After the Secrets of the Passerby Were Leaked, He Was Cherished by the Entire Family of Antagonists-Chapter 100

Qin Yao, his eyes bloodshot, stared blankly at Huo Yan.

It wasn’t until the rain started to let up, the droplets thinning, that Huo Yan could finally see Qin Yao’s tear-streaked face.

“He... he took my place...” Qin Yao’s voice cracked, the words stuck in his throat like stones. He collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

“He’s gone… Xiao Yao is gone…”

“But he said… he said he’ll come back…” Qin Yao’s voice broke as he sobbed, unclear if he was comforting himself or the approaching Huo family.

Huo Mama couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. They fell freely down her face.

Soon, the sound of weeping filled the air.

Huo Yan tilted his head up, staring at the sky.

Thick clouds that had once loomed overhead were now slowly dispersing, the rain easing into a light drizzle.

A gust of wind blew through, and the clouds were swept away entirely.

The rain stopped, and the sun began to shine through.

Huo Yan let out a low laugh. “In the end, we couldn’t stop him…”

Qin Yao remained kneeling on the ground, unmoving.

Suddenly, Huo Yan stepped forward and roughly pulled Qin Yao to his feet. “Qin Yao, you need to remember this—Xiao Yao left because of you. He did it for you. So from now on, you need to pull yourself together!”

Qin Yao’s eyes burned with pain, tears falling without him even realizing.

Huo Yan spoke slowly, with emphasis on every word, “He made sure we remembered before he left, just to tell us that he will come back. So you have to wait for him!”

Qin Yao stared at Huo Yan, his expression dazed.

After a long moment, more tears rolled down his face.

Yes.

Throughout this journey, Ye Leyao had been so tired, so burdened.

But he had finally changed the course of today’s events, giving them all a new beginning.

How could Qin Yao not treasure that?

His Leyao had worked so hard.

Now, Leyao just wanted to rest for a while.

Qin Yao shouldn’t be sad. He should be happy for him.

Qin Yao nodded repeatedly, the tears falling chaotically as he whispered, “I’ll wait for him.”

“I’ll wait for him.”

No matter if Ye Leyao came back or when he would return, Qin Yao would wait.

From the time he was five years old, Qin Yao had waited for Ye Leyao to enter his life. He had waited eighteen years, waiting for their paths to cross, for them to meet and grow close.

Now, Qin Yao would wait again, wait for Ye Leyao to return to him so they could love each other once more.

After all, waiting had always been what Qin Yao was best at.

…

Two days later, the show *Let's Go on a Trip* was preparing to record its fifth episode.

However, before filming, the production team suddenly announced that two regular cast members might be absent from this episode.

The unexpected message left viewers momentarily stunned.

“Huh?”

“Two members?”

“We don’t even have that many cast members, and now two are missing?”

While some fans were disappointed, others began to speculate on which two cast members would be absent.

"Blind guess: Song Zhehan!"

And why?

Because everyone knew that the popular gossip about Teacher Song being in a "wife-chasing hell" had been making the rounds lately!

The fans who voted for Song Zhehan suggested that he might be absent for love-related reasons.

This theory seemed plausible, and soon fans turned their attention to the remaining possibilities.

Another name that popped up was Li Siyuan.

When Li Siyuan was mentioned, many people couldn't help but think of Duan Tingyan from the previous episode.

So, was Li Siyuan avoiding the show because Duan Tingyan had annoyed him too much?

With this theory in mind, the next most obvious candidate for absence had to be Liu Yan!

Fans found this speculation amusing.

“So, just because of a few small issues, they’re both skipping this episode?”

“Well, I have to admit, they’re all pretty thin-skinned.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t matter. As long as my favorite gossip machine, K.G., is still there, my entertainment is secured!”

Fans were having fun speculating, and when the livestream for the fifth episode began, they eagerly tuned in.

But when they saw the cast lineup, everyone was confused.

“Huh? Wait a second! Song Zhehan didn’t drop out?”

“Li Siyuan and Liu Yan are here too…”

“Then who’s missing?”

Soon, all the regular cast members appeared, followed by the guest stars.

At that moment, the fans finally realized who was missing.

“Where’s Ye Leyao? Where’s my Ye Leyao?!”

“And Qin Yao? Where’s my Qin Yao?!”

“So the couple didn’t show up?”

“Why? Not only are my OTP not here, but Huo Yan is missing too?”

“Production team, have you no heart?”

“Damn it, you heartless production crew, I’m calling the police!”

The reactions were intense, and the chat quickly flooded with complaints.

