Chapter 19

Chapter 19

As Lin Yi was idly scrolling through online news, his agent called him.

Lin Yi knew that there was nothing good coming from this call at this time, so he didn't answer it.

But the caller kept trying, seemingly determined not to give up until they reached him.

Surprised by their persistence, Lin Yi finally answered the phone and asked indifferently, "What do you want?"

The agent sounded clearly agitated and barked, "Lin Yi, what have you done?! The internet is filled with negative comments about you! Is this how you conduct yourself as an artist?"

He had already been annoyed by Lin Yi's recent drastic change in personality and his lack of control over him, and now he saw an opportunity to assert his authority as an agent.

To his surprise, Lin Yi remained calm and collected, responding, "What could I possibly have done? I'm just doing my job on the show, aren't I?"

The agent snapped, "How can you not see the magnitude of this issue on the internet? Because of this, the company is facing severe negative publicity. Can you even handle the responsibility for this?!"

Lin Yi chuckled, "I'm just an eighteen-line artist; most people don't even know which agency I belong to. What kind of impact could I possibly have on the company? Besides, the situation hasn't been clarified yet. How do you know it's my fault?"

The agent retorted unreasonably, "Because of this, the company's reputation has suffered greatly, and I've been swamped with work without any peace. You need to give me an explanation!"

Lin Yi understood that this was the real reason behind the call: to make him feel guilty and then manipulate him into taking on some random jobs to earn money for the company.

In short, it was a case of taking advantage of a crisis.

Unfortunately, Lin Yi wasn't as easy to manipulate as his predecessor. He calmly replied, "Feel free to see if I'll give you any explanation."

The agent, taken aback by his defiance, fumed, "Lin Yi, don't forget your contract isn't over yet. So soon you think you're ready to leave the company?"

Lin Yi responded, "So there is an agency after all? Then why hasn't the company stepped in to clarify things for me this time?"

Typically, when an artist faces negative publicity, the agency would step in to manage the situation. But here, the company hadn't even bothered to ask, instead trying to pressure him.

The agent seemed caught off guard by Lin Yi's demand and sneered, "Are you joking? Why would the company waste resources on someone like you?"

Lin Yi countered coolly, "Then why do you expect someone like me to help the company?"

The agent exploded, "You...!"

Lin Yi ended the conversation, hanging up the phone.

Talking to such a person was a waste of his time.

After hanging up, Lin Yi walked towards the living room.

Today, due to the online exposé, the show had temporarily halted live streaming, so the guests were scattered around.

As Lin Yi entered, Shen Feng approached him anxiously, "Are you okay?"

Lin Yi looked puzzled, "What could possibly be wrong with me?"

Shen Feng scrutinized Lin Yi carefully and, seeing his calm demeanor, felt relieved that he wasn't affected by the online comments. However, he couldn't help but complain, "Those who exposed those things must be your family, right? Why would they slander you?"

His usually rebellious eyes now showed clear anger, as if he himself had been slandered.

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow in surprise, "How can you be so sure they're slandering me? What if these things are true?"

Shen Feng immediately said, "Of course they're slandering you. You don't seem like that kind of person, do you?"

Though they hadn't known each other long, he had a strange intuition that Lin Yi wasn't the person described in the exposé.

Lin Yi glanced at Shen Feng with amusement. "I didn't realize you trusted me so much."

When Lin Yi smiled and stared at someone, his almond-shaped eyes sparkled brightly, adding to the playful glint, making him even more captivating.

For some reason, Shen Feng blushed slightly and raised his voice defensively, "Who are you talking to?! If someone believes in you, you shouldn't be unhappy about it, right?!"

Lin Yi didn't understand why Shen Feng suddenly became agitated, but he didn't bother delving into it. Instead, he reassured him, "Alright, alright, I get it. You mean well, right?"

Slightly calmer, Shen Feng then asked, "By the way, do you need any help with this?"

Lin Yi knew Shen Feng's impulsive nature and that his idea of helping would likely involve going online to berate the Lin family, which wouldn't solve the root problem. So, he decided against it.

Patting Shen Feng on the shoulder, Lin Yi said, "Thanks! I appreciate your offer, but I can handle this myself."

With that, he headed upstairs.

