Chapter 64 part 1
The unique feature of this city was its floating market. Today, there happened to be a performance on the water stage in the center of the market, and from their position, they could see the entire panorama.
Tang Mian had never seen anything like this before. He pointed curiously at the boats rowing by one by one and asked, “Daddy, can we watch from up there too?”
Tang Yue looked at Jiang Shulu.
Jiang Shulu: “We can, but we have to finish eating first.”
These performances were local traditions, sung in a dialect that Tang Yue, an alien, couldn’t understand at all.
However, he had long lost his initial surprise at Earth’s customs, though his gaze remained curious as he watched.
Liu Xichao: “I remember one year we went to City X, there was a water performance there too, right? Tang Yue almost fell into the water.”
Yao Lixin: “Can that be the same? We went there to perform back then. Mainly, I felt the stage was unstable, so I was scared too.”
In moments like this, where no missions were required, the atmosphere of the group sitting together and chatting was very pleasant.
Jiang Shulu lowered his head to peel chestnuts for the two children, looking even more attentive to Yao Xuanyu than his own uncle, Yao Lixin.
In the past, Tang Mian would act coquettishly and ask Tang Yue to feed him. But since coming on the show, he had fallen completely into a state of keeping up with Yao Xuanyu. Watching him eat made the food look delicious, to the point where Tang Yue had to remind him to eat slower.
While reminding him, Tang Yue’s hand went to stroke Tang Mian’s hair again. Seeing this, Liu Xichao tilted his head and asked Tang Yue, “Have you ever seen the Captain with natural curls?”
Tang Yue looked up.
Besides the voices of the guests, the livestream audience could hear the background noise of the crowd and music. Instead of being annoying, it made people cherish this final day even more.
Tang Yue shook his head: “I’ve only seen his styled curly hair, which seems a bit different.”
He looked at Tang Mian and whispered, “At the very least, it should be as curly as our Xiao Mie’s, right?”
Liu Xichao: “But it should be similar to Jiang He’s.”
Tang Yue: “The Captain is good-looking.”
Liu Xichao: “Hmm?”
Yao Lixin: “Fight! Fight!”
[Hahaha, why is there someone specifically stirring the pot?] [Jiang He and Jiang Shulu aren’t the same type at all. Although Boss Jiang has been on the show, I really can’t remember what he looks like.] [Wasn’t there gossip before that Jiang He and a certain big shot in the TV circle are exes?] [I can’t believe there are people who dare to nitpick Jiang Shulu’s looks!] [I also want to see Jiang Shulu with natural curls. Even his long hairstyles are straight.] [Wait, what does ‘like Xiao Mie’ mean? Is the child really…???] [A famous paparazzi said today there would be a shocking melon (gossip) tonight… could this be it?] [Wake up, guys. Last time he said an actor with 30 million fans, and it turned out to be someone so obscure I didn’t even know them! This time he claims it’s a ‘white moonlight’ of the film industry. Unless it’s gossip about Sheng Cangyun, I won’t believe it.] [Speaking of Sheng Cangyun, I remember he was the award presenter for Away back then. That photo was truly beautiful—full visual domination, fresh air.]
Liu Xichao: “Jiang He definitely can’t beat Jiang Shulu.”
He even laughed.
Jiang Shulu finished peeling chestnuts for his son and refilled water for his wife, saying, “You are elders to me and Tang Yue.”
Yao Lixin continued fanning the flames: “Didn’t you quit? Are we still relatives?”
Jiang Shulu: “Little Uncle is still Little Uncle, Little Aunt is still Little Aunt. Xiao Yue, what do you say you should call Liu Xichao?”
His tone carried a teasing edge. Leaning back in his chair, his hair blown freely by the wind from the window, his arm rested on Tang Yue’s shoulder—a blatant declaration that “this person is related to me.”
[A bit naughty.] [From not close to close… Hmm, I will never make a fuss about buying stocks in boy groups again!] [Tang Yue, can you bring yourself to say it?] [This damn sense of family. Yao Lixin, doesn’t your heart ache? You’re the only outsider.]
Tang Yue glanced at Liu Xichao. Liu Xichao: “You are not allowed to say it. It’s too weird.”
After he spoke, Tang Yue laughed out loud. “Shulu-ge told me to say it.”
