When the first person raised this kind of speculation, the ‘Yu Yu’s were still pretty rational. No matter how powerful the background behind Shen Wanwan was, Shao Yuye wasn’t the kind of person who could be easily bought by capital.

Until someone posted an analysis thread—

[Am I the only one who finds this increasingly disturbing the more I think about it?

[First off, I’m not a fan of Shao Yuye. I’m just sharing my personal opinion.

[1. Shao Yuye clearly doesn’t like Shen Wanwan and would never choose her. Yet he still ended up on the same team as her. Logically, when two people successfully choose each other and get the prop card, both partners should be happy. But—(photo.jpg) (photo.jpg)—it’s obvious from the pictures that Shao Yuye doesn’t look happy at all.

[2. Before everyone set off, no one knows exactly what Bai Ling whispered to Su Tingxuan with her hand covering the mic. But when they encountered Shao Yuye and Shen Wanwan later, Bai Ling’s sympathetic look was impossible to hide. And when they passed the two of them, Su Tingxuan said something completely out of the blue: “It seems… different now.” — What did he mean by that? Could it be that the other guests all knew that Shao Yuye might be forced to give in due to some powerful influence and had no choice but to endure it in silence?

[3. When Shen Wanwan was on Shao Yuye’s back, what did she say to him? Let’s speculate reasonably—could she have been threatening him, telling him he’d better behave from now on, or else…?

[From this, we can conclude:

[Shao Yuye was either bought off by money, willingly becoming a plaything of capital;

[Or he was forced to bow under pressure, and in the face of overwhelming power, even top-tier celebrities have no real say!]

This post was well-structured and convincing.

Many ‘Yu Yu’s read it and cried out that things had gone too far.

[Shen Wanwan is disgusting! She even made Shao Yuye carry her, this is basically workplace bullying!]

[No, this is worse than workplace bullying… In a job, if you’re uncomfortable, you can still change companies. But our Brother Ye…]

[I don’t buy it! Are we ‘Yu Yu’s supposed to be afraid of Shen Wanwan or what?! Let me say this now, if we let Brother Ye suffer this time, then there’ll be more ‘Shen Wanwan’s in the future, stepping all over him! Can you really bear to see that happen?!]

[No!! Absolutely not!!!!]

And so, currently, the production team decided to directly confront the topic and asked Shao Yuye the very question all the ‘Yu Yu’s were most concerned about.

The netizens angry questioning comments finally calmed down, and people in the livestream chat started asking each other:

[Did they tamper with the lie detector?]

[No, I’ve got several accounts watching this, I saw the staff never touched it.]

[Then what if it’s inaccurate?]

[No way. Li Yan just got shocked earlier for lying.]

[Come to think of it, didn’t Brother Ye’s expression look like he was shocked at how ridiculous the question was…]

The director zoomed in on his face, and everyone’s screens showed Shao Yuye’s confused but handsome expression.

“Where did you all come up with such bizarre questions?”

A staff member reminded him, “Please answer with ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”

Shao Yuye, exasperated, replied: “No.”

The lie detector didn’t react at all.

For a moment, the flood of comments froze.

[Is it really true? Really really?!]

[Could it be that before he arrived, he had already been…?]

[Wake up! With his bad temper, even if someone warned him in advance, he wouldn’t be able to hold back when he got mad!]

[So… it’s really not true? I’m so confused, I can’t even tell what’s real anymore!]

[Don’t rush. Let’s keep watching.]

---

Meanwhile, Shen Wanwan officially closed the door to the ‘Criticism Cabin’—

“Welcome to the ‘Criticism Cabin’. We will read you 10 hate comments, and you will respond to them. If your heart rate does not fluctuate more than 20 beats during the challenge, you’ll pass. Are you ready to begin?”

Shen Wanwan nodded. “I’m ready.”

“Then let’s get started.”

In the livestream room, the ‘Wan Feng’s¹ were all on edge.

[They say harsh words can chill you in summer… I’m really worried these hate comments might hurt her.]

Aside from her fans, a bunch of drama-loving spectators had also joined the stream:

[I’m already looking forward to seeing Shen Wanwan’s reaction soon, hahaha!]

The staff fitted her with the heart rate monitor, and the challenge officially began.

“[What does Shen Wanwan have besides her looks?]”

Shen Wanwan’s red lips curled into a playful smile, and she chuckled lightly.

“Wealth.”

It wasn’t a retort, nor was it bragging. Just a very calm statement.

The comment section froze for a moment:

[Hahahaha?!!]

[I’m dying, that answer is just way too real!]

“[I’m seriously done with this woman. Total product of connections—no EQ, no acting skills. How is she still in this industry?]”

“Because I have connections.”

“[I’m so sick of Shen Wanwan sticking Shao Yuye. Ugh!]”

“You could stick to him too if you were standing next to him. Am I stopping you?”

The ‘Yu Yu’s : [???]

What… what’s going on?

Why does it feel like… Shen Wanwan’s blunt, say-it-as-it-is attitude is weirdly perfect for this segment?

Fans who had been worried she’d be hurt by hate comments were surprised. Yhroughout the entire session, Shen Wanwan’s heart rate barely fluctuated.

By the time she wrapped up that string of queen-like replies, only five minutes had passed since she entered.

Seeing that the staff had stopped asking, Shen Wanwan casually asked:

“Anything else?”

Staff : “Uh… no, that’s it.

“Congratulations! You’ve passed the ‘Criticism Cabin’ challenge and won a deluxe dinner for two!”

As Shen Wanwan stood up, she glanced one more time at the wall behind her, now covered in ripped-up hate comments. A cold, scornful snort escaped her lips.

As if to say—
“That’s it?”

With a personality like hers, those who like her will really like her.
Those who don’t will absolutely hate her.

Some people became fans on the spot.
Others got so mad they were fuming.

A few of the ‘Yu Yu’s were now convinced that she was bullying Shao Yuye!

It was like she had the phrase ‘abusing power’ tattooed on her forehead!

Fuming, they rushed back to Shao Yuye’s livestream room, where the staff was still questioning him:

“At the end of the last round, did you choose Shen Wanwan as your partner because she threatened you?”

“?” What kind of ridiculous question was that?

Shao Yuye laughed in disbelief.

“How exactly did she threaten me? Go ahead, give me the details.”

“Please answer yes or no~”

Shao Yuye’s voice turned cold : “No.”

Once again, he wasn’t shocked.

A few more questions followed, with similar contents.

Shao Yuye’s previously relaxed expression grew serious. He was clearly reaching his limit.

Staff : “Did Shen Wan turn off her mic this morning to tell you that if you didn’t listen to her, she’d ruin your reputation?”

He pressed his lips together, his emotions visibly stirred.

[Uh oh, it hit a nerve, he looks shaken.]

[So she did say that?!]

[OMG…]

The next second, Shao Yuye couldn’t hold it in anymore and snapped:

“No, are you guys insane or what? Making drama out of the two of us for views?!”

Watching from his screen, Brother Li flinched hard at the outburst.

The show was still live, online rumors were spiraling, and he hadn’t been able to contact Shao Yuye. He was already panicking on how to deal with it, but the program team took actions first

When he looked at the questions, Brother Li felt faint.

They were way too blunt.

And sure enough, his hot-tempered ‘ancestor’ blew up immediately!

Shao Yuye had been holding back the entire time. He could tolerate all the Shen Wanwan-related questions. Alright.

But repeatedly trying to bait him into saying they didn’t get along? He snapped.

“Let me be clear: if you’re trying to dig for drama, it’s not gonna happen.

“Do you seriously think rephrasing the same leading question again and again is fun?”

The staff member, a young woman, visibly flinched at the outburst.

Noticing her recoil, Shao Yuye rubbed his temples, sighing, voice softening a little.

“I’m not trying to target you. But come on—if you’re gonna ask something, ask something else, okay?

“Fine. Go ahead, ask the next one.”

The staff, feeling aggrieved, said : “Uh… that was the last one Q_AQ”

Shao Yuye covered his face : “…Sorry.”

His attitude was the clearest and most direct refutation of the rumors.

From that moment on, the gossip collapsed on its own.

The comment section erupted in cheers:

[Looks like Brother Ye had no clue about the drama online.]

[That’s it, I’m convinced. I was still hesitating, thinking maybe this was a scripted show segment and no matter what Brother Ye said, I couldn’t be sure… but seeing him blow up like that? Okay. He’s clearly not being forced into anything.]

[Ahhh! Thank god!!! Brother Ye isn’t being exploited by the capital after all!]

All that ‘capital coercion’ and ‘workplace bullying’ talk were just fan theories. Nothing more.

Still, some ‘Yu Yu’s were confused :

[But if Brother Ye wasn’t threatened, then why did he choose Shen Wanwan? And why did he even carry her today?]

[Maybe they talked things out privately. I just saw a blogger say Shen Wanwan’s actually a good person.]

---

1. 晚风 (wǎn fēng, lit. meaning: evening breeze) is Shen Wanwan’s fandom. ↩︎

---

Both old men clicked their tongues in amazement: “Impressive! One go and she nailed it!”

They’d been sitting here acting and trying for ages, but they always messed up somewhere.

They hadn’t expected this young lady’s focus to be so impressive!

Shao Yuye’s eyes lit up, and a smile slowly spread across his lips.

Hearing them praise her, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride inside.

The two old men carefully checked Shen Wanwan’s sheet—clean, clear, not a single mistake!

The one named Old Chen laughed out loud: “Hahaha, Old Zhang, see? I won the bet!”

Old Zhang snorted coldly, “Fine, I admit it’s possible someone could count from 1 to 100 without a mistake. You’ve verified it, fine!”

The two men laughed heartily, and the victorious Old Chen turned to them, excitedly saying:

“Thank you both for helping me. Here, let me call my son. You’ve spent quite a bit of time helping me, so I’ll have him give you a ride.”

Just as Shao Yuye was about to ask what he meant, a crew member who had been following their team stepped forward with joy and announced:

“Congratulations! You’ve completed the hidden mission and gained Old Chen’s help!”

Shao Yuye: ???

The live comments exploded:

[What the heck?! A hidden level?!]

[Shen Wanwan is kind of amazing!]

The old man pointed toward a cable car station not far from the pavilion and said, “Go ahead, my son is over there. He’ll take you wherever you want to go!”

[Who just said she was wasting time? Time to eat your words!]

[She doesn’t even need to hike—straight to the destination by cable car~]

Even when they were already sitting inside the cable car, Shao Yuye was still dazed.

“How did you know it was a hidden mission?”

Shen Wanwan replied concisely, “The hiking stick.”

Something as blatant as that, placed so plainly by the production team—it practically screamed hint.

Shao Yuye : “…”

He hadn’t thought there was anything unusual about it.

On the real-time progress board, their team jumped straight from level 0 to level 2.

And with that jump, the thrill of bypassing two levels instantly surged up.

Damn, he’d thought they’d be stuck at the bottom forever, and now suddenly—they were first?!

She really is his sister! Her brain just works!!!

When Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye stepped lightly off the cable car, Zhang Yiran and Jin Xiaoyu finally arrived at the same checkpoint, exhausted and dripping with sweat, barely alive.

Even though they were drenched in sweat, the pride of being in the lead made both Zhang Yiran and Jin Xiaoyu feel it was all worth it.

That is, until they saw Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye.

Clean and fresh.

Especially Shen Wanwan—she looked exactly the same as she did in the morning before departure.

Jin Xiaoyu looked at them, then at herself and Zhang Yiran, who looked like they’d just been fished out of a lake—and completely lost it.

She didn’t even want to see people anymore, wuwuwu!

Zhang Yiran, curious, asked, “How come you two got to take the cable car?!”

Did they really climb to the top already?

Shao Yuye carefully helped Shen Wanwan step down from the cable car, while Shen Wanwan succinctly answered, “We completed a hidden mission.”

Zhang Yiran was stunned.

“Hidden mission?”

He looked confused for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up:

“Those two old guys in the pavilion, right?!”

Shen Wanwan nodded.

Zhang Yiran clutched his head, groaning, “Damn! Why didn’t I think of that?!”

He and Jin Xiaoyu were actually the first ones to encounter the hidden task!

Being the sociable type, when they passed the pavilion and heard the two old men chatting, he casually responded to them. One of the old men asked for help, but in his eagerness to get ahead with Jin Xiaoyu, he happily declined—

“Ah, sorry, sir! We’re in a rush!”

And just like that, they missed the hidden mission.

Zhang Yiran immediately started beating his chest in regret, but quickly pulled himself together.

“Well, this is good too. Being in the lead all the time is boring, we need someone to compete with to make it fun!”

At this, Shao Yuye let out a cold snort and cracked his knuckles.

“Exactly.”

The live comments were in hysterics:

[Hahahahaha! Brother Ye : You want to be in the lead? Did you ask me first?]

[That’s right! Brother Ye and his team are the real number one!]

[Waaaa! The competition just got spicy!]

But at this moment, only a few people were still watching the livestream.

Most fans and casual viewers were busy on Weibo, gossiping under the trending topic #Biggest Scandal In Extreme Challenge#

Countless people were passionately speaking out in defense of Shao Yuye.

