Chapter 40: Unlucky Constitution

Chapter 40: Unlucky Constitution

The charity auction attracted a plethora of media outlets. Even before Zheng Rui introduced the first item for auction, some couldn't resist leaking information online.

At first, only a few small bloggers posted vague tweets. With few followers and cryptic messages, they didn't attract much attention or discussion.

Everything changed when a streamer named Guatian quietly started a live broadcast at the charity auction.

Guatian, a well-known influencer in the entertainment sector, was popular among netizens for only revealing genuine scoops. Whenever he went live, it was a sure sign of big news, so his直播间 was always packed with eager viewers.

Today was no different. The moment the live stream began, the number of viewers surged, and those who entered immediately started recording the screen.

"He's here! He's here!"

"What's the scoop today?!"

Guatian's timing was coincidental, as Zheng Rui had just started sharing the stories behind each auction item.

Many viewers entering the live stream heard Zheng Rui say, "This bracelet is a token of affection between my mother and my uncle."

The chat exploded:

"????"

"Hold on, your mother and your uncle?"

"So intense right off the bat?"

"Wait, is this an affair scandal?"

"Who's the main character today? And who's that person on stage?"

Guatian explained, "His name is Zheng Rui, the son of the Zheng couple."

As soon as he spoke, the chat moved even faster.

"!!! Could it be the Zheng couple I know?"

"Is this true? I really ship them..."

"So, is the son exposing his parents?"

"It's really Zheng Rui; he appeared in the Zheng couple's videos!"

"How could it be? The Zheng couple seemed so loving!"

"Unbelievable."

Upon hearing such shocking news, the initial reaction of the netizens was skepticism.

Guatian didn't elaborate further, as the viewers soon witnessed Zheng Xiu losing control and rushing onto the stage, only to be restrained by bodyguards and taken away.

After the second item was introduced, the viewers felt their minds were spinning.

"Aunt's watch... whoever came up with that name is a genius, but that's not the point. So Zheng Xiu and his wife's sister really did have an affair?"

"My goodness, this isn't just one-sided infidelity; it's both of them cheating?!"

"?? Why would they still portray themselves as a loving couple? Could it be to deceive naive netizens like me?"

The chat fell silent for a moment.

Then the anger erupted:

"I may be a fool, but you can't lie to me!"

"I hate people who treat others like fools. I'm unfollowing them!"

"Hahaha, so we're all raging together in anger!"

"We've all unfollowed them; that's how angry we are!"

Amidst the commotion in the chat, Zheng Rui continued to share the stories behind the auction items.

After listening to the story behind the third item, the viewers finally reached their limit:

"This is insane!"

"I'm genuinely angry now. The Zheng couple really took us for fools!"

"I invested real emotions in them, and they played around more than I did!"

"Hahaha, is it really okay to use yourself as an example?"

Just as the Zheng couple's disillusioned fans were seething with rage, the netizens suddenly noticed a young man in the center of the screen turn around and look back.

The young man had bright eyes and a smile he couldn't suppress. His gaze seemed to focus on someone for a moment before he turned back around, leaving only the back of his head visible to the audience.

He was undeniably handsome, with a radiant smile. Just one glance made many viewers' hearts skip a beat, their attention swaying.

It was just that—

Why did he seem so familiar? As if they'd seen him somewhere!

A message in the chat expressed surprise: "Isn't that Ye Le Yao?"

The chat erupted once again:

"Ye Le Yao?!"

"It really does look like him!"

"If it's Ye Leyao, then it's no surprise."

"But wait, Ye Leyao, why are you here munching on melons again?!"

"Huh? Ye Leyao, you beat me to the melon feast again? I'm not happy about this!"

"Not only did he beat us to it, but he's also feasting on melons right at the scene. I won't say who's envious, but we all know."

"Alright, alright! Isn't the new Melon King right here?!"

Netizens who knew Ye Leyao found it both amusing and somewhat frustrating that they were always one step behind him.

And Ye Leyao, aren't you an artist?

Why aren't you in a production team? Why aren't you recording shows? How come you're always ahead of us in feasting on melons?!

Netizens unfamiliar with Ye Leyao were utterly confused.

Who is Ye Leyao? A celebrity?

Why call him the new Melon King?

