Chapter 31 Tighten the belt, just in case he…
Chapter 31
Nie Zi'an was puzzled by Chu Xingli's question to Zhao Changwei, but respected the objective facts.
He tried to see clearly, but he was so drunk that he was shaking his head.
Chu Xingli opened the wet wipe on the table and wiped his face, which made him somewhat more awake.
Chu Xingli asked the same question again.
Nie Zian glanced at the child on Chu Xingli's phone screen, then turned to examine Zhao Changwei closely.
After a long pause, he burst into tears: "Isn't this... Manyun's child?"
...Manyun.
Nie Zian's way of addressing Qiao Manyun immediately made Chu Xingli's eyes go black.
His older brother is so attached to past relationships; he's hopelessly infatuated with love.
It seems this matter cannot be resolved while Nie Zian is drunk.
"You can carry him to the lounge," Chu Xingli said, calling over two waiters.
The waiter was tall and strong, and his movements were swift and efficient. He carried Nie Zian away on his back.
Only Chu Xingli and Zhao Changwei remained in the private room.
Chu Xingli put down her phone and asked, "Do you know Qiao Manyun?"
Zhao Changwei nodded: "I know her. Didn't she participate in the same program as President Chu these past few days?"
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Chu Xingli asked.
Seeing Zhao Changwei's eyes darting around, it seemed he was still planning to use the same line he had heard countless times.
Chu Xingli raised her hand to warn him: "I'm serious."
The person in front of her was rather stubborn, and it was clear that he was unlikely to attract Qiao Manyun's attention with his abilities.
Sure enough, Zhao Changwei lowered his head: "I have an older brother who works as a bartender at Jinbihuihuang."
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" Chu Xingli felt powerless against his lie.
But Zhao Changwei is clearly stubborn.
Faced with the boss's helplessness, but not knowing how to take advantage of the situation, she retorted to Chu Xingli, "President Chu, you didn't ask either."
Chu Xingli: "..."
The boomerang that I used to brush off my cousin has finally struck him.
"Do you two look alike?" Chu Xingli could only guess based on her intuition when she asked him.
Zhao Changwei wasn't very clever, so Chu Xingli could only pin her hopes on his older brother.
At this point, Zhao Changwei couldn't help but become confident: "President Chu, I'm not bragging, but my brother and I are practically cut from the same mold."
This answer was exactly what Chu Xingli wanted to hear.
He chuckled: "Please have your brother come over. I'll pay ten times the lost wages."
However, the straightforward Zhao Changwei panicked and missed the point after hearing this.
"Huh? I'm already a model, and I still need to call my parents?"
Chu Xingli: "..."
Is it possible to have a normal person to communicate with him?
The two sat in the private room, staring at each other, maintaining a distance that seemed worlds apart.
Zhao Changwei's brother rushed over after Chu Xingli finished her third glass of juice.
"Hello boss, my name is Zhao Changye, and I am Zhao Changwei's older brother. May I ask what mistake he made?" As soon as Zhao Changye entered, he looked at his not-so-bright younger brother with concern.
Chu Xingli looked up at him, quite surprised.
Zhao Changye and Zhao Changwei look almost identical.
However, they are actually three years apart in age, not twins as Chu Xingli initially thought.
“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Chu Xingli, the younger brother, understood how much his older brother had worried about him since childhood. “I just want to talk to you. My name is Chu Xingli.”
"I know, President Chu." Zhao Changye seemed more intelligent and composed than Zhao Changwei.
This put Chu Xingli at ease.
"You know Qiao Manyun, right?" Chu Xingli asked directly.
Zhao Changye nodded: "I know him."
He seemed to know what the distinguished person in front of him wanted to hear.
After saying that, he added, "We know each other very well."
This is indeed what Chu Xingli wants to know.
Because it took a long time for Zhao Changye to arrive, Nie Zian had already taken a nap in the lounge and woke up feeling much more awake.
As soon as he pushed open the door to the private room, he saw two identical-looking people sitting in front of his younger brother, and he thought he was hallucinating.
"Xing Li?" Nie Zi'an asked in confusion.
Chu Xingli gestured for him to be quiet and just sit quietly next to her and listen.
