FLME Ch44

At night, Chu Han refused to go back to his room to sleep, claiming that he would die with regrets. Yu Wen and Xi Su dragged him back to his room, where Yu Wen pulled a blanket over his head, mumbled a few words, and solemnly told him to rest in peace.

The next day, Yu Wen went out for a jog and ran into the bald uncle again. After two laps, when they met for the third time, the uncle took the initiative to greet him, “You just moved here? I haven’t seen you before.”

Yu Wen stopped to chat with him. After a while, the uncle said, “You look really familiar. Are you a celebrity?”

Yu Wen’s appearance and personality naturally made him likable to elders. Just a smile from him, and the uncle’s gaze was filled with affection.

“I’m a young actor. No gigs lately; I’m on vacation.”

The uncle said he didn’t watch much TV, so he didn’t ask what shows Yu Wen had been in. After they both finished their run, they walked and chatted casually.

The bald uncle said, “Where are your family members? You should come to my house for a meal someday. The chef in our house cooks really well. We managed to hire him years ago, and he’s a disciple of the former imperial chef. My son learned a bit from him—just some basics—and now he could even open a restaurant…”

“I live with some friends.” Yu Wen, enticed by the description of the chef’s skills, hesitated for a moment but was actually very interested in tasting the cooking skills of a former imperial chef’s disciple. “I wouldn’t want to impose…”

The bald uncle replied, “Oh, come on. I’m retired and just passing time. Our house could use some artistic influence from a great artist like you.”

It was the first time Yu Wen was called a “great artist,” and he was so flattered that he almost lost his bearings. “Oh, Uncle, you’re exaggerating.”

Yu Wen, who was usually unbeatable with his compliments, finally met a “worthy opponent.”

He figured that someone of this uncle’s status wouldn’t need flattering, so he simply chatted along. As expected, high-level social interactions often require simple and straightforward approaches. When Yu Wen smiled, the uncle was delighted, looking at him the way a fisherman looks at his beloved fishing rod.

Before leaving, they exchanged contact information, and the uncle repeatedly reminded him to bring his friends over when he wasn’t working.

The uncle’s house wasn’t far—just two turns away, less than 300 meters.

After saying goodbye to his new young friend, Xie Jialin hummed a little tune as he walked home.

It was still early in the evening. The sky was a deep blue, with a faint yellow sunset in the distance. As Xie Jialin wondered what to have for dinner and got within ten meters of his house, he saw the lights on the second floor turn on. A tall figure with hands in his pockets stood there, waving to him casually.

Oh, his quiet son was back.

Xie Jialin suddenly got interested and sprinted home like a hundred-meter dash. His quiet son was quite fun—though you couldn’t get a word out of him with ten questions, he had a great temperament. Sometimes, when Xie Jialin had nothing to do, he liked to come up with mischievous ideas to tease him, just to see his “want to speak but can’t” expression.

“Oh, my dear son, come downstairs and let your dad have a look—”

Xie Heyu came downstairs leisurely, and the moment he saw Xie Jialin’s shiny bald head, he was taken aback, his expression freezing. “… Are you planning to become a monk?”

Xie Jialin hadn’t thought of that, but seeing Xie Heyu’s expression, he went along with it, “Yes, a master told me I have a Buddhist affinity. I’ll have the ordination ceremony in a few days, and after that, our worldly father-son relationship won’t count anymore…”

Xie Heyu glanced at him, then looked away.

Xie Jialin exclaimed, “Did you just roll your eyes at me?!”

Xie Heyu calmly replied, “No.”

Xie Jialin walked over and put his arm around his shoulders like they were buddies, “Come on, roll them if you want. You’re still so young; why act so lifeless? You need to lighten up, or you’ll never find a wife. By the way, I met a boy today about your age. He’s so full of energy. When he smiles, it’s like spring flowers blooming—makes everyone happy…”

Xie Heyu raised an eyebrow.

Xie Jialin shouted, “Xiao Xie, you rolled your eyes again!”

Xie Heyu usually stayed in school and rarely came home, even during summer vacation, as he often followed Xie Jiamao around.

The father-son relationship in the Xie family wasn’t typical. Xie Heyu grew up quite independently, learning to take care of himself and others early on. Xie Jialin never had to fuss over him, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care.

“What’s Xie Jiamao up to lately?” At the dinner table, Xie Jialin picked apart two freshly steamed, hairy crabs flown in that morning. He piled the white, fluffy crab meat into a bowl and pushed it in front of Xie Heyu. “He’s such a troublemaker. If you can’t handle it, just leave it. Worst case, I’ll hire some management experts for him.”

Xie Heyu tasted the crab meat; it was smooth and sweet. He nodded unconsciously, “What else could it be, company stuff? He’s signed two new artists, and they’re shorthanded, so they’re expanding.”

