He Won the Snow Race—Then Asked Me on a Date

Xie Yaoyao and Naonao reached a temporary truce.

The director breathed a sigh of relief, but he was still on edge, afraid they might start arguing again.
Better they fight him than fight each other.

He had never filmed such a heart-wrenching variety show.

Ning Shixue wasn’t feeling well.
The director didn’t dare force him to do anything else.
After dinner, he found a room without cameras and let him go rest.

Xie Yaoyao lay beside Ning Shixue.
Ning Shixue held the chubby kid and slept for over half an hour.
His head finally felt less fuzzy.

When he opened his eyes, he found Tang Haohao had also come over.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Help, what was this place, a daycare?

The atmosphere between Tang He’an and Yan Ting was very tense.

Tang Haohao couldn’t stand it anymore and came to find Xie Yaoyao to play.
Xie Yaoyao was still holding the doll He Miao had given him.
Tang Haohao, feeling down, joined him in putting little clothes on the doll.

Actually, he had initially wanted to find He Miao.
After all, he was a five-year-old kid now.
He needed to be mature.
He should play with other five-year-olds.

But Mu Na was also with He Miao, so he didn’t really want to go over there.

Tang Haohao sighed.
He felt like he was going to burst, but he didn’t know who to tell.

Seeing him hesitate, Ning Shixue thought, this is worse than someone who starts talking and then stops. It was simply unfair.

He couldn’t help asking, “What do you want to say?”

Tang Haohao hesitated again, then whispered to him, “Actually, I have a little sister.”

His little sister was just over two, a year younger than Xie Yaoyao.

She had been very healthy at birth.

But six months ago, she suddenly had a high fever that damaged her eyes, leaving her blind.

After surgery, her vision couldn’t be fully restored.

She was still partially blind, her eyes looking misty.

He had to get very close for his sister to see his face clearly.

Of course, Tang He’an and Yan Ting hadn’t given up.

They took his sister to see many more doctors.

But the answer they always got was that not being completely blind was already the best outcome.

It would be very difficult to fully recover to her former state.

Before they started filming the show, Yan Ting had gone abroad for a month.

He had an academic conference abroad and took his sister with him, wanting to see more doctors overseas.

Tang He’an had originally wanted to go with them.

He couldn’t understand or speak foreign languages very well.

But he could help Yan Ting carry the child and carry their things.

While Yan Ting was in meetings, he could also take care of the child.

Yan Ting, however, coldly refused him.

Tang Haohao really didn’t know that Tang He’an and Yan Ting were about to get divorced.

But they were always like this.

His little dad was very cold to his big dad, unlike Little Ning Gege and Uncle Xie.

Yan Ting never yelled at anyone.

The problem was, by not yelling, it made things even more uncomfortable.

Tang Haohao could feel that his little dad was angry, but he didn’t know why.

“Little Ning Gege,” Tang Haohao didn’t forget to remind him, “Don’t tell anyone, and don’t tell my big dad. He doesn’t want me to tell anyone I have a little sister.”

Probably because the child was sick, Tang He’an didn’t want her to be disturbed, which is why he didn’t let Tang Haohao talk about it.

Ning Shixue certainly wouldn’t go around telling people.

But Xie Yaoyao was still right there.

Xie Yaoyao was like a little sieve.

Ning Shixue raised his finger and made a shushing gesture at Xie Yaoyao.

“Shh~” Xie Yaoyao’s soft hair was sticking up.

He also raised his soft little finger.

Actually, he hadn’t heard anything at all.

His little head had been wandering the whole time.

It was too cold in the northern city at night.

The director didn’t want Ning Shixue to have to travel back and forth.

Since there were only a few days of filming left, he arranged for Ning Shixue and Xie Yaoyao to sleep at Grandpa Mu’s house that night.

The other guests hadn’t left yet.

Ning Shixue went out to watch TV with them.

I See the Immortal Lord was airing at 8 PM tonight.

And the official version of the fourth episode of Let’s Go, Baby! was also airing on satellite TV tonight.

It was only 7:30 now.

Ning Shixue, wrapped in a blanket, slumped by the window playing games.

The lights on the snowy mountain shimmered under the night sky.

[“President Xie isn’t here, so Ningning barely talks anymore. Back to slacking off.”]

[“Dammit, I couldn’t help downloading Tetris. I need to see what’s so fun about it.”]

Some sharp-eyed viewers in the bullet comments noticed something.

