ABOES 106: Off to Filming

Although the Chi family’s banquet and press conference were not made public, Chi Yunxing’s identity still ended up being revealed within certain circles once the event was over.

Fortunately, Tan Yao and Chi Ling had given the media a heads-up beforehand. So even though many people knew that the Chi family had found their long-lost young master, the majority hadn’t seen what Chi Yunxing looked like. As a result, they didn’t connect “the second young master of the Chi family” with the celebrity Chi Yunxing.

As for netizens and fans, they were even less likely to know.

At least, that’s what Tan Yao and Chi Ling had expected but the issue arose from Yunxing Entertainment.

Share transfers in the Chi Group were fairly routine. The shares Tan Yao and Chi Ling gave to Chi Yunxing were a large amount, but to the Group, it simply meant a new shareholder had joined.

Yunxing Entertainment, however, was different. This wasn’t just a shareholder shuffle. It was a complete leadership change.

Chi Xiwen’s name was removed from the board of directors. In other words, Yunxing Entertainment had a new boss.

That major shift at the top quickly caught the attention of industry insiders and fan leaders alike.

【WTF WTF, are we witnessing a power shake-up?! Yunxing Entertainment changed owners!!!】
【????!!! Are you serious? Is this going to affect my precious idol?!】
【I’m kind of panicking. Should my goddess terminate her contract with them?!】
【It’s probably just a routine share transfer, right? Nothing to worry about.】
【Nothing to worry about, my ass! Check Tianyancha—Chi Xiwen got straight-up removed!】
【??? Chi Xiwen got kicked out?? No way!!! Our CEO’s just… gone?!】
【They really removed Chi Xiwen??? Did Yunxing Entertainment get acquired?!】
【Wait, wasn’t Chi Xiwen the founder of Yunxing Entertainment? How could he be replaced that easily?】
【Then who replaced him?!】
【Just checked—new board member is named Chi Yunxing…】

At that point, the internet collectively paused in shock and confusion.

【Chi Yunxing? As in… our Chi Yunxing?】
【Wait wait wait—Chi Yunxing? Yunxing Entertainment? That’s not just a coincidence, right?】
【Holy crap, this tea landed right on our doorstep! What’s going on?!】
【Any insiders wanna spill the truth? We’re all waiting.】

…

Chi Yunxing was currently riding a wave of popularity, so once the news got out, marketing accounts rushed to cover it.

@OrangeEntertainment: #YunxingEntertainment’sNewShareholderChiYunxing# Is this the same Chi Yunxing we all know?

@CitrusGossipLine: Rumor has it Yunxing Entertainment has a new director named Chi Yunxing. Could it be @ChiYunxing?

Attached was a photo of Chi Yunxing from his latest public event.

…

His fans were completely caught off guard:

【Wait what, his name is really Chi Yunxing?】
【Could it just be someone with the same name?】
【I looked him up on Tianyancha—no photo yet! So we can’t be sure. But something tells me… it’s him.】
【I always found it weird that he had the same name as Yunxing Entertainment. I even talked about it with friends—like, what if he was the long-lost son of the CEO? Guess I was right!】
【Damn, now that you mention it… this does make sense.】
【Exactly!!! And they both have the surname Chi!】

Long-time fans already knew about Chi Yunxing’s tragic past, so while they were shocked, they also felt the theory was oddly convincing.

【Now it makes sense why Yunxing Entertainment always responds to his controversies so quickly!】
【Wait… so Chi Yunxing is the biological son of Yunxing Entertainment’s founder?!】
【Be precise, sis—it’s the founder’s real brother!】
【OMG!!!】
【I’M LOSING IT OVER HERE】
【Someone give us an official statement, quick!】

…

The story spread like wildfire. Within moments, it was trending.

More and more fans joined the speculation. Some self-proclaimed “insiders” even stepped in, claiming that Chi Yunxing was actually Chi Xiwen’s son.

When Tan Yao saw that post, she laughed so hard she almost bent over backwards.

Grandma Chi laughed out loud too, pointing at Chi Xiwen. “Look what you started!”

Chi Ling gave Chi Xiwen a glare. “Wow, impressive. You promoted yourself to your own elder.”

Chi Xiwen looked extremely displeased after seeing the trending post. Now, being teased by his family, he looked even more miserable.

“It’s not my fault! How could I have known they’d jump to that conclusion…”

“Oh, it’s not your fault?” Chi Ling cut in sternly. “If you hadn’t suddenly transferred all your shares to Yunxing, would this have happened?”

Chi Xiwen immediately shut up.

Yeah… he hadn’t thought it through.

Chi Yunxing, who’d been laughing for quite a while, finally wiped his eyes and spoke up, “It’s really not a big deal. Ge just gave me his shares to help me—that’s not something bad!”

Grandma Chi added, “Look at that, your brother’s still defending you!”

Chi Xiwen was moved. “I knew I didn’t dote on Yunxing for nothing!”

He walked over and pulled Chi Yunxing into a big hug.

Tan Yao chuckled and shook her head.

What’s done was done. It wasn’t time to assign blame anymore—what mattered now was how to respond.

Tan Yao looked at Chi Yunxing. “Have you figured out how to explain it?”

Chi Yunxing poked his head out from Chi Xiwen’s arms and nodded. “Yeah, I was thinking of posting a clarification on Weibo.”

