Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The overly candid conversation between Ning Yichu and He Shixia left the live-stream audience reeling for a second—

"Although Film Emperor He has admitted he knows Ning Yichu doesn't like him... aren't you two being a little too direct? [facepalm]"

"Wifey starts off by sentencing He-ge to the floor, and I was already shook, but He-ge's reply has me at a loss for words..."

"Whatever makes the newlyweds happy, hahahaha."

"Anyway, He Shixia himself seems to be having a great time with it."

"Their dynamic is really subtle, though. I wanted to say earlier, Ning Yichu's attitude isn't simply 'not liking' him, is it? Otherwise, after an arranged marriage, even if they were distant, it'd probably be a 'respectful coexistence' kind of deal. But he can't even be bothered to keep up appearances, and He Shixia is completely unfazed by Ning Yichu publicly snubbing him."

"Honestly, I feel like He Shixia must have done Ning Yichu dirty... What if He Shixia was the one who pushed for this arranged marriage? So Ning Yichu holds a grudge? And He Shixia knows he's in the wrong?"

"But listening to what they and Ning Zeshu said before, it doesn't seem like the Film Emperor was the instigator, right? Otherwise, why would Ning Zeshu try to stir the pot by mentioning how the Film Emperor didn't want to marry in the first place?"

"This is too deep... Whatever, anyway, they look so good together, and they're legally married. Just sit back and enjoy the ship!"

The production crew had already cleaned the house in advance. Otherwise, this derelict house on the uninhabited island would've been a real hassle to make livable. The producers didn't plan to make things hard on the guests right off the bat with the accommodations.

The bedroom bed was already made up, and there were two spare quilts in the wardrobe.

Ning Yichu and He Shixia didn't bother fully unpacking their suitcases. Since they were only here for a two-week shoot, it was easier to leave most of their stuff in their luggage. They just pulled out and organized essentials like toiletries.

Then He Shixia took out the spare quilt from the wardrobe, getting ready to make up a bed for himself on the bedroom floor.

Ning Yichu propped himself against the bedroom doorframe, watching his actions, then tilted his head to look outside.

This house was small but fully equipped. The front room just inside the door was piled with many red bricks—according to the crew member following them, these were leftover bricks from when the place was built. But since they were building materials, they couldn't just be tossed outside to rot, so they were stored inside.

However, because of this, the already small main room was blocked by the bricks, leaving only a five-foot-wide path. Forget about aesthetics; if He Shixia set up his bedroll out there, it would block the way completely.

The tiny kitchen and bathroom were obviously even worse spots for a bedroll, so Ning Yichu didn't press the issue of where on the floor He Shixia would sleep, silently giving his consent.

Regarding this, He Shixia was in a very pleasant mood, making his floor bed with the feeling of preparing for a wedding night.

He Shixia stated plainly: "You letting me sleep on the floor by your bed means that although you don't like me, it's not so bad that you can't stand being in the same room. Even with me by your side, you can sleep peacefully. So of course I'm happy about that."

Ning Yichu: "...Say it again, can you stop being so cheesy all the time? It's so saccharine it makes my skin crawl."

He felt like using the readily available red bricks outside to give He Shixia a good whack.

He Shixia promptly apologized: "Sorry, A Ning. I'll tone it down next time."

"Apology accepted, but we know you don't mean it hahahaha (Although, sweet talk is never a crime, mmhm)."

"Wow, so Film Emperor He isn't saying such mushy things for the first time, right? Hehe."

"The Film Emperor's got some smooth lines to cheer people up, huh."

"Tsk, I always had He Shixia pegged as the super serious type. Today I realized that's not the case, but I still didn't expect him to be so open about saying sweet nothings to his partner in front of the live-stream camera."

"I have high hopes for this couple. With He Shixia's optimistic attitude and his talent for finding the silver lining and being content with crumbs, they're bound to succeed in the end."

"An arranged marriage among the wealthy, love after marriage, I'M DECEASED!!!"

