Chapter 024

Compared to the massive scandal surrounding the top-tier star Xie Yunqian, Lu Jianxing’s minor controversy seemed insignificant.

Not only was the man across the aisle a much bigger star, but he also had three more children!

It was peak hours on the internet, and as soon as the news broke, it instantly captured the attention of countless people.

The entertainment industry discovered new children every day, but today, they had found an especially large number.

The person who exposed Xie Yunqian’s secret marriage and children was none other than the mother of his children. She came prepared and aggressive, leading with a mountain of evidence: extensive chat logs, intimate photos of the two of them, and the children’s birth certificates. In the photos, Xie Yunqian was shown holding the children, clearly indicating a close relationship.

A long post on Weibo detailed her journey from meeting Xie Yunqian to their marriage and the birth of their children. For the sake of Xie Yunqian’s career, she had been willing to remain anonymous and raise the children alone. As it turned out, Xie Yunqian had cheated!

These three mothers originally had no idea the others existed. They had all been manipulated by Xie Yunqian, willingly acting as the women behind the scenes. It wasn’t until recently, when the first mother accidentally discovered chat logs with other women on Xie Yunqian’s phone, that she realized her husband was playing father elsewhere.

And he wasn’t just a father to one other family; he had two more.

Netizens were stuffed full from all the gossip. Before they could even process the initial wave of revelations, the mothers of the second and third children also stepped forward. They held equally substantial evidence, pinning Xie Yunqian down so hard he couldn’t move.

Aside from the first mother, the other two were not legally married to him. They only realized they weren’t the only ones after being contacted.

The three mothers were beyond furious. They joined forces to deliver a thunderous blow to the scumbag. Along with the public exposure, the first mother had already hired a lawyer, intending to sue Xie Yunqian for adultery during their marriage.

With both witnesses and physical evidence accounted for, the case was airtight. Every time the homepage was refreshed, new evidence surfaced. The public swarmed the mothers’ profiles, gorging themselves on the drama until they were fit to burst.

Before they could even digest it all, the mother of a fourth child stepped forward.

She only realized she had been kept in the dark after seeing the trending topics. While coming forward with her own story, she also sold out Xie Yunqian’s manager. After the scandal broke, the manager had approached her, trying to convince her to help cover for Xie Yunqian. Not only did the negotiations fail, but she posted the chat logs for everyone to see.

The mother of the fourth child was a somewhat famous influencer with a significant following. Though young, she was a fierce fighter, currently leading the charge online and trading insults with Xie Yunqian’s fans.

Because it involved a top-tier star, the scandal was too massive to ignore. The entire internet was watching together, causing the app to crash several times. Programmers worked overtime through the night to save the servers. For a while, the trending topics were entirely dominated by terms related to the star’s illegitimate children.

Maomao finished recounting the saga of the four children with great emotion. When he refreshed the app again, it had crashed once more.

He put his phone down, still buzzing with excitement and wanting to continue the discussion, only to look up and see that the two people opposite him didn’t look shocked at all.

Qiao Man had finished his dinner and was obediently tilting his head back to let Lu Jianxing wipe his face.

“Qiao Man, Brother Lu, aren’t you guys even a little surprised?” Maomao said exaggeratedly. “That’s four kids! Four!”

Did Xie Yunqian have some kind of breeding obsession? Not only was he a cheater, but he was juggling multiple women and making every single one of them have his children.

Qiao Man gave him a confused look. “I already knew.”

“You knew?”

“Yes, I even said so.”

“What?” Maomao asked. “You said so?”

Lu Jianxing remembered. “He did say it, during the livestream.”

Had he?

Maomao racked his brain and finally remembered. When Xing Lei had asked Qiao Man for a fortune-telling session, he had casually mentioned Xie Yunqian. At the time, Qiao Man said the man had several children, but he had quickly covered it up by claiming he meant cats and dogs. Afterward, everyone’s attention had been pulled away by Lu Jianxing and Qiao Man.

Maomao was speechless.

He had truly believed it was about cats and dogs.

“Still, with the Xie Yunqian thing happening, no one is paying attention to Brother Lu anymore.” The app was back online. Maomao logged in again and clicked on Lu Jianxing’s profile; the number of people commenting at the bottom had decreased significantly.

The paid trolls who had been muddying the waters had also vanished. Xie Yunqian’s team was too busy dealing with their own artist’s scandal to bother hiring trolls for anyone else. Once the trolls disappeared and the general public moved on to the top-tier gossip, the constant stream of insults began to fade, and more rational voices started to emerge.

Inwardly, Maomao felt a surge of gratitude toward the top star.

The man’s character might be trash, but he had really done Brother Lu a huge favor!

Qiao Man was puzzled. “What’s wrong with Xingxing?”

“Nothing.” Lu Jianxing brought over a tablet, opened the cartoon the boy liked, and placed it in front of him. “You can watch two extra episodes today.”