As more and more fans demanded answers, even the regular cast began to ask why the couple hadn’t joined the recording.

Yet, the production team remained silent. Not only did they refuse to answer, but they also seemed to avoid the question entirely.

A curious onlooker then chimed in:

“Do you think something happened between the two of them?”

This comment set off a wave of panic among fans and viewers.

“What the hell are you talking about?!”

“I can’t believe this. Just because someone’s absent doesn’t mean they’ve had a falling out. Haven’t you been watching the show? They love stirring up drama on screen! If something really went down, we’d see it on the show!”

This sentiment quickly gained traction among fans.

Exactly.

Even if something happened, it would be in the show. How could anyone claim they had a falling out?

Still, the fans couldn't figure out why Ye Leyao and Qin Yao weren’t participating, so they turned to their personal social media accounts for answers.

The first to respond was Huo Yan.

His post was brief and to the point:

**Huo Yan**: "Ye Leyao went to school. He’s a university student now. As for me, I’m off to shoot a movie."

One line explained Ye Leyao’s situation, while the other explained his own.

Fans instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

“I almost forgot! Ye Leyao did just start university this year.”

“Of course! His studies come first, we get it.”

Fans were understanding.

But even though Ye Leyao was at school and Huo Yan had a movie to shoot, what about Qin Yao?

Why had Qin Yao withdrawn from the show?

A day later, Qin Yao’s agent released a statement:

"Due to the passing of a close family member, Qin Yao will be taking an indefinite break from all activities."

The news shocked fans and viewers alike.

Once they learned the reason, they understood.

Fans left messages of support, wishing Qin Yao strength and encouraging him to stay positive during this difficult time.

Online, there were countless messages, but Qin Yao didn’t read a single one.

The day after Ye Leyao disappeared, Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi had taken care of the funeral arrangements for Old Master Gu and Gu Rou.

On the day Old Master Gu fell gravely ill, Gu Song and Gu Yu had a fierce argument with Gu Rou. The father and son ended up leaving Gu Rou stranded on the side of the road.

By the time the two of them arrived at the hospital, Old Master Gu's condition had stabilized. But when the old man woke up, he immediately asked for Gu Rou, wondering why she hadn’t come.

Gu Song was reluctant

to look for her, but when Old Master Gu grew angry, he finally sent someone to bring her back.

Before he could even make the call, the driver rushed into the hospital room, panic-stricken. "It’s bad, sir. Miss Gu has been in a car accident..."

Old Master Gu lay in bed, feeling his head buzz. His vision went dark, and he fainted.

And this time, he never woke up.

As for Gu Rou...

She had been deeply affected after being abandoned on the side of the road by her own brother and nephew. Wandering aimlessly through the streets, she didn’t notice when she stepped into oncoming traffic.

When she was rushed to the hospital, Gu Rou’s chances of survival were slim.

After an entire day and night of intensive care, she followed Old Master Gu in death.

In Qin Yao’s heart, Gu Rou had long ceased to be his mother.

But after losing Ye Leyao, hearing about the deaths of Gu Rou and Old Master Gu felt like someone had ripped a chunk out of his chest.

In just two days, Qin Hongxi had visibly aged.

Since Gu Rou had still been married to Qin Hongxi at the time of her death, the Qin family handled her funeral arrangements.

On the day of the burial, Qin Hongxi asked Qin Yao, "Do you want to say goodbye to her?"

Qin Yao thought for a moment and replied, "Yes, let’s go."

Even though their relationship had long since deteriorated, Gu Rou had been the one who brought him into this world.

No matter how many grievances they had in life, death erased it all.

As for the Gu family—

Qin Yao said, "It’s time to deal with them."

Qin Hongxi nodded. "It should have been done long ago."

They had held back for years, all because of Old Master Gu.

Despite Gu Rou’s attitude toward Qin Yao and her disdain for Qin Hongxi, Old Master Gu had treated Qin Yao fairly well and was a reasonable man.

Unfortunately, as Old Master Gu’s health declined in recent years, Gu Song had taken full control of the Gu family.

Now that both were gone, Qin Hongxi had nothing holding him back.

For the next several months, both Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi were kept busy.

A month later, Gu Yu’s dark secrets were exposed, and his reputation was utterly ruined.

Soon after, Gu Song was charged with financial crimes, causing the Gu family’s stocks to plummet and Gu Group to teeter on the brink of bankruptcy.

Everything fell apart as if it had been destined.

In the blink of an eye, it was already October.

That day marked the final episode of *Let’s Go on a Trip*.

