Chapter 47

During the summer, Yuan Ye headed back with Fang Shaoyi to Fang Shaoyi’s parents’ house. They stayed there for ten days. The old man had rested for two months after wrapping up his last movie and was now preparing for his next one. As soon as they arrived, the old man kidnapped Yuan Ye to discuss the script with him for several days. Each day, Yuan Ye needed to use all of his brain power to ponder over certain details. After all, this leader was in his family. There was a difference between him and the outside leaders.

Outside, when Yuan Ye couldn’t reach an agreement with the other party, he said whatever he wanted. Sometimes, his words were straightforward and sharp. However, when faced with Fang Han, Yuan Ye spoke very politely and carefully. He didn’t dare to be too bold either. This was his fucking father-in-law, for goodness’ sake.

“Enough. We’re here for vacation.” Fang Shaoyi stood outside the door of the study and crooked a finger to knock on the door. With faint amusement, he said, “Yuan Ye, come out for a walk.”

“We’re not done talking yet. What walk?” Fang Han glared at Fang Shaoyi, then ignored him. “Go out on a walk with your mom.”

Fang Shaoyi walked in and sat on the arm of Yuan Ye’s armchair. He loosely wrapped his arm around the other’s shoulder and said, “You keep Yuan Ye in here all day and make him work for you. Have you paid him screenwriter fees? Either you pay him right now, or we’re going to go on a walk.”

“Quit playing.” Yuan Ye laughed while elbowing him. “Don’t ask for money using my name. Don’t cause trouble.”

“Are you paying or not?” Fang Shaoyi asked while staring at his dad.

Fang Han nodded very straightforwardly. With a smile, he said, “I’ll pay.”

“I’m not asking for too much. Just a hundred thousand is enough.” Fang Shaoyi gently tapped his fingers against Yuan Ye’s shoulder rhythmically. He was very relaxed.

Fang Han snorted. He stood up and made to take out his checkbook from the desk drawer. Yuan Ye hurriedly stopped him; he grabbed onto the other’s arm and said, “Ey, ey, Dad.”

“What?” Fang Han glanced at him, eyebrow cocked.

Yuan Ye smiled and said, “I’d have to dare to accept your money. Stop joking around with me.”

“I dare to.” Fang Shaoyi tugged him back a bit and stated, “I asked for the money. It’s technically not yours.”

In the end, Fang Shaoyi really did ask for money; he truly got a hundred thousand from his dad. Yuan Ye was extremely speechless. At night, he told the other in private, “Am I crazy? Asking my father-in-law for money.”

“What are you scared of?” Fang Shaoyi leaned against the headboard of the bed and read his book. He didn’t look up. He only chuckled. “He’s keeping my man in custody to work for him. Can’t I ask him for some money?”

“Dishonest merchant,” Yuan Ye said.

Fang Shaoyi nodded very openly. “Exactly right.”

Previously, they had decided to go on vacation. In the end, though, Fang Shaoyi was on vacation – the weather was comfortable at the little beach town, he could observe the flowers and birds, and he had even gone out to sea a few times with the fishing boats – but Yuan Ye really and truly spent several days working overtime.

When they got back, Fang Shaoyi used this hundred thousand to buy a watch for Yuan Ye.

“Right.” Yuan Ye laughed while shaking his head. “Right.”

Yuan Ye’s birthday was at the end of August. Originally, they had planned to spend a few days on a little island, but this time coincided with when Yuan Ye had a lot of business on hand to take care of. He honestly couldn’t catch a break. Besides, older people didn’t place much of an emphasis at all on birthdays. Thus, they didn’t end up going.

But just because he didn’t find it important didn’t mean Fang Shaoyi didn’t. Even though all of their plans had been cancelled, Fang Shaoyi still celebrated Yuan Ye’s birthday very attentively. He prepared a gift – a car, made a cake, and even updated his status on Weibo. He tagged Yuan Ye and said happy birthday.

That day, the two of them stayed at a mountain retreat newly opened by their friend. They both had some alcohol.

