DTBS – Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Game Penalty

The little furball sprinting ahead seemed to have rocket boosters on her back. Just when Tao Qiuyun was about to catch her, she suddenly accelerated, widening the distance. This gave Tao Qiuyun the illusion of being provoked.

【Host, your skill has been passively activated,】 the System kindly reminded.

"Huh?" Tao Aiqin stole a glance at the virtual panel.

It read:

【Run Like a Thief】Activated. Anyone chasing you will always be one step slower.

(Note: Has a certain chance to provoke the opponent. Please maintain aggro.)

Tao Aiqin: "......"

Her villain mom was a CEO of a large corporation, a big shot. Surely, someone of that caliber wouldn't beat up her daughter on the street, right?

System: I don't understand humans.

Heaven helps those who help themselves. Either the little furball ran out of fuel, or she finally figured it out and decided not to run anymore. She stopped in front of the tiger statue in the shopping center plaza.

Seeing her stop, Tao Qiuyun seized the opportunity, quickly stepped forward, and scooped up the little cat. Her usually calm voice was now filled with anger: "Do you know how dangerous it is to run around like that!"

The four-year-old had run two whole streets on her short legs. If she had been hit by a sudden car, Tao Qiuyun didn't dare gamble on her reaction time in that instant.

After speaking, the woman pressed down on the little cat's head, ruffling her beautiful short hair. "Don't do it again, understand? If you don't want to go to school, we can talk about it, but you can't run around on the street."

Thankfully, the villain mom was still the master of emotional control, incredibly patient.

Tao Aiqin buried her little head in the woman's arms, pointing at the big screen and softly saying, "Qinqin saw Mama."

Hearing her soft, milky voice, half of Tao Qiuyun's anger dissipated. She looked up at the big screen in front of the shopping center.

The screen was playing a promotional video clip for 《White Robed Minister》. It seemed the drama's promotion and follow-up marketing were quite thorough and they were willing to spend heavily.

《White Robed Minister》, a light fantasy drama disguised as a martial arts drama. One commendable point was that its focus was indeed on the conflicts and grudges of the martial world. With realistic location shooting, makeup, and the actors' excellent performances, it was no surprise that it became a hit.

Qin Qingshang played a pair of twins. When they were seven, their entire family was wiped out. The elder sister was saved by a master and eventually became a cold, ethereal Taoist nun with flowing robes and graceful movements. The younger sister was taken away by a demonic cult, endured countless hardships, and rose to the position of protector within the cult.

They were blood-related and looked identical, but their life experiences were completely opposite. The martial world was stirred up again by a treasure map, and the sisters reunited years later, but their feelings and righteousness could not reconcile. Although they were supporting characters, they had a complete yet concise storyline, coupled with well-developed personalities and the actress's vibrant performance, which gained Qin Qingshang countless fans and made her an overnight sensation.

Tao Qiuyun watched the clip on the screen, vaguely hearing a few young girls nearby discussing "Qin Qingshang" and "Narcissus."

Narcissus?

Tao Qiuyun was puzzled, thinking about the fleeting glimpse of the red-clothed woman's veil falling in the screen just now... The elder sister was like a pure, unstained green lotus sleeping in water, while the younger sister was a fully bloomed, fiery red rose. Even if using flowers to describe them... Narcissus didn't seem fitting at all.

The little furball in her arms sniffled, her voice still carrying the pitiful tone of someone who had cried, like a wounded young animal. She rubbed her face against Tao Qiuyun's cheek. "Bad person, will you take Qinqin to see Mama? I miss her so much, so much. I promise to be good, woo woo woo~ Does Mama not want me anymore? I'll definitely be obedient."

"How could she not want you?" Tao Qiuyun softened her tone, raising a hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, unable to bear her listless look. "I'll take you to see her."

With that, she took out her phone, sent a message to Secretary Zheng, and then called Chang Suiyou on WeChat: "Hello? Teacher Chang, I'd like to ask if it's okay for Qinqin to start school two days later?"

"Yes, that's fine," the woman on the other end of the phone was very gentle. "Qinqin's enrollment was quite rushed anyway. If she starts two days later, we can prepare a welcome party for her to help the children bond."