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As the show’s producer, Qin Yao naturally had to be present on set.

After being away for a while, the regular cast members quickly gathered around to greet him.

As soon as Zhou Zijian approached, he frowned. “Why do I feel like Xiao Qin has lost a lot of weight?”

Wen Xiangyue looked him up and down, nodding in agreement. “He does seem thinner. Have you been really busy lately, Xiao Qin?”

Qin Yao flashed them a faint smile. “A little.”

After exchanging a few words, Liu Yan suddenly asked, "Hey, I haven’t seen Ye Leyao around. Where is he?"

Qin Yao’s expression momentarily stiffened before he quickly recovered. Smiling, he replied, "He’s been pretty busy too."

"That busy?" Li Siyuan raised an eyebrow. "So busy he can’t even meet up with us?"

Qin Yao nodded. "Yes."

Li Siyuan seemed about to say something more, but Song Zhehan suddenly placed a hand on his shoulder.

Li Siyuan gave him a confused look.

Song Zhehan smirked. "Why are you worried about Ye Leyao? What about you? You’ve been spending a lot of time with Duan Tingyan lately, haven’t you?"

Li Siyuan’s face immediately flushed red. "What are you talking about, Song Zhehan?! What part of me has been close to that jerk?!"

Furious, Li Siyuan began ranting, his words tumbling out unchecked as he glared at Song Zhehan.

Song Zhehan didn’t argue back, merely nodding after each of Li Siyuan’s statements. "Yes, yes. Whatever you say."

“Mhm, mhm.”

Everyone laughed heartily at the scene.

“I never thought I’d see a day when Teacher Song doesn’t argue back,” Liu Yan remarked with a sigh.

Suddenly, Song Zhehan looked up, his gaze intense.

Liu Yan shuddered and heard him say, “I think you’ve been living too comfortably lately. Want me to remind you of what happened in the fourth episode?”

Liu Yan quickly shook her head. “No, no, thank you, Song Zhehan! I’m very grateful!”

The others erupted into laughter again.

Qin Yao laughed as well, but his smile always carried a trace of sadness that never fully disappeared.

Soon, as if sensing something, Qin Yao forced himself to suppress his emotions.

That day’s filming ran especially late.

By October, the air had a slight chill, and after the last scene wrapped, applause filled the set.

The regular cast members had tears in their eyes as they finished.

Zhou Zijian, flushed from drinking, cried openly. “Waaah… I really love this show, but… but it feels like we’re missing a couple of people…”

Wen Xiangyue wiped his tears as she chided, “Come on, you’re a grown man. Stop crying; isn’t this embarrassing?”

Liu Yan’s eyes were red as well, but she smiled. “This goodbye is only temporary. We’ll definitely work together again in the future!”

“Exactly,” Li Siyuan chimed in. “It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. So why the tears?”

He glanced at Song Zhehan.

Song Zhehan was hunched over, focused on something.

Li Siyuan, a little tipsy, leaned over. “What are you doing?”

Without looking up, Song Zhehan pushed him away. “Texting Duan Tingyan.”

Li Siyuan shot up, outraged. “Song Zhehan!”

“He says he’ll be here any minute,” Song Zhehan grinned.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the screech of brakes could be heard outside, and sure enough, Duan Tingyan had arrived.

The set grew chaotic, with both the cast and crew joining in the commotion.

Many of the staff members approached Qin Yao to take photos, and he obliged with a smile each time.

One girl, after snapping a picture with him, quickly returned with a printed photo in hand. “Teacher Qin, I took this during the fourth episode and just noticed it. I printed it out to give it to you!”

Qin Yao accepted the photo with some confusion, but as soon as he glanced at it, his eyes reddened.

It was a picture from the last night of filming for the fourth episode, showing the moment he said goodbye to Ye Leyao.

They were standing at the dock. Qin Yao had one hand covering Ye Leyao’s eyes, leaning down to plant a soft kiss on his forehead.

Ye Leyao was half a head shorter than Qin Yao, and in the dim lighting, only the faint curve of a smile could be seen on his lips.

Qin Yao’s eyes stung as he stared at the photo. After a long pause, he finally whispered, “Thank you.”

The girl waved her hand, smiling. “No problem! I hope you two will be happy!”

Qin Yao nodded. “We will.”

Even though the day of Ye Leyao’s return seemed far away, just having the hope in his heart made everything sweeter.

As most of the staff cleared out, and the cast members packed up to leave, Song Zhehan suddenly approached Qin Yao.

