In the Years When I Was a Father

Chapter 67: Movie Star Dad (5)

The program team had arranged for the gathering point to be in a town at the destination, and they had also booked a farmhouse for the guests to stay for one day. This way, the guests wouldn’t be too tired, and they could do the first day’s interviews and interactions with the guests.

At the moment, on the way to the farmhouse, Qi Rui was exhausted after sitting for two hours on the plane and three more hours in a minivan. He was utterly worn out and had no energy to talk to his dad, feeling utterly regretful about this trip.

Seeing his son like this, Qi Sheng took out an eye mask, handed him a bottle of water, and said, “Drink some water. Later, you can lie on my leg and sleep for a bit.”

Qi Rui obediently drank a few sips of water, screwed the cap back on, put on the eye mask, and lay on Qi Sheng’s lap, falling asleep immediately.

Qi Sheng was also feeling tired. He thought to himself that it would be another two hours before they reached their destination, so he decided to rest his eyes and relax.

The program team had obviously considered the guests’ fatigue from the journey and had arranged for them to rest and adjust for two hours. They would all meet at the restaurant at six o’clock.

The program team was thoughtful. To avoid any contact between the families before dinner, the staff had arranged a fixed route to guide each group of guests to their rooms after arrival.

Although the other four fathers were around the same age as Qi Sheng, their achievements in the industry were quite different. Besides Zhang Yunzhi, who remained calm, Zhao Jingyi and Yu Yang were definitely Qi Sheng’s die-hard fans. They were excited to finally meet their idol while recording the show. Xu Congwen, although more laid-back, admired Qi Sheng a lot, especially since he had studied several of Qi Sheng’s works in-depth.

So, before six o’clock, the three families had already arrived at the restaurant.

Seeing the time, Qi Sheng urged his son to get dressed, and as they approached the restaurant, they bumped into Zhang Yunzhi and his son, who were hurrying toward them. However, even when encountering familiar faces, Zhang Yunzhi wasn’t very enthusiastic about chatting. Qi Sheng exchanged a glance with him and immediately noticed the exhaustion in his eyes, as if everything was for his son—six painful words written all over him.

Qi Sheng found it amusing and walked shoulder to shoulder with him toward the restaurant, only to find the other three families already seated.

Upon their entrance, Zhao Jingyi and Xu Congwen were able to hold it together, while Yu Yang immediately stood up, excitedly rushing over to greet them.

“Mr. Qi, Mr. Zhang, it’s an honor to meet you!”

The other two also pretended to be calm and stood to greet them. On the surface, everything seemed normal, but inside, Zhao Jingyi was going wild: My idol just shook my hand! My idol even smiled at me! But… why does he look so much younger than me?!

Qi Rui, unaware of the adults’ internal drama, politely greeted everyone before obediently sitting next to his father, looking quite well-behaved.

The program team had specially ordered local specialties for dinner, both to reward the guests for their long journey and to give them a chance to get to know each other at the table.

Although everyone was from the entertainment industry, their work fields were different. Apart from Zhang Yunzhi and Qi Sheng, who had worked together before, this was the first time the others had ever interacted.

However, Qi Sheng wasn’t the silent type. Since they were all in the same industry, the conversation quickly picked up.

The adults were chatting lively, while the kids were relatively quiet. Qi Rui obediently ate his meal, not interrupting the adults’ conversation.

The other children, who had been lively earlier, also quieted down in the presence of Qi Sheng. As a result, all five children ate their meals quietly.

It was Zhao Jingyi who broke the silence. Smiling, he turned to his son and said, “Didn’t you want to meet Mr. Qi earlier? Why are you so quiet now?”

Zhao Shuo, meeting his idol’s gaze, shyly said, “Hello, Uncle Qi.”

Qi Sheng smiled and responded. Noticing that the boy seemed a little nervous and was wearing a T-shirt with game characters on it, he intentionally changed the subject: “Do you like playing Sky Wars?”

Zhao Shuo had first become a fan of Qi Sheng because of a role he played as a killer in a suspense drama. Qi Sheng’s portrayal of the cold and ruthless assassin had captivated many, especially those going through their “moody phase.”

Since then, Qi Sheng had taken on many different roles, but to Zhao Shuo, Qi Sheng would always be that cool, aloof person.

Now, seeing Qi Sheng in front of him, speaking so kindly to him, Zhao Shuo felt both thrilled and somewhat surprised.

He was originally an outgoing person, and seeing Qi Sheng’s gentle attitude, the nervousness he had earlier disappeared significantly. He began to relax and responded with his usual generous nature, “Yes, yes, I’ve been playing for two years now. Uncle Qi, do you play too?”

“Occasionally. Xiao Rui also really likes this game. Maybe you two can team up together.”

