Chapter 099 – This Tragic Movie Emperor – “Baffling” (04/08)
Xie Chenyang waited a while without receiving a reply, so he sent another message.
[I made lunch, and there’s a bit extra. Want to come grab some?]
Yu Zhang and Tang Zheyan finished cooking, but Yan Qing had vanished without a trace.
Yu Zhang searched the office thoroughly. “Weird, where did the kid run off to?”
Tang Zheyan set out the bowls and chopsticks. “Call him.”
Yu Zhang nodded. After a moment, he said, “No answer. Never mind, let’s eat first.”
Xie Chenyang watched the downpour outside and sighed wistfully. [Wives in this world are tough to handle, huh.]
You Huang: “Take it slow. Wait until he graduates high school.”
[I can tutor him in his studies.]
You Huang: “Don’t mislead the youth.”
Xie Chenyang’s emotions piled up, and he was about to launch into a tirade about how his dad didn’t love him anymore when he heard the door open.
Xie Chenyang turned his head. Yan Qing was soaked through, his hair plastered to his cheeks. One hand braced against the doorframe as he caught his breath.
He’d run too fast.
Xie Chenyang exclaimed, “Why didn’t you call me to pick you up…?”
“Uncle.” Yan Qing wiped his face. “I might wet the floor . Do you mind?”
“Of course not…”
“Then I’ll take a shower.” Yan Qing stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and headed straight for the bathroom.
Xie Chenyang picked up the mop to tidy the floor.
[Dad, doesn’t he seem kinda weird?]
You Huang: “Who knows.”
“Uncle.” Yan Qing’s voice sounded slightly muffled through the bathroom door.
Xie Chenyang dropped the mop and hurried outside the bathroom, composing his expression before replying gently, “What’s wrong?”
You Huang offered, “You could add a ‘hmm?’ at the end? A deeper one. It’ll sound gentle yet radiate mature charm.”
Xie Chenyang: “…” Just… a bit confused.
“Uncle, my clothes are soaked. Can I borrow some?”
“Sure, I’ll go get them.”
Listening to the receding footsteps, Yan Qing squeezed shampoo onto his head, closed his eyes, and let a faint smile touch his lips.
Hmph. This uncle definitely had more than just good intentions. Under normal circumstances, shouldn’t he have given him Tao Xiaosong’s clothes?
He could guarantee that whatever the other man brought back would definitely be his own clothes.
Xie Chenyang quickly returned to the doorway with the clothes, clearing his throat. “Kid, want me to wash them for you? Aren’t you injured? Wouldn’t that be inconvenient?“
Yan Qing: ”They’re all wet anyway. I’ll just give them a quick scrub. It won’t take long. No need to trouble you, Uncle.”
“Oh, well.” There was a hint of disappointment in Xie Chenyang’s tone. “Then I’ll just hang these outside the door for you.”
“I’m done.” Yan Qing turned off the water, walked barefoot to the door, and reached out to open it.
Xie Chenyang’s pupils contracted slightly.
Yan Qing reached out a hand, a faint question on his face. “Uncle?”
Xie Chenyang’s gaze shifted downward, lingering over his little cutie. He licked his lips. “Here.”
Yan Qing took the clothes, turned back to the bathroom, tossed them aside, and grabbed a towel to dry his hair. “Uncle, close the door for me.”
Xie Chenyang gripped the handle and slowly pulled it shut. His gaze swept over the scene, taking it all in.
[Dad, do you think he’s trying to seduce me?]
You Huang: “What? I can’t actually see anything. How would I know?”
[Precisely because you can’t. So, he really is trying to seduce me, right?]
Xie Chenyang chuckled softly, picking up the mop nearby and storing it away.
[His soul should be fully merged now. His love for me must have been awakened too, which is why he’s testing me like this.]
[But he’s still young. I must resist the temptation.]
