Idol Chapter 81

After returning to his room, Huo Ren leaned against the wall, holding the music score, unable to recover for a while.

Even though he knew that his brothers had feelings for each other, witnessing them kissing had a strong impact on him.

And now, he was belatedly feeling a bit irritated.

They weren’t talking about anything! They were just kissing!

Kissing right in front of me, and pretending like they were going to have a talk? Who are you trying to fool?

Huo Ren had an exceptional memory, and now he could replay the scene in his mind in slow motion, zooming in on the position where his eldest brother pinned his third brother for a kiss.

His face turned slightly red.

…I’ve missed my chance.

He and his teacher could never kiss, not even in his dreams. He would subconsciously block any such attempts, afraid of making a mistake.

Huo Ren sighed, feeling a bit foolish for his own thoughts as he tentatively kissed the back of his hand.

Cold and smooth, it seemed to be the same.

Then there was a knock on the door, and Bo Jue’s voice sounded somewhat nervous, “Huo Huo?”

Huo Ren quickly wiped his hand, thinking he was acting silly.

“Ge, do you want to talk?” He opened the door, handing over a pillow as a habit. “Do you want to discuss something?”

Bo Jue hadn’t expected him to be so proficient. He hesitated for a couple of seconds before accepting the pillow, and then quickly sat down, burying his face in it.

Discussing this kind of thing with his younger brother… it was just too embarrassing.

 

Just now, Long Jia originally wanted to come over to talk, but he was quickly driven away.

“Then let’s have dinner together tonight?”

Bo Jue expressionlessly pushed him back into the bedroom and slammed the door shut.

The young man quickly opened the door again and winked at him. “Love you!”

“You go back!!”

 

“Ge, it’s fine.” Huo Ren actually felt relieved and placed his hand on Bo Jue’s shoulder. “We’ve already planned everything, haven’t we?”

The camaraderie among the six of them was genuine, and the plan they had devised only served to amplify different aspects while helping their older brothers maintain their popularity.

Bo Jue snapped out of it and went through all the details again with Huo Ren.

Huo Ren was very organized and had specific documents and schedules.

After reviewing the documents for a while, Bo Jue suddenly asked, “Is your and Yao Yao’s performance ending soon?”

“Yeah, I haven’t thought of the next pair yet,” Huo Ren replied.

Yao-Ren (Demon Blade) and Huo-Yao (Fire Demon) had already become a popular CP, consistently ranking in the top five. They had numerous fan-made videos and were no longer in obscurity.

Bo Jue went through all the data and then looked somewhat solemn. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to discuss with you, but we were busy with the concert before.”

“Sure, what is it, Ge?” Huo Ren asked.

“…Don’t involve Chi Chi in this game,” Bo Jue said with a serious tone. “Chi Chi can’t handle it and might get too deeply involved.”

Mei Shengyao had grown up in the entertainment industry and had matured through several hardships. His boundaries in relationships were always clear.

The other older brothers were also emotionally mature and knew how to differentiate between their work and personal lives even though they often teased and joked with each other.

However, Chi Ji had grown up in a relatively sheltered environment, with a sensitive and pure-hearted nature. He could easily be swayed and influenced.

Huo Ren nodded instinctively and deleted some of the options with a red pen. He then looked at the remaining choices for a while.

“Ge,” he suddenly said, “would you be willing to pair up with me for the event?”

Bo Jue was taken aback for a moment, thinking that everyone was going crazy at this Qixi Festival.

“Me… Pair up with you?”

“Yeah,” Huo Ren pondered seriously. “I mean, would Long-ge be jealous if I paired up with you?”

Bo Jue took a deep breath, thinking that everyone would go crazy because of the Qixi Festival today.

“If I paired up with you..” He carefully chose his words. “Who would be the… uhm… the top?”

…Who would be the top?

Huo Ren didn’t catch it at first, and it took him a moment to understand Bo Jue’s implicit question.

His face turned a bit red as he replied awkwardly with unexpected politeness, “Uh, can’t we both…?”

