Tang Yue’s attempt to sleep with someone else was thwarted. Even after showering, he wasn’t completely reconciled to the idea and wanted to sleep with Tang Mian.
Unfortunately, the child didn’t want to.
While saying he was tired was an exaggeration, since they had a rare chance to go out, Tang Mian still hoped to be with his peers. He even rejected Tang Yue’s bedtime story.
He seriously told Tang Yue, “Dad, your bedtime stories are too bland, I like listening to ghost stories.”
While Jiang Shulu next door changed the wooden board and went to take a shower, Tang Yue was still talking to the child in Yao Lixin’s room.
Tang Yue: “Ghost stories? Aren’t you very scared?”
Tang Mian: “It’s you, Dad, who’s scared. I really like listening to them, but…”
Although Tang Mian’s speech was still childish, the audience had already noticed that this child was overly intelligent and had a larger vocabulary than ordinary children.
For example, even Yao Xuan Yu, who was a year older than Tang Mian, couldn’t compete with Tang Mian.
However, a child variety show doesn’t have exams; everyone prefers to watch the children playing around in their daily lives.
Tang Mian: “Dad is really too scared.”
The twenty-five-year-old young man was so dejected by his son’s words that he was heartbroken. Yao Lixin, on the other side, tried hard to suppress his laughter but couldn’t help it.
He laughed uncontrollably: “Tang Yue, why are you still like this? Look how hard your son is working to take care of you.”
Tang Yue: “Ghost stories are scary.”
Yao Lixin: “There are no ghosts in this world.”
Tang Yue: “That’s not what you said before.”
“[Laughing to death, Tang Yue, completely isolated and helpless.]”
“[Yao Xuan Yu is silently making the bed at this moment…]”
“[It feels like the children are raising the adults, what kind of child variety show is this… a scam!]”
“[Away also had dorm late-night chats before, right? Did Liu Xicháo particularly like telling ghost stories?]”
“[Adding Tang Yue’s jump scares made it very refreshing. I still remember Jiang Shulu entering the room and telling them to go to sleep, and Tang Yue screaming.]”
“[Hahahaha I remember too, then Tang Yue was carried away by Jiang Shulu. Our captain was really a fatherly figure back then, why didn’t I ship them back then!]”
“[Don’t everyone like to say father and son? Who would have thought that half of the CP world would collapse.]”
Yao Lixin: “Wronged! It’s Liu Xicháo who likes ghost stories. Little Me, when Uncle Liu comes, you can ask him to tell you one.”
The child suddenly looked up, and bumped into a switch, suddenly turning off the lights.
Yao Xuan Yu: “Tang Mian, can you be a little more careful?”
Tang Mian: “Sorry.”
Yao Xuan Yu turned on a bedside lamp, and Tang Mian asked Yao Lixin: “Is Uncle Liu’s story very scary?”
Yao Lixin lazily nodded: “Yeah, your dad even cried.”
Tang Yue: “I didn’t!”
The picture was a little blurry, perhaps because of the insufficient light, so the coldness on Tang Yue’s face was covered with a warm color. It was like unblemished jade brought into the human world, stained with traces of worldly dust.
Tang Mian was very excited: “What story was it? Uncle Yao, can you tell me?”
As he spoke, he leaned towards Yao Lixin, making Tang Yue very jealous, so he called out to Xiao Me.
But Tang Mian didn’t notice that he had bumped into the switch again, and the screen went black again. The next second, someone pushed the door open.
The creaking sound of the wooden door accompanied by the dim light outside the door. Tang Yue was sitting by the door, and he was instantly terrified and screamed.
Jiang Shulu was also startled, before he could speak, Tang Yue’s fist came up.
Tang Yue: “I told you there were ghosts!”
Unfortunately, Tang Yue’s punches were completely disorganized, and Jiang Shulu easily caught him. The outcome of this struggle was that Tang Yue was hugged tightly by Jiang Shulu.