Seeing the confusion, a netizen quickly began to explain:

"You've heard about Feng Ziqi's downfall, right? And the melon about Ning Xu and her brother being scammed by a scoundrel for money and affection? You watched the live broadcast of 'Let's Travel Together,' didn't you? Well, now I can tell you that Ye Leyao was present at every single one of these seemingly unrelated melon events!"

Upon hearing this, netizens who had just learned about Ye Leyao were stunned:

"What? An artist who's better at feasting on melons than me?"

"I'm going to make a fuss. I won't allow anyone to be better at feasting on melons than me. Quickly contact Ye Leyao's agent and get him into a show!"

Netizens liked this idea and endorsed it wholeheartedly.

They couldn't stand seeing an artist more idle than them!

Get into a production team! Hurry up and join a project!

After the auction gala ended, the scandal of the Zheng couple's infidelity had soared into the top ten trending topics on Weibo, closely followed by Ye Leyao's name, with the four characters "New Melon King" appended to it.

Many curious onlookers clicked in, laughing heartily as they clicked out.

Even Ye Leyao himself hadn't expected that simply turning back to glance at the He family's drama would land him on the trending list.

Under Ye Leyao's latest Weibo post, there were countless netizens who had come to watch the spectacle, and many were egging him on, urging him to join a production team immediately; they couldn't bear to see a star more idle than themselves.

Ye Leyao had been happily feasting on the Zheng couple's melon when he suddenly found himself part of the story.

Unable to resist, he replied to the comment suggesting he join a production team:

"I've only been taking acting classes for a week, so I can't join a team yet. And isn't the variety show still filming? We're resuming shooting the day after tomorrow!"

He wasn't really idle, okay!

He had to earn money seriously to support his family! He was truly dedicated to his career!

To this, a netizen replied: "No way, that's not enough. Who's your agent? I'll go have a serious talk with her and convince her to fill up your schedule!"

The onlooking netizens laughed uproariously: "Hahahaha—"

Another netizen commented:

"Ye Leyao, I'm different from them. I think your current schedule is just right. As long as you bring me along next time you feast on melons, I won't report you to your agent. What do you think?"

"Yes, yes, I'm genuine with you. With other artists, it's all pretense."

"I really, really like Ye Leyao! (Not just because of the melon feasting)"

Ye Leyao's response was simply two words: "Don't believe it."

At this, the netizens burst out laughing even louder.

"Really! You have to trust me!"

"Yes, how could we possibly deceive you?"

"It doesn't matter whether or not you secretly tell me. I'll keep following you regardless! Because I really, really like you! (I really, really like feasting on melons with you)"

...

The scandal of the Zheng couple remained a trending topic on Weibo for an entire day, with Ye Leyao's name lingering online for half a day.

By the end of the day, the Zheng couple's account had lost countless followers, while Ye Leyao had gained a small surge in popularity and a significant number of new fans, although these fans had followed him solely for the melon feasting.

On the night before Ye Leyao was scheduled to depart for the variety show shoot, the Zheng couple's account suddenly went live.

Netizens never expected that the Zheng couple would dare to go live at such a critical juncture!

Enraged netizens flooded into the live stream, ready to confront them fiercely, only to see a familiar yet unexpected figure—

Zheng Rui.

Why was Zheng Rui live streaming?

Where were the Zheng couple?

The netizens were puzzled.

At this moment, Ye Leyao, the only one who knew the inside story, was incredibly excited.

"The moment has come, the final live stream is finally here!"

"Since Zheng Rui dared to expose his parents at the auction, there's no way he didn't prepare for it. The melon-eating netizens probably still don't know that those bloggers who live-streamed the exposés at the auction were all arranged by Zheng Rui, right?"

Downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Luo also opened the live stream, and upon hearing this, both of their movements paused.

Mr. Luo said, "It seems we were indeed correct in our guess."

Although the charity auction had a charitable nature, not just anyone could enter. Mainstream media generally wouldn't report on such entertainment gossip, let alone broadcast live from within the auction.

But yesterday, not only were there live streams, but all the videos and photos from those live streams spread out.

To say there was no one behind it, they definitely didn't believe it. Seeing the trending topic that night, Mr. and Mrs. Luo guessed it must have been Zheng Rui's doing.

Mrs. Luo nodded. "It can only be said that Zheng Rui has had a tough life."

If someone had stood up for him, Zheng Rui wouldn't have had to plan all this at such a young age, and he wouldn't have had to consider every detail meticulously.

