Chapter 33: “I Belong to You”

Compared to the excitement of the live-stream audience, He Tiao’s reaction was quite calm because he didn’t recognize Wen Chanjuan at all. He simply deduced that she didn’t seem like someone who would come to a place like this for leisure. Combining the way she looked at him, he concluded that she was the Surprise guest mentioned before.

He calmly responded, gesturing towards the dishes to indicate that she could help herself.

Wen Chanjuan had been restless since receiving the invitation. After all, she and Sheng Xin had fallen out more than half a year ago.

Over the years, she hadn’t been very concerned about her child. When she married Sheng Liquan for love, they had agreed beforehand not to have children. However, an unexpected pregnancy occurred.

Sheng Liquan, originally a journalist for a travel channel, despite coming from a prominent family, preferred a low-key lifestyle and loved traveling. After meeting Wen Chanjuan, he continued his adventurous life, taking his wife along with him.

Wen Chanjuan found the experience quite novel, enjoying the challenge of moving to a different place periodically with a growing belly.

More than the child, she cared about every stage of her own life. Unexpectedly, the child was born earlier than the expected due date, impatiently making its arrival in a small local hospital.

After the child’s birth, Wen Chanjuan put an end to that kind of lifestyle. They maintained a relationship of meeting twice a year, occasionally connecting through video calls.

Her approach to Sheng Xin’s upbringing had always been laissez-faire, considering he was the heir to the Sheng family and couldn’t be treated as her complete child.

However, she accidentally discovered last year that Sheng Xin wasn’t her biological child. Only she and Sheng Xin knew about this matter; Wen Chanjuan didn’t tell her husband or her father-in-law.

She had been trying to trace the hospital from back then but found it had relocated, and records were hard to come by. The only clue she had was the piece of jade she left behind.

Wen Chanjuan didn’t harbor any expectations. She was naturally not very sensitive to emotions and had reservations about becoming a mother. Nevertheless, the absurdity of the situation couldn’t escape her thoughts, and despite her nature, she couldn’t help but wonder about the child’s circumstances back then.

She chatted with Zhang Miya for a long time, and the latter didn’t beat around the bush. After Wen Chanjuan signed the contract, Zhang Miya directly showed her a box.

The box clearly didn’t match the contents in terms of age, but it was evident that the owner had preserved it well. On top of it was prominently displayed the jade that Wen Chanjuan and her husband had bought.

Wen Chanjuan was somewhat excited, asking, “Where did you get this?”

Zhang Miya replied, “One of the guests on our show.”

The large screen in her office displayed an interview with He Tiao before he joined the variety show, along with his profile picture. It was apparent that this man had an extraordinary and handsome appearance, and the coldness in his eyebrows surprisingly resembled Wen Chanjuan’s.

Wen Chanjuan asked, “Why are you so certain?”

Zhang Miya shook her head, “I am by no means an authority, but there are such coincidences in the world.”

She smiled like a cunning fox, “He is looking for his biological mother, and you are looking for your biological son.”

Zhang Miya added, “But I haven’t mentioned this matter to Mr. He yet. However…”

At this point, Zhang Miya understood her own lack of integrity. She thought that He Tiao wasn’t the type of person who enjoyed bringing others along for fun.

Zhang Miya touched her nose, “I owe Mr. He a favor, so of course, I hope he can smoothly fulfill his wish.”

She then took out the purchasing records from her family’s archive, documenting the hefty purchase made by Wen Chanjuan and Sheng Liqian.

“For a paternity test, the consent of both parties is, of course, needed. But that’s not within my business scope.”

At this point, she couldn’t help but sigh, smiling at Wen Chanjuan, “Mr. He is talented and has come a long way from nothing. I believe he is no less than Sheng Liqian.”

Zhang Miya wasn’t an ordinary person either. She keenly sensed the discord between Wen Chanjuan and Sheng Xin. Boldly, she invited her to participate in a variety show which her son had rejected. Up until now, she still appeared confident, as if she was sure Wen Chanjuan would agree.

Wen Chanjuan had always been hands-off with Sheng Xin. While she gave birth to the child, it didn’t mean she liked the kind of close and intimate relationship they had. Especially in recent years, her feelings with Sheng Xin had gradually turned into familial bonds. The once grand vows seemed trivial, and she increasingly felt that her choices were right.

She rarely cared about Sheng Xin’s affairs and never expected to hear from her son about such ruthless rejection toward another person in a friend’s gathering.

“Wen Chanjuan, your son, has a unique way of courting. It’s rumored that he regards the Chi family as his…” She Stopped right here because this matter is kept under wraps, but those who understand, understand.

For a wealthy young man, forcibly seizing someone doesn’t work and can lead to ruin for the other party.

