Chapter 163: Silent Until the Outburst, Astonishing the World with a Single Cry [Fourth Installment]

After finishing breakfast and washing it down with the nutritious tonic soup his wife had thoughtfully simmered for him early in the morning, Yu Zhile finally picked up his phone to check the notifications.

Yang Bing had sent a message half an hour ago: the ratings for the finale of *Where Are We Going, Dad?* had indeed set a brand-new record!

A whopping 5.14%!

Yu Zhile exclaimed excitedly, "Wife, the ratings for last night's finale finally broke 5! Not only did the average viewership surpass *The King of Mask Singer*, but even the peak single-episode rating beat it too!"

"Oh! I honestly thought we wouldn't make it past 5, but I never expected the final episode to surge like this!"

Qin Haiyu chimed in with a chuckle, "If Lingling finds out, she's going to be triggered by you again!"

Yu Zhile said smugly, "Hehe, I'm forwarding this to her right now! Let's see if her face stings! She actually had the nerve to say I was daydreaming, claiming there was no way this show's ratings could surpass *The King of Mask Singer*. Well, look who's eating their words now!"

Qin Haiyu never imagined that the final episode would achieve such a record-breaking peak. At this rate, she figured numerous variety shows following this exact format would soon flood the screens.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Xu Ling received the message from Yu Zhile. A sudden sense of ominous foreboding washed over her. When she tapped to open it...

That smug, punch-able face of Yu Zhile instantly flashed in her mind!

The most frustrating part was that she had no room to argue; she could only swallow her pride and take the direct slap to the face from Yu Zhile right then and there!

Thus, she pretended she hadn't seen the message, ignored Yu Zhile entirely, and couldn't be bothered to dignify him with a response!

Back at home, Yu Zhile chuckled and said, "Fatty Ling has nothing to say now! She's probably cursing me a million times in her head right now."

Unable to watch any longer, Qin Haiyu scolded, "Stop bullying Lingling. Otherwise, if she turns all that grief and anger into an appetite, the weight she worked so hard to lose will just bounce right back up!"

"Haha, then I have to provoke her even more! Make sure her weight loss fails completely!"

Though his words sounded harsh, Yu Zhile didn't continue teasing Fatty Ling. After all, the girl was his wife's best friend. If he went too far and his wife got upset, he would be the one suffering the consequences.

And so, following the conclusion of *Where Are We Going, Dad?* and their public announcement of a one-year hiatus from the entertainment industry, Yu Zhile settled comfortably into his role as a full-time house-husband. He dedicated himself entirely to doting on his wife and raising his daughter, reveling in every single moment.

During this period, Yang Bing reached out to ask if he would be interested in participating in Dragon TV's New Year's Eve Gala.

Even the CCTV Spring Festival Gala extended an invitation to the couple!

Ever since *Where Are We Going, Dad?* aired, they had been crowned as the model celebrity couple of the entertainment industry. Both *Xinwen Lianbao* and the official social media accounts of *People's Daily* had singled them out for praise. Therefore, inviting them to perform at this year's Spring Festival Gala was hardly surprising.

Qin Haiyu suggested at the time, "Hubby, why don't we do it? I'm fine anyway."

Yu Zhile flatly refused: "No way! By the time the Spring Festival Gala rolls around, your belly will be huge! Besides, traveling back and forth for rehearsals and recordings is such a hassle, and the long journey is too risky. What if you bump into something? How dangerous would that be!"

Qin Haiyu proposed instead, "Then how about you go by yourself? With Mom, Dad, and our baby here at home, I'll be fine, you don't need to worry!"

"Forget it, we'll participate together next time!"

Yu Zhile declined the invitation to the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, explaining that his wife was with child. He expressed his sincere gratitude to the organizers and assured them that if they were invited again next year, they would definitely accept without hesitation!

Just like that, despite finally earning an invitation to the prestigious Spring Festival Gala, they had to pass it up due to the impending arrival of their second child.

Yet Yu Zhile believed that as long as they remained grounded, lived upright lives, and practiced self-discipline, an invitation once extended would surely come a second time!

