Chapter 48 A kiss on the forehead, it's Xingxing's birthday~...
A subtle woody scent enveloped the surrounding air.
The sudden hug made Lin Suxing stiffen. Li Xinian's body temperature and breath instantly enveloped him completely.
He let out a soft gasp, his cheeks flushed bright red, even his ears turned crimson, and his heart pounded so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.
But... that's strange.
After the initial panic subsided, he felt no discomfort or disgust. Li Xinian's embrace was firm and warm, and the familiar cool scent of cedar lingered around his nose, making him feel inexplicably at ease.
This feeling was exactly the same as the sense of security Li Xinian gave him when he took him away from the criticism of the crowd during that noisy banquet that night.
He wasn't the type of person who could dance freely in unfamiliar environments, especially with so many people scrutinizing and probing him.
It was as if, as long as this person was there, no unfamiliar environment or probing gaze was frightening.
Lin Suxing's tense body gradually relaxed. Instead of struggling, she instinctively stretched out her arms and gently wrapped them around Li Xinian's neck, burying herself deeper into that cherished embrace.
He pressed his burning cheek against the other person's neck, between their collarbone, where he could clearly feel the pulse beating, steady and strong.
His muffled voice, tinged with a hint of embarrassment, came through with unparalleled clarity:
"Of course I don't dislike it."
The fact that she was no longer as indifferent as she had been a few days ago, and that she had become close to him again, already made him happy. But this proactive hug seemed to add another layer of indescribable emotion to his already joyful mood.
Sensing the submissive, even dependent, response from the person in his arms, a hint of surprise flashed across Li Xinian's deep eyes, which then transformed into a deeper tenderness and an indescribable joy.
Otherwise, how could she be so docile as to be held in his arms, sitting on his lap, embracing him in such an intimate manner?
Perhaps at this moment, Lin Suxing is unaware of the connection between Niannian and Li Xinian, but whether Lin Suxing likes Niannian or Li Xinian, since they are both him, why should he be jealous of himself?
He tightened his arms around her, gently nuzzling his chin against Lin Suxing's soft hair, his voice low and sincere: "Suxing, I'm sorry. I was wrong before. I shouldn't have ignored you for no reason and made you sad."
He paused, his tone full of remorse, "It was my fault. You can punish me or blame me however you want, I accept it. I promise I will never do it again."
Hearing him say that, Lin Suxing's little bit of grievance vanished: "Do you know how unhappy I was the other day? If you dare to do that again, I really won't talk to you anymore. Humph."
"It's all my fault," Li Xi said softly, gently stroking the young man's thin back with his palm, offering a soothing touch.
Compared to when they first met, now that they are hugging, although they still can't see each other's faces, the feeling of touch is no different from a real hug.
Lin Suxing whined for a while longer, while Li Xinian listened quietly to his complaints, gently coaxing him from time to time.
His good attitude in admitting his mistake made it hard for him to dwell on the matter. Instead, in this safe and warm atmosphere, he felt a desire to confide in someone.
He remained nestled in Li Xinian's arms, offering no complaints. Instead, he seemed to recall something amusing yet somewhat helpless, and chuckled softly. However, his laughter carried a barely perceptible hoarseness.
“You may not know, but I was raised by my adoptive mother,” he began, his tone even trying to maintain a lightness, as if he were telling someone else’s story. “Three years ago, my adoptive mother fell ill. My family was already poor, so I had to drop out of school and work odd jobs everywhere. I suffered a lot of unfair treatment and was looked down upon by many people. At that time… I felt very insecure, and I felt empty all around me, with no one to accompany me.”
As he spoke, he even shrugged, but his eyes uncontrollably welled up with tears.
“Later, when I returned to the Lin family, I thought I finally had a home, a place to shelter from the wind and rain,” he continued in that deliberately lighthearted tone, but his speech unconsciously slowed down. “But my adoptive parents doted on Lin Ke more and looked down on me, saying I was ignorant and old-fashioned. I always felt like a guest staying nearby, having to consider everything I did, afraid of making mistakes, afraid of upsetting others…”
He sniffed, trying to suppress the sob, his lips still curving upwards, but that forced smile, coupled with his reddened eyes and slightly trembling voice, was more heart-wrenching than any direct tears.
