Once the script had been settled again, Lan Xi soon began filming.
It was just like when he first modeled for a magazine and everyone had clamored to buy thousands of copies to support him.
Now that Lan Xi was appearing in his first television drama, the family showed its support in full, sending flowers, cakes, and milk tea to the set.
Both the Fu and Song families preferred to keep a low profile, so the cards on the bouquets were signed things like “Lan Xi’s Second Older Cousin,” “Lan Xi’s Eldest Cousin,” and “Lan Xi’s Uncle.” Not one person left a real name.
The crew had never seen cards signed like that before. Their feelings were rather complicated as they marveled, “Lan Xi really has a lot of relatives…”
Of course, someone couldn’t resist muttering, “None of them even put down a name. Bet Lan Xi bought all this himself. What a show-off!”
He was promptly rewarded with an elbow from Third Older Cousin.
“Watch what you say about our Lan Xi.” Third Older Cousin shot him a sidelong look.
Afraid a quarrel might break out, a staff member hurried over to smooth things over. “Are you Lan Xi’s older brother too?”
Too? Huh. So Fu Hui had actually been here before?
After all these years, Lan Xi was unquestionably a child of the Fu family as well. Third Older Cousin nodded.
Having acknowledged it, Third Older Cousin found it rather novel to put on a grown-up air. He drew the staff member aside to ask how Lan Xi had been doing on set.
They didn’t tell Fu Hui about any of this.
Everyone agreed, “Fu Hui is too busy.”
Third Older Cousin patted his chest. “Don’t worry. We’ll keep you company. We absolutely won’t let you feel lonely.”
The family’s other younger relatives laughed and chimed in their agreement.
After that, whenever Lan Xi went to the set, they tagged along for the fun.
Within a single week, the crew couldn’t help staring at Lan Xi in astonishment. Just how many older brothers and sisters did he have?
Lan Xi himself thought nothing of it. All he cared about was enjoying the chance to show off his beauty in front of the camera. And when he was done, he had people to play with. What could be better?
The children of that generation had all grown up too, and the eldest few had already started working.
Third Older Cousin was one of the older ones, but he was unusually free these days.
He was still delighted by his newly won freedom and would tell Lan Xi at every opportunity, “Being grown up is great!”
Lan Xi asked what was so great about it.
Third Older Cousin immediately launched into a long account of his experiences. “Once you’re grown up, you can drink alcohol. Red wine, baijiu, beer, all kinds…”
Showing off like that in front of other people might get back to his father. But Lan Xi rarely paid attention to anyone besides Fu Hui, so there was no such danger with him.
Lan Xi listened without knowing what any of those drinks were. But Third Older Cousin looked so animated that they must be wonderful things!
He silently committed it all to memory.
On the day Lan Xi wrapped filming, Third Older Cousin suggested, “Fu Hui is so busy. Let’s keep it a secret so he won’t come.”
As though that could possibly be kept from him.
Ever since Fu Hui had asked the agency for an electronic copy of the script, they had been hoping to build a direct connection with him.
So the agency had been positively eager to report what Lan Xi did on set every day and which episode they were filming.
The bodyguards reported to him too, of course.
But Fu Hui considered another source of reports a good thing.
It meant they could fill in one another’s gaps.
When the last scene was finished, the director organized a wrap party. Third Older Cousin was there as well, and everyone headed out together.
As they walked, Third Older Cousin kept trying to hook an arm around Lan Xi’s neck or shoulders…
Fu Hui was sitting in a car, watching.
He watched Lan Xi slap Third Older Cousin’s hand away again and again.
“Hey! I refuse to believe it! After keeping you company all this time, even if I don’t deserve credit, I’ve certainly put in the effort! What, am I still no match for Fu Hui?” Third Older Cousin complained.
Lan Xi slowly rolled his eyes.
But he was so beautiful that even his eye roll looked lovely. A staff member some distance away instinctively raised a hand and snapped a picture.
As when he was little, whenever Lan Xi couldn’t be bothered to respond, he spat out the barest syllables. “Not. Even. Close.”
Third Older Cousin had expected that answer and wasn’t particularly surprised. He pouted. “Fine, I’m no match. But can’t I at least put an arm around you? Don’t your friends at school put their arms around your shoulders?”
Lan Xi considered it. “Friends? None.”
