Chapter 024 The Young Master – “It’s really great to get to know the young master.” (24/35)
From that night onward, Shi Rongqing’s guard against Wen Xusheng reached its peak.
This manifested in him pushing away every social obligation he could, handling all work from home whenever possible, dispatching Aunt Bai and others to check on Shi Jingge and Wen Xusheng every half hour, verifying Shi Jingge’s location hourly, and insisting on sleeping with him every night.
He practically treated Wen Xusheng like a demon.
Moreover, overt and covert competition like yesterday’s dinner table incident became increasingly frequent. With Shi Rongqing’s upper hand in status, Wen Xusheng naturally couldn’t afford to truly offend him. He had no choice but to carve the saying “When you’re under someone’s roof, you must bow your head” into his very bones, occasionally playing the victim to Shi Jingge.
Wen Xusheng stayed at the Shi residence for three days. It wasn’t until the fourth day that Du Yi arrived and, after much persuasion, managed to take his Wen Ge home.
—Bro, we’ve got a packed schedule to follow! You still have work to do!
Du Yi was utterly exasperated.
No sooner had Wen Xusheng settled into the car than he found himself missing the young master already.
After a moment’s thought, he said, “Let’s trim this year’s schedule a bit more.”
Du Yi: “?”
“You want to cut more? You haven’t even secured a new drama yet!” Du Yi protested. “Except for that reality show, all the other events were booked months ago. How can you even think of cutting them?”
“Why should I feel bad?” Wen Xusheng declared with righteous indignation.
Du Yi: “?”
“I’m not taking on any new roles for now. The scripts lately aren’t very interesting,” Wen Xusheng said flatly. “After being a model worker for so many years, I deserve a break.”
Du Yi: “…Can you give me one legitimate reason?”
“Can’t you tell?” Wen Xusheng asked in surprise. “I’m working on the most important thing in my life. Isn’t that a logical reason? A legitimate one?”
Du Yi: “…”.
Dog man in love, hmph.
After seeing Wen Xusheng off, Shi Rongqing seemed unusually refreshed and alert, so much so that Shi Jingge kept stealing glances at him.
The young master looked especially silly when he peeked. He couldn’t time it right; his gaze always lingered a split second too long before retreating. Perhaps because he felt guilty, he’d add all sorts of little fidgety movements. He was just like a kitten, unable to hide its tail, leaving Shi Rongqing both amused and exasperated.
“Speak your mind.” Shi Rongqing raised an eyebrow. “What’s with all the sneaking around?”
The young master giggled slightly, then grabbed Shi Rongqing’s arm and gave it a tug.
Shi Rongqing glared at him. “Cut the nonsense!” But he didn’t push the young master’s hand away.
“Brother, don’t you like Wen Xusheng?”
Shi Rongqing was both annoyed and amused, but deliberately keeping his face cold. “What if I said I don’t?”
The young master rubbed his nose. “But you’re friends with him, right?”
“Does being friends mean you have to like someone?” Shi Rongqing countered.
“Why be friends if you don’t like them? Aren’t you just torturing yourself if you hang out with someone you don’t like?” The young master’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Shi Rongqing tapped the table. “Don’t change the subject. Tell me, if I said I didn’t like him, what would you do?”
The young master hesitated, then finally whispered, “…Then… could I… like him?” He extended his pinky finger, gesturing. “Just a little bit… just a tiny bit would be okay.”
He looked uneasy, his eyes wide and round, softening Shi Rongqing’s heart.
Shi Rongqing couldn’t help but ruffle his hair, thinking, Why am I even arguing with this little brat?
They were brothers, bound by blood, something that could never change.
No one could alter their bond.
Shi Rongqing couldn’t bear to tease him further and sighed. “I was just messing with you. Wen Xusheng is a capable man. I admire him.”
The young master’s eyes lit up, but he still hesitated. “Really?”
“Mhm.”
“You really don’t dislike him?”
“No.”
“You’re not lying to me?”
“Why would I lie to you?”
“To spare me awkwardness or something… Ow!” The young master’s words were cut off as Shi Rongqing gave him a sharp flick. Clutching his forehead, Shi Jingge glared at his brother. “Isn’t that how it’s shown on TV? I didn’t say anything wrong!”
Shi Rongqing was both amused and exasperated. “Watch fewer of those messy soap operas!”
