Chapter 49

Brother Wen is very efficient. After hanging up the phone, he immediately contacted the director of the new children's variety show "My Dear Baby" to confirm the details.

"My Dearest Baby" is a new program that Strawberry TV has been preparing for a long time. Since Lemon TV's "Our Trip" became a hit across the internet, it has single-handedly crushed other reality shows, causing the ratings of other reality shows to plummet, and has firmly held the top spot in the ratings with an overwhelming advantage.

This made Strawberry TV, whose strength was originally evenly matched with the other side, anxious. After several rounds of discussions, the leadership team decided to follow suit and ride the wave of popularity.

They filmed whatever the audience wanted to see, and on a whim, they quickly launched the project "My Dearest Baby," inviting celebrities with children from all over the entertainment industry to join the show.

However, all the popular celebrities who already have children were invited to participate in "Our Trip." Compared to their adorable babies who are just starting out, they would naturally prefer to choose the already wildly popular trip.

The production team of "My Dearest Baby" could only pick and choose from a bunch of third- and fourth-tier celebrities, and the guest lineup had already lost out by more than half.

Director Chang Yi was so worried that he went bald, and he even dreamed of the station's leaders sighing and lamenting to him at night.

Unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better when He Nianzhu's agent contacted him to inquire about the program details.

When the program was first launched, the first person he contacted was He Nianzhu's agent. The reason was simple: in an era where traffic is king, a new program must have a large audience to drive its success.

He Nianzhu has had no scandals or reality shows since her debut. Despite her young age, she has superb and mature acting skills. Her only flaw is her bad temper and her sullen face in public. She is a very controversial young celebrity.

Whether they are casual observers or fans, everyone wants to see his private side.

"Director Chang, look at the trending topics!"

"This is incredible!"

The phrase "He Nianzhu is suspected of having a daughter out of wedlock" popped into Chang Yi's view, and he was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped. He quickly opened his chat window with Brother Wen.

Chang Yi's fat belly trembled three times.

He Nianzhu is using the "Kissing Baby" program to slap the paparazzi in the face.

Chang Yi, who instantly understood the other party's intentions, chuckled. "Great, a good slap in the face! Hey, their show is saved!"

"My Dearest Baby" finally has the confidence to compete with "Our Trip".

After understanding the general content and direction of the program, He Nianzhu and Xu Yirou signed the contract and confirmed their participation in "My Dear Baby".

On that day, He Nianzhu and Xu Yirou took a set of official announcement posters together. The production team couldn't wait to release a silhouette photo without their faces showing, making their attempt to cover up the truth crystal clear.

[My Dearest Baby: He is the domineering yet affectionate Demon Lord, the radiant Ninth Prince, the resourceful and courageous double-dealer, and also the fearsome Miao youth. In just three years and six months since his debut, he has portrayed countless memorable characters. But this time, he will only be himself.]

Without tagging anyone or naming names, the names of actors who have played these roles in the entertainment industry are already obvious.

Even those who aren't fans of He Nianzhu know that these are all his iconic roles that made him famous!

Less than half an hour after the silhouette poster was released, a large number of He Nianzhu fans flooded the official Weibo account.

You'd better be serious!

[I checked three times, and this is the official Weibo account! So you're definitely not just teasing the fans, right?]

[Ahhh, my little brother heard us calling!]

Could it be that she really had a child out of wedlock? Is she going to officially announce it through the show?

He Nianzhu's fans were overjoyed, and the official Weibo account was flooded with private messages urging the production team to release a poster showing her face and asking about the premiere date.

The production team didn't keep them in suspense for long, as they were still hoping to use He Nianzhu's name to advertise for them and attract more famous guests to join the show.

As expected, after the program team officially announced the news and tagged He Nianzhu, the celebrities who had previously been indifferent suddenly became active.

In just three days, the new children's variety show, which was not well-received, has successively announced other guests. There are a total of four groups of guests, and He Nianzhu is undoubtedly the most anticipated group.

