Chapter 52

Gu Chen noticed that An An was truly angry this time. He didn’t try to touch him again and simply let the little one curl up on the side with his arms folded, remaining silent.

After about half a minute, Gu Chen took a gentle breath.

“Hiss, An An, Daddy’s leg hurts a bit.”

The little one lying there immediately sat up straight, wanting to check on his dad. But before he could even reach him, Gu Chen had already scooped him into his arms.

An An struggled twice but couldn’t break free. Just as he was about to scold his dad for not taking better care of himself, Gu Chen spoke first:

“Be good, An An. Let Daddy hold you for a while, and it won’t hurt anymore.”

It wasn’t a clever trick—one that wouldn’t even fool a three-year-old. The only reason it worked was that An An genuinely cared about his dad. Even though he knew he was being tricked like a child, he still obediently complied.

“Hmph.”

He turned his head away in a sulky manner, careful not to bump into his dad’s seemingly painful wound. In the drowsy afternoon warmth, An An unknowingly fell asleep.

Gu Chen had initially thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep due to the pain in his leg. But listening to his son’s steady breathing, an inexplicable sense of comfort and security lulled him into a dream woven with familial warmth.

…

On set, although Yu Honghui wasn’t well-versed in acting skills in the entertainment industry, even as an outsider, he could tell how exceptional Gu Chen’s performance was in the final scenes with the child actor.

Even though he was the lead actor in this film, he still felt a deep sense of crisis.

If the protagonist’s performance couldn’t outshine the supporting role, he would undoubtedly face public ridicule once the movie was released.

He often brought up this concern with his agent. After hearing it so many times, even his agent started growing impatient.

Unlike Brother Li, who only managed a single artist, his agent had many other artists to oversee. He couldn’t afford to focus solely on Yu Honghui.

If it weren’t for the fact that Yu Honghui had landed the lead role in this film, the agent wouldn’t have devoted so much attention to him in the first place.

Moreover, Yu Honghui was implying that the company should intervene and somehow hinder Gu Chen’s performance, making him act slightly worse.

If he weren’t his own artist, the agent would have outright mocked his ridiculous idea. Who did he think he was?

“So what do you propose we do? Why are you so fixated on competing with Gu Chen?”

The agent really couldn’t understand why Yu Honghui kept treating Gu Chen as his rival.

Even if Gu Chen was taken down, there would always be other talented newcomers rising up like bamboo shoots after the rain—it was an endless cycle.

If he kept wasting time on things like this, he might never get his big break in this lifetime.

The agent had put a lot of effort into this artist and didn’t want to see him go down the wrong path. After venting his frustrations, he took a deep breath and offered a piece of advice:

“Some people are just born for this industry. It’s normal if you can’t surpass him. Instead of obsessing over this, why not focus on improving your own performance and use this opportunity to prepare for the future?”

Yu Honghui didn’t appreciate the advice. His face showed clear irritation. There was no point in continuing this conversation—his agent simply didn’t understand.

The agent had no idea how successful this movie had become in the past life! It had won every major award, achieving a grand slam!

Other films capable of such achievements were already in production, and they were all casting major stars as leads. If he missed this opportunity, who knew when he’d get another?

Moreover, if he didn’t perform well in Director Wang’s film, it would severely impact how much trust other directors had in him in the future.

The agent had meant well, but seeing Yu Honghui’s stubborn expression, he could only shake his head and walk away. He had other work to do—he couldn’t waste all his energy babysitting someone.

They were all adults. Some things should be common sense by now.

Yu Honghui didn’t realize his agent had given up on him. His mind was consumed with thoughts of how to bring Gu Chen down. Only by making Gu Chen completely disappear could he finally focus on improving himself.

…

On set, An An had finished filming all his scenes. Normally, once an actor wrapped up their scenes, they wouldn’t stay on set for long, especially since most artists had busy schedules.

But An An was different. He wasn’t a professional child actor, and Director Wang was particularly fond of him. So, he told Gu Chen to let the little one stay around.

The small child, carrying a milk bottle filled with goji berry tea, trailed behind Director Wang like a little tail, happily following him around.

No matter how busy Director Wang was, whenever he noticed the little tail lagging behind, he would slow his pace to let him catch up. Everyone on set could see how much he adored the child.

Gu Chen had a lot of scenes to shoot and didn’t have much time to take care of his son properly.

Even though he would argue with Director Wang, saying that he was An An’s real father, deep down, he was actually very grateful that the director was helping him look after his child. He even planned to treat Director Wang to a meal after finishing his own scenes.

