Mistaken Canary Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Ying Tongchen’s interview video blew up online, something he hadn’t expected.
It’s unclear who among the viewers first discovered the interview and clipped out his segment, posting it on Weibo. After a few big influencers shared it, the "local marketplace guy" became an overnight sensation.
Top comment 1: {What a coincidence, I love crabs too, and I also walk to work. I think we should get to know each other and ride through life together, Mr. Handsome.}
Top comment 2: {In terms of relationships, I’m the sweetest you can find! I’ll even carry you to work!!}
Top comment 3: {Within three minutes, I expect to have every bit of info about this man!*}
(TLN: Reference to those domineering CEO characters and the way they speak.)
Even though the news only trended for a bit and then got buried under celebrity gossip, a lot of people he knew still found out he'd gone viral for a minute
Meng Gong was quick with the congratulations: "Xiōngdì, you even made the news by buying groceries. Why not try to jive and vibe in the entertainment industry?"
"Bye." Ying Tongchen coldly hung up the phone.
Zhen Mingxin followed closely behind. "Ying ge, my manager says they want to sign you! We could be the dynamic duo of showbiz—Oscar in hand, Hollywood at our feet!"
"You sure know how to dream." Ying Tongchen hung up the phone again.
Not long after, Zheng Zhinan reached out to him. "Buddy, I’ve noticed you’re pretty photogenic. The work group’s been talking about you, even Sheng Sheng’s singing your praises. I’m starting to get jealous."
Ying Tongchen: "...What's that got to do with me?"
"If you don’t want me to be jealous, maybe teach me how to dress?"
Ying Tongchen gave his first and most important piece of advice: "How about you start showering every day?"
Zheng Zhinan: "Alright, alright, I’ll write that down."
Fu Lu messaged him privately on WeChat: {I know a few meng tops, and they said they want to meet you. You interested? 😈}
[Ying Tongchen]: Three ways to decline.jpg
Ying Tongchen found some foreign films without subtitles and settled in the living room to watch.
The old man sneakily sat down next to him, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. "Tongchen, can I get your autograph? Just in case you really make it big someday..."
Ying Tongchen: "...Why you too?"
"Just in case," the old man chuckled. "Oh, by the way, there's a package for you by the door."
"What package?" Ying Tongchen walked to the door and opened the box. "Who sent such a big box of hairy crabs?"
Freshmen Class 2 group chat —
[The Talents Even Tsinghua and Peking Can Not Obtain]
(TLN: This should be the group name, the talents are referring to the students while Tsinghua and Peking are equally prestigious Chinese universities.)
{Have you all seen the interview video of our homeroom teacher? Imao I almost died laughing.}
{City residents crave crabs galore; walking home, broke to the core.}
{Saw it lololol our homeroom teacher's a public figure now!}
{Currently bragging to my old classmates rn. I told them my homeroom teacher was super hot, but they didn't believe me before. Now they're all fawning over him!}
{I wanna throw money at getting that trending news back on top!}
{Better not. People online are saying Mr. Ying refused a follow-up interview, he’s probably got ptsd lololol!}
{This year, forget holiday gifts. Hairy crabs are the only gift that matters!}
As soon as Zhuo Zi saw the mention of hairy crabs, her mood soured. The hairy crabs she specifically ordered online had mysteriously disappeared!
Who dared to steal right under the Zhuo family's nose?
First, she ruled out her older brother—he's allergic to seafood. Next, she ruled out the housekeeper—she wouldn't dare. Mu Qing was also off the hook; that internet-addicted woman's mind and heart were completely occupied by her games.
That just leaves Dad!
Zhuo Zi hurriedly ran downstairs and bumped into her brother, Zhuo Shu, who was on his way up. She quickly asked, "Ge, have you seen anyone take my crabs?"
Zhuo Shu turned around and pointed, "Dad."
"AHH!" Zhuo Zi immediately dashed downstairs. "Zhuo Fu, give me back my crabs!"
Zhuo Fu, who couldn’t care less about these small matters, casually said, "Ah, this morning I sent some food to an old friend. I might’ve sent a portion to your teacher too? No hate, no spite; if rage makes you uptight, you're on your own tonight. I’ll get you new ones, no worries."
Zhuo Shu whistled as he went upstairs to his study. Right when he was getting some work done, Mi Shu’s call came through.
"Chairman, I’ve got the latest news—there’s a crab brand looking for Ying Tongchen as their ambassador!"
Alright!!!
Zhuo Shu sprang to his feet, then quickly settled back down, pretending to be calm. "Hmm, so when is he going for the shoot?"
"No, he turned it down."
"..." Zhuo Shu frowned. "Why?"
"He said he doesn’t want to shoot advertisements."
That little one’s got some nerve!
Zhuo Shu had never seen someone so smugly content with being a nobody, completely lacking any ambition.