His fans, the ‘Yu Yu’s even posted a series of ten pointed questions aimed at the production team—questioning why someone like Shao Yuye, who brought traffic and viewership, worked hard, and chased his dreams without any backing, was being trampled on and humiliated like this.

Passersby, after reading these heartfelt posts and already aware of the long-standing tension between Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye, started sympathizing with Shao Yuye as well.

As public opinion grew more intense, the cries for answers from the production team became deafening. The show’s head producer, who had been closely watching the online reaction, could no longer sit still.

He posted a Weibo statement, claiming the show had no script and denying any coercion of Shao Yuye to take care of Shen Wanwan.

But the ‘Yu Yu’s fired up with righteous fury, weren’t buying a word of it.

Very soon, Shao Yuye’s manager, Brother Li, also posted a Weibo under the name of the studio, explaining to everyone that there was no such shady manipulation going on.

But obviously, it didn’t help…

The ‘Yu Yu’s left messages under the studio’s Weibo post:

[Sigh, even the studio was forced to come out and clarify.]

[Shen Wanwan really can cover the sky with one hand—what power!]

[Brother Li, why are you being such a coward? We’re not afraid of them! Let’s fight them head-on!]

Brother Li looked at the replies and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Come on now.

Shao Yuye had had a rough few years, true. But he’s a top-tier star—with name recognition, a powerful fanbase, and strong spending power. What show would dare suppress him? You’d have to be stupid to try!

But such rational voices were quickly drowned out.

The ‘Yu Yu’s were fully in battle mode, determined to confront the capital powers represented by Shen Wanwan head-on.

Especially since countless marketing accounts started churning out dramatic exposés to ride the wave of popularity.

Clearly, someone was stirring the pot and intentionally trying to incite trouble!

As the situation began spiraling out of control, the show’s planner had no choice but to ask the executive director:

“What do we do now? It’s not just Shao Yuye’s fans anymore—the entire internet has taken the bait. Everyone’s saying our show is full of shady manipulation, and now fans of other guests are on edge too. They’re saying if Shao Yuye’s the victim today, it’ll be someone else tomorrow…”

The planner became more and more frustrated as they spoke.

“This scapegoating is so unfair to us!
“As for Shen Wanwan… judging by how angry everyone is, if this isn’t handled properly, she might end up getting boycotted out of the industry…”

The executive director looked at the outrage online and sighed helplessly.

“If clarifying won’t convince them, then let reality do the talking!”

The planner was confused:

“What do you mean?!”

---

Half an hour later, all the guests received air-dropped maps from the production team.

The ‘Criticism Cabin’ and ‘Truth Cabin’ had been opened for a limited time.

Within an hour, guests could follow the map to these two cabins to take part in a test. If they passed, they would earn a deluxe lunch.

Food was no small matter.

All the guests immediately dropped whatever level they were on and headed for the two cabins.

To maximize their odds of winning, Zhang Yiran suggested splitting up from Jin Xiaoyu.

Shao Yuye made the same suggestion.

He’d go to the farther ‘Truth Cabin,’ while Shen Wanwan would head to the nearer ‘Criticism Cabin’.

The ‘Truth Cabin’ was actually the closest one to level 2’s checkpoint.

Shen Wanwan looked at him with a complicated expression, as if she had something to say but held back.

Was all this really necessary?

But since he was her older brother and had suggested it, she didn’t argue and simply nodded softly.

Shao Yuye was a little worried.

It was obvious what the ‘Criticism Cabin’ would involve.

He asked with concern, “Maybe you shouldn’t go. Just wait here for me?”

Even after so many years in the industry, harsh comments could still upset him at times.

And the negativity surrounding her wasn’t any less than his—he was worried she might not be able to take it.

Shen Wanwan smiled:

“I’m not that fragile.”

“Alright, just don’t force yourself.”

Shao Yuye turned and ran toward the ‘Truth Cabin.’

Zhang Yiran had been giving last-minute advice to Jin Xiaoyu, but when he saw Shao Yuye run off, he didn’t finish his sentence and bolted after Shao Yuye.

Caught up in the atmosphere, Jin Xiaoyu suddenly got nervous.

Not wanting to be left behind by Shen Wanwan, Jin Xiaoyu also sprinted toward the ‘Criticism Cabin’.

But Shen Wanwan didn’t even try to run.

She strolled leisurely in the direction of the ‘Criticism Cabin,’ and along the way, called out to the quiet 001.

“Still angry?”

Ever since she snapped at it earlier, the little light orb had stayed angry, sulking in silence and curling itself up into a tight ball.

001 : {Don’t even think I’m gonna talk to you. My mouth is sealed shut.}

Shen Wanwan was amused: “Won’t you feel sad not talking?”

001 : {Hmph! My answers don’t matter anyway.}

Shen Wanwan’s voice turned magnetic and gentle: “How could that be? You’re the cutest little light orb in the world—the one and only adorable system. How could your answers not matter?”

001 : O_vO

Its originally white body began to turn a faint pink.

{Even if you flater me, I won’t be happy…}

But its voice was already full of joy.

Shen Wanwan kept teasing the little light orb:

“I never flatter anyone. I always speak the truth.”

That did it.

The little light ball couldn’t hold back anymore—it turned entirely red and pressed its warm glow against her cheek:

{Alright then, what do you want to say?}

Such an easy-to-please little thing.

Shen Wanwan’s eyes curved slightly as she asked, “The trekking pole by the pavilion earlier—was that placed there by the show as a hint on purpose?”

001 : {It was left by the male lead!}

Shen Wanwan hadn’t expected that answer. She paused in silence.

“…Okay, got it.”

By the time she reached the ‘Criticism Cabin,’ Jin Xiaoyu had just failed her test and was penalized with a 5-minute delay before she could try again. She stormed out of the cabin angrily.

Seeing Shen Wanwan, Jin Xiaoyu puffed out her cheeks and kindly warned:

“Hey, I wouldn’t recommend going in. You’ll go mad!”

Shen Wanwan smiled.

“Is that so?”

She pushed open the door.

Meanwhile…

Shao Yuye had already arrived at the ‘Truth Cabin,’ but a line had already formed. Inside was Li Yan answering questions, and ahead of Shao Yuye were Jiang Yuan and Qi Luozhou.

“….”

At that moment, he suddenly realized a glaring bug.

He turned to Zhang Yiran, who had also run all the way there and was panting heavily behind him, and asked in utter confusion:

“We could’ve just queued for the ‘Criticism Cabin’ over there. Why did we run all the way here instead?”

Zhang Yiran : “? Uh huh?”

—Wait, we could’ve done that?!
—Did we… run for nothing?!

He stared at Shao Yuye with a blank look.

The two of them locked eyes, equally dumbfounded for a few seconds—until Shao Yuye was the first to admit defeat.

“……”

He gave up.

The bullet comments (live chat) exploded with laughter:

[Hahahahaha! Right?! I was just thinking the same thing earlier… Now, Brother Ye : I truly admire you, you troll!]

[I was happily watching Brother Ye climb up the rankings, but now? This is too hilarious!!!]

[I’m laughing to death, these brainless competitive stunts are killing me LOL!]

Zhang Yiran was a bit down for a moment, but quickly cheered himself up and slung an arm around Shao Yuye’s shoulder:

“No worries. Since we’re here, might as well go with the flow. We’ll run back together later.”

Shao Yuye imagined that scenario and suddenly had a deep epiphany—

People always have to pay the price for their own stupidity.

Just then, the cabin door opened, and Li Yan came out, head hanging low.

“Pfft. Just a heads-up—the questions inside are sharp.
“I only told the tiniest little lie…” He held up his thumb and index finger close together. “Just this tiny of a lie—and they still caught me!”

Everyone in line immediately stood straighter.

It seemed this so-called ‘Truth Cabin’ might sound harmless by name, but was clearly on par with the ‘Criticism Cabin’ in cruelty.

Other than Qi Luozhou, everyone ahead of Shao Yuye had failed in varying degrees.

This only added more pressure for those still waiting in line.

The cabin was only open for one hour total. Failing a test meant getting penalized, and that plus the time spent waiting… Even with good luck, you’d only get to answer two rounds max.

When Shao Yuye entered the cabin, the staff greeted him with smiling faces and had him place his hand into the polygraph machine.

“Welcome to the Truth Cabin. We will now ask you 10 questions. Please be sure to answer truthfully—no lying.
“If you lie, you’ll get a little shock~!”

The polygraph was said to detect lies by measuring physiological responses like heart rate under stress.

Shao Yuye, who had never been good at hiding his feelings, simply nodded.

“Alright.”

“Then let’s begin with the first question—
“According to online rumors, Shen Wanwan used her backing to pressure and bully you at work. Is that true?”

Shao Yuye : “?”

What the hell kind of question is that?!

---

[What the heck?! Shen Wanwan, why did you turn off your mic? What are they talking about?!]

[Urgent! Urgent! Urgent! I’m the king of urgency—anyone here know how to read lips? Sisters, I need to know what those two are saying, ahhh——]

[Even if you can read lips, you can’t translate it. Brother Ye’s face isn’t even facing the camera, you can’t see his mouth at all! And Shen Wanwan’s mouth is half-covered by her arm!]

[Production crew!! Where are you guys?! Is a livestream with just video and no audio supposed to be fun? Does it look fun to you?! Hurry up and penalize Shen Wanwan already!]

The entire screen was flooded with calls for the director, and only then did the production team realize something was off and hurried over to the two.

But with one being a temperamental top idol and the other a proud heiress, neither was someone easy to deal with. So the crew could only cautiously word their request:

“You two, how about turning your mics back on? Whispering to each other in secret doesn’t seem very fair to the livestream audience, right?”

Since Shen Wanwan had already asked everything she wanted to ask, she cooperatively turned her and Shao Yuye’s mics back on.

“Alright.”

The director didn’t dare relax. Remembering Shen Wanwan’s earlier antics, he quickly added:

“From now on, no turning off mics, okay? Turning it off once will cost 200 Speed Coins. Since this is your first offense, we’ll let it go this time.”

Bullet comments:

[Hahahahaha, Shen Wanwan turning off the mic made the director visibly panic!]

[This is kinda hilarious—she might be the first guest to make the director set a new rule on the spot!]

[Wanwan’s fans, stop defending her. Just look—your idol is just as awkward as you guys!]

Jiang Yuan and Qi Luozhou weren’t competing for rankings, so they weren’t moving fast—but not slowly either. They maintained a steady pace, climbing the mountain while also enjoying the scenery.

They had just reached a pavilion. On the stone steps inside, two old men were loudly bickering:

“Old Chen! That doesn’t count! You made a mistake at number 26—I’m not accepting it! Do it again!”

“Hey, Old Zhang, you’re no easy one either at your age! Fine, I’ll redo it, alright?”

Qi Luozhou had just focused in to listen when Jiang Yuan suddenly muttered:

“Shao Yuye is actually carrying Shen Wanwan on his back up the mountain.”

Qi Luozhou turned his head, following Jiang Yuan’s gaze downward, and saw Shao Yuye carrying Shen Wanwan as he slowly walked forward.

The mountain trail was a winding staircase. The distance between teams had grown large and they were quite far apart. From their angle, they could only make out the general outline of the two.

Just the thought of it made Jiang Yuan’s legs go weak.

Even though Shen Wanwan was light, this was ‘mountain climbing,’ after all!

He truly admired Shao Yuye. “Shao Yuye is kinda impressive.”

“I just hope they stop fighting now.”

Qi Luozhou retracted his gaze calmly and casually leaned his hiking stick—given by the director at the start—against the side of the pavilion.

“Let’s go.”

Shao Yuye had carried Shen Wanwan a while longer when Bai Ling and Su Tingxuan—who’d started half an hour later—caught up.

When Bai Ling saw Shao Yuye’s back carrying Shen Wanwan, she gasped:

“Oh my god. Is Shao Yuye planning to carry her all the way to the top?”

“No way.”

Su Tingxuan had seen with his own eyes how much Shao Yuye disliked Shen Wanwan. How could Shao Yuye possibly be carrying that drama queen?

But when he looked up, Shen Wanwan really was on Shao Yuye’s back. His heart suddenly sank, and disbelief filled his chest.

“How is this possible?!”

He instinctively quickened his pace with two long strides forward.

As they passed by the two, Bai Ling greeted them first. She looked at Shao Yuye with concern, her voice as gentle as ever:

“Are you alright? You look like you’re struggling.”

Shao Yuye : “I’m fine.”

After all, he came from an idol background, accustomed to intense dance training. His physical condition was excellent.

Bai Ling instinctively glanced at Shen Wanwan.

Shen Wanwan was backlit, her long pale neck glowing in the sunlight.

The bright light behind Shen Wanwan made Bai Ling squint.

Su Tingxuan also narrowed his eyes against the sun, which made his face look a bit distorted.

Shen Wanwan looked away in slight disgust.

That made Su Tingxuan’s attempt at small talk instantly catch in his throat.

All he could see was one stunning side profile of hers.

And it irritated him.

Bai Ling tried a few topics beside Shao Yuye, but none got his attention. Seeing how slowly the pair was walking, she finally gave up and said:

“Well… we’ll go on ahead then.”

Shao Yuye, focused on carrying Shen Wanwan, replied: “Mm.”

