Chapter 114: Drunk

Ying Huai: .......?

'Let go of me—'

Ying Huai instinctively struggled once.

But he hadn't expected Liang Shining to grab him all at once. For a moment he didn't react, his steps faltered, and stepping back he crashed straight into Liang Shining's arms.

Liang Shining also didn't react for a moment, only worried the person might not stand steady. He instinctively reached out and directly steadied Ying Huai by the waist.

Ying Huai: ???

—He was about to go crazy.

'Let go of me, Liang Shining......' Ying Huai gritted his teeth, turned his head aside, and spoke in a lowered voice.

'Where are you trying to go?'

Liang Shining frowned as he looked at the person before him.

'Who is that person? Why are you hiding from him? And you still haven't answered my question just now......'

It was the first time Ying Huai had felt Liang Shining talked so much.

'I'll answer your question in a bit, let me go first........'

Ying Huai spoke hurriedly.

But Ying Qi's footsteps behind him were already close at hand. Ying Huai's steps paused, and he realized that even if he ran now, it would be too late.

He turned his head to look at Ying Qi, who was walking briskly toward them, and simply threw caution to the wind and stopped directly.

'You want to know why I came here, right?'

Ying Huai stepped back and leaned against the wall, turning his head to look at his big brother.

'Help me stall him, I'll go back to my room first. Once I'm back, I'll tell you.'

Liang Shining frowned slightly.

He hadn't met Ying Qi before, but seeing Ying Huai's clearly evasive expression, and combined with how Ying Huai had deliberately avoided the question when he'd asked about the management company earlier—

Liang Shining somehow connected it—the company had sent Ying Qi to pressure Ying Huai into attending this auction.

His expression gradually darkened. He suddenly stepped forward, shielded Ying Huai's waist, and directly blocked Ying Huai behind him.

'Alright.'

Ying Huai, who had just been about to slip away: ?

He turned his head back in some bewilderment, and the next second suddenly felt his palm grow warm.

Liang Shining took his hand, imitating what he had done earlier, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Ying Huai: .........???

He vaguely felt that Liang Shining seemed to have misunderstood something. He hesitated, stopped his steps, and wanted to explain.

'Wait a moment........'

Before he could finish, the next second he saw Liang Shining look at Ying Qi and say coldly: 'Please stop forcing him.'

Ying Qi: ?

Ying Huai: ........?

Ying Qi was startled for a moment, slowly stopped his steps, and looked up at Liang Shining: 'What did you say?'

Ying Huai behind him poked his head out, unable to resist wanting to explain, but Liang Shining's expression had already fully darkened.

He stepped to the side, directly blocking Ying Huai behind him again.

Ying Huai, who had finally poked his head out, didn't notice for a moment, stumbled back a step, and was instantly blocked completely by Liang Shining again.

........Ying Huai was almost driven to laugh out of anger.

He looked up at the person before him. Liang Shining didn't turn back, but still held his hand and patted it reassuringly once more.

'You know exactly what I'm talking about.'

Liang Shining looked up at Ying Qi and said coldly: 'You must also be clear about the real situation of this auction. Ying Huai's health is poor, and yesterday you still forced him to drink.........'

Ying Huai's body stiffened.

Ying Qi frowned slightly, gave a meaningful look at Ying Huai hiding behind Liang Shining, but his voice was as mild as ever: 'Yesterday........you even drank?'

Ying Huai didn't dare look at Ying Qi's expression, only curved his eyes at Ying Qi somewhat ingratiatingly: 'Not much.......just a little.........'

'What do you mean just a little? Your stomach hurt all the way until this morning, and last night when you were sleeping......' Liang Shining spoke with displeasure.

Ying Huai couldn't care about anything else. Before Liang Shining finished, he directly raised his hand to cover his mouth: 'Alright, I know, you don't need to be so detailed........'

He had just raised his hand when, the next second, he heard Ying Qi's gentle voice come from before him again.

'Ying Huai.'

Ying Huai's movement instantly stiffened.

He was quiet for a few seconds, then slowly withdrew his hand after all, and with lowered eyes, moved back behind Liang Shining bit by bit.

Ying Qi turned his head to look at Liang Shining: 'Sorry for interrupting you just now, please continue—what happened to Ying Huai last night.'

Liang Shining frowned slightly, vaguely feeling something was off.

But seeing Ying Huai's lifeless reaction, he only assumed for the moment that Ying Huai had been coerced by the company, and gave a slight cold laugh.

