Raising Kids C49
by MarineTLChapter 49: The Rising Star Who Died from Cyberbullying (5)
Xie Xingzhou, who was reading some materials, was startled by his roommate’s exclamation. He closed his book and turned to look.
That roommate had taken out the chili sauce he had just put back, scooped a big spoonful, spread it on a steamed bun, and took a bite. The look of pure enjoyment on his face made it seem as if he were eating some kind of divine elixir.
The eldest of their dormitory couldn’t help but tease him when he saw this, laughing as he said,
“Yo, Third, are you starving? Even a steamed bun tastes this good to you?”
Normally, Third would have snapped back at such a comment, but this time, he was too preoccupied with eating. The chili sauce in the bun was too good—he just wanted to keep taking bite after bite.
When he finally finished the steamed bun, he looked at the empty plastic bag with regret, annoyed that he hadn’t bought another one earlier.
“Sixth, be honest with me— is your dad some kind of intangible cultural heritage chili sauce master? Does he have a shop? Can I buy this sauce anywhere?”
Xie Xingzhou frowned as he thought about it. His dad had mentioned before that he might consider opening a small online store to sell his homemade products, but he hadn’t gotten around to it yet.
“If you like it, I’ll ask my dad to send you some more.”
“Alright, but I’ll pay for it this time! I don’t mind eating a little of what you brought, but it wouldn’t be right for your dad to go through all that trouble without compensation!”
Third was still thinking about how good the sauce was and, somehow, felt hungry again. He quickly sent a message to a roommate still eating in the cafeteria, asking him to bring back two more steamed buns.
Watching Third’s exaggerated reaction, the dorm leader, who had been lying in bed playing games, took a bun after losing a match. He spread a bit of chili sauce on it and took a bite—only to freeze mid-chew, mirroring Third’s reaction exactly.
“Sh*t?!!!”
“Sixth, has your dad ever considered selling this chili sauce professionally?”
Food has a way of winning people over, especially students stuck eating in the school cafeteria every day.
It wasn’t that the cafeteria food was bad, but eating takeout too often made it lose its appeal. In contrast, homemade flavors became even more treasured.
Xie Xingzhou had always thought his dad’s chili sauce was delicious, but seeing his roommates’ exaggerated reactions left him a little stunned. He quickly texted his dad, venting a bit about the situation before cautiously bringing up the favor he had promised.
Xie Hui responded almost immediately, agreeing right away and even asking what flavors they preferred.
The dorm leader, who could barely handle spicy food, still ended up requesting a jar of the spiciest version. The first time he tried Xie Xingzhou’s chili sauce, he had been completely overwhelmed by the heat, chugging water while feeling like his mouth was on fire.
But when Xie Xingzhou asked him which kind he wanted, he hesitated for a moment before insisting on the spicy one. The heat had been intense, sure, but once it passed, the satisfaction was unbeatable.
Even with tears streaming down his face, the dorm leader would wipe them away with a tissue—while taking another bite.
At first, they only used the chili sauce in their dorm, spreading it on steamed buns. But later, whenever they went out to eat—especially for hot pot—they brought it along. Dipping their cooked food into the sauce made everything taste incredible.
Xie Xingzhou especially loved using it with fatty beef rolls, as the umami-rich sauce complemented the meat perfectly. Meanwhile, his roommates, whether they could handle spice or not, all insisted on the extra-hot version. They would be sweating bullets but still shouting about how good it was.
Eventually, they discovered even more ways to enjoy the chili sauce—mixing it into rice, bringing it along for fried skewers and barbecue, even asking vendors to use their personal sauce instead of store-bought seasonings.
When Xie Hui made another batch of chili sauce, he also prepared some extra snacks, sealing them in airtight bags before shipping them over.
At first, the dorm mates had been hesitant to take anything from Xie Xingzhou. If they accepted his stuff, they felt like they should give him something in return, and vice versa.
But now? Every time Xie Xingzhou had a package arriving, his roommates would race to pick it up before he could.
One time, he went to get it himself, only to find all five of them standing there in perfect formation, peeking out expectantly.
…
Xie Hui’s videos were becoming more and more refined. Despite the saying “The more famous you are, the more drama follows,” no scandals had ever surfaced around him.
Perhaps some people were jealous of how fast his fan base was growing, but when they checked out his videos, their reactions were always eerily similar:
“Food food! So hungry!”
In the world of video content, many influencers gained popularity through sheer luck. But Xie Hui was one of the rare few who had risen entirely through skill.
He had indeed opened a small online shop, selling only the products he personally made. Every time fans managed to get their hands on his goods, they would excitedly share unboxing videos, and his store maintained a near-perfect rating.
His channel depicted a simple countryside life—two mischievous dogs that loved to wrestle, flowers blooming in every season, a fierce-looking goose, and a kind old man. This peaceful rural setting captivated countless viewers.
