Chapter 71: Hospital

Su Xin looked at Liang Shining, a flash of disbelief crossing his face.

'What did you say...?'

He stepped back in a panic, his body heavily colliding with the wall behind him.

He turned his head to avoid Liang Shining's gaze, instinctively trying to cover it up: 'I don't know what you're talking about, let me go in first...'

'Ying Huai has a lung infection. Currently his heart doesn't have any major problems.'

Liang Shining spoke calmly, cutting him off.

Su Xin raised his head somewhat dazedly.

He seemed for a moment not to understand what Liang Shining had said, but his tense body involuntarily relaxed again.

But the next second, Liang Shining's words made his heart leap again.

'But after that... it's not certain.'

Su Xin abruptly raised his head: 'Why?'

'Ying Huai has been getting sick frequently lately, you should be clear about that,' Liang Shining's voice carried an unusual calm.

Su Xin raised his head, watching Liang Shining take out his phone and tap open the voice message Song Si Lan had just sent.

Song Si Lan: [I looked at the test results, it's a lung infection with slight pulmonary congestion, and combined with the recent fluctuating spring temperatures, his immunity has further declined.]

Song Si Lan: [That's why he's been running fevers and experiencing chest tightness and shortness of breath lately.]

Song Si Lan's voice was somewhat heavy, but when he spoke the latter part alone, he still slightly exhaled in relief.

Song Si Lan: [It's fine, as long as it's not heart function decline, it's all still within controllable range, but this kind of recurring infection of his can't be eliminated all at once. I'll use medication to control it first, and slowly nurse him back.]

Su Xin was silent for a few seconds.

When he spoke again, he still didn't answer Liang Shining's question: 'Since you already know Ying Huai's situation, why are you asking me?'

Su Xin lowered his eyes, wanting to walk away to the side: 'I don't know what you mean by "previous life" that you just said. I have things to do, I'm leaving first...'

'Because Ying Huai clearly knew long ago that there was something wrong with his body, but he's been hiding it from us.'

'I suspect that in his previous life he should have encountered this situation too.'

Su Xin's footsteps suddenly stopped.

He turned back almost in a panic: 'What did you say?'

'Ying Huai... "previous life"?'

His face went pale little by little, looking at Liang Shining, he spoke hurriedly: 'Impossible, Ying Huai he also...'

He waited for Liang Shining to refute his words, but Liang Shining only stood quietly in place, his expression unchanged.

Su Xin's face went pale little by little, he stumbled back a step, his entire demeanor rapidly collapsing.

'In the previous life we all did wrong, so in this life... I must correct this matter.'

Liang Shining spoke in a low voice: 'I must make sure Ying Huai lives.'

Su Xin was the only one among all of Ying Huai's former teammates who still chose to remain in the singer industry, and was also the person who had the most contact with Ying Huai during that final period.

Combined with his reaction after recovering his memories just now, Liang Shining always felt that he must know more about Ying Huai's physical condition.

Liang Shining raised his head, his black eyes bottomless: 'If you truly also want to make amends, then tell me what you know.'

'I need to know what's really wrong with Ying Huai's body.'

Su Xin's hand hanging at his side slowly clenched.

He took a deep breath, finally speaking in a low voice: 'What do you want to know?'

——This was an implicit admission.

Liang Shining silently exhaled.

He raised his head, staring at Su Xin, and slowly spoke: 'I want to know... what happened at the music festival performance that you and Ying Huai attended together at the end of the previous life.'

'Why didn't Ying Huai... participate in the final scheduled performance that day.'

Su Xin's body stiffened for a moment.

What Liang Shining was referring to was Ying Huai's last public appearance in media reports from his previous life.

——It was also the memory that had surfaced last in his mind during the previous-life memory flashback just now.

The corridor was quiet for a moment, and after a while, Su Xin took a low breath.

'I don't really know exactly what happened to Ying Huai that day either.'

'I can only tell you — what I know of the situation.'

·

Before that music festival, Ying Huai hadn't made a public appearance for a long time.

Let alone accepting an invitation to perform publicly like this.

So when Su Xin saw Ying Huai in the corner of the backstage makeup room, his first reaction was surprise.

——Immediately after, an indescribable emotion rose in his heart.

