Ning Yuxuan and Yuan Shu were resting under the shade of a tree when Manager Wang spotted them and hurried over. "Miss Ning, how long have you been here?" he asked.
Ning Yuxuan recognized Manager Wang from her previous visit to the hotel with her mother. Her impression of him hadn’t been favorable back then—when she’d asked about the hotel’s performance metrics, he hadn’t been able to provide a single answer.
"About ten minutes," Ning Yuxuan replied, glancing at her phone. "The first five were spent arguing with the security guard, and the last five were spent figuring out how to prove I’m my mother’s daughter."
Manager Wang’s smile froze for a couple of seconds.
"It’s all a misunderstanding!" he said with an awkward chuckle. "That’s why I’m here personally to escort you."
The security guard trailing behind Manager Wang looked stunned. "Y-you’re really the boss’s…?" he stammered.
Manager Wang shot him a sharp glare. "Shut up. You don’t get to speak here!"
Turning back to Ning Yuxuan, he added, "Miss Ning, we’ve recently expanded with four new branches, so staffing has been stretched thin, and some employees aren’t up to standard. Don’t worry—after today, you won’t see him again."
The guard’s face twisted in dismay—he’d only been working for three days, and now he was being fired?
Offending the boss’s daughter was practically the same as offending the boss himself.
Seeing no way out, the guard decided to go all in. "Miss Ning, I want to report Manager Wang!"
Manager Wang’s composure nearly cracked as he turned and snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Ning Yuxuan looked at the guard. "What do you want to report?"
"Manager Wang oversees all hiring for this branch, but I’ve heard that many employees weren’t properly vetted before being hired. I’ve also heard—"
"That’s enough!" Manager Wang cut in sharply. "Don’t try to drag me down just because you’re being fired for your own mistakes!"
The guard shot back, "You’re the one taking kickbacks!"
Before the guard could drop any more bombshells, Manager Wang called for backup via his walkie-talkie and had him forcibly removed.
Once the guard was gone, Manager Wang forced a smile. "Miss Ning, please don’t listen to that nonsense. He was just trying to retaliate."
Ning Yuxuan studied him silently until he visibly squirmed under her gaze. Finally, she said, "I know. You’re a long-time employee here. I trust you."
Manager Wang exhaled in relief.
That was close—he’d nearly been dragged into the mud.
Luckily, the new boss might seem sharp, but she was still young and easy to fool.
Manager Wang led Ning Yuxuan and the designer into the hotel.
Eager to prove his loyalty, he became even more obsequious. "Miss Ning, you’ve already seen the renovations last time. Is there anything specific you’d like to inspect today?"
Ning Yuxuan deferred to Yuan Shu.
After a moment of thought, Yuan Shu said, "I’d like to check the restaurant first, then go through each room type in order."
Manager Wang nodded eagerly. "Of course! Right this way, ladies!"
…
By the time Ning Yuxuan returned home from her inspection, Ning Fei had also come back from her meeting with the producer.
According to Ning Fei, the discussion had gone smoothly—they’d practically sealed the deal, pending final scheduling adjustments before setting an official filming date.
Ning Fei also mentioned running into an old acquaintance at the meeting—
Liang Jihuai, a two-time Golden Dew Award-winning actor.
The film that earned Ning Fei her first Best Actress award had starred Liang Jihuai as the male lead.
"I didn’t expect to see him there," Ning Fei said, her expression nostalgic. "The last time we worked together, I was barely twenty. It’s been almost thirty years now."
Ning Yuxuan was surprised. "That award-winning actor? Is he playing a role in the movie too?"
"Yes," Ning Fei replied. "He’ll be playing Zhao Wanyi’s husband."
Ning Yuxuan was even more taken aback.
She’d heard Qin Man briefly summarize the script during the variety show, and Ning Fei had later filled her in on the details.
Zhao Wanyi was the character Qin Man wanted to play, and while her husband was one of the top two male roles, he was purely an antagonist—a foil to highlight the female leads, with no redeeming qualities.
Given Liang Jihuai’s stature in the industry, it was baffling that he’d agree to such a minor, unflattering role in a female-centric film.
