Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The heat radiating from Fan Zhongchuan's skin grew stronger. Ning Yuyi, fearing the fever would intensify and unable to free himself, hastily grabbed the blanket that had been tossed aside and draped it over both of them.

It seems I won't get to enjoy my beef and egg drop porridge.

Ning Yuyi longingly stared at the pot of porridge placed near the door. So close, yet so out of reach.

Oh no, it's right there but I can't have it!

Ning Yuyi gazed at the ceiling, lost in thought until he eventually drifted off to sleep.

However, midway through the night, he felt the warmth on top of him recede slightly.

In the morning, he awoke feeling too hot.

Kicking off the blanket, Ning Yuyi struggled to open his heavy eyelids just a crack.

So sleepy, all he wanted was more rest.

Maybe he should just go back to sleep, as it seemed there was nothing urgent today.

With that thought in mind, Ning Yuyi closed his eyes, intending to doze off again.

As Fan Zhongchuan was carrying coffee, intending to check if Ning Yuyi was awake, he opened the door just in time to see Ning Yuyi sit up abruptly.

"Nightmare?" Fan Zhongchuan set down his coffee cup.

"It's nothing, really," Ning Yuyi said, touching his racing heart, "Wait, no, there is something!"

"I had arranged to go home for dinner with my second brother today! He said he'd pick me up in the morning!"

"What time is it now?"

Fan Zhongchuan instinctively glanced at his watch. "It's 9:30."

"Oh no!" Ning Yuyi quickly put on his slippers, his clothes wrinkled from sleeping in them all night.

Without even paying attention to his appearance, he dashed past Fan Zhongchuan, making for the stairs.

Fan Zhongchuan, with quick reflexes, caught Ning Yuyi's arm. "Hold on, eat first."

Right on cue, Ning Yuyi's stomach growled.

Ning Yuyi pouted, suddenly recalling he hadn't eaten the night before.

No wonder he was so hungry.

His phone was dead, and he couldn't contact Xie Yezhou.

"He hasn't arrived yet, don't worry," Fan Zhongchuan reassured him.

"He hasn’t? Oh, good." Ning Yuyi sighed in relief, "I'll head home to change then. Be right back."

He was already rushing down the stairs, leaving his words hanging in the air.

"Oh, and I'd like sunny-side-up eggs for breakfast!"

But the moment Ning Yuyi opened his front door, he saw Xie Yinan and Xie Yezhou comfortably seated in the living room.

……

Darn it, Fan Zhongchuan tricked him!

Socially mortified.

"Ning Ning." Xie Yezhou stood up.

"Second...brother," Ning Yuyi stuttered, "Why are you here so early?"

Seeing his flustered state, Xie Yezhou frowned.

"Um, brother, I need to go upstairs first. I haven't fed Sweetie yet." Ning Yuyi tried to make a quick exit, but Xie Yinan's words stopped him cold.

"The cat has already been fed." Xie Yinan closed the book in his hands. "Did you spend last night at Fan Zhongchuan's?"

"Uh... it seems so."

"Hmm?"

"Yes, I did." Ning Yuyi drooped, shrugging in admission, "My bad."

As Xie Yezhou was about to speak, Xie Yinan held him back.

Xie Yinan stood up and sat Ning Yuyi on the sofa. "Ning Ning, you did nothing wrong. You simply stayed over at a friend's. Why do you feel guilty?"

"What?" Ning Yuyi was taken aback by Xie Yinan's words, lifting his eyes to gaze at him, full of confusion.

With a silent sigh, Xie Yiezhou gently kissed the top of his head.

"It's alright, Ning Ning. The fault lies with Fan Zhongchuan."

Ning Yuyi grew even more puzzled, explaining the events from last night.

"Go upstairs and change first." Xie Yinan patted him, "It's okay. Tian Tian has been fed."

Xie Yiezhou added, "But both Juju and Lili are over a month old now. Ning Ning, you'll need to start weaning them soon."

"Oh, right." Ning Yuyi then realized he had almost forgotten about the kittens turning one month old amidst his busy days. "Thank you, big brother."

"Off you go."

"Alright."

Once Ning Yuyi went upstairs to change, Xie Yiezhou finally voiced his concerns.

"Big brother, Ning Ning..." Xie Yiezhou furrowed his brows, recalling how flustered Ning Yuyi became and how he hastily apologized, feeling a tightness in his chest.

Xie Yinan shook his head, signaling that now wasn't the time to discuss.

"I'll consult the doctor later." Xie Yinan had also noticed the issue, but it wasn't the right time to talk about it.

After changing and freshening up, Ning Yuyi went to the cat room, brushed Tian Tian's fur, and opened a can of kitten food for the two kittens.

"You're both a month old now. I'll start weaning you next week, okay?" Ning Yuyi playfully pinched their tiny pads.

