Finally, the staff asked Jiang Ning'an for her thoughts on the new guest.
Jiang Ning'an gave high praise: "Actually, I followed last year's world championship too. Player Duan Ziyao's performance was outstanding, and I really like his playstyle."
[Wow, I didn’t expect Jiang Ning'an to be into gaming and even watched the matches!]
[Jiang Ning'an's hardcore fan here—she’s actually pretty good at gaming and even posted her rank on Weibo. Go check it out if you're curious!]
After interviewing the four regular guests for their opinions, the visiting guests finally made their appearance.
Duan Ziyao wore a black printed T-shirt paired with cargo pants. Tall and lean, his frame made his clothes look even looser.
His mother, Su Yun, was dressed in a blue embroidered dress, looking to be in her mid-forties with meticulously applied makeup.
The live audience had a good first impression of the new guests.
[The younger brother is so handsome! And tall—just a bit too thin. Eat more, please!]
[Boys his age just don’t gain weight no matter how much they eat. If you’ve seen his team’s vlogs, you’d know Duan Ziyao has a pretty big appetite!]
[No one’s praising Duan Ziyao’s mom? She’s got such great elegance!]
Following the usual format, the new guests first introduced themselves and then greeted the other guests on set.
Fans familiar with Duan Ziyao from the esports scene knew he was the strong-but-silent type on his team. In post-match voice recordings, his teammates were always chattering away, while Duan Ziyao rarely spoke, only occasionally calling out skills or positions.
Even during livestreams, he mostly focused on gameplay, barely interacting with viewers.
But in esports, skill and results are what matter most—and with Duan Ziyao’s talent and good looks, he’d still amassed a large fanbase.
His self-introduction was brief: "Hello everyone, I’m Duan Ziyao, the mid-laner for OCG."
In contrast, his mother Su Yun was far more enthusiastic.
Su Yun first mentioned she was a fan of Ning Fei and Qin Man, having watched many of their films. She then added that she’d seen every episode of the show and adored the two young ladies, Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning'an.
Next, she pulled out handmade woven bracelets she’d prepared as gifts for the four regular guests, each with unique colors and weaving techniques, symbolizing different meanings.
Su Yun enthusiastically explained, "Ms. Ning, this lilac bracelet perfectly matches your elegant aura—I picked the colors myself. And this peach blossom one is for your daughter..."
Compared to previous guests, Su Yun made quite the impression, spending a full five minutes just on introductions and gift-giving.
[Wow, we finally got an extrovert mom on the show. She’s already talked way more than Duan Ziyao!]
[But she seems really nice, even if she’s a bit chatty.]
The staff announced this episode’s theme: "Games," fitting for the visiting guest’s background.
Then, they brought out the props for the first segment—
Seeing the colorful shuttlecocks laid out on the floor, the live chat erupted with laughter.
[Hahaha, when I heard 'games,' I thought they’d pull out keyboards and mice for a showdown. Didn’t expect shuttlecock kicking!]
[Gotta accommodate Ms. Ning and Ms. Qin—they’ve probably never touched the MOBA games Duan Ziyao plays.]
[This makes sense! Kids these days grew up with video games, but Ms. Ning’s generation played shuttlecock kicking, jump rope, and hopscotch!]
The staff explained the rules: everyone would have 30 minutes of free practice, followed by a one-minute timed competition.
The purpose of the final rankings would be revealed after the game.
The production team provided sportswear and sneakers for the guests to change into.
Once dressed, everyone started practicing.
Ning Yuxuan remembered playing shuttlecock as a child and gave it a try, only to realize she’d mostly forgotten how.
Nearby, Ning Fei was practicing too and effortlessly kicked over a dozen in a row.
Ning Yuxuan immediately turned to her for help: "Mom, you’re amazing! Share some of your secret techniques with your daughter!"
Ning Fei laughed. "What 'secret techniques'? We just played this a lot with friends when we were kids."
Ning Yuxuan said with a bright smile, "Looking at your stance, Mom, you must have been the most skilled among all the kids back then! Be honest with me—did you have a nickname like 'Shuttlecock Princess' when you were little?"
