Chapter 39

Qiao Chuchu’s inner thoughts were heard by all the guests on site. Aside from Bai Yun, who was in the know and looked shocked while eating melon, everyone else seemed very surprised.

Who said that just now? They hadn’t seen anyone speak, but they definitely heard the words.

And the words were quite explosive: How could the ‘yellow eel’ be cured so quickly?

When said together, it was hard not to let one’s imagination run wild. They didn’t know who Ximen Sabi was, but from the name, it seemed like a boy’s name. Two unfamiliar male guests had just arrived, and all eyes turned toward them.

One of them, Huang Xiangyu, a friend invited by the regular guest Qi Nian, quickly waved his hands when he noticed everyone’s gaze. “It’s not me, I’m Huang Xiangyu, Qi Nian’s friend.”

He wasn’t Ximen Sabi, what a fool…

Qi Nian, a talented singer known for his love ballads and with a refined appearance, nodded and introduced, “This is my good friend, Huang Xiangyu.”

The other female guests also introduced their friends. “This is my best friend Lei Yan. We’ve grown up together, and we have a great understanding of each other.”

Lei Yan looked quiet and reserved, wearing black-framed glasses, and seemed a bit socially awkward. She greeted them in a soft voice and then quietly stood behind Ting Yu.

Next was the new guest, Jin Keyang, who had clearly heard the earlier exchange. He was eyeing Ximen Sabi with a sharp gaze, trying to confirm if the earlier comment was true.

Ximen Sabi, dressed in a flamboyant and stylish manner, had come to the variety show to experience what it felt like to be a star. Just as he was feeling good about himself, he bumped into Qiao Chuchu.

Thinking about what had happened at the banquet that day, his little brain instantly shrank in fear.

He was now afraid to face Qiao Chuchu, because there was something about her that allowed her to know everyone’s secrets. He had tried to avoid her, but his flashy clothes and lazy purple hair made it impossible not to notice him.

Seeing him avoid eye contact, Jin Keyang had already made up his mind. It seemed the earlier comment was true. His face darkened, clearly displeased.

But everyone was waiting for him to introduce his friend—Ximen Sabi.

The gaze directed at him made Jin Keyang feel even more irritated. More than anything, it was a matter of shame. He didn’t want to introduce his friend to the group.

In fact, Jin Keyang hadn’t wanted to bring his “cheap uncle” on the show at all, but after repeated requests, flattery, and a luxury car as a bribe, he had reluctantly agreed.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t afford a luxury car, but his father was very strict, and he couldn’t bring himself to accept a bribe from his “cheap uncle.”

Now, he deeply regrets it.

Ting Yu, who had a lively personality and was the mood maker among the guests, looked at Jin Keyang. “Keyang, aren’t you going to introduce yourself and your friend to everyone?”

She knew Jin Keyang and had even worked with him on a project. His temperament was bad, and he was quick-tempered, often acting arrogant. He wasn’t very likable.

Ting Yu wasn’t close to him—just a nodding acquaintance.

But she had heard that Jin Keyang came from a prestigious background, with a powerful backing, though no one could quite pinpoint what his exact connections were.

In any case, he was not someone to be easily dealt with.

Jin Keyang shoved his hands in his pockets, gave her a sideways glance, and then said, “I’m Jin Keyang, and this is my friend Ximen.”

He didn’t give a full introduction because “Ximen Sabi” was such a ridiculous name, and he didn’t want to embarrass himself.

At that moment, Ximen Sabi finally made his appearance, resolutely avoiding eye contact with Qiao Chuchu. He struck a very cool pose and greeted everyone, trying to cover up his inner panic.

“Hello, everyone, I’m Ximen Sabi… but you can call me Brother Ximen. If you ever run into trouble, just say my name, and I’ve got your back.”

Everyone chuckled lightly—he was quite the enthusiastic guy.

At that moment, Bai Yun glanced at her phone, then at him, and said, “Hmm, I just saw someone named Ximen Sabi on the backstage guest list. Is that you?”

As soon as she spoke, all eyes turned towards Ximen Sabi, who was still striking his cool pose.

Ximen Sabi stayed silent for a while, but his face was already flushed.