“How about you take the lead?” Bo Jue had already given up on himself. “That seems to be quite popular these days…”

Huo Ren went quiet for a moment. “Ge, have you seen those viral posts in the chat group?”

“I haven’t.”

“Absolutely not!!”

“…”

Huo Ren barely held back a laugh and continued to discuss the remaining points of their plan.

He trusts the stability of his eldest brother and his third brother. After all, he has been taken care of by them since he joined SPF, and the three of them have long been close like a family.

Both of them blushed deeply as they continued the conversation.

The door suddenly rang with a bell-like chime.

Jiang Shu shouted loudly, “Everyone, come out for a meeting—I need to discuss our recent schedule!”

They all stood up simultaneously, their eyes showing tacit agreement.

“Just wait until I dismantle that bell someday,” Bo Jue muttered quietly.

The six of them gathered once more, with Long Jia and Bo Jue positioned at the far left and far right of the group, both wearing rather docile expressions.

“In September, you’re all going on vacation, but in late August, the work—” Jiang Shu began, but suddenly paused, sniffing the air and furrowing his brows as if something didn’t feel right.

Huo Ren and Xie Lianyun both sensed a mental alarm ringing inside their heads.

“There’s something.” Their manager wrinkled his brow and examined each of them closely before taking a step back. “I feel something’s not right.”

“What kind of work in late August?” Huo Ren feigned innocence and tried to help him find his words.

“Stop it, let’s not talk about that for now,” Jiang Shu gestured for silence, walking around the six of them twice.

Xie Lianyun’s mental alarms for both air defense and fire safety were sounding loudly.

After completing his two laps around them, Jiang Shu returned to his original position.

“Long Jia and Bo Jue’s expressions are off,” he stated, this time in an assertive tone.

Huo Ren’s mind temporarily couldn’t calculate whether he should smooth things over or stay quiet.

“No,” Bo Jue retorted with his usual sullen expression. “Don’t make this kind of joke; it’s not funny.”

“No,” Jiang Shu said, this time using a declarative statement. “You two are definitely in a romantic relationship.”

Jiang Shu had been in the entertainment industry for decades. Although he was getting older and couldn’t even figure out if he had turned on Bluetooth on his new phone, his intuition was still frighteningly accurate at times.

In the past, during the era of print media, most celebrities chose to keep their marriages hidden, and some even went to great lengths to hide their children’s existence even when they reached adulthood. However, his eyes were always keen, and he could see through these things.

Long Jia lazily replied, “Can we get on with the meeting?”

“Your auras are off,” Jiang Shu continued, ignoring their psychological warfare. He shifted his attention to Huo Ren, the most obedient and well-behaved among them. “What do you know?”

Under Jiang Shu’s hawk-like gaze, Huo Ren felt a shiver down his spine, reminding him of the chilling feeling he experienced during his trainee days.

Absolutely—absolutely can’t avoid eye contact.

No, he can’t hold out any longer.

“I just found out,” Huo Ren whispered.

Jiang Shu’s expression changed three or four times within a second as he paced back and forth in the living room, furrowing his brow in frustration.

“You guys—ugh, I’m going to lose 500 bucks to Zhong Fengyu’s brat.”

Bo Jue asked, puzzled, “So, you guys are actually betting on us?”

“You still have the nerve to admit it?”

“I forced it,” Long Jia raised his hand. “Teacher Xiao Bao hasn’t agreed yet.”

Bo Jue turned to look at him, “Long Jia, are you genuinely foolish or pretending? Did I not agree?”

Long Jia looked bewildered, “Didn’t you say we’ll talk about it later?”

Xie Lianyun covered his face with both hands, “You three idiots…”

Jiang Shu waved his hand, annoyed, “Chi Chi, get me a bottle of water, and make sure it’s cold.”

“Sure—”

Huo Ren felt like he had done something wrong and stood next to their manager, not daring to move.

“Come on, the six of you, don’t stand there like you’re being punished. Have a seat.”

After some questioning, most of them had confessed to their relationships.

Jiang Shu sipped his water while stroking his chin, clearly agitated.

