Shaichang nodded in satisfaction, “I’ve made breakfast, get up quickly and eat.” He stood up and gently ruffled Fan Luojia’s hair, pressing down the little tuft that stuck up.
With a calm expression, Shaichang walked out of the bedroom, finally unable to hold back his laughter. Fan Luojia’s adorably confused demeanor was captivating, and Shaichang felt himself becoming “bad”—the thought of Fan Luojia looking pitiful when he was “bullied” by him… a little “bad” was worth it.
Shaichang went downstairs, where the toaster had just released slightly golden toast. He took the bread out and placed it on two white porcelain plates, sitting down leisurely to spread some jam on it.
When Fan Luojia came down and saw Shaichang’s posture, he assumed he was creating a piece of art.
“Brother Haidong.” Fan Luojia pulled out a chair across from Yin Haidong and sat down.
Shaichang glanced up at him; Fan Luojia’s front hair was damp, sticking to his full forehead, and his eyes, also glistening, were fixed on the piece of toast half-covered in jam in Shaichang’s hand.
“Do you like strawberry jam?” Shaichang asked while quickly spreading jam over the bread and offering it to Fan Luojia.
Fan Luojia took it in surprise, bit off a small piece, and squinted his eyes blissfully, “It’s so delicious.”
Shaichang laughed, “Looks like I can’t call you little lazy pig anymore; I should call you little piggy, cute little piggy.”
Fan Luojia glared at him, seemingly angry but also sulky, his face flushed. Being called a little piggy was so embarrassing! But he liked it.
Fan Luojia was twenty-one, a pig in the zodiac.
Shaichang’s playful teasing unknowingly resonated with Fan Luojia’s youthful feelings.
Having breakfast was intimate for Fan Luojia, who wished he could openly confess his feelings right away. But it was his first time liking someone so much, and although that person was his lawful husband, he felt too anxious to speak up easily.
“After breakfast, we can’t just sit around; let’s go for a walk to digest,” Shaichang said as he cleared the table and placed the dishes in the dishwasher, turning to go upstairs.
He picked out a light jacket for both himself and Fan Luojia, and when he handed it to Fan Luojia, he realized they were matching styles, just different sizes.
Fan Luojia followed behind Yin Haidong out the door and quietly grabbed his finger. When Shaichang didn’t shake him off, he joyfully bounced around.
Was Brother Haidong choosing couple outfits because he likes him just as much?
Fan Luojia couldn’t help but smile foolishly.
The distance between the detached villas was quite large, and they walked halfway around the smooth bluestone path without seeing a single person.
A gentle breeze brushed by, providing a cool touch to their exposed skin as the rising sun bathed them in warm light.
Holding Fan Luojia’s hand felt surprisingly natural to Shaichang, treating him as though he were a younger brother.
“The script for ‘A Long Song’ will be delivered by the assistant soon. Familiarize yourself with it; I’ve arranged a drama class for this afternoon. Learning a bit should help you,” Shaichang said. With Fan Luojia’s talent, just a bit of guidance from the hired teacher would surely amaze everyone. This way, negotiating for more parts for Fan Luojia with the director would be much easier.
Fan Luojia stopped walking and looked up at Yin Haidong, who was gradually becoming engulfed by the brightening sunshine behind him, making it harder for Fan Luojia to see his face.
“Why?” he murmured.
Shaichang frowned slightly, “What do you mean why?” He didn’t think he had said anything confusing.
“Why are you… so good to me?” Is it because you like me?
Unfortunately, Shaichang didn’t give the answer Fan Luojia longed to hear.
“Because you are little piggy, so cute. If I don’t treat you well, who else should I treat well?”
After saying this, Fan Luojia still looked like he wanted to delve deeper into it, prompting Shaichang to seek help from the spirit world.
Shaichang: “How should I answer ‘why’ to meet the standard?”
Spirit World: “Because of love.”
Shaichang: …
Never mind, maybe he shouldn’t consult the spirit world again.
“Let’s go. The assistant will be here soon; we should get back home quickly.” Shaichang changed the subject, taking Fan Luojia’s hand and pulling him forward.
Sunlight filtered through the tree leaves, casting shifting glimmers of light on them. Being passively pulled along, Fan Luojia thought about Yin Haidong’s earlier mention of “home,” and his mood finally lightened a bit.
He was a vibrant boy experiencing love for the first time, inevitably feeling anxious about it. No matter how good Yin Haidong was to him, he felt it couldn’t compare to a simple “I like you” or “I love you” which would bring him more happiness.
Unfortunately, our straight-laced man… hasn’t yet figured it out. He treated Fan Luojia like a doctor treats a patient, or like a teacher treats a student—with warmth and affection aplenty, but lacking in other areas.
Silently returning home, Yu Lili was just pressing the doorbell. Upon seeing the two of them, she hurried over and handed Fan Luojia a folder, saying, “Mr. Fan, here’s the script.”
Fan Luojia accepted it with a charming smile, “Thank you, Assistant Yu, for coming all this way.”
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing—I should be doing this.” Yu Lili quickly waved her hands.
As a woman known for her intelligence and competence, this was the second time she lost her composure in front of Fan Luojia, and it wasn’t just because she was a fan (she had a deep impression of him from before and knowing he was returning to the entertainment industry only intensified her excitement). More importantly, Fan Luojia could very well be her future boss.
Yu Lili was sure she was the only one in the company who knew about this relationship. The thought of being able to cling to the future boss’s leg and rise to new heights in her career made her incredibly excited.
“Study hard; a teacher will come to teach in the afternoon. It’s dry weather, remember to drink more water.” After saying this, Shaichang ruffled Fan Luojia’s dark hair. “There’s no reason. You deserve the best,” he said earnestly.
Fan Luojia froze, realizing he was answering his question. He gently removed Shaichang’s hand from his head and gave him a soft kiss, smiling in relief, “I understand now. Have a good day at work; see you tonight.”
Witnessing the affectionate scene between her boss and his spouse, Yu Lili was more determined than ever to grab hold of Fan Luojia’s leg.