Sickly Bigshot CH 30 The Mysterious Guest
Translated by The BL Muse (ko-fi)
The entertainment reporters were instantly silenced by Qin Yancheng’s presence. After a brief moment of stunned silence, they suddenly realized their own shortsightedness—they had overlooked the real heavyweight, Shi Zhou, who was now officially confirmed by Qin Yancheng himself as his legitimate boyfriend!
The long-speculated “Mrs. Qin” had finally made an appearance. What a sensational headline this would be!
In an instant, the microphones swiveled, and the reporters frantically turned their attention to Shi Zhou.
Shi Zhou had been happily waving to his fans while casually accepting photos and markers thrust toward him, swiftly signing autographs with flourish.
Unexpectedly, he was suddenly swept into the whirlwind. Fortunately, Qin Yancheng shielded him by wrapping an arm around his shoulders, blocking the media frenzy as he ushered Shi Zhou into the car before sliding in beside him.
Once seated, Shi Zhou let out a long breath and cheerfully patted Qin Yancheng’s shoulder. “Wow, you’re really an Oscar-worthy—”
Wait. His cheap manager was sitting in the passenger seat. Their fake relationship absolutely couldn’t be exposed.
Cutting off his praise for Qin Yancheng’s acting skills as a fake boyfriend, Shi Zhou forced a sweet, lovesick smile and cooed in a syrupy voice, “Yan Cheng, you were so cool just now!”
The saccharine tone gave even himself goosebumps. Li Cheng, however, couldn’t tell it was an act and felt like an awkward third wheel. Trembling slightly, he turned around to greet Qin Yancheng. “Hello, Mr. Qin.”
Qin Yancheng responded with a faint “Mn,” prompting Li Cheng to quickly flatter, “As expected of Mr. Qin! You can effortlessly delay such a major show just like that.”
Shi Zhou blinked in surprise. “The delay was because of you? But you said money couldn’t fix this.”
—Oh. He had only said money couldn’t solve it, not that other methods wouldn’t work.
Qin Yancheng shot a displeased glance at Li Cheng through the rearview mirror. Realizing he had misspoken, Li Cheng immediately clammed up and sat quietly like a frightened chicken.
Shi Zhou flicked his ponytail, amused. He had already been labeled a “nepo baby” for relying on connections, but now he had single-handedly delayed the entire production schedule.
Thankfully, the show’s team had tactfully provided an excuse. If the others found out who was responsible for the one-day delay, they’d probably curse his entire family tree.
Shi Zhou was whisked away to the makeup room for quick preparations and an outfit change.
The personal assistant Qin Yancheng had assigned him was sharp-eyed and efficient, bustling around to fetch tea, adjust his clothes, and check his microphone.
The assistant, Bian Shuai—whose name sounded like “Become Handsome”—lived up to his name in spirit, if not entirely in appearance. A chubby, cheerful young man who looked like a college student, he was warm and endlessly talkative. Paired with Shi Zhou’s own chatterbox tendencies, the two hit it off immediately.
Once everything was ready, Shi Zhou stepped into the main room. The other four guests had already arrived, making a total of five. However, there was still one mysterious special guest yet to appear.
Shi Zhou was curious. On a show where tastes varied widely, who could the producers confidently claim would be “loved by everyone”?
Then again, it might just be empty hype—after all, even a minor celebrity with hordes of anti-fans could be introduced as a “popular idol.”
In public, especially among strangers, Shi Zhou dialed back his usual playful flippancy and politely greeted everyone with decorum.
Guo Chenming was a veteran actor who had once been a major star. Though his popularity had waned with age, his reputation and status in the industry were firmly established.
The most striking and handsome guy in the room was Tan Zhi, whom Shi Zhou recognized as the show’s biggest draw—a bona fide top-tier idol whose presence would undoubtedly boost the show’s ratings.
Tan Zhi fit the current trend perfectly, with a diamond stud glinting in his left ear and an overall sunny, charming demeanor.
“Shi Zhou, you look even better in person than in photos,” Tan Zhi said warmly, his friendly attitude belying his superstar status.
Shi Zhou, always appreciative of attractive people, replied sincerely, “Brother Tan is the truly handsome one.”
A pretty young woman sitting beside Tan Zhi nodded politely at Shi Zhou—this was Li Xiao, a rising starlet.
Shi Zhou’s gaze then landed on a less familiar male guest with heavy eye makeup and thick foundation, giving off a somewhat androgynous and youthful vibe. He looked barely eighteen, if that.
Shi Zhou couldn’t help but stare for a moment because this guy seemed... incredibly arrogant and disdainful?
