Chapter 85 Demanding a Recognition
The next day marked the official end of this episode's recording.
The production team set up some segments to increase interactivity, and Ji Zhi Qiu's mind was focused on this, while also taking time to take care of the three children.
Not only was his attention diverted, but he also couldn't show any signs of nervousness in front of the camera. He was so busy that he was spinning like a top, which felt unreal.
It's too detached, as if everything that happened yesterday was just a one-sided fantasy of his.
His eyes followed his heart, and he subconsciously looked at Lu Yu Nian. Lu Yu Nian was no different from usual, with no intimacy in his every move and no favoritism towards him.
Ji Zhi Qiu reluctantly withdrew his gaze. Although he knew it was the right thing to do, he still felt a void in his heart, and a bitter feeling spread through him.
The live stream finally ended, but Ji Zhi Qiu was still a little uneasy and wanted to ask Lu Yu Nian for an answer. Wen Qi Zheng was reluctant to leave and stayed quietly by his side. Lin Jin Zhao and Zhao Fu Ke came over to say hello for reasons unknown.
All the way to the airport, Ji Zhi Qiu was surrounded by many eyes, and he felt inexplicably guilty, not daring to look at Lu Yu Nian even once.
He and Lu Yu Nian were in different cities and would be separated completely after boarding the plane. Although they would meet again in three days, Ji Zhi Qiu still felt reluctant and aggrieved.
Are they officially dating or not?
Why is there no change compared to usual?
Just as Ji Zhi Qiu roared inwardly, a shadow fell beside him. He turned his head as if sensing something and saw only Lu Yu Nian's strong arms and well-defined profile.
They stood side by side, but Lu Yunian was looking elsewhere. Ji Zhi Qiu opened her mouth, about to speak, when she suddenly felt her hand, which was close to hers, being grasped.
Lu Yu Nian patted his hand reassuringly, then playfully twirled his little finger in her palm. When she saw Wen Qi Zheng walking over, Lu Yu Nian quickly turned her head and whispered in his ear, "Wait for me, boyfriend."
After saying that, he walked away naturally, as if it were just a farewell between friends, leaving Ji Zhi Qiu standing there stunned.
Wen Qizheng walked over, looked him up and down, and frowned slightly. "Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever or are you just too hot?"
Ji Zhi Qiu had a guilty conscience and misheard it as "getting horny," almost getting angry.
"I didn't, I didn't, don't talk nonsense!" He covered his face with his sleeve and took a few deep breaths of fresh air, but the burning sensation in his heart did not subside in the slightest.
Wen Qizheng tilted his head in confusion as he looked at his overreaction.
Wen Qizheng was afraid of interacting with people, but once the two became familiar, he felt no inhibitions in front of Ji Zhiqi and joked, "You look like a weasel stealing food."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
His face flushed even more, his eyes flickered, he was embarrassed to face Wen Qizheng, and he was also a little angry at being wronged.
They've just gotten together; things haven't progressed to that point yet.
He didn't even put it in his mouth, let alone steal it.
Moreover, given their relationship, he can eat openly and honestly if he wants to!
With this thought, Ji Zhi Qiu felt more confident: "Even if I'm a weasel, I'm still a domesticated one, so it's perfectly legitimate for me to steal chickens!"
Wen Qizheng chuckled to himself, "I was just joking. What nonsense are you talking about? How could a weasel be domesticated?"
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't explain to him, and just snorted twice through her nose.
After saying goodbye, the two boarded their respective planes back home.
Father and son are of the same ilk. Ji Zhi Qiu held the little dumpling and slept soundly until he got home, but he was much more awake.
A week later, they returned home. The mother cat respected her long-term food guarantor and lined up with her kittens to welcome them, giving each of them one kitten and treating them equally.
Ji Zhi Qiu buried his face in the cat's belly, his nose filled with a pleasant scent, like popcorn that had been dried in the sun. He took a deep breath, and the fatigue of the past few days immediately vanished.
