Chapter 19

Xie Ze’s round, black grape-like eyes widened in confusion. He had thought his dad was about to tell him some strange and interesting story.

Xie Hui had a habit of weaving little stories into daily life for his son.

For example, he would point at the moon and tell him the tale of Chang’e flying to the moon, or mention Kuafu chasing the sun when Xie Ze got upset about the heat.

Normally, the little one would get excited every time his dad talked about such things, but this time, he looked as dejected as a wilted eggplant.

“Do I really have to go to kindergarten? Will Dad stay with me?”

Xie Ze clutched his father’s clothes and sat on a stone bench in the backyard pavilion, resting his chin in his hands, frowning in distress.

“Yes, you have to go to kindergarten. At first, Dad can stay with you, but later, I’ll have to get back to work.”

Xie Hui had no intention of lying to make him temporarily happy. Instead, he told him the truth straight away, placing a large hand on his head and gently ruffling his hair.

Xie Ze hopped off the stone bench, shuffled over, and climbed onto his dad’s lap, leaning against his chest, looking a little lost.

“Will Dad call me a lot when he’s working? Will you come home often? You won’t be gone for a really, really long time like before, right?”

Seeing his son’s unease, Xie Hui hugged him a little tighter and promised, “If you miss Daddy, you can call me anytime, anywhere. As long as I have time, I’ll come back to see you. I promise I won’t be gone for long.”

Even with this reassurance, Xie Ze still wasn’t completely at ease. He stretched out his hand toward his father.

“Then, Dad, let’s pinky swear!”

“Alright.”

Everything for kindergarten had already been prepared in advance. Xie Hui put on a baseball cap as a light disguise and personally took Xie Ze to school, asking the teacher to take good care of him.

The little boy clung tightly to his father’s neck, reluctant to let go. Only after Xie Hui coaxed him into sitting on a small chair did he finally loosen his grip. But when he turned his head and saw his dad waving goodbye outside the classroom window, his eyes quickly welled up with tears.

Sniffling, he waved back at his dad.

At the start of the school year, the small class was a chaotic mess, and two teachers weren’t nearly enough.

Crying seemed contagious—one child would finally be soothed, only to hear another still crying and start up again.

In the middle of all this chaos, Xie Ze, sitting there sighing, stood out distinctly.

Parents who were worried about their kids were gathered in another room, where a large screen displayed the classroom’s surveillance feed.

Although Xie Hui knew his little one was well-behaved and wouldn’t make a fuss even on the first day, he still stayed at the school.

Since he had already taken time off, rather than going home, he figured he might as well stay and watch his son’s tiny figure a little longer.

Children grow up so fast—if you’re not careful, they’ll be big before you know it. Even now, Xie Hui felt that Xie Ze had gotten noticeably heavier when he carried him.

“Hey, aren’t you that actor who played the young general?”

As Xie Hui sat watching the surveillance feed of his son, an elderly woman’s voice suddenly spoke beside him. She had a warm smile on her face.

“Yes, that’s me,” Xie Hui replied.

Chatting with the elderly lady made time pass quickly, and soon, it was lunchtime.

The kindergarten had the children eat lunch in their classrooms, but the principal had mentioned that parents should avoid showing up during meals.

Xie Hui took note of the school’s lunch setup and, seeing that the food was well-balanced and nutritious, felt relieved.

By midday, most of the kids had settled down. And when the afternoon dismissal time arrived, as parents started showing up one after another, the children became emotional again.

Even Xie Ze wasn’t an exception—when his dad picked him up, his big round tears plopped down.

Unlike the other kids who wailed loudly, Xie Ze’s quiet tears made him seem even more pitiful.

Xie Hui held him with one arm and gently wiped his tears with the other, speaking softly, “A little man shouldn’t cry.”

Normally well-behaved, Xie Ze was feeling particularly upset at this moment, so he got a little stubborn. He clung tightly to his dad and grumbled, “But yesterday, you said I was just a little kid.”

“A kid who goes to kindergarten should be a little man,” Xie Hui patiently coaxed him. After greeting the teacher, he carried his son out of the school and into the car to head home.

On the way back, Xie Ze remained sulky, his little hand gripping his father’s clothes tightly, unwilling to let go.

But after a few days, he seemed to have adapted to kindergarten life. He no longer got upset whenever he saw his dad. Instead, he became eager to share all the interesting things that happened at school.

He told his dad about the stories the teachers told, which kids got into fights, and even how his chicken drumstick at lunch was bigger than the others.

Xie Hui patiently listened, offering praise from time to time, which made Xie Ze smile so brightly that his eyes crinkled.

When Xie Hui’s leave finally ended, he thought the little one would be reluctant to part with him. But surprisingly, Xie Ze happily sent him off.

“Daddy, work hard! I’ll study hard in kindergarten. When I grow up, I’ll make sure you can stay home and play every day!”

“Alright.”

Sitting in the car, Xie Hui found himself glancing back repeatedly. In the end, it seemed like he was the one who couldn’t bear the separation more.

Seeing this, Brother Jiang, who was sitting next to him, patted him on the shoulder and chuckled. “What’s this? Feeling reluctant now?”

“Yeah, a little.”

While waiting for his flight at the airport, Xie Hui reached into his bag to take out his phone. But by chance, he saw something at the very bottom—several brightly colored candies.

He took out a piece and saw that it was the kind the little rascal liked the most.

