45 045

"You don't want me to go back?"

Zheng Xinmei was seriously considering the possibilities.

Before Ning Yuxuan could answer, she had already opened the navigation app on her phone and entered the recording address that Ning Yuxuan had just mentioned.

“Xuanxuan, look.” Zheng Xinmei opened the route map. “It only takes ten minutes to drive there from here. Isn’t that much closer than your home? That way you can get up a little later tomorrow morning.”

Ning Yuxuan: "Auntie, I..."

“Mom,” Xie Zhiyan said, “she hasn’t been home for a long time, she might not be used to living here.”

Zheng Xinmei glared at her son: "What's there to be unaccustomed to? Didn't Xuanxuan stay at our house during her summer internship in her freshman year of college? And for more than just a day or two."

"Xuanxuan," Zheng Xinmei looked at Ning Yuxuan expectantly, "what do you think?"

Ning Yuxuan looked at Zheng Xinmei hesitantly.

Aunt Zheng was so enthusiastic that she found it hard to refuse.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any problem with her staying here. She has already packed her luggage for tomorrow's recording, and the production team can bring it when they pick her up.

only……

Ning Yuxuan quickly glanced at the man beside her.

Zheng Xinmei noticed Ning Yuxuan's actions and guessed her possible concerns, so she quickly added, "Here's what we'll do, Xuanxuan: I'll have someone clean up the bedroom you used to live in, and you can have your own room, just like before when you were staying here with me!"

Having said all that, Ning Yuxuan felt that it would be ungrateful of her to refuse any longer.

Ning Yuxuan: "Then I'll call my mom and ask."

Zheng Xinmei's eyes lit up: "I'll do it, I'll call Afei right now."

As she spoke, Zheng Xinmei dialed Ning Fei's number: "Hey Fei, yes, Xuanxuan is with me, she just finished eating! So, I'd like Xuanxuan to stay here for the night..."

On the phone, Zheng Xinmei and Ning Fei explained the whole story.

Two minutes later, Zheng Xinmei hung up the phone and said with a smile, "Your mother agreed. Xuanxuan, I'll have someone clean out your room right now."

Without giving Ning Yuxuan a chance to refuse, Zheng Xinmei stood up and went to call the housekeeper to tidy up the room, leaving Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan alone.

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

Things took an unexpected turn that completely exceeded her expectations.

Although she knew that Xie Zhiyan couldn't be entirely blamed for this, Ning Yuxuan couldn't help but look at the man: "Why didn't you try to persuade your mother just now?"

Xie Zhiyan said slowly and deliberately, "I tried to persuade him, but it didn't work."

Ning Yuxuan: "Then you can say a few more words."

Xie Zhiyan: "I saw that you didn't refuse, so I thought you wanted to stay as well."

Ning Yuxuan was speechless for a second, then thought of something: "When you usually come back to see your mother, do you go back to your place on the same day, or do you stay overnight before leaving?"

Xie Zhiyan's answer was perfectly tactful: "It's all possible, it depends on the situation."

Ning Yuxuan frowned as she looked at Xie Zhiyan.

He definitely knew what he wanted to ask, but he was deliberately avoiding answering her directly.

Seeing this, Xie Zhiyan's lips curled slightly, and he calmly said, "If you're asking whether I'm going back today, the answer is either way. You don't want me to go back?"

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

"Who said I don't want to?" Ning Yuxuan said irritably. "You should go back early. If you leave me alone with Aunt Zheng, I can take the opportunity to find out if you're hiding anything from me."

Xie Zhiyan looked at her with a faint smile, offering no comment.

Ning Yuxuan didn't want to pay attention to him anymore. She rested her chin on her hand, looked at the fruit plate in front of her, picked up a grape, and put it in her mouth.

The man beside her asked gently, "Didn't you say you were full?"

Ning Yuxuan had actually forgotten for a moment; she just grabbed the fruit she liked and ate it before realizing her stomach was a little full.

She glanced at Xie Zhiyan: "It's better now, is that not okay?"

Xie Zhiyan moved the fruit plate to the side, saying helplessly, "If you want to eat it, wait a while."

Zheng Xinmei instructed the housekeeper to tidy up the room, change the sheets and duvet covers, and prepare a set of disposable toiletries and a change of clothes.

