MFW 13

How difficult can the red carpet be? Anyone with legs can walk. 

But when ordinary people face countless flashing lights and the cacophony of “Look here!” and “Smile!” under the starlight, it’s not as easy as they imagine.

It wasn’t until Li Fei gently tugged at him that Fu Siting, like a ship lost in a storm finally finding a lighthouse, followed Li Fei step by step, not even knowing how he finally got off the red carpet. 

Afterwards, Ji Cai beamed, “Very good, very good, the effect was super good!”

Fu Siting finally felt a little relieved. However, how could the effect really be good! 

In less than ten minutes, videos of him walking on the red carpet were already everywhere. Fu Siting felt dizzy watching them— he was like a puppet the whole time, creaking as he followed Li Fei. He did walk when Li Fei walked, and stop when Li Fei stopped. But he was stiff and expressionless the whole time, completely lacking the composure and elegance he displayed on the red carpet a year ago. Even an emotionless robot would probably look more natural than him! 

Ji Cai disagreed: “Isn’t it cute? That’s exactly the effect we wanted. You don’t understand, this makes it even better!” 

Fu Siting thanked her for her insincere words. 

He was too ashamed to continue watching the video, and naturally didn’t see the exponentially increasing number of comments below it: 

“Help! Help! I can’t take it anymore! President Fu is staring at him so intently! He’s not even trying to hide it! Is he that in love?” 

“I’m screaming, I’m crowing, I’m crawling, I’m roaring!” 

“Every time he stares at Li Fei, his gaze is so intense. Can those actors who can’t act out romantic scenes learn what textbook ‘treating someone like a treasure’ looks like?

“They’re good-looking too, a perfect match. I approve of this marriage!” 

“Actually, he looked at him the same way before, but at least he managed his expressions a little. Today, wow, good heavens, he still remembers what expression management is?” 

“He’s looking at Li Fei every single second, not even glancing at the camera. Well, the camera can’t compare to Li Fei’s good looks.”

“I love this kind of gaze that’s all I see!” 

“Yeah, ‘the eyes of your lover arrive before the kiss’…” 

“Being stared at with such deep and devoted eyes, Li Fei can still remain calm and collected. That’s kingly.” 

“Come on, look at Li Fei’s slightly upturned lips, they never went down!” 

That very evening, even a video analyzing the micro-expressions frame by frame was released. His agent, Ji Cai, happily watched the soaring popularity. 

Why not call it “super effective”? 

… 

After the red carpet, celebrities of different skin colors exchanged pleasantries. 

Fu Siting silently recalled a gossip a classmate had told him, Li Fei had studied in the US since middle school and was actually fluent in English. But he often pretended not to speak English in international settings to avoid tedious social interactions. And that was indeed the case.

In the venue, many foreign celebrities greeted Li Fei with glances and smiles, some even nodding and waving warmly, some even coming over to hug him, but they mostly just called him by name, using a few internationally recognized English phrases to concisely express their liking and compliments. 

Those who dared to strike up a conversation were those who spoke some broken Chinese. They came for Li Fei, but since he was accompanied by Fu Siting, they felt obliged to ask him a question out of politeness. 

“This is President Fu,” Li Fei introduced them, “CEO of the game company, creator of *Cloudless Cloudland*.”

*Cloudless Cloudland* is the award-winning game *Cloudless Cloudland*, well-known among players both domestically and internationally. 

Several male celebrities immediately became excited upon hearing this, exclaiming exaggeratedly: “Creator, wow!” 

“So young! So talented!” 

The one who spoke Chinese kept pulling at Fu Siting in broken Chinese: “I’ve played your games, they’re absolutely fantastic! You’re the god of the gaming world!” 

Fu Siting: “…” 

Following the red carpet was a celebrity cocktail party held at a huge private estate adjacent to the beach. 

Li Fei had originally planned to make a brief appearance and leave, but the estate was indeed beautifully decorated tonight. Brilliant lights hung from trees, and fountains danced with silvery spray under the moonlight. On the green lawn under the lights were exquisitely arranged tables and chairs and a buffet. The main building of the estate was even more resplendent, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows letting in warm light. Amidst the melodious music, elegantly dressed guests chatted, while in a corner of the garden, a bartender prepared signature cocktails, and waiters carried colorful drinks back and forth. 

