Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The college entrance exam is such a sensitive topic. As Ning Yichu told his story, the live stream's audience, along with netizens who hadn’t been watching but saw posts from the stream circulating online, were up in arms.

This, combined with the earlier lunchtime revelations about the Ning family’s bullying and even attempts to harm Ning Yichu in his youth, was now being widely discussed; condemnation of the Ning family and He Rulin filled the air.

At the Ning family’s old mansion in City A—

Elder Ning watched the live stream projected on the TV screen, his face red and his neck bulging with rage. But he was partially paralyzed and nearly slid off the sofa in his agitation, unable to curse to his heart's content or smash a cup in anger.

Ning Zeshu's father, Ning Shaoren, had no time to attend to his own father at the moment. He was also half-dead with anger, seething. "What is Xiao Shu doing! He joined this show specifically to help Ning Yichu tarnish our family's reputation!"

Since Ning Zeshu was the family's most spoiled young master, the entire Ning family naturally gathered to watch and support his appearance on the show. Regardless of their original plans for the day, everyone had canceled their other arrangements to watch the live stream together at home.

Even Han Wenhua, who had previously moved back to her parents’ home in anger over the affair and illegitimate child, had returned for the occasion.

After all, as angry as she was, she never intended to divorce. Ning Shaoren had taken the opportunity to personally go pick her up from the Han family on the pretext of watching their youngest son’s show together. This gave Han Wenhua a way to save face, though she still treated Ning Shaoren coldly to avoid appearing too easily appeased.

Hearing Ning Shaoren blame their youngest son, Han Wenhua retorted unhappily, "What does this have to do with Xiao Shu! It’s clearly that ungrateful wretch Ning Yichu who’s been doing all the talking. What could Xiao Chu do? Make a scene on a live show and lose all dignity like you?"

Ning Shaoren: "He’s not incapable of stopping it—he simply has no intention to! Didn’t you hear what he said earlier after receiving my message?"

Other Ning family members were also present—except for the second daughter, Ning Anchun, and her husband, Wang Mian, who had just been exposed for their private marital affairs. They were so embarrassed and angry they simply left in a huff and were no longer in the living room. Hearing this, others chimed in.

Liu Shuang stirred the pot: "That's right. I think Xiao Shu is doing it on purpose. Not only is he backing up Xiao Chu's words and making the Ning family's scandals seem real, but he’s also deliberately steering the conversation."

"Like when he suddenly brought up that childhood haunted house incident out of nowhere earlier, and then insisted on mentioning Xiao Chu’s major and the matter with He Rulin. If he hadn’t actively introduced those topics, Ning Yichu wouldn’t have been able to lead into saying all that so naturally. After all, if he started talking about it himself with no one engaging, it would seem too deliberate, like shooting an arrow and then drawing the target around it—too contrived to be convincing."

Lu Xi added, "The audience is so riled up now. The chat is full of people saying the Nings are monsters. Their empathy for Xiao Chu owes much to Xiao Shu’s efforts… Though the haunted house could be passed off as playful mischief, pushing someone down the stairs could be called an accident, but the college application matter is harder to explain away. Shaoren, you all really went too far back then."

"Don't pretend to be so righteous," Ning Shaoren shot back, glancing at the barrage of condemning comments flying across the screen. He turned to Ning Anxia. "Go contact someone right now and have Xiao Shu called back! He’s not allowed to continue recording this show—it’s utterly disgraceful!"

Ning Anxia also wore a serious expression. "Big Brother, you say that so easily. It’s not that easy. I specifically pulled strings to get Xiao Shu onto the show earlier. Now you want me to contact people to get him removed? How am I supposed to maintain my standing in the industry after this?"

Ning Shaoren sneered, "Still worried about your standing? If we let Xiao Shu and Ning Yichu continue like this, our Ning family won’t have any standing left in our circles!"

Ning Anxia was referring to the entertainment industry, while Ning Shaoren meant high society circles. In any case, the atmospheres within such circles were largely similar.