"But now there's no need to worry," Mr. Luo said. "With Zheng Xiu and Zhuang Lin losing their inheritance rights, things will be much better for Zheng Rui in the future."

Mrs. Luo nodded, and the two continued watching the live stream.

The chat was lively at this moment. Many netizens had come to mock Zheng Xiu and Zhuang Lin, but they never expected to see Zheng Rui when they opened the live stream.

The originally aggressive netizens suddenly fell silent.

Their tone became cautious:

"What is this live stream about?"

"Is the account under your control now?"

"Where is this? It looks a bit familiar?"

Ye Leyao was much more observant than the live stream viewers. At a glance, she recognized the background of Zheng Rui's live stream.

"The hospital! Zheng Rui is at the hospital!"

"Don't tell me Zheng Xiu and Zhuang Lin haven't been discharged yet?"

And then, in the next second, Ye Leyao's guess was confirmed.

Zheng Rui didn't respond to the questions in the chat. He turned the camera around, focusing on the VIP hospital bed behind him, then put down his phone and slowly sat down beside the bed.

"Dad, you're awake, right?" Zheng Rui spoke leisurely.

The man in bed slowly extended one hand. "Y... You still have the nerve to come see me? Get out of here!"

Unfazed, Zheng Rui sat by the bedside and even reached out to hold Zheng Xiu's hand, placing it back under the covers, looking very attentive. "The doctor said that you and Mom fainted due to extreme anger. Now you need to rest well and can't get angry."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Xiu became even angrier. Who was it that made him faint from anger?

Unable to hold back any longer, Zheng Xiu reached out to grip the railing by the bed and slowly sat up, his chest heaving violently. "Get out! Get out of here— I fucking don't want to see you! I don't want to hear your bullshit..."

Zheng Rui looked at Zheng Xiu, a faint smile on his lips. "Dad, are you sure? Are you sure you don't want to listen to what Lawyer Ma has to say?"

Mentioning Lawyer Ma, Zheng Xiu froze instantly.

"Lawyer Ma? The Lawyer Ma who was fully entrusted with Grandpa's estate?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Ye Leyao's mouth as she instantly understood what Zheng Rui was planning to do.

Mr. and Mrs. Luo also guessed it and burst into laughter.

"He's probably here to announce that he's lost his inheritance rights, right?" Mrs. Luo said.

Mr. Luo nodded, his gaze toward Zheng Rui filled with admiration. "This child can accomplish great things."

As Zheng Rui finished speaking, the door to the ward was opened from the outside.

A man dressed as a lawyer walked in. He was Lawyer Ma.

The matter with the Zheng couple had caused quite a stir online. Netizens were eating melons and enjoying the spectacle while wondering why this couple, who had long lost affection for each other, could still post videos online pretending to be in love?

Soon, someone came forward to analyze that the reason the Zheng couple did this was for one thing—money.

Some bloggers even analyzed the income this account brought them, and the netizens became even more furious upon seeing it.

Putting aside everything else,

this money was earned from them!

Not only did Zheng Xiu and Zhuang Lin deceive these fans, but they also fleeced them for wool!

Who could bear this?

Soon, another netizen revealed, "I remember that when Grandpa Zheng passed away, he left behind an inheritance. Could it be related to that?"

Combining the netizen's revelation with the sight of Lawyer Ma on the live stream screen, countless netizens suddenly realized:

"It's really all about money!"

"But I heard that there were many conditions for inheriting Grandpa Zheng's estate. They should have already lost their eligibility, right?"

Zheng Xiu, lying in the hospital bed, clearly understood this point. His face was pale, and he looked at Zheng Rui in disbelief. "Y... What have you done?"

Zheng Rui's smile deepened. "Dad, don't you understand yet? You and Mom have already lost your eligibility to inherit Grandpa's estate."

Zheng Xiu's pupils constricted sharply as he hastily turned to look at Lawyer Ma. "You... Lawyer Ma, let me explain... It's not what it seems. The news online these past two days has all been..."

"Mr. Zheng." Lawyer Ma interrupted Zheng Xiu calmly.

He continued, "I have already obtained all the evidence of your infidelity during your marriage with your wife. Therefore, there is no need for further explanation from you. I am here today to inform you and Madam that you have lost your eligibility for the inheritance. This is the confirmation document; please sign it."

