Chapter 59 – Reconciliation

After giving Nuomici his medicine, Xiao Fang waited on the sofa. It was almost eight o’clock at night, but there was no sound of the password being entered.

Could he be so angry that he wasn’t coming home tonight? Although Xiao Fang wasn’t the type to get jealous easily (?), his mind couldn’t help but conjure up all sorts of scenarios.

President Fei and his drinking buddies, dressed in golden suits, are in a private room so lavish that even the floor is paved with gold, drinking million-dollar-a-glass red wine. He laughs wickedly, “Bring up your most expensive service staff!”

The thought made Xiao Fang shiver. Why did it feel like he could already see a future where he, Da Bao, and Nuomici were eating bran and swallowing vegetables???

Knock, knock, knock. “Open up, is Xiao Fang home?” Zhang Yuanxiao’s voice came from outside the door.

Xiao Fang immediately stood up and pattered over in his slippers to open the door. He saw Fei Xiangnan leaning on Zhang Yuanxiao’s shoulder, while Zhang Yuanxiao was panting, looking rather disheveled.

“Quick, take your husband inside. I’m so tired!” Zhang Yuanxiao didn’t know how to describe his mood. Tending to this master was too difficult. He had so much to complain about from the journey here.

Xiao Fang quickly took over, and Fei Xiangnan leaned on him as he came in. Then, with surprising agility, he shut the door.

Zhang Yuanxiao, still outside the door: Holy crap! (voiceless)

“Hey, what are you doing? At least let him in for a cup of tea! What are you pulling me for? Slow down, the bedroom light isn’t on, turn on the light first!” Xiao Fang’s voice grew more distant, leaving a petrified Zhang Yuanxiao in his wake. Brothers these days weren’t even as good as clothes!

***

Pulled into the bedroom, Xiao Fang watched as Fei Xiangnan sat down on the small sofa inside. He cautiously turned on the light. Fei Xiangnan didn’t react at all, his eyes even looking a bit dazed. It seemed he was very drunk.

Xiao Fang felt a pang of displeasure. “Drinking is bad for your health, and you drank so much!”

Fei Xiangnan said something even more infuriating, “You made me angry.”

Xiao Fang was choked, unable to say a single word in rebuttal. “I’ll go make you some ginger soup. You can’t drink it in the bedroom, so come out!”

Xiao Fang pattered out in his little slippers. Fei Xiangnan’s thoughts were a bit slow, and he subconsciously followed Xiao Fang out.

By now, there was no more noise from outside. Zhang Yuanxiao had very tactfully stood there for a few seconds and then left. It seemed he knew Fei Xiangnan’s personality very well.

The quiet living room was filled only with the sound of boiling water. Xiao Fang cut a few slices of ginger and threw them in, then added a few pieces of rock sugar.

“Here, drink this. It’ll sober you up, otherwise you’ll have a headache tomorrow.” Xiao Fang handed it to Fei Xiangnan. Fei Xiangnan just sat silently on the chair, not raising his hand, but staring deeply at Xiao Fang.

“You didn’t cry while I was gone, did you?” he asked, very seriously.

What kind of strange move was this! Xiao Fang’s inner self was freaking out and roaring, but since the problem at hand wasn’t solved, it wasn’t the time to get flustered. “No, no, hurry up and drink it. It won’t be as effective if it gets cold.”

A flash of dissatisfaction appeared in Fei Xiangnan’s eyes, as if he wasn’t very happy with this answer. He still didn’t take the bowl.

Xiao Fang realized that a drunk President Fei was exceptionally… childish.

He sighed in resignation. “Sigh, I cried, I cried. I cried my heart out, the kind where I can’t live without you.” Xiao Fang’s cheek felt a cool touch. Fei Xiangnan had leaned over and kissed him, his dry, large hand stroking his head.

“I’m here, don’t cry anymore.” Fei Xiangnan’s voice was light and airy, but the instinct he showed Xiao Fang was so soft.

Xiao Fang couldn’t help but kiss him back, saying in a tone used to coax a child, “Good boy, come on, drink the ginger soup.”

This time, Fei Xiangnan obediently took it and drank it all in one go. The slightly spicy ginger soup instantly cleared his nerves. The alcohol slowly faded from his system, and a sense of calm began to brew within him. Putting down the bowl, he took Xiao Fang’s hand and had him sit down beside him.

