Author: mio

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Under Lu Ye’s protection, Xu Yao went to the zoo in the capital. Perhaps because it was summer vacation, the zoo was bustling with crowds, filled with tourists constantly coming and going.

The panda inside is the star animal of the zoo, attracting a large crowd of visitors.

Through the glass, Xu Yao watched the black-and-white creature inside. Someone nearby was shouting, “sunny, cheerful boy,” while all around her were the constant clicks of cameras, bursts of excited cheers from visitors, and the occasional shout from security trying to keep things under control.

“It’s really too cute,” Xu Yao said, wearing sunglasses and a mask, as she stared at the adorable panda in the air-conditioned room. She couldn’t contain her excitement and resorted to posting it on her social media.

After watching for a while, Xu Yao reluctantly gave up her spot to other visitors and continued to explore the zoo with Lu Ye.

Lu Ye walked behind Xu Yao, holding a small electric fan and directing the breeze towards her.

Noticing the sweat rolling down his neatly cropped hair, Xu Yao suggested he use the fan for himself, but Lu Ye remained unfazed, as if he hadn’t heard her, still holding the fan towards her.

“The weather now is too hot, we’ll need to be mindful of heatstroke,” Xu Yao said, upon recalling her employees who had to constantly run around to collect rent and reminded him, “Make sure to inform the production team to be cautious of fire hazards in this dry weather, and also provide them with some heatstroke allowance for the team members.”

Once summer temperatures rise, the risk of fire increases significantly. Xu Yao still remembered how the author had casually mentioned Old Master Cui Guoqiang’s cause of death during his funeral in the original novel. It had happened through a conversation Liu Yingxia had with the original male lead, and it seemed to have been related to a fire.

Lu Ye nodded, indicating he had noted it down.

“Miss Yaoyao, do you really like that panda?” Lu Ye suddenly asked her.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t like pandas? It’s not just that one, but all the other pandas are cute too,” Xu Yao replied with a smile, even taking Lu Ye to buy some panda-themed merchandise to satisfy her affection.

If it weren’t for the risk of getting hauled into the station for a “chat,” most netizens—including Xu Yao—have probably fantasized about keeping one of those black-and-white national treasures as a pet.

“Although pandas can’t be kept as pets, they can still be adopted,” said Lu Ye.

Adopting a panda doesn’t mean purchasing a national treasure outright either. Rather, the adopter gains visitation rights and can be constantly notified about the panda, with some even gaining the right to name it. The adoption fee often goes entirely toward the panda’s care.

Xu Yao was taken aback and then gave Lu Ye a thumbs up. That was a pretty good idea.

After touring the zoo, they hurried home. Xu Yao felt the heat was unbearable and checked the weather forecast, noting that temperatures in many areas had already reached over 40°C.

[Ji Zhengqing: Yaoyao, what are your thoughts on having a dog deliver the engagement ring?]

As someone who had come to this world to retire, Xu Yao was very open to the idea of having pets. After all, who didn’t love furry creatures?

The engagement ceremony was set to take place in just a few days, and many friends had already received their invitations.

Xu Yao quickly replied that it was a great idea, and Ji Zhengqing immediately sent her two pictures to choose from: one was a very clever-looking black-and-white border collie, while the other was a husky with clear and silly eyes.

Xu Yao: “…”

Wait a minute, no, the post she had made on WeChat Moments, “I really want to raise a black-and-white furry creature,” was referring to a panda!

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

“Miss Xu Yao is truly considerate towards our production team, even calling to remind us to be cautious of fire hazards in the filming studio,” said Zhao Haisheng, looking at the several large insulated foam boxes in front of him filled with ice drinks that had just been delivered, feeling so moved he was almost about to cry.

Zhao Haisheng immediately arranged for the staff to check the surroundings thoroughly, ensuring that there would be no chance of any electrical fires.

The more preferentially Xu Yao treated them, the more worried Director Zhao became. With Sister Yao investing so much money, could he successfully push Old Master Cui Guoqiang into the spotlight while still maintaining the show’s popularity? Director Zhao suddenly felt uncertain.

“Alright, alright, the premiere is about to start, everyone take your positions.”

This variety show was an online program, presented to the audience through a combination of livestreaming and post-production editing. As the show began, viewers flooded into the livestream. The online audience wasn’t shockingly large, but it wasn’t insignificant either.

“Can’t we get even a bit of screen time on the livestream?” Liu Yingxia, seated in the juniors’ section, asked softly as she watched the camera stay fixed on the backstage. Aside from the brief ten-odd seconds during introductions, they hadn’t gotten any screen time at all!

A staff member replied apologetically, “That’s how it is for now.”

Liu Yingxia suppressed her frustration and sat gloomily in her seat. So what were they doing now? Despite not having a camera follow them, they still had to sit there without being able to use their phones, feeling as if they were in prison.

Since there were no live cameras on them, the younger generation became much bolder. One girl whispered to Liu Yingxia, “Teacher Liu, don’t you think this is just like getting paid to slack off? I think it’s pretty good.”

Liu Yingxia was speechless. She had always had lofty ambitions; she wanted to become a top star in the entertainment industry and even go global, not to be completely invisible sitting below like a complete nobody, which made her very uncomfortable.

Xu Yao seemed to know exactly what she wanted and deliberately teased and disgusted her with it.

“Old Master Cui, in a moment, you’ll introduce yourself on stage for three minutes, and then a female guest will light up her light for you. If you get chosen, you’ll form a ‘preliminary couple,'” a staff member said cheerfully to the nervous Old Master Cui Guoqiang in the preparation room.

Old Master Cui’s weathered face turned bright red, and his only healthy right hand nervously twisted the hem of his clothes.

How are today’s young people so bold? To think that dating could be done so openly now. Back in their day, matchmaking was done discreetly, and couples even walked far apart when together on the street.

Having lived a solitary life, Old Master Cui had no experience in such matters. The thought of so many elderly ladies waiting for him outside made him even more anxious.

[Hahaha Grandpa Cui is so cute! In the pilot episode, he looked so fierce doing military boxing, but now he’s so nervous he’s pacing all over the waiting room—such an adorable contrast!]

[How did Grandpa Cui’s left hand become disabled? I wonder if those grandmas will like him—after all, he’s missing a hand.]

[Look at Grandpa Cui—he’s in such great form for this matchmaking! And then there’s me… I go on blind dates every day and feel completely numb now. Every person I meet leaves me totally calm, no ripples at all.]

[Ahhh I’m worried about Grandpa Cui. It’s true Xu Yao is really promoting him, but among all the grandpas his overall conditions are probably the weakest, and his looks are pretty average too… Don’t come at me, I’m genuinely just worried about him QAQ]

Many netizens have a strong affection for retired veterans, so there are hardly any trolls in the livestream, and the comments are quite appropriate. Moreover, Director Zhao has specifically arranged for staff in the livestream to act as moderators; anyone who dares to speak nonsense will be directly muted without hesitation.

There are quite a few netizens in the livestream. Originally, based on Cui Guoqiang’s identity as an ordinary person, his livestream viewership should be the lowest among all the guests, but after the production team’s vigorous promotion, Grandpa Cui’s livestream is now among the top three in terms of online viewers.

“Young Lady, are there a lot of people watching the show?” Cui Guoqiang hurriedly asked upon seeing the staff member about to leave.

The staff member immediately stopped and taught Cui Guoqiang how to check the number of viewers in the livestream, which is now currently at around three to four hundred thousand.

Cui Guoqiang clicked his tongue in amazement, “So many people? That’s enough to form several armies.” Three to four hundred thousand is already considered quite a lot for Cui Guoqiang.

Outside, some of the other elderly men who were guests have already introduced themselves. Some old gentlemen are dressed in formal suits and ties, while others seriously recount their previous marital lives or directly lay out their requirements for their blind dates.

Light it up, light it up, light it up!

This program consists of ten elderly men and ten elderly women. These old ladies are all women who have experienced life, so they didn’t bother holding back at all when they complained.

The old ladies didn’t mince their words and continued to unreservedly gossip with the other old sisters present, “Coming in here and saying you want a well-maintained old lady, and that she must be under 65 years old. Why don’t they look at their own face that’s full of wrinkles, not to mention he’s not even 1.7 meters tall but still has the nerve to be so picky. I’m turning my light off!”

Another short-haired grandma chimed in with a sarcastic tone, “Five properties in the capital? Oh wow, how impressive, truly amazing. If those homes aren’t in my name, what’s the use? I’ve got seven or eight places in Haicheng myself! What’s with this light lighting up—don’t light up!”

“……”

[Hahaha, elderly matchmaking is just so realistic, not to mention it’s super blunt too. Honestly, why even bother finding a partner at this age?]

[Looking for a companion is totally normal, after all, everyone has their own emotional needs. And Grandpa Zhao Guoli is impressive! Seven grandmas lit up for him—that’s probably the most out of all the grandpas, right?]

[Grandpa Zhao’s already been married four times, how could he not be impressive? [doge¹]]

[Does anyone know who the second old lady from the left is? I’ve been watching from the start and she hasn’t lit up once, so I still haven’t even gotten a clear look at her face.]

Xu Yao was about to fly to the Lipana Islands for her engagement party and took a moment to check the variety show. This variety show hadn’t been mentioned in the original novel, so Xu Yao wasn’t very clear about what was going on.

Although all the elderly ladies who were guests were going crazy with the roasting, they were still participating and would choose to turn their lights on or off. Only the elderly lady in the left corner had never lit up her light. The dim lighting at the filming site also meant that many netizens throughout the show never knew who she was, making her seem as if she were isolated from the world.

