In the Snowy Night, He Said — ‘ It’s Me Who Wants to Hold Your Hand ‘

Ning Shixue didn’t know what he was thinking either.

As soon as he reached out, he started to regret it.
Especially meeting Xie Zhaozhou’s clearly startled gaze.
For a moment, he was awkward and embarrassed.

But Xie Zhaozhou held onto him.

Ning Shixue could only walk forward like this, both wrists held.

It suddenly reminded him of that time in some instance dungeon when he was dressed as a criminal and got arrested.

And walking was unsteady.
He felt like he would fall.

“Second Brother,”
Ning Shixue finally struggled free.
The tips of his ears were still red as he told Xie Zhaozhou,
“I’ll walk myself.”

He put his hands in his own down jacket pockets.

But before he could walk away, Xie Zhaozhou raised an arm and put it around his shoulder.
The ground was all snow, unsteady.
Ning Shixue swayed and stumbled solidly into Xie Zhaozhou’s arms.

“…What are you doing?”
Ning Shixue’s whole body burned where he was held.
His cheeks, which had just cooled down, flushed again.

[Thanks. You might as well just kill me to add to your fun. Don’t be polite with me. Sea otter crying.jpg]

[I think I’m a fake fan. Wasn’t Brother Xie like this before? Does anyone remember when he was filming that final movie for Elder He, there were rumors about him and the male third lead?]

When Xie Zhaozhou was filming that movie, he was at the height of his fame, very young, and very handsome.
Actors who wanted to stir up rumors with him were like a school of fish.
But he had almost no rumored partners.

Back then, Elder He’s health wasn’t good, so He Lin went to the set as assistant director.

That male third lead played the subordinate of the Prince of Yanbei and had many scenes with Xie Zhaozhou.
At the film festival red carpet, the guy acted ambiguously, deliberately trying to talk to Xie Zhaozhou.
Unexpectedly, Xie Zhaozhou gave him a cold glance and asked,
“Who are you?”

The guy froze on the spot.

He had bought marketing accounts to stir up rumors with Xie Zhaozhou.
Now it was just a farce.

He Lin had never seen anyone so ridiculous.
This movie was filmed for nearly six months.
The male third lead had a heavy role and was on set almost as much as the male lead.

It had only been six months since filming ended.
How could he not even remember who he was?
Who would believe that?
It was clearly intentional.

If it were him, it would be hard to refuse such a beautiful person.

Xie Zhaozhou was too disrespectful / didn’t show any consideration.
After a few such incidents, people gradually stopped trying to start rumors with him.

His studio was also very fast at clarifying.
Whenever the media caught wind of something, a clarification would be out that very night.

Who would be stupid enough to provoke him?
There wasn’t even a chance for a desperate all-or-nothing black-and-red route.

Some people were still skeptical, wondering if Ning Shixue had privately discussed something with Xie Zhaozhou, which was why he agreed to come on the show and play along.
Now, no one doubted that.

[I get it. He just wants to bully his wife, right? After all, Ningning looks very easy to bully.]

[Who doesn’t want to bully their wife? Puppy hugging leg crying.jpg]

[Dammit, even if you’re Xie Zhaozhou, I’m still so jealous. Can I have the wife for a few days? (just kidding)]

Ning Shixue was firmly held in Xie Zhaozhou’s arms.
Before Xie Zhaozhou could speak, Xie Yaoyao suddenly reached out his little hand and grabbed Ning Shixue’s down jacket hood.

Xie Yaoyao said in his milky voice, worriedly,
“Baby, need let Big Daddy hold you, or you fall.”

Sometimes his little mind thought Ning Shixue was the bad stepdad, already a grown-up.
Sometimes he thought Ning Shixue was his baby.
The baby was still young.
He had to take care of the baby.

But he was also a little kid and couldn’t carry the baby.
So he had to let Big Daddy take care of the baby.

