Chapter 53, Episode 2 Livestream Begins

It finally started airing in the middle of the night.

[Director, are you really going to spoil those who stay up late like this?]

[Fine, I told you to increase your livestream duration, not to stream until midnight!]

These are all legitimate requests; please treat everyone equally, Director!

Okay, I know everyone's angry, but let's have fun watching the live stream, that's the motto of our Abstract Home. Let's work together again when we get back to the super topic. (Sunglasses image)

The live stream footage wasn't very clear, and some tiny details were missing. Ji Zhi Qiu pushed the door open a crack and quietly observed for a long time before peeking out, making sure there were no other noises.

But to viewers in the live stream, it looked like a horror movie, a sudden, brutal attack.

Ji Zhi Qiu looked around his own home, then tiptoed forward with a stealthy air, looking exactly like a bumbling thief in a movie.

He was so nervous that he held his breath, and only when he reached the safe area of ​​the kitchen did he let out a long sigh of relief.

His mouth was practically overflowing with saliva; his mind was filled with red and curved images, his eyes gleaming green, and he immediately reached for the refrigerator with his wicked hand.

He had his back to the camera, so no one could see what he was holding, but they could sense his emotions—his shoulders were swaying, and he was almost jumping for joy.

Oh my gosh, baby, you're so cute!

Now we know who Yan Yan takes after; the father and son express happiness with exactly the same body language.

What kind of delicious food could make it look so beautiful?

I know all too well the joy of sneaking a late-night snack; even a bowl of instant noodles is a delicacy!

Ji Zhi Qiu is a person who values ​​ritual. He secretly prepared for a long time before finally holding the food he had finally obtained, squatting in the corner between the dining table and the wall, ready to enjoy it.

Because of the change in his movements, everyone finally saw clearly the food he had found: steamed buns and chili peppers.

The chili peppers were still raw!

"..." No, is that right?

Ji Zhi Qiu simply wanted to eat spicy food, and this raw chili pepper could completely satisfy him. He admired it from every angle as if it were a treasure, took a deep breath, and only after adjusting himself to the best state did he take a small, precious bite.

He chewed slowly, the flames spreading from the tip of his tongue, a strong burning sensation. Sweat beaded on Ji Zhi Qiu's nose, but his expression remained one of enjoyment.

He chewed that bite at least dozens of times, and towards the end his expression froze, his lips twitching uncontrollably.

The chili pepper was so fierce; the burning sensation had turned into a stinging pain, like someone had punched him in the mouth. He couldn't open his mouth or close it; he could only remain in a stiff position.

He took a big bite of the steamed bun in an attempt to relieve the spiciness, but unfortunately it only made things worse, turning into a dull, persistent pain.

Ji Zhi Qiu swallowed with difficulty, opened her mouth and fanned herself repeatedly, but then couldn't hold on any longer, so she simply put her head under the tap and rinsed her mouth continuously.

After struggling for a while, he finally came to his senses, washed his face with water, and looked up.

There happened to be a camera pointed at him, emitting a faint blue light in the night.

Ji Zhi Qiu's face was glistening with water, giving it a unique glow. Her eyebrows and eyes appeared even more delicate. Because she had just been crying from the spiciness, her eyes were clearer and brighter after being moistened, with a faint mist of water on them, giving them a hazy and alluring feel. Her lips were as red and full as rose petals, and a drop of water slid down from the tip of her high nose and landed right on her lips. Ji Zhi Qiu noticed this and unconsciously licked them.

The comments section froze for a moment, but then erupted like a tidal wave.

[Ughhhhh, he's so abstract every day, I'd forgotten he has such a handsome face!]

[Help! Don't try to seduce me in the middle of the night! I can't trust you! lol]

[I've taken screenshots; I'll post them all in the supertopic later.]

[Let's all agree on the story. This picture has such a great atmosphere, please don't say he got up in the middle of the night to sneak a bite, was so spicy that his eyes were watering, he was panting like a dog, and he was spitting out water like crazy.]

[...You didn't let him off the hook with your choice of words either; it seems the House of Abstract Expressions is indeed full of love-hate relationships.]