Upon receiving the news, "We Go Traveling" couldn't help but sense a slight sense of crisis. The production team, which is usually stingy with its promotional materials, immediately increased its promotional efforts after the official announcement of the premiere date for "Dear Baby," releasing promotional materials without any expense.

The two programs premiered very close together, one on July 1st and the other on June 30th, already subtly competing with each other even before they started airing.

*

The young Xu Yirou was unaware of the rampant online promotion. Ever since it was confirmed that she would be appearing on a variety show, she has become more and more concerned about her image.

"Erbao, can I wear this dress?"

Is it pretty?

The closet door opened and closed repeatedly. Little Xu Yirou changed into a pretty dress every now and then, spreading her arms like a butterfly and twirling around, excitedly asking her son for his opinion.

"It looks absolutely gorgeous! That little dress is like it was made just for you, Mom. It suits you so well."

The latest summer collections from major luxury brands arrived this morning. The dazzling array of beautiful clothes made Xu Yirou unable to look away, and she tried them on one by one without finding it troublesome.

She's going to be on TV, so she has to dress up beautifully to make her second child look good!

Xu Yirou gazed at herself in the mirror with sparkling eyes, her smile sweeter than any flower.

He Nianzhu smiled and beckoned, "Mom, come here for a moment."

"I'm here."

As if by magic, He Nianzhu pulled a cherry hair clip from her shirt pocket and gently pinned it to the cub's soft, black hair, under the cub's watery eyes.

The light red dress paired with a red diamond cherry hair clip makes her skin appear even fairer and more radiant, giving her a delicate and refined air reminiscent of an ancient princess.

"I really have good taste." He Nianzhu withdrew her hand with satisfaction. "Mom, look in the mirror and see if you like it."

Xu Yirou ran back with a thud, then jumped up and down with a cheer: "Wow, thank you, Erbao! Mommy loves it so much!"

She was incredibly easy to coax, and seeing the baby's mother so happy made He Nianzhu happy too.

Xu Qingyan descended the stairs, his cool-toned suit and trousers perfectly matching his innate aloof and noble temperament. The man, once jokingly called the "Cold-Faced Living Yama" in the industry, stopped before the mother of the infant, bent down, and his eyes softened with tenderness.

"Mom, are you ready?"

"Ready?"

The show will start filming in a couple of days, and the production team will send people to install the equipment tomorrow morning. Thinking that many guests will be coming to her house, Xu Yirou pestered Xu Qingyan to go to the supermarket with her.

She wanted to personally select fresh fruit to serve the guests.

"Let's go out then." Xu Qingyan stretched out his hand, and the cub naturally placed its soft little paws in his palm.

Xu Qingyan will visit Jiang Yan and her daughter tomorrow. He won't be at home during the recording of the show, which means he won't see the cub's mother for a month.

Before leaving, he wanted to spend more time with her.

Wow, these cherries are so big and red!

"I'm inhaling, this durian smells so good, it doesn't smell bad at all."

"Mom, don't touch it with your hands, you might get pricked."

"Dabao, Dabao, I want to eat strawberries!"

The mother of the cub sat firmly in her queen's position, and Xu Qingyan took whatever she pointed to. In less than ten minutes after entering the mall, the mother and son's shopping cart was already full of various fruits.

Xu Qingyan calmly found another shopping cart and continued shopping.

Both shopping carts were piled up as high as small mountains, and even when Xu Yirou stood on tiptoe, she couldn't see the way at all.

"Dabao, are you tired? Mommy will help you push."

"No need, Mom. Tell me if there's anything else you want to eat." Xu Qingyan gently rubbed his mother's chubby face, his tone affectionate. "I can push it, don't worry about me."

He spoke softly, and bystanders couldn't hear the specific content of his conversation, but passersby weren't blind.

With his exceptionally outstanding appearance that sets him apart from everyone else, this man trended on social media for a whole week. It's impossible for him to go unnoticed by ordinary people.

Almost the moment the mother and son stepped into the mall, someone immediately recognized Xu Qingyan.

