Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Oblivious to Yu Sihan's ordeal, Ning Yuyi sat at a dining table with Lin Chijing, animatedly discussing the novel "Emperor Zhouyang" and occasionally clapping excitedly.

After dinner, Lin Chijing wanted to accompany Ning Yuyi home to show him other novels he'd written, but Xie Yiezhou intervened, "If you don't want our aunt and uncle to know you're back in the country, don't be reckless."

"When have I ever been reckless? I'm just discussing the plot with my younger cousin," Lin Chijing retorted. "Besides, Ning Ning will soon be playing the Ninth Prince. It's good for him to know more."

Xie Yiezhou's expression darkened, finding it hard to resist Ning Yuyi's hopeful gaze. "I'm playing the male lead. I'd like to hear this too."

Lin Chijing almost choked on his saliva, "What's there for you to listen to? The male lead isn't all that interesting. You can check the reviews under my novels. The interpretations of the male lead are already perfect."

In other words, he just wanted to discuss the plot with Ning Yuyi, not with Xie Yiezhou.

But Xie Yiezhou wasn't about to be dismissed so easily. He pulled Ning Yuyi behind him, "Let's go, Ning Ning."

Ning Yuyi: "Alright."

Lin Chijing's face darkened, and he shot a glare at Xie Yiezhou from a corner unseen by Ning Yuyi.

Not wanting to bother with his "juvenile" cousin, Xie Yiezhou decided to ignore Lin Chijing. After settling the bill and helping Ning Yuyi into the car, he stepped on the accelerator and drove away.

Lin Chijing, lagging a few steps behind, stared perplexedly at the dissipating exhaust fumes as the car sped away.

Once in Qing'an, Xie Yiezhou didn't stop in the high-rise residential area but drove directly into the villa district.

"Hey, big bro," Ning Yuyi noted as they went deeper into the community. "Why are we here? To see Fan Zhongchuan?"

"Why would we visit him?" Xie Yiezhou replied nonchalantly. "I brought you to see a house."

A house? What?

The car rolled to a stop, and Ning Yuyi realized that Xie Yiezhou had brought him to a house right next to Fan Zhongchuan's.

It appeared Xie Yiezhou only just realized the proximity, "Damn, who bought this house? Of all places, why here?"

"What are you mumbling about, bro?" Ning Yuyi overheard Xie Yiezhou's soft grumbling.

"Nothing," Xie Yiezhou dismissed, leading Ning Yuyi to the door and keying in the password. "It's fully furnished. If there's anything you don't like, we can redecorate."

Unlike Fan Zhongchuan's home, this villa had two walls fitted with vast floor-to-ceiling windows. The spacious and luminous kitchen was equipped with brand new utensils, some still wrapped in plastic.

"Follow me upstairs."

The upper floor felt more lived-in than below, echoing the decor of Ning Yuyi's old room. Opposite the bedroom was a modern study with a wall-length bookshelf filled with books.

Ning Yuyi's keen eyes instantly spotted an entire section dedicated to Lin Chijing's novels.

They remembered his preferences clearly and had quietly prepared these delightful surprises for him.

"Thank you, big bro. I love it," Ning Yuyi said, running his hand along the bookshelf.

Xie Yiezhou's eyebrows lifted in satisfaction.

However, Ning Yuyi quickly added, "And it's so close to Fan Zhongchuan's place. It'll be convenient for me to pop over for meals."

The smile that had just formed on Xie Yiezhou's face faded, leaving him once again mentally cursing whoever chose this particular house.

"Would you like Auntie Wang to come over and take care of things here?" Xie Yiezhou led him to the rooftop terrace at the end of the second floor.

"I can manage on my own..." Ning Yuyi began.

But he didn't finish, suddenly realizing that the villa was so vast, many rooms remained empty.

"Alright," Ning Yuyi nodded gravely.

