Chapter 99: Extra 2 - The Onlooker

Lu Ming is a wealthy second-generation heir. He doesn't like hanging out at bars or attending parties; his favorite thing is staying at home, browsing the internet, watching cute girl content, and sharing some common gossip under a fake Weibo account. Originally, he was just a lazy, privileged young man living off his parents, but his Weibo account gained a surprising following due to his daring comments and ability to expose some unknown gossip. As a result, he started earning pocket money from ads every month, which surprised his parents, allowing him to continue his online activities freely.

With money, cars, and a house, Lu Ming lived a comfortable life, and no one dared to offend him. His life was smooth and his mental world was very satisfied.

His first misfortune came when he helped a friend in the circle forward a rumor about the second son of the Yuan family having a mysterious girlfriend and Zhao Feifei possibly being dumped. Such gossip, typically used for publicity, was something a wealthy second-generation heir would usually ignore. Given Yuan Yi's status, he should have been indifferent to such things.

However, Yuan Yi unexpectedly flipped out and not only fell out with people but also sent out numerous legal letters. Since Lu Ming's Weibo account had high engagement, he was among those who received a legal notice. Fortunately, he quickly apologized, deleted the post, and issued a public apology, which helped settle the matter. Despite that, he still got a good scolding from his father.

They couldn't afford to offend Yuan Yi, and Lu Ming still wanted to enjoy the lazy, privileged life of a second-generation heir. So, the next day, he went to the Yuan family to apologize, only to be turned away after a few brief words.

As a homebody, Lu Ming had an unknown hobby—he loved reading heartwarming comics. The Weibo user "Little Stream" was his idol. Every time she posted a new comic strip, he would like and share it, leading some of his followers to jokingly ask if he had feelings for her.

However, Lu Ming was disappointed because Little Stream never followed him back, nor did she take any advertisements. They seemed to belong to two different worlds—he was a lazy, unambitious "fat宅" (homebody), while she was a high-cold goddess.

He soon discovered that Little Stream had mutual followers with several well-known rich young men in the capital, even the young master of the Xu family, who had gone into the entertainment industry, had shared her Weibo posts.

No wonder Little Stream didn't need ads—she surely didn't lack money if she was close to these rich young men.

Suddenly, rumors spread online that Little Stream was the third party in the relationship between Yuan Yi and Yan Xi, and there was a flood of accusations. Some netizens even came to ask Lu Ming if it was true. Enraged, he lashed out at the netizens, but they mocked him, calling him a "sad, fat宅 who worships a third party."

Lu Ming, who was usually submissive to the powerful but not afraid to argue with internet users, decided to continue the online battle, cursing back at the netizens. Just as he was getting into the groove, news broke that Little Stream was actually Yan Xi, Yuan Yi's girlfriend, and there was no third party.

The internet was stunned by this plot twist, and the netizens who had previously insulted him were silenced. Lu Ming was also dumbfounded.

Yan Xi was Little Stream?

The netizens, embarrassed by the bombshell news, quieted down, and he lost interest in arguing. While he was relieved, he still couldn't help feeling a sense of loss upon realizing that his idol was not single.

A few days later, his father came home and announced that their family business had secured a collaboration with Hengtai, which was a great opportunity.

"I've really struck gold this time. We won the project despite all the competition. Tomorrow, we'll go home and pay respects to our ancestors. Maybe it's their blessing."

Listening to his father babbling about their ancestors, Lu Ming couldn't help but think that it wasn't the ancestors' blessings at all—it was because he had helped Yuan Yi's girlfriend argue online that the Yuan family had given his family face. However, he couldn't tell his father this, because his father wouldn't believe it.

After Little Stream's true identity was revealed, her follower count only grew, and Lu Ming continued to quietly "eat dog food" online, all the while still following her comics. However, he no longer dared to refer to her as a "goddess" online, fearing that Yuan Yi might get jealous, even though in front of Yuan Yi, he had no competition.

During dinner, he remembered that the Yuan family seemed not too fond of Yan Xi, their future daughter-in-law, and couldn't resist asking his father, "Dad, do you know about the second son of the Yuan family and his girlfriend?"

"Who?" Lu's father put down his chopsticks, wiping his mouth, "You mean Yuan Yi and his host girlfriend?"

Lu Ming nodded.

"That's tough," Lu's father shook his head. "The Yuan family is large and influential. Although Yuan Yi's girlfriend's family is somewhat wealthy, getting into the Yuan family's gates won't be easy."