Yuan Ye found Fang Shaoyi’s actions too extravagant. He was already so old, but still getting such treatment. After dinner, they stepped out to take a walk. Yuan Ye sat in a tree while Fang Shaoyi sat in the chair under the tree. Yuan Ye said, “So embarrassing.”

“Why?” Fang Shaoyi was still holding a rose in his hand. He had left the other roses in their room. Yuan Ye only pulled one out to hold; after a while, it became Fang Shaoyi who was holding the rose.

“Thin skin,” Yuan Ye said after a chuckle. “I have thin skin.”

Fang Shaoyi chuckled, but didn’t say anything. The two of them stared at the water’s surface. One stared from below and the other stared from in a tree. A while later, Fang Shaoyi suddenly asked, “How old are you?”

Though Yuan Ye didn’t know what the other intended to say, he still answered, “Thirty four.”

Fang Shaoyi nodded and drawled out, “Back then, you were seventeen.”

He had already doubled in age. Thinking back, it seemed like things had passed in a bit of a blur. This was quite frightening.

Fang Shaoyi stood up and took a few steps in Yuan Ye’s direction. He looked up at him and said, “Come down.”

Yuan Ye gazed at him. With a chuckle, he asked, “Can you catch me?”

Fang Shaoyi said he could.

Fang Shaoyi turned around. Yuan Ye jumped. His legs wrapped around Fang Shaoyi’s waist and his arms circled the other’s neck. Like a monkey, he hung from Fang Shaoyi’s back. The Fang Shaoyi of now was much better built than he had been back in the day. He wasn’t as thin as before. After getting pounced on by Yuan Ye, Fang Shaoyi stumbled, but still managed to stay standing. He wouldn’t let Yuan Ye fall on the ground again.

His back was half bent over. Yuan Ye asked him, “Am I heavy?”

“No.” Fang Shaoyi slowly walked forward while piggybacking him. He told Yuan Ye, “It’s been so long since I’ve carried you.”

They calmly experienced their relationship. Things were just like before, but also slightly different. It was rare in the past for them to have leisurely time like they did now. They often needed to fly between different film sets; even the times when Fang Shaoyi wasn’t filming were filled with work. He needed to prepare for his next movie and travel for promotions. Their vacation days, too, needed to be strictly scheduled. Like this, vacation also seemed like work.

Right now, Fang Shaoyi wasn’t scheduled for anything that was going to take up copious amounts of time. Aside from《Wind Wanderer》, which was about to start promotions, he basically had nothing else to do. His previously rapid-paced life came to an abrupt halt. Instead, Yuan Ye became the busier one.

Fang Shaoyi didn’t accept the invitation for Director Wei’s film. Regarding this, Yuan Ye and him shared contrasting opinions.

Yuan Ye told him, “It was written with you in mind. Anyone can tell from reading the script. This is a good movie. From a film perspective and from a relationship perspective, you should accept the invitation.”

Fang Shaoyi was shaving his beard while looking in the mirror. He rubbed his stubble and continued. “So many passionate scenes. There are kiss scenes and bed scenes.”

“Sacrificing your body for art,” Yuan Ye joked.

Fang Shaoyi cocked an eyebrow before turning around to look at him. “You said that. You’ll let me sacrifice my body?”

Yuan Ye hurriedly smiled and shook his head. “Impossible. I was joking. Act in the same way you did in the past. Don’t even think any crooked thoughts.”

Fang Shaoyi flicked Yuan Ye’s head while passing by. After, he said, “I won’t take the role. I’d need a body double for all the passionate scenes. That’d just make things more difficult for the director.”

In actuality, this was just a random excuse. Using a body double wasn’t even a big deal at all. Fang Shaoyi simply didn’t want to act in this movie.

Yuan Ye wiped the smile off his face. He very seriously asked the other, “Yi ge, you’ve already been resting for four months. How long do you want to rest?”

“I haven’t made up my mind yet.” Fang Shaoyi changed into a different set of clothes. His shoulders gently quivered as he tugged the pajama top off. “Aren’t things fine right now?”

“Fine how?” Yuan Ye furrowed his brows. “It’s a script you like. Also, this is a favor you can’t reject. Why aren’t you taking the role? What are you thinking?”

