Chapter 78: Cling

The next morning, just as the sky brightened, Shen Xici bundled up tightly and went out. The grass and leaves in the courtyard were covered in a layer of frost. A light puff of breath was like exhaling clouds and mist.

Sheng Shaoyan followed him out, placing a fluffy white earmuff on his head and tying a matching white scarf around his neck.

The white fur of the earmuffs was very fluffy, the tips swaying in the wind, making Shen Xici’s already small face look even smaller. His lips were red, his teeth white, and his eyes looked as if they had been washed in an icy spring.

Grandpa He came out of the main house and saw Shen Xici’s getup. He smiled and teased, “Where did this beautiful doll come from? So fair and white, as if made of snow.”

Shen Xici stood under the eaves, secretly laughing. “Blown in by the strong wind last night!”

Handing the bamboo basket in his hand to Shen Xici, Grandpa He chuckled at him, “Smart mouth. Alright, hurry up and go. It rained last night, the road is slippery. Be careful when you walk.”

Shen Xici led Sheng Shaoyan out of the courtyard. After a short walk, they entered the mountains.

Although it was winter, the surrounding vegetation was still lush. Every few steps, an irregularly shaped stone slab was embedded in the earth, barely counting as a path, preventing one from getting lost in the forest.

Shen Xici picked a straight, evenly thick wooden stick from the roadside and held it in his hand, pushing aside the weeds blocking the path as he walked.

Remembering Sheng Shaoyan mentioning that Grandpa He was Mr. He Shi, Shen Xici recalled, “About Grandpa He’s origins, the villagers used to have several versions. Some said Grandpa He was too accurate at fortune-telling and was pursued by his enemies, so he had to move here to hide. Others said Grandpa He wasn’t actually human and would never die, so he had to move every ten or twenty years to hide his identity.”

Sheng Shaoyan commented, “The second one is very interesting. Which one do you believe?”

“The second one. I even went and asked Grandpa He if it was true. Grandpa He said he really wasn’t human, but a spirit formed from a thousand-year-old lotus flower, and his body was made of lotus roots. So I believed him.”

Sheng Shaoyan was silent, looking at him with an “you believed that?” expression.

Shen Xici himself was a little speechless. “I’m also worried about my younger self. How was my brain so foolish? But these adults are really bold when they lie to children. For a while, I didn’t dare to eat lotus roots or pick flowers, afraid that if they were about to become human spirits, I would ruin it.”

Sheng Shaoyan looked at his fluffy earmuffs and scarf, which looked warm and cozy. He did indeed look like a snow doll. He must have looked even more like one as a child. Teasing him… would have been very interesting.

He didn’t dare to say this out loud. Sheng Shaoyan asked him, “So how did you find out the truth?”

“After I watched the cartoon of Nezha on Grandpa He’s TV.” Shen Xici sighed loudly. “I even went to ask Grandpa He if that Nezha was of the same clan as him. You’re both made of lotus roots! Grandpa He couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. Only then did I realize I had been tricked!”

Sheng Shaoyan couldn’t help but pat his head.

Shen Xici felt something was not quite right—why did this gesture have a hint of pity for a fool?

The topic came full circle. Shen Xici’s eyes lit up. “The Feng Shui of the Huigang Center Building was actually determined by Grandpa He. The first chapter of ‘The Annals of Hong Kong Metaphysics’ is written.”

“Yes, I didn’t expect it either. My grandfather did look for him for a long time and once thought Mr. He Shi had passed away, which he regretted for a long time.”

Shen Xici looked expectant. “Why were they looking for Grandpa He? Were there other places that needed Feng Shui assessment?”

Sheng Shaoyan: “Feng Shui was only one of the reasons. At that time in Hong Kong, besides assessing the Feng Shui, he also predicted that my grandfather would definitely fall seriously ill in December and needed to take it seriously.”

“Did it come true?”

“It did. It’s said that my grandfather suddenly collapsed at a board meeting at the end of that year. The front page of all the newspapers that day were photos of him being put into an ambulance. There were some problems within the group at that time, and the outside world thought the group would immediately fall into chaos. Unexpectedly, because he believed Mr. He Shi’s prediction, my grandfather had made arrangements in advance, giving no one an opportunity to take advantage.”

