Zhan Qingyue was amused by Ning Qiuxiu. This person was truly something else…

He said he liked Ning Qiuxiu’s personality, and he really meant it.

What first attracted him to her was indeed her character.

Zhan Qingyue had met all sorts of girls growing up, but none as interesting as Ning Qiuxiu.

But, why didn’t he notice her earlier?

If he had noticed her sooner, maybe they wouldn’t have missed out on these past few years.

Starting a relationship early…actually doesn’t sound too bad, Zhan Qingyue thought.

However, Ning Qiuxiu didn’t always seem like this.

Back then, his impression of her was more of a willful, stubborn, and somewhat selfish person. But somehow, she had changed.

Zhan Qingyue didn’t think too deeply about it.

If something is hard to understand or doesn’t need to be understood, there’s no point in overthinking it.

Cherishing the present moment is what matters most.

Ning Qiuxiu pretended to be dead on him for a moment, then started to tickle him.

Zhan Qingyue grabbed her hand and reminded her, “We’re still live streaming.”

“…” Ning Qiuxiu froze for a second, then quickly scrambled off him and sat up straight.

She looked perfectly well-behaved, but her ears had turned bright red.

Damn, how embarrassing!

Sure enough, the comments on the stream were filled with laughter.

【Too late, Qiuxiu, we all know you’re a goofball now】

【The household hierarchy is crystal clear 2333】

【This is the moment where Zhan should pin her down on the couch and do something romantic! Disappointed!】

【I was at least expecting a kiss scene, but it turns out goofy couples aren’t meant for romance】

…

Just then, a loudspeaker outside blared like a vendor at a market, “Cold drinks and frozen desserts, come get your cold drinks and frozen desserts~”

“!!!” Ning Qiuxiu looked at Zhan Qingyue, her face clearly saying, “I want some.”

Zhan Qingyue got up from the couch, reached out his hand to her, and said, “Let’s go.”

The two walked out hand in hand and saw an old man pushing a pink mobile dessert cart.

Since it was the middle of a hot summer, getting a cold drink or some frozen dessert like ice cream would be just perfect.

“Huh,” Ning Qiuxiu noticed a logo on the dessert cart, “So it’s the production team selling these desserts?”

Ning Qiuxiu had a feeling it wouldn’t be that simple.

If it was a regular vendor, she could just buy something with money, but since it was the production team, there was bound to be a catch.

Based on her experience from other shows, they would probably have to complete some challenge to get the desserts.

Luckily, there was a canopy over the cart to keep customers shaded, and cool air was blowing out from it, making the area quite comfortable.

Otherwise, if they had to struggle in the blazing sun, Ning Qiuxiu might just give up on getting the dessert.

She couldn’t risk getting tanned!

Sure enough, the old man said, “Yes, young lady, you can have whatever you like, but your husband will have to perform a little talent to earn it for you.”

A talent performance? As soon as Zhan Qingyue heard those words, the corner of his mouth twitched.

He had never been one for singing, dancing, or playing instruments.

Ning Qiuxiu knew these weren’t Zhan Qingyue’s strengths, so she asked, “Can I perform to earn it instead?”

“Nope, it can only be a gift,” the old man replied.

Well, it looked like there was no saving him this time.

Ning Qiuxiu remembered how Zhan Qingyue’s singing could be disastrous and suddenly felt a bit excited at the thought of him embarrassing himself in front of the livestream audience.

He deserved it for putting her on the spot earlier!

With a mischievous grin, Ning Qiuxiu said, “Zhan…?”

But to her surprise, Zhan Qingyue chuckled and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“…” Wait, this wasn’t adding up. Ning Qiuxiu stared at him: Is this some kind of trap?

She was nervous.

“You decide, don’t look at me,” Zhan Qingyue said, patting her head.

Alright, since they’re recording and the audience is watching, Zhan Qingyue surely wouldn’t dare to do anything to her.

So, Ning Qiuxiu started examining the desserts and drinks on the cart, finally pointing to the colorful ice cream scoops, “I want this.”

“Looks good,” Zhan Qingyue said, glancing at the vibrant ice cream, “I’ll have the same.”

“Perfect,” Ning Qiuxiu said happily, “Let’s pretend we have perfect chemistry. Who goes first?”

“I need to prepare,” Zhan Qingyue replied.

“I’ll go first then.” Since Zhan Qingyue didn’t seem eager to start, Ning Qiuxiu decided to set the tone and asked the old man, “Can I sing?”

The old man smiled and nodded, “Of course.”

Ning Qiuxiu sang a popular song, “Because I Met You.” Her naturally good voice and solid foundation made her acapella performance impressive.

