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Zhang Miya unexpectedly made her variety show the talk of the town once again. She never thought that the two people she hastily roped in would become the hottest stars of the season.
To celebrate, she even added a million-dollar bonus for Chi Yizhen.
When they resumed shooting in the afternoon, Chi Yizhen was in high spirits, which puzzled He Tiao.
“Why are you suddenly so happy?” He asked.
Chi Yizhen, appearing carefree, took He Tiao’s arm and strolled along the park’s pathways. “Of course, I’m happy.”
He Tiao had a lot of questions, but the cameras were almost on him, so he couldn’t ask anything at all.
He could only respond with an “oh” and asked Chi Yizhen if he wanted to play anything else.
Chi Yizhen replied, “Don’t you want to play bumper cars? Let’s go.”
He Tiao asked, “Do you want to play?”
Chi Yizhen said, “At least I won’t get splashed with water. Honey, you’ve spent a fortune on my new clothes.”
He Tiao remarked, “Today’s performance was a bit over the top.”
[The coquettishness is back…]
[I thought we would see some non-mainstream youth literature again.]
[What an exciting day! I’m still reliving E-God’s punch… Isn’t this like a real-life Mortal Kombat offline? The problem is, how can the identities of these two people be reconciled?]
[I feel like if Chi Yizhen speaks up, it should be fine. He seems really career-oriented. It’s amazing how this doesn’t affect his work…]
[Truly talented. With this acting skill, why not take on serious roles?]
Chi Yizhen: “Are you upset, cousin?”
He asked sincerely, and then, using the production team’s expenses, went to buy the most expensive snacks in the park.
He Tiao: “No.”
Chi Yizhen: “I know, it’s because of that scumbag, right?”
[Is he really looking for a replacement??]
[I can’t wait for the special effects in the later rerun of this segment, it’s hilarious.]
[Is he really a scumbag? *image file*]
[He Tiao looks so numb… but the way he looks at Chi Yizhen is really ambiguous!]
He Tiao: “Did you know him before?”
He also wanted to know about Chi Yizhen’s past, after all, their circles were different. When Chi Yizhen was attending the most prestigious school, He Tiao was still waiting to take his exams at a public school.
He Tiao had another chat with Wen Chanjuan when he went to do the maternity test.
That woman was completely different from Zhang Cuijia; time hadn’t left much of a mark on her face, unlike his foster mother, who had toiled to support him.
But Wen Chanjuan didn’t seem very happy. Her guilt was almost overflowing, and she maintained a very restrained politeness towards He Tiao, with a noticeable sense of confusion.
She said, “You were born to the Sheng family. You were meant to receive the best education and meticulous care from birth. I have my career and can’t juggle both.”
Wen Chanjuan was also sincere; she still had ambitions for her career.
“I know I can’t juggle both, so…”
So Sheng Xin grew up entirely by his grandfather’s side. Indulgence was always present when the older generation raised children, even with high standards of upbringing, it was still difficult to correct a certain kind of excessive indulgence.
So Sheng Xin had everything he wanted from a young age. This kind of unstoppable momentum thoroughly harmed the family. By the time Wen Shuangjuan realized, it was already too late. All she could say was sorry.
The private hospital was quiet at night. Their DNA test was considered confidential. They sat face to face, one not crying, the other not smiling. One silently listened, the other calmly confessed.
He Tiao still comforted her, “I’ve had a good life these years.”
The DNA test results were obtained within three hours at the earliest, but in reality, this document didn’t hold much significance because all the clues had converged.
Zhang Miya was the one who orchestrated it all. She was a businesswoman and a responsible collaborator, avoiding Sheng Xin’s private detective due to suspicions about Wen Chanjuan’s activities.
Wen Chanjuan shook her head, “You could have had a better life.”
After all, the mistakes made in the past led to a life being replaced. Even though He Tiao was now outstanding, his starting point was nowhere near as advantageous as that of the Sheng family.
He Tiao said, “I am content.”
Even though he was naturally a bit aloof, and his relationship with his parents couldn’t express love like his sister’s constant “I love you”s, it didn’t mean he didn’t care. It’s just that he found it hard to take it a step further.
As winter approached, the hospital was heated, the lighting was dim, and outside, the city’s lights continued to shine. He Tiao was completely unaware of the faint smile on his face. Not all children resemble their parents at first glance when standing together.
But Zhang Miya always said they have very similar temperaments.
His slightly curved lips seemed to exude a taste of melting frozen springs.
“However…”
He seemed to want to say something more, and Wen Chanjuan looked at him hopefully.
She felt guilty and wanted to make amends, but He Tiao didn’t ask for anything. He didn’t even mention anything about the Sheng family’s wealth from beginning to end.
