DTBS - Chapter 141

Chapter 141: Main Story Finale

"CEO Tao," An Ningru handed the file box to Tao Qiuyun, who was sitting in her office chair, and said, "The police in Mingyang have already handed over the case to Tianhua. Jiang Lihe and Shi Beng jointly planned the kidnapping, and Shi Beng was also involved in drug trafficking. This is the report Captain Fang asked me to give you."

"How did Jiang Lihe and Shi Beng collude?" Tao Qiuyun opened the file.

"According to Jiang Lihe," An Ningru answered honestly, "he was actually provoked by Miss Qin once before, and he held a grudge because of it. As for Shi Beng, the online buzz about Miss Qin filming her first movie was too high. He was also preparing a movie and knew he couldn't compete with Director He Zhiwei based on skill. He originally wanted to suppress Miss Qin through his connections, but since she and you publicly revealed your wife-wife status, he couldn't do it openly, so he thought about sabotaging her secretly."

"So the two of them became partners in crime and colluded?" Tao Qiuyun's gaze was cold and stern.

"Jiang Lihe insisted that he originally had no criminal intent," An Ningru secretly glanced at the woman. "He told the police that you hit him, and he even showed the injury on his face. He just wanted to retaliate against you, but it was Shi Beng who planned all of this."

"And Shi Beng said that Jiang Lihe first brought up wanting to retaliate against Chunjin, which is why he suggested kidnapping Miss Qin to make you bleed a little and vent his own dissatisfaction."

"Just venting dissatisfaction?" Tao Qiuyun placed the file on the desk, her gaze sharp. "I don't believe his motive is that simple. I think he holds resentment over the previous drug trafficking organization matter. I will contact Captain Fang. You can go back to your work."

"CEO Tao," An Ningru pursed her lips and continued, "Actually, there's something else I wanted to mention, regarding the online news about Miss Qin."

"Go on."

"Miss Qin's popularity is very high right now, and with the movie and your added influence, the discussion level has risen to a terrifying degree. Her popularity was already sustained, and if the kidnapping incident is reported again, too much social media coverage in a short period might cause some public dissatisfaction. Coupled with your sensitive identity, it might not be a good situation for Miss Qin."

"So what are you trying to say? Get to the point."

"My idea is that we could suppress this incident for now and report it after the verdict for Jiang Lihe and Shi Beng comes down... What do you think?"

"I'm not surprised you would have this idea, but what about Fuyao? Have they coordinated with you? Or rather, after the kidnapping incident, did Fuyao proactively contact you?"

The woman's gaze was deep, seemingly able to probe directly into her heart.

"...No." An Ningru shook her head. Facing such a gaze, she really couldn't lie against her conscience.

Hearing this, Tao Qiuyun picked up the phone and dialed Zheng Liuyu's office extension: "Have Zhuohua come to Chunjin, find An Ningru, immediately."

"Okay, CEO Tao."

An Ningru, standing in the office, immediately didn't dare to speak...

"For professional matters like this," Tao Qiuyun looked at her, hands clasped on the desk, "leave it to the professional teams in the industry to handle. If you ask me, I can't give any professional or beneficial advice, and it might even be mixed with personal emotions. You should communicate directly with Fuyao's CEO. Also, pass on a message to him: if he can't even handle the public relations for his most popular and profitable artist, does he still want this company?"

"Yes, yes, CEO Tao."

"If this kind of communication breakdown happens again in the future, next time he won't be seeing you, he'll be seeing me."

"Understood, CEO Tao, I will pass on the message."

After An Ningru left, Tao Qiuyun leaned back in her chair and reached up to pinch her brow.

This won't do, she was getting more and more "decadent." Ever since she spent a few days intimately with her wife in Mingyang—no, ever since she returned from the conference there—not only did she lack motivation to work properly, but she also zoned out from time to time.

It seems being in love really is distracting...

It was time to go back to the small room in West Wind Courtyard, mix some drinks, and do some focus training.

Having decided to train her "focus," Tao Qiuyun left work on time today and drove back to Qin Qingshang's place to pack.

Anyway, Tao Aiqin and Meng Huashi were currently with Qin Qingshang at the film set for preliminary work on the variety show, supposedly to build rapport. She, being busy with work, really couldn't spare the time to accompany them.

Now that she was home, she was truly alone.

"Woof woof woof!" The big dog wagged its tail, jumping around the woman.

Are we going somewhere else to play, Woof?

"Thud—"

As Tao Qiuyun was tidying the closet, a square box fell to the floor. The big dog, wagging its tail, was attracted and curiously sniffed it: "Woof!"