Qin Yao perked up slightly. “Is there something you wanted to talk about?”

Song Zhehan nodded. “Let’s find somewhere quieter to chat.”

After thinking for a moment, Qin Yao agreed.

The two of them found a quiet spot away from the crowd.

After a pause, Song Zhehan spoke up. “Recently, I’ve been remembering some things.”

Qin Yao’s expression shifted slightly in surprise as he looked at Song Zhehan. “You…”

Song Zhehan frowned. “They’re not pleasant memories, but I saw Ye Leyao in them, so I wanted to confirm something with you.”

Qin Yao understood instantly.

He didn’t ask what memories Song Zhehan had recalled, only responded, “It’s true.”

Song Zhehan said nothing more, and the two fell into silence.

After a long pause, Song Zhehan suddenly chuckled. “Then I really need to thank him. So, where is he now?”

Qin Yao remained silent.

Song Zhehan studied him for a long moment before sighing quietly. “I see…”

He shifted his tone. “Will he come back?”

This time, Qin Yao didn’t hesitate, his voice firm. “Yes, he will.”

Song Zhehan smiled, his expression genuine and open for the first time. “How can you be so sure?”

Qin Yao said, “Because he’s never lied to me, and I promised him.”

Qin Yao would wait for Ye Leyao.

He would wait for his Leyao to return to him.

Song Zhehan lowered his head, hiding the emotions in his eyes. After a long while, he spoke again. “When he does come back, let me know. Zhang Qiran says he wants to personally thank him, no matter what.”

Qin Yao nodded. “I will.”

As that day ended, life gradually returned to normal.

October passed in the blink of an eye, and winter arrived as expected.

On the last day of December, the first snowfall of the year came.

Qin Yao had already moved all the roses from his balcony indoors to keep them from freezing. Now, the balcony held only a deck chair and a small side table.

By morning, the snow had piled high. Qin Yao stepped outside, grabbing a small shovel to clear the snow. In a shady corner where the sunlight couldn’t reach, he built a small, round snowman.

Mimicking what Ye Leyao used to do, Qin Yao used his frozen fingers to poke two dimples into the snowman’s face.

Afterward, he laughed softly and used more snow to fill them in again.

Every morning after that, Qin Yao would go out to check on the snowman.

He watched it melt slowly, until winter turned to spring, and the snowman became nothing more than water.

When spring came, the roses returned to their original spot on the balcony.

The roses thrived under Qin Yao’s care, surviving the winter just as Qin Yao’s life moved steadily into its next phase.

But every time he woke from a dream in the middle of the night, he still found his pillow soaked with tears.

During those moments, Qin Yao would get up, turn on the lights, and sit in his study.

This study was the last room Ye Leyao had been in.

Qin Yao would turn on his computer, and before long, a chibi version of Ye Leyao, looking exactly like him, would pop up on the screen.

Beside the computer was a transparent frame holding a note that Ye Leyao had left behind. On it were simple words:

**“I’ll come back to find you, Qin Yao. Wait for me.

—Ye Leyao”**

Qin Yao stared at the little animated figure, who opened a document and typed, **“Why are you up so late?!”**

Qin Yao chuckled. “I missed you.”

The chibi version responded, **“You still need to sleep.”**

Qin Yao smiled. “Alright.”

The figure then asked, **“Are you just brushing me off?”**

Qin Yao shook his head. “No.”

The chibi version pressed him again, **“Then get up and go to sleep right now. You need a regular routine if you want me to come back sooner.”**

Qin Yao’s eyes welled up as he stared at the words for a long time. Finally, he whispered, “Okay, I promise you, Leyao.”

So please… come back soon.

At the end of that summer, Qin Yao paid a visit to the Huo family.

Huo Papa had officially retired from the Huo Group, claiming he felt it was time to pass the reins to Huo Jing.

But everyone knew the truth. Ye Leyao’s sudden departure had shaken him deeply.

And it wasn’t just Huo Papa. For a long time, the entire Huo family had been in shambles.

Huo Mama often woke up from nightmares.

Huo Ze made mistake after mistake in his competitions.

Even Huo Jing, usually the most reliable, had overlooked two critical errors in his paperwork. It was only thanks to Assistant Feng that they caught the mistakes in time.

That was why Qin Yao frequently visited the Huo family.

Sometimes, he played chess with Huo Papa, and other times, he taught Huo Mama how to make oat milk.

The first time Huo Mama tasted the oat milk Qin Yao made, she exclaimed, “No wonder Xiao Yao liked the milk you made so much—it’s delicious!”

