TRYMBPIETM 9: The Ancient Tree’s Deep Shade(3)

The live chat was flooded with question marks, many viewers confused by Tang Qichen’s reaction.

Chi Qingning, who had been unable to stop Tang Qichen in time, gave a subtle expression, his eyes holding back some emotions.

Was this what Tang Qichen’s studio meant by “straight guy”?

Chi Qingzhou, as though unaware of any awkwardness, extended his hand with a warm smile and responded to Tang Qichen, “Hello, Brother Tang , I’m Chi Qingzhou. You can call me Xiao Chi or Qingzhou.”

Tang Qichen, with a stony face, stared at Chi Qingzhou’s outstretched hand for a few seconds.

Such fair skin.

Such long fingers.

The tips were faintly pink, looking healthy.

Were all people who sought attention this proactive?

Tang Qichen shifted his gaze slightly and awkwardly stretched his hand out to shake Chi Qingzhou’s, “Then I’ll call you Xiao Chi. Have you had breakfast?”

“?” What kind of classic greeting was that?

Chi Qingzhou looked up at Tang Qichen’s face, not retracting his hand, and blinked his eyes playfully, curving his lips into a smile. His tone lightened, “I’ve eaten, Tang Ge, have you?”

Tang Qichen’s ears turned even redder.

This person… he was just using his charm for attention, why did he have to smile like that?

His voice grew more rigid, “I’ve eaten. Skipping breakfast can lead to gallstones, don’t skip meals.”

Liang Ji: “…”

Xu Xinxin: “…??”

The production team: “???”

This was beyond amazing—was this some kind of kindergarten playdate greeting?

Chi Qingzhou nodded, signaling that he understood.

Xing Shuangzhan let out a long, disdainful sneer from the shadows, his gaze fixed on Tang Qichen’s hand, as if his fierce stare could almost turn into something tangible.

What was all this tugging and pulling about?

Tang Qichen suddenly felt a chill run through his body. Instinctively, he loosened his grip and took a step back.

Chi Qingning, reacting out of reflex, reached out to shield his back, his body shifting awkwardly, exposing his eyes filled with suppressed emotions directly to the camera.

Xing Shuangzhan seemed pleased by the outcome.

The “Little Sweet Plum” fans watching the stream were heartbroken. Many trolls and pure haters, startled by Tang Qichen’s response, began flooding the chat with their comments.

【??? Is Tang Qichen okay?】

【What kind of nonsense is he saying, Tang Qichen? Just hit him already, hurry up, be a man!】

The comments were full of disbelief and frustration, mocking Tang Qichen’s hesitation. Fans and haters alike flooded the chat, questioning his actions and calling him out for being too soft.

【No, I thought he would at least teach that little bastard a lesson, but after all this time he just introduced himself? Did he think this was kindergarten kids meeting? 】

【It’s so annoying, so annoying.】

【Dare to act like a man and punch that person? Look at how wronged Chi Qingning is, and still, he has the nerve to say they’re good friends?】

The insults spread from Chi Qingzhou to Tang Qichen, but Tang Qichen wasn’t some unnoticed small fry without fans.

How could Tang’s fans just stand by and let their idol be insulted? Immediately, they began firing back with fierce replies.

【Why is the barrage so full of hostility? Our Tang Ge is always law-abiding. There’s no way he’d just attack someone for no reason!】

【Want our Tang Ge to charge into battle for certain people? They should first check if they deserve it!】

【Assaulting someone is illegal, just so you know.】

【Could those few illegitimate children of the Tang family be secretly stirring up trouble?】

【Seems like some people have had such miserable lives they’re filled with so much malice. Can’t you all be decent human beings?】

【Who our Tang Ge chooses to be friends with is none of your business!】

The variety show fans were extremely annoyed by the barrage, feeling it ruined the atmosphere of the show. They proceeded to condemn everyone involved, including Chi Qingning, who seemed to have done nothing wrong.

【If you want to fight, just leave! Otherwise, we’ll block all of you!】

【Doesn’t Tang Qichen have his own live broadcast? Why is he making a scene here in the main live stream? Go back to your own stream!】

【Reported. Watch the live properly, if anyone else causes trouble, they’ll be cooked for three years.】

【Who bought these trolls to bark here? Can’t you see the long string of contact details in their IDs? Are we all blind?】

【Chi Qingning, control your fans. They’re jumping up and down as if they’re performing a monkey show.】

In the eyes of the variety show fans, Chi Qingning was the match that started the fire, though he tried to stay out of it.

Chi Qingning’s fans tried to argue back, but the moment they opened their mouths, the variety show fans quickly shut them down. It was a mix of feeling wronged and frustrated.

But they knew that angering the general public would not benefit their idol, so they quietly stayed silent.

Tang Qichen’s fans, on the other hand, had a much better attitude, quickly apologizing and retreating. They absolutely didn’t want to provoke the variety show fans.

The live stream quieted down considerably, and Chi Qingzhou, sensing the fading scent in the air, sighed regretfully to himself.

Xing Shuangzhan comforted him, gently patting his hand and whispering, “There will be other opportunities.”

Chi Qingzhou could only nod, silently agreeing.

After waiting for another 20 minutes, the last fixed guest, the diva Zhong Lingshu, finally arrived.

Everyone stood up to greet her, and the bus started moving toward their destination.

The bus drove for over an hour before finally arriving at a fork in the road outside Shangling County.