“…” Fu Siting couldn’t help but glance at them a few more times. 

After all, he had only ever seen such a typical scene in old American movies played on movie channels… 

“Fu Xiaoting, would you like to play here for a while?” Li Fei asked him. 

“If you’re curious, I’ll show you around, okay?” 

Fu Siting pursed his lips. 

He really wanted to say no, but he was genuinely… very curious about this estate. 

Li Fei, of course, knew what he was thinking. 

After all, they had been together for three years, and he knew very well that whenever Fu Siting arrived in a new place, he would immediately switch into “curious baby mode,” eager to unveil the mysteries of every corner of the new landmark. 

He loved old towns, loved wandering through winding alleys, would touch the stone walls etched with the marks of time, and would be attracted by every traditional handicraft shop. 

With a guide, he would constantly ask all sorts of strange and unusual questions; without a guide, he could wander the streets and alleys, enjoying himself immensely. 

He would often squat down to observe wildflowers he had never seen before, and if he encountered a strangely shaped tree, he would definitely circle around it several times. He didn’t even miss the shape and habits of the seashells and small crabs on the beach. When passing by a salt lake, he insisted on tasting it to see just how salty it was. 

As for the castles, ruins, relics, and tunnels he encountered… those were even more incredible; there wasn’t a single place where Fu Siting wouldn’t be eager to explore. 

Li Fei simply took Fu Siting’s hand: “Come on, let’s go on an adventure!” 

… 

The estate was indeed very large. 

Li Fei led Fu Siting directly to the back of the estate, to the poolside. 

Compared to the foyer, lawn, and main building where celebrities and movie stars gathered and mingled, the cocktail party by the pool, despite having a full range of food and drinks and a dazzling seafood buffet, was noticeably less bustling. 

Only a handful of young men and women were playing in the pool water under the colorful lights. 

So much fresh, plump, and mouthwatering seafood and fine wine were nearby, but no one touched them! 

Fu Siting was still a little shy.

Li Fei, without any hesitation, grabbed a large plate and aimed at the biggest, most imposing lobster. Then, without a second thought, he piled the plate with plump crabs, grilled oysters, and butter-baked scallops. 

Fu Siting stood there dumbfounded, watching him fill plate after plate. 

“…” 

A table full of delicious food, but Fu Siting had never eaten lobster before and was completely clueless. Before he could even crack the shell, the lobster meat was already torn to pieces. 

He helplessly looked up and saw Li Fei, smiling and admiring his clumsy attempt, skillfully and elegantly twisting the lobster with disposable gloves, brutally smashing its head open, the tender, whole meat instantly peeling off the shell. 

Fu Siting: “…” 

Li Fei brought the lobster meat to his mouth: “Fu Xiaoting, open your mouth.”

Fu Siting: “…”

He was being fed by Li Fei from the clouds. The lobster was plump and springy, with a sweet and fresh taste. 

Soon, a small bowl of peeled lobster meat appeared before him, and Li Fei had even prepared a dipping sauce for him. 

This wasn’t the first time Fu Siting had felt deeply pampered. 

But this time… the feeling was especially clear. 

The other seafood was also delicious. 

Plates of crabs were a vibrant red, their broth soaked with sea urchin sauce. The oysters, grilled, had the unique aroma of garlic infused into their tender flesh. The baby squid, blanched, retained its original sweetness, crisp and chewy with every bite. 

Even the cocktails in their hands exuded a captivating fruity fragrance, a perfect complement to the seafood. 

Fu Siting savored the meal with focused enjoyment. 

Li Fei, on the other hand, ate slowly, silently observing the way Fu Siting ate with gusto. 

… 

After they were full, the two avoided the crowds and continued walking along the quiet paths of the estate towards the sea. 

Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows along the way. They passed a rose garden with a rusty iron gate, a somewhat abandoned greenhouse, and even discovered a small wooden cabin hidden deep in the woods. 

The cabin door was ajar. The two exchanged a glance and decisively turned on their phone flashlights. 

Undeterred by his lingering curiosity, he didn’t stop until he’d examined all the strange and unusual collectibles displayed in the room. 

The sound of the waves grew louder, and finally, they reached the beach. 

