Chapter 13: He Truly Is a Living Father

The meeting lasted over three hours. It began with the awarding of appointment certificates, followed by the Director of the Creative Department’s report on two new productions the theater was preparing: the dance drama "The Blue Robe Chasing the Moon" and the musical "Tao Yuanming." Finally, they conducted a script reading for the theater’s newly created dance drama "Copper Sparrow Maid."

Xu Tanxi was cast in both "The Blue Robe Chasing the Moon" and "Copper Sparrow Maid." Especially with "Copper Sparrow Maid," a historical piece promoting traditional Chinese culture, co-produced by her National Song and Dance Theater and the neighboring Tongcheng Grand Theater, scheduled for a grand premiere at the end of this year.

"The Blue Robe Chasing the Moon" was set to be performed at next month’s Mid-Autumn Festival gala, with her as the lead dancer.

Throughout the meeting, Xu Tanxi took diligent notes, her wrist growing sore from writing.

By the time the meeting ended, it was already half past midnight. Xu Tanxi and a few colleagues headed straight to the theater cafeteria for a meal, chatting casually around the table.

“Hey, after next month’s performance, I’m planning to take a few days off to go island hopping. Anyone want to join?”

“I’m in!”

“I can’t go. My parents want me to come home for a blind date during Mid-Autumn. Sigh.”

“Tanxi, what about you?” her colleague Li Si asked.

“I have something to do, so I can’t go. You all go ahead.”

“Come on, after all the hard rehearsals, don’t you want to relax? Fang Zhuoting has to go for a blind date, Tanxi, what about you? Don’t tell me you have a blind date too?”

Seeing their gossiping faces, Xu Tanxi smiled. “No blind dates for me. I’ll be going home to celebrate the elders’ birthdays. It’s already arranged.”

She and Shang Hejing were secretly married, known only to a few in the elite circles. Her theater colleagues were unaware, except for a “Married” status noted on her actor profile.

“Alright then,” her colleagues responded.

They finished their meal amid laughter and chatter. Xu Tanxi then spent the entire afternoon and evening in rehearsal, only breaking for dinner, with almost no rest.

After rehearsing for the umpteenth time, her dancewear was soaked with sweat, clinging to her back. Glancing at the clock, it was already past 9:40 p.m.

As the principal dancer, she was responsible for leading rehearsals. Clapping her hands, she called to the group, “Alright, let’s call it a day.”

After showering and changing, she picked up her phone and suddenly remembered she hadn’t replied to a WeChat message from Meng Qianyi.

[Been busy all day, forgot to reply. Rehearsals are tiring, so no celebration tonight. How about after next month’s performance, I’ll arrange a place for us to soak in a hot spring? It’s been a long time.]

Xu Tanxi never cared much about birthdays.

When she was little, living in an orphanage, she once learned from the director that she was found on August 18th, so that day became her birthday. But in reality, no one truly knew her real birthday.

Except her biological parents.

But ironically, no one knew who they were.

Meng Qianyi, as a friend, understood this well and never forced celebrations. If Xu Tanxi wanted to celebrate, she would arrange it; if not, then no.

Xu Tanxi and Meng Qianyi had been college roommates in a mixed dormitory. They studied different fields; Meng Qianyi pursued law and, despite her affluent family, chose to start her own law firm.

“No problem,” Meng Qianyi replied.

During the day, Meng Qianyi called a driver to bring her car over, parking right outside the theater.

After getting in and driving onto the main road, Xu Tanxi instinctively headed toward Lugang International. But after a short distance, she suddenly remembered Shang Hejing’s reminder to open the gift.

Because Tangyuan didn’t have her clothes or daily essentials, she decided to return to Lugang International first to grab some things. The black G-Class glided smoothly through the night.

Once home, she watered the plants on the balcony. Often, once seated, she wasn’t keen on moving much.

Collapsing onto the sofa, she stared at the ceiling, muttering to herself, “So what if it’s a birthday gift? It doesn’t have to be opened today. What’s so great about what Shang Hejing gave me?”

After a moment, she thought, “But I have this feeling that scoundrel is up to no good. No, I have to go see for myself!”

With that resolve, Xu Tanxi rushed into the bedroom, quickly packed a few things, then headed downstairs toward Tangyuan.

Twenty minutes later, the black G-Class had just stopped in the yard when King, her dog, eagerly ran up to her.

The exhaustion on her body was somewhat soothed by the little companion. She smiled, patting King’s head. “Good evening.”

Picking up a ball by the flowerbed, she tossed it far, playing fetch with King for a while.

After washing up and changing into pajamas, Xu Tanxi went to the balcony and brought the black gift box into the living room. The box was quite heavy.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, King leisurely walked over and sat opposite the box.

Though she couldn’t read animal expressions, she inexplicably felt King was as curious about the contents as she was.

Untying the large smoky-pink bow on the black box’s lid, she opened it.

Peering inside, she found the large box contained various smaller boxes, neatly arranged but differing in color and size.

What on earth? Was this man playing a nesting doll game?

She casually picked up the topmost pale purple box and read the words on the packaging: Upgraded sonic waves, three intensity levels, five frequency modes.

“?”

Wait, something seemed off. Her expression grew complicated, but she thought maybe she was imagining things.

She tossed it aside and picked up another box, this one goose-yellow.

The packaging featured key phrases: Skin-friendly material, soft like a baby’s skin, <50 decibel quiet.

Xu Tanxi’s expression cracked.

How dare he? How could Shang Hejing dare?

Not believing it, she grabbed a third box. Its words were even bolder: Fully functional dual heating, playful modes, always feeling the heat rising.

“......”

Xu Tanxi was utterly stunned. She tilted the black gift box, and the smaller boxes spilled out like a toppled set of mahjong tiles, scattering all over the floor.

Looking at the spectacular sight before her, a line from a song flashed through her mind—

“Black, white, red, yellow, purple, green, blue, gray... all styles, all colors, waiting for you to choose.”

That scoundrel Shang Hejing! Why would he send her such things? And a whole basketful at that! Did she know him well? Really well?

After raging silently, the conversation they had that morning in Paris suddenly came to mind.

“What do you want your arranged marriage husband to give you for your birthday?”

“If he’s got guts, he’ll give me a bunch of toys I can’t even finish using. He can’t fulfill his duties, so he makes up for it in other ways. I can barely accept that.”

“......”

So it was because of her ridiculous words that he actually went and bought all this.

Truly the best father ever.