“I’m holding you,”
Xie Zhaozhou still had his arm around his shoulder, not fully holding him, maintaining a gentlemanly distance.
His voice was low, with a hint of teasing, following Xie Yaoyao’s lead.
“Or what if you fall?”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Thanks. If you just moved farther away from me, I definitely wouldn’t fall.

Ning Shixue skied for another half hour but didn’t improve much.
Then it was time to eat.

*Let’s Go, Baby!* was originally a slow travel variety show.
They had a partnership with the ski resort.
The director said with his loudspeaker,
“Everyone can find a restaurant for lunch by yourselves. You can eat whatever you want. The program team will reimburse!”

This way, the guests could also look around the ski resort, which also served as advertising for the place.

“It’s so cold today. How about some spicy hot pot?”
Tang He’an asked.
“Besides the kids, anyone else can’t eat spicy?”

There was a spicy hot pot restaurant on the second floor of the rest area.

The guests had no objections and went together to eat spicy hot pot.
The little kids couldn’t handle much spice.
The restaurant also had plain broth options and several children’s meals.

Before the food arrived, the waiter brought out some small snacks.
Everyone said they didn’t want any.
Only Ning Shixue and the kids ate them.

But they were all very sweet snacks.
The kids couldn’t eat too many, especially Tang Haohao, who had cavities.

Ning Shixue took on the responsibility of distributing the snacks.

Facing the little ones’ eager eyes, he raised his hand and distributed them by age.
“One for Miaomiao, one for me. One for Haohao, one for me. One for Xiaoxiao, one for me. One for Xingxing, one for me…”

???

The little ones were all confused.
What was going on?
It should be one each, but in the end, the baby had the most.

[…]

[The master of procrastination is back at it again. Only you would do this. This is.]

[Kids aren’t for playing with, so they’re completely meaningless.]

Ji Xiao was bewildered.
He got one hawthorn roll, peeled it, and slowly gnawed on it.

“You counted wrong,”
Xie Yaoyao was the first to protest.

Ning Shixue lazily rested his arm on the back of the chair, pushed all the snacks forward, and leisurely asked,
“You say I’m wrong. You have to tell me where I’m wrong.”

Xie Yaoyao anxiously counted on his little fingers.
He calculated for a long time but couldn’t figure it out.
Why was it like this?

It really was one each.

The baby was almost anxious enough to cry.

Tang Haohao really wanted more snacks.
But his tooth still hurt.
He held his cheek in pain beside them.

His tooth hurt, but he didn’t dare let Yan Ting find out.
Otherwise, Yan Ting would know he had secretly eaten chocolate last night.
He had a major acting moment, holding his cheek for a while, then put his hand down as if nothing had happened.

Yan Ting never scolded him, unlike Tang He’an.
But he was even more afraid of Yan Ting getting angry.

The only one not fooled, He Miaomiao, couldn’t help sighing.
She decided to put the matter of Little Ning Gege going to kindergarten on the agenda.
She turned her head and quietly asked He Lin,
“Daddy, when will my kindergarten enroll new students again?”

Little Ning Gege really couldn’t count.
It was just too pitiful.
The babies in her kindergarten’s little class could count to one hundred.

There was still one left at the end.
Tang He’an and the others really didn’t want it.
Ning Shixue couldn’t eat any more either.
He turned and stuffed it into Xie Zhaozhou’s hand.
This one’s for Xie Zhouzhou.

At first, he had deliberately served Xie Zhaozhou to spite Liao Yanwan.
But now, he didn’t think about it anymore.
It just became a habit.
Whenever Xie Yaoyao got something, he would share it with Xie Zhaozhou too.

He kept the balance very well.

Xie Zhaozhou pressed his thin lips together, lowered his eyes, and unwrapped the sour plum candy.
His tongue tingled with the sweet and sour taste.

The restaurant served the food quickly.
But after one bite, the guests all lowered their heads in silence.
It was just… too terrible.
To make spicy hot pot this bad was a skill in itself.

