Chapter 60
【Ahhh! This mysterious guest is so handsome!!】
【Oh my god, I’m guilty, but he’s really way more handsome than my brother!】
【I’m sorry, Mom shouldn’t have scolded you just now. Baby, you can be late for as long as you want~】
【Does anyone know his name? Is he a celebrity? I can’t believe I don’t remember him!】
【Wait, he looks a bit familiar…】
Chen Huai'an snapped back to reality as he read the barrage of comments.
“Looks like I really am handsome,” he said, this time with certainty.
Director Zhang looked at Chen Huai'an with a smile, as if he were gazing at a piece of gold. “Alright, our mysterious guest has arrived. Let’s continue… Xiao Chen, why don’t you introduce yourself to everyone?”
Since Chen Huai'an appeared, Cai Yifan noticed that the focus of the crowd had shifted.
He suddenly felt like he was the one being sidelined.
This was hard for someone used to being the center of attention to accept.
His gaze fell on Chen Huai'an’s leg, which was in a brace, and the crutch tucked under his arm. Without thinking, he blurted out, “Director Zhang, I have a packed schedule with less than two hours of rest each day. I only squeezed in time to come here. We’re going night climbing, right? Are we really going to drag a disabled person along until tomorrow afternoon? I don’t mean to disrespect disabled people, but I just think someone in his condition should be resting at home instead of joining a variety show for fun.”
As soon as Cai Yifan finished speaking, he could already imagine the barrage of comments.
Everyone would feel sorry for him only getting two hours of rest each day and would criticize the production team for their gimmicks. After all, what good is being handsome if his fans are so fiercely protective?
But in reality, as soon as those words left his mouth,
everyone looked at Cai Yifan with a mix of anger and shock.
Even the comments in the live stream paused for a moment.
Only Chen Huai'an remained unfazed.
In fact, the look he gave Cai Yifan was tinged with a hint of paternal kindness.
“You’re right, brother. A disabled person like me participating in a show would only cause trouble for everyone. But I don’t want to miss this opportunity, because it might be my only chance to reach the summit of Tianmen Mountain in my lifetime.”
“Let me introduce myself.”
He faced the camera, slightly bowing, and smiled with ease:
“My name is Chen Huai'an, a terminal bone cancer patient with life in countdown. I hope that in the embers of my life, I can still ignite some warmth. To everyone in the live stream, thank you for being here with me at this moment, witnessing my journey.
I am on my way!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire venue fell silent.
The only sound on the mountain path was the wind blowing through.
After a while, a few muffled sobs could be heard from the production team; it turned out a few makeup artists had teared up, and Su Xingchen’s eyes were red, filled with a motherly glow as she looked at Chen Huai'an.
Cai Yifan’s mouth twitched, staring dumbfounded at the smiling Chen Huai'an.
He felt a chill run from his head to his toes.
No, dude.
What are you doing with that act? Ahhh!!!
···
The program continued as planned.
Originally, a third of the camera time was allocated to Cai Yifan, but ever since Chen Huai'an arrived, the cameramen seemed to intentionally focus on him, even capturing him when filming other artists.
Cai Yifan wasn’t stupid; he knew this was a deliberate arrangement by the director.
When the camera wasn’t on him, he sneakily glanced at his phone, and his heart sank.
—His notifications were blowing up, messages from his manager.
【Xiao Fan, are you trying to get yourself killed? This is bad!】
【Now your competitors are roasting you, saying you look down on disabled people and patients with serious illnesses, claiming you lack empathy!】
【Xiao Fan, why did you say those things just now?!】
【All the hard work we put into building your image has been ruined by your one careless comment!】
···
【You need to find a chance to apologize to that Chen Huai'an, and your attitude must be sincere!】
Cai Yifan could tolerate what his manager said at first.
But when he read the last line, he completely lost it.
