Ch. 171..180

Chapter 171 I Heard You

Johnathan was a boy who his family pampered. When had he ever been humiliated like this? He gritted his teeth to endure the pain and threatened Catherine again.

“Catherine, stop it right now. Or else Mommy and Daddy won’t let you go. When they arrive, you’ll be in for it!”

Catherine wondered if Johnathan was an idiot. Hadn’t he already made that threat once a few minutes ago?

Why did he do it again?

Did he think she would be afraid of his threats? Seeing Catherine’s sudden stop, Johnathan thought his threat had worked. After all, he was his parents’ favorite, the only heir of the Swanns. He thought Catherine dared not hurt him.

Just when Johnathan was about to be arrogant and proud, Catherine suddenly threw the bamboo whip aside and drew a thicker, longer one out. It was a bamboo whip twice as thick as the previous one, and Catherine waved it in front of Johnathan.

Johnathan’s body tightened in fear, and he couldn’t help shivering. He tried to brace himself so he didn’t scream out. “Catherine, what do you mean by that? Didn’t you hear…”

Catherine scratched her ear impatiently. “Shut up. I heard you!” She reached into her pocket to pull out her cell phone and threw it on the floor in front of Johnathan. “I’ll give you a chance. You go live to show your parents what you look like now.” A faint smile crossed her stunningly beautiful face. The irony on her face was obvious. “That way, maybe they can come faster!”

Johnathan looked at Catherine in horror. Her smile made him feel a palpitating sensation in his heart, and he couldn’t help but shiver.

“What… What do you want?”

“Hehe!” Catherine sneered. Her face was with an evil and somewhat cynical smile. The whip in her hand gently swung in a perfect arc. This whip was as if it on her hand, and she could use it skillfully and smoothly.

“I can whip you 60 times in a minute and 360 times in an hour. How many times can I whip you before your parents come, and how many times can your body withstand?”

Her voice was soft, but it was enough for Johnathan to hear her. He saw the serious and non-negotiable look in Catherine’s eyes. He knew Catherine would really do something like this.

If he let her whip him like that, he could be beaten to death before his parents arrived.

[Snap!]

A quick and accurate lash fell on Johnathan’s body. After changing the whip, the pain he felt was several times that of the previous pain he felt.

Catherine still didn’t give Johnathan any time to think before she just went ahead and whipped him. She was teaching him to behave with her actions.

Johnathan couldn’t hold back any longer and screamed, “Ouch, help. She’s killing me.”

“Even if I do whip you to death, so what? Don’t forget who owns the assets of the Swanns now. I have enough money to make others do things for me. Aren’t you most aware of these?”

Catherine was letting Johnathan know how powerful she was in a way he could understand. As Catherine said, money could solve all problems in Johnathan’s perceived world.

Catherine was now the wealthiest person in the Swanns. All of their family’s property was in her name. She had also become the company’s chairperson; even his father could not do anything to her.

Thinking about all this, Johnathan was scared. After sensing that Catherine had no intention of compromising, Johnathan began to beg for mercy. He began to beg for mercy in the way Catherine wanted him to. “I’m wrong. I’m… I’m wrong, okay? I apologize. Catherine, I was wrong…”

Catherine slowed down the whip a bit, but she didn’t stop. This made Johnathan realize something. As if being guided, he gradually realized what attitude Catherine wanted.

Thinking about what Catherine had just said, Johnathan began to flatter Catherine and beg for mercy to escape.

“Catherine, I’m wrong. I know I’m wrong. Just let me off…

“Catherine, you’re my sister!”

At that moment, Johnathan’s group realized Catherine’s identity. It turned out that the woman in front of them was the jinx that Johnathan mentioned daily: the second daughter of the Swanns, Catherine!

Seeing that his plea for mercy was sincere, Catherine stopped whipping him. Just as Johnathan was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Catherine turned her elbow and pointed the whip straight at his head, resting above his brow.

He froze and sat on the floor again. He looked at Catherine in horror and said, “You…”

He was just about to question Catherine but realized that it was wrong. He hastily changed his attitude. “I mean, what are you doing?”

Catherine gave him a somewhat satisfied look.

It seemed Johnathan wasn’t stupid. He was still able to be educated. For Vicente’s sake, she would take the trouble to educate him.

“Is it enough for you to just apologize to me?”

Johnathan couldn’t react for a moment.. Only after his friends beside him tried so hard to hint at him with their eyes did he realize what Catherine was trying to make him do. She was asking him to apologize to Theresa. Johnathan was somewhat reluctant.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the look on Catherine’s face. She looked expressionless but was cold enough to make him wince at the sight of her.

Johnathan dared not object and obediently came to Theresa to apologize to her. Seeing him approach suddenly, Theresa cringed in fear. Her whole body curled up, and she looked at him in fear.

Johnathan gritted his teeth and bowed his head to apologize. “I was wrong. I’m sorry!”

Theresa was dumbfounded and froze on the spot. Johnathan returned to Catherine after apologizing. He didn’t say anything and waited for Catherine to give him orders. Catherine ignored him and then picked up a bottle of whisky and placed it in front of Theresa.

“He bullied you and has apologized for it, but he forced you to drink alcohol. If you want to get back at him, you can force him to drink this bottle of whisky to let him feel what it’s like.”

Theresa was shocked. Her eyes widened as she looked at Catherine in front of her. At that moment, Catherine was like a god that glowed in her eyes.

Hearing that, Johnathan’s face instantly went pale. He looked at Theresa in horror, wondering what decision she would make.

He knew that if Theresa wanted to pour the whisky into his mouth, Catherine would have had someone hold him down and pry his mouth open so that Theresa could force a drink into him easily.

It was a bottle of pure whisky, 17 ounces. If Theresa poured it down his throat forcibly, he would be sent to the hospital on the spot to have his stomach pumped.

Theresa’s heart was in turmoil. She realized that everyone was waiting for her to make a decision. Her eyes swept back and forth between the bottle of whisky and Catherine. Finally, she made up her mind and shook her head.

The shake of her head was a relief to Johnathan. He felt relieved. Catherine didn’t force Theresa. After sweeping Johnathan with her gaze, she dropped the whip and stood up to leave.

Seeing that she had already left with her back turned, Johnathan remained unconvinced in his heart, and his resistance was stirring.

As a result, he was held down by a couple of his friends on his side. One of his friends reminded him in a low voice, “Mr. Johnathan, don’t be impulsive. Look up over there!”

Chapter 172 Catherine was Rude

Branden was still in place without leaving, and Catherine walked over toward him. Seeing her walk over, the expression on Branden’s handsome face remained unchanged, as if nothing had happened.

Paxton stood over him. There was a set of cleaning tools in his hands. Branden sidled up to a hot towel that had just been sterilized. He took Catherine’s hand that was hanging at her side.

Catherine didn’t resist, allowing him to wipe her hands clean with the hot towel. Her gaze followed the man’s movements, which were gentle but meticulous. He wiped every corner of her hands clean.

Catherine’s hands were fair-skinned and tender, and her palms were soft like that of babies. But at that moment, her smooth palm had a red mark.

The original simple red mark was a little too red and purple against her fair -skinned palm, and Branden narrowed his eyes suddenly. Catherine sensed it. She didn’t move, waiting to see what Branden would say.

His eyebrows furrowed, and his tone showed a hint of heartache. “Next time, you should wrap a piece of cloth around your palm to protect it. Or else, you can order Paxton to do it for you.”

After saying that, he added, “Although Paxton isn’t as dexterous as you, he wouldn’t be too inferior if you gave him some suggestions!”

Paxton, who was standing at the side, was somewhat speechless. So, what exactly did he do wrong?

He was okay with being treated as a tool man, but he was compared with others and despised. Wasn’t it too hard to be a tool man in the world now?

Listening to Branden’s sage advice as if being nagged by a little old man, the corners of Catherine’s mouth involuntarily curled upward. “I’ll remember it!”

