Chapter 55

Today was Sunday, and all the major cinemas were packed with people. To avoid being recognized, Jing Li selected an old movie that had been re-released half a month ago. Just as it was about to start, he and Ji Yunzhang finally entered the cinema.

Upon arriving at the screening hall, there were only two other people besides him and Ji Yunzhang. The lights had already dimmed, and no one noticed them.

Holding the popcorn, Jing Li watched and ate while occasionally feeding Ji Yunzhang a couple of kernels.

Ji Yunzhang didn’t particularly like these puffed snacks, but Jing Li enjoyed teasing him, so he especially loved feeding them to him while eating himself. Ji Yunzhang was helpless against him and could at most kiss him fiercely, kissing him until he behaved completely obediently, treating it as “punishment.”

But this “punishment” hardly qualified as punishment at all.

Therefore, Jing Li always indulged in it without restraint.

However, today they were in a movie theater, not at home, so kissing wasn’t an option.

Ji Yunzhang was helpless and could only grab Jing Li’s hand.

“You little rascal.” His words were filled with indulgent amusement.

Knowing Ji Yunzhang wouldn’t kiss him here, Jing Li’s spirits lifted smugly, and he protested softly in his ear, “Where am I bad? I’m clearly so obedient.”

They sat at the very back, in the last row, but this wasn’t the main hall, so the light from the screen still shone over them. Jing Li’s mischievous smile on his face couldn’t be hidden and was fully captured in Ji Yunzhang’s eyes.

Ji Yunzhang chuckled very softly, placed his hand to his lips, and kissed his fingertips.

It tickled so much. Jing Li instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but Ji Yunzhang gripped it even tighter. He deliberately teased him, gazing into his eyes while gently kissing each of his fingers.

Gazed at by him like that, Jing Li’s Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.

Pathetically, he realized his ears were burning hot, his cheeks were burning hot, and his heart softened bit by bit with each kiss from Ji Yunzhang until it melted into a complete mess. A tingling, numbing itch spread from his fingertips throughout his entire body.

Just like every time before, he was no match for Ji Yunzhang at all.

Jing Li surrendered and whispered, “No more playing, no more—I was wrong.”

Ji Yunzhang curved his lips and stopped at just the right moment, no longer teasing Jing Li. He simply kept holding his hand without letting go.

When the movie ended, as soon as they returned to the car, Jing Li was pulled into Ji Yunzhang’s embrace. Under the airtight barrage of kisses, he couldn’t do anything but obediently let himself be kissed thoroughly inside and out.

Releasing him, Ji Yunzhang stroked his face, his voice husky with satisfaction. “So sweet.”

Jing Li’s eyes were reddened from the kisses, and his oxygen-deprived brain slowly restarted. He asked blankly, “What’s sweet?”

“You, my baby.”

Baby?

Jing Li’s heart pounded like a drum, and even his toes curled up.

He buried his face into Ji Yunzhang’s shoulder, hiding his flushed cheeks, but the corners of his mouth curved up high. His heart felt sweeter than the caramel popcorn from earlier.

Ji Yunzhang held him close, his palm pressing against his waist, occasionally kissing his ears and whispering “baby” right into them.

It was a bit embarrassing, but Jing Li loved hearing it so much.

When Ji Yunzhang stopped calling him that, he even tugged at Ji Yunzhang’s sleeve. Though he didn’t say anything, his intention was obvious.

Ji Yunzhang chuckled helplessly and called him again.

Jing Li was fully satisfied and nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

—

With no need to work or worry about money, living every day idly as if retired, Jing Li was thoroughly enjoying life. Especially since he was with Ji Yunzhang every single day, it made him even happier.

They strolled hand in hand nearby in the mornings, then returned home to play chess with Grandpa Ji for a bit before accompanying Grandma Ji with her gardening. After lunch, they napped for an hour, sat on the terrace reading scripts in the afternoon, watched the sunset in the evenings, and at night, with the evening breeze blowing, leaned against each other chatting about boundless, fantastical topics.