Third Older Cousin was stunned. “None? How can you have none? You’re so, so good-looking, and so popular… How could nobody like you?”
Lan Xi lifted his chin. “They do. Lots of people like me.”
“Exactly! Don’t they want to be your friends?”
“Don’t want to.”
“Pfft… What do you mean you don’t want to?”
“I’ve got Fu Hui.”
“How is that the same? Isn’t he your older brother?”
“Mm. He’s an older brother too.”
By the end of this exchange, Third Older Cousin felt as though his entire worldview was about to collapse.
That couldn’t be right, could it?
He had to tell Fu Hui and get him to correct this, didn’t he?
“Hey, isn’t that the car Fu Hui usually rides in?” Third Older Cousin suddenly noticed.
No sooner had he said it than Lan Xi took off running toward it.
The car door opened, and Fu Hui first stuffed a bouquet into Lan Xi’s arms.
Lan Xi was overjoyed. But when he looked up, he discovered Fu Hui was dressed a little differently today.
A white tailcoat, white gloves, a jeweled brooch on his chest, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his straight nose.
He looked so grown up!
Like an elegant grown-up!
There was something else about him, something Lan Xi didn’t know how to describe. In any case, he looked like a very powerful adult now…
Lan Xi froze for a moment.
He heard Third Older Cousin catch up and tease, “Good grief, Fu Hui! Dressed like that, are you getting married?”
Lan Xi certainly knew what “getting married” meant. He turned and glared fiercely at Third Older Cousin.
Fu Hui replied unhurriedly, “There’s a graduation gala, and we have to take graduation photos.”
Third Older Cousin paused. “What a coincidence, having both on the same day.”
The moment Lan Xi heard that, he abandoned the wrap party. “I want to go take pictures too.”
Third Older Cousin was speechless. “Then what about your wrap party, kiddo?”
As if that could stump Lan Xi. “You go in my place,” he said.
Third Older Cousin stared. “Me? But I’m not an actor…”
Fu Hui looked at him and cut in. “Haven’t you been very enthusiastic about playing Lan Xi’s older brother these past few days?”
Third Older Cousin had the peculiar sense that Fu Hui was being sarcastic, but he still protested, “What do you mean, playing? I am his older cousin. I’m your older cousin, and by extension, I’m his too.”
Fu Hui patted Lan Xi’s hand. “Wait for me a moment. I need to have a few words with our cousin.”
Lan Xi reluctantly pursed his lips and slid out of the car with his flowers.
Third Older Cousin glanced at the bouquet and couldn’t resist adding, “…You brought those flowers rather late, you know. Lan Xi got plenty today.”
Fu Hui said, “Ha. Ha.”
Goose bumps rose all over Third Older Cousin. “You’re being weird.”
Fu Hui smiled, pulled him into the car, and shut the door.
Lan Xi was extremely displeased by this.
Half a minute later, the door opened again. Third Older Cousin stepped out wearing an odd expression and was even tripped by one of Fu Hui’s long legs.
Third Older Cousin: “…”
He looked ready to grind his teeth to dust, yet also like someone nobly enduring a great humiliation.
Only then did Fu Hui reach out, wrap an arm around Lan Xi’s waist, and scoop him back into the car. “Let’s go.”
It was only when everyone reached the wrap party that the crew noticed Lan Xi was missing.
Third Older Cousin gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Ha. Ha. I’m here in his place. Come on, let’s drink. Lan Xi can’t even have alcohol yet.”
After two drinks, everyone had grown a little closer.
Only then did Third Older Cousin announce gravely, “There’s something I need to tell you all.”
Everyone stared at him in surprise. “Go ahead.”
“Actually, I’m only Lan Xi’s older cousin. His cousin.”
“…?” Everyone looked at him as though he were an idiot.
Third Older Cousin thought, Yes, I feel like an idiot too.
Who made a solemn declaration over dinner just to stress the word “cousin”?
Fu Hui wasn’t Lan Xi’s biological brother either!
That damned Fu Hui! This was a modern age. How could anyone still be such a tyrant?
The school was packed on the day of the graduation events. As soon as they got out of the car, Fu Hui took a firm hold of Lan Xi’s hand, then pulled a hat over his head and put a mask on him.
They were surrounded by people, and even the bodyguards were afraid of losing track of their two precious charges.
Lan Xi, however, felt an unusual excitement.
