13 013 (Three-in-one)
"Useless."
#CenMeng's boasting backfired#
#Cen Mengning Yu Xuan#
The two topics were displayed side-by-side on the trending topics list, which was extremely jarring.
Even though she had already guessed that netizens would definitely mock her, Cen Meng still couldn't help but click on it.
[Help! This Cen Meng is so embarrassing! She actually stole someone else's book to show off. Her skin must be thicker than a city wall!]
[Even after all this, she can still continue recording the show as if nothing happened? This Cen Meng really doesn't feel ashamed.]
[Haha, I'm dying of laughter. I've always thought this woman was pretty fake, so it's normal for her to mess up.]
[So this is what happens when you lack something and then love to show it off. I think Cen Meng is far inferior to Teacher Ning Fei's daughter, both in appearance and inner qualities.]
...
After reading just a few popular comments, Cen Meng couldn't help but close the app, her chest heaving.
Without further hesitation, she opened her contacts, found a number, and dialed it using her secondary SIM card.
"Hello?" Cen Meng lowered her voice after the call connected, "It's me, yes..."
"Yes... take down the trending topics, hire online trolls, and... find a way to leak these messages out..."
"Yes, focus on the word 'third party,' and steer the conversation towards Ning Yuxuan's involvement in someone else's relationship..."
"What are you afraid of? Yun Hao is with the Gu family; he won't blame me! I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong, so just go for it!"
After explaining everything in detail to the person on the other end of the phone, Cen Meng hung up.
She slowly exhaled.
Everything is under her control, and public opinion will soon reverse.
...
The kitchen of the villa was bustling with activity.
When Ning Yuxuan asked Pan Wenyan about his cooking skills, he claimed to be quite good, and naturally became the head chef.
Surprisingly, Ning Shiyue also volunteered to take charge of cooking.
When Ning Shiyue is alone in her apartment, she often cooks for herself, which has honed her cooking skills to a high level.
However, Ning Fei has a dedicated cook, and she feels sorry for her son's hard work, so she doesn't let him into the kitchen whenever Ning Shiyue comes back.
Neither Ning Fei nor Ning Yuxuan had eaten much of Ning Shiyue's cooking.
Ning Yuxuan looked at Ning Shiyue in astonishment: "Did the sun rise in the west today? You actually had a change of heart and offered to cook something delicious for your sister?"
Ning Shiyue said calmly, "I did it so that Mom and the other guests wouldn't be poisoned by your cooking, not for you."
Ning Yuxuan said "Oh".
Before Ning Shiyue could react, she pointed out the fact without changing her expression: "But I ordered both of the dishes you are making."
We just divided the work. Ning Shiyue was in charge of the garlic ribs and braised pork, which were indeed dishes that Ning Yuxuan wanted to eat.
Ning Shiyue: "..."
Hahaha, I can't help but laugh whenever these two siblings talk!
Is Ning Yuxuan the only person in the world who can make Ning Shiyue speechless with every word he says?
[It's hilarious that such a gentle and elegant goddess like Teacher Ning gave birth to two adorable children!]
Don't forget, Ning Shiyue is a cool and arrogant guy on other shows too! He only became the comedic relief here.
Ning Yuxuan looked at Ning Shiyue with a "what can you do about it?" expression, completely righteous.
Ning Fei watched the siblings from the side and couldn't help but laugh.
Pan Wenyan looked surprised.
As young actors of the same generation, he and Ning Shiyue participated in several events together. In his memory, Ning Shiyue was not only taciturn, but also definitely not lively.
I never expected Ning Shiyue to be like this on this show.
Pan Wenyan glanced at Ning Yuxuan, inwardly marveling.
Ning Shiyue was rebuked by Ning Yuxuan, but showed no signs of getting angry.
On the contrary, he seemed to be in a very good mood, glanced at Ning Yuxuan and said, "Fine, say what you want."
Ning Yuxuan raised her eyebrows.
"What happy event happened today?" Ning Yuxuan looked at Ning Shiyue curiously. "Why are you so easy to talk to?"
Ning Shiyue raised the corners of his mouth: "It's nothing, I'm just in a good mood, is that not allowed?"
After saying that, he stopped looking at Ning Yuxuan and turned to pick up a scallion.
Before coming to the show, Ning Shiyue did indeed encounter a "happy event"—
Four hours ago, at Xingcheng International Airport.
Boarding for the flight to Beicheng will begin in ten minutes.
Footsteps sounded at the entrance of the VIP lounge. Ning Shiyue casually turned his head and glanced at the person who came in. He recognized him—Xie Zhiyan.