Time slipped quietly by in these leisurely and fulfilling days, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day for Grandpa Ji’s hospital check-up.

Jing Li went along with them.

After a series of tedious and complex examinations, Su Manzhi and the housekeeper wheeled Grandpa Ji to the outdoor garden. Jing Li accompanied Ji Yunzhang in the office, detailing Grandpa Ji’s physical condition over the past three months to the doctor.

The doctor nodded after listening.

He looked down at the check-up report again and said as he reviewed it, “From the various indicators, the old gentleman’s condition shows no signs of worsening. It’s maintained at about the same level as last time. Continue taking the medication on schedule and keep his mood pleasant.”

He adjusted his glasses and looked up. “Don’t worry or feel anxious yourselves too much, because your emotions can affect him as well. Just keep him good company and ensure he’s happy every day.”

Ji Yunzhang asked the doctor a few more questions about things to watch out for until another patient arrived outside. Only then did they stand up to leave.

The atmosphere in hospitals was always heavy. It wasn’t until they left the hospital and reached the garden, seeing Grandpa Ji smiling and chatting with a group of elderly ladies and gentlemen not far away, that this heaviness gradually faded.

“Grandpa’s doing just fine,” Jing Li said, looking at him. “The doctor said his condition is stable.”

Ji Yunzhang ruffled his hair, his gaze mild and affectionate. “I know.”

He took Jing Li’s hand. “Don’t worry about me.”

Jing Li squeezed his hand tighter, offering silent reassurance.

By the time they arrived, Grandpa Ji had just finished lavishing praise on Ji Mingyi and had shifted his attention to Ji Yunzhang, continuing in the same vein—his words brimming with pride.

Ji Yunzhang hadn’t starred in any TV dramas for years now, but the ones he had done were still in heavy rotation on the stations. His movies got plenty of airtime on the film channels, too.

Hospital patients didn’t have much to occupy them, and television was their go-to pastime. The old folks had all watched Ji Yunzhang’s shows and films—they knew him well.

They didn’t buy that he was Grandpa Ji’s grandson, though. One old man snorted, “Keep puffing hot air.”

The others chimed in:

“Baloney. If he’s your grandson, then Su Cheng’s mine.” Su Cheng had led the casts of countless anti-Japanese war dramas, packed with rat-a-tat-tat gunfire as the heroes battled the invaders. It was catnip for the old men.

“You got that right. And Ming Xi’s my granddaughter.” Ming Xi starred in all those heartfelt rural dramas the old ladies adored.

Grandpa Ji was so incensed no one believed him that his nose might as well have twisted off his face. Su Manzhi chuckled and patted the back of his hand, delighted to see her husband so full of vim and vigor.

“Grandpa, Grandma.” Ji Yunzhang called out, Jing Li’s hand in his.

Grandpa Ji’s eyes lit up the instant he spotted them.

He told Ji Yunzhang to ditch the mask so everyone could get a good look. Ji Yunzhang had overheard the debate on his way over and complied without a word.

The old folks gaped in shock.

“No kidding?”

Grandpa Ji let out a triumphant hum through his nose, chin jutting skyward. “Told you! Who’s full of it now?”

Naturally, unmasking brought a bit of minor hassle—like photo requests. The old ladies and gentlemen crowded around him gleefully, snapping picture after picture.

Once they learned Jing Li was Ji Yunzhang’s partner, they insisted he lose his mask too for the group shots.

Leaving the hospital and settling into the car, Grandpa Ji suddenly thought of something. “All those photos—won’t they cause you two any trouble?”

Ji Yunzhang steadied the wheel and shook his head. “No, Grandpa. You’re fine.”

Grandpa Ji turned to Jing Li. “It won’t leak out, will it?”

Jing Li smiled. “Grandpa, Teacher Ji and I already went public with our marriage certificate. Everyone knows.”