"And they're such a visually perfect pair, they look so matched just standing together, hehe."

"Do you think... Film Emperor He might... sneak into bed in the middle of the night... Ning Yichu opens his eyes the next morning... Wow, what a big surprise hahahaha."

"I never thought He-ge had it in him before, but now I'm not so sure. He-ge, Wifey, please don't cover the bedroom cam tonight. We're begging you!"

After setting up his floor "bed," He Shixia went to the kitchen to boil water using the electric kettle prepared by the crew.

Ning Yichu glanced at the time: "Can't you just drink mineral water if you're thirsty? You have to specifically boil it? I'm not waiting for you, I'm going to the gathering point first."

The show happened to have a mineral water advertising investment, so they had prepared enough mineral water for the guests in the house. Ning Yichu felt He Shixia insisting on hot water at this moment was being unnecessarily fussy and didn't want to waste time with him.

Although the director said lunch would only start after all guests arrived, Ning Yichu would rather go wait there first than risk being late.

Although he stirred up trouble during the recording, that didn't conflict with him cooperating well with the program's flow.

"Wait, A Ning." He Shixia spoke up, softly explaining, "You weren't feeling well on the boat earlier and were in the wind for a long time. I'm worried you might catch a cold later, so let's take some preventive medicine now, okay?"

Ning Yichu was slightly taken aback, his steps to walk out silently stopping.

He Shixia smiled: "The preventive cold medicine is granules; they need to be taken with hot water. So let's wait a little longer."

Before coming on the show, Ning Yichu had originally planned to pack some common medicines just in case. But when he opened the luggage already packed by He Shixia, he discovered He Shixia had already thought of this and packed the medicine for him.

Now, watching He Shixia boil water and take the medicine out of the suitcase, Ning Yichu suddenly said out of the blue: "Your current actions are no different from feeding me expired medicine."

He Shixia instinctively wanted to check the expiration date on the medicine box in his hand, but as soon as his wrist moved slightly, he suddenly realized Ning Yichu wasn't saying this medicine was expired; it was a metaphor.

These current acts of careful care and thoughtfulness would have deeply moved the Ning Yichu of his past life, but in this life, he no longer expects them.

Perhaps, if someone he just met could pay attention to these small details, Ning Yichu might still be touched. But the problem was, He Shixia was no longer "someone he just met."

In this life, compared to the blind and mute behavior of his past life, the more he said he liked Ning Yichu now, the more ironic it seemed, even... like deliberately using expired medicine to disgust someone.

He Shixia lowered his gaze, mixed the freshly boiled water with mineral water to adjust the temperature to warm, then prepared the medicine for Ning Yichu.

"I know. I haven't done enough, making it feel too deliberate, too hypocritical to you, which is why you have this 'expired medicine' feeling." He Shixia tested the water temperature, then handed the bowl of preventive cold medicine to Ning Yichu.

Looking into Ning Yichu's pitch-black eyes that seemed to see through everything, he continued gently: "I'll try harder, to see how I can both express myself and not make you so uncomfortable... Drink this medicine first, A Ning."

Ning Yichu muttered "so cheesy again" and drank the medicine.

Their conversation left the live-stream audience confused—

"You two, we know you're very in sync and understand each other's riddles, but could you be a bit more considerate of us viewers and explain a little more? Grateful."

"Wuwu, although it feels like there should be deeper meaning, just listening to the surface level is already quite poetic."

"Having a marriage certificate really makes one speak with confidence, huh. Film Emperor He truly doesn't get discouraged at all."

[He Shixia means Ning Yichu views all this affection as expired medicine, right? So does that mean there was a time when Ning Yichu would have needed such "medicine," but He Shixia didn't provide it then? Providing it now naturally makes it expired. Combined with what He Shixia said on the ferry about not expressing or taking initiative before... This pair is so intriguing to analyze.]