[“??? I feel like, whenever a car passes by outside, Ningning glances up. Is it just me?”]

[“Not just you. I was counting. He’s glanced up several times already. Help, it makes my heart soft. If he’s not waiting for President Xie, I’ll kiss Xie Yaoyao until he cries.”]

[“Xie Yaoyao: So I’m just part of your little game all along.”]

[“Don’t love him too much, babe. I’m afraid you’ll fall in love.”]

The bullet comments unanimously agreed.

No one worried about how good Xie Zhaozhou was to Ning Shixue.

But Ning Shixue seemed to have suddenly developed feelings, which was very worrying.

Not because he had been love-struck before, but because in his current state, he looked like he couldn’t outmaneuver Xie Zhaozhou.

Even Xie Zhaozhou’s fans had to admit, if Xie Zhaozhou wasn’t sincere…

Ning Shixue would probably be in a bad way.

Although the bullet comments were deeply invested in shipping them, no one had really seen how Ning Shixue acted around Xie Zhaozhou.

After the accident on the snowy mountain, the live stream had been cut off.

No one knew that Xie Zhaozhou had come to find him late at night.

Now, comparing the two, it suddenly became clear.

Xie Zhaozhou’s coldness seemed more like coaxing someone, his teasing felt more like a scumbag’s manipulation.

But looking into his dark, deep phoenix eyes for too long made you shudder.

Yet Ning Shixue’s current gaze, fixed on the lights on the snowy mountain and the distant car lights, was different.

The show had finally restarted.

Many people had been waiting for it.

The buzz was almost unprecedented.

Tang Haohao had suddenly lost weight, looking like a completely different child.

Before the director could even buy a trending search, it was already in the top ten.

[“??? Can anyone tell me who this is?”]

[“I think I could also like this little brother. Covering mouth crying.jpg”]

[“You people, how can you not even spare a five-year-old little brother? Too mean. Count me in. (just kidding)”]

At the audience’s request, the director even asked Tang He’an how Tang Haohao had lost the weight.

Tang He’an looked very embarrassed.

Actually, Tang Haohao was prone to gaining weight, but he also lost it quickly.

Before, no matter how he coaxed or scolded him, Tang Haohao wouldn’t listen.

It wasn’t until Yan Ting ordered him to lose weight that he finally stopped eating random things every day.

Then he lost the weight in half a month.

Tang He’an was pretty frustrated.

He wanted to know what he had done wrong.

He was willing to change.

Tang Haohao hadn’t listened to him before either, but he wasn’t this stubborn.

Coax him for a while or scare him a bit, and he would usually listen.

But this time, when he coaxed Tang Haohao, he clearly felt Tang Haohao’s heart softening, that he wanted to reconcile.

Yet he still got up in the middle of the night and deliberately ate things.

When he got angry, he could clearly feel Tang Haohao was afraid of him.

But Tang Haohao still wouldn’t listen.

Maybe he was just a very unqualified dad.

After Tang He’an finished the interview, the director had someone edit a little clip and post it on the official Weibo.

Then Ning Shixue came with Xie Yaoyao.

Suddenly, there was the scene of Ning Shixue being offered bottles.

Then Xie Yaoyao fought with Naonao.

Then Ning Shixue took them to ride the motorcycle.

The whole program team was filled with filial kids.

The director had never felt trending searches were this cheap in his life.

It was a bit embarrassing.

All night long, the buzz was all about their show.

“Director Meng,” the assistant director came over and told him, “It seems the neighboring program team bought a black trending search for us.”

Starting last night, another dating show had also been live streaming.

It was an established dating show.

They had finally managed to buy a trending search.

But before the buzz could even build, they were pushed down again.

Many people would rather come watch Ning Shixue.

A whole night of the dating show’s hard work wasn’t as fun to ship as Ning Shixue’s single glance outside.

His eyes reflected the lights, sparkling as he stared at the cars coming and going outside, and he seemed a bit lonely.

A very deep kind of loneliness.

Looking into his beautiful, cool eyes felt like looking into the depths of the stars.

[“Damn, if President Xie doesn’t come soon, I’m going to ship the little wolfdog. Take wifey to the ice rink, little brother.”]

[“Could also ship Professor Yan for a bit.”]

The assistant director was still waiting for the director to decide what to do about that black trending search.

The director didn’t care at all.

“Let them be.”

He was just that enviable, that jealous, that hated.

But it didn’t matter.

His show was this popular.

He deserved it.

He could accept that.