Behind him, Shen Feng felt a tremor of admiration as he touched the spot where Lin Yi had patted his shoulder.

This person's mental fortitude was truly remarkable. Despite the overwhelming negativity online, Lin Yi remained unaffected and spoke with ease. How could anyone possess such incredible resilience?

Although Shen Feng usually acted fearlessly, he knew that if he were in Lin Yi's shoes, he would be emotionally shaken.

Yet, Lin Yi showed no signs of distress.

On his way upstairs, Lin Yi encountered Zhao Jin and Zhou Ke, both of whom expressed concern and offered help, but Lin Yi declined.

His issues with the Lin family were something he needed to handle alone.

Watching from the side, He Nian's eyes flickered with resentment and anger.

Before joining the show, he had expected to be the center of attention, given that he was the most famous participant besides Shen Feng. He thought he would be the most popular and admired figure on the show.

Never did he imagine that Lin Yi would transform so drastically, not only shedding his timidity but also gaining the affection of others, gradually becoming the focal point of their group.

How could this be allowed?

This should all clearly be his!

But seeing the other guests expressing concern for Lin Yi, He Nian could only grit his teeth and step forward, then look at Lin Yi with worried eyes: "Cousin, is there anything I can do to help? I didn’t realize your relationship with your family was so bad. You should visit them more often; seeing each other more might help. We’re all family, after all; there’s no need to hold grudges."

He Nian’s words seemed to be comforting Lin Yi, but in reality, they implied that Lin Yi never went home to care for his family, which was why their relationship had become so strained.

Hearing this, Lin Yi turned to look at the insincere He Nian and remained silent for a moment.

Suddenly being stared at by Lin Yi, He Nian began to feel uneasy for no apparent reason.

For some reason, Lin Yi’s gaze was particularly oppressive, as if he could see right through him.

The atmosphere became somewhat stifling.

Just as He Nian couldn’t help but say something to break the tension, Lin Yi finally spoke.

Lin Yi gave a faint smile that didn’t reach his eyes and slowly asked He Nian, "I wonder what role you played in this incident?"

The Lin family may hate him, but given their low educational level, they couldn’t have stirred up such a storm online on their own. For instance, just minutes after the Lin family revealed information, a bunch of marketing accounts were already reposting it, making the situation highly suspicious.

The Lin family must have been guided by someone to create such a big fuss. As for who guided them, it wasn’t too hard to guess.

After all, the Lin family trusted He Nian, their nephew, immensely, treating him almost like their own son and consulting him on important matters. It was likely they consulted him about this incident as well.

Upon hearing Lin Yi’s words, He Nian’s expression subtly changed.

How could it be? Did Lin Yi figure it out so quickly?

He Nian was filled with suspicion and uncertainty, trying hard to recall the details of his previous contact with Lin Yi’s mother. After confirming he hadn’t slipped up, he relaxed slightly.

Looking earnestly at Lin Yi, he said, "Cousin, do you suspect me of doing something? How could you think that way? We’re family; how could I harm you? I naturally hope you and your family get along well."

Lin Yi quietly watched He Nian act for a while before saying, "It was just a joke. Why are you so nervous?"

He Nian: "..."

So, was Lin Yi really joking or not?

The problem was that Lin Yi was now completely unpredictable, and he couldn’t tell.

Ignoring He Nian’s thoughts, Lin Yi slowly walked upstairs after saying those words.

Once back in his bedroom, the surroundings finally quieted down, allowing him to think carefully about the situation.

If this had happened in the past, he probably wouldn’t have bothered with these messy affairs.

But things were different now. Since he had inherited the original body, he felt obligated to do something for the original owner.

Like seeking justice for him.

The original owner did nothing wrong; he was just a bit weak-willed. Yet everyone around him acted like vampires, draining him dry.

Sadly, until the end, the original owner never learned to resist, instead worrying himself to death.

Lin Yi decided to do something for the original owner, at least make those who hurt him suffer a little.

Otherwise, the world would be too unfair, wouldn’t it?

With this thought, Lin Yi took out his phone and opened Weibo.

When he first opened Weibo, the page actually froze for a moment.

Eventually, it loaded.

At this point, his private messages, comments, and retweets were unprecedentedly numerous.

It was quite a spectacle.