Qiao Man’s attention was instantly diverted, his face lighting up with surprise. “Really!”

…

Since they had to hit the road early the next morning, everyone went to bed early. Before Maomao left, he was still incessantly refreshing his phone.

Although there were two beds in the hotel room, Qiao Man was very clingy and insisted on sleeping with Lu Jianxing. He found a comfortable spot in the familiar embrace, gave a small yawn, rubbed his soft cheek against Lu Jianxing, and quickly fell asleep.

Lu Jianxing held the sleeping child in his arms. The air conditioning in the room was set a bit low, so he tucked the blanket around the boy. With only a bedside lamp lit, he opened the social media app on his phone.

The messages he had missed throughout the day finally came into view. Good, bad, long, and short, the words turned into a surging tide that quickly overwhelmed him.

But the child in his arms was sleeping soundly, his body rising and falling slightly with the rhythm of his breathing. A warm, milky scent drifted against Lu Jianxing’s chest; the child’s body temperature was higher than an adult’s, providing a constant source of warmth. Lu Jianxing lowered his head, his chin gently brushing against the soft, stray hairs on the top of the boy’s head. He took a deep breath, his lungs filling with the fresh scent of body wash.

The paternity test was pinned to his profile, posted by Sister Yun using his account.

The results showed that the two of them shared no biological connection, yet the child remained steadfast in his belief that they were father and son, diligently performing his duties as a father every single day.

Being a family didn’t require a blood relation. It was just like back when he was in the orphanage, always hoping that a stranger with no biological ties would take him in. That wish had finally come true in his adulthood, and the one who had taken him in was a five-year-old child.

Lu Jianxing opened the notes app on his phone and began typing.

…

Early the next morning, Qiao Man was the first to open his eyes.

The curtains were still drawn, leaving the room in darkness. He struggled to dig himself out from Lu Jianxing’s arms. Just as he braced his hands against the edge of the bed and his feet touched the floor, the alarm clock went off, waking the person on the bed.

With his eyes squeezed shut, Lu Jianxing fumbled to turn off the alarm, but his hand landed on a patch of smooth, soft skin first. He gave the child’s cheek a gentle squeeze before propping himself up.

Clinging to the bedside, Qiao Man greeted him with high spirits. “Xingxing, good morning!”

“Mm…”

Lu Jianxing turned off the alarm and let out a tired yawn. He leaned over to put the child’s shoes on, then led him to the bathroom to wash up.

The big one and the little one brushed their teeth in front of the mirror. The child only managed to show the fluffy top of his head in the reflection. Lu Jianxing, his eyelids drooping, watched that messy crown of hair bobbing back and forth in the mirror. Muffled hums came through a mouthful of toothpaste foam; the boy seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood.

Xiao Man was thrilled because they were about to board a plane again.

Everything at the bottom of the mountain was wonderful, but his favorites were cars and big airplanes. With a “whoosh,” they could take you from here to there. Especially planes; when they flew into the sky, it felt as if he could reach out and touch the blue sky and the clouds. It was a pity he could ride in cars often, but not planes.

After packing everything into their suitcases, they set off. When the three of them met up, Maomao had two large dark circles under his eyes.

Maomao had been following the drama until the middle of the night. The moment they met, he couldn’t wait to announce the latest developments. “Brother Lu, Xiao Man, more people have come forward to hammer Xie Yunqian. Not only did he cheat, but he also slept with…” He glanced at Qiao Man and swallowed the word “fans.”

Stop. He couldn’t say such filthy things in front of a child.

Maomao struggled to pivot. “He… he also lost several endorsements.”

Xie Yunqian was a top-tier star, and his endorsements were highly prestigious. Now that a massive scandal had broken out, those brands were cutting ties with him overnight. In a single night, countless rivals were gleefully swooping in to pick up the pieces.

Maomao whispered the gossip: “I heard from my friends that Xie Yunqian even got beaten up by the families of those children’s mothers.”

Lu Jianxing glanced at the child walking briskly ahead of them and whispered back, “He got beaten up?”

“Yeah, apparently several people teamed up and gave him a real thrashing.”

Lu Jianxing nodded. “Good.”

Maomao gave Lu Jianxing a surprised look. Lu Jianxing usually had a very mild temperament; this was the first time he’d shown such strong resentment toward someone.

Then again, considering the despicable things Xie Yunqian had done, he certainly deserved it.

It was a long drive from the town to the nearest airport. On the way, Maomao kept scrolling through his phone, updating them on the gossip. “Brother Lu, Xie Yunqian has been hospitalized from the beating!”

“The drama he was officially announced for has replaced its male lead!”

“His team turned on him! They’re coming out with leaks about how he mistreated his staff!”

