The Night We Didn’t Go Back to the Hotel

Ning Shixue had already decided.

If Xie Zhaozhou dared to flirt with him again, he would take him down with him tonight.
But luckily, Xie Zhaozhou’s survival instinct always kicked in just in time.

Xie Zhaozhou’s narrow, dark eyes curved.
He wisely took the movie tickets, put his arm around him, and walked towards the hotel.
Like a gentle wolf in sheep’s clothing, he coaxed,
“We’ll go after dinner. Are you hungry?”

Ning Shixue had bought tickets for the 9 PM showing.
The cinema was less than half an hour’s drive away.

It was only a little past seven now.

Xie Yaoyao had also come out with He Lin and the others to meet them.
He bounced along, spotted his target, and trotted over on his short legs towards the baby and Big Daddy.
He still remembered that the baby didn’t know the way.
Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King was here to guide the baby home.

Ning Shixue took his little hand and led him back to the hotel.

That evening, the guests ate at the hotel.
The production team had prepared grilled fish.
After dinner, the kids all went to Grandpa He’s room to play.
The live stream resumed.

The director wiped cold sweat from his forehead.
He was just grateful that the live stream happened to be off when Tang Haohao ran away.
And Ning Shixue had found him in less than an hour.
If this had blown up, his show probably would have been completely ruined.

Now he had come to terms with it.
He had a kind of Buddhist serenity.
Anyway, as long as they could finish the show peacefully, he wouldn’t lose out.
Why bother torturing each other with the guests?

The bullet comments were all asking if Miaomiao’s cold was better.
Tang He-an also mentioned for the first time that he had a daughter.

Tang Haohao had been dying to tell someone.
Since Tang He-an himself had brought up妹妹, he probably didn’t have to keep it a secret anymore, right?

“This is my little sister!”

He couldn’t wait to take out his tablet and show everyone the photo.

“Cute, right?”

It wasn’t just that he had a filter for his little sister.

Even Ning Shixue had to admit she was indeed a very cute little girl.

Dark hair, fair skin, long, curly eyelashes.

Those big, dark eyes looked misty.

The bullet comments didn’t know why Tang He-an had suddenly decided to go public.

But no one didn’t want to eat the gossip.

[Little sister’s eyes really look a lot like Haohao’s.]

[What’s this! A new baby! Come here and let auntie give you a kiss!!!]

Tang Haohao even patted his little chest and said,

“These little braids, I did them all!”

He had practiced for months to be able to braid his little sister’s hair.

While the other little boys in kindergarten were playing ball, he was with the girls, braiding dolls’ hair.

He had even been made fun of by the older boys in his kindergarten for it.

But he didn’t care at all.

So what if he braided hair?

Why couldn’t little boys braid hair?

If Ultraman had hair, he would braid little braids for him every day, just to piss them off.

They were just jealous that he had such a cute little sister.

Tang Haohao even huffed and called Mu Yuan.

He had bought lots of gifts for Mu Yuan and Mu Na.

They would arrive in a few days.

Of course, he used his big dad’s money.

[He’s a sister-con.]

[Kid’s morality: If you have a little sister, you’re definitely a good person.]

[He must have been dying to show off before, right? doge]

He Lin shed bitter tears.

He couldn’t help shaking hands with Tang Haohao.

Only he could completely understand Tang Haohao.

My daughter, super cute.

They just didn’t get it.

When He Miao was first born, he couldn’t help showing off either.

He was constantly posting photos on Weibo.

So amazing, his little treasure could already roll over.

Who could resist showing that off?

He would even send them separately to Xie Zhaozhou.

Then he got blocked by Xie Zhaozhou for three months.

Before he was blocked, he got a reply: “Are you sick?”

Xie Yaoyao scratched his chubby cheek.

What were these people doing?

He couldn’t understand at all.

He grabbed a toy and crawled over to Ning Shixue on all fours.

“Baby, play!”

It was a little dinosaur toy.

If you pressed its teeth, it might bite your hand.

These past few nights, he and Ning Shixue had taken turns pressing the teeth.

Xie Yaoyao stretched out his soft little hand.

He pressed one first and didn’t get bitten.

Ning Shixue didn’t want to play anymore.

He always had bad luck.

Xie Zhaozhou was right next to him.

Ning Shixue grabbed Xie Zhaozhou’s hand and looked at him pleadingly.

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t resist and leaned toward him.

