry her’ to that woman.”

This was ironclad proof.

Su Ti La raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes: “Something like that happened!”

Yao Xiangyi was notoriously unromantic. The fact that she could say such a thing showed she was genuinely serious.

Qiu Qing Shi felt her heart being scratched by a hundred claws. She picked up the water cup and drank it bottoms-up, attempting to suppress the congestion in her chest, but it was useless. Tears unexpectedly fell.

She quickly covered her eyes with the back of her hand.

Su Ti La secretly cursed Yao Xiangyi for being heartless, pulled out the tissues from the corner of the table, and shoved them into Qiu Qing Shi’s hand, comforting her: “I understand. I’ll have someone look into Bai Meng Zhao right away.”

At the end, as if she had thought of something, she asked cautiously, “…Are you and CEO Yao still participating in the Orange Channel’s reality show?”

The reality show, Mom-in-Law is Here, had been in preparation by the Orange Channel since last year, and the station attached great importance to it.

Mother-in-law/Daughter-in-law relationships and Father-in-law/Son-in-law relationships were evergreen social hot topics, especially the former.

As soon as the news of the variety show’s preparation spread, it quickly garnered attention and discussion from netizens and trended on hot search. Coupled with the Orange Channel’s consistent quality, everyone was guessing who the celebrity guests would be.

The production team intentionally released a half-true, half-false list of celebrities, covering first, second, and third-tier stars, for the purpose of increasing buzz—to put it bluntly, they were teasing the fans.

Qiu Qing Shi’s name was prominently on the list. The Snail Rice Noodle fans immediately exploded with excitement, their screams filling the air. They had never seen Qiu Qing Shi on a reality show before!

Let alone reality shows, Qiu Qing Shi rarely appeared on ordinary variety shows. It was different in her early years when her status in the acting world was not yet stable and she didn’t have many fans; she would occasionally attend a few shows to show her face. After marriage, however, she stopped. Just thinking about it now made them excited!

Logically, with the title of Jinghong Entertainment’s boss’s wife, Qiu Qing Shi shouldn’t look favorably upon reality shows. But the show’s producer was He Xi Xi, and Qiu Qing Shi owed her a favor from years ago. Now was the time to repay it.

Therefore, when He Xi Xi invited her to dinner that day, she didn’t refuse. At the dinner table, she readily agreed to be a guest, and the next day, she took Yao Xiangyi to the Orange Channel to sign the contract.

However, the contract was not entirely formal; it was merely a letter of intent. With her current star power, if she wanted to break the contract, the Orange Channel couldn’t do much to her.

Su Ti La began to worry: “How about we push it off?”

If she and CEO Yao were already sleeping apart and just maintaining a facade, how could they show affection on a reality show? Act?

Qiu Qing Shi, who came from a proper performing arts school, might be able to manage it, but Yao Xiangyi had zero acting experience—it was absolutely impossible.

Qiu Qing Shi calmed herself down, lowered her eyes, and said, “I have to repay the favor I owe. Since the letter of intent has been signed, pulling out would be too offensive.”

A person lives by reputation, a tree by its bark. In the entertainment industry, reputation is crucial and cannot be easily squandered.

Her eyes darkened, and she said fiercely, “I’m going to publicly show affection with Yao Xiangyi to disgust that Bai Meng Zhao to death.”

That night, Yao Xiangyi had business engagements. She hadn’t been out for a week, and many dinner invitations had piled up. The moment she arrived at the first restaurant, everyone started nagging her endlessly.

She didn’t like to drink, but to show her apologies, she accepted every drink offered. Fortunately, those present were old friends, and once they’d had enough fun, they stopped pestering her to drink.

An hour later, she went to another cocktail party. When she arrived, the party was already halfway through. After exchanging pleasantries with the host and meeting a few new friends, they sat down to discuss business. She returned home precisely at midnight.

Aunt Mi was getting old and couldn’t stay up late. She had prepared a hangover soup early and had gone back to her room to sleep.

Qiu Qing Shi, however, was still waiting.

She leaned against the headboard and watched TV for a long time, her eyes staring blankly. She occasionally turned her head to look at the bedside clock; the hour hand moved from eight to twelve.

In the middle of the night, she called the Old Man (her father-in-law), the gist being that she was back in Hai Shi and wanted to visit him tomorrow.

