TRSBPASO 18

Early the next morning, Lin Yi was still fast asleep when he was suddenly jolted awake by the shrill ringing of his phone.

He frowned and reached blindly for his phone without even opening his eyes.

Once he grabbed it, he seemed to remember something and finally opened his eyes to glance at the still-sleeping Huo Mianmian beside him.

At that moment, Huo Mianmian was still dozing peacefully, but his thick lashes fluttered slightly. He was clearly on the verge of waking from the noise.

Seeing this, Lin Yi quickly reached out to cover his ears, then silenced the phone.

Only after confirming that Huo Mianmian had fallen back into a deep sleep did Lin Yi take his phone and step into the bathroom to answer the call.

He shut the bathroom door and glanced at the caller ID.

It was from his mother.

Lin Yi clicked his tongue. What was she up to this early in the morning?

Still, since she was the original owner’s mother, and he had inherited this body, he couldn’t exactly cut ties with her so easily. Resigned, he answered the call.

Before he could say a word, his mother’s displeased voice came through the line, “What took you so long to answer?”

Lin Yi sneered, “It’s only a little past seven. Shouldn’t I be asking why you’re calling so early and interrupting my sleep?”

His mother, now in her fifties and long past the habit of sleeping in, was clearly unimpressed. “Is sleeping all you do these days?”

Had this been the original Lin Yi, he might have meekly endured her lecture, but the current Lin Yi had no such patience. He snapped back, “You really have nothing better to do, huh? Calling me first thing in the morning just to nag?”

She never had a problem with Lin Jie sleeping in until noon when he had no classes—she’d dote on him constantly, worried he wasn’t getting enough rest. But when it came to Lin Yi, it was a completely different set of rules.

His mother, reminded of her “real” purpose, dropped the topic and got to the point. “The property management is asking for your fees again. Pay them. And the utilities too while you’re at it.”

Only then did Lin Yi recall that the original owner had bought a small apartment. It was barely sixty square meters bought with his hard-earned savings, just to have a little space of his own. Back then, his mother had scoffed at how small the place was but when she moved in with Lin Jie later, she certainly hadn’t complained.

Her excuse was that Lin Jie was preparing for exams and couldn’t focus in the noisy dorms.

The original Lin Yi had a soft heart and had given in after a few words of persuasion. And that “temporary stay” had turned into over a year.

Now not only had they taken over his apartment, but they were also expecting him to foot the bill.

Having just been woken up and now faced with such shamelessness, Lin Yi almost laughed. “Aren’t you the ones living there? Why should I be paying the property fees?”

And utilities too—how convenient for her to expect that.

His mother snapped, “It’s your apartment. If you don’t pay, who will?”

Lin Yi laughed coldly. “So you do know it’s mine? And yet you kicked me out and moved in with Lin Jie?”

She grew even more annoyed. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying your mother and brother can’t crash at your place for a while? When did you become so heartless?!”

Classic gaslighting.

But Lin Yi wasn’t someone to be guilt-tripped. Never had been and never would be. “Let me be clear. That’s my apartment, and I no longer permit you to live there. Get out.”

“What did you say?!” his mother shrieked.

“I’m filming now,” Lin Yi said coolly. “When the shoot’s over, I’ll come by. If you’re still there, don’t blame me for being rude.”

“You ungrateful brat!” she shrieked. “I carried you for nine months and raised you, how dare you treat me like this?!”

Lin Yi didn’t even bother listening anymore. He hung up and silenced his phone.

The blissful silence returned.

Even after that argument, Lin Yi’s mood didn’t waver in the slightest. He yawned lazily, then crawled back under the covers.

It was only seven-thirty. What kind of young person would get up this early for no reason?

As he lay back down, Huo Mianmian sleepily rolled over and nestled a little closer.

Looking at the sweet and peaceful little bundle, Lin Yi’s mood instantly lifted. He wrapped his arms around the soft little one and drifted right back to sleep.

By the time he woke again, it was already past nine.

Huo Mianmian had gotten up at some point, leaving Lin Yi alone in bed.

He checked his phone and saw dozens of missed calls from his mother, not that he cared enough to call back.

After a quick wash, he headed downstairs.

Meanwhile, elsewhere…

Lin Yi’s mother sat with her phone, cursing furiously.

Now in her fifties and without much money, she hadn’t aged well. Her skin was sagging, her face covered in wrinkles, and when she got angry, the years showed even more clearly.

Lin Jie, who had stayed up late gaming the night before, shuffled out of his room wearing slippers and a sloppy outfit. His face was covered in acne, and his whole demeanor screamed lazy troublemaker.

Yet to their mother, this was what a real man looked like. Unlike her eldest son, who had always been timid and meek. He even gets kicked around without protesting.

Only now, Lin Yi has changed. He was no longer under her control.

That made her furious.

She grumbled to Lin Jie, “Your brother’s gotten completely out of hand. I asked him to pay a little property fee and he snapped at me.”

