Su Ning initially wanted to tentatively ask what exactly was going on, but his words were interrupted when “Great-grandfather” suddenly took a call. At this moment, Su Weisheng was sitting in the tea room making a quiet phone call, while Su Ning casually pulled out a tea table stool in the living room and tried to sort through his thoughts with difficulty.
Su Qian asked him with concern, “Brother, are you okay?”
Su Ning glanced at him and, noticing Su Qian’s pocket, suddenly reached out and said, “Give me a cigarette too.”
The latter hurriedly handed him a cigarette.
Su Ning absentmindedly clamped it between his lips but didn’t light it. It seemed like he only wanted the nicotine to steady his thoughts. His handsome face no longer wore the charming, agreeable smile he often displayed in front of the big shots. Instead, it was as cold and emotionless as an ice sculpture.
Su Qian carefully observed him, knowing that Su Ning, who was always smiling but ruthless in his actions, only showed this expression when faced with a problem so tricky he couldn’t figure out how to solve it.
Su Ning suddenly spoke, giving orders: “Have Su Nan take the genealogy and send it back to the old men. I don’t want it cluttering up the place.”
“Alright.” With a glance, Su Qian signaled to Su Nan, and the latter immediately carried out the task without any unnecessary words.
Su Ning continued to give instructions methodically, “Find a few of the best interior designers in the country. Based on this house’s layout, have each of them come up with three design plans. Any style is fine—I just want their best work. The latest I want this is by this weekend.”
This soon? Su Qian frowned uneasily, but seeing Su Ning’s somber expression, he didn’t dare to object. He simply nodded decisively and replied, “I’ll take care of it. I guarantee it’ll be flawless.”
“Mm.” Su Ning lifted his head, his gaze wandering around briefly. When his eyes landed on the filthy bathroom, he bit down hard on the cigarette at the corner of his lips in irritation and suddenly said, “I remember the place next door hasn’t been moved into yet, right? Buy it too.”
Su Qian was taken aback. “Why? Didn’t Great-grandfather specifically ask for just this property?”
“Su Ping just threw up here. This kind of place—I wouldn’t even want to give it as a gift to Big Uncle without feeling creeped out. Since we’re trying to please the other party, it has to come from the heart. Everything should be done as perfectly as possible, understand?”
As Su Ning spoke, he shook his head, muttering in bewilderment, “He doesn’t ask for much. It’s almost as if he’s just going through the motions to give face to the younger generation. Do you get that feeling?”
“He looks younger than me, yet his aura as an elder is even more composed and overwhelming than my dad’s, who’s a senior elder. And when he calls someone his ‘great-grandson’, it feels so natural that you can’t help but think, ‘Yes, of course’. It’s just too strange.”
Meanwhile, Su Weisheng received a call from Su Ran’s agent.
“Great-grandfather, are you home? I can’t reach Xiao Bai or Su Ran. Who knows what they’re up to now.” On the other end of the line, He Heng seemed to be walking, his voice calm and steady despite the howling wind in the background. He explained, “Here’s the thing—the production team just confirmed the process for the second episode and needs your cooperation.”
Su Weisheng immediately understood that this conversation required more details, so he turned on the speakerphone and set the phone aside. “I’m not home. Just go ahead and explain.”
He casually settled onto a bamboo mat in the study, even taking the time to brew a pot of tea.
He Heng said, “Oh, sure. Actually, the show’s process is quite simple and isn’t much different from the first episode. As usual, the recording will start with moving out of the previous location and gathering footage from there. You all improvised really well in the last episode—it was even better than following a script. So for this one, just act as you see fit. No need to feel pressured at all.”
Su Weisheng gave a soft “Mm” in acknowledgment—he hadn’t, in fact, been home either.
From the other end of the call came the sound of a door slamming, followed by He Heng’s voice: “The production team will visit this weekend to record footage. I considered switching locations for the recording, but since we didn’t bother with surface-level personas in the first episode, I thought we might as well keep it consistent this time. So I told the production team we’d just start recording from the company dormitory again.”
“By the way, what about Xiao Bai and Su Ran? They’re not home either? Why aren’t they picking up their phones?” He Heng asked curiously.
Su Weisheng paused in his tea-making, then said unhurriedly, “They’re home, but I suggest we don’t start recording at the company dormitory again. A hotel or some other location would be better.”
“Why?” He Heng sounded puzzled, then added reassuringly, “Great-grandfather, don’t feel pressured. The company dormitory may be a bit shabby, but isn’t our show’s theme all about being unscripted and authentic? The audience is already used to you all defying expectations; there’s no need to switch locations just for appearances.”
