The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Clarification

Lu Chaoqing had gone offline immediately after posting her Weibo and didn’t check it again until her mid-scene break the next day. Only then did she realize she had trended again, and the comments were a chaotic mess.

Passersby who clicked on the trending topic thought Lu Chaoqing had come out of the closet on the spot. Some even assumed she was a participant in this messy web of relationships. Her fans, the “Qingtians,” were busy explaining that the two were essentially sisters and that such a thing was impossible. While EM’s PR team had quickly pulled down Lin Chumu’s negative trending search, the damage was done; anyone searching her name could still find the “scandal.”

The heat from the gossip-seekers continued to rise. For a time, sympathy for the “ex-girlfriend” poured in. Marketing accounts began steering the narrative, claiming Lin Chumu was a heartbreaker who abandoned her lover, even posting old “evidence”—a grainy photo of two women walking upstairs hand-in-hand. Though the image was heavily processed, Lin Chumu’s side was clear; her height and figure were distinct enough to be recognizable.

With this “proof,” the public outcry intensified. Many people swarmed the official film account, insulting Lin Chumu and demanding she be recast, threatening to boycott the movie upon release.

On set, the chaos was ignored. Filming continued as planned. Although the staff were on the front lines of the gossip, their impression of Lin Chumu remained positive, and no one dared to question the woman at the eye of the storm.

Lin Chumu needed time to verify facts for a counterattack, but Lu Chaoqing couldn’t wait. She knew that Lin Chumu’s ability to keep filming was due to professional stoicism, but no one could remain unaffected by such vitriol.

After contacting Jiang Yanqiu and receiving permission, Lu Chaoqing immediately posted a new Weibo:

@LuChaoqingSunny: What on earth is this about ‘coming out’? I was talking about Xiang Yunchen and Xu Mulin! Don’t be so quick to believe hearsay. Until the truth comes to light, I hope everyone can remain rational and wait for the results. We all know that gathering evidence takes time, right?”

“Also, it’s 2031. The legalization of same-sex marriage passed with an 85% vote in the third session and is currently being drafted. Why do some people still think being gay is a disease? [ConfusedCat.jpg] I hope everyone can enjoy the gossip rationally and not despise any normal group—be they heterosexual or homosexual, in a relationship or not. You don’t have to understand, but please be respectful.

Lu Chaoqing was already at the tail end of the trending list, and MT hadn’t bothered to take it down. With this new post, her ranking shot up several spots.

Many had been speculating whether Xiang Yunchen and Xu Mulin would fall for the male lead. Before they could even see the drama, they were hit with a massive spoiler by the actress herself, which in turn generated even more buzz for the production.

While same-sex marriage was being legalized, such bills often faced shifts in the social climate. Consequently, most “Danmei” (BL) or “Yuri” (GL) adaptations in the country remained subtle, framed as “socialist brotherhood or sisterhood.” Even the usually blunt Jiang Yanqiu hadn’t explicitly stated the two were a couple.

But Lu Chaoqing had not only stated it bluntly; she had personally clapped back at those claiming homosexuality was an illness. Those who were stung by her words rushed to the comments to jump in anger, only to be drowned out by the massive wave of “Qingtians.”

Following Lu Chaoqing’s post, the leads—Qiao Shuo, Fang Qiuqi, and Zhao Qifei—all liked her Weibo. Their fanbases followed suit, taking a stand with their idols. Even those who had doubts about Lin Chumu couldn’t help but trust the judgment of the stars they loved.

That evening, Lin Chumu’s personal Weibo, which had never featured a post, released its first update: a nine-grid gallery of images.

It included a collection of chat logs from various apps, transfer records identical to the ones leaked by the other party, photos of their daily life together, screenshots showing she had been blocked by the other woman right after the original rumor broke years ago, and proof of a police report and lawsuit.

There wasn’t a single extra word of text, but every image was a powerful counter-strike.

The tide on the trending searches turned instantly. Without marketing accounts even needing to intervene, the comment section transformed:

“Emm… that’s it? My chats with my bestie are more suggestive than this!”

“I call my bestie “wife” all the time. What, couples don’t even use the word “wife” or say anything flirty? You call this a relationship?”

“Lin’s chat logs mention the rent. This woman was just a roommate. It’s perfectly common for girls to live together, right? So this woman lived off Lin—who paid 70% of the rent—and then slandered her…”

“Holy crap, mystery solved. Someone dug up that the woman is Fan Li.”