“Oh, yeah.” Grandpa Ji recalled.

Fatigue was setting in, and he soon nodded off. Su Manzhi draped a blanket over him, leaned against his shoulder, and closed her own eyes for a rest.

The car pulled up to the Ji Residence. Grandpa Ji stirred awake and glanced at Su Manzhi still dozing against him. He pressed a finger to his lips, shushing Jing Li before he could speak.

“You and Yunzhang go on ahead,” he whispered. “I’ll wait till Manzhi wakes up.”

Jing Li nodded and stepped out with Ji Yunzhang.

The housekeeper’s car arrived moments later. Not wanting to risk waking Grandpa and Grandma Ji, Jing Li hurried over, waited for him to alight, and explained that Grandma Ji was still asleep on Grandpa Ji’s shoulder.

The housekeeper got it at once and offered a slight, smiling bow.

Jing Li dashed back to Ji Yunzhang’s side and naturally slipped his hand into his. Ji Yunzhang clasped it firmly.

They strolled into the courtyard and took seats in the pavilion. Abruptly, Ji Yunzhang spoke up. “Alzheimer’s has a hereditary component. If down the line…”

His mouth was clapped shut before he could finish. Jing Li, for once thoroughly superstitious, turned his head and spat rapid-fire “Ptooeys!” at the air, fixing him with an irate glare.

“It won’t!”

Ji Yunzhang gently tugged his hand away. “Jing Li, medical studies have proven it. I’m only supposing.”

“No supposing.” Jing Li snatched his hand back, denying him any touch, lips compressed in a firm line.

Ji Yunzhang gazed at him and let out a soft sigh. Then he drew him close, enfolding him in his arms.

Jing Li went rigid, then squirmed to break free—they were outdoors! What was this hugging business? Talk about mortifying if anyone saw!

But strong arms locked around his waist, holding him fast. Kisses brushed his forehead, his eyes, the tip of his nose, and finally his lips—gently drawn in, suckled tenderly, then released.

Their foreheads touched. Ji Yunzhang’s voice was soft as velvet. “My mistake. I shouldn’t have speculated or frightened you. Forgive me? No more anger?”

Jing Li had already cooled off amid the kisses.

Deep down, he knew the supposition rested on solid medical evidence—a rational concern, one they might truly face someday. But there was no point dwelling on it before it ever came to pass.

Not to mention how incredibly fortunate they were.

Jing Li wrapped both arms around Ji Yunzhang’s neck and leaned against his shoulder, his voice a little muffled. “There’s no need to hypothesize about something like that. It hasn’t happened yet. Even if there’s some small chance, it’s not a hundred percent—and the odds are so low anyway.”

“Besides, if that ‘suppose’ ever did happen, would you want to break up with me?” He felt the arm around his waist tighten, and he laughed. “See? You wouldn’t.”

“I wouldn’t either,” he added.

Jing Li lifted his head and met Ji Yunzhang’s gaze with utter seriousness. “Even if it really did happen, I wouldn’t leave you. I’ve already added you to my retirement plans. You’re part of my future life. We’re going to be together forever.”

The words struck Ji Yunzhang right in the heart. He gazed deeply at Jing Li, his eyes warm and profound. It was a long moment before he let out a soft sigh, cupped his face, and kissed him again.

How incredibly lucky was he to have met Jing Li—to have fallen in love with him?

Jing Li still had enough sense to remember they were in the courtyard, where anyone could wander by. He kept Ji Yunzhang from deepening the kiss, pushed him away gently, and stood up. Glaring fiercely, he reiterated, “You’re never bringing this up again. And you’re not allowed to even think about it!”

Ji Yunzhang laughed, his expression softening with relaxed brows and eyes, and he made his promise. “All right. No thinking about it. No mentioning it.”

“I promise.”