The young master pushed his hand away, leaped off the sofa, and dashed up the stairs. Then he turned back and asked, “…You really aren’t forcing yourself, right?”
“No!” Shi Rongqing glared at him, though his eyes betrayed a hint of amusement. “I’ve known him for years. I didn’t know you two would become this close. So how could I have started forcing myself years ago?”
Shi Jingge finally relaxed, and with a few chortles, he went upstairs.
Shi Rongqing watched his retreating figure, and after a moment, he chuckled. “Little brat.”
“Aunt Bai,” Shi Rongqing called out, “Make an extra dish or two for that kid today. Look how skinny he is!”
Aunt Bai responded with a cheerful smile.
Shi Rongqing rose from the sofa and made a call. “Remember that sports car brand you mentioned last time? The super flashy one, the one that’s kinda over-the-top? I don’t like that stuff. My middle school phase is long over, okay?
“Who else would I buy it for? Obviously for my little brat. He’d love it. Why buy it for him? What a joke. If I don’t buy it for him, who else would I buy it for? He’s the only one at home! The little brat’s grown up now. He knows to look out for his big brother. Doesn’t he deserve a reward? Cut the nonsense. I’m coming over.”
Buying a sports car for your own little brother—does it even need a reason?
Shi Jingge spent two days lounging at home, living the life of having clothes handed to him and meals served to him. It was utter bliss.
The first episode of this season’s ‘Starting with Cohabitation’ was incredibly well-received. So on Wednesday, the production team released an edited compilation video, piecing together amusing clips from various livestreams. They originally planned for a two-hour episode, but there was simply too much content—two hours wasn’t nearly enough!
In the end, they ended up splitting it into two parts, totaling over four hours. Even then, the production team had to cut many hilarious segments with a heavy heart.
On the day it dropped, they asked everyone to promote it via Weibo. Everyone reposted the official account, except Wen Xusheng.
He reposted Shi Jingge’s Weibo with just two words: >>Good-looking.<<
Those two words seemed innocuous, but to CP fans, they were a massive piece of candy!
Did “good-looking” refer to the compilation itself or to the young master?
Of course it was the young master!
CP fans spread the word like wildfire, rallying everyone to savor the sweetness. The topic’s popularity surged relentlessly, and the edited version’s view count skyrocketed. Eventually, ‘Starting with Cohabitation’ hit the trending list, climbing higher and higher. Overjoyed, the production team showered the group chat with multiple big red envelopes.
As usual, Shi Jingge got the best luck.
The director couldn’t help but remark to someone nearby, “Who would’ve thought? This young master is actually a lucky charm. He always ends up being the luckiest one.”
“You bet!” the person beside him agreed. “This young master just naturally draws attention and buzz. He’s so likable, and he even brought Wen Xusheng to us. I can tell Wen Xusheng isn’t here for the show—he’s here to chase someone!”
The director nodded in deep agreement.
“Number one! Number one! Trending topic number one! We saved a fortune on paid promotions! Come on, let’s send another red envelope! Get ready—one, two, three, grab it!”
The director and his companion immediately scrambled to snatch it.
“One yuan and twenty-eight fen.” The director stared in disbelief. “This feels like a joke!”
Someone beside him asked, “How much did the young master get?”
The director glanced at the screen. “Sixty-eight yuan and eighty-eight fen? He snatched over half the money himself! This isn’t fair!!”
The person patted him on the shoulder. “That’s just his lucky streak. Comparing your luck to a lucky charm? That’s just asking to drive yourself crazy.”
But their joy was short-lived. Half an hour later, the top trending spot changed hands.
And it was a truly shocking headline—
—[Top Actress Assaults Newcomer: Real-Life Workplace Bullying]!
The headline was incredibly eye-catching, complete with video evidence that seemed undeniable.
Shi Rongqing had been watching edited clips of Shi Jingge from ‘Starting with Cohabitation’ on Weibo when he noticed that the show had been pushed to second place on the trending list. His finger slipped, and he accidentally tapped the top trending topic.
The video started playing automatically. Shi Rongqing tried to exit, but his gaze immediately locked onto familiar figures.
—Li Zhuoyun and Hua Mingyi.
The footage was blurry with poor lighting, yet recognizable.
It appeared to be a dressing room or lounge area. Three people were shoving each other. Another actress backed away, smiling apologetically and even bowing. They seemed to be talking, but the video was too noisy—filled with background sounds—making their words inaudible.
