Chapter 127: The Father Who Exploited His Child Star 20

After all, Xie Chu was still young, and his stomach couldn’t hold too much. Unlike others who were used to attending banquets and only sipped wine, this little guy always drank it down.

Towards the end of the dinner, Xie Hui didn’t give him any more food. On the way back to the hotel after the meal, he heard Xie Chu say he was hungry.

Xie Hui glanced around, too lazy to go to a restaurant. Seeing a few small food carts not far away, he asked,

“Want some street food?”

Xie Chu hadn’t had junk food for a long time. Now, hearing his dad mention it, he nodded vigorously.

“Mm!”

Xie Hui bought an egg-filled pancake and handed it to him, resting with him on a bench.

Xie Chu held the bag containing the egg-filled pancake with both hands, clearly feeling its warmth. He took a big bite, and as he chewed, he realized he was a bit far from his dad. He scooted closer to his dad before taking the second bite.

It was completely dark now, but the streetlights and the lights from the tall buildings nearby were very bright. The flickering neon lights were completely different from the small city Xie Chu lived in.

“Dad, do you think I’ll become a big star in the future?”

Xie Chu had eaten half of the six-yuan egg-filled pancake, staring at the celebrity on the light board outside the tall building, with a hint of inexplicable longing in his eyes.

“You have to believe that luck will never let down hard-working and kind children.”

Xie Hui didn’t give him a definite answer, but what he said made Xie Chu nod in agreement.

“Oh, right, I’ll definitely work hard!”

After Xie Chu finished eating, he threw the trash bag into the bin himself. He walked up to his dad and, mimicking the princess actress he’d seen in the neighboring film set, gave Xie Hui an awkward bow.

“Now, may I present dear Mr. Xie, to take his big star child home.”

Xie Hui held his small hand in his palm and nodded cooperatively.

“Alright, it’s Mr. Xie’s honor.”

…

In kindergarten, Xie Chu often made guest appearances in many series. Many people on the internet even joked that for any slightly popular script, the child actor was basically that one face.

From the initial fantasy drama to many subsequent works, Xie Chu firmly established his status as the “nation’s son.”

Under the deliberate guidance of the management company, coupled with rarely arranging Variety Show appearances for Xie Chu, only acting gigs were scheduled. This allowed his popularity and national recognition to steadily rise, yet he never had rabid fans; he even had very few followers on Weibo.

Everyone remembered the characters Xie Chu played. The most popular was Di Shu, and the most heartbreaking was the little boy in the movie themed around ‘abduction.’ The others also had their own merits.

Most people who liked watching TV found him familiar, but few could remember the name Xie Chu. When mentioned, he was often referred to as ‘that very cute little boy.’

Xie Hui was very satisfied with the management company’s arrangements. Being a child actor did not affect Xie Chu’s daily life. This was true in kindergarten, and it remained true after he started elementary school.

After Xie Chu graduated from kindergarten, Xie Hui sold the original storefront. With the money earned over those years, he bought a two-story villa with a yard and rented another storefront to continue his business.

No matter how many worlds he went through, Xie Hui still preferred house designs with yards. He personally supervised the renovation, and Xie Chu also pointed and directed, arranging his own room.

Xie Chu, now in elementary school, rarely took on acting roles except during winter and summer vacations. Xie Hui didn’t deliberately ask him to; instead, he proactively told his dad to take fewer scripts.

After Xie Hui finished with the household chores, he relaxed and prepared vegetables. Xie Chu also brought over a small stool to help, sitting next to his dad.

Even though Xie Chu was now an elementary school student, he still liked to stick close to his dad, never moving even a little bit away if he could be next to him.

“Chu Chu, why did you suddenly think of taking fewer scripts?”

“Hmm… because I need to study hard.”

Xie Chu held the chives, answering subconsciously without lifting his head.

“Dad, at the Award Ceremony you took me to last time, that old grandpa quietly told me that to act, one must first be a good person. I need to study hard, have enough knowledge and ability, to be worthy of others’ affection.”

Although Xie Chu didn’t know how many people liked him now, even if only his dad liked him, it was worth his best effort.

“My son is quite smart.”

Hearing his dad’s praise, Xie Chu chuckled twice and handed a bunch of prepared chives into the basin next to his dad.

“Of course, who else’s son would it be?”

For dinner, Xie Hui was planning to make chive pockets, which the little guy loved. After Xie Chu finished preparing the vegetables, he went back to his room to read.

Smelling the aroma of chive pockets wafting from outside the window, he put down his book, walked to the bed, leaned on the windowsill, and called out,

“Dad, are you making chive pockets? Didn’t you say you were making stir-fried eggs with chives?”

Hearing him call, Xie Hui dished up the food and walked out of the kitchen, looking at his son leaning on the second-floor windowsill, and replied,

“Didn’t make them.”

