The next day at noon, Pei Jingyuan was woken by the sound of knocking on his door.
The filming had wrapped up close to dawn the previous night, leaving him so exhausted that he barely managed to stuff down two buns before showering and collapsing straight into bed.
*Bang, bang, bang*
“Xiao Yuanzi?”
Huang Licheng stood outside holding a takeout bag from a restaurant, alternating between knocking, calling, and trying to video chat with him on WeChat.
Finally, the door creaked open.
Pei Jingyuan stood there with half-lidded eyes, hair tousled and sleep still clinging to his face. “What are you doing here?”
Huang Licheng raised the bag proudly. “See this? Brother brought you a loving, homemade lunch!”
Pei Jingyuan exaggeratedly bent into a deep bow, dragging out his words. “Thaaank~ youuu~ brooo~”
Then, still wearing his slippers, he shuffled back inside and collapsed onto the sofa, one long leg hanging off the armrest, dazed and half-asleep.
Huang Licheng came in and closed the door behind him, setting the takeout on the coffee table. “Where’s your phone? I’ve been calling you forever.”
“Ah?!”
Pei Jingyuan shot up instantly, wide awake now. He dashed to his bedside table. “It’s dead!”
While frantically looking for his charger, he muttered under his breath, “Crap, what if someone’s been trying to reach me?”
“Exactly,” Huang Licheng said, opening the food containers. “What if that big-time director from the audition yesterday tried calling you?”
“Don’t jinx me!” Pei Jingyuan glared as he finally plugged his phone in and sure enough, there was a missed call from the casting director.
He clasped his hands together, muttering, “Godmother, please bless me,” and quickly called back.
The call connected. Pei Jingyuan hurriedly explained his situation.
The director chuckled on the other end. “No worries, I’m not in such a rush. The main director already decided on you for the part, so relax. Didn’t expect you to fit this role so naturally, Xiao Pei.”
“I’ve never played a role like this before,” Pei Jingyuan said with a grin. “Thank you for the opportunity, sir.”
“Don’t mention it. Just drop by later to sign the contract. Oh, and you have an agent, right? Why didn’t they come with you yesterday?”
“My agent’s been a bit busy lately,” Pei replied smoothly.
The director didn’t pry further, small-time actors showing up solo wasn’t unusual at all.
After hanging up, Pei Jingyuan glanced at Huang Licheng, who was gnawing on a duck neck. “Got the role.”
Even though it wasn’t the one he had originally prepared for, a win was a win.
“Congratulations!” Huang grinned. “Come on, let’s eat.”
Pei went to wash up, splashing his face with cold water to clear the last remnants of sleep, while Huang chattered away from the living room.
“Hey, how about doing some livestreaming with me? You could gain a bit of attention, build some fan traffic.”
After shooting his own drama scenes, Huang often did short videos or hosted a fixed two-hour stream. “You know, I actually got a couple of jobs thanks to people watching my livestreams.”
In a film city packed with small-time actors, even signing with a company meant nothing. Unless you proved you could attract fans, no one would bother giving you real resources.
Pei sat back down, opening the lunch box. “Spare me. What would I even say on a livestream? I’d just embarrass myself.”
“Talk about filming! Funny things that happen on set, behind-the-scenes stuff. People eat that up. And come on, look at you! Your face doesn’t even need filters.”
Huang tossed another duck bone into the trash and reached for another piece.
Pei lowered his gaze, thick lashes trembling, not responding.
Of course, he had studied many actors’ livestreams. The biggest common trait among them all was sharing personal tidbits.
He didn’t like lying. But he also couldn’t stand the idea of exposing his private life to faceless strangers online. Not even a tiny bit.
Even when someone asked, “Why did you become an actor?” he couldn’t find the right words to answer.
After sipping some soup, he finally said softly, “I’ve got social anxiety. I really can’t handle livestreaming.”
“Oh, please!” Huang rolled his eyes. “You think I’m buying that? Then at least give your fans a taste of that chicken soup, you could feed them virtually.”
“Though,” he added teasingly, “they’d probably tune out. You’re way too proper.”
Pei swallowed another bite of rice, smiled faintly, and replied, “Anyway, I’m sure of one thing! I only know how to act as someone else. Livestreaming’s just… not me.”
“Fine, fine,” Huang gave up. “Then when I go live next time, you just drop in for a guest appearance. Show your face, that’s all.”
“Deal,” Pei agreed without hesitation.
Huang sighed dramatically. “You’re a good brother, but such a fool.”
After lunch, the two headed together to the set of Femme Fatale.
In the dressing room, Pei Jingyuan was getting his wig adjusted when the assistant director came in with a new schedule.
“Xiao Pei, your shooting schedule’s been rearranged.”
Pei blinked. “Really? I don’t have many scenes left, right?”
