Under the Fireworks, He Suddenly Said: ‘I’m Proposing’

The original plot had ended.

Ning Shixue felt much lighter in his heart.
His body seemed to recover quickly too.
But he still prayed devoutly every day for his hair to grow back quickly.

Xie Yaoyao’s little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape.
He lay in Ning Shixue’s arms and asked,
“Am I really not cute?”

He went to kindergarten, and all the kids said his new hairstyle was very cute.

“Cute, cute,”
Ning Shixue said, against his conscience.
“But don’t be this cute next time.”

It wasn’t good for his heart.

Xie Yaoyao believed him.
He shyly wiggled his chubby waist.
“Actually, I’m only, a little bit cute.”

Ning Shixue: “…”

Could he please share some of that confidence?

But Ning Shixue prayed every night.
Xie Yaoyao would also raise his little hands, clasp them together, and pray with him.
“Let me and baby, both grow hair quickly.”

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t realize the seriousness of the situation at first.

After all, no matter how Ning Shixue looked, he was cute in his eyes.
Even when he was silly, hugging him and calling him ‘brother,’ aggrievedly not knowing how to act cute, saying ‘brother, I don’t get this,’ he thought it was cute.

Not until Ning Shixue covered his mouth and said he wouldn’t kiss him until his hair grew back did he suddenly feel the crisis.

Ning Shixue was serious.
He always pestered Xie Zhaozhou for kisses.
If Xie Zhaozhou, afraid he’d get dizzy from not breathing, tried to push him away, he would grab him and kiss him again.
Their lips would rub together until they were hot, his cheeks would ache, and he wouldn’t let go.
But now, he could endure for several nights without kissing him.

So Xie Zhaozhou went to ask the doctor for him.
Would the surgery leave a scar?
Would it affect hair growth?
Then he would tell him, no, it will grow back soon.

Besides praying for hair, Ning Shixue just pestered Xie Zhaozhou, deliberately finding fault with him.

He would fight with Xie Zhaozhou.
But as soon as he faced him, his hands lost all strength.
He would be pinned on the sofa and teased.
Even though Xie Zhaozhou knew he was formidable, he couldn’t bear to fight him.
At most, he’d pat his bottom and say,
“Stop messing around.”

Ning Shixue would just look at him pleadingly, then reach out for him to hold him.

He had been in the hospital for over a month.
Xie Zhaozhou massaged his calves and knees daily, applied hot compresses.
The hospital also provided medication.
The leg pain from jumping into the sea was mostly gone.

He wouldn’t even wear socks.
He would pounce on Xie Zhaozhou’s back, wrap his arms around his neck, and let him carry him.
Then he’d say fiercely,
“You’re in trouble. You’re gonna get hit.”

Xie Zhaozhou would hook his legs and carry him, taking him to find his bear.
Chuckling softly, he’d ask quietly,
“What did I do to you now, little drama queen?”

Ning Shixue wouldn’t say.
He’d hang on him like a koala, trying to wrap his legs around him.
But he wouldn’t get a good grip.
His foot would slip and accidentally step on something, making Xie Zhaozhou grunt.

“…Baby,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, his eyes dark, a half-smile on his face.
“What did you step on?”

Ning Shixue was stunned for a moment.
His face instantly flushed bright red.
He tensed his foot, not daring to move or cause any more trouble.
He stammered quietly,
“I didn’t break it, did I?”

It felt like he’d stepped pretty hard.

Xie Zhaozhou’s Adam’s apple moved.
He turned his head to look at him.
His palm firmly held his foot, making him put it back.
His tone was suggestive, drawling.
“What do you think?”

Ning Shixue admitted he still couldn’t out-flirt him.
He was so embarrassed he almost choked.
But his foot couldn’t escape.
Xie Zhaozhou held it and made him step again.
His pale ankle bones reddened.
The sole of his foot clearly felt every reaction.

“Why aren’t you talking now?”
Xie Zhaozhou’s dark phoenix eyes held mischief.
Still holding his foot, he curved his lips and asked,
“Weren’t you just now quite talkative?”

