The boy was indeed frustrated. The man took the ointment, handed it over, and moved to the inner room to show him the wound, waiting for him to begin treatment.
Qin Sizheng squeezed some ointment onto his fingertip, spreading it evenly over the wound. It looked better than last night but was still alarming. He couldn’t speak and moved carefully, unaware that Lu Xianqing wanted him to apply more pressure.
Lu Xianqing wrote in his palm: Harder, there might still be stingers.
Qin Sizheng froze—had he not removed them all last night? Were there stingers left inside?
He immediately put down the ointment, leaning closer to check. Not seeing clearly, he turned off both microphones and whispered near his ear: “Should I get a doctor? Infection would be bad.”
“Don’t.” Lu Xianqing held his hand, speaking softly: “Don’t let them know I’m hurt. It’s fine. Just press harder. Doesn’t matter if it’s stronger. It doesn’t hurt—once you press it out, it’ll feel good. Go ahead.”
Qin Sizheng was doubtful—it didn’t hurt at all, it even felt good?
He cautiously put in a bit more force. Hearing Lu Xianqing suck in a breath and then quickly relax again, looking as though he genuinely found it pleasant, Qin Sizheng finally set his mind at ease and went on to squeeze each spot that might still have a bee stinger in it.
Lu Xianqing clenched one hand, carefully savoring the sensation brought by the pain. That hand was granting him pain, pulling out the thorns embedded in him.
After a long while.
“It’s all done. I’ll go wash my hands first. Once you’re ready, come out and eat,” Qin Sizheng said.
Lu Xianqing came back to himself and gave a soft response. “Mm. Go on.”
The two kids had already finished eating. Little Cherry Tomato was holding a task card, but since he couldn’t read, he was holding it upside down. “Daddy, the auntie gave us a task card.”
Qin Sizheng took it and read it aloud to him. “Please have Daddy, Mommy, and the kids gather at the plaza at ten o’clock.” He paused, startled. “That’s it? So short? Aren’t the task cards usually really long? What kind of trap are you setting this time?”
Chen Yue said, “It’s confidential this time. You’ll find out at ten.”
–
At ten o’clock, the five families gathered in the plaza. It was the final day of filming for the first episode.
Qin Sizheng subconsciously glanced in Si Qianqiu’s direction. He hadn’t actually hit him very hard yesterday, and he’d used a clever technique—painful, but without leaving anything that looked serious.
Wan Lai stood on the other side with his hands clasped behind his back. Next to him was the man Qin Sizheng had run into that morning. When their eyes met, Qin Sizheng gave him a small nod and smile as a greeting.
“Today our village has a guest,” Wan Lai announced enthusiastically. “I’m sure everyone’s very familiar with him, so I won’t bother with a long introduction. It’s the winner of the Newcomer Award we just had—Jiang Zhen!”
Wan Lai led the applause. Jiang Zhen nodded politely and gently to everyone. The moment Qin Sizheng heard that name, his whole body stiffened.
Jiang Zhen?
The original novel’s protagonist who ended up with Lu Xianqing, shamelessly flaunting their affection everywhere? Why was he showing up now? That wasn’t right. According to the original plot, he and Lu Xianqing were supposed to meet while filming a movie after this variety show ended.
Was it because he’d hit someone yesterday, causing the storyline to change—making Jiang Zhen join the show so early?
Jiang Zhen looked at Qin Sizheng across from him and sneered lightly in his heart. What do you have to fight me with? I’ll let you enjoy yourself for a few days. I’ll make you suffer ten thousand times worse than in the original book.
Qin Sizheng’s heart tightened. Catching the cold, solitary scent of cologne beside him, he unconsciously shifted a step away.
Lu Xianqing noticed the way Qin Sizheng dodged him. Thinking he might be worried about fans making guesses, Lu Xianqing simply smiled and said nothing. Watching this scene only deepened the jealousy in Jiang Zhen’s eyes.
Unaware of the tension between them, Wan Lai continued energetically pushing the program along. “Please take out the startup funds you earned yesterday. The order of drawing lots will be decided by the amount. Fathers who don’t have enough will face a punishment!”
