PEU Chapter 13

Day 13 of Provoking

The wilderness program team very quickly gave a response– they unanimously agreed to all the conditions Jian Xingce put forward. They didn’t have many choices, after all.

Just like what was expected, once the live broadcast incident came out, the internet was critising the program team to no end and the investors withdrew their funding. The program team was in a tight situation, so Jian Xingce’s exclusive support was simply a godsend.

There was no need to mention the exclusive support– at present, only the Jian family was willing to invest in this variety show.

Jian Xingce worked extremely fast. After the capital was smoothly injected, he immediately demanded a large-scale replacement of the program team personnel. The first to bear the brunt of this decision was the cameramen.

Since they had to follow the guests with big and heavy equipment, the physical requirements were even more demanding than that of the ordinary guests.

For this reason, Jian Xingce replaced them with some of the team members who retired before him. Not only did he know them well, but he was certain that their physical strength should definitely be enough to cope with the recording of the variety show.

After he selected the candidates who would be suitable as their cameramen, they went through intensive professional training.

The most advantageous qualities about these people were that they were very obedient and had a really strong ability to learn. After a short period of intensive training, they were all able to deal with simple obstructions on mountainous areas to smoothly record. In addition, due to their background, their endurance and stability didn’t lose to that of professionals in the field.

Jian Xingce’s drastic decision of replacing the personnel in <Hi, Wilderness> made a loud ruckus, attracting other investors to keep an eye on him to see the results.

There were even a few who whispered among themselves, thinking that Jian Xingce was a person with more money than sense. The first investment of the person who took over the Jian family business was wasted in that very variety show that was struggling due to having a guest injured just recently.

—No capitalists would dare make a decision like this lightly. It was likely that the old man of the Jian family was furious at his son.

Little did they realise, in the Jian family’s house…

Father Jian happily rubbed his walking stick, seeming incredibly relieved as he said to the butler who has worked for the Jian family for a long time, “As long as Ah-Ce just wants to take over the variety show and not engage in dangerous works, let outsiders say what they want. In any case, I have more than enough money for him to waste.”

The butler was silent, not knowing how to tell the head of the Jian family that his son had also agreed to participate in that wilderness survival show.

Regardless, there was finally some progress with <Hi, Wilderness> and Jiang Cheng received his next work arrangement– he was informed that he should go back to the pier to gather in three days so that they could continue the survival challenge on the island.

The agent Wang Chen sent Jiang Cheng a video call, and Jiang Xinghao’s ward could be seen in the background.

“I still haven’t settled the accounts of how you treated Xingxing. Behave yourself in the next few days, and think carefully of what you should and should not say when you open the live broadcast room.” Wang Chen warned.

“How I treated Jiang Xinghao?” Jiang Cheng was confused by the agent’s words.

Wang Chen snorted coldly, “You don’t need to explain yourself.”

When Jiang Xinghao recalled how Jiang Cheng had acted towards him previously, his fists clenched and he let out a deep breath before saying in a seemingly unintentional way, “Forget it, Chen-ge, Jiang Cheng must not have done it on purpose. Regarding Muxie’s fundraising gala…”

“That’s right, about that matter, how could the invitation have fallen into your hands like this if Xingxing had not been injured!” Wang Chen recalled after hearing Jiang Xinghao’s words. He was upset and unconvinced– how could all the good resources conveniently end up in Jiang Cheng’s hands?!

Even if this benefit really gave Jiang Cheng the opportunity to become famous, Jiang Cheng’s contract with them would expire in less than a month. No matter how popular he becomes, it would only benefit other people!

Wang Chen gritted his teeth, quickly turning to Jiang Xinghao to say, “Don’t worry, Xingxing. With this work injury that is holding you back from other activities, I won’t let the matter slide like this without an explanation from the program team. I’ll definitely get an invitation to Muxie’s fundraising gala for you!”

When Jiang Cheng saw that Wang Chen was only comforting Jiang Xinghao, he said, “You don’t have anything else to say, right? Then I’ll be hanging up.”

After he was done, he hung up before Wang Chen could even react.

As for how they intended to take advantage of the situation to get an invitation at Muxie’s fundraising gala? If they didn’t want their brain, they could just donate it. Jiang Cheng was too lazy to argue further.

What gave him a headache was probably whether Jian Suizhi and that unknown big shot from that night would be present.

When Jiang Cheng suddenly recalled what happened that night, his face felt hot from embarrassment. If he were to see that person at the fundraising gala, he would definitely try to avoid them.