“Why should I? He’s just an ordinary person. Who am I? I’m a rising star! The next leading actor and actress will be sharing the stage with me! When I go back to the company, those third-tier artists will call me ‘senior,’ and even the big names will give me some respect. And now you want me to apologize to a disabled person?!”
He sent off a long, furious message.
Cai Yifan angrily shut his phone.
He didn’t look at the comments in the live stream.
He knew how loyal his fans were. They could turn white into black and black into pink; as long as he played the victim, his die-hard fans would instantly flood the comment section of his opponent’s page.
Most importantly, he had always doubted Chen Huai'an’s identity as a bone cancer patient.
Even though the production team slowed down the climbing pace to accommodate Chen Huai'an,
it was still a physically demanding activity. The foreheads of two female artists and two young male artists were already starting to sweat. Yet Chen Huai'an seemed to stroll along leisurely, not a drop of sweat in sight. Aside from his slight limp, there was nothing to indicate he was disabled.
“This guy can’t be faking it, can he…”
Cai Yifan squinted, the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.
Some production teams do indeed pull stunts like having special groups participate in their shows.
But finding someone as handsome as Chen Huai'an in such a group is rare.
If he were just a normal person putting on an act, it would make sense.
As long as he could discreetly expose this scam, not only could he clear his previous verbal blunder, but he could also teach the production team a lesson.
And this Chen Huai'an too.
The fame of a big star isn’t something that can be casually borrowed.
Cai Yifan coldly watched the adoration surrounding Chen Huai'an, already plotting his scheme.
……
……
------------
Chapter 63: Time to Expose You (Sponsored by Xiao Yo.O)
“Brother An, is there really no cure for your cancer?”
“No cure.”
“Not even with money?”
“Nope.”
“I’m sorry.” Su Xingchen lowered her head in apology.
“It’s fine, haha~”
Su Xingchen felt a deep sympathy for Chen Huai'an.
But looking at the calmness and confidence on his face, she felt she had no right to pity someone who radiated so much light and warmth.
He didn’t need sympathy at all.
At this moment, his life was more vibrant than anyone else’s.
Perhaps this is what it means when heaven is jealous of the talented.
She thought to herself.
Heaven gave Chen Huai'an unparalleled beauty but took away his lifespan. This was supposed to be a tragedy, yet Chen Huai'an’s optimistic attitude turned it into an inspiring comedy.
The conversation between Chen Huai'an and Su Xingchen was broadcast live.
In the comments, there were almost no supportive messages for Cai Yifan; instead, they were all filled with “tears.”
Director Zhang curled his lip.
People are hypocritical, and the hypocrisy online is magnified without restraint.
Just moments ago, they were shouting to kick Chen Huai'an out of the production team, and now they’re all “tears”?
But no one knew that while Chen Huai'an appeared calm and composed on the surface, inside, he felt like there were countless ants crawling around.
He wanted to play on his phone!
He wanted to know if Li Qingran had successfully entered Lingxi Valley and what she was doing now.
Once in Lingxi Valley, would she be bullied by other disciples because she was still a newbie?
Unfortunately, he couldn’t play games until the recording was finished at the mountaintop.
Even checking his phone could only be a fleeting glance, and only when the camera wasn’t on him.
But why did the cameraman keep capturing him, intentionally or not?!
Chen Huai'an felt like he was about to crack.
“Ah, I suddenly feel so full of energy! Can I lead the team?” Cai Yifan bounced to the front, asking the team leader for permission to take charge.
“You want to lead?” The uncle looked at the slender Cai Yifan, speechless. “That might not be a good idea. This path isn’t a tourist route for Tianmen Mountain, and it’s nighttime. If something unusual happens, like encountering a wild animal, we need to make the best judgment to avoid provoking it. Can you handle that?”
Cai Yifan thought to himself, it’s 2034, where would we even find wild animals?
Even if there were wild animals in Tianmen Mountain, would they dare to cause trouble with so many of us around?
Table of Contents
