Ning Yuxuan's remark of "not married yet" left both her and the entire livestream in stunned silence.
Audience: "..."
[Hahahaha Auntie Su, what kind of bold statement is this?]
[Auntie Su: Not married means they can still break up and be with my son instead.]
[LMAO Auntie Su is in her forties but more open-minded than I am, this is killing me.]
Others focused on what Ning Yuxuan had said.
[Boyfriend? Who is it, who is it?]
[Isn’t this the first time Ning Yuxuan has admitted to having a boyfriend on the show? Why is no one talking about this?!]
[I’m so curious about who the lucky guy is! Can the almighty internet detectives dig this up?]
The shippers didn’t even get a chance to rally before their hopes were dashed.
[Ugh, I genuinely thought Ning Yuxuan and Duan Ziyao would be perfect together—older woman, younger man, so spicy! How did this happen?!]
[Same, my heart is shattered!!!]
[Wahhh, my romantic fantasies were crushed before they could even take flight!]
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning'an and Ning Fei were already practicing in front of the gaming console.
Ning Yuxuan cleared her throat and smiled at Su Yun. "Auntie, I don’t have any plans to change boyfriends right now."
Su Yun: "Then—"
Ning Yuxuan added without missing a beat, "Nor do I plan on adding another one to the mix."
Su Yun: "..."
She could tell Ning Yuxuan was joking, but also firmly rejecting her.
Disappointment flashed across Su Yun’s face as she patted Ning Yuxuan’s arm. "Alright, alright, I get it. But I really do like you a lot. If—"
She seemed to realize what she was about to say wasn’t exactly auspicious, so she swallowed the rest of her words.
Su Yun: "Well, Xuanxuan, I hope you and your boyfriend stay sweet and happy!"
The audience, however, had already guessed what Su Yun originally meant to say and found it hilarious.
[LOL translation: Su Yun—If you ever break up, let me know, and my son will be ready to step in!]
[Auntie Su genuinely adores Ning Yuxuan! If they really got together, their mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship would be chef’s kiss.]
[Ning Yuxuan, are you sure you don’t want to date two at once? Hahahaha.]
Over at the gaming console, the match between Ning Fei and Jiang Ning'an officially began.
Jiang Ning'an’s advantage was obvious—she won quickly.
The competition wasn’t exactly fair for Ning Fei, since Jiang Ning'an had gaming experience while Ning Fei had barely touched video games before.
But Ning Fei didn’t mind losing. Instead, she seemed intrigued. "This game is actually pretty fun."
Ning Yuxuan walked over. "Mom, you liked it?"
Ning Fei nodded. "Yeah, we never had the chance to try these things when I was young. This is my first time playing, and it’s quite entertaining."
After a brief pause, Ning Yuxuan decisively turned to the staff. "After this week’s filming wraps up, would you consider selling this machine?"
Staff: "..."
The console was a secondhand purchase from an online platform, costing just over a thousand yuan.
Staff: "Let me check with the director and props team."
After a quick discussion, the staff nodded. "If Teacher Ning Fei likes it, we can give it to you for free."
Ning Fei waved her hand. "Oh no, that’s too much. I’ll pay the original price."
Staff: "Uh… sure?"
[LOL who knew the show would recoup their prop costs through a game segment?]
[Hahahaha isn’t this hilarious? Ning Fei: I like it. Ning Yuxuan: Buy it!]
[I’m shocked that Teacher Ning would enjoy this kind of game! Never judge a book by its cover—stereotypes are dangerous!]
The final match was between Su Yun and Qin Man.
Neither had any experience with video games, making this round the most suspenseful yet.
At times, one would pull ahead, only for the other to overtake moments later.
Jiang Ning'an looked more anxious than Qin Man herself, almost jumping in to help.
Su Yun also called for backup. "Ziyao, come help your mom! Why isn’t this button working?"
In the end, with both sides receiving assistance, Qin Man’s slightly quicker reflexes gave her a narrow victory.
Su Yun let out a long sigh and turned to Duan Ziyao. "Son, is this what you train on every day at your base? It’s exhausting—way harder than cooking and cleaning!"
