Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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After celebrating Qi Qi’s birthday, Yan Qingchi and Jiang Mochen were about to begin their second recording session. Qi Qi was still excited about his birthday and was very reluctant to see them leave. Yan Qingchi hugged and comforted him for a while, promising that they would be back in ten days. Qi Qi reluctantly agreed, counting down the days on his fingers and marking the calendar.
To distract him, Mother Jiang always teased him with Yan Yan. Qi Qi was easily amused and soon started playing with Yan Yan. The ten days passed in the blink of an eye. When Yan Qingchi and Jiang Mochen returned, they found that their eldest son had long forgotten their reluctance to leave and was playing happily with their younger son. One was running ahead, and the other was crawling after him, both laughing so hard their eyes disappeared.
Seeing them return, Qi Qi changed direction and jumped into Yan Qingchi’s arms. Yan Yan followed and crawled over, sitting on the carpet and reaching out for a hug.
Jiang Mochen picked him up, and Yan Yan happily waved his hands in his arms, babbling away. Jiang Mochen lifted him up and down, and Yan Yan found this bouncing game very interesting, laughing as he hugged him and affectionately called him, “Daddy.”
The two stayed at home for three more days before leaving to participate in the final recording of “Best Partner.”
By the end of the recording, Yan Qingchi could see that Yu Xiaoyu was indeed following a growth-oriented approach. From the second recording onwards, she deliberately restrained her wilfulness, even when she wanted to throw a tantrum, she forced herself to endure it. By the third recording, Yu Xiaoyu even started to actively help others, which startled Li Mo so much that she jumped behind her father, wondering if she was blind.
The final episode was recorded with great sentimentality, portraying all the guests’ relationships as harmonious and friendly, regardless of their actual dynamics. After the recording, the other guests and the production crew flew back to China together. Jiang Mochen did not go with them due to personal reasons, and Yan Qingchi naturally stayed behind.
“Aren’t you in a hurry to go home?” Yan Qingchi asked him.
“No rush,” Jiang Mochen said, “Anyway, neither of us has taken on any new jobs, so there’s nothing to do back home. Why don’t we stay here a couple more days?”
Yan Qingchi thought he made a good point. “Let’s stay here a couple more days then. There are no cameras following us now, so we can go wherever we want without being restricted.”
“Right.”
Jiang Mochen looked at the map on his tablet, selected a small island, and said to Yan Qingchi with great interest, “Let’s go here, let’s go see the sea.”
“Great! I haven’t been to the beach in ages. If the kids were here, we could build a little sandcastle together.”
“Even though the kids aren’t here, I am. You can build a little sandcastle with me.” Jiang Mochen suggested.
Yan Qingchi looked at him and said sadly, “Jiang, you’re too old for a little sandcastle.”
“Ouch, Yan.”
Yan Qingchi smiled and sat down next to him. “But we can lie on a deck chair together, soak up the sun, drink some beverages, and watch the pretty girls.”
“Watch what?” Jiang Mochen asked him.
Yan Qingchi immediately changed his tune, “Looking at you, drinking my beverage while looking at you.”
“That’s more like it,” Jiang Mochen said with satisfaction.
Yan Qingchi found his occasional jealousy rather amusing, leaning close to him and watching the island scenery on the tablet with him.
The two took a car and then a boat to the island. Looking at the boundless sea before him, Yan Qingchi felt much more relaxed. Jiang Mochen checked in, and the two put down their luggage and went to play on the beach.
For some reason, there was no one else on the island, and no one else was staying at the hotel. Yan Qingchi was puzzled, “Is this place very remote? Or is it the off-season? Why is there no one here?”
Jiang Mochen shook his head, “Who knows.”
“Could it be that we went to some island we shouldn’t have?” Yan Qingchi looked at him.
Jiang Mochen sighed, “Can you stop scaring yourself in broad daylight?”
“I just feel a little strange, don’t you think?”
“I think it’s great, just the two of us, I’m very satisfied.”
Yan Qingchi felt that he was really blinded by love, only wanting to have some alone time, and didn’t care about anything else. But it didn’t matter, he thought, he’ll deal with whatever comes his way. He was strong enough, and Jiang Mochen had the protagonist’s halo, so even if they ended up on some island they shouldn’t be on, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
“Okay, if you think it’s good, then it’s good. Let’s go, I’ll go with you to build a little sandcastle.”
That’s what he said, but being adults, neither of them actually built a sandcastle. Instead, they played in the sea.
Although the island was sparsely populated, it had all the usual activities: surfing, skydiving, scuba diving, etc. Yan Qingchi and Jiang Mochen did them all, and even went on a couple more.
“Now I realize there are advantages to having fewer people,” Yan Qingchi said, brushing his wet hair back as he walked ashore. Looking at Jiang Mochen, he laughed, “With fewer people, it feels like we have the whole island to ourselves! We can do all the things we like as many times as we want.”
“Aren’t you worried about ending up on some island you shouldn’t be on?” Jiang Mochen teased.