Xie Jialin couldn’t help but laugh, “I never thought he’d stick to this for so long. It looks like he’s really found something he likes.”

Xie Heyu said nothing.

Xie Jiamao was famous for his three-minute enthusiasm for things. Everyone just went along with him without expecting much. Xie Jialin always felt he hadn’t found a career he truly liked, but Xie Heyu thought otherwise.

Xie Jiamao simply lived too freely and followed his heart. In fact, every field he ventured into was something he liked.

Starlight Media hadn’t collapsed yet, not because Xie Jiamao suddenly developed perseverance but because Starlight Media had Yu Wen.

Xie Jiamao often said he had to be responsible for Yu Wen, and he meant it.

Now they’d signed two more. Xie Heyu figured Starlight Media, this makeshift company, wasn’t going to disband anytime soon.

The housekeeper had taken a leave of absence. After dinner, Xie Heyu got up to clean up the dishes. Xie Jialin insisted he sit down, saying, “You rarely come home. No reason for you to do any chores…”

Xie tried to grab the dishes, but at the kitchen door, his grip slipped, and the dishes crashed to the floor, shattering everywhere.

“…” Xie Heyu looked at the mess and calmly said, “Get out.”

Xie Jialin obediently replied, “Alright.”

He leaned against the kitchen door, watching Xie Heyu busy himself. Eating some post-dinner fruit, he chatted idly, “Xiao Xie, you’re not getting any younger. Tell your old man, what kind of partner do you like?”

Xie Heyu was sweeping up the broken pieces and didn’t bother to respond much, casually saying, “Lively.”

“Lively? What kind of lively?” Xie Jialin thought of the young friend he met today. “I met a really sunny kid today. Next time, I’ll invite him over for dinner and introduce you two. I bet you’d hit it off. His personality is just what a quiet one like you needs…”

“No need.”

Xie Heyu said calmly.

—He was already fixated on a little sun.

Xie Heyu didn’t stay long. After dinner, he was ready to head out again.

“You’re still working this late?” Xie Jialin asked in surprise.

Xie Heyu replied, “Going to see a friend, not far.”

Xie Jialin didn’t ask further and went upstairs.

When he got to the door, Xie Heyu thought of something and went back to the kitchen.

He found a plastic bag, stuffed the remaining hairy crabs from the kitchen into it, and took them away.

When Xie Jialin came back downstairs, planning to steam another crab to try, he found the fridge empty.

“…Where are my crabs?!”

***

At 9 p.m., Yu Wen and Xi Su were fully geared up, ready to engage in the method and art of turning ingredients into meals.

Simply put, cooking.

“Spatula.” Yu Wen commanded, and Xi Su immediately took the spatula off the wall and respectfully handed it to him.

“Now, for the first step of stir-frying tomatoes with eggs, pour in the oil.”

Yu Wen picked up the oil bottle. Chu Han, who had been standing at the door, suddenly backed ten meters away. Xi Su was puzzled, “Why are you running? You’re outside the door; it won’t splash on you.”

Chu Han stood in the middle of the living room, glanced at him, “I have an explosive physique. What if I blow up being too close?”

“…”

Yu Wen, who was about to pour oil, paused. After a moment of silence, Xi Su said, “Makes sense.”

He couldn’t be bothered to correct him anymore. Whatever Chu Han believed, he’d stick with it even if clarified this time.

Might as well let him continue believing it.

All three of them had terrible cooking skills. Today, they craved some homemade dishes, studied the recipes for an hour, and watched videos frame by frame for half an hour. Finally, they chose a rather challenging dish: stir-fried tomatoes with eggs.

“I have to clarify,” Yu Wen said, “Stir-frying tomatoes with eggs isn’t difficult. The only reason we can’t do it is that we suck.”

Xi Su urged, “Just start frying. If you don’t, the tomatoes will cook themselves out of urgency.”

Yu Wen solemnly replied, “Don’t rush me. I’m finding my rhythm.”

Xi Su: “…”

At this critical moment, the doorbell rang.

Perhaps some kind of telepathic connection guided him, but Yu Wen swiftly turned off the stove, grabbed the spatula, and rushed to open the door. The moment he saw Xie Heyu, his whole face lit up.

“Look!” He proudly introduced to his two buddies, “I’ve found my rhythm.”

Xie Heyu not only saved three starving souls but also brought six fresh hairy crabs for them.

“Oh my gosh.” Yu Wen’s eyes lit up, staring at Xie Heyu placing the crabs in the steamer, salivating. “Teacher Xie, where did you get these?”

With his blue hair, he craned his neck over the counter, almost burying his face in the steam.

Chu Han was drooling at the kitchen door.