“Right,” the man said. “The director wanted to give you a lighter load, says he saw how tired you looked shooting nights.”
“I’m not tired at all,” Pei replied, genuinely startled.
He’d never complained about night shoots, not even once.
The assistant director shrugged. “No idea. Anyway, it’s good news, you’ll be wrapped by next week. You can head home early instead of waiting around.”
Lately, the two leads had been tied up, one with business events, the other hopping between sets, causing frequent delays.
When the man left, Pei turned back to the mirror, still fiddling with his wig. Heaven must have seen my suffering and decided to reward me, he thought, a bit dazed.
Just then, his phone rang again.
It was the producer of Against the Wind, the drama he’d worked on a few months back. In that show, he played the male lead’s younger brother.
Near the Nie family estate, in a boutique fruit shop, Nie Shenyuan was helping his little son, Yuanbao, pick out fruit.
The boy had been clamoring for a “chubby banana~” since morning and had barely touched his lunch.
These past few days, Nie Shenyuan hadn’t gone to the office at all, choosing instead to work from home. After lunch, he’d promised to take the child out for a walk and some fruit shopping.
Following behind them were the family’s longtime housekeeper, Aunt Zhao, two bodyguards, and a personal assistant.
Even though Aunt Zhao had served the Nie family for years, this was the first time she had ever seen the usually cold Mr. Nie personally took someone shopping.
The others were just as astonished, none of them had imagined that the infamous Mr. Nie could be such a doting parent figure.
The fruit store was beautifully arranged, rows of brightly colored fruits neatly displayed in woven baskets, catching the eyes of any passing child.
Yuanbao squirmed in his dad’s arms, trying to get down, but Nie Shenyuan didn’t move an inch.
“Big Daddy,” the little boy said softly, pouting, “You promised at home that I could pick by myself.”
Nie Shenyuan had indeed intended to let him walk. But as soon as he stepped into the shop, he took one look around, the sharp corners of the display racks, the slippery tiles and imagined his tiny nephew tripping and getting hurt.
Better to keep him safely in his arms.
He didn’t bother explaining further, only said calmly, “Just tell me what you like.”
Aunt Zhao, who stood beside them, smiled and echoed warmly, “That’s right, young master. You just point, and Grandma Zhao will get it for you.”
But the little one immediately pouted. His two soft, doughy hands tucked against his chest, his tiny body leaning back in protest, trying to escape his uncle’s hold.
Nie Shenyuan tightened his arm around the squirming child. “Be good.”
His tone was low, serious, and unyielding.
Yuanbao let out a dramatic little huff and turned his head away in defiance.
Though his daddy had gotten much better at holding him, steady and practiced now, still…
The boy’s round eyes darted suddenly, and a second later they lit up. He pointed ahead, voice bubbling with excitement, “Wow! Chubby~ bana~”
Nie Shenyuan followed his gaze and carried him over.
On the display counter were several varieties of bananas, neatly arranged from long to short, the peels ranging from bright yellow to pale green.
Aunt Zhao chuckled softly. “Ah, so that’s what the young master meant earlier, he was talking about the small bananas.”
Yuanbao bent forward, tiny hands stretching out as if to hug the fruit, face brimming with delight.
“Grandma Zhao will get it for you,” she said, signaling the assistant. The assistant obediently helped, clearing out nearly the entire rack of small bananas.
Nie Shenyuan noticed how his son’s gaze stayed glued to the fruit. He pointed at the shortest, roundest one and told Aunt Zhao to hand it over.
Yuanbao took it with both hands and lifted it high above his head, eyes sparkling. “Wow~~!”
Seeing the little cub so full of joy, Nie Shenyuan couldn’t help letting out a quiet tease. “Little monkey.”
Aunt Zhao and the others stood too far to hear, but Yuanbao caught every word.
He twisted in his daddy’s arms, giggling. “That’s right! Yuanbao’s a little monkey, and Daddy’s the big monkey!”
At the mention of “Daddy,” Nie Shenyuan’s expression softened slightly. “Your daddy likes these too?”
The child nodded proudly, chin tipped up. “Mhm~~!”
Then, as if recalling something important, he placed one tiny hand on his daddy’s shoulder. “Big Daddy, when we get little Daddy, can we bring him here to get chubby bananas together?”
Nie Shenyuan’s lips twitched. He wanted to correct the “get,” but considering the boy was barely three and a half, he let it slide.
“Alright.”
Yuanbao peeled the banana, sniffing the sweet scent before taking a big bite. He chewed noisily, a milk-sweet voice humming, “Ahm~ ahm~ ahm~.”
After a few bites, he realized something, his dad hadn’t moved.
They weren’t walking anymore. They weren’t leaving either.
Wide-eyed, Yuanbao frowned deeply, thinking hard. Then, in a cautious whisper, he asked, “Daddy.. Do you miss little Daddy too?”