Ning Fei couldn't stop laughing.
Over her decades-long career, she had heard countless compliments—enough to make her ears numb, figuratively speaking. Yet, hearing her daughter praise her in such creative ways still brought an uncontrollable smile to her face.
"Alright, enough flattery," Ning Fei chuckled. "Show me a few kicks first, and I'll check your form."
Ning Yuxuan obliged and demonstrated in front of her mother, but the shuttlecock dropped after the third kick.
Ning Fei observed her daughter's movements carefully before offering gentle advice: "First, don’t use so much force—keep it moderate. Second, lift your leg a little higher..."
After a few pointers, Ning Yuxuan tried again.
The improvement was immediate. This time, she managed five kicks, barely missing the sixth.
Ning Fei smiled encouragingly. "Yes, that’s it! The height was just right this time, and your form is much better than before."
[LOL, I can tell—Ning Fei’s teaching philosophy is definitely positive reinforcement!]
[No wonder Ning Yuxuan is so sweet and confident. She’s clearly been showered with praise since childhood!]
Ning Yuxuan grinned. "That’s all thanks to Teacher Ning’s guidance—and my quick learning!"
Ning Fei shook her head in amusement. "You’re such a clever one, praising yourself while complimenting me."
Meanwhile, Qin Man was coaching Jiang Ning'an.
Jiang Ning'an wasn’t particularly skilled at shuttlecock kicking either, but thanks to her experience with action scenes, she had good body control and quickly got the hang of it.
In contrast, Duan Ziyao and Su Yun were struggling the most.
Duan Ziyao was completely clueless—every time he kicked, the shuttlecock flew off immediately.
[LMAO Duan Ziyao is literally me. This is exactly how us noobs play—can’t even get past the second kick.]
[I think his height is working against him. Tall people have a higher center of gravity, so balancing is harder, haha.]
Su Yun tried teaching her son a few times, but when that didn’t work, she turned her attention to the other groups.
Noticing how effortlessly Ning Fei moved, Su Yun decisively dragged Duan Ziyao over.
"Teacher Ning," Su Yun said warmly, "could you share some tips with us? Neither of us is any good at this, especially Ziyao—he’s completely hopeless."
Ning Fei was surprised but agreed readily. She wasn’t competitive by nature, and Su Yun’s friendly demeanor made it easy to say yes.
Su Yun patted her son’s back. "Ziyao, go on, learn from Teacher Ning!"
[Su Yun is such a social butterfly, LOL.]
[Honestly, it’s refreshing. This show’s never had such an extroverted guest before.]
Duan Ziyao looked mortified, his whole body stiff—clearly forced into this by his mother.
The stiffness made his movements even clumsier. This time, he didn’t even land the first kick, and the shuttlecock dropped straight to the ground.
The live chat erupted in laughter again.
Duan Ziyao’s ears turned bright red.
"Sorry, Teacher Ning, maybe I should just go practice on my own..."
He tried to bolt, but Su Yun yanked him back. "Oh, come on, Ziyao! Teacher Ning was just about to help you. What’s the rush?"
Trapped and unable to escape, Duan Ziyao grew even more uncomfortable.
[OMG, this is giving me flashbacks to being cornered by relatives during holidays and forced to make small talk.]
[Can’t relate more. The worst nightmare for introverts is being held hostage by extroverts in social situations.]
Ning Fei had a decent impression of Duan Ziyao—he was quiet but polite.
Hesitantly, she suggested, "How about I demonstrate the movements first?"
She kicked the shuttlecock a few times, then explained the technique to Duan Ziyao.
Su Yun nodded eagerly. "Yes, Ziyao, just follow Teacher Ning’s instructions!"
Under everyone’s expectant gazes, Duan Ziyao tried again—but somehow, he still failed to land even the first kick.
The audience: "..."
[HAHAHA Teacher Ning’s advice was spot-on, though. How did Duan Ziyao manage to regress?]
