A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (11): 

A Q&A session ended, and Si Qi and Chu Feng gained countless fans. Along the way, they also exposed the dirty dealings of the Fang family father and son, creating numerous obstacles for Fang Huai’s plan to seize the Chu family inheritance. The two of them were so furious they almost jumped out on the spot to fight Si Qi. It was simply the most profitable outcome possible.

The next ones to answer were Professor Bai and the lawyer. They had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Putting aside other things, just in terms of tacit understanding, they far surpassed the pair of Si Qi and Chu Feng, who had only known each other for less than half a month.

Many people, including Si Qi who was watching the fun from the side, were overwhelmed by the natural display of affection between the professor and lawyer. The two themselves didn’t even realize how sweet their words sounded when carefully savored. They just quietly made people feel that the two of them were truly good together, with a sense of peaceful happiness that Si Qi watched with relish. He didn’t even notice that Chu Feng kept sneaking glances at him.

Unable to hold back, Chu Feng finally tugged on Si Qi’s sleeve and said to him, “I can do that too.”

Si Qi: “Hm?”

“If you like, I can do that too.”

Of course, Si Qi knew Chu Feng could. They had lived happily together for many years in another world. On this point, Si Qi had absolute confidence in Chu Feng, so he said indifferently, “Oh.”

Chu Feng: “……”

Chu Feng gloomily lowered his head, then raised it again after a moment and said to Si Qi, “That lawyer looks very fair and clean, quite good-looking.”

Warning lights flared in Si Qi’s mind, and he jerked his head around. “What?!”

Chu Feng’s gaze was still fixed on the lawyer. “As expected of a scholar, he looks refined and cultured, very elegant.”

Si Qi slowly crossed his arms, smiling without really smiling. “Oh~ is that so.”

Chu Feng: “Truly, educated people are different. Don’t you think so? Isn’t he quite good?”

Si Qi was so angry he laughed. “Good, my foot!”

Chu Feng turned to look at him. “So you think… he’s just average?”

Si Qi snorted and turned away, not wanting to respond.

Chu Feng leaned closer to him. “Then… am I a little better?”

Si Qi sneered. “Narcissist!”

Chu Feng nodded and said, “Since I’m a little better, then you should look at me more, not him.”

Si Qi: “……”

Si Qi finally realized what was going on, turned back to look at Chu Feng with both laughter and exasperation. Seeing the hidden expectation in Chu Feng’s eyes, he poked him on the forehead and said, amused, “Well, well, Chu Feng. So even you, a straight-as-steel guy, can get jealous! You even learned tricks!”

Chu Feng answered seriously, “It’s not a trick, it’s just…”

“A perfectly normal way of courting.”

Si Qi, caught off guard by the blunt confession: !!

Chu Feng puffed out his chest. “I shouldn’t be any worse than those two.”

Si Qi only felt that this side of Chu Feng was too adorable. Smiling, he pretended to be disdainful. “Peacock.”

Chu Feng immediately followed up. “Then I’ll spread my feathers only for you.”

Si Qi: “……”

So much for being straight as steel!!

—

After the childhood-sweetheart lawyer pair, it was the samurai and the female doctor.

Unlike the professor and lawyer who grew up together, these two had forged a deep bond through life-and-death struggles. In the midst of a crisis when vicious beasts attacked, they developed a profound relationship, the kind of true love where you could entrust your life and death to each other.

Though they didn’t have the gentle, intimate understanding of the previous pair, they displayed an extraordinary level of tacit cooperation. Sometimes, when one had only just spoken a single word, the other instantly understood their meaning and thoughts. That kind of soul-level resonance left many people astonished, marveling at how well-suited they really were despite the lack of overt romance.

Some netizens who understood the spiritual domain commented: “They should be able to enter each other’s spiritual seas, right? Even if not, their compatibility must be extremely high.”

“Doctors all need strong spiritual power, and samurai likewise have high levels of spiritual force. Their powers must be very well-matched, otherwise they couldn’t have that kind of aura.”

“How wonderful, this must be what they call soulmates…”

“By the way, Si Qi’s spiritual power level is also really high! If—and I’m just saying if—our general’s spiritual power ever runs into problems, with Si Qi’s strength, he could definitely help him! Plus, they’re so close emotionally, hehe, the more I think about it, the more perfect they seem together.”

While people said this, the doctor and samurai finished their trial, and it was time for the last pair: the World’s Daughter and the main character.

The moment they appeared, the comment section, which had been cheerful and chatty before, suddenly changed tone. Many viewers protested, hoping the production team would get rid of these two and not let them participate in the show.

But the director didn’t dare to take that kind of risk. It wasn’t just that Zheng Shi’s background wasn’t low; the key issue was that her personality was especially vengeful. She would brazenly attack even those who had never offended her, let alone tolerate someone asking her to leave the show and lose face in front of so many people. With just a few connections, she could ruin the director’s career forever. There was no way he would even suggest such a thing.

So the audience only grumbled in the comments, knowing the director couldn’t really do it. Their anger was instead vented at Zheng Shi and Fang Huai.

Two ordinary people, both unpopular in character and reputation, had managed to offend both a top celebrity and a national hero—the outcome was obvious. The director looked at the barrage of chilling comments, then glanced at the couple, who were filled with arrogance and hostility, clearly not feeling the slightest guilt. Turning away, he sternly warned the staff not to let the pair catch any hint of the outside reaction before the show ended. Since the offense was already done, better to offend them to the end, leaving them no chance of revenge.

Thinking this, the director flipped through the prepared question cards, picked out several targeted questions, and drafted a few new ones. With a smile that showed no flaws, he greeted them. “Welcome to the last pair of guests. After watching the first three couples, how do you think you’ll rank? Do you have confidence in taking first place?”

Zheng Shi proudly lifted her head, smugly saying, “Of course. I know everything about Fang Huai. There’s nothing I don’t know.”

After all, she had watched Fang Huai’s entire life from a god’s perspective. She knew even the things Fang Huai himself didn’t. For her, this kind of test carried no pressure at all.

She believed that as long as she was in the show, and displayed her unmatched tacit understanding with Fang Huai in front of so many people, Si Qi—already “bound” in a doomed pairing with the cannon fodder Chu Feng—would have no face to try luring Fang Huai again. The two of them would completely lose the chance of being together.

Once Chu Feng’s spiritual power flared out of control and killed him in agony, and the Chu family lost their last heir, then no matter how dissatisfied Chu Feng’s subordinates were, the Chu family would inevitably fall into the hands of Chu Feng’s biological father—Fang Huai’s father.

That man who was obsessed with petty family divisions, believing only those with the surname Fang could be the true heirs of the Fang family, never cared about Chu Feng’s life or death. After taking over the Chu family’s estate, he would only ever pass it on to his son who bore the Fang surname.

To prevent him from having more children with Fang’s mother after gaining the Chu family inheritance—children who might later compete with Fang Huai for the estate—Zheng Shi secretly drugged Fang Bozhong, making it impossible for him to ever have children again.

Otherwise, after all her years of effort, if the results were snatched away by some other child, Zheng Shi would never be able to stomach such humiliation.

But no one besides her knew of this matter, and she wasn’t foolish enough to say it out loud.

Thinking this, Fang Huai, sitting beside her, looked tenderly at his fiancée and said with confidence, “Xiao Shi and I have a deep bond and mutual trust. I also know her very well. I’m confident we can take first place.”

Seeing their answer, the director didn’t waste words and said with a smile, “Good, looks like this pair is very confident. Let’s wait and see how they perform next.”

“Here’s the question!”

Fang Huai and Zheng Shi each sat down with their whiteboards, listening as the host’s voice came from the live broadcast sphere: “The first question, as always, is an easy one. Who pursued whom first?”

Fang Huai recalled his first encounter with Zheng Shi. It was at an ordinary business gathering. He had followed his boss to the banquet, where Zheng Shi was at the center of attention. His boss recognized her and said she was Zheng Shi, daughter of a duke, and it was surprising to see her there. He also remarked on her striking beauty, extensive knowledge, and distinguished background, envying those born at the finish line.

While he was speaking, the very woman who was the focus of everyone’s attention actually approached him with a glass of wine. Her curious and intrigued gaze was obvious. Being shrewd, Fang Huai seized the chance to chat with her.

At that time, he had no idea he was an illegitimate child with a faint blood tie to General Chu, nor did he imagine he could be with such a noblewoman. Being able to date the superstar Si Qi, land a good job through Si Qi’s connections, and meet people from high society was already the greatest luck of his life.

But soon after, Zheng Shi smiled and gave him her number, saying she found him outstanding and hoped to meet again—not at a bustling banquet, but privately one-on-one.

Fang Huai immediately understood the implication. This noblewoman liked him, perhaps even love at first sight, and she was showing a clear intention to date him.

Thinking of how his boss had described Zheng Shi, and of the envy and jealousy he had seen in the wealthy guests’ eyes, Fang Huai’s heart burned with ambition. He gripped the device with her number tightly, unwilling to let go of such a chance to rise in one leap.

After that came secret dates with Zheng Shi while he was still in a relationship with Si Qi. Zheng Shi knew he was dating someone else, but she loved him too much. She told him that as long as he broke up with the other person and chose her, she wouldn’t hold it against him.

Weighing Zheng Shi and Si Qi, in both character and background, Zheng Shi far outshone Si Qi.

So, after barely two months of knowing her, Fang Huai became engaged to Zheng Shi. Zheng Shi then took him, along with their wedding invitation, to humiliate Si Qi directly. Fang Huai stood silently by and said nothing.

He needed this display of loyalty to reassure Zheng Shi. Otherwise, if she still suspected ties between him and Si Qi, both he and Si Qi would suffer. Fang Huai told himself this was for Si Qi’s sake, and privately explained to him that he had no choice. Zheng Shi’s father held great power; he had to do this.

Naive Si Qi didn’t believe that someone he loved could so suddenly abandon him. Hearing Fang Huai’s explanation, he convinced himself that Fang Huai was being coerced, that he must still love him. This led Si Qi to do many foolish things that pained those who truly cared for him…

Therefore, when Fang Huai heard the director ask who had pursued whom first, he unhesitatingly wrote, “She pursued me first.”

There were many reasons. First, it would look terrible if people thought a rich man had pursued a duke’s daughter. They would accuse him of being opportunistic and climbing the social ladder—just like Zheng Shi had mocked Si Qi for before. If he admitted to it himself, wouldn’t that invite scorn?

Second, Si Qi was right there. If he wrote that he had pursued Zheng Shi first, wouldn’t that be a slap in his own face?

Third, the truth was Zheng Shi really had pursued him first, giving him signals of willingness to date, even more openly than Si Qi had when they were together. This was a fact, with no need to hide it.

When the timer ended, Fang Huai confidently flipped his board over, thinking this really was an easy question.

But when he glanced at Zheng Shi, he saw her glaring at him, displeased. She demanded, “Why did you write that I pursued you first?”

Fang Huai, who had just been preparing to smile warmly and use the chance to express affection and earn points with Zheng Shi, was stunned. “…??”

He looked at Zheng Shi’s board, only to find she had written the exact same thing. In disbelief, he blurted out, “But it really was you who—”

Zheng Shi tapped her board irritably with her pen and retorted, “I pursued you? Every date location was arranged by you, you were the one who called me, even the proposal was from you, wasn’t it?”

Before crossing over, she had been a homebody. Although she disliked Si Qi, she wouldn’t have gone so far as to sacrifice her own lifelong happiness just to oppose him. She only wanted to break apart the official CP, to prove that the so-called ‘soulmates’ written by that author were fake—that with just a little setback they could be torn apart. It was just to slap the author’s face in another timeline.

The more actively Fang Huai pursued her, the more delighted she was, pleased that she had judged correctly. This proved they were never true love. So, until Fang Huai fully broke things off with Si Qi, she never refused any of his invitations.

Thus, in Zheng Shi’s eyes, she had only spoken to the protagonist a few times and given him her contact information. All the dates afterward had been initiated by Fang Huai. As a homebody, how could she possibly know how to handle romance?

And to her, who pursued whom was a huge distinction. If she admitted to pursuing him, that meant she had deliberately forced apart the main CP. But if Fang Huai had been the active one, then it showed his bond with Si Qi was weak to begin with, collapsing with just a little turbulence. That would be a much more satisfying slap in the author’s face. So she absolutely refused to admit she had pursued Fang Huai first.

That was why, when she saw Fang Huai write that she had pursued him, she couldn’t bear it. She was furious—how could he think that way? Shameless!

Seeing Zheng Shi genuinely angry and even about to reveal in detail how he had pursued her, Fang Huai panicked. Wouldn’t that be a public execution, exposing how he had coveted her family background to climb up as a kept man?

If she said too much, and Si Qi believed it, then stood up to accuse him of cheating, wouldn’t the viewers despise him even more?

So, to shut Zheng Shi up, Fang Huai hastily put on the act of a good man, indulgently coaxing her like a child: “Alright, alright, I pursued you first. Don’t be angry, okay?”

Zheng Shi: “……”

Her expression revealed a lot, and the netizens were not stupid. They immediately realized that back then, it was probably Fang Huai who had pursued Zheng Shi first.

So Fang Huai just now writing that it was Zheng Shi who pursued him first became quite intriguing.

The netizens, who already hated the pair, didn’t bother hiding their feelings and went straight at it: “This guy became a kept man and still doesn’t want to admit it.”

“Damn, that helpless expression he just made was so disgusting!! This scumbag is so blatantly trashy yet still thinks highly of himself. He clearly took all the advantage but feels like his reputation suffered, acting like he lost out. What the hell, Yu Xi?! Playing the victim after being a whore, gross!!”

“Hilarious. Clearly the same setup as General Chu and Si Qi’s group, yet the answers are completely opposite. Chu’s group was afraid their love wasn’t enough— even after the other confessed, he still thought it should’ve been him who pursued first, that it was hard work to finally win the other over. But this pair? Already engaged, yet still trying to ‘shift the blame’ and fight for dominance in the relationship, unwilling to admit they were the first to show affection. What kind of nonsense is this?!”

“Suddenly I think watching these two interact is actually pretty fun. At least it’s a justified way to vent frustrations from daily life. I can’t bring myself to insult others, but them? Why on earth should I hold back?”

And so the first question, which left everyone speechless, came to an end. Just moments ago, the two had confidently declared they knew each other inside out, only to stumble over what was basically a freebie. The atmosphere at the scene became unbearably awkward.

Fang Huai was fuming inside but tried to comfort himself, thinking maybe it was just because girls were thin-skinned and too embarrassed to admit they pursued the man first. Usually, it’s the man who takes the initiative, so he decided to let it slide and not hold it against Zheng Shi.

He adjusted his thoughts and listened seriously to the director’s second question.

The director said: “Please write down your own personality and the personality of your partner. And explain why you like them.”

The audience, seeing such a mild question, were dissatisfied: “What the hell, why are all the questions so simple? You didn’t treat the first three groups like this at all. Isn’t this blatant favoritism?!”

The director saw this comment scroll by and looked helpless.

He was indeed blatantly rigging things, but he rigged them for all the guests, not to shield just this pair.

The questions might look simple, but once you actually had to answer them, they were anything but. There was a lot more behind them than met the eye.

When the countdown ended, both turned their boards around at the same time.

Fang Huai wrote his own personality as “gentle,” because that was how he had always behaved in front of Zheng Shi. Zheng Shi would definitely write that too, he thought. Otherwise, if he wrote something else, Fang Huai would not only be mocked by the audience as “delusional, praising himself as gentle,” but also accused of “acting differently in front of his lover versus in reality.” That would have been an absolute battlefield.

For Zheng Shi’s personality, he wrote: “easygoing, knowledgeable, and without airs.” That was indeed how she behaved with him. She often went along with him and told him many secrets, things even her father didn’t know but which Zheng Shi understood clearly—including Fang Huai’s true background.

As for “without airs,” it was the same logic. In private, Zheng Shi never behaved like those other wealthy heiresses. They always maintained so-called noble dignity in public, terrified of bringing shame to their family name, overly meticulous to the point of exhaustion. Zheng Shi never did that. She was always like an ordinary girl from a common family—casual, relaxed, completely free of aristocratic etiquette. Even her table manners were all over the place, just doing whatever she wanted.

She was a duke’s daughter, surely taught proper noble etiquette since childhood, so it wasn’t that she couldn’t do it. She just felt it wasn’t necessary. To Fang Huai, her not deliberately putting on a noble front in front of him, an illegitimate child raised outside by a wealthy family, was proof of her thoughtfulness and care.

So Fang Huai wrote what he believed to be true. He was certain Zheng Shi would write the same, and there wouldn’t be any laughable discrepancies.

But what happened?

Confidently, Fang Huai turned to see Zheng Shi’s board, only to find her sloppy handwriting (she was still getting used to writing in this world’s script, so the fact she could write anything at all was good enough). On it, she wrote her personality as: “serious, doesn’t tolerate even a speck of dust in her eyes,” and Fang Huai’s personality as: “clever, knows how to handle things.”

Well then. Four descriptions, and not a single one matched. If you stretched it, maybe “gentle” and “clever, knows how to handle things” could both apply to the same person. But “easygoing” and “serious, intolerant of flaws” were complete opposites—like two entirely different people.

Once again, awkwardness descended upon the area. Several of the other guests standing nearby looked at them with complicated expressions, eyes full of unspeakable meaning.

Si Qi, who never bothered with restraint in the entertainment world, outright mocked them: “What a pair of ‘deeply understanding’ and ‘loving’ partners!”

The sarcasm was so sharp that even the bystanders felt secondhand embarrassment for the two. It was a perfect hit, articulating exactly what everyone was thinking.

Especially since, written under their boards, were their reasons for liking each other. Fang Huai wrote that Zheng Shi liked him, and he didn’t want to let down such a kind, deeply devoted girl. He liked such an outstanding woman and hoped to build a good life with her.

But Zheng Shi wrote that Fang Huai knew how to please people, and being with him felt comfortable, so she was willing to stay with him.

Ah, this…

The entire audience had just witnessed the true meaning of a relationship that looked fine on the surface but was hollow inside. For a moment, they didn’t even know from which angle to roast the two.

Hadn’t they just self-destructed?

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (12): 

Si Qi stood on the side watching the drama with great amusement, almost wishing he had a plate of sunflower seeds so he could sit down and eat while enjoying the show. He doubled over laughing as the two people’s expressions grew uglier, and his laughter carried far, making the viewers in the livestream laugh and cry at the same time. Everyone said Si Qi looked so happy—even though he was being mean, hearing him laugh felt extremely satisfying.

Unlike the other two pairs of guests, Si Qi wasn’t bound by adult restraint from doing something impolite. He had fans, and Chu Feng backing him, so he could do whatever he wanted.

Why should he be polite to people he disliked? He was going to laugh at them, and take revenge for the original host!

The audience felt gratified, thankful like never before that Si Qi had such a straightforward personality. Finally, someone could embarrass those two on the spot. Otherwise, scolding them through the screen never felt satisfying, because the two didn’t even know they were being cursed at!

Zheng Shi and Fang Huai were furious hearing Si Qi’s unrestrained laughter. Fang Huai, mindful of his public persona, could only try to tell Si Qi “nicely” not to go too far. Zheng Shi, however, resorted to shamelessly cursing and provoking him, but ended up only humiliating herself without achieving anything else.

This made netizens find it even more unbelievable: “And she’s supposed to be the duke’s daughter? She’s nothing like the nobles I’ve ever heard of!”

“Because of my work, I’ve met many ladies from noble families. They’re all polite— even if displeased, they never show it directly. They have composure and make people respect them. This duke’s daughter is definitely a freak among nobles—worse than educated women from ordinary families, with no class at all.”

“Alright, we’ve seen how ‘deep’ their relationship is. Hurry up and ask the next question, I can’t wait to see what kind of jokes they’ll make again.”

“Pfft, these two are definitely going to trend next, this is too hilarious.”

The director took in the audience’s mood very well. So in the next questions, he deliberately set traps for the couple. The more they answered, the more entertaining it became.

Director: “Please state at least five of your partner’s and your own accomplishments.”

Fang Huai forced himself to calm down. There were many questions, and this was only the second one—he still had chances to turn things around. He had prepared early by studying Zheng Shi’s information in order to pursue her, so answering questions about her achievements was effortless. But when it came to his own…

Damn, in front of Zheng Shi’s dazzling resume, he had nothing worth showing off!

Zheng Shi faced the same embarrassing situation. She knew all of Fang Huai’s achievements from the book, but when it came to herself (the original host), she drew a blank. She never seriously thought about it, only knew how the person bullied others.

After struggling to come up with her own answers, she barely managed five. With little time left, she quickly wrote down Fang Huai’s many achievements from the book. Then the time was up.

When the whiteboards were revealed, there was hardly any overlap between their answers, and the audience remained calm.

But once they read the actual answers, netizens couldn’t hold back their ridicule: “What is this mess?”

“Fang Huai listed a ton of Zheng Shi’s strengths, making her sound like some world-class talent. For himself, he wrote things like excellent employee at a company, model student at school. Did he not think this sounded ridiculous? Especially when he’s currently unemployed with no ambition at all.”

“Was Zheng Shi being serious? Writing about herself, and it’s all nonsense—even misspelling academic report titles. Fang Huai’s answers were more reliable than hers! So her degrees really must have been obtained through connections.”

“Wow, bragging is one thing, but she wrote that Fang Huai excels in combat and will become a general in the future. What kind of crap is that?”

“She even said Fang Huai was the leader of some organization. Isn’t that group currently led by xxx? Does she think everyone is a fool?”

“Could Zheng Shi really be dumb enough to make things up? Maybe Fang Huai tricked her into believing it. Otherwise, how could the duke’s daughter fancy such a useless guy?”

Fang Huai looked at the board in disbelief: “You wrote these…”

Zheng Shi suddenly realized Fang Huai’s career hadn’t even started yet, and everything she wrote was about things that would only happen in the future.

But she wasn’t anxious. She said to Fang Huai: “What, did I write it wrong?”

Fang Huai: “…” It wasn’t a matter of right or wrong—none of it was true.

Zheng Shi: “Since you’re my fiancé, you’ll definitely be able to achieve these small things, right?”

Fang Huai: “……” Small things? Like becoming the leader of a top organization, surpassing Chu Feng to be the Chu family’s general, leading armies to wipe out beast tides, and becoming a national hero…

That’s “small things”???

Zheng Shi grew unhappy seeing Fang Huai’s silence: “Why? I said you can do it, and you still don’t believe?”

Or is it that, in the original storyline, you could achieve these things to be with Si Qi openly, but now that you’re with me, you can’t?

Doesn’t that mean she’s not even as good as an actor like Si Qi? Zheng Shi couldn’t stand the thought!

“I’m telling you, you must become this kind of person in the future!” Zheng Shi demanded forcefully.

Fang Huai had no words, only lowered his head and obeyed once again: “I know, I’ll definitely become a hero for you.”

But aside from Zheng Shi, no one present—including Fang Huai himself—believed he could ever achieve that.

What a joke.

The richest man in the empire changes every year. Even with slim odds, people still occasionally win the lottery. But generals almost never change, and very few can ever reach that position.

For him to surpass Chu Feng and become a greater general—on what basis?

Because he’s smooth-talking and can flatter people? Or because his skin is thick enough?

No one knew where Zheng Shi’s confidence came from, but since she said so, Fang Huai just agreed. After all, anyone can pretend to humor someone.

