Chapter 21, Twenty-One and Three Combined
Twenty-one:
After buying shoes and toys, Mu Shaowu finally ended his shopping trip with great reluctance.
He bought so much that even though some items had been delivered directly to his home, he still had a huge pile of bags and packages. Mu Shaowu had to ask the shop assistant for help to put everything back in his car.
After placing it in the car, Mu Shaowu started the car again.
He drove for another ten minutes, then turned into an alley, and finally arrived at the place where he would be eating today.
They entered a rather ordinary little shop. Mu Shaowu led Ye Qingxi inside with practiced ease.
Looking at the elegant layout of the courtyard, Ye Qingxi exclaimed, "This shop is quite a hidden gem."
Mu Shaowu led him to the agreed-upon private room, where the other three had already arrived.
"You're here so early," Mu Shaowu joked. "I checked my watch, I'm not late."
"When you're hosting a dinner party, you naturally have to arrive early," Qiu Xuan said.
After he finished speaking, he shifted his gaze to Ye Qingxi and looked at her curiously.
When Ye Qingxi saw him looking at her, she smiled at him in a very cooperative manner.
Qiu Xuan felt as if he had been struck a chord. It wasn't that he was saying anything, but his brother's kid was just too good-looking.
Not only are they beautiful, they're also adorable!
The phrase "jade-like and adorable" seems tailor-made for him.
"Hello, Uncle~" Ye Qingxi said.
His voice was soft and gentle.
Qiu Xuan's family only had a bunch of little devils, and he had never seen a child like Ye Qingxi who looked like a well-behaved kid before. Therefore, his voice softened a bit when he spoke.
"Hello there too!" he said. "I'm your father's good friend, you can call me Uncle Xuan."
Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?
Mu Shaowu said with disdain, "Why are you being so sullen?"
Qiu Xuan: ? ? ?
Where did I put it?
"Ask Ruan Hao."
Qiu Xuan turned his head, and Ruan Hao was even more disgusted than Mu Shaowu, "It's almost like it's going to kill a mosquito."
Qiu Xuan: ...
Qiu Xuan turned away angrily, ignoring him.
The next second, he heard Ruan Hao say in a high-pitched voice, "Hello Xiao Xi, I'm also your father's friend. You can call me Uncle Hao~"
Qiu Xuan: !!
"That's a real clamp!"
"So what if I grabbed it?!" Ruan Hao said matter-of-factly. "I dare to grab it and I admit it."
Qiu Xuan: ...
Mu Shaowu: ...
Ye Qingxi: ...That's really true, very bold and responsible.
Seeing that they had both introduced themselves, Xi Yao also introduced himself, "I am also your father's good friend. You can call me Uncle Xi."
Very good, this is not a contracted consonant.
Ye Qingxi greeted politely, "Hello, Uncle Xuan, Uncle Hao, Uncle Xi."
Hello~
It still consists of two consonant sounds and one normal sound.
Mu Shaowu: ...
Mu Shaowu glanced at the two large clips with disdain again, then pulled Ye Qingxi to sit down in the empty seat.
As he sat down, the matching outfits he was wearing with his child became even more obvious.
Ruan Hao asked in surprise, "Aren't these matching family outfits? You're even wearing matching family outfits?!"
"Isn't it cute?" Mu Shaowu said proudly.
"Xiao Xi is cute, you're just pretending to be cute."
"Tch," Mu Shaowu scoffed, "You're just jealous, jealous that my son is cute, jealous that my son and I are wearing matching outfits."
Ruan Hao: "I'm clearly feeling sorry for your son. I feel sorry for your adorable son having such an unlovable father like you."
Mu Shaowu: ...
Mu Shaowu smiled, "That's right, how could I be as cute as you? You're so adorable, no wonder that little wolf dog is chasing after you relentlessly, right?"
Mu Shaowu drawled, "Little~cutie~"
Ruan Hao: !!!
Ruan Hao never expected him to use such a magical attack, and was instantly defeated.
"I already told you I refused!"
"So what? Even though you rejected him, he hasn't stopped pursuing you."
"I'm fucking straight."
"Even the most upright and resolute men can break down, let alone mere straight men. Who knows, they might turn gay someday."