A document was presented before Zheng Xiu.

Stunned, Zheng Xiu stared at the document, then looked up at the two people in front of him after a moment, still unable to comprehend the situation.

Seeing this, Zheng Rui sighed helplessly and turned to Lawyer Ma. "Look how ecstatic my father is; he can't even come back to his senses."

"Hahahaha—"

"You call this being too ecstatic to come back to his senses? Hahaha, Zheng Rui really knows how to put things into words!"

Ye Leyao laughed heartily.

The netizens found it even more amusing:

"So satisfying! I'm so satisfied! This is the fastest retribution I've ever seen!"

"You deserve it! Both of you deserve it, you husband and wife!"

"But looking at Zheng Xiu like this, what would happen if he refuses to sign?"

Someone replied, "It doesn't matter if he refuses to sign. He's already lost his eligibility anyway. This document is essentially just a notification of confirmation. Even without his signature, it stands."

Upon realizing this, the netizens finally understood.

"So Zheng Rui called Lawyer Ma here on purpose?"

Ye Leyao chuckled.

"You're only realizing this now?"

"Isn't this just Zheng Rui's follow-up live stream?"

"When eating melons, one must see it through to the end, right?"

After learning the truth, the netizens became even happier, exclaiming:

"Zheng Rui! You're my god!"

"Thank you, follow-up hero!"

"I'm truly moved. This is the first time a melon master has voluntarily shown me the aftermath!"

"Alright, alright. I was planning to unfollow earlier, but now I won't!"

The live stream was lively and harmonious.

Inside the hospital room, Zheng Xiu trembled as he looked at the document before him. However, Zheng Rui didn't give him any time to recover. He stood up and said, "I have something else to do. Dad, remember to sign later. I'll be next door."

With that, Zheng Rui got up, took his phone, and left with Lawyer Ma for the adjacent room.

As soon as they reached the corridor and before Zheng Rui could open the door to the neighboring room, an angry shout came from behind: "Zheng Rui—you little beast—"

Zheng Rui chuckled lightly and entered the room without a care.

As soon as the door opened, the audience saw Zhuang Lin sitting on the bed, her expression sorrowful. Beside her sat a man holding her hand, consoling her. Upon hearing the commotion, the man immediately stood up and walked towards the balcony outside.

Ye Leyao raised her eyebrows upon seeing this:

"Are you serious? At this point, Zhuang Lin's lover still dares to come over and take care of her?"

The netizens in the live stream were also taken aback:

"So they usually act this boldly?"

"With you guys being so open about it, it makes me feel even more foolish for not realizing it earlier!"

"Darn it! You two aren't good people at all!"

Zhuang Lin clearly hadn't expected Zheng Rui to show up at this moment. Her face changed drastically. "What are you doing here—"

"Mom, don't worry," Zheng Rui interrupted her, his face full of smiles. "I won't disturb your intimate moment with your lover. I'm just here with Lawyer Ma to deliver a document to you."

At the mention of Lawyer Ma, Zhuang Lin's blood ran cold. She looked at Zheng Rui in disbelief and indeed saw Lawyer Ma, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Madam, please sign here." With that, Lawyer Ma placed the document beside Zhuang Lin.

Having done this, Zheng Rui spoke up. "Well, Mom, carry on. I won't disturb you anymore."

Zheng Rui turned around and started walking out, not forgetting to say, "See, how considerate I am, knowing not to bother my mom."

Ye Leyao laughed.

"That's true! Who could be as considerate as you, Zheng Rui?"

"Zhuang Lin and Zheng Xiu are already lying in bed in anger, yet you still brought a bag of salt to sprinkle on their wounds. They're going to be marinated to perfection!"

As Zheng Rui reached the door and was about to close it, he heard Zhuang Lin's hysterical scream from inside: "Zheng Rui! You beast! I shouldn't have given birth to a little bastard like you—"

Her voice was loud enough for the live stream audience to hear clearly.

In response, Zheng Rui smiled slightly and said to the live stream viewers, "It seems my mother is also very happy with the gift I gave her."

Without waiting for the audience's reaction, Zheng Rui cut off the live stream directly.

Ye Leyao was really going to laugh until he couldn't breathe.

"Zheng Rui is truly a master of words, hahaha."

"Very good, I'm extremely satisfied!"

Downstairs, Mr. and Mrs. Huo nodded in agreement.