"Maybe Yuan Yi is really determined about love?" Lu Ming said with some reluctance. "If Yuan Yi insists, she might still marry into the Yuan family, right?"

"Men are just like that," Lu's father, who had seen many promises of eternal love end in separation, smiled and said, "When they say they love you, maybe it's real love. But most of the time, it's just about seeking novelty and excitement. When it comes to a conflict of interest, women often become nothing more than a distraction for them."

Lu's father turned and saw his wife looking at him, so he quickly shifted the conversation. "But of course, there are exceptions. A good man, like your father, who has loved his woman for decades, does exist. If Yuan Yi were half as good as me, then maybe the host, Yan Xi, would have a chance of marrying into the Yuan family."

"You're acting like Yan Xi is desperate to marry into the Yuan family," Lu's mother retorted angrily. "You men never keep up with the news. Don't you know that it's Yuan Yi who wants to get married, but Yan Xi doesn't want to?"

"What's so great about a wealthy family, or money? Yan Xi doesn't lack money. She's a beautiful, kind girl, and plenty of good men like her." Lu's mother, who was fond of Yan Xi, grew upset hearing her husband speak. "If Yuan Yi doesn't appreciate her, there are still people like Song Chao waiting in line. If our son weren't so ugly and couldn't match Yan Xi, I'd wish she were our daughter-in-law."

"I... I'm your biological son!" Lu Ming protested.

"If you weren't my son, do you think I could stand seeing you every day?"

Lu Ming: "..."

However, the incident where Song Chao confessed to Yan Xi had indeed caused quite a stir. Anyone who spent time online had heard about the high, rich, and handsome man confessing to the female host. In this incident, Song Chao came off worse, as he was not only ruthlessly rejected but also became the subject of public ridicule for trying to steal someone else's partner.

Regardless of gender, being labeled as the "third party" is never a good thing.

Around the time of the Chinese New Year, news broke that Yan Xi and Song Chao had been spotted together, and the photos were posted online, causing a huge stir. The public knew all too well how close Yuan Yi and Yan Xi were. Yuan Yi had even given up his inheritance rights for her, yet now Yan Xi was secretly having coffee with another man, and it was none other than Song Chao, who had once tried to steal Yuan Yi's girl. This news was shocking and unacceptable to many, and soon the internet was flooded with criticism.

Some people criticized Yan Xi, while others mocked Yuan Yi for being "cuckolded." Even though the New Year hadn't arrived yet, the internet was already buzzing as if it were a festival.

On New Year's Eve, a heavy snow fell in the capital. Some netizens complained about annoying and nagging relatives, others vented about how awful the New Year's Eve party was, and some remarked how loud the fireworks outside were, making it hard to sleep.

Just as the new year was about to begin, Yuan Yi, who had been ridiculed for being "cuckolded," posted on Weibo.

Yuan Yi: "Dumplings with treasure inside, you take half, and I'll take half. @Little Stream."

The netizens who were eagerly waiting for the two to break up or argue were dumbfounded. This was definitely not what they had expected. At this moment, Yuan Yi should have been confronting or arguing with Yan Xi, but instead, he was showing off his affection.

Your girlfriend has been out on a date with another man, and you still have the mood to show off your love?

What kind of spell did Yan Xi put on Yuan Yi that he could tolerate something so embarrassing?

The audience watching this spectacle was not pleased, but it seemed Yuan Yi didn't care.

On the first day of the New Year, he proudly posted about making tangyuan (rice dumplings) with Yan Xi.

On the second evening, he posted pictures of making a snowman with Yan Xi.

After several days of showing off their affection, even an idiot could tell that Yuan Yi wasn't upset—he was overjoyed and could hardly contain himself, seeing the world as a colorful and wonderful place.

What... happened?

On the fifth day of the New Year, the popular young star Xu Qiaosheng suddenly posted a Weibo message.

Xu Qiaosheng V: "Congratulations to my cousin for finally getting his wish, proposal successful."

The use of the word "finally" had a deep meaning. Netizens couldn't pretend to be clueless anymore. They had been gossiping online for so long, but in the end, Yuan Yi didn't care at all. Not only did he not care, but he had gone ahead and proposed.

The audience, who were used to the usual drama and fights, were seeing the power of true love for the first time.