Seeing her speak so obediently, Branden handed Paxton the dirty towel and took her toward the private room. “It’s great then!”

Aidan was completely stunned! He hadn’t even returned to his senses from the scene where Catherine had just whipped her brother and was once again shocked by Branden.

God, was this the same Branden he knew?

He froze and turned his head sideways. He stared dully at Triston, who was on the side. His gaze seemed to ask, “Did you see that?”

Triston laughed sarcastically at the dumbfounded look on Aidan’s face.” You lack of experience. Look how calm I am! But it’s normal. You’ve spent less time getting together with Branden and haven’t seen him like this. You’re really making a fuss. You’ll be more experienced in the future. Don’t fuss like a fool!”

Seeing that he hadn’t responded yet, Triston proudly lectured him. Aidan was flabbergasted by Triston’s lecture. He didn’t expect that one day, he would be lectured by Triston. It seemed best for him to stay in Casier!

Those friends who were with Johnathan were all from wealthy families. One of them quietly tugged on Johnathan’s arm and whispered, “Did you see who those people are? Your

sister doesn’t have a simple background. Luckily, we didn’t follow you to make a move just now. Otherwise, we might all be finished now!”

Johnathan knew those people. Those people were Triston from the Lamberts, Aidan from the Lanes, and most importantly, Branden, the head of the Duncans.

Any one of them was a character that could make the people from Casier tremble. Seeing Branden’s attitude toward Catherine, Johnathan finally understood.

It turned out that Catherine could be so arrogant all because Branden was backing her up. Johnathan thought in his heart, “I’m not yet powerful. When I inherit the Swanns, I won’t allow them to bully me like this.”

He would seek revenge sooner or later. Catherine followed Branden, and the others entered the private room before realizing someone else was inside the room.

Branden took the initiative to help her pull out a chair. This simple action caused everyone in the private room to change their gazes and attitudes toward her. Could an ordinary person have Branden personally pull out a chair for her?

Aidan used a little trickery to get Triston away for a while. When Triston returned, he found that Aidan had taken the seat beside Catherine. He gritted his teeth and cursed Aidan in his heart.

Aidan, the son of a bitch, was really devious. Aidan was very curious about Catherine. It was rare to see a girl with good looks and personality.

She was simply the typical beautiful and valiant beauty that people liked. However, the liking he had for Catherine was pure admiration. He didn’t have the guts to steal Branden’s woman.

Seeing Catherine lazily leaning against the chair without saying anything, Aidan took the initiative to find a topic to talk to Catherine about.

“Catherine, judging from your actions just now, you’ve practiced fighting?” Hearing his voice, Catherine tilted her head to look at him. Her eyes looked expressionless. She answered with one word in a cold voice, which almost froze Aidan. “No!”

She was such a cold girl, which made Aidan feel so novel. Aidan had been invincible with women all his life, and it was the first time he had been treated like that.

The food was ready. Because Triston knew Catherine was coming, he arranged for the kitchen to add some spicy dishes. During the meal, Aidan watched Catherine the entire time. He would talk to Catherine every chance he got.

Catherine didn’t want to talk most of the time but managed one sentence or two now and then. Finally, when Aidan asked another question, Catherine got impatient.

With a tilt of her head toward Aidan, she said, “Is the food Mr. Lambert arranged bad, or is it that even the food in your mouth can’t shut you up?”

Her words shocked everyone present. Gosh, she was talking to Aidan! Aidan felt a bit aggrieved. He was from the famous Lanes. It was the first time in his life that he had been treated like this. Most importantly, it was a woman who had treated him like this.

Aidan was very aggrieved inside.

He was too miserable!

Triston watched from the side. He almost laughed out loud. He couldn’t help but give Catherine a thumbs up before teasing Aidan. “Did you hear that? If you don’t like the food I ordered, say it. Don’t disturb Catherine. You’re annoying!”

Aidan looked at Branden aggrievedly. They had been brothers for many years, and he hoped Branden could give him justice. After all, Catherine was his woman. Unexpectedly, Branden snorted coldly and said three words.

“You deserve it!”

Aidan was completely aggrieved. He had only been away from Casier for a few years. Why did he receive such treatment now?

The rest of the people who didn’t know the situation were all secretly sizing up Catherine. They thought that the person who dared not respect Aidan at the dinner table would have tragic consequences. Unexpectedly, nothing happened to Catherine.

Triston was trying to speak for her, and the point was that Branden was also protecting her as if she was his treasure. Who the hell was this woman?

How could she be so arrogant?

Catherine felt as if nothing had happened. She leaned back in her chair with an unparalleled domineering posture. After she was full, she put down her fork and said, “I’m full. Shall we leave?”

There were rules at the dining table. If the person with the most honorable status at the dining table hadn’t started eating, no one could take the first bite of the food.

Similarly, if the most honorable person at the dining table did not stand up to leave, whoever dared to stand up and leave first would be considered breaking the rules.

In the eyes of the others, Catherine was too rude. They were waiting to see her being punished.

Chapter 173 The Rumors

It was clear that Catherine’s question was directed at Branden. Branden knew it too, and so he turned to look at Catherine.

“Are you full?” Branden inquired in a deep voice. Catherine nodded silently. She decided that if Branden had any further business to be done over here, she would leave first.

To her surprise, Branden stood up after she nodded. He even took the initiative to help Catherine with her coat. It made everyone present stunned as this was unusual for him. Usually, others would be helping him.

Seeing that the two of them were about to leave, Triston became anxious. He finally came to his senses and decided to indulge himself after resting for many days. Hence, he set up this gathering.

They had only just started eating, and now Branden wanted to leave. “Mr. Duncan, Catherine, why don’t you stay a bit longer?”

Upon hearing this, the two paused in their steps. Catherine looked at Branden, indicating that he could stay. Branden turned and glanced at Triston with his cold eyes, but his voice was surprisingly gentle. “She has to get up early tomorrow.”

With just one sentence, Triston felt goosebumps all over his body. Branden’s behavior made Triston jealous. Triston thought, “Having a girlfriend, is it impressive?

“Understanding her thoughts without her needing to say it out loud. Is it impressive?

“Understanding your girlfriend’s every move. Is it impressive?

“Well then. He is indeed impressive.”

Triston stared at their receding figures with a face full of frustration. He frowned uncontrollably. This display of affection made him lose his appetite. The dishes on the table no longer seemed appetizing.

Aidan rested his chin on his hand and asked, “Mr. Lambert, how did Mr. Duncan become such a devoted boyfriend? I don’t get it. It’s strange.”

Triston shot him a disdainful look and mockingly retorted, “It would be stranger if you would understand what happened.”

Feeling like he had just been ridiculed, Aidan was not pleased at all.

“Mr. Lambert, what’s your problem? Do you think I’ll go easy on you just because we haven’t seen each other in a few years? How would I not

understand? Look at the way Branden is acting. He’s like a man possessed. Is that normal?” Hearing that, Triston snorted. He took a swig of his drink to mourn his lost youth and scolded Aidan thereafter. “If you can get me a girlfriend like Catherine, I’ll give you a makeover.”

Triston thought, “Aidan is clueless. If one meets the person he likes, anything goes.”

Taking him as an example, he had preserved his virginity for so many years, and now it was gone. He felt miserable. It was extremely miserable for him!

Watching Triston downing drink after drink, everyone in the room started to look concerned. Triston became like this after Branden and his girlfriend display their affection for one another openly.

“Are the rumors true?

“Was Triston secretly in love with Branden all along, and his rebellious image a facade to hide this forbidden inner longing?”

Those were the thoughts running through the onlookers. Everyone thought that they had stumbled onto a big secret. Triston was oblivious to the speculation and the dramatic image he was creating unwittingly. He continued to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

At the same time, in the car. Catherine was resting against the window when she suddenly heard a faint vibration. Though the sound was barely audible, it resonated clearly within the quiet environment.

