2002
"I am his creditor."
After a two-second silence, Ning Fei suddenly covered her mouth and chuckled.
Ning Shiyue realized what he had blurted out, and looked like he wanted to explain but didn't know what to say.
Netizens: ...?
[Um, Ning Shiyue's relationship with her sister... doesn't seem as bad as the rumors say?]
[Exactly! If siblings really don't get along, would they give up part of the wardrobe for the older sister to use?]
[This is hilarious! So even Ning Shiyue gets his wardrobe stolen by his sister! The sibling bond is real!]
[Haha, Teacher Ning is laughing hysterically, her eyes are practically slits!]
Why do I think... I'm starting to like this family's atmosphere?
Upon hearing Ning Shiyue's "accusations," Ning Yuxuan was not in a hurry to defend herself.
Ning Yuxuan only spoke up confidently after Ning Fei had almost finished laughing: "Then what do you suggest? How about you throw all my clothes out after the show is over?"
Ning Shiyue: "..."
He turned his head away: "No need."
She paused, then added, "You have so many clothes, I'd be too tired to throw them all out."
The working hours in the entertainment industry are unstable. Ning Shiyue is either on set or rushing to events, and often doesn't get home until late at night.
Ning Fei suffers from mild neurasthenia. In order not to disturb her mother's rest, Ning Shiyue rented an apartment by himself and lived there for most of the year.
Most of my everyday clothes are kept in the apartment over there, so half a wardrobe here is enough.
Ning Shiyue's self-introduction was interrupted, but the staff saw that the atmosphere was good and did not stop the family from interacting.
To maintain suspense, the camera never filmed Ning Yuxuan; instead, viewers saw Ning Shiyue talking to someone off-screen.
At first, many people in the comments said they didn't want to watch Ning Yuxuan, but this made the audience curious instead.
Why isn't the photographer filming the older sister? Who doesn't show their face on camera when they're talking?
[Exactly! Even if Ning Yuxuan isn't likable, it wouldn't be fair to completely ignore her, would it?]
[Quick, quick, I want to see what my sister looks like! The only thing I can find online is that flop drama from a year ago, and she only has a few scenes.]
Don't have too high expectations. I remember she looks like a typical internet celebrity, and has had some plastic surgery.
After Ning Shiyue finished his self-introduction, it was finally Ning Yuxuan's turn.
The staff member first outlined the procedure: "Next up is Ms. Yu Xuan, Ms. Ning's daughter."
As soon as she finished speaking, the camera finally focused on Ning Yuxuan.
A face without makeup appeared on the screen, and the comments section fell silent for a moment.
[This is... her bare face? Can I say she's no wonder she's Teacher Ning's daughter? She's so beautiful!]
[I'm almost crying, does anyone understand? It's like seeing Teacher Ning when she was just 18 and debuting again.]
[It's true that beautiful genes are stably inherited! This family's good looks are absolutely stunning!]
Speaking of this... who exactly is Teacher Ning's ex-husband? How come it hasn't been found out after all these years?
Of Ning Fei's two children, Ning Shiyue's appearance is more like his father's, with only his eyes resembling Ning Fei's.
Therefore, when Ning Shiyue debuted through a talent show and gained popularity, he was not revealed to be Ning Fei's son for two whole years.
It wasn't until last year, when paparazzi photographed Ning Shiyue and Ning Fei meeting, that various rumors began circulating online. To avoid being misunderstood, Ning Shiyue took the initiative to publicly acknowledge his relationship with Ning Fei on social media.
That evening, the hashtag #NingShiyueIsTheSonOfNingFei,TheThreeGoldenActress# suddenly appeared at the top of the trending searches, followed by the word "hot".
Fans who were initially worried about their idol getting into scandals suddenly straightened up and said that Ning Shiyue inherited the beauty and acting skills of the movie queen, which is why she is so outstanding at such a young age.
Haters also chimed in, claiming that no wonder Ning Shiyue became so popular; it turns out he has a famous actress mother who uses connections in the industry.
What many people didn't know was that even within the industry, very few people knew that Ning Shiyue and Ning Fei were mother and son.
Ning Shiyue insisted on concealing this relationship, hoping to make his way in the entertainment industry on his own merits. Otherwise, given Ning Fei's connections in the industry, he wouldn't need to debut through a talent show at all.
Compared to Ning Shiyue, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei looked almost identical when they were young.
With a delicate, palm-sized face, flawless features, and perfectly proportioned proportions like those of Nuwa, she is breathtakingly beautiful.
The only difference is that Ning Yuxuan's eyes are more upturned at the corners compared to her mother's, adding a touch of glamour.
Unfortunately, when Ning Yuxuan starred in that TV series, the makeup artist used a trendy makeup look that was completely unsuitable for her, ruining her already perfect facial proportions and making her look like she had undergone plastic surgery.
Amidst a barrage of amazed comments, Ning Yuxuan smiled at the camera and said, "Hello everyone, I'm Ning Yuxuan, Teacher Ning's daughter."
