Years Later, Xiao Yan’er Finally Found Her Brother

The production team was holding a wrap party that night.

This movie was funded by Xie Zhaozhou.
So the wrap party was also hosted by Shengxing Entertainment.

When Ning Shixue left the set, he realized it had started snowing that night.
It was the first snow of the winter.
The temperature had dropped sharply.
No wonder he had felt cold on the set.
He couldn’t help rubbing his arms.

Xie Zhaozhou had brought him a down jacket.
He wrapped him up tightly and put on his scarf.
Then he put his arm around him and walked to the car.

Xie Yaoyao had already been crying nonstop.
When they got in the car, He Lin tried to coax him with the teddy bear from the set.
He hugged the bear.
He had just been sniffling.
Now tears suddenly streamed down, splashing onto the bear’s head.

The bear’s soft, curly fur was flattened.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King cried pitifully.
Wuwuwu, his bear, why was it like this?

Not until they got to the hotel did Ning Shixue grab a crispy little chicken leg and quickly stuff it into his hand.

The baby gave him a little chicken leg.
Xie Yaoyao instinctively picked it up and took a bite.
His tears instantly stopped.
How could there be such a delicious little chicken leg?

He Lin was both amused and exasperated.

A movie wrap party was essentially an industry banquet.
Often, many investors or directors and stars from the industry were invited, not necessarily all from the production team.
But this time, He Lin hadn’t invited anyone extra.
It was just all the actors and crew from the film having a meal together.

Ning Shixue was already hungry.
Xie Yaoyao and He Miao were very clingy with him.
They all sat together to eat.

Tang He-an was on the set next door.
He Lin had also invited Tang He-an and Yan Ting.
And Tang Haohao.

Tang Haohao also ran over to Ning Shixue.
He now had a mysterious admiration for Ning Shixue.
He didn’t know why, but even though Ning Shixue was sickly, he always felt he could really fight.

Xie Zhaozhou peeled a few shrimp for Ning Shixue and picked out the fish bones for a while.
The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears were slightly warm.
Being watched by Xie Yaoyao and the others made him feel very embarrassed.
He tugged at the sleeve of Xie Zhaozhou’s coat.

“What is it?”
Xie Zhaozhou asked, his dark eyes holding a hint of a smile.
The corner of his mouth lifted as he said quietly,
“Didn’t you want to eat?”

Ning Shixue was getting lazier and lazier now.
Even peeling shrimp felt like too much effort.
If Xie Zhaozhou didn’t do it for him, he definitely wouldn’t eat.
Anyway, he didn’t have to eat this.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King was already used to it.
The baby was also a child.
The butler grandpa helped him peel shrimp too.

As for Big Daddy, Big Daddy could eat by himself.

Xie Yaoyao puffed out his little chest.
Another filial day.

Ning Shixue gave up.
He completely slacked off.
Slacking off meant getting boneless fish.
It was shameful but comfortable.

It was Xie Zhaozhou’s own fault.

Thinking this in his heart, he still leaned closer to him.
Wrapped in his down jacket, he slumped against Xie Zhaozhou’s arm.
He tucked his left hand into Xie Zhaozhou’s embrace.
With his other hand, he served him food.

When Xie Zhaozhou had had enough to eat, he wiped his hands and said to him,
“He Lin wants to see me. I’ll be right back.”

Ning Shixue responded.

Xie Zhaozhou raised his hand and ruffled his hair.
He didn’t stop until Ning Shixue was embarrassed and angry enough to kick him.
He couldn’t help chuckling.
He grabbed Ning Shixue’s wrist to stop him from hitting him.
Then he left.

After Xie Yaoyao and the others finished eating, they started running around.
The old butler was with them, so Ning Shixue didn’t worry.
He slumped in his seat playing on his phone.
People came and went at the banquet.
He actually fell asleep wrapped in his down jacket, with the little teddy bear from the set tucked in his arms.

“The baby’s asleep,”
Xie Yaoyao said, pattering over to him.
He blinked his big, dark eyes a few times.
Then he raised his little hand and touched his face.
He turned his head and quietly told He Miao and the others.

He Miao pulled Ning Shixue’s down jacket closed.
She took Xie Yaoyao and Tang Haohao’s hands.
“Let’s go play.”