Anyway, his show still had its own trending searches.

Whatever black material, it would soon be pushed down.

Ning Shixue played on his phone for a while longer.
Then the fourth episode of the parenting show started airing.
It opened with the guests arriving in the northern city.
The northern city was already covered in silver.
At night, with the dazzling lights and the program team’s post-production, it looked like a fairy tale world.

Ning Shixue covered his eyes on the bus, and the kids imitated him.
In post-production, they even added little sea otters.

The highlight of the opening was the kids drawing.
Now, looking back at the black forest Ji Xiao had drawn, and those two little rabbits, although only Ning Shixue and Ji Xiao knew the meaning of the black forest, the bullet comments could also feel Ji Xiao’s mood at the time.

[Xiaoxiao, I’m really crying.]

“I don’t want to say anything to Ji Qing anymore. I hope he can realize how much Xiaoxiao loved him someday.”

Then came He Miao’s drawing of her family of three, and Tang Haohao’s Ultraman fighting the little monster.
They became the warm and funny parts respectively.
This show really never lacked filial kids.

Until Xie Yaoyao appeared.
It was like the filter changed.
He held that drawing paper, hugged Ning Shixue’s leg, his face flushed, and said,
“You are the moon, I am your little star.”

The director, as if deliberately, then quickly cut to Xie Zhaozhou coming to the show to find Ning Shixue.

Ning Shixue’s ears were red enough to bleed, his eyelashes fluttering as he looked up at him, then looked away.

It was absolutely shipping heaven.
The director even used several different angles.
One shot was taken from behind a nearby car, like some paparazzi shot, but the composition was also very good.

Full of suggestive tension.

The director also filmed Ning Shixue wrapping Xie Yaoyao in his down jacket, like a little sea otter holding its baby.
He filmed the guests riding the sleigh that night, with Xie Zhaozhou holding Ning Shixue, his knuckles red from the cold, and Ning Shixue warming his hand under his own down jacket.

[Baby, you’re a silly little sea otter.]

[“I get it, I really get it now. You Xie family have flirting in your blood. ‘You are the moon, I am your little star,’ ‘Came to coax you’… you dog of a man, using your kid to seduce my wife!!!”]

[And he succeeded. Tell me that’s not infuriating.]

While Let’s Go, Baby! was airing, I See the Immortal Lord also started.
Ning Shixue’s scenes were mainly in the first three episodes, and coincidentally three episodes aired in a row that night.

Ning Shixue’s fingers were pale and slender.
He lifted that red bridal veil embroidered with dragons and phoenixes.
Beneath it were the demon clan’s black horns, his pupils red as blood, contrasting with his porcelain-like skin.

The pearl tassels swayed before his eyes.
His gaze moved, carrying a deeply hidden admiration.

Strikingly beautiful and captivating.

In the original novel, the Demon Lord Yu Li was excessively eerie and beautiful, making his counterpart seem especially cold, like the eternal snow on the mountain peak.
And he was like a moth drawn to the flame, knowing his counterpart was the original story’s antagonist, yet still willing to go through fire and water for that one glance.

Before the first episode even finished, everyone was shocked.
Was this really Ning Shixue acting?!

It wasn’t that you could tell how good the acting was in just a few episodes.
But compared to before, ‘a completely new person’ didn’t even cover it.

Ning Shixue’s gaze was so cold, yet when he acted, you felt love and hate were both very intense.
It instantly drew you into the story.

[“I suggest you put down your reserve right now and become my wife. Don’t be so ungrateful!!! Don’t make me beg you, sniff!!!”]

[“Help, is it too late for me to change my surname to Xie and compete with President Xie for the company???”]

[“I admit I was Ning Shixue’s anti-fan before. I don’t even dare think about how harshly I cursed him. I never thought I’d actually become a fan of this drama queen in this life. Puppy hugging leg crying.jpg”]

[“So what if wifey is dramatic? Be as dramatic as you want! I’m willing to coax him!!!”]

[President Xie: ? Not your turn yet.]

Ning Shixue became famous overnight, without warning.
Those who followed the show couldn’t help watching the drama.
Those who were watching the drama excitedly opened Weibo and discovered he was also on a parenting show.

Ning Shixue didn’t even know how many followers he had gained that night.

Messages, script offers, various variety show invitations flooded in like snowflakes.

The next day, official filming began.

Qin Zhou’s wife had arrived early.
But Xie Zhaozhou still hadn’t arrived.
Xie Zhaozhou had originally told Ning Shixue he would be there by 9 AM.
Now it was already 8.