Paxton was the first to reach for the phone. After confirming the message, he turned to Branden. Branden didn’t stop him from speaking. Paxton realized Branden didn’t intend to hide things from Catherine, so Paxton explained the situation.

“Mr. Duncan, we’ve found a way to contact Simons. We offered 10 million dollars, but there was no response.”

Branden’s face darkened. His voice was cold and low. He said, “Double the offer. If 10 million dollars weren’t enough, he would give 20 million dollars. If 20 million dollars still weren’t enough, he would up it to 100 million dollars.

There was nothing he couldn’t do. Catherine was sitting beside Branden and enjoying a lollipop that Branden had insisted she take. She nearly choked on her saliva due to the unexpected turn of events.

Sensing her discomfort, Branden poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her. His voice was infinitely gentle. “Are you okay?”

Catherine was too embarrassed to look at Branden. She waved her hand and replied softly, “I’m fine.” Branden took the lollipop from her mouth and tossed it into the nearby trash bin. “You’ve had enough of these.

Catherine had a low blood sugar problem. As such, Branden would insist that she eat some candy every time she was with him. The candies he gave her were never too sweet, just within her tolerance level.

More importantly, they made her feel comfortable after eating them. So, she had never refused. Every time Branden handed her one, she would just suck on it.

It seemed like Branden misunderstood and thought she had choked on the candy. However, Catherine hadn’t choked on the candy. She was shocked by Branden.

She realized that the idiot who offered her 10 million dollars yesterday to breach a firewall was none other than the person sitting next to her, Branden.

In the hacker world, her code name was Simons. Yesterday, she received a message from the black market. It was from a broker she had worked with before, one of the few who could locate her.

The broker told her that someone was offering 10 million dollars for her to join a team and breach a firewall. The message also included a link. The ID was familiar, and she immediately recognized it as her base.

Unable to hold back, she cursed at her computer in frustration. They are paying Catherine to breach her base’s firewall and uncover her true identity. These people were idiots.

The only thing she hadn’t expected was that the person she had cursed at wasn’t someone else but was sitting beside her.

Catherine wanted to ask Branden what he was thinking when he decided to attack her base’s firewall out of the blue. However, she believed that if she asked, given Branden’s intelligence, he would figure out everything.

In that case, she decided it was better not to ask. She didn’t want to reveal her identity so soon. If Branden wanted to find out, she would leave him be.

If he did manage to find out about her identity, it would be a testament to his abilities. At the same time, Johnathan was at the Swanns’. Johnathan wasted no time in finding Rachael. This beating he had just endured wouldn’t go unnoticed.

“Mom, you have no idea how close I came to losing my life. Catherine, that jinx, was truly intent on killing me. If I hadn’t begged her in front of everyone, you might not have a son right now,” Johnathan complained.

Hearing her son’s lament, Rachael’s eyes turned red with empathy. She would close one eye to it if her son were grumbling to her in his usual playful manner. But now, he was beaten up to a point where he couldn’t even sit down properly.

Johnathan was Rachael’s lucky star and precious son. He was the apple of her eye that she couldn’t bear to see get hurt. She couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.

Unable to hold back any longer, Rachael abandoned her usual elegant and refined image. She turned her anger toward Korbin. “Did you see it?

Our son almost got killed by that jinx. How long are you going to keep tolerating this?”

Rachael exploded when there was no reaction from the latter. “Korbin, in the business world, everyone fears you. They call you a strong man in the business arena. I never thought you were just a creep. You didn’t even dare to stand up to a girl!” she shouted, disregarding all decorum.

At this moment, to Rachael, Catherine was no longer her daughter. She would not even be considered as a stranger. In her eyes, Catherine was a jinx.

For Rachael, Catherine was the jinx set to plague her. Catherine was an enemy that had to be eliminated.

Chapter 174 Johnathan’s Plan

Korbin squinted his eyes upon hearing this. He looked at Rachael angrily with his dark eyes. He was a man and the head of the Swanns. His authority was not something that should be challenged.

Under normal circumstances, Rachael might have felt fear and apprehension under Korbin’s intimidating gaze. After all, the most impressive quality among women in the upper echelons of high society wasn’t intelligence or their lineage, it was endurance.

To become a successful lady of a prestigious family, one had to learn how to endure. However, Rachael could no longer hold back today. Johnathan was her bottom line and Rachael wouldn’t allow anyone to harm Johnathan.

“What? Did I say something wrong? That jinx has come back to bring disaster upon us. She wants to drag all of us down with her,” Rachael retorted without flinching even when faced with Korbin’s threat.

Korbin’s face darkened, not only because of Rachael’s unprecedented refusal to yield but also because he was dissatisfied with Catherine. Just like Rachael, Korbin also valued Johnathan the most.

After all, Johnathan was the Swanns’ only son. Although Korbin had four children, the Swanns’ fortune would ultimately be given to Johnathan.

Johnathan felt emboldened upon seeing his father’s anger and added, ” Dad, let me tell you. The reason why that jinx, Catherine, dares to be this arrogant is because Branden from the Duncans has her back. She thinks Branden is something special. But in your eyes, he’s just a junior. Am I right?

Hearing Johnathan’s words, Korbin sensed that something was amiss. He asked, “What’s the full story?”

Johnathan recounted everything he had witnessed at the restaurant to Korbin. He said, “Dad, what’s so good about that jinx? Apart from her looks, she’s got a temper as tough as nails. Why would Branden, a big shot from the Duncans, be interested in her?”

Korbin smirked. His eyes carried a mocking tone mixed with a hint of affection. “You’re still young and don’t understand these things. Do you think Branden’s reputation in the business world is for nothing? I suspect his intentions aren’t that simple.”

Being a child of a prestigious family, Johnathan quickly caught on. He asked, “Dad, do you think Branden is thinking of using Catherine, that jinx, to gain control of the Swanns’ wealth?”

Korbin looked at Johnathan with curiosity. Then he calmly asked, Think about it. Whose name is the Swanns’ wealth under now?”

Johnathan slapped his thigh and replied, “That bastard from the Duncans! I knew he couldn’t possibly be interested in that jinx. He’s got other plans!”

Rachael also picked up on the signs. Dealing with Catherine alone wouldn’t be too daunting. But the Duncans were a family they couldn’t afford to offend. If the Duncans were truly intent on taking over their assets, the Swanns would be in real trouble.

“Korbin, if the Duncans truly come after us, what should we do?” Rachael asked. Korbin’s eyes were cold, and his smile gradually faded. “Branden is a promising young man, but I, Korbin, am no pushover. It won’t be easy for him to bring down the Swanns. Right now, the most crucial thing is to deal with Catherine. We need to keep her in check and make sure she doesn’t make trouble. That’s the top priority.”

Speaking of which, Johnathan had already thought of a plan on his way home. He was simply bidding his time, waiting for the right moment to bring it up.

“Dad, I have an idea. Next week, it’s my grandmother’s seventieth birthday. We can take Catherine along and let my uncle deal with Catherine. That jinx is used to rural life and may have some martial arts skills. But my uncle is a military man. Even if a few strong guys come at him, they won’t be his match.

If we let my uncle handle Catherine, I guarantee she’ll be obedient afterward. Rachael had an elder brother with a peculiar personality. He had never gotten along well with others since they were kids.

He especially disliked Rachael, who married into a prestigious family. It was fortunate that Rachael had married early. If she had been a homewrecker, her upright brother might have killed her.

Rachael thought it was a feasible plan. Her brother was a straightforward man. He would certainly take action if he knew about Catherine’s ungrateful behavior.

“Korbin, I think our son is right. My brother doesn’t listen to me, but he respects our mother. I’ll talk to her about it during her seventieth birthday celebration.”

After the two persuaded him in turns, Korbin nodded in agreement. Although he was reluctant to air their dirty laundry to outsiders, the fact that it was Rachael’s brother made it more acceptable.