During the rehearsal earlier, he had heard staff seemingly say that Ying Huai had come, and even the news had begun to make a big deal of it as a selling point.

But Su Xin had waited at the rehearsal until it ended, and still hadn't been able to see Ying Huai.

He hadn't expected to run into Ying Huai backstage.

Su Xin hadn't seen Ying Huai for a long time.

Because of their professions, the two of them usually met at various galas and award ceremonies, but since the rumor incident at the last music ceremony, Su Xin seemed to have never seen him again.

Su Xin couldn't tell what this emotion was, but this inexplicable feeling drove him to take step after step toward Ying Huai.

But even as he slowly walked past Ying Huai, Ying Huai still sat in place with lowered eyes, silent.

Su Xin frowned.

He couldn't help turning around again, slowing his pace to walk past Ying Huai once more.

Ying Huai still didn't give him even half a glance.

Su Xin: .......

He couldn't help but stroll past once more.

This time Ying Huai finally moved a little.

A hint of joy uncontrollably rose in Su Xin's heart, but the next second he saw that Ying Huai had only lowered his head to press his brow, then leaned back somewhat wearily.

Su Xin: .......???

Three strikes and out, he suddenly turned around and walked quickly toward the distance, feeling that his actions just now were absolutely a brain fart.

——He swore he would absolutely never do such inexplicable things again.

But after half a minute, Ying Huai suddenly felt the light in front of him dim.

Someone was standing in front of him.

This distance made Ying Huai slightly uncomfortable, but he thought someone was just waiting for someone in the makeup room.

He frowned but didn't move, only leaning his body back slightly, lowering his eyes and waiting for the person in front to leave.

But after a few seconds, the person in front not only showed no sign of leaving, but inexplicably took another step forward.

Ying Huai: ?

He finally realized something was off at this point, somewhat blankly raised his head, and met Su Xin's slightly heavy gaze.

[Long time no see, shidi.]

Su Xin gritted his teeth, speaking in a low voice: [Has shidi finally... deigned to look up?]

Ying Huai: .......?

He was somewhat baffled, froze for a few seconds, and a flash of realization suddenly crossed his face: [Did I block shixiong's path?]

He braced himself on the armrest beside him and stood up, covering his lips to cough twice, smiling and curving his eyes: [I'll leave right now, shixiong can be busy with shixiong's things, I won't disturb...]

As he spoke and tried to walk to the side, the next second he felt his arm tighten.

Su Xin directly reached out and pulled him back.

[Where are you going,] Su Xin gritted his teeth.

He finally couldn't hold back, blurting out directly: [I came here specifically to find you.]

The moment the words left his mouth, he saw Ying Huai's expression freeze for a moment.

Su Xin only belatedly realized what he had said.

He suddenly let go, watching Ying Huai still standing in place without moving, and silently exhaled in relief.

[Cough, no, I mean, I just happened to see you, so I came over to take a look.]

Su Xin somewhat awkwardly turned his eyes away, speaking in a low voice.

Ying Huai stood quietly in place.

Listening to Su Xin's words, he blinked slightly, but still didn't respond.

Su Xin's brow furrowed even tighter, but subconsciously not wanting Ying Huai to leave, after a few seconds of silence, he couldn't help but speak again.

[Is shidi also performing today? What are you preparing to perform?]

Ying Huai still quietly stared at him, not speaking, a trace of helplessness and surprise seeming to cross his expression.

Su Xin's hand hanging at his side slowly clenched.

He really couldn't hold back, his voice cooling: [You think I wanted to see you? I'm just, just...]

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly heard Ying Huai softly sigh.

[What does shixiong want to do?]

Su Xin frowned: [What?]

[Is shixiong angry because I didn't take the initiative to find shixiong today?] Ying Huai raised his head, curving his eyes.

Su Xin's expression instantly cooled.

[What did you say?]

Ying Huai covered his lips and coughed twice more, he had spoken very little today, but Su Xin saw him coughing frequently.

[It was my fault before, I shouldn't have kept clinging to shixiong.]

Ying Huai raised his head, smiling at Su Xin: [Shixiong can rest assured, it won't happen again after this.]

He took a small step back, breaking free from Su Xin's hand, and said calmly: [I'm leaving first. Let me wish shixiong success in the performance in advance.]