Excited passersby would glance at him every now and then, and then be surprised to find that Xu Qingyan was being excessively kind to the little girl he was holding hands with, with that doting and indulgent look in his eyes... just like how his old man, Lao Huang, looked at Xiao Huang.

Could they be father and daughter?

With a sense of curiosity, a passerby secretly took a photo and shared it on Xiaodigua.

[Family, can you believe I bumped into Jiang Yan's domineering CEO boyfriend while grocery shopping? He had a little girl with him, she looked like a little princess, so adorable!]

The cub's face was blurred, but its exposed skin was fair and tender, and its head was tied in a fluffy bun, making it look like a soft and cuddly little dumpling.

The photo was taken at just the right moment.

The baby clung to the edge of the shopping cart, tiptoeing to look inside. Behind him, Xu Qingyan's eyelashes drooped slightly, and a faint smile played on her lips, like a gentle breeze, a sight to behold.

Absolutely amazing!

This atmosphere is so strong, are you sure this is a supermarket and not a film set?

The image first circulated in a small circle, then was discovered by a marketing account, which then happened to find the "father and goddess" images circulating among saleswomen in Beijing's elite circles. Upon comparison, they were overjoyed.

They are definitely father and daughter, because the Xu family doesn't have a daughter that young!

then--

Breaking news! The heir of a well-known tycoon is secretly married and already has an illegitimate daughter; the mother is unknown. His actress girlfriend is suspected of being the other woman?!

Because of Xu Qingyan's identity, the marketing accounts dared not name him directly, using vague references to his name while avoiding overly strong identifiable details.

The famous tycoon's son and his actress girlfriend, isn't that actress Jiang Yan and business tycoon Xu Qingyan, who just announced their relationship not long ago?

As soon as this news broke, the comment section erupted in screams, with everyone's eyes widening in shock.

For a moment, it was hard to tell whether it was more shocking that a powerful figure had an illegitimate daughter, or that the cold and beautiful actress Jiang Yan was a tragic stepmother.

Xu Qingyan's newly registered Weibo account is being flooded with comments from Jiang Yan's fans, who have polarized opinions on the matter.

"Bro, isn't it inappropriate to have a beautiful woman as a stepmother?"

[This is really outrageous. I was shipping you two as a couple just a while ago, and then you... huh?]

[Can Jiang Yan's fans please stop jumping up and down? The paparazzi don't even dare to name names, and you actually believe their reports? Use your brains!]

[What if it's just a relative's child? Your insults could actually harm your sister.]

[I don't think it's a big deal. Many female celebrities are willing to pay extra to marry into wealthy families. Kuku has had several children but still doesn't have a formal status. At least Xu Qingyan openly acknowledged their relationship, so marriage is probably not far off.]

Are there still people fawning over wealthy families?

After returning home, Xu Qingyan's expression remained as cold as ever, showing no reaction to the trending topic.

His mother's true identity cannot be revealed for the time being, and those comments do not affect him. However, when he sees the malicious comments that insult Jiang Yan, his mood suddenly drops.

However, Jiang Yan was more open-minded than him and didn't take those rumors to heart at all.

"It's enough for me to know the truth of the matter."

Rumors in the entertainment industry are always hard to distinguish between true and false. People just want to watch the excitement, and the more you explain, the worse it gets.

Neither party responded, and the lively online discussions were nothing more than a one-sided spectacle, ultimately pointless and unproductive.

Not long after, with the premiere of the variety show "My Dear Baby," it overshadowed most of the previous buzz, and no one paid any attention to it anymore.

"My Dearest Baby" is broadcast live almost the entire time, except for normal rest periods.

Even before the live stream started, a large number of viewers were already waiting in the live stream room for it to begin.

The production crew arrived early, at six in the morning. Xu Yirou was still fast asleep in her bedroom, and the only sound in the living room was the movement of the servants.

Not long after, the other protagonist, He Nianzhu, arrived late, yawning. The camera was pointed at He Nianzhu, and the pilot episode began to be recorded.