The comment section:

【Wow, she sounds pretty good.】

【Is this Ning Qiuxiu from that girl group? I remember her singing was awful.】

【Whoever said Qiuxiu’s singing is bad, come forward! Her live acapella just proved you wrong!】

【Sure, it sounds good now, but her bad singing in the past is well-documented. Check the videos yourself.】

【I’ve always thought her old agency blackened her name for publicity. Look at her now, she’s doing great.】

【Her old group is still doing well. They’re just low-key and focusing on new songs.】

【In the entertainment world, “low-key” is often just a euphemism for not popular.】

【Get lost, girl group fans. Stop leeching off Qiuxiu’s fame.】

…

Amidst the noisy comments, Ning Qiuxiu finished her song and received a box of ice cream scoops from the old man.

Proudly, she handed it to Zhan Qingyue, “Here, for you.”

Zhan Qingyue accepted it, then handed it back to her, “Didn’t you want ice cream? It’s yours.”

Ning Qiuxiu: “???”

You sneaky man, that’s not how this works!

“Isn’t this against the rules?” Ning Qiuxiu asked the old man.

Before he could respond, Zhan Qingyue said, “You earned it with your effort, so it’s yours. You gave it to me, so it’s mine. I give it back to you—how does that break the rules?”

The old man, confused by Zhan Qingyue’s logic, said, “Technically, that’s not against the rules.”

Ning Qiuxiu: “…”

This is a loophole, definitely a loophole!

The comment section, previously heated with arguments about Ning Qiuxiu’s singing, erupted in laughter at Zhan Qingyue’s clever move.

Ning Qiuxiu was right—Zhan Qingyue is truly cunning.

“No way,” Ning Qiuxiu declared, “I want another one, and you must give it to me.”

“Afraid of the calories?” Zhan Qingyue asked.

Ning Qiuxiu: “…”

Yes…

“I don’t care, I just want it. You must give it to me, or you don’t love me!” Out of arguments, Ning Qiuxiu resorted to being willful.

Originally, she didn’t plan to make Zhan Qingyue perform, but now, after being tricked, she felt it would be a waste not to make him go through with it.

The tactic worked perfectly. Zhan Qingyue, feeling threatened by Ning Qiuxiu, helplessly ruffled her hair and asked the old man, “So, a talent performance is all that’s needed?”

The old man replied, “Yes.”

“Then, please wait a moment.” Zhan Qingyue handed Ning Qiuxiu the ice cream ball he had and went inside.

Ning Qiuxiu waited for him to come out, curious about what kind of talent performance he would put on.

The ice cream ball prepared by the production team was quite delicious, with a rich milky flavor and plenty of chewy mochi inside.

It was sweet and melted in the mouth. In such hot weather, enjoying a cold, sweet ice cream ball felt like the best thing ever.

She finished one ball when Zhan Qingyue came out with a radish.

Ning Qiuxiu and the old man both looked at him in surprise.

The livestream audience was equally bewildered.

“Are you planning to trade something for something?” Ning Qiuxiu asked, voicing what everyone was thinking.

“Of course not,” Zhan Qingyue said, revealing a fruit knife in his other hand. “Watch my talent performance.”

Could it be…

【Carving!】

【Impressive, my Zhan Qingyue】

【Ahhh, how does he know everything? I feel so inferior again】

【Zhan Qingyue showed me the gap between me and important people】

【One person is desperately asking which lantern maker Quixiu’s boyfriend came from】

【Don’t ask, just know Zhan Qingyue is the man we can’t have】

…

Although a fruit knife has limited scope for carving, Zhan Qingyue still skillfully carved out a “white rose.”

The camera zoomed in, showing the rose’s petals perfectly layered and blooming on Zhan Qingyue’s slender hand.

Zhan Qingyue handed over the “white rose” and asked the old man, “Is this okay?”

“Absolutely,” the old man said after examining it for a moment, giving a thumbs-up. “This skill is even better than a five-star hotel chef’s.”

While it might be an exaggeration to say it was better than a chef’s, Zhan Qingyue successfully passed the talent performance and earned the right to choose one item.

Ning Qiuxiu had already finished her ice cream ball while he was carving, so she said, “I want another ice cream ball. It was really good.”

She loved it so much.

At this point, she didn’t care about gaining weight; she just wanted to enjoy it.

“Eating too much will upset your stomach,” Zhan Qingyue pointed to a portion of chilled cherries and said, “How about this?”

“It won’t upset my stomach,” Ning Qiuxiu said, seeing that he wasn’t willing to exchange it for her. “Can I perform another act to get one more?”

The director hadn’t specified a limit on how much the guests could receive, but when the old man was about to speak, he noticed Zhan Qingyue giving him a bland look.