Su Xin's hand at his side slowly clenched into a fist.

He suddenly spoke: [So you're planning not to perform, is that it?]

[Is it because of what the media said? Or because of... what I did before?]

Ying Huai's footsteps paused slightly.

A trace of surprise seemed to flash across his expression. He turned back wanting to say something, but heard Su Xin speak urgently first.

[After all this time, you finally have a stage, and you're giving it up because of... these things.]

Su Xin gritted his teeth and said quietly: [Do you yourself think it's worth it?]

Ying Huai stood in place without moving.

Su Xin closed his eyes briefly.

He finally knew what that inexplicable feeling was when he first saw Ying Huai.

—It was joy and worry.

He worried something would happen to Ying Huai, and was also glad that Ying Huai could finally stand on stage again.

Su Xin took a deep breath and said quietly: [That matter at the awards ceremony before... wasn't your problem, it was those media, and me...]

Su Xin paused, and in the end swallowed back the last words.

He said quietly: [I don't want to see you, but I hope to see you continue standing on stage.]

[I know you don't want to see me either... so today I won't appear in front of you again...]

As Su Xin spoke and started to turn away, the next second he heard Ying Huai say softly: [It's not because of shixiong.]

Su Xin's footsteps abruptly stopped.

He turned his head, seeing Ying Huai half-standing in the shadows, his eyes curving slightly toward him.

[I'm not performing.]

Ying Huai turned around, and without looking back, laughed lightly: [Today... I can't perform.]

·

"What I know... is only this much."

Su Xin raised his head, his voice seeming to have regained its usual calm.

Only his hand at his side was uncontrollably trembling little by little.

"I'm not sure why Ying Huai said that. If you're asking about what happened after, he really didn't go on stage to perform that day..."

"I know." Liang Shining said quietly.

"I was there that day too..."

But he hadn't performed that day, so he couldn't get backstage at all, and thus couldn't even see Ying Huai one last time.

A trace of surprise flashed across Su Xin's expression. Liang Shining didn't say anything more, closed his eyes briefly, and forcibly pressed down the surging emotions.

According to Su Xin's description, Ying Huai's mental state at that time had already developed some problems.

But since he could agree to the music festival's invitation, and even came backstage, it shows he still wanted to actively go on stage and perform at that time.

—Then what ultimately made him give up should be another reason.

Liang Shining pressed his brow.

He had a vague guess in his heart, but for the moment didn't dare confirm it.

Su Xin also didn't speak. His gaze fell on Ying Huai's tightly closed door, his eyes somewhat vacant, unsure what he was thinking.

In the end, Liang Shining broke the silence first.

"I understand, I'll confirm the rest of the matter later."

Liang Shining took a deep breath and said quietly: 'Thank you, Teacher Su, today...'

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly heard Su Xin interrupt him.

"Does Ying Huai know about this?"

Liang Shining was stunned for a moment, not immediately understanding what Su Xin was referring to: "What?"

Su Xin's voice was urgent, and he almost panicked as he stepped forward to block him.

"Our rebirth... this matter."

Su Xin raised his head, his voice almost carrying a note of pleading: "He doesn't know about this... right?"

He was afraid Liang Shining would default to agreement like before, but fortunately Liang Shining was silent for a few seconds and slightly shook his head.

"He doesn't know."

Liang Shining said quietly: "I've been... haven't dared to tell him."

Su Xin was stunned for a few seconds, and his taut nerves suddenly relaxed.

But his expression didn't show much joy.

"That's right... indeed, we can't say it now. Wait until later, when there's a chance..."

But exactly when 'later' was, Su Xin's lips moved for a long while without being able to say a word.

Liang Shining didn't say anything more either.

He closed his eyes briefly, turned to walk back into the room, but the next second heard a puzzled voice from behind.

"What are you two doing?"

Chu Ming was standing at the corner at some unknown time, looking at the two people in front of him with a baffled expression.

"What are you two talking about — wait... since when have you two been this close again?"

Chu Ming narrowed his eyes, inexplicably catching a whiff of 'conspiracy.'

"You two are standing outside Brother Huai's door with the door closed — you two aren't doing something unspeakable behind Brother Huai's back, are you?"

He had meant it as a casual tease, but Liang Shining and Su Xin's expressions both stiffened at the same time.