“Sometimes I can’t sleep at night, and I really, really want to cry!” The laughter in his voice finally gave way, and his voice became visibly tearful, but he still tried to cover it up with a light tone. “And I did cry, yeah. It’s mainly because my adoptive mother passed away. I feel like I’m all alone in this world, and nobody really cares about me.”
He blinked rapidly, trying to force the dampness back.
Li Xinian listened quietly, watching him in his arms, clearly heartbroken but trying to be optimistic, using a smile to hide his wounds. His heart felt like it was being pierced by countless needles, the pain almost making it hard to breathe.
He knew perfectly well how much untold bitterness and forbearance lay hidden behind this seemingly lighthearted outpouring.
"Later..." A glimmer of genuine light finally appeared in Lin Suxing's voice. When he mentioned that name, his tone unconsciously became dependent. "I met you. I felt that no matter what, at least you would be with me. The connection between us was different from that of anyone else in the world. It was unique and would last even without our best efforts to maintain it. Thinking about it that way, it seemed... the days weren't so hard to bear."
At this point, he raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed and glistening with tears. His forced optimism finally crumbled completely, leaving only utter vulnerability and pleading. His voice trembled with a heavy, suppressed sob, like a kitten afraid of being abandoned again.
"Niannian... if I do something that makes you unhappy, can you just tell me directly?"
Lin Suxing hated the anxiety and insecurity she had felt a couple of days ago because of Nian Nian's changing attitude. Even now, thinking about it still made her chest ache: "Don't be like them... ignoring me, abandoning me, okay?"
His voice trembled violently, "I...I'm not actually that strong. If you don't care about me anymore, I'll be really heartbroken..."
Seeing his smiling face, which was more heartbreaking than crying, and listening to his tearful, almost broken plea, Li Xinian felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, causing him excruciating pain.
Without further hesitation, he lowered his head and gently placed a tender and precious kiss on Lin Suxing's smooth, slightly flushed forehead.
"No, I won't." His voice was deep and firm, carrying an undeniable promise, each word striking Lin Suxing's heart. "I will never leave you. Suxing, I promise."
***
At 10 a.m., an abandoned theater on the outskirts of the city.
Lin Ke's silver sports car braked suddenly, the tires screeching on the gravel road, and stopped outside the rusty iron gate of the theater.
He didn't get out of the car immediately, but instead loosened his collar in frustration, his gloomy gaze fixed on the abruptly bustling scene outside through the dark car window.
The open space in front of the theater was completely different from the desolate place he remembered, overgrown with weeds and piled with discarded building materials.
Several sets of massive professional lighting fixtures were set up, reflecting dazzling white light and enveloping the central area in a bright, almost stage-like light.
The generator emitted a low, continuous hum, which, mixed with the occasional commands from the staff, broke the usual deathly silence of this corner.
And at the very center of that artificial light was Lin Suxing.
He wore a plain white water robe, loosely covered by a dark blue opera robe. The robe was embroidered with cloud and crane patterns, and although the edges were worn and frayed, it made him seem even more story-telling.
The makeup artist was carefully adjusting his headband, slightly raising his eyebrows and eyes to add a touch of theatrical orthodoxy.
The young man wasn't wearing full makeup; he only had a thin layer of foundation on his face to outline his handsome features, and his eyebrows and eyes were outlined with light ink, making his eyes appear exceptionally deep.
"Okay, let's start now that the styling is done! Su Xing is going to celebrate her birthday today, so everyone hurry up~" The filming team was very grateful that Lin Su Xing did not ask them to postpone the filming because of her birthday, so they were naturally willing to cooperate with Lin Su Xing to finish quickly.
"Lights ready! Blower on!" "Camera ready..."