But then again, he didn’t remember that person’s appearance clearly. The original body had severe myopia. At that time, he wasn’t wearing glasses and so didn’t have time to carefully look at the other party before using them as a shield…

It was enough to remember that the person was the boss of Muxie. A 1.9 metres tall man could be found anywhere, but there was only one boss of Muxie.

The call ended before Wang Chen could say a word, making the latter so angry that he had to take deep breaths while in Jiang Xinghao’s private ward. “Really outrageous! He even dares to hang up the call on me now! Isn’t it just because of the resource Director Liu gave him? He truly has no conscience!”

Jiang Xinghao had a mysterious look in his eyes as he immediately asked, “Director Liu gave Jiang Cheng a resource? Why?”

Wang Chen coughed lightly. “It’s just those kinds of things, don’t say a word about this to other people.”

Jiang Xinghao immediately understood and couldn’t help curving his lips– it turned out to be like this. Jiang Cheng had already taken such a step for the sake of money and fame. Even if the latter wanted to be recognised by a wealthy family, it was likely that he would be rejected and treated as trash.

Jiang Xinghao lowered his eyes and replied in a soft voice, “Chen-ge, don’t worry, I definitely won’t tell anyone.”

Wang Chen nodded. It was still the obedient Jiang Xinghao who was better. It was just that it was regrettable that Jiang Xinghao’s media exposure would be significantly reduced due to this leg injury, and he didn’t know how to make him attract the audience’s attention again after this recovery period.

“Hey, Xingxing, why don’t you consider doing a few live streams to promote items in the meantime? With your leg injury, you won’t be able to move for a while. If you don’t cater to your fans during this time, your popularity will definitely be affected…”

Wang Chen’s suggestion made Jiang Xinghao feel resentful. Was this injury something he wanted? How could he do something as low as live streaming to promote items? He was someone who would soon become part of a wealthy family! What would he do if people were to somehow find out about this and refuse to acknowledge him?

He took a few deep breaths to calm down the resentment in his heart and interrupted Wang Chen in a soft voice, “Chen-ge, I think that my parents would definitely feel bad if they were to know of my injury. As for the fans, I believe that they will understand and wait for me…”

Wang Chen’s eyes lit up as he recalled what he had heard some time back.

The reason why he strongly promoted Jiang Xinghao like this was precisely because he heard that Jiang Xinghao might be the long-lost youngest son of the distinguished Jiang family. The Jiang family was currently trying to investigate and verify this matter.

If there was no mistake with those words and Jiang Xinghao was really the Jiang family’s child… It was the Jiang family! When the time comes, would they still have to worry about resources? About whether they could be popular or not? And as his agent, he would also greatly benefit!

Wang Chen immediately said, “You’re right, we should just focus on your fast recovery. Rest assured and leave everything else to me, I definitely won’t let you be wronged!”

He really wanted to send a message to urge the Jiang family– a few days have already passed, how is it they haven’t come to visit their son? It should be because they didn’t know about this matter, right?

Jiang Xinghao nodded. “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Chen-ge.”

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry, okay? I’ll bring Jiang Cheng over in a few days and have him apologize to you!” Wang Chen said.

///

“Should we find some time to go visit Jiang Xinghao? I heard that child was injured,” A woman in the Jiang family who looked gentle and soft furrowed her brows as she looked at her two children and said with some worry.

Jiang Chi, who was eating, said, “Sister and I have already looked into this matter, it isn’t a big deal. The first time I went, I heard the doctor say that it should take around a month to recover. There’s no need for you to go.”

What he didn’t say was that he didn’t even know if that person was his real younger brother or not, so it was unnecessary to care about this matter so much. He knew that his mother had arranged a house in the Bi Yun community for Jiang Xinghao, and how much she had already invested in the latter.

“Then how about this? You guys go visit him in my place. I’m still not reassured,” Fang Zongyu looked at Jiang Chi and Jiang Jin as she said softly.

Jiang Chi opened his mouth, but was unable to refuse in the end and could only turn to look at his older sister.

Jiang Jin wiped her mouth with a tissue before saying, “Rest assured, mom, Ah-Chi and I will find time to go take a look.”

“When the time comes, don’t tell him who you are first. Otherwise…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it accordingly.” Jiang Jin reassured as she patted her mother’s hand. “Just leave it to me.”

Fang Zongyu nodded and held Jiang Jin’s hand tightly, the corner of her eyes a little wet as she said, “Ah-Jin, I always feel that your youngest brother is also looking for us. These past few days, I dreamed about how he grew up and came to us. I could vaguely hear him call me mommy, and he followed you both on a trip…”

Jiang Jin gently comforted her mother, then helped the latter stand up before saying, “I know, I also have this premonition.”

