CHAPTER 42 part 1
Liu Xichao’s explanation must have been a bit too profound, because Tang Mian didn’t quite get it. All the way, he kept pestering Tang Yue, asking what exactly “shipping” was.
“How do you ‘ship’ someone, Daddy?”
“Does it mean you and Uncle Jiang are fighting? But you can’t fight and make me appear, can you?”
“Daddy, Daddy, why are you ignoring me?”
“Yue Yue, you don’t love me anymore.”
Tang Yue had always thought of Tang Mian as a sweet, well-behaved child. From the moment he was born until now, the kid had never given him a single thing to worry about. All the potential parenting crises mentioned in the child-rearing books seemed to magically resolve themselves when it came to Tang Mian.
It was a little embarrassing to admit, but Tang Yue felt that besides the considerable effort of carrying and giving birth to him, raising his child had been a breeze. It was more like Tang Mian was just keeping him company through the long days and happened to grow up a little along the way.
Only now did Tang Yue realize it wasn’t that Tang Mian didn’t have a “ten thousand whys” phase; it just hadn’t arrived yet.
And how was he supposed to answer a question like this?!
It’s not like you could find the answer in an encyclopedia for kids!
Is it really okay for a child this young to know about shipping CPs?
Even after they boarded the boat, Tang Mian was still hugging his puppy, looking at Tang Yue with a face full of curiosity.
The boat belonged to the homeowner, an old man who was also taking the group to the island. His glossy black Labrador, a seasoned sea dog, was right there with him, as always. The gentle dog loved children and let Tang Mian ruffle his fur to his heart’s content. Watching them, Yao Xuanyu was itching to pet the dog too.
“Daddy,” Tang Mian said, his voice laced with despair, “if you have Uncle Jiang, does that mean you don’t want Mian Mian anymore?”
The little guy looked utterly dejected. He lifted the dog’s head, asked his question with sincere gravity, and then pressed his forehead against the dog’s.
The old man’s boat wasn’t very big. Up at the bow, Yao Lixin and Liu Xichao were taking selfies, nearly getting into a fight over the beauty filter settings. The old man had just called Jiang Shulu over for something, leaving Tang Yue alone to face two kids and a dog. Just looking at the scene, you could feel his overwhelming anxiety.
[You can almost hear Tang Yue screaming, “Somebody save me!”]
[That really is a tough question to answer! You can’t just give the classic ‘where do babies come from?’ explanation for this one.]
[Honestly, if it were Yao Lixin, I feel like he could answer it. But this is Tang Yue, hahaha, this is just too much for him.]
[“Fighting can make a baby appear,” hahaha. Actually, he’s not entirely wrong. You just need a little… you know…]
[Tang Mian, are you acting? I’m genuinely curious now.]
[Tang Yue, why are you blushing?! You totally get it, don’t you!]
[First time I’ve heard the words “shipping CPs” spoken so frankly on a variety show, but I actually believe it’s real. I’m a lost cause.]
“That’s not true, don’t say things like that,” Tang Yue said. He reached out and ruffled Tang Mian’s hair, suddenly struck by how adorable his son was. He couldn’t help but lean in and give Tang Mian a kiss on the cheek.
Now it was Tang Mian’s turn to blush. “D-Daddy, why did you suddenly kiss me? Lots of people are watching.”
He glanced over at Yao Xuanyu, only to see that he’d seized the opportunity, snatching the dog while Tang Mian was distracted by the kiss.
Off-camera, on other boats, the crew members were filming. A kid this age was just too entertaining; they were all trying not to laugh.
[My heart is melting.]
[You can tell he truly adores his little baby.]
[This is how I look at my dog. So damn cute.]
Tang Yue realized this was a very effective way to shut Tang Mian up, so he kissed him a few more times.
Tang Mian’s face turned beet red as he protested, “D-Don’t kiss me anymore! Daddy, you’re cheating!”
Just then, Jiang Shulu walked over and sat down. The small fishing boat was already cramped, built for fishing, not comfort. With several tall men aboard, it felt even smaller.
Jiang Shulu simply scooped Tang Mian into his arms. “What’s wrong?” he asked with a smile.
Tang Mian tattled, “My daddy is ch-changing the subject!”
“Are you unhappy that he kissed you?” Jiang Shulu asked.
Nestled in Jiang Shulu’s arms, the big and small figures looked perfectly harmonious. It was easy to imagine them as a family, with the child running to one parent to complain about the other.
“Of course I liked it!” Mian answered in a heartbeat. Then, his voice dropped to a whisper. “But it’s so embarrassing when he does it in front of so many people.”
Having said his piece, Tang Mian turned to Jiang Shulu. “So, Uncle Jiang, can you tell me why people say you and my daddy are being shipped? What does ‘shipping’ mean?”
Tang Yue took a deep breath, about to sternly tell Tang Mian to stop asking, but he heard Jiang Shulu answer without a moment’s hesitation. “It means your daddy and I pretend to like each other, to make everyone think we’re really in love.”
[One of them is brave enough to ask, and the other is brave enough to answer.]
[Damn, that’s actually… not a bad explanation??]
[Pretending to like, really liking… what’s real and what’s fake? I’m so confused now.]
“So, do you hate my daddy, Uncle?” Tang Mian asked.
The fishing boat moved slowly, just as the production team had requested of the old man, maintaining a speed perfect for filming. It was evening again, and seagulls flew overhead. The scene instantly reminded the audience of the ferry hug between Tang Yue and Jiang Shulu at the last location.
Only this time, the atmosphere between them wasn’t as tentative. Still, the entertainment industry was a world of smoke and mirrors. Rumors swirled around Away, and no one knew if they were baseless or if there was a grain of truth to them.
In the distance, the sun was setting, looking as if it might drop below the horizon at any moment.
Liu Xichao and Yao Lixin had reached a truce and were both recording videos. The audience could clearly see who they were sharing them with in their chat windows. One was labeled “Jiang He,” the other “Wifey.” Both were their well-known partners. Even though they had seen countless sunrises and sunsets in their lives, they still felt the urge to capture the moment and share it.
The audience had witnessed their single days and seen some of them walk down the aisle. Idols and fans grow together, accompanying each other through life, never just strangers in each other’s stories.
The only one still single, Jiang Shulu, held Tang Mian but looked at Tang Yue as he answered, “Of course I don’t hate him.”
He didn’t wait for Tang Mian’s next question before adding, “In fact, I like him very much.”
Tang Yue blurted out, “Is this shipping?”
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