BPTCMW : Chapter 14

Xia Yang struggled to remove the fish head hat, tossing it onto the table, and widened his eyes in disbelief.

“Isn’t this something you’ve loved since you were a kid?” he asked, confused.

Han Yi’s gaze, filled with disdain, seemed to regard him as a fool. “Who told you such nonsense? My taste has never been that abstract.”

“I…” Xia Yang choked, nearly mentioning that this was the answer given by Grandma Tang. But the words stuck in his throat. He couldn’t entirely blame her.

The elderly often have memory lapses, and it’s normal for them to remember things incorrectly. It could also be that Han Yi, having grown up and matured, refuses to admit his past distorted aesthetic preferences. Men’s hearts, after all, are always fickle.

After figuring this out, Xia Yang picked up the fish head hat and waved his hand dismissively, “Forget it, if you don’t like it, I’ll give it to Fang Ming.”

Han Yi glanced at the fish head and said blandly, “What did Fang Ming do wrong to deserve that?”

Xia Yang: “…”

Xia Yang: “You’re right. It’s better if you keep it. I don’t give you gifts often, so it’s worth keeping as a memento.”

Han Yi: “…”

“And it’s so ugly yet manages to live with a smile. Its sunny disposition is worth learning from!”

Xia Yang felt like a genius, managing to turn an ugly green fish head into a motivational speech.

Not stopping at that, he rummaged through his mind, finding a golden quote and refining it for the theme.

“No matter how life treats you, maintain a calm mind and be kind to yourself. Even if fate doesn’t favor you, remember, I favor you~”

The coy tone made even him shiver with goosebumps.

Glancing back at Han Yi, he found his expression complicated as he flipped open a book titled “100 Questions on Rare Diseases.”

*

Before dinner, Xia Yang went to his room for a nap. In his dream, he saw himself curing Han Yi’s leg, not with surgery but purely with persuasive talk, making Han Yi stand up.

Doctor Xia beamed in his dream, considering whether to ask for a hefty reward or to have Han Yi marry him in gratitude. Just then, a piercing ringtone shattered his sweet dream.

“Hello, who’s this?” he answered grumpily.

From the other end, Yu Ka’s voice came through, “Brother, are you okay? Why didn’t you tell me about such a big thing happening!”

“Huh?” Xia Yang’s brain was still foggy, “What happened? I was sleeping. What big thing?”

Yu Ka: “…”

The emperor isn’t in a hurry, but the eunuch is!

“Brother, your mentality is rock solid!” he exclaimed sincerely.

After a lengthy explanation, Xia Yang finally understood that Yu Ka was referring to his termination.

“Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry. Getting terminated just means I can rest at home.”

Living the long-desired life of a rich, idle man.

“Brother, please, don’t say that.”

Xia Yang: “…”

Yu Ka had no idea about his wealthy spouse persona and assumed Xia Yang’s brain had been affected by the shock. Thus, he offered a pep talk: “Brother, I know you’re feeling down, but you need to be resilient like a cockroach and never give up!”

Xia Yang: “…”

Cockroach resilience wasn’t necessary.

“That company of Tong Wei’s is trash. Leaving it isn’t a loss. But we’re in the entertainment industry. Without company backing, there are no resources, and without resources, we become angels with broken wings…” Yu Ka’s analysis made Xia Yang laugh.

“Ka Ka, you sound like a worried father.”

“I’m not joking, broken-winged angel,” Yu Ka’s tone was serious. After a moment, he suggested, “How about joining my studio? We can start afresh together.”

Oh wow, an olive branch.

Xia Yang was touched, not expecting the friendship he had bought with a photo to be so reliable. His emotions surged, and he almost cried.

“Thank you, Ka Ka, actually…”

“Brother, you don’t have to decide now. Think it over,” Yu Ka interrupted. “Also, there’s another thing. The little idol who was supposed to shoot a double cover with me got injured and is in the hospital. The sponsor doesn’t want to wait, so I recommended you to shoot with me. What do you think?”

“Huh, me? Shooting a magazine cover?” Xia Yang was surprised. Which sponsor chooses people so casually?

“Yes, if you’re willing, I’ll recommend you to shoot with me.”

Holding his phone, Xia Yang remained silent. He felt reluctant to reject Yu Ka’s well-intentioned effort to find him work.

“Well, if the style isn’t too extravagant, I can give it a try.” He considered.

“It’s not extravagant, just that the scene might involve… um, we need to get into a bathtub together.”

Xia Yang: “…”

Getting into a bathtub together was a bit much.

He knew domestic magazine shoots weren’t as open as those abroad. If it was just about him, he wouldn’t mind.

But the issue was he wasn’t alone now.

Having a family, a husband, and an agreement meant he needed to consider whether his significant other would be okay with him doing a “bathtub play” with another man.

After thinking it over, Xia Yang decided to discuss it with Han Yi.

“Ka Ka, my family is strict, so I need to have a meeting about it. I’ll get back to you later.”

Yu Ka: “Okay, I’ll wait.”

Ending the call, Xia Yang got up and went to Han Yi’s study. Finding it empty, he turned and headed next door.

The adjacent room was Han Yi’s bedroom. The light was on, and so was the bathroom light. He was just about to enter when Han Yi’s low voice sounded behind him.

“What are you doing here?”

Xia Yang jumped, turning to see Han Yi behind him, a fresh bath towel draped over the armrest of his wheelchair.

“Huh? Are you getting ready to take a bath, Mr. Han?” he asked.

Han Yi didn’t answer, glancing at him as he wheeled into the bathroom. “Do you need something?”

Xia Yang followed him eagerly, chattering, “Can I see your bathroom? Is it full of gold? A giant crystal bath with smooth pebbles on the floor?”

“Are you planning to raise fish?” Han Yi’s words shattered his daydream.

Xia Yang stuck out his tongue, shamelessly squeezing into the bathroom. There was no gold, nor a crystal bath, but everything before him left him nearly dumbfounded.

He had never seen such a majestic bathroom!

The floor was covered with special non-slip tiles, the walls had numerous smart handrails, and there were two robots. The bathtub was wider and differently designed than a typical one, clearly tailored for a wheelchair-bound person.

“Amazing, full of high-tech. This kind of bathroom is perfect for a bathtub play.” He couldn’t help but applaud.

Han Yi raised his eyelids, “What did you say?”

“Oh, I got carried away,” Xia Yang regained his composure and remembered the main topic: “A friend invited me to shoot photos. It involves a bathtub play. Do you mind if I go?”

Han Yi’s tone was flat, “Do as you please.”

Xia Yang nodded, “Alright, I’ll leave you to it then.”

Just as he turned to leave, Han Yi’s voice stopped him again.

“Wait,” the man in the wheelchair glanced at the youth, his deep eyes flashing a barely noticeable emotion.

“What kind of friend? Sounds quite improper.”

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