Pretending Not to Love You [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Xiao Bojun watched Zuo Qiu get into a car. After the car drove out of sight, he followed Xiao Bolin toward the underground parking lot. Back in Xiao Bolin’s office, they had made a preliminary plan. Zuo Qiu’s side was easy, but for Xiao Bojun, this matter definitely needed to be reported to the family.

His grandmother and mother wouldn’t be a problem, but his father, however, wouldn’t be easy to convince.

The two brothers walked side by side. Xiao Bolin glanced at Xiao Bojun and asked, seemingly nonchalantly, “That classmate of yours, Zuo Qiu, he’s handsome, and I heard his grades are very good… I suppose a lot of people pursue him at school?”

Xiao Bojun looked straight ahead. Zuo Qiu was indeed pursued by many people, including those with excellent looks, knowledge, and family backgrounds, but Zuo Qiu had politely rejected all of them. Before knowing his secret, he thought Zuo Qiu had very high standards for a partner. Afterward, even though he knew Zuo Qiu’s secret, Xiao Bojun still felt his standards were very high.

Speaking of which, Xiao Bojun was still deeply resentful that Zuo Qiu hadn’t fallen for him.

Seeing Xiao Bojun remain silent, Xiao Bolin deliberately added, “Cousin Jixiang asked me to keep an eye out for handsome guys for her a couple of days ago. I think Zuo Qiu is quite good.”

“No way!” Xiao Bojun rejected the idea without thinking.

“Why?”

Xiao Bojun glanced at his brother’s teasing expression but didn’t deny it: “Because he can only be mine!”

Xiao Bolin chuckled softly: “Aren’t you overthinking it? Your sexual orientations are different!”

Xiao Bolin was seven years older than Xiao Bojun and had essentially watched him grow up. Over the years, he had never seen Xiao Bojun this nervous about anyone, except Zuo Qiu. Xiao Bolin had been in this industry for many years and had seen everything, so he easily accepted his younger brother’s sexual orientation.

Xiao Bojun puffed out his chest: “That’s none of your business.” He sped up, walking a couple of steps ahead of Xiao Bolin. His brother’s intelligence was almost demonic; he was afraid that a few more words would expose Zuo Qiu’s secret.

Little did he know, while he didn’t say anything explicitly, his body language had already betrayed him.

Xiao Bolin looked at his brother’s retreating back and nodded understandingly: So, my little brother likes Zuo Qiu, and Zuo Qiu is also gay.

…

In the Xiao family home, the three generations sat down to eat. Grandmother Yin Qiushui and Mother He Can both looked very happy.

Yin Qiushui lovingly put a duck leg on Xiao Bojun’s plate, saying affectionately, “Look, look, you’ve gotten thin. Eat more. I told you, why live outside when you have a good home? Can outside food possibly be as good as home cooking?”

Everyone automatically overlooked the small scratch on Xiao Bojun’s forehead; after all, for Xiao Bojun, who frequently got into fights, this was just routine. Moreover, the mark had faded considerably due to frequent application of medicine.

He Can also chimed in: “Your grandmother is right. Just live at home from now on.”

Xiao Bojun immediately refused: “Of course not. My internship isn’t finished yet!”

Xiao Bolin couldn’t help but curl his lip. As far as he knew, Xiao Bojun had only gone to his “internship” for one day. If the head of that company wasn’t friends with their father, he would have been fired long ago.

The grandmother and mother didn’t press the matter, as the family home was indeed a bit far from Xiao Bojun’s internship site, and both of them hated the thought of him having to get up early, so they didn’t insist further.

Xiao Zhan (the father) sat there, shaking his head. These two spoiled him too much! But he dared not speak his mind because whenever he did, he would be scolded by his own mother and his loving wife. He couldn’t talk back!

Xiao Bojun thought about today’s events, rolled his eyes, and said, “Actually, living at home is quite nice. How about, Mom, you buy me a car? With a car, I’ll come home every day.”

Get the car first, whether I really come home every day is a problem for later.

But He Can, who was usually indulgent, immediately refused: “Don’t even think about it. No way!”

Ever since Xiao Bojun crashed the car and ended up in the hospital, causing chaos for the family, He Can had issued a strict order forbidding him from touching a car again.

Xiao Bojun put down his chopsticks, slightly annoyed that his wish wasn’t granted. He couldn’t understand why his mother still hadn’t forgotten something that happened ages ago. It’s perfectly normal to crash into a utility pole!

Yin Qiushui couldn’t stand to see her grandson unhappy, but she couldn’t give in on the car matter. So, she thought of a compromise: “Grandma will buy you a car…”

Xiao Bojun immediately brightened: “Really? Grandma, you’re the best!”

