Even If This World Is Fake… You’re Still My Home

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t know why Ning Shixue had suddenly kissed him.

But of course, he preferred Ning Shixue to be clingy with him.

He just couldn’t stay.
He had to leave tonight.
He held him, kissed him once, and then left.

It was a bit cold at night.
Ning Shixue rubbed his chilly arms and walked back towards the bedroom.
When he passed the camera, he suddenly stopped.

The director had fixed a phone next to the camera.
The guests could also see the bullet comments.
One time in the middle of the night, He Miao had wandered into the living room half-asleep.
She recognized a few words and actually started chatting with the bullet comments.
But she only knew a few words, so it was a completely cross-server conversation.

When He Lin woke up and found her missing, he went out to look for her.
He was both amused and exasperated.

It was late at night.
The bullet comments should have been quiet.
But Ning Shixue saw them scrolling nonstop.
It was as lively as New Year’s.
He couldn’t help leaning in to look.

[Ahhhhhh!!!]

[Negative review! Why did you kiss for less than three minutes and then leave? Is President Xie incapable, or does he look down on me???]

[Is that something you can just do? When President Xie was holding Ningning, his shirt rode up a little. I want to know if those are hickies on his back. Did they maybe do it?]

[Be bold! They definitely did it. Wuwuwu, that bastard was sucking on my wife’s mouth. Puppy hugging leg crying.jpg]

[I paid! Can you tell me exactly what happened? This is really important to me, wuwuwu.]

[@NingShixue, just admit it. What kind of games do you and your husband play? The show is almost over, and you still won’t tell me. I’m really going to throw a tantrum. Crying.jpg]

[I’ll give you a choice. Tell me if you did it, or tell me what position. Mangy dog holding a rose.jpg]

Ning Shixue: “…”

Ning Shixue’s face suddenly reddened.
But when the bullet comments saw him coming over, they not only didn’t stop, they got even worse.

Were these people really his fans?

What was wrong with them?

Just like Xie Zhaozhou.
They felt uncomfortable if they didn’t tease him.
It was clearly on purpose.

Seeing that the live stream was about to get shut down for being too obscene, Ning Shixue’s face was red enough to bleed.
Forced into embarrassment and anger, he finally whispered,
“What’s wrong? Can’t we do it?”

After saying that, he turned and left.
He rubbed his burning face and went to sleep.

The bullet comments didn’t let him off even after he left.

[You can! I didn’t say you can’t!]

[Good, good. This is what I call not being standoffish. It would be even better if you were more detailed. Don’t go. Crying big devil.jpg]

There were only two days left until the parenting show wrapped up.
When Ning Shixue woke up the next day, he went to the set with He Lin again.
They had to go to a welfare home that morning to film the last remaining scene from last night.

It was Wen Yu sending away the youngest younger sister.

He had Xiaoyan’er and Mengmung hide and wait for him.
He was only in his teens.
He looked young.
Taking three children like this was very conspicuous.
It easily drew strange looks.

Wen Yu was a bit scared.
He was afraid Xiaoyan’er and Mengmung would be discovered and also sent to the welfare home.

If the welfare home could help these two children find their parents, he would of course be willing.
Even though he really wanted to be with them, he wanted them to go home even more.

But over the past two years, his uncle and aunt had come looking for them.
His aunt had smothered his younger brother to death.
Having killed someone, she was terrified Wen Yu would go to the police.
She desperately wanted to catch him.

He had tried to go to the police before and was caught by his uncle.
If he was caught in a welfare home, what would he do?

He had never been to school.
He wasn’t very smart either.
He couldn’t think of any good ideas.
He was just very scared.
He preferred to use the clumsiest method, hiding and running with them.

“This child has eye problems?”
the welfare home director asked, picking up younger sister.

Wen Yu nodded.
Younger sister wasn’t healthy.
He had brought the medicine younger sister usually took, several packets of it, her little clothes, and her favorite little bunny plushie.

He told the director what she liked to eat, what she didn’t like, and what she was allergic to.
She couldn’t see, so she was very timid.
You had to talk to her, or she would be scared.