The young man stood in the center of the overgrown stage, facing the empty audience seats covered in cobwebs. He slightly raised his flowing sleeves. The dilapidated environment and his lonely figure complemented each other, and the sense of story immediately leaped out from the lens.
Without gongs or drums, without musical accompaniment, he simply sang, his voice echoing faintly in the empty ruins, distant and lonely.
The photographer and his assistants stood at a distance, holding their breath, with only the occasional click of the camera shutter breaking the silence.
"Great! Su Xing, that's the feeling!" The bearded photographer lowered his voice, excited. "Make your eyes a little more vacant, yes, imagine the music ending and everyone leaving, but you still want to finish the song... That's right, that's it, fantastic!"
All the staff surrounded Lin Suxing, treating him with warmth and attentiveness, as if he were the only and absolute core of the group.
Lin Ke's fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, and the leather creaked under the strain.
The fingernails dug deep into her palm, bringing a sharp pain, but it was nothing compared to the burning jealousy and resentment in Lin Ke's heart.
Why is Lin Suxing being surrounded by so many people, shooting a fashion magazine column that he's never done before...?
It must be Lin Siyi who found someone to provide Lin Suxing with resources. Otherwise, how could Lin Suxing, an obscure celebrity with fewer Weibo followers than him, be invited to shoot for a well-known magazine like Figaro one after another!
Lin Ke's eyes were bloodshot, and he slammed his fist into the dashboard!
Now, they're even going to take away his right to live in the Lin family's old house, and his right to stay in S City and in China?!
Just a few days ago, Lin Siyi had his housekeeper inform him to temporarily move to a long-abandoned villa in the suburbs, and that arrangements had already been made to send him abroad to "study" in a month!
What is this? Exile? Why can't he live here? Just because Lin Suxing and he don't get along?
Moreover, Lin Ke had already noticed that the servants in the house were planning some kind of banquet. After he made some ulterior motives, he learned that Lin Siyi and his mother Jiang Heyun were planning to hold a birthday banquet for Lin Suxing and invite all the guests!
This is probably why Lin Siyi insisted on him moving out; she was probably afraid that he would embarrass Lin Suxing at the banquet and delay their plan to make Lin Suxing famous!
Anger, like weeds doused with oil, instantly burned away Lin Ke's last shred of reason.
He slammed open the car door, his expensive leather shoes stomping heavily on the gravel floor, making a crunching sound, and charged straight into the blinding halo of light that he loathed so much. He shouted at the figure on the stage, "Quite the spectacle, Lin Suxing."
Lin Ke's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a knife chilled to the bone, carrying undisguised sarcasm, instantly shattering the focused yet slightly excited atmosphere.
All the staff stopped what they were doing and stared in astonishment at the unexpected guest who had suddenly barged in with a gloomy expression.
Lin Suxing's water sleeves slowly drooped down.
He turned around from the center of the stage, his eyes, which were outlined to be even deeper, appearing particularly calm under the bright light.
Upon seeing Lin Ke, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, followed by a slight frown. His tone was calm yet distant: "Lin Ke? What are you doing here?"
"How did I get here?" Lin Ke sneered, approaching step by step, her gaze like a sticky venomous snake, tightly coiling around Lin Suxing. "I'm here to congratulate you! You stole everything that originally belonged to me. Now, being the center of attention, it feels great, doesn't it?"
His voice gradually rose, filled with barely suppressed resentment, "Siyi-ge wants to kick me out of the house and send me abroad, isn't that because of your influence behind the scenes? Lin Suxing, what are you pretending to be so innocent and righteous for!"
Lin Suxing's face darkened, and the deliberately crafted sorrow and vulnerability of the character he was portraying faded away, replaced by a firmness and coldness: "Isn't this your own fault? If it weren't for your constant attempts to create conflict at home, disturbing the peace of the household and causing trouble for your brother and mother, why would they ask you to move out? I'm working here, please leave and don't disturb me."