The spiciness in her mouth was finally bearable, and Ji Zhi Qiu then felt the suffocating dizziness. After wiping her face, she sat weakly on the ground and supported her head with her hands for a while to recover.

But he didn't learn his lesson at all. After recovering, he set his sights on the chili peppers again and recklessly took a big bite.

After two rounds of this, Ji Zhi Qiu was drenched in a light sweat, his tongue was numb, and he was still feeling dizzy, but his expression remained blissful.

Everyone felt sorry for him.

[How greedy is he? He's eating raw chili peppers with such relish.]

It seems the eldest son won; the whole family ate healthy meals all day, which is why they couldn't resist getting up in the middle of the night to eat raw chili peppers.

[Baby, come to my house, I'll give you plenty of chili oil, and I promise I'll let you go afterwards, lol]

[I could hear all that scheming from the bottom of my bed. They think they can steal our beauty away with just a bottle of chili oil?!]

Wait... try turning the volume up to the maximum. I think I hear something else.

【Ahhh, it's the middle of the night, don't scare people!】

Everyone was frantically warning her in the live chat, but Ji Zhi Qiu didn't sense the approaching danger. While doing a tap dance because of the spiciness, she muttered to herself, "I used to sneak food in the middle of the night when I was a kid, why do I still need to sneak food now that I'm grown up? This is so miserable, when will it ever end?"

He was just muttering to himself, but unexpectedly received a reply.

"What's so tragic about it?"

Ji Zhi Qiu didn't react for a moment. Just as she was about to reply, she suddenly realized something, her pupils contracted, and her body tensed up uncontrollably.

The kitchen lights came on instantly. Ji Zhi Qiu stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move, but her gaze wandered, taking in the small shadow on the ground and the voice she had just heard.

"..." Ji Zhi Qiu gasped, and under the urging of his gaze, he turned his head away with a look of utter despair.

Ji Zishen's pajamas were bought by Ji Zhiqi, printed with a cute pink bunny head, but his expression was unusually serious. He crossed his arms and scrutinized Ji Zhiqi from bottom to top, his brows furrowing more and more tightly.

In front of his son, Ji Zhiqi appeared to be a large man, but he was so frightened that he dared not breathe, his shoulders hunched, desperately hiding what he was holding behind his back.

Ji Zishen reprimanded him with an imposing air, "What are you doing here secretly in the middle of the night?"

Ji Zhi Qiu chuckled awkwardly, revealing a row of white teeth. "I couldn't sleep at night, so I was just taking a walk here."

Ji Zishen: "..." What a fake smile.

"The kitchen is so small, is it even possible to sneak out?"

Ji Zhi Qiu could only nod reluctantly: "The smaller the space, the safer I feel, and the faster I can digest it."

"You digest quickly, so what did you eat?"

Ji Zhi Qiu's thoughts were in disarray, and without thinking, she blurted out, "Spicy..."

He then realized he had let something slip, but it was too late to cover his mouth. He could only laugh awkwardly, trembling under his son's angry glare.

Waaaaaah, I'm so sorry.

Ji Zishen put one hand on his hip and started outputting with a single finger.

"Did I do something wrong? Isn't healthy eating for everyone's benefit? You agreed so readily back then, what are you doing now?"

"You're a father, have you ever thought about the consequences of this behavior? What if the three of us follow your example? If we dare to sneak out to eat in the middle of the night now, will we dare to steal and cheat, and go down the path of crime? Will you be responsible then?"

Ji Zhi Qiu was scolded so badly that he felt ashamed and couldn't even get a word in edgewise to apologize. He could only stand there obediently and take the scolding.

The uncles and aunts in the live broadcast room shared his feelings.

[Isn't Shen Shen only nine years old this year? How come she has such a strong presence? She looks like my mom and the head of her grade at the same time.]

[Help! This is so immersive! I'm too scared to breathe, I'm hiding under the table. *crying emoji*]

We were disciplined by our parents when we were young, and now we're disciplined by our children. Don't just keep targeting our generation!

[The son is scolding his father, going against the natural order... but what he says makes a lot of sense, I can't argue with it, sob sob sob.]

