It’d been more than three months since they joined the team, and the filming wasn’t over yet. When the Spring Festival arrived, the director gave everyone a week’s holiday.
In previous years, Gu Yanshen wouldn’t take any jobs during the Spring Festival; instead, he chose to go to other places alone.
Since he was a child, he had spent many holidays alone. He used to think about having a family to spend the holidays with, but later on, when he reached an age where he needed family companionship, he fell in love with being alone.
He also remembered the first New Year’s Eve when he met Lu Wenxing, who had agreed to take on the role of “Hundred Ghosts,” and the two of them talked on the phone.
On that New Year’s Eve, in addition to the sound of the bells, there was also Lu Wenxing’s ‘Happy New Year’.
Gu Yanshen once again realized that having company was a happy thing.
Seeing Gu Yanshen holding the script, Lu Wenxing walked over and asked him.
“The crew is on holiday for a week; how does Teacher Gu plan to spend the spring festival?”
Gu Yanshen smiled. “In the past, I was alone, so I didn’t have any plans. Now, I’ll listen to my boyfriend.”
Lu Wenxing had heard about Gu Yanshen’s childhood and knew that his character was like that. His parents each set up a new family, and he didn’t want to bother anyone, so he chose to live alone.
“I’ve discussed it with my parents; Xiao Cheng and the others will go to the Wen family’s house together, so Teacher Gu and I can go together.”
“Okay.”
Since he was going to the Wen family’s house for New Year’s Eve, Gu Yanshen definitely had to prepare a New Year’s gift. He also had to send a New Year’s gift to his mother, who was far away. Then he had to go to the Gu family’s house. In previous years, he had gone to Gu family’s house in advance to send gifts, but he wouldn’t stay for dinner or spend the night.
This year was also the same; Gu Yanshen carried the gifts prepared in advance and drove to the Gu family.
Surprisingly, Gu Yanshen saw Gu Ansheng sitting on the sofa.
“Dad.”
“Hm.”
Gu Ansheng answered and didn’t say anything, and Gu Yanshen dropped the New Year’s gift as usual.
“Brother.” Gu Yanning had already spoken to Gu Yanshen on the phone, and when he saw him coming, he ran down the stairs holding the gamepad. “Will you play games with me?”
“No.”
“Play with me; it’s so pointless to be alone.”
Gu Yanning had already hooked up the TV in the living room and forcefully handed the gamepad to Gu Yanshen. “It’s so boring to be at home during the winter holidays.”
“How old are you? You still need someone to play with you.”
“That’s different.”
Gu Yanning stole a glance at Gu Ansheng and saw that his father hadn’t said anything, which meant that he had tacitly approved of him playing games in the living room. He had played in the living room before, but Gu Ansheng was against it and told him to go back to his room to play.
The room’s TV wasn’t anywhere near as big as the living room’s.
“Left, left, left.”
“Hit him!”
Gu Yanning stood up while playing the game, while Gu Ansheng sat there without saying a word, watching as his youngest son almost rushed into the TV screen.
He also looked at Gu Yanshen, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor stoically; it didn’t look like he was manipulating the gamepad; he sighed slightly and unnoticeably; he had rarely seen Gu Yanshen show much emotion.
When he was very young, Gu Yanshen was like this: no matter how much he scolded him and got angry, Gu Yanshen stood there motionless and let him scold him.
He didn’t even know how to hide; he didn’t explain, and he was particularly stubborn.
Later, Gu Ansheng didn’t even know how to get along with this son, so after high school, he basically didn’t care much.
Gu Yanshen chose a boarding school of his own and returned home once a week. The father and son rarely met, and at that time the company was also busy, so he didn’t have time to worry about Gu Yanshen’s studies.
Gu Ansheng felt guilty, but he also compensated Gu Yanshen economically. Every time he brought gifts to Gu Yanning, he would ask Gu Yanshen what he wanted, and the answers he received repeatedly were “no need.”.
He didn’t know what Gu Yanshen liked, and when he saw children of other ages having something, he would buy it. But Gu Yanshen received the gifts without showing a happy expression.
