The Hidden Son of the Xie Family

Ning Shixue’s pale fingertips threaded through Xie Zhaozhou’s black hair, uncontrollably tightening.

The seaside late at night was exceptionally quiet, only the sound of surging waves.
His eyelashes were wet, hiding traces of tears.
The faint light from the lighthouse wavered in his beautiful eyes, like a stream of flowing moonlight.

Until Xie Zhaozhou’s phone rang.
It rang over a dozen times without stopping.
It sounded urgent.

Ning Shixue finally couldn’t help kicking Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder.
Tears streaming down with trembling eyelashes, he said,
“Answer the phone.”

Xie Zhaozhou let out a low laugh before picking up the phone.
It was Song Li.

“President Xie,”
Song Li’s tone was serious.
“The matter you asked me to investigate before, I’ve looked into it. There should indeed be an illegitimate child.”

Even Song Li was surprised.
Although these wealthy families were all very messy, Old Master Xie’s family discipline was strict.

Xie’s father was cowardly and afraid of trouble.
He also seemed to have a good relationship with Liao Yanwan.
And Liao Yanwan, with her mental issues, was suspicious of him and kept a close watch.

To still manage to have an illegitimate child under these circumstances.

Following Xie Zhaozhou’s instructions, Song Li first investigated people in Yan City’s upper circles who had personal dealings with Xie’s father.
Then he looked into the partners Xie’s father had worked with in the company over the years.

It was all over thirty years ago.
Many of the people were already dead.
Song Li hadn’t held out much hope.
But unexpectedly, he found out about a certain club.
Over thirty years ago, Xie’s father had been there at least three times while collaborating on a business deal with someone.

He personally went to the club.
Without a warrant, he privately asked around.
The club manager had been working there for over thirty years.
After listening to Song Li, he finally remembered something.
He said hesitantly,
“I do recall someone like that…”

Xie’s father was the eldest son of the Xie family back then.
Everyone knew him.
Although Xie’s father only came a few times to drink with business partners, the manager remembered that every time he came, he met with the same woman.

A few months later, the woman’s belly was noticeably swollen.
Then she quit and left the club.

He never saw Xie’s father or that woman again.

Calculating the time, it was around when Liao Yanwan was pregnant with Xie Sui.

It wasn’t that he had such a good memory, remembering something from over thirty years so clearly.
It was because something very serious happened to him at that time that left a deep impression.

Back then, he was barely twenty.
He had just started working at the club.
When he went to deliver drinks to Xie’s father and the others, he accidentally broke a bottle of red wine worth six hundred thousand.
His knees went weak, and he almost knelt on the spot.
He could never afford that much money in his lifetime.

Xie’s father, with his arm around that woman, seemed in a very good mood.
He chuckled and didn’t hold it against him.
He just told him to clean up and get out, and send someone else in with the drinks.

Although it could have been someone else’s child, Song Li instinctively felt that woman was definitely connected to Xie’s father.

Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes were dark and unreadable as he asked in a deep voice,
“Can you still find the person?”

Song Li traced the clues back to the county town where the woman was from.
Whether she was alive or dead, finding her was only a matter of time.
And according to the manager, her belly was already very big when she left the club.
It would have been very difficult to abort the pregnancy.
The child was most likely born.

If this child was still alive now, he or she would be about the same age as Xie Sui.

They had been investigating for three years, trapped in a maze.
They had never been this close to the truth before.

It was as if some predetermined plot had been broken.

“…”

Xie Zhaozhou hung up the phone.
He looked into Ning Shixue’s eyes.
His Adam’s apple moved up and down.
But he couldn’t bring himself to ask anything.
He couldn’t help mocking himself inwardly.
He, too, had his reservations now.

He didn’t dare ask Ning Shixue where he came from.
Afraid that he would suddenly leave, just as he had suddenly appeared.

He still somewhat suspected he was going crazy.

