Chapter 182

Chapter 182

Yi Tiantian looked at the mark where he had been hit on his chest and gaped in shock, his heart sinking.

On the other hand, Ye Ye, who had successfully secured the victory, grinned smugly and slowly lowered the paintball gun in his hand.

The orange tabby cat that had just been shot took the opportunity to quickly escape.

The shop owner glared at Ye Ye and his mother, stood up, and pointed at Ye Ye, who was standing triumphantly, shouting loudly, "Do you think just because you're recording a show you can act so irresponsibly?! Who gave you permission to touch my cat?!"

Despite the shop owner's anger, both Ye Ye and his mother remained emotionless.

Ye Ye's mother, as if just going through the motions, stepped forward and forced him to bow his head.

"Say you're sorry, now!"

The once smug Ye Ye, now forced to lower his head, muttered a reluctant 'sorry' through clenched teeth.

However, their apology appeared completely insincere to everyone present.

And after such a perfunctory apology, there was no further action.

As a true cat lover, Yi Tiantian could not stand Ye Ye's cruel behavior just now.

He could even tolerate losing the game, but he could not bear the cat's cry of distress caused by Ye Ye's actions!

"Ye Ye, the cruel child, has struck again!"

"In order to win this game, he actually attacked the little cat!"

"What a despicable move!!"

If not for Yi Tiantian's thoughts, everyone might have remained unaware of Ye Ye's deliberate actions.

The Xie siblings also frowned and looked at Ye Ye. They couldn't understand how a kid who seemed polite and even a bit cute could harbor such dark thoughts.

Although both Ye Ye and his mother could hear Yi Tiantian's thoughts, they appeared completely indifferent, as if being exposed in front of everyone had no effect on them.

However, viewers watching the stream had sharp eyes, and everyone felt some dissatisfaction towards Ye Ye's act of using the paintball gun on the cat.

[Did Ye Ye just do that on purpose? He actually used someone else's kindness to achieve his own goal?!]

[Are kids these days really that cunning?! And by cunning, I mean it in a bad way!]

[Such a young child with such manipulative thinking, sorry but even though Ye Ye is handsome, I can't like him! The innocent cat is too pitiful!]

[If it weren't for his dirty tricks and ambush, he would have been shot by Yi Tiantian! There's no way he could have won otherwise!]

[I don't acknowledge his victory!]

Ye Ye's actions had clearly caused outrage among the viewers, but the people on site were unaware as Ye Ye, having obtained the championship he had long dreamed of, left the shop happily. Only the staff of the show were left behind, being confronted by the shop owner, who demanded an apology for Ye Ye's behavior towards the cat.

It could be said that, apart from Ye Ye and his mother, almost everyone present felt ashamed of his actions and apologized to the owner.

In the end, the production team not only calmed the shop owner's emotions but also bought cat food for the cat as compensation, and only then was the matter settled.

However, Ye Ye and his mother were unaware that the staff were covering for them, as all the guests were now gathered together, preparing to present the long-awaited prize for the hide-and-seek champion.

Yi Tiantian had been dying to know what the prize was and, since the system had not revealed any details, he was very much looking forward to the upcoming announcement.

After leaving the shopping street, the guests were first asked to pack their belongings before finally meeting up at the hotel.

For Yi Tiantian, this was the easiest part, as he had been staying at the hotel from the start. The other guests, on the other hand, had to gather their luggage from various locations and head to the hotel.

When Yi Tiantian got back to the hotel, he was blown away by what he saw. The previously shabby hotel lobby was now decorated with a balloon arch, and a red carpet was rolled out in style. At the end of the red carpet, under the balloon arch, there was a simple white table with a board covered by a red cloth.

"What is this? What does it have to do with our show?"

Yi Tiantian turned to the staff who had come in behind him, asking with great curiosity.

"Yes, this is our mysterious grand prize!"

Director Xiao Chen took off his sunglasses and answered eagerly.

"This prize is priceless!"

Seeing Director Xiao Chen so excited, Yi Tiantian became even more curious.

He couldn't help but wonder what kind of grand prize Ye Ye would win.

After returning to the hotel, the guests changed their outfits, removing the disguises they had worn for the hide-and-seek game. They then came down to the hotel lobby to witness the unveiling of the grand prize together.

Yi Tiantian was already seated in the chair set up in the hotel lobby, waiting for everyone. The first to come down from upstairs were the Xie siblings.

Xie Niao and Xie Yi had changed into their usual attire and walked down the stairs refreshed, looking at Yi Tiantian.

"Brother Tiantian! It's good to see you again! After we got off the plane, the program team took us to a small house. I thought we were kidnapped!"

Xie Niao immediately greeted Yi Tiantian with warmth.

