Don’t Be a Kept Man

bawling with happiness, especially those that fell down the hole to finish << Minister >>.
The situation could almost be described as wolves smelling the scent of blood and rushing over.

The drama had already been entrenched with so much angst and pain, so was it too much to ask for some sugar to gnaw on?!

Of course, when you have support, there must be opposition.
Before the program even aired, all sorts of terrible, insulting and insinuating comments started popping up but it was no small feat to beat Chen Yi’s fans.
They’d rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free, so every comment was flamed back.

This program, << Unexpected Encounter with You >> was a bit special.
Each couple’s lives were only filmed for one day and there were strict rules.
Filming started from 6am and so that meant that the guests would have to wake up before then; no matter how high your celebrity status may be, you must follow the program’s rules.

Although Chen Yi was a bit lazy, he had absolutely no problem waking early.
Fu Xiu Nian himself was definitely not someone who slept in and so bright and early at 7am, when the camera crew knocked on their door, they were pretty much ready.

The one who opened the door was Fu Xiu Nian.
He had just washed himself up and his entire face was clean with his soothing and refreshing aura.
His words were also polite and warm, saying to the film crew, 

“Please, come in.”

There was a female MC as part of the filming crew called Xiao Xiao, who, as per normal procedure, would usually do a very short interview with each of the partners before the actual recording for the day.
And from those interviews, she would create missions that the couple would then need to complete. 

After Chen Yi came out of the bathroom, everyone greeted each other before sitting in the living room to start.

Xiao Xiao was a smart and beautiful lady, with a great grasp on words and polite courtesy, making it very easy to facilitate a conversation, 

“This show records a bit earlier, so you both must have woken up around 6am.
Did either of you feel a bit unused to the early schedule?”

Fu Xiu Nian said, 

“It’s alright.
It is a bit earlier than my normal hours.”

Chen Yi was sitting beside him and he looked very lazy and relaxed, as if he had not woken up from his slumber yet.
Fu Xiu Nian used the coffee table as a cover to lightly kick him underneath, but Chen Yi easily avoided it.

Xiao Xiao smiled as she looked at them and then glanced at the simple decorations in the house.
She asked, 

“Do you two usually have a set list of house chores split clearly between the both of you, like washing dishes or cooking? Is it on shifts of responsibility or do you hire a housekeeper?”

Fu Xiu Nian was a bit helpless on the inside and he didn’t know what to say.
Chen Yi used his elbow to lightly prod him, and his mouth hid a faint smile.
Then he said to Xiao Xiao, 

“Dishes and cooking are all on him.
I’m a bit lazy.”

Fu Xiu Nian added, 

“Lifting heavy things that kind of household chore that requires strength are all his.”

Xiao Xiao nodded her head but her gentle eyes held a bit of laughter in them.
She held in her hands a tiny book, and she would record something every so often based on their answers.
She asked some basic and random questions and then kindly said, 

“There are 24 hours in a day.
If you are willing, it can be very long.
If you are not, it can be very short.
It all depends on how you use it, and so I will give you your first mission and then the show will officially start recording.”

During the interview, the other filming crew members had installed cameras all over the house, and from the end of the interview onwards, the time would be theirs. 

When they all left, Fu Xiu Nian opened the mission card he received from Xiao Xiao and his face turned a bit weird when he read the contents.
Chen Yi dropped his chin on Fu Xiu Nian’s shoulder and swept a quick glance over the card before his eyebrows also slightly furrowed.

“Please have the guests switch their house chore duties.”

These words were written quite big and once it was shown, it very clearly and succinctly conveyed the message to the both of them.
Chen Yi, a beat slower, came back to his senses and then ruffled Fu Xiu Nian’s head as he said, 

“I’m sleepy.
I’m going back to take a nap.”

He then rose up from the sofa but Fu Xiu Nian caught him before he could leave.
Chen Yi turned his head around and he could only see two words on his face —

Go cook.

Chen Yi felt his forehead twinge with pain and internally he was rejecting the order with every cell he had.
He lightly but with strength scooped Fu Xiu Nian up and then dragged the other back into their room, 

“Be good.
Sleep a while and you won’t be hungry anymore.”

Fu Xiu Nian already knew that Chen Yi was going to be like this and turned around to push him back towards the kitchen.
He had a great feeling like something great had happened1 and held in his laughter as he imitated Chen Yi’s tone, 

“Be good.
Follow the program’s rules.”

Chen Yi: “Hmph.
What are you going to do if I’m just going to poison you.”

Fu Xiu Nian: “No worries.
I won’t blame you.”

Chen Yi smiled without a single ounce of happiness in him,

“Wow, I am so moved.”

Notes:

*1 This line is a bit weird to translate but it’s a feeling that actually means for a person who was held captive by an enemy state and then was overturned and they are now free.
So there’s this feeling of a good change as well as the freedom to experience and the belonging you feel from being back on your own, and having that thankfulness that it is all over.

TL Tidbit:

As a side note on Xiao Xiao’s name, it is not the “small”/”little” character as the pinyin might entice you to think.
It’s a different character that usually relates to water like drizzling rain, shallow waters, but it can also mean if paired with other characters like someone who is unrestrained/very nice and open.
Like paying money for the meal without making you feel like you owe them, and so forth as like many characters in this very complex language.
Xiao Kai Chun’s Xiao is also not technically “small”/”little”, altho it can mean “slightly”, but used as its character if not in a name, is usually denoted as “similar” or “like” something.