Mom's Back. The Villain Triplets Are in Trouble.

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Differences Between Peers

After replying to the message, Gu Qingyin, still feeling uneasy, took out the compensation list for another look. She circled the names of those still struggling in the entertainment industry.

These people weren’t doing well. Their resources were either nonexistent or terrible. To have gotten this far without quitting meant they truly loved the work.

Gu Qingyin thought she could sign these people to her company. She could just feed them roles; even if they weren’t destined for superstardom, she could still push them to moderate success.

Gu Qingyin sent the names to Xue Ning and asked him to poach them.

Although she could have just told Huo Zhao Hua, she felt Lin Xiaoyun would absolutely not pass up an opportunity to make demands.

Gu Qingyin, of course, had no intention of giving her that chance.

Her work done, Gu Qingyin put down her phone and went to wash up. By the time she came out, it was past midnight. It was a little late, but not so late that it would stop her from her half-hour of pre-sleep meditation.

In reality, meditation was more effective at relieving fatigue than sleep, but Gu Qingyin just loved the feeling of sleeping—the beautiful, carefree bliss of total-body-and-mind relaxation.

At seven the next morning, the livestream cameras were quietly turned on.

The early-rising viewers had only logged into the stream out of habit, waiting for the broadcast to start. They never expected such a huge surprise.

An announcement was posted in the livestream channel: [A Candid Look at the Stars Waking Up! No scripts, no personas, all about catching them off guard!]

The audience was ecstatic.

[This production team is the real deal. They know what the audience wants to see. They deserve to be this popular!]

[Ahhh! I’m so excited! A completely bare-faced Tian Tian!]

[Excited +1! A sleepy-eyed Haibao’er!]

[I’m different from you guys. I want to see if Sister Qing still looks that young right after waking up!]

Over the past two days, while some had praised Gu Qingyin’s youthful appearance, others claimed it was just good makeup and beauty filters, and that in reality, she was just an ordinary middle-aged woman.

Both sides held their ground, arguing endlessly.

Today, this mystery would finally be solved!

Some kindhearted netizens spread the word that the livestream had started early, and more and more early risers flooded into the channel.

The director nodded in satisfaction when he saw the numbers. He just knew it—even people who didn’t watch the show would be interested in seeing the stars without makeup!

It was still early, and everyone was asleep, so the livestream was completely quiet.

The viewers waited patiently, scrutinizing every little detail on screen—sleeping positions, pajamas, eye masks, and so on.

A dozen or so minutes later, one of the streams finally showed some movement.

Someone started hopping between the different streams, leaving messages: Lin Xiaoyun is awake!

Instantly, a huge crowd of viewers flooded into Lin Xiaoyun’s stream.

It was obvious that Lin Xiaoyun had no idea the camera was already on.

After waking up, she first sat on her bed and went through a face-massaging routine. Was it to wake herself up, or was it part of her beauty regimen?

Then, Lin Xiaoyun got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up. About ten minutes later, she came out wearing a headband, her bare face on full display.

From a distance, she looked quite pretty.

Lin Xiaoyun had delicate features, a well-defined nose, and good proportions. She wasn’t stunning, but she was pleasant to look at.

She had come out to find some clothes, and her suitcase was right below the camera.

As she drew closer, the chat went silent for a split second.

You couldn’t say she was ugly, but it was certainly a bit of a letdown.

Her skin was sagging, the flesh on her face was drooping slightly, her smile lines were deep, and she had bags and dark circles under her eyes. On closer inspection, you could even see a few age spots.

She didn’t look all that different from an ordinary middle-aged woman.

[The old saying is true. Distance creates beauty.]

[After seeing Lin Xiaoyun, I’m even more anxious to see what Gu Qingyin really looks like.]

[Oh god! No, I don’t want to be this disillusioned already!]

...

Completely unaware of anything unusual, Lin Xiaoyun grabbed her clothes and went back into the bathroom. It took her another half hour to change and put on her makeup before she emerged again.

During that time, Huo Xinghai, Huo Zhao Hua, and Lin Xian also got up one by one. Unanimously, they all just washed up briefly before changing into sportswear and heading out for a run.

For a moment, the chat was filled with people fawning over their looks.

Once they were outside the villa, the cameraman followed them. All three were surprised. When they learned that the cameras in their rooms had been on for a while, Huo Zhao Hua and Lin Xian didn’t react much, but Huo Xinghai paused for a fraction of a second.

"Hold on. If you see anything... strange in my mom’s room, don’t be too surprised." Huo Xinghai gave a faint smile. "You know how older people can be. It’s normal for them to have some peculiar hobbies. As their kids, we have to understand and respect that."

After saying that, Huo Xinghai started running. The viewers in the livestream were completely baffled, but their anticipation grew even stronger, though they couldn’t quite put their finger on what they were anticipating.

As time ticked by, the audience began to grow anxious.

[What do I do? I’m starting to panic. I want Sister Qing to wake up, but at the same time, I’m terrified for her to wake up.]

[You’re not the only one. Maybe I should just leave and wait for news.]

[Me too...]

[I’m out, I’m out. Going to grab breakfast first.]

...

Perhaps it was a case of wanting to know, yet fearing the answer. A sense of escapism took over the viewers. Afraid of seeing something they couldn’t accept, they simply chose not to look for now.

The director panicked when he saw this. It would be such a waste for the viewership he had painstakingly built up to just dissipate like this!

"Quick! Call Gu Qingyin and tell her to get up and make breakfast for Huo Xinghai. Say it’s a task for the show, but don’t tell her the cameras are on."

The executive director immediately pulled out his phone. Time was viewership, and not a single second could be wasted!

On the livestream screen.

The moment the phone rang, Gu Qingyin opened her eyes. She reached toward the nightstand and grabbed her phone.

"Hello." Gu Qingyin’s voice was a little hoarse, but her words were perfectly clear—not the usual groggy mumbling of someone who had just woken up.

The executive director paused for a second, then issued the task as the director had instructed.

Gu Qingyin was silent for a moment, then asked, "I can make anything?"

"Yes, there are no restrictions," the executive director replied, even adding thoughtfully, "What ingredients do you need? We can have them sent over."

Gu Qingyin sat up. "Okay, I’ll send you a list."

After hanging up, Gu Qingyin ran a hand through her hair and started typing.

Since there were no restrictions on the dish, congee was the easiest and most convenient option. Preserved egg and lean pork congee—she happened to know how to make it.

After sending the list of needed ingredients, Gu Qingyin threw off the covers, got out of bed, and went straight to the bathroom.

[It’s okay, she’ll definitely come back after she washes up.]

[My heart is in my throat.]

[I’m begging you, just put me out of my misery!]

[The suspense is killing me...]

Five minutes later, Gu Qingyin came out of the bathroom but stopped at the nightstand. She bent down, reached out, and picked up a hair tie.

Then, with a few deft movements, she swiftly tied her long hair into a top knot.

She had originally planned to go straight downstairs to cook, but then she remembered the livestream today and decided to change her clothes first.

Just as the audience thought she was about to get her suitcase to find an outfit, she instead walked into the adjacent walk-in closet.

The chat: ...What had they even been expecting?!

Soon, Gu Qingyin came out wearing a sleeveless top, wide-leg pants, and sneakers.

The viewers compared her outfit to Lin Xiaoyun’s impeccably proper attire in the other stream, and a collective silence fell over the chat.

Are these two really the same age?!

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