Chapter 47

【This little girl is quite pretty, like a delicate porcelain doll, but her taste is terrible, liking a soft, freeloading gigolo. The key is, she even thinks he’s a good guy, going to his live stream every day to send him tips, not knowing he’s using the money she gave him to fawn over his goddess.】

【It’s one thing for him to fawn over his goddess, but he also complains in front of her that Qin Hanhan is a naive, easy-to-fooled fool. A few nice words and insignificant actions have her totally deceived, and now she doesn’t even listen to her parents.】

【Sigh, another silly girl who’s fallen into a man’s trap.】

Qiao Chuchu looked at Qin Hanhan. Although she was smiling, her fair face held a look of regret and a sense of caring for the naïve girl.

Qin Hanhan, “???”

What’s going on? How did she hear Qiao Chuchu’s voice but not see her speak? Was she hearing the other person’s thoughts?

When did she gain this strange ability?!

Wait.

She shouldn’t be shocked about that. She should be angry about what Qiao Chuchu said—calling her taste bad? Naive and easy to fool? A foolish girl?

They had just met for the first time, and she didn’t even know her—how could she say that? It was so rude. She had a good first impression of Qiao Chuchu, but now, she had no good feelings left.

Qin Hanhan was a bit annoyed. “How can you say that—beep (censored)?”

Qin Hanhan: “!!!”

What’s happening? Why couldn’t she speak about the topic she just heard?!

She felt something was off and tried again, “You can’t—beep (censored).”

Qin Hanhan: “!!!”

She was so angry! Why couldn’t she say anything to refute? This was so frustrating!

Her face was filled with frustration.

Qiao Chuchu looked at her in confusion. “What do you want to say?”

【What’s wrong with her? Why is she suddenly so irritable?】

Qin Hanhan: “I—”

She felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness at not being able to speak. It was just so uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Qin Zhongsong stepped forward, placed his hand on her shoulder, and patted it, then asked, “Have you finished greeting everyone?”

Qin Hanhan, seeing that her dad didn’t show any sign of surprise, wondered if he couldn’t hear it?

“Mm, it’s done.”

Qin Zhongsong smiled. “Hanhan is spoiled by me. Sometimes she doesn’t know her limits, so please forgive her.”

Qin Hanhan didn’t like her dad saying that about her, pouting a bit but ultimately not saying anything.

Tian Ka politely responded, “Hahaha, no, I think Hanhan is great. She’s beautiful and well-behaved, really lovable.”

“Yeah, Hanhan definitely looks very smart and clever,” another guest chimed in.

The other guests also agreed, and their compliments made Qin Hanhan’s expression relax a bit.

Qiao Chuchu: 【She’s beautiful and well-behaved, that’s true, but too naive. She’s been fooled and still ^[1]“Counts the money for others” is a figurative expression meaning someone is unknowingly or naively doing something for someone else’s benefit, often at their own expense.counts the money for others. She abandons her parents, who have loved her for sixteen years, for a few nice words from others, running off with them. No wonder she did something a reckless, bold teenage girl would do.】

Qin Hanhan: “You—beep (censored).”

Qin Hanhan: “!!!”

She was so frustrated with the mysterious censorship. It made her feel so angry and upset—why couldn’t she speak?!

Comments:

【Wow, Brother Qin has hidden his daughter for over ten years, finally willing to introduce her to us.】

【Hanhan is so beautiful, her eyes especially look like Brother Qin’s, so affectionate and gentle.】

【Hanhan, we’re all your dad’s fans, you can call us aunties.】

【Don’t say I’m being paranoid, but I feel like Hanhan was hostile when she greeted Qiao Chuchu. Are they not getting along?】

【I noticed that too, Hanhan seemed like she wanted to say something but didn’t, then her expression turned bad. What’s going on? Is she in a bad mood?】

【We haven’t done anything to her, don’t take it out on Qiao Chuchu.】

【Where’s the bad mood? Hanhan might have just been feeling unwell, so her face was a little off.】

【I don’t see why she would be unwell, her complexion looks just fine to me.】

【I really don’t get it, did Brother Qin’s fans forget that Brother Qiao saved them? How can they treat his sister like this?】

—

The fans from both sides started arguing in the comments, neither side backing down, but the atmosphere on set was still quite good.

The director noticed the situation in the comments and told his assistant, “Keep an eye on the comment section. If any bad comments appear, mute them immediately. Bring in some paid posters to post good reviews about the guests. We don’t want the arguments to escalate too much—it will have a negative impact.”