Si Qianqiu ranked first, having earned a full six hundred and fifty yuan yesterday. He Du came second. Lu Xianqing and Liu Mianmian tied. Qin Sizheng was last.
He Du laughed and said, “This is definitely the cheapest movie I’ve ever filmed—and also the most precious one. It’s really interesting.”
Liu Mianmian added, “And I have to thank Xiao Qin for giving me the money. Making money really isn’t easy. I never felt it before, but now I really do.”
They had earned a total of seven hundred yuan yesterday. Afraid that Liu Mianmian and Rongrong would be punished, Qin Sizheng said, “It’s fine if I take the punishment. Sister Mianmian is taking care of Rongrong—she really shouldn’t have to.” With that, he shoved two hundred yuan into her hands and ran off before she could refuse.
He Du glanced at Qin Sizheng again, the hand resting on his son’s shoulder tightening slightly.
This young man was really nothing like the rumors.
Wan Lai said, “Now we’ll start drawing lots! Let’s have our first-place winner, Papa Qianqiu, and Little Strawberry choose the way we’ll celebrate the Children’s Festival!”
Si Qianqiu proudly led Little Strawberry to the selection board, chin high, smiling gently. “Which one do you like, Little Strawberry? Daddy will listen to you.”
Little Strawberry pointed at one option. “I want the amusement park! I want to be a little princess!”
Si Qianqiu scanned the other choices. Aside from that, they were all just village self-entertainment activities. He had no interest in getting dirty—these past few days had already made him feel like he was starting to smell.
He rubbed Little Strawberry’s head indulgently. “As long as it’s what Little Strawberry wants, Daddy will make it happen no matter what! I absolutely won’t let you lose.”
【Why do I feel like Si Qianqiu’s way of educating kids is a bit problematic? Why does it have to be winning, never losing? Where there’s winning, there’s losing. No one wins their whole life. Isn’t this kind of teaching not so great?】
【Then what, say ‘Daddy will make sure you lose’? Wouldn’t that crush a kid?】
【‘Whatever you want, no matter what I’ll make it happen’… ummmm, this feels like extreme indulgence. I’m starting to dislike it a bit.】
【Running out of things to criticize? Loving your kid is a crime now? Or should he do it like Qin Sizheng and always give the kid the worst option? Room No. 5 and last place this time? Even the startup funds were insufficient?】
【You saw your favorite lose and now you’re mad?】
He Du was second to draw and chose to take Doudou horseback riding. There was a huge stretch of grassland here—you could ride horses and even try archery.
Watching the drawing table, Si Qianqiu leaned over to Lu Xianqing and said in a low voice, “Fourth Brother, I’ve got a lot of startup funds. I can give you some. Two hundred yuan really isn’t enough to do much.”
Lu Xianqing turned his head and gave him a glance. The young man had delicate, handsome features, faintly resembling Qin Sizheng by about seventy percent.
He knew exactly which angle made him look best, what kind of expression was perfect. At every moment he was courting the camera—completely lacking Qin Sizheng’s natural shyness, mild irritation, and careful restraint, that lively spark.
Lu Xianqing didn’t even look at the money being offered. “No need.”
Si Qianqiu lowered his voice again. “Sizheng had it pretty rough pulling radishes yesterday. He worked so hard just to earn that little. How about we go to the amusement park together? I’ve got enough money anyway—Little Tangyuan probably wants to go too. We can save a bit and give some to Sizheng. It’s hard enough for him taking care of Little Cherry Tomato. First Room No. 5, now last place again.”
Lu Xianqing’s eyelids lowered slightly, then lifted again. Si Qianqiu was full of confidence—he’d heard that Lu Xianqing had serious cleanliness issues. Liu Mianmian had already finished drawing. There were only two choices left now, and both were worse than the last.
He refused to believe that Lu Xianqing would choose that kind of celebration.
Wan Lai said, “Next up is Fourth Brother. Come draw the Children’s Festival celebration for you and your little one.”
