"Don't bother Song Yucheng, if you're in a hurry, just make the call first..." Li Zhao, who was impatient, interrupted the three people's conversation, revealing his anxious mood in his dry tone.
Chu Rong also nervously moved closer to Song Yucheng, as if he were a fragile and delicate object, worried to death. Even the directing team suddenly realized what was happening and looked at Song Yucheng with extremely subtle eyes.
The cheerful atmosphere in the room suddenly became cold. The three people who had wanted Song Yucheng to make the call first were now at a loss. They had meant well, but now they looked like they had done something wrong.
However, Song Yucheng's reaction was completely opposite to theirs. It was as if he was not the object of everyone's attention, he was very calm, and his expression remained unchanged.
"Brother Yucheng..." Li Zhao cautiously called out to him.
Song Yucheng looked up at him and said nothing. Then he casually threw his phone to the girl next to him, "I'll give you my time, this crappy machine will make me go deaf if I use it."
After speaking, he turned and left.
"You guys!" Li Zhao became anxious and was about to follow him, but he was stopped by Chu Rong, "You explain to them, I'll go take a look."
"Okay, I'm not good with words, you should talk to Song Yucheng."
"I got it." Chu Rong was even more anxious than Li Zhao, and he promised a sentence before quickly opening the door and leaving.
Chu Rong originally thought that Song Yucheng was in a bad mood and would probably go far away. However, as soon as he stepped out of the door, he found him on the recliner in the yard.
It seemed like he was admiring the night sky. Song Yucheng looked up, and his beautiful eyes seemed to reflect the stars in the sky. Even the curve of his lips was gentle and comfortable. His appearance was so impeccable that there was no hint of sadness.
But Chu Rong's heart felt more and more blocked.
"Aren't you going to make a call? Aren't you afraid of getting beaten when you go home?" When he heard footsteps, Song Yucheng turned his head and looked at him. After waiting for a while and seeing that Chu Rong did not answer, he simply waved to him and signaled for him to come over and sit together.
After leaving the range of the camera, Song Yucheng removed his fake smile and appeared particularly gentle. Just by gently curving his lips into a smile, he could warm a person's heart to the bone, making them unable to resist getting closer.
However, facing someone who was so impeccable like him, Chu Rong only felt heartache. He even felt like his breath could affect his internal organs, causing unbearable pain.
Chu Rong had previously asked his cousin about the investigation results on Song Yucheng. So he knew a lot of things.
He knew that Song Yucheng lost his parents, who loved him the most, six years ago. He also knew that Song Yucheng didn't have any family members he could call. The only person he could contact, Xu Muzhi, was a heartless and ruthless scum who casually trampled on his sincerity.
Therefore, any aversion to making a phone call was just a poor excuse. Avoiding others was not a tantrum, but Song Yucheng was really feeling uncomfortable. But even if he felt so suppressed in his heart, he could still maintain an appearance that didn't require others to worry about him. Why was he so gentle?
Chu Rong couldn't imagine how much pain Song Yucheng had endured in order to disguise himself so perfectly in front of everyone. As a result, Chu Rong tightened his lips and hugged Song Yucheng tightly.
"Are you being coquettish?" Song Yucheng couldn't help but tease Chu Rong when he suddenly expressed his emotions. But after seeing Chu Rong's instantly reddened eyes, he had to put away his smile and comfort him, "Alright, alright, I won't say anything to you. How can a grown man cry like this before leaving? Don't ruin your gentle and perfect image."
It was already so late, yet Song Yucheng still talked about his image.
Chu Rong didn't say anything, but he held onto Song Yucheng's hand tighter, hoping that his actions could give him some comfort and make him feel better.
Although he understood that Song Yucheng was strong enough to not need such superficiality, Chu Rong still hoped that he could be the one to support Song Yucheng.
However, anyone could say these words, except for him. Chu Rong was well aware that the biggest reason for Song Yucheng's hardship was that he had become a substitute for Xu Muzhi.
In other words, he was also one of the initiators of Song Yucheng's suffering. But even so, Chu Rong liked Song Yucheng so much that he wished he could hide him and his heart away, leaving his own soul mark on him.
