Weak, Pitiful, and Broken, but Still Able to Eat

"I only managed to get access to one villa's front gate. Do you think I have what it takes to get everyone a new house?"

Director Ji's tone was tinged with bitterness and helplessness.

That was true enough.

"Then where are we going?" Jiang Chuyu continued asking curiously.

"To pick up a guest."

"Huh? We have a new guest?"

The mention of a guest instantly perked up the other guests on the bus. They asked curiously, "Who?"

"Not a new guest. He's been here before." Although Director Ji did not give a name, that description was already very specific.

After all, aside from them, Ye Yizhou was the only person who had participated in this Dating Show Livestream.

In an instant, much of the anticipation from a moment ago faded.

Only Jiang Chuyu remained cheerful. "Is it Ye Yizhou? Where is he?"

"I don't know. He sent me a location and asked me to pick him up on the way. I think this is it."

Director Ji checked the navigation on his phone, and the bus stopped in front of a villa.

"Where are you?"

The bus doors opened, and Director Ji got off and called Ye Yizhou straightaway.

Jiang Chuyu and the others also got off for some fresh air. They had to admit that both the landscaping and the surroundings in this villa complex were excellent. Even the air was especially fresh.

"Oh, okay, I'm up. Yaaawn..."

Ye Yizhou sounded a little dazed from just waking up, and he let out a long yawn.

"Huh? You're not even awake yet? Then what are we waiting for at the location you sent us?"

Director Ji was thoroughly puzzled.

"Have some tea and sit for a bit first. I'll be ready right away."

"Where are we supposed to have tea?"

No sooner had Director Ji finished speaking than the villa's front door opened, and an older woman came out.

"May I ask if you're Director Ji?"

Discovering that the call had ended, Director Ji put away his phone and asked politely,

"Yes, I am. May I ask who you are?"

"Our young master invites you all inside for some tea and a short rest." The woman stepped aside and opened the door, inviting them in with a smile.

"Ye Yizhou?" Director Ji asked uncertainly.

"Yes."

[Ye Yizhou really is a rich young heir?]

[Can you people not see that luxury car his dad drives?]

[He even ran into his friend's dog here last time. His friend lives here, so what's so surprising about him living here too?]

[Did last time really clear anything up? Who knows what kind of daddy that daddy is?]

[Ye Yizhou is showing off again. Now he's playing the wealthy young gentleman. Let's see how long it takes for him to get exposed.]

Director Ji, the guests, and some of the crew went inside together.

"This villa is huge. It's so much bigger than the little villa where we film."

"The decor looks so expensive too. Look at those porcelain vases. Could any random one of them cost millions?"

"Who could live here without being genuinely rich?"

Though the guests marveled, they still had some sense of danger.

Jiang Chuyu nervously hugged himself. "We're probably the cheapest things in sight."

"Be careful, be careful. We can't afford to pay for anything we break." Both Director Ji's expression and his tone were even more nervous.

The group sat down on the sofa, perfectly proper and completely motionless.

The woman set tea and pastries in front of them and prepared refreshments for the other crew members as well.

"Are you doing military training? Why aren't you moving?"

Ye Yizhou stood halfway down the stairs, leaning lazily against the railing as he teased them with a smile.

"It feels like every decoration here is worth more than we are. We don't dare move. We really don't."

Director Ji honestly confessed how he felt at that moment.

"It's not that serious. They're only material possessions."

Ye Yizhou waved a hand indifferently and came down the stairs. "You don't have to be so careful."

Director Ji thoughtfully moved over a little, leaving room for Ye Yizhou to sit down.

The woman brought a cup of hot milk and a sandwich packed with fillings, setting them on the coffee table in front of Ye Yizhou.

"Would you like anything else to eat, young master?"

"No, it's fine. I'll just have a quick bite."

Ye Yizhou waved a hand, picked up the sandwich, and started eating. With his other arm resting along the back of the sofa, he said to her,

"Aunt Chun, you don't need to keep working. No one's going to be home for a while, so take some time off too. Didn't your son say he wanted to take you traveling? Go and enjoy yourself."

"Yes, my son is coming to pick me up in a bit. Will you be all right on your own, young master?"

Aunt Chun was clearly delighted to have time off to travel, but she still worried about Ye Yizhou.

"What could possibly happen to me? (Chew, chew, chew.) At worst, I'll starve to death at home. (Chew, chew, chew.)"

Ye Yizhou whined tearfully as he ate his sandwich. One bite was rather large, and he chewed for a long time before continuing pitifully,

"Anyway, (chew, chew, chew) no one cares about me. (Chew, chew, chew.) Boo-hoo-hoo. (Chew, chew, chew.) I'm so miserable. (Chew, chew, chew.)"

Weak, pitiful, and broken, but still able to eat.

No matter how they looked at him, he did not seem like someone who would starve to death at home.

"All right. I knew you'd be perfectly fine, young master."

Ye Yizhou was whining tearfully, but Aunt Chun was reassured instead. "Then I'll go pack first. Just leave the guests' tea things on the table when you're finished. I'll come clear them away in a bit."

With that, Aunt Chun returned to her room with a spring in her step to pack her luggage.

"Didn't you just hire someone to put on an act, then send her away because you were afraid she'd give you away?"

Watching what had just happened, Zhong Xi could not help sneering.

Zhong Xi had always been at odds with Ye Yizhou. More precisely, he had been targeting Ye Yizhou one-sidedly.

Who knew what gave him such confidence, but he firmly believed that Ye Yizhou was merely cultivating a wealthy-heir persona to whitewash his reputation.

Of course, there were surely others who thought the same.

It was just that everyone was smart enough not to say it openly.

Only someone truly stupid would think that behavior counted as being straightforward, and that snapping at someone made them incredibly badass.

"Since you know so much about it, why don't you hire someone to put on an act too?"

A faint smile played at the corners of Ye Yizhou's mouth.

"I'm not like certain people. I keep it real. The way I am in private is exactly how I am on camera."

Zhong Xi raised his chin and gave a light huff, brimming with arrogance. Every word insinuated that Ye Yizhou was putting on airs and being utterly affected.

"Oh, the way you are in private is exactly how you are on camera?"

As though he had heard the funniest joke in the world, Ye Yizhou could not help laughing. "But this wasn't the face you wore when you begged Director Ji to let you on this show, was it? You weren't sitting nearly so properly, either."

"You!"

Zhong Xi's eyes involuntarily widened. He shot to his feet in anger, pointed at Ye Yizhou, and snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Zhong Xi glared at Ye Yizhou as though warning him.

"Of course, there are times when you're the same inside and out. For example..."

And that warning seemed to have some effect, as Ye Yizhou really did change his tune. What followed, however, was even more interesting. "When you steal other people's opportunities."