Chapter 14: One Drink Down
The background noise was so loud that the audience couldn’t hear what Jiang Shulu and Tang Yue were saying, only seeing that the two seemed to have stopped.
Behind them were the fishing lights on the shore, making the two tall figures stand out even more, looking exceptionally well-matched.
No one knew what Tang Yue said; he seemed to want to leave, but Jiang Shulu held him back.
Back then, Away’s youngest member was as thin as he was back then; now, he still has a youthful aura. The years of losing contact hadn’t added any maturity to Tang Yue; standing next to Jiang Shulu, the contrast was even more striking.
It was as if if Jiang Shulu tried hard enough, he could directly lift the other person up by the waist and carry him down the steps.
[I have a feeling they said something incredible, otherwise why does Tang Yue look like he’s about to run away again.]
[Did something serious happen at home? I only know that Tang Yue has always been alone.]
[Anyway, Jiang Shulu doesn’t have a wife, and Tang Yue is widowed, so they might as well make do. And Tang Yue doesn’t really look like a father; why does he need his child to coax him to sleep?]
[Jiang Shulu will probably still have an arranged marriage, it feels like it’s hard for people of their background to…]
[Hahaha, be optimistic. Jiang Ge rebelled in college to become a member of a boy band, maybe he can rebelliously choose not to marry.]
[I still think Jiang Shulu is a little crazy deep down, but it’s the kind of crazy you only see in a boy band. I really want to see him once again… subvert this temperament.]
[Wasn’t there a public account that specifically posted gossip about wealthy families before? When asked about Jiang Shulu, they said he’s really clean-cut, but they also implicitly mentioned that his relationship with his parents isn’t very good…]
[Actually, the ones who seem the loneliest in Away are Jiang Shulu and Tang Yue. Liu Xichao is really energetic. Yao Lixin doesn’t need to be mentioned; he’s very optimistic.]
[But lonely people together won’t be even more…]
[Don’t underestimate the passion behind loneliness!! Once it erupts, it’s terrifying!]
The place was still noisy. Tang Yue glanced at the cameraman and the distant sound equipment, humming.
“The mother Tang Mian thinks of isn’t the one who gave birth to him.”
Tang Yue still didn’t know how to say it, he hummed, “It’s…”
Jiang Shulu glanced at the off-camera crew, gesturing for them not to follow too closely.
Chengkong Media was Jiang He’s company, but everyone knew the relationship between Jiang Shulu and Jiang He; if you had to say it, it all belonged to Jiang Shulu.
Jiang Shulu: “Tang Mian isn’t the child of the woman you married?”
Tang Yue: “I’m not married.”
He mumbled, leaving Jiang Shulu even more confused: “Then Tang Mian…”
Even though Tang Yue knew this secret would be hard to withstand scrutiny, he had warned himself countless times not to reveal it.
But it was hard for him to resist his innate closeness to Jiang Shulu.
This was different from the close blood relationship with Tang Mian.
Jiang Shulu was his first impression of a fledgling when he transmigrated into this world.
It’s a bit like a variation of love at first sight, enough to make Tang Yue wholeheartedly devote himself due to their subsequent interactions.
Tang Yue: “He’s my child.”
He spoke softly, but emphasized: “My own son.”
Jiang Shulu: “You mean…”
He felt that his thoughts were dangerous, especially when he met Tang Yue’s clear eyes.
Had he been influenced by the fans’ comments? How could he think Tang Yue gave birth to him himself?
That was too absurd.
And if Tang Yue could give birth himself, who was the scumbag that got him pregnant?
Tang Yue also noticed Jiang Shulu’s sudden displeasure, and the courage that had just risen instantly retreated.
He knew too well his longing for Jiang Shulu, and he understood Jiang Shulu’s dislike for children.
During their three years in the group, there were times when activities required them to interact with children. Jiang Shulu could do it well, but it still made people feel that he didn’t like it.
It even made Tang Yue have some outrageous guesses, as if Jiang Shulu wasn’t an expected child himself.
Now Tang Yue lowered his eyes to hide his uneasiness; due to physical problems, due to the problems of characters from the book and people outside the book, due to Jiang Shulu’s family background…
Tang Yue’s little courage was swept away, and he thought it would be better to leave.
He could want it, but he could also endure it.
Just like these five years, he could look at photos; anyway, it’s already like this, no need to rely on…
This person in front of him.
Tang Yue took advantage of Jiang Shulu’s moment of bewilderment to shake off his hand. Yao Lixin happened to be at the street corner wanting to buy alcohol; Tang Mian saw his father in the distance and shouted.