Ji Xiao, usually the least picky eater, could barely swallow.
He struggled to shovel rice into his mouth.

Tang He’an felt a bit awkward.

But the guests didn’t blame him.
After all, no one had been here before.
How were they supposed to know what was good?

In the past, Xie Yaoyao would have thrown down his chopsticks and refused to eat.
But now, he obediently lowered his head and took a few more bites.
Only when he was thoroughly defeated by the bad taste did he slump onto the table.

His fair, tender profile puffed up like a little bun, resting softly on his arm, his chubby cheeks squished out.

It made you want to reach out and poke it.

Only Ning Shixue ate with relish, as if he had no taste buds.
His eating movements were slow and methodical, not messy at all.
But somehow, he ate faster than everyone else.

Now, he had already finished more than half of his spicy hot pot.

In front of the cameras, Tang He’an held back and didn’t ask him if he didn’t think it was terrible.

Since it was live, asking that would be too disrespectful / inconsiderate to the owner.

Actually, Ning Shixue could taste it.
But he had eaten much worse things.
Being able to eat his fill was good enough for him.
Even after several days at the Xie residence, his palate hadn’t been spoiled.

“Ningning,”
Xie Zhaozhou suddenly leaned closer and said quietly,
“I’m going out for a bit.”

His cold, sharp rose perfume scent drew closer.
It was a very cool smell.
But his voice was very low, not so distant.
Ning Shixue couldn’t help moving away.

“Mm,”
he nodded.

He didn’t ask what Xie Zhaozhou was going to do.

Xie Yaoyao perked up like a puppy.

He suddenly discovered the baby’s new name.
He had never heard anyone call Ning Shixue ‘Ningning’ before.

He sighed, lying on his soft little arm.
He also had a good Ningning and a bad Ningning.

The one who played with him and called him Xie Xingxing was the good Ningning.
The one who didn’t let him eat snacks was the Great Demon King Ningning.

Tang Haohao finally pouted, threw down his chopsticks, and kicked his chubby legs hard.
“I not eating!”

He was the tallest and chubbiest of the kids, with a naturally big appetite.
He would get hungry in the afternoon even after a normal meal.
This food was so bad he couldn’t get full at all.

Tang He’an was furious.
If Tang Haohao talked to him nicely, he might go buy him a burger.
But since Tang Haohao threw a tantrum, he just wanted to hit him.

“Can’t you just get full?”
Tang He’an said with a dark face, unable to resist scolding him.
“You’re a boy. Look at the other kids. Are they all as picky as you? If you don’t want to eat, then don’t!”

Yan Ting said nothing, just frowned slightly beside him.
Tang He’an glanced at him and his expression immediately softened.

He pointed at Tang Haohao and warned him.
“Stop yelling.”

Then he stood up and walked out.

He Lin had bought Miaomiao some eel rice.
When he came back, he ran into Xie Zhaozhou and Tang He’an.

Tang He’an had come back with Xie Zhaozhou.

Ning Shixue looked up.
Xie Zhaozhou said nothing, just handed him a roasted sweet potato.
It was golden brown and fragrant.
Even unpeeled, its fragrance was overwhelming.

Xie Zhaozhou also gave a small one to Xie Yaoyao.

Ning Shixue held the roasted sweet potato, stunned.
He never expected Xie Zhaozhou had gone out to buy this.

Xie Zhaozhou looked up, his thin lips seeming to curve, a half-smile on his face.
“Want me to peel it for you?”

“…No, no need,”
Ning Shixue quickly refused, his cheeks slightly red.

Tang He’an had also gone out to buy food.
He happened to see Xie Zhaozhou waiting in the snow.
An old man was pushing a cart selling roasted sweet potatoes, so he followed.

He didn’t mean to curry favor.
But during his years as a stunt double, he had watched Xie Zhaozhou’s movies many times and had spent a few months on his set.