With these thoughts in mind, Chu Rong rested his head on Song Yucheng's shoulder and couldn't speak for a while. Like a kitten eager to please, he carefully rubbed against Song Yucheng, even if he had a heart of stone, he would be moved.
Moreover, Song Yucheng understood that Chu Rong was so upset because he was worried about him. And this kind of direct expression was also the most difficult for Song Yucheng to resist.
Sighing, Song Yucheng relaxed his body and allowed Chu Rong to hug him. At the same time, Song Yucheng's hand was also placed on Chu Rong's back, gently patting him.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Li Zhao couldn't hold it in any longer and directly revealed Song Yucheng's situation.
Li Zhao said, "Brother Yucheng doesn't have any family members he can call. His parents passed away six years ago due to an accident."
"What?" The two girls and another boy couldn't believe what they were hearing.
They did know that Song Yucheng was not the heir of a wealthy family, but they had never thought that he had no family.
After Li Zhao finished speaking, he lowered his head and his eyes instantly turned red.
If it weren't for the live broadcast, he wouldn't want to say it. Moreover, for Song Yucheng, having such a background repeatedly exposed to the public is not a good thing. He doesn't care about useless sympathy from the public, let alone pity.
But Li Zhao was afraid that he would be misunderstood. The several incidents before had already made him feel the terrible nature of online bullying. He could even imagine that if he didn't explain, with Song Yucheng's pride and restraint, he would not deliberately act pitiful. Then, before the program was over, those keyboard warriors would take Song Yucheng's words out of context and curse him, saying that even if he had the ability, it was useless since he wasn't even filial to his parents and was just garbage.
Therefore, Li Zhao felt that he must speak up for Song Yucheng. After all, his Brother Yucheng has already suffered a lot, and those unreasonable curses should not fall on him anymore. For the first time, Li Zhao wanted to try his best to protect someone.
Song Yucheng's background was thus revealed, omitting only the part about him being supported by someone else. It was said that his parents passed away due to unforeseen circumstances, and he had been living alone. He joined the program for the reward.
Now, the entire live broadcast room has exploded. Who would have thought that Song Yucheng, who looked like a little nobleman, had such a difficult life story?
"He has been living alone since junior high school, that's too hard!"
"So he learned those skills like weaving grass and bamboo to maintain his daily expenses... No wonder when they arrived in the small county, Chu Rong and Li Zhao were panicked, only Song Yucheng remained calm. So he has been supporting himself since he was so young?"
"But it's outrageous that he participated in the program just for money. Just listening to it makes my heart ache. At the beginning of the fourth season, how many people criticized him!"
"I sympathize with him."
For a while, many people were upset because of Song Yucheng's background. Meanwhile, whether intentionally or unintentionally, cameras had been following Song Yucheng and Chu Rong in the background. Song Yucheng took off his usual proud mask and gently comforted Chu Rong without showing any signs of vulnerability, which was also released.
This touched even more people's hearts, and they felt that Song Yucheng was truly inspiring.
The ratings for "Swapping Lives" climbed to the top once again. Song Yucheng and Chu Rong's embrace under the moon became the most tear-jerking scene of the season.
Some even said that "Swapping Lives" could end here because they could never find a young man like Song Yucheng who could bring surprise and inspiration to people again.
There is no feast that doesn't come to an end. In this atmosphere, the filming of "Swapping Lives" ended completely early the next morning. The program team sent these children back to their respective homes.
At the airport, two girls and another boy held onto Song Yucheng and didn't let go. Each was reluctant to part. It wasn't until Song Yucheng promised to keep in touch frequently that they reluctantly let him go.
After that, Li Zhao, Chu Rong, and Song Yucheng, also arranged by the program team, boarded the plane back to Yanjing together.
There was no conversation on the way, and at Yanjing Airport, everyone went their separate ways. Li Zhao Chu Rong held onto Song Yucheng's sleeve for a long time before finally letting go.
"Brother Yucheng, come with me." Li Zhao, who no longer looked down on Song Yucheng like she did when they first met, looked at him with nothing but affection and heartache.
Along the way, he had already heard a lot of gossip from his childhood friend.