“We can’t prevent it,” he muttered, “Why did I bet that Xie Lianyun would start an online relationship first?”

Xie Lianyun: ???

“Uncle, how ignorant do you think I am???”

Jiang Shu and other senior officials all came here when they were young. Some impulsive people, such as Mr. Qi, made many mistakes when chasing his wife, and they all know certain inevitable rules.

For a hot-blooded young man, it’s normal for him not to fall in love early and study obediently when he is a teenager, but it’s not normal for him to be in his twenties and not have any thoughts about spring.

“To be honest, we understand that we can’t prevent you from falling in love. Many artists have been caught in romantic scandals, and we all know how that usually goes.” Jiang Shu breathed out slowly. “But dating within the team, at least it’s somewhat manageable. You can keep it under wraps.”

“You two keep your heads down and avoid drawing attention, and you won’t be noticed even if you have a child. That part is actually easy to hide,” Jiang Shu spoke frankly, with no intention of beating around the bush. “The real issue is, what will you do if you break up in the future? Have you thought about that?”

Most couples can move on after a breakup and never have to see each other again, but as long as they’re in Corona, they’ll still have to work together, live in the same dorm, and interact daily.

If they didn’t think this through, it would be nearly impossible to manage the situation when they eventually split up.

Long Jia hesitated for a moment. Even though he wanted to say, “How could I ever break up with him,” he didn’t dare to voice it.

Bo Jue remained silent, his face covered by his hands.

Jiang Shu, with a complicated expression, stared at the two of them for a while before speaking in a slower, more deliberate tone, “Young people in love often seek novelty and excitement. With your lives being monotonous and routine, it’s easy to get carried away with fantasies…”

Unable to contain himself any longer, Xie Lianyun blurted out, “Uncle! They’ve been flirting for five years!!!”

Everyone: …!!!

Jiang Shu’s face contorted into a puzzled expression, “Say that again?”

“They’ve been sticking to each other since they first met at seventeen!! They’ve waited for so long to finally start dating!!”

Huo Ren, now realizing the situation, added, “Yeah, it seems like that…”

If second brother hadn’t said anything, he would never have remembered the small details from their time as trainees.

…Xie Lianyun’s observational skills were terrifyingly good.

Jiang Shu let out a sigh, “How did these two kids endure it?”

Xie Lianyun couldn’t hold back, “Long Jia thought he was straight for three years while being clingy to Bo Jue. And Bo Jue, in his attempt to save face, never properly talked to him. With their pace, what use is holding hands even if they’re dating?”

Xiao Chi applauded quietly, “Thank you for speaking the truth!”

Bo Jue covered his forehead, “Is it too late to fake a heart attack now?”

“It’s too late,” Long Jia said with a grin, putting his arm around Bo Jue, “Do you want a hug?”

So, the next morning, Corona sat in the high-level meeting room once again.

Such matters need to be disclosed to the company’s top executives in advance, and no one person could handle it alone.

Huo Ren presented his plan again and showcased his influence and the purchasing power of CP fans during his business period with Mei Shengyao.

Zhong Fengyu faced Jiang Shu under the table and gestured to count the money. The latter had a dark face and said nothing.

After listening carefully, Director Su thought for a moment and surprisingly didn’t immediately reject the proposal.

“Alright, I think it can work.”

“Which CP do you plan to work with next?”

Huo Ren didn’t expect such a quick response from the other party. He discreetly glanced at Pei Ruye, who was still spinning his pen, and whispered, “Ren-Jue.”

Long Jia silently lowered his head to drink his water, and Xie Lianyun patted his head with a sympathetic expression.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became awkward.

“Ren-Jue has a solid fan base, and ranked fifth on the charts yesterday during the Qixi Festival. I think it can work,” Director Su continued discussing business matters and casually asked, “Why not Bo-Ren?”

“Bo-Ren… would also work…”

“Not for now,” Pei Ruye interjected, sipping his black coffee. “It will top the trending list today.”

The room fell into a puzzled silence as everyone exchanged glances.