Talent was something you couldn’t envy.

When Xie Zhaozhou retired back then, he was shocked.
It was an inexplicable pity.

He struck up a conversation with Xie Zhaozhou.
He didn’t expect Xie Zhaozhou to remember him.
In that movie they made together, he was just a stunt double for the male fourth lead, filming for less than half a month.

“Yan Ting,”
Tang He’an handed the roasted sweet potato to Yan Ting.

Yan Ting took it.
The two of them said very little.

Tang Haohao ate noisily beside them.

The director didn’t expect them to learn to ski in one day.
The second stop’s filming time was the longest.
They would bring the guests to the ski resort several more times.
So today, they only filmed until evening.

Ning Shixue rested for a while, got up for a while, and practiced all afternoon.
Then it was time for the competition set by the director’s team.

It wasn’t that he didn’t work hard enough.
He got dizzy and lightheaded after just a few steps.
His heart pounded heavily in his chest.
Under his ski suit, his whole body was soaked with thin sweat, shivering from the cold.

The guests were divided into three groups.
Those who could ski went first.
They took the longest slope in the northern city ski resort.

As evening approached, the sharp mountain wind blew.
The snow-capped mountains were coated in a layer of pale gold by the sunlight.

Yan Ting and the others had changed into full gear, wearing ski suits and goggles.

Ning Shixue felt that before putting on his goggles, Xie Zhaozhou deliberately glanced at him.
Xie Zhaozhou’s features were pale, his narrow dark eyes appearing quite deep and profound, his double eyelids very deep, giving him a cool yet passionate look.

But the slight curve of his lips added a casualness that was very annoying.

At least, that’s what Ning Shixue thought.

Because his fists had already instinctively clenched.

“Ready!”
the director prepared to blow the whistle.
“Three, two, one, go!”

[Help, this is my first time seeing Brother Xie ski. A devout woman vows to eat vegetarian for life to pray that my wife and Brother Xie stay together forever. Preferably one variety show a year. I don’t mind!!! Crying.jpg]

[Professor Yan is so amazing too.]

Yan Ting had the fastest start.
He was very thin, appearing especially light on the ski slope.
His skis sprayed up a large cloud of snow as he disappeared from sight.

He Lin had learned to ski with Xie Zhaozhou when he was just over twenty.

He started almost at the same time as Xie Zhaozhou.

The further down this slope, the flatter the terrain.
But the mountain wind grew sharper, blowing snow in their faces.
Their ski suits rustled in the wind.
As they rounded a bend, Xie Zhaozhou and He Lin successively overtook Yan Ting.

Ji Qing had only learned a little, just enough to ski.
He didn’t expect to win.
Besides, winning would bring countless trouble.
He just wanted to finish the task quickly.

He had already fallen to last place as soon as he started.

The distant snow-capped mountains stood tall, reflecting the endless ski field.
The wind and snow howled past.
Under the camera’s gaze, the figures racing across the slope made one’s adrenaline surge.

Ning Shixue suddenly felt a little desire to learn to ski.
This dangerous feeling, the possibility of falling to pieces.

Actually, he didn’t mind the bullet comments cursing him.
He was used to it.
He needed this kind of stimulation, to remind him where he was, to remember he was still alive.

Xie Zhaozhou was the first to reach the finish line.

Next was Yan Ting.
He Lin had been skiing well, but he fell in the middle, making He Miaomiao laugh.
Luckily, he got up quickly, or he would have been last.

The snow at the finish line was very deep.
Xie Zhaozhou took off his goggles.
His knuckles were red from the cold.
His black hair was a bit messy.
He walked towards Ning Shixue through the knee-deep snow.

He looked disheveled, but with a sharp, imposing air.
The snow was too deep.
Even for the tall Xie Zhaozhou, walking was difficult.
He slightly unzipped his thick, bulky ski suit.
Thin sweat traced down the lines of his neck muscles.

