Translator: ChuRen/ YuQiChen
On New Year’s Eve morning.
Wei Tingxiao arrived early, bringing his “useless” little brother to visit.
When facing the elders, even bowing involved him pressing his hand gently on his head as a polite gesture.
In preparation for the day, Wei Tingxiao had already bought gifts in advance. He didn’t want to seem too casual when visiting, nor did he want to come off as overly materialistic.
After much thought, he chose a well-known, long-established local Jing City tea brand, along with a traditional brand liquor specially brewed by a winery under their family’s company.
Such gifts were considered particularly low-key in the Wei family, and Wei Tingxiao arranged for them to be delivered via private plane.
Wei Jiaheng followed behind like a little quail, looking around nervously, afraid of embarrassing his cousin.
When his cousin said he was taking him to a friend’s home to celebrate the New Year, he was so moved he could’ve cried, wanting to hug and kiss him tightly.
His cousin was truly all harsh words but with a soft heart.
Because of that, Wei Jiaheng knew he had to be extra cautious with his behaviour today, not be as carefree as usual and seem unrefined.
Anyway, whatever Wei Tingxiao told him to do today, he would do it.
Just having a place to belong on New Year’s Eve made Wei Jiaheng very content.
“You two kids came early! Shu-er is still upstairs tidying up. I’ll call him down. Come inside quickly and have a seat. There are some peanuts, sunflower seeds, and small snacks on the table—help yourselves.”
“Thank you, Granny,” Wei Tingxiao politely replied.
Zhou Huaixiu loved chatting with young people, especially such handsome boys.
When she collected herbs that time, she got to know Wei Tingxiao through Yan Shu.
Later, upon realising their good friendship, when Yan Shu mentioned wanting Wei Tingxiao and his tangdi to come over for New Year, Zhou Huaixiu warmly welcomed the idea.
At the small square table inside, Wei Jiaheng placed both hands neatly under the table, his eyes darting greedily toward the snack platter.
He swallowed and tried to make conversation, “Ge, these snacks seem to be homemade by their family. They must be freshly fried, still warm, sprinkled with sesame seeds—they look really tasty.”
“Hold back. The host isn’t here. Being greedy now is rude,” Wei Tingxiao warned.
Wei Tingxiao was a bit nervous today as well; he’d been sleepless the night before, too excited and looking forward to this day to fall asleep.
Today, Yan Shu’s entire family was home. To make a good impression on the elders, he started tidying himself up in front of the mirror before dawn.
He’d always been confident in his looks, but the more he looked at his reflection, the more he wished he were a few years younger.
He couldn’t deny that Wei Jiaheng’s teasing about him nearing thirty had left a mark in his heart.
Fortunately, Yan Shu’s family was as gentle and easygoing as he was.
Seeing Yan Shu’s grandmother warmly welcome them eased much of Wei Tingxiao’s anxiety.
Before long, Yan Shu came down the stairs.
Upon seeing them, he greeted them with a smile, “You’re here? Why didn’t you give me a heads-up on WeChat?”
“Surprise! Isn’t that better?” Wei Tingxiao always felt most at ease speaking in front of Yan Shu.
At that very moment, the longing he’d felt these days exploded like fireworks, pouring into his heart as tangible emotion.
“So this is your didi? Nice to meet you. I’m Yan Shu,” Yan Shu took the initiative to greet Wei Jiaheng.
He could tell the two shared some facial similarities; standing together, they looked like family.
“Y-yeah, hi, I’m Wei, Wei Jiaheng. M-my ge brought me here…”
At the crucial moment, Wei Jiaheng’s tongue seemed tied. Usually so talkative, he was now at a loss for words.
Mainly because his cousin hadn’t told him that this friend looked so young and handsome.
Yan Shu’s looks were definitely the kind that stunned at first glance.
Wei Jiaheng had always thought his cousin was the most handsome in the world and wasn’t very impressed by other pretty boys.
But seeing Yan Shu today, Wei Jiaheng felt his face flush.
Some instinct suddenly burst out, and out of nowhere, he blurted, “Yan Shu, can I add you on WeChat?”
Yan Shu was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, “Sure, scan my code.”
Wei Jiaheng smiled like a chrysanthemum in bloom. “Great! My ge’s friends are my friends too. Looking forward to getting along.”
Wei Tingxiao: “???”
He hooked Wei Jiaheng’s neck in a grip and, with a voice only the two could hear, said while gritting his teeth, “What do you think you’re doing? What do you mean, ‘my friends are your friends’?”
“Ge, your friend is really good-looking and so nice when he talks. I’d love to get to know him better—this is my chance,” Wei Jiaheng said innocently, blinking sincerely.
“Hey! You little brat—”
Yan Shu interrupted, “Have you scanned yet?”
Wei Jiaheng: “Done, done, thanks.”
Wei Tingxiao: “……”
Messed up. If he’d known how this would turn out, there was no way he would have brought this kid along.
From the start, he shouldn’t have felt sorry for him!
“I’m seriously telling you, don’t harass Yan Shu on WeChat. He’s very pure. And don’t you go spouting nonsense,” Wei Tingxiao warned his brother, pulling him aside.
“I know, I won’t. Am I that perverted? Just normal socialising. Besides… I’m pure too, okay?” Wei Jiaheng pouted.
“Screw you!” Wei Tingxiao snapped back, clearly exasperated.
Yan Shu had no idea what these two were talking about, but he found their expressions so lively and amusing.
“Don’t be shy, the snacks on the table are all for eating,” Yan Shu said, looking at them.
Wei Jiaheng had been waiting for this. “Got it! Thanks for the treat!”
He bit into a fried dough twist—the crispy texture left a lingering fragrance in his mouth.
