Chapter 85 – Happy New Year On the Verge of Snapping

As the main character of this incident, Xiao Fang was completely oblivious. He was struggling with a certain technique for one of the dishes and pulled Que Jiang into the kitchen with him.

Now forced to watch TV with Fei Xiangnan, Xiao Ma thought to himself: …Why don’t I have the skill of cooking?!

“Have a seat,” the devil began to speak.

Of course he had to sit. The entire residential complex belonged to him, how could he not?

Xiao Ma sat down with a fake smile in the spot farthest from Fei Xiangnan, his feet together, looking as prim as a schoolboy in class.

“Why are you sitting so far away? It’s hard to chat. Xiao Fang’s friends are my friends. There’s no need to be so formal.” Fei Xiangnan sounded very polite, if one ignored the barely concealed gritting of his teeth.

Xiao Ma shook his head, his face a clear expression of refusal.

“So you’re looking down on me?” Fei Xiangnan continued to apply pressure. Although his aura was intense, his voice was low enough not to be noticed by Xiao Fang in the kitchen, sounding just like a normal conversation. President Fei was truly skilled at this.

Could he dare to look down on him? With a heart full of fear, Xiao Ma moved over, his spirit crushed. When you’re under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head. Coming here so rashly today was his second mistake.

“Don’t be nervous. Here, get Nuomici to exercise a bit.” Fei Xiangnan handed Xiao Ma the cat teaser with an amiable expression, but inwardly, he looked ready to eat someone alive.

“Okay,” Xiao Ma took it, seemingly happy but actually in despair, and obediently began to play with Nuomici. He didn’t hear a single word of the program on the TV. Fortunately, the adorable Nuomici eased his inner misery and gave him a small glimmer of hope for survival.

“So your parents went on a trip,” Fei Xiangnan asked “kindly,” holding the sleeping Da Bao.

Xiao Ma wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, swallowed hard, and replied, “Yes.”

“Then is there enough food at home? Do you want to stay a few more days?” Fei Xiangnan continued his “kind” questioning.

Could he possibly stay?! “No, no, no, I still have a few boxes of instant noodles at home. You don’t know, President Fei, but I absolutely love instant noodles. I can’t go a day without them!”

“That’s for the best.” The viper retracted its fangs, and even the high pressure eased considerably.

“Next time something like this happens, just give me a call. Coming here is such a waste of time. I can just order you a globally limited edition New Year’s Eve dinner. No need to run around, isn’t that a hassle?” Fei Xiangnan offered a friendly suggestion. Even if Xiao Ma were an idiot, he would have understood the meaning. His arrival had likely disrupted some plan of President Fei’s, which was why he was being so “kindly” reminded.

“Yes, yes, President Fei is right. Running around is quite a hassle,” Xiao Ma said, his hand holding the cat teaser trembling slightly.

Not far away, Que Jiang, who had finished teaching Xiao Fang how to cook, couldn’t just stand by and watch any longer. If he kept watching, Ma Rui would probably cry.

“Young Master Xiao, that’s roughly how it’s done. You can handle it yourself. I’m going to talk to President Fei about something,” Que Jiang said after washing his hands.

Xiao Fang nodded. He wanted to cook the entire New Year’s Eve dinner himself anyway, to make it more meaningful.

So, Que Jiang quickly walked over to the sofa and said, seemingly casually, “Young Master Xiao needs you to chop vegetables. Go on.”

Xiao Ma felt as if he had been saved. His butt immediately left the sofa, and he ran over.

“Boss, don’t scare him. He’s timid,” Que Jiang said as he sat down. He took the cat teaser from Xiao Ma and waved it effortlessly. When Nuomici leaped into the air, he nimbly and swiftly caught the cat, holding him in his arms and stroking his fur with a skill beyond that of an ordinary person.

Startled and then quickly soothed, Nuomici thought: Meow? So comfy!

Fei Xiangnan immediately detected the dissatisfaction in Que Jiang’s tone and snorted irritably. “I’ve been teaching you for half a year. How have you still not won him over? And you even came over here to disrupt my plans.” As for the content of his plans, Fei Xiangnan was not willing to disclose it.

