Under the Fireworks, He Finally Said-‘I LIKE YOU’

Ning Shixue took the bouquet of roses.

His cheeks were burning, his eyes misty.
With so many people staring, and the cameras, he couldn’t speak at all.

Xie Zhaozhou’s hands were still so cold.
He took another step forward, pulled Xie Zhaozhou’s hand, and put it in his own down jacket pocket.

“Ahhhhh!!!”

“I need to know right now, can the date be live-streamed? This is very important to me, sniff.” (Puppy hugging leg crying.jpg)

“It probably can, right? If not, the director better sleep with one eye open tonight.”

He Lin and Qin Zhou also helped each other over.
The snow was too deep.
He Lin could barely lift his legs.
It was just a variety show.
He hadn’t expected Xie Zhaozhou to take it so seriously.

He had originally wanted to lie down and rest for a bit.
But he suddenly noticed He Miao staring at Xie Zhaozhou.
He instantly tensed up and quickly stood.

Luckily, He Miao wasn’t interested in Xie Zhaozhou.
Her love for Little Ning Gege ran deep.
She was staring at Xie Zhaozhou, only captivated by the moment the snowmobile burst through the snow spray.

He Lin’s head ached with worry.

He noticed He Miao wasn’t even jealous.
Xie Yaoyao, at just three and a half, got jealous.
But He Miao had no reaction at all to Xie Zhaozhou and Ning Shixue hugging.

She genuinely felt Little Ning Gege could marry many people.
So she wasn’t jealous of whoever Ning Shixue was with.

He Lin wanted to talk to Shen Yi about it.
But Shen Yi was just as unreliable as he was.
He didn’t even have anyone to discuss it with.

The director was ecstatic.
He came over to give Ning Shixue and the others the date itinerary the program team had planned.
He had really wanted Ning Shixue’s group to win.
He had been on edge throughout the race.

Xie Yaoyao’s chubby little face was full of confusion.
He had no idea what had happened.
He just saw Big Daddy driving the vehicle.

But when he heard they could go out to play with Big Daddy and the baby, he instantly got excited.

He had never been out alone with Big Daddy and the baby before.
On the show, there were always other kids around.

After all, it was a parenting show.
The date segment also involved bringing the kids along.

It was already afternoon now.
After lunch, Ning Shixue and the others set off.
The first stop the production team arranged was the northern city amusement park.
It wasn’t far from the ski resort, a half-hour drive.

“Teacher Ning,”
the director said to Ning Shixue,
“You have until six in the evening to casually check off five attractions. When you leave, you can come get your prize.”

Xie Yaoyao was too young to play on many attractions.
Ning Shixue first took him on the carousel and the Ferris wheel.

From the highest point of this amusement park’s Ferris wheel, you could almost overlook the entire ski resort and the distant, snow-covered mountains.
At night, with the dazzling lights, it should be even more beautiful than now.

Once on the Ferris wheel, Ning Shixue started staring outside.
Or at the chubby kid’s soft face.

Xie Yaoyao blinked in confusion.
With Xie Zhaozhou next to him, he was as quiet as a little quail.

Ning Shixue belatedly felt so embarrassed he could die.

What had just happened?

He was now on a date with Xie Zhaozhou.

Earlier, with the cameraman following, it seemed okay.
But the cameraman hadn’t come up on the Ferris wheel with them.
Now, besides Xie Yaoyao, it was just him and Xie Zhaozhou.

Ning Shixue didn’t know what to say.
Xie Zhaozhou surprisingly didn’t speak either.
Wasn’t he usually full of flirtatious words?

When he should talk, he didn’t.
When he shouldn’t, he flirted randomly.

He inexplicably felt nervous.
He still didn’t know what Xie Zhaozhou meant by what he said that night.

‘Who I like, don’t you know?’

Was that a confession?

Should he say something to Xie Zhaozhou too?

He was torn and conflicted about what to say, and also felt like Xie Zhaozhou had something to say to him.

Otherwise, why would he go to such lengths to win first place?