Their exchange sparked another wave of ridicule from viewers. People even began investigating whether Zheng Shi’s degrees were fake, given her error-filled “achievements,” and with Fang Huai voluntarily providing school and company information, they also dug into his background.

Never underestimate the power of netizens’ search skills. Even without them, Si Qi—who was more than ready—would happily expose the embarrassing truths of the two, leaving them overwhelmed and unable to bother Chu Feng again.

As more questions came, the two’s already sour expressions grew darker. Their confident smiles vanished completely, replaced only with frustration and confusion.

Why couldn’t they answer even such simple questions?

If not perfect synchronicity like the earlier couples, at least they shouldn’t be sabotaging each other!

They came here planning to trouble Si Qi and Chu Feng, but before they even got the chance, they made fools of themselves.

When asked about each other’s preferences, their answers were completely mismatched.

When asked about shared social circles, it was as if they lived in two different worlds.

As for future plans, Zheng Shi came across like a control freak, insisting Fang Huai become a world-renowned general. The mocking gazes of the other guests left Fang Huai utterly embarrassed. Worse still, Zheng Shi, supposedly a highly educated noblewoman, wrote her own future plan as “freelance” (a rich housewife). How ridiculous was that?!

She only ever thought about enjoying life without working, so how could she demand so much from him? He was counting on her to open doors for him into high society. Instead, she expected him to be a great general conquering territories and guaranteeing her lifelong glory and wealth.

To put it bluntly, if Fang Huai really had the ability to become someone so powerful, why would he keep such a lazy, useless woman who couldn’t provide him any help at all? At least Si Qi would introduce him to connections and job opportunities. This woman had given him nothing but information, and he was still unemployed even now!

Their constant sabotage of each other gave the audience more than enough laughs. Everyone shouted with glee that watching the so-called World’s Daughter and the supposed protagonist compete to be the worse teammate was even more exciting than a melodramatic soap opera.

The disastrous, incoherent couple’s tacit understanding test came to an end. The two, who had earlier vowed with confidence that they’d surely take first place, were now full of doubts about life.

Fang Huai wondered, why was not a single piece of intel he got from her friends accurate?

Zheng Shi thought, is this kind of guy really the protagonist? Did I transmigrate into a parallel world?

With just one simple variety show segment, the “power of the world” attached to the two of them plummeted rapidly.

Si Qi thought to himself, no wonder this world was about to face destruction. With these two fools with no brains as the World’s Daughter and the protagonist, the world’s consciousness really was unlucky.

When the segment ended, Professor Bai and his childhood-sweetheart partner took first place, Si Qi’s group ranked second, the female doctor and male warrior placed third, while the World’s Daughter and the protagonist came in last.

Netizens laughed their heads off at the farce, while the production team handed out prizes to each pair.

First prize winners, Professor Bai and the lawyer, received a longsword and a crossbow. Si Qi and Chu Feng got a slightly lesser set: a dagger and a longbow. The last-place groups only got the most basic consolation prize—a pair of energy shields.

Seeing these items, the guests understood what was coming next. Things would not be easy.

Sure enough, the production team announced: “The place we were just in was a cleaned-up safe zone. Next, we’ll head closer to the frontline where soldiers are stationed, to experience wilderness survival up close. There’s a high chance of encountering beasts, so please be careful and act cautiously.”

Hearing this, most of the guests showed a mix of fear and excitement.

In this society, where people could only live in cities and without special reasons might never leave their hometowns their whole lives, curiosity about the wilderness was unimaginable.

Though they knew the beasts were dangerous and that going to the wild without preparation would be very tough, no one wanted to miss such a rare chance. Besides, Chu Feng was with them, the army guarded the frontlines, and the crew was ready to provide backup. With such conditions, backing out would be shameful.

The World’s Daughter looked at everyone’s faces, sulking. She thought these people must be crazy. A dating variety show turned into wilderness survival, and it somehow fit the audience’s tastes perfectly. Ridiculous!

Professor Bai and the lawyer studied their weapons, lifting and lowering them awkwardly, unsure what to do.

Professor Bai, born to hold a pen, couldn’t even raise the long weapon as heavy as his arm. It felt unbearably awkward.

Seeing the warrior holding an auto-shield, Professor Bai thought for a moment and asked him: “How about we switch?”

The warrior was surprised, then quickly understood, smiling: “Of course. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

Professor Bai sighed in relief, embarrassed but smiling as he handed the sword over and received the shield.

The lawyer tried the crossbow and found it easy to use, so he kept it for protection.

That left only the World’s Daughter’s group without any weapons. Feeling displeased, she told Si Qi: “Give your weapon to Fang Huai.”

Before Si Qi could respond, she added righteously: “We’re all together here. You can’t just watch the two of us without weapons, right? If beasts attack and we’re injured, it’ll be all your fault—for not giving us weapons to protect ourselves, for letting us get hurt.”

Fang Huai glanced at the bow behind Si Qi and thought that Si Qi, pampered as he was, wouldn’t use it anyway. Pretending to be considerate, he said: “Yes, Si Qi, give me your weapon. I’ll carry it for you.”

Netizens nearly died laughing at their shamelessness: “What kind of people are these?”

“Snatching someone’s weapon in the dangerous wilderness is bad enough, but saying ‘I’ll help you carry it’? That’s like in a famine saying you have too much food, I’ll help you eat it!”

“Does he really think he’s being thoughtful? That fake-kind look makes me sick—what a hypocrite!”

Si Qi rolled his eyes and ignored them completely. His vivid look of disdain delighted the viewers and infuriated the two further.

Chu Feng said to Si Qi: “The bow is heavy and hard to move with. Give it to me.”

Unlike the crossbow, a longbow required great strength to draw and experience to aim. For an ordinary person, they’d either miss badly or fail to pull the string at all. Chu Feng thought if Si Qi faced a beast, he wouldn’t even have time to draw the bow before it reached him. It would be safer to just run.

Si Qi asked: “Do you want to use the bow?”

Chu Feng shook his head: “I only need a dagger.”

Si Qi: “Then why carry the bow? Isn’t it a burden? Are you planning not to protect me properly?”

Chu Feng couldn’t help but laugh: “Even if I’m carrying more, I won’t let you get hurt.”

Netizens screamed: “Si Qi is so sweet!” “The general’s boyfriend energy is overwhelming!” Meanwhile, the World’s Daughter and Fang Huai were furious. They thought Si Qi and Chu Feng would rather carry extra weight than hand over their weapons. How selfish!

The production team set up a campsite marked on their locator. The group set off. They were all strong young people, and with mutual support, chatting as they walked, they didn’t feel too tired.

Sharing a common interest, Professor Bai, Si Qi, and the female doctor chatted excitedly about the surrounding plants. The warrior and lawyer, intrigued by the surprising details about even ordinary grasses, joined the discussion.

Chu Feng watched Si Qi, now the center of attention, his gaze growing gentler. Viewers who noticed were moved, saying it was obvious from his eyes that the general loved Si Qi deeply.

The World’s Daughter and Fang Huai, however, looked uneasy. She thought it impossible that useless Si Qi could know so much—he must be making things up, and the others were just humoring him. Fang Huai, on the other hand, felt unsettled. So this was how Si Qi was in front of others—calm, knowledgeable, rational, and impressive.

No wonder he had refused Fang Huai’s request to harm Chu Feng, and once his feelings cooled, his attitude changed so quickly.

Without emotions clouding his mind, Si Qi was not easy to fool. Fang Huai realized he had been wrong all along!

As he thought this, a beastly wild boar suddenly charged from the jungle. Fang Huai flinched, instinctively wanting to run, but Zheng Shi clutched him tightly, shouting: “Fang Huai, go! Prove your strength now!”

Fang Huai: “…” Damn it, she’s insane!

The warrior and Chu Feng stepped forward without hesitation, easily working together to defeat the boar. The lawyer, holding the crossbow, raised it then lowered it again—he didn’t dare fire, afraid he might hit them by mistake. Si Qi didn’t even touch the bow on his back. He stood tall, calm, smugly boasting in a roundabout way: “Chu Feng doesn’t have many strengths—just that his power is ‘a little’ stronger.”

The female doctor and Professor Bai couldn’t help laughing at his smug tone. The World’s Daughter kicked Fang Huai furiously: “Why are you so useless? Chu Feng already went up, and you’re still standing here! He stole all the spotlight!”

Fang Huai: “…”

He was speechless with frustration. Where did this lunatic come from? Expecting an ordinary man like him to fight a boar barehanded? Not dragging the two warriors down was already the best he could do! If he got knocked over in public, his face would be gone forever.

Seeing Fang Huai refuse to move, the World’s Daughter was so angry she nearly cried: “What’s wrong with you? How are you going to be a great general like this? Didn’t you say you’d match everything Chu Feng has?”

Fang Huai frowned and muttered under his breath: “Keep your voice down! What if people hear?”

Of course, in front of the cameras, plenty of people did hear. They just found it baffling—where on earth did Zheng Shi get the confidence that Fang Huai could ever become a general like Chu Feng? That was just absurd.

So they mocked a few times, then no one paid attention anymore.

Only a few people, with sharp intuition, keenly noticed Fang Huai’s guilty expression and how he didn’t dare look at Chu Feng, sensing something was off. The surname “Fang” suddenly flashed across their minds—Fang Huai and Fang Bozhong both had the same surname. They couldn’t help but mutter, “No way, it can’t be this dramatic, right?” Following that clue, they went online to check…

Meanwhile, Chu Feng and the male warrior finished off the beast. In less than a minute, the warrior had felt Chu Feng’s overwhelming strength firsthand. Now he was looking at Chu Feng with eyes full of admiration. Many fans who loved watching battle videos were roaring with excitement, blood boiling. Only a small number of veteran fans voiced their doubts: “Why does it feel like the general was holding back this time?”

“The general usually acts decisively, finishing quickly. Did he deliberately go easy for the warrior’s sake, so he wouldn’t lose face?”

But those few voices were quickly drowned out by the flood of bullet comments praising Chu Feng, vanishing without a trace.

The group looked at the fallen beast, its body as tall as their waists, not sure how to handle it. Chu Feng explained that the meat of such beasts could be used for survival food, highly nutritious. The lawyer complained that the show crew couldn’t possibly be so cruel as to give them nothing. Surely there’d be food at the campsite? But the director’s gloating voice cut him off: “Didn’t expect the general to see through us so fast. That’s right, the campsite only has tents and cooking tools. Food and water must be prepared by yourselves.”

The lawyer and others went blank-faced, while only the warrior and the female doctor stayed calm, clearly having expected this.

Professor Bai steadied himself and said methodically, “Then on the road, let’s look around for anything that can serve as food or seasoning.”

Just as he finished, he spotted a clump of mushrooms by his feet, happily crouched down, and started picking.

“These will be great, either for flavoring or soup.”

Chu Feng borrowed the warrior’s long blade, stabbed into the boar’s neck with a sharp “puchi,” and began draining blood and cutting meat.

The warrior instinctively helped on the side.

Chu Feng called to Si Qi and the others: “Go find something to carry the meat in. Let’s move quickly. Once we have the meat, we leave—too much blood here will attract other beasts.”

Fang Huai finally found some use: “I saw lotus leaves earlier…”

Professor Bai frowned, “There’s no pond here, how could you see lotus leaves?”

Si Qi replied, “It’s probably beedou leaves.”

Professor Bai realized.

Beedou leaves looked like lotus leaves but were taller than a person. Once cut, they could indeed be used to wrap meat.

“Then bring back a lot of them. We can use them to carry other things too.”

Fang Huai glanced at Si Qi, “Can you come help me?”

Zheng Shi immediately grew alert: “Why are you calling him?!”

Fang Huai: “…I can’t exactly call a girl to haul things, and we’ll be leaving the group—it could be dangerous.”

Zheng Shi glared viciously at Si Qi: “No way. I won’t let you two be alone. Wherever you go, I go.”

Si Qi sneered: “As if I’d be happy to go anywhere with you two.”

He walked away from them, going to help Professor Bai pick mushrooms instead, leaving Fang Huai and Zheng Shi embarrassed mid-conversation.

Fang Huai awkwardly said, “Then let’s just go, the two of us.”

Zheng Shi: “…” Suddenly she didn’t want to go anymore.

Not only would they have to work, but they’d also be leaving the main group. What if they really did run into a beast? The book had already written it: whenever Fang Huai, the protagonist, ended up alone in the wild, he was destined to encounter danger. Those encounters became the trials that helped him grow and were necessary steps on his path to becoming a general. But for the people around him, those trials were disasters.

In the original plot, Si Qi had suffered a lot of collateral damage because of Fang Huai, cursing him nonstop. Zheng Shi had thought it wasn’t Fang Huai’s fault and mocked Si Qi for not being considerate enough. Now that she stood in Si Qi’s shoes, she understood just how much of a trap it really was.

But since she had already said it so firmly earlier—that wherever Fang Huai went, she would go—she couldn’t now let Fang Huai go alone to carry so much. So Zheng Shi, face dark, followed after him, chanting in her heart that she was the daughter of destiny, a transmigrator—she couldn’t possibly be that unlucky.

But sometimes Murphy’s Law works like this: the more you don’t want something bad to happen, the more certain it is to happen.

The others hadn’t been working long when a woman’s scream suddenly rang out from a distance.

Everyone immediately stood and looked over, just in time to see Zheng Shi running desperately toward them. Behind her was a lightning-fast beast, a Gale Rabbit, its sharp fangs glinting coldly.

“Fang Huai, you bastard!!” Zheng Shi’s face was pale with terror, crying and screaming, “Help! Help!!”

In a blink, the rabbit leapt up behind her, as if it could bite her calf at any moment. The lawyer stood frozen in shock, then suddenly remembered the crossbow in his hands. But as he raised it, looking at Zheng Shi running and the rabbit that was just a blur, he realized he didn’t dare pull the trigger—what if he hit her instead?!

“Don’t worry, Zheng Shi has a protective device that can block a beast’s attack for a while,” Professor Bai reassured. But over there, Zheng Shi’s shrieks grew more hysterical: “Chu Feng!! Save me!! Aren’t you the general? Isn’t it your duty to protect us?! If something happens to me, my family won’t forgive you!! Chu Feng!!! I’m holding evidence against you!!!”

Si Qi couldn’t help rolling his eyes. He raised his bow, aiming at the so-called daughter of destiny.

“Ahhh!!!” Seeing him raise his bow at her, she burst into tears again, screaming, “Si Qi, you remember this!! I won’t let you off, I’ll ruin you, I’ll destroy you!!”

The onlookers were stunned and quickly tried to stop him: “Si Qi, don’t act recklessly—if you hit her by mistake, it’ll be bad!”

The online viewers were panicking too: “77, calm down! Don’t let them twist it against you!”

“The general already rushed over. Si Qi, just stay back!”

The people nearby were frantic, but Si Qi felt nothing. He planted his feet, drew the bow fully, and with a sharp “whoosh,” the arrow flew past the girl’s clothes, making her scream louder. She cursed furiously: “You tried to kill me?! Si Qi, you’ll never end well! You’ll die horribly!!”

Those standing beside Si Qi were dumbfounded, watching her go insane, unable to get a word in.

But the online viewers, who saw everything from above, had clearly watched the arrow pierce straight into the Gale Rabbit’s forehead with perfect precision. Their eyes widened in shock, bullet comments filling the screen with exclamation marks.

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (10): 

Si Qi was startled by Chu Feng’s straightforward words, staring at him dumbfounded as his face instantly turned red.

Wh-what, even if he and Chu Feng were already like an old married couple, suddenly seeing his lover take the initiative would still make him feel shy, okay!

One of them blushed as red as a monkey’s backside, the other’s ears turned so crimson they looked like they could drip blood. The unique pink atmosphere that belonged only to couples lingered over the livestream, shoving mouthful after mouthful of sweet dog food into everyone’s mouths, making them so excited they could only let out shrieks and howls.

The director saw the number of comments instantly jump to three or four times the previous amount. Even though he didn’t manage to stir up a dramatic reveal, he still felt very satisfied. He let go of that trap for now and asked the next carefully designed question: “You are both public figures, and your suddenly revealed romance has attracted great attention from countless netizens. But until recently, you two had never interacted publicly before, completely like parallel lines. It seems as if the moment you met, you fell into deep love and have been very close ever since. What’s the reason for this?”

At this question, the fans who had just been thrilled suddenly fell into silence. The director’s insinuation was too obvious, and many bystanders blurted out without thinking: “Is the director suggesting it’s strange for them to have just met not long ago but already be this close?”

“Come to think of it, the timing of when they first crossed paths wasn’t that long ago, at most a week to half a month, right? Before that, I’d never heard they even knew each other…”

“Yikes, the more you think about it, the scarier it gets.”

“No way, right? I was just thinking how sweet they were—could it be they’re just a business CP again? Nooo…”

The fans trembled, too afraid to speak, lacking the boldness of outsiders who could freely comment, terrified that the two people they adored might actually be a fake couple.

At the beginning, their attitude of wailing and refusing to let their idols date had completely vanished. Now they wished they could pull out a lock, tie the two together, grind the key into dust and scatter it into the sea, so they would never be separated.

What reassured them was that when the director asked such blunt questions, neither Si Qi nor Chu Feng showed the slightest discomfort. They calmly wrote down their answers and flipped their whiteboards when the time limit was up.

On both boards was written the same thing: “Because of my work.” x2

Chu Feng explained: “I’m usually stationed with the corps, always on standby to carry out missions, so I rarely return to the capital and don’t have the chance to meet him…”

Si Qi said nonchalantly, “Anyway, I’m so busy with work, even if he came back, I wouldn’t have time to see him. Whether he’s back or not, I don’t care at all, hmph!”

Well, despite his words, that last sound still revealed a hint of emotion.

The fans’ pounding hearts were instantly soothed. General-fans howled, “General’s wife, don’t be mad, it’s all our general’s fault, please don’t abandon him over this!!” 77-fans generously consoled, “General Chu, don’t feel guilty, you’re protecting everyone’s safety, we understand. If 77 feels lonely, we’ll keep him company, don’t worry.”

The two groups who had been fighting tooth and nail before the show aired were now speaking up for each other’s idols. Onlookers clicked their tongues in amazement, thinking these fans had fully accepted their idol’s partner and were now united.

Meanwhile, Fang Huai and Zheng Shi, standing to the side, were grinding their teeth in rage, wishing they could rush to the camera and shout, “It’s all lies!”

Si Qi and Chu Feng had clearly only known each other for less than ten days. All of their displays of affection and all of their feelings were fake! They were lying!!

But just as Fang Huai and Zheng Shi dared not speak out—since the matter involved national security and would get them into serious trouble with higher-ups—Si Qi and Chu Feng also couldn’t possibly say on a variety show that “the general safeguarding the empire suffered a mental power riot and is at death’s door.” That would cause nationwide unrest! Neighboring countries might even seize the opportunity to stir trouble or send assassins after Chu Feng.

From the very first time they met, the two had agreed never to reveal this. So when the director asked just now, they gave consistent and reasonable answers that perfectly matched reality, leaving no flaws to pick at.

The director clicked his tongue in frustration, watching their expressions for any cracks but finding none, and had no choice but to drop it.

Fortunately, he still had more questions to use, so he decided to test whether their answers were genuine or not.

“Since you two claim to have been together for a long time, you must know your partner very well.”

“We’ve collected a lot of information about your work and daily lives and made it into test questions. Please answer them. If your accuracy exceeds eighty percent, you pass.”

“Don’t worry, they’re all basic common-sense questions. Even your fans would be able to get over eighty percent.”

Most fans were eager to try, wanting to see the questions and test themselves.

A smaller group of sharper fans noticed something off. After skimming through, they couldn’t help but complain: “Come on, half of these are things only hardcore fans would know. Even if two people are dating, they wouldn’t know every detail, like which song he sang the most at concerts or the exact location of such-and-such battle… This is dating, not being a fan.”

“This is nonsense, General Chu is so busy, how could he have time to watch romance dramas, watching his lover act out love with someone else?”

“Exactly!”

A minority of fans defended their idols, saying the test was unfair. But most fans didn’t notice these details and instead fretted over other things: “Ugh, I know everything about 77, but when it comes to General Chu, all I know is what’s in the news.”

“Whoa, so that battle years ago was actually won under General Chu’s command? I only learned that today!”

“Huh? Si Qi was on the cover of an international magazine? An ambassador for xxx luxury brand? That impressive?”

“And he even ranked top ten in the ‘World’s Most Popular People’ poll… That’s a global poll. Si Qi really makes us proud.”

“The more you say, the more shocking it gets. I just realized how amazing these two really are…”

And just like that, the five-minute Q&A ended. After Si Qi and Chu Feng submitted their answers on the tablets, the backstage system quickly gave their scores.

At the same time, the fans’ answers from the livestream mini-app were also scored. Out of 100 points, the highest score was 67, followed by 66, 65, and 58.

Seeing the ranking list, netizens went crazy complaining: “What happened to eighty percent?!”

“You’d have to be a fan of both of them to get a score like that!”

“Director, get out here!!”

Sweating under the siege of fans, the director quickly ordered the staff to send small gifts (joint Si Qi–Chu Feng merchandise) to the top ten ranked netizens to divert attention. Then he glanced at the backstage display of Chu and Si’s scores and burst out laughing: “Only sixty-something points!”

“No way to keep pretending now!!”

He put their scores on the screen. Many netizens, who just a moment ago were envying the high scorers who got limited-edition gifts, were now shocked that the couple’s scores were only on par with the top ten. “How could this be?”

Some haters hidden among the crowd finally jumped out to jeer: “See! This is ironclad proof!”

“They really are a plastic couple—it’s all just an act for you idiots to watch!”

But the next second, fans staring at the couple’s test sheets suddenly burst out laughing. 77-fans said: “Our 77 is just too cute!!”

“He got almost every question about himself wrong, but answered everything about General Chu correctly!”

“Hahahahahaha!!”

“Did you all notice!! General Chu got every single question about Si Qi right!! Ahhhh what kind of earth-shattering love is this!! I’m literally bawling in a storm of tears on the spot!!!”

General-fans raised a different point: “General Chu is always so meticulous, there’s no way he would get questions about himself wrong. His answers must be the real ones. The production team was too sloppy.”

The director, gloating at what he thought was a shocking revelation, didn’t get to enjoy it long before a staff member, wiping sweat, came up to him: “The audience is saying the questions we found about General Chu were all online gossip, not actual verified information…”

“And… Si Qi probably spends all his time online looking up gossip about General Chu instead of asking him about his work, so he actually aced those questions…”

“The reason Si Qi only got sixty-something points is because on questions about himself, nine out of ten were wrong… the only ones right were the ones fans would know, or work-related stuff…”

The director’s expression froze: “…………”

“In short, the audience is really unhappy with us now. They think we were too careless with General Chu’s questions, not taking the achievements of a national hero seriously…”

At that, the director jolted, hurriedly stepping out to salvage the situation: “Ahem, our questions were chosen from the perspective of fans and Teacher Si, so they might have been a little biased from reality…”

“Yeah right!”

“The production team is just shirking responsibility!!”

Awkwardly, the director said: “Of course, this is also an opportunity for General Chu to personally correct our misconceptions, and tell us which of the things online are false, and what the real truth is…”

The director racked his brain: “I think Teacher Si must be the most eager to know. From his perfect answers about General Chu, we can see how much attention he pays to the general in daily life…”

Those carefully leading words indeed distracted many netizens.

Some people now really wanted to know the truth behind the widely circulated rumors that everyone believed, pricking up their ears to listen.

