After Leaving the Industry, I Became a Guardian of National Treasures

Only after Su Fang died did he discover that he was actually the cannon-fodder biological son in an entertainment-industry novel. In his previous life, goaded by the fake young master, he entered the entertainment industry. But a smear campaign turned him into someone hated by the entire internet, while his parents thought he was "uncouth" and despised him at every turn. Reborn, he once again faced his parents' scolding and insults, a variety show's malicious editing and deliberate mistreatment, and the trending hashtag "Su Fang Leaves the Entertainment Industry." Amid the mockery of the entire internet, Su Fang decisively withdrew from the show and returned to the sect that had raised him. Just as everyone thought Su Fang had truly disappeared, some people said they'd seen him in a documentary about traditional pigments. Others spotted him in the background of an interview at a kesi silk workshop, while still others swore they had seen his name on an announcement that the Palace Museum had hired a new relic restoration specialist... Not long afterward, a variety show led by the national television network launched to great anticipation, with the theme "Preserving Tradition Through Intangible Cultural Heritage, Bringing History to Life Through Relic Restoration." In the latest episode preview, viewers suddenly spotted a familiar figure. Wasn't that tall, graceful person smiling calmly the much-maligned Su Fang, who had been driven out of show business by the entire internet? Then they took another look at the titles listed by the official account: "Intangible Cultural Heritage Bearer" and "Relic Restoration Expert"! Seeing Su Fang speak with effortless familiarity about these intangible cultural heritage techniques and national treasures, the viewers finally understood: it wasn't that the entertainment industry had no room for Su Fang. It was that the entertainment industry couldn't hold on to him. * The Yin couple didn't like their biological son, who had suddenly returned. Seeing that he couldn't get used to knives and forks or sleep on a latex mattress, they thought he was provincial and embarrassing. Only later did they learn that Su Fang couldn't get used to knives and forks because he'd grown up eating imperial cuisine and was accustomed to chopsticks. He couldn't sleep on a latex mattress because he slept in a canopy bed, covered himself with Zhangrong velvet in winter, and used Xiangyun gauze in summer... The Yin couple regretted their choices and wanted to bring Su Fang back, but they were stopped at the gate of the courtyard house they'd assumed belonged to a low-class family. Standing before them was the chairman of the Shen Group, someone they'd always hoped to curry favor with. "Our child was spoiled by everyone in the household from a young age. He always wants everything to be new. He has no interest in other people's things." That went for food and clothes, for parental affection, and for the fiance who had fallen for the fake young master. * For the sake of their own interests, the Yin couple arranged an engagement between Su Fang and the young master of the Shen family. Su Fang didn't care about his fiance. For one thing, he disapproved of arranged marriages made before birth. For another, his senior brother surely disapproved too. But the fake young master cared. So the fake young master begged him through tear-filled eyes to let him have his way, while the young master gently reassured him and swore he would marry no one but him. Then he glared at Su Fang as if Su Fang were a shameless homewrecker trying to ruin their relationship. Forced into the role of the third party, Su Fang rolled his eyes and laughed in exasperation. Leaning against the person beside him, he smiled lazily at the two men whose faces had turned livid. "Allow me to introduce my senior brother, Shen Yingzhou. Oh, and according to his seniority, you should call me Uncle." Reader's Guide: 1. An indulgent, doting gong who starts out restrained and reserved before becoming possessive to the extreme, paired with a spoiled, beloved genius relic restoration expert shou. 2. This story is entirely fictional. Please don't conflate it with reality. Thank you! 3. All information about relic restoration comes from the internet or the author's imagination. Experts in the field, please go easy on me. If you kindly point out any issues, I'll do my best to revise them, sob sob. [Upcoming Story 1]: "A Manual for Raising Wolves" Everyone knows that the current emperor's legitimate son, Prince An Shen Zhimo, is a sickly man. That's why, despite being nearly twenty, he still hasn't been named crown prince. Rumors are rife at court that the legitimate heir will be passed over in favor of the eldest son, and that it's as good as a done deal. Then, one winter, a new guard appeared at Prince An's residence. After that, the residence gradually shed its former mild and detached air, revealing its sharp edge. First, Prince