Que Jiang sighed helplessly. How could it be the same? “Boss, there’s a qualitative difference in our pursuits. Xiao Fang is gay; you just had to pursue him,”—though most of it was because Xiao Fang pitied you, Que Jiang thought to himself—”I need to turn him gay, then pursue him.” And turning someone gay was far more difficult than just pursuing them.

Fei Xiangnan nodded and asked, “So, is he bent yet?”

“I think he’s about to snap,” Que Jiang said honestly, yet miserably.

…

Fei Xiangnan’s anger mostly subsided. Thinking about Que Jiang’s tragic situation, he suddenly felt that his own life was quite good. Indeed, in this world, there is no harm without comparison.

Fei Xiangnan patted Que Jiang’s shoulder with great understanding. “Work hard. You can do it too.”

It wasn’t Que Jiang’s imagination; he could clearly feel that the boss’s mood had improved more than just a little. He boldly guessed that the source of this happiness might be him.

***

Over on Xiao Fang’s side, Xiao Ma had become very energetic since joining him. He chopped vegetables smoothly and without delay.

From Xiao Fang’s perspective, he was much better than Fei Xiangnan. He would make a decent little kitchen assistant.

“Brother Xiao, aren’t you and President Fei being a bit too obvious? A bunch of shipping fans have appeared on Weibo. If this trend continues… it might not be good.” He knew that the entertainment industry was most wary of these ships and solid proofs. After all, shipping fans didn’t represent the majority, and there were many other types of fans. If this were to be made public, things could get ugly.

“Sigh, that’s what he wants.”

“Huh?” Xiao Ma was surprised. Was the domineering CEO about to say something like, “You don’t need to work, you just need to spend money”?

Xiao Fang saw the drama playing out in Xiao Ma’s eyes and knew he was overthinking. “Don’t overthink it. Actually, Xiangnan’s idea is, uh, to let the fans get used to our relationship. So when it’s confirmed in the future, it won’t be so hard for them to accept. They might even sigh and say, ‘Well, at least the actor I like isn’t with someone else.’ Something like that,” Xiao Fang roughly analyzed his old husband’s psychological process.

What else could Xiao Ma say? He could only admire President Fei’s brilliant methods. To pursue someone and manage to win over all their fans at the same time.

“Sigh, let’s not talk about this. First, tell me, you and Que Jiang, hmm?” Xiao Fang asked with a mischievous grin.

Xiao Ma looked speechless. “Brother Xiao, you’re no different from a gossiping aunt cracking melon seeds right now.”

If Xiao Fang weren’t stir-frying, he would have already used his claws. “Hmph, so you’re secretly together?”

“No, I’m going to marry a girl,” Xiao Ma shook his head firmly, the light of a straight man radiating from his head. At this, Xiao Fang could only lament Que Jiang’s incompetence. After half a year of effort, his target was still straight?

“Really no feelings at all? He came to your place to make dumplings last time, and this time he’s spending the New Year with you here.” Xiao Fang ruthlessly exposed the little schemes between Xiao Ma and Que Jiang.

Xiao Ma put on the expression of a maiden who had been abducted. “He forced me! I agreed out of pure humanitarianism!”

“Even though you knew all his actions were to pursue you?”

Xiao Ma stuck out his neck tsunderely. “I told him long ago I’m not interested in men. He’s doing it voluntarily! And I’ve repaid him every time. For example, I provided the ingredients for the dumplings last time. Don’t be fooled by his ‘able to endure hardship’ appearance; he’s more high-maintenance than anyone. The filling had to be Kobe beef. Don’t you think that’s outrageous?!” Xiao Ma got angry just thinking about it!

“And you agreed?” Xiao Fang asked like an experienced elder.

Xiao Ma coughed and continued chopping vegetables, his silence indicating that the matter was settled.

Sigh, how clumsy could one be? Xiao Fang, who was lamenting this, was completely unaware of how foolish he himself had been at the time.

