Chapter 77: The Queen of Drag

Chapter 77: The Queen of Drag

Before Ye Leyao could elaborate on the situation, they heard the new guest, using that feminine voice from earlier, say pitifully, "After so long without seeing each other, I didn't expect you to be so mean to me right away, Siyuan! I'm really upset."

For a moment, all the guests' gazes in the car fell upon him.

It had to be said, that voice was actually quite pleasant to hear.

So what exactly was going on?

And why did this new guest look so familiar?

As if seen somewhere before.

Qin Yao hadn't participated in the casting for this episode, but after the director and producer had drafted the invitation list, they sent it to Qin Yao for review. So, Qin Yao was relatively well-informed about the new guest.

Staring at the new guest for several seconds, Qin Yao recognized them. At that moment, his expression was rather complicated.

Meanwhile, the viewers in the live stream were still confused:

"???"

"Doesn't this new guest look more like a man than a woman?"

"A drag queen???"

The chat exploded with messages.

"I never thought I'd see a real-life drag queen on a variety show in my lifetime!"

"So who is he? And Li Siyuan never uses foul language when he scolds people, but today he was so vulgar. Could it be that he has a grudge against this new guest?"

"Look at Li Siyuan's expression; if it's not a grudge, then what could it be? Love?"

"So who is this drag queen? I'm so curious!"

"It feels like I've seen him before."

"Yes, I also feel like I've seen him before, but I just can't remember where."

Until one message suddenly started screaming:

"AHHHHHHH, isn't this my husband, my wife, my big uncle, my master, Duan Tingyan?!!!"

Other netizens: ??? What is this?

At the same time, Ye Leyao let out a small exclamation in her mind:

"Found him! Duan Tingyan, a well-known domestic voice actor. Because of his unique timbre and wide range of roles, as well as his unparalleled dedication, he's revered as a godfather-like figure in the industry. Also, because some of the characters Duan Tingyan voices are particularly popular, fans have all sorts of bizarre nicknames for him."

"There are plenty who call him 'husband' or 'wife,' and there are even more who refer to him as 'second uncle' or 'big uncle.' Some directly address him as 'master'..."

"Yes, this 'master' is a character from a xianxia drama."

Ye Leyao realized:

"So it's no wonder Li Siyuan would fall in love online with Duan Tingyan. After all, online relationships are based solely on voice, and Duan Tingyan's voice is incredibly versatile. Whatever you want, he has it, and always at the highest quality. Tsk tsk tsk!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Yan finally caught on, yet he was also somewhat surprised.

He had met Duan Tingyan twice due to work, but he had never heard that Duan Tingyan was also a drag queen!

Li Siyuan couldn't hold back any longer. The moment he recognized the man, he became enraged. Now, he stood up, bristling with anger. "Duan Tingyan, don't call me that disgustingly. Also, I'm not close to you!"

Hearing Duan Tingyan's name, the other guests were shocked.

"You're Duan Tingyan?" Zhou Zijian's eyes widened.

He knew Duan Tingyan; how come he hadn't recognized him?

Wen Xiangyue scrutinized the man dressed as a woman for a few seconds, then a look of surprise flashed across her eyes. "It really is Little Duan, but why are you dressed like this?"

Song Zhehan's gaze flicked between Li Siyuan and Duan Tingyan. Suddenly, he got up and walked to the seat behind Ye Leyao, tapping her on the shoulder and asking in a low voice, "What's the relationship between him and Li Siyuan?"

Ye Leyao slightly turned her head, trying hard to suppress the corners of her mouth from curling up, but she failed.

Glancing at Li Siyuan's expression, Ye Leyao cleared her throat and whispered, "Well...you should ask Li Siyuan himself."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhehan laughed. It wasn't loud, but everyone in the car could hear him clearly. "So Ye Leyao, you do know something."

As soon as he spoke, Ye Leyao's pupils went into shock.

"Teacher Goushi!!! How could you betray me like this?"

Li Siyuan's angry gaze instantly shot toward Ye Leyao.

Ye Leyao shrank her neck and fumed inwardly:

"Teacher Goushi is playing dirty!"

"Is he seeking revenge for the last episode's recording?"

Ye Leyao looked up at Song Zhehan again and noticed that his eyes were filled with a smug smile.

Ye Leyao confirmed it.

"It's true!"

