The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: The Haunted House

Half a month later, the two of them set off for their new schedule.

A few days prior, they had settled some legal matters. The people who were originally arrogant in court suddenly saw the evidence handed over—even as the case concluded, they were completely bewildered. The methods used to hide those past deeds were so secretive that likely no one but the parties involved knew about them, yet Lu Chaoqing had dug them up with such ease.

The planned “getting away with it” vanished, and the ironclad evidence sent them straight to prison. This also effectively shut the mouths of those with ulterior motives who had been stirring up trouble online. Seeing the tide turn, the fickle marketing accounts stopped sensationalizing the “friction” between the two and shifted to praising their “sisterly bond,” which was both ironic and amusing.

Lu Chaoqing sat in the production van, lazily skimming through the script for the day.

This variety show was called Shura Terror, a name that suggested a high level of horror. Usually, the best part of such shows is the genuine reactions of the guests, so the director hadn’t prepared a strict script, only informing the guests of the general flow. They were even told in advance where certain scares would occur to prevent anyone from being too traumatized.

Current trends had shifted from slow-paced or fixed-location shows to competitive ones; only eye-catching excitement could garner high ratings. Personally, Lu Chaoqing quite enjoyed this kind of show. Du Yaqing had previously asked her to find opportunities to interact with Lin Chumu on the program to create hype for the movie. There was even a pre-arranged “script” involving the cliché “Lu Chaoqing is scared, Lin Chumu plays the hero” routine.

These entertainment industry tropes were tried and true, and Lu Chaoqing had moved from her initial surprise to complete composure.

She hadn’t been in the industry for very long, but she had experienced several ups and downs. From debuting in the highly anticipated Lily of the Valley to the later infighting among teammates, and now to their solo careers—with two retired and the remaining three pursuing their own paths—it seemed that while Lily of the Valley might have left a brilliant mark on girl group history as a unit, the current situation wasn’t bad either.

Speaking of going solo, Lu Chaoqing thought of Chen Li and Ji You.

The leader, Chen Li, was someone she had been familiar with since her trainee days and was the one who worked the hardest during the group’s brief existence. Perhaps she wasn’t the most popular member, but she was never jealous in private and always worked hard to mediate between the girls.

Before exposing Jiang Qishuang, Lu Chaoqing had tentatively spoken with Chen Li. Once her teammates took that step, she might not have cared about the group anymore, but for Chen Li, such a group was hard-earned.

Chen Li had responded with a helpless silence.

Later, as the three went solo, Chen Li’s resources were decent, though she preferred to focus on creative work, so she took on fewer variety shows. Still, based on her previous popularity, her traffic wasn’t low. Ji You’s popularity within the group hadn’t been that high either, but now…

Lu Chaoqing casually opened her WeChat Moments and saw a new photo posted by Xia Lanlan. The girl sitting next to her was curled up, seemingly not wanting to show her face, but as a former teammate, Lu Chaoqing could tell at a glance that it was Ji You.

The two were in a bar, which surprised Lu Chaoqing. She never expected Ji You to go to a bar, though it was clearly Xia Lanlan who had brought her there. A quick scan showed the place was full of girls; it was likely a lesbian bar, safe for women.

As for Ji You’s feelings for her—Lu Chaoqing wasn’t stupid; she could vaguely sense them at times. However, as long as the other party didn’t say it out loud, Lu Chaoqing naturally chose to remain silent.

Now, Ji You contacted her less and less, and the messages were simpler. Their relationship hadn’t grown cold; it had just returned to that of normal friends, which was good.

Lu Chaoqing yawned and leaned on Lin Chumu’s shoulder, falling into a deep sleep.

An hour later, the van arrived at the destination on time.

There were five guests in total for this episode. Most had arrived early, with Lin Chumu and Lu Chaoqing being among the last. Among the guests were two Lu Chaoqing had met during her first variety show: Lu Ziqi and Ningmeng Cha.

Ningmeng Cha hadn’t liked Lu Chaoqing before, especially after they had practically bickered in public. However, as an entertainment streamer and an idol, they had little overlap, and Lu Chaoqing generally didn’t encounter her in her work. Surprisingly, the production team, in their quest for hype, had dug up those old grievances. Before this, Lu Chaoqing had almost forgotten about those trivial matters.

Ningmeng Cha appeared somewhat awkward. It was unclear if time had brought her enlightenment or if she simply realized they were no longer on the same level, but she wasn’t as arrogant as before. Instead, she took the initiative to shake hands.

As soon as their hands touched, they both recoiled as if shocked, the lack of harmony practically written on their faces. Naturally, Du Yaqing, who was following the schedule, wasn’t pleased. She later spoke privately with the directors, who claimed the original guest had a scheduling conflict and Ningmeng Cha was a last-minute replacement.

But the scent of manufactured drama was obvious. Not only was Du Yaqing an industry veteran who could smell it a mile away, but even Lu Chaoqing could see the production team’s intentions.