The scent of shower gel filled Tang Yue’s nose; he even felt the dripping water, as if it were dripping from his hair.
The lights suddenly came on, and Tang Mian called out “Dad,” then snorted: “It’s Uncle Jiang.”
His tone was particularly disappointed, and Yao Xuan Yu asked: “Who else could it be?”
Tang Mian: “I thought it was a ghost.”
The child wasn’t surprised to see his father completely restrained by Jiang Shulu, and didn’t think there was anything wrong with the posture. Apparently, the ghost story was more interesting than his captured father, and he asked Yao Lixin: “Uncle Yao, tell me quickly.”
Yao Lixin looked at Tang Yue, whose hands were caught by Jiang Shulu and couldn’t move, and thought that if Liu Xicháo didn’t come soon, he would be watching until he got an occupational injury.
Yao Lixin: “Let’s get your dad out first, he’s too scared.”
Before Tang Yue could object, Jiang Shulu chuckled and took him out.
He hugged Tang Yue’s waist, just like hugging a child, and in a few seconds, Tang Yue was standing outside the door.
Yao Lixin got up and closed the door, saying goodnight.
Tang Mian also waved to Tang Yue in bed: “Goodnight, Dad.”
Tang Yue: …
“[A reunion after seven years.]”
“[I’m already looking forward to Liu Xicháo’s mischievousness.]”
Seeing Tang Yue’s reluctance to leave, Jiang Shulu said: “If you still dislike me, I can sleep on the floor.”
These words were truly pitiful; Tang Yue could tell that Jiang Shulu was doing it on purpose.
Tang Yue: “I didn’t mean that.”
Jiang Shulu: “Let’s talk.”
He looked at the time on his phone; there were still half an hour left before the live stream ended. If they took it slowly, they should be able to make it to the end.
Tang Yue: “Talk about what?”
The bed had been fixed, and this time Tang Yue intended to sleep on the outside.
He obediently got onto the bed and looked at Jiang Shulu: “But I’m already very sleepy.”
He clearly looked like he was refusing.
Jiang Shulu didn’t care; he hummed: “Then go to sleep.”
“[Why do I have a feeling that I’m watching an arranged marriage?]”
“[Tang Yue, what are you pretending for, I can see you’re wide awake.]”
Jiang Shulu: “Lie down a little further in.”
The 1.5-meter-wide bed wasn’t big; a group of netizens always joked that Jiang Shulu must wake up in a room the size of a football field every day, and participating in a variety show was a perfect downgrade in consumption.
But they didn’t know that although Jiang Shulu was jokingly said to be born with a golden spoon in his mouth, he particularly liked the feeling of being crowded and confined.
Like when he was locked in the smallest bathroom at the Jiang family’s when he couldn’t complete his tasks.
Jiang Shulu had absolutely no desire to cry; instead, he felt quite relieved.
The walls around him were tangible; there were no rules, yet there were invisible walls everywhere, representing rules.
That feeling was ubiquitous, far less satisfying than the cramped utility room filled with toiletries.
Later, Jiang Shulu understood; that was freedom.
He could daydream, a rare moment of breathing room.
After so many years, he almost fell back into the irresistible invisible walls, and he almost lost all his motivation.
His reckless rebellion at the age of 21 was due to his mother’s wish and his unbearable situation.
Jiang Shulu knew the reason why he participated in this show without hesitation at the age of 29.
It was Tang Yue, Tang Yue who was reluctantly moving inward and taking all the blankets.
Tang Yue’s hair was naturally fine, soft, and thick black, and his skin was unusually white.
At first glance, it was as if he had never been in the sun, giving people the illusion that he had grown up in the polar regions.
When he first saw Tang Yue lying in the hospital bed, Jiang Shulu felt that he was like a fragile object.
His eyes seemed to contain the loneliness of thousands of years; he cried when Jiang Shulu introduced himself.