Ruan Hao: ...
Qiu Xuan sighed and handed him a cup of tea. "Why did you provoke him?"
Ruan Hao was so angry that he picked up his teacup and slurped down his tea while glaring at Mu Shaowu.
Ignoring his gaze, Mu Shaowu picked up the menu and placed it in front of Ye Qingxi, "What would you like to eat?"
Ye Qingxi was still busy eating melons, but now that she was forced to stop halfway through, she could only abandon the melons and order food.
He looked at the menu and ordered cherry pork and crispy shrimp balls.
Mu Shaowu then added a dessert for him.
Soon, the dishes were served one after another.
While talking to his friend, Mu Shaowu served food to Ye Qingxi.
He learned from his previous experience and paid close attention to Ye Qingxi's eating speed. As soon as he saw that Ye Qingxi slowed down, he stopped picking up food.
Xi Yao looked on, somewhat surprised.
Mu Shaowu was never one to take care of others.
He comes from a well-off family and has an older brother who has taken care of him since he was a child.
But now, he quietly and meticulously takes care of the children around him.
He really is trying very hard to be a good father.
"How old is Xiaoxi? Is she in kindergarten or primary school now?" Xi Yao asked.
"At five years old, she should be starting kindergarten in September."
Speaking of which...
Mu Shaowu turned to look at Ye Qingxi, "Baby, when you start school this fall, do you want to continue to your old kindergarten, or go directly to primary school? If you go to primary school, your uncle's child is also there, so you can go to the same school as him, and you can eat and sleep together at noon."
Mu Shaowu had always remembered Ye Qingxi's schooling, but he had been too busy lately to ask her about it. Now that the topic of schooling came up, he decided to ask.
Ye Qingxi then realized, yes, five years old is exactly the age to go to kindergarten.
"Elementary school." Ye Qingxi replied without hesitation.
Just kidding, he's not a real kid anymore. He's eighteen years old. What would he be doing in kindergarten? Learning from those little brats that one plus one equals two, and ten plus ten equals twenty?
It's not even as good as primary school—choose something that's not too childish from the range of options available.
Sighing inwardly, Ye Qingxi felt he should go to high school, or at least be in the first year.
But a five-year-old going to high school is just too attention-grabbing.
Ye Qingxi didn't want to attract attention.
He was too attention-grabbing in his past life, far ahead of his peers, which is why he ended up living the way he did.
In this life, Ye Qingxi just wants to be an ordinary child.
Go to school step by step, advance to higher education step by step, and keep pace with your peers so that your life can be a little better.
Mu Shaowu was surprised that he answered so quickly.
Doesn't he want to continue playing with his kindergarten friends?
Or was he afraid of being reminded of painful memories?
Thinking of this, Mu Shaowu didn't ask any more questions, only saying, "Okay. Primary school it is. Your cousin will be here then and can take care of you."
Ye Qingxi: ...Then I'll take care of him.
Ye Qingxi tried hard to recall the description of his cousin in the book.
However, upon recalling this, he realized that this guy's entry was almost as long as his, consisting of only two sentences.
One sentence: ["When Qin Luan married Mu Zheng, she wasn't alone; she also had her son, a six-year-old son."]
Another sentence reads: "He and his wife walked in different directions, towards their own futures. He didn't look back, so he didn't see Qin Luan's sorrowful eyes or the loneliness in the eyes of the child beside her."
That was all he said, just those two sentences, nothing more, to the point that Ye Qingxi didn't even know his name.
"What's his name?" Ye Qingxi asked.
“Qin Cheng,” Mu Shaowu replied, “Qin as in Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi, and Cheng as in presenting.”
After Mu Shaowu finished speaking, fearing that he might not have learned these two words, he asked in a low voice, "Do you know how to write these two words?"
Ye Qingxi: ...
Mu Shaowu vaguely sensed that he seemed to see a hint of disdain in his son's eyes.
Fleeting.
The next second, his son was back to his obedient and adorable self, saying, "I know, my grandfather taught me."
"You know that? Then you really are suited to be a first-grader," Mu Shaowu praised.
"Speaking of which, your cousin also started first grade at the age of five, so although he is only seven years old now, he is already in third grade, two grades ahead of you."
