CHAPTER 44Â
[What did I just hear!!!]
[Damn! After the confession, is this a proposal?]
[My mind is full of that âHeirâs Handbookâ I watched last night, and now all I can think about is whether Jiang Shulu is going to get kicked out of the family with nothing.]
[Even idol dramas aren’t this clichĂ©!! No way! Isn’t Jiang Shulu the only heir to the Jiang family?]
[Jiang Shulu has uncles, you know.]
[If Liu Xichao’s husband is his uncle, does that mean there are others?]
[Does this variety show have a side plot?]
[So, are we going to see a ‘give up everything for true love and live a humble life’ storyline?]
[No way he’d live a humble life! I’d actually love it if Jiang Shulu really left the Jiang family. Then Tang Yue could hold concerts and make a living, hahaha.]
[If you’re going to dream, dream big! I declare Tang Mian is Jiang Shulu and Tang Yue’s child!]
The comments flew across the screen. Tang Mian, who had run outside to watch Yao Lixin grilling meat, had already settled down obediently.
“Where’s your dad?” Yao Lixin asked.
Tang Mian giggled. “In the tent with Uncle Jiang.”
By now, the area around the bonfire had been cleared. The guys from UL were on the stage, tuning their instruments.
Some tourists had gathered to watch, and the staff didn’t stop them, only asking them not to film.
Yao Lixin looked like a pro at this, moving with practiced ease. He handed the kid two skewers of grilled meat and asked, “What are they doing in there? The food’s ready.”
[They just went in, what are you rushing them for!]
[Who called Yao Lixin a wicked mother-in-law! He’s on Tang Yue’s side, part of the bride’s family.]
“Probably kissing,” Tang Mian said. “Wow, Uncle Yao, these skewers are delicious.”
The little boy’s attention was entirely on the grilled meat; he probably had no idea how shocking his casual comment was.
Yao Lixin was stunned. He had, after all, witnessed Jiang Shulu and Tang Yue kissing in the courtyard at their very first stop.
Now he wondered if he should have covered the kid’s eyes for a little longer back then.
His own family had a good atmosphere, so he didn’t think much of it.
Kissing and being close when you’re in loveâthat was completely natural.
It was just…
This kid really knows how to give the audience what they want!!
If your dad isn’t kissing in there, how disappointed will the viewers be!!
[So are they really kissing?]
[This tent isn’t see-through at all…]
[But it’s probably not soundproof.]
[Can’t you just let me see what’s happening inside?]
[Is this really just for the ship? I feel like these guys are all acting like it’s a real relationship.]
Yao Lixin was speechless for a long moment before managing an “oh.” “Then have a few more.”
“Can you grill some cilantro? My daddy loves it!!” Tang Mian asked.
“Want to try grilling it yourself?”
“Can I?”
“Haven’t you done it at home?”
“I grilled fish with Daddy by the river, but it was awful. Daddy said it was supposed to taste that bad.”
Yao Lixin: …
Was this kid really raised free-range?
The moment Jiang Shulu stepped inside, the tent suddenly felt much smaller to Tang Yue.
He hadn’t expected Jiang Shulu to ask such a question. He hesitated, then let out a small “Me?”
Just a moment ago, Tang Yue had been unpacking Tang Mian’s things.
The little guy’s belongings were all miniature versions, so cute it made you want to laugh just looking at them.
“Mm,” Jiang Shulu hummed. “I remember you used to be very curious about Chinese-style weddings.”
“That was before,” Tang Yue said.
He asked Jiang Shulu, “Captain, why the sudden question?”
“I want to get married.”
The tent was a medium-sized two-person model. It could fit two adults, no problem, but it was still a tight squeeze.
Liu Xichao’s backpack was off to the side, though he himself was nowhere to be seen.
Jiang Shulu’s words were firm. In this split-screen view, the audience couldn’t see the picture, only hear the sound.
Jiang Shulu’s mic was off, but Tang Yue’s was still on.
His voice carried through Tang Yue’s microphone to the audience’s ears, mixed with Tang Yue’s slightly rushed breaths of nervousness, making the viewers in the livestream tense up in spite of themselves.
“I know,” Tang Yue said.
His voice grew quieter, and he seemed to want to shrink into a corner.
But the space was too narrow, the kind of crowdedness that Jiang Shulu, by nature, liked. It made it easy for him to reach out and pull the other person into his arms, even with the bustling island night just outside the tent.
Someone outside was testing the sound system. A microphone dropped, creating a sudden, jarring noise.
The sound of the waves receded into the distance, leaving only the sound of their intertwined breaths. They were the only two in the tent.
Jiang Shulu’s words needed almost no interpretation. Even though he hadn’t finished his sentence, it was enough for Tang Yue to be certain of his sincerity once more.
It was, as the comments said, a proposal, but not a full one. It was a proposal-feeler.
An anticipation mixed with the effect of the show and Jiang Shulu’s own longing.
Some of the viewers’ jokes had even predicted the choice Jiang Shulu would later make.
He had been trapped in one place for too long and needed to get out.
Tang Yue was the key that unlocked the desires Jiang Shulu had hidden for years.
And within those desires was a home.
