Manager: “He Yan’s smear campaign was only halfway through when, for some unknown reason, he suddenly pulled back all the water army within just fifteen minutes. Both the agency and the studio are playing dead now, pretending they don’t see the online chatter. I don’t think this is as simple as it looks.”
Han Heng paused thoughtfully. “Yeah, something’s off.”
“We haven’t found the exact cause yet, but word has it internally that President Liu personally made the call to shut it down.”
Han Heng narrowed his eyes slightly, deep in thought. “That’s a real slap to his own face…”
“Exactly. I’ve never seen President Liu suffer a loss like this. I’m just worried he’s planning a counter move…”
Right then, Jiang Fuyue walked in and happened to catch a bit of their conversation. Her footsteps slowed.
Little Mang couldn’t stop in time and bumped his doggy head into her shin with a whimper.
Han Heng looked over. “Yueyue, looking for something?”
“Oh, just a bowl—to get some water for Little Mang.”
“Second drawer on the left. There’s a water cup just for him.”
“Got it.”
Jiang Fuyue filled the cup and headed upstairs with Little Mang trotting after her.
The manager reluctantly tore his eyes away, visibly regretful.
Look at that—what a perfect candidate!
What a waste!
A total waste!
What’s wrong with being a star? Famous across the country, maybe even all of Asia if she tried, and with a little luck, she could go global! Why fight so hard just for academics?
Even with all the top grades and gold medals—could she win a Nobel?
And even if she did, the prize money’s peanuts compared to a single endorsement deal from a top brand.
Besides, celebrities get the adoration of the whole world. Academic stars? Not a chance.
Han Heng: “Roll those dog eyes of yours one more time and I’ll gouge them out.”
The manager scurried off but still turned back to shout, “You’ve got to film ‘My Old Boy’ first thing tomorrow morning! Du Chengjiang is doing a guest visit this episode—be ready and don’t oversleep!”
—
Upstairs, in Jiang Fuyue’s room.
Little Mang lay sprawled on the carpet, occasionally nudging her leg with his snout.
“…Okay, got it.” Ending her call with Niu Rui, Jiang Fuyue put her phone down.
Seeing she was finally free, Little Mang jumped up and started pawing at her to get her attention.
“Stop it.” She patted his head.
The energetic pup whimpered but obediently lay back down.
Jiang Fuyue hesitated, then picked up her phone again and walked over to the window.
She’d originally planned to send a WeChat message, but after a long pause… she decided to call instead.
—
At the Xie family home.
Xie Dingyuan had finally made a rare trip back to the capital. He’d been claiming to be too busy with experiments the past few days, so the sisters—and even their mother—didn’t want to disturb him too much.
But today, he was actually free and relaxing at home. The moment his sisters found out, they rushed over.
As per usual, each of them brought large bags stuffed with clothes, food, supplies—anything he might need.
He didn’t have to bring them back to Linhuai himself. That would be too tiring.
Little Nine’s hands weren’t meant for hauling bags, after all.
Every time, someone from the family would come pick up the packages, send them via private flight to Linhuai, and deliver them straight to the Yutian Huafu residence.
By the time Xie Dingyuan returned, Aunt Liu had already unpacked everything, replaced the old, and set up the new. He just had to use them.
A full-service system—he didn’t have to worry about a thing.
Zhong Yunyi: “Honestly, the shipping cost alone is more expensive than the stuff in the bags.”
Let’s emphasize: private jet shipping!
Xie Yunzao snapped: “Then stop talking if you don’t understand.”
The rest of the sisters couldn’t help but pile on—
“Shipping costs are one thing, the gifts are another—how are they even comparable?”
“This is our sisterly love. Even if we had to pay a thousand times in airfare, it’d still be worth it.”
“Shipping fees are cold, gifts are warm.”
“Forget it. Men will never understand. It’s like chickens talking to ducks—pointless and exhausting.”
Zhong Yunyi: “…” That’s what I get for opening my big mouth.
This time was no different—seven sisters showed up with massive gift bags, which were neatly placed in the corner by the maids, forming a tidy mountain of offerings.
Xie Yunxiang: “Did Little Nine get skinnier again? His face looks even smaller than last time.”
Xie Yunlan: “You’re right. Linhuai can’t compare to home—poor sleep, bad food…”
Their mother looked him over seriously, then nodded. “He has lost weight.”
Xie Dingyuan: “…”
Remaining silent was the best way to respond.
