Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
Ten days before the Lunar New Year, having already met all the parents, Wen Siyu confidently brought Jiang Xu home with her.
In previous years, both elder family members were very busy during the holidays, so it was usually just Wen Siyu and Wen Siyuan visiting their grandfather. This year, however, Xu Sheng called ahead to say she would return.
After some discussion, they decided to spend the holiday at their grandfather’s house as usual.
Everyone in the family was busy—except for the newly-finished Shadow Emperor, who had declined all public appearances and was now enjoying a rare idle period at home, and his student-wife, Wen Siyu, who was still on winter break. With nothing better to do, they occasionally visited retired Director Xu Qiubai, who was equally idle. They drank tea, chatted, watched movies, and even went fishing together.
Wen Siyu found it agonizing. Even during her vacation, she couldn’t escape discussions about films.
Eventually, the little girl secretly slipped away, sneaking upstairs to her room to start streaming and play games.
It’s worth noting that since Wen Siyuan secretly changed his major during his college entrance exam, Xu Qiubai had emptied his room. Since then, Wen Siyuan could only stay in the guest room whenever he visited.
Wen Siyu feigned regret but privately rejoiced as she played her games.
There weren’t many games on this computer, so the girl lazily opened Spider Solitaire, idly stacking cards while chatting with her audience.
With her elbow propped on the desk and her chin resting on her hand, Wen Siyu clicked the mouse rhythmically.
“Yes, I’m not at home right now. Spider Solitaire is actually really fun, and it’s also a great way to chat with you guys.”
“Videos will have to wait a bit—it’s almost the New Year, and you’re still not letting me off the hook? That’s too much!”
“My boyfriend? You know who he is—yes, him! He’s been exposed for so long. Why are you getting so excited? What, you just found out? If you don’t follow me, stop talking—I’m heartbroken.”
“As for Jiang Xu himself, here’s a little exclusive scoop for my fans—he’s honestly not the cold, aloof god-like figure you might imagine. In reality, he’s actually—”
She paused mid-sentence as the slightly ajar door was pushed open. Reacting quickly, she shifted gears: “A man whose personality is even more perfect than what you see on TV and in shows!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Xu walked in: “Who are you talking to?”
Wen Siyu glanced at him over her shoulder: “I’m live-streaming.”
Jiang Xu: “….”
Turning back to the computer screen, sure enough, the chat was flooded with black text—
[AAAAHHHHH WHAT DID I JUST HEAR?!]
[That deep voice… I’m dying.]
[You two are together?! And you dare stream this?! Your guts must be made of steel!]
[Husband, is that you?! Please say something again, ball ball you!!]
[Husband, why are you with my wife?? WAAAAAH, I’m devastated!]
[I’ve already prepared my shovel for your dog food—keep going, don’t stop!]
[This live stream’s name needs to be changed.]
[Change it to ‘Idol and Her Little Fangirl Shadow Emperor’!]
[Please keep streaming, please choke me with sweetness.]
By now, Jiang Xu had walked over. His corner of clothing appeared briefly in the small bottom-right frame of the camera, triggering another wave of chaotic comments. Wen Siyu tilted her head up to look at him: “Do you want to say something to everyone?”
Jiang Xu lowered his gaze to the screen, where a deluge of messages like [Yes yes yes!!] and [Please say something else to us!!] scrolled past. Then he glanced at the little girl looking up at him. Leaning down, he rested one hand on the desk behind Wen Siyu, bringing his face into the camera frame next to hers. His nose was straight, and his usually stoic expression now carried a faint smile.
In a deep, slow voice, he said: “Hello, thank you all for liking my idol.”
As he watched the barrage of comments scroll by, the corners of his lips lifted slightly. His free hand landed gently on the top of the little girl’s head, ruffling her hair affectionately. His eyelashes lowered, revealing a peaceful warmth in his deep brown eyes: “I hope you can continue to like her as much as I do.”