"Thank you, Teacher Chang," Tao Qiuyun smiled and hung up the phone, tapping the little cat's nose. "Don't cry anymore. We're not going to kindergarten today."

"Then are we going to see Mama?" The little one clung to her arms dependently.

Tao Qiuyun really liked her obedient and quiet look. Looking at the message from Zheng Liuyu on her phone, she said, "Yes, I'll take you to see Mama. Your Mama has an announcement today; she's promoting 《White Robed Minister》 with the cast."

Tao Qiuyun carried her daughter towards the parking area and called Executive Assistant Wang: "Executive Assistant Wang, could you please find another car for me? Something inconspicuous, with a higher chassis, preferably under 200,000 yuan, and install a child seat in the back."

"...CEO Tao, if the price is not over 2 million yuan, the selection of brands you like might be limited."

"You didn't mishear. I said 200,000 yuan, not 2 million." Tao Qiuyun repeated patiently. "Also, please prepare a set of affordable clothes and a baseball cap in the car, and a camera. The camera specifications should be similar to those used by tabloid reporters. Additionally, prepare two pairs of binoculars; I need clear imaging."

"Understood, CEO Tao. Where should I park the car for you?"

"I'll send you the address on your phone right away. Oh, and the morning site inspection is temporarily canceled. You will attend the 2 PM meeting. Have the secretary's office prepare the meeting report and send it to me. The 4 PM international video conference will be moved to the evening. In principle, no leave is allowed."

"Received."

Tao Qiuyun hung up the phone, reached out and rubbed the soft little cat, smiling. "Remember, you can't call her Mama in public. Only if you agree, will I take you to see her. Otherwise, Mama will be angry."

"Okay~" The little cat held out her small fist. "I'll pinky swear with the bad Mama!"

"Also pinky swear not to run around next time."

"Okay~"

"Qinqin is so good!"

Seeing the cheerful Tao Qiuyun, Tao Aiqin quietly complained to the System: "I can guarantee that part of the reason she's so happy is because she's going to see the female lead."

System: You are human, you understand more.

"Sys, she's definitely planning to go see the female lead in disguise, but just wait, in typical novels, this kind of behavior always gets discovered, leading to a surprise for the female lead and bringing them closer!"

Whether Qin Qingshang was surprised or not, Tao Aiqin didn't know. But when Tao Qiuyun drove a gray Volkswagen SUV through several districts and took her to a beef noodle restaurant on the street, the woman wearing a black hoodie and ripped jeans, she was truly stunned.

"Let's eat lunch first," the young woman with her hair tied up and wearing a baseball cap had an outstanding presence. Ignoring the stares from people around her at her long legs, she picked up a few pieces of beef for the little cat opposite her. "After we eat, we'll go see Mama."

"Is Mama here?" Tao Aiqin blinked.

"Yes, we'll be able to see her soon," Tao Qiuyun said before burying her head in her noodles.

She had asked Zheng Liuyu to send her Qin Qingshang's contact information and schedule. She found out that Qin Qingshang had an interview event with the 《White Robed Minister》 cast nearby this afternoon.

The weather was great today, no rain, not too cold or hot. Plus, the cast had a filming location nearby, and the local government strongly supported it, even allowing the plaza to be used for the event. So, besides fans, there were also many people who came to watch the excitement from the periphery.

However, even though Tao Qiuyun had the phone number, she didn't call. She just saved it silently, hoping that one day this number, saved as "Miss Qin," would light up on her phone screen.

Would she want to see me?

After lunch, Tao Qiuyun found a relatively remote, high-ground, open field to park. After opening the car door, she let the little cat lie on the window.

Tao Qiuyun held her daughter's body, adjusted the binoculars for her, and let her look through them.

Tao Aiqin: "...Sys, I really didn't expect this. Was this CEO a graduate of a military academy? How is she doing reconnaissance work?"

At this distance, it would be a miracle if they were exposed!

System: "..." Taking notes, taking notes.

Tao Aiqin: "Don't learn random things! Her behavior isn't quite normal."

System: "Actually, I don't think you're normal either."