Zhao Changye greeted Nie Zian politely and briefly explained why President Chu had called him over.
She also kicked her younger brother out so he wouldn't hear about these things.
"To what extent do you two know each other?" Chu Xingli asked cryptically.
But he knew that Zhao Changye could understand what he meant.
“She was very rich, said she was lonely, and said I was good-looking,” Zhao Changye said truthfully, “and asked me to spend some time with her.”
Nie Zian could never forget his experience.
Upon hearing Zhao Changye's words, he quickly asked, "What year was that? Do you remember?"
Chu Xingli knew this would be another answer that would hurt her cousin, so she raised an eyebrow at Zhao Changye, signaling him to think it over before answering.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Nie, I don't remember," Zhao Changye replied, bowing his head.
Chu Xingli asked, "How long have you been dating?"
"About six months, until she..." Zhao Changye's face turned red as he said this, "After she hurt me, she stopped contacting me, and that's when I found out she was married."
This made Chu Xingli instantly realize where he was injured.
I couldn't help but feel a little alarmed.
It was simply that Qiao Manyun played tricks that caused Zhao Changye considerable and irreversible damage.
However, due to her status and position, Zhao Changye dared not make a fuss, because he knew perfectly well what the final outcome would be.
He has a family, and his family needs to make a living. He doesn't have the strength to fight against someone like Qiao Manyun.
He could only silently endure these pains and turned to becoming a bartender.
"When you were with her, did you use any protection?" Chu Xingli had learned enough and began to formally express his thoughts to Zhao Changye.
Zhao Changye shook his head: "No, never. She wouldn't allow it."
...Then it's pretty much a done deal.
Chu Xingli took out her phone and showed him the photo she had just seen.
"Is this child's age roughly the same as the time you started dating?"
Zhao Changye lowered his head and calculated seriously for a while, then finally raised his face and looked at Chu Xingli.
He nodded emphatically.
.
When Luo Xiaoran arrived, Chu Xingli was just about to leave.
He had just pushed open the door to the private room when he saw Luo Xiaoran walking in, looking travel-worn.
That was a bit of a surprise.
"Why are you here?" Chu Xingli asked him with a smile.
Luo Xiaoran lied without batting an eye: "My older brother was worried that you would drive alone, so he asked me to pick you up."
This was indeed a reason why Chu Xingli would not doubt it at all.
"You can go back now. If you need any help later, just contact me," Chu Xingli said, turning back to Zhao Changye, who had just come out of the private room, while waving her phone.
Luo Xiaoran narrowed his eyes slightly.
Zhao Changye noticed a change in the tall, handsome young man's mood and explained first, "Thank you, President Chu. My brother and I will try our best not to trouble you with our work."
Upon learning the other party's identity, Luo Xiaoran's mindset returned to normal.
Seeing the tiny, still-healing wound on Chu Xingli's lip, his eyes darkened.
My mood improved a lot as a result.
Hugs always likes to be treated a little painfully in their interactions.
To some extent, this is also a good way to relieve stress.
*
"Actually, I was also quite surprised. I was just trying it out," Chu Xingli said, slowly sipping the warm water from the thermos Luo Xiaoran handed him. "I didn't expect it to work so well on the first try."
Luo Xiaoran was very happy that Chu Xingli was willing to share what had just happened with him.
Upon hearing this, he smiled and flattered, "May your career, Young Master Chu, be smooth sailing."
Unsurprisingly, Chu Xingli was delighted by the praise.
He tilted his head back and drank the water in his thermos clean, then turned to look at Luo Xiaoran and smiled, "Okay, go home and get ready, we'll be recording again in a few days."
I'm really looking forward to seeing the interesting expressions on Qiao Manyun and Bao Keming's faces when they learn the truth after the evidence is irrefutable.
“Okay,” Luo Xiaoran nodded, glanced at the passenger side mirror, and turned right. “I’ll go to the hospital to pack my things, and then we’ll go home. What do you want to eat tonight?”
Out of habit, Chu Xingli did not notice that Luo Xiaoran's choice of words when communicating with him was something that only loving couples would use.
He agreed to whatever Luo Xiaoran said.
