After a friendly exchange with the male leads regarding the arrangements for the Push Bug Tribe Queen, Ye Zhizhou abandoned his lover who wanted to spend more time with him and went offline to stir up trouble on the forums. As there hadn't been any new revelations for a while, the activities of the famous food critic Jing Shu, whose popularity had slightly declined due to the lack of fresh material, were once again heated up. This time, the exposed information directly concerned the interests of the players, so their enthusiasm was exceptionally high.
Big Drama: In fact, I've noticed something. When we cook dishes using Jing Shu's recipes and eat them, we don't experience any negative effects. But why does Jing Shu's dishes seem to have them?
Wife, I Love You: Did you all notice that after eating Jing Shu's dishes, you feel a light and comfortable sensation for a while, similar to using drugs?
Angel's Wings: Nonsense! Feeling comfortable after eating Jing Shu's dishes is because of her excellent culinary skills. You're all just jealous! It's nonsense! Stop slandering our precious Jing Shu! Stealing her recipes wasn't enough; now you want to tarnish our baby too. Are you even human? 🐰
...
Brain Dead on Meds: When I was practicing cooking, I once whimsically added strange things that dropped from monsters into the dishes. The results were various dishes with poison and negative effects. Jing Shu's dishes seem to have negative effects. Could it be because she also added strange things into them?
Transparent One with a Clue: I bet five cents it's true! I've compared the dishes my friends and I made with Jing Shu's. There are subtle taste differences and a significant difference in aroma! What's even scarier is that I've actually eaten at the Junzi Pavilion in real life. I only went once because I'm broke, but I did feel that light and airy sensation. I didn't think much of it until this incident blew up. It's terrifying!
Watching Drama Every Day: Jing Shu, come out~ Let's stir up some drama~ You've been active on the forum every day, so why haven't you shown up lately?
Angel's Wings: I've been to Junzi Pavilion many times, and I never had any problems! You're all just slandering!
Shazhou Has Leaves: You didn't go to the main branch in City B, did you? Due to my frequent business trips, I've eaten at various Junzi Pavilion branches, and only the main branch's dishes tasted a bit strange. Last time, I happened to see a customer storm out because their sense of smell detected something wrong with the food. It seemed like that customer had a keen nose and got disgusted.
Hehe: Could it be that Jing Shu's Junzi Pavilion in real life also adds bugs to their dishes? Damn! In the game, eating dishes with bugs only gives you some negative effects on your character, but in reality, it could cost lives!
Players were shocked, and their gossip enthusiasm soared once again. This time, their excitement was fueled not only by the thrill of gossip and curiosity but also by anger and disbelief, as their personal interests had been compromised. Ye Zhizhou watched the rapidly scrolling comments with satisfaction, logged out of various alt accounts, and went to bed.
The next day, he didn't log into the game but instead visited the restaurant owned by the protagonist's father. Due to his daughter's suppression, Jun Father's once-thriving chain of restaurants had dwindled to just two, and most of the staff had been laid off. The former big shot who used to be incredibly busy was now forced to take it easy, helping out at his own restaurant and spending time with his wife and children.
When Ye Zhizhou arrived, Jun Father was browsing the game forum on a tablet, his brow furrowed and his expression solemn.
"Mr. Jun," he stepped forward and handed over his business card, "Hello, I'm Fu Ximing, the current head of Fu Yuan. I have something I'd like to discuss with you regarding your daughter, Jun Shu Jing." After discovering that most of the storyline information didn't match reality, he thought of the Jun family, whom the protagonist had initially eliminated. Given the protagonist's behavior when confronting his stepmother and stepsister, he suspected that the entire storyline about the protagonist being neglected by his father and oppressed by his stepmother and stepsister was fabricated.
Jun Father looked up at him, then signaled to the waitress who was preparing to serve them, took the business card, and sighed suddenly, "I know what you want to ask... The current state of Fu Yuan is all because of my daughter, and I blame myself for not raising her properly... Come, let's talk in the private room upstairs."