They had originally wanted to play with balloons with Ning Shixue.
He Lin had prepared many balloons for them to stomp on.
But Ning Shixue was sleeping, so they went somewhere else to play.

Ning Shixue’s long, thick eyelashes drooped.
His skin was too pale, a bit haggard.
Only his lips were thin and red.

He slept very soundly.
Until someone gently shook his shoulder.
His eyelashes fluttered, and he finally opened his eyes with difficulty.
Before him was a girl he had never seen before.

“If you sleep here,”
she said to him,
“you’ll catch a cold.”

Ning Shixue was drowsy.
He wrapped his down jacket tighter, hugged the bear, and propped himself up.
“Thanks.”

She sat down next to him.
Ning Shixue’s face was blank.
He didn’t remember this person being on the crew.
But there were so many crew members, on and off screen.
He hadn’t met everyone.
Before he could ask, her eyes lit up and she said excitedly,
“I’m your fan. I followed that parenting show.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Ning Shixue didn’t think he had any proper fans.
He was really afraid she would call him ‘wife.’

But listening to her talk, she had indeed followed the show.
She had even seen the drama I See the Immortal Lord.

She stayed next to Ning Shixue and ate.
Ning Shixue also had a bowl of fermented rice sweet soup.
His fingertips were pale and stiff from the cold.
Holding the steaming bowl, he finally warmed up a little.

The hotel arranged by the production team was very upscale.
Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the entire hall.
It had snowed that night, but it had stopped now.
Many stars dotted the deep night sky.

She also held a bowl of hot soup.
Suddenly, she asked Ning Shixue quietly,
“I sing pretty well now, don’t I?”

Ning Shixue was startled for a moment.
He looked up and instantly understood.
Half his face was buried under his down jacket.
He didn’t speak.

Her eyes almost instantly reddened.
She wanted to reach out and hug Ning Shixue.
But her fingers curled back.
Not until Ning Shixue raised his hand did she stand up and lean over to hug him.

Ning Shixue was actually very stiff.
He wasn’t used to hugging people.

Then he heard her whisper, choked up, saying to him,
“I’m sorry.”

She was a popular singer now.
She had collaborated with He Lin several times.
Ning Shixue wasn’t from this world, so he didn’t know her.
She had asked He Lin to tell Ning Shixue her name.

But she had been to the set several times.
She was also there for the final scene that night.
The better Ning Shixue acted, the harder it was for her to face him.
She was almost afraid to see him.

She had originally wanted to leave the wrap party early.
But she noticed Ning Shixue sleeping by the window.
His skin was as pale as ice and snow.
His breathing was very weak.
She finally couldn’t help it.

She knew this wasn’t good.
She shouldn’t think of Ning Shixue as Wen Yu.
But when Ning Shixue opened his eyes, her tears almost broke free.
It was like waking the Wen Yu who, years ago in that clinic, couldn’t wake up no matter how she cried.

Ning Shixue’s eyes reflected the stars in the Yan City snowy night.
She suddenly realized that the star from last night hadn’t stayed in last night after all.
All these years, it had been right beside her.

Wen Yu also loved stars.
When she was little, she asked Wen Yu, “Older brother, where are your mom and dad?”

Wen Yu would curve his eyes and tell her,
“They’re all in the sky. When you look at the stars and the moon, you can see the people you miss.”

Ning Shixue then learned her name was Wen Yan.
It was her stage name after she debuted.
Because Wen Yu’s surname was indeed Wen.
Her name didn’t have ‘yan’ in it, but her nickname was indeed Xiaoyan’er.

He didn’t know how to comfort people.
He opened his mouth but didn’t say anything.
Then she wiped her tears, grabbed him, and said,
“Teacher Ning, while your husband isn’t here, give me your autograph.”

She really was Ning Shixue’s fan.
She had started following from the first episode of the parenting show.
Originally, because she was close to He Lin, she went to see him and Miaomiao.
Unexpectedly, she became a fan of the salted fish.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Ning Shixue’s cheeks warmed.
An autograph was fine.
Why did it have to be while Xie Zhaozhou wasn’t here?

He knew he didn’t have any proper fans.