Soon, it was time to film Gu Chen’s final scene.

After eliminating the last accomplice who had helped the murderer escape, he returned to his workplace and stared at the golden plaque with its bold red characters for a long time.

Holding a photo of his son, he sat in that room all night.

When dawn broke, he slowly walked to the door, placed his hand on the handle, and pushed it open.

Standing in the corridor outside, he dialed a colleague’s number.

His lips trembled as he struggled to form words. After a long pause, his hoarse voice finally broke the silence.

“I want to turn myself in.”

This scene was filmed early in the morning before the sun had fully risen. An An wasn’t brought to the set that day.

Winter was approaching, and every breath he exhaled turned into a misty cloud in the chilly morning air.

Gu Chen performed exceptionally well in this scene. As soon as the take was completed, Director Wang hurriedly called for an assistant to bring him a coat.

“Come on, come on, come rest for a bit.”

Gu Chen had wrapped up filming at 11 p.m. the previous night and was already in makeup by 3 a.m. Director Wang was genuinely worried about his physical condition.

“Are you holding up okay?”

“I’m fine, Director Wang.”

Gu Chen rubbed his frozen hands together. Sitting beside a small heater, his thoughts unconsciously drifted toward his son.

At this time, he would definitely be curled up in his blanket like a little turtle hiding in its shell. Even when it was time to get up, it would still be difficult to drag him out.

“Wait a moment, Director Wang. Let me call my assistant first.”

Gu Chen suddenly remembered that last night before going to bed, An An had mentioned wanting to eat custard buns shaped like little ducks. He had gotten up too early and forgotten about it.

“Alright, go ahead.”

It wasn’t until 8 a.m., when the sky was already bright, that An An groggily woke up. He lifted the blanket and used his chubby little hands to rub his eyes.

The bedroom was warm with the heater on, so he didn’t linger in bed for long. He lifted the blanket, got out of bed by himself, slipped his feet into his fluffy slippers, and waddled out.

“Auntie, Auntie Li~”

An An called out while walking. The assistant outside heard his voice and quickly came over.

“Are you awake?”

“Mm… half awake.”

The assistant picked up An An, who was standing there, and carried him back to the bedroom to pick out his clothes for the day.

Ever since the weather turned cold, An An had been forcibly wrapped up like a little penguin. His down jacket wasn’t too bulky, but it looked very warm.

Taking care of An An was easy—when asked to lift his arms, he would do so obediently, and he didn’t need coaxing to eat his meals.

After squeezing the toothpaste onto his toothbrush, the assistant brought over a small non-slip step stool so he could brush his teeth first while she went to the kitchen to bring out the still-warm breakfast.

A steaming bowl of lean pork congee, two custard buns, and three pan-fried dumplings.

After gargling and rinsing his mouth, An An saw that the assistant had just arrived with his small personal washbasin. She filled it with warm water and carefully wiped the toothpaste from the corners of his mouth and cleaned around his eyes.

An An pursed his lips and tilted his head up slightly. Once he was clean, the assistant applied some face cream to his cheeks.

An An didn’t really like the smell of the cream. He held his breath with a serious expression and ran outside.

The assistant lifted him onto the chair by the dining table. While An An picked up his spoon to start eating, she took out her phone to record a short video to send to Brother Gu later.

Gu Chen didn’t have many strict requirements for the assistant taking care of his child, but one thing was non-negotiable—she had to take photos and videos to send to him regularly.

Watching Brother Gu’s son eat was a delight. He scooped up the congee with his spoon and finished every last bit without wasting anything.

“An An, what do you want to do today?”

When An An had just woken up, the sky outside was overcast. Now, tiny snowflakes had started falling. If An An wanted, the assistant preferred not to take him to the filming set.

“Daddy! I want to find Daddy!”

“Alright, but we need to put on a hat and scarf, okay?”

Hearing his decision, the assistant turned to the wardrobe to grab a scarf and hat. She also took out a pair of gloves from the drawer.

“Okay~”

An An took the gloves and put them on himself, letting the assistant help him with the hat and scarf. Once everything was done, he stretched out his arms toward her. After being picked up, he clenched his right fist excitedly.

“Charge!”

Because of the snowfall, the driver drove more cautiously. By the time they reached the filming set, shooting had already begun. The current scene being filmed was an interrogation of Hu Shuming.

He was wearing a yellow vest over his clothes, sitting there calmly recounting his crimes.

