The Perfect Relationship Ch 47

 🍁 The Perfect Relationship 🍁 by Xi He Qing Ling

Ch 47: Learning Tae Kwon Do

Just as he was feeling troubled, Shao Junling approached him with eager eyes and asked, "Brother, when will you take me to learn martial arts?"

Yin Chang was taken aback. This was his promise to the other when they agreed on the rules. In order to prevent the little guy from grabbing and biting people, he promised to take him to learn formal martial arts.

But when Shao Junling was living at school, it was impossible to follow through. After some time passed, Yin Chang forgot about it. Now that Shao Junling was a day student and could get home as early as four or five in the afternoon on weekdays, plus weekends, he can find time to go to the martial arts school to exercise.

"Do you really want to learn?" Yin Chang asked as he grabbed his iPad.

"Mm-hmm," Shao Junling looked quite persistent about this.

Keeping his promise, Yin Chang searched the internet for various martial arts styles, including Taekwondo, Karate, and Jiu-Jitsu, and explained them to him one by one, allowing him to choose one he liked.

After listening blankly, Shao Junling turned his head to Yin Chang, "I want to learn yours."

Yin Chang didn't react at first. "Mine?" he asked.

Shao Junling replied, "Muay Thai."

Yin Chang had mentioned it on the show "Idol Face-to-Face" before, and Shao Junling had watched that segment repeatedly in private, so he remembered it clearly.

But Yin Chang couldn't remember when he had told Shao Junling that he knew Muay Thai, and was a bit confused.

"Well..." He paused for two seconds, not bothering with the details, and said directly, "I don't recommend you learn boxing right now."

Shao Junling was still young and had no martial arts foundation, so a more authentic Muay Thai gym might not take him. Moreover, Muay Thai focused more on upper body strength training, such as arms and chest muscles. If he started training in this now, his arms would become particularly strong and his overall physique wouldn't look good.

Yin Chang glanced at Shao Junling. The kid was only eleven years old, and even though these past six months, the school and home had provided him with good nutrition, he was still small. He was in third grade, but his height was equivalent to a first-grader, indicating delayed physical development.

Yin Chang remembered his Muay Thai coach in Thailand telling him that if you learned Taekwondo before learning boxing, you'd pick up Muay Thai faster.

Because Taekwondo was a martial art that focused more on the waist and legs, it could stabilize the lower body. He didn't start learning Muay Thai until he was fifteen, and suffered from not having a martial arts foundation, so he was often teased by his coach for having "flower fists and embroidered legs".

Moreover, in foreign countries, if children wanted to learn martial arts, Taekwondo was a popular choice for parents. Because its basic movements stretched and extended the limbs, and had children run and jump, it was beneficial for growth and development.

With this in mind, Yin Chang said to Shao Junling, "Why not learn Taekwondo? Maybe you can grow taller by learning it..."

Shao Junling: "!!!"

"After learning the basics of Taekwondo for two years, you can..."

Yin Chang was about to say that after learning the basics, he could learn something else, but Shao Junling interrupted him, "I want to learn!"

Yin Chang was surprised that he agreed so quickly. He thought he would have to pour in more effort to convince him.

Yin Chang told Lu Lingjuan about Shao Junling's plan to learn Taekwondo and asked her to help him find a good Taekwondo gym in Haicheng. He couldn't handle many things directly because of his special identity.

While sending the message, Yin Chang noticed a new email notification from half an hour ago. He recalled the parenting variety show plan that Lu Lingjuan had mentioned earlier and couldn't help but take a quick look.

The show was tentatively called "Superstar Life" and was a celebrity parenting reality show that Starlight TV was creating in response to the government's policy of allowing couples to have a second child.

They referred to popular variety shows from the past two years, selected some domestic and foreign attractions, and sent the siblings of celebrity families to travel and experience local life. The behind-the-scenes team tracked and filmed the interactions between them, and presented them to the audience.

In fact, this approach was similar to many parent-child variety shows. To put it simply, the focus was not on the activities themselves, but on the invited participants.

The main theme of the plan was also written in a deep way. Instead of showcasing gossip about the second generation stars' lives, but presenting a learning experience for siblings, and hoping to influence families to improve sibling relationships through the program.

When he saw the words "fully tracked filming," Yin Chang couldn't help but frown.

During his previous TV appearances, Yin Chang was able to do some homework in advance such as by having tea with the other guests of the show to get to know each other.

But with a reality show, this approach was simply impossible.

"Fully tracked filming" would showcase their unconscious behavior in great detail, making Yin Chang feel like he was being stripped naked for the audience to see, with no privacy at all.

And the most crucial point was that he didn't think his relationship with Shao Junling was...that good.

In Yin Chang's imagination, siblings were affectionate and had a great understanding of each other.

But he and Shao Junling had only been brothers for less than a year. Forget about understanding each other, they often looked bewildered and awkward when they were together... Although they rarely quarreled or fought lately, that was because he was always making concessions for Shao Junling. God knows how many times the little guy had driven him nuts to the point of internal bleeding.

After this half-year, Yin Chang felt that his temper was worn thin.

Of course, he also believed that the program group had the magical editing skills of shows like "Idol Face-to-Face," which could turn the bad into good. But Yin Chang's personality was intolerant of deception, for example how they'd portrayed his relationship with Wang Chen. The two of them had an acceptable relationship in private, but post processing made it completely different…! Even now, he couldn't bear to recall the ambiguous special effects.

Yin Chang read on with a stiffening scalp.

The program team planned to invite five pairs of star descendants and their relatives to participate in the first season of the show. The selection criteria were that the older relative should not be more than twenty years old, and the younger relative should not be less than five years old. They also required outstanding appearance or distinctive personality.

Two pairs were already confirmed. The first pair was the famous director Qin An's daughters, Qin Jing Shan and Qin Xi Feng.

Seeing Qin An's name, Yin Chang was slightly surprised, recalling that this person was his father's friend. He'd gifted the golden Chinese redwood casket. Yin Chang had wanted to thank him in person, but Qin An had been busy on the day of Yin Dong's funeral, so he couldn't make it.

Qin An's two daughters were nineteen and eight years old. Yin Chang glanced at the photo. Qin Jing Shan was quite attractive.

As he scrolled down, he saw that the other confirmed pair was Wang Xuan, the former host and actor of Starlight TV...

What?! Turned out Wang Chen and Xue Zi Wen were also participating.

...This pair was actually uncle and nephew…

However, the program team did not limit the invitation to only same generation relatives, especially since they met the age requirements.

Below that was the list of potential participants. Yin Chang saw his and Shao Jun Ling's names at the top, followed by some well-known actors and athletes' children whom he had never heard of or seen before. He wondered if other invitees could also see him and Shao Jun Ling...

Yin Chang felt a headache when he thought about the various problems and criticisms he might face after bringing Shao Jun Ling onto the show.

If Yao Manhuai hadn't already decided on this matter for him, he would've probably refused to participate.

With that in mind, Yin Chang closed the document without looking further.

🍁

Lu Lingjuan was very efficient in her work. In less than half a day, she found two suitable martial arts schools.

One was owned by a Korean, and the other by a Chinese, both were very legitimate and their students often won prizes in major competitions at home and abroad.

However, both schools had admission requirements. The Korean owned school had professional and amateur classes. The professional class only accepted students recognized or recommended  by their own disciples. The amateur class was generally only attended by children from wealthy families because of the high tuition fees.

The Chinese owned martial arts school was accepting students from around the city, but required a trial period.

The trial lasted for a month, and tuition was twenty-four thousand yuan for twelve basic classes. During these twelve lessons, the coaches would observe the trial students' perseverance, endurance, physical fitness, and other qualities. If they found that the child was only interested for a short period or couldn't handle the training, they would be advised to withdraw, and the trial fee would not be refunded.

However, if one passed the trial and became an official student, the tuition fee would be much cheaper, only three thousand yuan a month. The schedule and number of classes were not limited, and students could go whenever they wanted. A dedicated teacher would evaluate the students' physical fitness and arrange corresponding training.

Yin Chang was very interested in the Chinese owned martial arts school and asked Lu Lingjuan for more details.

Lu Lingjuan said, "Don't be fooled by the low tuition fee for official students. I checked, and almost 95% of the children are eliminated during the trial period. The twenty-four thousand yuan tuition fee is just wasted. Many netizens who have experienced it have said that the school almost feels like a scam."

Curious, Yin Chang asked, "What standards do they use to eliminate trial students?"

Lu Lingjuan laughed, "What standards? The kids themselves drop out if they can't handle it. The first month of trial is said to be devil training. If you just want Shao Junling to learn martial arts as a hobby, I think the amateur class at the Korean martial arts school is quite good. They do an excellent job of protecting the privacy of their members."

After hearing this, Yin Chang actually understood the Chinese owned school's approach.

Learning martial arts is not something that can be done half-heartedly. Although the trial requirements were strict, it was a way to select children who were genuinely interested in martial arts and had the perseverance to succeed in a short period. A group of like-minded children could influence and improve each other, and it would be easier for the teacher to guide them.

Yin Chang glanced at Shao Junling and was curious about whether he could withstand a month of trial. If he could, he would be impressed. If he couldn't, it would be normal. Yin Chang didn't mind the twenty-four thousand yuan, but he thought it was worth it if he could use this month to understand Shao Junling's passion for martial arts.

After making the decision, Yin Chang had Lu Lingjuan directly enroll and pay for the classes.

Lu Lingjuan left Yin Chang's private email as a contact. After he was approved, the martial arts school sent him the schedule for the trial period.

Yin Chang looked at the schedule and saw that it would start next week. The trial was scheduled for every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evening from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, which happened to land in between Shao Junling's English tutoring sessions on which were on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings.

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🍁 Vignette

Shao Junling returned to school for the start of the second semester.

Children such as Luo Pengtao, Ji Han, and Yu Wenmao, who had received red envelopes filled with money during the New Year, had already prepared this year's protection fees to give to the boss.

Shao Junling: "I'm not collecting protection fees this year."

Everyone: "Why!?"

Shao Junling: "My brother won't let me."

Everyone: "Please, boss! Don't do this! We need your protection! QAQ"

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The Perfect Relationship Ch 46

   🍁 The Perfect Relationship 🍁 by Xi He Qing Ling

Ch 46: The Art Studio and the Piano

After making the decision, the two of them acted according to their plan.

