The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Family Gathering

Lu Chaoqing, who had just finished her “part-time job” on the variety show, was completely unaware that her fans were already organizing an elaborate birthday support project for her.

Since the disbandment of “Lily of the Valley,” Jiang Qishuang had been blacklisted by the industry, and Yao Xichen had publicly apologized before terminating her contract with the company. Chen Li, Lu Chaoqing, and Ji You did not form a new group. The original five had been chosen from thousands, and each possessed the talent to go solo. Currently, MT Company had not terminated their contracts; instead, they were grooming the three remaining girls toward music composition and individual artistry.

After finishing the variety show, Chaoqing only had two days of rest before being thrust into a relentless schedule of classes. She had thought the “expression management” and professional training during her trainee days were intense, but the current workload was even heavier.

It felt like she was back in her senior year of high school, buried in books, except this time she was navigating the complexities of music production and choreography. Fortunately, she had an interest in music and dance, which gave her a solid foundation; otherwise, this sudden intensity would have been overwhelming.

Chen Li and Ji You were equally busy. The three of them sometimes attended classes together, and the atmosphere was actually better than before. Without Yao Xichen’s constant suppression, Ji You’s personality had brightened significantly, and she even joked around with the others.

A week later, after seeing the high-quality results of their training, MT—usually the strictest regarding artist management—finally granted them a one-day holiday. While it wasn’t much, it was a much-needed respite for everyone.

Chaoqing had secretly arranged for a personal shopper the night before to buy gifts for the parents she hadn’t seen in a long time. She had tried to rely on the original host’s memories, but after searching for ages, she could only find things that the original host and Jiang Yang liked. That girl had memorized a “phoenix man’s” (a man from a poor background who clawed his way up) preferences better than those of the parents who raised her for years. The irony was that those preferences were merely Jiang Yang’s facade.

If Jiang Yang had any real hobbies, they were hooking up, keeping mistresses, and gaslighting the original host. Sitting in the back of the car, Chaoqing looked at her black phone screen and let out a wry, bitter smile.

She adjusted her beret, tilting the Cinnamoroll patch slightly, and smoothed out her obedient jet-black wig. Underneath was a flamboyant new hairstyle she’d gotten two days ago. Considering there was a family gathering today, she didn’t want to show off her colorful new hair to avoid making the older relatives uncomfortable. She had also removed her exaggerated earrings and choker, opting for a fresh “no-makeup” makeup look.

The Lamborghini pulled into a far corner of the parking lot. As Chaoqing stepped out, she immediately spotted Lin Chumu’s car, which she had ridden in several times. Parked right next to it was a Rolls-Royce with a somewhat familiar license plate.

It looked like a “couple’s set” with Lin Chumu’s car.

As memories surged, Chaoqing’s pace toward the hall slowed down.

On the surface, this book was a “strong female lead” novel. Even though Jiang Yang had many disgusting schemes, he wasn’t the male lead; he was eventually crushed by the female lead’s revenge. And a “strong female lead” usually came with a “universal charm” attribute, attracting both male and female pursuers.

The owner of that Rolls-Royce was Lin Chumu’s pursuer—one of the powerful rivals Jiang Yang only realized existed later.

Jiang Yanqiu.

Jiang Yanqiu was a character who appeared throughout two-thirds of the novel. Even when she went abroad to study in the later stages, she remained relevant. She despised the original host more than anyone else, loathing “Green Teas” who faked pity. She preferred career-oriented, powerful women (like Lin Chumu). Her ambition for her career was even stronger than her romantic drive; even while aggressively pursuing Lin Chumu, she never stopped her professional advancement.

Later, Jiang Yanqiu became a top-tier, sought-after screenwriter. Both directors and actors were desperate to work with her. In the later stages of the original plot—after the original host was imprisoned—Lin Chumu had plans to enter the acting world. Chaoqing wasn’t sure what happened after that; she had only heard the system’s brief summaries.

The original host remembered her only as a beautiful, annoying woman who liked Lin Chumu. But seeing her in person, Chaoqing felt a deep sense of crisis.

This woman was beautiful.