After Ning Yichu drank the preventive cold medicine, he and He Shixia left the house and headed for the dining point marked on the map.

This small island wasn't actually very large; walking along the perimeter road would take at most two hours to complete a full circle. The five houses arranged by the crew, while having some distance between them, were at most less than thirty minutes apart. The dining point was set at the center point of the five houses, so the time required for guests to walk from their residences wouldn't exceed fifteen minutes.

However, it was a deserted island after all. Although the crew had checked it for convenience and safety reasons, some parts of the long-untrodden paths were still not easy to walk on, and the production team couldn't specifically repave the roads.

The path from the red brick house where Ning Yichu and He Shixia lived to the dining point was considered relatively easy to walk, but it still had its share of potholes and occasional obstructing stones.

Ning Yichu preferred smooth, level ground. This path was making him a bit irritable. He Shixia noticed and chuckled, asking: "Should I carry you?"

Already in a foul mood, hearing this teasing remark, Ning Yichu shot back, "I knew you were hoping I'd end up crippled. Don't jinx me."

He Shixia let out a laugh. "I just wish you'd lean on me a little more, A Ning."

"Won't happen. If needed, I'll just order you around," Ning Yichu corrected his wording.

He Shixia obligingly amended his phrasing, "Then I wish you'd order me around more."

Ning Yichu took a few more steps, brow furrowed. "The way you talk is so pretentious."

He Shixia chuckled.

"Please keep being pretentious!"

"Love to hear it; this is clearly a lover's quarrel!"

"Ning Yichu's tongue is lethal, haha, his words can kill without him paying a price!"

"It's fine, Brother He seems immune to all poisons anyway."

Ning Yichu and He Shixia were the first group of guests to arrive at the meal checkpoint—which was also a house. The "kitchen" was indoors, but the "dining area" was set up outdoors with tables and chairs placed in the open air. If you moved the chairs back a bit, you'd touch the waist-high wild grass that hadn't been fully cleared.

They had only been seated for a few minutes when the nationally-known couple Ren Shi and Qin Muyun, along with the girl group idols Zhang Kejiu and Cui Yun, arrived. Everyone exchanged polite greetings without delving into deeper conversation, continuing to wait for the other guests.

Ning Zeshu arrived on the dot at one o'clock. Smiling at Ning Yichu, he reminisced, "The house I'm staying in really does feel like a haunted house. Just now, while inside, I suddenly remembered something from our childhood, Xiao Chu. Do you remember when we went to the haunted house together as kids?"

Ning Yichu fixed him with a cold stare.

Ning Zeshu continued, "Big Brother and Third Uncle took us, along with Seventh Aunt; the five of us went to the amusement park. You were terrified in the haunted house. When Big Brother 'rescued' you, you were crying so pitifully."

That happened when Ning Yichu was ten years old.

Ning Yichu, Ning Zeshu, and Elder Ning's seventh daughter, Ning Andong, were all the same age. Ning Andong's birthday was in March, Ning Zeshu's in June, and Ning Yichu's in July, so they were all born in the same year.

Elder Ning's third son, Ning Shaoyi, was ten years older than them. Ning Zeshu's biological older brother, Ning Zeqi, though also part of the younger generation, was three years older than Ning Shaoyi. In their youth, Ning Shaoyi often listened to Ning Zeqi.

Initially, Ning Shaoyi didn't want to play with ten-year-old kids, but he couldn't resist Ning Zeqi's doting on his long-lost younger brother Ning Zeshu, who had just returned home. Ning Zeshu insisted on bringing Ning Yichu along to the amusement park, and when Ning Andong found out they were going out to play, she clamored to join too. So, that day, the five of them went out.

As for Ning Yichu saying he didn't want to go at the time... no one cared about his reasons or his wishes. Ning Zeqi simply manhandled Ning Yichu into the car, telling him not to be a killjoy for Ning Zeshu.

