After seeing off Shi Guanghua and the production crew, Chu Yueyi finally had time to go back and settle accounts with her father. She stormed back home, ready to thoroughly review the day's events.
In the kitchen, Chu Wenyue was washing dishes by the sink. Hearing the door close, he said without looking up, "Sent them off?"
"Mm-hmm." Chu Yueyi pondered for a few seconds, then couldn't help complaining, "Why didn't you give me a heads up that you were coming over?"
Chu Yueyi had been embarrassed to the extreme throughout, unable to express herself due to the cameras. Thankfully, Shi Guanghua had managed to play along.
Chu Wenyue calmly finished washing the dishes and put them back in the cabinet one by one. "I was surprised to see you all. Don't you usually work late?"
Chu Yueyi explained in exasperation, "We weren't working, we were filming!"
Chu Wenyue knew nothing about the entertainment industry. He didn't even have Weibo on his phone, let alone watch any variety shows.
The internet provides people with a vast sea of information, but it also gradually divides the world, with various circles not mixing. "Heart-Fluttering Promise" was aimed at young viewers, and Chu Wenyue clearly wasn't in that category. This was the only thing Chu Yueyi was grateful for.
Chu Wenyue said, "So what if you're filming? It's not like you have to pay me for appearing on camera."
Chu Yueyi said with a headache, "I can't explain it to you..."
"Then don't," Chu Wenyue said simply. "Now, video call your mother. All day long, you only know how to work, as if your little job is the most important thing in the world."
"Don't your mother and I have jobs too? But we know there are more important things in life. Work is never-ending, but some things, once missed, will never come again."
Chu Wenyue could clearly read his daughter's reproachful tone, but he saw through her old habit of focusing solely on her career and ignoring the various beauties of life. Humans aren't just work machines; they also have emotional and sensitive parts.
Chu Yueyi was speechless at his words. Only then did she realize she hadn't called home recently. No wonder Chu Wenyue had made a special trip here, probably wanting to check on her situation. He had even brought bags of groceries, likely planning to cook her a home-cooked meal, only to run into the show's filming.
She had originally wanted to berate him, but now felt guilty. Her tone weakened as she said, "Alright, alright, I'll call now. Dad, stop nagging..."
Chu Wenyue said, "Once you're done, I can report back to your mother."
Chu Yueyi took out her phone and dutifully video called her mother, obediently reporting on her recent life and confirming when she'd be home for the New Year. Although they were in the same city, they lived in far-apart districts, making it difficult to meet up, no different from living in separate cities.
After ending the video call, Chu Yueyi began to reflect on herself. Knowing her mistake, she said, "I'll keep in regular contact with the family from now on."
Chu Wenyue mocked, "Now you realize you're an unfilial daughter?"
Chu Yueyi pouted.
"But you're really bold, actually filming at home. Aren't you afraid people will see your messy side?" Chu Wenyue muttered. "And you're complaining about me? Look at yourself."
Chu Yueyi retorted confidently, "My image outside is perfect! My professional attitude is well-known!"
Chu Wenyue: "Perfect?"
Chu Yueyi nodded: "My colleagues have never said anything bad about me!"
"Come here, come here." Chu Wenyue beckoned his daughter over to the refrigerator. He opened the door and showed her the situation inside. "Take a look. What's wrong with this picture?"
Chu Yueyi looked at the neatly arranged items in the fridge, completely puzzled. "What could be wrong? Didn't you just help me tidy up the fridge and now you want to lecture me again?"
She admitted that she was often careless and occasionally did strange experiments, like putting fruits and vegetables in the freezer compartment. She had originally wanted to try something new, but ended up leaving them there for half a year. But that wasn't a big deal, right? Although she would casually put odds and ends in the fridge and loved to make a mess inside, what harm could she possibly mean by it?
Chu Yueyi thought: It's my fridge, I can do what I want. If I get a stomachache, it's on me!
Chu Wenyue calmly said, "I didn't tidy it up. It was like this when I arrived."
Chu Yueyi: "?"
Chu Wenyue said meaningfully, "If you didn't tidy this up, then it must be haunted. After all, isn't your image outside perfect?"
Chu Yueyi: "!!?"
Chu Yueyi looked at the neat fridge in despair. She quickly opened the freezer compartment, which was equally well-organized. There were even two uneaten ice creams, clearly leaving traces of the young man from Tianshui.
When she had asked Shi Guanghua to put away the ice cream, she hadn't thought about the state of the fridge at all. Little did she know that she had instructed him to open Pandora's box with her own words.
He had seen through her messy nature but hadn't mentioned a word about it.
Chu Yueyi wished she could find a crack in the ground to disappear into. She had never expected her image to be shattered so completely. Dispirited, she asked, "Dad, is it too late for me to end it all now?"
Chu Wenyue: "Don't. I don't want the world to lose one more person with a perfect image."
Chu Yueyi: "..."
Li You also knew about Chu Yueyi's messy nature, but Shi Guanghua accidentally discovering it gave her a completely different feeling. She didn't dare imagine what he thought when he saw the inside of the fridge, feeling a burning sense of shame all over her body.
