"Mommy, what are you doing?"
Ji Xiaocong’s innocent, confused voice broke the ambiguous atmosphere. Xu Yun snapped back to reality, seeing her son clutching his plush toy and staring at them with wide, curious eyes. Her heart leaped, and she quickly pushed Ji Xiu away.
She felt embarrassed to show even a hint of intimacy in front of the child. Xiaocong remained confused and a bit aggrieved. "Why isn't Mommy talking to Congcong?"
Ji Xiu walked over and scooped the toddler up. "It’s time for you to sleep."
"Congcong won't sleep!" The boy was headstrong. He pushed against Ji Xiu’s chest and reached for Xu Yun. "Mommy, hold me."
Xu Yun had composed herself, though her ears were still scarlet. She took him and tapped his nose. "Congcong, if you don't sleep now, will you be able to wake up tomorrow?"
Children only care about the present. He bit his finger and blinked cutely. "Congcong will be good."
Xu Yun couldn't help but laugh, ruffling his hair. "Since you can't sleep, come watch your Daddy learn how to cook."
The family of three moved to the kitchen.
"Wash the vegetables, chop them, wash the pot, turn on the heat, add oil..." Xu Yun stood at the kitchen door holding Xiaocong, giving oral instructions.
Ji Xiu had been cramming cooking knowledge for the past few days, so he followed the routine with practiced ease. However, the real obstacle to his cooking wasn't the preparation—it was what happened after the fire started.
Unaware of this, Xu Yun relaxed seeing him handle the knife well. She turned her attention to keeping Xiaocong from leaning too far forward. Sizzle! The sound of vegetables hitting the pan made her snap back. She instinctively took a half-step back. It was a good thing she did; a second later, hot oil splattered across half the kitchen.
Xu Yun was shocked. How did the kitchen turn into a war zone in just a few seconds?
Ji Xiu held the spatula, frowning with intense seriousness as he persisted in stir-frying. "Xu Yun, go outside. I can handle this."
Xu Yun retreated but remained behind the glass door, shouting, "Turn down the heat!"
"It’s fine, I'm almost done!"
Xiaocong was terrified and clung to her, nearly in tears, so she couldn't go in. She could only shout instructions. "Add salt!" Clatter. Ji Xiu obediently dumped a huge spoonful of salt into the pan. Xu Yun’s brow twitched. "Calm down! Add... add some light soy sauce." Glug glug. A quarter of the bottle disappeared into the pot.
Xu Yun swallowed hard. "Add some water..." Otherwise, it would be inedible. Splash! Half a ladle of water went in. A perfectly good tomato and egg stir-fry had officially become a salty tomato and egg soup.
Xu Yun fell silent, looking at Ji Xiu with a complex gaze. Ji Xiu, unaware, was still focused on the presentation. He plated the dish and brought it out with a hint of hidden expectation. "Taste it. How is it?"
This was his first "successful" dish. He figured with his physical memory of boiling instant noodles, he might be a natural.
Xu Yun approached the bowl with the spirit of a martyr and took a bite. She nearly spat it out instantly. To save his confidence, she forced herself to swallow, but the bizarre, overwhelming flavor brought tears to her eyes.
"Ji Xiu... maybe you shouldn't cook," she said despairingly. "I'll teach Congcong to cook. When you guys get to the location, let him cook for you."
Ji Xiu: "..."
Was he really worse than a toddler? He didn't believe it. He took the chopsticks and tried a bite himself. A second later, his face turned dark.
"I give up," he said with wooden calm. "Let Ji Xiaocong learn."
…
The next morning at 6:00 AM, the doorbell rang.
Xu Yun tried to get up, but Ji Xiu’s groggy voice stopped her. "Stay asleep. I'll get the door; it's the crew." They had stayed up late, and while Ji Xiu was used to it, Xu Yun followed a strict health routine and was too exhausted to move.
Ji Xiu opened the door in black loungewear. His messy, slightly curled hair made him look years younger than the serious man usually seen on screen—more like a handsome, gentle "big boy" next door.
The moment the elevator opened and the camera hit his face, the live broadcast screen went silent.
This was the debut of the live format for Dad and Me Season 2. Director Wang had switched to a live stream to compete with a rival station. There were five channels, and Channel 4 was Ji Xiu’s.
The bullet comments exploded:
【Who is this? That voice is so sexy!】
【It sounds familiar, but I can't place it...】
【Hurry up and enter, I want to see his face!】
The crew entered the foyer.
【Luxury apartment! This guy is rich.】
【Wait, the decor style is so classy. Much better than that gaudy 'Best Actor' Yang's place.】
【Wait... Yang is next door? Then who is here?】
【Domestic Best Actor... could it be...? No, he never does variety.】
Then, the camera tilted up. A tall figure walked over to greet them. "You're early. The kid isn't awake yet. Sit and rest while I go wake him."
The screen went blank for a second.
【...Ji Xiu?!】
【Is that actually Ji Xiu?! Am I dreaming?】
【Wait, did he say 'the kid'?!】
【JI XIU HAS A CHILD?! WHEN DID HE GET MARRIED?!】
The news hit like a bomb. Fans tried to convince themselves he was just hosting a non-celebrity child, but then Ji Xiu walked into the master bedroom and emerged carrying a sleepy Ji Xiaocong.
Xiaocong, in Tuzki pajamas, was a tiny ball of fluff. He hugged Ji Xiu’s neck, murmuring, "Congcong wants to sleep..."
Ji Xiu’s expression was helpless and doting. "We agreed to go on a trip. You can sleep in the car, okay?"
Xiaocong squirmed like a piece of dough. "Sleepy..."
Ji Xiu teased him, "I told you to go to bed last night and you wouldn't. Now look at you."
The bullet comments were in a frenzy:
【The evidence is irrefutable! That doting look, those movements—if they aren't father and son, I'll eat dirt!】
Within ten minutes, the news broke the internet.
#Ji Xiu Hidden Marriage#
#Ji Xiu Son Three Years Old#
#Ji Xiu on Dad and Me#
The tags were marked with a bright red "EXPLOSIVE" on Weibo.
Fans were in tears of shock, but the general public—especially the "housewife" demographic—was surprisingly calm. To the older generation who had watched Ji Xiu since his debut as "General Xiao" fourteen years ago, seeing him as a father in his thirties felt perfectly natural.
"Oh, General Xiao is married?" a grandmother might say while watching the TV. "The child is adorable. He looked just like that when he was young."
This was the difference between an idol and an actor. While "girlfriend fans" were having a meltdown, the vast audience that provided the actual ratings found it heartening. As long as his acting stayed good, they would continue to support him.
Ji Xiu didn't care about the internet storm. He was busy trying to peel a sleepy toddler off his shoulder to get the journey started.
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