The director, holding a megaphone, moved from the lead vehicle to the bus and stood in the aisle to explain the situation to the guests.

“Our destination this time is Yinping Village in Shangling County. It’s a beautiful place surrounded by mountains and rivers, with a pristine natural environment, simple folk customs, and distinctive local charm.”

The veteran guests who had participated in the previous season immediately made a “ugh—” face, showing their distaste.

They were all too familiar with the director’s habits.

Mountain and water = remote location;
Beautiful scenery = undeveloped;
Simple folk customs = the locals had agreed with the production team to make the tasks especially hard;
Distinctive = we’ll probably have to climb mountains, crawl through caves, cross rivers, and climb trees.

The director quickly retreated and gave a subtle look to the host, Lu Man, before passing the small electric megaphone to him.

Lu Man pretended not to notice the discontent and, with a beaming smile, changed the subject. “Our destination is Yinping Village, but from here on, the bus can’t drive any further. So, our first task is to reach the destination within two hours.”

Chi Qingzhou raised his hand obediently. “How far is it to Yinping Village from here?”

Lu Man smiled. “Good question. It’s not far, just about 12 kilometers.”

Tang Qichen’s face was full of disbelief. “Lu Ge, are you listening to yourself? 12 kilometers of mountain roads in two hours? We’re probably going to have to carry our luggage ourselves. Is that a reasonable request?”

Lu Man looked innocent. “It’s not like you have to walk. If you can find a local to give you a ride, that’s a skill in itself.”

Xu Xinxin nodded. “Got it, it’s a trick to get us to work for the locals.”

Lu Man pretended not to hear, holding up the megaphone to signal that everyone could start heading out.

The guests sighed as they went to grab their luggage, each face filled with a sense of despair over the upcoming hardships.

The live stream’s barrage was filled with laughter, while the leaves in the forests surrounding Yinping Village rustled gently in the wind.

The sound was oddly eerie.

It was as though something unspeakable was laughing in the wind, its tone filled with impatient joy.

Chi Qingzhou tilted his head slightly, listened for a moment, and then, as though catching the mood, smiled.

Xing Shuangzhan gently tapped his ankle, a sound imperceptible to the others, reminding him. “Look outside the window.”

Chi Qingzhou, pretending to pick up his luggage, glanced in the direction. A weathered man was sitting on a three-wheeled bike, parked not far from the bus.

The man’s eyes were lifeless, his face gaunt, and his forehead and brow furrowed with deep lines, giving him an air of someone who had endured hardship.

Those unfamiliar with his appearance might think he was simply a person worn down by life, but Chi Qingzhou could tell at a glance. The man had a distinctive horizontal line at the root of his nose, his nose was relatively flat, and his cheekbones were wide—clear signs of someone who had left their home and developed a cunning, sinister nature.

It seemed as though the man sensed Chi Qingzhou’s gaze, and he suddenly looked up.

Just a single glance from him, and the man’s expression shifted.

He appeared startled for a moment, but then his eyes filled with a boundless, almost manic joy. His lips trembled, and the facade of harmlessness he had been trying to maintain briefly cracked, revealing a feral, sinister look.

Chi Qingzhou remained calm, walking toward the bus with his luggage, while the man’s cold, snake-like gaze followed him relentlessly.

The maliciousness and greed clung to the wind through the mountains, as if they were trying to swallow Chi Qingzhou whole.

Chi Qingzhou lowered his eyes, and his smile became even sweeter.

In the shadow, his other soul grinned broadly, its pupils tinted with a deep, blood-like hue, making it increasingly inhuman.

Outside the bus, the few guests who had gotten off first were discussing the situation, huddled together.

Tang Qichen said, “I’ve asked a few locals. These vehicles at the fork can all be used, but they’ll cost money.”

Zhong Lingshu pulled out 200 yuan. “This is the starting fee. We’ll have to make it last.”

Chi Qingning’s eyes flickered, and he recalled that in the second season, the provincial government of Qunqing had supported the program, with the main aim being to promote economic development and help the impoverished. His face immediately softened with sympathy.

“I just spoke with a local. He told me the guy riding the tricycle is not doing well financially.”

Zhong Lingshu nodded. “I’ve heard the same.”

Yinping Village was near the Puluo ethnic group’s territory, and most of the locals were members of the Puluo people.

The man riding the tricycle was one of the few non-local villagers. He had been an orphan, found by a family in the village around thirty years ago, and had settled there ever since.

About fifteen years ago, the family suffered an accident, and out of seven people, only he and his adoptive mother survived.

His adoptive mother was deeply affected by the trauma, and from then on, she became mentally unstable and physically ill.

At the time, he was still a teenager, and unable to leave his adoptive mother alone in the village, he gave up his chance to go to college to stay and care for her.

Yinping Village was quite remote, and because of his adoptive mother’s condition, many jobs were inaccessible to him, so he had to survive by doing odd jobs.

Zhong Lingshu said, “He seems to dislike being the center of attention, but his adoptive mother needs money for medicine, so he agreed to participate in the filming.”

Chi Qingning lowered his voice and asked, “His asking price is the lowest among everyone. Should we just take his tricycle?”

No one had objections, but Xu Xinxin glanced at the man with some unease.

She was about to find a reason to persuade the group when Chi Qingning turned his head to look at the just-arrived Chi Qingzhou and Liang Ji.

“Second Brother, Liang Ge, what do you think?”