Qin Sizheng couldn’t help looking toward Lu Xianqing. The original host’s reputation had been so awful, yet Lu Xianqing still protected him without holding grudges—preferring to get stung by bees rather than tell anyone, refusing even to let a doctor treat him.
That restrained, gentle kindness made Qin Sizheng inexplicably think of Slaughter of Life. If “that person” hadn’t lied to him, he could have become someone very gentle too—warm and soft, just like the Fourth Brother standing before him now.
Unfortunately, he would never get the chance to see an even gentler Fourth Brother. Jiang Zhen was the true protagonist of this book. He was nothing more than cannon fodder, existing only to give readers a sense of catharsis.
Wan Lai rambled on with the flow of the program, then abruptly changed the topic. “All the celebration methods have been drawn! Now it’s time to announce the punishment. Our last-place finisher, Papa Little Kite, and Little Cherry Tomato will help the uncles harvest ten jin of yanggu liang!”
An uproar broke out. Liu Mianmian immediately said, “I won’t go celebrate. I’ll help Little Kite harvest instead. He gave me the money—this punishment should be mine.”
He Du also spoke up. “Xiao Qin helped me a lot too. I’ll help him harvest.”
Qin Sizheng was overwhelmed by the kindness and waved his hands repeatedly. “No, no, really. You all take the kids to have fun. I can harvest on my own.”
As they were about to keep insisting, Jiang Zhen suddenly spoke up. “How about this—I don’t have a kid to take care of. I’ll go harvest with Sizheng. Everyone else go enjoy the Children’s Festival.” He turned his head toward Qin Sizheng. “I’ve never harvested yanggu liang before. The one you gave me this morning was really tasty. Can I go help you pick some? Host, is that okay?”
Wan Lai paused, then quickly smiled. “Sure.”
Jiang Zhen smiled gently, walked over to Qin Sizheng, and casually draped an arm around his shoulder, winking at him. “Let me sneak a few to eat. Don’t expose me, okay?”
Qin Sizheng froze for a moment, then smiled. “Sure.”
【Why is Zhenzhen so adorably dumb? Coming on a variety show and not clinging to someone more popular, not cozying up to Fourth Brother, but always hanging out with Qin Sizheng instead. Hahaha, he even volunteered to harvest yanggu liang. What a foodie. Truly unmatched.】
【This all started because Qin Sizheng gave Jiang Zhen a yanggu liang. Now I want to eat it too—just opened Taobao.】
【Jiang Zhen is actually really nice. Not humble or arrogant, not trying to flatter Fourth Brother. Proper greetings, good posture—this is how someone in the entertainment industry should be. Quietly acting, not hyping things up. I’m a fan now.】
Lu Xianqing watched the interaction between the two. His originally calm gaze seemed to freeze over in an instant. What the hell was this thing that suddenly popped out? What “sincerity” was he talking about?
“Fourth Brother, Fourth Brother? What are you thinking about?” He Du was heading somewhere nearby and planned to ask him to go together. After calling several times with no response, he reached out and patted Lu Xianqing’s shoulder, finally pulling him back to his senses. “Coming?”
“Yeah.” Lu Xianqing withdrew his gaze and led Little Tangyuan away.
Qin Sizheng took Little Cherry Tomato to help harvest yanggu liang. He found a straw hat for the child, put a small basket in his hands, and carefully listened as the village head explained the harvesting precautions.
Watching his back, the host spoke quietly to the director. “Don’t you think he’s a bit strange? It’s like he’s become a different person. Before, he was so pampered—he’d complain his hands were numb just from holding a bowl.”
The director looked thoughtful. Before filming began, Wen Li had instructed them not to give Qin Sizheng a script—to suppress him as much as possible, not let him attract too many fans.
Now, no script was given and suppression was in full force, yet not only had he not been crushed, he was like a sunflower—becoming more and more appealing. That awful Room Number Five looked as comfortable as a villa when he lived in it. He even set up a swing.
He Du was famously bad-tempered, yet he’d already started approaching him about film projects. Liu Mianmian smiled every time Qin Sizheng was mentioned. Was that normal?
Luckily, there was still Lu Xianqing. The two were rivals. Their “incompatibility” had created plenty of explosive moments for the show.
