After Failing to Reverse the Plot, I Made My Escape - Chapter 49

Why do you not come and hold me?

When the alarm clock rang, Yu Fuqiu’s expression was still exceptionally vacant.

The air conditioner had been running all night, but since his room was located on the lowest level of the hotel, it was still very cold. Yu Fuqiu curled up, wrapped tightly in the blankets, yet his nose was still red from the chill.

He blinked blankly and sneezed. His mind had not quite caught up yet; in a daze, he thought he saw a figure by the bed. He subconsciously reached out toward it, his mouth moving as he said something.

But the moment he left the warmth of the covers, the cold air swept over him. He shivered, trembling as he raised his eyes. Looking closely, where was there any sign of Chang Tingzhi?

It was only his coat hanging on the rack.

The alarm on his backup phone continued to blare incessantly.

Yu Fuqiu leaned against the headboard with his eyes downcast, remaining in that position for a long time. It was not until the alarm repeated for the fifth time that he finally reached out and turned it off.

His fingertips were a bruised purple, and the surroundings were dim, with only a small nightlight by the bed emitting a weak glow.

[Is Yu Fuqiu awake?]

[So early? It is only five in the morning.]

[The guide has to wake up early to prepare the itinerary for the others. Since Yu Fuqiu is the lifestyle guide, that includes their three meals a day.]

[Isn’t he just a glorified free nanny? Why on earth did he join this show? What is he after?]

[Did anyone see him earlier? He reached out to hug the empty air. What was he saying? It was so blurry.]

[I can read lips. Wait for me to take a screenshot and analyze it. Follow me; I will post it on my video account.]

[I don’t know why, but watching this scene makes my heart ache.]

“Oh!”

Fu Wenxuan walked downstairs and caught a wonderful aroma. “Teacher Yu? You are up this early?”

It was already six o’clock when he got up to go for a run. Their flight was in the afternoon, and he had a habit of exercising. He had been cautious when leaving his room; there had been no movement on that entire floor.

“Wenxuan,” Yu Fuqiu was wearing an apron with his hair half-tied back. The early morning light filtered through the cracks in the window, making his features look even more gentle. “Breakfast is on the table. I did not know what you all liked, so I borrowed the kitchen and made a bit of everything.”

Hearing this, Fu Wenxuan looked over at the dining table in the living room. It was covered in a lavish breakfast, not just a few buns to be perfunctory.

“Teacher Yu, you really did not have to do this,” Fu Wenxuan sat at the table, looking at Yu Fuqiu standing by the stove. “We could have just bought something outside to get by. We are adults; we can take care of ourselves.”

Yu Fuqiu turned back and his eyes curved into a smile. “It is fine. You are all younger than me; it is only right that I take care of you.”

Fu Wenxuan took a spoonful of porridge. The fragrant, soft taste spread through his mouth, and he squinted in satisfaction. “Teacher Yu, this is delicious. Do you always cook for yourself at home?”

“Yes. Tingzhi, my husband and child, they have sensitive stomachs. They get diarrhea easily from eating out, so I got a nutritionist certification. I cook quite often. You can place orders; I can guarantee your appetite is satisfied.”

When Ke Qi’an came out, Yu Fuqiu and Fu Wenxuan were chatting happily. He narrowed his eyes. “What are you two talking about? You seem so happy.”

Fu Wenxuan replied, “The breakfast Teacher Yu made. Ke Qi’an, these eggs are delicious.”

“Oh,” Ke Qi’an stood in the hallway, tilting his head as if troubled, his brow furrowing slightly. “I really want to eat it too, but”

“My Daddy is afraid I will get sick from eating outside food, so the butler is bringing breakfast from home. It should be here any moment.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

The butler said with a smile, “Young Master, breakfast has arrived.”

The food boxes on the cart were opened layer by layer, and instantly, the aroma of exquisite breakfast dishes filled the air: shrimp dumplings, abalone porridge, durian pastries, and even a side of fresh fruit. Everything was exceptionally refined and there was enough to share.

“So, I am sorry,” Ke Qi’an walked down slowly and stuck his tongue out at Yu Fuqiu. “Daddy taught me since I was little not to waste food. Teacher Yu, I cannot enjoy your delicious breakfast.”

“Oh, An’an! Did Uncle Ke bring food?” Shi Tong smelled the aroma and hurried downstairs to Ke Qi’an’s side, picking up a shrimp dumpling. “Mmm! Still the same old taste. As expected, you have to have this place’s shrimp dumplings in the morning.”

Perhaps because they were being so loud, the rest of the group came out as well.

“Is everyone awake? Come down and have breakfast! My Daddy prepared so much,” Ke Qi’an invited generously, his smile sincere and warm.

Meanwhile, Fu Wenxuan looked at the porridge in his hand, then up at Yu Fuqiu. He pursed his lips and said nothing.

On the other side, sounds of praise and thanks were endless. The originally cold atmosphere had been livened up by Ke Qi’an, becoming vibrant and warm.

Fu Wenxuan hurriedly finished his porridge. “Teacher Yu, it really was delicious. It is their loss if they do not eat it.”

He checked his watch. “Teacher Yu, I need to go for my run now.”

Yu Fuqiu stood in place, his fingers curling unconsciously. He quietly watched Ke Qi’an, who was surrounded by everyone, and then looked at the table of breakfast he had prepared.

He sat down and looked at the bowl of noodles he had prepared for himself, which was now nearly cold.

The golden fried egg on the noodles had slowly lost its luster, the green scallions had wilted, and a thin layer of oil had formed on the surface of the broth.