The little “penguin” An An immediately ran over to find Director Wang. Since he was small, he could weave through the crowd easily without disturbing Gu Chen, who was working.

Among those interrogating Hu Shuming were several actors who had collaborated with Gu Chen multiple times before. Yu Honghui’s performance in this scene was average—not bad enough to require a retake, at least.

“Why? You know very well that the law forbids anyone from crossing this line. Why did you still choose to break the law?!”

Hu Shuming, wearing handcuffs, leaned against the chair and curled his lips in a mocking smile.

“Why can’t the law give my son justice? Why is the person who killed my son allowed to roam free?”

“Susu was only three years old! Just three years old! He did nothing wrong—he was just waiting there for me to pick him up!”

Hu Shuming’s emotions erupted violently. Two actors stepped forward to restrain him, but his twisted expression made it clear just how furious he was.

The two supporting actors held him down, preventing him from struggling. As his rage gradually subsided, Hu Shuming leaned back in his chair, gazing up at the blinding lights.

“I never… planned to kill them at first. But on Susu’s birthday, they sent over a birthday cake.”

As he spoke, his eyes instantly turned red, and he fought to hold back his tears.

“I killed them all. So what? I just wanted them dead.”

Gu Chen’s delivery was exceptional. Every word was enunciated clearly, his emotions were deep, and his performance was explosive when needed.

In contrast, Yu Honghui still struggled to match his intensity. Fortunately, his momentary daze didn’t seem too out of place in the scene, so Director Wang decided to move on.

The moment Director Wang called “cut,” An An couldn’t wait any longer—he dashed straight toward his father and reached out, trying to unlock the handcuffs on Gu Chen’s wrists.

“It’s okay.”

Gu Chen was still partially immersed in his previous emotions. Seeing his round little son running toward him, he forced a smile to avoid scaring him.

“Daddy.”

“Hmm?”

“The custard bun was delicious!”

“As long as you liked it.”

A crew member helped remove Gu Chen’s handcuffs while the assistant draped a thicker coat over his shoulders.

There were no more intense scenes left. After finishing a sentencing scene, Gu Chen would wrap up his filming. Brother Li had already arranged his next projects.

The snowfall grew heavier—it was the first major snow of the year. Director Wang suddenly had an idea and asked Gu Chen to take An An outside to film an extra scene in the snow, just for fun.

After the sentencing scene, the footage would cut to Hu Shuming’s memories.

An An didn’t see it as work—he had wanted to play in the snow for a long time but was afraid his father wouldn’t allow it.

The heavy snow had barely fallen for a while before a thick layer accumulated on the ground. An An didn’t change into any other costume, just wearing his own clothes. He walked carefully on the snowy ground, afraid of slipping, his tiny figure wobbling unsteadily.

Both hands scooped up snowflakes, happily tossing them into the sky. Gu Chen had his hands in his coat pockets, silently following beside An An like his guardian angel.

Director Wang initially had a casual idea, but now, seeing the atmosphere between them, he suddenly felt it would make a great promotional photo.

That afternoon, Director Wang didn’t have them continue filming. Instead, he had the crew book rooms at a nearby hotel, treating everyone to a hotpot meal in advance to celebrate Gu Chen wrapping up his scenes.

Last time, they hadn’t managed to do this for An An when he finished filming, so now father and son sat together at the same table.

Director Wang didn’t allow alcohol, so all the staff drank juice. Worried that hotel juice might not be good for the child, An An’s glass was filled with warm milk.

Gu Chen wasn’t sure if the milk tasted good, but he did know it would help ease the burn from the spicy food.

An An was still too young to handle spicy food, but he stubbornly insisted on eating it anyway. His little face turned bright red from the heat, yet he still insisted he wanted more.

After dinner, everyone gradually returned to the hotel. By then, An An was already very sleepy. The drowsy but restless little one became clingy and a bit difficult to deal with, so Gu Chen had to carry him the entire way.

Dressed in a puffy down jacket, the round little human cub clung to Gu Chen like a baby koala.

“Sleepy?”

“Mm, Daddy, sleep.”

“We’re almost there.”

“Okay.”

Brother Li arrived today with a new work assignment and started discussing Gu Chen’s upcoming schedule. With the New Year approaching, there were invitations for two New Year’s Eve galas.

Gu Chen deliberately lowered his voice while discussing work, and Brother Li kept it brief to avoid disturbing the sleepy little ancestor.

“You can do things your way in Director Wang’s crew, but once you leave, you can’t keep handling things like this. Don’t worry—I’ve found an experienced nanny who will take great care of An An.”

