At the end of the dance class, Huo Ren’s mind was blank. He even felt like he hadn’t danced at all during those two hours. Everything he had said and done in front of the teacher had turned into bittersweet and exhilarating memories, like champagne bubbles.
Feelings of affection, anticipation, restlessness, anxiety, possessiveness…
While the instructor explained the dance moves, Huo Ren unconsciously stared at his Adam’s apple.
Did the teacher apply rose-scented lipstick today?
His fingers were so beautiful.
It wasn’t until the class ended and everyone dispersed that Huo Ren managed to regain some composure.
“Goodbye.”
“Just a moment,” Pei Ruye handed his folder to Xie Lianyun and handed Huo Ren a scarf. “You’re the team captain; go with me to confirm the venue facilities and stage effects.”
The more he acted professionally and dispassionate in public, the more obvious the forbidden feeling of their secret affair became.
Huo Ren almost wore his inner turmoil on his face.
This was definitely revenge.
What kind of gift, endpoint, not captivating enough… Wasn’t he just making a playful remark with the spoon?
“Why?” The man glanced at him sideways. “Do you have plans for tonight?”
“Let’s go,” Huo Ren muttered. “I’ve been single for so many years, where would I have plans?”
Xie Lianyun hurriedly fled the scene, clutching the schedule, “Team Captain, take care. I’m off, bye!”
They walked back along the same path.
In the center of the Angel’s Halo Sports Arena, stages were being set up, and the rumbling of lifting equipment sounded like distant thunder.
“This is stage A.”
“And here’s stage B.”
“And also here…”
Huo Ren, who had been hanging by a thread after the conversations in the afternoon and evening, was now forcing himself to stay in work mode. He carefully listened to everything the man explained, though he didn’t seem particularly interested.
“This time, there are two high-altitude installations. I’ve checked the safety, but you’ll need to readjust to the height.”
Pei Ruye stopped in his tracks and said calmly, “Try it once.”
“Okay.”
They ascended the platform again, with the night wind howling in their ears.
Huo Ren had become entirely accustomed to this height, leaning against the railing and gazing at the brilliant night scene below. For a moment, he lost himself in thought.
The first time, he had been too scared to look outside.
Time had passed, and they had already performed so many concerts. Some things had changed a long time ago.
Pei Ruye stood by his side, and it took a while before he gently reached out to touch his tousled hair.
The cold wind was like a frigid stream, capable of blowing straight into one’s heart. As Huo Ren gazed into the faintly lit audience below, his inexplicable desires and feelings gradually calmed.
The past, however, floated and surged in the sea of lights, with each scene as clear as ever.
It was as if just yesterday he had been a homeless wanderer with nothing to his name.
“Don’t move.”
He turned to look at him, and there was no request or command in his tone, only a faint weariness.
Huo Ren looked up for a moment, his mind filled with thoughts fluttering like butterflies in the rain.
Pei Ruye allowed him to lose himself in his thoughts, breathing lightly.
He had thought all these years that Huo Ren was the one overly dependent on him, but now that he was gradually waking up, he realized that the situation was entirely the opposite.
He was the one most prone to separation anxiety.
No matter how well he hid it on the surface, as long as he went a day without hearing anything related to Huo Ren or a week without any contact with him, even his breathing seemed to become anxious and bitter.
Huo Ren was the North Star burning in his heart.
He watched this celestial body rise from the twilight, gradually succumbing to his infatuation like a devout believer.
Huo Ren paused for a long time, silently opening his arms to embrace him.
Maintaining his youthful and slender physique, he buried his face in the other’s chest, resembling his seventeen-year-old self from years past.
“Teacher, it turns out we’ve been walking together for such a long time.”
Pei Ruye smiled with lowered eyes and reached out to hug him back, conveying all his affection silently.
“You’ve done really well.”
“…I’m so tired.”
Huo Ren had never said this sentence in front of anyone.
He allowed his inner emotions to flow freely for the first time in a long while.
Embracing someone was a peculiar thing.
They could entrust all their burdens to each other, their hearts resonating, and their souls leaning together.
“Do you still remember the day we signed the contract?” Huo Ren’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “Now, I finally understand.”
Eating, sleeping, performing.
Love, emotions, words.