Because Ning Fei and Xie Zhiyan's mother were good friends, Ning Shiyue and Xie Zhiyan were quite familiar with each other for a period of time.
Xie Zhiyan is six years older than Ning Shiyue. When Ning Shiyue was a child, he admired Xie Zhiyan, who was an excellent student and a great gamer.
On one occasion, Ning Shiyue couldn't get past a level in a game, but Xie Zhiyan came and helped him pass it, which greatly increased Ning Shiyue's goodwill towards Xie Zhiyan.
During that time, Ning Shiyue was like Xie Zhiyan's shadow, calling him "Brother Zhiyan" all the time, even closer to him than he was to Ning Yuxuan.
However, children's feelings usually come and go quickly.
Later, Ning Shiyue became increasingly busy with his studies and was no longer taken to the Xie family by Ning Fei during holidays. Before long, he became estranged from Xie Zhiyan.
Then, gradually, they lost contact completely.
Now that Xie Zhiyan has become a powerful figure in Beicheng, Ning Shiyue is even less inclined to try to get close to him.
Out of politeness and respect for both sets of elders, Ning Shiyue stood up and greeted Xie Zhiyan: "President Xie, I didn't expect to run into you in Xingcheng."
It's normal to run into acquaintances at the airport. Seeing this, both assistants tactfully stepped aside, leaving room for the two to exchange pleasantries.
Xie Zhiyan's voice was calm: "Yes, let's talk business over here."
Ning Shiyue: "I also have a job here."
The air was silent for two seconds.
It seemed there was nothing left to talk about, so Ning Shiyue prepared to find an excuse to slip away.
Xie Zhiyan glanced at the bag beside Ning Shiyue: "A gift for the family?"
Ning Shiyue was slightly taken aback: "Well, Ning Yu... someone in my family likes to eat snacks from Xingcheng, so I bought some."
He was in a hurry on his way to the airport, but after going through security, he ended up having extra time.
There wasn't enough time to carefully select gifts at high-end stores, and Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan already had plenty of everyday items, so Ning Shiyue simply bought some snacks at an airport store.
Ning Fei doesn't touch these high-oil and high-salt foods, so Ning Shiyue buys only the foods that Ning Yuxuan likes to eat.
Xie Zhiyan nodded slightly and said calmly, "A client gave me some local specialties from Xingcheng. They taste quite good. Shi Yue, why don't you take some back for your family to try?"
After saying that, Xie Zhiyan gave his assistant a look, and Liu Cheng immediately came over and went to get the local specialties as Xie Zhiyan had instructed.
Ning Shiyue hesitated slightly, then agreed.
Ning Fei and Zheng Xinmei are good friends, and Xie Zhiyan sent some local specialties as a token of his appreciation, so she felt she shouldn't refuse.
Xie Zhiyan then asked, "How are your family members doing lately?"
After not seeing him for many years, Ning Shiyue felt that Xie Zhiyan seemed to talk more than he remembered.
Xie Zhiyan's mother was Ning Fei's best friend after all, so Ning Shiyue didn't give a perfunctory answer: "Well, apart from her old problem of not sleeping well, my mom is pretty good."
After a pause, Ning Shiyue continued, "My sister is doing well too. She even participated in a program with my mom. But lately... she seems a little different than before, I can't quite put my finger on it."
People's hearts are unfathomable, especially in a place like the entertainment industry. Even though Ning Shiyue has a few close friends, he never talks about his family with them.
Perhaps it was because he hadn't talked about his family with anyone in a long time, or perhaps it was because of his childhood "playmate" experience, but Ning Shiyue still felt a bit more affection for Xie Zhiyan and unconsciously said a few more words.
After answering, Ning Shiyue realized that he had probably said too much.
Xie Zhiyan didn't show anything, just nodded slightly and said calmly, "Yeah, it's probably because we just broke up not long ago, that's normal."
Ning Shiyue subconsciously responded with an "Mmm," before realizing what was happening.
He looked completely surprised, even forgetting to be polite to the man in front of him: "When did she... wait, how did you know my sister broke up?"
Xie Zhiyan remained calm, as if he were just mentioning it casually: "I heard about it by chance, it should have happened in the last few days."
Ning Shiyue: "..."
It took Ning Shiyue a while to process this news. After Xie Zhiyan left, Ning Shiyue immediately sent a message to Ning Fei.
Ning Shiyue: [Mom, Ning Yuxuan broke up with that guy surnamed Gu?]
A few minutes later, Ning Fei replied.
Ning Fei: [You found out too? They broke up.]
Ning Fei: [But don't mention it to your sister during this time! And don't text her about it either, I'm afraid it will upset her.]
