Hu Xiaoyu believed every word Yu Tan said.
When Yu Tan mentioned he'd stay the night at the hotel, Hu Xiaoyu didn't object. He wasn't the type to fuss about beds — and falling asleep surrounded by Yu Tan's scent was, for a fox, a small kind of bliss.
As for what Yu Wenhe had told him, Hu Xiaoyu decided: unless Yu Tan chose to speak first, he would never bring it up. The man's words would never pass the barrier spell he'd cast — not to anyone, not even Yu Tan.
He was still lost in thought when his ear was suddenly brushed.
Yu Tan's dark gaze pinned him. "What are you thinking about?"
Hu Xiaoyu's head rested against his chest, his voice soft and muffled. "I'm hungry."
Yu Tan pinched the back of his neck gently. "All right. I'll order something."
Half an hour later, a knock sounded.
Chu Yin.
When she realized Yu Tan was staying — and in the same room — she felt a pang of realization, like she'd missed an obvious clue.
Before she could ask anything, the tall man behind her artist rested a hand on the boy's shoulder — the gesture intimate, possessive.
Affection for Hu Xiaoyu. Power toward her.
She swallowed her questions. The moment she stepped outside, she called her boss, Shi Jingyang.
So the "Brother" her artist mentioned was actually a lover.
She'd need to talk to him about that later.
For now, she sent a text: We're filming tomorrow, so please sleep early.
Hu Xiaoyu lifted his phone, sending back an "OK" gesture.
A quiet laugh came from the man beside him.
Yu Tan had been watching him since they reunited, studying him like he was something both fascinating and fragile.
Hu Xiaoyu handed him the phone. "Here, look."
Yu Tan took it, pressed the power button, and set it aside.
He took Hu Xiaoyu's hand. "You know what your agent really meant by 'sleep early,' right?"
Hu Xiaoyu blinked. "Don't stay up?"
Yu Tan leaned in, his voice smooth. "And what exactly counts as 'not staying up'?"
The boy's eyes darted away. "No video games?"
A breath later, Yu Tan swept him into his arms and onto the bed.
"I want you, Xiaoyu," he murmured. "So much."
That afternoon, hearing him on the phone—cold, fierce, and proud as he defended him—had struck something deep in Yu Tan's chest.
He'd spent the rest of the day caught between wanting to see him and being afraid to.
And now, here he was.
How could someone be this good? And how had fate made him the one to find him?
Maybe, he thought wryly, his master had been right about destiny after all.
Hu Xiaoyu had never heard him say it like that before, that open need. Usually when Yu Tan said want, it meant no one was sleeping much that night.
He hesitated—he wanted to, but he had filming in the morning. Yet looking at Yu Tan, something inside him softened.
He rolled closer, hugging one long leg. "All right," he whispered.
Yu Tan bent down and kissed him.
The rest unfolded quietly, tenderly—no rush, no marks left behind.
When it was over, Yu Tan brushed a hand down his back. "There'll be cameras tomorrow," he said softly, and carried him off to the shower.
Later, they crawled into a bed.
"There's only one blanket," Hu Xiaoyu murmured. "What do we do?"
"Then we'll share," Yu Tan said, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"But you'll get too warm," the boy protested.
"Then I'll learn to get used to it."
He pulled him close. "This works. Sleep."
Hu Xiaoyu's leg slid over his waist. "What about like this?"
Yu Tan's eyes glinted. "Like that, I might not let you sleep at all."
The boy froze, then laughed under his breath, cheeks warm.
A cooler hand rested behind his knee, holding it there. Yu Tan's voice softened. "You've been good tonight. You can ask one question. Anything."
"Really?"
"Mm. Anything."
Hu Xiaoyu thought for a second. "When's your birthday?"
Yu Tan hadn't expected that. It took him a moment to remember the date.
The boy noted it down in his mind, then asked a few small things — his birth time, random details, nothing heavy.
Yu Tan answered them all.
Then, instead of the question he'd half-feared, he heard a contented yawn. "Goodnight, Yu Tan."
He kissed the boy's brow. "Goodnight."
Hu Xiaoyu slept soundly, head on his chest, leg over his waist — perfect peace.
When he woke, Yu Tan was already watching him.
"When did you wake up?" he mumbled.
"Just now," Yu Tan said — though he hadn't slept at all. Some decisions needed time, and he hadn't found the answers yet.
They washed, ate breakfast, and Chu Yin called to say the crew was downstairs. Filming would begin in the hotel lobby.
Yu Tan couldn't go down.
Hu Xiaoyu hugged him. "I'll be back soon."
"Mm."
Watching the boy's back, Yu Tan thought: a week would be enough to decide where to keep him — beside him, or deeper.
