Mother-in-law fans? How can there be mother-in-law fans???
When Zhou Ziheng tried to walk close to him, Xia Xiqing gave him a little push. “Tell your mom fans I’m not some daughter-in-law.”
“That’s none of my concern—I’ve got way too many moms,” Zhou Ziheng said with a smug grin. “My moms enjoy freedom of speech.”
Backstage was bustling with a chaotic mix of people, celebrities coming and going. Zhou Ziheng, fresh off his Silver Bear win, was red-hot in the industry—everyone who approached him greeted him warmly. He was swamped just shaking hands, and with all the media cameras trained on them, Xia Xiqing found it all rather bothersome.
In the past, his first instinct would have been to find a quiet spot to be alone. But now, he didn’t want that. He simply stayed close to Zhou Ziheng, following him through the crowded throng.
Because he could see that every time Zhou Ziheng bowed or shook hands, he would instinctively glance back to check if Xia Xiqing was still there.
After greeting everyone they needed to, Zhou Ziheng, Xia Xiqing, and their assistants found an inconspicuous spot to sit and wait for entry. Taking advantage of the crowd’s chaos, Zhou Ziheng quietly pulled Xia Xiqing’s hand toward him.
“Your hands are so cold,” he said, rubbing them together. “Are you cold?”
“I was cold earlier, but I’m better now.” Xia Xiqing leaned back in his chair, gazing up at the ceiling. “Being a celebrity is exhausting.”
Zhou Ziheng slipped Xia Xiqing’s hand into his coat pocket. “You can decline invitations in the future if you don’t want to attend.”
Xia Xiqing turned his head to look at him. “I was talking about you. I’m not the celebrity.” He wrinkled his nose, poking Zhou Ziheng’s waist lightly through the pocket. His gaze was tender, yet tinged with a hint of mischief. “Our little Heng works himself to death every day.”
He rarely called Zhou Ziheng that. The nickname wasn’t unfamiliar to Zhou Ziheng—fans called him that daily, and it had long lost its special meaning. But when Xia Xiqing called him Hengheng with such an adorable expression, Zhou Ziheng’s heart skipped two beats.
He wanted to kiss him so badly.
What Xia Xiqing didn’t know was that moments like these were precisely when Zhou Ziheng truly felt the hardship of being a celebrity.
Half an hour before the awards ceremony began, the two entered together. While searching for their seats, Zhou Ziheng was called away by the organizers—he was to present the Best Newcomer Award. Xia Xiqing followed his assistant to find his seat. Fans had already filled the venue and erupted into wild screams upon seeing Xia Xiqing.
“Xiqing Brother!!!!”
“Xiqing Brother, look this way!!!”
One fan after another raised their cameras, and Xia Xiqing, ever the fan-friendly star, turned to smile at them.
“Xiqing!! Mommy loves you!!!”
“Mommy loves you too!! Xiqing, make sure to bundle up!!!”
“Xiqing!!! I went to the art museum yesterday!!!”
“Xiqing, I love you!!!”
The fans’ enthusiasm was overwhelming. Xia Xiqing wore a helpless yet indulgent smile, placed his hands over his chest, bowed deeply toward them, and only sat down once he found his seat.
“Aaaah! What kind of prince charming is Xiqing?!”
“So gentlemanly!!!”
“My prince charming!!!”
“He’s not yours!! He’s Zhou Ziheng’s!!”
Suddenly, a fan feud erupted.
“Zhou Ziheng’s little rose!!!”
“Aaaaaaah, Little Rose!!”
This nickname, exposed due to Zhou Ziheng’s secret account, hadn’t bothered Xia Xiqing much before. But now, having fans shout it out in public was downright embarrassing. Xia Xiqing turned his head and made a shushing gesture.
The fans obediently covered their mouths. Xia Xiqing flashed them a heart sign and playfully raised an eyebrow.
Hardly had he turned away when Xia Xiqing heard fans calling again—quietly, but audible.
“Brother Xiqing, turn around~”
After hearing the repeated calls, Xia Xiqing couldn’t bear to play dumb any longer. He turned around to find over a dozen fans holding up their phones. Their screens displayed three enormous characters—Little Rose—in a homemade digital banner. The rose-colored text flashed on and off, incredibly eye-catching.
Xia Xiqing couldn’t help but laugh helplessly at these young girls.
The fans, however, were overjoyed, convinced they’d successfully charmed Brother Xiqing. Little did they know that within five minutes, Xia Xiqing turned back and raised his phone.
His screen scrolled a single sentence, each character filling the display.
[Call me Brother. Good girl.]
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
“Oh my god, Brother Xiqing is so flirty!!!”
“Brother!!! Brother, I can!!”
Even fans of other idols couldn’t help but gush, “Holy crap, look at the real deal. My god, he’s got it down.”
