Chapter 75

Perhaps due to past trauma from variety shows constantly delaying updates, Director Jin Yannian firmly overruled everyone when it came to the broadcast schedule for “Workers, Charge Ahead!”. Instead of airing one episode per weekend, she insisted on broadcasting two consecutive episodes every Saturday and Sunday night—wrapping up one story in a single weekend, no dragging things out!

Now that’s badass! Big sis is amazing!

When the show’s official premiere schedule was announced, netizens—who had long suffered from being strung along by drawn-out variety shows and dramas—couldn’t help but tear up in front of the timetable.

Where else can you find such a conscientious production team these days?

Station executives had their complaints, of course, but no one dared say a word. Why? Because Jin Yannian makes money for the station.

These days, it’s not just the big sponsors you have to serve with care. You also have to worship the golden goose bringing in the big bucks! When real cash is on the table, even the higher-ups have to swallow their pride—cough.

And so, a strange scene played out—one that left both fans and haters of Wei Sheng speechless.

On Saturday night, from 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., the entire J Province TV channel was dominated by Wei Sheng’s face.

At 8:08 p.m., Retracing the Road to Poverty Alleviation aired—Wei Sheng was a regular guest.

At 10:05 p.m., “Workers, Charge Ahead!” followed up—and Wei Sheng was still a regular guest.

Fans: It’s over. The label “resource-hog” is now permanently welded to Wei Sheng’s name. There’s no washing it off…

Haters, meanwhile, were celebrating wildly. They quickly rallied together and managed to push the hashtag #WeiShengResourceHog into the top trending list overnight.

At that time, both Wang Qun and Jin Yannian were still working overtime at the station. When they saw the trending topic, they exchanged a rather strange look.

So… are netizens insulting one of them? Or both?

They clicked in and—yep, both their shows were getting dragged. The entire leadership of J Province TV was being mocked collectively by Wei Sheng’s haters:

> “No wonder he’s called the Crown Prince of J Province TV! These resources—tsk tsk, the execs are practically spoon-feeding him!”
> “I’m really curious what Wei Sheng’s family background is. The whole station feels like it’s owned by them!”
> “He probably doesn’t have much background. Last I heard, he’s still just a contract worker. But wasn’t there gossip about him attending some rich-lady dinner parties?”
> “Well that explains it. Rich ladies—say no more. And he dares to call himself a ‘positive role model’? Don’t insult the phrase ‘positive energy,’ please.”
> “The entertainment industry is so dirty. Ugh! Resource hogs, get out!”
Neither the station nor Wei Sheng himself were unaware of the online attacks. But so what?

A free trending topic, perfectly timed with two shows airing hot? The station would be crazy to deny it!

Forget the station—even Wei Sheng didn’t take the hate seriously.

He knew he’d done nothing wrong. He could stand tall and walk straight. A dinner party with rich ladies? Do people even know who was at that event?

Sure enough, after all the ranting, even gossip-hungry bystanders got fed up. “If you’re going to spread rumors,” they said, “at least come with receipts. Where are the photos? Videos? At least do the bare minimum instead of talking out of thin air!”

Proof? The only dinner Wei Sheng had ever attended was the annual gathering for retired station veterans. Who’d dare mock those old-timers?

The station leadership wasn’t dumb either. Intending to ride the wave of hype for a bit, they waited until the topic reached peak attention the next morning, successfully drawing traffic to both shows. Then, and only then, did they call the retired leaders to apologize.

“Oh, uh, it wasn’t that we forgot to inform you—it’s just, we didn’t want to disturb your rest so late at night…”

Before noon, the trending topic quietly vanished.

As for Wei Sheng himself, he had no say in how the higher-ups handled the matter.

Instead, he personally drove to the unfinished Pearl Garden (Mingzhu Garden) project to pick up his “junior disciple.”

Who would’ve guessed that in the first week of “Workers, Charge Ahead!”’s premiere, the biggest winner wouldn’t be Director Jin Yannian—but rather, an outsider: Zhou Mingxing?