Ning Shixue’s face was red.
He stepped on him again and said, embarrassed and angry,
“You mind your own business.”

How could Xie Zhaozhou dare mind his business?
He couldn’t afford to offend this little ancestor.
Even if he coaxed him, he might still get hit.

All of Ning Shixue’s bruises had healed.
The brain surgery was very successful.
Actually, the doctor said he could be discharged now.
But Xie Zhaozhou was still worried.
He wanted him to stay in the hospital until after the New Year.
Ning Shixue didn’t care.

Anyway, Xie Zhaozhou was with him in the hospital every day.
To him, it didn’t matter where he was.

Xie Mengyuan had too many cases against him.
Spanning decades, even involving several deaths.
The police were still investigating.
But there should be a verdict after the New Year.

He would definitely get the death penalty.

Old Master Xie had two sons and one daughter.
Now both of his brothers were dead.
Xie Junrong didn’t dare come home.

She had attended Xie’s father’s funeral.
But when Old Master Xie was discharged, she hid abroad and didn’t dare go to pick him up.

She wasn’t as delusional as Xie Hanzhou.
Seeing that the situation was lost, even Cheng Zhang had given up.
What could she fight for?

Besides, Xie Hanzhou was involved in the kidnapping.
He was going to jail too.
Gongbu Rang and his men had committed serious crimes.

Before Ning Shixue was discharged, that old detective came to the hospital one last time.
Knowing he wanted to go to university, he even asked,
“Have you considered police academy?”

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t mean to be controlling.
He rarely interfered with Ning Shixue.
But only this, he couldn’t accept.
For some reason, he especially couldn’t bear to see Ning Shixue do this kind of life-or-death work.

Of course, Ning Shixue, being the slacker he was, even if his body were good enough, wouldn’t go to police academy.

Last Night’s Star was originally scheduled for release on New Year’s Day.
But Ning Shixue suddenly got hurt.
He Lin did everything he could to move the premiere to the first day of the Lunar New Year.
After all, it was Ning Shixue’s first movie.
It would be a pity if he couldn’t make the premiere.
Even he thought so.

It snowed especially heavily in Yan City that winter.
Ning Shixue was finally discharged the day before New Year’s Eve.

His hair grew very fast.
It was almost as long as before.
But Ning Shixue’s hair was naturally long.
How could he possibly wait?

Ning Shixue couldn’t wait.
As soon as he was discharged, he went to get hair extensions.

The company had too many things piled up.
Xie Zhaozhou had to go deal with them.
Ning Shixue took the chubby kid to the hair salon.

Cub shocked!

Xie Yaoyao lay between Ning Shixue’s legs.
He grumbled and slept for a while.
When he woke up, the baby’s hair was as long as before.
He was completely stunned.
He stared at the hairstylist sister and followed her around.

This sister must have magic.
She must be an alien too, as formidable as the baby.

He firmly believed Ning Shixue was an alien.
And he thought all formidable people must come from outer space.

Maybe he was also an alien great demon king.

When Ning Shixue turned around, he found the kid was gone.
Xie Yaoyao’s hair had grown back.
He was back to his cutest.
He was hugging the sister’s leg and snuggling up to her.
The sister was laughing uncontrollably.

She even reached out and pinched Xie Yaoyao’s cheek.

“Xie Xingxing,”
Ning Shixue said, feeling a headache coming on.
He crouched down and called him over.
“What are you doing?”

Xie Yaoyao said goodbye to the sister.
Only after leaving the salon did he secretly tell Ning Shixue,
“I will grow hair too.”

It must be from getting close to that sister.

He had snuggled for a few minutes.
Maybe tomorrow his hair would be as long as the baby’s.

Old Master Xie had been in a coma for three years.
When he woke up, not many of the Xie family were left.
Although there were many collateral branches, he was the head of the family.
Before, he would hold a banquet every New Year.
But this year, he didn’t have the energy.
He also felt tired.
He had worked for the Xie Group for decades.
Like Cheng Zhang and the others, he only had eyes for the company.
In the end, his descendants were unworthy.
Ultimately, it was his fault.

