Young artists compete, and even the richest fans have to fight for their votes.

Chapter 51 Dinner Party

With the example of Duan Jiyu's stark contrast between his online and offline personas, Shu Hua couldn't help but start making connections.

But even after searching every corner of her memory, she really didn't recognize anyone named He Peiji.

Not to mention the name itself, even the surname of the crane is so unique.

If she knew her, she couldn't possibly have no recollection of her at all.

Shu Hua was at her wit's end and could only look at Huo Linzhou beside her with a puzzled expression, her eyes filled with pleading.

Huo Linzhou was amused by her bewildered look, put down his teacup, and slowly began to speak:

"The free spirit you blocked without saying a word yesterday, the one I mentioned to you, the guy with the ID Xinghai."

"Ah~" Shu Hua said in a daze, her face flushing slightly. She wished she could disappear into the ground and her toes were practically digging holes in the soles of her shoes.

Seriously? Meeting someone you met online in real life is one thing, but what is this?

Meeting up offline with a netizen you've unilaterally blocked—that's just incredibly embarrassing!

Fans always say she has a unique way of thinking, but she thinks her daddy is just as eccentric, always doing things that catch people off guard.

Well, this is probably what father and daughter look like: one dares to dream, and the other dares to make the plans.

Compared to Shu Hua's embarrassment, she felt like she wanted to bury her head in the ground.

He Peiji, on the other hand, appeared calm and composed. He extended his hand first, a gentle smile playing on his lips, acting as if they were old friends.

"Hello, Huazai, nice to meet you for the first time."

I am He Peiji, He as in "free-spirited crane," Pei as in "survival of the fittest," and Ji as in "salvation."

"Hello, hello~" Shu Hua quickly reached out and shook hands with him, but quickly withdrew her hand as soon as her fingertips touched his, and her cheeks became even hotter.

This was the first time someone had called her "Hua Zai" to her face, and the intimate term made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

The level of embarrassment was comparable to the first time she heard her daddy call her "baby".

Duan Jiyu sat to the side, taking in Shu Hua's embarrassed appearance.

A flicker of curiosity crossed his face, and he couldn't help but tease:

"Are you really an introvert?"

I thought your mischievous behavior in the live stream was just your true self.

During the live stream, she didn't seem introverted at all.

"He acts quite naturally and familiarly when punishing people."

"I already told you I have social anxiety."

Facing Duan Jiyu, whom she was somewhat more familiar with, Shu Hua finally relaxed a little. She pouted and retorted softly, but her voice lacked conviction.

"When you're punishing someone, that's not called being friendly; it's called being excited."

When emotions run high, social anxiety is momentarily forgotten.

Duan Jiyu laughed even harder, "Your social anxiety is quite flexible!"

Huo Linzhou noticed Shu Hua's unease and spoke up to smooth things over, saying, "Everyone's here, let's eat first."

These words were like a savior. Shu Hua felt as if she had been granted a pardon and nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice.

He picked up his chopsticks and buried his head in his rice, as if he wanted to bury his face in the bowl.

During a break in the meal, Shu Hua dared to secretly raise her eyes and quickly glance at the two people sitting opposite her. In the end, curiosity overcame her embarrassment.

Duan Jiyu, whom she recognized somewhat, didn't look much like she had imagined.

Whether it's interaction in the live stream or chatting online.

I always felt that Duan Jiyu was very talkative and had a smug look about him. He seemed like the flamboyant and unconventional type.

But the boy in front of her was a handsome man with very regular features, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a high nose bridge, lips that were perfectly shaped, and a clean and neat jawline that looked as if it had been measured with a ruler.

Her outfit exuded a casual and refreshing vibe. Inside, she wore a well-tailored pure white round-neck cotton T-shirt, and outside, she loosely wore a light blue denim jacket, with the sleeves casually rolled up to her forearms, revealing a section of her fair wrist.

He looked like a clean-cut young man, exuding youthful energy, as pure as a clear spring.

Shu Hua thought of Fu Sheng Ruo Meng, who had a sharp tongue and loved to bicker and argue with her during the previous live stream.

Looking at the clean-cut young man in front of me, I just couldn't connect the two of them.

Sure enough, most attempts to meet in person end in disaster.

In comparison, another person she blocked was a free spirit.