Though a crab endorsement may not be as prestigious as high-end luxury brands, it was still a stepping stone—a way to start with a more approachable image. After all, exposure was the first step toward better opportunities.
"Forget it, if he doesn’t want to shoot, he doesn’t have to." Zhuo Shu was helpless against him. Ying Tongchen was someone he chose to take in—what choice did he have but to indulge him?
"One more thing, the car is ready." Mi Shu reported. "We’ve also found a few potential houses. One is a commercial property in the city center, and the other is a suburban villa. Which one do you prefer?"
Zhuo Shu was caught in a dilemma. Living in the city center made daily activities and meetups more convenient, but the suburbs offered far better privacy. The rooms were spacious, and it was much easier to enjoy the living room, the kitchen, the balcony, the pool...
Ahem, better not think too much.
If he kept going, he'd have a nosebleed and the jjwxc mods would be on his case.
"Let’s go with the suburban one for now. Send me the photos of the place later." Zhuo Shu said, then his eyes shifted as he added, "Tell me, if I send him crabs anonymously, would he figure it out it was me?"
Mi Shu paused for a moment, sensing the nervous yet slightly excited tone in his voice. She responded with a question of her own, "Do you want him to know?"
"It's an anonymous gift, so obviously I don't want him to know." What a joke. If he knew I sent him crabs, he’d think I have feelings for him.
Such a thing would be impossible. He had a clear understanding of himself—just a pure, business-minded man who only deals in interests, not emotions.
Sending crabs was simply charity, helping out a poor kid. It was a holiday, after all, a little meat for him to enjoy.
"He shouldn’t know then." Mi Shu, who had been with him for years, easily caught the subtext in his words and, knowingly, asked, "But Chairman, you did give him a gift. Even if he doesn’t return the favor, at least he should know it was you who did this good deed, right?"
"Exactly." This was one of the reasons Zhuo Shu favored Mi Shu—talking to smart people was always easy.
"I understand. I’ll reach out to him and send a ‘holiday blessing’ right away."
Zhuo Shu remained silent, but after hanging up, he settled back in his chair. He looked down, consciously stilling his restless leg from shaking.
On the other side, Ying Tongchen and his old man were staring at the mysterious hairy crabs.
The old man asked, "Who sent these? Is it your significant other?"
"No." Ying Tongchen was too tired to explain his relationship with Zhuo Shu. "He and I aren’t that close. Besides, he doesn’t even know the address here. Only his secretary knows it. He sent me a file yesterday."
"Ah, so it’s from his secretary?"
"Let’s check the address," Ying Tongchen said, looking at the delivery label. It seemed familiar. After thinking for a while, he finally remembered—it was the address of Zhuo Zi’s house from his previous visit. "Looks like it’s from one of my students."
Ying Tongchen sent Zhuo Zi a photo of the crabs with a thank-you message.
Zhuo Zi, finally seeing her beloved crabs, responded with a casual "You’re welcome," and let go of her anger toward her dad.
Just then, Mi Shu's call came through. After exchanging well wishes with Ying Tongchen, she casually remarked, "It’s crazy busy even on a holiday. So many gifts from clients, even those I don’t usually keep in touch with, sent me loads. I had to rush back to the office to check it all."
Ying Tongchen suspected there was something more to Mi Shu’s words, but setting aside their special relationship, Zhuo Shu was still technically his client. Sending a gift was only proper.
Gift-giving was an art, after all.
For Mid-Autumn Festival, though? Mooncakes were the ideal gift. Ying Tongchen felt quite pleased with this effortless choice.
Immediately after the item arrived at the office, Mi Shu took it personally to the Zhuo family residence.
Just as Zhuo Zi was about to go out into the yard to open the door, a tall figure swept past her. It was none other than Zhuo Shu, expressionless, moving swiftly like the wind.
"Chairman, this is the gift he selected after much consideration, specially for you," Mi Shu said, standing at the door and handing it over.
"Heh, just mooncakes," Zhuo Shu sneered, glancing disdainfully at the plain packaging. Still, he took it from her.
"Huh, who sent these mooncakes? Let me see which brand it is." Zhuo Zi ran over, ready to grab the box.
Zhuo Shu held it up all high and mighty, gave her a look, and walked back into the living room, humming, "Clearly, you lack refinement. This is a brand unknown to the commoner. A truly thoughtful, high-end gift."
"What’s so great about it?" Zhuo Zi chased after him, her eyes lighting up as she ran back to her room. She came back holding the same box of mooncakes and slammed it down in front of him. "See, I got one too. It’s from school! Everyone at school got one! It’s from the school’s supermarket, wholesale!"
Bang—
Zhuo Shu’s eyes went blank, his limbs went numb, and smoke seemed to pour from his seven orifices. The mooncake box he was holding fell to the ground.
For some reason, Zhuo Zi could almost hear the sound of his heart breaking.