The Yu family’s annual family banquet was an occasion where all the elders gathered together.
Yu Chanjuan wasn’t the highest-ranking elder, and her marriage had caused quite a rift with the family in the past. As a result, she sat with her siblings and son at a separate table near the head of the main table. The Yu family had a peculiar dynamic—on one hand, relatives rarely kept in touch, but on the other, they maintained a facade of harmony and unity. When faced with difficulties, they stood together against external forces, but once things calmed down, internal strife would inevitably resume.
Since taking over the management of Triumph Entertainment from her parents, Yu Chanjuan had expanded the company by acquiring several competitors, growing the business significantly. By now, she had almost entirely redeemed herself from the unpopularity caused by her impulsive decisions in her youth. People at the main table often turned to her for small talk.
She set down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth.
Looking toward the main table, she smiled and asked, “Where’s Tianyun?” Yu Tianyun, the daughter of her cousin, was the apple of the family’s eye, doted on more than anyone else. Running off before the banquet was over was something no other child in the family would dare to do.
Her cousin shook his head helplessly. “That girl has been disappearing like a ghost these past few days. I told her to join us for dinner, but she didn’t want to. I think she’s probably dating someone.”
Yu Chanjuan patted him. “Tianyun is so beautiful; she probably already has a boyfriend. She’s much sharper and more decisive than I was at her age.”
“She used to be buried in books, but not anymore. Now, she’s always running around, playing on her computer, watching TV, and glued to her phone. She’s a lost cause.”
“Nonsense.” Yu Chanjuan shook her head and put down her napkin, rising to go find Yu Tianyun.
Yu Chanjuan was originally from H province, and even after the family had prospered, they maintained ties to their roots. The Yu family’s success was a frequent topic of interest in the town, and every year, the family banquet lit up the entire night. As she stepped outside, she spotted Yu Tianyun sitting under the swing set in the front yard.
The girl was holding her phone, earphones in, watching something intently. The glow of the screen lit up her face, and despite her surroundings, her furrowed brow and serious expression made the playful scene look somewhat out of place. The playground was full of people, but around her, there was almost a vacuum—few of the younger children dared to approach her.
Yu Chanjuan sighed. Her niece had always been impressive. If only Yu Shaotian were half as decisive as her, she wouldn’t still be holding onto the company’s shares.
As she approached, the younger generation stared at her in awe, whispering, “Wow, she’s so bold.” Ignoring them, Yu Chanjuan came closer and called out, “Tianyun, why are you watching TV outside? Shaotian and the others are inside. Why are you alone out here?”
Yu Tianyun didn’t hear her, absorbed in her phone with her earphones still in. Yu Chanjuan gently removed one earphone and leaned over to look at the screen. Though there was no sound, she immediately recognized the person dancing on the screen and exclaimed in surprise, “Luo Ding?”
Yu Tianyun, initially frowning when her earphones were pulled out, softened her expression upon hearing her aunt and asked, “Auntie, you know him?”
Everyone in the family knew that despite managing an entertainment company, Yu Chanjuan wasn’t particularly interested in celebrities, especially since she had handed over the company’s daily operations to Yu Shaotian. Most of the stars she could name were from many years ago.
Yu Chanjuan looked at her niece with a complex expression. Was she really chasing a celebrity? And out of all people, Luo Ding…?
She nodded but was immediately pulled down to sit on the swing beside Yu Tianyun. Her niece eagerly took the earphones from her hand and placed them on her head, forcing her to watch the video from the beginning with a wide grin on her face. “Look, watch this.”
Unable to refuse, Yu Chanjuan, thinking it was just a song, decided not to dampen her niece’s enthusiasm and lowered her head to watch. Over the years, she had listened to more and more calming music, so the intense rhythm of the dance track felt fresh to her. Watching the young man on the small screen, with his perfect physique—broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs—she instinctively evaluated him with the eye of a professional appraising a product. Though his face was mostly hidden, his body was impeccable.
Even though her first impression of Luo Ding was favorable, she couldn’t help but think of her youngest son and his unfortunate romantic entanglement, which soured her opinion of Luo Ding. The thought of Luo Ding led to thoughts of her son, and those thoughts inevitably led to her disappointment in the person her son had chosen.
Suddenly, the music in the earphones changed, exploding into an energetic, bombastic sound that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
The figure on the screen sprang to life, his powerful dance moves perfectly in sync with the rhythm. His occasional glances at the camera radiated a commanding presence that made anyone watching instinctively shrink back a little.
Yu Chanjuan’s expression shifted, her evaluation changing from one focused on his physique to one of genuine interest. As the performance continued, she found herself less concerned with whether he was suited for film or television and more engrossed in his performance. By the time the song ended, and Yu Tianyun removed the earphones, Yu Chanjuan could only mutter, “It really was quite good.”
“Right?!” Yu Tianyun’s face lit up with excitement as she pulled out a long list of locally saved videos, her dark brown eyes sparkling with passion. The enthusiasm reminded Yu Chanjuan of the overly eager insurance salespeople she had encountered in her youth.
*****
After returning to the country, Duan Wanqing hadn’t seen his son Duan Xiubo since that chance meeting at the Half Mountain Hotel. He had spent some time enjoying himself, but even a man of his tastes could get bored of indulgence after a while. Remembering his priorities, he made up his mind to have another conversation with his son, believing they needed to sit down and talk things over.