Ning Fei understood her daughter’s surprise—she’d felt the same way. "We didn’t have much time to talk, but maybe he’s doing it as a favor to Qin Man."
After discussing the meeting, Ning Fei asked how Ning Yuxuan’s hotel visit had gone.
Ning Yuxuan updated her on the progress with the designer and mentioned the incident involving Manager Wang and the security guard.
Ning Fei frowned. "That Manager Wang has been with Huayuan since I founded it. Last year, he made a costly mistake, but I kept him out of loyalty and reassigned him to a smaller role at a new branch. To think he’d..."
After a pause, she said, "Yuxuan, I’ll have someone look into this properly."
…
For the next entire workweek, Ning Yuxuan and Yuan Shu met daily.
Ning Yuxuan’s office at the hotel headquarters was ready, and the two split their time between on-site inspections and design discussions.
When they revisited the branch, not only was the security guard gone, but Manager Wang had also been fired.
According to Ning Fei, while Manager Wang had posed as a loyal veteran, he’d been taking kickbacks from suppliers for years.
Ning Fei had always been lenient with her long-time employees, which was why he’d slipped under the radar for so long.
But Ning Yuxuan’s alert prompted Ning Fei to investigate, unearthing a slew of shady dealings.
Now, Huayuan’s legal team was on the case, and Manager Wang would soon face a lawsuit.
By Friday morning, the first phase of design work was nearly complete.
Ning Yuxuan was exhausted, and Yuan Shu—who’d accompanied her on every inspection while also drafting designs—was even more worn out.
At lunch, Ning Yuxuan treated Yuan Shu to a lavish meal to celebrate the temporary wrap-up.
Of course, there was still much to do, and their collaboration was far from over.
Ning Shiyue was set to begin filming over the weekend, with the first shoot taking place in Haicheng. His flight was scheduled for tomorrow morning.
The new episode of Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei's variety show was also scheduled to film on Saturday morning.
Everything seemed to align perfectly—Ning Fei suggested that the family have a nice dinner together on Friday night, treating it as one last gathering before Ning Shiyue entered the filming set.
The only dilemma was deciding what to eat.
Usually, such decisions were left to Ning Yuxuan, but lately, she had dined out with different people so often that she had already tried every restaurant she wanted to visit in Beicheng.
In the end, Ning Fei made the call: the three of them would have hotpot at home again.
The last time they had hotpot, Xie Zhiyan had been present, and now, they couldn’t help but think of him.
Ning Fei sighed regretfully, "What a shame Zhiyan is away on business these couple of days. Otherwise, we could’ve invited him over."
At the mention of Xie Zhiyan’s name, Ning Shiyue choked on his water, coughing violently.
Ning Fei, unaware of the reason, assumed her son had simply been careless. She handed him a few tissues with a resigned shake of her head. "You’re a grown man, yet you still choke on water? How am I supposed to stop worrying about you?"
Between coughs, Ning Shiyue wiped his mouth and still found time to glare at Ning Yuxuan.
His expression clearly said: This is all your fault.
Ning Yuxuan suppressed a laugh.
How could he be so bad at keeping things under wraps? His reaction to Xie Zhiyan’s name was even more exaggerated than hers. Anyone who didn’t know better might think Ning Shiyue was the one with a "special relationship" with Xie Zhiyan.
After a moment, Ning Shiyue finally caught his breath.
Ning Yuxuan responded to Ning Fei, "Xie Zhiyan is busy with work. Even if he weren’t away, he might not have had time to join us for hotpot."
Ning Fei nodded. "True. But now that you mention it…" She frowned slightly, as if struck by a thought. "Come to think of it, in the past two weeks, Zhiyan has visited our home three times, hasn’t he?"
A few days ago, Ning Fei had met up with her friend Zheng Xinmei, who complained that she only got to see her son once or twice a month, envying Ning Fei for being able to see her children so often.
By comparison, Xie Zhiyan’s recent visits seemed unusually frequent.
Ning Shiyue quickly interjected, "Probably just a coincidence, right? Maybe he happened to be in the area for work and dropped by. Isn’t that right, Ning Yuxuan?"
