The Fake Daughter is a Max-Level Green Tea [Transmigrated into a Book] - Chapter 73

Chapter 73: Special Chapter 1 — Four-Leaf Clover

On the day Lu Chaoqing and Lin Chumu went public, Xia Lanlan experienced what it felt like for Weibo to crash for the first time.

She had heard that the last time Weibo crashed was when a top-tier celebrity was exposed for keeping over a dozen lovers. By the time she managed to log in, that specific trending topic had been removed, replaced by overwhelming news of the celebrity being blacklisted. As a professional internet surfer, Xia Lanlan had little interest in that scandal; her favorite pastime was “shipping” couples online.

She had actually started stanning Lu Chaoqing a long time ago, back when the girl group Lily of the Valley (LOTV) had just debuted. Truly, LOTV’s momentum at debut was incredible. Everyone predicted that this group, which gathered the hopes of the elites from the two major entertainment companies MT and EM, would sweep the Rookie of the Year awards. They drew massive attention as “Monster Rookies.”

Among the five members—Chen Li, Jiang Qishuang, Lu Chaoqing, Ji You, and Yao Xichen—the two most popular were Jiang Qishuang, with her striking looks, and Lu Chaoqing, with her quirky charm. Xia Lanlan didn’t consider herself a visual-stan, so she liked Lu Chaoqing best from the start, even though Jiang Qishuang’s exotic beauty was more impactful.

When did she start paying attention to Ji You?

That was something she had to think about carefully.

LOTV never held fan-sign events, even though that was a primary way for idols to meet fans. This girl group, which shone so brightly but lived such a short life, only had time to hold concerts. To be honest, Ji You wasn’t a particularly eye-catching presence on stage. With the camera-savvy and high-impact Jiang Qishuang present, Ji You’s merely delicate features weren’t enough to capture much attention in the entertainment industry.

She noticed Ji You during a chance encounter.

Xia Lanlan was an unrevealed trainee. Unlike MT’s “just do it” style, her company loved to procrastinate, often keeping a group of people from debuting and just letting them waste away. Only those inside knew that once you entered, it was impossible to leave. Fortunately, the company’s management of trainees was relatively loose; as long as there wasn’t a specific task that day, they were occasionally allowed to go out.

During a break, Xia Lanlan went shopping and ran into Ji You and Yao Xichen on the street.

As a fan of LOTV, she recognized them despite their heavy disguises.

“Out of breath just from carrying a bag?” Unlike the persona she showed others, a hands-off Yao Xichen spoke sarcastically to Ji You, who was covered in shopping bags. “You’re not some rich young miss, do you really think you can avoid manual labor? You should thank me for ‘curing’ you now, otherwise, what will you do later when you can’t be an idol? Wait to die? Hmm?”

Ji You kept her head down and remained silent. Her quiet demeanor was like a soft, fluffy puppy—the kind of look that easily triggers a desire to bully. Seeing this, Yao Xichen became even more aggressive. Taking advantage of the lack of people around, she slapped Ji You on the head. “I’m so fucking tired of your ‘pitiful’ act all day. Who are you putting it on for? For the cameras? You’re just like those white lotuses in TV dramas. You think that person named Lu is sincerely helping you? She’s just doing it to maintain her persona. Now that everyone is doing their own thing, who do you think is going to pity you?”

Ji You still didn’t speak. Yao Xichen felt like she was punching a ball of cotton—soft and yielding, giving her no leverage. She gradually grew bored. They were on the street, and though there weren’t many people, she couldn’t keep getting physical without drawing attention. Noticing a few eyes on them, Yao Xichen cleared her throat, glared at her, and strode away.

They were about to cross the road. Xia Lanlan happened to be going the same way. She slowed her pace a few steps behind them, staying close enough to hear but far enough not to raise suspicion. But Ji You’s next move was strange.