“Fan Li? Oh, that makes sense. I remember she tried to bundle herself with Qiao Shuo and Fang Qiuqi before. Qiao Shuo just handed her a microphone and she tried to push a “CP” narrative. With Qiuqi, she pushed a “sisterhood” angle then tried to release press releases saying she looked better [lights cigarette]. No wonder they liked the post so quickly this time.”

Fan Li had spent the last few years trying to settle abroad, but her green card applications kept failing. She had once released an album in China out of nowhere, seemingly trying to return and rake in more cash, but it was mocked for low sales, so she gave up on that route.

The domestic public had almost forgotten her, but this sudden heat brought back memories for many fans of being “leeched” or “bundled” by her. They flocked to support Lin Chumu. The movie’s popularity reached new heights.

The advertisements on Fan Li’s long-defunct Weibo were filled with insults, and the matter was temporarily settled. However, the revelation that Xiang Yunchen and Xu Mulin were a “CP” (couple) attracted many new fans. The official account, catching the trend, immediately told Lin Chumu and Lu Chaoqing to post regular photos together.

Thanks to the guidance of Fang Qiuqi, a mature professional actress, and the high intuition of the others, filming progressed faster than the director had imagined. Ji Xiuyuan was extremely satisfied with his leads.

The previous sports meet arc was mostly the intersection of the “Chen-Lin CP,” while the female lead (Fang Qiuqi) had actually witnessed the school bullying earlier but hesitated to speak out under threat. In this school of elite aristocrats, the female lead’s background was ordinary; she wanted to work in public service in the future and couldn’t afford to be linked to such scandals.

After she showed signs of wanting to expose the truth, her recent scholarship was pulled and given to a student with a slightly better background as a warning. Thus, the female lead didn’t dare speak out, and neither did Xiang Yunchen.

The interaction between the male and female leads didn’t involve them much; the next major part was the Halloween ball. This school excelled at planning entertainment; it felt less like a university and more like a social mixer. The aristocratic students loved this—they spent lavishly and enjoyed themselves to the fullest.

As an ordinary student, Xiang Yunchen couldn’t afford to drop money on high-end cosplay gear. She planned to just walk around to show she had participated. But when Xu Mulin asked her what she wanted to cosplay, Xiang Yunchen’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment before she hesitantly asked, “What about you? What do you want to be?”

Xu Mulin thought for a moment. “I was the Queen of Hearts last year. This year I want to do a cross-dress. My initial plan is a Prince, but I feel like something is missing—how about you? Are you willing to be my Cinderella?”

Cinderella…

Before the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella is just Cinderella in front of the Prince.

Xiang Yunchen thought for a long time before finally agreeing, knowing this meant a massive hit to her wallet. A delicate cosplay outfit cost a fortune, especially Cinderella’s iconic glass slippers. A cheap pair made of transparent plastic would look terrible, but a high-end replica was out of her reach.

After she had prepared her clothes and researched her makeup, a pair of size 37 “glass slippers” was delivered. Although the recipient was listed as Xiang Yunchen, she knew exactly who they came from.

The exquisitely crafted heels featured a stable, non-slip design, perfect for dancing. Tiny, shimmering sequins covered the entire smoky-pink shoe body, making the pair glow radiantly under the light without any cheap flamboyance. They were unforgettable.

On the night of Halloween, Xiang Yunchen waited in the dormitory until everyone had left before finishing her makeup.

In the script, Xiang Yunchen’s delicate face bore a slight resemblance to Lu Chaoqing’s, and the fresh “Cinderella” makeup was perfectly interpreted on her face.

The moment the auditorium doors opened and a cluster of light shone like moonlight onto Lu Chaoqing, Lin Chumu dazed for a moment. She truly felt like Xu Mulin—the prince in disguise, welcoming the most beautiful princess in her world.

Lu Chaoqing slowly approached her.

The girl’s eyelashes were long, needing only a bit of pearlescent mascara to accentuate them; there was no need for gaudy false lashes. Her small face had only a thin layer of powder, and her lips were the color of the first ripe tomato of autumn—a hazy, watery red that complemented her peach-blossom eyeshadow.

The high heels added significant height to her already tall frame. Dressed in a magnificent princess gown, the rhythm of the glass slippers clicking was like a drumbeat that disrupted the heart’s tempo—click-clack, click-click-clack. The entire hall seemed so silent that only that sound could be heard.

Cinderella twirled, her sky-blue skirt blooming like a flower before their eyes. She looked more like a woodland sprite than a princess as she trotted over, asking in a shy, self-conscious whisper: “Senior, what do you think?”