Others doubled over laughing at how Si Qi accidentally revealed that he spent all day online as a fan—actually an even more hardcore fan than the general’s own fandom.

General-fans banged drums and welcomed the new member: “So 77 is one of us General-fans too!”

“Tell us your fandom name, let’s see if we already know you as a big shot!”

“Hahahaha, Si Qi pretends not to care and never asks General about himself, but behind the scenes he secretly researches everything, memorizing it all better than anyone!!”

“Our general’s spouse is too adorable, ahhhh I love him so much!!”

Seeing the online feedback, the director grinned and smoothly shifted the topic: “Many General-fans are welcoming Teacher Si as a new fan, saying they never expected such a big star to also chase idols in private.”

Si Qi flushed and snapped: “Who’s chasing idols! I’m paying attention to national affairs!! Why don’t you talk about Chu Feng? The great general is the real gossipy one, always following the entertainment industry. He’s the one chasing idols!”

Netizens were cracking up: “Yes yes, you’re paying attention to national affairs, it just happens all your affairs are about General Chu! Precision targeting, that’s what it is!”

“Right right, General Chu chases idols—he’s chasing you, the big star, and he actually caught you!”

“77, stop publicly showing off your love, I’m running out of insulin here!”

True to his straightforward military nature, Chu Feng said honestly: “I’m not chasing idols. I just want to know more about you.”

Si Qi’s already flushed face turned scarlet, so red he couldn’t show himself, sputtering furiously: “You! I! You, you, you!”

The other guests laughed so hard they couldn’t stop. The scene was filled with joy—Si Qi was just too cute. So this was how charming a tsundere could be? Dating him must be so much fun!

“This is called a natural tsundere tamer. Si Qi, just give up resisting,” the female doctor teased with a smile.

“Exactly, in front of General Chu you’re doomed to be thoroughly devoured,” the male warrior roared with laughter.

Chu Feng looked innocently at the two, completely clueless about what they meant. Si Qi was fuming, snapping at him: “It’s all your fault!”

Chu Feng nodded obediently: “Sorry.”

Si Qi: “…………”

So when the others saw him too angry to even know how to vent, they laughed even louder.

The director breathed a sigh of relief, heart still pounding, seeing that everyone’s attention had been diverted.

After all, unlike Chu Feng and Si Qi, who were constantly in the public eye, Chu Feng never deliberately revealed information about himself. Everything about him had been pieced together by fans.

And since fans weren’t his close associates, it was normal that their collected info had discrepancies. For example, everyone said General Chu had a father and a younger brother, but Chu Feng had answered that he only had a partner—so what was going on…

Wait? Si Qi answered in line with the internet rumors, which means he got that question wrong?!

Other wrong answers didn’t matter much, but how could he get this kind wrong?!

Aren’t they supposed to be living together? Didn’t Chu Feng ever tell Si Qi who his family members were?? Or… is Si Qi actually not living in the Chu family estate??

Some netizens finally noticed this detail and raised it in the comment stream. The director, puzzled, asked Si Qi: “General Chu said his only family member is you, but you said he also has a father and younger brother, so this…”

Without thinking, Si Qi replied: “By bloodline, yes, but personally, I feel it’s as good as having none!”

Fang Huai, who had been watching their interaction with a dark face, turned ghastly upon hearing this. His expression twisted so hideously he looked like a ghost.

The director realized Si Qi’s words were extremely sensitive, and guessed that Chu Feng’s test answer implied deeper inside stories. Mishandling it could cause people to question the general’s private character. Nervous, he quickly said: “Then… why do you say that…”

He was giving Si Qi an out, hoping he would explain and smooth things over for Chu Feng.

As expected, Si Qi didn’t let the chance slip, and in his sharp-tongued style, he coldly snorted and said angrily without holding back: “His father has an illegitimate child outside! And he even wants to bring that child into the Chu family to fight for power! Shameless!!”

At that, everyone present was shocked, but before they could react, Si Qi went on furiously: “What does that illegitimate child have to do with the Chu family? He was born disgracefully, yet has the gall to try to snatch what belongs to Chu Feng! What the hell is he!!”

The director quickly caught a detail and asked for clarification so Si Qi could explain: “But doesn’t that illegitimate brother still carry Chu family blood?”

“Nonsense! Chu Feng’s mother’s surname is Chu, his father’s surname is Fang. His father married into the Chu family. So the child born outside has nothing to do with the Chu family! And yet Chu Feng’s father not only used Chu family money to raise that illegitimate son, but even wanted to bring him into the Chu family to fight over what rightfully belongs to Chu Feng! There’s no such reason in this world!!”

Si Qi’s words carried an overwhelming amount of information, the content was practically like an eight o’clock soap opera, full of twists, turns, and melodrama.

The netizens were completely stunned. One after another, they expressed sympathy for Chu Feng and angrily cursed that scumbag of a father.

“What the hell is this!”

“Because he’s a live-in son-in-law, he probably wanted even more to have a child with his own surname to inherit the family business. I bet that scumbag father never considered General Chu as his real son at all. Otherwise, how could he secretly have another child outside, then deliberately bring that illegitimate child back to the Chu family to fight for power with the general? He must think that if the Chu family is in General Chu’s hands, it doesn’t belong to him. But if it’s in his illegitimate son’s hands, then it does.”

“I’m about to die of anger!! Ahhhhh why is my general so miserable!!! Tell me who his father is, I’m going to curse that bastard out!!”

“To the one in front, I know who General Chu’s father is. That old man always struts around under General Chu’s name, flaunting himself in public. He’s especially high-profile. Online link: [Encyclopedia entry – Fang Bozhong]”

“Damn, that scumbag father’s surname is Fang? I actually never knew this before!! The Chu family had even tried to preserve his dignity by not directly declaring him a son-in-law, and yet he turned around and exploited the Chu family’s kindness to do such shameless things?!”

“General’s fans, don’t panic! We 7-fans are the best at digging up information. We’ll soon drag out who that illegitimate child is! Let’s see if he really has what it takes to steal the general’s place!!”

“Hey, hey, but isn’t the child innocent…”

“Innocent my ass! Just his mere existence is enough to disgust the general, not to mention his father using him to grab the Chu family’s assets. If he hadn’t agreed to cooperate, his father couldn’t have even made the move! As an illegitimate child with no status, facing such huge benefits, you think he wouldn’t be tempted? Are you saying he grew up never getting even a single advantage from the Chu family? He spends the Chu family’s money, covets the Chu family’s things, and still dares to claim innocence? There’s no such thing as a free pass in this world!!”

The fans were exploding with anger, their thunderous fury silencing countless bystanders, who didn’t dare say a word for fear of being accused of “thinking the illegitimate child’s existence is normal.”

The director, seeing that public opinion was moving in a favorable direction, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Some things (like salacious scandals) could be used to stir trouble as a sensational highlight, but some things could never be made into a joke. If rumors spread that General Chu rejected his blood relatives, was cold and heartless, morally corrupt, and the source of that rumor was this very program, the consequences would be disastrous.

Now, nobody online thought Chu Feng was wrong to have answered “only Si Qi is my family” on the questionnaire. Nor did anyone feel that such a scumbag father and illegitimate half-brother were worthy of being called Chu Feng’s family. Something that was originally awkward to bring up had, thanks to Si Qi’s blunt words of scorn, passed without disaster. Even if someone later exposed that Chu Feng didn’t acknowledge his biological father or half-brother, nobody would use morality to attack Chu Feng’s character.

Because of this bombshell, the director even benefited from misfortune: attention on the show skyrocketed again, and more and more viewers poured into the livestream. The real-time viewership numbers climbed to a level that would make any other director green with envy.

Both shocked and delighted, the director’s impression of Si Qi and Chu Feng as a duo grew better and better. In the following Q&A, he started asking questions more favorable to them, giving them plenty of hidden advantages.

One spoke bluntly, refusing to lie; the other acted upright and decisive. Though their reasons differed, together they made everyone instinctively believe every word they said.

For example, when the production team asked: if your partner and a stranger fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?

It was originally designed to be a particularly dramatic question, but the two of them both wrote down “save the stranger first.”

Seeing how decisively they answered, the director teased with a smile, “Aren’t you two afraid you’ll have to kneel on the washboard when you get home?” Chu Feng replied, “Si Qi isn’t that kind of person.”

Si Qi arrogantly turned his head away without responding, but his reaction already showed that he truly wouldn’t care about something like this. The director then laughed and asked, “What if Si Qi couldn’t swim, but the stranger could?”

Chu Feng shook his head: “That’s impossible. He’s the most important person to me. I’ll do everything I can to improve his survival skills, teach him everything I know, and never let him face a helpless situation. If such a thing really happened, I’d definitely go save him.”

Si Qi snorted on the side, muttering, “I don’t need you worrying about me. Something this small, I can handle myself…”

The director laughed again, saying, “So that’s why. It’s not that you wouldn’t save Mr. Si, but that you believe in his ability to protect himself.”

The 7-fans grinned and said: “Of course, we knew the general wouldn’t be that cruel to our 77.”

“It’s not that he wouldn’t save 77, it’s that he’s already taught 77 everything important in advance!”

“Our 77 is amazing too, he wouldn’t drag the general down in a moment like that. General’s fans don’t need to rush to apologize to us, we totally understand!”

Then the director turned the question toward Si Qi: “Mr. Si, you wrote save the other person first because—” Si Qi cut him off: “If he can’t handle something like that, I wouldn’t have chosen him in the first place! The person I like has to be the strongest one in the whole world!”

The director laughed: “I knew you’d answer like that.”

Passersby were deeply moved: “Wow, this kind of mutual trust is so beautiful. They make people feel so reassured.”

“Yeah, and even though they’re each other’s most important person, when danger comes, they’d still unhesitatingly save someone else. That kind of quality is truly touching.”

“If I were the stranger in that question, I’d be grateful that the other two people were them.”

“What was supposed to be a dilemma is no problem at all for these two.”

“I really like Si Qi so much. Thankfully our general chose him. The general’s judgment is indeed excellent. Whether it’s inside or out, Si Qi is flawless. Of course, what matters most is that our general especially loves Si Qi—that’s the most important thing.”

“Hehe, actually it’s not just that. I heard from my mom that Si Qi recently accompanied the general to a social banquet, helped him build a lot of connections, solved many problems for him, and that in reality Si Qi is nothing like the rumors online—he’s actually an excellent ‘good wife and mother,’ skilled in social interactions, and very sophisticated.”

“Wow… is that accurate? I used to worry that Si Qi’s straightforward speech wouldn’t fit into high society. But so it’s actually like this?”

“Of course it’s accurate. In fact, hasn’t Si Qi, even in this show, already done a lot for the general, helping him gain plenty of fans? Lots of people now feel the general is more approachable.”

“Exactly, exactly. I used to think General Chu’s expressionless face made him seem cold and scary. If someone had said something bad about him, maybe I would’ve joined in, saying all powerful people are no good. But now I don’t think that way at all.”

“Someone who grew up an orphan, learned to fight his way through society, entered the entertainment industry alone, and within a few years rose to the very top—of course he has ability. As a general’s fan, I feel totally reassured.”

“Hahaha our 77 really is the best!!”

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (9): 

Fang Huai’s words, every single one of them, was full of things to nitpick.

The audience laughed in anger, fingers flying over their keyboards sending bullet comments: “Sure enough, every pot has its lid!”

Some people also noticed Fang Huai’s family background and couldn’t help but complain: “What’s this, isn’t the duke’s daughter herself dating a so-called ‘lowly man’? Does she think her fiancé is only with her for her power and status? If not, then why is she being so harsh on Si Qi!”

Especially since Fang Huai, in front of so many people, actually believed Zheng Shi’s one-sided slander and didn’t care about anything else, directly blaming and accusing Si Qi. This kind of siding with his lover instead of what’s right only deepened the public’s disgust. Netizens who originally had no bad feelings toward Fang Huai instantly lumped him together with Zheng Shi as part of the same camp and started rejecting him too.

“Innocent? Misplacing anger? Si Qi too much? The ones going too far are you two clowns!!”

“And you even want our Qi Qi to apologize to that woman, who do you think you are?”

“Saying Zheng Shi has a good personality, I’m going to vomit. Either this guy is blind or he’s deliberately kissing up to the noble to show loyalty.”

“Fine, just chain these two together permanently, don’t come out and harm others anymore.”

Si Qi was already disgusted by the green-tea behavior of the original host’s ex-boyfriend, then he heard Xiu Xiu in his consciousness space laughing loudly, saying to him: [Master, master, the power of the world on the protagonist suddenly dropped a huge chunk, xiuxiuxiu… The world’s daughter really is the ‘god-tier teammate’!]

Si Qi froze slightly, almost bursting into laughter.

He looked at Fang Huai with a blank face and said: “Who are you, am I close with you? Opening your mouth and telling me to apologize, what are you supposed to be?”

Such blunt words, if spoken by another celebrity, would surely be seen as shocking and impolite, definitely a reason for haters to swarm the internet and attack them.

But since it was Si Qi, whose style had always been this way since his debut… well, everyone was already used to it. They even felt he was holding back a lot today. Facing someone who directly accused him, he only responded with this level of mockery—truly showing good temper.

But Fang Huai didn’t feel that way. He had known Si Qi for so long, when had he ever been mocked so coldly by him? He had always been the most special one in Si Qi’s heart, and he was proud of it. Now suddenly being turned against by Si Qi, he felt deeply hurt and said in disbelief: “You would treat me like this? Just because I… You can’t be so selfish, we could have been friends!”

Netizens were speechless seeing Fang Huai’s deeply wounded look: “Why do I feel like he really can’t believe Si Qi would treat him this way? Where does his confidence come from, is he too full of himself??”

“His face is thicker than a city wall.”

“Who do you think you are, why should Si Qi be polite to you? Friends? You deserve that?”

Si Qi sneered, folding his arms as he looked him over: “Friends? What do you have that makes you qualified to be my friend, huh? Your shamelessness?”

“You—!” Fang Huai couldn’t believe his ears, looking hurt as he said to Si Qi: “You’ve gone too far, we didn’t even do anything to you, it’s you who can’t accept all this…”

Netizens: “…Come on, what do you mean you didn’t do anything? You clearly did everything, didn’t you?”

“What do you mean Si Qi can’t accept all this? What is he supposed to accept? Being slandered and accused by you two? Does this guy have a problem in his head?”

“I’ve had enough of these two lunatics, hurry up and kick them out.”

Si Qi had never seen such self-destructive behavior from the world’s daughter and protagonist. Within just a few minutes of meeting them, he kept hearing Xiu Xiu’s prompts in his head, telling him how much of their world power had dropped again and again. He was holding back his laughter so hard that his stomach hurt.

He could only force himself to keep a straight face, not letting even a trace of emotion slip, that cold expression making many people feel distressed for him. The female doctor and Professor Bai both shook their heads and sighed.

The warrior who arrived with Fang Huai stood by the female doctor’s side, concerned. Seeing her like this, he asked puzzled: “What’s wrong?”

The female doctor unhappily said: “Didn’t you see that person bullying Si Qi?”

“Bullying?” The warrior, who had traveled with Fang Huai all the way, felt Fang Huai was easy to get along with. He had a good personality and enough knowledge of the wilderness. The two had many common topics, so he instinctively felt Fang Huai’s words couldn’t be false.

Considering that Si Qi had long been criticized for being too extreme in his words and actions, along with many comments about him being a shallow pretty face undeserving of his position, the warrior didn’t have the best impression of him. Hearing Fang Huai’s accusations, he didn’t think much. Now, seeing his girlfriend speak like this, he casually said: “That’s not bullying, right? Wasn’t Fang Huai just telling the truth?”

The female doctor looked at him in disbelief, pushed him away, and angrily said: “What truth? What do you know!”

The warrior was startled: “I, this…”

He suddenly sensed something was wrong and quickly apologized: “Sorry, I jumped to conclusions just now. Can you tell me the specifics?”

The female doctor calmed down slightly, still unhappy: “The duke’s daughter was mocking Si Qi nonstop, slandering him, saying he was just using this chance to climb up, that only his face was worth anything… You don’t know how nasty her words were!”

The warrior’s mouth opened slightly. He looked at the sobbing Zheng Shi, then at Fang Huai who was shielding her and angrily accusing Si Qi, and said with difficulty: “How could it be like this…”

“That’s exactly how it was!” The female doctor frowned: “Why were you like that guy, just listening to one side’s accusations and assuming Si Qi was in the wrong? Si Qi clearly did nothing, he just stood there the whole time being scolded right to his face!”

The last sentence was deliberately spoken louder, making Fang Huai—who was still feeling sad about how Si Qi could treat him this way—startled. He glanced at the female doctor, then at Si Qi who didn’t even acknowledge him, and finally looked at the duke’s daughter Zheng Shi sobbing in his arms. Uncertain, he asked: “What’s going on? Si Qi, he…”

Zheng Shi glared at him with teary eyes: “Do you believe me or do you believe others?!”

Fang Huai instinctively said: “Of course I believe you!”

Zheng Shi showed a satisfied look and said to him: “That’s right. I would never lie to you. I’m the only one who truly cares about you!”

Fang Huai was deeply moved, holding her hand: “I know…”

Of course he knew how much Zheng Shi liked him. Otherwise, how could a duke’s daughter possibly fall in love at first sight with an ordinary boy like him and even confess to him? Zheng Shi’s love for him was obvious, and he had never doubted it.

On the other side, the warrior, who had just been wavering a little, now saw Fang Huai and Zheng Shi’s interaction and completely gave up on defending him.

This guy was just biased, ignoring basic reason for the sake of the one he liked. Better not to deal with someone like that, otherwise who knows if the same thing that happened to Si Qi would happen to him in the future.

Netizens were utterly disgusted by Fang Huai and Zheng Shi, shouting for the director to stop giving them screen time. The guests were all gathered already, so hurry up and move on to the next stage.

The director didn’t waste time, commanding the robots to deliver several pieces of luggage of various sizes in front of the guests, and also took out the prizes from the previous round to give to the first couple who had found each other.

The prizes weren’t anything particularly valuable, but in this environment, they were as important as giving charcoal in a snowstorm. They were a lighter, a small first aid kit, and a multipurpose entrenching tool.

Si Qi’s group got all three items, Professor Bai and the lawyer could choose any two, while the remaining two couples could only pick one each.

Then the director spoke through the live broadcast sphere: “After a difficult journey, all the couples have finally overcome hardships and found their other half among the crowd. But in life, finding someone you like doesn’t mean everything will go smoothly. You also need to truly understand your beloved and share enough tacit understanding to spend your life together perfectly…”

“Next, we’ll enter the third segment: ‘The Great Tacit Understanding Test’!”

“Each couple will come forward and answer questions carefully prepared by the program team. Each matching answer will earn one point. The couple with the highest score will win the most luxurious wilderness survival package! The lowest-scoring couple… will only get the most basic survival tools~ So please try your best and answer carefully!”

“According to the order of the winners of the previous round, first we invite our Chu–Si pair to come forward and answer questions!”

Si Qi and Chu Feng exchanged a glance, walked to the small chairs the robots had prepared for them, picked up the small whiteboards beside them, and sat facing the live camera.

The screen for a moment showed only the two of them sitting together, and netizens exclaimed: “Sitting shoulder to shoulder like that, they really do look quite matched.”

“One strong and one beautiful, one protects everyone’s safety while the other brings comfort to the heart—what a perfect combination!”

The director said: “Here is the question!”

“First one is a giveaway: who pursued whom first?”

Chu Feng, without hesitation, picked up the pen and wrote his answer. Si Qi thought for a moment before writing.

Many online were abuzz—they had long been curious about this.

Passersby and the general’s fans said it must have been Si Qi who pursued Chu Feng first. Otherwise, with Chu Feng’s work-only attitude, he would never pay attention to the entertainment world or notice which celebrity was hot.

77’s fans, however, were firmly convinced it must have been the general who pursued their Qi Qi. With Qi Qi’s proud personality, how could he possibly chase someone? At most, if he liked someone, he would give subtle hints that they could pursue him, giving them a chance—but nothing more.

The two sides couldn’t agree, arguing endlessly.

However, when the one-minute countdown ended and the two revealed their answers, everyone was completely shocked.

Si Qi wrote: “I pursued him first.”

Chu Feng wrote: “I took the initiative to pursue Si Qi.”

Not only were their answers completely opposite, but all the fans’ and passersby’s guesses were wrong.

The director smiled: “Wrong answers won’t get points. Can the two of you explain why you came up with such answers?”

Off-camera, Fang Huai, who had seen with his own eyes Si Qi writing “I pursued him first,” clenched his fists, unable to believe that the Si Qi he knew would actually write such a thing!

Si Qi clearly wasn’t that kind of person! Even back when they were together, he had always been proud, always the one in control, never once saying “I like you” outright. He would only use hints to tell Fang Huai, I treat you differently, you’re the only one who can get close to me.

But now…

Bloodshot lines surfaced in Fang Huai’s eyes as he thought bitterly: Could it be that Si Qi really is as Zheng Shi said, a snob who only values power? Because Chu Feng had more influence than him, his attitude had completely changed. He would rather fawn over someone he had known for only a few days than show a single kind face to him, who had coaxed and cared for Si Qi wholeheartedly for years.

It was just like how a loser was destined to be nothing more than a goddess’s spare tire and lapdog, while that same goddess would do anything for a rich second-generation heir… Was that it?

Si Qi had truly disappointed him!!

With such thoughts, Fang Huai’s gaze toward Si Qi brimmed with hatred born of betrayal. He never once considered that he himself was the truly snobbish one—abandoning Si Qi who had endured hardships with him, and instead choosing the wealthier, more powerful duke’s daughter. He thought Si Qi was too proud to get along with, yet he showered affection on the malicious Zheng Shi.

In truth, he was the one with double standards.

When the director asked the question, Chu Feng calmly answered: “The first time I met Si Qi, I proposed to him, so it should be me who pursued him first.”

General fans were so shocked by the content of his words that they screamed, filling the screen with rows of exclamation marks. Passersby chuckled and said they hadn’t expected their general to not only be decisive in action but also so straightforward in love. Qi’s fans burst into laughter, proud that their idol was so charming that even a battle-hardened general had fallen for him at first sight.

Then Si Qi, sitting beside Chu Feng, said with a blank face: “I don’t think proposing at first sight counts as pursuing. Pursuing should be something more romantic and sincere.”

Chu Feng looked at him in confusion. “But it seems you never really pursued me either…”

The moment those words came out, the guests and audience could hardly bear to watch. They all groaned, covering their faces: “My general! That’s way too much of a straight man thing to say!!”

Sure enough, the hot-tempered Si Qi immediately showed an annoyed expression and snapped: “Never pursued you?! I clearly tied your tie for you, I even agreed to attend a banquet as your partner, I personally suggested moving into your home—how is that not being proactive?!”

The audience howled like wolves, twisting excitedly on sofas and beds as they typed furiously: “Oh my god! So Si Qi once tied the general’s tie, and even suggested living together!! Aaaaaaaah!!! Thank goodness for the general’s wooden brain, otherwise how would we ever hear Si Qi say this kind of thing!!!”

“Hahahaha, with Si Qi’s tsundere personality, being willing to tie someone’s tie and propose living together is already his absolute limit.”

“I want to see the scene of Si Qi secretly blushing inside, but outwardly pretending nothing’s wrong, carefully trying to get closer to General Chu. Just imagining it is thrilling!!!”

Chu Feng was stunned watching Si Qi lose his temper. He hadn’t processed it yet, but he instinctively apologized: “I was wrong, don’t be mad.”

