Chapter 28

Chapter 28

After the car picking up Fan Zhongchuan departed, Ning Yuyi visibly slumped.

Xie Yezhou handed his brother a lollipop, a treat Yao Yao had prepared in advance—or rather, had prepared for Ning Yuyi.

Not long after Fan Zhongchuan's departure, the weather shifted, and a gentle drizzle began to fall.

The crew hurriedly went to rescue the filming equipment, while Ning Yuyi packed the bamboo shoots they had dried last time. She and Zhuang Rong covered the firewood previously prepared by Xie Yezhou.

After everything was settled, everyone's clothes were a bit damp. It was best for everyone to return to their rooms, take a shower, and change into dry clothes.

When Ning Yuyi emerged from the bathroom, Xie Yezhou was leaning against the head of the bed, seemingly lost in thought.

"Brother Xie," Ning Yuyi called out.

"Hmm?" Xie Yezhou responded reflexively. After replying, he paused, seeming to struggle internally with something.

"What's wrong?" Ning Yuyi discerned a hint of inner turmoil from his seemingly expressionless face.

"It's nothing," Xie Yezhou hesitated, "It's just... Ning Ning."

"Yes?"

"Can you call me 'Second Brother'?" His voice, usually described by fans as magnetically sexy, now carried a hint of embarrassment.

Ning Yuyi was surprised for a moment, then chuckled.

"Sorry, Second Brother. I got used to calling you that way and didn’t adjust," Ning Yuyi said as she sat on the bed, her gaze falling on Xie Yezhou's elegant hands.

A visible delight appeared in Xie Yezhou's eyes as he affectionately tousled his younger sibling's hair. "Yes, you're such a good boy."

Just a simple acknowledgment made him happy. He really was easy to please.

A blush crept up to Ning Yuyi's ears, "Second Brother, I'm going to sleep now."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The next day's filming was more routine compared to the day before. After lunch, the shoot was almost wrapped up.

On the way to the airport, Luo Bin suddenly remembered what the director had mentioned the night before about a teaser trailer being released that day.

"I'll share it," Luo Bin said as he logged onto Weibo.

Liu Tiancheng and Zhuang Rong, who were initially settled under their blankets ready to sleep, forced their eyes open to reshare the post.

"It's trending at number one," Luo Bin checked the trending topics, "Everyone is guessing who the mysterious new guest is."

"They've guessed it's Xiao Xie. Well, his unique aura is hard to miss," Liu Tiancheng remarked, scrolling through the comments before yawning, "I’ll nap first."

The car smoothly took them to the airport, from where they all boarded flights to their respective homes.

Upon arriving in Haimarket, Xie Yezhou, having a packed schedule, hurriedly dropped off Ning Yuyi in Qing'an and then rushed to the recording studio.

Ning Yuyi took her luggage home and then headed directly to Fan Zhongchuan's villa to pick up her cat.

"Sweetie~" Pushing open the transparent glass door on the fourth floor, Ning Yuyi saw the cat sunbathing in a corner, "Come here, Sweetie."

"Meow!" Perhaps not expecting Ning Yuyi to come over so suddenly, Sweetie initially lay on the ground, glancing at her without recognition. But upon hearing Ning Yuyi's voice, she quickly got up and jumped into her arms.

"Were you a good kitty while I was away?" Ning Yuyi said, patting Sweetie's belly. "You've been eating well, haven’t you?"

"Mew~"

"Where are Jujube and Raccoon?" Holding Sweetie, Ning Yuyi searched around, only to find the two kittens lying belly-up in a corner surrounded by toys.

With the air conditioner set to a comfortable temperature, making the room neither too hot nor too cold, Ning Yuyi decided to sit on the carpet and play with Sweetie for a while.

By late afternoon, Ning Yuyi set Sweetie aside and went downstairs to use Fan Zhongchuan's kitchen to prepare dinner.

As she was finishing cooking, she heard the sound of a car returning. She hurried to the front door to greet Fan Zhongchuan.

As her hand reached for the doorknob, Ning Yuyi suddenly felt that she resembled a doting wife waiting at home for her husband after preparing a meal.

This thought startled Ning Yuyi, making her halt her intention to open the door.

The door was then opened from the outside, and in the next second, Fan Zhongchuan appeared in Ning Yuyi's view.