Wen Siyu froze, lifting her head to look at him.
Jiang Xu was gazing back at her, his pupils appearing lighter under the light.
His sudden confession, delivered in front of so many people, startled her. She smacked his large hand off her head, blushing in embarrassment.
Her face flushed as she turned back to the computer screen. The chat was exploding with cries of despair, filled with an overwhelming cascade of emotions that blurred the text into illegibility.
Wen Siyu hastily said a few more words before shutting down the live stream.
Letting out a long breath, she looked at the seemingly pleased man beside her.
Jiang Xu blinked, his eyelashes darker and longer than hers, his expression innocent.
“You’ve stirred up my fans so much—how am I supposed to calm them down?”
“I’m trying to turn them into our CP fans. After all, I have millions of followers—it’d be nice to convert at least a fraction of them.”
Wen Siyu thought for two seconds: “Teacher Jiang, I must remind you that a significant portion of your fans are already mine.”
“I know—they’ve even left comments under my Weibo posts saying they downloaded the game just to play with you.”
Wen Siyu slapped his hand lightly: “Who’s your wife?”
“Oh, future wife,” Jiang Xu corrected smoothly.
“Who said I’m going to marry you?” Wen Siyu shot him a sidelong glance.
Jiang Xu didn’t respond, straightening up and pulling a chair over to sit down. He asked her: “Want to play a game together?”
Wen Siyu’s eyes lit up: “Yes! What game?”
Jiang Xu hummed, taking the mouse and typing in a URL—4399.com.
Wen Siyu: “…?”
He hit enter and directly entered the webpage, scrolling through various cartoon games. “How about Gold Miner Double Player Edition?”
Wen Siyu: “?”
Jiang Xu: “Q-version Bubble Bobble? Wow, there are so many versions of this game now. Am I getting old?”
Wen Siyu: “….”
In the end, Wen Siyu reluctantly chose Bubble Bobble. As she watched the green avatar representing Jiang Xu in the bottom-right corner struggle to figure out how to blow him up, the man sitting next to her suddenly spoke: “Should we stream it?”
Wen Siyu: “??”
“Stream the Shadow Emperor playing Bubble Bobble?” Her expression was horrified.
Jiang Xu considered it for a moment, then nodded: “Sounds kind of interesting?”
“…Where does it sound interesting?”
“Oh, so no streaming?”
“…Why do you look so disappointed?”
Jiang Xu maneuvered his character to drop a bomb and then ran away, watching it explode: “I just thought streaming might be fun.”
Wen Siyu: “….”
“In the future, I should set up my own live stream.” Jiang Xu paused, continuing: “The name could be—’Just Came Here to Show Off My Love.’”
Wen Siyu: “…???”
On New Year’s Eve, Xu Sheng returned.
And with her came Wen Jingyao.
Seeing Jiang Xu there, the man’s eyebrows shot up high—but a single glance from Xu Sheng instantly smoothed them out.
Wen Siyu was completely used to this by now, reacting with a blasé expression.
Jiang Xu realized with sudden clarity who truly held the power in this household.
That evening, Wen Siyuan arrived, dust-covered from his travels, with a young girl trailing behind him.
The moment they stepped in, Xu Qiubai, who had been playing chess with Jiang Xu, faltered and made a wrong move. Wen Jingyao stopped reading his fashion magazine, and Wen Siyu, who was on the final level of her mobile game, flinched, causing her character to scream “Ahhhh—” and die.
The entire living room fell into an eerie silence.
At that moment, Xu Sheng emerged from the kitchen.
Wen Siyuan rubbed his nose and coughed lightly, explaining: “My friend’s kid.”
The little girl politely bowed and greeted everyone.
“Your friend’s kid is this old?” Wen Siyu’s expression clearly conveyed disbelief.
“…Fine, my cousin’s friend!”