Li Siyuan was still glaring at Ye Leyao, making her scalp tingle. But as the saying goes, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, so Ye Leyao boldly spoke up, asking in a voice that everyone in the car could hear, "Yes, I do know something. Speaking of which, it's been a week since we last saw each other. I forgot to ask earlier, Teacher Goushi, how have you been with Zhang Qiran lately? Has everything been going smoothly?"

After Ye Leyao finished speaking, she didn't forget to flash a bright smile at Song Zhehan before promptly turning her head and grabbing Qin Yao's arm beside her, whispering for help, "President Qin, President Qin!"

"Save me! Teacher Gou is trying to kill me with his eyes!"

Qin Yao couldn't help but chuckle.

Seeing that Ye Leyao seemed genuinely frightened, he forgot about the principles he had previously held firm and gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Teacher Gou doesn't eat people," Qin Yao whispered in consolation, throwing in a small joke.

Song Zhehan's smile was skin-deep: "Heh."

The other guests nearly burst out laughing.

Ye Leyao really dared to do anything!

Moreover, this was their first time seeing Song Zhehan being put in his place.

It felt surprisingly refreshing.

Even Li Siyuan, who had been on the verge of a confrontation with Duan Tingyan, couldn't help but want to laugh.

And the live stream was even more lively now.

Before they could fully digest the first piece of gossip, the viewers heard Ye Leyao and Song Zhehan exchange barbs and saw Qin Yao put his arm around Ye Leyao's shoulders.

The expressions of netizens/fans changed as follows:

Upon learning about the situation between Li Siyuan and Duan Tingyan – Excitement: Great, great, I love eating melons!

Hearing that Ye Leyao had already gotten a taste of Li Siyuan's melon – Anger: Ye Leyao, why do you keep eating melons behind our backs? Why do you always hide melons from your fans? What melon can't be shared with the fans?

Ye Leyao angrily exchanged words with Teacher Gou – Thrill: Great, great, we love watching guests clash. Ye Leyao, not only did you voice our thoughts, but you're also treading on thin ice! So how will Teacher Gou respond?!

Seeing Ye Leyao admit defeat and be embraced by Qin Yao – Confusion, amusement, and shock: So Ye Leyao, you surrendered so quickly? If you were that scared, how did you dare to provoke Teacher Gou? And also! Why did you naturally grab onto Qin Yao's arm, Ye Leyao?! What's your relationship with Qin Yao?!

In just the fourth episode, Ye Leyao and Qin Yao were hugging, holding arms, and leaning on each other.

Don't tell us it's just friendship!

In the first episode, Ye Leyao openly admitted that Qin Yao is her ideal type!

Also, Huo Yan, Qin Yao has put his arm around Ye Leyao right under your nose. Are you really blind or pretending not to see? As her older brother, what gives?

Huo Yan, quickly manage Ye Leyao; she's only eighteen! Netizens don't have partners yet, so why should she get one so soon?

If Huo Yan could see these comments, he would seriously reply: No problem, I don't have a partner either.

As for managing Ye Leyao's behavior, Huo Yan was powerless.

It wasn't that Huo Yan didn't want to intervene. After all, he genuinely believed that Ye Leyao was still young and Qin Yao was too old.

But before the recording of this episode, Father Huo and Mother Huo had repeatedly instructed him not to meddle casually. So Huo Yan wasn't blind; he was pretending to be.

Finally, the melon-eaters' attention returned to Li Siyuan and Duan Tingyan at the beginning.

"Ahh, I'm really curious. Can someone please explain?"

"Duan Tingyan said he would never participate in variety shows, right? So is he here just for Li Siyuan?"

"Huh? So Duan Tingyan is like Zhang Qiran, having had a past with the regular guests?"

"That would be thrilling! Ahh, bring on the melons! Bring on the melons!"

The netizens' speculations and deductions had flooded the screen for quite some time, but ultimately, they received no definitive answer.

The melon-eaters were like raccoons in a melon field, jumping up and down, unable to make sense of these melons.

Thus, everyone could only refocus their attention on the parties involved.

At this moment, Li Siyuan's expression had improved significantly. He looked at the cold-faced Song Zhehan with a half-smile.

When he saw Song Zhehan rise from the seat behind Ye Leyao and pass by him, Li Siyuan was about to open his mouth to tease him when he suddenly heard Duan Tingyan switch to a different tone, reverting to his original voice: "Siyuan, but I remember you used to like it most when I spoke to you in that voice. Why don't you like it now?"

A vein pulsed on Li Siyuan's forehead.