Chu Yueyi truly couldn't face anyone, but since she wanted to continue living, she resorted to self-deception: "Deleted. This memory is deleted. This is just a false memory..."
When she wakes up tomorrow, she'll still be the perfect working professional, never having had a moment of embarrassment.
Chu Wenyue shook his head, seemingly too lazy to bother with her.
Because "Heart-Fluttering Promise" would be on hiatus during the Spring Festival, the sixth episode was surprisingly long, providing an extended broadcast before the New Year. Since the fourth episode, each episode had focused on different couples. This episode was mostly about the Moonlight Group, presumably to maintain interest during the holiday period.
Chu Yueyi asked Shi Guanghua's manager for advice on gift-giving, and Shi Guanghua's colleague asked a direct question about his girlfriend. The two went shopping at a convenience store, but ran into Chu's father when they returned home to discuss, and were forced to stay for dinner. This episode's content was full of extreme twists and turns, naturally becoming a hot topic among netizens.
-- Special guest instructor this episode: Chu Yueyi's father
-- Teaching assistant: Shi Guanghua's manager
-- Manager: To trap a man, you need to empty his wallet.
-- At first I laughed at the manager for being tactless, but it turns out he understands men better than I do! I'm the real clown!
-- Keep it simple, don't ask "Is this your girlfriend?", just ask "Is this your wife?". You're welcome.
-- It's not that her ears were red from the cold, she was breaking down on the spot.
-- Beijing household, Beijing house, young wild king, in the end he's marrying up.
-- Suggest Shi Guanghua get married quickly, this chance won't come again. Stay at home, be a husband and father, no more drifting in Beijing! Young man, grab onto this wealth code!
-- Chu's father: Bringing someone home and still working, you really know how to behave. Let me see my son-in-law quickly.
-- They're like students caught dating. If I brought a guy home, my parents would probably be overjoyed, considering I'm an old spinster.
-- I laughed so hard! Turns out I'm not watching a dating show, but studying interpersonal relationships!
-- The three of them can still communicate across servers.
-- Dad! Quickly push them to get married, they're getting better and better!
-- Has our meeting made you better and better? (×) -- Has our dating made you better and better? (√)
-- As expected of a literary master, using words precisely and accurately.
Compared to the excited frenzy in the show's bullet comments section, the "Moonlight Science Club" Weibo account behaved in a restrained and rational manner. It didn't focus on the ubiquitous Moonlight Couple sweet moments, but defined this episode as a historical turning point.
Moonlight Science Club: Classmates, this is a paragraph in the text with special significance. We recommend studying it repeatedly to uncover deeper connotations. Focus on analyzing Shi Guanghua's reactions.
Little Deer: After all, the father-in-law has formally proposed his requirements for choosing a son-in-law. Everyone, recall the phrase "other conditions".
Sweet Horn: Haha, when Shi introduced himself as working in music, he panicked so much, afraid of being looked down upon [doge]
PAN: The ugly son-in-law always has to meet the father-in-law (just kidding)
Tonight's Fireworks Are Beautiful: LMAO, he even pitifully asked if she was getting better and better hhh
Floating: Don't know if they're getting better and better, but he's certainly shattered his initial cool image [doge]
Crow Caw Caw: Of course!
Xuan Ran Ji Ji: Always has been!
Soft Tea: Always has been +10086
After the sixth episode aired, a new trend in catchphrases swept through the comment section of the "Moonlight Science Society." Enthusiastic fans, whether answering questions or engaging in casual chatter, loved to use "Of course" and "It has always been so" as responses. This peculiar habit even spread beyond the fandom, becoming something akin to a secret code among underground party members.
Whenever a netizen mentioned "Of course," someone would reply with "It has always been so," and both parties would share a knowing smile, as if they had bumped into an old classmate on the street—fellow disciples in the study of fandom culture.
Although Chu Yueyi had been stressed during the recording, the finished product of the show seemed to be well-received.
Everyone was as busy as a spinning top before the New Year. After finishing the show's recording, she rarely crossed paths with Shi Guanghua, gradually overcoming the effects of the refrigerator incident.
At the company's annual party, the lights flashed chaotically, and intense music filled the air. Trainees danced energetically on stage, eliciting cheers and screams from the audience. The company had recruited many trainees in recent years, likely hoping to catch the idol wave, but had yet to produce any notable successes.
Chu Yueyi, dressed in understated casual wear, sat quietly in the front row, occasionally applauding politely. She didn't particularly enjoy the performances; instead, she felt a sense of empathy for their struggle.
Chu Yueyi thought: Poor things, they have to work regularly and still perform at the annual party.
As an actress, Chu Yueyi naturally didn't have to perform on stage. Once she got through today's party, she could look forward to the long Spring Festival holiday. While she didn't have to attend tedious meetings, the annual party was unavoidable—it was a team-building event that the boss valued highly.
