If You’re Ours, Then Stay

Ning Shixue held it out, but Xie Zhaozhou didn’t take it.

He couldn’t help pressing his lips together, belatedly realizing this was a bit awkward.

Xie Zhaozhou’s usual wristwatches cost millions. This watch was worth maybe a thousand at most. If Xie Zhaozhou wore it, people might suspect the Xie Group was about to go bankrupt tonight.

And the watch face had half a circle of small diamonds set into it. He just thought the sparkly thing looked nice.

But for Xie Zhaozhou, it seemed a bit childish.

The evening wind blew along the coastline, and Ning Shixue suddenly snapped back to reality. He had no idea what he’d been doing all night.

He had originally planned to lie low in the Xie residence, wait for the original plot to finish, and then find a way to leave. What did the life or death of the main and side antagonists in the book have to do with him?

Just like Xie Zhaozhou didn’t care whether he lived or died either.

He shouldn’t have done anything extra.

His fingertips were still pale from the cold, and the watch strap was also icy, pressing into his palm.

The place Ning Shixue lived as a child was very poor. It wasn’t called a slum, but the outcaste district, because the entire planet had once been a place to exile criminals. The area he was in used to be a prison for felons.

Later, it was abandoned by the Federation. The prison ceased to exist, but the entire planet became a nest for criminals.

The children in that orphanage were almost all descendants of those former felons. But there were also children like Ning Shixue.

According to the old headmaster, he had been abandoned in the outcaste district after birth, in the dead of winter during a heavy snow. When the old headmaster carried him back, he was barely breathing, his little face purple from the cold.

He took the headmaster’s surname, and that’s how he got the name Ning Shixue.

Even if his parents weren’t the most vicious criminals, Ning Shixue felt there was no difference. Not even a death row inmate would throw a child into a place like this. If they truly cared for him, it would have been kinder to strangle him at birth.

Either it was a misunderstanding, or they hated him.

So he had to spend his entire life in this hellish abyss.

Ning Shixue only received gifts when the orphanage’s sponsors came every winter.

When the sponsors came, he also heard many things about the world outside the orphanage. Children in the Federation received gifts every year on their birthdays, even on holidays.

He was six then, and he had a good relationship with the boy who slept in the bunk above him. He spent a month secretly raising a little flower in the orphanage, wanting to give it to him for his birthday.

“What would I do with that?” The boy’s face was full of disdain. “Do you think you’re a Federation citizen?”

The little flower was snatched and fought over by the other boys, finally trampled into a pulp. From then on, Ning Shixue had no friends. He never gave anyone a gift again.

……

The night was deep. Waves crashed against the reefs. Only the moonlight overhead remained bright.

Ning Shixue sneered inwardly.

He had been on the variety show too long, influenced by Xie Yaoyao and the others. He hadn’t thought about anything at all. He just thought the watch was pretty, and it was Xie Zhaozhou’s birthday. Why couldn’t he give it to Xie Zhaozhou?

Just like he had brought a little chubby fish for Xie Yaoyao.

He wouldn’t wonder ‘why,’ and Xie Yaoyao wouldn’t ask him either.

But Xie Zhaozhou had no reason to accept his gift.

Ning Shixue’s fingertips curled, about to pull back, when Xie Zhaozhou suddenly grabbed his wrist.

His eyes were beautiful yet cold, but naturally seemed to hold a layer of tears—moist, glistening. Even though his face showed no expression, meeting those eyes made one’s heart skip a beat.

“…”

Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t help wondering, had he said something?

Enough to make him this upset?

Besides, he had only been stunned for a second, not intending to refuse. Tonight, besides He Lin, the only person who remembered his birthday was Ning Shixue.

Xie Zhaozhou took it. He removed his own watch and put this one on. It wasn’t exactly comforting, but his tone was less cold. “Thank you.”

Ning Shixue was caught off guard.

He hadn’t expected Xie Zhaozhou to put it on directly.

But Xie Zhaozhou’s hands were beautiful—well-defined knuckles, long fingers, cool pale skin, the veins on the back of his hand clearly visible. The watch seemed classier just by being on him.

Maybe his taste wasn’t so bad after all.

Ning Shixue bit his lip, unconsciously curving his lower eyelids slightly. But it was noticed by Xie Zhaozhou.

“Let’s go back,” Xie Zhaozhou casually put his own watch into his suit pants pocket, paused, then added, “I’ll carry you.”

They had unknowingly walked quite far, now some distance from the tent. Ning Shixue’s face had grown much paler.

“Huh?” Ning Shixue was startled.