“Oh, by the way, I’m almost at the dormitory. Xiao Bai and Su Ran are there, right? I’ll go in and confirm the process with them.” He Heng’s voice was breezy and cheerful.
Su Weisheng was quietly admiring the curling white steam rising from his teapot as he listened to the knocking sounds from the other end of the call. But after a long time, the knocking wasn’t answered. Finally, He Heng muttered, “What’s going on?” before pulling out a key to unlock the door himself.
Hearing things progress this far, Su Weisheng softly warned, “You’ll regret this.”
The corridor of the company dormitory was damp and dimly lit. Great-grandfather’s voice floated through the phone, sounding even more ethereal in the echoing space, sending a chill down He Heng’s spine. “Re-regret…?” He Heng stammered, bewildered. Just as the door was pushed open, all he could see was impenetrable darkness. At the same time, a putrid, rancid stench hit him full in the face.
“Ugh—” He Heng retched instinctively.
W-what’s going on?
His mind suddenly spiraled out of control, imagining all sorts of scenarios: Xiao Bai and Su Ran suddenly going off the grid, Great-grandfather’s unusual behavior on the phone, and his almost supernatural, spell-like abilities… Could it be… could it really be…
He Heng’s scalp tingled from his own overactive imagination.
Summoning his courage, he gripped his phone tightly and peeked inside. In the dim living room, a faint red glow illuminated the space. He could vaguely make out the outlines of two figures, their eyes eerily fixed on him.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream from a ghostly woman blared from the TV.
In the next instant, Su Ran, Bai Songyin, and He Heng—who had been watching a horror movie—screamed in unison, scattering in a chaotic frenzy, tripping over themselves in terror.
Listening to the entire scene unfold through his phone, Su Weisheng was speechless: “…” He had only meant to warn He Heng about the stench, but somehow, a special “plot twist” had been triggered.
After the brief chaos, He Heng erupted in frustration, yelling, “Su Ran, Xiao Bai, what kind of nonsense are you two up to… ugh… it stinks so bad… ugh…” He couldn’t even finish his rant before retching again.
Bai Songyin, muffled by his mask, muttered, “It’s Brother Ran who insisted on closing the curtains to watch a horror movie in broad daylight, saying it was for desensitization therapy.”
Su Ran let out a confident, cold laugh: “Once I overcome my fear of ghosts, I’ll drag Lu Huanjin back into another horror movie dream. I have to reclaim my dignity!”
He Heng was utterly exasperated: “I don’t care about your horror movie obsession—why does the house smell so bad… ugh… and you smell even worse… ugh…” He scrambled out into the hallway, practically crawling, to call Su Weisheng and complain tearfully, “Great-grandfather… ugh… Su Ran… ugh…”
Su Weisheng listened sympathetically to his retching and explained, “Because he took a bath in canned herring.”
He Heng completely lost it: “How is he supposed to join the production team like this?”
Su Weisheng replied, “I’m wondering the same thing. I’m not going on the show with a walking can of canned herring.” After thinking for a moment, he offered a solution: “Find a photo of him, and I’ll give you a charm. Soak him in 84 disinfectant—it’s better to smell like disinfectant than canned herring.”
He Heng, overwhelmed by the stench and unable to think logically, could only follow Su Weisheng’s instructions, repeatedly saying, “Okay.”
Soon, the phone was snatched away by Su Ran, the smelly great-grandson, whose first words were: “No way! Great-grandfather, I need to confirm—if my stench disappears, does that mean Lu Huanjin won’t stink anymore either?”
Su Weisheng replied, “Mm.”
“Then I can’t soak in 84 disinfectant,” Su Ran refused firmly. “I’ve tracked Lu Huanjin’s movements over the past few days. He hasn’t left his house in almost a week. With this stench, he can’t go anywhere. I’m going down with him!”
He Heng was on the verge of a breakdown: “Su Ran, are you insane? He’s an investor—he can stay home while stinking. But you’re an idol! A top star! If you go out reeking like this, you’ll embarrass yourself in front of the entire world!”
Su Ran sneered coldly, “You’re wrong.”
He confidently declared, “After repeated and thorough reflection, I’ve come to a realization: ever since I started winning the Golden Broom Awards year after year, I’ve had no dignity left to lose. So I can afford to be shameless. But Lu Huanjin, that pretentious poser, can’t. He cares about his image and his aura. So as long as I remain shameless, he’ll be the first to beg for mercy!”