Ye Zhizhou was somewhat surprised by Jun Father's overly accommodating attitude. He nodded and followed him upstairs.
Jun Father's name was Jun Chenguang. He had built his restaurant empire from scratch and was a small legend in the catering industry of City B. After experiencing the ups and downs of life, his mentality had become more peaceful, and he behaved like an ordinary small restaurant owner, with no airs about him. He led Ye Zhizhou to a seat, a bit embarrassed as he said, "The restaurant is a bit messy. I'm planning to sell this branch soon. I want to take my wife and children back to our hometown, especially my youngest daughter. She's not well and needs some peace and quiet."
Youngest daughter? Ye Zhizhou took the tea offered by Jun Father and recalled the information about the protagonist's stepsister, Jun Zhenzhen. Jun Zhenzhen, a freshman at a prestigious university, two years younger than the protagonist, and known for her intelligence. She fell into despair after failing to seduce the male lead and ended up in a downward spiral. Her studies suffered, she was diagnosed with a mental illness, her physical health deteriorated rapidly, and in the original storyline, she eventually succumbed to drug addiction and died from an overdose.
He swirled the teacup, carefully considering his next question, "Is your younger daughter's condition... characterized by bluish skin, frequent confusion, mental decline, and erratic behavior with incoherent speech?"
Jun Chenguang was taken aback. "Mr. Fu, how did you know..." He had never revealed his daughter's illness to anyone, always explaining it as a minor bone injury from a small car accident that required several months of rest when asked.
"I know how to treat this illness, to be honest. Before coming here, I inquired a bit about your family's situation. Your daughter's condition is not the first I've encountered," Ye Zhizhou said, extending his empathy and maintaining a friendly tone. "May I visit your daughter?"
Jun Chenguang led him to a quiet neighborhood near the restaurant and explained as they walked, "Because I plan to return to our hometown, I've already sold all our previous properties. We're renting our current place, it's on a high floor without an elevator. Please bear with us, Mr. Fu."
Ye Zhizhou quickly assured him that it was not a problem, and his impression of Jun Father improved even more. This person, who was so considerate and kind in every way, didn't seem like someone who would neglect his daughter.
Following Jun Father to the seventh floor, they arrived at the door just as a middle-aged woman came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of soup.
"Xiaowei, we have a guest," Jun Father greeted the woman before turning to Ye Zhizhou. "This is my wife, Jin Wei."
Ye Zhizhou greeted Jin Wei with a smile, then carefully observed her. He couldn't help but question the malicious stepmother part of the storyline given Jin Wei's friendly demeanor.
Jin Wei's personality matched her appearance—very gentle and kind. After some hesitation upon learning of Ye Zhizhou's purpose, she went into the room to tidy up their daughter before allowing them in. She expressed her worry, saying, "Zhenzhen's condition has been getting worse lately, and I'm genuinely concerned... Mr. Fu, have you really seen cases similar to Zhenzhen's?"
[Scan complete, parasite toxin deeply infiltrated, three years of life remaining, suitable medicines: Nine-Clear Thousand-Dew Pill and Ten-Complete Rejuvenation Pill.]
Ye Zhizhou comforted Jin Wei and then looked at Zhenzhen, who was lying on the bed, muttering incoherently with vacant eyes. He felt a sinking feeling and quickly fed her a Calming Pill. Once she closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep, he turned to Jun Father and Jin Wei, showing them the pills and explaining their effects in detail. He then asked if they agreed to administer them.
Jun Father hesitated, but Jin Wei immediately nodded in agreement. Faced with Jun Father's disapproval, she added with a hint of despair in her voice, "Given Zhenzhen's current condition... having even a glimmer of hope is better than continuing like this."
Jun Father remained silent, then walked out of the room, silently consenting to Ye Zhizhou's actions.
