Chapter 2 – Fei Xiangnan

“Before five this afternoon. I shouldn’t have to wait for you, should I?” Fei Xiangnan parked the car at the entrance of Xiao Fang’s residential community, giving him a look. Xiao Fang immediately got the message.

“Absolutely not necessary, President Fei. Please, go about your business,” Xiao Fang said as he deftly unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. He stumbled upon exiting, but quickly regained his footing and hurried past the car toward his home.

Fei Xiangnan frowned, watching his clumsy movements. “Slow down. What if you fall?”

Xiao Fang turned back, somewhat touched. Could the villainous big brother have such a tender side?

“The child in your belly is a Fei.”

Heh, men!

Xiao Fang was now certain that Fei Xiangnan’s willingness to let him go had nothing to do with his earlier fast-talking and everything to do with the child in his belly.

“Alright, President Fei, I’ll be careful. I definitely won’t give you any reason to worry.” Xiao Fang replied sycophantically, then began walking “steadily,” step by step, toward his family’s villa.

Fei Xiangnan thought, What a simpleton.

Fei Xiangnan didn’t stay long. Once he saw Xiao Fang enter the house, he drove off. He wasn’t that obsessed with Xiao Qi; making a move was just something to do when he was bored. For him, Xiao Qi was probably just a memory of a pretty face, or perhaps he found it interesting that someone had resisted him for so long. But that persistence was shattered today. For him, the most important thing about marriage was having an heir. The reason he didn’t want to marry a woman was entirely due to his worry that she wouldn’t be strong enough to fend off the malevolent characters in his family.

This Xiao Fang today had really opened his eyes. He was thick-skinned enough and could think up some crooked ideas even when in danger. Plus, he was carrying his child. It was killing two birds with one stone. On the road, he recalled Xiao Fang’s fawning, mischievous look, and the corners of his mouth lifted for no reason. Keeping someone like that around might not be so bad.

After sorting out his thoughts, Fei Xiangnan felt as if he had relaxed a lot, like some heavy weight had suddenly been lifted from him. Driving past a cluster of high-rise buildings, he was greeted by the bright sunlight, which seemed to dispel the gloom inside the car in an instant.

When Xiao Fang got home, he saw his long-unseen “father.”

He was overweight, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed round glasses that gave him the air of a crooked merchant. He held a stack of newspapers, though he wasn’t actually reading them, as they were upside down.

“Dad, what brings you home today?” Xiao Fang asked calmly, though his heart was already pounding. Facing this strange yet familiar man, his son was about to marry another man behind his back. The thought was a bit too thrilling.

At the sound of his voice, Father Xiao’s gaze shot over like a sword. “You brat, don’t play dumb with me. You don’t know why I’m back?”

Huh? Did this dear father of mine plant a tracking device on me? “This… this…” Could it be that he already knew he had kidnapped his own half-brother?

“When did your brother get involved with Fei Xiangnan?” Father Xiao scolded in a low voice, his face extremely grim.

“Ah?” Xiao Fang’s heart, which had been in his throat, dropped back down. “Oh, you’re talking about that?” He almost thought he’d been found out.

“What else?” Father Xiao said irritably, then looked at Xiao Fang suspiciously. “Or do you have something else you’re hiding from me?”

Xiao Fang hadn’t expected to be so stupid as to dig a pit for himself. “That… uh, no.”

Father Xiao shot up, his beady eyes wide. “You brat, you!”

Startled, Xiao Fang, who was about to sit down, shot back up. “No, no, don’t overthink it!”

Father Xiao paid him no mind, rolling up the newspaper into a tube and whacking Xiao Fang on the head with it several times. “Did you spend your savings on another acting role? You prodigal son! You spend twice the money and don’t even earn back a fraction of it! With your crappy taste and acting skills, even my secretary at the company earns more than you!”

Father Xiao fumed. Xiao Fang was left speechless by his father’s fluent tirade. As expected, the only function of a minor cannon fodder villain was to deepen the protagonists’ relationship; there were no other added benefits.

To earn less than a regular company secretary from a leading role he’d bought… it was too embarrassing!

Fortunately, Xiao Fang had indeed just bought another leading role, so he had a ready-made excuse. He grabbed the newspaper as it was about to strike again and begged for mercy. “Dad, Dad, trust me one more time. If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll definitely come back to inherit the family business!”

As soon as he said it, a wave of satisfaction washed over him. He’d been longing to say that line for over twenty years.

Father Xiao looked at him gravely. Just as Xiao Fang thought something serious was happening, the newspaper came down on his head again without warning. “All you think about is your dad retiring, huh? Do you think I want you to be the president?”

“Isn’t that the case?” It couldn’t be this tragic, could it? What else did his brother need? Was he not going to get a single penny of the family fortune?!

“You’ll start from the bottom for me. Manager Wang happens to be short a male secretary!” Father Xiao said irritably.

“Huh?” The image of Manager Wang’s greasy face flashed through his mind. “Your son is only fit to be a secretary?”