The chill on Song Zhehan's face melted away like snow in spring as he raised his eyebrows and stared at Li Siyuan. "Seems like you're not nervous enough to still have the leisure to watch my show."

Li Siyuan was infuriated by Duan Tingyan's words and immediately ignored Song Zhehan, turning to Duan Tingyan and saying coldly, "Duan Tingyan, you know I always mean what I say. If you dare to utter another word, I'll really hit you!"

Duan Tingyan instantly wore a heartbroken expression. "Indeed, it's been too long since we've seen each other. You don't... love..."

"Duan Tingyan!" Li Siyuan interrupted him sharply.

However, the keen-eared guests and viewers widened their eyes.

What did Duan Tingyan just say?

Love?

Did they hear that correctly?

So there really was something between Li Siyuan and Duan Tingyan?

Goodness gracious.

Does Duan Tingyan still use a female voice to coax Li Siyuan?

They sure play... umm.

Ye Leyao released Qin Yao's arm with even more enthusiasm, leaning forward again to first observe Li Siyuan's expression before turning to look at Duan Tingyan.

"As the saying goes, love that is deep is strict in its demands; it seems Li Siyuan truly loved his online love interest!"

"Oh, I'm dying to know the details of their romance!"

Ye Leyao was tempted to take out his phone and check his notes, but at this moment, he was far too close to Qin Yao.

At this angle, if he were to open his phone, Qin Yao would only need to lower his head slightly to read the contents of his notes clearly.

Although Ye Leyao could move slightly further away from Qin Yao, for some inexplicable reason, he didn't want to do so.

So, as a precaution, Ye Leyao temporarily suppressed his curiosity.

"It's alright, I can check later!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Yan couldn't help rolling his eyes once more.

He had realized that Ye Leyao was also love-struck!

To the point where he wouldn't even indulge in gossip for the sake of love.

Seeing Li Siyuan's strong reaction, Duan Tingyan's eyes filled with even greater sorrow. "How sad, but since you, Siyuan, don't wish to reminisce with me, I won't bring it up."

As he said this, Duan Tingyan sighed regretfully.

Upon seeing this, the other guests and netizens became uncertain once more.

Duan Tingyan's makeup was strikingly bold, and his expressions seemed natural, not like acting. However, they felt that certain expressions of his revealed an over-exertion.

Was he really just pretending?

Apart from Ye Leyao, Qin Yao, who could hear his thoughts, and Huo Yan, no one knew what Duan Tingyan was up to, including Li Siyuan himself.

Ever since Duan Tingyan appeared, Li Siyuan had been in a state of agitation.

He had even considered grabbing Duan Tingyan by the collar and throwing him off the car, but if he did that, today's recording would likely be ruined.

While Li Siyuan didn't care, he feared that netizens would dig deeper!

Which artist didn't have a past?

And these netizens were particularly fond of delving into history.

Oh, and there was Ye Leyao, always at the forefront of gossip consumption.

Li Siyuan clenched his jaw.

He needed to stay calm.

If he handled the situation calmly, he might be able to keep this matter under wraps. If he lost his cool, then this episode would feature him trending on the hot search list.

The only thing that provided Li Siyuan with slight comfort was that Duan Tingyan, the deranged maniac, still had some conscience. Seeing Li Siyuan's anger, he refrained from spilling all the beans.

After giving Duan Tingyan a fierce warning glance, Li Siyuan sat down.

Seeing Li Siyuan sit, Duan Tingyan raised his eyebrows, knowing that this hurdle was cleared. He then approached the guests with a smile, greeting each one individually.

When Ye Leyao hesitated about shaking hands with him, Duan Tingyan suddenly withdrew his hand. With a smile, he asked, "You probably don't want to shake my hand, right?"

Ye Leyao was taken aback.

Qin Yao and Huo Yan furrowed their brows simultaneously.

Duan Tingyan's gaze swept over Qin Yao before he smiled. "Don't worry, I have no ulterior motives. I watched your previous recordings and noticed that Ye Leyao doesn't seem to enjoy physical contact with others. If you're unwilling to shake my hand, we can skip this step."

Upon hearing his explanation, Qin Yao and Huo Yan's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

Huo Yan was somewhat puzzled.

Ye Leyao hadn't been particularly obvious, how did Duan Tingyan notice this with such meticulous observation?

The other guests were visibly shocked.

Zhou Zijian asked Ye Leyao, "Is that true? How come I never noticed before?"