Not long after the first car left the hotel, as expected, Lu Lingjuan heard from the bodyguard that an unknown vehicle was following them. About half an hour after they left, Yin Chang and Lu Lingjuan, who had changed their clothes, got into the newly arranged car.

"Phew...it's like a spy movie!" Lu Lingjuan exclaimed nervously.

They didn't rush to go to the house, but instead had the driver drive around the city.

Yin Chang remembered the place he had lived when he was a child and had the driver first take them to the area near the Lianhua Apartment in the Qingcheng Bend.

"I lived here before I moved to Los Angeles," Yin Chang said to Lu Lingjuan.

Over the past ten years, the place had changed a lot. Although the name was the same, both the green landscape and the streetlights and fountains were no longer what he remembered.

"How old were you when you moved abroad?" Lu Lingjuan asked.

"I was four or five years old, I can't remember exactly," Yin Chang replied.

He didn't know why Yin Dong had sent him abroad at that time. It was only after he learned to surf the internet and searched for Yin Dong's resume that he found out that in that year, Yin Dong won the Best Newcomer award at the Hongcheng Film Awards for his artistic film "Time".

At the age of 27, it was considered late to become famous. Nevertheless this title pulled Yin Dong in the public eye and he lost his peaceful life.

Yin Dong sent him abroad to protect him.

"Did you speak Chinese before you left?" Lu Lingjuan asked curiously. "Your Chinese is very good."

"Yes, Fiona can speak three languages: Chinese, English, and Cantonese. When I was with her, we usually spoke Chinese. And when I got there, my dad also hired a Chinese teacher for me," Yin Chang replied.

"No wonder," murmured Lu Lingjuan thoughtfully. "This nanny has been with you since you were a child."

"Mhm." Fiona had been there from Yin Chang’s earliest memories. When Yin Dong clarified his confusion about "Moms" when they were young, he believed him because Fiona was there to support him.

Once they confirmed no one was following, they had the driver take them to the quiet streets of the Circular Island area.

It was an old villa area, remote and sparsely populated with few security guards nearby.

By the time they found the house, it was almost dark.

Yin Chang hadn't found the key to this house while cleaning up Yin Dong's study. Now that they were here, they had to let Lu Lingjuan call the police and have them verify the owner's identity to open the lock and change the cylinder.

Fortunately, the police officer who came was an elderly man who didn't know Yin Chang. He opened the door for them and left, doing his job.

The two of them entered the house, and they saw that all the furniture was covered. The old carpet was covered in dust, and stepping on it brought up clouds of dust.

Lu Lingjuan wrinkled her nose and waved her hand, while Yin Chang walked in front of her and lifted a few pieces of cloth, seeing that some old-fashioned furniture was indeed placed underneath. But he couldn't recall if they’d used this furniture back at Lotus Apartment.

There was nothing to dig up in the living room. Yin Chang pushed open the door to one of the rooms and saw a baby crib, a sofa bed, and baby items like a baby walker and a baby seat - this was a baby room.

His heart skipped a beat... had he lived here before?

Next to the baby room was another room. Yin Chang walked in and was stunned.

Before his eyes was an art studio.

There were several easels, canvases, plaster statues in the corner, and a row of shelves along the wall with plenty of painting tools such as brushes and paints, but they were all covered in thick dust.

Oddly enough, there was not a single completed serious work of art in this studio. There were stacks of yellowed, curled paper on the floor, but they were all abstract sketches made by an artist with random strokes of paint.

Yin Chang flipped through a few of them and didn't see a signature, so he took a few pictures with his phone.

The studio's window faced the small garden attached to the villa, but it was overgrown with weeds because it had not been maintained.

Yin Chang saw a stone sculpture in the corner of the garden, which looked somewhat like a traditional stone lion, but not entirely, and it was almost covered by grass.

"Hasn't anyone been here for a long time?" Lu Lingjuan, being a girl, was a little scared now that it was getting dark outside and Yin Chang was searching this uninhabited house with a serious look on his face.

"There are only two rooms downstairs, do you have any impression of these things?" She couldn't help but try to strike up a conversation with Yin Chang.

"No..." Yin Chang said, and then went upstairs.

Lu Lingjuan quickly followed: "We need to hurry up. It gets dark early in winter, and the electricity in this house is probably cut off, so even if we turn on the lights, they won't work."

Yin Chang murmured "Hmm" and pushed open the door of the master bedroom upstairs.

The room had a large double bed in the center, with two pillows and a double quilt neatly placed on it. Perhaps because the windows and doors were tightly closed, there wasn't as much dust in this room. But because it hadn't been ventilated for a long time, there was a musty smell inside.

Yin Chang opened the closet and saw several men's clothes hanging inside, as well as several scarves and a pair of leather boots, which hadn't been damaged after all these years. It seemed that the clothes were of good quality and they probably belonged to Yin Dong.

However, the bedside table and writing desk were cleaned up very neatly. Yin Chang pulled open the drawer and only saw a few pens, a few old coins, and a small medicine bottle.

He glanced at the label on top. Unfamiliar English jargon. He couldn't understand it, so he casually put the medicine in his pocket.

Other than these, there was nothing else, such as photos or notes – clues that might appear in movies.

Yin Chang left the bedroom and opened the door to the last room. This room was even emptier, with an old piano and a small round table next to it, both covered in dust.

Yin Chang walked over and lifted the piano lid, feeling puzzled. As far as he knew, Yin Dong didn't play the piano...

He pressed a key with his finger, and a "thud" sound echoed out, bringing back a memory fragment in his mind.

When he was eight years old, he went on a trip to Vienna with Yin Dong. They passed by a musical instrument store and he became interested in the instruments inside. Yin Dong took him in to have a look.

"Dad, the sound of the piano is so beautiful. I want to learn piano!" he said.

"Xiaochang, playing the piano is difficult and your fingers will hurt if you play for too long. Boys shouldn't learn instruments... How about I take you to learn horseback riding?" Yin Dong replied.

🍁

Yin Chang immediately withdrew his hand, as if he had been burned, and his thoughts also retreated.

Yin Dong's words completely extinguished his desire to learn the piano.

But there was a piano in this place.

Whose piano was it?

Only after the room became so dark he couldn't see anything did Yin Chang stumble back downstairs.

Lu Lingjuan followed him. "That painting studio and the piano, could it be your mother's?"

Yin Chang shook his head and said, "My mother... didn't live here."

"Why?" Lu Lingjuan didn't understand why Yin Chang was so certain.

"Don't you see," Yin Chang forced a bitter smile, "there isn't a single thing here that belongs to a woman."

"No dressing table, no women's clothes, and no traces of a woman's life..."

"Let's go back." Yin Chang looked around and began to doubt if he had mistakenly entered someone else's house. This house had nothing to do with him.

"Okay..." The car was still waiting outside, so Lu Lingjuan closed the windows and followed Yin Chang out.

Upon seeing Yin Chang's disappointed expression, Lu Lingjuan couldn't help but comfort him: "Although we didn't find anything related to your mother, we also didn't find any evidence that your father lied to you, did we? Maybe it really is as your father said, that your mother passed away. Perhaps this house was once lent to a friend of Yin Dong's, and the things inside belong to his friend."

"Maybe," Yin Chang said as he sat in the car. He thought of Fiona's reaction that day and felt like he was being overly sensitive.

Fiona had been with him for so many years. With Yin Dong gone, what reason would she have to hide anything from him?

Maybe this place was just a storage area, and Fiona said she wanted to return to Hongcheng because of a coincidence...

Yin Chang wearily held his face in his hands. Then remembered the small medicine bottle he had found in the house. He took it out of his pocket and used his phone to search the label.

According to an online translation, it was amitriptyline, an antidepressant.

Yin Chang furrowed his brows slightly.

That night, they did not continue to stay in Hongcheng. They bought plane tickets and flew back to Haicheng overnight.

By the time Yin Chang arrived home, it was already midnight. Fiona was asleep, unaware that he had returned, and Yin Chang had no intention of disturbing her.

Entering the bedroom, Yin Chang glanced in the direction of the study, where Shao Junling was already asleep. He placed his luggage by the side and quietly went to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. After finishing his hygiene routine, he climbed into bed and was about to sleep when he heard Shao Junling's voice from the foot of his bed: "Brother..."

That guy had woken up at some point and was standing there silently, looking at him with sleepy eyes.

"Did I wake you?" Yin Chang looked at him speechlessly. His movements had been very light.

At this moment, he couldn't help but feel a little frustrated by the inconvenience from the lack of a partition.

Seeing that Shao Junling was dressed lightly, Yin Chang was about to tell him to go back to sleep, but then saw him crawl up from the foot of the bed into his sheets.

Yin Chang: "??? Did I tell you to come up?"

Shao Junling settled himself, sticking his head out from the other end of the blanket. He looked at Yin Chang up close, and murmured, "You're back."

Yin Chang: "............"

The little guy looked half asleep. He yawned and slept next to him.

Yin Chang weakly put down his stiff hand...oh well.

He had originally been thinking about the house in Hongcheng, but with Shao Junling’s interruption, he no longer felt sad.

Early the next day, Fiona saw that Shao Junling hadn't come out to eat breakfast yet, so she knocked on his door.

As a result, she found that the door was ajar - last night, when Yin Chang entered, he hadn’t closed the door all the way to avoid disturbing Shao Junling.

Fiona pushed the door open and saw the luggage on the floor...did Yin Chang come back?

Looking at the big bed, she saw two heads, one big and one small, sleeping soundly together.

Fiona smiled to herself and didn't disturb them, quietly retreating from the room.

When Yin Chang and Shao Junling got up, she urged them to eat breakfast. "It's almost ten o'clock, your stomachs will be ruined if you don't eat anything...Yin Chang, what time did you come back last night? I didn't hear anything."

Yin Chang took a sip of hot porridge., "Around midnight..."

Fiona didn't read entertainment news and rarely watched TV, so she didn't know anything about Yin Chang going to Hongcheng.

Yin Chang saw that Fiona was calm, and he also hadn’t found anything suspicious in that house. He felt embarrassed to ask further questions since he had deceived Fiona first. If he were to delve deeper, it would mean that he hadn't trusted Fiona, and it could make things awkward between them.