Duan Ziyao shook his head helplessly, not bothering to explain further.
His mother had never fully understood his profession, and there was no point trying to clarify now.
The production team announced the next segment: the three winners would discuss and decide the afternoon’s itinerary, up until dinner.
Any destination within a half-hour drive was fair game.
The winners of the three rounds were Ning Yuxuan, Jiang Ning'an, and Qin Man.
Qin Man had no preference and left the decision to her daughter and Ning Yuxuan.
Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning'an exchanged a glance, then looked at the retro arcade machine. No words were needed—a single look was enough to understand what the other was thinking.
Ning Yuxuan smiled and said, "You go ahead and ask."
Jiang Ning'an nodded and turned to the staff. "We're still craving more fun. Are there any arcades nearby?"
And just like that, the plan was set. The group headed to a nearby arcade for some excitement.
Everyone changed into outdoor clothes and boarded the production team's minibus.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at their destination.
The younger members were familiar with places like this, having visited arcades with classmates back in their school days.
For the mothers, however, it was their first time.
When asked for their thoughts, Ning Fei smiled warmly. "We didn’t have places like this when I was young. We mostly played jump rope and things like that, right?"
Qin Man nodded. "Same here. Back then, there weren’t many games—just jump rope, shuttlecock kicking, and beanbag toss."
Su Yun, though five or six years younger than the other two, grew up in the same era.
She reminisced, "Jump rope was my favorite too! There were so many variations, each with its own name—like 'Cotton Spinning,' 'Flower Drum,' and 'Yangko Dance!'"
Ning Fei laughed. "Yes, exactly! I loved 'Cotton Spinning' the most."
The three mothers came from different regions—Qin Man was from the north, while Ning Fei and Su Yun were southerners.
Yet, when it came to jump rope, they found so much common ground.
[The moms are so adorable!]
[It’s funny to think that these moms were once lively little girls. If they’d been born 20 or 30 years later, they might’ve been gaming together!]
The arcade was packed with machines—claw cranes, dance mats, you name it.
The production team handed out game tokens, letting everyone choose what to play.
Ning Fei’s eyes lit up when she spotted a plush toy in one of the claw machines.
"Yuxuan, look," she said, pointing at a small cow plushie. "Doesn’t this one’s expression remind you of Shiyue?"
Ning Yuxuan burst out laughing. "It really does—that same cool, aloof vibe. Should we rescue Ning Shiyue from the machine?"
Ning Fei inserted a few tokens and tried twice, but failed.
"Yuxuan," she turned to her daughter, "you give it a shot."
Ning Yuxuan stepped up dramatically, waving her hands in circles and chanting, "Ning Shiyue, come out now!"
Ning Fei, recording her daughter on her phone, laughed so hard her hands shook.
Ning Yuxuan carefully aimed the claw, adjusted it a few times, then slammed the button.
The claw descended, grabbed the plushie—but halfway up, it wobbled, and the cow dropped back into the pile with a thud.
Ning Yuxuan sighed in disappointment. "See, Mom? Even in a claw machine, someone refuses to behave."
[Hahaha @Ning Shiyue, your sister’s roasting you again!]
[The way Ning Fei’s laughing says everything about Ning Shiyue’s status at home lol]
[Ning Shiyue: Busy filming, don’t disturb.]
Ning Yuxuan called her mother over. "Mom, you try again."
After a few more attempts, Ning Fei finally succeeded.
Her eyes crinkled with joy as she cradled the plushie.
[Ning Fei is too cute!!]
[No wonder she looks so young—she’s got the heart of a teenager!]
Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei moved on to other claw machines, snagging a bunny plushie next.
Not wanting to carry too much, they left the claw machines behind and ventured deeper into the arcade.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning'an and Duan Ziyao found a game cabinet similar to the one in the villa, though this one looked newer and less retro.
They’d already finished one round—Duan Ziyao won—and were now on their second match.
Nearby, Qin Man and Su Yun were deep in conversation.
Su Yun, ever the social butterfly, had even drawn the usually reserved Qin Man into lively chatter.
Of course, Su Yun did most of the talking, but Qin Man nodded along and occasionally responded.