If it were before, the director wouldn’t have minded, and might have even encouraged the fans to argue more, creating hot topics to bring in traffic for the show.

Now, he just wanted the show to run smoothly without any messy issues affecting its reputation.

He had also heard Qiao Chuchu’s thoughts earlier. Qin Zhongsong seemed fine, but his daughter had a problem—a melodramatic one about feelings. Even if it got exposed, it shouldn’t have too much of an impact on the program, right?

He was really disappointed, despite carefully selecting the guests.

In his frustration, he prayed and hoped this episode could proceed without any problems.

—

“Snap—”

“Wow!!! Qin Hanhan—”

A bottle of wine was accidentally knocked off the table, hitting the floor with a sharp sound, which startled the others, causing them to curse loudly.

“Damn, Hao Yuan, what the hell are you yelling for? You scared the crap out of me! You made me lose this game!”

“Yeah, what’s your problem?!”

The two young men lying on the couch playing games cursed at him in annoyance, while Hao Yuan, the one being scolded, didn’t seem upset at all. Instead, he laughed out loud, almost as if he had gone mad.

“Are you crazy? Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”

“You scared us! Don’t you know that?”

The two of them expressed their dissatisfaction again.

But Hao Yuan’s smile didn’t fade. He walked over and said, “Hahaha, guys, I’m about to strike it big!”

“Strike it big? What are you talking about?”

Hao Yuan looked at a variety show on the screen and continued, “So, I’ve been dating a little girlfriend recently. Do you guys know who she is?”

“Who? Stop keeping us in suspense.”

“She’s Qin Zhongsong’s daughter,” Hao Yuan said, even surprising himself. “I thought she was just a rich girl from a wealthy family, but it turns out she’s actually Qin Zhongsong’s daughter. She’s a star kid! Her family background is even better than I imagined.”

Qin Zhongsong’s reputation was well known across the internet, and everyone knew he had a precious daughter, though she was so well-protected by him that no one had ever seen her before.

Who would’ve thought that the little girlfriend Hao Yuan was dating, Qin Hanhan, was actually Qin Zhongsong’s daughter!

The overwhelming wealth and privilege felt like a sudden blow to the head, and he couldn’t stop laughing in excitement.

“No way! Is this for real? Your little girlfriend is Qin Zhongsong’s daughter? Are you messing with us?”

“How did you find out?”

“‘Dear Us’ variety show,” Hao Yuan shared the program with them, then said happily, “If I become Qin Zhongsong’s son-in-law, I’ll be set for life! I’ll be a star too, no need to work hard live-streaming anymore.”

“Wow, you really hit the jackpot,” one of the young men said. “Bro, you’re going to be rich!”

“If you really become Qin Zhongsong’s son-in-law, don’t forget about us,” another young man added. “Such a good thing, you have to treat us.”

“Of course, I’ll treat you guys. I’m so happy, I feel like I’m not far from becoming Qin Zhongsong’s son-in-law,” Hao Yuan said, then asked, “Let me see if my goddess has time to go out for a meal with me?”

One of the young men teased him, “You, always wanting more, even while eating from the bowl, you’re eyeing what’s in the pot.”

Another one said, “Exactly, if you don’t like her, just pass her on to the brothers, let us have a taste of the good life.”

“Go away, go away. Who said I don’t like her? I love her money!” Hao Yuan said regretfully. “To become Qin Zhongsong’s son-in-law, I have to give up my goddess. When I have enough money, I’ll divorce Qin Hanhan and then marry my goddess.”

He didn’t like Qin Hanhan, it was her wealth that attracted him. He wasn’t interested in naive girls—he preferred sexy, charismatic women.

“Hahaha, your idea is really beautiful. I hope it comes true for you soon.”

“Let’s go, treat us to a meal!”

—

Qin Hanhan had no idea that her boyfriend was making moves on her. She had never been on a variety show, so she curiously asked,

“What should we do now? Just sit here?”

“The director won’t let us just sit here,” Qin Zhongsong replied. “We’ll wait for him to announce the task.”

Qin Hanhan nodded, eager for the director to hurry up. She wanted to finish the variety show quickly so she could be with her boyfriend and tell him the good news.

The location for this episode of the variety show was—Feiyue Ancient City.

This ancient city had a history of over a thousand years. It was said to have been the residence of a certain emperor’s palace and town, and after a thousand years, it still preserved its original history.