Although we don't often have guests, we have all these things readily available.

After explaining everything, Zheng Xinmei returned to the living room: "Xuanxuan, I've had everything prepared. You can rest assured and sleep here with me for the night. You can go to record the show comfortably tomorrow."

"By the way, Zhiyan," Zheng Xinmei asked her son again, "you should also rest at home tonight and go back tomorrow, right?"

Normally, unless there's an emergency, her son would stay overnight when he came to visit her.

Xie Zhiyan hummed in agreement: "I'll go back tomorrow morning."

Ning Yuxuan glanced at Xie Zhiyan silently.

“Okay!” Zheng Xinmei nodded happily. “That’s great for tonight, both of you can keep me company. It’s still early, shall the three of us go play some cards?”

...

Zheng Xinmei found the playing cards in the house and played cards in the living room while watching TV.

She wasn't very good at playing cards when she was in school, but after she married her husband, she played cards with other wives every day for a while, and that's when she honed her card skills.

In the past, playing cards was for socializing, and I often felt very tired when I had to go. Now, my mindset is completely different.

Zheng Xinmei was overjoyed to have her son and future daughter-in-law playing with her.

"Let's get this straight," Zheng Xinmei said preemptively, "We're just playing around. I can afford to lose, so you two don't have to go easy on me."

Zheng Xinmei gave her son a warning look: "Especially you."

Ning Yuxuan laughed out loud: "Looks like he's a repeat offender."

Zheng Xinmei nodded: "That's right, Xuanxuan, you can help Auntie keep an eye on him."

Xie Zhiyan sighed softly, "I feel like I've already been isolated before the game even started."

Ning Yuxuan retorted without hesitation: "It's all because you have a criminal record, you deserve it!"

Zheng Xinmei chuckled as she listened.

My son is getting quieter and quieter as he gets older. Now that someone is arguing with him, the house is finally a bit more lively.

They played cards for an hour, and each of the three had their share of wins and losses, but Zheng Xinmei won more.

As she put away the playing cards, Zheng Xinmei said with a hint of reluctance, "Xuanxuan, if you didn't have to get up early tomorrow, Auntie would have dragged you to play for another two hours."

Ning Yuxuan: "Next time I come over for a meal, I'll play cards with you, Auntie."

Zheng Xinmei smiled broadly: "Okay, it's settled then. Your room should be ready already. Come on, I'll take you upstairs to have a look."

As she spoke, she stood up and gave her son a look.

Ning Yuxuan followed Zheng Xinmei upstairs.

The room was clean and tidy, the bedding was in her favorite color, and a folded nightgown was laid on it.

Zheng Xinmei smiled and said, "The toiletries are all in the bathroom. The nightgown was one of the gifts I prepared for you. It's perfect for tonight, so I took the liberty of taking it out early. I've already washed it."

Ning Yuxuan: "Thank you, Auntie."

"Good child." Zheng Xinmei smiled gently. "I knew you weren't the shy type."

She turned around and glanced at him, and when she found that her son hadn't followed, she said, "Auntie will talk to you for a bit more, and then you should get some rest."

Ning Yuxuan nodded.

After arriving today, Xie Zhiyan was almost always present when Zheng Xinmei chatted with her.

When Ning Yuxuan saw Zheng Xinmei give Xie Zhiyan a look, signaling him not to follow, she was already mentally prepared for a private conversation.

“Xuanxuan.” Zheng Xinmei’s voice was very gentle. “To be honest, although your mother and I had a good relationship before, we never thought that you could be with Zhiyan.”

Ning Yuxuan nodded.

Not to mention Zheng Xinmei and Ning Fei, she herself had never thought of it before.

Zheng Xinmei continued, "But Auntie won't lie to you. When I heard Zhiyan say that he was pursuing you, I was so happy! It's his good fortune that you're willing to be with Zhiyan."

A hint of surprise flashed in Ning Yuxuan's eyes: Xie Zhiyan had told Zheng Xinmei that he was pursuing her? When did that happen?

However, now was not the time, so Ning Yuxuan refrained from asking.

Zheng Xinmei put her hand on Ning Yuxuan's shoulder and rubbed it: "In short, you two should stay together. Auntie fully supports your decision."

