Chapter 33 – Feeling

Looking into the princess’s sincere eyes, she, a person of such pride, was now presenting her nation’s most treasured sword with both hands.

A look of confusion, just like when they first met, appeared on Xiao Fang’s face. The black, dragon-patterned robe he wore suddenly lost its imposing authority. Between heaven and earth, he stood alone, appearing so powerless. His pale lips parted and closed, his eyes flashing with resistance, grief, and yet, a deep longing.

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t!” The ministers vehemently opposed the marriage alliance, with the pro-war faction kneeling to plead their case.

Xiao Fang’s hands trembled, his face a mask of struggle.

“I, as the monarch of this nation, have been deceived by you. If I do not launch a punitive expedition, it would be a disgrace to my name and to the prestige of our country.”

“His Majesty is wise!” the pro-war faction cried in unison.

Wen An’an’s expression flickered with a momentary confusion, but it quickly hardened into an unbreakable resolve. Her fervent gaze and firm determination could be felt even by those outside the screen.

“I think An’an’s acting has really improved so much these past few months,” said the assistant closest to Wen An’an.

The makeup artist beside her nodded in agreement. “An’an started as a child star, but this role is a complete game-changer.” As she spoke, she cast an even more respectful gaze toward Xiao Fang. If it weren’t for him, this drama would never have undergone such a transformation.

“A country without a monarch can establish a new one, but it cannot exist without its people. The people are the source of all life. To die for them is my duty as their ruler!” Wen An’an, dressed in a white robe, raised the sword in her hand even higher.

“What? She actually came here to die?”

“A woman should be at home with her husband and children, not acting like a big shot here.”

“No, she is no longer just a woman, but the ruler of a nation. This is not the kind of courage an ordinary woman possesses,” the chancellor, the highest leader of the pro-peace faction, said with admiration.

A grand, somber melody, one of the main themes of the drama, began to play, stirring a deep sense of patriotism in the hearts of those watching from the sidelines.

A glint flashed in Xiao Fang’s eyes. After a long moment of contemplation, his expression softened into a faint smile. He turned to look at his ministers, who all knelt before him.

“I have been on campaign for half a year, fighting to reclaim land for the people. Yet, death is inevitable. Thousands of kilometers of land have been stained with blood. Whose blood is that? Our ancestors were also commoners at their founding. If not for these chaotic times, they too would be tilling fields and raising cattle, providing for their families in peace. Who desires chaos!” Xiao Fang’s voice rose to a powerful cry at the end, his brow furrowed deeply. The winds of change had swept through, and this emperor had matured immensely.

“May Your Majesty quell his anger,” the ministers said, their heads nearly touching the ground.

He quickly turned, drew the sword from the princess’s hands, and removed his crown. With a single slash, half of his dark hair fell to the ground.

The ministers were too shocked to speak.

“To be deceived was due to my own poor judgment. The people of this world need not bear the burden! I will atone for my mistake myself.”

The princess stood up, took the emperor’s sword, and removed her pearl hairpin. Her three thousand strands of dark hair cascaded down to her waist.

Before the ministers could stop her, the princess had already cut off half of her hair. The two of them stood before the ministers, their eyes blazing, as pure as when they had first set their goals.

The ministers of the pro-war faction collapsed, their bodies going limp.

The dark clouds scattered, welcoming a new sun. The nation was once again filled with the hope of life.

This was the era of peace and prosperity that the prince had always wanted.

“Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Princess!”

Many years later, the two nations merged. The Emperor and Empress ruled together, and their reign came to be known as the Era of Clear Peace and Prosperity.

“That’s a wrap!!!” As the final scene was approved, everyone cheered in unison. The drama, which had been filming for nearly two months, was finally finished today, much earlier than originally scheduled.

