Chapter 098 – This Tragic Movie Emperor – “Former idol” (03/08)
Tao Xiaosong sulked back to the guest room. “Qing, you go ahead and play. I’m sleeping with my uncle tonight.”
Yan Qing set down his mouse and turned around. “You’re this old and still sleeping with an elder?”
Tao Xiaosong rolled his eyes. “My uncle’s worried I’ll toss and turn in my sleep and crush your injuries.”
Yan Qing: “You wouldn’t.
“It’s not up to me—my uncle’s already made up his mind.” Tao Xiaosong sighed. “Remember to set your alarm. I’m off.”
“Xiaosong, is he… your biological uncle?”
“Of course!”
Tao Xiaosong left.
Yan Qing lost all interest in gaming and logged out.
He recalled the glimpse of his neck from earlier. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his temples, then abruptly opened them. With a mix of disbelief and curiosity, he opened a search page and rapidly typed a line.
“Is it normal to see someone’s neck and want to bite it?”
Someone had already asked the exact same question. He clicked straight into the answers.
Top Answer: Hello, based on your description, you exhibit compulsive impulses. Such tendencies are often linked to psychological factors like tension, anger, or repressed emotions. We recommend adjusting your mindset, engaging in appropriate exercise, and maintaining good sleep habits…
Reply: Hello, you might have violent tendencies. We suggest making time to see a psychologist.
Reply: Please elaborate—do you want to snap his neck? Or…
Yan Qing shut down his computer expressionlessly.
So that’s how it was.
He’d gotten into a fight tonight and was already in a bad mood.
Staying at a classmate’s house, only to be ordered around by the classmate’s drunk uncle—how could he not feel angry and suppressed?
Good thing he held back and didn’t hit anyone. He didn’t bite anyone either.
Early the next morning, Tao Xiaosong declined Xie Chenyang’s offer to drive him and took the subway to school alone.
Xie Chenyang: “Aren’t you going to school?”
Yan Qing: “I took a leave of absence.”
The injuries on his arms and legs could be concealed, but the scrapes on his face were impossible to hide. If his teacher found out, his mother might also learn about them.
So, he told his mother that his classmate’s parents were away and he was too timid to stay alone, asking to stay with him for a few days. Simultaneously, he requested several days off from his teacher.
Xie Chenyang asked curiously, “You’re worried your teacher will tell your parents about your injuries, but won’t they verify your absence with your family?”
Yan Qing: “Half a chance.”
“A fifty-fifty chance,” he said, heading for the door. “I have a good reputation with my teacher. I haven’t taken any days off this semester, so he might not bother checking with my parents. He’ll probably just take my word for it.”
But the possibility of an inquiry couldn’t be ruled out.
Xie Chenyang walked up behind him, leaning against the wall with one hand and tilting his head slightly. “Where are you going?
Yan Qing: “…” He was too close.
Xie Chenyang: “Hm?”
Yan Qing pushed him away slightly. “Just going out for a walk.”
Tao Xiaosong had gone to school, and Yan Qing didn’t particularly want to be alone with Xie Chenyang. He was already considering whether to find a different temporary place to stay these days.
But he didn’t have many close friends at school, and those few lived with their parents—not very convenient. Tao Xiaosong’s place wasn’t ideal either… Yet last night, Tao Xiaosong had been closest to him.
Xie Chenyang took two more steps back, a faint smile playing on his lips as his gaze softened. “Since you’re injured, you should rest here properly. Xiaosong told me last night you’d be staying temporarily for a few days.”
It was as if his earlier assertiveness had been an illusion.
Yan Qing: “I—”
“You can go out for a walk if you like, just remember to come back before dark,” Xie Chenyang said softly. “The door code is… 0122—my birthday.”
After speaking, Xie Chenyang withdrew into his bedroom. Yan Qing watched his retreating figure, lips pressed tightly together. He changed his shoes and walked straight out.
Xie Chenyang went into the bathroom, retrieved his razor, then shaved in front of the mirror.
[My wife probably doesn’t like my stubble. He never used to refuse my closeness before.]
When he’d cornered Yan Qing by the shoe cabinet earlier, Xie Chenyang had clearly sensed his tension.
You Huang sighed. “This has nothing to do with whether you have stubble or not. You just arrived, and so did he. He only has the original Yan Qing’s memories; his soul hasn’t fully integrated yet. Once he adapts, he won’t be so awkward anymore.”
[Still gotta shave. Otherwise, what if he cuts his face?]
“Who?”
“Behave yourself. Though his real age is probably close to yours, you know this body…understand?
[Understand, understand, understand. I’ll wait for him to grow up.]
—– —— ——
After leaving, Yan Qing headed straight to an auto repair shop he knew well. The staff there recognized him immediately.
“Yan Qing, here to see the boss?”
“Yeah, is he in?”
“Should be in his office.”
He headed straight upstairs. The front desk was empty. He glanced around and walked deeper inside. He always had free access to the boss’s office.
Yan Qing froze mid-motion, his hand still on the doorknob. The office was spacious.
The boss he sought, Yu Zhang, sat in a wicker rocking chair by the floor-to-ceiling window, his head tilted back.
Another man’s hands gripped the sides of the chair tightly as he leaned in to kiss Yu Zhang’s neck. Yu Zhang’s arms were wrapped tightly around the man’s neck, his eyes closed, fully immersed in the moment.
Yan Qing’s first reaction wasn’t to close the door, but…
Last night, I didn’t want to bite Uncle’s neck… I wanted to kiss him?