It was listed as a National AA-level scenic area, and the historic cultural buildings here attracted many tourists, gradually becoming a popular check-in spot for internet celebrities.

The streets were bustling with people, most of them wearing bright and beautiful traditional costumes, with their hair styled in ancient fashions and decorated with red hairpins. The crisp sound of the hairpins could be heard echoing through the air, making it feel like they had traveled back in time.

The director said, “Welcome everyone to Feiyue Ancient City. This is where we’ll be filming for this episode.”

“You should all have heard of this place. So, our first task is: put on ancient costumes and gather here before noon. You can start moving now.”

“What? Does the production team not provide any financial support for us?”

“Yeah, we have no money, how are we supposed to change into ancient costumes?”

The director replied, “If I remember correctly, you can use the funds left over from the last episode.”

“Director, we don’t have that,” Qin Zhongsong said, adapting to local customs.

“It’s fine. The money left by the guests from the last episode is for you,” the director said, signaling the staff to hand it over. It totaled less than 100 yuan.

Qin Zhongsong was skeptical. “Is 100 yuan enough to rent two outfits?”

“Definitely not,” Qin Hanhan replied. “100 yuan is way too little.”

Qiao Cen spoke up, “Senior Qin, if you don’t have enough money, we can lend you 100 yuan. Just pay me back later.”

“Okay, I’ll take it,” Qin Zhongsong nodded. “We’ll pay you back when we make some money.”

“No rush,” Qiao Cen handed him 100 yuan and returned to Qiao Chuchu’s side. “Sis, which way should we go?”

Qiao Chuchu looked around and pointed straight ahead. “Let’s go down the main street.”

Qiao Cen nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Seeing this, the other guests followed behind them, eager to enjoy the gossip.

Bullet comments:

【My Cencen is so beautiful and kind. He was just being chased by Qin family’s fans, and if I were there, I really wouldn’t want to lend them any money.】

【Yeah, it seems like some fans’ words shouldn’t be taken seriously. They’ve already forgotten about the favor so quickly.】

【It’s fine, they can forget. The Qin family still owes my Cencen a favor. As long as the person involved remembers, that’s what matters. Other fans are useless.】

【Can you stop speaking in such a sarcastic tone? We haven’t forgotten, we’re just stating the facts. Qiao Chuchu and Qiao Cen are different, so what’s the problem if we say a word or two?】

【It’s not like our Brother Qin begged him for help, he volunteered to save him. We’ve already thanked him for that.】

【Sigh, can you all stop arguing? You’re making a scene and giving others something to laugh about.】

【Let’s just be more loving toward each other.】

It wasn’t a big deal, but fans from both sides felt uncomfortable and wished they could fight it out on the spot.

—

The guests at the scene had no idea about the online buzz and were still following behind Qiao Chuchu and Qiao Cen.

This street was the main road, and the flow of people was large. Since the area hadn’t been cleared, they soon found themselves surrounded by a crowd.

“Ah! Ah! It’s Qiao Cen and her sister! They’re so beautiful! Even better-looking than on TV!”

“Wow! I can’t believe I’m seeing the real Qin Zhongsong! Oh my gosh, he’s just as handsome as he was twenty years ago! I really want to ask for a photo with him, but I’m too scared! Wuwuwu!”

“Yunyun! Over here! I’m your fan! I really like you! This is the first time we’re meeting offline, and I’m giving this to you!”

“Qin Hanhan, Hanhan, you’re so beautiful! Hold out your hand, I have something for you!”

—

All the guests at the scene were called by their names, and as they walked along, they were showered with attention from the pedestrians.

These people were very well-mannered, not rushing toward them but greeting them from the side.

The lively scene continued until they walked into a small alley.

The alley was paved with cobblestones that stretched endlessly. There were small shops on both sides, many selling antiques, and some renting out ancient costumes.

Bai Yun suggested, “This store has quite a few ancient costumes. How about we go in and take a look?”

“Sure.”

No one refused, and they all walked into the store.

The store had many outfits, and Qiao Chuchu immediately spotted a white, ethereal ancient costume.

Qiao Cen, with her sharp eye, asked, “Sis, do you like this one? I’ll take it down for you to try.”

“Okay.” Qiao Chuchu nodded.

This was her first time trying on an ancient costume, and she had never worn one before.

Bai Yun, knowing this, said to her, “Chuchu, wait for me. I’ll change with you.”

Having acted in ancient dramas before, she knew how to wear such costumes.

“Sure.” Qiao Chuchu waited for her to pick out an outfit, and the two of them went into the fitting room together.

