Chapter 32
At around six o’clock, the live stream closed, displaying a countdown for a variety show interview.
Since the production team had already posted a preview on Weibo, the audience wasn’t surprised.
Switching from the app live stream to the dedicated discussion area, viewers eagerly awaited the highlight reel of this stop.
After returning, Jiang Shulu first checked on Tang Yue, finding him still asleep. He didn’t disturb him, quietly leaving.
The production team’s staff were dismantling cameras in the yard. Yao Lixin called Jiang Shulu for dinner, asking: “Where’s Tang Yue? Shouldn’t we wake him up for dinner?”
Jiang Shulu: “Let him sleep until he naturally wakes up. Xiao Mie said Tang Yue doesn’t sleep well at home.”
Yao Lixin nodded. Just as he was about to bring the food to the table, Tang Mian looked over expectantly, saying he wanted peach buns.
Even after the broadcast, the production team still prepared local dishes.
It was unknown what filling the peach-shaped buns had, but their appearance was enough to make a child drool.
Before Yao Lixin could speak, Jiang Shulu directly handed the whole steamer basket to Tang Mian.
The little one happily walked away, calling out “Xuan Yu gege” from afar.
Yao Lixin: “I remember Tang Yue doesn’t let Xiao Mie eat too much. Watch out; he’ll scold you.”
Jiang Shulu chuckled: “I actually hope he scolds me.”
Not in the live stream, Yao Lixin seemed more relaxed.
He asked Jiang Shulu: “Care for a drink?”
On his way back, he passed the liquor store he had visited on the first day. Saying he couldn’t forget it, he even asked the owner if they could ship it, wanting to send some to his wife.
Jiang Shulu: “You picked up the note I wrote for Tang Yue?”
Yao Lixin, who had just sat down, almost jumped up.
Although the child didn’t want to eat with the adults, some took on the role of older brother.
Yao Xuan Yu looked righteous as he studied Tang Mian’s balanced diet. Somehow, he started imitating ancient people forming sworn brotherhoods.
Others would drop blood into wine, but these two kids didn’t dare. They added a drop of soy sauce to the rice soup and pretended to clink glasses heroically.
The director laughed out loud, and the blooper cameraman quickly recorded it.
Jiang Shulu always had an imposing aura that commanded attention.
Even now, his expression didn’t seem to show any signs of a storm brewing, but his words already made Yao Lixin feel a little pressured, easily reminiscent of Jiang Shulu’s extra training sessions back then.
They were targeted, purposeful extra training sessions. Even though Yao Lixin loved dancing, he almost wanted to vomit.
Yao Lixin took out the note from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Shulu.
Jiang Shulu: “Have you read it?”
Yao Lixin had only just read it, and he didn’t expect to be discovered so quickly. However, he didn’t seem surprised by the content and just hummed in response.
Jiang Shulu: “What do you know?”
The children were eating outside; the adults at the kitchen table seemed harmonious at first glance, but it wasn’t entirely true.
Jiang Shulu appeared noble and gentle on the surface, but he was actually a little impatient.
But his upbringing had nothing to do with straightforwardness. It involved probing questions and indirect, roundabout conversations, and the people involved were mostly politicians and businessmen.
He tried his best not to act like that Jiang Shulu in front of these people, yet he was still confined by the twisted personality he had developed and could hardly revert to his seven-year-old self.
Yao Lixin closed the door and said: “Don’t be harsh on me either; can you just casually talk about this kind of thing?”
He even had the leisure to tease Jiang Shulu: “Captain, this isn’t like you. What if someone else picked up the note?”
Jiang Shulu: “I have shares in Chengkong (澄空).”
Yao Lixin: “Yes, yes, you’re amazing.”
He poured Jiang Shulu half a glass of wine: “Aren’t you curious why I wasn’t shocked?”
Jiang Shulu: “Do you and Liu Xicháo both know about this?”
