Han Gaozhi has been so busy lately that he’s barely had time to catch his breath.
If one says that by middle age, a person always carries several masks with them, he has become adept at switching among a dozen states just based on his secretary’s glance.
Respectful, proud, humble, aggressive, authoritative, profound…
With too many industries under his control and a complex web of connections, he has no room for error.
Unfortunately, his only son is a constant source of worry.
In his youth, busy with work and after a divorce that saw him lose most of his core assets, he nearly ended his troubles at the west city railway crossing due to significant financial difficulties.
Over thirty years, with support from his parents and his own efforts, he made a comeback. His second son is out of contact, and his eldest son is also rebellious.
Han Qu behaves obediently on the surface, but behind the scenes, he has shown his true colors to the company’s veterans, leveraging his father’s name for more resources than one could count. Han Gaozhi is all too aware of this.
But at thirty, his character is set in stone; it’s too late for any lessons.
Fortunately, in the past two years, this child seems to have settled down somewhat and made some achievements in the entertainment industry.
Han Gaozhi hasn’t paid much attention to the specifics of this field.
He sent a trusted audit team to review the accounts and kept an ear out, knowing roughly that his son was doing solid work, gradually earning a respectable reputation.
But he still worries.
Since childhood, this child was spoiled to an outrageous degree by the elders in the family, with a very twisted nature.
Sitting in first class, pondering these things, his personal secretary hurriedly handed him a phone.
“Video call, from the old man.”
Han Gaozhi frowned, taking the phone, thinking it rare for the elders to do such a thing.
“Finally, you’ve taken the call,” the grandmother’s face nearly filled the camera as she nagged, “You’re such a busy person, impossible to reach all day…”
“Mom, Dad, what’s the matter?”
“Where are you? Hurry home, it’s important!”
“Be clear.”
“My grandson—my grandson!” The grandfather banged his cane, sternly saying, “I’ve long said to use our connections to look into it, but you stopped us!”
“What’s wrong with Han Qu?” Han Gaozhi became alert. “Has he caused trouble again?”
It wasn’t about driving a sports car into someone or getting caught with forbidden substances after drinking—
“My second grandson!! He’s on TV!!!”
“Han Yang, Yang Yang, do you remember him? He’s so broke he’s become an actor, singing to please those young girls, how disgraceful is that, and you still don’t care???”
Han Gaozhi’s mind went blank, as if his veins were filled with cement, immobilized.
He has a second son.
Years ago, in a drunken moment, he had an affair with a high school crush, resulting in an unplanned child.
The gap between the two families was vast, and the woman, with a fierce temperament, made it clear she’d rather strangle the child than let him be manipulated by the Han family.
Eventually, through persuasion, the two families met once when the child turned one, not even sharing a meal.
The Han family wanted to keep a bloodline but couldn’t move against such fiercely protective poor families.
So, they compromised: one side kept the father’s surname, and the other provided enough for the child’s education and living expenses.
Han Gaozhi saw the child many times.
Elementary registration photo, middle school graduation photo, high school enrollment photo, ID photo.
A flat, distorted photo, devoid of warmth.
He couldn’t define his feelings or whether he wanted to introduce this child to the adult world’s disputes.
The child, naive, pursued arts, singing like a warbler, even performing at festivals.
A free warbler… that’s good.
“Are you coming back?! If you don’t, I’ll have the driver take me to the production building, believe it or not?!” The grandfather, thinking his son indifferent to his grandson, coughed angrily, “I’ll go myself!”
Han Gaozhi regained his composure, stopping him.
“What’s your status, to go there personally?” he expertly soothed his elder, subtly flattering: “Why, Han Qu is the elder brother, familiar with the entertainment circle, better for the younger ones to handle it.”
“Dad, I’ll be in the capital in half an hour, I’ll take care of it today.”
The grandfather, still angry, insisted: “He can’t become a joke, the Han family has a reputation to uphold!”
“Those with the surname Long have three children, spoiled one to sing and perform daily, even if he’s returned to business now, their family hasn’t stopped being talked about behind their backs—quickly bring that child back!”