"The day after tomorrow, we'll be returning to our reality show shoot, so how about joining us for dinner at home tomorrow?" Xie Yiezhou's gaze settled on a sunflower in the garden below. "Our butler has been asking about your preferences, and mom wants to cook personally."

Mentioning cooking, Xie Yiezhou added seriously, "But dad and I will make sure she doesn't."

The implication was that his mother's cooking might be less than delectable.

"Is Mom... terrible at cooking?"

"Absolutely horrendous," Xie Yiezhou complained. "A few years ago, she baked a cake and insisted we try it. After eating, my elder brother and I immediately called our family doctor."

Seriously?

Ning Yuyi pressed his lips tightly, attempting to hold back laughter that threatened to burst through his clenched teeth.

Despite his best efforts, a cascade of laughter enveloped Xie Yiezhou.

Laughter pained his abdomen, prompting Ning Yuyi to crouch down, attempting to compose himself.

"Ahem, I didn't mean to laugh," he gasped.

Xie Yiezhou pulled him upright, "So, will you come home tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'm craving mantis shrimp."

"Alright, I'll ask the butler to prepare it for you."

"I'd also like some mini cakes."

"I'll buy them for you."

"I love you the most, big bro."

"And big bro loves Ning Ning the most."

That very day, Xie Yiezhou moved Ning Yuyi into the new place.

There wasn't much to transfer. Everything had already been prepared in the villa; Ning Yuyi just needed to bring over his daily outfits.

During the final trip, he carried his cat over, releasing it in the cat room that Xie Yiezhou had custom-made for frolicking.

Once all was settled, night had fallen. Ning Yuyi lounged on a small sofa on the second-floor terrace, enjoying the evening breeze.

The neighboring villa remained dark, signaling Fan Zhongchuan's absence.

Ning Yuyi considered messaging him but didn't want to disturb his work.

He opened the chat several times, only to exit without sending. Finally, he sent Fan Zhongchuan a simple message.

—— Will you be home for dinner?

His message seemed to vanish into thin air. Before he could get a response, Ning Yuyi drifted into sleep on the sofa.

The incessant chirping of cicadas filled the summer night. The Qing'an community was co-designed by renowned domestic and international architects, emphasizing a pristine natural environment.

In his dream, Ning Yuyi found himself back at the orphanage.

Logically, these should be the original host's memories. Yet, in the dream, Ning Yuyi felt as if he was reliving them, watching as the children around him came and went. Some, gravely ill, passed away because they couldn't afford medical treatment, while some obedient and adorable ones were adopted.

Bullied by a chubby kid, tricked by Yu Sihan; surrounded by girls wanting to braid his hair — all because he was too handsome.

There were times when the matron of the orphanage gave him medicine. Each time he obediently took it, she would reward him with a small candy.

It was just an ordinary, cheap hard candy, but in the dream, Ning Yuyi cherished it, holding it in his palm with great satisfaction.

As the dream deepened, the orphanage scene faded, and he inexplicably found himself in a hospital.

At the time, he had just started college and felt helpless upon learning of the orphanage matron's sudden illness. He and some of the other kids who had already started working desperately gathered money, calling around to borrow funds.

They faced rejection after rejection, and up until the matron's death, they still couldn't gather the hundreds of thousands needed for her surgery.

The news of her passing came from the doctor, leaving him squatting in a corner, hugging his knees.

……

By the time Fan Zhongchuan returned, it was already deep into the night.

The neighboring house, usually vacant, had lights on, catching Fan Zhongchuan's attention.

Then he spotted someone lying on the second-floor balcony.

It was the person he cherished most.

Fan Zhongchuan raised an eyebrow, paused before entering his house, turned, and walked to the neighboring villa's entrance, ringing the doorbell.

The ringing jolted Ning Yuyi from his nightmare.

Wiping his slightly damp forehead, he waited for his racing heart to calm before heading downstairs to answer the door.

To his surprise, he was greeted by an unexpected face.

"Brother," Ning Yuyi looked up, impulsively jumping into Fan Zhongchuan's arms, "Why are you here?"

