“Do I really have to go?”
On the way to the filming location, Gu Congjue scoffed down his burger and fries, his handsome young face crumpled in disapproval as he asked for the umpteenth time.
“I really don’t want any part of entertainment industry drama.”
“We’re already halfway there, and you’re still trying to bargain with me?” Xiang Yuyan reached out with his long arms, rummaging through the pile of clothes behind the seats until he pulled out a black hooded sun-protection jacket. “If you don’t go, how are your dad and I going to smash these rumors? How are we going to slap those trashy paparazzi in the face?”
Xiang Yuyan’s trip today wasn’t just a casual visit to support his leading-man husband; it was a calculated move to shut down the rumors about their rocky marriage.
Ever since Gu Pingyue and Xiang Yuyan’s shotgun wedding back in 2005, rumors of martial strife had plagued them. At first, neither paid it much mind.
However, around 2013, social media exploded, and public scrutiny on the entertainment industry grew exponentially. Flooded with online traffic, the Best Actor and the hit Singer whose career paths never really overlapped to begin with seemed to drift even further apart as they climbed to the peaks of their respective fields.
To industry insiders, this was a massive win: it didn’t matter whose path was easier, the money was all going into the same household.
But to the predatory paparazzi, this financial power couple working separately meant only one thing a failing marriage!
“I can’t believe someone actually leaked a report saying your dad and I are getting a divorce!”
Xiang Yuyan gritted his teeth in annoyance as he pulled a disposable black mask from the clothes pile.
“These people just can’t bear to see others happy, can they? Are they that desperate for a headline? Just you wait. I’m going to parade you around the set and deliver care packages to the crew in your dad’s name!”
Unwavering, Xiang Yuyan stuffed the jacket and mask into his son’s arms.
“Put the jacket on and wear the mask make sure to pull the hood up, too! Once we get off the bus, you don’t have to do anything. Just follow me, got it?”
Gu Congjue didn’t answer, his mouth full of food. Internally, he was exasperated. He absolutely loathed this kind of calculated orchestration.
The drive from downtown Chaoshan to the suburban Huairou District took about two hours. Fortunately, Gu Congjue’s school let out early on Fridays, so they picked him up at two o’clock. By the time they reached the Huairou shooting location, it was only just past four.
Before they stepped out, Xiang Yuyan double-checked his son’s outfit, ensuring he was bundled up tightly. The goal was to let people see a silhouette so they knew Best Actor Gu’s kid was present, without actually exposing his face to the public.
“Bear with the heat for a bit. You can take off the jacket and mask once we’re away from outsiders,” Xiang Yuyan said, fiercely protective of his kid and terrified the paparazzi would leak his personal details. “When I tell you to greet someone, you greet them. Otherwise, stay quiet, okay?”
Gu Congjue remained silent.
He had always been a man of few words. He was like this in his past life socially awkward and averse to networking and in this life, the lingering effects of his childhood speech delay made him even more reclusive. His parent’s fretting was, frankly, entirely unnecessary.
The moment the van door slid open, a wall of noise hit them from all directions. The sharp clack-clack of DSLR shutters mixed with gasps and eager chatter.
“Oh my god, it’s Xiang Yuyan! His skin is so incredibly fair and radiant in person!”
“Is that Movie Star Gu walking over? Wow, they look so in love.”
“Who’s that kid Xiang Yuyan is holding onto? He’s so tall and lean is that their son?”
The relentless chatter grated on Gu Congjue’s nerves. He tugged at his hood to hide his face completely, but the sudden sensory overload triggered a flash of a blood-drenched memory buried deep within his core.
The same chaotic noise, the same prying eyes, the same suffocating judgment…
The overwhelming sense of déjà vu made reality blur with those crimson memories. Frozen in place, Gu Congjue stood rigid, unable to take another step.
It was happening again. He was back.
The manifestation of his subconscious had returned.
Every single time he tried to focus on reality, to settle into the present, to solve the problems in front of him and just live as “himself,” his subconscious would violently jar him. It was a constant, brutal reminder never to forget the past, never to forget who he truly was, and above all…
Never to stop looking for Shen Yanxing.
“What’s wrong, Little Cong?” Gu Pingyue, dressed in full costume and heavy special effects makeup, walked over to greet his husband and son. “You look a bit pale.”
“Did the long car ride make you dizzy?” Xiang Yuyan placed a hand on his son’s cheek. “Your face is so white, you must be dehydrated or low on sugar. Sister Rong, grab the cola Little Cong was drinking earlier.”
Yang Cuirong hurried to get it, cleaning up the empty McDonald’s bag while she was at it.
Both Gu Pingyue and Xiang Yuyan were tall one standing at 6’1″ (186 cm) and the other at 5’10” (178 cm). The two large men flanked their growing son, who hadn’t yet hit 5’7″ (170 cm), as they walked toward the open clearing where the ceremonial altar was set up.
The picture-perfect family of three looked incredibly tight-knit. The paparazzi snapped pictures furiously as the crowd shifted inward to follow them.
Xiang Yuyan let out a triumphant whisper. “See? Isn’t this way more effective than a statement on Weibo?”
“Much more effective,” Gu Pingyue chuckled. He let go of his son and wrapped an arm around his husband’s waist. “My wife is brilliant. You cleared the rumors and took care of my crew all in one go.”
“Nu-uh!” Xiang Yuyan wagged a finger, correcting him. “It’s ‘taking care of you first, and clearing the rumors second.’ You are the priority, you come first!”
Slowly being left in their dust, Gu Congjue could only stare.