Bai Lign and Su Tingxuan passed them in silence. But Su Tingxuan’s mood wasn’t as light as before.

He was quiet for a moment, then suddenly said softly:

“Feels like… something’s changed.”

---

Once Shen Wanwan felt the pain in her foot had eased quite a bit, she immediately said:

“Put me down now.”

Shao Yuye didn’t let go.

“I can carry you.”

Shen Wanwan insisted, “I want to get down.”

Even if her brother was willing to carry her on his back, there was no way she’d let him do it the whole way.

It was fine for a while, but if it continued, carrying such weight up a mountain could damage his knees.

Shao Yuye had no choice but to crouch down cooperatively.

While she had been on his back earlier, Shen Wanwan spotted a small pavilion ahead.

“Let’s rest up there for a bit.”

Shao Yuye had no objections and agreed easily.

The livestream comments were full of dissatisfaction:

[I was wondering why Shen Wanwan suddenly didn’t want Yuye to carry her anymore. Turns out she saw the pavilion.]

[Seriously? It’s only five more minutes to the pavilion, and she already wants to rest! At this rate, they’ll reach the top by nightfall.]

[I just checked—Zhang Yiran and Jin Xiaoyu have already reached the summit! Ugh, my Brother Ye used to care so much about rankings, and now Shen Wanwan’s made him completely indifferent.]

[Don’t tell me… Shen Wanwan’s really used her “money power”? Brother Ye’s lost the light in his eyes. Ugh, he used to be so vivid and energetic, and now he’s oddly calm…]

[Definitely! I saw the leaks—they said Shen Wanwan has big money backing her and is using Brother Ye to carry her popularity. Ha, why didn’t she pick God Zhou? Think about it, God Zhou is too nice, there’s no drama, everyone would just bash her one-sidedly! But Brother Ye is different—he’s fiery and straightforward, perfect for hot topics and views. The leaks even said Shen Wanwan’s script is already written—six episodes, each with its own storyline. Ugh… my poor Brother Ye. No connections, no background, and now he’s just a pawn in this dirty industry. T_AT]

A single comment stirred up a storm.

[Is that for real?!]

[Damn! How can you stand this?! I seriously can’t anymore! I already wanted to scream when I saw the team-picking video this morning!]

[I know as Brother Ye’s fans we’re supposed to stay rational, but blind tolerance only makes them stomp on us more. Sorry, I can’t take it anymore—this time, I really can’t keep quiet!]

Soon after, hashtags like #Shen Wanwan Uses Capital To Force Shao Yuye#, #Biggest Scandal In Extreme Challenge# began trending, as furious ‘Yu Yu’s lashed out at the production team and Shen Wanwan for exploiting Shao Yuye to create drama and demanded an explanation.

No wonder the ‘Yu Yu’s were enraged.

Back when Shao Yuye was on the survival show <One Pick>, his fiery temper and impulsiveness got him maliciously edited again and again, making casual viewers seriously dislike him.

Even though he was overwhelmingly popular by vote, with no big company backing him, he was manipulated into 10th place right before the finals.

10th place.

He wanted so badly to stand at the top, but the show ruthlessly placed him one step away.

Only the top 9 could debut.

And he was just one rank short of his dream.

Everyone knew this kind of shady manipulation was standard in survival shows, but the ‘Yu Yu’s had to admit:

It still hurt like hell.

Was the show testing if they could fight for their underdog idol?

Then so be it!

After a week of non-stop campaigning by all the ‘Yu Yu’s.

On the night of the finals, just as Shao Yuye thought he’d be saying goodbye to the stage, he was instead surrounded by cheering fans—and took the center position.

The center, symbolizing first place.

That passionate, genuine, hot-headed boy broke down sobbing on stage.

That moment was etched into every ‘Yu Yu’s heart.

This wasn’t the first time Shao Yuye had been dragged down by capital—and it wouldn’t be the last.

But they were determined to protect him with everything they had.

No matter how powerful the forces behind Shen Wanwan were, they would not be allowed to trample over Shao Yuye.

They would not allow the boy they fought so hard to lift up be reduced to a stepping stone for someone else’s success.

Absolutely not!

---

There were people in the pavilion, so Shen Wanwan didn’t plan to go in.

Just as she was about to find a stone to sit on, she caught sight of a walking stick discarded beside the pavilion.

They’d tossed theirs aside earlier when Shao Yuye carried her.

If she had to walk on her own, having a hiking stick would help a lot.

Wait a second…

She suddenly heard a conversation between two elderly men inside the pavilion—

“Old Chen! That doesn’t count! You messed up by 26—I’m not accepting that. Start over!”

“Heh! You old rascal Zhang, you never let anything slide at your age. Fine, I’ll start over, happy?”

“I’m just waiting to see it—someone here said they could write from 1 to 100 without a single mistake. You really think such a person exists?” The old man said it with dramatic flair and smug exaggeration.

Shen Wanwan suddenly stepped forward and said calmly to the two old men in the pavilion:

“There is.”

The two old men pretended to be surprised and turned around.

They’d been acting ever since they encountered the first pair of participants, but no one had paid them any attention.

Now this was the final group. One of the old men’s eyes lit up instantly and he took the initiative to speak:

“Little girl, look here—my old buddy and I made a bet. He said no one could write from 1 to 100 without making a mistake. I said it’s possible. He insisted I prove it, but my old eyes are too dim to do it myself. Can you help me?”

The other quickly followed the act: “Hah! Words are cheap, seeing is believing. Since you say it can be done, show me!”

Seeing her stop here, Shao Yuye walked over as well to see what was going on. One of the old men instantly handed him paper and pen.

“Young man, you try it too!”

Shao Yuye had originally wanted to say, “What’s the point of this? So childish! Just a waste of time.” But when he saw Shen Wanwan already sitting down and writing with focus, he was instantly left speechless.

Fine. Write it is.

One of the old men gave a stern reminder beside them: “Write carefully—if you make a mistake, you have to start over!”

Shao Yuye : “……”

He had just begun when he got distracted by the old man’s words, and ended up writing a 5 instead of a 4.

He hadn’t expected to fail so fast, which amused the old man to no end.

“Ha ha ha! You’ve got to start over!”

Shao Yuye could only start a new line and begin again.

Next to him, Shen Wanwan was writing steadily and had already reached 25.

The two old men stood with their hands behind their backs, watching over her shoulder.

No matter what they said or did, she remained completely unaffected.

Shao Yuye made it through another round—better than the last—but slipped up again at 36.

Even though he kept reminding himself there was no time limit and he mustn’t make mistakes, the more he thought about it, the more distracted he got.

At this point, Shen Wanwan had already reached 84.

The livestream comment section was just as tense as she was.

[OMG, only 16 numbers left—Shen Wanwan, please don’t mess up!]

[I can’t even breathe watching this! One mistake and she’s back to square one!!]

[You guys, get a grip. What’s the point of writing numbers? Don’t forget this is a speed-based obstacle course show, and several teams have already reached the top!]

[But watching them do this is seriously nerve-wracking—my palms are sweating…]

[Yeah, she’s already this far, just let her finish! It didn’t take that long anyway…]

In the tense atmosphere fueled by the barrage of comments, Shen Wanwan reached 97.

Now, only the last three numbers remained!

She flicked her wrist once, and under the intense anticipation of everyone watching, she calmly and flawlessly wrote the final three numbers on the sheet.

She passed in one go!

---

The break given by the production team was very short. Two days later, the second stop of <Extreme Challenge> officially started.

Meanwhile, the full version of the first stop—long awaited by the audience—was finally released.

To boost public engagement, the production team launched a “Guess the Pick” segment.

Viewers who correctly guessed all the team choices through the official mini-program stood a chance to win a random gift from the show.

Everyone who had watched the livestream was most curious about the final selection segment. The moment the video went online, viewers rushed to the ending. But when the final picks were revealed, everyone was shocked—

[WTF, Li Yan actually picked Shen Wanwan?]

[Why did Jiang Yuan also choose Shen Wanwan? He ignored God Zhou to choose her?!]

[Wait… Brother Ye… why did Brother Ye also pick Shen Wanwan?!]

[Seriously, the show must think we’re idiots! What kind of trashy Mary Sue plot is this?! With Shen Wanwan’s personality, how could three people choose her!!!]

[Looks like that previous rumor was true. Shen Wanwan really paid her way into a “beloved-by-all” storyline.]

At the same time, the director was going over the final rankings from the previous round with all the guests.

Each person’s completed challenges from the previous episode had been converted into points.

Qi Luozhou and Jiang Yuan scored 30 points each, placing them first with a total of 60 points. Their reward: 6 spins of the prize wheel.

Zhang Yiran got 27 points, Jin Xiaoyu 23, totaling 50 points and placing them second. They were awarded 3 spins.

Li Yan got 27, Jiang Qianfan 16, totaling 43 points and ranking third. Their reward: 2 spins.

Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye had 40 points, narrowly beating Bai Ling and Su Tingxuan, who had 39. They placed fourth.

Fourth place came with neither penalties nor rewards.

Fifth place, however, meant a 30-minute time penalty at the start of the next challenge.

Jiang Qianfan had originally been at the bottom, but thanks to teaming up with Li Yan, she skyrocketed to third place. She was so excited that she slapped Li Yan’s shoulder.

“You’re actually pretty reliable!”

Li Yan confidently brushed back his nonexistent bangs. “Told you I’ve got skills.”

“Yeah, way better than my last partner.”

She said this loudly and unapologetically, openly throwing Su Tingxuan under the bus.

Su Tingxuan’s face darkened. He wanted to argue, but being in front of both Bai Ling and the camera, he held back for a long moment—and still didn’t say a word.

He turned awkwardly to Bai Ling. “Sorry, Bai Ling. I dragged down your score.”

Bai Ling had originally been in third place, but was pulled down to last by Su Tingxuan. Though she felt some resentment, she still wore her usual understanding smile. “It’s okay, Tingxuan. Falling behind now doesn’t mean we’ll always be behind. I believe we’ll catch up.”

This stop was set in Zhucheng.

Zhucheng was mountainous. The first level was a climb. Contestants had to scale 1,000 steps to reach the mountaintop and obtain the clue for the second level.

Though the guests retained the Speed Tokens they had earned in the last episode—and Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye had enough to skip multiple stages—the production team had stipulated that Speed Tokens and item cards could not be used in the first level.

That meant…

All teams had to climb the 1,000 steps on foot. And the last group had to climb just by themselves.

Zhang Yiran looked up at the peak and said easily, “It’s just a thousand steps. Piece of cake. People with decent stamina can reach the top in ten minutes.”

He nudged his partner Jin Xiaoyu. “Hey, think you can keep up with me?”

Jin Xiaoyu swung a fist at him. “Who are you looking down on?! Just wait! I’ll show you a ‘White Crane Spreads Its Wings!’¹”

The comment section burst out in laughter.

Climbing a thousand stairs might seem like nothing to many people.

But for Shen Wanwan, it was a different story.

The bullet screen was full of wails.

[It’s over. I have a bad feeling—Shen Wanwan is definitely going to act up again.]

[Well, she is a spoiled rich girl. Just a few steps and she’ll be crying about foot pain!]

[I seriously feel bad for Brother Ye now. What did he do to deserve this? Why is Shen Wanwan always clinging to him?! ]

Once the director blew the whistle, the second stage officially began.

All the teams dashed forward—except Bai Ling and Su Tingxuan, who had to stay in place for 30 minutes due to their penalty.

Bai Ling watched longingly as everyone rushed ahead.

Su Tingxuan, worried she might be anxious, tried to reassure her.

If it had been a challenge requiring precision or skill, he might not have dared make any assumptions.

But this was a mountain climb.

Shen Wanwan was pampered—she wouldn’t last long before complaining of sore feet.

“Don’t worry. Shen Wanwan won’t be able to keep up. We’ll definitely catch up to them.”

But Bai Ling wasn’t worried at all.

She covered the mic with one hand and her mouth with the other, softly asking Su Tingxuan, “Did you notice that Shao Yuye kept secretly watching Shen Wanwan today?”

Su Tingxuan didn’t pay much attention, and replied gloatingly, “Maybe he’s regretting why he ever picked Shen Wanwan.”

Someone so famously prideful choosing such a pampered girl who can’t lift a finger—isn’t that just asking for trouble?

Bai Ling’s eyes flickered, but she said nothing more.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that wasn’t it.

Shao Yuye seemed to have developed… a different kind of feeling for Shen Wanwan.

Meanwhile, Shao Yuye and Shen Wanwan had already walked up a hundred steps. Their pace wasn’t fast, so for now, it was still relatively easy.

However, the distance had widened. Jiang Qianfan and Li Yan’s team had already climbed nearly three hundred steps.

Unlike the previous tense atmosphere, or the completely ignoring-each-other state at the end of the first episode, this time the two had some sparse exchanges—a kind of awkward small talk, like they wanted to get closer but didn’t know how to begin.

Shao Yuye in particular was visibly uneasy.

“I came here before with my group members. The air’s really good in Zhucheng.”

Shen Wanwan lazily replied, “Mm.”

Shao Yuye continued, trying again : “I remember there’s a signature bamboo rice dish at the mountaintop. We could try it later.”

Shen Wanwan’s flat, indifferent responses made the audience in the livestream uncomfortable.