Beauty lies in the bone, not the skin. At a glance, one might think her features were average, but she was a classic beauty with immense aura. Her light makeup didn’t highlight her features much, yet her face was captivating. Her gentle, elegant appearance lacked aggression, and her glasses made her look sophisticated and scholarly.

Back when Chaoqing was a “straight girl,” her appreciation for other women leaned toward the mature, elegant “big sister” type. Though she hated to admit it, she had been very attracted to Lin Chumu’s looks when they first met. Her straight female classmates also mostly admired gentle “older sisters” or sexy “queens.” Therefore, Chaoqing concluded that these two types were the most likely to turn a straight girl “gay.”

Alarm bells rang in Chaoqing’s head. She knew that if this woman ended up with Lin Chumu, she would be finished. This woman’s potential for terror was no less than Jiang Yang’s. Lin Chumu currently had zero feelings for Jiang Yang and even found him repulsive—which was what Chaoqing wanted—but she knew nothing about this woman.

“77, 77!” In her moment of need, Chaoqing remembered the system she had pushed to the back of her mind. “Bao, hurry up and give me the file on this woman!”

[Received. Retrieving data… Basic information retrieved. Open the APP to view.]

Chaoqing stopped and hid in a corner to check her phone.

• Name: Jiang Yanqiu

• Identity: (Current) Master’s student in Screenwriting at XX Film Academy

• Age: 23

• Importance: 4 Stars

• Conquest Difficulty: Romanceable; 3.5 Stars

• Profile: Female, attracted to females. Prefers strong, career-minded types; loathes “pitiful” types. Very ambitious, direct, and fearless. Comes from a wealthy background—an only child who will have to inherit the family business if she fails at screenwriting.

Seeing the “Conquest Difficulty” line, Chaoqing fell silent. She curiously opened Lin Chumu’s page, only to find three question marks instead of a numerical value.

Three question marks meant “Unknown” or “No Limit.” The app couldn’t calculate Lin Chumu’s specific difficulty.

True, she’s an unpredictable woman, Chaoqing complained internally.

A moment later, a sharp gaze landed on her. Feeling like there were needles in her back, Chaoqing looked up and met the woman’s eyes.

Like “destined enemies,” sparks of confrontation flew the moment they met. Even in that first glance, Chaoqing felt a faint sense of aggression from the woman, hidden beneath her gentle features.

Over there, Lin Chumu was chatting quite happily with this woman. Though they weren’t touching, their intimacy seemed even greater than what Chaoqing shared with Lin Chumu. Being far away, Chaoqing couldn’t hear their conversation, but she saw Lin Chumu laugh at something Jiang Yanqiu said, her red lips curving upward.

In all the time she’d known Lin Chumu, this was the first time Chaoqing had seen her laugh like that—and the person she was talking to was a woman who liked her. Chaoqing felt a twinge of something she couldn’t quite name. Jiang Yanqiu smiled back and gave Lin Chumu’s shoulder a light, playful punch.

Lin Chumu’s body stiffened slightly at a range Chaoqing couldn’t see clearly, and she quietly put a bit of distance between them.

Chaoqing felt a massive sense of crisis.

She felt she couldn’t just sit and wait. She loitered around the entrance for a bit before walking over as if nothing were wrong, lightly placing her hand on Lin Chumu’s shoulder. She could tell Lin Chumu didn’t like physical contact, but the woman didn’t dodge; she let Chaoqing hold her, which eased Chaoqing’s mind slightly.

While she was hesitating earlier, Chaoqing had decided: since becoming enemies with this woman was inevitable, there was no need to force herself to be likable.

Chaoqing looked up and beamed a bold, “Green Tea” smile—the kind Jiang Yanqiu supposedly hated most. Her large eyes curved into bright crescents. Her makeup was subtle—the kind of “calculated natural look” that straight men loved. From her appearance to her voice, she was a quintessential “Green Tea.” She called out a soft “Sister” and began shamelessly shaking Lin Chumu’s arm, trying to interrupt the conversation.

“I haven’t seen Mom and Dad in so long, but I didn’t see them when I came in. I want Sister Chumu to take me to see them.” Chaoqing blinked innocently, then added as if just realizing, “Oh, I’m so sorry, I interrupted your talk… This sister won’t be angry, right?”

