I'm no thespian deity.

Article 9 of "Chen's Directing Rules" ——

The core of creating and developing a plot lies in setting up conflicts. If the conflict in the story itself is not strong enough or not gripping enough, then create "misunderstandings" to propel the plot forward.

Several rules that Chen Ling had secretly summarized when he was a director in his previous life flashed through his mind, and a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes.

[Audience Expectation Value +3]

[Current Expectation Value: 32%]

The moment Chen Ling saw these two lines of words flash in the soybean milk, he knew he had guessed correctly.

Uncle Zhao's expression visibly stiffened.

He stared at Chen Ling in disbelief. First, he looked dazed, then shocked, and finally fell into a deathly silence...

"Uncle Zhao, I promised Xiaoyi to keep this a secret... But you only have Xiaoyi as your son, and you surely hope that he can carry on the family line for you... Moreover, he always hangs out with that other boy, which will really affect his studies."

Chen Ling let out a sigh. "Today, I also saw him sitting on the back seat of that boy's vehicle, smiling so happily..."

Uncle Zhao's body trembled slightly, his hands couldn't help but clench into fists, and his breathing became heavier.

"Alright... Uncle knows." Uncle Zhao tried hard to squeeze out a smile, which looked rather eerie. "Thank you, A Ling."

"By the way, Uncle, I promised Xiaoyi to keep this a secret, so you must never tell him that I told you about it..."

"Don't worry, Uncle knows."

After drinking the last mouthful of soybean milk, Chen Ling said goodbye to Uncle Zhao and left the stall.

However, Uncle Zhao seemed not to have heard him. He lowered his head and rummaged around in the room. A few minutes later, he took out a stick as thick as a fist from the corner and slowly sat down on the bench at the entrance of the store.

A cold wind blew through the street, lifting the few strands of hair on Uncle Zhao's head and the towel on his forehead that was soaked with sweat.

He just sat there quietly, propping the stick on the ground with one hand, and his bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the end of the street, looking just like a fierce general with surging killing intent!

Chen Ling seemingly left the street, but in fact, he secretly circled back from the alleyway. He stood under the shade of the trees in the corner and could just see the entire store.

A few minutes later, a tricycle wobbled towards them from the end of the road.

Zhao Yi was sitting by the side of the tricycle with his legs crossed. The two buckets of salt behind him had all been spilled out. He played with the few copper coins he had just earned in his hand, and the corners of his mouth were almost grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey, making money isn't that hard after all."

"Brother Yi, it's easy for you! I'm the one who's been riding the whole day!" The young man in front stood up and pedaled the tricycle hard, panting as he spoke.

"We're all brothers. Why bother distinguishing between yours and mine?"

Zhao Yi took out two copper coins from his palm and stuffed them into the young man's pocket. "Here, this is for you."

Not far away, Uncle Zhao, who saw Zhao Yi touch the young man's waist, couldn't help but twitch his eyelid.

"Brother Yi, I rode the bike for you the whole day, and you only give me two coins??" The young man widened his eyes. "Didn't you get twenty coins from the Road Administration Bureau!"

"Riding is physical labor, and sprinkling salt is technical work. Of course, I should get a bigger share."

Zhao Yi lazily replied, then jumped down from the tricycle, squinted his eyes, smiled, and waved at the young man. "I'll wait for you at the usual place tomorrow... If you dare not come, I'll beat you up every time I see you. Got it?"

After saying that, he clenched the remaining eighteen copper coins in his hand and walked towards his own store with his head held high.

The young man riding the bike glared at him angrily, but when Zhao Yi gave him a fierce glare in return, he immediately cowered and could only continue pedaling dejectedly, heading home alone.

Zhao Yi, the young bully on Hanshuang Street, was hardly dared to be provoked by anyone among the younger generation. The young man who rode the bike was taken advantage of for a whole day and could only swallow his anger.

"Dad, I'm back!!"

Zhao Yi strode forward, holding eighteen copper coins in his hand. He had never been so confident when coming home before.

But for some reason, as soon as he reached the entrance of the store, he felt a chill rush over him.

The figure holding the wooden stick slowly stood up, and the atmosphere suddenly dropped to freezing point. Uncle Zhao's angry eyes locked onto Zhao Yi, and he walked towards him menacingly, like a general holding a long spear.

"Da... Dad?" When Zhao Yi saw the stick, he instinctively took a step back.

"Is that him?" Uncle Zhao pointed at the young man who was pedaling away, his hand trembling with anger. "You little rascal! You don't study hard, but you sneak around doing this kind of thing?!"

"If you were having a proper relationship with a girl, that would be one thing, but you actually found a guy?!"

"Can a guy give you children? Can he carry on the family line for our Zhao family?!"

"Are you trying to cut off your father's descendants?!"

As Uncle Zhao cursed loudly, he chased after Zhao Yi with the stick in his hand, and the latter howled in pain from being beaten.

When the neighbors on half the street heard Uncle Zhao's angry curses, their ears perked up.

They gathered around curiously and started pointing at Zhao Yi, who was being chased. They didn't know what they were saying to each other, but shock appeared on their faces at the same time.

[Audience Expectation Value +1... +1... +1...]

As Zhao Yi howled in pain from being beaten, the numbers in front of Chen Ling started to jump continuously.

If he could enter the theater in his mind again, he would be able to see the dense black shadow "audience" watching this scene with great interest, the corners of their mouths curled into a subtle smile.

"The conflict is right... but there aren't enough characters on stage." Chen Ling's gaze fell on the tricycle in the distance.

"Xiaoliu."

When the young man riding the bike, who was dazedly watching the commotion, heard Chen Ling's call, he turned his head.

"Brother A Ling, you're here too?"

"How much money did Xiaoyi give you for melting the snow today?"

"...Two coins." When mentioning this, resentment appeared on the young man's face. "He went back on his word. He originally said that I would ride the bike and I would get the bigger share of the money we earned, but he only gave me this little. And he even threatened me to be his laborer again tomorrow..."

"Do you want to take revenge on him?" Chen Ling looked into his eyes. "Or rather, do you want him to never dare to bully you again, and even avoid you when he sees you?"

"Yes!!"

"Then I'll teach you..."

Just as the two of them were whispering, Zhao Yi had already been chased until he was exhausted.

"Dad, Dad, stop hitting me! I really didn't have a gay relationship!" Zhao Yi finally came to his senses and desperately explained. "I swear, I, Zhao Yi, have always only liked women! Especially those who are plump and charming..."

The mouths of the onlookers opened slightly, deep in thought.

Uncle Zhao was stunned for a moment, and his steps suddenly slowed down.

"Then what's your relationship with that boy riding the bike?"

"We're just ordinary friends!"

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am..."

"Brother Xiaoyi!" A young figure pushed through the crowd and rushed to Zhao Yi's side like crazy. He opened his arms and hugged Zhao Yi's body, using his back to block the wooden stick.

Zhao Yi was stunned.

Uncle Zhao was also stunned.

"You..." Zhao Yi felt his mind go completely blank.

Before Zhao Yi could speak, the young man, with his eyes red, shouted loudly at Uncle Zhao:

"Hit me if you want! Don't hit my Brother Xiaoyi!!!"

The atmosphere suddenly turned deathly silent!

[Audience Expectation Value +2... +2... +2... +2...]