[Wait… is Brother Ye really trying to start a conversation?!]

[You can tell he’s being forced to do this.]

[Don’t tell me he’s actually falling for the power of money?!]

The two of them continued walking up a few hundred more steps.

Shen Wanwan’s steps started to grow heavy, and a sharp pain began spreading from the tips of her toes.

At first it was just a twinge, but gradually, with each step, the tip of her foot felt like it was being stabbed with needles.

Compared to her struggle, Shao Yuye looked as if he were taking a relaxed stroll.

He noticed the slight furrow in her brow and asked nervously:

“Can you keep going?”

Shen Wanwan’s toes were still hurting.

“Not really.”

“Carry me.”

She held out her arms toward him like it was only natural.

[Here she comes! Our little princess disease has arrived!]

[Still wants Brother Ye to carry her? Dream on, girl!]

[I knew it. Shen Wanwan should just quit the show already!!]

[Pfft, can’t wait to see Shao Yuye lose it.]

[New here, just asking—are they gonna start throwing hands?]

The bullet comments were full of sarcasm and mockery.

Shao Yuye raised an eyebrow: “You say carry and I’m just supposed to do it?”

The paternity test hadn’t even come out yet.

Bullet chat lit up:

[Waiting for the drama to explode!]

[I’ve had enough of Shen Wanwan’s act for a long time!]

But the dramatic fallout they were expecting… didn’t happen.

After saying that, Shao Yuye instead took a big step toward her and crouched down.

“Get on.”

[??????????]

[Brother Ye, if you’re being held hostage by capital, just blink twice!]

[I can’t believe it! Brother Ye, what happened to you?! Did Shen Wanwan cast a spell on you?!]

[What’s wrong with this show?! Fellow ‘Yu Yu’s, if we don’t get angry at this, they’re gonna think we’re fools!]

The screen was filled with question marks.

Shao Yuye carefully helped her onto his back.

Unlike when they were kids, his back was now broad and strong.

Shen Wanwan pressed her hands against his back.

She turned off her mic and asked him in a low voice, “Weren’t you not going to carry me?

“The paternity results aren’t even out. You’ve already decided I’m your sister?”

Shao Yuye didn’t reply, just walked quickly with her on his back.

Shen Wanwan reached over and turned off the mic clipped near his collar, too.

“There. Now you can talk.”

Shao Yuye shot back : “Didn’t you say you’re my sister?”

“And you just believed me?” Shen Wanwan asked with interest, “Aren’t you afraid I’m lying to you?”

Shao Yuye pressed his lips together and didn’t answer.

Shen Wanwan really wanted to know, so she shook her legs a little to prod him.

“Come on, say it.”

Finally, Shao Yuye opened his mouth, hesitantly.

“I am.”

He paused, then added fiercely, “If you really are lying to me… I’ll make sure you regret it.”

No one was allowed to joke about his sister.

“What’s the price?”

Shen Wanwan was genuinely curious.

Shao Yuye didn’t answer, but 001 jumped out to reply in his place.

{I know, I know! I can tell you…}

Shen Wanwan motioned for it to shut up. “Your answer doesn’t matter.”

The little light orb pouted in grievance.

—{Hmph!}

It didn’t want to be nice to its host anymore!

Shen Wanwan asked again, “If I told you that I lost my memory for more than ten years, and only recently recalled everything… that my feelings for you might not be that strong… would you still want to acknowledge me?”

It was cruel, but during that long, blank period when her memories were wiped, there had been no place for her brother in her life—no memory of him at all.

Shao Yuye didn’t stop walking. It was as if what she said didn’t matter to him.

“It doesn’t matter.”

That year’s memories were too painful. Forgetting was better.

At least, during these past years, she had lived well, and had been happy.

Shen Wanwan was stunned for a moment.

In contrast, it really was the one who forgot that ended up happier.

She leaned against Shao Yuye, momentarily speechless.

Though usually quick with words, all she could manage in that moment was a dry:
“You’ve had a hard time these past years.”

In all those years when she had no memory…
In all those years when he had been left alone by Shao Hongyuan’s side…

He had still remembered her, searching tirelessly for her, guarding that memory in lonely silence.

Shao Yuye’s steps slowed for a second.

And in the next second, he heard her softly call—

“Brother.”

Shao Yuye suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

His chest rose and fell heavily for several seconds.

He felt like something was stuck in his throat.

And in that moment… he suddenly didn’t want to know the results of the paternity test anymore.

---

1. “White Crane Spreads its Wings” (白鶴亮翅 Báihè Liàngchì) is a movement in Taijiquan, a Chinese martial art. Based on my understanding, it seems like a posture of mimicking a white crane standing still in patience while looking for an opportunity to attack an opponent. So, I actually don’t understand why she mentioned this when asked if she could keep up in climbing (which means she shouldn’t be standing still). If there’s anyone who understands better, please help explain in the comment! ↩︎

---

Shen Wanwan had her own studio.

When she said she wanted to enter the entertainment industry, Shen Rong paved the way for her and carefully selected many high-quality resources. But she didn’t choose a single one—she just wanted to chase her dream of acting.

Just hearing this setting sounded completely ridiculous and explosive.

The next day, as soon as she arrived at the company, her agent-slash-assistant Xiao Le happily laid out a row of offers in front of her.

“Wanwan, you really picked the right show! So many variety programs are reaching out to you now, and even some dramas…”

Xiao Le had been randomly hired at the time.

By all logic, someone with her level of competence shouldn’t have been able to manage the role of an agent. But somehow, she’d held onto it for two or three years.

001 helpfully added : {A vicious female supporting character always needs a few useless teammates. Otherwise, how would a powerless female lead ever beat the wealthy heiress?}

Still, Shen Wanwan didn’t plan on firing Xiao Le.

Having a little assistant like this did add some fun to life.

Shen Wanwan glanced over the proposals. They were all from little-known variety shows. The most ‘famous’ one was a reality series called <Perfect Holiday>, known for its dramatic interpersonal conflicts. The program team had even kindly added a note : [Miss Shen only needs to maintain her spoiled princess persona.]

As for the drama role, it was just another clichéd character:

Rich, arrogant, obnoxious, and universally despised—the classic vicious second female lead.

Xiao Le beamed with pride at her side. “You really are living the big female lead script! Let’s just pick a couple small variety shows, brush up your presence with a minor drama, and boom—instant fanbase!”

“Reject them all,” Shen Wanwan said, tossing the scripts onto the table.

Xiao Le nearly thought she’d misheard.

“R–Reject them?!”

Shen Wanwan nodded.

If it weren’t for the fact that Shao Yuye was her brother—and her curiosity about what would happen when someone opposed the female lead—she wouldn’t even bother continuing with this current variety show.

Climbing her way up in the entertainment world to become a beloved superstar held no appeal for her.

Wasn’t it much nicer to just stay a wealthy heiress?

Xiao Le whined, “Wuwuwu, as expected of a rich young lady. The rich really can do whatever they want!”

And it made sense—after all, the Shen family was filthy rich. As long as money could get you in, what show couldn’t she join?

If the boss was willing, even internationally renowned directors’ productions were within reach—landing the lead role wouldn’t even take effort. So yeah, no need to waste time on these bottom-tier invitations.

Xiao Le eagerly asked, “So, Wanwan, do you have any plans next?”

Shen Wanwan, disinterested, replied, “Not really.”

“I’m even kind of thinking about quitting the industry.”

Xiao Le : ???

No. No, you’re not.

“Come on! At least stay for this show, right?! You get to see God Zhou and Brother Ye. Do you know how many people would kill for that chance?!

“If I could see God Zhou and Brother Ye in person even once in this lifetime, I could die with no regrets!”

Just as Shen Wanwan was about to respond, her phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

She pressed the answer button.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

A clear, cool voice came through the receiver.

Before Shen Wanwan could even react, the little light orb on her shoulder started trembling uncontrollably, squealing like a die-hard fan—

{Aaaaah! It’s the male lead! Why is the male lead calling you?!}

Shen Wanwan lifted the corners of her mouth slightly.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Qi Luozhou had taken the initiative to call her.

That could only mean one thing.

“You’ve made up your mind?”

A polite “Mm” came from the other end.

Then, in a calm and unhurried tone, he said:

“I’m not considering dating.”

001 made a smug face: {See? I told you the male lead would never agree to such a ridiculous request!

{He’s the female lead’s official pairing—no one else can compete.}

Shen Wanwan looked at the self-righteous little light orb and silently thought, Maybe not.

Sure enough, the next moment, Qi Luozhou’s voice came through the phone again:

“I need a fiancée.”

001 : ???

The face-slap came so fast it was almost dizzying.

It’s over.

This story was clearly no longer following its original plot!

Shen Wanwan chuckled and poked the stunned little light orb, then said to Qi Luozhou on the phone, “Let’s talk in person.”

After hanging up, she turned to Xiao Le.

“Get ready. You’re about to die with no regrets.”

The still-fighting-online Xiao Le, who had been locked in battle with Shen Wanwan’s haters for hours : “Huh?!”

Sunlight poured into the studio through spotless windows.

Xiao Le, like a diligent little bee, went to the meeting room next door to sweep the floor, wipe the table, and—finding the windows not quite to her liking—grabbed a rag and polished them until they gleamed.

Shen Wanwan leaned against the doorframe, holding a steaming cup of black tea and taking a light sip.

The delicate teacup shimmered softly in the morning light.

“What’s the point of fussing over all this nonsense?”

Though she didn’t come often, Shen Wanwan had very high standards for her surroundings. Her studio was cleaned daily by professional staff—it was never dirty to begin with.

Xiao Le was brimming with excitement. “I want to do something for God Zhou!

“I can do it! I totally can!”

Shen Wanwan glanced disdainfully at Xiao Le’s dusty-looking tracksuit.

“Go change your clothes.”

For a girl meeting her idol, nothing mattered more than her appearance.

Xiao Le froze. “But I don’t have any other clothes here.”

Besides, the outfit she wore today… wasn’t that bad, right?

And now it was probably too late to go home and change…

It was an hour round trip!

Shen Wanwan casually handed her a card.

“There’s a store downstairs. Go buy something. Quickly.”

Xiao Le : !!!

Her boss looked shining!

Xiao Le hesitated for a moment.

“Is this really okay…?”

Shen Wanwan clicked her tongue. “Pick something nice. Don’t embarrass me.”

Xiao Le : Eek!

“Boss—uh, I mean, Wanwan, you’re the best!”

Shen Wanwan didn’t allow Xiao Le to call her ‘Boss,’ saying it sounded old and tacky, like it added a dozen years to her age.

With the card in hand, Xiao Le dashed out and came back with a brand-new outfit. This time, she finally looked presentable.

Shen Wanwan looked at her with approval. “Very fitting.”

Xiao Le’s eyes sparkled with emotion.

“Thank you, Wanwan!”

Although Shen Wanwan could be a bit spoiled, she was especially good to the people around her.

Which made sense, really.

She was a pampered heiress, raised with love and luxury. So what if she had a few harmless temperamental quirks?

She paid a base salary that was three times the industry average!

Three times!

And it came with full benefits!

And now she even bought Xiao Le clothes!

Wuwuwu, Xiao Le swore she’d work for her boss for life!

So young, yet already corrupted by wealth, Xiao Le had tasted the joy of being carried by a powerful figure.

That’s why, if anyone dared speak ill of Shen Wanwan, she’d tear into them.

To her, there was no one better in the world than her boss!

While waiting for Qi Luozhou to arrive, 001 was feeling a bit nervous too.

{Is the male lead really coming?}

This whole thing…

Why did it feel so unreal?

Shen Wanwan took another sip of tea, and when she tilted her cup outward, Xiao Le quickly came over and refilled it for her.

Shen Wanwan spoke slowly and calmly: “He’s the one who needs me now.”

---

Half an hour later, Qi Luozhou arrived.

Along with him were his lawyer and his agent, Zhang Hao.

Just like Shao Yuye’s agent, Zhang Hao got out of the car and scanned the surroundings cautiously. Only when he confirmed there were no cameras near Shen Wanwan’s company did he relax a little.

Until now, Xiao Le had only ever seen God Zhou on TV.

Tall and well-built, with refined, handsome features—this outstanding man had walked right out of the screen and was now just a few meters away from her!

Even from afar, just looking at him made her face flush bright red.

And when he got closer, she felt like she could barely breathe.

Yet God Zhou had impeccable manners. When their eyes met, he even gave her a polite, slight smile.

Aaaaaaahhh!!

Blushing furiously, she led Qi Luozhou inside, just about to excuse herself, when Shen Wanwan suddenly gestured toward her.

“Mr. Qi, my assistant is a fan of yours. If you have a moment, would you sign something for her?”

Qi Luozhou paused, then looked at Xiao Le and smiled warmly.

“Where would you like me to sign?”

His gentle and respectful demeanor was like a spring breeze. Xiao Le’s heart was pounding, and she was screaming internally.

—MY! BOSS! IS! MY! GODDESS!
—I! WILL! WORK! FOR! HER! FOREVER!

Once Qi Luozhou finished signing, Xiao Le floated away, euphoric and surrounded by happiness.

