From the moment they started eating hot pot, most of the guests hadn’t put down their phones.

Seeing Ye Leyao and the other two staring at their phones and laughing, the others quickly caught on and also opened Gou Shi’s Weibo account.

After seeing Song Zhehan’s apology statement on Weibo, Li Siyuan was the first to laugh, “Song Zhehan calls this an apology statement?”

Echoing the same sentiment were the fans in the comment section.

Fan: 「You call this an apology?」

Gou Shi quickly replied: 「Did I or did I not say ‘sorry’?」

Fan: 「How is this an apology? It’s not sincere at all.」

Gou Shi: 「Then I’ll apologize again. Sorry (sincere version). Now do you feel my sincerity?」

All the fans were furious.

Song Zhehan, are you trying to mess with us?!

Meanwhile, the onlookers were laughing out loud, tagging their friends like crazy in the replies, and even encouraging them to scold harder. They really wanted to learn from Song Zhehan’s skill at banter, completely ignoring how the other fans were feeling.

Ye Leyao couldn’t stop smiling.

On the other hand, Duan Haoyan was watching nervously and couldn’t help but say, “Xiao Song… um, didn’t he just take a call from his manager?”

Daring to act so brazenly—has Song Zhehan decided to completely let loose?

Zhou Zijian was a bit worried.

It wasn’t that he was worried about Song Zhehan getting scolded by his manager; he was more concerned that this might attract more haters. After all, Song Zhehan hasn’t been in the industry for long, and if these haters keep targeting him, it could inevitably affect his career.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Zijian spoke up, “Maybe we should go and persuade him. There’s really no need to keep arguing with netizens; it’s exhausting.”

Ye Leyao nodded in agreement, “It is tiring. You have to type out responses to the netizens. It’d be much easier to have Song Zhehan come back and read the comments and replies here. After all, we’re live-streaming right now.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the set fell silent.

Everyone’s eyes were on Ye Leyao.

The viewers in the live stream were immediately in an uproar:

—”Wait, Ye Leyao! Do you even realize what you just said?”

—”Hahahahahahahaha, oh my god, Ye Leyao, you’re such a fan of drama! You even thought of having him read the comments!”

—”Honestly, I’d really like to see Song Zhehan read the comments!”

—”Are you sure you want to see him read comments and not see him roast the fans?”

—”Ahem, please give us some face. Yes, it’s my friend who wants to see Song Zhehan roast people!”

While the comment section was filled with laughter, the atmosphere on set remained silent.

Ye Leyao blinked, and a look of panic flashed across his eyes.

[Could it be that I accidentally said what I was thinking out loud?]

Huo Yan covered his face with his hand, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Although Ye Leyao’s suggestion was indeed a good one, and Huo Yan was also curious to see the drama unfold, those thoughts were meant to stay in his head! Ye Leyao, how could you accidentally say it out loud?!

How was Huo Yan supposed to give Ye Leyao a way out now?

Huo Yan was genuinely feeling troubled.

Qin Yao was also speechless.

But after thinking for a couple of seconds, he picked up the conversation, not letting the silence linger, “What Leyao suggested is actually a good idea. This way, Song Zhehan can respond to the netizens’ questions more quickly, but we should still ask for his opinion first.”

Though Qin Yao thought Song Zhehan would probably not refuse.

After all, like Ye Leyao, Song Zhehan also enjoyed watching the drama, whether it was his own or someone else’s, and they could both watch with a serious expression.

Ye Leyao immediately looked at Qin Yao with great gratitude:

[President Qin! Thank you so much! You really are a good person!]

Then Ye Leyao thought of something else:

[But if President Qin asks Song Zhehan to come back and read the comments, he definitely won’t refuse.]

[But President Qin, aren’t you worried about your show? Song Zhehan’s… power of attack… hmm!]

Qin Yao closed his eyes.

It wasn’t something that worrying could fix.

Since it had already happened, he might as well go with the flow.

Moreover, Qin Yao really thought this wasn’t bad. Their show hadn’t done anything yet—no money spent on trending topics, no money spent on recommendations—and the live stream was already consistently ranked number one.

For any other show, they wouldn’t even dare to dream of that.

The only thing they needed to prepare for was public relations.