Duan Tingyan, who was familiar with Zhou Zijian, retorted with a smile, "What could a rough and tough guy like you possibly notice?"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

Ye Leyao snapped back to reality.

"I didn't expect anyone besides President Qin to notice that I dislike physical contact!"

"Teacher Duan, you're my soulmate!"

Thus, Ye Leyao decisively extended his hand toward Duan Tingyan, explaining with a smile, "Teacher Duan has observed very carefully. Indeed, I don't particularly enjoy physical contact with others, but I'm already working on changing that! And I think I've improved quite a bit, haven't I?"

The last question was directed at Qin Yao.

Qin Yao nodded with a smile.

The amusement in Duan Tingyan's eyes deepened as he shook Ye Leyao's hand briefly before releasing it. "That's good to hear. I actually quite like Teacher Ye Leyao, so please guide me well in this episode."

Ye Leyao was flattered. "Teacher Duan, you can call me Leyao."

Duan Tingyan responded with a smile before proceeding to greet the other guests.

Duan Tingyan was a skilled conversationalist. Due to his work, he had collaborated with many artists in the industry, even Liu Yan, who originated from the idol scene, had worked with him.

At this moment, Duan Tingyan was seated in the row ahead of Zhou Zijian and Wen Xiangyue, next to Liu Yan, and the four of them were chatting happily.

Zhou Zijian held back for a long time, but eventually couldn't resist asking, "So, why did you decide to wear women's clothing today?"

Upon hearing this question, Ye Leyao instantly turned her head, her mouth curling up wildly.

"Isn't the answer to that question obvious? Do you really need to ask?"

Huoyan was somewhat puzzled.

Obvious?

No need to ask?

But why couldn't he figure out the reason?

Qin Yao slightly furrowed his brows, and in the next moment, he suddenly understood.

It was indeed that reason; the answer was indeed obvious.

Huoyan didn't understand, and he turned his head to look at Ye Leyao, only to coincidentally catch sight of Qin Yao's expression of understanding.

A hint of confusion immediately rose in his heart. How could Qin Yao...

But before Huoyan could ponder further, he heard Song Zhehan speak with a smile, "Brother Zhou, you really don't know why?"

Zhou Zijian was utterly confused.

Why would he know that Duan Tingyan would be wearing women's clothing today?

Seeing Ye Leyao, Qin Yao, Huoyan, and the others looking over at him, Zhou Zijian couldn't help but think it over. Then, his eyes lit up as he looked at Duan Tingyan: "Could it be because this is one of your niche fetishes?"

Ye Leyao couldn't hold back her laughter and burst out laughing directly.

The other guests similarly couldn't resist, and the carriage filled with laughter.

Only Li Siyuan didn't laugh. Not only did he not laugh, but his face was also full of coldness. "Brother Zhou isn't wrong. This is indeed one of his many perverted fetishes."

Upon hearing these words, Duan Tingyan's eyebrows immediately knitted together, and he looked at Li Siyuan with a somewhat aggrieved expression: "Siyuan~~~~"

This voice was coquettish and carried a hint of cutesiness.

It made people's goosebumps rise straight up.

Li Siyuan reacted extremely strongly, abruptly standing up and shouting angrily, "Duan Tingyan! Don't tell me you actually thought I wouldn't hit a man dressed as a woman?!"

The atmosphere on the scene suddenly froze.

Ye Leyao spoke up in a timely manner, softly saying, "Brother Zhou, do you understand now?"

"It's obviously because Li Siyuan has his own principles!"

"Although he's irritable, Li Siyuan never hits women!"

"A man dressed as a woman can still count as half a woman!"

Huoyan suddenly understood.

So that was it!

Zhou Zijian was even more enlightened.

It was actually for that reason!

The barrage comments also reacted:

"I never thought it would be for that reason."

"So... Duan Tingyan wore women's clothing because he has a fetish for cross-dressing and knew he might get beaten up if he appeared in front of Li Siyuan?"

"It seems that's probably the case."

The onlookers: !!!!

In that case, this piece of gossip became increasingly interesting!

A voice actor with a cross-dressing fetish and an irritable male rapper who had possibly had a relationship with him!

Damn, it couldn't be another case of expired sugar, could it?

But even if it was expired sugar, it didn't matter. After all, they just wanted to enjoy the gossip.

Netizens were excited, and the guests also cast their gazes onto Duan Tingyan.

Numerous pairs of eyes were filled with curiosity.

As if they were chasing after Duan Tingyan, asking, is it true?

