The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Identities Disclosed

The other staff members were momentarily stunned by Lin Chumu’s sudden movement, but Lu Chaoqing didn’t doubt her for a second; she instinctively followed.

She saw Lin Chumu walk straight to the clean electric gate at the school entrance and stop, gesturing to measure the width with her hand. The gap was too small for a person to squeeze through, but like most school gates, it was more than enough to reach a hand through.

“To keep Pudding energetic for filming, he’s usually fed in the morning when we wake up—anytime between 5:00 and 7:00 AM. The exact time varies,” Lin Chumu explained calmly as the director and others caught up. “I’ve raised dogs. If you want a dog to be obedient, the best way is hunger-based guidance. You only feed them half-full so they’ll listen better during filming.”

But today, the food bowl had been overflowing. When the dog bumped it, kibble had scattered everywhere. Everyone had been too distracted by the commotion to notice why the dog had already eaten so much so early. Since the dog wasn’t a major character, the crew didn’t have a professional handler; they just had someone walk and feed him on schedule. Most people hadn’t noticed this detail.

What if someone had intentionally fed the dog beforehand?

“If I may be blunt, the thief might not be an insider, but the person working in collusion with the thief certainly is.”

Glancing out of the corner of her eye at a figure pacing restlessly in the distance, Lin Chumu had already guessed about seventy to eighty percent of the truth. Without hard evidence, however, she couldn’t make an accusation. The moment her gaze landed on the figure, the person nervously turned away to pretend to work. But in the next second, the usually quiet Lu Chaoqing bolted out like a gust of wind!

The woman instinctively tried to run, but it was too late. Lu Chaoqing was so fast she couldn’t dodge. No one expected this seemingly delicate girl to possess such explosive power.

“Were you thinking of heading to the surveillance room, Sister?”

After sprinting two or three hundred meters, the young girl’s breathing remained steady. She gripped the woman’s shoulder—the force wasn’t painful, but it was firm enough to prevent escape. Several supporting actors looked over in surprise, but seeing the situation, they instinctively stepped in to help when the woman tried to push Lu Chaoqing away.

As Lin Chumu caught up, Lu Chaoqing—who had been tempted to try out the grappling techniques she’d learned from tutorials—released her hand once she was sure the woman couldn’t flee. She called out Pudding’s name. The little dog dashed over like an arrow, ignoring the dog food that had been put back in the bowl.

Lu Chaoqing knelt to feel Pudding’s stomach; it was stuffed. No wonder he didn’t care about his breakfast.

“You fed the dog beforehand, didn’t you? To stop him from barking when you met with your contact. You probably fed him again right before the hand-off. But since you left the items nearby for that person to pick up, Pudding thought that person was a thief and you were the victim. That’s why he’s so affectionate toward you and so aggressive toward that direction.”

Lu Chaoqing stood up, her face expressionless as she stared into the woman’s paling face. She was certain why this woman ran when she saw her, but wasn’t nervous in front of the director.

The bug.

Just as both Lu Chaoqing and the woman were about to speak, Lin Chumu stepped in. She tugged Lu Chaoqing’s hand, her fingertips lightly grazing the back of the girl’s hand—a brief touch, but enough to soothe her agitation. Then, the woman stepped forward to shield her, looking at the girl with a gaze that wasn’t exactly gentle, but wasn’t cruel either.

“Let’s settle this quietly,” Lin Chumu said calmly. “I don’t want the production to trend on social media because someone was taken away by the police. It’s bad for you and bad for the crew. Don’t you agree?”

The woman’s face turned even whiter. She trembled at the mention of the “police.” She was clearly a naive first-timer, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so sloppy. Seeing that Lin Chumu wasn’t being overly aggressive, she felt like a fish on dry land that had finally found a splash of water; her complexion improved slightly.

“I found some things missing this morning. There’s no need for the police for now,” Lin Chumu turned to the two directors. “We’ll handle it privately.”

Ji Xiuyuan’s face was red with anger, but he calmed down slightly seeing how Lin Chumu handled things with such composure, signaling for her to take the person away. The woman stumbled after them for a long distance. Her survival instinct finally kicked in, making her extremely cooperative. Once they reached a secluded area, she nearly fell to her knees. “I didn’t mean it!”

