Chapter 24: Tu Shanju Flaunts Her Power as Xie Shiyu’s Fiancée

After breakfast, Tu Shanju returned to her bedroom.

She picked the jade stone with the strongest spiritual energy from the ones she received and prepared to carve a peace charm for each member of the Xie family.

This was her way of returning the favor—after all, she’d received quite a hefty dividend from them yesterday.

She opened a drawer, grabbed a random blade, and sat on the balcony to begin carving.

Having played with blades since childhood, she didn’t need to go out and buy carving tools. Even a small pair of scissors could be turned into a precision instrument in her hands.

After working all morning, she finished carving.

With the charms in hand, she went to deliver them one by one.

Old Master Xie couldn’t have been more delighted when he received his and immediately put it on.

For Xu Airu, she didn’t make a traditional charm, but instead carved a jade bracelet to match her clothing better.

Even though Xie Wenmo wasn’t home, Tu Shanju hadn’t forgotten her future father-in-law. She handed his charm to Xu Airu to pass along when he returned.

As for Xie Shiyu, Xie Jingzhou, and Xie Jingting—the three brothers all received standard round jade peace pendants.

However, since Xie Shiyu had left for the company after breakfast, she planned to give his to him when he returned that evening.

Little did she know, while she was busy delivering gifts, her name had already spread throughout the upper circles of Nancheng.

All it took was one phone call from Chen Younan yesterday, and now everyone knew that Xie Shiyu’s mysterious fiancée had arrived in town.

And that she had gotten into a conflict with a waiter.

One rumor led to another, and soon the story had turned into: Tu Shanju, relying on her status as Xie Shiyu’s fiancée, was running rampant—bullying waitstaff and swindling over two thousand yuan from a restaurant manager using superstitious nonsense.

In no time at all, Tu Shanju had become infamous.

No matter what social gathering it was that day, she was the hot topic of conversation.

Meanwhile, back at the old estate, Tu Shanju had tissues stuffed up both nostrils.

“Achoo—ah, achoo—!”

“Who’s gossiping about me?! Achoo—still not done? Achoo—!”

Annoyed, she threw her three copper coins again to divine the source.

Still no result.

No helping it—“You can divine others, but not yourself.”

In the end, she just slapped on a sealing talisman to block her five senses, finally putting a stop to the sneezing.

She quickly forgot about the matter anyway. As for her assessment points, she wasn’t too worried. If nothing unexpected happened, Bai Yu would be looking for her soon.

That thing tailing him was disliked even by officials from the Underworld. Helping deal with it would certainly earn her back the points she lost.

What she hadn’t expected, though, was how much the world had changed in just a few years since she last came down from the mountain.

Had people really grown so bold?

They were openly setting their sights on the entertainment industry now?

Tu Shanju flopped onto her bed, ready to nap. She had work to do that night.

---

Nancheng Film and Television City.

A male director, holding a walkie-talkie in one hand and a megaphone in the other, shouted loudly:

“Cut! That’s a wrap for this segment. Teachers, please board the coach bus. We’re heading to the final challenge of the season.”

As soon as he finished, assistants who had been waiting off-camera rushed forward with umbrellas, drinks, and towels for their respective artists.

Bai Yu was surrounded by three assistants.

His agent, Bai Xue, handed him an iced, extra-sweet milk tea while holding two more in her other hand.

She grumbled, “Honestly, I don’t get you. You drink so many of these calorie bombs every day, and you don’t gain a single pound! I had one tiny piece of cake yesterday and gained half a kilo. You were seriously made for the entertainment industry.”

Bai Yu chuckled softly, saying nothing.

What was he supposed to say?

That he was a fox spirit? That demons had faster metabolisms than humans? That the calories in milk tea weren’t even enough to fill a tooth gap for him?

He needed a high-calorie intake to maintain his human form, and for demons, those so-called unhealthy foods were the best sources of energy. They needed to eat more, not less.

He downed the milk tea in a few gulps and reached out to Bai Xue for the second cup.

Drinking as he walked toward the coach bus, he scrolled through Weibo with his other hand.

Just as he stepped onto the bus, a saccharine voice called from behind, “Teacher Bai~!”

At the sound of that voice, Bai Yu instinctively frowned.

This Yin Qing really had no sense of boundaries. Ever since filming began, she clung to him at every chance. He’d been dodging her, always keeping at least three meters of distance. Did she not get the hint?

Worse, whatever perfume she wore—it was suffocatingly awful!

As she drew closer, that overpowering scent invaded his nose again.

The milk tea immediately lost all appeal.

The fox clan’s sense of smell was far more sensitive than other demons’.

He was about to puke!

Bai Yu took two steps back to clear the doorway. “You go ahead—I need some air.”

He didn’t ask why she was calling him.

Yin Qing bit her lip and batted her eyes, her voice full of hurt innocence. “Teacher Bai, do you dislike me? I’m actually a fan of yours~”

Bai Yu honestly wanted to grow claws and swat her away.

Instead, he turned to his assistant. “Do we have any masks? Give me one.”

The assistant said yes and pulled one out from the bag.

He put on the mask—it didn’t help much, but at least it was psychological comfort.

“Miss Yin, please don’t misunderstand. I caught a cold. I’m just keeping my distance to avoid infecting you.”

Yin Qing glanced at his exposed arms—cold and still wearing short sleeves? Obviously, he just didn’t want her near him!

Her hand at her side clenched into a fist.

“Okay, I won’t get close then, Teacher Bai. For tonight’s game, we’re on the same team. I hope you’ll do your best—let’s aim for first place!”

Bai Yu froze. “Huh? I thought I was paired with Jiang Kuan?”

“I drew the hidden card,” Yin Qing said with a sickeningly sweet smile, “which lets me swap teammates once. This is the last episode, and I’ve never been on your team. I’m your fan, so could you grant me this little wish? Also—”

Her smile stretched unnaturally.

“After the solo game earlier, I already erased Jiang’s name and wrote mine instead.”

Bai Yu’s mouth twitched.

This show was livestreamed. If Yin Qing used a hidden card and changed partners, the footage was already broadcast. There was no way to reverse it now.

Otherwise, the fans would accuse the show of being rigged.

Bai Yu wanted to sigh, but the thought of inhaling that pungent smell stopped him.

Fine. It was just one game. He’d endure it. Worst-case scenario, he’d seal his sense of smell for an hour.

“Got it.”

With that, Bai Yu turned and climbed onto the bus—done talking entirely.