Confession

The production team scheduled the finale shoot by the riverbank. Since Yang Huayi had come, Qi Yi from MeiYu Media came as well, and the crew spent the night revising the script to write the two of them in as guest stars.

Neither Yang Huayi nor Qi Yi was the type to stay hidden behind the scenes. Both were quite attractive and occasionally appeared on behalf of their companies. With their executive status and good looks, they had a sizable number of loyal fans online.

Qi Yi sat on one side with Yang Huayi while the crew adjusted the equipment and waited for filming to begin.

Qi Yi leaned close to Yang Huayi and asked in a low voice, “These young people are all pretty good. Who does Director Yang have her eye on?”

Yang Huayi ignored the probe. “I think Qi Yao is pretty good. Would President Qi be willing to part with him?”

“What’s the big deal?” Qi Yi said with a smile. “If he can work with your company, it would be his honor.”

“What a pity I don’t use artists with blemishes,” Yang Huayi said unhurriedly. “Too risky.”

Qi Yi narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean by that, Director Yang?”

“Exactly what I said.” Yang Huayi finally smiled. “President Qi sits high above the rest all day; if you have time, go out and look around a little. MeiYu Media and Guangtong Chentong are both major productions; we’re talking investments of hundreds of millions. If one risky artist causes the show to be unable to air, wouldn’t that be a massive loss?”

For an actor, that was the thing to fear most.

Not just actors; the capital backing them wouldn’t allow it either.

President Qi’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you for the reminder, Director Yang. But let me be frank: no one can stand under the spotlight without a single flaw. If there’s a little scandal, everyone can cover it up and let it pass. But if someone deliberately stirs up trouble and ruins the reputation of my artists, that’s the same as cutting off my money. I won’t let it go.”

Yang Huayi’s smile deepened. “You think it’s someone else stirring up trouble; I think it’s just someone reaping what they sowed.”

The two of them traded barbs back and forth. Beneath the surface, the tension was obvious.

The production team called for the next segment.

[Today is the final stop of this season. Everyone has traveled through many places and seen a lot of mountains and rivers. On this last day, we hope everyone can write down everything they want to say and confess once more to their partners.]

Zhu Qing wore a wide-brimmed hat and leaned against Li Lan’s shoulder. “Oh? Just like I thought?”

That little “oh?” of hers was oddly infectious, and it reminded Li Lan of last night, when Zhu Qing had wanted to make a bet with her.

“I won the bet,” Zhu Qing said with an unmistakably smug grin. “Teacher Li owes me two things now.”

Li Lan thought about it briefly. The last time she owed Zhu Qing anything was when Zhu Qing had accidentally fallen in the bathroom. Zhu Qing had then deliberately played up how pitiful she looked to make Li Lan feel sorry for her and go along with it, and Li Lan had agreed to do one thing for her, even allowing Zhu Qing to leave it until later.

Li Lan shot the program team a displeased look.

What era was this? Why were variety shows still doing heartfelt confessions?

Where was the novelty? Where was the freshness? Where were the audience’s hot-button interests?

Zhu Qing seemed to see through Li Lan’s complaint and gave a sly smile. “Maybe this is exactly what the audience likes.”

“You’re the country bumpkin; you like it,” Li Lan sighed. “My fans don’t.”

“Not necessarily. Maybe they’ll be the ones shipping it the hardest,” Zhu Qing said as she straightened and stretched. “Teacher Li, don’t get too moved later.”

Li Lan: “...”

The crew handed each person a notebook. Inside were records of their daily itinerary, and the last page had been specially left blank for them to confess to the person they loved.

There were four pairs in total. After spending the past half month together day and night, everyone found it hard to part.

Hu Xu and Liu Yini were especially emotional. They talked about the past; there was too much history to remember, and with those heavy life experiences behind them, the journey meant even more.