So all these years, only he had been kept in the dark?
Jiang Shulu held the wine glass; his knuckles were white, looking like he might crush the glass with any more force.
Yao Lixin: “I vaguely knew. As for Liu Xicháo, he’s also very sly; I’m not sure.”
He sighed: “Logically, Tang Yue is the most innocent, yet he’s also very good at hiding things.”
He was practically dancing on Jiang Shulu’s landmines, with the humor of a gossip-lover: “If it were you, would you believe it?”
Yao Lixin: “Suddenly one day, a man tells you that you have his child?”
Yao Lixin: “Considering your family situation, Captain, I’m afraid you’d lose both the person and the child.”
The man with shoulder-length hair ruthlessly exposed the Jiang family’s ruthlessness: “The reason Tang Yue’s secret is a secret is also due to this, isn’t it?”
Yao Lixin wasn’t stupid. When he saw the note, he thought of the medicine he had seen in the trash can that year.
At the time, Yao Lixin didn’t take it to heart, but later he still asked the manager.
Yao Lixin had always been outspoken and was still beaten by Manager Lin for asking this kind of question.
However, she still said that she had already had surgery and didn’t need to take the medicine, asking Yao Lixin if he had gotten a girl pregnant.
Yao Lixin hurriedly shook his head, feeling incredibly surprised.
Of the remaining people, Liu Xicháo had always been ambiguous with Jiang He. Even if he didn’t have that kind of feeling, he didn’t seem straight.
Someone like Jiang Shulu wouldn’t get close to women, leaving only Tang Yue.
But where did Tang Yue get a woman?
Was it Jonny from the makeup team? Or Assistant Xiao Xuan?
This matter weighed on Yao Lixin’s mind. Although it wasn’t something he absolutely had to know, he was still curious.
Until some time ago, news about Tang Yue having a child surfaced, making Yao Lixin think that Tang Mian’s mother was the owner of the contraceptive pills he saw that year, and maybe his youngest brother had a woman while in the group.
But when the show started airing, the first time Yao Lixin saw Tang Mian, he suddenly thought of the medicine box in the trash can and Tang Yue’s rambling words at eighteen.
He suddenly felt like he had guessed something big.
Until he saw the words on this note, it was practically conclusive.
What kind of person was Jiang Shulu? During his time in the group, he was so attentive to the members that it was frightening.
As if you didn’t need to say anything, all the information would form a net in Jiang Shulu’s eyes, and nothing could be hidden from him.
In a way, Tang Yue was also amazing.
Yao Lixin’s tone was light, but the content of his words was sharp and hit the nail on the head, pointing out Jiang Shulu’s current situation.
Putting aside the absurdity of a man having a child, it almost directly stated that you are not Tang Yue’s best choice.
Jiang Shulu: “So you know?”
Yao Lixin: “I really don’t know, but Tang Yue slipped up… some key information before.”
Jiang Shulu’s anger surfaced again; he felt increasingly worthless. His pride in his observation skills was useless against Tang Yue.
Yao Lixin: “On his eighteenth birthday, you were vomited on by him, remember? Liu Xicháo was going to help, but he was also a bit drunk, and somehow ended up calling the boss to scold him, so only I heard it.”
Yao Lixin pursed his lips: “Anyway, Tang Yue was vague; I only remember him saying he didn’t want a child, that having a child was painful, and things like that.”
Yao Lixin: “At the time, I thought he was only eighteen and already thinking so much; it was quite funny.”
He had pure affection for Tang Yue.
Yao Lixin was the only son in his family, with an older sister and a younger sister. Tang Yue gave him a sense of having a younger brother, and a child who looked like that was easy to make people want to give everything to.
Even someone as stingy as Liu Xicháo could be exceptionally generous to Tang Yue, which speaks volumes.
Yao Lixin looked at Jiang Shulu’s expression, thinking that Tang Mian was already five years old. What exactly had happened back then?