The crew downstairs was growing impatient.
Their group was following the smallest name of the cast, and patience was thin.
Then the elevator doors opened—
—and a boy stepped out, features so striking the room fell silent.
Too beautiful.
Photos hadn't done him justice. In person, he looked unreal.
The director snapped back first. "Cameras! Roll now!"
Hu Xiaoyu smiled politely. "Good morning."
That fox-eyed smile caught them off guard again.
The director stammered, "H-hi, Xiaoyu."
Gone was the earlier annoyance. With that face and that poise, how could he have been anything but adored?
Not popular yet? Fine. Heaven must've just been waiting.
The live chat exploded:
"OMG he's so pretty 😭😭"
"No way that's real skin!"
"I'm dead 💀💀"
"Bro looks like CGI 😭😭😭"
"HOW is that face legal???"
The show The Light of Heritage prided itself on being filter-free — "authentic beauty," they called it. No smoothing, no edits. Cameras zoomed right in.
Even movie stars had crumbled under that HD cruelty before.
But Hu Xiaoyu's feed? It was chaos.
Some swore it had to be filtered. Others jumped in from different streams:
The live chat exploded:
"No way, you can literally see Liu's pimples next door 💀"
"Then they gave ONLY him the filter 😂"
"Bruh IDK, can someone's skin actually be that perfect??"
"This gotta be beauty mode MAX level 😭"
A camera zoomed right into his face. Someone screenshots, zoomed, analyzed.
Result: you could see tiny baby hairs on his cheeks. No filter could do that.
The live chat exploded:
"WTF, that's his real skin???"
"He's not even wearing makeup???"
"God-tier visuals, I can't breathe 😩"
"Help I'm in love 💔💔"
The producers noticed the spike and had the lead interviewer ask about skincare.
Hu Xiaoyu's real answer—sleep, eat, absorb spiritual energy—wasn't one he could share.
So he smiled and said simply, "I just sleep a lot."
The live chat exploded:
"LMAOOOO he said 'sleep more' 😭😭😭"
"Fairy skincare 101 💅✨"
"Early to bed, early to rise, gang rise up 💀"
"Brb going to bed rn 😂"
Then came a darker comment:
"Pretty face, empty head 🙄 just another doll."
Fans hit back fast:
"At least he's nice to look at 💁♀️ better than you keyboard warriors."
And then—
The live chat exploded:
"Someone check this dude's education pls 💀"
"Middle school dropout on a culture show? Lol."
"He talks politely though? Doesn't sound dumb."
"Guess looks = talent now huh 😒"
"Pretty vase, empty brain 🤡"
The topic caught fire. If he really only finished middle school, some said, then he didn't belong on a cultural program.
Watching from backstage, Chu Yin's face darkened.
Her assistant whispered, "Sister Chu, looks like trolls are piling in. Should we counter?"
"No," Chu Yin said after a pause. "Let them talk."
She knew what was coming. The harsher they cursed, the sweeter the turnaround.
Meanwhile, producers saw numbers skyrocket. "Ask about his education," one ordered in the earpiece.
The on-site host hesitated. Hu Xiaoyu had been nothing but kind and professional. But orders were orders.
Since phones weren't allowed on set, Hu Xiaoyu didn't know any of this.
He just noticed the staffer's hesitation. "What's wrong? You don't feel well?"
The man forced a smile. "The audience has a question for you… If you don't want to answer—"
Hu Xiaoyu looked at the camera, smiling gently. "Thank you for caring."
The warmth in his face made the comment section stutter. Then he added, "Go ahead. I'll answer what I can."
The live chat exploded:
"He's so polite 😭😭😭"
"Bruh I feel bad for blaming him now 💀"
"Protect this boy at all costs 🥹"
The interviewer tried to ease in. "This show involves a lot of traditional culture. It's quite a challenge. Do you feel confident?"
Hu Xiaoyu's eyes curved. "Confidence? I don't know. I just really like traditional culture. I know a little. And… I wanted more people to know me. So I came."
Thinking of the days Yu Tan had taught him to read and write, his eyes shone brighter.
The live chat exploded:
"Did y'all SEE that? His eyes literally sparkled 😭😭"
"He really loves this stuff "
"So honest omg—'I just want more people to know me' = I want more fans 😂"
"Actors all say that lol scripted af 🙄"
"His eyes shining like diamonds 💎💎💎"
Backstage, the earpiece buzzed again: Ask him. The degree.
The interviewer swallowed. "Then… can you tell us your educational background?"
He hated asking. Hu Xiaoyu made people feel comfortable, like talking to a friend. And you didn't humiliate friends on air.
But if he didn't ask, he'd lose his job.