“What else?” Xie Zhaozhou’s thin lips seemed to curve slightly, his tone lazy. In the deep night, his voice was low and magnetic, though a bit teasing. “Does Teacher Xiao Ning prefer to be carried?”

The tips of Ning Shixue’s pale ears flushed red. He stumbled. “No, I don’t! Don’t say things like that!”

“Come here,” Xie Zhaozhou called him.

Ning Shixue didn’t deny himself. If someone offered a piggyback ride, he went over and climbed onto Xie Zhaozhou’s back, arms wrapping around his neck.

Xie Zhaozhou carried him as if it cost no effort. Ning Shixue didn’t even worry about falling.

After a while, he couldn’t help asking Xie Zhaozhou, “Teacher Xie, have I seen you before?”

He had originally thought that’s why Xie Zhaozhou seemed familiar, but now he wasn’t so sure.

Xie Zhaozhou paused for a moment, then when he spoke again, his voice was somewhat speechless. “Shouldn’t you have seen me?”

Ning Shixue then realized the original host had been to the Xie residence countless times.

It wasn’t that he was being careless. He had never felt there was anything to hide from Xie Zhaozhou. He wasn’t about to tell Xie Zhaozhou about transmigrating into a book. But if Xie Zhaozhou thought he was acting strange, so what?

Anyway, Xie Zhaozhou just needed an obedient marriage partner to shut the Xie family up. Whether it was him, the original host, or anyone else, it was all the same.

But being asked meant he had to come up with an excuse. He was too lazy to make one up.

Xie Zhaozhou waited a few minutes, but Ning Shixue didn’t speak again. He turned his head and saw Ning Shixue lying on his shoulder, breathing evenly, eyelashes drooping, seemingly asleep.

Xie Zhaozhou: “…”

Ning Shixue pretended to sleep for a while, but Xie Zhaozhou kept stopping and starting, and suddenly stopped moving altogether. He couldn’t help opening his eyes.

And met Xie Zhaozhou’s narrow, dark eyes.

Ning Shixue: “…”

His toes curled. Like a little sea otter diving underwater, he hid half his face against Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder, only his beautiful, innocent eyes visible, staring back at him.

Xie Zhaozhou gripped his thigh, turned his head, and continued walking. Suddenly, he let out a very low laugh.

Ning Shixue surfaced again.

Halfway back, Xie Zhaozhou told him, “If you don’t want to keep filming this show, then don’t. I’ll tell the director.”

If filming hadn’t started yet, Ning Shixue definitely wouldn’t want to go. Only a madman would willingly cause trouble for himself. But now he hesitated. If he left now, all the suffering he’d endured so far would be for nothing.

And he wouldn’t get a single cent.

He only had about eighty yuan left on him. It would be better to finish filming and get some pay.

If he asked Xie Zhaozhou for money, Xie Zhaozhou would probably give it to him. But he simply couldn’t bring himself to ask.

It was his first time relying on someone else for support; he wasn’t very skilled at it.

“It’s fine. I want to keep filming,” Ning Shixue said.

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t say anything more. He walked back to the program team’s camp and put Ning Shixue down outside the tent. “I’m going to the car for a moment.”

Ning Shixue nodded. When Xie Zhaozhou was gone, he lifted the tent flap and found only He Lin and Xie Yaoyao inside.

Xie Yaoyao was still asleep.

“Miaomiao left with Brother Tang and the others,” He Lin said.

Seeing Ning Shixue return, he couldn’t help patting his pocket. “I’m going out for a smoke.”

Xie Zhaozhou lowered his eyes, putting his own watch in the car. Beside it, his phone screen suddenly lit up. It was a message from He Lin. He opened it to reply, but when he was about to turn off the phone, he paused.

He scrolled down a bit.

The last message was from Xie Sui, sent three years ago.

He and Xie Sui didn’t interact much privately. When they met, it was usually about work. But every year on his birthday, without fail, Xie Sui would send him birthday wishes, and a gift would arrive at the same time. This wristwatch was a gift from Xie Sui.

The dim light inside the car fell on the sharp lines of his brow, making his eye sockets seem deeper and colder.

Xie Zhaozhou straightened up and closed the car door.

Ning Shixue didn’t feel like sleeping now either. He lay beside Xie Yaoyao, playing games. Xie Yaoyao burrowed into his arms, his soft little face pressed against Ning Shixue’s arm.

Hehe, Xie Yaoyao was dreaming of a piggy. A delicious-smelling piggy. He was almost drooling. He couldn’t help taking a bite.

A shallow tooth mark appeared on Ning Shixue’s arm. Speechless, he pinched Xie Yaoyao’s cheek to make him let go.

When Xie Zhaozhou came over, he looked up.