[Help! She looks even more beautiful when she smiles!]
I admit I was hasty before. Just for his looks, I could tolerate his bad personality!
After all three finished their introductions, the staff member moved on to the next step: "I heard that Teacher Ning has prepared several of her signature dishes today. It's getting late, so why don't you show off your skills to everyone?"
Ning Fei smiled gently: "Well, I'm going to make a sea bass dish that Xuanxuan loves, an eggplant dish that Xiaoyue likes, stir-fry some greens, and make a bowl of egg drop soup."
Ning Fei was supposed to cook lunch, but for the sake of the filming effect, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue naturally had to help as well.
The kitchen in the villa is very spacious, large enough for three people and two photographers to enter at the same time.
The sea bass had been prepared in advance and was marinated in a dish.
Ning Yuxuan peeled the garlic, while Ning Shiyue started chopping the scallions and ginger.
Ning Fei took out a bowl and mixed various seasonings to make a braising sauce.
Ning Shiyue glanced at the sauce and casually asked, "Is the fish braised?"
"Okay." Ning Fei added cooking wine to the bowl. "Mom knows you like steamed food, I'll make it for you next time."
Ning Yuxuan peeled a clove of garlic and leaned over: "Ning Shiyue, after all these years, you still haven't gotten used to eating braised sea bass?"
Ning Shiyue's lips twitched, and he couldn't help but retort, "After all these years, you still can't get used to steamed food, can you?"
Ning Yuxuan argued confidently: "I'm two years older than you, and I've been eating fish for two more years than you, so of course you should be used to me."
Ning Shiyue: "..."
[Haha, this is hilarious! What kind of twisted logic is Ning Yuxuan spouting?]
[The key point is that Ning Shiyue looked like he couldn't refute it, it was hilarious haha]
[I also love braised dishes, so I declare my support for Ning Yuxuan this round!]
After adding the sugar, Ning Fei started stirring the sauce, and then acted as a peacemaker: "It's okay, Xiao Yue, I'll steam the eggplant, it'll suit your taste."
Before Ning Shiyue could answer, Ning Yuxuan muttered again, "Actually, eggplant tastes better when braised..."
The sound was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for Ning Shiyue, who was standing next to him, to hear.
Ning Shiyue's brow twitched: "Ning Yuxuan, you—"
Ning Yuxuan knew when to stop and waved her hand, "Alright, alright, since you're my brother, I'll reluctantly agree to eat steamed eggplant."
Ning Shiyue was so angry that he laughed.
Her act of being smug and innocent after getting a good deal makes it seem like she suffered a huge loss.
There were even more "hahahaha" comments in the live chat.
[Haha, I'm speaking for Ning Yuxuan; she's eaten eggplant for two years longer than Ning Shiyue.]
[Hilarious! The arrogant king gets his comeuppance online. It seems only an older sister can handle her brother.]
The staff had done their homework beforehand, thinking that Ning Shiyue's relationship with his sister was not very good and the atmosphere during the cooking scene would be awkward, so they prepared several contingency plans to liven things up.
Surprisingly, they didn't need to worry at all; the atmosphere in the kitchen was harmonious among the three of them, and the atmosphere in the live broadcast room was also peaceful.
The director's instructions came through the in-ear monitor: "Good, the atmosphere is great now, keep shooting like this."
The production team and netizens weren't the only ones paying attention to this live stream.
On the other side, Gu Yunhao was watching the live stream via screen mirroring on his phone.
Sitting next to him was Cen Meng, Gu Yunhao's true love.
Seeing Ning Yuxuan's situation through the live stream, the two had their own thoughts.
Gu Yunhao felt terrible: he had just broken up with Ning Yuxuan, but she acted as if nothing had happened, laughing and joking with her family on a TV show.
Ning Yuxuan was just a girlfriend he was dating because of pressure from his elders, but the two had been together for more than a year, and Ning Yuxuan's looks and figure were impeccable.
Gu Yunhao is a normal man, and he has had moments when he was moved. If Cen Meng hadn't reminded him from time to time, he probably would have already half-heartedly gone along with Ning Yuxuan and taken the final step.
Based on his understanding of Ning Yuxuan, he knew she would definitely come to him to beg for reconciliation as soon as she hung up the phone. Gu Yunhao had even thought of reasons to refuse her entry.
But Ning Yuxuan didn't come.
Cen Meng's thoughts became even more complicated.
She orchestrated, both openly and secretly, that Gu Yunhao should break up with Ning Yuxuan right before the live broadcast of the show.
Gu Yunhao didn't care about Ning Yuxuan at all, so he naturally didn't care what impact this would have on her. She just said a few coquettish words, and Gu Yunhao agreed.
Ning Yuxuan likes Gu Yunhao so much that if she gets dumped before the recording, even if she doesn't immediately give up the recording to try and win him back, she will at least show her displeasure on the show.