For example, Qin Sizheng getting scolded until his face flushed red, on the verge of tears.
For example, Lu Xianqing expressing disgust at Qin Sizheng’s cooking, mocking him and telling him never to cook again, forbidding Si Qianqiu from eating that awful food—using it to humiliate Qin Sizheng.
As long as Lu Xianqing and Qin Sizheng shared the frame, the views for that segment would skyrocket.
Wen Li or not, the program was what mattered now. He had to give the two of them more screen time—especially when they were together.
In his previous life, Qin Sizheng had spent his days doing chores in the orphanage, so harvesting was effortless for him. Jiang Zhen, however, rarely did manual labor. He ruined one after another, frowning in frustration.
He looked at Qin Sizheng ahead of him, harvesting deftly, and coughed lightly. “Sizheng, how do you pick this? Why does it fall apart as soon as I touch it? Is it overripe?”
Hearing him, Qin Sizheng turned back to teach him, patiently explaining that you had to pinch and snap it off at the base instead of pulling hard. He demonstrated as he spoke. Jiang Zhen praised him endlessly. “You really learn fast. I wasted so many—should I just secretly eat them? Don’t let the production team find out.”
Seeing the mischievous glint in Jiang Zhen’s eyes, Qin Sizheng froze. Jiang Zhen was so beautiful and gentle—yet “he” had still been coveting someone else’s man. A wave of guilt washed over him.
Jiang Zhen ate a few fruits and said quietly, “I’ve heard one of your songs. It’s really good. I’ve always wanted to collaborate with you. I also really love Fourth Brother’s movies. When I got the invitation for this variety show, I was so excited. I even wanted to ask you for an autograph.”
Qin Sizheng was flattered and quickly returned the courtesy. “You’re amazing at acting. You’ll definitely win the Jinhua Award for Best Actor someday.”
Jiang Zhen’s hand paused. His gaze darkened instantly. “How do you know?” That was something that only existed in the original book’s setting. Could he have been reborn too—script in hand?
Qin Sizheng immediately realized his slip and gave an awkward, guilty laugh. “The Jinhua Award is the top prize in the country. Your ambition’s that big—you don’t even care about it anymore?”
Jiang Zhen relaxed, patching things over for himself. “Just kidding, just kidding. Being able to keep acting already makes me really satisfied. Winning the Jinhua Award—I wouldn’t dare dream of it. If I ever get the chance to work with you and Fourth Brother, that would be perfect.”
When the time came, he would step on this piece of cannon fodder and grind him into the dirt—make him understand the meaning of a cannon fodder’s existence, and stop coveting what belonged to others.
Over here.
Something came up at Little Tangyuan’s home, and he was picked up early. Lu Xianqing thus became the first to finish filming. His flight ticket had already been booked in advance, and An Ning called He Xing to report it.
Lu Xianqing turned his head and glanced toward the harvesting shed, then took An Ning’s phone. “He Xing, it’s me.”
Alarm bells went off instantly in He Xing’s head. “What are you trying to do?! Don’t tell me you want to leave together with Qin Sizheng! If you want to paralyze the airport and cause trouble for everyone else, just say it outright. Even being willful has its limits!”
Lu Xianqing was speechless. “When did I ever say I wanted to paralyze the airport? Am I not law-abiding enough?”
He Xing was even more speechless than he was. “Law-abiding? You’re only barely law-abiding when you go home and recite Party regulations in front of Old Master Lu. Speaking of which, he came by the other day and asked why you weren’t home. Didn’t you say you only shoot one film a year? So how come—”
Just hearing this gave Lu Xianqing a headache. He rubbed his temple. “Stop. Let me ask you something. Who is Jiang Zhen?”
He Xing paused, surprised. “You don’t know him? He’s a young actor who blew up this year. His acting’s pretty solid, too. He won a Newcomer Award. They even wanted you to present the prize back then. And you, sir, just happened to try out a brand-new stunt—slitting your wrists. You’d just finished getting bandaged and were at Shen Qing’s place doing psychological counseling.”