Fortunately, the system was as efficient as ever. After taking the pills, Zhenzhen's complexion improved not long after. Jun Father was astonished, while Jin Wei couldn't help but cover her mouth and cry tears of excitement. She turned to face Ye Zhizhou and seemed like she wanted to kneel and express her gratitude. "Thank you, thank you. The hospital couldn't figure out the cause of Zhenzhen's condition. They just said she was allergic to certain things, but mere allergies couldn't have led to her current state. My elder daughter ran away from home, and if something happens to my younger daughter, I don't know how I could go on..."
Ye Zhizhou quickly stepped forward to support her, then redirected the conversation towards Jun Shu Jing. "Elder daughter ran away from home? Are you referring to Jun Shu Jing, the current owner of Junzi Pavilion? I came here this time to discuss with you..."
"Junzi Pavilion's owner?" Jin Wei was stunned, unintentionally interrupting him. She turned to Jun Chenguang in confusion and asked, "Chenguang, who is the owner of Junzi Pavilion?"
Jun Chenguang averted his gaze, speaking softly, "Xiaowei, actually... Junzi Pavilion is run by Shu Jing..."
"What?!" Jin Wei was in shock. She grabbed his arm and asked anxiously, "So, you mean Shu Jing has been in the same city as me all along? Why did you keep this from me? I've been worrying about her not living well outside, and you...!"
Ye Zhizhou raised an eyebrow. Jin Wei's surprise and concern were genuine. So, that meant... He scratched his head and thought, "Tongtian, there's a significant gap in your information this time."
Tongtian moved his fake wings, mirroring the silence he often displayed in the game.
While waiting for Zhenzhen to wake up, Ye Zhizhou had a good conversation with Jun Father and Jin Wei. He learned a wealth of information that had never been mentioned in the storyline.
The protagonist's leg condition was congenital, but she could actually walk. It was the protagonist's own decision to use a wheelchair because she thought walking with a limp looked unattractive. Over time, her leg muscles atrophied, and she genuinely couldn't walk anymore.
Jin Wei married Jun Father when the protagonist was one year old. After their marriage, she treated the protagonist as her own daughter, even though she later had two children of her own. She continued to care for the protagonist, who had health issues, and even showed partiality toward her due to her poor health. Contrary to what the plot mentioned, Jin Wei did not allow the protagonist to enter the kitchen not because she feared the protagonist would learn cooking and take over the family business, but because she was concerned about the protagonist getting injured. When the protagonist was in her rebellious teenage years, she didn't excel academically, secretly started smoking, and somehow damaged her health. The kitchen had too much oil smoke, and Jin Wei worried that the protagonist would inhale it and worsen her health, which is why she didn't allow her into the kitchen.
As for not letting the protagonist go to school and intentionally trying to ruin her life, that's even more unfounded. Jin Wei worked tirelessly to secure a bright future for her, hiring tutors every year, with no fewer than eight each year, but the protagonist had no interest in studying. She didn't want to attend school or cooperate with tutors. Later, in a rebellion against Jin Wei, she even seduced a male tutor, forcing Jin Wei to replace all the male tutors with female ones.
"It's probably true that she didn't have much talent for studying. Shujing took the college entrance exam twice and didn't get into a good university. After that, she gave up on herself, spending her days playing games and even secretly bought that holographic game capsule against our wishes," Jin Wei sighed. "Zhenzhen couldn't stand her decadent lifestyle and confronted her. Later, we tried to get Shujing into an art school since she loved drawing as a child. We hoped she would continue her education and become an artist, and we planned to open a small art gallery for her in the future. But we never expected her to resist this idea so strongly that she ran away from home."
Jun Chenguang patted her back and shook his head. "It's not your fault. These years, I..."