Gu Ansheng had a headache because of this, but when he thought about it later, he was relieved. After all, he lacked companionship when he was a child, and it was only natural for Gu Yanshen to be dissatisfied with him.
Gu Yanshen was silent and acted well, but he was secretly holding back big moves in the back. When he learned that Gu Yanshen had changed his major, he was so furious that he behaved irrationally.
He decided that Gu Yanshen was deliberately taking revenge on him by using his future.
This reminded Gu Ansheng of when Gu Yanshen was abused by his nanny as a child but didn’t say a word and deliberately waited for him to find out.
It was like he was getting back at him and watching him feel guilty.
This really pricked Gu Ansheng’s heart. He could never understand why a five-year-old child had such a strong sense of revenge.
Knowing that Gu Yanshen decided to take the road of being an actor, he stopped Gu Yanshen’s card, and drove him out of the house.
He thought he could wait until Gu Yanshen admitted his mistake, but he underestimated Gu Yanshen. How could he come back and admit his mistake?
After that, Gu Yanshen rarely came home. But on the eve of New Year’s festivals, Gu Yanshen would come home and simply visit with gifts and leave.
Around lunchtime, Gu Yanning tried to make him stay for dinner. He had long guessed that he would be rejected, but Gu Yanning asked every time.
“Yanshen, it just so happens that your father is also here today. It’s been years since you’ve eaten at home, so stay.” Jiang Li took off her apron and walked over.
“Yeah, brother, stay for dinner. Today the dishes were made by mom and the aunt at home; didn’t you love mom’s cooking?”
Gu Yanning pulled Gu Yanshen, his eyes glancing towards Gu Ansheng, hoping his dad would say something.
“No, I… ”
“Have a meal before you go.”
Gu Yanshen was slightly stunned. When he left home years ago, he would avoid coming when his father was at home; he’d just deliver something and leave. Occasionally, when they bumped into each other, they’d exchange a few lines of light conversation, and then it was over.
This was the first time after Gu Yanshen left home that Gu Ansheng asked him to stay.
“I made prawns and crabs today.” Jiang Li added persuasively, “Your father asked me to make them; he said you love them.”
Jiang Li knew that Gu Yanshen liked to eat shrimp and crabs, but purposely said that Gu Ansheng had instructed her to do so because she was trying to ease the relationship between the father and son.
“Okay.”
Hearing Gu Yanshen agree, Gu Yanning happily pushed Jiang Li to the kitchen. “Mum, I want to eat crab too.”
The conversations during the dinner were mostly led by Gu Yanning and Jiang Li, who livened up the atmosphere, while Gu Yanshen and Gu Ansheng both listened silently, occasionally responding with a few sentences.
After dinner, Gu Yanshen had no intention of staying.
“It’s getting late; Dad, Auntie Jiang, I’ll leave first.”
“Drive slowly.”
Jiang Li’s words had just fallen when Gu Ansheng suddenly spoke, “When did you and Lu Wenxing happen?”
Gu Yanshen’s footsteps lurched, then Gu Ansheng asked again.
“Since when did you like men?”
“After I met Lu Wenxing,”
Gu Ansheng opened his mouth to continue, but Gu Yanshen raised his eyes, looking straight at Gu Ansheng.
“If it’s not a blessing, then there’s no need to say it.”
“Whether you accept it or not, I will only be with him. Just like back then, you didn’t agree with me going to film school or entering the entertainment industry, but that didn’t change any of my decisions.”
Gu Ansheng frowned. “He likes you now; what about after? Will he stay with you? He’s one of the heirs of the Wen family; he’ll definitely find a girl to marry in the future.”
“He won’t.”
“Even if he won’t, Will you definitely be together?” Gu Ansheng’s tone had little ripple.
“You’ve never been in love, and you don’t have any close friends or classmates. Since you’re with him, you must like him a lot. But even if you like him that much, will he always like you too?”
“He’s seven years younger than you, right, and hasn’t experienced much, so to what extent does he like you? Maybe it’s because you filmed a romantic drama with him that he fell in love with you. If he works with other people in the future, or meets someone more compatible and has more contact with them, will he still like you?”