“Huh? Don’t you know?” Pei Ruye glanced at the time; it was just 7:50 AM. He signaled them to check the hot search rankings on their phones.

Huo Ren’s ranking had skyrocketed from thirty-five to twelve.

Huo Ren suddenly realized the meaning behind the ranking and took a deep breath, trying to manage his expression.

Mei Shengyao, sitting next to him, was curious. “Who’s Narcissus in our team?”

“…It means self-love,” Xie Lianyun whispered in a hushed voice. “This is unbelievable.”

The Double Blade CP had always existed but had been relatively unknown due to the limited number of people shipping it.

However, after their recent successful concert, gifs of Huo Ren’s mirror dance went viral, with some reaching over a hundred thousand reposts.

The mirror displayed two completely different personalities and emotions. One was a confident and mocking Huo Ren, while the other was a lonely and aloof figure in the mirror, his hand gently lifting the chin of the former.

This sudden explosion of content activated the CP radar of many fans. Double Blade was irresistible – Huo Ren with Huo Ren, both topping and bottoming!

Round it off, and it became real!

With fans producing fan art, fanfic, and even starting ship wars, the second day of the content explosion had begun.

The meeting, initially intended for business discussions, had turned into a discussion of the hottest topic of the day.

Huo Ren fell into silence.

It was too embarrassing.

Moreover, his teacher had brought up this topic…

After nearly ten days of intensive discussions among SPF’s top management, a decision was reached.

On one hand, the young lovers have just been together. According to Romeo’s principle, the more you break them apart, the deeper their relationship becomes, so they are allowed to take it slow.

However, they were strictly prohibited from displaying excessive eye contact and physical intimacy in public.

On the other hand, Huo Ren’s proposal was adopted and upgraded. The company decided to capitalize on the situation and push the Double Blade CP as their main promotion.

Finally, at the end of August, all work arrangements came to an end.

Everyone packed their suitcases, lined up, and bid farewell to Jiang Shu.

After having dealt with their occasional annoyance for six years, Jiang Shu was reluctantly sending them off for a well-deserved break.

“Make sure not to overeat and gain weight; otherwise, I’ll have to scold you all.”

“Yes, yes!”

Huo Ren decided to return to the manor with Long Jia, feeling a bit embarrassed before departure.

Bo Jue and Chi Ji were both foreigners, heading back to Europe to reunite with their families.

Yun-ge, enjoying some rare peace and quiet, would likely spend the few days partying and gaming to his heart’s content.

“Long-ge, I’m relying on you.”

Long Jia had been pondering where to take his younger brother for some fun before he snapped back to reality.

“Don’t be so polite,” he said with a big smile as he ruffled his brother’s hair. “My house is quite large; you can stay wherever you want!”

Before boarding the plane, Long Jia rushed over to give Bo Jue another kiss.

“Send me a text when you land.”

“Mm.”

“I’ll be thinking about you every day.”

“…Mm.”

Bo Jue wasn’t great at expressing such emotions, so he lowered his head and quickly kissed Long Jia’s lips.

“See you in two weeks.”

Long Jia’s eyes sparkled as he whispered in Bo Jue’s ear, “I like you the most.”

Huo Ren chose to stay inside the car, pretending not to have seen anything.

After a while, he opened his phone and hesitated for a long time before sending a message to his teacher.

[Teacher, please take care of yourself during the break.]

Five minutes later, he received a reply from his teacher, a very business-like one.

[Enjoy your vacation.]

The other members took turns coming over to say goodbye, with Yao Yao even openly giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Chi Ji whispered, “Ren-ge, I won’t kiss you; have fun.”

“After you arrive in England, remember to send a message to the group,” Huo Ren smiled, saying, “See you in two weeks.”

When Long Jia got back in the car, he was like a happy big dog that had just been spoiled, with a beaming expression.

Their journey continued as they rode in the caretaker’s car, heading to the suburbs. After a two-hour drive, they arrived at the Long Jia’s Manor.

Huo Ren nearly got tackled by three dogs of the same height as he stepped out of the car. Luckily, Long Jia swiftly pulled him back.