Chu Ming was stunned for a moment, then jumped up instantly: "You really did it!"

Chu Ming was heartbroken: "Liang Shining, how can you face Brother Huai like this? All my Brother Huai's goodness toward you was wasted..."

'No,' Liang Shining gritted his teeth and said quietly, 'we were just discussing some things just now, don't talk nonsense...'

"Then tell me what you were discussing."

Chu Ming crossed his arms.

Liang Shining's voice paused again.

—He really couldn't tell Chu Ming.

Chu Ming instantly jumped up again: "I knew it! Liang Shining, you really have let Brother Huai down!"

Liang Shining: .......

Su Xin beside him also darkened his face: "Stop talking nonsense, keep your voice down, Ying Huai is sleeping..."

"That won't do, Brother Huai needs to know the truth." Chu Ming's tone was serious.

But the schadenfreude in his expression revealed his true intention: "And why should I — help my love rival hide things?"

Liang Shining: ?

Chu Ming turned and rushed toward Ying Huai's room. Su Xin's brow twitched, and he couldn't help reaching out to grab Chu Ming's arm: "Wait a moment—"

Chu Ming pushed forward while trying to shake off Su Xin: "Let go of me, Brother Huai can't be deceived by you..."

Before he finished speaking, the door in front of them suddenly opened the next second.

Ying Huai leaned half against the doorframe, a hint of just-woken impatience between his brows: "What are you doing..."

Before he finished speaking, his gaze fell on the two people pulling and tugging in front of him.

Ying Huai's expression paused for a moment: "You..."

Chu Ming didn't notice the change in Ying Huai's expression.

He couldn't be bothered to keep pushing Su Xin away, and hurriedly turned to look at Ying Huai: "Brother Huai, let me tell you, just now those two..."

Before he finished speaking, he heard Ying Huai sigh softly.

"Forget it, a grown brother can't be kept at home."

He lowered his eyes to look at Chu Ming, a barely perceptible smile in his tone: "As long as you and shixiong are happy."

Chu Ming: ......?

He instantly realized something, and looked up in panic: "No, Brother Huai, you misunderstood, there's nothing between me and Su Xin—"

Ying Huai still leaned half against the doorframe, smiling at him with lowered eyes, saying nothing.

Chu Ming was anxious, and in his desperation turned back: "If you don't believe me, ask Liang Shining—"

But before he finished speaking, he saw that Liang Shining had at some point moved to Ying Huai's side, standing behind Ying Huai with lowered eyes and a calm expression, looking completely like 'I don't know anything.'

Chu Ming: ???

—It was the first time he experienced what it felt like to lift a rock only to drop it on his own foot.

Ying Huai glanced at him with a half-smile.

He covered his lips and yawned, turning to walk back into the room.

Chu Ming stamped his foot, no longer caring about anything, and spoke directly: "It was clearly Liang Shining and Su Xin hiding something from you just now, not me, Brother Huai..."

"Oh." Unexpectedly, Ying Huai only responded calmly, turning to go back again.

Chu Ming instantly became anxious: "You don't believe me, Brother Huai? Everything I said is true..."

'You also said before that Song Xingzhou and Su-shixiong liked me,' Ying Huai turned his head, glancing at Chu Ming with a half-smile, 'is that true too?'

Chu Ming's expression stiffened. Su Xin beside him was stunned for a moment, and quietly withdrew his hand holding Chu Ming.

—If he'd known this person always talked nonsense, he wouldn't have been so anxious just now.

"I'm worried about you, Brother Huai."

Chu Ming hurriedly followed, "Really, what I said just now might all be nonsense, but I really am worried about you, I'm afraid Liang Shining might bully you..."

"Is that so?"

Ying Huai walked to the door and slowly turned his head: "Then you won't bully me?"

Chu Ming shook his head like a rattle-drum: "Of course I won't, Brother Huai, I'll definitely be super good to you—"

'Fine then, I want to keep sleeping now. Go out, don't bother me.'

Ying Huai said it with a smile.

Chu Ming choked on his words.

He instinctively wanted to retort, but thinking about what he'd just said, could only grit his teeth and agree: 'Okay, Brother Huai, I'll leave right now.'