[Su Yun really can strike up a conversation with anyone.]
[Even the quietest person can’t escape her charm.]
As those two chatted, Jiang Ning'an and Duan Ziyao were locked in an intense battle.
Duan Ziyao, a pro gamer, had lightning-fast reflexes—but Jiang Ning'an held her own, their health bars nearly even in a nail-biting showdown.
[Ahhh Jiang Ning'an is so cool! Who knew she was a gaming queen?!]
[And Duan Ziyao’s killing it too! Nothing beats a guy in his element!]
【Go Jiang Ning'an! Win this round and you'll have beaten a pro player! Go for it!】
Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan walked over and joined the spectators.
Ning Yuxuan, being more familiar with Jiang Ning'an, naturally rooted for her.
She waved the rabbit plushie she had just won, hyping up the atmosphere: "Go, Ning'an!"
In the noisy arcade, Ning Yuxuan's voice wasn't particularly loud.
Yet the moment she spoke, the black-clad young man to her right faltered slightly in his movements.
The next second, Jiang Ning'an's character knocked the opponent down and executed a flawless combo.
The match was decided in an instant—Jiang Ning'an took the second round.
Turning to Ning Yuxuan with a smile, Jiang Ning'an said, "Yuxuan, you and Teacher Ning came too!"
Ning Yuxuan nodded and handed over the rabbit plushie. "I won this earlier. Congrats on your win!"
Jiang Ning'an's lips curved as she accepted it. "Thanks! But this is already the second round. Ziyao won the first one."
Hearing this, Ning Yuxuan turned to meet Duan Ziyao's gaze.
Duan Ziyao: "..."
The tips of the young man's ears flushed red again.
Ning Yuxuan smiled calmly. "Then congrats to you too. Too bad I only got one plushie, so I don't have one for you."
Duan Ziyao's cheeks reddened along with his ears. "...No need."
【Aww, he's so adorable! Look at him blushing!】
【Ning Yuxuan, won't you consider dating him? Just for a day, please—do it for me!】
【Right? Dating two at once is no big deal. A beauty like Ning Yuxuan could date four and it'd still be fair!】
【LMAO you guys are killing me, turning into matchmaking aunties now】
Ning Yuxuan asked Jiang Ning'an, "Are you guys playing again?"
Jiang Ning'an shook her head with a laugh. "Not for now. I'll grab some water and rest."
The game might seem like just pressing a few buttons, but it required intense focus and was mentally draining.
"Oh, by the way," Jiang Ning'an glanced at Duan Ziyao, "Ziyao, do you still want to play? How about a round with Yuxuan?"
She could tell Duan Ziyao wasn't tired yet—he was younger, after all, brimming with energy.
Official matches were far more exhausting; these two rounds were nothing to him.
At her words, Duan Ziyao paused, lowering his gaze slightly. "I... I don't mind."
He didn't look at Ning Yuxuan as he spoke, his shyness unmistakably boyish.
The live chat erupted with excitement over the interaction.
Compared to Ning Yuxuan's mysterious, never-seen boyfriend, the audience much preferred the young man on screen right now.
They joked freely, knowing none of it was serious.
【Aaaaah he's so shy, I love it!】
【Yes yes yes! This is what I'm here for! We're just shipping from behind our screens—they'll never know! Type 1 for Buddha's forgiveness!】
【11111】
Ning Yuxuan chuckled. "Alright, let's play a round. And don't go easy on me."
Duan Ziyao's heart skipped a beat.
Had she noticed something?
If she had, would she be upset?
He hesitated for a second before glancing at Ning Yuxuan, only to find her already at the machine, preparing.
Ning Yuxuan was tall and slender, her hair tied into a high ponytail for ease of movement, framing her delicate profile.
Duan Ziyao pressed his lips together and looked away.
After inserting three coins each, the new round began.
Jiang Ning'an took a sip of juice and coached Ning Yuxuan from the side. "This character's really good—I tried it earlier."
Ning Yuxuan: "Got it. I'll pick this one then."
Jiang Ning'an seemed even more eager for her to win than Ning Yuxuan herself, demonstrating the combo moves personally. "Tilt the joystick right, then press these buttons for the strongest move."
