CH 26

Wen Zhecheng had a momentary feeling that his heart was numbed.

“Little brother” seemed to poke him even more than “big brother.”

After Rong Yuheng called out but didn’t hear a response, he shamelessly continued to inquire, “Little brother, why aren’t you answering?”

Wen Zhecheng’s throat was blocked by an impulse, and he struggled for a while before letting out a hesitant “uh.”

“… ” Rong Yuheng finally understood what it felt like to squeeze toothpaste.

Squeeze a little, a bit comes out. Squeeze a little, a bit comes out…

He was rendered speechless by the indifferent “uh,” and a faint regret surfaced in his heart:

Wen Zhecheng seemed like a good person, just not very lively. Otherwise, they could have become good friends.

Because he was still thinking about the meal from the production team, Rong Yuheng said a few more words before hanging up the phone. His figure, running back happily, resembled a little animal.

He hurriedly returned to the rest area, but before he could dig into his meal, he was lifted up by Su Yuyin.

Su Yuyin asked, “Was that a call from your manager?”

With his mouth full, Rong Yuheng made a “gululu” sound and shook his head.

For a moment, Su Yuyin felt like he was having a conversation with a boiling kettle.

He gave in, “…Forget it, you eat first.”

Rong Yuheng nodded his head twice with his mouth still full, making a “gululu” sound.

…

After they finished eating, Yang Wen asked each of them to record their reflections, emphasizing the need to stick to the theme and be positive.

Su Yuyin’s previous statement about “paternal love” had greatly inspired everyone, and they all steered the conversation towards “parent-child affection.”

Emotions ran high in the entire studio, even the onlookers among the staff were deeply moved.

Rong Yuheng kept his lips pursed as they recorded, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

When it was his turn, the camera shifted to him. Director Yang Wen made a gesture, indicating that Rong Yuheng should be ready to begin.

Outside the scene, Gou Li who was also a trainee, had heard rumors about Rong Yuheng. With a heavy heart, he turned his head and whispered to Chen Shulin,

“I heard that Xiao Rong’s family situation is not good, and his previous life was also very difficult. He must have a special feeling about this topic,” Chen Shulin said with a fondness for Rong Yuheng, unable to bear it. “I hope he can come out of the shadows of the past.”

Yang Wen, who unintentionally overheard, “…”

Are they talking about the same “Rong Yuheng”?

The latter, who was being observed by several people with different emotions, was unaware of it. Facing the dark camera at this moment, he suddenly felt unable to speak.

Yang Wen raised his hand again to prompt him, and Rong Yuheng regained his composure. After thinking for two seconds, he spoke up.

“Through today’s theme, I have gained an insight.”

The camera clicked and zoomed in, giving a close-up shot.

Rong Yuheng’s pupils faced the camera, his gaze profound. Under the expectant gazes of the others, he solemnly said, “When us girls look for a boyfriend, we must open our eyes wide. Only by marrying into a good family can we bring peace of mind to our parents.”

At the scene, “…”

After Rong Yuheng finished this “friend of women” speech, he quietly muted the microphone.

From the moment he closed his lips, the air became silent, as if it had stopped flowing.

Yang Wen was stunned by the words “us girls,” and even his lips trembled.

After a while, he uttered a slightly awkward voice, trying to save the situation, “If we look at it from a girl’s perspective… this reflection is not entirely invalid.”

Su Yuyin timely supported Yang Wen, “This can be seen as a perspective from a woman’s point of view on the theme of ‘paternal love.’ It can be considered as a fresh approach.”

After recording this line, Rong Yuheng stepped down. Xi Tao didn’t realize what was wrong. Her focus was entirely on the camera.

Xi Tao quietly pulled the former, “It’s a solo shot, why didn’t you say a few more words? It would be great to talk more about your relationship with your father. It’s easy to increase the audience’s goodwill.”

Rong Yuheng looked indifferent, “No, I’m afraid he’ll become arrogant.”1He was fighting with his father, so he was cautious in this aspect

Xi Tao didn’t understand, but seeing that the former didn’t want to discuss further, she could only retreat in frustration.

Su Yuyin, after Rong Yuheng’s “women” statement, was struck again, feeling exhausted.

It was only at this moment that he realized Song Tang’s request was a trap—it wasn’t called “taking care,” it was called “experiencing.”

“Little Rongbao, please pay attention to your on-screen image in the future and avoid saying things that can easily provoke criticism,” Su Yuyin pulled Rong Yuheng to the side and spoke with emphasis, “You can speak up for girls, but you shouldn’t… be so immersed in it. The media can easily sensationalize these things.”

A small question mark appeared in Rong Yuheng’s mind. “What kind of sensationalism?”

Su Yuyin’s words took a turn on his tongue.

To make the former take it seriously, after hesitating for a moment, he decided to use scare tactics, “The media might say you have gender identity disorder, that you see yourself as a woman; even worse, they might say you’ve undergone sex change or cross-dress as a man!”

Su Yuyin finished his nonsense and even fell silent for two seconds himself: …so exaggerated, so absurd.

He added to emphasize his point, “Don’t dismiss it.”

Unexpectedly, when Rong Yuheng heard this, he showed a look of empathy. “I believe it.”

Because he had experienced it before.

This time, Su Yuyin was the one with a small question mark: Why? What has he gone through??

The indescribable atmosphere between the two as usual ended with a call from Xu Sun.

The use of “as usual” was quite clever.

Rong Yuheng upgraded his nickname for him to “The Ultimate Terminator.”

Xu Sun called to ask Rong Yuheng to wait for him a little longer, saying he was busy with other matters and would be two hours late.

Rong Yuheng generously forgave him and hung up the phone, then went to browse An’s Moments to relax.

