ABOES 31: Want to See Xinian

In the rare downtime he had over the past few days, aside from his daily acting classes at the company, Ye Xinian spent all his time curled up at home reading his script.

The web drama was called Secret Crush, adapted from a novel of the same name.

To better understand the script, Ye Xinian read the novel first. And to his surprise, it wasn’t like the typical romance novels he remembered.

In the story, he played the second male lead—not the usual warm, devoted backup to the heroine, but someone who had a crush from the start… on another boy.

It was only then that Ye Xinian realized why the director had cast him without even an audition.

He spent the entire day reading the novel, completely hooked. When he finished, he checked the time and, still caught in the emotions of the story, decided to dive straight into the script.

What surprised him even more was that instead of removing the second lead’s same-sex romantic arc, the screenwriter had not only kept it, but added original scenes to deepen it.

The more he read, the more engrossed he became. Before he knew it, he’d pulled an all-nighter.

By the time he finished the entire script, it was already 8 a.m.

Luckily, his acting coach had other arrangements today, so there were no classes. After a quick breakfast, Ye Xinian—exhausted—put his phone on silent and went straight to bed.

Because of that, he completely missed the chaotic storm brewing online.

At 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, a gossip blog suddenly posted a shocking claim.

@SpillTheMelon: Received a tip from someone claiming to be Ye Xinian’s mother. She says Ye Xinian blocked them a week ago and hasn’t contacted his parents since. #screenshot#

Ye Xinian was trending hot on the internet lately, so this post immediately drew a lot of attention.

【Here we go again, clout-chasing clickbait bloggers.】

【Is the bar for fabricating rumors this low now? All it takes is one picture?】

【Maybe it’s just some “mom” he left behind somewhere.】

【Damn, Chinese really is rich in meaning!】

【Who bought this post—Xia Huaiming or Song Jing?】

【Has to be Xia Huaiming. Song Jing’s broke.】

Netizens didn’t take it seriously. After all, since the cheating scandal broke between Xia Huaiming and Song Jing, plenty of people had tried pinning blame on Ye Xinian without cause.

But the account wasn’t done.

It posted two more times.

One post had no caption, just two photos: Ye Xinian’s elementary school graduation picture and a photo of his high school student ID.

【Wait, this is real?!】

【No way… please don’t tell me I stan a fraud.】

【That really looks like him though…】

【Please tell me there’s more evidence than just these pics.】

The next post was a livestream link.

Viewers who clicked in were stunned.

On screen was a crying middle-aged couple. With red-rimmed eyes, they tearfully listed out all of Ye Xinian’s supposed “crimes” against them.

Mother Ye wiped her tears, glanced at the notes in her palm, and said, “Raising this child wasn’t easy. He always went to the best schools—elementary, middle, high school. Even when he got into college, we supported him fully. But…”

She choked up, mostly because she forgot her lines, and looked helplessly at Ye’s father.

He took over. “We’re not asking for anything. Even though my company went bankrupt, I still have some money saved. We don’t expect him to do anything. We just want to get in touch.”

“This child’s always been stubborn and naughty, causing us a lot of trouble. But even so, we never hit or scolded him…”

“But ever since he got famous, he changed. He insulted his mother constantly and me too. Even his younger brother doesn’t dare call him now.”

“I just don’t understand why he hates us so much.”

The comment section exploded:

【WTF is happening?!】

【Is this real?】

【No way, I just started stanning him!】

【You need proof if you’re going to slander someone like this.】

【These two are acting. I’m not buying it.】

Under pressure to provide evidence, Mother Ye said, “We don’t really know how to prove it, but he really blocked us. If you want, I’ll call him right now.”

She dialed Ye Xinian’s number on camera.

The first call went to: “The user you dialed is currently on another call…”

The second: “Temporarily unable to connect.”

The third: “The number you’ve dialed is turned off.”

【Not gonna lie… that really sounds like getting blocked.】

【That’s exactly what it sounds like when you’re blocked.】

【Dammit, is this for real?】

【I regret defending him now.】

She didn’t hide the number, and sharp-eyed netizens quickly traced it. Through university classmates, they confirmed it was indeed Ye Xinian’s number.