He pressed close against Fu Hui’s arm and suddenly noticed that the muscles had grown hard and firm. Fu Hui had grown up ahead of him.
Lan Xi couldn’t resist touching his arm, then asked, “What happens at the gala? Do you drink alcohol?”
Those little touches felt like a kitten scratching. Fu Hui let him do as he pleased while keeping the crowd at bay. “I don’t drink,” he said.
Lan Xi was a little disappointed.
“Fu Hui!” someone called.
Fu Hui stopped.
He had spent the past year impossibly busy, wishing he could squeeze ten minutes out of every one.
Besides his schoolwork, he had spent more and more time dealing with the secretaries and subordinates who worked under Fu Lin.
Repeated exposure to the adult world had worn away his childhood concern for saving face and his fondness for acting cool.
He had learned to put on an innocuous expression and hide every trace of his sharpness and coldness.
Now he turned politely to the speaker, even smiling a little. “Is something the matter?”
“It’s not time for the big group photo yet, but everyone’s gone to take pictures by the cherry trees. Are you coming? Your little brother came too?” The girl facing them was all smiles. She was one of Fu Hui’s classmates, and they all knew Lan Xi quite well. Even covered up from head to toe, those purple eyes made him instantly recognizable.
Before Fu Hui could answer, Lan Xi spoke up first. “Mm-hmm.”
Only then did Fu Hui say, “Let’s go over there, then.”
“Sure, follow me!” The girl led the way.
Lan Xi stopped touching Fu Hui’s arm, stopped looking around, and forgot all about drinking to become a grown-up.
Instead, he stared at Fu Hui’s face. Stared at it relentlessly.
His gaze was so intense that Fu Hui couldn’t ignore it. “What’s wrong?” he asked at once.
Lan Xi reached up and tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Don’t smile,” he said crossly.
Fu Hui paused. “All right.”
He let the corners of his mouth fall.
The glasses he had put on especially to look more mature, combined with his expressionless face, now gave him an aloof, almost unapproachable air.
The longer Lan Xi looked, the more agitated he became.
In the end, he simply reached up and covered Fu Hui’s entire face with his hands.
Fu Hui: “…?” “Lan Xi, I can’t see where I’m going.”
Lan Xi thought for a moment. “Then I’ll be your eyes!”
Fu Hui: “…” He smiled. “Fine. You lead me, then.”
As soon as they reached the cherry trees, someone came over and asked Fu Hui to pose for a photo.
There were also people who delightedly asked to take pictures with Lan Xi, but he refused every one of them. He also imperiously forbade Fu Hui from taking pictures with anyone else.
Fu Hui’s classmates were puzzled. One asked with a laugh, “Why can’t he?”
Lan Xi wanted to say, Fu Hui is mine, and if I say no, then no.
But after all the education he’d received, even Lan Xi knew that didn’t sound particularly convincing.
He told everyone in a solemn voice, “I recently read a story…”
He was so beautiful that everyone couldn’t help listening seriously. They even played along enthusiastically. “What was it? What was it?”
“Taking photographs steals people’s souls.”
“Hahaha! What kind of horror story was that?” Everyone laughed.
But Lan Xi looked so grave and ready for danger that no one had the heart to upset him. They went off to find other people to photograph instead.
Once they had gone, Fu Hui sighed softly. “But I wanted to take a picture with Lan Xi.”
Lan Xi immediately pulled him toward the cherry trees. “Okay, okay!”
Fu Hui smiled. “Aren’t you afraid it’ll steal our souls?”
Lan Xi lied with his eyes wide open. “Well, then it’ll steal both our souls together.”
Fu Hui’s smile deepened. “All right.”
The graduation gala began.
Every student had an assigned seat, and Lan Xi, being a guest, naturally didn’t have one. But that didn’t matter. He simply burrowed straight into Fu Hui’s lap.
Someone in the row behind tapped Fu Hui on the shoulder. “Um… when you sit like that, you’re a bit too tall. You’re blocking our view.”
Lan Xi paused. He realized that now he was growing up, he could no longer curl into a tiny ball in Fu Hui’s lap the way he had as a child.
Fu Hui had grown tall, and Lan Xi was getting taller too.
Lan Xi slid down a little.
Fu Hui supported his bottom with one hand. “Slide any farther and you’ll fall off.”
Someone behind them kindly offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you two just squeeze onto the same chair?”
