Chapter 22 (The Workaholic Actor’s Son Arc Finale)

Xie Hui kept watching until Xie Ze disappeared into the school building, but the image of his son’s tearful, aggrieved face lingered in his mind.

Before school started, when the teacher had parents bring their children to familiarize themselves with the environment, Xie Ze had been so excited, chirping away about how much he was looking forward to it.

As soon as Xie Hui got home after dropping off his son, he received a call from Brother Jiang, asking him to prepare for an audition.

The director was planning an action film, and all the actors needed to undergo years of training together. Because of this requirement, hardly anyone in the industry was willing to take on the role.

In an era where popularity was king, even a brief disappearance from the public eye could lead to being forgotten by fans—let alone spending years in training.

Not to mention that the industry was flooded with good-looking and talented newcomers, as numerous as carp crossing a river.

Brother Jiang had known the director for years. Seeing how troubled he was over casting the lead, he suddenly thought of Xie Hui.

The director had only put out feelers and hadn’t yet found two suitable candidates. With the time needed for casting, training, and filming, the entire process would likely coincide with Xie Ze’s elementary school graduation.

Director Meng had seen the martial arts film Xie Hui had acted in before and was extremely pleased with his fight scenes—so much so that he was eager to finalize the casting on the spot.

Most modern films were fast food entertainment, often shot in less than a year.

But Director Meng treated his work like a piece of art. The last director who worked with such dedication had spent ten years creating a classic.

After hearing Brother Jiang’s explanation, Xie Hui agreed without hesitation.

“Alright.”

In the memories of his past life, this project had never been made due to a lack of suitable actors.

Since he was already at home spending time with his son, he might as well follow the director’s training requirements. He’d still be ready by the time filming began.

Brother Jiang and Director Meng had already reached an agreement, but when Brother Jiang took Xie Hui to the audition, they unexpectedly found Director Meng having a lively conversation with Ke Ting.

When the staff led Brother Jiang and Xie Hui inside, Director Meng’s face visibly stiffened.

He had been struggling to find the right lead actor and had even thought he might never find a suitable candidate in his lifetime. Yet, within just a few days, he’d met two actors who satisfied him.

Previously, he had been very impressed with Xie Hui’s performance in that martial arts film. But after a chance encounter with Ke Ting over a meal, he felt that Ke Ting’s looks and personality fit the character even better.

The more he looked, the more perfect Ke Ting seemed. Once he had found the actor he considered ideal, everyone else seemed to have a “debuff” applied—none of them felt right anymore.

Brother Jiang had been in the industry for many years. The moment he stepped into the room, he sensed something was off.

After having them sit down, Director Meng spoke warmly:

“Brother Jiang, we’ve known each other for so many years, so I’m sure you understand… I truly care about this project. Now that I’ve finally found the right person, I’m afraid I have to apologize.”

Brother Jiang’s expression darkened upon hearing this.

Director Meng didn’t notice his displeasure. Glancing at Xie Hui, he recalled the impressive performance he had given in that previous film and felt a bit regretful.

“I’ve already decided on the lead, but there’s a supporting role that I think would suit Xie Hui’s image quite well, so…”

Brother Jiang abruptly stood up, his face cold. If not for his good self-restraint, he might have started cursing right then and there.

“That won’t be necessary. My artist isn’t so desperate that he has to beg for a role from you.”

It wasn’t that he looked down on supporting roles—rather, in a film like Director Meng’s, only the lead character had a positive portrayal. The rest were all villains.

The better the performance, the more the audience would hate the character—damaging the actor’s public image and hindering their future career.

A villain role that became too iconic could severely impact an actor’s likability.

There had even been a past incident where an actor played such a hated villain that a passerby beat them up on the street.

More importantly, Brother Jiang knew how crucial the lead role was in a film. Ke Ting, a former fresh-faced idol, had already faded from the industry before even transitioning to more serious roles. Unless fate handed him a miracle, this project was doomed to fail.