The director’s heart softened.
She promised to take good care of younger sister and find suitable adoptive parents for her.
Even if they couldn’t find adoptive parents in this situation, they wouldn’t abandon her.

Only then did Wen Yu relax a little.
But before he left, younger sister grabbed his finger with her little hand.
He couldn’t help crying.

She was too young.
She didn’t even understand what parting meant.

Wen Yu would die just over a year later.
This was the last time she would ever see him.

“Cut!”
He Lin called.

He really loved filming Ning Shixue’s crying scenes.
Ning Shixue’s skin was pale.
When he cried, the corners of his eyes and the tip of his nose were red.
His eyelashes trembled.
Tears would instantly fall.
Seen from behind the monitor, it was a breathtaking kind of beauty.

After they finished filming this scene, they returned to the restaurant at noon.
Yan Ting was there, correcting Ning Shixue’s test.

This time, he had barely passed.

Xie Yaoyao hugged Ning Shixue’s leg.
Ning Shixue picked him up and held him against his chest.
Then he leaned in to listen as Yan Ting explained the wrong answers.

[While President Xie is away, it’s my turn to hug wifey. Wifey is so soft. Hugging once means never going hungry.]

Yan Ting couldn’t help asking Ning Shixue,
“What language was that? Can you teach me?”

Ning Shixue was startled for a moment.
He held Xie Yaoyao a little tighter.
Xie Yaoyao blinked his big, dark eyes and looked up, rubbing his face against Ning Shixue’s.
Ning Shixue pinched his little cheek.

He had originally wanted to play it off.
But Yan Ting’s tone was very serious.
He couldn’t lie.

So he could only teach Yan Ting a little bit of Interstellar language.

The bullet comments didn’t take it seriously.
After all, Yan Ting was always an overly serious person.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he believed Ning Shixue.

[But I remember a few days after Ningning first went on the show, he said he was an alien. Could it be true? Which planet is he from? doge]

[Say it and believe it. Dying of laughter.]

They still closed at 10:30 that night.

There was only one day left for the parenting show.
The guests all got up early and took the kids to the supermarket.

This time, they bought a lot of things.

Grandpa He planned to add over a dozen new dishes on the last day.

Ning Shixue was forced to work again.
He put on the costume with the director and danced the bunny dance at the restaurant entrance.
Xie Yaoyao and the others also jumped around.
They attracted a lot of passersby.

On the last day, the restaurant had an unusually large number of customers.
Business was very busy.
Even Ning Shixue had to help serve food.

But they would close at 6:30 PM.

The program team had invited everyone who had helped during the restaurant’s opening, regular customers, the alien fans who had come before, and the program staff and guests.

They were having a reunion dinner that night.

Xie Zhaozhou also came that night.
He had moved his meeting up by an hour.
Then he came to be with Ning Shixue.

He had realized that his little alien actually liked excitement.
If he hadn’t been there tonight, Ning Shixue would probably have felt sorry.

Grandpa He and Tang He-an were still the head chefs.
But they couldn’t cook for so many people.
A few of the program team’s staff who were good at cooking also went to help.

Grandpa He even specially made dumplings.
He put several coins in them.
He Lin stood at the kitchen door with his arms crossed, smacking his lips a few times.

He thought it was really tacky.

But before he could finish smacking his lips, his father chased him out with a dark face.
Annoyed, he said,
“You’re in the way.”

Grandpa He also made a grilled fish.
The director went all out and brought out a very expensive bottle of red wine.
Several tables were set up in the restaurant.
When all the dishes were ready, the director said,
“Let’s eat first. We’ll go to the riverfront later to film the finale.”

Ning Shixue also drank a little bit of the red wine.
He couldn’t handle alcohol.
Even though this small glass didn’t get him drunk, his eyes were already misty.
His fair cheeks were flushed.

He suddenly felt like it was New Year’s.
He had never celebrated New Year’s with anyone.

This dinner lasted a long time.
When they finished eating, the director arranged the next segment.

He had the kids draw a picture back in the northern city.
Now that the show was ending, he had them draw another one.

He Miao was the first to show hers to He Lin and Grandpa He.
Before, she had only drawn her mom, dad, and herself.
But this time, she added her grandparents.
She even drew a frame around it, like a family portrait.
And the He family was basically all about making movies.