A life with a partner where they ate together, lived together, said good morning and good night, and “I’m home.”
What he had always wanted wasn’t a cold mansion, but the kind of home his long-deceased mother had yearned for.
To have someone he loved, something he wanted to do, and someone who, whether he succeeded or failed, would love the real him beneath the halo.
[When did he ask? I kind of forgot.]
[Whose breathing is so loud!! Stop being nervous!]
[I’m nervous too! Why now?]
[It’s only been a few days!! Isn’t a proposal a bit rushed?]
[It’s been eight years! How many eight years does a person get in their life? You’re lucky if you live to eighty.]
[It’s trending again, of course.]
Jiang Shulu smiled at Tang Yue. “I know you love attending weddings. When Liu Xichao and my uncle get married, you can take some notes.”
Tang Yue asked in surprise, “Third Brother’s wedding date is set?”
Jiang Shulu put a finger to his lips. “Shh. My uncle is here. Maybe they’re discussing the wedding date, or maybe they’re making up for not having an engagement party?”
Even when Jiang Shulu was making things up, he had a way of making it sound like the truth.
Tang Yue believed him without a doubt, even getting a little excited. “Really? Have they planned everything?”
[How did I not know about this!!]
[Damn! The boss is here?? I can finally see the Third Sister-in-Law in the flesh?]
[To be precise, itâs the Little Aunt.]
[Every time I see the word ‘aunt’ I want to laugh, hahaha.]
[Don’t tell me Jiang Shulu is making this up. I feel like Tang Yue believes anything he says. Tang Yue! Can’t you be a little more discerning?]
[Yeah, next time you’re doing that thing, he’ll say ‘just once,’ and then…]
“Maybe,” Jiang Shulu said. “So, what kind of wedding do you like?”
But Tang Yue was already on his feet. He remembered what Yao Lixin had said about missing out, and got up with a pang of regret. “I have to go ask Third Brother. I already missed Second Brother’s wedding, I feel so bad.”
“Going to ask now?”
[He’s panicking! Is this a lie?]
[You guys, don’t forget Jiang Shulu was off-camera for a long time. Jiang He probably really is here.]
Noticing something, Tang Yue grabbed Jiang Shulu’s hand and called out, “Shulu-ge.”
His voice was soft, his eyes hesitant. “Should I give Second Brother a wedding gift to make up for it?”
[Our youngest has learned about social etiquette??]
Jiang Shulu stared at the hand Tang Yue was holding.
The tent was only lit by a small, moon-shaped lamp.
The light was dim, and their shadows on the tent wall looked, at first glance, rather intimate.
Seeing Jiang Shulu’s silence, Tang Yue called out “Ge” again.
His voice was inherently beautiful, and so distinctive that at first, many thought it wouldn’t suit a group.
But Away’s musical style carved its own path, and Tang Yue’s voice was the perfect finishing touch.
He was even entrusted with the opening solo at their concerts, which became Away’s signature.
Many people, just hearing the opening hum, would instinctively close their eyes and enjoy it.
[My earsâsomeone save my earsâ]
[If ears could get pregnant, Tang Mian would have a lot of siblings.]
[I envy Jiang Shulu. How could you not be moved when he calls you like that!]
[That’s only if you have something on your conscience. You don’t see Tang Yue having that effect on everyone. Liu Xichao and Yao Lixin just treat him with doting, ‘family’ affection.]
“It’s fine,” Jiang Shulu said. “He doesn’t have to give you one when you get married either.”
[I can’t take it! How does he manage to make every sentence a hint?]
[I’m going to pull out my old poster of the aloof, princely Jiang Shulu. Ugh, I really shipped the wrong person.]
Tang Yue couldn’t take it either and fled the tent.
Although, although I have considered marriage, we haven’t been dating for long, have we? Even if we have a child, isn’t it too fast?
He thought: Tonight, I absolutely cannot share a tent with the Captain.
As Tang Yue stepped out, he ran right into Liu Xichao. He grabbed onto him like a lifeline, calling out, “Third Brother.”
Liu Xichao glanced into Tang Yue’s tent. Jiang Shulu was sitting inside, perfectly composed. Even in the dim light, you could tell he was smiling, a little…
Smugly?
Did I see that right?
Jiang Shulu can be smug?
What does he have to be smug about???
“What’s wrong?” Liu Xichao asked. “Did Jiang Shulu yell at you or something?”
Tang Yue asked excitedly, “Third Brother, are you and the Captain’s uncle having your wedding?”
Liu Xichao’s smile instantly vanished. “No.”
He hasn’t even proposed, what wedding?
“Who said that?” Liu Xichao asked.
He smiled at Tang Yue, but Tang Yue could clearly sense his displeasure and instinctively took a step back. Just then, Jiang Shulu emerged from the tent.
“The Captain said so,” Tang Yue said.
Jiang Shulu walked over and nodded. “Can we have it this year? Tang Yue really wants to go.”
[Is this how you guys talk in your group?]
[Laughing my ass off. All you who shipped Jiang Shulu x Liu Xichao must feel like idiots now.]
Liu Xichao took a deep breath. “Little Tang Yue, if you’re so interested, you can have one yourself.”