After walking a few steps, Ji You suddenly turned around. Her movements were swift; she threw all the bags directly into a trash can. Judging by the packaging, they were luxury skincare brands like SK-II and Dior, yet Ji You discarded them decisively without a hint of regret.

The “thud” of the bottles colliding and the sound of them breaking startled the few scattered pedestrians. They watched in confusion as Ji You quickened her pace after dumping the items, completely unable to understand why someone would throw away luxury goods worth well over ten thousand yuan.

Turning back at the noise, Yao Xichen’s face changed instantly, her eyes filled with rage. But in public, she couldn’t make too big a scene; Ji You had counted on this.

Ji You strode away, leaving Yao Xichen behind. It was obvious those were items Yao Xichen had bought and forced Ji You to carry, otherwise, she wouldn’t have looked so upset.

Xia Lanlan kept this incident to herself as “teammate gossip,” neither posting it online for clout nor telling anyone else. It wasn’t until she got to know Ji You later that she learned Ji You had actually been the one who bought the skincare products that day. She had bought them to appease Yao Xichen—or rather, to “buy” her peace.

Unfortunately, Yao Xichen wasn’t grateful at all and continued to target her. So, Ji You decided to stop pretending; tearing off the mask was at least satisfying for herself.

That was Ji You’s first act of rebellion. After returning to the dorm, the two had a cold war for several days.

That was also the first time Xia Lanlan saw a version of Ji You offline that was completely different from her public image.

She had to admit, the sudden aura of strength erupting from a usually soft girl had a heart-stirring magic to it. After returning home that day, Xia Lanlan inexplicably looked up every video of Ji You since her reveal. The more she watched, the more hooked she became. As a result, she showed up to training the next day with dark circles under her eyes and got chewed out by her mentor.

When Yao Xichen’s verbal abuse eventually escalated to physical violence, Ji You finally couldn’t take it anymore and reported it. Consequently, LOTV disbanded, the members went solo, and Xia Lanlan encountered a new show called The Voice of Joy, where she met Lu Chaoqing and Ji You.

Xia Lanlan wanted to talk to Ji You. She was dying of curiosity and desperately wanted to know certain things, but Ji You’s attitude toward her was strictly professional. Or rather, to anyone she wasn’t familiar with, that girl was like a turtle hiding in its protective shell, placing herself in a high-security environment.

Xia Lanlan really wanted to crack that shell. Her attention slowly shifted from Lu Chaoqing to Ji You. She even went to get an autograph from Lu Chaoqing right in front of Ji You. As she was asking for the signature, she saw Ji You look up at her, though the gaze was just a brief, indifferent sweep.

Later, during a performance on stage, Xia Lanlan danced to a self-choreographed piece. There was a tiny flaw in one movement, but overall it was very good—certainly commendable for a trainee. However, the always-strict Meng Lixi singled out that error and scolded her. Even the usually cheerful and optimistic Xia Lanlan felt a bit gloomy.

After going backstage, Xia Lanlan went to the restroom to wash her face. As droplets fell from her fingertips, a tissue caught them. A girl’s slender fingers carefully supported the tissue from below, her gaze gentle, calm, and cautious.

“Don’t cry.” Ji You squeezed out two words after a long pause, her flushed face showing her sincere desire to comfort her. “You already did very well. Senior Meng is just strict; she’s always like that. She didn’t mean to… to target you.”

Xia Lanlan actually hadn’t been crying. She didn’t think her mindset was that fragile. But seeing the other’s flustered appearance, she suddenly felt like teasing her. She lowered her head and even made her shoulders tremble. Ji You, who was slightly shorter than her, frantically stepped forward to pat her back. Xia Lanlan took the opportunity to lean her head on Ji You’s shoulder.

Ji You hurriedly half-embraced her to comfort her, while carefully maintaining a bit of physical distance. However, the moment she sensed the girl in her arms was actually stifling a laugh, she let go, her brows furrowing slightly.