Sky Wars was a very popular competitive game, with countless boys and girls who loved it. Since the topic turned to the game, it resonated with the other children as well.

At this moment, the group of teenagers no longer restrained themselves. One after another, they began discussing the game, exchanging words enthusiastically.

Yu Yang, seeing how the awkwardness from earlier had been replaced by a much more harmonious atmosphere because of the game, smiled and teased, “These kids can’t stop once they start talking about games. When we were young, we didn’t have anything like this to play with.”

His words made the group of forty-something-year-old men begin reminiscing about the past. They recalled the rise of the internet at the turn of the century, discussing the games that had been all the rage more than a decade ago. Gradually, the barriers between their identities began to lessen.

The program team had already set up cameras around the restaurant. The director, watching the five families getting along so well, felt a bit relieved.

This time, the planners had taken a bold step by inviting Qi Sheng, which made the main team leaders somewhat worried. They were afraid that Qi Sheng might not be willing to shed his superstar persona, which could create awkward moments on set.

However, seeing that Qi Sheng was able to engage with any topic and was so cooperative, the director relaxed, taking a sip of tea. No wonder he had made it to the level of a superstar—his demeanor and handling of situations were impeccable.

After the meal, there was a short break, and then it was time for the individual interviews.

Qi Sheng looked at the question card and, as per the program team’s prior request, read the question aloud.

[What are your expectations for this two-month trip?]

Qi Sheng thought for a moment, looked at the camera, and smiled, saying, “If I had to say what I’m looking forward to, it would be spending time with my son. To be honest, this is actually my first time traveling with him.”

[How would you evaluate your own child?]

Qi Sheng smiled, and his handsome, sharp features softened as he spoke, “As a father, of course I’d praise my own child.”

After organizing his thoughts, he continued, “He’s more mature than I imagined, and he’s very filial. Because of my early work, there were a lot of gaps between us. When I decided to spend time with him at home, I was worried there would be a long adjustment period. But his actions moved me. He’s still willing to open his heart and accept my care for him. That moment made me realize that my son is truly amazing!”

[How would you evaluate your role as a father?]

Qi Sheng pursed his lips, and his expression was no longer as soft as before. He even furrowed his brows.

“I’ve played many roles, and I always give 100% effort to understand and fully portray them. But recently, I’ve realized that I haven’t handled some of the most important roles in my life well—whether it’s as a father, a husband, or a son. I think I need to stop and really think about this issue.”

The interview continued, and Qi Sheng patiently answered each question. Then came the final topic.

[Is there anything you’d like to say to your child during this trip?]

“Have fun!”

On the other side, in the small room where Qi Rui was being interviewed, Qi Rui followed the instructions and read out the question.

His question was the same as his father’s—the first one was about his expectations for the trip.

Qi Rui reflexively answered, “Have fun!”

However, seeing the staff’s gesture and their gaze, Qi Rui furrowed his brows and thought carefully for a moment.

Finally, feeling a bit embarrassed, he said, “It’s the first time going out with that sticky guy, so I’m actually looking forward to seeing how he behaves.”

After saying this, he laughed out loud, wondering if that Stinky Guy would be mad at him for saying that.

When the staff heard Qi Sheng’s nickname for him, they quietly asked, “Are you referring to Teacher Qi?”

Qi Rui then realized that he had just said out loud the nickname he used for his dad in front of the camera.

To avoid being “punished” by that Stinky Guy after the show airs, Qi Rui hesitantly asked, “Can we re-record this part? I don’t think what I said was very good.”

Unfortunately, the staff just smiled at him kindly but didn’t nod in agreement.

Feeling like there was no turning back, Qi Rui gave up and started reading the second question.

[How would you evaluate your father?]

“Uh, how should I say this? This is on camera, and if I say something I shouldn’t, he’ll come after me when we get home. I’ll be in big trouble!”

The staff couldn’t help but laugh, then tried to encourage him, “You can speak freely, don’t worry. Once the show airs, you’ll have countless fans watching, and Teacher Qi won’t hold it against you.”

Qi Rui raised an eyebrow and thought to himself, I don’t trust you at all!

But after thinking for a moment, he said, “Well, I’ll be honest. He’s a typical patriarch, very authoritarian, a workaholic!”

The workaholic part was well-known to the public, but the “patriarch” comment piqued the staff’s curiosity, so they asked, “Is Teacher Qi strict with you at home?”

Qi Rui tilted his head back and relaxed a little, then said with some dissatisfaction, “Yeah, he’s pretty strict. He probably has high hopes for me. Whenever we’re at home, he’s always monitoring me to study.”