Ning Shixue held Xie Zhaozhou’s long, slender fingers and pressed them on the little dinosaur’s tooth.

In the end, Xie Zhaozhou got bitten first.

Xie Yaoyao swung his little feet, gleeful that Big Daddy got bitten.

Ning Shixue leaned against Xie Zhaozhou.

Xie Zhaozhou rested his chin on the top of his head and let out a very low laugh.

His chest vibrated.

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears burned.

He turned his head and was suddenly grabbed by the waist and kissed on the cheek.

Xie Zhaozhou had originally wanted to kiss the top of his head.

But Ning Shixue suddenly moved, so he ended up kissing his cheek, almost brushing against the corner of his mouth.

Xie Zhaozhou was also stunned for a moment.

“….”

Ning Shixue’s face was bright red.

He pushed Xie Zhaozhou hard, but couldn’t push him away.

Instead, he was held even tighter.

He could only whisper accusingly,

“What are you doing?”

[??????]

[Just a kiss on the cheek?! Xie, I’m disappointed in you!!!]

[No way, no way, has no one kissed in all these days of filming the show?]

[Reasonable speculation: President Xie can’t do it. (just kidding)]

[I’m serious. President Xie and Ningning — even though President Xie flirted like crazy, he was still a gentleman when hugging his waist. I didn’t even notice until a few nights ago. Crying.jpg]

[Who cares? Anyway, my wife and her husband are just perfect for each other!!!]

Huh? Huh?

Xie Yaoyao lifted his little head.

Big Daddy and the baby were kissing.

He suddenly remembered he hadn’t kissed the baby yet.

He wobbled as he climbed up and pattered over to Ning Shixue.

His soft, chubby little arms wrapped around Ning Shixue’s neck as he tried to lean in for a kiss.

He aimed straight for Ning Shixue’s mouth.

But before he could reach, Xie Zhaozhou covered his mouth.

“No kissing on the mouth,”
Xie Zhaozhou said coldly.
“Or you’ll go live with grandma.”

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King was in tears.

He simply couldn’t bear this kind of threat.

He flopped down with a plop and lay spread-eagled on the bed.

He didn’t want to live with grandma.

Grandma was worse than all the villains in the cartoons put together.

Xie Yaoyao rubbed his chubby face and sighed.

He climbed up and kissed the baby on the cheek.

Then he nervously waved his little hands at Ning Shixue.

“You not allowed, secretly kiss me oh.”

Otherwise, grandma would turn him into a little black pig.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Why was he so confident?

Who would secretly kiss you?

At a little past eight, the guests took the kids to sleep.

Ning Shixue bathed the chubby kid, then put him in his baby sleep pants and handed him over to He Lin.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King still didn’t know he had been sleeping with Uncle He and the others for several nights.

He lay on He Lin’s shoulder, his soft cheeks squished out.

He waved very maturely at Ning Shixue, his milky voice saying,

“Baby, can’t come home too late oh.”

Little kids who don’t sleep won’t grow tall.

“I know,”
Ning Shixue said, feeling a rare twinge of guilt.

He and Xie Zhaozhou drove to the cinema.

There were actually more people at the cinema at night.

Especially since the tickets Xie Zhaozhou had bought before were for a romance movie that had just been released this month.

Ning Shixue had originally wanted to buy seats in the corner.

But Xie Zhaozhou had originally bought seats in the middle row, the best seats in the house.

He steeled himself and bought the same ones.

“What do you want to eat?”
Xie Zhaozhou asked, holding his hand as they walked into the cinema lobby.

Ning Shixue didn’t really want anything.

But since they were already here to see a movie, and it was supposed to be a date, he dragged Xie Zhaozhou to buy popcorn and cola.

The couple set.

Ning Shixue was too thin-skinned.

While he waited for their order, the tips of his ears were red, like white jade stained with rouge.

He barely even looked at Xie Zhaozhou.

Even though they came together, while waiting in line, he kept a meter’s distance like a stranger.

Xie Zhaozhou moved closer to him.

His cold perfume scent enveloped him.

Ning Shixue’s back tensed slightly.

Then he heard Xie Zhaozhou ask quietly,

“Does Teacher Xiao Ning think I’m that embarrassing?”

Ning Shixue turned his head.

Xie Zhaozhou’s tone was quite plaintive.

His dark phoenix eyes looked at him intently.

Ning Shixue looked away uncomfortably, making up an excuse.