Shen Xici, wearing gloves, clapped excitedly.

It was a little too cute. Sheng Shaoyan couldn’t help but take his hand and kiss it through the glove.

Reaching a one-meter-high slope, Shen Xici jumped down first, then turned to Sheng Shaoyan who was standing on top. “Speaking of fortune-telling, didn’t Grandpa He often read my fortune? In the past, he tried many, many times and found that I seemed to have another lifeline.”

Sheng Shaoyan jumped down with an agile posture. “Another lifeline? Another possibility?”

“I think so. The lifeline I’m on now is ‘full of twists and turns’ and ‘nine deaths and one life,’ while that lifeline is ‘endless night without light’.”

Shen Xici had his suspicions. The other lifeline might have been because, for some reason, he was recognized by the Xu family as a child. With his understanding of Xu Yuanjin and Cheng Ningyu, his congenital insensitivity to pain would definitely not have been kept secret. And once this was exposed, the most likely outcome was that he would be pushed into the limelight as a gimmick and selling point.

He might even have been sent as a novel gift to one or several beds in exchange for huge benefits.

It did indeed fit the description of an endless night without light.

This was also one of the reasons why, after the news of the baby swap came out in his previous life, when Xu Yuanjin came to block him at his rental apartment building, he refused to be acknowledged by his biological parents.

The older he got, the more he understood how deep and heavy human malice could be.

Shen Xici said, “Comparing the two, nine deaths and one life at least offers a hope of life. So I’ve always firmly believed that the path I’ve walked on my own is the best path.”

Sheng Shaoyan looked at him in the morning light, feeling as if he were looking at a world-stunning gem.

Initially, this gem was encased in hard gravel, firmly imprisoned. Slowly, after countless instances of polishing and washing, he had stripped all the dust and sand from himself, revealing an interior as clear as a spring.

His heart trembled. Sheng Shaoyan’s Adam’s apple moved. He felt that this person’s attraction to him was greater than he had imagined, and it was still growing.

Just as he was about to make a move, Shen Xici warily took half a step back. “We can kiss when we get back, but not here. My godmother is over there. It’s not very respectful to be seen.”

Sheng Shaoyan’s expression immediately became formal. “Your godmother?”

But wasn’t Shen Xici’s godmother a mountain?

Shen Xici pointed down. “There, over there. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

Following Shen Xici’s finger, Sheng Shaoyan looked over. It turned out that the other side of the slope was a valley, flat and open, covered with green vegetation. a shallow, clear stream meandered like a ribbon. The gravel beach was overgrown with weeds, and a few ancient trees with lush branches and thick trunks were scattered nearby.

The most conspicuous was a huge rock with a peculiar shape, standing there alone for some unknown reason.

Shen Xici pulled Sheng Shaoyan and ran down, stopping in front of the huge rock. He first bowed seriously. “Godmother, I’ve come to see you. Grandpa He didn’t come this time. I brought my boyfriend for you to inspect.”

Sheng Shaoyan felt that the whole style had been a bit surreal since he got out of the car, but he adapted well. After a slight pause, he followed Shen Xici’s example, also addressing the rock as “Godmother,” stating his name, and then offering a serious greeting.

Shen Xici wanted to laugh a little. He knew Sheng Shaoyan was a pure atheist, not at all interested in church crosses. Coupled with not having been much influenced by traditional culture, making him call a rock “Godmother” was indeed a bit hard on him.

Seeing Shen Xici holding back his laughter, his eyes lively, Sheng Shaoyan saw what he was thinking and didn’t hide his business-like nature. “She blesses you, so I’m willing to believe in her. But, didn’t you say we should be more respectful?”

“I am very serious!” Shen Xici quickly wiped the smile off his face, afraid that if he didn’t appear respectful enough, it would give Sheng Shaoyan a reason to kiss him here.