He still couldn’t help but ask: “Captain, when did you two get together? Let me clarify; I’m on Tang Yue’s side.”
The man with tanned skin said righteously: “I’m Tang Yue’s family.”
Jiang Shulu: …
This was a difficult question to answer because he didn’t know when he got together with Tang Yue either.
The replays were like PPTs, all spicy clips.
It made Jiang Shulu unbearably itchy, and after revealing it all, he found it difficult to treat Tang Yue, who was lying next to him at night, normally.
But every time Jiang Shulu tried to ask, Tang Yue would refuse in every way possible.
Jiang Shulu: “After the last tour, didn’t you take Tang Yue to a bar?”
Before Yao Lixin could answer, the door opened. Tang Mian and Yao Xuan Yu came over holding their bowls, boasting: “We’ve finished eating!”
Tang Mian: “I’m the Clean Plate Ambassador! I ate the cleanest!”
Yao Xuan Yu thought it was childish, but he cooperated: “I’m the second ambassador.”
Tang Mian was about to jump around when he turned and saw Tang Yue walking out of the room; he called out “Dad.”
Tang Yue seemed to be on a phone call, looking very relaxed. Hearing Tang Mian’s voice, he smiled and waved.
Yao Lixin: “Captain, you don’t even try to hide your gaze? Are you really going to turn this show into a romance show?”
He had already started to worry as a family member: “Although it’s nothing, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know Tang Yue had a child; I’d suspect that you invested in this show. But even if you two are together…”
He didn’t know how to say it, but Jiang Shulu understood.
Jiang Shulu: “Don’t worry; I’ll handle family matters.”
He watched Tang Yue being pulled in by Tang Mian; he still had the live stream schedule given by the staff in his hand.
The handsome youngest seemed to have just woken up, his brows and eyes still a little sleepy.
Tang Yue had forgotten when he fell asleep again; he didn’t expect it to be dark when he woke up.
Tang Mian chattered: “Dad, we’ve finished eating; you should eat after you wake up.”
Yao Lixin handed over the bowls and chopsticks and took his own food outside.
Tang Yue: “Second Brother, where are you going?”
Yao Lixin: “Video calling my wife; I miss her.”
Yao Lixin didn’t hide his feelings; his frankness made Tang Yue incredibly envious.
He gasped: “Your relationship is so good.”
Yao Lixin: “Envious? You’ll have one too.”
He also reminded Jiang Shulu: “Don’t let Tang Yue drink this wine; it’s a one-cup knockout; it’ll be embarrassing.”
Before Tang Yue could retort, the child followed Yao Lixin out and thoughtfully closed the door.
The surroundings suddenly became quiet.
Jiang Shulu: “Awake?”
Tang Yue hummed.
They were all trivial questions, yet Jiang Shulu found them fresh and asked again: “How was your sleep?”
Tang Yue: “Pretty good.”
Jiang Shulu: “So are you ready to talk to me?”
The piece of tofu Tang Yue was picking up fell; Jiang Shulu caught it perfectly.
Jiang Shulu: “Am I that scary? You always hate looking at me directly.”
Tang Yue: “No.”
Tang Yue seemed a little hesitant, taking a long time before asking Jiang Shulu: “Captain, if you had that kind of relationship with someone else, and you saw their face, would you think of… that time?”
Jiang Shulu: “I don’t have anyone else.”
He chuckled: “I even thought what happened with you was a dream.”
The words sounded really aggrieved; Tang Yue was about to apologize again, but he heard Jiang Shulu ask: “So every time you see me, you think of that time?”
The sentence was ambiguous, mixed with Jiang Shulu’s chuckle, easily making Tang Yue blush.
Tang Yue: “Not… that often.”
Jiang Shulu: “That’s so unfair; I’ve completely blacked out.”
Tang Yue seriously explained: “Maybe I only had one sip, and you drank the rest.”
