Chapter 79: Gone

Ying Qi looked at the person before him, his eyes reddening at once.

He did not know what had happened, but he still strode forward and crouched down in front of Ying Huai.

'Don't be afraid, dage is here. You can come to dage anytime.'

Only when he drew closer did he realize that Ying Huai was still wearing that thin shirt from the stage, without even a coat, and his face had already gone blue-white with cold.

Ying Qi's expression changed in an instant.

He quickly took off his own coat and wrapped the person in it without hesitation, then scooped him up sideways into his arms.

Ying Huai's whole body was cold as ice. Lifted into Ying Qi's arms, he lay limp against his chest, eyes lowered, impossible to tell whether he was conscious or not.

Ying Qi was frantic inside, but when he spoke he still struggled to keep his voice calm: 'It's all right, dage's here. Talk to dage, won't you, Xiao Huai.'

Carrying him, he hurried to the sofa, turned on the heater's warm air with one hand, and was about to set him down to reach for the blanket beside them when, the next second, his sleeve was abruptly seized.

'Don't go...'

Ying Huai lifted his head, somewhat panicked.

There was a flash of helplessness across his expression, but he quickly masked it.

'Will gege keep me company, please? I'll only stay a little while and then I'll leave...'

Although it was early spring now, the temperature outside after nightfall was still very low.

Ying Huai did not know how long he had stayed at the doorway. His fingers were nearly frozen stiff, and the hand gripping Ying Qi's sleeve soon slid down weakly, yet stubbornly refused to let go.

He seemed worried that Ying Qi would be angry, explaining incoherently while struggling to keep a trace of a smile on his face.

'I can't go back... there. And I don't want to be alone either. Gege, don't leave me...'

A tremor slipped uncontrollably into Ying Huai's voice: 'They all lied to me, they all want to leave me. Gege, don't go...'

Ying Qi's heart ached almost to the point of madness.

He quickly sat down and said in a low voice: 'I won't go. You're too cold, I just want to get a blanket... Who lied to you? Tell dage.'

But Ying Huai shook his head.

He drew a deep breath, raised his head again, and the corners of his lips lifted once more.

Were it not for his uncontrollable trembling, he would have looked no different from usual.

He gazed at Ying Qi, his eyes unfocused, his voice growing fainter.

'No, it's nothing... I'll just stay here at gege's for a little while... I'll leave soon, I won't bother gege...'

Before he could finish, he suddenly felt someone pat the top of his head gently.

Then Ying Qi's gentle voice came from above him.

'What nonsense are you talking, Xiao Huai.'

Ying Qi's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor: 'You can come to dage's place whenever you want. You can stay here your whole life, if you like.'

He looked at the person before him.

Ying Huai's voice grew steadily weaker, yet the gasping between his breaths grew heavier and heavier.

Ying Qi watched an ominous shade of bluish-purple surface on Ying Huai's lips.

Ying Huai's expression was vacant, his brow knit with an obvious pain, his body slightly hunched — clearly the look of someone whose heart was troubling him.

Yet he seemed not to be aware that anything was wrong with him.

Listening to Ying Qi's voice, he lifted his head in a daze, opened his mouth soundlessly, then paused, stunned.

——seemingly puzzled as to why he could make no sound.

Ying Qi suddenly remembered that once a cardiac specialist had told him that when a heart patient's emotions swung too wildly, it was very possible for them not to realize an attack was coming on.

Such situations were generally extremely dangerous; once it broke out fully, the consequences would be unthinkable.

But if he could let it pass on its own without being aware of it, later treatment would go much better.

The hand hanging at Ying Qi's side trembled uncontrollably, but he still drew a deep breath and barely steadied himself.

'It's all right, don't talk for now. You've just been singing so long, your throat must be uncomfortable. Rest a bit first.'

As he spoke, Ying Qi reached over and pulled the blanket from beside them.

Following the direction of Ying Huai's grip, he sat down beside him, and with a hand behind his back he fumbled the emergency medication out of the cabinet behind him.

He tried to keep his tone light: 'Didn't dage tell you the door's passcode before? Why didn't you just come in just now?'

The poor blood supply to his heart had left Ying Huai somewhat short of oxygen; his thoughts were sluggish and muddled, and it took him a long while to understand what Ying Qi had just said.