“Okay. Let’s go with that plan.”

After Korbin agreed, Johnathan smiled brightly. He guarantees that once Catherine lands in the hands of her uncle, she will be in big trouble.

Johnathan planned to speak ill of Catherine in front of his doting grandmother as well. He was certain Catherine’s future would be very eventful.

When Catherine returned to Audrey’s home, she noticed Audrey sitting there absentmindedly. Audrey even didn’t tidy up her things. This was strange. Hearing the door open, Audrey slowly turned and looked at Catherine with weary eyes.

“Kathy, you’re back.”

Catherine frowned at Audrey and asked softly, “What’s wrong with you? You seem so listless. Are you feeling unwell?

Audrey shook her head. “I’m not sick. I just have a bit of a headache.”

“What’s giving you a headache?” Facing Catherine’s inquiry, Audrey leaned against the wall and mumbled weakly, “I have a headache about what to give as a gift.”

After saying this, Audrey suddenly remembered something and shot up from her seat. Then she looked at Catherine.

“Kathy, you don’t know yet, do you?” Catherine looked at her in confusion. Before Catherine said a word, Audrey could tell she genuinely didn’t know. It was understandable since Catherine had grown up in the countryside and had little contact with the Langs.

“Kathy, Grandma’s birthday is next week, and she’s turning 70. Now that you’re back, you have to go. Do you know?”

If it had been an ordinary birthday, Catherine had all intentions not to turn up. She never liked such crowded occasions and considered them a waste of time. However, a seventieth birthday was a special occasion. Catherine felt obligated to attend.

Seeing Catherine’s furrowed brow and silence, Audrey assumed that Catherine was worrying about what gift to bring, just like herself. As the older sister, Audrey decided to take on this task herself.

“Don’t worry about the gift, Kathy. I’ll take care of it. What you need to do is to set time aside and come with me then.”

With Audrey’s assurance, Catherine stopped hesitating and nodded. Catherine dropped her backpack and headed to the bathroom to wash her hands.

As she was about to throw the used tissue into the trash can, she noticed an aluminum pillbox with used tablets inside the bin.

The box had the words “contraceptive pill” written on it. Catherine frowned and glanced at Audrey, who was still sitting outside.

Catherine contemplated asking her about it. However, she figured Audrey was an adult and was capable of taking responsibility for her own choices. Catherine then turned away, walked into her room, and didn’t dwell on the matter any further.

Chapter 175 The Variety Show

Audrey woke up early the next day. Kim had criticized her the last time she appeared on the variety show. Kim found Audrey to be too straightforward. The other female celebrities seemed to appear on screen make-up-free, but they all have their little tricks.

Most of them did semi-permanent cosmetic procedures. However, Audrey was so naive. She did the entire program makeup-free, driving Kim so mad that she almost rushed to her house to give her a makeover.

After a good scolding, Audrey learned her lesson. She got up early this morning and started getting herself ready.

Though she still went makeup-free, she applied a face mask at the very least. She also did a lip treatment and even slyly applied some lash primer.

Audrey was no stranger to these little tricks as a seasoned beauty blogger. When it comes to subtle makeup that wasn’t obvious, she had quite a few tricks up her sleeve. For example, no matter how you applied mascara, it was always obvious when it was there.

But this lash primer was different. It had a nearly transparent color that not only kept lashes curled but also extended their length. It achieved an unobvious glam. That was the real secret.

Seeing that the time was right, Audrey decided to wake Catherine up. If time permits, she would add a little “glam” to Catherine as well.

After all, they were sisters, and beauty was meant to be shared. But as Audrey approached Catherine’s bedroom, it swung open from the inside even before she knocked on the door.

There stood Catherine with her exquisite yet dreamy face. Catherine was bathed in sunlight streaming in through the window.

This gave Catherine, who had been looking lazy and tired, a mysterious and elegant vibe. It made her incredibly alluring.

Audrey was momentarily stunned. Her gaze was fixed on Catherine. She couldn’t help but swallow hard as she stared at Catherine’s delicate skin.

Catherine noticed Audrey’s long silence. She squinted her eyes and looked Audrey up and down. Her usually cold voice was a bit husky since she had just woken up, which surprisingly added a touch of charm to it.

Catherine asked, “Is it time?”

These few days, Catherine had prepared herself to wake up early to accompany Audrey on the show. She had expected Audrey to wake her, so this wasn’t a surprise.

Hearing Catherine’s attractive voice, Audrey snapped back to reality. She was still somewhat dazed. “Oh, not yet. I just wanted to see if you were awake. Since you are, why don’t you get up? I’ll prepare breakfast for you.”

With that, Audrey turned and left. Audrey decisively tossed the face mask she had in her hand onto a nearby shelf. Audrey thought, “With a beautiful face and delicate skin, what need does Catherine have for beauty tricks?

“She is so gorgeous.”

Catherine was bewildered by her actions. She had wanted to snooze for a little while more. However, her sleepiness vanished as soon as she lay on her bed. It left her with no choice but to get up. She decided to check on Audrey and see if there was anything she could help with.

Since she returned from the last variety show, Kim had dragged Audrey to do an intensive cooking training session.

Although Audrey was not good at it, she had spent time learning cooking skills. Frying eggs and toasting bread were a piece of cake for her. When the production team arrived, Audrey had just set breakfast on the table.

As it was a live show, many fans had been waiting in front of their screens early in the morning. Seeing Audrey and Catherine, the fans instantly became excited. They sent a large number of comments.

[Oh, my god. I feel so ashamed of myself every time I see Audrey and Catherine. Why do these two sisters look so good without makeup? Can’t they share their skincare secrets?]

[Please share your skincare secrets!]

[I second that!]

This episode was unlike the previous ones. They added a segment where the host would ask questions to have more interactions.

The production team assigned an on- site host to each group of guests. They were responsible for facilitating communication and enhancing interaction.

The host selected the most frequently asked or the most intriguing topics from comments posted by online viewers to pose questions to the guests.

The host held a small microphone and placed it in front of Audrey. Between Audrey and Catherine, it was Catherine who generated more discussion topics.

However, Catherine’s somewhat aloof and distant demeanor was enough to deter the host from approaching her too eagerly.

The host asked, “Audrey, fans are raving about how beautiful you and your sister look without makeup. Your natural beauty is exceptional. Would you mind sharing your daily skincare secrets with us and the viewers?”

Audrey couldn’t help but laugh at the question. She replied, “Haha. It seems my little trick today worked quite well.”

The host feigned surprise and asked, ” ” Oh, how so?”

“In the last episode, my agent scolded me severely for appearing completely makeup-free. So, I decided to wake up early today and use a face mask. I won’t elaborate on the brand, as you should know it well. It has excellent moisturizing effects.”

Audrey had recently been made the face of a face mask brand, and she cleverly seized the opportunity to promote it.

This witty maneuver even earned her praise from Kim, who was watching the show. After spending time with her clever younger sister, Audrey seemed to have caught on and gotten smarter herself. After talking about herself, Audrey complimented Catherine.

“But I’m the one with the tricks. On the other hand, Catherine simply washes her face with water in the morning, and her skin looks this good. Youth is truly an asset. Remember to try the anti- aging pill I endorse. It’s the first step to maintaining a beautiful face!”

Audrey promoted another product that she had endorsed. She took great pride in her savvy tactics. She raised her eyebrows and winked at Catherine. It seemed that she was seeking Catherine’s praise.

Seeing Audrey’s playful expression, Catherine let out a faint smile. Just this interaction was enough to drive the female viewers crazy.

[Oh, my God. Catherine’s smile is just too dominant and affectionate!]

[Yeah. Catherine has this inexplicable aura of a dominant president. I love it. She is so dominant.]

