The incident occurred in the second month after Ling Xi’s contract with the company was formally terminated.
Ling Xi’s life had been tremendously hectic since the contract’s cancellation. Opening a milk tea store, particularly a chain of milk tea shops, needed significantly more than he anticipated. An Ruifeng advised him to take a breather and go through the formalities step by step instead of rushing through them after noticing that he went out early and returned late every day, which was more demanding than his own filming schedule.
Ling Xi declined: “I, too, am a guy. I’d also like to have a career.”
An Ruifeng was taken aback and quickly understood. “I’m sorry for thinking you were too weak,” he apologized.
“Plus, the bar for being in a relationship with a celebrity is really high these days. I am neither a second-generation of the military nor a second-generation of government. If I don’t work hard to make money, how can gossip tabloids fabricate a headline like “Famous male movie star suspected of being kept by a homosexual rich businessman for many years” when we come out of the closet in the future?”
“……”
Ling Xi became engrossed in a fantasy: “We can quarrel and make a scene when I get rich. You can throw money at my face and curse me in a fit of rage: do you have anything other than some dirty money? Then I can refute: Oh? Aside from your stunning looks and long legs, what else do you have?”
An Ruifeng had become accustomed to Ling Xi’s wild fantasies. He wrapped his arms around Ling Xi’s waist and drew him into his arms, quietly murmuring in his ear, “Only legs are long?”
“Nngh…time is also long,” Ling Xi blushed, his heart skipping a beat.
Following his remark, An Ruifeng said, “How long is ‘long time’?”
“This…I don’t actually recall this. Probably as long as the day when the sun shines straight overhead on the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle has the longest daytime,” Ling Xi said as he raised his head, his big dark eyes wide with anticipation.
An Ruifeng expressed his gratitude to Ling Xi by practical actions in order to live up to this compliment. They didn’t even have time to go to the bedroom before stripping naked on the living room sofa.
Fortunately, An Ruifeng had the wisdom to replace the sofa from fabric to pure leather before Ling Xi moved in, so that even if 20ml of mysterious liquid was sprayed on it, it could be readily wiped off.
An Ruifeng carried Ling Xi back to the bedroom when the battle was over. Ling Xi rolled over on the wide bed, one hand holding his waist and his eyes half-closed. He was dizzy and appeared to be about to fall asleep. An Ruifeng hugged him from behind, and there was no separation between them.
An Ruifeng kissed his nape: “Xu-ge got me a new endorsement, and I need to do some endorsement shots. This time, though, it is not a studio shoot. I’ll be traveling abroad to film on location.”
Ling Xi yawned. An Ruifeng was popular at the time, and he needed to travel all over for work. Ling Xi had mentally prepared himself for this, so he didn’t feel bad about their parting. “Where are you going? How long will you be gone?”
“We’re going to BingXue Island and will be back in a week.”
BingXue Island’s territory was mostly within the Arctic Circle, and it had an extraordinarily cold climate that was covered in ice and snow all year. Just a while ago, the two men were discussing the length of the day in the Arctic Circle during the summer solstice, and now An Ruifeng said he was going to film there. What a wonderful coincidence.
An Ruifeng recently signed a contract with a world renowned winter clothing brand. The idea for the spokesperson’s photoshoot this time was to avoid the usual snow mountain skiing scenario and instead focus on the enigmatic igloo. But it was only September, and many countries had no snow. Even if it snowed, the density and quality of the snow were far from similar to an igloo’s setting, thus the shooting location selected was FairyTale Country‘s BingXue Island.
When Ling Xi learned that An Ruifeng was traveling there, he yawned and made a request: “Bring me some beautiful fridge magnets with local features when you return.”
“Why do you need fridge magnets?”
“Collection, of course. Every time I travel, whether for pleasure or for business, I must purchase local refrigerator magnets as a keepsake. BingXue Island is too far away and too chilly for me; I doubt I’ll ever have the opportunity to visit it… Bring a few fridge magnets with you when you return, and I’ll treat it as if I was there…”
His voice became increasingly low, almost mumbling the final words. An Ruifeng looked over and found that Ling Xi was already sleeping sweetly in his arms. When An Ruifeng exhaled, his scattered hair on his brow fluttered gently, and his two bright red cheeks glowed like the most beautiful apples, tempting others to leave tooth marks on them.
An Ruifeng smiled and tucked him in, kissing his side face. He took his phone from the bedside cupboard after a brief moment of thought. He wanted to call, but he was concerned about disturbing Ling Xi’s sleep, so he decided to send the information to Xu Zhiqiang through text message.
… …
Xu Zhiqiang arrived on time the next morning to take An Ruifeng to the airport. In a stupor, Ling Xi saw off An Ruifeng while wrapped in a towel. He’d tied the towel in the Athenian classic style, so most of his chest and legs were exposed when he walked. Xu Zhiqiang quickly averted his gaze and pretended to examine the fake flowers on An Ruifeng’s porch.