Ning Fei: [The production team just asked me to buy a gift for your sister, and I want to take this opportunity to comfort her.]
Ning Shiyue: [Don't worry, I know.]
Ning Shiyue felt extremely pleased to receive a positive answer from Ning Fei.
Along the way, even his assistant Ding Yan noticed that Ning Shiyue was acting strangely.
With such a tight work schedule these past few days, Ning Shiyue should be quite exhausted.
However, on the way back to Beicheng, Ning Shiyue's lips would occasionally curl into a smile, and he would hum a few lines of a song at the same time.
Having worked with Ning Shiyue for several years, Ding Yan had never seen Ning Shiyue so excited.
What good thing happened?
Ding Yan looked at Ning Shiyue, who was inexplicably smiling again, and was deeply puzzled.
...
Ning Shiyue was chopping scallions in the kitchen, reliving the joy he felt when he first learned of Ning Yuxuan's breakup.
He's disliked Ning Yuxuan's boyfriend for a long time now.
Ever since Ning Yuxuan fell in love with Gu Yunhao, Ning Shiyue has found nothing but dislike for that guy surnamed Gu.
Gu Yunhao is flawed in every way except for his family's wealth. How could Ning Yuxuan have fallen for that trash and remained devoted to him for so many years?
Later, when the two actually started dating, Ning Shiyue became even more unhappy.
If Ning Yuxuan didn't get so worked up at the mere mention of his name, Ning Shiyue would probably have advised her a hundred times to break up with him immediately.
After waiting for so long, he was finally happy that the two of them had parted ways.
After chopping the scallions, Ning Shiyue hummed a cheerful tune and turned to get the meat.
Ning Yuxuan stared at Ning Shiyue with suspicion: "Suspicious."
This guy usually has a cold, expressionless face when watching TV, but today he actually started humming a song while chopping vegetables.
Ning Shiyue scoffed lightly: "What's so suspicious about it? You're allowed to be happy, but I'm not allowed to have a good mood?"
As he spoke, he began cutting the pork belly again.
Ning Shiyue's technique was skillful, clearly indicating that he cooked often, and he was no less capable than Pan Wenyan, who had just claimed to be a good cook.
The audience was surprised and full of praise.
Ning Shiyue looks so handsome cutting meat! No wonder he's my favorite idol!
I never expected Ning Shiyue's knife skills to be so amazing! I thought that since he's so young and busy with work, his skills would probably be just average.
What shocked me was that Ning Shiyue not only could cook, but he seemed to do it willingly. Is this really the same arrogant, cool, and domineering Ning Shiyue I know?
It seems even the most arrogant and unruly top star still has to cook delicious meals for his older sister at home!
When Cen Meng came out of the bathroom after finishing her phone call, she arrived late at the kitchen and this was the scene she saw.
Ning Shiyue stood in front of the cabinet with his head down. Sunlight shone on the young man's fair profile, outlining his long eyelashes and high nose bridge.
Ning Fei, with her hair elegantly styled in an updo, slowly and methodically prepared the sauce.
While Ning Yuxuan was bickering with Ning Shiyue, she handed him a piece of kitchen paper.
Even Cen Meng had to admit that the scene under the setting sun was as beautiful as a painting.
It was so beautiful that it was blinding to her.
Cen Meng pursed her lips and walked into the kitchen.
Instead of immediately going to her mother who was in the kitchen, she went to Ning Shiyue's side.
“Shi Yue.” Cen Meng smiled flawlessly. “I didn’t have a chance to chat with you much earlier. Do you remember me? I am—”
Before she could finish speaking, Ning Shiyue interrupted her without looking up: "You've got the wrong person. We're not in the same group."
While speaking, Ning Shiyue continued to focus on preparing the ingredients, not even glancing at Cen Meng, as if the pork belly in his hands was far more important than Cen Meng.
Cen Meng opened her mouth as if to say something.
Ning Yuxuan pointed in the direction of Guan Cheng and Qiao Yazhen, and solemnly gave Cen Meng directions: "Your group is over there. The one wearing the blue apron is Guan Cheng, and the one standing next to Guan Cheng is your mother."
Cen Meng: "..."
[Haha, Ning Yuxuan, don't be so funny! Cen Meng doesn't recognize her own mother, and you're pointing her out to her!]
[Hilarious! Ning Shiyue and Ning Yuxuan's combination punches left Cen Meng speechless.]
Cen Meng probably wanted to greet Ning Shiyue, but Ning Shiyue completely ignored her.
Cen Meng's fans stood up for her.
[Birds of a feather flock together; Ning Shiyue and his sister are just like that, so rude!]
