Chapter 142: Heaven Rewards the Diligent [Fourth Update]

To boost ratings, the grand finale of "The Masked Singer" aired last night exclusively on television. Streaming platforms with licensing agreements were only permitted to broadcast the show after the live television event concluded.

Yang Bing was incredibly nervous, terrified that the high expectations would lead to a crushing disappointment. Finally, the ratings were released. He stared intently at the data on the form, his hands trembling uncontrollably as he clutched the sheet. His pupils dilated in sheer shock.

"Is... is this rating for real?" He questioned his own vision, as the figure seemed scientifically impossible.

He reached out to pinch himself, but the older man who had handed him the report smacked his hand away, glaring. "Why are you pinching me, you brat?"

Yang Bing was relieved; Old Xu’s reaction proved he wasn't dreaming and his eyes hadn't deceived him. He pointed to the numbers and said, "Old Xu, look at this rating!"

Old Xu was puzzled. "What’s wrong with it?"

"It’s 5.03%!" Yang Bing exclaimed in shock.

"Oh," Old Xu replied, unimpressed. "What’s so strange about that? You’re so sheltered. I’ve seen ratings hit 6% plenty of times back in the day. What’s there to be surprised about?"

"No!" Yang Bing insisted. "Which show nowadays can even reach 5%?"

"The News Broadcast," Old Xu said calmly.

"..." Are you kidding me?

"Aside from the news, it’s already excellent for a variety show to hit 1% these days," Yang Bing argued, speechless. "Hitting 2% is considered incredible, and 3% is legendary! So what on earth is this 5%? Could the statistics be wrong?"

Old Xu analyzed, "It was Saturday night! 'The Masked Singer' is incredibly popular. Since it started, the average rating has been 2.8%. It’s not impossible for the finale to exceed 5%!"

"But the gap is just too exaggerated!" Yang Bing countered. "If it were 4%, I could understand, but 5%? I’m genuinely terrified. It feels like a dream!"

"Then just treat it like a dream," Old Xu said, unfazed.

...

At home, after staying up late following last night’s events, Yu Zhile and his wife didn't fall asleep until 3:00 AM. After their daughter woke up in the morning, Qin Haiyu got up to care for her, and after breakfast, they were so exhausted they had to go back to sleep. Fortunately, Yu’s mother was there to help with the child on the weekend, otherwise, they wouldn't have had a chance to rest properly.

After 10:00 AM, their baby daughter snuck into the room and tugged on Yu Zhile’s pinky finger. "Daddy, eat-eat!"

Yu Zhile wanted to keep sleeping, but seeing his daughter pulling his hand, he couldn't bear to stay in bed. He opened his eyes groggily and asked, "Where’s Mommy?"

The baby thought for a moment and said, "Mommy is washing-washing."

"What on earth is 'washing-washing'?" Yu Zhile, accustomed to her toddler vocabulary, laughed. "Daddy is so tired. I need a kiss from the baby to get up."

The baby was so small that when she stood up, she was only as tall as the bed, so she couldn't reach her father. She struggled to climb up but couldn't quite make it. Seeing her urgency, Yu Zhile draped his leg over the side and said, "Hold onto Daddy’s leg!"

The baby grabbed his leg, and he lifted her up onto the bed. The process made her giggle with delight; she didn't want to let go, seemingly wanting to experience the thrill of "flying" while holding onto his leg. Seeing her father still lying down, she scrambled over and planted a kiss on his face.

"And this side, too!" Yu Zhile turned his head to offer his other cheek. Once she had kissed both sides, he stood up, satisfied, and carried the little one out of the room.

In the living room, his mother, who was knitting a hat, scolded him, "You're a grown man, and you still need your daughter to wake you up!"

"It’s a blessing to be woken up by my daughter!" Yu Zhile set the baby down and said, "Daddy needs to brush his teeth. Go find Mommy!"

"Okay," the baby said, trotting toward her mother, who was hand-washing clothes.

After freshening up, Yu Zhile ate the breakfast left for him and checked his phone. He exclaimed in surprise, "Honey, the ratings for 'The Masked Singer' finale actually topped 5%!"

"What?" Qin Haiyu was stunned. "That’s too exaggerated! How did the ratings jump so much?"

"5.03%," Yu Zhile said, shocked. "That’s terrifying! I thought it might break 4%, but I never expected it to pass 5%!"

Qin Haiyu lowered her head, hand-washing the evening gown she had worn on the show. "The producers must be over the moon. They never expected such high ratings for the finale!"

As she spoke, Qin Haiyu suddenly felt nauseous and gagged. Hearing her, Yu Zhile rushed over, his heart racing. "Honey! Are you...?"

Qin Haiyu blinked. "I... I'm not sure... maybe I ate too much this morning?"

Yu’s mother also set down her knitting and hurried over. "You silly girl, it's not like this is your first pregnancy. Don't you have a clue?" She tapped her son on the backside, chiding, "Why are you just standing there like a fool? Is this heavy labor something a pregnant woman should be doing?"

"Right!" Yu Zhile said excitedly. "Honey, go rest. I'll wash these clothes!"

The baby, playing with bubbles nearby, looked on in confusion, not understanding why her parents and grandmother were so excited, but sensing the joy in the air.

"Mom, it’s not confirmed yet!" Qin Haiyu said. "And even if I am, doing laundry and cooking won't hurt."

"It makes a big difference!" his mother insisted.

"Yes, it does!" Yu Zhile insisted she get up, taking over the laundry himself. "We’ll go to the hospital and check right now!"

After hanging up the gown, Yu Zhile didn't even finish his breakfast. The family drove to the local hospital. Since the finale had just aired, the famous couple wore masks to avoid being recognized and causing a commotion.

Minutes later, when the test results came back, Yu Zhile excitedly scooped up his wife. Hard work truly pays off! All their efforts had finally borne fruit.