Chapter 2

Lin Yi sighed quietly. Losing all his martial arts skills—how could that not be regrettable? Yet, compared to that, the chance to live again was even more precious.

After Xie Yu finished complaining to the director, she noticed Xiao Linyi frowning deeply, as if lost in thought—a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.

Unable to resist, she reached out and tapped the space between Linyi’s brows with her index finger. “What’s the matter, little Linyi treasure?”

Lin Yi’s eyes widened in surprise. Did she just call him that? Little Linyi treasure? His ears instantly flushed; no one had ever addressed him that way before. Even Lin San, his closest confidant, only ever called him “Yi Yi.”

“I…I…” Lin Yi stammered.

Seeing his hesitation, Xie Yu clapped her hands and exclaimed, “Oh! Little Linyi treasure, do you need to go to the restroom? Auntie will take you.”

Lin Yi’s face flushed an even deeper red. Xie Yu covered her mouth, laughing softly. “So shy, little Linyi treasure! It’s normal to want to use the restroom after an IV drip.”

As she spoke, she reached out to pick him up.

Lin Yi, still unaccustomed to his new identity—and with Xie Yu bearing some resemblance to the late princess—quickly shifted his small bottom to evade her embrace.

“I can do it myself!”

Xie Yu, seeing his increasingly flushed face, couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips. “Alright, alright. Little Linyi treasure is a brave boy. If Auntie doesn’t go, how about Brother Qian takes you there, okay?”

Brother Qian? Who’s that?

Qin Siyuan had already approached, his expression stern and serious.

Lin Yi felt uneasy with this new “master”—or rather, little Brother Qian.

Before Lin Yi could refuse again, Qin Siyuan had already prepared the IV drip and grasped his wrist, ready to accompany him to the restroom.

Thankfully, Lin Yi retained the original memories; otherwise, he’d have made a fool of himself just trying to relieve himself.

Though curious about the modern restroom, Lin Yi couldn’t relax with Qin Siyuan standing close by.

Under Qin Siyuan’s watchful gaze, despite the pressing urge, Lin Yi found himself unable to urinate, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“I won’t look,” Qin Siyuan assured as he turned his back.

Lin Yi thought to himself: How is this any different from covering one’s ears while stealing a bell? There’s still noise!

Returning from the restroom, Lin Yi lowered his head, having managed on his own while the young master stood nearby. If Lin San knew this, he’d surely be shocked and exclaim loudly.

Back in the hospital room, Lin Yi found a young man anxiously and curiously watching him.

Lin Yi recognized him. The original had participated in a show called “Baby Travels.” This handsome young man was his internship father, Zhong Qi.

Zhong Qi looked nervous, his eyes burning with concern as he gazed at Lin Yi. He barely knew little Linyi, having only spent less than a day with him, and now he was in the hospital. He blamed himself for not taking better care.

“Linyi, I’m sorry.”

Lin Yi didn’t blame Zhong Qi. Even the original wouldn’t have. Zhong Qi had been assigned other tasks and wasn’t on that boat.

“It’s not your fault, Brother,” Lin Yi replied. “It has nothing to do with you.”

Hearing this, Zhong Qi almost burst into tears. His agency had crafted his image as a cheerful, lively young man, but privately, he was very emotional and prone to tears.

He couldn’t help it—being a boy with a tearful disposition.

Seeing little Linyi obedient and well-behaved, and learning from the director that Linyi’s parents never came to visit, Zhong Qi’s heart ached for him even more. He wanted to cry.

Moreover, he had heard rumors that the director might replace Linyi.

Despite the negative news online about Linyi, Zhong Qi, having spent time with him, knew the boy was nothing like the unreasonable, arrogant child portrayed.

On the contrary, Linyi was truly well-behaved.

Looking at Linyi, Zhong Qi suddenly connected the dots—perhaps Linyi was like himself?

But he hadn’t heard that Linyi and Brother were half-siblings.

Lin Yi felt awkward under Zhong Qi’s watery gaze, which practically screamed: “Little Linyi treasure, how pitiful you are!”

From the script, Lin Yi knew Zhong Qi and another guest on the show, Jiang Xuan, were half-brothers.

In the story, because Zhong Qi was the original’s internship father, Jiang Xuan’s son, Jiang Ian, secretly bullied the original.