“Wait a moment. I want… to talk to you.” Fei Xiangnan closed his eyes, trying hard to recover.

Xiao Fang didn’t want to hold it in for another night either. He hummed in agreement, but his heart was reluctant to let go of Fei Xiangnan’s hand—a dry, yet reassuringly large hand.

“I shouldn’t have scolded you like that today. I spoke too harshly. I won’t do it again.” Fei Xiangnan’s voice was like a clear, cold string resonating in the night.

“It’s okay, I was the stupid one. You were right to scold me. I didn’t assess the danger, I was stubborn, and I didn’t think about your feelings. If it were the other way around, I would have been angry too,” Xiao Fang apologized obediently.

“Que Jiang told you something, didn’t he?” Fei Xiangnan knew very well that without someone else’s guidance, this stubborn mule Xiao Fang wouldn’t have realized his mistake so quickly.

“Mmm,” Xiao Fang nodded honestly.

Suddenly, Fei Xiangnan turned and hugged Xiao Fang. The mixed scent of alcohol and faint grass filled Xiao Fang’s nostrils.

“Xiao Fang, I love you.”

Xiao Fang’s eyes widened. He knew that Fei Xiangnan was rarely so direct. With trembling hands, Xiao Fang clutched the back of Fei Xiangnan’s shirt, trying hard to breathe in his scent.

“That’s why you have to love yourself more than anyone else. Cherishing yourself is the greatest expression of your love for me. Your personality… it makes people worry too much. I won’t stop you from soaring, but I hope you can tell me your trajectory. Don’t be like this time again. If I had been a second later, I would have never found you again.” Fei Xiangnan’s voice was deep and sincere, the trembling in his tone carrying a hint of fear.

Xiao Fang’s eyes turned completely red, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. “I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t have been so reckless. I’m… sorry.” Xiao Fang couldn’t help but hiccup through his tears.

“Were you scared? I should have hit that bastard one more time before letting him go in. How dare he treat you like that. If there’s a next time, if you get hurt like that again…” Fei Xiangnan hid the viciousness in his eyes. “We’ll go public. We’ll make it so those people can’t say a single word, can’t do anything. You can just film your scenes in peace.”

After being so scared, what Xiao Fang wanted most was Fei Xiangnan’s comfort. He had been worried and scared all day, and only now did he feel a sense of security. He rubbed himself more vigorously against Fei Xiangnan’s chest, his tearful hiccups refusing to stop.

Fei Xiangnan closed his eyes and gently stroked Xiao Fang’s head, calming him down. Xiao Fang could be strong with anyone else, but he hoped that with him, he could be as willful as he wanted, because he could handle it.

In the future, he just needed to slowly shine, and he would eliminate all dissent for him!

“Apart from that one foolish thing, you did everything else very well. Xiao Fang, you will slowly become stronger.”

“Really? Is that your approval?”

“Really. My Xiao Fang is the strongest on earth.”

It felt like he was coaxing a child, Xiao Fang thought hazily, and peacefully fell asleep on Fei Xiangnan’s chest.

After the little storm in the Fei family passed, it was followed by all sorts of sweet moments. Xiao Ma, who had initially started visiting frequently with the intention of getting a glimpse of the big boss, finally stopped coming around. Killing the dog to show off to the public? Only his heartless Brother Xiao would do something like that!

As the drama Dynasty continued to air, its ratings skyrocketed, and it gained both critical acclaim and popularity. Even Director Hu became somewhat famous and often came over to thank Xiao Fang in various flowery ways. This drama’s success was largely due to Xiao Fang’s influence and contribution.

Within three days of the incident, Xiao Fang’s former company exposed the inhumane treatment he had received there. They claimed that his buying of lead roles was actually his agent’s deliberate scheme, forcing him to pay to act in those dramas. When it was revealed that Xiao Fang’s total profit over the years was only fifty thousand, both his fans and anti-fans were shocked. This had to be the most miserable connection hire in history. This move gained Xiao Fang a lot more… sympathy fans.