"No." Ning Shaoren suddenly changed his mind. "Having Xiao Shu leave the show won’t help. Ning Yichu is still there. Even without Xiao Shu inexplicably feeding him topics, he’ll definitely find ways to continue ruining our Ning family’s reputation, especially with that indulgent He Shixia by his side… We should just have this program shut down! We’ll cover the losses ourselves. It must not continue recording!"

Ning Anxia was speechless. "Big Brother, could you be a bit more realistic? Do you think this is some event we’re hosting at our own hotel, where we can just call it off on a whim? If I had those kinds of connections and influence, would my Xiazhi Entertainment still be struggling half-dead? Do you really think the entire world is the Ning family’s turf…"

Ning Shaoren fumed, "You’re quite good at boosting others’ morale! Do you think the Ning family’s reputation has nothing to do with you? Haven’t you hit and scolded Ning Yichu all these years? Acting so detached and leisurely!"

"I’m angry too," Ning Anxia said, spreading her hands. "But why are you barking orders at me like this? I genuinely can’t do more. The family hasn’t given me that much support. If I go contacting people now, won’t I just become a laughingstock at the center of this storm?"

Her full brother, Ning Shaoyi, said with a grim expression, "Although I also don’t want Ning Yichu to continue ‘performing’ like this on the show, Big Brother, instead of ordering Xia Xia around, why don’t you have someone else handle it? Don’t make things difficult for her."

Ning Shaoren was incredulous. "What do you mean I’m making things difficult for her? She’s the only one in the family in the entertainment industry. Shouldn’t we all unite in times of trouble, with the person most familiar with that circle taking the lead? If she needs additional support, she can just ask the family. But what’s with all her evasiveness?"

Liu Shuang, the birth mother of Ning Shaoyi and Ning Anxia, spoke up: "Since Shaoren, you also know that only Xia Xia is in the entertainment industry and understands that circle best, then trust what she says. A large-scale, highly exposed live-stream program like this isn’t so easy to shut down. This isn’t the same level of difficulty as when you all kept pressuring other companies not to hire Ning Yichu."

Ning Andong, who had also been named in the revelations, gritted her teeth. "But it’s still just a show. Even if it takes some time to coordinate, it’s better than doing nothing and letting Ning Yichu finish recording all fifteen days, right?"

Ning Anqiu immediately followed up, "Fifth Sister, think carefully. If Xiao Shu continues to cooperate with Ning Yichu in leaking secrets like this, and more things get dragged out later, completely ruining your and the Ning family’s reputation, will that Miss Lu Yuanshu of yours reject you even more…"

Mentioning Lu Yuanshu, Ning Anxia frowned and finally relented. "Forget about shutting down the show. It’s not that our family lacks the capability, but have you all forgotten that Ning Yichu holds a massive 13% stake in the He Group, and He Shixia is the only son of the He family head? If they also exert effort to keep the show running, which side do you think the production team would lean toward?"

Han Wenhua pondered. "If this continues, the He family might also be publicly dragged out by Ning Yichu… Perhaps we should visit the He family and talk to He Weian. Maybe she’d be willing to join us in shutting down the show. Then Ning Yichu and He Shixia wouldn’t be able to stand against her, would they?"

Ning Anxia nodded. "That’s possible. Also, I’ll employ some PR tactics… Ning Yichu isn’t without his own scandals. Has he forgotten how he schemed and deceived his way into the Ning family, and how he clung on and refused to leave? Exposing this would at least tarnish his image a bit. Right now, he’s coming across as a perfect victim, which does no good for our Ning family’s efforts to save face."

Mentioning this old matter, Ning Shaoren and Han Wenhua both hesitated, then ultimately said nothing and nodded in agreement with Ning Anxia’s suggestion.

Ning Shaoren remembered something else. "Also, isn’t he pregnant? I think he also knows how shameful it is for a man to be pregnant. Neither he nor He Shixia has mentioned it on the show. Let’s expose that too, as a reciprocal gesture."

Ever since the truth about Lu Xi marrying Elder Ning was revealed at the He family banquet, Lu Xi had stopped pretending. Now she adopted an exceptionally candid attitude. Unfortunately, Elder Ning was partially paralyzed, unable even to vent his anger or express any desire for divorce.

Ning Shaoren looked at his stepmother with displeasure. "Just focus on taking good care of my father."

