Chapter 9: Taking Him Back
Tang Yue spoke of his child’s mother calmly, without much avoidance of the subject. The child didn’t seem upset either. This only fueled curiosity about the woman who was once with Tang Yue.
The program’s van drove from the airport to its destination, a long journey. The ride was filled with casual conversation, led by Yao Lixin, who deftly steered the conversation away from uncomfortable silences.
“Although Jiang Shulu is reliable, I still think Yao Lixin is the most lively.”
“Why don’t you ask more about his mom?! I’m so curious!!”
“Yao Lixin, aren’t you curious? Jiang Shulu, what about you!! Wake up!”
Jiang Shulu was undeniably curious, his heart practically clawing at his ribs, but he didn’t show it. However, Tang Yue kept glancing at him, not openly, but with subtle, lingering looks. This made Jiang Shulu even more restless. But whenever Jiang Shulu looked back, Tang Yue would avert his gaze, pretending to chat casually with Yao Lixin. His habit of fidgeting with his fingers remained unchanged, otherwise Jiang Shulu wouldn’t have noticed his nervousness.
Yao Lixin: “So you two, father and son, have been living in the mountains? Wow, Tang Yue, were you being chased and had to hide so far away?”
He was quite bold, making his nephew, Yao Xuan Yu, furrow his brows and earnestly retort: “There’s no such thing as being chased in modern society.”
“Jiang Shulu is so much more mature now!! He’s still not married. I always hear rumors about him having an arranged marriage.”
“Someone of his family background should be able to marry for love, I don’t know why I feel that Brother Jiang is still a bit rebellious.”
“Which heir at his level would go crazy and become a member of a boy band?”
Tang Mian: “Being chased?”
He was nestled in Jiang Shulu’s arms, looking up at the man holding him.
Jiang Shulu glanced at Tang Yue: “It means people who like your dad would come looking for him.”
Tang Yue made a noncommittal sound: “At the time, I was sick, so…”
This was difficult to explain. The reason for his disappearance after leaving the group was pregnancy and childbirth. The reason for his seclusion was his fear of hearing anything about Jiang Shulu.
Tang Yue’s discomfort was evident. Yao Lixin: “When you said you had family matters and wouldn’t elaborate, I was quite worried.”
He glanced at Jiang Shulu in the back seat: “Captain, you remember that Tang Yue wasn’t feeling well back then, right?”
AWAY officially disbanded at the end of August, but the decision was made in early June. July and August were filled with tours, a grueling test of physical endurance. The tour included not only domestic but also international shows. Jiang Shulu still remembered blacking out after the final tour’s celebration party.
Jiang Shulu had a high alcohol tolerance, rarely getting drunk. It was a habit cultivated since childhood, a requirement from his family.
But that day, Jiang Shulu felt drowsy, suspecting he had been given something else to drink. He still couldn’t remember what happened, only vaguely remembering a bizarre dream.
In the dream, he was about to pierce Tang Yue’s body, aggressively going in and out, silencing the other’s whimpers with his lips.
It was excessive.
Even the fragmented memories were enough to shame Jiang Shulu. He wasn’t short of admirers, but he had never crossed any boundaries before. The actions in his dream didn’t align with his usual demeanor.
But the dream reflected that Jiang Shulu wasn’t the flawlessly virtuous captain everyone saw; he had a dark side, deep desires unknown to others.
And the object of those desires was Tang Yue.
But Jiang Shulu knew Tang Yue didn’t like him.
The younger man was introverted, a social phobic in this industry, and a complete hypocrite.
He could secretly sit side-by-side with Liu Xichao on the stairs, eating snail noodles; he could hang out with Yao Lixin, even allowing Yao Lixin to carry him around in the practice room, mimicking a child sitting on his father’s back.
But with Jiang Shulu, Tang Yue’s eyes were timid, he remained silent, and in private, he kept a significant distance, refusing to interact. (translator’s note: Tang yue is me when I have a crush, hahaha. I will stay away and ignore the crush. LOL.)
Was that why he had that dream?
This became an enigma Jiang Shulu couldn’t solve, repeatedly dreaming of Tang Yue in the five years after AWAY’s disbandment.
Jiang Shulu wasn’t without trying to find information on Tang Yue.
Unfortunately, he found nothing.
The investigator reported that someone was intercepting information, preventing Jiang Shulu from knowing. Even Jiang Shulu’s identity couldn’t be hidden, indicating the other party’s powerful background.
Initially, fans didn’t know about Tang Yue’s background, believing him to be an ordinary boy chasing his dreams.
But the group members knew Tang Yue’s father was Tang Huaide, a manufacturing tycoon. Tang Huaide was much older, making Tang Yue seem more like his grandchild.
Tang Huaide had a strong presence in business but was known for his womanizing.
“Tang Yue” was the child of Tang Huaide’s affair with a foreign woman during his business trip abroad.
The woman had sought out Tang Huaide, but she was driven away by his wife. Due to ill health, she died young.
“Tang Yue” dropped out of high school and worked odd jobs until he was selected purely because the planner heard him humming a song while volunteering at an orphanage. It was a casual hum, but his voice was heaven-sent, exactly what they were looking for to fill the final slot in the group. Tang Yue also desperately needed money, so it was settled.
Later, Tang Yue’s car accident, awakening, and renewed training, followed by his background revelation after his debut, didn’t cause a major stir. The Tang family didn’t care.
Times changed, and the Tang family fell, with the remaining assets taken over by a woman surnamed Liang.