Oh no, he must have misunderstood big daddy! Daddy must be sad because he can’t find little Daddy either!
Nie Shenyuan looked down at the little round face, the way emotions flitted across it like clouds over sunlight. He chose to steer the topic away. “Do you want anything else to eat?”
Yuanbao continued munching on the banana, mumbling around the mouthful, “It’s okay, daddy. Daddy must miss you too~.”
Nie Shenyuan cut him off neatly, “How about some kiwi?”
But Yuanbao was too lost in his dramatic melancholy to listen. “When Daddy sees big daddy , he’ll definitely run up and hug you! Big daddy, don’t be sad.”
Nie Shenyuan’s mind betrayed him for a split second, he pictured that beautiful young man actually running toward him and throwing himself into his arms. His tone, however, remained light. “Oranges, then?”
Yuanbao tilted his head, rubbing his cheek against his father’s neck. “Daddyyyy~!”
Nie Shenyuan exhaled softly. Definitely inherited Pei Jingyuan’s acting talent.
“None of these? Then we’re going home.”
At the faintly stern words, Yuanbao’s little body drooped like a discarded banana peel. “Big daddyy~ when will you find Daddy? Yuanbao wants a hug from Daddy~”
Nie Shenyuan gestured for Aunt Zhao to pick up some other fruits while he carried the child out. One bodyguard and one assistant followed them to the car.
Once seated inside, he glanced down at the little “monkey” still clutching the half-eaten banana.
“Do you know your daddy’s only twenty-two?”
“Mm?”
The boy blinked up at him, confused. So what? Daddy’s still Daddy. What’s different?
Nie Shenyuan didn’t expect him to really understand, but he still explained patiently, “He’s not that much older than you, just became an adult.”
Yuanbao’s round face scrunched with effort as he tried very hard to make sense of it, though it was clear he was lost.
“I’m worried,” Nie Shenyuan went on, “that if he suddenly learns he has a child, he might be frightened.”
Yuanbao gasped, eyes wide. “Nooo, Yuanbao doesn’t want to scare Daddy!”
He waved both hands urgently, voice high and milky. “No scaring Daddy, promise!”
Nie Shenyuan nodded. “He’s been busy these two days. Give it another day, and I’ll reach out to him. We’ll talk face to face.”
Before he could say more, a tiny hand clutched his suit lapel and tugged hard.
Yuanbao’s eyes went fierce with childish determination. “Daddy, you can’t scare Daddy! Or else… or else Daddy will be scared and cry!”
Nie Shenyuan looked down at the small, “threatening” hand and gently pried it off. “Little boys shouldn’t grab people while talking.”
But Yuanbao wasn’t listening, his brain was racing ahead. Suddenly, his face lit up with suspicion. He grabbed the lapel again, tugging even harder. “Wait! Big daddy, you already found Daddy, didn’t you?! You just didn’t tell Yuanbao!”
A trace of laughter flickered in Nie Shenyuan’s eyes. Sharp little thing, he thought. Barely forty months old and already this quick.
The boy gave a little growl of frustration, opened his mouth wide, and chomped down the last of the banana in a single, angry bite.
After chewing furiously, he swallowed and declared, “Yuanbao wants to see Daddy right now!”
Nie Shenyuan reminded him evenly, “But you just said you didn’t want Daddy to get scared.”
“…”
Yuanbao turned his face away with an exaggerated huff. “Don’t care. I still wanna!”
Nie Shenyuan plucked the banana peel from his hands and passed it to the assistant in front. “Give me one day.”
Yuanbao crossed his arms. “No!”
Nie Shenyuan lifted him into the car seat. “I thought you said you trusted me most?”
The little boy twisted his body and huffed, “That’s only the old daddy I trusted~~”
Fastening the buckles, Nie Shenyuan said calmly, “Enough. You’ll listen to me on this. Don’t show up suddenly and make things difficult for Daddy.”
Then he ruffled the boy’s soft hair, scattering it like fine down.
Yuanbao kicked his little feet, baring his baby teeth in protest.
“Tomorrow,” he announced in a dramatic burst, “if I don’t see Daddy before the sun goes down, I’ll… I’ll… I’ll go find the police aunties!”
Nie Shenyuan merely hummed in acknowledgment, expression unreadable.
But Yuanbao heard it. His head snapped up, eyes wide.