“Oh my god, look at how quickly the general apologizes! He must do this often! Hahahaha, our Qi is so funny in front of the general. He never acts like this with anyone else! I approve of this marriage!!”

“Hahahaha, our general really has Si Qi wrapped around his finger. For Si Qi to do this much for him, he must truly love the general. Otherwise, since the general was the one who proposed, Si Qi could’ve just acted spoiled from that, but instead he still feels like he was the one pursuing. That’s just too cute.”

While fans were happily shipping the pair, Fang Huai was in agony, every word Si Qi spoke cutting his heart like a knife. His pain was so obvious that Zheng Shi, standing next to him, noticed.

She instantly grew furious, pinching his waist hard and snapping: “You’re still thinking about that slut?!”

Fang Huai winced from the pain, frowning. “Don’t overthink, I’m not.”

Zheng Shi: “Then why were you staring at him with such a pained expression! You obviously can’t let him go!”

Fang Huai, by habit, teased: “Are you jealous?”

Zheng Shi: “…”

Jealous, her ass! She just thought Si Qi didn’t deserve to be liked by anyone. No matter who it was, no one should like Si Qi—nothing more.

But out loud she said: “Yes, I’m jealous. So from now on you’re not allowed to look at Si Qi, let alone like him!”

Fang Huai curved his lips into a smile, stroked her face, his greasy look and gesture nearly making her gag.

Fang Huai: “Don’t worry, I only like you.”

Zheng Shi snorted, slapping away his paw: “You’d better remember that! If you dare betray me like you betrayed Si Qi, I won’t let you off!”

Fang Huai’s smile stiffened, and after a moment he said awkwardly: “Don’t worry, I only love you.”

“Heh.” She had seen those same words countless times in the book—Fang Huai telling Si Qi the same thing. But didn’t he abandon Si Qi anyway? She’d be a pig to believe him now!

Hearing her cold laugh and seeing her gloomy expression, Fang Huai felt something wasn’t quite right.

But since Zheng Shi had shown such strong interest in him from the moment they met, eager to marry him, showing such hostility toward Si Qi, Fang Huai assumed she was simply jealous, and that was why she was angry.

Thinking about how such an outstanding, noble woman was devoted to him alone, Fang Huai felt smug. His rage from Si Qi’s “betrayal” gradually faded, and he wasn’t nearly as furious anymore.

Meanwhile, the director was delighted by Si Qi and Chu Feng’s interaction, and even more thrilled as more people tuned in to the livestream. The program’s popularity was skyrocketing. He was deeply grateful to the Chu-Si pair for drawing so much traffic, and said cheerfully: “So it turns out the two of you simply have different standards for what counts as ‘pursuing,’ which is why your answers were completely opposite. But rules are rules—since your answers don’t match, unfortunately this question still scores zero.”

“Hmph!” Si Qi glared at Chu Feng angrily. “It’s all your fault!”

The always-dignified, stoic general lowered his head and admitted obediently: “It’s my fault, it won’t happen next time.”

Netizens burst out laughing even louder.

They loved seeing their idol show such a down-to-earth side in private. It made them feel like someone they thought was out of reach was actually very close. Far from thinking he looked less imposing, they thought Chu Feng’s tenderness toward his partner made him seem especially warm and lovable, and they liked him even more.

After all, being cold and domineering toward enemies seemed reliable. But if he treated his lover the same way in private, it would only make him look harsh, chauvinistic, and unfeeling.

No one would find such a person trustworthy—only oppressive and scary.

Chu Feng’s approval rating in the public’s eyes rose higher and higher thanks to this little program.

Being approachable was very important, especially for someone as powerful as Chu Feng.

Water can carry a boat but also overturn it. The tragic fate of the original host was proof enough of this.

He had once been lifted up high by fans, then mercilessly smashed down by online opinion. Governing with public opinion was no joke.

The audience loved seeing the interactions between Si Qi and Chu Feng. Those who had once criticized their relationship as shady were completely drowned out. Everyone was happily shipping the CP.

The director announced: “Second question! When and where did your first kiss happen?”

The crowd erupted with excited screams, praising the production team’s brilliance.

The director revealed a sly smile. He knew this question looked simple but hid a trap.

After all, a first kiss wasn’t necessarily shared with the person by their side now. By asking this, he was testing their tacit understanding while also prying into their romantic past.

If their answers didn’t match, it would prove one of them had dated someone else before—instant explosive gossip and more attention!

He really was a clever one!

Si Qi and Chu Feng wrote without hesitation, and when time was up, they flipped their boards to reveal their answers.

The director’s expectant smile froze, while netizens cried out in disbelief: “How can it be none!!!”

On Si Qi’s board, written in casual, flowing script: “None.”

On Chu Feng’s pristine board, in bold, sharp strokes: “None.”

Identical answers left fans deflated. Some screamed: “Kiss right now!!” “Make today the day of your first kiss!!” The barrage chat instantly turned frenzied, everyone hyped up.

The director hinted: “I wasn’t asking about your first kiss with each other, but your actual first kiss.”

Netizens suddenly realized his true intent: “…”

“Damn! This director is way too sneaky!”

“Ehehe, I love messy drama!”

But no matter how cunning the director was, Si Qi and Chu Feng weren’t playing along.

Si Qi rolled his eyes. “How could I ever casually give my first kiss to someone I don’t like?”

Fang Huai, who had just been roasted alive: “…………” How can I pretend I didn’t hear that?!

Chu Feng still looked expressionless, but under the high-definition cameras, the tips of his ears turning red were plain as day. He said: “Si Qi just hasn’t been ready yet, so…”

The audience: “Aaaaaaaaah!!!!”

So once Si Qi is ready, you’re going to go for it, is that it?!!!

General, who knew you were like this!!!

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (8): 

When Chu Feng came back with people, Si Qi was teaching Professor Bai and the audience behind the screen some small wilderness survival tricks.

No matter what world he ended up in, he was always eager to teach the people around him something.

From paying attention to tiny details, to explaining the deeper reasons behind certain actions, even to more complex topics like geography, climate, and ecology, Si Qi could explain everything logically and clearly, making sure everyone could understand.

His voice flowed across the land like a spring, and the audience unconsciously became immersed, forgetting everything else.

As someone directly involved, Professor Bai was even more absorbed than anyone else. Seeing the breadth of Si Qi’s knowledge, he couldn’t help but curiously ask, “How do you know all this?”

Without years of accumulated experience, there was no way to master things to this degree.

Si Qi looked a bit proud. “Anything Chu Feng is good at, I know inside and out.”

It was just wilderness survival—what was so hard about that?

Professor Bai suddenly understood and said with genuine feeling, “My partner likes music, so I’ve also learned a bit about music. Sometimes I even go to concerts with him.”

Even though he couldn’t fully understand those lyricless classical performances, the relaxing atmosphere and the joy on his partner’s face—there was nothing more beautiful than that.

Some viewers reacted: “That lawyer picked music before, so it looks like Professor Bai and the lawyer are a couple!”

“Professor Bai also said before that his partner is clever and cautious, not one to take risks. That lawyer really fits the bill.”

“I was going to complain that even ordinary guests are good at music, but 47, a professional star, isn’t. But after seeing his performance just now… fine, I won’t hate on him. Still, how can a star not be good at acting or singing but be great at wilderness survival and ecology? Isn’t that way too ‘off track’?”

This complaint got many netizens agreeing. Si Qi’s performance really did seem pretty off track.

At that moment, he was sitting next to Professor Bai by a fire he had built himself, chatting while idly carving a little bear from a piece of wood with his knife. The bear was only the size of a fist, lifelike and adorable. Professor Bai was full of delighted surprise, while the audience was bursting with comments.

It felt like Si Qi was good at everything except his actual profession.

Professor Bai said, “You can weave baskets, carve wood, and survive in the wild. The more I get to know you, the more I discover your shining qualities—it’s like digging up treasure.”

That praise made Si Qi’s fans grin ear to ear. They proudly said, “Our 77 really is a treasure boy.”

“Not only you, even we veteran fans didn’t really know, hahahaha.”

“He never had the chance to show his skills before. If 77 had joined variety shows earlier, everyone would’ve already seen his true self—he wouldn’t have been misunderstood for so long. His agent really dropped the ball.”

Watching the livestream nervously, worried that Si Qi might cause trouble, the agent saw that comment and nearly exploded. “You think I didn’t want to arrange it? It’s that young master’s temper! If he went on variety shows, he’d never control his mouth. I was worried he’d cause trouble—that’s why I stopped him from going!”

But unexpectedly, something only the agent knew—that Si Qi wasn’t actually a bad person, just blunt and a little tsundere—was quickly noticed by the audience after just a short while. That shocked the agent in a good way. He never imagined viewers would figure it out so fast.

Instead of hating him for being bad-tempered and hard to get along with, people actually found him especially likable! Even if his words sounded harsh—things that would’ve been blackmail material for other celebrities—audiences, once they realized he was just shy, could smile knowingly and not take offense.

Especially since Si Qi was so skilled at survival. Entering the wilderness, he neither cowered in fear nor refused to cooperate with the program. Instead, he performed like an experienced soldier, which made the agent thrilled.

Before Si Qi showed his survival skills, the agent had been as surprised as everyone else—even briefly suspecting Si Qi had gotten the script in advance.

After all, for years, Si Qi had always avoided chores and seemed like someone who never knew how to take care of himself. Only when the fans reminded him of Si Qi’s orphan background, and recalling how when he first met Si Qi at eighteen the boy already acted like a pampered young master, did he realize he had misunderstood.

The agent had only seen Si Qi rise to fame, indulging in comfort for years, refusing to do any housework. He assumed Si Qi had always lived like that—but considering Si Qi’s real background, how could that be?

As for Si Qi knowing so much, weaving vines and carving wood—the agent never had the chance to see that before. Si Qi never flaunted those skills in front of him. All he knew was that Si Qi often said things like, “What’s so hard about that,” “I can do that too,” “I’m the best in the world, clever beyond compare.” He always thought Si Qi was just being stubborn and prideful—but it turned out he really meant it!

The agent felt both helpless and amused, wanting to ask why Si Qi never told him earlier. But thinking of Si Qi’s personality, of course he wouldn’t prove himself on purpose—he was too tsundere for that!

Suppressing his excitement, the agent, like the other viewers, grew more and more thrilled, nearly jumping off the sofa in joy.

So what if his acting was stiff and his singing was bad? They could just cut back on those jobs—focus on commercials and variety shows instead!

A treasure boy like Si Qi—audiences would definitely love him!

Just seeing how he managed to turn public opinion around so easily despite being pressured from both sides—“fans protesting his marriage” and “don’t cling to General Chu”—proved how well-suited he was for this kind of show.

On one side, netizens admired how Si Qi had prepared water and supplies at the camp, praising him endlessly. On the other side, Chu Feng finally escorted the weeping, troublesome World’s Daughter and the female doctor back to camp, where most of the guests had gathered.

The doctor smiled and greeted Professor Bai and Si Qi.

But when she saw Si Qi, she felt a bit of PTSD. With his bad online reputation, she thought he’d be even more troublesome than the duke’s daughter beside him, so she instinctively avoided eye contact, not wanting to get involved with him.

That didn’t last long. The moment she noticed the herbs in the bamboo basket—many of them useful for treatment—she excitedly asked Professor Bai if he had picked them. He happily explained that it was all Si Qi’s doing, enthusiastically praising him, and even hinting that Si Qi was actually very easy to get along with, trying to draw her into talking to him.

The doctor was confused at first, but under Professor Bai’s urging, she ended up interacting with Si Qi. Soon, she was completely won over by his unexpectedly vast knowledge. The two chatted happily about using wild plants for temporary treatments, and she couldn’t hide her excitement, nodding repeatedly and exclaiming, “So it works like this—you’re amazing!”

Having seen Professor Bai’s reaction earlier, viewers didn’t cry out “impossible” or “must be scripted” this time. Instead, they started joking about the earlier test, half-serious: “Could it be that Si Qi really knows everything, that he’s an all-round genius?”

“Haha, no way…”

Chu Feng stood nearby, looking at how much the camp had changed in just half an hour. Hearing that all of it was Si Qi’s work, his gaze toward him carried a hint of curiosity.

Holding the little bear carving quietly to the side, his silent demeanor made many of his fans anxious: “General, why don’t you go talk to Si Qi?”

“You’ll never win over the one you like if you stay like this!”

“If you lose him, I’ll feel heartbroken for you!”

But all their chatter was pointless.

When Si Qi stopped talking with the doctor, he went straight to Chu Feng, eyes shining as he looked at him.

Chu Feng asked, “You did all this?”

Si Qi gave a soft snort. “I was just bored, messing around.”

Chu Feng smiled warmly. “But this fire, the tea to relieve fatigue, and this wood carving that looks just like the one at home…”

Si Qi glanced at him. “So what? Don’t tell me you think I made it specially for you?”

Chu Feng: “……”

After a moment, Chu Feng said with regret, “So it wasn’t for me…”

His brief joy faded into disappointment. He set down the little bear carving—identical to the one on his nightstand at home—turning his head away in silence.

The audience suddenly realized the misunderstanding and panicked: “No! It really was for you! He wouldn’t have done it for Professor Bai!”

“Ahhhh, General, don’t misunderstand! Si Qi’s just shy—he doesn’t want to admit it!”

“Look at 77’s eyes, he looks so pitiful, like a puppy being ignored by its owner. I can’t take this heartbreak…”

Seeing that Chu Feng had actually misunderstood, Si Qi pressed his lips together in frustration, unsure what to do.

“Hey…” Si Qi called out.

Chu Feng turned, quietly waiting to listen.

Si Qi frowned, scraping his toes against the ground nervously. When Chu Feng still didn’t speak, he stomped his foot in irritation, muttering almost inaudibly, “It—it was for you.”

Chu Feng leaned closer. “Hm? What did you say?”

Si Qi grew annoyed, lifted his head, and met Chu Feng’s smiling eyes by accident. The words slipped out before he could stop them: “I said I made it for you—”

Seeing Chu Feng’s face light up with a radiant smile, Si Qi froze, then hit him with his fist in anger. “You tricked me!!”

Chu Feng laughed, not dodging, letting Si Qi vent on him. His lips curved into a smile. “Thank you, I really like it…”

Si Qi huffed, his words awkward. “Of course you like it. I worked so hard to make it for you—it exhausted me!”

The audience was dumbfounded: “……”

“I—damn, I just got force-fed a mouthful of dog food.”

“So this is the real General Chu?!”

“Wow, this is insane—Si Qi’s completely wrapped around the General’s finger!”

“I was worried General Chu was too wooden and Si Qi would get bored, but the real clown here is me!!”

“Is Si Qi… acting spoiled? He never said he was tired before—even had time to fix his hair on camera. He’s definitely acting spoiled!!”

“This couple is too sweet!”

The World’s Daughter, watching from the side, was equally shocked.

She stared in disbelief at Si Qi’s interaction with Chu Feng. The noisy complaints she’d been making about the program’s “stupid” treatment of guests stopped abruptly, her face twisted in fury. She looked just about ready to storm over, wedge herself between them, and point at Si Qi’s nose to curse him out.

“What a shameless man!”

After holding it in all the way, even the foolish World’s Daughter knew she couldn’t get any advantage in front of Chu Feng, so she restrained herself from acting out. But asking her to swallow it down was impossible. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have once felt such strong resentment just from reading a book and disliking a character in it—so much so that she was chosen by the will of the world.

Back then, she would pick apart and curse at characters while reading. Now that Si Qi stood before her, there was no way she could hold back against this producer she had disliked from the start.

Especially since she caught him “cheating in public” and “flirting with someone powerful” right before her eyes. She raised her voice mockingly, as if she had found a huge piece of evidence: “Some people are really scheming—relying on a pretty face, can’t wait to flaunt their love and claim ownership in public, all to climb higher.”

As soon as she said this, the barrage of comments that had been happily celebrating the couple froze, then exploded with fury from Si Qi’s fans, joined by confused bystanders:

“Is she sick? How is she always so angry everywhere she goes? Her temper is awful!”

“This is a dating show, everyone here is a couple—why shouldn’t they show affection?”

“What did Si Qi do to you? How does being with General Chu count as scheming to climb up? That’s such a dirty way of thinking!”

“To her, anyone with lower status must be an ant. Being with someone of higher standing is just leeching off the powerful, with ulterior motives. Someone like her has no right to be on a dating show! To her, love is worthless!”

Even some obvious General fans defended Si Qi: “I can tell Si Qi truly loves the General. That look in his eyes can’t be faked.”

“And with Si Qi’s wealth now, he doesn’t need to cling to anyone to live well. He must really like our General.”

“I don’t believe Si Qi is that kind of person. He’s knowledgeable and capable, no need to degrade himself like that. If he wanted, he could switch careers, or pursue academia and become someone respected.”

“Calling it scheming to climb higher? What a joke! If he were that calculating, how could he have been blackened so badly before just for speaking too bluntly? And our General loves him so much, yet Si Qi never quit showbiz to live a cushy life. He still works hard as a celebrity—that says a lot!”

The audience’s resentment toward the World’s Daughter was overwhelming, and the other guests disliked her words just as much. Their gazes shifted from shock to displeasure in the span of her speech.

The more they had liked and admired Si Qi before, the angrier and more disgusted they were now at her slander. What baffled them most was how she said it with such self-righteous confidence, as if she had undeniable proof and absolute correctness. They worried the viewers might actually believe her and misunderstand Si Qi.

Professor Bai said, “Si Qi is not that kind of person!”

Being openly contradicted, the World’s Daughter locked her furious eyes on him. “How is he not? He is! Don’t tell me I don’t know him? Or are you siding with him just because you’re also taken in by his face?”

Professor Bai was so angry he laughed, replying, “Si Qi really isn’t. He’s talented and knowledgeable…”

The female doctor added, “Yes, all the herbs, the fire, and the tea here in camp were prepared by Si Qi for us. He’s not like the rumors outside say—”

The more she heard, the angrier the World’s Daughter became. She clenched her fists and roared, “Oh, so that’s why you all ganged up on me just now. Turns out Si Qi already bought you off! How much money did he give you to lie like this?!”

“You—” The two of them stared at her in disbelief. She gave them no chance to speak, trembling as if she were some persecuted whistleblower standing against lies, stubbornly saying: “Si Qi is just an empty pretty face, useless at everything, only causing trouble! You’re only defending him to whitewash him through this show! Hah, disgusting—selling out your conscience for money and power!”

She spoke with such certainty and serious expression that the two intellectuals, long used to peaceful debate, didn’t know how to respond. It felt like nothing they said would get through to her.

Instinctively, they turned to Si Qi, worried he’d be upset by such insults.

But Si Qi stood there with arms crossed, watching like it was entertainment. The corners of his mouth even curled slightly, as if he were enjoying a comedy.

Professor Bai and the doctor: “…?”

Indeed, Si Qi wasn’t angry. Hearing Xiu Xiu report to him [the World’s Daughter’s world power dropped by such and such], he was amused, thinking this was by far the dumbest version of her he’d ever seen.

But while he wasn’t angry, his fans and the audience were fuming. Seeing him so calm only made them more upset, thinking he was numb after too many past false accusations. The smile on his lips made their hearts ache even more.

Chu Feng was the angriest of everyone present. He was a man of action—when he despised someone, he didn’t talk about it, he settled accounts afterward. His eyes were icy, staring at the World’s Daughter as if she were already dead. Everyone who noticed felt a chill down their spine.

The duke, however, was the most terrified, watching Chu Feng’s expression constantly. When he heard from his subordinates that his daughter had barged into the show and kept provoking Si Qi and Chu Feng, he nearly fainted with rage. He called the production team repeatedly, demanding the director drag his daughter out before she got herself killed.

The director, unable to refuse the duke, relayed his words through the live broadcast orb, tactfully saying: “Miss Zheng, your father has asked you to leave the show and to stop slandering Mr. Si.”

“What?!” Zheng Shi was shocked and furious. “Why?! I haven’t done anything wrong! Everything I said is true! Even my father bows to Chu Feng for power—so is there no justice left in this world?!”

The entire audience: “…” Lady, you’re the biggest abuser of power here!

On the other end, the duke was roaring at the director, “Shut her up! Make her shut up!!!”

The director: “…”

Helpless, the director said, “I really can’t… She’s beyond reasoning, too far gone. How about I connect the channel and you speak to her directly?”

The duke: “…”

He could already imagine how his daughter would argue with him on live TV, and the thought left him exhausted. Finally, he said tiredly, “No. Just tell her this: every word she says has nothing to do with my ducal house. And if she keeps making a fool of herself, I will sever ties with her as my daughter.”

Hearing this ruthless declaration, the director’s heart thumped wildly, but he agreed.

After hanging up, he reflected that it wasn’t unreasonable. With Zheng Shi’s personality, she’d only cause greater troubles in the future. Already, netizens were questioning whether her academic credentials had been bought. Cutting ties early was like cutting off a limb to save the body—it was the most rational choice.

Imagining how excited the gossip-hungry crowd would be at this news, the director couldn’t help but smirk as he told her, “Miss Zheng, your father says if you don’t wake up, he will sever the father-daughter relationship with you.”

The barrage instantly exploded online, viewers thrilled that someone was finally putting the madwoman in her place.

The World’s Daughter stared wide-eyed, then her eyes turned red and tears streamed down. Her voice shook as she cried, “You’re all too cruel… You’re all bullying me!”

The audience burst out laughing: “Without your backer, let’s see how arrogant you can be now!”

“If calling you out is cyberbullying, then sign me up!”

“Tsk tsk, she’s a textbook white lotus—still acting like she’s the only sober one in the world while everyone else is blind. Where does she get that confidence? When she said Si Qi knows nothing and can’t possibly be that capable, did she forget how useless she’s been this whole time?”

“Can’t wait to see her face when Si Qi keeps proving her wrong—it’ll be priceless.”

Just then, the final pair of guests finally arrived at the camp.

After a long and exhausting journey, Fang Huai was relieved to complete the task, only to see his disheveled fiancée crying in the crowd. He rushed over, asking, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

The World’s Daughter saw Fang Huai, heard his concern, and burst into tears, throwing herself into his arms, sobbing: “Everyone is bullying me!! Especially Si Qi! He’s targeting me on purpose!!”

All the guests, who had only seen her cursing at Si Qi while he never said a word: ???

Everyone was filled with question marks.

Fang Huai, hearing her words, thought of Si Qi’s past entanglement with him and his complaints about Zheng Shi’s interference. His heart was both delighted and helpless—delighted that Si Qi clearly still loved him, helpless because they could never be together. He turned to Si Qi and said, “Si Qi, how could you do this?”

“Zheng Shi is innocent. You can’t just take out your anger on her because of… that.”

“This is too much. Hurry and apologize to Shi. She has a good heart—she’ll forgive you.”

Everyone: “……”

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (7): 

As they kept watching, the netizens gradually noticed something: “How far has Si Qi already gone? Why does it look like he’s been leading Professor Bai the whole way, when clearly Professor Bai is the one who often goes out into the field for research?”

“Where is he going? There’s no water source ahead.”

The netizens were confused, and the haters quickly jumped in, saying that Si Qi was indeed acting recklessly, and had even dragged the easy-going Professor Bai into a dead end.

After half an hour passed, the locator vibrated again. Si Qi and Professor Bai looked at the screen. Professor Bai focused on the team closest to them, while Si Qi’s gaze fell on a light spot moving straight toward the center, making the corners of his lips curl upward.

Professor Bai said: “Let’s head that way. That’s also a two-person team—maybe they’re the people we’re looking for.”

