Chapter 54: That Was the Neighbor's Dog

After Xuanxuan finished reciting those domineering CEO quotes, the internet was swept up in a frenzy over this new meme, soon dubbed “CEO Talk.” The meme-loving netizens immediately made it go viral across the web. Countless short videos sprang up overnight. Even under Jiang Sui’s posts on Douyin, the comment sections were flooded with lines like—

“Woman, you have successfully caught my attention.”

“Woman, I want the whole world to know I am the fish in your pond.”

“Woman, you are the first woman I have ever liked.”

…

As the CEO meme gained more and more traction, the live broadcast of the variety show “Mom Is a Hero” approached its finale. The different parenting styles of Bai Xixue and Jiang Sui became hot topics, analyzed and debated by major bloggers. Bloggers who had been paid to praise Bai Xixue’s parenting methods found themselves bombarded with angry comments from viewers, to the point where some accounts were reported and banned. Still, there were quite a few water armies trying to hype up Bai Xixue by putting down Jiang Sui, but to most viewers who had been following Jiang Sui’s livestream, it was clear as day who the real trolls were.

“What are we going to do, Si Chen? The livestream is filled with people insulting me. I don’t want to keep broadcasting, sob sob…” Bai Xixue wept to Ji Sichen, “Didn’t you say you’d take care of everything?”

Ji Sichen’s voice was full of concern. “Don’t cry, darling. I didn’t expect things to turn out like this either. Don’t worry, it’ll all be fine soon… As for that woman, I won’t let her off.”

…

During the final segment of the show, Jiang Sui didn’t do anything particularly special. She simply presented to the audience an image of remarkable discipline. Whether it was entertainment, studying, or spending time with Xuanxuan, everything in her life was meticulously arranged. Everyone soon realized that Jiang Sui was far more outstanding than they had imagined. Her discipline and excellence stood in stark contrast to Bai Xixue’s laissez-faire attitude next door. Many who had once admired and aspired to Bai Xixue’s casual lifestyle began to change their minds. Clearly, Jiang Sui’s positive and disciplined approach felt much more inspiring. It was as if she radiated light, evoking both admiration and respect.

In the final hours of the parenting variety show’s livestream, the organizers announced a surprise for the audience. Sure enough, Bai Xixue’s livestream suddenly hit its peak traffic. The chat exploded with activity as the screen filled with a shower of rose petals, and then a man in a sharp suit appeared on camera. Although his face was not shown, just his silhouette was enough to send fans screaming with excitement. Li Lan and Xu Manman also had visitors in their livestreams, but no one made a grand entrance like Bai Xixue’s husband. Instantly, the hashtag #BaiXixue’sMysteriousHusbandAppears shot to the top of the trending list.

Meanwhile, fans who had been glued to Jiang Sui’s stream began to notice a few odd details. For instance, when Jiang Sui was doing yoga or working out, they occasionally caught a fleeting glimpse of a blurry male figure in the background. When fans asked her about it, Jiang Sui replied, “Maybe something’s not quite right in the house lately. I’ll put up a few talismans tonight.”

Fans: “?” Sui, please, can you stop? Superstition is not the way!

Lu Ye: “…” Who are you calling unclean?

There were other times when they’d hear a man’s voice in the background. Jiang Sui would say, “The neighbor’s dog has started imitating human speech lately. Sometimes it barks out a couple of words—it startled me too.”

Fans: “?”

Lu Ye: “…” He had a strong suspicion that Jiang Sui was taking a jab at him.