Ning Shixue exchanged autographs with her.
They also added contact information.
Ning Shixue held a small mirror for her while she touched up her makeup.
Then she hurried off.

She had a concert the day after tomorrow.
She had specially come back to Yan City for the wrap party that night.
Now she had to go to the airport again.

He Lin and Xie Zhaozhou also saw Wen Yan go to Ning Shixue.
He Lin sighed softly.
Then he continued discussing the movie’s release date with Xie Zhaozhou.
The latest would be the New Year’s slot.
Or it could be moved up to Christmas or New Year’s Day.

That way, it could make it to the Yan City International Film Festival after the New Year.

The production’s official Weibo also released the trailer that night.
Not long after it was posted, it was forwarded tens of thousands of times.

The trailer was cut very warmly.
It showed Wen Yu taking them on the bus late at night.
The stars were thick overhead.
Their hand shadows flickered on the bus.

The rundown apartment building was very dark at night.
Mice could be heard squeaking.
Wen Yu wrapped them in his own blanket.

Actually, he was scared too.
He was very timid.
He didn’t dare fight the mice.
So he told them stories about little mice.
Xiaoyan’er and the others, lying in his arms, weren’t scared anymore.
The mice squeaked again.
The three of them huddled under the blanket, laughing together.

The production also made the shot of Wen Yu taking them away on that starry night into a poster.

They released it at the same time as the trailer.

[@MovieLastNight’sStar: “You are the wild wind on the plain, the star from last night.” [image][image][image] @HeLin @NingShixue #LastNight’sStarTrailer#: video link.]

The trailer’s BGM was “Last Night’s Star” sung by He Miao.
This song wasn’t as heartbreaking as the ending song.
But seeing Wen Yu’s eyes, the comment section was flooded with tears.

[Sniff, my tears are worthless. What New Year’s slot? This is going to make me cry to death.]

[I don’t know about the movie, but Ning Shixue acted really well in the trailer. I almost didn’t recognize him.]

[Can’t hold back. He was smiling the whole trailer. I don’t know why I’m this sad.]

The wrap party ended after 11 PM.
Xie Yaoyao was so sleepy he had slept for a while.
When they left, he excitedly climbed up again and trotted on his short legs after Ning Shixue to the parking lot.

It had snowed that night.
But it was very cold outside.
Now the ground was a bit icy.
The road was slippery.

Ning Shixue didn’t want to walk properly.
He hugged Xie Zhaozhou’s arm and let him drag him along.
Xie Zhaozhou worked without complaint.
He even found smoother, snowy paths to walk on.

Xie Yaoyao also put on his down jacket.
He was bundled into a little ball.
The baby was playing, so he ran over to help too.

He pushed against Ning Shixue’s leg.
But he was unsteady and fell on his bottom with a plop.

Ning Shixue quickly turned around.

“I’m okay oh,”
Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King said, having already stuck out his little bottom and climbed up.
His soft little hands were cold.
He rubbed his flushed cheeks.

The old butler was also with them.
He was holding Ning Shixue’s scarf in his arms.
He had never married in his life.
He had raised Xie Zhaozhou and Xie Yaoyao.
He didn’t dare think of himself as Xie Yaoyao’s grandfather.
But to him, they were like his own children.

Ning Shixue was too.

Especially since Xie Yaoyao was always calling him ‘baby’ and Ning Shixue was very childish.
He worried about Ning Shixue even more than Xie Yaoyao.

He handed the scarf over.
Xie Zhaozhou wrapped it around Ning Shixue.
His dark phoenix eyes hid a smile.
His tone was not quite proper as he looked down and asked,
“Does Teacher Xiao Ning want to play some more?”

This sounded like coaxing a child.

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears were slightly red.
He said fiercely,
“I want to slide all the way to the parking lot.”

There were many paparazzi outside the hotel that night taking secret photos.
Anyway, the movie was finished.
He Lin didn’t care how they photographed.
So he didn’t stop them.
Ning Shixue didn’t care either.

He still held onto Xie Zhaozhou’s arm.

Xie Zhaozhou let him play to his heart’s content.
He even made him a little snowman.
Not until Ning Shixue’s cheeks were cold did he, afraid he would freeze, take his hand and lead him to the car.