“Hmph! Being a secretary is already pretty good. With your skills, if you were to haul bricks, people would complain that the bricks might get damaged!” his father retorted without reservation.

Xiao Fang’s heart took a critical hit. He really wasn’t a lovable little darling that everyone adored.

“I can’t be bothered to argue with you about this. It’s time you settled down. Don’t tell me you don’t know about this matter.” Father Xiao had something on his mind today, so he didn’t continue to dwell on it with Xiao Fang.

Xiao Fang sat down lazily on the sofa. “I know about it.”

“Hmph, you sure are carefree.” Father Xiao said resentfully. “You have no idea how big of a deal this is.”

“How big?” Even without him, wasn’t it just a love-hate drama between three men?

Father Xiao gave him a look of disappointment. How could he have such a stupid son!

“How many third-gender individuals are there in Sang City? The ones we know of are the Ruan Family’s Son and another who’s already married. The only one left is your brother. And your brother is such a famous actor, so precious. You could say that even without my support, there’s no family he’s not worthy of.”

Xiao Fang wholeheartedly agreed. As expected of a protagonist, his halo was powerful. But on the surface, he just snorted disdainfully.

“You, you… whoever your brother finds, I, as his father, won’t interfere too much. But Fei Xiangnan is not an option.”

“Why? He’s so rich?”

“What’s the use of being rich? Take a look at the Fei Family, a century-old foundation. How many of them are normal? And with your brother’s temper, he’d probably go in alive and come out in a coffin. Fei Xiangnan is obviously just interested in your brother’s looks. How could he possibly protect him? Our family would be in real trouble then. And your brother won’t listen to me. No matter how bad you are as an older brother, you’re closer to him than I am. You have to go and persuade him.” Father Xiao finally got to the point.

It seemed he was completely unwilling to let Xiao Qi marry into the Fei Family. Xiao Fang didn’t understand. Shouldn’t Father Xiao be happy? After all, latching onto such a powerful connection would be a great help to his future business.

“Dad, haven’t you always been about the money? No matter how ruthless Fei Xiangnan is, Xiao Qi is involved with him now. He definitely wouldn’t just stand by and watch him die. You’d have another source of business then.” What a great deal.

But looking at Father Xiao, his eyes were already red with anger. “No matter how much your dad loves money, I haven’t reached the point of trading my own family for it. It’s been so many years. At the end of the day, he’s your brother. Can’t you let it go?”

There was anger and fury in Father Xiao’s eyes, but also a hint of pleading.

Xiao Fang couldn’t say he could accept the protagonist right away, but everything had to start with a good beginning. “Dad, I have my own plans for this. You don’t need to worry.”

With the original owner’s temper, saying this much was already the biggest concession. A father wouldn’t cross his son’s bottom line; he knew when to stop. This was essential not just in business but in family relationships as well. Father Xiao’s expression softened slightly, and he let out a snort of approval.

Xiao Fang risked testing the waters further. “Then… what if I got involved with Fei Xiangnan?”

Father Xiao’s imposing aura seemed to vanish in an instant, his round, chubby face scrunching up. “Hahahaha, son, that’s the funniest joke I’ve heard all year.”

Xiao Fang: “…”

“Are you even my real dad? Is your son really that pathetic? Besides, I’m just saying what if. What if your son got involved with Fei Xiangnan, got pregnant with his child, and married him? What would you do?” Xiao Fang was furious.

Father Xiao suppressed his smile. “You want me to answer seriously?”

“Of course!” Your son has a new core now. I’m definitely not that pathetic anymore!

“I would sell all our family assets, take you and your brother, and run away to a place where Fei Xiangnan could never find us.” Father Xiao’s serious reply successfully dispelled any thought Xiao Fang had of telling him the truth.

“Dad, is it really that serious?” Xiao Fang asked tentatively.

“What do you think? Who in our business circle doesn’t know about Fei Xiangnan’s methods? And he’s involved in more than just business.” Father Xiao’s expression was extremely grave this time, and Xiao Fang knew his father wasn’t joking.

Xiao Fang scratched his head. “Got it. The set for my next drama is close to his. I’ll talk to him.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” Father Xiao said, a little unnaturally this time. “While you’re at it, ask your brother if he’s coming home for New Year’s dinner.”

If it were the usual Xiao Fang, he would have exploded in curses by now. After all, Xiao Qi was the most glaring evidence of his father’s affair. But this Xiao Fang didn’t see it that way. First, he had to protect his own skin in front of the protagonist. Second, there was his father. Although he had cheated, ever since he brought his brother back, there had been no more scandals. Even though their family was just nouveau riche, they were better off than many others. Countless relatives had advised his father to find someone new. At the time, his father was only in his late thirties, the prime of a man’s life, successful in his career. But his dad stubbornly refused, raising two children on his own. Whatever grudges existed were between him and Xiao Qi; they had nothing to do with this father who constantly worried about them.

