Chapter 114

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On the first day of the Lunar New Year, when Fang Ying woke up, Xia Ye and the twins were still sleeping soundly. She put on her clothes, left the bedroom, and saw Yang Youming alone, wearing a sleeveless black top, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the living room with his head tilted up as he downed a glass of water.

His hair and clothes were soaked with sweat. He looked like he’d just finished working out.

Fang Ying glanced at his biceps and graciously went over to greet him.

Yang Youming stood up, smiling as he said, “Up so early?”

Fang Ying said, “I’m used to it, I get up early at home too. Having nothing to do actually makes it hard for me to go back to sleep. You get up this early too?”

Yang Youming nodded. “I wake up at dawn. I usually exercise every morning, then wait for Xingcheng to get enough sleep, and make breakfast for him when he gets up.”

Fang Ying smiled faintly. “Xingcheng’s days are too blessed.”

There was sweat dripping down Yang Youming’s cheeks. He pushed aside his sweat soaked hair, and said to Fang Ying, “Get a little more rest, I’ll prepare breakfast after I shower.”

When Xia Ye woke up, he found that Fang Ying was no longer in the room. He extended his arms and stretched, staring at the ceiling for a while with an empty gaze before he rolled over and got up, grabbing the clothes he’d tossed to the bedside cabinet and putting them on.

He stepped out of the room with his bird’s nest hair. Hearing voices from the living room, he then made his way over, and as he drew near, he saw Fang Ying and Yang Youming sitting down on the dining table, having breakfast.

Xia Ye walked over and pulled out a chair. Just as he sat down, Fang Ying said, “Go wash your face and brush your teeth first. Comb your hair as well.” Xia Ye shot her a glance, then got up and went to the bathroom.

Fang Ying smiled sheepishly at Yang Youming. “He’s usually like that at home, he doesn’t like cleaning up.”

Yang Youming was leaning back on his chair. With a smile, he said, “It’s all right, just make yourself at home.”

Breakfast was all Yang Youming’s doing. Xia Xingcheng liked eating wheat flour based foods in the morning, and usually, when it was just the two of them at home, Yang Youming often cooked noodles topped with an egg for Xia Xingcheng. Considering the many guests at present, Yang Youming also made congee, steamed some stuffed buns, and warmed up some milk.

Fang Ying had a bowl of congee in front of her. It was topped with shredded chicken and spring onions, and it tasted faintly salty. She ate a mouthful and licked her lips. There was something she wanted to say, yet she hesitated for a while before she ended up asking anyway, in a soft voice, “Ming ge, you’re thirteen years older than Xingcheng, right?”

One of Yang Youming’s wrists rested atop the table, next to a glass of milk. When he heard Yang Youming’s question, he merely nodded lightly. “Yes.”

Fang Ying took a deep breath and said, “If we don’t put ourselves in Xingcheng’s shoes, and put ourselves in your shoes instead—do you think that in another ten, twenty years, you can guarantee that Xingcheng would still be by your side?”

Yang Youming didn’t reply, but his demeanor was calm, and he wasn’t angered by Fang Ying’s question either.

Fang Ying stirred the congee in her bowl. “I’m sorry.”

Only then did Yang Youming say, “It’s fine. I know what you mean. No one can guarantee what will happen in the future, but I believe in Xingcheng, and I also believe in myself. I won’t let him leave me.”

When Xia Ye came out of the bathroom after washing up, he happened to hear Yang Youming’s words; he had just woken up not too long ago, and he wasn’t all that awake yet. He didn’t throw a fit, though, but was a bit absent-minded.

He sat down at the dining table, reached out for a steamed bun, and said to Yang Youming. “He’s my little brother, I know him better than you do. He’s indecisive, don’t mention ten or twenty years, maybe he’ll have a change of heart next year. You’ve been divorced before, right? Where did that never-changing love go?”

Fang Ying kicked him from under the table and snapped, “No never-changing love? So are you going to change next year too?”

Xia Ye bit into the steamed bun and chewed on it twice before he swallowed. “Are we the same? How old are our kids already? There are so many normal families without children who get divorced, let alone two men.”

His voice was a little loud. Right as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching them.

It was the sound of Xia Xingcheng’s slipper-clad feet.

