The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Crisis of Trust

For the first time, Lu Chaoqing felt her heart pound wildly.

Honestly, she had hesitated about whether to take this step.

There were only two ways to deal with this drug: the first was to go to the hospital for a stomach pump to get the substance out; the second was to simply resolve the issue on the spot. Jiang Yang hadn’t overtly drugged her while they were talking, so Lu Chaoqing couldn’t directly call him out or deal with him. She truly didn’t know how Jiang Yang managed to do this right under people’s noses, without anyone noticing.

It seemed he was not only a shameless scoundrel but also a seasoned offender, Lu Chaoqing thought, gritting her teeth in silent anger.

If she had known this, she shouldn’t have let Jiang Yang off so easily. She should have badmouthed him more in front of that woman, letting his bad reputation spread thoroughly in that dirty little circle so he could never find anyone to date again.

Not long ago, a female celebrity was exposed for going to the hospital during a luxury banquet, and within days, overwhelming rumors spread that she had an inappropriate relationship with a boss and had played too rough that night. Such rumors were clearly bought, but the celebrity could not afford to offend the forces behind those people, so she could only swallow the bitter pill and was eventually shelved.

Lu Chaoqing learned the lesson and didn’t dare to gamble with her reputation.

She was hot all over and had no choice but to seek refuge in Lin Chumu’s room first. Compared to the people outside, Lu Chaoqing preferred to trust Lin Chumu. She had only had a little red wine, and she felt her symptoms shouldn’t be too severe. She thought she could bear it.

Even if she completely lost control, in other words, she and Lin Chumu weren’t strangers…

“What exactly is wrong with you?”

A cool voice fell from above onto her ear. Lu Chaoqing only shook her head. Sensing the extreme intimacy of their current posture, Lin Chumu stiffly moved Lu Chaoqing away from her. But the moment the latter left her embrace, she stumbled, leaning against the wall, and looked at Lin Chumu with teary, helpless, and panicked eyes.

“Hot…”

“Hot?”

Lin Chumu frowned.

She was well aware of the unpredictable situations at wealthy banquets, but she didn’t expect Lu Chaoqing to be drugged here. She instantly felt a sense of blame towards the manager. The phone dropped on the bed kept vibrating. Lin Chumu went back to answer the call, said a few casual words, and turned around to see the little “green tea” completely limp.

Her slightly round eyes were blinking with a hazy sheen of tears. She was weak and huddled in the corner, her tightly pursed lips clearly showing her nervousness, yet her gaze was fixed intently on Lin Chumu. If not for the flush on her face hinting at seductiveness, Lin Chumu would have felt she looked like a little puppy about to be abandoned in a corner, tail tucked, whimpering and waiting for salvation.

The cool and trendy silver-grey hair didn’t look like that on Lu Chaoqing at all. It was softened by her delicate and cute features, making her look both seductive and innocent, drooping limply on both sides of her face.

Lu Chaoqing looked at her with blatant complaint, yet her expression was managed so as not to cause too much pressure: “Does Big Sister not want me anymore?”

Lin Chumu immediately replied, “No.”

“Then why did you call someone to take me away?” Lu Chaoqing managed to stand up from the floor, leaning on the wall. Her slender legs seemed so fragile in Lin Chumu’s eyes, barely able to support her weight of over ninety pounds. She staggered forward, half-coaxing, half-firmly: “I don’t want to be with anyone else!”

Lu Chaoqing was very different on and off stage. The tipsy girl was no longer as powerful as she was on stage but was soft and delicate, perfectly matching her appearance. When Lin Chumu didn’t manage to dodge, and softened enough not to want to dodge, Lu Chaoqing threw herself onto her.

She wasn’t heavy at all; her weight was quite light for her height. Therefore, Lin Chumu caught her effortlessly, allowing Lu Chaoqing to rest her chin on her shoulder, wrapping her arms around her waist and rubbing gently.

Even with hazy eyes, Lu Chaoqing was still self-assured, sniffing her vigorously while clinging to her: “Don’t you dare send me away!”