“Your mother and I, from the time we met to the time we got married, were very romantic; I loved her very much, and she loved me very much. I never doubted our love for each other, but how long did love last? After a while, it was found to be unsuitable.”
Gu Yanshen seriously said, “Whether it’s suitable or not, I myself know.”
“I’m worried about you.” Gu Ansheng suppressed the anger in his heart. “Yes, what happened when you were a child was because I was not competent enough as a father. I don’t want you to forgive me either; I’m just reminding you.”
“Especially in a place like the entertainment industry, where it’s easy to get carried away, feelings never retain their value.”
“I don’t doubt that he likes you now, but how long will his liking last?”
“So…” Gu Yanshen asked calmly, “what do you want to say? For me to break up with him?”
Gu Ansheng was choked. After knowing that Gu Yanshen was with a guy, his first reaction was to be angry, but Jiang Li stopped him from looking for Gu Yanshen.
Knowing that Gu Yanshen would be back today, Jiang Li had also said a lot to Gu Ansheng last night. Just like Gu Yanshen said, he was against Gu Yanshen entering the entertainment industry, but opposing it wouldn’t change any results.
In the first few years of Gu Yanshen’s entry into the entertainment industry, Gu Ansheng also thought that perhaps after the novelty passed, he would come back. Without capital to support him, it was difficult to establish a foothold in the entertainment industry, especially for newly-debuted stars.
But until now, Gu Yanshen used his actions to show that he didn’t need to rely on anyone, nor did he need his help as a father.
In Gu Yanshen’s life, it seemed like he was just hanging on to the title of a father, but he had never really been involved in his life.
Jiang Li immediately came out to round off the situation: ”Your father is just concerned about you, nothing else. You and that child will be fine; let Yanning see you off.”
Receiving Jiang Li’s eye gesture, Gu Yanning walked over. “Brother. When are you going to take me to meet Xingxing? I want to take a picture with him and show off to my classmates.”
Gu Yanshen didn’t bother to look at Gu Ansheng, but turned to Jiang Li and said, “Auntie Jiang, I’ll leave first.”
“Okay, slow down on the road and pay attention to safety.”
Gu Ansheng opened his mouth but didn’t say anything else; he just sighed as he looked at Gu Yanshen’s back.
Jiang Li sat beside Gu Ansheng and spoke, “I’ve learned about their situation. Lu Wenxing is a good child and won’t have those problems you’re worried about. It was hard for the child to agree to stay for dinner. Why do you keep saying things he doesn’t like to hear?”
“That’s how you are; if you had said one good word, Yanshen wouldn’t have refused to live at home for so many years. When he was young, his dad didn’t care and his mom wasn’t around, so he had no one to talk to about anything. If you don’t feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for him.”
“That stubborn temper of his, if I ask him to stay, will he stay?” Gu Ansheng was also angry: “He’s always silent, yet every disturbance he makes is a big one.”
……
“Brother, don’t take Dad’s words to heart.” Gu Yanning carefully observed Gu Yanshen, but Gu Yanshen had little expression a lot of the time, so he couldn’t see his emotions at all.
“You and Brother Xingxing will definitely be together for a long time.”
“When you guys get married, ah, I’ll give you a big gift…”
Gu Yanshen walked over to the car door and looked at Gu Yanning, who wasn’t wearing a jacket. “Go inside; it’s windy outside.”
“I’m not cold; I’ll wait for you to leave before going in.”
Gu Yanshen didn’t say anything more and started the car to leave the Gu family.
Looking at the car leaving, Gu Yanning’s heart felt a bit congested. He remembered some of the things from his childhood and some he didn’t.
He only knows that when he was a child, he was mischievous and caused trouble for Gu Yanshen. Sometimes he would envy Jiang Li for treating Gu Yanshen better than him and even say some unpleasant things.
He heard Jiang Li say that when she married Gu Ansheng, Gu Yanshen was eight years old.
Gu Yanshen didn’t resist or show unhappiness at the appearance of Jiang Li as his stepmother.
He was quiet, unlike a child of his age.