Fang Ying glared daggers at Xia Ye, knowing that Xia Xingcheng had definitely heard what Xia Ye had just said.

Xia Xingcheng had just gotten up too. He hadn’t changed out of his pajamas, and his eyes were still hazy from sleep. He didn’t look at Xia Ye as he approached, walking straight up to Yang Youming and bending down to sit on his lap instead. Hugging Yang Youming’s neck, he said, “I want noodles.”

Xia Ye’s brows furrowed deeply as he shoved down the urge to pull Xia Xingcheng up.

Yang Youming’s hand encircled his waist, and he said, “Okay, there’s still some meat leftover from last night, I’ll cut it up for you and add it to your bowl.”

Xia Xingcheng smiled and agreed.

Yang Youming helped him to his feet, then went to the kitchen.

Xia Xingcheng turned and sat down on the seat Yang Youming had just vacated. In a flash, his expression transformed, and he jabbed a finger at Xia Ye, lowering his voice and saying, “I warned you.”

Xia Ye slammed his chopsticks down.

Xia Xingcheng leaned forward, his arms braced against the table. He quietly said, “You’re absolutely mistaken. It’s not him that can’t live without me, it’s me who can’t be without him. If you keep saying these things to Ming ge, I’ll get a vasectomy after the New Year. I don’t want kids.”

Xia Ye immediately stiffened, staring at Xia Xingcheng in disbelief.

Fang Ying promptly urged, “Calm down, it’s the first day of the New Year. Must you all talk like this?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “I’m serious. We already have Ding Ding and Dong Dong anyway, and it’s impossible for me to have kids with Ming ge. I don’t want him to not have confidence in me.”

Xia Ye’s breathing was labored. He asked Xia Xingcheng, “Can’t we talk this over?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “I already kneeled, what do you think?”

Fang Ying pressed Xia Ye’s hand down, fearing that he’d lose his temper, and tried her best to persuade him to drop it.

Xia Ye ultimately didn’t blow up. He said, “I’m doing this for your own good.”

Xia Xingcheng retorted, “Only I know what’s best for me.” With that, he pulled down the collar of his pajamas and showed them his tattoo. “It’s engraved in the flesh, I can’t let him go.”

At this time, Yang Youming called Xia Xingcheng from the kitchen. Xia Xingcheng immediately whirled around and crisply responded, “Ming ge, I’m coming.” After that, he got up and left for the kitchen.

Xia Ye covered his face. He dejectedly said, “Wife, what do we do?”

Fang Ying held Xia Ye’s shoulder, continually placating his mood. “You’re his big brother, not his dad. Besides, he’s already this old, dad can’t control him either. Everything that can be said has already been said, just let it go.”

Xia Ye said, “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

Fang Ying sighed. “There’s nothing we can do. Don’t go pressing him now. Maybe things will fade in a year or two, and you can try to convince him then. I’m scared that he’ll really go and do something that can’t be undone.”

Xia Ye moved his hands away from his face and looked at Fang Ying.

Fang Ying laughed and asked, “Want another steamed bun?”

Xia Ye’s family went back on the second day of the New Year. Yang Youming wanted to have them stay for a few more days, but Fang Ying said they still needed to pay a visit to the relatives from her side of the family. They took advantage of the lack of crowds during the New Year and brought Ding Ding and Dong Dong around Beijing’s tourist attractions, and now it was time to go back.

The day they left, Xia Xingcheng drove them to the airport.

Xia Ye had completely cooled down. He was wholly calm, and on the contrary, it was Xia Xingcheng who didn’t feel much at ease. When he parked the car at the airport terminal, Fang Ying got off with Ding Ding and Dong Dong first. While Xia Ye was still in the car, Xia Xingcheng said, “I’ll go home when mom and dad come back.”

Xia Ye asked, “Are you bringing Yang Youming with you?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “Ming ge’s not coming.”

Xia Ye only hummed. After a while, he added, “Don’t tell mom and dad.”

Xia Xingcheng softly said, “Ming ge thinks the same. He told me to put it off till later.” After all, Xia Xingcheng was still young. This hurdle would not be easy to pass whenever you chose to pass it, it’d be better to delay it a little more, because at the end of the day, the times were constantly changing and developing—people’s views would gradually shift with the passage of time, and what’s important is never who you’re with, but whether you’re happy.

Xia Ye made to open the car door.