Completely undefended.
"Just do it the same as usual." Chu Xingli was sleepy, so she leaned back on her headrest, closed her eyes, and answered lazily.
Luo Xiaoran's heart stirred slightly, and he chuckled softly as he replied, "Okay."
Less than two minutes after returning to the ward, Gu Zezhou pushed open the door and walked in.
“When I came down from the platform, I found that neither of you were there,” Gu Zezhou raised an eyebrow at Chu Xingli, “You really ignored what the doctor said.”
Chu Xingli was in a good mood today. Hearing Gu Zezhou's words, he smiled and put his arm around his friend's shoulder, coaxing him, "That's why I say you can be a director. It's because you have the magnanimity to tolerate anything, right?"
Gu Zezhou wasn't as angry as Chu Xingli usually was when she tried to avoid inspection.
Since he could tell that Chu Xingli was lively and energetic, and obviously didn't have any serious problems, he didn't bother arguing with Chu Xingli.
She worked diligently alongside Luo Xiaoran to help Chu Xingli pack her things.
Luo Xiaoran's movements were clean and efficient; in no time, he had almost finished organizing the things Chu Xingli had used over the past two days.
Chu Xingli stood by the window, wearing a coat, looking at the scenery.
He sometimes needs to handle work-related matters, and staring at the screen for extended periods can cause eye strain.
Only after Luo Xiaoran persuaded him did he agree to get out of bed and stand here to look into the distance.
I'm being discharged from the hospital today, and I don't know when I'll be able to come back again. The scenery here is beautiful, and it's pleasing to the eye to look at it for a while.
"Hey? I see a kitten downstairs."
Chu Xingli's ward is on the seventh floor.
However, he was wearing glasses, so he could see very clearly.
Luo Xiaoran was sitting on the sofa, texting on his phone.
He has been busy these past few days dealing with the tasks his older brother assigned to him.
If the two missing trucks are found, the truth behind Chu Xingli's car accident will begin to emerge.
Upon hearing Chu Xingli's words, he put down his phone without a moment's delay, stood up, walked to the window, and looked down following Chu Xingli's gaze.
A slender white cat was lying on its back on the lawn, rolling around from side to side, with blades of grass still stuck to its ears, but this did not affect the cat's happiness.
Chu Xingli loves watching small animals play happily.
Seeing this, he was about to say that he would take his two dogs and Dongli downstairs to play when he got back when he saw two chubby orange cats crawling towards the little white cat from a distance.
Once it identified its target, it leaped over to the white cat and slapped the cat's head repeatedly with its paw more than a dozen times.
The little white cat was so frightened that it scrambled up from the lawn and ran away with a weak meow.
Two fat orange cats chased after them, attacking them.
Chu Xingli was extremely anxious and turned to walk outside: "How can this cat be so bullying? It's such a terrible cat."
Luo Xiaoran knew what he was going to do, so he followed Chu Xingli downstairs together.
Fortunately, the little white kitten wasn't very big yet, so it didn't run far. It just found a corner, tucked its tail between its legs, and licked its paws and fur.
Chu Xingli easily found it by following the direction the little guy had just run away in.
"Good girl~ Mimi~" Chu Xingli tried calling out twice.
He wanted to lure the little guy over with cat treats.
I reached into my pocket, but suddenly remembered that I was in the hospital. Where could I find cat treats to feed the little guy?
Just as Chu Xingli was about to sigh, a cat-shaped note appeared in her line of sight.
Looking in the direction of that hand, Luo Xiaoran was smiling and waiting for him to reach out and take it.
"Why do you always carry cat treats with you?" Chu Xingli asked in surprise as she took them and opened them.
Luo Xiaoran's actions were, of course, a natural consequence of years of habit.
When you go out with Chu Xingli, you always run into some cats and dogs.
Sometimes, if I happen to have cat and dog treats on hand, I'll feed them to the little guys.
Chu Xingli gets very disappointed when there are no snacks available.
After just two such experiences, Luo Xiaoran, who couldn't bear to see him disappointed, developed this habit.
Seeing Chu Xingli's curious expression, Luo Xiaoran didn't want to put pressure on him before he remembered everything.