Back in the day, Lin Yi used to hand over his salary without complaint, supporting their entire household.

Now that stream of money had suddenly dried up and with their struggling factory business barely scraping by, they were feeling the pinch.

Lin Jie scowled, his acne nearly popping from rage. “Didn’t expect that useless brother of mine to suddenly grow a spine.”

Just the mention of Lin Yi made him think of that Ferrari and he fumed all over again. That car should’ve been his!

Their mother fell into thought, then said, “We can’t let him get away with this. He needs to be put in his place.”

Lin Jie leaned closer. “Got a plan, Mom?”

“I don’t,” she said thoughtfully, “but your cousin He Nian surely does…”

Back at the guesthouse, Lin Yi came downstairs to find Huo Mianmian sitting on the couch, munching on potato chips.

Today, Huo Mianmian was dressed in a gray bear onesie, complete with a hood that had two big round ears. His chubby little face peeked out adorably from the fuzzy outfit.

He sat quietly while nibbling on chips, looking exactly like a tiny baby bear snacking away.

【Omg, which zoo did this little bear cub escape from?!】

【Mianmian looks so well taken care of—round cheeks like a little rice dumpling.】

【Just another day of wanting to steal this kid.】

Lin Yi, watching him quietly snacking, suddenly got the urge to mess with him a bit.

He sat down beside him. “Mianmian, want to play a game?”

Huo Mianmian’s eyes lit up instantly and he nodded. “Okay!”

Every time he nodded, the bear ears on his hood bounced along. It was too adorable for words.

Lin Yi couldn’t resist tugging gently on one of the ears and giving his soft cheeks a squeeze.

Mianmian let him do it without complaint, even smiling sweetly with his dimples showing. It’s just like a kitten cuddling up to its owner.

【Ahhh! Let go of Mianmian and let me try!!】

【What do Mianmian’s cheeks feel like?! I must know!】

【I don’t even know who I envy more here…】

Once Lin Yi had his fill of pinching those cheeks, he said, “Okay, here’s the game. We play rock-paper-scissors to see who gets to eat the chips.”

Mianmian nodded seriously and even placed the chip bag between them like a little referee.

Lin Yi grinned. “Okay, round one.”

Scissors vs. paper. Lin Yi wins.

“I win! My turn to eat chips!” he declared.

Mianmian nodded and personally fed him a chip.

Lin Yi didn’t lift a finger, just waited for the baby bear to feed him. “Round two.”

Scissors vs. rock. Mianmian wins.

His eyes sparkled. He won!

But Lin Yi calmly said, “This round’s rule is, the loser eats the chip.”

Mianmian tilted his head in confusion. So the loser eats?

Then… shouldn’t his little dad eat again?

So he picked up another chip and fed Lin Yi.

Round three. Lin Yi threw paper, Mianmian went rock—Mianmian lost.

He smiled, thinking he lost, so it must be his turn to eat!

But Lin Yi chuckled, “This round, the winner gets the chip.”

Mianmian: “……”

Something’s not right here.

Still, confused or not, he obediently picked up another chip and fed it to Lin Yi.

【Lin Yi, doesn’t your conscience hurt?!】

【Stop bullying our sweet little Mianmian!】

【Lin Yi is clearly having the time of his life with this baby.】

Meanwhile, a rumor about Lin Yi had begun to spread wildly online.

An anonymous post accused a certain L-surnamed celebrity currently on a parenting show of being an ungrateful, heartless son. Abandoning his struggling parents and ignoring his ailing father in the hospital.

No names were mentioned, but it might as well have been stamped “Lin Yi” in bold red letters.

The gossip-loving internet latched on instantly, and it didn’t take long for the accusations to blow up.

Many assumed someone was deliberately fueling the fire, with marketing accounts reposting and condemning him left and right.

The public was outraged.

【He got famous and just forgot his family?】

【This is disgusting.】

【His father’s hospitalized and he doesn’t even call?】

【He’s off enjoying himself on TV while his parents suffer?】

【Just say it already, it’s Lin Yi!】

【Kick this trash out of the entertainment industry! He’s even raising a kid now, won’t he teach the poor thing the same selfishness?!】

【Boycott Lin Yi!】

【Get him off this show!】

The scandal shot to the top of trending searches, and soon the whole internet was up in arms.

Lin Yi, blissfully unaware, was still playing with Huo Mianmian.

It wasn’t until a production crew member approached him with a worried expression that Lin Yi finally heard about the situation.

It was already causing massive blowback, and they needed a plan fast.

Lin Yi casually picked up his phone and scrolled through the chaos.

He skimmed the accusations, and then chuckled.

The smear post was barely 100 words long but managed to include 7 or 8 typos.

Lin Yi leaned lazily against the wall and clicked his tongue.

If you’re going to slander someone, at least write it properly.

Honestly, he was half-tempted to offer editorial advice to make it smoother, more emotional, and a little more persuasive.