After Jiang Li arrived at the Gu family, she took on the responsibility of caring for Gu Yanshen, and the two of them lived in peace.
For a while, Jiang Li could feel the change in Gu Yanshen’s attitude towards her. Jiang Li was a little happy because she found that Gu Yanshen seemed to be slightly closer to her.
Gu Ansheng was also slightly relieved, which made him temporarily forget that he was an incompetent father.
The days seemed peaceful until one day, Gu Yanshen came home from school and saw Jiang Li, who had fainted at home alone.
Gu Yanshen was a bit panicked; he didn’t know how long Jiang Li had been unconscious or whether it would be life-threatening. He panicked so much that he called 120 and then called Gu Ansheng, but he didn’t answer.
When Gu Ansheng rushed to the hospital, the doctor said that Jiang Li was pregnant, her body was a little weak, and she needed to be well nourished.
Gu Ansheng’s first reaction was to go and see Gu Yanshen, and he was a little nervous. Worried that Gu Yanshen would misunderstand that he was going to be abandoned once again, he even pulled Gu Yanshen to explain for a long time, assuring him that he wouldn’t treat him badly just because he had a younger sibling.
Gu Yanshen just looked at him faintly and calmly answered, not reacting in any particular way.
This made Gu Ansheng falter. He tried to get along with Gu Yanshen, but Gu Yanshen’s reaction made Gu Ansheng a little tired.
Later, Jiang Li’s stomach gradually grew bigger, and his mind was focused on the child that hadn’t been born yet. He didn’t want to be treated as an incompetent father once again, so he was especially attentive.
Like all fathers, he appeared when his child needed company, and sure enough, Gu Yanning was lively and cheerful.
Many times, Gu Yanshen just stood on the sidelines from afar, not bothering or getting involved, as if he didn’t consider himself a member of the family at all.
Gu Yanning was spoiled as a child; Jiang Li had a gentle character; and Gu Ansheng wanted to make it up to Gu Yanshen but could only turn the guilt and a father’s love to Gu Yanning; he was bent on being a good father, which resulted in overindulgence.
Gu Yanning was like a tyrant when he was a child, especially mischievous and bad.
Because Gu Yanshen didn’t allow anyone to enter his room, and Gu Yanning was mischievous at that time, he insisted on entering if he didn’t let him in.
He tore Gu Yanshen’s textbooks and workbooks on purpose.
When Gu Ansheng learned about it, he didn’t protect Gu Yanning, and for the first time, he opened his mouth to teach Gu Yanning a lesson and even scolded him to tears.
Gu Yanning felt aggrieved and smashed the things in the house that looked expensive.
Jiang Li and Gu Ansheng thought that Gu Yanshen wouldn’t care, but the result was unexpected: Gu Yanshen hit Gu Yanning for the first time.
It was also at that time that Gu Yanshen took the initiative to communicate with Gu Ansheng.
“I’m not beating him out of anger; I’m educating him. If you do something wrong, you should be punished. He’s still throwing tantrums when he does something wrong; he’s just smashing things in the house now; what about in the future?”
He was obviously still a junior high school student, but Gu Yanshen spoke like a young adult.
After that time, Gu Yanning particularly avoided Gu Yanshen because his parents wouldn’t really hit him, but Gu Yanshen would. Moreover, when Gu Yanshen hit him, Gu Ansheng and Jiang Li wouldn’t intervene, so during that time, Gu Yanning learned to act obedient.
For a long time, he hated Gu Yanshen. In primary school, everyone else wrote essays about their closest family members, but only Gu Yanning wrote about his brother, whom he hated the most.
Later on, Gu Yanning entered junior high school and was in a rebellious period. He always liked to cause trouble and somehow got into trouble with small thugs, even going to fight in groups.
Gu Yanning couldn’t beat them, so he was pinned down and beaten. His face was bruised and his hand was broken, but he was too scared to go home. He wandered around the street and met Gu Yanshen, who lived nearby.
At that time, Gu Yanshen had already been kicked out of his home and hadn’t gone back for several years.
Gu Yanshen forced Gu Yanning to take him to find the thugs who hit him. He called the police and directly sent them to the police station.