Back when the original owner was active, he had only a few thousand followers, most of whom were bots. For an artist, that was truly obscure.

However, although the number of people following his Weibo had suddenly increased, they were all there to curse him.

Even though some recent fans from the parenting show tried to speak up for him, their supportive comments were quickly drowned out.

The original owner’s reputation in the entertainment industry had always been poor; everyone thought he had a bad character. With this incident, people naturally believed the revelations, thinking Lin Yi was someone who could abandon his own family.

It was ironic that he was receiving so much abuse simply because he was a bit weak-willed.

Actually, it wasn’t entirely ironic, considering his cousin He Nian had certainly fueled the flames.

Once Weibo stopped freezing, Lin Yi posted a message.

He didn’t post anything else but compared the revelations made by the Lin family and posted his own revelation: the Lin family never treated him as one of their own, and Father Lin and Mother Lin favored their younger son, ignoring him...

After editing a hundred or so characters, Lin Yi posted it.

Isn’t it just about revelations?

Who can’t do that?

And the most important thing was, his revelation had no typos!!

In addition, Lin Yi posted another tweet.

This one was much more concise, consisting of just a few pictures.

These pictures showed the original owner’s recent bank transfers to the Lin family.

Each transfer was several tens of thousands of yuan. Whenever the original owner received income, he sent most of it back to the Lin family, leaving himself only a few hundred yuan for pocket money.

Lin Yi couldn't help but shake his head as he took screenshots of these transfer records.

The original owner was truly a pitiful and tragic person, having sacrificed so much for those around him, only to be met with slander and misunderstanding.

Finally, Lin Yi edited the second Weibo post and sent it out.

At that moment, countless netizens were watching Weibo, waiting for Lin Yi's appearance. As soon as he posted, a large number of netizens rushed over immediately.

"What's going on? Lin Yi has posted on Weibo too?!"

"Here we go. Let's see how Lin Yi tries to whitewash this."

"Isn't it a known fact that Lin Yi has bad character? So this time, it must be his fault!"

"Huh? Lin Yi's account is completely different from what the Lin family said. He claims they are the ones at fault!"

"Putting aside everything else, Lin Yi actually transferred so much money to his family?"

"I'm shocked. Lin Yi transfers an average of three to four thousand yuan to his family every month? That must be most of his income as an artist, considering how obscure he is."

"Since Lin Yi often sends money to his family, why do the Lin family members say he doesn't care about them?"

"At the very least, sending money shows he hasn't completely neglected his family."

"So what if he sends some money? Isn't that what a son should do?"

"This situation is unclear. I'll remain neutral for now."

Apart from these comments, there were also people who had watched the recent parenting show Lin Yi participated in, and their opinions differed.

"Do you guys know Lin Yi is currently on a parenting show? You should watch it; I don't think Lin Yi is like what the Lin family claims."

"I agree! I used to be indifferent towards Lin Yi, but after watching the show, I've come to like him. He definitely doesn't seem cold-hearted."

"Support Lin Yi!!"

"Haha, all of you defending Lin Yi must just be attracted to his looks. Can't you focus on something other than his face?"

"No denying it, Lin Yi's face can make anyone overlook his flaws!"

The online arguments continued.

However, this time, public opinion seemed to lean slightly in Lin Yi's favor, no longer unanimously condemning him.

While Lin Yi briefly scrolled through Weibo, suddenly, outside the agritainment place, there was a commotion.

Finding it strange, he walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and looked outside.

It turned out to be Lin Yi's mother and Lin Jie!

Not only did this mother-son duo come themselves, but they also brought a horde of reporters, determined to turn this into a spectacle.

However, the agritainment place was temporarily occupied by the production team, so the group was held back at one end of the path, unable to get closer.

Seeing this, Lin Yi's mother unleashed her histrionics, continuously ranting about how she had given birth to a bad son.

Lin Yi watched this farce indifferently for a while before letting the curtains fall again.

Well, he was planning to seek justice for the original owner, and these people conveniently showed up.

Perfect timing.

After a brief contemplation, Lin Yi prepared himself and went out to meet his mother and the others.

After all, since they came looking for him, he naturally had to greet them.

As soon as Lin Yi stepped out, Shen Feng hurriedly followed, worried that Lin Yi might not handle the situation alone. His presence might be helpful.