Even when the original told his parents about Ian’s bullying, the biased parents just told him to be better behaved, to listen. Otherwise, why would Ian bully only him?

Lin Yi clenched his little fists.

If those parents were in front of him, he’d give them both a punch.

Zhong Qi seemed to fully embrace his fatherly role. Even when Lin Yi wanted a drink, he tried to feed it to him himself.

Lin Yi was very uncomfortable with this.

Fortunately, after the IV drip finished, he was allowed to leave the hospital.

The hospital wasn’t far from the fishing village where the show was filming, but Lin Yi was assigned to ride alone in a car.

Though he knew from the original’s memories about four-wheeled vehicles, he still couldn’t help but marvel inwardly at this world—but his face revealed no emotion.

The staff member caring for him cleared her throat and asked, “Linyi, do you like being on the show?”

Lin Yi didn’t know. But Lin Yi liked it.

Lin Yi enjoyed appearing on camera; it meant people liked him and paid attention to him—unlike his parents, whose eyes were only on his brother.

Seeing his silence, the staff member continued, “Linyi, if you don’t like it, the director can talk to your mother. You can leave the show, citing your recent accident.”

Lin Yi was momentarily stunned. Leave the show?

He felt a heavy weight in his chest—probably the lingering consciousness of Lin Yi.

Whether from Lin Yi’s memories or the script, Lin Yi liked standing in front of the camera.

“Sister, can you tell the director I don’t want to leave?” The child’s voice was tender and pure.

Lin Yi placed a hand over his heart. He would fulfill Lin Yi’s wishes.

Lin Yi wanted to become a shining actor; he wanted to live peacefully in old age. These were not conflicting desires, were they?

The staff member sighed. As the director’s assistant, she knew a bit about the Lin family situation.

Lin Yi’s parents clearly wanted little Lin Yi to care for his older brother.

She’d seen younger siblings leech off older ones before, but never an elder brother leeching off the younger.

She sighed softly and called the director, relaying Lin Yi’s wishes.

*

Returning to the fishing village, the director immediately came over to talk.

“Linyi, how’s your body? Still feeling unwell?”

Lin Yi shook his head. “Thank you, Uncle. I’m fine now.”

The director gently patted his head, his expression kind. “Are you sure you’ve thought this through?”

The director was still furious after his call with Mrs. Lin. No matter that he returned Linyi, they wouldn’t refund the money.

Mrs. Lin had even pressed about the penalty fees during the call.

Wasn’t Linyi her son? Yet she never once showed concern for him.

The director looked at the adorable, obedient Linyi and wished he could take him home and raise him himself.

Lin Yi nodded. “Uncle, I want to stay.”

The director comforted him further before the other four groups of guests came to see him.

Lin Yi couldn’t remember all the adult guests but clearly recalled the children.

Qin Siyuan was unforgettable, a cool little guy.

Then there were two little girls.

“Linyi, Mommy said you went to the hospital for a shot. Miaomiao gave you candy so it won’t hurt,” said four-year-old Miaomiao, chubby and dressed in a pretty princess dress.

In her plump hand were several round candies.

Her mother, Xi Lan, watched her with folded arms. “Miaomiao, how many candies have you hidden?”

Miaomiao’s mom was a top actress and Lin Yi’s idol.

Lin Yi was so excited when he learned Xi Lan was on “Baby Travels” that he could barely sleep.

Miaomiao stuffed the candies into Lin Yi’s hand, smiling and spreading her hands. “Mommy, what did you say? Baby doesn’t understand.”

“Aunt Xi, it was me who gave Miaomiao the candies. Please don’t blame her,” said Nora, holding Miaomiao’s hand.

Nora was another little girl on the show, five years old, inheriting her model mother’s slender figure and long, straight legs.

Unlike the soft, cute Miaomiao, Nora had a commanding aura, especially with her phoenix eyes lending a rare coolness.

Nora’s mother, He Tong, clasped her hands together, wearing a childlike expression, slightly embarrassed as she looked at Xi Lan. “Sister Xi, sorry.”

Online, the mother-daughter duo of He Tong and Nora was known for their role reversal: usually adults take care of kids, but Nora was the one taking care of her mother.