[Found it—she’s Grandma Zhou Cuilan. She was a famous singer back in the last century. Apparently she had a fiancé who died young, and has remained unmarried ever since then.]

[My mom loves Grandma Cuilan’s songs, and we even still have her CDs at home. It’s totally normal for younger people not to recognize her.]

[She’s already come on the show, so isn’t it a bit much to never light up at all? At least give the other old men some face. Showing up but giving zero response, that’s unacceptable. Was she dragged here by her grandnephew or something?]

The grandnephew sitting below was startled by the comments and felt extremely wronged. It was clearly Grandma Cuilan who strongly requested him to bring her here, and he hadn’t forced his elder to participate in the show at all.

Xu Yao looked at the names in the comments and suddenly raised her eyebrows in surprise. This grandma had appeared at Grandpa Cui Guoqiang’s funeral in the original novel!

Xu Yao suddenly realized something, and a hint of a smile appeared on her delicate face.

She hoped that Grandpa Cui Guoqiang could fulfill his wish and also truly find someone to share his later years with.

“Let’s go.” Ji Zhengqing reached out to help Xu Yao board the plane. Xu Yao’s gaze wandered around the interior of Ji Zhengqing’s private jet.

Just wait, her older brother had already bought her a private jet; she would soon have one too!

Grandpa Cui Guoqiang was reminded by the staff to prepare to enter, making the old man extremely nervous. He adjusted his clothes with one hand and walked out with his head held high and chest out.

Cui Guoqiang stood on stage, facing the microphone, and said grandly, “Hello everyone, my name is Cui Guoqiang, I am seventy-three years old, and I am a retired veteran.”

Cui Guoqiang paused for a moment, feeling a bit embarrassed as he said, “I’m sorry everyone, I didn’t come to the show to find a partner; actually, I wanted to find someone…”

With a ding, someone on the far left, in the second position, suddenly lit up their light first.

An elderly woman with her hair styled in a bun smiled gently. She wore an elegant long dress, with a shawl draped over her arm, and wore a lustrous jade bracelet on her wrist. Truly not even time could defeat this beauty, and though her skin has developed wrinkles, her bone structure remains beautiful.

Cui Guoqiang looked at the old lady who lit up her light, his voice suddenly coming to a halt, his mind going blank.

Both the audience on-site as well as the netizens online were stunned. Someone had lit up their light so quickly!

[Grandma Zhou Cuilan, the singer, actually lit up her light? She didn’t light up for any of the previous seven grandpas, yet she lit up for Old Master Cui before he’d even spoken for half a minute…]

[AHHH, is this seriously not scripted? This feels straight out of a romance novel plot!]

[Hahaha Grandpa Cui is speechless, he got instantly proven wrong, huh? Didn’t he say he wasn’t looking for a partner?]

[Is Xu Yao helping Grandpa Cui because she wants to find him a companion? And the one he’s meant to find is Grandma Zhou Cuilan? This is such a novel-like storyline—I’m obsessed!]

[Replying to the above! So renting from Xu Yao = getting a partner thrown in? Xu Yao, my goddess!]

[Grandma Zhou Cuilan lit up? She didn’t light up for the previous seven grandpas, but Grandpa Cui Guoqiang hasn’t even spoken for half a minute and she lights up…]

A group of netizens started to cheer in the comments, all saying they wanted to rent Xu Yao’s house, waiting for her to arrange partners for them.

“Ding—”, “Ding—”!

One after another, the sound of lights lighting up followed, and after Grandma Zhou Cuilan, all the other grandmas followed suit, lighting up together and illuminating the program’s venue!

They all knew that Xu Yao strongly supported Old Master Cui Guoqiang, and they had to give her this face. But the most crucial point was that they had all experienced that era and held a stronger affection for retired veterans.

Ten old ladies, ten bright lights, all shining tonight for Cui Guoqiang!

Liu Yingxia watched on expressionlessly. This was definitely going to be an iconic scene from the show, but unfortunately, it all had nothing to do with her, not even appearing in a single camera shot.

However, the netizens in the livestream went wild.

[! All the lights are on! So much for my earlier worries, they were all total nonsense. These grandmas are really giving him face. Grandpa Cui is even more popular than Grandpa Zhao!]

[This is a plot straight out of a novel, seriously a novel plot. Grandpa Cui has so much presence—he must be able to brag about this to other old guys for the rest of his life, right? Every old lady seems to think he’s a catch! Grandpa Cui is amazing, hahaha!]

[Grandpa Cui, didn’t you say you weren’t looking for a partner? Don’t be polite and turn them down now! [doge holding a flower.jpg]]

[Just here to watch the fun: Grandpa Cui, hurry up and boldly turn them down! Even if all ten lights are on, reject them anyway, hahaha!]

The viewership of the livestream surged due to the ten lights all being lit up.

Old Master Cui Guoqiang’s face turned red, and he seemed to be completely bewildered, looking at the lights that were all on.

Could a disabled old man like him receive this kind of treatment? His conditions weren’t exactly that great, yet the old ladies had still lit up the lights for him?

Cui Guoqiang stared at the first old lady who lit a light for him, Grandma Zhou Cuilan. He scratched his gray hair and said uncertainly, “You look familiar. Have we met before?”

Look!

Look at how direct the elderly are in pursuing love!

So what if it’s a cliche pick-up line? As long as it works, it’s fine. Our Grandpa Cui Guoqiang is much better than the young people nowadays.

Zhou Cuilan smiled and said, “When I was young, I once went to Dawu Village in Qinglong Township as an educated youth. Back then, they liked to call me Little Cui.”

Cui Guoqiang was completely stunned. The microphone in his hand dropped with a heavy clatter onto the floor, yet his aged, clouded eyes didn’t shift away from Grandma Cuilan for even a second.

Little Cui…

Little Cui!

His mind, which had long since grown forgetful, suddenly became startlingly clear. Cui Guoqiang had been born into an ordinary farming family in a place called Dawu Village in Qinglong Township. When he was young, an educated youth had come to the village to teach.

A young girl in a floral shirt appeared in Cui Guoqiang’s mind, always standing behind the locust tree, watching him with her hands behind her back.

People liked to call her “Little Cui,” because the local accent made it sound like “Little Cui.”² Every time that name was called, Cui Guoqiang would instinctively respond, only to be met with teasing laughter from those around him. And just like that, the two young people gradually grew closer without even realizing it.

It wasn’t until he went to the battlefield and returned that he heard that Little Cui had already gone back home, and her family had taken her to Hong Kong and arranged a marriage for her.

Grandma Zhou Cuilan smiled with boundless kindness and called out to him just like she did decades ago, “Brother Qiang.”

Her parents said he was dead, and that he hadn’t even left a trace of his bones behind. She didn’t believe it and frantically wrote him letters, but she never received a reply. Gradually, she began to believe it.

She thought about obeying her parents’ wishes, but her fiancé died unexpectedly, and she never married again, nor did she have any thoughts of marrying.

Cui Guoqiang instantly burst into tears, large tears streaming down his face. His straight back bent slightly as he cried harder and harder. He raised his only usable right hand and covered his tear-streaked face.

This twist stunned everyone. W-what was happening?

[Holy shit, was it mutual all along? I knew Zhou Cuilan was a songstress back in the day, so why would she stoop to joining this underwhelming senior dating show? She must have come for Grandpa Cui! No wonder she didn’t light up for any of the earlier grandpas.]

[Waaah, the love stories back then are just too shippable. Grandpa Cui lived a lonely single life while Grandma Cuilan never married after her fiancé passed away either… they lost their entire youth, this hurts so much.]

[I get it now, I finally understand Xu Yao’s intention! She’s letting Grandpa Cui make up for the regrets of his youth in his later years. I’m going to cry, my goddess Yaoyao!]

[Who’s crying their eyes out like a dog? Me! I don’t envy young couples showing off their love—I only envy love in old age.]

Director Zhao was completely unaware of this turn of events. He looked at the microphone that had fallen to the ground and at the two elderly people who were shedding tears. He suddenly realized—

His elderly pure love couple might actually work.

Without a doubt, Cui Guoqiang and Zhou Cuilan formed a “preliminary couple” in the show and even made it to the trending searches.

Cui Guoqiang still remembered that he hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye to Zhou Cuilan before he left. He felt he had let down such a good girl, and never dared to imagine that he would see her again in this life.

After that incident, Cui Guoqiang didn’t say what he originally intended to say, and he even developed a slight fondness for the show.

“Photographer, have you gotten around to that photo of mine yet?” Cui Guoqiang asked while picking wildflowers by the roadside, not forgetting to ask the photographer, “That’s the person I’m looking for; don’t lose it.”

The photographer quickly replied, “I’ve been busy with overtime lately, but don’t worry, I’ll definitely get it to you in the next couple of days. Grandpa Cui, are you picking flowers for Grandma Cuilan?”

Old Master Cui Guoqiang smiled somewhat shyly. He even pretended to glare at him and said, “Why do young people talk so much? Aren’t you ashamed!”

[Hahaha, is Grandpa Cui feeling shy again? Picking flowers for his girlfriend, I really wish my dog boyfriend would learn a thing or two from Grandpa!]

[What preliminary couple? I’m demanding the Civil Affairs Bureau to move over here right now! We, the millions of netizens, are collectively witnessing this moment.]

[No matter how long it’s been, true love really does transcend time! I envy the feelings of people from that era; true love lasts forever!]