The matter of the house ended like this.

Yin Chang was scheduled to resume work in a few days. According to Lu Lingjuan, because the endorsement photos he took for BG had become so popular, Yao Manhuai had booked him for more jobs, all the way until the end of the year.

"There’s also an invitation for a parent-child variety show, the planning proposal has already been sent, and Yao Manager said to take a look in the next few days. The schedule is set for the summer." Lu Lingjuan reported Yin Chang's work arrangements over the phone.

"Parent-child variety show?" Yin Chang recalled the female producer he’d met two months ago at the TV station.

"Yeah, I took a look and it seems like you and Shao Junling are going to participate together," Lu Lingjuan said.

Yin Chang frowned. "She's already decided?"

"Um, I think so, but I'm not sure if this deal has been finalized. I'll ask her again later," Lu Lingjuan replied.

"Okay." Yin Chang resisted the urge to call Yao Manhuai himself and pushed his phone aside.

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🍁 Vignette

Poor big brother, everyone’s keeping him in the dark.

Dad kept secrets from him. Little brother kept secrets from him. Even the nanny kept secrets from him.

But it's okay...at least little brother was there to sleep with him.

Shao Junling: Once on big brother's bed, why would I ever get off? (￣︶￣)

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The Perfect Relationship Ch 45

  🍁 The Perfect Relationship 🍁 by Xi He Qing Ling

Ch 45: Arriving at Hongcheng

In the evening, Yin Chang finished washing up and climbed into bed. He saw that the light in the study was still on. He urged Shao Junling, "You're not going to sleep yet?"

The little guy was sitting in front of his desk, tinkering with something. He could see the master bedroom's bed with just a slight tilt of his head. Upon hearing Yin Chang's voice, he tilted his head and looked at Yin Chang for two seconds. "Brother, where are you going tomorrow?"

Yin Chang hesitated for a moment, feeling guilty under his questioning. But he didn't feel the need to explain anything to Shao Junling. He casually replied, "Didn't I say I'm going to work?" He turned off the bedside lamp, lay down and covered himself with the blanket, and said in a muffled voice, "You should go to bed too."

He heard a rustling sound from the study. Thinking that Shao Junling had obediently gone to rest, Yin Chang breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes.

But a few seconds later, Shao Junling's voice appeared in his ear, "Brother..."

Yin Chang was startled and opened his eyes. The little rascal had somehow sneaked over and was now staring at him from the side of his bed.

"You!" Yin Chang was at a loss, "Why did you come over when you should be sleeping?"

The light from the study spilled over, shining brightly in Shao Junling's eyes.

"Brother." He called out again.

Since the trip to Switzerland, this little guy had noticeably increased the frequency and number of times he called Yin Chang "brother". Yin Chang didn't know whether to be happy or annoyed about this, but at the moment, he didn't want Shao Junling to bother him anymore.

"Say what you need to say..." Yin Chang said impatiently.

Shao Junling looked at him and asked softly, "Will you... come back?"

There seemed to be a hint of timidity and an imperceptible nervousness in his voice.

Yin Chang sensed it keenly and was a little surprised. He looked back at Shao Junling's expression and felt that the pitch-black eyes that rarely showed emotion were filled with worry.

Was this little guy worried about him... leaving?

"Of course, I'll come back," Yin Chang's tone softened. He remembered Yao Manhuai's words that this kid liked to stick to him, so he pretended to joke, "You don't you want me to go?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yin Chang regretted being too presumptuous.

In this little guy's heart, his importance was probably not even as much as a steaming bowl of instant noodles...

Unexpectedly, after hearing what he said, Shao Junling actually responded clearly, "Hmm."

Yin Chang was surprised again. In the dim light, he couldn't see the redness in Shao Junling's earlobes, but he could see his flickering eyes.

This kid was indeed nervous and very worried.

This feeling of being cared for and remembered was like a warm tide, enveloping Yin Chang's fluctuating heart.

"Heh..." he laughed softly, and couldn't help but think of the words that this little guy said in front of Yin Dong's tombstone. A hint of tenderness appeared in his eyes and brows without him realizing it.

But he didn't know how to comfort Shao Junling. He couldn't bring him with him to Hongcheng.

Thinking back to the good sleep in Zurich that night, Yin Chang couldn't help but lift the corner of the blanket and lightly pat his side, tentatively asking, "Do you... want to sleep with me?"

Shao Junling: "..."

Shao Junling was stunned for a few seconds, then jumped up in shock. Just like the day when he jumped out of his bed, he blinked and ran back to his study.

Yin Chang: ???

"Don't want to?

But won't you miss me?" Yin Chang thought that the main way children depend on adults is by wanting to sleep with them.

He remembered when he was a child, he liked to sleep with Yin Dong, to be in the same bed and share the same pillow with the person he was closest to. The other person's embrace, breath and body temperature could give a child a sense of security and warmth...

Unfortunately, he never had the chance after the age of five.

He remembered when he was a child, Yin Dong went out to work for two months. He missed his father so much that he went crazy. When he saw Yin Dong, he got excited and jumped on him, like a little koala, clinging to him and asking him to sleep with him.

But Yin Dong just hooked his nose and said, "Xiao Chang, boys can't be so spoiled. You're already five years old, you have to learn to be independent."

That night, no matter how he tossed and turned, and tried every way to please Yin Dong, he was unmoved.

His father was so resolute in his decisions.

Yin Chang could understand Yin Dong's approach, but he didn't agree.

Because he still remembered the sense of loss and loneliness he felt when Yin Dong left him alone in the small room to sleep... This made him long for love and to be loved.

He started dating early, at the age of fifteen. When he appeared on the show, he claimed to have had three girlfriends. In fact, he didn't have particularly strong feelings for any of the three girls, but they all shared one thing in common - when they first met, they gave him warm hugs and gently touched the back of his neck like an adult comforting a child.

Yin Chang had never said that he only liked indulged in the feeling of being caressed, which is why he agreed to their pursuit.

Of course, in the end, each girl left him because he couldn't give them the kind of affection they wanted...

As he was thinking, suddenly something warm and soft wriggled into his side from under the covers.

... It was Shao Junling.

This little guy somehow came back again, and now he was snuggling into Yin Chang's arms like a puppy.

Yin Chang's lips twitched, and curved into a slight smile.

He didn't know why Shao Junling kept going back and forth like this, but… this was also a sign of dependence right?

He lifted his arm and brought the other closer to himself, patting his back gently. "Alright, go to sleep."

On the ninth day of the lunar new year, Lu Lingjuan came with two bodyguards to pick him up. The four of them went to Wang Yan's law firm first, and then to the airport. In the evening, Yin Chang arrived in Hongcheng.

Yin Dong had started out in Hongcheng then he won the Best Newcomer Award and then returned to the mainland for further development. Afterward, he became famous and renowned throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

When Yin Dong's plane crashed, the Hongcheng media made a big fuss, digging up a lot of his old stories and adding fuel to the fire, creating all kinds of gossip. Yin Chang's appearance also excited them, but unfortunately, he had already been active in the mainland for almost a year, and they had no edge to create gossip.

After Yin Chang became the spokesperson for BG, his handsome promotional photos appeared overnight at all BG counters in luxury malls worldwide. Therefore, this city of extravagance and desire was naturally not short of his photos.

So when Yin Chang appeared at Hongcheng airport, sharp-eyed passersby spotted him and uploaded photos to social networks: "Is this the recently popular Yin Chang from the mainland?"

Hongcheng media prided themselves in being the most "dedicated" and "competent" paparazzi in the world. As soon as they saw the photos, they sprang into action and tracked down Yin Chang's whereabouts.

By the time Yin Chang arrived, it was already too late to go to the housing bureau, so he and a few others stayed in a hotel for a night and went to handle the paperwork the next morning in the car that Lu Lingjuan had rented in advance.

As soon as they completed the property procedures, paparazzi swarmed Yin Chang.

"Yin Chang! Are you inheriting Yin Dong's property in Hongcheng?"

"How many properties does Yin Dong have in Hongcheng? Are they all under your name now?"

"Have you considered developing your own career here in the future?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you look a bit like the Hongcheng real estate tycoon Yuan Shijin's third aunt, He Yufu?"

🍁

In the midst of the rapid fire of multilingual questions – Cantonese, Mandarin, and English – Yin Chang heard that sentence and was taken aback. He glanced at the young female journalist and then ducked into the car under the protection of his bodyguard.

"Oh my god," Lu Lingjuan was so frightened that she thought she might have a heart attack, "Hongcheng's entertainment reporters are really something!!"

Lu Lingjuan had long heard of the "prestige" of Hongcheng media, so per Yao Manhuai's suggestion, she’d brought two bodyguards with her. Moreover, they’d bought the plane tickets for this trip on the spot, so there was no time for fans to react, but they didn't expect problems to occur so quickly.

"What should we do? Now you're going to be exposed!" Lu Lingjuan nervously scrolled through Weibo. The speed at which Hongcheng media published news was also very fast. It was estimated that there would be news about Yin Chang coming here to inherit the property in no time.

Looking at the reporters outside the car window, Yin Chang’s face also turned pale.

"To be honest, I don't quite understand," Lu Lingjuan looked at Yin Chang and asked, "Why did you want to keep this trip a secret?"

When Yin Chang had told her "don't let my family know", she had found it strange. Everyone knew that Yin Chang was the heir, so it was natural for him to inherit the property. There was no need to be so cautious.

Before, out of respect for Yin Chang's privacy, she didn't dig. But now that the situation had taken a turn for the worse, she wanted to know Yin Chang's specific needs so that she could provide him with more targeted protection measures.

"Let's go back to the hotel first, and then talk." Yin Chang was hesitating whether to tell Lingjuan Lu about these matters. Only Yao Manhuai and Lawyer Wang knew about his "adoptive son" status. But one was his most trusted elder and the other was a lawyer deeply trusted by his father. They had professional integrity, so he didn't have to worry about either of them revealing anything that could cause him trouble.

But Lingjuan Lu...

Well, to be honest, after working together for the past half year, Yin Chang already recognized and trusted Lingjuan Lu's character and ability. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked her to accompany him this time.

