Chapter 49 Wasn't I obvious enough...?
When the song ended, everyone looked completely captivated, nodding and swaying as they savored the moment.
Suddenly, the sound of applause came from outside the door. Xiang Ruanxiang and her sister Xiang Ying were seen clapping and praising them with smiles.
"That was a really good pull."
"Great, great, it's been a long time since I've heard such a soulful melody."
Hearing their praise, Shen Qinglan blushed and lowered her head shyly, saying, "Sister Xiang, how come you arrived so quickly?"
After saying that, she hurriedly turned to Shen Qingtang, who was busy in the kitchen, and said, "Sister, the guests have arrived."
Xiang Ruanxiang and Xiang Ying are indeed sisters, their appearances are seven or eight parts alike, especially their eyes when they smile, which are an invisible testament to the power of their genes. Both of them are slender and graceful, wearing the same style and color of blue cheongsam, with a unique temperament, like beauties who have stepped out of a painting.
However, upon closer inspection, the differences are still noticeable. As a celebrity, Xiang Ruanxiang is used to such variety show recordings and appears very relaxed and natural, while the other person seems slightly uncomfortable and subconsciously tries to avoid the camera.
Upon hearing Shen Qinglan's voice, Shen Qingtang immediately washed her hands, calmly walked out, greeted the two people opposite her, and changed her name.
"Sister Xiang, please come in and sit down. I've brewed some chrysanthemum tea for you." Shen Qinglan said hurriedly.
Xiang Ruanxiang chuckled and said, "Wait, another friend is helping us carry our luggage." She was good at creating a good show, so she deliberately praised him, "He's such a gentleman."
Upon hearing this, both Shen Qingtang and Shen Qinglan looked puzzled, since according to the program's announcement, they were only supposed to entertain the two people opposite them today.
Soon, a hint of surprise appeared in Shen Qingtang's eyes, and her usually indifferent expression softened into a smile: "Brother Qin, what brings you here?"
That's right, this mystery guest is none other than Qin Guanlan!
Qin Guanlan really wanted to say that someone was so busy that they didn't even have time to rest and didn't even go home. But considering the camera in front of him, he had to change his words and say, "I heard that you are recording the variety show 'My Sisters'. I'm not busy at the company lately, so I came to see you."
In fact, in order to make it to the recording of this episode, Qin Guanlan stayed up for three whole nights to squeeze out this break from his busy schedule.
Seeing Shen Qingtang's convinced expression, Xiang Ruanxiang couldn't help but chuckle softly. She, a washed-up actress, was busy every day; how could Qin Guanlan not be? She had heard that he had become the president of the Qin Group, directly ousting her father and uncle, and becoming the true power behind the Qin Group.
It's the time of transition between old and new power, so being extremely busy is the norm; it's just that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman.
Meanwhile, the viewers in the live stream were all stunned when they saw that the mysterious guest was Qin Guanlan.
It's worth noting that Qin Guanlan is known for not appearing on variety shows, and he only agrees to one or two interviews on financial channels after a long invitation, with the frequency measured in years. He is a powerful yet low-profile business tycoon.
But now the other party has appeared on a variety show?
Many people rubbed their eyes, almost thinking they were seeing things.
After a two-second silence, the number of comments exploded.
[Qin Guanlan! Qin Guanlan! Oh my god, my eyes are playing tricks on me!]
What incredible luck did the director of "My Sisters" have to manage to invite Qin Guanlan to participate?
Oh my god, I feel like this episode's ratings are going to explode!
[Haha, my husband was just complaining about me watching variety show livestreams, but when he saw Qin Guanlan, his eyes lit up and he started watching too.]
This is not surprising; after all, Qin Guanlan is the pinnacle of what men can achieve.
[A former soldier, a former CEO, handsome, and from the prestigious Qin family—who wouldn't want to be like him?]
[Exactly! I'm a woman, and I wish I could be born as someone like that!]