Grandpa Cui Guoqiang didn’t know much about flowers, but since he thought they were beautiful, he wanted to give them to Grandma Cuilan.

“Where can I borrow a bicycle? Oh dear, your shared bicycles don’t even have a back seat anymore.” Cui Guoqiang asked the production team while holding a bouquet of flowers.

People from that era would ride bicycles with their beloved girls on the back seat, cycling through the woods, watching the sun rise and set.

Cui Guoqiang felt as if he had suddenly returned to his youth, feeling as if he suddenly had boundless energy. He was like a young boy who had just tasted the sweetness of love, feeling that there was never enough time. He had so many things he wanted to do with Little Cui.

Cui Guoqiang and Zhou Cuilan, this elderly couple, bravely defied expectations and moved countless netizens to tears upon learning that they had missed each other in their youth, only to finally reunite in their old age, both rushing towards each other once again.

In other elderly matchmaking shows, the reality of older people seeking companions is laid bare, and at first, netizens might find it fresh and love the lively atmosphere.

But now, things are different.

Because the pure love “Double Cui” couple has burst onto the scene!

The couple disregarded each other’s circumstances and family background, focusing solely on their pure affection, instantly attracting countless netizens.

It’s common for young people to flaunt their affection only to break up in the end, but such a pure and loving elderly romance is something that countless netizens yearn for and envy.

They had lived on the same land, gazed at the same waning moon, and had both hoped for each other’s well-being despite being in entirely different places.

Grandpa Cui Guoqiang is especially endearing to this crowd of netizens. He seems to have suddenly regained his youth again, acting like a young man in love, engaging in various romantic gestures, his contrasting charm melting the hearts of countless female netizens.

The Civil Affairs Bureau has been tagged by netizens countless times already. Some even boldly declared that Grandpa Cui Guoqiang and Grandma Zhou Cuilan are the best marriage-urging advertisements of the year!

“Grandpa Cui, why don’t you ride a bike with Grandma Cuilan on the island? Pedal along the deserted seaside paths against the sea breeze,” a staff member from the show asked with a smile.

Cui Guoqiang thought for a moment and felt that this scene was beautiful. In his memory, Sister Cuilan had always been a girl who loved beauty. She would braid her hair more beautifully than other girls, and she always carried a faint floral fragrance on her.

Cui Guoqiang suddenly shook his head violently, his old face turning red with embarrassment again. He had blushed more times in this period than in the past several decades.

Cui Guoqiang began to look forward to this show.

“Grandpa Cui Guoqiang, please accept the latest task from the dating show,” a staff member approached with a beaming smile, handing him an invitation.

Cui Guoqiang, who could read, opened the envelope to check. As he read the task aloud, his gray mustache twitched, “Please successfully invite the girl you admire to a villa on the Lipana Islands for a sweet seaside date.”

Cui Guoqiang’s old face turned red again, feeling that the tasks written by these young people were really cheesy, filled with phrases like “admire” and “sweet date.”

[A villa on the Lipana Islands? Wow, the production team really did get their investment from Xu Yao! I heard this is a private island, and the owners are super wealthy! The scenery is breathtaking, and there’ll be no other tourists around.]

[Ahhh, my Grandpa Cui, why don’t you propose to Grandma Cuilan right there at the villa in the Lipana Islands? I support you!]

[Proposal! Proposal! Everyone shout ‘Proposal!’ with me! If you don’t get married, I’ll roll on the ground and refuse to get up.]

Cui Guoqiang held the task letter tightly in his hand and declared confidently, “I accept the mission!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Cui Guoqiang suddenly remembered that decades ago, he had also wanted to formally express his feelings to Cuilan and had even arranged to meet her under that locust tree.

But he hadn’t gone, and Zhou Cuilan had waited under that locust tree all night.

Although he had never regretted the choice he made that night, he also couldn’t bear to part with the girl who waited for him all night. A wave of unease washed over Cui Guoqiang; it shouldn’t be like that night, right?

[Is Grandpa Cui worried that Grandma Cuilan won’t agree to go on a date with you on the island? Don’t worry, that’s absolutely impossible.]

[It’s still possible she might not agree, maybe Grandma is shy? Hahaha, Grandma Cuilan’s grandnephew already revealed online that he will definitely bring Grandma Cuilan!]

[Turns out that all men in the midst of pursuing women will feel nervous and insecure, regardless of their age, and Grandpa Cui is no exception to that.]

[The scenery in the Lipana Islands is insanely beautiful—I’m all set to capture gorgeous screenshots of the grandpas and grandmas, I’m so happy I could spin in circles!]

Not many netizens knew about the Lipana Islands, and there was very little information online, only that it was a private island with multiple owners.

Because it is a private island, the scenery has become exceptionally beautiful after development, with crystal-clear waters along the shore; even a casual snapshot looks picturesque.

This is simply the perfect place for couples to date, propose, get engaged, or even marry!

Xu Yao’s engagement banquet is also on one of the islands owned by the Ji family in the archipelago. Since the archipelago has strong security measures, there is no worry about the production team showing up, so they just staggered the timing. The engagement banquet is scheduled before Grandpa Cui Guoqiang’s date.

Friends like Qu Xi and Ming Chan have already been transported to the island by the yacht arranged by the Xu family.

Xu Yao’s engagement banquet is about to begin.

Xu Yao watched as the husky happily chased the little border collie, deeply doubting whether the husky had enough intelligence to deliver an engagement ring. Could the clever border collie even follow orders to deliver it?

Xu Yao stared at Ji Zhengqing’s back as he walked towards her in a tailored black suit, and she couldn’t help but mentally complain, You bring two pet dogs instead of a building, how stingy! She even doubted whether Ji Zhengqing really intended to give her a building as He Fan analyzed last time. It didn’t seem like it.

Ji Zhengqing had no idea what Xu Yao was thinking. He approached her in his custom-made black suit and handed her a letter.

Xu Yao was surprised, “What is this?”

Ji Zhengqing smiled faintly. “I’ve thought about it for a long time. The Ji family’s ownership of this archipelago, I’ll give it to you as an engagement gift.”

Since he couldn’t give her the Ji Group—at least, not for now.

The author has something to say:

[Note] The adoption of pandas comes from Baidu information.

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1. sarcastic/joking tone marker ↩︎
2. Accent confusion (“小翠” ≈ “小崔”) → creates a natural, sweet misunderstanding ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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“Get Zhao Haisheng a reliable variety show director so he can distinguish the main and secondary aspects of the show and doesn’t just try and stuff everything into it,” Xu Yao instructed He Fan as soon as she got into the car.

Xu Yao was genuinely speechless about the production planning. She could see that Director Zhao was putting a lot of effort into the show, but problems kept arising. He wanted to latch onto whatever was trending, and in the end, it turned into a mishmash of disjointed and clashing ideas.

Hand in Hand in Our Later Years was clearly a dating show for the elderly, so the main characters should be the elderly guests participating in the show, not the various young celebrities.

However, since the contract had already been signed, they could only make sure to clarify what the main and secondary aspects were and reduce the screen time of Liu Yingxia and her group as much as possible! If we’re talking about proportions, cutting it down to 30% exposure would already be quite good.

He Fan immediately agreed.

“Brother Lu, Brother Fan, you two haven’t done your jobs properly,” Xu Yao said while looking at her phone. On the other end, Ji Zhengqing was sharing pictures with her, and she suddenly laughed as she changed the subject.

Lu Ye remained as composed as usual, but He Fan, who still held a working-class mindset, shivered at her words. Surely she wouldn’t deduct his salary?

“Zhao Haisheng renting a house is secondary, while getting me to offer an investment is his main goal. Tell me, isn’t this just wasting my rental resources?” Xu Yao asked.

“In the future, apart from passing the online exam, those with certain assets who aren’t genuinely looking to rent won’t be allowed to rent from me.”

The properties were in her hands, and she could rent it to whoever she wanted—no one had the right to criticize her.

Lu Ye and He Fan were somewhat surprised. Since Xu Yao was unhappy with such practices, why would she still invest in him then?

Aside from the elderly Cui Guoqiang, Xu Yao also admired ordinary people who dared to take risks.

In her eyes, the first person to try something new was a brave pioneer, while the second was merely someone who only acted after seeing the money. She admired the former’s courage but wouldn’t hesitate to dismiss the latter with a smile.

The two noted it down, and after a while, He Fan realized Xu Yao hadn’t mentioned anything about deducting salaries, and he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Money was his lifeline!

Xu Yao glanced at the WeChat conversation she was having with Ji Zhengqing and then looked at He Fan, asking, “Would Ji Zhengqing deduct your salaries?”

He Fan replied tactfully, “The Ji Group has a reward and punishment system for employees.”

Xu Yao felt there was no need for a punishment for such trivial matters. She rubbed her chin and said, “Looking at it this way, Ji Zhengqing really does seem a bit stingy.”

After she lavishly praised Ji Group, a whole building from Ji Zhengqing had ended up flying away from her, and now there wasn’t even a peep from the other man. Whenever she recalled this, her heart ached terribly. Now, He Fan’s words further confirmed that her fiancé was indeed stingy!

Ji Zhengqing shared some pictures of potential engagement banquet venues.

[Ji Zhengqing: Which one do you like?]

Xu Yao’s spirits lifted. Was he going to give it to her? She immediately examined the pictures closely.

There were luxury hotels in the country, European-style castles full of exotic charm, beautiful islands, and mountain villas in scenic areas… 

Xu Yao skimmed through them all and suddenly exclaimed, “That island looks so familiar! It’s almost the same as the one under my name.”

