Idol Chapter 83

At 5:30 in the afternoon, they returned to the beachfront villa together.

Bo Jue went out empty-handed and returned in the same manner. Most of the small items he bought were carried away by his two assistants, and most of the shops on the street had to restock.

Chi Ji and Mei Shengyao bought too many dolls and resin crafts, and they relied on their two brothers to help carry them. The trunk of the car was almost full.

Huo Ren tucked the white rose brooch into the hidden compartment of his wallet, but he couldn’t figure out how to give the other one to Pei Ruye.

He didn’t want to keep a picture of his teacher for himself. But when he saw the brooch, it felt as if he had seen his teacher in person, giving him an inexplicable sense of peace.

However, the red rose… already represented a declaration of love.

The teenager quickly shook his head, deciding to put the brooch back in his room for now and find an opportunity to give it to him in person later.

The villa had clearly been renovated in advance, with eight spacious and bright bedrooms, as well as a fully equipped music room and recording studio, allowing them to enjoy music alongside their playfulness.

Next to the semi-open kitchen, there were three large refrigerators stocked with a wide variety of Wagyu beef, oysters, and lobsters.

To the west of the villa was an infinity pool, and to the north, there was a coniferous forest where deer and foxes were said to often appear.

In less than five minutes of walking to the south, they could reach an entire private beach, and they could even bring a bag of dry bread to feed the seagulls.

The housekeepers were elderly women from Eastern Europe, and they smiled kindly when they saw them.

After dinner, the group gathered in the living room to watch a movie, opening a bottle of red wine along the way to enhance the mood.

Huo Ren watched for less than fifteen minutes and started to drift off.

He explained that he needed to return to his room to tidy up his luggage and then wandered around the third floor.

Pei Ruye’s study and bedroom were both closed, but there was some faint activity coming from the storage room.

Huo Ren held his breath and quietly approached to take a look, just in time to make eye contact with the man who was organizing wine labels.

“Hmm?”

“I… I can help you with that.”

Pei Ruye withdrew his gaze and stared at the French labels. “No need, go downstairs and rest.”

He had come upstairs alone in the first place to avoid them.

Pei Ruye was clear-headed and knew that he had come here for the vacation with a selfish motive. If he got too close, his rationality would be on the verge of wavering.

Seeing each other a few more times each day was already enough. He shouldn’t be greedy.

Huo Ren felt much better after getting enough rest. He quickly scanned the labels on the wooden cabinets and storage shelves, then bent down to start packaging them.

Although there were some French words he didn’t recognize, it wasn’t a problem.

Huo Ren was nimble and had a clear train of thought. He quickly caught up with Pei Ruye’s deliberately slow progress.

What should have been a two-week task of sorting sweet wines, strong liquors, and niche wines was completed in less than an hour.

Pei Ruye held his forehead, unsure whether to praise him or sigh.

…He should assemble the furniture tomorrow. Spending an afternoon idly piecing together hundreds of parts would be a way to pass the time.

As Huo Ren efficiently wrapped up most of the work, he began to think about other things.

His teacher had seen him at his most disheveled.

For many fans, he was Cain, the core of Corona. He exuded a mature and composed demeanor, with layers of radiance and an unreal beauty.

But his teacher had seen him at the beginning.

He couldn’t dance, couldn’t play the piano, and his school uniform pants were dirty with splattered paint. He smelled of poverty and hardship.

Huo Ren held a bottle of tequila in his hands, unsure where to go next.

The storage room was large and empty, and his thoughts were drifting aimlessly.

“This bottle is a limited special edition,” Pei Ruye glanced at it. “I’ll take it to the underground wine cellar later.”

“Um… sure.” Huo Ren turned to look at him, and at the same time, he saw his own reflection in the glass cabinet door.

Tall, slender, sharp eyebrows and eyes.

“What are you thinking?” Pei Ruye asked.

“Time flies in five years,” Huo Ren said softly. “Sometimes, when I think about it, I realize how lucky I’ve been to come this far.”

If that day, any other examiner had been chosen, or if something unexpected had happened during his midnight wandering on the streets, he would never have had the position he had today.

His life was like turbulent river waters, where one wrong step could lead him into an abyss, from which he might never return.

Pei Ruye came back to himself and smiled, looking down at him.

“Huo Ren.”

“What?”

“Do you know why I chose you on the day of the audition?”

Huo Ren hesitated for a moment, not quite grasping it.

“Chose?”

He remembered that there were several judges that day, but Pei Ruye was the first to stamp the approval, and others followed suit.

“The head judge has the right to cast the deciding vote,” Pei Ruye closed the glass door calmly. “You were the only candidate I approved that day.”