Seeing this, He Nian also followed.

He was the mastermind behind all this and felt more at ease being present personally.

Moreover, he was excited at the prospect of seeing Lin Yi being criticized again, possibly even getting kicked off the parenting show.

Just thinking about it made him giddy.

Zhao Jin and Zhou Ke, upon noticing this, also wanted to see what was happening and followed along.

Lin Yi was unaware that several people were trailing behind him.

He strolled leisurely, as if on a casual walk, reaching the end of the agritainment path.

Dressed in white casual attire, with his hands in his pockets, he walked unhurriedly, wearing his usual nonchalant expression. He appeared relaxed and carefree, as if nothing significant was happening, rather than facing any major trouble.

Upon his arrival, the noisy crowd fell silent for a few seconds.

Most of them had never seen Lin Yi before, or if they had, their impression of him was of someone dull, silent, timid, and fearful.

So, how could the person standing before them exude such calmness?

Seeing Lin Yi arrive, his mother immediately began her dramatic lament: "Lin Yi, you dare to show your face in front of me? I thought you didn't want to acknowledge me as your mother anymore?"

Her wailing finally jolted the reporters back to reality, and they aimed their cameras at Lin Yi, ready to capture news footage.

Some even started live broadcasts.

Instantly, many people flocked to the live stream to watch the drama unfold.

"Wow, is this Lin Yi? He's actually so handsome?"

"Even with good looks, what does it matter? Lin Yi is nothing but a despicable scumbag!!"

"The one crying is Lin Yi's mother, right? She looks so pitiful."

"Exactly. I can't stand seeing an elderly person cry. She must be heartbroken by her own son."

"How hasn’t Lin Yi left the entertainment industry yet? He’s just dirtying our eyes."

As Lin Yi's mother wailed loudly, the reporters who had been prepped in advance turned their cameras on Lin Yi and began bombarding him with questions.

"Mr. Lin, do you really ignore your family?"

"Mr. Lin, your parents worked hard to raise you. Is this how you repay them?"

"Mr. Lin, don’t you think you’re being too cold-hearted...?"

These reporters were clearly well-prepared, each question aimed directly at Lin Yi, as if they wanted everyone to know he was a heartless person.

If someone else were in his place, they might have found it unbearable and confronted these people with a look of indignation.

However, Lin Yi’s expression remained unchanged throughout. He looked coldly at his mother and asked directly, "Tell me, what’s the point of all this today?"

In fact, it wasn’t hard to guess why Lin Yi’s mother was doing this. It was simply because he no longer unconditionally obeyed the family’s arrangements. She wanted to warn him through this method, making him continue to serve the family without complaint, and even endure physical and verbal abuse if necessary.

As for He Nian, who orchestrated all of this, he couldn’t stand that Lin Yi’s influence on the show had surpassed his own. He wanted to use the Lin family to ruin Lin Yi’s reputation.

Upon hearing Lin Yi’s words, Lin Yi’s mother immediately denied it, pointing at him with a face full of grief and anger: "You ungrateful son! How dare you still say such things! Do you really think I’m causing a scene?"

Lin Yi replied coldly, "What else could it be?"

Lin Yi’s mother stomped her feet and cried out, "How did I give birth to such an unfeeling son! I only brought everyone here because you’ve been ignoring the family. And now you think I’m just causing a scene!"

The more she spoke, the more heart-wrenching her cries became.

Whether genuine or not, the effect was achieved.

Netizens began criticizing Lin Yi.

"My goodness, she’s his own mother, and Lin Yi can still say such hurtful things to her!"

"I almost want to cry. The Lin family is so pitiful!"

"According to Lin Yi’s mother, she thought raising her son would give her support, but instead, she raised an ingrate."

"Lin Yi must have a black heart."

"No, he doesn’t have a heart at all!"

After watching Lin Yi’s mother perform for a while, Lin Yi asked calmly, "You keep saying I’m ungrateful. Do you have any evidence?"

Lin Yi’s mother was momentarily stumped by his question.

Of course, she had no evidence. Her visit was just another round of crying and yelling. If she were asked for actual proof, she wouldn’t be able to provide any, since her useless eldest son, though disliked, had indeed done much for the family.