Lu Xi shrugged. "Your father has nannies, caregivers, and doctors looking after him. What does he need me, a non-professional, for?"

Ning Shaoren: "You… Well, well. You’re not even trying to hide it now, are you!"

Lu Xi pointed at the TV screen. "Isn’t this nice? No more pretense. Ning Yichu says whatever he wants without restraint, Ning Zeshu has stopped playing the obedient child—everyone is being more open."

The others fell silent for a moment.

Everyone present had naturally heard Ning Zeshu directly say on the show that he was done pretending. But until now, they had all deliberately or unintentionally avoided delving into what those words implied.

Even when Ning Shaoren criticized Ning Zeshu’s current actions on the show, he hadn’t specifically pointed out, "So Xiao Shu has been pretending to be obedient all along?"… Now that Lu Xi had bluntly exposed it, the others didn’t know how to respond.

At this moment, Ning Zeqi, who had remained silent without offering any opinion, spoke up. "As long as Mom and Dad still have an adoptive relationship with Ning Yichu, no matter how much we claim he has poor character, even though he’s now married to He Shixia, in others’ eyes, he’s still considered part of the Ning family. With such a ‘loose-lipped,’ ‘blunt’ Ning family member around, which other family would dare to associate closely with us in the future?"

In any circle, maintaining long-term relationships often involves exchanging “secrets.” The person sharing a secret isn’t doing so for you to publicize it, but expects your confidentiality and your own secrets as “reciprocation.”

Once people know their secrets are likely to be leaked, how could they dare to share with you?

Ning Shaoren looked grave. "Zeqi, what are you trying to say?"

Ning Zeqi said, "It’s the same proposal I’ve made before: terminate the adoptive relationship with Ning Yichu, so he is no longer part of our Ning family. You always disagreed before, saying you were afraid driving Ning Yichu away would invite gossip, and worried that with nothing to lose, he might spread rumors about the Ning family himself. But given the current situation, expelling him would be our Ning family’s stance. Can we still not terminate the adoptive relationship?"

To Ning Zeqi and the others’ surprise, Ning Shaoren and Han Wenhua insisted in unison, "No."

As if this couple had deep affection for their adoptive son Ning Yichu and were very reluctant to let him go.

Ning Zeqi naturally knew there was no such sentiment involved. He frowned. "Dad, Mom, I suspected before that your excuses were just pretexts. Now it seems that’s indeed the case. Why are you so insistent on keeping Ning Yichu under your names?"

Ning Shaoren and Han Wenhua hemmed and hawed, offering no answer.

Ning Shaoren said, "Enough. Let’s not dwell on these old, trivial matters. The urgent priority is this show. Really, Ning Yichu portraying himself as so pitiful in public—isn’t he ashamed!"

Outside the Ning family, people in high society circles gathering together were also discussing these matters. After much talk, they reached a conclusion—

Ning Yichu possessed eerily well-informed sources, had been mistreated too severely by the Ning family, and now, finally able to settle scores, was completely unwilling to hold back. With his He Group shares as backing, he was not to be provoked. In the future, they should be careful and polite around him, and no longer echo the Ning family’s narrative. Those who had previously spoken ill of Ning Yichu should keep a low profile, lest he glance their way and suddenly remember some gossip he could share… Speaking of which, the Ning and He families’ dramas were quite entertaining to watch.

…

He Rulin was at the company, having just finished a lengthy quarterly meeting. Returning to his office, he opened his phone to check unread messages and found many people had sent him web links. Some directly asked if he had watched Ning Yichu and He Shixia’s show.

Clicking a few links to browse the gossip posts, live-stream recordings, etc., He Rulin quickly grasped what had happened.

He also opened the program’s live stream. Looking at Ning Yichu’s face on screen, he recalled the events of that year.

Back then, actually, he had already noticed the somewhat bedraggled and pitiful Ning Yichu on the roadside before Ning Yichu flagged down his car.

At that time, he had indeed intended to toy with Ning Yichu, finding his anxious demeanor rather amusing. But he hadn’t planned to take it too far. He thought typing a few keys and clicking submit would only take five minutes. However, he forgot that out of habit, he had set his phone’s system time ten minutes slow, which ended up causing Ning Yichu to miss the application deadline.