“Sit down.”

The three dogs worked hard to contain their enthusiastic greeting and sat in a row, wagging their tails.

Long Jia’s grandfather was currently recuperating in a hot spring villa and did not stay at the manor. However, other family members, including Long Jia’s parents and siblings, were there to welcome them.

The Long family had many members, and they were all well-mannered and welcoming, creating a warm and harmonious family atmosphere.

Huo Ren hadn’t experienced this kind of environment for a long time, and he felt a mix of confusion and happiness.

Before starting his vacation, he had visited Aunt Lu and the Chen family several times. Aunt Lu had worried whether he would adapt to this environment.

Chairman Cheng and Chairman Long had no airs about them, and the house was decorated warmly and invitingly, with Corona merchandise placed here and there. Although they ate separately at the long dining table, the family’s insistence on feeding them couldn’t be refused.

“Aunt Yuan, give Ren Ren another bowl of oyster soup.”

“Ren Ren, would you like some snow crab legs?”

“Add another serving of roast lamb; you’re too thin. Our dear baby, eat more.”

Huo Ren hadn’t been called a “dear baby” by his elders in many years, so he could only blush and say thank you.

Then he enjoyed a rare feast and ended up eating until he was full.

After dinner, the family engaged in some exercise by riding horses and exploring the northern wilderness of the estate, taking in the sunset.

Long Jia hadn’t spent much time at home, but the three thoroughbred horses that belonged exclusively to him were exceptionally well taken care of. The hunting dogs wagged their tails and followed them, even bringing back a rabbit to show off as a reward for their efforts.

Huo Ren hadn’t experienced this kind of situation in years, and he couldn’t help but feel like a teenager again. He began to join in the fun, galloping alongside his big brother on horseback.

The two big boys played to their heart’s content, and they got quite sweaty. By the time they rode back, Chairman Cheng was already waiting at the gate, holding towels to wipe their faces and necks.

“Ren Ren, you’ll be sleeping with your big brother for these few days. We have plenty of twin rooms; just pick the one you like,” Chairman Cheng said naturally, helping Huo Ren remove some grass leaves from his hair. “The manor is quite large, but we’re worried that it might get a bit spooky at night. If you need anything, just tell your brother, Jia Jia.”

Huo Ren nodded slightly, and he smiled like a child.

Afterward, they went back inside the manor.

They had a blast playing around the manor for five days.

Every night before going to sleep, Long Jia would video call Bo Jue for half an hour and then hang up reluctantly, feeling reluctant to part.

Huo Ren spent most of his time downstairs playing the piano, giving them some private time. Occasionally, Long Jia would call him over, and they would video chat with Bo Jue together.

On the fifth day, Huo Ren vaguely sensed that something was not right.

It seemed like Bo Jue wasn’t having a great time.

His intuition was usually spot on.

“Jia-ge,” Huo Ren looked at the screen and changed his phrasing before asking, “Long-ge’s place is really fun. Would you like to come over?”

Long Jia felt a bit nervous, fearing that this suggestion might trouble his lover. “Xiao Jue, you finally have the chance to spend time with your family, so don’t be too hasty coming back.”

Bo Jue almost reflexively wanted to agree but hesitated when he heard Long Jia’s words.

“Jue-ge, I really miss you,” Huo Ren persisted, trying to convince him. “Jia-ge and I miss you a lot. They have four gardens in their house, as well as a hedge maze and a Steinway piano. If you come back, we can all play together. What do you think?”

Long Jia had initially been quite resolute about not disturbing his loved one’s family gathering, but he started to waver upon hearing his younger brother’s words.

“Yeah,” he replied softly. “I really miss you too.”

Bo Jue swiftly said, “I’ll book a flight tonight. Can you come to the airport to pick me up?”

Long Jia was taken aback. “Isn’t that too soon?”

“It’s fine! I’m coming back to see Ren Ren!”

Huo Ren breathed a sigh of relief, feeling excited about the prospect.

After they hung up the video call, Long Jia suddenly panicked.

