Nan Yan's tense state suddenly relaxed.
The anxious Jiang Yan in his backpack also flopped down, feeling relieved.
From that day on, the two decided that it was best not to bring Jiang Yan to work anymore. Firstly, it wasn't comfortable for her to stay in the bag all the time, and secondly, the work site was too chaotic, with a high risk of being discovered.
But the hotel wasn't entirely safe either. Nan Yan deliberately hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign outside and rehearsed several times with Jiang Yan, instructing her to hide whenever someone came in.
Nan Yan even got a few baby monitors to keep track of Jiang Yan's status at all times.
After finishing the afternoon shoot, Nan Yan took Jiang Yan back without joining the others for dinner. He initially thought about buying food back, but realizing Jiang Yan would be confined to the hotel room again, he decided to inform his Little Assistant and went out to eat with his backpack.
There was a street food alley nearby, which Nan Yan visited wearing a hat and mask. As night fell, the street was bustling with people looking for a meal, so no one paid much attention to Nan Yan.
He ordered a bowl of chicken soup wonton with extra cilantro, a serving of juicy soup dumplings, two warm sugar cakes, and two skewers of chewy gluten. Then he found a corner spot to sit and eat.
Jiang Yan strongly suspected he came here just to eat, rather than to take her out as he claimed.
Nan Yan unzipped the backpack, letting Jiang Yan hide under the table. The street lights weren't too bright, and under the table was a patch of dark shadow.
Jiang Yan stayed safely underneath, waiting for Nan Yan to pass her food. The richly seasoned grilled gluten had to be torn into small strips by Nan Yan before being given to Jiang Yan, as it was too big for her to hold.
But Nan Yan still ate the most. Jiang Yan only managed half a gluten strip, took two sips of soup using Nan Yan's spoon, and ate one small wonton. The sugar cake was too big, so she just took two bites.
Nan Yan devoured the rest.
Nan Yan tried his best to be discreet, but eating required removing his mask, especially when passing the spoon under the table. Worried about others noticing something strange, he kept glancing around at the surrounding people. This scrutiny fully exposed his face.
A few fans who had been suspiciously eyeing him, recognizing his familiar features, immediately rushed over. Frightened, Nan Yan grabbed Jiang Yan and ran, making it back to the hotel after a nerve-wracking but ultimately safe chase. They weren't caught, but quite a few photos were taken.
After this incident, solo outings were completely forbidden.
Nan Yan's only joy while at work was watching Jiang Yan through the baby monitor. He'd observe her rolling on the hotel sofa, napping on the tablet, outwitting the hotel cleaning staff... his emotions fluctuating between tension and relief along with her actions.
Second Brother felt distressed every time he saw their Youngest Brother so deeply involved. How could he have a child before even reaching the legal marriage age?! He still refused to believe it, but caught a glimpse of the Youngest Brother's phone screen lighting up with two notifications:
[Device 1 Nursery Baby Sound Detection Details]
[Device 2 Nursery Baby Movement Detection Details]
Second Brother had seen these at his cousin's place who had a baby. Now, the evidence was irrefutable. So he had been watching the baby's monitors all along. Poor Youngest Brother, having to shoulder the responsibilities of fatherhood at such a young age.
Of course, Second Brother couldn't possibly imagine how much he'd envy the Youngest Brother ten years later, still being single himself.
...
Nan Yan came from a wealthy family, with both parents being business tycoons, which naturally meant they had little time to spend with him. His parents compensated with money and resources, providing him with an excellent education from a young age, along with generous allowances.
To prevent their son from becoming estranged, Nan's Father and Nan's Mother had repeatedly explained the significance of their work to Nan Yan — that it was all for his sake — they essentially loved their child.
Of course, Nan Yan never believed it, and thanks to his elite education, he had always been able to make his own judgments.
As Nan Yan grew older, Nan's Father and Nan's Mother were pleased that he was sensible, always meeting their expectations, and never going through a rebellious phase.
Later, this virtue became Nan's Father and Nan's Mother's downfall. Because Nan Yan had always been compliant from childhood, satisfying them while receiving large allowances, he became too lazy to form his own aspirations.
The Eldest Young Master, whom they had worried might rebel, turned into an aimless layabout. Nan's Father and Nan's Mother grew increasingly concerned, and finally, when Nan Yan entered university, they cut off his living expenses, forcing him to become independent.
Nan Yan had grown too accustomed to an easy life, with extravagant spending habits, and couldn't accept the sudden downgrade in lifestyle. So, he chose to capitalize on his good looks, entering the lucrative entertainment industry. Relying on his face, he successfully joined a boy band and earned his first bucket of gold.
This left Nan's Father and Nan's Mother, who had mistakenly believed their son would inherit their business empire, sighing in disappointment. But they were completely helpless now. When Nan Yan had relied on them for his livelihood, he would still listen to them, but now that he discovered he could support himself, he never returned home.
Nan Yan was actually quite love-starved, but the education he received had made him realize this early on, and he quickly found ways to cope.
Especially now, standing on stage with thousands of fans shouting "I love you" at him. He knew he was worthy of love.
But who, as a child watching cartoons, didn't dream of having their very own unique little magical creature? Jiang Yan's existence fulfilled Nan Yan's obsession with having his personal magical companion.