In the live stream, some people were happily eating late-night snacks. But as the stream continued, their junk food suddenly lost its appeal, and they reluctantly put it down. Then, Ji Zishen changed the subject and scolded them for staying up so late. The uncles and aunts who were excitedly watching the live stream immediately lay down obediently, covered themselves with blankets, and were ready to sleep at any moment.

When Ji Zishen was so hoarse from talking, he finally caught his breath. Ji Zhiqi poured him a glass of warm water and then timidly took out the steamed buns and chili peppers hidden behind his back.

"I know I was wrong. I remember what you and the doctor told me to eat less oily and salty food, but I really wanted spicy food so badly that I couldn't sleep, so I took these out of the refrigerator."

Ji Zishen stared blankly at the raw chili pepper with the bitten-off tip, his expression instantly going blank.

"..."

"..."

"..."

He stood there for a full three minutes before silently turning around and walking toward the refrigerator.

Ji Zhi Qiu thought his eldest son was going to check the remaining items to prove whether he was lying. Just as he was about to make a guarantee, he suddenly saw Ji Zi Shen turn around expressionlessly and place the chili sauce on the table.

"Stop eating raw chili peppers, eat this instead..." Ji Zishen stammered, completely unable to hold back anymore.

Guilt overwhelmed him like a tidal wave; was this the punishment for saying the wrong thing?

He said such harsh words, but Ji Zhi Qiu ended up hugging a raw chili pepper and eating it. She looked so pitiful and sad, and she was even reflecting on herself and apologizing to him.

Ji Zishen thought about the scene and felt even more breathless. He unscrewed the bottle of chili sauce, scooped out a large spoonful, and spread it on the steamed bun. "Eat up. We'll eat healthily tomorrow."

Ji Zhi Qiu was deeply moved and said sincerely, "Zi Shen, you are so good to me."

Ji Zishen: "..."

Stop talking, I feel like I don't even deserve to breathe anymore.

Ji Zhi Qiu was so happy that she was eating steamed buns with chili sauce. She didn't see Ji Zi Shen's expression, but the uncles and aunts in the live broadcast room didn't miss a detail and laughed very loudly.

[Little friend, now you know the fear of being dominated by guilt.]

[I'd feel sorry for him too. Such a well-behaved dad should be spoiled rotten. lol emoji]

[I can probably guess what Shen Shen was thinking. He probably imagined his dad holding a high-oil, high-sugar dessert in his left hand, spicy fried chicken in his right, and maybe some high-tech spicy snacks hidden behind him, but all he got was a steamed bun and some raw chili peppers. Who could possibly eat that?!]

Something's wrong with me. I not only want to raise three adorable babies, but I also want to raise a dad.

[Aaaaaah, please give him another spoonful of chili sauce! Auntie begs you, Auntie can't take this!]

Other celebrities, even with a script, can only achieve half the effect at best, and whether they can become a hit is another matter. But Ji Zhi Qiu's midnight sneaking around, with plot twists and turns, plus his stunning good looks, makes every frame a hot topic and a source of endless screenshots.

The supertopic became lively again. After their outburst, the people who were having fun suddenly felt a little scared. If the production team hadn't been live streaming in the middle of the night, they would have missed such an abstract scene.

After chatting for a while, someone finally noticed that something was wrong.

Although the live stream was short, the timing was carefully chosen. So, does the production team really value our Abstract House?

The first episode of the live broadcast has come to an end, followed by three days of free time. However, the show's popularity remained high during these three days, with many related terms still trending on social media. The variety show has also finally started airing its ratings.

A large number of fans, haters, and gossip enthusiasts rushed to the scene.

[One point. He's secretly married and has a child, but doesn't address the issue directly. He even tries to promote his own projects, taking every opportunity to advertise his new movie with an arrogant attitude of "take it or leave it." Disgusting.]

[One point. The production team's behavior is too blatant; they only care about popularity, not reputation.]

[The two points were awarded to the other two groups of guests; they truly showed me what a wealthy and artistic family it was.]

[Three points, all for the artistic family. Let's not even mention that shameless male celebrity. Wealthy families always give me an uncomfortable feeling of being high and mighty. The artistic family group, the little girl is talented and hardworking, so lovable. I really want to have a child exactly like her. But as a variety show, the constant piano practice is too boring, I always fall asleep watching it.]

[Five stars! Abstract House is awesome!!]

