Chapter 8: Gossip Queen (8)

“I didn’t cause trouble,” Ming Shu corrected, “my foot did.”

“…” Where’s my knife?

Aileen was so angry that her breathing became heavy and rapid. She dragged over a chair to sit in, slamming her hand fiercely on the desk in front of Ming Shu. Tian Yuan, who was standing in a corner of the room, was startled by the loud sound and shuddered. She didn’t dare make any noise and draw attention to herself.

So scary!

Aileen forced a gruesome smile onto her face. “Tell me, Jiang Nian, what on earth are you planning?”

“To bully Ning Keqing.” Isn’t that exactly why I’m here? What else can I do?

The smile suddenly disappeared from Aileen’s face and she stared at Ming Shu blankly for a long time. Then, with a haggard voice, she said, “Are you kidding me? What’s the deal between you and Ning Keqing? How did she offend you?”

Aileen had asked Tian Yuan about this, but it turned out there was no relation between her and Ning Keqing. Jiang Nian started to bully her for no apparent reason. Was something wrong with her?

“Well, she pissed me off in every way,” Ming Shu answered.

It’s not my fault. I’m just taking the heat for the Harmony System.

“…” I’ll take her to see a doctor , Aileen thought.

…

The next day, Ming Shu received a call from the director telling her she was expelled. No reason was given, but apparently, only the golden thigh Li Shaonan could wield such power in the industry.

“What a weak snub,” Ming Shu commented after hanging up the phone, shoving a red bean cake into her mouth.

Tian Yuan was silent. What? Weak? You offended that Boss Li first, so isn’t it common sense that he’d take revenge on you? Next you’ll probably be completely cut off from acting…

Of course, Tian Yuan dared not say that now since Aileen hadn’t received such information. If she did get bad news later, there would be another storm. She had to save her energy in order to survive.

Ming Shu leisurely finished the red bean cake, then searched in her phone’s contacts list. Finally she found a number lying at the bottom and dialed.

Ring… ring…

Several rings later, a surprisingly cheerful voice answered, “Young Miss, you’re calling back?”

The Host had a sound family background. However, her parents didn’t approve of her entering the entertainment industry. They thought it was humiliating to the family when she had to frequently appear in public.

As a result, Jiang Nian started her career in secret. Later, when she became famous, her family found out and began to hinder her in every possible way.

Because of this, the Host had a tense relationship with her family. In the end, the Jiang family left Jiang Nian alone, while Jiang Nian seldom returned home. Even when they met with each other, it always ended up in arguments related to her career choice.

It had been nearly two years since the Host last saw her parents. It had been around then that she began to gain more attention and spent more time flying from place to place.

Speaking of which, it was when the Host was rumored to be having affairs with male stars that her relationship with her family worsened—perhaps it was her manner of protesting?

In the end, it was because of this issue that the Host didn’t ask her family for any favors even when she was fiercely suppressed by Ning Keqing in the story.

Why didn’t she use the most powerful weapon at her disposal? Well, it actually made sense. If she turned to her family, the one in the story’s leading role would have had too hard a time. So this was what they called a contrived plot device?

“Is Mrs….” Ming Shu swallowed the following words and coughed, changing the form of address. “Well… Is Mom at home?”

“Madam Jiang just went out. What can I do for you, Young Miss?” It was the Jiang family’s servant answering the phone; she tentatively asked: “It’s been a long time since you came home, Young Miss. Yesterday Madam Jiang and the young master were talking about you. Perhaps when you’re not busy, you’d like to stop by for a meal?”

Talking about her?

The Jiang family must’ve caught wind of the big news topics yesterday.

“I’ll come home tonight.”

“And Madam Jiang hasn’t been very well recently, if you… Huh? Young Miss will come home tonight? Wonderful, I’ll cook your favorite food. How about crispy braised crucian carp and poached spicy pork slices?”

Hearing the food names, Ming Shu answered “Yes” without any hesitation.

Once she’d hung up the phone, Ming Shu’s eyes started to gleam. According to the Host’s memory, the Jiang family’s chef was very good at cooking delicious meals.

[Guest, there’s an additional task for you to complete.] Without warning, the Harmony System issued this notice.

Ming Shu was in a good mood. “What is it?”

[Eliminate Jiang Xun’s feelings for Ning Keqing.]

Jiang Xun?

After delving into the Host’s memories, Ming Shu remembered that Jiang Xun seemed to be the Host’s cheap brother. He was called the cheap brother because he was adopted by the Jiang family.

Before the Host was born, when her parents were on a trip by the sea, they met the abandoned Jiang Xun. Mother Jiang insisted on adopting him, so Jiang Xun became the Host’s cheap brother.

The Host had never liked this brother of hers. Later, when her relationship with her family stiffened, she saw even less of him than originally.

In the story… It seemed Jiang Xun would really fall in love with Ning Keqing.

He appeared as a supporting role many times, but would meet a miserable end.

No problem! I have everything under control.

…

Ming Shu traveled to the villa where the Jiang family lived, according to her memories. It wasn’t a top-grade community, but it boasted an excellent environment. The Host loved this place the most—and that was why the Jiang family hadn’t moved for all these years.

It showed that the Host was doted on by her family. It was only because the Host remained true to herself when the family didn’t support her, as well as her being young and aggressive, that things had devolved so thoroughly.

Ming Shu parked her car outside the villa. She got out and rang the doorbell.

The gate was opened immediately after the bell rang. There was a tall figure standing in the shadow of the gate. It was a man with a handsome yet icy appearance whose eyes watched Ming Shu dully.

A straight suit with the neckband widened to a larger size, white collarbone exposed to the air—a totally abstinent style.

This man was the Host’s brother, Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun opened the gate and stood aside, uttering not a word.

He also hadn’t seen his younger sister in a while. Usually she would be seen on TV or in the newspaper. She was like a shining queen, constantly surrounded by a cluster of subjects.

Now, seeing her in person, Jiang Xun found that she was even prettier than on TV.

Ming Shu’s mouth curved; she entered the house. Jiang Xun reached out for her bag as he closed the gate and said, “Mom and Dad are waiting.”

His voice was very pleasing and clear, like flowing water. It was totally different from his dreary aura.

Jiang Xun was a little surprised that he was able to take Ming Shu’s bag—before, if he dared to touch her things, she would immediately become angry.

Jiang Xun looked up to see Ming Shu walking into the house. Out of nowhere, he thought her figure seemed to be different from before, more vivacious.

Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were both sitting in the living room. The former was reading a newspaper while the latter stared at him, the atmosphere a little depressed.

The servants’ greetings emerged from the hallway and Mother Jiang stood up swiftly, looking toward the voices.

Ming Shu came in with a sweet smile on her face, gloriously gentle and lovable. Mother Jiang looked like she was about to cry all of a sudden and quickly moved to give Ming Shu a hug. “Niannian, my poor Niannian.”

Every parent loves their children.

Father Jiang put down the newspaper, silently looking at Jiang Nian and Mother Jiang through his glasses. A muted softness spread across his serious face.

Ming Shu was perfectly at ease with Mother Jiang’s big hug. She lightly patted her shoulder and smiled. “Mom, can you cry later? I’m starving, can I have dinner first?”

“…”

Because he heard this, Jiang Xun was wearing a strange expression when he appeared in the doorway.