Chapter 41

Qiao Chuchu was flipping through the melon.

【Didn’t expect it, Qin Zhongsong is actually controlled by his wife? He’s afraid of his wife, fulfilling all her requests, asking for hugs and kisses every day. If he doesn’t get a hug, he can’t sleep.】

【Ugh, this sweet and sour love is something else.】

【As expected, you can’t judge people by their appearance, he’s completely different from how he seems.】

【But it’s still pretty good. My mom always said that men who are controlled by their wives are good men, they know how to love their wives.】

【Qin Zhongsong and his wife don’t have much conflict, but they do have differences when it comes to disciplining their daughter. Recently, he secretly enrolled their daughter in a gaming class to relax her mind. His wife found out and said he was neglecting proper duties with their daughter. She hasn’t forgiven him for these past few days and kicked him out of the house.】

【Ugh, so pitiful.】

Qin Zhongsong: “…”

What’s with this kid? Why is she watching everything?

Qiao Cen: “…”

He glanced at Qin Zhongsong and noticed his expression wasn’t great. It seemed like he had heard something shocking.

This… this… he thought his sister would normally eavesdrop, but right now it didn’t feel right.

“Mr. Qin, is there something you need?”

He had no choice but to interrupt his sister’s thoughts.

Qin Zhongsong was very tolerant of him, “Well, here’s the thing. I really appreciate you helping me dodge that arrow during the variety show. I have a role resource that I think is very suitable for you. Would you like to give it a try?”

Qiao Cen asked, “What role?”

Right now, his focus was on being the lead vocalist, but he also accepted acting roles with good scripts. To prepare for acting, he had even taken lessons for a while. His acting skills weren’t as strong as experienced actors, but for a newcomer, it was passable.

His manager had told him that in the entertainment industry, you couldn’t just do one thing, you had to be good at everything if you wanted a broad career.

“It’s a new drama by Director Wu Chang. I think you’re perfect for the young general male lead role. You have this spirited, youthful vibe,” Qin Zhongsong said. “If you’re interested, I’ll make the connection.”

“Wu Chang?” Qiao Cen was surprised, “Can I do it?”

Wu Chang was one of the top directors in the industry, known for being very demanding of his scripts and expecting perfection. He was strict with the cast and crew, but every project he worked on became a huge hit. The roles he chose always skyrocketed in popularity, making him one of the biggest stars in the film industry. Many celebrities and actors would do anything to get into his productions.

“Of course,” Qin Zhongsong smiled. “You’re a very talented young man, I’m really optimistic about you.”

Qiao Cen felt elated from the praise, “I’m interested, but…”

He met Qiao Chuchu’s gaze, hesitating before continuing, “But right now, my focus is on my studies, and I might not have enough time to seriously work on the role, so I might not be able to take it.”

Although it was a pity to pass on this role, his acting skills weren’t strong enough, and forcing himself into Wu Chang’s drama might backfire. He decided to wait for the next opportunity.

He comforted himself with this thought.

“This is no problem. Wu Chang’s new drama is still in preparation, and the roles for the actors are still being cast. It probably won’t start shooting in the short term,” Qin Zhongsong said again. “Also, the young male lead doesn’t have many scenes, so your scenes can either be shot all at once or spread out according to your schedule. Either way works.”

Qin Zhongsong and Wu Chang had been long-time collaborators, so his words carried a certain level of authority.

This was an absolute privilege and a way for Qin Zhongsong to show his gratitude.

Receiving the hint from his sister, Qiao Cen nodded firmly. “Okay, I’d like to give it a try.”

“Good, a young man should be decisive like this.” Qin Zhongsong looked at Qiao Chuchu. “If you have time, you can come by the set too.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded. “Okay, I’ll visit when I have time.”

Qin Zhongsong stood in place for a while, thinking that Qiao Chuchu might throw in a few comments, but she said nothing. He felt a bit disappointed but didn’t want to ask directly. He could only go home and keep an eye on his daughter.