He said this, but kept looking back at every step: 'Call me if you need anything, Brother Huai, I'll definitely come. I'll drag both Liang Shining and Su Xin away, you sleep well...'

'Liang Shining stays.' The next second, Ying Huai said unhurriedly.

Chu Ming turned back in disbelief: 'Why—'

'Because I want to leave space for you and shixiong.' Ying Huai sat at the head of the bed, smiling.

Chu Ming: ???

—He finally realized at this moment that Ying Huai was getting revenge for his earlier casual fabrication about Liang Shining.

Chu Ming let out a wail: 'Brother Huai, I was wrong, I was really wrong earlier, I'll never talk nonsense again—'

Ying Huai stared at him for a few seconds, finally laughing lightly: 'Fine.'

Chu Ming breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second heard Ying Huai continue slowly: 'But I still need Liang Shining to stay with me before I can sleep.'

Chu Ming: ???

—He instantly felt this reason was even worse than the first one Ying Huai had given.

·

The room was finally quiet. Ying Huai half-leaned against the headboard, looking up at Liang Shining not far away.

'Why aren't you coming over?'

Liang Shining slowly walked to the bed, thoughtfully staring at the person in front of him.

Ying Huai still wore a smiling face.

He sat in a position further inside, his legs dangling slightly off the bed, swinging back and forth, looking like his mood... wasn't bad.

Liang Shining seemed to understand something, his heart stirring slightly.

Ying Huai didn't know what Liang Shining was thinking.

Seeing Liang Shining not speak, he suddenly reached out and grabbed the person in front of him, smiling as he shook his hand.

'Are you angry?' Ying Huai raised his head.

'Chu Ming is just childish, loud and brash, likes to run his mouth off, don't pay him any mind.'

Ying Huai said casually: 'Next time something like this happens, scold him once and he'll behave.'

Liang Shining shook his head: 'I'm not angry.'

He lowered his eyes, looking at the person in front of him: 'But shifu just now... was he angry?'

Ying Huai's movement paused.

The next second, he laughed with seeming surprise: 'How could I be angry? It wasn't me Chu Ming was making up stories about...'

'Then why did shifu say that in front of Chu Ming?'

Liang Shining softly interrupted Ying Huai.

He crouched down slightly, looking up at the person in front of him, his tone carrying more amusement: 'Shifu clearly wouldn't even let me hug him in front of others before...'

'Liang Shining!' Ying Huai gritted his teeth, abruptly cutting him off.

Liang Shining obediently stopped talking, but the uncontainable smile in his eyes betrayed his mood.

Ying Huai turned his head away, somewhat embarrassed and irritated.

He took a deep breath, speaking righteously: 'You're my disciple, what's wrong with me protecting you? My disciple is mine, what right does Chu Ming have to say—'

'Mm, shifu is right.' Liang Shining pulled the blanket over to cover Ying Huai's knees, speaking unhurriedly.

—This was the first time he realized that the person in front of him, who seemed not to care about anything, actually had such strong possessiveness toward him.

Realizing this, the corners of Liang Shining's lips unconsciously curved up.

Seeing Ying Huai yawn again, he helped him lie back down, speaking softly: 'Lu Jing is still handling company matters. Assistant Director said tonight we can arrange things ourselves. Shifu should rest well, no need to rush getting up.'

Ying Huai slowly blinked.

He had been woken up by them earlier; now that he relaxed, he immediately felt sleepy again.

But he looked up at Liang Shining, couldn't help but speak again: 'Stop laughing, what's so funny...'

He hadn't finished speaking when he saw Liang Shining unconsciously purse his lips, but after a few seconds, the corners of his lips uncontrollably rose again.

Ying Huai: ........

'.......Forget it.'

He took a deep breath, buried his face in the blanket, somewhat dejectedly said: 'Laugh if you want. I just had a brain fart earlier, I didn't mean to...'

Liang Shining hadn't expected Ying Huai to think this way. Watching the person about to wrap himself in the blanket, he couldn't help but laugh.

'I'm not laughing at shifu.'

He reached out and pulled the blanket down a bit from Ying Huai's face.

'I'm just happy.'

The corners of the person's eyes were slightly red from the earlier frustration, but his eyes were bright, and even the weariness between his brows had faded somewhat.