Of course, besides these exclamations, many people speculated about Qin Guanlan's purpose in appearing on this variety show, coming up with all sorts of reasons, among which Shen Ruowan's fans were the most vocal.
As is widely known, Shen Ruowan and Qin Guanlan's younger brother, Qin Rongyun, are in a romantic relationship. They believe that the director was able to invite each other because of this relationship.
It wasn't a good idea for just a few people to stand there, so Shen Qingtang invited everyone in.
Surprisingly, Shen Qinglan and Xiang Ying hit it off very well. Many people know that Xiang Ruanxiang is a national film queen, but very few people know that Xiang Ying is actually the president of a music production company. The artists under her management have a wide range of business opportunities, a high degree of freedom, and very proper compensation. As long as you work hard, even a small singer can make a living. It is a rare company in the industry that is relatively conscientious.
Xiang Ying handed Shen Qinglan a business card and said, "Yinghuang Music Company welcomes you to join us. You can consider it."
Hearing this, Shen Qinglan was undoubtedly delighted, but because of her previous experience in girl groups, she inevitably had many concerns and said, "But my company probably won't let people go so easily."
The other party transferred her from abroad to China in order to squeeze out her last bit of economic value. Even if the other party agrees to let her terminate the contract, she will probably have to pay a large settlement fee.
Xiang Ying, being a shrewd person, saw through Shen Qinglan's concerns at a glance. She chuckled and said, "Don't worry, the company will pay the termination fee for you. You won't need to pay a penny. Consider this an investment in you."
After speaking, she paused, glanced at Qin Guanlan who was sitting to the side peeling garlic intently, and said, "Besides, you are Doctor Shen's sister." With Qin Guanlan protecting her, who would be so blind as to make things difficult for her?
Considering that they were in front of the camera, Xiang Ying did not say these words aloud.
In the kitchen, Shen Qingtang looked at Xiang Ruanxiang, who insisted on helping her wash and chop the vegetables, and said, "Sister Xiang, you can go outside and sit down for tea. You don't need to help here. I'll finish cooking soon."
She said to Ruan Xiang, "I know you are a good cook and you will definitely be able to handle it, but I want to ask you for help with something, so naturally I have to do more to please you." She said this very naturally and frankly, without any sense of embarrassment.
Shen Qingtang blinked, puzzled, and said, "I don't know much about the entertainment industry, so I don't know if there's anything I can do to help you."
While picking vegetables, Xiang Ruanxiang said in a casual tone, "I haven't been able to conceive for the past few years. I've been to countless hospitals, big and small, both at home and abroad, for examinations. So I'd like to ask you to take a look at me."
“Of course…” She smiled faintly, “If it really can’t be cured, then it means I’m just not meant to have a child in this life.”
Xiang Ruanxiang had long wanted to visit Shen Qingtang, the director of Renxin Medical Clinic, but unfortunately, she was an actress who was busy filming every day. Moreover, Shen Qingtang's fame was growing, and it was difficult to make connections without acquaintances.
She was actually overjoyed to learn that Shen Qingtang was coming to participate in the recording of "My Sisters".
The assistant director in charge of filming in the kitchen never expected that the actress would reveal such a big secret herself, and his eyes instantly lit up with excitement.
It's worth noting that actress Xiang and her husband fell in love while working on a film. She dedicated herself to her career during its peak and married her foreign boyfriend during its low point, demonstrating that she managed to balance both her career and love life.
More importantly, they had been married for eight years and consistently declared themselves childless, unwilling to let children disturb their peaceful and happy life as a couple, becoming role models for women in their circle. But no one expected that behind their proclaimed childless lifestyle lay the reality of infertility.
Shen Qingtang didn't expect the other party to suddenly reveal the news. He pursed his lips and reminded, "It's a live broadcast now." In other words, what you just said will be known to many people.
In fact, even if the signal is blocked now, it's too late. There are too many people watching the live stream; in just one second, seventy to eighty thousand people have already learned the news.