Then Hua Mingyi suddenly lashed out, raising her hand to slap the woman across the face with a loud smack. The video abruptly ended there, making it look like Hua Mingyi and Li Zhuoyun were teaming up to bully that actress!
While the entertainment industry had its share of open and covert rivalries, such physical confrontation was extremely rare.
In an instant, netizens exploded.
>>Damn, I actually had a decent impression of Li Zhuoyun. Who knew she was this kind of person!<<
>>She’s barely a minor celebrity herself, and she’s already bullying newcomers?<<
>>Ugh, so disgusting. Thank goodness I’m not her fan or I’d be sickened to death.<<
>>People like this don’t deserve fame.<<
>>And that Hua Mingyi—looks innocent and pitiful, but she’s actually a violent, scheming bitch.<<
>>Rumor has it they’re pretty close. Birds of a feather flock together, huh?<<
>>Supposedly… insider info—they’ve got connections. These two have sugar daddies, that’s why they’re so arrogant.<<
>>Otherwise, how could two minor stars dare bully people like this? Even Wen Xusheng wouldn’t bully people like this, okay?<<
>>???? Why drag my Wen Ge into this?? What’s wrong with you??<<
This timing for the exposé, plus major marketing accounts and big V influencers coordinating reposts, instantly pushed aside the trending topic ‘Starting with Cohabitation’ and landed it at the top of the hot search rankings. Shi Rongqing didn’t believe for a second that no one was manipulating things behind the scenes.
But he couldn’t let the brat at home find out about this.
Shi Rongqing walked outside and saw no light on in Shi Jingge’s room. Knowing he was asleep, he finally relaxed.
The next second, Shi Jingge’s door swung open. The young master emerged holding his phone, looking frantic.
Shi Rongqing: “…”
“Why aren’t you answering your phone?!” The young master rushed around in circles, then bumped straight into Shi Rongqing. “Damn, that hurt!”
The next second, the call connected.
Then, Shi Rongqing watched as his foolish younger brother’s eyes lit up. Not even a glance was spared for him as the boy shouted, “How are you guys? Where are you?”
Shi Rongqing: “…”
Was he really that insignificant?
“We’re at home,” Li Zhuoyun rushed out her words, as if terrified Shi Jingge would hang up. “Young Master Shi, I swear it wasn’t like that! That bitch set us up. Damn it!”
Li Zhuoyun let out a curse. “She seems to have a grudge against Yi Yi. Ever since joining the production, she’s been picking on her. I don’t know the details, but this time she went too far. She almost caused Yi Yi to have a wardrobe malfunction and even prepared to record it. Luckily, we caught her in time. You know how devastating that could be for a female star. I was furious and confronted her, but she actually insulted Yi Yi’s mother!”
Li Zhuoyun took a deep breath and lowered her voice. “Yiyi’s mom had surgery that day, and Yiyi was already anxious. That beast actually cursed her aunt to die on the operating table and said all sorts of vile things. That’s why Yiyi just—just—”
Recalling that day, Li Zhuoyun felt like she was about to explode.
“Fuck,” Shi Jingge cursed along with her. “She’s a piece of shit!”
Shi Rongqing reached for the phone in Shi Jingge’s hand. Shi Jingge opened his mouth to curse, then realized it was Shi Rongqing. “Who the hell… Big… Brother?”
“Give me the phone.” Shi Rongqing extended his hand.
Shi Jingge instinctively let go, but stayed glued to Shi Rongqing, afraid he might miss something.
Shi Rongqing glanced at him, sighed, then said calmly, “It’s not just her targeting you. Marketing accounts and big influencers are coordinating, paid trolls are swarming. That trending topic shot straight to number one. This isn’t a casual attack. They won’t stop until they destroy you.
“More exposés are likely coming. List everything you’ve done recently that could spark controversy. My assistant will contact you; send it all to his email. PR will handle it. Tell Hua Mingyi that no one can bully people under my Shi family, so she can rest assured.”
Shi Rongqing hung up. Shi Jingge grabbed his arm, eyes sparkling.
“Big Brother is so cool!” Shi Jingge gave him a thumbs-up.
Shi Rongqing shot him a half-smile. “Cut it out.”
“Big Brother.” Shi Jingge squeezed out a flattering smile. “Ny big brother is wise and mighty, kind and gentle, with a great temperament, and incredibly handsome. You’re the best big brother in the world…”
Shi Jingge racked his brain, using every compliment he could think of, then ran out of words.
