After a full three seconds of dead silence, the live chat suddenly exploded.
【Oh my god! My heart stopped when she looked up!】
【Putting personality aside, the siblings really are incredibly good-looking.】
【I think this kind of aristocratic elegance just can’t be faked.】
When Jiang Zhiwu’s gaze swept past the camera, the corners of her lips curved into a faint smile. Her voice was like jade submerged in clear spring water. “You must be tired from the journey. Would you like something to drink?”
The crew members who were addressed felt their faces heat up and stammered, “An-Anything is fine.”
Jiang Zhiwu then turned to Jiang Yanzhou. “Bring out the chilled plum syrup and lemonade from the kitchen, and cut some fruit.”
Jiang Yanzhou pouted unhappily. “You only know how to order me around.” Despite his words, he stood up and obediently brought out the fruit platter and drinks.
【Hahaha this is the classic ‘say one thing but do another’!】
【Jiang Yanzhou still has such a sharp tongue, but why does it feel kind of cute?】
【If this isn’t acting, I’ll eat my shoe upside down.】
The crew sat down cautiously, but the HD cameras were busy capturing every detail of the mansion.
The crystal chandelier in the center of the living room had a unique design, casting shimmering spots of light that swayed gently with the breeze. The wall clock was a vintage mechanical piece, exuding an air of timeless tranquility.
【Just came from Shen Yu’s stream. I thought his luxury downtown penthouse was already blinding enough, didn’t expect this place to be even more insane.】
【Rich beyond belief!】
【Curious though, even if Jiang Yanzhou is a top star, he probably doesn’t earn enough to buy this place, right?】
Jiang Zhiwu asked, “Would you like to tour the house first, or shall we start filming directly?”
The PD quickly replied, “No rush, let’s just follow the procedure.”
After Jiang Zhiwu nodded in understanding, the PD began to explain the rules.
“Later, a car will take all the guests to the main venue, where you will meet up with the others.”
“The live broadcast schedule is quite flexible; there is no fixed time slot for the whole day. The main interactive sessions will take place during the daily challenges, and the specific times will be announced when the tasks are released each morning.”
“Since the show is broadcast live entirely to ensure authenticity, there are multiple hidden cameras in public areas like the living room and activity rooms. These locations will be clearly marked with yellow tape in advance. If you two have any concerns about the departure time or other arrangements, please feel free to communicate with us anytime. Does this arrangement work for you?”
The explanation was thorough and detailed. Jiang Zhiwu confirmed everything and nodded in agreement.
As the PD put away his tablet, the clock on the wall struck ten.
Jiang Yanzhou picked up the packed suitcases and placed them by the door, then turned back to open the car door for his sister.
The drive took longer than expected. After a full two and a half hours, the car finally came to a stop.
As soon as Jiang Zhiwu opened the door, lively chatter and laughter could be heard from inside. Looking up, she saw four or five people already standing in the courtyard. Two of them had their backs to the door arguing about something, but turned around simultaneously at the sound of the car—
It was the famous variety show duo, the siblings Li Bai and Li Lele.
Li Bai was holding half a peeled orange. When he saw her, his movements froze as if he had forgotten how to greet someone. After a while, he quickly hid his hand sticky with orange juice behind his back, his ears turning red. “H-Hello.”
Jiang Yanzhou glanced at his flushed ears, let out a loud “Hmph” through his nose, and with a dark expression, stepped in front of his sister.
Feeling the sudden drop in temperature from this imposing figure, Li Bai awkwardly looked away.
Jiang Yanzhou’s bad temper was indeed well-deserved; that scowl was terrifying!
Li Lele was calmer than her brother, though she subconsciously twisted the hem of her dress. Her bun bobbed gently as she nodded. “Sister Jiang, you are even more beautiful in person than in the photos!”
“Thank you,” Jiang Zhiwu smiled at her.
The others in the courtyard also stopped talking.
“Welcome.”
A woman wearing a light gray cardigan spoke first. She appeared to be in her early thirties, her soft black hair elegantly tied back. She nodded at them efficiently. “I am Wen Jing.”
Standing not far from her was a slender young man who looked about the same age as Jiang Yanzhou. His shoulders were held straight, and he seemed quite quiet.
The girl beside him poked her head out to introduce themselves. “Hello, I’m Huang Zhihe, and this is my younger brother, Jiang Ting.”
She wore a faint smile, but her gaze paused slightly as it landed on Jiang Zhiwu’s face.
Jiang Zhiwu met her eyes calmly.
So this was the female lead from the original novel.
She withdrew her gaze coolly and turned to greet everyone else.
Throughout the exchange, Jiang Yanzhou kept his hands in his pockets, his brows furrowed in impatience. He hated this kind of superficial socializing, but since his sister was there, he had no choice but to endure it and nod along.
After the brief introductions, the last guest finally arrived.
It was Shen Yu.
The moment he stood up straight, his eyes seemed drawn by an invisible magnet, skipping over the crowd and landing precisely on Jiang Zhiwu standing at the back.
She was just as eye-catching as ever, as if she had gathered all the brightness of summer into herself.
If he had known she would turn out this beautiful, he would have at least tried to stop his parents when they decided to call off the engagement.