Xie Yaoyao fell asleep again in the car.
When they got home, the butler grandpa carried him in.

Xie Zhaozhou wasn’t going to the company that night.
He followed Ning Shixue to the bedroom.
But as soon as he reached the door, Ning Shixue suddenly stiffened and pushed him out.
“Wait a minute!”

“What’s wrong? Don’t want to sleep with me?”
Xie Zhaozhou’s tone was quite plaintive, with a lazy hint of suggestion.
“Tonight’s a wrap party. Consider it a reward for Teacher Xiao Ning. No charge.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

He wouldn’t take it even for free. Thanks.

“No peeking.”
Ning Shixue’s face was red as he irresistibly pushed him out.

The bear he was making for Xie Zhaozhou was half-finished.
He had forgotten to put it away when he left.
The bear was still lying on the bed.
He quickly hid it.
Then he opened the door for Xie Zhaozhou.

Xie Zhaozhou was unusually understanding.
He didn’t press him.
He held him and they showered together.
Tonight’s final scene was very tiring.
He couldn’t bear to do anything else.
He just held him and slept.

Ning Shixue’s eyelashes fluttered.
He looked up at Xie Zhaozhou.
He couldn’t help leaning in to bite his lips.

“Don’t mess around,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, his Adam’s apple suddenly moving.
His voice was hoarse, a bit fierce.

He cupped Ning Shixue’s face and rubbed it.
His thumb pressed against the black earring on his right earlobe.
When he lowered his head, he could still smell the faint scent of medicine on Ning Shixue.

Ning Shixue never stopped taking his medicine.
He always had this medicinal scent.
It was dizzying.

Ning Shixue’s earlobe was hot from the rubbing.
He hugged Xie Zhaozhou’s waist, burrowed into his arms, and kissed him.
His lips were also hot from the sucking, soft and trembling, with a wet, red sheen.

He pressed his cheek against Xie Zhaozhou’s palm, blinked, and whispered,
“Second Brother, if it bothers you, I’ll take it off.”

If it were Xie Zhaozhou like this, he would definitely be bothered to the point of divorce.
Even if he really liked Xie Zhaozhou, he wouldn’t want him anymore.
Ning Shixue thought this, suddenly feeling a bit guilty.

He had originally thought that person was just playing around.
Only after leaving did he realize it was a solo instance.
The person could only be an instance monster.

That monster had let him go.
The instance was forcibly erased.
He had searched in every world.
But he never found the person who had gently pushed him from behind again.

Even before he died, he thought it wasn’t worth it for that person.
He hadn’t made it out in the end.
They shouldn’t have let him go.

Ning Shixue pressed his lips together and raised his hand to take off the earring.
But Xie Zhaozhou stopped him.

“I don’t mind,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, holding his hand, somewhat reluctantly.
“Keep it on. It looks nice.”

Ning Shixue’s skin was fair.
Wearing this earring did look good.
Xie Zhaozhou looked down and couldn’t help pinching his cheek.

Ning Shixue didn’t dodge.
He looked up at him with pleading eyes, very obediently letting him pinch his face.
Xie Zhaozhou’s voice was low.
He chuckled softly and lowered his head to kiss him again.
This time, it was much more sincere.
“Keep it on.”

He did mind this earring.
But for some reason, not really.

Ning Shixue felt even more guilty.
Xie Zhaozhou held him, with a mischievous air, stroking his back under the covers.
He didn’t dodge.
He actively leaned in to be touched.

But he was really too tired tonight.
He lay in Xie Zhaozhou’s arms for a while.
His cheeks were flushed.
He mumbled against Xie Zhaozhou’s chest,
“Second Brother, maybe I could use my mouth…”

“…”
Xie Zhaozhou covered his mouth.
When Ning Shixue was embarrassed, his skin was so thin.
But when he was unrestrained, even Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t compete.

With his mouth covered, Ning Shixue kissed his palm.
Xie Zhaozhou had to let go.
He ground his teeth and gave him a light smack on the bottom.
Hoarsely, he said,
“Sleep.”

Ning Shixue’s face was red enough to bleed.
He finally behaved.