Lin Chumu replied leisurely, “It’s fine. I have no intention of sending you to jail.”

Lu Chaoqing, who had been fuming, was now standing behind her, nearly laughing out loud. The female lead really is a master of psychological warfare.

The woman had likely been ready to go scorched-earth and expose their identities right then and there. But Lin Chumu gave her a “way out” first. The rush of relief and survival instinct made the woman immediately drop that thought; after all, she wasn’t the mastermind. She was young, likely swayed by money in a moment of weakness. Lin Chumu used the pressure of the police to keep her so tense that her thoughts could only follow Lin Chumu’s lead.

“Where is the bug?”

“He… he took it… but I doubt he’s gone far!” The woman wiped her sweat. “I have his number; I can call him back!”

Lu Chaoqing, hiding behind Lin Chumu, pouted, thinking this woman wasn’t very bright. Since it was just a transaction, the person wouldn’t give her a chance to contact them again once they had the goods. However, she hadn’t realized that even after they confiscated one bug, the other side still had a recording or a second device. They were thorough.

Lin Chumu had guessed as much. “No need. There wasn’t a camera on it, was there?”

The woman choked back sobs and hurriedly said “No,” claiming she didn’t dare do something as illegal as filming private videos—she’d go to jail for that. Besides, as a woman herself, she felt audio was one thing, but a video would be devastating.

“How much did they pay you? Show me the number.”

The woman confessed everything, but it was useless. The number was a burner and would likely be deactivated soon. She tried to return the money, but Lin Chumu told her to just refund it, only to find the account was already frozen.

Realizing the potential severity of the consequences, the woman began to weep.

Lu Chaoqing didn’t have much sympathy. If Lin Chumu hadn’t been prepared, and if she herself hadn’t built a good relationship with Lin Chumu—instead of the hostile one described in the original plot—she would be the one crying right now. Mercy to an enemy is cruelty to oneself. She stood silently, watching Lin Chumu coldly press the woman until her psychological defenses collapsed. Between sobs, she stammered, “A man met me for the hand-off… he wasn’t tall, had an accent, wore a black baseball cap and a brown trench coat…”

She gave a rough description and promised to go to the police if needed. If the money couldn’t be returned, she’d donate it to charity, pleading for Lin Chumu not to sue.

Lin Chumu knew she couldn’t get anything more and let the woman go for now. She was a makeup assistant, fairly new, and had helped organize their clothes once—that was likely when she planted the bug.

Within a couple of days, gossip accounts began to move. They hinted at their true identities without naming names, but it was enough to spark speculation. Since Reversal was highly anticipated, the topic quickly gained traction.

The one responsible for leaking this to the marketing accounts was indeed MT. MT’s marketing department was always swift. As the heat rose, another wave of rumors appeared, much more vicious. They began throwing mud at the Lu parents, accusing Father Lu of being promiscuous and suggesting one of the two girls was an illegitimate child.

As the hot search began to climb, Lu Chaoqing and Lin Chumu released statements simultaneously. Lin Chumu’s side, EM, released a lawyer’s letter to protect the reputation of her biological parents. Lu Chaoqing posted a Weibo with a photo and a short caption.

@LuChaoqing_Sunny: [Image] I intended to tell everyone later, but I was worried you’d find the “CP” awkward. The rumors are mostly true; I have no blood relation to @LinChumu. There were some accidents when we were born.

However, we will always be family! I love Mr. Lu and Ms. Jiang, and I love Chuchu-jie!

Lu Chaoqing scrolled through the comments. The top ones were upvoted quickly.

Qingqing’s Rabbit Ears: SO the rumors are true??? Daughter, Mommy won’t let you be kidnapped by a pretty sister yet!!!

Yao Xichen felt things weren’t going according to plan.

Back when Bell Orchid was active, she thought Lu Chaoqing’s popularity was due to her persona. Lu Chaoqing was, in a sense, a “wealthy heiress,” but she never used that power, and her personality was likeable. That “contrast” made her a star.