'I forgot...'

Ying Huai said in a low voice, then the next second shook his head slightly: 'No, I wanted to come in, but my whole body was so tired and it hurt so much, it was like I couldn't move at all—mm.'

Before he could finish, he suddenly felt Ying Qi tuck something into his mouth.

The bitter taste of medicine spread through his mouth in an instant. Ying Huai's brow furrowed at once, and he instinctively wanted to spit out the thing in his mouth.

The next second, a warm hand gently covered his mouth.

'Shh, good boy, you can't spit this out.'

Ying Qi's eyes were red, yet he still spoke gently: 'Didn't Xiao Huai say his throat was uncomfortable? Hold this under your tongue... it's good for the throat.'

What Ying Huai had described just now was clearly the bodily numbness and spasms caused by a heart attack.

The calm in Ying Qi's tone was almost impossible to maintain.

But he dared say nothing. He could only reach out and gently pinch Ying Huai's cheek: 'It's all right, dage is here. Listen to dage, in a little while it won't hurt anymore, all right?'

Ying Huai's body was wracked with discomfort, and his consciousness grew muddled with it.

He disliked the bitter taste of medicine in his mouth, and instinctively wanted to act on his impulse.

But looking at Ying Qi's expression, for some reason he hesitated, and in the end still nodded.

Ying Qi let out a soundless breath of relief.

He slowly released his hand, supporting the person to lean half against his chest, then slowly reached out and massaged his chest, press after press.

He felt the person in his arms instinctively flinch, as if the pain in his chest had jolted his mind a little clearer, and draw a sharp breath.

'...gege?'

Hearing the tremor in Ying Huai's voice, Ying Qi's own heart trembled along with it.

But he gritted his teeth and did not answer, only kept his eyes lowered and slowly soothed the breath at his chest.

After a few seconds, he felt the person in his arms spasm once, give a low, muffled groan, and at last his breathing gradually evened out.

Ying Qi let out a breath of relief in that same instant.

The person in his arms seemed to sense something off about Ying Qi, and lifted his head somewhat blankly: '...gege?'

'Mm, dage is here.'

Ying Qi quickly composed his expression.

He lowered his eyes and crinkled them gently at Ying Huai: 'It's all right, dage's here. Don't be afraid.'

Ying Huai's mind was still somewhat unclear.

Feeling the tightness in his chest and the weakness through his whole body, he belatedly realized something: 'Gege, just now I...'

'It's all right, you just had a bit of heart palpitation for a moment. It's fine now that it's passed.'

Ying Qi looked at the bluish-purple still lingering on Ying Huai's lips and spoke gently, without a change in his expression.

The wisps of hair at Ying Huai's forehead were soaked with cold sweat, his wrist resting weakly on his abdomen, exposing a length of porcelain-white, fragile wrist bone, like a piece of delicate china.

Aching with tenderness, Ying Qi tugged his sleeve down a little and repeated once more: 'Don't be afraid.'

Ying Huai stared blankly, saying nothing.

A faint buzzing of a phone sounded from the table. Ying Qi instinctively turned to glance at it, hesitated, and said in a low voice: 'It's Xiao Ning calling.'

'He's been looking for you this whole time just now. Don't you want to let him know you're safe...'

'No!'

Before he could finish, he heard Ying Huai cut in abruptly.

His breathing instantly grew rapid again, his body shrinking back unconsciously: 'Don't tell him I'm here. I don't want to see him...'

Ying Qi was startled by his reaction.

'Calm down, Xiao Huai, I won't tell him.'

He hung up the phone at once, soothing his little brother's emotions.

'Don't be afraid. If you don't want to say it, then I won't.'

Ying Huai clutched the clothes at his chest tightly, and only after a good while finally caught his breath.

The earlier memories began to slowly return. Curled in Ying Qi's arms, after a few seconds Ying Huai finally could not help asking: 'Gege won't ask me... why I suddenly came over?'

Ying Qi's hand, rubbing his chest, paused slightly.

Then, under Ying Huai's nervous gaze, he gave a slight shake of his head.

'I won't ask.'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment.

Watching his reaction, Ying Qi sighed soundlessly and could not help reaching out to pinch his little brother's cheek again.