But back then, the Jiang family was in such turmoil. Anyone who got involved would have been unlucky. As soon as her parents passed away, those smiling uncles and aunts were all eyeing the shares. The siblings were so young; how could they possibly hold onto everything?
Shen Yu wanted a wife who could help his career. There was no need to get mixed up in the Jiang family’s mess.
“Sorry, sorry, I’m late,” he quickly looked away and turned to everyone with an apologetic smile. “I passed a flower shop on the corner and saw these blooms were perfect. I thought since it’s our first meeting, I should bring some gifts. That’s why I took a bit longer.”
As he spoke, he pulled out several bouquets from behind his back.
He handed them out one by one. The pink and white eustomas looked fresh and dewy, while the bright sunflowers radiated warmth. Every bouquet was arranged perfectly.
Shen Yu distributed the flowers naturally and smoothly, always wearing just the right amount of smile, as if he was born to shine in situations like this.
Praise flooded the comments section:
【Shen Yu is so thoughtful! Bringing gifts for everyone, you can really tell his character from the details.】
【Official fan now! Who can say no to a guy who is both handsome and caring?】
When it came to the Li siblings, Li Lele instinctively shrank back slightly as the flowers were offered.
Li Bai quickly reached out to take both sunflowers, pulling his sister along to thank him profusely. “Thank you so much, Mr. Shen! It’s our first time receiving such beautiful flowers.”
Shen Yu kept smiling and said lightly, “You’re welcome,” before moving to the next person.
Jiang Yanzhou was leaning against a pillar scrolling on his phone, fingers swiping rapidly. When Shen Yu offered him a bouquet, he didn’t even lift his eyelids, his voice full of undisguised indifference. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Shen Yu’s smile faded a little, but he didn’t show any sign of anger.
His main goal for joining the show was to gain attention.
And the easiest way to get attention was to create content involving Jiang Yanzhou, the controversial top star.
“I thought you might like this eustoma,” he said deliberately, sounding slightly disappointed.
Jiang Yanzhou remained unmoved. “I’m not interested in flowers.”
The tone of the comments shifted instantly:
【What is Jiang Yanzhou’s problem? Someone kindly gives him a gift and he acts like that?】
【Just because he’s famous thinks he’s untouchable? Who does he think he is?】
【Feel bad for Shen Yu, he got treated like garbage.】
【Why is his sister just staring at Li Lele? Why doesn’t she control her brother? They really are both equally cold.】
Audiences always tend to side with the perceived weaker party. The more straightforward Jiang Yanzhou’s rejection was, the more arrogant he appeared, and the more people felt sorry for Shen Yu.
“If you don’t want it, that’s fine.” Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Shen Yu turned to Jiang Zhiwu beside him and held out a bouquet. “Miss Jiang, this one is for you.”
Before Jiang Zhiwu could respond, Jiang Yanzhou frowned and refused, “My sister doesn’t want it eith—”
His words were abruptly cut off by a sudden, violent fit of coughing.
“Cough cough… cough…”
Everyone quickly looked over. Li Lele’s face was bright red, she was crouching on the ground clutching her throat, her chest heaving violently as if something was blocking her airway, her breathing sounding like a broken bellows.
“Lele! Are you okay?!” Li Bai turned pale with fright. He rushed to help her, frantically trying to pat her back, but she pushed him away in her agony.
The crowd gathered around immediately, shouting suggestions. Someone tried to pinch her philtrum, while another pulled out a phone to call for help, but their hands were shaking so much they couldn’t dial the number correctly.
Amidst the chaos, only Jiang Zhiwu’s eyes sharpened instantly.
She looked at the sunflower petals scattered on the ground, then glanced at the red rash appearing on Li Lele’s neck. She suddenly rushed forward, snatched the bouquet still in Li Bai’s hand, and threw it onto the lawn three meters away.
“What are you doing?!” Shen Yu asked instinctively.
Jiang Yanzhou shot him a cold glance. “If my sister did that, she must have her reasons.”
Doubts in the comments threatened to break the screen:
【Is Jiang Zhiwu crazy?! The girl is like that and instead of helping she throws flowers?!】
【Even if they don’t like flowers, there’s no need to ruin Shen Yu’s gift like that.】
【Thought she was pretty before, but now she seems truly evil.】
Ignoring everyone’s stares, Jiang Zhiwu squatted down and gently placed her hands on Li Lele’s shoulders. Her voice was unnervingly calm. “Don’t panic, breathe slowly. You might be having an allergic reaction to the pollen.”
Her fingertips were cool and strangely soothing to Li Lele’s frayed nerves. The frantic breathing actually began to steady slightly.
Only then did the show’s medical staff wake up from their daze and rush over to examine her.
Seeing the rash on his sister’s face start to fade, Li Bai let out a sigh of relief and turned to thank Jiang Zhiwu. “Thank you so much. My sister does have pollen allergies.”
“Glad she’s okay,” Jiang Zhiwu said calmly.
“I didn’t even think to throw the flowers away first,” Li Bai scratched his head in embarrassment. “You reacted so quickly.”
Jiang Yanzhou suddenly chimed in, “Of course she is. She hits me just as fast, accurate, and mercilessly usually.”
He looked like he didn’t think much of it, but his words actually carried a sense of… pride.
Jiang Zhiwu: “…”
This kid’s way of thinking was getting harder and harder to understand.