Later that afternoon, Han Qu personally visited the production building on the outskirts of the capital.
He vaguely knew of his younger half-brother’s existence, having met him briefly in childhood, but never took it to heart.
Without even the status of an acknowledged son, considered just a cheap tool to appease the elders.
Though reluctant to entertain, performing the facade of pleasing the elders was necessary.
—And taking the opportunity to see how the artists under his company were doing wasn’t a loss either.
Han Qu entered the reception room first, and just as Assistant Zhang beside Pei Ruye, heard the news, he didn’t wait for the elevator but hurried up five floors by taking two steps at a time, all while calling Huo Ren on the phone.
“Han Qu is here—says he’s looking for someone!”
Huo Ren was just teaching the students about composing basics. He signaled for the teaching assistant to continue his lecture, hurriedly put on a coat, and went downstairs.
He couldn’t predict the purpose of Han Qu’s visit this time.
Was he suspecting something? Or did he want to probe further?
Pei Ruye, still in a meeting in the North City District, signaled Assistant Zhang to bring a few more people to accompany Huo Ren, always keeping an eye out for any slip-ups.
Four or five people arrived at the reception room together. Han Qu was lounging on the sofa, playing with his phone, with his legs widely spread, while a minion beside him was bending over to light his cigarette.
Huo Ren’s expression remained unchanged despite the pungent smell of smoke, still portraying a sickly and tired demeanor, and managed a forced smile, “What brings President Han here suddenly?”
“It’s nothing major,” Han Qu observed his bloodless lips for a few seconds before tossing his phone to his assistant to handle, “I’m here to look for someone at your place.”
Huo Ren quickly went through all the possible connections in his mind, while Assistant Zhang tried to deflect on his behalf, “I’m sorry, President Han, but all our trainees have signed agreements. The company is responsible for their safety.”
“You won’t even let me see my own brother?”
The room suddenly fell into silence.
Han Qu’s approach was always flamboyant, thinking that this bargain also bore the Han surname, and now revealing this made it convenient for the program group to take extra care of him.
He sat upright, poured a cup of tea, and smiled, “The old man at home is sick, just wants to see his grandson.”
“Xiao Huo is so sensible, do me this favor, will you?”
Huo Ren instantly remembered the only young man with the surname Han among the eighty.
Han Yang.
Han Yang hadn’t appeared in the initial selection but signed up for the mentor assessment during the second round of theme dance.
And he danced steadily, showing no signs of lacking any dance foundation.
Even more rare was Han Yang’s naturally vibrant voice.
There are many people who can sing these days, but few can be remembered by listeners after just one earful.
It depends on the timbre and quality of the voice, and on interpretative ability.
Han Yang, appearing on TV for less than three minutes, skyrocketed in popularity from over sixtieth to twelfth place.
Audiences, used to aggressive competitors like Gu Shaochu and Zhu Xizhi, found a young boy with a pleasant voice and baby face particularly appealing.
“He’s so cute!! His voice is so smooth and lively, I love it!!”
“My little warbler is actually an illustrator, you know! He’s won a national silver award for his drawings!”
“I’ve looped this audio ten times already, I so want him to release an album…”
—The popularity ranking is currently a secret, but the mentors have an idea.
Who would have thought, he’s actually Han Qu’s brother.
“Is it Han Yang?”
“Yes.” Han Qu didn’t elaborate further, glancing at his watch as an unspoken prompt, “Just take him back for the afternoon, let him chat with the old man, that’s all.”
Huo Ren glanced at the still-operating surveillance cameras, thought for a moment, and called for Han Yang to come down.
“It still depends on his choice.”
When Han Yang came downstairs, his mind was still haunted by the metronome’s looping beat, and he was puzzled upon seeing the man with the cigarette, looking like a thug.
“Who is this?”
Huo Ren, juggling several thoughts at once, took a while to introduce them.
Han Yang hesitated for a long moment, then turned to Huo Ren, “Teacher Huo, I can’t decide this on my own, I need to call my mom and ask.”
Han Qu openly scoffed.