Liu Xichao: “You say whatever he tells you to? You really have no backbone.”
Tang Yue looked at Jiang Shulu and blinked: “I really have no backbone.”
[Stop acting cute.] [So sweet it’s cloying. Why does it feel like Tang Yue is completely ripe?]
Jiang Shulu: “Then whatever you say goes.”
Liu Xichao didn’t want to participate in their flirting. He reached out and took the prompt card for the final segment handed over by the staff.
On the screen were several words in bold black font—
Away Truth Session.
Yao Lixin: “Confess what? I have nothing to confess.”
Liu Xichao flipped through the questions: “Wow, are they really not afraid we’ll fight on the spot? Can we actually say these things?”
Yao Lixin: “The Captain has learned combat. We can’t beat him, so running away is probably faster.”
Tang Yue looked over curiously. Tang Mian asked, “Do I have to confess too?”
Jiang Shulu: “What do you want to confess?”
Tang Mian: “I want to be an older brother.”
Tang Yue was originally looking at the paper, but hearing this sentence, he let out an immediate “Ah.”
The audience didn’t know, but everyone present understood.
Liu Xichao let out a “Whoa,” and Yao Lixin looked at Tang Yue.
Tang Yue’s face turned explosive red: “When… when you grow up, you’ll be an older brother.”
Yao Xuanyu knew nothing and was even a bit proud: “But I will always be Xiao Mie’s older brother.”
Jiang Shulu wasn’t teased by it; he was practically ready to go for a minor surgery right after the variety show ended.
But he couldn’t help thinking for a moment—they used protection the whole time yesterday, so there shouldn’t be any problems.
Jiang Shulu rubbed Tang Mian’s head: “Being a brother is a responsibility. Xiao Mie will understand when he grows a little bigger.”
Tang Yue heard Jiang Shulu’s refusal. He didn’t show any sadness, simply pinching the corner of his shirt.
Liu Xichao asked the production team off-camera: “Is there a punishment if we don’t finish answering the questions?”
The production team said yes, to be revealed upon failure.
They added a sentence: “We recommend a rapid-fire Q&A.”
Liu Xichao flicked the paper, flipped through the questions again, and looked around the table: “So, who goes first?”
Yao Lixin: “Those two are a family. Naturally, you and I will rock-paper-scissors to decide.”
[Don’t know why, but that sounds a bit desolate.] [Hahaha, be thankful it wasn’t a romance within the group back then, or these two would have been suffocated.] [I’m more curious about when exactly Liu Xichao and Jiang He started. Hope someone asks!] [Boohoo, I want to hear Tang Yue’s final water stage live.] [The number one song is the debut song, right? Can everyone really sing it?]
Yao Lixin won the rock-paper-scissors. Liu Xichao: “Fine, you go first.”
Yao Lixin: “Why are you like this? You lost, so you go first, okay?”
Liu Xichao: “One person asks five questions. You guys discuss it.”
Yao Lixin directly handed it to Tang Yue: “You do it.”
Tang Mian and Yao Xuanyu sat together. Their cups were only the size of a palm, with a jujube stuffed inside. The milk the children drank was gone in a single gulp, so the two played while drinking, listening to the adults talk in their spare time.
Tang Mian: “Why is it my daddy?”
Yao Lixin: “Your daddy has always had good luck with these things. Even when drawing cards on shows, he can dodge perfectly.”
[This brings back old memories.] [Tang Yue playing ‘Draw and Guess’ is the GOAT. So he’s not stupid at all.] [Wasn’t that shark tooth game the same? Tang Yue didn’t get bitten once. He won ten rounds in a row and took down UL directly. Top memorable scene.]
Tang Yue picked up the paper. Under the reminder of the production team’s countdown, he quickly selected five questions.
Tang Yue: “Under what circumstances was the first kiss lost?”
Liu Xichao: “Twenty-one years old.”
Tang Yue: “What is something you would definitely hide from your significant other?”
Liu Xichao fell silent.
The countdown was very obvious in the livestream room, causing the bullet screen to explode with laughter.
[This is only the second one, and it’s already so tricky.] [There must be hundreds of questions. How is Tang Yue picking them?] [Jiang Shulu’s eyes… don’t be too in love.]
Liu Xichao: “So annoying. I forfeit. Bring on the punishment later.”
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