Although Xiao's mother was a Chinese language teacher, she had a very fiery temper and usually played the role of the "bad cop" at home, while his father assisted her.

Therefore, Xiao He was still very afraid of his mother. Even when his mother scolded him on the phone, he was obsequious and dared not talk back.

Hilarious! He can still get some peace offline by sliding on his knees, but if he talks back now, Xiao's mother will definitely come to Shanghai.

To ensure a good New Year's Eve for both of them, Xiao He chose to avoid confrontation.

Fortunately, after rambling on for twenty minutes, Xiao's mother finally stopped talking.

"Who are you spending New Year's Eve with today? Don't tell me the film crew isn't giving us a holiday?" Xiao's mother asked curtly.

Xiao He seized the opportunity to flatter her, saying, "Mom, it's a holiday! I'm having dinner with He Junhao!"

He then quickly gave He Junhao a wink.

He Junhao gave an OK sign and picked up where Xiao He left off: "Good evening, Auntie! Happy New Year in advance!"

Upon hearing He Junhao's voice, Xiao's mother's tone softened considerably: "Ah, Xiaohao, it's been so long! Happy New Year!"

"Auntie, how have you been lately? Is everything alright? My brother Xiao was talking about you these past few days. He was planning to come back and visit you, but some things came up here, so he stayed to keep me company. I'm so sorry, please don't be angry with him..."

He Junhao truly lives up to his reputation as a content creator; his words are incredibly eloquent, and he won over Xiao's mother in no time.

Xiao He was amazed and silently gave him a thumbs up.

Brother, I will remember your kindness!

When Xiao He took the phone back, his mother's attitude improved significantly: "How have you been lately? Has no one on set been bullying you? Don't keep sending money into our account. We have retirement pensions. You'd better take care of yourself. Don't fall down somewhere while you're climbing around. Your father and I won't take care of you then."

Hearing his mother's awkward concern, Xiao He couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat. He then chuckled and said, "Don't worry, Mom, I'm doing pretty well now. I always have roles to play, and directors say I'm talented. I even ran into Bao Wei on my previous film set, and I got you an autographed photo!"

"I see..." Xiao's mother was silent for a moment, then raised her voice, "Really? You brat, you can actually see Bao Wei?!"

In Xiao's mother's memory, Bao Wei was someone who frequently appeared on TV and in movies, and his status must have been ridiculously high. How could Xiao He, such an unknown nobody, be able to talk to Bao Wei?

Xiao He chuckled: "I have a lot of photos on my phone. If you don't believe me, I'll video call him in a bit."

"Really?!" Xiao's mother exclaimed in surprise. "No need for a video call. Just send me your autographed signature as soon as possible, and I'll put it on the table when I get back."

Xiao He said helplessly, "Okay, Mom."

Thus, a sudden family crisis was silently resolved by a handwritten signature from Bao Wei.

It was only then that Xiao He realized that his mother actually seemed to like Bao Wei quite a bit—a little more than just a casual fan.

Waaah, thank you Teacher Bao for saving his life!

-

With his online popularity continuing to rise, Xiao He really felt like he was becoming a household name across the country.

However, due to the expanding reach of the video, someone in a rented room also saw Xiao He.

"Xiao He...acted bravely and righteously..."

The man muttered to himself, his hand holding the mouse trembling slightly from the pain.

His dominant right hand was now swollen and blistering, with a long, thick, and gruesome knife scar running from the back of his hand to his wrist. It was even oozing a mixture of red and yellow liquid, making it look extremely disgusting.

Based on those wounds, it's not hard to tell what the scene was like at the time—

A knife slashed out horizontally, piercing through the tiger's mouth and reaching the tip of the ulnar styloid process of the wrist. It almost severed most of the hand, leaving only a bit of skin and flesh attached.

He still can't forget that intense pain to this day.

But the person who caused him such profound pain that night has disappeared without a trace, and even the police have not been able to find him.

The primary suspect at the time was—

Looking at the young man on the screen, whose gaze was cold and devoid of any warmth, the person in front of the computer slowly turned cold.

Is that you?

The people that night—

Is it really you?