There’s a connection between the Chi family and Wen Chanjuan. Back in the day, Chi Yizhen’s grandmother had shown kindness to Wen Chanjuan. It was the grandmother who opened the door for Wen Chanjuan to enter the modeling industry.

During that era, gaining recognition abroad was not easy. Wen Chanjuan even invited her aging benefactor to her wedding, and there were occasional interactions between the Wen and Chi families.

However, she didn’t have a way to bring the two families closer. She would occasionally mention them during gatherings, but she never expected Sheng Xin to develop such intense feelings for Chi Yizhen.

When she flew back to confront Sheng Xin, she found him socializing with another man. The man looked up in panic, and Wen Chanjuan was left stunned because his face resembled her benefactor’s young grandson.

After the incident, Wen Chanjuan had considered compensating the Chi family, but Sheng Xin consistently opposed it. Chi Yiming himself also personally rejected any compensation from Wen Chanjuan.

The eldest son of the Chi family, Chi Yiming, was polite as he was familiar with Wen Chanjuan. He hoped that she would manage her son.

“Our little Zhen doesn’t like him, and that’s the end of it. It’s not like you can force someone to like another just because…”

Chi Yiming’s gaze softened noticeably when he mentioned Chi Yizhen, and he raised his eyes with evident reproach. “You are quite neglectful in handling matters.”

Wen Chanjuan had a major meltdown during a confrontation with Sheng Xing – a rare moment of losing control in her life. Little did she expect it to be a dispute over emotions with her already adult son.

Sheng Xing, inherently cold and aloof, often compared to his supermodel mother for his extravagant demeanor, displayed an unexpected deviation in character. Wen Chanjuan observed her son, who seemed to have gone completely astray, evolving into a twisted tree with a snake wrapped around it.

Mother and son parted ways unhappily, and later, when Grandpa Sheng fell ill, Wen Chanjuan and her husband returned to China. However, they discovered a secret in the hospital – Sheng Xin was not her biological son, nor was he her husband’s. It seemed he had known this all along.

Wen Chanjuan was flustered upon discovering this rare vulnerability in her seemingly unshakable son, but he quickly regained composure. This revelation became Wen Chanjuan’s leverage over him.

Then, Sheng Xin seemed to undergo a transformation. He married that celebrity, occasionally appeared on shows, and refrained from causing any more trouble. However, the departed were already gone. Wen Chanjuan felt utterly embarrassed to face Chi Yizhen, especially since Chi Yiming unexpectedly passed away, leaving Chi Yizhen alone.

Wen Chanjuan tried to offer support through the celebrity’s agent but was coldly rejected by Chen Linan, the agent from a prominent family who displayed a poor demeanor. “Yiming told me not to accept any assistance from you.”

The man didn’t have a pleasant tone with Wen Chanjuan. “You know, everything is thanks to your son. Who knows if it’s true or not…”

He spoke the last sentence softly, but it was clear enough for Wen Chanjuan to hear. There were malicious intentions.

With limited connections and the need to avoid alarming the Sheng family, Wen Chanjuan struggled to make progress in finding her biological son. As the night approached eight o’clock, she found herself in a night market, a place she hadn’t visited in many years. The hidden cameraman blended into the crowd, waiting for Wen Chanjuan to reach a designated location before resuming their position.

The man running the barbecue stand was indeed conspicuous. The place was packed with customers, and he appeared busy, engaging in conversation with someone nearby.

The topic of discussion was his boyfriend.

The boyfriend was Chi Yizhen.

Wen Chanjuan’s heart became even more complicated. Even at her age, she felt an urge to escape this situation.

Yet, she harbored guilt, no matter towards whom.

Chi Yizhen casually replied, looking at her with eyes that seemed to regard an ordinary customer.

Wen Chanjuan thought, “Did Zhang Miya not mention anything to him?”

Considering the program’s arrangement, Wen Chanjuan spoke up, “Excuse me, are you hiring part-time workers here?”

Originally waiting for her to place an order, He Tiao suddenly withdrew the tray he had extended, coldly rejecting her, “Not hiring.”

What’s wrong with him? They were already busy enough earning money, and now he’s rejecting additional help. Even if it’s for the sake of face as a celebrity, it wouldn’t be worth it.

[Laughing, rejection was swift.]

[Feels like one moment you’re the god of customers, and the next moment, you’re told to get lost from work.]

[Such a heartless guy, hahaha.]

[Teacher Wen is really beautiful, and tall too. She truly deserves to be a supermodel. But I’m curious about how she joined the show.]

[Zhang Miya is incredible, managing to bring her over. But did the production team consider that He Tiao might be a variable?]

Wen Chanjuan hesitated for a moment, swiftly changing her question, “What about short-term work?”

“An hour every day, and I don’t have any specific requirements for hourly wages.”

He Tiao became even more vigilant.

He Tiao felt something fishy about the show, saying, “If you continue like this, I’ll call the police.”