Liang Shining couldn't help reaching out and gently pressing at the corner of Ying Huai's eye.

He said softly: 'Shifu just said, I'm shifu's.'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment.

His face gradually heated up, he opened his mouth wanting to say something, but his expression suddenly changed.

'Oh, I see.'

Ying Huai suddenly turned over, somewhat vaguely said: '.......Then I'll sleep first. Little disciple, you sleep early too.'

Liang Shining was stunned by Ying Huai's sudden change.

He opened his mouth wanting to say something, but after a while heard Ying Huai's breathing gradually become even.

Liang Shining stood in place for a few seconds, lightly curving his lips.

He lifted his foot toward the door, just as he slightly closed it, suddenly remembered he had forgotten to test Ying Huai's blood oxygen before sleep.

Liang Shining raised his hand to push the door open again, but the next second heard extremely subtle sounds from inside the room.

Liang Shining's movement paused.

He listened for a few seconds, instantly realizing it was the sound of Ying Huai coughing.

His heart tightened, instinctively wanting to push the door open immediately.

But immediately after, the coughing sound suddenly weakened.

The person in the room seemed to be forcibly suppressing the urge to cough. Through the slight crack in the door, Liang Shining could see Ying Huai's fingers exposed outside the blanket were clenched white.

Liang Shining's hand on the door handle tightened bit by bit.

He was quiet for a few seconds, ultimately didn't say anything, just deliberately made his footsteps heavier at the door.

The person on the bed predictably stiffened, the original subtle sounds also instantly disappeared.

Liang Shining didn't speak.

He quietly walked to the bedside, gently clipped the oximeter on Ying Huai's fingertip, after a while took it off and slowly placed it on the bedside.

Ying Huai felt Liang Shining stand by the bed for a few seconds, his body instinctively tensed bit by bit, but Liang Shining didn't do anything, and like when he came in, silently retreated.

The room returned to a silent darkness. Ying Huai waited a few minutes before finally exhaling.

He propped himself up to sit, covered his mouth and coughed for a long while, before finally feeling the chest tightness ease somewhat.

His throat had a faint metallic taste from the coughing, uncomfortable.

The water on the bedside table should have been cold long ago. Ying Huai pressed his chest, turned over and got out of bed wanting to pour a cup of hot water nearby.

He reached for the lamp, but his fingertip first touched something warm.

Ying Huai was startled.

He quickly turned on the lamp, and upon seeing what was on the bedside table, his expression slightly froze.

On the bedside table was clearly a cup of warm water and several throat lozenges.

—Clearly placed by Liang Shining just now.

Ying Huai was stunned for a few seconds.

After a while, he came back to himself, somewhat helplessly laughed lightly: 'Really........my disciple.'

—Has learned to hide things just like him.

He picked up the water cup and slowly sipped, his expression still smiling, but his fingers gripping the glass unconsciously tightened bit by bit.

—Unfortunately what he's hiding can't be laid out so directly like Liang Shining did.

·

The next morning, the two tacitly didn't mention last night. Ying Huai still lazily half-leaned against Liang Shining, waiting for Assistant Director to announce today's filming task.

Unexpectedly Assistant Director directly announced everyone was free to do as they pleased.

'These few days the Production Team has no special arrangements. Time will be left for everyone to prepare for the final small Concert. The livestream will only follow some of everyone's rehearsal routines.'

What the Director's team arranged was called a small Concert, but was actually more like a fan benefit meet-and-greet, not a particularly serious or grand performance.

But Assistant Director prepared especially carefully.

'Guests who previously obtained the mentor qualification can find the mentor for extra lessons. Those who didn't, the Production Team also arranged group classes and specialized stage and vocal teachers to help everyone practice.'

The surrounding people had no objections. Chu Ming looked around, suddenly belatedly remembering something.

'Wait, this mentor qualification... is it only me who doesn't have it?'

Initially he was unfortunately grouped with Song Fengyi, dragged down by Song Fengyi, and directly became last place.

At this point Chu Ming saw Assistant Director's sympathetic look, his face instantly fell.

'No, why? Heaven is unfair—'

'It's fine, there are still group classes, Teacher Chu.'

Beside him Su Yun tried to comfort: 'And you weren't originally a vocal major anyway. Even if something really goes wrong then, it's also a kind of Variety Show effect, isn't it.'