Xiang Ruanxiang said with an indifferent attitude, "So what if they know? It's good that my husband doesn't have to be criticized all the time. Many people think my husband is selfish, but they don't know how much he has sacrificed."
Marriage is like drinking water; only the person drinking it knows whether it's hot or cold.
The viewers in the live stream also heard these words and left comments and bullet screen messages.
[Waaaaah, it turns out my sister felt sorry for my brother-in-law always getting scolded.]
It means there is no love in this world, that's it.
[I'm totally shipping them! This kind of empathy and consideration for the other person, and the way they clarify their feelings, is so sweet!]
......
Of course, some discordant comments also appeared in the live stream.
[Haha, so-called Best Actress, turns out she's not a normal woman at all.]
[Exactly! If she can't even give birth, is she even a woman?]
In my opinion, she ruined her husband's entire life's happiness.
If she had any conscience, she should divorce her husband and let him find someone new so he could at least have a child with her.
......
Shen Qingtang smiled upon hearing Ruanxiang's words and said, "You and your husband have such a good relationship." Seeing the expectant look in Ruanxiang's eyes, she said, "After dinner, I'll take your pulse and check you out."
Xiang Ruanxiang nodded, her expression showing happiness, but even more so worry. Although she had heard of Shen Qingtang's past acts of saving lives, she was afraid to hear the same conclusions from him.
Although she kept saying it was all about fate, if she really did leave it to fate, she wouldn't have gone to the hospital so many times.
Shen Qingtang's culinary skills are naturally impeccable.
Pickled fish, poached chicken, braised pork ribs, Mapo tofu, stir-fried bok choy, pickled vegetable and potato soup, stir-fried garlic sprouts with cured meat... one delicious dish after another made everyone's mouths water. Because she was thinking about helping Xiang Ruanxiang with her pulse diagnosis, after finishing the meal, Shen Qingtang looked at Qin Guanlan and said, "Brother Qin, I have something to do later, could you please help me wash the dishes today?"
The viewers in the live stream were immediately in an uproar when they saw this sentence.
What? Has Shen Qingtang gone mad? She actually made a CEO with an annual salary of tens of millions wash dishes?
Why would President Qin agree to such a request?
[Is President Qin washing the dishes? This scene is too beautiful for me to bear.]
[Can't Shen Qingtang have any manners? Making a guest wash the dishes!]
[Exactly, exactly, who does she think she is?]
...
Shen Qinglan was also startled by Shen Qingtang's words and quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Sister, let me go wash the dishes and let Sister Ying and Brother Qin sit and chat."
Qin Guanlan waved his hand and said, "No need. Didn't you want to ask Sister Ying about their music company? I didn't help with the cooking, so I'll do the dishes." After saying that, he found an apron and handed it to Shen Qingtang, saying, "Help me tie this."
Shen Qingtang said "Oh" and immediately helped, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
The audience members were all like Sherlock Holmes, instantly noticing something amiss from this subtle action.
[Wait, why do I feel like these two people seem familiar?]
[When Shen Qingtang first met President Qin, she seemed to call him "Brother Qin".]
So they've met before?
Wait a minute, isn't Qin just qin? Speaking of which, why didn't the tycoon Qin come out to shower us with gifts today?
This can't be a coincidence, can it?
This can't be a coincidence, can it?
This can't be a coincidence, can it?
...In an instant, many people started posting this sentence on social media, and felt that they had vaguely sensed the truth.
Could Qin Guanlan have only come on this show because of Shen Qingtang? Is the user "qin" actually Qin Guanlan?
The viewers, who suddenly felt like they had been fed a huge dose of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection), had mixed feelings.
But soon a group of people kicked over this bowl of dog food.
Enough, you love-struck fools, stop imagining things. I already know the truth.
This viewer said, "Qin Guanlan's legs were previously crippled, but Shen Qingtang cured him. This is something many traditional Chinese medicine doctors in Kyoto know, since even Master Huang was helpless with Qin Guanlan's legs before. The two are at most doctor and patient. As for whether they will develop into lovers, that's definitely not going to happen! Because Qin Guanlan's leg crippling was caused by Shen Qingtang. Would you fall in love with the culprit who made you crippled?"