Above all, Director Meng’s behavior had thoroughly offended Brother Jiang.

The last time they spoke, Director Meng had explicitly told him to bring Xie Hui over to sign the contract. The chat history was still there.

Yet now, at the last moment, he had suddenly changed his mind and even had the audacity to offer Xie Hui a supporting role instead—as if Xie Hui were desperate for any scraps he could get.

Although Xie Hui wasn’t prioritizing his entertainment career at the moment and hadn’t brought much profit to Brother Jiang as his agent, they had been working together since Xie Hui first entered the industry.

After so many years, they were not just colleagues but also friends. Recently, Brother Jiang had even become Xie Ze’s godfather.

From both a professional and personal standpoint, Brother Jiang found Director Meng’s actions unacceptable.

Director Meng felt awkward at Brother Jiang’s sarcastic remark. He cleared his throat, about to explain, but the two of them had already turned and left.

Looking at Ke Ting beside him, then at the still-open door, Director Meng could only console himself—perhaps it was better this way.

At least Ke Ting wasn’t famous. He’d be willing to endure hardship.

Xie Hui, on the other hand, might have refused to work overtime and suffer through the demanding filming process just because he had fans to fall back on.

Sitting in the car, Brother Jiang was still fuming. If not for their years of acquaintance, he wouldn’t have even considered giving Director Meng a chance in the first place.

To put it a little arrogantly, Brother Jiang felt that Xie Hui’s acting skills were too good for this kind of production—he deserved better.

Xie Hui, however, didn’t feel much about it and wasn’t upset. He was even distracted for a moment, glancing at the cotton candy stand on the roadside outside, thinking that maybe he could buy one when picking up his son from school tonight.

“Xie Hui, I didn’t think this through properly.”

Brother Jiang had just finished speaking when he noticed that Xie Hui’s mind wasn’t on the conversation. Following his gaze outside, he spotted the cotton candy stand and found it both amusing and exasperating.

“Didn’t the doctor say during Xie Ze’s last check-up that he shouldn’t eat junk food like this?”

Hearing Xie Ze’s name, Xie Hui finally looked away.

“It’s fine to have it occasionally.”

Since Brother Jiang didn’t have much work on hand at the moment, he joined Xie Hui in picking up his godson from school.

As expected, at the school gate, they saw Xie Hui buying a rabbit-shaped cotton candy.

“If you ever quit acting, you could definitely get a job as a full-time nanny.”

He had seen doting parents before, but never one like Xie Hui, who could fulfill almost every child’s fantasy of a father.

“Sure, Brother Jiang, you can introduce me to some employers then.”

Xie Hui chuckled, joking along. When he saw the kids coming out in neat lines with their backpacks, he waved at Xie Ze.

Like a little bird returning to its nest, Xie Ze ran toward Xie Hui. Spotting the cotton candy in his father’s hand, he swallowed hard and stood on tiptoe to grab it.

The incident earlier had indeed been frustrating, but on the drive home, listening to little Xie Ze excitedly chattering about the fun things that happened at school was enough to ease their tension.

“Uncle Jiang, why did you come to see my dad today?”

Brother Jiang had several other artists under his management. When Xie Hui decided to focus more on his family, Brother Jiang shifted his attention to his other clients.

When he did come over, it was usually for work.

So, in little Xie Ze’s eyes, Uncle Jiang showing up meant his dad would be away for a few days.

Seeing the child’s curious expression, Brother Jiang naturally didn’t want to bring up anything unpleasant.

He picked Xie Ze up into his arms, intending to ruffle his hair like Xie Hui often did, but Xie Ze quickly covered his head with both hands.

“Uncle Jiang, if you rub my head, I won’t grow tall.”

Brother Jiang was momentarily stunned by the unexpected rejection. If he remembered correctly, Xie Hui had just ruffled the boy’s hair for quite a while at the school gate.

Realizing this, he found it amusing—he must have been too stressed today to start comparing himself to the kid’s own father.

