My Wife Became a Top Star After I Came Back from Quick Transmigration - Chapter 61

The heavens did not cooperate on this day; the sky was a gloomy gray from the moment they woke up.

It was already 7:30 in the morning, but the sun was nowhere to be seen.

Lin Mo and Qi Youxuan sat on opposite sides of the chessboard, making their moves back and forth.

Outside in the courtyard, the heat of early autumn had dissipated, and fallen leaves covered the ground. Autumn in the south is usually not very distinct, and many trees remain green during this season. However, the house owner likely wanted to create a certain atmosphere, so both the front and back courtyards were planted with ginkgo trees.

The ginkgo tree in the back courtyard, in particular, was mature, tall, and robust. Its fallen leaves could cover half the courtyard.

The leaves were fan-shaped with long stems, drifting down slowly, letting the lingering summer heat slip away and officially ushering in the desolate autumn.

Lin Mo had said that the ginkgo leaves were beautiful and that they gave the courtyard a unique kind of beauty. Because of this, no one had bothered to clean them up. In the early morning, they would brew a strong cup of tea and sit on the porch, appreciating the beautiful scenery of the courtyard, feeling an inexplicable sense of peace.

Qiu Mingyi was getting on in years and no longer liked to sleep in. Ever since they started filming here, he often woke up early to sit here.

Today, however, the two girls had taken his spot. He went to make himself a cup of coffee and then, carrying the steaming cup, went to stand beside them and watch the game.

He saw the two of them taking turns, with the black and white pieces slowly conquering the board, but Qiu Mingyi only understood half of what was going on.

“Who has the advantage now?” Qiu Mingyi had a great interest in Chinese chess, but he didn’t really play Go. Especially in this day and age, there weren’t many people who played Go. Even when taking a walk in the evening, the elderly men playing chess under the trees were usually playing Chinese chess.

Qiu Mingyi probably felt he was getting old and had suddenly taken an interest in Chinese chess, even going so far as to study it.

Qi Youxuan chuckled, looked up at Lin Mo, and said, “Who can beat her?” Although she said this, her hand didn’t hesitate as she made a move.

Lin Mo also picked up a black piece to block her offensive, and said, “Thank you for the compliment. But your overall strategy and moves show great foresight. If you practiced seriously, I might not be your match.”

Qi Youxuan said, “Those are just empty words. At the end of the day, real strength is what matters.” As she spoke, she tightened her hold on a black piece, but it was countered by Lin Mo’s black piece.

Qi Youxuan pursed her lips and risked a move to 8*18. Just as she had captured two of Lin Mo’s black pieces, Lin Mo’s black pieces jumped to a different position, leaving her with only one “eye.” The entire area was now “dead.”

But Qi Youxuan wasn’t heartbroken or willing to prolong the battle. Seeing that she couldn’t save the pieces, she immediately picked up her white ones and moved to another part of the board.

Qiu Mingyi took a sip of his coffee, watching the two’s intense battle. A soft, rustling sound suddenly came from the courtyard.

All three of them were startled and turned to look outside.

The rain had begun to fall quietly. It landed on the fallen leaves under the trees, making a gentle sound, like a beautiful piece of music.

Not just their small courtyard, but as they looked out, they saw the entire world connected by these threads of rain. The tiled roofs in front, washed by the rain, looked like enlightened monks, heads bowed and eyes closed, watching over the world, standing firm and unmoving.

The rain seemed to wash away the world’s filth, and it also brought more peace to the three of them.

Qi Youxuan glanced at the already decided game. She smiled and tossed her white piece back into the box, saying, “I admit defeat.”

Qiu Mingyi let out a sound of awe. “Wow, you two seem so powerful.”

The black and white pieces were scattered all over the board. Qiu Mingyi couldn’t make sense of it, but he felt it was impressive. He asked Qi Youxuan, “How long have you been playing?”

Qi Youxuan said, “For many years. I actually have a board at home and sometimes play against myself when I’m bored.”

Lin Mo laughed, “Your talent is too high.” No wonder she couldn’t play with Yun Yue.

Qi Youxuan smiled sideways at her. “From what Senior Su said, you also learned later, so I’m a little embarrassed to take the credit.”

The two of them complimented each other and then broke into laughter.

Qiu Mingyi took another sip of his coffee. Seeing them start to clean up the pieces, he sighed. Why did that slap happen in the first place?

The other guests, one by one, came down from upstairs. Zhuo Zitou’s voice arrived before she did. “Oh my god, it’s raining! Will we have any customers today?”

