Vase cannon fodder is pampered by the group again

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Chapter 54.1

Editor: Jodi

Shen Ci was still in shock and hadn’t yet come back to his senses when there was a knock on the door of the hospital room.

“Come in.” Min Song said calmly.

The door was immediately pushed open with a creak and Wei Shuo hurried in. Then seeing that Shen Ci was safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief. “Damn, you scared me to death! I thought you’d been beaten up.”

Min Song and Shen Ci didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Did Min Shoubei really look that intimidating?

“Sister Min.” Wei Shuo saw Min Song and greeted her fawningly, then placed a large basket of fruit beside Shen Ci. “Everyone chipped in to buy this for you. Let me peel an apple for you.”

Shen Ci looked over. “No, I want to eat a banana.”

Wei Shuo refused flatly. “Bananas are off-limits.”

Shen Ci: ?

Wei Shuo pouted. “Shao Jinhuan bought those bananas. You’re only allowed to eat the apples I bought first!”

Shen Ci sighed deeply, then gave him an “OK” sign.

Wei “Apple Peeling Level 10” Shuo smiled again, pulled a small knife from his pocket casually, then began peeling the apple seriously.

Min Song: “….” Was this some sort of palace drama about concubines competing for favor?

Shen Ci’s phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated. Someone was calling.

Min Song picked it up for him casually then glanced at the screen. “The caller ID says ‘Big Brother.’”

Shen Ci froze for a moment, suddenly feeling like he didn’t want to answer the call.

He’d been busy processing the shock of Min Shoubei calling himself his “biological dad” just now that it was only now that he realized how complicated things were going to get. First and foremost was how to handle his relationship with the Shen family.

Honestly, he didn’t want to leave the Shen family. But this wasn’t something he could decide on his own.

The phone kept vibrating persistently, and Shen Ci became more and more anxious. However just then, a warm hand covered his.

Wei Shuo was looking at him steadily, his amber eyes clear and resolute, silently saying: Don’t be afraid, I’m here.

This was the kind of reassurance only a best friend could give—a sincere comfort that was shared exclusively between friends.

So calming down a little, Shen Ci took a deep breath, then slid to answer the call.

There was the sound of a noisy crowd on the other end, yet somehow it felt strangely quiet. Shen Ci could clearly hear faint, shaky breathing, mixed with a weak, crackling static.

Neither of them spoke for a while, as if they both suddenly agreed not to be the first to break the silence.

It was unclear how long it took before Shen Ci finally heard a bitter laugh from the other end.

“I should’ve known. If I’d stayed, I could’ve just taken you and run away when your real dad showed up, haha…”

He was trying to joke in a lighthearted tone, however Shen Ci could easily hear the sadness he couldn’t hide.

His heart clenched. “Nothing’s been confirmed yet…”

Shen Bie’s voice was bitter. “My sixth sense has always been pretty good. Mom, Dad, and I will fly over soon.”

“Xiao Ci, you…… just rest well, okay? Be good.”

“Don’t think too much. I’ll hang up now.”

“Wait!” Shen Ci stopped him hurriedly. “No matter what happens, I only recognize you as my big brother. And Mom and Dad, too. I won’t change how I address them.”

“……”

The other end of the line went silent. Shen Ci called out hesitantly, “Are you still there? Big brother?”

Shen Bie gave a muffled “en” in response. “I’m boarding the plane now. Hanging up.”

“Beep beep beep—”

Shen Bie stood at the boarding gate, his nose tingling uncontrollably as tears welled up. He wiped the corners of his eyes hurriedly.

People bustled around the airport, passing by Shen Bie as he suddenly stood frozen in place, overcome with loneliness. He didn’t want to take a single step forward.

It would be best if time could just stop right here, so he wouldn’t have to face what was coming.

“Ah Bie, it’s time to go.” Mother Shen, feeling heartbroken, gave her eldest son a comforting hug. She was just as distressed.

Shen Bie nodded lightly, then followed his parents onto the plane.

---

Lu Xiao and Min Shoubei had clearly talked about something, because although they still seemed to be at odds, the two of them were surprisingly calm when they returned.