“I didn’t come to arrange work for your dad today—I brought a gift for you.”

Hearing the word “gift,” Xie Ze immediately let go of his head and leaned in.

“Uncle Jiang, I’ll let you touch it just this once.”

Brother Jiang found the little rascal’s pragmatism hilarious. But since he had the chance, he took full advantage, messing up the boy’s hair as much as he pleased.

“Xie Hui, seeing your kid makes me suddenly want to get married.”

Brother Jiang had always been focused on his career, believing he wouldn’t make a good husband or father, so he had never considered marriage.

But now, seeing how adorable Xie Hui’s son was, he really wanted a child of his own.

Xie Hui had heard this sentiment from Brother Jiang multiple times and was already immune to it.

Brother Jiang only had these thoughts when he saw how well-behaved and cute Xie Ze was. Once he calmed down, he’d remember how much trouble kids could be.

A common modern mindset—Xie Hui used to be the same.

And the universal solution? Virtual parenting, indulging in the cuteness of other people’s kids online.

…

Xie Ze was well-behaved throughout elementary school, but once he entered middle school and hit puberty, Xie Hui finally experienced the struggles of raising a child.

It felt like he could never understand his son’s train of thought. Watching him walk around with a cool, aloof expression all day gave him a constant headache.

Whenever he tried to talk to Xie Ze, the boy would subtly avoid it, making Xie Hui wonder if this was what they called a rebellious phase.

He did notice that his son had a habit of keeping a diary, but he never thought of sneaking a look while Xie Ze was at school to find out what was on his mind.

Xie Hui had always been patient and gentle with his son, never pushing too hard.

Then, on the night of Xie Ze’s 14th birthday, the boy finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and spoke up himself.

Xie Hui looked at his son, dressed in his school uniform, handsome and scholarly, leaning over the desk with reddened eyes. He pulled out a tissue and handed it over.

“Aren’t you a bit too old to be crying now?”

Xie Ze took the tissue, wiped his tears and sniffled. Feeling a little embarrassed, he avoided his father’s gaze and hesitated before speaking.

“Dad… why have I never seen my mom?”

This question had been weighing on Xie Ze’s heart for a long time, and today, he finally couldn’t hold back anymore.

His main reason for asking was that, as the birthday boy, he figured his dad wouldn’t get mad at him.

Whenever he saw his classmates with their mothers, he couldn’t help but wonder where his own mother was and why his dad had never mentioned her.

It was clear that she hadn’t passed away—his dad had never taken him to visit a grave.

Xie Ze had his own theories—maybe his mom had done something to hurt his dad, which was why he never talked about her.

His curiosity had been eating away at him for years.

After he blurted out the question, he saw his father freeze, and suddenly, regret set in. He lowered his head and whispered, “Dad… I’m sorry…”

It was only when Xie Hui heard that apology that he snapped out of his daze. With a sigh, he reached up to rub his temples.

“What’s there to apologize for? It’s normal to be curious.”

It was true that he had never told his son about this. It wasn’t that he couldn’t—it was just that he had planned to wait until Xie Ze was a little older and mature enough to judge things for himself before telling him the full story.

“But if this is something your dad tells you, it will inevitably carry my subjective perspective, which might be biased.”

Before explaining, Xie Hui made sure to say this upfront.

Having held this question in his heart for so long, Xie Ze suddenly felt a bit disoriented when he realized he was about to get an answer so easily. After a long pause, he nodded seriously.

“I understand.”

“Before I explain, there’s something else I want to tell you. Last weekend, you were using the study’s computer at home to watch the variety show we filmed together. You forgot to shut it down, so when I used the computer, I saw it too.”

Xie Hui had originally thought the kid was just curious about his childhood, but now he realized it was because of this.

“In that variety show, what I said was the truth.”

Xie Ze widened his eyes in surprise. He had always assumed that his father only said those things for the sake of the show. After watching it countless times, he still believed that.