Grandpa He was grinning from ear to ear.

[Miaomiao will probably act when she grows up. I’m really looking forward to it. I heard she and Ningning made a movie together?]

[Dammit, Director He is keeping it so secret. We still don’t know what movie it is. I heard President Xie invested in it.]

This time, Tang Haohao didn’t draw Ultraman fighting little monsters.
He drew their family of four.
He even painted a little red flower on younger sister’s cheek.
Wen Yu had sent younger sister to the welfare home in the movie, and younger sister had wrapped up today.
This was a reward.

[Ultraman: Tell me, does love disappear? Ultraman weak.jpg]

[The little monster would faint in the toilet from crying.]

The director had told the kids to draw during the meal.
Qin Naonao was eating grilled fish.
He didn’t want to draw anything.
The director tried to coax him for a while.
Not only did he ignore the director, he burst into loud wails.
He even tore up the drawing paper.

Qin Zhou was really embarrassed.
His face was about to darken.
But on this occasion, it wasn’t the right time to lose his temper.

The director had to give up.
He chose to ask Ji Xiao for a drawing.
Ji Xiao’s aunt quickly sent the drawing over.

Ji Xiao had drawn three little rabbits.
It was his new mom and dad, holding his hand.
He was also carrying the little black pig Ning Shixue had given him.
But the background in the drawing was no longer that black forest.
It was the Yan City amusement park.

[Sniff, haven’t seen Little Mantou in so long.]

[I almost forgot Xiaoxiao was called Little Tangyuan. So he’s completely changed his name now, right? doge]

Only Xie Yaoyao still drew the moon and the little star.
But this time, he also drew the night sky.
He pounced and hugged Ning Shixue’s leg.
He looked up and met Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes, then didn’t dare speak.
He wobbled away like a little quail.

It was just too scary.

He pointed at the night sky and told the director, a little shyly,
“This is Big Daddy.”

They would be together forever.

[Rare indeed. Today, the filial sons are all truly filial. Covering mouth crying.jpg]

[Thanks to the salted fish. Watching the show from the beginning now, I feel like the fate of every kid has been changed.]

[Ningning, he really… I’m crying.]

After dinner, everyone else dispersed.
The guests went to the riverfront.
The director set off fireworks by the river.
Reflecting the lights of the riverside bridge, the dark night sky was lit up like daytime.

He Miao jumped up and down.
She wanted to take a photo with Little Ning older brother.
Xie Zhaozhou helped Ning Shixue pick her up.

But before he could put her in Ning Shixue’s arms, the cameraman suddenly took a picture.
The night was deep.
Behind them were brilliant fireworks and river lights.
He Miao’s little face was flushed, full of excitement.

He Lin shed bitter tears again.
This was a family of three.
But that was his kid!

Bastard, give me back my daughter!

The director bought sparklers.
He let the guests and kids play freely by the river for a while.
Xie Yaoyao and Naonao were too young.
They weren’t allowed to touch the sparklers.
But He Miao and Tang Haohao could play.
Ning Shixue also held a sparkler and played with them.

Ning Shixue crouched on the ground.
The sparklers crackled, lighting up his beautiful face.
His eyelashes were curved.
He Miao and Tang Haohao also crouched.
They gathered together.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King’s little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape.
He lay on Ning Shixue’s back, hugging his neck.
His soft, chubby cheek rubbed against him.
He even swayed back and forth.

Why was it like this?
He wanted to play with the sparklers too.
The baby wouldn’t let him.

Ning Shixue was forced to sway.

[Stop swaying, stop swaying. You’re going to mix the baby up. (just kidding)]

[Mixed up, I’m going to die laughing.]

He Lin and Xie Zhaozhou smoked a cigarette by the river.

He Lin’s personal life wasn’t reliable.
But among young directors today, he rarely had the pride of the older generation.
He didn’t understand business matters at all.
He wasn’t interested in understanding the filth either.

But he knew Xie Zhaozhou was very busy.

Now he finally understood why, three years ago, when Xie Zhaozhou took over the Xie Group, the first thing he did was completely clean out the upper management.
Otherwise, his situation would only be worse than now.