—

Around the corner, where no one noticed, Jin Keyang overheard their conversation. He sneered, “Wu Chang’s new drama? Fine, if Qin Zhongsong is going to introduce Qiao Cen to it, I’m not happy. I’ve had my eye on that role too. It’s mine, and no one can stop me.”

Ximen Sabi walked over, asking, “Yangyang, what are you doing standing here?”

“Mind your own business,” Jin Keyang snapped. “I warn you, don’t repeat any nonsense you hear from the variety show, or I’ll make you regret it!”

“No, no,” Ximen Sabi quickly waved his hand.

After parting ways with Jin Keyang, he immediately turned around and shared everything he’d overheard with his sister—Ximen Saju.

Ximen Saju was far more accomplished than he was. As the eldest daughter of the Ximen family, she had always been competitive and strived to be first in everything. She got into a prestigious university and earned two degrees.

At a dinner party, she met the mayor, intentionally got closer to him, and eventually succeeded in becoming the mayor’s wife.

However, after becoming the mayor’s wife, many things were not to her liking.

The biggest obstacle was the mayor’s biological son, Jin Keyang. This stubborn and difficult person was a constant source of frustration for her.

“Is what you’re saying true?”

If it was, she might have a chance to have her own child.

“It should be true,” Ximen Sabi muttered. “Everything she’s told me about my secrets has been pretty accurate.”

“What did you say?” Ximen Saju asked again. “Where did you hear this? Is the information reliable?”

“Sis, why don’t you investigate Jin Keyang’s background secretly?” Ximen Sabi suggested. “If he’s not the mayor’s biological son, then you, sis, would be the great benefactor of the Jin family.”

No one would want to raise a son who was being cuckolded, especially one that the mayor’s steward had put in that position.

Ximen Saju said, “I understand. I’ll handle this. Don’t worry about it. If nothing else, just stay close to Jin Keyang and gather more of his bad behavior. It will be beneficial for us.”

On the surface, she pretended to please Jin Keyang, doing her best to be a good stepmother, but secretly, she was scheming, trying to manipulate the relationship between him and his father.

She really wanted to have a child of her own, but as long as Jin Keyang was around, the mayor would never agree to her having a child.

To confirm the truth of this matter, she hired a private detective.

“Mr. Wang, help me investigate a few people.”

—

After the latest episode of the food variety show Come to My Fridge finished recording, it immediately trended on several hot search lists.

Among the topics, the one about Qin Zhongsong had the highest search volume, followed by the topic about Qiao Cen, and then Jin Keyang.

Shock! Qin Zhongsong Appears on Variety Show for a Shooting Hit #Trending

Qiao Cen Saves Qin Zhongsong #Trending

Qiao Cen’s Sharp Tongue #Trending

Jin Keyang’s Temper is Terrible #Trending

Qiao Cen and Jin Keyang Clash #Trending

Bullet comments:

【Wow, I didn’t expect Brother Qin to participate in a variety show! I missed it!】

【Don’t worry, sisters, there will be a replay in a few days. Brother Qin’s performance was amazing and definitely worth watching.】

【Qiao Cen’s news has been so scarce recently, what is he up to?】

【Here comes Jin Keyang again. Finally, someone’s exposing his bad temper.】

【I bet these bad trending topics about Jin Keyang will disappear soon.】

—

The highlight moments from this episode were all edited by the production team into segments to attract viewers’ attention.

Qin Zhongsong and Qiao Cen both have a large and active fan base, and with their involvement, Come to My Fridge gained hundreds of millions of views.

The director was thrilled in the backstage room, feeling his investment in inviting these two big names to the show was well worth it, as they elevated the episode’s popularity to a whole new level.

However, for a few people, like Jin Keyang, his trending topics weren’t as impressive.

His temper was genuinely bad, and fortunately, it was only for one episode. If he came back for the next season, he might ruin the show’s reputation.

He scrolled through a comment from a netizen and refreshed the page, surprised.

This netizen seemed to know Jin Keyang’s style very well. As they said, all the negative trending topics about Jin Keyang on Weibo had disappeared.