The Old Man had always been dissatisfied with Qiu Qing Shi. In his old-fashioned view, actors were never artists; they were a low-class profession unworthy of high society. If it had been before the liberation, she would have certainly faced public criticism.

When Yao Xiangyi and Qiu Qing Shi married, he was furious and almost died on the spot.

Fortunately, Qiu Qing Shi held no grudges, repaying his malice with kindness and showing him respect. In the last two years, the Old Man’s attitude had finally softened, and visiting him every time she returned became an unspoken agreement.

After hanging up the phone, Qiu Qing Shi continued watching TV. Feeling bored, she called her cousin, Bessie Zhou, and her friend, Qi Bai Xuan, to play a game of PUBG (or a similar game).

She played games well, successfully getting a chicken dinner (winning) three times in a row. As the fourth game ended, she heard a sound in the living room.

Yao Xiangyi must be back.

She quickly said goodbye to her friends, exited the game, turned off the light, and pretended to be asleep.

The living room was dark and empty. Yao Xiangyi felt a sense of loss when she saw it. In the past, Qiu Qing Shi would wait for her no matter how late she came home.

After grieving alone for a moment, she went to the guest bedroom to shower. After lazily getting ready, she quietly returned to the room and lay down beside Qiu Qing Shi.

Separated by thin pajamas, they could feel each other’s body temperature.

A faint scent of alcohol wafted in the air, a subtle sweetness reaching the throat, long and mellow.

Alcohol was a good thing—it could ruin things, but it could also heighten pleasure.

Especially pleasure in the bedroom.

Qiu Qing Shi had low alcohol tolerance; just breathing in the air made her feel intoxicated. Her body was hot, and her mind was hazy.

She clenched the corner of the sheet and gritted her teeth, but still couldn’t resist asking, “Did you drink the hangover soup?”

Her voice was clear, soft, and magnetically appealing.

This gave Yao Xiangyi an impulse to act recklessly due to the alcohol. She turned sideways, placing her palm on Qiu Qing Shi’s fair and soft cheek.

An isolated woman and a woman in the same bed will inevitably reach a moment of deep emotion and lose control. But Qiu Qing Shi was a woman with a temper. She pushed her away abruptly and snapped angrily, “Go find your Bai Meng Zhao!”

That single sentence shattered the hard-won ambiguous atmosphere.

Yao Xiangyi’s desire was completely ruined. She turned her back and closed her eyes to sleep.

The bedroom returned to quietness.

Not long after falling asleep, her phone, set to vibrate mode, buzzed. It was Qin Chun calling. Yao Xiangyi immediately woke up. Fearing she would wake Qiu Qing Shi, she grabbed her phone and tiptoed to the study.

She slid the answer button: “Hello?”

Qin Chun said: “CEO Yao, you asked me to check on Bai Meng Zhao and report her whereabouts at all times. I’ve found it. The information has been sent to your email. Also, Bai Meng Zhao finished her schedule tonight and returned to Hai Shi. She’s probably on her way back to school now.”

Yao Xiangyi yawned, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and said tiredly, “I understand. Thank you for your hard work.”

Qin Chun smiled shyly and said, “Good night, CEO Yao.”

Yao Xiangyi put down her phone, rested her forehead on her arm on the desk, as if dozing. After a long moment, she crept back to the bedroom, secretly took a tracksuit from the closet, and changed into it.

She then sneaked out of the house.

At that moment, Qiu Qing Shi peeked through the crack of the bedroom door and saw everything clearly.

Hmph, she’s going on a date with that cheating woman, isn’t she?

Qiu Qing Shi immediately changed her outfit, put on a baseball cap and a mask, and followed her. Before leaving the house, she went back to find her SLR camera and decided to take a set of high-definition photos of the affair.

Yao Xiangyi was still drowsy. When she reached the parking lot, she realized she had rushed out too quickly and hadn’t brought her car keys. Annoyed, she turned back, and noticed the numbers on the display screen at the top of the elevator were changing.

Someone was coming to the parking lot.

Yao Xiangyi found it strange. Who is leaving in the middle of the night, just like her?

Most likely a guy going out to meet his mistress.

She moved a step aside to make way for this fellow, so as not to block his romantic path.

Ding-a-ling!

The elevator door opened.

Yao Xiangyi and Qiu Qing Shi met each other’s eyes unexpectedly.

Qiu Qing Shi: “!!!!!!”

The scene was instantly awkward.

Yao Xiangyi blinked: “…Where are you going?”