Wen Siyu let out an exaggerated “Oh,” then jumped up from the sofa, carefully examining the young girl trailing behind Wen Siyuan.
The girl wasn’t tall, slightly shorter than Wen Siyu. Her black hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, her skin pale, and her chin sharp.
Wen Siyu leaned in, smiling mischievously like a strange aunt: “Little sister, how old are you?”
The girl blinked, her eyelashes fluttering: “I’m in my third year of high school.”
“…”
The moment the words left her mouth, everyone in the room turned to stare at Wen Siyuan.
Wen Siyuan: “…Listen to me explain!”
“Brother, you’re a beast,” Wen Siyu said with a disapproving click of her tongue.
Jiang Xu cleared his throat lightly.
Taking advantage of the distraction, the old man subtly corrected the chess piece he had just moved incorrectly and shook his head.
Wen Siyuan: “…She really is my cousin’s friend.”
Wen Siyu exaggeratedly drawled an “Oh”: “So you brought your cousin’s friend home to celebrate the New Year?”
This time, the girl spoke up in his defense: “Big Brother Siyuan didn’t mean to.”
Her voice was crisp and clear: “It’s because my brother didn’t have time to take care of me, and Big Brother Siyuan couldn’t refuse him—he loves him too much.”
Wen Siyuan: “….”
Wen Siyuan: “?”
Since there were two additional people this year—Xu Sheng and Wen Jingyao were both back—the celebration felt exceptionally lively. Wen Siyu dragged Jiang Xu and the young girl that Wen Siyuan brought along to learn how to make dumplings from Xu Sheng.
Ten minutes later, Wen Siyu gave up. Instead, she picked up two pieces of dough, sprinkled brown sugar between them, stacked them together, and shaped them into a sunflower. With great excitement, she held it up to Jiang Xu to show him.
Jiang Xu glanced at it, his flour-covered hand pinching her nose gently: “You’re being mischievous.”
Wen Siyu wrinkled her nose: “This is called a little sugar bun! It’s delicious!”
Jiang Xu sighed helplessly and enlightened her: “These little sugar buns made out of dough aren’t tasty.”
Wen Siyu gawked at him: “How do you even know that? You’ve become quite the chef, Master Jiang.”
“I just looked it up on Baidu,” Master Jiang proudly admitted.
Wen Siyu: “….”
After dinner, everyone sat contentedly around the table. The Spring Festival Gala played on the TV, and the elders began chatting. Finding their conversation boring, Wen Siyu exchanged a glance with Wen Siyuan. The two quietly pushed back their chairs, stood up, and walked to the entrance. Wen Siyu waved at Jiang Xu, signaling for him to come over.
Jiang Xu walked over and casually grabbed a coat from the rack, draping it over her shoulders.
The little girl smiled brightly, holding his hand as she led him outside.
As soon as they stepped out, they saw Wen Siyuan pulling a large pile of fireworks from the trunk of his car. Beside him, the ponytailed girl held a bundle of sparklers in her hands.
Jiang Xu raised an eyebrow: “I thought we weren’t allowed to set off fireworks.”
“It’s the suburbs,” Wen Siyu explained, pulling him over. She grabbed a handful of sparklers and handed half to Jiang Xu.
Tilting her head up, she smiled at him. Her face glowed softly under the warm light emanating from the house behind her.
Wen Siyu struck a match, the faint sound of “ssst” filling the air as she brought it close to the tip of the sparklers. One by one, the sparklers ignited, bursting into tiny, shimmering stars.
She held her lit sparklers close to Jiang Xu’s unlit ones, their tips touching gently. Jiang Xu lowered his gaze, her features hidden behind the sparkling lights, appearing even more radiant.
The soft, crackling sounds grew louder as more than a dozen sparklers erupted in golden brilliance, their glow resembling fireflies dancing between the two of them.
Wrapped in his coat, Wen Siyu tilted her head, her eyes curved into crescents, her cheeks flushed and rosy: “Teacher Jiang, happy birthday—you’re officially one year older.”
