Chapter 65 – Watching a Horror Movie
As the New Year approached, the three main actors of the “Dynasty” crew all posted on Weibo at the same time, causing quite a stir. The content of their posts all pointed to one thing: from today on, they would officially join the Thorn-Breaker Company.
If Xiao Fang and Wen An’an had joined alone, it might have sparked a lot of romance rumors. However, Zhang Hang’s inclusion turned this mysterious affair into a genuine story of brotherhood. Still, many fans fantasized about a poignant and convoluted love triangle. Because the plot was too melodramatic, it was widely scorned by fans, who enjoyed the bittersweet feeling while disdaining it. This kept Xiao Fang’s popularity from waning from last year to the beginning of this year. Some fans jokingly called Xiao Fang a “hot topic magnet.”
But only Xiao Fang knew that his biggest bombshell was still being held in his arms. If he released this one, it would definitely be more explosive than any other.
“Right, Da Bao?” Xiao Fang cooed at the little person in his arms.
Da Bao stared at his daddy with his big, grape-like eyes, chewing on his chubby little hand, and responded with an innocent “Awoo~”
“Awoo!” Xiao Fang had endless energy to coax his son every day. Da Bao loved playing this game with his daddy. Once they started, it wouldn’t end unless he fell asleep.
“Awoo~” The sound had to be louder than daddy’s!
“Awoo!” Xiao Fang raised his voice to tease his son. Da Bao, who had President Fei’s competitive genes, was determined to play the game with his daddy today. President Fei, who came in with dinner, looked at the father and son helplessly. So grown up, yet more childish than a child.
President Fei, having successfully transformed, had to demonstrate his wife-doting skills. First, he went to the small kitchen to carefully prepare his son’s milk formula, then he arranged the food on exquisite plates and walked toward the bed.
Just as Xiao Fang finished an “awoo,” an egg dumpling was unexpectedly stuffed into his mouth. The hand-chopped pork had more texture than machine-ground meat, with fragrant scallions and a delicious egg skin wrapper. It was much tastier than anything from outside. After tasting the delicious food, Xiao Fang lost interest in playing games with his son and devoted himself to the meal.
“Give me the spoon, I’ll eat myself!” Xiao Fang’s eyes lit up as he looked at the dishes. Fei Xiangnan placed the small table on the bed and arranged the bowls of food. The little foodie immediately forgot about his son and started stuffing food into his mouth.
President Fei, accustomed to this, picked up his son. Da Bao was a little confused about being held by a different father and let out a curious “awoo.”
President Fei calmly checked his son’s bottom first—no pee. Then he tucked in his little blanket and started feeding him milk. Third-gender individuals don’t produce milk, but the country’s technology was advanced enough to have developed a formula that was almost the same as, or even better than, ordinary breast milk. Many female mothers who lacked milk could also use it. It was 100% state-inspected and wouldn’t have any problems.
After getting his milk, Da Bao stopped “awooing” and started drinking very consciously. His little mouth chewed and chewed, looking very cute. Seeing him drink so eagerly, Fei Xiangnan slowed the tilt of the bottle and gently patted his son’s back to make him drink more slowly.
While doing all this, Fei Xiangnan was unknowingly being watched by Xiao Fang. Xiao Fang, chewing on an egg dumpling, looked at Fei Xiangnan with extreme satisfaction. He picked up an egg dumpling and placed it by Fei Xiangnan’s mouth.
“It’s delicious, you try it.” Seeing Xiao Fang’s radiant little expression, President Fei inwardly smirked. This little seducer, is he jealous of his son? He’s trying to get my attention at every moment!
President Fei calmly bit down on the surface. Three minutes later, his son, who had finished his milk, fell asleep contentedly in his daddy’s arms. After placing his son in the cradle, Fei Xiangnan immediately pounced.
Xiao Fang, who had just swallowed a mouthful of kelp soup, looked blankly at Fei Xiangnan who was kissing him. What did he do? Wasn’t he just eating? What was there to kiss about?
President Fei: Hmph, what a little seducer who’s constantly trying to entice me! And he’s not even aware of it!
That evening, a full and satisfied President Fei held a listless Xiao Fang and watched three retro romance films. This was something his assistant had taught him. As a brilliant and formidable villainous president, he wasn’t one to ignore popular opinion. His assistant said that watching romance films with one’s lover could help increase trust and sweetness between them. So, the humbly seeking President Fei got a recommendation of over a dozen romance films from his assistant: the sweet and sour campus set, the super sweet university set, and the bitter post-graduation set. There was something for everyone, a true luxury!
Just as President Fei was about to click on the fourth one, the little foodie grabbed his restless hand.
“Xiangnan, let’s… change the flavor.” Xiao Fang was afraid he would fall asleep and his old husband would blow a fuse.
“You don’t like this kind? Or do you think it’s not… sweet enough?” President Fei used a word he had just learned.
