Chapter 3 – You Dare Eat Junk Food?
After filling out the forms, it was time to take the marriage photo. Fei Xiangnan’s exceptional looks made the staff’s attitude much better, and some even secretly came over to watch.
Fei Xiangnan filtered out these gazes without batting an eye, but Xiao Fang felt inexplicably uncomfortable. It was his first time getting married, and he had to be gawked at.
“Hello, could you please take off your coat?” the photographer asked, pointing to Fei Xiangnan’s coat. The entire outfit was indeed a bit too conspicuous.
Fei Xiangnan frowned, clearly annoyed. Xiao Fang immediately understood and stepped between Fei Xiangnan and the photographer. “President Fei, what he means is that you look even more handsome in a suit.”
Fei Xiangnan’s impatient eyes glanced at Xiao Fang. With a fawning smile, Xiao Fang completely grasped the big shot’s thoughts. “Allow me to help you with your coat.” In a few swift movements, he helped Fei Xiangnan take off his coat and led him to the designated chair.
The onlookers whispered: The uke is so considerate. Having such a cute spouse must be such a blessing~
“Smile, you two. You can get a little closer. This is a very important photo,” the photographer guided the two men, who were as stiff as wooden planks.
Xiao Fang leaned in quietly. “President Fei, just cooperate and lift the corners of your mouth. We can’t let people think you’re unwilling, right? I’ll do the rest of the acting.”
Fei Xiangnan glanced sideways at him. The man, who was half a head shorter than him, was smiling warmly at him. Although it was laced with a thick sycophantic air, it didn’t provoke any unpleasant feelings in Fei Xiangnan. In fact, it was quite comfortable.
A thought stirred in Fei Xiangnan’s heart, and he inexplicably lifted the corners of his mouth. It wasn’t the cruel smile he wore when he wanted to kill someone, nor was it the shrewd smile that hid all sorts of schemes. It was a simple, genuine smile. It gave this man, who was approaching thirty, a new kind of charm and approachability. Xiao Fang found himself staring, momentarily stunned.
As expected, there’s no such thing as an unattractive villain!
“I can’t hold this for long,” Fei Xiangnan said in a low voice, sensing the hesitation from the person beside him.
“Oh, oh.” Xiao Fang gathered his thoughts and moved closer to Fei Xiangnan on his own accord. “Alright, photographer, we’re ready for you.”
“Okay, I’m starting. One, two, three, happy wedding!”
When Fei Xiangnan got the photo, he couldn’t help but be a little stunned. The two people in the picture were strangely unfamiliar to him. There was himself, smiling warmly, and beside him, pressed close, was Xiao Fang. He was smiling brightly, radiating the innocent vitality of someone his age, his eyes sparkling with happiness. It was as if… they were really getting married. Not for personal gain, but because they genuinely liked each other. What was Xiao Fang thinking at that moment?
“It’s the same lighting, so why do I look a little dark? This photographer isn’t very good,” a complaint came from behind him. “I’m not that dark, am I? Oh, President Fei, you haven’t left yet.”
Everything he had just been thinking was a lie!
Fei Xiangnan’s expression turned icy again. “I’m leaving now. I’ll tell my grandfather about our marriage soon. You can move into the Fei family residence then and focus on your pregnancy. Give birth to the child.”
Most of the power in the Fei Family was still in Old Master Fei’s hands. Currently, Fei Xiangnan’s biggest competitor was his uncle, his father’s younger brother. Fei Xiangnan’s parents, surprisingly, had no desire to fight for the family inheritance and had left home early to become professors at a renowned art institution abroad. It could be said that Fei Xiangnan had been fighting alone in this circle of power since he was a child. At fifteen, he had dared to take over the dark underbelly of his grandfather’s operations. This courage made him stand out among his peers.
It could be said that if he hadn’t followed the novel’s plot and fallen for Xiao Qi, Fei Xiangnan would have had a much brighter future.
So, this master was not to be provoked either.
“Uh, President Fei, could I trouble you with a few things?” Xiao Fang interrupted hesitantly.
Fei Xiangnan turned back, frowning. “Are there more problems?”
“It’s just that my dad doesn’t know I’m married, nor does he know I’m a third gender. I don’t think we need to make this public knowledge. So, until the baby is born, I don’t want to go public. We’re going to get divorced afterward anyway, so we don’t need to interfere with each other too much. But if your family needs me to play along, I will,” Xiao Fang analyzed the current situation very rationally.
Fei Xiangnan had mixed feelings but didn’t say much. This was what he wanted as well. “That’s up to you. I won’t say much about things that don’t deviate from the plan.”
“Hey, thank you for being so understanding, President Fei. Take care!” Xiao Fang got the result he wanted and smiled even more brightly.
Now, it was Fei Xiangnan who felt a little choked up. This man was carrying his child, yet he showed no signs of dependency and couldn’t wait to leave him… As expected, a deep schemer!