She rattled on at length. Lu Xianqing endured it, listening patiently, and roughly figured out when it had happened. He Xing found it odd that he didn’t know and snorted lightly. “Doesn’t matter. I know him now.”
An Ning added from the side, “Jiang Zhen came to join the variety show today. The moment he arrived, he stuck close to Qin Sizheng—like he was chasing a celebrity.”
He Xing burst out laughing the moment she heard that, laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. “Hahahaha, someone actually shows up and doesn’t cling to Fourth Brother? Does it feel like your position at the top of the pyramid’s been insulted? Feeling uncomfortable? Hahaha—”
Lu Xianqing’s head hurt from her laughter. “Alright, enough. Stop laughing.”
He Xing coughed and barely restrained herself. “I’ll have someone go pick you up. Head to Shen Qing’s place first. There’s a dinner tonight for the boss’s birthday—you hate him as a person, but go show your face anyway, give him some respect. We’ll talk about the rest after you get back.”
“Mm.” Lu Xianqing paused, then looked back at Qin Sizheng and Jiang Zhen, who were chatting and harvesting side by side. He hung up and handed the phone back to An Ning. “You go on ahead. Wait for me at the airport.”
An Ning was stunned. “What do you mean? Do you still have something to do? Should I go with you? If it gets too late and something happens and you’re not in sight, what then? Sister He Xing will skin me alive.” As she spoke, she shivered. She didn’t dare offend a woman who could point at Lu Xianqing’s nose and curse him out.
An Ning still vividly remembered the first time she met Lu Xianqing. She had just graduated not long before and was recommended to Mingfei Entertainment to be his assistant. Nervous and excited, the moment she pushed open the door to Lu Xianqing’s home, she nearly dropped to her knees.
Lu Xianqing was slouched sideways in a chair, propping his head with one hand, looking lazy yet oppressive, radiating hormones and aggression like a sleeping beast.
“Fourth Brother, Sister He Xing,” she greeted softly. No one heard her.
He Xing was wearing at least four-inch heels, her short hair neat and sharp against her ears. One hand braced on the table, she was cursing him nonstop. “Ancestor, I’m begging you, please act like a human being. Shen Qing didn’t torture me to death—you did. You’d just accepted an award and immediately rushed off to self-harm. If the marketing accounts find out, who knows how they’ll spin it! I can’t even keep up with you by car or plane!”
Lu Xianqing said nothing. Thick bandages wrapped around his wrist, faint blood seeping through.
He Xing turned around, rubbing her forehead, cursing and crying at the same time. “Do you know how I felt when I pushed the door open and saw you like that? I wanted to kneel and kowtow to you. Could you spare me even a little pity? Can we stop thinking about dying all day long? An award-sweeping, peak-of-his-career Best Actor, Lu Xianqing with a spotless reputation—and behind the scenes you’re a lunatic who wants to die every single day. What knot is it in your heart? If you won’t tell me, tell Shen Qing! He takes the money—doesn’t he do any work?”
An Ning’s scalp tingled just listening. She had the uneasy feeling she’d shown up at the wrong time. With a secret this big that she’d overheard, would she get silenced? Her thoughts spiraled farther and farther until she suddenly met Lu Xianqing’s open eyes. Her whole body shuddered.
“F-Fourth Brother.”
Only then did He Xing react. In an instant, she reined in her tears and emotions, smiling gently. “An Ning’s here. Come over, I’ll introduce you.”
An Ning: ?
Her legs trembling, she carefully walked over, her heart about to leap out of her throat. This woman had to be split-personality, right?
He Xing was very satisfied with her—tight-lipped and obedient, never asking what she shouldn’t. She gave her some instructions and let her try the job for a while. Later, An Ning realized that Lu Xianqing was far from the aloof, untouchable flower he appeared to be. In truth, his temperament was… awful. Or maybe not exactly that.
After thinking it over, An Ning felt Lu Xianqing was like a child—one who could run into all kinds of sudden problems at any moment. Right after finishing a film was his worst period. He couldn’t step out of the role and would often do dangerous things, even attempt suicide.