'You want to hear it, is that it?'

'Last night before sleep his stomach kept hurting, and his cold hadn't fully healed yet, and he'd gotten myocarditis. He drank so much, and as soon as he lay down his heart felt uncomfortable and he couldn't catch his breath. In the end he had to take medicine, and even then he had to prop his pillow up high to feel a little better.'

Ying Qi didn't speak, his expression seemed to cool a few degrees, and he nodded slightly.

'Is there more?'

'No more, that was just last night, I was fine when I got up this morning......' Ying Huai behind him seized the chance, immediately interjecting to try to stop him.

But the next second, Liang Shining's voice, carrying some anger, rose again.

'Of course.'

Ying Huai: ???

He gritted his teeth and raised his head, meeting his big brother's gaze that seemed to hold a smile without smiling. His expression paused, and after a long while, he lowered his head and closed his eyes in some despair.

—Forget it, it's already like this anyway, if I die I die.

He took a deep breath, raised his head, and looking at Liang Shining before him with a 'nothing left to lose' attitude, began to wonder with some curiosity what else he could possibly say.

'This morning when he got up, because his stomach was uncomfortable, he threw up everything he'd eaten, and in the bathroom he fainted from low blood sugar because of it.'

Liang Shining gritted his teeth, his voice unconsciously becoming somewhat urgent: 'And he's been resisting going to the Hospital, trying to hide his physical condition—which is to say, his health problems are very likely not limited to these.'

Ying Huai: ........

—He found that he had still underestimated Liang Shining's 'eloquence.'

Ying Qi looked with interest at Ying Huai hiding behind Liang Shining, and nodded slightly.

'I agree with that.'

Liang Shining was startled.

Before he could say anything, he saw Ying Qi take a light breath, suddenly look up, and smile at Liang Shining.

'However, you seem to have gotten one thing wrong.'

'I'm not here to force Xiao Huai to attend this auction.'

Liang Shining's expression froze.

'In fact, Xiao Huai came to this auction behind my back. If I had to put it strongly........I should be taking him back right now.'

Ying Qi looked up at Liang Shining, whose expression was gradually freezing before him: 'Looking at it this way, my purpose and yours.......seem to be the same?'

Liang Shining silently opened his mouth.

Only now did he belatedly realize what he had misunderstood. He took a light breath and slowly spoke: 'So you are........'

'I am Ying Huai's brother. My name is Ying Qi.' Ying Qi nodded slightly at Liang Shining.

Liang Shining's entire body instantly froze in place.

A flash of disbelief crossed his expression, and he suddenly turned his head to look at Ying Huai.

Ying Huai looked at Liang Shining with a lifeless expression, then silently turned his head to look at Ying Qi.

Ying Qi's expression remained gentle.

He even stepped to the side as he spoke, tilted his head slightly, and curved his eyes with a smile that wasn't quite a smile at Ying Huai hiding behind Liang Shining: 'Long time no see, Xiao Huai.'

Ying Huai curved his lips at Ying Qi somewhat guiltily: 'Big brother........'

'I am not your big brother.'

Ying Qi slowly stepped forward and spoke gently: 'I am the one who forced you to come to this auction I'd deliberately wanted to avoid, told you not to drink and yet you still drank yourself into heart discomfort, told you to rest and yet you still gave yourself low blood sugar—'

Ying Qi tapped his fingers thoughtfully on his arm: '—bad person.'

Ying Huai: .........?

His expression instantly turned bitter. He stepped forward, took Liang Shining's hand, and spoke softly: 'Big brother, I really was wrong, I didn't do it on purpose......'

'Mm? Then you did it on purpose?'

Ying Qi unhurriedly raised his head.

The retort that had reached Ying Huai's lips instantly choked.

He silently opened his mouth, then only spoke ingratiatingly again: 'I really was wrong, big brother.'

'Where are you wrong, Xiao Huai? I don't think so at all—it's me who's wrong.'

Ying Qi curved his lips leisurely: 'It's me who shouldn't have come here, and happened to run into you, making you have to go to the trouble of finding someone to cover for you, so you could think of a way to escape from me.'

Ying Qi glanced at Liang Shining beside him as he spoke.

Liang Shining hadn't said a single word since earlier. Now meeting Ying Qi's gaze again, his body stiffened for a moment, and he silently stepped back, revealing Ying Huai behind him.

Ying Huai: ???