The others in the store were also selecting their own ancient costumes to try on. Qiao Chuchu and Bai Yun worked together smoothly to change clothes, and after a while, the others came out.

At this point, Qin Zhongsong noticed his daughter was missing and asked in confusion, “Where’s Hanhan? Have you seen her?”

“No.”

“Could she be changing clothes?”

Just then, Ye Yu, the last to come out, appeared with the shop owner, but there was no sign of Qin Hanhan. Qin Zhongsong became a little anxious, “Where did she go?”

“Outside.”

The cameraman, who had remained silent until now, reminded them.

Qin Zhongsong immediately went outside.

Bai Yun linked arms with Qiao Chuchu, “Chuchu, let’s go take a look too.”

Qiao Chuchu nodded and went out with her, casually flipping through the storyline.

【Ah, it looks like Qin Hanhan really likes the pretty boy who lives off her. Even while changing clothes, she’s chatting with him, unaware that he’s treating his goddess and the guys to a feast.】

【The money for this meal was actually tipped by Qin Hanhan. He says he has big ambitions to be a famous singer, but in reality, he’s just muddling through his days, dreaming big.】

Qin Zhongsong, “!!!”

This little girl has gone too far. She’s not being honest even while on a variety show.

Qin Hanhan didn’t notice they were coming and was still happily talking to Hao Yuan on the phone.

“Brother Yuan, what are you doing? I have good news to tell you! After I finished what I promised my dad, he agreed that we can be together.”

“Are you happy?”

Hao Yuan, sitting in a private room having a feast, walked to the window. “Really? Did Uncle really agree for us to be together? I’m definitely happy—so happy I could cry.”

“Yuan, what are you standing there for? Come over and drink.”

His brother shouted.

Startled, Hao Yuan quickly covered the phone.

“It’s true, don’t cry. I don’t want you to cry.” Qin Hanhan heard the noise from the other end. “Why is it so noisy over there? What are you doing?”

“Working, discussing what to air today.” Hao Yuan deliberately asked, “What about you?”

“Guess.” Qin Hanhan replied.

“Are you at school or sleeping?” Hao Yuan was still standing by the window when the goddess came back from the bathroom, saw him, and walked over. “What are you doing here?”

“Making a call,” Hao Yuan pointed to his phone.

The goddess smiled, twirling her hair around her finger. “Girlfriend?”

“No, no.” Hao Yuan quickly shook his head. “Don’t you know how I feel?”

The goddess pretended not to understand, “What do you mean?”

Hao Yuan didn’t want to say more at this moment, so he told Qin Hanhan, “I’ve got something to do here, I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”

“Hao Yuan, Hao Yuan…”

Qin Hanhan clearly heard a woman’s voice on the other end. “He actually hung up on me. What is he doing?”

Soon, she heard another voice.

【Hao Yuan might as well change his name to ^[2]“Hao Jian” (郝建) the character “建” (Jiàn) means “build” or “establish.” So, the name “Hao Jian” could be interpreted as “Hao, … Continue readingHao Jian. He’s stringing along Qin Hanhan while sweet-talking the goddess. He doesn’t have much ability, yet he wants both of them.】

【Qin Hanhan is still naive, thinking Hao Yuan really likes her. Don’t be so silly, he likes the goddess with curves and sex appeal, not an underdeveloped little girl.】

【Right now, he’s treating the goddess to dinner and drinks, having a good time, and totally forgetting about Qin Hanhan.】

As soon as Qin Hanhan heard this, she knew they had brought people in. She was already unhappy, and hearing Qiao Chuchu’s complaints made her feel even worse.

“You—bip (censored).”

Qin Hanhan: “!!!”

She was so angry! The feeling of being unable to speak was unbearable!

She walked over to her father and asked, using the voice that both of them could hear, “Dad, can you hear Qiao Chuchu talking?”

She had removed the microphone, so the viewers in the livestream couldn’t hear her.

“Mm,” Qin Zhongsong replied. “Don’t dwell on any negative thoughts, just listen carefully.”

Qin Hanhan was shocked. “Dad, did you know—”

Qin Zhongsong didn’t answer her question, instead saying, “It’s time to record, don’t keep them waiting.”

Bullet comments:

【What are the father and daughter whispering about? Don’t treat us like outsiders, I want to hear too.】

【Is there anyone who can read lips? Can someone translate what they just said?】

【I can only make out one thing, it seems like they mentioned Qiao Chuchu talking?】

【Qiao Chuchu said something? What did she say?】

【I don’t get it, let’s just keep watching.】

—

Because Qiao Chuchu always criticized Qin Hanhan, it made her not want to stay with her anymore.