He had been mocked and ridiculed for his name since he was young, but his parents refused to let him change it. They claimed that his fate was weak and that giving him such a “lowly” name would help him survive, or else he might get sick and possibly even die.

He didn’t believe it at first and demanded to change it, and when his parents finally agreed, he did, but after the name change, he fell seriously ill and couldn’t recover. In the end, they had no choice but to revert to the original name, and surprisingly, he recovered soon after.

His name couldn’t be changed, but every time he introduced himself, people laughed at him.

He gritted his teeth and said, “It’s me!”

The crowd froze, and then the laughter started. Some couldn’t hold it back, covering their mouths and snickering.

“Poof—”

Ximen Sabi… What a dumb name! How could anyone be named that? Hahaha, this is too funny.

Cough, cough—

They weren’t laughing on purpose.

Bullet comments:

【Poof—hahahahahahaha—sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh—but I just couldn’t help it—】

【Hahahahahaha, Ximen Sabi, how could his parents give him such a name!】

【Ahhh hahahaha, this flashy guy is actually named Ximen Sabi, this is the funniest name I’ve ever heard!】

【Yangyang, why did he bring this guy on the show? It’s so embarrassing.】

【Don’t say it, Yangyang is probably annoyed too.】

—

Ximen Sabi’s face turned red. “What are you laughing at?”

He now realized that being on a variety show wasn’t as fun as he thought, but since he was already here, there was no going back. He had to endure.

Ting Yu tried to hold back her laughter. “Well, actually, I just remembered something really happy.” She continued, “My birthday is in a few days, and my parents said they’re going to give me a gift.”

“I feel the same way, I just thought of something happy,” Bai Yun chimed in. “My birthday is in June, and my fans celebrated with me. I was really happy.”

The others casually added a few words as well, though their comments were obviously lies. Ximen Sabi didn’t know whether to believe them, and he couldn’t refute them either.

“Cough, cough. Since everyone’s introduced themselves, let’s pick our refrigerators,” Ting Yu said, clearing her throat. “We arrived first, so we got to choose first.”

She also let her friend Lei Yan choose a fridge. Lei Yan picked a white, double-door fridge, which was filled with a lot of ingredients, though nothing compared to what Qiao Chuchu had chosen.

Next up were Qi Nian and his friend Huang Xiangyu. They chose a silver fridge, but when they opened it, they immediately groaned because the ingredients were very sparse. They weren’t sure if they could even make six dishes with what was inside.

Finally, it was Jin Keyang and Ximen Sabi’s turn. The black fridge, which no one else had picked, was theirs. They had it worse—there were even fewer ingredients than Qi Nian’s group, just a few small vegetables, radishes, and some cured meat.

Jin Keyang’s face darkened. “With so little, what can we make?”

Before joining the show, he had already learned the rules of the recording. After each group chooses their fridge, they need to prepare six delicious dishes with the ingredients inside to serve their friends. The group that gets the highest score and best evaluation from their friends will win a big gift from the show.

Before coming, he had spent a large sum of money to bribe the show’s director, who had leaked some information about the episode.

He knew the red fridge was the best, but he had arrived too late to pick it.

Bai Yun looked at the ingredients and said, “If you count carefully, you have just enough ingredients for six dishes. If you try, you can still make it work.”

Jin Keyang’s tone was displeased. “Can you even eat green onions, ginger, and garlic?”

“Of course,” Qiao Chuchu replied. “Green onions, ginger, and garlic have great benefits. They help reduce heat, expel cold, and strengthen immunity. Eating them regularly is good for your health.”

“Cut—” Jin Keyang sneered. “As if anyone doesn’t know that.”

Qiao Chuchu replied dismissively, “You know, you’re amazing.”

“Of course,” Jin Keyang said confidently, but was interrupted when Ximen Sabi tugged at his sleeve. He looked over, annoyed. “What is it?”

He already disliked him, and now Ximen Sabi was being clueless as well.

Ximen Sabi, who was now afraid of Qiao Chuchu and didn’t dare to argue with her, didn’t want Jin Keyang to lose face either. “She’s right. Green onions, ginger, and garlic are fine. We can make do with what we have.”

“Let go.” Jin Keyang didn’t understand Ximen Sabi’s intentions. He turned back to Qiao Chuchu. “The question I asked you earlier—you still haven’t answered me.”