The turning point came in episode two.

Jin Yannian had a knack for capturing moving stories from the smallest details. This segment ran for two episodes. In the first one, she used half the runtime to briefly recount the struggles of four families—job losses, abandoned housing projects, a wife who’d just given birth to a second child, and an elderly couple who had lost their only daughter… Each story was so heavy it made your chest ache.

Then, the tone shifted. The cameras followed the four families into their homes inside the unfinished buildings.

From the outside, the place looked like a ghost town—walls not even painted, no elevators. As they stepped inside, the echoing elevator shafts gave off an eerie chill.

But once they walked that haunted path and opened the makeshift “front doors,” the atmosphere changed—cozy, warm, lived-in.

Among the four families, the most heartwarming was the one led by Xiang Hong.

When Shen Yi knocked and entered with the camera, the lens immediately captured a gentle scene: a young man with a soft expression, feeding his little niece on the couch—Xiang Lei, Xiang Hong’s younger brother.

Despite his rugged-sounding name, Xiang Lei couldn’t have been more different—handsome profile, clear eyes, a faint, upturned smile. Not a single flaw.

Back in the countryside, he was just a scrawny, sickly boy. But after moving to the city—despite tough days as a mechanic’s apprentice—his sister made sure he was well-fed. Within six months, the thin refugee-like kid had transformed into a stunning, delicate beauty.

There was no electricity in the building, so Xiang Hong had bought solar lamps online. To save power, the whole family only used the living room at night.

When the camera panned through, the solar lamp on the wall was nearly drained. Under the soft, dim glow, the beautiful youth leaned forward, coaxing the little girl to eat with that same gentle smile.

Shen Yi and the cameraman couldn’t help but gasp.

Who would’ve thought such a breathtakingly gorgeous boy was hiding in a deserted, unfinished building?

That night, gifs of the scene sent “face connoisseurs” on the internet into a frenzy.

And that’s exactly why Wei Sheng didn’t bother responding to the hate. The pretty-boy stans and casual viewers were all busy being charmed by Xiang Lei. Who had time to care about his trending scandal—aside from a few paid trolls?

The little trio from the Xiang family really healed a lot of viewers who’d been hurt by real-life family issues.

Strong, brave Xiang Hong, despite her frail body, bore the burden of the mortgage on their unfinished home, raised her daughter and younger brother, and kept going. Anyone with a weaker will would’ve already broken.

Yet on camera, she never looked pitiful. She was cheerful and optimistic, her round face always glowing with a bright, slightly shy smile.

She also had a girlish side that loved life. In her modest, unfinished apartment, the walls were simply plastered with white cement, and a light-colored vinyl flooring had been laid in the living room. The secondhand sofa was scrubbed spotless, and beside it sat a small playpen for a child, complete with a cartoon tent. The home was filled with throw pillows and stuffed toys, all bearing logos from various malls.

Xiang Hong explained with a smile that her daughter was so adorable that every time she took her out to the mall, someone would give her little gifts.

As the saying goes, “a nephew takes after his uncle.” If Xiang Hong’s daughter was cute, her biological uncle Xiang Lei was even more striking.

To put it bluntly, some people look like they belong on a runway even in a grease-stained blue mechanic uniform.

From the very first moment Shen Yi laid eyes on Xiang Lei, she knew—this boy wasn’t meant to spend his life toiling in a grimy repair shop.

If nothing else, that face alone was a gift from the heavens!

Shen Yi had always been deeply grateful to Zhou Mingxing for pulling her out of her lowest point, and now that she’d unexpectedly come across such a promising talent in Xiang Lei, how could she not tell Zhou Mingxing?

She immediately recorded a short video and sent it to Zhou Mingxing.

As expected, Zhou Mingxing was instantly smitten with the handsome, fresh-faced Xiang Lei, who looked like a young poplar swaying in the breeze. The moment he returned from a business trip, he asked Wei Sheng to bring Xiang Lei and his sister straight to the company.