Then he paused.

Xie Zhaozhou was holding an ice pack, probably gotten from a nurse. He leaned silently against the table by the tent entrance, pressing the ice pack to his cheek.

“Teacher Xie,” Ning Shixue walked over and asked tentatively, “What happened to you?”

Xie Zhaozhou was naturally striking. His face was pale and stern, his thin red lips pressed together. His suit jacket hung over his arm, his shirt collar slightly open. His whole demeanor was disheveled and relaxed.

Ning Shixue was suddenly startled.

He remembered something from the original novel. The original host publicly abused the child on the parenting show, causing Xie Yaoyao permanent injury. When Liao Yanwan found out, she flew into a rage, rushed to the hospital, and slapped Xie Zhaozhou hard across the face.

But he hadn’t abused the child now.

Why hit him?

Besides Liao Yanwan, no one dared to lay a hand on Xie Zhaozhou. No matter how dissatisfied Xie’s father was with him, he was essentially a coward. At most, he’d make snide remarks.

Ning Shixue could only think of his previous blackmail trending topic, and Xie Yaoyao being bullied today. Maybe Liao Yanwan found out, thought he was unreliable, and suddenly lost her temper.

“Let me help you,” Ning Shixue said very quietly, reaching out to take the ice pack.

Xie Zhaozhou handed it to him.

His cheek showed no sign of redness anymore. It didn’t seem like it needed ice at all. But maybe it still hurt. Ning Shixue lowered his head and helped him press the pack to his face.

Liao Yanwan wore rings. A patch of skin on Xie Zhaozhou’s cheekbone was scraped raw. It must have been bleeding earlier.

Ning Shixue’s movements were very gentle. Every now and then, he’d ask quietly, “Does it hurt like this?”

Xie Zhaozhou looked up and met those moist peach blossom eyes. The emotion in Ning Shixue’s eyes wasn’t strong, but he was genuinely worried, his expression somewhat serious.

This feeling was unfamiliar. But it wasn’t unpleasant. It also didn’t make getting the ice pack from the nurse feel like a waste.

“It hurts,” Xie Zhaozhou suddenly found it interesting. His Adam’s apple moved as he spoke, half-lowering his eyes.

He hadn’t expected that the only person worried about him tonight would be this marriage partner he barely knew.

Ning Shixue’s eyes went blank for a moment. He thought his touch was already very light. If even this hurt, Liao Yanwan’s hand must have been incredibly hard. What kind of deep hatred was that?

He grew even more careful, until he unconsciously looked up and caught a deeply hidden teasing look in Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes.

Only then did he realize Xie Zhaozhou was doing it on purpose.

Ning Shixue: “…”

You’re such a flirt.

Ning Shixue felt his cheeks burning under Xie Zhaozhou’s gaze. Xie Zhaozhou finally looked away, but his gaze caught Ning Shixue’s pants, and he couldn’t help frowning.

Ning Shixue was still wearing those cut-out jeans. A patch of his lower abdomen was exposed, his waistline supple and beautiful—the kind of beautiful that made you want to put your hands on it.

The director didn’t care if he got criticized.

Otherwise, he would have made him change pants.

Xie Zhaozhou remembered that Xie Yaoyao had messaged him before, saying Ning Shixue’s stomach hurt.

Xie Yaoyao was a chatterbox; he sent everything to Big Daddy. Even though Xie Zhaozhou never replied. Now, he not only sent things about himself, he also sent things about Ning Shixue.

His constitution wasn’t good to begin with, and wearing pants like that—wouldn’t his stomach get cold and hurt?

But he wasn’t about to play daddy. He said nothing.

Xie Yaoyao slept for a while, then groggily woke up. He rubbed his eyes and saw both Ning Shixue and Big Daddy in the tent. He stuck out his little bottom, climbed down from the bed, and pattered over to Ning Shixue.

He raised his little hand and grabbed Ning Shixue’s pants. Just woken up, his voice was soft. “Baba.”

He thought he was grabbing the waistband. But he was too short, and only grabbed the cut-out part of Ning Shixue’s pants. Then he pulled down, and the pants were pulled even lower.

Xie Zhaozhou had been looking down and suddenly saw a patch of fair, delicate skin. The kind of paleness that only came from never seeing the sun.

Ning Shixue hadn’t reacted yet.

Xie Zhaozhou’s face darkened. Suddenly, he lowered his head and tied his jacket around Ning Shixue’s waist.

Xie Yaoyao’s little head was also covered by the jacket. He blinked. Huh? It was dark.