Ning Yuxuan memorized it carefully. "Alright, I won’t let Coach Jiang down. I’ll do my best!"
Jiang Ning'an laughed. "Go, Player Ning!"
The game started, and Ning Yuxuan focused intently on the controls.
Even without a prize, she didn’t want to lose when there was a winner and loser at stake.
At first, the match was evenly matched.
But Duan Ziyao was, after all, a professional—his reflexes were far quicker than an average person's, and Ning Yuxuan gradually fell behind.
Still, she didn’t panic, keeping her eyes locked on the screen.
Finally, when her health was down to a quarter, Ning Yuxuan spotted an opening and swiftly executed the combo Jiang Ning'an had taught her.
As the victory screen flashed, Ning Yuxuan turned and high-fived Jiang Ning'an.
The live audience loved the outcome.
【Hahaha Ziyao, what’s going on? Two losses in a row? Where’s your pride as a pro gamer?】
【LMAO Duan Ziyao never expected his career’s Waterloo to happen on a variety show】
Duan Ziyao looked mildly frustrated.
He was afraid Ning Yuxuan would notice him going easy on her, so this time he didn’t dare to hold back like he had at the villa.
Yet for some reason, he felt inexplicably nervous, his every move awkward and stiff.
A single moment of distraction gave Ning Yuxuan the perfect opportunity.
Duan Ziyao lowered his head, his heart restless with unease.
Would she think he was all talk, not as skilled as the rumors claimed?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a sweet, clear voice sounded beside him: "There are still so many machines we haven’t tried yet. Should we go check out the others?"
"Sure!" Jiang Ning'an replied, turning to Duan Ziyao. "Ziyao, you coming with us?"
Ning Fei had already joined Qin Man and Su Yun’s conversation, currently engrossed in a discussion that had veered from romantic musings to poetry and literature.
Now, it was just the three of them.
Ning Yuxuan also glanced over, raising an eyebrow.
Duan Ziyao’s heartbeat stuttered. He nodded. "Okay."
The three of them walked to the other side of the arcade, stopping in front of a row of rhythm game machines.
Jiang Ning'an suggested, "Want to try this one?"
Ning Yuxuan smiled. "Sure."
There were four machines in a row, but two were already taken by other customers, leaving only the two on the right.
Duan Ziyao spoke up. "You two go ahead. I’ll hold your stuff."
Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning'an exchanged a glance and laughed. "Alright."
If they insisted on being polite, it would only make things awkward for him.
Jiang Ning'an handed Duan Ziyao her half-finished juice for safekeeping.
The two girls each picked a machine and began selecting songs.
Once the music started, notes began scrolling across the screen in time with the beat, requiring quick taps and swipes.
Both Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning'an wore their hair in ponytails and were around the same height.
Their movements were sharp and fluid, a pleasure to watch.
[These two beauties are such a treat for the eyes!]
[They both give off such a high school girl vibe—so full of energy!]
[Ziyao standing behind them holding their drinks looks so obedient, lol. Like two big sisters and their little follower.]
One token allowed for two rounds.
For the first song, Ning Yuxuan chose a medium difficulty track and, after getting used to the controls, easily scored an S rank.
For the second round, she went all out and picked a high-difficulty one to challenge herself.
The music shifted from a pop song to a fast-paced piano piece.
Ning Yuxuan’s fingers flew across the screen, tapping and sliding without a moment’s pause.
Finally, as the last note landed, the words "All Combo" flashed on the results screen. She relaxed, exhaling in relief.
All those hours spent playing mobile rhythm games at home hadn’t been wasted.
Excited, she turned instinctively, raising her hand for a high-five with Jiang Ning'an.
But Jiang Ning'an’s songs were longer, and she was still playing, too focused to notice.
Instead, Ning Yuxuan’s gaze met Duan Ziyao’s.
Duan Ziyao knew the high-five wasn’t meant for him, unsure whether to respond. His arm twitched before lowering again, his expression utterly flustered.
Ning Yuxuan blinked, then smoothly redirected her hand toward him, grinning. "Gotta celebrate my flawless victory!"