"It's really not Mom's fault," the weak Jun Zhenzhen interrupted from the corner of the room. She leaned against the door frame with a cold gaze. "Dad, why do you think the family business suddenly went downhill without reason? It's all because of what my sister did! She has a rotten heart! On the day of the incident, I went to the city center to buy something and saw my sister laughing and chatting with a man as they came out of a women's clothing store. Do you know how shocked and pleasantly surprised I was at that moment? She walked out! She walked out on her own two legs! I approached her to persuade her to come back home, but... well, she nearly killed me! It was only then that I realized she had been hating Mom, me, and my brother all along! And Dad, she felt you favored me and ignored her, so she wanted to destroy your proud business!"
Jun Father and Jin Wei were shocked by her words, and Ye Zhizhou checked the storyline information and marked it with a big X.
"Zhenzhen, you said Shujing wanted to kill you?" Jin Wei got up to support her, her voice trembling. "So your illness..."
"She poisoned me!" Jun Zhenzhen's eyes slowly turned red, a mix of anger and grievance in her voice. "She said I loved looking pretty and wearing dresses to provoke her, so she wanted to make me ugly, slowly turning me into a loathsome lunatic who would die in agony. Mom, you have no idea how terrifying her expression was at the time... she's my sister, the one I grew up with, how could she..."
Jin Wei hugged her, her eyes blank, gradually welling up with tears as she didn't know how to face the truth her younger daughter had just revealed.
Jun Father's face turned pale, his hands clenched tightly together, his eyes still filled with disbelief. "How could this be... how could it be Shujing... my shop, your illness, she... I thought she just didn't want to rely on us anymore, wanting to make it on her own..."
After some time, the three of them finally calmed down. Jun Zhenzhen collected herself and looked at Ye Zhizhou, saying, "I know you, Master Fu. After being poisoned, I was in a daze for a while and overheard a conversation between Shujing and someone else. She had a secret recipe, a poison made from various insects. She was thrilled and claimed that she had already pushed the Fu family to the point of no return with those recipes. I remember her calling the person on the other end 'Boss Wang.' Mr. Fu, thank you for saving me. If possible, I hope you can stop my sister from continuing to harm others. Those poisons are really dangerous. Whatever you plan to do with her, I'm willing to help."
Jun Father's mouth moved, but he couldn't bring himself to utter words of opposition. The shock had been quite profound for Jin Wei, who sat beside, looking dazed.
Ye Zhizhou observed their reactions and sighed inwardly. He said, "Don't worry; I won't let her continue harming others." The protagonist in this world had even deceived her own family; it was truly... ∞End∞of∞Story∞provided∞by∞Rabbit∞Web∞for∞Online∞Reading∞
Another three days passed, and the protagonist had become infamous on the forum, becoming the target of public criticism. In the game, the protagonist's name had completely disappeared from the wealth ranking list. In reality, Junzi Pavilion's business had fluctuated several times, and several branches had closed down. Apart from the main store in city B, the remaining stores were struggling. Due to rapid expansion and the loss of most of their business as well as the game's income, Junzi Pavilion's financial situation was teetering on the edge of collapse.
With the undercover agent Ru Xing, Ye Zhizhou had a clear understanding of the protagonist's current situation.
"Yu Jiangbo and others refuse to fund Jun Shujing?" He switched his phone to his other hand and reached for the mouse. "What's going on? Tang Ye and Shi Zhe also declined?" Tang Ye was the one who had suffered the most from the protagonist's poisoned dishes, and Shi Zhe was the hero who had helped her recover from her leg condition. Their feelings for the protagonist were slightly deeper than the others.
"They refused as well," Qi Xing paused and added, "A few days ago, I invited them to Fu Garden for a meal. Afterward, I heard that Tang Ye had stomach issues for two days, and Shi Zhe had developed a rash. The others also felt somewhat uncomfortable. Be careful; their hatred for Fu Garden has grown significantly recently."