She smiled and said, "I happened to be wearing this outfit when I fed Dongli cat treats last time, so I guess I just slipped it in."
Chu Xingli didn't think much of it. After saying "What a coincidence," she started nibbling at the little white cat.
Perhaps it was because he seemed very approachable and gentle, or perhaps it was because the cat treats smelled so good.
The little white cat, who had just been beaten up, mustered its courage and took two steps forward and one step back to test Chu Xingli.
Finally, after a long period of tentative exploration, she cautiously touched the piece of chicken paste that Chu Xingli had squeezed out with her pink nose.
"Meow~" The little white kitten had a lump on its nose, and it was licking its nose with its tongue, looking extremely cute.
Chu Xingli's heart melted at the sight.
"Take it home?" Luo Xiaoran suggested. "If you agree, I'll get started."
Chu Xingli laughed at his tone: "The little guy seems to be only two or three months old. Could the mother cat be nearby?"
If they take the little one away, the mother cat will be frantic.
“It’s okay, give him a hug. Even in the natural environment, kittens will separate from their mothers when they are about six months old,” Luo Xiaoran said. “If we take the kittens back, we can avoid them being bullied by those two bad cats.”
Chu Xingli immediately nodded: "Let's do it!"
Luo Xiaoran said he would take action, but in reality he just squatted down and beckoned to the little guy with his finger.
The little white cat, out of curiosity, came closer to him.
Only when the little guy was right in front of him did Luo Xiaoran reach out and scoop him up, stuffing him tightly into his arms, leaving only a small opening the size of his head for him to breathe.
"We should be able to take good care of such a big kitten, right?" Chu Xingli asked, sounding just like a new father worried about his own abilities.
"Don't worry, I can take good care of it. Besides, there's a housekeeper in the house," Luo Xiaoran reassured him with a smile, explaining the 'housekeeper' he had mentioned. "Just leave it to the fussy Dongli."
Thinking of Dongli, the Siamese cat at home who loves to chase after Er Gou and lick his fur, Chu Xingli thought about it and agreed, and couldn't help but laugh: "Yes, that's right. Er Gou is almost on edge from being taken care of by Dongli. It's a good opportunity for the poor little guy to experience Dongli's strong love."
White cats are a very unpopular breed in the cat world. They are the most pitiful and easily bullied.
Fortunately, Frozen Pear is a warm-hearted, caring cat with an astonishing enthusiasm for anything furry.
"Give it a name?" Luo Xiaoran pondered Chu Xingli's feelings and brought up the process.
As expected, Chu Xingli had already thought of a name for the little white cat. No sooner had Luo Xiaoran finished speaking than he blurted it out—
"Boxing King! When Boxing King grows up, I'll bring it back to fight those two nasty orange cats to the death... Just kidding, even I can't beat those two orange cats."
Luo Xiaoran: "..."
*
The weekdays passed quickly as Chu Xingli took care of the boxing champion.
Before we knew it, it was time to record again.
This time, Chu Xingli felt more confident and even more certain of victory when facing Qiao Manyun.
Qiao Manyun always puts on a kind and harmless appearance to deceive everyone.
It's only fair that everyone should be made aware of her ugly true colors.
However, the matter of Zhao Changye recognizing his child and retracing the steps to the known answer requires his help, so that Zhao Changye can carefully consider the matter from a longer-term perspective.
On the day of the program recording.
Chu Xingli did not object to going to the recording site in the same car as Luo Xiaoran.
She even ran around helping Luo Xiaoran carry this and that because of the injury on Luo Xiaoran's hand.
The first episode was filmed at the location chosen by the production team.
In the second episode, Bao Keming volunteered to offer up one of his villas that he didn't live in often, hoping the production team would adopt his suggestion.
The production team was naturally delighted to have a free venue to use, and after a brief report to their superiors, they received permission.
They arrived at Bao Keming's villa ahead of time to begin setting up the scene.
Perhaps because the first episode was so well received, all the guests arrived within an hour of the cameras being set up for the second episode.
The director was happy to relax and immediately began announcing today's tasks.
"Today's task rewards remain the same as before, and the final ranking is related to the quality of the room you stay in."