But he didn't dare say anything more, only glared at Liang Shining secretly, stepped forward, and drew close to his big brother.

'Big brother, I really was wrong, listen to me explain, cough cough........'

He spoke a bit too quickly, choked on a breath for a moment, turned his head and coughed twice, but didn't expect that for a moment it seemed to have drawn up all the itch in his lungs.

Ying Huai suddenly covered his lips and turned his head aside, trying hard to suppress the choking cough in his throat, but the more anxious he became the more violently he coughed.

He didn't notice that his body was uncontrollably bending down bit by bit, only feeling his vision go black and white in waves, and the sense of oxygen deprivation uncontrollably surging up rapidly.

Ying Huai vaguely felt someone reach out and steady his shoulder. He opened his mouth wanting to say something, but the moment he inhaled, he felt a spasm in his throat.

When he regained a little consciousness, he met Ying Qi's anxious gaze.

'Ge........'

'Shh, shh, don't talk yet.'

Ying Qi took the warm water that Liang Shining handed over from the side, barely suppressing the worry in his expression.

'Drink some water, do you feel a bit better now?'

Ying Huai realized he was being supported, half-leaning against the wall. He really didn't have the strength to talk, only shook his head slightly, turned his head, and sipped a mouthful of warm water.

The next second, Ying Qi saw the person before him tremble slightly, and his brow furrowed once again.

Ying Qi's expression instantly panicked: 'What's wrong? Where does it hurt, Xiao Huai? Chest tightness? Or is your throat still uncomfortable.........'

'Bitter.........'

Ying Huai spoke softly, somewhat unable to bear it.

The warm water just now slowly flowed into his throat, along with it awakening the bitter taste of medicine in his mouth.

Ying Huai didn't react for a moment, and instantly felt the bitterness surge straight up to the top of his forehead.

Ying Qi was startled.

He realized something, looked at the person before him curving his eyes ingratiatingly at him, and couldn't help reaching out to flick his younger brother's brow in exasperation.

'Bitter is right, to teach you a lesson.'

Ying Huai lightly hissed, instinctively covered his forehead, and spoke softly with a breathy voice: 'Are you still angry at me, big brother?'

Ying Qi looked at his younger brother with a somewhat complex expression.

Just now, when Ying Huai had been leaning against him with a pale face, coughing ceaselessly, the anger in his heart had long since vanished in an instant.

Although he was still somewhat annoyed when he came back to his senses, his heart ached so much that he couldn't bring himself to say anything more for the moment.

Ying Huai knew his big brother had always been soft-hearted toward him. Seeing Ying Qi looking at him without speaking, he vaguely guessed something, and suddenly stepped forward, directly wrapped his arms around Ying Qi's neck, and rested his head on Ying Qi's shoulder.

'Don't be angry at me anymore, ge. My chest felt uncomfortable from coughing just now. If you're still angry, I'll feel even worse.'

Ying Qi looked at the person beside him, somewhat caught between tears and laughter.

He couldn't help sighing, patted his younger brother's back, and lightly 'mm'ed.

'Alright, don't talk for now, I'll take you back to rest first, okay?'

Ying Huai immediately knew that Ying Qi had tacitly agreed to what he'd just said.

His eyes instantly curved, he smiled in response, reached out wanting to release Ying Qi's neck, but his body suddenly swayed again.

'Xiao Huai!'

Ying Qi hurriedly stepped forward and steadied the person with one grasp.

'.......I'm fine, I just lost my footing for a moment........'

Ying Huai braced himself on Ying Qi's arm to steady himself, and hurriedly spoke trying to explain.

He hadn't finished speaking when, the next second, he suddenly felt his body grow light.

Immediately after, Ying Huai felt himself being picked up by the waist by Ying Qi entirely.

Ying Huai: ???

The tips of his ears instantly grew hot.

'What are you doing, put me down, ge, I can walk on my own......'

He instinctively looked at Liang Shining beside him for help, but saw Liang Shining pause for a moment, suddenly turn his head, and walk ahead first.

'I'll lead the way for you.'

Ying Huai: ???

He opened his mouth in disbelief wanting to say something, but the next second saw his big brother glare at him in displeasure.

'If you're uncomfortable then be quiet, don't move around.'

Ying Huai instinctively fell silent, glanced at Liang Shining beside him, but still tried to resist softly.

'There are still people around here, big brother, what am I going to do in the future if you do this......'

'What future? What are you worried about?'