He didn’t dare ask anything of Xie Zhaozhou.
He could actually guess.
Xie’s father must have tried every way to force him.
Xie Zhaozhou, annoyed, agreed to the marriage with Ning Shixue.

He had already failed too much.

But he also noticed something was off with Ning Shixue.
He and Ning’s grandfather were practically sworn brothers.
Even if the Ning family wasn’t as wealthy as the Xie family, it didn’t affect their relationship.

Ning Shixue was like his own grandson.
He had been very clingy with him since he was little.
Now he was very cold to him.
It was like a completely different person.

He didn’t want to dig deeper anymore.
This was already the best outcome.
After being so sick, he seemed to have let go of many things.

Tang He-an’s parents had both passed away.
He spent New Year’s at home every year.
Yan Ting didn’t have a good relationship with his parents either.
He hadn’t gone back for many years.
This year, Shen Yi happened to be abroad for a fashion show and couldn’t come back for New Year’s Eve.
He Lin simply suggested they all eat together.

Anyway, staying home meant getting scolded by the old folks one after another.
He wasn’t a masochist.
Why did he have to stay home?

Ning Shixue had no objections.
Xie Zhaozhou would go with him.

The old butler had known Old Master Xie for most of his life.
Thinking New Year’s Eve would be quiet and lonely, and Ning Shixue and the others wouldn’t be home, he went to have New Year’s Eve dinner with Old Master Xie.

Xie Yaoyao was thrilled.
He didn’t remember how he had spent New Year’s before.
But it definitely wasn’t as happy as this year.
This year, he got to spend New Year’s with the baby!

After Ning Shixue got his hair extensions done, seeing there was still time before their evening meeting with He Lin and the others, he first took Xie Yaoyao to buy New Year’s goods.
Xie Yaoyao was put in a shopping cart.
Ning Shixue rested his chin in his hands and said enviously,
“I want to ride too.”

“Baby come ride too!”
Xie Yaoyao said, kicking his little feet encouragingly.
“I’ll push you!”

Even though he was still a little kid, he thought that if he pushed this cart, he would become as tall as Ultraman, and very strong.
He could push the baby from here all the way to the amusement park to find Big Daddy.

Ning Shixue stopped him.
He didn’t want to be arrested for employing child labor on New Year’s Eve.

Besides, he couldn’t fit in that cart.

It was Ning Shixue’s first New Year’s.
He had no experience.
He wanted to buy everything he saw.
Xie Yaoyao was the same.

Ning Shixue picked up a string of little lanterns.
He blinked and asked Xie Yaoyao,
“Kid, should we buy this?”

“Buy!”
Xie Yaoyao said, hugging his little belly.
He looked down at the several little lights already in the cart.
But he indulgently clapped his little hands and said,
“We don’t have, this round light.”

In the end, they bought so much stuff that Xie Yaoyao couldn’t fit in the cart anymore.
He had to walk with Ning Shixue.

When it was time to check out, Ning Shixue covered the chubby kid’s eyes and grabbed a few things only adults could see.

This baby-having world was too troublesome.
Ning Shixue felt embarrassed and hadn’t told Xie Zhaozhou about it.
But he still wanted to do it with him without using that thing, just once.
He didn’t know what it would feel like.

Xie Yaoyao’s soft hair stood up.
He grabbed Ning Shixue’s hand and tried to struggle.
But Ning Shixue wasn’t pretending anymore.
His hand didn’t move at all.
Ten Xie Yaoyaos couldn’t pry it open.

Xie Yaoyao stamped his little foot.
Why were there so many things adults knew that he didn’t?

He would keep a secret from the baby too.

But he thought for a long time and couldn’t think of any secret to keep.
After all, he couldn’t help telling the baby even how many little fried meatballs he ate last night.

Xie Yaoyao propped his chubby face in his hands and sighed.

He could only forgive adults.

Ning Shixue messaged Xie Zhaozhou.
When they left the supermarket, Xie Zhaozhou was already in the parking lot.
He helped him put the things in the trunk.
Then he took them to dinner first.

Before Xie Zhaozhou got in the car, Ning Shixue secretly put the other things he bought in the passenger seat and covered them with a cushion.