Tang Yue ran.
Jiang Shulu subconsciously chased after him.
It was an uneven cobblestone road. Jiang Shulu caught up with Tang Yue again.
Yao Lixin saw the breathless Tang Yue and handed him a cup of alcohol he had just bought: “Try it?”
Jiang Shulu subconsciously refused: “He can’t drink.”
Yao Lixin made a sound: “Captain, Tang Yue is twenty-five, what’s wrong with having a drink? The time of his coming-of-age ceremony was an accident, you don’t have to control him now, do you? Besides, I’ve taken Tang Yue out to play before, it’s fine to drink a little.”
As a citizen of Planet 9787, Tang Yue had never touched alcohol. Firstly, the alcohol there was too rare, and secondly, the price was high; it wasn’t something Tang Yue could afford.
When he transmigrated, Tang Yue was only seventeen years old and wasn’t old enough to drink.
Finally, when he turned eighteen, he drank once, and there was never another time after that. Because he was drunk unconscious, his agent forbade him from drinking alcohol; he could only drink sparkling water and other soft drinks.
Jiang Shulu asked Tang Yue: “Have you drunk in the past few years?”
Tang Mian: “Only when Sister Yi comes.”
A faint sourness surged up in Jiang Shulu’s heart again. Combined with Tang Yue’s previous words, he could only understand it as Tang Yue having Tang Mian by accident.
He truly loved someone else.
Could it be the older sister Tang Mian mentioned? Or another older woman?
That person had been the bridge of communication between Tang Yue and the outside world for so many years; she would become the closest person to Tang Mian besides Tang Yue; would she drink with Tang Yue all night and stay at his side?
Jiang Shulu asked Tang Yue: “Then do you drink often?”
[Who is this older sister anyway!! I don’t remember Tang Yue having an older sister. Isn’t it ambiguous that she’s not Tang Mian’s biological mother?]
[Could this be Tang Yue’s someone!!]
[Jiang Shulu, stop pretending; you ask so calmly, but your eyes are a little too fierce!]
[Jiang Shulu is handsome, but he’s too sharp; he’s indeed… the captain type.]
Tang Yue shook his head: “No.”
Yao Lixin: “Then try this one, it’s sweet.”
Tang Mian: “Can I drink it?”
The two little boys stood side by side, their eyes shining brightly.
They were mercilessly rejected by Yao Lixin.
Tang Yue looked at Jiang Shulu; only after Jiang Shulu nodded did he take the drink.
Yao Lixin: “Xiao Yue, you still listen to the captain’s words even after the group disbanded?”
[Exactly!]
[Is it just me, or is Tang Yue’s gaze very heartbreaking? It feels like he wants to get closer but…]
[Hahaha, it’s a conditioned reflex!! Jiang Shulu is actually quite strict.]
[Tang Yue was originally a problematic member, obedient on the surface but rebellious inside. Most people think Yao Lixin led him; they don’t know that Tang Yue suggested skipping training many times.]
Tang Yue looked at Jiang Shulu: “Captain, can I drink?”
He was born with blue eyes, and when he debuted, he was praised for his mixed-race features.
His features weren’t particularly three-dimensional; they were a purely Eastern face. But his eyes were too ethereal, as if they contained boundless loneliness. Fans who had been to his live performances said that it was difficult to resist being stared at by Tang Yue for more than five seconds.
Those in the same group were okay; Liu Xichao could make eye contact with Tang Yue for a long time, the secret was to think about which colored contact lenses would look better on him.
Yao Lixin would make a funny wink, making Tang Yue break down.
Only Jiang Shulu could make Tang Yue give up and quickly admit defeat.
But no one knew that Jiang Shulu also found it difficult to resist Tang Yue’s gaze.
Especially this slightly raised gaze, his lips slightly raised after he pursed them, the faint dimple revealed, was enough to make Jiang Shulu’s heart flutter.
Jiang Shulu: “Don’t get drunk.”
Yao Lixin: “It’s not that serious, let me check the alcohol content… Oh my god!”
Before he finished speaking, Tang Yue had already drunk it in one gulp, and the audience also saw the dazzling numbers on the live broadcast camera.
[The alcohol content of Erguotou…]
[So strong!]
[Tang Yue… so you’re the real tough guy!]
[I’m dying laughing, how can someone drink alcohol like they’re drinking soda.]
Jiang Shulu: …
Yao Lixin was flustered by his stare: “I didn’t notice! I really didn’t notice!”
Tang Yue: “It’s quite good, sweet, but a little dizzy.”