When they arrived at the hotel, Yin Chang called Lingjuan Lu to his room alone. "I can tell you the reason, but I hope you can keep it a secret."

Lingjuan Lu was startled by Yin Chang's rare serious tone, and she immediately understood, "Yin Chang, ever since you chose me to be your agent, we have been in it together. You can only do well if I do well, and if you don't do well, I won't have a good reputation in this industry either."

She smiled and continued, "I used to think this way because I saw you as my artist, and it was my duty. But during our time together, I discovered that you are really a special and wonderful person. So I also am putting in more effort to support you. I don't know if I’ll have the chance to meet such a good partner like you again in the future. Even for future celebrities I work with, I doubt I will be as invested in them..."

She looked at Yin Chang and said seriously, "I also hope that you can trust me like you trust Manager Yao. I know her relationship with you is far better than a relationship between an agent and a celebrity, but trust and emotions between people can be slowly cultivated through time and effort. I have confidence that one day I can reach that position in your heart too."

Yin Chang had originally just wanted Lingjuan Lu to give him a guarantee, but was unexpectedly moved by such a serious speech.

"Thank you..." he relaxed and confessed to Lu Lingjuan, "I came this time to investigate something about my background."

Lu Lingjuan was puzzled, "Your background?"

Yin Chang said, "I may not be my father's biological son. When I first met Lawyer Wang in China, he told me that I was adopted by Yin Dong. But my father had previously told me that my mother had passed away when I was young."

Lu Lingjuan was surprised, "Does Manager Yao know about this?"

Yin Chang replied, "Yes, but she doesn't know the details. She doesn't even know who my mother is."

Lu Lingjuan was speechless, she thought Manager Yao knew everything about Yin Dong...

Yin Chang continued, "And recently, I started suspecting that our family maid knows about my background."

Lu Lingjuan asked, "Fiona? Have you asked her?"

Yin Chang shook his head, "She hasn't mentioned it at all, all these years. But recently, I found out that my father had two properties in Chengdu, and I didn't know much about one of them. When I asked her, she knew about it. I could tell because her reaction was very unnatural..."

Yin Chang slowly explained his suspicions, and she agreed with a nod, "It does seem a bit strange... So, you wanted to investigate here secretly without telling her?"

Yin Chang said, "Yes, I wanted to go and see that property."

Lu Lingjuan nodded, "I understand. But we're being followed by paparazzi now, so we can't just go there directly. If there really is something there... what I mean is, for example, if there's something in your father's past that he doesn't want anyone to know, then if the paparazzi follow us there, it could be exposed... The media's digging ability is terrifying."

Yin Chang also had this concern, so they decided to go back to the hotel first.

Lu Lingjuan came up with a plan to evade the paparazzi. She decided to use a "decoy" car, the one that had already been exposed, to go directly to the airport and pretend that Yin Chang had decided to return. Then she would call another car, and just the two of them would go to that property.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

🍁 Vignette

My brother invited me to sleep with him! O口O

I'm shy, covering my face and running away... (/ω＼)

I realized my reaction wasn’t right, so hurried back, and slept with my brother. (/////)

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🍁🍁🍁 want extra chapters? 🍁🍁🍁

🍁🍁🍁 will love you 5 ever 🍁🍁🍁

The Perfect Relationship Ch 44

  🍁 The Perfect Relationship 🍁 by Xi He Qing Ling

Ch 44: Another House

Yin Chang furrowed his brows and looked back at the gravestone engraved with Yin Dong's name. Along the way, they'd passed by several other gravestones of prominent families. Husbands and wives were buried together, and the names of their children and grandchildren covered large swatches of gravestone. However, here at Yin Dong's grave, there were only a few words that read, "Respectfully erected by Son, Yin Chang." It looked lonely.

Thinking that he might not be Yin Dong's biological son, Yin Chang felt a little melancholy.

He thought about whether he should take the opportunity to change Shao Junling's surname and add his name to the gravestone as well...

Lost in thought, Yin Chang heard Shao Junling beside him say to the gravestone, "I'll take good care of brother."

Yin Chang was startled and looked at Shao Junling with confusion. Shao Junling also glanced up at him, but quickly turned away, seemingly feeling embarrassed, and ran off.

"Ah, this child!" Fiona also heard what Shao Junling said and chuckled with relief. "You talk to your dad, I'll go keep an eye on him." With that, she chased after Shao Junling.

Yin Chang remained in a daze for a while, then took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

Yin Dong used to smoke, but rarely did so in front of him. If he really had the urge, he would go outside or to a place where he couldn't be seen to smoke.

Yin Chang remembered one time in Pasadena, also in winter, when he saw Yin Dong standing alone outside his bedroom window. He'd been smoking cigarettes one after another... At that time, he'd wondered if his dad had a lot of stuff on his mind, if his dad's work was too difficult...

But when Yin Dong came back inside, his face would return to that gentle expression, completely different from the lonely man smoking alone outside.

🍁

Yin Chang shook off his thoughts, opened a pack of cigarettes, and lit one. Putting the cigarette between his lips, he took a deep inhale.

Once the cigarette tip turned crimson, he placed it on the stone platform of Yin Dong's grave.

A thin line of smoke escaped from his lips as Yin Chang softly called out, "Dad."

He reached out and touched the gravestone, with countless unspoken words he wished to say.

He wished to ask if he was truly adopted, and if so, who his biological parents were.

He wished to ask about Shao Junling's background, and why Yin Dong had decided to acknowledge this child but keep it from him.

He also wished to talk about his own experiences during this time period. How he’d followed Yao Manhuai's advice and entered the entertainment industry, but still had doubts at times, unsure if the path was right or wrong.

He wished to talk about Shao Junling's performance at school - his poor communication skills, their conflicts and arguments, and his current mediocre English abilities...

But Yin Chang only said, "I’ll take good care of Junling, you can rest assured."

🍁

After the grave sweeping, Yin Chang returned home. He received several New Year's phone calls, including one from Lawyer Wang.

Lawyer Wang occasionally contacted him regarding his father's company matters, but this time, in addition to New Year's greetings, he mentioned something else.

"Does your father still have the two properties in Hongcheng? I mentioned it to you before, do you remember?" Lawyer Wang asked on the phone.

"Yeah, do I need to handle the inheritance of the properties?" Yin Chang had been too busy the past six months, so he hadn't had the time to deal with it.

"If you're busy, it's not urgent. There's no time limit for property inheritance. I just wanted to let you know that among the two properties, one of them is a rental apartment in Qingcheng Bend. Your father signed the property to a property management company to handle, and the rental income is stable. However, the property management contract is about to expire, and they called me before the New Year to ask if we want to renew the contract. I wanted to ask for your opinion."

"Oh, I see. Then let's renew it, so we don't have to worry about it... What about the other property?"

"The other one has been vacant this whole time. Your father probably had specific plans for it. I'm not sure about the details."

"Alright, I understand."

Reminded by Lawyer Wang, Yin Chang recalled the past.

Before Yin Dong took him and Fiona to Pasadena, he had lived in Hongcheng for several years. Although he didn't have many memories of those years, he remembered that they lived in a neighborhood with a lotus fountain. Fiona often took him downstairs to play, and every street lamp in the neighborhood looked like lotuses
.

Could the vacant property be that one?

They hadn't been back there for over ten years...

Yin Chang walked into the study and retrieved a pile of property certificates and documents left by Yin Dong and given to him by Lawyer Wang from a locked cabinet designated for his use. He looked up the information of the two properties in Hongcheng.

...Qingcheng Bend, Guanchao District, Hongcheng...

Hmm? The property in Qingcheng Bend was the lotus apartment?

He looked at the address of the other property, which was on Ningjing Road in Huandao District, a completely different location.

Yin Chang walked out with a puzzled look on his face and asked aloud, "Fiona, do you remember which district I lived in when I was a child in Hongcheng?"

"Yeah? It was in Guanchao District, I believe..." Fiona walked out of the guest room, "Why are you asking about this?"

"My dad has two properties in Hongcheng, and just now his lawyer called me to discuss what to do with one of them." Yin Chang casually mentioned.

"Which one?" Fiona asked.

"The one in Guanchao District," Yin Chang glanced at Fiona and unexpectedly caught a hint of unease on her face. He paused, "So that property is currently being rented out..."

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense," Fiona lowered her head and pretended to tidy her clothes, but her movements were stiff.

Yin Chang: "What about the other property in Huandao District? Do you know anything about it? Lawyer Wang said it's been vacant for a while."

Fiona's complexion changed, "Um, I think your dad may have mentioned it once..."

He hadn't specified "Ningjing Road" just now. How could Fiona react so quickly if Yin Dong had only mentioned it once before?

And she had always been smart about money. It was out of character for her to imply he didn’t need to concern himself with the rental income from his properties.

Furthermore, if he had to rent out one property, why would it be the apartment he grew up in? Why not rent out the vacant one on Ningjing Road? Then he wouldn't have to move the furniture unless there was something else going on...

Yin Chang's heart skipped a beat as he thought of his mysterious origin - could there be something related to his mother there?

If that was the case, Fiona must know something, right?

He felt the urge to directly ask Fiona... but if Fiona knew the truth, why wouldn’t she directly inform him? Did Yin Dong instruct her not to say anything?

If that was the case, he probably wouldn't be able to get anything out of her, because Fiona keeps her promises.

In that case, why not go and see for himself first?

Thinking up to here, Yin Chang pulled out his phone and checked his schedule and available flights.

There was a flight to Hongcheng tonight. If he just took a look, he could come back in a day...

But another problem arose. How would he get around in Hongcheng? He would definitely be recognized if he went out in public now, and it would be inconvenient to move around privately.

Besides, he hadn't formally inherited the two properties yet, so even if he went there, he wouldn't be able to enter without the keys.

Yin Chang forced himself to calm down and messaged Lawyer Wang, "I want to go to Hongcheng as soon as possible to handle the property inheritance procedures."

Lawyer Wang: "Why the sudden rush?"

Yin Chang didn't explain to Lawyer Wang his suspicions and simply said, "I only have a few days off."

Lawyer Wang: "Start preparing now then. The earliest you can go is the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, because you have to wait for the relevant departments to start working. Then you can get the paperwork, and go to the property management bureau there to handle the procedures..."