They were also very satisfied; this piece of gossip had been truly refreshing!

Not only did they enjoy it live, but they also got the follow-up from the livestream.

Naturally, the netizens were equally excited and happy.

If every piece of gossip that followed was as complete as this one, the netizens couldn't even imagine how lively and cheerful they would be!

So many netizens even sent private messages to Ye Leyao.

"King of Gossip, you're our go-to for all future gossip!"

"Ye Leyao, don't forget us when you're rich and famous; make sure to include me in any gossip!"

"Are you starting the recording of the second episode of your variety show tomorrow? Any gossip?"

There were so many private messages from netizens that Ye Leyao's inbox was flooded with 999+. So Ye Leyao didn't bother checking his private messages much. If he had seen the last message, he might have actually replied with—

"Yes."

With Qin Yao's unlucky constitution, how could the new guests not have some juicy gossip?

The next morning, Ye Leyao had to catch a flight.

This time, Mr. and Mrs. Huo didn't accompany him.

It wasn't that Mr. and Mrs. Huo didn't want to go along; it was just that there had been quite a lot of company affairs recently.

Huo Jing couldn't handle everything alone, and he still had to deal with the cooperation with the He family. Mr. and Mrs. Huo could only help out at the company.

That left one person in a fortunate position—

Thinking about this, Mr. and Mrs. Huo's gazes became even more resentful.

Ye Leyao didn't know what they were thinking; he thought they were worried about him going to record the show alone: "Don't worry, Mom and Dad. I'll just be recording for two days, and Sister Li will be with me. I'll be back soon!"

Two days—that meant they would miss out on who knew how many wonderful and interesting pieces of gossip!

Mr. and Mrs. Huo felt even more pain, but they could only wave goodbye to Ye Leyao.

The second stop of "Travel Together" was on the grasslands.

After landing, the guests had to transfer to a bus to reach their destination.

Ye Leyao was finally the first to arrive. After getting on the program team's prepared bus, he didn't see anyone else.

Only a lonely camera was pointed at him. Ye Leyao waved at the camera as usual and sat down in a random seat.

Before long, Song Zhehan arrived.

Ye Leyao greeted him, and Song Zhehan sat in the seat in front of Ye Leyao.

They hadn't chatted for long when Li Siyuan got on the bus. Seeing the two of them, he nodded at them and then went to the back row with his cap on.

Ye Leyao glanced back at Li Siyuan and thought:

"Li Siyuan doesn't seem to be in a good mood?"

Song Zhehan still had his indifferent look, and Ye Leyao didn't ask further.

Soon, Zhou Zijian's voice and a gentle female voice came from below.

Ye Leyao suddenly became interested.

"Brother Zhou and his girlfriend are here!"

Song Zhehan clearly thought the same thing. He also sat up straighter and leaned out to look outside.

Before long, they saw Zhou Zijian pulling a woman's hand onto the bus. The woman was dressed in casual sportswear and looked very young.

Ye Leyao couldn't help but marvel:

"Wen Xiangyue is really too young. If it weren't for Wen Huai being so old, who could tell her age!"

Wen Xiangyue had a great temper and greeted each guest warmly upon arrival.

Even Li Siyuan, who had been exuding a murderous aura earlier, couldn't bear to give her a cold shoulder.

Ye Leyao sighed repeatedly:

"No wonder Brother Zhou likes her! Who wouldn't like such a gentle older sister!"

Just as he finished sighing, Qin Yao got on the bus.

Ye Leyao waved at Qin Yao, and Qin Yao walked over to sit next to Ye Leyao.

Ye Leyao was about to chat with Qin Yao when suddenly a figure stood in front of them.

Ye Leyao was taken aback and looked up.

The man wore a cap, with exaggerated sunglasses and a mask on his face. Standing in front of Ye Leyao and Qin Yao, he said to Qin Yao in an unkind tone, "Move over, I want to sit here!"

The familiar voice widened Ye Leyao's eyes.

Qin Yao raised his eyebrows slightly, returning the remark with equal bluntness: "No way."

As the atmosphere grew tense, all the guests turned their gazes over. Then came Ye Leyao's utterly shocked exclamation: "Second Brother?!"

"What are you doing here?!"

Huoyan removed his sunglasses, winking handsomely at Ye Leyao.

Of course, he was here to feast on the drama!