To detoxify as many potentially poisoned individuals as possible, all the dishes at Fu Garden had been laced with elixirs recently. The symptoms exhibited by these male leads were normal reactions during the detoxification process. Ye Zhizhou's hand, scrolling the mouse, paused, and he sneered, "They're still resentful even after I detoxified them? Have they had enough of living?"
Qi Xing coughed awkwardly and weakly said, "I'll explain it to them indirectly. They should gradually feel their bodies improving."
Ye Zhizhou rolled his eyes, hung up the phone, and clicked on the post made by Jun Zhenzhen.
Once Jun Zhenzhen's post was released, the game forum exploded again—exposing the great god Jing Shu had transitioned from the game to reality, and those exposing her were actually confronting her in person. It was a real-life showdown, with real punches thrown. It was truly the grand spectacle of the year, extremely thrilling!
At eight o'clock that evening, Ye Zhizhou crouched outside the instance, gathered all the male leads who logged in on time, and used a party summoning order. As the male leads appeared one by one like radishes, he activated the sharing function and opened the game forum.
"The Insect-Killing Queen requires the cooperation of fifty people. I've also invited some other great gods. Before they arrive, let's take a look at some gossip. Oh, by the way, I've prepared some snacks for everyone. They all have buff effects, so feel free to taste them."
Ge Lv appeared with yet another alternate account, serving food to the stunned male leads with a straight face. He grinned and said, "Eat up, and after that, let's work hard."
The male leads: "..."
"Be more polite; don't just eat the flying vinegar!" Ye Zhizhou slapped him on the back and clicked on Jun Zhenzhen's post. After a few seconds, he closed it again. "I invited Jing Shu great god to help us with this instance. It's not right to gossip behind her back. Let's switch to another topic."
Qi Xing gave him a speechless look. Those few seconds they spent looking at what they shouldn't have already revealed everything, didn't they? Clicking on it and then closing it, wasn't that intentionally piquing their curiosity?
As expected, the other male leads' faces changed after briefly glancing at the post's title. Due to their busy real-life schedules, they spent less time in the game and rarely engaged in forum activities. For male leads whose knowledge of gossip was limited to "Jing Shu's food had issues, affecting the business," those few words, "premeditated murder, tainted food," were incredibly shocking.
After enjoying a meal at Fu Garden, the male leads, whose minds had become a bit less tormented, quickly seized the bait left by Ye Zhizhou. They exchanged glances, and Yu Jiangbo, speaking on behalf of all of them, said, "Let's take a look at the original post. Jing Shu is our friend, and we're more concerned about its content."
Ge Lu drew his knife and said, "Eat while I show you."
The male leads: "..."
Ye Zhizhou dragged his lover back, once again opening the post, "Then, before Jing Shu great god arrives, let's take a look at the original post." The fish had bitten the bait, and the net was cast; they were just waiting for the protagonist to come crashing in.
They couldn't wait to see the reaction when the flag was pulled out!
Ge Lu glanced at him, his eyes seemingly emitting green light, and his face grew darker. He blocked Ye Zhizhou's view of the male leads and said ominously, "Do you think they look better than me?"
This jealous person! Ye Zhizhou rolled his eyes and patted his face, "What's so good about your fake face? If you're so capable, use your real face!"
[Your friend's alternate account 007 has gone offline.]
Ye Zhizhou: "..."
[Your friend, GM Lu, is online.]
The air twisted for a moment, and Ge Lu, dressed in a GM-exclusive red robe, appeared in front of him. He directly reached out and pulled Ye Zhizhou into his arms, their eyes met, noses touching, and they shared breaths. "From now on, you're only allowed to look at me."
The male leads all lowered their heads, gazing at the snacks in their hands... So, are these snacks sometimes called dog food?
With a devilish face and a sexy red robe, this handsome demeanor... Ye Zhizhou didn't hold back and hugged his lover back, drooling excessively. "Look, look, look! Only you! You're the best-looking!"
Ge Lu smiled, and the male leads were left choking on the dog food.