He Rulin still remembered: Ning Yichu, holding his phone, sat in the passenger seat, his face deathly pale.

He'd thought Ning Yichu would be out for blood, but after hearing his explanation about the phone being ten minutes slow and that it wasn't on purpose, Ning Yichu just asked very calmly, "Can you open the door? I'm getting out."

He Rulin opened the door and watched as Ning Yichu, gripping the phone, stepped out and then turned back slightly, holding the door.

That turn revealed to He Rulin that Ning Yichu’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

Having jumped from the second floor of the Ning house into the garden, his clothes were stained with mud and bits of grass he hadn't even noticed, and his ankle was injured, so he moved awkwardly getting out and standing. Looking so fragile, teetering on the edge of tears, He Rulin was stunned in that moment.

Then, Ning Yichu suddenly slammed the phone down onto the pavement.

He Rulin was stunned again, hearing Ning Yichu say in that same calm tone, "My hand slipped. Sorry. Take it up with the Ning family for compensation—I can't afford to pay for it anyway."

Then Ning Yichu limped off toward the side of the road.

He Rulin got out of the car, picked up the shattered pieces of his phone, and chased after Ning Yichu: "You’ve got quite a temper, but I really didn't mean to mess things up. Now my phone’s been smashed too, so how about we call it even? I saw the application the Ning family submitted for you was to A University, right? Even though it was the only school you applied to, which might be risky for others, I heard from Shaoyi that you were the science valedictorian, so you’ll definitely get in—no problem there. Or did you not want to go to A University?"

Ning Yichu gave a bitter, angry laugh and ignored him.

He Rulin continued, "Or maybe you didn't want to study fine arts? Fine arts fits your temperament, trust me. It’s just a major, after all—you’re a Ning family foster child, do you really need to worry about job prospects? Besides, since when is fine arts impractical? I think it’s quite good. My eldest sister studied fine arts too, went abroad for a few years, came back and opened a gallery—she's made a real success of it. Maybe follow her example?"

"Hey, I just said all those nice things, and now you won’t even acknowledge me—you change your tune fast. This direction... you’re heading back to the Ning family, right? I can drive you. Walking on that ankle must be a pain. I was going to the Ning family anyway."

Recalling what he said back then, He Rulin now realizes what a jerk he sounded like—no wonder Ning Yichu refused to speak to him again that day.

After the college entrance exam incident, He Rulin later saw Ning Yichu at A University’s College of Fine Arts—that was over two years later, when Ning Yichu was already in his third year.

He Ruxue’s gallery was collaborating with A University’s College of Fine Arts on a charity event, where students’ paintings would be exhibited and sold at a silent auction at He Ruxue’s gallery, with all proceeds donated to charity.

As a gesture of respect, He Ruxue had planned to personally go to the College of Fine Arts to collect the paintings, but something came up last minute and she was tied up. Since she had already arranged things and even the dean was going to personally receive her, she couldn't just send anyone. So she checked with the family and found that He Rulin happened to be free, so she asked him to go instead.

He Rulin remembers that around those few days, He Shixia had just finished filming a drama and happened to be back at the family home.

When he was leaving, he saw He Shixia downstairs and casually mentioned, "I’m going to A University’s College of Fine Arts to help Big Sister pick up some paintings. That Ning family foster child is there too—I wonder if he’ll still want to kill me if we run into each other..."

He Shixia heard this and, unusually, followed up, "The Ning family foster child? How did you offend him?"

He Rulin was too embarrassed to mention the college entrance exam grudge, so he simply countered, "You’re free too, want to come along and do some heavy lifting?"

At the time, he only asked to avoid answering He Shixia’s question and didn't actually expect him to agree, since as a celebrity, He Shixia shouldn't be seen in public casually.

But to He Rulin’s surprise, He Shixia thought for a moment and actually agreed—looking back now, He Rulin suspects that He Shixia only agreed because he heard Ning Yichu was also at A University.

And they did see Ning Yichu at the college that time.