“You win.” Shi Rongqing tapped his head. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? Hua Mingyi is already our endorsed artist. The company won’t just abandon her.”
The young master shrank his neck and flattered, “Big Brother is the best!”
How could he be the best? The one who truly deserved praise was this foolish younger brother of his. Back then, whenever he showed concern, he’d twist it into a bunch of convoluted excuses, acting so awkwardly.
Now that real trouble hit and he couldn’t keep up the act, he was running around in circles.
What a… fool.
Just as Shi Rongqing predicted, rumors about Hua Mingyi and Li Zhuoyun kept surfacing. All sorts of dirt was gradually exposed, much to the delight of the gossip-hungry public.
Not only that, but according to marketing accounts, even more explosive details were coming.
Amidst the public outcry, even more scandalous news surfaced.
Photos from that night at the hotel, showing Hua Mingyi being groped by Mr. Zhang, were compiled into a nine-grid collage. This became ironclad proof that Hua Mingyi was being kept.
It was precisely because she was being kept that she acted so arrogantly and bullied others!
Perfect logic. With paid commenters amplifying the narrative and haters joining the chorus, these two minor celebrities, who both already lacked significant fanbases, found themselves drowning in a tidal wave of online condemnation.
Any dissenting voices were swiftly chased out and attacked by various paid commenters. Left with no choice, these individuals deleted their opinions to save themselves.
Meanwhile, Li Zhuoyun and Hua Mingyi were drowning in bad news from all sides.
Li Zhuoyun was on the phone while Hua Mingyi sat on the sofa, her eyes unfocused and filled with utter despondency.
“…Cancel the collaboration? It’s not what everyone’s saying online, it really isn’t! Please let me explain. No, really, don’t hang up, please listen to me…”
Before she could finish, the line went dead. Li Zhuoyun massaged her temples, finally letting out a curse.
Hua Mingyi’s voice was hoarse. “I’m sorry. I dragged you into this.”
Li Zhuoyun sighed. “What are you talking about? It wasn’t like you forced me to argue with that idiot. I’m an adult. If I do something, I take responsibility for the consequences.”
Hua Mingyi covered her face. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have argued with her…”
“Don’t say that.” Li Zhuoyun patted Hua Mingyi’s shoulder. “It’s not that bad. Mr. Shi said the PR team will handle it. They won’t let you get pushed around.”
Hua Mingyi gave a bitter smile. Mr. Shi only said that because of the young master.
But the young master had already helped her so much. How could she keep dragging him into this?
Hua Mingyi fell silent for a long while before suddenly saying, “My mom is at People’s Hospital. Room 512. The doctor said if her recovery goes well, she can be discharged next Friday.”
Li Zhuoyun froze, then smacked Hua Mingyi on the head. “What are you thinking? Listen to me. Don’t you dare do anything extreme! Take care of your own mother. I’m not doing it for you! If you dare do anything, I’ll tell her. You believe me?”
As she spoke, Li Zhuoyun couldn’t help but pull Hua Mingyi into her arms, soothing her. “Alright, stop looking so miserable. This is nothing yet. It’s not like you’re new to the entertainment industry. There’ll be plenty more storms ahead. If you break down now, it’ll only bring joy to your enemies and pain to those who care.”
“Wait.” Li Zhuoyun clenched her jaw. “Actually, I have something that can prove your whereabouts that day.”
Hua Mingyi stared at her blankly. Li Zhuoyun whispered, “That day, when the young master dropped you off, didn’t we all play games together?”
“I recorded the entire session. It can at least prove you weren’t with anyone that day.”
Hua Mingyi smiled bitterly. “But even if that day is cleared, what about other days? Who would believe it? And dragging the young master into this… He’s helped me so many times already. His reputation is finally improving. I really don’t want to–”
Before she could finish, a knock sounded at the door. It was Shi Rongqing and Shi Jingge, disguised.
The women hurriedly opened the door and let them in.
The moment they entered, Shi Jingge shed the disheveled clothes he’d been wearing and turned to Hua Mingyi. “How are you?”
Hua Mingyi didn’t want to owe him any more favors, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.” But the look on her face would have told a fool she wasn’t.
Shi Jingge turned to Li Zhuoyun. “When we played games together back then, you recorded everything, right? Hua Mingyi was taken away by me that day. Could this prove her innocence?”
