Chapter Twenty-Six: From Now On, I Am Su’s Devoted Fan

“So handsome, oh my, my girlish heart has been captured in an instant.”
“Oh my god, this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment! I’ve already started shipping them. Look at Yin Shanshan—her smile is so shy!”

The man on stage was none other than Yin Shanshan’s husband, Yangyang’s father, the acclaimed actor Qi Si.

He had graduated from the Film Academy, landing a starring role in a wildly popular fantasy drama during his junior year. After graduation, he devoted himself to his craft, winning nearly every prestigious award for film and television in the country.

Qi Si was known for his low profile; outside of acting, he rarely appeared in the public eye.

“My idol’s variety show debut—let’s give him a round of applause!”

Qi Si’s name flooded the commentary feed. Yin Shanshan approached the side of the stage, taking step after step toward her husband. Her face radiated a shy, sweet smile, and she affectionately linked arms with him—even though their marriage had long since become a mere formality.

Yin Shanshan recalled last night’s phone call in front of the cameras; if she hadn’t used their son as an excuse, Qi Si wouldn’t have agreed to appear at all.

In the audience, aside from the other three families, were several villagers, all clapping enthusiastically until their hands were red.

Next up was the guest invited by Feng Rui. He was not her husband, but rather a female internet celebrity with millions of followers.

“Feng Rui really pulled out all the stops for this.”
“So the guests aren’t all dads today. Now I’m curious—who will Su Wan Ning invite?”
“Come on, Su Wan Ning has a terrible reputation and few friends in the industry. Who else could she invite besides her own husband?”
“Don’t tell me she’ll just get some minor celebrity to fill the slot. That would be so embarrassing.”

Su Wan Ning sat in the audience, completely oblivious to the sharp-tongued comments scrolling across the screen.

The purpose of this segment was clear—to boost the show’s hype and popularity. In reality, however, all four families received the same meager appearance fee, supposedly a “friendship rate,” with no restrictions on the guests’ status. But everyone knew that this segment was all about connections; if you couldn’t invite a guest who satisfied the audience, your own exposure would suffer.

Sheng Ying had invited her close friend, a renowned model from the fashion world. The two bold, charismatic women standing together naturally became a dazzling highlight.

None of the three families disappointed. When it came to the final family, the producers deliberately created suspense, reciting a lengthy sponsor message before finally turning their gaze to the wings of the stage.

“The last to appear is Su Wan Ning’s friend. Who could it be?”

The director’s gaze was brimming with excitement. Everyone looked expectantly toward the side of the stage. Yin Shanshan, seated below with her proud husband and son beside her, lifted her chin slightly, her eyes glinting with faint disdain.

A man in jeans and a simple sweatshirt bounded onto the stage, his steps light and quick. The entire room froze in shock.

It was actually Qiu Rui?

“It’s Qiu Rui! Su Wan Ning actually knows Qiu Rui!”
“Oh my god, since returning home and becoming an actor, hasn’t he never appeared on a variety show?”

Qiu Rui had debuted as a trainee in country H in his youth. Although born into wealth, he endured countless hardships, eventually debuting as the center of his group, excelling at both singing and dancing. His strikingly handsome face had earned him a huge fanbase in the country even before he returned.

Two years ago, after his group disbanded, Qiu Rui returned home and devoted himself to acting, with every project he starred in winning accolades. He was, without doubt, a top-tier celebrity.

Now, he had come to support Su Wan Ning.

Not only were the audience and guests stunned, even the director hadn’t expected this.

As soon as Su Wan Ning took the stage, the host, Wang Zan, asked the first question: “I’m sure everyone is as curious as I am—when did you two meet, and what made you decide to make your variety show debut with us?”

Su Wan Ning smiled. “We met before, on set. He asked me some questions about acting, and, well, one thing led to another and we became acquainted.”

“That’s right. I’ve always admired Su’s acting skills,” Qiu Rui replied with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

If it weren’t for the appearance fee Su Wan Ning offered, and her agreement to co-star in his next project, he wouldn’t have come.

That upcoming drama was a modern suspense series; the leading woman and man seemed affectionate on the surface, but behind the scenes she was the true villain, ultimately dying by the male lead’s hand—a thoroughly antagonistic role.

The script was innovative, which had caught Qiu Rui’s interest. But, after approaching many actresses, the producers had been turned down repeatedly because the role was inherently unlikable.

In the end, Su Wan Ning was the only one in the industry with both the skill and the stature willing to take it on. That was why Qiu Rui agreed, coming as a guest on her parenting show in exchange.

Though Su Wan Ning was not well-liked, her acting skills had never been in doubt. This was a convincing enough reason, and no one in the audience questioned it further.

After all the guests were introduced, each family performed with their respective guests.

With these four high-profile guests, the livestream nearly crashed from the flood of viewers, and the show trended twice on social media.

“Film Emperor Qi Si’s variety show debut.”
“Top star Qiu Rui appears on a parenting show.”

With two major trending topics, the viewer count kept climbing, and the livestreams of Yin Shanshan and Su Wan Ning were nearly neck and neck in audience size.

The first performance was by Feng Rui. The internet celebrity she invited matched her in figure, and together with five-year-old Dai Mingming, they staged a fashion show on the village stage. Although Mingming intentionally disrupted the walk, stumbling all over the place, it didn’t stop the crowd from cheering for the eye-catching beauties.

The atmosphere soared to a climax.

Next up was Yin Shanshan. The actor and actress, together with their son, performed a sweet love song as a trio.

With Yin Shanshan and Qi Si’s top-tier talent, and the added chemistry of glances and hand-holding during the performance, fans of both families erupted in joy.

Then it was Su Wan Ning’s turn.

She held her two children’s hands and took the stage with Qiu Rui, a poised and confident smile on her face.

The audience comments buzzed with anticipation.

“I wonder what Su Wan Ning will perform. With Qiu Rui as her partner, anything is possible!”
“Thank you, Su, for letting me see my idol. From now on, I’m your die-hard fan!”

The music began—an original upbeat love song by Qiu Rui.

So, under the gaze of the audience and the cameras, Su Wan Ning picked up the microphone and began to sing, her voice full of confidence—

A hush fell over the crowd.

After about ten seconds, a ripple of laughter spread through the audience; even the celebrity guests on stage struggled to suppress their amusement, doing their best not to lose composure.