Yin Chang calculated and found that the ninth day of the Lunar New Year would work, as he was still on vacation.

He asked again, "Can the property be transferred on the same day as the inheritance?"

Lawyer Wang: "Yes."

Yin Chang: "Okay, let's plan to handle this on the ninth day then."

After that, Yin Chang switched to his conversation with Lu Lingjuan. "Will you be back by the eighth?"

Because he was taking a break for the Spring Festival, she’d also decided to take off and go back to her hometown to celebrate the New Year.

Lu Lingjuan: "I’ll be back on the sixteenth, so we'll start work on the same day. What's up? Do you have something you need to do on the eighth?"

Yin Chang: "Can you come back early? I need your help with something urgent. I’ll pay you double your daily salary during the holiday."

Lu Lingjuan: "What's the rush?"

Yin Chang: "On the ninth day of the lunar new year, I’d like you to accompany me to Hongcheng."

Lu Lingjuan: "Is it for work? Yao Zong didn't say anything about this."

Yin Chang: "It’s not. She’s not aware, but it’s fine if she finds out. I can let her know it's to handle some of my father's properties. Lawyer Wang will also be there. She’ll feel more reassured if you're with me. I just don't want my family members to know, including my housekeeper and Shao Junling. So the travel information must be kept confidential."

Lu Lingjuan: "Oh, no problem. It's my duty to protect you. I’ll go buy the tickets now."

Yin Chang: "After we arrive, I’ll need a car."

Lu Lingjuan: "Got it, leave it to me."

After confirming the trip to Hongcheng for the ninth day of the lunar new year, Yin Chang's anxiety let up a little.

But he didn't feel at ease for long. The next day, while chatting with Fiona, he found out she also planned to go to Hongcheng!

"I heard that one of my sisters is seriously ill and might not make it. I want to go see her, she used to be very kind to me.”

Yin Chang felt a pang in his heart. He and Fiona had been living in Pasadena for so many years, and she’d never mentioned any sisters. How did a "sister" suddenly appear?

The unusual behavior of the other party made Yin Chang think back to their conversation from yesterday. Could it be that Fiona has the key to the house on Ningjing Road and wants to go there to dispose of something in advance?

"Are you leaving in the next few days?" Yin Chang concealed his emotions and said, "Junling and I are both on vacation these days. If you leave, there’ll be no one to cook for us... Can you wait a few more days until Junling starts school?"

He deliberately made a show of being reluctant to let Fiona leave. Sure enough, Fiona softened her heart. She probably also thought it wasn't so urgent she had to leave within these next two days, so she agreed.

The next few days, Yin Chang stayed at home, read books, slept, and occasionally played with Shao Junling and his models during his free time.

The three of them stayed at home. Although there was nothing special to do, it was warm and cozy.

On the sixth day of the lunar new year, Si Wenqi's official Weibo account officially released the advertisement for the BG series of watches: "Low-key luxury is BG design’s concept. Thank you to the Chinese artist Yin Chang for showing us the same temperament. We hope the new series of watches will allow more young elites to show their inner selves and shine brightly."

They attached a photo of Yin Chang endorsing the watches in Switzerland.

He was seen in the photo wearing a dark teal tailored suit with one hand resting lightly on his arm. On his wrist, the distinct joints of the diamond-studded obsidian dial watch shimmered.

Captured by the lens of a high-end fashion photographer at BG, Yin Chang's naturally exquisite features and inherent elegance were showcased to the fullest.

After a month of no news, his endorsement spread like wildfire across the internet.

"I... I...can't even.. He's a male god! So handsome, right!?"

"Oh my god, this is the first time I'm seeing Yin Chang's restrained beauty! I'm dead!"

"Yin Chang endorsed BG! What amazing connections does he have?"

Yin Chang dutifully retweeted the news on his Weibo, expressing his happiness about the collaboration. Marketing and promotional matters were handled by BG and New Star Entertainment, so he just had to sit back and relax.

On the eighth day of the lunar new year, Yao Manhuai messaged saying the schedule for the English tutor had been confirmed, and the family driver arranged by Lu Lingjuan could start anytime.

With all the household affairs in order, Yin Chang told Fiona that same evening, "I have to go on a business trip tomorrow afternoon. I'll probably be back in about two days."

"Didn't we agree to take a break until the fifteenth?" Fiona was surprised.

"It was a last-minute decision," he said, secretly observing Fiona's expression added, "I'm going to Tiancheng."

In Yin Chang's memory, this was the first time he lied to Fiona, and his heart pounded hard.

Fiona responded with a simple "Oh," without suspicion, but Shao Junling beside her kept staring at him without shifting his gaze.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

🍁 Vignette

Yin Chang: I'm going on a business trip.

Shao Junling: Liar! O︿O

Yin Chang: ............ (This is the first time I've lied, cut me some slack, bro)

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The Perfect Relationship Ch 43

 🍁 The Perfect Relationship 🍁 by Xi He Qing Ling

Ch 43: The Cash Stash

On New Year's Eve, Fiona prepared a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner for the two brothers.

In the past, every New Year's Day was the happiest day for Yin Chang, because no matter how busy Yin Dong was, he would not take on any work New Year's Eve through the first three days of the Spring Festival. This was a rare time for father and son to be together.

Also, Yin Dong loved Fiona's signature dish, Eight Treasures Dumplings, so she would make a big pot of dumplings every New Year's Eve, despite the fact that Yin Dong was no longer with them.

"The dumplings are ready!"

After Fiona came out of the kitchen with a plate of freshly boiled dumplings, Yin Chang was momentarily stunned at the scene unfolding before him.

"Jun Ling, have you ever had dumplings before?" Fiona turned the handle of the spoon towards Shao Junling Lingwith a smile, "Come come, you're the youngest, you try it first! You should eat more and grow taller."

Fiona used to say this to Yin Chang when he was a child, but in the blink of an eye, the recipient of this special treatment had changed.

Yin Chang, of course, wouldn't be jealous of his younger brother for such a trivial matter. He was just a little sentimental about the special care this old nanny had given to the younger generations of the family, as if it were a tradition.

"Fiona, stop working, come and eat with us." Yin Chang looked up.

"Alright, I'll dish up the pork trotter soup and come." Fiona smiled and turned around.

"Brother..."

Hearing Shao Junling Ling's voice, Yin Chang turned his gaze back, "Hmm?"

He saw the little guy tremblingly scoop the first dumpling into his brother's bowl with a big spoon, "Eat."

Yin Chang: "..."

The three of them sat down and had dinner together. Afterwards Fiona cleaned up in the kitchen while Shao Junling Ling sat on the sofa playing with his phone.

It seemed he'd exchanged WeChat with his classmates, and now he was typing slowly on his phone to chat with them.

Yin Chang went to the bedroom, took out two red envelopes that he'd prepared in advance from the drawer, and went to find Fiona with the thicker one, "Fiona..."

Fiona was in the midst of washing the dishes and was startled when she registered what Yin Chang was handing her. "Oh my, what are you doing?"

Yin Chang explained, "This is a little something from me, Happy New Year."

In the past, Yin Dong, as the employer, would give Fiona a big red envelope every New Year's to thank her for her hard work throughout the year. After Yin Dong passed away, all these things fell on his shoulders one by one. Although they were small matters, he couldn't help but care about them when his role in the family had  changed from a care recipient to a responsibility bearer.

Fiona accepted the red envelope, tears shimmering in her eyes, "Silly child, you're still young, but you're already learning your dad's ways... Ah, I'm all alone here, eating your food, drinking your drinks. I don't spend much money on a regular basis, and yet your dad still gives me such a high salary... I've deposited all of it in the bank. Maybe when I'm old and can't work anymore, I can use it to find a better nursing home for myself..."

Yin Chang hugged her. This old nanny who was almost fifty years old had been with him for nearly twenty years. In his heart, she was already family. In the next ten years, or even twenty years, he hoped Fiona would still be there. Even if she was too old to work, he would take care of her in her old age.

Fiona held his hand and persuaded him, "Xiao Chang, today is New Year's Eve. I know you've had a tough time in the past half year. As the saying goes, 'bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.' After tonight, let's leave the past behind, okay?"

Yin Chang said calmly, "I understand. Don't worry, I will."

Fiona watched his departing figure and sighed lightly. The events of the past half year had forced this young man to grow up overnight.

She gently brushed the wetness from her eyes and continued wiping the stove.

After Yinchang came out, he saw Shao Junling still lying on the sofa playing with his phone, but he didn't call him. Instead, he took another red envelope with New Year's money and went to the study, preparing to quietly place it under his pillow.

But unexpectedly, when Yinchang lifted Shao Junling's pillow, he found a stack of thick ten yuan bills underneath.

Yinchang: "???"

He suddenly remembered what Shao Junling had told him at the Shaojun Peak Observation Hall. His face immediately turned dark.

"Shao Junling!?" Yinchang panicked and didn't care whether this invaded Shao Junling's "privacy" or not. He called him loudly to come over.

The little guy heard his brother's call and ran in excitedly. He thought it was something good, but as soon as he entered the room, he saw his brother holding his secret money in his hand... He looked at him with a dark expression and questioned, "Where did you get this?"

Shao Junling stammered, looking around anxiously. Under Yinchang's piercing gaze, he knew he couldn't escape this. He could only confess honestly, "I, I... bet with other kids..."

...As expected!

"You only won ten yuan from betting with Xue Zhiwen for grades, right? Why's there so much? What tricks did you use to win money from him?" Yinchang had a terrible headache when he realized that this kid had swindled Xue Zhiwen into giving him so much money without his knowledge.

"N-no, no, no," Shao Junling stammered in a hurry, "I, I bet with other, other kids..."

Yinchang: "???" This kid didn't just trick Xue Zhiwen out of money, did he?

"Come here," Yinchang took a deep breath and tried to calm his irritable mood, calling Shao Junling to come to him. "Sit here and explain yourself properly!"

Shao Junling sat in front of Yinchang and honestly confessed, "This one is Dong Chengtian's, this one is Yan Jiapin's, this one is Sun Wan's, this one is Kong Nanlei's, and also Yang Mengshan's..."

Yinchang: "..." All of these are ten yuan bills that look exactly the same, and this kid can actually remember who gave each one?

...Wait a minute, that wasn't the point!