Health, personal space, freedom.
Everything that contracts couldn’t capture.
Everything was sacrificed to the endless pursuit of fame and fortune.
He gripped the sleeve of Pei Ruye’s suit, took a deep breath, and continued.
“The longer I walk on this path, the more I see the unreality of it all.”
“Once you enter this world, it’s like there’s no truth or falsehood, no good or evil, everything becomes a weapon or a shield.”
Assailants disguised as fans, thousands of paid trolls disguised as supporters.
Public opinion, collective taste, appearances, personalities, and the entire world.
The closer they got to the top, the more they could see how the masses were manipulated, their joys and sorrows orchestrated, while capital ruled everything.
Love and hatred were both whipped into whirlpools, and they had come perilously close to drowning, swallowed entirely by the darkness.
Crown was already on one of the smoothest paths among most idols.
But from the formation of the group until now, they had never experienced a shortage of pain and hardships.
So much so that it felt like they had all survived a disaster.
Pei Ruye gently pushed up his sleeve and offered his warm palm.
“Are you scared?”
Huo Ren tightened his grip on Pei Ruye’s hand, interlocking their fingers firmly, and spoke softly.
“It’s hard to feel safe.”
“A long time ago, I wrote four words on the side of my school desk: ‘Eight winds don’t move.'”
He leaned closer to Pei Ruye and continued slowly.
“At that time, our teachers used to say that we should remain undisturbed by honor or disgrace, not delighting in material gain, and not saddened by one’s own misfortune.”
“But now, I only truly understand what it means to be undisturbed by honor or disgrace.”
Profits, decline, destruction, and reputation.
็งฐ (Praise), ่ฎฅ (Mock), ่ฆ (Hardship), ไน (Joy).
When he was young, he thought he could understand and endure everything, but now, as an adult, he realized the weight of just one word.
To remain unmoved by favorable or unfavorable circumstances, it was incredibly challenging.
Huo Ren spoke slowly, and with each word, he felt a bit lighter. He was releasing all the pressures he had carried as the team leader over the years.
The innermost revelations were more beautiful than any love confession.
They were to maintain their polite teacher-student relationship upon landing, not discussing love or admiration, just a few words about the weariness of work, as if they had said everything that needed to be said.
Pei Ruye understood that at this moment, Huo Ren didn’t need any advice. He held their intertwined fingers tightly and gently stroked his back.
Then, almost instinctively, he placed a gentle kiss on Huo Ren’s temple and listened quietly to every word he said.
Huo Ren was always calm and composed in front of his teammates, handling everything with tact. He only needed to rest in Pei Ruye’s arms for a while before continuing to move forward with determination.
In early this year, Huo Ren was diagnosed with moderate anxiety, primarily caused by the intensity of his work and environmental stress. However, the therapist couldn’t gain his complete trust and relaxation, except for Pei Ruye.
He had finally released all his pent-up emotions, and that night, he slept soundly and peacefully.
Uncle Jiang returned two days before the concert started and called Huo Ren into his office. He handed him a USB drive.
“It’s been really busy these past two weeks,” Uncle Jiang said, adjusting the position of his neck and shoulder massager. He sat with a slouched posture, resembling a crooked tree. “Is everything going well with the concert preparations?โ
Huo Ren weighed the USB drive in his hand and asked curiously, “What’s on here?”
“You’ve invested a lot now, so you should have access to some higher-level materials,” Uncle Jiang said leisurely. “Remember the acquisition of Cai Bi Media? The one that was bought by Han-gongzi?”
“They’re probably planning to launch a boy group by the end of the year, and they’re actively seeking global resources. It seems like they’re planning something big.”
Huo Ren became alert. “How big?”
“Our company’s informants have received a lot of rumors, but it’s hard to distinguish what’s true and what’s not,” Uncle Jiang frowned. “However, ever since they started making moves, there has been an increase in investigations and inquiries about all six of you.”
Uncle Jiang had to leave on a short trip to Europe, mainly to arrange accommodation and new jobs for Chi Ji’s family. He provided them with a new confidential address and assigned trustworthy individuals to take care of and protect them.
Bo Jue came from an old aristocratic family with a relatively discreet residence. However, Bo Huan had also been monitored and tracked for a while. Now, their schedules were kept completely confidential, and they only traveled by private plane.