In an instant, an indescribable emotion welled up in Xie Hui’s heart. It must have been last night, when Xie Ze had asked him to bring him a glass of milk—he must have taken the opportunity to sneak it in while he wasn’t looking.

Xie Hui clenched the piece of candy tightly in his palm. After some thought, he spoke seriously:

“Brother Jiang, after this shoot, try to find me work that’s closer to home whenever possible.”

Many of his upcoming projects hadn’t been formally contracted yet, but they had been in discussion for a while. In this industry, one had to keep their word.

“Are you serious, Xie Hui? You’re still so young, and you’re not thinking about pushing yourself? You know how many people in this industry would do anything to get famous. Aren’t you afraid you’ll end up like Ke Ting?”

The entertainment industry was full of people pouring huge amounts of money into promotion but still failing to make a name for themselves. Xie Hui, on the other hand, had strong audience appeal, great resources, and rising popularity—many believed he was on track to becoming a top-tier star.

Who could have guessed he’d suddenly have this thought?

Before, when Xie Hui didn’t seem to care much about the child, Jiang Ge had felt sorry for little Xie Ze, growing up without a father’s love. But now that Xie Hui was so focused on his son, Jiang Ge was worried that he lacked ambition.

“Brother Jiang, if I keep working away from home all the time, what’s the difference between Xie Ze and a left-behind child?”

That comparison instantly silenced Jiang Ge, making any further arguments stick in his throat.

“In just a few months, I’ve already felt how much Xie Ze has grown. Work can wait. If I never become a big star, then that’s just my fate. But if I miss out on Xie Ze’s childhood, I won’t get a second chance at it.”

“Brother Jiang, please help me negotiate with the company.”

Jiang Ge furrowed his brows in frustration but didn’t refuse.

“Fine, I’ll talk to them. But if you regret this later, don’t blame me.”

“Thank you, Brother Jiang.”

With Xie Hui being so polite, Jiang Ge couldn’t even bring himself to complain.

After thinking it over, how many parents wouldn’t want to be with their young children? It was just that life often forced them to make difficult choices.

Fortunately, the original host had been meticulous about his career. To ensure better opportunities, he had carefully chosen his manager and agency. Otherwise, if he had signed a predatory contract, making changes now would have been a nightmare.

Even though Xie Hui had gone to work in another city, he still managed to call Xie Ze on video every day, right when the little one got home from kindergarten.

During these daily calls, hearing his son’s soft, excited voice talking about his day at kindergarten instantly washed away all the fatigue of work.

“Daddy, so many sunflowers have bloomed in the backyard again! When I grow a little taller, I’ll be able to reach them!”

“When that time comes, I’ll pick the best one every day and give it to you!”

Seeing the way his son’s eyes sparkled as he talked about it, Xie Hui’s thin lips curved slightly into a smile.

“Alright. Has Xie Ze been eating well lately?”

“Yes! I had two bowls at lunch today in kindergarten! I have to eat a lot and grow up fast so I can work hard, and then Daddy won’t have to work anymore and can stay with me all the time.”

Even though the conversation wasn’t particularly meaningful, Xie Ze held onto the phone until it became hot, unwilling to hang up.

It wasn’t until his alarm went off, signaling that his screen time was up for the day, that he reluctantly pouted and said goodbye to his dad.

“Xie Hui, calling your kid again? Your meal’s gone cold—hurry up and eat.”

Jiang Ge waved at him, tearing open a pair of disposable chopsticks and squatting down to open his own takeout box.

Xie Hui walked over and casually found a spot to squat down, just like Jiang Ge.

“Oh, by the way,” Jiang Ge said as he picked up a bite of food. “I talked to the company about what you asked. They agreed, but you can’t quit the industry completely. You still need to have some projects each year—film a few commercials at least.”

Xie Hui hadn’t planned on quitting entirely anyway. He was the type to commit fully to whatever he did. In his last world, he had gone from playing cannon fodder to crushing the protagonist and destroying an entire realm.

In this world, since the original host had cared about his career, Xie Hui also wanted to do his best.

Besides, at his age, he was still considered a fresh young actor in the industry.

“Oh, and Brother Jiang,” Xie Hui added after finishing his meal and wiping his mouth. “I talked to the director—we’re working overtime tonight to wrap up sooner. Tomorrow, please prepare some red envelopes for the crew as a thank-you for staying late.”

Jiang Ge raised an eyebrow. “Why the rush?”

“I need to get home in time for Xie Ze’s birthday.”

—

—Kuafu Chasing the Sun

This myth tells the story of Kuafu, a giant from Chinese mythology. Kuafu wanted to catch the sun to bring light and warmth to his people. He chased it across the sky but ultimately died from exhaustion and thirst before he could reach it. His body turned into mountains, and his staff became a vast forest. This story symbolizes human ambition, determination, and the limits of power.

—Chang’e Flying to the Moon

Chang’e was the wife of Hou Yi, a legendary archer who saved the world by shooting down nine of the ten suns. Hou Yi received an elixir of immortality but left it with Chang’e for safekeeping. One day, either out of curiosity or necessity, Chang’e drank the elixir and floated up to the moon, where she became an immortal goddess. She is often depicted living on the moon with a jade rabbit. This story is closely tied to the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese culture.

—”Left-behind child” 留守儿童 (liúshǒu értóng) refers to children who remain in rural areas while their parents work in cities, often cared for by grandparents or relatives.