The group had a lively New Year’s Eve dinner together. Thanks to Que Jiang’s tragic situation, President Fei was in a cheerful mood and ate two bowls of rice. He then found various angles to casually praise Xiao Fang’s cooking, which was very cunning. Of course, the way Xiao Fang looked when he was praised also made President Fei’s heart flutter.

After dinner, they all sat on the sofa watching the Spring Festival Gala. The predictably boring gala was lively enough to keep them entertained until midnight. Lang Lang fell asleep at eight o’clock, and then the four of them, accompanied by the sound of the gala, teamed up to play games.

Fei Xiangnan naturally took the marksman position, leaving Xiao Fang to be miserably tied to him, dutifully playing support. Whenever his thoughts drifted to the mid laner or top laner roles…

“Do you want your old husband to be supported by a stranger? By a stranger?”

Alright, he got it!

Que Jiang took the jungler role, and the last mid laner spot was left for the sneaky Xiao Ma. The four of them played with an exceptionally high win rate. This was, of course, thanks to President Fei, whose desire to win was at its peak.

The first time Fei Xiangnan’s marksman was killed by the opposing top laner…

Xiao Fang: “It’s okay, it’s okay. Marksmen are squishy. I’ll protect you well.”

President Fei raised an eyebrow: Oh?

And so, in that match, the opponent’s entire jungle became Fei Xiangnan’s personal buffet. He used the most disgusting, unpredictable movements to mentally shatter the enemy jungler.

Opposing Jungler: Can the enemy marksman leave some for me?

Fei Xiangnan: It’s not illegal to steal based on skill, is it?

Opposing Jungler: …Mentally shattered.

Of course, that wasn’t Fei Xiangnan’s ultimate goal. In the last ten minutes of the game…

Opposing Top Laner: Dad, I was wrong! Dad, stop hitting me! Leave me with my last shred of dignity!

Fei Xiangnan: Hmph, naive!

In Xiao Fang’s words, the moment you crushed Fei Xiangnan’s pride, you could forget about him leaving you any face. The thought process of a villain was just that direct and violent!

Finally, as the clock struck midnight, the group welcomed the new year amidst a fifteen-game winning streak.

So this is what it feels like to be carried to victory! A fifteen-game winning streak, no less!

But besides that, Xiao Fang was more emotional about his experiences this past year. Perhaps what heaven had given him wasn’t a mistake, but a chance at rebirth. It gave him a love that didn’t need to be hidden or endured. Although his partner was sometimes stubborn and willful, he truly loved him. And he had his own child, and a cat. It was simply too perfect!

After giving two red envelopes to Xiao Ma and Que Jiang, they left. Xiao Fang and Fei Xiangnan washed up and lay back in bed. Xiao Fang snuggled into Fei Xiangnan’s arms and sincerely said, “Happy New Year.”

Fei Xiangnan lowered his head and gently kissed Xiao Fang’s face, then hugged him and said with a joyful heart, “Happy New Year, baby.”

Xiao Fang contentedly nuzzled against Fei Xiangnan’s chest. He suddenly thought of how hard Fei Xiangnan was trying to sell their couple persona and felt a little like crying. He knew Fei Xiangnan had always wanted to make their relationship public but had been holding back for the sake of his career. They probably couldn’t even have a wedding banquet.

“Wait for me for two more years. In two years, we’ll get married openly and honestly!” In response to his perseverance, Xiao Fang firmly made his own promise. He couldn’t keep dithering about the future. His life was now completely intertwined with Fei Xiangnan’s, and he couldn’t let him wait endlessly. He had to make choices and decisions.

Fei Xiangnan gently stroked Xiao Fang’s head, not making any excessive demands. He only said, “I’ll wait for you.”

Even if two years wasn’t enough, a lifetime would be fine. He had already decided to spend his entire life with this person. What were two years? As long as he was doing what made him happy.

With such a happy occasion as New Year’s Eve, Xiao Fang naturally couldn’t sleep. And when he couldn’t sleep, he could only think. Lying next to Fei Xiangnan, Xiao Fang began to bring up ways to completely suppress the restlessness of the Fei family members, so that their family could have a peaceful year ahead.

