Chapter 53: My Wife is Utterly Captivating

That little blondie was always lavishing attention on Nono, even using his earnings to buy all sorts of gifts for him.

Fu Yanli had once “complained” to Lucien about it, but Lucien laughed heartily and said it was just Atticus showing how much he liked Nono—he was delighted to see it happen. He even thought that fostering feelings between the next generation of their two families from a young age would greatly benefit future collaborations.

This had once made Fu Yanli consider stepping in to help Lucien seize power sooner, just so he could send the little blondie back home.

But Lucien refused, claiming that Fu Yanli was already doing him a huge favor by helping look after his son.

So, when Fu Yanli heard that Lucien was on the verge of success, his top concern was whether Atticus could leave immediately.

Unfortunately, Lucien’s answer was negative. “Not yet, my friend. You Chinese have a saying: the darkest hour is just before dawn. The closer we get to the final step, the less we can relax. So I still need you to watch him for a while—probably until after February next year.”

In other words, Atticus would be staying here over the New Year.

Fu Yanli did the math and realized it would be more than three months away. His mood plummeted to rock bottom once more.

What frustrated him most, though, was that Pei Qingrong had actually sent Lu Yunchuan over too.

“Qinghe’s family situation is incredibly complicated,” Pei Qingrong said with furrowed brows, his tone laced with disgust. “A few days ago, some people from his hometown came causing trouble, and that’s when I learned about his background. I’m planning to go with him to sort them out—find a way to get the whole village locked up. They’re a bunch of animals!”

“Yunchuan only recently acknowledged me as his father. We’re still in the getting-to-know-you phase, and he doesn’t know my family well either. After thinking it over, your place is the best option. Yunchuan’s easy to look after—he can bathe, brush his teeth, dress, and eat on his own. He can even help take care of Nono. I’ll be gone about a month—mind watching him for me?”

Fu Yanli: “…”

Pei Qingrong figured his friendship with Fu Yanli was solid enough for this unannounced visit, so he’d shown up with luggage and the little kid in tow.

Lu Yunchuan bowed politely. “Uncle Fu, Uncle Jiang, sorry to impose on you.”

Jiang Shunnian was more than happy about it—Lu Yunchuan really was likable, and he got along great with Nono.

He tugged at Fu Yanli’s sleeve, signaling for him to agree.

Lu Qinghe, peeking out from behind Pei Qingrong, watched Fu Yanli cautiously, as if afraid his boss might refuse.

Fu Yanli had no choice but to relent. “Fine, leave him here.”

After thanking him, Pei Qingrong took Lu Qinghe and left.

Jiang Shunnian was a bit curious. “What’s the deal with Lu Qinghe’s family? How does a whole village end up committing crimes?”

Though he’d been abandoned, Jiang Shunnian had grown up in the city and never been to the countryside, so he couldn’t quite grasp what Pei Qingrong meant.

“Not entirely sure, but I remember his file said he came from some remote, impoverished mountain village,” Fu Yanli replied with a frown. Poverty and isolation sometimes bred ignorance, letting the evil in people’s hearts run wild and unchecked.

Fu Yanli had his suspicions but didn’t want to tell Jiang Shunnian, lest it upset him.

Jiang Shunnian’s empathy was too strong, his heart too kind—he wasn’t suited for knowing too much darkness.

Their house was plenty big, so Jiang Shunnian tidied up a guest room with the housekeeper for Lu Yunchuan.

Once Atticus found out, he came begging with wide, pleading eyes. Smart kid—he knew Jiang Shunnian was a softie, so he hugged his leg and said he wanted to live here too. He could study and trade stocks with Nono and Lu Yunchuan.

“Uncle Jiang, please?” Atticus even pulled out the puppy-dog eyes to seal the deal.

The golden-haired, blue-eyed little pup was undeniably cute. They already had one extra kid in Lu Yunchuan—what was one more?

And just like that, the house gained three super photogenic pups, each with their own distinct charm.

Atticus was the oldest, already carrying himself like a little gentleman. Lu Yunchuan was gentler, and of course, his pup was the cutest.

When the three gathered to chat, they mostly spoke English—Atticus’s everyday Chinese was decent, but technical terms tripped him up, so Nono and Lu Yunchuan accommodated him in English.

Jiang Shunnian listened for a bit and felt like he was hearing gibberish from another world, but he did notice Lu Yunchuan peeling fruit for Nono, who accepted the feeding as naturally as could be.

Good thing Fu Yanli wasn’t around, Jiang Shunnian thought. Otherwise, he’d have another meltdown.

After refilling their fruit and homemade milk tea, Jiang Shunnian retreated to his room to review the script. He had an audition at the set soon and needed to prepare thoroughly.

When Fu Yanli got home from work, he felt like the sky had fallen.

Even after their intimate evening with Jiang Shunnian, he dragged himself out of bed to check if the two little blondies were behaving in their rooms. In a flash of inspiration, he even suggested to Jiang Shunnian, “We don’t need to prep so many rooms, actually. Atticus and Lu Yunchuan sharing one would be perfect.”