Zheng Xinmei didn't say anything more.

She gave Ning Yuxuan a few final instructions, telling her to treat this place as her own home and to call for help if she needed anything.

After closing the door for Ning Yuxuan, Zheng Xinmei went downstairs and found her son standing by the stairwell waiting for her.

Zheng Xinmei was both annoyed and amused: "What are you standing here for? Are you afraid I'll make things difficult for Xuanxuan?"

"No," Xie Zhiyan said. "It's because I was afraid that you might also have something to say to me, Mom."

Zheng Xinmei looked at her son and sighed inwardly.

Children are definitely most fun when they are young. As they grow up, even she, as their mother, often can't figure out what her son is thinking.

Zheng Xinmei then added, "Mom has something she wants to ask you."

Xie Zhiyan waited for his mother to continue.

Zheng Xinmei smiled and said, "Now that you've brought her home, have you thought about when to get married?"

Xie Zhiyan said calmly, "That depends on her opinion."

Zheng Xinmei raised her eyebrows: "So, if Xuanxuan is willing, you can do it anytime?"

Xie Zhiyan: "Yes."

Hearing her son's straightforward answer, Zheng Xinmei was surprised but also relieved.

She had been worried that her son was just dating and didn't want to get married, but after hearing this, she felt reassured.

"Then you should work hard," Zheng Xinmei said with a smile. "I'm waiting for good news from you and Xuanxuan."

...

The Xie family's old house is located in the suburbs and is much larger than the villas near the city center.

Ning Yuxuan had lived here before and was quite familiar with the place.

The room she stayed in was spacious and bright, with a semi-enclosed balcony and a bathroom.

Ning Yuxuan sent a message to Ning Fei, informing her mother that she was going to rest soon.

She then took a hot shower in the bathroom and changed into the nightgown that Zheng Xinmei had prepared for her.

The skirt has a scent left from washing and drying, so it must have been washed and dried while we were playing cards.

Next to the disposable toiletries was a face mask, which Ning Yuxuan opened and applied for fifteen minutes.

It was probably prepared by Zheng Xinmei on purpose; it would be impolite not to use it.

There was a small wall-mounted washing machine in the bathroom. Ning Yuxuan put her underwear in and set the washing and drying program.

She had just changed into the long dress before leaving the house, so it didn't need to be washed.

After finishing these tasks, Ning Yuxuan glanced at her phone.

Ning Fei told her not to worry about tomorrow's recording, saying she would prepare everything for her and let her rest peacefully for the night.

Xie Zhiyan even sent her a message, even though his bedroom was right next door.

There are still quite a few grapes left in the fridge, would you like some more?

Ning Yuxuan's appetite was instantly whetted.

Before Xie Zhiyan took the fruit platter away, she tasted a grape; it was big, sweet, and seedless.

Unfortunately, she ate too much and didn't have room for fruit, so she could only regretfully leave it at that.

The food in my stomach has been mostly digested, so it's time to eat fruit.

Ning Yuxuan: [I want to.]

Xie Zhiyan did not reply. A minute later, there was a knock on the door.

Ning Yuxuan remembered the big, sweet grape and couldn't wait to open the door, but then she remembered that she had just finished showering and changing her clothes.

She glanced at the halter-neck slip dress she was wearing.

It's inconvenient to find a coat to wear when I'm not at home, and it's too much trouble to change back into my own dress.

After thinking for a moment, Ning Yuxuan hid behind the door and slowly opened it a crack: "Xie Zhiyan?"

The man outside the door gave a low "hmm," his voice seemingly carrying a hint of amusement.

Ning Yuxuan opened the door a little wider, just enough for her to stick one arm out: "Give it to me."

The man paused for a second: "Then take it carefully."

Ning Yuxuan moved her fingers to indicate that she understood.

The slightly cool porcelain plate was placed in her palm. Ning Yuxuan could feel that the other person slowly let go only after confirming that she had a firm grip on it.

Then she discovered a problem.

The door was wide enough for her to reach her hand out, but not enough for her to bring the plate in.

Hiding behind the door, you can't see the size of the plate, and if you force yourself to try it, you're bound to bump into it.

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

Oh well, it's just a slip dress, it's not like I'm not wearing anything at all.