The moment Fei Xiangnan heard this, he knew whose idea it was. He knew Xiao Fang; he wouldn’t act unless he was forced to. “Heyu taught you?”

Seeing no unusual emotion on his old husband’s face, Xiao Fang boldly confessed.

“Hmph!” Not ten seconds after his confession, he was met with a snort from his old husband. Alright, he was definitely going to take this personally.

But jealousy was one thing; Fei Xiangnan didn’t dawdle on matters like this. After all, Xiao Fang had finally made up his mind. How could he miss this perfect opportunity?

“I have some leverage. Some of it is not easy to talk about, but it’s more than enough to threaten people. I’ll give you some of the less serious stuff, but it’s still more than enough for blackmail. There’s no need to do much about Great-Aunt’s side. Let’s just focus on my little uncle’s family.” Fei Xiangnan was like a human secret machine; knowing other people’s leverage seemed as simple as drinking a glass of water.

Xiao Fang’s eyes lit up with gossip as he leaned in. The light grew brighter and brighter, until it reached an uncontrollable level.

At the Fei family’s old residence, the couple who were preparing to rest had been sleeping in separate beds because of the previous incident. This time, because it was New Year’s Eve, they had to sleep together. Fortunately, the bed was large enough for them to sleep on opposite sides without bothering each other. Zhang Yuliu certainly didn’t want to argue, but that incident had angered Fei Tao enough. Although she was angry that Fei Tao had kept the true nature of the Fei family from her, this matter was undeniably her fault. Now that Fei Tao was angry, she could only endure it.

She had just finished her face mask and was about to go to sleep when her phone vibrated. The sender was actually Xiao Fang. She opened it with some surprise, and her expression gradually changed.

Xiao Fang: Auntie, Happy New Year. I wish you and Mr. Zhang a happy and prosperous new year. By the way, I also wish for the green pasture on Uncle’s head to double in size next year. (smile) #ImageAttached#

The photo below was a bit blurry, but her and her lover’s faces were still clearly visible. They were holding hands and going into a hotel. The meaning was very clear. Zhang Yuliu almost lost control on the spot. If this were to be exposed, and she didn’t have a child, her position as a Fei family daughter-in-law would definitely be lost!

Zhang Yuliu glanced nervously at her husband, pretending to lie down, but she was actually drenched in sweat. She immediately sent a message back: What do you want?!

Xiao Fang replied quickly: Last year, Auntie was overly concerned with my words, actions, private life, and my family. This year, I hope Auntie can just live her own life well. When we meet, speak nicely. That way, we can all still be good relatives. (smile)

The color completely drained from Zhang Yuliu’s face. But what could she do? Things had already come to this. She never thought this would be discovered. She couldn’t curse him out; the knife was already at her throat. All her blustering was useless.

She hastily typed a line: Okay, okay, I promise. Don’t tell anyone about this.

There was no dawdling, no nonsense. It seemed the principle of “striking a snake at its vital point” was truly timeless. Rather than teaching her how to be a better person, it was better to just let her grovel. After all, not everyone could become a decent person in the end.

Immediately after, Fei Tao received the same message. Now, this couple probably wouldn’t be able to stir up any trouble for a while.

Xiao Fang was satisfied with how he had handled the matter, but he was still amazed by the gossip. “I can’t believe Fei Tao went to such lengths to get that overseas partnership just to buy a manor abroad for his mistress. Tsk tsk tsk, what a high price. And he even misappropriated company funds to make the down payment on the manor. If Grandpa found out, he would beat him to death.” Xiao Fang was full of awe for this kind of wealthy family gossip. With just a bag of melon seeds, he could chat about it until dawn.

Fei Xiangnan was already used to this sort of thing. After all, he had even more explosive secrets. But he didn’t plan on revealing them. If he did, Xiao Fang really wouldn’t sleep all night.

“Alright, let’s sleep for now. We can go to Grandpa’s house tomorrow to see the results.” The good show could wait until tomorrow. Xiao Fang thought so too, and with a sense of anticipation, he fell asleep in Fei Xiangnan’s arms.