Tan Yao nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

Chi Yunxing pulled out his phone and quickly posted.

@ChiYunxing: =口=！Don’t believe everything you read online!!! He’s my brother—as in, real brother. Blood-related.

His fans were stunned:

【WHAT】
【So he’s your brother?!】
【Hahahahahaha omg sorry—HAHAHAHA my bad!】
【So that means… Chi Yunxing is really the second young master of the Chi family?!】
【Chi family? Which Chi family?】
【Paging my little assistant! @YunxingInfoBot, investigate!】

@YunxingInfoBot: On it! The Chi family = Chi Group. Chi Xiwen is confirmed as the eldest son of Chi Group, and now Chi Yunxing has confirmed they’re blood brothers—therefore, Chi Yunxing is officially the second young master of Chi Group. Bonus gossip: Three days ago, the Chi family held a banquet. Officially it was for Chi Xiwen’s birthday, but sources say the real purpose was to introduce the long-lost second young master.

The replies exploded.

【No freaking way. Yunxing’s family is this rich?!】
【Just looked up Chi Group. Yep—he’s a legit rich second-gen heir.】
【I’m emotional. Everyone knows Yunxing was kidnapped as a kid. And then his brother grows up and names his company after him? That’s… so touching.】
【Same. I’m crying. That detail hit me right in the heart.】
【+1. The second I saw his Weibo post, I started tearing up.】
【Let me just say this again—screw human traffickers!!!】
【His brother gave him an entire company. That’s love. Honestly, I’m jealous…】
【Who wouldn’t be?! It’s a whole damn company! Just gifted to him like that!】

…

While fans and netizens were crying their eyes out, Chi Yunxing was packing his suitcase.

The day to join the production crew had come—he and Duan Zhiyan would be leaving for Heng City’s film base the next day.

Two days earlier, Chi Yunxing had gone home to spend more time with his family.

After all, by the time the movie wrapped, it’d probably be summer.

Knowing he was about to leave for a while, Tan Yao didn’t go into the office at all. She stayed home just to keep him company.

As for Chi Ling and Chi Xiwen, both of them decided to work from home too.

The one most reluctant to let him go, though, was Grandma Chi.

Her health still wasn’t great. She’d recovered from a serious illness recently, and though she looked fine now, her body wasn’t as strong as before.

Chi Yunxing comforted her, “I’ll come back as soon as filming’s over. By then it’ll be summer—I’ll take you to Yunnan to see the flowers, okay?”

Grandma Chi loved the idea and nodded. “Okay! I’ll be waiting right here!”

…

Early the next morning, Duan Zhiyan arrived at the Chi villa to pick up Chi Yunxing for the airport.

After breakfast, the whole family walked him to the car.

Chi Yunxing was still all smiles as he got in, but once the car window rolled up and the figures of his family grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, he couldn’t hold it in anymore—his eyes turned red on the spot.

Duan Zhiyan’s heart ached at the sight. He pulled him into a hug and whispered, “Can’t bear to leave?”

Chi Yunxing gave a soft, muffled hum.

It was the first time he’d ever felt this way. Before coming home to the Chi family, every time he left the Ye house, he only felt relief—never reluctance.

It was different this time.

This was his first time leaving his family for such a long stretch since returning.

Thinking of Grandma Chi’s health only made his heart ache more.

Duan Zhiyan saw the tears welling in his eyes and gently wiped them away with his fingers. He said softly, “Yunxing, I think I told you before that I’m the assistant director for Scapegoat, right?”

Chi Yunxing, still leaning into his chest, nodded. “Mm. You told me.”

Duan Zhiyan smiled. “Then don’t you get it?”

“Huh?” Chi Yunxing was still too down to respond properly.

Duan Zhiyan looked down at him with amusement. “Silly. I’m the assistant director—which means if you want to take time off, you can. If filming wears you out, just tell me. I’ll give you a half-month break. You’ll have plenty of time to come home and visit Grandma.”

Chi Yunxing froze, eyes widening. “I can do that?”

Duan Zhiyan kissed the corner of his eye and said matter-of-factly, “Why not? I’m the assistant director. If I say yes, it’s yes.”

Chi Yunxing stared at him for a long moment. His nose tingled. Before the tears could fall again, he buried his face in Duan Zhiyan’s chest and clung to him tighter.

“Hey, why are you crying again?” Duan Zhiyan hadn’t expected it and panicked. “Don’t cry, Yunxing. Let me see?”

Chi Yunxing shook slightly, refusing to show his face.

Duan Zhiyan sighed and gave in. He hugged him tighter and coaxed gently, “Yunxing, don’t cry, okay?”

Chi Yunxing didn’t reply. The car’s privacy partition was down, and Xie Yi and He You were in a separate vehicle, so the only sound in the cabin was the soft, muffled sniffling.

Just as Duan Zhiyan debated whether he should Google “how to comfort someone,” the person in his arms finally stirred.

Chi Yunxing turned his head aside, still not letting him see his face.

Duan Zhiyan let him be. He grabbed a tissue and handed it over.

After a while, Chi Yunxing finally calmed down. He turned around again, eyes red and puffy, still filled with tears. His voice was hoarse. “Why are all of you so good to me?”

Duan Zhiyan looked at those swollen eyes and pulled him into another tight hug, voice low and helplessly gentle. “You’re my little boyfriend. If I’m not good to you, who else would I be good to?”