The rest of the family soon joined in the fun.

From then on, every time Qin Yao visited, he made sure to prepare a few glasses of milk.

After their drinks that day, Huo Papa invited Qin Yao to go fishing.

Fishing required a great deal of patience.

As the sun began to set, Huo Papa couldn’t help but ask, “How long do you think it’ll be before Xiao Yao comes back?”

A fish had just taken the bait, pulling the line deep into the water.

Qin Yao watched

the fishing line for a long time before he finally reeled it in.

“I don’t know,” Qin Yao replied.

Huo Papa sighed, not asking anything more.

The seasons changed again, and another summer came and went.

By this time, Qin Yao had fully retired from the entertainment industry and now spent his days managing his company.

One day, as he was leaving work, he ran into two familiar faces: Song Zhehan and Zhang Qiran.

Seeing them, Qin Yao suddenly remembered that they had signed contracts with his company last month.

“Long time no see,” Qin Yao greeted them.

They exchanged pleasantries, and Zhang Qiran tugged on Song Zhehan’s sleeve.

Song Zhehan sighed. “I told you I didn’t know.”

Zhang Qiran glared at him.

Qin Yao couldn’t help but laugh. “He really doesn’t.”

Zhang Qiran then asked, “So… how much longer?”

Qin Yao didn’t answer because he didn’t know either.

Two years had passed since then, but his little system still hadn’t returned.

But for some reason, Qin Yao felt like it would be soon.

So he said, “It shouldn’t be much longer.”

Zhang Qiran beamed. “That’s great! Make sure to let us know the moment he comes back!”

Qin Yao nodded. “I will.”

…

At the Time Management Bureau.

L2, lying in front of the massive computer, suddenly rolled over and froze as he stared at the screen. Then he started screaming, “Qiu! We’ve got a problem!!!”

Qiu, startled by the outburst, rushed over. “What’s wrong?”

L2 hadn’t answered yet when Qiu saw it too. “Is it… L1?”

“He’s gone! He ran away! That heartless, no-good system!” L2 cursed, bouncing around in frustration. “I’ve been here watching over him for months, and now that he’s recovered, he just runs off without saying a word?!”

L2’s angry rant echoed through the room, making Qiu’s ears ring. Finally, unable to take it anymore, Qiu picked up the furious orange cat, soothing him with gentle pets until L2 calmed down.

At the same time…

After a long day at work, Qin Yao finally returned home.

The housekeeper asked if he wanted dinner. Qin Yao shook his head, about to decline when he suddenly remembered the little program Ye Leyao had left for him.

Smiling, he said, “Bring it up in a bit.”

The housekeeper nodded and left.

Qin Yao rubbed his tired temples as he opened the door to his room.

The moment he entered, a familiar scent of milk filled the air.

Qin Yao froze, then quickly hurried toward the kitchen.

Standing there, in the small, half-open kitchen, was a tall figure. A boy stood near a large spill of milk on the floor, looking helpless and lost.

Qin Yao stood still, his entire body stiffening. He stared at the figure in disbelief for a long time before he finally whispered, “Leyao…”

Ye Leyao turned around. Upon seeing Qin Yao, his face crumpled into a pitiful expression. “President Qin, I slipped… I didn’t even get to drink the milk you made…”

The next moment, Qin Yao rushed forward and pulled the boy into a tight embrace.

As their chests pressed together, Qin Yao finally felt the emptiness in his heart fill once more.

The joy of having something so precious returned overwhelmed him. Trembling, tears in his eyes, Qin Yao whispered, “It’s okay, it’s okay, Leyao. The milk doesn’t matter. I’ll make it for you every day from now on. Okay?”

Inhaling the familiar scent of Qin Yao, Ye Leyao couldn’t resist burying his face in Qin Yao’s neck.

Suddenly, he realized that as long as Qin Yao held him like this every day, the milk didn’t seem so important after all.

Because, in this moment, he had already regained the most precious person in his life.

Ye Leyao’s eyes welled with tears. The once emotionally clueless system now felt two warm streams running down his cheeks.

Holding Qin Yao close, Ye Leyao whispered, “President Qin, I’m back.”

Qin Yao’s tears flowed freely. “Yes.”

Ye Leyao added, “I’m not leaving again.”

Qin Yao responded, “Yes.”

“I love you.”

And in response, Qin Yao kissed him with urgency and passion.

Thus, the story of a relationship between human and system, between flesh and data, finally reached its perfect conclusion.

The world is full of chaos and beauty.

Welcome home, Ye Leyao.

**[The End]**