Chapter Eleven: Sour Grapes from Being Unable to Reach Them

Watching the scrolling barrage, Yang Feng rubbed his temples. While the guests in the live broadcast room sat motionless as if frozen by a pause button, the chat feed moved as if hitting play. Because the arguments in the comments were so intense, the viewer count only continued to climb.

Checking the trending topics online, the top ten were completely dominated by their variety show. He even considered whether to confiscate the guests' phones; what if they saw the online discourse and comments during their break and did something unpredictable? These were wealthy individuals, distinct from typical celebrities—they had no agents to keep them in check. If something went wrong and the financiers became displeased, it would be a disaster.

After a long while, as if he could no longer hold it back, Zheng Jin laughed out loud. "I’m dying of laughter. Some people are truly humiliating themselves. Did those embarrassing people hear that? This was prepared for the first-place winners from the start. I don’t know where the shamelessness comes from, trying to snatch food from the winners. It’s just hilarious."

Sheng Ya, who had remained expressionless and silent since the show began, couldn't help but laugh at Zheng Jin's remark. It wasn't her fault; she had been involved in the ordeal just moments ago, and hearing this now, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

"Yaya, you laughed." Seeing her smile, Zheng Jin acted as if he had discovered a new continent, looking even more delighted—and acting as foolishly as one could imagine.

The sound of their laughter served as a constant reminder of how ridiculous Jiang Ke and the others had looked moments before.

"Here, I saved some specifically for you two." Jiang Xian took out the fruit she had set aside from the cabinet nearby. Unlike the pastries, fruit was prone to attracting flies if left out too long, so she had covered it. She had prepared a portion for Sheng Ya because she knew Zheng Jin’s personality; he would likely give his own share to her, so it was better to save enough for both. Besides, since Sheng Ya had stood on her side earlier, saving the fruit was the right move.

"Jiang Xian, this friendship is worth it." Zheng Jin took the fruit and walked over to Sheng Ya. "Yaya, come on, let’s have our fruit and pastries."

Sheng Ya, already hungry, didn't stand on ceremony and sat down across from him. The two of them enjoyed their snacks, alternating between the pastries and the refreshing fruit, appearing perfectly content.

"We’ll pay. Bring us the exact same fruit and pastries right now." Watching the trio preen, Li Jiale spoke with an air of bravado, demanding the same spread from the waiter, clearly intent on reclaiming his lost face.

"I apologize, but these fruits and pastries are freshly sourced and prepared; there are no extras."

Hearing this, Li Jiale was so frustrated he could only stomp his feet.

[Is this the "some things money can't buy" situation?]
[I wonder if the production team will provide lunch. If not, and they have to complete a task for it, these people might not even get to eat!]
[In that case, Zheng Jin and Sheng Ya are lucky Jiang Xian saved them some. Otherwise, they’d be hungry too. Come to think of it, Jiang Xian is actually quite a decent person.]
[Wait, some people are about to be out of money. Maybe she only saved that fruit to win them over so they'll help her later.]

Despite Li Jiale’s outburst, the others suppressed their irritation, knowing that the more upset they appeared, the more of a spectacle they became. Rong Fan’s gaze drifted to Jiang Xian, a mocking tone creeping into his voice. "Trading a single yuan for all this food? Miss Jiang is certainly generous with her wealth."

Reminded by Rong Fan, Li Jiale’s anger vanished, replaced by a grin. "Young Master Zheng, President Sheng, enjoying yourselves? Don't forget, someone is running out of money. She only gave you her leftovers to win your favor. When she comes asking for help later, will you be able to refuse? You know the saying: eat someone’s food and you’re indebted to them."

"Hey, Yaya, don't you think these grapes are sweet? Not sour at all." Zheng Jin popped another grape into his mouth. "So sweet!"

Understanding his implication, Sheng Ya replied, "Mm, very sweet. Not sour at all."

Zheng Jin’s words and actions were a clear jab at Li Jiale and Rong Fan—they were simply like the fox who couldn't reach the grapes, calling them sour.

As the boat slowly returned to the shore, it was nearing noon. The sun hung directly above the lake, making the water shimmer—a truly beautiful sight. The others fought to keep their eyes off the two people by the window eating with such abandon. In this moment, they were no longer high-and-mighty heirs, CEOs, or socialites, but miserable wretches stuck on an empty stomach, forced to watch others feast.

Jiang Ke was the best at maintaining composure; as an artist, she was no stranger to hunger for the sake of dieting. She silently pulled out her phone and checked the live stream. Seeing over half a million viewers, she gasped in surprise. She hadn't expected such a high turnout.

The last variety show to have this much buzz eventually hit millions of viewers, was named the best show of the year, and landed all its participants major roles. Did *Unapologetically Wealthy* show signs of becoming the year's best show as well? Her hunger pangs vanished instantly as she imagined herself being showered with scripts.

However, reading the comments felt like a bucket of cold water. Jiang Xian’s fans had appeared in the stream, and there were quite a few, while her own fan presence was sparse.

Just as she was about to check the trending topics on social media, a staff member’s voice cut through. "Teachers, we are ready to dock."

Almost as soon as the staff spoke, Zheng Jin and Sheng Ya finished off the last of their fruit and pastries. "Ah, we’ve landed, and we’re full," Zheng Jin said, rubbing his stomach with a smug expression that was practically begging to be punched.

"Everyone, you may freshen up once you return. We will have lunch delivered to your accommodations. After lunch, you can rest, and we will gather at the entrances of your respective residences at three o'clock."

"Thank you to our friends in the live stream for staying with us. Our morning broadcast concludes here. We will resume promptly at 3:00 PM. See you then." As Yang Feng finished speaking, the helicopter ascended, and the guests waved goodbye.

[No way, why stop at noon? I haven't seen enough! And why won't they show us where the guests are staying? Don't tell me once the cameras are off, they’re going out to stay somewhere else!]
[The stream has to stop. Who is free enough to watch this 24/7? Let’s be realistic.]
[See you at three! Bye!]