And just like that, the show that Jin Yannan had painstakingly put together was unexpectedly snatched up by Zhou Mingxing!

It was a stroke of luck, too—the company happened to be in need of exactly Xiang Lei’s type: youthful, innocent, and blessed with stunning good looks. Just the kind the older female audience adored!

As for Wei Sheng? Heh—Zhou Mingxing had already mentally assigned him to the “goofy comic relief” role.

From a mechanic’s apprentice to a rising idol backed by a major entertainment agency, Xiang Lei’s trajectory made him look even more like the protagonist of this story than Wei Sheng.

But now that Xiang Lei had signed with the agency, he was due to move into the company’s shared dormitory for trainees and begin formal training. With no man in the household, it didn’t sit well with anyone for Xiang Hong and her daughter to continue living in a half-abandoned building like Mingzhu Garden.

“What’s the big deal? Xiaohong, if you don’t mind, why don’t you and Niuniu move into my place?” Shen Yi offered. “I’m away filming for most of the year anyway. The place is usually empty, which isn’t good. You and Niuniu can live there rent-free. Just help keep the place tidy when you have time.”

Since her divorce, Shen Yi had become a total workaholic—either filming or on the way to a shoot. As long as she was alive, she was making money, because money was the greatest source of security for a divorced woman.

She had a property in the provincial capital, but she stayed in hotels more often than her own home.

Rather than leave it empty and pay for a live-in cleaner, it made more sense to let Xiang Hong and her daughter move in. It was a luxury apartment in the city center with tight security and good property management—far safer than the rundown Mingzhu Garden. Plus, being in the city made it easier for Xiang Hong to continue her food delivery job if needed.

“I… maybe I should just rent a place myself,” Xiang Hong said hesitantly.

She knew who Shen Yi was—a big celebrity—so her place was probably full of luxury decor. If she or her daughter broke anything valuable, there was no way she could afford to replace it.

“Hahaha, what antiques? I bought the developer’s model unit, fully furnished. All the furniture was provided. I hardly live there myself, so don’t worry. Honestly, having you live there means I don’t need to hire someone to clean. You’re saving me money!”

“Then… okay. Since you won’t be home much, I’ll at least cover the water, electricity, and gas bills,” Xiang Hong offered.

Shen Yi nodded, growing more impressed with Xiang Hong.

Even at her lowest, this girl carried herself with quiet dignity. She was truly admirable.

Just like that, after recording two episodes of the show, the fate of Xiang Hong’s family had taken a turn they never would have dared dream of—

Her younger brother Xiang Lei had gone from a mechanic’s apprentice to a trainee at a talent agency.

Xiang Hong herself had moved out of a crumbling apartment building with her daughter into a luxury condo worth millions.

What she didn’t expect was that Wei Sheng would soon find her a new job as well.

“My mom opened a specialty food shop near the school. I’ve been wanting to get an online store going, but she’s too busy to handle it alone. Xiaohong-jie, your videos are great, and your livestreaming skills are solid. Why not ditch the delivery job and come help me run the online store?”

Wei Sheng had long wanted to launch an online shop—not just to make money, but because he’d noticed that people, young and old alike, just didn’t like going out shopping anymore. The store’s foot traffic only held up because it was near a school.

Offline sales alone weren’t going to cut it. Plus, he and his grandpa had a huge stockpile of quality local products. Letting all that go to waste would be a shame.

Coincidentally, Xiang Hong had been shooting short videos and doing livestream sales on her own for a while. She was already experienced—perfect timing.

“Besides, if you’re running an online store and livestreaming, you can work from home. Orders get shipped directly from the shop. All you have to do is manage the site.”

“As for pay, I’ll start you at a base salary of 5,000 yuan a month, with a 5% sales commission. I’ll also cover your insurance and housing fund contributions. Sound good?”

Wei Sheng had great faith in Xiang Hong’s “do-or-die” spirit. With that kind of drive, even without help, she would eventually build a life for herself.

Honestly, many women, if not for the burden of children, would do just as well as men—if not better—career-wise.

