Qin Xiao stood outside the door, holding warm water that had already cooled. However, he didn’t knock on the door. The Cangshi executives came over to greet the boss but stopped when they saw Qin Xiao make an ‘shh’ gesture.

Seeing this, they stopped and were afraid to move forward. They didn’t want to go and didn’t dare to say. Therefore, they looked on from a corner and waited for the big boss to come out. 

The door of the lounge opened and they saw Mr Ting walking beside Li Zhao. They were standing far away and didn’t know what Li Zhao said to the big boss but the big boss was nodding and the two of them seemed very close. It was intimate and not frivolous. They originally thought Li Zhao was the plaything of the big boss but now looking again, it didn’t seem to be the case.

“Manager?” Li Zhao saw a few men and women dressed in work clothes, one of whom he knew. It was the department managed who took him around Cangshi yesterday.

Qin Xiao quickly stepped forward, enough to stop the pace of these people. “I have something to discuss with you. Please come with me.”

The management people didn’t suspect him. They nodded to Yan Ting and followed Qin Xiao to the upstairs conference room. It was just that some people wondered. Just now, they had been standing next to him for so long. Why didn’t Qin Xiao make a sound earlier? 

“They seem to know you?” Li Zhao sensed the respect these people had for Yan Ting.

“En.” Yan Ting rubbed his forehead, his expression a bit painful. “I have recently been transferred to the president’s office and the management of all branches work with me.”

“Is your head uncomfortable?” Li Zhao wasn’t in the mood to care about why Yan Ting was familiar with these senior people. He grabbed Yan Ting’s arm and said, “Let’s go home.”

“Your job and your makeup…”

“it’s done.” Li Zhao touched the makeup in his face. “I’ll go back and take it off. I will accompany you back.”

Li Zhao helped Yan Ting go out. He had just walked to the front door when he met the girl who had asked him for his WeChat. Seeing Li Zhao, the girl was a bit shy at first. Then she found Li Zhao next to Yan Ting and the blood on her face completely disappeared as she took a step back.

“Goodbye.” Li Zhao didn’t think much. He smiled and said goodbye to the little girl.

The little girl pursed her mouth and retreated to one side, watching them leave. Just as she was about to leave, she saw the man Li Zhao was supporting suddenly turn to look at her. This look definitely wasn’t friendly and even… had the air of making her the cannon fodder number two. 

She shuddered and secretly looked at the ignorant Li Zhao, countless thoughts flashing through her mind. However, in front of the eyes of this cold man, all thoughts became infinite fear. She could only squirm and watch them walk away slowly, silently sending away her first love.

Back home, Li Zhao coaxed Yan Ting into bed, covering him with a quilt. Then Li Zhao returned to his bedroom’s bathroom to remove the makeup.

Makeup for in front of the camera was heavy. Li Zhao took a long time before finally removing all the makeup from his face. He had just finished wiping his face when he heard footsteps in the corridor. He opened the door and saw the housekeeper standing outside with a tray.

“Housekeeper uncle?” Li Zhao let the housekeeper enter. “What is it?” 

“The boss said you’ve been working hard recently so I had the kitchen make you soup.” The housekeeper put down the tray and smiled. “Mr Li, is it comfortable to live here?”

“Everybody is fine. It is comfortable to live here.” Li Zhao picked up a bowl and drank the soup.

Seeing that his appetite was so good, the housekeeper smiled even more kindly. He was accustomed to the boss eating nothing and there was finally a young man who had an appetite for everything. The housekeeper felt his appetite was getting better.

"It's good that you are living happily." The housekeeper handed over a clean towel. "Since you are used to living here, I would like to ask you to come more often. After you came, the boss is much happier. Previously, he didn't often eat or drink and we were very worried.

“Thank you.” After taking the towel, Li Zhao looked up at the house. “You… aren’t you the housekeeping staff invited after the demolition and relocation of Ting Ting’s house?”

“I’m different from the other domestic workers.” The housekeeper’s smile was unchanged as he took the towel Li Zhao used to wipe his mouth and put it on the trap. “The boss and I have known each other for a long time. Last year, my employer thought I was getting old and fired me. The boss knew this and took me home.”

“It turns out that you watched Ting Ting grow up.” Li Zhao asked curiously. “Was Ting Ting very cute as a child?”

“The boss growing up…” The house smiled before continuing, “The boss was very good. As a child, he was like the little prince of a castle. I have a photo album. Would you like to see it?” 

“I want to see it.” Li Zhao nodded.

“Then wait for me for a while.” The housekeeper left Li Zhao’s room with an empty bowl and was secretly relieved. He didn’t know how the boss usually communicated with Mr Li but he almost revealed something.

He handed the empty bowl to the maid, took out a key and found a dusty album in storage. The album hadn’t been opened for a long time. The style looked a bit old and the housekeeper trembled as he opened the album’s seal to reveal only a few photos.

“Ting Ting only had these few photos as a child?” 

Ting Ting in the photos looked better than Li Zhao thought, except that in every photo, he never smiled. The only smiling photo was when he was lying in a crib in a baby bear suit. He grinned without any teeth as he smiled innocently at the person taking the photo.

The person who took the photo must be the closest person to Ting Ting. Through the plastic film of the photo, Li Zhao could almost imagine the person who took the photo calling out Ting Ting’s name affectionately, making him laugh out loud before taking this precious photo.

“The boss hasn’t liked taking photos since he was a child.” The housekeeper said, “Then gradually, no one took photos of him.”

