Chapter 12: YC's Livestream Celebration Clarification

Inside the apartment.

Zhou Yili had just gotten up and was in high spirits. At home, he dressed casually: a loose black sleeveless T-shirt, baggy shorts, and a few tufts of unruly blue hair sticking up as he was about to head out.

Suddenly, he paused mid-step.

What was Shen Jixing supposed to discuss with him today?

...A reasonable explanation, wasn’t it?

He let go of the doorknob, lifted his shirt with one hand, and pulled it off over his head, revealing a lean, athletic upper body.

Still in a good mood, he hummed a little tune and walked toward the dressing room.

Half an hour later—

The young master appeared, elegant and regal from head to toe. The black silk shirt flowed luxuriously in the dim light, sleeves rolled up carelessly to reveal his alluring elbows, a platinum Patek Philippe Blue Starry Sky watch fastened at his wrist.

Even the dust around him seemed to shimmer.

With graceful, long strides, he made his way to the guest bedroom, gave the door a refined kick, and said, “Alright, let’s talk. How do you want to do this?”

No answer.

Zhou Yili paused, his proud expression faltering. He waited, frowning, then pushed the door open.

“…”

He clicked his tongue in mild annoyance and said evenly, “Great. Gone again.”

Descending the stairs, he confirmed there was not a trace of the little white bird left in the apartment.

In the end, he couldn’t hold back a laugh at his own frustration.

“Wonderful.”

“So this place is just a hotel now, is it?”

…

The YC livestream celebration dragged on tediously.

Most were there hoping for some juicy scoop on Shen Jixing, only to be forced to watch a two-hour new product launch.

The reporters, lugging heavy cameras, truly understood the meaning of the phrase—money is hard to earn and some things are hard to stomach.

“Brother Shen, are you really not going to contact the Herberts?” Xiong Xiong asked with some concern.

Even with his slow wit, he knew Fang Siqian would hardly clear things up out of goodwill.

The Herberts must have been deceived.

Shen Jixing was resting with his eyes closed. Upon hearing this, he replied coolly, “I don’t have their contact information.”

Xiong Xiong: “?”

Pei Ming: “???”

He pointed at Fang Siqian on the stage outside the car window. “Don’t tell me that kid found two scammers.”

Shen Jixing found that amusing. “Not likely. I do have some connection with them…”

But he didn’t elaborate, and Pei Ming wisely didn’t press further.

All would soon be clear.

At last, the new product introduction ended.

YC had shamelessly jumped on the bandwagon, their smug faces making Pei Ming sneer.

“As if piggybacking does any good. Do they have any idea if anyone will actually buy?”

That brand had once been rejected by them, and ever since, had held a grudge, making things difficult behind the scenes.

Pei Ming couldn’t even be bothered to play their games anymore.

The microphone was handed to Fang Siqian, who smiled gently. “As the YC High Jewelry brand’s second anniversary celebration concludes, may I ask for a moment of your attention?”

Here it comes, finally.

The reporters immediately raised their cameras again—

“I believe most of you are already aware,” Fang Siqian said, his demeanor warm and apologetic. “I know it’s not ideal to use public resources this way, but I’ve always regarded Best Actor Shen as a guiding elder. Given the chance to do something for him, I’m more than happy to oblige.”

His words struck the perfect balance, further cementing his image as the considerate gentleman.

But the reporters present thought: …I’d like to finish you off right now.

Everyone in the industry knew exactly what was happening: two hours of product promotion under Shen Jixing’s name—there was no question who stood to profit.

In the livestream comments:

“My dear is so kind and gentle, I’m crying!”

“He even called Shen Jixing his mentor. Heaven knows how long he was hounded by top star fans. Oh, you’re so heartbreakingly good…”

“That’s just Fang—everyone else is hiding, but he dares to step out. Star’s fans really owe him an apology.”

“Hilarious. Does that so-called top star still have fans?”

“…”

Fang Siqian glanced at the streaming screen, the barest smile curling his lips.

"Next, let’s welcome—Mr. and Mrs. Herbert."

Pei Ming immediately straightened in his seat.

Shen Jixing finally opened his eyes, gazing calmly out the window—

There, an affectionate, romantic elderly couple appeared. Herbert, ascending the steps, took care to support his wife. Both were impeccably dressed, simple yet elegant, exuding poise and steadiness.

Their refined bearing did faintly resemble the Best Actor himself.

But, no matter how one looked, they certainly weren’t his biological parents.

Because Mr. and Mrs. Herbert were unmistakably French, with silver hair and gray eyes.

“Is this a joke?”

“Bringing foreigners to clear things up—has Best Actor Shen lost his mind?”

“If they dare claim Shen Jixing as their son, I’ll laugh for a year. What kind of miracle genetics is this? Two French people giving birth to a proper Chinese man?”

Well, they really did dare.

Mr. Herbert handed the microphone to his wife. Mrs. Herbert adjusted her vintage lace hat and spoke in fluent, aged English: “Nova is our child.”

The audience erupted instantly.

The live feed was flooded with question marks.

Mrs. Herbert couldn’t read Chinese, but she understood confusion.

So she explained gently, “Nova is an Asian youth known in our country as the Eastern Star. He has a beautiful Chinese name—Shen Jixing.”

Her gray eyes were clouded yet gentle with age, her face full of sincerity.

For a moment, even the mocking comments dwindled.

He has a beautiful Chinese name—Shen Jixing.

She said that phrase in Chinese, and though awkward, it was deeply sincere. Pei Ming instinctively glanced at Shen Jixing.

His eyes were lowered slightly, profile pale as snow, unreadable.

“Why would Best Actor Shen be your child?” a male reporter asked, glancing at someone on stage and raising his mic in English.

His tone was half-mocking, half-teasing.

“Forgive me, but the two of you hardly seem likely to have a child like Best Actor Shen.”

Laughter broke out among the crowd.

Mrs. Herbert, however, faced them with the patient kindness of one dealing with unruly children.

She said softly, “Nova is our adopted child.”

This time, she switched to French.

The male reporter, unversed in French, was momentarily stunned and looked to the man in the white suit.

Fang Siqian kindly smiled and translated, “Ah, you mean a child you once adopted?”

His surprise sounded genuine, catching everyone off guard—including the Herberts.

Wasn’t this young man supposed to be in the know?

A faint frown creased Mrs. Herbert’s brow, an uneasy feeling stirring within her.

Then Fang Siqian continued with a smile, “May I ask, what was the reason you stopped adopting him? Did Best Actor Shen do something?”

Mrs. Herbert stumbled, nearly losing her balance.

Her aged gray eyes filled with sorrow and disbelief as she looked at the Chinese youth before her.

No matter how gentle her nature, she knew she was being used.

What was he trying to do?

Wasn’t he Nova’s friend?

At that moment, the microphone was gently taken from her hand.

Mr. Herbert faced the assembled reporters, his wrinkled face still bearing traces of his youth, his gray eyes heavy but resolute.

“Nova was the child we adopted twenty-one years ago. He was only six then—a beautiful, well-behaved, and sensible boy.”

“Unfortunately…”

Fang Siqian narrowed his eyes slightly at Mr. Herbert.

Everyone held their breath, waiting.

“Because of our circumstances, we could not continue to care for him.”

“So, with heavy hearts, we sent him back to his homeland.”

A faint redness glimmered in Mr. Herbert’s gray eyes. He gently drew his wife closer.

“But in our hearts, he will always be our child.”

“Just like every warm and loving family in this world, we will always be the support and haven he can rely on.”