Ning Shixue hadn’t recovered yet.
His face was flushed.
His eyes were full of mist, like he was drowning in the deep sea.
When Xie Zhaozhou pinched his chin and kissed him, his whole body trembled.

Damn it.

Wasn’t he supposed to be unable?

Xie Zhaozhou still hadn’t gotten up.
He was on one knee.
His custom black leather shoes were creased.
The fabric of his shirt was crumpled from Ning Shixue’s grip, his chest exposed.
His deep, dark eyes were filled with suppressed desire.
His thin lips were especially red.

Ning Shixue stared at his moving Adam’s apple.
His beautiful face suddenly flushed red enough to bleed.
He covered his mouth tightly, not letting Xie Zhaozhou kiss him again.
Ashamed and embarrassed, he said,
“You haven’t rinsed your mouth.”

Xie Zhaozhou’s voice was hoarse.
He couldn’t help chuckling.
He leaned closer, pinning Ning Shixue’s wrist, and kissed him regardless.
When Ning Shixue wouldn’t let him kiss his mouth, he kissed his temples and cheeks.
His high nose bridge touched the soft flesh of his cheek.

Ning Shixue’s tears wet his hands.
Xie Zhaozhou finally let him go.
Holding him, he hoarsely coaxed,
“Don’t cry.”

Song Li had also sent him the information.
The matter was indeed very important, otherwise he wouldn’t have called so late.
Xie Zhaozhou wrapped his arm around Ning Shixue’s waist, pulled him into his arms, cupped his face, and wiped his tears.
Seeing that he wasn’t angry anymore, he finally looked at his phone.

Ning Shixue’s eyes were red.
He wanted to hit someone.

But seeing Xie Zhaozhou looking at the phone, he didn’t refuse either.
He leaned against Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder, his long eyelashes drooping, and looked at the information with him.

Only then did Ning Shixue learn that Xie Sui and Old Master Xie’s car crash was ruled an accident by the police.
They determined the truck driver was fully at fault.
But the driver died at the scene.
He was an orphan with no relatives.
The case was closed.

That driver was named Li Yuan.
The only connection he had to the Xie family was that he had a brother, one year older than him.
They grew up together.
Over a decade ago, his brother worked at the Xie Group.
Then he died unexpectedly at a construction site.

The construction project at that time was managed by Xie’s father.

But this incident was ten years before Xie Sui’s car accident.
And at the time, Xie’s father had followed procedure and paid compensation.
There was no evidence to prove that Li Yuan held a grudge against the Xie family.

So the police ultimately ruled the car accident as just that—an accident.

“Second Brother,”
Ning Shixue looked up and asked,
“Do you think this person is connected to Xie Xiangshan’s illegitimate child?”

Xie Xiangshan was Xie’s father’s name.
Ning Shixue didn’t really think of him as Xie Zhaozhou’s father.

Ning Shixue’s legs were still bare.
Xie Zhaozhou put his arm around his waist, picked him up, and helped him put on his pants.
Then he draped his own suit jacket over him.
Ning Shixue couldn’t wear his own underwear anymore.
Xie Zhaozhou found a new pair of his underwear in the car.
His suitcase happened to be in the car, not yet taken out.

Ning Shixue’s cheeks were red.
His lips trembled.
He didn’t dare look up.
He let Xie Zhaozhou dress him.
His whole body was covered in Xie Zhaozhou’s scent.

“Hiring someone to kill,”
Xie Zhaozhou’s voice was still low and slightly hoarse.
His breath was hot, sweeping across Ning Shixue’s neck.
His long, slender fingers held his waist as he slowly helped him fasten his belt.
“But I think it’s more than that.”

If it were such a simple case, the police and the Xie family wouldn’t have been unable to solve it for so many years.
There had to be some money trail behind the scenes.
And a car accident was unpredictable.
Li Yuan had no family to support, nor did he have any serious illness.
What would make him take such a desperate gamble to die?

Xie Zhaozhou was more inclined to believe it was revenge.