Lu Ye explained, “Miss Yaoyao, you do indeed own several villas on that island, but that area is actually an archipelago.”

This archipelago was purchased by the Xu and Ji families eight years ago, with each family buying half. Xu Yao had only inherited a small part of the Xu family’s share.

Xu Yao thought the island was quite nice. She was now trending both domestically and internationally, and getting engaged at an overseas estate might also attract media attention, so going to a deserted island would be quite nice for a change.

Xu Yao replied to Ji Zhengqing and then… there was no further response.

*

Zhao Haisheng might be somewhat lacking in ability, but he was quite perceptive. It was clear that Xu Yao had only been willing to lend him a hand because of a certain someone.

His first reaction was that it was because of Liu Yingxia, but upon hearing that her grand-uncle was also a tenant of Xu Yao, he immediately became cautious, worried that he might mistakenly highlight the wrong person after finally securing investment.

Zhao Haisheng felt something was off and asked, “Hey Yingxia, did Xu Yao respond to your apology online?”

Liu Yingxia was instantly embarrassed. Director Zhao really knew how to hit the nail on the head.

Her apology letter had already been fermenting online for two or three days now, but Xu Yao acted as if she never went online, giving her no response and leaving her hanging.

Liu Yingxia secretly regretted revealing that her grand-uncle was also a tenant of Xu Yao. She forced a laugh and said, “Not yet.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Haisheng understood completely. If Xu Yao really was investing in his variety show because of Liu Yingxia, how could she not respond to Liu Yingxia’s apology letter online? That was impossible.

Having already come to a conclusion in his mind, Zhao Haisheng smiled as he nodded and decisively hung up the call with Liu Yingxia.

Liu Yingxia felt uneasy after receiving Director Zhao’s call and could only keep reassuring herself that she had already signed the contract with the production team a long time ago. Plus, Xu Yao’s increased investment would also be beneficial for her exposure. However, Liu Yingxia always felt that this matter was not that simple. After all, Xu Yao was quite unpredictable.

The divine landlady Xu Yao had helped another one of her tenants again!

Zhao Haisheng’s elderly dating show Hand in Hand in Our Later Years secured a two hundred million investment from Xu Yao, making countless people in the entertainment industry green with envy.

Did this landlady really not care about losing her own money just to make her tenants happy?

This elderly dating show was not well-regarded in the industry and was considered a chaotic mess of ideas. Yet Xu Yao actually invested in it, and rumour had it that she also arranged for professional directors to come in and revise the show’s rules.

Originally, Zhao Haisheng had to sell his house and scrape together investment to fund the show, but now he could confidently produce the show with peace of mind.

“My goodness, sell the house then! I want to sell my house too,” someone exclaimed with red eyes after seeing the news. “I’m going to rent Xu Yao’s property too.”

Once they made money from Xu Yao’s investment, they could always buy another property, and who knows, they might even be able to afford buying a super-sized villa. Putting aside everything else, this group of people believed they were far superior to Zhao Haisheng, so if he could secure Xu Yao’s investment, then so could they!

With Zhao Haisheng being the first to take the plunge, others seriously followed suit, selling all their properties and planning to seek out Xu Yao.

“Shouldn’t we reconsider this? I feel like I heard that Xu Yao isn’t doing this for Director Zhao, but rather to support Liu Yingxia?” Someone expressed hesitation.

One of the friends beside her immediately spat in disgust, “Would Xu Yao really support Liu Yingxia in that terrible variety show? You might as well be trying to fool Liu Yingxia’s fans—and even they wouldn’t believe it!”

Excluding a few die-hard fans, netizens these days were all quite sharp.

Liu Yingxia had forced Xu Yao out of the industry, creating this irreconcilable grievance. Even if Xu Yao truly was a saint who let bygones be bygones, fine—but would she really go out of her way to fawn over Liu Yingxia despite all that? How pathetic would that make her?!

Netizens had all witnessed how crazed and vengeful Xu Yao could be. After all, she was the type to go head-to-head in court just for her tenants. So there’s no way she’d go sucking up to Liu Yingxia, right? It’s not like she was crazy.

Especially when the news broke about the elderly dating show Hand in Hand in Our Later Years and the exposure rate for celebrities dropped to 30%, it became even more obvious.

If Xu Yao really were trying to support Liu Yingxia, would she reduce Liu Yingxia’s exposure? Impossible!

That was the normal logic.

When Liu Yingxia received this news, she was utterly devastated.

“Our screen time as younger celebrity guests has been reduced to 30%? Is Director Zhao out of his mind?!” Liu Yingxia shouted in anger, barely able to control herself.

She had been secretly relieved that Xu Yao was investing in the show, thinking she could take advantage of the hype, but now all her plans had fallen through.

No matter how popular the show was, without exposure, how could she make a comeback? The only reason she’d been willing to participate in this crappy variety show was precisely because of that tiny bit of exposure!

Liu Yingxia was so angry she gritted her teeth, practically almost about to scream on the spot. The contract had already been signed, and if she tried to bail out now, it would be a breach of contract. She couldn’t afford a lawsuit from the production team in her current situation.

Liu Yingxia was unable to come to terms with it, asking incredulously, “So… you’re telling me I have to be a supporting character for my grand-uncle?”

Her manager smiled awkwardly, “It seems that way.”

It felt like she had taken a blow to the head. Liu Yingxia was so angry her chest started hurting. Her recent reputation wasn’t great, but she could still be considered a rising star, right? Having a rising star like her play second fiddle to her grand-uncle, who was both uneducated and somewhat disabled? Liu Yingxia felt a surge of resentment.

“Why is Xu Yao so petty? It’s already been so long since everything happened, and she still hasn’t let it go?” Liu Yingxia was speechless at Xu Yao’s behaviour. It had almost been half a year since Xu Yao had seemingly lost her mind and withdrawn from the industry, and she was still angry?

The elderly dating show Hand in Hand in Our Later Years had indeed capitalized on Xu Yao’s current popularity. News in the entertainment industry could never truly be hidden, and Xu Yao had never intended to keep it under wraps anyway, so naturally, it was no surprise when the show made it to the trending topics.

The variety show had indeed gained traction, but Liu Yingxia was left in a terrible position and was almost always constantly being mocked.

[I actually thought Xu Yao and Liu Yingxia had made up at first—but I just knew this girl Xu Yao isn’t that easygoing, hahaha.]

[Honestly, maybe you should just take down that apology, Liu Yingxia. Xu Yao isn’t paying you any attention at all, and she even turned around and cut the celebrity screen time in the show to 30%. Goodness, my secondhand embarrassment is acting up again.]

[This might sound harsh, but Director Zhao probably couldn’t pull in 200 million on his own. If it’s not for him or Liu Yingxia, then it’s definitely because of some elderly guest!]

[I’m betting on Grandma Zhang Fengxiang—she was a singer back in the last century, incredibly capable.]

[Hahaha I think it actually might be Grandpa Zhao Guoli? He used to be a big-shot entrepreneur, very well-off—but, well… he’s already been married four times…]

Nowadays, there are already quite a few elderly matchmaking shows, and many netizens have joined in the fun. Elderly matchmaking primarily emphasizes “sincerity” and laying everything out in the open. Apart from the hype Xu Yao was bringing, netizens really couldn’t see what was so amazing about this elderly dating show.

After receiving Xu Yao’s request to reduce the screen time for celebrities to 30%, Zhao Haisheng already had a complete grasp of the situation. He immediately took the entire production team to the small hutong and knocked on the door of Grandpa Cui Guoqiang.

Cui Guoqiang was practicing his military boxing in the yard. Hearing the knock on the door, he went to open the door and was shocked to see a bunch of people from the production team.

Yingxia was right—just look at how many staff members they had for the show! This truly was a big program that the whole country could see!

“Uncle Cui, we’re here to shoot a pilot episode for you,” Director Zhao greeted first, even asking, “Do you live in this siheyuan¹?”

“I’m just renting it,” Cui Guoqiang replied, somewhat puzzled. “I heard houses in the capital are very expensive, so how come this siheyuan isn’t fully rented out? The other rooms are all still empty.”

Since they were all empty, Cui Guoqiang was the only one living in this siheyuan.

He originally had a house with a big yard back in his hometown and thought that coming to the capital for the variety show would mean renting a small and cramped place. But who knew this house would be so big! Since it wasn’t much different from his house back home, Cui Guoqiang adapted quite quickly.

The production team exchanged glances—of course! Renting one of Xu Yao’s properties was now almost as difficult as getting into Tsinghua or Peking University.

Besides, are places around here really that hard to rent out? Not a chance! Even for ordinary landlords, once a listing goes up, it’ll be snapped up in less than half a day.

It’s obvious Xu Yao deliberately didn’t rent out the other rooms to outsiders and gave the whole place just to Old Master Cui—letting him cover the rent for the entire siheyuan on his own.

The production team members exchanged glances, looking at Cui Guoqiang with envy. Many of the staff members were also just ordinary workers renting properties, and they were almost overcome with envy.

Xu Yao, this divine landlady, offered such favorable rental conditions all the while keeping the old man from incurring any burden.

Generally speaking, veterans like this old man have a strong sense of honor and shame. If you openly offered him a discount and told him he could rent a whole siheyuan for the price of one room, he would definitely refuse to accept it. But if it was just a case of being unable to rent out the remaining rooms, he could accept it.