The point was that this brat actually bet with so many kids and won their money!?

He's only eleven years old!

Does Teacher Lin know about this?

Shao Junling continued explaining nervously, "These few are won from betting on grades, and these few are won from betting on what color clothes Teacher Lin wears...this one is from the sports class, betting on the competition..."

"What about these?" Yinchang pointed to the several five yuan bills clipped inside.

"These, these are from Luo Pengtao, Ji Han, and Yu Wenmao..." Shao Junling reported five or six names, then glanced at Yinchang's expression cautiously and said, "It's their protection fee."

Yinchang: "????"

Yinchang: "Protection fee????"

This kid dared to collect protection fees from others???

Shao Junling noticed Yinchang staring at him, and he shrank his neck. If he had known earlier, he would have never said it.

De International had small classes, except for PE. PE classes were four classes combined, and the PE teacher taught the kids to play football, basketball, and regularly organize large-scale competitions.

If your class had some tall and imposing boys, everyone's morale would soar and their advantage would be multiplied during the competition. If not, once they entered the field, they would inevitably face provocation, bullying, and even ridicule from opponents after the match.

Before Shao Junling entered Class 1A, there was not a single boy in the class who could play. The only one who was arrogant in front of others was Xue Ziwen, but he was just a paper tiger. Therefore, their outdoor activity scores had always been at the bottom of the grade, which also caused them to be unable to hold their heads up in front of the students from other classes.

But since Shao Junling started participating in the team competitions of Class 1A, the kids found that their disadvantaged status was gradually changing.

Although this transfer student was not burly, he had a domineering aura. As long as he stepped onto the field, no matter how strong the opponents were, he charged straight through. After opponents suffered losses a few times from him, they dared not confront him head-on. Over time, Shao Junling on the field was considered invincible.

With Shao Junling helping Class 1A win more and more victories, his popularity and status skyrocketed.

The students at De International were not short of money at home. The boys admired Shao Junling from the bottom of their hearts, and they tried to please him with money, jokingly calling it a protection fee. The friends discovered this also imitated it one by one. Some even frequently gave Shao Junling delicious and fun things.

Of course, Shao Junling wouldn't tell Yin Chang in such detail, and he didn't understand others' thoughts either. He just spoke his mind.

For example, someone voluntarily gave him money, someone sent him a bottle of probiotic drink every day, someone treated him to sausages at the school canteen from time to time... He had also received a bunch of game point cards, but he didn't know how to use them.

When Shao Junling explained these things, he also showed a straightforward look of "I don't want it, but they insist on giving it to me", which made Yin Chang feel both amused and angry.

"Listen..." Yin Chang picked up the stack of money and waved it in front of Shao Junling, with a smile that was not quite a smile at the corner of his mouth, a hint of anger between his eyebrows, "Today is New Year's Eve, I don't want to be angry with you. As for this matter, I'll say one thing - the kindness shown by your classmates towards you on ordinary days is earned by your own ability, so you can accept small gifts, but you absolutely cannot accept money."

Moreover, if others knew that Shao Junling cared so much about this trivial amount of money, they would think that he, the older brother, was mistreating him.

After Yin Chang finished speaking, he took out a red envelope that he'd prepared. "This is your New Year's money that I'm giving you. I was originally planning to put it under your pillow... You're a boy, and boys should have integrity. How can you casually accept money from classmates? Take it, and in the future, if you need money, just ask me directly. You're not allowed to accept money from others again, whether it's for bets or protection fees, understand?"

Shao Junling's attention was entirely on the red envelope Yin Chang gave him, and he absentmindedly replied with a "Mmm."

Yin Chang was afraid he'd forget, so he thought for a moment and said, "I won't report this to Teacher Lin for now, but if I find out there's a second time... I'll send you back to school to live."

Upon hearing this, Shao Junling suddenly raised his head and quickly promised, "I won't accept anymore."

Yin Chang used this as a threat to test Shao Junling's reaction, and seeing him so nervous, he was somewhat surprised.

He seemed to have confirmed something... Was that Shao Junling's weak spot?

The next morning, Yin Chang personally drove Shao Junling and Fiona to visit Yin Dong's grave.

After the memorial service, he and Yao Manhuai had picked a spot with good feng shui^[1] in the most expensive private cemetery in Haicheng. They buried Yin Dong with a set of his clothes in a Chinese redwood casket made with gold and silk as his final resting place, for family and friends to come and mourn.

Early in the morning of the first day of the lunar new year, most people were with relatives and friends. Even though the private cemetery was small, it was sparsely populated, making it appear desolate and cold.

The three of them stood in front of Yin Dong's tombstone. Fiona lit candles, offered incense, and placed fresh flowers and fruits. She murmured in a low voice, "This is the first time I've come to see you since you left, I'm really sorry..."

She kept talking, her eyes red, and her tone filled with sadness.

Yin Chang listened to Fiona muttering for a while. She vaguely mentioned a name, but because her voice kept growing softer and he didn't quite catch it. He just stared blankly at the tombstone.

After Fiona finished speaking, she wiped her teary eyes and motioned for Shao Junling to kowtow to Yin Dong.

As Yin Chang was feeling sentimental, he heard Shao Junling call out to the tombstone, "Uncle Yin."

Yin Chang frowned, "What did you call him?"

Shao Junling hesitantly repeated, "Uncle..."

Yin Chang became angry and lightly smacked the back of his head, "Call him Dad!"

Shao Junling: "..."

Shao Junling had no choice but to say, "Dad..."

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

🍁 Vignette

Xue Ziwen (voice message): "What are you doing?"

Shao Junling (struggling to type, takes three minutes to type three words): "Nothing."

Xue Ziwen (voice message): "Have you eaten yet?"

Shao Junling was in the middle of typing "Yes, I have," but another voice message from Xue Ziwen has arrived.

Xue Ziwen (voice message): "I'm having dinner at my grandpa's place. My cousin just taught me a really fun game called King of Pesticides. Do you want to play together?"

Shao Junling: "???" King of Pesticides? What is that? How do you play?

He deleted the unfinished sentence and continued to struggle to type a new one...

Xue Ziwen (voice message): "Why aren't you replying to me?"

Shao Junling: "..." I'm still typing, dammit!!! I'm done talking, not interested anymore!!!

Xue Ziwen told her cousin, "My classmate is really aloof. He didn't reply to me. He probably doesn't want to play with me, cry cry..."

🍁 Vignette 2

Shao Junling: What should I do if my secret stash of money is discovered by my older brother? Trembling with fear!!!

Yin Chang: What should I do if I find out my little brother, who is a school bully, is extorting money from classmates? How should I educate and correct him? Seeking advice from experts, waiting online.

🍁 Vignette 3

The little guy is clearly a wolf cub, but Yin Chang insists on treating him like a little lamb and educating him.

He's also pretending hard in front of his brother.

...But what can he do?

After all, he's only 1.2 meters tall now.

Can't be a pushover. ╮(╯_╰)╭

🍁 Translator’s Note:

1: feng shui is part of Chinese superstition 

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The Perfect Relationship Ch 42

🍁 The Perfect Relationship 🍁 by Xi He Qing Ling

Ch 42: Eating Instant Noodles

After taking the cogwheel train and the elevator to the Sphinx Observation Deck, Yin Chang brought Shao Junling to the open-air terrace. This was the peak of the Jungfrau, where you could enjoy a panoramic view of the longest stretch of glacier in the Alps. The snow-capped mountain range in front of them was majestic and breathtaking.

It was windy outside. The little guy was shivering from the cold, but was so fascinated by the beautiful scenery before him he was reluctant to leave.

Both of them wore down jackets. When Yin Chang saw this, he couldn't help but hug Shao Junling from behind to shield him from the wind. Shao Junling shrank into him, softly calling out "brother." His ears slowly turned red, whether from the cold or for some other reason, Yin Chang couldn't tell.

They looked for a few more minutes, but couldn't bear the cold anymore, so they returned to the enclosed observation deck.

Yin Chang didn't notice when Shao Junling disappeared.

Fortunately, he was wearing conspicuous clothes. Yin Chang made his way around and found his figure at the food counter.

Shao Junling stared intently at the employees at the counter busily preparing bowls of instant noodles for the customers in line. He sniffed the rich aroma, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He looked as if he was about to drool.

Yin Chang felt amused and irritated at the same time.

This little guy... he’s so easily lured away by good food!

Yin Chang was annoyed so decided to sit back and observe how Shao Junling would manage to eat noodles without his help.

A free employee noticed Shao Junling and smiled at him, "Hey little guy, what would you like to order?"

Shao Junling pointed at the instant noodles.

The employee held up five fingers. Shao Junling's eyes lit up. He touched his pocket and pulled out a crumpled five-yuan bill to hand over.

Yin Chang saw from a distance and was momentarily stunned.

Although he was responsible for Shao Junling's daily expenses, he’d never given him an allowance. Even when Shao Junling was at De International, he didn't need cash. Food and supplies for school were paid for with a dedicated campus card that Yin Chang had loaded with thousands of yuan, enough for him to use for a while...

So, where did this money come from?

But even if he had money, Shao Junling couldn't buy anything because it was Chinese yuan.

Indeed, the waiter shook his head apologetically and explained, "We only accept euros, Swiss francs, or credit cards here. Do you have a credit card?"

In this sentence, Shao Junling didn't understand a single word. He saw the waiter shaking his head and thought it was because he didn't have enough money, so he reached into his pocket and took out two coins...

Yin Chang: "..."

He handed over the coins and five yuan. The employee smiled bitterly and shook his hands, "No, we don't accept this. Where are your parents? Let them come and buy for you."

Another customer arrived. The employee became busy serving others, and ignored him.

Shao Junling couldn't understand and couldn't buy the noodles. He watched others take away bowls of hot noodles, and anxiously paced around.

Finally the kid reluctantly thought of him, as a last resort, and started looking for him everywhere.

Yin Chang stood by an open gift shelf, showing half of his body so that Shao Junling could find him. But he pretended he hadn’t seen what had transpired. He busied himself picking gifts in front of him.

Shao Junling found him, "Brother..."

Yin Chang: "Hmm?" You finally remembered to come to me when you want to eat something?

But after Shao Junling found him, he just stuck to him, hanging his head and not saying anything.