That day, Yao Lixin told Tang Yue not to accept things casually, but he was too busy dancing to keep an eye on Tang Yue the whole time. Only now, when asked, did he regretfully confess.
Even if they were all insiders, there were still people with bad intentions, especially for Away, a group about to disband but still very popular; many people were watching.
Jiang Shulu: “When Yao Lixin took you there, he must have reminded you not to drink anything handed to you by strangers, right?”
There was everything in that kind of place; some people liked to be unrestrained, having one-night stands and still being impeccably dressed colleagues the next day.
Some were just part of the atmosphere, incredibly flirtatious but principled.
Someone like Tang Yue seemed like the easiest target.
Jiang Shulu ate while talking; outside of the Jiang family, he didn’t need to follow the rule of not speaking or sleeping while eating. He looked comfortable and relaxed, more charming than in business reports.
Tang Yue: “It wasn’t someone else; I ordered it myself.”
He mumbled: “That person looked like a good person.”
Jiang Shulu laughed: “People who look like good people just want to bully you. Although that bar won’t expose any scandals, did you ever think about what would happen when you woke up the next day?”
As he spoke, Jiang Shulu’s smile disappeared. He thought of Tang Yue’s special constitution.
Tang Yue: “Captain is also a good person.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Shulu shook his head.
“I’m not.”
Tang Yue gasped.
Jiang Shulu: “I also have desires for you.”
But Tang Yue wasn’t shy at that moment.
He was a little disappointed: “Just desire?”
Jiang Shulu paused and asked back: “What else? You keep refusing, I can’t…”
Tang Yue suddenly interrupted him: “It’s okay!”
Sometimes he was very good at escaping, but sometimes he was overly straightforward, so straightforward that Jiang Shulu found it hard to resist.
This step Tang Yue took was contradictory, and Jiang Shulu even sensed a hint of stealth.
He thought: How could Tang Yue possibly like this kind of underground relationship? Back then, he would only read novels with undisguised love.
Jiang Shulu shook his head: “Then it becomes a clandestine affair; it can’t be.”
He looked seriously at Tang Yue, but the questions he asked were laced with subtle probing. To Tang Yue, they even carried a faint sadness—
“Xiao Yue, you wouldn’t just want to play with me, would you?”
Author’s Note:
——”Variety Show Blooper Reel”
Tang Mian ran towards his father, his curly hair bouncing, his body swaying.
But the production team zoomed in on Tang Mian’s pocket.
As the child ran, the candy in his pocket fell out.
Tang Mian was completely unaware, shouting “Dad.” After being hugged by Tang Yue, he wanted to take out the candy he bought.
But it was all gone.
Visible shock.
Jiang Shulu picked up the candy and strolled over to Tang Yue, a few meters away.
Comments: Why does it feel like I’ve seen this scene somewhere.
That night, Tang Yue’s early variety show cuts topped the video charts—
The same scene of running and dropping things.
But Tang Mian dropped candy, and Tang Yue dropped individually packaged cookies.
Netizen 1: They’re related by blood.
Netizen 2: Dad is still dad.
Netizen 3: Why does Jiang Shulu specifically pick up the things that fell behind?
——”If Tang Yue Could See This World”
※Seeing Tang Yue and three other people living together.
Tang Yue (painfully): Such a big villa ah ah ah why did you choose the smallest room!
※Seeing Tang Yue being forced to practice dancing.
Tang Yue (guilty): I knew I shouldn’t have said I learned dance when I was a kid, baby suffered.
※Seeing Tang Yue secretly looking at Jiang Shulu through the mirror in the practice room.
Tang Yue (ironic): Rich men are very sly, and they like to mess around; don’t fall for it!
※Seeing Tang Yue and Jiang Shulu sleeping together (blurred version)
Tang Yue (my white cabbage was taken by a pig): Let me go back! I want to beat Jiang Shulu up!
—
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HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA beat the captain up!