Still a mommy’s boy at this age, how embarrassing.
Huo Ren detected something from this remark, and his mind quickly strategized, responding swiftly.
Mrs. Huang sighed on the phone but didn’t object.
She thought the old man was on his deathbed, not long for this world.
“Don’t delay your work, go and come back quickly.”
“Alright, got it.”
Throughout the call, Han Yang observed this half-brother from the same father but different mothers. Although his gaze seemed lost, his posture was alert.
“Be careful, and call me if anything happens,” Huo Ren said with a complex expression.
“We’re sending him home, not to suffer,” Han Qu retorted, standing up to extinguish his cigarette on the embroidered tablecloth, instantly scarring the beautiful fabric with a burn hole.
Huo Ren watched them leave, feeling this could be a turning point.
In his intuition, Han Yang and the Han family were not cut from the same cloth.
Han Yang was dressed simply, in the company’s standard training uniform.
After boarding the vehicle, Han Qu looked up and down several times and signaled his subordinate to continue lighting his cigarette.
He originally planned to stay a while longer, but the moment he saw the company and Huo Ren’s miserable and shabby appearance, his interest waned considerably.
“Why are you thinking about going on TV?”
Han Yang looked down at the little crescent on his fingernail and said softly, “I like to sing.”
“Your family has money, how about I send you abroad to study? How does that sound?” Han Qu, posing as the generous elder brother, couldn’t wait to get him away from their father, hoping he would end up with nothing: “Juilliard, Berkeley, letters of recommendation at your disposal.”
Han Yang continued to stare at his nails, no longer responding.
Han Qu, used to being followed and served, got a bit more aggressive upon seeing his lack of understanding: “You are a Han, even if born under less favorable circumstances, you must not disgrace our family’s name.”
“This TV show is not respectable. Singing and dancing, in the end, are just hobbies, not a serious job—”
“Do you believe I will slap your face right now?” the young man said coldly.
The moment these words were uttered, everyone in the car, from the bodyguard to the driver, wished they could bury themselves.
It had been many years since anyone dared to disrespect Han Qu this way. They thought they might get their ears cut off for hearing such words!
Han Qu’s face turned pale for a moment and he immediately grasped Han Yang’s face: “What did you say?”
“Han Yang, listen carefully,” he said through gritted teeth, “You are nothing but the result of my father’s affairs—”
“Slap!”
Han Yang retorted with a slap, fiercely reminiscent of a mother defending her child.
The slap was accurate and heavy; as soon as his hand was lifted, the entire face began to swell.
He didn’t wait for Han Qu to react, and taking advantage of a red light, he unlocked the door, stepped out of the car, and stood in the flow of traffic, with a stern expression.
“We’ve just met, and you’re already planning my future, criticizing this and that. What, do I have to listen to you about when I get married and have kids too? Did your dad send you to say these disgusting things?”
“Are you going to dictate how many pillows I can have in my bedroom or whether I can have potted plants? You think being a leader is so idle you have to do the nosy neighborhood aunt’s job, stuffed and bored?”
The boy with a baby face, hands on hips, cursed vigorously.
“It only costs fifteen yuan to take a cab to the police station, changing my name and handling the paperwork is just a week’s matter—”
“You shameless, I’m telling you, if you think sharing the Han surname can make you dictate my life, screw off! I don’t want this surname!”
Not only was his voice clear, but he also used the professional diaphragmatic technique typical of a trained vocalist, making his rant audible down the entire street.
Han Qu, having lived a life of luxury for so many years, had rarely encountered such direct confrontation, his mind buzzing as blood rushed to his head.
Before he could think of a retort, Han Yang stepped back and continued to block any reply.
“Whether your family pays alimony or support money, it’s all legally justified and can be argued in court.”
“I don’t care how you scheme, if you say anything disrespectful about my mom, I will never enter your family’s door again, huh—spit!”
The red light slowly turned green, and the traffic began to inch forward.
Many drivers, half with their windows down, were all ears for the juicy gossip, reluctant to accelerate even when urged by honks from behind.
Han Qu felt like stabbing someone right there and then.