“Sorry, I just wanted to tease you.” Xia Lanlan’s smile returned to its usual brightness. Her appearance made it impossible to stay mad at her. “You always seemed so gloomy before, so I really just wanted to cheer you up.”

“Oh.” The previously calm Ji You suddenly turned cold upon hearing the last sentence, as if a sore spot had been poked. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”

“Wait, don’t!”

Xia Lanlan had been in a great mood lately, mostly because the “Chaoqing & Mumu” CP she shipped was giving out so much content that her “granary” was full. Seeing that Ji You was genuinely unhappy, she really wanted to offer a few words of comfort. She suggested that since recording was over, Ji You should come to her dorm to hang out.

Ji You silently let herself be pulled along, listening with little interest to Xia Lanlan’s rambling, even though she usually smiled at such things. Later, Xia Lanlan wanted to play a game with her. Just as she opened her phone, Ji You’s gaze froze, as if she had been burned: “What is this?”

Xia Lanlan’s lock screen and wallpaper were both photos of the Chaoqing & Mumu couple—one was a selfie, and the other was an intimate, photoshopped edit. Ji You’s expression changed instantly. However, she managed her emotions well, quickly suppressing the sadness of unrequited love and quietly apologizing to Xia Lanlan for her attitude earlier.

Xia Lanlan thought that would be the end of it, but after studying her for a moment, she bluntly asked: “Eh… do you like Lu Chaoqing, or do you like Lin Chumu?”

Ji You’s hand suddenly shook, nearly dropping her phone. She felt the dark chagrin and shame of having her feelings suddenly exposed. She looked at Xia Lanlan with a flushed face, panicked and sorrowful. But the other party didn’t mind: “If you like them, they probably aren’t together yet; it’s just fan imagination. You could go confess…”

“No!”

Ji You denied it almost instinctively, then met Xia Lanlan’s puzzled gaze.

“Ah, you don’t like them… I thought you liked Lu Chaoqing…”

Once upon a time, liking a girl was indeed a very shameful thing for Ji You. That sense of shame stemmed from the attitude of her parents and elders. Although her relationship with her family was usually good, once, when she tentatively tested the waters by jokingly mentioning her sexual orientation, her parents’ answer chilled her to the bone.

While watching a news interview about a boy being kicked out of his home for being gay or a girl being forced into marriage for the same reason, her usually kind parents actually nodded in agreement with those actions. Her grandmother, who was eating with them at the time, shook her head in confusion: “Why bother now? Once they get married and have children, they won’t think the other person is bad anymore. There will be some feelings eventually… Girls are easier to manage; once they have a child, they automatically shift their focus to the kid. It’s just that men are harder to control. Luckily, ours is a girl, not a boy.”

During that meal, Ji You buried her head deeper into her bowl to hide the tears that fell with a splat.

The people around her always viewed the possibility of same-sex marriage laws as absurd. Only Xia Lanlan had spoken of it so openly. Even when she had no intention of confessing to Lu Chaoqing and was unprepared to ever be with her, Xia Lanlan was the one who went to ask.

Xia Lanlan impulsively rushed up to Lu Chaoqing after a recording session. Ji You’s heart nearly stopped, and she chased after her, but luckily, the other girl only asked if Lu Chaoqing liked boys or girls.

“That? I like girls.” Lu Chaoqing wasn’t bothered by the question at all; instead, she enthusiastically asked back, “What about you?”

Xia Lanlan stammered: “Me? I guess it depends on the situation.”

The conversation was short because Lu Chaoqing was called away for something. Xia Lanlan, left behind, turned around and bumped into Ji You. Out of politeness and a sense of boundaries, Xia Lanlan hadn’t asked if Lu Chaoqing was single, but she could guess the answer from her reaction.

Ji You brushed back a stray lock of hair, hiding her slight disappointment as she strode forward, only to be grabbed by the arm by Xia Lanlan. She stumbled and nearly fell into the other’s arms.