Xie Hui rarely promoted products and had barely done any advertisements, relying mainly on video views for revenue.
Occasionally, when he found a product he genuinely liked, he would agree to a sponsorship, just enough to sustain his daily life.
Meanwhile, his videos on international platforms had also gained widespread praise. Through his unique approach, Xie Hui was spreading culture and proving that some flavors could transcend borders.
If he wanted to make serious money, it would be easy with his influence and fan base.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he quietly focused on making the highest-quality videos possible.
After all, his main mission in this world was to protect Xie Xingzhou, who would eventually enter the entertainment industry.
Xie Hui understood very well that once money got involved, things would become much more complicated.
Right now, many people didn’t see him as just another internet influencer. Instead, they regarded him as an artist—someone dedicated to showcasing a peaceful rural lifestyle and preserving traditional culture.
He could make money in other ways, but selling products was the least appropriate option.
If Xie Xingzhou became famous in the entertainment industry, and people dug up the fact that his father was an internet celebrity, it could be considered a minor scandal.
Due to the recent scandals involving internet influencers, the general public’s first impression of them wasn’t very positive.
Xie Hui wanted to be his son’s support, not someone others saw as a burden trying to ride his coattails.
After Xie Xingzhou saw the income his father was making, he became a little more willing to spend on daily expenses. He also encountered girls confessing to him in college, but he rejected every single one of them.
Even though his father was making good money now, Xie Xingzhou never took it for granted. That money belonged to his father—it was his retirement fund. He still had to work hard on his own.
Because he wasn’t short on money this time, Xie Xingzhou didn’t take on part-time jobs at Hengdian like in the original storyline. As a result, he missed the role that first brought him attention.
Xie Hui had no intention of interfering in Xie Xingzhou’s future. If his son still wanted to enter the entertainment industry like in the original world, he would certainly support him. But if he had different interests or aspirations, Xie Hui would support those too.
Life was full of uncertainties. Very few people followed a pre-planned path without change. Any small shift could lead to a completely different future.
After graduating from university, Xie Xingzhou didn’t plan to pursue a master’s degree, but his job search wasn’t going well.
Xie Hui worried that his son might get stuck in a rut, so he often called to comfort him and sent him little snacks.
One day, while filming a video recreating a lost dish, Xie Hui unexpectedly received a call from his son.
“What’s wrong?”
“Dad, I found a job! But it doesn’t seem related to my major. I joined a small production crew. They provide food and lodging, and if I get famous, they’ll even buy me a house.”
Hearing the excitement in his son’s voice, Xie Hui patiently asked for details about the production. After hanging up, he immediately looked it up.
If he remembered correctly, in the client’s memories, this was the same drama that would still be rewatched as a classic ten years into the future.
Was this the “small production crew” his son was talking about?
Xie Hui wasn’t entirely at ease, so he bought a train ticket to visit Xie Xingzhou. Together, they reviewed and signed all the contracts. Only after confirming that this was indeed the highly successful drama from the client’s memories—and that his son wasn’t being scammed—did he feel reassured enough to go back home.
At first, this drama had a relatively low budget and wasn’t well-known compared to other productions at the time. But in the following decades, it would come to be regarded as a classic.
After entering the entertainment industry, Xie Xingzhou’s free time became noticeably scarce. He could only manage a phone call with Xie Hui once a week, and their usual chats were reduced to occasional text messages.
Some parents might think their child was deliberately avoiding them after graduating, but Xie Hui had been in the entertainment industry himself. He knew exactly how tough it was for a newcomer without formal training to carry a major role in their first production.
Xie Hui focused on making his videos and gradually began mentioning his son in them.
The original host of this body had an honest, good-natured face, and as he aged, he exuded a kind, gentle aura. He had turned an ordinary, quiet life into something out of a poem.
The video industry had an incredibly low entry barrier, leading to an influx of talented creators. But no matter how many newcomers emerged, none could shake Xie Hui’s position.
On every platform where he had an account, his new videos would regularly amass over a million likes within a day.
Meanwhile, on set, Xie Xingzhou often struggled with finding the right camera presence due to his inexperience, earning him countless scoldings from the director. However, the final results of his performance left the director extremely satisfied.
Once the drama aired, it became an instant hit.
Watching his son achieve a higher starting point than in the original storyline, Xie Hui felt quietly pleased—until one day, a stranger arrived in their village, asking the village chief about him.
After becoming famous, Xie Hui had moved to a different residence, only occasionally returning to the village for a few days.
The moment he arrived, he heard the village chief say that someone had come looking for him. That afternoon, the so-called visitor knocked on his door.
“You’re Xie Xingzhou’s father? Do you know your son is being kept by a woman? She’s older than you and makes him work like a servant for her every day.”