Lan Xi refused to budge. “Want to sit in your lap,” he muttered stubbornly.
But blocking other people’s view wasn’t right either. Fu Hui considered it. “Then we won’t watch.”
He simply took Lan Xi by the hand and led him outside.
With everyone inside watching the gala, the campus had grown quiet.
Fu Hui took Lan Xi around taking commemorative photos. Lan Xi was still a little dissatisfied, though, and insisted on being held even for the pictures.
After all that fuss, Fu Hui went back just in time to take the stage and speak.
Unable to cling to Fu Hui for the moment, Lan Xi stood below the stage and watched him deliver a motivational speech to the students preparing for their final year of high school. Fu Hui spoke at a measured pace, his enunciation pleasant to the ear. The applause from the audience was thunderous, almost loud enough to lift the roof off the auditorium.
The speech wasn’t long, and Fu Hui came down again before long.
Lan Xi was still standing in the night breeze, lost in a daze.
A moment later, warmth touched his cheeks. Fu Hui had come over and was rubbing them gently. “Bored?” he asked.
Lan Xi shook his head.
“Sleepy?”
Lan Xi shook his head again.
“Good. You’ll still need to stay with me for a while,” Fu Hui said.
Of course! Lan Xi thought. They were supposed to stay together anyway!
After the gala performances ended, there was a dance.
Fu Hui led Lan Xi back through the doors, and someone else came over to ask Fu Hui to dance.
“Who knows when we’ll see each other again?” the person said, summoning up the courage.
Fu Hui still hadn’t learned, through actual experience, how to strike the right balance between his harmless public face and his colder side. But he didn’t need to turn the invitation down coldly or agree with a smile now.
He reached up and patted Lan Xi’s head. “Sorry. I need to keep him company.”
The other person opened their mouth in surprise, wanting to ask: Wasn’t he old enough to manage on his own?
But when they looked into Lan Xi’s beautiful eyes, the words wouldn’t come. They could only give a rueful little laugh. “All right.”
Only after the person left…
…did Lan Xi finally tear his gaze away from the dazzling, shimmering dress they had been wearing.
“Buy me one,” Lan Xi said.
Fu Hui: “That’s a skirt. Boys can’t wear…”
“Who says boys can’t wear skirts?” Lan Xi countered. He’d learned a great deal lately, and now he declared proudly, “Scottish boys wear skirts!”
Fu Hui had no answer for that. “All right, I’ll buy you one. But only wear it at home.”
Even as he said that, he felt something about it wasn’t quite right.
Lan Xi was already delighted. With a cheerful “Mm-hmm,” he seized Fu Hui’s hand and ran toward the dance floor.
Fu Hui caught his wrist in return. “We could go have some snacks over there.”
Lan Xi looked back at him in confusion. “Aren’t you going to dance with me?”
Fu Hui paused, then smiled again. “Yes.”
They had been taught to dance by an instructor at home, so it was nothing unfamiliar to Lan Xi.
When they’d first learned, Lan Xi had refused to dance with anyone else. He would dance only with Fu Hui. So the two of them had taken turns doing the man’s and woman’s steps.
They had practiced like that at home ever since they were little. Even though Fu Hui now felt it might not be entirely appropriate for Lan Xi to take the woman’s steps, the moment Lan Xi pulled him onto the dance floor, every such thought vanished.
What was wrong with it?
They had always done it that way since childhood.
The dance floor soon cleared around them.
The people nearby couldn’t help looking their way.
Gradually, more and more people noticed Lan Xi.
“Isn’t that a celebrity?”
“Is it?”
“Yes, yes, he looks familiar! I saw a few clips of him online before!”
Fu Hui gave Lan Xi’s cheek a quick pinch. Before anyone could surround them, he grabbed Lan Xi and ran, remembering to grab a drink as they went.
Only when they’d run a long way did Lan Xi burst into laughter. “That was fun!”
Fu Hui held the stemmed glass, now half empty from spilling, to Lan Xi’s lips. “Want to try it? Just one lick.”
Lan Xi’s eyes grew even brighter. He hadn’t expected Fu Hui to bring that along!
He hugged Fu Hui’s arm, bent his head, and took an enormous lick.
Blech.
It tasted awful!
Even so, Lan Xi didn’t spit it out. He swallowed it in one gulp.