Because we don't have a way to contact each other, we haven't chatted online.

In the live stream, it wasn't really an interaction, but Shu Hua hadn't expected him to be like this, so she accepted it quite naturally.

This He Peiji looks a few years older than Duan Jiyu, and has a mature air about him that is somewhat similar to Daddy's.

Of course, his aura is far less powerful and intimidating than Daddy's.

Shu Hua secretly estimated that he was probably a few years older than her and a few years younger than Daddy.

His attire was noticeably more refined; he wore a dark green silk shirt.

Two buttons were loosely undone at the neckline, revealing her well-defined collarbone just right, exuding a touch of unintentional sexiness.

He wore a thin, dark gray suit jacket over his shirt, which was well-tailored and accentuated his tall and straight figure.

At the cuffs, a pair of uniquely designed obsidian cufflinks peek out subtly under the light, exuding understated luxury.

Hmm... I just feel that this outfit, especially sitting next to Duan Jiyu who is dressed in a clean denim outfit, inexplicably exudes a kind of flamboyant vibe.

Could it be because the neckline is too low? But the color looks perfectly normal.

Compared to Duan Jiyu's upright and heroic features, his facial features were softer overall, with thin and long eyebrows and slightly upturned eyes. If you only looked at his face, he actually had a bit of a feminine look.

However, combined with his innate nobility and subtle sense of control, it was a perfect balance, without appearing effeminate at all.

Hmm, I guess he's the kind of playboy who doesn't come across as greasy?

After quickly observing the two people's appearances and completely satisfying his curiosity, he...

Shu Hua's gaze naturally returned to Huo Linzhou beside her.

She rested her chin on her hand, watching her Daddy's composed and elegant demeanor, and silently made a conclusion in her mind:

Yes, her Daddy is still the most handsome, no one can compare.

Shu Hua's gaze, though not sharp, carried a rather direct scrutiny, which Duan Jiyu and He Peiji sensed almost instantly.

However, that scrutiny was as pure as a child seeing something new, full of curiosity.

There was none of the possessive covetousness that those who usually fawned over them could not hide in their eyes.

It's not scorching hot, nor is it deliberately hot; on the contrary, it's very gentle and won't make anyone feel uncomfortable at all.

Such a clean gaze aroused a subtle curiosity in Duan Jiyu and He Peiji—they wondered what kind of evaluation Shu Hua would give their faces.

I even secretly thought that the two of them were completely different types.

I don't know which type Shuhua would prefer.

Of course, this is just a matter of simple curiosity.

There's no intention to compare; after all, aesthetics is a very subjective matter.

They weren't actually unfamiliar with Shu Hua; they had seen her in the live stream before.

The real person is sitting right across from me. Their eyebrows and eyes are almost exactly the same as in the video. You can tell at a glance that they haven't used any excessive skin smoothing or face-slimming filters. It's their real, natural appearance.

Compared to the slightly softer features on camera, her real-life features are more three-dimensional, with a high nose bridge, well-defined lips, and a perfectly proportioned jawline, making her even more refined than she appears on screen.

She is indeed a rare beauty.

However, if these words came from Duan Jiyu and He Peiji, they would lose much of their wow factor.

After all, they had seen all kinds of beauties, both inside and outside the entertainment industry, exquisite, bright, gentle, what hadn't they seen?

The initial amazement at Shu Hua's beauty was fleeting.

The feeling faded quickly, leaving only a few objective perceptions of what it "looks good".

The atmosphere at the dinner table wasn't too dull, but with strangers Duan Jiyu and He Peiji present, Shu Hua, who was usually very talkative in front of Huo Linzhou, was noticeably quieter.

She kept her head down, slowly stirring the rice in her bowl. Occasionally, she would glance at the two people opposite her, then quickly lower her head again. Her reserved demeanor was completely different from her lively and outgoing personality in the live stream.

Huo Linzhou found it rather unusual.

He put down his chopsticks, tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, cleared his throat, and took the initiative to explain the reason for today's dinner.

"After you blocked Xiaohe yesterday, this kid came to me and begged and pleaded with you to let him out."

As Huo Linzhou spoke, he glanced at He Peiji, who looked helpless, and continued, "But this is your choice, and I can't interfere directly."