Chu Ming: ???

"What do you mean something going wrong, my skills are absolutely top-notch—"

He instinctively wanted to retort, but looking at the people beside him, even Ying Huai had nodded.

Chu Ming: ?

His tone crumbled: "No way—isn't there a single one of you here drawn in by my actual talent?"

——He still wanted to wow his Huai ge with his real skill at the final Concert.

Every single person around him shook their heads without exception, and even the barrage comments in the livestream started teasing along.

[Chu Ming doesn't think we're all his looks/talent fans, does he hahahahaha.]

[Seriously, I'm his comedy fan (because he's just too silly and got drawn in)]

[+1, he's genuinely funny, the kind of funny where the harder he tries the more pitiful it gets. I saw someone say he comes from a wealthy family, and he's a top student in finance too—is this the real-life version of being born in Rome but every step taking you further from Rome hahahahaha.]

[Poor little Chu, doesn't have a clear enough sense of self-positioning (but somehow it's even funnier, what's going on)]

Chu Ming stared at the barrage, on the verge of losing his mind.

"Fine, fine—none of you believe me, huh."

Chu Ming gritted his teeth: "I'm going home right now to pull out my signature musical talent, and shock you all when the time comes."

The others were still smiling and didn't take it seriously, but Ying Huai heard this and suddenly raised his head, his expression subtly shifting.

The Assistant Director beside him held back a laugh and said: "Alright, everyone start free practice first. The first official rehearsal is in five days, looking forward to seeing everyone's wonderful performances then."

Chu Ming buried his head and charged outside, Ying Huai behind him with a hesitant expression.

"What's wrong, Teacher Ying?"

Beside him Su Yun noticed and curiously raised his head: "What's this signature musical talent Teacher Chu mentioned?"

Ying Huai took a deep breath. "He doesn't have any signature musical talent."

He said expressionlessly: "He does have a signature talent for killing people, though."

Su Yun: ?

"When he was little, for some reason he suddenly went off on a whim for a while, and insisted on begging his dad to sign him up for a flute specialty class."

"He practiced seriously for a month."

"And then?" Su Yun pressed curiously. "Teacher Chu's skills shot up by leaps and bounds? The next rising star?"

"No."

Ying Huai turned his head and said slowly: "Then that day, brimming with confidence, he prepared to perform a piece for me, my brother, my father, and his father."

"But the moment he stepped out with his flute, the cat our family was keeping at the time darted straight out of my arms."

Su Yun couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Didn't Teacher Ying run off with the kitty at that time?"

Ying Huai glanced at him and silently sighed: "No—it would have been good if I'd realized then. I was thinking he'd at least practiced for a month, how bad could one piece be."

He stood up straight, stretched lazily, and slowly walked outside.

"And then that day, my heart was uncomfortable the entire day."

·

Meanwhile, Chu Ming got home and immediately started rummaging through everything.

"Don't believe me? I'll pull out my ten years of flute practice experience and make all of you look at me differently—"

He searched for half an hour, and finally found the flute case at the very bottom of the cabinet.

Chu Ming held the flute and stood up full of confidence, his mind full of how he would amaze everyone then, and make his Huai ge see him in a new light.

But the moment he turned around, he got a fright.

"Dad, why are you at my place?"

Chu Hongsheng stood in his room with a dark expression, silently staring at him.

Chu Ming paused, then carefully said: "Did you need something from me, Dad?"

These past few days, the matter of Ying Huai's agent accepting bribes had caused a huge uproar.

Some netizens, based on the so-called "plagiarism evidence" uploaded by Ying Huai's agent that day, had done a one-on-one analysis and picked out all the logical and evidentiary loopholes.

This so-called "plagiarism" had directly become a joke, though it conveniently sent Ying Huai a wave of popularity.

Chu Hongsheng had been solidly played by Song Xingzhou and Ying Huai—Song Xingzhou had dragged him out from the shadows into the open. These past few days Chushi Corporation's stock price had plummeted, and Chu Hongsheng had almost exhausted every means at his disposal to barely salvage the downturn.

Although Chu Ming didn't approve of Chu Hongsheng's methods, looking at Chu Hongsheng now still gave him an inexplicable sense of fear.