Before Jiang Yanqiu could even say “It’s fine,” Chaoqing cut her off: “This sister has such a good temper! I really like people like you! I’ll go with Sister Chumu now; let’s chat again later when you’re free, okay?”

Jiang Yanqiu: “…Sure.”

She glanced at Lin Chumu and then at Chaoqing. To Chaoqing’s surprise, the woman’s eyes didn’t hold intense hostility. Aside from that initial glance, her gaze was remarkably calm.

Instead, Lin Chumu gave Chaoqing a slightly displeased look before saying, “Do you talk like that to everyone?”

“No,” Chaoqing replied gently, not wanting Lin Chumu to see she was intentionally provoking the other woman. “I only talk like this to sisters I like.”

Lin Chumu: “Oh.”

The APP vibrated in her pocket. Walking with Lin Chumu, Chaoqing couldn’t check it, so she missed the notification that Lin Chumu’s favorability had dropped. Once they were out of the other woman’s sight, she considerately let go of Lin Chumu’s arm. Though she didn’t know why, she could tell Lin Chumu disliked physical contact, so she tried to minimize it unless a task required it.

Lin Chumu herself didn’t notice the change in her own mood, only that her previously good spirits had dampened—though that might have been because she saw Jiang Yang approaching.

It was mid-autumn, but since it was a casual family banquet, the man wore a long olive-green trench coat, making him look tall and upright. His refined, scholarly appearance and height were the type many girls liked. Jiang Yang was also wearing a pair of sunglasses, covering most of his face. He didn’t take them off even when he saw Chaoqing’s parents, which was quite impolite.

“Uncle, Auntie, Xiao Qing, Chumu.”

His voice was as deep and magnetic as ever, but it gave Chaoqing goosebumps. Even though Jiang Yang hadn’t studied acting, his performance was always on point, especially when it came to acting obedient and charming.

The tall man bowed his head slightly and handed two boxes to Chaoqing’s parents. He had dimples when he smiled, looking clean and refined—the type of boy elders loved. “These are gifts for Uncle and Auntie. I’ve prepared some for Xiao Qing and Chumu too; I’ll give them to you later.”

Lin Chumu couldn’t reject him directly in front of the elders, and she was too lazy to play his games. But Chaoqing couldn’t stand seeing someone play tricks in front of her. She stepped forward and hooked her arm into her mother’s. “Mom, hurry and open it to see Brother Jiang Yang’s heart.”

Chaoqing’s mother was a kind woman. She didn’t listen to Chaoqing blindly but politely asked Jiang Yang if it was okay. Jiang Yang, of course, nodded with a smile.

Though his family wasn’t wealthy, Jiang Yang’s startup had been funded by the Lu family. For the sake of face, he couldn’t give anything too cheap. Sure enough, inside was a translucent jade bracelet. While the bright green emerald was a bit bright for a woman of her mother’s age, the quality was clearly expensive. It was a significant expense for Jiang Yang.

Chaoqing spoke before her mother could. She looked up at Jiang Yang with a beaming smile. “Brother Jiang Yang is so thoughtful. Being so generous despite being short on cash—you must have been saving up lately, right? Unlike me, who always spends money recklessly. I should learn from Brother Jiang Yang!”

She deliberately emphasized “short on cash.” Before her mother could react, her father—a shrewd businessman—picked up on the strange tone in his daughter’s voice. As Jiang Yang’s expression flickered, Chaoqing ignored his meaningful glances and continued “innocently”: “Oh, didn’t you know? Brother Jiang Yang borrowed a large sum of money from me earlier. But later, he seemed to think borrowing from a girl wasn’t right, so he didn’t mention it again. But it’s okay, we’re so close, right?”

The smile on Jiang Yang’s face was nearly crumbling. The gifts for the four of them had cost more than two months of his living expenses. He wasn’t a millionaire; much of his money had been swindled from the original host, who only ignored it because she loved him. To impress the parents, he couldn’t use knock-offs; he had to bleed money.

He hadn’t expected the “stingy” Lu Chaoqing to remember that loan for so long.