“Dad, you’re lying, it’s clearly chive pockets!”

“Dog nose, that sensitive?”

After his dad spoke, Xie Chu subconsciously touched his nose, frowning as he replied,

“No way, Dad is talking nonsense.”

“Yes, I made chive pockets. They just came out of the pan, aren’t you coming down to try some?”

Xie Hui’s words made Xie Chu successfully forget that he had just been thinking he must be angry with his dad.

“Coming, coming.”

After saying that, he quickly ran down the stairs, staring at the steaming chive pockets in the bowl. After washing his hands, he picked one up with his fingers and put it into his mouth.

“Wow, Dad, your chive pocket making skills are even more amazing! Super super super delicious.”

Xie Hui was already used to this little guy’s habit of flattering him every time he ate his cooking. Before, his shop was too busy, so he hired a nanny to cook for Xie Chu, and the little guy lost his baby fat in just two weeks.

From then on, no matter how busy Xie Hui’s shop was, he would make time to cook for his son.

During dinner, Xie Hui thought of a very popular child artist recently. That child artist completely replicated Xie Chu’s image and persona, constantly participating in Variety Show, and his popularity even surpassed Xie Chu’s at one point.

Xie Hui also bought this little guy a Mobile Phone, only allowing him to play for half an hour a day. With the internet so developed, he didn’t believe his son hadn’t seen the related news.

“Chu Chu, have you been keeping up with things in the Entertainment Industry lately?”

When Xie Chu heard his dad’s words, the hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly. He couldn’t bring himself to lie to his dad, so he nodded hesitantly.

“I’ve seen it…”

If it was just about seeing related news, according to Xie Hui’s understanding of him, he shouldn’t feel guilty.

“Did you see that child artist who looks a lot like you?”

Xie Chu had already put down the chopsticks he was holding, and as if he had done something wrong, he cautiously glanced at his dad’s expression.

“Yes, I saw him.”

In Xie Hui’s view, that child artist was purely a commercial product, imitating Xie Chu’s every move and dressing style, even his personality was identical.

Those who didn’t know might even think they were twins.

Moreover, he filled the void left by Xie Chu’s dislike of Variety Show, and his popularity and buzz instantly soared, as if he had taken advantage of Xie Chu’s years of effort.

Actually, when Xie Chu said he wanted to focus on his studies, Xie Hui had already anticipated something similar happening, but he hadn’t expected that capital would be so shameless as to directly copy and paste his son.

“What do you think?”

Every time his dad talked to him seriously, Xie Chu’s posture would unconsciously straighten up.

“Dad, I still think studying is more important…”

“I read a lot of comments about him, and I, I actually don’t really like that kind of thing.”

The sudden explosion of popularity attracted fans of varying quality. Xie Chu, relying on the few words he recognized at the time, was so scared that he immediately exited the app.

“Dad, what I like is acting, that feeling of putting on costumes on set and portraying other people’s lives. I don’t want too many fans, and I don’t want them to like me.”

Xie Chu’s expressive ability had greatly improved after starting elementary school. He spoke very coherently, and Xie Hui unconsciously put down his chopsticks, becoming a qualified and attentive listener.

“I want people to like the characters I portray and the works I appear in, that’s all.”

After listening, Xie Hui understood the direction this little guy wanted to develop in the future. He put his favorite sweet and sour pork ribs into the bowl in front of him.

“Hmm, good idea.”

“Oh, Dad, Godfather said he got popular using my face? Can there really be a face that looks so much like mine?”

Other than biological brothers, Xie Chu couldn’t think of any other reason for such a strong resemblance, and he looked at his dad with a hint of nervousness.

“Hmm, probably.”

Xie Hui didn’t want to go into detail about the specific reasons behind it with this little guy.

Aside from blood relatives, it’s highly improbable for two people to have an eighty percent similarity in appearance. The chances are minuscule. Rather than them being naturally similar, Xie Hui was more inclined to believe that the child was a product of medicine and makeup.

“Hey, Dad, why did Godfather still ask me if I was afraid of him taking my place? That’s so strange.”

Xie Chu picked up a sweet and sour pork rib his dad had given him, took a bite, and mumbled this question.

“Hmm?”

“Dad, look at this situation, he’s climbing up using my past achievements, so isn’t he, um… isn’t he like my son? How can a dad be afraid of his son taking his place?”

Xie Hui was a bit amused and exasperated by his analogy. Seeing him seriously gnawing on the rib, it was clear that he truly thought that way. Xie Hui helplessly curved his lips.

“Yes, what you said isn’t wrong.”

Xie Hui also hadn’t expected that he would become a grandfather while his son was still in elementary school.

It was just a pity that his son’s ‘dad’ seemed to be quite unwilling to take on the role.