“Are you really Qiao Cen’s biological sister?”

He scrutinized her carefully. Her eyes did resemble Qiao Cen’s, but that didn’t necessarily mean she was his real sister.

He was still trying to find a lie, something that would expose the sibling relationship as a deception.

Qiao Chuchu replied, “Of course I am.”

Bullet comments:

【Damn, Jin Keyang is so annoying. Why did the show invite him?】

【What does he mean by this? Is he questioning the authenticity of our Qiao family’s sibling relationship?】

【Suddenly, there’s an older sister. Isn’t it normal for Yangyang to question it?】

【The production team really knows how to find trending topics. They know Qiao and Jin are sworn enemies, yet they still put Jin and Qiao’s sister together.】

【What’s all the noise about? Can we just watch the variety show in peace?】

—

Qiao Chuchu looked at him and said, “What’s wrong? Do you have a problem?”

【This Jin Keyang, no matter how you look at him, is irritating. When he talks to people, it’s like he wants to lift his head to the sky. He’s so full of himself.】

【I’m really curious, what did he eat growing up to become this confident and arrogant? Let me see.】

【Jin Keyang, found him—】

Standing directly opposite Qiao Chuchu, Jin Keyang’s face showed an expression of utter shock.

What did he see? Qiao Chuchu didn’t even speak!

What did he hear? Was that really Qiao Chuchu’s inner thoughts?

Before he could process this, Qiao Chuchu’s voice came again.

【Oh, no wonder he’s so arrogant. Turns out he’s the son of the mayor of City A. He’s been spoiled and pampered since childhood. No one dares to speak ill of him. Everything revolves around him. He enjoys the treatment of a prince.】

Upon hearing this, although Jin Keyang had no idea how she knew his identity, he unconsciously straightened his back and looked at the others with a disdainful gaze.

The others were shocked. Wait, Jin Keyang is the mayor’s son? No wonder he’s so arrogant and smug. We should keep our distance from him from now on. We can’t afford to make him angry.

Jin Keyang was still waiting for compliments, but when he realized the others had stepped back, he was confused. “???”

What did they mean by that?

Qiao Chuchu’s voice continued.

【Jin Keyang even entered the entertainment industry thanks to his father’s protection, which is why his path to stardom has been so smooth. He became famous immediately after debuting, but his actual talent is lacking.】

【Tch, I don’t know what he’s so proud of. Isn’t it all because of his dad? Without his father, he’d be nothing. He’s just lucky enough to have been born into the right family.】

After hearing these words, Jin Keyang’s face darkened, and it seemed as though ink could spill from the rage in his expression.

How did she know so much about him? How did she find out?

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. He turned his gaze to Ximen Sabi. “Was it you?”

Did he tell Qiao Chuchu?

His behavior earlier had been very odd. He actually helped Qiao Chuchu. Doesn’t he know the person he hates the most is Qiao Zhen? How could he help someone with the surname Qiao!

“What? Not me!” Ximen Sabi quickly defended himself. He could never have spread Jin Keyang’s identity around. He might have wanted to, but he didn’t dare.

Jin Keyang squinted at him for a moment. It didn’t seem like it was him.

“You—how do you know—beep (censored)?”

Why can’t he say anything? What’s going on?!

As he was doubting life, he heard Qiao Chuchu’s voice again.

【Oh, I didn’t finish earlier. Turns out Jin Keyang has a huge secret! He’s not his father’s biological son. He was the result of an affair between his mother and another man while his father was away on business. His real father is actually the Jin family’s butler, who watches over him every day but dares not acknowledge him.】

【The mayor is so pitiful. His wife cheated on him and gave him a bastard son. He loves the boy dearly, but sadly, he’s not his own.】

【Not only that, but this bastard son, along with the butler, will eventually cause the mayor’s tragic death. Raising another man’s child really carries too many risks.】

The crowd: !!!

What shocking secrets did they just hear?! This is so unbelievable!

All eyes turned to Jin Keyang, who looked as if thunder had struck him. His face darkened. “You—beep (censored).”

He wanted to refute what was just said, but he couldn’t speak!

The suffocating feeling inside made him feel terrible!

Damn it!

Seeing this, everyone took a step back in unison, clearly believing Qiao Chuchu’s absurd words. Jin Keyang was finished.