An Ruifeng called out to Xu Zhiqiang after the two had finished kissing: “Xu-ge, did you bring the stuff I requested you to get?”
“Yes, yes, I have them… To pick up these things for you, I had to set out for your villa two hours ahead of time and had to go in a large circle to pick you up.” Xu Zhiqiang complained as he withdrew a large and bulging plastic bag from his briefcase, which appeared to weigh a few kilos.
An Ruifeng had made money and invested in real estate, purchasing a couple of villas, but his primary place of residence was an indoor condo. Because the villa couldn’t be kept unoccupied, it was merely utilized to keep fan gifts. An Ruifeng texted him last night, telling him to go to the villa and collect all the refrigerator magnets he could find and bring them all to him.
An Ruifeng accepted the offered bag and placed it in Ling Xi’s arms. Ling Xi couldn’t make heads or tails of what was going on. He opened the package and discovered dozens of different types of refrigerator magnets, ranging from the most conventional square shaped to the unique three-dimensional chibi variants. All of the refrigerator magnets featured the same attractive and perfect actor, who was now standing in front of Ling Xi.
“Why did you give me so many refrigerator magnets?” Ling Xi was utterly perplexed.
“Didn’t you say you have to buy a refrigerator magnet every time you went somewhere to prove you were there?” An Ruifeng’s slim fingers reached into the bag, and he chose one at random and turned it between his fingers. “So I handed you a bunch of my own refrigerator magnets, which also proves you came here.”
“Came where? To your house?”
“Of course not,” An Ruifeng shook his head with a smile on his face. He pressed the fridge magnet, which had been warmed by his palm, into Ling Xi’s hand, then squeezed his fingers together to make him clench it securely. “Proof that you’ve entered my heart.”
Ling Xi promptly threw himself into An Ruifeng’s arms, hung from his neck, and kissed him hard enough to make the emperor late for court. The bag of refrigerator magnets in his arms spilled unattended all over the floor.
Xu Zhiqiang, who was admiring the phony flowers on the side, had no time to dodge. He didn’t have time to protect his eyes and was afraid he’d be blinded. He almost pissed his pants in terror and dashed out of the porch, standing outdoors and coughing violently, attempting to expel the pink love gas he had inadvertently sucked into his body.
Ling Xi inquired innocently after kissing to his heart’s desire, “Isn’t it bad for Xu-ge to see our public displays of affection every day? He has been single for a long time and is not in a relationship. It must be tough for him to witness our intimacy.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
An Ruifeng gave a nod: “Yes, indeed. Despite being 38, he has been preoccupied with work and has never been in love. He looks after both me and my brother. I really should assist him in identifying suitable candidates, but everyone I come into contact with is part of the circle. I don’t think they’re appropriate.”
Olcu Wl kjr ragemx ys j ygjlckjnf: “Qtb rjsr atfgf lrc’a j relajyif mjcvlvjaf bea atfgf? Qe-uf, ws jufca, lr jirb rlcuif! Ktfs’gf jirb ybat delaf ojwliljg…”
Outside the door, they could hear Xu Zhiqiang’s outraged roar: “Can you leave a piece of Pure Land for straight men?”
※※※
Cc Eelofcu fcvfv oliwlcu bc DlcuWef Prijcv j kffx ijafg jcv ybjgvfv atf rmtfveifv oiluta yjmx ab tlr tbwf mbecags klat tlr ofiibk rajoo wfwyfgr. Gfrqlaf atf ojma atja DlcuWef Prijcv mbnfgfv j klvf jgfj, lar milwjaf jcv abqbugjqts wjvf la ecrelajyif obg atf mbcragemalbc bo j ijguf jlgqbga. Ktfs tjv ab ajxf j rtbga jlgmgjoa ab MjlgsKjif Jbecags olgra, atfc agjcrofg ab jc lcafgcjalbcji oiluta ab gfaegc ab Ujcvj Jbecags.
An Ruifeng was determined to get home as quickly as possible. Initially, the staff planned a short sightseeing tour of FairyTale Country for him. He used the excuse that he had work scheduled after his return to politely decline their offer. When he boarded the international flight and waited for takeoff, Xu Zhiqiang, who was sitting next to him, grumbled that he had wrecked a great free-funded excursion.
“FairyTale Country is nice,” An Ruifeng remarked, “but I hope to come with Ling Xi.”
“Huh?”
“And when we return, he and I will no longer be considered ‘unmarried.'”
Xu Zhiqiang scratched his head, remembering that FairyTale Country was the first to legalize same-sex marriage…
An Ruifeng added another sentence: “You don’t need to worry about your wedding speech. Your partner can write it.”
Xu Zhiqiang: “…Could you please stop mentioning Wu Youpeng?”
An Ruifeng cocked his brow: “Eh? When did I say your partner is Wu-ge?”
Xu Zhiqiang was enraged to the point of having a heart attack. He used to believe that his artist was diligent and obedient. How could he become as out of tune as Ling Xi after sleeping with him for a few months?