Lin Chumu was cornered by her and could only pick up her phone to send a voice message to the manager. When she turned back, she saw Lu Chaoqing had already familiarized herself with the room and climbed onto her bed, tightly gripping the white bedsheet, her expression hazy and subdued.

If she was primarily acting at first, Lu Chaoqing no longer had the mental capacity for it. The sensation of a dry mouth and throat forced her to drink more water to cool down the fire. Every nerve seemed to be burning, every cell screaming for relief from the present dryness. The accidental contact with the woman’s smooth skin seemed to slightly alleviate the emotion. Lu Chaoqing grabbed Lin Chumu’s hand, which was reaching to touch her forehead, and brought it to her lips—she instinctively licked it.

The instant the soft, tingling tip of her tongue touched the cool back of Lin Chumu’s hand, Lin Chumu flinched as if burned and quickly pulled her hand back, her face filled with shock and disbelief.

But the next second, a choking sob that escaped the little “green tea’s” mouth cleared her mind.

“You,” Lu Chaoqing practically squeezed the word out between gritted teeth. She hadn’t expected the drug to be so potent. She was completely dizzy and nauseous, and her movements were barely under her control. “We’ve already slept together once. What’s wrong with doing it again…”

“Who slept with you?”

Contrary to her expected reaction, Lin Chumu, whose expression had initially relaxed a little, violently shook off Lu Chaoqing’s hand that was trying to unbutton her collar. The weak Lu Chaoqing could no longer resist or fight back. She could only let Lin Chumu firmly grip her hand, and the force was even a little painful.

Her throat was burning, but Lu Chaoqing didn’t want water. She only desperately tried to bring her head closer to that alluring scent. She had never felt Lin Chumu was so captivating, so likable, yet frustratingly stiff. The girl’s voice was soft and gentle, with a seductive flavor: “Big Sister, let’s do it again, okay?”

The evening gown she wore tonight wasn’t a particularly durable fabric; it was just covered with a layer of thin gauze, which looked particularly sensual under the dim, beige light of the room. Her carefully highlighted collarbone sparkled like a galaxy. Lu Chaoqing awkwardly tore open a bit of the outer gauze. Seeing that Lin Chumu made no move, she simply got up and bit her earlobe.

Lin Chumu was distracted, thinking about something. The moment her earlobe was touched by the soft lips, her whole body trembled, and she was then suddenly pressed down onto the bed by the girl, who had exerted unexpected force.

Her earlobe had always been her most sensitive spot. But at this moment, Lu Chaoqing was blowing air directly onto her ear canal. The moist, warm airflow from the girl’s lips landed on her ear, staining it with a flush of rosy color, like a small blooming flower.

Lu Chaoqing skillfully removed her earring and even began to nibble and gently chew on her earlobe with the tips of her teeth.

Lin Chumu’s breathing grew heavier and deeper. Her consciousness was gradually slipping away from rational control. To be fair, the little “green tea” was indeed beautiful. Her soft demeanor wasn’t excessively cloying, and she had the ability to evoke pity and tenderness, which was very lethal to Lin Chumu, who was naturally attracted to women.

Lu Chaoqing simply lifted her long leg and straddled over, awkwardly attempting to bring her mouth closer.

The instant her lips touched Lin Chumu’s, the woman, who had been passively letting things happen, suddenly flipped them over, immediately reclaiming control. Lin Chumu harshly sealed the sounds trying to escape, instinctively using great force, completely dominating the pace.

Lu Chaoqing’s eyes were glistening with water, her long eyelashes wet with mist. In the brief moment they separated, she gasped for air and tried to evade, but the next second, she paid the price again for her earlier recklessness.

She was no match for Lin Chumu, and of course, she didn’t know the woman was four years her senior and had extensive experience, even if only visually, without having actually participated. Under Lin Chumu’s increasingly aggressive moves, Lu Chaoqing simply closed her eyes.

With some unknown anger, Lin Chumu let out her frustration, not snapping out of the strange state until she felt her lips aching slightly.