He had even thought to himself that if that were truly the reason, it wouldn’t be so bad—at least, it wouldn’t have been too painful for his dad.

“Xie Ze, I have to be honest with you. Your birth was completely outside of your mom’s and my plans.”

In a way, both the original Xie Hui and his ex-girlfriend were the same type of people—they saw their careers and futures as the most important things.

If Xie Ze had come into their lives after they had already achieved career stability, the outcome might have been completely different.

But when two ambitious young people, who were eager to build their futures, suddenly found themselves with an unexpected child, they had no elders to guide them. In their panic, their way of handling the situation was far from perfect.

“But even if you were unplanned, you have always been the most precious treasure in my heart.”

Xie Hui reached out and ruffled his son’s hair, just like he did when he was little. As he looked down at Xie Ze’s eyes, which were starting to glisten with tears, his attitude remained gentle and understanding.

That one sentence was enough to make Xie Ze’s nose sting with emotion. He sniffled and tilted his head up to stare at his dad.

“Then… why didn’t you tell me earlier? I kept thinking there must be something you weren’t willing to tell me. Uncle Jiang and Aunt Wang never mentioned my mom either.”

Since Xie Hui, his own father, had never brought it up, of course, the others wouldn’t be so insensitive as to mention it.

“I just felt you were too young before. I wanted to wait until you were older and had your own judgment before explaining it to you.”

After wiping his tears with a tissue, Xie Ze suddenly found his previous speculations laughable. He picked up his fork and started eating his cake.

“After your mom left the country, I never contacted her again, so I don’t know how to reach her. But if you want to meet her in the future, I can try to find her for you.”

To be honest, Xie Hui found emotional entanglements troublesome. Living without love was freeing. Even after experiencing so many worlds, he couldn’t guarantee that he would be able to remain rational and composed when it came to love. So, he simply chose to avoid it altogether.

Compared to being madly in love, he preferred staying completely rational and in control.

Xie Ze’s eyes lit up for a moment, but then he shook his head.

“No need. For all I know, my mom has already built a new life for herself abroad. I don’t want to disturb her. Things are just fine the way they are now.”

After saying that, Xie Ze mischievously dipped his finger into some cream and dabbed it on his dad’s nose before his dad could react, grinning as he did.

Now that he finally had an answer to the question that had been weighing on his mind, Xie Ze felt completely at ease.

Truthfully, he didn’t necessarily miss his mom that much. Sometimes, he even wondered if that made him a bad person.

But the truth was… the person he loved and relied on most was the father who had raised him.

Before, it was just curiosity. Plus, in his middle school class, there were always classmates speculating—saying that maybe his mom had hurt his dad and ran away, or that maybe his dad had abandoned his mom.

On the surface, Xie Ze acted like he didn’t care, but deep down, it had bothered him a lot.

Now that his dad had explained everything clearly, it felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from his heart. He was back to his usual cheerful and energetic self.

Xie Hui had thought that after clearing things up, and now that Xie Ze was in middle school, he could finally relax a little. Jiang-ge had even secured a film audition for him.

But the day before his out-of-town audition, he got a call from Xie Ze’s homeroom teacher.

The teacher spoke in a serious tone, saying that they suspected Xie Ze was in an early relationship with a female classmate!

Xie Ze had inherited the best features from both parents. He was good at academics, skilled in painting and music, and was, in every sense, the “perfect student” that other parents always talked about.

It was only natural that someone so outstanding would attract admiration. But at this age, it was a nightmare for parents and teachers—everyone worried that an early romance would negatively impact school performance.

After careful consideration, Xie Hui apologized to Jiang-ge and gave up on the audition. He drove home himself, planning to have a heart-to-heart talk with his son.

Coincidentally, it was Friday. When Xie Ze came home from school and saw his dad—who had just told him last week that he would be away for work—sitting in the living room, he was a little surprised.

After putting his backpack down, Xie Ze saw his dad beckoning him over.

Xie Ze obediently followed his father to the backyard.