Xie Yunshu came out of the kitchen with a fruit platter and set it on the table. “Perfect timing. Let Mom make up for all the lost nutrients.”
Xie Yunxuan: “You don’t need to say it—Mom started cooking chicken soup at the crack of dawn and already soaked the sea cucumber. She’s been waiting for mealtime.”
Xie Yunmiao: “From a nutrition perspective, though, don’t overdo it. Too much of a good thing isn’t good.”
“By the way, Little Nine, how’s that girl from the Lin family that Third Sis introduced you to last time? Still in touch?” Xie Yunxi suddenly asked.
Everyone in the room turned to look at him, including their father and grandmother.
Xie Dingyuan remained expressionless. “No.”
“I see… That’s fine. If this one doesn’t work out, there’ll be others. No rush—we’ll take our time.”
“I’m not in a rush,” Xie Dingyuan replied truthfully.
Xie Yunxi: “…”
Just then, Xie Yunzao, who’d just finished giving orders to the staff, turned around and caught that last line. Thinking of what Zhong Yunyi had said earlier, her eyes turned a little strange.
What followed was another round of fussing over him.
Xie Dingyuan just sat quietly on the couch, listening without responding—like a block of wood.
The quieter he was, the more his sisters’ hearts ached. They nearly reached out to pet him.
They used to do that a lot when he was little—ruffling his hair, pinching his cheeks. He never said a word, just stood there like a little wooden doll.
That little wooden doll never refused them. He let them do whatever they wanted.
Now, he still looked the same—but one glance from him was enough to freeze them in place.
They didn’t dare move.
But their mom? She wasn’t scared.
She picked up a fork, stabbed a piece of apple, and offered it to her son. “Ah Yuan, try this apple—it’s super sweet! I worked so hard to grab it in a livestream sale!”
Xie Dingyuan leaned back slightly, dodged, then reached out to take it. “Mom, I’ll do it myself.”
“Then eat a few more pieces!”
“…Okay.”
Their dad gave him a sympathetic look. With this flock of chattering women in the house, being a man was hard.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Xie Dingyuan stood up. “I’ll take this outside.”
He walked into the garden.
Back in the living room—
Xie Yunlan teased, “Look at him, sneaking off to take a call. Could it be… a girlfriend?”
Xie Yunxuan twitched. “Third Sis, don’t joke. Little Nine’s either in the lab or at home. He doesn’t even go out. Where would he meet a girl?”
Xie Yunxi: “Don’t be so sure. Even locked in a lab, girls might still want to meet him.”
But their mom wasn’t hopeful. “Forget it. If a girl makes the first move, he’s already being nice by not running away. No way he’d actually get close. And if a girl doesn’t make the first move? With that temperament of his, he’d never even talk to her.”
Hope, crushed completely.
She couldn’t help but wonder—would she ever see a grandchild in her lifetime?
At this rate? Slim chance.
Xie Yunzao’s gaze shifted. She suddenly said, “Well… you never know. Maybe Ah Yuan’s secretly chasing a girl—we just don’t know it.”
Everyone perked up. “Big Sis, you know something!”
“Tell us! What’s going on?”
“Don’t hold out on us…”
—
Meanwhile, in the garden.
Xie Dingyuan took a deep breath, steadied himself, then swiped to answer.
“Hello.”
“Was it you?” A girl’s cool, crisp voice came through.
It was calm, but it lit a fire in him instantly—one that burned hotter by the second.
“…What do you mean?”
“Cut the act. I know it was you who pressured Huan Cheng Entertainment. That’s why they pulled the water army and the scandal died down.”
“…Coughed, just asked a friend for a favor.”
“If I hadn’t asked, were you just never going to tell me?”
Xie Dingyuan paused. He really hadn’t considered using this to earn credit with Jiang Fuyue.
“You like playing nameless hero?”
“…I didn’t think that much about it.”
When he saw the gossip posts online, his first reaction was anger—so much so that he even blamed Han Heng.
What kind of useless uncle lets paparazzi catch you like that? Then doesn’t do a thing about it?
The smear campaign blew up fast, spread across the internet.
He personally contacted the platform to shut down every account spreading malicious rumors about Jiang Fuyue.
Let’s see who dares to bully her again.
Jiang Fuyue: “Why did you do all that?”
He fell silent for a moment, then replied in a low voice: “…Yueyue, you still don’t get it? I’m trying to win you over.”