Then she saw Lu Chaoqing struggling more severely, gasping heavily on the spot. Her normally fair-skinned fingers were flushed red, and she desperately tugged at the sheer gauze dress, scraping it across her skin, ignoring the large patches of redness forming on her fair skin. Her slightly swollen lips glistened alluringly, and combined with her current appearance, she looked incredibly tempting.

But Lin Chumu was not a beast who would take advantage of someone in distress, and she certainly wouldn’t genuinely harm Lu Chaoqing.

After a moment’s hesitation, Lin Chumu still called the number of a private female doctor.

Lu Chaoqing slept until around 5 a.m.

Her muscles and bones felt soft and cold, as if she had been soaked in snow water, perhaps because the air conditioning temperature was set too low. Her throat was burning and very uncomfortable. She tried to speak, and thankfully, it was within a controllable range and wouldn’t have a major impact on today’s stage performance.

The room was empty, with only a lit aromatherapy candle indicating this was a pre-arranged accommodation. She strained her ears and heard the water sounds gradually stopping.

A minute later, the fully dressed Lin Chumu walked out, with only a clean towel draped over her shoulder. Most people either wrap themselves in a towel or wear pajamas after a shower, but Lin Chumu was different, as if a stranger were in her room.

Was she the… stranger?

Her head was throbbing a little, but Lu Chaoqing didn’t black out this time. She quickly recalled the embarrassing events of last night. The moment her eyes met the woman who walked out, the temperature of her cheeks instantly rose.

While her brain was stalled, Lin Chumu unhurriedly walked to the table, twisted open an unopened bottle of water. She was about to bring it to her own lips but paused, changing her movement to hand it to Lu Chaoqing: “Awake?”

Lu Chaoqing took the water and gulped down several mouthfuls. The water, which had been in the air-conditioned room all night, was icy cold, but it still struggled to alleviate the heat on her face. She was so stunned she didn’t know how to speak, so she could only pretend she had blacked out.

“How did I get…”

However, perhaps her acting was poor or Lin Chumu’s perceptiveness was too strong. Before Lu Chaoqing could start her performance, the woman lightly clasped her wrist. A light, elegant, cool fragrance approached, like cedar, but not like men’s perfume; the coolness was mixed with a hint of plum blossom sweetness, stimulating her nasal cavity.

“Lu Chaoqing.” This was the first time Lin Chumu had called her name so seriously. A sense of crisis immediately arose, causing the girl, who was about to feign ignorance on the bed, to unconsciously straighten her back, looking up like a student being lectured.

She saw Lin Chumu’s moist, post-shower eyelashes, which were naturally curled and a deep brown without makeup, and her high nose bridge. The naturally tall woman looked down at her, making Lu Chaoqing feel completely transparent under her gaze, unable to hide or resist anything.

Lin Chumu slowly leaned closer, her light, steady breaths landing on Lu Chaoqing’s cheek. Just as Lu Chaoqing couldn’t hold on and tightly gripped the bedsheet, preparing to lean back a bit, Lin Chumu first stood up, creating distance again, but her tone was firm: “You don’t completely refuse women.”

Lu Chaoqing’s eyelashes fluttered.

“You said last night that the person you ‘slept with once’ was a woman?” Lin Chumu simply sat on the edge of the bed, perfectly blocking the way out, leaving her nowhere to escape. Even though the other party did nothing, Lu Chaoqing felt inexplicably nervous. She was usually the one controlling the situation; this was the first time she had been firmly grasped, and yet she had no means of escape.

In desperation, Lu Chaoqing simply threw caution to the wind and looked at her: “That day… don’t you remember?”

Lin Chumu seemed genuinely unaware: “Which day?”

Listening to Lu Chaoqing state a date, Lin Chumu paused before realizing she was referring to the day they first met. Her expression immediately filled with confusion, which gradually turned into faint anger. Sensing the other party’s growing negative emotion, Lu Chaoqing was about to open her mouth to explain again, when the System, which hadn’t said much, suddenly spoke: Host, you two did not have any physical relationship that day.

“Then my back pain?”

Aching in the waist and thighs should be the natural reaction left after dance practice. As for pain in other areas, it might be because the original host had a DIY session before that.