Unable to produce evidence, she continued crying and wailing, "You insist on evidence from an old woman like me. How would I know what evidence means? You’re just an ungrateful son, deserving of thunderbolts!"

Lin Yi paid no attention to her curses and continued calmly, "You can’t produce evidence, right? I can! Since childhood, you and Dad never liked me; you even abused me. In the dead of winter, because Lin Jie cried, you blamed me for not taking care of him and locked me in the hallway overnight. When Lin Jie wanted toys, you rushed me to buy them, and if I was even slightly late, I was either punished by not being allowed to eat or beaten severely."

As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing a scar on his forearm.

He pointed to the scar and said, "This is from when you hit me with a bottle. The scar is still there."

Everyone looked at the scar on Lin Yi’s forearm. Although it had faded over time, it was clear that the injury had been severe.

After showing the scar, Lin Yi continued, "Do you need more examples? There are far too many instances of your abuse."

His tone was solemn and deliberate, as if he wanted everyone to hear every word clearly.

He was seeking justice for someone who no longer existed.

Upon hearing Lin Yi’s words, his mother was momentarily stunned.

She hadn’t expected her usually silent eldest son to remember the past so clearly and recount it piece by piece.

She didn’t know how to respond.

"Oh my, did Lin Yi really suffer such cruel treatment at home?"

"Holy crap! Are Father Lin and Mother Lin even human? How could they treat their son like that?"

"Aaah, so heartbreaking. Lin Yi’s arms are so pale and delicate. How painful it must have been when he was injured!"

He Nian watched from the side, noticing that Lin Yi seemed to be gaining the upper hand. He quickly stepped forward, feigning concern, and asked Lin Yi’s mother, "By the way, Aunt, how is Uncle now? Is he still in the hospital? I heard he’s quite ill. I’ll visit him when I have time."

He gave Lin Yi’s mother a meaningful look.

With He Nian’s reminder, Lin Yi’s mother snapped out of her shock and pointed at Lin Yi, saying, "Now that you’re grown up and sharp-tongued, I can’t argue with you. Say whatever you want! But let me ask you, your father has been in the hospital for days. Are you going to visit him?"

Lin Yi responded with confusion, "Didn’t Dad just scold me for no reason last time and tell me never to appear before him again? He said he couldn’t even eat when he saw me."

Lin Yi’s mother was once again stumped.

They did often scold Lin Yi, but since they did it so frequently, they couldn’t remember exactly what they had said. They weren’t sure if Lin Yi’s statement was true or false.

In fact, Lin Yi was lying, knowing that his mother couldn’t tell the difference.

"So that’s why Lin Yi didn’t visit his father."

"This couple is really ridiculous. One says Lin Yi shouldn't appear in front of him, and the other complains that Lin Yi doesn't visit. So what exactly do they want Lin Yi to do?"

He Nian saw that Mother Lin was at a loss again and cursed under his breath.

Fortunately, Mother Lin quickly regained her composure and said irritably to Lin Yi, "You always have your reasons! Why is your brother so filial to us, then?"

Lin Yi sneered, "How is he filial?"

The original owner worked tirelessly for the family and never received a single kind word.

Lin Jie is a good-for-nothing thug who lazes around all day, yet he's considered the filial son?

Mother Lin said angrily, "Anyway, your brother is a hundred times, a thousand times better than you! We like him, so what?"

Lin Yi, of course, didn't care who Father Lin and Mother Lin preferred, but he enjoyed causing them discomfort.

So he said slowly, "Your second son is indeed quite good—so good that he started stealing things from home to give to some streamer."

Lin Jie didn't expect his secret to be exposed and panicked, "You damn liar!!"

Mother Lin was stunned by this revelation.

No wonder several valuable items had gone missing recently. Could it be that Lin Jie stole them?

No, that's impossible!

Her precious son wouldn't do such a thing. It must be Lin Yi, that bastard, making up lies!!

Ignoring the shock of the mother and son, Lin Yi continued, "Not only did he steal things, but Lin Jie also got into trouble at school several times and is now on probation. He probably didn't tell the family about it, right?"

On probation?!

Mother Lin's face turned pale upon hearing this.

When did this happen? How could she not know?

Didn't Lin Jie say he was studying hard lately? How could he suddenly be on probation?!