Now that the director knew Gou Shi’s alternate account was actually Song Zhehan’s, they would definitely make preparations in advance, so there was no need to worry too much.

Qin Yao had figured it out, but the other guests couldn’t.

No matter how little they knew about Song Zhehan before, they certainly understood him now.

You want Song Zhehan to come back to the live stream and reply to netizens—why not just say you want to see him roast netizens in person?

Isn’t it obvious that Ye Leyao just wants to watch the drama up close?

And yet, Qin Yao not only didn’t reject Ye Leyao’s suggestion, but he also said it was a good idea!

President Qin, what are you thinking?

At this point, even the viewers couldn’t hold back:

—”Qin Yao… what do I even say to you? Are you just spoiling him?”

—”Honestly, ever since the first episode when Brother Yao said Ye Leyao was a friend’s younger brother, Brother Yao has been taking care of him! But isn’t Ye Leyao’s biological brother Huo Yan sitting right there? Do you really need Qin Yao to back him up?”

—”Hahahahaha, I don’t think Qin Yao is backing him up; maybe he just wants to watch the drama too?”

—”Hehe, I think so too! After all, Song Zhehan is really entertaining!”

Since Qin Yao had spoken, Li Siyuan, who loved watching drama and wasn’t afraid of stirring up trouble, immediately stood up and volunteered, “I’ll go call Song Zhehan back!”

With that, he walked toward Song Zhehan under everyone’s gaze.

Liu Yan watched Li Siyuan walk off-camera and hesitated before asking, “Do you think Song Zhehan will come?”

Ye Leyao nodded cautiously, this time not saying anything out loud.

[Of course, he will. Just in the short time we’ve been talking, Gou Shi has already replied to several netizens.]

[Typing is exhausting. There’s no way Gou Shi would pass up the chance to argue with netizens directly, right?]

Sure enough, within two minutes, everyone saw Song Zhehan walking back with Li Siyuan.

Song Zhehan even had a slight smile on his face as he walked over and sat down right next to Ye Leyao, unceremoniously saying, “So you wanted to hear me read the comments, huh?”

Ye Leyao: “…”

“Yes.” Ye Leyao answered through gritted teeth. After all, he’d already said what he was thinking earlier, so there was no point in denying it now!

Song Zhehan chuckled, “Alright, everyone can help me judge if I’m right.”

Ye Leyao was the first to speak, “Sure, no problem!”

Qin Yao turned to look at Huo Yan.

Huo Yan avoided the look and covered his face with his hand again.

Forget it, forget it.

Things have already progressed to this point; can he really stop Ye Leyao from judging?

Let him do as he pleases. After all, no matter what happens, their family can handle it.

The viewers in the livestream couldn’t hold it in anymore.

—”Alright, alright, Ye Leyao, I knew you were just here for the fun!”

—”Was there ever any doubt? You can always count on our entertainment king!”

—”Hurry up, hurry up, I want to see the comment reading!”

—”As expected, your variety show ‘Let’s Go Traveling Together’ drops a bomb on the first day of recording and then delivers a big drama on the last day! It starts with a bang and ends with a bang—truly lives up to its reputation!”

Song Zhehan hadn’t closed the background on his phone at all. In fact, when Li Siyuan went to get him earlier, he was still arguing with various fans in the comment section.

Seeing Ye Leyao nod, Song Zhehan took out his phone, found the earlier thread, and said, “Alright, I’ll continue from here. This netizen said, ‘I’ve long felt that Song Zhehan isn’t a good person. Look, hasn’t he just been exposed now?'”

To this, Song Zhehan raised an eyebrow slightly, even smiling, “I just checked out this fan’s homepage, and I have to say, compared to your idol, I feel ashamed. After all, your idol smokes and drinks in private, and every time he attends a party, there’s always a young model in his arms. Compared to that, I’m definitely a good person.”

Ye Leyao quickly craned his neck to look, “Who’s their idol?”

Song Zhehan generously handed his phone to Ye Leyao.

Ye Leyao glanced at it and immediately covered his mouth.

[So it’s him! Didn’t he just get exposed for meeting several beauties at a club recently?]

[But even after this incident was exposed, he still has fans.]

Ye Leyao could directly lean in to see Song Zhehan’s phone, but the netizens and viewers weren’t so lucky.