From a spiritual perspective, it wasn't that he took in the cat, but rather that the cat took him in; he was no longer a wild man unwanted by cats.
After regaining her energy, Ji Zhi Qiu turned to look at the three children and asked, "Are you three tired? Do you need to rest?"
The three children looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time.
Ji Zhi Qiu closed the door tightly, looking mysterious, and said in a low voice, "Don't get too excited, we're going to do something important."
"Divide the spoils!!"
...
Ji Zhi Qiu is no longer the small streamer who was kicked out of the platform and lost his source of income. After recording so many variety shows, his popularity has skyrocketed.
Although the director was witty and competitive with him on the variety show, he treated him very well in private. Knowing that he did not have a management company, he used his connections to introduce him to a capable studio.
His account and job offers were all managed by this studio. Ji Zhi Qiu was too busy to pay attention to these things until the studio called him.
The account was already growing very fast, and every time "Abstract Family" created a famous scene, it would surge again. When Ji Zhi Qiu regained the right to use the account, he couldn't believe his eyes.
His number of fans is only slightly less than Lin Jinchao's. It should be noted that Lin Jinchao has been in the industry for many years and is considered one of the lucky ones, having already become a top star.
His fan count is similar to Lin Jinzhao's, but his fan growth rate is far higher. If this continues...
Ji Zhi Qiu dared not think any further, feeling as if she were indulging in a delusional dream.
Is the entertainment industry really that easy to get by?
Not only do they have a huge number of fans, but they also receive countless job offers, which they can choose from. He receives the most offers, and his three children also receive varying numbers of offers, meaning that the whole family has the ability to earn money.
Ji Zhi Qiu pulled himself out of his thoughts, took a deep breath, and could hardly contain his excitement. He uttered the first word with a high-pitched voice that cracked.
Ji Sicheng retorted mercilessly, "Don't get too excited yourself before you try to control us."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..." Anyone who isn't excited about seeing so much money is just loading cargo.
He took a deep breath before lowering his voice again, "I've already received the payment for recording the variety show. Zishen and Yanyan will each receive a quarter. If you agree, Zishen, I can help you save this money. But if you have other uses for it, I won't interfere at all."
Sitting in Ji Zhi Qiu's lap, Ji Yan Yan wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I give all my money to Dad, and I'll listen to Dad!"
Ji Zhi Qiu was completely charmed and lowered her head to give him a kiss.
After settling the two children, Ji Zhi Qiu looked at Ji Si Cheng and said, "You have half of it, and you can use it as you please, as long as it's legal and compliant. You can buy the machines you want and do whatever you want."
Ji Sicheng was stunned for a moment, "Why do I have one-half? Shouldn't the average be one-quarter?"
Ji Zhi Qiu eagerly grasped his hand, looking at him with starry eyes, "Because a quarter of it belongs to me, consider it an investment, and I deserve half the credit!"
He stared straight at Ji Sicheng, desperately trying to imply, "Do you still remember your promise?"
Ji Sicheng was stunned, unable to follow Ji Zhiqi's train of thought: "What?"
Ji Zhi Qiu was a little sad and loudly accused, "You don't even remember something so important! You promised to let me live off you!"
"..." Ji Sicheng half-opened his dead fish eyes, "That's definitely not what I originally said."
Ji Zhi Qiu, having been exposed, coughed awkwardly, "Anyway, that's the gist of it. If you agree, I'll give you a quarter of mine."
He paused for a moment, then added, "But I saved your parents' compensation money before, and no outsider, including yourself, can access it before you come of age."
Ji Sicheng was stunned.
He could sense that Ji Zhi Qiu had suddenly changed, but he didn't want to dwell on it, since everyone in this family has secrets.
But the money had already been entrusted to him. He thought that Ji Zhi Qiu had spent the money on his son before making the change, but he didn't expect that he was being petty.
No matter how much Ji Zhi Qiu changes, he remains the same, and his principles and conscience remain unchanged.