Ning Yuxuan held back a smile. "Mm, you’re absolutely right."
Fortunately, Ning Fei didn’t bring up Xie Zhiyan again, sparing Ning Shiyue from another uncomfortable meal.
After dinner, Ning Shiyue volunteered to clean up in the kitchen.
Ning Yuxuan returned to her room and noticed a new message from Xie Zhiyan.
Earlier, when Ning Fei mentioned him, she had asked her daughter if she should send Xie Zhiyan a message—letting him know they were having hotpot at home and inviting him next time.
Following her mother’s suggestion, Ning Yuxuan had snapped a photo of the hotpot and dishes and sent it to Xie Zhiyan.
After sending it, she had gone back to eating without checking for a reply.
Now, she saw that he had responded with a photo of his own.
She opened it—a plastic takeout container sat on a table, the kind commonly used for delivery orders.
For some reason, Ning Yuxuan recalled Tao You’s description of Xie Zhiyan from a few days ago.
She typed: [So even a CEO orders takeout?]
Xie Zhiyan, who must have been on a break, replied quickly: [CEOs need to eat too. When work gets too busy, takeout is the only option.]
Ning Yuxuan smirked: [I thought you’d ask me what ‘CEO’ means.]
Xie Zhiyan: [I’m five years older than you, not twenty-five.]
This time, Ning Yuxuan couldn’t hold back her laughter.
Even through the screen, she could picture the exasperated look on his face.
After a moment, she remembered the original purpose of her message—to tell him they were having hotpot again, except this time, he wasn’t there.
So why had Xie Zhiyan sent her a photo of his dinner?
Ning Yuxuan: [Why did you send me this?]
Xie Zhiyan: [Sharing dinner details with my girlfriend.]
Ning Yuxuan: "…"
Her heart skipped a beat—then she caught herself.
The nature of her relationship with Xie Zhiyan was… complicated, to say the least.
Legally, they were husband and wife. In front of Ning Shiyue and Tao You, they were boyfriend and girlfriend. To Ning Fei, they were just friends. And to most people, they had no connection at all.
So when Xie Zhiyan referred to her as his "girlfriend," which version of their relationship was he talking about?
She wasn’t about to accept the title so casually—especially when he hadn’t even confessed his feelings properly, aside from that ambiguous forehead kiss.
Ning Yuxuan: [Only I can see your messages. There’s no need to pretend we’re dating.]
Xie Zhiyan didn’t reply immediately.
Ning Yuxuan wondered if her tone had been too blunt and offended him.
But then, a flight itinerary popped up on her screen.
Confused, she sent back a question mark: [?]
Xie Zhiyan: [Reporting my business trip schedule to my legally wedded wife.]
Ning Yuxuan: "…"
This man certainly knew how to make a point—if you wanted to open a window, you had to threaten to tear the roof off first.
……
A thousand miles away in Jiangcheng, Xie Zhiyan lifted his gaze from his phone.
His schedule today had been packed—meeting after meeting, barely a moment to breathe. Tomorrow morning, yet another awaited.
Energy wasn’t infinite. Tonight, instead of going out to eat, he had stayed in his temporary office to work, asking Liu Cheng to order him takeout as a quick fix.
Between bites, he listened to Liu Cheng’s updates.
Only when replying to Ning Yuxuan’s messages did he allow himself a brief respite.
Liu Cheng observed quietly. He knew better than to suggest his boss take a break—it wouldn’t make a difference anyway.
But seeing Xie Zhiyan pause work to text someone, his expression softening in a way Liu Cheng had never seen before—that was surprising.
Someone actually existed who could make Xie Zhiyan put work on hold, even for a moment.
It reminded Liu Cheng of the rumors circulating lately—that Xie Zhiyan was dating someone, even adjusting his schedule for her.
Some claimed that during a recent business dinner, Xie Zhiyan had walked out mid-negotiation just to pick her up.
Liu Cheng had dismissed it as nonsense. Knowing Xie Zhiyan, he would never let personal matters interfere with work.
And yet, seeing him now, Liu Cheng found himself reconsidering.