Seeing Ning Yuyi right after entering, Fan Zhongchuan chuckled and took her hand, leading her inside.

"Were you waiting for me at the door?"

Ning Yuyi hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Yes."

Seeing the person he liked waiting obediently by his side, Fan Zhongchuan felt his heart melt a little. He playfully tapped Ning Yuyi's nose, asking, "What's for dinner?"

Ning Yuyi listed the dishes she had prepared.

"Let's wash our hands and eat."

After washing up, the two sat face-to-face at the dining table, eating while discussing the recent variety show.

Mostly, Ning Yuyi talked about amusing incidents from the set after Fan Zhongchuan left. He listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with comments.

As they chatted, a phone on the dining table rang. Ning Yuyi checked it to find a call from Xie Yezhou.

"Hello, Second Brother," Ning Yuyi now comfortably addressed him as such.

Primarily because every time she called him "Second Brother," she could visibly see the happiness it brought to Xie Yezhou, giving her a sense of accomplishment in pleasing him.

"Ning Ning, aren't you at home?" Xie Yezhou's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"I'm not," Ning Yuyi glanced at Fan Zhongchuan, "I'm in the villa area behind Qing'an, at Mr. Fan's place."

The smile on Xie Yezhou's face seemed to freeze for a moment, disappearing in an instant, "You're at Fan Zhongchuan's house???"

"Yes, I came to pick up the cat and thought I'd stay for dinner," Ning Yuyi had just replied when she saw Fan Zhongchuan gesturing to her.

"Need the phone?" Recognizing his intention, Ning Yuyi hastily handed her phone to Fan Zhongchuan.

She then watched as he greeted the person on the other end of the call and even extended an invitation to Xie Yezhou to join them for dinner.

However...

Ning Yuyi tilted her head, thinking she detected a grinding-teeth sound from her elder brother on the other end.

Ignoring the agitated warnings from the call, Fan Zhongchuan hung up and returned the phone to Ning Yuyi, "Sweetie, let's eat first."

"Okay," Ning Yuyi said, slowly chewing her rice, "Is my elder brother coming over?"

"He will."

He will, not he might.

Such certainty.

And true to his word, in less than eight minutes, the doorbell rang.

Fan Zhongchuan had informed the housemaid in advance not to come to the villa that night. So, in the vast residence, only Ning Yuyi and Fan Zhongchuan were present.

Consequently, it fell to Fan Zhongchuan to answer the door.

"Ning Ning," Xie Yezhou strode past Fan Zhongchuan, coming from the doorway to sit beside Ning Yuyi.

"Second Brother, are you joining us for dinner?" Ning Yuyi asked, looking up at him from her seat.

"Yes."

The three sat at the dining table, enveloped in a silence so profound that one could hear a pin drop, creating an undeniably awkward atmosphere.

After hastily finishing her last bite, Ning Yuyi placed her bowl down and dashed to the fourth floor, eager to escape the palpable tension.

"I'm going upstairs to put Sweetie into her carrier."

Without hesitation, Ning Yuyi sped to the fourth floor, bypassing even the small elevator.

Only once she had Sweetie securely in her arms did she breathe a sigh of relief.

"Why do those two always seem at odds when they're together? Good thing I ran fast," Ning Yuyi mused, adeptly petting the cat, attaching her leash, planning to take her for a short walk when leaving.

When it felt like dinner should be wrapping up downstairs, Ning Yuyi finally descended with Sweetie.

"Brother, we're heading out," Ning Yuyi waved to Fan Zhongchuan, leading Sweetie towards the exit.

At first, Sweetie hesitated to walk on the ground, but once she sensed no immediate threats, she confidently strode forward.

The other two kittens were secured in a pet carrier, held by Xie Yezhou.

As they neared Ning Yuyi's residence, Xie Yezhou finally broke the silence.

"Ning Ning."

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to meet my parents tomorrow?" He asked cautiously, almost tiptoeing around the question.

"What?" Ning Yuyi halted, the leash in her hand tugged forward by Sweetie, who continued walking. She then resumed her pace, albeit slowly.

Ning Yuyi was nervous, but Xie Yezhou appeared even more tense, his body rigid and lacking his usual cool demeanor.

Observing Xie Yezhou's state, Ning Yuyi felt a wave of understanding and broke into a smile. Kicking a small stone on the path, he replied nonchalantly, "Sure."

"Sure."