He was ready to raise his voice in protest when he noticed two more passengers entering the first class cabin. They appeared to be in their fifties, with gray hair around their temples and sunny personalities. They seemed to be a couple. The husband and wife were both black-haired and black-eyed, and they spoke Panda Country’s language, therefore they must be compatriots.
An Ruifeng was a well-known celebrity in Panda Country, and on domestic flights, he had to book the entire first-class cabin. However, because this was an international flight, the clothing company only purchased two first-class cabin tickets for An Ruifeng and Xu Zhiqiang. The remainder of the retinue and assistants sat in business class. Seeing fellow citizens approaching, Xu Zhiqiang instinctively desired to find the sunglasses for An Ruifeng to wear.
The couple didn’t notice them. They appeared delighted to be sitting in the first class cabin, and looked exactly like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden for the first time.
Grandma Liu stated: “Lao Ling, you can see I’m correct. The tour guide will absolutely be able to upgrade us to first class if you are ready to pay! We’ve been traveling around the world for 80 days, and we’d had to sit in economy class for 40 of them. This final flight will take more than ten hours. I can’t bear sitting again…”
Grandpa Liu said: “Yes, yes, yes, my wife is right. I’ve heard that the first-class seats on many international flights are private cubicles with fully reclining seats. We’ll be able to get some proper rest this time.”
“Oh! By the way, did you tell our son the pick-up time?”
“Eh? Didn’t you inform him?”
“……”
The two stood in the middle of the aisle, staring at each other, until the flight attendant urged them to take a seat. They began accusing each other after hurriedly sitting down.
Grandma Liu said, “I finally came out to have fun. I was preoccupied with photographing the scenery. How could I have the time to tell XiXi about the itinerary? Tell me what you were busy with.”
“I was busy taking pictures of you!” Grandpa Liu explained.
With a single statement, he averted tragedy and silenced his wife’s complaints. He coaxed his wife into a happy mood. She was clearly in her fifties, yet when she looked at him, her gaze was that of a young woman in her twenties.
The seats for the two were on the other side of the aisle. Xu Zhiqiang listened with his ears pricked and then gave a thumbs up. Sweet-talking his wife was not a skill for a man, but sweet-talking his wife for a lifetime was.
He realized An Ruifeng’s gaze was fixed on the couple as soon as he turned his head. He was so terrified that he yanked him quickly: “Why are you staring at them? Aren’t you worried that they will recognize you?”
An Ruifeng turned to face Xu Zhiqiang and stated, as if in a dream, “…I have seen them.”
“What! Where?”
“In Ling Xi’s mobile phone album.”
※※※
Xu Zhiqiang was taken aback. He took a closer look at the couple after hearing what An Ruifeng said. The more he looked, the more he realized they were somewhat similar to Ling Xi. Particularly when Papa Ling coaxed Mama Ling, he smelled the familiar sticky smell, which he had smelled on Ling Xi many times… It turned out to be their family’s style. Sweet speech and honeyed words seemed to be etched in their genes.
As a bystander, he found the current situation to be both coincidental and awkward, especially given that the party involved was An Ruifeng.
At this point, Ling Xi had not come out of the closet to his family. He entered the entertainment world at a young age and did not consult his parents about important events or minor matters. At this time, he was scared that the company might send someone to bother his parents, so he spent money and booked an 80-day luxury tour around the world for the old couple, while he himself moved to An Ruifeng’s house. According to his plan, after the milk tea chain store officially opened, he would gaily return home in glory, clutching the letter of termination of contract and the new company’s ownership certificate in one hand and An Ruifeng in the other.
—But this had been planned for at least a half-year later!
Man proposes, God disposes. Nobody expected An Ruifeng to run across Papa and Mama Ling on the way back to Panda Country. He dared to bet that, given the Ling family’s tendencies, Papa and Mama Ling forgot to alert Ling Xi to meet them at the airport, and Ling Xi would certainly not bother checking the itinerary to see when his parents would come home.
This entire family was far too laid-back. All of the survival skill points appeared to have been spent on expressing love words.
Most individuals would probably avoid such a chance encounter, but An Ruifeng saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He could use this opportunity to establish a positive relationship with Ling Xi’s family. Although Ling Xi maintained that his parents would undoubtedly like An Ruifeng, An Ruifeng had always felt a tremendous sense of uneasiness when it came to a huge affair such as coming out of the closet.
But, considering his fame, taking the initiative to speak was too contrived. Mama Ling had discovered him before he could think of a clever approach to capture the attention of Ling Xi’s parents.
“Lao Ling, look, is the one seated next to us the white-shirted CEO on TV?” she nervously inquired in a hushed voice, pulling Papa Ling’s sleeve.
“What white-shirted CEO? Those who can afford first class must all be CEOs, right?…”
“This memory of yours! I’m referring to the actor who played the white-shirted CEO! When I was following TV dramas earlier, you were also happily watching them with me,” Mama Ling remarked.