A faint pain spread across the side of his face. Ying Huai lifted his eyes somewhat blankly, and a fleeting, faint flush surfaced instantly on his pale cheek.

'As long as you can take good care of yourself, dage will support you in whatever you do.'

Feeling the cool touch from before, Ying Qi could not hold back another soft sigh: 'But promise dage — next time, before you run out, put on a coat, all right?'

Ying Huai instinctively curved his lips too, but the next second he abruptly covered his mouth and broke into hurried, muffled coughing.

His mood had swung wildly this evening, and he had caught a chill and nearly had an attack besides; Ying Qi did not need to guess to know he would certainly run a fever tonight.

But he dared not say any of this to Ying Huai. He only stroked Ying Huai's back, press after press, and waited for the coughing to ease before saying in a low voice: 'You're too exhausted tonight. Go rest first, Xiao Huai. Whatever it is, we can talk about it tomorrow.'

Ying Huai coughed in a daze, and after a while gave a faint nod.

Following the support of Ying Qi's hand, he pushed himself up bit by bit, but the moment he sat up straight, his face changed slightly.

Ying Qi instantly sensed that something was wrong with Ying Huai.

'What's wrong, Xiao Huai? Where does it hurt?'

Ying Huai said nothing, only shook his head slightly and stayed where he sat, not moving.

Ying Qi did not press him either, only crouched beside him, half-supporting him, and waited for Ying Huai to steady himself.

'If it hurts, tell me, Xiao Huai. It's all right.'

Ying Huai rested by the sofa for a few seconds, then suddenly lifted his head and gave Ying Qi a smile: 'I really don't feel bad, ge.'

His tone was light, and he crinkled his eyes at Ying Qi as if a little embarrassed: 'I'm just a bit tired..... Could ge carry me back?'

Ying Qi froze for a moment, then suddenly laughed: 'Of course.'

He let out a soundless breath of relief, bent down, and lifted him up securely, saying with some amusement: 'You agonized over it all this time just for that? What's there to be shy about?'

Ying Huai said nothing, crinkling his eyes as he wrapped both arms around Ying Qi's neck, his expression giving away neither yes nor no.

Ying Qi still felt uneasy about the extremely dangerous state Ying Huai had been in just moments ago.

He carried him slowly up the stairs, hesitated, then said softly: 'Xiao Huai, in a little while I'll call Song Si Lan and have him come over, all right? You caught a chill tonight, and I'm worried your heart won't be able to take it.......'

Before he could finish, he felt the hands around his neck suddenly tighten.

Then Ying Huai's slightly muffled voice came quietly by Ying Qi's ear: '......Can we not?'

'I don't want anyone else to know I'm here, gege.'

Ying Qi's heart ached without end.

In the end he dropped the subject, and after laying him down on the bed, contacted a different family doctor instead.

Ying Huai seemed to have reached the absolute limit of his exhaustion; the moment he lay down he curled himself up.

Beside him, Ying Qi deftly propped up the head of the bed for him and connected the monitoring devices one by one.

Ying Huai kept his eyes lowered.

He watched as Ying Qi carefully tucked each monitoring lead beneath his clothes, his body seeming to tense little by little, though his expression remained calm and indifferent.

Ying Qi noticed that Ying Huai's emotional state was off, and lifted his head with some worry: 'What's wrong, Xiao Huai? Does something hurt?'

Ying Huai came back to himself, smiled at Ying Qi and shook his head: 'It's nothing. Maybe I'm just a little tired.'

He braced himself against the bed and slowly curled into the covers, then yawned and said vaguely: 'Ge, you should go rest too. Don't worry about me.'

Ying Qi furrowed his brow.

He looked as though he still wanted to say something, but seeing the weariness Ying Huai couldn't hide on his face, in the end he only let out a soundless sigh.

'Then rest well. If anything feels wrong, call me right away. When the doctor comes I'll have him examine you carefully again.'

Ying Huai shrank a little further into the covers and crinkled his eyes without a sound.

Ying Qi said nothing more. He reached out and gently stroked Ying Huai's hair, then slowly walked out of the room.

·

Ying Qi stood in the hallway, drew a deep breath, and pulled his phone from his pocket.

The phone had been ringing nonstop since earlier, countless missed calls surfacing on the screen, all of them without exception from Liang Shining.