[Good, your wife is mine now.]

[I think something’s wrong. President Xie wouldn’t be late for no reason, right?]

[“@NingShixue, you better wait for him to come coax you! Be as dramatic as you can! You hear me!!!”]

After breakfast, Ning Shixue was building a snowman in the yard with Xie Yaoyao.
At 8:30, a Mercedes parked not far away.
Xie Yaoyao’s chubby face instantly lit up with excitement.

Xie Yaoyao stood up and bounced. “Big Daddy!”

Xie Zhaozhou was wearing a dark black coat.
He got out of the car, took off his gloves, and walked towards them through the snow.

The bullet comments stopped urging Ning Shixue.

[Fine, fine, I won’t break you and your second brother up.]

[Baby, you can run into his arms. We promise we won’t laugh.]

Ning Shixue’s leg seemed to move, but he didn’t stand up.
It wasn’t until Xie Zhaozhou reached out his hand to him that he stood up and slowly walked over.

Then Xie Zhaozhou pulled him into his arms.
That cold, sharp rose perfume scent enveloped him.

“What is Teacher Xiao Ning doing here?” Xie Zhaozhou’s dark eyes held a deep smile, the corner of his mouth curving. His voice was low, knowingly asking, “Waiting for me?”

“…Building a snowman.” The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears were a bit red as he pointed at the snow on the ground.

“I see,” Xie Zhaozhou said lightly, his tone quite plaintive, as if Ning Shixue were some scumbag who abandoned him. “And here I thought Teacher Xiao Ning was missing me too.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

This flirtatious, how had he not been beaten to death?

And what did he mean by ‘thought Teacher Xiao Ning was missing me too’? Was Xie Zhaozhou missing him?

All the guests had arrived.
The director came out to announce the task.
“Teachers, today we continue with the snow race! The location is a bit far from here. We’ll explain on the bus!”

This snow race was still each family as a group.

For the winning family, from noon until night, the production team would provide a full itinerary of activities.
Actually, it was equivalent to a date.

After all, on this parenting show, most people would still participate with their partner.
People like He Lin, who brought his dad, were rare.

In the evening, there would even be a candlelit dinner.
Very cliché, but especially romantic against the northern city’s snowy scenery.

But this time, not all guests needed to participate.
Each family could send one person.
The event was snowmobiling.
The director had asked the guests in advance what ice and snow sports they were good at.

The only thing Tang He’an was good at was snowmobiling.
He could barely skate a little.
Although he had learned to ski, he definitely couldn’t compete seriously.

The other guests had no objections.
So this was decided.

The venue was at the northern city ski resort.
There was a professional cross-country snowmobile track.
The bus quickly arrived outside the ski resort.

The director clapped and said,
“The competition starts in half an hour. Teachers, go get ready first!”

Besides Xie Zhaozhou and Tang He’an, He Lin and Qin Zhou also participated.
They all went to change into ski suits and put on protective gear.

[The director knows how to have fun. Who can tell the difference between this and a dating show?!!!]

[Too bad Director He’s wife isn’t here. It would be more fun if everyone was trying.]

[Don’t worry. Miaomiao will always be our spokesperson.]

Sure enough, when He Lin came out in his ski suit, He Miao instantly got excited.
Her little face was flushed, her hair jumping wildly as she shouted to He Lin from afar,
“Daddy! Daddy!”

He Lin had been unmotivated at first.
He thought, whatever.
Who wanted to go on a date with their own dad?
Candlelit dinner?

Seeing his dad’s old face, glaring and frowning at him, would make him lose his appetite on the spot.

But now, he perked up again.
Whatever his little treasure wanted was fine.
So what if it was a candlelit dinner?!

Who said you couldn’t have it with your dad!

Tang He’an was the tallest of all the guests.
He had thick eyebrows and a high nose bridge, a very sturdy build.
Even in a ski suit, he didn’t look bulky.
Instead, he exuded a vibrant masculinity.

Xie Zhaozhou also put on his goggles, covering most of his face.
Only his pale jawline was visible.

He didn’t say anything.
He just opened the car door and got in.

The director got excited.
He waved his flag. “Ready! Three, two, one, go!”

The snowmobiles’ huge engines roared to life.
As soon as the director’s flag went down, several vehicles shot out instantly, cutting through the cold wind across the snow track, kicking up huge sprays of snow.