His already handsome face carried a unique pride, as if he could build a business empire even if given ten years.
“But what?” Wen Chanjuan asked.
He Tiao shook his head.
But it seemed like Wen Chanjuan had thought of something. “Are you regretting not meeting… him earlier?”
The woman in front of him spoke lightly, but He Tiao instinctively raised his eyes, a hint of shyness pulling him back to his youth.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t experienced the throes of youth during his teenage years, yet now it seemed like the emotions he had suppressed had suddenly surged, to the point where he couldn’t control them.
Was it because he met at the wrong time?
It took He Tiao a long time to nod.
As he continued to deal with his work, Wen Chanjuan could see from here just how busy his usual life was.
Wen Chanjuan: “I will help you.”
He Tiao shook his head, “No need.”
He thought of Chi Yizhen and realized that only a few hours after parting ways with him, he was already looking forward to seeing him at daybreak. He had even developed a fondness for the small, cramped room of about ten square meters, with its narrow wooden bed that he would naturally edge closer to as he slept.
Wen Chanjuan: “He hasn’t signed with another company yet, has he?”
He Tiao nodded.
Wen Chanjuan: “Are you confident he’ll sign with another company?”
He Tiao didn’t quite understand this, “I have a friend who is…”
Wen Chanjuan shook her head, “What I mean is, when you regain your status, Tianxin Entertainment will be yours.”
The woman in front of him was nothing like his foster mother, Zhang Cuijia. A widow who had to raise her child alone after her husband’s death always had to face various unpleasant matters. Therefore, she couldn’t be completely gentle; being sharp-tongued became a form of defense. Even when she encountered their stepfather, Zhang Cuijia remained shrewd and astute in her business dealings.
Wen Chanjuan’s resilience was different from Zhang Cuijia’s. She even felt a bit of resentment, hidden in her expressions, blossoming fully after finding out that Sheng Xin wasn’t her own biological child.
“What he has now was originally yours, but what you have, you earned yourself.”
“You are not the same.”
She smiled and said, “It’s best to keep those you want to protect in places where you can take care of them.”
He Tiao asked, “What about Sheng Xin after regaining his status?”
He raised his eyes, and despite the resemblance to Wen Chanjuan, his eyes showed no emotion.
Wen Chanjuan said, “Your foster mother’s attitude…”
He Tiao replied, “I haven’t told her yet.”
Thinking of Zhang Cuijia’s expectations, he shook his head in the end, “We’ll discuss that later.”
Having matters to attend to at his company, he left. Before leaving, he thanked Wen Chanjuan once again.
Wen Chanjuan didn’t dare to accept the gratitude. The more she looked at He Tiao, the more she felt regretful and couldn’t help but say, “If it had been you who met Xiao Zhen back then, it would have been better.”
He Tiao also thought about it. He had even thought about it many times after understanding his longing for Chi Yizhen.
But he didn’t know how to ask.
Privately, if Chi Yizhen insisted on drawing a clear line, he might already be planning a future without He Tiao.
But He Tiao didn’t want to let that happen.
At this moment, the live broadcast captured his gaze clearly, sometimes a person’s ambition couldn’t be hidden at all.
Love is the most straightforward curiosity, pursuit, and unyielding.
He Tiao repeated, “So, did he know you before?”
[Wow, that gaze, it feels like something’s about to go down.]
[Because of watching this variety show, I now have especially high expectations for the ambiguous phase in romance dramas, and I feel like this show will raise my standards for love because it’s ending…]
【E God is pouting, help!! My gosh, how can he be fierce, then gentle, then overbearing, like a school grass? He’s such a versatile husband!!】
【Bold! Daring to call him “husband” in the live chat!】
【After all, they’re not official, we all know Sheng Xin is fond of Chi Yizhen, right? And our E God is just a colleague.】
【Colleague, hahaha, that’s harsh!!】
Chi Yizhen glanced at He Tiao and unconsciously took a sip of the hot milk tea he had just bought.
“Well… we know each other. We went to the same school before,” he said with a smile. “Honey, are you jealous?”
He Tiao nodded naturally, “We met too late.”
Chi Yizhen smoothly followed up, “But we’re meant to be together for a lifetime, not something that can be compared to anyone else.”
He Tiao asked, “For a lifetime?”
【He’s taking it seriously! He’s really taking it seriously!】
【What do I do? I’m not looking forward to the next ten days now, I’m looking forward to the aftermath of this variety show!!】
【Chi Yizhen, you can’t even look at him… do you have something on your mind too?】
Chi Yizhen murmured in agreement, but weakly. He even felt He Tiao’s gaze was scorching, as if he wanted to devour him.