[My secondhand embarrassment is kicking in. My toes are curling so hard.]
[I actually get it. When you’re surrounded by people watching, the pressure makes it impossible to focus.]
Ning Fei wasn’t sure what to do either, so she just encouraged him, "It’s okay. Just keep trying."
Ning Yuxuan suddenly spoke up: "Maybe we shouldn't all stand here watching. Mom, why don’t you give him some one-on-one guidance? Auntie Su, let’s go rest over there for a bit."
Duan Ziyao shot Ning Yuxuan a grateful look.
Su Yun paused for a moment, then nodded: "Alright then. Ziyao, make sure you learn well from Teacher Ning!"
"This kid, honestly…" Su Yun grumbled to Ning Yuxuan as they walked away. "He doesn’t even get nervous during those world competitions of his, so why is he so jittery over kicking a shuttlecock? Oh, by the way, Yuxuan, I never asked—what’s your zodiac sign?"
Ning Yuxuan blinked: "The Pig."
Su Yun beamed: "Oh, the Pig is wonderful! Girls born under the Pig sign always have such lovely personalities, no wonder you’re so likable. So, Yuxuan, you must’ve just graduated from university not long ago, right? Which school did you attend?"
Ning Yuxuan: "A University."
Su Yun clapped her hands: "Oh my, that’s a top-tier school! So many people dream of getting in but can’t. What was your major?"
...
[Help, this Auntie Su talks way too much—total flashback to my grandma downstairs.]
[Sometimes you really have to marvel at genetics. How did someone as chatty as Auntie Su end up with a son as reserved as Duan Ziyao?]
[Look at it this way—maybe it’s precisely because he grew up with such a talkative mom that Duan Ziyao says so little.]
With fewer people crowding around, Duan Ziyao’s performance noticeably improved.
Though it was just a game segment, he still felt bad taking up too much of Ning Fei’s time.
Once he got the hang of it, he said, "Teacher Ning, thank you. I’ll practice the rest on my own."
Ning Fei smiled: "Alright."
With about twenty minutes left before the program’s deadline, Ning Yuxuan poured two glasses of water and handed one to Ning Fei.
After drinking, she practiced a bit more with Ning Fei.
When practice time ended, the production crew gathered the guests and announced the official start of the competition.
The six drew lots to determine their order for the one-minute timed match.
Ning Fei and Qin Man were clearly the most skilled at shuttlecock kicking among the group, taking first and second place with a significant lead—their final counts only differed by two.
[Another win for the two acting queens! Rivalry makes the best CP dynamics!]
[When are these two collaborating on a new movie? I’ll be first in line for tickets!]
Among the remaining four, aside from Duan Ziyao, the other three were fairly evenly matched, with Jiang Ning'an edging out a slight advantage to claim third place.
Duan Ziyao’s last-place finish was no surprise, though compared to his initial struggles, he’d still made some progress.
The livestream had started at 10 a.m., and by now, it was time to prepare lunch.
The production team announced that the four lowest-ranked guests would be responsible for cooking lunch for everyone, while the top two could relax with massage devices provided by the crew and wait for the meal.
After the rules were announced, Ning Fei and Qin Man exchanged a glance, both silently sharing the same thought: Had we known, we would’ve thrown the game.
[Hahaha, I bet they’re both thinking: "Should’ve gone easy after all."]
[No way the production team didn’t anticipate this—that’s why they waited until after the game to reveal the rules.]
[Wonder how Duan Ziyao and his mom fare in the kitchen. Can they save Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning'an?]
The crew had already prepared the ingredients, leaving the guests to decide the menu among themselves.
Duan Ziyao had mostly eaten meals prepared by the team’s cafeteria staff during training and rarely cooked.
After some discussion, they agreed to let Su Yun take charge as head chef, with the other three assisting.
Su Yun was enthusiastic, first checking the kitchen’s supplies before asking Qin Man and Ning Fei what they’d like to eat.
Both actresses were polite, saying they’d be happy with whatever Su Yun made.
Su Yun then turned to Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning'an.