Ying Qi carried him steadily forward, frowning as he spoke: 'Do you know how worried the two of us were about you just now? If I hadn't been closer to you and steadied you first, he would have rushed straight up and carried you back himself.'

Ying Huai was startled.

He instinctively spoke to retort: 'Impossible, how could he possibly be that worried about me......'

'How could it not be possible?' Ying Qi carried him around the corner, looking at his own certain younger brother with some puzzlement.

'Speaking of which, I haven't even asked who that person is. You two seem to look quite familiar with each other........'

Ying Huai's cheeks flushed red.

For a moment he didn't know how to explain. He was quiet for a few seconds, then simply gave up and buried his head in Ying Qi's neck, shaking his head without saying a word.

·

Perhaps it was because he'd been tossed about for a whole morning and was really too tired, or perhaps because Ying Qi was by his side and Ying Huai unconsciously relaxed.

Ying Huai couldn't help gradually falling asleep on the way back.

Ying Qi felt the person in his arms gradually slowing breath, and deliberately slowed his steps, carefully placing his younger brother back on the bed.

But the moment Ying Huai left Ying Qi's arms, he immediately woke up.

'Ge?'

Ying Huai suddenly propped himself up, and his vision unexpectedly went dark at the same time.

He instantly furrowed his brow, his body swayed for a moment uncontrollably, and was caught by Liang Shining beside him instinctively.

Liang Shining and Ying Huai's expressions both stiffened for a moment.

Ying Qi beside them didn't notice this, only looking at Ying Huai somewhat tensely.

'What's wrong? I'm here, don't worry, Xiao Huai.'

Ying Huai nodded absently, somewhat tensely bracing himself wanting to sit up from Liang Shining's arms.

But he had just woken from a deep sleep, and for a moment his heart was pounding, his arms numb in waves, with no strength at all.

Liang Shining didn't seem to know what he was thinking. Ying Huai hinted at him several times overtly and covertly, but he acted as if he hadn't noticed, head lowered, only steadily supporting his body.

Ying Huai also couldn't say anything in front of Ying Qi, and could only try to move back himself.

Ying Huai secretly struggled for a while, and not only tired himself into a head full of cold sweat, but his vision also became blurry again.

Afraid that Ying Qi might notice something unusual, he had no choice but to give up struggling, covering his mouth as he coughed twice in a muffled way.

'I'm fine, ge, I was just startled just now.'

Ying Huai raised his head and smiled at Ying Qi: 'It's getting late today, ge, you go back and rest first, we'll talk tomorrow........'

Although Ying Qi knew Ying Huai was deliberately trying to get him to leave, the tiredness in Ying Huai's expression was after all impossible to hide.

He lightly sighed, raised his hand and stroked Ying Huai's hair: 'Don't you need ge to keep you company tonight? You won't have run off again by the time I come over early tomorrow morning, will you?'

The person whose thoughts had been directly hit stiffened for a moment, and listlessly lowered his eyes: 'Of course not, I haven't had enough fun at this auction yet, of course I won't run.'

Ying Qi looked at him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, and after all said nothing, only slowly stood up.

He suddenly thought of something again, and turned his head to look at Liang Shining beside him.

'Right, I still don't know your name. I should also thank you for helping take care of Xiao Huai all along.'

Ying Qi looked at Liang Shining and spoke gently: 'Are you Xiao Huai's friend? These past two days, thank you really.'

The moment his words fell, he saw the two people before him stiffen simultaneously.

'No need, ge, whatever it is let's talk about it tomorrow........' Ying Huai was the first to compose his emotions, and spoke with a smile.

Ying Qi was somewhat baffled, and frowned as he spoke: 'How can it wait until tomorrow? He's taken care of you for so long, and I don't even know his name. That's not polite.'

Ying Huai hesitated, a flash of helplessness crossing his expression.

Liang Shining beside him lightly closed his eyes.

Without waiting for Ying Huai to say anything more, he helped Ying Huai sit properly at the head of the bed, and was the first to slowly stand up.

'Ying da-ge, hello, my name......is Liang Shining.'

The moment Liang Shining's words fell, he saw Ying Qi's expression change instantly, as expected.

'You—'

Liang Shining lowered his eyes and didn't speak. Ying Qi took a deep breath, and suddenly turned his head to look at Ying Huai.

'Xiao Huai, could you trouble Mr. Liang.......to step outside for a moment?'

Ying Qi looked at Ying Huai and spoke gently: 'I have something.......I want to tell you.'