For fourteen-year-old Gu Yanning, reporting to his parents was particularly embarrassing and not cool at all. But that was also the first time he knew that Gu Yanshen didn’t seem to hate him.
But Gu Yanning only learned later that the group of punks who had beaten him had been beaten up by Gu Yanshen.
Obviously, when he saw him covered in injuries, Gu Yanshen coldly said that he deserved it and warned him not to fight. But as a result, he still secretly helped him out.
After that, Gu Yanning stuck to Gu Yanshen. Even though Gu Yanshen openly disliked him, he would still lead him home.
He didn’t constantly change the pictures on the wall because he was star-chasing. It was just that when discussing the entertainment industry, he and Gu Yanshen would have a bit more to talk about. He also asked him to get autographed photos, so he could use various excuses to stay at Gu Yanshen’s home.
Thinking of this, Gu Yanning suddenly felt that he had been right to become a fan of Lu Wenxing. Now there would be someone to accompany him in the future. They would definitely be together forever.
……
Gu Yanshen had just opened the door to his house when he saw Lu Wenxing sitting on the floor, choosing a disc.
“You’re back?”
Lu Wenxing smiled when he saw him, his eyes shining brightly. In this instant, all those unhappy emotions in Gu Yanshen’s heart were swept away.
“When I went to your family’s cottage last time, you gave me the key to this place, so I came in by myself.” Lu Wenxing stood up and took the bag from Gu Yanshen’s hand.
“What did you buy? Let me see.”
“Snacks and the dishes you love to eat.”
Gu Yanshen and Lu Wenxing had agreed on leaving tomorrow, so on his way back, he made a special detour to the supermarket to buy some of Lu Wenxing’s favorite food.
He just didn’t expect Lu Wenxing to come over early.
“Have you been waiting for a long time? Why didn’t you call me?”
“I wanted to give you a surprise.” The corners of Lu Wenxing’s eyes curved as he unwrapped a bag of chips.
“I was planning to come over early tomorrow, but I suddenly missed you after I woke up from my afternoon nap, and then, I came to find you.”
Lu Wenxing tilted his head to kiss Gu Yanshen.
When Gu Yanshen opened the door and came in, he noticed that Gu Yanshen’s mood was a bit down and guessed that it should be because of something that happened after he went home. But Gu Yanshen didn’t say, so he didn’t ask; he’d just wait for Gu Yanshen to talk whenever he wanted to.
“Teacher Gu isn’t happy to see me?”
“Happy.” Gu Yanshen lifted his hand and hugged Lu Wenxing, responding to him very seriously. “I’m especially happy.”
“I haven’t eaten yet.” Lu Wenxing let Gu Yanshen hold him and leaned on his chest. “I wanted to wait for you to come back so we’d eat together; why are you so slow?”
“I didn’t know you were coming over; I ate at my dad’s place.”
“Whatever, then you have to eat with me too.” Lu Wenxing took out his mobile phone from his pocket while asking him. “What’s good to eat near your house? I’ll order takeout.”
“What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”
“I love to eat everything you make.”
Gu Yanshen was worried that his stomach would be upset if he starved for a long time. “I’ll eat a bowl of noodles; it’s quicker.”
“Okay.”
Lu Wenxing followed Gu Yanshen into the kitchen and asked, “Why are you coming in? Go sit on the sofa.”
“Didn’t I just tell you?”
Gu Yanshen:?
“I woke up missing you especially; I’m going to follow you around.”
“If you tease me again, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” Lu Wenxing’s eyes clearly contained a smile, and there was also a bit of recklessness in it.
“Kiss you.”
Lu Wenxing raised his chin, as if waiting for Gu Yanshen to kiss him. “Hm? Go ahead and kiss me, ah.”
Gu Yanshen: “……”
“Stop it; I’ll cook you a bowl of noodles first.”
“If you don’t kiss me, I’ll kiss you.”
Without waiting for Gu Yanshen to react, Lu Wenxing wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed his lips.
The two were so close that they heard each other’s heartbeats and felt each other’s breath.
Soft and hot.
It made them unable to stop sinking.