At the amusement park, Ning Zeqi looked after Ning Zeshu, Ning Shaoyi looked after Ning Andong, and Ning Yichu trailed along behind them, keeping to himself.

That amusement park's haunted house was quite frightening, especially for ten-year-old Ning Yichu, who was experiencing one for the first time.

Now, hearing Ning Zeshu bring this up again, Ning Yichu let out a laugh.

However, before he could retort, He Shixia said coldly, his expression darkening, "Wasn't that mostly because of your Third Uncle, Ning Shaoyi, who put A Ning inside a cage prop in the haunted house and used another prop to jam the door shut, not letting him out?"

Ning Zeshu feigned surprise, then turned to Ning Yichu with an unexpected expression. "Xiao Chu actually told He Sixth Young Master about this... It seems your relationship isn't that bad after all? Then I... feel relieved. I've always been worried you might be unhappy in your marriage."

Ning Yichu scoffed.

"My god... this Ning family is terrifying..."

"Was about to say it's normal for a kid to get scared and cry in a haunted house, and thinking of Ning Yichu like that is kind of cute, but I never expected it would be like this..."

"Not just kids, even locking an adult in a haunted house setting would scare most people."

[Ning Zeshu even spoke so nostalgically, as if it were a fun memory, specifically emphasizing 'rescued,' and then sarcastically mentioned how pitifully Ning Yichu cried. Is he out of his mind?]

"I seriously think he's deranged. Otherwise, he wouldn't bring this up proactively, acting like he's so justified he's not afraid of being exposed."

"He didn't show any guilt even after being exposed, and even had the leisure to muse about Ning Yichu and He Shixia's relationship. This guy is seriously twisted."

"Ever since he said at the port that he joined the show just so Ning Yichu could see him, I thought he was weird. But back then, I felt there was no need to criticize a non-public figure too harshly, so I held back..."

"Poor A Ning, what kind of hell did he live through in the Ning family?"

"Fortunately, now he has a He Shixia by his side who sticks around no matter what (though saying it like this sounds a bit strange, but it's not wrong?)."

"Putting other things aside, Ning Zeshu saying Ning Yichu and He Shixia's relationship isn't that bad does make some sense. After all, if Ning Yichu really hated He Shixia, he probably wouldn't have told him about being bullied as a child."

"I think so too. He doesn't seem like the type who easily shows his wounds. Brother He, you have a chance, keep it up!"

"Still so infuriating. How dare Ning Zeshu comment on Ning Yichu and He Shixia's marriage in such a 'relieved' tone? What does it have to do with him? Is he even qualified?!"

"Indeed, I'm living much more freely now than I did in the Ning family," Ning Yichu said, looking at Ning Zeshu. "Bringing up the haunted house incident from when I was ten—which part were you trying to help me remember?"

Ning Zeshu looked apologetic. "You don't want to talk about this? I'm really sorry. I won't mention it anymore. I originally thought it was a somewhat warm memory."

Ning Yichu didn't want others to watch his drama, but he also wasn't the type to avoid topics, making it seem like he couldn't face past trauma. Since Ning Zeshu brought it up, he was happy to let everyone know the full story.

"It must have been quite warm for you all, having me as your entertainment."

Ning Yichu rested his elbow on the dining table, propping his chin, and said leisurely, "Forcing me, who didn't want to go out, to witness your happy family outing. Knowing full well my poor health couldn't handle shocks, yet forcing me to join in on all the thrilling rides. After entering the haunted house, Ning Shaoyi locked me in a prop cage. Your Seventh Aunt, Ning Andong, stood by clapping and watching."

"That amusement park had your Ning family's investment. Ning Shaoyi and Ning Andong, acting like young masters, forbade the haunted house staff from helping me and even told them to scare me... As for the kind Young Master Ning, you were being led by your big brother Ning Zeqi at the front, so of course you didn't notice me trailing behind. Later, I was only 'rescued' thanks to Young Master Ning realizing I was missing."