"Is he good at studying?" Ye Qingxi asked curiously.
“Excellent.” Mu Shaowu looked at him. “First in the grade.”
"That's pretty impressive."
"It's not bad, so Xiaoxi, you can ask him if you don't understand anything later."
Ye Qingxi: ...No, there won't be any.
However, if there's anything he doesn't know, he can ask his cousin.
Ye Qingxi felt the warmth of the jade pendant around her neck. Although they hadn't met yet and she didn't know what kind of person he was, she still felt a good impression of him, probably because he was Mu Zheng's child.
I'd love to get to know him.
“Sigh,” Qiu Xuan sighed, “They are all children, but look at your two, how promising they are. Unlike my nephews and nieces, who not only start school late, but also fail their classes all the time, and their parents are called in. It’s really driving my dad crazy.”
Mu Shaowu said proudly, "Don't you even know whose son he is?"
"Is that your own son?" Qiu Xuan quipped, though he didn't say it aloud.
He just chuckled and said to Ye Qingxi, "Xiaoxi, keep it up! The younger generation surpasses the older, so try to make your dad disappear on the beach as soon as possible."
Ye Qingxi: ...
Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?
Mu Shaowu smiled, "Whether I'll be killed or not is uncertain, but I can definitely kill your nephews and nieces."
After saying that, he turned to look at Ye Qingxi, "Xiaoxi, don't pay attention to him. Don't worry, Dad isn't the kind of person who values grades. It's good if you do well, and it doesn't matter if you don't. Anyway, Dad has money, and Dad can help you with whatever you want to do."
Mu Shaowu patted his head, not wanting to put too much academic pressure on him.
Ye Qingxi: ...How could he not learn the mere elementary school curriculum well?
He could get first place in the whole school, no, the whole city, even with his eyes closed!
“I’m doing well,” Ye Qingxi said.
"That's right, our Xiaoxi is so smart, how could she not learn well?" Mu Shaowu immediately changed his tune.
Ruan Hao: "That's not what you just said."
"Really? You must have misheard." Mu Shaowu refused to admit it.
Ruan Hao ignored him, picked up his wine glass, and said, "Come on, let's celebrate Ye Qingxi's promotion to first grade!"
Mu Shaowu quickly followed.
Everyone else also picked up their glasses.
Ye Qingxi looked at their raised hands and wondered, "Why are they suddenly celebrating?"
"Hurry up, Xiaoxi, raise your cup too," Ruan Hao said.
Ye Qingxi subconsciously looked at Mu Shaowu and saw Mu Shaowu smiling at him.
"Come on, Xiaoxi, let's have a toast to wish you a happy start to primary school."
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi looked at the smile on his face, then looked at the other people at the table.
Each of them had a smile on their face.
It's as if he's in first grade, which is such a wonderful thing.
That's an amazing thing.
But this was clearly just an ordinary little thing.
It's not worth mentioning.
Ye Qingxi has participated in many celebrations, and his parents have also celebrated for him several times.
When he became a sensation.
When he became popular again.
When he won the Best Actor award.
Each time was a glorious moment in his life.
Every single time was a moment of immense value for him.
Now, he has no value; he can't bring them any benefit or make them any money, yet they still raise their glasses, wanting to celebrate for him.
We're celebrating his starting elementary school.
Ye Qingxi suddenly became very happy.
His eyes unconsciously curved upwards.
He picked up the glass of yogurt in front of him and tried to get closer to them.
Unfortunately, his arms were too short to touch the cups of Mu Shaowu and the others.
Just as Ye Qingxi was about to stand up and touch their cups, she saw Mu Shaowu and the others stretch out their arms and move the cups over to her.
With a "crack", the five glasses collided.
"Cheers!" Qiu Xuan shouted.
Cheers! Ye Qingxi thought to herself.
He lowered his head and took a sip of yogurt. It was sweet and delicious.
After finishing their meal and chatting for a while, Mu Shaowu prepared to take Ye Qingxi home.
Qiu Xuan and the others also took out the red envelopes they had prepared and handed them to Ye Qingxi.
Ye Qingxi took it; it wasn't the feel of money, but the touch of a bank card.