[There are always these strange and unique pairings. One is causing trouble, and the other is smiling. I’m so envious…]

Amid the enthusiastic and excited atmosphere of the audience, Audrey and Catherine had packed their bags and were ready to set off.

It was still a two-day trip. Since they weren’t heading too far away, there wasn’t a need to prepare an excessive amount of luggage. Catherine was in a simple all-black sportswear outfit that showcased her flawless curves. Her figure was stunning.

She had a slender and envy-inducing waistline, which could be encircled with one hand. Even the host couldn’t resist approaching her with a question. ”

Catherine, how do you maintain such an incredible figure? Do you work out regularly?”

Catherine turned her head slowly. Her gaze was indifferent. She replied in a cold tone, “Youth and good metabolism.”

The host was speechless. That response was frustrating but also undeniable. After all, it was an indisputable fact that Catherine was young.

Chapter 176 A Little Game

Kate had to drop out due to illness, and the production team didn’t have time to arrange a replacement. The main reason was the high-risk nature of doing live shows. One’s reputation as a celebrity would be ruined if one did not tread carefully.

Although the reason for Kate’s withdrawal was illness, everyone knew it was just a gesture of courtesy from the production team. The change from being a rising star to the target of online criticism was too heavy a price.

So, this episode was recorded with just three groups sof guests. Without Kate’s interference, the atmosphere among the three groups of guests seemed harmonious.

The theme of this week’s episode was the zoo, and the guests were recording at the Universal Theme Park. As the three groups of guests met, their interactions were much smoother since they were acquainted.

Audrey took the initiative to greet the Parkers brothers. She said, ” Congratulations! I heard you’re making your debut in the film industry. You are ready to start a new career, huh?”

The Parkers politely smiled. “You’ve been quite busy yourself. You grabbed seven or eight endorsements in no time, right?” After a round of business compliments, everyone turned their attention to Catherine, who was standing nearby.

“Catherine, are you thinking about joining the industry? You have so many fans, but why haven’t you even opened a public social media account?”

Catherine still hadn’t opened a Twitter account, and her fans had to go to Audrey’s account for updates.

“Not interested,” Catherine replied coldly. The Parkers may take Catherine as an arrogant person if they don’t know that her personality is as such.

Audrey was worried that Catherine’s attitude might trigger an online backlash. “Catherine is still in school, and she is going to college soon. Education is her priority. As for her future career, it’s up to her. We will support whatever she likes,” she quickly explained. After the conversation, the director appeared with a megaphone in front of everyone.

“Hello, everyone! In today’s episode, we have a surprise guest joining us. As for which group will the mysterious guest join, it all depends on your abilities.

“Next, we’ll have a game to see who can find the hippopotamus in the zoo and measure its weight the fastest. The winner will receive a clue about the hidden guest and get to form a new team with him.”

Hearing the director’s announcement of another boring game, the three groups of guests were less than thrilled.

They expected to spend the two days and one night just drinking coffee and chatting, but the production team had other plans. The production team knew how to keep things interesting with their unexpected twists. Seeing that the three groups of guests lacked enthusiasm, the director decided to give them a little boost.

“Our special guest is currently the top influencer in the industry and is the only one on Twitter with over a hundred million followers.”

The director truly understood the minds of these guests. With ease, he managed to ignite their enthusiasm and the audience’s excitement.

Fans who follow the entertainment industry’s news for a long time knew exactly who this hotshot was. He was indeed the nation’s idol.

Just like Catherine, Audrey had appeared indifferent earlier, but now she was excited. “Kathy, my idol is here! I never expected such a bonus while recording a show. He is my idol!”

The only one who remained calm throughout was Catherine, who didn’t seem to care. Audrey understood her sister’s behavior. Perhaps Catherine didn’t even know who was coming.

Audrey looked at Catherine with determination and said, “Kathy, I’m going to give it my all today. I will win for sure. The person who gets the clue will be me, and I’ll get to see my idol at the first instance!”

Catherine didn’t know why Audrey was so excited. As for Audrey’s idol, Catherine didn’t care at all. As time passed, the sun grew hotter. Catherine longs for a nap under the scorching sun.

As the competition began, Audrey saw Catherine and the listless state she’s in. She felt sorry for Catherine for getting up so early.

She gently led Catherine to a shaded pavilion where tourists rested. “Kathy, I’ll find the hippopotamus first and start the task. Take a rest here and wait for me, okay?”

Catherine wholeheartedly agreed with Audrey’s decision. It was what she had hoped for. It seemed that Audrey understood her very well.

“No problem.”

Rarely does Catherine initiate a response, and Audrey is in a good mood because of that. She finally felt like a big sister.

After giving instructions to Catherine, Audrey didn’t forget to emphasize her point in front of the camera having learned her lesson from what happened in the previous episode.

She said, “Dear fans, Kathy has been working so hard lately, and she woke up early today. So she’s a bit tired. We’ll let her rest for a while, and I’ll take care of this simple task. Trust me. I’ll come in first.

“Let’s go. We’re off!”

People who understood the situation knew that Audrey was doing this to prevent a repeat of what happened before. She was protecting Catherine.

As Catherine watched Audrey go to great lengths to explain to the fans, she couldn’t help but smile. She thought,” 11 Audrey is indeed interesting.”

All cameras in their group were focused on Audrey since Catherine was resting. It was unclear whether Audrey had incredible luck, or she was genuinely competitive when serious as she managed to be the first to find the hippopotamus enclosure.

Audrey felt conflicted when she saw the massive hippopotamus in its water pool. The hippo looked so huge. She wondered how she was supposed to measure its weight.

Audrey turned to the nearby zookeeper and asked, “Is there a scale to weigh the hippo?”

The zookeeper nodded and replied, Yes, there was. But there isn’t one today.”

“Why?” Audrey couldn’t understand. The zookeeper awkwardly smiled and explained, “Because the director locked all the scales.”

Audrey was stunned, and she frowned deeply.

The viewers watching nearly laughed themselves to tears.

They kept sending comments. [Haha. Audrey’s expression is just too scary!]

[Didn’t see that coming, did you? The director is clever.]

With the hippo being so heavy, there was no way Audrey could lift it to weigh it.

Following closely behind were the Parkers. Seeing that Audrey was already at the enclosure, they greeted her. “Audrey, how’s it going? Can you figure it out?”

Audrey shook her head and replied, Not good. The scales were all taken by the director. How are we supposed to weigh it? Should I lift the hippo? If I had that capability, I’d probably be the weightlifting champion at the World Championships!”

The Parkers couldn’t help but laugh at her comment. The three of them decided to brainstorm together to find a more practical solution.

The Parkers came up with the idea of using a balance scale to measure weight. However, there were no suitable tools available around. Instantly, they were stuck once again.

In the end, Audrey had no choice and suggested seeking help from Catherine. The Parkers sighed and said, “If we can’t figure it out, can Catherine help?”

Audrey said confidently, “My sister is so clever. She might have a solution. We won’t know unless we try, right?”

With that, she happily went off to find Catherine.

Chapter 177 Catherine’s Method

In reality, Audrey didn’t need to go back for Catherine. Catherine had already received the news from the video surveillance. She was resting, not sleeping.

When she saw how proud Audrey was as she showed off to the Parkers on the video feed, Catherine couldn’t help but smile. She couldn’t believe that she had such a sister. If it weren’t for their DNA, she might have questioned it.

Audrey had just left the hippo enclosure when she saw Catherine heading her way. Audrey couldn’t contain her excitement. She began waving and shouting, “Kathy, I’m over here!”

At the same time, the viewers kept sending comments.

[I don’t see many animals in the zoo. But I see plenty of clowns.]

[Haha. Audrey is just too funny.]

[Is it acceptable for female celebrities to be so unconcerned about their image these days?]

[Sorry. Audrey might be planning to pursue a comedy career. I’m her dedicated fan.]

As Kim watched this scene unfold on the screen, he couldn’t help but facepalm and wipe the sweat off his forehead. Kim was always brilliant. But he wondered how he ended up with such a quirky actress.