Qiu Qing Shi also blinked: “…I… couldn’t sleep, so I went out for a walk.”

Yao Xiangyi looked at the SLR camera hanging around her neck…

Qiu Qing Shi bravely owned up, tensing her face: “It’s so late. You must be going to see Bai Meng Zhao. I’m going too. I want to see what tricks she’s using to make you so utterly obsessed.”

Yao Xiangyi licked her upper palate, feeling helpless: “I have a pure, innocent relationship with her.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Yao Xiangyi was truly drunk (exasperated). She was unfairly labeled as a heartless person, and she had nowhere to argue. Childishly, she retorted, “Believe it or not.”

Then, she changed her mind. It might be a good thing for Qiu Qing Shi to come along; perhaps it could increase her sweetness value. She softened her tone and asked, “Did you bring the car keys?”

Hai Shi Film Academy was an old, prestigious university, established in the mid-1950s. It was relocated once in the late 1990s and is now situated on Hai Shi’s North First Ring Road, a bustling area.

Yao Xiangyi and Qiu Qing Shi drove in silence, each wearing a sour expression, not speaking to the other.

Upon arrival, Yao Xiangyi parked the car in the shade not far from the school gate. She had checked Bai Meng Zhao’s flight information and guessed that Bai Meng Zhao should be arriving at the school about now.

As she pondered, she saw a girl with a suitcase walk out of the subway exit.

Her head was bowed low, a bucket hat covering half her face, a backpack slung over her shoulder, and she walked staggeringly, looking very exhausted.

Yao Xiangyi’s eyes lit up.

She released the handbrake, slowly stepped on the gas, and followed behind the girl.

Qiu Qing Shi instantly became energetic. She rolled down the car window, leaned half her body out, determined to get a clear look at Bai Meng Zhao.

Bai Meng Zhao didn’t return to school. She dragged her suitcase all the way down one road and turned into the night market. She was too tired from traveling and wanted to eat something before going back.

Qiu Qing Shi recognized this place. She, too, was once a student at Hai Shi Film Academy. Back then, she wasn’t very famous, and whenever she stayed at school, she and her roommates would come here for interesting snacks.

Despite the late hour, the place was still bustling with people and lively, the air thick with the smell of oil smoke and spicy heat.

The car couldn’t enter, so Yao Xiangyi had no choice but to abandon the car and walk.

Qiu Qing Shi got out of the car as well.

Yao Xiangyi was a little worried: “You stay in the car. There are many people here. Be careful not to be recognized.”

Before she finished speaking, Qiu Qing Shi had already chased after Bai Meng Zhao, running a considerable distance.

Yao Xiangyi felt like an over-worrying old mother, rushing to keep up.

Bai Meng Zhao had been heavily criticized by netizens recently and had been wary in public, constantly alert to her surroundings. Subconsciously, she turned her head and saw a woman, concealed by a baseball cap and a mask, who was not only sneaky but also carrying an SLR camera.

Aha!

That damned paparazzi is stalking her even here!

Her anger flared. Without a word, she rushed forward and snatched the SLR camera away.

She yelled furiously, “Have you no shame!!”

Qiu Qing Shi was stunned.

She had never encountered such an arrogant mistress, who actually dared to call her shameless. She sneered and retorted, “Miss, for an ill-mannered person like you, no one needs to have shame!!”

“You’re shameless!!” Bai Meng Zhao’s eyes were red with fury. She violently smashed the SLR camera onto the ground with great force. The sound was deafening, shattering the camera completely.

This finally enraged Qiu Qing Shi. She no longer cared about being a socialite, rolled up her sleeves, and prepared to fight.

Before she was ready, Bai Meng Zhao launched the first attack.

Qiu Qing Shi dodged, barely avoiding her strike.

When Yao Xiangyi arrived, Qiu Qing Shi was in a very cool position, grabbing Bai Meng Zhao’s hair and pinning her against the Jingwu Ya Bo (spicy duck neck) food stall.

Yao Xiangyi: “!!!!!!!!!”

I can’t believe it, you just beat up your future wife!!!!

The Abandon Novel Self-Rescue System came online at the opportune moment.

[Innocent Lolita reminds you that the two original female leads are engaging in intimate interaction. Sweetness Value +1]

[Sweetness Value +2]

[Sweetness Value +3]

[Sweetness Value +4]

Yao Xiangyi: There’s this kind of outrageous operation???!!!