"Dad, let's just forget it, you should stop here."

Chu Ming carefully said: "This was your fault to begin with, and now Huai ge isn't pursuing it anymore. Why don't you apologize to Huai ge, and we can settle this peacefully?"

"Shut your fucking mouth!" Chu Hongsheng directly cut him off.

He panted heavily, his voice low: "What right do you have to say that? Do you know I'm doing all this for you! Do you know how much our company lost this time? In the end, all of this will be your loss..."

"I never wanted to inherit the company in the first place, Dad." Chu Ming's tone was somewhat helpless.

But looking at Chu Hongsheng's expression, he suddenly fell silent.

He paused, but still couldn't help quietly saying: "These past few years I've been starting my own business too, and I've had some results. It's perfectly fine for our company to maintain the current status quo. Why do you have to..."

"Shut up!"

Chu Hongsheng gritted his teeth.

His expression twisted: "I'll make Ying Huai pay—he will definitely pay..."

Chu Ming was stunned.

"I'll ask you one last time, Chu Ming—are you going to help Ying Huai, or help your own father?" Chu Hongsheng said in a low voice.

Chu Ming's expression slowly sank.

He was quiet for a few seconds, finally saying in a low voice: "I'm sorry, Dad."

"Huai ge didn't do anything wrong. I can't go against my own conscience."

He waited for Chu Hongsheng to rain down a tirade of scolding, but the next second, Chu Hongsheng suddenly laughed.

"Good, good—"

Chu Ming was stunned.

He somewhat panicked and raised his head.

His father's expression was completely unlike his usual refined and gentle demeanor—his eyes were red, his expression twisted.

Chu Ming had an inexplicable bad premonition in his heart.

"What are you going to do, Dad, don't be impulsive, don't make more mistakes—"

But what answered him was the crisp sound of the door locking.

"You're not allowed to go to that Variety Show anymore," Chu Hongsheng gritted his teeth. "You just stay home obediently for me, and you can come out when you've thought things through."

·

Meanwhile, in the Variety Show, the others were rehearsing intensively.

But Liang Shining noticed that Ying Huai's condition was a bit strange.

"I'm not going to the practice room today, practice on your own first, little disciple."

Ying Huai yawned, put away the sheet music, and slowly walked upstairs: "I'm going out today, good luck."

Liang Shining frowned.

At the Concert, besides preparing several songs from the performance album, Ying Huai also had a collaboration piece each with Liang Shining and Lu Jing.

But Liang Shining had basically not practiced with him these past two days.

"What's wrong with little shidi these past two days?" Xin Wan beside him came over curiously. "I see he doesn't seem to have gone to the practice room much during the day—is he feeling unwell, too tired?"

Liang Shining didn't speak.

Although Ying Huai hadn't come to the practice room during the day, two nights ago when he went downstairs to find something, he saw the practice room lights on.

Liang Shining only glanced once and immediately recognized it as Ying Huai's figure.

But when he walked over, the practice room lights had already been turned off, and Ying Huai had long disappeared.

——As if Ying Huai was deliberately avoiding letting him hear him sing.

Xin Wan beside him, seeing he didn't speak, pressed again.

Liang Shining suddenly came back to his senses.

"I'm not sure either."

He seemed to realize something and hurriedly walked outside: "I have things to do today too, I won't practice."

Xin Wan was left standing there, completely baffled.

"Oh no."

Xin Wan thought of what Su Xin had told him before, and quietly said: "Those two won't really have secretly gone out on a date, will they?"

·

Meanwhile, Liang Shining followed Ying Huai out of the practice room.

He watched Ying Huai get into a taxi, hurriedly drove to follow, but saw Ying Huai go around and around before finally stopping in front of a Hospital.

Liang Shining frowned.

He quickly took out his phone and dialed Song Si Lan's number.

·

Two hours later, Ying Huai had just come out of the consultation room, and the next second, he saw a familiar figure standing in front of him.

"I heard you've been running to the Hospital these past few days, little Teacher Huai."

Song Si Lan walked out from the corner with arms crossed, unhurriedly stopping in front of Ying Huai.

"What is it—starting to be dissatisfied with my medical skills?"

Ying Huai's movements instantly froze.

He subtly tucked the medical record sheet in his hand behind him.