By the time they were boarding, Maomao reluctantly put away his phone. “I somehow get the feeling that Xie Yunqian has offended everyone…”

When other celebrities were exposed in scandals, their teams would at least work hard to salvage the situation. In Xie Yunqian’s case, his team had disintegrated at the critical moment. When the wall starts to fall, everyone gives it a push¹.

Qiao Man listened the whole way, swaying his head as he spoke. “That’s because his luck has been returned.”

When luck is on your side, even if you commit many evils, someone will help cover them up because of that “good luck.” Once the “luck” leaves, one’s actions will backfire. Those who persist in evil will eventually taste the bitter fruit of their own making.

Master always said that one must do more good deeds. The merit accumulated in ordinary times will always come in handy at a critical moment.

“Luck?” Maomao was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Lu Jianxing understood. He looked down in surprise. “Xiao Man? When did…”

Qiao Man winked at him, two sweet little dimples appearing on his cheeks. “Xingxing, I want ice cream.”

…

When they got off the plane, Qiao Man was still haggling.

“One more, just one more!”

“No, you’ve already had two.”

“It was one and a half!” Qiao Man argued his case. “You ate the other half!”

Lu Jianxing said coldly, “I only helped you eat it because you said your stomach hurt.”

“But it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“No.”

Sanctioned by his adult “son,” Qiao Man turned his back in a huff, refusing to acknowledge him.

As they approached the arrival gate, they heard loud screams erupting nearby.

“Xingxing!”

“Xiao Man!”

“Baby Xiao Man! Look over here!”

Qiao Man’s eyes widened in surprise as he followed the sound. “Huh!”

There were people calling his name too?

Meeting his round, curious eyes, the young girls waved at him excitedly, their shouts of “baby” growing even louder. Qiao Man’s back immediately straightened, and he didn’t even dare to swing his feet anymore.

Sitting on the luggage cart, he and Lu Jianxing headed toward the fans who had come to meet them. Qiao Man was a little panicked and gripped the hem of his shirt. He instinctively looked for Maomao, but Maomao just waved a hand at him.

Did they not have to hide this time?

Before Qiao Man could react, he had already been pushed in front of the fans.

The fans handed over the gifts they had prepared. Even Qiao Man’s arms were stuffed with one. He looked down and saw a small, plush pink pig—the protagonist of a cartoon he often watched.

His eyes lit up, and he immediately hugged it tight. “Wow!”

“Baby, do you like it?”

Qiao Man said loudly, “I love it!”

Since he had received gifts, he had to give something back. Xiao Man called out urgently, “Maomao, Maomao!”

Maomao squeezed through. “What is it?”

“My bag, my bag!”

The Little Yellow Duck Backpack was handed over to the child.

Inside his bag were the leftover talisman papers from the show, covering every variety imaginable. Qiao Man rummaged through the pack, pulling out a handful to distribute among the fans in front of him.

The fans present had all followed the live stream of Wilderness Challenge. They knew the kid could tell fortunes and draw talismans, and that his work was exceptionally effective.

Never expecting to receive a gift in return, the crowd began asking all at once, “Baby, what kind of talisman is this?”

“A Good Luck Talisman. Carrying it can boost your luck a little, but the effect only lasts for one day.”

“What about mine?”

“That’s for Wealth-Attracting!”

“Wow!”

The girl holding the Wealth-Attracting Talisman became the target of countless envious gazes.

As Qiao Man handed out the talisman papers to the fans, he said with overflowing enthusiasm, “Make sure to keep liking Xingxing, okay!”

The fans responded with equal fervor.

People passing through the arrivals gate noticed the lively scene and realized it was a celebrity fan greeting. Once they were further away, they began gossiping with their companions. “Lu Jianxing? Isn’t that the one who was exposed for having an illegitimate son?”

“They already cleared that up,” his companion replied. “It’s not an illegitimate son.”

“Huh? Since when?”

Last night, while everyone was busy consuming the gossip about the four children, Lu Jianxing had posted a sincere, long-form article. He explained the relationship between the two and recounted the story of how he met the child, though he naturally omitted the details regarding the Luck Borrowing.

Without the paid internet trolls manipulating public opinion, the long post reached a wide audience.

The “family” the child spoke of turned out to be the result of a fortune-telling misunderstanding; a paternity test proved the two were not related by blood. Though they weren’t biological father and son, there was a debt of gratitude for saving a life. Since Qiao Man had no other relatives, he was temporarily living with Lu Jianxing.

The fans present had all read that long post, and one of them now asked loudly, “Baby, did you really calculate that you were Xingxing’s dad?”

Qiao Man was surprised, wondering how they knew. Before going on the show, Sister Yun had specifically warned him never to speak of this matter randomly in public.

However, that didn’t stop him from nodding emphatically, his voice firm as he said, “Yes!”

Lu Jianxing’s fans burst out, “Hahaha!”

Lu Jianxing: “…”

Translator’s Notes