That day he was just asking for an exorbitant amount. In his plan, he would only be able to access these machines after he came of age. He never expected that Ji Zhi Qiu would take it so seriously.
For the first time, the minor villain was so moved that his nose tingled, and he gazed deeply at Ji Zhi Qiu.
Ji Zhi Qiu, however, was completely oblivious, and tried hard to recall, "For example, that aurora-colored ionizer."
Ji Sicheng choked up, rubbing his forehead in exasperation: "It's an extreme ultraviolet lithography machine and an ion implanter."
Ji Zhi Qiu nodded in sudden realization, "I see. I was wondering why a science and engineering guy like you, whose aesthetic sense is limited to black, white and gray, would pursue aurora purple so much. Why can't you just wear light green?"
My dad is still the same, sometimes reliable and sometimes unreliable, but I always keep him in my heart.
Ji Sicheng habitually gave a mocking, crooked smile, but this time the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up. "Fine, I agree. Being a kept man is fine. I may not be able to afford delicacies, but I will definitely not let you go hungry."
Although Ji Zishen was young, he was as mature as an adult. He keenly sensed the business opportunity and said, "I can invest one-eighth of my shares, as long as you give me the corresponding shares."
Ji Yanyan's eyes darted around, not to be outdone, "I want to give all the money to my brother, no, no, I want to keep the money for candy and ice cream, I want to fill this whole room!"
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
The brothers: "..."
Ji Zhi Qiu, both amused and exasperated, pinched Ji Yan Yan's soft cheeks. "Buy a whole house? You'll lose all your teeth after you finish eating, just like Grandpa Wang downstairs."
Ji Yanyan thought about the scene and covered her mouth tightly. "No, no, Dad and my brothers can help me eat them. We'll lose our teeth together. Anyway, I can grow new ones later."
All the kids are at the age where they're losing their baby teeth, which means that if they eat like this, he'll be the only one who will lose all his teeth.
That's so filial.
Xiao died.
Ji Zhi Qiu laughed in anger, once again experiencing the power of the minor villain.
Ji Yanyan was still too young to understand, so Ji Zhi Qiu didn't hold it against him and steered the conversation back to the main topic.
"Not only that, the studio also helped us select a few reliable job offers. Take a look and see if you're interested."
Ji Sicheng had just received a huge investment, and he was eager to devote himself to scientific research. Nothing could distract him, so he immediately refused the offer.
But Ji Zishen was deeply immersed in his work, finding himself in a dilemma, unable to give up any of them.
His dream was to be self-reliant, and now that he finally had the means, how could he possibly let it go?
After hesitating for a long time, he turned to look at Ji Zhi Qiu and said, "I'll hire you as my assistant. I'll give you 80% of the money and you 20%."
Ji Zishen took out one of the contracts, "This brand invited both me and Yan Yan to be brand ambassadors. We only have three days off, so we can complete this task first."
Ji Zhi Qiu nodded, "I'll contact the studio right away and try my best to save time."
***
After multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact the brand, they have finally received a response. The brand is even more proactive than the brand, having already completed all preparations and is ready to start filming the next day.
Ji Zhi Qiu took the two villainous kids to a neighboring city early in the morning. Lu Yu Nian happened to be in the same city. Ji Zhi Qiu sent him a message as soon as she got in the car, but Lu Yu Nian was busy and did not reply immediately.
Ji Zhi Qiu and the two children were immediately surrounded and given a grand welcome as soon as they appeared, and were led to the dressing room.
But these are all appearances. The entertainment industry is full of falsehoods and scheming. If you stay in this industry for a long time, you will find that the persona of almost all celebrities on screen is completely different from their real selves.
The makeup artist and staff tried their best to flatter Ji Zhi Qiu and his group, but they were all somewhat disdainful, thinking that they must also be two-faced.
Ji Zhi Qiu was unaware of these things. He was now receiving an assistant's salary, so he had to do his job well. However, it was his first time shooting an advertisement, and he had no experience, so he could only pay close attention to everything, for fear that his two little employers would be dissatisfied.