Is it really like that?

Tell them quickly!

As for why they didn't press Li Siyuan for answers?

Of course, it was because they dared not!

Duan Tingyan sighed helplessly and looked at Ye Leyao with a reproachful gaze. "Leyao, you can't just expose my secrets so recklessly because I have a higher regard for you, can you?"

This time, when he spoke, he still used a female voice, but he switched to a mature, cool-sounding tone.

Ye Leyao blinked. "It was Brother Zhou who started it, it has nothing to do with me. Also, Teacher Duan, your voice is really nice."

Duan Tingyan loved being complimented. Upon hearing this, he raised his chin and flashed a bright and radiant smile. "Right? Right? I also think my voice is the best! Back then when Si... cough cough."

Duan Tingyan promptly stopped himself.

Ye Leyao suddenly understood.

"Oh, so this is the voice Li Siyuan liked the most."

"Speaking of which, looking at Duan Tingyan from this angle, he's indeed quite good-looking, and his voice is nice too."

"Hmm, I guess this is how Li Siyuan fell for him back then?"

Thinking about this, Ye Leyao's smile became even brighter.

"It seems like this episode will be very interesting!"

"Our President Qin is getting better at inviting guests."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yao's expression turned somewhat helpless.

A person couldn't fall into the same pit every time, right?

He had been unlucky for a long time; it was time for his luck to turn around.

The group didn't chat for long before the director announced that the next guest was about to appear.

"By the way," Zhou Zijian couldn't resist talking to Duan Tingyan again. "Do you know who else the production team invited for this episode? Have you met them yet?"

Duan Tingyan had already turned away, but upon hearing Zhou Zijian's words, he suddenly turned his head with a large arc.

Zhou Zijian was slightly taken aback by this. "Huh? You're so..."

Duan Tingyan's lips curled up wildly, and his eyes, adorned with fake eyelashes, blinked incessantly.

Ye Leyao observed the most carefully and instantly noticed something was off.

"Huh? This smile of Duan Tingyan's..."

"Why does it have the mysterious smile vibe?"

The other guests' gazes also fell on Duan Tingyan.

Liu Yan asked first, "So, Teacher Duan, do you know who the guests are for this episode?"

Duan Tingyan smiled and nodded. "Yes, I've met them all and chatted with them briefly."

Seeing Duan Tingyan's smile, Liu Yan suddenly felt something was amiss.

Why did this smile look exactly like Ye Leyao's mysterious smile when he got some juicy gossip!

Not only did Liu Yan feel this way, but Zhou Zijian and Wen Xiangyue in the back seat shared the same thought.

It wasn't just similar; it was as if they were cut from the same mold!

Zhou Zijian even suspected that Duan Tingyan might have secretly learned from Ye Leyao.

Ye Leyao was unaware of what Zhou Zijian and Liu Yan were thinking because at that moment, he had stood up and couldn't resist looking out the window due to his curiosity.

Just one glance, and Ye Leyao couldn't control himself anymore. He turned around, rested his head on Qin Yao's shoulder, and burst out laughing. "Hahahaha—"

As he laughed, everyone in the bus looked over.

"What are you laughing at?" Huo Yan asked.

Song Zhehan noticed that Ye Leyao had glanced out the window earlier and turned to look as well. Upon seeing, he couldn't hold back either.

The bus was divided into two sides. Ye Leyao, Qin Yao, Song Zhehan, and Li Siyuan were sitting on the side near the door, and the guest stars also appeared from this side.

Seeing Ye Leyao and Song Zhehan laughing, Li Siyuan quickly lifted the curtain on his side.

His seat was further back, and from this angle, once the curtain was pulled aside, Zhou Zijian, Wen Xiangyue, and Liu Yan could see clearly as well.

In the next second, they heard Li Siyuan burst out laughing. "Holy sh*t!"

Zhou Zijian and Wen Xiangyue's expressions simultaneously froze.

Only Liu Yan was confused, asking, "What? What? What are you guys laughing at? Is he—"

Duan Tingyan was now laughing even more openly, switching back to his initial high-pitched voice, gentle and infinitely tender. "Liu Yan, don't you recognize Wen Huai?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yan covered her mouth in surprise.

Wen Huai?!

The barrage went crazy:

"? ? ?"

"!! !"

"A? Hahahaha—"

At this point, Ye Leyao finally finished laughing. He directly turned his head and said wickedly, "Brother Zhou, your son is here. Aren't you going to go down and pick him up?!"