Tao Aiqin: "...My native language is speechless."

"Wow, we have so many friends in the audience today! Are you all viewers of our 《White Robed Minister》?" The host took the stage with a microphone.

"YES!!!" The fans below shouted loudly. Luckily there was no roof, or the sound waves would have lifted it off.

"Alright, let's not talk too much. The sponsors' signs are all here, you know what's up. Remember to support them! Now, let's get straight to the point. Please welcome our guests today, make your entrance!"

There were four guests in total: the male and female leads, and the important male and female supporting characters. The director and screenwriter were people who didn't like to show their faces, and since the drama had finished airing, they simply let the actors take the stage.

Tao Qiuyun held the little cat with one hand and the binoculars with the other. In the lens, the smiling, freely answering Qin Qingshang was someone she had never seen before.

The little cat had two faces, and the big cat also had several attitudes towards people.

"Now the pressure is on our Qingshang," the host directed the camera towards Qin Qingshang, who was sitting on another sofa. "Qingshang, when you took on this role, was there a lot of pressure?"

"If I said there was no pressure, I'd definitely be lying," Qin Qingshang smiled and looked directly at the camera generously. "The audition at the time was very difficult, after all, Director Niu is famously strict in the industry."

"How come I feel Director Niu is famously good at filming beauties? When he saw you, he must have been very satisfied," the host praised her with good judgment.

After all, according to the current trend, as long as the capital bigwigs didn't deliberately suppress Qin Qingshang, she would definitely ride the wave of 《White Robed Minister》 and soar, finally seeing her efforts pay off.

"To have such a finished product, it's thanks to Director Niu and Screenwriter Yang who helped me thoroughly go through the script, and also Sister Ding who shared her experience," Qin Qingshang looked at the female lead beside her. "Only then could I achieve the effect shown."

"Qingshang is a very talented actress," Ding Yuyan took over. "Her crying scene in the rain was done in one take. Director Niu was so happy he kept kissing the camera."

Qiao Donglai, who played the male lead, couldn't help but laugh. "Indeed, I wasn't there when that scene was filmed. Later, when my manager told me about it, he was still gasping for air in front of me, making me think Director Niu was passionately kissing the cameraman."

The atmosphere became lively, and the fans below were also enthusiastic, with constant cheers and laughter.

"It was done in one take!" The host showed a surprised expression, then quickly brought the topic back. "We've asked everyone before about the most surprising scene in 《White Robed Minister》. So, Qingshang, which scene gave you the biggest shock? Was it the crying scene in the rain?"

"No," Qin Qingshang shook her head, showing a look of recollection. "I think... it should be the plot where the sisters swap identities in the later stages."

When she said this, there were waves of cheers from the audience below, seemingly agreeing with her.

Qin Qingshang smiled and faced the audience. "Right? The first time I saw the twins swap identities, I was indeed surprised. Then Director Niu calmly told me that twins should be used for identity swaps, it's a very cliché plot."

"Not cliché! It's good! We love watching it!" A fan below shouted back, very loudly. Everyone on stage laughed.

"Although the setting is cliché, Qingshang acted it very well," Ding Yuyan was very supportive of her. "Only when I rewatched it did I notice some deliberate small details, like the elder sister unconsciously touching the sword at her waist, while the younger sister uses a red ribbon as a weapon, usually hidden in her sleeve."

"It's hard to notice on the first watch," the male lead Qiao Donglai nodded. "Our scenes were filmed interchangeably, and Qingshang's sister swap scene was filmed last. At the time, I really thought the younger sister was going to die, who knew, hey! Didn't expect it, I'm from Xiangshan Temple, your acupuncture point sealing is useless against my martial arts."

He stood up and gestured a few times. "Then I just snatched the Left Protector's sword and went on a killing spree, cool!"

"Hahaha, Brother Dong," Ai Yi, who played the male supporting role, laughed and fell onto the sofa. "You're too funny."

"Qingshang's dancing is very neat and graceful, while our Donglai is just... awkward," the host and Qiao Donglai were from the same company and were familiar with each other. He teased him and continued to Qin Qingshang, "Even with different stances, the elder sister is still willing to believe the younger sister. What do you think is the reason? Is it the unbreakable blood tie or something else?"

