Kapitel 112: The Innocent Victim (3)

"Why is Qing Qing there?"

Sylvia expected her mother to at least know something but honestly, Joann had no idea as well. She was as in the dark as her daughter.

It was as her daughter had pointed out, the picture was of Qing Qing in a faded black outfit sitting in the Starbucks that Joann could recognize as the one close to Lee Mu's place based on the more high-end decor.

There was no other customer captured in the picture and based on the lighting, Joann assumed it was already quite late at night when the picture was taken.

An observation that was confirmed when Sylvia provided, "The picture was taken around 1 or 2 in the morning. It was very early." Sylvia paused for the information to percolate before adding in a conspiratorial tone, "Which I have to say is very weird."

Joann hated to admit it but Sylvia had a point. It was indeed very weird for Qing Qing to appear at Lee Mu's place so late at night considering they were just colleagues. Of course, Qing Qing could be there to meet someone else or this was just a coincidence but could things be that coincidental...?

At least Joann did not think so.

Furthermore, the trail of curious anomalies did not end there. In the picture, Qing Qing was slumped down in her seat like she did not want people to see her. Why would she act in such a secretive manner? What kind of secret she was trying to hide?

Joann thought about it with the clues circulating in her head. 'A late night rendezvous, a reluctance to be seen...' Then it clicked for Joann. 'Wait a minute, if I'm not mistaken, Qing Qing is interested in Lee Mu, right? I have not being following on their relationship but if Qing Qing is seen at Lee Mu's place so late at night, does this mean Lee Mu also reciprocate Qing Qing's feeling?'

The more Joann considered it, the more confident she became. 'That has to be the case. That's the only scenario that can logically explain everything. A late night visit to cement their relationship and since they are both celebrities, Qing Qing did not people finding out and making a big deal out of it. Yes, that has to be it!'

Sylvia apparently had come to the same conclusion because she turned to ask her mother, "Mom, do you think I should publish this piece or just leave their relationship be?"

This implied that Sylvia also believed there was a relationship between Qing Qing and Lee Mu. Then again, how could she not? She personally took this picture and she knew what it look like.

She did not publish it immediately because she wanted to ask her mother's opinion first, since the characters involved were two of her co-stars. Yes, Sylvia valued her job but more than that, she respected her mother.

Joann was glad that her daughter came to her with this news before printing it with the papers.

There was a turn of phrase popular among the Chinese entertainment industry called Jian Guang Si or literally translated as See Light Die. It spoke of the overwhelming tendency for relationship between celebrities to fail after they were exposed to the public. Like an ant put under the microscope, the relationship shriveled up under the sun.

Joann admitted that this could be nothing more than industry superstition but she did not want anything to spoil the burgeoning relationship between her two co-stars whom she treated as her own close and dear friends. Naturally, she only wanted what was best for them.

Joann revealed this intention of hers to Sylvia.

Sylvia contemplated this in her mind. While an expose of a celebrity couple was big news but Qing Qing was not really that popular to get the piece to the front page. If anything, when it was exposed that the two were dating, the poor girl might get swarmed and attacked by Lee Mu's loyal fans. Sylvia knew Qing Qing was her mother's close friend so she decided to spare the young woman the torment. She was going to do her mother this favour.

She nodded and said, "Alright then. If you say so, mother. I'll have my team hold the news."

"Thank you, Sylvia. It means a lot to me."

"Don't mention it, mom." Then Sylvia picked up her laptop and her camera off the table and headed to her room, probably to find a new scoop to write about.

Joann sat in the living room, satisfied with herself because she had done her good deed for the day. She considered calling Lee Mu or Qing Qing to grill them on the details of their relationship but she realized she would have to come clean about how she had found out. That would open a whole new can of worms and Joann did not think she was ready to deal with that yet.

In the end, Joann settled with sending good wishes her friends' way. Many celebrity couple had failed but she prayed that they were going to somehow make it work and make it last.

Then, Joann sat there contemplating about what her best friend had told her several months ago at Spring Leaf Cafe. She said having a daughter in the press would come with benefits and Joann had to admit Xiu Ling had incredible foresight.

Through Sylvia, she realized she had some power in controlling the press. That was especially crucial for people in the entertainment business whose livelihood depended on the public's opinion of them. The day the public withdrew their support for a star, it was the day the star had to retire from the silver screen.

Xiu Ling was right and Joann was impressed by how her best friend managed to look so far into the future. To take a step back and look at something's bigger picture and its lasting effect was something that Joann realized she could learn from Xiu Ling.

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