She won't even need to lift a finger; the audience and production team who were stood up or given the cold shoulder will definitely stir up the issue on social media.
Once the show officially airs, Ning Yuxuan will definitely target him again, and eventually, public opinion will turn in his favor.
At that time, not only Ning Yuxuan, but also her mother and younger brother's reputation will be ruined, while she herself will stand out from the crowd.
The Gu family is a long-established wealthy family in Beicheng. Even though they have declined somewhat, they would never allow a woman with a bad reputation to marry into the family.
In this way, the elders of the Gu family will naturally favor her. With the support of the elders and Gu Yunhao's own wishes, what can Ning Yuxuan use to compete with her?
She didn't mean to harm Ning Yuxuan—Cen Meng thought to herself.
Gu Yunhao truly loves her and had already promised her that he would break up with Ning Yuxuan. What difference does it make when he does it?
She simply gave everyone a push, letting everyone see what kind of person Ning Yuxuan really is.
As for Ning Fei and Ning Shiyue, they were implicated by Ning Yuxuan, and it had nothing to do with Cen Meng.
Unexpectedly, Ning Yuxuan remained unmoved and even caught Gu Yunhao off guard with her words.
Cen Meng glanced at Gu Yunhao beside her.
“Yun Hao…” Cen Meng hesitated before speaking, “Or, why don’t you call Yu Xuan again?”
Gu Yunhao was startled: "You mean now?"
He was born into a wealthy family and had a relatively smooth life from childhood to adulthood, but he wasn't someone who acted without considering the consequences.
Cen Meng pursed her lips and smiled reassuringly, "Yun Hao, I know she's recording a program over there, but you see—"
She pointed to the live broadcast screen projected onto the TV: "It's not good for Yu Xuan to force a smile like this. What if she can't hold back her tears later? Wouldn't that be even worse? Why don't you call her and comfort her? She'll definitely be happy to hear that, and she'll be more motivated to record the show."
Gu Yunhao's brow twitched slightly: "...Is that so?"
Is Ning Yuxuan forcing a smile?
To be honest, he didn't notice at all. He just felt that Ning Yuxuan seemed to be in an extremely good mood, and even closer to her family than before.
He couldn't help feeling depressed and frustrated: she didn't care that he broke up with her?
But after Cen Meng said that, Gu Yunhao looked at Ning Yuxuan's eyebrows and eyes more carefully and seemed to see a hint of reluctance in them.
That's true! He knows how devoted Ning Yuxuan is to herself.
How could she not be heartbroken at all when he wanted to break up with her?
Most likely, they were just pretending to be happy while secretly suppressing their sadness during the recording.
Thinking of this, Gu Yunhao felt much better and couldn't wait to hear Ning Yuxuan beg him back in a humble manner, just like before.
“Mengmeng, what you said makes sense!” Gu Yunhao looked at Cen Meng, “However, after all, it’s being broadcast live over there…”
Cen Mengshen said understandingly, "Yunhao, you don't need to worry. If Yuxuan wants to answer the phone, she will definitely avoid the camera."
Gu Yunhao pondered for a moment and made up his mind: "Then I'll listen to you! Mengmeng, you're so kind, you're actually thinking so much about my ex-girlfriend."
Cen Meng smiled gently: "We are both girls, so even if we fall in love with the same man, I can understand her feelings."
Gu Yunhao's heart softened upon hearing this, and he reached out to gently pat Cen Meng's back: "Yes, I'm sorry to have troubled you, Mengmeng."
He picked up his phone, tapped on Ning Yuxuan's profile picture, and selected a voice call.
The call went through smoothly, and Gu Yunhao was overjoyed.
In the past, when the two quarreled, Ning Yuxuan would often block him in a fit of pique, only to unblock him and apologize and say nice things an hour or two later.
The fact that he wasn't blocked this time further proves that Ning Yuxuan wanted to win him back.
However, the voice call was never answered.
To prevent unforeseen circumstances, live broadcasts are usually delayed by tens of seconds to several minutes, so Gu Yunhao cannot see the live feed from the other side.
Just as I was getting a little impatient, the call finally connected.
...
After being reminded and persuaded by the staff, Ning Yuxuan wiped her hands and went to the living room to answer the phone.
She knew that the production team wanted to find more sensational moments, which was why they encouraged her to answer the phone during filming.
Of course, the staff also assured her that in order to protect her privacy, they would only record what she said.
Gu Yunhao's voice came through the earphones clearly: "Yu Xuan, I have something I want to tell you."
Ning Yuxuan said "Oh": "Are the things ready?"
Gu Yunhao didn't understand: "...What do you mean?"
Ning Yuxuan: "It seems that not only are your hearing bad, but your memory is also having problems."
The man on the other end of the phone hadn't reacted yet.
Seeing the staff member winking at her, Ning Yuxuan turned her face and smiled at the camera: "Excuse me, it's someone who owes money and won't pay it back. I'm his creditor."
Gu Yunhao: ...
audience:……?
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