Lin Jie didn't expect his secrets to be revealed and cursed loudly before lunging at Lin Yi, "Damn it!! I'll teach you to lie!!"

As he cursed, he pushed Lin Yi.

But before he even touched Lin Yi, Lin Yi stumbled backward as if hit by a strong force, colliding with a tree trunk.

In the next moment, he bent over in pain, clutching his chest and coughing.

Someone in the crowd screamed, "Oh my God, someone's being attacked!"

Lin Jie: "What?!"

Damn it?!

He hadn't even touched Lin Yi!

Shen Feng had been watching from a distance. Seeing this, his expression changed, and he hurried over to support Lin Yi, "Are you okay?!"

Lin Yi held his chest, his brow furrowed, and cold sweat dripped down his forehead, wetting his eyelashes.

He opened his mouth weakly, "I'm fine."

Though he said he was fine, anyone could see he was in bad shape.

This only made everyone feel more sympathetic toward him.

Shen Feng already considered Lin Yi one of his own. Seeing Lin Yi in this state, he was furious. His temper was already short, and now his eyes blazed with anger as he glared at Lin Jie, "You're done for!!"

Lin Jie: "What?!"

He hadn't done anything!

Lin Jie had never felt so wronged.

Lin Yi leaned against the tree trunk, expressionless, staring at Lin Jie.

After a few seconds, Lin Jie seemed to realize something and shouted, "He's faking it! Don't believe him!!"

Despite his loud protests, no one believed him.

After all, everyone had seen him push Lin Yi.

Lin Yi wanted this effect.

Let Lin Jie stew in his frustration; it was nothing compared to what he had done to the original owner.

At this moment, Shen Feng turned to the reporters standing nearby, "Why aren't you interviewing anymore? Didn't you see the violence?"

Given Shen Feng's background, no one dared to openly oppose him.

Although the reporters had been bribed earlier, they now had no choice but to point their cameras at Lin Jie.

"Why did you treat your brother so violently?"

"Were you enraged because your brother mentioned your misdeeds?"

"..."

They didn't spare Mother Lin either.

"You said your second son is both filial and polite. What do you think about this situation?"

"Your eldest son doesn't seem to be the unreasonable and low-character person you described. Are you really being partial?"

"..."

Mrs. Lin was still reeling from the news about Lin Jie stealing and being put on probation, so she couldn't respond coherently. Her stammering only exposed her further.

The netizens weren't fools; they quickly discerned the truth from Mrs. Lin's words.

"Holy crap!! It turns out Lin Yi was the one who was wronged all along. We were all used!"

"Poor Lin Yi, not loved by his father or mother, and now his family is even framing him!"

"And he got beaten up too!"

"What's wrong with the Lin family? How could they treat their own like this??"

"So Lin Yi isn't some heartless person at all; in fact, he's been very good to his family!!"

"Heavens, I'm speechless knowing the truth."

Seeing the chaotic comments, He Nian's fans took the opportunity to praise He Nian.

"Technically, He Nian is also part of the Lin family. Why isn't he involved in these messy affairs?"

"Exactly, it's all about the person!"

"Our Nian is so kind-hearted; how could he get involved in such things?"

"So, don't say Lin Yi is innocent. Have you heard of 'it takes two to tango'?"

"Even if Lin Yi wasn't wrong this time, his poor character can't be whitewashed."

"Lin Yi should just get out of the entertainment industry!"

However, before He Nian's fans could finish, Mrs. Lin, cornered by reporters, instinctively looked at He Nian for help, "Nephew, what should we do next?"

After all, every step had been guided by He Nian, and she wanted to follow his instructions.

This statement caused a stir.

Everyone turned their attention to He Nian.

From Mrs. Lin's words, they sensed something fishy. Could He Nian be the mastermind behind everything?

He Nian didn't expect the situation to suddenly implicate him.

Without a good countermeasure, he lamely said, "Aunt, why are you asking me this? I don't understand."

But his words sounded like a guilty admission, offering no defense.

Moreover, Mrs. Lin, in her panic, continued, "But everything was planned by you..."

He Nian was startled and quickly interrupted, "I have something to do; I'll leave first."

With that, he left hurriedly, looking like he was fleeing.

He feared that staying longer would lead Mrs. Lin to reveal more damaging information.

