When Luo Tian was trending again, he himself was too busy to pay attention to anything else, and didn't even have time to go online and argue with people.
He thought he had kept his past actions discreet and had even enlisted the help of others. Although he had been sidelined by the company, those who had previously helped him and whose interests aligned with his would certainly not expose him. So why was he being investigated again now?
Because Qin Shuang and Xiao Shulang were determined to investigate him, and weren't afraid of offending the people in Luo Tian's company who were helping him cause trouble, once they found a clue, they would take them all down with them.
Xiao Shulang and Qin Shuang had just finished filming a scene and sat down on the sidelines when they took out their phones and saw the latest news.
Luo Tian wasn't the only one being investigated; other people from his entertainment company were also implicated, though they were the ones who slipped through the net.
Xiao Shulang and Qin Shuang exchanged a knowing glance. Qin Shuang raised his hand, and Xiao Shulang reached out to give him a high five.
"Smack!"
success.
They asked someone to help them investigate, and they weren't sure if Luo Tian really had any other problems. Unexpectedly, he did, so it was all very easy for them.
With the harassment from that scumbag boyfriend gone, the world is finally a little quieter.
Xiao Shulang no longer needs to rush to save money, and he won't consider taking on too many jobs while filming. He can finally get away from his busy days and put his feet on the ground again.
Moreover, he couldn't express his opinions before he was involved in acting, but now that he's officially on stage, Xiao Shulang finds acting very interesting and allows him to fully immerse himself in it. He loves this job.
If I feel it's a good fit, I'll work harder and pursue an acting career. This is my career plan for the future.
The injury on his back had fully healed in the past few days. On the day the Xiao Group officially held its celebration banquet, Xiao Shulang was unable to attend because he was filming on set, so Xiao Mingfeng sent him a video.
The video was taken by Xiao Mingfeng's assistant. In the video, Xiao Mingfeng and his parents are present, celebrating the company's rebirth with the employees. Their perseverance and hard work have finally paid off, and everyone is overjoyed.
After talking with the employees, Xiao Mingfeng whispered something to his parents, probably telling them that he was going to film a video for Xiao Shulang. Xiao's parents turned to the phone camera, Xiao's father raised his wine glass, and Xiao's mother waved.
The two elders are very well-maintained, and with this joyous occasion, they are in good spirits, with kind smiles. Standing with the young people, especially Xiao's mother, whose face makes it impossible to call her "auntie"; one would only want to recognize her as an older sister.
Below the video was a voice message from Xiao Mingfeng: "Come back and visit when you have time. It's been a long time. We all miss you."
This is wonderful; this is what family is all about.
Xiao Shulang had never experienced kinship with his own family members, but after transmigrating into a book and entering a different world, he felt it from other people.
Xiao Shulang also sent a message to Xiao Mingfeng, and then stared at his phone for a while in a daze.
Qin Shuang has a lot of long lines for tomorrow, and he is reviewing them to make sure he has memorized them. After putting down the script, he saw Xiao Shulang in a daze, so he went over and hugged him from behind.
"What's wrong?"
Xiao Shulang leaned against him, pursed his lips, and said, "I want to talk to the Xiao family as soon as possible."
Everything that needed to be done had been done, and the Xiao family had weathered the crisis. The longer it dragged on, the more they would care for him, and Xiao Shulang feared he would be at a loss for words.
Previously, the Xiao family was in chaos, and everyone was busy working for the group, leaving little time for warmth. Now that they have some free time, they have time to chat, and the messages in the family group have visibly started to focus on daily life, replacing the previous work and worries.
Xiao Shulang once longed for family affection, but knowing it was hopeless, he dared not think about it anymore. The greetings from the Xiao family warmed his heart but also made him feel melancholy. He was afraid that if time went by, he would become attached to the warmth and not be able to let go.
It would be too unfair to the original owner and the Xiao family if we didn't tell them.
Qin Shuang hugged him, as if she knew what Xiao Shulang was thinking: "Don't be afraid."
"The director has an event to attend in two weeks, and the crew has a day off." Qin Shuang sniffed the scent of his hair. "Are you going back?"
The two used the same shampoo and shower gel, and their body scents were identical. When they were close together, their hair touched and their scents mingled. However, Xiao Shulang didn't notice his own scent until Qin Shuang came close to him.
It's more accurate to say that Qin Shuang's scent is what gives people peace of mind.
He calmed himself down in the warmth of Qin Shuang's presence and made a decision: "Okay, I'll contact my family in advance and go back that day to explain things to them."
Qin Shuang: "I'll take you."
They had agreed beforehand that Qin Shuang would also go that day to pick them up.