Jiang Xu didn’t speak, simply gazing at her as if he could never get enough.
Wen Siyu wasn’t in a rush either, quietly smiling.
The sparklers burned out quickly, the gunpowder on the sticks visibly consumed within moments. Soon, the sparklers in Wen Siyu’s hand extinguished.
But Jiang Xu’s were still burning, crackling merrily like they were tap-dancing.
Holding several sparklers in one hand, Jiang Xu stretched his arm out, sending them flying far away. With the other hand, he gently pulled the girl in front of him into his embrace.
His movements were soft, slow, and careful, tenderly wrapping her in his arms.
His heart melted completely.
In his arms was his girl, and behind her lay her story, her family.
Feeling his chest tremble, the man chuckled softly: “Mm, happy birthday to me—I’m officially one year older.”
Happy birthday to myself, with you by my side as I grow old.
After the New Year, heavy snow was forecasted.
The snow in the south was unusually gentle, falling thinly and melting into water before it even reached the ground. Wen Siyu held her phone in front of her, staring at the weather forecast predicting snow today, then glanced outside the window. Her face fell in disappointment.
Southern girls seemed to have an extraordinary attachment and fantasy about snow.
Watching her dejected expression, Jiang Xu chuckled and ruffled her hair: “Do you really want to see snow that badly?”
Wen Siyu pouted and nodded: “Yes, I do.”
Jiang Xu let out a long sigh, thought for a moment, and patted her head: “Go pack some clothes—we’re going out to play.”
Wen Siyu let out a surprised “Eh?”: “Where are we going?”
“I’ll take you to see snow.”
Based on Jiang Xu’s words, Wen Siyu assumed he was planning to take her to Beijing, especially since Bitter Bird would resume filming after the New Year, and Xu Sheng was also returning.
So when the little girl, carrying a small backpack and following the man to the airport without a care, finally saw the text on her boarding pass, she was utterly confused.
“Bo… Boston?”
Jiang Xu nodded: “To see the snow.”
“So why do we have to go halfway around the world to see snow?!”
“And to visit some relatives while we’re at it.”
Wen Siyu: “?”
Wen Siyu: “….”
Wen Siyu: “???”
After staring at him emotionlessly for three seconds, Wen Siyu shoved the boarding pass into his chest and turned to run.
Jiang Xu firmly held onto the hood of her jacket, watching her struggle fruitlessly.
When her efforts failed, she abruptly turned her head, glaring at him furiously: “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”
Jiang Xu remained unfazed by her anger: “If I had, would you have come willingly?”
“I would have,” Wen Siyu declared firmly, her expression resolute.
“Oh, so what’s the difference between telling you now or earlier? Either way, you’re coming.”
“…”
Wen Siyu crouched on the ground, looking up at him pitifully: “Teacher Jiang, I get airsick.”
Jiang Xu squatted down beside her, patting her cheek: “Lobster.”
“What?” Wen Siyu stared at him blankly.
“Boston’s specialty—lobster.”
Wen Siyu: “….”
“Still feeling airsick?”
“Nope.”
“Oh.”
Jiang Xu booked first-class seats, where privacy was excellent. The nearly fifteen-hour direct flight to Boston left Wen Siyu bored out of her mind, regretting not bringing her laptop.
She watched the man beside her flipping through a magazine and absentmindedly played with the strands of hair at his temples: “Teacher Jiang…”
She vaguely remembered that Jiang Xu’s relationship with his family wasn’t particularly good, so she hesitated to ask.
Jiang Xu lifted his head, his questioning gaze meeting hers.
Wen Siyu opened her mouth, then closed it again: “Never mind.”
“All my family members are easygoing and very welcoming,” Jiang Xu assured her. After a pause, he added, “Besides, everyone’s always thought I was an adopted child since I was young.”
Wen Siyu: “???”