He Heng: “…”
Bai Songyin: “…”
Great-grandfather calmly remarked, “But your stench is nauseating me.”
Su Ran replied, “Then hammer me to death, Great-grandfather. Or send Lu Huanjin and me back to another horror movie dream together. Or even have my dad and the others give me extra training—I don’t care. But lately, even my dad and the others have been avoiding me in my dreams because of my smell~”
He said this with such smugness. Ever since this top star abandoned his pride and embraced shamelessness, he had become truly unstoppable. Dignity no longer mattered to him. This rebellious rascal just wanted to take on the whole world—especially Lu Huanjin, whom he absolutely had to defeat.
This left Su Weisheng wondering: what on earth had Lu Huanjin done to provoke this little troublemaker to such an extent?
“Su Zhaocai, you really have a death wish.”
Su Zhaocai retorted righteously, “Great-grandfather, I’m your only grandson. If I die, our family line ends.”
Su Weisheng sneered, “You’re the only useless grandson I have, but you’re far from being the only one.”
Useless grandson: ???
Beep, beep, beep…
Su Weisheng hung up the call, leaving Su Ran staring at his phone in bewilderment, muttering to himself and sensing that Great-grandfather’s words might have a hidden meaning.
What Su Weisheng intended to do didn’t require any objections from his troublesome great-grandson. He swiftly instructed He Heng to deliver the charm paper and a photo to Lu Huanjin, solving the lingering odor issue by having both sides neutralize each other with 84 disinfectant.
Reflecting on the situation, Su Weisheng came to a profound conclusion: never trust this harebrained rascal, Su Zhaocai, and never hand over control to him. Even spectating the chaos could risk getting dragged into his idiocy.
With the mess finally sorted, Su Weisheng finished his tea in one gulp and stepped out of his study. In the distance, he spotted Su Ning and Su Qian sitting together, chatting like two perplexed little hamsters.
Su Ning calmly analyzes, “The old man never mentioned that there’s another branch of descendants in the Su family. But seeing how Su Ping stirred up Su Ran’s matter and brought it to him, his evasive attitude makes me think there might be some truth to it.”
Su Qian was equally curious: “This ‘Great-grandfather’ title is so peculiar. According to our traditions, anyone older than the father’s generation is considered an ancestor. So, is this Great-grandfather our grandfather, or a senior to our grandfather?”
Su Ning thoughtfully rubbed his chin and mused, “He’s likely from the same generation as my grandfather, but a much younger branch elder. So basically, I went out and gave my dad another dad?”
Su Qian quickly corrected, “It’s giving the elder a younger uncle, not a father.”
“Close enough. It’s still a big ‘dad’,” Su Ning shrugged with a carefree attitude.
Su Weisheng couldn’t help but chuckle at the exchange.
Upon hearing the laughter, the two immediately stood up straight, as obedient and alert as they could be. Su Ning hesitated for a moment but then took the initiative to greet, “Great-grandfather?”
“Mm,” Su Weisheng said calmly, “The matter has been resolved. Take me back to the hotel.”
Su Ning, who was accustomed to being ordered around by his father, naturally agreed without hesitation. While driving, his gaze occasionally flickered to the rearview mirror where Su Weisheng was resting with his eyes closed. Tentatively, he asked, “Great-grandfather, should I inform the family about today’s events?”
Su Weisheng replied evenly, “It’s up to you, but don’t disturb me.”
“Understood. I’ll straighten out the family’s internal affairs so as not to cause you any trouble,” Su Ning responded cheerfully, before adding, “You saw the top-floor unit today, and the neighboring unit has already been purchased too. Do you think we should merge both units or just use one?”
Su Weisheng looked up at him.
With a natural and polite smile, Su Ning added, “It’s the least I can do to honor my elders.”
Su Weisheng let out a short, quiet laugh. After spending so much time with Su Ran, the unruly troublemaker, he found himself slightly surprised to encounter such a polished, considerate great-grandson who handled things so flawlessly.
“Renovate the unit next door, but don’t connect the two—it’s just a temporary residence,” Su Weisheng joked. “Are you so devoted to honoring your elders that you’re not worried my identity might be a bluff?”
Su Ning responded candidly, “With your status, there’s no need to deceive me. On the contrary, gaining an elder like you to protect me feels like an incredible honor.”
When the luxury car stopped at the hotel entrance, Su Ning personally opened the door and escorted him upstairs. As they walked, Su Ning teased, “In the Su family, I used to throw my weight around relying on my dad being a chief elder. Now that I have Great-grandfather backing me, doesn’t this mean even my dad won’t be able to control me?”