"You mean I'm being exiled abroad because of my own fault? Ha!" Lin Ke's voice suddenly turned shrill, as if she had heard the funniest joke, carrying a kind of desperate madness. "Lin Suxing, don't push your luck! Let me tell you, if you don't go and talk to Brother Siyi and make him retract his order and allow me to come back..."
A twisted, extremely malicious smile spread across his face. He suddenly leaned close to Lin Suxing and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, spat out the most insidious threat, word by word:
“I’ll go to the slum where you used to live and dig up your adoptive mother’s grave! I’ll pry up her urn! I’ll make sure she can’t rest in peace even in death! Let’s see if you can still stay here dressed in bright colors and singing your melodramatic songs!”
Lin Suxing's suppressed anger was completely ignited at this moment, and the veins on his forehead throbbed faintly.
The young man's eyes suddenly turned cold, and his aura became sharp and terrifying.
He suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Lin Ke by the collar, his arm trembling slightly with extreme anger.
The young man's loose opera robe fluttered, and the force that burst forth in that instant almost lifted Lin Ke up!
Lin Suxing's adoptive mother is the softest, yet most untouchable, sore spot in her heart.
Lin Ke resented him. Although he didn't understand, he didn't care about her attitude. But if Lin Ke dared to harm his adoptive mother, Lin Suxing would never tolerate it, nor would he forgive her.
Lin Ke, however, remained calm and composed, and instead laughed: "You're getting impatient, Lin Suxing. You should know that I'm the kind of person who would do such a thing. You'd better think carefully about what you should and shouldn't do."
There were gasps of surprise at the scene, and the staff were stunned.
Just then, a cold, deep voice, carrying absolute pressure, casually rang out from the shadows of the Roman columns not far away, interrupting the confrontation between Lin Suxing and Lin Ke:
"Lin Ke, it seems you don't want to be sent abroad. Perhaps prison is your preferred destination, isn't it?"
Everyone looked in astonishment toward the sound.
Li Xinian had arrived at some point and was standing leisurely next to a weathered Roman column.
He wore a perfectly tailored, sharply defined iron-gray suit, his figure as upright as a pine tree, the sunlight outlining his imposing silhouette behind him.
He didn't even glance at Lin Ke, who seemed to be going crazy. He simply swept his gaze over with his deep, grey-blue eyes, which were like the surface of the sea before a storm.
That gaze, calm and undisturbed, made Lin Ke feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave. Her blood seemed to freeze at that moment, and even breathing became difficult.
Li Xinian's voice remained steady, carrying an air of casualness that determined the life and death of others, clearly reaching everyone's ears: "Take him away."
"Yes." The burly bodyguard immediately dragged Lin Ke away. Under Li Xinian's threat, Lin Ke's face had already turned ashen, and she dared not resist at all.
As a socialite at the banquet, Lin Ke knew that Li Xinian's words were by no means empty promises.
Li Xinian is the kind of person who is capable of doing such a thing. If he were to have murderous thoughts, I would not only be expelled from the country!
Why is Li Xinian here? Could it be... that he's here to see Lin Suxing? He helped Lin Suxing out of a difficult situation at the last banquet, and now he's showing up on her birthday... When did their relationship become so intimate?
Lin Ke felt as if her spine had been removed, and she was "invited" away from the scene by two bodyguards in black who appeared out of nowhere. Her disheveled figure was completely different from her aggressive demeanor when she arrived.
Almost the instant Lin Ke's figure disappeared, the sharp spikes that had risen around Lin Suxing in anger softened.
As if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders, his eyes suddenly lit up. He turned around and ran to Li Xinian, looking up at him with undisguised surprise and joy in his voice: "Why are you here so early? We agreed to meet at twelve o'clock, but it's only a little past eleven now! I'll have to trouble you to wait for me for a while."
As the handsome young man spoke, his painted doe eyes curved slightly, as if filled with stars. The wide sleeves of his dark blue theatrical robe swayed gently with his movements, brushing against Li Xinian's neatly pressed trousers.