Why wasn’t I one of Xu Yao’s chosen tenants? Countless people couldn’t help but scream in their hearts.

Cui Guoqiang didn’t quite understand what a pilot episode was, so he asked if many people would watch it.

Director Zhao thought for a moment and said, “Not many people watch the pilot episode. More people will watch once the show airs.”

Many people don’t even watch the pilot episode, they just jump straight to the main show.

Cui Guoqiang wanted to say something in front of the camera, but hearing Director Zhao say that, he swallowed back those words. After thinking for a while, he performed a set of military boxing in front of the camera and introduced himself.

“As for my requirements for a partner? I have no requirements.”

Cui Guoqiang had never really intended to find himself a partner. Earlier, when Yingxia came to persuade him to join the show, she’d even said that those wealthy older ladies probably wouldn’t take a liking to him anyway.

After Cui Guoqiang finished speaking, the slightly disabled old man nimbly approached the camera, intrigued to see himself captured so clearly. He couldn’t help but marvel at how developed the country had now become.

Cui Guoqiang suddenly thought of something and immediately hurried into the bedroom, taking out a piece of red cloth. He unfolded it to reveal a small two-inch black-and-white photograph inside, and asked expectantly, “Young man, can you make this clearer?”

The young photographer, who was holding the camera in one hand, was about to reach out with the other to take the photo when Director Zhao suddenly appeared out of nowhere, glaring menacingly at him and saying, “You brat, don’t you have any manners? Don’t you know how to use both hands²?”

This was his star guest! If he messed up, not only would Xu Yao not let him off the hook, but he wouldn’t either!

The photographer was startled and quickly took the blurry black-and-white photo with both hands. The face was no longer discernible, but it was clear that it was a young man wearing a popular sheepskin hat from the last century.

Under Cui Guoqiang’s expectant gaze, the photographer examined it carefully and frowned, saying, “I can do it, but the photo is too old. I’ll need to take it back to work on it, and it might take some time.”

Cui Guoqiang asked if it could be done before the end of the show.

“Absolutely no problem before the show ends, don’t worry, sir,” the photographer assured him.

Cui Guoqiang’s eyes lit up, and he even saluted the photographer, leaving the young man a bit flustered and smiling awkwardly in return.

After two to three days of urgent editing, the official trailer for the elderly dating show, Hand in Hand in Our Later Years was released featuring all of the main cast.

This wasn’t particularly unusual, as every variety show likes to release preview trailers, but what was surprising was—

The old man named Cui Guoqiang was practically the center of attention among all the elderly guests.

His trailer was the longest, his photo was enhanced with filters and placed right in the center of the group of images. Perhaps what was most exaggerated was that the official account had even pinned Cui Guoqiang’s interview at the top of their page, as if afraid others wouldn’t know who he was!

Isn’t it obvious enough already?!

Netizens were dumbfounded, having speculated for a long time, only to find that it wasn’t Grandma Zhang Fengxiang or Grandpa Zhao Guoli, but actually this seemingly obscure Grandpa Cui Guoqiang?

Putting everything else aside, Grandpa Cui’s military boxing did look genuinely impressive. When he performed this set of moves, it seemed as if you could forget his age for a moment. Every single move was powerful and his gaze was fierce like a wolf or tiger, extremely intimidating!

Whether human or animal, admiration for strength is a natural instinct, and this set of standard military boxing moves, which even contained lethal techniques, left a bunch of netizens staring in awe.

This grandpa… seems to really have some skills.

Especially after he finished boxing—he stood with his hands behind his back, grinning widely to reveal a few missing teeth, exuding warmth befitting a friendly neighbor grandpa. It was as if the fierce old man who could punch a tiger to death moments ago was not him at all.

Wow, what an adorable contrast!

This drastic change in just a few minutes left many netizens breathless. Wow, Xu Yao’s judgment really is something else.

So dashing!

It seems… a dashing aura really knows no age! Many netizens who were initially puzzled by the show’s bizarre operations were suddenly captivated by Cui Guoqiang.

[Oh my god, who’s the photographer? They’re insanely good at capturing moments. This Old Master Cui looks so formidable—apparently his intro says he’s a retired soldier?]

[I’m a martial arts instructor, and this grandpa’s military boxing could be used as teaching material. No wonder—he really did serve in the army.]

[Holy crap, I think I’ve spotted the key point: this old gentleman is the one Xu Yao actually wants to promote, right? It’s all about him. Damn, the show hasn’t even started yet and it’s already turning into his personal showcase!]

[Wait, isn’t this Liu Yingxia’s grand-uncle? So… judging by Xu Yao’s “unhinged” style, if Liu Yingxia weren’t benefiting from her grand-uncle, she’d probably have been kicked off the show by now, right?]

[I didn’t even notice it before, but Grandpa Cui has way more vitality than others his age. His back isn’t even hunched. If I were an older lady, I might like him too!]

[Although this really is funny, the show might as well have “Dear Sponsors, please notice me, I’m super capable” carved on its forehead, hahaha.]

Xu Yao didn’t want to interfere too much. She trusted in Old Master Cui’s personal charisma, so after putting in money to tweak the rules, she basically left the show to run on its own. However, she couldn’t withstand just how overzealous Zhao Haisheng was.

Director Zhao had money now, and after those impressive manoeuvres, he immediately turned around and bought a trending topic for #GrandpaCuiGuoqiang!

“Assistant Director, do you think there are any other channels for exposure? Let’s arrange everything for Grandpa Cui!” Zhao Haisheng said boldly.

The assistant director looked completely bewildered. Director Zhao stroked his chin, asking, “How about buying a big LED screen for a building? Just like how Xu Yao’s fans expressed their love for her last time?”

Before the assistant director could respond, Director Zhao paced back and forth and said, “No, no, that’s still a bit too expensive. We still need to save money for the show.”

Director Zhao wanted to make his show popular, so if Xu Yao wanted to promote someone, he would do everything possible to create buzz. Although he might not excel in other areas, he was very skilled at repaying his benefactor.

The assistant director thought for a moment and said, “Director Zhao, right now, Grandpa Cui Guoqiang is already getting a lot of exposure. He hasn’t even appeared on the show yet, and the audience hasn’t met him in person either, so it’ll be hard for him to attract more fans with additional exposure. I think Sister Yao’s money should be used wisely on the show. After all, making the variety show well will still ultimately benefit Grandpa Cui.”

Zhao Haisheng found the assistant director’s words reasonable, “Then we’ll need to upgrade the dating show venue.”

The initial plan had been to casually rent a studio for the show, but now everything was different.

This was a dating show, so they had to create an extraordinary dating experience!

Director Zhao thought for a moment and said, “I heard that some villas on the Lipana Islands are available for rent. Let’s rent an island location to film. That would help us get a truly romantic atmosphere.”

Zhao Haisheng was a bit excited. The current elderly dating shows were very realistic, but he wanted to innovate and create a pair of “pure love” couples from the elderly!

The assistant director said quietly, “Director Zhao, although we have some money now, it’s definitely not enough to rent an island for two months.”

The two hundred million in investments had to be divided among various departments, so it was impossible for it all to be allocated to rent a villa on an island.

The assistant director was internally ranting, No wonder Director Zhao hadn’t made it big in the entertainment industry all these years. He really had some wild ideas.

Zhao Haisheng also felt he couldn’t waste funds like this, but his plan to create an “elderly pure love ship” was still burning fiercely in his heart. Without giving up, he insisted, “Then let’s not rent for that long. We can just rent it for a few days for one or two episodes.” That way, they would definitely be able to afford that amount of money.

After this plan was set, Zhao Haisheng suddenly felt a pang of unease, “Wait, Old Master Cui doesn’t seem like someone who can create an elderly ‘pure love’ couple…”

Just by looking at Old Master Cui practicing his military boxing, the only thing that could come to mind was seriousness, discipline, and meticulousness. He didn’t seem like a romantic elderly person at all.

The assistant director was out of ideas too. After thinking for a long time, he suggested, “How about we just let Old Master Cui shine on his own?”

But this was an elderly dating show!

Director Zhao sighed; he really wanted to create an elderly pure love couple!

*

The group of people who wanted to follow Zhao Haisheng’s lead and gamble everything to seek investment from Xu Yao were taken aback when they saw the production team frantically promoting Old Master Cui Guoqiang everywhere. They suddenly had a bad premonition.

According to their previous analysis, Xu Yao couldn’t possibly be investing for Liu Yingxia, so the only one left would be Zhao Haisheng.

But the overwhelming promotional efforts didn’t seem to be for Director Zhao; it was for this old man named Cui Guoqiang!

They really couldn’t understand what was so special about this old man that would make Xu Yao want to invest. What could a seventy-year-old man bring in terms of huge benefits?

It was over, it was over.

Some of them had just sold their houses, and feeling an indescribable anxiety, they quickly called the official number of Xu Yao’s rental team.

On the other end was a sweet female voice with a melodious tone, but the words that came from her were like a nightmare. “In order to ensure that our properties are rented to those who truly need them, our rental team will conduct a financial review of future renters. Exceeding the specified amount for each house will disqualify you from the rental lottery. We ask for your understanding.”

These words were like a bolt from the blue!

The group was left dumbfounded, “B-but I’ve already sold my house…”

The sweet voice continued, “Then you’ll have the funds to buy a better and more desirable house. Congratulations.”

This group of people felt their pupils shake and their hearts stop: “……”

Holy shit!! Xu Yao is trying to kill me! Xu Yao simply isn’t human.

Many of these people had properties in big cities where selling was easy, but buying again would be difficult.