He silently took the bowl of noodles, walked to a corner of the kitchen, sat down alone, and began to eat in small bites.

The noodles were already a bit cold and the texture had become soft, but he still finished them quietly, bite by bite.

The lively atmosphere in the living room continued, but the table of food he had prepared had gone completely cold.

At the Airport

When they arrived at the airport, Ke Qi’an’s appearance almost became the focus of the entire waiting area. Dressed in a top-tier luxury outdoor outfit and possessing striking looks, he quickly drew many eyes.

With a bright smile and composed steps, he naturally conversed with Shi Tong and the others. He was well-educated and had a background abroad, so he could always find topics to chat about.

[The contrast is a bit too much]

[My friend works at Changqiu Group. That outfit Ke Qi’an is wearing is exactly the new product they are about to launch. But isn’t their designated spokesperson Yu Fuqiu?]

[There really is no comparison without contrast. After Yu Fuqiu had his child and made his comeback, I thought his recovery was quite good. But now compared to Ke Qi’an, a fresh college student in his early twenties, you really cannot compare their states. I suddenly understand why Chang Tingzhi keeps a red flag at home while having colorful flags flying outside.]

[What a load of crap. In terms of looks, can Ke Qi’an even touch Yu Fuqiu? What is he so proud of? Since when is being a third party something to be proud of? How does he even have the nerve to stand there?]

The camera panned to the other side.

Yu Fuqiu was surrounded by a pile of luggage and documents. Wearing a trench coat with his long hair loose, he had fine beads of sweat on his forehead. He held a crumpled list in his hand, checking the tags on various suitcases while confirming the passports and boarding passes for the guests, looking completely overwhelmed.

“Director Yu, my suitcase is overweight. What should I do? Does anyone else have extra luggage allowance?” a female guest asked with a frown.

“One moment, let me check the check-in allowance,” Yu Fuqiu lowered his head to search through the documents.

“Can we hurry up? The line is moving,” Shi Tong urged impatiently, pointing to the check-in queue.

Yu Fuqiu apologized repeatedly and quickened his movements, somewhat hurriedly handing out the checked documents. When he reached Ke Qi’an, Ke Qi’an smiled and said thank you, nudging Shi Tong with his elbow. “Oh, Shi Tong, Teacher Yu is already having a hard time. Do not rush him like that.”

“I am sorry, Teacher Yu. Thank you for your hard work!” He deliberately elongated his words. However, as he took his passport, he intentionally turned his hand to reveal a ring on his middle finger.

Just as they were about to board, Ke Qi’an seemed to remember something. He pulled a very small portable iron from the side of his backpack, toyed with it for a moment, and tilted his face toward the camera. He said to the guest beside him, “I almost forgot about this.”

“Before we left, Brother Tingzhi specifically reminded me. He looked up the info and said the temperature in Country Y fluctuates by over ten degrees between morning and night, so he told me to bring enough warm clothes that are easy to layer.” He shook the iron in his hand, his smile carrying a hint of sweetness from being cared for. “He also said that clothes get wrinkled easily during long outdoor shoots, so bringing this small one would be convenient. He even thought of details like this.”

“But it is so heavy to carry. Could Teacher Yu help me keep it for a bit?” Ke Qi’an turned and winked at Yu Fuqiu. “Teacher Yu is the lifestyle guide; surely you will not refuse to help me?”

Yu Fuqiu’s movement as he was about to tuck a schedule back into his folder froze. He looked at the small pink iron being handed to him. When he saw it clearly, his downcast eyelashes trembled violently. His fingertips holding the paper turned white from the force of his grip.

The iron was a bit worn; it looked like it had been around for years. Yu Fuqiu recognized it at a glance. It was the iron Chang Tingzhi had bought for him the year Chang Chun Chun was born.

Shortly after giving birth, he had insisted on going back to work. It happened that the director of the drama he joined was exceptionally strict about appearance and clothing. Chang Tingzhi had bought the iron, saying he could help him iron his clothes and that it was very light and easy to carry.

That iron was very good, but it had long been discontinued.

Sure enough, the people in the live chat noticed it too.

[That iron looks so familiar. Isn’t that the iron Chang Tingzhi used to iron Yu Fuqiu’s clothes in his daily vlogs?]

[Look at the brand; it has been discontinued. And look at the wear and tear.]

[This iron appeared a lot. I even found a screenshot. Chang Tingzhi was ironing for the camera and bragging, saying, ‘Heh heh, how could my wife have such a caring husband like me? He is responsible for making money, and I am responsible for being as beautiful as a flower.’]

[I have watched it so many times I can recite the next line: ‘I cook for him, I iron for him, I make the bed for him, and I even warm his feet. Once my wife gets used to it, he will realize he cannot live without me.’]

[Hahaha, Chang Tingzhi briefly trended back then with the tag #ChangTingzhiIsJealousOfWork. He even said, ‘Damned work! My wife actually has to leave me for two whole weeks. Fourteen days! 336 hours! 20,160 minutes! How am I not as charming as a job? Damnable!’]

[He earned the nickname Fourteen-Day Brother. Thanks to him, the last time I had a test question asking how many hours are in fourteen days, his voice popped into my head. Hahahaha.]

[EVERYONE! I cracked it! Yu Fuqiu’s lip-reading from this morning! Go look!]

When people clicked on that person’s profile, they saw a dark video where Yu Fuqiu was curled up and then stood up hazily. With a red nose and a dazed expression, he looked at the empty side of the bed and slowly reached out his hand.

It was an action craving an embrace. His lips were moving.

The person pinned a comment at the top of the section:

“He said: Tingzhi, I am so cold. Why do you not come and hold me?”