Now, online, the brother cp between Song Yucheng and Chu Rong had become one of the popular CPs. Although everyone knew that they didn't have any relationship in reality, for Xu Muzhi, it was no different from a bright and ironic green hat.
The unrequited love that he had guarded for so many years had unexpectedly become a couple with his substitute, and there was no second example of such a thing in the entire industry. Therefore, Xu Muzhi had become the biggest joke among the second-generation masters in Yanjing City.
At the same time, Li Zhao also heard from his childhood friend about the little tricks Xu Muzhi had done during the filming. He also heard that Xu Muzhi had used the house left by Song Yucheng's parents as a threat to restrain him. In the end, it was Chu Rong who got his cousin to step in and calm him down. However, this had become the second incident that made Xu Muzhi lose face and be ashamed.
His unrequited love had asked his cousin to warn him in order to protect his substitute. No matter from which angle one looked at it, it was ridiculous. However, Li Zhao did not feel like laughing after hearing it; instead, he was so angry that smoke was coming out of his ears.
"I've seen scumbags before, but someone like Xu Muzhi who's such a bastard is really rare."
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and Li Zhao's worries added another layer. he felt that Xu Muzhi, this kind of scumbag, could do anything, so he didn’t want Song Yucheng to go back alone, so he advised him again.
"Brother Yucheng, my family in Yanjing is considered number one, even if it can't compare to Xu Muzhi, it's more than enough to protect you. And I'm going abroad at the end of the year, with your good grades, it'll be no problem for you to come with me."
But Song Yucheng flatly refused. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
"But... even half of the house is burned, where will you live if you go back?" Li Zhao hesitated to speak. He couldn't bring himself to say the last sentence.
Song Yucheng still shook his head and refused.
The more he refused, the more Li Zhao worried. Finally, unable to persuade him, Li Zhao got angry. He even clung to Song Yucheng and blurted out, "What's so good about Xu Muzhi? Do you really like him that much?"
But as soon as he said this, the whole atmosphere around them suddenly became cold, and even Chu Rong's eyes became much sharper. As for Song Yucheng, he even withdrew the smile on his lips.
"Brother Yucheng, I... " Li Zhao knew he had said the wrong thing. But he stubbornly turned his head and refused to apologize.
What he said was the truth. Song Yucheng was good at everything, he was beautiful, gentle, and likable from head to toe. Li Zhao wished he could stay by Song Yucheng's side every day, not even an inch away. But unfortunately, Song Yucheng fell in love with scumbags like Xu Muzhi.
The more he thought about it, the more upset he became. Li Zhao's eyes turned red, and tears kept swirling in his eyes. He looked like a wolf pup who had been bullied, without the slightest trace of his former self as a member of the entertainment circle's elite.
"Don't cry..." Seeing him like this, Song Yucheng could only sigh and hand him a tissue. "Li Zhao, calm down. Some things can't be solved by making a scene."
"Then what can I do?" In fact, Li Zhao was just a big kid. If Song Yucheng was firm with him, he would be fine. But if Song Yucheng was gentle, he would feel even more wronged. He decided to speak out the truth that he had been holding back for a long time. "Brother Yucheng, I like you."
He, he actually confessed directly?!
Not only Song Yucheng, even the person next to him, Chu Rong, was startled. He looked at Li Zhao in surprise and subconsciously frowned. However, Song Yucheng's reply made Chu Rong's heart sink.
"I know. I like you too," Song Yucheng's tone was very sincere, like a good older brother doting on his younger brother.
But even if it was gentle, the meaning inside was still rejection.
Chu Rong understood that Song Yucheng only regarded Li Zhao as a younger brother. No, not only Li Zhao but also himself. And Li Zhao was not a fool either, he naturally understood and knew that Song Yucheng was giving him a way out to avoid embarrassment. He could only grab Song Yucheng's sleeve and cry even harder.
After all, he was still a child! Song Yucheng shook his head helplessly, letting him cry until Li Zhao cried himself out, then sent him to the car that the Li family had sent to pick him up.
Finally, they had sent everyone off. Watching Li Zhao leave, Song Yucheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But then, he was suddenly embraced from behind by someone else. It was Chu Rong.