In the meeting room, only Shen Wanwan, Qi Luozhou, and the lawyer remained.

Qi Luozhou handed her a draft of the prenuptial agreement. “Miss Shen, please take a look. Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to add.”

Shen Wanwan flipped through it from beginning to end.

Engagement first, one-year trial period.

If they got along, they’d proceed to marriage—after that, they’d stay out of each other’s business.

During the contract period, any necessary physical contact would require mutual cooperation.

If, after five years, either party feels it’s not suitable, the agreement can be terminated at any time.

This clause was better than Shen Wanwan had expected.

Especially at this critical juncture where she was just ending her engagement with Su Tingxuan, it felt almost like a timely pillow offered to a dozing person, surprisingly considerate.

However, there was indeed one point she needed to add.

She closed the folder and looked Qi Luozhou directly in the eyes.

“I require absolute loyalty from both sides in this marriage.”

It seemed he hadn’t anticipated such a simple request. Qi Luozhou’s lips curved slightly, and he agreed without the slightest hesitation.

“Of course.”

A crisp and straightforward reply.

Shen Wanwan nodded in satisfaction. “Then I have no objections.”

Qi Luozhou said, “Alright.”

After the lawyer added this clause, the documents were laid out in triplicate in front of them. As soon as both parties signed, the agreement would officially take effect.

Qi Luozhou said in a calm voice, “I have work this week. Next Saturday, I’ll need you to come home with me. I’ll formally introduce you to my family.”

Shen Wanwan nodded. “Alright, I’ll prepare some gifts.”

Qi Luozhou raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by how thoughtful her response was. His peach blossom eyes curved into a graceful arc.

“I didn’t expect Miss Shen to be so considerate.”

Shen Wanwan inclined her head slightly. “I hope your family’s reaction won’t disappoint me.”

The smile at the corner of Qi Luozhou’s lips deepened.

“You can rest assured, Miss Shen. My family is kind and avoids conflict.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Shen Wanwan pushed the signed contract over to him and took the initiative to extend her hand.

“Mr. Qi, I look forward to working with you.”

It was clear she was in a good mood. The lilt in her voice carried a trace of cheerful playfulness.

Qi Luozhou chuckled softly and gently held her fair, tender hand.

Their palms touched lightly, briefly.

A fleeting contact.

“Pleasure working with you.”

---

After dropping off Shen Wanwan, Shao Yuye went to see Shao Hongyuan.

The servants opened the door for him. Xu Qingxin was wearing a pure white wool sweater and was setting the table.

Shao Hongyuan was sitting beside her, watching the news.

Hearing the noise, Xu Qingxin was the first to speak:

“Xiao Ye, you’re back.”

Shao Yuye let out a cold laugh as a greeting.

Over the years, Shao Hongyuan had already gotten used to his son reacting this way.

But that didn’t stop him from thinking Shao Yuye was being impolite. “Is that how you speak to your stepmother?”

Shao Yuye ignored him.

Shao Hongyuan added, “Go call your sister down for dinner.”

Shao Yuye turned and headed straight upstairs.

The third floor of the villa was empty and quiet.

A figure crept up the stairs sneakily.

After school, Shao Jia saw that it was still early, and for some reason, she had wandered up to the third floor.

This floor had always been her brother’s space, and there was one room in particular that had always been off-limits since they were kids.

She had been curious about what lay behind that door for a long time.

She had never opened it before, either because her brother was around or for various other reasons.

But now, that door felt like Pandora’s box to her, filled with irresistible temptation…

She looked around carefully, making sure no one was nearby, before tiptoeing toward that room.

The doorknob turned easily in her hand.

What met her eyes was an overwhelming sea of pink. The bed was pink, the nightstand was pink, the wardrobe was pink, even the photo frame on the nightstand was pink.

It was a warm and lovely princess room.

At the top of the headboard was a photo of a beautiful, unfamiliar woman hugging two children with radiant smiles.

A boy and a girl, both with exquisitely delicate features.

She recognized the boy—it was Shao Yuye.

As for the girl…

It was probably his sister, the owner of this room.

Shao Jia’s heart suddenly sank.

She vaguely remembered hearing her mother mention that Shao Yuye had a biological sister, who had been taken away by his biological mother after the divorce. There had been no news of her for years.

Uncontrollably, she stepped further into the room.

There was another photo on the desk.

It was a photo of Shao Yuye with that little girl.

Her hands trembled as she picked it up.

You could tell the girl had been loved dearly. She wore a beautiful princess dress, a white crown on her head, a sparkling wand in one hand, and her other hand was held by Shao Yuye.

The two of them were smiling so sweetly in the picture.

Shao Yuye had never smiled at Shao Jia like that.

Shao Jia felt a sting in her chest.

He only ever mocked her, called her a homewrecker’s child, told her to stay far away.

But what did her mother do wrong?

His mother and father were truly in love. They had even met earlier than Shao Yuye’s mother.

If not for the arranged marriage forced on her father for the sake of the family, her mother wouldn’t have suffered so much. In truth, they were the real victims…

“What are you doing?!”

A cold voice suddenly rang out behind her, laced with barely concealed anger.

Shao Jia jumped in fright.

The photo slipped through her trembling fingers and fluttered softly to the floor.

She turned around in a panic and met Shao Yuye’s furious gaze head-on.

“Brother…”

His face remained cold. He shoved past her without a word and bent down to pick up the photo.

“Get out.”

Shao Jia’s shoulder throbbed from the impact. She protested:

“Brother—”

Shao Yuye picked up the photo, treating it like a precious treasure. He carefully wiped both sides of it, his voice even colder than before.

“Don’t make me say it again.”

Shao Jia flinched in fear.

She shuffled a few steps toward the door, then suddenly paused.

“But people need to look forward. She’s been separated from you for so many years now. Clearly, you’ll never see her again. I’m your sister now… How long are you going to stay stuck in the past?!”

Shao Yuye thought : What bullshit. And what the hell are you to me?

If we go by that logic, Shao Hongyuan has several other illegitimate children out there. Am I supposed to go smile sweetly at each and every one of them and play the loving brother?

He stared at Shao Jia with icy eyes, his voice full of impatience.

“Get out of my sight!”

---

At the same time, when Shen Wanwan got home, the living room TV was playing the replay of <Extreme Challenge>, featuring the segment with her and Shao Yuye.

Her mother Shen Mingzhen and stepfather Shen Rong were cuddled up on the sofa, watching with great enjoyment, praising her in perfect sync.

“My daughter is just so good-looking.”

“Mhm, she got your genes 100%.”

“Wow, Wanwan actually managed to walk across the balance beam. That’s amazing.”

“Yes, she’s always been great.”

Shen Wanwan : “……”

They were family, sure, but her parents’ rose-colored glasses were thicker than a city wall.

After her mother’s divorce, she had changed both her surname and her name.

Later, her mother married her stepfather Shen Rong.

Over the years, Shen Rong had treated both her and her mother very well. For the sake of Shen Mingzhen’s health, he had never had another child. He treated Shen Wanwan like his own, and she saw him as her real father too.

On the show, there were many close-ups of Shao Yuye.

Yet Shen Mingzhen watched without a trace of recognition.

Shen Wanwan turned her face to the side and asked the little light orb beside her : “My Mom also lost her memory, right?”

{Yes.}

001 explained : {Only by forgetting him completely and never trying to find him all these years, can your mother fulfill the plot point where your brother needs to be healed by the female lead.}

Shen Wanwan’s expression darkened in an instant.

For now, she put aside those nonsensical plot. Covering her mouth, she gave a light cough to remind her parents to turn around.

Shen Mingzhen and Shen Rong turned around at the same time and, upon seeing her, both lit up with joy.

“Wanwan, you’re back!”

Shen Mingzhen fluttered over to her like a butterfly, hugged her arm, and said, “Was filming the variety show tiring? Oh my, my dear daughter’s lost weight! Mom’s heart hurts for you!”

After marrying Shen Rong, Shen Mingzhen had always been well protected by him.

Her nature was still like that of a young girl, pure and sweet.

Shen Wanwan smiled and greeted her stepfather, and the three of them sat down at the dining table together.

Shen Mingzhen enthusiastically pushed a dish of braised pork—cooked until it was meltingly tender—toward her. “Eat more, I made this especially for you.”

Aunt Jiang, standing to the side, smiled and said, “When Madam heard Miss was coming home today, she even went to the vegetable garden for a stroll. All the vegetables were freshly picked today.”

Shen Mingzhen had set up a greenhouse garden in the backyard. When she had free time, she tended it herself, and when she didn’t, Aunt Jiang helped out.

“That’s right, want a bowl of radish soup? This is the perfect time to drink it.”

As soon as Shen Mingzhen finished speaking, Shen Rong took the initiative to ladle out a bowl of soup and passed it to Shen Wanwan.

“Careful, it’s hot.”

During the meal, Shen Mingzhen asked with concern, “Xiao Xuan is off the variety show too, right? Should we invite him over for dinner tomorrow?”

Shen Wanwan replied unhurriedly, “No need. My engagement with Su Tingxuan needs to be called off.”

Shen Mingzhen was taken aback, then asked with concern:

“What happened? Did you two have a fight?”

“Mm.” Shen Wanwan replied seriously, “I don’t need a fiancé who’s thinking about someone else.”

That single sentence carried a huge amount of information, and Shen Mingzhen’s expression instantly darkened.

In her youth, she’d been a bit of a love-struck fool, falling for the bit of warmth her ex-husband Shao Hongyuan showed and mistakenly believing he was the man she could entrust her life to.

It wasn’t until she caught him cheating—and endured his emotional breakdown and angry rants—that she discovered he had a first love he had been entangled with, on and off, for over a decade.

That failed marriage taught her a hard lesson.

Marrying a scumbag who cares about someone else means the wife and children will be the biggest sacrifices.

Shen Rong’s expression was even colder than Shen Mingzhen’s. He put down his chopsticks and asked calmly:

“He actually said that?”

Shen Wanwan gave a faint “Mm.”

Shen Rong nodded. “Understood.”

---

Shao Yuye had just finished one of the most unpleasant dinners of his life.

Shao Jia had come downstairs in tears. Shao Hongyuan was furious, and as always, he couldn’t escape getting scolded too.

When things got so ugly that no one could smooth them over, Xu Qingxin finally pretended to step in and mediate: “Alright, alright, it’s my birthday today. Even if not for my sake, you two are father and son—what grudge can’t be resolved between father and son?”

“We haven’t taken a family photo in a long time. I suggest we take one together tonight!”

Shao Yuye sneered coldly and couldn’t be bothered to respond. He turned to leave.

But Shao Hongyuan pulled the same old trick again: “If you dare walk out of this house today! Forget about getting your sister’s room back!”

His steps halted in place. The look in his eyes as he stared at Shao Hongyuan grew colder.

“After all these years, this is the only thing you’ve got left to threaten me with.”

His sister was his biggest weakness.

Even though he was extremely unwilling, Shao Yuye still put on a face of irritation and went along with the photo.

He couldn’t stand staying with them a second longer. As soon as the photo was taken, he went straight upstairs.

He locked his door, threw himself heavily onto the soft bed, and stared at the ceiling, feeling as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest.

Then suddenly, something occurred to him. He grabbed his phone, flipped over, and lay on his stomach, typing Shen Wanwan’s name into the search bar.

The information on Baidu¹ and other platforms was very comprehensive.

Shen Wanwan and his sister shared the same birthdate, same birthplace…

As he kept reading, his heart started pounding wildly, as if it were about to leap out of his throat!

He also came across the dramas Shen Wanwan had acted in.

They were those kinds of low-budget web dramas with terrible viewership.

Honestly, her acting wasn’t great—but she was very beautiful.

The bullet comments were a mix of scorn and praise, jumping back and forth between [Please go improve your acting, I could act better with my feet] and [Ahhh, Shen Wanwan is so pretty, even if her acting’s bad, she’s still gorgeous!]

Watching those contradictory comments fly by, and looking at Shen Wanwan’s coquettish, proud little expressions on screen, Shao Yuye couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Damn.

She’s kinda cute.

Just like when she was little!

Before he knew it, he had finished an entire episode.

Shao Yuye eagerly clicked on the second episode.

The gloom that had weighed on him all night unknowingly lifted, and his mood suddenly improved.

It wasn’t until midnight that he reluctantly put down his phone.

Even with the lights off, his mind remained wide awake.

Shao Yuye rested his hands behind his head, thoughts racing in the dark.

From what he now knew, his mother had remarried and brought his younger sister with her—to Shen Rong.

Shen Rong, huh.

He turned over again and grabbed his phone from the bedside table, beginning to search in the dark.

Real estate tycoon, CEO of a multinational corporation, and so on.

Blinded by all those flashy titles, Shao Yuye came to one conclusion—

They’d been living well all these years.

Shen Rong hadn’t let his mother suffer even the slightest bit more.

Among the pile of business articles, he managed to find a few scattered news pieces about their relationship. All of them said Shen Rong respected and cherished his wife, and that they had a beloved and outstanding daughter—Shen Wanwan.

Shao Yuye felt a trace of relief, but mingled with it was a faint sorrow.

The room he’d stubbornly preserved for so many years would never welcome its owner back.

But that also meant… soon, he wouldn’t have to come back to this disgusting house either.