Night fell like a vast, deep purple velvet blanket, gently covering the private beach. The inky blue sea shimmered with silver light under the faint moonlight, the distant horizon merging with the night sky, the waves making a low, gentle sound. 

A salty sea breeze stirred his hair. 

This was actually… Fu Siting’s first time seeing the sea. 

There was a hammock on the beach. 

Even though they were far from civilization, and the surroundings were pitch black, Li Fei somehow managed to find him a coconut in the blink of an eye. 

The coconut was already opened, a straw was placed inside, and it was decorated with a yellow frangipani flower. 

“…” 

With Li Fei in the world, it was truly bizarre and wonderful. 

It seemed that every extra day, hour, minute, and second he spent with him, Fu Siting discovered something different about this world. And in this wondrous world lived Li Fei, a completely new and fascinating person to him. 

The real Li Fei is both similar to and unlike the one on screen. 

The real Li Fei loves to laugh, and the real Li Fei can be mischievous at times. The real Li Fei is gentle and tolerant, and will accompany him on silly adventures, grabbing the biggest lobster at a buffet, handsome and fresh. 

The coconut is so sweet. 

So the coconuts decorated with frangipani flowers in the movie actually taste like this when you drink it. 

The sound of the waves is gentle, and Fu Siting is deeply immersed in it for a while. He seems to be really… feeling “happiness” now. 

But perhaps because he is too happy, his heart… begins to ache faintly. 

He can’t help but steal a glance at Li Fei. 

The night breeze is gentle, and under the starry sky, Li Fei’s dark eyes are also looking at him gently. But is he actually looking at… him? 

It should only be the twenty-eight-year-old Fu Siting that he would truly cherish and protect. 

“…” 

The coconut is obviously sweet, but at this moment, it suddenly tasted a little bitter. 

In the past few days, Li Fei has shown him all kinds of delicate care and indulgence. But is Li Fei’s gentleness and patience just waiting? 

Waiting for him to return to “normal”. 

He was waiting for him to recover and become the Fu Siting he loved, the capable, dashing, confident, and composed Fu Siting. 

The doctor said the blood clot would only last for a dozen days. 

But what if, after a dozen days, he still couldn’t… recover? What if, by then, he was still the sixteen-year-old Fu Siting? 

Would Li Fei gradually lose patience? 

Would he start to hate him? 

Would he say to him, “Please give me back the twenty-eight-year-old Fu Siting?” 

Fu Siting was unaware of the boundless night sea before him. The waves crashed against the shore, and the sea breeze carried a chill. 

…If Li Fei said such a thing, he would probably want to die immediately. 

… 

Fu Siting wouldn’t know that Li Fei wasn’t thinking about his twenty-eight-year-old lover through him at this moment. 

Li Fei was pondering something else. 

He was seriously considering how to gradually trick the sixteen-year-old Fu Xiaoting into opening his heart to him as soon as possible.

First, of course, he had to build trust. 

Was playing and fooling around together like today a slight step closer? Li Fei didn’t know. 

He only knew that 28-year-old Fu Siting seemed good, but he wasn’t as glamorous as he appeared. Fu Siting was too obsessed with showing his strongest, most capable, and best side, while hiding all his pain and helplessness and processing it all himself. 

Always bearing it all alone, refusing to let others share the burden, of course he would get sick. 

Maybe it was because of his illness that he became like this… 

Li Fei felt it wasn’t impossible. 

Perhaps what caused Fu Siting’s amnesia wasn’t a blood clot at all, but rather that the desperate and painful 16-year-old Fu Xiaoting, who had always been locked away in his heart, had finally broken free of the cage that oppressed him. The 16-year-old Xiaoting who escaped was actually quite well-behaved. 

He just wanted a hug. He just wanted to eat something good. 

He just wanted a little freedom and happiness. 

But at the same time, the 16-year-old Xiaoting was unfamiliar with everything around him. The 16-year-old Xiaoting didn’t love him yet, and didn’t know him well. He might actually feel terrified and scared by his approach and “protection.” 

Li Fei was also a little unsure of what to do. 

He wanted to protect him. 

But he was also afraid that getting too close suddenly would frighten him. 

***

Author’s Note: 

Li Fei: Sixteen-year-old Fu Xiaoting doesn’t seem to have figured things out yet and doesn’t particularly like me. 

Fu Siting: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Q口Q