When Xie Ze was little, he and his dad had planted sunflowers together. Now, aside from a few trees, the entire yard was filled with blooming sunflowers.

Xie Hui led him to a newly planted patch and crouched down. There, among the tall flowers, was a single, tiny sunflower plant. The other sunflowers were already blooming, but this one hadn’t even fully grown yet.

“Xie Ze, do you think it will bloom?”

Hearing his dad’s question, Xie Ze thought seriously about it. Based on his years of watching the sunflowers grow in their backyard, he said:

“If Grandpa Butler takes extra care of it, it should be able to bloom.”

“But look at it now—it’s so small. Do you think it’s ready to bloom yet?”

“No, it still needs to grow a little more first.”

Xie Ze had been confused by his father’s words just a moment ago, but now he finally understood what he meant.

His fair face flushed slightly, and he waved his hands in a bit of a panic.

“Dad, I really don’t have a relationship with that girl.”

Xie Hui recalled how the teacher had spoken so confidently over the phone, insisting that when they talked, Xie Ze had blushed at the mention of the girl. That was enough proof that something was going on. He sighed helplessly.

If he hadn’t raised Xie Ze himself, even he might have started doubting.

Xie Ze had always been like this since he was little. When he was younger, he’d even get shy and blush when his dad tucked him in at night.

Even Xie Hui hadn’t expected that such a thin-skinned personality would end up being a disadvantage in this situation.

“She just comes to me with questions a lot. I don’t know why people assume we have some special relationship.”

“At first, I also felt a little uncomfortable about it, but she said, ‘If you’re innocent, you have nothing to fear.’ If I started deliberately avoiding her, it would only make people speculate more.”

Xie Ze himself found the situation troubling, but when the teacher called him in for a talk last time, he hadn’t mentioned any of this.

He had instinctively felt that if he told the teacher what that girl had said, the teacher might think she was in the wrong.

But in front of his father—whom he had always trusted completely—he had no reason to hide anything.

For the first time, Xie Hui truly felt the challenge of raising a teenager. He was worried that if he handled things poorly, he might trigger his son’s rebellious streak instead.

“If I were in a hotel room at night with a female actress, just running lines with her and doing nothing improper, would you believe that there was absolutely nothing between us?”

The phrase “If you’re innocent, you have nothing to fear” wasn’t wrong, but public opinion could be cruel. It was better to be cautious.

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong between you two—I’m just giving you an example so you understand that even if nothing is going on, sometimes you still need to be careful. Do you understand?”

Of course, Xie Ze could continue to stick to his beliefs and interact with that girl as he always had.

But stubbornly doing so would only make things more complicated compared to simply focusing on himself.

“I don’t want to interfere in your friendships, and I don’t expect you to have no female friends at all. But according to your teacher, there are often times when it’s just the two of you left in the classroom while you’re tutoring her. That really makes it easy for people to misunderstand.”

“If she’s really struggling with her grades, you could suggest that she ask the teacher for help. I’m sure your teacher would be more than happy to help her improve.”

Xie Hui didn’t want to assume the worst about teenagers, but at this age, kids could be easily led astray. That’s why he had to be extra cautious.

“Just like how, if a female actress wanted to run lines with me, I would choose to do it at the set. There’s nothing wrong with studying, and it’s great that you want to help others, but the setting matters. Understand?”

Xie Ze nodded, half understanding.

He didn’t fully grasp the underlying social nuances, but for some reason, he instinctively felt that his father was right.

After they finished discussing the matter, Xie Ze glanced at his father with a bit of guilt in his eyes.

“Dad… did you skip work because my teacher called you?”

Recalling how Uncle Jiang had joked that his father was losing his ambition, Xie Ze sighed. He felt a little guilty about wasting time tutoring that girl instead of focusing on his own studies.

He should work harder so he could one day support his dad instead.

“Can’t it just be that I wanted to spend more time with you? Ah, you’re not like you were when you were little anymore. Back then, you’d run up to me with your arms out, asking for a hug the moment you saw me.”

