Chapter 163

Ke Xingzhou glanced at the contestants in the room and shook his head in disappointment.

To be honest, the contestants who have made it this far basically haven't had too bad luck. Moreover, the visible explosion of popularity from "All-round Idol" means that most contestants' lives have already changed and are gradually getting on the right track. There really isn't much to improve.

They are completely not his target audience.

Ke Xingzhou was greatly disappointed, threw aside the fortune-telling flag, and sighed heavily.

Fortunately, at that moment, the host on the screen began to introduce the special guests of this episode.

When everyone heard the word "guests," they immediately sensed something unusual and looked up.

Looking over, some were familiar, some were not.

There was the three-time Best Actor Peng Jingshan, who had previously been a mentor, and Ji Han, who had been clearly promoted to Xiaoyao before, needless to say. The recently returning genius director Yan Xingwei, who was reportedly filming a new movie deep in the mountains, had also come.

Yan Xingwei, newly groomed, no longer had the slovenly look seen in the mountains. After shaving off his full beard, he looked clean and refreshing, almost the same as when he won awards in his early twenties, only with a much more mature temperament.

This added a touch of mature manly charm, making him even more attractive.

When the host asked how he had time to participate in a variety show, Yan Xingwei looked burning with intensity and smiled at the camera: "I am here to thank someone. I want to say, I owe my success today to Mr. Ke’s help."

The incident that happened in the mountains, to be honest, many people didn't know much about it. They only knew that after a decade of decline, Yan Xingwei was finally preparing to shoot a new film. Hearing him mention "Mr. Ke" immediately brought Ke Xingzhou to mind.

[No way, really? My idol's comeback is related to Ke Xingzhou?]

[I said how could Yan Xingwei be willing to come on this show? Back then, when he was borrowing money everywhere to make films, the director of "All-round Idol" invited him to join the show, but he angrily refused, saying he just wanted to focus on his art and didn’t want to become a variety show celebrity.]

[Wow, seriously? Is it really Ke Xingzhou he's talking about? I feel like Ke Xingzhou’s connections are even stronger than the director’s?]

Peng Jingshan and Ji Han got anxious as soon as they heard Yan Xingwei’s words.

Why isn’t he following the script? They were supposed to start only after all the guests were introduced!

Not wanting to be outdone, the two quickly joined in.

Peng Jingshan: "Yes, yes, I’m standing here thanks entirely to Ke the Mystic saving my life!"

Ji Han: "I won’t say much, but everyone probably knows what I’ve been through before. I sincerely thank Master Ke here for restoring my innocence and giving me the courage to continue down this path."

The guests for this episode were not limited to just these few. As they expressed their thanks, the others couldn’t sit still either.

The audience saw the scene suddenly become chaotic. Several businessmen in suits hurried to the stage and began giving thanks through the host’s microphone.Without exception, all the thanks were directed at Ke Xingzhou.

Not to mention the audience, even the contestants were baffled by this scene: "They never said there would be this part..."

“Hey, Xie An, isn't that your dad and your sister?”

Everyone followed the direction of the person’s finger and indeed saw two faces that looked very much like Xie An’s — none other than Xie Zhiwen and Xie Baiqiu, who had appeared before when clearing rumors for Ke Xingzhou.

As the closest family members of the two, Xie An’s surprise was no less than anyone else’s—

His dad and sister are coming on the show? Why didn’t anyone tell him??

But soon everyone’s attention could no longer focus on the two Xie family CEOs, because the subsequent guests were one more impressive than the last—Lan Xing, president of the Lan Group mainly dealing in baby products; Qin Qin, eldest daughter of the Qin family, one of the capital’s prominent families; Ji Yi, heir to the Ji Group on par with the Wanli Group... even the old master of the Gu family appeared.

The live comments were stunned: [Successful... I never thought I’d see so many big shots on a variety show one day.]

[Is this still the same little variety show that had so many strange incidents when it first aired, causing it to be slammed hard?]

[If I were a variety show director, I’d worship Ke Xingzhou every day. These aren’t contestants, they’re clearly gods of wealth!]

[About to graduate college student here, may I ask if I can send my resume to Xiaoyao Sect if I can’t get into these companies?]

[Did someone just have a breakthrough in thinking?]

Ke Zhengye sat in the room watching the screen, where more and more entrepreneurs and even heirs of old families—people he couldn’t reach—appeared, feeling briefly dazed.

When did this brat get to know so many people?

Beside him, Jiang Wanru and Ke Chenyu watched the live broadcast proudly, their eyes glancing meaningfully at Ke Zhengye.

Ke Zhengye immediately straightened his back, grumbling: "That brat’s making the show a mess!"

"..." Ke Chenyu silently looked away.

Jiang Wanru didn’t indulge him, rolling her eyes directly: "Even if the sky falls, your mouth will hold it up!"

Ke Zhengye was about to retort but was silenced when Jiang Wanru covered his mouth: "Shut up, don’t interrupt my watching Xingzhou’s live broadcast."

Ke Zhengye: "........"

--

The contestants in the show were also stunned, looking up with wide eyes at all this, only remembering after a while that the protagonist causing this legendary scene was still right behind them.

Their expressions immediately became reverent, their minds echoing with the thanks those people had said on stage just now, feeling as if with a single word of guidance from Ke Xingzhou, they could instantly ascend to top-tier popularity!

Full of hope, they turned around, only to find the place where Ke Xingzhou had just stood was empty.

Xie An and An Heguang didn’t know where Ke Xingzhou had gone.

Only Ke Yuanbai, who usually had little presence in this small group, paused and said with a strange expression, “He had something come up at the last minute.”

Contestants: “?”

If he had something come up, that’s fine—but what’s with that weird look like he’s covering for someone?--

On the other side.