Ning Yuxuan simply opened the door completely and brought in the plate: "Thank you."

After receiving the plate, she looked up and met Xie Zhiyan's gaze for a second.

Ning Yuxuan was absolutely certain that his gaze was not just fixed on her face.

It wasn't a brazen, sweeping gaze, but rather a seemingly unintentional lowering of his eyes, his gaze slowly passing over her neck and collarbone.

Ning Yuxuan inexplicably felt her skin begin to burn where his gaze fell. Before the man's gaze could move any further, she decisively closed the door.

After leaning against the door for a few seconds to calm herself down, she glanced at the porcelain plate in her hand.

The plate was quite large, but half of it was empty; I roughly counted about ten grapes.

"……mean."

Ning Yuxuan placed the plate on the bedside table, picked up her phone, and typed: 【Why are there only a few?】

Xie Zhiyan seemed to be doing something, and only replied a few minutes later: "Eating too much before bed is bad for your health."

Ning Yuxuan wanted to ask him what he was looking at, but then she felt that she wouldn't get the answer she wanted to hear.

After hesitating for a few seconds, I decided not to post anything at all.

Recalling the man's deep gaze just now, Ning Yuxuan popped a grape into her mouth and took a big bite.

rogue!

...

After eating the grapes, Ning Yuxuan brushed her teeth, lay down on the bed, and quickly fell asleep.

The man in the next room, however, had an unusual bout of insomnia.

Unable to fall asleep until late at night, Xie Zhiyan began to think that perhaps letting her mother keep her here today was a mistake.

.

The next morning, Ning Yuxuan was woken up by her alarm clock.

After washing up and changing clothes, I went downstairs and only saw Xie Zhiyan.

"Where is Aunt Zheng?" Ning Yuxuan asked.

Xie Zhiyan: "She has some errands to run and needs to go out. I'll drive you there after breakfast."

Normally, the production crew would pick her up in their car when filming a show, but this time Ning Yuxuan wasn't with Ning Fei, so she didn't ask the production crew to pick her up separately.

Ning Yuxuan recalled the barrage of friend requests she received yesterday: "Isn't your car a little too conspicuous?"

Xie Zhiyan gave an irrelevant answer: "When I sent the driver to pick you up last time, quite a few people must have already seen my car."

Ning Yuxuan thought for a moment and said, "Okay then."

Without Xie Zhiyan's escort, it would be a bit troublesome for her to go there by herself.

The restaurant had already prepared breakfast, which was one of Ning Yuxuan's favorite dishes.

After eating, Ning Yuxuan sent a message to Ning Fei, telling her that she was about to leave.

Ning Yuxuan followed Xie Zhiyan to the garage and got into the passenger seat.

The road was clear on the weekend morning, and I arrived at the perimeter of the recording venue in ten minutes.

Ning Yuxuan had informed the staff in advance, and after checking the license plate number, the staff let them pass. Finally, the car stopped in front of the villa.

Ning Fei had just finished her makeup and hadn't even had time to do her hair when she heard her daughter was coming, so she came out to greet her.

Ning Yuxuan got out of the car and hugged Ning Fei, then noticed that the staff around her were all looking in the direction behind her.

Turning her head, she saw Xie Zhiyan standing a few steps behind her.

"Aunt Ning," Xie Zhiyan nodded slightly, "the recording went smoothly."

Ning Fei smiled and said, "Okay, thank you for bringing Xuanxuan here."

"Of course."

After exchanging a few words, Xie Zhiyan did not linger any longer.

But the eyes of several staff members followed Xie Zhiyan's car until it turned the corner and drove away.

Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei went to the dressing room, where Qin Man and Jiang Ning'an were also present.

The third group of guests were not with them; according to staff, this will be revealed after the live broadcast begins.

The show's official Weibo account posted a preview a day before today's broadcast.

This week, a new group of guests will join the show; their identities will be kept secret for now, and they will participate in the recording as guest stars.

Both groups of guests who have left the show did so because of serious mishaps, making it difficult for them to continue working in the entertainment industry.

Cen Meng has already suffered enough; she lost almost all of her endorsements and hasn't appeared in public recently.