Lu Chaoqing: “…………”

Lin Chumu probably thought she had slept with someone else and was confusing her with a substitute, babbling nonsense. Her skeptical gaze was fixed on Lu Chaoqing’s face, making the girl want to cry but unable to.

She had never, ever wanted to choke the System and crawl into a hole more than at this moment.

“Re-! Wind!”

Fortunately, this broken System had such a function. Otherwise, given Lin Chumu’s personality and her current acting, gaining her trust would be a huge problem. The worst-case scenario was that Lin Chumu’s impression of her would revert to zero overnight, she would never believe a single word she said, and all her efforts would be for naught.

The System was fast in its actions.

This time, the rewind landed on last night. Lu Chaoqing was dizzy but, thanks to the System, she wasn’t as disoriented and was slightly more lucid. Without a second thought, she flipped over and pressed onto Lin Chumu. She kept kissing Lin Chumu awkwardly for a long time, meticulously repeating the previous steps.

The female lead’s lips were so soft.

Her already flexible sexual orientation seemed to have bent even further than before.

It proved that the more one talks, the more mistakes one makes. Getting up after saying fewer words indeed made the atmosphere less awkward.

Both were smart enough not to mention the passionate kiss from last night. Lin Chumu had enough strength to push her away but had been half-heartedly reciprocating, so Lu Chaoqing hadn’t exactly forced her at the time. Lin Chumu wasn’t sure why she had suddenly had a moment of madness and kissed the little “green tea,” so she certainly wouldn’t bring it up herself and look for trouble.

Before the rewind, Lin Chumu was angry because she thought of the original host’s bisexual/pansexual persona in the novel’s plot. This world had many restrictions, and same-sex marriage was not yet officially legal. A rich daughter like Lu Chaoqing being so indiscriminate was a major potential risk for the Lu family.

Moreover, since Lin Chumu herself only liked women, she naturally couldn’t accept someone who had been intimate with her casually sleeping with anyone they wanted.

After Lu Chaoqing got up, drank some water, and took a shower, she felt much better. It seemed the drug didn’t leave any side effects. An unexpected bonus was the five points added to Lin Chumu’s favorability after last night, but Jiang Yang’s favorability had plummeted to just over ten, hanging on a precarious edge.

The hardest part of this damned mission was that not only could the female lead’s favorability not be too low, but the favorability of major characters like Jiang Yang couldn’t be too low either, or they would cause trouble to target her. Lu Chaoqing was very busy lately and couldn’t afford to deal with Jiang Yang, so keeping his favorability within a controllable range was the best option.

Lu Chaoqing didn’t care who Jiang Yang went to find after failing to see her last night. After washing up, she composed herself for a moment, practicing a smile she had rehearsed countless times in the bathroom mirror.

The girl lowered her eyes, walked out of the restroom, closed the door, and slowly approached Lin Chumu, who was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at her iPad.

The woman, who was watching her iPad and drying her hair, looked up at her: “I ordered breakfa… Why are you crying?”

The little “green tea’s” freshly washed eyelashes were long and distinct. Her clear, large eyes, clouded with moisture, were utterly pitiful, with tears hanging just at the edge, about to fall. Her breathing was slightly hurried. Lu Chaoqing’s bare face had a translucent quality, her smooth complexion giving an almost no-makeup look, which was inherently heart-softening. Seeing she wasn’t speaking, Lin Chumu asked again softly.

“I was thinking,” Lu Chaoqing looked up, blinking to hold back the tears a bit, trying her best not to let them fall in front of Lin Chumu. Her voice was soft, like a little puppy’s, “If only I could be smarter and calmer, like Big Sister, I wouldn’t have been manipulated like this. If Big Sister hadn’t been here yesterday…”

Lu Chaoqing didn’t continue, but Lin Chumu understood.

If she hadn’t been here yesterday, what awaited Lu Chaoqing wouldn’t have been help from a private doctor, but an unspeakable secret. A rich daughter like her would value her reputation highly. Regardless of whether it was her fault, being exposed would always make the victim feel ashamed. After that, the incident would become leverage for blackmail.