“He’s coming back tomorrow?” His big brother stood up, holding his head in his hands. “The house isn’t ready yet. What about the beds? Who is he going to sleep with? How do I introduce him to my parents? Do we need to educate the dogs in advance?”

“Brother, calm down.”

“The flowers in the garden, the campanulas and lilies are too old-fashioned. Xiao Jue will definitely think my taste is bad. And the horses, which one should I choose for him? If he likes swimming, we’ll have to clean and disinfect the entire swimming pool tonight.”

“Brother!”

Suddenly, the video call rang again.

Huo Ren quickly answered. “Huh? Xie-ge?”

“Ren Ren!” Xie Lianyun’s keyboard was surrounded by potato chip bags. “Is the place you’re staying spacious?”

Huo Ren had a strange feeling. “Can’t you stand being at home anymore?”

Xie Lianyun furrowed his brow. “Is it normal to be daily criticized by your parents?”

On the first and second days of returning home, he was treated like a treasure, with his parents doing everything for him. But after a week, nagging and household chores came pouring in, and he was even urged to find a girlfriend to cultivate relationships.

“I can’t take it anymore; they watch me all the time, telling me not to use my phone and computer,” Xie Lianyun complained, frustrated. “How fun is it over there? Take me with you!”

Long Jia quickly returned to his computer. “Teacher Xiao Bo will arrive at the airport tomorrow night. Can you come over to help us today?”

“Long Jia, Third Young Master Long, could you show some dignity?”

This matter was transmitted to the group chat within minutes.

Yao Yao quickly sent a cat emoji with heart eyes. “If my brothers are going, I want to go too! My dad and I just finished our vacation, and he’s going to a concert tomorrow. I’ll take a plane and come find you!”

Chi Ji was also very excited. “I want to come over and play too. Can I arrive the day after tomorrow?”

At this moment, the advantage of staying at the manor became evident.

The house was spacious, there were plenty of entertainment facilities, and it had perfect security measures.

When the trio of Long, Xie, and Ren received Bo Jue at the VIP channel of the airport, they were inevitably chased by fans.

During their vacation, the four of them had to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. Then they quickly retreated to the manor, waiting for their two younger brothers to arrive.

Yao Yao flew in on a private jet, which landed directly on the manor’s airstrip. He was dressed in a Hawaiian shirt.

When Xiao Chi returned from abroad, he remembered to bring a bunch of souvenirs for them. He smiled and gave each person a hug.

“I missed you guys so much! Thanks for hosting me, Long-ge!”

When the six of them were reunited, the long table was packed.

Cheng Zong looked pleased. “If I had so many lovely children, that would be great.”

Long Jia said calmly, “You can still adopt godsons.”

They had trained and worked together for over five years. It was rare to have a vacation together, and they felt a sudden burst of happiness.

No more early mornings for vocal training and dancing, no more album production and songwriting. Even meals were whatever they wanted, and after eating, they played water polo to digest their food.

The days were incredibly carefree, almost like a dream.

Xie Lianyun had initially planned to stay at home a few more days, but he couldn’t resist the urging of his younger brothers.

“Come on, let’s go horseback riding!”

“Xie Xie! Let’s go pick some fruits!”

“Alright, alright.”

 

Fashion Week in October was approaching, and Qin Lu was busy to the point where she couldn’t even catch her breath. She found herself calculating deadlines even in her dreams.

Then, as if on cue, Pei Ruye came over to her house again and sat there all day.

Qin Lu’s girlfriend was unfazed and casually handed him a bag of sunflower seeds. “Kui Kui likes these.”

“Sure, thanks.”

Qin Lu had been working on designing clothes since noon and couldn’t be bothered to entertain him.

By 8 p.m., she finally took a break to drink some water and noticed that Pei Ruye was still there.

“What’s up? You’re only in your mid-twenties, and you’ve been working non-stop for three years. You finally have a break. Is clubbing not fun, or is singing and hotpot not exciting?” She took a sip of cold water. “What’s the matter?”

Pei Ruye used his fingertip to gently stroke the feathers of the sunflower parrot.