Xu Yao smiled slightly at this. She appreciated Zhao Haisheng’s courage to gamble everything just to see her, but that didn’t mean she was a fool.

As for how they would buy back the property with their money—well that was none of her concern, and she had no right to interfere.

Xu Yao had already confirmed with Ji Zhengqing that they were to hold a secret engagement banquet on the island and planned to stroll around the capital in the next few days.

Xu Yao had heard that a certain zoo in the capital was really popular. There was an animal in there that was known for planning jailbreaks, so she decided to go see it for herself. Apparently, it’s quite famous.

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The production team prepared a Weibo account for each guest who didn’t have a social media account. Old Master Cui Guoqiang only had an ancient-looking mobile phone and wasn’t familiar with the social platforms of young people, so the account was handed over to Liu Yingxia to manage.

Liu Yingxia watched her grand-uncle slowly gain followers every day with a blank expression on her face while she herself was losing followers like crazy.

Although Xu Yao didn’t say a word, her silence was more terrifying than a thousand words and gave the netizens endless room for imagination.

Her apology letter online not only failed to force Xu Yao to respond, but was also pointed out by the now very sharp-eyed netizens as being “overflowing with the fragrance of tea³.”

The once-popular young actress could only leech off of her grand-uncle’s fame, and her screen time was drastically reduced, leaving her future looking extremely bleak.

Liu Yingxia wanted to curse.

Cui Guoqiang called and said, “Yingxia, you really didn’t lie to your grand-uncle. I went out to buy vegetables these past few days, and hey, the young people at the market all know us!”

It must be because of that pilot episode, right?

Liu Yingxia gritted her teeth and said, “Yes, Grand-uncle, you’ve gained a bit of popularity and have fans now.”

Cui Guoqiang didn’t think he had anything special to be popular for. He exclaimed, “Yingxia is so beautiful. If even your uncle can gain fans, then you must have gained even more.”

Liu Yingxia watched as several of her Weibo followers unfollowed her in half a minute, feeling as if she were about to have a heart attack.

“By the way, your grand-uncle will cook you a meal before we go on the show. Why don’t you come to Grand-uncle’s siheyuan?” Cui Guoqiang was very satisfied with Liu Yingxia; so many people were watching the show that she had invited him to be on.

The more people watched the show, the greater its influence would be, and it would surely be much easier for him to find someone, right?

Liu Yingxia didn’t want to eat her grand-uncle’s cooking. He was a lifelong elderly bachelor who was used to being frugal. What good food could he possibly make? But if she went and couldn’t stomach it, it would be considered impolite, so it still was better for her not to go.

Liu Yingxia used being an artist as an excuse and said, “Besides, don’t you live in a siheyuan in a hutong, Grand-uncle? You’ll have other neighbors in the siheyuan, and I need to bring quite a few people when I go out. I’m afraid it will disturb your neighbors.”

Cui Guoqiang looked around the large siheyuan and said with a simple smile, “Disturb? What disturbance? This siheyuan only has me, an old man living here. There are no other neighbors.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yingxia looked around her silently. After working so hard in the entertainment industry for several years, she had been quite satisfied with the 150-square-meter flat she had bought in the capital, given the high property prices here.

Thinking about the siheyuan her grand-uncle lived in from the pilot episode, the rooms, the huge courtyard used for planting flowers and trees—her own 150-square-meter flat suddenly felt completely underwhelming. Liu Yingxia felt even more suffocated by comparison.

She’s struggled in the entertainment industry for years, yet you’re saying she still can’t compare to one set of her grand-uncle’s military boxing!?

---

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1. Siheyuan (四合院) are traditional Chinese courtyard houses characterized by four buildings arranged around a central square courtyard, offering privacy, harmony with nature, and social structure. (see image) ↩︎
2. In Chinese etiquette, it is considered respectful to receive items from an elder using both hands. This gesture conveys politeness, humility, and acknowledgment of the other person’s seniority. Using both hands signals that the item and the person giving it are being treated with proper respect, especially in more formal or traditional settings. ↩︎
3. internet slang describing someone acting overly sweet, fake, or manipulative in a “white lotus” way ↩︎

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Assistant Li, who had remained silent in the passenger seat, suddenly whipped his head around to stare at Xu Yao with bright eyes.

Assistant He was right! Working for anyone else meant it was still work, but working for the future boss lady basically made you half an employee of Ji Zhengqing!

Excuse me, but he was willing.

After a moment of silence, Ji Zhengqing said, “Yaoyao, to be honest, our Ji Group isn’t that great either.”

He wasn’t crazy enough to give away the Ji Group Tower as an engagement gift.

Xu Yao didn’t quite understand his meaning, thinking it was just the typical humility of a domineering CEO, so she continued to generously praise, “How could it not be great? Netizens all say that Ji Group is the only company that can rival my brother’s, not to mention the tower’s extremely unique architectural design. The high-tech atmosphere it gives off matches perfectly with your company’s corporate culture, and the president’s office should have a great panoramic view of the entire capital. It’s truly excellent.”

Ji Zhengqing finally realized that Xu Yao was talking about the tower’s appearance. This skyscraper had been under construction since his youth, and he had coordinated with the architectural designer when designing it, and as a result, its design reflected his bold and flamboyant ideas from when he was young.

Ji Zhengqing looked at Xu Yao and suddenly smiled, “Then we have the same taste in architecture.”

Ji Zhengqing had once thought that Xu Yao was like him—she wouldn’t rashly agree to an engagement, and if she did, it would be on the basis of genuine affection.

But he wasn’t an idiot. Ever since the last time, when Xu Yao kept all the fashion designers he’d invited for custom engagement outfits, only to poach them for game costume development, he belatedly realized a fact—

Xu Yao seemed to really just see him as an ordinary fiancé. Despite agreeing to the engagement, she wasn’t in a hurry to marry him, and was only thinking about taking advantage of him.

But now things are different. They had the same taste in aesthetics, which is already a good sign.

Ji Zhengqing asked gently, “Are you staying at the He family’s¹ ancestral home now? I’ll take you back first.”

Xu Yao didn’t quite understand Ji Zhengqing’s intentions, so she nodded and let him take them back to the He family’s ancestral home.

Was Ji Zhengqing subtly showing her all his properties? His main source of income probably shouldn’t come from real estate, right? Company profits and stocks should make up the bulk of it.

Xu Yao really couldn’t figure out what Ji Zhengqing was up to until they got out of the car, and He Fan and Lu Ye accompanied her home.

He Fan, who understood Ji Zhengqing’s style of doing things, whispered, “Miss Yaoyao, it’s very likely that Ji Zhengqing was planning to give you a building as an engagement gift.” And even this had probably been because he was provoked by Ming Chan giving her a building.

Xu Yao was taken aback, and thought, Well why didn’t you say so earlier?

If you had said it sooner, I wouldn’t have been so foolish as to praise his Ji Group Tower! After all, Ji Zhengqing couldn’t possibly be crazy enough to give her his main source of profit, the company building.

But she wouldn’t mind—his other buildings were quite nice too!

Xu Yao’s face was filled with regret. She realised that the divine landlady had actually just lost a building!

Xu Yao felt a pain that made it hard to breathe. She suddenly stopped, then turned around, walking briskly back toward Ji Zhengqing’s black RV in the distance.

The car had just been about to start, but the driver immediately hit the brakes when he saw Xu Yao returning.

Xu Yao stood at the car door, looking up at Ji Zhengqing inside. Although he was slightly puzzled at her sudden return, he still had a gentle expression on his face as he asked, “Why are you back?”

Xu Yao hesitated, thought for a moment, and said, “It’s nothing, I just forgot to say goodbye.”

Ji Zhengqing’s eyes brightened, and his smile deepened, “Mm, goodbye.”

He added, “Go back early and rest. I’ll head home to deal with company documents first.”

Xu Yao: “…” Is that it? Don’t you have anything else to say to me?

Xu Yao forced a smile and said, “Okay,” then watched the RV leave her sight.

Pain—it’s just one word, and she would only say it once.

From the rearview mirror, Assistant Li could still see Xu Yao standing there as her figure grew distant. He couldn’t help but say, “President Ji, Miss Yaoyao seems a bit reluctant to see you go.”

Ji Zhengqing was rapidly reviewing the company documents on his lap. He usually had a habit of working overtime on weekends, and if it weren’t for Xu Yao coming to the capital today, he would probably have either flown straight to Haicheng or continued to work in the study of his own home.

Ji Zhengqing raised his eyes to look at his assistant. He could tell that Assistant Li was secretly saddened about not becoming Xu Yao’s employee. He didn’t take it to heart but seriously reminded him, “Assistant Li, less of that love-struck thinking; work is more important.”

Previously, he had misunderstood the situation, but it was fine; they could take their time in the future. The Ji Group Tower could not be given to Xu Yao, but he could still send her something else during the engagement banquet.

He hadn’t even done anything today, so what would Xu Yao be so reluctant about that she didn’t want to see him leave?

Assistant Li looked up at him in disbelief: “…”

Wait, who on earth are you calling love-struck?! And you’re lecturing me?

*

“They’ve already left, yet you’re still watching? Is he that good-looking?”

Who knew when Xu Jing walked over from behind Xu Yao. His tone was slightly sour as he looked at her standing there like a stone statue. Xu Jing hadn’t expected that his friend could have such a charm, making his sister so infatuated.

Xu Yao came back to her senses and greeted Xu Jing, “Brother.”