Instead, the hot searches were now praising him, such as:

Jin Keyang Hits the Target Balloon with One Shot #Trending

Jin Keyang is So Handsome #Hot

Jin Keyang is the True Champion of the Talent Show #Hot

【My Brother Yang is amazing! The best in the world!】

【Yangyang is so handsome, I want to lick your face! I will love you forever!】

【Such nostalgia for the talent show night two years ago, we accompanied Yangyang to reach the highest champion throne.】

—

The director had a complicated expression, showing his big teeth as he finished watching the trending searches that suddenly appeared, praising Jin Keyang.

He suspected that these trending topics were bought by Jin Keyang himself. No wonder he’s rich—spending money so generously, his hobby is quite different from others, he enjoys buying trending searches to praise himself.

—

The director’s suspicion was correct. These trending topics were indeed bought by Jin Keyang’s team. He was never short of money, and spending a little to buy trending searches to see others praise him was a form of enjoyment for him.

In the club, a group of young people were drinking, smoking, playing cards, and flirting with girls in a private room. The atmosphere inside was noisy and ambiguous.

“Ugh, Brother Yang, why are you being criticized again?”

“I don’t get it, Brother Yang, your family’s doing so well, why not learn from your uncle and become a big official? Why suffer in the entertainment industry?”

“Yeah, Brother Yang, the entertainment industry is chaotic, and there are a lot of people who don’t like you, talking behind your back. Why bother?”

The brothers around Jin Keyang were all second-generation rich, some were official second-generation, and they were all idle and carefree. Whenever they gathered, it was either smoking, drinking, or playing cards—basically, they never did anything productive.

Jin Keyang was smoking, holding a girl in his arms. He deliberately blew smoke in her face, making her cough before he laughed and let go of her.

The girl lightly pushed him away and said coquettishly, “You’re so annoying, always teasing me.”

Jin Keyang was the big spender at the club, and every girl wanted to be chosen by him. If he was happy, they could earn tens of thousands in tips for a night, more than their regular salary.

He lifted her chin, “Do you like it?”

“Of course, I like everything about you,” the girl smiled, but inwardly she was complaining, thinking, Isn’t this too much? Will you let go already?

Jin Keyang, feeling pleased, pulled out some money and handed it to her. “Do you like it? If you do, go pick it up.”

Just as the girl reached out to grab it, he tossed the money into the air, letting it scatter all over the place, showing off his wealth.

The girl cursed but still went to pick it up.

Someone like him, who didn’t respect others, would eventually face consequences.

When the other girls in the private room saw it, they also wanted to pick up the money. These rich kids threw money around and laughed as they watched the girls crouch down to collect it.

“Hahaha, Brother Yang, look at them, they don’t even care about their dignity for money.”

Jin Keyang sneered, “You want to know why I entered the entertainment industry? Because I want to stand on the highest stage, being adored and liked by all the girls. I love that feeling.”

He was born to be a king, someone who was adored and loved, and he wouldn’t allow that to change.

“Got it, got it. Brother Yang is still the best.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The praise from the rich kids made Jin Keyang lose his sense of direction even more. He spent money to have his team push trending topics, praising him however they could.

One of the young men said, “That Qiao Cen is just a pretty boy, how could he compare to Brother Yang? He’s even being compared to him, what a joke. People like him should be taught a lesson. What do you think, Brother Yang?”

Jin Keyang recalled the insult he received on the variety show, and he still felt uncomfortable about it. “Do as you please.”

He stood up, “My dad’s coming back tonight, so I’ll head back first. I’ll be waiting for good news from you guys.”

The familiar black sedan was parked in the yard. Jin Keyang knew his father had returned. He quickened his pace and headed toward the house. The butler approached him with a kind smile.

“Yangyang, you’re back! Have you eaten dinner? Your father just returned not long ago and is having dinner with your mother. Would you like to join them?”

Usually, when the butler greeted him so warmly, Jin Keyang wouldn’t find it strange, after all, the butler had watched him grow up, and he spent more time with the butler than with his father.

But now, for some reason, he remembered Qiao Chuchu’s words and felt a sense of detachment toward the butler.