Putting down the bamboo basket, Shen Xici placed a specially cut branch of blooming plum blossoms in front of the rock and lit some incense. “This mountain is called Yuping Mountain (Jade Screen Mountain). Grandpa He spent a long time looking for this place with a compass, calculating and divining, before he found it. He said the stream here meanders like a jade belt, the earth’s veins converge like stars, the dragon’s lair is truly formed, gathering wind and qi, the mystical aperture is clear, the qi pierces the heavens, and the four spiritual beasts stand guard. It’s the divine palace of the mountain. So when I come to pay respects to my godmother since I was a child, I always come here. I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect, but every time I come here and stay for a while, I feel very comfortable and my heart is very calm.”

Sheng Shaoyan squatted beside him, arranging the offerings with him. He felt it too. “It does have an effect.”

Shen Xici arranged a few fruits neatly. “Right? I think the fact that I’ve been able to live this long with the debuff of congenital insensitivity to pain, and have almost died several times but never actually did, might really be my godmother protecting me.”

The green smoke curled upwards, dissipating in the valley wind. In the distance, the forest was lush, a flock of birds flew diagonally, and the clouds were half-rolled.

This rock had stood here for who knows how many years.

Gazing at the huge rock before him, Sheng Shaoyan, for the first time, was willing to believe in a deity whose existence was unknown.

Many people outside said he was the son of the mountain god.

If you also pity his struggles and cherish his pure nature, then please continue to bless him.

After staying at Grandpa He’s house for three days, Shen Xici became very relaxed. He spent his days with Grandpa He tending the vegetable garden, pruning the fruit trees and flower branches, squatting by the pond waiting for a silly fish to bite the hook, and pestering Grandpa He to tell stories about his time as a Feng Shui master. The plots were full of ups and downs, often making Shen Xici exclaim in surprise.

Grandpa He repeatedly expressed his relief, “It’s a good thing I didn’t tell you this when you were a child. Otherwise, wouldn’t you be pestering me all day?”

Shen Xici followed him happily. “Isn’t it because you kept it so secret when I was a child, not letting a single word out, that I’m pestering you to tell me now? And then what? What happened to the Li family in Hong Kong? I remember the news said the mansion they built ended up burning down!”

When it was time to return to Ningcheng, Shen Xici was very reluctant. It was Grandpa He who shooed him away. “Hurry back. When you went to school in the city before, you walked so fast with your schoolbag on your back. How come you’re all coy now that you’re older?”

Shen Xici’s eyes were already a little red, but the tears immediately went back.

Grandpa He had seen the ups and downs of countless people’s destinies and had long lived with a philosophical outlook. “Hurry up and go. We, grandfather and grandson, one with a divine punishment and one with a thin fate, are not suitable to be together all day. I know you’re thinking of me in your heart, and you know I’m thinking of you in my heart. That’s enough.”

Shen Xici couldn’t help but remind him, “Then I’m leaving. Call me if you need anything. Remember to take your supplements and wear the clothes. Don’t put them away and forget about them.”

“I know, I know.” Grandpa He simply turned to Sheng Shaoyan, who was waiting on the side. “Please send my regards to your grandfather. I am grateful for his many years of thinking of me.”

Sheng Shaoyan nodded. “Grandpa will definitely be very happy to know you are well.”

Putting the luggage and the fresh bamboo shoots he had dug in the mountains at dawn into the trunk, seeing that Shen Xici was still talking to Grandpa He, Sheng Shaoyan didn’t rush him and stood by the car waiting.

He thought back to when they were digging for bamboo shoots in the mountains. He had asked about the couple, Wu Licheng and Zhuo Suli. The things Grandpa He said always felt slightly off.

Especially since Shen Xici had mentioned that when he went home for the Spring Festival last year, he found the house had been demolished, everything in the house had been sold, and Zhuo Suli was nowhere to be seen.

But the village chief who was at the scene said that Zhuo Suli had sold everything she could sell and left at dawn, saying she was going to find her son. Her son had lots and lots of money and wouldn’t ignore her.

Obviously, Zhuo Suli had not come to find Shen Xici. Besides, Shen Xici was still a student in school at that time and couldn’t possibly have “lots and lots of money.”

After a moment of consideration, Sheng Shaoyan sent Zhuo Suli’s relevant information to Yu Zhou. “Find out where this person is now.”