Closing his magazine, Jiang Xu looked at her: “You wanted to ask about my parents, right?”
“Ah… yes,” Wen Siyu stammered. “But didn’t you say…”
“Yeah, I lied to you,” Jiang Xu admitted. “I didn’t want you to leave back then—I wanted you to stay with me a little longer.”
“…”
Wen Siyu sprang up, nervously looking at him: “Then what kind of girl do they like?”
Jiang Xu tilted his head thoughtfully: “They like you.”
“Me?” Wen Siyu was surprised and a bit troubled. “What kind of person am I?”
“Not exactly like you,” Jiang Xu smiled. “They like whoever I like.”
The little girl puffed up her cheeks, frowning at him: “Teacher Jiang, be serious—I’m really scared.”
“What are you afraid of?” Jiang Xu patted her head. “My parents have been suspecting I might be gay—they’re worried I’ll bring a man home one day. So, seeing you will probably make them ecstatic.”
Wen Siyu’s lips had just begun to curve into a smile when he gave her a once-over and added, “At least it proves my sexual orientation is normal.”
Wen Siyu: “….”
“Teacher Jiang.”
“Hmm?”
“When I see Uncle and Auntie, I’ll kneel on the ground and shout, ‘Please, please let my brother be with your son!’”
Jiang Xu: “….”
“In both Chinese and English, so you can see my CET-6 level pronunciation.”
“….”
When the plane landed in Boston, Wen Siyu had just woken up from a nap. Lifting her head from the man’s chest, the little girl sat up and rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep: “Teacher Jiang, are we here?”
“Mm, we’re here.” Jiang Xu pulled out a down jacket, waiting for her to sit up before draping it over her shoulders. Then, he carefully took out her pink woolen hat and placed it snugly on her head.
Halfway across the globe, Jiang Xu could finally take off his mask. Holding her hand tightly after she’d slept only a few hours, he led her out of the station. There, they saw a man and a woman holding a large bright pink heart-shaped sign, smiling radiantly.
Wen Siyu spotted them too. By now, she was fully awake and burst into laughter, tugging at the man’s hand: “Teacher Jiang, look at those two Chinese people—they’re so cute!”
Jiang Xu fell silent.
Just then, the couple caught sight of something and smiled even more brightly, waving frantically and calling out: “Ah Xu! Over here, over here!”
Jiang Xu: “….”
Wen Siyu’s heart sank.
Mechanically turning her head toward Jiang Xu, the little girl looked at him. He met her gaze, expressionless, and nodded slightly: “Those two cute Chinese people are my parents.”
Wen Siyu: “….”
Instinctively, she wanted to bolt, but her hand was firmly held by the man. Taking a deep breath, her teeth chattering, she followed Jiang Xu over.
Up close, it was clear that this Chinese couple was striking—handsome father, beautiful mother. Though aged, they still exuded an outstanding demeanor.
Holding Jiang Xu’s hand, Wen Siyu approached them cautiously: “Hello, Uncle and Auntie.”
Jiang Xu spoke succinctly: “This is your future daughter-in-law.”
Wen Siyu’s face immediately flushed red, and she subtly tugged at his hand.
This small gesture did not escape Jiang Xu’s mother’s notice. Her face blossomed into a radiant smile as she looked at the girl—fair, delicate, and obedient. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became.
The four of them returned home together. Both Jiang Xu’s father and mother were cheerful and talkative. Along the way, Wen Siyu gradually relaxed and finally understood what Jiang Xu meant on the plane when he said, “I’ve always been treated like an adopted child since I was young.”
Jiang Xu’s reserved personality was completely unlike his parents’.
Boston, located in the northeastern United States, has a temperate continental climate. Winters are cold, dry, windy, and snowy. Snow knee-deep in some places had frozen into ice. Seeing the thick, fluffy snow piled up outside the house, Wen Siyu was completely thrilled.