[Five stars! The cats at the Abstract House are so expressive. I actually wanted to give it eight stars (four people and four cats), but unfortunately, the maximum score is only five stars, lol]

[Five stars. It's too abstract. Every live broadcast has memorable moments and is absolutely hilarious. I haven't watched such an interesting variety show in a long time.]

[Four points. One point deducted from the production team and director. Why was the live broadcast so short, and why was there a three-day break?]

These five-point and four-point scores are mixed in, looking out of place, and the key point is that they are all incomprehensible content.

What is the House of Abstraction? Are we watching the same variety show?

[Hilarious! The production team didn't even bother to spend more money on hiring fake followers. It's so fake!]

[Could it be some other variety show that wandered onto the wrong show? Hahaha, what a commotion!]

I'll continue watching this variety show, but if it stays at this quality, I doubt I'll be able to keep watching for long.

The production team didn't sit idle during those three days. They hired someone to compile and analyze online public opinion and reviews, and then held a meeting based on that analysis.

The director's strategic planning and bold ambition won over the entire production team, who unanimously approved his proposal.

After the meeting, the director immediately called Ji Zhi Qiu.

"Mr. Ji, I am Director Li, who has been with us all the way. Do you have time now? I would like to talk to you about the duration of the live broadcast."

Ji Zhi Qiu paused for a moment, then said, "Isn't it clearly written in the contract?"

"Yes, I'd like to sign a new contract with you," the director said, getting straight to the point.

Ji Zhi Qiu hesitated for a moment, "What part should we change?"

Director Li expressed his sincerity: "The first thing to change is, of course, the salary. After that, I would like to talk to you about other collaborations."

There was a three-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Ji Zhi Qiu's tone changed, "Why don't we meet and talk in person?"

Sensing that Ji Zhi Qiu was persuaded, the director's smile widened.

His ambitions were actually greater than anyone imagined.

"All the Way Together" is the variety show he has put the most effort into. He not only wants it to be a huge hit, but also wants it to become a legendary phenomenon with both popularity and critical acclaim, and even to pioneer a new category.

All viewers knew that the first live broadcast was only 45 minutes long, a pilot and a test. At that time, it was criticized and became a trending topic because of the poor connection. But almost no one guessed that for Director Li, the entire first episode was an experiment.

During the first live broadcast, the production team did not interfere or guide the process at all. The guests in each group were left to improvise, showcasing the full picture of their families and the relationships between members, thus establishing their first personal image.

He then allocated resources based on performance and officially began recording "All the Way Together".

When he first met Ji Zhi Qiu, his years of experience and intuition told him that Ji Zhi Qiu could definitely bring him a different kind of surprise, at the very least his face was a guarantee.

But he didn't expect that good looks were just the most insignificant advantage. The audience was extremely loyal and the reputation was good. Most importantly, it gave him a different kind of expectation that Ji Zhi Qiu would bring more famous scenes and surprises.

Director Li felt that his initial decision was absolutely correct, and that re-signing the contract was also necessary. As long as he could retain Ji Zhi Qiu, he could achieve his goal.

*****

The four families are finally going to meet in person. The second episode will be filmed in a beautiful rural setting. Each family will have to be self-reliant and manage their own little world to spend a leisurely and wonderful week.

The live broadcast officially began three days later, with the four groups of guests arriving in batches.

The first to arrive were families with a long history in the arts.

The artist couple had their daughter late in life and were in poor health. They overworked themselves during the live stream and fell ill. They dared not risk participating in the recording again, so the older brother took his younger sister with them instead.

The brother and sister are seventeen years apart. With such a large age gap, coupled with the brother's long-distance studies and limited opportunities to see his sister, the dynamic between the siblings is something to look forward to.

The brother and sister immediately displayed exceptional refinement and a strong artistic flair upon their first appearance. The little girl was diligent and talented, and the brother was equally impressive, instantly winning the hearts of viewers in the live stream.

However, they were all engrossed in art and appeared cold and distant, making it difficult to spark new ideas. The atmosphere in the live broadcast room gradually cooled down until the second group of guests arrived.