After barely glancing at Shi Zhou, the boy looked away, nose practically in the air, as if he’d already won international awards.
Even Guo Chenming, who might naturally look down on newcomers, at least maintained basic politeness.
Since Shi Zhou had originally planned to accompany his “lonely and pitiful” sugar daddy, he hadn’t bothered researching the other guests beforehand. But by process of elimination, this must be Yang Yuxin.
Yang Yuxin and Shi Zhou were in similar positions—both minor celebrities likely shoehorned into the show through connections.
“Hello, everyone!” the director announced. “Now that we’re all here, the live broadcast of Real: Zero Distance is about to begin! Please get ready!”
The live stream started, with their destination being a stunning sunlit beach.
Shi Zhou checked his phone. The number of viewers was skyrocketing, and the comment section was buzzing—though most of the chatter about him was far from friendly.
The news of Qin Yancheng’s announcement hadn’t fully spread yet, so in the public eye, Shi Zhou was still the disgraced artist caught in a sugar daddy scandal.
Faced with creatively vicious comments that even Shi Zhou found impressively inventive, he was gradually growing immune. He was almost curious to see how much further they could go.
If people knew the show had been delayed by a day just to accommodate him, they’d probably grab their keyboards and hunt him down through the screen.
Fortunately, the production team hadn’t been idle the previous day. They had rearranged the shooting schedule, pre-recording interviews and special segments to avoid disrupting the other celebrities’ plans.
Shi Zhou rested his chin on his hand, lazily watching the scenery pass by. Qin Yancheng had dropped him off and left for some unknown business.
He opened WeChat:
—Qin sir, let’s chat for a bit.
—I’m so bored ahhhh
Unbeknownst to him, a high-definition live camera mounted on the roof of the van was clearly capturing his screen for all to see.
A moment later, Qin Yancheng replied with a curt, “Busy.”
Shi Zhou silently pouted and decided to kill time with a mobile game.
Just as he put on his headphones and tapped the screen, Tan Zhi suddenly turned and gestured for him to look behind him.
Shi Zhou turned—and found himself face-to-face with the live camera.
Oh ho. He was toast. A quick glance at the comments confirmed the worst:
[Thanks to the ultra-HD camera—did you see that? The contact name is “Qin Yancheng”! So he just confirmed Qin Yancheng is his sugar daddy?!]
[Why is Shi Zhou so shameless? Is he deliberately taunting everyone on camera? Like a dead pig unafraid of hot water?]
[Since he’s already exposed as a kept man, he’s just leaning into the controversial role, right?]
[Ugh, their conversation is so cringe. Look how Qin Yancheng barely responds. And “Qin sir”? So fake and flirty.]
[You haters are so dumb. Can’t they just be in a real relationship? Couples talk like this all the time.]
[The “Cheng-Zhou” ship is absolutely real! If it’s not now, it will be! I believe!]
Shi Zhou read the comments while hurriedly shifting to block the camera with his back.
The top trending hashtag had shifted from #Real:ZeroDistancePremiere to various Shi Zhou-related scandals. Or rather, ever since the explosive news of him appearing at Qin Yancheng’s manor late at night, negative trends about him hadn’t stopped.
The delayed announcement made it seem like he was either ignoring the controversy or had given up and accepted the criticism.
—Shi Zhou couldn’t help but wonder: When the anti-fans saw Qin Yancheng’s official announcement, would they solidify into stone from shock?
“Hey, let me see what Shi Zhou sent you. I want some fresh dog food.”
Xin Jing leaned over to peek, but Qin Yancheng, sitting impatiently in the makeup chair, swiftly locked his phone. His looks were beyond reproach—he didn’t even need foundation, just a quick hair touch-up.
Xin Jing stepped back to admire him. “Damn, you’re ridiculously photogenic! It’s a shame you never entered the entertainment industry—you’d raise the average attractiveness level by a mile.”
Qin Yancheng glanced indifferently at his reflection. After seeing the same face for so long, he didn’t find it as extraordinary as Xin Jing claimed.
“I owe Shi Zhou big time. Do you know how long I’ve been trying to get you on my show? Who knew even you would fall for a pretty face—Hey, Xiao Zhang, add more lipstick and blush.”
Qin Yancheng frowned. “No makeup. I don’t want to look effeminate.”
“Just a little. It’ll still look natural. Your complexion is... Anyway, I’ll tell the crew to go easy on you.”
Xin Jing had known Qin Yancheng for nearly sixteen or seventeen years and understood him well. He carefully avoided words like “poor health” or “sick,” but even dancing around the topic risked setting him off.