“I’m not in a hurry,” Tang Yue said.
Liu Xichao said through gritted teeth, “I think someone else is.”
In the distance, Yao Lixin was grilling meat.
The two kids were circling him, and the members of UL on stage, maybe switching to a band concept, had already started playing one of their old hits.
In the distance was the coast, and nearby, the staff had set up string lights.
The autumn sea breeze was cool, but the atmosphere had already warmed up.
Off-camera, Jiang He stood in front of the production team’s monitor. The director stood beside him, trembling, not knowing what to say.
Standing with Jiang He was a woman wrapped in a gray scarf.
She had long, straight, black hair, and standing next to Jiang He, she somehow seemed even more formidable.
“I hear you’re getting married. Congratulations,” Liang Yi said.
The man with slightly curly hair was silent, watching Liu Xichao on the screen. Liu Xichao had his arm around Liang Yi’s younger brother, Tang Yue, squaring off against Jiang Shulu.
Jiang Shulu, who was being implicitly criticized, wasn’t angry at all and automatically took the bait.
“I’m not in a hurry,” Jiang Shulu said. “After all, I already have a child.”
Perhaps the atmosphere of this variety show was just that relaxed, because Jiang Shulu had picked up Yao Lixin’s habit of speaking without a filter, as if he were using the “shipping” excuse to tell the truth.
Liang Yi watched the flurry of comments flash by, all of them egging them on.
[What high and mighty prince! It’s a scam!]
[What gentle, fishing type! It’s a scam!]
[Only our Little Tang Yue is as pure and cute as he seems, wuwuwu.]
[Wait, what does that sentence mean! Is the child the one I’m thinking of?]
[It could also be that he’s saying Tang Yue’s child is his child.]
Tang Yue was mortified. Jiang Shulu was being far too direct.
He scrambled for a comeback. “A-a child doesn’t count!”
He had completely forgotten that he was also taking the bait.
“He can be the flower boy, can’t he? You said before that the flower boy at that wedding was so cute.”
“Alright,” Liu Xichao said, “when are you two getting married? While we’re at it, let me clear something upâ”
He even looked for a camera, making sure the crew was on point. “I have absolutely no improper thoughts about the Captain.”
“The one with improper thoughts is…”
Jiang Shulu nodded. “It’s me, about Tang Yue.”
He had once again preemptively cut off the others, tearing away the pretense, and openly declaring who he liked.
Over by the monitors, Liang Yi asked Jiang He, “Has Jiang Shulu decided?”
Jiang He nodded. “He said he decided the moment he got the news about Tang Yue.”
Jiang He, who also couldn’t stand the Jiang family, was naturally supportive. He even hoped Jiang Shulu could completely shatter that illusory peace.
“Back then, he only knew Tang Yue had a child, but he didn’t know Tang Yue wasn’t married, right?” Liang Yi asked.
Jiang He smiled. “The education our family receives has always been about taking what you want. It just depends on what it’s used for.”
His gaze drifted into the distance, but his eyes subconsciously landed on Liu Xichao.
It was definitely not what Liu Xichao thought, that they were just making do.
Liang Yi pretended not to notice. “What if he can’t handle losing everything?”
Jiang He looked a little sickly, even less energetic than Liang Yi.
He paused. “He said that if Tang Yue is by his side, it’s worth it.”
Jiang He asked in return, “And how do you know he doesn’t have an ace up his sleeve? He has some things hidden very deep.”
The man seemed to sigh with emotion. “Perhaps on that day, what others see as his loss will be the beginning of him reeling in his net.”
Bonus Short: Birthday Cake
On Away’s first anniversary, the team ordered a massive cake.
On top were huge, edible versions of each member’s Chinese zodiac animal.
Tang Yue stared at his rabbit, hesitating. It was too cute; he couldn’t bear to eat it.
So Yao Lixin helped him.
And left only the rabbit’s lower half.
Jiang Shulu had been too busy to eat. When he returned, he found Tang Yue still holding his small bowl, silent.
Yao Lixin was still apologizing.
He asked Liu Xichao what happened.
Liu Xichao: “Yao Lixin ate Tang Yue’s rabbit head.”
Jiang Shulu: “…”
Yao Lixin was still apologizing over there.
Tang Yue: “Next year, Second Brother, you can give me your ox to eat.”
Liu Xichao: “Good thing you didn’t ask for something else from the ox.”
Yao Lixin shot Liu Xichao a glare.
Jiang Shulu couldn’t listen anymore.
He gave his own zodiac animal, the rat, to Tang Yue.
Tang Yue: “It’s ugly. I’m not eating it.”
Liu Xichao laughed so hard he almost choked.
Later, on one of Jiang Shulu’s birthdays, this incident came up.
Tang Yue, feeling a little guilty, personally made Jiang Shulu a cream mouse.
Jiang Shulu: “Can you even eat that?”
Tang Yue thought what he’d made was disgusting and asked in a small voice, “Can we eat something else?”
Recommended Reads
![Accidentally Turned a Tragic Romance Plotline into a Sweet and Pampering One [Transmigration]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ACCIDENTALLY.png)