However, they forgot that there are now a large number of Ning Shiyue's fans in the live broadcast room.
Since Ning Shiyue appeared on the show, his various fan groups have quickly sent out notices, asking fans with free time to support him.
For Ning Shiyue's fans, they don't really defend Ning Yuxuan, their older sister who hasn't been in the public eye for long; at most, they won't slander her.
However, if someone insults Ning Shiyue personally, they will absolutely not tolerate it.
[Where was the impoliteness? Did Ning Shiyue say something wrong? This segment is about preparing dinner in groups, Cen Meng should have gone to find her group members.]
[Exactly, Cen Meng is the strange one. It's one thing to be inexplicably late, but when she arrived, instead of looking for her mother, she went to chat with other groups.]
What works has this woman actually done? I've never even heard of her. Is she trying to ride on Ning Shiyue's popularity?
[If Cen Meng wants to create a CP (couple pairing) scandal, she should go find Guan Cheng, and not get involved with Ning Shiyue.]
Ning Shiyue, as one of the top celebrities in the entertainment industry, has a number one fan base and has never been afraid of anyone when arguing.
Cen Meng didn't know the specifics of the live stream, but she knew that with her current popularity, provoking a top influencer would be an unwise choice.
She suppressed her emotions, smiled faintly at Ning Shiyue, and then said to Ning Yuxuan, "Thank you, but Yuxuan, you misunderstood. I just came to remind you of the rules."
Cen Meng said in a troubled tone, "I remember the staff saying that everyone should work together and participate in preparing dinner. Yu Xuan, if you just watch, I'm afraid..."
Upon hearing this, Ning Yuxuan frowned, then held up the kitchen paper in her hand in front of Cen Meng.
Without uttering a single word, he conveyed his meaning fully through his actions and eyes—
Can't you see what I'm holding in my hand?
For a moment, Cen Meng couldn't think of a way to refute Ning Yuxuan.
Handing kitchen paper to Ning Shiyue and Ning Fei seemed to count as participating in preparing dinner.
[Hahaha, Ning Yuxuan's frown, combined with her movements and eyes, makes it look like she's looking at an idiot.]
[Ning Yuxuan wasn't wrong. How does passing paper not count as participating? Does everyone have to squeeze together to cook?]
[Exactly! In medical dramas, there are always nurses wiping the sweat from the surgeon's brow during operations!]
Whether by chance or not, at that very moment, Ning Fei accidentally got a drop of sauce on the back of her hand.
Ning Yuxuan quickly handed over a piece of paper.
Ning Fei took it and said softly, "Thank you, Xuanxuan."
Cen Meng was positioned right between Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei.
When Ning Yuxuan handed over the paper, she slightly bent her arm and walked around Cen Meng, while Ning Fei also completely ignored Cen Meng when she took it. Both of them acted as if Cen Meng did not exist.
Cen Meng: "..."
Even if she pretends to be slow to react, she can't hide her superfluity at this moment.
Feeling awkward, Cen Meng could only say "Good luck" to Ning Yuxuan before leaving dejectedly.
She glanced again at Jiang Ning'an's group on the other side.
Jiang Ning'an wasn't very good at cooking, so she was helping Pan Wenyan, while Qin Man was also helping out.
Cen Meng thought about it and didn't dare to talk to Jiang Ning'an anymore.
Jiang Ning'an's attitude towards her has always been lukewarm. If she encounters another setback, she will really leave the audience with the impression that she is unpopular wherever she goes.
Qiao Yazhen was chopping vegetables, and Guan Cheng was watching her.
Seeing Cen Meng finally arrive, Guan Cheng greeted her warmly, "Mengmeng, where have you been? Your aunt and I have been waiting for you for so long."
Cen Meng lowered her eyelashes: "It's nothing, my eyes were just a little uncomfortable... but they're much better now."
Guan Cheng asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell? Then Mengmeng, why don't you go and rest? Auntie and I can manage here."
Cen Meng shook her head: "It's okay."
She smiled and said to Qiao Yazhen, "Mom, let me help you."
Cen Meng's insistence on continuing despite feeling unwell made fans feel both sorry for her and even more annoyed with Ning Yuxuan.
Around 6 p.m., the three groups of guests finished preparing dinner.
All the dishes were divided into three groups and placed on a round table.
It must be said that all three sets of finished products look quite good.
Ning Shiyue's braised pork and garlic ribs were the two most impressive dishes. While the "taste" aspect was still uncertain, judging from the guests' reactions, the "fragrance" was definitely satisfying.
Ning Yuxuan, in particular, stared intently at the two fleshy mounds.
If it weren't for the staff members stopping her, Ning Yuxuan would have practically pounced on her.