“Wait! Does that mean I will see Daddy tomorrow?!”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
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ChaptersChapter 1 · YaunBao in wrong Time lineChapter 2 · Finding Big DaddyChapter 3 · DNA ProofChapter 4 · Hospital visitChapter 5 · New RoleChapter 6 · Meeting Daddy SoonChapter 7 · New NeighbourChapter 8 · Moving inChapter 9 · Meeting Little Daddy again!Chapter 10 · WhiteChapter 11 · Car for Little DaddyChapter 12 · Live StreamChapter 13 · KittyChapter 14 · Bonding Time~Chapter 15 · White CatChapter 16 · Yuanbao, your dad is terrifying!Chapter 17 · Will Dad blow up the kitchen?Chapter 18 Part 1 · Little Dad, let’s get New Big Dad!Chapter 18 Part 2 · Little Dad, let’s get new Big Dad!Chapter 19 · Yuanbao doesn’t have a loving big dadChapter 20 Part 1 · Dad never holds back Yuanbao~ No, no~Chapter 20 Part 2 · Dad never holds back Yuanbao~ No, no~Chapter 21 · Little Dad’s friendChapter 22 · Our Child from future!Chapter 23 · Little Daddy Knows!Chapter 24 · How did the two fathers meet?Chapter 25 · They really treat him like a gold ingot!Chapter 26 · Big Daddy really likes little daddyChapter 27 · Hehe, Yuanbao’s dad is such a humorous personChapter 28 · This name sounds like some kind of unspoken codeChapter 29 · Don’t you dare steal Yuanbao’s little dad!Chapter 30 · You’re so smart, it’s only natural that our child is clever too.Chapter 31 · That’s definitely a hickey!Chapter 32 · We simply can’t compete!Chapter 33 · Big Dad, you’re not allowed to bully Little DadChapter 34 · Amusement ParkChapter 35 · Big Dad, you have to protect Little DadChapter 36 · Go eat friesChapter 37 · These fries are so deliciousChapter 38 · Yuanbao imitated his dad’s tone: “No, no~”Chapter 39 · Did you hurt Daddy’s hand?Chapter 40 · Were the father and son plotting something behind my back?Chapter 41 · They really went a little too far in the future.Chapter 42 · Sudden feeling of being “needed”Chapter 43 · The little guy tells his dad everythingChapter 44 · Why was Dad secretly observing him?Chapter 45 · I’ll introduce you to these two adorable peopleChapter 46 · According to family hierarchyChapter 47 · Yuanbao is mine and Jingyuan’s childChapter 48 · Little Yuanbao, you sound just like your dad talking right now!Chapter 49 · Are you happy today?Chapter 50 · Waaah, how could Daddy say such bad things about Yuanbao to Little Daddy?!Chapter 51 · Dad, will Yuanbao have a younger brother or sister?Chapter 52 · Let him handle the whole “conquering” thing!Chapter 53 · Dad, do you miss dad?Chapter 54 · Yuanbao’s Dad, how about we start dating?Chapter 55 · Did the two fathers talk for two days before telling Yuanbao?Chapter 56 · I’d like a different birthday presentChapter 57 · I love playing like this with my two dadsChapter 58 · Dad, come home soonChapter 59 · Jingyuan, let me hold you for a whileChapter 60 · Big Dad and Little Dad are just like Yuanbao’s left and right feetChapter 61 · Yuanbao, how about letting your father sleep in the middle?Chapter 62 · Waiting for your goodnight kissChapter 63 · Philodendron, McDowellChapter 64 · Little Dad is so badChapter 65 · Yuanbao wants to stay home and play every dayChapter 66 · Where’s my little Yuanbao?Chapter 67 · He’s my childChapter 68 · Two fathers?Chapter 69 · Does French Fries taste the same?Chapter 70 · Teacher AnnieChapter 71 · You’re bullying meChapter 72 · Big Dad asked Little Dad to kiss you for himChapter 73 · I think what’s missing is a formal confessionChapter 74 · If the ingot is an inward square, thenChapter 75 · Little Potato Ball and Daddy PotatoChapter 76 · That must be some other silly kidChapter 77 · In the future, how about I help you pluck out your white hairs?Chapter 78 · Little Dad already tried his best to help you!Chapter 79 · You can only blame the prize for being too temptingChapter 80 · Little Dad will hold a personal art exhibition just for youChapter 81 · Shall I make it up to you?Chapter 82 · Little Dad, kiss kiss~ Help Yuanbao give Big Dad a kiss tooChapter 83 · You’ll just say he’s a relative’s childChapter 84 · #PeiJingyuanMalePregnancy#Chapter 85 · Family GatheringChapter 86 · Yuanbao will work hard and make lots of money!Chapter 86 · Extra 1Chapter 87 · Who’s he messaging?Chapter 87 · Extra 2Chapter 88 · Extra 3Chapter 88 · Why are you blushing?Chapter 89 · Let’s get marriedChapter 89 · Extra 4Chapter 90 · Hair CutChapter 90 · Extra 5Chapter 91 · They’re willing to accept you as part of the familyChapter 92 · A Family DinnerChapter 93 · This is Yuanbao’s… very, very tall Big Dad, Nie ShenyuanChapter 94 · The wedding