Yin Chang: "???"

...No, why, would you rather go hungry than ask me for help?

Yin Chang coughed lightly and deliberately tempted him, "Are you hungry?"

Shao Junling weakly shook his head. He stuck to him tightly, afraid of being abandoned.

Yin Chang was annoyed by this kid and asked directly, "If you're not hungry, why have you been standing in front of this counter for so long?"

Shao Junling suddenly looked up, surprised. His eyes showed embarrassment as though his thoughts had been seen through. As though he blamed Yin Chang for not helping him earlier.

After a moment, he finally asked, "Do you want to eat noodles?"

Yin Chang couldn't help but laugh, thinking this kid's face was quite thin. Clearly, he wanted to eat, but he turned around and asked if he wanted to eat instead.

"Nope." he said.

Shao Junling: "..."

Yin Chang looked at him with a growing headache, feeling that if he kept bullying this little guy like this, he might really prefer to go hungry... So he reluctantly took him to buy noodles.

Ten minutes later, Yin Chang held a bowl of instant noodles. Boiling water had just been added to it. He led Shao Junling to a seat, and said, "Wait three minutes before you eat."

Shao Junling looked at the fragrant noodles in front of him with shining eyes, unable to stop salivating.

Yin Chang began his interrogation, "Where did the money in your pocket come from?"

Shao Junling hesitated for a moment and muttered, "Xue Ziwen gave it to me."

Yin Chang frowned, "Xue Ziwen? Why’d he give you money?"

Shao Junling said proudly, "We made a bet, and I won."

Yin Chang asked, "What kind of bet?"

Shao Junling replied, "We bet on our grades."

Yin Chang raised an eyebrow, "Did you get a higher score than him? How much did you win?"

Shao Junling nodded confidently, "Yeah, ten bucks."

Yin Chang asked, "What if you’d lost the bet?"

...This kid didn't have any pocket money. What if he lost the bet and had to give money to Xuezi? Where would he get it from?

Shao Junling counted for three minutes, eagerly opened the instant noodles lid, and answered Yin Chang, "I wouldn’t lose, he's dumb."

Yin Chang: "............"

This answer...

However, now that Yin Chang knew the origin of the money, he felt relieved. This kind of bet was just a little game between kids. The amount wasn’t big, and it wasn't a big deal.

Lu Lingjuan went to the gift shop to buy gifts for her colleagues and friends. Yin Chang was just about to message her to ask when she’d be back, when someone beside him called out, "Excuse me...are you Yin Chang?"

Yin Chang turned his head and saw three young girls he didn't know. The girl who greeted him covered her mouth in surprise. "OMG It’s really you!"

This was a popular tourist spot in Switzerland. There were many Chinese tourists here. These three girls had secretly followed Yin Chang and Shao Junling for a while and approached them only after they saw the two of them sitting down to eat noodles.

"Yin Chang! We really like you!"

"Um, ever since last July...we've been following you!"

"Can we, can we take a photo with you?"

Since Yin Chang had become a celebrity, he was mentally prepared to be recognized by fans whenever he went out.

He immediately adjusted his mood and generously said, "Sure."

He got up and took individual photos with each of them.

One of the female fans noticed Shao Junling holding a bowl of instant noodles, sitting next to him, and curiously asked, "Is this your little brother? He's so cute!"

Yin Chang noticed that she wanted to take a photo of Shao Junling with her phone and immediately spoke up. "Sorry, I hope you don't take pictures of my little brother."

The female fan stuck out her tongue sheepishly, and made a surrender gesture.

After taking individual photos, they wanted a group photo with all four of them. The female fan asked Shao Junling to help them take a photo, "Can little brother take a photo for us? Here, the camera is here. Just press the dot in the middle."

Shao Junling got up expressionlessly, took the phone, and cooperated with her.

While they were taking the photo, Lu Lingjuan came back. She immediately realized what was going on and quickly stepped forward to play the "bad guy": "Ladies, I’m Yin Chang's manager. Thank you for liking him, but now is his private time, I hope you can give him some space... Let's stop after this photo, okay?"

She requested politely, so the female fans didn't want to continue being a bother.

After dealing with the few in front of her, Lu Lingjuan scanned the crowd and urged Yin Chang and Shao Junling to leave: "There are a few more Chinese people over there, they've already seen you, let's go quickly... Shao Junling, no more noodles! If you keep eating, your brother won't be able to escape!"

Yin Chang: "..."

Originally, they’d planned to play in the snow near the top of Jungfrau for a while, but it was already snowing heavily outside, with strong winds. And there were fans nearby who’d recognized Yin Chang and were "watching like a hawk". So they hurriedly left the mountain.

At night, the three of them stayed in a hotel in Interlaken for a night. Yin Chang checked on the homework he’d assigned to Shao Junling, and corrected his pronunciation one by one.

The next day was sunny, and the tour guide took them to another snowfield with fewer people.

Shao Junling hadn’t gotten enough playtime yesterday, so when he saw the snow today, he plunged into it like a sled dog freed from his leash.

Yin Chang originally didn't have much interest in playing. He just wanted to accompany Shao Junling to see the world... because the last time he went skiing was three years ago with Yin Dong. So whenever he saw a ski resort, he couldn't help but think of Yin Dong.

But seeing Shao Junling bouncing happily in the snow, his mood gradually relaxed.

The little guy ran around and came back to him with a grin, calling out to him "brother" and then running off again excitedly.

Yin Chang couldn't help but feel moved by his silly antics... Since he rarely had such an opportunity, he might as well do it...

By the time Shao Junling ran back, Yin Chang had already changed into his gear, latched in his skis, and even put on his mirrored goggles. He looked badass standing in front of him.

Shao Junling: "!!!"

Yin Chang said to him, "I'll go up for a while, you play with Sister down here."

After saying that, he took the lift up.

Soon, Shao Junling saw Yin Chang appear at the top of the slope, holding ski poles in his hand, and then slowly gliding down. He accelerated faster and faster, with a series of graceful movements, bending, leaning, effortlessly leaving a trail of curves in the snow, even going up a small slope, and enjoying air time...

The handsome posture and stable landing made several ski instructors below whistle in admiration-

"So cool!!!"

"Ama-zing!!!"

Lu Lingjuan trembled with excitement as she took a frenzy of photos of her boss's stylish skiing form with her phone. "Ah, how can someone be so attractive! I really want to post it on Weibo to increase your fans ah!!"

After Yin Chang finished two runs, he was drenched with sweat from the heat.

He returned to Shao Junling's side panting. Seeing the little guy frozen in place and in a daze, he asked him, "Why aren't you playing?"

Shao Junling gazed up at him with wide eyes. He stiffly raised his thumb and said a single word. "Awesome."

Yin Chang: "..."

...His pronunciation this time was pretty good.

At this moment, in China, the annual Youku Gala was taking place. Wang Chen went onto the stage to be awarded the New Idol of the Year award and was feeling extremely pleased with himself.

After returning to his seat, another popular star congratulated Wang Chen. "Wang Chen, you've had a fruitful year. You nearly swept all the newcomer awards."

"Hehe, you're much too kind." Wang Chen said humbly, although he was secretly elated.

The other star smiled at him, "But I heard it was originally supposed to be awarded to Yin Chang. I wonder why he didn't come..."

These words made Wang Chen extremely uncomfortable. He looked around and realized that indeed he hadn't seen Yin Chang at the many award ceremonies he'd attended these days.

After the evening party, Wang Chen got in his chauffeur-driven car and asked his manager in annoyance, "Qu Jie just told me that the award I received today was originally meant for Yin Chang. Do you know anything about this?"

Manager: "!?"

Seeing his manager's expression, Wang Chen knew that the information Qu Jie had leaked was true. "Was this award given to me because Yin Chang didn't want it?" he asked.

The manager quickly reassured him, "Nonsense, it's just rumors... all awards are subject to change until the official announcement."

Wang Chen snorted, "Where is Yin Chang then?"

Manager: "Uh, I'm not his manager, I don't know. He's probably busy with something."

Wang Chen was extremely frustrated. He took out his phone and checked his friend's circle, only to see Yin Chang's latest update.

Yin Chang: "Haven't skied in a long time."

Attached were several skiing photos sent to him by Lu Lingjuan.

The location was Grindelwald, Switzerland.

Wang Chen: "???"

He glanced at the blue crystal trophy next to him, feeling more and more upset. Youku gave him the award that Yin Chang didn't even want? Damn, were they treating him like a trash can!?

Meanwhile, Yin Chang was oblivious to Wang Chen's frustration, and couldn't care less.

After skiing, the group returned to Zurich along a different route, stopping and touring along the way. In the evening, they boarded the flight back home, successfully concluding their trip to Switzerland.

Three days after returning home, Shao Junling finally successfully memorized all the color words and exchanged them with Yin Chang for the box of colored pens.

It was also the last day of the year. Yin Chang called Yao Manhuai and requested a fifteen-day leave.

He planned to take Shao Junling to visit Yin Dong's grave on New Year's Day, and for the next fifteen days, he didn't want to take on any work.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

🍁 Vignette

The female fans looked through the photos Shao Junling took for them.

"Why are they all blurry? We can't see anyone's face!"

Finally, they found one clear photo...

"Why are there only some of us? Yin Chang was cut off!?"

Shao Junling stoking his chin. "It was my brother's fault for being too tall, he couldn't fit in the frame."

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Gold Lord is Very Busy Ch 30 Part 1

🍁 Gold Lord is Very Busy 🍁 by Qing Se Yu Yi

Ch 30: The Hype

Tan Feiyang was pelted with criticism from Hong Yan and for a moment he felt a bit dazed. After becoming a second-generation wealthy, he had never been scolded by anyone like this before. Everyone always flattered him. Of course, if it was a correct and well-intentioned suggestion, even if it was a reprimand, Tan Feiyang wouldn't feel bad. But as for Hong Yan, he’d never particularly liked him. Although Tan Feiyang's mind wasn't very sharp, his intuition was very keen. Whether it was goodwill or ill-intent, whether it was liking or disliking, Tan Feiyang understood.