Then, Xiao Qi posted an explanation on Weibo, which was a heavy slap in the face to his own fans. Some extreme fans went to Xiao Qi’s Weibo to curse him out, saying they had fought for him only for him to turn around and bite them. This bizarre move caused Xiao Qi to lose another fan group. He was so angry that he lost ten pounds that month. His heartbroken fans felt sorry for him and some even started following him again, which made Xiao Qi’s mood improve a bit.

With this series of events, plus various revelations from the slightly famous people in the cast, Xiao Fang’s public image was quickly restored. The speed of his comeback set a record in the industry. As Dynasty gradually came to an end, Xiao Fang had to start thinking about his future. But looking at his nearly nine-month-pregnant belly, he began to worry. In this state, probably no company would dare to sign him. He could only wait until after his postpartum confinement.

Xiao Fang, filled with an unusually passionate ambition for his career, let out a heavy sigh and then took a lonely bite of cheesecake on a chair in the rooftop garden.

Meanwhile, on Fei Xiangnan’s side, knowing his grandfather’s intentions, he called him on the third day after he and Xiao Fang had reconciled.

“Are you trying to test Xiao Fang?” Fei Xiangnan’s words sounded respectful, but his tone was clearly not so good.

Old Master Fei snorted, not taking it seriously. “To be my Fei family’s grandson’s wife, I have to see what he’s capable of. Apart from being a bit foolish at the end when he was attacked, everything else was not bad. You should be happy.”

“Using my wife’s life as a test, I don’t know what I should be happy about. No matter what he’s like, I will be with him for a lifetime.”

“Have you forgotten your previous promise?” Old Master Fei narrowed his eyes.

“I haven’t forgotten. I’m just going back on my word. A lifetime with him is a lifetime. I don’t want anyone else,” Fei Xiangnan said with absolute certainty.

“Are you openly defying me?” Old Master Fei began to get angry at this grandson. For a man, he was even abandoning his grandfather.

“Whether it’s defiance or not depends on how you interpret it, Grandfather. As long as you don’t touch him, we will always be on the same side,” Fei Xiangnan said clearly.

“Hmph! You can figure it out yourself!” His grandfather hung up the phone with a tsundere huff.

Fei Xiangnan let out a sigh of relief. This meant that for a short time, he wouldn’t make a move against Xiao Fang. The only one he was concerned about was his grandfather. As for others, he wouldn’t be so lenient.

“What are you thinking about?” When he got home and didn’t see Xiao Fang wandering around the living room, Fei Xiangnan immediately went upstairs and found Xiao Fang staring blankly with a plate of cheesecake.

After a simple kiss with his lover, Xiao Fang stuffed another piece of cake into his mouth. “I was thinking about which company to go to after my postpartum confinement. My employment anxiety is kicking in, sigh!”

Fei Xiangnan couldn’t understand Xiao Fang’s troubles at all. “Why are you worried about that? I’m planning to set up a company for you, dedicated to promoting only you,” the rich daddy said.

“You!” Xiao Fang wanted to say something, but felt powerless to complain. “I’m not going.”

“Why?” President Fei glared angrily.

“I want to find a… um, how should I put it, a more relaxed company. It doesn’t matter if it’s small, as long as it’s efficient. I don’t want it to be… uh, like I’m being kept.” Xiao Fang said, a little embarrassed.

Fei Xiangnan stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You want it to be warmer, right? Then I’ll hire all motherly employees. They’ll definitely give you enough warmth.”

Xiao Fang: … … “Ahhhhhhh! Stop talking! We’ll talk after my postpartum confinement!!!” Xiao Fang couldn’t stand this kind of nouveau riche talk.

“Are you dissatisfied with something?” President Fei was really about to get himself tangled up.

No, he had to change the subject, or this would never end. “I want to find some time to visit my maternal grandparents.”

When it came to the issue of going out, President Fei’s attention was perfectly diverted. “Aren’t we going after your postpartum confinement?”

Xiao Fang shook his head. “No, I have to go while I’m pregnant. Otherwise, if I just show up with a baby, the two elders will start to feel awkward.”

President Fei frowned. Going out while pregnant… felt a bit dangerous.

“When are you free? Come with me.” Xiao Fang nudged his partner with his elbow.

President Fei’s eyes lit up. He said with feigned seriousness, “Ahem, this weekend should be fine.”

Meeting the parents… even a big villain would be nervous, and excited!