Ning Shixue had been asking seriously.
He really wanted to know how Xie Sui had actually died.
It could very likely affect the original story’s ending, and Xie Zhaozhou’s ending too.

But Xie Zhaozhou lowered his eyes.
His nose was high and straight, his lips red.
His cold, sharp black eyes were half-hidden by his eyelashes.
He had a very cool and noble kind of handsomeness.
And yet he was putting socks on him.

Ning Shixue couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.
He wanted to fight him for it but couldn’t.
He could only look away.

Xie Zhaozhou’s fingers were very long.
His knuckles were cold and hard.
Veins stood out on the back of his hand.
Even putting socks on someone looked pleasing.

It was already very late.
Xie Zhaozhou still drove him back to the program team’s hotel.
But he had already told Xie Yaoyao to sleep with He Lin.
So he didn’t go get him that night.

Late at night, walking to the parking lot, Xie Zhaozhou saw Ning Shixue still staring at his hand.
He finally couldn’t help curving his lips.
His voice was low and suggestive.
“Is Teacher Xiao Ning only responsive to me?”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Bullshit.

It wasn’t like he was completely ruined.
Who could have no reaction at all after what just happened?

Ning Shixue was embarrassed and angry.
He pushed Xie Zhaozhou away and walked forward.
But Xie Zhaozhou blocked him.
He moved left, and Xie Zhaozhou moved with him.
Always staying in front of him.

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears were red.
He couldn’t bring himself to fight Xie Zhaozhou.
He pressed his lips together and suddenly bumped his head against Xie Zhaozhou’s chest.
Xie Zhaozhou swayed from the impact but managed to steady himself.

It probably hurt a lot.
Even Ning Shixue’s own forehead hurt.
But Xie Zhaozhou suddenly laughed.

Ning Shixue had never seen anyone get hit and not get angry.

“Does it hurt?”
Xie Zhaozhou didn’t let him run.
He grabbed his wrist and rubbed his forehead.

Ning Shixue glared at him angrily.
He had used too much force.
His forehead was red from the bump.
Hurting the enemy a thousand points cost himself eight hundred.

Ning Shixue didn’t want to be seen arguing outside so late.
Whatever Xie Zhaozhou said, he just let it go.
He let Xie Zhaozhou put his arm around his shoulder and walk him to the hotel room.

He quickly took a shower.
When he came out, Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t left.
He was still leaning against the headboard.

Ning Shixue felt a bit guilty.
He had originally thought Xie Zhaozhou was in a bad mood, which was why he wanted to go on a date and then to a hotel.

He hadn’t expected that in the end, he hadn’t done anything for Xie Zhaozhou.

Ning Shixue got into bed.
He had just showered, the ends of his hair soft.
His fair cheeks were flushed from the steam.
He leaned against Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder and kissed him.
Suppressing his embarrassment, he said,
“Second Brother, let me help you…”

He was very nervous.
His hand was shaking.
His shoulders trembled.

Sometimes he couldn’t help thinking about it.
But back then, the headmistress was still alive.
He still had some scruples.
What was he supposed to do?

Maybe he just had to accept it.
Anyway, being born in that place came with original sin.
He didn’t care about being a little dirtier.

But thinking about it made him feel sick.

The person who drugged him, blinded him in one eye, and even killed him would never pay any price.

Because he was just a lowly person.

If not for the headmistress taking him in and hiding him every time the donors came, Ning Shixue didn’t know what he would be like.
For him, it was all an endless abyss.

That’s why he had no sympathy for the scum gong in the original story.
Idiots like that just made him want to punch them.

Being intimate with Xie Zhaozhou didn’t make him feel bad.
It was just this act itself that made him very nervous.
He couldn’t control it either.

Xie Zhaozhou grabbed his wrist.
His phoenix eyes were deep and gentle.
He curved his lips and said quietly,
“I’ll let you owe me.”

“…”
Ning Shixue’s lips moved.

“Time to sleep,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, reaching out to hug him.
He couldn’t help teasing him again.
“Is Teacher Xiao Ning satisfied with tonight’s service?”

