Chapter 35: This Is Just Too Ridiculous

Qin Haiyu’s explanation and rebuttal landed squarely on Zhang Dahua’s face, leaving him so flustered that all he could do was chuckle awkwardly, utterly at a loss for words.

The host, Ni Qiqin, adapted quickly, offering Zhang Dahua a way out with a playful remark: “You see! In love, it’s not just about the sweet, heady scent of romance, but also the metallic tang of money. As much as it sounds a bit crude, if we want happiness and fulfillment, we must look to the future with hope—and work hard to earn it.”

With that, Ni Qiqin turned to the audience and announced, “Now, it’s time for audience voting. If you enjoyed Qin Haiyu’s performance this round, please cast your vote for her!”

In the judges’ seats, all thirty judges gave her a thumbs-up—this was the most noticeable change since the voting system had been updated. In the past, it was unheard of for all thirty judges to vote in favor during the ballot count. But now, with the new “like” system, unanimous approval was becoming common, leading many in the audience to firmly believe there was no behind-the-scenes manipulation.

Thirty seconds later...

“Voting is now closed!” Ni Qiqin reminded the audience. Qin Haiyu thanked everyone and then turned to head backstage.

Ni Qiqin immediately announced the second contestant to take the stage.

...

Backstage, Qin Haiyu had just settled on the sofa when Ye Fei, a fellow singer, hurried over, exclaiming, “Sister Qin, your song was just beautiful! Listening to it made me want to fall in love. I really envy your romance!”

Qin Haiyu smiled gently. “I hope you’ll also meet your own knight in shining armor, someone who’ll always cherish you.”

Ye Fei, ever enthusiastic, linked arms with Qin Haiyu and sat down beside her. “If only someone had confessed to me like that when I was in college!”

Qin Haiyu chuckled, unsure how to respond. In the previous two episodes where Ye Fei had come to challenge, she hadn’t been this warm or friendly. Now, it all felt a bit much—even a little off-putting.

Women’s intuition is rarely wrong.

Qin Haiyu sensed Ye Fei had an ulterior motive. After all, “Little Luck” had become a hit, and now this new song “Sakura Grass” was also so well-received. Perhaps Ye Fei was trying to cozy up to her, hoping to ask for a song collaboration in the future.

After all, in terms of seniority and musical achievement, Qin Haiyu far surpassed Ye Fei, who had only risen to fame in recent years.

Had Ye Fei been more restrained, Qin Haiyu might have liked her more. Instead, Ye Fei’s excessive enthusiasm felt insincere and overeager.

The other five singers backstage also complimented Qin Haiyu, though none as effusively as Ye Fei.

Qin Haiyu sat for a while before slipping out to use the restroom. The recording would last for hours, and since backstage footage rarely made it into the final cut, the singers didn’t have to stay glued to their seats. Occasionally, even the male singers would sneak out to smoke.

Xu Ling, her close friend and assistant, kept an eye on Qin Haiyu whenever the cameras weren’t rolling. Seeing her head to the restroom, Xu Ling followed, checked the stalls, and took out Qin Haiyu’s breast pump.

She teased, “Want me to take the milk home for you and come back later?”

Qin Haiyu shot her an exasperated look. “No need! My husband took the baby back to his hometown. They’ll only return tonight.”

With a face full of sympathy, Xu Ling said, “So the baby’s going without mother’s milk today? Poor thing…”

A moment later, Qin Haiyu left the restroom and pulled out her phone to send her husband a voice message: “Honey, I finished my first performance! All thirty judges gave me a like!”

Xu Ling’s chubby cheeks quivered as she joked, “Ugh, you’re giving me goosebumps!”

Qin Haiyu raised an eyebrow and sent another message, this time in a sweet, delicate voice: “Honey, I just learned that the meaning of the sakura grass flower is ‘there is no love but you.’ It’s so touching—I love you, love you, mwah~”

Xu Ling pretended to gag. “Qin Haiyu, that’s enough! Try saying that into the camera if you dare!”

Qin Haiyu grinned mischievously. “Hehe, I just want to gross you out! You’re always teasing me for being a dairy cow, always poking fun at me!”

Xu Ling rolled her eyes, but she was powerless against Qin Haiyu. Thankfully, as a seasoned singleton, she was used to the cloying displays of affection—otherwise, she might have actually been sick.

Elsewhere, Yu Zhiyue had already sneaked into the elementary school and was sitting under the old banyan tree, waiting for his wife to finish class. The baby squirmed restlessly on his lap. Hearing the two voice messages from his wife, Yu Zhiyue mused aloud, “No love but you? I didn’t know sakura grass had such a romantic meaning…”

He cleared his throat and replied, feigning annoyance: “I’ve been teaching you this song for days, and you’re only now learning the flower’s meaning? I thought you already knew—that’s what made it all so romantic! But no… I’m heartbroken!”

After sending the message, Yu Zhiyue pressed his forehead to the baby’s and kissed her, laughing. “Baby, who’s the little actress here—Mommy or Daddy?”

“Ba~ Ba ba~” the baby babbled, waving her little hands.

Was she calling for her daddy? The pronunciation wasn’t perfect, but it sounded like “Daddy”!

Elated, Yu Zhiyue sent a voice message: “Honey! The baby just called me Daddy!”

Qin Haiyu had felt a bit embarrassed listening to his earlier message. But when she heard her husband say the baby called him “Daddy,” her spirits soared. She replied at once, “Record it for me!”

Yu Zhiyue tried several times to capture the moment, calling “Daddy” to the baby, but after that first word, she wouldn’t say it again.

“You little rascal, you pick the worst moment to clam up! How can you be so unreliable?” He gently bumped his forehead against hers and finally said in resignation, “Honey, go focus on your recording. Our little stinker said it once and now won’t repeat it. I got excited for nothing!”

Suddenly, Qin Haiyu thought of something. “Honey, check if the baby pooped. Maybe she wasn’t saying ‘Daddy’ but ‘poop’?”

……

That was a low blow.

Yu Zhiyue put down his phone, took off the baby’s pants and diaper, and immediately rolled his eyes.

He recorded a video, sounding utterly defeated: “Honey, you were right!”

Pfft! Qin Haiyu burst out laughing when she watched the video her husband sent. She couldn’t hold back a spit-take.

Xu Ling, watching alongside her, couldn’t help but laugh as well. “This is just too funny!”

Qin Haiyu replied with a voice message, still laughing: “Honey, go wash the baby’s bottom and put on a clean diaper. I have to get back to the show, so I won’t tease you anymore.”

……

Yu Zhiyue looked at his drooling, seemingly innocent baby, and could only sigh as he dressed her again. He decided to wait for his mother to finish her class before cleaning the baby up and changing her diaper.