Xiao Fang forced a smile. “Eating too much sweet stuff gets cloying. Let’s… try a cup of coffee instead?”
Coffee? Under President Fei’s puzzled gaze, Xiao Fang clicked on his treasured collection, Revenge of the Female Ghost! Hehehe~
It was a dark and windy night. The bleak, cold wind outside sent shivers down one’s spine. Xiao Fang hugged a pillow from the sofa with one arm and clung tightly to Fei Xiangnan’s arm with the other, his heart pounding as he watched the movie begin.
Now, the atmosphere was perfect. President Fei was finally enjoying the feeling of his wife desperately seeking a sense of security from him. The way her small hands clung to him was unprecedented. However, President Fei, who had rarely watched horror movies, had some strange opinions about it.
When the female ghost under the bed slowly crawled out of the closet while the master was asleep, Xiao Fang nervously grabbed Fei Xiangnan’s hand and held his breath. It felt like his breathing had stopped. Suddenly, the female ghost grabbed the master’s leg.
Xiao Fang’s heart leaped into his throat. He didn’t dare to make a sound. Suddenly, Fei Xiangnan, beside him, curled his lips and smiled.
“Heh.”
Xiao Fang turned his head mechanically, his bewildered eyes filled with “What are you laughing at?”
The master’s screams and the female ghost’s strange laughter filled his ears, but none of it was as eerie as President Fei’s laugh, because Xiao Fang had no idea what was funny.
“Why did this female ghost grab the male lead’s foot first? Isn’t she afraid of being kicked back? Or did she get stronger after becoming a ghost? And she’s moving so slowly? This revenge is a bit weak.” Fei Xiangnan questioned, stroking his chin.
Xiao Fang stared blankly at the screen. “I think the male lead is scared enough,” The male protagonist in the film jumped out of the window with inhuman courage. Fortunately, he lived on the second floor of a duplex.
“Why run? I think the table lamp by the bed could give the female ghost a hard time. Why didn’t she bring anything with her when she came from under there? So confident?”
Xiao Fang was stunned. He felt no sense of horror anymore. His mind was filled with the image of President Fei lying in bed, casually picking up a table lamp and smashing the female ghost’s head in.
Truly, the very calm type.
“What you said makes me not feel scared at all,” Xiao Fang pouted and said softly.
President Fei playfully poked the small tuft of hair on Xiao Fang’s head and said understandingly, “No, you’ll be scared. Look.”
Xiao Fang turned to look at the screen. The male protagonist had escaped to the road when his phone suddenly rang. He subconsciously answered the call and heard his wife’s cries. He suddenly remembered that he had been sleeping in a separate room after arguing with her. Then, his wife’s cries disappeared. After a three-second pause, a terrifying music started, and the female ghost’s sharp laughter rang out from the phone. Xiao Fang was successfully drawn in and shrank into Fei Xiangnan’s arms in fear.
Sorry, boss, I was overthinking it!
Instantly-cowed Xiao Fang was just that straightforward!
“Buzz, buzz, buzz!” At that moment, the ringtone of Xiao Fang’s phone in his pocket suddenly went off, scaring him so much that he dropped his phone. It was truly embarrassing.
President Fei calmly picked up the phone.
Xiao Fang hugged President Fei’s waist and said nervously, “Is it the female ghost calling? Ahhhh!”
President Fei looked helplessly at his timid little wife, but this did get him a lot of benefits.
He opened the phone and immediately saw the caller ID. It was someone Fei Xiangnan didn’t expect, but also someone Fei Xiangnan despised. However, Fei Xiangnan wasn’t the type of domineering old husband who was unreasonable, so he still told Xiao Fang.
Pausing the movie, President Fei said coldly, “Your dad.”
Xiao Fang snapped out of his panic. The image of his somewhat selfish father, who yet cared about him in the grand scheme of things, came to mind. He also knew that this was a sore spot for Fei Xiangnan. He held President Fei’s hand, gave him a reassuring look, and took the phone.
“Hello, Dad,” Xiao Fang’s voice sounded very calm.
The voice on the other end sounded a bit tired. “You’ve given birth to the child now?” Father Xiao was guessing based on the timing.
“Yes.” Xiao Fang always had a lot to say when talking about his son, but it was a different story for those who didn’t welcome him. Xiao Fang didn’t even mention the baby’s gender.
“Xiao Fang, Dad is old and can’t take the turmoil anymore. When you were in trouble some time ago, Fei Xiangnan didn’t even lift a finger to help you. Do you really think he loves you? This kind of person’s love is so shallow. Today you gave birth to his child, and tomorrow he could abandon you.”
Xiao Fang and Fei Xiangnan were very close, and Fei Xiangnan could hear the voice from the phone clearly. After Father Xiao said this, Xiao Fang subconsciously looked at Fei Xiangnan.
