RSDH CH10

Reciting vows to a partner on the night before the trip was akin to wedding vows. Both parties had to read from a script. It was a traditional ceremony of All the Way With You, only this season added an extra line compared to the last: “I love you.”

Duan Xingye seemed to have a mental block about this part.

“Just imagine yourself as a couple passionately in love.” Sister Yu was still trying to persuade him on the way to Vanke Metropolis. “Isn’t this quite romantic?”

Duan Xingye: “I’m allergic to romance.”

“…”

Sister Yu felt hopeless. “Is there anyone alive who can cure you, my Living Ancestor?”

In the afternoon, the staff from All the Way With You were coming to install cameras to prepare for the evening livestream, so someone had to be home.

Cheng Duzhou hadn’t spoken in the work group chat, and Duan Xingye couldn’t be bothered to contact him, so he just left work early.

Not long after Duan Xingye arrived home, the technical team showed up.

The director assigned to follow their group also came, greeting him immediately: “Teacher Duan, is the script okay?”

The underfloor heating hadn’t warmed up the room that quickly, so Duan Xingye warmed his hands holding a cup of water. “Can the guests improvise the vows?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” the director agreed hurriedly. “As long as you don’t forget to add ‘I love you’ at the end.”

“…” Duan Xingye kept a straight face. “To be honest, I think it’s unnecessary.”

The director was surprised. “Why, Teacher Duan?”

Duan Xingye lowered his eyes amidst the rising steam. “There are some things Cheng Duzhou understands even if I don’t say them. Besides, I can’t say it out loud.”

No love means no love.

Say “I love you” to Cheng Duzhou? He’d be too pleased with himself.

Duan Xingye’s words were intentionally misleading, and sure enough, the director misunderstood. “Oh my, you young people are still so shy and reserved…”

Before he could finish, the director suddenly looked toward the door, his eyes lighting up. “Hey, President Cheng, perfect timing!”

Duan Xingye froze. He didn’t look behind him but cleared his throat to prevent the director from blabbering the wrong thing. “Never mind, I…”

But the director had already raised his booming voice, loud enough for the whole room to hear his rich tone:

“Teacher Duan loves you more than he can say!!!”

“…………”

The staff members carrying wires back and forth all stopped in their tracks and looked over.

Duan Xingye cracked like stone.

Behind him, slow, steady footsteps approached.

Cheng Duzhou stood beside him and glanced at him.

The director spoke to both of them earnestly: “In intimate relationships—whether lovers, family, or friends—one should never be stingy with expressing love. If some words aren’t spoken generously, the other person won’t know. We include the vow segment not just as a program gimmick, but more so that the guests can feel each other’s love. For a couple like you who clearly love each other but are too shy to say it, you should cherish this opportunity even more.”

Duan Xingye pursed his lips and stayed silent.

Cheng Duzhou said, “Okay.”

“Looking forward to your performance tonight.” The director indicated he still had to supervise the work and left first.

Clutching his cup, Duan Xingye turned and went into the kitchen to pour water. Even though his cup was still full of hot water.

A moment later, Cheng Duzhou walked in.

A matching cup slid along the marble countertop to Duan Xingye’s hand.

—Asking him to pour a cup while he was at it.

Everyone else was outside. The sound of plastic shoe covers frictioning against the floor was everywhere in the house; only the kitchen seemed quiet.

Cheng Duzhou leaned his lower back against the counter and asked, “Why can’t you say it?”

Cheng Duzhou must have heard quite a bit just now.

“Don’t just talk about me, what about you?” Duan Xingye poured the water, shoved the cup into Cheng Duzhou’s hand, his upturned eyes looking slightly mean. “Can you say it to me?”

“I can.”

“…”

Duan Xingye looked at Cheng Duzhou. After calming some imperceptible emotions, his dark pupils flickered after a long while, and he looked away.

Suddenly, he felt bored.

For Cheng Duzhou, it was just a line in a script. Yet he was hung up on the weight of those three words. In comparison, his innocence was almost laughable.

“Fine.” Duan Xingye’s voice was downcast. “Let’s leave it at that. If you say it, I’ll say it.”

Cheng Duzhou: “I love you.”

Duan Xingye’s heart skipped a violent beat, like a pump suddenly increasing horsepower, squeezing blood towards the top of his head. Heat rapidly spread across his face.

Cheng Duzhou’s eyes were pitch black. Staring into them for too long created a sensation of difficulty breathing, like drowning in the deep sea.

Duan Xingye’s crow-feather-like long lashes swept lightly, then lowered, casting a shadow on the small mole on the side of his nose, indifferent. “Oh.”

Then he tried to walk around Cheng Duzhou to leave.

“What does ‘oh’ mean?” Cheng Duzhou blocked his step. “Playing dumb, are we?”

“Are you crazy!” Duan Xingye panicked, glancing at the kitchen door as if being seen by someone would be a huge embarrassment. He was practically incoherent. “I meant during the program recording tonight! You, you right now… why say it in broad daylight? Who told you to be in such a rush?”

Cheng Duzhou looked at him for two seconds, his sharp, aggressive brows cooling down. He turned to face the counter. “You’re good. Bullying an honest man like me.”

“…”

Duan Xingye pretended not to hear and walked toward the door.