Just who was this mysterious woman?
He didn’t dare ask, but curiosity gnawed at him.
Liu Cheng’s gaze lingered on Xie Zhiyan’s private phone until a deep voice snapped him back to reality.
Startled, he straightened. "My apologies, Mr. Xie. I got distracted."
Xie Zhiyan glanced at him. "Wondering who I’m texting?"
Liu Cheng: "..."
After all, he had been working by Xie Zhiyan's side for several years, serving as his personal assistant ever since Xie returned to the country. Compared to other employees, Liu Cheng was bolder: "I am a bit curious—is she your girlfriend?"
Xie Zhiyan smiled faintly. "Not exactly. She hasn’t acknowledged that title yet."
Liu Cheng: "..."
Well, now he was even more intrigued. Just what kind of woman could leave someone like Xie Zhiyan pining without reciprocation?
But out of professionalism and respect for boundaries, he knew better than to ask further.
---
On Saturday morning, the show Dear Mom aired its latest episode.
This was the first new installment since Cen Meng and her daughter had exited the program.
Days before the broadcast, countless netizens had been speculating about who the new permanent guest would be.
Yet all they got was a vague teaser.
@DearMomSeason2: "The new episode will air at the usual time this Saturday! This time, we welcome a new friend and his mother to join us for a delightful weekend. Stay tuned to meet this week’s mystery guest!"
The identity of the new guest remained a tightly kept secret, sparking endless analysis among fans.
[“Mystery guest” sounds familiar—could it be Guan Cheng and Pan Wenyan making a comeback?]
[No way! The show said it’s a new friend. Recycling old guests would be lame.]
[Did anyone notice the wording? They said “this week’s mystery guest,” not “permanent guest.” Maybe it’s just a one-time appearance?]
[That makes sense! The show’s popularity is soaring right now. There must be tons of people wanting to join. Maybe the producers can’t decide, so they’re testing different guests.]
The hashtag #DearMomNewGuest trended, fueling endless rumors.
Yet the production team’s secrecy was airtight—no reliable leaks surfaced, leaving everything up in the air.
As a result, when the show finally aired, viewership soared as audiences tuned in to uncover the mystery guest’s identity.
But the show played coy once again.
Only the familiar four were present in the villa: Ning Yuxuan and her mother, along with Jiang Ning'an and hers.
The director appeared on-screen to explain: "I know everyone’s curious about our new guest, but they’ve signed an NDA. Neither the audience nor our current guests know who they are yet."
"Today’s first segment will have our existing guests guess the newcomer’s identity based on clue cards."
A staff member wheeled out a board covered with four rows of taped-over hints.
The rules were simple: each guest would pick a clue to reveal and could ask one yes-or-no question afterward. Once all clues were unveiled, they’d guess the guest’s identity. If half or more guessed correctly, everyone would win a special prize.
Qin Man went first, choosing the topmost clue.
The words "A-list actor" appeared.
[An A-lister? Ning Shiyue?]
[No way! If it were him, how could Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan not know?]
[Wait, who else fits? Or is the show exaggerating some nobody’s fame?]
Qin Man seemed equally puzzled by the term "A-list." After a moment, she asked, "Has this actor worked with any of us before?"
The staff replied, "No."
Among the current guests, apart from Ning Fei (who hadn’t acted in years), only Qin Man and Jiang Ning'an were actors. Qin Man mostly worked with veteran performers—hardly "A-list" material—while Jiang Ning'an was too new to have collaborated with many. The answer didn’t narrow things down.
Qin Man looked frustrated; she was new to variety shows and lacked game strategy.
Next was Ning Fei, who picked the last row. The clue? "Heartthrob."
Ning Fei joked, "I’m probably the wrong person to ask about what young girls like these days."
Her question: "Has this guest starred in a romance drama in the past year?"
The answer: "Yes."
Jiang Ning'an’s clue was "Former boy band member."
She asked if the guest had debuted within the last five years. Another "Yes."
The live chat exploded.
[Okay, this is sounding more and more like Ning Shiyue. A-list, ex-idol, recent romance drama—checks every box!]