Hearing the amount her daughter mentioned, Chaoqing’s mother realized something was wrong. Chaoqing was only twenty; if Jiang Yang needed such a large sum, he should have at least consulted the parents. Besides, Jiang Yang was only in his twenties; his company’s operations shouldn’t require that much capital unless it was on the brink of bankruptcy—but she remembered the company was doing fine.

“Since Xiao Jiang is so tight on funds,” her father said calmly, his voice cold, “how could we elders accept your gifts? You should keep the money for yourself.”

Jiang Yang tried to say something, but Chaoqing was already acting spoiled with her mother, making it impossible for her to reply. A flash of coldness appeared in the man’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a gentle smile. He bowed and left.

As he turned, Chaoqing sharply noticed a small scar under the bridge of his nose—it looked like a scratch. His face was extremely important to him; no wonder he was wearing sunglasses to hide it.

Having not seen her daughter in a while, Chaoqing’s mother fussed over her for a long time, praising the subtle muscle definition on her arms. The original host had been very thin—only about 45kg at 167cm. That weight was too thin for the camera and made it hard to find strength for dancing. Now, thanks to Chaoqing’s focused eating and exercise, she was nearly 50kg. She wanted to stay lean but healthy.

The group ate and chatted for two hours. The elders didn’t push the younger ones to drink. Lin Chumu had one glass, while Chaoqing—due to her innocent appearance making her look younger than she was—wasn’t asked at all.

After dinner, no one seemed ready to leave, continuing their conversations in the large private room. Chaoqing stepped out to use the restroom, and when she returned, she saw Jiang Yanqiu pacing back and forth.

She thought the woman was looking for Lin Chumu, but the moment Jiang Yanqiu saw her, she strode over without hesitation. Chaoqing looked at her warily, but Jiang Yanqiu showed no hostility. She didn’t even mention Lin Chumu. Instead, she said bluntly: “I think your acting is quite good. Are you interested in a role?”

Lu Chaoqing: “…???”

She had never met someone so direct. Before she could figure out how to respond, Jiang Yanqiu pressed on, not giving her a second to think. She pulled up a photo on her phone—a professional screenwriting certificate. “I’m working on a script with ‘double female leads’—it’s written as double leads but read as a Yuri (GL) line, you know? No bed scenes, but I can’t say for sure about kiss scenes—we might add some. If you’re uncomfortable, we can use camera angles. The role is a major one and fits your aura perfectly. I can handle the director. Interested?”

“Wait, wait…”

The sudden resource hit Chaoqing like a bolt from the blue. If her memories hadn’t told her that this woman would be a star screenwriter, she would have thought she was a scammer. “Lily of the Valley” had just disbanded, and her individual career was still unstable. Some group contracts required the company to pay breach-of-contract fees, and her individual endorsements might be affected.

She wasn’t against acting, but she didn’t believe she could master both acting and music immediately. Besides, individual resources usually went through the manager. She was with MT; she couldn’t bypass her manager and take a job on her own.

But Jiang Yanqiu happily added her on WeChat and patted her shoulder, signaling her to go back to her seat. Chaoqing returned feeling like she was in a dream.

“You want to go after her? Her… parents won’t agree.”

Lin Chumu, who had returned from a phone call, stood behind Jiang Yanqiu. Her voice was flat, but there was a slight tremor toward the end. Jiang Yanqiu turned and met the other woman’s serious gaze. After staring at Lin Chumu for a while, she suddenly laughed.

It was true that she liked women; she had even had a crush on Lin Chumu for a while. After being rejected, they remained friends. But she wasn’t so twisted as to go after her former crush’s sister. Chaoqing wasn’t even her type—in fact, she was the polar opposite.

“No, you know I don’t like that type,” Jiang Yanqiu shrugged to prove her innocence. “I’m looking for a ‘girlfriend’ for you, my dear Miss Lin. If her parents don’t agree, I’m sure her manager won’t want to miss an opportunity to work with Director Ji. If I put in some effort, it might just work.”

Seeing Lin Chumu’s expression soften, Jiang Yanqiu’s tone shifted. “Wait… why do I feel like you’re very concerned about whether I have ‘ulterior motives’?”