Wu Qingqing exclaimed, “I think so! Our store is supported by our fans.”

As Zhuo Zitou and Wu Qingqing came down, Li Xinling, Yun Yue, and others followed shortly after.

Zhuo Zitou went to the kitchen first. She saw the prepared breakfast and happily came out, “Ah, it must be my Lin Mo who made breakfast again.”

Lin Mo laughed, “Your compliments are making me blush, Senior.”

Qiu Mingyi scoffed, “I just saw. It’s all those frozen buns that kid Jiang Lun bought.”

Zhuo Zitou heard this and rushed over to kick Qiu Mingyi. “You’re a loafer, and you still have the audacity to be picky.”

Qiu Mingyi quickly dodged, and after escaping, he patted his chest in relief.

Qi Youxuan laughed, cheering them on, “Senior Zhuo, it’s rare for Senior Qiu to be jealous. You should compliment him more!”

Zhuo Zitou blushed slightly at the teasing from the younger generation and scolded, “How dare you be jealous of Lin Mo?”

Qiu Mingyi clicked his tongue. “This girl is very popular. Look at us, which one of us doesn’t like her?”

Lin Mo patted Senior Qiu on the shoulder, saying with emotion, “You want to compliment me, but you have to go through so many turns. Next time, just be direct. Of course, I don’t mind you being roundabout either.”

Qiu Mingyi: “…” Who wants to compliment you? I just wanted to badmouth you in front of my wife. Otherwise, I’ll have no status left.

The group’s playful banter kicked off the day’s livestream in a boisterous atmosphere.

At 8 o’clock, everyone was present. Jiang Lun and Wu Qingqing went to the kitchen to carry the steamer. The others brought out the lily and mung bean soup that Lin Mo had made and started setting up the bowls and chopsticks.

When Su Qixi came down after her nap, she was still very shy around Lin Mo. She had dreamed about their time in the private theater last night, which made her feel a little weak in the knees this morning.

Although she knew it was a psychological effect, seeing Lin Mo doing things with a completely serious expression, she couldn’t help but remember Lin Mo’s very un-serious, captivating demeanor from yesterday.

When Lin Mo saw Su Qixi come down, she just smiled at her and then went back to what she was doing.

She hadn’t changed at all because of their closer relationship yesterday.

Su Qixi was momentarily speechless. Was she the only one who was shy and happy?

Li Xinling saw Lin Mo wiping the table by herself and quietly slipped over to her. “Did you two… do it yesterday?”

Lin Mo’s eyes widened. After a long moment, she retorted, “Are you her best friend? Or are you my best friend?”

Li Xinling gave her a look. “If I dared to ask her, would I have to come to you?”

She let out a deep sigh. “I wasn’t a fan of you at first, but she likes you so much. I only tried to stop her twice, and she got angry with me in private. You have no idea how good she is to you. If you dare to hurt her again, hmph!”

The threat was very clear.

Lin Mo laughed. “I was wondering why you were so confident at the supermarket that day, but then you came here and only played chess.”

“Chess?” Li Xinling suddenly remembered the game she and Yun Yue had started. She turned to look at their chessboard by the door. She was stunned. “Where’s the board?”

By the time she turned back, Lin Mo was nowhere to be seen.

Li Xinling finally reacted. “Lin Mo!!!”

Lin Mo had already pushed Qi Youxuan out in front of her. Qi Youxuan said helplessly, “I put it away! She wouldn’t touch your stuff.”

Yun Yue’s eyes widened. “Then why did you touch our board?”

Qi Youxuan turned to look at Yun Yue standing behind her. Her heart skipped a beat, and she said matter-of-factly, “Lin Mo told me to.”

Lin Mo: “…” What a great friend, sacrificing me to save herself!

From a distance, Qiu Mingyi suddenly burst into laughter, slapping his thigh. “What a coward.”

Qi Youxuan yelled toward the kitchen, “Senior Zhuo, Senior Qiu said he was so tired from traveling with you.”

Qiu Mingyi immediately got up and rushed into the kitchen… Damn it!

[Hahahaha, they’re killing me with laughter.]

[This kind of playful teasing is so sweet.]

[You can even ship this?]

[It’s not just about romance. I really like the guests this season. They’re like a family.]

[Wuwuwu, I hope they stay together forever and run a café here.]

The autumn rain pattered softly, each drop distinct.

It washed the rolling green hills and nourished the vast land below. It was this year’s harvest and next year’s hope.

Laughter echoed from the guesthouse. The fans waiting under the awning set up by the production team heard it and smiled too.

Because of the rain, the production team persuaded fans not to line up at the back.