No matter what, Lu Chaoqing was still the Lu family’s daughter. Drugging her was not just an offense against her but a provocation to the entire Lu family. Her parents were away on a business trip and hadn’t returned. If they found out, it would be another storm.

Thinking about how much they cared for Lu Chaoqing, Lin Chumu’s heart inexplicably tightened, but she quickly regained her composure, cleared her throat, and calmly asked, “Who did you come into contact with last night?”

Listening to Lu Chaoqing list a few names, Lin Chumu’s brow furrowed. It was clear that none of those people were good news. She silently memorized their names, then suddenly remembered something: “Oh right, there was also Brother Jiang Yang. I even toasted him yesterday. I wonder how he is now…”

How could he be? He was probably lying in a woman’s arms, still asleep.

Lin Chumu’s reaction to the name “Jiang Yang” was unexpected. Her gaze, carrying a cold glint, shot toward Lu Chaoqing, making the girl initially think she would defend Jiang Yang fiercely, as she did in the original novel. Her heart skipped a beat. Just as she had prepared her lines, Lin Chumu’s voice unexpectedly raised: “Was it him?”

Lu Chaoqing’s quick thinking was top-notch. Hearing this, she widened her beautiful eyes: “Big Sister, don’t suspect Brother Jiang Yang! He has always been very kind to me! And we are only friends. He never treats me as a fiancée, only as a little sister. Big Sister, please don’t misunderstand!”

Seeing Lin Chumu remain noncommittal, Lu Chaoqing quickly added a few more sentences, each one defending Jiang Yang, and each sentence making Lin Chumu’s expression worsen.

“Brother and sister?” Lin Chumu repeated, her eyes filled with complexity. “You might treat him like a brother, but he might not see you as a sister.”

Lu Chaoqing stared intently at her, yet she didn’t see the bright hatred described in the original text in Lin Chumu’s eyes, nor the hysterical shouting and the slap that rushed forward when they saw them together in the original novel. Those dark brown eyes were pure, containing no other emotions, just simple warning toward her.

Seeing Lu Chaoqing remain silent, Lin Chumu seemed to recall something and stood up directly, her expression colder than before: “Believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

“Big Sister, wait!” The girl who had been silent behind her suddenly stood up and tugged on her arm. “No matter what, thank you.”

Lu Chaoqing didn’t have time to eat the breakfast and rushed back to prepare for the upcoming music show stage performance.

Each music show performance lasted a full week before officially concluding, and the winner of the top spot received excellent promotional resources. Therefore, everyone gave their absolute best every time.

When Lu Chaoqing returned, she felt the atmosphere was a bit strange, but it wasn’t about her staying out all night. She had already prepared an explanation, but her teammates’ attention didn’t seem to be focused there.

The dorm was quiet before their departure. Everyone else was busy, only Jiang Qishuang was sitting in the living room shaping her eyebrows. She used a razor to trim away the excess stray hairs, then meticulously touched up with brow powder. Seeing Lu Chaoqing standing nearby, hesitating, she only looked quickly toward the bedroom after finishing her makeup, then said, “Xichen and Youyou had a fight. Lili is mediating.”

Jiang Qishuang used the word “fight” cautiously. Judging from her expression, it didn’t look like a fight at all; it seemed to be a one-sided scolding.

While reading the plot, Lu Chaoqing had data cards for every teammate, especially Ji You, who would be heavily involved with the original host later, was the most detailed. Although Ji You was the rap lead, she was only lively on stage. Off stage, she was not confident and rarely joked around with people. Her temper was incredibly docile and soft, so she would absolutely never pick a fight with anyone.

It was obvious who had started the conflict.

Lu Chaoqing asked, “What’s the fight about?”

Jiang Qishuang looked at her with some difficulty.

When Lu Chaoqing reached the bedroom door, she happened to see the slightly ajar door open, revealing Ji You’s delicate face.

The girl had clearly been crying; her eyes still had some redness, and Chen Li, who walked out from behind, was holding her arm and quietly comforting her. With the time to leave quickly approaching, the leader Chen Li was also anxious. If their emotions affected the performance and caused issues with the choreography…

She didn’t dare to imagine the consequences.