Ning Shixue’s face was buried in his chest.
At first, he didn’t make a sound.
Xie Zhaozhou thought he was asleep.
After several minutes, Ning Shixue finally muttered quietly,
“I’m giving you a bad review.”

“Is that so,”
Xie Zhaozhou laughed above his head.
In the dead of night, his voice was especially low and pleasant.
“Then I’ll have to work harder.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Ning Shixue didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
He lay in his arms, pretending to be asleep.
Unexpectedly, he really did fall asleep.

He didn’t dream at all that night.

* * * *

The next day, it finally cleared up on the island.
The show continued filming.
The guests’ main task on the island was treasure hunting.
This time, the director even brought a few dogs to help them.

“Paw Patrol!”
He Miao was very excited.

Besides Forest Bunny Police, her favorite was Paw Patrol.
Who didn’t like little doggies?

Each kid got a dog.
He Miao was given a golden retriever.
Tang Haohao got a corgi.
Naonao got to hold a little Pomeranian.
Then the director handed a little Samoyed to Xie Yaoyao.

The little Samoyed was all white, fluffy, and soft.
It was only a few months old, also a little baby.

Xie Yaoyao’s eyes were blank.
He scratched his chubby face.
Then he raised his little hand to the Samoyed and said,
“Go!”

In the cartoons, the dogs would find the treasure themselves.
Xie Yaoyao was waiting for it to lead him to the treasure.

Unexpectedly, the little Samoyed suddenly stretched out its front legs, lay down on the ground, and wagged its tail, staring at Xie Yaoyao.

It had no intention of getting up at all.

Xie Yaoyao crouched beside it.
He planted his chubby hands on his waist and reasoned with the dog’s soft, white ears.
But the dog wouldn’t listen to him.
It even yawned sleepily.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King simply couldn’t bear this injustice.
He turned and threw himself into Ning Shixue’s arms, saying pitifully,
“Bad uncle, gave me piggy.”

This little dog must be a piggy in disguise.
Why was it so lazy?

[Little dog: Are you polite?]

[What’s wrong with a Samoyed piggy! It’s a Samoyed piggy!]

He Miao and her golden retriever had already found one treasure.
He hadn’t found anything yet.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King decided not to take the dog.
He could find the treasure by himself.

Ning Shixue saw him suddenly patter over to the little dog.
Then he untied its leash.
Xie Yaoyao’s soft, chubby cheeks puffed up like a little bun.
He used his hands and feet, huffing as he put the leash on himself.

Unexpectedly, it seemed to fit him perfectly.

Ning Shixue: ???

[Baby, auntie always knew you were a little dog in disguise.]

[Xie the Little Dog confirmed.]

“Xie Xingxing,”
Ning Shixue said, his head starting to ache as he tried to stop him.
“What are you doing?”

The great antagonist was right there.

Even though Xie Zhaozhou probably wouldn’t kill him now, he didn’t want to treat his kid like a dog in front of him.

Xie Yaoyao raised his little hand and handed the dog’s leash to Ning Shixue.
They weren’t little dogs.

He was much more capable than a little dog.
And theirs was still a piggy.

Xie Yaoyao sniffed around like a little dog.
He ran quite fast.
Ning Shixue could barely hold him back.

Ning Shixue was about to tell him that he wouldn’t find any treasure like this.
Unexpectedly, Xie Yaoyao’s big, dark eyes suddenly lit up.
He pulled a little box out from a cluster of mushrooms.

“Treasure, oh!”
Xie Yaoyao said, shaking it in his little hand.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Was this really reasonable?

With Xie Yaoyao as his little dog, Ning Shixue actually came in second place.
First place was Tang Haohao.
He had successfully run away from home, so he had some skills.

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears burned.
He barely spoke to Xie Zhaozhou.
He had wanted to wear shorts.
But when he got up in the morning, he found red marks on the backs of his knees.
They weren’t broken skin, but they were almost bruised from sucking.

