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Chapter 112: While I was asleep
In the elegant suite, only a warm-toned floor lamp was lit. Xie You gently placed Yu Nian on the large bed and then knelt on the carpet to help him remove his shoes and socks.
Yu Nian had fair skin, as delicate as the finest white porcelain, with visible blue veins beneath.
Xie You’s fingers brushed over Yu Nian’s ankle, unable to resist gradually moving upwards, tracing the lines of his calves. Eventually, he couldn’t hold back any longer and lowered his head, as if treating the most precious treasure, and gently placed a kiss.
Yu Nian’s sleepy voice sounded indistinctly, “So someone took the opportunity to kiss me while I was asleep.”
Never did Xie You expected that Yu Nian would wake up suddenly, let alone be caught in the act of stealing a kiss. Xie You’s ears turned red in an instant, wanting to let go of his hand but being reluctant to do so.
Yu Nian’s lips curled into a faint smile, his voice slightly husky, and a hint of laziness, “Actually, when I’m awake, you can kiss me too.”
Xie You’s eyelashes trembled with his deepening breath, his eyes growing darker. He continued to caress Yu Nian’s leg with his fingers, then once again lowered his head, kissing the delicate skin.
At first, Yu Nian jokingly called it ticklish, but later he couldn’t help but cover his eyes with the back of his hand, gasping for breath.
Moving along the calf, waistline, and neck, the kisses continued until reaching the ear. Xie You gently bit Yu Nian’s earlobe and whispered softly, “You were pretending to be asleep just now.”
With a glimmer of water in his eyes, Yu Nian blinked and replied, “If I didn’t pretend to be asleep, how would I know someone would secretly kiss me?” He pulled Xie You down, turned to his side, and leaned against him. Slowly and methodically, he helped Xie You untie his black tie, saying, “Our teacher probably won’t leave the lab these days. He was looking at that bronze gui with eyes as bright as high-wattage light bulbs. My grandfather was the same. If my grandfather were still here, he would also forget to eat while being absorbed in something.”
“I feel the same way about Nian Nian.”
“The same way?” After placing the untied tie aside, Yu Nian placed his hand on Xie You’s suit buttons and carefully unfastened them one by one while asking.
Xie You hesitated for a couple of seconds before saying, “When I can’t see you, I lose my appetite and desire for tea. When I do see you, I still lose my appetite and desire for tea.” Whenever Xie You faced Yu Nian, his usually cold voice would always sound gentle, like melting snow.
A smile spread across Yu Nian’s lips, and he pretended to be puzzled, “Lose your appetite and desire for tea, what… are you thinking about then?”
“You,” Xie You replied.
The next day, Yu Nian woke up according to his biological clock, feeling a bit groggy. He rubbed his forehead, sat up, and noticed a light coming from the wardrobe. He called out in a hoarse voice, “Xie You.”
Xie You had just finished changing into his suit and stood by the bed, giving a kiss to Yu Nian’s still sleepy eyes. “Good morning, Nian Nian.”
“Good morning,” Yu Nian yawned and knelt on the bed, quickly helping Xie You tie his tie. He rubbed his eyes and resisted the urge to lie back under the covers. Instead, he lay on Xie You like a boneless creature, his white, sparkling arms reaching around and playfully poking Xie You’s back.
Xie You embraced Yu Nian’s waist and was about to say something when his phone rang.
“Assistant Qin?”
“President Xie, the Public Relations Department reported that at 7 a.m. this morning, photos of you were leaked online. The timestamp is from last night, and the location is the Yulan Club.”
Xie You’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Did they capture Nian Nian in the photos?”
Assistant Qin replied, “They didn’t get a clear shot of President Yu. It seems you deliberately shielded his face, so it’s only vaguely visible that he was in your arms, walking inside.” He asked, “Should we handle this?”
Turning his head slightly, Yu Nian answered for Xie You, “No need.”
Xie You gently patted Yu Nian’s thin waist. “Listen to Nian Nian.”
“Okay.”
Meanwhile, the hashtag #XieYou# had already reached the seventh spot on the trending list.
[Crying in real life! I can’t believe President Xie is actually in a relationship? My dream of marrying into a wealthy family is shattered. Well, I know it could never be me, but who can’t have a dream, right…?]