The celebrity couple and the girl group members sitting nearby had no idea what expression to make, so they simply kept their eyes downcast and stayed out of it.

Listening to Ning Yichu's light tone, He Shixia felt heartbroken.

Ning Zeshu still wore an apologetic look. "I did realize it late back then, causing you to be locked in the haunted house for an hour... But you, always frail and sickly, didn't fall ill after returning that day. It shows Xiao Chu, you've been strong since childhood."

"Ning Zeshu is definitely doing this on purpose now."

[He was probably doing it on purpose back in childhood too. Saying he 'realized late' makes it sound like an accident, but what kind of accident makes you forget a living person you're with for a full hour? The uncle and aunt intentionally locked Little Yichu up, Ning Zeshu and his big brother intentionally pretended not to know. If they weren't afraid something might actually happen, they probably wouldn't have bothered to 'rescue' him.]

[I reasonably suspect they weren't afraid of something happening, but thought it was about time to go back and enjoy the show, which is why they 'rescued' Little Yichu. Besides, the haunted house staff couldn't really keep a child locked up indefinitely.]

"This is terrifying. Why treat a child like that? Did they adopt him just to abuse him?"

"How dare Ning Zeshu say Little Yichu was strong?"

"From his tone, it seems their goal back then was actually to make Ning Yichu sick, but it didn't work."

"Wait, Ning Yichu just said that aunt's name is Ning 'An'dong, right? It reminds me of Ning Anxia... So, the boss of Xiazhi Entertainment really is from the same family. They're all part of the Ning family behind Kangning Grand Hotel."

"The rich without benevolence."

"Serves Xiazhi Entertainment right for being half-dead. Everyone in the industry says ambitious artists shouldn't sign with them."

"Huh, could it be that the Ning family adopted Little Yichu back then for some superstitious reasons?"

"Wuwu, Little Yichu really had it so tough."

Ning Yichu clicked his tongue lightly. "The atmosphere in the haunted house was a bit scary, but after you all left, the staff dressed as ghosts stopped deliberately scaring me. Though they still didn't dare let me out... Hmm, still quite humane. And I didn't suffer any external injuries. It wasn't like that time Ning Shaoyi pushed me down the stairs—that time I hit my head and nearly died. Getting sick after that wouldn't have been strange."

"Holy crap?"

"Pushed him down the stairs? Hit his head? He almost died?"

"Wait, Ning Yichu just said he was only ten during the haunted house incident. That earlier incident happened when he was even younger. The Ning family is seriously vicious..."

"He Shixia's heart must be breaking."

"Ning Zeshu's expression management is insane. He didn't even bat an eye..."

The look of apology on Ning Zeshu's face hardly shifted. "Ah, that incident. Yes, I'm very sorry about that too. My eldest brother and third uncle acted on their own, thinking I wouldn't want to see you in public. To stop you from attending the banquet, they ended up hurting you. They never even said sorry to you all these years. I'm really sorry, Xiao Chu."

"I'm tired of even using the word 'vicious'..."

"That's the reason? Pushing someone down the stairs? A fall down the stairs can kill someone! You can't just play with someone's life because you adopted them. He would've been better off in the orphanage."

"No matter the reason, I can't understand an adult pushing a child down the stairs... unless it's a child in a horror movie... but clearly, the Ning family are the real monsters..."

"There's no way pushing a kid down the stairs could be hidden from the rest of the family, right? Ning Yichu's adoptive parents didn't intervene either? That's disgusting."

"Wow, Ning Zeshu actually has the nerve to say they never apologized all these years. I really don't understand him."

At that moment, Ning Yichu looked at Ning Zeshu, genuinely unable to understand his game either.

Ning Zeshu wasn't socially inept; on the contrary, he had been exceptionally savvy and diplomatic since childhood. Now, speaking so uncharacteristically and bringing up these matters, he knew it was tantamount to airing his own family's dirty laundry. Yet, he did it anyway...