Holding the person now draped over him, Fan Zhongchuan said, "I saw you lying on the balcony as I was entering."

"Why were you sleeping there? What if you caught a cold?"

"Hmm, I accidentally fell asleep," Ning Yuyi blinked, "I was waiting for your message."

Message?

Fan Zhongchuan's expression shifted, realizing that Ning Yuyi had indeed sent him a message.

Massaging his tired temples, Fan Zhongchuan apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't see it."

"It's alright, you seem really busy lately," Ning Yuyi noted the bloodshot in his eyes, "Have you had dinner?"

Fan Zhongchuan shook his head.

"Then go back and rest for a bit. I'll make you some porridge and bring it over," Ning Yuyi's eyes crinkled into a smile, resembling a kitten eager for praise, "You're too exhausted right now."

"Alright," Fan Zhongchuan gently patted the back of Ning Yuyi's head.

After watching Fan Zhongchuan return home, Ning Yuyi headed to the kitchen to gather ingredients for the porridge.

This time, he planned on making beef and egg drop porridge.

Unable to find dried shiitake mushrooms, Ning Yuyi substituted them with fresh ones.

He diced the mushrooms and minced the beef, seasoning it for marination. Then, he stir-fried the diced mushrooms and beef in some oil. Once the porridge was almost ready, he added the stir-fried beef and mushroom, finishing by adding beaten egg during the last ten minutes of cooking.

While waiting for the porridge, Ning Yuyi logged into JJ Literature City to read more novels by Lin Chijing.

Lin Chijing's novels ranged from contemporary to historical, from action to political intrigue, without any romantic pairings.

Only after the porridge was ready did Ning Yuyi reluctantly log out of JJ Literature City, carrying the pot over to the neighboring house.

Perhaps worried about Ning Yuyi navigating in the dark, Fan Zhongchuan had left lights on in both the living room and kitchen, with the staircase also brightly lit.

Ning Yuyi fetched a tray and bowl from the kitchen, then headed upstairs.

This was his first time entering the master bedroom upstairs.

In stark contrast to Ning Yuyi's bright and cheerful room, Fan Zhongchuan's bedroom was dominated by shades of black, white, and gray. Yet, under a talented designer's touch, it didn't feel oppressive at all.

"Brother?" Setting the tray on a table near the door, Ning Yuyi approached the bed and softly called out.

"Hmm." Fan Zhongchuan opened his eyes, meeting the concerned gaze of Ning Yuyi.

"Brother, the porridge is ready. Get up and eat something first."

Skipping dinner often isn't good; it could upset the stomach.

Perhaps due to exhaustion, Fan Zhongchuan was groggy, barely registering Ning Yuyi's words. All he saw were the moving lips of the person he cherished.

Very tempting. He felt an urge to bite.

Swallowing, Fan Zhongchuan pulled Ning Yuyi onto the bed, pinning him down.

"Brother?" Ning Yuyi was startled. He had merely come to wake Fan Zhongchuan; how did he suddenly end up on the bed?

Trying to free himself from Fan Zhongchuan's tight grasp, Ning Yuyi accidentally touched his neck.

It was hot, almost burning.

Realizing something was amiss, Ning Yuyi blurted out, "Are you running a fever?"

"You were perfectly fine just a moment ago." For a moment, panic flashed in Ning Yuyi's eyes, but he was soon held down again by Fan Zhongchuan.

"Let me up first, so I can get a thermometer and check your temperature."

"No." Fan Zhongchuan, in his feverish state, seemed unusually childlike, reluctant to heed Ning Yuyi's words.

Ning Yuyi tried to coax him as if comforting a child: "Be good. If you have a fever, we need to measure it and take medicine."

The man pinning him down didn't respond.

With great effort, Ning Yuyi lifted his head to find that Fan Zhongchuan had fallen asleep.

Great, now what?!

Author's note: Fan Zhongchuan: I made a mistake. I should have taken advantage of my delirious state to steal a kiss.