The staff smiled and comforted him, saying, “It’s like that with all parents,” then continued with the next question: “So, do you wish Teacher Qi would be a little less strict with you, or would you prefer if he could stay home and be with you more?”

Qi Rui blinked and wrinkled his nose, saying, “Of course, it would be better if he were a little less strict. As for him staying at home to be with me… well, that’s not something I can decide just because I want it.”

The staff understood from what he said that there were likely still many issues between the father and son that needed to be communicated. Since time was limited, they couldn’t keep pressing on this topic, so they gestured for Qi Rui to move on to the next question.

[How would you evaluate your role as a son?]

Qi Rui frowned and complained, “You’re making me criticize my dad first and then reflect on myself?”

The staff hurried to calm him down, “You can mention your strengths too, so the audience can get to know you better.”

Qi Rui widened his eyes, thought for a moment, then reluctantly said, “I feel like I have a lot of strengths, but in that Stinky Guy’s eyes, I probably don’t leave a very good impression…”

The staff saw that Qi Rui really didn’t want to speak and didn’t force him, allowing him to move on to the next question.

When it came to the final question, Qi Rui finally let out a sigh of relief as he read it out loud.

[Is there anything you’d like to say to your father during this trip?]

Perhaps the previous questions had helped Qi Rui relax a bit, so he boldly said, “Be nicer to me, try to fulfill my requests, after all, your fans will see it on TV!”

When Qi Rui came out and returned to the room, he saw that the “Stinky Guy” was waiting on the couch.

Qi Rui felt a little guilty, thinking that the words he had just said would instantly reach this person. However, he tried to remain calm and said casually, “Dad, I’m going to wash up, you should go to bed early.”

Qi Sheng nodded, and looking at his son’s small expression, he knew that his son had probably said something bad about him. However, he wasn’t bothered by it. He had already washed up, and since he was especially tired from traveling today, he just lay down in bed. Before getting into bed, he still took his son’s phone away.

So when Qi Rui put on his pajamas and was about to play on his phone in bed, he found that his phone had been taken again!

Qi Rui got angry. It was the holiday, they were out having fun, and yet he wasn’t allowed to play for a little while longer!

He cautiously opened the door to the next room and saw the “Stinky Guy” sitting on the bed, looking at his Kindle.

It was impossible to sneak away with his phone now, so Qi Rui started acting cute. “Dad, you’re still awake?”

“Hmm, do you need something?”

No problem… How could there be no problem!

“I just suddenly remembered something I forgot to tell my classmate. Since he’s not asleep yet, I’ll send him a message.”

Qi Sheng raised an eyebrow, looking at his son, who was lying without even thinking before he lied. He didn’t expose him but checked the time—it was still before 10 pm. He then nodded and said, “You can take your phone, but make sure to bring it back before 10.”

Qi Rui: …

There were less than twenty minutes until 10, and he wouldn’t even finish one game!

Qi Rui, dissatisfied, tried to negotiate: “Dad, I took a nap this afternoon, and I’m not sleepy yet. Can I play on my phone for a little longer tonight?”

Qi Sheng smiled, ignoring his son’s expectant gaze, and coldly replied, “No. If you can’t fall asleep, I have a storybook here that you can read.”

Qi Sheng didn’t want to be too strict with him. However, after realizing that his child was too dependent on his phone, he had to take strict measures to help him break the habit. It wasn’t good for such a young child to ruin his eyes and become addicted to games and the internet.

Qi Rui’s face immediately dropped, and he muttered angrily, “That’s so boring. I’ll just play a little longer. It won’t be too long.”

Unfortunately, Qi Sheng remained unmoved, even gesturing at the time with a smile to tease his son, “Five minutes have already passed. Didn’t you say you had something to tell your classmate?”

Qi Rui was angry. He furrowed his brows and looked around. Sure enough, he saw the camera still recording. He then mischievously said, “Dad, the camera’s still recording. You won’t even let me play on my phone, be careful—your fans might think you’re too old-fashioned and unfollow you!”

Qi Sheng followed his son’s gaze and looked at the camera. With an unchanged expression, he said, “Most of my fans are adults and can manage themselves. Those who are around your age know that you shouldn’t play on your phone an hour before bed.”

However, seeing his son’s dissatisfied expression, Qi Sheng softened and comforted him, “It’s getting late, so why don’t you just rest? You can play tomorrow when there’s time.”

Qi Rui huffed twice, ignoring the last ten minutes, and angrily returned to his room.

Once back in his room, he took out a black t-shirt he had prepared in advance, stood on a stool in front of the camera, and seriously said into the camera, “It’s almost 10 pm. You guys who still play on your phones after 10, you know how bad that is, right? Haha, do you still like him?”

After saying that, he covered the camera with the t-shirt.