Su Weisheng glanced at him and remarked, “According to the family records, you’re the only child your dad had at sixty.”
“Yes, a late-born child. He loves me dearly but disciplines me harshly too—beats me within an inch of my life,” Su Ning exaggerated dramatically, complaining, “He doesn’t even consider that if he beats me to death, our family line really ends.”
“The Su family’s last two generations are all single children,” Su Weisheng commented.
Su Ning thought about this and grew increasingly suspicious, saying, “I’ve noticed that too. Earlier generations of this big family were flourishing, but for some reason, the last two generations have been reduced to barely having children at fifty or sixty. If not for my grandfather’s side having many siblings, our generation would’ve been pretty much wiped out.”
Su Weisheng chuckled faintly. In reality, this was the normal state of the Su family—the generations that were flourishing were the anomaly.
Su Ning glanced sideways at him. Seeing Great-grandfather’s silent smile, he immediately guessed he knew something. His eyes sparkled mischievously, and with a sly grin, he casually asked in a gossip-like tone, “Great-grandfather, you look so young, yet you seem to know more about family secrets than my dad. What rank are you in the family tree? Are you from the same generation as my dad’s younger uncles?”
Su Weisheng shot him a sidelong glance.
This little fox, so outwardly cute and lovable, was full of crafty schemes. An ordinary person, caught off guard, could easily fall into his trap and be tricked into revealing everything he wanted to know.
Reaching out, he ruffled Su Ning’s hair and said lazily, “If you’re curious, go find out for yourself. Nothing comes for free.” With that, he swiped the room card and prepared to enter.
Su Ning, the little fox, hadn’t managed to extract any secrets and sighed regretfully. Standing at the door, he watched Great-grandfather walk inside, knowing there was no chance for further gains today. Sensibly, he prepared to leave: “Alright then, rest well. I’ll prepare the renovation plans by this weekend and bring them over for your review.”
Su Weisheng waved his hand, signaling for him to go.
Once inside, he shut the door and glanced around the room. His gaze landed on an elderly man with silver hair, standing in the corner and looking slightly stunned. The man pointed toward the door, gesturing at the figure who had just left, as though he had something to say.
The silver-haired man was none other than Su Weisheng’s eldest son, whom he had summoned in advance.
Su Weisheng commented lightly, “Resemblance, isn’t it?”
Su Laijin’s face was filled with incredulity: “It’s like he was carved from the same mold as Laiyin. Even the way he smiles, with those crescent-shaped eyes, is identical.”
“The personality matches too—crafty and polished,” Su Weisheng remarked. “He’s ambitious, clever, tactful, knows when to advance and retreat, and even his boundaries are flexible to an extreme. While Laiyin’s cunning was taught by Yuan Le, this little rascal seems to have picked it up from somewhere else—or perhaps he was born with it.”
Su Laijin: “Yinzi actually left behind descendants…”
Su Weisheng, exasperated, said, “I called you here to ask you about Yinzi, yet you look even more confused than I am! You and your brother grew up together. After I went into slumber, the two of you should’ve been relying on each other. How could you not know if he had descendants?”
The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. “Su Laiyin could build an entire sprawling family right under your nose?”
Su Laijin coughed awkwardly, looking a little ashamed. After hesitating for a moment, he admitted honestly, “Father, to tell you the truth, my brother and I actually had a falling out when I was still alive.”
Su Weisheng stared at him in shock. “A family I raised, and you two ended up at each other’s throats?”
“Cough…” Su Laijin looked visibly embarrassed. “You and the elders kept emphasizing the importance of continuing the Su family line. But as the family head, I was already past thirty without having children. Laiyin constantly accused us of failing to meet your expectations, causing a lot of tension between us. Eventually, we had a massive fight—he called me a barren rooster, and I called him a ‘cut sleeve’. In the end, we completely fell out.”
“Later, one day, he suddenly stopped fussing about it. He even took a copy of the family genealogy and told me before he left that it was all for the Su family legacy. He said that from then on, whether it was us or future descendants, if we ever met, we should pretend not to know each other…”
Su Laijin sighed, looking helpless. I thought it was because he resented me for holding the position of family head without ensuring the Su family’s continuation and wanted to sever all ties. In the decades that followed, we never met again. Much later, when I was fifty, I finally had Yinian, my only child. It seems that Yinian, too, had Su Cheng when he was around fifty or sixty.