But there was no choice. After they had rented their ancient costumes, they returned to their original spot.

The director then announced, “Congratulations to everyone for completing the first task of renting costumes. The next task is: head to the ancient village to attend Grandma Li’s 90th birthday banquet.”

Qiao Cen was surprised. “Wow, a 90th birthday banquet? Should we bring something with us?”

“The gift is already prepared, everyone just needs to assemble it themselves,” the director replied.

As soon as the director finished speaking, several staff members brought over a huge box. Inside were parts for a brand-new wooden rocking chair that they needed to assemble.

The director explained, “This rocking chair is Grandma Li’s 90th birthday wish, so we hope everyone can seriously assemble it to surprise her.”

Since the production team had already prepared the gift, they didn’t need to worry about that, just assembling the rocking chair.

There were a lot of them, and with the help of the instruction manual, they had it put together in half an hour.

Afterward, they went to Grandma Li’s house.

Her great-grandson, a loyal fan of the show, was stationed far away on the border, protecting the country, and couldn’t visit his great-grandmother.

So, he asked the production team to attend the birthday banquet on his behalf. This rocking chair was his birthday gift for Grandma Li.

The director thought this was a very special situation, and since it was an opportunity, he agreed to help.

At Grandma Li’s home, there were only a few elderly people left, and the birthday banquet was being helped by the neighbors. A lot of people had come.

When the eight guests arrived, everyone was surprised.

“Who are they? They look familiar.”

“They’re all celebrities, no wonder they look familiar. But why are they here?”

“Are they relatives of Grandma Li? Did she invite them?”

—

Qin Zhongsong was the oldest and most senior guest, so the task was given to him.

“Sorry for the sudden visit. We are here on the invitation of Zhang Xing, Grandma Li’s great-grandson, to help celebrate his great-grandmother’s birthday. This is the gift he sent her, and he hopes she can open it herself.”

“Ah, so you’re invited by Xiao Xing! Please, come in, come in.”

“Grandma Li has difficulty walking, she’s inside. Let me go and bring her out.”

After Qin Zhongsong explained, they understood and quickly invited them in and brought Grandma Li out.

The 90-year-old woman was very thin and didn’t look very healthy, but she warmly welcomed the guests into her home.

Later, the production team told them that Zhang Xing also had one more wish: to video call with Grandma Li.

Qin Zhongsong spoke first. “Hanhan, this task is for you.”

Qin Hanhan hesitated. “Dad…”

“Go on,” Qin Zhongsong replied, not letting her off this time. “Hold the phone for Grandma Li.”

He did this because he wanted his daughter to feel the bond of family. Often, the people closest to you are not always available when you want to see them, so you should cherish what you have in front of you and not abandon everything for people who don’t matter.

Qin Hanhan stopped by Grandma Li, who seemed to know what she was about to do. With a kind smile, she said, “Thank you.”

Qin Hanhan shook her head. “You’re too kind, it’s the least I could do.”

She dialed the video call through the WeChat number provided by the production team. After a few seconds of ringing, the call was answered, and a handsome, somewhat tanned face appeared on the screen.

“Great-grandmother, happy birthday! I’m Xiao Xing. I really wanted to come back to see you, but I can’t leave here. I can only see you this way through the phone. Please forgive me for not being able to be there in person.”

Grandma Li, being older and with some difficulty hearing, had Qin Hanhan repeat the message for her.

After hearing it, Grandma Li’s eyes welled up, and she choked up as she said, “It’s okay, it’s okay. My Xiao Xing is a strong man, protecting the country. You don’t need to come back to see me. I’m fine. Just talking to you like this makes me very happy.”

On the other side, Zhang Xing’s voice also trembled as he shared some interesting stories and cultural things from where he was.

Qin Hanhan translated it all for Grandma Li. Perhaps moved by the conversation between the grandfather and granddaughter, her eyes also became red.

The call lasted for ten minutes, and after it ended, Qin Hanhan ran over to Qin Zhongsong. “Dad, I won’t treat you like this again.”

“Mm.” Qin Zhongsong’s smile was just starting to form when it was quickly extinguished by Qiao Chuchu’s sarcastic remark.

【You really won’t treat your dad this way again, especially after being tricked by that little white-faced guy into the mountains. There won’t be another chance.】

Qin Zhongsong: “!!!”