The previous call had just hung up automatically when the next one came through.

Ying Qi hesitated, his finger reaching slowly toward the screen — but the next second, a sharp burst of monitor alarms suddenly came from inside the room.

Ying Qi whipped his head around.

He could spare no thought for anything else now, turning and shoving the door open as he ran back in.

'Xiao Huai——'

·

Ying Huai sat at the head of the bed.

He braced one hand against the nightstand beside him, the other hand pressed over his lips, his back slightly bowed, his whole body swaying as if about to fall.

Hearing the sound, he lifted his head and looked toward Ying Qi, his mouth opening without a word, 'Liang.......'

But the next second, Ying Qi's anxious voice fell into his ears, jolting Ying Huai back to himself.

He watched Ying Qi stride to the bedside, wrap one arm around him, and reach with a trembling hand for the emergency medication nearby.

Ying Huai instinctively reached out and clamped a hand over Ying Qi's wrist.

The cold touch on his wrist spread instantly, and Ying Qi instinctively lifted his head.

'I'm fine......ge.'

Ying Huai pressed a hand over his lips and shook his head slightly: 'It's the monitoring lead.......I knocked it off by accident.'

Ying Qi froze for a moment.

He hesitated, wanting to ask something, but the next second he saw Ying Huai lift his head first and force the corners of his lips up at him: 'Ge, can you turn off the........alarm? The noise is making me feel a little ill.'

Ying Qi sighed, and in the end swallowed the doubt that had risen to his lips, reaching out to switch off the monitor alarm first.

Ying Huai's taut body loosened a little.

Ying Huai looked as though he wanted to say something more, but the next second his brow suddenly knotted.

He reached up again to cover his lips, seeming to be forcibly holding something back.

'What's the matter, Xiao Huai?'

Ying Qi couldn't hold back after all, and said urgently: 'What on earth happened just now? How did that monitoring lead suddenly.......'

The monitor at home was the magnetic-clasp kind; an easy turn or sitting up basically wouldn't knock it off, unless someone deliberately.....removed it.

Ying Huai's body seemed to stiffen for an instant.

Earlier, after Ying Qi had left, Ying Huai had curled up in the covers in silence for a few seconds, then suddenly reached out and yanked all the monitoring leads off his body.

The monitor beside him instantly let out a shrill alarm, the noise grating on his nerves.

Ying Huai frowned and leaned out to switch off the alarm button, but the moment he propped himself up, he felt a sharp stabbing pain suddenly shoot through his stomach.

The nausea he had just forced down surged abruptly back up, and Ying Huai's body went rigid in an instant.

He pressed one hand over his lips and instinctively braced himself against the nightstand beside him, only just barely keeping himself from tumbling off the bed.

The monitor beside him went on relentlessly with its 'beep, beep'; several times Ying Huai raised a hand to reach for it, but the strain only made the pain in his stomach all the more pronounced, his breathing growing gradually more rapid along with it.

·

Ying Qi's voice in front of him reached his ears again, and Ying Huai abruptly came back to himself.

He instinctively said: 'It's nothing, ge, I just......feel a little nauseous.......nngh——'

Before Ying Huai could finish, he suddenly shoved Ying Qi away.

He bent over abruptly, retching uncontrollably.

He had spent the whole day preparing for the Concert, and hadn't eaten anything since the afternoon; now, after retching for a long while, he only brought up some sour fluid, his face growing all the paler.

Through the haze, he could feel Ying Qi shouting something anxiously by his ear, but the rapid pounding of his heart gradually drowned out the sound.

Ying Huai opened his mouth to say something, but his head drooped down, bit by bit, with no strength left.

·

When Ying Huai came to again, the first thing he heard was the familiar 'beep, beep' of the cardiac monitor.

He furrowed his brow, waited out the nauseating dizziness, and instinctively reached for the button beside him.

But before he could touch the monitor, the phone beside him rang first.

Ying Huai froze for a moment.

When he'd come out of the Concert yesterday his phone had already been nearly dead, and not wanting Liang Shining to find him, he had simply switched it off altogether.

Ying Qi must have charged it for him after he fell asleep last night.

Ying Huai went still.

He instinctively moved to withdraw his hand, but the next second he heard a commotion at the door, and then Ying Qi's delighted voice came over at once.