Why are there fewer female executives than male ones in so many companies? Not because women are less capable, but because the pressure of child-rearing and household responsibilities weighs so much more heavily on them.

Looking at Xiang Hong, Wei Sheng couldn’t help but think of his own mother. Back in the day, if Hu Qianqian hadn’t had her own family’s support, if her in-laws hadn’t drained her dry, and if her husband had been as unreliable as Xiang Hong’s, she too would’ve had no choice but to fight tooth and nail to raise her child.

Being able to help this kind, strong young mother in a way that was within his power—Wei Sheng felt like even his mom would give him a thumbs-up for that.

Sure enough, when she heard her son had brought in Xiang Hong to run their online store, Hu Qianqian proudly ruffled his hair. “That’s my boy! If you can help with something like this, then you should.”

Wei Sheng grinned and played along. “I knew you were the kindest, Mom! Once the store picks up, why don’t you hire someone to help with packing and deliveries? They can watch the shop too.”

He still hadn’t given up on getting his mom to hire help. Running the shop alone might sound easy, but in reality, it chained her to the place, leaving her no freedom.

He had opened the store to give his mom something to pass the time—not to lock her in.

This time, Hu Qianqian didn’t say no.

She didn’t mind tiring herself out, but just thinking about Xiang Hong having to raise a child on her own softened Hu Qianqian’s heart. She instantly remembered all those unspoken hardships of raising Wei Sheng alone—playing both mother and father.

So she agreed to her son’s suggestion and hired a packing assistant, hoping it would ease Xiang Hong’s burden a little.

To Xiang Hong, all of this felt like a dream!

She had moved out of the half-finished building and into Shen Yi’s spacious high-rise apartment in the city center. Her new room even came with a private bathroom and a small study. On the desk sat a brand-new computer and a full set of livestreaming equipment, delivered by Wei Sheng. Xiang Hong blinked rapidly, forcing back the tears welling in her eyes. She gently set her daughter down and began unpacking.

Because she was staying in someone else’s home, Xiang Hong didn’t want to turn the luxury apartment into a cluttered mess. So she left many of her belongings behind at Mingzhu Garden and only brought the essentials—clothes and bedding for all seasons, and a few necessities for her and her daughter.

The room had an entire row of custom wardrobes, and there was even a corner shelf for stacking luggage. After tidying everything up, she turned on the living room TV to keep her daughter occupied, then rolled up her sleeves to clean the house.

Just as she was mopping the floor, the doorbell rang.

It turned out to be a delivery of items Shen Yi had ordered.

This was the first time Xiang Hong had ever seen how wealthy people shopped. Shen Yi’s assistant had come in person, followed by several courier guys. In the blink of an eye, bags and boxes were piled high in the living room like a mountain.

“Before heading to set, Sister Yi told me that since you just moved in, you might not be familiar with the area or know where to buy stuff,” the assistant explained. “A lot of things in the apartment were running out, so she went ahead and bought some to restock. Use them as you like, and replace them when needed.”

Then, like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, he pulled out a red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into Niuniu’s little apron pocket before anyone could protest.

“Sister Yi said it’s a tradition where she’s from—when a child visits an elder’s home for the first time, they should be given a red envelope. Let our pretty little Niuniu buy some toys and snacks!”

The assistant stared longingly at Niuniu’s big, beautiful eyes for a moment—this was the dream daughter he had always wanted. Too bad he didn’t even have a girlfriend.

After the delivery team left, Xiang Hong looked at the mountain of daily necessities stacked across the floor, then at the red envelope Niuniu handed her. She could no longer hold back. She hugged her daughter tightly, and her tears finally fell in silence.

She didn’t break down when her husband died unexpectedly.
She didn’t break down when her mother-in-law kicked her out.
She didn’t break down when the crushing mortgage left her gasping for breath.

But now, faced with this quiet, unasked-for kindness from strangers, this kind and resilient woman could no longer hold back the flood of emotion.

(End of Chapter)