But this didn’t faze the nosy netizens. Those who had a second device pulled it out, while those without simply split their screen, with the live stream on one side and Gou Shi’s Weibo page on the other.

Gou Shi’s Weibo was right there in the open, with all the comments clearly visible.

It didn’t take long for netizens to find the comment that Song Zhehan read. They quickly clicked into the user’s profile, and what they saw made them laugh:

—“Aren’t your idol’s scandals pretty much confirmed? I remember that because of this incident, several of his endorsements were canceled. Isn’t he being soft-banned in the industry now?”

—“Little sister, take some advice from this big sister—this kind of artist really isn’t worth your time.”

—“Exactly. Just like Gou Shi said, your idol really isn’t as good as Gou Shi!”

The nosy netizens spoke calmly, laying out the facts and sincerely offering heartfelt advice.

But unexpectedly, within minutes, this user had deleted their comment.

The nosy netizens burst into laughter:

—“Hey, why’d you delete the comment?!”

—“But I was genuinely giving you sincere advice! Sister, listen to us and switch to a better artist!”

—“Yeah, exactly!”

Song Zhehan continued reading comments, while the nosy onlookers kept switching between the two.

When someone attacked Song Zhehan’s character, he naturally replied, “That’s just how I am. My composure strengthens under pressure.”

When someone insulted him with personal attacks, Song Zhehan immediately fired back, then reported, blocked, and deleted the comment. He even added a jab: “Oh no, now you’re muted and can’t curse at me. Must be frustrating, huh?”

These fans were almost driven to faint from anger.

Meanwhile, the nosy netizens were laughing uncontrollably.

At first, many fans of other artists were furious in Gou Shi’s comment section. But gradually, these voices all disappeared.

It wasn’t because the fans of other artists didn’t want to attack Song Zhehan anymore, but because Song Zhehan’s mental fortitude was simply too strong!

Despite being attacked by so many people simultaneously, not only did Song Zhehan remain unfazed, but he even managed to retaliate against several fans, causing them to break down instead!

These fans had lost the arrogance they initially had, and some couldn’t help but comment:

—“I suddenly feel like Song Zhehan has a point. After all, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

When Song Zhehan saw this comment, he directly laughed and said, “Exactly. You’ll notice I’ve never said anything bad about Ye Leyao, right? He’s an honest and straightforward person.”

Ye Leyao: “…”

[You didn’t have to use me as an example!]

On the side, Qin Yao and Huo Yan thought: Now you know what it feels like to be dragged out as an example!

As more fans from other camps broke down, Gou Shi’s comment section was gradually taken over by nosy netizens.

One comment read: 「Gou Shi, I have a question for you. Do you think I’m better looking or my friend is?」

The comment even helpfully included two photos.

Song Zhehan gave a sharp critique: “Both are ugly. Next.”

The user excitedly responded: 「Wow, as expected from Teacher Gou Shi! After hearing you say that, I feel so much better. Thank you, Teacher Gou Shi!」

Other netizens:

—“Hahahahahaha.”

—“Damn, don’t let him scold you too happily!”

—“Help, I really can’t take you all!”

The comment section’s tone started to spiral out of control, and the guests noticed this too.

Zhou Zijian was surprised and said, “No one’s cursing you anymore?”

Song Zhehan glanced at him: “You sound disappointed?”

Zhou Zijian quickly shook his head: “No, that’s not what I meant.”

Li Siyuan, also scrolling through the comments, remarked, “I didn’t expect just reading comments would turn the public opinion around for you. So, can I—”

Ye Leyao didn’t hesitate:

[Forget it, you won’t be able to pull it off.]

[Song Zhehan’s sharp tongue is one in a million!]

Song Zhehan was equally blunt: “You’re too hot-tempered; better not try. I’m worried you’ll smash your screen before you vent your anger.”

Ye Leyao: “Pfft.”

[That’s accurate, straight to the point!]

Li Siyuan withdrew his gaze from Ye Leyao and frowned: “I’m not that easily angered, right?”

Song Zhehan shot him a glance and said, “See, you’re already upset.”

Li Siyuan: “…”

Damn it, so annoying.

By 10 PM, an hour after Song Zhehan had posted his apology on Weibo, the tone in his comment section had completely shifted.

