Zhou Zheng woke up early in the morning. The first thing he did when he opened his eyes was check his phone for a reply. After discussing it with his entire dorm last night, he had finally sent Yang Xuehuan a message.
[Goddess, I'm sorry. I really want to be with you too, but my family's finances have been a little tight lately. My parents have run out of money, and they're barely keeping the company afloat.
That's why I joined this variety show, hoping to debut and earn some money to help support my family. If I don't debut, we'll go bankrupt. I can't give you a better life. I'm really sorry.]
"Zhou Zheng, how did it go? Did that woman reply?"
The moment Xu Zhichen opened his eyes, he saw Zhou Zheng scrolling through his phone. He instantly sat up in bed in excitement, his voice so loud that he woke their still-sleeping roommates.
Seeing Xu Zhichen's reaction, Qiao Ze and the other three immediately craned their necks to look at Zhou Zheng. They were all unbearably curious and wanted to know how it had turned out.
"She replied." Zhou Zheng's expression looked like that of a fly that had just eaten shit, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot. "She said, 'It's okay, gege. I understand. Wishing you happiness.' Then she blocked and deleted me."
After saying that, Zhou Zheng held out his screen for his roommates to see, worried they wouldn't believe him. On the screen, beneath the sentence Zhou Zheng had repeated like a recording...
Was a tentative question mark he had sent, with a bright red exclamation mark beside it. What exactly did that mean? It couldn't have been more obvious.
"Pfft... hahaha..."
No one knew who started it, but everyone in the dorm burst out laughing. Xu Zhichen even clutched his stomach as he cracked up. Qiao Ze couldn't stop his shoulders from shaking either, while the other three laughed wildly without any attempt to hide it.
"Is it that funny? All of you, shut up."
The corner of Zhou Zheng's mouth twitched. He really hadn't expected Yang Xuehuan's green tea tactics to be so crude. He had been stupid enough to actually believe that woman.
But he also sympathized with his past self. With such crude tactics, if he hadn't heard Shang Shujue's inner voice and learned that she was trouble...
He would definitely have assumed she had some difficulty she couldn't talk about, then added her back and sent her money or something...
Zhou Zheng: Oᴗoಣ Okay, I really am pretty funny...
"Of course it's funny! I thought she'd at least ask what exactly had happened to your family, then pretend to transfer you some money, comfort you a little, and string you along some more."
A soft, cute, boyish-looking young man around 178 centimeters tall couldn't help pounding his bed as he laughed, poking at Zhou Zheng's sore spot all the while. Zhou Zheng felt as if countless arrowheads had pierced his heart at once. He was hurt, speechless, and itching to punch someone.
"Who knew she wouldn't even bother acting and would just block you outright? How is that not funny? Hahaha..."
"Bai Xiaoze! Don't think I won't dare beat you up just because you're only eighteen! You're done for, brat!"
Zhou Zheng charged straight onto Bai Xiaoze's bed. The boy failed to escape in time and was caught, then tickled under his arms and around his waist and stomach. In an instant, he was laughing so hard his stomach hurt, yet he couldn't get away.
"Ahahaha... Zheng-ge, Zheng-ge, I was wrong! I was wrong! I'll never laugh at you again! Stop tickling me. I really know I was wrong! Hahahahaha..."
Bai Xiaoze laughed until tears streamed from his eyes. Seeing him like this, Zhou Zheng finally let him go, but kept a hand gripping his waist, poised to keep tickling him if he dared move.
"So you know you were wrong. Will you dare do it again?"
"No, no, never..."
Bai Xiaoze felt that if he kept laughing, he would get a stitch in his side. He no longer dared laugh at him. This man was even scarier than his older brother. His brother was eighteen years older than him-no one would believe it if he told them, okay?
"Boys, Zhou Zheng's getting pretty cocky, bullying our adorable little brother! Everyone, get him!"
"Bai Xiaoze, grab him!"
"Kekeke... Zheng-ge, I'm going to pay you back for all that tickling! You're dead! Don't run!"
"Fuck! You bastards are all ganging up on me! Is there no justice? Is there no law? Where's justice? Where's the law? Ow, stop tickling me!"
Zhou Zheng was held down and tickled, and the lively atmosphere in their dorm soon spread to the others outside.
Hearing the commotion in their dorm, everyone relaxed. It seemed Zhou Zheng's problem had been resolved.
While Zhou Zheng and the others were horsing around, Shang Shujue was already sitting in Yu Yang's office, staring blankly at Yu Zeqi as Yu Zeqi stared back.
Meanwhile, Yu Yang and Yun Qishan sat beside Yu Yang. Their gazes all turned toward Yu Zeqi in unison, but no one spoke.
Hiss~ What are this father and son staring at? Why aren't either of them saying anything? This is so awkward for me and the director. We can't leave, but sitting here isn't right either...
In the silence, a voice suddenly seemed to explode right beside their ears. Yun Qishan's and Yu Yang's expressions instantly froze, and they reflexively looked at Shang Shujue.
"Xiao Jue, you..."
"Ah! Mr. Yu, Mr. Yun, don't we have something serious to discuss? This is all my fault for not getting us off to a good start. Look how awkward things have gotten. Have some water first, have some water."
Yun Qishan had only just looked at Shang Shujue and gotten those words out. Before he could ask anything, Yu Yang interrupted him, smiling as his hands moved swiftly to pour water.
Yun Qishan glanced at Shang Shujue, hesitating to speak, then looked at Yu Yang. After exchanging a glance with Yu Yang, he looked away and accepted the teacup to drink, inwardly stunned. Had he just heard Xiao Jue's inner voice?
Yu Yang was also extremely shocked. He had noticed Yu Zeqi looking at Shang Shujue too. Clearly, both he and Yu Yang could hear Shang Shujue's inner voice. What... what was going on?
What's going on? Why are Uncle and Uncle Yu Yang looking at me? Can they hear what I'm thinking? Surely not? Maybe I should test it...
This thought from Shang Shujue startled everyone who could hear his inner voice, including all the trainees outside the office who were still in the training camp and hadn't gone out.
Holy shit! What kind of test is he going to do? Don't give it away, don't give it away, don't give it away!
"Son, I'm sorry to have called you here at this hour. Before I discuss something important with you, I'd like you to look at this document. According to its contents, I'm your biological father. My name is Yu Yang."
Yu Yang was now certain that the voice he had just heard was Shang Shujue's inner voice. Suppressing his shock, he spoke before Shang Shujue could carry out his test and handed Yu Zeqi the paternity test documents he had prepared long ago.
Holy crap~ Uncle Yu Yang, you're being so authoritative! You're acknowledging him just like that? What about Yu Zeqi? Will he acknowledge him straight away? Will he? Do it, do it, do it...
Yun Qishan & Yu Yang: This kid... really is... not quite right... =ᗜωᗜ= We'll have to keep an eye on him...
Yu Yang nearly lost control of his expression. Oh, my dear ancestor, I'm begging you! Don't cause trouble! (#`n´)