But the company needed people to do the work.
The old directors who had been around when Old Master Xie was chairman were very familiar with the Xie Group.
Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t possibly drive them all away in just a few years.

The ones who remained now couldn’t really threaten him.
Cheng Zhang was already struggling.
He couldn’t even take care of Xie Hanzhou anymore.
That’s why Xie Hanzhou appeared so down and out in front of the media.

“Has the verdict for Xie Sui’s case come down yet?”
He Lin asked, cigarette in his mouth, lowering his voice.

Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes were dark.
The red tip of the cigarette in his fingers flared and died.
He shook his head.
“Not that fast.”

No matter what, Jiang Xin and her brother had confessed.
The case would be settled soon.

Xie Zhaozhou was more concerned about Xie’s father’s death now.
This matter was full of suspicious points.
How had Jiang Xin gotten into that ward?

Also, after Xie Sui died, Jiang Zhan had actively gone to Xie’s father.
He knelt down, crying, and said he had killed his elder brother.
He said he knew he was wrong.
He begged Xie’s father to save him.

Xie Zhaozhou had seen Jiang Zhan again at the police station.
Both siblings were calm to the point of almost indifferent.

Besides, they had promised that driver.
Even if he died, they would continue to seek revenge.
They wouldn’t stop until they died.

At the time, no one suspected them.
Xie’s father didn’t suspect them either.
The police didn’t even know they existed.

Jiang Zhan had no reason to come forward.

Unless something had happened that forced him to kneel before Xie’s father to save the situation.

Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes were deep and unreadable.
He had just put out his cigarette when someone suddenly hugged him from behind.

Xie Zhaozhou was stunned for a moment.
Then he couldn’t help smiling.
He grabbed Ning Shixue’s cold hand and wanted to pull him into his arms.
But before he could, Ning Shixue, his eyes red-rimmed and slightly drunk, looked at him pleadingly.
Then he suddenly slapped him on the butt and ran off.

He ran too fast.
Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t catch him.

[Even if I’m just a dog sleeping by the roadside, you can’t kick me repeatedly like this. You annoying couple.]

[Dying of laughter. I think Ningning is drunk. Who would have thought I’d ever find this drama queen so cute I want to kiss him to death? Is this what true love is? Crying.jpg]

Ning Shixue was wearing the most clothes.
He had a thin sweater on, with Xie Zhaozhou’s suit jacket over it.

The clothes were too big.
Half his hands were covered.
But he always liked wearing Xie Zhaozhou’s coat.

He ran a few steps and then turned to look at Xie Zhaozhou.
The stars in the entire Yan City night sky couldn’t compare to the beauty of his eyes.

He didn’t expect Xie Zhaozhou to walk towards him.
He turned and ran.
In the end, he couldn’t outrun him.
Xie Zhaozhou forcefully grabbed him by the waist and pulled him into his arms.

Xie Zhaozhou’s dark phoenix eyes stared at his face.
A knowing smile on his lips, he asked,
“What are you running from?”

“I’m not running,”
Ning Shixue said stubbornly.

His eyelids were flushed.
He was indeed a bit drunk.
His voice was especially soft.
He didn’t care about the cameras.
He reached out and hugged Xie Zhaozhou’s waist again.
He even burrowed into his arms.
He made Xie Zhaozhou wrap his trench coat around him.
Then he looked up at him.
Bewitched by his boyfriend’s beauty, he stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

But he was drunk.
He didn’t even know how to kiss properly.
He just rubbed his lips softly against him.
Then he stumbled and their lips parted.

[Babe, do you really love him this much? Does it have to be this much? Covering mouth crying.jpg]

[No joke. Ningning really likes him.]

[Good, good. So now you’re completely not being standoffish, right? Can I also crawl under your bed? @NingShixue]

The guests finished setting off the fireworks.
This show was really ending.
The kids all crowded together.
The guests stood behind them.
The director also forced his way in.

He insisted on crouching next to Xie Yaoyao.
Then he was mercilessly rejected by Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King.

[Why bother? Humiliating yourself.]

[Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King’s love is lost to you. But if you invite these guests back for the next season, you can still get my money. Wuwuwuwuwu.]