As long as the DNA test confirmed Shen Wanwan was his sister…

If she was her, the little sister who was by his side, growing alongside him in their childhood…

Then he could finally leave this revolting house behind!

---

1. Baidu is commonly known as Chinese version of Google, but I think here Shao Yuye is talking about Baidu Baike, a service under Baidu that’s similar to Wikipedia. ↩︎

---

{Ahhh, it’s finally been said out loud!}

001 spun around in the air, touched.

{You’re finally going to start loving each other as siblings!}

As expected, Shao Yuye’s eyes widened in shock.

Completely and utterly disbelieving.

How could it be possible?!

How could Shen Wanwan possibly… be his biological sister?!

Even though he appeared perfectly calm on the surface, a million thoughts were racing through Shao Yuye’s mind at that moment.

He fixed his gaze on the girl in front of him.

The lounge was bathed in golden sunset light.

Shen Wanwan stood calmly in front of him, her entire being seemingly outlined in gold.

Her long, straight black hair quietly draped down her back, her fair and slender neck flawless.

Her facial features, her eyes and brows—there were indeed some similarities between them.

But just that alone wasn’t enough to prove Shen Wanwan was his sister.

What’s more, the variety show had already aired one episode. The two of them had been on trending searches for all the wrong reasons, his negative public perception kept rising, while Shen Wanwan, though criticized, was steadily gaining fame.

Shao Yuye had no choice but to conclude that Shen Wanwan’s actions were premeditated.

All these years, he’d been secretly looking for his sister. Word had gotten out long ago, and every now and then, someone claiming to be his sister would show up, but none had been the real one.

Shao Yuye considered seriously—

If they went to the hospital together, Shen Wanwan might use this angle to generate buzz and gain even more attention.

He couldn’t let down his guard.

He let out a cold sneer. “How come I’ve never heard I had a sister?”

Shen Wanwan’s expression froze for a brief second.

Then she broke into an impeccable, sweet smile.

“Whether you do or not, we’ll know with a DNA test, won’t we?”

Shao Yuye’s eyes narrowed.

Under her confident, flawless gaze, he slowly stood up straight.

This might be a trap…

She had thrown out an extremely tempting offer, trying to lure him in.

But what could he do?

—Even if there was only a one-in-a-million chance…

He had to take it.

Besides, she clearly knew so many memories—things only he and his sister could’ve shared.

“Let’s go!”

---

When the nanny van door opened, Brother Li was scrolling through Weibo’s trending topics.

Today, Shao Yuye and Shen Wanwan had gone from heated confrontation to a cold war, and the topic was still hot.

Plenty of people were gossiping about what had happened between the two, with rumors claiming that Shao Yuye might have been coerced by the show’s producers—accusing Shen Wanwan of being a ‘pay-to-win’ contestant, using money to push herself forward while even top-tier idols were reduced to supporting her.

What a load of nonsense.

Absolutely ridiculous!

If Shao Yuye were that easy to be manipulated by capital, then what had they all been working so hard for these years? Was his status as a top-tier celebrity just a joke?!

Brother Li scrolled through the page in disbelief. Just then, he heard the car door open and turned around.

“What’s going on with you and Shen Wanwan today—”

Before he could finish his sentence, a light, cool citrus fragrance brushed past his nose.

A woman in a long black dress climbed into the car and picked a seat in front of him without a word.

As Brother Li stared, dumbfounded, she adjusted the headrest, tilted the seat to the most comfortable angle, and calmly put on a black velvet sleep mask.

The whole series of movements was so smooth and natural that it left Brother Li completely stunned.

“Wait…”

Wasn’t that Shen Wanwan?!

He hesitantly looked at Shao Yuye, who got in right behind her.

His brain felt like it was about to overheat.

Still, his instincts as a manager kicked in, and he cautiously checked outside the car to make sure there were no paparazzi tailing them. Only then did he relax a little.

The windows were tinted with privacy film, so he wasn’t too worried about anyone seeing inside.

Brother Li gave Shao Yuye a questioning look.

Shao Yuye sat beside him and answered lightly:

“She might be my sister.”

Brother Li : ???

“Which sister? Your scumbag Dad had another one out of wedlock again?”

Shao Yuye’s face turned serious. “The one I’ve been looking for—my real sister.”

Brother Li was stunned. His voice shot up by eight octaves.

“Your real sister?!”

The biological sister they’d been searching for for seven years with zero leads?!

Turns out… she’s Shen Wanwan?!

He couldn’t believe it.

And wasn’t Shen Wanwan’s father Shen Rong?

How the hell did she end up being related to Shao Yuye?

He couldn’t figure it out—really couldn’t!

In the front seat, Shen Wanwan wrinkled her nose slightly, letting out a tiny “Tsk.”

Brother Li immediately covered his mouth with a palm and whispered,

“So what’s going on now?”

Shao Yuye’s mind was a total blank.

He tried to keep his voice even.

“We’re going to the hospital. For a DNA test.”

Back when Shao Yuye first confessed to Brother Li that he came from a wealthy family, Brother Li had been completely shocked.

What kind of rich young master has such a bumpy career path?

At eighteen, he came alone to a record company to chase his dreams, sleeping in the practice room every day, eating instant noodles to save money, and even fainting from hypoglycemia while dancing.

At the time, Shao Yuye had used that same flat tone to sum up his miserable situation in just one sentence:

“My parents divorced, my Mom took my sister and left, and my Dad’s mistress took over the house. It was suffocating to stay there, so I left. Brother Li, I want to be famous. If I become famous, my sister, my Mom… they’ll see me…”

Thinking of Shao Yuye’s messy family situation, Brother Li hesitated and asked, “If the test confirms that she’s really your biological sister… do you want me to help with anything?”

Shao Yuye closed his eyes for a moment. “Let’s wait for the results first.”

If…

If Shen Wanwan really was his biological sister…

Shao Yuye was sitting just behind Shen Wanwan.

From his angle, he could see her smooth, delicate face clearly.

The more he looked at her, the more convinced he felt—she really did seem like his sister.

The van was moving forward steadily when the girl in the front seat suddenly frowned slightly, as if disturbed.

Shao Yuye instinctively reined in his expression.

Shen Wanwan lifted her eye mask and turned her face away in mild annoyance.

“Stop shaking your leg.”

Shao Yuye looked down at his leg, which had been unconsciously bouncing. His chest tightened.

His palm was ice cold.

Damn.

He was actually nervous.

The two of them went to a private hospital for a kinship DNA test.

Since it involved a top celebrity’s privacy and the hospital wanted to ensure the results’ accuracy, they said they’d deliver the outcome in seven working days.

Seven days.

To Shao Yuye, it felt like years.

When they came out of the hospital, his attitude toward Shen Wanwan was clearly more cautious.

“Where are you going?”

Shen Wanwan : “Home.”

That word home quietly stabbed at Shao Yuye’s heart.

After a pause of two seconds, he said, “I’ll take you.”

Shen Wanwan nodded. “Okay.”

The two got into the car together.

This time, Shao Yuye sat beside Shen Wanwan.

Taking a deep breath, he decided to ask all his questions in one go.

“What was your original name?”

Shen Wanwan’s expression instantly turned cold. “I don’t want to say.”

Anything related to Shao Hongyuan, she wanted nothing to do with it.

Shao Yuye kept his eyes fixed on her.

He knew that expression all too well:

They both hated Shao Hongyuan.

He brushed past the moment casually.

“What about Mom? What’s her name?”

Shen Wanwan : “Shen Mingzhen.”

That long-unheard name made Shao Yuye’s heart suddenly pound.

But his face stayed calm as he continued his questions.

“What was the name of the golden retriever we had when we were kids?”

Shen Wanwan answered without the slightest hesitation : “Jiujiu.”

She had named it.

Shao Yuye: “On my last birthday, how many candles were on the cake?”

The light atmosphere in the car suddenly froze.

Shao Yuye raised an eyebrow, thinking there’s no way you’ll know this one.

Shen Wanwan sighed deeply, her tone slightly helpless: “…Do you even hear the kind of questions you’re asking?”

Shao Yuye covered his face. *…Ahem, ahem.*

“One last question.”

Shen Wanwan lifted her chin slightly, signaling him to go ahead.

Shao Yuye : “What’s the name of the biggest Ultraman figure in my room?”

Shen Wanwan : “…”

She suddenly felt like just answering these childish questions was lowering her IQ by several levels.

But the way he looked at her was full of eagerness.

There was even a touch of encouragement.

She rubbed her forehead and replied flatly : “Tiga¹.”

Because she had once said he looked super cool.

Just like her brother.

The empty car fell into a deep silence.

It was as if something inside Shao Yuye’s heart gave a soft *boom*.

Brother Li, sitting nearby like a transparent person, watched the two of them trade these ‘secret codes. He couldn’t understand, but sensed the gravity of the moment.

All of Shao Yuye’s nervousness was swallowed in that instant, replaced by a complete mental blank.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared at her in disbelief, his voice trembling:

“You… are really my sister?”

Shen Wanwan calmly replied: “Let’s wait for the test results.”

Words alone weren’t enough to dispel the doubt in Shao Yuye’s heart.

After all, they had been out of contact for so long.

Rather than trying in vain to explain that she really was his sister, it was better to let the DNA test report do the talking.

Besides, she needed the paternity test result too.

The little flame that had flared up in Shao Yuye’s heart was temporarily extinguished.

True.

Words alone weren’t proof.

He should trust science.

It’s just seven days.

It’ll pass quickly.

---

1. Ultraman Tiga, the twelfth entry in the Ultraman Series. ↩︎

---

“Whoa, there were actually three people who picked her!”

“I thought I was hallucinating!”

Jin Xiaoyu secretly whispered to Jiang Qianfan beside her, “I was sitting next to her just now and heard her phone buzz three times.”

Jiang Qianfan was also confused and clicked her tongue. “Shao Yuye obviously hates Shen Wanwan. Why would he choose her?”

The director turned to Shen Wanwan with a question.

“Three people have chosen you. May I ask, who is your choice?”

Shen Wanwan walked toward Shao Yuye.

This outcome shocked everyone present.

Weren’t they supposed to dislike each other?

Why on earth did Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye end up choosing each other?!

Jin Xiaoyu quietly muttered, “Could it be scripted?”

“Feels like it,” someone responded.

Jiang Qianfan almost rolled her eyes to the back of her head. “The pair least likely to choose each other did choose each other. If that’s not a script, what is?”

The director asked Shen Wanwan, “Do you have anything you’d like to say to the other two?”

Shen Wanwan looked at Li Yan and Jiang Yuan.

“You both have great taste.”

Her voice was full of praise.

Zhang Yiran, who didn’t choose Shen Wanwan: “…”

He sneaked a glance at Qi Luozhou next to him and, to his surprise, found Qi Luozhou was staring at Shen Wanwan.

Looking amused, the corners of Qi Luozhou’s mouth were slightly lifted, and his peach blossom eyes curved into an elegant arc.

Zhang Yiran thought, Well, I’m not as magnanimous as God Zhou.

Only the two of them hadn’t chosen Shen Wanwan.

So what, did that mean they had no taste?

Li Yan was also smiling.

He had only picked her because Shen Wanwan was the prettiest girl there.

But now he thought, This woman really is something else!

She was so unique.

Even though she didn’t talk much and occasionally gave off a bit of a ‘Queen of the world’ vibe…

…She really was too unique.

“No worries, let’s collaborate next time~”

Director: “Congratulations to Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye for successfully matching and earning the [Love Stronger Than Gold] item card!

“Unfortunately, everyone else’s matches failed.

“Now, we’ll begin the second round of mutual selections…”

Shen Wanwan and Shao Yuye sat together in the seats reserved for matched pairs.

Ever since earlier, Shao Yuye’s gaze had practically been glued to her, burning with intensity.

Now that they were sitting together, he seemed to want to say something, but hesitated.

{If it weren’t for the cameras, I bet he’d already be grilling you about how you know so much information.}

Shen Wanwan was quite pleased with Shao Yuye’s current state.

“Hmm, I’ll think about whether I want to tell him.”

The little ball of light was frantic.

{Hey hey hey!!!

{Stop messing with your brother!

{All these years, he’s always been thinking about you.}

“Hm?” Shen Wanwan raised her brows. “What do you mean?”

001 : {Seems like you’ve misunderstood him. Hold on, I’ll find you some footage from his early audition days!}

The early footage wasn’t very high quality.

Eighteen-year-old Shao Yuye looked a little green, but the sharpness in him was even more intense than now.

He had a kind of unique, fierce energy about him.

The host asked, “Why are you participating in this show?”

“I want to be famous.

The 18-year-old boy faced the camera, hiding nothing about his ambition.

“To get big.”

At the time, people didn’t like this kind of overtly ambitious persona. They preferred polished, PR-friendly answers like ‘chasing my dreams’ or ‘proving myself.’

But Shao Yuye was direct and said exactly what he thought.

“I want everyone to see me.”

He was absolutely slammed by online comments.

[This guy is clearly desperate for fame!]

[Just because he’s good-looking doesn’t mean he can be so full of himself!]

That audition became a disaster for Shao Yuye.

Malicious comments poured in like a tidal wave, and countless hands tried to drag him down into the abyss.