Chu Rong had grown a bit taller since they had last filmed together, just by two centimeters. But this short distance was enough for him to completely envelop Song Yucheng in his arms.
"What? Are you going to cry with me too?" Song Yucheng turned his head to look at him, his eyes full of teasing. But Chu Rong held him even tighter.
"After I finish a few shoots when I go back, can I come find you?" Chu Rong's voice was muffled, with reluctance and a hint of grievance.
"Sure." Seeing that he was calm, Song Yucheng also relaxed. Besides, after experiencing Li Zhao and his four crying fits, dealing with Chu Rong, who was a bit clingy and obedient, was like facing a little angel. Therefore, Song Yucheng patiently coaxed him.
After more than ten minutes, Chu Rong reluctantly let go of Song Yucheng and sent him off in a taxi.
It was only when he couldn't see the taxi anymore that he returned to his own car. As for the obedience he had shown in front of Song Yucheng, it had all faded away, and even his usual tenderness had a hint of inscrutability.
"What are you planning?" Chu Rong's cousin happened to be in the car, and he naturally knew what kind of person his younger brother was. It was obvious that Song Yucheng had caught his attention. He didn't mind Song Yucheng's background and even admired him, but even so, he didn't think it was a good match.
Now that Song Yucheng had offended Xu Muzhi, it wasn't a big deal with their Chu family's protection. But recently, Xu Muzhi had unexpectedly brought someone from Huaguo to support him, which made him feel proud.
The point was that they couldn't predict that person's temperament. If he was willing to give Xu Muzhi face, then Song Yucheng's situation would be in danger.
Chu Rong also understood his cousin's concerns, but he didn't care. The small godfather behind Xu Muzhi was indeed unbeatable, but their Chu family was not the kind of waste that relied on clinging to powerful people to survive.
What Chu Rong was really worried about was Song Yucheng's feelings for Xu Muzhi.
After all, someone like Song Yucheng, if it's not true love, how could he let someone like Xu Muzhi bother him?
But how could someone like Xu Muzhi, a scum, be worthy of Song Yucheng's deep affection? Thinking about the way Song Yucheng has been treating him like a little brother lately, Chu Rong began to have some ideas in his mind.
Chu Rong felt that his current strength was not enough, and no matter what he wanted to do, he could only take it slowly. But Xu Muzhi couldn't afford to wait. His constant self-destruction could only gradually wear away Song Yucheng's deep affection. At that time, it would be the best opportunity for Chu Rong to take his place.
What he lacked the least was patience.
On the other hand, after carrying his luggage back home and before having a chance to clean up the messy house, Song Yucheng unexpectedly received a message from a very familiar phone number.
"Xu Muzhi: Tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock, I'll be waiting for you in the top-floor suite of Sea Blue."
Sea Blue's top-floor suite? Song Yucheng couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. This location was where Xu Muzhi used to go to learn how to become a better substitute, a toy. But this time, Xu Muzhi was probably looking to make trouble.
However, it was also time to meet this legendary owner. After all, he was almost wearing a green hat, so he had to go and see the fruits of victory.
With that in mind, Song Yucheng slowly opened the wardrobe and carefully selected his clothes.
The next day, when Song Yucheng arrived at the top-floor suite of Hai Lan, Xu Muzhi was already there. Although he had a smile on his face, the dark color in his eyes was hard to hide.
Normally, according to the standard plot of a scumbag novel, forcing a play was at least expected. But Xu Muzhi didn't seem to have that intention.
At first, Song Yucheng was puzzled, but then a memory from his original body came to mind, and his eyes lit up. He suddenly remembered an interesting setting in this world.
This world has strict protective measures for minors, and it is absolutely not allowed for minors to engage in sexual activities. So if that's the case, it would be very interesting. Song Yucheng curled his lips and his gaze on Xu Muzhi became more meaningful.
Unlike last time, when they communicated through their phones, now standing face to face, Song Yucheng carefully looked at Xu Muzhi's appearance. To his surprise, Xu Muzhi actually had a decent face, and he was the type that Song Yucheng recognized as particularly craving for abuse.
It was truly exciting.