Hu Xu wrote to Liu Yini: [I have never regretted giving up the organization’s arrangement in that era, moving out of the communal dormitory, and living with you. I lost my job, but I didn’t lose you.]

Liu Yini wrote to Hu Xu: [The most precious wealth of my life is spending it with you. You are the most loyal, brave, and upright person I have ever met. I admire your character, respect your soul, and want to accompany you for the rest of my life.]

Before writing these words, the two of them had rarely spoken so much about the past.

Zhu Qing listened so intently that she even moved her little stool over to sit beside them. Earlier, she and Li Lan had teased the older pair many times, wanting to hear their glorious stories from the past, but neither of them was very good with words and was unwilling to put those old achievements on display. Today might be their final stretch of the journey, and with gratitude in their hearts, they said quite a lot.

In the end, they looked at the others. Hu Xu said, “I’ll say one more thing; I hope you don’t mind.”

Zhu Qing nodded repeatedly. “Please, Teacher Hu.”

Hu Xu smiled at Zhu Qing. “You’re a good child. There are many choices in life, so don’t get trapped by conventional opinions. Use the resources you have now to live the life you want as fully as you can. People eventually return to dust; life is finite, and the most precious thing is your own experience.”

She looked at the others. “You’re all people in the industry, so I don’t have any advice for your careers. I only hope that no matter where you stand in the future, as artists, you must first learn your craft before learning how to be a person; you can’t lack either one.”

Liu Yini smiled and agreed. “We’re just old and prone to nagging. You young people are different from our era, and the audience’s expectations of you are different too. Teacher Hu and I are only offering our own experience; in the end, the choice is still yours.”

The two of them spoke very sincerely and very gracefully. The crew cut nothing; it all went into the main episode.

Xu Yuzhi and Sun Qi had plenty to say as well. The two had met through acting; they were a proper industry couple. In terms of character, professional ability, public reputation, and popularity, they were evenly matched. A strong alliance; the most perfect pair in the audience’s eyes.

Their confessions were shorter than the older pair’s, with the balance handled just right; heartfelt without being overly sentimental. Zhu Qing listened from the side and felt only that the two of them had incredible emotional intelligence.

Then it was Li Lan and Zhu Qing’s turn.

When Li Lan wrote her confession, she held the pen for a long time without knowing how to begin.

If she wanted to break down her feelings for Zhu Qing, the first thing to expose would be her own barren and stubborn heart.

Two people who had no business crossing paths would naturally make anyone wonder why Li Lan had married Zhu Qing.

Li Lan thought and thought, and finally put pen to paper.

[After wandering for many years, I grew used to being watched, yet learned to dodge in front of you. You are the only umbrella I wanted to avoid in my rainy world; you are the first stirring of my heart, my entire love.]

Zhu Qing hadn’t expected Li Lan to write something so sappy. Her personality was the kind that, in a relationship that felt increasingly comfortable, would just sweep the brush across the page and write a long paragraph.

[The way you frown looks a lot like my high school principal’s, so please, Teacher Li, frown less in the days ahead. After all, in high school I loved skipping class the most, and I have a deep psychological scar from my principal.]

[Given that my salary is far lower than yours, your happiness and health are my performance KPI. In order to meet my targets, please keep being happy and stay healthy every day, Teacher Li.]

[Remember to love me every day; I’ll remember to love you too. Heart hands—from your wife, who is eight years younger than you.]

These confessions were meant to be read aloud by the other person. Earlier, many of them had choked up halfway through. Even if they didn’t, their faces were filled with happiness.

Originally, Li Lan had worried that Zhu Qing, having lost her memory, wouldn’t have much to write. Now it seemed Zhu Qing really could go on and on.

When Li Lan reached the end, she paused ever so slightly at the words “eight years younger than you.”

The people around them were all openly watching the show.

Li Lan cleared her throat. “Eight years isn’t that much.”

“Of course not,” Hu Xu said. “An old cow eating tender grass should naturally go for the tenderest grass possible. What cow would think grass is too tender?”

