Love Variety Show: The despised me exploded in popularity

Their usual demeanor, as seen through Ji Chen's eyes as he approached them, looked too intimate.

Xu Qingyan noticed Pei Muchan's frown and followed her gaze to see the approaching Ji Chen, instantly smirking involuntarily, "This son of a bitch."

"Muchan," Ji Chen stopped in his tracks, completely ignoring the anxious assistant, ignoring Xu Qingyan standing in front of him, "What are you doing here?"

Pei Muchan looked down and didn't respond to him.

"There's someone else here, Ji the superstar really has a short memory, huh." Xu Qingyan's smile was brilliant as he stepped to the side to shield Pei Muchan completely behind him.

"Remember me?"

"This is none of your business, you'd better stay away from Muchan." Ji Chen had been cultivating his demeanor as per his agent's request, thinking he was quite composed.

He glanced at Xu Qingyan with those arrogant eyes, showing his impatience.

"What business do you have with Muchan's private affairs, what are you crowding around for?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qingyan almost burst out laughing.

He thought money was really powerful nowadays, even an idiot could be elevated to high positions. What kind of oddities were becoming top influencers? Oh, they were far from the top.

"What kind of private affairs can you have with her? About you paying to suppress Chanchan's new song? Or the old matter of you causing her studio to almost go bankrupt?"

Hearing this, Ji Chen's face turned sour visibly fast.

"You're talking nonsense! I could sue you for defamation, do you know how many people would support me?"

Xu Qingyan was astonished, "Fuck? Are there fans of yours even among the judges?"

A soft laugh came from behind him, and Pei Muchan's shoulders shook uncontrollably. Not a very funny cold joke, but it inexplicably hit her funny bone.

He just felt Pei Muchan's head against his back, desperately trying to stifle her laughter.

Anyway, it was quite absurd.

Pei Muchan's laughter made Ji Chen feel even more embarrassed, and his irritation grew. He directed his anger at Xu Qingyan and spoke in a lowered voice.

"Stop pretending here, what's with the sudden closeness to Muchan, as if I don't know your motives?"

"What's it to you?" Xu Qingyan turned and took Pei Muchan's hand, pulling her to the side, and said to the scowling Ji Chen, "Ji the superstar, don't be so full of yourself."

"Who would like you? Is your money counter broken, can't count your change? Be more self-aware, don't look so creepy, keep a healthy heart."

"You!!"

"No more 'you,' look in the mirror." Xu Qingyan stopped, turned, and looked back at him, "Did you see who she left with? Stop acting like a clown, have some shame, okay?"

"Not everyone is brainless, what era is it, and you're still playing that overbearing CEO trope?"

"Even fucking tofu has brains, and you don't."

After speaking, Xu Qingyan walked away with Pei Muchan without looking back, ignoring Ji Chen's gloomy face behind them.

It wasn't until they were out of the TV station that he let go of Pei Muchan's hand.
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"Sorry, that was abrupt."

"It's okay." Pei Muchan ran her fingers through her hair, her face slightly red, "I should be thanking you. I didn't expect to run into Ji Chen here, it was disgusting."

"Running into such a self-centered person is both troublesome and disgusting," Xu Qingyan replied, "I really hope his house collapses soon, I'd stomp on it a couple of times."

Hearing this, Pei Muchan looked up at him and took hold of his clothes, speaking softly.

"Don't be impulsive, wasting time on someone like that isn't worth it."

"Yes, important matters first." He took out his car keys, thinking that if there was a chance, he would toss Ji Chen into a literal trash can, "Let's go, get some good rest, and put on a great show this afternoon."

"Okay."

.....

Qinghe.

The sun moved higher, and the earth bus rocked back and forth, swaying from side to side on the dusty road.

On both sides were the continuous green mountains, and Li Yang stared out the window with a lifeless gaze. She, alone, had taken the money to ride to this not-so-remote village and had coincidentally run into road construction.

She had been in Pingsha for many years, yet had never visited the small villages beneath Pingsha County.

There was no direct bus to Qinghe; she had to transfer at the town. Due to the roadwork, she had to wait a full two hours before finally catching a local bus to Qinghe.