Ning Shixue was suddenly grabbed by the hand.
His whole body inexplicably burned.
Xie Zhaozhou just curved his dark eyes and stuffed the finish line flag into his hand.

Having just exercised vigorously, Xie Zhaozhou’s knuckles were cold, but his palm was hot.
Ning Shixue’s hand was sweaty from the warmth.

“I’ll wait for you here,”
Xie Zhaozhou told him.

Ning Shixue immediately felt nervous.

He hadn’t learned anything yet.

The kids couldn’t stay out in the cold too long.
The director temporarily decided to let the kids compete first.
Ning Shixue breathed a slight sigh of relief, but felt even more nervous.
It would have been better to just get it over with.

He Miao skied quite well and steadily took first place.

Tang Haohao followed Yan Ting and had learned very seriously today.
He wasn’t stupid, just a bit of a brat.
He smoothly skied about ten meters before falling, which was acceptable.

The remaining Xie Yaoyao and Ji Xiao weren’t so good.
Three-year-olds hadn’t learned anything.
The director didn’t make it hard for them.
He changed their task to running.

The snow was hard to walk in.
The two little ones only had to run twenty or thirty meters to the finish.

Xie Yaoyao was also wearing a white down jacket.
He was bundled into a little ball.
He raised his hand to rub his frozen chubby face and started heaving forward.

Ji Xiao was also wearing a lot, with thick snow boots on his feet.
He wobbled as he ran.

The bullet comments were all struck in the heart.

[Sniff, if I’ve committed a crime, let the law punish me. Don’t let me die of cuteness.]

[Can’t take it. Want to steal the kids again. Baby, what color sacks do you like?]

Xie Yaoyao was originally running ahead of Ji Xiao.
But he turned his head and spotted his baby.

He wanted to wave to the baby.
But he was wearing too much.
As soon as he raised his little arm, he lost balance and suddenly fell with a plop.

Ji Xiao instantly overtook him.

Xie Yaoyao pouted.
His eyes were red-rimmed.
He rubbed them, wanting to cry.

Ji Xiao had already run ahead.
But hearing Xie Yaoyao fall, he turned around and wobbled back.
He reached out his little hand to pull Xie Yaoyao up.
But he couldn’t move him.
He fell with a plop next to Xie Yaoyao.
The two little balls fell together.

[Xiaoxiao is such a little angel. Give auntie a kiss.]

[Can the director’s team send someone to help them up?]

Xie Yaoyao was the type to feel wronged when he fell, to be scared when he met a little black pig.
But if someone else fell, or was bullied by a little black pig, he became Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King’s own kid.
Now he felt he had to protect Little Mantou.

He wiped his tears and stopped crying.
He stuck out his little bottom and climbed up, also pulling Ji Xiao up.

Then, holding hands, they walked to the finish line.

The director gave them both last place.

Now only the last group of guests hadn’t competed.
Ning Shixue steeled himself and walked over.

He Lin’s father had bone spurs in his knees and couldn’t ski.
He automatically forfeited and became last place.

Ning Shixue, Tang He’an, and Ji Qing’s assistant competed together, standing at the starting line.

Tang He’an had learned quickly.
He could already ski and even looked decent on the downhills.
He stumbled slightly but still managed to steady himself.

Ning Shixue and the assistant weren’t so good.
They skied and fell repeatedly.
Ning Shixue fell one more time and ended up last.

[Oh no, oh no. Now wifey will be last. Didn’t the director say they’d also consider how well they learned during the day? Seems like Ningning fell the most too.]

[I admit I’m a pervert. Wifey being this dumb seems even hotter. Covering mouth crying.jpg]

Occasionally, a few sarcastic comments would appear, expressing dissatisfaction with Ning Shixue.

[This is what happens when you always slack off.]

[Can’t take it. What kind of crappy house will he have to live in with Brother Xie and the kid?]