“Well? Is it good?” Fu Hui asked, amused.
Lan Xi struggled to smooth his features. “Mm-hmm. Good. You drink some too.”
Fu Hui could tell he was lying, but he obediently bent down and took a sip himself.
Lan Xi immediately waited in anticipation to see his expression change.
Fu Hui said, “Mm. It’s rather ordinary.”
Lan Xi instantly rose on tiptoe, pried Fu Hui’s mouth open, and inspected it carefully, just as he used to check which tooth Fu Hui had lost when they were little.
In the end, he discovered to his disappointment that Fu Hui had swallowed it all too.
“It’s worse than ordinary. It tastes terrible!” Lan Xi pouted. “I’ll never believe them again!”
“Who?”
Lan Xi immediately sold Third Older Cousin out.
Fu Hui handed the glass to a bodyguard to have it returned, then took Lan Xi home.
Third Older Cousin had just finished attending the wrap party as well. He came over to Fu Hui’s place with a solemn expression. “Fu Hui, I have something to tell you.”
Fu Hui smiled. “Mm. I have something to tell you too.”
The two of them went into the study together.
Left behind on his own, Lan Xi was furious with Third Older Cousin. He glared at his back several times, wishing he could knock him unconscious and boil him into soup.
The study door closed.
Third Older Cousin was the first to speak. “There’s a problem with Lan Xi. A serious one!”
Fu Hui frowned and immediately grew wary. “What problem?”
“He doesn’t have any friends at school!”
Fu Hui froze.
“Is that normal?”
Fu Hui didn’t much like using the word “normal” to judge Lan Xi. His expression cooled slightly. “Do either of us have that many friends?”
Third Older Cousin blurted out, “Plenty!”
Fu Hui asked evenly, “Do fair-weather drinking buddies count? What about people who deliberately flatter us?”
That stopped Third Older Cousin short. At last he said stiffly, “That’s why your father eventually had you change schools, so hardly anyone there knew your family background… You must have made some real friends, right?”
“No. When you have several bodyguards following you around, do you look like an ordinary person?”
“…”
“So there’s nothing abnormal about Lan Xi,” Fu Hui concluded.
Third Older Cousin scratched his head. “I’m not saying he’s abnormal. I’m saying… he needs friends, doesn’t he? Do you know how ridiculous what he said today was? He said having you was enough. How can that be enough? Once you go to university, once you have your own things to do, what’s Lan Xi supposed to…”
Before Third Older Cousin could finish, Fu Hui interrupted, clearly uncomfortable. “Why wouldn’t that be enough?”
Third Older Cousin: “…” “Fine. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
He started to leave, but halfway to the door he suddenly remembered something else. “Do your bodyguards report what Lan Xi and I do on set every day? And does the agency tell you too?”
Fu Hui saw no reason to deny it. “Mm.”
Third Older Cousin shuddered. “Fu Hui…”
“Yes?” Fu Hui looked as though he were patiently waiting for him to continue.
Third Older Cousin found himself at a loss for words. He was afraid Fu Hui would trip him a couple more times the next time they met.
At that moment, Lan Xi grew impatient and came knocking on the door.
Knock, knock, knock. “Aren’t you done talking yet?”
Knock, knock, knock. “Finish up. Fu Hui needs to sleep now.”
Knock, knock, knock. “Don’t talk so much!”
Third Older Cousin: “…”
He went over and opened the door. Then he stood between the two of them, looking from one to the other.
In the end, Third Older Cousin couldn’t resist blurting out, “Lan Xi! Don’t you ever get the feeling that Fu Hui’s put surveillance cameras on you?”
Lan Xi tilted his head, then tugged at his sleeves and collar. “No.”
But after thinking it over, he added, “Do you mean the bodyguards?”
Third Older Cousin clapped his hands. “There! And that’s not all!”
He had only meant it as a joke, but the more he spoke, the more something genuinely started to feel wrong. Wasn’t Fu Hui a little too controlling?
Lan Xi, however, looked as if he’d just been struck by inspiration. His eyes lit up. “Can I put a camera on Fu Hui?”
Third Older Cousin: “…Huh?”
“That way, even when Fu Hui goes to university, I’ll be able to see what he’s doing anytime, anywhere!”
“…” Third Older Cousin could see that Lan Xi’s desire for control was certainly no less formidable.
Well, every pot really did have its matching lid.