A celebration was followed by farewells, so everyone partied even harder. As the only rich second-generation in the crew, Xiao Fang treated everyone to dinner at the Sandalwood Hotel. When the food was served, the director specially recommended a vegetable soup for Xiao Fang. Staring at the bowl of green liquid, Xiao Fang drank a small bowl without even a frown, showing not the slightest bit of reluctance.

At that moment, Xiao Fang realized that he had always been someone who would hide his dislikes from others. But with Fei Xiangnan, he could freely express his reluctance. What was the reason for that? Was it because he knew Fei Xiangnan was someone who would absolutely never harm him?

After dinner, they went to sing karaoke. The room was filled with Xiao Ma’s loud, howling voice. After a few drinks, his courage had multiplied several times over, and he latched onto Que Jiang, refusing to let go.

“You… you sing too!” Xiao Ma’s face was flushed, and he could barely speak clearly.

“Ma Rui, if you’re drunk, go sleep it off.” Que Jiang had also been drinking, but he seemed perfectly normal. He grabbed Xiao Ma by the collar, reaching to snatch the microphone away.

The alcohol had fully hit Xiao Ma, and he stubbornly refused to let go of the microphone. “No! I want to sing ‘Sweet as Honey’ with you~”

“Ooh!” The room immediately erupted in hoots and hollers. Que Jiang felt like he had lost all face for this lifetime right here and now.

“‘Sweet as Honey’! ‘Sweet as Honey’!”

“The aloof top and the drunk bottom are the cutest~” a girl excitedly shipped the couple.

Xiao Fang watched all this from a corner, sipping his juice and enjoying the show. If he ever found someone like that, would people joke about them in the same way? As his thoughts drifted, Fei Xiangnan’s face suddenly came to mind.

Filming wrapped today. He wondered if Que Jiang had told Fei Xiangnan that he was leaving tomorrow.

Even though he already knew the answer in his heart, Xiao Fang still got up and found a quiet place outside to make the call.

The moment the call connected, an irrepressible joy flickered in Xiao Fang’s heart.

“Hello? Xiao Fang? Why are you still up so late?” The voice on the other end was as pleasant as ever, but tinged with exhaustion.

“President Fei, are you working overtime again?” This man was so wealthy, yet he still worked so hard for money. How were poor people like him supposed to feel?

“It’s still that same project. I’m used to it. You, on the other hand, it’s almost midnight. You should go to bed early.” Fei Xiangnan’s concern made Xiao Fang feel even more guilty.

Xiao Fang hesitated for a moment before saying, “President Fei, you’re so tired. You don’t have to come pick me up tomorrow.”

Although his words said one thing, his tone was filled with an undeniable disappointment. For some reason, Fei Xiangnan’s weary mood suddenly lifted. This disobedient child needed to be taught a lesson.

“That’s fine, then. You can come back with Que Jiang tomorrow.” Xiao Fang wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that Fei Xiangnan’s voice sounded twice as weak as before.

The little tuft of hair on Xiao Fang’s head instantly drooped.

As a loyal subordinate, it was his duty and his heart’s desire to understand his boss’s hardship and not let him overwork.

But he was still a little unhappy…

“President Fei, I’ll be back around noon. Is there anything you’d like to eat? I can make it and have Que Jiang bring it over.”

Hearing Xiao Fang thinking so considerately of him, Fei Xiangnan suddenly didn’t want to deceive this little fool anymore. But at the last moment, he held back.

“What you made last time was great. Just make whatever you feel like eating. I’m fine with anything.”

Xiao Fang hummed in agreement. He actually wanted to talk to him a little longer, but thinking about him still being at work, he forced himself to stop.

“Then, get some rest after you finish work, President Fei. Good night.”

“Good night. Don’t stay out too late.” Fei Xiangnan knew from the start that Xiao Fang was out celebrating. It was a wrap party, so he couldn’t just not go. He trusted that Que Jiang would take good care of him.