“If you’re feeling unhappy, want to go watch the meteor shower with me?” Xia Lanlan winked. “I heard there’s a Leonid meteor shower tonight. The next time we’ll see it is hundreds of years from now. And this meteor shower is said to have a section that looks like a four-leaf clover. I’ve never seen a four-leaf clover before.”

She dragged Ji You away without waiting for an answer. Ji You followed her reluctantly, but the meteor shower didn’t arrive as predicted by the weather bureau that night. After waiting for a while, both grew cold. Xia Lanlan ran back to the dorm to get a small blanket and some snacks—all low-sugar and low-fat.

Ji You ate a little and, as if remembering something, suddenly chuckled and asked if Xia Lanlan also secretly ordered takeout. Xia Lanlan immediately opened up and ranted about how strict her management was. The last time she was caught with fried chicken, she was forced to eat only yogurt salad for three days and had to do two hours of extra training; she almost collapsed.

the girl beside her just smiled, a flash of bitterness in her expression.

Ji You thought back to her trainee days when Lu Chaoqing would also secretly order takeout, and every time she was mistreated, Lu Chaoqing would stand up for her. It wasn’t until Lu Chaoqing and Lin Chumu’s movie was released that Ji You, having freed herself from the heartache of that time, suddenly realized that Xiang Yunchen was not only like Lu Chaoqing but also a bit like her past self.

Except she didn’t have Xiang Yunchen’s sharp thorns hidden beneath a soft exterior, so no Xu Mulin would ever come for her.

Days passed, and immersed in work, Ji You soon forgot about her crush on Lu Chaoqing. Although her heart would still ache occasionally when she thought about it, she sent her blessings when the two went public.

However, what helped her move on—aside from an increasingly busy work schedule—was Xia Lanlan’s constant pestering.

Xia Lanlan had trained for a long time, but just as she was one step away from debuting, she suddenly gave up her spot and chose to work behind the scenes. She said that a career where you shine on screen but can be attacked for any small mistake didn’t suit her; she preferred a free, impulsive life, unconstrained by cameras.

Ji You asked, “Is that why you terminated your contract and applied to be a manager at MT?” Xia Lanlan replied with a grin, “Yes.”

Under Xia Lanlan’s management, Ji You never faced any more trouble. This girl was familiar with her and had been a trainee herself. Trainees aren’t as isolated as outsiders imagine; they are actually quite aware of business matters and industry politics. Xia Lanlan always prioritized Ji You’s perspective, which made Ji You very comfortable.

They worked together for two years. Their first long separation happened when Ji You went to record a new variety show that gathered talents from the music industry. As a junior, she was honored to be invited, but she had to live in isolation for two months. It was a “slow” variety show that required a lot of time, and its success wasn’t guaranteed, but Ji You didn’t mind.

After Xia Lanlan took the job for her, Ji You began preparing. On the day of departure, Xia Lanlan gave the assistant a day off and came to help pack clothes herself. She kept stuffing snacks into the suitcase until Ji You insisted it couldn’t hold any more. Xia Lanlan stood leaning against the door, unusually silent.

Two years was enough to change many things. Lu Chaoqing and Lin Chumu were planning to get their marriage certificate in their third year together. Xia Lanlan had mysteriously grown a bit taller at age 21; her legs were long and straight, a pleasant sight. In private, Ji You remained as simple as ever, unchanged even though she could now afford a luxurious lifestyle. But her keen perception, the same as before, allowed her to immediately sense Xia Lanlan’s sorrow at their parting.

It was a strange feeling, Ji You thought.

She had never felt such reluctance to part with a manager before. Work was work; once work was over, they might be ordinary friends, but even with someone as easygoing as Du Yaqing, she hadn’t formed a deep bond. Yet Xia Lanlan would clingily make video calls even when Ji You was resting, under the guise of “monitoring my artist’s meals.”