The crew members couldn’t contain their laughter at Audrey’s cuteness but Catherine continued to walk forward with a calm expression. She was unaffected by Audrey’s antics.

Perhaps Audrey had realized her behavior was childish. When Catherine approached her, she smiled awkwardly and asked, “Kathy, was I a bit too childish?”

Catherine calmly looked at Audrey with a serious expression as she replied, Not at all.”

With just three simple words, she made Audrey ecstatic. She didn’t care how others perceived her. As long as Catherine said it was fine, it was fine.

Then Audrey said, “By the way, Kathy, how are you so clever? You managed to find the hippo enclosure on your own. Did it take you a long time? This place is pretty hard to locate, isn’t it?”

Catherine thought, “Hard to locate?”

Catherine frowned and glanced at the nearby signs. Then she thought, “Is it that hard to find?

“Any regular person should be able to find this place.”

Audrey didn’t catch the meaning of Catherine’s expression as she was focused on seeking help.

“Kathy, we’re just one step away from meeting my idol now. Please help me quickly. Without any tools, how can we measure this hippo’s weight?”

After that, Audrey couldn’t resist complaining about the show. She said, ” This director is annoying. He comes up with these challenging tasks for us every day. It’s annoying!”

With her pouting and adorable appearance, Audrey was endearing. After circling the hippo enclosure with Audrey, Catherine found the hippo’s keeper.

“Can you bring the hippo over here?”

The keeper remembered the director’s instructions that as long as she did not reveal the hippo’s weight, she should try her best to assist with other requests from the guests. Among all the requests, Catherine’s was probably the easiest. She readily agreed.

“No problem.”

Everyone stared at Catherine while Audrey stood nearby, full of anticipation. Audrey was waiting for Catherine’s solution.

Audrey didn’t seem worried at all. It was as if the outcome had already been decided. As Catherine looked at Audrey’s expression with her beautiful eyes, she smiled slightly.

“But what if my plan doesn’t work?”

“That’s impossible. You’re so clever,” Audrey responded without hesitation. Audrey looked at Catherine with determination and earnestness.

Catherine didn’t want to let her down. Catherine instructed the keeper to guide the hippo into the water pool. It had sufficient depth to accommodate the entire hippo.

Once the hippo settled in the water pool, Catherine had someone measure the water level rise caused by the hippo’s presence. She calculated the volume of the risen water by subtracting the original water level from the elevated one.

At this moment, most viewers started their calculations as they had already guessed Catherine’s calculation method.

Just as everyone was still calculating, Catherine confidently announced the result.

“1.35 tons.”

Everyone was left dumbfounded. All cameras focused on Catherine. Many had been trying to calculate alongside her.

However, Catherine had already provided the final result, even before anyone could figure out which formula to use for the calculation, This was impressive. The viewers began sending comments.

[Oh, my God. Is this girl a talent? She calculated so quickly. I haven’t even found my pen yet!]

[Is this for real? She just randomly threw out a number. I’ve studied mental math, and I’m not that fast.]

[1.35 tons for a single hippo? It’s so heavy. Forgive me for my lack of knowledge, but she’s impressive. She is beautiful and intelligent…]

There were all kinds of discussions, which created a lively and noisy atmosphere. After Catherine calculated her answer, Audrey stared at Catherine with admiration.

“Kathy, how are you so amazing?

You’re fantastic! How did you calculate that?”

She behaved like Catherine’s devoted fan. Catherine thought that explaining this to Audrey might take quite some time. So, Catherine pursed her lips, gave a faint smile, and calmly looked at her.

“Why don’t you talk to the keeper about the actual weight? She’s constantly monitoring and should know their weight.”

Audrey frowned and looked at Catherine with a serious expression. ” Can that work?” After receiving a confirmation, Audrey confidently walked over to the keeper.

Seeing her approach, the keeper had an inkling of what was coming. She greeted Audrey with a polite but embarrassed smile.

“Miss Swann, I can’t do anything about the director’s arrangements.”

When the production team planned the game, they intended to have the guests engage the keeper.

The keeper was supposed to reveal the answer reluctantly to create the desired dramatic effect. However, they never expected Catherine. To everyone’s surprise, Catherine was so impressive.

Audrey glared at the keeper fiercely. However, she knew that the keeper was in a predicament as well. “Fine. I’ll let you off this time, but hurry up and tell me the hippo’s weight. Otherwise, you’ll be held accountable as well.”

“Okay. I’ll tell you.” Under Audrey’s threat, the keeper dared not conceal the truth. “The hippo in front of us is an adult, and its current weight is about 1.4 tons. It’s quite a fit and young hippo.”

The result Catherine had calculated was 1.35 tons. It was not far off from what the keeper reported. After all, absolute precision was impossible to measure with water.

However, Catherine managed to come up with such a method and calculate the answer in such a short time. It was impressive.

After hearing this, Audrey couldn’t contain her joy and rushed up to Catherine. She placed her hands on Catherine’s shoulders and exclaimed excitedly, Oh, my God. Catherine, you’re truly incredible. I knew you could do it, but you’re incredibly smart!” IT

After that, Audrey suddenly realized her hands were still on Catherine’s shoulders.

Catherine didn’t like physical contact. It was a fact Audrey had come to understand through their interactions.

Audrey’s hands quickly withdrew. She looked at Catherine apologetically and said, “Kathy, I didn’t mean to do that. I was just too excited. I promise that next time I won’t do it. Are you okay?”

Chapter 178 A Slap in the Face

Catherine looked calmly at Audrey, who was raising her hand to her ears with a look of earnest assurance. She could sense that she didn’t dislike Audrey and even felt that Audrey was somewhat adorable.

It was true that she didn’t like physical contact with others, but it didn’t bother her when Audrey touched her. Looking at Audrey’s frightened look, Catherine wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said softly, “It’s okay!”

Audrey froze for a moment, her eyes falling straight onto Catherine’s hand on her shoulder. In shock, she realized something else.

She stared straight at Catherine’s hand and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, Kathy, your fingers look so good, don’t they? They’re fair and beautiful, just like the hands of a comic book character.”

After saying that, she reluctantly waved her hands and said unhappily, Look at my hands. I take care of them every day, but they’re not as good as yours. Your hands would look even greater if you were to play the piano.”

The camera also fixed on Catherine’s hands as Audrey exclaimed. The crowd’s eyes were drawn to the pair of hands.

Catherine’s eyes, on the other hand, landed on Audrey’s exaggerated expression. She found that any little thing seemed worthy of being magnified in Audrey’s case, causing her to let out a wow.

It was kind of amazing how Audrey’s flurry of astonishment left people speechless and made them find her adorable at the same time.

Following Audrey’s gaze, Catherine glanced at her hand. They looked beautiful on the surface, smooth and tender, but outsiders didn’t realize how many calluses were hidden inside, which were honed from hard work.

The program team had a headache. They thought, “Why don’t the Swann sisters follow the script? Their minds are too active.”

If it wasn’t for the favorable ratings, the director might have already blown up at them. Finally unable to bear it, the director flew into a rage. He held a loudhailer and shouted in Audrey’s direction, Audrey, do you want your clue or not?”

Audrey came to her senses and hurriedly shouted, “Yeah, of course!”

How could she not want the opportunity that Kathy had managed to get for her? Audrey rushed up and took the clue. But she was dumbfounded when she unfolded it.

Holding the paper, she looked at the director with a puzzled gaze. “Director, are you sure this is a clue? You didn’t make a mistake, did you?”

A mysterious smile escaped the director’s face, and inwardly, he was pleased with himself. “It’s hard enough to stop you, isn’t it?” he thought.

Then, he put on a serious look and nodded. “That’s right. This is the clue. It’s also a puzzle, and you’ll have to answer it yourselves!”