What nonsense was Qiao Chuchu spewing? Spreading rumors that he wasn’t his father’s biological son? Ha, just wait until the show is over—I’ll make her regret this!

But as the thought of getting revenge on Qiao Chuchu crossed his mind, he suddenly couldn’t breathe. It felt like an invisible pair of hands were choking him, and he was on the verge of suffocation.

“Damn, Yangyang, what’s happening to you?” Ximen Sabi was scared out of his mind, quickly supporting him and shouting, “Don’t die, what will I do if you die?”

He wasn’t being disrespectful, Jin Keyang’s condition looked exactly like someone about to suffocate to death.

He was fine just a moment ago! What happened all of a sudden?

The others were also startled by the sudden change in his condition. “Director, hurry up and come over! Jin Keyang’s having a fit!”

Jin Keyang wanted to retort: You’re the one having a fit, your whole family’s having fits! But no words came out, and even breathing became difficult.

Bullet comments:

【Damn, what happened to Jin Keyang? Did he have an attack?】

【You’re the one who’s sick, your whole family’s sick. Our Yangyang is just fine!】

【@Director, why aren’t you coming to check on Yangyang?! If anything happens to him, it’s all on you!】

—

The director rushed over, pale with fear. If something happened to Jin Keyang on his show, he’d be in serious trouble.

“Quick, call a doctor!”

In this moment of panic, Jin Keyang suddenly found himself able to breathe again, gasping for air.

He couldn’t make sense of what had just happened.

Ximen Sabi, crying, asked, “Yangyang, are you okay?”

“Of course, I’m fine. Why are you acting like a mourner?” Jin Keyang patted his butt and stood up, striking a proud pose, trying to cover up the embarrassing moment.

He suddenly felt better, and the director’s heart returned to calm. “It’s good you’re okay. Good, good.”

After repeatedly checking Jin Keyang’s condition, the recording of the show resumed.

The director announced, “Since everyone has chosen their refrigerators, we can now officially start this episode of the culinary variety show. Before we begin, I’d like to introduce two special guests. Please welcome Qin Zhongsong and Qiao Cen!”

Clap clap clap—

The director clapped first, followed by everyone else. Some were surprised to see Qin Zhongsong and Qiao Cen come out of the room.

“Hello, everyone, I’m Qiao Cen. I’m very happy to have been invited by the production team to be a special guest for this episode. I look forward to your guidance,” Qiao Cen said.

Dressed in a fresh and stylish white casual outfit with sneakers, Qiao Cen looked tall and slim, particularly handsome.

Everyone greeted him enthusiastically, “Welcome, welcome.”

Bullet comments:

【Wow! It’s my Xiao Qiao Cen! I’m definitely following this episode of the show!】

【I heard Xiao Qiao Cen would be here, so I came to check it out. Didn’t expect an even bigger surprise—his sister’s here too!】

【Awesome! The Qiao siblings are together again! I’ve missed them so much after a few days!】

—

“Hello, I’m Qin Zhongsong,” said Qin Zhongsong warmly. “Ah, I’m the only older one here. How can I accept all this attention?”

Qin Zhongsong was a national heartthrob from their mother’s generation. He was incredibly handsome and charismatic, and since debuting at the age of sixteen, he had remained popular, starring in dozens of works and winning countless awards. He had become a heartthrob for many.

Even now, nearing fifty, he didn’t look old. His face still retained the youthful look of his younger years, but he had gained a unique, mature charm that came with age—a charisma exclusive to men of his age.

“Senior Qin, you’re too humble. We’re so happy you could join the show!”

Tingyu and her mother were die-hard fans of Qin Zhongsong. They loved his work and often watched his shows to learn acting, having practically grown up with his roles.

She added, “Senior Qin, both my mom and I are your loyal fans. Could you sign something for me later?”

“Really? It’s my honor,” Qin Zhongsong smiled. “Sure, I can do that.”

Bullet comments:

【Ahhhh! Qin Zhongsong, my childhood idol! After all these years, he still hasn’t changed! He’s still so charming!】

【Five stars for the production team for inviting my Qin ge (bro)! Amazing!】

【When I watched the TV shows he acted in, I was only eight years old. Now I’m thirty-three, with three kids, and looking old, but my idol hasn’t changed much at all.】

—

The viewers in the live broadcast room were all reminded of the good old days by the heavyweight actor, Qin Zhongsong. They reminisce about the past.