Xie Yaoyao bounced up and down, his milky voice anxious.
“Baby fell down!”

Why did the baby suddenly fall?

Ning Shixue’s complexion was pale, but flushed from the cold, a very sickly red.
He lay in the snow, too tired to get up.
He could only pull down his scarf and gasp, his lips trembling.

Tang He’an’s face was also red from the cold, looking like he’d had too much to drink.
He climbed up and wanted to help Ning Shixue.

But before he could take a step, another pair of hands had already reached out.

Xie Zhaozhou picked Ning Shixue up, hands under his armpits, like holding a baby.
He lifted him from the snow, arms wrapped around his waist.

Ning Shixue’s already red cheeks flushed even brighter.
His nose tip was red.
His ears, cold and frozen, now burned until they could bleed.
His long, dark eyelashes were damp and glistening.

His legs were weak; he couldn’t stand steadily.
He could only lean against Xie Zhaozhou.

Ning Shixue pressed his lips together, feeling a rare twinge of guilt.
If only he had practiced more at noon.
When Tang He’an was practicing, he should have gone with him.

Xie Zhaozhou lowered his head and brushed the snow off him.
Then he raised his hand, his palm warm, cupping Ning Shixue’s cold cheeks.
His tone was a bit annoying, as if laughing at his clumsiness.
But his eyes were deep and gentle.
“Does it hurt from the fall?”

Ning Shixue’s pale cheeks gained a bit of color.
He glared at him, somewhat annoyed.
But Xie Zhaozhou’s palm was so warm.
Looking down, he inexplicably felt a prickling in his nose.

He couldn’t remember if anyone had ever asked him if it hurt.
Before, people only cared if his death was miserable enough.

He knew Xie Zhaozhou was just playing along with him on the show.
But now, he was a little confused.
He tried hard to control himself from leaning his cheek into Xie Zhaozhou’s warm hand.

Ning Shixue and the others were indeed last.
They were assigned to the characteristic folk houses that Ji Xiao and the others had stayed in.

It was already evening.
They ate another meal at the ski resort.
Filming ended an hour later than scheduled.
The director cancelled the evening activities.

Otherwise, the kids would sleep too late.

The program team’s bus was parked outside the ski resort.

“Teachers,”
the director had to remind them once they were on the bus.
“Starting tomorrow, we’ll resume 24-hour live streaming.”
After saying this, he discreetly observed Xie Zhaozhou’s expression.

Xie Zhaozhou said nothing.
Only then did the director relax.

Full live streaming meant no privacy.
Although this was how the program team always filmed, he was afraid Xie Zhaozhou might mind.
If he left, who would he cry to?

After 9:30 PM, the bus finally stopped.
The kids had already fallen asleep on the bus.
Xie Yaoyao was also too sleepy to open his eyes, rubbing them with his little hands.

Xie Zhaozhou picked him up.
He wrapped his arms around Xie Zhaozhou’s neck and fell asleep on his shoulder.
Xie Zhaozhou turned and still held Ning Shixue’s hand, enclosing it in his palm.

The guests each headed to their accommodations.

Ning Shixue had noticed when he came to find Ji Qing and Ji Xiao that this road was very remote.
If not for the snow covering it, it would probably be just a dirt road on the town’s edge.

Tonight was very cold.
The moonlight overhead was exceptionally clear, reflecting off the snow.
Everywhere was cold and bright.

The cameraman filmed them for a while.
When they were about ten minutes from their accommodation, he greeted them and left with his equipment.

Having filmed so long in the freezing cold, the camera was struggling too.
Besides, the director said to give the guests some space tonight.

After the cameraman left, Xie Zhaozhou’s fingers relaxed, and he let go of Ning Shixue’s hand.

Ning Shixue was stunned.
He was wearing gloves, but his body temperature was very low.
No matter how thick the gloves, they couldn’t warm him up.
His fingertips quickly became cold again, stiff and pale.