His skin was naturally pale.
The places that didn’t see much light were even fairer and smoother.
The red marks were especially noticeable.

He had to change into jeans again.

The final challenge was a family collaboration.

The kids were responsible for running.
Each kid had to bring their dog and run to the finish line with it.

After reaching the finish line, the dads had to carry their kids and wade through a pool.
The first one to reach the other side won.

Given Xie Zhaozhou’s height, the water in the pool would be just above his knees.
It would affect walking, but it wasn’t particularly difficult.

Of course, one person had to sit in the punishment seat.

The punishment seat was surrounded by many water balloons.
If the kid didn’t reach the finish line in time, or if the dad was too slow, the balloons would pop one by one, and the person would get soaked.

“Xie Yaoxing,”
Xie Zhaozhou’s expression was cold as he asked Xie Yaoyao,
“Can you run over with your little dog?”

He didn’t really want Ning Shixue to wade through the water, afraid he’d catch a cold.
And carrying Xie Yaoyao was also very heavy.

Xie Yaoyao nodded his little head vigorously.

Xie Zhaozhou was fairly confident in him.
After all, Xie Yaoyao did okay in kindergarten.
This game didn’t look too hard either.

Besides, these dogs were all trained.
They were very gentle and most were very obedient.

So Xie Zhaozhou went to wait for him at the finish line.

Ning Shixue sat in the punishment seat with Grandpa He and the others.

The director raised his little flag.

“Three, two, one, go!”

The kids set off with their dogs.

He Miao and her golden retriever made it to the finish line smoothly the whole way.

He Lin picked her up and ran.

Tang Haohao, however, was in a bind.

The director had someone nearby tempting the dogs with lots of treats, chew sticks, and even frisbees.

His little corgi wiggled its butt and ran for the meat cans.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pull it back.

Qin Naonao’s Pomeranian didn’t seem very familiar with him.

Instead of running with him, it ran after the cameraman.

But the Pomeranian was very small.

Qin Naonao picked it up and stumbled to the finish line.

Tang Haohao crouched nearby, sighing.

They only started again after the corgi finished its meat cans.

Xie Yaoyao trotted on his short legs.

He was running pretty fast at first.

But his little Samoyed suddenly ran off in another direction, like a galloping white ball.

Xie Yaoyao ran after it.

His soft, white cheeks were red from exertion.

He ran for dozens of meters in that direction.

From here, if he didn’t turn around, he couldn’t see Big Daddy or the baby anymore.

Xie Yaoyao’s little mind started to wander.

He had forgotten why he had come here in the first place.

The water balloon at Ning Shixue’s feet suddenly popped.

He was startled.

His pants were half soaked.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King finally remembered.

He was chasing the little dog.

He had to run faster than the dog.

He ran further and further away.

The cameraman was forced to run after him, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to film him.

The water balloons next to Ning Shixue popped one after another.

He was wearing a very thin white T-shirt.

Now his clothes were soaked.

His beautiful, supple waistline was outlined.

The fabric on his chest was also wet.

[Hisss, run a little further away for auntie. Auntie won’t laugh when Big Daddy spanks your bottom. doge]

[President Xie’s face is so dark. Gloating.jpg]

[Tonight, you and I are both Cao Cao!!!]

The little Samoyed suddenly stopped.

Xie Yaoyao finally caught up to it.

He wanted to take the little dog back to the baby.

Only then did he realize Ning Shixue was already completely wet.

The other kids had all reached the finish line.

He was the last one.

Xie Zhaozhou took a towel from the assistant director and wrapped it around Ning Shixue.

He dried his hair.

Ning Shixue’s face was pale.

Hit by the cold wind, the corners of his eyes were red from the chill.

His fingertips were also cold.

Xie Zhaozhou draped his coat over his shoulders.

The program team’s car was parked nearby.

He took him to change clothes first.

The game was over.

Xie Yaoyao was still incredulous.

