The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Bug

The assistant director’s words had barely landed when he noticed Lu Chaoqing and Lin Chumu staring at him with a bizarre, eerie intensity. He quickly waved his hands in explanation: “I didn’t mean anything weird! I just want you two to immerse yourselves in that vibe. Acting is all about letting things come naturally, right? You two sleep together tonight, and you’ll definitely find that ‘feeling’ tomorrow!” He continued enthusiastically, “Come on, Xiao Xi, help Xiao Lu move her things over. The rooms here are plenty big anyway; you’ll have more than enough space.”

To accurately depict a noble academy, many of the sets had been modified. The most significant changes were made to the dormitories, which were furnished exactly as described in the script. An 1.8-meter-wide bed was more than enough for two girls, and since future scenes would be filmed there, this was considered “getting familiar with the set.”

However, even though this wasn’t their first time sharing a bed, Lu Chaoqing felt an unprecedented sense of awkwardness.

The first time they slept together, it was because she thought the original owner and Lin Chumu had a physical history, so she had delivered herself to the female lead’s door to please her—only to be met with total confusion.

The second time, she had been drugged by that old dog Jiang Yang and had to seek refuge with Lin Chumu. Under the influence of the drug, the two had even shared a kiss.

Lu Chaoqing was developing a psychological trauma regarding “sleeping with Lin Chumu.” Suspecting Lin Chumu felt the same way, she subconsciously glanced over at her.

She feared Lin Chumu wouldn’t come and they’d NG all day tomorrow; she also feared Lin Chumu would come and pull off some “straight girl acting like a flirt” moves.

Lu Chaoqing knew she was the type of person who couldn’t handle being teased at all. Once she knew Lin Chumu’s sexual orientation, she had lost interest in her, but physiological instincts were impossible to control.

Just as her mind began to hallucinate various awkward scenarios, Lin Chumu’s crisp “Okay” broke the silence. The director and screenwriter nodded in satisfaction, and Jiang Yanqiu even came over proactively to give them a serious briefing on the scene again.

Lu Chaoqing finally understood: Jiang Yanqiu’s character setting hadn’t collapsed; it was just that this woman’s career drive was incredibly strong—so strong that even in the honeymoon phase of a relationship, her split between love and career was a strict 50/50. She suspected that even if Jiang Yanqiu had an actress girlfriend in the future, she could probably watch her girlfriend film a kiss scene and offer calm, professional guidance from the sidelines.

A beautiful woman having career ambition is a good thing… but personal feelings aside, Lu Chaoqing found that kind of personality a bit hard to handle.

“Goodnight.”

Having finished her explanation, Jiang Yanqiu waved goodbye and walked toward her own quarters. There was a hotel next to the school where the director and crew stayed; they didn’t use the brand-new student dorms. Only a few renovated rooms were reserved for the leads.

Xiao Xi, the lifestyle assistant, first helped Lu Chaoqing carry her toiletries over. She asked if she should bring another quilt, but realized the bed setup didn’t really allow for it without making things cramped.

Lin Chumu’s assistant looked at the layout. Seeing that Lin Chumu seemed prepared for a long-term cohabitation—even looking like she wanted to move the potted plants from Lu Chaoqing’s room in—she quickly stopped her: “That’s enough for now. Let’s leave it at this.”

Xiao Xi gave an “OK” sign, then closed the door and left with Lin Chumu’s assistant.

With everyone gone, Lu Chaoqing, sitting on the bed watching the hustle and bustle, suddenly felt like a weak maiden in an ancient drama who had been kidnapped to be a bandit’s bride. Lin Chumu was the notorious bandit. However, in novels, these bandits usually had hidden identities like the Crown Prince of a rival nation; the gruffness was just a facade, and they were actually doting and flirtatious with the female lead…

“Get up.”

Her drifting imagination was interrupted by Lin Chumu. Lu Chaoqing blanked for a second before being gently tugged upward.

“You’re sitting on my phone.”

Lin Chumu lifted one of Lu Chaoqing’s legs, rescued the phone trapped underneath, and began checking messages. She clearly had business to attend to. “Go shower first. The water temperature is already set; adjust it if you’re not used to it. The sky-blue cup is mine. The body wash and shampoo are on the shelf; no need to open new ones. There are disposable hairbands in the cabinet.”

Lu Chaoqing gave two obedient “mhm-mhms” and hurried to wash up.

Her toothpaste happened to be finished, and Xiao Xi hadn’t bought a new one yet, so Lu Chaoqing simply used Lin Chumu’s. It was a new Okayama White Peach flavor from Crest; the translucent peach-colored paste had tiny glittering crystals in it. She hadn’t expected Lin Chumu to have such a “girly” side.