Sure enough, Qin Yancheng’s expression darkened slightly. “Treat me like everyone else.”
Xin Jing quickly conceded. “Fine, fine.”
He remembered Qin Yancheng as a child—radiant like a noble young prince, drawing people in effortlessly.
Back in elementary school, after Qin Yancheng won a long-distance race, Xin Jing had eagerly handed him water and struck up a conversation. “You’re amazing! You left the others in the dust! Weren’t you also first in the 100m and 200m sprints? I’m Xin Jing from Class 2.”
Qin Yancheng had accepted the water, wiping sweat from his forehead. Xin Jing still remembered his smile under the bright sun as he unscrewed the cap and replied modestly, “Thanks. I’m Qin Yancheng.”
Now, Qin Yancheng was a completely different person, both physically and mentally. Xin Jing had witnessed his drastic transformation—and glimpsed fragments of the reasons behind it.
Qin Yancheng patted his pockets, then turned to Xin Jing. “Got a cigarette?”
“Shi Zhou told you not to smoke. I’m not helping you break that rule. We’ll see him in half an hour anyway.”
The car ride was unbearably dull. Shi Zhou dozed against the window until the ocean came into view.
The sea was a brilliant blue, waves crashing against the rocks in bursts of white foam. Soon, the rocky shore gave way to vast stretches of golden sand, glittering under the sunlight.
Shi Zhou perked up immediately, pressing his face to the window.
He overheard Tan Zhi chatting with fans via the live comments. “Who’s the mysterious guest? I really don’t know... Seriously, the production team’s secrecy is insane... I don’t even know if it’s a man or woman.”
Yang Yuxin suddenly interjected, “Big stars don’t just magically free up their schedules. Whoever it is, don’t get your hopes up.”
Tan Zhi shot Yang Yuxin a baffled look. Did he not realize they were live? How could he say something so... tactless?
Before he could dwell on it, the van stopped. The one-day delay had left fans eagerly waiting, and the comments were now flooded with calls for Tan Zhi.
Next in line was Shi Zhou, the controversial figure with a scandal hanging over him.
With no explanation for the sugar daddy rumors and now appearing on a high-profile variety show, his controversial debut was in full swing. Everyone was waiting to see what drama he’d stir up next.
The group stepped out onto the beach. The director announced, “Welcome to the beautiful coastal city of Yanjin! Our first challenge will take place right here on this beach.”
Li You sighed appreciatively. “It’s so pretty. I rarely get to see the ocean.”
Shi Zhou couldn’t resist digging his toes into the soft sand.
The mood was lighthearted, and even the anti-fans momentarily forgot to bash Shi Zhou as they admired the scenery—until Yang Yuxin once again opened his mouth.
“The sun’s so strong. We’re all going to get tanned. And I can already smell the ocean—it reeks like dead fish.”
[??? Is he trying to play the ‘blunt honesty’ card? It’s not working.]
[This Yang Yuxin is so whiny. Who even is he?]
[What’s wrong with the production team? Out of five guests, two are clearly nepo babies?]
[Don’t drag us into this. Yang Yuxin is just an idiot. Direct your hate at him, thanks.]
Shi Zhou nearly laughed. He’d initially wondered why Yang Yuxin, another connection-based nobody, would mock him. Now it was clear: Yang Yuxin was simply lacking in both EQ and basic decency.
Maybe he was just young and inexperienced, but why should anyone excuse his behavior for that?
—No wonder even pre-recorded, edited shows had stars whose personas collapsed. Live broadcasts were even less forgiving.
Tan Zhi didn’t bother hiding his smirk, openly ridiculing Yang Yuxin.
The production team pretended not to hear and continued, “But before we begin, let’s introduce today’s mysterious special guest—”
The audience’s excitement surged. Speculation had shifted from guessing the guest’s gender to outright naming possibilities. Shi Zhou also watched intently, wondering if this would live up to the hype or just be empty marketing.
Then the guest appeared—dressed in a white casual top and black pants that accentuated his long, lean legs. His exquisitely formed ankles peeked out, and his tall, upright posture exuded an aura of cool, commanding elegance.
Shi Zhou’s eyes widened. That impossibly gorgeous face was all too familiar.
The mysterious guest was Qin Yancheng!
After endless speculation, the internet exploded. Qin Yancheng was on a variety show?!
He was famously low-key, with very few clear photos of him available. How much had the show paid to get someone of his status to appear?
Only one explanation seemed both impossible and inevitable: Had Qin Yancheng come... for Shi Zhou?
The comments section went silent for a beat—then erupted.