Some even tried calling, only to find it did connect, but no one answered.

The public turned.

【So he really did block his parents?】

【Disgusting.】

【Unfilial bastard. I’m done.】

【I backed the wrong person.】

Criticism poured in like a tidal wave, flooding Ye Xinian’s Weibo.

Chi Xiwen was the first to notice. His brows knit tight as he scrolled through the comments. Moments later, his phone rang. It was Tan Yao.

“Xiwen, Yunxing—he…”

“Mom, don’t panic,” Chi Xiwen said calmly. “I’ll investigate immediately. Don’t read anything online. I know Yunxing isn’t that kind of person.”

“I know he’s not that kind of person,” Tan Yao cut in. “And that’s exactly what worries me.”

She had gotten to know Ye Xinian over the past weeks.

Even when betrayed by his best friend and boyfriend, he never spoke ill of them online. Instead, he bore the fallout silently.

Ye Xinian was kind and strong.

So for someone like him to cut ties with his family—it spoke volumes about what kind of people they were.

What had they done to him?

Tan Yao trembled. She was afraid to imagine it.

Xiwen was thinking the same thing.

Until now, they’d all assumed Ye Xinian had grown up well; confident and successful. But the truth was far from it.

Not only had his life not been good—it might have been terrible.

Why else would he choose to sever ties with his so-called “family” the day the police called?

Tears welled in Tan Yao’s eyes. She whispered, “Xiwen, I want to see Xinian. Now. I don’t want to wait anymore.”

Chi Xiwen’s eyes were red too. He nodded. “Okay. I’ll call Dad. Let’s go find him.”

At the same time, Xie Yi was racing to Ye Xinian’s apartment, trying to call him but his phone was on silent, and with fans and netizens calling nonstop, the line was always busy.

Meanwhile, spurred on by Song Jing, Ye’s “parents” had arrived at his apartment complex. Followed by a horde of reporters and content creators.

The security guards tried to hold them at the gate, but they were outnumbered.

Ye Xinian, fast asleep, was finally awakened by loud knocking.

Still groggy, he mumbled, “Who is it?”

“It’s me! Xinian, thank god you’re home! Open up!” It was Chu Wen.

Ye Xinian dragged himself to the door. “What’s going on?”

Seeing his disheveled look, Chu Wen knew he’d just woken up.

Phone in one hand, he grabbed Ye Xinian with the other. “No time to explain. Xie Yi Jie wants me to get you to the hotel, now!”

Before he could even grab his phone or change, Ye Xinian was pulled outside.

“Wait—what’s happening?”

“You’ll see in the car.”

The elevator dinged.

As the doors opened, a wall of camera flashes blinded them.

Ye Xinian flinched and then he saw two painfully familiar faces in the crowd.

He understood instantly.

The reporters, who had waited all afternoon, swarmed.

“Ye Xinian, is it true you cut off contact with your parents?”

“They claim you abused them emotionally?”

“Are you refusing to support them financially?”

Microphones were shoved towards his face.

Chu Wen, stunned, remembered Xie Yi’s instructions and stepped in front of Ye Xinian. “No photos! You’re trespassing! This is private property!”

“Xinian, go—”

But Ye Xinian pulled him aside, staring straight at his so-called parents.

Then he smiled.

Everyone paused.

Without a word, Ye Xinian took Chu Wen’s phone and dialed.

“Hello, 110? I’d like to report my adoptive parents—for child trafficking.”

Silence.

The livestream viewers went berserk.

【WHAT?!】

【Did he just say… child trafficking?!】

【Is he talking about himself?!】

Then Ye Xinian continued.

“Yes. I was a trafficked child. They bought me seventeen years ago. I got a call from the Haishi police last week. The DNA test just came back. Officer Wang is handling the case, I’ll follow up with him soon.”

Each word landed like a bomb.

The reporters stood frozen, gripping their cameras.

Father Ye snapped out of it first. “Ye Xinian! What nonsense are you spouting?!”