Woof? What is this?

Tao Qiuyun was already used to Big Bold's curiosity. She thought it was an unopened pair of Qin Qingshang's underwear. She was just bending down to pick it up, but after seeing the text on the packaging, her body immediately stiffened.

This, this isn't...

The packaging box was exquisite and beautiful, and the French text on it perfectly matched the label of "romance." The words were passionate and unrestrained:

【Just 8 seconds, make you the most satisfied woman tonight (Large, bold font)】

【Bring the ultimate X experience! The peak pleasure only women can enjoy! (Small font)】

【Wireless vibrator, built-in and external dual modes, remote control, free your hands, a girl's good helper! (Extra small font)】

She could only say it was fortunate that Qin Qingshang didn't make her translate it completely on the show back then, otherwise she wouldn't know how to subtly process and express these words.

But...

Although Qin Qingshang said she would give this thing to her on the show, it was ultimately taken by the little cat. She said she would find a place to destroy and discard it.

Qin Qingshang's idea of discarding... was it just throwing it into her own closet? Hidden quite well.

"Woof?" The dog bit the packaging box.

"You can't bite this." Tao Qiuyun gently held Big Bold's snout, took the item out, stared at it, and thought for a moment.

So Qingshang didn't throw this thing away, and there were no signs of it being opened. What did she want to keep it for?

As a souvenir?

Or...?

Qin Qingshang, is she very interested in the "8 seconds to reach the peak" mentioned in the promotional text?

With this question in mind, Tao Qiuyun wiped the packaging box that the dog had bitten with a tissue, then sealed it in a bag and put it in her suitcase.

She'd test the waters first. See if her wife notices it's gone when she comes back, to confirm her attitude towards this little item.

If she's interested...

Then they could discuss whether to use it.

She had always respected Qin Qingshang's personal wishes, always confirming what she liked before proceeding.

For example, the coffee table and the glass wall, Qin Qingshang actually liked them very much. She just cursed her a couple of times verbally, but her body was very cooperative, even reacting more strongly than she did in bed.

The woman chuckled and shook her head...

She really loved the little cat's expressions when she was acting spoiled or grumbling.

"Achoo!" Qin Qingshang sneezed.

"Caught a cold?" Ming Siwen temporarily acted as an assistant, watching the female martial artist climb out of the pond. She handed her a towel. "Amazing, Teacher Qin, one take, no need to jump into the water a second time."

"Thank you, Teacher Ming." Qin Qingshang took the towel and wiped her face. "But speaking of getting the falling-into-water scene in one take, it reminds me of how I used to have to jump several times because a male actor in the crew deliberately messed up his lines!"

"Who was it?"

"Qi Xingwu," the little cat recalled, looking a bit emotional. "News broke out before, and he's in jail now. It's really... time flies. In the blink of an eye, it feels like the world is different."

The Mingyang police gave her feedback, saying Jiang Lihe and Shi Beng were going to court. Based on their crimes, they would get at least ten years, plus the drug involvement, likely life imprisonment.

This meant Jiang Lihe, the male lead of the novel, was destined to spend his life in prison. He could never recover, which also indirectly told her: her fate in the novel had been completely rewritten!

And Shi Beng, the culprit who drugged her back then, Tao Qiuyun seemed to have found other victims. His sentence would likely be even more severe than Jiang Lihe's... Serves him right!

"What's wrong?" Ming Siwen waved her hand in front of her eyes. "Lost in thought? Are you thinking about CEO Tao?"

"Qiuqiu? Thinking, of course I'm thinking about her," Qin Qingshang said, wiping her hair as she walked towards Wen Yu. "Teacher Ming, you might not know this as you're single, but thinking about her every day is very draining. That hateful Tao Qiuyun, I don't know what's so good about her that makes me think about her so many times a day!"

Ming Siwen: "...Heh, you're showing off your affection a bit too much."

Do you think I'm envious? No, I'm not! Not at all!

"You worked hard, Sister!" Wen Yu saw Qin Qingshang and Ming Siwen walking over together and quickly grabbed a thermos from the side, running over. "Here, drink some hot water."

"You used to come over immediately," the little cat took the thermos and took a sip of the rose tea inside. "Now you just watch from afar. Luckily, Teacher Ming feels sorry for me, otherwise I would have frozen to death."

"How could I~ Sister," Wen Yu chuckled dryly. "I was helping you look after the children!"

Ming Siwen looked over and saw Tao Aiqin and Meng Huashi, the two little girls, leaning their heads together and whispering. She exposed her: "I think Qinqin and Mengmeng can look after each other just fine, you don't need to watch them."