After playing with a small handful of clean snow for a while, she ran over: “Teacher Jiang!”
“Hmm?” Jiang Xu responded, casually adjusting her tilted woolen hat.
“Lobster, lobster!” She tugged at Jiang Xu’s hand, her eyes sparkling.
Jiang Xu pinched her soft, rosy cheek: “All you think about is eating.”
Wen Siyu glanced secretly at the two parents walking ahead and then leaned close to whisper into the man’s ear.
Jiang Xu froze for a moment, then gently patted her head through her hat, his gaze tender.
Jiang Xu’s father and mother quietly observed, marveling inwardly: After all these years, their son could finally show such normal human expressions.
A stroll along the Charles River brought them near Boston Common Park, where the famous Hatch Shell outdoor performance stage stood. However, it was winter now, and the entire world was blanketed in white.
Jiang Xu walked behind, watching the little girl hop around in front of him, touching here and looking there. She stretched her hand out of her down coat sleeve, scooped up a tiny bit of snow with her index finger, and licked it.
Jiang Xu chuckled: “Isn’t that dirty? Be careful or you’ll upset your stomach.”
Wen Siyu turned her head, stood up, and walked over to him.
Without saying a word, she simply tilted her head up to look at him.
Suddenly, the wind picked up, and snowflakes danced in the air. Jiang Xu, gazed upon by her, gently pulled her arm and shifted slightly to shield her from the biting wind.
The little girl raised her arm, her fingers—still icy from touching the snow—brushing against his eyebrows.
Tracing the ridge of his brow to his eyelashes, then gliding over his prominent nose and lips, her fingers finally returned to his eyes.
“The first time I saw you on TV, I wanted to touch you.”
His long lashes, soft and feathery, brushed against her fingertips, ticklish and slightly numbing.
“I wanted to know what it feels like to touch a guy with such beautiful eyes.”
She wanted to know what this person felt like in reality.
Was he as soft-fingered and clear-eyed as she imagined?
Was he as gentle, patient, tall, and warm as the man in her dreams?
Would he smile and ask her, “Are you my fan?”
Would he pat her head after signing her name and say, “Thank you for liking me—I’m happy”?
Thirteen years of silently adoring him, the man separated by mountains and seas.
One day, he flattened the mountains, filled the seas, shielded her from the wind and snow, and came to her side. Standing before her, his gaze focused, his features as exquisite as a painting.
Wen Siyu’s eyes curved into crescents, her smile both hazy and clear: “Teacher Jiang, I really, really like you.”
Her eyes, dark and clear as polished jade, curved into lovely crescent moons when she smiled, catching the light.
Jiang Xu sighed softly, covering her cold fingers resting on his eyelashes with his hand, and then gently pulled her into his arms.
The first time he saw her, she stood far away in the brightly lit hotel lobby, staring at him silently from afar.
Her almond-shaped eyes, black and clear, shimmered with the brilliance of the crystal chandelier, quietly blooming like a flower.
Back then, Jiang Xu hadn’t thought much would happen between them.
He hadn’t imagined that one day, he would hold her in his arms, her soft body nestled against his chest as he breathed in the sweet scent of her shampoo.
Nor had he imagined that there would truly be a girl like her—sincere, radiant, carrying the lights of the city, stumbling and bumbling her way into his world, coming to stand before him, softly smiling and repeatedly saying, “Teacher Jiang, I really, really like you.”
Such a simple sentence, yet so warm.
Warm enough to make him want to cautiously draw closer, to hold her tightly with all his strength.
Life is short, yet so long.
To have her, to hold her tight, to comfort her tears, to watch her laugh—to grow old together with her. To wait until wrinkles crease his eyes, until her temples turn gray, yet still see her smile, dazzling and radiant, making his heart bloom. And then, hearing her say those words again:
“I like you.”
Perhaps that’s the most tender love confession in the world.
(End of Main Story)
Google Sites
Report abuse