[Seeing the photos, I couldn’t help but take out my collection of magazines to absorb some of President Xie’s ethereal and wealthy aura!! He even carried the person like a princess when getting off the car, he must really like them, right? Ah, I’m so curious about who it is!!]
[YouYu girl has a bold idea… but I won’t say~]
When Yu Nian got into the car, even before Meng Yuan asked, he voluntarily said, “We definitely weren’t caught when we came out.”
Knowing that Yu Nian said so, then it must be true. Meng Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. “Seeing Mr. Xie trending scared me! I clicked in, only to find out that someone secretly took photos of you two early in the morning. My heart almost stopped!”
He reminded again and again, “Although you weren’t hiding anything in the first place, we still need to consider the fans’ ability to handle this. We have to take it slow!”
On this matter, Shi Rou had always stood by Yu Nian’s side. “Brother Meng, if Nian Nian hadn’t been discreet, he would have come out hand in hand with Mr. Xie this morning for sure.”
Thinking about that scene and the commotion it would cause, Meng Yuan felt a headache coming on. He pushed away all the messy thoughts and asked, “By the way, Nian Nian, do you want to change your residence?”
Yu Nian had thought about this yesterday. His current place was in the company’s residential area, with very few residents and professional security, making it difficult for stalker fans and reporters to enter. However, this incident might result in reporters camping outside indefinitely. He considered it and replied, “I’ll think about it.”
“Okay, take your time.” When it came to his residence, Meng Yuan couldn’t help but remember, “You, Nian Nian, on the surface, can’t even afford takeaway, and your salary has to be advanced. But secretly, you own a mansion! A mansion! And it’s all fake, for heaven’s sake! Try saying ‘it’s all fake’ in front of all those antiques in your house?”
Yu Nian knew he would be scolded today, so he remained silent and just smiled at Meng Yuan.
Seeing him smile, Meng Yuan couldn’t help but laugh too. “But next time I visit your house, I need to be careful. If I accidentally bump into something, my heart will bleed! However, when I used to be into collecting investments, I heard about some old families with long histories. They used old items at home, and over time, those items turned into antiques. I never expected to witness it myself!”
Yu Nian finally spoke and laughed, “Yes, my grandmother used to say that if all these things in our house turned into spiritual beings, they would all become old and wise.”
When they arrived backstage at the recording studio for the show “Treasure Hunt,” they met Gu Yiyan and Gan Zhou. Yu Nian apologized, “I’m really sorry it got delayed until today due to my schedule.”
Gan Zhou spoke elegantly, “Doing charity work in the mountainous areas is a good thing, and one day’s delay doesn’t matter. Besides, Nian Nian, didn’t you bring back the bronze gui?”
Yu Nian was surprised, “How did you know?”
Gu Yiyan put down his teacup and smiled, “How could we not know? Last night, around one or two in the morning, that old messy-haired Zeng Hongying called one after another, informing us that his good student brought back the bronze gui Fu Boyan was searching for in the mountains! He was so proud and excited that his tail must have gone straight up to the sky!”
Ganzhou chimed in, “Lao Gu is right. Lao Zeng made countless phone calls, and it seems like everyone knows about it.”
Yu Nian helplessly chuckled, “Well, that’s definitely his style.”
During the recording, the third participant in the “Treasure Hunt” show was a middle-aged man with a dark complexion named Yan Xian. He wore simple clothes and placed a scroll painting on the display table.
When the scroll opened, it revealed an image of a solemn and benevolent Bodhisattva statue. After introducing the story behind the painting, he turned to the host and said, “I’m sorry, I’d like to take a few minutes to say something.”
The host gestured for him to continue, “Of course!”
Yan Xian held the microphone and addressed the experts’ panel, “The main reason I came to participate in this show is to meet the descendant of Mr. Xiuning, Teacher Yu Nian.”
Suddenly hearing his grandfather’s name, Yu Nian was also surprised, “Are you talking about my grandfather?”
“Yes, it’s your grandfather, Mr. Xiuning, Teacher Yu Nian. In fact, I saw you from a distance when you were a child.” Yan Xian was nervous in front of the camera. He tightly held the microphone and began to recount, “My family lived near the Gobi Desert, and about ten to twenty years ago, they discovered a cave temple there, which later became a museum.”