When it was time to open, the fans outside entered the “Ink Guest House” in an orderly fashion.

Holding umbrellas, the first thing they saw was the ginkgo leaves covering the courtyard. The rain on the leaves made a rustling sound.

As they walked down the corridor outside the “Ink Guest House,” the overhanging eaves shielded them from the rain. They folded their umbrellas and placed them on the umbrella rack provided earlier.

In a couple of steps, they reached the front door of the “Ink Guest House.” They stepped inside to see everyone wearing the aprons that signified their roles, smiling and greeting them.

“Welcome to the ‘Ink Guest House.’ How many in your party?”

When they heard Lin Mo’s polite voice welcoming guests at the door, everyone inside shouted in unison, “Welcome to the ‘Ink Guest House’!”

This was why every fan who left the “Ink Guest House” gave it such high praise. It wasn’t just because of their fan bias. Even ordinary tourists said that the “Ink Guest House” gave them a very comfortable feeling.

From the first guest, more fans kept coming in.

Outside, the autumn rain pattered down softly, and inside, everyone was busy working.

Because of the rain, they tried to let all the fans in at once when they opened.

So, the morning passed in a flurry of activity. Time always flies when you’re busy. When the fans slowly started to leave, no one noticed how several hours had slipped away quietly.

Seeing only two tables of customers left in the front hall, Lin Mo and the others began to clean up the messy dining area.

Su Qixi and Li Xinling stayed at the sink, washing the collected cups. Wu Qingqing and Yun Yue on the other side were wiping them dry and putting them away.

Lin Mo and Jiang Lun collected dishes from the tables, Qiu Mingyi and Qi Youxuan swept and mopped the floor, and Zhuo Zitou had other things to do.

Everyone was working together, slowly tidying up the restaurant for the day.

While washing dishes, Su Qixi suddenly got lost in thought.

Li Xinling, who was next to her, noticed Su Qixi slacking off. She looked up and asked her in a strange tone, “Why are you spacing out?”

Su Qixi snapped back to reality. Seeing Li Xinling looking at her, she glanced at the camera on the counter and leaned in to whisper in Li Xinling’s ear, “I feel like Lin Mo doesn’t want to be responsible.”

Li Xinling: “Huh?”

Su Qixi simply reached out and turned off the camera.

Li Xinling: “???” You can do that?

Not only was she stunned, but the netizens were too.

[???]

[Ahhhh, what are you going to say that my VIP ears can’t hear?]

[Director, quick, switch to the camera behind them.]

[She turned off the camera. It must be something our Qilin CP fans can’t hear. Hehehe…]

Su Qixi continued to explain to Li Xinling, “We went on a date yesterday.”

Li Xinling: “???” Is she showing off to me right now?

On the other side, Wu Qingqing and Yun Yue also stopped working since there were no new coffee cups coming in. They looked at Su Qixi curiously.

So?

Su Qixi sighed. “I came downstairs this morning, and she didn’t even pay attention to me. I feel like she’s had her fun and now wants to run away.”

Li Xinling: “That’s it? That’s all??”

It was only because they were particularly busy this morning! Not only did Lin Mo not have time to talk to her, but nobody had time to chat.

Li Xinling put down the cup in her hand, grabbed Su Qixi’s shoulders, and shook her forcefully. “Wake up! Are you trying to dig for wild vegetables? If she ignores you, you should ignore her even more.”

Su Qixi looked at her forlornly. “We didn’t even argue. I just wanted you to analyze Lin Mo’s mindset.”

Li Xinling: “…I’m not her. How would I know?”

Wu Qingqing tutted. “Speaking of which, isn’t this exactly what happened between Jiang Lun and me?”

Su Qixi’s eyes widened as she looked at Wu Qingqing. There were plenty of celebrity rumors online, but no one knew the real story. For example, with Wu Qingqing and Jiang Lun, everyone knew things ended badly between them, but no one could be sure if the studio’s announcement was the whole truth.

Wu Qingqing gave a cold laugh. “I was filming a drama with him, and we signed a promotional contract. Then he came to me and said it wasn’t just a contract, but the very next day, he released a statement saying we were only colleagues. Isn’t that hilarious?”

Su Qixi shook her head. “Lin Mo isn’t like that.”

Wu Qingqing nodded. “Lin Mo is a good person and very responsible, unlike that dog Jiang.”

Li Xinling saw Su Qixi’s gaze fall on her again and wailed, “No, I’ve never been in a relationship! How would I know what she’s thinking?”

“I’m filming dramas all the time. The little free time I get isn’t even enough for me to rest. How would I have time to date?”