After the two special guests appeared, the director said, “To the four resident guests, listen up! Your mission now is not only to take care of your own friends, but also to find ways to invite these two to your refrigerator as guests. Those who succeed in inviting them will get a refrigerator from the special guests.”

“Now, let’s start the challenge!”

This mission was something they hadn’t encountered before, clearly a new game rule invented by the director.

While others were still stunned, unsure of how to begin, Qiao Chuchu spoke up, “Qiao Cen, Senior Qin, we’re making braised spare ribs, steamed bass, skewers, spicy chicken wings, stir-fried shrimp, and a nourishing soup for lunch… would you like to come to our team and be our guests?”

Qiao Cen raised his hand. “Thank you for the invitation, I’d love to!”

Of course, he’d love to—his sister personally invited him, and there was delicious food for lunch!

Before he left, he didn’t forget to bring someone else along. “Senior Qin, would you like to join us too?”

Qin Zhongsong smiled. “I’ll wait for a bit.”

Qiao Cen didn’t press him further and happily walked over to Qiao Chuchu. “Sis, are we really making all those delicious dishes for lunch?”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Yep.”

Seeing Qiao Chuchu succeed in inviting someone, the others immediately rushed to ask, “Senior Qin, our lunch will be very hearty. Would you like to join our team as guests?”

Qin Zhongsong smiled. “You can’t convince me just yet. I’d like to see your cooking skills first.”

The guests all agreed. “Of course, no problem.”

However, this didn’t include Jin Keyang. Before coming on the show, he had invested money, and the director had promised to prioritize him. Why, then, was the recording pace now not what he expected?

“Director, I have something to say. This isn’t fair.”

Jin Keyang looked over at Qiao Cen, his eyes filled with criticism. “Qiao Cen and Qiao Chuchu know each other. She invited Qiao Cen, and of course, Qiao Cen agreed. This is unfair to the rest of us.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ximen Sabi nodded in agreement. “It’s not fair.”

After speaking, he glanced at Qiao Chuchu and quickly averted his gaze. Fortunately, she hadn’t noticed him just now.

Qi Nian and Tingyu exchanged a glance and also nodded. “It does seem a little unfair.”

But there was nothing they could do. This was someone else’s inherent advantage, and they couldn’t compete with it.

Jin Keyang spoke again. “This rule needs to be changed. Otherwise, is there any point in continuing the recording?”

He stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking defiant.

The director was a bit hesitant. “This…”

He had already known the rules before the recording, so why was Jin Keyang suddenly raising objections?

“Aiya, some people just can’t handle losing, can they?” Qiao Cen said. “We’ve known each other too, for two years, in fact. You could invite me to your fridge with sincerity, but you didn’t even say anything. How can I go?”

Jin Keyang’s face turned dark, and he said harshly, “Then are you coming?”

Qiao Cen was puzzled. “Coming where?”

Jin Keyang, trying to hold in his anger, said, “To our fridge, as a guest!”

Qiao Cen replied, “Nope.”

“You—”

Qiao Cen teased, “What’s with you? You’re so rude and still want to invite someone to your place? I’m not missing your onions, garlic, and ginger.”

“Qiao Cen—” Jin Keyang was nearly driven mad. This person was mocking him, didn’t he realize that?

Qiao Chuchu, listening, felt like applauding Qiao Cen.

【Well done, Qiao Cen! When dealing with this kind of contrarian, you have to push back, even more than him.】

【Jin Keyang should just change his name to Jin Nikangzhe (Contrarian), or Jin Hands-in-Pockets. He hasn’t taken his hands out since he appeared. Does he really think that stance looks cool? To me, it just screams ‘middle-schooler.’】

“Pfft—”

The laugh wasn’t from anyone else but Ximen Sabi. When he heard the name “Jin Hands-in-Pockets,” he couldn’t hold it in and laughed out loud. He really didn’t mean to.

After catching the murderous glare from Jin Keyang, Ximen Sabi quickly covered his mouth. “I was just thinking of something funny.”