Yin Qiushui was both amused and exasperated: “I’m not finished yet. I’ll buy the car, and I’ll let your brother choose a good driver for you.”

The smile on Xiao Bojun’s face instantly disappeared. “How many young people hire drivers these days? Only old people like Dad, who are fifty or sixty, hire drivers. I don’t want the car anymore. I’ll just keep living outside.”

Xiao Zhan, who had been silently eating, was innocently dragged into the argument. How does being fifty or sixty make him “old people”? And what’s wrong with hiring a driver? He turned to his mother and wife, hoping for some loving comfort, but both were busy comforting the instigator. In the end, he only received a small, helpless look from his eldest son.

…

After dinner, the family moved to the sofa to drink tea. Xiao Bojun stood up and said to Xiao Zhan, “Dad, I have something I want to discuss with you.”

Xiao Zhan put down his teacup, looked at Xiao Bolin, who nodded slightly. The father and two sons went up to the study on the second floor.

Less than five minutes later, as the two women were still guessing what the three men were discussing, they suddenly heard Xiao Zhan’s enraged voice: “Why in the world would you choose to be an actor? Don’t you know your own worth?”

The mother and daughter-in-law exchanged glances, both standing up, ready to rescue the youngest grandson/son.

But the next moment, the study door opened. Xiao Bojun came downstairs with his head drooping. He immediately put on a mournful face for Yin Qiushui: “Grandma, your son is stopping your grandson from advancing! It’s bad enough he won’t let me buy a car, but now he won’t even let me do what I love. What’s the point of me living!”

This outburst of grievances immediately won over Yin Qiushui and He Can’s hearts. They instantly declared that as long as he didn’t buy a car, everything else was negotiable. We’ll talk to your father!

Upstairs, Xiao Bolin, having sent Xiao Bojun away, was calming Xiao Zhan down, saying, “It’s good for Junjun to do something legitimate. It’s better than playing games at home all day and being a freeloader!”

“Why choose acting of all professions? How can he endure the hardship?” Besides, what’s wrong with being a freeloader? Xiao Zhan can afford it!

Xiao Bolin smiled: “Don’t worry about that. In less than two years, I’ll have him voluntarily quit the entertainment circle and actively ask to manage Bailuo.”

Xiao Zhan looked at his eldest son, who was full of confidence. His eldest son always followed through on his words, so this was likely to happen. Letting him gain some experience in the entertainment industry before taking over Bailuo wasn’t a bad idea, as long as they kept an eye on him. This would also prevent him from eating and sleeping at home all day and eventually getting sick…

Xiao Bolin saw the clouds lift from Xiao Zhan’s face and knew the matter was settled. As for Xiao Bojun liking men, forget it. He might as well help him all the way: find a way for him to marry early and have a child to silence the family!

Truly, there was no one in this family who didn’t dote on Xiao Bojun. Yin Qiushui and He Can were obvious—they cherished him immensely. Xiao Zhan’s reason for refusing Xiao Bojun to enter the entertainment industry was fear of him suffering, which also showed immense doting. As for Xiao Bolin, although he often bossed his brother around and mocked him, he would automatically compromise when it came to his interests. For example, right now, he had completely sacrificed his own “getting married after 40” plan.

…

After Zuo Qiu returned to Xiao Bojun’s apartment, he made himself some food and called his mother.

Zuo Qiu’s mother, Yun Duo, sounded worried when she heard her son planned to become an artist: “That path is difficult. Artists look glamorous on the surface, but they bear a lot of pressure inside, and also, you…”

Zuo Qiu knew what Yun Duo meant and interrupted her: “Mom, don’t worry. I will be careful. It’s rare for me to want to do something, so you and Dad must support me.”

Yun Duo choked up slightly, saying, “We support you. We will always support you. If you ever don’t want to do it anymore, you can come back. Dad and I will take care of you.”

Zuo Qiu hung up the phone with misty eyes. After realizing his sexual orientation in high school, he distanced himself from all boys and girls. He was helpless and confused during that time, and his mood was constantly low. His parents were worried but didn’t dare ask him directly. They finally understood the situation after reading his diary.

As teachers, the couple was shocked, but they were more concerned about their son’s distress and helplessness. They slowly accepted the fact and helped their son overcome his depression.

In today’s society, not everyone accepts this sexual orientation. Zuo Qiu was afraid of damaging his parents’ reputation because of himself, so he didn’t dare to like any boy during high school. He followed his parents’ teachings, studied hard, and finally got into the best university in the country to repay them.

He thought he would always guard his heart, but the truth was… meeting Xiao Bojun was probably the biggest accident of his life.