The next morning, the family got ready to leave. Xiao Fang, full of energy, held Da Bao and set off for the old residence. This was a complete contrast to his previous reluctance, giving off a vibe of a serf who had overthrown his master.

When they arrived at the Fei Family Old Residence, the butler politely welcomed them in. The house had a bit more of a festive atmosphere than usual. Although there were no couplets or lanterns, the fruits and nuts on the coffee table and the Spring Festival Gala playing on a loop on the TV gave the home a touch of warmth.

Old Master Fei had just seen his grandson and grandson’s wife arrive and hadn’t even spoken yet when his troublemaking daughter-in-law actually went up to greet them first. She didn’t dare to hold Da Bao, but she eagerly took the gifts from Fei Xiangnan’s hands and personally gave them to the nanny, her words as sweet as honey. This greatly surprised Liu Qian and Fei Yishan who were present. Was this still the scheming, innocent-looking but malicious Zhang Yuliu? Why was she now acting as simple-minded as the village chief’s foolish daughter-in-law?!

“Come, Fangfang and Xiangnan, you must be tired from the road. Sit down quickly. Auntie has a box of Junshan Silver Needle Tea that a friend gave me. It tastes especially good. I’ve been waiting for you to come and taste it with Dad. Wait a moment, I’ll go get it. Oh, and there are liqueur chocolates on the table. Fangfang, you young people should like them, right? Auntie specially saved them for you.” Zhang Yuliu wore a simple and lovely smile. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was such a gentle aunt.

As an actor, how could Xiao Fang not keep up with the act his aunt was putting on? He smiled and said his thanks, feeling incredibly smug inside. It turned out that watching Zhang Yuliu get thwarted felt so good. He wasn’t going to be polite either. With leverage, of course he had to be a little unrestrained.

“Thank you, Auntie. You’re so virtuous. Auntie, are there any of those cherries from last time? I thought they were delicious.” Cherries? Of course there weren’t any. Xiao Fang had deliberately glanced at the fruits on the coffee table before asking. It wasn’t the custom to stock up on food in the main residence, and Old Master Fei only liked to eat fresh food every day. The refrigerator generally didn’t store fresh fruit, and the nanny was currently cooking and didn’t have time.

Zhang Yuliu’s brow twitched. She resisted the urge to flip out and said in a very understanding tone, “We’re out for now, but Fangfang, you rarely come home. Wait a moment for Auntie. I’ll go buy some for you after I make the tea. It’s not far anyway. I’ve gained some weight recently, so it’s a good chance to get some exercise.”

Old Master Fei was completely bewildered. Was this still the daughter-in-law he disliked?

“Honey, you just focus on making the tea. I’ll drive over; it’ll be quick. Xiao Fang just finished his postpartum confinement. If he wants to eat something, just say so. If your aunt doesn’t have time, your uncle definitely does.” Fei Tao still looked sleepy, but he had to come down. After all, if Xiao Fang’s mouth wasn’t sealed, the Old Master would surely beat him half to death.

Following that, Fei Tao took out four rather hefty-looking red envelopes from his pocket and gave them to Fei Yishan, Fei Xiangnan, Xiao Fang, and his grandnephew, respectively. Da Bao’s was even thicker.

“Here, a little something from your uncle. Don’t refuse!” Fei Tao smiled lovingly. Apart from the oblivious Da Bao, the others weren’t pretentious either. Fei Yishan, who had received preferential treatment, said thank you and pocketed the red envelope, which contained about twenty thousand yuan. Xiao Fang smiled even more brightly and stuffed all three red envelopes into Da Bao’s stroller.

The hand Old Master Fei was holding his teacup with couldn’t help but tremble. What was going on? Was he getting old and couldn’t understand things anymore? His son was actually down two hours before lunch on his day off and offering to buy food for his nephew’s spouse? And giving out red envelopes? Weren’t they just targeting him a while ago?

When his wife was having fun, how could the old husband not participate? Fei Xiangnan naturally joined in on the fun. “Green, the green one.”