The message was from Du Yaqing, Lu Chaoqing’s manager, who had known Lin Chumu for a long time and had a good relationship with her. She asked Lin Chumu to call her directly. Once she was sure the person in the bathroom couldn’t hear, Lin Chumu dialed the number.

The phone rang only twice before Du Yaqing picked up. Her voice was concise, hitting every point: “Did you two say something you shouldn’t have on set? I’ve already seen marketing accounts reporting on your true identities.”

Lin Chumu’s heart skipped a beat.

The room was quiet. The bathroom was soundproofed, so she could only hear a faint, distant rush of water. During a few seconds where the water stopped—perhaps when Lu Chaoqing was lathering up—Lin Chumu could feel her own breathing and heartbeat reaching a nervous frequency.

She never expected this to leak now, but she regained her composure after the initial shock. “I talked to Lu Chaoqing about our identities a few days ago, but I made sure no one was around. Are you saying someone recorded our conversation?”

“Yes.” Du Yaqing sounded frustrated. As a top-tier manager, she had seen plenty of storms, but this was messy. She paused, trying to stay calm; she knew Lu Chaoqing seemed simple but was actually quite careful, and Lin Chumu even more so. “Chumu, you’re in your room, right? First, check for cameras.”

The manager hadn’t come to the set, but her experienced assistant had checked for cameras when they moved in, even using a specialized detector. There were none. However, Lin Chumu’s guard went up at Du Yaqing’s words. She said “Wait a moment,” put the phone down, and checked again.

A moment later, Lin Chumu answered, slightly out of breath: “No, I checked everything. Definitely no hidden cameras.” Detecting cameras was a mandatory skill for artists entering the industry; she wouldn’t miss one.

“What about bugs? Damn it, take off everything except your underwear and check. Those things can be as small as a grain of rice; they can easily be stuck to your clothes without being noticed.”

Lin Chumu: “Hold on then.”

She hesitated slightly but did as Du Yaqing said. She stripped off her clothes, pulled a slip dress from the closet to throw on, and began meticulously feeling every inch of her discarded clothing.

The sound of water inside stopped, but the person didn’t come out immediately. A moment later, a soft knock came from the door. Lin Chumu was so focused she didn’t hear it. It wasn’t until a “creak” sounded that she turned her head, and the young girl wrapped in towels came into view.

Lin Chumu’s hand jerked, dropping the clothes to the floor. She quickly looked away to avoid the sight of those mostly exposed legs. Her voice trembled almost imperceptibly: “What are you doing!”

Lu Chaoqing didn’t have a proper bathrobe; her habit was usually to just walk out, even in winter. She had wrapped two large towels around her key areas, making it look like a two-piece swimsuit. Seeing Lin Chumu’s intense reaction, she instinctively raised her hands: “I called for you to bring me clothes earlier, but you didn’t hear me…”

The room’s soundproofing was too good; you couldn’t hear anything unless someone shouted. And Lin Chumu had been too focused on her search to notice.

Lin Chumu kept her face turned away: “Don’t move, I’ll get them for you now.”

Lu Chaoqing stood obediently, but water droplets were still falling from her body, gradually forming a tiny river on the floor. She saw the bed was covered in clothes. Lin Chumu seemed to have been on the phone earlier. Lu Chaoqing’s gaze wandered boredly around the room, and she suddenly felt a chill.

Taking long strides, she walked over to the bed in three steps and sat down, diving into the warm, cozy quilt. Just as Lin Chumu found her clothes and turned to hand them over, she saw the girl curled up in the blanket like a ball, with only her face peeking out.

Lin Chumu frowned, looking at Lu Chaoqing’s wet hair: “The quilt is going to get soaked. Get out, now.”

Lu Chaoqing lingered, unwilling to leave the warmth. She said softly, “Don’t be in such a rush…”

Lin Chumu was about to snap back when her phone’s dark screen suddenly flickered. She realized with a start that the call with Du Yaqing was still active. Recalling the two somewhat ambiguous lines of dialogue they just shared, her throat tightened. She shook her head to clear the chaos, intending to just toss the clothes at Lu Chaoqing—but then, in the dim light, a tiny glint reflected off the phone’s glow.

It was instantaneous, but it made her nerves snap taut. Just as Lu Chaoqing pulled back the quilt to get up, Lin Chumu’s soft body lunged forward, pinning her back onto the bed and pulling her into her embrace. In the midst of Lu Chaoqing’s panic, Lin Chumu reached out and snatched the source of the light.

A cold, tiny piece of machinery, truly no larger than a grain of rice. It would have been impossible to spot without that lucky reflection.