Sure.

。

！！！

Xie Yezhou's lips remained pressed tightly together, but the joy evident in his eyes was all Ning Yuyi needed to gauge his elation.

"They... I mean, your parents," Ning Yuyi took a deep breath, trying to acquaint himself with the new term, "What do they like to eat?"

"I've already reserved a spot at 'Earthly Delights'," Xie Yezhou said, fearing a misunderstanding, he quickly added, "I’ve booked it for a month, ensuring we can go anytime you wish."

Booked for a month?

Ning Yuyi stared at him in disbelief, silently lamenting the excesses of the wealthy.

Yet, he felt warmth enveloping him, experiencing, perhaps for the first time, the warmth of family.

It made him incredibly happy.

After seeing Xie Yezhou off and feeding the cats, Ning Yuyi took a bath and lay in bed.

With tomorrow's dinner preoccupying his mind, sleep eluded him. Instead, he got up to select his attire for the next day.

His wardrobe mostly consisted of simple tees and long-sleeved shirts. After an exhaustive search, he couldn't find a single outfit that satisfied him.

Eventually, he sat somewhat deflated at the foot of his bed.

Only when in need do you realize what's lacking.

Ning Yuyi sighed in frustration.

"Why didn't I buy some formal wear for occasions like this?" he lamented.

Would it be too formal to wear a suit to meet them? It doesn't seem appropriate for a first family meeting.

Ugh, such a dilemma.

Ning Yuyi flopped onto the bed, burying his face in the covers, wishing he could just scream right then and there.

It wasn't until late into the night, when even the cats outside had fallen asleep, that Ning Yuyi finally succumbed to the overwhelming sleepiness.

The next morning, unusually for Ning Yuyi, he woke up early without an alarm.

Indecisive about what to wear, Ning Yuyi simply put on his usual attire, prepared a day's worth of cat food, and left.

Waiting for Ning Yuyi was Xie Yinan, who sat in his understated Bentley downstairs, opening the passenger door for him as he approached.

As Ning Yuyi got into the car and was fastening his seatbelt, he greeted, "Bro."

The newly started car suddenly jerked to a halt, and the momentum threw Ning Yuyi forward. Thankfully, his seatbelt prevented any injury.

"Are you alright, Ning Ning?" Xie Yinan quickly reached over to steady Ning Yuyi, lifting his face to inspect for any harm, letting out a sigh of relief when he found none.

"I'm sorry, that was my fault."

He was so excited; he hadn't expected Ning Yuyi to call him "brother" so openly.

A little shaken, Ning Yuyi quickly realized what had triggered Xie Yinan's sudden reaction and said, "It's okay. Let's drive."

The car started again, and, having learned from the previous mishap, Xie Yinan drove smoothly towards Renjian Zhimei, a popular destination.

Renjian Zhimei was a favorite haunt among the city's elite, known for its exquisite taste, impeccable service, and hefty prices.

In the car, Xie Yinan glanced at Ning Yuyi, who was browsing the trending topics on Weibo, and inquired about his recent variety show filming.

"It's going well. Liu and Zhuang are great people," Ning Yuyi replied without looking up, continuing to scroll, "Plus, my second brother is filming with me, so don't worry."

Was this a lack of confidence in the ability of his second brother to care for someone?

Xie Yinan kept his eyes on the road, saying, "I have a few scripts here; are you interested in any of them?"

Luckily, they hit a red light. Xie Yinan seized the moment to send Ning Yuyi a few scripts he had picked out especially for him, saying, "Take a look and let me know which ones catch your eye."

The scripts had both lead and supporting male roles, but all were from renowned directors.

One script, a period drama about ancient court life, particularly caught Ning Yuyi's attention.

"You like this one?" Xie Yinzhou, noticing the title, said, "This director's historical dramas are well-executed. If you like it, go for it."

While the role Xie Yinzhou recommended was the lead, Ning Yuyi was more interested in a supporting character.

"I'm drawn to the Ninth Prince character," Ning Yuyi remarked after skimming the character description, "I've never had the chance to play such a role and want to give it a try."

The Ninth Prince?

Xie Yinan reflected for a moment: "Ah, that character. I believe the director already has someone in mind."

"It seems they're considering Yu Sihan from the Ice-Fire duo."

Hearing that name again, Ning Yuyi recalled the protagonist from the original work.