It was getting dark.
The city was full of neon lights.
Red lanterns hung everywhere on the streets.
Xie Yaoyao pressed his face against the car window.
This was the first New Year’s he remembered in his whole cub life.

The little alien also pressed his face against the window.
His cheeks weren’t as pale as before.
He had a more vibrant, flamboyant look.

Xie Zhaozhou glanced at him in the rearview mirror and couldn’t help smiling.
While waiting at a red light, he turned his head slightly and asked,
“How do they celebrate New Year’s on Teacher Xiao Ning’s planet?”

“About the same as here,”
Ning Shixue said, reaching out to touch his cold ear, leaning over to talk to him.

Actually, his planet was still quite similar to Earth.

He Lin had booked a hotel.
Fireworks weren’t banned in Yan City.
After dinner, they went out into the snow to set them off.

Xie Yaoyao had originally clamored to play.
But when Ning Shixue said flatly, “Go ahead,”
Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King remembered the bad stepdad’s torture on the show.
He anxiously waved his little hands.
“I not go oh. Big Daddy go.”

He wasn’t going to fall for it.
What Xie Yaoyao did had nothing to do with him, Xie Xingxing.

Xie Zhaozhou took Ning Shixue’s hand and set off the fireworks.
The dark winter night was instantly lit up.
When Ning Shixue looked up, the fireworks seemed to bloom in the depths of his beautiful eyes.
His eyes reflected the stars.
Wearing thick gloves, he burrowed into Xie Zhaozhou’s arms.

They got home a little after ten.
Xie Yaoyao had originally wanted to stay up until midnight.
But he was tired from playing with Tang Haohao and the others.
His little head was very heavy.
His whole little being swayed.

Ning Shixue bathed with him.
He clutched a little duck in his soft little hand.
He fell asleep in the tub.

When he finally climbed into his little bed, Ning Shixue put the bear he had made before beside his pillow.
Then he went to find Xie Zhaozhou.
But Xie Zhaozhou wasn’t in the bedroom.

He went to the study.
No one was there either.
He hadn’t spent much time in Xie Zhaozhou’s study.
Sitting in the chair, he opened a drawer.
He found a few medicine bottles.

Ning Shixue was stunned.
He picked them up and saw they were painkillers.
When he looked up, he happened to run into Xie Zhaozhou coming in.

Xie Zhaozhou paused for a moment.
But he didn’t explain anything.
He took the medicine from him and threw it in the trash.
His dark eyes held a very gentle smile.
He asked quietly,
“You know about my illness, right?”

The original story mentioned it.
Ning Shixue did know.
He hummed in agreement.
But seeing the painkillers, his heart clenched again.
He asked worriedly,
“Second Brother, are you in pain?”

He leaned down to pick up the bottle.
But Xie Zhaozhou grabbed his arm and pulled him up.

“It’s fine now,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, pinching his cheek.
“That medicine, I forgot to throw it away.”

He had indeed forgotten.
Before, he was too busy, staying at the company all night.
Then Ning Shixue had surgery.
These past few months, besides bringing Ning Shixue a change of clothes, he had hardly been home.

The medicine bottle had a thin layer of dust on it.

That medicine had stopped working long ago.
He knew what worked for him.

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be lying, Ning Shixue hung on him and went back to the bedroom with him.
He hugged his neck and asked,
“Second Brother, where did you go just now? I couldn’t find you.”

“I went to the garage,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, walking into the bedroom, putting him down, and holding him.

Ning Shixue was dizzy.
His hair had grown back.
He leaned in to kiss Xie Zhaozhou.
As their lips met, he suddenly remembered what he had forgotten in the car.

His whole body stiffened.
He let go of Xie Zhaozhou.
His face slowly reddened.

He had originally planned to sneak it into the bedroom.
If Xie Zhaozhou found it, he would play dumb and say Xie Zhaozhou bought it.

Who knew he’d get caught red-handed.

Xie Zhaozhou was lazily leaning against the arm of the sofa.
He had drunk a little when he got home.
His thin lips were especially red.
His deep, thick dark eyes curved.
He looked at Ning Shixue intently and gently.
But his eyes held undisguised desire.