But what if that identity was fake? Would fans still see her as a down-to-earth princess? “Vanity,” “stealing someone else’s title,” and “occupying the nest for twenty years”—those labels were enough to turn the public against her. Then, with some dirt on the Lu parents, Lu Chaoqing’s shaky popularity should have crumbled.

Yao Xichen doubled down, paying for a massive wave of marketing accounts. They took footage from the previous live-streamed variety show and edited it to look like the two didn’t get along in private.

@Celeb_Scoop: #LuChaoqing_LinChumu #LuChaoqingNotALu. A smooth rise to the top? Now exposed in a scandal… Are Meng Lixi and Lu Dan laughing?

@Entertainment_Headlines: Top popularity in Bell Orchid, but carrying a dark secret far worse than her teammates!

Meng Lixi and Lu Dan were senior idols. Meng Lixi was the “Cool Queen,” and Lu Dan was often compared to Lu Chaoqing because they shared a “cute” look. When these marketing accounts began comparing them, their fans were furious. Meng Lixi’s fans, in particular, wouldn’t tolerate a junior using their idol for “clout.” The comment sections turned into a battlefield.

Lu Chaoqing had just finished a grueling musical scene. She and Lin Chumu were close to wrapping their roles. When her assistant told her the news, Fang Qiuqi, who was drinking water, nearly spat it out.

“These marketing accounts are working hard, dragging your two rivals into the mess,” Fang Qiuqi said bluntly. “Did you offend someone?”

Lu Chaoqing didn’t have many enemies. Excluding her former teammates, only Lemon Tea came to mind, but a small influencer didn’t have this kind of reach. The prime suspects were Jiang Qishuang and Yao Xichen.

MT’s PR was excellent. They spent lavishly to suppress the bad news and replace it with new trends. MT’s money eventually overwhelmed the other side, and the bot accounts began to vanish.

The “Sunny Days” (Lu Chaoqing’s fans) were loyal. Her calm attitude reassured them. Since she was willing to go public, and she and Lin Chumu were playing a couple in the same show, the “bad relationship” rumors fell flat.

As the wrap-up approached, Manager Du Yaqing was at her busiest. She visited the set to discuss Lu Chaoqing’s next move.

“The variety shows Voice of Joy and Qiongqi Script Kill both have great ratings,” Du Yaqing said, pushing a schedule over. She usually respected her artists’ wishes. “Qiongqi wants you as a permanent MC; they’re doing a major cast refresh.”

Du Yaqing’s phone rang. She answered it, and her face darkened. “The Qiongqi team just said they want to discuss the permanent MC position later. If you go, it’ll be as a ‘guest’ first to test the waters.”

A guest is different from an MC. They likely made this change because of the recent scandal, wanting to see if her popularity had dropped. Du Yaqing was proud and felt insulted by their hesitation.

Lu Chaoqing didn’t mind. “What about Voice of Joy?”

“They want you as a ‘Special Invited Mentor’.”

Voice of Joy was a survival show. A special mentor acts as a senior to give advice. It was a slightly lower title than a full mentor, which was why Du Yaqing had hesitated, but now both options were on equal footing.

Lu Chaoqing chose Voice of Joy without a second thought. “I want this one!”

She truly loved music and dance. She wanted to perform while she was still young.

“I’m having the team follow up on the bugging incident,” Du Yaqing added. “We’ll sue once we have enough evidence. Also, I’m getting you a new lifestyle assistant—don’t argue. This was a failure on the assistant’s part, and mine as well.”

Lu Chaoqing nodded but felt bad for her current assistant. “Tell the company not to fire her; she was just busy!”

Du Yaqing smiled noncommittally. She had to leave for other business. At the door, she ran into Lin Chumu. Du Yaqing waved, but Lin Chumu only gave a stiff nod.

Lin Chumu pushed open the dorm door. They were still sharing the room. Her phone rang again. She didn’t pick up, placing it on the table. Lu Chaoqing noticed her own phone vibrate as well. She looked at Lin Chumu’s table and saw a caller ID she knew all too well: Jiang Yang.