He Tong had been a model. To maintain her figure, she strictly controlled her diet, leading to hypoglycemia. She didn’t pay much attention to it herself; luckily, Nora took care of her.

Xi Lan said nothing, only casting a glance at He Tong.

He Tong smiled at her, her eyes curved like a crescent moon. She didn’t look like a mother of a four-year-old at all—more like a college student fresh out of school.

Only when Xi Lan went to speak with Lin Yi did He Tong approach Xie Yu.

“Yu Jie, Sister Xi is so aloof. How did you two become friends?”

The He family and Qin family had business dealings. Xie Yu treated He Tong like a little sister.

Xie Yu smiled gently and patted her shoulder. “I’ll tell you a secret.”

He Tong leaned in, eyes sparkling with gossip. “What?”

“Actually, Sister Xi just has social anxiety.”

He Tong’s jaw dropped in surprise. Social anxiety?

Looking at Xi Lan dressed in black sportswear, her pale skin, and every strand of hair exuding a cold aura—are you telling me that’s just social anxiety?

Compared to the two little girls doting on Lin Yi—patting his head and face—Jiang Ian and Yang Bai stood far away, their faces practically screaming guilt.

Good thing there was no live streaming now, or the viewers might have imagined all sorts of stories.

Though Lin Yi chatted with Miaomiao and Nora, he also noticed Ian and Yang Bai.

Ian was Jiang Xuan’s son, five years old, and Zhong Qi’s nephew. However, Zhong Qi and Jiang Xuan hadn’t publicly acknowledged their relationship, so no one knew they were brothers.

Not even the director or Xie Yu.

Following Ian was a taller boy named Yang Bai. His father, Yang Xing, was once an internet celebrity but later signed with Jiang Xuan’s studio, becoming a minor celebrity in third or fourth-tier circles.

Ian was the son of Yang Bai’s father’s superior, so Yang Bai was naturally instructed to curry favor with Ian.

Lin Yi’s gaze briefly passed over Ian, without any emotion.

The original Lin Yi’s recent fall into the water was somewhat related to Ian and Yang Bai, but not significantly.

The four boys were tasked with fishing with the fishermen. Ian and Yang Bai, seizing a moment when no one was watching, tricked little Lin Yi into going to the stern, claiming Qin Siyuan had called him.

Being a child, little Lin Yi didn’t think twice and went.

Ian and Yang Bai planned to ‘tattle’ afterward, saying Lin Yi was disobedient and ran off, hoping the adults would dislike the ‘disobedient’ Lin Yi.

Coincidentally, the fishermen were hauling in a large catch at the bow, including a huge fish, so the camera crew was distracted.

Little Lin Yi tripped on a rope at the stern and accidentally fell into the water.

As for the rabbit costume he wore before falling in, it was their group outfit.

Lin Yi couldn’t swim, and the costume absorbed water...

He certainly wouldn’t let this slide and planned to teach Ian and Yang Bai a lesson.

After pleasantries, the director let everyone rest.

Lin Yi walked beside Zhong Qi toward their small cabin.

Choosing accommodations was an essential part of the children’s variety show. With Jiang Xuan there, Zhong Qi and Lin Yi unsurprisingly got the worst house.

It was a solitary seaweed hut on a remote hillside.

Zhong Qi glanced at Lin Yi as they walked.

“Linyi, don’t you want Brother to carry you?”

Lin Yi and Zhong Qi had agreed that privately he’d call him “Brother,” but on camera, “Dad.”

Lin Yi shook his head. “Brother, I can do it myself.”

Zhong Qi said, “Then how about a race home? Let’s see who arrives first!”

A childish game to coax a little one. Lin Yi stopped playing such games at age three.

But faced with Zhong Qi’s eager eyes, Lin Yi relented.

Zhong Qi thought, all children need coaxing. Linyi hadn’t smiled since leaving the hospital.

If he let Linyi win, maybe he’d be happy.

How to let Linyi win without making him feel it was cheating?

He had no experience with kids and was a bit troubled.

Before Zhong Qi could think of a plan, he heard Linyi’s voice from afar: “Brother, I’m here.”

Zhong Qi was dumbfounded.

He guessed it was about seven or eight hundred meters from where he stood to the spot.

How did Linyi ‘zoom’ up so fast?