Upon returning to Ningcheng, after a short rest, Shen Xici attended a brand’s offline event. The unedited photos from that day went straight to the hot search, hailed by his starving fans as a feast for face-value fans.

Two days later, he rushed to an interview about the movie “Floating Life” without stopping.

Outside the studio, he saw Lu Jiming, whom he hadn’t seen for more than two months. How to put it? He thought he had dreamed his way back to last summer, to the time he first met Lu Jiming on the border.

A scruffy beard, large black-rimmed glasses with the legs casually wrapped in clear tape a couple of times, thick dark circles under his eyes, and hair that had once again grown to almost shoulder-length, all uneven.

The stylist was worrying about how to style him for the camera today. Shen Xici silently took a few photos, deciding to show them to Cheng Mingye next time—isn’t this the wild man you almost hit on the road?

Seeing Lu Jiming sitting in a chair, fast asleep, Shen Xici waved his five fingers in front of his eyes. “Director Lu?”

Lu Jiming’s eyelids drooped, no reaction.

Shen Xici tried another title. “Mr. Lu Jiming, the internationally renowned director?”

Miraculously, there was still no reaction.

Sleeping so soundly? How tired must he be? Shen Xici had to resort to his trump card, changing to a cold tone, “Director Lu, get up and edit the film.”

The next moment, Lu Jiming shot up straight with a “whoosh.” His black-rimmed glasses fell and hung on his chin. Before he was fully awake, he blurted out, “I’m editing, I’m editing! I’m really not slacking off!”

A wave of laughter erupted around them.

Shen Xici was also helpless, thinking, how much of a psychological trauma have I caused Lu Jiming?

Noticing a camera set up beside them filming behind-the-scenes footage, Shen Xici helped him push his glasses up, at least to cover the eye bags and dark circles a little. He smiled, “The film is already edited. If you want to edit again, you’ll have to wait until we shoot a new one to have material to edit.”

Lu Jiming stared at Shen Xici for a while, finally waking up. He opened his arms and hugged him. After standing up straight, he himself found it strange. “This scene, why does it look so much like a wild man has kidnapped an imperial prince?”

Another wave of laughter.

The stylist decided to rescue Lu Jiming. “Let’s get you cleaned up and you won’t look like a wild man anymore. We’ll bring out your artistic vibe right away!”

Under the bright lights, Lu Jiming did indeed have the look of an artistic youth. Once his beard was shaved, his fair, boyish face was revealed. In terms of appearance alone, he looked at least ten years younger than when he was dozing off just now—a rejuvenation in an hour.

The host sat on a single sofa and, after asking a few basic, conventional questions, asked, “I heard your crew was very poor at the beginning and only became well-off after receiving investment from Cheng Mingye. Is that true?”

Shen Xici nodded. “Yes. After I read the script, I liked it very much and called Director Lu, saying I wanted to play the role of Gu Changsheng. I didn’t expect to be rejected by Director Lu. The reason was no money. I thought, how much are we short? Maybe I can help think of a way. Director Lu did some calculations and said, ‘Besides this two hundred thousand, I’m still short by about sixty million.'”

The host covered her mouth with her cue card, laughing uncontrollably. Sensing that there would definitely be no shortage of explosive moments in this interview, she pressed on, “And then?”

Shen Xici was about to answer when Lu Jiming, beside him, sat forward a little and added defiantly, “I thought to myself, since he’s asking this, doesn’t it sound a bit like he’s bringing capital to the crew? Hey, my luck is too good! How could I let this opportunity slip by? So I said, ‘Let’s figure it out together. How much do you have? Give me a number!'”

Lu Jiming let out a long sigh. “I will remember this string of numbers for the rest of my life. This Mr. Shen, the actor, told me he had fourteen thousand, eight hundred and three yuan. 14803. And that was after adding up all the balances in his bank card, WeChat wallet, and bus card, plus the three coins in his pocket.”

We’re all poor ghosts, who’s to judge whom? Shen Xici exposed his old secrets, “When I first met you, you had spent all of your life savings of 928 yuan and were even in debt on Huabei.”