Qiao Chuchu, hearing Ximen Sabi’s voice, instinctively looked at the scene.

【Ximen Sabi’s happy thought—don’t tell me it’s about when the doctor removed the yellow eel from his behind, and he didn’t have to stay in the hospital? Didn’t he get cut and stitched up? Doesn’t it hurt?】

【And one more thing, isn’t Ximen Sabi usually a pretty flashy person? He’s always the most noticeable wherever he goes, but today he’s dressed so flamboyantly and yet has zero presence.】

Ximen Sabi covered his behind: !!!

Damn, damn, damn! Don’t bring that up again! That’s my black history!

Hearing the commotion, everyone looked at Ximen Sabi’s lower body, but since he was wearing pants, they couldn’t see anything.

The only one surprised was Qin Zhongsong, but being an older man, he quickly suppressed his surprise and listened in silence.

Jin Keyang’s face turned as dark as a pot bottom. It was bad enough that the Qiao siblings were laughing at him, but why was Ximen Sabi laughing?

“You better wait for it!”

Ximen Sabi, panicked, realized he had probably offended Jin Keyang. “I really was thinking of something funny!”

Jin Keyang ignored him. “Director, this is unfair!”

He repeated it again. The director knew exactly what he meant—to change the rules. He had no choice but to go along with it. After all, he had accepted the money from the other side, so he had to follow through.

The director cleared his throat. “Since several of the guests have concerns, how about we add a few more game competitions? The team with the highest score will get to take one special guest with them first.”

The proposal was accepted by the other three groups of guests, but Bai Yun wasn’t happy about it and muttered, “What’s this? The rules were set and now they’re changing them. It’s already 11 o’clock. If we play the games first and then cook, we’ll be starving.”

“Here, have some of these to tide you over,” Qiao Chuchu pulled out a bag of cookies from her pocket and handed them to her. “My mom baked them herself.”

Bai Yun was surprised. “They look so beautiful. I want to try Auntie’s cooking.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded and glanced at the scene.

【Tsk, no wonder the director changed the rules so quickly. Turns out he was bribed by Jin Hands-in-Pockets. As the saying goes, money can make the devil work, and that’s no lie.】

The director froze, his expression darkening. Wait, how does she know all this?

The other guests looked at him with complicated expressions. The director straightened his back and said, “If no one has objections, then let’s begin the game with the wheel of fortune.”

At this point, a staff member brought over a large spinning wheel, with the names of many games written on it.

The director continued, “Each team will get one spin. Whatever game the arrow lands on, that’s the game you’ll play.”

Jin Keyang spoke up first. “I’ll go first.”

He stepped forward and finally took his hand out of his pocket to spin the wheel. The arrow pointed to—Balloon Shooting.

Game Rules: Each team has ten arrows, five per person. For every balloon hit, they earn one point. The scores are added up, and the team with the most points wins. If there’s a tie, the game continues until a winner is determined.

Jin Keyang finally smiled. Shooting was his strong suit, and he thought no one could beat him at it.

After getting the arrows, Jin Keyang didn’t give any to Ximen Sabi. Ximen Sabi went over and asked, “Yangyang, where are my five arrows?”

“I’ll shoot for you,” Jin Keyang said, clearly doubting Ximen Sabi’s skills.

Qiao Cen noticed the situation. “Aiya, some people can’t play fair. You’re not following the game rules. Each person gets five arrows, no substitutions.”

Jin Keyang’s face darkened again, shooting a look of hatred at him.

“Exactly, no substitutions,” Bai Yun also said. “Chuchu, here are your five arrows.”

Qiao Chuchu weighed the arrows in her hand. Compared to the wooden arrows she had used before, these were a bit lighter, but they should work just as well.

Other guests agreed, and Jin Keyang had no choice but to hand the arrows over to her.

Ximen Sabi happily took his arrows. “I’ll shoot well!”

Jin Keyang ignored him. He was used to always going first, and this time, too, he wanted to be the first to shoot.

“I’ll go first.”

No one contested him, and they made way for him.

With full confidence, Jin Keyang shot the first arrow. “Thwack—”

The arrow flew with great force, but it missed the target and almost hit Qin Zhongsong!

And the one responsible for this was—Jin Keyang glared at him. “Ximen Sabi, what the hell are you doing?!”