These words were reasonable and quickly turned many people against the idea, who believed that it was absolutely impossible for the two of them to fall in love.
After all, how could Qin Guanlan fall in love with the very person who crippled his legs?
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
Since Shen Ruowan learned that Shen Qingtang had been granted a special privilege to invite the Xiang sisters to visit her country cottage in the next episode, she felt a sense of panic and was deeply worried about the declining number of viewers in her live stream.
Of course, she could also manipulate the data, but those data would only come from bots, which would not benefit her at all. After much deliberation, she decided to create some highlights for the show, so she discussed with the production team in advance the idea of inviting Qin Rongyun to be a guest.
The production team naturally wholeheartedly supports this behavior.
After all, everyone knows that the popular young actress and the wealthy young master of the entertainment industry, Qin Rongyun, are in a romantic relationship. Putting aside their character and abilities, the two are indeed a perfect match in terms of appearance, and therefore have many fans who ship them as a couple based on their looks.
Qin Rongyun liked Shen Ruowan, so when she asked him to come and record a program, there was no reason for him to refuse.
He drove a flashy red Ferrari to the Shen family home, the trunk overflowing with red roses and expensive gifts. This scene was incredibly romantic for their fans; the two were even going to go surfing, watch fireworks, and have dinner together at a seaside restaurant.
As expected, this smooth combo increased the number of viewers in the live stream, but Shen Ruoqi, who was sitting next to them, was an eyesore to them.
[Waaaaah, holding hands and kissing on the beach is so romantic, but could you please not show that banana in the shot?]
[Add one, this really interferes with my shipping!]
[Isn't Shen Ruoqi Xiao Wan's younger sister? How come she doesn't even have this much sense?]
[This episode is a dating reality show I commissioned. It's good, it would be better if it didn't have that yellow banana.]
......
The viewers in the live stream seemed completely absorbed in the drug, oblivious to the world around them.
Because it was an outdoor shoot and it was dark, no one noticed that Shen Ruoqi was secretly looking at her phone.
She then discovered that she was not only relegated to the background of the show, but was also being jokingly called a "big banana." Was she really just wearing a bright yellow dress? How did she become a "big banana"?
She was initially happy to be the background figure on the two people's date, but after seeing so many sharp criticisms and comments, she became unbalanced. When Shen Ruowan invited her to a date the next day, she decisively refused.
Shen Ruowan frowned slightly, silently suppressing her anxiety, and patiently said, "Ruoqi, the restaurant Rong Yun and I went to today is the French Sky Garden. Isn't that your favorite? It's impossible to make a reservation at the last minute."
Shen Ruoqi was, after all, an ordinary person. Thinking of the comments from yesterday, a wave of grievances welled up in her heart, and she couldn't control her temper, saying, "Sister, we're participating in a sisterhood variety show, not a dating show, right?"
She pouted and said, "If you want to go on a date with Rong Yun, then go ahead. I want to stay at home."
Hearing this, Shen Ruowan's expression nearly changed. Did she not know this? It was precisely because she knew it that she was trying so hard to involve the other person. Therefore, she could only force a stiff smile and continue to coax, "Ruoqi, are you angry with me? Could it be that you…?"
Before she could finish speaking, her phone rang, and Qin Rongyun asked impatiently, "Xiao Wan, how much longer are you going to wait? I've been waiting here for a full five minutes."
Qin Rongyun never expected that his date with Shen Ruowan yesterday would be screenshotted and leaked so quickly. His friends in his group chat are now mocking him for being a simp. Thinking about this, he has no expectations for today's date.
Caught in the middle, Shen Ruowan had no choice but to appease both sides. In the end, she was exhausted from coaxing them and started arguing with Qin Rongyun as well.