Fei Xiangnan became even more certain of his assessment.
After seeing off the formidable Fei Xiangnan, Xiao Fang finally let out a sigh of relief. He touched his flat stomach, finding it hard to believe there was a life inside. Ah, for his sake and the little life’s, he needed to fill his belly.
In his previous world, Xiao Fang’s favorite thing to do after filming was to find a food stall, order a few skewers of barbecue and a beer, and enjoy a good meal while watching the bustling crowd. A full stomach warmed the heart.
With that thought, Xiao Fang had already taken action. He used his phone to navigate to the nearest food street, plugged in his earphones, and started walking, completely unaware that a car was quietly following him.
“Boss, twenty skewers of pork belly, ten of beef tendon, twenty of duck intestine, and a dozen beers!” Xiao Fang rattled off the dishes familiarly. Barbecue was the same everywhere; how could these items be missing? Xiao Fang ordered without even looking at the menu.
Then, Xiao Fang propped his arms on the table and watched the people come and go, whistling nonchalantly.
In this bustling market, Xiao Fang was quite a looker. Coupled with his expensive clothes, he attracted a lot of attention.
“Hi, hello, are you that, uh, that celebrity who played the prince? Could I have your autograph?” Suddenly, two girls pushed each other forward and approached Xiao Fang, holding a notebook and a pen. In such a shabby environment, the old Xiao Fang would have walked away in disgust.
Xiao Fang raised a gentle smile. “Of course.” He took the notebook and pen, then looked up at the two girls. If he remembered correctly, there should be a university nearby.
“Are you students here?” he asked. It wasn’t the deliberately softened tone he used with Fei Xiangnan, but a natural, clear voice. The question made the two girls blush even more.
“Yes, we’re sophomores here.”
Xiao Fang nodded and skillfully signed his name in the notebook. On the second line, he wrote: Wishing you success in your exams~
After writing, Xiao Fang handed the notebook back. “Exams are coming up soon. I wish you success. And thank you for watching my drama. It’s my honor.” Xiao Fang’s polite and humble demeanor completely won over the two girls. It wasn’t the condescension of a celebrity, but a sincere gratitude towards his fans.
“Thank you,” the two girls said, blushing as they took the notebook. Just as they were about to leave, one of them mustered up the courage to say, “We’re looking forward to your new drama. Keep it up!”
Xiao Fang smiled in return.
To him, every fan who liked him was an affirmation of his work. Such lovely people deserved to be spoiled a little.
“Here you go, your beer and skewers. Enjoy!” The owner placed the grilled food on Xiao Fang’s table, and Xiao Fang’s eyes lit up.
Fei Xiangnan, sitting in his car, saw everything. The high-end car was completely out of place in this bustling market. Nothing had escaped his eyes. In his impression, Xiao Qi’s brother was an unambitious, spoiled, and arrogant person who spent his days spending money on acting roles and his nights in debauchery. He indulged in everything but women. Why would he be eating barbecue in a place like this? And his attitude towards his fans was so gentle it could melt hearts.
Could it be… that they had all misjudged Xiao Fang? Was everything before just an act?
Xiao Fang picked up a still-oily piece of pork belly and swallowed. Just as he was about to put it in his mouth, his phone suddenly rang.
Ugh, which blind fool was interrupting his dinner!
Xiao Fang took it out. It was an unknown number. He answered the call and let out a lazy, “Hello? Who is this?”
“If you dare put that piece of junk food in your mouth, I’ll dare to go and force myself on your brother right now.” The deep, alluring voice was filled with a dangerous warning. This familiar threat made Xiao Fang drop the meat in his hand, and he looked around in terror.
In less than three seconds, he saw a luxury car parked on the road not far away. The car didn’t stay for long; after Xiao Fang stared at it for five seconds, it slowly drove away.
Xiao Fang immediately forced a smile. “Oh, President Fei, what are you saying? This isn’t for me. Don’t I have a new drama to shoot? I’m leaving tonight. I… I brought all this for my assistant. He loves this junk food. I can’t talk him out of it.”
“Oh? An assistant who can’t control his mouth is indeed a bit troublesome. I happen to have someone I can send over to help manage you… I mean, your assistant’s mouth!” The man on the other end of the line deliberately emphasized the word “assistant.”
Xiao Fang was crying a river of tears internally. Why did he have to provoke this master at this juncture? Did this mean no more beer and barbecue during his pregnancy? This was too tragic!!!
“President Fei, I’m filming in the neighboring city this time. I… I won’t trouble your people. I’ll keep a good eye on him,” Xiao Fang tried one last desperate struggle.
“The road to your brother’s villa seems pretty close from here, doesn’t it?” The tone on the other end of the line was light, but to Xiao Fang, it was a huge threat. How could he let the protagonist suffer? In the end, he would be the one to suffer! Ahhh! This was too hard! He was at the very bottom of the food chain here!