“How can I watch soap operas as a manly old man? I was merely concerned that you would injure your hand while cutting an apple while watching a TV show, so I unwillingly joined you in watching a few episodes… I don’t recall any plots!” Papa Ling casted a careful glance in An Ruifeng’s direction: “Although I don’t remember his appearance, I think this person seems rather handsome, he must be a star.”
The couple was whispering, but the space between the two rows of chairs was small, and An Ruifeng had been paying attention to their motions, so he could plainly hear their talk. On hearing them discussing his looks, he pretended to be calm and flipped a page of the magazine, gloating in his heart: Fortunately, I was born with a luminous body, so my father-in-law and mother-in-law spotted me without my doing anything.
Everything had gone smoothly throughout Mama Ling’s life, and she rarely fretted about anything, which allowed her to preserve a girlish heart, which was difficult to come by. She was overjoyed when she saw the attractive male star, and she eagerly rummaged in her handbag for the small book she was carrying, hoping to obtain An Ruifeng’s autograph.
She hesitated before approaching An Ruifeng: “I’m not sure I should go. It is not easy to be a celebrity. Everywhere he goes, he is surrounded by people clamoring for autographs. It’s now his private time. Isn’t it a horrible idea to go over?”
Papa Ling gave a nod: “That is true. I believe the person sitting next to him should be his agent. When you go over, I’m guessing you’ll be stopped by the agent. You’d better not go and cause trouble for others.”
After hearing this, An Ruifeng became anxious. Worried that his mother-in-law would not come to ask for an autograph, he simply opted to attack. He set the magazine down, turned his head to face her at an angle that revealed his most exquisite front, and nodded lightly, flashing a friendly but appropriate smile: “How can it be troublesome? I’ve been looking for a lovely lady to ask for my autograph, and this is it.”
Mama Ling gasped and let out a quick shout of joy. She waited for the plane to take off smoothly before hastily unbuckling her seat belt, standing up, and walking to An Ruifeng’s side, handing him the small book in her hand.
Depending on the occasion, each celebrity provided a variety of autographs. An autograph from An Ruifeng for a fan was generally written with a flourish but couldn’t be read at all. He was now signing for his mother-in-law, and his treatment was obviously different. He took the notebook and placed it on his lap, penning his name in the calligraphic technique he’d used to leave his signature on the signature plate after walking the red carpet. It was both neat and unrestrained. He sketched a maple leaf next to it after a brief moment of thought.
When Mama Ling received the autograph, she held it as if it were a rare treasure, stroking the maple leaf and exclaiming in awe: “I didn’t realize you could not only act but also draw so well. Look at how beautifully this mountain has been painted!”
She enthusiastically lifted her autograph and asked Papa Ling to photograph the two of them. An Ruifeng hurriedly rose up, apologized, and placed his hand on the woman’s waist.
Mama Ling was overjoyed to the point of swooning. She stated that she had been traveling around the world for 80 days and that this was the happiest day of her trip.
An Ruifeng modestly smiled and suggested, “Please allow your husband to stand alongside me. I can have my agent take a picture of the three of us.”
Mama Ling said in surprise, “What husband? I’m not married yet. This is the travel buddy I met on my trip. I don’t even know his name or age.”
Papa Ling: “…Ah?”
Xu Zhiqiang almost laughed: he finally knew who Ling Xi’s unconstrained style was like.
An Ruifeng went along with her words: “I misunderstood. I heard you guys talking about your son XiXi just now…”
“You misheard it. I haven’t married yet, so how can I have a son?”
Even An Ruifeng couldn’t hold back this time. To stop himself from laughing, he averted his head and coughed a few times.
Mama Ling could only concede after seeing that An Ruifeng and Xu Zhiqiang had seen through her unsophisticated lies: “I was just kidding. He’s my husband. My son XiXi is filial, and he especially found a tour company for us old people to tour other countries.” Every parent has the desire to show off their children in their hearts, and Mama Ling couldn’t stop herself once she opened the chatterbox. She flipped through her passport, pointing to the visas and customs stamps page by page, flaunting how filial her son was.
Even Papa Ling, who hadn’t said much previously, chimed in: “Yes, my son is kind and sensible. He has a wonderful voice. Oh! Both of you are half-peers; he is a singer! Do you enjoy listening to music? I’ll give you a CD of his music!”
Mama Ling snarled: “This memory of yours! You brought so many of his records with you, but you gave one here, one there, and gave them all away early! You gave the last one to the tourist bus driver before boarding the plane, urging him to play it for the next Panda Country tour group they pick up…”
An Ruifeng’s heart warmed as he heard the couple’s comments. He thought he finally understood why Ling Xi was never concerned about the opposition he may face when he came out of the closet. Whatever position Ling Xi held, Papa Ling and Mama Ling would always be his most devoted fans and staunch supporters. An Ruifeng considered himself extremely fortunate to be able to join such a warm family.