"Holy crap, it turns out He Nian was the one pulling the strings!"

"True, the Lin family clearly doesn't understand online public opinion. How could they orchestrate such widespread cyberbullying?"

"He Nian is so manipulative, always pretending to be an innocent flower."

"I've disliked He Nian for a long time; looks like his true colors are finally showing."

Occasionally, He Nian's fans tried to defend him but were quickly silenced by the angry netizens.

In the end, He Nian's reputation suffered significantly. He could no longer maintain his flawless image.

Soon, the trending topics changed. Besides condemning the Lin family, there were discussions about He Nian's duplicity and apologies to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi's popularity soared once again, but this time positively, even gaining hundreds of thousands of new followers on Weibo.

It was a blessing in disguise.

Ten minutes later, the show's staff brought Lin Yi back to his room.

Lying on the bed, he told the staff, "Alright, you can go now. I just need some rest."

They repeatedly reminded him to speak up if he felt unwell, then closed the door and left.

Once they were gone, Lin Yi relaxed, his furrowed brows smoothing out into his usual lazy demeanor.

Of course, he wasn't hurt; it was all an act.

After all, unconventional methods were necessary for someone like Lin Jie.

Lin Jie must be fuming right now, almost spitting blood.

Thinking about it, Lin Yi's expression brightened even more.

At that moment, Huo Mianmian, who had somehow appeared, ran to his bedside with teary eyes and a sad face, pouting.

Lin Yi was startled and quickly scooped him up onto the bed.

Wiping away Huo Mianmian's tears, he asked, "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Huo Mianmian pouted and gently stroked Lin Yi's chest with his soft little hand, saying in a tearful voice, "It hurts here."

Only then did Lin Yi realize that Huo Mianmian truly believed he was hurt and was feeling sad.

He hurried to comfort him, "It's okay, sweetheart. It doesn't hurt anymore; it's all better now."

Huo Mianmian lifted his wet eyes to look at Lin Yi.

Lin Yi felt a wave of tenderness from those innocent eyes but knew he couldn't explain complicated things to a three-year-old like Huo Mianmian.

After all, such a precious child should be raised without worries!

He patted Huo Mianmian's little head and reiterated, "It really doesn't hurt anymore. Believe me, okay?"

Huo Mianmian nodded, still teary-eyed, though it was unclear if he fully believed Lin Yi.

Lin Yi thought of a way to distract him: "Mianmian, your chubby cheeks are so cute. How about I draw something on them?"

Huo Mianmian's attention was indeed diverted, and he looked at Lin Yi with some confusion.

Lin Yi grabbed the box of colored pens usually kept on Huo Mianmian's bedside table, opened it, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll draw something super cute for you!"

Though Huo Mianmian didn't quite understand what Lin Yi meant, he obediently nodded.

All the colored pens were made of edible ink, so drawing on the face was perfectly safe.

Lin Yi picked up a few pens and started drawing on Huo Mianmian's face.

He first added some details, then drew three lines on each cheek to represent whiskers.

And just like that, an adorable little tiger was born!

After finishing, Lin Yi looked left and right, thoroughly satisfied, and pinched Huo Mianmian's cheek, "You're so cute, sweetheart!"

Huo Mianmian blushed slightly and smiled shyly.

Lin Yi brought over a mirror for Huo Mianmian to see himself. "How does it look? Isn't it nice?"

Seeing his reflection, Huo Mianmian's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

He had really turned into a little tiger!

And because his little dad had drawn it, it looked even cuter!

Seeing Huo Mianmian happy, Lin Yi relaxed and leaned against the headboard, smiling at him. "Our Mianmian has become a little tiger. Want to show off a bit?"

Huo Mianmian tilted his head, thinking for a moment, then pretended his hands were claws and let out a "Aowu," biting Lin Yi's arm.

Being bitten by a child didn't hurt at all; it was more like being nibbled by a kitten.

Lin Yi feigned fear, "Ouch, that's scary, such a fierce little tiger!!"

Thinking he had scared Lin Yi, Huo Mianmian put on a more enthusiastic performance, "Aowu"ing for a long time.

For a moment, he really did resemble a ferociously cute little tiger.

But this little tiger also had a sweet milk scent, and when he smiled, there were two dimples on his cheeks.