Cheng Xiyang and his mother were subjected to a barrage of online abuse and were even publicly criticized on a legal program, effectively ending any possibility of Cheng Xiyang continuing his career in the entertainment industry.

Because he became a disgraced celebrity, even his two dramas that were waiting to be broadcast could not be aired normally, which made the entire production team and investors very angry.

Many netizens jokingly call the show "Dear Mom" ​​another name, "It's Your Turn," because apart from the two mother-daughter pairs of award-winning actresses, whoever goes on the show is bound to fail.

Some netizens joked that if they didn't like a certain celebrity, they should recommend him to the show, because once he's on the show, all his scandals will be dug up.

However, despite this, the number of celebrities who signed up to participate in the show was far greater than the number of those who actually did.

In the entertainment industry, popularity reigns supreme. Given the current level of discussion surrounding "Mom," participating in the show would be a great opportunity to significantly boost one's fame.

The production team has come to a realization: now that more than half the episodes have passed, instead of racking their brains to find regular guests, they might as well invite a new group of guest stars for each of the remaining episodes.

This way, viewers won't get tired easily, and the production team can attract new viewers with different preferences.

If one or two more groups of guests really mess up, it can generate even more buzz. As long as the show is popular, there's no shortage of people who won't dare to come.

The live stream starts at the usual time on Saturday morning.

[Here you are! Good morning, everyone!]

Let's guess who our new guest is today, and see if it's a disaster!

The first scene of the live stream was indeed in the villa.

This time, the production team didn't repeat the games used when the guests appeared last time; instead, they had the staff give everyone hints.

"The new guests this time are a mother and son."

"The male guest is very young; he just turned nineteen at the end of last year."

"This male guest once appeared on a variety show with Ning Shiyue."

The hints progress step by step, becoming increasingly detailed and revealing their implications.

The last sentence describes the male guest as a very popular e-sports player.

After this hint was given, many viewers guessed who it was.

Last year, a prodigy emerged in the esports scene, winning the World Championship trophy with his team in his first professional season.

Of course, another crucial point is that she is very good-looking, which has attracted a large number of fans.

[Wow, is that Duan Ziyao? The production team is really good; is this his first time participating in a live variety show?]

Who is this? I've never heard of this name before.

[Duan Ziyao is a very popular player in the e-sports circle recently, a top-tier player! He's a young man under twenty years old, with excellent gaming skills and good looks!]

The staff played a short video on the big screen.

The show's original intention was to let everyone appreciate the new guest's heroic performance on the competition field, and to show the guest's connection with Ning Shiyue.

Therefore, this short film includes Duan Ziyao's wonderful performance on the field, the scene of him winning the championship and lifting the trophy with his teammates, and a clip of him and Ning Shiyue recording the same program.

That program is an e-sports variety show. The main format is to invite celebrities from the entertainment industry to form teams for training and competition, and to invite professional e-sports players to provide guidance.

The episode Ning Shiyue participated in featured an exhibition match where he teamed up with Duan Ziyao. That episode even trended on social media.

After watching, the staff asked the guests for their thoughts.

The program team chose esports players as guest stars mainly to leverage the popularity of the esports community to attract new young viewers.

Qin Man and Ning Fei didn't know much about e-sports. Video games weren't common in their time, so they only exchanged a few polite words.

When it was Ning Yuxuan's turn, the staff asked her if she had played the game in the short film.

After receiving an affirmative answer, the staff member asked, "What's your opinion of this new guest?"

Ning Yuxuan thought about it seriously for two seconds: "I want to give him a thumbs up."

Wow! It's rare to hear Ning Yuxuan praise a member of the opposite sex. This new younger brother is definitely extraordinary!

Is this new guest Ning Yuxuan's type? Let's see the handsome guy in person!

The staff also looked surprised.

Given Ning Yuxuan's previous performance, they didn't expect her evaluation of the new guest to be so positive.

"Why?" the staff member asked. "Were you impressed by the new guest's superb skills?"

Ning Yuxuan said seriously, "I just think it's quite tough being my brother's teammate."

audience:"……"

Hahahaha

[I thought Ning Yuxuan was praising the new guest, but it turned out she was actually giving a sharp critique of her own younger brother.]

[Translation of Ning Yuxuan's statement: I feel like my brother is a bit incompetent.]