The Xu family mansion is nestled against the mountains and faces the lake. In Beijing, where land is incredibly valuable, owning such a grand mansion is simply a display of extravagance that leaves people speechless.

Because the mansion was so large, the production team faced many limitations, and they also didn't have enough equipment, so they couldn't film many places.

The staff skillfully and quickly adjusted the camera positions, and opened the live broadcast room when it was almost time.

Instantly, the viewers who had been waiting for a long time became active, and the screen was filled with a dense barrage of comments.

【Ahhh, I'm here! Where's my little brother?! Where's my little brother?!】

[I've been watching the live stream since 6 AM. Are there any other ladies who started even earlier than me?]

[Raises hand: I'm playing games all night and also watching livestreams lol]

Where is the streamer? Why hasn't he appeared yet?

[Are you still asleep?]

Everyone thought of He Nianzhu's notorious spoiled temper. In an interview last year, she revealed that she had a bad temper when she woke up. It was only eight o'clock now. For young people who like to stay up late, the night had just begun.

[Speechless. If you're going to get paid to do a reality show, at least be professional and don't be so greedy.]

He Nianzhu has a large following and many die-hard fans, but also a lot of haters. Since the main character hasn't been seen for a long time, haters and fans started arguing on the public screen.

The production team, however, was not in a hurry and waited calmly in the small room.

The haters were furious and about to leave the live stream when suddenly a sweet, childlike voice drifted into the room.

"Erbao, I don't want a little bun hairstyle today."

"What kind of head do you want?"

In the shot, the tightly closed bedroom door opens from the inside.

He Nianzhu came out first, wearing a refreshing short-sleeved casual outfit. His well-proportioned and beautiful arm muscles were on full display. The boy looked slender and thin, but he was a clothes hanger who looked thin when dressed and muscular when undressed.

In the instant he turned around, a face that was both righteous and wicked, so handsome that it was impossible to tell whether he was male or female, burst into the frame.

The barrage of comments directly confronted the beauty of the characters: ...

The netizens who were arguing fiercely just a second ago clutched their pounding chests, and the comments section froze for a moment.

[Holy crap! Did my brother change his makeup artist? He looks so different! Is this supposed to be a plain, watery makeup look?]

[Hehehe, no wonder he's the man I stayed up all night watching, *smirks*]

What a delicate little brother, what a magnificent face!

He Nianzhu didn't look at her phone, her relaxed demeanor so extreme that she acted as if the camera didn't exist, and turned around to lead Xu Yirou out.

Netizens spotted a bouncy little figure, and as the camera zoomed in, it turned out to be a round-headed baby wearing a light orange mini-skirt.

Her bright, dark eyes were sparkling, her little mouth was chubby, and she tilted her rosy cheeks up: "I want cat ears!"

“Okay, no problem.” He Nianzhu led the cub’s mother to sit on a small stool, turned on the TV, and took out her phone to search for hairstyle tutorials.

Netizens who received no response: ...

[What an adorable little one! Such a sweet and soft voice, I want to give him a kiss~]

Wow, he really looks like He Nianzhu! He's practically a chibi version of him!

[So this is what my brother and I will look like in the future, hehe, *blushing*]

[Holy crap, He Nianzhu can braid hair?! Wow, I'm a hand fetishist, I love manga-style hands!!]

The TV was playing Peppa Pig, and Xu Yirou was so engrossed in watching it that she didn't notice whether there was a camera or not.

"I want to splash in the puddles too!" Xu Yirou said enviously. "When will it rain?"

My son got obsessed with splashing in puddles after watching this cartoon, making his clean new shoes all dirty, which made me so angry.

[Ugh, Peppa Pig is the most annoying cartoon of all. I don't understand what educational value it has.]

Why do so many kids like pink hair dryers? *scratching head emoji*

"No need to wait for the rain, we'll go outside and splash around in the puddles after we finish eating." He Nianzhu didn't care if the puddles were dirty or not, as long as her mother was happy, that was the most important thing.

"Yay!" Xu Yirou clapped her hands happily. "Then let's bring Meimei and Yangyang along too. I want to give them little shoes."