Ning Shiyue noticed it too, feeling smug inside, but said aloud, "You're spineless."
Ning Yuxuan turned to look at Ning Shiyue, raising an eyebrow: "What did you say?"
Ning Shiyue suppressed the corners of his mouth from turning up and said in a disdainful tone, "It's just two dishes. You look like a starving ghost. You're so pathetic."
Ning Yuxuan replied without batting an eye, "Then don't eat it later."
Ning Shiyue glared: "I made it myself, why can't I eat it?"
Ning Yuxuan replied with a smile, "Because you're successful."
Ning Shiyue: "..."
[Hahaha, the elementary school kids are fighting again! They're three and four years old, no more than that!]
[But it seems Ning Shiyue lost the argument again. Is there a counter? How many times did Ning Shiyue lose the argument today?]
[No need to count anymore, Ning Shiyue's record against Ning Yuxuan is a complete loss.]
I guess it's time for Teacher Ning to step in. Every time Ning Shiyue loses an argument, Teacher Ning comes out to smooth things over.
[I spoke on Ning Shiyue's behalf: Mom, you need to do something about Ning Yuxuan! She's bullying me again!]
The audience, who have already witnessed the family's bickering several times today, have figured out how this family gets along.
Sure enough, Ning Fei shook her head while laughing: "Xiao Yue, the braised pork you made smells so good, no wonder Xuanxuan couldn't resist."
Ning Yuxuan didn't hold back her praise, nodding in agreement: "Indeed, Ning Shiyue, when did you secretly start practicing? I had no idea your skills were so good."
Ning Shiyue almost couldn't suppress his smile again.
"I haven't practiced specifically." Ning Shiyue turned his head away. "Maybe it's just talent."
[Haha, if Ning Shiyue had a tail, it would be wagging its tail in the sky by now!]
[I don't believe he didn't practice! Ning Shiyue doesn't like braised dishes, so this braised pork was definitely something he learned on purpose!]
Next to Ning Shiyue's two dishes were shrimp and scrambled eggs, oyster sauce lettuce, and stir-fried potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers, prepared by Pan Wenyan and Jiang Ning'an.
Pan Wenyan specially used chopped green onions as a garnish, which made it look very appetizing.
In Cen Meng's group, Guan Cheng is a kitchen disaster; all the dishes are cooked by Cen Meng and Qiao Yazhen.
Both of them were quite skilled, and Cen Meng was especially determined to showcase her abilities in this segment.
Without the special guest arrangement, Cen Meng could indeed have stood out.
Neither Ning Fei and her daughter nor Qin Man and her daughter had particularly good cooking skills, but Cen Meng put her heart into these dishes, and they looked quite appealing.
However, the skills of the two special guests, Ning Shiyue and Pan Wenyan, were no worse than hers. After their arrival, Cen Meng's advantage could no longer be highlighted.
What Cen Meng didn't know was that not only was the final product the worst, but the atmosphere in her group was also the worst among the three groups while preparing dinner in the kitchen.
With the added popularity of "The Legend of Cai Xin" on Jiang Ning'an's side, even a casual interaction between Jiang Ning'an and Pan Wenyan would elicit screams from countless fans who ship the master and Cai Xin as a couple.
Meanwhile, Ning Yuxuan's family brought a joyful atmosphere, and the "hahaha" comments on the screen never stopped.
Only Cen Meng's group remained awkward because she wanted to avoid suspicion with Guan Cheng; the two barely exchanged a few words, and the atmosphere remained tense throughout.
After the food presentation was complete, the staff announced that everyone could begin their meal.
Once the dinner session officially began, Pan Wenyan, a frequent guest on various variety shows, became the mood-maker.
While eating, he chatted with Jiang Ning'an about interesting things that happened on the set of "The Legend of Cai Xin," satisfying the CP fans and promoting the TV series at the same time.
Ning Yuxuan really liked the drama and was very interested in what happened during filming. She asked Pan Wenyan and Jiang Ning'an all sorts of questions with great enthusiasm.
For example, what kind of communication did Cai Xin and her master have before filming their only kissing scene?
For example, in the scene where the master and Caixin break up, how do the two of them understand the emotions of the characters?
Pan Wenyan and Jiang Ning'an provided her with detailed answers.
The questions Ning Yuxuan asked are also the parts that TV drama viewers are most interested in.
Fans of the drama in the live chat were all thanking Ning Yuxuan.
Ning Yuxuan is so good at asking questions; she asked all the things I really wanted to know!
Let's all say: Thank you, Ning Yuxuan! You've let us know so much about the behind-the-scenes stories of the production.
Some viewers were even making jokes.