When it came to room assignments, everyone listened intently to the rules, fearing they might not get a comfortable room.
But remembering the director's questionable actions last week, we had taken precautions in advance.
I'm going to find out whether the champion will get a twin bed or a deluxe king bed.
After all, it's a divorce reality show, and a luxurious bed would undoubtedly be a living hell for them.
"As we all know, holding hands is undoubtedly a reward for couples..." the director said with a smile.
"The game we're going to play today is," the director read from the cards, "that each couple has to keep holding hands for a limited time. The one who holds hands the longest and lets go the fewest times will be today's champion."
Bao Keming asked, "Is there any reward for the champion? Otherwise, it would be a waste to hold hands like this."
Qiao Manyun rolled her eyes in exasperation and sat down with her back to him, facing Zhao Anyu and Chen Xuanqi.
[Haha, middle-aged couple, they can't stand looking at each other anymore]
[Qiao Manyun: You think I want to hold your hand? I find it disgusting.]
[Bao Keming, you'd better not beg Qiao Manyun not to divorce you later, hahaha]
Upon hearing the director's words, Chu Xingli leaned close to Lin Ning's ear and whispered, "I have a feeling the director is up to no good."
Lin Ning responded in an even softer voice, but she strongly agreed with Chu Xingli's idea: "I think so too."
"Please don't cricket at me in front of me, you two," the director interrupted, looking at Chu Xingli and Lin Ning like a homeroom teacher scolding a student for talking, "I can hear you."
Chu Xingli: "..."
Lin Ning: "..."
“However, since we’re a show that focuses on divorce,” the director changed the subject, “holding hands will become a form of punishment.”
Chu Xingli nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Luo Xiaoran's heart sank as he watched.
"Those who didn't make it to the end," the director said, "were assigned to slightly worse rooms."
“Excuse me, we don’t have any ‘slightly worse’ rooms,” Bao Keming said, clearly bothered by the director’s choice of words. “You could say we don’t have any ‘good’ rooms.”
Chu Xingli: "..."
Director: "..."
Since learning that Lin Ning was pregnant, Chu Xingli has been very careful about her condition, both in her speech and activities.
He would occasionally pour Lin Ning a glass of water or tug at her collar.
Zhu Ji, who was always a step behind Chu Xingli, felt utterly hopeless and turned to Luo Xiaoran for help with a look of despair.
But he found that Luo Xiaoran had the same deathly expression as him.
Zhu Ji: "..."
Judging by the level of concern Baobao shows Ningning, I think Zhu Daniu's paranoia won't be cured for at least another ten years.
[When Ranzi saw Bao Bao nod, his heart finally died, hahaha]
[Hug: Holding hands? Punishment, no hee hee. Ranzi: Holding hands, reward, hee hee; Wife doesn't want to? No hee hee.]
Actually, I think it would be better if Ningning and Zhu Ji really broke up. Bao Bao would definitely take good care of Ningning.
[Ranzi Bro: Huh? You mean my wife?]
[Haha, did you even consider Ranzi's feelings?!]
Chu Xingli didn't really want to hold hands with Luo Xiaoran.
This behavior is rather ambiguous.
What kind of couple, who are clearly on the verge of divorce, sit here holding hands like idiots?
The thought of that scene is horrifying.
However, Luo Xiaoran knew very well where Chu Xingli's weakness lay.
Seeing Chu Xingli's expression, he could already guess roughly what the other party was thinking.
However, all of this pales in comparison to Chu Xingli's competitive spirit.
Just as everyone was seriously considering whether to choose not to be restrained by holding hands or to cowardly choose the comfortable bed.
The production crew had already come forward with props and placed them on the hands of the five groups of guests without giving them a chance to refuse.
Finally, rotate the buckle.
With a "click," their hands were joined together.
Everyone: "???"
Why would someone bring something like this?
"Handcuffs?" Chu Xingli raised his hand, and Luo Xiaoran's hand was pulled up with him as well.
"Wristband," the staff member corrected Chu Xingli.
Chu Xingli tilted her head and began to study it: "Why do I feel... it looks so much like it..."