This is ridiculous. Isn’t he usually easy to push around?
He Tiao asked, “What did you say?”
He leaned in again, and Chi Yizhen subconsciously tried to escape, but He Tiao grabbed his shoulder and took the hot milk tea from his hand.
He Tiao took a sip.
【Xianggua, you’re bold. What does it mean to focus on that flat straw being sucked?】
【I can’t take it, I feel so flustered right now.】
【If you two keep pushing and pulling, I’ll tie you together!】
【I get it, in the apartment, it’s the daily life of an old married couple, now it’s the daily life of a couple. No acting, just ambiguity.】
Chi Yizhen teased, “Why are you drinking mine?”
He Tiao replied, “Because I’m yours.”
Chi Yizhen teased back, “So what?”
He Tiao responded, “So I can drink it.”
Chi Yizhen chuckled. His mood had improved considerably because of Zhang Miya’s bonus. As the sun set, the surface of the lake was bathed in a golden hue, and his features were similarly outlined in this warm light. He already looked good in the live broadcast, let alone in person.
Everyone could see that He Tiao was flustered.
He turned his face away but then assertively grabbed Chi Yizhen’s hand. “Let’s go, bumper cars.”
Chi Yizhen exclaimed, “Cousin, why are you suddenly feeling shy? Is it because you want to kiss me and don’t dare to? But didn’t we already…”
【Brother Chi , you’re really good at taking advantage of the situation…】
【I feel like E God… well, you’re really a paper tiger. At first glance, you seem fierce, but then you get swayed by beauty…】
【Who wouldn’t drool over that beauty in that shot just now…】
【Chi Yizhen seems like the type who teases until it’s almost too much, and then gets mercilessly cut off. I’m sure I’ll have to wait until they officially announce their relationship someday.】
Chi Yizhen had never been to an amusement park from childhood to adulthood, but the original host had been many times. After all, he had been greatly indulged and even had entire amusement parks rented for his enjoyment.
However, this didn’t stop Chi Yizhen from having a great time. He tried out every ride, turning every experience into a mix of reality and fiction, leaning more towards making it seven parts real and three parts fake. He wasn’t even aware of how much genuine emotion he was investing.
It was as if he had momentarily forgotten that he was a transmigrated soul. He was himself, enjoying a day out with the person he still somewhat liked.
In the evening, as the park’s fireworks lit up the sky, the live audience felt as if they had been there all day. After all, many experienced it from the first-person perspective of Chi Yizhen and He Tiao, including, but not limited to, the drop tower.
The only possible difference was that even when playing high-altitude games, the two of them didn’t lose control over their expressions.
As the fireworks went off, Chi Yizhen and He Tiao finally boarded the Ferris wheel together.
He sighed, “It’s so cliché. I’ve already outgrown this.”
While he said that, he gazed at his crumpled ticket, which had been stamped after a full day of fun, and said, “But it really was a lot of fun.”
Chi Yizhen asked He Tiao, “When you were in your teens, didn’t you ever come to a place like this with someone you liked?”
He still didn’t add to his character setting and replied, “A young master from a wealthy family like you probably never lacked admirers, right?”
The Ferris wheel slowly ascended, seating only two people per compartment, forced to sit side by side.
Chi Yizhen looked outside, asking in a casual manner. The night view of the park was particularly beautiful, with the lights seemingly reflected in his eyes, making him look especially captivating at that moment.
He Tiao responded, “I didn’t lack admirers.”
Chi Yizhen exclaimed and took out his phone to record a video, intending to post it on his personal short video account.
In the selfie frame, the two of them were very close. He Tiao, who was uncomfortable with cameras, although desensitized to some extent, still instinctively avoided them, only to be pulled back by Chi Yizhen.
Chi Yizhen asked, “Cousin, how many boyfriends have you had?”
He Tiao replied, “One.”
Chi Yizhen responded, “I don’t believe you.”
【Hilarious, utterly unreasonable.】
【Darn, it might be cliché, but I’ve never been on one before!】
【Sorry, is it just me who finds this quite romantic?】
【Looked up the ticket prices for this park, they’re quite expensive…】
Chi Yizhen was still switching through different selfie app effects, from cat ears to pig noses, but eventually gave up and settled on a vintage filter.
He Tiao said, “I mean it.”
The phone set off the countdown for the selfie.
Chi Yizhen said, “Look at the camera! Don’t look at me!”
Three. Two. One.
In the distance, fireworks burst open, and he was kissed on the cheek.
He Tiao said, “I only date you, there won’t be anyone else.”
Author’s Note:
See you tomorrow, everyone—