Audrey was dumbfounded after hearing this. She glared at the director with a face full of disgust and muttered in a disgruntled voice, “You’re such a pain in the ass!”

The director was speechless. He thought, “How come such a group of oddballs were admitted?” He was furious. It was always the stars who tried to please the director, but he was so unlucky when it was his turn.

Audrey didn’t care that much and directly handed the paper to Catherine. “Kathy, the troublesome director is giving us problems again!”

Hearing Audrey’s description of him, the director was exasperated. “Doesn’t she realize that everyone can hear her? he said inwardly.

The crowd held back their laughter as they looked at Audrey. However, Audrey was completely oblivious to the fact that she had again left a bad impression on the director.

She was just waiting for Catherine to give the answer. Catherine glanced at the paper and realized it was a very simple graphic cipher.

In her eyes, this kind of question could be solved even by a kindergartener. She took the clue and headed towards the front according to the guiding direction. Audrey hurriedly followed behind her.” Kathy, have you guessed the answer to the riddle? That fast?”

Catherine nodded without much response. Audrey obediently followed. After walking for a while, she realized that Catherine didn’t even need to look at the map or the signposts, and they seemed to be going the wrong way.

“Kathy, if we keep going like this, we’ll be out of the area. Are you going the wrong way? Where are we going?”

Catherine really couldn’t stand Audrey to be such a chatterbox anymore. She directly told Audrey the answer, “The people are in the Ferris wheel!”

Audrey froze for a moment and then reacted. Pointing over her shoulder, she said, Shouldn’t the Ferris wheel this way? Kathy, the sign says go this way.”

Catherine stopped in her tracks, her gaze slightly gloomy. She wrapped her arms around her chest, her aura intimidating and overwhelming.

“Do you believe me or the signage?” asked Catherine. As a normal person, one should believe the guidance sign at this point. After all, it was the official answer. But as Catherine’s fangirl, Audrey naturally chose to believe Catherine without hesitation.

“I believe you!” Audrey replied firmly. The gentle smile in Catherine’s beautiful eyes intensified. “Let’s go!”

This scene of the two was recorded by the camera throughout. Many people weren’t satisfied with Catherine’s performance and complained about it in the bullet comments.

“This Catherine is way too confident. Look at her, how proud she is!”

“Although Catherine is a bit arrogant, Audrey is very obedient. No matter what else, she regards whatever Catherine says as right!”

Netizens all seemed to have very short memories. It was a slap in the face for them when the last math problem had been done. But now they had already forgotten about it.

Whatever wasn’t possible seemed to be easy to Catherine. She led Audrey around a little bit, then arrived at the ticket gate for the Ferris wheel. Audrey was shocked. “Kathy, why do I feel like we’re going so fast.”

“Taking a shortcut will be faster!” Catherine answered.

“Kathy, do you know the park well?

How do you know the shortcut?” Audrey was stunned and looked at Catherine with amazement. Why did she feel that Catherine knew everything?

If she didn’t know the park well, how did she know the shortcut?

The routes on the guide boards of the park were all provided for tourists in order to make it easier for them to visit as much as they could. With such a route, there were bound to be a few more spots to see and, frankly speaking, a little more walking.

Catherine’s answer to Audrey’s question, once again, shocked everyone. “I looked at the navigation map when I was at the gate the first time I came here!”

It took a full three seconds for Audrey to react to this sentence. She interpreted it in a way that she understood.

“Kathy, you mean you’ve memorized the map of the whole park by just glancing at the navigational map, right?

It looked like not only did she memorize it, but she was also familiar with applying it. Otherwise, how would she know how to take shortcuts?

“Is that hard?” Catherine looked at Audrey in confusion. Audrey wanted to punch herself when she heard Catherine’s relaxed tone. She thought, “Okay, I’m just here on this earth to make up the numbers. I get it. I’ll shut up.”

It was too much of a slap in the face! But Audrey was not the only one who was humiliated. Those netizens had the same feeling as well.

Catherine really got a great comeback on this one.

Chapter 179 A Particularly Important Person

The clock rang, and the Ferris wheel came to a stop. The door opened, and a long, straight leg appeared from the gondola.

Just seeing the leg alone was enough to set the audience screaming. Audrey tugged at Catherine’s sleeve in excitement, unable to control her emotions.

The man slowly showed up. His handsome face was like a work of art, well-defined and gorgeous, making people unable to move their eyes from him. A long black trench coat aptly framed his perfect figure.

As expected of a big star, his every smile was well-practiced, gentle, and polite. He appeared to be flawless in managing his expressions.

Catherine looked down at Audrey, who was on the verge of passing over with joy and couldn’t help but give a reminder. “Don’t forget, you’re a celebrity. Can you please mind your expression?”

Kim was now anxious before the screen. When he saw that someone finally understood his feelings, he couldn’t help but shed tears of excitement.

It seemed that begging Catherine to be here in the first place was the best decision he could make. If it wasn’t for Catherine being so upright, he didn’t know what Audrey would have done. If Audrey was to appear on the program alone, he was afraid that her acting career would be cut short by now.

Catherine remained emotionless while the crowd around her was just as ecstatic as Audrey was. Seeing this, Audrey couldn’t help but explain the situation to Catherine.

“Kathy, you may not know about this, but the man here is a national idol. He’s a dream to many youngsters!

“His name is Grayson Clifford, one of the hottest names in entertainment right now. Unlike some minor celebrities who can be replaced casually, he is a real big star who receives attention all year round. Wherever he goes, he attracts all. He’s a popular and awesome idol.

“Kathy, do you know? Grayson has won many awards at such a young age…”

Audrey excitedly listed all the major awards Grayson had won over the years to Catherine. Catherine felt that if Audrey had focused on her job like that, Kim wouldn’t have had to emphasize everything to her, over and over again.

Grayson smiled at the camera and greeted the crowd. Then, he exchanged greetings with the various groups of guests.

The first person he greeted was naturally Cindy, the most popular star among them. He had once worked with Cindy, but Grayson was new to the industry then.

No one had expected that this young and handsome youth would make such a terrifying progression in just a short period.

“Ms. Hill, we meet again. How have you been?”

He had a humble attitude, detached and cold but polite. Even Cindy, who had always liked to put on the airs of elders, could not find any fault with him.

After the two of them briefly exchanged pleasantries, Grayson greeted the Parkers before turning to Audrey. Audrey’s eyes lit up with a rare excitement when she saw him.

Grayson greeted her with a polite attitude that was a bit puzzling. Before Audrey could figure it out, she was shocked by Grayson’s action.

When Grayson moved in front of Catherine, anyone with eyes that his attitude had changed. s could see Grayson was courteous and impeccably perfect to everyone just now.

However, one could feel the detached coldness of his attitude. It was as though he had a natural ability to keep people at a distance.

However, he was somewhat different when he stood in front of Catherine. He straightened his back as much as he could, and his eyes lit looked at Catherine. up when he

“Catherine, I didn’t expect to be able to meet you. I’m so happy!”

The hard-to-approach boy seemed to become a half-grown child in front of Catherine in seconds. He smiled so much that his eyes narrowed into slits. Audrey was shocked. Not only Audrey but everyone who saw this scene was stunned.

Especially so for Grayson’s fans. It was the first time they saw their idol treating someone in such a warm manner. They had never expected to see such a scene.

“Kathy, do you know Peerless Grayson? “Audrey asked, Peerless Grayson was the fans’ alias for him because his achievements were just too amazing. They thought he was peerless in this industry.

Catherine looked up slightly with an inscrutable look on her face. Grayson heard Audrey’s question and took the initiative to respond. “Audrey, I have known Catherine for a long time. She’s particularly important to me!”

He emphasized the words “particularly important” on purpose, with an extremely ambiguous attitude. Catherine gazed at him gently. She was well aware of his thoughts.

Sensing her gaze, Grayson silently pursed his lips. Somewhat aggravated, he then took the initiative to clear up the ambiguity.