He suffered from severe neurasthenia and slept terribly. He didn’t take sleeping pills, but he drank heavily. That barely allowed him to fall asleep, but he’d wake again not long after.
Back when An Ning had just become his assistant, she was afraid that Yan Yan would disturb him, so she secretly carried the cat away. In the middle of the night, he came out barefoot looking for it, knocking over tables and chairs all over the room. Terrified, An Ning rushed over and turned on the lights, only to see his eyes bloodshot. Like a madman, he grabbed her by the throat. “Where’s Yan Yan?!”
She was so frightened she froze. Those eyes were empty of light, cold as ice and unfocused. Only then did she remember that he had night blindness. Struggling, she pried at his fingers just to breathe. “Fourth Brother…”
“Meow.” Yan Yan jumped onto his arm. It was as if Lu Xianqing’s soul snapped back into place. He released her, picked up Yan Yan, and turned upstairs, like a walking corpse.
An Ning collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. He clearly hated Yan Yan so much—so why did he search so desperately? How could losing that ugly little cat be like losing his life? She called He Xing. He Xing said, “Don’t be afraid. He won’t really hurt you. Even though he wants to die all day long, he won’t kill anyone. He’s afraid of that.”
Afraid?
To this day, An Ning still didn’t understand what He Xing meant by Lu Xianqing being afraid of that. But after that, Lu Xianqing truly never hurt her again. The next day, he even poured her a glass of milk. “I grabbed your neck last night. An apology.”
An Ning wouldn’t dare. She hurriedly said, “It’s fine, it’s fine. I was just worried Yan Yan would disturb you, so I carried him away. I won’t do it again next time.”
Lu Xianqing withdrew his hand, gave a quiet “Mm,” and said, “If you don’t want to stay here anymore, you can tell He Xing. She’ll compensate you with three years’ salary.”
Three years? An Ning instinctively started calculating in her head. How much money would that be? After thinking it over for a long while, she asked softly, “Fourth Brother, if I don’t leave… can I still get the three years’ compensation?”
Lu Xianqing glanced at her. An Ning immediately said, “Quitting over such a small issue? Am I that kind of person? …Really can’t compensate me? Three years is… six hundred thousand.”
Lu Xianqing said, “The voice-activated lights at home are broken. Find someone to fix them.”
An Ning found it funny. His night blindness made him like a child—someone you had to worry about getting hurt, worry about getting lost—yet he was also strong and reliable.
That year, something happened at her home. Her brother was addicted to gambling and lost everything the family had. For the sake of her brother’s five-hundred-thousand-yuan bride price, her parents wanted to marry her off to fill the hole he’d made. They even roped in a few relatives to tie her up and drag her back.
Lu Xianqing had been at Shen Qing’s place for psychological counseling. When he came out and couldn’t find An Ning, he had He Xing look for her and only then learned she’d been taken home. In the end, An Ning never knew what method he used to make her parents let her go. From that point on, no one ever dared to harass her again.
From that moment, she made up her mind that she would never leave. Because if she left and someone new replaced her—what if they didn’t know how to take care of him? What if they leaked his secrets?
Lu Xianqing was like a precious piece of glass—brilliant and glossy on the outside, but filled with sludge inside. Once damaged, there would be no turning back.
He had never hurt anyone. He was even kind to himself. So she wouldn’t leave. As long as Lu Xianqing and He Xing didn’t drive her away, she would keep taking care of him—until the day they no longer needed her.
“What are you thinking about?” Lu Xianqing spoke, pulling An Ning back from her thoughts. He lowered his head to look at her. “You’re about to cry? If He Xing scolds you, I’ll take it. Tell her to come yell at me.”
An Ning couldn’t help rolling her eyes. This man was like two completely different people during the day and at night—one who could talk, and one with a perfectly good mouth that went to waste.
“No! If I lose you, Sister He Xing will kill me. Wherever you go, I’m going. I don’t care.” An Ning planted her hands on her hips and blocked the way, determined. “If you don’t let me follow you, then you’ll have to step over my corpse!” She shut her eyes after saying it.
“…” Lu Xianqing was speechless. “Go wait for me at the airport. We’ll meet there, okay?”