Considering possible follow-up moves, Ning Yichu thought it over and could only surmise that perhaps Ning Zeshu was employing a strategy of "praise first, criticize later."

—First, by revealing these incidents, he would "help" Ning Yichu establish a sympathetic, helpless victim image to garner public pity. Then, he would reveal a piece of "dirt" that could completely discredit him, making those who sympathized feel deceived and angry, leading to a backlash.

As for such "dirt"...

Looking back on his own life, Ning Yichu could only think that Ning Zeshu might next reveal the old, worn-out story of him being a "fake young master who impersonated the real one and refused to leave," a tale already spread throughout high society by the Ning family. This would aim to shift the audience's perception from "Ning Yichu is so pitiful" to "No wonder they treated him that way, he deserved it..."

However, the wealthy circles were willing to go along with the Ning family's story because disparaging an orphan from a welfare institution, whom even the Nings looked down upon, posed no harm to them. The truth didn't matter; it just made for juicy gossip over tea.

Moreover, the key point was that, being part of the same social stratum, many had business dealings with the Ning family as either clients or suppliers. Believing the narrative spread by the family themselves was more conducive to maintaining harmony and smooth cooperation.

But if the same story were told on a larger scale, such as in the current live broadcast, the effect would be different.

The general public wouldn't overwhelmingly believe the Ning family's decade-old, self-convinced, shabby story—especially when the central figures involved were a six-year-old child from a welfare institution on one side, and a powerful, numerous wealthy family on the other. In the public eye, sympathy naturally sides with the more vulnerable party.

Furthermore, with the already revealed and admitted incidents of the haunted house and the stairs, the audience's emotional bias would only lean more toward Ning Yichu.

From a rational analysis, the Ning family's account was inherently unconvincing. Therefore, Ning Yichu didn't believe the "fake young master" story could be successfully framed as "dirt" by Ning Zeshu.

Even adding the matter of the "fake young master climbing into He Sixth Young Master's bed" wouldn't carry enough weight.

However, regardless of whether Ning Zeshu had any other tricks up his sleeve, Ning Yichu truly didn't care—

What a joke. He wasn't planning to make a living off fans. He wasn't on this show to gain followers. Even if he had some unsavory "dirt"—which he didn't—so what? People could think whatever they wanted. It wouldn't affect his well-connected "information channels" or the He Group shares already in his possession.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Ning Yichu looked at Ning Zeshu with composed curiosity, wondering what he would say next.

Staring at Ning Yichu's expression, the apologetic look on Ning Zeshu's face finally failed to hold. He broke into a laugh. "Xiao Chu, looking at me like that... it seems the topic I brought up earlier was quite good. You seem very interested."

Ning Yichu frowned.

He Shixia's brows also furrowed... He wasn't sure if Ning Zeshu had always treated Ning Yichu this way, but after seeing it today, He Shixia had felt something was off since they were at the port.

Now, that sense of strangeness was heading in an even more bizarre direction. Driven by an instinctive aversion, He Shixia suspected that Ning Zeshu had... ulterior motives toward Ning Yichu.

At that moment, Ning Zeshu suddenly looked into the distance. "Ah, isn't that Shen Zhou running over there? They are indeed late, but running so frantically is quite strange, isn't it?"

The strangeness wasn't just Shen Zhou running fast; behind him, chasing as if for their lives, were the even more bruised and battered Ji Tianfeng and Zheng Gu.

As they got closer, those at the dining area could hear Ji Tianfeng and Zheng Gu shouting from behind, "Shen Zhou, you traitor, stop!"

Shen Zhou ran with his head down, heading straight for Ning Yichu upon reaching the dining area. He Shixia stood up warily.

Shen Zhou hastily skidded to a stop, gasping for breath as he waved his hands to explain. "No, no, no... I have no, no ill intent... no ill intent toward Teacher Yichu... Teacher Yichu, you have to help me explain to them. It really wasn't me who leaked the information to you. I'm not a traitor in the team..."