The college had placed the paintings for the gallery in a large studio, and Ning Yichu happened to be painting in a corner.

Sunlight, a white studio, colorful paints, and a delicate, jade-like figure sitting before an easel, completely lost in his work...

He Rulin instinctively wanted to go over and say hello but was stopped by He Shixia, so although they saw Ning Yichu that day, Ning Yichu probably never knew they were there.

After loading the students’ paintings into the car, He Rulin rummaged through them and actually found one signed by Ning Yichu, so he pocketed it and didn't send it to He Ruxue’s gallery.

But after helping out at He Ruxue’s gallery, he later realized he couldn't find Ning Yichu’s painting in the car anymore.

Now, looking back... He Rulin watches Ning Yichu and He Shixia on the live program and suspects that He Shixia quietly took the painting back then.

"Truly both raised in the He family—equally sneaky," He Rulin clicks his tongue lightly.

…

The program continues to broadcast live.

After Ning Yichu finishes recounting the college entrance exam incident, the Ning family, and He Rulin, Ning Zeshu falls silent. Even if Alien’s Ji Tianfeng and Zheng Gu wanted to pick on him further, it wouldn't be appropriate to mock him over such a matter, so they also let it drop.

The nationally beloved couple, Ren Shi and Qin Muyun, along with Make girl group’s Zhang Kejiu and Cui Yun, can’t openly join forces to condemn the Ning family during the live broadcast, but they do offer words of comfort.

Upon arriving at the beach game point, the program crew asks the guests to confirm their groupings.

The nationally beloved couple naturally form one group; Zhang Kejiu and Cui Yun are also a fixed pair. Although Ning Yichu isn't particularly fond of He Shixia either, he’d still rather be grouped with him than the alternatives.

As for the remaining four, Ning Zeshu looks at Shen Zhou: "Let’s team up. Since Xiao Chu won’t pick me, you probably don't want to be with a teammate who might want to beat you up, right?"

Shen Zhou nods silently.

Thus, the remaining Ji Tianfeng and Zheng Gu form a group.

The lingering tension from the college entrance exam incident makes it inappropriate to mock Ning Yichu, so Zheng Gu targets Ning Zeshu instead: "You and Shen Zhou are both thick-skinned and good at pretending, so you’re a perfect match. Speaking of which, the Ning family really knows how to raise kids—both you and Ning Yichu have such bizarre personalities."

Ning Zeshu smiles: "Teacher Zheng Gu is too modest. How could our Ning family compare to your Zheng family in raising children?"

His tone is dripping with sarcasm, yet he wears a smile, making his words particularly snide and irritating Zheng Gu so much he nearly jumps. The director, seeing this headache, quickly announces the start of the game.

Drawing on sand differs from drawing on paper, a graphics tablet, or a digital screen in terms of feel, but once adapted to, it’s not too different—and Ning Yichu is very good at "adapting."

During the game, whenever it’s his turn to draw, Ning Yichu recalls his days at the College of Fine Arts.

When he first entered the college, his mindset was conflicted: he felt repelled by it, yet also believed he couldn't perform poorly or let anyone, especially the Ning family, laugh at him, so he studied diligently despite his aversion.

Fortunately, he seemed to have some talent, and with persistent effort, he eventually became quite skilled.

Ning Yichu remembers that the first time he was satisfied with his own painting was during his third year. That first satisfactory painting was asked by his teacher if it could be submitted for a charity event jointly held by the college and a gallery.

He agreed at the time and later didn't pay attention to where the painting ended up.

Until... in his previous life, after marrying He Shixia, he accidentally entered He Shixia’s study once and saw that painting there.

Ning Yichu was curious back then about why his painting was in He Shixia’s possession, but he never asked in his previous life.

In this life, he hadn't remembered until now. Suddenly recalling it, Ning Yichu asks directly in the sea breeze: "By the way, He Shixia, that painting of mine in your study—how much did you pay for it back then?"

Hearing this, He Shixia pauses slightly. Under the surrounding curious gazes, he looks into Ning Yichu’s eyes and tells the truth: "Well... I acquired it through a rather special method. In short, you could call it... ‘zero-dollar shopping’?"