1.28

Yin Yin was caught off guard by the early arrival of the program crew. She leaned lazily on the stair railing, letting out a delicate yawn.

Director Xu's excitement surged once more at the sight of Yin Yin. It was indeed her.

Before the live broadcast audience could fully react, a small, childish voice cut through the room.

"Mom and Dad, is it time to get up?" The door behind Yin Yin opened, and a little boy, about three years old and clad in dinosaur pajamas, shuffled out. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, his face adorably delicate.

Yin Yin picked up Dudu, tousled his curly hair, and said, "Yes, the uncle and aunt I told you about yesterday are here. Come on, Dudu, say hello to them."

Dudu's clear, sweet voice greeted Director Xu and the others downstairs, "Hello, uncles and aunts."

The charming exchange nearly melted the hearts of Director Xu and his team.

Su Mo, now dressed in casual clothes, greeted Director Xu and the others before turning to Yin Yin. "I'll go cook. You get washed up and change clothes."

"Okay," Yin Yin replied, carrying Dudu back into the room.

The live broadcast room was in an uproar, with viewers flooding in at lightning speed.

[Am I seeing things? Is that my goddess Yin Yin? She's actually part of a family interactive program. Family—that's the key point.]

[And have you seen Su Mo? The little boy next to the goddess? It turns out he's her husband and their child. Wow, the goddess is married and has a child already.]

In just a few minutes,this topic soared to the top of the trending list, holding the number one spot with tens of thousands of comments, and the numbers kept rising. More and more viewers poured into the live broadcast room as the topic gained traction.

Director Xu watched the rising popularity with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

As she took Dudu back to the room, Yin Yin pulled out her phone, logged into Weibo, and made a post.

The photo showed the family of three enjoying a sunny day during the Chinese New Year in their hometown of City G, radiating warmth.

[Hello everyone, I'm married. Let me introduce you to my husband @SuMo and my son Dudu. I love them dearly and hope you will too.]

The Weibo post confirmed Yin Yin's secret marriage and child. The comments poured in, reflecting a spectrum of reactions.

[I just woke up to the news that my goddess is secretly married with a child. Totally unexpected.]

[Wasn't Yin Yin single? Given the child's age, she must have been married for several years. She's clearly deceived us.]

[That's right, I liked her a lot, but now she's a liar. I'll boycott her movies and TV shows from now on.]

[For those upset, Yin Yin never confirmed her marital status publicly.]

[I didn't expect Yin Yin's husband to be Su Mo. He's only 25, while Yin Yin is 35. Seems like an older woman-younger man situation. And Su Mo's only two roles were with Yin Yin. Is something suspicious going on?]

[Why the negativity? Can't they be true love? What's wrong with being 35? It's an age of charm and maturity.]

[Yes, a queen with a little boy—what a wonderful combination.]

[Am I the only one who noticed that little boy? His name is Dudu, and he's so cute and adorable.]

[You're not alone.]

[...]

When the program went live, Shen Fan kept a close eye on online comments. Yin Yin, who had previously been focused solely on filming, had specifically asked Brother Shen to manage this revelation positively. She wanted to ensure that Su Mo and Dudu weren't attacked or hurt.

So, when Yin Yin's Weibo post went up and Shen Fan saw the mixed reactions, he immediately instructed the internet army to manage the comments.

Meanwhile, Liang Xin was jolted awake by her ringing phone. Annoyed, she buried her head under her quilt, but the phone continued to ring persistently.

Fuming, Liang Xin reached for the phone without looking and said impatiently, "Do you know I'm trying to sleep? This better be important..."

The voice on the other end made Liang Xin's eyes snap open. "What? Yin Yin and Su Mo secretly married and had a child? How is that even possible?"

"If you don't believe me, check Weibo," Sister Hu replied.

Though reluctant, Liang Xin opened Weibo and immediately saw that the top five trending topics were all about Yin Yin. Her jealousy flared as she saw the top trend: Yin Yin and Su Mo's secret marriage and child.

She noticed the photo of the family of three, and the child bore a striking resemblance to Su Mo, making it hard to believe he wasn't Su Mo's.

It made sense now why Yin Yin defended Su Mo so fervently—what junior brother, what husband.

Liang Xin also recalled how Su Mo's assistant seemed off when she offered resources. With Su Mo already married to a movie queen, he wouldn't be interested in her resources.

Realizing Su Mo was already taken, Liang Xin seethed with frustration. Why did Yin Yin get all the good things?

Thinking quickly, Liang Xin's eyes narrowed as she instructed Sister Hu, "Sister Hu, get some internet trolls." The goal was clear: take this opportunity to bring Yin Yin down.

Sister Hu, however, refused, saying, "Liang Xin, don't interfere in Yin Yin's matters."

With that, Sister Hu ended the call, leaving Liang Xin dissatisfied. This was a golden opportunity to undermine Yin Yin, and she wasn't about to let it slip by.

Determined, she mumbled to herself, "Do you really think the Chu family's bloodline is fake?"

Meanwhile, Weibo's technical staff had been called in early to work overtime. The surge in traffic from Yin Yin's announcement had caused Weibo to crash twice, and despite repairs, it was still unstable.

The supervisor, disheveled and near tears, suggested to his boss that they inform major stars and paparazzi of any significant announcements in advance. Otherwise, they'd be stuck working overtime indefinitely.

When Yin Yin took Dudu to the room to get ready, the photographer followed with a camera. Though Dudu was shy with the strangers and the camera, he felt more at ease after his mother's comforting words, though his shyness lingered.

(End of this chapter)