Luo Xiaoran also felt it was familiar, and tilted his head to reply, "A collar to prevent pets from running away?"
Fearing they might reveal a secret, the staff quickly stopped them: "Quiet! Sit down!"
Chu Xingli: "..."
Luo Xiaoran: "..."
It looks even more like it now.
[Ranzi is so well-behaved, haha. When I raise my hand for a hug, he raises his hand too.]
[Why wouldn't you lift it up? Are you going to resist a hug?]
Now that Ranzi-ge has mentioned it, I suddenly realize it seems similar too...
[The production team is so weird, hehehe, give us more (doge)]
When two people hold hands, even if their bodies are far apart, the distance between them is no more than their arm span.
Moreover, Chu Xingli is a person who cares about his reputation. He wouldn't try to stretch out his arms to keep the greatest distance from Luo Xiaoran, so as to make the scene very ugly. He must give Luo Xiaoran as much face as possible.
After all, he won't need to work in the entertainment industry anymore, but Luo Xiaoran will still have to.
I can't lose face.
Chu Xingli steeled her heart, closed her eyes, and spread her hands out.
Just shake hands, it's not like it'll hurt you.
...They've clearly had quite a bit of contact these past few days.
However, all of these contacts occurred under duress or without the other person's awareness.
At this moment, both of them were so clear-headed and so close, that they were being openly asked to hold hands and work towards the same goal.
From any perspective, this doesn't seem like something two people preparing for a divorce should be doing!
Chu Xingli was still struggling internally when Luo Xiaoran interrupted his thoughts.
She even went so far as to politely remind him, "I'm here."
Chu Xingli: "..."
What kind of talk is that?
Chu Xingli cleared her throat, feigning composure, indicating to Luo Xiaoran that she didn't care and could do as she pleased.
However, as soon as their hands touched, Chu Xingli's shoulders trembled slightly, as if he had been startled.
Luo Xiaoran's hands were proportional to his height, with large palms and long, slender fingers.
It was easy to grasp Chu Xingli's slender hand in his palm and hold it firmly.
Their palms were pressed tightly together, and Chu Xingli could almost feel the interlacing lines on Luo Xiaoran's palm.
"What's wrong?" Luo Xiaoran's gentle voice was very close.
The heat made Chu Xingli's ears burn, and she looked away from him.
...What terrible rules of the game.
"You, you should speak a little quieter." Chu Xingli assumed that Luo Xiaoran's voice was too aggressive, which was why she was acting this way.
As he spoke, Chu Xingli moved the fingers that Luo Xiaoran was holding, but the other party tightened his grip even more, in order to prevent him from running away at the last minute.
“Okay,” Luo Xiaoran obeyed, his voice becoming even softer, “Xing Li, you don’t want to lose either, do you?”
But unexpectedly, it didn't calm Chu Xingli's heartbeat at all; in fact, it made her feel even more itchy than before.
Chu Xingli's heart trembled.
He felt like he couldn't breathe.
You need to loosen up and let it rest for a bit.
"Oh right, I forgot to tell you all," the director's sly voice rang out again, sounding clearly 'deliberately' forgotten, "the bracelets you were given before the mission started contain a weak electric current. If you take your hands off without permission, you might feel a tiny, tiny current!"
"Hiss!" Chu Xingli was instantly jerked by the weak electric current and instinctively gripped Luo Xiaoran's hand tightly.
Luo Xiaoran was also jolted by the electric shock and was about to grab Chu Xingli's hand back, but Chu Xingli did it first.
“…I’m sorry,” Chu Xingli thought he was the one who made the mistake and didn’t notice the fleeting smile on Luo Xiaoran’s lips. He honestly apologized to Luo Xiaoran, “I made you get electrocuted.”
Luo Xiaoran raised an eyebrow slightly, appearing quite magnanimous: "It's alright."
It feels pretty good.
[I'm secretly thrilled with Ranzi again (*￣︶￣)]
[Ahhh, my honest man, give me a hug! How could you be so silly!]
[Haha, so happy!]
[The production team really knows what kind of play everyone wants to see (doge)]
[You're okay, but I am. You're holding my wife's hand.]
He must have felt amazing from the electric shock (just kidding)
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