The alcohol was sweet-tasting, but it burned the throat. In just a few tens of seconds, Tang Yue’s lips went numb.
Even though he still maintained his standing posture, he already felt the world spinning.
The audience in the live broadcast watched Tang Yue go from standing normally to swaying, his bangs brushing his forehead, his eyes blinking one after another in close-up, blinking out boundless confusion.
Jiang Shulu pulled him to prevent Tang Yue from falling.
[No way, one-cup-down!!]
[Don’t you guys get one-cup-down from drinking this? I’d be gone after one sip!]
[Save… the warm prompt from the program team on the public screen is killing me with laughter.]
[Was Yao Lixin doing this on purpose?]
This situation was unexpected; Yao Lixin really didn’t expect that Tang Yue, at this age, would still have such a poor alcohol tolerance.
Of course, the alcohol content of this drink was indeed very high; he didn’t dare to drink it in one gulp.
Yao Lixin called out to Tang Yue several times, only to receive a hazy look and a soft “Second Brother.”
Yao Lixin: Don’t call me that, the captain seems like he’s going to kill me.
Tang Mian walked to Tang Yue’s side and called out, “Dad.”
Tang Yue lowered his eyes: “Why are there three Xiao Mies, so cute.”
[I think you didn’t drink alcohol, you ate some kind of mushroom!]
[Big cute and small cute woo woo woo.]
[Jiang Shulu, what are you laughing at?]
[Is it his own son, or is he concerned?]
Tang Mian: “Dad, why are you so silly after just one cup? Oh no, you can’t play with me anymore.”
He was still small; Tang Yue could only bend down to talk to him. The scene was quite heartwarming, one big and one small, both speaking childishly.
Tang Yue: “Why not? I’m not drunk, I’m just a little dizzy.”
Tang Mian: “You said there were three Xiao Mies!”
Tang Yue: “That’s right, I didn’t have three babies, I only gave birth to Xiao Mie, super… super amazing.”
The words were indeed funny, sounding like Tang Yue gave birth to the child himself.
But the hahaha in the barrage didn’t affect the people present. Yao Lixin, who looked smiling, thought about what Tang Yue said when he was drunk that year.
It was the same; he said he was afraid of having children.
Abrupt and out of context, the fear seemed to be real, with a sense of helplessness of being abandoned by the world.
At that time, Tang Yue was drunk and vomited all over the place, crying and making a fuss, completely different from his usual quiet self.
Liu Xichao went to get a mop; Jiang Shulu, who was vomited on by Tang Yue, was very calm, telling Yao Lixin to watch Tang Yue first, and said that he was going to change his pants.
He missed Tang Yue’s secret.
But at that time, Yao Lixin thought it was just drunken nonsense.
But now seeing Tang Yue and Tang Mian, he suddenly realized that the secret wasn’t Tang Yue’s drunken nonsense, it was probably true.
Jiang Shulu, who was supporting Tang Yue, was also absent-minded. Tang Yue was still bickering with Tang Mian. Tang Mian looked at Jiang Shulu: “Uncle, can you help take care of Xiao Yue?”
He was a little embarrassed: “I really want to go see other shops.”
The child’s nervousness and habit of twisting his fingers made the audience’s hearts melt, not to mention Jiang Shulu.
He hummed, and the next second, he picked Tang Yue up on his back, to Tang Yue’s exclamation.
“Then I’ll take him back.”
[It’s hilarious, will Tang Yue be very desperate when he sobers up?]
[Sold by his own son…]
Tang Yue lay on Jiang Shulu’s shoulder, eyes narrowed, he called out a hazy “Captain.”
Yao Lixin left with the children.
The live broadcast was divided into two camera angles, one with the professional child-caretaker, and one with the professional child-dad.
Jiang Shulu carried Tang Yue back to their residence. The steps were uneven, but he walked very easily, without any bumps for Tang Yue.
Tang Yue called out “Captain” again.
Jiang Shulu hummed.
Tang Yue didn’t speak again.
He hugged Jiang Shulu’s neck, not at all with the repulsion everyone imagined, but hugging very tightly, as if because he hadn’t gotten it, so he cherished it even more.
Jiang Shulu thought about Tang Yue’s words just now, and then Yao Lixin’s half-smile, feeling that this group really had no group spirit.
He really was isolated.
Otherwise, why did he feel like Tang Yue, Yao Lixin, and even Liu Xichao were hiding things from him?
Is it what I think?
Wouldn’t it be too absurd? If it’s true, wouldn’t I have let Tang Yue down?
The person lying on his shoulder, what is he thinking about?
Clearly afraid of the dark and lonely, yet he still hides far away.