Cheng Duzhou lowered his head to drink water. As soon as his lips touched the water line, he was scalded and put the cup down. He frowned, licked his stinging upper lip, his voice low: “You love the motherland, you love the snow of the northern frontier, you just don’t love me.”

“…” Duan Xingye reached the end of his patience. “Keep yapping and you can go back to the film set.”

Each episode of All the Way With You opened with the guests’ home life the night before departure. Starting at 9 PM, the two-hour livestream served as a prelude to the official trip the next day.

Because the livestream would end very late, Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye showered in advance and changed into pajamas so they could go straight to sleep after going off-air.

The production team also encouraged guests to treat it lightly. The more casual they appeared, the closer they could get to the audience.

The location for Duan Xingye’s group was chosen at the dining table. Only the couple was in the room; the staff set up a workstation in the hallway outside.

While there was still time, Cheng Duzhou asked, “Do you know how to livestream?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Duan Xingye shot back a look that said don’t look down on people. “Isn’t it just chatting with fans?”

Cheng Duzhou: “Do you know how to chat?”

Duan Xingye: “…Who says I don’t know how to chat?”

The staff listening outside burst into laughter. Pfft.

Seeing it was almost nine o’clock, the director reminded them via intercom: “Teachers, we’re about to start.”

Duan Xingye composed his expression, adjusted his collar, and couldn’t help but lower his voice to warn Cheng Duzhou: “Don’t you dare piss me off later!”

In Cheng Duzhou’s eyes, he looked just like the rabbit baring its teeth in The Secret Life of Pets.

Making one want to pet him until he cried.

When Duan Xingye lowered his hand, he brushed against the lavalier microphone on his collar, knocking it to the floor.

Just as he bent down to pick it up, the livestream automatically started.

Bullet comments instantly filled the screen, all fans reporting in.

Xiao Dai had worried about creating a CP fan group for the livestream heat, but he was overthinking. Lü Ye Shu Huai had few CP fans, but both principals had top-tier individual fan bases. As it was the premiere of the first episode, everyone would come to support their idol’s new variety show even if they weren’t shipping the CP. The livestream room couldn’t possibly be quiet.

Therefore, as soon as it started, the viewer count in the couple’s livestream room had already broken one million, occupying the number one recommendation spot among all guests.

“Tired of saying it! President Cheng is so handsome!”

“He looks even more handsome in real life than in drama stills. Begging President Cheng to take on some romance movies!”

“So the domineering CEO wears printed cotton pajamas at home too.”

“Why is President Cheng alone? Where is Teacher Duan?”

Cheng Duzhou didn’t have time to say hello. Seeing someone ask about Duan Xingye, he subconsciously moved his leg and glanced under the table.

Bullet comments:

“??????”

“Man, your eyes look suspicious.”

Right at this moment, Duan Xingye straightened up and entered the frame.

Because he hadn’t gauged the distance correctly, his head was down and very close to the lens. Under the raw camera with no beauty filters, his skin was white, moist, and fine. His thick black eyelashes hung low, his double eyelid folds fanning out perfectly. Even the charming little mole on the bridge of his nose was clearly visible. His red lips were lightly pursed, the lines clear and pure.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Wifey!!!”

“This god-tier beauty knocked me out directly!”

“Licking screen, crazily licking screen.”

“Wuwuwuwu, first time being so close to Teacher Duan. Suddenly understood President Cheng’s happiness.”

Duan Xingye was still clipping the microphone when the back of his collar was grabbed, pulling him backward.

He turned his face and asked, “What for?”

“Sit properly,” Cheng Duzhou said. “I don’t like sharing happiness with others.”

“?”

Duan Xingye looked ahead. The livestream chat was stuffed with meaningless “Ahhhhhhhh” comments, confusing him completely. It felt like he had bent down to pick up an eraser and missed half a math class.

The two simply greeted the audience.

The comments scrolled too fast. Duan Xingye, adhering to a good business attitude, tried to read the ones he could see clearly: “Teacher Duan, does President Cheng use a lot of force when he works…”

Duan Xingye shut his mouth instantly and slapped the table. “Where’s the super admin? Why keep this kind of person unbanned? Ban them immediately!”

Bullet comments:

“Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Teacher Duan understood instantly!”

“Getting angry from embarrassment is also so cute awe!”

He continued: “Will participating in the romance variety recording disrupt your frequency… Super admin don’t leave, ban this one too.”

Duan Xingye had never seen such a scene. Whether in real life or online, no one had ever dared to make such explicit jokes with him.

He silently chanted in his heart: Be lenient, do good business, don’t crash and burn. He quickly calmed down and continued interacting:

“Teacher Duan, have the claw marks on President Cheng’s back faded…” Duan Xingye stood up. “Cheng Duzhou, you do it. I’m going to drink water.”

On camera, Duan Xingye actually got up and left the seat.

Cheng Duzhou watched him leave the whole time, his eyes clearly soaked in a smile.

Bullet comments: Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha…

Duan Xingye downed half a bottle of mineral water in the kitchen, frowning in thought.

Has his persona collapsed too severely recently? Is he too grounded?

These fans, who do they think they’re being cheeky with?

__

Author’s Note:

Fans: The grounded Teacher Duan makes people unable to resist teasing him.