Yun Yue saw that both of them had explained their situations and felt it was inappropriate to remain silent. She said, “Me too. Qi Youxuan and I even had a fan war. It was so ugly because of the fans. I really don’t have any advice. Or, why don’t you just ask Lin Mo directly?”

Su Qixi faltered. “No, if I ask her, she’ll just fool me.”

Li Xinling gave a cold laugh of agreement. “She’s right. You’ve almost been fooled into being crippled by her.”

Su Qixi was speechless again. “How has she fooled me? If you keep talking, I’m going to tell on you.”

Li Xinling was startled and asked curiously, “Tell on me to whom?” Yi Mei’er? I’m not close to her. Xiong Jingjing? I guess we have some connection.

But Su Qixi just turned around and yelled, “Lin Mo, Li Xinling is bullying me!!!”

Li Xinling’s eyes widened. She clutched her chest and took two steps back, her finger trembling as she pointed at Su Qixi. “You, you, you…”

Lin Mo, who was cleaning tables in the restaurant, paused. She turned to look at the girls messing around in the kitchen and smiled helplessly. “Alright, I’ll get her back for you later.”

Su Qixi raised her eyebrows, and Li Xinling yelled back, “I’m going to fight you, you with a brain full of romance!”

Su Qixi reached out to block her, and the two of them started a chaotic scene, pulling Wu Qingqing and Yun Yue in with them. So, the four girls started a water fight.

Lin Mo and Jiang Lun stood outside the central island counter, holding stacks of coffee cups, not wanting to step inside.

Jiang Lun stared blankly at the chaos and said to Lin Mo, “Quick, go stop Su Qixi.”

Lin Mo asked, “Why don’t you go stop Wu Qingqing?”

Jiang Lun immediately retorted, “Do I want to die?”

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow. “So I’m the one who wants to die?”

Jiang Lun was speechless. “That’s not the same! Wu Qingqing and I are at a crucial point. It’s a critical moment. Can you and Su Qixi be compared? If you don’t succeed soon, she might end up chasing you. Besides, didn’t you already succeed?”

Lin Mo took a sharp breath and looked at Jiang Lun. “Do you want to lose your mouth?” They were still on livestream!

Jiang Lun quickly put his cups on the counter and said, “Ha!” He then started waving his hands and yelling, “Aaaah! I’ll fight you!”

And so, a moment later, when Qiu Mingyi and Qi Youxuan came in after cleaning, they saw two groups fighting fiercely.

The four women in the kitchen were just playing around.

The two men by the counter were fighting, but Jiang Lun was just getting beat up.

Qiu Mingyi: “…Is this a new show?”

Qi Youxuan: “…Maybe Director Feng just came by? Did we miss him?”

[Hahaha, they completely stunned our Senior Qiu and Little Qi.]

[So, why were these two groups fighting?]

[Does that look like fighting to you? It looks like a water festival in the name of a fight!]

Finally, Zhuo Zitou, as the owner of the shop, returned. Her eyes were wide for only two seconds before she scolded, “What are all of you doing?!”

Both sides immediately stopped. But only Lin Mo got scolded!

“Lin Mo!!! What were you thinking? Why were you messing around with them?!” This was what Zhuo Zitou found most incomprehensible.

Lin Mo put her hands in front of her, lowered her head, and secretly averted her gaze.

“You’re such a steady person! Why?!”

Lin Mo said, “Maybe because I’ve never messed around before, so I wanted to see what it’s like.”

Zhuo Zitou gasped. Finally, she replied dryly, “That makes sense. It’s not your fault. It’s all Jiang Lun’s fault for leading you astray.”

Jiang Lun: “…” Seriously?

Even though they were having fun, there had to be a punishment.

Su Qixi, Li Xinling, Wu Qingqing, Yun Yue, Lin Mo, and Jiang Lun were all sent to the kitchen to clean up together. Zhuo Zitou watched them. “How dare you make such a mess! The customers haven’t even left yet!”

They all said in unison, “We’re sorry.”

The fans outside all replied, “It’s okay~! Hahahahaha”

Zhuo Zitou: “…”

Thankfully, it was just clear water, and the six of them finished cleaning in less than five minutes.

After cleaning the kitchen, they heard the sounds of drums and gongs from outside the door, along with the crackling of firecrackers. A few fans who were about to leave couldn’t help but peek into the courtyard.

Director Feng came in holding an umbrella and called out, “Lin Mo, Qiu Mingyi, Qi Youxuan, come outside to greet our guests.”