“…”
Ning Shixue’s whole body burned under his gaze.
His ears red, he said,
“What are you thinking?”

“What am I thinking?”
Xie Zhaozhou said quietly.
He stood up, wrapped his arm around Ning Shixue’s waist, and pulled him into his arms.
Leaning down, his nose rubbed against Ning Shixue’s neck.
His voice was light, a bit flirtatious, and almost like acting cute.
“Thinking about how I’m going to f*ck you.”

Xie Zhaozhou always couldn’t help teasing him.
But he had never said things like this to him.
He thought Ning Shixue would get angry.

Ning Shixue’s face was red enough to bleed.
His lips moved, but he didn’t get angry.
He proactively lifted his leg and hooked it over Xie Zhaozhou’s arm.
Then he wrapped his arms around his neck and tilted his head up to kiss him.

Xie Zhaozhou looked down, his Adam’s apple moving.
The corner of his mouth lifted as he asked quietly,
“No matter how I treat you, you won’t get angry?”

The tips of Ning Shixue’s ears were bright red.
His beautiful peach blossom eyes were full of moisture.
But he nodded and still leaned in to kiss him.

If it were anyone else, even if he were dating them, he wouldn’t be this without bottom line.
But he just couldn’t get angry with Xie Zhaozhou.
Anyway, Xie Zhaozhou had never really bullied him.

He also had a bit of imprinting towards Xie Zhaozhou.
Only Xie Zhaozhou had seen the Ning Shixue who didn’t know anything.

Xie Zhaozhou picked him up and laid him on the bed.
Ning Shixue’s wrist suddenly tightened.
He turned his head and saw Xie Zhaozhou tying his wrists behind his back with his tie.

The black tie tightened around his wrist bone.
His skin was set off, looking especially pale and dazzling.

Ning Shixue was stunned for a moment.
His ears immediately reddened down to his collarbones.
His eyelashes trembled.
But he didn’t resist.

Afraid of hurting him, Xie Zhaozhou didn’t tie it too tightly.
But Ning Shixue’s skin was too pale.
His wrist was still red from the tie.
Actually, he had originally wanted to blindfold him.
But he was afraid it would be too dark, and Ning Shixue would be scared.

He always felt Ning Shixue was afraid of the dark.
He had felt this way the first time he saw him.
But he couldn’t remember why.

Late at night, fireworks were going off everywhere outside.
Ning Shixue’s muffled cries were drowned out.
Compared to Xie Zhaozhou’s usual gentleness, at times like this, he was almost cruel.

Ning Shixue’s eyes were red from crying.
The moisture in his eyes reflected the lights, shaking endlessly.

Xie Zhaozhou cupped his face and lowered his head to kiss his eyes.
When the sound of fireworks filled all of Yan City, he untied his wrists and let him hug his neck.
He pulled him tightly into his arms and said hoarsely,
“Baby, Happy New Year.”

…

Ning Shixue didn’t know when he had fallen asleep.
But Xie Zhaozhou must have carried him to shower and put medicine on him.
His body didn’t hurt.
He didn’t feel uncomfortable either.

When he opened his eyes, it was the first day of the Lunar New Year.

He slept until noon.
When he got up, Xie Zhaozhou had already gone to the company.
After eating, he held the chubby kid and slept again.

Not until evening when Xie Zhaozhou came to pick him up.

When Xie Yaoyao woke up that morning, he found another little bear beside his pillow.
The baby must have given it to him!

He asked the butler grandpa to get him the baby’s carrier.
All day long, no matter where he went, he carried the little bear.

When they left for the premiere, he still carried the bear.

That night was the premiere of Last Night’s Star.
All the main cast would be there.
Besides Xie Zhaozhou, He Lin had specially reserved seats for several kids and parents from the parenting show, and the parenting show director.

Ning Shixue and the other main cast entered the cinema in the dark and sat in the back.

Ning Shixue felt a bit strange.
He had never watched a movie with Xie Zhaozhou and Xie Yaoyao together.
But every time, no matter what they did, he sat in the middle.
He was a master of balance.