It wasn’t until the Ferris wheel completed a full circle that Ning Shixue, still stiff and not knowing how to look up, finally heard Xie Zhaozhou chuckle softly.
Those deep, dark eyes looked at him as he said slowly,
“We’re here. Teacher Xiao Ning still not getting off?”

Ning Shixue turned his head.
The tips of his ears were a bit red.
He didn’t really want to meet Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes.

“If Teacher Xiao Ning wants to be alone with me so much,”
Xie Zhaozhou’s voice was low, his phoenix eyes holding a hint of a smile, as he made a move to find a staff member,
“we could ride it again.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

“Wait!” Ning Shixue’s cheeks flushed red.
He wasn’t as thick-skinned as Xie Zhaozhou.
He quickly grabbed Xie Zhaozhou and got off the Ferris wheel with him.
But now, he wasn’t so embarrassed anymore.
He pointed and said,
“Second Brother, let’s go over there.”

There was a children’s play area with trampolines.
Ning Shixue and Xie Yaoyao bounced for a while.
When they came out, the line for the bumper cars wasn’t very long.

But Xie Yaoyao was only three and a half and couldn’t ride.
Xie Zhaozhou was too tall and couldn’t ride either.

Xie Yaoyao trotted on his short legs, maturely waving to Ning Shixue, and grabbed Xie Zhaozhou’s sleeve, saying in his milky voice,
“Baby go play. Me and Big Daddy wait for you.”

He stuck out his little bottom, climbed onto a chair, hugged his little water bottle, and started gulping water.

The nearby ticket sister had never seen such a mature little child.
She couldn’t help laughing.

Xie Yaoyao had just finished on the trampoline.
The soft hair on his head was flattened.
He looked up at the sister in confusion and asked,
“Sister, why you not go play car car with baby?”

She was working.
And next to her was a little slide.
Even Little Mantou would be drooling with envy if he saw it.
She really wanted to play.

“I’m working,” the sister said, pinching his cheek, laughing uncontrollably.

Xie Yaoyao had heard the word ‘work’ before.
The butler grandpa often told him that Big Daddy was too busy working, which was why he couldn’t come home.
But he didn’t know the place where you worked.
And then he had to watch others play on the little slide.

Working was really hard.

Was this the adult world?

Xie Yaoyao propped his chubby face in his hands and sighed.
“When I grow up, I’ll go to work. Big Daddy and baby can go play.”

Xie Yaoyao was talking to himself.
Xie Zhaozhou had been ignoring him, but now he finally glanced up slightly.
His eyes were dark and unreadable.

He suddenly remembered once, after a family dinner, when he was about to return to his room, Xie Sui had called out to him from behind.

At that time, he had lost his singing voice and couldn’t perform opera anymore.
He decided to make films with He Lin.
But Old Master Xie opposed it.

Xie Sui had taken the initiative to speak to him at the old residence for the first time.
He reached out and gently patted Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder, saying warmly,
“Do what you want to do. I’ll talk to Grandpa about it.”

Xie Zhaozhou pressed his thin lips together.
Xie Yaoyao was still propping his soft face in his hands.
Xie Zhaozhou looked away and ignored him.

After leaving the children’s play area, Ning Shixue went on the drop tower.
He wasn’t scared, but he was still a bit weak in the legs when he came down.
He needed Xie Zhaozhou to hold him to stand steady.

Xie Zhaozhou held his hand, first squeezing his fingertips, then rubbing his thumb over his cold palm.

When Xie Zhaozhou first came on the show with him, he often held his hand, squeezed his fingertips.
Ning Shixue had thought Xie Zhaozhou was just putting on an act, pretending they were very loving.

Now he realized, Xie Zhaozhou was probably checking to see if he felt unwell.

If Xie Zhaozhou were constantly fussing over him, asking if he was warm or cold, being overly anxious, he would probably just find it annoying.

Like he was constantly being reminded that he was sick.

But Xie Zhaozhou’s care was always subtle and unobtrusive.
Only his flirtatious words were obvious.