Xia Xiqing put his phone away, only for fans from another direction to start calling his name.
He looked up as a fan asked, “Brother Xiqing, did you know Hengheng reads fanfiction?”
Xia Xiqing shook his head with a smile.
“Really?!”
Xia Xiqing smiled, cool yet adorable. “He reads them behind my back.”
“Hahahaha…”
After chatting with the fans, Xia Xiqing bent down to adjust his tie. Zhou Ziheng walked down from the corner of the stage, looking around. Xia Xiqing didn’t notice him, but the fans behind him spotted him first, shouting warnings one after another.
“Zi Heng!!! Your wife is right here!!!”
“Over here!!! Zi Heng!!!”
Amidst the fans’ enthusiastic prompts, Zhou Zi Heng smiled as he walked over to Xia Xiqing. Instead of sitting down, he stood beside him, chatting while reaching out to pinch the back of his neck.
It wasn’t particularly intimate, but the fans below were wildly excited, snapping away with their cameras.
Another celebrity approached from behind. Zhou Ziheng shifted aside to make room and sat down.
“Which one is the Newcomer Award?” Xia Xiqing asked Zhou Ziheng.
“Hmm… the sixth one.” Zhou Ziheng was a bit tired and instinctively rested his head on Xia Xiqing’s shoulder.
“Hey, there are so many people watching.”
“Let them watch.” Zhou Ziheng laughed indifferently, “I came out to show off our affection. I’d be afraid if they couldn’t see it.”
His tone was childish, like a little kid letting off steam. But Xia Xiqing felt nothing but joy, his heart filling with happiness like a small bread roll slowly puffing up in an oven.
“I want the whole world to know you’re mine.” Zhou Ziheng’s voice softened, then he suddenly smiled. “Though exposing my alt account wasn’t my intention, looking at the results, it wasn’t all bad.” He lifted his head, turning his face to look at Xia Xiqing. “At least now many people know just how much I adore you.”
These tender words fell into his ears like tiny sparks, igniting a patch of emotionally charged nerves.
Xia Xiqing felt a bit embarrassed, leaning against the seatback of the front car and burying his face in his crossed arms. After a moment, he turned his head to look at him, his face still wearing that sly, fox-like smile.
“But your secret account is really funny.”
Sweet revenge.
Once the awards ceremony began, they stopped chatting and joking, sitting upright in their seats as the prizes were presented one by one. This particular award wasn’t considered highly prestigious domestically, but its tie-in with Weibo drew a large celebrity turnout and generated significant buzz.
When it came time to present the Newcomer of the Year award, Zhou Ziheng walked onto the stage as a presenter. Joining him was Feng Cheng, a comedian in his early forties known for his comedic roles and smooth social skills. The two had vastly different appearances. As Zhou Ziheng settled on stage and adjusted his microphone, Feng Cheng joked, “Now that I’m standing this close, I see we actually look quite similar.”
The audience burst into laughter and applause, and Zhou Ziheng laughed along. Feng Cheng continued, “People say I’m the Zhou Ziheng of comedy.”
“No, no, no. You’re much more handsome than I am,” Zhou Ziheng replied with a modest smile.
“That’s for sure~”
The audience laughed again.
“Today we’re presenting the Newcomer of the Year Award.” Feng Cheng held the envelope behind his back as he turned to Zhou Ziheng. “Ziheng, do you remember what it felt like when you were a newcomer?”
Zhou Ziheng smiled and thought for a moment before shaking his head. “I don’t remember.”
A fan below shouted, “He was only six back then!!!!”
“Hahahahahaha…”
The entire venue erupted in laughter. Zhou Ziheng smiled wryly, licking his lips with an expression of helplessness.
“Do you have any advice for newcomers?” Feng Cheng took the initiative to kick things off. “For me, I think newcomers shouldn’t rush. The more you rush, the more anxious you’ll become.” He pointed at himself. “Like me, haha.”
Zhou Ziheng pursed his lips and spoke earnestly. “I have three pieces of advice. First, don’t create a persona for yourself. “
“
“Hahahahahahaha…”
“
“Second, don’t create alternate accounts.”
“
“Hahahahahahahahaha…”
“
This self-deprecating humor had the entire audience in stitches—it was more entertaining than watching a stand-up comedy show.
Zhou Ziheng cleared his throat. “Third, do not use secondary accounts to repost giveaways.”
“Hahahahahahahaha!”
“What a killer move, man! Hahahahahaha!”
The camera cut to Xia Xiqing, who could only lower his head, stifle his laughter, and clap. When he looked up again, he maintained his final shred of composure and poise.
Feng Cheng led the applause from the side, “It’s been ages since I heard such constructive advice.” He then pulled out the envelope, “Now, let’s present the award.”