***

And so, with the arrival of the New Year—including the second little bun resting safely inside his wife's belly—Yu Zhile's family of six sat together in the living room, immersed in the warmth and joy of watching the live broadcast of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

Their baby girl was turning two soon, and the little one was understanding more and more each day.

Ever since her mother's belly had grown large, the toddler knew that a little brother or sister was resting inside. Just like her daddy, she would frequently press her tiny ear against her mother's tummy to chat with the sibling growing within.

Taking advantage of the winter break, Grandma Yu had also begun homeschooling her precious granddaughter, teaching her characters and numbers step-by-step. True to expectations, while the toddler couldn't quite be called a prodigy, her learning capacity was quite robust.

Single-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division could now be solved by counting on her fingers. Though her reactions were a bit slow—clearly having inherited that trait from her mother.

Two months later.

The baby celebrated her second birthday, and Qin Haiyu's belly expanded further, forcing her to lean back slightly and support her waist whenever she walked.

Just in time, Grandma Yu successfully retired, allowing her to stay home full-time to dote on her granddaughter while looking after her pregnant daughter-in-law's daily diet and well-being.

As for Yu Zhile, he had essentially become a freeloader living off the household meals...

Meanwhile, the second season of *I Am a Singer* was nearing its finale. Capitalizing on the massive success of the first season, the lineup for the second season continued to focus heavily on powerhouse vocalists, resulting in ratings even more robust than the first installment.

And the show slated to take over the time slot immediately following the conclusion of *I Am a Singer* Season 2 was none other than the highly anticipated *The King of Mask Singer*!

With the second season of *The King of Mask Singer* just around the corner, audiences were filled with boundless anticipation, wondering if this new season could recreate past glories and surpass the first?

At the same time, everyone was well aware of one crucial fact!

The reason the first season of *The King of Mask Singer* became the most phenomenal music variety show in history was simple: it featured Yu Zhile and his wife, along with so many breathtaking, original hit songs.

For the second season, however, it was virtually impossible for Yu Zhile and his wife to participate. Calculating the timeline, Qin Haiyu was practically due to give birth to their second child.

Even if she wasn't expecting, the production team wouldn't invite them back consecutively; doing so would be like serving old wine in new bottles, making the whole concept feel rather stale.

When the viewership ratings for the premiere of *The King of Mask Singer* Season 2 were finally released, Yang Bing felt a tinge of regret.

Although a premiere rating of 1.87% was already quite impressive, compared to the explosive heights of the first season, it appeared noticeably lackluster.

At this rate, surpassing the ratings of the first season was out of the question.

When he shared the ratings with Yu Zhile, the latter couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "As expected, without me and my wife, the show's ratings have taken a massive hit!"

Yang Bing let out a bitter laugh. Was that something a human being would say?

Yet, he couldn't deny it!

Back in the first season before Yu Zhile and his wife joined, the ratings struggled persistently to crack 3%. The moment the couple stepped in, the show's ratings shattered the 3% barrier effortlessly!

Hence, it had to be admitted that Yu Zhile and his wife were absolute magnets for viewership.

He replied, "It's been almost half a year. The entertainment industry moves fast, constantly replacing the old with the new. Since you two haven't released any new works or maintained any exposure for six months, you're pretty much on par with fading stars now."

Yu Zhile responded nonchalantly, "No worries, we stay silent until we shock the world with a single roar!"

True enough!

After briefing Yu Zhile on the arrangements for the second season of *Where Are We Going, Dad?*, Yang Bing hung up to handle other urgent matters.

Yu Zhile gazed at his wife in the living room, who was sporting a large belly while helping their mother teach the baby how to recognize characters. He wondered silently whether baby number two would turn out to be a boy or a girl.

Just like that, in the blink of an eye, another week slipped away!

Yu Zhile stood in the hospital corridor, holding their little girl, sweat beading heavily on his forehead from sheer nervousness—because his wife's water had broken, and the baby was about to be born!

***

[Author's Note: I went out to buy New Year goods today, so I can only update four chapters.]