He mentally retraced the timeline and realized it didn’t match the narrative.

It doesn't add up. By this point in the story, Yu Sihan should've already been a major star, and in two more years, he would retire from the entertainment industry to take over his father's business.

Now, it seems as if... his career is in a downturn.

"However, they're still holding auditions." Xie Yinan, not wanting to discourage Ning Yuyi, suggested, "If you really like it, we could buy the rights and produce it ourselves."

"That's not necessary." Ning Yuyi, slightly disappointed, decided to let go of the role.

He didn’t want to get too involved with Yu Sihan; their last encounter at the BS Hotel was supposed to be the final one.

And his last ounce of patience.

"I’ll check out the other scripts." Although Ning Yuyi said this, he kept the script file open, reading through the story in detail.

"Is this adapted from a novel?"

"Yes, it's based on a book from JJ Literary City titled 'Zhouyang Emperor'. You can check it out." The film industry lately has been running short on fresh scripts.

So, companies and directors turned their focus to the increasingly popular online novels, which have received a tremendous response.

For a time, adapting these online novels became the latest trend in the film industry.

"Zhouyang Emperor" is one of the most popular,

non-CP (no couple pairing),

novels on the platform.

Intrigued by the original work, Ning Yuyi downloaded the JJ Literary City app, topped up his account, and purchased the complete novel, starting from the beginning.

By the time they arrived at Renjian Zhimei, Ning Yuyi was still engrossed in the novel, following behind Xie Yinan and reading as he walked.

Worried Ning Yuyi might trip, Xie Yinan slowed his pace, keeping a close eye on him.

Upon reaching their destination, Xie Yinan stopped Ning Yuyi just before he walked into a wall, then opened the door to a private room.

Unprepared, Ning Yuyi suddenly found himself face to face with Lin Yiyue and Xie Lou.

Contrary to their casual attire at the pet store, this time both were dressed impeccably, exuding an air of relaxed sophistication. At a glance, they seemed nothing more than middle-aged parents.

Ning Yuyi edged behind Xie Yinzhou, suddenly hesitant to meet their gaze.

"Don't be scared." Xie Yinan grasped his wrist, "Mom, Dad, this is Ning Ning."

They had discussed earlier that, since Ning Yuyi adopted a new name at the orphanage, they would respect his choice and no longer call him by his childhood nickname, Mu Mu.

From the moment Lin Yiyue learned from Xie Yinzhou the previous night, she was excited. Seeing Ning Yuyi now, she stood up, her hand on the chairback trembling slightly, tears forming visibly in her eyes.

Hiding had been an instinctual reaction for Ning Yuyi. After moving behind Xie Yinan, he realized that his action might have hurt Lin Yiyue.

Zhou Er once gossiped that after he was taken away, Lin Yiyue was heartbroken, leading to her deteriorating health over the years, necessitating frequent hospital visits.

Gathering courage, Ning Yuyi walked into the room, taking a seat next to Lin Yiyue.

"Ning... Ning Ning." Lin Yiyue's grip on Xie Lou's hand tightened, her voice trembling, "Are you hungry? Shall we start with dinner?"

Ning Yuyi noticed the empty seat beside Xie Yinan, "Let's wait for Second Brother."

Lin Yiyue and Xie Lou perked up at this address.

"No need to wait for him," Lin Yiyue held Ning Yuyi's hand, "Even if he comes, he can't eat. He's preparing to slim down for an upcoming role."

Ning Yuyi's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting Xie Yinzhou's standing in the family to be like this.

As the evening progressed, he found that not only was Xie Yinzhou's position shaky, but Xie Yinan and Xie Lou's weren't too solid either.

Lin Yiyue enthusiastically served Ning Yuyi, almost as if she wished to give him the entire table's worth of dishes.

Patting his now-full stomach, Ning Yuyi let out a little burp.

Xie Lou quickly tried to stop his wife, hoping to prevent her from overfeeding their newly rediscovered precious son.

Seeing Lin Yiyue's guilty expression, Ning Yuyi picked up a serving chopstick, placing a piece of sweet and sour pork rib in front of her.

Lin Yiyue looked at him in disbelief, "Did Ning Ning serve this for me?"

Ning Yuyi gave a resigned smile and nodded.

"Yes."

"For Mom."

Author's note: Almost five thousand words, so it's not a short update.