“So delicious!” His puppy-like eyes gleamed as he excitedly tugged at Wei Tingxiao’s sleeve. “Ge, you gotta try this! It’s amazing, a hundred times better than what we have at home for New Year.”
Wei Tingxiao looked annoyed. “Don’t wipe your greasy hands on my sleeve!”
Watching the two bicker, Yan Shu couldn’t stop smiling.
He felt like he was seeing another side of Wei Tingxiao.
The more he got to know him, the more vivid Wei Tingxiao’s image became in his mind.
The gap caused by not being in contact for a while disappeared at this moment. As soon as they met, he was that down-to-earth Movie Emperor Wei.
After drinking morning tea together for a while, Yan Shu took them on a tour of the courtyard.
Wei Jiaheng was visiting for the first time and was especially curious about this quaint southern countryside farmhouse surrounded by mountains and rivers.
“These are all vegetables grown by grandma and dad. That patch over there is the medicinal herb field, and those trees in the back are apple, pomelo, and orange trees, respectively,” Yan Shu explained as they walked along.
“The front yard is the flower garden, and the fence was all made by my dad. He’s really skilled at carpentry.”
Yan Shu couldn’t help but praise his family every few sentences. Since it was rare to have a friend visit, he wanted to proudly show off a little.
Wei Tingxiao watched Yan Shu’s face from the side, his gaze gradually softening.
Yan Shu’s little playful and proud moments made him think the boy was really adorable.
At noon, Zhou Huaixiu prepared some local speciality dishes to treat Yan Shu’s friends.
“Grandma, your dishes are very delicious,” Wei Tingxiao commented.
“That’s nothing. Tonight, when all the main dishes come out on the table, save some appetite—you’ll have a feast,” Zhou Huaixiu said warmly.
Wei Jiaheng was already so full he could barely speak. The countryside dishes were so fragrant, they had completely enchanted him.
His parents were always abroad. When he was home for the holidays, they either ordered takeout or had the nanny cook.
But those things just never tasted like home.
This was the first time Wei Jiaheng had felt so moved by a meal that he wanted to shed tears.
His mouth stuffed with meat, he choked out, “Yan Shu, does your family happen to need a son? I’d love to settle down at your place.”
His words left Yan Shu momentarily stunned, but made Zhou Huaixiu burst out laughing.
“Good boy! You like our cooking. Feel free to come by anytime—Grandma welcomes you!”
Yan Shu echoed her warmly, “Just give me a heads-up when you want to come. I’ll definitely treat you well.”
Suddenly, Wei Tingxiao interjected, “What about me?”
Yan Shu’s eyes curved into crescent moons as he whispered, “You’re our honoured guest with VIP seating.”
Wei Tingxiao felt pleased inside, turning his head away with a smile almost stretching to the sky.
…
Meanwhile, Yan Jin and Zhou Lan had gone to the city for supplies and wouldn’t be back until the afternoon.
Both of them were already familiar with Wei Tingxiao and greeted him warmly as soon as they met.
“Yan Shu told us you were coming. Today, just treat this place like your own home, don’t be shy. Leave dinner to us,” Zhou Lan said with a pat on Wei Tingxiao’s back, smiling.
“Thanks, Boss Zhou.”
“Hey, what boss? Today, we are all family and friends here. What should you call me then?”
“Well, you look pretty young. If you don’t mind, can I call you Zhou-ge?”
“Sure! But then my big nephew and you are basically the same generation, haha. He calls me uncle, you call me ge—so then he’d have to call you uncle too.”
Wei Tingxiao suddenly became wary and embarrassed. “Maybe I should just stick to calling you uncle like Yan Shu does…”
Generation gaps are no fun.
“Oh, I was joking. We don’t fuss about that stuff. You just complimented me on looking young. I do feel young—I’m only 34, just a few years older than you,” Zhou Lan teased himself.
Wei Jiaheng was frantically calculating in his head: “Ah, that’s just 6 years older than my bro. My ge is almost 30 this year.”
Wei Tingxiao smacked his “useless” cousin hard on the head, telling him to shut up.
He truly hadn’t expected Zhou Lan to be so young. In the entertainment industry, that age is prime time.
If Yan Shu’s uncle was this young, then his father must be even younger…
“Hehe, I know what you’re thinking,” Zhou Lan said, quickly reading expressions. Being straightforward and carefree, he didn’t think it was a secret, so he spilt the beans. “Yan Shu’s dad is only 5 years older than me. Can’t tell his age? He’s not even 40 yet.”
Whoa, so he had Yan Shu when he was just in his late teens?
That’s definitely a young dad.
Yan Jin nudged Zhou Lan, “What are you gossiping about with the kids? You’re their elder, act like it.”
“Uncle Yan, don’t worry. We won’t blab these things around. Uncle Lan’s just enthusiastic,” Wei Tingxiao smoothed things over.
Zhou Lan laughed, “You’re quick with the nicknames. Not long ago, I was still Zhou-ge to you.”
“Sorry for crossing the line earlier. Even if you’re just one year older than me, you’re still my uncle.”
Yan Shu watched the scene in awe. Wei Tingxiao really knew how to navigate social situations—making elders happy and chatting with ease in such gatherings.
Yan Shu felt a bit envious of Wei Tingxiao’s skill and wondered if he could teach him.
He usually talked less in crowds; it was a habit. Most of the time, he preferred listening.
He always thought carefully about what he said, making sure to keep a balance.
Since the atmosphere today was so light and everyone was joking around, Yan Shu quietly walked up to Wei Tingxiao.
Leaning close to his ear, he teasingly whispered, “Uncle Wei, you sure know how to talk.”
Wei Tingxiao: “!”
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