Chapter 33 She Wants an Obedient Younger Brother

Sang Ning asked Sang Chuan to follow Shen Yi. She and Song Shiye split up, and the four of them formed two search teams.

Yuan Village isn't too big, but it's not small either. After leaving the courtyard, they asked several households but still couldn't find anyone.

The sky grew completely dark. Director Sun, worried about the guests' safety, immediately contacted the village chief, requesting him to broadcast a message through the village loudspeakers.

Seeing the village chief get ready to leave, Chu Xi casually asked, "Village Chief, you just finished eating, where are you headed?"

The village chief grabbed his keys, walking briskly: "Someone from your group is missing. I'm heading to the village committee to broadcast a search announcement for you."

"What?" Chu Xi's eyes widened in shock.

Could it be Shen Yi?

"Who's missing? How do grown adults even go missing? Ridiculous!" Li Sulan lounged stiffly on the hardwood sofa, her tone filled with disdain.

"I'm not sure who it is; I didn't catch the details. Anyway, I have to go now," the village chief said as he reached the door.

Chu Xi quickly followed, saying, "Village Chief, I'm worried too. Let me go with you."

Li Sulan hurriedly stopped her: "Xiao Xi, it's dark out, and you're a girl. It's not safe to go out."

"Mom, it's fine. The village chief and the program crew will be there. Nothing will happen. Everyone came together to film the show, helping one another is normal."

[Chu Xi is such a little angel. She's so caring toward others!]

[But seriously, who's missing? I've been glued to Chu Xi's livestream the whole time and have no idea what's happening.]

[Just hopped over from Sang Ning's livestream. Apparently Sang Ning's parents, Grandma Song, and Mr. Shen went out for drinks and mahjong, and they haven't returned all afternoon.]

[Ugh, it's always Sang Ning causing trouble. Her whole family is so annoying. Can't the program boot this whole pack of drama-stirrers? I don't want to see them.]

Chu Xi insisted on accompanying the village chief. Li Sulan, unable to overpower her, reluctantly agreed and went along to keep an eye on her.

The village chief led the way with a flashlight. As they neared the village committee, two towering figures hurriedly approached them.

"Who's there?" the village chief shouted to the approaching figures.

As his words fell, Sang Chuan and Shen Yi appeared in everyone's sight.

"Shen Yi, where did you go? When I heard the village chief say someone was missing, I was so worried!"

Chu Xi, anxious the entire time, felt a wave of relief seeing Shen Yi. She forgot about the filming cameras and ran toward him.

[Oh no, I think I just started shipping Chu Xi and Shen Yi.]

[Look how nervous Chu Xi was! She must've thought the missing person was Shen Yi.]

[I have to admit, the combination of a handsome man and a beautiful woman is such a visual treat. I'm all for Chu Xi and Shen Yi as a couple—Milkshake is totally shipworthy.]

[Ugh, can we stop tying my brother to this irrelevant minor celebrity?]

[Take Chu Xi home, please! Gorgeous queen deserves her own spotlight. Coupling fans off the planet, thanks.]

"It's not me. It's my dad. He went off with Mr. Sang, and they haven't come back yet," Shen Yi clarified.

"Ha, turns out it's that drunkard. Who knows where he's dragged your dad off to drink?" Li Sulan crossed her arms, her tone dripping with mockery.

[Why does Mommy Chu give me such sharp and bitter vibes? Chu Xi doesn't seem like this at all.]

[You wanna talk bitter? Sang Ning's family behaves so badly; they deserve any criticism that comes their way.]

[Yeah, but you don't have to sound so superior when pointing fingers. Having money doesn't mean you can act holier-than-thou.]

"Old hag, who are you calling a drunkard?" Sang Chuan's temper flared instantly.

Though he often teased Sang Youming and Hu Zhi, he wouldn't tolerate strangers insulting them–especially Li Sulan.

From the moment he first met her, she'd arrogantly thrown a check in Hu Zhi's face. Ever since then, Sang Chuan couldn't stand this old woman.

Now she was insulting his dad right in front of him? Did she really think he was just going to sit back and take it?

[Wow, the wild wolf is truly unhinged. He's got guts to challenge Mrs. Chu like that. Doesn't he fear the Chu family will blacklist his sister?]

[Am I the only one who thinks Sang Chuan's behavior is disrespectful? Look at how flippant his tone is.]

[Yeah, just you. Only an orphan like you would feel that way. Mommy Chu was the one who started being passive-aggressive toward his dad. Why shouldn't Sang Chuan fight back?]

"Who are you calling an old hag? Say it again if you dare!"

Li Sulan was furious. She stormed up to Sang Chuan, jabbing a finger at him. Her finger came dangerously close to his face, trembling with anger.

"Fine, since you want to hear it so badly, here's a triple serving. Old hag! Old hag! Old hag!"

"I've said it. Now go ahead, use your witch claws to scratch up my face. Then I can spend the rest of my life leeching off the Chu family."

Sang Chuan deliberately leaned his face toward Li Sulan's finger, his tone oozing provocation.

"You—"

Li Sulan withdrew her finger, her fists clenching tightly, the veins on her temples faintly pulsing.

[Damn, this is hilarious. Passive aggression versus feral wolf energy—zero chance of winning.]

[The guests on this show are something else. Other shows are all about mutual love and harmony, while this one is full of "f*** you, go to hell" moments.]

[Yep, anytime Sang Ning isn't present, Sang Chuan is busy losing it or causing trouble for others.]

"Mom, don't get upset. Sang Chuan is still young and immature. Don't stoop to his level," Chu Xi quickly pulled Li Sulan back, patting her on the back to calm her.

"Sang Chuan, my mom is at least your elder. How can you talk like that? Is this how your parents raised you?"

Sang Chuan let out a cold laugh: "She's your mother, your elder. I don't have elders who run their mouths like that. And as for how my parents raised me—you ought to know better than anyone, don't you?"

Sang Chuan felt irritated. Chu Xi had only been back with the Chu family for half a month, and she was already eager to disassociate herself from the Sang family?

Sure enough, now that she had rich parents, she didn't care about her poor brother anymore.

Sang Ning was the same. Under the guise of "it's for your own good," she pushed him to return to school. But wasn't it just because, after living as the Chu family's rich daughter for twenty years, she couldn't stomach having a poor brother like him around?

Thinking about this, Sang Chuan felt his chest tighten.

Both Chu Xi and Sang Ning only wanted a brother that would make them look good.

Sang Chuan's words made Chu Xi panic. Even though she had already made an arrangement with the Sang family, she still feared he might spill out the truth about her having been their daughter for twenty years.

Li Sulan felt anxious, too. Was this wild brat crazy?

If he dared utter something damaging to Xiao Xi, she wouldn't let it slide.

Just as Chu Xi and Li Sulan were both on edge, Shen Yi spoke up, calming things down: "Xiao Chuan, this isn't the time for tantrums. We need to focus on finding them."

Seeing Chu Xi's anxious and worried expression, Sang Chuan felt even more upset.

They'd been siblings for twenty years, yet Chu Xi's disdain for him was glaringly obvious.

Feeling frustrated, Sang Chuan forcefully kicked away a stone by his foot and walked ahead.