He scrutinized Wen Chanjuan up and down several times, seemingly trying to detect any signs of fraud.

If Wen Chanjuan didn’t give off an air of being an ordinary person, he might have seriously dialed 110 on the spot.

[I’m laughing so hard my stomach hurts! Chi Yizhen, stop with the tragic love story over there and quickly manage your husband!]

[Chi Yizhen is doing well over there! It just feels challenging to shoot. The ones causing retakes are those two from the film academy…]

[To the boss, Qi Tianda over there, I advise you to let Chi Yizhen off work quickly, or our E-god is going to explode.]

Wen Chanjuan: …

The director of the show currently in the rented apartment across the street is going crazy. The other two groups are cooperating well with the flight guests. Why is it only your…

What’s going on? Who is this that I can’t recognize!

It’s a disaster. Forgot that this genius completely ignores entertainment news.

Just as Wen Chanjuan was contemplating how to break the awkwardness, a figure suddenly darted over, swiftly hooked around He Tiao’s neck, and loudly called him “husband.”

It was that kind of sweet, not cloying at all. Wen Chanjuan was surprised and looked up abruptly.

The people nearby, pretending to be casual diners but actually fans of the show coming to take pictures, started cheering, “Boss, your boyfriend is off work?”

Chi Yizhen tilted his head and smiled at the girl at the table, “Yes, you came yesterday and today again. Aren’t you afraid of getting fat?”

“No, no. I’ll lose weight later.”

“Boss, the barbecue is really delicious, and he’s handsome. Who wouldn’t want to come every day?”

Chi Yizhen said, “It’s too late now. Be more attentive in consuming. The money goes to me.”

Someone exclaimed, “It seems that Brother Chi is in charge of the money at home?”

Chi Yizhen still had his arm around He Tiao’s shoulder, which was a bit strenuous. He shook He Tiao’s shoulder and said, “Is it under my control?”

He Tiao sighed, “I am entirely yours.”

He had completely mastered Chi Yizhen’s skill of speaking eloquently. The group of young girls onlookers couldn’t help but exclaim.

Chi Yizhen pretended to clear his throat and only then noticed there was a woman standing across from him, even taller than him.

Feeling a bit tired after his return, he hadn’t had time to watch the live broadcast, but he could deduce that this woman was probably arranged by the program.

She looked young but was obviously an elder.

Chi Yizhen greeted, “Who is this?”

He leaned towards He Tiao’s ear to inquire. The two of them, no matter how you looked at it, seemed so close that it made people want to chuckle just by looking at them.

After all, they both looked handsome and were particularly eye-catching.

Since they almost wore microphones all day long, there was no way for them to have a private conversation.

He Tiao sighed, “She’s here for a part-time job, said something about an hour.”

Chi Yizhen, for some reason, exclaimed, “Why are you like this? Mom has reconciled with you, and you still act indifferent. At least give her some face.”

However, Wen Chanjuan didn’t hear these words. She just silently watched the person in front of her, feeling a growing sense of guilt.

She increasingly felt that Sheng Xin was not a good person.

[Laughing out loud, our Chi Yizhen has been sensible since childhood…]

[What’s going on? Has your script flipped? Is it true that the heir to a wealthy family has to inherit the family business if he doesn’t work hard to sell barbecue?]

[Madam Wen doesn’t look like an ordinary mom, no matter how you look at it.]

[I’m dying of laughter. At this point, she should probably write a check and say something like, “Leave my son,” right?]

[I just want to know how Sheng Xin and You Yuxing feel now. What does it feel like to be betrayed by your own mother? So, the rumors before about the mother and son having a cold and distant relationship when they met at the airport must be true!]

HE Tiao didn’t know how to respond.

Chi Yizhen had already agreed, saying, “One hour is fine. Sister, let’s go talk on the side, okay?”

[Wasn’t she the mom? Why is she suddenly called sister?]

[Maybe it’s awkward to call her mom…]

[He’s so sweet.]

[Look at the helplessness in He Tiao’s headshake. You can spoil him. Darn it, I envy the sisters who can go to the scene to kneel!]

He Tiao: “We need to save money. Hiring workers is not profitable.”

Chi Yizhen walked side by side with Wen Chanjuan, turned his head, and gave He Tiao a stern look, “Aren’t I the one in charge at home?”

He Tiao didn’t mind and just made a sound of acknowledgment.

But there was a smile in his eyes, and everyone could tell he was in a good mood.

[I feel like I’m the dog that got kicked for no reason on the side of the road.]

Author’s note:

Now He Tiao is already under the management of the housekeeper;

Looking forward to someone else taking on the role of housekeeper after getting off the variety show, haha;

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Here comes the update – striving to be a courageous person (??);

Praying for more Readers every day (devoutly);

See you all tomorrow, my dear readers –