“It’s not just that; there are other shady things going on too,” Uncle Jiang reclined on his massage chair, swaying his fingers to indicate a blue file folder. “Starting this year, there have been more malicious attempts to approach you guys, and it’s clear that they’ve calculated everything.”
They had deliberately arranged a role for Long Jia, inviting Bo Jue and Chi Ji for international performance exchanges, extending an olive branch to Xie Lianyun with dinner invitations, and even receiving several invitations from universities worldwide for Huo Ren to visit and learn.
The purpose was clear: to disband the group.
Whether they united or separated, the divination master from back then had seen it clearly, and Uncle Jiang was a man who understood the situation clearly. He wouldn’t fall for any traps at this critical juncture.
He instructed his subordinates to keep all the major fans stable. The loyal fans had already mastered the art of controlling public opinion and were unlikely to be easily swayed.
A few impulsive fans who protested vociferously against the company for mistreating the idols would also be collectively restrained by the efforts of other fans.
As Uncle Jiang continued talking, Huo Ren gradually felt relieved. Suddenly, his gaze stopped, thinking that he might have misread something.
“Xiao Chi… was adopted?”
“Yes,” Uncle Jiang didn’t hide anything from Huo Ren due to his shareholder status. “Apart from the top executives, only you and Xie Lianyun know about this. Don’t mention it to anyone else.”
Chi Ji’s adoptive parents were a reliable Swiss couple, one with blonde hair and blue eyes and the other of Chinese descent. They had adopted Chi Ji when he was still an abandoned infant and raised him in a family with older siblings. They had even added a younger brother this year.
Although Chi Ji had a cheerful and outgoing personality, he was well aware of his special background. He maintained a friendly but measured relationship with his adoptive family.
Huo Ren had never expected this, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
“His biological parents were poor mountain people who passed away early due to an infectious disease,” Uncle Jiang continued, massaging his forehead. “His adoptive parents checked and even took him to visit their graves. There’s no need to pay special attention to this. The kid is sensitive, and he can sense everything.”
“Why don’t we go out for hot pot this weekend?” Uncle Jiang added, trying to ease the atmosphere. “You can just pretend not to know about this.”
Uncle Jiang had provided this information out of respect for his status as a shareholder. The various departments of the company had gradually improved their abilities, and this year, they had maintained control over the direction of public opinion very effectively.
Before leaving, Huo Ren confirmed a few more details. He couldn’t help but worry about some things.
“Whether it’s a big issue or a small one, we’re watching over you,” Uncle Jiang said as he had a dinner appointment to attend and waved him away. “Focus on your work, and some things you can figure out on your own.”
Huo Ren took a few steps but looked back and saw Uncle Jiang still standing at the door, watching him leave.
“Uncle,” he called out, “I’ll take good care of the team.”
“Nonsense,” Uncle Jiang chuckled, “If you don’t take good care of them, I’ll deduct it from your year-end bonus!”
He turned around, and it was time for the final check of costumes and props for the entire team.
They were the first male group to hold a concert at the Angel Ring, and in terms of scale and number, they could be considered the strongest in the country. They meticulously inspected the nine sets of costumes, ensuring that they fit comfortably, and promptly addressed any minor issues.
Coincidentally, Teacher Zhong had to attend a parent-teacher meeting due to his daughter’s involvement in a school fight, so Huo Ren led the entire team to the temporary workspace on the fifteenth floor.
Qin Lu and her girlfriend were inside a partitioned area, with rock music blaring, clearly in high spirits.
Just before Huo Ren knocked on the door, the music suddenly stopped, and they could hear a conversation inside. “Hey, I want to gossip…”
The five individuals outside the door, who had been drowsy a moment ago, instantly became alert and positioned themselves on either side of the door, eavesdropping on the conversation through the thin wooden door.
Gossip alert!
Huo Ren tried to convey with his eyes that this wasn’t a good idea, but Mei Shengyao quickly sent out mental waves, “Let’s just listen for a while! Captain, don’t knock!”
Just as someone hesitated, Qin Lu answered, “Who’s the gossip about?”
“It’s about Boss Pei.” Her girlfriend said with a sly smile, “Boss Pei is so handsome. How come it feels like he’s been single for all these years?”