After the makeup was done, the photoshoot officially began.
Although the models were two little kids, Ji Zhi Qiu was their guardian. Based on past experience, the director and photographer focused on Ji Zhi Qiu the whole time, asking for his opinions and leaving the two little kids aside.
Ji Zishen showed no dissatisfaction whatsoever; he was already used to this kind of scene. He simply walked over calmly and said loudly, "I think the second shooting plan is better. It's more in line with your target audience's profile and can stimulate their desire to buy. And since you've invited me and Yan Yan to shoot together, the interactivity should be even stronger..."
Ji Zishen's logic was rigorous, his speech was clear, and his demeanor exuded a maturity far beyond his years. Every sentence he uttered hit the nail on the head. Despite being only thigh-high, he intimidated adults with extensive work experience.
The photographer was the first to recover and tentatively asked, "So what do you think of these poses?"
"I think the third set is better; it's more expressive."
Ji Zishen is on equal footing with the photographer, their conversations are meaningful, and they can provide immediate feedback, making him the best partner.
All the staff present looked at each other in bewilderment.
Ji Zishen had already demonstrated his talent on variety shows, but they thought it was just a trick by the production team, who had prepared a script in advance to create a persona.
But now Ji Zishen is relying entirely on his own performance, not reciting lines from a script. Almost everyone's gaze towards Ji Zhiqi has changed; they both envy him for having such a smart son and admire his educational abilities.
Ji Zhi Qiu didn't have the excessive controlling nature of a parent. Apart from putting a coat on the two kids because she was worried they were cold, she didn't do anything else.
The filming went very smoothly and was a great success.
Ji Zishen can quickly understand every instruction from the photographer and has first-class expressiveness. As a little dragon prodigy, Ji Yanyan is naturally the focus of attention. If the photographer asks for an eight out of ten, he can achieve ten.
What was expected to be a long and arduous shooting process turned out to be so enjoyable that the photographer was inspired and tried several different shooting styles.
This brought a great sense of accomplishment, and everyone forgot about the passage of time. When it was time to rest, they left with a sense of loss.
Ji Zhi Qiu kept his assistant's duties in mind and immediately brought him water and food to replenish his energy, but Ji Zi Shen raised his hand like a little adult, signaling him to stay away.
Ji Zhi Qiu could only stop abruptly, pacing back and forth behind her with a wronged expression, wanting to get closer to her two little ones, but not daring to.
Ji Zishen was fully immersed in his work and enjoyed it immensely. He discussed the upcoming shooting process with the director and cinematographer. Ji Yanyan could not understand much of what he was saying, but Xiao Long Aotian was not going to fall behind, so he actively joined in, occasionally repeating a word or two in a deep voice, acting as a punctuation mark.
Ji Zhi Qiu was convinced.
How could anyone be so eager to become a beast of burden, refusing to even eat grass, just puffing away and producing milk?
Ji Zhi Qiu was worried that the two kids wouldn't be able to hold on, so she tentatively interjected, "Why don't you have some water and something to eat first?"
Parents have a say, and the director and cameraman tactfully made way for them, but Ji Zishen said seriously, "I don't want to eat right now, assistant, please don't bother me."
The scene immediately fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned to Ji Zhi Qiu, feeling that the parents' authority had been challenged and they would definitely get angry and cause a scene on the filming site.
But a few seconds later, Ji Zhi Qiu's reaction surprised everyone.
He calmly took a step back and gave an OK sign. "The water and food are on the chair. Come and get them whenever you want."
Ji Zishen nodded, and Ji Yanyan said crisply, "Thank you, Daddy." The two little ones then got back into work mode.
The father and son interacted very naturally, but everyone was stunned and couldn't believe their eyes.
When children become famous, unscrupulous parents will treat them as cash cows, ignoring their children's exhaustion and breakdowns, and forcing them to keep taking on jobs to make money.
Conscientious parents will make good plans to balance work and rest, but no matter what, parents have their own authority, and even though their children are already earning money independently, they are still the controllers behind the scenes.