'You're awake, Xiao Huai!'

Ying Huai's hand trembled, and he accidentally yanked the phone right off the charging cable.

Before he could react, he instinctively stuffed the phone straight under his pillow.

By the time he realized what he had done, Ying Qi had already walked over to his side.

Ying Huai braced himself up and turned his head, giving Ying Qi a smile: 'Ge.'

Ying Qi seemed not to have seen that flicker of hesitation from a moment ago; he stepped forward first and touched Ying Huai's forehead, then let out a soundless breath.

'Good, the fever's gone down.'

Ying Qi drew his hand back and, with some heartache, stroked Ying Huai's hair: 'You still look terribly pale. Eat something in a bit and then sleep a while longer. Does anything still feel wrong right now?'

Ying Huai went blank for a moment.

He instinctively moved to shake his head, but the instant he moved he felt a wave of dizziness sweep over him.

Ying Huai pressed at his brow, hissed softly, and after a while said quietly: 'I'm fine.......I had a fever last night?'

A rare note of disapproval surfaced in Ying Qi's expression: 'What do you think? Running out in nothing but a single layer last night — I haven't even called you to account for it yet.'

Ying Huai crinkled his eyes a little guiltily, not noticing the worry that flashed through Ying Qi's eyes.

That night Ying Huai's fever had climbed to thirty-nine degrees, his body even convulsing at one point.

The family doctor Ying Qi had called didn't understand Ying Huai's medical condition, and could only use the most standard, safest fever-reduction methods, struggling all the way until the next morning before barely bringing the fever down.

'Young Director Ying's little brother has a rather complex condition. If at all possible, it would be best to have the attending physician who knows his medical history come and take a look.'

Before leaving, the family doctor wiped away some sweat and said in a low voice: 'It's best for a patient with congenital heart disease to.......take extra care, especially in your brother's situation.'

'If the high fever should trigger some complication, the situation would become rather serious.'

The person in front of him seemed to have said something; Ying Qi came back to himself and lifted his head gently: 'Hm? What is it, Xiao Huai?'

'What was gege thinking about just now? You looked very grave.' Ying Huai leaned forward slightly and said with some worry, 'Was last night too tiring? Maybe gege should go and sleep a while first.'

Ying Qi shook his head: 'I'm fine. After your fever broke this morning I rested for a good long while already.'

He gazed at Ying Huai, hesitating as if to say something, when the next second he suddenly heard the doorbell ring at the entrance.

Then Liang Shining's slightly hoarse voice came from the door: 'Big Brother Ying, are you home?'

Ying Qi froze for a moment, and Ying Huai's face went white in an instant.

Ying Qi hesitated and in the end made no sound, but the next second he heard Liang Shining continue in a low voice: 'When I came in just now, the security guard told me he saw you go out this morning. Big Brother Ying, I have something I need to see you about — could you see me for a moment?'

Ying Qi paused, a trace of helplessness crossing his expression.

He instinctively stood up, and the next second felt his arm seized tight by Ying Huai.

'Ge.........'

Ying Huai lifted his head, and a hint of pleading actually appeared in his peach-blossom eyes: 'Don't go, ge.'

Ying Qi's heart ached almost to the point of madness.

He drew a deep breath and patted the back of Ying Huai's hand soothingly: 'Don't be afraid. Ge will go make Xiao Ning leave first. I won't let him in.'

But Ying Huai still shook his head, his voice trembling slightly: 'Don't go, ge. What if he insists on coming in.....just wait a while and he'll leave on his own. Don't go, ge.....'

Before Ying Huai had finished speaking, he felt a faint warmth in his hair, and then Ying Qi's gentle voice came from above his head.

'You know full well, Xiao Huai — Xiao Ning won't leave until he's seen me today.'

Liang Shining's persistence was, if anything, even greater than Ying Huai's. If Ying Qi didn't go out today, he really might stand outside for a whole day.

Ying Huai was slightly stunned, as if he too had thought of something, and gradually fell silent.

Ying Qi let out a silent sigh. He moved his fingers back and, as if petting a cat, kneaded the back of Ying Huai's neck with neither too much nor too little pressure.

'Don't be afraid. Trust ge, all right?'