Ning Shixue couldn’t really say anything.
He didn’t feel uncomfortable.
It was just a bit hard to handle.

He still wasn’t used to being cared for.

It was already almost five in the afternoon.
They had one last check-in attraction item left.
Ning Shixue was eager to try.
There was a place he really wanted to go, but he couldn’t take Xie Yaoyao.

So Ning Shixue left the chubby kid with the director.

Xie Yaoyao grumbled.
They had agreed to go out with Big Daddy and the baby.
Why wasn’t the baby taking him?

The director bought him a candied hawthorn.
Only then was he reluctantly coaxed into calming down.

Ning Shixue and Xie Zhaozhou went to the haunted house.
This haunted house at the northern city amusement park was very famous.
Xie Zhaozhou put his arm around his shoulder and led him inside.
A zombie lunged at them.

The zombie’s mouth twisted, and its tongue fell out.

Xie Zhaozhou’s expression was stern.
But the zombie actor didn’t expect Ning Shixue to be expressionless either.
He awkwardly froze for a moment, then turned and hopped away.

Ning Shixue was wearing a scarf.
Half his pale face was buried under it.
The corners of his eyes were red from the cold.

He looked very timid.

Why wasn’t he scared?

The zombie actor felt very defeated.
After all, their makeup here was very realistic, and they had acting training before starting.
He had never met anyone who wasn’t scared by him.

The further in they went, the dimmer the lights got.
It was also very cold.
Ning Shixue’s fingertips were pale from the cold.
He couldn’t help hiding against Xie Zhaozhou, reaching out to hug his waist.

Xie Zhaozhou thought he was scared.
His voice laced with a smile as he looked down and asked,
“Cover your eyes. Want me to lead you out?”

Ning Shixue: “…”

He would like to be scared.
But if he said he was scared now, wouldn’t that be an insult to the instance monsters he had killed?

Xie Zhaozhou’s coat was open.
His arms were strong as he wrapped Ning Shixue in his embrace.
Ning Shixue wasn’t so cold anymore.
They continued walking.
Until they saw a skull glowing with blue fluorescence in the darkness.
Ning Shixue couldn’t help staring at it for a while.

“What is it?”
Xie Zhaozhou also glanced up and asked.

Ning Shixue’s eyes were faintly lit up.
He said from the bottom of his heart,
“Second Brother, this is really beautiful.”

His voice was clear and soft.
He had an accent from somewhere.
Every time he called ‘Second Brother,’ the end of the word was like a soft little hook, landing in your ear like he was acting cute.

Xie Zhaozhou: “…”

Xie Zhaozhou rarely fell into a brief silence.

Ever since they entered the haunted house, the bullet comments, which had been constantly spamming protective messages, suddenly flooded with question marks.

“??????”

“Even though you’re my one and only wife, I really need to know what’s beautiful about this thing.”

Xie Zhaozhou fell silent.
Ning Shixue pressed his lips together and stopped talking.
The hand hugging Xie Zhaozhou’s waist loosened slightly.
But Xie Zhaozhou pulled him closer by the waist.

Xie Zhaozhou, as if without any pretense, was very eager to please.
His tone was very serious as he said,
“It really is beautiful.”

“…Help, what do I do? I suddenly think it does look kind of pretty too.”

“You and President Xie are both diagnosed with lovesickness at the same time.” (doge)

“Lovesick, even zombies won’t bite.” (just kidding)

Ning Shixue was still staring at the blue fluorescent skull when another zombie suddenly jumped out from the side.

He wasn’t scared.
But being held in Xie Zhaozhou’s arms, he felt Xie Zhaozhou’s arms tighten for a moment.

The muscles under his palm also tensed slightly.

“…Teacher Xie, are you scared?”
Ning Shixue belatedly realized, looking up.

“…”

Xie Zhaozhou wasn’t really scared.
But when something suddenly jumps out, a person’s instinct is to flinch.