Li Xinian looked down at him. The coldness and hostility he had shown when facing Lin Ke had vanished without a trace. His gray-blue eyes were now filled with gentleness and a hint of indulgence that was barely perceptible.
"Yeah, things at the company were handled faster than expected." He said casually, as if arriving early was a trivial matter. "You just focus on filming, don't worry about me. I'm going to the car to take care of some documents, I'll wait for you to finish."
His words were spoken so naturally, yet they made Lin Suxing feel as if a honey pot had been overturned, filling her heart with sweetness.
He couldn't help but recall that intimate embrace from a few days ago, where they exchanged breaths and warmth, and Nian Nian's voice was incredibly gentle as she soothed him softly after he cried until he fell asleep.
Thinking of this, Lin Suxing's ears quietly warmed up a little.
That hug, and the frank conversation that followed, completely cleared up the misunderstandings between them. Li Xinian apologized for his previous coldness and promised not to do it again.
What surprised Lin Suxing even more was that just yesterday, Li Xinian took the initiative to contact him and asked him what his plans were for his birthday besides the birthday banquet held at the Lin family home that evening, clearly indicating that he wanted to invite him.
Would you mind if I came with you?
Lin Suxing already felt a bit lonely, but she was too embarrassed to trouble her older brother, who had been busy with the banquet these past few days, to keep her company. Meanwhile, her good friend Meng Huaiwen was too busy with the family business to keep her company.
This arrangement was exactly what Lin Suxing wanted to hear.
Looking at Li Xinian, who had arrived ahead of time, helped him out of a predicament, and thoughtfully arranged his subsequent itinerary, Lin Suxing felt a heart full of joy and peace of mind.
He subconsciously reached out, his slender fingers gently tugging at the corner of Li Xinian's iron-gray suit, unconsciously kneading the high-quality fabric with a hint of affection and coquetry that he himself was unaware of.
"Then you..." Lin Suxing slightly shook the hand clutching the hem of her clothes, looked up at him with expectant eyes, "Do you think I look good in this outfit?"
He himself really liked this costume, but it's hard to know what Li Xinian, who looks a bit old-fashioned, would think.
Li Xinian's gaze quietly swept over him.
From his clean-cut face to the handsome features outlined by the headband, and the old opera robe that unexpectedly blended with his temperament... In fact, from the moment he first saw Lin Suxing standing in the light, applying makeup in front of the mirror, his water sleeves fluttering, he thought he was handsome.
With its classical charm and fragile poetic beauty, it's like a perfectly balanced ink painting with just the right amount of blank space, captivating the eye.
But due to his personality, he is not used to giving direct praise.
When Lin Suxing asked him this question with a hint of coquetry, he focused on meeting her expectant gaze, his lips curving upwards into a soft smile, and he nodded firmly.
“Yes,” his voice was deep and gentle, carrying undeniable sincerity, “It looks great, and it suits you very well.”
Upon receiving his affirmative answer, Lin Suxing's smile instantly blossomed, brighter and more dazzling than all the lights on set combined. Satisfied, he released his grip on his clothes, his tone light and cheerful: "Then I'll go finish shooting the last bit! It'll be quick!"
"Okay, no rush." Li Xinian watched him turn around and run back into the light like a happy little bird, surrounded by staff again, before slowly turning around and walking towards his car parked not far away, intending to handle official business in the car while waiting for his little birthday boy to finish.
Lin Suxing walked quickly back to the filming area, his steps light even to himself. His face still had a lingering blush, and his carefully drawn almond-shaped eyes shone even brighter than before.
As soon as he stood in front of the fill light panel, several familiar, young assistants and lighting technicians couldn't help but surround him, chattering away with curiosity and amazement.
"Xingxing, was that handsome guy your boyfriend? Is he a model or an actor? He's so handsome!"
"Yeah, yeah, with that figure and charisma, I feel like she's definitely going to be a sensation!"
"And it looks so expensive, it's obvious it comes from a very wealthy family..."
"The way he looks at you is so sweet and doting, don't deny that he's your boyfriend, we won't believe it."