Of course, some malicious people went to Weibo to ask Yuan Yi why he was in such a hurry to propose. Didn't he fear Yan Xi might be cheating on him? Yuan Yi ignored the comment and instead sent a lawyer's letter.

It turned out that a lawyer's letter was far more effective than arguing. From that moment on, the number of people mocking Yuan Yi for being "cuckolded" dramatically decreased.

A reporter went to the café where Song Chao and Yan Xi had been seen having coffee and discovered that they had only sat together for less than half an hour and showed no signs of being intimate. In fact, Yan Xi didn't even say much during the whole time.

After the café staff's clarification was published by the reporter, the people who had been criticizing Yan Xi finally disappeared, but not a single one of them stepped forward to apologize for their previous remarks.

Lu Ming saw all of this and couldn't help but mock those so-called "righteous passersby" on Weibo. He was quickly mocked back as someone trying to latch onto Yuan Yi's popularity. He didn't care much, though, and after enjoying his moment of online satisfaction, he closed Weibo and opened a game to kill time in the virtual world.

After all, he was a rich second generation. Why would he care about such small matters?

When he received the wedding invitation from Yuan Yi and Yan Xi, it was a surprise to him. However, to show his support for his "goddess," Lu Ming made an effort to lose weight for half a month, went to the salon to get a fresh haircut, put on a well-fitted suit, and took a flight to the small island where their wedding was being held.

He heard people say that Yuan Yi had spent a lot of money preparing a grand wedding for Yan Xi, with diamonds and jewels lavishly decorating the bride's wedding dress and headpiece. Media reports even revealed that the headpiece alone was worth over seven digits. Although the media liked to exaggerate, Lu Ming felt that, given how much Yuan Yi valued Yan Xi, this wasn't an exaggeration at all.

Many guests had arrived on the island a day early, and Lu Ming was no exception. While barbecuing on the beach with a wealthy second-generation friend from his circle, he was surprised to see someone unexpected on the island.

Song Chao.

To be fair, Lu Ming thought Song Chao's family background wasn't any worse than Yuan Yi's, and he was handsome and refined. Yan Xi should have preferred Song Chao, so why did she choose to marry Yuan Yi?

This was a question many people probably had, though no one dared to voice it.

Along the way, Lu Ming saw many notable figures. Besides the elders from the Xu family, even Yuan Ya Sen and Xu Ya, who were rumored to dislike Yan Xi, were there. The couple was dressed formally, smiling, and there was no sign of dissatisfaction at all.

Lu Ming couldn't help but wonder if the rumors about the Yuan family not liking Yan Xi were all just gossip. He mentioned this to his wealthy friend, who laughed at his naivety.

"Yuan Yi is so successful now. He insists on marrying Yan Xi, and what can his parents do about it?" The second-generation wealthy friend sighed while lounging comfortably. "All that talk about family opposition and parents' traditional views are just excuses. As long as a man is capable, he doesn't have to worry about not marrying the woman he wants."

Lu Ming suddenly understood. Yuan Yi was now a successful business figure. Even without Longfeng, he could live a prosperous life. The pressure from his parents and elders didn't seem so intimidating anymore.

Ultimately, it all came down to determination.

On the day of the wedding, watching the beautiful bride and the joyful groom, Lu Ming felt a pang of sadness. His goddess was getting married, and not only was he not the groom, but even the best man had no connection to him.

Yan Xi's father, with tears in his eyes, smiled as he handed his daughter's hand to Yuan Yi. This chubby man was clearly smiling, yet Lu Ming felt that, deep down, he was crying.

As he placed his daughter's hand in Yuan Yi's, his heart was filled with reluctance.

The next moment, the bride turned and embraced this chubby man tightly, whispering something in his ear before linking arms with the groom.

The pastor asked if the bride and groom were willing to walk together through life, never to part.

"I do."

"I do."

Their hands tightly clasped, as though their love would never separate, not even in the next life.

Lu Ming rubbed his eyes, which were starting to sting. Turning his head, he saw Song Chao sitting upright not far away. The other man smiled, his handsome face framed by glasses, showing no trace of sadness or regret, and certainly no sign of being moved.

Perhaps the love-hate drama between him and Yan Xi was just a story created by outsiders. The main players had long since let it go, while netizens continued to dwell on it, coming up with one past after another to emotionally stir themselves.

And he? He was just a bystander, a netizen, with no qualification to participate in this love and hate.

But as long as his goddess was happy, that was enough.