[But Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan don’t seem to recognize the hints. Maybe it’s a red herring?]
[Or maybe it is him, and the show’s playing 4D chess with us!]
[Imagine if they actually pulled that off—keeping Ning Shiyue’s family in the dark!]
Finally, Ning Yuxuan revealed her clue: "Gentle sweetheart."
The chat instantly pivoted.
[Welp, scratch Ning Shiyue. “Gentle” is the last word anyone would use for him.]
[LMAO true, he’s famously icy. Zero overlap with “sweetheart.”]
[Kinda disappointed? I wanted to see Ning Yuxuan roast him.]
[Wait, combining all these clues… I think I know who it is. No way. The producers are wild for this.]
[Same! It’s gotta be him, right?!]
The staff prompted Ning Yuxuan for her final question.
After a pause, she asked, "Is he more popular than Ning Shiyue?"
The audience: "..."
[Ning Yuxuan, you absolute legend.]
[Our girl’s an outsider—she DGAF about industry politics.]
[HAHAHA the staff’s panicking. How do you even answer that?]
The staff froze, then scrambled to consult the director.
The eventual reply: "They’re equally popular."
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow. "I thought you could only say ‘yes’ or ‘no’?"
The staff: "..."
With a question that loaded, they weren’t about to pick a side—unless they wanted fan wars at their doorstep.
The director stepped in to mediate: "Ahem, whether someone is popular or not depends on personal perception."
Ning Yuxuan pressed further: "If there's no standard answer, then the program team has violated the rules. How will the rewards be handled?"
After hesitating for a long moment, the director finally compromised—
Regardless of whether anyone guessed correctly, the rewards would still be distributed as promised.
The staff handed out answer boards for everyone to write down their final guesses.
A minute later, all four revealed their answers simultaneously.
Ning Yuxuan and Qin Man's boards were left blank.
Qin Man, though still acting, wasn’t very familiar with the newer generation of actors, especially those who followed the idol route.
As for Ning Yuxuan, she had never paid much attention to the entertainment industry. Even though she’d been binge-watching Ning Shiyue’s dramas recently, she still knew little about other celebrities.
Jiang Ning'an and Ning Fei, however, had written the same name on their boards: Cheng Xiyang.
As the villa door swung open, the new guest finally made his long-awaited appearance.
Cheng Xiyang and his mother stepped into the live broadcast, instantly triggering a flood of comments.
[No way?! The show actually got him? I sense a fan war brewing!]
[An actual top-tier star? The show wasn’t lying!!]
[This takes me back three years! During the talent show days, Ning Shiyue and Cheng Xiyang were practically neck-and-neck in popularity—every voting round, they dominated by a landslide.]
[Even now, their fans are still arguing over who was the real top back then. Neither side will back down.]
[No wonder the show avoided answering Ning Yuxuan’s question earlier. If they’d actually responded, the program would’ve been bombarded by fans in seconds.]
[Mr. Ning is definitely the diplomatic type. What I’m really looking forward to is Ning Yuxuan’s reaction to her brother’s rival.]
As if anticipating the audience’s thoughts, the director cut to Ning Yuxuan’s reaction.
Her expression remained completely unchanged as she observed the new guest.
[? That calm?]
[Big sister energy—still keeping a straight face.]
Cheng Xiyang first greeted the two award-winning actresses, then approached Ning Yuxuan.
"Hello, Yuxuan," he said with a trademark gentle smile. "Shiyue used to talk about his sister often. I’m glad we finally get to meet."
Ning Yuxuan gave a slight nod. "Hello."
Cheng Xiyang smiled. "I wonder if Shiyue ever mentioned me to you? What did he say?"
For a rare moment, Ning Yuxuan looked genuinely puzzled.
[Wow, starting off with such tension? No way she knows how to answer this.]
[This is Ning Shiyue’s sister! Whatever she says will be dissected and overanalyzed.]
[I can already see this clip being weaponized by both fanbases as fresh ammunition for their endless fights.]
Under the young man’s gentle yet probing gaze, Ning Yuxuan finally spoke.
"Sorry, I didn’t catch it earlier—what was your name again?"