“What if the paparazzi catch us?”

“True,”
Xie Zhaozhou said.

His features were pale, his eye sockets deep.

When he lowered his eyes, there was a suppressed affection.

His red lips pressed together as he whispered considerately,

“If any rumors get out, and your boyfriend finds out, that wouldn’t be good.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Why did this feel like an affair?

Ning Shixue forced himself to keep a straight face.

“Aren’t you afraid your wife will find out? Why should I be afraid of my boyfriend?”

“Who is my wife?”

Xie Zhaozhou’s narrow, dark eyes curved, his lips also curved.

His tone was meek as he said,

“Teacher Xiao Ning not only wants my innocence, but also wants to be my wife?”

“…”

Bastard! Go to hell!

Ning Shixue started regretting coming to the movies.
But it was too late to regret now.
He could only let Xie Zhaozhou hold his hand and put his arm around his shoulder, like any other couple.

The movie started soon.

It was actually quite good.
When the movie reached its climax, the cinema was filled with the sobs of young couples.
Even Ning Shixue felt sorry for these star-crossed lovers.

But luckily, it had a happy ending.

It was almost eleven at night when the movie ended.
Xie Zhaozhou didn’t like sweets very much.
When they left the cinema, there was still half the popcorn left.
Ning Shixue decided to take the rest home for the chubby kid.

The stars were thick in the sky.

Ning Shixue looked up for a moment, then walked with Xie Zhaozhou towards the parking lot.
But when Xie Zhaozhou opened the car door for him, he didn’t get in.
He looked like he wanted to say something.

There was almost no one in the parking lot now.
The lights were dim, very quiet.
Even the security guard was distracted.

“What’s wrong?”
Xie Zhaozhou asked quietly.

Ning Shixue’s eyes were moist with embarrassment, misty like he was drunk.
He reached out and hugged Xie Zhaozhou’s waist.
He buried his head in his chest for a moment, then looked up and whispered,
“Second Brother, how about we don’t go back tonight?”

His fingers clutched the fabric on Xie Zhaozhou’s back.
His hand was trembling.
He thought he had hinted pretty clearly.
But Xie Zhaozhou still didn’t seem to understand.

“Hm?”
Xie Zhaozhou was startled for a moment.
He couldn’t help curving his lips as he held him and asked gently,
“If Teacher Xiao Ning isn’t going home tonight, where else does he want to go?”

“…”
Ning Shixue was about to get angry.
But he didn’t want to lose his temper with Xie Zhaozhou tonight.
He held back, the corners of his eyes red.
“…Don’t bully me.”

Xie Zhaozhou’s heart suddenly softened.
He finally stopped pretending.
He lowered his head and kissed the top of Ning Shixue’s head, saying quietly,
“Need to go to the supermarket first.”

Ning Shixue hummed in agreement but got in the car.

Xie Zhaozhou chuckled softly, leaned down, and tapped on the car window.
His voice was low as he asked,
“Teacher Xiao Ning isn’t coming with me?”

“…”
The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears burned.
He shook his head and argued,
“I’m a star now. I’m this popular. If I go out, I’ll get caught by paparazzi.”

He couldn’t learn Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King’s blind confidence.
Before he even finished, his voice trailed off.

“Yes, Teacher Xiao Ning is the most popular,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, his voice cool but now very gentle.
Ning Shixue almost had the illusion that he really was that popular.

Xie Zhaozhou told him,
“I’ll go buy it. Wait a few minutes.”

The air conditioning in the car was on full blast.

After Xie Zhaozhou left, Ning Shixue grabbed his suit jacket from the passenger seat.
Xie Zhaozhou was more than half a head taller than him, and he was very thin.
When he put it on, it was very loose.
The sleeves covered his hands, only his pale fingertips showing.

Ning Shixue tilted his head, rubbing his cheek against the fabric.
The tip of his nose was filled with that cold, pleasant perfume scent.

Xie Zhaozhou was back in less than ten minutes.
He put the bag in the back seat and drove off.

This cinema was very close to the sea.
As they drove by, the bonfire was still burning by the shore.
Even though it was past eleven, it was still buzzing with people.
There seemed to be some kind of music festival.

“Want to go see?”
Xie Zhaozhou asked him.

Ning Shixue kind of wanted to.

Xie Zhaozhou parked the car on the beach and took him over.
They mingled in the crowd and listened to a few songs.
The beach was covered in lights, reflecting the faint glow of the distant lighthouse.
Even the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks didn’t feel so lonely anymore.