The snowy mountains were gilded with a layer of gold by the sunlight.

Ning Shixue and the others were at the best viewing spot.
They could see almost the entire race.
Not just the kids, even Grandpa He was excited, using binoculars to watch.

The director had placed a bouquet of roses at the finish line.
They bloomed brightly and vividly in the heavy snow.
The guest who reached the finish line first had to get the roses and bring them back to the starting point to win.

Qin Zhou had a fast start.
But when he crossed the steep snowy slope, his speed plummeted, and he was overtaken by several snowmobiles behind him.

He Lin tried his best to stabilize his center of gravity, leaning the vehicle down as he rounded the bends to avoid flipping over.

Spraying snow filled his vision.
Tang He’an and Xie Zhaozhou’s snowmobiles were far ahead of him.

Damn.

He Lin couldn’t help cursing quietly.
Was it really worth trying this hard?

Snowmobiling was an extremely physically demanding sport.
Tang He’an’s forehead was bulging with veins.
He gripped the handlebars with both arms and jerked them up.
The vehicle jumped, rushed out of the snow, and flew down the slope.

He thought he had finally shaken off Xie Zhaozhou.
But when he turned around, Xie Zhaozhou was still right behind him.

Qin Zhou had flipped over halfway.
He Lin’s stamina was failing.
They were no longer a threat.
He absolutely could not lose to Xie Zhaozhou.

[Help, I barely dare to watch. My scalp is tingling.]

[The drone camera angle is so thrilling.]

Xie Zhaozhou was much calmer than Tang He’an.
The snowmobile raced over slopes and dips.
Just as it seemed about to flip, it cut a sharp arc, burst through the snow spray, and shot out.

Finally reaching the finish line, Tang He’an had almost pushed his speed to the max.
His fingers were stiff from the cold.
He gripped the handlebars tightly, trying to surge forward, but hit a snow pit.

He flipped over on the spot.

Xie Zhaozhou’s snowmobile passed him and slammed straight into the finish line.
Snow flew everywhere.

Tang He’an didn’t delay.
He got up and trudged through the knee-deep snow towards the finish line.
The snow was too deep, making it very difficult.
But he kept going until he reached the line, then finally collapsed.

He took off his goggles.
His face was red from the cold.
His hair was covered in snow.
He looked a complete mess.

Tang He’an lay in the snow.
He raised his hand and rubbed his face.
His eyes were red.

Actually, he wanted to take this opportunity to go on a date with Yan Ting.
Otherwise, Yan Ting definitely wouldn’t agree to go out with him.

Many times, he wanted to ask Yan Ting why he agreed to marry him.
Had he ever really liked him?

But he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

What if Yan Ting had really liked him?
Asking now would only make him sad.

Xie Zhaozhou also got off his vehicle and walked over to him.
Exertion had taken its toll; his breathing was heavy.
He reached out a hand to pull him up.

Tang He’an rubbed his face again.
Luckily, it was freezing cold with the biting wind.
His eyes being red was normal.

He grabbed Xie Zhaozhou’s hand and stood up.

The finish line wasn’t far from the starting point.
He Lin and the others had also arrived.
They were all trudging through the knee-deep snow towards the director and the others.

Xie Zhaozhou rarely looked this disheveled.
He was covered in snow.
His ski suit was unzipped slightly.
His Adam’s apple was red from the cold.
The veins on his neck stood out, mixed with sweat and melting snow.
His knuckles were also red from the cold, even a bit chapped despite the gloves.

His face was pale, his black hair wet and messy.
The tips of his ears were also red from the cold.
Those dark phoenix eyes were deep, fixed firmly on Ning Shixue as he walked towards him step by step.

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears burned.
He couldn’t help taking a step forward.
Then Xie Zhaozhou grabbed his hand.

Xie Zhaozhou’s grip was strong.
His knuckles were cold and hard, but his palm was burning hot.
His gaze was also burning, with an intense aggressiveness, as if he wanted to devour him.

Staring into his eyes, Ning Shixue’s face flushed red.

A tingle ran from his spine down to his tailbone.

He could have struggled free.
But in Xie Zhaozhou’s grip, he didn’t want to resist.

Was he crazy?

Xie Zhaozhou was still holding the bouquet from the finish line.
The petals were covered in snow.
He handed the roses to Ning Shixue.
The snowy mountain reflected the sunlight.
His deep, dark eyes were rarely this bright.

“Teacher Ning, want to go on a date with me?”