“W-what?!”

Suddenly, Huo Ren’s mind was in complete chaos.

He had always thought that he was selected due to his appearance or his comical calisthenics routine, with no real distinction from the hundreds of other trainees.

But the teacher said—

He was the only one chosen by him that day.

Only. One.

“Huo Ren.”

“Singing and dancing can be developed through teaching, makeup and etiquette can improve appearance.”

“But there’s one thing that no company can make up for later.”

Huo Ren had never been valued and cherished like this before, and for a moment, he couldn’t catch up with his own thoughts, not knowing how to respond.

“I… at that time, I had nothing,” he reluctantly revealed his deep-seated self-doubt. “You knew better than anyone how empty I was back then.”

Pei Ruye patted his shoulder and gently brought the young man closer to the glass cabinet.

“There was a cold glint in your eyes.”

Sharp and bright, like a blade.

In fact, he regretted coming as the head judge that day.

It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, and he had felt like he was wasting his time from morning to afternoon.

Most junior high school students were still immature, with faces showing their youth, and their actions and words were all quite similar.

Many could sing and dance, but very few left a lasting impression.

You could roughly judge whether someone was ordinary or not from their eyes.

Until he saw Huo Ren.

Fifteen years old, just graduated from junior high school.

There were still blades of grass hanging from his shoelaces as if he had just been rolling in the grass.

But his eyes gleamed with a cold light, sharp enough to make people instinctively want to avoid them.

It took Pei Ruye five seconds to realize that he was still looking into the eyes of this child.

Then he noticed his bone structure, posture, way of thinking, and other insignificant details.

Perfect, like a piece of uncut jade.

“Huo Ren, luck has never been about you.”

“It’s about this world being fortunate enough to have you.”

Pei Ruye gazed at the reflection of Huo Ren in the mirror, his voice deep and resonant.

“Whatever field you choose, you will excel and have a brilliant life.”

“And by choosing to become an idol, you are using all your radiance to kiss this world.”

Granting countless people hope and happiness.

Talent, effort, charisma, determination, you possess nearly all the precious qualities but remain unaware.

Huo Ren’s breath paused for a few seconds, and then he suddenly turned around and hugged him tightly. In that moment, both their hearts beat as one.

The feeling of being recognized and loved was simply too wonderful.

It felt like he had truly come alive.

“Teacher, wait for me to bring back the crown,” he said with determination. “No matter how long it takes, no matter how difficult it gets.”

After saying these two sentences, Huo Ren suddenly realized that he had hugged the man too tightly. Their ears had pressed against each other, warm and soft.

Oops, he got carried away.

He quickly released his embrace, bowed, and without even saying goodnight, he ran out.

His heart was still pounding.

Pei Ruye watched as someone finished his teasing and then dashed away. He used his fingertip to rub his earlobe lightly.

The next morning, Long Jia and Mei Shengyao, along with Chi Ji, went fishing in the sea. Bo Jue went to the first floor to practice the piano, while Xie Lianyun didn’t wake up until 1:30 in the afternoon.

Pei Ruye drove to the market in the morning to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat. He was in a very good mood.

Huo Ren followed him, always wanting to do something more, although he felt embarrassed to talk to the teacher after the hug yesterday. But he could help by handing out change and carrying paper bags.

This eager-to-please attitude hadn’t been seen since junior high school.

Pei Ruye noticed and casually rewarded him with an apple.

The little white wolf took a bite, and the sweetness made him want to wag his tail.

Everyone was on a rare vacation, and despite having more than a week of free time, they felt somewhat uncomfortable. Without Uncle Jiang’s constant reminders and Teacher Zhong’s daily vocal training and coaching, the days seemed unusually leisurely.

Xie Lianyun brushed his teeth and went to record the melody he dreamt of, while the other four quickly followed suit, gathered together, enjoying the sea breeze while composing songs. They were oblivious to the fact that they were on vacation.

The OSC Awards had changed their rules and moved the award ceremony to February 20th. With only one crown available, it meant that both groups and individuals had to participate in the evaluation simultaneously, increasing the pressure on organizers and judges alike.

Corona naturally postponed the release of their album, relieving them from the rush of flying, performing, and composing songs.

Huo Ren had already completed his tasks ahead of schedule and couldn’t help but chuckle as he listened to the echoes of guitars and pianos from downstairs.

He stood by the side door, ready to go in, and happened to see Pei Ruye’s back. Pei Ruye was standing with his back to him, leisurely reading both sides of an A3-sized assembly manual. He then set the manual aside and began sorting and arranging hundreds of parts according to their positions.

