The phone rang for a long time before Ms. Shen finally picked up.
“Ming Yi, what is it?”
Ming Yi took a second to brew his emotions, then spoke in a deeply worried tone. “Mom, you need to talk to Big Brother.”
“What is wrong with your brother?” Shen Lirong paused. The music in the background faded significantly; she loved attending banquets and had likely stepped away from the center of the event to talk.
Ming Yi continued, “Every time Big Brother calls me, the first thing he does is ask about Yan An. He never asks how I, his biological brother, am doing or if I am being bullied. Mom, do you think Big Brother has other feelings for Yan An?”
Shen Lirong choked for a moment, then said in shock, “You child, what nonsense are you talking about? An An is your brother’s biological”
She cut herself off before finishing the sentence. Clearly, she realized that Yan An and Yan Zhiheng shared no blood relation whatsoever.
Ming Yi pressed on, “It would be best if they had no such relationship, but Mom, have you thought about it? Big Brother is already at this age and has never looked for a sister-in-law. Is it because he likes men?”
Ming Yi feigned distress. “If Big Brother really likes Yan An, what will we do? I have already married into the Xie family. If Big Brother ends up with Yan An, our Yan family line will end. Would Dad ever agree to that?”
Hearing this, Shen Lirong’s resolve began to waver. She had always treated Yan An like a biological son and had never considered this issue. Now that Ming Yi had pointed it out, she realized things did seem a bit off. While it was normal for Yan An to be favored after being with them for so long, Yan Zhiheng’s level of attention was indeed excessive. From management companies and scripts to daily necessities, he controlled everything.
Ming Yi was right; Yan Zhiheng had never shown this much concern for Ming Yi. The thought made Shen Lirong feel a tightness in her chest. She held high expectations for her eldest son, intending for him to inherit the family business and make it prosper. Even if she doted on Yan An, she could not accept two children who were brothers in name being together.
Furthermore, Ming Yi’s remarks struck a nerve regarding the family lineage. If Yan Zhiheng truly liked Yan An, what would happen to the Yan bloodline?
Shen Lirong steadied herself and gave a forced laugh. “It will not happen, silly child. Do not overthink it. Your brother is just used to it, so he asks out of habit.”
Ming Yi pretended to sigh in relief. “Oh, then I am relieved. But Mom, you should still keep an eye out, lest Big Brother makes a grave mistake.”
Shen Lirong gave a strained acknowledgment and hung up. Ming Yi knew that while she might not believe everything immediately, he had successfully planted a seed of suspicion. Sooner or later, it would cause trouble for his “dear” elder brother.
The bad mood he had felt since Yan Zhiheng’s call finally dissipated. Ming Yi locked his screen and was about to return the phone to the staff when another call came in. Was today a telephone nest? Why did so many people want to talk to him?
The number was unfamiliar. Ming Yi assumed it was another number used by Yan Zhiheng, so he ignored the first call. It was only when it rang a second time that he answered impatiently. “Hello? Who is this?”
“It is me, the imposter Xie Yunxie.”
An unexpected deep male voice came through the receiver. Ming Yi froze, his outward hostility softening. He muttered, “Why are you suddenly calling me?”
Xie Yunxie spoke leisurely from the other end. “I suddenly received a notification about a plot line shift. The system asked me to check what you just did.”
The plot line shifted?
Ming Yi thought about it but did not reveal the truth. He played innocent. “I did nothing. I have been following the plot properly. What happened to the plot line?”
Xie Yunxie sounded helpless. “I do not know the specifics. It just suddenly shifted by 2%, and the system cannot find the reason.”
“I see,” Ming Yi tested. “What happens if the plot line shifts?”
“The entire world line will collapse. The consequences are very serious!” Xie Yunxie said seriously. “So, you must not do anything that did not happen in the original plot. Do not try to change the original story, and try not to break character too obviously!”
“…”
Got it. I will step on every single landmine tomorrow.
“Anyway, I called to tell you about the shift,” Xie Yunxie said with a long sigh. “Also, the Protagonist’s Satisfaction Points have dropped. I do not know what happened, but other people’s impressions of the protagonist have inexplicably decreased.”
As the culprit, Ming Yi said airily, “Ah, that is truly a joyous occasion.”
System: […]
Hopeless. This vicious cannon fodder is truly hopeless.
Since he could not get anything out of Ming Yi, Xie Yunxie changed the subject. “I watched your livestream tonight. That Yan Du Xian looked delicious.”
Ming Yi replied, “It was average. I only used salted pork and bamboo shoots. It would be tastier with fresh pork and tofu skin knots.”
Xie Yunxie urged him warmly, “The temperature in the mountains drops at night. Pay attention to keeping warm so you do not catch a cold.”