Brother Li glanced at little An An, who had fallen asleep in Gu Chen’s arms. If it were him, he wouldn’t want to be separated from his own son either, but work couldn’t be neglected.

To outsiders, Gu Chen was at the peak of his career. Male actors aged more slowly in the industry, but there were always young and attractive newcomers flooding in.

To maintain his success, he had to seize every opportunity.

“I understand. Don’t worry.”

Gu Chen didn’t need Brother Li to spell it out for him—he already knew. He held An An a little tighter, just as they reached the car. Brother Li took out a thick coat and draped it over An An.

As they walked into the hotel and entered the elevator, the conversation continued.

“I know you don’t like hearing this, but the director of that parenting reality show contacted us again yesterday, inviting you to join the next season.”

“If you’re interested, I can start preparing the contract.”

The idea of working while bringing An An along was appealing, so Gu Chen didn’t hesitate.

“Sounds good.”

At the current filming pace, the movie would likely premiere on next year’s Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day). By then, the parenting show would have aired about two episodes, which could serve as indirect promotion.

An An also had a role in the movie. Appearing on the parenting show together seemed beneficial in every way.

“Alright, I’ll get in touch with them. Since it’s year-end, aside from that gala, you only have one commercial to shoot. I’ve spoken with the company—you’ll be able to spend the New Year at home.”

Brother Li didn’t even need to ask; he knew Gu Chen would want to stay home and spend the holiday with his son.

“Earlier, when you asked me to look into Miss Su, I found out that last year, she was too busy with work and couldn’t buy a ticket home, so she spent the holiday alone. An An’s grandmother is getting old—he probably wasn’t very happy last year.”

A two-year-old likely wouldn’t even remember what happened last year, but Gu Chen still felt a pang of guilt when he heard that.

He regretted not finding out about An An sooner. Regretted missing the chance to watch him grow from a tiny baby.

“Thanks, Brother Li.”

“Don’t thank me yet. This might be your only chance this year. If you do well next year, you might even make it to the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.”

Brother Li warned him in advance, so he wouldn’t feel disappointed if things changed later.

“Got it. I’ll do my best. Oh, and about that… the year-end bonus you mentioned—I think it’s time to add a little extra.”

When Gu Chen first found An An, Brother Li had subtly hinted that he hoped they would make it through the year safely. Gu Chen hadn’t forgotten. Now, he finally brought it up.

“Sounds great. Thanks for making my New Year better.”

When the elevator reached their floor, Gu Chen carried An An inside. Brother Li swiped the room card, set everything up for them, and then left.

Gu Chen didn’t call the assistant to take care of An An. He had enough experience now, and waking a sleeping An An just for bedtime routines would only make him fussy. It was better if Gu Chen handled it himself.

With Gu Chen soothing him, An An didn’t fuss. He changed into his pajamas, snuggled under the covers, and fell asleep in less than twenty seconds.

—

Once filming wrapped up, the nanny came to pick up An An. He didn’t throw a tantrum when leaving—he just sat there quietly, tears rolling down his face.

Gu Chen’s heart ached at the sight. He held An An for a long time, but as soon as he let go, the little one gazed at him with teary eyes.

“Daddy…”

Gu Chen had already turned to leave, but upon hearing that, he rushed back to him.

Inside the car, An An stood on his tiptoes and gently kissed Gu Chen’s cheek.

His face was damp with tears and chilled by the winter air as it touched Gu Chen’s skin.

“Come home soon.”

“I will. As soon as I finish work, I’ll come see you. If you miss me, ask Uncle Li, and I’ll video call you when I have time, okay?”

An An still refused to say “okay.” He sniffled and turned his head away.

“An’an is such a good boy.”

Gu Chen praised him. After the nanny closed the car door, An’an hurriedly pressed himself against the window, staring at him. When he saw his dad waving at him, he suddenly burst into tears.

The nanny, who had been taking care of An’an for a while and genuinely cared for him, immediately scooped him up in her arms, gently patting his back to comfort him.

…

On his first day back home, An’an was visibly downcast. That evening, after the nanny bathed him and changed him into his pajamas, he sat quietly on his bed, occasionally poking his head out to ask if his dad had called.

Seeing An’an like this, the nanny kept messaging Brother Li, asking if Gu Chen was free, but when she got a negative response, she hesitated to break the bad news to An’an.

Sitting there, An’an could already guess the answer just by looking at her expression. He didn’t say anything, but he also had no intention of going to sleep.