He softly uttered “Oh,” his brows smoothed, his look was pleasantly surprised, and his acting talents skyrocketed at that moment. “Actually, up until this point, I had only thought that both of you appeared to be extremely nice. I finally figured it out when you mentioned your son is a singer – is your son Ling Xi? Ling Xi, the singer of “Heart Has Ling Xi” and “ZERO”?”
An actor’s agent is also an actor. Xu Zhiqiang nodded repeatedly: “I was just thinking you looked familiar; it turns out you’re Ling Xi’s parents! Ling Xi is a good child. My family’s An Ruifeng and he are brothers!”
Their remarks came as a surprise to the elderly couple. “Are you familiar with Ling Xi?”
The entertainment industry is simply incomprehensible. Friendships can be formed between two people who have vastly differing numbers of admirers.
An Ruifeng had a ready-made justification at his disposal: “Don’t you know? We worked together on the series “Jian Jue Tianxia” a few months ago, playing master and apprentice, and we gradually became acquainted. Panda TV purchased the screening rights just the previous month. If I’m not mistaken, it will be aired on television next month.”
Mama Ling had an epiphany: “I heard him remark a few months ago that he was going to film. Then he was closed off for a month, and there was no mobile phone coverage, so we couldn’t communicate, but I didn’t ask him what play he was filming… I assumed he’d turn into an actor, but he stopped filming after one series. He suddenly sent us abroad for three months, and we didn’t have time to look up his current situation online. I’m also not sure if he’s working on a new record right now.”
Ling Xi sent his parents on a world tour before the contract was terminated, afraid that he would cause his parents concern, so Papa Ling and Mama Ling had no knowledge he had already abandoned the entertainment world until today. An Ruifeng knew that Ling Xi wanted to inform his parents personally, therefore he did not inform them of the outcome at this time. Instead, he made a few jokes and avoided the subject.
Fortunately, it was simple for this celebrity to divert the couple’s attention. Mama Ling was very curious about filming and bombarded An Ruifeng with questions one after the other. Some of the questions were ridiculously simple, but An Ruifeng was incredibly thorough and detailed, answering them one at a time seriously.
In exchange, Mama Ling recounted to An Ruifeng a few amusing stories from Ling Xi’s childhood.
“I wonder if you have heard this fable? Once upon a time, a father gave each of his three sons a silver ingot and urged them to go out and buy enough items to fill a room. The eldest son purchased stone bricks, while the middle son bought straw, yet these items did not fill the room. The youngest son got a candle and illuminated the entire room with it… I related this story to Ling Xi, who was still in elementary school at the time, and then gave him ten bucks to come up with another way to fill a room. Do you know how he responded?” Mama Ling sold the story’s climax.
Based on his knowledge of Ling Xi’s IQ, Xu Zhiqiang came up with the following response: “I suppose he got a light bulb?”
Based on his knowledge of Ling Xi’s talent, An Ruifeng came up with the following response: “Did he use his singing to fill the entire room?”
With a shake of his head, Papa Ling said: “Both of you guessed wrong. After work that day, I discovered him sitting alone in the living room, eating a type of chocolate that I usually bought for him during the New Year’s holidays. I asked him why he spent the money on chocolate instead of doing the assignment. ‘As long as I sit here, I can fill the room with laughter and merriment, and this chocolate is my reward for always being so joyful and cheerful,’ he said.”
“At the time, Lao Ling was angry but laughed.” Mama Ling also stated: “Since he was a child, my son has been optimistic; he is also a little clever in trivial matters, and he is easy to please. Most of the time, this is a good intrinsic quality, and it can help him maintain his growth, have an optimistic attitude, and be joyful every day. At the same time, he may not have accomplished much in his life since his personality limits him. He’s satisfied and glad when he climbs a little bit and achieves – or lowers – his goals, and he doesn’t worry about going up again. Or if he hasn’t even reached half of his goal, but tries and discovers that the way is blocked, he can give up without psychological pressure because he has been joyful and met interesting people in the process.”
Mama Ling’s analysis had to be accepted to be reasonable. An Ruifeng had the impression that he knew Ling Xi quite well. They were always together, touched one other intimately, and read the meaning in each other’s eyes. Nonetheless, Mama Ling’s comments enriched An Ruifeng’s comprehension of his sweetheart.
People who didn’t understand Ling Xi dismissed him as a weed with no ambition. Only those who understood him recognized that his heart was a garden enveloped by sunshine.
An Ruifeng was delighted that he’d walked into this garden and noticed his beauty.
As they talked, time flew by. When the flight attendant arrived to remind her to eat, Papa Ling dragged Mama Ling back into her seat. The meals in the first-class cabin were far superior to those in the standard cabin. Mama Ling wanted to go over and talk with An Ruifeng again after the two of them had a hearty meal.
“Before getting on the plane, you claimed you wanted to catch up on sleep,” Papa Ling held her back. “How come I haven’t seen you rest up until now?”