Lu Ziqi was the male idol who had been on the previous show with them. He had recently released a new album and had just won three first-place trophies on music shows. He was at the peak of his fame and had come to the variety show to solidify his popularity. Lu Chaoqing had helped him out in a previous program; although they weren’t close friends, they had a good impression of each other. Compared to Ningmeng Cha, Lu Ziqi was much more sincere.

Yet, as the director’s team arranged the upcoming segments, everything reeked of the “I just want to stir up hype” vibe.

This variety show lasted two days and two nights. Besides the haunted house exploration, there would be daily interactions, so they had to stay at a hotel. Lu Chaoqing’s room was arranged right next to Lu Ziqi’s.

The recording began tonight before bed. Lu Chaoqing heard a waitress knocking, saying she was delivering late-night snacks. When she opened the door, she was met by a “female ghost” with heavy makeup and disheveled hair. The NPC dutifully shrieked and threw a small prank prop at her, and a burst of grayish-pink smoke instantly exploded in the room.

Lu Ziqi’s door also flew open. The boy, whose hair was still dripping from a fresh shower, wailed as he was forced out into the hallway by the same tactic. The production team’s effort was obvious. However, Lu Chaoqing—who they expected to be pale with fright—showed little reaction after walking out. She leaned against the opposite wall to avoid the harmless smoke and commented with interest: “This sister’s makeup looks a bit fake. Don’t use simulation blood bags on the eyes; use that red medicinal liquid instead. It looks more realistic.”

“The bottom part of the intestines hanging on you is about to snap. It’s best to use stronger string and tie it twice; these meat sausages are quite heavy.”

Lu Chaoqing gave the kind reminder. The ghost, who was planning how to scare them, was momentarily lost. She stood there dazed, looking at Lu Chaoqing and Lu Ziqi, unsure how to proceed. It wasn’t until the director’s instructions came through her earpiece that the ghost retreated as if waking from a dream.

Seeing that Lu Chaoqing wasn’t scared at all, Lu Ziqi—who had been given the “hero saves the beauty” script—quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He had only found out earlier that the director wanted him to hype up a romance with Lu Chaoqing for the show’s ratings. The problem was that he was a male idol in his rising period; such a stunt with another girl was ridiculous.

Fortunately, Lu Chaoqing showed no interest in being associated with him. After handling the incident, she simply gave a polite, smiling greeting and went back to her room to sleep.

They thought the matter would end there, but the next day, the production team still hadn’t given up on their nonsensical idea. During the haunted house exploration task, the two were again paired up to enter together.

The theme of the haunted house was a team operation: every two people formed a squad. Each team had a different objective, and the first individual or team to find clues and navigate the maze would win. Teams could be changed midway using props.

At the start, a black cloth was tied over their eyes. When they entered and the blindfolds were removed, it was pitch black. The production team intended for Lu Chaoqing to hold onto Lu Ziqi’s shoulder as they entered, but she simply felt the uneven walls and moved forward slowly on her own.

A trap was just ahead, illuminated only by a dim lamp reflecting off a pool of stagnant water. A layer of greasy, animal-fat-like grime floated on top, and a tooth-grinding “creak-creak” sound echoed through the cave.

Lu Ziqi, walking in front, looked even more terrified than her. After a few steps, he didn’t dare move further. He stood there trembling, trying to find the source of the sound. Just then, the trap slammed shut. A wooden door separated the two of them into different sections.

Lu Ziqi was on the path forward, while Lu Chaoqing was trapped in a small pebbled area with rock walls blocking her way. Unless one was extremely flexible, the only way out was to unlock the door with a code. Lu Ziqi had never played this kind of game and was momentarily at a loss, his heart racing even more at the sound of nearby footsteps.

“Q-Qing, just wait there,” Lu Ziqi said, realizing after a try that the combination lock wasn’t something he could easily crack. He was still confused after several minutes. “I’ll go find a lock-picking prop and come back to save you!”

Inside, Lu Chaoqing’s voice was soft and sweet, putting on a frightened act that made for perfect television: “Then hurry up, Brother.”

Lu Ziqi nodded hurriedly, thinking that Lu Chaoqing really was just a young girl who had recently reached adulthood; she would definitely be scared being alone here. He handed the walkie-talkie to her, told her to call for help if anything happened, and quickened his pace.

The girl’s eyes remained fixed on him, but as she watched Lu Ziqi’s figure disappear into the distance, a subtle smile finally curled onto her lips.

Lu Chaoqing adjusted the walkie-talkie to the channel Lin Chumu was using. Her voice was as soft as before, but it now carried a hint of acting spoiled. As she watched a disheveled ghost crawl out from a crevice in the nearby valley, her face remained composed, but her voice sounded panicked: “Electronic map coordinates x23, y48. I’m locked up by myself… I’m a little scared. Can Sister come save me?”