Seeing Lu Chaoqing, Chen Li became even more worried: “Xiao Qing, whatever it is, let’s talk after the stage. Let’s go get changed first.”

“The leader is so biased, not letting people talk about what happened. Some people just have dirty hands…” Yao Xichen, who had finished her makeup, walked out, acting as if she had just seen Lu Chaoqing: “You’re back, Xiao Qing?”

For the first time in public, Lu Chaoqing didn’t give her any face, walking directly into her own room without acknowledging her. Yao Xichen, who was ready to complain, suddenly met a cold shoulder. Her lips twitched, and she couldn’t utter a complete sentence.

Ji You’s expression darkened slightly. When she saw Lu Chaoqing close the door, her shoulder was shoved, and she turned back to face the enraged Yao Xichen. The fully dressed girl scoffed and shoved her shoulder again: “We’ve only been in the group this long and we already have a thief?”

“Xichen!”

Seeing that she was actually starting to get physical while talking, Chen Li also got angry. She stepped forward, standing between the two, using her height advantage to block Yao Xichen completely: “Whatever it is, we talk about it later, at least after this stage, understand?”

“But she stole Xiao Qing’s stuff…”

“I believe Youyou isn’t that kind of person, and don’t you dare go talk nonsense to Xiao Qing.” A slight anger flashed in Chen Li’s eyes.

Yao Xichen mumbled a few more things. Their voices weren’t very quiet, and Lu Chaoqing, who was changing clothes in her room, heard everything clearly.

In the original novel’s plot, Ji You was bullied by Yao Xichen within the group. But because the original host had a good relationship with Yao Xichen, she didn’t have a good impression of the perpetually silent girl and allowed Yao Xichen to bully her without speaking up to help. Later, Ji You couldn’t bear Yao Xichen’s daily verbal abuse and even physical assault, finally committing suicide by jumping off a building, which blew the matter wide open.

Ji You had a gentle nature, came from an average but at least middle-class family, and always spoke softly. Stealing was absolutely not something she would do.

Lu Chaoqing knew without a second thought that Yao Xichen was seeking trouble, but now was not the right time to punish her.

It wasn’t until today’s music show performance ended and they returned to the dorm that Lu Chaoqing preempted the eagerly waiting Yao Xichen, saying deliberately loudly: “Youyou, how do you like the face cream I lent you?”

The girl, who had been silent with her head down since leaving the stage, looked up confusedly. Then she met the look Lu Chaoqing gave her, paused slightly, and then hesitantly said: “It’s good…”

“Then I’ll send you the link later.”

Yao Xichen, who was listening in, rushed forward a step, somewhat incredulously: “Xiao Qing, you lent her that face cream?”

Lu Chaoqing tilted her head: “Why else? She told me last night her face was too dry and she ran out of her own cream, so I let her use mine. Do you want to see the chat records?”

A flicker of suspicion passed through Yao Xichen’s eyes, but she swallowed the words on her tongue. She couldn’t actually ask Lu Chaoqing for the chat records, but the unexpected way Lu Chaoqing took Ji You’s side completely baffled Yao Xichen.

No one knew better than her what had really happened with that face cream.

Chen Li breathed a sigh of relief as the conflict, which was about to erupt, was easily defused by Lu Chaoqing’s one sentence. She happily patted Ji You’s shoulder, who was standing beside her. Honestly, she knew Ji You was not that kind of person, and given their financial standing, stealing a used cosmetic product was simply unbelievable.

Yao Xichen had nothing to say after being cornered by the person in question. She returned to her room expressionlessly. After Chen Li and Jiang Qishuang also went in, only Ji You and Lu Chaoqing remained in the living room.

The perpetually awkward girl looked up at her with a hint of panic, then immediately dropped her gaze as if she had been burned.

“Thank you.”

After a minute passed, Ji You finally gathered the courage to speak a sentence, then looked up at Lu Chaoqing again with a firm gaze. Her overall appearance wasn’t outstanding in a girl group, and her figure wasn’t exceptional, but if you looked closely at her eyes, you’d notice they were clear, doe-like eyes.