So Xiao Shulang started drafting his thoughts that day, thinking about what he wanted to say. Considering that the Xiao family would definitely be emotional after he confessed, Xiao Shulang decided to go after lunch to avoid making them lose their appetite.
While working, he and Qin Shuang counted the days on the calendar, and the appointed day arrived quickly.
Qin Shuang drove Xiao Shulang to the Xiao family villa. Before getting out of the car, Qin Shuang kissed Xiao Shulang and said, "I'll wait for you."
Having prepared himself mentally, Xiao Shulang squeezed Qin Shuang's hand, drawing strength from it, and nodded emphatically: "Mm."
As they walked to the villa gate, Xiao Shulang used his key card to open it. Upon hearing the sound, Xiao's mother immediately came over. Before Xiao Shulang could speak, his mother raised her hand and gave him a big hug.
Xiao Shulang froze instantly, not daring to move.
"You've worked hard these past few days." Xiao's mother patted his back. "My son is capable and can handle things now. Welcome back. Let your mother have a good look at him."
Xiao's mother grabbed his arm and looked him over: "You've lost weight, you must be tired. Come back and stay for a while after you finish what you're doing, and I'll help you get back in shape."
Xiao Shulang's prepared lines got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say them.
Xiao's mother had so much to say to her son whom she hadn't seen in so long. She took Xiao Shulang's hand and led him inside: "Being busy is a good thing, but you should also take care of yourself. You finally came back, but you didn't even have time to eat. I made your favorite snacks myself. They'll go perfectly with tea. Come on."
Xiao Shulang looked down at the hand being held by his mother, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions. He had always longed to be held by the hand of his loved ones, but seeing this scene today only brought him bitterness.
Xiao's father and Xiao Mingfeng were both at the table. Xiao Mingfeng beckoned to him, "Come sit here with me."
Xiao's mother sat down next to Xiao's father. Xiao's father looked at Xiao Shulang as he sat down and nodded: "You've lost weight, but you're in good spirits. It seems you're doing well."
With a smile, Xiao's mother pushed a plate of pastries in front of Xiao Shulang: "Is Qin Shuang busy today? When will you bring her back so we can meet her?"
They thought the person sitting in front of them was their real son, and their words were filled with the most ordinary yet warmest care, because they were family.
Xiao Shulang's heart trembled. He pursed his lips, frantically suppressing his emotions. His hand gripped the cup so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The two elders sitting opposite him noticed his strange expression and exchanged glances. Xiao's mother quickly asked, "Shulang, what's wrong? You look unhappy."
"No, I..." Xiao Shulang tried to force a smile, but he failed. He had been praised by the director as an extremely talented actor, but at this moment he couldn't even manage a smile.
After failing to force a smile, Xiao Shulang's shoulders slumped, and he finally began, "I have something to tell you."
Everyone sensed from his expression that something big must be happening, and they prepared themselves mentally: "Go ahead."
Even though they were mentally prepared, they still didn't expect to be completely defeated by Xiao Shulang's subsequent description.
Xiao Mingfeng froze in his chair, Xiao's father stood up abruptly in disbelief, nearly knocking over the teacup on the table; Xiao's mother first widened her eyes in disbelief, then fear and panic replaced her entire expression, she trembled and reached out to Xiao Shulang, as if to confirm something.
"What...what did you say...Say it again? You're not joking, are you, Shulang? Don't scare your mother. Is it because of too much pressure and something's wrong with your mind? It's okay, we'll find a psychologist, the best one..."
Having said what needed to be said, Xiao Shulang had nothing more to hide. He simply couldn't bear to look at the expressions on their faces, so he lowered his eyes and said, "I wouldn't joke about something like this. Ah—" He paused, ultimately not saying "Auntie," as that title would be too hurtful to them at that moment. Xiao Shulang swallowed the title and got straight to the point.
“I did indeed travel through time, after your children…”
Xiao's mother stopped her outstretched hand, stopping just centimeters away from Xiao Shulang's palm. Her slender fingers trembled as she withdrew them, covering her mouth. She held back for a while, but finally couldn't help but let out a scream. Because she covered her mouth, her scream was hoarse and helpless, and the heart-wrenching pain was all inside her body.
"My, my child!"
Xiao's father's legs went weak, and he slumped back down. Xiao Mingfeng turned Xiao Shulang's shoulder, his eyes red-rimmed: "Shulang, I—this, this is real?"
Xiao Shulang refused to meet his gaze, turning his face away and silently nodding, which was the only way he could speak.
"No, this..."
Xiao Mingfeng trembled as he let go of Xiao Shulang's hand. Xiao Shulang was right in front of them, his face exactly the same as their relatives', yet they learned from this man the truth that the person they knew was no longer there.