The mention of his childhood made Xie Ze’s face heat up again.

“Dad, I’m in middle school now! There’s no way I’d still act like that.”

Since it was the weekend, Xie Hui personally cooked dinner, and just like when he was little, Xie Ze helped out in the kitchen.

That evening, Xie Hui called the homeroom teacher and assured them that he had talked to Xie Ze, promising that there wouldn’t be any further issues.

However, he didn’t mention a word about what Xie Ze had told him regarding that girl’s perspective.

When it came to issues like this, parents and teachers just wanted to resolve things smoothly. The biggest worry was that the child would stubbornly refuse to listen and become difficult to manage.

As long as things could be settled peacefully, there was no need to put all the blame on the girl.

As for the audition opportunity, Jiang Ge had given it to another artist under his management, and that artist happened to land the role. One weekend, he even came over personally with a gift to thank Xie Hui.

If it had been someone else, they might have assumed the artist was deliberately showing off, but Xie Hui could see that he was just a fresh-faced newcomer, full of gratitude and excitement. So, he invited him to stay for dinner.

“Brother Xie, is this your son? He’s grown so much! I remember watching the variety show you two were on together.”

Xie Ze set down two cups of tea on the coffee table, greeted the guest politely, then went upstairs to do his homework.

“Yeah, time flies.”

During dinner, Jiang Ge mentioned that Director Song—the one who had worked with Xie Ze before—had been shooting a new film.

They had already started filming, but the original lead actor had suddenly been exposed for a scandal so severe that the public couldn’t forgive it.

Director Song had spent over a year training his cast, determined to create a masterpiece, but who could have expected such a disaster to strike after shooting had already begun?

A while back, there had been a director in the industry who funded his own film, found his own actors, trained them, and spent ten years carefully crafting a movie. Despite its small budget, it swept all the major awards and broke box office records.

Ever since then, the film industry had started becoming more intense. More directors were willing to invest time into refining their projects, and actors were expected to undergo training before filming even began.

The actor who had spent such a long time training was suddenly embroiled in a scandal, leaving Director Song with no choice but to search for a replacement. In desperation, he thought of Xie Hui, whom he had previously worked with.

Xie Hui’s martial arts scenes had been exceptional, and even the martial arts instructor had once praised his strong comprehension in this area. Given the situation, it was a last-ditch effort to see if Xie Hui could fill the role.

So, Director Song reached out to Brother Jiang to inquire whether Xie Hui was interested.

There were plenty of actors in the industry eager to play the lead in Director Song’s film, but none of them met his expectations.

Director Song had steadily built his reputation over the years, with each film he directed winning awards and solidifying his status.

From the outset, he had clear requirements for this role: the actor had to have strong acting skills, match the scholarly and frail yet highly skilled character design, and undergo intensive training before filming began.

Now, with the unexpected turn of events, if they were to start training a new lead from scratch, the entire production would have to be put on hold, which was out of the question.

Thus, Director Song could only select from actors with a martial arts background, but none of them fit the bill.

Some looked too bulky and lacked the right temperament, while others had poor posture.

Posture is an odd thing—online comparisons of past and present actors in similar costumes and poses often highlight stark differences.

An actor with good posture appears elegant and charismatic, effortlessly exuding charm, while one with poor posture comes across as awkward and unrefined.

The same applies to actresses; those with graceful posture radiate natural allure, while those without seem frivolous.

After careful consideration, Director Song realized that Xie Hui was still the best fit.

When he learned that Xie Hui’s son was just starting his second year of middle school, he figured that Xie Hui would have more free time.

“Sure, as long as Director Song is willing, I have no objections.”

Without much hesitation, Xie Hui agreed. After informing Xie Ze, he went to meet with Director Song.

Director Song had him audition a scene on the spot, and after seeing his performance, immediately signed him on to start filming.