Duan Wanqing wasn’t worried. Between his successful conglomerate, shares in other companies, and various assets, his financial leverage was enormous. He was used to seeing young people in his social circles fawning over their elders in hopes of inheriting the family fortune. Any hint of resentment Duan Xiubo might have shown seemed insignificant to him. Was there really anyone in this world who would willingly give up an inheritance just because their parents were a little neglectful during their childhood? Even Yu Shaotian was very close to him—after receiving a car, the boy always found time to have lunch with him when called. This son of his, whom he hadn’t even raised, surely had a mix of calculation and affection. What right did Duan Xiubo have to resent him? He raised the boy himself. He grew up just fine, never starving, and always had money to spend. People should be envious of him!
That’s how he had always thought, convinced his perspective was right. He assumed Duan Xiubo’s reluctance to see him was just a form of childish rebellion, a way to express his dissatisfaction. But gradually, Duan Wanqing began to suspect he had miscalculated.
It seemed that Duan Xiubo was genuinely avoiding him like the plague.
To say Duan Wanqing didn’t feel guilty about his son would be a lie. In the West, great importance was placed on child-rearing, and leaving a child home alone was seen as highly irresponsible. Although Duan Wanqing chose not to dwell on it, he wasn’t entirely oblivious to the fact that his actions had been neglectful. He just thought that his wealth would eventually make up for his past mistakes, but to his surprise, Duan Xiubo wouldn’t even give him the chance to make amends.
Duan Wanqing didn’t have his son’s contact information, and when he finally managed to dig up his phone number, Duan Xiubo would hang up as soon as he heard who was calling. He tried to enlist Yu Shaotian’s help in arranging a meeting, but Yu Shaotian, looking distressed, admitted he didn’t have the courage. As Duan Wanqing learned more, he began to realize just how high up Duan Xiubo had climbed in the entertainment industry. For someone whose only knowledge of showbiz was which female star was prettiest, Duan Wanqing felt both proud and a little troubled. He couldn’t get the phrase “until then, we don’t need to meet” out of his head, losing sleep over it. Tossing and turning, he couldn’t help but recall his little boy with blonde hair and pale skin. Somehow, despite everything, he still felt a greater sense of connection to Duan Xiubo.
His own flesh and blood, and yet he had to learn about his son’s latest activities through media outlets and online updates, like a stranger.
While he was struggling to get a meeting, Duan Xiubo’s name had practically become glued to Luo Ding’s in every news headline. Searching for information about his son online always led him to fan fiction written about the two of them. At first, Duan Wanqing’s curiosity got the better of him, and he clicked on a few stories, but after having his eyes burned by what he read, he vowed never
to read them again. Yet his curiosity never fully went away, so he occasionally looked up their latest updates, learning more and more about Duan Xiubo and Luo Ding’s increasingly intertwined careers.
Even the video compilations… made it hard to deny that something was going on between them.
In his mind, Duan Xiubo’s sexual orientation was almost conclusively settled. From the moment he saw them together in Los Angeles, he knew their relationship wasn’t ordinary. He didn’t know his son well, but he understood that they shared certain traits. If Duan Xiubo liked someone, he wouldn’t bother hiding it—just like himself. He pursued women openly, married the ones he fancied, and left them when he lost interest. Responsibility and public opinion be damned. Life is short, so why not live for pleasure? If Duan Xiubo had found someone he liked, he would want the whole world to know.
Still, Duan Wanqing was reluctant to accept this realization. He had spent his whole life with women, never entertaining any thoughts about men. In fact, he found the idea repulsive. The thought of his son being intimate with a man made him deeply uncomfortable.
But even if he wanted to “correct” his son, he would need the opportunity to do so first.
Outside of work, Duan Wanqing’s few hobbies didn’t extend beyond seeking out new romantic flings. But now, in an effort to better understand his son and Luo Ding, he had even registered accounts on several of the country’s most popular social media forums to follow their activities. News about Luo Ding’s new album seemed to be everywhere, impossible to ignore. He couldn’t understand the level of fervor from the fans, but after seeing a few well-edited and widely shared dance clips, Duan Wanqing began to understand where Luo Ding’s popularity came from.
As the car rolled smoothly down the road, his latest companion snuggled into his arms, whispering that she was hungry and wanted some chocolate.
Luckily, there was a handcrafted chocolate shop just ahead. Duan Wanqing told the driver to stop, his eyes scanning the storefronts. To the left of the chocolate shop was a bustling café, and to the right, a brightly lit record store. A large poster of Luo Ding dominated the record shop window, featuring dark tones and an edgy, almost wicked makeup look. It was clear he held the prime spot for promotion.
“Hold on,” he said, stopping the driver just as he was about to leave. His chauffeur looked back with a puzzled expression, and Duan Wanqing jerked his chin toward the record shop. “While you’re at it, buy Luo Ding’s new album.”
His usually serious chauffeur didn’t even ask, “Who’s Luo Ding?” He simply nodded and left. As soon as the words left his mouth, Duan Wanqing regretted it. The woman in his arms was now sitting up, staring at him in astonishment.
It made sense. Buying a record wasn’t exactly his style…
“Nate!” she suddenly exclaimed, throwing herself at him and peppering his face with kisses. Before he knew it, she was practically curled up in his lap. “Honey, you’re the best! How did you know I love Luo Ding? You’re so thoughtful!”
“…” Duan Wanqing silently accepted the affection, all the while wondering if it was still possible to roll down the window and ask the driver to buy another copy. He thought it over for a moment and decided against it. He smiled, kissed her fluttering eyes, and sweetly said, “I know everything about you, darling. Of course, I remember what you like.”
As her lips pressed noisily against his cheek, his expression remained unchanged. Internally, he was already thinking: I’ll just ask the driver to go back and buy another copy after I drop her off.
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