Jiang Ning'an: "Auntie, I’m fine with anything. Just pick whatever’s easiest for you."
Only Ning Yuxuan gave it serious thought: "Auntie, what dishes are you best at?"
[Hahaha, classic Ning Yuxuan—zero hesitation, zero pretense.]
Su Yun listed a whole array of dishes and asked if any appealed to her.
After a moment’s consideration, Ning Yuxuan said: "Stir-fried pork with peppers and braised eggplant—would that work, Auntie?"
Su Yun replied cheerfully: "Absolutely! My Ziyao loves those too, so I’ll make extra for you two!"
Though the three younger guests weren’t skilled cooks, they were quick at washing and chopping ingredients, making efficient helpers for Su Yun.
With the joint efforts of the four of them, lunch for six was successfully prepared.
The morning games had been quite physically demanding, and everyone was hungry by now, eagerly picking up their chopsticks to dig in.
Ning Yuxuan had her eyes set on the stir-fried pork with peppers—a dish she had loved since childhood.
As she reached out with her chopsticks, another pair came dangerously close to colliding with hers from the opposite direction.
She looked up and locked eyes with Duan Ziyao.
Duan Ziyao froze for a moment, his ears turning slightly red, before quickly withdrawing his chopsticks.
This small interaction might have gone unnoticed by the others, who were busy eating.
But Su Yun caught every detail.
"Yuxuan, I was just telling you," Su Yun chimed in, "my Ziyao absolutely loves stir-fried pork with peppers too! He always pesters me to make it for him at home. What a coincidence, right—"
Duan Ziyao cleared his throat. "Mom."
Su Yun paused, glancing at her son. "Oh, come on, it's nothing! I just thought it was interesting how you two have such similar tastes."
Turning back to Ning Yuxuan, she gestured to the braised eggplant in front of her. "Here, Yuxuan. I remember you mentioned you liked this dish too. Try it and see how it tastes."
Ning Yuxuan obliged, taking a bite.
"It's delicious," she said warmly, never one to hold back compliments for good food. "You really have a talent for cooking, Auntie."
Su Yun beamed. "I'm glad you like it! Have as much as you want."
The more she observed this young woman, the more she liked her—pretty, well-mannered, and even efficient in the kitchen earlier.
Leaning slightly toward her son, Su Yun lowered her voice and whispered, "Ziyao, what do you think of Yuxuan?"
Unaccustomed to the realities of reality TV, Su Yun had forgotten that even hushed conversations could be picked up by the microphone clipped to her clothes—broadcasting every word to the live audience.
The comment instantly sparked a wave of reactions.
[Wait, what’s happening??? Is Duan Ziyao’s mom trying to set him up with Ning Yuxuan?]
[Honestly, though, they do look good together. But isn’t there an age gap? I think this guy’s still under twenty.]
[Checked it—Duan Ziyao turns twenty at the end of the year. Five-year age difference? Not bad! Older woman, younger man? I’m here for it!]
[Whoa, slow down! Isn’t it too early to ship them?]
[Hey, casual shipping is harmless! And if it actually happens, we’ll be the OG shippers!]
Some viewers, however, weren’t thrilled with Su Yun’s approach.
[Isn’t Auntie Su overstepping? Ning Yuxuan’s just being polite. Don’t force a romance where there isn’t one.]
Still, since Su Yun had only made the remark privately to her son and hadn’t done anything overt, most viewers simply enjoyed the drama.
Duan Ziyao stiffened at his mother’s question.
"Mom!" he hissed. "What are you even saying?"
Su Yun waved him off. "Oh, relax! Just making conversation. Let’s eat."
After lunch, the afternoon segment began.
This time, the production crew wheeled out an old-school arcade machine with dual joysticks.
[That thing looks ancient—like it’s from the last century. Where did the crew even find it?]
[Reminds me of the machines at arcades ten years ago. Kids these days probably haven’t even seen one.]
Once powered on, the machine blared nostalgic, retro music.
The screen displayed a classic fighting game—two players, each with eight buttons to control punches, kicks, blocks, and combo moves.