Xie Hui did not disappoint. In fact, Director Song felt that his performance was even better than the original actor who had trained for over a year.

Though Xie Hui was older now, time seemed to have barely left a mark on him. With makeup and costume, he perfectly embodied the director’s vision of the protagonist.

By coincidence, the film that Director Meng had cast Ke Ting in ended up competing with Director Song’s movie in the same holiday release slot.

Director Song was now one of the most highly respected filmmakers in the industry, known for his impeccable work.

Meanwhile, Director Meng had spent years meticulously crafting his film, but when it finally released, it failed to make an impact.

Ke Ting’s acting career came to an end, and he had to seek a new path.

Later, as the film gained some traction through edited clips showcasing the supporting characters, Director Meng’s intricate details were finally appreciated, generating a modest buzz.

In contrast, Director Song’s film not only shattered previous box office records but also gained international acclaim, sweeping countless awards.

At the awards ceremony, netizens jokingly remarked that the event seemed tailor-made for their production.

Xie Hui’s years of relative obscurity did not erase him from the industry. Just as Brother Jiang had once reassured him, he made a stunning comeback.

Re-emerging in the public eye, Xie Hui’s first year back earned him the Best Actor award at a prestigious ceremony.

From there, his career skyrocketed, as if he had unlocked some sort of cheat code—every major awards event saw his presence.

During an interview, Director Song openly answered all media questions.

He admitted that while most of the cast had undergone extensive training, Xie Hui had been a last-minute addition after the original lead got into trouble.

Yet, even with such short preparation time, Xie Hui managed to deliver iconic performances.

Each morning, he trained under a martial arts instructor, and by afternoon, he was already filming.

Despite being brought in on short notice, he still created legendary scenes.

Moreover, he was hardworking, never complained about overtime, and never acted like a diva by nitpicking the script.

Xie Hui instantly became one of the most sought-after actors in the industry.

Even at the height of his career, however, Xie Hui remained the same—his son always came first.

No matter how many offers he received to perform in New Year’s Eve galas, he refused them all to spend the holiday at home with his son.

During Xie Ze’s final years of middle and high school, Xie Hui even took time off work to help him prepare for exams.

On Xie Hui’s social media, apart from promotional posts, nearly 80% of his content was about his son.

When their variety show aired, some critics accused him of using his son for publicity and argued that if he truly loved his child, he should have given him a complete family.

Yet, over the years, as he continued documenting his son’s growth, even the most determined haters had nothing left to say.

Contrary to public speculation, Xie Ze did not enter the entertainment industry. Instead, he pursued a career in science.

After graduating from university, he continued on to a master’s and then a doctorate, eventually joining a research lab with his mentor.

At thirty-six, he ended up with a junior colleague from his lab.

At Xie Ze’s wedding, a woman he had never met before appeared.

She gave them a wedding gift, stayed for the ceremony, but left quietly afterward without saying a word to him.

A year after their marriage, they had a child.

Both Xie Ze and his wife were deeply immersed in their research, often spending all their time in the lab.

Seeing how busy they were, Xie Hui simply took their daughter in and raised her himself.

He even bought a house near their lab so they could visit easily.

On his granddaughter’s second birthday, Xie Ze and his wife returned from the lab to find their daughter playing with building blocks in the yard with Xie Hui.

In the backyard, the sunflowers were in full bloom.

The little one, with her chubby hands, picked up a building block from the table and handed it to her grandfather. Propping her chin up with her other hand, she asked in a soft, childlike voice:

“Grandpa, do you like Yaya more, or do you like Daddy more?”

Now an old man, Xie Hui placed the building block on top of the stack, gently flicked his granddaughter’s little pigtails, and replied with a smile:

“Because Yaya is my son’s child, that’s why Grandpa loves Yaya.”

The complicated words were beyond Yaya’s understanding, but she grasped the meaning—Daddy was the most important.

The little one didn’t get upset. Instead, she beamed brightly, showing her tiny teeth.