“Thought the flavor was good, so I brought some over for you.” Xie Heyu timed the steaming process, “About ten minutes; it’ll be ready soon.”

Whenever Xie Heyu cooked, Yu Wen liked to stand behind him, tugging at his clothes. He couldn’t help, but he just liked watching.

Xie Heyu felt a weight on his shoulder.

Yu Wen leaned his face on Xie Heyu’s shoulder, watching the steam rise from the pot intently.

“…”

Life is indeed full of tests.

Xie Heyu glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Xi Su stretching his neck to sniff the aroma of the steamed crabs. He reminded, “Teacher Xi, stand back. You might get burned.”

Yu Wen swung the spatula, hitting Xi Su squarely on the right shoulder.

“Blue Hair! Get out! Were you reincarnated as a starving ghost? What if you get burned?!”

Xi Su was genuinely fed up, “When we first met, you called me Teacher Xi, then you called me Xi Su. Now you’re just calling me Blue Hair? Can you show some respect—”

Yu Wen swung the spatula again, “Get out!”

Xi Su grudgingly left.

He was really starving, so he picked up the tomatoes he had just chopped to nibble on, but before he could leave the kitchen, Yu Wen called out, “Xi Su! Put the tomatoes back!”

Xi Su: “…”

Why don’t you just starve me to death?!

Xie Heyu swiftly made two meat dishes and one vegetable dish with the ingredients he found in their fridge. Paired with the hairy crabs and fragrant rice, it was a hearty dinner.

He had already eaten, so he left the table for them and sat on the sofa, opening his laptop.

Yu Wen hadn’t eaten a meal cooked by Xie Heyu for a long time. He was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes, “Waa… Teacher Xie! I love you so much!”

The man on the sofa stiffened slightly. His well-defined fingers hovered above the keyboard, curling up awkwardly.

He didn’t turn around, just softly said, “Mm.”

Xi Su: “Teacher Xie can cook like this? Why didn’t you say so earlier! If I could eat Teacher Xie’s cooking every day, I’d be willing to be a top star!”

Yu Wen: “…Don’t make absurd wishes.”

Chu Han muttered, “Teacher Xie is not a nanny…”

Yu Wen suddenly remembered that when the company only had him as an artist, Xie Heyu used to be sent over by Xie Jiamao to check on him every day. Back then, Teacher Xie would cook for him every now and then, even bringing carefully selected little strawberries.

Those weren’t just human days; they were days lived like gods.

After dinner, Xi Su, who lost at rock-paper-scissors, was kicked to wash the dishes. Yu Wen and Chu Han sprawled on the sofa, digesting.

Xie Heyu suddenly nudged his elbow lightly, “Check the trending topics.”

Yu Wen unlocked his phone as instructed and, as expected, saw that the trending topic was “Legend of the Immortal Sect.” However, the focus wasn’t on tonight’s plot update but on the new trailer released by the official account.

There was a scene in the trailer where Pu Yangxi’s identity is exposed, and he attempts to leave Yunxiao Mountain. The fellow disciples stand on the mountain path, drawing their swords one by one to confront him.

The first trailer was a lighthearted version, followed by CP (couple pairing) versions, and even a tragic love version. But this version was the heaviest in tone.

No matter how lighthearted the plot may be, it cannot deny the fact that Pu Yangxi is on the opposite side of everyone. No matter how joyful Yunxiao Mountain may seem, it cannot conceal the underlying turbulence.

Some stories are destined for tragedy from the very beginning.

Yu Wen remembered that in the scene where Pu Yangxi descends the mountain, everyone fought against him—some with ferocity, others holding back. Each person reacted differently.

In that scene, the director arranged for Yu Wen to be the last one; he was the final obstacle on Pu Yangxi’s path down the mountain.

The director told him to give it his all, saying that Chu Zhiyao, who had spent the most time with Pu Yangxi, would have the strongest reaction to the betrayal. There should even be some intense, physical confrontations. In the end, Chu Zhiyao, with reddened eyes, would let the severely injured Pu Yangxi go.

But Yu Wen felt something was off about the scene and discussed it with the director, leading to a change.

Chu Zhiyao would indeed be angry, but his core nature wouldn’t allow him to strike his own people.

Even if the other person was the Demon Lord, once the little koi considered someone a friend, they would remain a friend.

So, in that scene, Chu Zhiyao just stood at the gate of the mountain, staring deeply and disappointedly at Pu Yangxi for a long time.

“I’m really lucky. I’ve met only good people.” After a long silence, he smiled softly and sheathed his sword.

Pu Yangxi held his breath, lips turning pale, waiting for the mocking, the harsh words, or the cutting remarks that would follow.

“I still believe that.”

Chu Zhiyao stepped aside.

“Go.”

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Pu Yangxi’s eyes suddenly reddened.