"Teacher Ming," Wen Yu looked at her. "Look, both our names have the character 'Wen' in them. We're all family, so don't state such obvious truths."

Ming Siwen: "...?"

Thank you! My "Siwen" is because my family was poor when I was little, and my mother hoped I would have enough to eat and wear warm clothes.

"Mama!" The little cat spotted the wet big cat and quickly ran over, touching the hem of her skirt, concerned: "Mama is so cold, need a hot bath!"

"Qinqin is so good!" Qin Qingshang squatted down and kissed her. Mindful of being wet all over, she didn't hug her. "Mama will go back and take a bath first. Qinqin, take Mengmeng and stay close to Auntie Ming, okay?"

"Okay!" The little cat nodded.

"Oh, right, Sister," Wen Yu saw her stand up and quickly followed her pace, saying as they walked, "Director He said Chinese New Year is coming soon, and he's giving everyone a break during the holiday, no filming."

"A break?" Qin Qingshang was a bit surprised. "Isn't Director He famous for filming in one go?"

"Yes, but he said you and CEO Tao just publicly announced your marriage not long ago. Regardless of when you actually got married, this is essentially like being newlyweds across the entire internet, so..."

As the two figures gradually moved away, Tao Aiqin's eyes showed relief:

"Sys, did you see? This is how the female lead should be. She can shine and thrive on her own, striving and fighting in the field she desires. Her lover won't point fingers at her career, won't condescendingly evaluate her for spending more time filming than accompanying them."

"She is a free soul. Her lover can be a harbor, but she can always decide the direction of her own voyage."

System: "That sentence of yours is very suitable for the end of an article."

"How is my mission progress?" Tao Aiqin asked it.

"It reached 100% long ago. Didn't you say there was a new DLC before? I thought you implicitly agreed to stay in this world."

"I originally didn't want to stay. From the beginning, I was very clear about my identity. I was an observer, and I was different from them."

"Then why are you choosing to stay now?"

"I'm still hesitating, Sys. How about you help me make the decision?"

"Huh? Me?" The System was surprised.

"Humans are no match for machines in calculation. I'm far slower and less accurate than you. If you can give me a suggestion, I would be very grateful."

"Uh, this is the first time you've talked to me like this. Honestly... I'm a little unaccustomed."

"Their love for me is something I stole. I understand this very well. I don't want to betray this love. If I leave... you said my body was given by the main system, so it will naturally take it back, right?"

"...Yes, you will disappear from this world."

"I considered before whether to just tell Tao Qiuyun I was leaving by saying I had a dream where my mother told me to go back. After all, they both always thought I was from a parallel world, so my return would be a very reasonable explanation."

The System remained silent...

"But what I'm hesitating about is that they are both very good people and accepted me. Leaving like this would be too cruel. How would they explain my whereabouts to the people in this world?"

"However, if I don't leave... I estimate that with Tao Qiuyun's personality, she definitely won't want another child. Actually, she has always been very considerate of my feelings; she respects me greatly. But as an outsider, wouldn't it be more selfish and excessive to forcibly occupy her daughter's future like this?"

"Sys, I initially decided to leave. I never even thought about staying, so I did whatever I wanted, treating all of this as a game... But the current situation is already out of my control. I know I was too arrogant and overestimated myself. Those who treat all of this as a game ultimately cannot get away unscathed."

"Now, as a highly intelligent AI, please calculate and tell me the result. Please tell me with absolute rational thinking which outcome is the best: should I go, or stay?"

The System didn't speak. After a long while, it finally said, "Sorry, although my positioning is a humanized system, you asking me to make this decision is the first time I've felt the meaning of the word 'pressure.' It's so heavy."

"Just tell me you are..."

"I hope you stay, Host." The System interrupted her. "If you leave, it means we will be separated, and I haven't prepared to welcome the next host yet..."

"So please, stay with me for a while longer."

The mechanical voice was flat and emotionless, but Tao Aiqin somehow heard a hint of warmth in it.

"Sys, you've become smarter, but you need to think clearly. If you stay... you'll have to accompany me for several decades."

"That's not necessarily true. Maybe you'll die young?"

"With you around, I could still die young? Then that would make you a disgrace to the System world!"

"I'm already a System looked up to by my juniors. They all envy me for having a Host who interfered in a family and can sleep in the same bed with them."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You are my first Host, and you're very good at earning points. You once said you were a novelist, so I decided to learn from you. I want to understand text, love text, so I spread your story on the forum for everyone to admire."

"6"

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