The Xiao family collapsed in different ways.
Xiao's mother was already sobbing uncontrollably. Xiao's father held her with his weak arms, his eyes also red. He looked at Xiao Shulang, opened his mouth several times, but could not say anything. He let out a few sobs. He could not help but shed tears at the sound of his wife's crying.
Xiao Shulang couldn't bear to watch any longer. He hurriedly stood up, his eyes stinging and his voice trembling: "Take a break, I... I won't show up for now. Seeing my face will probably make you feel even worse... If you have any questions, you can contact me later."
As Xiao Shulang was about to leave, Xiao Mingfeng, still in a daze, instinctively grabbed him. Xiao Shulang turned around and met his gaze.
Xiao Mingfeng was deeply grieving. His act of pulling Xiao Shulang was unintentional. He didn't know why he was doing it or what he wanted to say.
But now he seems unable to say anything. Suddenly his brother is gone. How could such a healthy person just... be gone?
The sparse and sparse-looking man before him clearly still resembled his younger brother.
Without a second thought, Xiao Mingfeng grabbed the person, but then stopped moving. Xiao Shulang turned around and saw him standing there in a daze, so he gritted his teeth, withdrew his hand, turned around, and hurried away.
As Xiao Mingfeng watched his retreating figure, his vision gradually blurred, and tears welled up in his eyes. He thought blankly, "Shu Lang looked like he was about to cry just now."
Xiao Shulang rushed out of the courtyard, opened the car door, sat down, and swiftly closed the door in one smooth motion.
Qin Shuang leaned forward, cupped his face, and wiped his eyes: "Did you cry?"
Xiao Shulang couldn't speak, he just shook his head.
"But you look like you want to cry."
Qin Shuang pressed his head against her shoulder: "I'm here. You don't have to hold back your tears."
After he finished speaking, he noticed that Xiao Shulang's body was trembling. Xiao Shulang raised his hand and hugged Qin Shuang's back tightly. After a moment, Qin Shuang heard a low sob in his ear. Then, the floodgates opened and Xiao Shulang buried his head on his shoulder and finally cried unrestrainedly.
Chapter 64 With you here, anywhere is fine.
When Xiao Shulang cried, he made almost no sound; only a couple of low sobs occasionally escaped his throat. His trembling body and the tears wetting his shoulders spoke volumes about his sorrow.
After the initial emotional outburst, Xiao Shulang seemed unwilling to let his tears continue to wet Qin Shuang's shoulder and tried to lift his head, but Qin Shuang gently held the back of his head: "Lean on me."
Xiao Shulang opened his mouth as if to say something, but the sound that came out of his throat was trembling and incoherent, so he gritted his teeth and buried his head.
Countless rehearsals beforehand are nothing but empty talk. The tension and anxiety are nothing compared to the discomfort of being there in person. The clash between your own emotions and those of others is not something you can simply endure.
From the moment he stepped through the gates of the Xiao family, everything from his mother's embrace, his father's relief, to Xiao Mingfeng's intimacy—things he had once longed for but could never have—was now causing him immense torment.
He refused to cry out loud, but Qin Shuang was worried and reached out to run her hand through his hair: "It's okay if you cry out."
Xiao Shulang leaned on his shoulder and shook his head. After a while, Qin Shuang noticed that his body wasn't trembling as much, so she lifted his face and wiped it with a wet tissue.
Xiao Shulang's beautiful eyes turned red, both the inner and outer corners of his eyes, making one's heart ache.
They were going back to the film set today, and they had booked tickets for tonight. It was still early, and although Xiao Shulang didn't cry out loud, suppressing his tears was still hurting his voice. When he spoke, his voice was a little hoarse: "Let's go to my house first... my apartment."
Qin Shuang poured a cup of warm water from the thermos in the car and handed it to him: "Hmm?"
Xiao Shulang took it, but didn't drink it right away. He held it in his hands and said slowly, "I want to clean up the house. It was the place where the original owner lived last... Let's leave it for them."
With Xiao Shulang's current financial resources, he could easily buy another house.
Qin Shuang drove the car into the residential area, put on a mask and sunglasses, bought a suitcase on the roadside, and the two went to the apartment together.
Xiao Shulang didn't take much with him. Apart from the fact that he was in dire financial straits when he first transmigrated, he bought all his clothes and daily necessities again and didn't touch the original owner's things. He even slept in the spare bedroom.
He took most of his belongings with him when he went to filming, and the remaining small items couldn't even fill a suitcase.
He packed everything in just over ten minutes, faster than Qin Shuang had expected. He helped Xiao Shulang carry his suitcase out the door, and this time Xiao Shulang didn't refuse.
Xiao Shulang glanced back at the room and slowly closed the door.