Ning Shixue couldn’t see behind him and didn’t know how low the pants had been pulled. He just thought the great antagonist was really hard to deal with. The original novel was at least right about one thing: Xie Zhaozhou’s temperament was indeed unpredictable.

He was fine just a moment ago. Why was he suddenly angry?

He was baffled, but he didn’t dare take the jacket off. He had to leave it tied around his waist.

The other guests had already left. Xie Zhaozhou drove them to the village. The small mountain village was full of stone steps; the car couldn’t drive in and had to stop at the entrance.

He Lin got out first.

Xie Yaoyao also got out of the car. Big Daddy wouldn’t carry him, and Ning Shixue couldn’t carry him either. He planted his chubby hands on his waist and sighed. “I also, walk myself.”

“How about I carry you?” He Lin asked, amused despite himself.

Xie Yaoyao reluctantly opened his little arms to him.

The village was very dark at night. Ning Shixue’s legs were still weak. Xie Zhaozhou glanced at him from the corner of his eye and reached out his hand.

Ning Shixue instinctively put his hand in his.

He had never held hands with anyone before. But since this variety show, he’d gotten used to holding Xie Yaoyao’s hand. It was almost a reflex.

Then, meeting Xie Zhaozhou’s cold yet teasing gaze, he suddenly realized Xie Zhaozhou had meant to steady him.

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears turned so red they could bleed. He quickly tried to let go, but Xie Zhaozhou didn’t release him.

He Lin was still there, so he didn’t dare struggle.

Xie Yaoyao was lying on He Lin’s shoulder. Seeing Ning Shixue and Xie Zhaozhou holding hands, his little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape. Big Daddy and them were holding hands, why weren’t they including the baby?

“I also want,” Xie Yaoyao tried hard to grab Ning Shixue’s hand. Ning Shixue could only offer him one finger.

Xie Yaoyao clutched it with his little hand.

He Lin was good at holding children. Xie Yaoyao was so comfortable he was almost falling asleep. But he still wanted Ning Shixue to hold him more.

His little mind started to wander. It didn’t matter. When he grew up, Ning Shixue and Big Daddy would become very small. Then he could put both Ning Shixue and Big Daddy in his pocket.

In his head, there was already a Xie Yaoyao as tall as a little monster, with two little babies in his pocket. Hehe.

Xie Yaoyao almost giggled, his little feet kicking.

He had been crying in the evening, and now he was laughing. Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t understand what was going on in a child’s head.

He didn’t want to know either.

Holding Ning Shixue’s hand while walking was a bit tiring; Ning Shixue’s arm was starting to ache. It also felt unstable. If Xie Zhaozhou weren’t holding him, he felt he might fall.

But his arm didn’t have much strength. Xie Yaoyao could only use all his might to hold his finger with his little hand. Eventually, he got tired and had to let go.

He Lin had originally wanted to go to the bar with Xie Zhaozhou, but tonight it was too late. The mountain roads were rough, and it would be dangerous for Xie Zhaozhou to drive back to Yan City, so he had to stay in the village overnight.

Ning Shixue was a bit worried Xie Zhaozhou might stay with them. But thankfully, Xie Zhaozhou didn’t have that intention.

He went to stay with He Lin, and Miaomiao slept with him and Xie Yaoyao.

Xie Yaoyao usually slept in, but this time, before dawn, he was already flailing his little legs and sitting up.

His chubby little face pressed against the window glass. Seeing Xie Zhaozhou’s figure, he anxiously called for Ning Shixue, pouncing on him and rubbing his soft face against him.

“Big Daddy is leaving!”

That’s a good thing, Ning Shixue thought.

But Xie Yaoyao was almost in tears, so he had to get up, put on clothes, and go out with him.

Xie Yaoyao tugged hard at his wrist, his milky voice growing more urgent. “Big Daddy! Big Daddy!”

Xie Zhaozhou stopped.

In the middle of the night, Xie Yaoyao had suddenly remembered something very important.

He had promised Ning Shixue he could come to his house and be a baby. But he hadn’t told Big Daddy yet.

He had to introduce the baby to Big Daddy.

“Big Daddy,” Xie Yaoyao grabbed Xie Zhaozhou’s suit pants, his little face serious and earnest as he summarized how he had claimed this baby. Then he pulled Ning Shixue and told Xie Zhaozhou, “This, is our family’s baby.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Ning Shixue couldn’t help feeling embarrassed, his fair cheeks instantly burning red. But Xie Yaoyao refused to let him go.

Were people from Earth so exclusionary?

Ning Shixue kind of wanted to go back to his home planet. He didn’t even dare look up to meet Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes. Until Xie Zhaozhou suddenly spoke.

Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes were dark, a hint of amusement in them.

“Baby?”