When they finally got out, Xie Yaoyao had already started throwing a tantrum.
He had made a little snowball and was building a snowman on the ground.
Next to it, for some reason, there were a few cabbage leaves.

“Xie Xingxing,”
Ning Shixue walked up behind him and couldn’t help asking,
“What are you doing?”

Xie Yaoyao pointed at the snowman. “This is baby.”
Then he pointed at the cabbage leaves on the ground, his little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape.
“This is me.”

No one loved him.
He was a little cabbage in the field.

Ning Shixue: “…”

It wasn’t that bad.

It was starting to get dark.
Xie Yaoyao brushed the snow off his little hands.
Ning Shixue took him to the director to get their prize.

There was a performance that night.
Many people in costume were carrying lanterns past the amusement park’s castle.

They marched in a long line through the snow, lights spreading everywhere.
It was like a fairy tale world in the snow.

Ning Shixue couldn’t help watching for a while before leaving.
When they reached the base of the Ferris wheel, the lights on it were already on.
The distant ski resort was also a continuous stretch of lights.

Ning Shixue suddenly stopped.
He grabbed Xie Zhaozhou’s hand and gave it a little shake.
“Second Brother, wait for me a moment.”

Then he picked up Xie Yaoyao and left.

Xie Zhaozhou waited for them where he was.
He also replied to a few messages from Song Li.
There was still a lot of company business to handle.

He had just sent a few messages when he heard footsteps nearby.
Then cool fingertips grabbed his hand.
He turned his head defenselessly.
When he looked down, his Adam’s apple moved suddenly.

Ning Shixue had gone with a program team staff member to borrow a cloak from an employee playing a ghost.
It was white, with only two holes cut out for the eyes.

Ning Shixue’s beautiful eyes blinked a few times.
Xie Yaoyao was held in front of his chest, also dressed as a little ghost.
His big, dark eyes sparkled as he stared at Xie Zhaozhou.

It was so dark at night.
Even with the amusement park brightly lit, they should look a bit scary.

But besides Xie Zhaozhou’s Adam’s apple moving, his expression was completely unchanged.
Those dark eyes were also thick as night.

He didn’t look scared at all.

Ning Shixue was a bit disappointed.

He thought he could scare the great antagonist.

He was about to take off the cloak when Xie Zhaozhou finally took a step back.
As if startled, his phoenix eyes curved, his voice drawling,
“So scary.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Some film emperor.
Could he act any less convincingly?

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears suddenly reddened.
He glared at Xie Zhaozhou, about to get embarrassed and angry.

“That one didn’t count,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, fixing the crooked cloak for him, just revealing those peach blossom eyes with deep lower eyelids.
As if coaxing him, he said,
“Try again.”

“…I’m not trying again.”
Ning Shixue said, his face red, wanting to return the clothes to the staff member.

But Xie Zhaozhou looked down at him, very gently.

Ning Shixue’s cheeks started to burn.
Anyway, he was wearing the cloak now.
No one could see his face.
If he embarrassed himself, it would be Xie Zhaozhou’s embarrassment.
Holding the chubby kid, he hopped forward again.

Xie Yaoyao cooperated perfectly.
He raised his soft little hand and went “aw woo aw woo” in his milky voice.

Ning Shixue quickly covered his mouth.
You’re breaking character, kid. You’re a ghost.

Xie Zhaozhou acted much better this time.
Ning Shixue felt even more like he was being coaxed.
His face red, he reached out to pull Xie Zhaozhou and, after a pause, said,
“Second Brother, let’s go eat.”

Xie Zhaozhou glanced at him, maintaining a gentlemanly distance, as if he had met a stranger ghost.
But his tone was very suggestive.
“Excuse me, have you seen my partner? We got separated. He’s about your height.”

“??? Is this some new kind of little game? Can I be part of it?” (Pervert.jpg)

“I could kiss ten of these little ghosts and make them cry!”

Separated my ass.

If you want to act so much, why not go make a movie?