The top comment was from the user who had been happily insulted by Song Zhehan earlier, now with replies from other nosy netizens:

—“Never thought you were such a freak!”

—“Oh, I get it now. Thanks a lot; I finally understand why I like Song Zhehan!”

—“? Hey, don’t get too carried away!”

Other popular comments were full of admiration:

—“Please bless me with a mouth just like Song Zhehan’s!”

—“Song Zhehan, my new go-to in the entertainment industry.”

—“Next time I need to insult someone, I’ll just check Gou Shi’s Weibo.”

Some fans of Song Zhehan, who had now recovered, commented:

—“Don’t worry, Gou Shi, fly free! If anything happens, we’ll back you up!”

The nosy netizens couldn’t help but laugh:

—“So, you fans have quickly accepted this new side of Song Zhehan?”

A Song Zhehan fan replied: “Didn’t you notice we’re calling him Gou Shi? From now on, when talking to outsiders, I’ll say I’m a fan of Song Zhehan. But within the industry, I’m a fan of Gou Shi.”

Everyone laughed even harder.

So the fans have separated Song Zhehan from “Gou Shi”?

But Song Zhehan might not let you fans have your way!

In response, Song Zhehan’s fans said, “No worries, we’re as strong-minded as Teacher Gou Shi. The fans follow the lead of their idol; if anything happens, Gou Shi will bear the burden for us!”

The onlookers laughed even harder.

By the end of the recording that night, Song Zhehan had gained over 200,000 followers, and the number was still steadily increasing.

The other guests felt relieved and gratified.

After all, Song Zhehan was genuinely a good person, and no one wanted to not see him in the next episode.

Ye Leyao was also pleased.

[If our show really lost Song Zhehan, it would probably lose half its fun.]

After the recording ended, the guests were free to leave.

Of course, if they didn’t want to leave that night, they could rest in the tent and leave the next morning.

Ye Leyao wasn’t in a hurry to go home; his schedule was particularly relaxed, and since Huo Yan was also on a break recently, the two brothers decided to sleep in the tent for another night.

Just after finishing his shower and returning to the tent, Ye Leyao ran into Song Zhehan.

“Aren’t you leaving?” Ye Leyao asked in surprise.

Song Zhehan nodded. “Yes, but I waited for you to come back so I could thank you.”

Ye Leyao widened his eyes. “Huh?”

[Thank me? For what?]

[Is he thanking me for suggesting the idea of reading comments?]

Seeing Ye Leyao’s confused expression, Song Zhehan wasn’t surprised. He smiled lightly and then said, “In any case, thank you very much. I’ll head out now, see you next time.”

After saying that, Song Zhehan turned and walked toward the car parked not far away.

Ye Leyao was even more puzzled, but at that moment, no one could clarify things for him. He thought for a moment and could only attribute Song Zhehan’s gratitude to his suggestion.

After all, if Ye Leyao hadn’t suggested reading comments, the online public opinion might have taken more time to turn around.

Once he figured it out, Ye Leyao didn’t think about it any further.

Many guests had other commitments, so in the end, only Zhou Zijian, Wen Xiangyue, Ye Leyao, and Huo Yan remained at the campsite.

The schedule wasn’t tight that day, so after the other guests left, the four of them took a stroll around the area, chatted late into the night, and then went to rest.

The next morning, Ye Leyao was pulled out of his sleeping bag by Huo Yan.

Zhou Zijian heard the noise and couldn’t help but come over. When he saw the scene, he laughed. “How come Leyao wasn’t this hard to wake up before?”

Ye Leyao, still half-asleep, mumbled, “There was filming before… but we’re not filming today, are we?”

“We’re not filming, but you still need to go home!” Huo Yan raised his voice.

Ye Leyao tried to wake himself up. “I know, I know. Second Brother, keep your voice down, it’s too loud—”

“If I don’t speak up, you wouldn’t get up,” Huo Yan said, exasperated. “I should record you like this and show it to your fans.”

Too tired to argue, Ye Leyao clumsily got dressed, washed up, and followed Huo Yan into the car.

It would take them half a day to drive to the airport, so Ye Leyao slept the entire way.

It wasn’t until right before boarding the plane that he finally woke up fully.