Knowing that the host was constantly giving her screen time, Qin Qingshang gave him a grateful look and took the cue. "I believe the elder sister felt the younger sister's suffering the moment they first met. They are twins, close since childhood, they even deliberately made identical wounds to make each other happy. For such a sister, the elder sister is unwilling and would not believe that she is truly such a heartless person."

Qin Qingshang was wearing a white shirt and white trousers today, with minimal makeup. As she sat on the sofa, speaking with a straight back, her clear female voice perfectly matched the description of having an ethereal appearance and beautiful looks.

"Even after years apart, they never stopped looking for each other. This is enough to prove that their bond hasn't faded, just buried deep inside. So when the younger sister was helpless and alone, the elder sister, who had higher martial arts skills, took the initiative to suggest swapping identities with her. After the younger sister scoffed at her, she even forcefully knocked her out. She would rather die herself than let her sister live..."

"No matter what, the elder sister will always protect her younger sister. It's true that she is a cold, self-controlled Taoist nun who never kills, but she will unconditionally break her vows for her only sister in this world. This is my understanding of this character."

"And the younger sister experienced unimaginable pain, forced to become ruthless to survive. But in their first meeting, she still showed mercy to her sister, which shows she isn't truly as cold and heartless as the rumors in the martial world say. In the later plot, she tried hard to imitate her sister, suppressing her inner anger. That feigned fairy-like appearance was the image of her sister in her heart."

"Because in her heart, her sister will always be in the softest place, she is her light."

Below, a group of fans shouted, "We're shipping it!"

Qin Qingshang smiled helplessly and said to the audience below, "Don't ship everything! They are biological sisters."

The younger sister's ending was quite tragic, otherwise, it wouldn't have passed censorship...

"Loving it even more, loving it even more!" The fans below cheered, both male and female.

Narcissus is great! Solo fans love it too!

It was believed that once this interview was broadcast, the video editors' knives would be itching again. What if the ending was a Bad Ending? In fanfiction, the dead can come back to life!

After a brief interview, the host started cueing the segments. The male lead and male supporting character formed one team, and the female lead and female supporting character formed another. The two teams started playing a box-touching game. Ding Yuyan was afraid of slippery creatures, which caused their team to lose by one point to the other team, requiring them to undergo a punishment.

"Who will draw the punishment slip?" The host took out a box that was transparent on one side, containing many small balls with numbers written on them.

"I will..." Qin Qingshang raised her hand, ready to take the punishment for the senior who had taken care of her in the cast.

Ding Yuyan was a very good person. In the novel, when Qin Qingshang was at her lowest, she was still willing to help her, simply because she appreciated talent.

"I'll do it. How can I let my teammate take responsibility for my mistake!" Ding Yuyan rolled up her sleeves, looking ready for a big task, and reached into the box, taking out a small ball with "7" written on it.

"Alright!" The host showed a mischievous smile. "The next segment is quite exciting! Friends who are dozing off, open your eyes wide! When our guests entered, they all handed in their phones, and we also confirmed with them that there are no unspeakable secrets on their phones... Next! Our punishment is!"

He tore off the strip on the back panel, which read:

【Have your teammate call a random contact in their phone whose name starts with that letter. Without revealing the show, ask them to borrow 50,000 yuan. PS: Number corresponds to letter order】

"Let's bring up Qingshang's phone! The number seven corresponds to the letter G. Come, Qingshang, please unlock it for us and let's see who the lucky star is."

Hearing this, Qin Qingshang's heart skipped a beat. There was only one person in her contacts whose name started with G...

It was Tao Qiuyun.

She had saved her contact as Gan Gan.

After all, she clearly wanted to contact her, even having her secretary provide the contact information, but insisted on waiting for her to initiate contact.

For CEO Tao, was a female star's phone number that hard to get? She wasn't serious at all.

And she was also afraid of the name Tao Qiuyun being discovered, so she specifically used a nickname.

As a result...

Hope CEO Tao doesn't say anything she shouldn't!

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