Ning Shixue was too embarrassed to continue.
He quickly returned the clothes, then grabbed Xie Yaoyao and went to get their prize.
The production team’s prize was still roses.
But this time, it was a small bunch of red roses, wrapped with little star lights and a little bear plushie.

Ning Shixue gave the little bear to Xie Yaoyao.
He held the small bunch of flowers.

Xie Yaoyao shook the little bear and asked the director uncle next to him,
“Where we going next?”

He knew it was this director uncle who took them out to play.
Wherever the baby went, he had to ask this uncle first.

“To have a candlelit dinner,”
the director told him with a laugh.

The production team had already set up cameras in the restaurant in advance.
No staff would be present during the meal.
The director was only responsible for driving them there.
Filming would resume after dinner.

As soon as he got in the car, Xie Yaoyao raised his children’s smartwatch and started calling Little Mantou and his little henchman, the Sea God.
He swung his little feet and said,
“We going, to eat piggy dinner.”

Jiang Yu was completely confused.
First there was the spaceship chicken drumstick.
Now there was a piggy dinner.

Was this really the same show he was on?

The restaurant booked for the evening was right next to the amusement park.
It was on the top floor, by the window.
The view was excellent.
The snowy scenery of the northern city at night and the winding lights like a river of stars were all in sight.

When Ning Shixue and the others arrived, they started serving the food.
Xie Yaoyao put on his bib, his soft, chubby face full of disappointment.

Why was it like this?
There was no piggy at all.
That bad director uncle was tricking them again.

Xie Zhaozhou still didn’t say much to him during the meal.
Ning Shixue finally breathed a sigh of relief.

And felt a bit unsatisfied.

Ning Shixue wasn’t stupid.
He could feel that Xie Zhaozhou sometimes deliberately strung him along.
But Xie Zhaozhou’s sense of boundaries was too perfect.
It was just to the point where it wouldn’t make him angry.

Saying he was stringing him along, it was more like he was waiting.
Waiting until he could accept it, until he didn’t feel resistant.

And the snowy scenery at night was truly beautiful.
He suddenly felt that spending an evening like this on a date wasn’t bad.

Even if nothing was said.

“??? Are you guys really just going to eat and let me watch?”

“I’m going to throw a tantrum. The director finally acts like a decent person and sets it up so nicely, and you don’t even propose on the spot???”

“President Xie: Already married, thanks.”

“Dammit, then just do it right here for me to see!!!”

After dinner, they went to the last place.
It was a very famous ice lantern park in the northern city.
They drove there at night.
From a distance, you could see countless ice sculptures and icy trees, beautifully illuminated by the lights.
Even the paths were lined with snowmen.

They walked around for half an hour.
Ning Shixue’s hands were getting cold.
Xie Zhaozhou touched them and told him,
“I’ll go buy you some milk tea. Wait here.”

“Mm,”
Ning Shixue nodded.

Xie Zhaozhou also took Xie Yaoyao with him.
Xie Yaoyao’s chubby face was still conflicted.
He wanted to stay with the baby, but also wanted to go buy milk tea with Big Daddy.
Before he could make up his mind, Xie Zhaozhou had already picked him up.
He had no choice but to obediently let Big Daddy carry him away.

He was counting on his fingers, thinking about what flavor milk tea to buy for the baby and himself, when suddenly Big Daddy put him in the director uncle’s car.
He couldn’t help looking confused.

“It’s 8:30. Time to go home and sleep.”
Xie Zhaozhou’s features were cold, his tone brooking no argument.

There were no cameras where Ning Shixue was.
As soon as the car door closed, the live stream was left with only a huffy little chubby kid.

Xie Yaoyao had his arms crossed over his chest.
His soft, white profile puffed up like a little bun.
He was still pouting, his little brow furrowed.
Tears were about to splash down.
But he didn’t cry.
His expression was very serious.
He looked both pitiful and funny.

“Baby, you got tricked again.”

“I’m so mean. Can the director ask him what he’s thinking? I really want to know.” (Covering mouth.jpg)

The director actually wanted to know too.
So he asked.