Si Qi shook his head: “My other half isn’t there. I’ve already found him.”

Professor Bai was stunned: “You found him?”

How did he find him?

Si Qi: “Are you coming with me, or do you want to split up?”

Professor Bai hesitated: “Are you sure you haven’t mistaken the person you’re looking for?”

Si Qi nodded without hesitation: “I’m sure.”

Professor Bai thought it over and said: “Then I’ll go with you to find your other half first. After all, this segment isn’t timed, and I’d feel uneasy leaving you on your own…”

Si Qi raised an eyebrow: “You’re more worried about your own partner, aren’t you?”

Professor Bai laughed: “He’s sharp. He’ll be fine.”

Right then, the voting segment that the program team had mentioned at the start finally appeared. Each viewer had the right to vote, connecting the eight contestants into pairs to guess who was really together.

The netizens grew restless: “What? The voting already started? I still don’t understand anything yet!”

“Uh, Professor Bai said he trusts his partner a lot. Is that because his partner often goes out into the wild, so he’s confident? Then he must be paired with the Warrior, right?”

“And a lot of the Warrior’s actions just now were exactly the same as Professor Bai’s—finding water, weaving ropes and such. Maybe it was the Warrior who taught Professor Bai.”

“Didn’t you notice the professor said his partner is very sharp? That should be the Lawyer! And things like finding water and weaving ropes are just basic knowledge, so it’s not surprising if they both know.”

“Is that the main point? The real issue is, who should I vote 77 for?!”

“Wait up front—don’t run! I’m also struggling with who to give General Chu’s vote to, sob…”

The netizens argued endlessly. A few minutes of voting flew by, and as the deadline approached, everyone had no choice but to cast their votes.

Minutes later, when the netizens saw the official tally, they were dumbfounded.

“Hey, where did all those people go who said Si Qi absolutely couldn’t date, that Chu Feng would never look at him? The voting results aren’t saying that at all!”

“…I thought I was the only one who voted this way. Turns out the other 7-fans did the same…”

“Ahem, it’s not that I support 77 dating. I just think, among all the people here, only General Chu is worthy of my 77.”

“I’m not saying Si Qi is that great either. I just think, out of everyone present, only Si Qi matches my General…”

“…” The two groups of fans who outwardly denied but inwardly agreed with each other were left awkwardly speechless, while the bystanders laughed and turned to look at the other couples that the votes had formed.

“Huh? Why do the Duke’s daughter and that rich second-gen have such a high vote count? Do they even have any obvious connection? I didn’t see one at all!”

“Uh… I just thought they’d look weird paired with anyone else, so I just stuck the two extras together. Did you all do the same?”

“I only paired them up because they were the leftovers with no one else to choose.”

“Hahaha that’s hilarious! The Warrior and Doctor could obviously be paired. The Warrior and Professor, both used to fieldwork, could also be paired. The Lawyer and the urban professions like Professor and Doctor could match too. But the Duke’s daughter and the jobless rich kid just look awkward with anyone, so why not put them together!”

“Wow, so we were all thinking the same thing!”

At that moment, Professor Bai asked Si Qi: “How are you so sure your partner is definitely up ahead?”

The netizens were equally curious, especially the fans of both sides who realized Si Qi was heading straight toward Chu Feng’s location. They were itching to know the answer.

Si Qi said: “Isn’t it obvious? Because that light spot moved the farthest within half an hour.”

Professor Bai froze: “What?”

“To be able to move so fast in dangerous wilderness, it must be him.” Si Qi said proudly, “The person I’ve set my eyes on is absolutely the most outstanding in the world!”

Professor Bai laughed: “Love makes beauty in the eyes. The one you like will always be the best.”

He also felt his own partner was the best in the world.

Si Qi: “So I checked how far each light spot moved within half an hour. The one that went the farthest and fastest must be my beloved!”

Many netizens finally understood why Si Qi was so certain about heading in that direction, and they were amazed by how sharp his observation was.

Details that none of the onlookers had noticed, Si Qi, while distracted by the wilderness and hurrying along, had observed and remembered clearly. That level of attentiveness was beyond reproach.

Some also realized that Si Qi’s “partner” was almost certainly Chu Feng. Apart from Chu Feng, no one fit the description.

But since Si Qi never actually said the name, Chu Feng’s fans couldn’t outright accuse him of clout-chasing. Forced to listen to Si Qi endlessly praise how amazing and perfect his partner was, they didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Their lingering resentment toward Si Qi quietly faded away.

For the first time, the 7-fans saw their idol so alive on screen, looking genuinely happy. Watching Si Qi talk about his partner with such joy, they couldn’t bring themselves to interrupt or deny him. Deep down, they admitted that if Si Qi’s partner really was Chu Feng, then yes—Chu Feng was indeed exceptional. Si Qi liking him was only natural. If it were them, they too would love such a hero who defended the country.

Time passed quickly while they talked. Si Qi estimated that the distance between the two groups was shrinking fast, and he unconsciously quickened his pace.

Professor Bai, panting behind him, said: “You have amazing stamina.”

Si Qi: “How can a celebrity not have stamina? Concerts and filming all demand a lot of energy. And being too skinny doesn’t look good on camera either. When it comes to being a star, I’m a pro.”

The corner of Professor Bai’s mouth twitched.

Everyone knew that Si Qi’s professional skills as a celebrity were… questionable.

Maybe all his “professionalism” had gone into odd areas instead—maintaining looks, shaping his figure, learning the knowledge for playing roles… and an unparalleled self-confidence (or narcissism).

At that moment, the two camera feeds suddenly merged into one. The two teams, one heading west and the other east, unexpectedly crossed paths.

The General’s fans, already half-expecting this, were surprised nonetheless: “Si Qi really didn’t go the wrong way.” The 7-fans, seeing their idol drop his cold, aloof face and suddenly beam with a sunny smile, couldn’t stop themselves from screaming at their screens.

“Ahhh that smile, that smile!! Mom! I just heard the sound of my heart racing!!”

“I never cared for idol stars, but suddenly it feels like Cupid’s golden arrow just hit me… If my partner looked at me like that, I’d give them anything!!”

“Oh my god, where did this little sweetheart come from? Too cute!!”

“Waaah screenshot screenshot!!”

Si Qi’s eyes sparkled, his steps quickened, and he threw himself straight into Chu Feng’s arms. In Chu Feng’s slightly bewildered expression, Si Qi rubbed his head against his chest, then looked up at him and asked: “Did you come to find me?”

Chu Feng couldn’t bring himself to refuse Si Qi’s embrace. Instinctively, he adjusted Si Qi—who was nearly hanging off his body—upward and nodded. “Mm.”

Si Qi giggled, his spiritual tendrils uncontrollably stirring, probing the edges of Chu Feng’s spiritual sea, carrying emotions of like you, like you, like you so much. “We really are in sync.”

It was as if pink bubbles floated all across the screen. The audience was mercilessly force-fed mouthfuls of dog food. Si Qi’s smile was so blissful that compared to his usual zombie-like acting on camera, this expression was absolutely genuine—he simply didn’t have the acting skills to fake it!

Many of the 7-fans who had once opposed Si Qi dating, surprisingly, didn’t jump out to object this time. Because anyone who truly cared for Si Qi, upon seeing the joy and delight on his face, could never be cruel enough to play the villain tearing the lovers apart. That would be too heartless.

Even the General’s fans subconsciously fell silent—no one could deny someone’s idol being loved so deeply, even if that person was right now nestled in the idol’s arms, acting coy like a kitten.

The unspoken understanding between the 7-fans and the General’s fans at this moment surprised many bystanders. What was expected to be conflict quietly dissipated, and the casual audience breathed a sigh of relief, focusing once more on the livestream.

“Tired?” Chu Feng asked.

“Of course not!” Si Qi’s tone was proud. “This little stuff can’t wear me out.”

In Chu Feng’s eyes—always calm and stern—a faint smile appeared. The viewers instantly understood the true meaning of tenderness behind a tough exterior.

Professor Bai, following behind the two tireless monsters, complained bitterly: “Do you two even remember I exist?”

Si Qi and Chu Feng turned their heads in unison, the camera catching Professor Bai’s tearless, miserable expression, sending the audience into laughter. “I’d forgotten there was a third wheel at all.”

“Si Qi’s presence is just too strong, nothing can be done about it.”

“Hang in there, Professor Bai~~ Find your partner soon and show off too!”

The General noticed Professor Bai’s forehead drenched in sweat and said to the two: “I’ll first take you somewhere safe, then go bring the others to regroup.”

Professor Bai hesitated, wanting to follow Chu Feng to look for his partner. But considering his limited stamina, afraid he would only slow Chu Feng down instead of helping, he stayed silent.

The 7-fans weren’t aware of his inner conflict. Based on their idol’s past reckless personality, they assumed he would never agree to stay at camp now—surely he’d be loud and insistent on tagging along with Chu Feng.

Yet even after Chu Feng left, Si Qi said nothing.

This surprised the 7-fans.

Before they could voice their doubts, Si Qi suddenly got up and left the open clearing—with its big rocks perfect for sitting and resting—and headed toward the forest.

Professor Bai quickly asked: “Where are you going?”

Without Chu Feng beside him, Si Qi reverted to his usual arrogant manner, tilting his chin. “Going for a walk.”

Professor Bai chuckled: “What’s there to walk around for? Didn’t we already walk plenty just now?”

“None of your business.”

Of course, Professor Bai wouldn’t ignore it: “It’s too dangerous to go alone. I’ll go with you.”

Si Qi pressed him back down with a hand, saying disdainfully: “Enough. If you come with me, and we really run into danger, your only role would be running behind me as a meat shield.”

Professor Bai: “…”

Though true, did he really need to say it so bluntly? That hurt.

Si Qi: “Just rest here. Chu Feng will definitely bring your partner back safely.”

He spoke with utter certainty, showing he had absolute faith in Chu Feng. Professor Bai subconsciously nodded. “I know. With General Chu around, there won’t be any problem.”

And with that, Si Qi looked as if the matter was settled, turning and walking toward the forest.

Professor Bai lost the chance to insist and could only sit uneasily, watching him leave.

The camera switched to Si Qi. Walking through the lush forest, his tall figure and natural posture were framed beautifully. Even under the plain, straightforward livestream lens—no retouching, no special angles—it looked like a movie shot, full of aesthetic quality. Any random screenshot could be a magazine cover.

A comment popped up: “Is this a walk, or a runway show?”

“Honestly, Si Qi really does have the makings of a superstar. I’ve never seen anyone look this good just walking around.”

“I’ll never call him a vase again. If being a vase means this, then he’s a work of art.”

The netizens chattered, saying Si Qi looked like someone who should live in luxury, doing nothing but standing there while people lined up to bring him the best things in life.

Before they finished talking, Si Qi suddenly stopped, bent down, and his long, pale, impossibly beautiful fingers touched a dirt-stained dry branch on the ground. He picked it up.

Then a second branch. A third…

The lively netizens: “…”

The haters, ready to attack him for being useless besides his face: “…”

The 7-fans instantly understood why and felt their hearts ache. “Oh no, my 77 is working so hard.”

“He didn’t bring Professor Bai along because he saw the professor was too tired, so he let him rest and came out to do the work alone.”

“Who says my 77 just sits around as a vase? He’s so thoughtful! He thinks of everything!”

“I never imagined Si Qi, with that temper, would actually take the initiative to gather firewood. Incredible.”

“Knowing his personality, he’s not the type to put on a show for the cameras… so he’s really doing this willingly?”

They watched as Si Qi—supposedly delicate and helpless—quickly gathered a large pile of firewood. He then stretched on tiptoe to pull down a withered vine from a tree, used it as rope to tie the branches together into a neat bundle, and secured it with a swift, solid knot, carrying it easily in one hand.

City-dwelling netizens, unfamiliar with such things, exclaimed: “If no one told me this was freshly gathered, I’d think it was store-bought, packed and sold that way.”

“He works so fast and clean. Totally not what I expected!”

“…I suddenly remembered Si Qi isn’t actually some young master from a wealthy family. Even though he looks like one, he grew up an orphan. He’s known since childhood how to take care of himself. In terms of life skills, he’s ahead of most people here.”

“Wow, I’d totally forgotten about that, even though I knew his background!”

“That aura is just too deceiving…”

They continued watching as Si Qi, calm and efficient, collected two full bundles of firewood, picked a pile of fruits and unidentifiable plants into a hand-woven basket, carved a container out of a bamboo segment with a knife, filled it with water from a distant stream, then carefully washed his hands and face by the water’s edge. Admiring himself for a moment, he rose leisurely and headed back.

The netizens were abuzz: “I’ll never call him a vase again. What kind of vase is this capable?”

“He’s carrying all that like it’s nothing.”

“Does anyone remember the way? I’m already lost, but Si Qi walked without the slightest hesitation.”

“I love how effortlessly he moves through the wilderness!”

When he returned to camp, with Professor Bai staring at him in disbelief, Si Qi lifted his chin smugly. The netizens, amused by his cocky look, burst into laughter. No one said Si Qi was bad-tempered or hard to get along with anymore—wasn’t he getting along wonderfully with his new teammate?

Afterward, the camera cut to Chu Feng, who had finally encountered the second pair of guests.

The audience then realized what someone with a truly terrible personality really looked like.

“Why are you so late!” The Daughter of the World, looking completely disheveled, burst out in anger.

Her hands and feet were smeared with wet mud, and the front of her clothes and her knees were all covered in filth, clearly from a heavy fall earlier.

The female doctor, who had teamed up with the Daughter of the World after meeting her, stood expressionless at the side. She only gave a faint, polite smile when she saw Chu Feng.

But when her gaze shifted toward the Daughter of the World, her expression turned cold, showing that there had clearly been some unpleasantness between them.

Unaware of the situation, online viewers curiously asked: “Did they have a fight earlier?”

Those who had been paying attention scoffed: “What fight? It’s the duke’s daughter unilaterally giving the doctor the cold shoulder!”

Other viewers complained along: “Never seen anyone so hard to talk to.”

“The doctor kindly offered to check her injuries, but she actually complained that the doctor hadn’t helped her up when she fell. What a joke. Everyone’s here to film a show—no one’s obliged to serve her. Why should the doctor take care of her?”

“And now she’s blaming the general for being late and making her look bad. How self-centered can she be?”

The Daughter of the World had no idea what the online audience thought of her. At this moment, she was so angry she was about to cry.

Just the thought that this place was the dangerous wilderness described in the book made her legs go weak. Seeing how the female doctor didn’t bother to take care of her as a transmigrator and just focused on walking ahead, the Daughter of the World grew furious, venting all her anger on Chu Feng, who had only just found her: “Yu Xi calls you a great general, but it’s been almost two hours! If I really ran into a beast here, I’d already be dead before you even showed up!”

“And they call you a hero—ha! You just relied on your privileged background, stealing credit from others to pile all the honors on yourself, that’s the only reason you became a general! Otherwise, why would rescuing someone take you this long?”

Viewers were stunned by her ranting. Fans of the general exploded in anger: “Is this woman insane? Can’t she watch her mouth?”

“Military achievements aren’t something you can just steal from someone else! Does she think the records don’t exist?”

“What was the production team thinking, putting this trash on screen to embarrass everyone?”

“If I were the duke, I’d want to strangle her myself—what a disgrace of a daughter!”

“They’re all just variety show guests. The doctor isn’t obligated to save lives, and the general isn’t obligated to go looking for people! How old is she to still act like such a spoiled child?”

Chu Feng gave the Daughter of the World a cold glance. His deep, indifferent eyes made her shiver, and all the bluster she had built up evaporated instantly. She seemed to suddenly realize that, aside from the identity she’d obtained after transmigrating, she was just an ordinary person who liked staying at home browsing the internet—completely different from Chu Feng, who was decisive, ruthless, and had been surrounded by the empire’s upper class since birth.

Chu Feng said icily: “Looks like the duke hasn’t disciplined you enough.”

The Daughter of the World’s face, red with anger, instantly turned pale. Remembering what had happened not long ago, her expression froze.

The onlookers were intrigued: “Huh? What happened with the duke?”

“The duke’s probably sick of having such a brainless, arrogant daughter.”

“I used to think the duke must be awful too, because of her, but now it seems I was blaming the wrong person.”

Chu Feng turned to the doctor: “Can you still walk?”

The doctor nodded. “I can manage.”

After observing her condition and making sure she could hold on, Chu Feng said, “Follow me. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

The two stood up and started walking. Left behind, the Daughter of the World exploded: “You didn’t even ask for my opinion! You’re targeting me on purpose!!”

Chu Feng completely ignored her. The doctor, unwilling to play the pushover again and get mocked for it, pretended she hadn’t heard anything and just walked on.

Watching their cold backs, the Daughter of the World burst into tears, choking out: “Why are you treating me like this! Why!”

The viewers sighed: “She’s yelling that loudly—clearly she’s not too weak to walk. What, are they supposed to ask her opinion so she can throw a tantrum and demand to rest?”

“This place isn’t safe. The longer they stay, the more they burden the general. Of course they should keep moving until they reach a safer spot. And she’s screaming so loudly—doesn’t she realize she might attract beasts and get herself killed? Then she’ll expect the general to save her again.”

“Ugh, she’s so annoying. Director, can you switch the camera over to 77? Just seeing him would put me in a better mood.”

“Seconded!”

Seeing so many requests, the director switched the feed to the last pair of guests. After covering their situation for a while, the view returned to Si Qi.

On camera, Si Qi handed water to Professor Bai so he could wash his hands, face, and the small scratches he’d gotten along the way.

Afterward, the two sat on a rock, chatting about the plants and ecology that Professor Bai found so fascinating, enjoying a peaceful moment together.

The serene atmosphere spread to the viewers, whose frowns gradually eased as they sent lighthearted comments across the screen.

Xiu Xiu messaged Si Qi: [Master, the Daughter of the World’s world power has dropped below 20%.]

Si Qi was shocked: [So fast?]

Xiu Xiu: [Before you arrived, the Daughter of the World kept defying the world’s consciousness (the novel’s plot), straying too far from the intended timeline. Her world power was already almost gone. Just now, by publicly ruining so many people’s impressions of her, she lost even more goodwill. Regaining support will only get harder.]

Xiu Xiu briefly described her earlier tirade. Si Qi raised an eyebrow and gave a precise assessment: [This time, she’s wasted her own golden finger.]

As a transmigrator, her greatest advantage was her “foresight.” Knowing the novel’s plot, she could have used it to secure a comfortable life. The world’s consciousness even gave her the identity of the duke’s daughter to help her support the story.

But she foolishly shattered her own golden finger, turning the plot into a mess. Now, stripped of her advantage, all she could do was throw tantrums and lash out at others when things went wrong. Before transmigrating, she had just been an ordinary person, with no cunning for intrigue and no courage to face monsters. The only skill she had was her years of nitpicking and arguing online.

…If nitpicking even counts as a skill.

Si Qi: [So where did all the world power she lost go?]

Xiu Xiu gave the answer he’d already guessed: [Most went to the book’s protagonist. A small part went to you… The world’s consciousness even wanted you and him to reconcile as a couple, but I refused on your behalf.]

[Refuse it.] Si Qi chuckled. [With the way that protagonist behaves, even if I weren’t with Chu Feng, I’d never end up with him.]

Before coming to this world, Si Qi had asked his supervisor what the baseline was for maintaining it.

The supervisor said that as long as the two protagonists didn’t die, the world wouldn’t collapse completely.

But if the story deviated too much, replenishing the lost world power would be very difficult.

Fortunately, what Si Qi excelled at was advancing worlds and helping the world’s consciousness harvest power.

He even had the leisure to ponder another issue: [Zheng Shi acts so foolishly—didn’t she inherit the original host’s memories?]

Xiu Xiu: [She did. The original host was exactly the same—reckless and lawless in private.]

Xiu Xiu pulled up videos from the internet of Zheng Shi and her clique bullying other girls, even driving one to nearly jump off a building. [If Zheng Shi hadn’t transmigrated here, that girl might have really died. After arriving, she focused all her energy on targeting the original protagonist and completely forgot about that girl.]

In a way, the world’s consciousness had used the duke’s daughter’s life to indirectly save the lives of many girls who would have died because of her.

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (6): 

The production team could see the viewers’ live comments, so when they saw the World’s Daughter showing off with that smug face, they were utterly speechless.

Originally, considering her family background, they had thought about tactfully reminding her about her poor results, asking if she had underperformed, chosen a field she wasn’t good at, or even letting her retake the test. That wouldn’t have been impossible.

But now…

Forget it.

If they tried to remind her out of kindness, she would probably snap back with something like: “Are you mocking me? Do you think it’s funny I came in last place? So I must retake the test?”

By then, not only would the viewers feel it was unfair, but the production team might even end up offending Zheng Shi, ending up in a lose-lose situation. Better to just shut up.

On the other side of the screen, the director said: “Now that the self-introductions are over, let’s officially begin our program. Guests, please leave the room and head to your respective starting points.”

Respective starting points?

Si Qi raised an eyebrow, took the locator handed to him by the staff, pushed open the door, and walked out.

It was a temporary building. Once the door opened, he was greeted not by concrete and steel, but by vast open fields. In the distance, he could see green forests and rolling mountains. When Si Qi came to the show, the production team had deliberately arranged for him and Chu Feng to take different cars. After arriving at this room, he hadn’t seen Chu Feng again until the program began with the written test.

Now hearing “respective starting points,” he knew that the two of them were almost certainly placed in different locations.

Splitting a couple apart for a live broadcast—this dating show was really trying to be unique.

As he was thinking this, the comment stream on the live platform suddenly erupted in excitement: “It’s actually the wilderness!!”

“This production team is so extravagant?! A live broadcast in the wilderness?! Incredible!!”

“Normally, if I want to leave the city and go somewhere else, I have to go through months of procedures, wait until enough people sign up, and only then enter under official protection. This production team is insane—actually broadcasting live in the wilderness… Is it even safe?”

“Of course it’s safe! General Chu is here! There must be official personnel nearby to protect them!”

“Not necessarily. If they’re really being protected, then what’s the point of going into the wilderness? Just to show us the scenery?”

Seeing how excited the viewers suddenly became, Xiu Xiu said to Si Qi: [Master, the people of this world are so strange. The moment they see you appear in the wilderness, they get ridiculously excited.]

Si Qi: [The wilderness has dangerous beasts. It’s very risky, and usually no media dares film programs here. The civilians, who are protected within the city, are both afraid of and curious about everything outside. It’s normal they’d be excited.]

Because of the participation of Chu Feng, Si Qi, and the Duke’s daughter, the attention on this program was unusually high. The network went all in, using Chu Feng’s connections to directly set the filming location in the wilderness. They had really gone to great lengths.

And unlike variety shows in peaceful worlds, here entertainment—whether TV dramas or reality shows—was especially popular if it involved “combat, fighting, or survival.” The officials also leaned toward supporting such programs. That’s why even a dating show could be played out this way.

The director said: “It’s not easy to find a soulmate among the vast sea of people. Then, in the desolate wilderness, can two hearts overcome countless obstacles, cross mountains and rivers, and meet again?”

The director’s words hit the audience’s tastes exactly, setting the tone of the segment and sending viewers into a frenzy—this was going to be a wilderness adventure!!

On camera, each guest was given a locator. They were told it would display their own position, and every half hour it would show other guests’ locations for one minute. How fast they could find their partner and reunite depended entirely on their ability and mutual understanding.