This time, however, Xie Yaoyao was sitting next to Xie Zhaozhou.

Ning Shixue didn’t ask.
The movie started soon.
It opened with Xiaoyan’er getting hit near the sheep pen.

That night, after the uncle left, Wen Yu held her, wiped her tears, and took her to look at the stars outside.

When the three of them escaped, there were already viewers in the cinema crying.
Then Wen Yu was pushed into that dark alley.
He took Xiaoyan’er and the others to the burger place.
The lights were bright.
He lowered his head, red-eyed, hurriedly fixed his pants, and ate the burger with tears streaming down his face.
The cinema was filled with suppressed sobs.

Not until Xiaoyan’er found her parents did the shots become warm again.
The song “Last Night’s Star” was like a little girl’s dream.
But after that, almost every shot could make you cry.

Wen Yu walking into the shady clinic.
His face, pale and bloodless.
His hand, hanging down.
Xiaoyan’er’s heart-wrenching scream of ‘brother.’
Her running out to find him on that starry night.
The teddy bear in the post-credits scene.

The emotions were built up so fully that in the last half hour of the movie, the audience was in tears.

The cinema lights slowly came on.
The main cast went up on stage to interact with the audience.
After that, there were media interviews.

Xie Zhaozhou waited for Ning Shixue to go for his interviews.
He wasn’t part of the production and couldn’t go with him.
He just held his hand and said,
“I’ll be outside for a bit. I’ll pick you up when the interviews are over.”

Ning Shixue nodded.

Xie Zhaozhou went to find Xie Yaoyao.
He pointed in a direction and told him,
“Xie Yaoxing, later take your baby out through this corridor. Got it?”

Xie Yaoyao patted his little chest.
He had already memorized it!
Big Daddy had told him at home.

He couldn’t help pouting.
Big Daddy had told him three times already!
This was a complete lack of trust in a cub!

When Ning Shixue’s interviews ended, Xie Yaoyao anxiously grabbed his hand and led him out.
Tang Haohao hadn’t finished playing with him yet.
He ran over and said,
“Let’s go together.”

Xie Yaoyao’s chubby face was deep in thought.
Then he nodded.
Anyway, Big Daddy didn’t say others couldn’t come.

He raised his chubby little hand and directed,
“Follow me. We go this way oh.”

“Can uncle come with you too?”
the parenting show director said, shamelessly squeezing in.
He couldn’t livestream at the premiere, but he wanted to film a few segments later.

Their show’s after-sales was famously good.

Even two or three years later, they would still film a reunion of the guests.
The kids would have grown up.
It would be very touching.

But he didn’t expect that with his new haircut, Xie Yaoyao didn’t recognize him.
Xie Yaoyao thought this uncle was very strange.
Everyone could go this way.
Why did he have to ask him?

Xie Yaoyao sighed again.
Adults were so troublesome.
He pointed ahead and said,
“You go.”

So the parenting show director went with them.

Xie Zhaozhou was wearing a long black coat.
He had gone out for a bit just now.
Now his shoulders were covered in unmelted snow.
He held a large bouquet of roses.
He was waiting for Ning Shixue in the corridor.

Looking up, he saw He Lin, Tang He-an, and the others.
Even the parenting show director and cameramen were coming this way.

A dozen people, a huge crowd.

Xie Zhaozhou: “…”

Ning Shixue ran over to him.
He was stunned for a moment.
A bit shy, he thought Xie Zhaozhou was congratulating him on the movie’s release by giving him flowers.
He looked at him pleadingly and said,
“You didn’t have to be this formal.”

Xie Zhaozhou glanced at Xie Yaoyao.
Xie Yaoyao was innocently sucking on his hand.
Seeing so many people in the way, Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t help but get a headache.

Why had he come out early?
Why had he picked an empty corridor?

“Second Brother?”
Ning Shixue asked, his face full of confusion.

Xie Zhaozhou held him slightly.
His dark eyes curved.
He couldn’t help chuckling softly.
He whispered in his ear,
“What can I do, baby? I came to propose.”