After the award ceremony, Zhou Ziheng adjusted his suit collar and strode back to his seat. He leaned close to Xia Xiqing and whispered something.
The moment the two drew near, the fans behind them erupted into uncontrollable screams. No wonder—the main stars were showering each other with affection; not joining in would be rude.
As the event concluded, Xia Xiqing and Zhou Ziheng walked side by side. The moment they drew near, the fans behind them couldn’t help but scream. It was inevitable—the The moment they drew near, fans behind them erupted in uncontrollable screams. No wonder—with the stars showering them with sweetness, it would be rude not to catch it.
When the gala ended, Xia Xiqing and Zhou Ziheng exited together. Due to the venue’s layout, celebrity limousines couldn’t park directly outside the hall. Fans had gathered outside the venue hours earlier, and the moment the pair emerged, they swarmed forward. Four bodyguards separated them from the crowd, but the distance remained close. One fan joked, “Hengheng, you’re taller than the bodyguards! Who’s protecting who, haha!”
“Hahahahahaha…”
Another fan shouted, “Hengheng!!! Didn’t your mom tell you to wear more clothes?! Don’t dress so lightly just to look cool!”
Xia Xiqing laughed nonstop, mimicking the mom fan’s tone to scold Zhou Ziheng, “Did you hear that? Don’t dress so lightly just to look cool.”
His gloating lasted less than ten seconds before another fan yelled, “Xiqing!!! You have to listen to your mother-in-law too!!!!”
Zhou Ziheng burst into loud laughter, giving the fan a thumbs-up. “Nice one!” Xia Xiqing nudged him with his elbow.
“Oh my goodness, my daughter-in-law is so tsundere~”
“Hahahahahaha Tsundere bottom!!”
Xia Xiqing’s temples throbbed. “I’m not a bottom…”
The surrounding fans all burst into laughter. One suddenly yelled, “Right, you’re a 0!!!”
…
A gentle smile spread across Xia Xiqing’s face. “…This generation of fans is just too much to handle.”
“I think they’re pretty cool.” No sooner had Zhou Ziheng uttered these words than he was promptly proven wrong.
“Zhou Ziheng, you’ve been called out by the fanfiction ladies! She says she’s going to reverse your ship!!!”
“Hahahahahaha she said she hates elementary school kid tops!!”
“Hahahahahaha elementary school kid tops are the best!”
Zhou Ziheng coldly declared, “Expulsion from fandom!”
“Who gave you permission?” Xia Xiqing smirked. “No expulsion.”
“Expulsion!”
“No way.”
“Hahahahahaha why is my ship’s fight so sweet?!”
Suddenly, a male fan’s voice rang out from the crowd—one that sounded eerily familiar.
“Xiqing-ge, I love you!!!”
Zhou Ziheng instantly recognized the voice and turned to look. As expected, “Why is it always you?!”
“Hahahahahaha, what was bound to happen has finally happened?”
“How old are you!”
The guy in the blue sweater who’d gone crazy confessing his love at the Beijing roadshow last time flicked his hair dramatically, wearing a ‘what are you gonna do about it?’ expression as he continued shouting, “Xiqing Brother, look at me! I can be 1! I can be 0! I can be restless for Xiqing Brother!”
“Hahahahaha, Green Light Guy!”
“Hahahahahahaha, little bro, you’re too awesome!”
Zhou Ziheng feigned anger, his face hardening as he ran his hand through the back of his neck and rolled up his sleeves, ready to charge. “We’ll see if you can keep quiet…”
The guy squeaked, “Bodyguards! Stop him!”
“That’s exactly what bodyguards are for—to stop Zhou Ziheng! Hahahaha!”
Xia Xiqing laughed all the way, finally catching his breath near the car.
“Xiqing is mine!!!!”
That line finally hit Zhou Ziheng’s weak spot. “I’ll show you whose he is!” He childishly wrapped his arms around Xia Xiqing’s head and planted a smack right on his cheek.
Xia Xiqing froze in place, stunned by the sudden attack. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at him.
“Holy shit!!!! He kissed my face!!!”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah I’m dead!”
“Aaaaaaaaaah!”
Xiao Luo opened the car door. “Ziheng, Xiqing, get in. It’s cold out.”
Zhou Ziheng grabbed Xia Xiqing’s hand, pulling him into the car. He waved at the fans before the door slammed shut.
Green Light Boy was still writhing in agony, screaming like a chicken being stomped on. “Ahhh Xiqing Brother, look at me! Zhou Ziheng is so childish!!”
Just as the car was about to pull away, the window rolled down slightly, revealing a pair of smiling almond eyes. Amidst the fans’ screams, a slender white hand held a phone screen up to the window gap. A line of text scrolled across the display.
[I love how childish he is.]