Good grief, he was thoroughly exhausted by this celebrity couple. Fifteen years had passed, and yet their capacity for nauseating public displays of affection had somehow only intensified.
Gu Congjue’s feelings were complicated. Despite fifteen years of effort, he still hadn’t fully acclimated to this bizarre world where men could give birth.
Because of this, his bond with the Gu-Xiang couple felt fractured and strange. On one hand, he couldn’t comprehend their overly romantic dynamic and felt no traditional sense of filial piety toward them; on the other hand, he had to play the part of the dutiful son, politely addressing them as “Dad” and “Mom.”
“Pingyue, did you know? Our son ranked first in his grade again!” Shifting away from the flirting, Xiang Yuyan brought up their son’s recent updates. “His total score beat the runner-up by 42 points!”
Yet, Xiang Yuyan’s tone wasn’t one of pride or joy. Instead, he dropped his voice to a hushed, heavy whisper.
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Gu Congjue had committed a heinous crime rather than aced his exams.
“Sigh.” Gu Pingyue, acting completely oblivious, let out a deep, matching sigh. “At this point, we can only keep a level head and accept reality.”
“Shh! Lower your voice,” Xiang Yuyan whispered even softer. “Don’t let him hear you. Kids his age are incredibly sensitive and rebellious. If he hears us, he’ll throw a tantrum!”
Gu Congjue thought to himself: Don’t bother, I already heard everything.
It was a miracle these two eccentric parents had a son like him. Thanks to his mentally mature mind, he wasn’t about to cause an actual family feud. Had it been any other ordinary teenager, they would have questioned their existence and run away from home years ago.
“Honey, why don’t you and Sister Rong take Little Cong inside the studio to rest?” Gu Pingyue pointed toward a building. “It’s cooler inside and there are fewer people. He can finally take off the mask and jacket.”
“What’s the rush? I wanted to say hello to the crew.” Xiang Yuyan craned his neck, his eyes locking onto a massive pig’s head resting on the altar. “What’s up with the giant pig’s head?”
Hearing this, Gu Congjue looked toward the clearing where the opening ceremony was being held.
When he was four or five, he had been dragged to a few of these ceremonies. They were usually simple affairs: pick an auspicious date, find a clearing near the location, set up a table draped in red cloth, and offer some fruit and snacks to the gods to pray for a smooth shoot.
Much like how actors received red envelopes after filming a death scene to ward off bad luck, the ceremony was just a superstitious blessing. But placing a massive pig’s head alongside a smoking incense burner shifted the atmosphere entirely.
The more seriously they took it, the creepier it felt.
“The director insisted,” Gu Pingyue said, looking entirely done with the situation. “The chief director is Chen Xuan you remember what he’s like, right?”
“Oh!” Enlightenment washed over Xiang Yuyan. “The director who’s obsessively superstitious?”
“Exactly. He claims this film has too many death scenes and extensive outdoor shoots. Apparently, Huairou District used to be a battlefield, so he wants a proper ritual to appease the gods and keep wandering spirits at bay. He even hired a few famous Taoist masters to perform rituals for the ceremony.”
Gu Pingyue stepped in front of Xiang Yuyan, blocking his husband and son from getting any closer to the altar.
“Don’t look. You can greet the crew later. Take Little Cong inside to rest first. We adults might not care, but he’s still young. Seeing stuff like this will just give him nightmares.”
Xiang Yuyan quickly agreed, signaling Mother Rong to help lead Gu Congjue toward the indoor set.
Gu Congjue couldn’t wait to escape. Gu Pingyue was right about one thing this scene made his skin crawl.
His miserable past life as a hyped-up “child prodigy” coupled with his staunch, materialistic worldview in this life gave him a deep-seated loathing for anything resembling superstition.
Tugging his hood down again, he quickened his pace. But just as he turned, he felt a sharp, intense gaze locking onto the back of his neck.
“Huh?” A sudden wave of tension hit him. He froze, looking over his shoulder. “…What was that?”
“Alright, alright, wrap it up! Everyone disperse!”
Over in the clearing, the crew members were actively clearing out the onlookers.
“The actors have finished the blessings and gone inside. You won’t see anyone else if you stay here. Clear out, please, don’t get in the way of the masters performing the ritual.”
With the staff shooing them away, the crowd reluctantly began to scatter. A few students who had managed to snag front-row spots were still buzzing with excitement as they walked away.
“Wow, Gu Pingyue and Xiang Yuyan’s son looked so handsome. His vibe is incredible!”
“Really? He was wrapped up so tight, how could you even tell what his face looks like? I was just staring at his school uniform it’s one of those fancy Western-style ones with a tie! His school must be insanely expensive.”
“Sigh, he’s a wealthy heir from the capital, after all. We live in completely different worlds.”
Shen Yanxing had arrived late and hadn’t even managed to squeeze into the middle of the crowd.
Stuck at the absolute back, he had hopped up and down repeatedly but failed to catch even a glimpse of the celebrities. As for the handsome rich boy the other students were gossiping about, he hadn’t seen a trace of him either. Only now, as the crowd finally thinned out, did he get a chance to push his way forward.
“Hey, hey, little student, what do you think you’re doing?” a staff member called out, intercepting him immediately. “The show is over, there are no more stars to see. Go home and do your homework.”
“I-I’m not here to see the celebrities.”
Shen Yanxing felt his nerves spike. He wiped his sweaty palms against his clothes before summoning the courage to speak up.
“I wanted to ask… does your movie crew need any extras? How… how do I look? I’m looking for a temporary job.”