When will I be the queen

Chapter 487 Reality
Kong Shilong felt it was inappropriate to discuss this with Cai Cai. The other two probably felt it was inconvenient for outsiders to talk about it. The main reason was that Mu Xiaoshu and Cai Cai had a very good relationship, and she was a girl. If they talked about these things behind her back, it would seem like they were trying to smear Mu Xiaoshu, which could displease Cai Cai.

Mu Xiaoshu was indeed ashamed, but not because he had fought with his future brother-in-law. "I think the biggest stain on my life is having such a brother-in-law."

Cai Cai was genuinely curious about just how bad this Third Prince was. "These days, children from wealthy families, regardless of their true personalities, generally behave very well in public, and most of them have some ability." For example, Tao Ran was already a typical rich kid who didn't do his proper work. As for proper work, it would naturally be the family business. "Didn't they say he wanted to use his wife's family's influence to fight for the family fortune and become the heir? Then he should be quite diligent." He was different from people like Tao Ran who relied on family trusts and didn't interfere in the family business.

Mu Xiaoshu sighed, "I don't even want to explain this to you. You think someone like you is just wasting your time, but there are plenty of rotten people out there. Money can make some people look glamorous, but some are just utter garbage. Wang Mingfei is the absolute worst of the worst."

“.” Cai Cai indicated that we were eating.

Mu Xiaoshu knew who was present, but she didn't know who was at Cai Cai's dinner table. After obtaining permission from Xianjun and Sichen, Cai Cai had the camera pan across them briefly, and Mu Xiaoshu saw it and was quite excited. She had seen Xianjun before, but only from afar. Xianjun rarely attended events in Hong Kong, and most of his ceremonies were held in Macau. Mu Xiaoshu had only seen Xianjun at a banquet after a grand event in Macau. Given her status, it was normal for top celebrities to be seated next to her, but for a top star like Xianjun, who surpassed even top celebrities and came from an extraordinary background, she didn't even have the chance to get close.

Cai Cai noticed her excitement and asked her if she wanted to talk to the Immortal Lord.

"No need, no need. There will be other opportunities." Mu Xiaoshu really wanted to, but right now Cai Cai was more important. She rarely had the chance to video chat with Cai Cai anyway.
These days, the only person she knows who doesn't use a cell phone is Cai Cai. And it just so happens to be Cai Cai.
"As for Wang Mingfei, there's not much else to say, but I'll just tell you one thing: he's a classic Chen Shimei type of man. He's absolutely capable of killing his wife and children. He certainly wouldn't do it himself, but look at those men who climb up the social ladder by stepping on their wives—they all portray themselves as innocent, devoted, and good men, while their wives are either sick or insane, and they all die mysteriously. Wang Mingfei is that kind of person."

Cai Cai frowned, "Then, Sister Shan..."

"My older sister is overconfident. She thinks she's more capable and can completely control someone like Wang Mingfei. She wants to be both Qin Xianglian and a princess."

Cai Cai thought about Mu Xiaoshan's personality and realized it was indeed very possible. "But he broke your nose, and Sister Shan still wants to marry him?" If this happened in her family, it would be absolutely impossible.

“He said he was startled by my beating and accidentally hit me with his phone.” Mu Xiaoshu was naturally certain that Wang Mingfei did it on purpose, but, “whether it’s my older sister or my family, no one wants him to do it on purpose, so he didn’t do it on purpose.”

Mu Xiaoshu's family is in the leisure and entertainment industry, owning chain hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, cruise ships, resorts, and more. Mu Xiaoshu's parents were adopted by his grandfather and Mu Ye—one from his aunt's family, the other from his maternal aunt's family—and their marriage was arranged. All their children bear the surname Mu. Mu Xiaoshu's mother's father is a member of the Tang family, related to Cai Cai's family, and shares the same father as Cai Cai's great-grandfather. Mu Ye's family has a somewhat shady past. In his youth, Mu Ye was reckless and unruly, which damaged his health, rendering him infertile. Later, he transformed the family business and, considering the heir, arranged for a relative to have a child for him.