Yu Zhang opened his eyes. “Baby… Jesus Christ!” He shoved the man off him, straightening his clothes as he stood up. “Xiao Qing! Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be at school?”
Yan Qing stepped through the door. “Took a day off.”
The man slowly buttoned his collar. “Is he your little brother?”
Yu Zhang ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, stinky little brother.”
The man chuckled softly. “I’ll go check if the car’s fixed. You two talk.”
Once the man left Yan Qing walked to his desk and sat down, snorting coldly. “Stinky little brother?”
“I was wondering why you weren’t at school today, eh? Who did this?” Yu Zhang rounded the desk, lifting his chin and tilting it side to side.
Yan Qing swatted his hand away. “Hero saving the damsel in distress.”
“Tsk.” Yu Zhang pulled a cigarette from the pack on the desk and lit it. “So, no school for the next few days? Not going home either? Planning to crash here?”
That was indeed the plan.
Yan Qing looked up at the red mark on his neck. “Who is he?”
Yu Zhang frowned, dismissively replying, “Ah, just an actor friend of mine, finding some acting inspiration with me. What you saw was all acting, just acting, got it?“
Yan Qing: ”…Do I look stupid?“
”Sigh.” Yu Zhang leaned against the desk, smoking a cigarette with a wistful look. ”Fine, big bro here is gay. Would Xiao Qing hate me for that? Ah, big bro is so sad.” His tone remained flat.
Yan Qing felt inexplicably irritated and reached for the cigarette pack on the desk.
Yu Zhang snatched it away with lightning speed, stuffing it into his pocket. “Hey, hey! What are you doing? You’re too young to smoke.”
A text notification pinged.
Yu Zhang’s phone lay on the desk. Yan Qing glanced at it and read the message.
【Babe: We still having lunch together?】
Yu Zhang picked up his phone, about to reply, when Yan Qing casually said, “Sure, let’s eat together.”
Yu Zhang: “?”
Yan Qing: “I just came to have lunch with you. One more person won’t hurt.”
He wanted to see how the two of them interacted.
Two men… could they really work?
Yu Zhang chuckled. “Alright.”
Meanwhile, Xie Chenyang had already happily gone grocery shopping, filling the fridge to the brim.
[I rarely cook—Xiao Qing shouldn’t mind, right?]
You Huang: “He will. ”
[Why’s your tone so sour?] I call you “Dad” all the time, and I’ve never even tasted your cooking!
There was still plenty of time before supper. Xie Chenyang pulled out his phone, carefully searched for recipes, and began meticulously preparing in the kitchen.
—– —— ——
Auto repair shop.
Yu Zhang introduced his boyfriend to Yan Qing. “This is Tang Zheyan. You might not watch TV, but many of your classmates know him. Want an autograph?”
Tang Zheyan sighed helplessly. “Don’t listen to him. I’m just a minor star, nothing special.”
Yan Qing greeted them, observing them with subtle interest.
Perhaps because he was present, Tang Zheyan and Yu Zhang didn’t interact intimately, yet their deep understanding was evident—a glance, a gesture, and they knew each other’s thoughts.
Yan Qing: “So, I take it you’re his fan?”
Tang Zheyan tilted his head with a smile. “Is that right? Are you my fan?”
“Of course! I’ve been your fan since the day we got together.” Yu Zhang chuckled, though his smile faded quickly. “Speaking of fans, I did follow a celebrity for a couple years.”
Tang Zheyian: “Oh? Before? Now that you have me, you’ve switched allegiances and unfollowed him?”
Yan Qing, uninterested in entertainment gossip, found the topic rather dull.
“No, he retired from the industry,” Yu Zhang said regretfully. “You’re in showbiz—even if you don’t know him personally, you must’ve heard of him. Shen Yangfan.”
The moment Yu Zhang finished speaking, Yan Qing lifted his head.
He wouldn’t normally know the name Shen Yangfan. But that morning, Tao Xiaosong had whispered something to him before leaving, “My uncle’s name is Shen Yangfan. You can just call him Uncle Shen. He’s a really nice guy. If you need anything, just tell him, or send me a message and I’ll pass it on.”
Shen Yangfan.
Tang Zheyan: “Him…?”
“Ah, never mind that. You…”
“Why not mention him?” Yan Qing met Yu Zhang’s questioning gaze and turned away uncomfortably. “Why not talk about him? I’m… quite curious about your former idol. Why did he leave the industry? Was he… really popular back then?”
“You bet. His acting skills…”
Xie Chenyang finally made a banana pancake he was satisfied with and carried the plate into the living room: [Dad, come out~ Come taste the banana pancake I made for you. Is it good?]
You Huang: “Made for me? You’re just testing whether it’s poisoned.”
[I made them especially for you. It’s still a while until supper. Cooking now would be too early.]
The moment he finished speaking, the banana pancakes vanished from the table, plate and all.
[Why aren’t you playing by the rules? Logically, shouldn’t you come out to eat?]
You Huang: “The monitoring team is watching.”
[So if you eat them inside, they won’t know? Huh?]
You Huang: “Compared to me transforming to go out and eat, that’s not a big deal.” Hmph, you little brat. You just want to see my face.
——- ——- ——-
Tang Zheyan and Yu Zhang went to prepare lunch together.
Yan Qing stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, his expression colder than usual.
His phone buzzed once. He looked down and pulled it out.
[I’m Xiao Song’s uncle. It’s raining. I remember you didn’t bring an umbrella. Should I come pick you up?]
Outside, a heavy downpour had started at some point.
Yan Qing stuffed his phone back into his pocket expressionlessly, without replying.
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