“Don’t get me wrong, guys. I said she’s important to me as Catherine is my teacher. I learned a lot from her and I’m especially grateful to her.”

Everyone wanted to hear the story of what had happened between them. However, they didn’t dare to ask Catherine because she always gave off a feeling of authority, even though she was not angry. Sometimes, people would be too scared to be near her.

But Audrey was different. As Catherine’s sister, her personality was the opposite. The crowd fixed their eyes on Audrey, signaling her to go ahead with the gossip.

Although she knew it would be difficult to get an answer, Audrey could not stop her curiosity and took the initiative to ask Catherine.

“Kathy, what have you taught Peerless Grayson? You’re so awesome that even Peerless Grayson calls you his teacher?”

Catherine cast a cold glance at her, her expression indifferent without a trace of warmth. “We’re here to film the program, not to catch up.”

“Oh!” Audrey nodded dully after being lectured. The director in front of the display sighed in relief. Finally, someone remembered that this was a variety show. The groups of guests returned to their positions, and the following program began in earnest.

Each of the three groups was assigned the task of cleaning the zoo, and the first group to complete it with the highest rating would win, and the winner would receive a reward.

Catherine rolled her eyes

expressionlessly at the director’s arrangement while Audrey couldn’t help but complain, “Director, can you come up with some creative ideas the next time? This is too childish!”

The director was speechless and looked at the troublesome sisters with a dark face. He cursed to himself, “A couple of pain in the asses.”

Everyone felt that the new game was childish. However, they went along with it since it was the director’s idea.

Since Audrey was the first to find the answer, Grayson joined her group. Everyone thought that Audrey’s group was going to win this time.

After all, there were three of them, and would be more efficient than two. Moreover, Audrey’s group had always been the first group to complete, so there was no suspense.

However, everyone seemed to forget that nothing was a sure thing for Catherine. At the next event, it was an eye-opener for the audience once again!

Chapter 180 She Can’t Do Such Work

Catherine was assigned the task of cleaning the zebra stables, responsible for removing animal feces and garbage, and then laying fresh hay.

Compared to the tasks of the other two groups, Catherine’s group had a relatively lighter task, and they had more people in their group. Everyone believed that they would win. But to everyone’s surprise, Catherine’s group lost.

When the three of them changed into their cleaning uniforms and arrived at the stables, the staff prepared the tools and handed them to the three of them one by one. When the cleaning tools were handed to Catherine, Grayson directly snatched them from her.

Everyone looked at Grayson in astonishment because his actions were too abrupt. Unexpectedly, Grayson said with a serious expression, “How can Catherine do such things?”

Those words sounded as if it was blasphemy against Catherine if she had done such work. Audrey felt particularly strange. She asked Grayson seriously, “Why?”

Grayson glanced at Catherine. Thinking about her usually low-key personality, he firmly said, “There’s no need for a reason. Catherine just can’t do this kind of work.”

Audrey instinctively retorted, “If Kathy doesn’t do it, are you going to do it?”

Actually, Audrey didn’t necessarily need Catherine to do the work. After all, Catherine was her younger sister, and she was happier than anyone to let her sister do less work. The reason why she questioned Grayson was because she found it very strange.

What surprised Audrey even more was that Grayson agreed without hesitation.

“Sure. I’ll take care of all of Catherine’s work!”

After saying that, he went to Catherine and looked at her with a well-behaved expression. “Catherine, all you need to do is take a rest. Leave all of this to me. I’ll handle it all!”

Catherine didn’t refuse when she saw how hard he was working. Audrey, who was standing nearby, furrowed her brows. Seeing Grayson’s attentive appearance, Audrey felt that her position had been challenged.

Grayson’s confident manner of taking on all the tasks made everyone think that he was capable of doing household chores. However, when Grayson started working, the people present were dumbfounded.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Grayson had little experience in life despite his previous adventures at a young age. He was trying his best, but unfortunately, his efforts were in vain. He couldn’t even handle a broom properly, so how could he clean the stables quickly?

And then, there was another half- hearted participant, Audrey. Coming from a prestigious family, Audrey found it a disaster when it came to cleaning. Seeing their futile efforts, the online viewers couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

As a result, the once highly anticipated team was defeated and became the last group to complete the task, and they had to face the punishment. A lot of comments flashed across the screen.

“Ha! I didn’t expect that our all- powerful and flawless Grayson is actually a dumbass in daily life. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone who doesn’t know how to use a mop.”

“Grayson, marry me. I’ll take care of all the household chores for you!”

“So, what did Catherine teach Peerless Grayson that he admires her so much?” The screen was filled with various comments, but Catherine and the others didn’t care about them at all.

They were about to face the punishment given by the production team, and this was the first time

Audrey had been punished since joining the show.

“What do you think the production team will punish us with? It doesn’t feel right. I’m a bit nervous!” Audrey looked at Catherine and Grayson, waiting for their reply.

Catherine didn’t care about punishments at all. She just didn’t feel like talking. Fortunately, Audrey was used to Catherine’s composed demeanor.

As for Grayson, he had a foolish look on his face. He gazed at Catherine as if he were her little fanboy, completely ignoring Audrey.

No one paid attention to Audrey, yet she still had to accept the punishment. This made her quite annoyed, and she couldn’t help but complain, “Kathy, this is our first time being punished!”

Catherine turned her head, looking at Audrey with certainty in her eyes. “It’s just for today’s segment. Even if I did the work just now, we would still lose!”

Catherine didn’t even know why Audrey admired her so much. In fact, Catherine didn’t know how to do these seemingly domestic tasks. After Catherine finished speaking, Grayson immediately chimed in.

“Yeah. Catherine never does these chores.”

His tone sounded as if doing these chores would tarnish Catherine.

Audrey frowned slightly. She thought Catherine had lived in the countryside before and would be more independent. Even if Catherine wasn’t good at doing such work, at least she would know how to do it. Audrey began to wonder if she had misunderstood something.

While Audrey was pondering why Catherine couldn’t do household chores, the viewers caught another important piece of information. Numerous comments came flooding in.

“Oh my god, I feel like I know something!”

“Why do I feel like Peerless Grayson and Catherine are so friendly with each other? He seems to know Catherine well. Could it be that they are really in a…”

“Who the hell is Catherine? She’s not worthy of Peerless Grayson! Did the production team make a mistake? Separate them now!”

“Yeah, separate them right now! Catherine, stop clinging to Peerless Grayson! And the guy who said earlier that they are in a relationship, screw you! We don’t buy it!”

The screen was filled with chaos. Grayson’s die-hard fans were used to his domineering behavior and were loyal to him, considering him their idol. At the same time, they didn’t allow anyone to get close to Grayson. If any female celebrities dared to do that, they would be attacked relentlessly by his fans.

Some viewers misunderstood Grayson’s relationship with Catherine. They got furious and began to attack Catherine relentlessly. There were not only Grayson’s fans in front of the screen but also many people who were interested in Catherine.

Ronin saw those comments on the screen and sarcastically commented, ” What the hell are you talking about? Can someone like Grayson, a little brat, be worthy of Catherine? You’re kidding me, you lunatics!”

In Ronin’s opinion, no one could compare to Catherine, let alone Grayson, whom he had known for so many years.

Ronin had witnessed Grayson’s growth. Grayson, just like him, was a child saved by Catherine. Catherine had given them everything. Grayson loved the stage, and Catherine was the one who helped him step onto it.

Ronin loved computers, or more accurately, he loved being by Catherine’s side. For him, the most important task in his remaining life was to take care of Catherine and make her happy every day.

Ronin couldn’t hold back his anger any longer. He decided to take action, not sparing those who insulted Catherine. He traced those viewers’ IP addresses through the internet and hacked into all their devices.

“How dare you bastards insult my boss! “Ronin thought. “I’ll hack into your devices, motherfuckers!”