What Xie Chenyang handed Yan Qing was a pair of casual pants and a soft sweater. They were slightly too big for Yan Qing to wear. While he sat on the sofa, the sweater’s collar kept slipping down, revealing his rounded shoulders.
He didn’t seem to mind, tilting his head slightly. “I dried your hair last night. My hands are a bit inconvenient now. Could you return the favor?”
Xie Chenyang curved his lips. “Of course. But let’s dress your injuries first. Do you have any medicine?”
“Yes. In Xiaosong’s room, on the bedside table.”
The cut on Yan Qing’s arm ran deep. It didn’t require stitches, but it was still substantial.
Xie Chenyang bent over to disinfect it, apply ointment, and wrap the bandage. The warmth in his eyes faded. “Since it’s raining, why didn’t you find shelter? You could’ve bought an umbrella, or waited for me to pick you up, or hailed a cab… Why insist on getting soaked?”
Yan Qing: “Youthful recklessness, you know.”
“Recklessness? That’s called being stupid.”
Xie Chenyang finished securing the bandage, then stood to blow-dry his hair, suppressing his irritability.
[I want to smack his head.]
You Huang: “Go ahead.”
[I can’t bring myself to. Last night he was cold and impatient with me, but now he’s being so obedient—how could I possibly bring myself to abuse him?]
Xie Chenyang set down the dryer. “All done. Sit tight while I check if the food’s reheated.”
Yan Qing grabbed his hand, then pulled back,, tilting his face. “Could I trouble you to apply some ointment on my face, Uncle?”
“It’s just…”
You Huang: “Ahem, ahem, ahem!”
[It’s just a scrape. Does it really need medicine? Isn’t it the kind that heals in a few days?]
You Huang: “Whatever.”
Despite his words, Xie Chenyang picked up the ointment, gently lifted Yan Qing’s chin, and applied it with tender care.
Yan Qing lowered his eyelids slightly. Even so, he could feel the warmth in Xie Chenyang’s gaze upon his face.
This man… clearly had feelings for him.
After applying the ointment, Xie Chenyang reheated the dishes, and they ate lunch together.
Yan Qing activated the projector in front of the sofa. “Uncle, does this support screen mirroring? Can I watch something?”
Xie Chenyang: “Of course.”
So Yan Qing pulled out his phone and screen-shared a video. The sound of a guqin intertwined with flowing water filled the air, followed by a man’s singing voice.
You Huang: “Friendly reminder—that’s an OST from a historical drama Ke Ming starred in that he performed.”
Xie Chenyang felt a headache coming on. He tentatively asked, “Are you a fan?”
Yan Qing’s fingertips tapped lightly as he studied Xie Chenyang’s expression without showing emotion. “Is that a problem?”
Xie Chenyang frowned. “You like him?”
Yan Qing: “Not allowed?”
Xie Chenyang sat beside him and spoke earnestly, “It’s not that you can’t idolize someone, but he’s not exactly a good person. How about choosing a different idol?” He searched through the plot for a moment. “Like Li Yunseng. He’s a great actor, and he’s a decent person…”
Li Yunseng was already forty-one this year. He hadn’t been involved in any major scandals and maintained a positive public image.
Yan Qing closed the video. Xie Chenyang snapped back to reality.
If Yan Qing knew about Ke Ming, he couldn’t possibly be unaware of him. Though people had short memories, after a year out of the spotlight, many had forgotten him. But his former fans, Ke Ming’s fans, and those within or following the entertainment industry surely still remembered him.
Just as Xie Chenyang was about to say something to Yan Qing, the latter had already stood up. “Uncle, I’m feeling a bit sleepy. Can I sleep in Xiaosong’s room?”
“Wait…” Xie Chenyang grabbed his arm. Yan Qing stumbled and fell into his embrace.
Wait, that fall looked a bit fake! Xie Chenyang saw right through it.
But with his lover in his arms, he genuinely didn’t want to let go. He even tightened his hold.
Yan Qing’s voice was serious. “Sorry, Uncle. I might have gotten sick walking in the rain and lost my balance.”