Two staff members demonstrated how to play, then brought out a draw box to determine the match order.
As luck would have it, Ning Yuxuan and Duan Ziyao both drew number one—they were up first.
Side by side, they took their seats in front of the machine.
Before the official match, the rules allowed a few practice rounds to get familiar with the controls.
Once both confirmed they were ready, the real competition would begin.
For the first trial, they each selected their characters.
Ning Yuxuan, inexperienced with arcade joysticks, moved awkwardly.
Duan Ziyao, on the other hand, seemed like a natural—whether from past experience or raw talent, his stance was far more polished from the start.
After the first round of the match began, the character controlled by Ning Yuxuan was quickly knocked down, losing a significant chunk of health.
Just as the audience thought Duan Ziyao would seize the moment to unleash a combo, he suddenly stopped his actions.
Duan Ziyao asked softly, "Did you not fully memorize the functions of these buttons?"
Ning Yuxuan admitted, "A little."
In front of her, aside from the joystick, there were eight identical buttons—same color, same shape, with no text labels.
Being suddenly thrown into the game, it was indeed difficult to remember what each button did.
Duan Ziyao stood up from his chair and walked over to Ning Yuxuan’s side.
"If you wanted to counter that move earlier, you should press these buttons like this…" he explained, pointing out the corresponding keys.
His movements were careful, maintaining half a step’s distance, and his hands never touched her.
Yet, Su Yun, watching from behind, was practically glowing with excitement.
She knew it—her son definitely had feelings for Ning Yuxuan!
Su Yun understood her son’s personality better than anyone. Around people he disliked, he’d keep his distance as if they were contagious. He’d never take the initiative to teach them anything.
Over the years, her biggest frustration with her son was how much he took after his father—a man of few words. Since childhood, he’d shown little interest in studying or making friends, preferring instead to lose himself in video games.
Two years ago, when some esports club scouted him for a trial, Su Yun had initially refused.
But then the coach mentioned that passing the trial would earn him a monthly salary of over 10,000 yuan, and she finally relented.
Later, he joined a team whose name she couldn’t even pronounce—a team full of boys, not a single girl in sight.
Su Yun had been worried sick. Her son already struggled with interacting with the opposite sex. If he spent years in that team, what then?
Now, seeing him interact with Ning Yuxuan, Su Yun’s mind began racing.
The more she looked at the girl, the more she liked her—excellent personal qualities, a good family background.
Sure, she was a few years older than her son, but as the saying goes: "An older wife brings fortune; six years older, endless joy!"
After finishing his explanation, Duan Ziyao returned to his seat.
The two continued practicing for a while until Ning Yuxuan felt she had a good grasp of the controls and was ready for a real match.
As the game officially started, the living room filled with the rapid clicking of buttons.
The battle seemed intense, neck-and-neck, but in the end, Ning Yuxuan emerged victorious with just a sliver of health left.
A staff member announced, "Congratulations, Ning Yuxuan, for winning the first round!"
Viewers in the livestream caught on to something.
[Wait… Did Ziyao go easy on her? He never used his highest-damage combo.]
[Now that you mention it… Does he actually like her?]
[They look good together—I’m shipping it!]
After the first match, Ning Yuxuan and Duan Ziyao stepped aside, making way for Jiang Ning'an and Ning Fei.
Duan Ziyao remained quiet as ever, offering Ning Yuxuan a simple "Congratulations" before silently retreating to spectate.
Su Yun, however, couldn’t wait any longer. She pulled Ning Yuxuan aside, beaming.
"Xuanxuan, come here," she said eagerly. "Auntie remembers you’re born in the Year of the Pig, right? Our Ziyao is a Rabbit—Pigs and Rabbits are a perfect match, destined to bring each other luck!"
Ning Yuxuan had never heard of this "destined luck" thing, but she understood the last part.
After a brief pause, she replied, "Auntie, I have a boyfriend."
Su Yun froze.
"A boyfriend?" she repeated. "So… you’re not married yet?"