Lu Jiming lunged over to cover his mouth. “Brother, brother! Shh! If the story of our crew’s director being this poor gets out, it will affect our image! Besides, when I called you, I had two hundred thousand, at least!”

He lowered his voice. “The poor-ghost persona has too low of a status to maintain. If you understand, blink.”

Shen Xici blinked.

Lu Jiming let go. “Cameraman, can we cut that part? Let’s redo this question—”

“Lu Jiming’s two hundred thousand came from when he almost got hit by Cheng Mingye while crossing the road after writing the script in seclusion for three months. Cheng Mingye thought he was a wild man who had run out of a primitive tribe and transferred him two hundred thousand to let him feel the warmth of civilized society!”

Shen Xici said this all in one breath, extremely fast, in just a few seconds, and his enunciation was very clear. He then blinked innocently. “Actually, Director Lu only had thirty-six yuan and fifty-seven cents at that time!”

Lu Jiming’s eyes widened in disbelief, on the verge of a breakdown. “Shen Xici, you’re exposing my financial situation! Do you know this will become part of my dark history! Fifty years from now, people will still know I only had thirty-six yuan and fifty-seven cents in my savings!”

As soon as this interview program aired, it garnered several hot searches. Edited clips were shared everywhere, and the melon-eating masses watched with great relish.

“—#DirectorLuBrutallyBackstabbedByShenXici# A mere fifty years is too short!? Don’t worry, Director Lu, I will carve the fact that you only had 36.57 in your savings onto a stone, so that even if humanity goes extinct and aliens come, they must know you only had 36.57 in your savings!”

“—LMAO in the comments section. ‘Floating Life’ is confirmed to be a fun-loving crew. #WhatIsTheEditingCurse#, #PoorGhostCompetition#, #928YuanLifeSavings#, #WhoTheHeckAddsBusCardBalanceToTheirTotalSavings#, #WildManCompensation#. Even the rich second-generation investor has such a quirky way of thinking!”

“—Fourteen thousand, eight hundred and three yuan. I declare that from now on, 014803 is my lock screen password!!!”

“—To the sister in the top comments who set her password, you didn’t let Shen Xici off either hahaha!”

The internet was still bustling after midnight, the discussion level continuing to soar. In the bedroom, Shen Xici was sleeping groggily. He felt the book in his hand fall and suddenly opened his eyes to find a suit jacket draped over him.

And the person he was waiting for had returned at some point.

Sheng Shaoyan stood with his back to him. The white shirt he was wearing was not buttoned up properly; the collar was loose, and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He placed an empty crystal glass on a tray.

Turning around, Sheng Shaoyan seemed to have already noticed he was awake. He wasn’t surprised at all. He walked to the bedside and leaned down to kiss him.

This kiss had the astringent taste of red wine. Sheng Shaoyan pressed against his lips and said hoarsely, “Three days.”

Shen Xici understood. This “three days” referred to Sheng Shaoyan’s own three-day business trip to Yuecheng.

The longer they were together, the more Shen Xici discovered that Sheng Shaoyan in “friend mode” and Sheng Shaoyan in “boyfriend mode” were so different they seemed like two different people.

One of those differences was clinginess.

But this feeling of being strongly needed by someone, and being strongly needed by someone like Sheng Shaoyan, was very wonderful and charming, at least to Shen Xici.

The other’s love for him was never hidden, even overflowing like a summer pond, repeatedly proving the sentence “even one second is worth it” with his affection.

His lips tingled from being kissed. Shen Xici asked him, “So what should we do?”

“You have no schedule tomorrow or the day after. Can you accompany me?” Worried that Shen Xici would refuse, Sheng Shaoyan found another excuse. “Grandpa He said I have good fortune. If I ‘cling’ to you more, it should be good for you.”

Cling?

How to cling?

Shen Xici’s gaze shifted for a moment, and the tips of his ears felt a little hot.

Realizing the images appearing in his mind were not quite right, Shen Xici, with the professional standards of an actor, quickly composed his expression.

Just as he was thinking, “Sheng Shaoyan probably didn’t notice, right?” Unexpectedly, Sheng Shaoyan kissed him all the way down his jawline and bit his earlobe. “How do you want to cling, hmm?”