Fang Shaoyi finished changing. He walked over and pulled the other downstairs. As they walked, he said, “I’m tired. You need to let me take a break from time to time.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Tired my ass.” Yuan Ye was a bit agitated. “This movie doesn’t start filming until January. You’ll still be tired at that time?”

Fang Shaoyi’s hand pressed against the top of Yuan Ye’s head and he wobbled it around a few times. Then, he answered, “I’ll take other roles when I’m not tired anymore.”

Yuan Ye shifted his head a bit to the side. The two of them got off the stairs. Fang Shaoyi headed into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Yuan Ye followed behind him. Last night, they had already scheduled the cooker to make porridge. While scooping the porridge out, Yuan Ye spilled a drop onto his hand. It was pretty hot. He put his finger in his mouth and sucked on it before suddenly telling Fang Shaoyi, “Yi ge, don’t tell me you’re doing this for me.”

Fang Shaoyi didn’t even pause in his movements after hearing this. He acted like it wasn’t a big deal. “What am I doing for you? I’m not accepting any movie invitations for you?”

Yuan Ye only furrowed his brows and looked at him. He didn’t say anything.

Fang Shaoyi chuckled. He scolded, “Hurry and keep your thoughts in check, Consort Yu. There aren’t so many secret or complicated explanations.”

They knew each other too well; they knew each other’s weaknesses and what hurt the other the most. They also knew what was taboo for the other. Yuan Ye said, “We’re already at this age. Forget adults. I think we’re almost senior citizens. Be more mature. Don’t be foolish.”

Fang Shaoyi followed his train of thought, “Then wouldn’t it be nice to live like a senior citizen now?”

“Nice my ass.” This was the second time Yuan Ye was speaking like this this morning. He had been thinking about this matter for a long time. Fang Shaoyi refused to schedule work. Yuan Ye felt uneasy. Since they were already on this topic today, why not continue it? Continue until they could clear things up.

Yuan Ye gazed at Fang Shaoyi and told him, “You know what my biggest fear is. If our relationship ultimately needs you to compromise by not acting anymore, if you lose these things because of me, I’d rather——”

“You’d rather what?” Before Yuan Ye could even finish speaking, he had already been interrupted by Fang Shaoyi. Fang Shaoyi stared straight at him. His gaze suddenly became very heavy. “Say it.”

Yuan Ye shut his mouth. He didn’t say anything.

Fang Shaoyi’s voice was very low. He repeated, “You’d rather what?”

Yuan Ye pressed his lips together. He furrowed his brows and turned his head to the side. After, the entire atmosphere became silent. Nobody ate and nobody spoke. Yuan Ye sat on one side, face turned away and completely quiet. Fang Shaoyi sat across from him, staring. They stayed this way for a long time.

Eventually, Yuan Ye turned around first. He sighed and said, “You’re the most important thing to me.”

This sentence had been very direct. It sounded like a plea to reconcile. But Yuan Ye was speaking from the bottom of his heart. He didn’t need Fang Shaoyi to make sacrifices in order to maintain the peace and stability of their relationship. He also couldn’t accept the other doing so. Such a simple but straightforward solution seemed like a joke. It was impossible.

But at this time, this sentence was actually inappropriate. It caused the opposite reaction as intended.

Fang Shaoyi scoffed. He stared at Yuan Ye and asked him, “I’m the most important thing. So? What were you going to say earlier? What would you rather?”

Yuan Ye rubbed his head with his hand. After, he replied, “I said the wrong thing...... Sorry, ge.”

“You’d rather not have this relationship anymore, right?” Fang Shaoyi’s voice was very cold. His expression was cold and blank as well. “Rather separate from me?”

Yuan Ye’s eyes were now a bit red. He reached out and squeezed Fang Shaoyi’s hand, then gently scratched his thumb against the back of it. He lowly said, “I spoke foolishly without thinking about what I was saying. Ge, don’t be angry.”

Fang Shaoyi pulled his hand away. He gazed at Yuan Ye, eyes red as well. Eyes locked on him, he asked, “You haven’t been divorced for long enough, is that it?”