Ji You’s voice wasn’t the naturally soft one Lu Chaoqing possessed, but always gentle and quiet when she spoke, like a fine, silent rain nourishing everything. The girl wasn’t tall and had to look up slightly to meet Lu Chaoqing’s eyes. Under the light, Ji You looked more fragile than usual, making people instinctively want to speak softly to her.

“I didn’t steal your stuff.” Ji You’s voice was very small, only audible to the two of them, but this was her most comfortable boundary in private. The girl gently and softly explained the whole situation to her, without any exaggeration or personal emotion.

But simply narrating the event neutrally to Lu Chaoqing seemed to exhaust all her strength.

Lu Chaoqing’s eyes were gentle throughout, no different from usual. After Ji You finished speaking, she affirmed without hesitation or pretense: “I believe you.”

Those quiet, doe-like eyes brightened a little.

“That bottle of face cream was on my desk. It’s easy to see who took it. And since Xichen walked in while you were ‘taking’ it, that means someone was in the dorm at the time. No matter how foolish anyone is, they wouldn’t casually take a roommate’s belongings when someone is present.”

The silver-haired girl’s eyes narrowed slightly, and combined with the shimmering, unremoved liquid eyeshadow, she looked like a new, watery crescent moon in the sky. In the brief moment Ji You was stunned, Lu Chaoqing suddenly reached out and tucked her stray hairs behind her ear. The closeness of their faces brought with it a comforting fragrance.

Her voice carried a convincing laugh, her sweet tone easily dissolving the tension: “We are roommates. If I don’t believe you, who will I believe?”

The music show promotion lasted a whole week, and apart from that one misunderstanding, it was peaceful. No one mentioned the conflict between Yao Xichen and Ji You again.

According to Ji You’s account, she had actually walked in and seen Lu Chaoqing’s face cream dropped on the floor. She picked it up to wipe it clean and put it back, but Yao Xichen caught her holding it. The two of them already didn’t get along well in private. When Yao Xichen saw this, she shouted that Ji You had stolen Lu Chaoqing’s face cream, drawing everyone’s attention.

The Lu family was wealthy. Before Lin Chumu was found, Lu Chaoqing was their only precious daughter. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lu were the type to absolutely dote on their child. Many of Lu Chaoqing’s base makeup products were custom-made, starting at five figures, which was indeed a terrifying wealth for ordinary people.

However, peculiar acts like stealing a roommate’s items rarely happen in normal financial situations. Combined with Ji You’s quiet personality, most people chose to believe Ji You.

Yao Xichen sulked for two days and ignored Lu Chaoqing and Chen Li. She eventually gave up, realizing she was isolating herself, but Lu Chaoqing took the opportunity to distance herself even further from her. Except when absolutely necessary on stage, she didn’t want any interaction with such a person.

On the last day of the music show, Lilium’s “Going Against the Wind” led overwhelmingly in digital music scores, audience preference scores, broadcast scores (stage completion), and album sales (album revenue), effortlessly defeating its competitors to win the top spot. Along with it came excellent promotional resources and a reward of a live concert from MT Entertainment.

For a newly debuted girl group, gaining concert rights so early was considered innovative even within MT. Although this round of music show competition wasn’t particularly fierce, it was still filled with hidden talent.

Several seniors and rival groups also had good album/single quality. “Going Against the Wind” was able to break through primarily because concept-oriented girl groups were relatively rare. This album emphasized a lively rhythm while also incorporating solo segments for each member, allowing everyone’s skills to be well demonstrated.

The concert was scheduled to take place in a city sports center nearby, one month later.

That same evening, “Lilium Girl Group” immediately trended on hot search, and parts of their promotion lit up the city’s neon lights. The most eye-catching and longest running segment was Lu Chaoqing’s. The broken-winged angel, whose wings were destroyed by a storm, was held by a mysterious woman as they leaped from a high building, white feathers swirling in the air, tragically beautiful like a fairy tale illusion.