“Yaya loves Daddy so much too~”

Xie Hui lived a long life, but he was still human, and all lives must eventually come to an end.

As he lay in his hospital bed, listening to Xie Ze’s sobs beside him, he reached out with a trembling hand, trying to wipe away his son’s tears—just as he had when Xie Ze was a child. In a hoarse, aged voice, he spoke:

“Don’t cry. I’m just going ahead to the next life to set everything up before I come back for you.”

When his hand fell, Xie Hui was still conscious. The last thing in his mind was Xie Ze’s heart-wrenching cry—”Dad!”

Back in the system space, Xie Hui once again had a young body. Lowering his gaze, he stared at his fingertips for a long while before looking up at the electronic screen in front of him. The display showed: Mission Completion: 100%

Perhaps it was due to his perfectionist tendencies—once Xie Hui started a mission, he had to execute it flawlessly.

“Host, the original soul has already reincarnated. Do you confirm clearing emotions and proceeding to the next mission?”

The system’s voice rang out. Xie Hui glanced at the mission rewards he had obtained in the previous world: Virtue and Faith.

Since the child-rearing task wasn’t tied to the main storyline, Xie Hui had only learned the original plot of that world after completing his mission.

Interestingly enough, in that world, the female protagonist turned out to be his daughter-in-law—Xie Ze’s wife.

The original storyline had her inadvertently entering the entertainment industry after graduating from university. Because she bore a resemblance to a CEO’s first love, she became his girlfriend.

After going through the classic “stand-in love, tragic separation, and secret pregnancy” trope, the two eventually found happiness together.

But who would have thought that during her university years, she had accidentally caught sight of Xie Ze and fallen in love with him at first sight?

For his sake, she worked hard in her studies, all just to get closer to him.

After years of working together in the same lab as colleagues, she finally took the initiative to confessing her feelings, the two naturally ended up together.

In his past life, by the time Xie Hui passed away, his son and daughter-in-law had both become national treasure-level scientists.

“No need to clear it.”

Xie Hui had never liked relying on the system—especially not its best-selling feature in the system space: One-Click Memory and Emotion Wipe.

To him, only what he held firmly in his own hands truly belonged to him. If he became dependent on an external system like this, then without it, he would be nothing but useless.

After speaking, Xie Hui lightly tapped the electronic screen with his fingertips, converting all the mission rewards from his previous world into Virtue and binding them to Xie Ze’s soul.

Seeing his own earnings drop to zero, he curled his lips slightly.

“All that work for nothing.”

Stretching lazily, he instructed the system to open the next mission.

Back in that previous world, Xie Hui had genuinely wanted to replace this system. But he worried that the Lord God might give him an even worse one, so he had reluctantly decided to make do with it.

“Understood, Host.”

The Lord God received word that this troublemaker had completed his first mission. But upon closer inspection, he realized Xie Hui had—yet again—unintentionally wrecked the entire plane.

Fuming for a while before finally calming down, he thought—

It was supposed to be a classic entertainment industry stand-in love story with secret pregnancy drama, yet somehow, it had turned into “Study Hard for the One You Love, Strive for Excellence, and Dedicate Your Life to the Nation!”

Strangely enough, this plane hadn’t completely severed its connection with him. The energy feedback it provided was actually greater than if the original plot had played out normally.

Realizing this, a bold idea suddenly sprouted in the Lord God’s mind!

—

Meanwhile, Xie Hui arrived in the new world.

Opening his eyes, he glanced around the bedroom—somewhat old and worn down.

“Host, in this world, your son is a heartless scholar. Just because his wife and a romantic rival had a minor quarrel, he used it as an excuse to demand a divorce. In the end, he even tried to climb the social ladder by marrying a princess!”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Xie Hui pressed his fingers against his throbbing temples, absorbing the original host’s memories—along with an extra portion, presumably the plot of this world. His gaze turned slightly cold.

“A slave that can be bought and sold at will… is that even worthy of being called a wife?”

—

(Arc End)