He had left with full assurances to his father, not expecting to hit a powder keg in just a few sentences, and now he couldn’t even start a fight.
A grand feast awaited at home, with the elderly eagerly anticipating the return of their second grandson.
Not showing up now would mean he had failed to handle a simple task.
If he did go and complained, he would be scolded all the same.
Ah, why did he even bother taking on this task??
Han Qu, with a dark expression and ignoring the continuous honking behind him, said through gritted teeth, “Get in.”
“I won’t.” Han Yang pulled out his wallet, mocking, “On a mission? I’m taking a cab back to the company, see you!”
The taxi driver in the next lane, keen on the gossip, honked professionally.
Han Qu, feeling cornered, said darkly, “You’re being unreasonable! The elderly at home are sick and can’t afford to wait, Han Yang, get in the car!”
“Apologize to me now.” Han Yang said coldly, “I’ve decided on this taxi. If you apologize, we’ll meet at the old house; if not, I’m going back to the company right now and won’t see any of your family again.”
The green light slowly turned back to red.
Seven or eight cars refused to move, enjoying the drama as if they had front-row seats to a comedy show.
Han Qu finally understood why his stepmother had kept this younger brother so well hidden.
What was his father thinking, getting involved with a madwoman and fathering a little madman???
Out of all the women in the world, why choose such a woman to bear such a child??
“I apologize,” he said stiffly, “I just wanted to show some concern, don’t misunderstand.”
“Studying abroad, all that can be discussed, if you don’t want to go, then don’t.”
“Participating… in the program, that’s your freedom.”
“Grandfather is still sick, Han Yang, you have to consider the elderly.”
Han Yang stared into his eyes.
“Apologize to my mom.”
At that moment, Han Qu’s face looked as if he had eaten a dung beetle, and he said through gritted teeth, “I didn’t curse at her at all.”
“You cursed her in your heart.”
Han Qu thought bringing this idiot home was a joke in itself and forced a smile: “I still respect your mother. Don’t overthink it; let’s go home and see the elders first.”
Han Yang sneered and turned to enter the back seat of the taxi.
Just then, the traffic light turned from yellow to green.
The bodyguard thought everyone in the car would be assassinated in the middle of the night, closing the car door with an enlightened expression as if witnessing the sun rise from the west… Their idiot boss was scolded in public for the first time? Was this even real??
In the taxi, the driver applauded, pressed the gas pedal upon hearing the destination, and sped past the Land Rover, driving particularly swiftly.
“This ride is on me, young man!”
“Rich second generations should be scolded like this a few times, huh, really thinking too highly of themselves…”
The driver rambled on, while Han Yang sat in the back, his hand trembling so much he could hardly hold his phone.
He actually had no confidence at all.
But these were the rules taught by his family.
Han Yang, being short since childhood, was easily bullied at school.
His mother was tough, capable of scolding negligent teachers like they were nothing, protecting her child’s dignity outside, but reprimanding him at home.
“Some things can be endured, but some things must not be tolerated from the start.”
“If they dare to give you a nickname today, they’ll dare to pull down your pants in front of the whole class tomorrow.”
“Yang Yang, if you want to live well, face is the least important.”
“It doesn’t matter if your surname is Han, Huang, or SpongeBob; your mom doesn’t mind, but you must be smart.”
“To live a good life, you have to use your brain.”
Han Yang zoned out for a few seconds, his hand still trembling when he came back to himself.
He swallowed and texted his best friend.
Qiu Huan was still typing away in his “little black room,” unlikely to reply to messages at this hour.
[Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp]: Brother Huan, I was so scared TUT
[The Best Brother in the Universe]: Why did you suddenly leave, are you okay O-O
[Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp]: I was taken by my half-brother to a family banquet… he’s so annoying!! I couldn’t help but give him a thorough scolding, and we have to meet again later, I’m so anxious…
[The Best Brother in the Universe]: Ah, then you must be well-behaved in front of the elders, a little crying can be very effective #thumbsup
[Chirp Chirp Chirp Chirp]: Ok! I promise to cry the moment I enter!
