The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Sudden Development, Important

Half an hour later, Lu Chaoqing was sitting in Lin Chumu’s car and received a long string of messages from Jiang Yang.

When the constant “beep-beep-beep” sound from her phone drew the attention of the person next to her, Lu Chaoqing quickly muted Jiang Yang and turned off the screen in one fluid motion, paying no attention to what he was saying.

Lu Chaoqing gave a sincere “Thank you, Sister,” this time.

After the confrontation between Lin Chumu and Jiang Yang, she had received steadily increasing decimal points of favorability from both sides. Jiang Yang’s side was seven or eight points, and the most difficult Lin Chumu had gained three points, which was a huge success compared to before.

Although the hotpot was ordered, Lin Chumu had lost her appetite for the meal and had directly taken Lu Chaoqing away. Before leaving, Lu Chaoqing secretly looked back at Jiang Yang, her expression full of unbearable grievance. She guaranteed that her appearance at the time would have great lethality toward anyone, otherwise Jiang Yang wouldn’t have frantically sent so many messages.

However, Lu Chaoqing had zero interest in Jiang Yang, and was only deliberately making him do useless work.

“By the way, Sister, where are we going next?”

The two of them hadn’t eaten much because of Jiang Yang. The main time they had was the moment Lu Chaoqing went to the restroom, and he had stuck to her like glue, seemingly thick-skinned enough to try to flirt with Lin Chumu, but unlike the original plot, he was given a huge cold shoulder.

Not only was Lin Chumu completely uninterested in him, but she probably now saw him as a sleazy man who specialized in chatting up and seducing girls, feeling utterly disgusted.

“What do you want to eat?” Lin Chumu happened to be waiting at a red light and looked at the obedient girl sitting next to her. The streetlights at night cast a faint shadow on her beautiful face. Compared to before, Lu Chaoqing now seemed less annoying, and instead, somewhat elicited a little pity.

“Barbecue, can we?” Lu Chaoqing immediately replied.

“…Fine.”

Lu Chaoqing’s figure was considered quite slender among ordinary people, and even by idol standards, she didn’t look great on camera, so she needed to gain a moderate amount of weight.

However, gaining weight and gaining fat were two different things. Once she got to the company, they probably wouldn’t allow her to eat foods that were too fattening, like barbecue, hotpot, or cake. Lu Chaoqing decided to throw caution to the wind today and fully enjoy her last bit of happiness.

Lin Chumu herself had no interest in such things, but she didn’t refuse Lu Chaoqing’s request. Lu Chaoqing immediately beamed, calling her “Sister” sweetly with every other word.

The skewers, sizzling with oil, were covered in seasonings like black pepper and chili powder. The moment she tasted it, Lu Chaoqing lavished praise. Lin Chumu, who generally disliked these kinds of things, only ate some grilled buns and cold dishes, and finally, at Lu Chaoqing’s encouragement, tried a bit of grilled chicken breast that wasn’t gamey.

Seeing Lin Chumu’s two slender eyebrows furrow slightly, Lu Chaoqing, sitting next to her, very subserviently unscrewed a bottle of honey citron tea and handed it over, looking like Lin Chumu’s little assistant.

Lin Chumu gave her an unreadable look and was immediately rewarded with a big smile from the girl.

“Full?”

“I’m full!”

“Then let’s go home. You have to go to the company tomorrow.”

Lu Chaoqing had wanted to ask Lin Chumu exactly what her position was in the company. After all, the original owner would have definitely researched the top executives and their titles before trying to enter MT, but she had never heard Lin Chumu’s name mentioned. She took this opportunity to ask, but Lin Chumu gave a negative answer.

“This girl group is a joint project between our two companies, so I have the right to provide input. However, I am not primarily responsible for the girl group. At most, I have some say sometimes.”

“Then I have one more question for you, Sister.” Lu Chaoqing was becoming adept at the art of charming the older woman, managing the scale just right. She immediately looked up at Lin Chumu with admiration. “Did I get in by my own merit, or because of your influence, Sister?”

Lin Chumu was slightly taken aback.

Du Yaqing had actually complimented Lu Chaoqing’s ability when she came in.

Lu Chaoqing was from a professional dance background, so her foundation was naturally strong. The song she sang, Faith, with accompaniment, had excellent pacing. She mastered both the high notes and the gentle, lyrical parts, giving the old song a strong sense of appeal.

The girl looked delicate and soft, but she danced with great power and intensity. She could handle both rock and sweet styles, displaying a strong contrast between her stage persona and her off-stage appearance.