Xie Yi nodded at Yi Tiantian and stood by, watching the conversation between Xie Niao and Yi Tiantian.

Next to come down were child star Lan Lan and her father, who has very traditional views.

After changing into her own clothes, Lan Lan looked even more adorable. Her big, innocent eyes sparkled, making everyone melt.

However, the tears in her big eyes were not from joy but from the tears she had shed just moments ago.

"Lan Lan is such a poor child. She has been forced to earn money since she was young. Her parents treat her as a money-making tool!"

"Her father is not only patriarchal but also favors boys over girls!"

"At such a young age, Lan Lan takes on so many programs, essentially to earn tuition fees for her younger brother!"

"I just can't understand how anyone could treat their own child like this!"

As soon as they appeared, Yi Tiantian's thoughts were heard, and all the staff present looked at Lan Lan and her father.

Lan Lan's father looked uncomfortable and tried to hide his embarrassment with a forced smile. However, he grabbed Lan Lan more forcefully and pulled her into the chair.

Tears welled up in Lan Lan's eyes.

This did not escape the notice of the viewers on the live stream.

[Why does Lan Lan's father seem upset? And why is he being so rough with her?]

[That pull was way too hard; Lan Lan's wrist is already turning red!]

[I noticed during the hide-and-seek game that this father is extremely patriarchal. Poor Lan Lan!]

[I plan to review the variety shows Lan Lan has appeared in to see if I can uncover any signs of abuse. We can't allow Lan Lan to be exploited as a money-making tool by this abusive father.]

At this point, Lele and his mother came down the stairs.

Lele's mother was gentle and lovely, holding Lele's hand carefully as they walked down the stairs. She reminded Lele to watch his steps and be mindful of the stairs.

Although Lele was usually very obedient, he was still a child at heart and hopped down the stairs, almost missing a step.

"Lele, walk properly."

Lele's mother's tone became more serious, but unlike other parents, she wasn't putting pressure on her child.

Hearing his mother's words, Lele cheekily stuck out his tongue and began to walk properly.

"This mother-son duo seems the most normal and healthy in this episode!"

"But unfortunately, their happiness is counting down because Lele's mother's health is very poor. After this show, she might enter her final days."

"Lele's mother participated in this show to leave some beautiful memories and records for Lele, so he can look back on them when he grows up..."

Yi Tiantian's inner thoughts about Lele and his mother undoubtedly stirred everyone's sadness and sympathy.

It was such a pity that this healthy and intimate family was facing separation, while Lan Lan's father, who treated his child as a money-making tool, was living just fine!

At this moment, everyone's hatred towards Lan Lan's father intensified. Sweating profusely, Lan Lan's father could feel countless eyes on him.

However, since Lele and his mother couldn't hear Yi Tiantian's inner thoughts, Lele simply greeted everyone politely under his mother's guidance and then took his seat.

The final ones to appear were the winners of the hide-and-seek game—Ye Ye and his mother.

As they came down the stairs, Ye Ye's mother had a blank expression, but Ye Ye, being young, had a face full of joy for winning.

But those who knew about Ye Ye's cat-abusing incident weren't happy for him. On the contrary, they felt that his championship wasn't deserved!

Awarding him this prize felt unjustified.

And Yi Tiantian uncovered some disturbing information about this unusual mother-son relationship.

"Ye Ye's family was approached by an older man from the Entertainment Industry with a history of exploiting young boys. He offered to ensure Lele's success in the Entertainment Industry if they allowed him to take Lele under his wing."

Given their financial struggles, the family reluctantly agreed to the offer. But because Ye Ye's mother had a strong aversion to same-sex relationships, she began to distance herself from Lele, and Lele became increasingly withdrawn and antisocial as a result of the trauma.

This shocking revelation left everyone in the room speechless. They opened their mouths wide, secretly glancing at Lele and his mother with wide eyes.

Indeed, Lele's previously happy expression had now turned gloomy, his eyes clouded over.

Lele's mother looked embarrassed and sighed inwardly.

Once everyone was seated, the staff came forward to reveal the grand prize for the hide-and-seek activity.

"I know you've all been waiting eagerly, so let's reveal the prize for our hide-and-seek game!"

Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the host standing by the archway.

Everyone waited for almost ten seconds, but the staff kept everyone in suspense, and the crowd was growing impatient, glancing curiously at the host.

"Let's proceed by inviting our event's winners, Ye Ye and his mother, to join us under the archway."

The host, who was a staff member, extended his hand to welcome the mother and son.

Ye Ye and his mother reluctantly stood from their chairs and made their way to the archway, but both of them appeared visibly subdued, their earlier sense of triumph now replaced by a palpable sense of disappointment.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of the audience, the host began to speak.