Chà Chà Novel

People’s joys and sorrows are never shared. Fu Baihan had a little treasure to dote on, while Ji Xinghui had to constantly watch out for a wolf cub determined to wreck his peace.

He loved a carefree, playboy life and enjoying wealth and luxury, so there was no way he’d let some illegitimate son take the power he’d already gotten his hands on.

Ji Xinghai finally snapped Ji Xinghui back to reality. After watching the Fu brothers for so long, he’d almost forgotten what brothers in rich families were usually like.

Even blood relatives could turn into enemies. That was how the real world worked.

Of course he didn’t go to the dinner party. Unlike the meek, submissive Ji Xinghai, he was used to standing up to the old man, and the old man couldn’t control him anyway.

Coming out of his new lover’s place, Ji Xinghui lit a cigarette. When he saw Ji Xinghai sitting in the driver’s seat, he laughed out loud. “Do you really need to go this far?”

Ji Xinghai’s flawless acting was better suited to show business than little Nuonuo’s.

That kind of dedication deserved a Best Actor trophy.

“Brother, it’s late.” Ji Xinghai’s naturally fierce brows looked even darker and harder to read in the night. His voice was gentle, but his expression said something else entirely. “Let’s go home.”

Home? Ji Xinghui half suspected he’d kill him halfway there and dump the body.

“Get lost. I have plenty of places to go.” Ji Xinghui had no intention of getting in the car.

“If you think they’re all so dirty, why do you keep sleeping with them one after another… Brother, you’re so strange.” Ji Xinghai had been wearing his obedient mask for so long that it was starting to crack.

“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Ji Xinghui wiped the lazy smile off his face and said coldly, “Stay out of my sight. I don’t have time to play the loving brothers act with you. It’s disgusting.”

“So even you find people disgusting sometimes?” Ji Xinghai sneered. “A different person in each arm, never turning anyone down. Aren’t you afraid you’ll catch something one day?”

“You son of a—” Ji Xinghui grabbed him by the collar, dragged him out of the driver’s seat, and finally did what he’d wanted to do for a long time. He punched him right in the face.

Whether or not this wolf cub had provoked him on purpose so he could go home and play the victim, Ji Xinghui didn’t listen to the old man’s lectures anyway. Throwing that punch felt great.

“Blame the Ji family genes.” Ji Xinghui’s lips curled. “If the old man hadn’t been willing to sleep with anyone back then, where would you have come from?”

He was so angry he didn’t even feel like seeing another lover. He went straight to a club and drank until dawn, losing himself completely.

He’d cursed Ji Xinghai and hit him, but deep down, he hated himself too. He hated this whole family.

Being a playboy, getting so lost in pleasure that he forgot what day it was, was his way of running away.

He’d chosen to sink. He didn’t need anyone to save him, and he wouldn’t let anyone lecture him.

When Young Master Ji was in a bad mood, countless people rushed to cheer him up, but he wasn’t interested. In the end, the only person he thought of going to was Fu Baihan, to vent.

He and Fu Baihan had been friends for so many years not only because Ji Xinghui knew where the lines were, but also because Fu Baihan was a good listener.

Even if everyone else thought Fu Baihan was cold-blooded, Ji Xinghui still saw him as a reliable friend.

After all, there were things he could only feel safe telling Fu Baihan, and advice that only worked when it came from Fu Baihan.

He wasn’t jealous of how brilliant Fu Baihan was, because he knew Fu Baihan had helped him a lot.

Even though their values were different, mutual respect and understanding from a distance had kept their friendship going all these years.

Fu Baihan was reliable most of the time. Except when he was with Su Nuo.

Having a little brother sure was something. He wanted to show him off every single day.

Fu Baihan was probably the kind of parent whose social media posts people muted. The kind who’d praise their kid for taking a sip of water: “My baby’s so amazing, he can drink water all by himself.”

Luckily he didn’t post about it that often, since he usually preferred to deliver his bragging precisely, in person.

After complaining about Ji Xinghai, Ji Xinghui suddenly regretted it a little. Bringing up “little brothers” with this brother-obsessed guy was basically walking right into a bragging session.

“Why do you insist on living at the old mansion?” Fu Baihan raised an eyebrow.

“To annoy them,” Ji Xinghui said shamelessly. “If I’m not happy, none of them get to be happy either.”

“The facts suggest they might not care at all,” Fu Baihan analyzed calmly.

Ji Xinghui scoffed. “That’s where you’re wrong. They care a lot. The old man slept around like crazy back in the day, and now his blood pressure spikes every day and he still hasn’t landed in the hospital. Honestly, I’m impressed.”

He was in good health. Getting rid of him would be a bit hard.

“Ji Xinghai really is off.” Fu Baihan pulled out a folder and tossed it to him. “See for yourself.”

“You found something already?” Ji Xinghui opened it up. “Figures it had to be your people. The useless lot at the Ji family can’t do anything.”

After reading through it, Ji Xinghui thought it over. “Ji Xinghai was abused by his own mother growing up? He acts like the most devoted son now.”

Could someone who grew up being abused by his own mother really be some kind of saint? One look at the viciousness in his eyes said no.

“Why doesn’t he go into acting? Show business could use a drama queen like him,” Ji Xinghui grumbled.