Li Lan: “...”

Zhu Qing laughed until she doubled over. Under Li Lan’s unfriendly gaze, she raised a hand and said, “It’s my fault; I like older women.”

Xu Yuzhi smiled. “So little Zhu Qing likes older women. Then do you think older women are pretty?” Her “older woman” clearly referred to herself.

Zhu Qing blinked. “Pretty.”

Xu Yuzhi: “Then if this older woman and your older woman were compared, which one is prettier?”

Zhu Qing no longer dared laugh. She immediately sat up straight, feeling a faint, almost imperceptible gaze behind her land on her. She hurriedly said, “My aesthetic preference is Teacher Li; it’s not objective at all.”

Xu Yuzhi sighed lightly. “Then I guess the coaxing failed.”

Sun Qi pulled her back. “I really have to guard against both men and women with you around. Give me a little peace.”

Li Lan had just been about to laugh when a voice suddenly came from the last group.

Yu Ling said coolly, “I remember Teacher Li has a five-year-old daughter. An eight-year age gap is very reasonable.”

As soon as those words fell, everyone fell into a tacit silence, offering neither reply nor reaction so the crew could conveniently cut the inappropriate remark.

Amid the silence, Qi Yi said to Yang Huayi, “Your people aren’t very bright.”

Yang Huayi glanced at Yu Ling. “Not only is her brain not working, she looks terrible too. The makeup artist I brought spent four hours on her today before managing to fix that face of hers, like she’d been hungover and awake for three straight days.”

Qi Yi laughed. “You really haven’t gotten any softer.”

Yang Huayi replied flatly, “I have even worse things to say about your people. Want to hear them?”

Qi Yi’s smile stiffened. Yang Huayi was usually fairly steady, but ever since they met yesterday, her attitude had been off. Qi Yi had thought it was because Qi Yao’s performance in the previous episodes had drawn hatred onto Yu Ling, and Yang Huayi was venting because of that. But later she realized Yang Huayi didn’t seem to be acting that way because of that either.

That made it strange. She had been afraid Yang Huayi might do something, and she was also afraid that whatever accident had happened to Li Lan had something to do with Qi Yao, so she rushed to Africa back-to-back with the others. Yet in the end, nothing had happened. Yang Huayi refused to speak to her properly, and Qi Yi couldn’t help feeling depressed as well.

Qi Yi spread her hands. “Fine, I won’t provoke you. You don’t need to curse people either. Let’s leave it at that.”

The others on set treated Yu Ling’s words like air. Zhu Qing looked left and right, unsure whether she should speak.

Yu Ling showed no embarrassment at all and spoke again. “Zhu Qing, do you like children?”

That was practically a direct hit. Zhu Qing ran a hand through her hair and said naturally, “Yeah, I do.”

Yu Ling said, “I heard Teacher Zhu Qing’s profession is kindergarten teacher. When Teacher Li chose a partner, did she take that into consideration, Teacher Zhu Qing?”

Those words were basically saying that Li Lan had married Zhu Qing in order to find a good stepmother for her child.

If she really only loved Zhu Qing, if Zhu Qing was her “first stirring of the heart,” then why did Li Lan have a child?

Zhu Qing felt this was a trap, one with hot-button value that the crew would be reluctant to cut.

Countless answers flashed through Zhu Qing’s mind, and none of them were appropriate. None of them could fully dissolve the edge in Yu Ling’s words.

If the audience saw this section, they would certainly be curious about Li Lan’s private life.

Who was the father of Li Lan’s daughter?

If she had a child, there had to be a paternal genetic contributor. Did she have a male lover, or was it just a brief affair? Was Li Lan’s identity as a lesbian fabricated too?

Even if all of that had explanations, if you had a child, how could you claim the person you loved most was Zhu Qing?

Zhu Qing opened her mouth, about to ask the crew whether they could cut it, when she saw Yang Huayi across from her raise a hand.