Only then did Jing Li look satisfied. He offered his hand again, letting Ji Yunzhang take it.

~~~

On Friday night at eight-thirty, the first episode of Romantic Journey officially aired on Pineapple TV. It shattered records on the online charts, peaking above 3.5% viewership before settling steadily at 3.1%.

The episode cut off right after they finished the first task and returned to the villa for breakfast—smack in the middle of that playful back-and-forth Q&A between Jing Li and Ji Yunzhang.

Every single CP showered affection nonstop throughout the episode. Viewers glued to their screens were overwhelmed with sweetness; every bit of frustration melted away in the bliss.

【Oh my god, what is this divine show? Sugar the whole way through, every single pair!】

【I thought the teaser clips were sweet enough, but the full episode? Double the sugar. I screamed so loud the whole building heard me.】

【Watched in bed—my grin went haywire, twisting me into a total worm.】

【Congrats to “Yangzhou” as the first CP to kiss! Yang Yi and Zhou Yan are so shippable too!】

【Jing Li doesn’t just answer himself—he gives Teacher Ji hints too. Amazing.】

【Pfft, math department? Of course.】

【Whoa, culture-promotion activities. A University rocks. I’ve gotta study my butt off to get in!】

The internet exploded. Netizens flooded every platform, debating CPs, specific stars, even the sponsors. Fans from all corners mingled in the frenzy, buzzing with energy.

In the Yunjing CP Fan Group, everyone had lost their minds shipping too.

【Lucky kiss! Lucky kiss! Aaaah—Jing Li’s so shy after!】

【!!! Teacher Ji’s sweet talk game is unreal!】

【Wuwuwu, Jing Li’s staring at Snow Mountain, but Teacher Ji’s eyes are locked on Jing Li the whole time. How does my CP drop sugar like this? Pure love warrior passed out.】

【Teacher Ji and Jing Li hyping each other’s cooking skills? That detail is pure sweetness!】

【Teacher Ji went out of his way to ask Yang Yi about Ginger Mother Duck. Dying to @Jing Li—was Teacher Ji’s any good?】

【Aaaah, why cover the camera? We want the kisses and cuddles!】

【Teacher Ji smiling ’cause his hubby is too cute?】

【Holy crap, You Draw I Guess like that? Jing Li: Four words. Mantis trying to stop a chariot. Teacher Ji nails it: Overestimating one’s strength.】

【Their chemistry is off the charts.】

【Episode one’s cliffhanger is perfect. Gimme that sweet daily life.】

【Hour and a half in, my smile hasn’t dropped once.】

…

Jing Li and Ji Yunzhang had just finished watching the first episode too.

Knowing Ji Yunzhang had gone out of his way to learn Ginger Mother Duck from Yang Yi, Jing Li latched onto his arm, eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Teacher Ji, I want Ginger Mother Duck tomorrow.”

Ji Yunzhang’s lips curved into a smile. “All right. Tomorrow morning, we’ll go buy the ingredients.”

Jing Li hummed agreeably, grabbed his phone to set an alarm, and glanced up at him. “Eight o’clock wake-up?”

“That works.”

Alarm set, Jing Li hopped onto Weibo to check reactions to tonight’s episode.

The app lagged on login—too many retweets, comments, and new followers. He waited a few seconds, logged in smoothly, and caught sight of his follower count skyrocketing. His mood soared.

The promo post he’d made tonight was a hotbed of activity. He dove into the comments, chuckling as he read, even liking a few fans’ freshly spun sweet little stories.

Mid-scroll, his phone buzzed with a WeChat from An Jiaming.

[An Jiaming]: Romantic Journey appearance fee is settled. Deducted taxes and studio cut—it’s in your account now. Check it when you can.

Jing Li had just replied with a simple “Good” when his phone buzzed again. It was a bank transfer notification.

He opened the message and stared at the amount: over seventy million. He was stunned. How could it have ballooned several times over even after taxes and a twenty percent commission?

But the next second, realization dawned on him.

“Teacher Ji, did you send me your appearance fee?”