Before getting off the plane, Ye Leyao suddenly remembered something and asked Huo Yan, “Second Brother, are you going home later?”

Huo Yan shook his head. “No, I’m not.”

Huo Yan usually stayed in his own place because of his busy filming schedule. He only went home for holidays or breaks to stay for a while.

Speaking of this, Huo Yan said, “You should consider buying your own place. When you first started, you didn’t have many appearances, but that’ll change. Why not buy a place in the same neighborhood as mine?”

Ye Leyao blinked. “Second Brother, are you going to buy it for me?”

Huo Yan: “…I can sponsor fifty percent; you can ask Big Brother for the rest!”

He had bought his place with his own earnings, after all.

The men of the Huo family were expected to be independent, and Ye Leyao was no exception!

Ye Leyao chuckled. “Thanks, Second Brother! You’re the best!”

[But I’m not in a hurry to move out just yet, especially since Papa Huo’s situation with the ‘childhood sweetheart‘1“小青梅” (xiǎo qīng méi) is a term that translates literally to “little green plum” in English. However, in Chinese culture, it’s a figurative term that refers to a childhood friend of the opposite gender, often someone you grew up with and have a close bond with. It’s similar to the concept of a “childhood sweetheart.”isn’t resolved. If I move out now, what if Papa Huo brings her home while I’m gone?]

[Ah! Speaking of the ‘childhood sweetheart,’ I just remembered! The thing I forgot at the Yang family was about the ‘childhood sweetheart,’ wasn’t it? Why didn’t I see her at the banquet?]

Huo Yan, who had just closed his eyes, snapped them open when he heard this.

Yeah, Ye Leyao had mentioned this before they left, but they hadn’t seen the so-called “childhood sweetheart” at the banquet.

Could it be—

[Let me check the time…]

Ye Leyao pulled up his notes, and his eyes widened: [It’s happening soon! I need to hurry back. What if the ‘childhood sweetheart’ has already been brought home?]

Huo Yan opened his eyes again. “Alright, I’ll go back with you.”

Ye Leyao: “Huh?”

[Why the sudden change of heart?]

Huo Yan closed his eyes again.

Whether he went home to stay or not wasn’t important; going home to watch the drama was the priority!

And he was genuinely curious about who this “childhood sweetheart” was, to be able to cause such a rift in his parents’ relationship.

He didn’t believe it.

Not unless he saw it for himself.

Huo Yan was secretly pleased.

After getting off the plane, Huo Yan followed Ye Leyao into the car heading home.

An hour later, the car stopped at the underground garage of the Huo family villa.

Ye Leyao got out of the car and looked around, surprised. “Hey, is Big Brother home at this hour?”

Huo Yan: “Hmm?”

“Big Brother’s car,” Ye Leyao pointed to a Bentley parked ahead.

Huo Yan said, “Maybe he came back to deliver some documents to Dad. Let’s go, we’re going up.”

Ye Leyao nodded, not thinking much of it, and followed Huo Yan into the elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, they heard a strange woman’s voice say, “Is it Xiao Yan and Xiao Yao coming back?”

Ye Leyao’s eyes showed a hint of shock.

[This voice… it doesn’t sound like Mom’s, right?]

Huo Yan nodded.

It definitely wasn’t. Since when was Mom’s voice this gentle?

So—

Ye Leyao stepped out of the elevator, his eyes landing on an unfamiliar woman in the living room, and his pupils instantly dilated:

[Childhood—Sweet—Heart!]

Papa Huo, who was about to introduce the woman, froze in his tracks.

Who did you say is the “childhood sweetheart”?

Huo Jing and Mama Huo both looked at the woman.

Huo Jing: “It’s her?”

Mother Huo: “…”

Wasn’t she Papa Huo’s cousin who emigrated abroad?

Oh, now he remembered. It seems the “childhood sweetheart” returned to China because she fell on hard times.

So it turned out she was really the “childhood sweetheart”?

Mama Huo raised an eyebrow at Papa Huo.

Papa Huo was breaking out in a cold sweat.

Don’t be ridiculous!

He hadn’t been in contact with this cousin for decades!

This was a misunderstanding!

__

Author’s Note:

P.S.: Just to avoid misunderstandings, I’ll clarify that the cousin and Papa Huo have no blood relation.


 

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TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

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