“I have one billion,”
Xie Yaoyao said, full of grievance.
“I’m going to buy, that amusement park.”

He didn’t know what place they had gone to at night.
Anyway, it had snowmen and an ice slide.

Pretty much the same as an amusement park.

He was going to buy this amusement park.
Then he and the baby could play inside for free.
Big Daddy would have to buy a ticket.
Who told Big Daddy not to take him to play?
Big Daddy was worse than the little black pig.

“Big Daddy, one yuan per ticket.”
Xie Yaoyao said, clutching the little bear Ning Shixue had given him.
He was so wronged he twisted the bear’s ears, then smoothed them out again.

Wuwuwu.

The baby didn’t even know he was gone.

He would definitely miss him a lot.

The director was amused.
He asked again,
“And what about Director Uncle? Does he have to spend one yuan to get in too?”

Xie Yaoyao huffed.
They had promised a piggy dinner and there was none.
He pouted.
“You pay one hundred.”

The bullet comments were dying of laughter.

“Why bother? Humiliating yourself, director.”

“He’s still a bit filial, though not much.”

Ning Shixue waited for five or six minutes.
Xie Zhaozhou still hadn’t come.
Many people were out seeing the ice lanterns at night.
But this corner only had him.
He crouched beside an ice lantern.

The lights reflected on his fair cheeks.
When he lowered his eyelashes, they cast a deep shadow over his eyes.

Someone was setting off fireworks that night.
They burst forth with a whoosh.
Ning Shixue looked up.
Brilliant fireworks bloomed one after another, reflected in his eyes like an endless field of stars.

The fireworks, as they bloomed, were all shaped like stars.
Then they scattered like shooting stars into the thin night sky.

He didn’t know who was setting them off.
When they came over tonight, they hadn’t heard about any fireworks show.

Ning Shixue watched, stunned.

He didn’t even hear the footsteps behind him.

“Whose baby is this,”
until that low, pleasant voice sounded,
“why are you here all alone?”

“It’s so late, aren’t you going home?”

Ning Shixue’s cheeks flushed slightly.
He turned his head.

Xie Zhaozhou leaned down, his dark phoenix eyes curved, his lips also curved.
Seeing he didn’t speak, he pushed further and asked:

“How old are you?”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Want to have dinner with me tonight?”

Ning Shixue finally couldn’t help raising his hand to cover his ears.
The tips of his ears, under his dark hair, were white with a red flush.

Help, he needed to call the police.

But as soon as he stood up, he was grabbed by the elbow.

The ice lantern next to them reflected the snowlight.
Fireworks continued to bloom overhead.
Meeting Xie Zhaozhou’s deep eyes, Ning Shixue suddenly couldn’t move.

Xie Zhaozhou also looked up at the fireworks, dense as stars.
Then he brought out a small ice lantern from behind him.

His knuckles were pale and slender, but still red from the cold.
They were frostbitten from riding the snowmobile.

The ice lantern was only palm-sized, carved into the shape of a little sea otter.
The little sea otter was holding a star in its arms.

Actually, Xie Zhaozhou had arrived in the northern city last night.
He had stayed up all night making this ice lantern.

He was indeed several years older than Ning Shixue.
He didn’t know what young boys these days liked.

Sports cars, yachts.

He felt Ning Shixue didn’t seem to like any of them.
In Ning Shixue’s eyes, none of them compared to his little cookie tin.

Ning Shixue stared blankly at the ice lantern.
The light came from inside the star.

“He’s yours, and I’m yours,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, his eyes dark as he looked at him.
“Do you want us?”

Ning Shixue’s throat felt blocked.
His lips moved, but he couldn’t make a sound.

Xie Zhaozhou called his name again, his voice low and gentle.
“Ning Shixue.”

Ning Shixue inexplicably felt that Xie Zhaozhou was calling him.
Calling his name, not the original host’s.
Those eyes seemed to see into the depths of his soul.

Xie Zhaozhou looked at him like that and said,
“I like you.”