Mu Xiaoshu has three older siblings: her older sister Mu Xiaoshan, a strong and independent woman, and two older brothers who are also very career-oriented. Mu Xiaoshu's parents are the ones who have children but don't participate in their education at all. However, they do show some concern for their children's lives, such as dating, marriage, and childbirth.

Mu Ye only acquired four heirs he could groom at a certain age, making raising children somewhat like raising a treacherous patriarch. Fortunately, he wasn't the pathological type, so all four Mu children grew up to be quite good-looking. However, aside from Mu Xiaoshu, the other three all believed they were the best heirs.
Cai Cai had heard about these things from her family. In her understanding, the Mu family was like a dramatic succession struggle in a script, and the fertility of the heir was naturally a factor in the comparison. So, apart from Mu Xiaoshu, her three older siblings were all quite keen on dating, getting married, and having children. However, they also had expectations and requirements for their partners, so they were still unmarried and childless.

"Sister Shan thinks she can join forces with Wang Mingfei to compete for the Wang family's inheritance, and also for the Mu family's inheritance. The couple could become heirs together," Cai Cai thought. She felt that this Crown Prince Wang did have some merit; after all, "Chen Shimei was a top scholar. Character and talent are often not equal."

Mu Xiaoshan sighed deeply, "You've hit the nail on the head. My older sister and my father all have high hopes for Wang Mingfei's abilities." Or rather, "The entire Wang family's abilities are highly regarded. They've managed to rise from small-time vendors to the ranks of the wealthy in such a short time; it's truly impressive, even if that wealth is largely undeserved. But ability is ability. The reason there's a constant stream of 'phoenix men' (men from humble backgrounds who achieve success) is precisely because they genuinely possess talent and are viewed favorably."

"Our generation of children is about to start getting married." Mu Xiaoshu really hates being weighed by others, and doesn't want to weigh others by others either.

Cai Cai laughed, "The dinosaur was just saying the same thing."

Thinking about Kong Shilong, Mu Xiaoshu said, "Men and women really consider things completely differently when it comes to marriage. My older sister had already planned her maternity leave and childcare arrangements so as not to interfere with her work. After all, it would be very inconvenient for her to travel for work after giving birth. Men don't consider these things."

Upon hearing this, Cai Cai immediately understood, "You're going to be an aunt?"

Mu Xiaoshu nodded, "After the baby is born, we'll formally discuss the marriage with Wang Mingfei's family, including a prenuptial agreement and such."

Cai Cai didn't quite understand. "Wouldn't it be better to discuss things before the baby is born? Things to give the child, arrangements for the child—it'd be better to discuss these beforehand, right? Didn't your lawyer suggest anything?" Generally speaking, pregnancy and childbirth are two different things. A woman's willingness to conceive a man's child is a comprehensive affirmation of that man, including his family.

The damage from childbirth begins during a woman's pregnancy. To express gratitude, respect, and importance to women, both the bride's and groom's families provide substantial assistance during pregnancy, including material and human support. In other words, regardless of whether the child is born safely, as long as a pregnancy occurs, there will be compensation—the kind of "pregnancy rewards" for wealthy daughters-in-law that Hong Kong media loves to write about.

For unborn children, there will be a series of plans and arrangements, such as the original trust, the inheritance shares of both parents, the inheritance shares of both families, and so on. Generally speaking, it is said that some directional agreements, draft agreements, and supplementary agreements will be signed first. Once the child is born, the agreements will automatically take effect. After that, various agreements regarding the minor portion and the adult portion will be considered later.

Because wealthy families often have multiple children, sometimes even illegitimate or clandestine births. To ensure the rights of both legitimate and illegitimate children and their mothers, many families sign agreements before the child's birth. For example, in her family, the eldest son and daughter are treated differently from subsequent children.

Now that they have a child, they haven't reached a prenuptial agreement yet. Cai Cai feels that this is not like Mu Xiaoshan's usual way of doing things.

"Oh, because my older sister's child was conceived using high-quality sperm, and the child's surname is Mu, not Wang Mingfei's. It has nothing to do with him."

There are quite a few elements.
Si Chen spat out a mouthful of soup. Luckily, everyone was seated close together, and the table was large, so no one was sprayed. However, Qin Yong, who was sitting opposite him, still instinctively flinched.

Cai Cai glanced at Si Chen, "Can you say it?"