Ying Huai turned his eyes away somewhat helplessly. Liang Shining didn't say anything, only nodded slightly, walked quickly to the door, and gently closed it.

·

The moment the door was gently closed, Ying Qi's expression instantly cooled.

'His name is Liang Shining?'

Ying Qi looked at the person half-leaning against the head of the bed, his voice somewhat heavy: 'The one who bullied you on the program before......'

'He didn't bully me, ge.'

Ying Huai raised his head somewhat helplessly: 'He just severed our master-disciple relationship.'

'Xiao Huai.'

Ying Qi spoke warningly, his usually gentle voice rarely carrying some urgency: 'Answer my question—why are you still with him?'

'Fine, it's him.' Ying Huai slightly turned his eyes away.

He observed Ying Qi's expression, hesitated for a moment, and spoke even more softly: 'Maybe it could also be considered........he bullied me a little.'

Ying Qi's brow furrowed even tighter, and he repeated the question Ying Huai had just skipped over: 'Why did you appear at this auction with him? What is your relationship with him now?'

Ying Huai silently opened his mouth, and for a moment didn't know what to say, only spoke softly: 'It was just an accident......'

Ying Qi knew his younger brother's always soft-hearted nature, and grew more worried: 'Is he threatening you, Xiao Huai? Do you need me to help drive him away........'

Ying Qi spoke as he directly turned around wanting to walk toward the door. Ying Huai was startled, and hurriedly spoke.

'Ge, ge, wait a moment—'

Ying Huai hurriedly propped himself up, and his vision unexpectedly went dark. He muffled a groan, and his body slumped back against the head of the bed powerlessly.

Ying Qi heard the sound and turned his head, saw his younger brother pressing his brow, his figure swaying unsteadily as he half-propped himself at the bedside, and his expression instantly panicked.

'Alright, alright, I won't go, calm down, Xiao Huai, don't be anxious.'

Ying Qi sat back down at the bedside, and reached out to steady the person.

Ying Huai was so dizzy he couldn't speak for the moment, only somewhat tremblingly reached out and gripped Ying Qi's arm.

After a few seconds he caught his breath, raised his head somewhat helplessly: 'I'm really fine, ge.'

Speaking of this he thought of something again, and raised his head with a smile that wasn't quite a smile: 'Besides, this is his room. Even if someone should leave........it should be me.'

Ying Qi: ....... ??

He glared at his younger brother in exasperation, putting on an expression of feigned slight anger.

Ying Huai curved his eyes guiltily, and continued to speak softly.

'I came to this auction only because I wanted to see......the collection item that was going to be auctioned at the end. Before this I didn't know he was here either. Meeting him was really just a coincidence.'

Ying Huai paused: 'Yesterday's episode wasn't because of him either.......I should also thank him for taking care of me.'

Ying Qi frowned: 'Why would he take care of you? What exactly is the situation between you two now?'

This time Ying Huai was quiet for a long while.

After a few seconds, he finally spoke softly: 'I'm not sure either........what his attitude toward me is now.'

He raised his head to look at Ying Qi, and curved his eyes as if joking: 'Maybe he's afraid I'll die in his room and he won't be able to explain it.'

'Ying Huai.'

Ying Qi's expression instantly sank.

Ying Huai instantly made a surrendering gesture, rapidly shook his head, signaling he wouldn't say more.

'I'm really fine now, da-ge, don't worry.'

Ying Huai raised his head, and spoke with a reassuring smile: 'I have my own limits, nothing will happen.'

He looked at Ying Qi, his voice softening a bit more: 'Besides, this auction will be over in one more day. When the time comes, we'll go our separate ways, and there won't be any more interaction.'

'In just this day and a half, nothing will happen to me, da-ge.' Ying Huai took a light breath.

Ying Qi was clear that Ying Huai's reaction just now was obviously that he hadn't sorted things out himself, and was only letting himself sink because of some softness and unwillingness to part.

He looked at the pale-faced person before him with an indescribable expression, and for a moment couldn't say anything harsh.

After a long while, Ying Qi raised his head, reached out, and stroked Ying Huai's slightly soft hair.

'Da-ge is just worried about you, Xiao Huai.' Ying Qi spoke softly.

'Da-ge doesn't want to see.......you in that state you were in before.'

Ying Huai's expression paused slightly.

Looking at his big brother's worried expression, he instantly realized that what Ying Qi was referring to was—the period just after the Cross-Genre Singer Program had ended.