Chapter 101: Fine, Everyone Here Has Issues

The smile vanished from Bai Lu's face in an instant. Her bright, fawn-like eyes turned icy cold. Her little nose wrinkled slightly, a warning sign like a kitten about to bare its teeth. Oh no, Bai Xiaolu was about to lose her temper!

Qiao Qianyi and Lin Ye were still clowning around on their knees, while Zu Xin’en and Li Huan tried to pull them up. Only Di Jial was closest to Bai Lu; his reaction was quick, but Bai Lu was quicker. She poured the juice in her hand over Liu Nana's head.

"Sister Nana, drinking too much is bad for your health. Are you sober now?" Bai Lu looked at Liu Nana, her face expressionless.

Red raspberry juice trickled down Liu Nana’s cheek, dripping from the corner of her eye like a trail of bloody tears. One of Liu Nana's hands clenched the hem of her dress so tightly that her body trembled.

How dare she! How dare she pour juice on her in public! Bai Lu was trampling her dignity underfoot! She wanted Bai Lu dead! Through the strands of hair sticking to her face, Liu Nana glared at Bai Lu with venomous eyes.

"Heh." Bai Lu gave a cold laugh. "Still not sober? I don't mind helping you wake up a bit more." With that, she reached for another jug of juice on the coffee table—

Di Jial moved swiftly to stop her. "Xiaolu, calm down. Restrain yourself."

Zu Xin’en and the others signaled Bai Lu with their eyes as well. No matter how furious she was, this was best settled in private. Even if she wanted to give Liu Nana a beating, it couldn’t happen on a live broadcast!

Bai Lu spoke in an especially calm tone. "I didn’t slap her right away—surely that's calm and restrained enough."

Shen Xinluo, disliked much like Liu Nana, was also a marginal figure at tonight’s gathering. Hearing this, she quickly hugged Liu Nana, as if Bai Lu were some violent maniac liable to harm her at any moment.

The atmosphere was strained to the breaking point.

"Children speak without malice, it’s all right," Song Jinse sat there, dignified and elegant, a faint, gentle smile on her well-maintained face.

Lu Cheng’s status was incomparable; Liu Nana was nothing. Neither he nor his wife would stoop to her level—that would be beneath them. Anyone familiar with Lu Cheng would notice a trace of amusement on his stern face. He was pleased that his precious granddaughter defended him so fervently.

"My, it’s so late already," Song Jinse smiled, rising to her feet. "Old man, we should be heading back. Xiaolu and the others have to get up early for their tasks tomorrow."

Qiao Qianyi and Lin Ye hurried to either side of the elderly couple, helping them up. Zu Xin’en handed their cane and bag to them, while Li Huan murmured, "Grandpa, Grandma, please don’t take it to heart. Sister Nana didn’t mean it—she just had a bit too much to drink and spoke without thinking."

Lin Ye chimed in, "Grandpa and Grandma are bound to live as long as the Eastern Sea and as steady as the Southern Mountain."

Qiao Qianyi added, "And after a hundred years, borrow another five centuries from the heavens!"

Song Jinse was amused. These young ones, each one more delightful than the next. The group crowded around Lu Cheng and Song Jinse, eager to see them off.

Di Jial stood close behind Bai Lu, his hands resting on her shoulders. He was tall—she only reached his chest. At this moment, no one spared a thought for whether the two were standing too close, or any rumors about a popular idol and the nation’s darling. Bai Lu was clearly on the brink of losing control.

"Grandpa, Grandma, take care," someone called.

"You can’t go yet—" Bai Lu, stunned, turned in disbelief to look at Di Jial.

Had she not been restrained enough? And now the problem child was Di Jial?

Di Jial shrugged lazily at her. "Grandpa and Grandma can’t leave just yet—someone still owes them an apology, don’t you think? You’re grown up enough to know what should and shouldn’t be said."

He moved Bai Lu behind him like a chick, looking down at Liu Nana. "Although Grandma said not to take it seriously, I can’t pretend I didn’t hear it. Asking you for an apology isn’t too much."

Liu Nana trembled with rage. This group! They’d all been brainwashed by Bai Lu! Fooled by her innocent appearance!

Qiao Qianyi, always a firebrand, had been holding herself back only because Bai Lu and the others hadn’t spoken up. She wasn’t afraid of trouble or criticism; she just didn’t want her impulsiveness to cause more mess for everyone else or jeopardize their careers. Liu Nana’s backers were indeed influential. But now that even Di Jial had stepped forward, Qiao Qianyi joined in: "Liu Nana, apologize to Grandpa and Grandma. They invited us to dinner and were so kind. You went and cursed them for no reason—you must apologize."

In Qiao Qianyi’s eyes, an apology was far too lenient—a mere formality.

Shen Xinluo grew anxious. "Sister Nana didn’t mean it! Didn’t Huan say so? She just had a bit to drink and spoke without thinking. She really meant to wish Grandpa and Grandma well! Isn’t that right, Sister Nana?"

In truth, that was exactly it. Liu Nana had drunk quite a bit that evening—champagne, red wine, and two cocktails. She disliked Bai Lu, and disliked the elderly couple even more, who, by buying favors, had turned the variety show into Bai Lu’s personal showcase, drawing all the attention and leaving the other guests as mere foils. But she wasn’t so foolish as to openly curse two elders during a live broadcast.

Still, Liu Nana understood that, no matter the truth, Bai Lu and her friends would never believe her now. They would only believe what they wanted to believe.

"Grandpa, Grandma, I’m very sorry," Liu Nana stood up and bowed deeply to the elderly couple. "I’m truly sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it—really, I am very, very sorry." She remained in a deep bow, her juice-soaked hair stiffly dangling in the air.

Song Jinse held her husband’s arm and smiled politely. "It’s all right."

Lu Cheng said nothing at all, not even sparing Liu Nana a glance.

Li Huan said, "Qiaoqiao and Xiaolu, go help Grandma. Xiaoye and Jial, help Grandpa. I’ll get the car. Brother En, please stay and watch the house."

He needed to remove these four volatile elements. They absolutely could not be left alone with Liu Nana right now.

Zu Xin’en signaled Li Huan with his eyes, assuring him not to worry about the house.

The production team, considerately, didn’t send a cameraman after them, only offering a distant shot. Any viewer just tuning into the livestream would surely find the scene heartwarming: under the starry night sky, a group of children escorting their grandparents on an evening stroll.