Ji You never found her annoying, though she felt a bit helpless toward the girl’s childish emotions.

Ji You reached out and patted Xia Lanlan’s head, saying softly like she was coaxing a child, “I’ll be back in two months. I promise to gain at least three pounds.” She weighed less than 90 pounds now; while not skin and bones, she was far too light.

They were indeed apart for two months, but when Ji You returned, she wasn’t unscathed. Before the recording ended, she listened to a senior and went up a mountain to help pick a plant. She brought back the wrong one, sprained her ankle, and was ridiculed for it. The assistant told Xia Lanlan that last part.

Ji You slept all afternoon that day. In the evening, she hobbled up to make herself some pigeon soup, hearing it was best for healing bones. But the moment she pushed open the kitchen door, she smelled a warm, savory aroma.

Xia Lanlan, who usually never touched housework, was clumsily adjusting the flavor of the pigeon soup. She turned around, looking a bit flustered as she saw Ji You had come in early. She had wanted to surprise her and hadn’t expected Ji You to wake up so soon. Holding a soup ladle, the girl looked quite huffy as she saw Ji You enter: “You can’t take care of yourself and won’t let me go with you. Look at you now!”

Her huffy look reminded Ji You of a hamster she once raised. Ji You couldn’t help but step forward and pat her back. Just as she was about to offer some comfort, the girl holding the ladle burst into tears. The usually optimistic girl’s sudden tears left Ji You at a loss. Then she heard Xia Lanlan mumble: “And I don’t know what to do with myself either. I’m an idiot too.”

“The soup needs to wait until the water boils and bubbles before you can serve it; it’s definitely not ready yet.” Ji You’s voice was gentle as she guided Xia Lanlan while leaning on her for support for her bad leg. “And the salt…”

Xia Lanlan had an internal struggle before quietly wrapping her arms around Ji You’s waist. Ji You’s waist was softer and more comfortable than she imagined. For some reason, Ji You, who was usually sensitive to touch, didn’t protest; her face simply turned red in silence.

“Hey.” It was Xia Lanlan who finally broke the silence. Although the slender, soft waist felt good in her arms, that comfort felt somewhat surreal. “As a manager, is this posture a bit wrong?”

Seeing Ji You didn’t answer, Xia Lanlan continued to vent her grievances: “Being your manager is really exhausting, and loving you is also really exhausting. Every time something happens, as long as it doesn’t blow up, you never tell me when you’re being mistreated. I only find out later and have to go bully them back for you. You’re backed by MT, one of the top entertainment companies in the country! I’m telling you, Ji You, you’re not a nobody anymore. Why do you do whatever people tell you to do and let them say whatever they want? If that shitty show is bad, just don’t record it. Have you ever thought about how I’d feel if you fell somewhere? You take their words so seriously, but you can ignore mine, right? Didn’t I tell you to find me if anything happens…”

Though her tone was complaining, her voice remained gentle. Xia Lanlan let out a “tsk” and was about to let go, but her hem was lightly tugged, and a splash of fresh green entered her vision.

It was a four-leaf clover.

Most of these plants have three leaves; it is said that luck happens when you see a four-leaf clover. After hearing the senior mention it, Ji You had volunteered to go up the mountain to look for it. In the end, she only found this one among the vast greenery and naturally couldn’t bear to give it away to anyone else.

When she originally intended to keep it for herself, she suddenly remembered Xia Lanlan, who hadn’t seen the “four-leaf clover meteor shower” with her years ago. Perhaps that had just been a rumor, but the talkative girl had complained to her about her disappointment for a long time.

But she had found one now. It didn’t look that special, and it might even look a bit ugly if worn on the head.

But seeing the girl supporting her gradually flush red was truly endearing. Ji You looked up and, for the first time, summoned the courage to follow her heart and whisper into the other girl’s ear: “If being a manager is too exhausting, then how about trying another role? Like… being my girlfriend?”