[Who remembers that Ning Yuxuan is actually a fan of the Demon Lord and the female lead's CP! It seems Pan Wenyan's skills are really good; he even won over the fan leader of the rival CP.]
Ning Yuxuan was the one asking the questions, but Qin Man and Ning Fei were also listening intently.
Qin Man has always been concerned about Jiang Ning'an's development in the entertainment industry. However, Jiang Ning'an went abroad to study before she was sixteen years old, and the mother and daughter were separated for many years. After they reunited, they were always less intimate and had less to talk about.
Qin Man rarely talks to her daughter about acting. She doesn't know if her daughter is unwilling or too busy with work.
Qin Man was afraid that asking too many questions would annoy her daughter, so she rarely asked.
Qin Man was very grateful to Ning Yuxuan for finally having the opportunity to hear her daughter talk about her work.
She was just not used to showing these things in front of the camera, so she kept her gratitude to herself for the time being.
The reason Ning Fei liked listening to Jiang Ning'an and Pan Wenyan talk about these things was quite simple.
Ten years ago, she chose to retire from acting. One reason was that she wanted to spend more time with her two children, and the other was that there were too few scripts on the market suitable for actresses over forty years old, which could not satisfy her pursuit of acting career.
But Ning Fei's love for acting has never changed over the years.
Hearing young people talk about filming and seeing their enthusiasm for the performing arts reminds Ning Fei of her own youth.
Pan Wenyan and Jiang Ning'an explained in detail, while Ning Yuxuan, Ning Fei, and Qin Man listened attentively, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
However, some viewers noticed that Ning Shiyue's reaction was a bit strange.
What is Ning Shiyue thinking? Why does he always seem to be looking at Ning Yuxuan with something in mind, as if he wants to say something but doesn't?
[Yes, why hasn't Ning Shiyue said anything?]
Finally, while Ning Yuxuan was engrossed in eating, Ning Shiyue spoke up.
"Ning Yuxuan," Ning Shiyue asked casually, "Are you that interested in their drama?"
"Hmm?" Ning Yuxuan looked up from her rice. "Yeah, what's wrong?"
Ning Shiyue's eyes darted around: "It's nothing."
Ning Yuxuan blinked, pondered for a moment, and seemed to understand something.
She spoke slowly and deliberately: "Ning Shiyue."
Ning Shiyue frowned at her tone: "What are you doing?"
Ning Yuxuan narrowed her eyes: "You're not trying to say that I've never been this interested in the TV dramas you act in before, are you?"
Ning Shiyue: "..."
After a two-second silence, Ning Shiyue denied it firmly: "I didn't, you're overthinking it!"
After saying that, she quickly picked up several dishes, then stood up to ladle out soup, and finally ate a large piece of meat. In short, she didn't look at Ning Yuxuan.
[Hahaha, Ning Shiyue's reaction was absolutely spot on!]
[Hilarious! People pretend to be busy when they're embarrassed, and Ning Shiyue perfectly proves that.]
After busying himself for a while, Ning Shiyue glanced at Ning Yuxuan.
After realizing that Ning Yuxuan was still looking at him, he quickly turned his head away.
This feint almost made Ning Yuxuan burst out laughing.
Ning Yuxuan cleared her throat: "Ning Shiyue, let me tell you something: I've actually been catching up on all the works you've acted in lately."
The three years since Ning Shiyue debuted were also the three years in which she was most infatuated with Gu Yunhao.
Therefore, Ning Yuxuan has never watched any of the dramas that Ning Shiyue acted in.
After awakening, she became curious about what her younger brother had acted in over the past few years, so she began to watch Ning Shiyue's dramas in order.
Upon hearing this, Ning Shiyue instinctively wanted to reply with "Nobody would believe that."
However, he suddenly remembered that when he went home a few days ago, he did indeed run into Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei watching his show at home.
So... Ning Yuxuan has really been catching up on the TV dramas he's acted in lately?
Ning Fei had already looked over when the siblings started talking.
Hearing Ning Yuxuan say this, Ning Fei affirmed, "Yes, I can vouch for that. Xuanxuan recently found all the TV dramas you acted in, starting from the earliest one, and watched every single episode without missing a single one. She even dragged me along with her."
Ning Fei smiled again as she spoke, "But to be honest, I've watched all of those several times, and I can almost recite the plot by heart."
Ning Shiyue was somewhat stunned by what he heard.
Ning Fei rarely exaggerates, so if she says something like that, she must have watched it at least three times.
Ning Shiyue knew that Ning Fei would watch his dramas, but he didn't expect that his mother would watch them repeatedly.