Yang Huayi’s voice was neither high nor low; it was just loud enough for everyone present to hear.

“Pause filming for a moment.”

“What Yu Ling said was inappropriate. Please cut this part,” Yang Huayi said politely to the director. “Also, I hope the program won’t mention Li Lan’s child.”

Yang Huayi spoke politely, and the crew would naturally have to respect that. After all, whether it was Director Yang or President Qi, they were both shareholders of the station, and their words carried a great deal of weight. With this coming down, the crew definitely wouldn’t keep a single word of it in the final cut.

By now, filming had continued for two straight hours, and everyone needed a break. The program went into a mid-shoot rest.

Li Lan walked over to Yang Huayi. “Why can’t Xiao Bao be mentioned?”

“What Yu Ling said was inappropriate.” Yang Huayi’s tone was flat.

Li Lan said, “Then I’ll mention her myself.”

Yang Huayi said coldly, “You’re going to shove your own daughter in front of the camera. Is that how you’re being a mother?”

Li Lan’s voice turned equally cold. “I can even bring my woman in front of the camera. As long as there’s buzz, why can’t I bring my child? I’m even going on Brave Mothers.”

Yang Huayi snapped, “Shut up.”

Zhu Qing hurriedly said, “Don’t fight. Don’t start fighting the moment you see each other.”

Yang Huayi lashed out at Zhu Qing. “I’m warning you, you’d better treat Xiao Bao well. If I find out otherwise...”

“Director Yang, mind your words,” Li Lan said, her anger rising further. “No one loves Xiao Bao more than Zhu Qing does.”

Yang Huayi was already burning with frustration, and as soon as she heard that, she exploded.

“How much can a girl in her early twenties possibly love Xiao Bao? You found her such a stepmother for Xiao Bao, and you expect her to treat Xiao Bao well? Is that how you’re taking care of Xiao Bao? If you can’t raise her properly, then don’t raise her at all!”

Li Lan shot back, “Xiao Bao is my daughter. If I don’t raise her, should I give her to you?”

Yang Huayi roared, “Fine, if you can’t raise her properly, give her to me!”

Li Lan suddenly went quiet; she looked at Yang Huayi in silence.

Yang Huayi froze as well after saying it and didn’t speak for a long time.

Zhu Qing looked at this one, then that one, and suddenly felt like something was leaving her on the outside of it all.

Uncomfortably, Zhu Qing frowned and tugged at Li Lan in a low voice. “Keep your voices down. People are walking around outside already.”

Li Lan still looked at Yang Huayi.

Word by word, with warning and vigilance: “Xiao Bao is my child. Only I have the sole right to raise her; no one can take Xiao Bao away from me.”

Zhu Qing tried helplessly to comfort her. “Yes, Xiao Bao is your child. How could anyone snatch her away? Don’t listen to Director Yang’s nonsense. She’s an outsider; she can’t touch our child...”

Yang Huayi had no reaction at first. Hearing Zhu Qing’s words, her eyes shifted slightly, and a defeated air came over her.

“All of you get lost,” Yang Huayi said quietly. “Li Lan, this is my last warning to you. Don’t try to probe me again. As for everything else, we’ll settle it together when we get back to China.”

After Li Lan and Zhu Qing came out of the tent, Zhu Qing kept glancing at Li Lan, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

A few minutes later, Li Lan said, “If you have something to ask, ask it.”

Zhu Qing asked carefully, “Why did Director Yang say, ‘If you can’t raise her properly, give her to me’?”

She had expected it all along. Zhu Qing would definitely ask about this.

Li Lan’s eyelashes trembled lightly.

————————

Their old way of getting along was basically:

Zhu Qing: Xiao Bao is so cute. (kiss kiss) (hug hug) (lift up high) (kiss kiss again) (rub rub again) (so cute she covers her face)

Li Lan: (jealous) (jealous) (jealous)