Mu Xiaoshu nodded, "Your people are all trustworthy. Besides, it's only a temporary secret. Once the baby is born, the Hong Kong media will write about it extensively."

"It's unavoidable. Women always seem to be at a disadvantage. Men can have countless children at the same time, while women have to take huge risks to give birth themselves." Mu Xiaoshu doesn't plan to have children. She doesn't have any inheritance pressure, and her family doesn't require her to marry into another family. She's relatively free in her romantic relationships. The main point is, "My sister definitely wants to have a child with the Mu surname, but you see, many families where the two children have different surnames basically fall apart. Everyone only likes the child with their own family's surname. If both families are of similar means, it's not bad, but if one is stronger and the other weaker, the child will even resent their parents." So, "My sister simply decided to have one child herself first, and any children born after marriage will take the husband's surname."

Cai Cai didn't quite understand, "But this just means the two children are dividing the property on Sister Shan's side, and the husband's children aren't getting to enjoy it all, right?" Then, "If the children born later can inherit the property from both sides, isn't that the same as families with children of different surnames?"

Mu Xiaoshu gave Cai Cai a thumbs up. "You're a smart one. I only realized this later, and when I told my older sister, she said that any child with the surname Mu would inherit all of the Mu family's property, which is all of my older sister's pre-marital property. Property acquired after marriage wouldn't be divided with the child for the time being. But I still don't think it's a good idea. Grandpa was very happy, saying that this child would be the oldest member of the fifth generation of the Mu family, and he would personally raise both boys and girls. Honestly, I can already imagine how chaotic my older sister's children will be later."

But she couldn't persuade him either. "Think about it the other way around," she said. "That's how it is, first come, first served. Isn't your family also based on primogeniture, where the eldest son and eldest daughter both have the surname Cai?"

“But my family inherited all the property and resources, not just the divided assets.” However, Cai Cai thought that there had been no intermarriage between the Tang and Cai families in the past two generations, so it wouldn’t involve another share of the property.
"There are plenty of people who want to learn from your family, but almost none of them succeed." When Mu Xiaoshu was a child, he also dreamed of being a woman like Cai Chunqing and Cai Jinhui, but after growing up a bit, he realized that it was simply wishful thinking. He didn't have the brains, and he certainly didn't have the luck.

Talking about these things really makes me feel choked up. The cruelty of the real world is vividly demonstrated in these choices and calculations.

Mu Xiaoshu didn't want to talk to Cai Cai about these things anymore, so he changed the subject and asked Cai Cai if she was coming back, and if they could get together when they had time.

Cai Cai said yes. Mu Xiaoshu also asked her if she was going to attend the Tang family's group's annual meeting.

"I don't know, we'll see what happens."

"If you were to reveal your family situation, it would be very interesting," Mu Xiaoshu often browsed through fan groups, searching for keywords. There were many rumors, but none were accurate. Cai Cai is so popular, yet no one has revealed anything accurate, which means that no one dares to talk about Cai Cai's family. That's why it would be so interesting if it were made public.

"What if you retire from the entertainment industry once you go public?" Mu Xiaoshu was worried about this.

Cai Cai was speechless. She glanced at the Immortal Lord and said, "How is that possible?" "With a giant mountain like the Immortal Lord here, what is my humble background?"

Mu Xiaoshu laughed heartily, then realized she was laughing too loudly and quickly covered her mouth. "It's fine if you like acting. Otherwise, it really hurts to see you working so hard." Fans often feel sorry for Cai Cai, while some are more level-headed, thinking that liking Cai Cai is fine, but there's no need to feel sorry for a stunningly beautiful and high-earning star. Mu Xiaoshu always gets upset when she sees these kinds of comments because she feels that Cai Cai is really putting in a lot of hardship to be a star and act, and she really should feel sorry for her.

"If you feel bad about it, I'll give you your pink diamond car," Cai Cai said directly. Based on her life experience that if you want something, you should just ask, and you'll get it. Cai Cai was always quick to ask, especially for things that could be easily calculated and measured in money.

