Idol Chapter 140 Part 1

Huo Ren was almost in a state of disorientation.

He didn’t realize he was sick.

During the three days of the wake, he spent two days in a daze.

Half asleep and half awake, he saw Chi Chi the most, along with all the past related to Crown.

“Cherish time.”

“Cherish the people before you.”

“Why?”

Jiang Zhi stopped for a few seconds, slowly answering.

“Because time… is destined for farewells.”

When he woke up again, his body was still in the sour pain of a low fever.

Not far away, the sound of water being squeezed out of a towel could be heard, someone was wringing out a towel.

Pei Ruye was sitting by the sofa bed, gently wiping his forehead with slow movements.

“Today is the third day,” he slowly said, “Ren Ren, we have to say goodbye to Chi Chi.”

Huo Ren suddenly opened his eyes, feeling as if he was in an ice cave the second he returned to reality.

“Chi Ji was murdered,” he repeated urgently again, “That was not suicide.”

Pei Ruye silently nodded.

“You know, you saw it too, right?!”

Ignoring his completely hoarse throat, Huo Ren sat up and grabbed the man’s wrist with such strength that he almost broke the skin.

“He was high-functioning depressive, could smile, play, work normally, write songs, but if he was overstimulated—”

The young man didn’t realize that his body was on the verge of collapse due to intense emotions. Suddenly sitting up, he felt dizzy as if the tide surged, and a surreal buzzing sound came from beside his ear.

“We have to go say goodbye to him first,” the man said softly, “This is the last chance to see him.”

“What exactly did Han Qu do? Did you find out?” Huo Ren, mustering all his strength, supported his arm, threw off the blanket, and staggered out, “Teacher, there must be evidence, let’s go back to the 17th floor—”

He hadn’t eaten for a long time, his knees and legs uncontrollable.

“Huo Ren.” Pei Ruye placed his hands on his shoulders, pulling him back to reality with a deep voice, “I know you don’t want to face this, but in a few hours, the cremation will start.”

“Why do I have to go?!” Huo Ren roared back, “He was murdered! Han Qu should be the one lying in that coffin—just because I’m the leader, do I have to bear all this? Do you also hope that I can decently, properly, send him off?!!”

After stabilizing him, Pei Ruye let go, picking up the wet towel that had fallen to the ground after a long while.

“After disappearing, he will never appear again.”

There will be no more traces of Chi Ji in the world, everything about him will return to chaos.

“It’s not because you are the leader that you must attend the funeral.”

“Huo Ren, you can still see him for the last time.”

Huo Ren was completely in a state of shock until he heard this sentence, then showed a panicked expression.

“Why… is it only the last time?”

In these three days, the only thing operating as usual was the company’s system. The closer to Crown, the more one could feel that sudden shock.

Mei Shengyao completely disappeared, never giving any news from beginning to end, and when counting the number of people at the funeral, the Mei family’s phone couldn’t be reached.

Jiang Shu waved his hand when he heard the news, signaling Uncle Wang not to look for that child anymore.

Xie Lianyun found a stool for himself and sat quietly next to the crystal coffin from morning till night.

Sometimes, after sitting for a while, he would suddenly say, “Uncle, the person in the coffin doesn’t look like Chi Ji.”

Jiang Shu glanced at the youth in the coffin covered with a black veil, then at Xie Lianyun, and after a long time said, “Don’t comfort me.”

Xie Lianyun nodded blankly, sitting dryly for a long time before repeating the same sentence.

“Uncle, he doesn’t look like Chi Ji.”

Even though their statures were similar, he always felt that another person, or perhaps not a person at all but a wax model or something similar, was inside.

Jiang Shu no longer responded to his inquiry.

Qi Ding and Director Su were always busy with something, although they occasionally came back to check on their condition, they spent more time elsewhere.

The senior executives all silently helped with the funeral, unable to face such a huge change.

From today onwards, Crown would forever be missing a corner.

Their Noah was about to disappear.

Before the funeral in the early hours, the company was in meetings all night.

The content was nothing else but the future and prospects of Corona, which needed to be clearly discussed.

After being feverish for several days and just falling asleep, Pei Ruye asked Bo Jue to take care of him, and went alone to the highest-level conference room to participate in the voting.

Members going missing from boy and girl groups is not uncommon.

Even for the entertainment industry, a group’s journey from inception, to fame, to recognition, and finally to dissolution is a complete cycle.

It seems that no group can escape the fate of disbandment, yet they never imagined such an ending.

The idea of adding new members was never feasible, but what next?

“No matter what, the other five are still here,” Director Chen seriously retorted. “Those five kids are still each other’s family. Disbanding now is like taking their lives. Why not let them carry on with Chi Chi’s hopes?”

“What are you talking about?” Director Su countered. “If they really considered Chi Ji as family, going forward as Corona, doing anything would constantly remind them of this pain.”

“They are all in their twenties, just starting their lives, each with their own plans and developments. Even from a humanitarian perspective, they shouldn’t be tied down any longer!”