But in that chaotic darkness, he was like a sharply defined bolt of lightning—cutting through the gloom, reborn from the fire.

{He’s had a really tough time these past years.}

The little light orb’s voice also slowed down.

{After Shao Yuye’s limited-time idol group from the talent show disbanded, he became the cash cow of an unscrupulous company, which booked him for an overwhelming number of jobs.

{Later, Shao Yuye paid a sky-high penalty fee to terminate his contract with that company, and only then did his career gradually get back on track.}

Only then did Shen Wanwan finally dig up the name of that scumbag father from her distant memories.

“Where’s Shao Hongyuan?”

{Shao Hongyuan was still counting on him to return and take over the family business. There’s no way Shao Hongyuan would’ve supported him.

{But it’s okay—your brother is still amazing. He climbed his way up with his own abilities, step by step. The title of ‘Strongest ACE’ really isn’t just fan hype.}

Shen Wanwan’s expression suddenly turned cold.

Meanwhile, the second round of mutual partner selection had just ended.

In the end, Bai Ling and Su Tingxuan became a team;

Jin Xiaoyu and Zhang Yiran became a team;

Jiang Qianfan and Li Yan became a team;

Only Qi Luozhou and Jiang Yuan kept their original team. But unfortunately, since Jiang Yuan had chosen Shen Wanwan in the first round, they didn’t win the reward of the [Love Stronger Than Gold] item card.

With that, the first recording session officially came to an end.

---

Once all the cameras were turned off and the guests were preparing to go their separate ways, Shao Yuye suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Shen Wanwan by the wrist.

“Come with me!”

He couldn’t wait a second longer!

Everyone’s eyes snapped toward them.

This time, Shen Wanwan didn’t pull away. She only gestured for him to let go.

“You’re hurting me.”

Shao Yuye paused, looking as if he were fighting an intense internal battle, then finally let go of her.

As soon as he released her, several red finger marks appeared on Shen Wanwan’s fair skin.

The two of them left the studio side by side, leaving behind a crowd of clueless onlookers.

“Holy crap, did you see that? Brother Ye didn’t look good at all.”

“The way he dragged her off—it looked like he was about to pick a fight.”

“Well, no wonder he’s mad. Let me analyze this logically: he hates Shen Wanwan, finally made it to the re-selection round, and then got forced by the capital to pick her again. Wouldn’t you be pissed?”

“For real! I’d be fuming! Shen Wanwan just got lucky being born into the right family—ugh, so unfair. I wanna become the capital and save my poor Brother Ye!!”

Shao Yuye led Shen Wanwan into the break room. After confirming that there were absolutely no cameras running, he slammed the door shut and got straight to the point.

“How do you know so much about me?”

Shen Wanwan looked at him with a faint, teasing smile.

“I know a lot more.”

Shao Yuye : “?”

Shen Wanwan: “When you were little, you got chased by a goose in the countryside, and then climbed a tree to get a beehive, only to end up stung so badly you looked like a pig’s head.”

The goose chase was because she said she wanted to ride it. The beehive? Because she wanted to eat honey.

Shao Yuye : “……”

Shen Wanwan : “You also burned off your eyebrows roasting sweet potatoes.”

He ended up a total mess but still brought her back a warm little roasted sweet potato.

Shao Yuye: “……”

Shen Wanwan: “And you have a red mole just above your right hipbone…”

She had once complained that the little red mole on her hand was ugly, so he lifted his shirt to show her his own and told her that it was there so Mom could tell them apart.

So many memories that time had worn away into haze.

The answer in Shao Yuye’s heart was suddenly screaming to be let out.

“…How do you know all that?! Do you… know me or something…”

“Because I’m your sister.”

They spoke in unison.

This pair of siblings, who usually had no sense of rapport, displayed a rare and extraordinary synchronicity in that moment.

Then, both fell into silence.

The room was so quiet, one could hear a pin drop.

Shen Wanwan looked into his eyes and slowly added:

“The blood-related kind.”

---

That day, Shao Yuye had been in a gloomy mood, though the progress of the challenge was remarkably smooth.

He handled the physical tasks, while Shen Wanwan took care of the mental ones. Even though the two of them exchanged zero words, their speed at clearing levels was top-notch. The livestream comments were buzzing, joking that the producers must’ve leaked the answers just to keep them around.

After clearing yet another level, Shao Yuye didn’t rush ahead but instead walked into a cake shop.

The sweet aroma lingered at the tip of his nose. He stood in front of the display case for a long time, struggling to choose from the dazzling array of cakes.

In truth, he just wanted to pick one at random.

But as if guided by some invisible force, halfway through reaching for one, he changed direction and grabbed a slice of red velvet cake—his sister’s favorite.

After paying, he handed the box of cake to Shen Wanwan.

She had given him a Black Forest cake before.

Now he was returning the favor.

Even though their time as teammates had been full of arguments, now that they were about to part ways, he didn’t want things to end on a sour note.

Ever since he had scolded her that morning, Shen Wanwan had adopted the principle of ‘whoever speaks first is the dog.’ Aside from answering quiz questions or speaking to the staff, she hadn’t said a single word to Shao Yuye.

When he handed her the cake, she simply cast a cold glance at it, then looked away, clearly disinterested.

Shao Yuye didn’t have anything extra to say to her either, he wasn’t the type to owe people anything.

He tried to push the cake into her hands.

But Shen Wanwan wouldn’t take it.

She looked at him coolly, her tone frosty:

“Don’t bother me.”

Shao Yuye : “……”

She was clearly throwing his words from earlier that morning right back at him.

Still, he couldn’t be bothered to argue with this drama queen.

“Take it. I don’t like owing people favors.”

Shen Wanwan gave a sharp little snort, her crisp voice tinged with a bit of sass:

“This cake doesn’t have the little pearls on top. I’m not that impressed.”

Shao Yuye froze as if struck by lightning.

The childish voice from his memories slowly overlapped with the person in front of him.

This wasn’t the first time.

Over the past few days, she’d kept stirring up fragments of his past.

All of it, brushing it off as mere coincidence didn’t sit right anymore.

Shen Wanwan, she…

Just then, the bell signaling the end of the challenge rang out, officially announcing the end of the first stop. The livestream ended as well.

The staff called for everyone to get back on the bus to return to the starting point.

Shao Yuye finally snapped out of it, lifting his head as if waking from a dream, but Shen Wanwan had already gotten on the shuttle and left alone.

The autumn wind brushed his face, a chill in the air.

Standing there in the wind, the dark cloud that had shrouded his chest all morning now felt like it was lit with fire.

---

On the ride back, 001 suddenly had a revelation: {You’re not hoping your brother will recognize you on his own, are you?}

Shen Wanwan’s face was expressionless. “Is there something wrong with that?”

The little glowing orb seemed to fall into deep thought: {Er… feels like that might be kind of hard.}

Shen Wanwan gave a soft snort. “If he can’t even recognize his own sister, why should I recognize him?”

What stood between her and Shao Yuye wasn’t just a few years apart, it was a chasm of more than a decade. A simple “I’m your sister” wasn’t enough to bridge that gap.

So even though 001 always referred to him as ‘your brother,’ Shen Wanwan usually just called him Shao Yuye.

The clues from their childhood she had thrown at him, those should be enough to awaken memories of his sister.

That is, if he still remembered her at all.

Hearing this, 001 became even more confused.

{That… that kind of makes sense?!}

Su Tingxuan and Jiang Qianfan were the first pair to return.

When Shen Wanwan got off the car, she didn’t spare them even a glance and walked straight back to her spot.

One had to admit, her figure and posture were excellent. Even just standing there casually, she exuded an air of elegance and nobility.

But so what if she looked perfect on the outside?

Jiang Qianfan gloated :

“She came back alone. Probably had another fight with Shao Yuye.”

Su Tingxuan thought so too.

Soon, other groups returned and were all puzzled to see Shen Wanwan alone.

When Shao Yuye finally showed up, everyone had arrived.

Bai Ling whispered to Jin Xiaoyu, “I feel like Shao Yuye’s in a pretty bad mood.”

Jin Xiaoyu whispered back, “Well, duh. He was paired with Shen Wanwan. Who wouldn’t be in a bad mood? But partner selection is coming soon, he’ll be free of her soon enough…”

Director : “Alright, since everyone is here, let’s announce the final results!”

The final progress in the challenge was very clear.

Qi Luozhou and Jiang Yuan ranked first, having cleared 30 levels.

Zhang Yiran and Li Yan came in second with 27 levels.

Third place went to Bai Ling and Jin Xiaoyu. Shao Yuye and Shen Wanwan placed fourth. Jiang Qianfan and Su Tingxuan turned the tide just in time and narrowly secured fifth place. Unfortunately, Jia Lu and Chi Tian were in last place and became the team to be eliminated.

Shao Yuye didn’t say a word; his eyes burned as he looked at Shen Wanwan. “I have something to say to you.”

But Shen Wanwan still ignored him.

Her posture was as haughty as a cat’s.

In the past, Shao Yuye would’ve been annoyed already.

But this time, the more he looked, the more she reminded him of his little sister when she used to get sulky. It was the exact same proud and pouty expression.

A certain question kept swirling on the tip of his tongue, uncertain whether it should be asked.

As he grew increasingly agitated, someone suddenly called his name.

It was Chi Tian giving her farewell speech after elimination : “Honestly, being eliminated doesn’t feel too bad. I just regret not getting to team up with Brother Ye. I really wanted to experience what it’s like to be carried by him~”

The other girls all smiled politely.

The livestream comments (bullet chats) were full of support:

[Aww don’t be sad, Sister Chi Tian! There’ll be other chances to team up in the future!]

[That’s right, the future is long~]

Shao Yuye was momentarily stunned, then seriously said to Chi Tian, “You can team up with me, but don’t hold me back.”

Everyone : “……”

Chi Tian : “……”

A young girl’s heart shattered into pieces.

[Hahaha I can’t! Seriously, Brother Ye is single purely because of his personality.]

[In this industry, anyone could get into a scandal, except for Brother Ye! That mouth of his!!!]

[Poor Chi Tian, don’t cry! Brother Ye is just a total straight guy. All he sees is winning or losing, no wonder people always say he’s overly competitive!]

[Brother Ye, please just stop talking!]

Even Shen Wanwan curled her lips into a slight smile.

After Jia Lu and Chi Tian left, the production team tallied up the rankings for this round.

Once that was done, it was time for the most highly anticipated moment, the partner selection round.

“Now, I will announce the rules for self-selection.

“Only when both parties choose each other will the pairing be considered successful.

“If the two guests who pair up successfully are already the same team as this round, they will receive a [Love Stronger Than Gold] bonus card.

“Guests who fail to mutually select each other will be reshuffled into new teams, and their challenge progress will be recalculated based on a combined score!

“Now, please pick up your phones and send an invitation to the person you want to team up with!”

At that moment, the livestream screen went black.

[What the hell?! Just when it got good, it’s over! Director, I beg you to be human, please!!!]

[Show it to me now! Aaaah I NEED to know who Brother Ye will choose!!!]

This segment had become one of the biggest cliffhangers and highlights of each episode.

The female lead, Bai Ling, showed off her charm. Starting with only three votes, and eventually turning into a universally beloved fan favorite—all thanks to this segment.

001 asked excitedly : {Who are you going to choose?}

Shen Wanwan quickly finished composing and sending her text, then asked 001:

“Who do you think everyone will pick?”

{Uh, in the original novel you and your brother were cyberbullied and eliminated, so I did know how the choices went. But now that the story has changed, you and your brother stayed, and Jia Lu and Chi Tian were eliminated, I honestly don’t know how the teams will turn out!}

Shen Wanwan gave a small smile. “Who do you think I will pick?”

{Ugh, I’m more worried about whether anyone will pick you, honestly!}

If no one chose her, it’d be super embarrassing, totally uncool.

Shen Wanwan just smiled nonchalantly.

“I don’t care.”

She didn’t need others choosing her to prove how popular or desirable she was.

Why would she need that kind of validation? It’s not like she’s money.

Just as she said that, her phone buzzed unexpectedly.

It was a message from a number ending in 0085:

“Wanna team up for the next round?”

001 let out a dramatic ‘Oho!’ and twirled in the air : {Who sent that?}

Shen Wanwan replied calmly : “Obviously not Shao Yuye.”

{Doesn’t matter, at least someone chose you, haha! Who’s the kind soul? That’s nice!}

Just then, Shen Wanwan’s phone buzzed again.

Jin Xiaoyu beside her couldn’t help glancing over.

Was she hearing things?

Did the phone just buzz twice?

{Whoa! Someone else texted you again!}

Shen Wanwan opened the new message.

138****0002 : “Maybe we’d make a good team.”

Clearly, this wasn’t from Shao Yuye either.

{Wow! I didn’t realize you were this charming! Two votes, two votes!}

The little glowing orb bounced excitedly on Shen Wanwan’s shoulder.

If it had hands, it would’ve been beating on two gongs right now.

Oh yeah.

Its host is amazing!

Once everyone finished sending their messages, the staff quickly handed the director the cue cards with the tallied results.

“Now, we will announce the results of this selection round. We’ll start with the female guests.”

The director’s gaze swept across everyone. The first name he called was Bai Ling.