"..." Mu Xiaoshu hesitated, then gave a dry laugh, ultimately not daring to refuse. Last time, when she showed off her new car to Cai Cai, she said she'd give it to her if she liked it. Cai Cai didn't have a driver's license then, so she waved her hand, indicating she'd talk about it later. Now that Cai Cai can drive abroad, she remembered.

Seeing her conflicted expression—reluctant yet unwilling to refuse—Cai Cai burst out laughing. "When I turn eighteen, send me to my home."

Mu Xiaoshu nodded quickly, "Yes, yes, yes, here you go. It's for you." However, "You don't need to wait until you turn eighteen. I'll be back in Hong Kong in a few days and drive it over for you. I've prepared a separate gift for your eighteenth birthday." He paused, "It's already prepared."

Cai Cai asked curiously, "What is it?" It was already prepared.

Mu Xiaoshu said it was a secret, "There won't be any surprises if I tell you now." Pointing to Kong Shilong next to the camera, she said, "They should all be prepared. You can ask them. I'm going to get a beauty treatment. If I don't get a referral soon, I'll be off work. There's no overtime service here." Actually, it was Mu Xiaoshan who was looking for Mu Xiaoshu. She didn't want Cai Cai to know, so she made up another excuse.

Cai Cai said goodbye to her, then turned around and asked Kong Shilong if he had really prepared a gift for her eighteenth birthday.

It's important to understand that they don't actually keep in touch much, and they rarely meet. Cai Cai herself used to clearly avoid social interactions. Even though their feelings for each other were extraordinary, the long-term lack of communication was a real issue. This was especially true after she became an actress, which further reduced their opportunities to connect. The acting industry was something none of them, or their family, had ever been involved in. While the others might have occasional interactions while pursuing their own careers, her work truly meant she had absolutely no connection with any of them.

To outsiders, the entertainment industry seems like everyone knows each other and is friends. The glamorous entertainment industry is interconnected with all circles of fame and fortune, especially the circles of the wealthy, elites, academia, and even the legal system. People can cross boundaries, exchange information, and interact smoothly.

But none of this applied to Cai Cai. Her circle was her work circle; she didn't know many people in the industry, let alone outsiders. As far as he knew, there were quite a few artists in similar situations, as Mei Zhang had studied. The initial intention was to prevent her from developing psychological problems. The two types of artists most prone to psychological issues in the industry are those with a wide circle of friends and those who have difficulty making friends. Cai Cai was initially categorized as having difficulty making friends. Later, as time went on and she became busy with work, Mei Zhang discovered that it wasn't that Cai Cai intentionally chose to have difficulty making friends; she genuinely didn't have the time or energy to do so.
Celebrities are generally high-energy, high-spirited individuals. If they were even slightly weaker, they wouldn't become popular.

Cai Cai has good energy and vitality, but if there's no interaction, there's no interaction, and without interaction, there's less communication. However, after making friends with Lily and the others, and Hong Hong, Cai Cai's attitude towards Dinosaur and his friends changed significantly. She acknowledged her past avoidance and felt guilty, but didn't feel any desire to make amends. This was because they all had their own emotional and personality issues back then, and Cai Cai was actually the most stable and emotionally balanced among them.
Later, Cai Cai thought she should let things take their course. After all, in her view, their relationship was truly extraordinary. They had witnessed each other's most precious moments and true selves, which was like handing each other a knife. Besides, because of their close family ties, they wouldn't completely lose contact.

But Cai Cai was still a little surprised that they had prepared a thoughtful 18th birthday gift for her. Because the 18th birthday gifts she gave them weren't carefully prepared, and she hadn't even prepared them herself. Her family gave her a few gift catalogs, she flipped through them, and just randomly picked something. Cars, jewelry, lab equipment, etc.—she really just randomly flipped through them.

Putting herself in Cai Cai's shoes, she felt she deserved the same treatment.
“I’ve prepared. How could I not prepare properly for your eighteenth birthday?” Kong Shilong replied.

"..." My conscience hurts a little.

Qin Yong looked at Cai Cai and said, "I knew you just picked out the ski equipment you gave me on a whim, didn't I? Look at you, so guilty and ashamed."

Cai Cai felt even more guilty.

Tao Ran was speechless. "How come you're becoming increasingly easy to read?" she thought. "You didn't choose any of them, did you?"