His mother lunged forward, trying to grab the phone. “Xinian, don’t say things like that! If you don’t want to talk to us, fine, but calling the police?! We just want to reconnect with our child—”

Chu Wen blocked her. He might be shaken, but he knew this was serious.

“Kid, stay out of this!” she snapped.

Chu Wen sneered, “Try me. You think you can break into our home and act like the victims?”

Ye Xinian calmly spoke into the phone. “Yes, please send more officers. We’ve got a crowd trespassing here too.”

The content creators turned pale. Some fled on the spot. Others tried to defend themselves.

Ye Xinian ended the call and looked them over. “You can leave, but expect a lawyer’s letter soon.”

Chu Wen turned on the camera and began filming every face. “Perfect. No one leaves.”

【YES CHU WEN!!】

【Thank you for protecting our Xinian!】

Ye’s parents looked livid.

His father snapped, “Ye Xinian! When will you stop this nonsense? Are you seriously disowning us?”

His mother collapsed to the ground. “I raised you! I fed you! And now you don’t even recognize your own mother?!”

Ye Xinian’s gaze turned cold.

“Then let’s do a paternity test. Right now.”

She froze, eyes locked with his.

“I’m not your child,” he said calmly. “Stop using that line about raising me. It’s just for show.”

Father Ye growled, “Watch your mouth!”

Ye Xinian didn’t look at him. “Since you brought the media, maybe I’ll invite them to Haitang Road, Seven Alley—ask the neighbors who fed me growing up. You think they don’t remember?”

【What?!】

【He begged neighbors for food?!】

【That’s what “bǎi jiā fàn” means? Begging?!】

【Didn’t Ye’s dad just say they weren’t poor? That he had money even after going bankrupt?!】

【Haitang Road is a luxury villa area!!】

【So they bought a child and starved him?】

【I’m crying… this poor kid…】

Mother Ye couldn’t speak and Father Ye yanked her up. “How much more are you going to embarrass yourself?!”

“And you,” he snarled at Ye Xinian. “Stop lying! If you want to accuse us, show proof—”

“Fine. Let’s take the reporters to your basement. The bed I slept in for ten years should still be there. Also, why did you ask me for money and threaten to harass my mentor if I didn’t pay?”

His mother stammered, “Th-that was because we were struggling…”

“So you did ask me for money?”

【Oh god this is sickening.】

【They’re not parents—they’re criminals.】

【A basement bed?! Jesus Christ.】

【He was betrayed by friends, abused by fake parents, and sold off again?!】

The reporters had no doubts now.

They turned their mics on Father Ye. “Is what Ye Xinian said true? Did you buy him from traffickers?”

“Did Xiao Huaiming really give you a million yuan? What did you trade?”

【WAIT WHAT?!】

【They SOLD him to Xiao Huaiming?!】

【It all makes sense now. An unknown actor suddenly gets engaged to a rich heir?!】

【This is disgusting. I’m gonna be sick.】

His mother shrieked, “Don’t talk nonsense!”

But it was too late. She regretted everything.

Police sirens wailed downstairs.

As they waited, Chu Wen ran upstairs and grabbed Ye Xinian’s phone.

When officers arrived and took them away, Father Ye shot his son with a venomous glare. Caught clearly on the still-streaming cameras.

【That’s not how a father looks at his child. That’s hatred.】

【Hope they rot in prison.】

At the entrance, Xie Yi finally arrived.

Relieved that Ye Xinian was unharmed, she turned on the intruding reporters.

“You all better lawyer up!”

Ye Xinian tugged her sleeve gently. “I’m okay, Yi Jie.”

She fumed silently, but she let it go.

In the car, Chu Wen exhaled hard. “That scared the hell outta me…”

Xie Yi cracked a smile. “Your reaction time is something else.”

Ye Xinian chuckled. “Thanks for everything.”

Chu Wen waved it off. “No need.”

The atmosphere finally relaxed.

Ye Xinian rubbed his throbbing temple, then suddenly remembered—would he still be able to meet the Chi family tomorrow?

But he didn’t have to worry long.

Thirty minutes later, as they arrived at the station, a gentle but unfamiliar voice called out—

“Xinian?”