Ying Huai's body seemed to tremble, and after a long moment he nodded silently.

·

The instant the door opened, Liang Shining immediately lifted his head: 'Brother Ying——'

Ying Qi stood in the doorway, looking at him without speaking.

Liang Shining was still wearing the clothes from last night, his expression looking especially weary, as if he hadn't....gone home all night.

Ying Qi gave a silent sigh in his heart.

Seeing that Liang Shining was about to say something, he spoke first, his voice gentle: 'If you're here looking for Xiao Huai.....he isn't here with me.'

Liang Shining's words came to an abrupt halt.

A flash of anxiety crossed his expression, and seeing that Ying Qi was about to close the door, he instinctively reached out a hand to stop it.

'Wait, Brother Ying.'

Liang Shining drew a deep breath, his voice slightly hoarse: 'What happened before — it was my fault.....I brought over some of the medicine shifu usually takes, and some snacks.'

Ying Qi was taken aback for a moment.

He hadn't expected that these were the words Liang Shining would say.

Liang Shining seemed to know for certain that Ying Huai was here, yet he didn't bring up wanting to see him; instead, he was exhaustively detailing every minor matter.

'He can't eat too many snacks, or he won't be able to finish his meals, but he's just come off his medication recently, which is somewhat hard on the stomach. Occasionally, if he really doesn't want to eat, you can use snacks to make shifu a little happier.'

Ying Qi listened for a while, then couldn't help speaking again: 'I told you, Xiao Huai isn't here with me. Go back for today, Xiao Ning.'

Liang Shining's voice stopped at once.

After a few seconds, he nodded somewhat dazedly and silently held out a bag.

Ying Qi hesitated and did not reach out.

Liang Shining closed his eyes.

He said nothing more, bent slightly at the waist, and gently set the bag down beside the door.

He turned around somewhat slowly, then, as if he had thought of something, his movement paused for an instant.

'I know shifu doesn't want to see me.'

Liang Shining spoke hoarsely: 'If it's possible.....could Brother Ying tell shifu ‘I'm sorry’ for me?'

Ying Qi said nothing.

A faint sound came from behind him, and Liang Shining instinctively turned his head, watching as Ying Qi silently picked up the bag.

Liang Shining's taut body relaxed in an instant.

Ying Qi gave Liang Shining one last long look, then slowly closed the door.

·

When Ying Qi went back upstairs, Ying Huai was leaning against the head of the bed and seemed unable to hold on any longer, having fallen asleep.

But even in his sleep, his brow was still slightly furrowed, and his chest flinched faintly from time to time, as if his breathing was a little uncomfortable.

Ying Qi instinctively wanted to withdraw.

But the next second, the person on the bed, as if he had heard something, shuddered and suddenly jolted awake, gasping for breath.

'......ge?'

Ying Huai clutched the front of his shirt over his chest and lifted his head in a daze: 'Has he already.......'

Ying Qi hurriedly stepped back into the room: 'He's already left. I didn't tell him you were here.'

He sat down at the edge of the bed, reached out to gather the person half into his arms, and slowly stroked Ying Huai's back.

He felt Ying Huai go quiet for a few seconds, then suddenly speak in a low voice: 'But he's already guessed that I'm here, hasn't he?'

Ying Qi was taken aback for a moment.

He hesitated for a few seconds and did not answer directly: 'Don't dwell on it, Xiao Huai. Just rest well first.'

The fingers Ying Huai had propped at his side trembled uncontrollably.

After a few seconds, he seemed to force himself to calm down.

'All right.'

Ying Huai struggled a little, pushed himself up out of Ying Qi's arms, and gave him a faint smile: 'Thank you, ge.'

Ying Qi said nothing, only stared at the pale-faced person before him, an almost imperceptible sorrow in his eyes.

He thought of what the doctor had said last night, hesitated for a few seconds, and in the end spoke again.

'Can you explain to me now what happened last night, Xiao Huai?' Ying Qi said gently.

Ying Huai's body stiffened in an instant.

Seeing Ying Huai's expression, Ying Qi hurriedly went on: 'I have no intention whatsoever of prying into or interfering with your affairs. I just want to know......how I should help you.'

Ying Huai's lashes trembled.

After a few seconds, he spoke offhandedly: 'It's nothing.'