Si Qi looked at the locator in his hand and was speechless. The other guests were also stunned, clearly not expecting the program to turn out like this. After hesitating and confirming safety issues, they reluctantly accepted the devices.

Everyone born and raised in this world was curious about the wilderness—no one would want to miss such a rare opportunity.

Except the transmigrator Zheng Shi.

After pushing open the door, Zheng Shi found herself in a forest. Hearing she had to rely on her own strength to survive in such a dangerous place and find Fang Huai, who was nowhere to be seen, she was furious.

“What kind of joke is this? You never said we had to do this!”

Production team: “The program’s segments are confidential. That’s the only way to capture the most authentic reactions…”

Viewers were puzzled: “What? They didn’t give the guests a script in advance?”

“Look at how she’s jumping around. Doesn’t seem like she’s acting…”

“Probably not. Who would deliberately portray themselves as a coward too scared to step foot in the wilderness? And she’s from a Duke’s family, no less. Nobles enjoy privileges—they should take responsibility and protect us. Her behavior is bringing shame to her family.”

Zheng Shi, of course, knew what the world’s values were, and that she shouldn’t have reacted this way. But knowing didn’t mean she had the courage to enter such a dangerous place.

Hadn’t countless people in the book died because of beast invasions? Even experienced warriors facing stronger beasts could only meet a tragic end. Chu Feng himself had died from spiritual backlash after too much fighting. She didn’t want to die!!

The production team tried to reassure her: “Don’t worry. Although it’s the wilderness, no particularly dangerous beasts will appear… With your level of spiritual power, it’s unlikely you’ll encounter something you can’t handle. Even if something did, we would intervene in time to save you…”

The audience, while a little disappointed at the lack of “authentic danger,” still understood.

After all, this was a show. They couldn’t really throw people into areas outside the official protection zone. The production team wouldn’t dare.

The World’s Daughter was livid. If it weren’t for the live cameras, she would have already cursed the staff out. Now, staring at the locator and the incomprehensible map, she clenched her teeth and walked out with a terrible expression.

The moment she stepped outside, she panicked and asked: “Where am I supposed to go now?”

The production team didn’t accompany her. Instead, they released a few floating camera spheres that hovered nearby, with staff voices coming through: “You’ll need to determine that yourself.”

Her expression nearly collapsed.

Viewers: “That’s easy. In wilderness survival, the first priorities are water, food, and shelter. Didn’t we all learn this in class?”

“I was actually curious to see how a noble daughter would handle this kind of situation, maybe pick up some tricks from her. Now… forget it. I’ll just watch General Chu. That’s the real survival manual.”

With that, viewers shifted focus to the other guests. They saw that after stepping outside, everyone carefully observed their surroundings, then chose a target and steadily moved forward.

Most headed toward areas where water sources might be found… except for Chu Feng and Si Qi.

Chu Feng was accustomed to wilderness survival. His stride carried a natural strength and determination, his figure blending seamlessly with the environment, not the least bit out of place.

The other guests were different. Suddenly dropped into uneven terrain, they couldn’t help but look around nervously, fearing the vicious beasts they’d seen countless times in videos might suddenly attack. They looked like startled rabbits lost in the forest, as if they might slip and fall any moment.

They didn’t dare to push ahead recklessly. Choosing to first secure food, water, and shelter was the logical move—life came before everything else.

But Chu Feng didn’t need to worry about that.

He knew this was just a program, and the show wouldn’t scatter them so far that they couldn’t meet within a day or two. The hover cars clearly hadn’t taken them that far.

So finding Si Qi within a morning wasn’t difficult for him. Securing water and food could wait until after.

Compared to his own needs, Chu Feng was more worried about that pampered superstar—suddenly thrown into this environment, would he panic, get hurt, or get angry? He needed to make sure Si Qi was safe before anything else.

But he was clearly overthinking.

Si Qi wasn’t a canary. Even with looks more delicate than one, he was someone who could stand on equal ground with Chu Feng at any time.

He also didn’t look for water sources, nor did he use Xiu Xiu to cheat. Instead, he strolled leisurely uphill.

His fans sincerely praised his beauty, saying he looked like an elf returning to the primeval forest—light, graceful, flawless from every angle.

His haters sneered that even now he only cared about appearances—wild beasts wouldn’t care how pretty a human was when they ate them.

Yes, even his haters couldn’t deny his looks. Not even the blind could.

But some bystanders were puzzled: “Si Qi doesn’t seem afraid of walking in the wilderness at all?”

“These rugged mountain paths look like flat ground to him—so easy and natural.”

“But where is he even going? Shouldn’t he be looking for water? He looks more like he’s out shopping.”

“With that attitude, if he really got lost in the wild, he’d be dead for sure. He’s probably planning to just let his partner come find him while he does nothing.”

In the end, Chu Feng and Si Qi’s performances were useless as references. Instead, the warrior and the professor gave viewers a live, textbook-level demonstration of wilderness survival. Many spectators were in awe, saying they had learned a lot.

“These two people seem very used to this kind of life.”

“The samurai’s mental strength level is high, he probably often goes out into the wild to hunt. As for why the professor is so skilled, that’s worth thinking about. Look, their steps and the way they weave the vines are so alike, maybe they’ve gone on adventures together before?”

“Maybe they’re a couple.”

Saying so, the netizens turned to look at the remaining four guests. The lawyer had accidentally fallen earlier, and perhaps from the pain, he was holding his lower back with a furrowed brow. The doctor was looking around as if searching for something, walking steadily and with focus.

The duke’s daughter, Zheng Shi, had a sour face the entire time, suppressing her temper as she walked with her head lowered, soon covered in many cuts and scratches. The audience didn’t want to watch her complain endlessly, so they shifted their attention to the last person, Fang Huai.

Netizens had the weakest impression of Fang Huai among all the guests. He seemed to have no highlights at all, even during the test earlier his performance had been overlooked. But now, his calm demeanor in the wilderness was unexpectedly composed, which made quite a few viewers subconsciously look at him differently, leaving him with a rather good impression.

Half an hour passed as they thought this, when the locator gave a tremble. The eight people on screen simultaneously picked up their locators and looked at the eight little dots on them.

Many instinctively fixed their eyes on the dot closest to them, thinking first and foremost about finding a teammate.

But during that half hour, Si Qi had climbed to the top of a hill, overlooking the whole forest and grasslands. Comparing with the locator in his hand, he took in the positions of all eight people and what might be around them in one glance.

Only at this point did the netizens finally understand why Si Qi had seemed to be strolling aimlessly uphill, ignoring nearby water and food—he had been trying to find a good vantage point within half an hour to lock onto everyone’s positions all at once.

“I thought Si Qi was just here to show off, turns out he was actually using his brain.”

“Using his brain for what? Just looking at these locations is useless. Does he think he can pinpoint exactly where his partner is from this alone?”

—He actually could.

One minute was enough for Si Qi to understand the movement directions of the other seven dots, and figure out where they were headed.

The dot nearest to him in the southwest was moving toward him, apparently intending to meet up. But the one farthest away, in the east-west direction, even after seeing the locator display, still had no intention of joining the people to the left or right, instead heading directly for the very center of all the dots.

Having known Chu Feng for so many years, Si Qi understood his character well. Chu Feng wasn’t the type to gamble on a one-in-seven chance, wasting time to check whether the closest people were Si Qi, when that would only delay finding him. That would be too reckless.

And as a general, if he encountered a lone civilian in the wild, even knowing this was under the program’s protection, he wouldn’t abandon them just to find Si Qi. He would bring them along, which would only delay his search further.

So instead he went straight for the center of all the dots, trusting that with the half-hourly updates, the others would figure out his plan and head toward him in the middle. Even if Si Qi didn’t appear, Chu Feng could identify which dot was his and then search precisely.

Spotting Chu Feng’s location, Si Qi locked his eyes in that direction, put down the locator, and began descending.

Now that he had a destination, he no longer needed to stroll like earlier. He started to run.

The audience was surprised to see both Si Qi and Chu Feng suddenly running.

“I can understand General Chu running, he’s not afraid of the wilderness. But Si Qi running like this, and so fast too, that I didn’t expect.”

“Hah, I bet he’s just rushing to his death.”

“Ahhh 77 please be safe! I’m so scared!”

“He must be in a hurry to meet up with someone nearby. What a coward.”

“If you’re so brave, why don’t you try running through the wilderness like 77??”

“…”

Professor Bai, holding some herbs in his hand, was startled by the sudden sound of someone running up close.

He instinctively thought some beast had appeared—after all, he believed no human would be so conspicuous in this environment—until he suddenly remembered that one of the guests was a general.

Encountering a national hero here was actually very reassuring. Smiling, Professor Bai stopped trying to flee and stood still.

Instead, he saw a young man in stylish fashion, dressed immaculately from head to toe, suddenly appear from behind a large tree. His steps were light and easy, not a drop of sweat on his forehead, hands in pockets as if he were just a carefree tourist on an outing.

“Si, Si Qi?” Professor Bai gaped in shock, clearly not expecting to run into the legendary superstar here.

But meeting another person was still a good thing. Smiling, Professor Bai said, “Judging from the direction you came, you must be the one closest to me? I was just about to look for you.”

Si Qi nodded. “I saw you were about to look for me, so I came to find you first, to save you the trip.”

Professor Bai didn’t quite understand, but could tell Si Qi hadn’t originally intended to come to him. He said, “Let’s move together then, it’ll be safer that way.”

Si Qi thought for a moment, then didn’t refuse. Glancing at the plants in the professor’s hand, he asked, “Are you preparing to spend the night here?”

Without thinking, Professor Bai said, “Yes, better safe than sorry.”

Walking a few more steps with Si Qi, he suddenly realized something and asked in surprise, “You recognize these?”

He raised the plants in his hand, his face showing disbelief. These weren’t the sort of plants found in cities—only experts in the field, or seasoned warriors familiar with the wilderness, would know them.

Si Qi said, “Mosquito-repelling Korean Fragrant Grass, easily ignited Falling Ash Leaves, and tough vines that can be made into rope… looks like you come into the wild often, not just an armchair scholar.”

The professor laughed. “I’m a botanist. Sometimes I come into the wild to look for new plants. After all, I can’t leave this work to the soldiers. They’re skilled, yes, but they tend to miss the details…”

Si Qi casually pointed at some roots nearby. “There are a few Sunset Bloom flowers over there. I think you’ll want them.”

“What?!” Professor Bai froze, then without caring whether Si Qi was tricking him, he rushed over. Moments later, spotting the little flowers with hues like a setting sun, he dropped everything he was holding, crouched down, and used his fingernails to dig into the soil, completely absorbed and forgetting all else.

The audience was confused. “Wait, how does Si Qi know those herbs? I don’t even know what that Korean Fragrant Grass thing he mentioned is, never even heard of it.”

“My god, could he actually be familiar with these plants? Otherwise, how could he immediately point out that so-called Sunset Bloom?”

“If not for the way the two of them seemed so unfamiliar with each other, I’d suspect Si Qi and the professor were a pair. After all, they seem to have a common language.”

“He’s acting. How could Si Qi notice something at a glance that even a professor didn’t discover? Definitely a staged script.”

Professor Bai carefully held five Sunset Blooms, studying them for a long time. Once he confirmed he wasn’t mistaken, he looked up in surprise at Si Qi. “These really are Sunset Blooms. They should belong to you!”

Si Qi said indifferently, “You can take them all. I don’t need the money.”

Professor Bai widened his eyes. “Each one can sell for at least fifty to sixty thousand!” He had originally been planning to ask if he could buy them from Si Qi.

The viewers who had said it was scripted instantly fell silent.

What kind of script would include props worth two or three hundred thousand? That was nonsense.

But even so, people still didn’t believe Si Qi could so easily recognize so many plants, especially a rare and valuable little flower at such a moment.

Professor Bai asked in disbelief, “How did you recognize it?”

Si Qi’s tone was casual. “July to August, growing at shaded tree roots, in a humid environment, with orange-pink blossoms. If it isn’t Sunset Bloom, what else could it be?”

Hearing how effortlessly Si Qi explained it, Professor Bai looked at him with growing curiosity. “You know a lot about plants?”

Si Qi: “I once filmed a drama where my character was very familiar with these things, so I picked up a bit.”

Fans quickly recalled. “It’s First Sunshine! 77 played a painter who loved plants and flowers, and knew them all like the back of his hand!”

“Nonsense, I watched that drama too. Si Qi was surrounded by flowers just showing off his looks, his lines were like chanting scripture, I didn’t even listen, just stared at his face.”

“I think this is all arranged by the program team.”

Professor Bai, like the audience, found Si Qi’s explanation hard to believe. But unlike the netizens arguing endlessly in the comment feed, he directly asked, “Can you recognize other plants too?”

Si Qi raised his hand, pointing along the path as he named them one after another: “Perilla, Water Celery, Sunleaf Tree, White Qiu, Su Qi, Six-leaf Fruit, Vermilion Grass, Ke Qi Grass, Greenroot Flower…”

He named more than twenty species as if rattling off a menu. The audience was utterly baffled, refusing to believe so many varieties could exist within such a short distance. But the more Professor Bai listened, the more shocked he became, blurting out, “You actually do know them!!”

Si Qi raised an eyebrow, deliberately provocative. “What, you think I’m lying?”

Professor Bai froze, then quickly waved his hands apologetically. “No, no, I’m just surprised! Everything you said was correct. I didn’t expect you had this skill… I mean—I didn’t mean to look down on you, I just, I…”

The more he explained, the worse it sounded. His ears burned red with embarrassment.

Si Qi snorted, pulled back his hand, and stopped naming plants. “Enough, hurry up.”

“Alright, alright.” Professor Bai quickly sped up, stumbling to keep pace. But being someone who worked at a desk for years, in his rush he stepped on moss-covered stone, slipped, and let out a startled cry as he almost fell.

“Tsk.” Though he looked annoyed and was walking fast, Si Qi turned back as if he had eyes in the back of his head, precisely catching Professor Bai’s arm and steadying him. Seeing the professor’s frightened expression, Si Qi said mockingly, “If you can’t keep up, why didn’t you say so? If you fell and couldn’t walk, I’d have to carry you, wouldn’t I?”

Professor Bai said sheepishly, “I was too anxious.”

The haters immediately jumped out. “See? Si Qi doesn’t respect people at all! It’s so dangerous here, and he forces others to keep up. Then when they fall, he mocks them! What low character!”

The next second, Si Qi said, “Take off your shoes.”

Professor Bai blinked. “Huh?”

Si Qi, impatient: “Take them off, wipe the soles on the tree trunk, get rid of the mud and moss. Otherwise you’ll slip again and I’ll have to catch you. Do you know how tiring it is for me to walk while looking after you at the same time?”

Professor Bai gave an “oh” and obediently did as told, not feeling that Si Qi was being harsh at all.

After that, it was more of the same: “How can you be this clumsy, didn’t even notice the rock there. Next time I won’t remind you. Hey, careful, there’s a tree stump!” “If you’re thirsty, eat some fruit. Look, there’s some over there… Can’t reach? Tsk, useless. I’ll get them for you.” “Why are you looking at me like that? I’m not getting fruit for you, I’m just thirsty myself!”

With more and more of these incidents, Professor Bai completely figured out Si Qi’s personality.

Watching Si Qi toss him a fruit he’d knocked down with a stone, with that arrogant “hmph, I’m not taking care of you” face, Professor Bai couldn’t help but laugh.

Si Qi rolled his eyes, muttering, “Getting scolded and still happy, what a weirdo.”

But instead of getting upset, Professor Bai laughed even harder. He teased, “The fruit you gave me is bigger and better than yours. You’re not deliberately looking after me, are you?”

“What nonsense are you spouting!” Si Qi bristled instantly, snatching the fruit from Professor Bai’s hand. “I wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t said it. Why should I eat the smaller one…”

Then, catching sight of Professor Bai smiling at him, Si Qi bit into the pear fiercely, red-eared and annoyed. “Damn it, stop laughing! I said stop! You… hmph!”

Through the screen, netizens seeing Si Qi’s true personality firsthand for the first time, instead of through media reports: “…………”

“This… this is what people online mean by ‘Si Qi is rude,’ ‘Si Qi speaks harshly’?”

“I think he’s just soft-hearted but too embarrassed to admit he’s being caring!!!”

“Honestly, I’ve only seen this kind of tsundere in anime. Didn’t expect someone like that to exist in real life… add his superstar status, oh my god, this trait is too attractive!”

“A real-life tsundere queen uke!”

The haters kept yelling that Si Qi was rude, acting like they had hard evidence at last. But this time, the netizens weren’t swayed at all. Instead, they wore fond smiles, like doting aunts watching a child, as they discussed sharp-tongued but soft-hearted Si Qi.

“Si Qi has such a good personality.”

“Yeah, he’s so kind.”

“Crying, is he an angel?”

The haters: ??? Are you blind?! He’s been scolding people the whole time!!!

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (5): 

After it was confirmed that Si Qi and Chu Feng would participate in the program, many famous scriptwriters and planners were added to the team. A large number of talented people gathered, each of them shrewd and experienced.

They knew they could use Si Qi and Chu Feng as a gimmick to attract attention, but they also knew they had to stop at the right point—overdoing it would only bring trouble.

So, unlike previous episodes where the guest pairings were introduced right away, this time the production team played a trick. They didn’t immediately reveal who was paired with whom, but instead filmed separate VCRs for each person, letting the audience guess which two were the real couple.

When Chu Feng’s name finally appeared, netizens started complaining: “Isn’t this obvious enough? Lately all the rumors say Si Qi’s lover is General Chu, and now the general, who has never appeared on variety shows, is here—of course they’re a pair!”

But some disagreed: “Wait a second, this time the Duke’s daughter is also on the show. In terms of status, only she is worthy to be paired with General Chu, right? Si Qi is clearly unqualified.”

Fans who were originally unhappy with Si Qi dating someone suddenly got upset: “What do you mean? Are you saying our 77 isn’t even as good as a duke’s daughter? In terms of looks and temperament, our 77 would be more than enough even for a princess, okay?!”

Onlookers were speechless: “Fine, fine, your 77 is the best in the world. You’re the ones who scold him, and you’re also the ones who protect him. Amazing…”

Even so, everyone seriously watched the guests’ VCRs, trying to figure out who was paired with whom.

As they watched, some couldn’t help but complain: “Doctors, lawyers, warriors and such were acceptable, but compared to the Duke’s daughter, the national general, and a top celebrity, this guy named Fang Huai is just an unemployed drifter? What’s that supposed to be?”

“I saw him wearing brand names before, thought he was some rich second generation, but his academic background is terrible… no second generation would go to such a school.”

“Emmmm… is this woman really the Duke’s daughter? Her manner and conversation feel worse than the female doctor we just saw. Are my eyes deceiving me?”

“I don’t really like Si Qi, but I have to admit he didn’t become a top star by luck. With that face and aura, if you told someone he was a prince, they’d probably believe it.”

“Heeheehee, my 77 really does look like a prince, but he grew up in an orphanage. For him to turn out like this, it’s all his own ability.”

“General Chu is so domineering. Compared to him, that so-called A-class warrior just now looked like an ordinary man.”

As they talked, the VCR ended and the livestream officially began.

The camera showed each guest in turn. They were separated into different rooms, each with a screen in front of them. The staff explained: “The VCR only gave a simple introduction of your background. Now we’ll conduct a test so the audience can better understand you.”

When the view switched to Si Qi, the live comments exploded: “Ahhhhhh 77777777!!!!”

“Boohoo, 77 please don’t date anyone, okay? Even if you break up I’ll still love you! You’ll always be the best—please don’t date anyone…”

“Holy crap, Si Qi looks like this in real life? I’ve only seen him on billboards before. Damn, he looks even better in person than in photos!”

“Now I get why so many people like him… he’s like an elf prince living in reality. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that he could live off his looks alone.”

“Get lost, slut Si! Stay away from my general!!”

“Wow, the one upstairs has some nerve. Since when is General Chu yours?”

The comments heated up. On screen, Si Qi leaned lazily in his chair, one hand supporting his temple, chin slightly raised as he looked at the screen. He looked completely unaffected by the recent public uproar.

“I thought with all the online drama lately, he’d be miserable. Guess I was wrong.”

“Other celebrities would’ve already come out to apologize, but not him—he doesn’t care at all. He even dared to show up on a dating show. His guts are huge.”

“I’ve said it before—Si Qi fears nothing. In just a few years he’s already offended so many people. Why would he care about this? And when he said he’d go public with his relationship, he actually did it. That’s bold.”

Then a multiple-choice question popped up on Si Qi’s screen: “Please choose three fields you’re most skilled in. Medical/Combat/History & Culture/Business & Finance/Physics/Chemistry/Music…”

The doctors, lawyers, and others quickly selected their fields, sometimes even choosing their potential partner’s profession. This gave viewers hints, like linking the female doctor and the warrior, since they picked each other’s expertise.

But most people still focused on Si Qi and Chu Feng. Si Qi, because of his career, got even more attention than Chu Feng, and people mocked: “Si Qi dropped out after high school, his education level must be low.”

“His acting is nonexistent, his singing relies on autotune. Out of all those options, none are his strength.”

“Hah, he didn’t pick any—just clicked random. That’s basically giving up.”

“Hmm… Didn’t the Duke’s daughter graduate from Hercode University? Why did she pick literature, combat, and entertainment? For a noble university graduate, these are her strongest fields? She could’ve at least picked etiquette… and judging by her posture, she probably didn’t learn that well either.”

“General Chu chose combat, medical, and geography, not entertainment. Maybe he really doesn’t care about the entertainment world, so he and Si Qi aren’t related?”

“General Chu picked medical and combat. Could his partner be the female doctor or the warrior?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. How could General Chu choose someone that ordinary as his partner?”

“You fans really think you can decide who your idol marries? Mind your own business.”

Once the guests finished choosing, the system generated twenty questions for each. Viewers were surprised:

“These questions are tough.”

“They’re very specialized. Only professionals could answer them.”

“Oh my god, are these physics problems for real? They don’t actually have to solve them live, right? Just looking at them gives me a headache!”

“Pfft, look at Si Qi’s questions. They’re a complete mess, all over the place. It would’ve been better to just pick three fields randomly—at least that way he’d get something manageable!”

“Boohoo, my 77 is being bullied. The show shouldn’t even allow a random option, this is deliberately making things hard for him!”

“…Please. It was your Si Qi who chose random, okay? How is this the show’s fault?”

“No matter what he does, even murder, you’d still forgive him. Speechless.”

The guests focused on their papers and quickly answered. Since they were in their fields of expertise, most of them handled it easily.

Because the lawyer had chosen music, some netizens suspected he might be Si Qi’s partner, which led to sarcastic remarks from Si Qi’s fans.

Later, when it was Zheng Shi’s turn, and she picked entertainment questions, fans mocked her the same way, full of jealousy.

This annoyed some bystanders, who defended her: “Can’t you show some decency? What has this girl ever done to you?”

“Even if you keep mocking, she was born at the finish line. You’re just jealous.”

“Si Qi is just a small celebrity—if he saw the Duke’s daughter, he’d be groveling. But you fans are dragging him down.”

“Hah, the Duke’s daughter would never look at him. Do you think your idol is that precious? I bet she’s General Chu’s real partner. Si Qi is just clout-chasing, that’s why he came on the show. When he sees the Duke’s daughter, his face will turn green. Let’s see how arrogant he acts then!”

Amid all the arguments, no one paid attention to Zheng Shi’s answers. The camera switched to Fang Huai, but the audience barely noticed.