“…” The old man, now clearly favoring Zhan Qingyue, firmly said, “No!”

Ning Qiuxiu: “…”

The audience: Hahaha.

Zhan Qingyue was so domineering!

Ning Qiuxiu, feeling a bit wronged, took the cherries and followed Zhan Qingyue back inside.

The livestream for the day came to an end, and everyone reluctantly left after a fun hour.

Why isn’t this show broadcast all day? Tears!

When is next week coming? It feels so far away ← This was the sentiment of everyone.

The recording for today was finished, and so was this episode. The crew headed home.

This was the easiest show Ning Qiuxiu had ever done, almost like a vacation.

She could record 100 more episodes like this!

Their plane landed in City A, and it was only 8 o’clock. Since Zhan Qingyue was now a “celebrity,” it was easy for fans to recognize him if he appeared publicly.

To avoid this, Ning Qiuxiu had him wear a cute mask and a baseball cap, which worked perfectly.

Xiao Chi and another male assistant were in charge of their luggage, and six bodyguards from the company followed at a distance, ready to handle any unexpected situations.

Ning Qiuxiu and Zhan Qingyue walked out of the airport together. As they reached the parking area, a commotion erupted next door.

Ning Qiuxiu thought they were being recognized and was about to hurry away with Zhan Qingyue when she heard reporters shouting, “Miss Ji, have you broken up with Hu Nianzong?”

“Did Hu Nianzong’s wife fly in from New York to confront you? Is that true?”

“Did you really use your body to gain resources and get involved with Hu Nianzong?”

“Is it true that Hu Nianzong has many peculiar habits in bed and that’s why you appeared at the event with him?”

…

A group of reporters surrounded two or three people, bombarding them with increasingly outrageous questions.

Clearly, they were blocking Ji Weilang, who had recently been rumored to be a mistress.

Ning Qiuxiu hadn’t seen Ji Weilang since the premiere of The Wandering and felt unsure how to face the original book’s female lead, especially after she got into trouble.

It was astonishing how Ji Weilang had ended up in this situation.

Although Ning Qiuxiu claimed she had nothing to do with it, she had awakened Zhan Qingyue from his book-induced coma.

His awakening had caused Zhan Qingyuan to seek true love instead of following the book’s path with Ji Weiliang.

This change led to Zhan Qingyue withdrawing investment from Ji Weiliang’s studio, reclaiming the marketing team, and forcing Ji Weiliang to seek refuge with Yixing and get involved with Yixing’s executive, Hu Nianzong…

It was like the butterfly effect—one change led to another, ultimately leading to the current situation.

The root cause was still her.

However, Ning Qiuxiu didn’t think she had done anything wrong.

People’s life trajectories can change due to a thought or a word.

As long as it doesn’t harm others, everyone has the right to live as they wish. Ji Weiliang becoming a public enemy wasn’t her fault.

In the distance, Ji Weiliang was surrounded by a swarm of reporters, unable to reach her car.

She only had one assistant with her, and the reporters, acting like relentless bandits, wouldn’t let her go easily.

The situation was chaotic. Ji Weiliang angrily shouted at them, but instead of retreating, the reporters excitedly filmed her outburst, seeing it as a juicy news story.

“Let’s go. Don’t look,” Zhan Qingyue said, frowning at the scene.

He worried that if the reporters noticed them, they might come over and block them as well.

Ning Qiuxiu obediently got into the car but asked Xiao Chi to call the six bodyguards from the company to help Ji Weiliang.

“So kind of you,” Zhan Qingyue remarked, knowing a bit about her past with Ji Weilang.

He was aware that Ning Qiuxiu had once been infatuated with Zhan Qingyuan and knew Ji Weiliang had competed with her for him.

Aside from his brother, who was off-limits for conflict, Zhan Qingyue wasn’t usually this generous towards rivals.

Ning Qiuxiu wasn’t exactly being kind; she was simply disgusted by the reporters’ behavior.

She had been cornered by reporters before, and they were as ruthless as piranhas.

Plus, she might have felt some sympathy for Ji Weiliang. To her, helping was just a small effort.

Without revealing her inner thoughts, Ning Qiuxiu playfully said, “What can I do? I’m the reincarnation of Saint Mary, glowing with holy light. I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

Zhan Qingyue was silent for a moment, then said, “In that case, we can’t have a son in the future. I don’t want our son to be named Jesus.”

“…” Ning Qiuxiu laughed, taking on the role of a dramatic actress. “Poor child, you’re not even a fertilized egg yet, and your dad already dislikes you. How pitiful!”

Zhan Qingyue: “…”