The viewers in the live stream were in complete chaos, with many pointing the finger at Shen Ruoqi, believing that the couple's argument was all because of her.
[This Shen Ruoqi takes advantage of being Xiao Wan's younger sister to throw tantrums; it's unbearable.]
[Exactly, she's not happy about being given free access to their sweet moments.]
If it were me, I don't know how happy I would be.
...
Of course, some people agree with Shen Ruoqi's point of view and defend her.
[Shen Ruoqi is right, isn't she? This is originally a sisterhood variety show.]
[Exactly, some people definitely do have big faces.]
If you want to show off your love, go to a dating reality show; no one will stop you there.
[Hilarious! These outdated dating tropes probably won't get any viewers there.]
The atmosphere in the live stream was stiff, and the comments were chaotic, which made passersby feel disgusted. They preferred to watch Shen Qingtang cook and wash vegetables to soothe their souls.
After a period of false prosperity and a surge in online viewership, the number of viewers in Shen Ruowan's live stream plummeted, even falling to its lowest point.
The production team, sitting backstage, sighed inwardly upon seeing this situation.
It seems that Shen Ruowan has made a completely wrong move. Fortunately, their program has a variety of promotional methods, and the later promotional resources can be fully tilted towards the other two groups, especially the group of Shen Qingtang and Shen Qinglan.
On the other side, after Shen Qingtang's detailed diagnosis, when Xiang Ruanxiang heard the conclusion from him that she could get pregnant, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
She grabbed Shen Qingtang's hand, her face filled with disbelief, and said, "Qingtang, did I hear that right? Can I really still have children?"
"It's just a blocked fallopian tube, nothing serious. I'll just go to my clinic for medicine and acupuncture for a while and it'll be fine." Shen Qingtang said with a nonchalant expression, as if even the biggest problem was nothing to her.
However, it was precisely this attitude that made Xiang Ruanxiang increasingly believe in the other party's medical skills and full of confidence in the treatment's effectiveness.
[Sister Shen's medical skills are amazing! This problem isn't a big deal, but it's not small either; it all depends on the tone of her voice.]
My aunt has prayed to all sorts of gods and Buddhas in her quest to conceive. If she can cure Xiang Yinghou, I'll introduce her to them.
"Upstairs, Dr. Shen's medical skills are renowned in this area, so please feel free to come over."
Yes, yes, Dr. Shen said that if a disease can be cured, it definitely can be cured.
How can there be someone as perfect as Sister Shen in this world? She's beautiful, a great cook, and a doctor.
Yeah, yeah, it's a pity she doesn't have a boyfriend, otherwise she'd definitely be a winner in life.
[Hehe, I think the other person is already a winner in life.]
...
Xiang Ying also heard the news from her younger sister, and her eyes welled up with tears of emotion. She said repeatedly, "That's wonderful." She had seen how much her younger sister had suffered during childbirth.
Now there is finally hope.
Shen Qingtang sat blankly between the two of them, looking somewhat at a loss. Qin Guanlan noticed her embarrassment and said, "Qingtang, I see that the water in the water tank is empty. I want to go and fetch two buckets. Can you take me with you?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingtang immediately stood up and replied, "Okay, Brother Qin."
Shen Qinglan glanced at the gloomy sky and advised, "Brother Qin, why don't you go fetch water tomorrow..." Before she could finish her advice, Xiang Ying interrupted her hastily, "Just let the two of them go fetch water."
"?"
Seeing the confused look on Shen Qinglan's face, Xiang Ying said jokingly, "You have to give our President Qin a chance to pursue your sister, right?"
"What?"
"Brother Qin is going to pursue my sister?" Shen Qinglan heard this in disbelief, as if a bolt from the blue had struck her.
Behind him came Qin Guanlan's unwavering voice.
"Haven't I made it obvious enough?" He said this to Shen Qinglan, but his gaze was fixed on Shen Qingtang.
-----------------------
Author's Note: I've reviewed the chapter outline, and the end should be near.
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