In the total 4:23 minute MV, Lu Chaoqing’s screen time accounted for 1:21 minutes, the longest in the entire group. After gaining exposure from the music show, Lu Chaoqing and Jiang Qishuang were the fastest members to gain followers. Given the group’s balanced talent, their visuals had their own merits: Lu Chaoqing was the cute type, and Jiang Qishuang was the Hong Kong-style striking beauty. If counting purely on the basis of casual appearance fans, Jiang Qishuang, who had the second-most screen time, actually had more fans based on looks.

But Lu Chaoqing’s main appeal was the contrast between her stage persona and her off-stage soft and cute personality, which quickly earned her the nickname “National Little Sister.” Her reaction memes began to circulate widely, attracting many casual observers to become fans.

As the popularity grew, new keywords started forming.

The first thing to be exposed was Mr. Lu’s Baidu Baike entry, which included family members. Lu Chaoqing did not use an English-based stage name when entering the industry, and her birth name was exactly the same as the relative listed on Mr. Lu’s Baidu Baike.

Following that, a video of Lu Chaoqing’s initial MT audition, which had been filmed by other interviewees at the time, circulated online. The hashtag “#LuChaoqingRoyalEntry” climbed the hot search, nearly catching up to the group’s overall popularity.

People who had attended the audition at the time confirmed that Lu Chaoqing indeed had a background, otherwise, she wouldn’t have become a public trainee immediately. Her appearances at wealthy banquets were also photographed, further convincing the gossiping netizens.

Most fan communities instinctively resist “royalty” figures (those with privileged backgrounds). They are often perceived as being short-tempered and eccentric, potentially using their power to steal someone else’s debut spot, suppress teammates’ resources, and act willfully within the group based on their status.

Lu Chaoqing, who was flawlessly cute off-stage and in interviews, had attracted a large fanbase, but her “innocent” image was already becoming shaky. The PR team, which was waiting for the popularity to bring another wave of traffic, immediately convened. Just as they suppressed the “Royal Entry” keyword, they saw a new, escalating crisis.

A marketing account released a set of exclusive videos, which looked like they were secretly filmed by paparazzi. The footage was somewhat blurry, but the person was clearly Lu Chaoqing. After all, silver-grey hair was relatively rare in the entertainment industry, and combined with her height and figure, she was easily recognizable.

In the footage, Lu Chaoqing was seen leaving a hotel room in the morning. She looked around to ensure no one was there before quickly walking away, her demeanor looking suspicious in every way.

Author’s Note: Sending out some small red envelopes in the comments. First come, first served, as per usual. Recommending my next book: Dating an Industry Rival in an Escape Game. Synopsis below: The famous and successful actress Xia Qianlan has an unknown secret: on the night of the fifteenth of every month, she is pulled into a mysterious live-streamed escape game.

Ghosts roam foreign ancient buildings, zombies appear in desolate estates. The supernatural world presents a cruel and bloody reality, with one thrilling escape after another playing out on screen. Fans who scream and cheer during the day become cold and indifferent, their eyes fixed on the screen.

Her most hated rival, the popular young starlet Le Yushan, is known for her delicate and weak image in public, but follows her in the escape game, trying to cling on and pick up scraps. Xia Qianlan constantly plots day and night to shake off this tail, until a modified SSS-difficulty level where a killer’s cold blade leaves her helpless. Suddenly, another woman appears and executes a combo move with her, sweeping away all resistance.

The heroic and mysterious woman turns her head, revealing the familiar and hated face of Le Yushan.

“Three seconds limit. The reward for cooperation is a kiss. Are you willing, Sister Lan?”

The fierce rivalry between Xia Qianlan and Le Yushan is no secret in the entertainment industry, but one day, a show deliberately sensationalized it, pairing the two up as a couple (CP).

The actress’s fans attacked the comments with insults; the starlet’s fans were no less aggressive. Just as the two sides were tearing into each other, a reporter’s interview showed Le Yushan smiling ambiguously: “Actress Xia, her waist is as easy to hold as her legs.”

CP: Cool on the outside, passionate on the inside, tsundere big shot x Spoiled, dramatic, crazy beauty.