Only when Fang Huai finished and Chu Feng appeared did the tone change. The comments instantly turned into admiration: “Who’s the lucky one that gets to date General Chu?”

“Boohoo, could it really be Si Qi?”

“Eh, I hate to say it, but if I had to pick someone for 77, it’d have to be General Chu.”

People noticed that every time a guest appeared before, Si Qi’s fans would curse them. But when Chu Feng appeared, the insults disappeared, replaced with tolerance. Then again, it made sense—no matter how picky his fans were, they couldn’t complain about Chu Feng.

In fame, background, and ability, Chu Feng was Si Qi’s equal or even his superior. Even with their idol filter, Si Qi’s fans couldn’t talk nonsense in front of Chu Feng. That would be ridiculous.

They might dare to offend other guests, including the Duke’s daughter, but they would never risk openly insulting Chu Feng. If they did, the whole country would roast them alive. They weren’t that stupid.

Chu Feng, expressionless, quickly finished his paper. Whether combat, medical, or geography, these were his strongest fields, so unsurprisingly he scored full marks. The comments were filled with praise.

Then the camera returned to Si Qi. Viewers burst into laughter at his chaotic test questions. Even his fans couldn’t hold back, joking that last place would belong to 77, but last place was still a kind of first place.

Amid the laughter, Si Qi didn’t roll his eyes or say he’d hand in a blank sheet, as people expected. Instead, still casual and nonchalant, he began typing answers on the keyboard.

His speed was astonishing, his answers flowing without hesitation. The live audience giggled, saying he should’ve just handed in a blank sheet instead of wasting effort.

But then, seconds later, someone suddenly said: “Wait, isn’t that answer correct? Look at question three—it’s right! Does anyone who knows about the other questions want to check?”

“…I went to check, and the second question really is correct!!”

“The ninth one is right too.”

“Hey hey hey, no way. Even with the thickest fan filter, you wouldn’t lie this badly, right?”

“No one’s lying. I’m not a Si Qi fan, but the answers are actually correct.”

“Nonsense. How could he get such a messy set of questions all right? Did the program team feed him a script? Did he already know the answers beforehand?”

As soon as that was said, his fans immediately exploded: “What a joke! Our 77 would never use a script to fake being a genius! He’s straightforward and would never stoop to lying! He never hid his education or background, and he said he doesn’t care about degrees at all. Why would he pull something like this now??”

“To be fair, Si Qi’s arrogant attitude and refusal to play the respectful junior has offended many seniors in the industry, and the media has bashed him countless times for it. He wouldn’t tell such an obvious lie—it doesn’t fit his character, and there’s no benefit in it.”

“Our 77 didn’t care when he won the Golden Toilet Award (for bad acting). He treated it as lightly as winning first place. Why would he cheat for a perfect score? What a joke!”

“I don’t know what Si Qi’s really like, but if the production really wanted to help him, they could’ve just let him pick a few reasonable subjects to ace. Then a full score would look believable. But giving him random questions and letting him answer all of them correctly? That’s ridiculous—no one with half a brain would script it this way.”

“…So, because it’s too absurd, it actually proves the test was real??”

The audience debated fiercely. Even the producers thought the perfect test was suspicious, and one carefully asked Si Qi: “I remember you said your highest education is high school? How come you could answer all these…?”

Si Qi replied confidently: “What? Just because I only graduated high school, I can’t get full marks? Who are you looking down on? Education doesn’t equal intelligence. I didn’t go to college because I couldn’t afford it, not because I couldn’t get in! Funny, isn’t it.”

The staff, sweating, stammered: “No, no, I didn’t mean it like that, just… um…” He couldn’t very well accuse Si Qi of cheating to his face.

Netizens said: “Now that you mention it, that does make sense. Not getting into college doesn’t mean he couldn’t self-study.”

“So does anyone know what Si Qi’s exam score was back in the college entrance exam?”

“Not sure. The media only ever said he finished high school and called him uneducated. They never mentioned his actual grades.”

“Figures. Those gossip reporters always twist the truth and stir public opinion.”

“This is too much. You guys believe anything he says. There’s no way he could’ve learned this much just by self-studying. This is obviously scripted!”

Just as a few netizens began to feel a tiny bit of sympathy for misunderstanding him, Si Qi lifted his chin proudly and said something that left everyone speechless: “Besides, with my looks and my presence—tsk tsk—if I had delayed entering the entertainment industry just to study more, that would’ve been a loss for the whole world!”

Netizens: “……”

“Give me back my sympathy!”

“Si Qi really is still Si Qi.”

“Hahahaha, why does his shamelessness suddenly seem kind of cute?”

“Confirmed, he’s the definition of a blunt boy.”

Jokes aside, the program still had to prove itself clean. The staff said: “We’ll randomly select a few questions from the question bank for you to answer, is that alright?”

Netizens teased: “Seriously? It’s just a variety show. Why are they taking this so seriously? Afraid of being misunderstood? Everyone knows there’s always a script.”

“But if Si Qi really can answer more tough questions, then he’s genuinely skilled. That would make the show interesting.”

“Why am I suddenly excited??”

So the staff manually selected twenty random questions for Si Qi.

The director was sweating nervously—he was more shocked than anyone, because unlike the viewers, he knew for certain that Si Qi hadn’t been given a script!!!

The supposedly uneducated, unprofessional Si Qi turned out to be a hidden genius. This was… utterly shocking!

Under everyone’s disbelieving gaze, Si Qi frowned impatiently and quickly wrote down his answers. This time, not only did the live comments erupt, but the entire filming site buzzed in chaos. When the staff checked, his answers matched the official ones exactly, and the place almost exploded.

How could someone like this exist? A celebrity with weak acting and singing skills, but with an astonishing grasp of miscellaneous academic knowledge? Of all the careers he could’ve chosen, why become an actor? Sure, it’s not wrong to be one, but who deliberately chooses a job that highlights their shortcomings? For Si Qi, being a star was exactly that—his weak spot!

“What do you mean I’m not suited to be a star?” Seeing everyone’s disbelief, Si Qi protested, “This face was born to be in the spotlight!”

He even touched his own face proudly, looking utterly smug.

Director Lin twitched awkwardly: “Well… only your face fits that description…”

Because honestly, with Si Qi’s temperament, being a celebrity was a disaster waiting to happen. Scandals and fan meltdowns came constantly. If it weren’t for his looks, he’d never have lasted.

The ordinary viewers were dazed, unable to believe this was real.

His fans, after shock, went wild with joy. They proudly filled the comments with rainbow praise: “Our 77 is amazing! He’s the best in the world!” This time, no one even tried to refute them—the situation really was too incredible.

“…Well, let’s just see what happens later. If it’s scripted, one day it’ll show. But if it’s real… wouldn’t that actually be great?”

That comment got many nods of agreement. People now looked at Si Qi with disbelief, but also curiosity. Slowly, more rational analysis appeared: “Honestly, the so-called scandals about him weren’t that bad. Apart from his blunt attitude, he hasn’t done anything terrible, has he?”

“His acting may be bad, but his roles were just pretty faces anyway. At least his agent picked scripts that matched him—we only watched for his looks.”

“And he never used his top-star status to strong-arm his way into acting awards. He even laughed and accepted the Golden Toilet Award. I respect that.”

“His low education isn’t really a black mark either. He’s an orphan, paid his own tuition, and thought he should use his looks to earn money in showbiz. What’s wrong with that?”

“High school graduate earning over a hundred million a year, becoming a top star in under five years—that’s already more impressive than most of us.”

“Not to mention those two perfect test papers…”

“Those earlier comments must’ve been fake fans. Didn’t they all say they were quitting his fandom? So why are they still here torturing themselves on a dating show?”

“……”

When the test ended, the scores of the eight guests were announced.

Si Qi and Chu Feng’s twin perfect scores shone at the top of the list.

Zheng Shi, the Duke’s daughter, immediately lost her composure. She pointed at Si Qi’s score and shouted, “Impossible!” Furiously, she said to the staff: “How could a pretty-boy vase like him score this high? Don’t I know him? He’s just a useless pretty face!”

“The hell? What’s her problem?!”

“So this is the Duke’s daughter’s true character?”

Fans were enraged. Some even noticed her score and mocked: “Ha! Only fifteen points, dead last! Out of twenty questions she only got three right, and she dares call herself a top graduate? A noble of the empire? How does she have the face to question our 77?”

Especially when she accused the show of rigging it for Si Qi, insinuating he used dirty methods to climb up as a kept pretty-boy, even bystanders frowned.

“Whether or not Si Qi had help, I watched him take the test twice just now. At least it looked clean. But her—she’s a supposed elite graduate and only got ten-something points. Makes me wonder if her degree is fake.”

“And what era is this? Still calling people lowly actors and looking down on their jobs? Does she really think being born in a Duke’s family makes her superior to everyone? If even a star like Si Qi is trash in her eyes, then what does that make us—less than ants?”

“I used to think General Chu marrying the Duke’s daughter would be fine—noble background, educated, pretty enough. The only one who matched him. But now, ha… even Si Qi seems better. At least he doesn’t deliberately stir up trouble.”

“No no no, let’s not pair our general with anyone yet. The doctors, professors, or even the warrior from before are all fine. Anyone is better than Si Qi!”

Zheng Shi had no idea what netizens were saying. In her mind, based on the novel, Si Qi was a brainless, low-education vase star. She assumed the viewers were also furious at the unbelievable test results, agreeing with her and secretly glad she said it out loud. She was actually feeling proud of herself.

To her, this was exactly why she had joined the show—just at the start, and she had already exposed one of Si Qi’s flaws!

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (3): 

Xiu Xiu saw all of this and told it to Si Qi. Si Qi didn’t really care, casually letting Fang Huai call again and again without being answered, so anxious that he kept pacing in place.

Chu Feng: “Is it Fang Huai?”

“Mm.” Si Qi turned his head to look at him, smiling: “Jealous?”

Chu Feng: “No.”

Si Qi raised his eyebrows, just about to say something, when Chu Feng said seriously: “I believe you.”

“So I won’t get jealous.”

Si Qi was pleased, laughing and cursing: “At least you know how to talk.”

After finishing the meal, Si Qi got up, told the butler to send a glass of hot milk to his room in an hour, then leisurely went to his own room to wash up and take a bath.

Chu Feng sat in place, watching the figure that seemed to merge into this home seamlessly, without the slightest sense of being out of place. Hard to say whether it was Si Qi’s natural ease, or his domineering and proud personality—wherever he went, he was always the one who had everyone around running in circles at his command.

The adjutant, seeing that the two had finished dining, came to Chu Feng and spoke of the next work arrangement: “The marquis hopes to see you tomorrow…”

Si Qi lay in the bathtub, letting out a comfortable sigh.

Xiu Xiu, being very considerate, adjusted the bathtub’s functions to Si Qi’s favorite setting. The flowing water streamed against his skin, brushing over acupoints on his body, easing his fatigue.

The treatment method the doctor talked about today for repairing mental strength gave him a crude feeling, like a medieval barber’s bloodletting. Too reckless, unreliable, lacking any of the precision and elegance of surgery.

Si Qi pondered how he might devise a treatment for mental strength suited to this world. After all, aside from Chu Feng, there were many soldiers who suffered mental force breakdowns from overfighting. For them, finding a “soulmate” to stabilize themselves would be nearly impossible luck.

He had Xiu Xiu pull up some videos of the warriors of this world fighting against alien beasts.

Just like the beasts of a technological world, the demon beasts in cultivation realms, or the magical beasts of the Xuanwu continent, this world also had alien beasts. These creatures constantly invaded human lands; if people wanted to live peacefully in the cities, there had to be an endless flow of soldiers stationed at the borders to resist them.

Alien beasts, like humans, could use mental force to form armor to resist external damage. Cold weapons and firearms could only deal with low- or mid-level beasts. High-level or especially powerful beasts could only be harmed sufficiently by strong warriors channeling their mental force.

Because of this, everyone understood how important warriors were. Fighters and soldiers were extremely valued on this planet, earning everyone’s respect.

It was thanks to them that peace could appear in people’s lives.

With such an atmosphere, in the empire no matter the industry—including the entertainment world—those with high combat ability or strong mental force were looked upon more favorably.

The original body, being the canon’s main character and official pairing, naturally wasn’t lacking in qualifications. Whether appearance, popularity, or mental strength, all were enough to match with Fang Huai, who would one day become a general.

Si Qi thought for a moment about the connection between the entertainment world and mental force, murmuring: “Acting… no, music?”

Forget acting—he had spent his whole last life acting as himself. In this world, he really didn’t want to keep making movies… he was already sick of it!

The next morning, Si Qi came downstairs for breakfast and saw Chu Feng in a formal suit: “You’re going out?”

A servant pulled out a chair for him, and Si Qi sat down. The adjutant came over and said: “Today the general is going to have talks with Marquis Zhou. You…”

“I’m going too.” Si Qi picked up a sandwich and ate a few bites. “Which marquis?”

“Marquis Zhou Mingyuan.” The adjutant hesitated. “Do you need me to tell you about some of this marquis’s background? You might stay at his manor for a while—they’re holding a banquet there, with many dignitaries attending…”

“No, no need.” By the time the adjutant had gathered the materials, Si Qi had already read through all the files Xiu Xiu transmitted to him in his consciousness.

After a pause, he instructed: “Bring a bottle of white wine from Mikagil, packaged as a gift—that’s the marquis’s favorite. Also bring a pair of the latest Roschwa pearl earrings. The marquis’s wife’s birthday is in a few days, we can give them then. Oh, and get me a dark blue tie—swap out the one Chu Feng is wearing, his current color combination is a disaster!”

The adjutant was stunned listening. Chu Feng instinctively glanced at his own tie.

Adjutant: “Uh, okay?”

He went to prepare the gifts, not bothering to ask Chu Feng’s opinion—last night Chu Feng had already told him: from now on, Si Qi’s orders were his orders, no need to seek further instruction.

Because of this, the adjutant placed Si Qi’s position very high and treated him with respect—though only because of Chu Feng’s command.

Yet seeing Si Qi casually speak of things even he didn’t know, a sense of awe quietly grew. He thought to himself, this general’s spouse might be far more capable than he had imagined.

The two gifts and the tie were delivered. After finishing breakfast, Si Qi dabbed his lips with a napkin, picked up the tie, and walked over to Chu Feng: “Raise your chin.”

Chu Feng: “…”

The adjutant watched nervously, worried the general might get angry or say something unkind.

Luckily, Chu Feng was sensible enough; hearing Si Qi’s words, he obediently raised his chin.

He felt the youth’s fingertips lift out the tie tucked inside his suit, casually pull it free and hand it to the adjutant, then smooth the new tie, tiptoed slightly, arms around his neck, tucking the tie under the shirt collar. Slowly and unhurriedly, he tied it while humming a soft, cheerful tune.

Maybe it was an illusion, but after hearing that song, Chu Feng felt his mood lighten too.

Perhaps this was what they meant by “loving someone makes you love everything about them”?

When Si Qi finished tying the tie, he patted Chu Feng’s chest. Stepping back, he looked him over and said with satisfaction: “Not bad, very handsome. This way, even walking next to me, you won’t be too overshadowed by my brilliance!”

The adjutant couldn’t help but chuckle.

Following Chu Feng, he was used to dealing with serious, stiff people. Suddenly encountering someone as lively and amusing as Si Qi, he felt an instant closeness that made it impossible to stay distant.

Even the normally stern, aloof general said nothing, his expression more relaxed than usual. Perhaps this was the warmth that came after marriage, a hint of domesticity finally appearing in a single man’s life.

With the gifts prepared, the group left the villa. Chu Feng and Si Qi sat in the same car. Chu Feng said: “If you run into any difficulties, you can come to me, or to Adjutant Zhang.”

He hesitated, then said something very rare for him—something he normally would never say, commenting on others behind their backs: “In that kind of place, no one is easy to get along with. Especially in your situation.”

What attitudes did those lofty dignitaries have when they saw a celebrity?

Chu Feng wasn’t familiar with the entertainment industry and didn’t care for gossip. But he had heard people at banquets casually mention someone’s companion being a celebrity, with disdainful, offhand tones—as if discussing a commodity with good looks, devoid of any respect.

He didn’t want Si Qi to become the subject of such talk, reduced to being spoken of in that manner.

Si Qi had no idea of his concern, still carrying his proud, arrogant air. With a small huff, he said: “What situation? I’m so outstanding, wherever I go, people will like me.”

Chu Feng: “…”

Chu Feng said: “Yes, you’re right.”

It was enough if Si Qi could keep believing that. The rest, Chu Feng would handle.

Thinking this, their car landed on the manor’s lawn.

The marquis, recognizing Chu Feng’s car, had already gone to the villa entrance to greet them.

But he hadn’t expected someone else to get out with Chu Feng.

A new face, someone he had never seen before. Very good-looking, tall and elegant, with excellent presence—not like an ordinary person.

“General Chu, I’m so glad you could come. And this is…”

“My partner, Si Qi.” Chu Feng turned toward him. Si Qi lifted his chin, took the gift from the adjutant, polite yet a little proud, carrying himself with composure that wasn’t fawning but equal: “Chu Feng said you like Mikagil white wine, so I specially found one to give to you.”

The marquis’s eyes lit up. He eagerly accepted the wooden gift box: “General Chu, you’re so thoughtful!”

Si Qi then took out a small box tied with a satin ribbon and said to the marquis’s wife: “Your birthday is in a few days. I heard you like Roschwa jewelry, so here’s a pair of pearl earrings. I think only someone with your elegance can fully bring out their beauty. I hope you’ll like them.”

A flicker of surprise passed over the marquis’s wife’s face. It wasn’t that she hadn’t received gifts before, and a pair of earrings wasn’t much. But for someone to inquire so carefully into her preferences showed genuine thoughtfulness. Especially since the giver was the famously aloof, hard-to-approach General Chu’s spouse…

There was no way this was Chu Feng’s doing, nor something his adjutants would bother investigating. Nine times out of ten, these gifts were prepared by Si Qi himself.

Considering Chu Feng’s personality, he clearly wasn’t the type to keep a lover. If he said “partner,” then it was truly his partner. And with Si Qi’s manner, he didn’t seem like some frivolous fool. The marquis’s wife made a quick judgment in her mind, smiling warmly: “Thank you for your gift, I like it very much. Please, come inside.”

The marquis, delighted with the wine, led Chu Feng inside toward the reception room, saying as they walked that he wanted to open it and share with him.

Chu Feng glanced at Si Qi walking toward the banquet hall, then at the adjutant. The adjutant understood immediately, and instead of following Chu Feng as usual, he stayed with Si Qi.

“My husband has matters to discuss with the general. Please, follow me to the banquet hall to rest for a while. I’ve prepared food and drinks—I hope you’ll enjoy a comfortable time…”

The marquis’s wife wasn’t interested in dramas, so she didn’t immediately recognize this young man who sometimes appeared in shopping mall ads. She only felt he looked very familiar.

She was curious about Si Qi’s relationship with Chu Feng, and asked: “General Chu kept you hidden so well. I only just found out he was married…”

Several ladies of high society gathered around, smiling greetings to the marquis’s wife, then turning their curious eyes on Si Qi.

One of the ladies recognized Si Qi. Her eyes carried an unconscious scrutiny mixed with disdain, clearly assuming he was some companion brought along by a powerful figure. Her gaze slid away carelessly, showing little interest.

But when she noticed that Si Qi remained where he was for quite some time, naturally chatting with the other ladies, she listened more attentively—and was soon left stunned.

Si Qi was far too at ease, none of that fawning eagerness small celebrities usually displayed. He conversed with them naturally, as equals. His manner of speech was elegant, seamlessly matching their topics despite coming from a different circle, and before long he had taken the lead in the conversation. He even began offering suggestions and guidance, casually revealing information like which officials cared deeply about which issues—details impossible for outsiders to obtain.

These weren’t things to be said openly at social gatherings, yet Si Qi spoke them as though making small talk. To those with an interest in such matters, they were priceless intelligence money couldn’t buy.

Realizing his capability, the ladies began deliberately flattering him, smiling, offering praise, and hoping he would share more useful tidbits. Such knowledge would benefit both them and their husbands.

The lady who had first recognized Si Qi instantly dropped her contempt, smiling warmly and striking up conversation with him.

The adjutant, who had been watching closely from the side, was astonished.

He had followed Chu Feng for years, witnessing many beauties trying—and failing—to enter these circles, only to be toyed with and humiliated. Ambition made those people vulnerable, giving the powerful an easy handle to mock and control them.

He had been worried Si Qi would be harmed the same way, keeping a close eye, ready to step in and invoke the general’s name to protect him if necessary.

But Si Qi had no need to lean on the general’s prestige. On his own ability, he effortlessly integrated into the circle, turning the tables so that those in power courted him as though he were the prize.

The whole process flowed so smoothly it seemed natural, yet the ability behind it was shocking.

While reflecting on this, the adjutant noticed a certain official’s wife approach Si Qi—the wife of someone who had previously clashed unpleasantly with the general.

She likely didn’t know who Si Qi was, which explained her unguarded approach. The adjutant was just thinking of how to warn Si Qi when, unexpectedly, Si Qi shifted the topic. He brought up a current difficulty troubling that very official, then suggested that Chu Feng could help build a bridge, provided the official stopped deliberately opposing him—thus dissolving the grudge.

Indeed, the wife admitted she hadn’t known who Si Qi was, and said: “We actually do want to reconcile with the general, to apologize for what happened years ago. But we don’t know if he would forgive us—his character is so upright…”

Si Qi smiled: “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he forgets those unpleasant things. People should look forward, shouldn’t they?”

The surrounding ladies, overhearing this, immediately sensed his unusual identity. Someone asked curiously: “And may we know who you really are…?”

Placing his right hand over his chest, Si Qi gave a gentlemanly bow and said with a light smile: “I haven’t yet had the chance to introduce myself. I am Si Qi, Chu Feng’s partner. Please take care of me in the future.”

Everyone was startled. None of them had heard of this before!

The wife who had just confided in Si Qi felt both delighted and relieved. Thank goodness she hadn’t been stubborn just now, or she would have missed the chance to resolve the feud and might even have offended Chu Feng again!

Her impression of Si Qi instantly improved. She said: “What you said is so true—people must look forward! Please continue to maintain good relations with our family. My husband only struggled with his pride in the past, but he really isn’t a bad man…”

“Of course,” Si Qi replied, “if you—or any of you—ever encounter matters you find inconvenient to bring directly to Chu Feng, you can tell me. I’ll pass them along.”

The ladies lit up with joy. They understood the implication—many issues their husbands dared not bring directly to Chu Feng for fear of offending him could instead be passed on through their wives to Si Qi. This was an excellent channel to build ties!

The adjutant saw the atmosphere warm dramatically, and his respect for Si Qi deepened further.

So this was the legendary “diplomacy of the ladies”?

Their general had truly married someone remarkable…

With such a capable spouse by his side, the general’s standing in the empire would surely become even more unshakable. Already, at just one banquet, Si Qi had turned a former enemy into an ally and gathered many potential friends.

The ladies clustered around him, showering compliments. By now, even knowing of his celebrity background, none would dare look down on him—his prior display had been too impressive.

As the conversation grew lively, a group of young women entered the banquet hall. The one leading them spotted Si Qi standing out in the crowd and her face darkened.

The adjutant also noticed her. Recognizing her appearance, recalling her past deeds, he felt a sense of dread.

Before he could think of how to intercept her, she raised her sweet, piercing voice and called out: “Oh my, isn’t this that so-called star? What are you doing here? Are you going to put on a little circus act for us?”