An executed a princess consort for getting drunk and flirting with a famous actor in the street. Later, when they were attacked during an autumn hunt at the imperial grounds, Prince An went all out to protect the emperor... And in every one of these incidents, that new guard was there. If Prince An told him to go east, he'd never go west. Even when Prince An punished him, he'd kneel down first and thank him for the favor. People said Prince An had raised himself a fine dog. But only Shen Zhimo knew that the one he kept by his side was a wolf disguised as a dog. * Xiao Liang carried a deep blood feud, but with vengeance still far beyond his reach, he nearly froze to death on the street in the dead of winter. As his consciousness grew hazy, he saw a carriage approaching in the distance. Gritting his teeth, he rushed forward and blocked its path. "Please, my lord, save my life. I'll be your servant and do your bidding!" Someone in the carriage lifted the window curtain a little and glanced at him, then let it fall. In a cold voice, he said, "You're too weak. I don't need you." Xiao Liang gritted his teeth, his heart sinking. Just then, a money pouch landed heavily in front of him. Its mouth had come slightly undone, and a few gold beads rolled out. A cold voice came from inside the carriage. "Whether you survive is up to your own fate." The carriage left, leaving behind a pouch full of gold beads, carelessly tossed onto the ground as if it were rubbish. Xiao Liang quickly picked up the rolling gold beads and tucked them away, then held the pouch tightly to his chest. To him, it was both a lifeline and a dangerous burden. Three years later, Xiao Liang met again the man who had tossed him the pouch of gold beads on that snowy day. The man had run into trouble and was sitting calmly, drinking tea amid flashing blades. Xiao Liang leapt forward and killed the assassin with a single slash. Blood spattered across his face. He turned to the man. "Your Highness, am I qualified to serve you now?" Shen Zhimo glanced at him indifferently. "Get lost. You reek of blood. It makes me sick just smelling it." After that, Xiao Liang never let blood splash onto him again. [Upcoming Story 2]: "Making a Fortune Selling Herbs on a Survival Show" Zhu Yu grew up going into the mountains with his grandfather to gather all kinds of medicinal herbs. He knew Chinese herbal medicine inside and out. One day, while heading up the mountain as usual, he came across an injured contestant from a wilderness survival show who had gotten separated from the others. While bandaging him, Zhu Yu learned that the show offered a huge cash prize, which was why people risked their lives to compete. At the mention of the prize money, Zhu Yu's eyes lit up. He smiled shyly, revealing two dimples. "Could I take part?" * Now in its third season, the wilderness survival livestream variety show had begun to feel like the same old thing, and its ratings were slipping after a strong start. Then one day, an ordinary person suddenly showed up on the livestream and asked to join the competition. Technically, joining midway didn't fit the rules. But seeing the ratings shoot up, the director waved a hand. "Let him compete!" And so, the livestream showed a very unusual sight: While the others tried to avoid cliffs and swamps, Zhu Yu deliberately climbed mountains and crossed streams. While the others stayed as far from snakes and bugs as possible, Zhu Yu went out of his way to find shed snake skins and dig up earth dragons. While the others struggled to survive in the wilderness, Zhu Yu dug up wild ginseng, then put it up for sale in the livestream's shopping cart... "Three-hundred-year-old wild lingzhi! Not ten million, not eight million, just five million! If you want it, don't hesitate! Come on, three, two, one, click the link!" "Take a look at this fleeceflower root, freshly dug up by yours truly, and it's even shaped like a person! The real deal, honest prices! Just one hundred thousand! Come on, click the link!" "A century-old wild ginseng! No need to say much about this one. One and a half million! Click the link!" * Zhu Yu thrived on the survival show, selling goods on the livestream and racking up quite a few IOUs. After all, if there was one thing the show had plenty of, it was injured people. Until he met Song Zhiyan. As Zhu Yu bandaged him for free, he rambled, "You've got such delicate skin. You look like a pampered young master. What are you doing on a show that puts you through this kind of hardship?" Song Zhiyan lowered his eyes, looking a little dejected. "I came to look for cao lang grass." "Cao lang grass? Why does that sound familiar?" Zhu Yu thought hard for a moment, then clapped his hands. "Isn't that the divine herb from the Classic of Mountains and Seas? Come on, it's just a legend. It doesn't exist." The corners of Song Zhiyan's mouth, which had just started to lift, fell. "So it's a hoax..." Zhu Yu: "..." Why does the back of my neck feel so cold? Theme: Passing on traditional culture