This was all hearsay for Jiang Shulu. He hadn’t formally met the youngest leader in the manufacturing industry, only knowing that the person was married.
After leaving the group, Jiang Shulu continued his studies, constantly busy and traveling around the year, mocked by Yao Lixin as a homeless wanderer, though with good conditions.
It was Liu Xichao, who became Jiang Shulu’s “little aunt,” who hit the nail on the head, saying, “I think the captain hasn’t found his place yet, so he’s drifting.”
This topic was a bit cruel during their three-person reunion; one had a stable relationship, one was married, leaving only Jiang Shulu alone, looking pitiable.
Unexpectedly, this scene was perfectly replicated on the show.
Yao Lixin, a married man, appeared with his nephew; Tang Yue, missing for five years, appeared with his child. Even though Jiang Shulu thought his mentality was strong, he still felt a little lonely.
The barrage continued to discuss the events surrounding the group’s disbandment.
“I remember! Tang Yue didn’t look good back then!”
“It’s only been five years since AWAY disbanded, there’s plenty of information to be found.”
“It seems that year, his family, or rather, his dad, also fell, a lot happened, so understandable…”
“Was it family issues that led to his disappearance?”
“For anyone else, I’d scold them for being heartless, but for Tang Yue…it’s understandable, he’s always been introverted.”
“Woo woo woo, what I regret is that I finally warmed up to him during the three years we were together, and now it feels like we’re back at square one.”
Perhaps because Jiang Shulu hadn’t answered for a long time, Yao Lixin called out to him.
Tang Mian, held by Jiang Shulu, called out “Uncle.”
Jiang Shulu: “You call Yao Lixin ‘brother’ but call me ‘uncle’?”
The cameras in the car were fixed, but it didn’t hinder everyone’s shock at seeing the pair together.
Even Tang Yue couldn’t bear to look, thinking: Thankfully, the captain still styles his hair straight.
Otherwise, it would be terrifying.
Tang Mian looked at Yao Lixin in the passenger seat and then at Jiang Shulu.
Both men were handsome. If he had to choose a favorite, Tang Mian would choose Jiang Shulu without hesitation.
The child’s hesitation was so obvious, it was endearing, and Jiang Shulu couldn’t resist the softness of the curly hair, so he stroked Tang Mian’s head.
He asked, “Why is your nickname Xiao Mie?”
Tang Yue: “The name was rushed, so…”
Even though he was sitting next to Jiang Shulu, he seemed to want to keep a distance, reminding viewers of the past.
Unfortunately, the GIF of Jiang Shulu helping Tang Yue into the car had already spread widely. Tang Yue still felt the lingering touch of Jiang Shulu’s hand on his buttocks.
It’s terrible, even after all these years, I still remember how he touched me back then.
The captain, completely…
Completely not as gentle as he seemed, so fierce, so intense…
The memory still caused Tang Yue pain, pain so intense that his sobs were swallowed by Jiang Shulu.
60% of males on Planet 9787 are naturally fertile. Studies show that the top position has a 90% conception rate during the first time.
Tang Yue was overwhelmed by unfamiliar passion, only thinking about how to cope, how to avoid that unavoidable, burning invasion. How to stop this person from stealing his oxygen; he’d completely forgotten these “scientific” proofs.
Jiang Shulu in the car let out an “Oh”: “So cute.”
Although it was meant as praise for Tang Mian, for some reason, Jiang Shulu looked at Tang Yue as he said it.
He was too handsome, his every expression full of tender affection, visible only to Tang Yue.
“I feel like I shipped the wrong couple.”
“Mainly because Tang Yue was obviously clinging to Yao Lixin back then ah ah ah!”
“Does Jiang Shulu really like Tang Yue? His gaze breaks my heart! The pain of missing out woo woo woo.”
Tang Yue couldn’t bear it either, but thankfully the car drove out of the suburbs, into town, to their destination.
A small village of a waterside ethnic group.
But Tang Yue didn’t expect the program team to only rent two rooms for five days.
He looked at Yao Lixin, who was carrying his luggage: “Second Brother, can I stay with you?”
Jiang Shulu, who had just put down Tang Mian and let the child go inside with Yao Xuan Yu, looked over.
“Tang Yue!! Why are you still forming cliques!”
“It’s not an illusion, I really think Jiang Shulu is unhappy.”
Yao Lixin: “With me?”
He smiled and glanced at Jiang Shulu standing at the bottom of the steps. The man in his long coat looked elegant and noble, his gaze still on Tang Mian, who was walking up the steps, holding his hand.
Yao Lixin thought the child looked too much like Jiang Shulu’s son.
Combining what he’d seen before, Yao Lixin’s vague guess resurfaced.
He shrugged and mercilessly rejected Tang Yue: “No way, I’m a married man.”
Tang Yue: “So am I.”
Yao Lixin: “You’re widowed; it’s perfect for you to stay with the captain who doesn’t have a wife.”
“I’m convinced by you, Second Brother!”
“The current situation of the former top boy band: unmarried – married – engaged – widowed.”
“Tang Yue, you really went straight to the end hahaha.”
“Their atmosphere is so good, you can’t tell they haven’t seen each other for so many years.”
Tang Yue glanced at Jiang Shulu, who didn’t get angry despite Yao Lixin’s obvious jab.
Jiang Shulu stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at Tang Yue, his gaze meaningful.
As if locking onto Tang Yue, waiting to completely conquer him.
Jiang Shulu: “I’m not going to be without a wife forever.”