"The password is: 679979," Qiu Xuan whispered in his ear.
Ye Qingxi was a little puzzled as to why it was this number.
He nodded and said obediently, "Thank you, Uncle~"
"You're welcome." Qiu Xuan took the opportunity to pinch his little face.
It's very tender, very soft, and easy to squeeze.
Qiu Xuan couldn't help but pinch it again.
Then, just once more.
Ye Qingxi: ...
Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?
Mu Shaowu patted his penis, "Is it nice to squeeze?"
Qiu Xuan nodded honestly, "Much easier to handle than those little devils in our family."
"You think you're playing with toys?" Mu Shaowu said speechlessly. "Go back and squeeze your nephews and nieces."
He's hardly ever sculpted one!
Mu Shaowu was displeased.
Left with no other option, Qiu Xuan had to stop.
Ruan Hao, who was standing to the side, was eager to try. After giving out the red envelope and telling him the password, he also wanted to pinch it.
However, before his hand could even touch Ye Qingxi's face, Mu Shaowu unexpectedly pinched her cheek.
"I never expected you to be so shameless," Mu Shaowu whispered devilishly, "Little~cutie~"
Ye Qingxi almost burst out laughing.
Ruan Hao got goosebumps all over. "Are you trying to kill me? That's enough."
Mu Shaowu chuckled, "What's wrong? I was just praising how cute you are."
Ruan Hao: ...I hate guys who are more handsome, richer, and more talkative than me!
After receiving three red envelopes in a row, Ye Qingxi was surprised to find that all three of them used the same password.
This must have been pre-arranged.
"Does this number have any significance?" Ye Qingxi pondered.
He didn't ask on the spot.
Instead, after getting into the car, she asked Mu Shaowu curiously, "Why is their password 679979?"
Mu Shaowu had been drinking and called a designated driver. He was currently sitting in the back seat of the car with Ye Qingxi.
He tilted his head, still not understanding.
“I’ll ask them,” he said.
As he spoke, he opened WeChat, ready to send a message, but Mu Shaowu stopped after typing just two words.
He looked at the familiar nine-square grid and suddenly realized what it meant.
"Seriously, who came up with this idea? It's quite romantic," Mu Shaowu said with a laugh.
Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?
Where is the romance?
"Here." Mu Shaowu held the phone up to Ye Qingxi, pointed to the nine-key keypad, and said, "Mu Shaowu's initials are MSW, which are exactly on the numbers 679. Can you see where Ye Qingxi's initials are?"
Ye Qingxi instantly understood. He stared at the number keys in front of him and saw that YQX was indeed on the numbers 979.
"So 679979 represents Mu Shaowu and Ye Qingxi. Isn't that pretty romantic?"
really.
Ye Qingxi smiled slowly.
He never imagined that he could set a bank card password like this, and now he's learned how.
"Here you go." Ye Qingxi took out the red envelope she had just received and handed it to Mu Shaowu.
"Why are you giving this to me? They gave it to you."
“But I’m still young,” Ye Qingxi said.
Don't children usually give their red envelopes to their parents?
“You won’t stay this small forever.” Mu Shaowu hugged him. “What’s given to you is yours. Now that you’ve memorized the password, you can use this money to buy whatever you want when you grow up.”
Ye Qingxi didn't expect him to say that.
For eighteen years, he had heard, "You're still young, so your parents will keep this money for you until you grow up." Of course, he knew that the first part of the statement was true, but the second part was not. However, his parents kept saying this, and it seemed that other people's parents did the same, so he just accepted it.
But now, Mu Shaowu has given him a new answer.
An answer he had never expected.
Ye Qingxi looked at him, then at the red envelope in her hand.
In his past life, he started working at the age of five. He acted in three films and received three separate payments.
But none of that money belonged to him.
Because his parents wanted to keep it for him.
Now, he has no job and only receives red envelopes from three of Mu Shaowu's friends.
This money doesn't actually belong to him.
If it were anyone else, any child, as long as he was Mu Shaowu's child, his friends would give him the money.
However, Mu Shaowu, his nominal father, refused to keep it for him.
He said, "You won't stay this small forever."
He hopes that when he grows up, he can use this money to buy whatever he wants.
He always manages to give you answers you never expected.