No one else knew, but Xiao Fang knew that Fei Xiangnan was a person with very thin emotions. But he was just not happy to share; he would only leave his most ardent feelings for the person he wanted to give them to the most. In Xiao Fang’s eyes, such a person was more affectionate than anyone else.
Their eyes met. In Fei Xiangnan’s view, too many people had said he was a cold person. He had carried this label since he was a child and was long used to it. He wanted to give the light to the most important person. Through Xiao Fang’s eyes, he saw that the light he most wanted to give had been clearly conveyed. He gently placed a kiss on Xiao Fang’s forehead. His originally lost mood was instantly healed by Xiao Fang. The whole world could distrust him, but Xiao Fang couldn’t, and Xiao Fang wouldn’t.
“Dad, if you’re still trying to persuade me to break up, I won’t agree. We have our own ideas about everything. The important thing is that we still trust each other. I’m not going to childishly try to prove anything to you verbally anymore. He and I are different from others. If you’re calling about this, we have nothing to say, just like back at home. And,” Xiao Fang slowly closed his eyes, reopening a long-healed scar, “I won’t abandon my family and child like you easily abandoned Mom back then.”
This sentence directly blocked all of Father Xiao’s right to speak. Father Xiao’s lips trembled, but he couldn’t say another word of disagreement.
After a long time, a long sigh came from the other end of the phone. “You’re just being foolish right now.” Then he hung up.
Xiao Fang certainly knew that his father’s call had an element of reconciliation, but if it was on the premise of them separating, Xiao Fang would rather fight to the end. He believed that he would eventually succeed.
Seeing that his old husband’s face had lost its smile, Xiao Fang immediately hugged him, resting his head on Fei Xiangnan’s chest and saying in a muffled voice, “You’re very praiseworthy for not snatching my phone!”
In fact, with Fei Xiangnan’s temper, if not for Xiao Fang’s restraint, he would have wanted to settle the score with this father-in-law long ago. In the end, he vented his frustration on Xiao Qi instead.
Fei Xiangnan raised his hand and hugged Xiao Fang tightly, saying calmly, “I promised to give you enough freedom. There are many things you can handle independently.”
Xiao Fang revealed a pair of clear eyes and looked at Fei Xiangnan, saying sincerely, “You are very good.”
Fei Xiangnan’s breath hitched.
Xiao Fang comfortably breathed in Fei Xiangnan’s scent. “Although you’re sometimes fierce, don’t let me eat a lot of things, and are a bit brutal, you are the best in my eyes. I have never regretted my decision to be with you, never.”
Fei Xiangnan’s heart warmed, and he replied, “I have never regretted liking you either. I’m the one who got a great deal.”
Xiao Fang looked up, a faint smile on his face as he looked at Fei Xiangnan. “Xiangnan, why do you always like to say the opposite? You’re so rich, I’m the one who got a great deal by being with you, the kind that’s stuck on with super glue!”
“If I’m not willing, even industrial glue would break.” The meaning was, even if he were stuck on, it would have to be because he was willing.
Xiao Fang was directly amused. The domineering and mighty president could also joke, and a very fun kind at that.
Xiao Fang put aside his cowardice and boldly pinched Fei Xiangnan’s cheeks. “Aww, President Fei, why are you so cute~ You’re about to melt me.”
Cute, adorable?
The handsome President Fei did not like his little foodie calling him that. The next moment, he held Xiao Fang’s face in his hands and said very seriously, “That’s not the right word, change it.”
“The universe’s super invincible giant little cutie!”
“That’s not it either!”
“A big cutie even cuter than the universe’s super invincible giant little cutie!”
“…No.”
“Hahahahaha!”
President Fei felt that his little pampered wife was lacking discipline again!
***
Life slowly passed in these warm little daily routines. Just when Xiao Fang thought he would peacefully get through the entire postpartum confinement period, a phone call disrupted his daily plans. Xiao Fang was notified that he had been nominated for the annual Best Actor award!
Xiao Fang’s hands trembled as he held the phone, confirming with the staff over and over again. “Hello, are you sure there’s no mistake? I’m really nominated?”
This was something Xiao Fang had never dared to dream of before. After experiencing so much, he understood the weight of this award even more. He had only filmed this one drama, yet he was successfully nominated. It was simply unbelievable.
Xiao Fang’s demeanor was very unpretentious among the many stars. The notification staff in charge of this award also found it easy to chat with him. Hearing his surprised tone, he very politely congratulated him, “Xiao Fang, the achievements of this drama of yours are something we’ve all witnessed. Your performance has also been recognized by everyone. Even my own daughter is your die-hard fan. You deserve this nomination. The award ceremony is tomorrow night. We’ve already sent the invitation card to your assistant.”
Xiao Fang’s face flushed with excitement. He politely replied with a “thank you” and then rolled around on the bed in excitement, a great sense of accomplishment in his heart. When President Fei returned, he would have to praise him well! The kind with a head pat, hehe!