Ji Zhi Qiu, however, directly put himself into the role of an assistant.
The young woman who had just joined the company next to me couldn't help but mutter to herself, "So that's how they really get along."
Ji Zhi Qiu keenly noticed this and leaned over as if having a casual chat, saying, "What else?"
The girl didn't notice it was him and said to herself, "I thought it was just a script and a persona on a variety show. It turns out there are really parents who respect their children so much. But Zishen is also very promising. He is independent and mature like an adult and doesn't need his parents to interfere."
Ji Zhi Qiu nodded in agreement.
He even brought a bag of potato chips to appease his two children.
However, it seems the two kids won't eat it. He tore open the packaging himself and ate it non-stop, even sharing it with others.
The girl took a piece and was about to thank him when she turned around and saw that it was Ji Zhi Qiu. She froze on the spot, "How...how is it you...Teacher Ji, I'm sorry, I was presumptuous in what I said earlier."
Ji Zhi Qiu waved his hand, "Don't be so presumptuous. At home we are father and son, but at work we are a celebrity and his assistant."
He paused, then made a two-pointing gesture, "We split it, he gets eight and I get two."
The staff were shocked, "It's not you eight and him two."
Ji Zhi Qiu was stunned for a moment, "How can an assistant be assigned to eight positions?"
The staff's tension vanished instantly, and they burst out laughing.
Ji Zhi Qiu munched on potato chips, crumbs still clinging to the corners of her mouth. Even in the most ordinary clothes, she exuded star quality, standing out from the others.
But he is very approachable. When he smiles, it's as if there are sparkling points of light in his eyes, which can rival the sun in brilliance, making people yearn for him and feel a sense of goodwill towards him.
It turns out it really wasn't a persona.
After chatting with her for a few more minutes, Ji Zhi Qiu heard his phone notification sound and hurriedly walked away. The staff member stared blankly at his back, then suddenly changed her expression, quickly picked up her phone, followed Ji Zhi Qiu on Weibo, and even joined his fan page.
She made up her mind; she would mix the iron powder as quickly as possible.
From now on, Ji Zhi Qiu will be her crush, and that will never change!
...
Upon receiving the news that Lu Yulai had come looking for him, Ji Zhiqi was overjoyed and rushed to the stairwell to find him, forgetting everything else.
The stairwell was dimly lit. Ji Zhi Qiu looked around but didn't see anyone. Just as he was about to wonder why, a blurry figure suddenly emerged from behind the door, wrapped his arms around his waist, and pulled him into a hug.
Ji Zhi Qiu instinctively wanted to struggle, but first he smelled a reassuring scent, relaxed his whole body, and hugged Lu Yu Nian back.
Wow, those pecs! He's so lucky!
Just as Ji Zhi Qiu was about to happily bury his face in the glass, he suddenly heard Lu Yu Nian whisper in his ear, "Someone is so charming that he easily bewitched a young girl's heart."
Ji Zhi Qiu tilted his head in confusion. After Lu Yu Nian teased his sensitive earlobe in a way that was considered unfair, he came over and rubbed his nose against him. "With this typing speed, you must be going crazy professing your love online."
Ji Zhi Qiu asked with amusement, "Mr. Lu, are you jealous?"
"No." Lu Yuqing chuckled. "The sun is meant to hang high in the sky, attracting everyone's attention and being bathed in sunlight. It's only natural to feel fond of it."
"I hope more and more people will like you, but you will only ever like me."
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
When Lu Yu Nian said this, she not only rubbed against his nose like a kitten, but her breath lingered on his lips, as gentle as a kiss.
Without even looking in a mirror, Ji Zhi Qiu could tell that his face and ears were red, and the redness was spreading to his neck.
Before and after they got together, Lu Yu Nian seemed like a completely different person. She was no longer composed or reserved. Sweet words came easily to her lips, and her intimate actions were exceptionally natural. She wove a web of desire, tightly enveloping him like prey.
Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't hold back any longer and embarrassedly buried her face in Lu Yu Nian's chest, intentionally or unintentionally rubbing against the buttons, and even biting them with her teeth.
Lu Yu Nian realized his intention but did not stop him. He just whispered a hint, "This occasion is probably not appropriate. If someone passes by and sees us in such disheveled clothes, our relationship will be hard to explain."
Ji Zhi Qiu suddenly raised her head, looking at him with displeasure, "What, you still want to clear your name?"
Lu Yu Nian rubbed his earlobe, as if to comfort him, "I didn't. I'm just waiting for you to give me a title."
Ji Zhi Qiu pursed her lips.
He may not care about outside opinions and views, but he has three villainous kids at home, so he has to think about them more.
Lu Yu Nian seemed to see through his thoughts and asked, "If Yan Yan and the others don't accept me, what would you choose between them and me?"
“How could that be?” Ji Zhi Qiu said matter-of-factly. “Only children make choices. I don’t want to; I want both!”
"From childhood to adulthood, anything I wanted to do, I eventually succeeded, and this is no exception. Believe me, I just need a little time."
He had already accomplished the arduous task of educating the villainous brats; compared to that, getting them to accept Lu Yu Nian was just a small matter.
Lu Yu Nian didn't seem bothered or worried about this, and spoke in a relaxed tone. Ji Zhi Qiu, however, was afraid that he would be sad, so he became nervous and couldn't wait to comfort him. Only after realizing Lu Yu Nian's attitude did he feel that he had been teased.
He snorted coldly and deliberately asked, "What will you do if I never give you a formal title? Will you break up with me and leave me?"
Lu Yu Nian thought about it seriously for a while. In the dim light, he saw his earlobe turning red under his fingers and suddenly felt like he had the whole world.
"No." He breathed his wicked breath onto her bright red earlobe. "I'll have an affair with you."
Lu Yu Nian spoke slowly and deliberately, drawing out the tone, as if it were a long and painful yet sweet punishment. Ji Zhi Qiu's nerves had exceeded their limit, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
They were making out in the dimly lit stairwell, their backs to everyone else; the atmosphere was tense and exciting, truly like a clandestine affair…
Ji Zhi Qiu's thoughts were diverted, and she began to pay attention to the subtle sounds around her, her heartstrings trembling.
“You…” He knew he must be in a terrible state right now, and glared at Lu Yunian fiercely.
How come I never noticed before that Lu Yu Nian was so wicked and bullied people?
Ji Zhi Qiu's eagerness to see Lu Yu Nian stemmed from his persistent unease; he wanted to reaffirm their relationship and feared that Lu Yu Nian shared the same feelings.
He wanted to offer some comforting words during their meeting, but Lu Yu Nian turned the tables on him, showing no concern for his own status and even teasing him instead.
Not to be outdone, Ji Zhi Qiu took a deep breath and tried to regain the initiative.
"In that case, you shall obey my orders and come to serve me at any time. If I do not call you, you shall wait obediently and shall not touch me."
Ji Zhi Qiu distanced herself from him, crossed her arms, and said coldly, "It's getting late, I have to go back."
As Ji Zhi Qiu turned to leave after speaking, her wrist was grabbed.
The stairwell was dimly lit, making Lu Yu Nian's eyes appear even darker, like the deep sea, surging with various emotions. The desire and possessiveness within them were so intense that Ji Zhi Qiu almost went weak in the knees. He subconsciously grabbed the hem of his clothes, having no doubt that Lu Yu Nian could strip him naked right there with just a thought.
Like a small animal sensing danger and instinctively wanting to escape, he immediately broke free from Lu Yunian's hand and took a few steps back.
But when he saw that the light in Lu Yu Nian's eyes seemed to have dimmed a little, he felt a pang of heartache and walked over again.
He didn't want to lose the initiative, nor did he want Lu Yu Nian to feel anxious, so he tiptoed and gently placed a kiss on Lu Yu Nian's lips with his breath.
"See you later, my secret lover."
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