Celebration

The moment he hugged his father and mother goodbye, Xie Yibai began berating himself for not thinking to take them on vacation with him. He had been such an inconsiderate son.

But his mother didn't mind at all. She linked her arm through his and patted the back of his hand. "Silly boy, you've already given your father and me so much. What's so special about a vacation? Your father and I have been to Indonesia before. Don't worry about us. The most important thing is for you to get a good rest."

His father wasn't so easygoing. He snorted. "Aren't all you only

children

like that? You never think of anyone else. If I'd known, your mother and I would have had a few more children."

His mother glared daggers at his father. "Don't push your luck! Everything you eat, use, wear and live in was bought with money our son earned. And you say he doesn't think of you? What more do you want? If you've got too much time on your hands, why don't you go get a job?"

After that thorough scolding, his father fell silent. He helped load the suitcase into the trunk and took on the role of driver.

Xie Yibai didn't get many days with his family. Whenever his mother saw him, she always fussed over him and asked about his life: whether work was tiring and filming was hard. Then she praised his new drama, saying how good it was and how all their friends and relatives were watching it. So-and-so's little niece was a diehard fan of his, too.

Though he heard much the same things every time he came home, Xie Yibai never found it dull or tiresome. He took off his hat, sunglasses and mask and leaned against his mother's shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of her skincare products. It was as though he were a child again.

Xie Yibai had become aware of his sexual orientation in middle school. By then, he had grown into a handsome, delicate-featured boy, famous throughout the school, with countless

secret admirers.

He was embarrassed by all the gifts he received, so he told the classmates around him that he only liked boys.

His classmates weren't bad people and didn't go around telling everyone, but no secret could stay buried forever. One person told ten, and ten told a hundred, until it reached their homeroom teacher. After a parent-teacher meeting, the teacher asked his mother to stay behind and asked whether the rumor was true.

The day his mother asked him, "Are you gay?" Xie Yibai thought his

warm,

ordinary family was about to fall apart.

But his mother was wonderful. She didn't reproach him or ask many questions. She immediately found him a new school and completed the transfer and enrollment procedures within a week.

His mother didn't care whether he liked boys or girls. She only worried that he would be bullied at school and looked at differently. It was also her decision to send him to an arts-affiliated high school and have him study music. Teachers and students in arts-related fields tended to be more individualistic, and the atmosphere was relatively free and open.

His mother carefully screened his surroundings, hoping he would be accepted and cared for. That was why, even after becoming an adult, Xie Yibai still chatted with her about everything and confided in her.

Of course, all this had been kept from his father. His father was a traditional Chinese father who believed a father's love was like a mountain and that fathers should be strict while mothers were gentle. His way of loving his son was to leave him alone and never ask about him, nor did he interfere with how his wife raised him. But he also wanted his son to succeed. His greatest wish was to see him achieve fame and fortune, marry and have children, and become a "successful son" whom all their relatives envied and admired.

Even when his father tried to chat with him, he couldn't help putting him down. One moment he would complain that Xie Yibai didn't look manly enough and spent all his time acting in love stories; the next, he would sigh at the movie channel and say how nice it would be to see him in a real movie like that someday.

In short, Xie Yibai found his father terribly annoying.

If he didn't remember how hard his father had worked entertaining clients and diligently supporting the family, he really couldn't be bothered to say another word to him.

The small three-story villa where his parents now lived had been bought by Xie Yibai. It was a bit far from the city center, but the surroundings were quiet, the scenery was beautiful, and it even had a large garden and a swimming pool. It was Xie Yibai's dream house. Unfortunately, he was usually busy and rarely had a chance to come back for an extended stay.

Standing in the dining room, he looked out at the flower bed in the yard. Only a few tulips had been planted for decoration; weeds grew wild in the rest of the soil. His mother loved playing cards and shopping, while his father liked fishing and hiking. The couple couldn't even be bothered to keep a dog or a cat, much less tend flowers and plants.

Xie Yibai surveyed the fertile soil and bright sunshine with regret. If the garden were filled with flowers and greenery, it would be so beautiful.

Regret aside, he didn't have the energy for gardening either. Whenever he had time off, all he wanted to do was lie around. He didn't even want to date.

He was only twenty-six, and he already couldn't muster the energy to cultivate his interests!

At the Xie house, his father did the cooking. The food tasted like ordinary home cooking, neither good nor bad, but there was plenty of it to fill them up. After the meal, Xie Yibai wanted to help wash the dishes, but his mother sent him upstairs to unpack his suitcase first.

Xie Yibai returned to his bedroom and opened the suitcase. He scratched his head at the pile of clothes and toiletries. There wasn't much point in unpacking when he couldn't even stay home for two days.

Just then, his mother came upstairs with a plate of fruit and entered his room. She seemed about to speak, then hesitated.

"What's wrong? Did you have a fight with Dad?" Xie Yibai asked. "Or have you got your eye on a bag?"

His mother winked at him. "Are you still in touch with that ex-boyfriend of yours?"

When Xie Yibai had rented a place in Xing Zhanyun's home, his mother had visited him and been happy that he had found such a close friend. He had also told her about Xing Zhanyun pursuing him, confessing to him, and all the ambiguous things that had happened between them in the past.

It wasn't just outsiders who thought so. Even in his mother's eyes, the two of them seemed to have dated.