Li Zhao was distressed hearing this. A child who lost his parents, who would care if he was happy or about keeping childhood photos as a memorial? 

He grew up alone, facing loneliness alone.

“Look at my mouth. I love to talk nonsense as I grow older.” The housekeeper smiled apologetically. “Theoretically, I can’t disclose the privacy of my employer but you are different. I have never seen the boss make dumplings or watch the Spring Festival Gala in front of the TV. As an old man who grew up watching the boss, I would like to say thank you.”

“Don’t say that. Ting Ting is my friend and I should accompany him.” Li Zhao could bear the old man’s solemn smile. “The one who should thank you is me. I have been bothering you to take care of me.”

“Mr Li is joking. You are the best child in the world. It is natural to take care of you.” The housekeeper smiled like a chrysanthemum. “Since you and the boss are good friends, the next time you come back from filming, you should live here. It will be livelier.” 

“That isn’t good…”

“You and the boss are good friends. Why bother with politeness between good friends?” The housekeeper shook his head. “Once you get older, you don’t care about false manners. As long as you young people are living happily, it is better than anything.”

“I will think about it.” Li Zhao didn’t immediately agree since he wasn’t a casual boy. At lease, he would wait for Ting Ting to invite him. Then he would continue being thick-skinned enough to eat and drink here.

The short vacation soon ended. At 6 o’clock on the morning of the eighth day of the new year, Li Zhao got out of the quilt, mournfully finished his breakfast and carried the huge box to the sofa, not wanting to leave. 

Fallen, he had really fallen. Ting Ting’s bed was too soft, the food too delicious, the fruit too sweet and the days too comfortable. He didn’t want to go film at all.

“What’s the matter?” Yan Ting saw him lying motionless. “Are you uncomfortable?”

“Ting Ting!” Li Zhao wailed as he leaned on Yan Ting’s shoulder and cried. “I don’t want to go shoot. I want to stay here every day and be a salted fish.”

“Okay.” 

The temperature of Li Zhao’s body was always hot, just like his character. Smelling the scent of shampoo, Yan Ting bowed his head slightly and spoke in Li Zhao’s ear. “If you are a salted fish then I’ll support you.”

“A true man, who can I be supported by you.” Li Zhao stood up and hummed. “I’ll go and make money.”

“Wait a minute.” Yan Ting stopped Li Zhao and placed a cap on his hair. “Don’t be recognized by people at the airport.”

“Oh.” Li Zhao pulled down the cap. “Then I’ll go out.” 

He walked to the door and winked at Yan Ting. “Ting Ting, don’t forget to miss me. In addition, remember to eat on time. I will have the housekeeper uncle supervise you.”

“Okay.” Yan Ting stood still. No one knew what he promised. Was it to miss Li Zhao or was it to eat on time?

There was the sound of the car moving away. The housekeeper stood at the door and looked out until the lights could no longer be seen. Then he turned around and went back to the house. “Sir, Mr Li has left. Would you like to have breakfast first?”

“I’m not hungry.” Yan Ting got up and walked upstairs. “Don’t disturb me.” 

The housekeeper, “……”

If he called Mr Li now to make a complaint, would it be on time?

On the first day of work after the new year, the tasks weren’t heavy and Li Zhao had only two scenes.

“Xiao Li, you still have half a month left until all your scenes finish. Do you have no other work arrangements?” The male lead, Lu Hao walked over to Li Zhao. “Do you have any intentions to take a variety show?” 

Li Zhao replied, “I don’t know. I have to wait for the company’s arrangements.”

Lu Hao shook his head. “I have a variety show resource on my side. It is last year’s very hot ‘If We Fall In Love’. This year, a new season will start recording. If you are interested, I can help you get this resource.”

Lu Hao had always wanted to develop to the big screen but the current company couldn’t handle his popularity in the TV drama market, let alone help him win movie resources. Seeing that his contract was nearing the expiration, he intended to jump to Strawberry Entertainment. Thus, he showed his favour to the newcomers that Strawberry Entertainment was focused on raising.

“Is it where stars pretend to be in love?” This show was really hot and even Li Zhao had heard of it despite not paying much attention to variety shows. 

He shook his head. “I’m not old enough to get married. How can I have an early love?”

Lu Hao, “???”

What the hell?

Early love? If it wasn’t for Li Zhao’s expression being very serious and sincere, Lu Hao almost thought Li Zhao was playing him. 

“Many first-tier artists are grabbing places on this show. You really won’t go?” Lu Hao felt he should ask again.

Li Zhao shook his head. “Thank you, Brother Ge but I’m not suitable to participate in this type of program.”

“Okay.” Lu Hao nodded. “In fact, it’s good if you don’t go. You will be judged by the audience and it is normal to be scolded.”

These days, young people had really high demands for objects of love. Someone like Li Zhao would probably be scolded from the first stage to the last stage. After a while, Lu Hao received a call from a friend saying that the spots for ‘If We Fall In Love’ were full. 

“Didn’t you say you would leave me one?” Lu Hao was angry. Fortunately, Li Zhao didn’t agree to this matter or how could he tell Li Zhao.

“Who robbed this spot?”

“Xu Bei?”

“Who is this shameless artist beyond the 38th tier?!” 

_________

The author has something to say:

Kindergarten lunchtime.

Baby Ting Ting: Don’t write anymore. I will bring snacks to support you every day, okay?

After that, pulls out a lot of chocolate from his small schoolbag. 

Baby Zhao Zhao eating the chocolate: Good kids must not go without learning!