His eyelashes drooped.
He lowered his head and breathed into his palms.

Xie Yaoyao slept with flushed cheeks.
Neither he nor Xie Zhaozhou were talkative people.
The walk was very silent.

This variety show’s filming time was long.
Xie Zhaozhou was so busy, he definitely wouldn’t stay until the end.
After this show, it would be very hard to see Xie Zhaozhou again.

Xie Zhaozhou had married him just to block the Xie family’s mouths.
Although divorce wouldn’t be easy, once Xie Zhaozhou no longer needed him as a shield, they would naturally divorce.

Ning Shixue didn’t know why he suddenly thought of this.
Anyway, he didn’t like Xie Zhaozhou either.
Whether he saw him again or not didn’t matter.
He even wanted a divorce.

He followed behind Xie Zhaozhou, raised his hand, and poked Xie Yaoyao’s cheek.
It was cold and soft.
Xie Yaoyao’s long eyelashes fluttered, and he whimpered a few times in his sleep.

Xie Xingxing was a child of the Xie family.
He had nothing to do with Ning Shixue.
Even if they divorced, he wouldn’t be allowed to take him.

The snow grew deeper.
Ning Shixue’s cheeks were as pale as the snow.
He couldn’t help looking up.
The snowy night sky was dense with stars.
He wondered which one was the place he came from.

Maybe it wasn’t even in this world.

Xie Zhaozhou walked a few more steps, then turned around.

“…Second Brother, what’s wrong?”
Ning Shixue blinked, looking confused.

Xie Zhaozhou met those beautiful eyes.
In this clear snowy night, they were like scattered stars.
He suddenly remembered that the name Xie Yaoxing was actually his idea.

Xie Yaoyao’s mother, Jiang Yan, was his middle school teacher.
Xie Sui went to a parent-teacher meeting for him and met Jiang Yan.

After Xie Sui and Jiang Yan married, after every family dinner, Jiang Yan would take him out to eat.
Then, after ten at night, when Liao Yanwan was asleep, Xie Sui would come find them.

When Xie Yaoyao was born, he went to the hospital to deliver a contract for Xie Sui.

Xie Sui and the others had already picked out a few names, but hadn’t decided.
Jiang Yan grabbed his wrist, not letting him leave.
Xie Sui also stood by, wanting to speak but hesitating.

He found it very annoying.
Forced to, he glanced at them.
Then his gaze fell on the name Xie Yaoxing.

He raised his hand and pointed.

He didn’t like stars.
He couldn’t remember who exactly liked stars.
He just uncontrollably pointed.

He never expected Xie Sui to actually name Xie Yaoyao that.

Xie Zhaozhou was still looking at Ning Shixue.

Ning Shixue’s tone, expression, even the curve of his lower eyelids were the same as usual.
But he had been acting for so many years.
He was the most perceptive person when it came to emotions.

He suddenly realized something and reached out his hand to Ning Shixue.

Ning Shixue’s eyelashes moved.
He didn’t put his hand in his.
Xie Zhaozhou waited a few seconds, then somewhat firmly took his hand and held it tightly in his own down jacket pocket.

“If you wanted me to hold your hand, why didn’t you just say so?”
Xie Zhaozhou’s voice was lazy, seeming to chuckle softly.

He thought Ning Shixue didn’t want him to touch him.
After all, this was a business marriage, not a normal relationship.

Being too intimate might be offensive, especially now that the cameras were gone.

“…”
Ning Shixue pressed his lips together.
His already reddened lips were now even redder.
When he spoke, his voice was a bit hoarse.
“I didn’t think so.”

He tried to pull his wrist from Xie Zhaozhou’s palm.

But Xie Zhaozhou didn’t let go.
His usual lazy frivolity seemed to fade.
His thumb gently rubbed the back of Ning Shixue’s hand, comforting.
His gaze was unprecedentedly serious.
“Mm. I did.”