As she was speaking, she threw Jiang Chi a look. Jiang Chi immediately got up and helped to bring their mother upstairs.

Jiang Jin said warmly, “Take a rest first. I’ll let you know right away if there are any news. I have to go to a meeting this afternoon while Ah-Chi has to go to his studio to make some arrangements for a new design project. You have to stay at home alone obediently. When father’s plane lands in the afternoon, we’ll go have dinner together. Okay?”

Jiang Chi followed by saying, “Right, when I come back in the afternoon, I’ll have you take a look at my new design so you can help give some advice. That’s why you have to hurry up and feel better, okay? Besides, if my younger brother were to come home and find you looking this haggard, won’t he mistakenly believe that we’re treating you poorly?”

“That’s right, don’t make my youngest brother worry as soon as he returns home.” Jiang Jin said.

Fang Zongyu nodded and finally stopped insisting, quietly leaning on the bed.

After the pair of siblings left to go downstairs, Jiang Chi asked his sister in a low voice, “Are we really going to the hospital?”

“I’ll be free at 3 o’clock tomorrow afternoon and will be ready to go then. Don’t run away,” Jiang Jin said.

“Fine, fine, I’ll go with you. To be honest, I’m also a bit curious about what’s happening with this ‘younger brother’ and how he suddenly managed to fool mom into giving him a house this time.” Jiang Chi pursed his lips.

It wasn’t that he was jealous, but rather there were too many people claiming to be his younger brother in recent years. They had already long gotten over the initial feeling of hope and excitement. Whenever someone claiming to be their younger brother came to their doors, they were accustomed to dealing with them in a perfunctory manner on the surface while privately investigating. It was unlike this time, when their mom actually had a house put under the name of a young man they didn’t even know the exact details of.

Jiang Chi felt that there was something odd. It was as if that young man gave their mom a magic potion, bewitching her, or there must be some tricks involved. He definitely wouldn’t believe otherwise.

The next afternoon, Jiang Jin drove a silver Alfa to find Jiang Chi. The latter was at the desk, immersed in work. There were many design sketches, drawing utensils, as well as paints cluttering the table, and there was no free space at all.

Jiang Jin frowned, then disdainfully stretched out her hand to pull Jiang Chi out of this mess by the collar and asked, “Have you lost track of time again?”

Jiang Chi raised his glasses and only just now noticed that it was already past 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

“Sorry, sorry.” Jiang Chi quickly got up and called for his assistant to bring the fruit basket that was already prepared. “I’ll go wash my hands first.”

“Change your clothes too,” Jiang Jin reminded him.

“I don’t have anything else. Isn’t this just fine? Why does it matter?” Jiang Chi’s indifferent voice came from the restroom.

When he came out, it could be seen that his white shirt was stained– the right side was a dark blue one while the left was light green.

Jiang Jin couldn’t stand looking at it, so she urged her brother to hurry up and get in the car so they could set off.

When they reached the floor Jiang Xinghao’s ward was on, it just happened that two men came out of another lift one after the other. One of them seemed to be speaking in a bad tone, as if he was cursing someone. Jiang Chi subconsciously pricked his ears to listen to some gossip—

“Jiang Cheng! I’m telling you, you better not think that you can become popular again just because you’re now a guest in a variety show! Jiang Xinghao is not a person you can afford to provoke!”

“I already made arrangements for reporters. I want to make everyone believe that Xingxing is cared for well! Do you understand? It’ll be beneficial for both of you if you cooperate!”

Jiang Chi and Jiang Jin looked at each other, and their steps halted at the same time.

They heard another male voice speaking in a leisurely manner, “Shouldn’t you be begging me to act? How can you be so overbearing? If I don’t cooperate, isn’t it Jiang Xinghao who would suffer more?”

“If I were you, I would be pleading in a nice tone. Have you thought about it? Do you want to say it again?”

That man’s voice was especially sincere, as if he really was providing a solution. Jiang Chi couldn’t help laughing when he heard it.

As a result, the two men turned their heads to look at him.

“Who are you? This is a VIP ward, no visitors are allowed without the patient’s permission!” Wang Chen angrily looked at the two people who suddenly showed up, especially that one with a sloppy appearance. At a glance, it was someone of who knows what origin.

He berated in a stern voice, “Did you guys hear me? I’m warning you, this is a private conversation. If word of this comes out, I’ll be suing you both!”

Jiang Chi narrowed his eyes. This was the first time someone was threatening him so openly like this, it was a novel feeling.