“Yes, I haven’t had dinner with my dad in a long time.”

After Jin Keyang spoke, he glanced at the butler’s expression. It only stiffened slightly, and there was no problem. So, what Qiao Chuchu said must have been false. How could he be the butler’s son? He was his father’s son.

“Yangyang, you’re back! Come sit down, your dad and I just sat down to eat.”

As soon as Jin Keyang entered the room, his stepmother, Ximen Saijun, warmly greeted him. He gave her a lukewarm response.

Ximen Saijun still smiled and handed him chopsticks. Remembering what her brother had said, she couldn’t help but look at the father and son a few more times, analyzing their features and appearances. Indeed, there was no resemblance at all.

Jin Keyang didn’t pay attention to her and happily walked to his father’s side.

“Dad, you’re finally back. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a chat. How long will you be staying this time?”

Mayor Jin Cheng had a face that exuded authority even without anger, and usually, no one dared to make eye contact with him. But he treated his son very well.

“I’ll be staying for a while. Where did you go for fun?”

Jin Keyang didn’t dare tell the truth. He simply said, “I went out to eat with friends. I heard you were back, so I hurried home. I’m still hungry.”

“Sit down and eat with us,” Jin Cheng said. After they were all seated, he continued, “You need to ask your teacher for leave in advance, and you too, Xiaojun, both of you will accompany me to an event next Friday.”

“What kind of event?”

“We’ll visit the Hope Orphanage to see the sick children, donate supplies, and offer them help. There will be reporters present, so you need to control your emotions and not lose your temper.” Jin Cheng emphasized, “You’re not a child anymore, there are many things I need to pass on to you.”

Jin Keyang felt a little guilty. “Got it, Dad. Thank you for your trust. I won’t disappoint you!”

“Mm, I’ll prepare everything in advance,” Ximen Saijun’s smile faded as she stared at the fried egg on her plate, lost in thought.

—

In the early morning, a Weibo post #QiaoCenDoesNotDeserveToBeAnIdol# suddenly trended, sparking a lot of negative comments and hatred from online haters.

The topic quickly reached over a hundred million views, surpassing Qin Zhongsong’s trending topics, and became the number one hot search. However, the comments section was mostly full of angry criticisms, calling for Qiao Cen to be kicked out of the entertainment industry.

Not only that, the incident from a year ago, which caused Qiao Cen to be hated across the internet for hitting someone, was also brought up again, with extremely high views, drawing widespread attention across the internet.

【The incident of Qiao Cen hitting someone has finally been brought up again, thanks to the blogger!】

【Qiao Cen has been incredibly popular these past two years, but did he really think we’d forget about his violent incident?】

【Ridiculous, what has the world come to? People are actually supporting such a violent freak as an idol—this is an embarrassment to the people!】

—

The topic gained a lot of traction, and by the time Qiao Cen’s team noticed it early in the morning, it was already too late.

The internet was full of news cursing Qiao Cen, and it was terrifying to read.

The manager quickly made a decision. “Notify the operations department, the marketing team, and the backstage team. Everyone, go and control the comments, steer the topic in a different direction, report malicious comments, and contact the authorities to remove the trending topic. Everyone, get moving!”

He quickly called Qiao Cen. “Xiao Cen, did you see the trending topic?”

“No, what’s up?”

Qiao Cen had been busy with school lately, and he was still half asleep, not even out of bed yet.

“Well, nothing serious, but don’t look at it for now.” The manager said, “Just skip school today, take a leave and study at home.”

Qiao Cen was confused. “Wait, what exactly is going on?”

The more the manager said that, the more curious Qiao Cen became. He suspected something must have happened for the manager to be acting so strangely.

“It’s just some old, irrelevant stuff. Don’t worry about it, I’ll handle it,” the manager said. “Focus on your studies. I’m hanging up now.”

This only made Qiao Cen more curious about what was going on. The moment he opened Weibo, countless private messages flooded in.

He took one look and closed his eyes. Sigh… he should have listened to his manager.

In the room next door, Qiao Chuchu had also seen the trending topic.