As long as this group exists, every moment will remind them of this pain and despair. Who can smile and please the fans, drawing strength from where to continue shining?

The directors on the other side showed their regret: “But once Crown is dissolved, wouldn’t this be what Han wanted…”

“If we don’t dissolve now, more people will get hurt,” another spoke harshly. “The death of a loved one is a major trauma. Do you think they’re still in a state to write songs and perform?”

In the midst of chaos, more people looked towards Pei Ruye.

Jiang Shu remained silent, no one daring to provoke his emotions, hoping more that Director Pei could make a decision.

Pei Ruye shook his head slightly: “We don’t have the right to decide.”

“This matter depends on the will of those five.”

“Let’s disband.”

Everyone turned to look, only to find that the speaker was Xie Lianyun.

The youth had become much thinner in two days, repeating his statement.

“I said, let’s disband.”

“Xie Lianyun, have you gone mad?!”

“Thank you, but this was the group you and Jiang Shu personally formed, isn’t this also your effort—”

Pei Ruye stopped the others’ agitation: “Let him speak.”

Xie Lianyun slowly stood up, not wanting to stay any longer.

“If we don’t disband, the other four will guilt themselves for life.”

“After everything ends, meeting up, there will always be one person missing at home. They won’t forgive themselves, nor will they be able to face others.”

“But if we disband, if we say let’s go see Ren Ren… there might be a chance to reunite.”

After speaking, he looked at Pei Ruye again, his gaze carrying a sense of entrustment.

“I’m going to accompany Chi Chi, you continue.”

As the door closed silently, someone spoke again in the quiet: “Couldn’t Huo Ren and the other four encourage and support each other?”

“Do you think they are all made of steel?” Director Su scolded. “I ask you, whose heart isn’t made of flesh? How can they move on from this sorrow?”

“With this crown in hand, Corona’s mission ends. What state or mood would they have to win a second or third crown?”

“If they can’t, how will this guilt and responsibility let anyone live a good life?”

“But—”

Ten years of planning, eighteen years of effort, all to end like this?

Is it really ending?

The mission of Corona is the crown itself.

But now—just reaching this point, to draw a period?

Who will stand out from now on?!

The dispute lasted three days, until Director Su finally brought out the signature form, individually asking for intentions.

Xie Lianyun quietly signed, then turned to continue wiping the dust off the crystal coffin.

Mei Shengyao had already disappeared without a trace, Mei Heng answered on his behalf, saying he agreed.

“Bo Jue, what about your intention?”

Bo Jue had just handed Huo Ren over to Pei Ruye at the end of the meeting, also hurriedly consuming a few sips of hot porridge within three days.

He looked at the black and white paper, and Xie Lianyun’s signature, apprehensively looked up at Long Jia.

They gazed at each other from afar, their eyes finally resting on the pure white wreath at the center of the coffin.

Then they simultaneously shook their heads in silence.

Whether the last intention form was signed or not, it no longer mattered.

As the others decided to leave, even if Huo Ren insisted on staying alone, Corona was about to become a fleeting memory.

On February 20th, Chi Ji was buried.

The OSC site was silent, everyone standing in silence, paying tribute to the absent winners.

SPF then issued a statement, confirming the sad news of Corona’s dissolution.

Jiang Shu finally accepted a media interview, admitting his negligence while announcing his resignation from all positions at SPF, henceforth distancing himself from the entertainment industry.

That day, the suburbs were filled with the jarring sounds of fireworks and firecrackers, as if celebrating a once-in-a-century fortune.

On that day, countless people wept and bid farewell on the long streets, accusing the company of negligence and demanding that SPF’s executives pay with blood for their debts.

Everything was rushed, making it seem as though the past eight years were but a dream.

No one could remain rational and calm through the day.

Most people in the gems community were shocked to the point of not understanding the meaning of the announcement.

First, Chi Ji left, and then Crown decided to dissolve.

Was the crown that had been obtained about to vanish?

Wasn’t today supposed to be a day of celebration? How could Chi Chi be gone? What exactly happened?

Many refused to believe this death notice, searching for flaws in various clues.

Questions arose about the timing of the rescue, the security at the company, whether the psychologist had made regular visits, and why the negligent executives hadn’t retired yet.

Even as white candles and flowers filled the mourning hall, many stubbornly believed Chi Ji hadn’t died.

Some ran around screaming, denouncing SPF as a murderous company, the epitome of negligent incompetence.

The mourning “Sunny Sisters” and the gems had their eyes red from crying, unable to sleep for several nights.

They folded thousands of pure white paper boats for Chi Ji, each boat with wings and high sails, leading that soul towards heaven.

When the funeral officially started, Huo Ren still went.

He wore a neatly pressed black suit, with a white gauze on his arm strikingly conspicuous.

When Director Su finally stood before him with the intention form, hesitating and unable to speak.

Huo Ren glanced at the signatures, his eyes resting on the empty space for Mei Shengyao and the last line with “Long Jia’s” name, and after a long while, nodded.

“Give it to me, I’ll sign.”

From that day on, his last home was shattered into fragments, henceforth without any place to belong.