Ming Yi acknowledged him, but he felt puzzled. He and Xie Yunxie were only collaborators at best; why was Xie Yunxie suddenly showing such concern?
Ming Yi did not know that for Xie Yunxie, when a living 2D waifu appeared right in front of him, it was hard to resist caring. Especially since his waifu was a poor soul with no parental love and no friends. Even if it was a bit forward, Xie Yunxie wanted to pass on whatever warmth he could.
Ming Yi stood dazed for a moment until Ji Nian found him. Ming Yi told Xie Yunxie, “I have things to do. Hanging up now.”
Xie Yunxie encouraged him, “Yes! Good luck with work!”
“You too… good luck?”
After hanging up, Ming Yi felt even stranger, but Ji Nian’s arrival interrupted his thoughts. Ji Nian glanced at the phone but did not ask questions. He said bluntly, “It is cold outside. Come in quickly.”
At 8:00 PM, the livestream ended. Ming Yi lay on his bed, reviewing the day’s events. The plot line shift was definitely related to the two calls he made tonight. As for the drop in the protagonist’s satisfaction points, it was likely due to his comments during the livestream.
Do not do things not in the original plot. Do not try to change the story. Do not break character.
These three points emphasized by Xie Yunxie indicated that doing these things could effectively damage the plot line. Xie Yunxie likely hoped he would change the plot. The system could punish Xie Yunxie, but it could not punish Ming Yi. No matter what Ming Yi did, the system could not reach him.
Ming Yi could not help but wonder: if he changed the plot significantly, how would this world collapse?
That evening, the trending topic that had been brewing all day hit the number one spot.
#YanAnYanMingYiTrueAndFalseYoungMasters
One was a rising star while the other was the most hated person in the industry. Combining their names with the “True and False Young Master” label was eye-catching. Bystanders who had been busy all day sat down to a massive explosion of drama.
[Incredible! The True and False Young Master trope from novels actually became reality! (thumbs up)]
[So YA is the fake one and YMY is the real one? My god, anyone would turn villainous with that experience. Suddenly I understand why YMY was always cold to YA!]
[So dramatic. Is this true? YMY has no proof; what if he is lying again?]
Spectators looking for excitement flocked to the Yan Group’s official social media page to ask for the truth, unaware that Yan Zhiheng was currently overwhelmed. He wanted to take down the trending topics to protect Yan An’s reputation. The label of “fake young master” was too harsh for Yan An.
But while Yan Zhiheng was busy making calls to pull the tags, Ms. Shen called him. Though confused, he answered. “Mom, what is it? I am busy pulling trending topics for An An. I will call you back later.”
Shen Lirong was already sensitive after Ming Yi’s call. Hearing him mention Yan An immediately soured her mood. “A management company handles An An’s affairs. Why are you, the head of a conglomerate, managing such trivial matters?”
Yan Zhiheng was confused. “The public opinion is currently unfavorable to An An, so I”
“I said the company will handle it. Do you have nothing to do? Why must you focus on small squabbles in the entertainment industry?” Her tone was displeased. Yan Zhiheng, sensing her bad mood, remained silent.
It was strange. In the past, his mother was the first to show concern if anything happened to Yan An. Why today?
Shen Lirong realized her tone was off and softened her voice. “If you are not busy, go on a blind date in a few days. Auntie Wang introduced several nice girls to me. Go meet them; maybe you will like one.”
At the mention of a blind date, Yan Zhiheng sounded annoyed. “Mom, I told you, I am in a growth phase for my career. I have several big projects.”
Hearing her eldest son refuse again, a nameless anger flared in her heart. “What career? You are almost thirty. If you do not find a partner and start a family now, when do you plan to marry?” She then blurted out, “Do you want to stay by An An’s side for the rest of your life?!”
Yan Zhiheng was shocked by those words. He asked hastily, “Mom, why are you saying this? Did Ming Yi tell you something? Do not believe him; he is intentionally trying to blacken An An’s name. There is nothing between An An and me!”
“Then go on the blind date,” Shen Lirong said coldly. “I will have An An’s management company take full control of his affairs. You two will also reduce your contact. Focus on your projects and stop being distracted by other things.”
Yan Zhiheng wanted to argue, but his mother added, “If your father finds out you made a mistake, he will be very disappointed in you.”
In an instant, Yan Zhiheng felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. His throat moved as he asked dryly, “Then the debate online about whether An An is a member of the Yan family”
Shen Lirong had a headache just hearing “An An.” She said unpleasantly, “Modern netizens are not fools. Do you think they cannot find the truth? Do you want to ruin the group’s reputation over such a small thing?”
Yan Zhiheng said hoarsely, “I understand.”
On the other side, Xie Yunxie was also on the phone. The system asked suspiciously in his head, [Host, what are you doing now?]