Their palms met with a crisp clap, brief but bright.
A simple gesture, yet the livestream chat erupted.
[Ugh, this is so much better than those forced sweet moments in idol dramas!]
[Forgive me, Buddha, but I’m gonna ship them just a little. Just a tiny bit!]
Meanwhile, in the top-floor office of Hengjiang Group’s headquarters in Beicheng...
Xie Zhiyan received a message from Ning Shiyue.
The two rarely contacted each other privately—this was the first time Ning Shiyue had ever texted him.
Ning Shiyue: [Zhiyan, you’d better step up your game.]
Attached was a link to a Weibo post.
Xie Zhiyan’s brow arched as he clicked it open.
It was an edited video.
Some netizen had worked fast—despite the livestream still being ongoing, they’d already compiled clips of Ning Yuxuan and Duan Ziyao’s interactions so far.
It included their rare on-screen glances, Duan Ziyao standing beside Ning Yuxuan to explain the controls, and their celebratory high-five.
The editor’s skills were impressive. With a sugary soundtrack and strategic zooms, even their most casual moments took on a romantic glow.
Even Su Yun and Ning Yuxuan’s exchange—"Do you have a boyfriend?" and "Not married yet"—made the cut.
The caption read: [Who would’ve thought this was a family variety show? Idol dramas, take notes—this is how you do secret crushes or noona romances!]
The comments were buzzing.
[Wow, before reading the caption, I thought this was a teen romance drama! So much chemistry!]
【What a shame she already has a boyfriend, otherwise I’d be shipping them so hard! I’m totally obsessed with the dynamic of a glamorous, confident older sister and a shy, sweet younger guy!】
【Any recommendations for similar novels or TV dramas? I really want to see more!】
Among the flood of comments from fans shipping the couple, one highly upvoted reply stood out.
【Wait, Ning Yuxuan has a boyfriend? Who’s the guy who managed to win over my goddess? Show yourself—I promise I won’t beat you up!】
Xie Zhiyan: "..."
In Haicheng, Ning Shiyue had just wrapped up filming for the day.
Since shooting had started early, his scenes were scheduled among the first few and were already finished.
As he scrolled through social media, Ning Shiyue came across the trending topic: "#NingYuxuanDuanZiyao Noona Romance."
Frowning, he watched the most popular clips under the hashtag and skimmed through the comments, where fans were losing their minds.
Hmph. So what if this guy’s good at gaming? He’s only fooling those naive young girls.
Ning Yuxuan has seen all kinds of men—there’s no way she’d fall for someone like him.
And this Duan whatever-his-name-is—is he even as good-looking as me?
Skinny as a twig, looks like a strong breeze could knock him over. Definitely not the dependable type.
Worst of all, the guy’s born in the Year of the Rabbit, making him over two years younger than me!
These netizens will ship anything these days!
Despite his internal ranting, Ning Shiyue couldn’t stop scrolling through the comments, growing more and more engrossed.
Finally, unable to resist, he pulled up Xie Zhiyan’s contact in his phone.
Fueled by a mix of solidarity and a tiny hint of schadenfreude, Ning Shiyue forwarded one of the posts to Xie Zhiyan.
Along with the message: 【Zhiyan, you might want to step up your game.】
Or else, someone might just steal your girlfriend.
Of course, Ning Shiyue trusted Xie Zhiyan’s judgment. He knew Xie Zhiyan would only feel a slight sense of urgency, not actually doubt Ning Yuxuan.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been bold enough to send something like this in the first place.
After a long pause, a reply came through.
Xie Zhiyan: 【Why are you sending me this?】
Ning Shiyue frowned at the message.
Even if Xie Zhiyan didn’t take it seriously, shouldn’t he at least react a little to all those fan comments?
Ning Shiyue: 【Did you even read the post?】
Or maybe he only watched the video and missed the comment section where fans were losing their minds?
Ning Shiyue hesitated, wondering if he should screenshot some of the wilder comments and send them over. But that might make him seem like a gossip.
Before he could decide, another message arrived.
Xie Zhiyan: 【Yeah. I saw her confirming that I’m her boyfriend.】
Ning Shiyue: "..."