Xu Jing nodded, pulling Xu Yao to go home. The Xu family’s ancestral home integrated the aesthetic concepts of Northern architecture and Western garden art, combining ancient simplicity with Western elegance, with the two styles complementing one another rather than clashing with each other.

Xu Yao had also chosen to inherit one of these courtyards.

“Brother, do you have any connections to help me buy a few private jets?” Xu Yao asked.

For the wealthy, private jets weren’t particularly expensive; the real cost lay in their annual maintenance fee. However, Xu Yao wasn’t short on money, and thought having a few more jets to switch around would be nice.

Xu Jing agreed readily, “Sure, I’ll keep an eye out for you in the next few days.”

Xu Jing then inquired about their engagement banquet, and Xu Yao only mentioned that it was probably going to be a private engagement banquet and that it would be held on an island.

The Xu family’s ancestral home consisted of several small buildings, and Old Master Xu had always kept one building exclusively for the granddaughter he had yet to find, which was cleaned daily.

Xu Yao moved into the place immediately with Lu Ye and He Fan.

“Miss Yaoyao, the real estate market here in the capital is slightly different from that in Haicheng. We’ve already started recruiting here.” He Fan thought for a moment and said, “Moreover, we have a slight issue on our end now. Although Han Zhao and his team have developed a website and mobile app and have indeed made things easier for many people, there are still some who are unfamiliar with using the internet.”

Xu Yao understood what He Fan was saying. It was most likely the older generation who still had to rent at their age and couldn’t use the internet, who were the ones truly facing difficulties.

After considering the problem for a while, Xu Yao said, “We can’t just rely on online sign-ups for property inspections. We should also conduct offline registrations simultaneously.”

He Fan took note of this, while Lu Ye held the tablet for rental housing, which displayed the backend used by their team’s employees.

The tenants renting the properties didn’t have Xu Yao’s private WeChat, but they had all registered their accounts on the official website using their ID cards. If there were any issues that needed to be resolved by the landlady, they could send internal messages through the official site.

Han Zhao’s programming team had thought this through quite thoroughly, and aside from direct phone contact, the internal messaging system allowed tenants to choose options like “very urgent,” “urgent,” or “general.”

If “very urgent” was selected, Xu Yao’s rental team would respond within fifteen minutes, “urgent” would get a reply within an hour, and “general” would be replied to within 24 hours.

Lu Ye looked at a private message from one of the tenants and said, “Miss Yaoyao, a new tenant named Zhao Haisheng has sent an internal message, mentioning that he has some difficulties and hopes to discuss them with you in person.”

Seeing Xu Yao’s surprise, Lu Ye added, “It seems he’s the director of a variety show.”

Xu Yao came to a realisation immediately. He must have seen how Zuo Ning had gone viral because of her and wanted to follow suit, right?

Thinking back to the original novel, Xu Yao realized this person hadn’t even left his name or description in the novel.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Yao smiled and said, “Meeting is fine.”

Even without relying on the original novel, she still believed in her own judgment.

*

Liu Yingxia was frantically trying to contact Xu Yao, whether by phone or email, but it was as if a stone had sunk into the sea. The other party didn’t reply at all and she didn’t know if Xu Yao had even seen it.

As expected of the original female lead, she could still take things in stride. Unable to reach Xu Yao directly, Liu Yingxia gritted her teeth and hired someone to write a letter of apology for her, posting it on Weibo with very sincere wording.

[Yingxia is really brave—daring to publicly apologize to Xu Yao. It’s okay, Yingxia. Recognizing your mistakes and correcting them is what matters most, Xu Yao will forgive you.]

[Honestly, if you put yourself in her shoes, it’s understandable. Back then Xiaxia was probably completely freaked out by Sheng Zhou’s extreme fans and didn’t know what to do. It’s not too late to apologize now.]

[Have her fans been brainwashed too much? Isn’t she just apologizing now because Yaoyao has gone globally viral while she’s about to fade out? And posting the apology directly on Weibo—are you trying to force Xu Yao to respond?]

[Are Xu Yao’s fans possessed or something? If she doesn’t apologize, you push Liu Yingxia onto the trending list, but if she does, you still attack her. How do you know Xu Yao won’t accept the apology? Looking forward to Liu Yingxia’s new variety show!]

Liu Yingxia looked at the mixed comments online about her apology letter, feeling anxious inside.

Unless Xu Yao publicly accepted her apology, it was unlikely that she would regain any fans. However, she didn’t have much interaction with Xu Yao, and Liu Yingxia regretted not having made friends with her when Seeking Immortality had just been confirmed.

“Let’s not worry about that for now and focus on the variety show coming up first,” Liu Yingxia encouraged herself, looking at her assistant and asking, “How’s my grand-uncle? Has the hotel been booked for him?”

Liu Yingxia only had one apartment in the capital, and since she didn’t want to live with her grand-uncle, she planned to book a hotel for him before the variety show started.

The assistant quickly replied, “He thinks staying in a hotel for two months is too expensive, so… he rented a place himself.”

That variety show was expected to take two months to film, so how could the average elderly person accept paying such expensive hotel prices for so long?

Liu Yingxia was slightly irritated at her grand-uncle’s willfulness; it was truly troublesome. With a dark expression on her face, she instructed her assistant to call her grand-uncle’s clunky mobile phone.

Liu Yingxia didn’t like this grand-uncle very much. He was a lifelong bachelor, and since the elderly man had fought in the war in his early years, he had been living on government subsidies all these years.

Now that her resources had plummeted, the only opportunity that came her way was a variety show directed by Zhao Haisheng called Hand in Hand in Our Later Years.

The requirement was for her to bring a grandparent who was still single onto the show, but her grandparents had long since passed away! Furthermore, none of the elderly relatives around her were still single.

Although Liu Yingxia felt that this variety show would be unlikely to make a big splash, she still wouldn’t give up any opportunity for exposure in the entertainment industry. She knew all too well that without exposure, there would be absolutely no chance for her to make a comeback.

So her gaze fell on her distant relative, Grand-uncle Cui Guoqiang. Apparently when this grand-uncle had heard he was going to appear on television, and that the whole country would have a chance to see him, only then had he agreed despite his earlier consideration.

“Sister Xia, the call has gone through.” The assistant handed her the phone.

Liu Yingxia suppressed her displeasure and gently asked the elderly man on the other end, “Grand-uncle, why are you renting a place by yourself? I can book a hotel for you.”

Cui Guoqiang carried his belongings into his place in a small hutong. In a voice tinged with a thick rural accent, he said, “It’s too expensive. Grand-uncle can just rent a place himself. But is it usually such a hassle to rent in your big city?”

Liu Yingxia didn’t quite understand, “A hassle to rent? Renting in the capital isn’t a hassle at all.” You just look at the property through an agency, confirm it, and sign the rental contract, and that’s it.

Feeling hot after entering the house, Cui Guoqiang unbuttoned his military green coat and carefully removed the badge from his chest, storing it in an aluminum container before saying, “Grand-uncle thinks it’s quite troublesome. I still have to fill out some kind of survey form just to rent. I even misspelled several words.”

Cui Guoqiang continued to ramble on, “Thank goodness the country’s policy is good now. My parents’ generation were all illiterate, but I’ve been educated.”

Liu Yingxia: “…” She didn’t want to hear this.

However, the more Liu Yingxia thought about it, the more something felt off. What sort of tenant in the capital would still need to fill in a survey?

Suddenly a name flashed through Liu Yingxia’s mind, startling her into asking, “Grand-uncle, who’s your landlord?”

Cui Guoqiang replied, “I haven’t met the landlady yet, but I heard her name is Xu Yao. This landlady noticed that I’m a retired soldier and even gave me a discount on the rent. It’s much cheaper than the hotel you booked for me, Yingxia.”

Liu Yingxia couldn’t believe it. Seriously? How had her grand-uncle managed to rent Xu Yao’s place so easily?! Netizens were practically fighting over Xu Yao’s properties now, with even Director Zhao selling his house just for a place!

No, Liu Yingxia thought instead—

Xu Yao actually had properties in the capital too?

As for Liu Yingxia’s apology, Xu Yao still gave no response, but she still quickly started trending again.

#XuYaoInCapitalCity#

[Holy crap! Who was it that said Xu Yao didn’t have any property in the capital? Well, she’s finally here!]

[Heads up for everyone looking to rent from Xu Yao in the capital—her business is expanding here! It’s confirmed she owns property in XX Hutong!]

[Ahhh, places in that hutong start at like 400,000 per square meter, right? Sister Yao is incredible. With her arrival, real estate agents in the capital are probably all crying now. After all, she’s insanely competitive.]

[Has Xu Yao finally noticed us, the starving masses in the capital? I’ve always had my eye on the places she rents out in Haicheng, but I couldn’t move because of work in the capital. Now I finally can.]

[There must be so many young people coming to the capital chasing their dreams, right? I really want to know—just who’s going to be the next lucky person to get help from the great Landlady Xu?]

There are countless young people working in the capital, and the sky-high housing prices also seem like an invisible mountain pressing down on them. Just how many young people are crammed into basements, and how many endure terrifying commutes of two to three hours a day?

Even if they don’t become the lucky ones helped by Xu Yao, just being able to rent Xu Yao’s property would still be considered a stroke of luck.

Liu Yingxia looked at the trending topics, her expression filled with envy. Even after stepping back from the industry, Xu Yao still managed to garner so much attention. Clearly, her Weibo isn’t even that active now; she just occasionally shares bits of her life, yet she still has millions of followers.