Although Lin Chumu hadn’t personally watched the live performance or heard the song, even a layperson could tell something from her dancing intensity. Du Yaqing’s judgment of people was sharp and discerning; few received such high praise. Her entry was certainly not entirely due to Lin Chumu’s influence.

She was also not the type of person who liked to take all the credit and then psychologically manipulate the other person. As soon as Lu Chaoqing asked the question, she answered readily: “By your own effort.”

Lu Chaoqing immediately felt relieved and gave her a “V” sign.

It wasn’t until the next morning, after washing up and putting on makeup, that Lu Chaoqing opened the messages she had muted. Jiang Yang had tirelessly spammed her with thirty or forty messages. Lu Chaoqing was too lazy to read the first few and just scanned them, only seriously replying to the later ones:

QING: So sorry, Brother Jiang Yang, I rested with my sister for a while after coming back yesterday, drank a little, and went straight to sleep. My phone was silenced, so I didn’t see your messages QAQ QING: But please don’t be mad at Sister, okay? She was in a bad mood yesterday; she’s not usually like that!

Jiang Yang initially gave a few perfunctory replies. Compared to Lu Chaoqing, he was more annoyed by Lin Chumu’s temper, and his interest had already completely faded. He urged Lu Chaoqing when she didn’t reply, then finally got to the point he had originally wanted to ask—the exact sisterly relationship between her and Lin Chumu.

In the original book, when the true daughter returned, the parents did not directly announce their true identities to protect the original owner’s self-esteem and the family’s reputation.

They only said that Lin Chumu was the adopted daughter and Lu Chaoqing was the biological one. If they fabricated a story about “twin sisters separated at birth” at this point, it would be difficult to silence public gossip and might even lead to speculation that Lin Father or Lu Mother had an illegitimate child.

They decided to announce Lin Chumu’s identity before her engagement. Lin Chumu herself had no objection, and the two parties reached an agreement, at least on the surface.

Lu Chaoqing naturally wouldn’t dig her own grave. Everything she said publicly was what the parents had told everyone. However, once she gained a firm footing, she wouldn’t rely on this undeserved title forever; she would eventually return what belonged to Lin Chumu.

Jiang Yang quickly replied, but Lu Chaoqing didn’t want to get tangled up with him anymore and quickly dismissed him with a couple of brief responses.

Today was the day the trainees gathered.

MT’s formation methods were always diverse; sometimes it was through a survival show, and sometimes it was direct internal trainee selection. The time for this group’s formation was tight, only a few months, so almost everyone recruited had a dance foundation.

The method for this group’s formation was internal selection from all trainees. The system, while not public, was exceptionally cruel. The person who was practicing and laughing with you today might be packing their bags and going home tomorrow, or the rival you were arguing with a short time ago might become your teammate when the group is formed.

It wasn’t until she arrived at the venue that Lu Chaoqing realized only a small number of people out of all those who had registered yesterday were accepted. The rest were rejected before even crossing the trainee threshold.

But this was only the beginning. Except for the publicly announced trainees who had iron-clad debut spots, everyone else was at risk of being eliminated at any time, perhaps for a slight mistake in choreography or facial expression management, or perhaps simply because someone in charge didn’t like them.

As a publicly announced trainee who was clearly looked after by management yesterday, Lu Chaoqing received glances from all directions the moment she entered the practice room. It was difficult to say that those looks contained genuine goodwill; most were due to resentment over her special status.

Ordinary people are not used to this kind of attention. Lu Chaoqing felt uneasy the moment she arrived. The trainees seemed to be isolated from her in another world.

She roughly counted about forty people, including herself, in the room. This number would likely decrease gradually with each weekly task. The final five people who would debut were already known in the plot, and Lu Chaoqing could check them on the APP.

Debuting was much crueler than imagined. In round after round of screening, many people who initially thought they could reach the top grew tired and were subsequently pulled down by those with greater skill. The company would not keep anyone based on “effort”; they only cared about the results.

Looking at the faces full of youthful vitality and confidence, Lu Chaoqing avoided their gazes and silently sighed.

She subtly checked her phone APP and then began scanning the crowd.

After locating her future teammates, three young women successively pushed open the door and entered. The leader’s face, even wearing a mask, looked vaguely familiar. When she took off her mask, a cheer immediately erupted from the young girls present—the youthful girl playfully gave a wink, then waved to the excited “audience.” The slight coldness in her exquisite features gradually melted away like frost meeting fire as she spoke.