“Got it.” This surprisingly agreeable response even astonished Father Xiao. He hadn’t expected Xiao Fang to agree to such a thing.

“You…” Father Xiao looked at him thoughtfully. “Did you buy more than one leading role?”

“No! Just one!” It was the first time Xiao Fang had been questioned so many times. In his previous world, although he was an unknown actor, his professionalism had earned him praise from many directors. Even if he didn’t get good roles, he never acted in terrible dramas. Some conscientious directors would always give him challenging roles. Thinking about it, if the movie he was acting in had been released, he might have really been able to escape his obscure status. He never expected something like this to happen.

“Dad, I’m twenty-three now. It’s time I grew up.” As Xiao Fang said this, wearing this face, he felt a little embarrassed. His delicate features no longer held a disdainful look, but a mix of seventy percent seriousness and thirty percent shyness. In that moment, Father Xiao suddenly wondered if his son had truly grown up.

“Then I’ll leave this to you. It’s time you reconciled with your brother. You’ve been fighting for over a decade. From now on, you two will have to support each other,” Father Xiao said, finally voicing the words that had been on his mind for years.

Xiao Fang nodded in agreement. However, this seemingly well-behaved eldest son appeared in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau five hours later.

Fortunately, Father Xiao had returned to the company after lunch; otherwise, he would have definitely been questioned on his way out. Since he was going to take a registration photo, Xiao Fang dressed a little more formally. He changed out of the flashy clothes the original Xiao Fang usually wore and put on a gray trench coat with a lapel collar—the only normal item in the original owner’s wardrobe. Underneath, he wore a dark sweater and casual pants, with a pair of black combat boots. With his hands in his pockets, the new outfit made Xiao Fang’s entire demeanor much more mature. Even his usually delicate features stood out in a crowd. Xiao Fang didn’t go inside, just lazily watched the endless stream of traffic, his light-colored eyes seemingly not reflecting anyone.

For a moment, even Fei Xiangnan, who had just arrived, barely recognized him. Was this the same cowardly Xiao Fang from this morning?

This time, he hadn’t brought anyone with him. To be honest, he was having trouble adjusting to this series of events. For instance, he had easily given up on Xiao Qi, who was just within his grasp. And Xiao Qi’s brother, whom he had never paid any mind, suddenly said he wanted to marry him, and was pregnant with his child to boot.

Speaking of that night, it was simply the most absurd thing that had ever happened in Fei Xiangnan’s life. He had just been annoyed by his family and went out to find someone to blow off some steam. He never expected to hit the jackpot by mistake.

This Xiao Fang… he might not be as simple as he had previously thought.

Xiao Fang spotted Fei Xiangnan from afar. Or rather, he sensed the powerful aura of a villain. From a great distance, he could hear gasps of admiration. Looking closely, he saw the big shot wearing a black woolen coat over a black suit, his hair combed perfectly straight, and his leather shoes polished to a shine. His entire being radiated a cold, “stay away” aura. He might as well have been holding a megaphone, announcing to the world, “I come from a world you dare not touch.”

Oh my god, I really wish I never had to know this person! Ahhh!

But fate always likes to play tricks on you. Less than thirty seconds after making his wish, Fei Xiangnan appeared in front of him. Xiao Fang could clearly feel the meaning in the eyes of the aunties nearby.

This young man must owe money to the mafia. How tragic.

Xiao Fang: That’s not it at all!!

“You… ahem, President Fei.” Xiao Fang swallowed. “Why are you dressed like that?”

Looking at Xiao Fang, whose aura had inexplicably turned cowardly again, Fei Xiangnan felt a wave of displeasure, and his tone soured. “I was taking care of some business.”

Taking… taking care of business?

Xiao Fang’s mind couldn’t help but go in a certain direction, and his reverence for Fei Xiangnan grew even stronger. “President Fei, you must be exhausted from being so busy every day.”

Fei Xiangnan’s narrow eyes glanced at him. Why did it always feel like this person was constantly flattering him? This was not like the unrestrained person from that night. As expected, he was a deep schemer.

And so, the two of them walked into the Civil Affairs Bureau, each with their own thoughts.

The gossiping aunties nearby: Is this young man going to offer himself to pay off his debt? How tragic. It’s clear that marrying a man like this won’t lead to a happy life.

Xiao Fang had only married Fei Xiangnan as a stopgap measure. But as he actually walked into the Civil Affairs Bureau, his slowly turning mind gradually realized something. He, who had never been married before, was suddenly… about to get married.

To a man he only knew from words on a page, with his child in his belly.

“Why aren’t you filling it out? Having second thoughts? Or are you worried you won’t be able to give birth in eight months?” Fei Xiangnan said sarcastically, watching him stare blankly at the pen.

“How could I?” Xiao Fang quickly forced a smile. “To be able to marry President Fei is truly my honor, my heart’s desire!” With that, he immediately started filling out the information without a hint of hesitation.

Why do I suddenly have the urge to kick this person? A light flashed in Fei Xiangnan’s eyes for a moment before dimming again.