Then I remembered that you were saying last time that Xiao Duan hadn't given you the drawing request yet.

I was thinking, why not arrange a meeting so you can talk face-to-face? That would save us from having to relay messages back and forth and would be more efficient.

Since we're all in the same city, meeting up isn't a big deal.

At this point, Huo Linzhou paused, then added, his tone carrying a subtle hint of consideration.

"Of course, I also wanted to let you meet more people."

You usually stay at home, so your social circle is too small. Make more friends.

When we're not livestreaming or don't have any artwork to draw, we can still arrange to go out and have some fun together.

These words sounded like a casual remark, but only Huo Linzhou knew that he had another plan in mind.

Yesterday he caught up on the live stream of Shu Hua that he watched while he was on a business trip.

Naturally, I stumbled upon the famous sports moment that Shu Hua had caused in her live stream—she had just stretched her leg and suddenly got a cramp, and the way she grimaced in pain was still funny to think about now.

In particular, the child added details of his bizarre experience with muscle cramps, which made him even more worried.

My baby's physical motor skills are really too poor.

It's uncomfortable for my little one to have cramps all the time.

I remember that Shu Hua usually stayed at home all day, never leaving the house.

Unless I make the invitation myself, I might not go out with her even once a month.

At home, with no one watching her, she's probably too lazy to move.

Huo Linzhou didn't expect her to actually go to the gym and sweat it out, but he thought that at least she shouldn't get cramps from just a little movement.

That's too outrageous.

He thought that letting her go out more often, even just to stroll around or take a walk, would probably help improve the situation.

When you go out to have fun, you naturally need friends to accompany you.

It just so happens that Duan Jiyu and He Peiji are people he's watched grow up. They're reliable and trustworthy, so he can feel more at ease with them taking care of Shu Hua.

That's the real purpose of today's dinner.

Of course, Huo Linzhou would never say these things directly.

He knew Shu Hua's personality too well; this girl looked soft and gentle, but deep down she had a rebellious streak.

If she knew he organized the gathering so she would get more exercise, who knows what kind of trouble she would cause.

Perhaps we should treat this as a mandatory social event and force her to attend.

Maybe after she goes out a few more times, she'll really enjoy it and be willing to go out on her own?

"Huh? Going out to play?"

Sure enough, upon hearing the words "go out to play," Shu Hua's entire face scrunched up, like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on.

She subconsciously pouted, her brows furrowing into a small knot, her face full of reluctance. "I think home is just fine, there are snacks and Wi-Fi, why do I want to go out and play..."

Perhaps because she was really resisting, Shu Hua's voice softened unconsciously, with a slight upward inflection at the end, carrying a hint of coquetry, as she softly called out, "Daddy~".

That shout was so sweet it was sickeningly sweet.

But who is Huo Linzhou?

He knew Shu Hua too well. The moment she opened her mouth, he guessed that she was trying to bargain and make him retract his decision.

However, since he had proposed the idea, he had already anticipated that she would refuse.

Even when deciding to organize the gathering, I had already prepared for her to act cute and unreasonable.

So, before Shu Hua could finish saying all those sweet words...

Huo Linzhou spoke first, his tone gentle yet firm, as he ruffled her hair, "Good girl, be good."

These five simple words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the little bit of expectation in Shu Hua's heart.

She pursed her lips and responded softly, "Oh."

In that single "Oh," there was a sense of resignation and grievance.

Shu Hua knew Huo Linzhou's personality all too well.

He seems to indulge me in every way, giving me whatever I want, and has an incredibly good temper, but deep down, he has a strong desire for control.

Once he has made up his mind to arrange something, no matter how much she pleads or acts spoiled, it is difficult to change his mind in the slightest.

Since she knew it was a waste of time, Shu Hua didn't bother to say anything more.

She silently hugged her arms, looking like a pitiful little girl who had been bullied, her head drooping listlessly, her eyes filled with unspeakable grievances, making one's heart soften.

However, Huo Linzhou only glanced at it twice, smiled lightly, and showed no intention of comforting him.

The last bit of hope in Shu Hua's heart was completely gone.

Now I've truly resigned myself to my fate.

Oh well, let's look on the bright side. Getting some exercise is such a healthy lifestyle.

Hahahahahaha.