She spoke so loudly that many nearby turned to watch.

Several people recognized Si Qi then, realizing he was the popular star of late. Hearing her words, they wondered what grudge he could have with the duke’s daughter. Amused, they sipped their wine, staring at Si Qi’s face and body with overcurious eyes, whispering, laughing, and even pointing at him.

The adjutant’s expression turned grim.

This was the duke’s daughter—and the fiancée of Si Qi’s ex-boyfriend.

Having stolen Si Qi’s lover through underhanded means, she could hardly harbor goodwill toward him. And now she insulted him publicly, showing her malice openly.

The ladies around Si Qi froze at her words. Realizing the speaker was the duke’s daughter, they hesitated, unsure whether to intervene in a conflict between such high powers.

They wondered uneasily—if the duke and the general had always been on good terms, why was his daughter ridiculing the general’s partner? Was this a signal that the duke wanted a break with Chu Feng?

If so, they definitely couldn’t risk taking sides. One wrong step could implicate their entire families.

The only one to step forward was the wife who had just gained favor from Si Qi. She said tactfully: “Miss Zheng, you must be mistaken. Mr. Si is here by formal invitation, accompanying his ‘partner.’”

She deliberately stressed the word partner, a veiled warning backed by Chu Feng’s authority. But the so-called heroine sneered, dismissing the threat. Raising her voice even louder, she said: “Oh, so you climbed up the ladder so quickly! Partner? Don’t make me laugh. It’s just a ticket into high society, bought with your body. Everyone here knows how filthy it is!”

Her hostility was blatant, impossible to miss.

She truly despised Si Qi.

Back when she was still a reader, she had hated his character—always bashing the main CP in the comment sections, calling Si Qi arrogant and conceited. He had no real ability, only caused trouble for the protagonist, flirted around the entertainment circle like a social butterfly, yet acted as if he were special, constantly throwing tantrums for the protagonist to appease, refusing even a touch. Their first kiss didn’t happen until the protagonist became a general—wasn’t that just mercenary opportunism?

And now, knowing that for Fang Huai to rise Chu Feng had to die, Si Qi still married Chu Feng casually. If he had even a shred of affection for Fang Huai, he could never have done this! No, he only saw Chu Feng’s high status, the wealth and glory awaiting after marriage—he didn’t care if Fang Huai lived or died.

So-called true love was nonsense. As long as the other party had money, he could be with anyone.

The heroine crossed her arms, sneering: “People like you, chasing power and status, are no better than rats in the gutter. You should stay hidden, instead of coming out to dirty everyone’s eyes!”

The ladies beside Si Qi, aware of his identity, were stunned. Did this mean the duke really intended to sever ties with Chu Feng, to dare let such words be spoken?

The adjutant was enraged. He stepped forward: “Miss Zheng, this is our general’s partner! I will report your words to the duke in full. The general will never forgive your insult just now!”

The onlookers, who had been grinning and enjoying the spectacle, froze. Some recognized the adjutant, knowing he was Chu Feng’s man. Connecting his words, they suddenly felt cold sweat run down their backs.

What? Damn it—this beautiful star was actually General Chu’s partner?

Would a man like Chu Feng marry just anyone for amusement? Impossible. That meant Si Qi was the future master of the Chu household, his legitimate other half!

And they had just ogled him with such vulgar eyes? Were they courting death?

They prayed Si Qi wouldn’t take their earlier disrespect as deliberate hostility. They truly hadn’t meant to take sides!

The previously noisy, mocking atmosphere instantly fell silent—so quiet it was almost terrifying.

A Star Who Can Do Everything Except Filming (4): 

The Daughter of the World was a transmigrator. Relying on her knowledge of the novel’s plot, and on the status that gave her whatever she wanted after transmigration, she never cared about such trivial details.

Her gaze toward those around her was always full of disdain, aloof and superior, just like the original owner of the body she had taken over. With an indifferent sneer she said, “So what if you’re married? If Chu Feng wants to cast you aside, it’s no different from driving out a dog!”

“Enough!” the adjutant roared, unable to bear the insults directed at Si Qi any longer. He turned to the marquis’s wife and said, “The guest you invited is making such outrageous remarks in public. Are we to believe she has no regard for our general at all?!”

The lady of the house now looked at the Daughter of the World as if at a bringer of misfortune. She did not want this unwelcome guest disturbing the banquet and bringing her trouble, so she forced a smile and said, “This is truly embarrassing. Mr. Si, please go inside and rest. I will handle matters here.”

When the adjutant went to escort Si Qi away, the Daughter of the World stepped forward. “Hey, I was talking to you. Why are you walking away!”

A few girls who were on good terms with the original Zheng Shi sensed something was wrong and anxiously tugged at her sleeve, trying to stop her.

They usually strutted arrogantly outside, bullying commoners without background, but in front of peers of equal status they at least had to put on an air of gentleness and humility. How could she act so brazenly without restraint?

But the Daughter of the World ignored them completely, continuing to posture arrogantly and provoke with an air of superiority. This left them disheartened, unable to understand why their friend’s personality had changed so drastically.

A servant had already rushed off the moment the Daughter of the World began provoking Si Qi to notify the marquis.

Inside, a group of nobles were discussing important matters when news came that the duke’s daughter was publicly humiliating the general’s partner and repeatedly provoking him. The once-friendly atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing point.

Chu Feng’s face darkened as he glared at the duke opposite him. The duke was stunned, quickly waving his hands to explain it had nothing to do with him, that his daughter had acted on her own…

The marquis and several officials looked at the duke with obvious disapproval. Such poor discipline of his daughter!

The duke was bitterly helpless, forced to swallow his grievance. He quickly rose to apologize to Chu Feng, then hurried after the servant toward the banquet hall.

As soon as he entered the doors, he heard his daughter shrieking loudly. The duke’s face turned green with rage. He strode forward, grabbed her arm, and roared, “Shut up!!”

Without waiting for her to recover, he pressed her head down and apologized to Si Qi: “My daughter is young and ignorant, she spoke nonsense. Please don’t take it to heart. I will discipline her properly afterward.”

He then dragged the screaming, struggling Daughter of the World and forced her to bow toward Chu Feng as well: “I will send a gift later as an apology. I hope you can forgive our rudeness.”

But Chu Feng did not even look at the duke. With a cold expression, he walked past him.

This attitude left the duke frantic. He gripped his daughter’s arm tightly and growled under his breath, “Look at the trouble you’ve caused!!”

Forced to bow her head in humiliation, the Daughter of the World was furious and shouted, “What are you doing?! How did I cause trouble for you? Why waste time with Chu Feng—he’s just a useless cripple on the verge of death!!”

A sharp hiss of inhaled breaths sounded around them. Many instinctively stepped back, afraid Chu Feng’s wrath would fall on the father and daughter and drag them down with them.

The duke nearly fainted with rage, bellowing, “Shut up!!!”

Chu Feng walked to Si Qi’s side, studying his expression. Seeing that Si Qi still had the mind to smile at him, he finally eased a little.

“You—”

“I’m fine.” Si Qi lifted his chin proudly. “That kind of person isn’t worth bothering about.”

Chu Feng pressed his lips together. “It was my fault for not protecting you.”

Those eavesdropping around them were stunned to hear the stern, cold general—always seen as iron-faced and unyielding—speak such gentle words. They instantly realized Si Qi’s place in Chu Feng’s heart and felt relieved.

Fortunately, they had not rushed earlier to ingratiate themselves with Zheng Shi or said something unpleasant to Si Qi. Otherwise, they would be the ones now begging for forgiveness!

Si Qi didn’t care about all that. He simply reached up to straighten Chu Feng’s tie.

The way he adjusted his lover’s clothing was practiced and natural, making many hearts skip a beat. They thought: the relationship between Si Qi and General Chu really is close. How had they never caught wind of it before? What a miscalculation!

Chu Feng did not refuse Si Qi’s intimate gesture. His voice was stern: “I will give you an explanation for this.”

Si Qi responded casually, “Mm,” but added, “That woman is just a lunatic. This matter truly has nothing to do with the duke.”

Chu Feng frowned in displeasure, staring into Si Qi’s eyes. Only after a long pause did he compromise: “Very well, then.”

If Si Qi did not want him to make an enemy of the duke, he would listen.

He did not want to make Si Qi unhappy.

The duke had the rampaging Daughter of the World dragged out. The farce had exposed his family’s scandal before everyone, utterly humiliating. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he returned to Chu Feng and apologized to Si Qi: “This matter is truly… ai, please do not take such nonsense to heart. I will discipline that unfilial daughter!”

Si Qi did not answer directly, only saying, “My husband will handle this matter with you appropriately.”

The duke cast a guilty look at Chu Feng. Chu Feng’s mind kept circling around the word “husband.” After a long moment, recalling Si Qi’s reminder, he finally said, “It was a misunderstanding.”

The duke’s eyes widened. He had not expected Chu Feng to suddenly become so easy to talk to. He knew Chu Feng had been truly furious earlier, unwilling to give him even the slightest face. Now that Chu Feng was suddenly willing to let him off the hook, he was deeply grateful, his guilt growing heavier. Embarrassed, he said, “Your magnanimity shames me. This was entirely my fault. Later I will present you with a token of my sincerity.”

Several noble ladies who had witnessed Si Qi persuading Chu Feng to change his mind instantly felt an even stronger desire to befriend Si Qi. Clearly, he held immense weight in the general’s heart. With him, wouldn’t getting along with General Chu become easy?

Once the matter was settled, the duke and the other nobles gathered around Chu Feng and left the banquet hall again.

On Si Qi’s side, things were completely different from earlier. It became lively, with no one daring to judge him with critical eyes anymore. Instead, all wore eager, flattering smiles, hoping to build good relations with him.

Since Chu Feng was notoriously difficult to approach, now that there was suddenly another path to win his favor, of course everyone wanted to shower Si Qi with gifts. Even if they failed to please Chu Feng, pleasing Si Qi would be just as good!

The adjutant, watching Si Qi carry himself so smoothly in the crowd, let out a sigh of relief.

His view of Si Qi shifted from being merely an accessory to the general to someone powerful enough to support the general in return. The surface politeness he once showed now turned into genuine respect.

After the banquet ended, Si Qi and Chu Feng got into the car under the marquis couple’s escort.

Si Qi said, “I need to attend a scheduled event.”

Chu Feng asked, “When?”

“It starts in an hour and a half.”

Chu Feng said, “Adjutant Zhang.”

From the passenger seat, the adjutant quickly responded, “I will move your afternoon appointments to tomorrow.”

As he said this, he was already considering how to coordinate with Mr. Si’s agent. Both men they served were busy people—if their schedules weren’t aligned properly, conflicts would be inevitable.

This time the engagement was just a routine promotional event for a TV drama, and many fans came specifically to see Si Qi.

Some of them noticed Chu Feng, who was deliberately hiding his presence, and looked suspiciously at the face beneath his mask. A few even secretly snapped photos of him and posted them online, happily claiming they had run into someone who looked exactly like General Chu.

But when the director and others at the venue actually saw Chu Feng’s face, they were dumbfounded. Standing backstage, they froze stiffly one by one, glancing at Si Qi and then at Chu Feng, utterly confused about how Si Qi knew such a big figure.

The manager, head pounding, tried to crack jokes and divert the conversation. He thought to himself that this couldn’t be hidden for long anyway. Sure enough, once he returned to the company, the chairman summoned him and asked, “What exactly is the relationship between Si Qi and General Chu?”

The manager had no choice but to brace himself and say, “Well… Si Qi… and General Chu… are m-married…”

For a star at the height of popularity to suddenly be married—this was something difficult to even admit, no matter the industry.

But the chairman, instead of being shocked, slapped the table in excitement, stood up, and said, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

The manager: “……”

The manager asked, “Where did you get this information?”

The chairman lifted his head, gestured toward the sky, and said meaningfully, “It’s already spread like wildfire up above. I only managed to get this news after digging around.”

The manager gave a dry laugh. “Oh… so that’s how it is…”

He had been so intent on keeping the secret, only to realize that in the eyes of the upper class this so-called secret was completely public knowledge.

Seeing his expression, the chairman asked suspiciously, “What’s with your attitude? Keeping things hidden is one thing, but now you still act like this?”

The manager stammered, “I just thought… if word got out, it would really hurt Si Qi’s career development…”

The chairman was blunt and matter-of-fact: “What career? He’s married to the general now, why would he need to keep working? You should contact Si Qi right away, ask if he wants to terminate the contract. Better that than for him to come find me about it, which would be awkward.”

The manager grew anxious. “Wait—that means the company is giving up on Si Qi?”

“Nonsense!” the chairman snapped, quickly distancing himself. “It’s Si Qi who doesn’t need us anymore!”

The manager shook his head. “No, no, Si Qi isn’t that kind of person. He won’t give up his career and willingly become a full-time housewife just because he’s married.”

“Housewife? That’s a noblewoman… no—bah! You’re twisting my words. That’s like a carp leaping over the dragon gate!” The chairman said, “Are you stupid? Si Qi is with the general now, and you’re still worrying that revealing his marriage will hurt his career? He’s just a star—at most he could set up his own studio and be his own boss, but he’d still have to bow his head to those aristocrats. Now, does he need to worry about career anymore? Isn’t this already the peak of his life?”

The manager didn’t know how to respond. He lowered his head and said softly, “But Si Qi…”

“Enough about Si Qi—you’re not thinking straight!” the chairman said impatiently. “Do you really think he cares so much about being a big star? Once he’s familiar with the upper-class circle, he might even feel ashamed to mention his old job! Stop wasting time. Go contact Si Qi right away. As for his engagements and endorsements, even if it means breaking contracts, don’t force him to do them, understood?”

The manager nodded, muttered a low “Oh,” and left the office gloomily.

He truly loved his work, believing it to be a noble career that brought people joy. Yet society always seemed to treat it as cheap and laughable, casually throwing around the word “actor” with scorn…

On the way out, he opened his terminal and searched for news about Si Qi. Rumors about Si Qi and Chu Feng were already beginning to surface, though they were vague and few believed them.

The comments below made the manager frown: “Si Qi’s pulling stunts again, how many rumors this month already?” “Now he’s dragging even General Chu into it—his fans are shameless.” “What kind of actor could ever deserve our hero? Si Qi should get lost and stay away from the general.”

Rubbing his brow, the manager worried that Si Qi really might take a huge hit to his career because of Chu Feng. After all, the internet’s malice toward celebrities was always merciless.

Maybe, he thought, quitting the entertainment industry and staying away from all the gossip wouldn’t be such a bad thing for Si Qi.

With that thought lingering, he once again followed the adjutant into the villa. The adjutant was explaining how Si and Chu would coordinate their work schedules in the future, but the manager barely listened, already entertaining the idea of bowing out.

Before he could suggest, “Maybe we should just drop it,” Si Qi beat him to it and said, “I’ve decided to go public with the relationship.”

The manager hesitated. “Actually, it wouldn’t matter if you didn’t.”

Si Qi raised a brow. “How long do you think this can be kept a secret? Better for me to say it first.”

The manager shook his head. “The chairman thinks you should just terminate your contract, leave the entertainment world, and then you won’t owe fans any explanation—you can just live your own life in peace.”

Si Qi crossed his arms, displeased. “Who said I was leaving the entertainment industry?”

The manager blinked. “Eh? You’re not? But…”

He suddenly felt moved. His hunch had been right: Si Qi truly valued his career and loved his work. He wouldn’t abandon it just because he’d married into wealth—even if his current career was mostly based on his looks.

Si Qi spread his hands. “I haven’t done anything wrong. Why should I leave the industry?”

The manager nodded reflexively and asked, “Then how do you plan to go public with the relationship?”

Si Qi said, “I heard Director Lin is planning a romance reality show. I can go on it with Chu Feng.”

He had three reasons: first, to use the platform to naturally announce the relationship; second, because his work required exposure and Chu Feng had to stay by his side anyway, so why not involve him; and third, because he wanted to use the show’s activities to build intimacy with Chu Feng and help break down his defenses for treatment…

Since he had to work anyway, why not pick a job that benefited his career, his relationship, and public opinion all at once?

Three birds with one stone.

The manager panicked. “No, that’s too risky!”

He had thought Si Qi would take things step by step. Who would have guessed his first move would be a bombshell? If it went wrong, there would be no turning back!

He pleaded, “General Chu’s popularity is enormous. No matter who he marries, his partner will be subjected to endless scrutiny about whether they deserve him. Now if you suddenly announce that the general is married to you, do you realize what the reaction will be? The hostility you’ll face will be unprecedented, because you’re a high-profile star! If you were a kindergarten teacher, it would be easier for the public to accept than as a celebrity. Normally, if you were attacked online, your fans would rush to protect you. But this time, your fans might cause an even bigger uproar than outsiders. You’ll be under fire from both sides!”

Si Qi raised his eyebrows. “So if I do nothing, when those people see me with Chu Feng all the time, they won’t scold me anymore?”

The manager: “…………”

No, it actually seemed they would only scold harsher, saying Si Qi was clinging to Chu Feng in hopes of turning from a sparrow into a phoenix or something like that…

The manager was helpless. Scratching his head, he asked, “Then what does General Chu think? Is he willing to participate in the show with you?”

Si Qi crossed his arms and replied carelessly, “Of course he’s willing.”

That meant he hadn’t even asked? The manager glanced at the adjutant, only to find that the man didn’t look troubled at all—instead, he smiled. “It’s just participating in a show. This much time can still be arranged.”

The manager explained, “This show isn’t as simple as just one interview. It’ll take at least ten days to half a month…”

The adjutant thought for a moment, then still said, “Ten days to half a month is fine.”

The general’s condition was so bad that he had basically stopped all outside work, focusing completely on recovering in the Imperial Capital. Taking advantage of this chance to spend more time with Mr. Si and deepen their relationship was a good thing, nothing to hesitate over.

The manager opened his mouth, then said dispiritedly, “Is that so…”

Why did it feel like everyone was happy about this, while he alone was worrying himself sick?

The manager sighed. “Then I’ll go discuss this with Director Lin. He’ll probably be so happy he’ll go crazy when he finds out.”

A top trending idol suddenly announcing a relationship and joining a show was already a hot topic in itself. And the other half of the couple wasn’t from the entertainment circle at all but the universally known General Chu. Just putting those two names together could guarantee the ratings for an entire season.

As expected, when the manager called Director Lin and said Si Qi wanted to join the show, the director on the other end instantly nodded like crazy. “Yes yes yes!” he said impatiently, eager to lock it down, even gloating a little. “Who’s the poor soul dating Si Qi?”

Why be so reckless, making their relationship public on a show? Weren’t they just waiting to be torn apart by Si Qi’s fans?

The manager: “…It’s General Chu.”

The other side fell silent for a long while before saying, “I didn’t quite catch that. Who did you say?”

“General Chu Feng.”

“………………” The director took a deep breath, speaking earnestly. “Old Li, you haven’t been drinking, have you? It’s not even evening yet.” How could he be daydreaming like this?

“It’s true,” the manager said wearily. “Anyway, just make the arrangements first. We’ll discuss the details later.”

Director Lin went quiet for a bit, probably weighing whether the show could bear the weight of such massive public attention. Finally, he clenched his teeth and thought to himself, “Fortune favors the bold,” and decisively said, “Alright! It’s settled then!”

If he pulled this off, he would become famous throughout the industry. This was the kind of major event that might not come once in ten years! Whether he could seize the opportunity depended entirely on him now.

He moved fast, urging the production team to quickly add Si Qi’s name to the guest list and post it on the show’s official account, even tagging Si Qi directly.

Si Qi’s fans, who constantly monitored news about him, went wild the instant they saw the announcement. Comments exploded under the post: some cursed, some screamed in denial, all of them emotionally charged.

The manager nervously opened his terminal to check the comment section. After only a couple of glances, his heart pounded so hard that he shut it, feeling like reading too much might shorten his life.

Unlike Si Qi, who could still calmly sip his coffee at a time like this. Seeing Si Qi’s composed expression, the manager snapped, “Fine, fine, I’m just the eunuch worrying when the emperor doesn’t care. When the netizens all start scolding you, what are you going to do?”

In just that short span, brand sponsors and film directors currently working with Si Qi had already called the manager, questioning him with less-than-friendly tones about what exactly was going on.

After all, if a celebrity damaged their image and provoked public outrage, it could be considered a breach of contract. In such cases, sponsors had the right to unilaterally terminate contracts or even demand compensation, since their products would be negatively affected. Continuing cooperation would only drag them down further.

The production teams were even more anxious. They had hired Si Qi precisely for his popularity. Now, with him suddenly in a relationship and angering his fans, who would still watch his dramas? Spending so much on an actor with no skills and no longer any fan appeal—he was worthless. Directors were more panicked than the manager himself.

The manager was frantic, juggling calls, trying to placate everyone with forced smiles and endless explanations. In the end, he had no choice but to bring up Chu Feng’s name to shut them up.

As time passed with no response from Si Qi, fans began digging frantically into who his lover might be. Celebrities previously linked to him by rumors suffered for it, all of them lying low, not daring to seize the moment for clout—only courting disaster.

Eventually, some fans noticed that whenever Si Qi went out lately, there was always a tall man in a mask by his side, whose brows and eyes resembled General Chu. They began digging into Si Qi and Chu Feng’s connection to see if Chu was really the one.

This obsessive frenzy surprised many onlookers. Chu Feng’s fans were furious, clashing directly with Si Qi’s fans, saying they were shamelessly clinging to Chu Feng. Did they even know their worth? How could General Chu possibly fall for a superficial pretty face like Si Qi?

Si Qi’s fans were angry too. They might insult him themselves, but why should outsiders get to? They immediately rolled up their sleeves and started fighting back, declaring that their Qiqi’s looks were unmatched, the most beautiful boy in the world, with enough admirers to circle the Empire hundreds of times. Chu Feng was just a stone-faced brute with no sense of romance—who would even want him, blah blah blah…

As a result, the internet was flooded with trending topics about Si Qi and Chu Feng. Even those who normally ignored entertainment news now knew that Si Qi, the recently super-popular star, was in a relationship—and fans even suspected his partner was General Chu. It was hilarious.

Suddenly, everyone knew about this dating show. It went viral even before airing. The director’s company had high hopes for him, and the once underfunded show instantly received massive investment. Famous screenwriters and planners flocked in, elevating the show from ordinary to polished and high-end.

Others heard the news too, including Fang Huai and Zheng Shi, the “Daughter of the World.” After losing face at the banquet hall last time, Zheng Shi hated Si Qi to the core. Hearing he would join a dating show and gain so much attention made her seethe with rage.

“We’re joining the show too!” Zheng Shi ordered Fang Huai. “Si Qi is nothing but a shameless social climber! I’ll expose his true nature in front of the entire nation!”

And she also wanted everyone to see that Fang Huai was hers—only hers—and had nothing to do with that wretch Si Qi! She would see if Si Qi still dared to cling to Fang Huai in public. If he showed even the slightest sign, she’d make sure he regretted it!

Fang Huai frowned as he read the news online. Seeing so many people speculate about Si Qi’s lover without mentioning his name at all, his heart throbbed painfully.

He was clearly the one who had been with Si Qi, his partner of over four years. Si Qi’s true love was him…

Hearing Zheng Shi’s words, Fang Huai fell silent for a moment, then hoarsely said, “Alright.”

He hadn’t been able to reach Si Qi in so long. This time, he would confront him in person. He would ask if Chu Feng had forced him into this, and he swore he would rescue Si Qi from those clutches!