He didn’t take any new jobs for a while.
He rested at home for over half a month.
During the day, Xie Yaoyao went to kindergarten.
Xie Zhaozhou wasn’t home either.
He only occasionally came back at night.

Ning Shixue skipped decades of hard work.
He prematurely entered retirement life with the old butler.

A few days after wrapping, he saw on the trending searches that Xie Hanzhou had been in a car accident.
Xie Hanzhou was probably feeling down and went street racing.
He got into an accident.
No life-threatening injuries, but his leg was broken.

Now he was still in the hospital.

Ning Shixue: “…”

When you’re unlucky, you’re really unlucky.
Xie Hanzhou and the original host used to race often.
They even went to illegal tracks.
He never had an accident in all these years.
Now, suddenly, he did.

But Ning Shixue didn’t care whether he lived or died.
He scrolled through the trending searches a few times and then logged off.

Yan City was getting colder and colder.
It was already the end of November.
Xie Yaoyao’s kindergarten was having a parent-teacher conference.

It was the first time Ning Shixue had ever known that kindergartens had exams.
And after the exams, they had parent-teacher conferences.

What kind of intense competition was this for human cubs?

He went to pick Xie Yaoyao up from kindergarten at 3 PM.
Xie Yaoyao was already waiting anxiously.
When he saw Ning Shixue, he perked up like a puppy.
He ran over, took Ning Shixue’s hand, and led him to his seat.

“This!”
Xie Yaoyao said, his chubby face full of excitement.
He stuck a little red flower on the back of his hand.

To give this little red flower to the baby, he had come first in the exam this time.
Even though he always came first anyway.

Ning Shixue knew the little antagonist was also very smart.
Holding the chubby kid, he attended the parent-teacher conference.
Other kids’ parents even came over to ask him how he taught him.

Ning Shixue: “…”

Maybe it was self-taught.

After all, he was just an innocent alien who knew nothing.

Before the parent-teacher conference, Ning Shixue had messaged Xie Zhaozhou asking what time he would get off work.

Xie Zhaozhou replied 8 PM.
Ning Shixue had originally wanted to wait until 8 to have dinner with him.
But Xie Zhaozhou didn’t want him to miss a meal because of his bad stomach.
So he told them to eat first.

After the conference, Ning Shixue had to take the chubby kid to a restaurant downstairs from the Xie Group for dinner.

When they arrived, Xie Zhaozhou was still in a meeting.
Song Li offered to take them to the meeting room or Xie Zhaozhou’s office.
But the meeting was almost over.
Ning Shixue waved his hand, indicating to Song Li that he and Xie Yaoyao would wait in the corridor.

Ning Shixue was wearing the white down jacket Xie Zhaozhou had bought him.
He was a bit cold.
He still had the hood up.

Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King crouched opposite him.
He crouched down too and played the hand-clapping game Xie Yaoyao had learned in kindergarten with him.

Afraid of disturbing the meeting, Ning Shixue spoke in a whisper.
Xie Yaoyao also whispered.

He raised his soft little hand and clapped against Ning Shixue’s, saying,
“Fox, kitty, rose.”

Ning Shixue clapped back.
“Bear, bunny, morning glory.”

He had his hood on.
He didn’t even hear the meeting room door open.
His body was too weak.
He wasn’t as sharp as before.
He didn’t even hear the footsteps.

Not until Xie Zhaozhou’s footsteps stopped behind him did he suddenly turn around.
Then his face turned bright red.

Xie Zhaozhou had just called a few subordinates for a small meeting.
When he came out and saw Ning Shixue crouching there, he signaled them to be quiet.
But as he got closer, he suddenly heard Ning Shixue whispering and murmuring with Xie Yaoyao.

The few subordinates suppressed their smiles and left.

Ning Shixue, embarrassed, picked up Xie Yaoyao and held him against his chest.
When people are embarrassed, they get busy.
He unconsciously kneaded Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King’s little belly.
He had picked up Xie Yaoyao’s habit of pouting.
Meeting Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes, he pouted slightly.

What was wrong with this person?

Why didn’t he warn him?

“Morning glory,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, his narrow, dark eyes curving.
He pinched Ning Shixue’s slightly pouted lips.
His voice was low and gentle.
“Take your little bear and come home with me.”