He found it sad, but he didn’t pity Ji Xinghai. There were plenty of pitiful people in the world, and he couldn’t feel sorry for all of them. Besides, who felt sorry for him?

“Oh right, is Nuonuo done filming?” Setting the file aside, Ji Xinghui didn’t want to talk about that headache Ji Xinghai anymore and turned his thoughts to Fu Baihan’s little treasure.

“Almost.” Fu Baihan checked the date. “Two more weeks.”

“Tsk, why don’t we go visit the set today? Is anyone on set picking on Nuonuo?” Ji Xinghui was itching to go.

“The director knows me. He’ll look after Nuonuo,” Fu Baihan explained.

Of course he wasn’t comfortable just letting the kid wander into show business alone. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken the kid to that banquet and made their relationship clear in front of so many important people.

If the kid wanted to keep a low profile, fine. He wouldn’t go out of his way to announce it. But doing nothing at all? Impossible.

To Fu Baihan, his little brother was perfect in every way, and most importantly, innocent and naive. Easy to fool.

How could he feel at ease without keeping an eye on him?

Fu Baihan had been running his own projects since he was a teenager, and he didn’t want Su Nuo to have to grow up through hardship the way he had.

Or rather, why did his kid even have to grow up? As long as the kid was happy, he could stay an immature little one forever.

“Our Nuonuo’s first film, and you haven’t visited the set once?” Ji Xinghui was surprised. Had the brother-obsessed guy changed?

Fu Baihan couldn’t be bothered with him. “Nuonuo comes home every day.”

Ji Xinghui: “…Fine.”

He knew it. A brother complex wasn’t that easy to change. He couldn’t go a single day without seeing him.

Fu Baihan looked up at him. “He’s my little brother. Stop acting so familiar.”

“With you like this, how is Nuonuo ever going to date?” Ji Xinghui was speechless.

Fu Baihan really didn’t like this topic. It made him irritated. “He’s still young. If you keep putting ideas like that in his head, you can get lost.”

Ji Xinghui: “…You’re unbelievable.”

Poor Nuonuo. Eighteen years old and still being told he’s not allowed to date?

Good thing the little treasure was so sweet and obedient. If it were a rebellious, rowdy kid, they’d already be at each other’s throats.

He’d been promised a week off, but on the third day the director called him back to set. Su Nuo didn’t mind and worked just as seriously as before. Fu Baihan, on the other hand, was a little unhappy about it.

His kid was busier than he was every day. What if he wore himself out?

With Ji Xinghui egging him on, Fu Baihan finally scheduled a visit to the set.

Su Nuo had no idea his brother was on the way. All he could think about was nailing the wire-work scene.

They’d already gotten stuck on it several times. The safety harness had rubbed his waist, stomach, and thighs raw, but they still hadn’t gotten the result they wanted, so he kept reshooting it again and again.

After all, he was playing a young general. There had to be fight scenes.

His experience from his past life didn’t fully apply. The script hadn’t changed, but it felt completely different. Maybe it was because the screenwriter had explained the deeper meaning to him, and now he couldn’t look at it the same way.

Wei Sinian’s rare strictness kept the rest of the cast quiet. Scary. Even Heng Yu, usually everyone’s favorite, was getting criticized this much. They’d be in even worse shape.

When they finally got the shot and unhooked the harness, Su Nuo nearly lost his balance on his first step. Wei Sinian stepped in to steady him.

“Are you okay?”

Su Nuo nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to single you out…” Wei Sinian felt a little guilty. Had he been too impatient? It wouldn’t have hurt to shoot this scene later.

“I know. You just want me to do better, senior.” Su Nuo gave him a smile. “I’m the one who wasted takes.”

The more understanding Su Nuo was, the less Wei Sinian knew what to say. In the end, all he could do was give him the ointment his assistant had prepared. “That’s just how wire work is. It gets easier with practice. Go put some of this on.”

“Okay, thank you, senior.” Su Nuo didn’t make a fuss about it. Taking a tube of ointment wasn’t exactly owing him a favor.

“Nuonuo!” The director called from a distance. “Come here for a sec!”

Su Nuo didn’t let Wei Sinian keep holding him up. “I’ll go now.”

Watching the boy walk off a little stiffly, Wei Sinian sighed. So young, yet so stubborn.

When Su Nuo got close, the director whispered, “President Fu came to visit. He’s in the lounge.”

Of course Fu Baihan’s visit wasn’t going to be a big public affair. He wasn’t an investor in this film, and even if he were, big bosses didn’t usually visit sets in person.

Ji Xinghui’s habit of flirting with everyone flared up even more on set. He was well known in the industry for being generous, so all kinds of people quickly gathered around him.

When Su Nuo got to the lounge and saw Fu Baihan, he immediately looked hurt. “Brother…”

Fu Baihan reached out and pulled him close. “What’s wrong, sweetie? Did someone bully you?”

Su Nuo lifted his shirt to show his stomach, where angry red marks stood out. “We did wire work today. The harness kept digging in over and over. It hurts so bad!”

“Did you get ointment?” Fu Baihan took it from his hand and read the instructions. “Come here. I’ll put it on for you.”

“You have no idea how awful today was. I kept messing up, and they kept yelling at me…”

Wei Sinian’s hand froze just before he knocked. So the boy wasn’t tough after all. He just didn’t whine or complain to him.