Summoning His Wife to the Doorstep

After a moment, he took another step forward, stubbornly standing beside Gu Yanting, shoulder to shoulder with him, as if telling him: he and Gu Yanting were the perfectly matched pair, and Gu Yanting had come for him.

This kind of invisible provocation was the deadliest.

The original host could not endure it.

Song Mingzhou could.

He stood up, casually swept his gaze over Gu Yanting and Shen Qing, then let it finally settle on the fruit platter in Gu Yanting's hands. His lips curved into a smile.

For some reason, Gu Yanting felt stung by that smile.

He frowned. "What kind of attitude is that? Shen Qing was talking to you properly, and you're giving him that cold face?"

Song Mingzhou slowly let his smile fade and gave a cold snort. "A cheap dog dares bark madly in front of me? You've got some nerve."

"What did you say??"

Gu Yanting suspected there was something wrong with his ears.

Song Mingzhou took two steps forward and said even more clearly, "I said, the two of you are no different from trash in a garbage can in my eyes. Looking at you... makes me sick."

"You..."

Bang.

Song Mingzhou strode away. As he passed Gu Yanting, his long fingers mischievously flicked the fruit platter, overturning it and scattering the sliced fruit all over the floor.

[ Ding, host Song Mingzhou's key plot point has been successfully corrected. Current task progress: 15/100. ]

"Oh dear." Song Mingzhou turned back with feigned apology, his face full of innocence and remorse. "Sorry, I didn't do it on purpose."

Gu Yanting's face darkened. "You're getting more and more outrageous."

Shen Qing gently consoled Gu Yanting. "Yanting, don't be angry. Teacher Song will be fine once he's vented."

"Can't you tell he did it on purpose?"

"I... I'm fine."

Song Mingzhou cut them off. "Are you two done being lovey-dovey? Oh, right, one more reminder: remember to pay back the money you owe me. I still have receipts for some of it, so don't make me sue you."

"You..."

Song Mingzhou could not be bothered to tangle with them any longer. He left directly and went to the lounge to change and do his makeup.

When filming ended that afternoon.

Song Mingzhou received a message from Lin Cheng. The cars were ready: one had been driven back to the parking lot of his residence, while the other was waiting outside the set.

Song Mingzhou went to get the keys himself before returning.

"Teacher Song."

His assistant, Chen Fei, called to him uneasily, his lips pressed into a straight line.

Song Mingzhou glanced at him. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Yes." Chen Fei handed him his phone. "Manager Lu called just now. He said he had something to discuss with you and told you to call him back as soon as you were free."

"Oh."

Chen Fei was afraid of Lu Fenghai. He had probably suffered plenty of grievances while following the original host before.

After returning to the hotel.

Song Mingzhou called Lu Fenghai back.

"What is it?"

He got straight to the point.

Lu Fenghai cursed under his breath. When he realized Song Mingzhou was about to hang up, he immediately changed his tune and raised his voice. "It's serious business. I got you a wilderness survival variety show. You'll record it with Tor after you finish this drama. It'll be a three-month closed shoot."

[ Ding, plot point triggered. Host must firmly refuse this variety show and agree to pay compensation. ]

Song Mingzhou's gaze turned cold. He did not even ask the system to investigate and rejected it outright. "I'm not going. Cancel it."

Just as expected.

A furious roar came from the other end of the call. "You're not going? Who do you think you are? Do you have Gu Yanting's ability and fame? Or Shen Qing's luck?? Ordinary people would kill for a chance to get on this show! Do you know how much effort I put into begging for this opportunity for you?"

527 voluntarily reported:

[ Host, in the original plot, this variety show was actually a perverse torture fest. It was not originally meant for the original host, but for someone else. For certain reasons, it ended up being assigned to him.

The original host's manager signed the contract for him. He had no say in the matter, and because he did not want to undergo closed filming, he firmly refused. He ended up burdened with massive compensation fees and offended more people. ]

Song Mingzhou had not been particularly interested in any of this, but since 527 had said it, he listened.

"Song Mingzhou, listen carefully. I've already signed the contract. When the time comes, you'll go when I tell you to go. If you dare not—"

"How much is the penalty?"

"What?"

Lu Fenghai's words caught in his throat.

Song Mingzhou's cool voice came through the phone again, clearer and more forceful than before. "I'm not going. Just tell me: how much is the penalty?"

Lu Fenghai stared in shock, suspiciously checking his phone. Only after confirming that Song Mingzhou was indeed on the call and his phone was not broken did he finally recover his senses.

"What did you just say?"

"..."

Song Mingzhou's patience was nearly exhausted. Irritably, he waved for his assistant to prepare things for his bath, his entire body shrouded in hostility. "The penalty."

This time, Lu Fenghai was completely certain his ears were not deaf.

He gave a few mocking laughs. "Can you afford it? The penalty is four million. If you don't go, you'll have to repay it within one month. If you can't, then just wait to be blacklisted."

Those words were not a threat.

They were naked mockery and ridicule.

Lu Fenghai was certain Song Mingzhou would not dare refuse. He knew Song Mingzhou's financial situation better than anyone, and he also knew perfectly well how lovestruck he was. He did not have much money to begin with, and he had foolishly spent nearly all of it on Gu Yanting.

Forget several million—even one hundred thousand was likely beyond his means.

"Fine."

[ Ding, host Song Mingzhou's key plot point has been successfully corrected. Current task progress: 16/100. ]

Beep, beep, beep.

"??"

"????"

Lu Fenghai stared dumbfoundedly at the disconnected call, then laughed in anger.

Fine. Fine.

His wings had really grown hard. Just wait and see!

"Teacher Song, your clothes are ready, and the bathwater is at the right temperature." Chen Fei was still very loyal to the original host and was a dependable companion.

Song Mingzhou nodded. "Okay, go rest too."

"Alright."

Chen Fei turned and left.

Song Mingzhou was carrying his clothes toward the bathroom when his phone rang. He did not want to bother with it at first, but he still could not stop himself from picking it up.

"!!"

Duan Xun: [Come over.]

Duan Xun: [[An address for a villa]]

Song Mingzhou even softened his breathing. That tingling sensation swiftly wrapped around him, delight rising to his brows as his smile spread wider and wider.

Why the hell would he wash now?

He would definitely need another wash after going over there.

Beaming with joy, Song Mingzhou put on his shoes while calling his assistant. Two minutes later, Chen Fei appeared at the door with a puzzled expression. "Teacher Song, are you going out again tonight?"

Don't tell me he's going to find Gu Yanting and cry to him again??

Chen Fei silently grumbled to himself, heartbroken.

Song Mingzhou smiled happily. "No, I'm going somewhere to see a friend. Tomorrow..."

Hmm...

Song Mingzhou thought about it. This address seemed to be Duan Xun's home, and it did not seem appropriate for Chen Fei to go there. So he changed his tone. "Go straight to the set tomorrow and bring the things I need. I'll get there myself."

Chen Fei nodded. "Alright."

He's going to be a bootlicker again. Sure enough, he was still provoked during the day. He couldn't keep pretending anymore.

Song Mingzhou did not notice his assistant's little thoughts. He put on a hat and mask, then dashed off in a rush, nearly falling down the stairs on his way out.

Only after he got into the car.

Did 527 coolly mock him:

[ Host, do you know what you looked like just now? ]