Huo Ren suddenly had a bad feeling, but before he could react, Long Jia covered his mouth and pulled him to the wall.
Xie Lianyun and Bo Jue’s expressions changed slightly, but the other three were excited to hear gossip, and their eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“What else could it be,” Qin Lu leisurely continued, “Isn’t he waiting for his little wolf cub?”
Long Jia instantly froze.
He turned his stiff body first to look at the others and then slowly turned his head to look at Huo Ren.
Did Sister Qin mean that the little wolf cub wasโ
Huo Ren covered his face with both hands in defeat.
“Is it for real?” Qin Luโs girlfriend sighed, “Captain is so handsome and gentle, it’s reasonable for Boss Pei to like him, right?”
Chi Ji took a sharp breath and was about to say something, but Mei Shengyao quickly covered his mouth, stifling his response.
“Like?” Qin Lu snipped her scissors slowly and said, “I think it’s more like falling head over heels.”
“Before Boss Pei turned eighteen, he would go to parties and have a few drinks at least, with people flocking to him. Those who tried to flirt with him could fill up the West Coast.”
She put the beer can aside and paused for several seconds before continuing.
“Then, at the age of nineteen, he met Ren Ren.”
“Just think about it. From the age of nineteen, because of one person, he remained single until he was twenty-six.”
“Seven years of being quiet and only staying with him. Apart from that little wolf cub, he didn’t even look at anyone else.”
The five people outside the door were all in human form, and at that moment, they all looked at Huo Ren.
Huo Ren was trying to find a hole to hide in.
Qin Lu lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. “He told me about it two or three years ago, and I thought it might not even be that recent.”
“It’s possible he developed feelings a long time ago, he just didn’t realize it himself.”
Her girlfriend covered her face and said, “Such a pity…”
Long Jia remained petrified for a while, then made a decisive gesture to signal everyone to move to the conference room across the hall.
The group quickly shifted their positions, while the captain was guided to a corner, where a chair had been placed for him.
Xie Lianyun closed the door, and Mei Shengyao locked it. Bo Jue massaged his forehead and sighed deeply. “This is unbelievable.”
“Have you and Boss Pei…” Long Jia hesitated, “Already…?”
Chi Ji, squatting nearby, was very curious. “How many times have you been on a date?”
“Ren-ge, you’re in love and you didn’t tell us! You’ve changed!”
Huo Ren raised both hands and, in reality, was still recovering from the heart-pounding effects of Qin Lu’s words. “No…”
“He hasn’t dated anyone,” Bo Jue forcefully pushed aside Xie Lianyun, who had been blocking Huo Ren, and said, “I can vouch for him. Huo Huo has just had feelings for him for a long time.”
“Then, do you like him?” Long Jia asked seriously. “Or did you just never realize it?”
The little wolf cub suddenly felt like he had been caught doing something wrong. After struggling with it for a while, he finally spoke up. “I like him.”
“I’ve liked my teacher for a long time.”
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
“I knew someone would have their eye on our Huo Huo!” Long Jia lamented, “Can’t you consider it for a bit longer? There are plenty of other options!”
“Ah… so you guys used to go out at night…” Mei Shengyao added.
“Boss Pei seems really romantic, is he really good at French kissing?”
Huo Ren’s face was flushed, and at this point, he couldn’t escape from the corner, surrounded by all his teammates. He basically confessed everything.
First, he talked about every gift starting from his sixteenth birthday, then the deer horn earrings and the four-leaf clover, and finally, the white rose lipstick.
He spoke softly and gradually, and his teammates were audibly gasping and reacting.
Long Jia wondered if he had been a lousy big brother all these years. “How did I not notice anything?”
“It’s perfectly normal for straight guys not to see it,” Xie Lianyun said coolly. “They couldn’t be more obvious.”
Bo Jue hadn’t expected that their feelings had developed to such an extent over the years. He felt it was both romantic and a little sad. “Haven’t you both felt uncomfortable keeping your distance all this time?”
“Actually,” Huo Ren cleared his throat, “Yesterday, at Angel’s Ring, I held him for a long time.”
“Wow!”
“Ugh!!”
“Tell us more, tell us more!!”