“Good morning, trainees. I am Fang Qiuqi, and I suppose you can consider me your senior. I hope all my junior sisters will practice hard and study diligently. The road ahead is still long, and I look forward to working with all of you!”

The fans’ cheers echoed through the sky, calling out “Fang Qiuqi’s” name over and over.

Lu Chaoqing had some impression of this person.

Fang Qiuqi was the only actress in the industry to win two major acting awards before the age of 20. Her role as the demon fox Daji in Legend of the Gods recently made her go viral. Besides the veteran actors, she was considered the best in MT’s film and television division and was a senior to the trainees. In the original plot, she was also one of Lin Chumu’s friends, but there was no further information.

The bewitching and seductive fox spirit seen on screen was in stark contrast to the uniquely elegant young woman standing there, secretly exciting many of the trainees.

“I am the mentor, Mu Ning. We will be spending the next period of time together,” said the other, seemingly serious, short-haired tall woman. “Later, you can go check out the dorms. Your senior sister, Fang Qiuqi, may also participate in choreography production, so you can look forward to it.”

Cheers erupted again in the practice room, and the initially stiff atmosphere immediately became harmonious. Lu Chaoqing, blending into the crowd, finally felt a little better and sighed in relief.

After the brief introduction, an assistant led all the trainees to see the dorms.

MT’s financial strength was considered one of the best in the industry, so even the temporary dorms for the trainees were clean and tidy, without any rush-job feel. A standard dorm was for four people, complete with independent hot water and bathrooms. It had been cleaned and looked brand new, making everyone feel comfortable.

Although this recruitment was open to the whole world, and there were many foreigners, Lu Chaoqing was lucky to be assigned to roommates who were all Chinese: Jiang Sicui, Yao Xichen, and Zhou Yue. The latter two would be her future teammates, but one of them…

After surveying the dorm, Yao Xichen smiled and hooked her arm around Lu Chaoqing’s shoulder. The faintly complex meaning in her smile was easily caught, making the situation slightly awkward. Just as Lu Chaoqing was about to pull away, the girl first looked down at the name tag on her chest and then spoke: “Qingqing won’t end up not living with us, will you?”

The other two looked over simultaneously.

The scene of Lu Chaoqing being suddenly called away while everyone was lining up for the interview was very attention-grabbing. Therefore, every trainee who was present at that time noticed it, and the rumors that followed must have been even more ridiculous.

Lu Chaoqing had vaguely heard people discussing her status as a “royal member” joining the group since she entered the door. They quieted down a bit after she came in, but she wasn’t deaf; the whispers were audible. Yao Xichen’s sudden question sparked the memories of the other roommates, making the atmosphere in the dorm awkward again.

Lu Chaoqing subtly brushed off the hand on her shoulder and replied with a smile: “How could that be! I actually came here once during the last recruitment, but since they were full then, I went back to continue my studies. After finishing my exams, I happened to join this batch of publicly announced trainees. Of course, we’re all together!”

She specifically emphasized the word “we” and kicked her suitcase further into the room: “You can’t kick me out! I want to stay with you all!”

Yao Xichen smiled and didn’t say anything more, but the look in her eyes became a little ambiguous. Lu Chaoqing was about to say more, but she shut up when she felt the APP’s special prompt.

Taking advantage of the assistant calling for everyone to gather, Lu Chaoqing lagged behind the group and checked the APP’s new missions.

Current Main Plot Progress: 7.5% New Main Mission: (First one, Important) Please ensure your teammates’ favorability meets the required standard before debut. Otherwise, there is an 80% probability of triggering a critical error during the debut performance, leading to a performance failure. Methods for increasing favorability are not limited, including but not restricted to friendship and romance.

Lu Chaoqing was astonished: “I can date my teammates?”

APP: According to the experience of others in alternate timelines, some hosts dated five people simultaneously to rapidly raise their favorability to 100% within the specified time.

“What happened next?”

APP: Subsequently, that mission host was discovered to be two-timing, was chopped into five pieces by the five people, and carried away.

Lu Chaoqing: “…Next one.”

New Main Mission: (Second one, Sudden Development, Extremely Important) After returning home yesterday, you ate and played games in the living room, leaving it a mess. Coincidentally, your parents are away on business today, and the housekeeper is off. Lin Chumu will return today, realizing she left something important in the living room. While searching, she will happen to see something she shouldn’t.

The item that should not appear (property of the original owner): “How to Trick Your Boyfriend Handbook/Guide” (containing age-restricted yuri comics). The host must prevent Lin Chumu from seeing this item without inexplicably asking for leave and returning home.