“Just let me sit here for a while.”

Qin Lu quickly kissed her little companion on the cheek and signaled for her to take her subordinates downstairs for supper. Then, she pulled up a chair and sat next to him.

“Spill it. What’s going on?”

Pei Ruye remained silent for a while before speaking in a low voice, “Withdrawal symptoms.”

He hadn’t seen Ren for seven consecutive days.

Ren’s Weibo was usually managed by the company, and the photos he posted in his Moments were either of grasslands or dogs. There were hardly any selfies.

The little master was having a great time, while he felt anxious and uneasy, as if he had suddenly been forced to quit an addiction.

Qin Lu fell silent for a few seconds.

“Old Pei, where’s the brain you usually use for business and money-making?”

Pei Ruye admitted openly, “Overcome by lust.”

Normally, he had to manage multiple businesses and expand into various fields, which was far more mentally taxing than his current vacation. However, at that time, he could see Ren almost every day.

Even if he couldn’t see him, he could get second-hand information from Jiang Shu. But now, with the contact completely severed, even the second-hand information was gone. It felt like the string on his kite had suddenly snapped.

His emotions were sinking bit by bit, to the point where he even considered driving to Long’s residence in the middle of the night to bring Ren back.

Qin Lu thought to herself that anyone who was a fan had probably experienced this before. When your idol stopped being active, you would feel like clawing the walls in frustration.

But she couldn’t say it like that.

She cleared her throat and asked again, “Are you sure there’s no hope between you two?”

As a devoted fan of the Captain, Qin Lu felt that she shouldn’t ask such questions, but as a friend, she needed to confirm.

“No chance,” Pei Ruye replied calmly. “He’s turning twenty-one soon, in the prime of his career.”

“You know, if you had made your move a few years earlier, you could have had a chance to ship a CP with him—”

Pei Ruye shot her a glance.

Quickly covering her mouth, Qin Lu spoke seriously, “What about the future?”

“In the future…” Pei Ruye leaned against the wall, allowing the parrot to nibble on his hair. “When he’s free, he’ll definitely pursue someone.”

However, the competition would be fierce, and there was no guarantee he would succeed.

“I see.” Qin Lu contemplated, “You need to start by being friends.”

Finally, Pei Ruye’s expression changed.

“He has always regarded you as a teacher, and the teacher-student relationship is strong. You both have the habit of keeping each other at arm’s length. If you don’t chat or show concern for each other, you won’t be able to date in the future like this.”

Pei Ruye furrowed his brow. “What should I do then?”

“It’s quite simple,” Qin Lu said with confidence. “Just post something on your Moments, like you’re under a lot of work pressure lately, or you have a bad cold and don’t feel well.”

She was well-versed in the art of pursuing someone. She casually glanced at a photo of herself and her girlfriend.

“If he cares about you, he’ll definitely come and check on you. Start a conversation with him on a topic he likes.”

She held up a finger with bright red nail polish. “Pay attention – when the conversation reaches its peak and you’re both having a great time, pretend to fall asleep and don’t respond to him anymore.”

“Wait until the next day, then continue the conversation from where you left off.”

Pei Ruye thought for a moment. “This doesn’t sound like being friends; it sounds like wooing a lover.”

Qin Lu pondered for a moment. “Well, if you love him, what can you do?”

So, Pei Ruye, who rarely updated his Moments, finally posted a picture of himself receiving an intravenous drip in his daily life.

[Heavy cold, not feeling well.]

For several days, Huo Ren hadn’t messaged his teacher, and he was itching to do so.

He felt embarrassed to ask Pei Ruye about how he had been doing recently or what he was busy with, but he couldn’t help worrying about him.

So, every few days, he posted pictures on his Moments of Long’s house’s garden, the dogs, and sunny days, hoping to receive at least one like from his teacher.

But he didn’t get any response.

On the seventh day, he finally gathered the courage to chat with Pei Ruye. He opened Moments, only to find the latest update:

[Heavy. Cold.]

[Not. Com. Fort. Able.]