“Yingxia, can that variety show really be seen by everyone in the country?” Grand-uncle Cui Guoqiang asked, still somewhat uncertain.

Liu Yingxia felt a bit guilty and replied reluctantly, “Yeah, it should be.”

Unless that lousy variety show encountered a stroke of luck, given its flawed formatting, how could it possibly become popular enough for everyone in the country to see it? In any case, Liu Yingxia certainly didn’t believe it could.

However, Cui Guoqiang took it seriously. He took out a blurry old photo from the aluminum container and wiped it, muttering, “Old brother, just wait for me a little longer. I will definitely find you.”

*

pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

During this time, Zhao Haisheng felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He had truly lost his mind and sold his house in the capital, forcibly moving his entire family to Haicheng. It had to be said that his luck was still quite good. After struggling to understand the rental questions from Xu Yao, he successfully became her tenant.

However, his connections and career were still in the capital, so he remained there.

Xu Yao agreed to meet him, making Zhao Haisheng so excited that he couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t help but fantasize about being the next Zuo Ning, going from being unknown to becoming a nationwide sensation, now thriving in his career.

Zhao Haisheng arrived at the agreed location an hour early, taking out a tissue with utmost seriousness just to wipe the already clean European-style round table again and again.

Xu Yao soon walked in with Lu Ye and He Fan. When Zhao Haisheng saw Xu Yao, he was so excited he could almost fly, “Miss Xu Yao… oh no, Miss Landlady, Miss Landlady.”

Xu Yao didn’t burst Zhao Haisheng’s bubble, smiling, “I heard Director Zhao rented my house in Haicheng. Are you having any difficulties in your life?”

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Zhao Haisheng’s bronze face. Everyone was clamoring to rent Xu Yao’s house and seek her investment, but when he actually went to find Xu Yao with that mindset, he still felt a bit shy.

Xu Yao was genuinely a kind-hearted landlady and truly wanted to help her tenants. But renting was secondary to him, and his real intention was to seek Xu Yao’s investment.

When Zhao Haisheng thought about it, his face grew redder, and he couldn’t squeeze out a single word from the phrases he had prepared in his mind.

It was Xu Yao who spoke first, “I heard Director Zhao is planning to shoot a variety show called ‘Hand in Hand in Our Later Years,’ a dating show for the elderly? Are you facing some sort of difficulty in funding?” 

Zhao Haisheng looked at Xu Yao’s clear eyes and felt a bit ashamed, nodding as he carefully pushed the project materials in front of Xu Yao.

Xu Yao quickly skimmed through the materials, suddenly understanding why Zhao Haisheng didn’t even have a scene in the original novel.

This variety show really didn’t seem promising at all. Zhao Haisheng wanted to take a different approach and create a dating show for the elderly, but he knew the target audience would definitely be limited, so—

He also inserted celebrities into the mix, having them bring their grandparents onto the show to talk about love, hoping to attract some popularity through their fans. The project proposal gave Xu Yao a sense of confusion about the show’s priorities; it was just a mishmash of ideas that didn’t quite fit together.

When trying to reap all the benefits, the outcome of such actions usually results in ending up with nothing at all.

This variety show was likely to flop without making any waves, after all, it hadn’t even been mentioned in the original text.

Xu Yao smiled and said, “Director Zhao’s show sounds great, I wish you success. I’ll check it out when it airs. If you’re facing any financial difficulties, how about I reduce your rent by half a month?”

Who in the entertainment industry isn’t sharp? As soon as Xu Yao said this, Zhao Haisheng immediately understood her meaning: she was offering verbal support, but… that was all.

Zhao Haisheng felt a lump in his throat. He should’ve understood. He wasn’t like Zuo Ning. Zuo Ning was a young person short on cash, and with Xu Yao’s help, he soared to new heights. Ming Chan was an exceptionally capable female entrepreneur. Both were typical examples of people who just lacked an opportunity. In contrast, he had already been in the entertainment industry for many years, and even reached middle age, yet he still hadn’t gained much fame.

He had always known he was an ambitious, yet ordinary person, clearly only possessing average abilities but unwilling to settle for mediocrity. Netizens said Xu Yao had extraordinary insight; perhaps he really shouldn’t be fighting against fate.

Holding back tears, Zhao Haisheng smiled and nodded, “Thank you, Miss Landlady. You don’t need to reduce my rent. You’re not renting out your property as charity, and I can still afford the rent.”

Xu Yao looked at Zhao Haisheng again, then turned to He Fan for clarification.

He Fan understood and said, “Director Zhao has a house in the capital, but he sold it so he could rent your place, Miss Yaoyao.”

Xu Yao paused slightly upon hearing this. Had he really gone all in on a gamble like this?

Selling all his property just for a chance to meet her? Xu Yao couldn’t help but regard Zhao Haisheng with newfound respect.

Xu Yao had always understood that ordinary people were the majority in this world. Talents like Zuo Ning, Han Zhao, and Ming Chan were ultimately in the minority, and the vast majority lived ordinary lives.

But can’t ordinary people have dreams too? Are ordinary people’s dreams not worth mentioning?

Xu Yao suddenly smiled. Well, even if her whole investment went down the drain, she could still bear it.

Xu Yao continued flipping through the project proposal, moving on to the list of guests drafted by Zhao Haisheng.

There were internet celebrities bringing their grandmothers, second-tier singers bringing their grandfathers, and then—

Xu Yao suddenly stopped, staring intently at a page that read: Liu Yingxia was bringing her grand-uncle, Cui Guoqiang, onto the show.

She didn’t need an introduction to Liu Yingxia, after all, she was the original female lead, and Xu Yao had no intention of acknowledging her and simply acted as if she were invisible.

But… Cui Guoqiang!

In the original novel, this old man was merely a side character, barely mentioned in passing by Liu Yingxia, yet he ended up being the most memorable and touching figure to Xu Yao out of the entire novel!

This old gentleman’s first appearance is at the funeral of Liu Yingxia’s grand-uncle. Cui Guoqiang was already past seventy, and having gone to war in his early years, he carried old injuries; he couldn’t withstand that kind of shock and passed away.

Liu Yingxia also met the original male lead at Cui Guoqiang’s funeral, and from then on, the two became entangled.

Zhao Haisheng saw Xu Yao staring intently at a particular page and quickly took a peek. Seeing “Liu Yingxia” written there made him want to cry even more.

It was just one word: tragic! He would only say it once!

Liu Yingxia and Sheng Zhou’s fans had all turned against Xu Yao online, driving her to madness and forcing her to withdraw from the industry. Although most of those doing this were Sheng Zhou’s fans, Liu Yingxia had remained silent and did not help her clarify the facts.

What sort of investment could he possibly attract? It would be more of a miracle if he didn’t offend Xu Yao!

Zhao Haisheng quickly said, “Miss Xu Yao, the contract with Liu Yingxia has already been signed.” So there was no way to change it now.

Xu Yao smiled, “I know, Liu Yingxia is quite good.”

If one didn’t consider the negative press, Liu Yingxia had the most fans among all the guests. Zhao Haisheng had truly gone to great lengths to gain a bit of attention.

Xu Yao closed the project proposal with both hands, the sound of her palms clapping through the pages echoed. She smiled, “So, I’ll invest a bit of money to help my tenant.”

“Huh?!” Zhao Haisheng was incredulous!

Clearly… she had just politely declined! How could she suddenly want to invest?

Zhao Haisheng recalled that Xu Yao had been looking at the guests Liu Yingxia and Cui Guoqiang. That grand-uncle, who wasn’t well-known, couldn’t possibly be the main reason, so it must be… Liu Yingxia!

Zhao Haisheng also remembered Liu Yingxia had posted a handwritten apology letter on Weibo, filled with sincerity.

Could this be Xu Yao’s way of accepting Liu Yingxia’s apology?

Zhao Haisheng was overjoyed; no matter what, he was the one that was going to benefit from it!

Zhao Haisheng repeatedly said, “Great, great, thank you, Miss Landlady! Thank you, Miss Landlady!”

Xu Yao and Zhao Haisheng agreed on a time before leaving.

Just as Xu Yao stepped out of the bar, she heard uncontrollable cheers coming from inside and couldn’t help but find it amusing. This director probably didn’t realize he was also one of the reasons, right?

As soon as they left, a delighted Zhao Haisheng immediately called Liu Yingxia, his words filled with gratitude, “Yingxia, it’s all thanks to you! Xu Yao actually agreed to invest in our variety show!”

He had taken a gamble by seeking out Xu Yao, and thankfully it had paid off!

Liu Yingxia was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. How could it possibly be because of her? Wasn’t Xu Yao only helping her tenants?

“It’s really not because I’m her tenant. Xu Yao had politely declined me before, but when she saw you on the guest list, she immediately agreed.”

Zhao Haisheng insisted it wasn’t because of him, and Liu Yingxia thought about the guest list, which included not only her but also her grand-uncle, Cui Guoqiang.

Liu Yingxia said with uncertainty, “Um… Director, my grand-uncle seems to be Xu Yao’s tenant too.”

Since it couldn’t be because of Zhao Haisheng, it must be because of her grand-uncle, right?

Her grand-uncle was over seventy, and was an old man with no education except for having been to war. Would Xu Yao invest in this lackluster variety show just because of him? Did she have that much money to throw around?

Director Zhao was shocked, “Wait, you’re having your grand-uncle rent in the capital?”

---

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1. May or may not be a typo by the author. Should be referring to the Xu family but I’m leaving it in just in case it isn’t a mistake ↩︎