He anxiously waved his little hands, his milky voice saying,

“I ran over. I ran faster than the little dog.”

[Kid, no one asked you to race the dog.]

[He’s still a bit filial, though not much.]

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King’s eyes reddened.

He had promised Big Daddy he would win.

But now the baby was all wet.

His tears splashed onto his soft, white cheeks.

The little dog next to him came to lick him.

He just cried even harder.

His eyelashes were stuck together.

Wuwuwu, why was it like this?

Ning Shixue picked him up.

His little hands wrapped around Ning Shixue’s neck as he aggrievedly sobbed and murmured.

The director went over to tease him.

Xie Yaoyao’s eyes were red from crying.

He hugged Ning Shixue’s neck and buried his face in the other side of his neck.

He wasn’t going to talk to the bad uncle.

The director couldn’t help crying.

Back in the first episode, Xie Yaoyao had been his loyal fan.

He would even take the initiative to snuggle up to him.

Who could have known?

The game ended in the evening.

The program team drove the guests to the seaside.

Xie Yaoyao finally accepted the fact that he had gotten lost.

He snuggled up to Ning Shixue and promised,

“I not get lost next time oh.”

Ning Shixue was skeptical about this.

There were still two days left of filming this episode.

But with a lead in Xie Sui’s case, Xie Zhaozhou had to return to Yan City tonight.

That evening, the guests lit a bonfire by the sea and cooked their own grilled fish.

While Xie Zhaozhou was grilling fish for them, Ning Shixue went to check his phone.

The company had assigned him a new agent.

It was probably on Xie Zhaozhou’s orders.

This agent wasn’t as bossy as Lu Li.

He didn’t waste words.

He just organized all the endorsements and scripts that had recently been offered to him and sent them over that night.

Ning Shixue discovered that there was even a Tetris mobile game offering him an endorsement.

Did this kind of game really need an endorsement?

He scrolled through the scripts.
Most were TV dramas.
I See the Immortal Lord, after all, was directed by He Lin.
Even though it was a cliché period romance, its ratings were soaring.
Many similar scripts were coming his way.

But compared to I See the Immortal Lord, the script quality was worlds apart.
The agent also advised him not to take on more of this type.

Besides these, there were also two movies.
There was a love triangle romance movie asking him to play the devoted second male lead.
Ning Shixue strongly suspected that after filming it, he would be called a simp again.

When Ning Shixue scrolled further, his eyes widened in surprise.
He Lin had also sent him an audition invitation.
It was called Last Night’s Star.

He didn’t have time to read it carefully.
But he roughly skimmed it.
It seemed to be a movie adapted from a true story.

While Ning Shixue was looking at the script, He Lin happened to walk past behind him.
He caught a glimpse and thought it looked like the script he had sent to Ning Shixue’s agent.

Taking advantage of Xie Zhaozhou’s absence, He Lin sat down next to him and said seriously,
“I hope you’ll consider it. This movie should wrap in a month or two.”

He Lin didn’t push him.
He told him to read the script first before deciding.

Ning Shixue decided to read it carefully when he got back.

At a little past eight in the evening, they finished dinner and returned to the hotel.
Xie Zhaozhou’s flight was at ten.
He had to leave for the airport by 8:30 at the latest.
While he was packing, Ning Shixue watched.
He suddenly noticed a black plastic bag in his suitcase.

It was the stuff from last night.

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears suddenly reddened.
He only now realized they still had to film the show.
Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t planned on doing anything last night.
Why did he buy this?

Was he asking to die?

Ning Shixue thought he was just thinking this to himself.
But he was so unguarded around Xie Zhaozhou that he accidentally said it out loud.

Xie Zhaozhou had already finished packing and was at the door.
He suddenly stopped.
He couldn’t help chuckling softly.

Ning Shixue instinctively looked up.

“In case Teacher Xiao Ning asks me to stay overnight again,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, his narrow, dark eyes curving as he shamelessly added,
“Opportunity favors the prepared mind.”