The White Lotus Stench Was Overwhelming!

The conflict suddenly shifted toward Xie Chen, and the haters lurking in the livestream immediately sprang into action, their fingers flying across their keyboards as comments flooded the screen.

[That's right, Xie Chen slandered Brother Ye! He's gone crazy chasing fame, actually trying to leech off Brother Ye?!]

[Our Brother Ye has never had anything to do with this washed-up nobody. He just opens his mouth and spouts nonsense—spreading rumors is way too cheap, isn't it?!]

[Look! This is how powerful rumors are. It was clearly just a colorectal issue, but by the time it got to Wei Mingqi, it had become an anal fistula?! How vile must the person who started this be?!]

[Did Brother Ye come for the filming? The news the fandom released yesterday was pretty accurate! Brother Ye really became an observer for Transform, Freaks!?!]

[Isn't this giving Xie Chen an opening to exploit?! What if he pulls some more stunts during filming?! Even if he doesn't bite, he'll still disgust people!]

[Hahahaha, am I the only one who thinks Brother Ye came here to straighten out this variety show?! Xie Chen is probably not far from death!]

As early as last night, some entertainment gossip account had leaked that Huo Wenye had not only invested in Transform, Freaks!, but had also been invited to serve as an observer for the show.

Because the scoop was too bizarre, barely anyone online believed it, so its repost count never took off.

After all, Best Actor Huo's schedule was packed tight, and he had never participated in a variety show, much less this sort of... low-budget production that looked full of weirdos.

Yet unexpectedly, Huo himself actually appeared in the livestream and seriously asked, "What's zero?"

For a time, countless netizens spread the news far and wide, forcibly pushing the traffic ceiling into the tens of millions.

Naturally, Xie Chen, sitting before the livestream camera with one leg crossed over the other, was not stupid enough to explain himself.

That would have been as good as protesting his innocence too loudly.

Huo Wenye had a brain, after all. He should be able to tell whether someone was deliberately stirring things up.

So Xie Chen carelessly curled his lips, looking arrogantly like, I'm the villain—who am I afraid of?

Director Li had just been about to cut in and snap at Wei Mingqi when he caught sight of the freakish guests all filing into the assembly hall.

Their swaggering strides were exceptionally showy.

Anyone who knew they were here for a show was one thing; anyone who did not would have thought they had come to trash the place!

"Yo, this show is way too shabby, isn't it? You could at least have found a six-star hotel. This is seriously lowering my standards!" Best Actress Li Jingfei said in a sharp, cutting tone.

"Not only is the setup lousy, but whoever made the rules is brain-dead too. Why insist on meeting at ten in the morning? Doesn't he know I always get up at night?!" This was the hot-tempered playboy, Luo Mingyu.

After speaking, the two of them looked in unison at another guest.

Their unfriendly expressions seemed to be pressuring him to join in the complaints.

But the last person to enter merely stood there with his hands in his pockets, saying nothing, his nostrils tilted toward the sky as a thick wave of teenage edginess hit everyone in the face.

No introduction was needed. He was the rapper Li Sifan.

Seeing the three abnormal people, Director Li's head practically doubled in size, but he still suppressed his anger and said with a stern face, "Now that everyone's here, get on the bus and let's go."

"You're late, and you still have so much nonsense to say!"

After muttering that, he turned to Huo Wenye, his attitude abruptly changing. "Brother Ye, the follow-up contract hasn't been finalized yet. Why don't you come with me?"

Huo Wenye's expression hesitated almost imperceptibly. Then his lips moved, and just as he was about to speak, a soft, delicate voice came from the entrance to the hall.

"I'm sorry, I'm late."

That frail white lotus voice was far too familiar. Xie Chen's whole body stiffened as he slowly turned his head. Once he saw who it was, a playful, malicious curve rose at the corner of his lips.

Oh? Even heaven couldn't stand it anymore and was delivering someone to me to vent my anger on?!

That was right. The newcomer was none other than Xie Ran, the real young master who had caused Xie Chen's miserable death in his previous life.

The paper-thin figure jogged over, and the moment he stopped, he bowed at a full ninety degrees. "I'm sorry, Director Li. As soon as I got the notice, I rushed here without stopping, but I still ended up late."

When he straightened and lifted his face, his cheeks were faintly flushed. A strand of soaking-wet bangs hung before his eyes, and his expression was utterly sincere.

Seeing this, Xie Chen clicked his tongue inwardly. This acting should have gone to the Oscars—what was he doing here in a variety show?

But on second thought, it made sense.

Anything that belonged to him, Xie Ran wanted to steal. Even if he could not take it, he still had to force his way in, as though taking revenge on Xie Chen for occupying the magpie's nest...

Faced with the sudden addition of a guest, Director Li was a little stunned. His assistant hurriedly leaned in to explain, "The Xie Family spoke to upper management this morning. They wanted to arrange for their younger son to join, and upper management agreed..."

Director Li frowned. "They're really making a mess of things!"

"There's nothing we can do. Xie Zhenting is too good at applying pressure. Upper management couldn't withstand it..." The assistant looked like he was about to cry.

Director Li waved a hand. "Forget it. He won't be able to endure a high-intensity variety show like this anyway. Let him quit on his own."

After saying that, he pulled Huo Wenye toward the office.

The atmosphere in the assembly hall instantly became tense and hostile.

Xie Ran tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and politely greeted the other guests.

"Hello, Brother Mingqi."

"Hello, Sister Jingfei."

"Hello, Brother Luo."

"Hello, Brother Sifan."

"Hello, Brother Xie Chen..."

He deliberately paused, a flash of provocation flickering through his eyes before disappearing.

Xie Chen immediately curled his lip and snorted. "Don't call me brother. I can't bear it."

"Brother Xie Chen, are you still angry?" Xie Ran blinked his large, innocent, watery eyes. "I really didn't mean to steal your family from you. I know I shouldn't have come back, but... blood is thicker than water."

"Just shut up already. Who the hell wants to fight you over those scumbags from the Xie Family?" Xie Chen said coldly. "Who are you putting on that pitiful act for? Everyone in this variety show is a villain. Who exactly are you expecting to sympathize with you?"

"Idiots as low-IQ as the Xie Family are hard to come by!"

The sudden barrage of verbal fire exploded beside him, leaving Xie Ran frozen in place.

Although Xie Chen had shown some defiance at the hospital, Xie Ran had only taken it as an emergency reaction after being wronged. How could a person change so drastically, so quickly?!

Maybe it was another trick to attract the Xie Family's attention.

At that thought, Xie Ran's face reddened. "If you have any resentment, take it out on me. You're not allowed to insult my family like that!"

He glanced toward the livestream camera and thought, My brothers must be watching the show in front of their screens. This will only make them dislike Xie Chen even more.

Coming to this variety show had not been a waste!

"Take it out on you? What the hell are you?" Xie Chen curled his lip, then turned to ask a staff member, "The bus is outside? I'll get on first. It smells like a white lotus in here—it's suffocating!"

The staff member nodded in a daze. "Ah... okay."

Before the words had even faded, Xie Chen strode toward the hotel exit.

The remaining guests had yet to recover.

Xie Ran forced a bitter smile and sighed. "Sorry for making everyone witness that. Actually, I..."

He got halfway through before realizing that no one was paying him any attention. Every guest's gaze was following Xie Chen's retreating back.

Wei Mingqi: "..." More out of control than me?

Li Jingfei: "..." More vicious-tongued than me?

Luo Mingyu: "..." More arrogant than me?

Li Sifan: "..." More edgy than me?