What kind of phrasing is that? Lin Mo twitched her lips. But since he had named the three of them, it was clear who was coming.

The three of them took off their aprons, looked at each other, and walked together to the porch by the door. The other guests followed behind them, and the fans crouched under the porch, not wanting to leave.

The three of them reached the door and saw that the procession was much larger than they had expected.

The group was over a hundred people strong, with drums, gongs, and banners. Walking at the very front were a husband and wife, and standing between them was the little girl who had fallen into the sea.

The three of them each held a commendation banner and walked through the rain.

The rain fell on their shoulders and soaked their faces, but they walked with determination.

Zhou Ping and the other live stream VJs filmed the exciting scene. Lin Mo stood in the middle, looking at the little girl, who was wearing a long-sleeved princess dress today. When she saw Lin Mo, she looked at her with a mix of wonder and delight.

The two people beside her immediately had red-rimmed eyes. Seeing their benefactors made them very emotional.

They walked with their child to Lin Mo, Qiu Mingyi, and Qi Youxuan and, without warning, knelt down.

On a rainy day, there were inevitably puddles on the ground. The early autumn rain also carried a chill.

But the two adults began to cry the moment they knelt down. Lin Mo and the others couldn’t possibly accept their kneeling.

As the three of them knelt, Lin Mo and the others quickly moved to stop them.

Lin Mo easily pulled the child up, but the two adults insisted on kneeling. After they broke free from Qiu Mingyi and Qi Youxuan’s grasp, they cried and said, “We came here today to thank our benefactors. This is what we should do.”

“No need,” Lin Mo said, but the child was taken back by her parents and made to kneel again.

The mother sobbed, “It is necessary! You are our family’s saviors. No amount of kneeling is too much.”

Lin Mo and the others bent down, insisting on helping them up. They said with a smile, “We’re on live broadcast! We can’t accept this kneeling.”

Qi Youxuan also said helplessly, “We didn’t do much. It was the right thing to do.”

The mother cried and shook her head, “No matter how small this was for you, it was a huge deal for our family, a life-changing event. You saved Xuanxuan. You are our family’s benefactors.”

[Wuwuwu, I’m so touched.]

[The little girl has already been discharged from the hospital.]

[What a beautiful little kid. I’m so glad she’s okay.]

[On this point, Lin Mo, Qiu Mingyi, and Qi Youxuan are beyond reproach.]

Because it was still raining, Lin Mo and the others brought the family into the restaurant after helping them up.

The mother’s name was Liu Fen. She had calmed down by now and was able to talk about what happened. But when she mentioned the despair she felt when her child started to disappear, and when she saw Lin Mo jump into the sea, and Qiu Mingyi and Qi Youxuan bravely looking for her in dangerous places where they could have been swept away by the waves, she broke down crying and knelt down again.

Lin Mo and the others could only pull her back up. The child’s parents were very emotional. The father said, “We don’t have much to offer, but if you ever need help, just tell us. We will not hesitate to do whatever we can.”

The Liu family came to thank their benefactors, bringing a lot of food and gifts. They arrived with loud drums and gongs, wanting the entire village to know that these people were heroes.

But when they left, they did so without much fanfare.

It wasn’t until the car’s exhaust fumes disappeared from view that everyone relaxed.

After seeing them off, the group returned to the “Ink Guest House.” The fans had already left. A few of the guests sat in the front hall, chatting. Naturally, they talked about the Liu family. Seeing the lively little girl, everyone felt a sense of relief that they had been able to save her.

This led to them talking about Lin Mo’s heroic act again.

But before they could finish, Director Feng came in.

Qiu Mingyi asked in shock, “No way? We’re not playing some silly games on a rainy day, are we?”

Director Feng smiled. “No, we’re not.”

Jiang Lun asked strangely, “Then why are you here?”

Director Feng then announced, “The week is up. Today is the last day for our visiting guest, Miss Li Xinling. She will be leaving tonight, so you all need to prepare a lavish dinner to see her off.”

Suddenly, everyone turned to look at Li Xinling. Yun Yue asked reluctantly, “Are you leaving?”

Li Xinling scratched her head. “Let’s keep in touch! I have other announcements to attend to.”

Yun Yue lowered her head, feeling as if she was being left behind.

Since Director Feng had made the announcement, Li Xinling stood up and said, “Even though I’m leaving soon, I’m very grateful for everyone’s care. This has been the happiest time of my life. If you ever need anything, you can contact me at any time.”

After spending these past few days together, Li Xinling could see that everyone had excellent character. In the entertainment industry, that was a rare and precious thing.