Huo Ren’s ears turned bright red.
“He also told me that he’s waiting for me at the finish line.”
Mei Shengyao was listening attentively. “I’ve learned something!”
Xie Lianyun side-eyed him. “What are you learning now?”
Bo Jue breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart. He had known that when Huo Ren was silently in love, he always felt that he was too selfish and capricious.
If his little brother was restraining himself and suppressing his feelings, he and Long Jia… should never have been together.
Bo Jue only dared to get close to Long Jia in their dormitory. He deliberately avoided any interactions at work, and in front of the camera, they hardly ever made eye contact.
When they got busy, they only had short moments to cuddle and hold hands in the nanny car, and they felt more constrained than when they were just friends.
Even though they were in love now, they were even more polite than before.
“I still don’t understand one thing,” Chi Ji tilted his head. “With Boss Pei’s capabilities, even if he’s dating Ren-ge, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
As long as they avoided cameras and took care not to be caught, there were plenty of opportunities.
Why did they have to wait so long?
“When it comes to being in a relationship, if it’s done with genuine feelings, it’s a bit like setting a mountain on fire,” Long Jia raised a finger. “Once the fire starts, it spreads like wildfire, and there’s no way you can stop it with just a taste.”
Huo Ren nodded quickly.
“If Boss Pei and Ren-ge are together now, they might only be able to meet once every two to three months. Even if they can see each other once a week on weekends, it’s still very torturous,” Long Jia paused for a few seconds before continuing his analysis. “And Boss Pei might… really have deep feelings for Ren Ren.”
Before they tasted and got addicted, it was better to maintain the current level of restraint and harmony.
Bo Jue let out a long sigh and leaned on Long Jia’s shoulder. “How has Ren Ren been feeling lately?”
“After hugging him yesterday, I felt much better,” Huo Ren whispered. “If we could hug like that every month, it would be great.”
Xie Lianyun covered his face and said, “You can’t just use the word ‘hug’ like that…”
“What’s going on in your head, Xie Lianyun? Is it filled with trash?”
They exchanged playful remarks, but before leaving, they earnestly reminded each other, sounding like high school boys encouraging one another.
“Bro, I’ll support you no matter who you like. Make sure you live happily!”
“Ren Ren, as I’ve said before, if you have any troubles, you can talk to us, don’t keep them to yourself.”
“Next time you go out, spend more time together! Uncle Jiang won’t find out!”
Huo Ren, who had been away for a while, was playfully treated like the group’s favorite, with face-pats and head-rubs. He chuckled and went to the opposite room with them.
As soon as they opened the door, they found Boss Pei, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, standing right at the doorway.
“Hmm?” he raised an eyebrow. “Why are you having a meeting here?”
The other five stepped back in unison, leaving Huo Ren alone standing beside him.
Long Jia instinctively wanted to whistle but was silenced by Bo Jue, who covered his mouth and pulled him away.
“Uh, I…” Huo Ren forced himself to find a reason. “I’m here to supervise discipline.”
Pei Ruye glanced at the others and bent down to help him adjust his collar pin.
“Good luck with the concert,” he said casually. “I’ll be waiting for you at the celebration banquet.”
The group thought to themselves that Boss Pei was indeed Boss Pei, openly flirting with the captain like this. He was only a step away from stamping a “Property of Pei Ruye” mark on him.
“Got to catch a flight, so I’ll go now,” Pei Ruye said, looking at Huo Ren. His tone was gentle. “See you the day after tomorrow.”
“Alright… goodbye.”
Before Pei Ruye could walk too far, Long Jia lowered his voice and said, “What are you waiting for? Go ask for a hug.”
A lightbulb lit up in Huo Ren’s head, and he hurriedly went after him. “Teacherโ”
Pei Ruye paused and looked at him. “Did you forget something?”
Huo Ren opened his arms and gave him a tight hug.
“This.”
Pei Ruye was momentarily surprised, but he smiled, kissed Huo Ren’s forehead lightly as he hugged him back.
This moment was a blend of a composed mentor and a tender lover.
“Remember this for the future.”
The author has something to say:
The next chapter will have an extensive description of a concert. If you’re not interested, feel free to skip it.
i’m melting…
Xie Lianyun: “I felt the dog food from a mile away”