Hong Yan, from the beginning, probably didn't like him much. Being placed under his command, this supposedly "golden assistant" probably looked down on him. Hong Yan hardly ever considered what Tan Feiyang was good at, or which direction he could develop in. The first thing he did after taking charge of Tan Feiyang was to push him into FY, as if he’d already decided that Tan Feiyang himself couldn't become popular and it was better to give the resources brought by Tan Feiyang to FY, which he was already nurturing.

Later, Tan Feiyang knew the reason why FY was put on the back burner. He knew that someone deliberately hired a water army to spread negative comments about him online, and that the photo of him being taken to the hospital was posted by that person. Tan Feiyang didn't want to investigate who it was specifically. Anyways, FY was already put on the back burner, and he wouldn't go and kill someone for revenge or anything.

At the airport when Hong Yan picked him up, Tan Feiyang didn’t fully understand his words. But with Xiao Zhang’s hints and various news trends with unfavorable comments, he belatedly understood the intentions behind Hong Yan's words.

As his manager, Hong Yan was not responsible enough for him. Even for his current movie, it was Manager Yang who helped him make the choice. It was said that Hong Yan didn't agree with him shooting in a movie and even recommended a comedic supporting role in an idol drama, saying that he didn't have much acting skills so it was more suitable for a newcomer like him. In the end, Manager Yang made the decision and overruled Hong Yan's suggestion.

And now, Tan Feiyang knew he was impulsive. By showing support publicly, it might bring some trouble to Jian Ningzhe. It might not be to the extent of sponsoring, but news that Jian Ningzhe was currying favor with the young master could spread. It wouldn't be so damaging to others, but if this kind of news broke out right after the long Weibo post praising Jian Ningzhe for being low-key and not being overly flashy was posted, it gave others the opportunity to sabotage the hype brought by "Hibernation".

Tan Feiyang knew he was in the wrong, but as his manager, shouldn't Hong Yan have tried to solve this problem as soon as possible? No matter the severity of the issue, the company should address it with an explanation. Even if it was merely the excuse that Tan Feiyang had a good relationship with Jian Ningzhe.

Most importantly, Tan Feiyang was Hong Yan's superior. Maybe Hong Yan really forgot Tan Feiyang's identity. Scolding his subordinate artist could still be excused, but Tan Feiyang was the Chairman with over 50% of Yuyang's shares. He had absolute decision-making power on various matters. Did Hong Yan really have a brain in his head?

Tan Feiyang considered, maybe when Hong Yan took charge of him, his head indeed was squeezed by a door.

After listening quietly to Hong Yan's words, Tan Feiyang arrogantly replied, "So, what are you trying to achieve by talking about it like this, Hong Manager? Aren't you supposed to be resolving this as a manager?"

Already angered by the provocation, Hong Yan blurted out, "You’ve already sent out the red packets, it's hard to salvage anything now!"

"Fine," Tan Feiyang said, "I’ll handle this matter myself, you just watch from the sidelines."

With that, he hung up the phone.

While Hong Yan scolded, Tan Feiyang had recorded. After ending the call, he forwarded the audio to Manager Yang's work email. He left a note saying, "As the company's vice manager, I’ll personally handle this matter."

"Xiao Zhang," Tan Feiyang called Xiao Zhang over. "Help me contact Xiao Ying, I have something to discuss with him."

Xiao Zhang hurried over and said to Tan Feiyang, "Feiyang, I just saw you sending red packets to readers one by one. This way, your Weibo might become popular again, riding on Jian Ningzhe's popularity. But doing this might not be good for Jian Ningzhe, as he might be influenced to some extent."

The completely different approach made Tan Feiyang feel much better, He asked, "So what do you suggest we do about this?"

"Well..." Xiao Zhang thought for a moment. "I actually thought of several solutions when I saw it, but none of them are very good. But the company should find a way to resolve it, after all, both you and Jian Ningzhe are actors highly promoted by the company. Jian Ningzhe has both talent and popularity. He’s definitely a candidate for the Best Actor award. The company should find a win-win solution."

"Okay, go find Xiao Ying then," Tan Feiyang said with a smile.

"Alright, young master Tan," Xiao Zhang took out his phone to make the call.

"Call me Feiyang, aren't you older than me?" Tan Feiyang said.

Xiao Zhang was overjoyed, nearly crazy with happiness! After he went back, he planned to organize the Hotpot Squad to help Tan Feiyang and Jian Ningzhe clear their names. Whoever dared to criticize them about this matter, the Hotpot Squad won't be afraid to start a fight!

While Xiao Zhang contacted the company's second manager Xiao Ying, Tan Feiyang continued to send red packets to people. Later, he not only sent red packets to people who commented on the big V's post, but also searched for popular topics related to Jian Ningzhe, and sent red packets to anyone who spoke positively about him. After all, he had plenty of money, so he might as well further explode the situation!

At first, not many people noticed his posts. But after more and more fans received red packets, Weibo exploded. Everyone was posting screenshots of the red packets they received, and the amount was no less than 100 RMB. As the number of people receiving red packets increased, people started calculating the total amount of money, and Weibo was in an uproar.

After people gathered all the screenshots together, some sharp-eyed fans discovered that Tan Feiyang was sending money to people who spoke well of Jian Ningzhe, and the amount of money was based on the sincerity and length of their comments. For example, a simple "I really like Jian Ningzhe, I've liked him since the Young Master of Light Smoke" would receive 100 RMB, while more profound comments could receive thousands or even tens of thousands.

So, was Tan Feiyang giving money to Jian Ningzhe's fans?

The Hotpot Squad started to tease Tan Feiyang--

Sour cabbage hotpot: @soar-fly[V], can I get a red envelope for saying good things about you?

soar-fly[V]: Why are there so many usernames with the word hotpot in it? It's making me hungry. @Sour cabbage hotpot: @soar-fly[V], can I get a red envelope for saying good things about you?

Sour cabbage hotpot: Oh my god, Feiyang, I'm so excited! I'm going to screenshot and save this forever. I won't change my computer for a lifetime! Feiyang, isn't “Fat Lamb”^[1] like Little Fat Lamb Hotpot? So Feiyang's fans are all hotpot lovers, why don't you know that yourself, you're so silly? lol @soar-fly[V] 

Tofu hotpot: So silly, lol. @soar-fly[V] 

Chengdu hotpot: @Hotpot squad leader, how about you arrange a meeting with Feiyang? Clearly you named it, why didn't you inform him?

Hotpot squad leader: So silly, lol @soar-fly[V] 

Hotpot squad leader: @Chengdu hotpot, I’m just a civilian, not official. I don't wanna advertise Little Fat Lamb the hotpot restaurant! I wanna advertise the BIG Fat Lamb!

Half & half hotpot: Right now Little Fat Lamb must be thrilled. How much do you think their sales have skyrocketed since Feiyang appeared? PS, I'm a manager of a Little Fat Lamb branch. I love Feiyang!

Hotpot squad deputy leader: @Hotpot squad leader, come out quickly, Feiyang is still giving out red packets, he has started giving them to fans who praised "Hibernation". What are you waiting for? Hurry up and gather the team to say good things, don't let others take advantage of the opportunity!

Hotpot is fire: Live broadcast! Big Fat Lamb has already started giving out red packets to anyone who paid attention to the detective movie. How much money has he given out so far? Feiyang, you are really a Fat Lamb, plump for the slaughtering!

Despise silver spoons^[2]: Tan Feiyang, you have problems. If you have too much money to spend, give me a red envelope, it's simply [beep]. 

Hotpot squad leader: @Despise silver spoons, come and fight! Our squad will drown you with saliva^[3] in minutes!

Proudly anti-rich: Just saw big V’s post praising Jian Ningzhe, but so what? Didn’t you climb your way up by sleeping with Prince Money? Both of you are [beep]...

The conflict between the Hotpot squad and the haters escalated. Jian Ningzhe’s fans who received money and "Hibernation" fans also joined the battle, overwhelming the haters. Then a vicious water army^[4] appeared and clashed with the Hotpot squad. #Fat Lamb Red Packets# instantly topped the trending list. #Watch Hibernation Fans Get Rich# was pushed to second place. The third place was #Unspoken Rules of Jian Ningzhe and Tan Feiyang#.

In fact, Tan Feiyang didn't spend too much money. He sat in front of the computer for four to five hours, carefully reading before selecting comments. Also it wasn’t like he gave tens of thousands per comment. How much could he give in four to five hours? Except for the initial over 100,000 from the big V^[5] comments, he didn’t give out much more. The remuneration for his movie was enough for these red packets.

But the publicity effect of these four to five hours was incalculable. In a single day, the show ratings for "Hibernation" was able to break through 4, making it the highest-rated drama of the year. Anyone who watched "Hibernation", regardless of their age, thought the drama was really good. Some netizens even started threads saying that they suddenly found war dramas to be interesting, and that the young people of the new era should not forget the hardships of the older generation. Also of course, Lu Xing and Jian Ningzhe were both so handsome!

Netizens who saw the latest episodes online lamented: How can it end here? I can't bear to wait for the next episode tomorrow, I need to watch it tonight!

There were also those who watched "Hibernation" and, specifically for the red packets, also watched Jian Ningzhe's popular TV drama from six years ago. Anyone who happened to watch the series Light Smoke Gentleman with its unattractive female lead, terrible opening and ending songs, and ridiculous plot, all praised the cool and aloof demeanor of Lu Xing in the drama. He was so dazzling!

On the internet, many MVs quickly appeared. Some were made by Tan Feiyang hiring professionals, while others were fan created. The most popular ones were the MVs depicting the past and present lives of the elder brother and the young master from "Hibernation", as well as the MVs featuring the elder brother and the protagonist. The hype lasted for three whole days, but in reality, Tan Feiyang only spent money for a few hours on the first day.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

🍁 Translator’s Note:

1: 肥羊 Feiyang = Fat Lamb sounds similar to 飞扬 Tan Feiyang's Feiyang

2: 看不起富二代 = looking down on the second generation rich, or the people born with silver spoons in their mouths. Because the direct translation is too long I used Despise silver spoons.

3: drown you with saliva means curse you out so much that the collective spit from all the cursing is enough to drown you.

4: water army is a large group of people paid to make accounts to post on Weibo and sway public opinion or make it appear as though a lot of people think a certain way.

5: big V = popular verified Weibo account. This is referring to Li Feng’s post about Jian Ningzhe’s 12 years of hardship.

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