Huo Ren suddenly realized that something was amiss.

Ordinary people couldn’t achieve this level of efficiency. When he had come over to get some tape earlier, he had glanced at the assembly manual. The compound cabinet had dozens of different-shaped wooden panels, and the sizes and shapes of the components were all different.

Even a worker might take two hours to assemble it. But fifteen minutes had passed, and the teacher hadn’t even glanced at the assembly instructions again.

It was as if he was playing with children’s building blocks, effortlessly and casually.

Huo Ren instinctively wanted to ask, but he immediately took a step back, replaying in his mind every moment they had spent together.

This wasn’t just about today.

Back when they were shooting the magazine for SPF, the teacher had spontaneously reviewed the schedules for eight different events, replaced Uncle Jiang as the team leader, and led them to complete sixteen endorsements in a single day.

And he clearly remembered every makeup change and outfit combination for each advertisement.

Could it be…

“Are you here?” Pei Ruye stopped his work and motioned for him to hand over the pliers. “There are nails next to it; be careful with your hands.”

Huo Ren quickly handed over the tools, trying to clear his mind.

He wasn’t sure if it was infatuation making him unconsciously magnify and beautify every action of Pei Ruye or if it was because… they were actually alike.

“I called Uncle Jiang yesterday,” he cleared his throat and changed the subject. “He didn’t answer, and I don’t know what he’s busy with.”

Pei Ruye didn’t stop working and was still strengthening the spring clips.

“Uncle Jiang is in the hospital.”

“Huh?”

“He was diagnosed with early-stage stomach cancer earlier this year, and he just had surgery a few days ago. The biopsy results were benign.”

“Cancer? And he didn’t tell us?” Huo Ren exclaimed.

“It’s not a big problem. The hospital wants him to stay for ten days before he can be discharged, but he’s not too happy about it.” Pei Ruye sighed, finding it amusing that the old man was both superstitious and stubborn. “There are a few parties at the end of the year, so keep an eye on him, and it’s probably best if he doesn’t drink.”

The lead surgeon was a young specialist, and his illness had likely accumulated from years of overwork. As it was benign, it wasn’t expected to spread further. With some rest for a couple of weeks, he should be fine.

“By the way,” Pei Ruye changed the subject, fearing that Huo Ren might worry too much. “Tonight, I’ll take you guys to the hot springs. How does that sound?”

Huo Ren nodded but suddenly realized what he’d forgotten. It was too late to refuse now.

Teacher… You might not be suitable to join us in the hot springs…

He had struggled for half an hour, not knowing how to say it, but in the end, he just packed his things. He could already predict how chaotic it would be tonight.

Near the villa, there was a private hot spring club with a Nordic minimalist style. Surrounded by fir trees, it exuded a sense of artistic detachment.

Everyone was in high spirits, quickly changing into their swimsuits, throwing towels over their shoulders, and rushing into the pool.

Huo Ren had already changed and secured a spot in a corner, well-prepared.

Xie Lianyun was next in line, and there was a Pikachu on his swim trunks.

“What the hell, Long Jia! You’re not wearing pants?!”

“… We’re all guys; why should we wear pants?” Long Jia shook his elephant. “Is it not the same in Japan’s hot springs?”

He splashed into the water, and the other three followed suit.

Bo Jue and Chi Ji had both brought their coats, and they also brought iced wine and fruit juice.

Pei Ruye, the last to enter, had stayed behind to chat with the owner for a while before finally changing and joining them.

As he walked to the edge of the pool, the guys were already playing with water balloons and laughing.

Then the whole place fell silent.

“Keep playing,” Pei Ruye bent down to help arrange the slippers and the mermaid line trailing behind him.

Everyone’s attention was now fixed on his upper body.

“Damn,” Long Jia exclaimed in awe, “President Pei, your physique is terrifying. Your waistline and leg shape… Can you please tell us the name of the personal trainer you hired?”

“No wonder you never take off your coat normally,” Xie Lianyun said, looking down at his flat stomach. “Maybe you should wear clothes while joining us in the pool.”

The difference was too striking.

His body was both full and tight, with a perfect combination of length and gracefulness. Normally, it was all hidden under oversized coats, and nothing could be seen.

Mei Shengyao quickly raised his hand. “Teacher! Can I touch it?”

The admiration and comments continued in a chorus.

“Is this the legendary shark line?”

“What supplements do you use to gain muscle, President Pei? Please share!”

Huo Ren chose to hide underwater and blow bubbles.

He knew it would be like this.

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Tomorrow morning’s update will be filled with sweetness! Goodnight, everyone! 😘❤️