Yan Qingchi laughed, “We’re already on the island, what’s the point of worrying? We might as well enjoy the blue sky and green water.”
Jiang Mochen chuckled, putting his arm around him. “Let’s go back and shower, it’ll be time for dinner soon.”
Yan Qingchi nodded and went back to the hotel with him.
They took turns showering in the bathroom. When Yan Qingchi came out, he found Jiang Mochen wasn’t in the room for some reason. He searched the suite, but he wasn’t there. Had he gone out for something?
Yan Qingchi took out his phone to send him a WeChat message, only to find that Jiang Mochen had already left him a message saying the front desk needed him and he had to handle it.
Yan Qingchi sat on the bed and asked, “What is it? Is it all done?”
He waited, but Jiang Mochen didn’t reply.
Yan Qingchi guessed it wasn’t finished, so he logged out of WeChat and browsed Weibo. To his surprise, he discovered it was his birthday.
Looking at the row of birthday wishes on Weibo, Yan Qingchi sighed and collapsed onto the bed. Although he had been in this world for two years, he had been celebrating his original birthday for the previous twenty-odd years. With a suddenly changed birthday, Yan Qingchi had always had trouble remembering. Last year, Jiang Mochen had reminded him, and he hadn’t expected to forget again this year.
Wait a minute! Yan Qingchi suddenly sat up abruptly. If today was his birthday, Jiang Mochen couldn’t possibly not know. So…
He propped himself up on his hands and thought for a moment, instantly understanding everything. No wonder Jiang Mochen hadn’t returned to China with the production crew; no wonder he came to this island. Were there no other tourists on this island besides the two of them? Yan Qingchi smiled, recalling how Jiang Mochen had pretended not to know when he asked him why there was no one on the island. He instantly realized that Jiang Mochen’s acting skills were truly impressive; he had acted so convincingly that he had even believed him!
He thought about how Jiang Mochen had gone to such lengths to bring him to this island, just to celebrate his birthday and give him a surprise. He felt that Jiang Mochen had gone through a lot, especially since he had even thought it was strange that they were the only two tourists on the island!
Yan Qingchi chuckled softly and lay back down on the bed. He was no longer curious about where Jiang Mochen had gone or what problems he was dealing with. Did he even need to think about it? He was definitely preparing a birthday surprise for him, so he just needed to wait patiently, play along, and pretend that he knew nothing.
With that thought, Yan Qingchi exited Weibo and started watching a video.
Jiang Mochen returned not long after. Yan Qingchi pretended not to know anything and asked him, “What happened? Why were you gone for so long?”
“The front desk checked some information with me, and it took a while to finish.”
Yan Qingchi nodded. “I see.”
Jiang Mochen had changed into a simple white short-sleeved shirt and jeans and asked him, “Want to go for a walk? Then we can eat right away.”
Yan Qingchi naturally agreed.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Mochen immediately opened the wardrobe and took out the same clothes as him. “Here, I prepared these for you.”
Yan Qingchi looked at the clothes in his hand, then at the clothes he was wearing. “Matching outfits?”
Jiang Mochen smiled.
Yan Qingchi couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Why are you so persistent? Not satisfied with similar styles, you actually bought matching outfits.”
“I’m willing.” Jiang Mochen handed him the clothes. “Put them on quickly.”
Yan Qingchi took the clothes from him and laughed. “Elementary school student.”
“Then you’re an elementary school student too.”
“No way, Jiang, how come our relationship is going back to the beginning? Didn’t we already reach the college stage before?”
“Because when you’re in love, your IQ drops. You’ve dropped to elementary school student level.”
Yan Qingchi thought he was really quick-witted now and couldn’t help but give him a thumbs up. “Xiuxiu, you’re getting more and more impressive.”
“Dazhao, hurry up and change your clothes.”
“Are you sure you want to stand here and watch me change?” Yan Qingchi pointed to himself and asked.
Jiang Mochen chuckled, “We’re an old married couple, what haven’t we seen? Why would I turn around?”
“Alright.” Yan Qingchi wasn’t shy. He untied his bathrobe, looked at Jiang Mochen, and slowly took it off.
Jiang Mochen watched him suddenly expose his upper body so openly and prepare to get out of bed, finally turning away silently.
Yan Qingchi laughed inwardly, but deliberately teased him, “What’s wrong, Mr. Jiang? Aren’t we an old married couple? What haven’t we seen? Why would you turn around?”
“You need to change your clothes,” Jiang Mochen thought, finding it obvious. “I don’t want to spend the rest of our time indoors with you.”
“Isn’t it better to spend it indoors?” Yan Qingchi said deliberately as he dressed, “We haven’t driven in so long, don’t you want to go to the mountains to see the night view?”
Jiang Mochen certainly wanted to, but the conditions weren’t right now. He had prepared for so long, not to speed now. He would drive, but later.
“Have you changed it?” Jiang Mochen asked him.
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