Jiang Shunnian was almost impressed by Fu Yanli’s wild imagination.

His next role’s casting and filming were both in S City, so no long trips—he could go and come back the same day.

After dropping the three pups off at school, Jiang Shunnian headed to the set with his agent and assistant for the audition.

It was a big production, so plenty of actors showed up. Jiang Shunnian’s recent surge from the web drama and variety show had him riding high—some young actors smiled and greeted him as “Teacher Jiang” or “Brother Jiang.” He smiled back warmly every time, always gracious.

The role he was auditioning for was a young master who studied abroad, with incredibly broad horizons. After witnessing his country’s corrupt system, he thoughtfully chose the right path and actively persuaded other noble families to join. He faced misunderstanding and open mockery but never wavered.

For the part, Jiang Shunnian had even picked up some English from the three pups, just in case Director Zhong decided to test him on the spot.

After performing the drawn scene, he waited for the director’s feedback. But Director Zhong eyed his looks and build and said, “Jiang Shunnian, I know who you are. Your acting is solid, full of spirit—this role’s beneath you. Try this one instead.”

Jiang Shunnian took the script and was surprised.

It required him to play two roles himself.

One was the eldest young master, raised under strict discipline—elegant and outstanding on the surface, but aimless inside.

The other was a top flower dan from the lower-nine-stream opera troupe, with eyes burning like flames of determination.

Due to a twist of fate, they turned out to be twin brothers.

The younger brother appeared to be just an actor but was actually an underground intelligence operative, mingling in high society to gather top-secret intel.

The older brother, stifled by lifelong constraints, occasionally swapped identities with his brother to taste freedom.

Later, they worked together.

Sadly, the older brother’s skills fell short, and he got exposed. Thinking his life was over, his brother boldly swapped places and died in his stead.

In the end, he donned stage makeup and lived on as his brother’s shadow.

The ensemble cast’s appeal lay here—every character was vividly fleshed out with full arcs. These twins, despite their vast differences, converged on the same path.

It was a massive challenge for Jiang Shunnian. Seemingly dual roles, but really four distinct states to embody.

“Interested?” the director asked with a grin.

Jiang Shunnian nodded earnestly. “Thank you for the opportunity, Director Zhong. I’d love to give it a shot.”

Luckily, he’d taken opera electives in school out of interest and audited plenty of opera classes. With his naturally good voice, he could perform a snippet on the spot.

“Perfect. Show us. Nail it convincingly, and the role’s yours.”

Jiang Shunnian quickly memorized the lines, delved into the characters’ psyches, and was ready in no time.

In the first scene, he shifted his demeanor to that of a refined, courteous young master—but his eyes were vacant and lost.

In the second, his movements were light and a touch coquettish, but his eyes blazed with astonishing intensity. Even mid-aria, his inner resolve shone through.

In the third, the brother became the actor and found it fun—the bewilderment in his eyes faded away.

In the fourth, the actor flawlessly impersonated the brother.

The same face, yet Jiang Shunnian brought four crystal-clear states to life, nailing every nuance.

The director and crew burst into applause. “Brilliant, Jiang Shunnian—you’ve got me seeing you in a new light. And opera training too? This role was made for you.”

Jiang Shunnian was thrilled but humble. “Thank you, Director Zhong. I’ll put even more heart into these characters.”

Zhao Yuanzhou had always known Jiang Shunnian was talented, but this? “You’ll go far, Jiang Shunnian,” he marveled.

Nailed right, Zhao thought he could even snag an award.

If not for that incident forcing him out of the industry for four years, he’d probably be a top-tier star by now, awards piling up.

But he was still young—plenty of time left.

When Fu Yanli heard Jiang Shunnian had gone for a minor role only to land a meatier one from the director, he thought the man had great taste and decided to pump in some extra investment.

Good thing filming didn’t start right away—it was post-New Year.

In the meantime, he could mind the pups while prepping with training.

Director Zhong hired an opera teacher for Jiang Shunnian to hone his poise, singing, and Republic-era etiquette.

With his foundation, Jiang picked it up fast—even the teacher joked they could use his natural vocals on set.

At home, he’d practice too. The national essence of Peking Opera captivated all ages, and the pups loved it. Whenever he rehearsed while they were home, they’d line up obediently, propping their chins and listening raptly.

Jiang Shunnian went all out and ordered a full opera costume online. Dressed up and singing, the effect was mesmerizing.

It enchanted the pups.

And it utterly captivated Fu Yanli, who came home early.

That night, to avoid waking the kids, they headed upstairs. Fu Yanli watched the radiant youth in opera garb, his gaze dark and intense, like he wanted to devour him whole.

As Jiang Shunnian struggled beneath him, he protested, “You promised—if I sang, you wouldn’t do anything.”

But Fu Yanli pinned him down, kissing his lips. “Darling, I’m utterly captivated by you.”

With that, he reached into the sandalwood box and pulled out an even thicker one.

By his birthday, per the plan, Jiang Shunnian should be fully ready to take him.