At this moment, Tang Yue’s loneliness was not so strong, at least when he was chattering and complaining, he was particularly vibrant.
Jiang Shulu suddenly reached out and pulled the corner of the blanket, spreading Tang Yue out, blanket and all.
Tang Yue angrily looked up at him: “Captain, what are you doing!”
Jiang Shulu: “Sleeping.”
He didn’t realize that he looked somewhat unusually mischievous, and seemed much more lively in the eyes of the onlookers.
He wasn’t the aloof elite in business electronic magazines; he was just an ordinary person in the world.
Because he was sharing a room with the person he liked, he couldn’t help but want to tease him a little.
“[Who has stumbled into a couple’s bedroom! It’s me—]”
“[Are they dating? If not, give it a try! Can you? Anyway, you know each other well, and I think Little Me agrees too.]”
“[Little Me hahaha, once Dad is married off, you’ll be free!]”
“[A genius baby who loves ghost stories more than his father.]”
Tang Yue said “Oh,” and suddenly felt that he would rather be drunk, at least he wouldn’t be embarrassed because Jiang Shulu was in the same bed with him now.
Jiang Shulu: “Don’t fall off.”
Tang Yue pulled the blanket, sullenly saying: “It’s fine, that gap isn’t big enough for me to fall through.”
After showering, the personal recording devices were turned off, but it didn’t prevent the audience from hearing Tang Yue’s muffled sounds, because the production team had installed a bedside device while the guests were away.
The ghost story in the next room was also very clear, making a group of people terrified, preferring to come here and listen to the captain and the maknae “chat.”
“[Hahahaha that gap really isn’t big enough for a child to fall through!]”
“[My OCD is killing me, why can’t he just lean against the wall?]”
“[Jiang Shulu’s eyes… Don’t be so loving (exaggerated version)]”
“[How does Tang Yue manage to be so cold and cute at the same time.]”
Tang Yue couldn’t stand Jiang Shulu staring at him anymore; he silently buried his head, and muttered: “Then I’m going to sleep, turn off the lights.”
Jiang Shulu hummed.
The audience watched helplessly as Jiang Shulu clicked on his phone under the dim sleep light, not knowing what message he was sending.
As if he needed a side dish for his meal, he had to glance at Tang Yue’s… half-exposed head.
Tang Yue secretly watched the live stream under the covers, and he knew Jiang Shulu was looking at him.
He thought: What is with these comments, telling the captain to get in here and do me?
That’s too much! The captain isn’t that kind of person.
That’s clearly something from a novel.
Right, this world is a book, and the captain might do that kind of thing.
But once he got into it, Tang Yue found it hard to associate Jiang Shulu with a character in a book.
Everyone was so vibrant, even me, I have a child in this world.
But Xiao Me has changed; before, he would kiss me every day and say he loved his dad, but now?
He actually kicked me out for a ghost story.
Tang Yue became increasingly angry; he didn’t realize that his breathing was getting faster.
The live stream was entering the countdown; most of the audience were unhappy—
“[Can’t we have 24 hours? Chengkong Entertainment! I advise you to wake up—]”
“[Won’t Tang Yue suffocate like this?]”
“[He’s not asleep.]”
“[I wouldn’t be able to sleep either.]”
Five,
Four,
Jiang Shulu looked at Tang Yue again.
Three,
Tang Yue’s fingers lifted the blanket, a small gap, trying to get some air.
Two,
Jiang Shulu saw it.
One.
Jiang Shulu lifted the blanket.
He met a pair of eyes with reddened rims.
The live stream was unexpectedly closed.
It froze on Tang Yue and Jiang Shulu’s gaze in the dim light, giving people a familiar, heart-wrenching feeling.
Tang Yue was startled and quickly tried to pull back.
But Jiang Shulu was faster, dropping his phone and directly pulling him into his arms.
Moonlight shone through the window; Jiang Shulu’s voice was also a little hazy; he softly asked—