Surprise him, give him tenderness that money can't buy.
Ye Qingxi thought for a moment, then picked up a red envelope and stuffed it into his hand.
Mu Shaowu asked in confusion, "What's going on? I already said these three are yours."
Ye Qingxi shook his head and said, "This is the money I paid."
ha?
Mu Shaowu didn't understand.
"What's the meaning?"
Ye Qingxi smiled, and said playfully, "I won't tell you."
Mu Shaowu: ? ? ?
Why aren't you telling him yet?!
Is there anything he, as a father, shouldn't know?!
Mu Shaowu was increasingly confused. Were children's thoughts really that hard to understand?
However, children's thoughts are indeed quite different from adults'.
Therefore, Mu Shaowu did not press further. Anyway, Ye Qingxi seemed quite happy, so he was happy.
"Okay, you even have your own little secrets now, that's impressive, Ye Qingxi."
Ye Qingxi chuckled, a hint of lightness and pride in her eyes, and put away the remaining two red envelopes.
When I got home, it was already nine o'clock.
Mu Shaoting was still awake. He had just taken some fresh grapes from the kitchen, intending to eat fruit while watching his drama.
She hummed a song as she walked to the stairs, but before she could go upstairs, she heard the door open.
Mu Shaoting stopped in her tracks, and the next second, Mu Shaowu appeared in front of her with bags and packages.
Behind him was a designated driver, also carrying large and small bags.
Ye Qingxi followed beside him, and unusually, she didn't bring anything with her, only changing her clothes.
He was wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt when he went out in the afternoon, but now he's changed into a white cat-patterned short-sleeved shirt. I must say, it looks quite cute.
“You’re here,” Mu Shaowu said. “Perfect timing. I have a few bags in my car. Could you help me carry them to my room?”
Mu Shaoting: ? ? ?
"Didn't you already buy something at Fashion Week before?"
"This is for Xiaoxi," Mu Shaowu said.
"You should have said so earlier."
Mu Shaoting quickly put down the grapes, took the car keys from Mu Shaowu's pocket, and went out.
Seeing this, Ye Qingxi volunteered, "I'll go help my aunt."
"No need, come back to the room with me." Mu Shaowu looked at him as they walked. "With your small hands, how many things can you carry? Don't let them hurt your hands."
Ye Qingxi: ...He's not that delicate.
But that's just how Mu Shaowu is; he wouldn't let him carry anything when they were shopping, and now that they're home, he still won't let him carry anything.
Ye Qingxi had no choice but to follow him up the stairs.
The designated driver helped me put my things down and then left.
Mu Shaowu opened his walk-in closet and hung up the clothes he had bought that day, categorizing them one by one.
He specifically chose a lower cabinet so that Ye Qingxi could reach it herself.
This is what Mu Shaoting saw when he brought the things up.
She placed the bag next to Mu Shaowu, leaned against the cabinet behind her, and looked at the clothes Mu Shaowu had bought for Ye Qingxi.
Upon closer inspection, Mu Shaoting realized that Mu Shaowu's numerous bags and packages had been so eye-catching that she hadn't noticed he was now dressed the same as Ye Qingxi.
"Are you two... wearing matching outfits?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Shaowu immediately turned around and boasted, "Isn't it beautiful? I fell in love with it at first sight. Isn't it perfect for Xiaoxi? So adorable!"
Ye Qingxi: ...
Mu Shaoting nodded frantically.
That's right! It really suits Ye Qingxi!
Their little Xi is already adorable, and with these cat ears on her outfit, she's even cuter!
She wants to wear it too!
However, Mu Shaoting didn't say this out loud. She planned to buy it secretly and give Ye Qingxi and her brother a surprise!
Mu Shaoting glanced at the brand of the short-sleeved shirt and opened his phone to search for nearby stores.
After returning to her room, she contacted the other party to send her a garment in her size.
The next morning, the shop assistant delivered it.
Mu Shaoting took the clothes, changed them, and waited with great interest for Ye Qingxi and Mu Shaowu to get up.
Ye Qingxi usually wakes up quite late.
Before he transmigrated here, he didn't actually sleep in very often.
It wasn't that he disliked it, but rather that his sleep quality was extremely poor at that time.
Insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, and nightmares.
Many nights, Ye Qingxi would stay awake until dawn, or close her eyes but couldn't fall asleep.
He had also tried melatonin and sleeping pills, but after taking them, he always had painful dreams.
Later, Ye Qingxi stopped eating it.
If you can fall asleep, then sleep; if you can't, then don't.
At that time, he thought in despair that if he died suddenly from lack of sleep one day, it might not be a bad thing.
But ever since she transmigrated, whether it was because her mood had improved or because children's bodies make it easier for them to fall asleep, Ye Qingxi's sleep quality has noticeably improved significantly.
He was finally able to fall asleep easily and without nightmares. Every time he lay down, he could sleep soundly for a long time.
It was as if he wanted to make up for the time he had missed sleeping.
Ye Qingxi didn't dislike this feeling—who would dislike sleeping until they naturally wake up?
In addition, Mu Shaowu never urged him to get up early, so he naturally started to sleep in late.
The same applies today.
When Ye Qingxi opened her eyes, it was already 11:05.
Mu Shaowu had drunk some alcohol yesterday and went to bed late. He had just woken up and was lying in bed waiting for his son to wake up while playing on his phone.
Seeing him open his eyes, Mu Shaowu put down his phone. "You're awake."
Ye Qingxi nodded.
The next second, Mu Shaowu pinched Ye Qingxi's face.
Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?
Ye Qingxi looked at him, her mind not yet fully clear, and blinked blankly.
Very cute.
Mu Shaowu couldn't resist and leaned down to kiss Ye Qingxi on the forehead.
Ye Qingxi: !!
Ye Qingxi instantly regained consciousness.
I almost couldn't sit up.
No, how could he kiss him?!
"you……"
Ye Qingxi wanted to say: Why did you kiss me?!
But his clear mind told him that there was nothing wrong with adults kissing children and fathers kissing their sons.
But... how could he suddenly kiss him?!
Why did he suddenly kiss him?
Why would he... suddenly kiss him?
"Xiao Xi, your face is red," Mu Shaowu said in surprise.
"I didn't!" Ye Qingxi quickly retorted.
He turned around, threw off the covers, and walked straight to the floor.
Mu Shaowu followed behind him, looking at his little face, "Xiao Xi, you're shy."
"You're the one who's shy!" Ye Qingxi refused to admit it.
"Xiao Xi, you're so cute."
You're the cutest!
Ye Qingxi didn't even look at him, walked into the bathroom, and slammed the door shut.
Mu Shaowu almost burst out laughing.
He didn't disturb him, but went back to sit on the edge of the bed and waited for him to open the door.
Ye Qingxi leaned against the door, head down, and touched her face, which seemed a little hot.
Honestly, it's all Mu Shaowu's fault for suddenly kissing him.
Why did he suddenly kiss him?!
Ye Qingxi didn't understand.
He hadn't been this close to anyone in a long time.
Ye Qingxi actually loved kissing when she was little.
He likes any gesture that expresses others' affection for him, such as kisses, hugs, or being lifted up high.
He was always happy whenever his parents kissed, hugged, or kissed him.
Later, when he went to film, if he encountered unhappy things, people he didn't like, or scenes he didn't want to act in, his parents would kiss him, hug him, and comfort him, saying, "Xiao Xi, be good and listen to me."
Feeling comforted by them, Ye Qingxi obediently continued acting out the next scene.
But gradually, these kisses and hugs became less and less heartfelt, less and less frequent, and finally, they disappeared completely.
Ten-year-old Ye Qingxi didn't want to act. He watched his friends drift away from him and become other people's friends. He watched them discuss which junior high school to go to and where to go to play.
Ye Qingxi also wanted to join, but his parents had gotten him a new role, so he couldn't play with them or even go to school with them.
Ye Qingxi didn't want to lose her friends, and she didn't want to become different from everyone else.
He likes lively places, he likes school, and he likes being with people his own age.
So he refused to act. He argued with his parents, crying and shouting that he wanted to be like everyone else, like them, carrying his schoolbag to school every morning and carrying his schoolbag home every afternoon.
I want to be like them, going to school from Monday to Friday and attending extracurricular classes and having fun on weekends.