"What ex-boyfriend? I told you, he wasn't." As usual, Xie Yibai denied it outright. He sat down at the foot of the bed, took the plate and began eating the cherry tomatoes and strawberries, which were juicy and low in sugar.

"Then why did he send me a bag?"

"What bag? When did he send it? Don't tell me you accepted it?"

"Just the day before yesterday. It was shipped from the boutique. I didn't know it was a bag until I opened it, and since I didn't buy it, I couldn't return it," his mother said. "A color-block Kelly in Togo leather. It wasn't cheap. I thought you two had gotten back together."

"If he didn't send it-then how do you know it was him?" Xie Yibai was speechless. "Mom, tell me if there's something you want. The allowance I give you every month should be enough to buy a bag, shouldn't it? Why are you accepting things from other people?"

"He left a card in the box with his name on it. I didn't ask for it!" His mother spread her hands. "What kind of thing is that to say? Do you think your mother is that easily impressed? I was worried you'd rekindled your old flame with him and would lose sight of your priorities and let it affect your work."

What mattered most to an entertainer? Image and public persona came first. He couldn't come out at the height of his popularity.

"Nothing ever happened between us, so there's no old flame to rekindle. Honestly, he's always pulling these self-satisfied surprises." Xie Yibai put down the fruit, found his phone and sent Xing Zhanyun a message.

"Since there's nothing between you, we can't accept the gift. Ask him for an address and I'll send the bag back."

"He gave it to you, so keep it. I'll transfer him the money."

"Is he still trying to pursue you?"

"Yes."

His mother said, "Then if you send him the money, will he accept it?"

Xie Yibai said, "Probably not."

"Then you're not being decisive enough. It's as if you're giving him a chance."

"Why do I need to be so decisive? Didn't he do it of his own free will?"

Xie Yibai opened his chat with Xing Zhanyun, transferred the money, then left a message: Thanks for the bag. My mom likes it very much, but please don't do this again. Please make sure you accept the money.

Xing Zhanyun replied quickly, but only with a few words: I'm glad Auntie likes it.

Xie Yibai was so annoyed he almost laughed. Judging by when he had sent the bag, Xing Zhanyun was indirectly apologizing for what had happened that day and trying to make peace. But there was no conflict between them. They simply lacked common topics of conversation, and less than a tenth of their emotional foundation remained. They could no longer enjoy each other's company.

It was no one's fault, nor was it something either of them could salvage by swallowing their feelings and making concessions.

Xie Yibai had considered taking a harder line, making things clear and cutting ties for good. But he didn't have that much confidence in Xing Zhanyun's character. What if he pushed him too far and Xing Zhanyun lashed out like a cornered dog?

If Xing Zhanyun took their everyday photos from when they had lived under the same roof years ago, concocted a short essay about a nonexistent tale of love and hate, and bought a few Weibo trending searches to smear his reputation, wouldn't Xie Yibai have to spend a fortune and call in every connection he had to handle the PR crisis?

Xie Yibai had been in this circle long enough to know how fickle people could be and how unpredictable life was. When it came to anyone outside his family, he had no choice but to be on guard.

Unless absolutely necessary, it was better to leave some room for reconciliation, so they could still face each other in the future. Besides, Xing Zhanyun wasn't short of that ten or twenty. There was no need to make them both lose face.

Having thought through the stakes, Xie Yibai stopped worrying.

What's he putting on an act for? He can take it or leave it.

Chapter 7: Celebration

Xie Yibai's vacation was short and precious. The day after he got home, his agent called and urged him to return for a celebration banquet hosted by the production company. His airing drama, "Jade Steps Ode," had come to a successful end. Its new-user acquisition, platform popularity, views, advertising time and ratings had all far exceeded expectations, leaving the platform very satisfied. Hence the dinner.

"Jade Steps Ode" had been filmed three years earlier. It was a costume drama with elements of court intrigue, and his co-star was the popular young actress Su Xiaotang. Neither of them had been as famous then, and the drama had only been rated A, with an overall production quality that left much to be desired. Its success had been a complete and pleasant surprise. Besides the established audience for costume romance dramas, both stars' fans had also done their part.

Because so much time had passed and both he and Su Xiaotang were no longer what they had been, they hadn't appeared together to promote it during its hit run. Each had posted a few photos and captions on Weibo, which counted as fulfilling their promotional duties.

Xie Yibai reluctantly said goodbye to his parents and returned to the glamorous, busy world of fame and fortune, having long since put the matter with Xing Zhanyun out of his mind.

On the day of the banquet, the styling team gave him a fashionable look: a light-gray haute couture suit with a diamond-encrusted brooch from an auction house. They dyed his hair a pale, silvery blond and applied light makeup. When they were done, the makeup artist studied him for a while, then added a unicorn earring.

He didn't have pierced ears. The porcelain-white pony with a purple mane and silver horn clipped onto his earlobe, swaying as he chatted and smiled.

His public image had long been obedient, gentle and nonaggressive. In modern dramas, he played school heartthrobs and aloof bosses; in costume dramas, he played noble young masters of unimpeachable character and

unattainable beauties-

beautiful, strong and tragic. This was his first time going for an openly rebellious look. It was because he had recently signed an endorsement deal for a popular game and would soon be filming a promotional video, so he was laying the groundwork in advance.