Huo Ren stared at the phone screen for a long time, overwhelmed by guilt. He had been enjoying himself with his brothers, roasting whole lamb and pigeons every day, playing until dark, and even telling ghost stories with flashlights late at night. And yet, he was upset because his teacher hadn’t liked his Moments posts.

But now he learned that his teacher had been seriously ill with a heavy cold.

He edited several greeting messages, feeling guilty to the point of wanting to delete all those sinful records of his fun.

In the end, he chickened out and had Uncle Jiang send his regards on his behalf.

If he called his teacher and heard his tired, hoarse voice… he might just impulsively drive to the hospital to see him.

Meanwhile, Pei Ruye forced himself to continue monitoring the stock market. Suddenly, his phone rang.

He picked up immediately.

Jiang Shu lazily said, “You have a cold? Who would believe that? You brought me food just fine yesterday, didn’t you?”

Pei Ruye raised his hand to close his laptop.

“It’s for the clients to see, to hide from the authorities.”

“The doctor said the biopsy results are good. I only have to stay for another five days, and then I can leave” Jiang Shu scoffed. “Damn, for early-stage stomach cancer, they had me spend ten days in the hospital. Are they kidding?”

“Their beds are limited.”

“I have to stay for at least half a month. I’ll get a comprehensive checkup too.” The manager sighed. “You recommended that Dr. Ye, she’s good, but she has a stern face.”

“That’s Dr. Wu’s student.”

“Dr. Wu? Is she related to Director Qi?”

“No more chit-chat; I have another meeting,” Pei Ruye said as he looked out the window. “Next week, I’ll help take them on an overseas trip for you.”

“Hey, Boss Pei,” Jiang Shu suddenly showed interest. “You’ve been single for so long, haven’t found someone you like? Do you need me to introduce a couple of people?”

Yes, he had. But if he confessed, he’d probably flip the table.

“Thanks, but not for now.”

After the call ended, Pei Ruye sighed deeply.

He knew that Qin Lu was unreliable.

He reopened his phone, ready to delete his own Moments post.

Suddenly, a message popped up.

[Teacher… If you’re not feeling well, you don’t have to accompany us to the seaside next weekend. Please take a good rest.]

Pei Ruye read this message twice.

Then he recalled the tricks Qin Lu had mentioned and thought about how to respond.

After seven days without contact, he remembered to send a message when he knew about his illness. So heartless.

He sighed and dialed the phone.

 

Huo Ren didn’t expect his teacher to call back immediately via WeChat, so he panicked for a few seconds and walked away.

Long Jia, who was calling him loudly, said, “Huo Ren, come and roast marshmallows!”

“I’ll be right there.”

“Teacher?” He whispered, “Have you recovered from the fever?”

“I’m getting better. The medicine the doctor prescribed works well,” Pei Ruye said, absently fiddling with his tie knot. He looked out the floor-to-ceiling window at the street scene below and asked, “Have you been having a good time lately?”

“Um…”

Huo Ren had so many things he wanted to say to him, but he was afraid that his teacher would think he was childish, so he choked back his words, not daring to make a mistake.

“This weekend, I’ll pick you up for a vacation abroad. How about it?”

Pei Ruye didn’t give him any time to think and continued to dangle the bait.

“I have a seaside villa in Belgium. There are no paparazzi on the private beach. There’s also a hunting ground and palace in the snowy mountains and hills nearby.”

“Teacher will take you to the hot springs.”

Huo Ren quickly responded.

He should push harder and try to get more.

“Teacher, will you be with us for a few days?”

Huo Ren knew that his teacher was always very busy, and they hardly ever crossed paths on workdays.

However, he just wanted to ask.

Pei Ruye remained silent for a few seconds and then whispered, “How many days would you like to see me?”

Huo Ren’s heart skipped a beat, and he didn’t respond for a while.

This question seemed a bit ambiguous.

Pei Ruye realized that he might have been neglected for too long and was speaking without thinking. He intended to change the topic to bypass the question.

“Every day.”

The young man’s voice was soft, and his tone was earnest.

“Teacher, I want to see you every day.”