He doesn't want to act anymore.
His parents were surprised and angry.
His mother said, "Do you think anyone can act? Your classmates don't act because they don't want to, because they don't have the opportunity, the conditions, or the ability. Now you're willing to degrade yourself and be with them. How can you face your father and me?!"
“Exactly!” his father chimed in. “I’ve almost drunk myself to death for this film! Who am I working so hard for?! Isn’t it all for you?! Besides, don’t you have tutors? A private one-on-one tutor isn’t even as good as one teacher for fifty students in a class!!”
"Do you think we're doing this for ourselves?" His mother looked at him, her eyes devoid of any tenderness, cold as a knife cutting his wrist. "Ye Qingxi, we're doing this for you! What's the use of going to school? Every year so many college graduates, yet many of them can't find jobs. And you! You're earning more now than they could in a lifetime, and you don't even appreciate it. You've really disappointed me."
“Think about it yourself,” his father said, standing next to his mother. “If you become famous and a big star, won’t you be the one who’s happy? Will it be your mother and me?! We’re doing this for your own good, don’t you understand?!”
Ye Qingxi didn't understand. Ye Qingxi was confused.
He didn't understand why his dad was almost vomiting because of this movie.
He didn't understand why becoming a big star made him happy.
He didn't understand why this was done for his own good.
Ye Qingxi couldn't understand it, nor could she figure it out.
But his parents were very angry and disappointed in him.
Ye Qingxi didn't want to disappoint them or let them down, so he gave up arguing and compromised, saying, "I'll go and act."
He walked up to his mother, looked into her eyes filled with dissatisfaction and disappointment, and said to her, "Mom, don't be angry. I'll go act."
"Give me a kiss," he said. "Mommy, if you kiss me, I'll go and act."
His mother sighed, leaned in and kissed him, her lips soft but her kiss perfunctory and indifferent.
She said, "That's right, that's how a good girl behaves."
Ye Qingxi nodded. He thought to himself that he was quite good at acting anyway, and since his parents wanted him to act, he would just do it.
As long as his parents don't disappoint him.
However, as his fame grew, his parents also placed more and more demands on him.
Ye Qingxi, with his short legs, could never catch up with the future his parents wanted.
They made him make movies, TV shows, and commercials, filling almost every day of the year.
Ye Qingxi felt like he couldn't breathe. He wanted to rest, wanted to go to school, and wanted to see his old friends.
But he didn't have time.
He argued with his parents again, and his mother angrily said, "How can you be so inconsiderate! How can you not understand your parents! Do you know how much we've sacrificed for you? Are you the only one who's suffered and tired?! Don't your father and I suffer and get tired too?! I haven't slept for so many nights, and what about your father?! How long has it been since he saw his friends?! You're the only one with friends, don't we? We're all doing this for you, for your future! Ye Qingxi, can't you just give us a break?!"
His father sighed again, "Xiao Xi, you have really disappointed me."
The mountain of disappointment pressed down once again.
Ye Qingxi desperately wanted to overturn it, so he stubbornly refused to compromise and firmly stated, "I want to rest, to rest for six months."
His parents did not agree.
The Cold War began from this point.
His mother started it, ignoring him and disregarding him as if she couldn't see him at all.
It was as if he didn't exist in this house.
His father followed closely behind.
The family of three sat at the round table representing reunion. His parents would talk to each other, but no one paid any attention to him, as if he didn't exist.
This was the first time Ye Qingxi had experienced such a cold war, and she was at a loss.
He quickly gave up and admitted defeat to his parents.
He didn't understand why they were treating him this way.
Why should I ignore him?
Don't they love him anymore?
Ye Qingxi didn't believe it, so he said to his mother again, "Mom, please kiss me, please kiss me, okay?"
"Give me a kiss, and I'll say yes."
His eyes were urgent, as if only his mother's response would prove that she still loved him.
He is still loved by them.
But his mother did not kiss him.
She felt annoyed, thinking that Ye Qingxi was being unreasonable, still trying to negotiate with her at a time like this.
So if she doesn't kiss him, he won't agree?
Does he even realize that they're doing this for his own good?
So she refused, saying, "You don't have to feel so wronged. You don't have to agree."