And then there's Ning Yuxuan. She couldn't even remember the names of the TV dramas he acted in before, let alone watch them.
Ning Yuxuan noticed Ning Shiyue's stunned expression and deliberately leaned closer: "Ning Shiyue, are you about to cry from being so moved?"
Ning Shiyue avoided her gaze and replied irrelevantly, "Forget about Mom, but why did you suddenly start watching those things? I didn't mean for you to watch them."
Ning Yuxuan replied without hesitation, "Of course, it's to see how badly you acted back then, so I can laugh at you mercilessly!"
Ning Shiyue, who had just begun to feel moved, was speechless.
[Hahaha, this is hilarious! Ning Yuxuan: Rejecting all sentimentality]
[Ning Shiyue was almost moved to tears just now, but Ning Yuxuan interrupted him like that, hahaha]
[Haha, to be honest, Ning Shiyue's acting was a bit raw when he first debuted, but he's improved a lot now!]
[Has nobody noticed that Teacher Ning is such a wonderful mother? She watches Ning Shiyue's dramas repeatedly!]
Jiang Ning'an was still reminiscing about the various things that happened during filming. She was talking about a scene where she fell into the water and got tangled in the lake's weeds, almost drowning. Fortunately, she was rescued by Pan Wenyan and the crew at the last moment.
Qin Man felt heartbroken upon hearing this.
As an actress, she had similar experiences and knew that this was a required course for actors; being dedicated to one's work was a given.
But as a mother, she felt sorry for her daughter and was even more upset that such a dangerous thing had happened and her daughter had never told her about it.
Qin Man didn't want to show too much emotion during the live stream, so she could only silently reach out and gently pat Jiang Ning'an's back.
Jiang Ning'an was startled when she felt her mother's touch.
The atmosphere tonight was wonderful. Pan Wenyan was a colleague she got along very well with, Ning Yuxuan's personality was surprisingly compatible with hers, and Ning Fei was a gentle and unpretentious elder.
Therefore, she talked much more than usual, and said many things she wouldn't normally say.
Jiang Ning'an felt a little regretful.
Qin Man is a person who is extremely strict with herself and others. She once famously said: "An actor who is not dedicated to his profession does not deserve to be an actor."
Throughout her decades-long acting career, Qin Man has suffered countless injuries while filming, but she has never promoted a dedicated persona or complained once.
Did I say these things in a way that made my mother feel uncomfortable?
Jiang Ning'an suddenly stopped halfway through her speech, and the atmosphere turned cold for a moment.
A sweet voice suddenly rang out: "Which scene was this one about falling into the water? Teacher Qin, do you remember?"
Qin Man looked at Ning Yuxuan, who had suddenly interrupted, and hesitated slightly before answering, "It should be the part where Caixin fell into the Heavenly Pool in a daze after breaking with her master, right, Ning'an?"
Jiang Ning'an was slightly taken aback: "...Yes."
My mother... she actually remembers it so clearly.
Jiang Ning'an suddenly remembered what Ning Fei had said to Ning Shiyue earlier.
Did Ning Yuxuan's mother, like Ning Yuxuan's mother, watch her own performance more than once?
Jiang Ning'an felt a lump in her throat and quickly took a sip of juice to suppress her rising emotions.
She felt a warmth on the back of her hand; Qin Man's palm gently covered hers, patting it reassuringly.
Jiang Ning'an paused, then took another big gulp of juice.
...
The atmosphere among the group was warm and cheerful, but Cen Meng couldn't seem to fit in.
Cen Meng did try, but she just asked Jiang Ning'an a question that almost revealed that she had never watched the show at all.
She now regrets it; she shouldn't have said that she stayed up all night watching Jiang Ning'an's drama in an attempt to get closer to her when they met.
If you openly admit that you've been too busy with work to watch it, you won't feel awkward and afraid to interrupt.
Guan Cheng kept trying to interact with her, which annoyed Cen Meng so much that she could only barely cope.
She had previously been paired with Guan Cheng in a real-life romance, but at that time she hadn't met Gu Yunhao yet, and her career had been lukewarm, so she came up with this method to make the audience remember her.
Cen Meng no longer wants to be associated with Guan Cheng, especially since she admitted on the show today that she has a boyfriend outside the entertainment industry.
If she continues to speak ambiguously with Guan Cheng, wouldn't that be contradicting herself?
Cen Meng felt like she was sitting on pins and needles throughout dinner.
After managing to eat a few bites, Cen Meng finally couldn't sit still any longer.
She stood up, said sorry, and made an excuse that she needed to go to the restroom. She then went to find the intern who had helped her get her phone earlier.