“It’s great to look at such a handsome guy,” Mama Ling said. “My eyes feel refreshed when I look at him.”
“You may not want to sleep, but others do. An Ruifeng’s agent said just now that he is not here on vacation, but for work. He appears to be developing black circles under his eyes. Don’t bother him.”
An Ruifeng was indeed completely exhausted. When he landed at BingXue Island, he ignored jet lag and got right to work, hoping to finish the shoot as soon as possible so he could return and reunite with Ling Xi. His nerves were strained when he unexpectedly met his in-laws on the return journey. He’d been talking for several hours and couldn’t take it any longer. He was solicitous to Ling Xi’s parents before going to bed, saying, “I know Ling Xi very well, and I always said before that I would come to visit uncle and aunt. I will surely come to see you in a few days when Ling Xi is not too busy. When the time comes, I hope you don’t think I’m bothering you.”
“No. no, how is that possible? I like you, child. You don’t have the airs of a celebrity at all!” Mama Ling chuckled as she covered her mouth: “I wish I had given birth to a daughter at that time. It would have been fantastic… By the way, do you have a younger sister? Our Ling Xi isn’t very skilled at anything, but he’s a natural when it comes to adoring his wife. He gave guidance to his school’s P.E. teacher and helped him chase after the arts teacher when he was ten years old.”
“No, I have only one older brother.” An Ruifeng knew deep down that he didn’t need a younger sister. He had experienced Ling Xi’s clever mouth firsthand. He could express loving words and sing love songs… There was also a third unmentionable use that was really ingenious.
“What a shame,” Mama Ling muttered to herself, “I’m a big fan of mixed-race babies.”
An Ruifeng responded in his heart: Okay, I’ll continue to work hard.
Initially, he just wanted to sleep for a while. His work had been too exhausting, and he was also in a good mood from seeing Ling Xi’s parents, so he ended up sleeping soundly and deeply. When he opened his eyes, the plane had already landed and was taxiing.
He stared out the window in disbelief, only to see that he had indeed landed. He had anticipated that the ten or so hours on the road would be difficult to pass. He didn’t expect to fall asleep and then wake up back at home.
A farewell announcement was made in the cabin when the plane was linked to the jetway. First-class passengers had the privilege of exiting the plane first, so everyone stood up and straightened up their belongings. An Ruifeng took his time getting off the plane. He first assisted Mama Ling in removing the baggage from the overhead bin.
Papa and Mama Ling had packed their cell phones in their small carry-on luggage. As soon as they opened the baggage, the strong scent of shampoo filled the air. “Aiya! My mobile phone!” Papa Ling cried in despair. They hadn’t tightened the cap on the small package of shampoo they were carrying with them. The entire bottle of shampoo had poured out, and it had spilled on the phone. The shampoo had made its way into the phone through the chinks after more than 10 hours of jolting on the flight. When they removed the rear cover, they discovered that the entire phone battery had become soaked in shampoo.
Both phones appeared to have been destroyed. They had just discussed how the first thing they would do after landing would be to contact Ling Xi to let him know they were safe and sound, and then they would take a taxi and return home by themselves. But because the phones had been saturated, they couldn’t even switch on, let alone make a call.
Ruifeng hurriedly stated: “With me here, how can I justify allowing uncle and aunt to take a taxi? You’ve been traveling for a long time and probably have a lot of bags. My nanny car is parked in the lot. The nanny car is really large and can fit everything.” It was the perfect time for him to be courteous: “Don’t be concerned about the phone. I’m so familiar with Ling Xi; naturally I have his phone number saved. You can simply call.” While speaking, he handed over his phone to Papa Ling.
Ling Xi’s name was saved as “007” in An Ruifeng’s phone. This nickname was one-of-a-kind and mysterious, and it easily ranked #1 in the address book. When he handed the phone to Papa Ling, he was exceedingly gracious and fearless of accidentally revealing the truth about their relationship.
When Papa Ling saw the address book, he laughed: “007… Hey, this name is interesting!”
“Ling Xi also likes this nickname,” An Ruifeng added.
He was speaking when the phone rang and a beep signaled the connection. It’s not clear which button Papa Ling pressed. Ling Xi’s sleepy voice came out clear and magnified through the phone’s microphone.
“Hey husband…”
Papa Ling cheerfully interjected: “Silly XiXi, what husband, I’m your father… eh?”
An Ruifeng who was caught off guard: “……”
This silly XiXi is indeed super silly, thought Xu Zhiqiang.
Mama Ling, who was standing on the side, plainly heard the appellation coming from the microphone. She looked at An Ruifeng, then at the phone, then at Papa Ling, and then back at An Ruifeng. They were both old, but not foolish. Coincidentally, they’d returned from FairyTale Country, which supported same-sex marriage. They had lived so many years in vain if they didn’t comprehend.
She sighed faintly and said, “He should be called 007. The Bond girl, it turns out, is right in front of me.”
