Romance Variety Show: The aloof and beautiful fourth female lead is always coveted.

Li Shuyao didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"Niannian, I watched the live stream. Is there something wrong between you and Lin Zhao?"

"Did he contact some female guest in private and make you angry? If so, Aunt Yao apologizes to you on his behalf." She said earnestly, "You know, I have always treated you as my future daughter-in-law, and I also hope that in the future you and Lin Zhao will not only be a marriage between families, but also a couple with a foundation of love."

"Only in this way can your marriage last."

Bai Nianchu: "...?"

What were they babbling about? How did they end up talking about marriage?

"Not angry."

Bai Nianchu remained calm and repeated what she had said to Lin Zhao on the show.

"I just don't like it anymore."

"How could that be?" Li Shuyao thought she was being sarcastic. "Weren't you fine before the show?"

"Niannian, just a few months ago you were so confident that you would win Lin Zhao's heart and marry him. Didn't you promise to be Aunt Yao's daughter?"

Bai Nianchu frowned.

The original owner's feelings and sacrifices for Lin Zhao were deeply rooted in their hearts. No matter how they explained it, the elders would only think that she was being stubborn and giving him the cold shoulder.

Bai Nianchu lowered her eyes and changed her approach: "Before, I just mistook a habit for liking."

"To me, Lin Zhao was just a childhood playmate."

Li Shuyao was shocked: "Just a playmate...?"

She asked incredulously, "Niannian, don't lie to Aunt Yao. Do you really only see Lin Zhao as a playmate?"

"Yes," Bai Nianchu replied firmly.

To make Lin Zhao's mother give up, another drastic measure was taken.

"I met someone I liked on the show."

Li Shuyao: "!!"

The conversation ended abruptly.

Li Shuyao became increasingly uneasy the more she thought about it.

The daughter-in-law who has been betrothed for so many years is just gone like that?

She then thought: Niannian is beautiful and has good qualities, so it must be those men on the show who are trying to seduce her!

Besides, Niannian is still young, and has only been working for two years since graduation. Where would she have seen so many men who are good at flirting, handling things, and pleasing girls? She was just confused for a moment and was blinded by the temptations outside.

Li Shuyao keeps up with the times and has watched many short dramas. She knows that the more innocent and naive a young lady is, the easier it is for her to be seduced by young men.

That won't do!

As soon as Bai Nianchu and the others left, Li Shuyao immediately grabbed Lin Zhao's ear and scolded him.

"Serves you right for playing coy, you little rascal! Now look what you've done, Niannian's been snatched up by another man!"

She cursed as she relayed Bai Nianchu's words.

"Mistaking habit for liking? Just a childhood friend?" Lin Zhao's face darkened as she listened. "She really said that?"

Even if they don't acknowledge their childhood friendship, at least they're still childhood friends on the show.

How come his status has been lowered after just one meal?

"Would I lie to you?" Li Shuyao rolled her eyes at him and scolded, "All you ever think about is the company, the company, the company. Your wife has run off with someone else, and you're still making a pittance from the company."

Lin Zhao sighed, "Mom, it's not just a pittance."

"Is that the point?! What's the use of making money if your wife still runs off with someone else!"

Li Shuyao was furious, her voice rising several octaves: "When you get back to the production team, you'd better learn from those blond guys... how those male guests fawned over Nian Nian. You need to find a way to do it even better than them!"

Lin Zhao gave a soft "hmm".

Li Shuyao caught her breath: "Look at you, I don't even expect you to be able to win Niannian back."

"However," Li Shuyao said, "even if Niannian successfully pairs up with another man on the show, it's just a young girl dating and having fun. A family like ours, with equal social standing, is the most suitable match."

"Don't always put on airs in front of Niannian. A man should be generous, you know? At worst, you can wait until she breaks up with him and then win her back."

Should men be generous?

What are you saying, Mother?

Lin Zhao's face quickly turned from black to green: "What if she keeps refusing to break up?"

Li Shuyao looked at him like he was an idiot and scolded, "Why don't you become a mistress?"

Lin Zhao: "?"

"Haven't you heard of it?" Li Shuyao launched into a tirade, completely shedding the gentle and elegant mask she wore in front of outsiders. "The one who isn't loved is the mistress. Why don't you just work harder to become the mistress?"

Lin Zhao: "..."

My mother's remarks were far ahead of their time.

Who would let their own son be a mistress? Is that something to be proud of?

However... there's some truth to it.

He needs to think about it carefully.

*

Meanwhile, the two brothers took Bai Nianchu back to the Heartbeat House.

"Yanyun, help Xiaochu carry the bags from the trunk over there."

"Okay, bro."

Gu Jinxing parked the car outside the cottage and watched her get out, her slender figure walking step by step toward the open door.

A moment later, several young and handsome faces came out to greet them.

Because the car and the house were some distance apart, Gu Jinxing couldn't hear what they were saying. He could only see Bai Nianchu being escorted into the house by the group of men and women. After the door closed, the laughter and chatter ceased.

The noise from the cabin and the silence inside his car formed an invisible dividing line.

Gu Jinxing's calm gaze fell on the tightly closed door, his face revealing no emotion.

His hands, resting on the steering wheel, tightened slightly.

Bai Yanyun, who had just sat in the passenger seat, only needed to glance at Gu Jinxing to know what he was thinking.

The three of them grew up together. Compared to his own younger sister Bai Nianchu, he and Gu Jinxing were actually more familiar with each other's existence. They had fought together, been punished together, and learned to manage a company together as adults... It's no exaggeration to say that he could sense the emotions hidden beneath Gu Jinxing's subtle changes in expression, even if he just frowned or pursed his lips.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was Gu Jinxing's mind reader.

"Brother, are you reluctant to part with Xiao Chu?" Bai Yanyun ruffled his bangs and teased with a smile, "Then why didn't you get out of the car to see her off just now?"

Gu Jinxing didn't say anything. He looked away, started the engine, and drove off.

Not receiving a response from Gu Jinxing, Bai Yanyun didn't care and said to himself, "I've watched their dating reality show live a few times. Goodness, it's a battleground all the time! Xiao Chu's popularity is beyond what it seems. I wonder which brat will end up getting the girl."

"To be honest, those guys are all good-looking and promising young men, but if you look closely..." Bai Yanyun's pupils darted around and somehow landed on Gu Jinxing, who was driving next to him.

He scanned the man's well-defined profile, whose handsome features were still evident even in the dim light, and blurted out, half flattering and half sincere, "He's not as handsome as you, Brother Jinxing."

Gu Jinxing's eyes flickered slightly.

Normally, he wouldn't bother with Bai Yanyun's joking remarks.

But this time, instead of refuting, he used his usual calm voice to mention a small incident that happened today: "This morning, I accompanied Xiao Chu shopping, and the sales assistant said that she and I looked...like a couple."