Xie Yunxie finished the call before answering leisurely. “I am correcting the plot shift.”
Xie Yunxie wore silver-framed glasses and sat before a computer. In the comment sections, the paid posters he hired were quietly entering the fray.
[What if An An is a fake young master? The industry relies on works and talent!]
[Leave An An out of this; he is also a victim! Everyone, please do not be too harsh on him!]
Under this controlled commentary, the trending topics were quickly pulled down. Xie Yunxie waited for a moment before asking the system, “How is it?”
The system said numbly, [One good news, one bad news. Which do you want to hear first?]
“The good news.”
[Good news: the protagonist’s satisfaction points have been recovered slightly.]
“The bad news.”
[Bad news: the shifted plot line has not recovered.]
Xie Yunxie rubbed his chin, analyzing seriously. “It seems the plot shift is not just because Yan An’s identity was exposed. What else could it be?”
Xie Yunxie had no clue, and neither did the system. The confused system could only fret in his mind: [It is all that vicious cannon fodder’s fault! I clearly told him before leaving not to do anything extra, but he went and exposed Yan An’s identity!]
Xie Yunxie was unhappy to hear that. “Why are you scolding him? He does not know the original plot. The fact that he is willing to cooperate with us is already very kind, okay?”
In the original plot, Yan An’s identity was also revealed by a minor villain, but the timing was different. In the original, when the identity was exposed, Ming Yi was already dead and Yan An had become a superstar. Few people were willing to say anything for the deceased Ming Yi. Even if they did, their voices were suppressed by Yan An’s massive fan base.
Currently, Yan An’s foundation was not yet stable, and Ming Yi was still alive to tell the story. Naturally, the public opinion could not be easily suppressed. Even if forced down, it would eventually bounce back.
But whatever. Today’s task was finished. Tomorrow’s task to increase satisfaction points had nothing to do with Today’s Him. Xie Yunxie stretched, removed his glasses, and comforted the system. “Do not worry too much. I will keep an eye on public opinion. The protagonist and the plot line will improve.”
Haha, as if.
The next morning, Wuqing Village was shrouded in white mist. The guests felt as if they were in a fairyland. However, before they could fully appreciate the scenery, the crew announced an unfortunate update. The living expenses for the upcoming days had to be earned by the guests themselves. Whether through begging or self-reliance, the crew would not provide a single cent.
The permanent guests, familiar with the show’s routines, remained unbothered. Ji Nian and Shen Pan were even secretly pleased because they had anticipated this and dug extra bamboo shoots yesterday. Once they sold the shoots, they would have some living expenses!
Seeing that they were not worried, Ji Zhanyun guessed the other group had a plan and asked about it. Shen Pan did not keep it a secret. “We dug extra bamboo shoots yesterday and plan to sell them.”
“Selling bamboo shoots? Good idea.” Ji Zhanyun looked at the mountain peaks, recalling the experience of digging shoots alone yesterday where he almost strained his back. He felt apprehensive. Turning to Zhu Yu and Yan An, Ji Zhanyun felt bitter seeing that they actually intended to go up the mountain. Zhu Yu was fine, but Yan An was clearly a pampered young master. If they went up together and Yan An fell, what would happen?
Looking at Ming Yi’s group, the three young people were already moving with high efficiency to get the shoots from the house. Ji Zhanyun regretted not insisting on joining Ming Yi’s group. Yan An said with full fighting spirit, “Good! Then we will also go up the mountain to dig shoots!”
Ji Zhanyun had nothing else to say; he could not refuse in front of the cameras. While they took their tools up the mountain, Ming Yi’s group was worrying about how to transport the shoots.
“There are so many shoots; at least ten pounds, right?” Ji Nian had no concept of weight and lifted the basket to test it. “If only we had a cart. Carrying these by hand will be exhausting.”
“A cart is not the most important thing; we need a scale,” Ming Yi said. “Let us ask the villagers to borrow one.”
The three visited nearby villagers. Knowing a show was filming, the villagers were very enthusiastic. By the second house, they had borrowed a scale and even found out where the nearest market was. With the scale secured, they still lacked a cart. A villager offered to lend them their small electric tricycle.
That was perfect! But the problem was: who could drive a tricycle? Ming Yi cleared his throat and nimbly climbed into the driver’s seat. “I will drive.”
Ji Nian said, “Wait, you can drive this too? Noble Consort Yan, how many more surprises are there that I do not know about?”
“No time to explain,” Ming Yi joined in on the old meme, “get in the car!”
Ji Nian and Shen Pan experienced the feeling of being carried by a pro for the first time. The two happily climbed in, Ming Yi twisted the throttle, and the three of them sped away from the camera.
Photographer: [!!!]
Wait, I am not in the car yet!