Xie Chenyang almost bought it. He stifled a laugh. “Still feeling dizzy? Shall I carry you back to your room?”
Yan Qing: “…” The internet was right—any physical contact made someone with feelings for the other crave more.
“No need, I—”
“Don’t be so polite,” Xie Chenyang said, lifting him to his feet with a smile. “I promised Xiao Song I’d take good care of you. You got soaked and dizzy. This is the least I can do.”
Feeling his lover’s tense body, Xie Chenyang felt a flutter of desire but didn’t take advantage of the moment. Instead, he carried him properly into the room and laid him on the bed. “Now get some rest. Call me if you need anything, okay?”
Yan Qing: “…Okay.”
Before leaving the room, Xie Chenyang added, “Oh, and Ke Ming and I? Nothing happened between us.”
The door closed.
Yan Qing’s eyes fluttered open. Logically, he knew those words weren’t credible.
If nothing had truly happened back then, why would he let Ke Ming smear him? With such promising momentum, the company had every reason to handle the PR, and he himself should have fought back.
Yet emotionally, Yan Qing inexplicably believed the lie. Whether it was the rain or not, his mind gradually grew hazy.
Xie Chenyang returned to the living room, lighting a cigarette with a somber expression.
You Huang: “Worried he won’t believe you?”
[No, I’m reliving the sensation from earlier.]
Yan Qing hadn’t slept long. When he woke up groggily, he realized he’d only dozed for half an hour. Recalling everything before sleeping, he furrowed his brow slightly.
It all felt inexplicably strange.
Whether it was the urge to kiss Xie Chenyang’s elegant neck upon seeing it, or the agitation stirred by hearing the reason for his retirement from the industry, it all felt inexplicably strange.
He’d even foolishly run back in the rain, testing the waters indirectly…
Like a complete fool.
“I must have lost my mind.”
He rubbed his temples, opened WeChat, and saw a string of concerned messages from Yu Zhang. He dialed Yu Zhang’s number.
Yu Zhang’s voice was questioning yet filled with worry. “Why did you just run off without saying anything? I heard from the staff that you ran back in the rain. What happened?”
Yan Qing lowered his gaze. “An old man fell and broke his leg. I did a good deed and took him home.”
“Yeah, right.” Yu Zhang chuckled. “But since you’re joking, it must not be serious. Coming over tonight? Didn’t you want to crash at my place for a few days?”
Yan Qing: “No, I’m staying at a classmate’s.”
“Alright, I’ll hang up then…”
“Hold on.”
“What is it?”
Yan Qing gripped his phone tighter. “It’s just… a friend of mine—the classmate I’m staying with—he’s been really troubled lately. But you know me, I’m no good at cheering people up.”
Yu Zhang: “Tell me about it.”
“He met someone recently and started acting weird… Like he feels they’ve known each other forever, even though they’ve never met…”
Yu Zhang cut him off, “You’re in love?”
He hung up without an expression.
Yu Zhang sent another message: [Anyway, you’ll be an adult soon. A little teenage crush isn’t a big deal. Still, keep your focus on studying—getting into college with the girl you like would be pretty romantic, right? /smile]
Yan Qing replied: [I’m staying at your place tonight.]
Xie Chenyang felt a pang of disappointment that Yan Qing wasn’t planning to stay long-term, yet he also felt a small sense of relief.
[Thank goodness. If he stayed any longer, I might not have been able to control myself.]
You Huang: “Is your self-control that weak?”
[Dad, you wouldn’t understand. If your lover lived under the same roof as you, wouldn’t you want to be close to them? Wouldn’t you? Oh right, I forgot. You don’t have one.]
You Huang scoffed coldly: “Who said I—” He caught himself and swallowed the rest.
[What? You actually have a lover? Then…]
Faced with Xie Chenyang’s pressing questions, You Huang froze like a system crash, offering no response.
Edit: Krone
Proofread: Choux_choux