She threw up twice on the trip, almost vomiting out stomach acid, and only felt better once her stomach was completely empty.

This trip was to see her benefactor.

Although a bit scared, she still made the trip, and after the car arrived at the destination, she walked along the rugged mountain path for a few households, inquiring softly until she knew the way.

"Thank... thank you."

The old granny was dazzled by her pale face, a kind smile appearing on her face. The girl was quite lovely, though she always spoke with her head down.

"Looking for Hongmei, are you? What's your relationship with her?"

Li Yang was pretty but not foolish, and simply said she was a relative, keeping her head down.

"I'll... I'll go on ahead; thank you, Granny."

"Go on, go on, such a handsome girl. Walk slowly." The old granny, leaning on her cane, saw her off to the crossroad, watching as the girl's figure gradually disappeared into the village.

From afar, the granny saw several curious figures approaching and suddenly erupted in a voice that belied her seventy jin frame, audible from over a li away.

"Hongmei's relative is here, don't frighten the girl!"

In Qinghe, nearly everyone shared the same surname, and they generally questioned newcomers, but as soon as they heard someone was looking for Zhang Hongmei, the villagers, young and old, wives and children, immediately turned warm and pointed out the way.

Li Yang, feeling both honored and shocked, could only keep her head down and proceed.

The houses in Qinghe could not be considered dilapidated; most were made of red bricks and tiles, though they appeared somewhat old. The village roads were still uneven, and mostly dirt paths dominated.

In the direction of the school, a bright red national flag waved, which calmed the heart.

She was practically escorted straight to Zhang Hongmei, listening to the villagers tittle-tattle about various relatives and throwing in questions about whether she was married.

Li Yang struggled to cope, but Zhang Hongmei quickly caught on. Without saying much else, she casually dealt with the neighbors, leading Li Yang back to her home.

Xu Qingyan's house had been renovated, appearing somewhat more spacious compared to others in the village, and the courtyard was clean and tidy.

Upon entering the yard, Zhang Hongmei asked,

"You are the girl from the Li family, aren't you?"

Li Yang didn't know how to respond and simply knelt down directly in front of Zhang Hongmei.

"Aiyoo, what are you doing, girl? Get up quickly."

"I have had surgery and can't help you up; hurry... get up by yourself, otherwise, auntie is going to..." Mrs. Zhang Hongmei was adept at moral blackmail, indeed, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The words were not yet finished when, startled, Li Yang wiped her tears and scrambled to her feet.

"Auntie, thank... thank you."

"Sigh, I know all about your family's troubles; these years have been hard on you." Zhang Hongmei reached out and ruffled her hair, "When your father was still with us, our two families interacted."

"Auntie has been ill these past few years but made it through this year. I heard you got into a good university, and with spare strength, I couldn't just not help you after those relatives of yours didn't lift a finger."

When Zhang Hongmei mentioned her late father, Li Yang's tears were unstoppable, emotions flooding like waters rushing through a breached dam.

"I... I worked a summer job for three months. They told me to come home and gave me my household registration book. But when I got there... all the money I had earned was stolen."

"Beasts! Even taking a young girl's money." Zhang Hongmei sighed deeply, but then asked, "Your household registration book, ID card, and such, do you still have them?"

"Yes." Li Yang had sat outside the bus station in the county town since before dawn, waiting for a ride here, and by now, her spirit had almost reached its limit, fretting all the way, afraid that she would be dragged back by relatives.

[The money is gone; what do you mean? Do you suspect that we adults took it? Your cousin is so young; he couldn't possibly commit such a deed.

Now that you're grown and can't even keep track of your money, how can you be trusted to look after a house? I think it's best that your uncles take care of the shop and the house.

You're attending such a prestigious university but have no prospects of a good marriage; you've lost your father, and your uncles are your elders. Could your elders possibly harm you? We've kept the house and shop for you as your dowry.]

Her body was still trembling, her voice choked, "It's... it's in the bag, and also the money you lent me, auntie. I've come this time... to give you an IOU."