The corners of his lips curved upwards, but there was a cold look in his eyes. “Sue? You can try it out.”

“…Chen-ge? Why are you guys outside?” Jiang Xinghao walked out of the ward with a crutch. He was followed by two reporters, and it looked like they were doing an interview. “I heard some noise outside, so I guessed that Chen-ge had come. I didn’t expect that there would also be Ah-Cheng…”

As Jiang Xinghao was speaking, his gaze went over Jiang Cheng and fell on the pair of brother and sister from the Jiang family.

His words halted and his pupils shrank– how could it be them?!

How could the Jiang family members appear here? How could they run into Jiang Cheng?!

The surprise on Jiang Xinghao’s face was quickly hidden, but Jiang Jin still caught it head-on. She looked over and asked in a cold voice, “It seems that you recognise us?”

Jiang Xinghao was flustered for a moment, but soon, he lowered his gaze and spoke in a soft voice, “It’s likely that I’ve seen you in the Mixed Blood bar, you look familiar. I worked there as a waiter to make ends meet before my debut.”

“But it’s only that you two look familiar. May I ask who you are…?” Jiang Xinghao revealed some confusion at the right moment.

The Mixed Blood Bar was an extremely famous high-end club in Lin City that was only accessible to members. Becoming a member didn’t only require an annual membership fee as high as 500,000 yuan, but also a thorough examination of one’s family background.

Back then, Jiang Xinghao had spent a lot of effort to get in Mixed Blood Bar as a waiter.

When he debuted, this detail was brought out as a negative material. However, not long after, the agent washed his reputation clean by shifting the argument and turning him into an independent and struggling young man.

It was at that time when he would accompany the guests for drinks that he heard a lot about the behind-the-scenes story of the Jiang family, and he had also obtained information that outsiders didn’t know about from those second-generation and third-generation young men in the circle– for example, the matter about the necklace.

There was no issue with Jiang Xinghao’s explanation. Jiang Jin didn’t have anything to comment about it and only looked at him deeply before saying, “Lofes has the intention of cooperating with Mr. Jiang, and we have had contact with your team before. This time, we heard that Mr. Jiang was injured. As such, on behalf of Lofes, we have come to express our good wishes and hope that Mr. Jiang has a speedy recovery.”

Lofes was a niche brand under the Jiang family’s property that mainly focused on body lotions, but it hadn’t developed well. There had been plans to merge and resell it, but then Jiang Xinghao showed up. Jiang Jin thus brought it out as bait.

Only then did Wang Chen remember that there was indeed a brand contact with this name. He knew he had made a mistake, so there was some embarrassment on his face as he coughed lightly and said, “So it turns out to be guests, why don’t we go in and have a little chat?”

Jiang Chi sneered, unwilling to give the other party face.

He turned to Jiang Cheng. He was much more interested in Jiang Cheng’s reaction just now, so he said with interest, “I watched your live broadcast. You don’t seem like the same person from the rumors.”

“Is that so? Are you my fan?” Jiang Cheng glanced at the other party. He felt like they had some predestined closeness and had a good impression of him, so he raised his brows as he said seriously, “Then don’t forget to come to my next live broadcast. I’ll be around the day after tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Jiang Chi answered with a really good attitude. There was no trace of the coldness he had just shown Wang Chen. He said with a smile, “When the time comes, I’ll definitely smash you with a reward so that you don’t have to choose from low-level props again.”

Jiang Cheng waved his hand. “No need. I heard that the money from the reward has to be split with the platform, and only half can be considered as the anchor’s commission. It’s not worth it. As for the matter of props, just having hands will do.”

This was the first time Jiang Chi was told that it was not worth spending money, and it was also the first time he heard that all you need to survive in the wild is hands. He blinked as he looked at Jiang Cheng curiously, then he laughed softly. “As expected, you’re really interesting. I’ll definitely chase you as an idol.”

Jiang Cheng said, “Don’t idolise and chase me, you might not be able to see me anymore one day.”

Jiang Cheng, “?”

The more he listened, the more Jiang Xinghao felt anxious. He couldn’t help tugging on Wang Chen with a small movement.

Only then did Wang Chen react, and he gave a forced smile as he hurriedly pulled Jiang Cheng away. “We still have an interview to do, so we’ll have to interrupt you for a bit.”

Jiang Cheng looked at Jiang Chi and shrugged. Although he didn’t say anything, Jiang Chi had already imagined the complete behind-the-scenes operations of the entertainment industry.

Jiang Chi, “!!!”