"Mew," the kittens chirped in their babyish tone, trying to reclaim their little paws from Ning Yuyi's grasp.

But their attempt failed!

After replenishing the cat food and litter, Ning Yuyi went downstairs.

"Brother, have you all eaten?"

No, they were rushed out early in the morning by their parents to pick up Ning Yuyi.

"Your second brother went out to buy some." Xie Yinan picked up the book again and started flipping through.

Honestly, if the book didn't remain on the same page all this time, Ning Yuyi would genuinely believe they were reading.

Using the book as a distraction, Ning Yuyi sneaked into the kitchen to message Fan Zhongchuan.

—— You lied to me!!! Both my eldest and second brothers are here!!!

—— Wuuu... The moment I opened the door, I bumped into both of them. It scared me to death!

—— However, since they've gone out for breakfast, I can't come over to have breakfast with you. Make sure you eat well, bro, and later check your temperature to see if you're still feverish.

Afterward, Ning Yuyi listed a few basic fever-reducing medications but advised him not to take them unless he felt really bad. If the fever got too high, he should see a doctor.

—— I might not return to Qing'an tonight. Remember to rest up, bro.

Bombarded by a stream of messages from Ning Yuyi, Fan Zhongchuan calmly took his last sip of coffee.

In front of him, there was a plate with a sunny-side-up egg. To his right, a bowl of porridge and a glass of milk.

But the intended guest for the breakfast couldn't join him.

A bit regretful, Fan Zhongchuan finished his coffee and moved to the opposite side, eating the egg from the plate.

Due to the elapsed time, the egg had cooled, but Fan Zhongchuan ate it all without hesitation.

"My love, see you in a week."

After a quick breakfast at the villa, Ning Yuyi left with them for the Xie family's ancestral home.

The Xie family home is located in a scenic mountainous area, a bit away from the city center. Backed by mountains and facing the sea, its location is prime.

And also very expensive.

The car slowly drove into the gates, stopping in front of the grand mountain mansion.

Xie Lou and Lin Yiyue were waiting at the mansion's entrance for Ning Yuyi. Seeing him get out of the car, they eagerly pulled him inside.

Completely ignoring their two sons behind.

The butler and maid were still in the kitchen preparing their lunch.

"We have many photos of you from when you were little." Lin Yiyue pulled out an old-looking photo album from a room, its exterior showing frequent use.

Ning Yuyi, curious about his younger self, began flipping through the album with Lin Yiyue.

The first photo showed a baby dressed in little tiger clothes, cradled by a younger Lin Yiyue.

"This is your one-month-old photo." Lin Yiyue said with a gentle smile, faint crow's feet showing at the corners of her eyes, "You were such a quiet baby, never fussy. Unlike your two older brothers who were quite mischievous when they were young."

Xie Yiezhou & Xie Yinan: ???

According to their limited memories, both were indeed quiet and rarely cried or fussed as kids. They'd find a little corner and play quietly.

Were their mother's memories really of them as children?

Xie Lou shot the two a warning glance, the message clear.

—— Keep quiet and don't interrupt your mom and brother's conversation.

They ended up poring over the photos until past eleven. Ning Yuyi was deeply engrossed. In the end, Lin Yiyue even brought out photo albums of Xie Yinan and Xie Yiezhou's childhood for Ning Yuyi to see.

The two brothers could only watch helplessly as their youthful embarrassments were laid bare by their mother, one after another.

After lunch, Ning Yuyi was led by Lin Yiyue to take a nap upstairs. Due to their own engagements, Xie Yiezhou and Xie Yinan had to leave early.

The day swiftly passed.

The next morning, Ning Yuyi was awakened by his internal alarm clock. Half-asleep, he brushed his teeth, washed his face, and went downstairs to join the others for breakfast.

"I don’t think I've packed my things," Ning Yuyi commented, biting into a dumpling. The savory broth from inside filled his mouth.

"Mom got you some clothes. We only need to bring a few items," Xie Yiezhou, who had stayed up all night and was visibly tired, remarked, "An auntie is already at the Qing'an villa looking after Tian Tian, so don't worry."

"So, do we leave right after breakfast?"

"Yes, the guest for the show this time arrived early," replied Xie Yiezhou, who was on a diet and eating a special meal.

"Okay." Ning Yuyi said, sounding exhausted.

After breakfast, Ning Yuyi and his luggage were ushered into a car. The driver then transported him and Xie Yiezhou to the airport.

"Zhou and the others seem very busy lately," Ning Yuyi remarked, enjoying a chocolate given to him by Yao Yao, belatedly remembering he had a manager.

"Big brother assigned him quite a few tasks," Xie Yiezhou said, wiping a bit of chocolate from Ning Yuyi's mouth corner, "He's competent, and your engagements are increasing, so he's bound to be busy."