An Ruifeng’s initial goal was to build a good relationship with the old couple and lay a solid foundation for eventually coming out of the closet. Surprisingly, the foundation had only recently been laid, and a tall tower rose abruptly from the ground. With a wry smile, he reclaimed his cell phone from Papa Ling’s grasp and urged Ling Xi, “Quickly get up. I’ll be bringing uncle and aunt back to our place soon. We have a lot to explain to them.”
[End]
Translator:
This, in my opinion, is one of the most underappreciated stories. If possible, please rate and review on NU so that other readers, like you, can enjoy this cotton candy.
Ling Xi has taught me that letting go isn’t always a bad thing. This novel is far more wordy than TOSW, with long paragraphs, which is why my translations took so long. Thank you for your patience. Stay safe. I look forward to seeing you again.
Thanks for translating, this story is very cute.
Thank you for your hardwork, to translated all the chapter and introduce about Ling Xi to us. This novel is really good, the translated is super good too. And thank you to post all the chapter in rush because all the problem about jj since yesterday.
I agree, this cotton candy is the best!
yyayyayayayaaah so cute!! Ling Xi’s parents are gems hahahah
I love some good, fluffy novel yes yes, thank you so much for great work with translation!
Great way to meet the parents. Tho I missed LX in this chapter. 😊. Thank you for translating to the end of this sweet silly story.
Thank you so much for your hard work, translator-sama! This has been such a sweet, funny story. It was really heartwarming. Many thanks.
Thank you for the translation.. The ending was great…really love it
Your husband is a Bond girl~
Thank you very much for translating this beautiful and sweet novel
Wow, I hope you can really be the old you and solve things in your life.
Thankyou for translating!!! I love this novel so much 🙂
So this is it. Thanks for translating this funny story. I only had time to read it at night and each chapter had to stifle my laughter so as not to wake anyone up.
Really appreciate your race against time to deliver us this last update.
Thank you so much for your hard work.
Thanks a million for letting me know little sunshine Ling Xi and Ruifeng 💓
Thank you! I really enjoy reading this fun story!
Thanks for translating this sweet and happy story. Hilarious and touching, I’m gonna miss reading this! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for translating! This was such a fun and romantic read! The last extra didn’t disappoint.
Well, this was adorable!
I was hoping to get a chapter about them coming out but…. Coming out to the parents is good too. Really a cute story, thanks for translating <3
Thank you for this amazing translation. I have thoroughly enjoyed the read ❤️
As you said “Man proposes, God disposes” haha.
Thank you for translating this wonderful story for us! See you next time la Chipoholic 😀
Thank for translating this story. I felt peace and comfort while reading it!
Thanks for your hard work translating this gem.
When I first read the synopsis and get a glimpse of Ling Xi personality, I never thought I would feel so much heartache following his journey. Fortunately nearing his end in entertainment circle Ling Xi managed to know An Ruifeng. Certainly one of the complete BL story for me.
thank you for translating this novel! ^^
Dear Amy, thanks for bringing Ling Xi into our lives. I enjoyed and appreciated the laughs and lessons. I also agree that letting go is not always a bad thing. It can be quite freeing. Thanks again.
I really want to know the description for Germany lolol
Ahahahaha~ all the prep work for nothing lololol But it ended well as we saw xD
Thank you for bringing this sweet story to us (シ_ _)シ I really enjoyed it (and LX sometimes dirty mouth hrhrhr~)
Thank you for translating this cute and warm story.. I love it.. 🥰❤
thank you for translating this wonderful novel <3
This was a very nice story with really really great characters! I loved our ML and MC, so realistics, so sweet and fun. Thanks for your hard work on the translation 💕
Thank you for all your hard work! 😘🧡
Finally, binged read after the jj fiasco… Glad to complete this before it disappeared 😊
Thank you for translation. Know that yours and your team’s efforts are much appreciated.
+1
Gee whiz this was bloody good reading! Seriously refreshing to have well grounded characters at peace with who they are and what they want from life. Massive appreciation to the translating team. Loved it.😍
Thank you for translating this pearl ! This novel is so heartwarming !
I cant agree more. I didnt really expect that when I read the summary: accepting personal limitations and letting go etc. This is so underated. Ugh I cant express how unique and precious this novel and mc is, I just loved it.
Thank you for all your hard work translating this!
Same me too. I just thought it’s gonna be a cliche story where MC will suddenly have burst in his singing career thanks to the ML. Instead, it shocked me with it’s comedic punchlines, inspirational character and unique concept. It’s rare to find in this genre and I love it
Thank you, I can’t believe I’ve not seen this story before, it really is fantastic and much more realistic than expected. I also want to say, Amy, you did an amazing job translating. Meaning was conveyed so well, and the flow was wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing this 🥰
Thank you, Amy-san for translating such a great novel with fantastic translation. Thank you for bringing LX and AR’s story to us readers. Wishing you bountiful amounts of coffee, chocolate and chips!