“President Fei, please feel free to send someone over! Your concern moves me beyond words, my heart is surging, it’s earth-shattering, I’m weeping—” Click! The call was abruptly ended.
His nose still smelled the fragrant and spicy barbecue skewers, but they no longer belonged to him…
***
“Brother Xiao, you don’t look like you’re in a good mood. Did some blind bastard piss you off?” Assistant Xiao Ma kindly offered his meal ticket a bottle of drink. They were now on their way to Lin City to prepare for the next drama, but his little ancestor had been looking glum ever since they got in the car.
“You,” Xiao Fang shot Xiao Ma a look.
“Yes, sir!” Xiao Ma immediately responded. This feeling… why was it so similar to how he served Fei Xiangnan? So damn sycophantic. Was he that much of a bootlicker too?
“Do you like grilled skewers?”
Xiao Ma didn’t react for a long time. Why was the young master asking him this?
“Oh, oh, I like them.” Seeing Xiao Fang’s face grow darker, he quickly replied. He didn’t mind. He was from a common background, so how could he reject such a delicacy as barbecue?
Xiao Fang sighed and placed the packed barbecue and beer on the table. “Eat up. Filming doesn’t start until tomorrow anyway. A little drink won’t hurt.”
Xiao Ma was so shocked he almost jumped up. Was this the same young master who used to curse at him at the drop of a hat? He actually bought him barbecue?
“Brother Xiao, this…”
“I’m not feeling well, and I’m worried it’ll affect my acting tomorrow, so I left it. You don’t like it?” Xiao Fang had never had an assistant before. Every time he acted, his agent would just notify him by phone. In his mind, assistants, like those A-list actors, had to be supported with money.
“No, no.” Xiao Ma finally came to his senses. He hadn’t eaten dinner while packing, so this was a free meal he couldn’t refuse. He absolutely couldn’t waste such a good opportunity.
He opened the bag. The food was still warm, and the fragrant aroma made his mouth water. He picked up a skewer of pork belly and took a bite. “Mmm, so delicious. Brother Xiao, where did you buy this? I want to buy some later.”
“Ah, just on the commercial street.” Xiao Fang’s eyes kept glancing at the skewers in the bag. A bite of meat and a sip of beer… it looked so satisfying. Xiao Fang resisted the urge to swallow and turned his gaze to the window. He wasn’t envious at all, really!
Should he let Fei Xiangnan know he was leaving? After all, he was his husband in name.
Xiao Fang thought for a moment, took out his phone, and sent a text message to the number he had just saved: President Fei, I’m heading to Lin City for filming. The same principle applies: I’m at your beck and call. If you have any instructions, please let me know. Good night, President Fei.
After sending the message, Xiao Fang put down his phone and let out a breath. A strange world. The reason he could accept it so quickly was because he had been an orphan in his previous world, with no one to care about. He was also deeply closeted, and marrying a man had always been his heart’s desire. He didn’t want to hold any girl back. This time, although he didn’t marry the person he admired, this world had clearly told him:
You can love freely, you have a family, and you have enough ability to continue pursuing the career you love. This was wonderful.
Xiao Fang closed his eyes and feigned sleep. He didn’t expect Fei Xiangnan to reply to his message. After all, his only value to Fei Xiangnan was not himself, but the child in his belly.
Xiao Ma finished the last sip of beer and let out a satisfied burp. He looked out the window; they were almost there.
“Brother Xiao, Brother Xiao, we’re almost there,” Xiao Ma called out tentatively twice.
Xiao Fang slowly opened his eyes. “Oh.” He sat up straight, saw the trash on the table, and subconsciously and skillfully cleaned it up, throwing it into the trash can.
“Brother Xiao, Brother Xiao, how can I let you do that?” Xiao Ma was so shocked he half-sat up, but Xiao Fang had already cleaned everything up.
“What’s the big deal? You’re just getting paid a salary, you’re not a servant,” Xiao Fang said. This time, Xiao Ma was truly stunned.
“Brother Xiao, I feel like you’re a little different from before, hehe,” Xiao Ma said sincerely. He was a simple person and didn’t hold grudges. If something was good, it was good, and he couldn’t help but say it out loud.
Xiao Fang chuckled but didn’t reply. Suddenly, his phone vibrated. Xiao Fang took it out. The notification screen showed a reply from Fei Xiangnan. It was very simple, just the word “Mm.”
“Brother Xiao, did something good happen? You’re smiling so happily.” Xiao Ma looked at the smiling Xiao Fang opposite him. He had never seen Xiao Fang in such a good mood. Before, he was always in a bad temper.
Xiao Fang was taken aback by his reminder, then shook his head. “It’s nothing. We’re here. Let’s get out.”
The RV stopped in front of a hotel. Xiao Fang got out first, leaving a stunned Xiao Ma behind. Rich people were really strange.