Ye Qingxi was stunned for a moment, and then heard her father say, "Xiaoxi, you're not a child anymore. Don't keep letting your mother kiss you. Aren't you ashamed?"
Ye Qingxi looked at his mother.
His mother sat silently in front of him, showing no sign of wanting to kiss him.
In that instant, a thought suddenly popped into his mind: She didn't even want to be perfunctory with him anymore.
She used to be willing to go along with him, but now she's completely unwilling.
For the first time, eleven-year-old Ye Qingxi had the thought that his parents didn't seem to love him anymore.
He couldn't believe it, and he didn't want to believe it.
He held his mother's hand and said he wouldn't rest anymore. He was being good, he was obedient, and he went to film on time.
He just wanted his mother to kiss him again, so he would know that she still loved him.
But his mother still refused.
She wanted to teach him a lesson, a profound one.
A lesson that can stop her son from being rebellious, from being so irresponsible, and from not caring about his parents.
So no matter how much Ye Qingxi begged her, she didn't lower her head to kiss her.
Ye Qingxi looked up at his father.
His father smiled and said to him, "You're all grown up now, it's time for you to be independent. Don't act like a child, be good."
Ye Qingxi looked at him quietly, her expression pained.
He did not receive the reassurance he wanted.
His parents seemed to be telling him through their actions that they no longer loved him.
Ye Qingxi wondered, why?
Was it because he argued with them?
Because he didn't obey and go to film?
Is it because he's naughty?
If he behaves well after that, will his parents still love him?
I will also kiss him when he is feeling unwell.
When people can't accept something, they always try to find reasons and excuses for it, always give themselves hope, and comfort themselves so that they can feel a little better.
Ye Qingxi was the same.
He acted as his parents wished, making many films and television series. He squandered his fame and wasted his acting skills, like a puppet on a string, moving from one stage to another, dressed up as if he had no soul of his own.
His parents were very happy.
His mother hugged him and praised him for being such a good boy.
She kissed him hard.
But Ye Qingxi found that she no longer seemed to be happy about her kisses.
It seems that during these soulless days, he truly lost his soul.
I will no longer be happy about things that would otherwise make me happy.
Ye Qingxi thought that he seemed to no longer love his parents.
Yeah?
Ye Qingxi didn't know.
He never said to his mother again, "Kiss me, kiss me, okay?"
His mother naturally never kissed him again.
Those kisses and hugs accompanied his growth and have flowed into the wilderness of time.
Vanished without a trace.
Ye Qingxi stopped thinking about it.
His mother would never even think about it.
So, those kisses and hugs seemed to never have existed.
But now, Ye Qingxi remembered it again.
Because Mu Shaowu kissed him.
He suddenly kissed him on the forehead.
Those things that he used to have to beg for fell into his arms without warning.
Warm, intense.
It carries the owner's joy and happiness.
There was not a trace of perfunctoriness.
Ye Qingxi thought, "Sure enough, what you beg for is what you get. If it's not given sincerely, it's cheap and meaningless."
He was so despicable back then.
How pitiful.
But what can you do when he's only eleven years old?
He had already lost his friends, his freedom, and his personal space. He lived only within the circle his parents had drawn for him. Every time he opened or closed his eyes, all he saw were his parents. What could he do?
He could only hold them tightly, afraid of losing them.
Which child doesn't love their parents?
Which child doesn't want to never disappoint their parents, always be their pride, and always be loved by them?
He just wanted his parents to like him.
Ye Qingxi sighed and slowly walked towards the washbasin.
He looked at himself in the mirror, a five-year-old, innocent, cute, beautiful, and young version of himself.
He raised his hand and drew a smiley face on the mirror.
This was a form of self-suggestion; he drew it many times before he died, reminding himself to be happy.
It's all in the past, Ye Qingxi thought. Everything has started anew. As long as he's willing, he can grow again and have a new family.
At least for now, Mu Shaowu is willing to kiss him.
He doesn't need to beg; kiss him with love.
He smiled at himself in the mirror, just like he had done countless times before he traveled back in time.
Then, Ye Qingxi picked up the toothbrush cup, filled it with water, and began brushing her teeth.
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