"Little brother," Cen Meng said, looking up, "my eyes are a little uncomfortable again... Could I use your phone again? I want to ask the doctor about medication. I promise, it will be quick this time too!"
The intern hesitated for a moment, then remembered that when she lent her phone to Cen Meng last time, Cen Meng had indeed returned it quickly, so it didn't affect the recording of the show.
Practice makes perfect, the intern nodded.
Cen Meng got her phone, easily found the restroom, went inside, and locked the door.
After tapping the screen a few times, her eyes lit up.
Sure enough, her previous arrangements were already working!
The hashtag “Ning Yuxuan interfered in Cen Meng’s relationship” has appeared in the trending topics section and its popularity continues to rise.
A netizen discovered that Cen Meng had posted a photo on Weibo of herself holding a wine glass, and the person holding the wine glass across the table was wearing a men's watch.
Ning Yuxuan also posted a photo of this watch on a foreign social media platform, with the caption: When will I be able to have all your love, just like I have this watch?
This watch is a limited edition worldwide and is extremely rare.
In the photos posted by Cen Meng and Ning Yuxuan, not only are the watch faces the same, but the color schemes of the custom watch straps are also exactly the same.
Based on multiple factors, it is almost certain that the watch appearing in both photos is the same one.
The comments section was very lively.
[No wonder Cen Meng said those things during the live stream! Turns out Ning Yuxuan was the third party in her relationship with her boyfriend?]
[That explains everything! That book was definitely Ning Yuxuan's doing!]
[That Cen Meng is so pitiful! She was on the same show as the other woman and was made to lose face in public.]
[I can't believe it! I even supported Ning Yuxuan before, I was so blind!]
In fact, based solely on the identical watches in the two photos, it is impossible to conclude that "Ning Yuxuan is a third party".
However, the netizen who supposedly uncovered the truth was arranged by Cen Meng, and the top comments below were also paid trolls from the company.
With the guidance of online trolls and the blogger's control over comments, the most liked comments in the comment section all say that Ning Yuxuan is a mistress.
Uninformed bystanders who click in can easily be misled.
Cen Meng scrolled down again and felt very satisfied.
When the time is right, her people will have another "insider" come out to reveal that they already knew about Ning Yuxuan's interference in the relationship.
Witness testimony plus physical evidence is enough to mislead the vast majority of netizens.
In this way, even without substantial evidence, Ning Yuxuan's name will be associated with the word "mistress" for a long time to come.
Cen Meng hadn't originally intended to go this far, as there was a risk of involving Gu Yunhao in the matter.
But what happened with that book today was an utter humiliation for Cen Meng, and she couldn't swallow her anger without retaliating.
As for Ning Yuxuan's defense, Cen Meng wasn't afraid.
Cen Meng had asked Gu Yunhao long ago, and from beginning to end, Gu Yunhao had never given Ning Yuxuan a formal "title".
Gu Yunhao has never publicly acknowledged Ning Yuxuan as his girlfriend, nor has he ever posted a photo of the two of them together on his social media.
Only a few members of the Gu family, and a few of Gu Yunhao's closest childhood friends, knew that Ning Yuxuan and Gu Yunhao were actually boyfriend and girlfriend.
None of these people have any reason to stand up for Ning Yuxuan.
Perhaps that's why Ning Yuxuan lacks a sense of security and laments, "When will I be able to have all of your love?"
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Cen Meng's lips—
Ning Yuxuan, you are very lucky. You have a good mother and a better family background than I do.
But unfortunately, the man you love is mine, and I will be the one who laughs last in this war.
...
When Cen Meng came out of the restroom, she felt refreshed.
Tonight, or at the latest tomorrow, netizens will all stand on her side and condemn Ning Yuxuan together.
Cen Meng returned the phone to the intern and returned to the restaurant with a smile.
To her surprise, almost at the same time she returned, a video posted by an ordinary blogger began to go viral on social media.
The main subject of the video is a shop window, and it's clear that the person who filmed it intended to film the moving doll inside.
However, the doll moved very slowly, and in order to capture the complete movement trajectory, a conversation between a man and a woman next to it was also recorded.
The female voice in the recording is clearly Ning Yuxuan's.
Although the man's voice was unknown, the words he was saying could be faintly heard.
One of them is—
"I know that Mengmeng and I have wronged you, but love doesn't discriminate based on who came first. I'm breaking up with you for your own good."
The man spoke with great force, making his words particularly clear.
The video's comment section was filled with netizens, all expressing the same sentiment—
Twists and turns, this night was truly amazing!
[Author's Note]
It's been a long time since I asked for my work to be collected, so I'm shamelessly begging everyone to add this balding author to their collections!
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