Ying Huai lifted his head and curved his eyes at Ying Qi in a smile: 'He.....they lied to me, so I don't want them anymore.'

Ying Qi was taken aback for a moment.

Ying Huai's voice was especially light and casual, but Ying Qi noticed that the color of his lips was faintly pale.

He paused, and in the end swallowed back the rest of his words.

'All right.'

Ying Qi touched the top of his head and said gently: 'Then sleep a little longer, Xiao Huai. I'll call you when it's time to eat.'

As he spoke, he slowly stood up.

Ying Qi took a few steps toward the door, then suddenly thought of something and turned his head to smile gently at Ying Huai.

'Oh, right — your new album was released last night, and everyone loves it.'

Ying Qi spoke as if in passing: 'Teacher Mu even went out of his way to post a little essay on Weibo praising you, which is rare. If you're feeling down, you could take a look.'

There seemed to be a hint of suppressed amusement in Ying Qi's expression: 'It's very......interesting.'

Ying Huai was taken aback for a moment.

But Ying Qi said nothing more and, of his own accord, turned and walked out.

The bedroom door was gently closed. Ying Huai sat where he was, quiet for a few seconds, then in the end pulled his phone back out from under the pillow.

His fingers hovered over the phone for a few seconds. He drew a soft breath and, hesitantly, tapped down.

An overwhelming flood of messages popped up all at once.

Ying Huai instinctively gave them a quick scan.

There were countless calls and messages from Xin Wan, a several-hundred-word explanation and apology from Lu Jing, and innumerable voice messages from Su Xin.

Ying Huai opened none of them, keeping his eyes lowered as he continued scrolling down.

A chat box suddenly popped up to the top. Ying Huai's fingers trembled, and he accidentally tapped into it.

In an instant, countless lines of 'I'm sorry' filled Ying Huai's eyes.

Ying Huai's fingers paused. His gaze instinctively moved upward, and sure enough he saw the name 【Liang Shining】 at the top.

Liang Shining had sent no explanation, no defense — only countless missed calls and an unbroken stream of apologies.

The last one was from a few minutes ago, except that after the 'I'm sorry' line came one new message.

Liang Shining: 【It was my fault. Could shifu give me one more chance?】

Ying Huai lowered his eyes.

His expression indifferent, he skipped straight past those messages, turned, and tapped into Weibo.

On Weibo, as expected, it was all discussion about last night's Concert.

#YingHuai Hui No Regrets# was still up on the trending searches, and the comments below were all discussion of those final words he had said last night.

【No wonder that song is called Hui — 'returning' to the most beautiful moment of the past. It really has such atmosphere.】

【I'm so curious about who that 'person he cares about' that Teacher Xiao Huai mentioned yesterday is, ahh! Does our Teacher Xiao Huai have someone he likes?】

【+1 +1! Come to think of it, the meaning of the song Hui that Teacher Xiao Huai explained last night — wasn't that practically a roundabout confession?】

Ying Huai's fingers trembled, and he instantly swiped out of that trending search.

Almost in a panic he tapped into Mu Heguang's Weibo, and sure enough, at the very top he saw a long, flowing little essay.

Mu Heguang's words were always humorous and witty, but this little essay didn't seem all that different from his usual ones.

Ying Huai scrolled down aimlessly, and the moment his gaze fell on the last line, his fingers froze at once.

At the end of the little essay, Mu Heguang had tagged the two of them separately.

@MuHeguang: 【The creation of music needs solitude, and it also needs companionship. I'm very grateful that Xiao Huai @YingHuai could rekindle this old man's passion for music in his sixtieth year, and I also believe that Xiao Liang @LiangShining will keep walking alongside him all the way.】

Ying Huai's fingers trembled uncontrollably.

In an instant, with a sharp 'clack,' he slapped the phone face-down on the table.

·

That same night, Ying Huai ran another high fever — so high that the fever-induced convulsions nearly triggered acute cardiac arrhythmia.

Ying Qi had no choice but to call Song Si Lan behind Ying Huai's back.

But Ying Huai's body still grew visibly weaker.

A few days later, a message from Ying Qi arrived on Liang Shining's phone.

Ying Qi: 【If you have time tomorrow, come to the company and see me, Xiao Ning.】