Yu Nian immediately remembered, “Yes, I did go there with my grandfather. It’s the Mucun Caves, and the museum is called the Mucun Museum. I filmed a movie called ‘Ancient Road’ directed by Director Xu, there. When we left, my sister and I also visited the museum.”
“Yes, yes, that’s right,” Yan Xian was somewhat excited. He nodded repeatedly and tried to calm himself down, continuing, “At that time, I was not yet thirty years old. My father was injured, my mother was seriously ill, and my wife passed away unexpectedly, leaving behind two children with weak health. Life was like being stuck in quicksand, unable to lift my feet. Later, I thought about suicide because it was really too difficult.”
“It was Mr. Xiuning who stopped me. After learning about my situation, he gave me all the money he had on him, a total of 2,358 yuan and 30 cents. I refused to take it, but he insisted it was just a temporary loan to help me get through the tough times. He said that there’s no difficulty in life that can’t be overcome.”
“Then, he arranged for me to work with the excavation team that was digging the cave temple. I did odd jobs there. The team provided us with steamed buns, just enough to fill the stomachs of my parents and two children at home.”
Yan Xian’s eyes turned red, but he forced a smile and continued, “Later, I used that money. Part of it went to treat my mother’s illness and the rest I used to rent a water truck. I delivered water for people every morning and evening, and gradually, life started to improve.”
“Now my parents are still alive, and both of my children are attending university. When I heard that you are Mr. Xiuning’s descendant, I hurriedly came here to personally deliver the money.”
He walked up to the expert panel and solemnly took out a paper package from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a stack of banknotes of different denominations.
“On that occasion, Mr. Xiuning said he was lending me the money, but I knew he didn’t expect me to repay it. However, repaying this money has been my goal and wish all along.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Nian didn’t refuse and solemnly accepted the money. “If my grandfather knew, he would be very pleased.”
The next day, when the program aired, it attracted some ridicule and sarcasm.
[The show’s producers want to evoke emotions, but it’s so stiff, isn’t it? The script is really too much! Who can’t afford to eat? The steamed buns given to a worker can fill the stomachs of a whole family? Giving a stingy and meager sum of over two thousand yuan can save a family’s life? It’s just annoying to see people showing off their image like this!]
However, it quickly faced counterarguments.
[Some people are either toxic or foolish! There’s still detailed information available about the excavation at Mucun Caves. When the cave temple was partially excavated, the experts there didn’t dare to proceed and immediately went to invite Mr. Xiuning. He promptly arrived at the excavation site and stayed until the work went smoothly before leaving. The plaque hanging in the Mucun Museum was also inscribed by Mr. Xiuning. Moreover, Mr. Xiuning’s presence is often seen in various cultural relic excavations in China. Mr. Xiuning’s character, integrity, and achievements are not something you can just casually criticize!]
[My grandpa is involved in archaeology, and he met Mr. Xiuning a few times. He admired Mr. Xiuning’s knowledge and breadth of mind throughout his life. Moreover, my grandpa has a strong impression of Yu Nian, saying there was always a handsome little boy following Mr. Xiuning around, fetching ink and delivering brushes, especially sensible!]
“[This is the real version of ‘Never experienced the hardships of life’? Is what you see the whole world? Let me tell you, there are still many people who can’t afford clothes, don’t know about smartphones or TVs, and can’t even have enough to eat. Don’t just think everything is scripted, sentimental, or for building a persona. Your world is too small. I suggest you watch the public welfare documentary by Ri Yao Mobile, check it out [link].]
The public welfare documentary by Ri Yao Mobile was simultaneously released on their official website and official social media accounts at 9 p.m. The team’s journey was edited into three episodes, each lasting 40 minutes. It mainly documented the poverty situation in Xinfeng Village and the experiences of the public welfare team. After its release, it attracted significant attention and sparked discussion.
At 10:30 p.m., Ri Yao Mobile’s official social media account released an “Extra Edition of Ri Yao Journey” video. Within a short period, a forum thread emerged.
“Damn it! I strongly recommend you all watch ‘RiYao Journey,’ the documentary. Starting from 3 minutes and 12 seconds in the extra edition, besides learning how to hype up the rich young master persona, Yu Nian also teaches you the art of finding hidden gems at its peak!!!”
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Thank You for the new chapter (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