Secretly marrying and having children might be an unforgivable mistake in the entertainment industry, but a top star is a top star. His face and figure are top-notch, and his performance skills are outstanding. Despite various controversies, his popularity and traffic have only increased. He just gave a greeting, and the comment section was filled with screams.

"Hello everyone, I am Lin Jinchao, and this is my son Zizhou. It's nice to see you all again."

Lin Zizhou also tried to greet his fans, but he wasn't very skilled at it, and blowing kisses at his age seemed particularly awkward.

Lin Jinchao brought his son to social events, and even though the siblings from the artistic family were aloof, the atmosphere never cooled down.

Five minutes later, the wealthy father and son arrived.

They didn't use the car provided by the production team, but drove their own luxury car, exuding wealth and intimidating everyone as soon as they appeared.

Holy crap, what kind of car is this? I don't even recognize the logo.

Nobody can flaunt their wealth with me; my greatest strength is my ignorance, hahaha.

[Let alone a car, even handmade leather shoes that you can't afford to step directly into the mud are something most people couldn't earn even after a lifetime of hard work.]

[They just walked in the mud and refused to wear them anymore, essentially scrapping millions of dollars worth of shoes. They really have the resources; no wonder they're from a wealthy family.]

Genetics is a mysterious thing. Zhao Fuke and Zhao Hexiu are almost identical, not only in appearance and temperament, but also in their mannerisms.

The father and son greeted the camera, their arrogance seemingly innate. They quickly looked at the other guests, as if most of them didn't deserve even a glance from them.

Lin Jinchao, as the only male celebrity on the field, had excellent social skills and held his own. He seemed neither humble nor arrogant, and was very tactful, but when he was with the wealthy father and son, his eyes couldn't help but reveal his flattery and fawning.

Most people didn't notice, and even if some did, their subconscious would automatically process it as a normal reaction, as if interacting with a wealthy father and son was something they were born to do.

The father and son from the wealthy family were very well-mannered in their every move, but some things couldn't be hidden. He frowned slightly as he looked around, unable to conceal his disdain.

Although the scenery was beautiful, it was still a rural area, not as clean and tidy as the concrete jungle of the city. The grass underfoot was a dull, earthy color, and this kind of environment made the wealthy father and son instinctively uncomfortable.

Lin Jinzhao subconsciously replied, "In that case, let's hurry up and move on to the next one..."

He realized the problem only then and said somewhat awkwardly, "Ah, it's not ready yet, we still have one group of guests who haven't arrived."

His fans immediately received the instructions.

[They're just an ordinary family, yet they're making such a big show of it, making everyone wait for him. How dare they!]

[I know the show's producers are trying to create a buzz and show support for single-parent families, why don't they just fast-forward to the final step and start the donation drive? lol emoji]

[Being unemployed and raising three children is tragic, but frankly, people who lack the means shouldn't raise children. Have some decency!]

[However, the order in which they gathered was arranged by the production team, and they weren't late. Don't create this kind of drama.]

Stop arguing, don't waste your energy on unimportant people, let's admire your brother's stunning good looks, ahhh, he's so handsome...

Is he handsome?

The last car finally arrived, and to everyone's surprise, the staff opened the door.

After Ji Yanyan got in the car, he fell into a deep sleep and couldn't be woken up no matter how hard they tried. Ji Zhi Qiu had no choice but to carry him out of the car.

Ji Yanyan was curled up in his arms, her eyes still sleepy, her cheeks flushed with the rosy glow of sleep, like a freshly baked, steaming glutinous rice ball.

Ji Zishen and Ji Sicheng followed behind, their little faces tense, but they were still adorable little boys with rosy lips and white teeth.

Ji Zhi Qiu wore the simplest shirt and black pants, her makeup so light it was almost invisible, perfectly matching the fresh and elegant pastoral scenery. But her hair color was the most eye-catching sunrise color, her vibrant vitality almost overflowing. Under this purest inspiration, all money and elaborate decorations paled in comparison, becoming nothing more than background.

Ji Zhi Qiu looked around, her gaze finally landing on the camera, meeting the eyes of everyone in the live stream.

The fan's DNA instantly stirs, hormones surge, eyes light up, and only the purest instinct remains.

Damn, which store is shooting a cover here?!

Tell me the magazine name, I want to buy it all!!