Xia Xingcheng uttered, “I’m sorry.”

Xia Ye paused and turned back to face him. “Didn’t you think that you were doing the right thing?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “I’m not sorry for myself. I feel apologetic to you for making you worry.”

Xia Ye was somewhat frightened.

Xia Xingcheng sounded very aggrieved. “Da-ge, come hug me.”

Xia Ye stared at him.

Xia Xingcheng said, “It wasn’t easy for Ming ge and I to come this far. I don’t want to fight with my family over my relationship anymore. I hope my family will always have my back.”

Xia Ye’s voice was cold and firm as he said, “What do I still need to have your back for?” With that, he turned around and stepped out of the car.

Xia Xingcheng hung his head in disappointment.

With one leg already outside, Xia Ye suddenly turned back once more and spread his arms towards Xia Xingcheng, grunting, “Come on then, come get this hug.”

Xia Xingcheng looked up in astonishment.

Xia Ye leaned in and hooked Xia Xingcheng into his arms, clapping Xia Xingcheng’s back with all his strength. “If Yang Youming dares to bully you, just tell me about it, and next time, you’d better believe that I’ll knock his teeth out.”

Xia Xingcheng hugged Xia Ye tightly, and said, “He won’t, he loves me.” He then added, “I love you all too.”

Seeing the traffic police making his way over to hurry them up, Xia Ye pushed Xia Xingcheng away and impatiently said, “Go now, go now!” He stood outside the car and slammed the car door shut with one hand.

Xia Xingcheng looked at them for a while, shifted gears, and prepared to start the car.

Xia Ye suddenly rapped on the car window.

Xia Xingcheng opened the window, and heard Xia Ye say, “Remember to come home.”

“Okay.” Xia Xingcheng raised a hand to rub at his reddening eyes, conjuring up another smile as he nodded at him.

On the way back, Xia Xingcheng was still somewhat emotional. He opened the car window slightly to clear up his mind with the cold breeze. He’d always been grateful to have a big brother like Xia Ye, who took care of him from when he was small up until now, who spoiled him, who—even when he was so obviously furious—would, ultimately, still be willing to stay by his side.

Compared to Fang Jianyuan, he was already too fortunate.

He knew that there would inevitably come a day where he would have to face his parents, but he still had a brother and sister-in-law like Fang Ying and Xia Ye at home who were able to understand him and become a buffer between him and his parents, and when that moment comes, the pressure on him would be so, so much lighter.

Xia Xingcheng thought aloud, “You’re truly too blessed.” After that, he blinked, and his vision that had been blurred by tears cleared up once more.

Unwittingly, by the time Xia Xingcheng returned after spending a week back h Xia Xingcheng went home and stayed for a week after the New Year, and by the time he returned, the script for He Zheng’s new movie ‘The Trap’ had come out. After a long break, Yang Youming ultimately decided to work with He Zheng and took on his new movie.

In comparison, the decision to accept He Zheng’s invitation to appear in the movie was an extremely hard choice for Xia Xingcheng to make.

‘The Trap’ was a film without a romantic plot line between the two male leads, and instead, the story contained a very important female character. He Zheng wanted Xia Xingcheng to act out the role of a young prosecutor, which was very challenging for Xia Xingcheng.

It was common practice for many directors to work with the same actors more than once. They didn’t care about repeated collaboration in different works, and rumours or slanders were unlikely to crop up—but in the end, this wasn’t the case for Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming. The impact of ‘Gradual Distance’ had not yet dampened, and their obsessive fans remained as fanatic as ever. All sorts of rumours were being spread on the internet.

Yang Youming was someone who could refuse to acknowledge all those lies and rumours and only focus on acting, but Xia Xingcheng couldn’t afford to just yet. He was still a ways away from Yang Youming’s level—he couldn’t yet completely break away from his idol star niche and define himself as an actor.

As for this, Huang Jixin and Cai Meiting had discussed it many, many times over.

In the end, Yang Youming spoke up. He asked Xia Xingcheng, “Do you have confidence that the audience’s focus would be on the movie, and not the characters and relationships that we’ve played in the past?”

Xia Xingcheng slapped the table. “I’ll bet on my future—I will act!”

☆ ☆ ☆

⟵ Chapter 113 | TOC | Chapter 115 ⟶

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