Han Qu’s driver was all the while contemplating his own safety, driving exceptionally slow.
The taxi sped all the way to the restaurant.
Han Yang was led into the hall by a servant and, upon seeing the elders seated around, started sobbing and wiping his tears.
The Han family’s elders were initially displeased with Han Yang’s choice to become an actor, but upon seeing the pitiable boy of such small stature and child-like face, their hearts nearly melted.
“Oh my, oh my, grandpa and grandma are here, no need to cry, don’t cry…”
Surrounded by four or five relatives touching his face and head, Han Yang, seeing the elder’s face glowing with health, burst into longer sobs: “Brother Han Qu said you were so sick you were nearly at death’s door, I was worried about you!”
The elder’s face turned immediately dark.
“That idiot has no way with words!”
Han Gaozhi scolded Han Qu several times, not expecting his second son to be so small and delicate, not even reaching 1.7 meters tall…
…He could wear a school uniform and still receive New Year’s money.
Naturally, the family surrounded him with warmth and affection, acting as if they had been separated for too long, saying all the nice things to comfort him.
Han Yang internally praised Qiu Huan several times and then saw Han Qu entering with a murderous aura, immediately trembling, making the grandmother hug him sympathetically.
“We’re all family here, who are you showing that face to?!” Han Gaozhi scolded: “Over thirty and still without any seriousness, look at your brother!”
Upon a closer look, Han Qu saw Han Yang next to the grandfather with red eyes, looking pitiful, while the grandmother was peeling an orange for him.
“The family was worried he was mistreated while recording the show, not that they despised him for being lower-class. How could you scold your brother like that upon meeting??” The elder found himself a face-saving excuse: “Even if the show was just for fun, it’s no reason to criticize your brother!”
Han Yang said softly, “Brother apologized to me, don’t scold him.”
“He promised not to bother me anymore, and I can continue to participate in shows.”
Initially just making a show of it, the elder didn’t expect Han Qu to actually make such a promise and glared at him again.
Throughout the meal, Han Qu was nearly bursting with anger, only restraining himself because the company depended on his father’s funding.
In the end, it was Han Gaozhi who personally drove Han Yang back to the company.
“This matter, if you like it, that’s fine, I won’t stop you.” Han Gaozhi wanted to reach out and touch the child’s face, but hesitated and remained seated in the driver’s seat: “The family will take care of you if anything happens, and you can stop anytime if you’re tired.”
Han Yang silently observed this father he hadn’t seen in twenty years, unsure whether his nature was genuinely kind or if he was just concerned about maintaining the family name.
Some warmth and kindness may not be genuine, as he and his mother had held their family together for many years, learning this lesson well.
“I’m leaving.”
“Okay, I’ll pick you up for dinner again on the weekend.” Han Gaozhi was also momentarily at a loss for words, pausing for a few seconds before adding: “Your brother has a difficult personality. Don’t bear it silently if something happens, tell me anytime.”
Han Yang silently nodded in his heart, smiled faintly, and then left.
Upon returning to the twentieth floor, his companions were still singing and playing instruments.
Huo Ren was leaning against the railing, massaging his temples, his jacket slightly lifted by the night breeze.
He had been contemplating all afternoon, unwilling to let Han Yang be affected by this conflict.
The kid had nothing to do with those troubles and had only come into contact with the Han family today.
When Han Yang saw him, he felt inexplicably much more relaxed and quickly approached.
“Teacher, I’m back!”
Huo Ren noticed the traces of tears and bent down to ask, “Are you okay? Did they bully you?”
“How could that happen.” Han Yang quickly shook his head, “I was quite fierce.”
He opened his arms and hugged Huo Ren tightly, reluctant to let go.
The teacher smelled so good.
Like roses.
The author has a message:
I wrote a bit much about the Han family in this chapter, don’t hold it against me…
Next chapter, we’ll continue with the group activities and the night fire√
Hahaha, never underestimate short people! Our rage is compressed due to limited volume and expressed much more intently. I’m glad Han Qu got slapped. That’s just the appetiser.