"I'll do whatever you say."

He Nianzhu was multitasking by watching tutorials. She hadn't done much hair braiding for the baby's mother during her month-long hospital stay, so she was a bit rusty now.

He frowned, his fingers running through his smooth, long hair as he meticulously followed the video instructions.

"oops."

"What's wrong? Did you hurt yourself?"

"No, I want to give Meimei a new name," Xu Yirou said cheerfully. "I want to call her Peppa Pig, because Bubble said a lot of kids like Peppa Pig; she's a beautiful female celebrity!"

He Nianzhu chuckled: "Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to change it to milk candy because you wanted to eat milk candy?"

"You used to say you wouldn't stay in bed and would go to bed early and get up early, but now the sun's high in the sky and you're still snoring like a little pig." Xu Yi hummed softly, "Besides, don't meddle in our baby's business."

Hahaha, baby, you're such a little baby~

[Hilarious! This guy looks like he's enjoying being roasted.]

Ah, I've found something in common with my brother: I snore in my sleep too, I sleep with my hands on my hips, and even thunder won't wake me up.

"Why isn't it ready yet, Erbao?" Xu Yirou couldn't sit still any longer. "I'm hungry."

He Nianzhu remained expressionless: "Alright, let's go eat breakfast."

The hungry cub, its stomach growling, quickly got up, outrunning even the short-legged He Nianzhu.

The next second.

The cub suddenly stopped and stared straight at the smooth, flat French window. As if it had discovered something, it blinked blankly and poked its head twice with its chubby fingers.

He Nianzhu's heart skipped a beat.

After confirming that the cub reflected in the French windows was indeed herself, Xu Yirou frowned and exclaimed with unwavering determination, "Second Baby!"

He Nianzhu glanced away guiltily, her heart pounding with panic, but her face remained calm: "I'm here."

Xu Yirou put her hands on her hips, turned around angrily, and demanded, "Are these cat ears?"

"Yes...doesn't it look like it?"

He still has the nerve to ask.

"Cat ears are pointed, not flat!" The vain kitten was furious, shaking its little head. "Look at them, so flat, not cute at all, they look like flying poop!"

"..."

Good heavens, what an adorable adjective! He must have saved the galaxy in his past life to have a mother who is cute even when she's angry.

He Nianzhu squeezed her palms tightly to avoid being amused by the cub's mother.

Netizens shouldn't hold back their laughter; the live chat was already flooded with "hahahahaha".

"Who says you're not cute? Even if you had a banana peel on your head, you'd still charm a ton of people."

"I won't listen to your nonsense." Xu Yirou covered her ears, pointed at her son's little face seriously, and said, "You're not allowed to say sweet words to me. I'm a professionally trained kid, I won't be fooled by you. Humph, please have some self-respect."

Wow, are baby animals these days really that good with their vocabulary?

We are professionally trained and generally don't laugh, unless we can't help but take a picture.

"Grandma, it's my fault, it's all my fault." He Nianzhu squatted down without any inhibitions, grinning foolishly and trying to please her: "After dinner, I'll definitely fix your cat ears and give you back a pair of pointy cat ears, okay?"

The mother cub was really hungry. She puffed out her cheeks, waved her hand, and gave him a "I can't do anything with you" look on her face.

"Alright, I'll give you one more chance, since I'm a grown man with a big belly."

[Baby, it's about being generous, not about having a big belly.]

[This adult with a big belly is offended. Losing weight is so hard, sob sob.]

He Nianzhu wiped his sweat and said, "Phew, I passed."

"Oh right, Erbao, didn't you say a lot of uncles would be coming to our house? Where are they?"

When can we be on TV?

"I want to look beautiful on TV!" the little girl said shyly, clutching the hem of her skirt. "I want to be the most dazzling little one!"

He Nianzhu, who has an exceptionally high level of insensitivity: ...

He turned his head and silently looked at a certain camera position, falling silent for a moment.

So, should I tell my mom that the live stream has been going on for a while now?