After hanging up, Xiao Fang felt a tightness in his chest. But thinking of Fei Xiangnan’s exhausted face, he told himself he couldn’t be so selfish. If the boss collapsed from exhaustion, it would be his subordinates who truly suffered.

As for Que Jiang, whom Fei Xiangnan trusted to take good care of Xiao Fang, he was currently stuck with a piece of human chewing gum, who was screaming “I Will Love You Even After Death” into his ear.

Xiao Fang thought to himself that he didn’t mind, but he hoped Que Jiang would still have this much energy tomorrow.

“I will love you even after death! It’s not worth it if it’s not intense!” Xiao Ma sang, his teary eyes recalling his first love from high school.

“Boohoo, why aren’t you singing? I will love you even after death!” Xiao Ma grabbed Que Jiang and shook him vigorously. Que Jiang was like an emotionless scratching post.

…Que Jiang stared blankly at the screen in front of him, picked up the microphone, and, for the sake of his kidneys, said with zero resistance, “…love.”

“Pfft!” Xiao Fang couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It really was love, even after death.

The scene helped him relax, dispelling his earlier gloom. He would make a few extra dishes tomorrow to cheer up President Fei.

The next morning, Xiao Fang packed his things. He wore a simple white color-block long-sleeved shirt and loose-fitting cargo pants. His natural-born clothes-hanger physique made the outfit look effortlessly casual. After packing his luggage, Xiao Fang was ready to bid farewell to the hotel he had lived in for two months.

Having completed his first project as a lead actor, the sense of anticipation in Xiao Fang’s heart was stronger than ever before.

With his mood reset, Xiao Fang followed Que Jiang, who was carrying luggage for two, downstairs. Due to time constraints, Que Jiang hadn’t had time to prepare breakfast, so he had sent Xiao Ma to a decent breakfast shop to buy some.

“Brother Xiao, Brother Xiao, your soup dumplings…”

“Brother!” A voice louder than Xiao Ma’s came from behind.

A woman in a French-style long dress, wearing ten-centimeter high heels, rushed towards the main entrance without any hesitation. She ran to a young man standing in front of a black Mercedes-Benz. The man had a delicate face and a gentle, water-like temperament, but he was surprisingly strong. He steadily caught Wen An’an and affectionately patted her head.

“Was filming tough?” the man asked.

Wen An’an, who was usually so strong-willed, seemed to transform into a different person in front of her brother. She rubbed against his chest coquettishly. “Super tough. I need my brother’s cooking to feel better.”

The man smiled indulgently. “Oh, you.”

Looking overjoyed, Wen An’an pulled her brother over to Xiao Fang. “Xiao Fang, I’m leaving. See you on the next set! This is my brother, Wen Qianshi.”

Xiao Fang smiled politely, with the kind of distance reserved for adults. “Hello, I’m Xiao Fang.”

Wen Qianshi had a unique aura that made it impossible to dislike him. He extended his hand and shook Xiao Fang’s. “Hello. Thank you on behalf of my sister for your guidance.”

“It was nothing, An’an is too kind,” Xiao Fang said with a smile, clearly smelling the scent of his own kind.

“Mr. Xiao, you’re too polite. I must thank you properly some other day,” Wen Qianshi said sincerely.

Xiao Fang smiled and said no more, neither refusing nor agreeing, perfectly maintaining a polite facade.

After a short chat and saying their goodbyes, Wen Qianshi left with Wen An’an.

After that encounter, Xiao Fang felt an inexplicable sense of loneliness. If only President Fei could have come.

“Brother Xiao, the buns are getting cold. Hurry up and eat.” After they finished talking, Xiao Ma brought the buns over again. Xiao Fang was already a bit hungry, so he said thanks, took them, and started eating. He would let a satisfied stomach banish his messy thoughts.

“Xiao Fang, you’ve worked hard.” A familiar voice sounded from ahead.

Xiao Fang looked forward, so surprised that he forgot to swallow the bun in his mouth.