Before they could finish speaking, a slightly authoritative voice interrupted, carrying an unquestionable tone: "Stop making wild guesses."
Everyone turned around and saw that Zhuo Hongjie, the editor-in-chief of Figaro, had walked over at some point.
His gaze swept over the young employees, finally landing on Lin Suxing. He lowered his voice, his tone filled with awe and solemnity: "That's President Li, President Li of Jialan Group. You haven't heard of him, have you?"
He paused briefly before clearly uttering the name that signified top-tier power and wealth in S City and even throughout China.
"Jialan...Li Xinian?"
"Oh My God…"
In an instant, a collective gasp filled the air.
The young people who had just been excitedly guessing that Li Xinian was a model were now filled with shock and disbelief.
They glanced at Zhuo Hongjie, then at the black Maybach parked quietly not far away, a symbol of its owner's status, and felt somewhat absurd that they had just guessed the other person was a model.
No one expected that Lin Suxing, who usually seemed low-key, actually had such a close relationship with such a powerful figure.
As Zhuo Hongjie watched Lin Suxing lower his eyelids slightly amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, yet the corners of his lips involuntarily curved upwards, a tidal wave surged within him, and a secret he had suppressed for a long time suddenly surfaced in his mind.
He recalled that when he was shooting a series of photos for Lin Suxing that required exposing her back and had a melancholic style full of brokenness, he received a call from the editor-in-chief of VOGUE China on the eve of the photo selection.
In his shock, he subconsciously assumed that Lin Suxing's older brother, Lin Siyi, was behind it all, in order to protect his younger brother's more "revealing" images from being leaked, or to ensure that the image presented met the Lin family's expectations.
After all, although the Lin family was in decline, Lin Siyi was decisive and efficient after taking over, and some of his methods were quite normal.
It wasn't until he saw Li Xinian appear with his own eyes and witnessed his unconditional doting on Lin Suxing that Zhuo Hongjie finally understood!
Where is Lin Siyi?
A chill ran down Zhuo Hongjie's spine, mixed with a sudden realization. When he looked at Lin Suxing again, his eyes had completely changed.
It turns out that Lin Suxing is not only the young master of the Lin family, but also someone that President Li cares about.
He couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had maintained the utmost professionalism and prudence during the filming and post-production process, without overstepping any boundaries or being negligent.
A subtle silence fell over the scene.
Lin Suxing seemed oblivious to the sudden shift in the thoughts of those around him, still basking in the joy of Li Xinian's early arrival and his rescue. He quickly gave Zhuo Hongjie and the staff a professional smile:
"Family members, let's continue and hurry up and finish filming the last part."
Li Xinian sat back in the car, shutting out the noise from the outside world, and dialed his assistant Karl's number.
"Karl," Li Xinian's voice regained its usual composure, "have all the gifts in the private room been arranged?"
On the other end of the phone, Carl's voice was respectful and efficient: "Yes, sir. Everything is ready as you instructed. 'Starry Night Dream' has been hung in the best viewing position, the Bulgarian white roses have been arranged, and the principal pianist will begin playing 'Moonlight Sonata,' the piece you chose, precisely when you and Young Master Lin arrive. The gifts have all been arranged as you requested."
Li Xinian listened quietly, but his gaze involuntarily drifted back to the window.
Through the dark car window film, he could see the bright halo of light in the distant filming area, and at the center of the halo was a figure wearing an old opera robe, slightly tilting his head under the director's guidance, outlining a beautiful neckline.
Lin Suxing seemed unaware of his fatigue, his face still showing the focus of immersion in the role, his water sleeves fluttering gently with his movements, drawing graceful arcs.
"Boss?" Karl confirmed on the other end of the phone.
"Hmm." Li Xinian withdrew his gaze, a faint but genuine smile involuntarily curving his lips, his gray-blue eyes filled with tenderness. "Very good. Just waiting... for me to take him there."
He knew that Lin Suxing would definitely like the gift he had prepared.
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Let me see] Hehe, it's another date for the two of them.
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