Ke Xingzhou was originally looking up at the screen when suddenly he felt his wrist tighten, and he was pulled toward the door.

Startled, he caught a clear look at the other person before resisting: "…Why are you here?"

The merits were also wiped clean. Nie Chen, who should have been diligently working at his post, unexpectedly appeared here, making a shushing gesture at him, then pulling him to run outside.

Ke Xingzhou struggled: "I'm still not calm yet."

He was referring to the last time Nie Chen had secretly planned to risk his life with Lian Cheng.

Luckily, it was the sudden appearance of Ke Zhengye that drew the neighbors' attention, and Zhuo took the chance to slip away amid the chaos. The demon, ghost, and god tribes also vanished from people's sight.

However, the next day, the Cultural Bureau director came with leaders from the poverty alleviation office, saying that the demon tribe's application for citizenship in our country had been approved. The state knew the demon tribe’s homeland was poor and specially sent him for precise poverty relief.

Ke Xingzhou had no idea about the rule of "who maps, who has sovereignty." He just thought his own people were generous—approval for the demon tribe’s application was so quick, and the poverty relief was ready too.

The only annoyance was that since only Xiaoyao Sect maintained good relations with both sides, Ke Xingzhou had to follow the poverty alleviation staff busily working on site with the demon tribe these days, only just returning to the human side now.

Therefore, he had somewhat neglected Nie Chen.

Actually, he was no longer that angry now, but he felt the problem still existed, hadn’t been solved, and Nie Chen couldn’t be let off so easily.

Ke Xingzhou didn’t want to leave, but Nie Chen grabbed his hand and approached, whispering imploringly into his ear: "Zhouzhou… you want to settle this here?"

Ke Xingzhou: "…"

Though reluctant, Ke Xingzhou still followed after him unwillingly.

The two moved one after the other, weaving through the corridors of the filming base.

Strangely, though it was a live broadcast today and backstage should be very busy, there were few people in the corridors. The few staff who saw the two didn’t greet them as usual but immediately turned away, pretending not to see them.

Ke Xingzhou: "?"

Before Ke Xingzhou could ask, Nie Chen pulled him into a corner behind the stage.

The stage lights were too bright, making their surroundings pitch black, obstructing Ke Xingzhou’s vision. He blinked blankly: "Nie Chen?"

Nie Chen said nothing but stuffed a stack of things into his hand.

Ke Xingzhou instinctively touched them—hard, thin, square with ridges.

—Bank cards?

Nie Chen seemed to see him feeling that card and said in a low voice, counting off one by one: "This is my salary card. All salaries and bonuses from all Wanli Group companies go here. The bank is already notified; you can transfer the money when you have time."

Ke Xingzhou held his breath and shakily reached for the next one.

Nie Chen: "This one has investment income. The share transfer documents are already drafted. I’ve signed it; it just needs your signature to take effect."Ke Xingzhou paused, then tentatively reached for the card at the very bottom.

Nie Chen: "…This is the salary card from three years ago. I originally planned to give it to you when I proposed but didn’t get the chance."

Ke Xingzhou seemed a bit stunned. After thinking for a long time, he tightly clenched the last card, while disdainfully pinching the other two cards with two fingers and holding them away.

Nie Chen was surprised, thinking he didn’t want those cards.

Ke Xingzhou then took out his phone and urgently stuck a prayer spell on it, hurriedly asking Lu Li: "When will my merits increase! Am I going to be the first celestial master crushed by money?!"

Nie Chen: "…"

Lu Li was also momentarily puzzled. After scrolling through the chat records, he finally realized: "You mean this? I was too busy before and forgot to tell you. Didn’t the Heavenly Dao get chased away by you? The old merit calculation method based on their customs is outdated, and the previous app data is all inaccurate. I’m still fixing it!"

Ke Xingzhou hesitated: "Then what about my merits?"

"Oh my god, you didn’t really think your merits were gone all these days, did you?" Lu Li was shocked. "You’re the great hero who chased away the feudal Heavenly Dao and liberated the world! Just the number of times the demon and god tribes mention you daily is enough to boost your merits! You’ve basically robbed the richest person on Earth, and your merits are enough to cover that!"

Before he finished speaking, the call had ended.

Ke Xingzhou’s eyes lit up and decisively pocketed all three cards.

Nie Chen: "…"

Nie Chen chuckled softly, thoughtfully took out his phone, opened his banking apps, letting Ke Xingzhou count exactly how much wealth he’d acquired.

Seeing Ke Xingzhou’s lips curl wildly upward but ignoring his hint, Nie Chen cleared his throat twice and tapped the fortune-telling banner hanging on Ke Xingzhou’s shoulder: "Master Ke, I want you to calculate my marriage fortune."

Ke Xingzhou’s eyes were dazzled from counting money but still held principles, not looking up: "Who are you? Not familiar, won’t calculate."

Nie Chen’s gaze darkened. He rustled behind his back, then unexpectedly pulled out a large bouquet.

At the same time, the wall in the dim corner suddenly opened, and the stage lights outside unexpectedly poured in, shining on the two of them, especially on the huge bouquet between them—

999 real estate certificates instead of roses, nestled inside exquisite floral wrapping.

Ke Xingzhou finally tore his gaze away from the bank balance and stared fixedly at the bouquet of property certificates.

Nie Chen’s low, rich voice slowly sounded: "Calculate for me, when will my ex-boyfriend change his mind?"

Ke Xingzhou felt a certain taut nerve snap in his mind and unhesitatingly declared: "Now! Immediately!!!"

As he spoke, the huge bouquet of property certificates slowly tilted and fell into the embrace he had already prepared.

Ke Zhengye: "…???"

Everyone on and off the stage: "…!!!"

SHIFT!

--

That day.

The mountains and rivers remained, peaceful and clear.