At nine o’clock that night, Gu Chen, still in his work clothes, rushed to make a video call after hearing from Brother Li that An’an had been waiting all night for his call.

An’an had missed his dad before when he was busy, but he’d never been this upset.

After all, before this separation, they had spent so much time together, sticking to each other day and night. Now, the sudden distance only amplified his reluctance.

The moment An’an saw his dad on the screen, the bright light illuminating Gu Chen’s face, his big eyes instantly turned red.

Tears welled up in those wide eyes and started rolling down like tiny golden beans.

“Daddy…”

His soft baby voice, tinged with sobs, made him sound even more pitiful.

“I’m here, An’an. As soon as I finish work, I’ll come home to see you.”

“Okay… Daddy, pinky promise.”

This time, Gu Chen was the one who reached out his little finger first, their fingers touching across the screen.

“An’an, Daddy has to rest after work. You should also be good and sleep early, okay? Tomorrow, ask Auntie to make your favorite custard buns.”

“Okay.”

An’an obediently nodded. Before the video call even ended, he had already burrowed under his blanket. He patted it lightly, signaling to his dad that he was being very good.

“That’s my boy.”

Gu Chen never held back on praise. He told the nanny to end the call only after An’an had fallen asleep. His hands were freezing from holding the phone for so long, but he still couldn’t bear to hang up.

Once An’an was asleep, Gu Chen finally ended the call, leaning back slightly, no longer hiding his exhaustion.

“Brother Li, can’t I just quit and stay home to take care of my son?”

Brother Li was busy looking over his schedule for the next day. Hearing this question, he didn’t even bother to respond.

Gu Chen had been saying this ever since the last time they parted. By now, Brother Li had lost count of how many times he’d heard it.

Aside from finding a good nanny to care for An’an, there wasn’t much else he could do to help. In the world of adults, choices always come with sacrifices. A perfect life is rare—regret is the norm.

Gu Chen was just being emotional after seeing An’an. He didn’t actually expect Brother Li to agree.

He turned his head to gaze out the car window, his eyes unfocused, lost in thought.

…

The nanny taking care of An’an wasn’t just a housekeeper—she was highly skilled, even holding official credentials in early childhood education.

To help Gu Chen focus on work without worrying, Brother Li even gave the nanny extra money, instructing her to buy whatever she needed for An’an’s development without hesitation.

She bought various educational toys and activities designed to enhance a child’s cognitive abilities—irresistible to a three-year-old.

She also purchased some winter-blooming flowers. With the indoor heating keeping the house warm, she even got a few sprigs of snow willows, which she placed in a vase after planting the other flowers with An’an.

To cultivate An’an’s observational skills, she brought home a few brightly colored koi fish, letting them swim around in a glass tank.

An’an loved those vivid colors. Whenever he had free time, he’d lean against the tank, watching the fish intently while mimicking the movement of their tails with his little hands.

The nanny was even more dedicated to capturing An’an’s cute moments than his assistant. She made sure to record every adorable second with the skill of a professional photographer.

As the weather grew colder, the indoor heating remained strong, so An’an could get by with just a sweater and still feel warm.

He loved sitting on the plush carpet while reading picture books. With a book nestled in his lap, he’d flip through the pages one by one, finishing many books in just two weeks.

The nanny would carefully move the books he had finished onto a separate shelf, ensuring he wouldn’t get duplicates.

An’an had a sharp memory. If she handed him a book he’d already read, he’d immediately notice something was off.

When An’an was focused on reading, the nanny never interrupted him. Instead, she used the time to prepare his next meal in the kitchen.

The carpet was spread in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, which had been wiped spotless. An’an sat nestled between the legs of a giant stuffed toy, leaning back against its soft body. His little legs, short and chubby, were crossed in a relaxed manner.

Outside the window, snowflakes drifted down in a peaceful scene. Inside, soft instrumental music played, while all of An’an’s attention remained on his book.

Just then, the nanny received a message. She wiped her hands dry before instinctively checking on An’an in the living room. Seeing that he was perfectly fine, she unlocked her phone.

The door opened.

The person entering moved quietly, carefully changing shoes before stepping inside.

From his position, An’an had his back to the door. One of his legs was propped up as he leaned against the plush toy. His fuzzy-socked foot swayed lazily in time with the music.

It wasn’t until he heard footsteps that An’an closed his book and quickly turned around.

When he saw who it was, his eyes lit up with pure joy.

“Daddy!”