Ning Shixue walked barefoot on the sand.
The sea water was cold this late at night.
He stepped in it a few times before Xie Zhaozhou pulled him onto his back, hooked his legs, and carried him.

Ning Shixue, at a loss, tightened his arms around his neck.

Xie Zhaozhou freed a hand and held his cold feet.
The soles of his feet were wet, held in his palm.
Ning Shixue was embarrassed but couldn’t escape.
He could only let his feet be warmed.

Xie Zhaozhou drove him along the coastline for a while, finally parking in a quiet, deserted place.

From here, you could see the lighthouse.
The night sky was deep, with a crescent moon hanging in it, especially bright over the sea.

Ning Shixue leaned against Xie Zhaozhou.
He looked at the distant lighthouse, then turned and met Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes, deep as the sea.
His head was spinning.
By the time he realized, Xie Zhaozhou had already pressed him onto the back seat, their lips and tongues entangled.

Xie Zhaozhou kissed him fiercely.
Sucking and licking at his lips, biting them until they were wet, red, soft, and hot.
He wouldn’t let go, like he wanted to chew him up and swallow him.
Ning Shixue almost choked.
He couldn’t breathe.
Tears uncontrollably streamed from the corners of his eyes.

“Not here…”
Ning Shixue’s whole body went weak.
He finally managed to push against Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder.

He thought Xie Zhaozhou wanted to do something.

Even though there was no one at the beach late at night, he was still afraid of being discovered.
He would die of embarrassment.

Xie Zhaozhou actually hadn’t planned to do anything tonight anyway.
They still had to film the show tomorrow.
And even the upscale hotel the production team had booked wasn’t good enough for him.

How could he do it in the car?

“Don’t be scared,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, his thumb wiping away the tears at the corner of his eye.
His voice was low, hoarse, and gentle.
“I’ll just touch. Nothing else.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Ning Shixue’s fair cheeks burned.
He didn’t think that sounded like something a human would say either.

But he didn’t move away.
He just lay there under Xie Zhaozhou’s hand.

Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes suddenly widened.

Ning Shixue’s eyes were full of mist.
He looked at him blankly, then realized what Xie Zhaozhou was looking at.

Kissed like this, he was very quiet down there.
No reaction at all.
Very impolite.

Ning Shixue froze for a moment.
Afraid Xie Zhaozhou would misunderstand, he grabbed his hand and explained,
“It’s not because of you. It’s my own problem.”

He just… couldn’t.
Especially in this sickly body, he didn’t seem to feel much in that area.

But it wasn’t that there was actually something wrong with his body.

Ning Shixue hadn’t originally planned to be an actor.
But when he was sixteen, the headmistress got sick.
He was very short on money.
Just then, an agent wanted to sign him, so he started acting.

The headmistress held on for a few years but eventually passed away.
Ning Shixue didn’t quit the industry.
He kept acting.

With his temper, he was very easy to offend people.
Then he suddenly became famous.
And his parents were probably vicious criminals.
Someone like him deserved to die.

No dignity, no personality.

It was decided the moment he was abandoned in that place.
His whole life was futile.

He thought becoming famous would be enough.
He never imagined that at the height of his fame, his agent would force drugs down his throat.

And try to give him to the higher-ups.

That’s when he realized.
He struggled desperately.
But he had never managed to struggle out of that mire.

No one expected that even after being drugged, Ning Shixue could still fight back.
No one got any advantage.

Ning Shixue had already kicked the guy so hard he was useless.
Completely useless.

His beautiful peach blossom eyes, hailed as a treasure, were filled with cold anger.

The man, in agony, called for help.
Ning Shixue was stabbed in one eye with a knife.
He bled to death and was dragged into the horror game after he died.

He didn’t actually care that much.
Anyway, he had a prosthetic eye now.
It was even better.

But after that incident, he never had any reaction again.

Ning Shixue pressed his lips together.
He was still holding Xie Zhaozhou’s hand, feeling a bit anxious.
He didn’t want to be rejected.

Even if he didn’t react, it wouldn’t matter, right?

Xie Zhaozhou looked into his eyes.
He was silent for a few seconds.
Then he suddenly knelt on one knee.
His suit pants crumpled.
His well-defined hand rested beside Ning Shixue.
His red lips curved as he asked quietly,
“Can I try?”