After proactively conversing with the higher-ups and greeting familiar colleagues, Chu Yueyi obediently sat in her seat, planning to endure this noisy event. She disliked networking at such occasions but forgot that as a long-time employee of the company, she had reached the stage where others would approach her.
"Yueyi, this is Dong Yan. He's quite a fan of yours," a company executive enthusiastically introduced a tall young man to Chu Yueyi, his tone brimming with excitement.
Dong Yan bowed modestly, "Hello, Sister Yueyi."
Chu Yueyi was momentarily taken aback, surprised that she had become a senior figure. She quickly stood up to greet him, switching to her professional smile, and responded graciously, "Oh, really? Thank you for appreciating my work."
Dong Yan appeared rather shy, mumbling without continuing the conversation.
The executive encouraged, "You two chat a bit. It's not often you get to meet!"
With the leader's instruction, they had no choice. Chu Yueyi noticed Dong Yan sitting next to her and couldn't help but think that the variety show had truly elevated her status, making her someone that newcomers sought to network with. Although Dong Yan called Chu Yueyi "sister," they weren't far apart in age; Chu Yueyi was simply more famous. He looked gentle and reserved, but was actually quite restless. He remained quiet when with the executives, but as soon as they left, he looked around anxiously, revealing his impatient nature.
Chu Yueyi, accustomed to seeing male artists in the industry who were all style and no substance, quickly saw through Dong Yan. He wasn't really her fan at all, probably instructed by higher-ups to approach her. He clumsily tried to flatter her, occasionally asking random questions.
Chu Yueyi thought: This guy is so inept he can't even kiss up properly.
Although her overall impression of Dong Yan wasn't high, she wasn't the type to give newcomers a hard time. She good-naturedly responded to a few of his comments, just wanting to get through the company party. However, someone was bound to step on a landmine.
Realizing that Chu Yueyi was easy to talk to, Dong Yan grew bolder and began to boast foolishly: "Sister Yueyi, you've become so popular this year, and next year will be even better. It doesn't matter that Bai Yiyang stole your role; look at how she's declining now..."
Chu Yueyi, who had maintained a smile until now, suddenly turned cold, though her voice remained gentle: "Who told you she stole my role?"
Hearing her soft tone, Dong Yan failed to notice her change in expression and blurted out, "Doesn't everyone know?"
Although this incident had occurred when Chu Yueyi first signed with the company, years ago, there were still people in the company who knew about it. Dong Yan assumed Chu Yueyi would harbor a deep hatred for Bai Yiyang and thought he was catering to her preferences by putting down her rival.
For the first time, Chu Yueyi turned to look at him directly. With a radiant smile on her face, she said words as sharp as a knife: "Everyone knows but doesn't mention it. What makes you think you're qualified to bring it up?"
Her face was all smiles, her tone light and breezy, yet it left Dong Yan frozen in place.
She had been so approachable just moments ago, but now delivered a fatal blow.
Stunned by her reaction, Dong Yan stuttered, "But... but aren't you two..."
Throughout the exchange, Chu Yueyi never lost her smile. To any observer, she appeared friendly and warm towards Dong Yan, in stark contrast to her verbal warning: "Please don't assume I'm like you. That would be an extreme insult and underestimation of me."
She wasn't the type to gloat over a rival's misfortune, especially since she had never considered herself in competition with anyone.
Using the gentlest tone, she delivered the cruelest threat: "Since you've chosen to be an artist, learn to control your mouth and don't discuss other people's affairs. If you can't manage even that, the company might not see the need to cultivate you."
Chu Yueyi's smile was as sweet as honey, but Dong Yan's face had turned pale.
A moment later, Dong Yan politely excused himself from Chu Yueyi and hurriedly fled from her table.
Li You, watching Dong Yan leave, sat down next to Chu Yueyi and said nonchalantly, "Bad news, your next drama might have to include him in the package."
As artists rise in status, they often have to help promote the company's new talents. After all, Chu Yueyi had benefited from such resources before. It was a cycle of paying it forward.
Chu Yueyi had guessed that Dong Yan's approach must have had a purpose. She replied calmly, "Good news, the senior employee has successfully put the new employee in his place."
Seeing this, Li You relaxed and teased, "I'm surprised. I was worried you'd go easy on him. Aren't you usually weak against Shi Guanghua's type?"
At first glance, Dong Yan's demeanor seemed similar to a certain someone, but he lacked Shi Guanghua's sharp clarity, appearing weak and superficial instead. He clearly hadn't experienced much in life and had no substantial inner qualities to speak of, lacking the calm and composed aura.
Li You was concerned that Chu Yueyi might have a soft spot for this type and end up taking him under her wing again.
Chu Yueyi: "?"
"That's also a great insult and underestimation of Shi Guanghua," Chu Yueyi said seriously. "Although Teacher Shi pretends sometimes, he can actually live up to the act!"
Chu Yueyi thought: His pretentiousness is professional-grade. How could he be outclassed by an amateur?
Li You couldn't help but retort, "...Is that really the point?" I'm talking about your weakness, and you're discussing who can pretend better?!