"When I finish the show, I'll visit him. He tends to skip meals when he's swamped."

"Don't worry, someone's keeping an eye on him."

"Who?" Ning Yuyi pondered for a moment, recalling someone he met at the elevator, "The head of the PR department?"

"Yes."

Oh, scandalous!

Curiosity ignited in Ning Yuyi's eyes, a strong urge to gossip evident.

However, it seemed Xie Yiezhou didn’t know much more and couldn’t fuel Ning Yuyi’s curiosity further.

As the scenery sped by outside the car window, the director's WeChat group was buzzing with messages.

After skimming through the chat, Ning Yuyi realized that this shoot would be the last one for the first half of the year.

"Three episodes in half a year, it's always been this way," Xie Yiezhou explained.

"Is that so?" Ning Yuyi had an aha moment. He hadn't paid attention to the dates when watching the show before.

"So, this is the last shoot for the first half. The next one should be in winter," Xie Yiezhou mused, "The winter climate in Hai Province is quite pleasant. After the shoot, we can spend some time there."

Ning Yuyi remained skeptical about the suggestion.

"Second Brother, are you sure you won't be too busy by then?"

As one of the hottest stars currently, Xie Yiezhou not only boasts a massive fanbase and dedicated followers, but he also possesses an acting skill that many internet celebrities lack.

These skills were honed over years of on-set experience.

Hence, especially towards the year's end, he's always swamped with work.

In his busiest year, he transitioned between three sets in one night and went two days without sleep.

At that time, his fans were heartbroken and protested against his agency for quite a while. It was then revealed that Xie Yiezhou and Xie Yinan, the head of Fenghua Entertainment, were real brothers.

Since then, no fan has ever questioned the agency withholding opportunities from Xie Yiezhou.

Xie Yiezhou masked his emotions, looking downward at his feet.

Currently, in the show's promotional clips, only Xie Yiezhou has been identified.

Having been in the industry for so many years, with both popularity and achievements under his belt, Xie Yiezhou doesn’t bother about a few negative fans.

However, Ning Yuyi's situation differs.

With "Sword Path" yet to air, Ning Yuyi currently lacks a portfolio in the public's eyes.

To make matters worse, some netizens associate him with Fan Zhongchuan. Once the reality show airs, certain fans will inevitably criticize Ning Yuyi, claiming he's undeserving of the spot.

Even with the company's PR team managing comments, without any work to showcase, Ning Yuyi's fans can't counter these negative claims.

Suddenly, a show comes to Xie Yiezhou's mind.

"Ning Ning."

"Yes, I'm here."

"Have you watched the show 'Hello Actor'?"

"Hello Actor?" Ning Yuyi turned, "Yes, it features many veteran actors with impeccable acting skills."

"The mentor, Mr. Liu on the show, is incredible too. He can pinpoint the actors' weaknesses and shortcomings instantly."

Xie Yiezhou: "Would you want to participate?"

"Me?" Taken aback by the question, Ning Yuyi sat up straight, pondering, "I'm intrigued. I want to know where I can improve."

Despite being top-tier among his age group, when compared to battle-hardened veteran actors, Ning Yuyi still has room to grow.

So, he's keen to try, to act alongside them, which would undoubtedly be a learning experience.

"Then go for it." Xie Yiezhou took out his phone to consult with Xie Yinan, "The next shooting schedule is approaching, and the timing seems just right."

"Alright then." Ning Yuyi fiddled with his fingers, responding.

Once the variety show filming ended, the director gave everyone a gift.

All were the freshest local teas. Ning Yuyi had tasted it in the cottage before; it had a strong fragrance.

Ning Yuyi lay on a lounger in the rooftop observation room, gazing at the stars. Only streetlights lit up the surroundings.

Counting on his fingers, Ning Yuyi realized that he didn't even have someone to dine with next.

Fan Zhongchuan had gone abroad for work, Xie Yezhou joined a new project, Xie Yinan attended a banquet in the neighboring province, and Zhou Erhe was working overtime.

"Seems like only the cat is here with me." Ning Yuyi counted the stars, feeling a bit saddened.

Tian Tian, released from the cat room, was dozing off on the adjacent chair.

He was dressed by Ning Yuyi in a post-surgery outfit, covering his belly.

During the weaning period, two kittens kept trying to nurse from Tian Tian. Ning Yuyi got this solution after consulting his followers on Weibo.

Surprisingly, it worked really well.

The maid Xie Yinan hired delivered some desserts and juice to Ning Yuyi.

Sipping the sweet juice and savoring the delectable dessert, Ning Yuyi felt a long-lost loneliness.

Oh, during such lonely times...

He actually craved a whole roasted lamb.

Author's note: Goodnight, my lovelies~