Li Zhuoyun nodded instinctively, then snapped back to reality, her voice tinged with shock. “How did you know?”
“You’re so loud when you’re recording. I’m not deaf.” Shi Jingge shrugged. “There’s a notification sound when recording starts, plus that jingling noise. That’s not an in-game sound effect. How could I not hear it?”
Li Zhuoyun stared blankly at Shi Jingge. “Then… Then why didn’t you…?”
Shi Jingge looked back at her, puzzled. “Why what?”
Li Zhuoyun took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you expose me? Why didn’t you stop me?”
Shi Jingge was even more confused. “Why would I expose you? Why should I have stopped you?”
Li Zhuoyun stared intently at Shi Jingge. Those clear, dark eyes held nothing but confusion and bewilderment. Nothing else.
He genuinely didn’t see anything wrong with her actions. Even though she had secretly recorded everything without his consent.
Li Zhuoyun asked herself: If she were in his shoes, wouldn’t she be angry?
Of course she would!
She had saved him out of kindness, given him shelter, never once intruded, and made her intentions crystal clear.
Yet still to be suspected, distrusted, guarded against—how could one not feel hurt and angry?
But this young master before her, long labeled spoiled and arrogant, knew everything yet pretended ignorance. If not for this incident, would that secret have remained buried forever?
Truth be told, Shi Jingge was younger than both of them, yet he had accommodated and cared for them all this time.
In that instant, Li Zhuoyun felt a sharp pang in her heart, a wave of bitterness slowly spreading outward from her core.
“Damn it, what are you doing?Don’t cry! Ah, what’s wrong with you? Brother! Big Brother! Big Brother, come here! Don’t cry, don’t cry!”
Li Zhuoyun wasn’t crying. But she looked as if tears would spill any second.
The young master had no idea what was happening. He fumbled awkwardly with his consolations, too afraid to get too close. He could only turn back to Shi Rongqing for help.
His expression was frantic, like a kitten that had just discovered it was going bald.
“Thank you,” Li Zhuoyun said solemnly. “I’m sorry for doing that without your consent…”
The young master waved his hand, frantically glancing around, unable to meet Li Zhuoyun’s gaze. “It’s… normal.”
He tried to hide behind Shi Rongqing, but Shi Rongqing stepped aside, leaving him exposed. The young master stared in disbelief at Shi Rongqing’s back. Shi Rongqing pretended not to notice.
Forced to face Li Zhuoyun, the young master steeled himself and said, “Girls need to learn to protect themselves. My mom said that. I think she’s right. Right now, we should focus on how to testify for Hua Mingyi.” After a pause, the young master added with difficulty, “…Okay?”
His expression betrayed a hint of unease.
Li Zhuoyun couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t her who was about to cry, but the young master.
Perhaps the young master felt this made him seem less imposing. “I… I don’t care if you cry. But,” the young master muttered softly, “Mom said it’s shameful to make a girl cry. I’m just following her advice. Why don’t you wait until I’m gone to cry? I definitely won’t care whether you cry or not then.”
Li Zhuoyun: “…”
You think I’d believe that?
”What else did our mom say?“ Shi Rongqing asked.
The young master glared at him, still angry that he hadn’t been comforted earlier. “I’m not telling you!”
Shi Rongqing remarked casually, ”But just the gaming records alone don’t seem to fully prove Hua Mingyi’s innocence.”
Young Master: !!!
The young master was always one to bend and stretch.
So he grabbed Shi Rongqing’s arm and declared earnestly, “Mom said to listen to Big Brother about everything. Big Brother can do anything!”
It was clearly made up on the spot.
Li Zhuoyun blinked, wiping away a tear. In that moment, she felt the same sigh of relief Hua Mingyi once had.
—How fortunate it was to have met the young master.
—– —– —–
Author’s Note: #MiniDrama
Shi Rongqing: Do I need a reason to buy my little one a sports car?
Wen Xusheng: Got it.
Later, whenever a new sports car model launched, he’d buy it for Shi Jingge immediately.
Shi Rongqing: ?
Wen Xusheng: Need a reason to buy my little one a sports car?
Shi Rongqing: ?????????
Shi Rongqing: That’s mine!!!!!
Wen Xusheng: Oh, never mind. Xiao Ge’s is fine too. We’re all family—no need to make it so complicated.
Shi Rongqing: ?????
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