As for Yinzi, even after I passed away, I didn’t see him in the afterlife. Later, I asked Si Ming and found out that after he died, he spent money to quickly “buy an account” and reincarnate.
Su Weisheng listened, his expression growing strange—he had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
Su Laiyin must have felt that his elder brother was too unreliable, so he devised a method to continue the Su family line. But because that method was too shameful, he decided to secretly carry it out without connecting it to the main Su family.
What’s more, the continuation method was so absurd that he was probably terrified of becoming a laughingstock even in the afterlife. So, he reincarnated at lightning speed, pretending like nothing had ever happened.
This kind of thing was a bit outlandish, but when it came to Su Laiyin, it actually made sense—it was exactly the sort of thing he would do.
A sudden knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Su Weisheng opened it to find the hotel manager standing at the entrance, accompanied by a staff member pushing a room service cart.
The manager respectfully said, “Mr. Su, good evening. This is your dinner.”
Su Weisheng glanced at the high-end dishes on the cart and said coolly, “I didn’t order any food.”
“It was Mr. Su Ning who ordered for you. Additionally, he extended the suite reservation on your behalf, saying it’s a gesture from a great-grandson honoring his great-grandfather. Once the renovations are complete, he’ll bring you back home.”
The manager’s deferential attitude made it clear that this young master had personally arranged everything, causing quite a stir throughout the hotel. It was evident that the Su family’s current influence and status in the capital were anything but ordinary.
Su Weisheng nodded and motioned for the server to push the cart inside. He didn’t pay much attention to the upgraded suite—it was just a temporary stopover since he’d be heading out next week to record the show.
After sending the hotel staff away, Su Weisheng closed the door and said to Su Laijin, “See? His personality is exactly like your brother’s.”
Su Laijin sighed, “He’s so meticulous that, even knowing he’s trying to flatter or manipulate you, it’s hard to feel any ill will toward him. He’s definitely Yinzi’s descendant—there’s no doubt about it.”
Su Weisheng sighed as well, saying wistfully, “He’s also like you, but even more harebrained.”
Hearing this, Su Laijin immediately pulled a complicated expression. “Father! I swear, I’ve tried my best to teach him. But he stinks so badly now that I just can’t bring myself to do anything…”
“No worries. I’ve disinfected him. You can hammer him without hesitation in the future.” Su Weisheng replied in a tone devoid of concern. “If he ends up diving into a cesspit after being disinfected, I’d salute him as a true man.”
Clearly, Su Ran hadn’t mustered the courage for such heroics, especially since jumping into a cesspit wouldn’t transfer the stench to his rival. So, by the weekend, he begrudgingly cooperated with the show’s recording, grumbling all the while and reeking of 84 disinfectant.
The company dormitory was far too foul, so He Heng ultimately brought Su Ran to the hotel where Great-grandfather was staying temporarily to record the show.
As they got out of the car, He Heng, wearing a mask, warned Su Ran, “When we go up there, don’t argue with your Great-grandfather, or it won’t end well for you. Seriously, Su Ran, learn some sense. Without Great-grandfather, you’d have been kicked out of the industry ages ago. You should count your blessings having him—go light some incense in gratitude!”
“Do I need your pointless chatter?”
Su Ran scoffed, taking long, arrogant strides inside. “That’s my Great-grandfather. I’ve already prepared myself to go in, get beaten, and admit my mistakes. So what if I take a beating? I’ve learned to keep my mindset calm. Taking a blow from Great-grandfather isn’t embarrassing. Once it’s over, I’ll sweet-talk him into giving me a charm, and Lu Huanjin can wait for his doom!”
He Heng watched the brainless husky strut forward with a look of despair, hoping no disasters would unfold.
The top star was brimming with confidence. He felt he’d evolved into an invincible force—no longer afraid of beatings or losing face.
After mentally composing himself upstairs, he knocked on Great-grandfather’s door, ready to deliver his prepared apology speech. But as he looked up, he was startled to find the person in front of him wasn’t Su Weisheng, but a strikingly handsome, charismatic young man.
This man even bore a faint resemblance to him.
“Who are you?” Su Ran asked warily.
Su Ning gave a slight smile, entirely unfazed by Su Ran’s defensiveness and hostility. Beaming, he introduced himself, “Hello, Zhaocai, right? I’m your cousin, Su Ning.”
Then, he turned and called toward Su Weisheng, “Great-grandfather, my little brother is here.”
Su Ran: ???
What the—! What the heck! Who’s your cousin? And who are you so casually calling Great-grandfather like that?!