“Bai Ling. One guest chose you.”

001 said curiously : {Huh? In the original plot, the female lead clearly got three votes, why is there only one now?!}

Shen Wanwan smiled, “Who chose her?”

{Su Tingxuan, Jin Xiaoyu, Jiang Qianfan.}

{That’s strange, why didn’t the other two choose her again? This doesn’t match the plot of the book!}

Shen Wanwan smiled slightly.

The problem must have stemmed from that hot spring card.

Unlike in the book, she didn’t refuse the card. Instead, she accepted it.

Just like the slight flap of a butterfly’s wings can set off a chain reaction, Jin Xiaoyu, as a teammate, began to feel a grudge toward Bai Ling, and Jiang Qianfan, unable to get help from her ‘good bestie’, also formed an unfavorable opinion of Bai Ling.

“Bai Ling, let’s go together to the next stop, okay?”

Under the curious gaze of everyone, Su Tingxuan took a step forward.

He looked deeply at Bai Ling and repeated the same words he had sent her in the message.

Everyone turned to look at Bai Ling.

Her expression turned awkward.

Zhang Yiran slapped his thigh in excitement: “Oh my god, this announcement part is too intense!”

The director looked at Su Tingxuan: “Sorry, Bai Ling’s first choice isn’t you.”

Su Tingxuan was briefly stunned, but quickly understood.

Bai Ling probably chose Jin Xiaoyu, since they worked well together during the first stop.

But then the director quickly shattered his assumption: “Bai Ling, the partner you chose is Qi Luozhou.”

Su Tingxuan looked at Bai Ling in disbelief, and the expressions of the others became subtly complex at that moment.

Only Shen Wanwan and Qi Luozhou remained the calmest.

Bai Ling looked at Qi Luozhou, her ears turning red:

“God Zhou, I’ve been your fan for so many years, you’re my idol.

“I knew you wouldn’t pick me, but like Chi Tian said, when you have the chance, you should make your feelings clear, so you won’t have regrets.

“I just wanted to tell you, I want to choose you and be in a group with you.”

The camera zoomed in on Qi Luozhou’s exquisitely handsome yet indifferent face.

He merely gave a faint nod and said mildly:

“There will be opportunities in the future.”

Director : “Now, everyone who chose Qi Luozhou, please step forward.”

Jin Xiaoyu and Jiang Qianfan both stepped forward.

Zhang Yiran and Li Yan were practically dying of envy.

Out of the four girls on the show, aside from Shen Wanwan, all of them had chosen him!

God Zhou was truly God Zhou, just his looks and personality crushed the whole field.

If it were either of them, being chosen by so many girls would have made them ecstatic.

But Qi Luozhou still wore a calm expression, maintaining his polite yet distant demeanor.

Director : “Sorry, the partner Qi Luozhou chose is not among you three.”

He chose Jiang Yuan.

But clearly, Jiang Yuan didn’t choose Qi Luozhou, he wasn’t among the ones who stepped forward earlier.

What kind of ultimate love polygon is this?!

“Jiang Yuan, who did you choose?”

Being called on, Jiang Yuan stepped forward. When he looked at Qi Luozhou, he had the same awkward expression as Bai Ling.

“Uh…”

Everyone widened their eyes.

Who was the person Jiang Yuan gave up God Zhou for?!

Jiang Yuan covered his face briefly, looked at Shen Wanwan, and said the exact same words he sent in the message:

“Shen Wanwan, maybe we’d make a good team, what do you think?”

Shen Wanwan met his gaze calmly.

—So he was the one who sent the second message.

Director : “Now, everyone who chose Shen Wanwan, please step forward.”

The second person to step forward was Li Yan, who winked at Shen Wanwan with a grin: “Let’s have fun together on the next stop!”

Zhang Yiran whistled : “Li Yan, you dog, you’re doing well!”

Li Yan stuck out his tongue and made a face : “Right back at ya.”

The girls at the scene wore complicated expressions. Shen Wanwan, with her princess syndrome and constant need for others to fuss over her, was actually chosen by two guys.

It proved once again that in the eyes of these shallow men, nothing mattered besides beauty, other virtues were worth nothing.

Just as they were grumbling internally, Shao Yuye, who had been standing off to the side with his hands in his pockets, suddenly took a long stride forward—

And stood shoulder to shoulder with Li Yan and Jiang Yuan.

He looked at Shen Wanwan intently, like he was gazing at a long-awaited hope now within reach.

Everyone was stunned.

Wait, did they see that right?!

Shao Yuye actually chose Shen Wanwan??????

---

After Su Tingxuan yelled at Shen Wanwan, he immediately began to regret it.

He had originally thought that, given her young lady temper, she would come up and slap him, or perhaps kick him a few times.

But Shen Wanwan only quietly walked up to him and gently patted his shoulder.

Her palm was soft, and her tone was unprecedentedly gentle.

“I’m sorry, you’ve really worked hard these years.”

There was no cruelty, no questioning of his mistakes.

She said, “From now on, you can do anything you want. We’re done.”

The small warmth on his shoulder quickly faded away.

She turned around and walked away with determination.

Su Tingxuan felt like crying.

Suddenly free from her control, he felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart.

Bai Ling comforted him, “You’re just not used to it for now. You’ll get over it soon.”

Right.

He really could start embracing a new life!

What he needed was a thoughtful girl like Bai Ling.

Even if she was already asleep, she would come to comfort him and cheer him up because of his sadness.

Definitely not like Shen Wanwan, the arrogant young lady.

Bai Ling comforted him some more, and Su Tingxuan slowly began to let go. The two of them returned to their place. As they passed his room, Bai Ling seemed to notice something and paused.

The pale-pink hair tie that had fallen by the door looked like Shen Wanwan’s.

Had Shen Wanwan come to find Su Tingxuan earlier?

“What’s wrong?”

Su Tingxuan, seeing her hesitation, asked curiously.

Bai Ling awkwardly avoided his gaze. “Nothing.”

Su Tingxuan waved his hand at her. “Alright then, you should get some rest too. Goodnight.”

Bai Ling bit her lip, seemingly in the middle of an inner struggle, before saying, “Tingxuan, maybe Shen Wanwan has feelings for you.”

Su Tingxuan was stunned, then looked at her with affection. “But you know how I feel. Love is something that can’t be forced.”

Bai Ling blushed.

“Goodnight.”

The next moment, the door to the next room opened, and Shao Yuye hurriedly walked out holding a phone.

Bai Ling instinctively brushed her loose hair, and Shao Yuye quickly glanced at the two of them before turning and walking down the empty corridor.

On the other end of the phone, Shao Hongyuan’s angry voice came through.

“Did you block your sister’s number?”

Shao Yuye sneered. “Spit it out if you have something to say.”

“How dare you talk to me like that? It’s your stepmother’s birthday on Sunday, get your ass back here. We’re celebrating as a family!”

“Who the hell is ‘family’ to you?”

Shao Yuye sneered. “Shao Hongyuan, my mother’s surname is Shen! I’m not coming Sunday. I wish you all happiness, and may you all die happy.”

Shao Hongyuan cursed on the phone for a while. “You really want to keep opposing me, huh?”

“Fine, if you’re so brave, never come back. I’ll have someone clear out your mother and sister’s things tomorrow!”

Shao Yuye became furious. “You dare!”

“Then you’d better come home honestly. Jiajia wants to see you. Don’t make it hard for me.”

After Shao Hongyuan hung up with a ‘click’, Shao Yuye stood at the window with a grim expression, veins bulging on the back of his hand, his short hair shadowing his cold, wild eyes.

When his mother and sister left that year, his father shamelessly brought his mistress into their home.

Shao Hongyuan had tried more than once to make him empathize:

“I can’t help it.

“I thought your mother and I could make it work, but Qing’er is my true love, I just can’t help it.

“Ha, what’s the point of telling you this? You’re still too young, you don’t understand love.”

Shao Yuye really didn’t understand love.

He only knew that his family had been torn apart by what was supposed to be a beautiful true love.

Within six months, that woman had given birth to a daughter.

Shao Hongyuan smiled and planned a bright future for him.

“See, nothing has changed.

“You always liked younger sisters, right? Now you have one again.

“She’s really cute, don’t you think?”

But none of that stopped Shao Hongyuan from continuing his affair the next year and welcoming new love.

Shao Yuye’s expression darkened as he gazed out the window.

The lights were bright.

But none of them felt like home.

---

That night, Shao Yuye slept uneasily.

In his dreams, he seemed to return to the year his parents divorced.

The scene had a warm, yellowish old-time hue. This time, as their parents were about to separate them, he tightly hugged his sister.

He heard himself speak in a cold, indifferent tone, calmly telling them:

“If you’re getting a divorce, do as you wish. I’ll take my sister with me.”

Since the current family is already unhappy, then removing the factors that make them unhappy should solve the problem.

He had already become strong enough—fully capable of protecting his sister.

The memories after that were hazy. He only remembered his sister shouting with all her strength:

“Brother—”

Shao Yuye jolted awake from the dream, drenched in cold sweat. He sat at the edge of the bed, gasping for breath.

In the room, the soft, alternating snores of Zhang Yiran and Li Yan echoed faintly. Dawn was just breaking, and a weak light filtered in through the window.

Everything in the dream still seemed to float before his eyes.

He lowered his gaze, as if once again plunged into deep darkness.

If only he had been a bit stronger back then, strong enough to break free from Shao Hongyuan’s grasp…

Or if he could have run just a little faster, fast enough to catch up with the car that was taking his mother and sister far away…

Would everything now be different?

Shao Yuye got up and walked to the bathroom, turning on the light.

Warm yellow light spilled down from above.

He took a deep breath, leaned down, turned on the tap, and splashed a handful of water onto his face.

Droplets clung to his long eyelashes, making his vision a bit blurry, but the mirror still reflected his sharply defined face, every line from the corner of his eyes to the arch of his brows revealing suppressed agitation.

With the night behind him, all the unpleasantness had been turned to a new page.

The next day would be the last day of the first stop.

After today, the first eliminated team would be decided.

Jiang Qianfan and Su Tingxuan were still stuck on level 13;

Jialu and Chi Tian were on level 14.

It was highly likely that the eliminated team would be one of those two.

When Shen Wanwan saw Shao Yuye, there were dark circles under his eyes and clear signs that he hadn’t slept well.

Shen Wanwan teased, “Got beat up or something?”

He shot her a cold sideways glance, clearly in a foul mood.

Since the livestream hadn’t started yet, Shao Yuye’s entire aura screamed ‘Do not approach.’

Shen Wanwan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said:

“Hey, a UFO.”

What an obvious bluff, wasn’t it?

Shao Yuye grumbled inwardly but still couldn’t help tilting his head up.

The sightseeing car’s roof was transparent.

The sky was a clear blue, with nothing in sight.

Suddenly, someone lightly tapped his right shoulder.

He turned—nothing behind him.

When he turned his head back again, he was met with Shen Wanwan’s stunningly beautiful face, smiling brightly at him.

That familiar feeling almost peaked in that moment.

Memories from years ago came crashing back.

Whenever his little sister was in a bad mood, he used to cheer her up like this.

She would say, “Brother, you’re so annoying,” while lifting the corners of her mouth in a smile.

A sharp pain suddenly pierced Shao Yuye’s heart.

When he looked up again, his dark eyes were already frosted over.

“Don’t bother me.”

Shen Wanwan raised an eyebrow, unaffected: “You said it.”

Just don’t regret it later.

For the rest of the morning, neither of them spoke.

Viewers in the livestream watched over and over, confused by the sudden tension.

[What’s going on? Weren’t they getting along fine last night?]

[Did they fight again?]

[No, this looks like a cold war.]

[…Emmmm suddenly they look like a pair of puzzle-solving machines.]

[Not even any drama… At least when they argued, it was entertaining. Now it’s like watching two strangers clear a game together.]

[Maybe they were pretending the whole day yesterday and just couldn’t keep it up anymore kkkkk…]

That whole morning, Shao Yuye moved like a zombie, mechanical and numb.

By the time the lunch break came, he finally couldn’t resist and called Brother Li.

Brother Li picked up almost instantly.

“Hey, what happened with you and Shen Wanwan again?! Both of you looked like crap this morning. Did you fight again?!”

Shao Yuye ignored his questions and went straight to the point:

“Any news about my sister yet?”

Brother Li went quiet for a moment on the other end.

“To be honest, the investigation is progressing very slowly.

“It’s really hard to find someone from just childhood photos—especially since your sister went abroad.”

It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Shao Yuye’s left hand, hanging by his side, clenched tightly.

On the phone, there was a dead silence, as if all sound had been sucked away.

Brother Li couldn’t bear it and said, “Ah Ye, you’ve been looking for so many years already. Are you… really going to keep searching?”

“Yes.”

Shao Yuye replied without hesitation, firm and resolute.

Brother Li rubbed his brow in frustration, trying to persuade him:

“Ah Ye, I think you might be getting a bit obsessed. It’s been so many years…”

He had just started speaking when Shao Yuye abruptly cut him off, voice sharp:

“Brother Li!”

Brother Li fell silent instantly.

Shao Yuye said, “I only have one little sister.”

How could he possibly stop looking?

---