Then Lu Xiao noticed that Shen Ci’s eyes were a little red and frowned, casting a fleeting glance at Wei Shuo.

And under the big demon king’s gaze, Wei Shuo nearly jumped out of his skin, and his survival instinct kicking in, he said quickly, “Ah, just now, uh, big brother Shen called, and I was peeling an apple…”

So if you want to decimate someone, go find Shen Bie!

Lu Xiao gave a slight nod. “The Shen family should be arriving soon.”

This was clearly a reminder for Min Shoubei, however Min Shoubei couldn’t even be bothered to respond. He just nodded toward Shen Ci instead. “Time to collect the sample.”

Shen Ci’s faint sadness was instantly scared away. So soon?

With trembling hands, he stretched his pale arm out, his face showing the tragic resolve of a warrior ready to cut off his own arm. “Go on, do it…..”

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then Wei Shuo burst out laughing. “Idiot, what are you doing?”

Shen Ci blinked in confusion.

Lu Xiao couldn’t help but smile slightly, and stepping forward, he touched Shen Ci’s earlobe gently, saying in a soft voice, “There’s no need to draw blood. We can just collect some hair.”

As he said this, his large hand slipped through Shen Ci’s soft hair gently, combing through it a few times before pulling out a few strands of chestnut-colored hair.

Min Shoubei and Lu Xiao’s assistants took the samples quickly, sealed them, then headed out to send them for testing.

Shen Ci still felt a bit uneasy. “Just hair is enough?” He thought they’d need to draw blood to be more accurate.

Lu Xiao couldn’t help but remember how he’d happened to chance on Shen Ci some time a while back in the bathroom collecting his fallen hairs desperately and how he’d later asked Wei Shuo secretly to help him with testing, hence the corners of his lips curled into a knowing smile. “Aren’t you clear on whether it’s enough or not?”

Shen Ci: ? Why did it seem like he knew something?

Both Lu Xiao and Min Shoubei had asked for the results to be expedited, and the other side promised that the fastest it could be done was in four hours.

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“Are my eyes deceiving me, or has Weibo gone mad?! There’s actually a rumor that Shen Ci’s real dad is Director Min?!”

“Ridiculous…… They don’t even look alike! Is some third-rate celeb trying to ride the coattails of a big shot?”

“Min Shoubei is obviously the one riding on Xiao Ci’s popularity! He’s just after Xiao Ci’s frequent hot searches, probably trying to drum up buzz for his next movie!”

“Let’s wait for an official statement! Sisters, don’t fight. We don’t want to give the opposition a chance to use this against us!”

“……”

A huge fight broke out on Weibo, leaving bystanders dumbfounded.

Shen Ci? Min Shoubei?

These two being linked together as father and son was as bizarre as discovering a wild elephant in Antarctica. It was completely impossible!

Shen Ci had just appeared on a variety show, so how did he end up with a big shot for a dad?!

This rumor had been spread by a Weibo account claiming to be a staff member from ‘Perfect Guesthouse’, and they’d even posted photos of Shen Ci and Min Shoubei entering the hospital, along with a video.

The strange hot search shot to the top, and Yunxiao Entertainment, worried that some younger fans might start a fight, quickly reached out to fan sites and hired a water army to control the comments.

So soon, the hashtag plaza was flooded with posts praising Shen Ci.

“Enjoying the gossip? Why not watch our little cub’s Neighborhood Sunshine and You while snacking? The cutest male lead in history, no joke! And get your tissues ready before you start, otherwise you’ll be pissed to death when you run out!”

“Come check out Qin Yun and Xiao Ci’s hilarious daily antics! Can I order a dozen more of Xiao Ci, the fierce little brother who’s also a total sis-con? Waaaah….”

“Wait… Didn’t they say during promotions that Shen Ci was the third male lead? How did he become the main lead?”

“Newbie much? Xiao Ci was promoted to the male lead ages ago because of his perfect looks and acting skills! Oh, and he has amazing chemistry with all the hotties in the show, too!”

“Especially that scene where he’s in drag opposite President Lu… liquid flows from my mouth without me even trying, waaah… I could write a 100k-word s** fanfic about it!”

……..