Hearing this color, both husband and wife tensed up. Green? It couldn’t be the green they were thinking of, right?!!

Seeing that he had successfully scared the couple, Fei Xiangnan smiled inwardly with pleasure and continued, “That green cake from last time tasted pretty good. Does Auntie know where to buy it?”

How could she not know? A thousand and one impulses to flip out and retaliate were defeated by the simple word “green.” Zhang Yuliu forced herself to maintain a polite facade and said, “You mean the matcha mousse. Auntie knows. I’ll buy it all for you. It’s the New Year, be happy!” Zhang Yuliu almost ground her teeth to dust.

“And, and, that imported grape from last time was so delicious!” Xiao Fang wasn’t done yet. Besides, he really did want to eat that grape.

Fei Tao was, after all, Old Master Fei’s most beloved son, and his patience was not as great as Zhang Yuliu’s. Although he didn’t dare to say it directly, a hint of sarcasm still slipped out. “Xiao Fang, it’s almost noon. You shouldn’t eat so much before a meal.”

Oh ho, he’s talking back? Xiao Fang, newly intoxicated with power, looked straight at Fei Tao without any fear. “Uncle, you can buy it now, and we can eat it in the afternoon. I heard that grape is grown in a famous manor. Don’t you want to try some, Uncle?” Xiao Fang said with a smile, emphasizing the word “manor.”

Fei Tao was furious, but he put on an even better act. “Xiao Fang has a point. Then Uncle will go buy it now. It’ll be quick. Is there anything else you want me to bring?”

Anything else? It’s better to share the joy. Xiao Fang passed this precious opportunity to their temporary revolutionary ally, Fei Yishan. “Yishan, is there anything you want to eat?”

Fei Yishan, with his boyish nature, wasn’t one to beat around the bush. He spoke his mind directly. “Well, Uncle, can you get me some sugar-fried chestnuts? I’ve been craving them lately.”

Fei Tao almost cursed out loud. Sugar-fried chestnuts! Where in their upscale residential area would they sell sugar-fried chestnuts? To buy them, he would have to go to the commercial street. It was New Year’s Day, and with a half-hour drive, the round trip would be an hour. And he hadn’t even woken up yet!

“Then let’s do that. Sorry to trouble you, Uncle,” Xiao Fang said with a smile, wrapping things up since no one else seemed to want anything.

Fei Tao tried hard, very hard, to raise his eyebrows and make himself look very happy. “We’re all family. What’s the trouble? Right, Xiao Fang, Xiangnan.”

Xiao Fang held his son and nodded with wicked delight. Fei Xiangnan turned his face to the side, looking like he was trying to hold back a laugh. Fei Tao was almost angered to death by this, but with his leverage in someone else’s hands, he was destined to be a step below.

Liu Qian and Old Master Fei, who had been watching the whole spectacle in a daze, thought: What’s with this harmonious, even pink-bubble-filled family atmosphere? Is this their Fei family?

Fei Tao walked out with a blissful smile on his face, his hair not even styled. Zhang Yuliu was also beaming with happiness as she made tea. The other family, although not saying much, was no longer making things difficult. This was a rare moment of peace. Old Master Fei thought uncertainly, could it be that they had actually reconciled long ago?

Xiao Fang looked at his thoughtful grandfather. If the old man, who had been shrewd his whole life, figured something out, it wouldn’t be good. After all, he was enjoying client benefits and had to protect client privacy. Otherwise, the final benefits might be taken back with interest.

“Grandpa, hold Lang Lang. He’s gotten heavier again.” Xiao Fang handed the baby over. The moment Old Master Fei held his great-grandson, all other thoughts vanished. This great-grandson was so well-behaved; he wouldn’t cry no matter who held him. His big, dark eyes looked at people in a way that was particularly endearing.

Trapped in the irresistible cuteness of his great-grandson, Old Master Fei stopped thinking about these miscellaneous things and obediently waited for the meal to start. The remaining two miserable cheating individuals could only obey and maintain their lives as they were.