Thank you for translating this novel ❣️🤗
Thank you for the translation! Such a nice heart warming story! I wish best of luck for these two! 💕
This is truly a lovely story, fun and full of warmth. The happiness they find in life is just too great
Thank you so much for translating! <3
thank you for translating this lovely piece..
Ling Xi is such an adorable and funny MC – while Ruifeng is not your typical ML hahaa…he helped but still respects LX decision..
the friendship between the agents and artists is just pure
and i love that everyone has its own comedic scene that will make you LOL..
thanks for your hard work again..
will put this my reading in case i want to read it again..
😍😅😍😊
I totally love this novel. It is very entertaining and funny. MC and ML arent OP.
Thank you for translating this story.
Perfect way to introduce their relationship 😂 couldn’t be more on point for them. thanks for the translation
Thank you for your hard work to translating this novel ❤️❤️. The story was so cute and sweet…. I’m going to miss them badly 😍.
Thanks for translating ❤️❤️❤️ it was such a sweet and happy story I love it
Thankyou for translating this .. it was beautiful and translation is excellent 😍
this was so sweet…
I read it in 1 evening, I just couldn’t put it down! lol
The parents are Precious !!!
I know they would accept them when the mother took the surprise easily. But why author, why not continue for one more chapter of the family talk???!! 😭💔
Ehem, anyway, THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR THE HARDWORKS IN TRANSLATING THIS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL EPIC FUNNY NOVEL!!
TRULY GOLD!!! And I’m in Love!!
Thank you for translating, i really like this novel 💕💕
Thank you for your hardwork!!!
Thank you for translating ❤️ This story was so cute and I can’t wait to reread it hehe
Thank you very much for the translation! It was a wonderful and funny story, very cute characters and a very sweet love story!
Thank you for translating! This story was so fluffy and sweet ♡♡♡
Thank you for the translation, as always it’s so easy to read and your notes really help to understand the cultural contexts 💕
I discovered this novel from your mention in TOSW. The author is really good at writing light hearted story with lots of comedy.
😊
I love this story so much!
Thank you for translating and sharing it with us 💕💕💕
thank you for this sweet and spicy candy, very very delicious dog food 🐾
Probably one of the best novel I read in quite the time. ML has limitations as much as the others characters, the country’s name made me laugh. Each. Time. There was a whole philosophy of life in it, it was sweet, it was funny, it was quite heartbreaking too
I’m happy sad the story is finished but if the future allows it I will try to read it again ~
Thank you for all your hard work as a translator you did an amazing job ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡
I wish this story was much longer.. It’s so lovely and too sweet 🤗🙈🤭😉
Thank you so much for translating this gem! I love it so so so much!
Thank you for translating such a fun and happy story 😀
Thank you so much for translating this cotton candy factory. The sugar supplied was immense indead.
Thank you for the wonderful translation. It’s been a while since I’ve read a novel that hits all the right notes like this.
Thank you for your hard work, 🌹🌹🌹😘😘😘 really enjoy the story♥️♥️💕💕❤️❤️🤩
finished reading !!! aaaa thank you sm for translating this. I loved it so much. <3
Really enjoyed the book it’s so sweet!!! Thank you for translating, very much appreciate your efforts.
What a lovely story🥰
I really loved to read about this couple! Thanks for translating ♥️
Thank you for translating this wonderful story!
The story is truly wonderful! Thank you for translating it and showing it’s rather special way of speach. 🥰
¿Cuál es esa novela que menciona? TOSW ?
Gracias por traducir esta hermosa y dulce novela.☺
I love the way Mama Ling described Ling Xi. I will miss them so much. Thank you for the translation! This story is such a breath of fresh air. Tbh, I thought this would be similar to the entertainment industry stories I read based on the first few chapters. But, the storyline and characters are so unique. I love it!
This chapter is priceless! What a perfect ending!. This is truly a story that’s much more than fluff. There’s heartbreak nut thankfully doesn’t come from ML. Ling Xi is indeed a beautiful character and Even Zhu Linlin was fantastic! An Ruifeng is adorable and the little ancestor, sadly without a name had to end up living with them. Dear Chipoholic, thank you so much for translating this story, your remarks and footnotes were spot on.
Comedic, cute, fluffy, and everything nice….. Awesome ♥️♥️♥️
This was a really great read =) light, easy on the heart and optimistic. ML and MC are both cute and really well rounded. Thank you for translating and bringing to us this amazing story. AnLing will be remembered. =)
Wow. What a way to come out ! 😳😂
Thank you so much for all your hard work. ❤️👏🧧
Thanks for translating it 🥰
Thank you so much for translating this lovely novel. ❤️
Thank you so much for this translation! Loved the story, characters and ending
Thank you for the translation!
Wow! I loved the MC and ML here so much – very different from the cliche ones. No OP characteristics. Relatable and heartwarming. Wish everyone can be such a happy person in the short life we are here for. Thank you Chiopholic for your time and effort in bringing this translation to us!