[It’s already ending. I haven’t seen enough. Wifey, how can I live without you? Crying hard.jpg]

[Help, I really want to steal the kids. I can’t imagine not being able to suck on the kids anymore. What should I do?]

“Let’s Go, Baby! this season officially ends!”
the director said, also unusually reluctant.
He took a few of the kids and waved at the camera.
“But the official account will still release special episodes! And behind-the-scenes clips! Thank you all for your support along the way!”

The guests were all from Yan City.
So they could go home after filming tonight.
The kids gathered together to say goodbye.

It wasn’t too sad, though.
After all, Xie Yaoyao and He Miao were still filming with Ning Shixue.
They would see each other almost every day for the foreseeable future.

And Tang He-an’s set was right next to Ning Shixue’s.
Tang Haohao could easily see them if he wanted.

Naonao hadn’t wanted to film the show in the first place.
He was actually pretty happy to finally go home.

Ning Shixue was dizzy.
The river lights were brilliant.
The fireworks hadn’t all burned out yet.
He felt like he had never been this happy before.

He was only a little drunk on the show.
It didn’t affect anything.
It didn’t affect the filming either.

But Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t drunk that night.
He drove them home.
In the car, the alcohol started to hit Ning Shixue.

Xie Zhaozhou parked the car under the trees in the villa.
Xie Yaoyao was already asleep from exhaustion.
The old butler carried him out.

He had originally wanted to carry Ning Shixue.
But Ning Shixue looked at him with curved eyes.
He had a delicate, silly look about him.
He was almost giggling.
Xie Zhaozhou pinched his cheek.
Ning Shixue didn’t dodge.
His voice was low as he asked, amused,
“What are you laughing at?”

Ning Shixue didn’t say anything.
Xie Zhaozhou’s Adam’s apple moved.
He lowered his head and bit his lips.

He grabbed Ning Shixue’s ankle and took off his socks.
Ning Shixue didn’t notice anything wrong.

He breathed softly.
His thin, red lips parted as he clung to Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder and kissed him.

When sanity finally returned, Ning Shixue realized where they were.
His face red, his eyelashes trembling, his voice also trembling, he melted into a puddle of water.
“Get out. Go home and do it.”

But it was already too late to stop.

“Go home?”
Xie Zhaozhou’s voice was low and hoarse.
He chuckled softly.
The lights in the car were dim.
Ning Shixue couldn’t see his face clearly.
But he couldn’t help blushing.

Then he heard Xie Zhaozhou lean closer to him.
His palm pressed against his tense lower abdomen.
He whispered lazily in his ear,
“Baby, aren’t I already home?”

Ning Shixue realized what he meant by ‘home.’
He was almost embarrassed to death.
His mind went blank.
He held back for a long time, his lips trembling as he gritted out,
“Pervert.”

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t deny it.

Ning Shixue was finally carried out.
His legs were too weak to stand.
Xie Zhaozhou put him on the bed.

To be with Ning Shixue, he had to go to the company at night to handle work.
Ning Shixue’s fingers were weak as he grabbed a few of his fingers.
His voice was still hoarse as he whispered,
“Be careful on the road.”

Xie Zhaozhou looked down at him.
He had wanted to ask Ning Shixue many times.
But he had always hesitated.

He touched Ning Shixue’s soft, damp cheek.
Finally, he asked quietly,
“How did I die?”

Ning Shixue was startled.
He knew Xie Zhaozhou was asking about the book.
He hesitated for a moment before whispering,
“Suicide.”

Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t expected that answer.
But he immediately understood.
He knew he wouldn’t kill himself.
If he had done that, maybe he had also realized in the book that this world might be a novel.

He wanted to gamble, to see if he could leave.

But whether he completely died in the end, or went somewhere else, he would never know.

But he finally understood what Ning Shixue had been worried about all along.
Ning Shixue was afraid the Xie family would kill him.
He was also afraid he would give up.

After Xie Zhaozhou left, Ning Shixue lay on the bed, still a bit unable to sleep.
But his phone suddenly lit up.

He reached out and grabbed it.
It was a message from Xie Zhaozhou.

– [. : It doesn’t matter what this world is. Where you are is my home.]