Chen Shulin and Gou Li had already been taken back to the company by their managers, and Xi Tao also left the production team shortly after.

Yang Wen glanced at Rong Yuheng, who was lounging on the couch, and chuckled, “Looks like you’ll have to stay here for dinner.”

Rong Yuheng followed the cue and slid down, saying, “Can we order some food?”

Yang Wen initially wanted to say, “That will be at an additional cost,” but suddenly caught sight of the shiny “Luei” sign above the venue… His attitude instantly became amiable.

“You can order whatever you want.” As the darling of the wealthy fathers.

Su Yuyin didn’t pay much attention to the hidden currents between the two of them. His mind was focused on another matter.

He thought Xu Sun was being too indifferent towards Rong Yuheng. It’s one thing to not accompany him during the recording, but now he was going to be two hours late to pick him up.

Su Yuyin tentatively advised the former, “Rongrong, when you become more famous in the future and the company values you, you can apply for a change of manager.”

At this moment, Rong Yuheng was mentally planning a menu. It seemed like he was hungry again, not long after finishing his meal.

Upon hearing Su Yuyin’s words, he sluggishly responded, “Huh?” A glistening strand of saliva trailed from his mouth, shimmering brightly under the lights…

“…” Su Yuyin choked on his breath, and after a momentary pause, he waved his hand, “No, it’s nothing.”

He had a premonition: in the future, it wouldn’t be Rong Yuheng wanting to replace Xu Sun, but Xu Sun desperately seeking to send away Rong Yuheng.

Deep in his heart, Su Yuyin silently lit a candle for Xu Sun, who was far away.

Carrying the flickering candlelight, Xu Sun finally arrived at the production team two hours later.

Yang Wen couldn’t understand where he got the audacity from, daring to treat someone like Rong Yuheng as a plaything.

Seeing that Rong Yuheng didn’t seem to mind, Yang Wen didn’t want to interfere.

“Director Yang, Su-ge, thank you for today. It was hard work,” Rong Yuheng clasped his hands together and bowed to the two of them. The jade Guanyin drew an arc in the air, as if about to manifest.

Suddenly, Su Yuyin’s feeling of déjà vu became even stronger.

After bidding farewell to them, Rong Yuheng got into the car with Xu Sun.

As soon as he got in the car, he closed the windows tightly. Xu Sun felt suffocated. “Should I open a crack here?”

Rong Yuheng’s gaze was profound. “Sun-ge, I waited for you for two hours, and now you want me to feel the cold wind.”2The idiom “感冒风” (gǎn mào fēng) in Chinese is used to describe someone who is sensitive to cold or easily affected by cold weather. It implies that the person is susceptible to catching a cold or experiencing discomfort when exposed to cold air or drafts. In a broader sense, it can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who is sensitive or vulnerable to external influences or negative factors in their environment.

“…” Xu Sun knew he was in the wrong, so he touched his nose and didn’t bring it up again. He started the car and drove back.

During the return journey, Xu Sun said, “Now that you’re appearing on variety shows and your exposure is increasing, you need to pay attention to your image. I wanted you to register a new account on Weibo before, and you can do it today. Remember to send me the account and password.”

Rong Yuheng replied with a sound of disbelief.

This time, Xu Sun was already used to it and continued, “And about your character portrayal, I think you can go for the pitiful and tragic route.”

Rong Yuheng stopped with disbelief and sat up straight! He could hardly believe his ears. “Pitiful and tragic? What?”

“Tragic,” Xu Sun emphasized the word, making it sound particularly miserable. “Let me ask you again, do you really not know why you were chosen for ‘Treasure Hunt’?”

Rong Yuheng pursed his lips. In his mind, Xu Sun was not trustworthy.

He said, “Maybe it’s for poverty alleviation.”

Just then, the car passed over some gravel on the road, causing a slight tremor on Xu Sun’s face. He remained silent for a moment, then relaxed his expression. “Forget it, your sense of variety shows is indeed much better than Zai An. If I were Director Yang, I would have chosen you too.”

After letting go of the matter, Xu Sun became lively and even brought out a bit of the “playfulness” that Rong Yuheng appreciated. He began outlining a bright future.

“In the future, you should go for the ‘pitiful’ route. I remember when I first saw you, your pitiful and teary-eyed expression touched me. A tragic background, a complex past, a life filled with bullying… These are all selling points of yours!”

Rong Yuheng’s pupils contracted—how come he didn’t know about these things!

His lips trembled for a moment, “No…”

“Isn’t it amazing when things are unclear!” Xu Sun’s emotions grew intense, and he slapped the steering wheel, causing a cheerful honk sound to resonate, as if responding to his excitement.

Xu Sun’s imagination became unstoppable, not giving Rong Yuheng a chance to interrupt. “Whenever you have free time, go out for a stroll alone and let the paparazzi capture your lonely figure unintentionally. Let the audience realize that you have internal scars and that your happiness is just a protective facade…”

Rong Yuheng’s pinky finger trembled… Oh no, he started reciting lyrics now.

Is he going to start rapping soon?

Xu Sun continued, “Don’t think that you’re close with the other trainees now. You need to create a contrast and make everyone remember your solitary and friendless first half of life…”

Rong Yuheng gasped, “Are you kidding me!”

In his mind, a swarm of troublemakers danced like fluttering moths, those foolish members of wealthy families. “You…”

Xu Sun interrupted, “To facilitate your character portrayal, I’ll apply to the company to get you a car. By the way, what were you about to say just now?”

Rong Yuheng composed himself, “I was going to say that as long as you’re happy, it’s good.”

Xu Sun smiled knowingly, “Talking to you is always enjoyable.”

Rong Yuheng gave him a deep gaze… hoping that Xu Sun could maintain this sense of enjoyment.

After dropping Rong Yuheng off at the training center, Xu Sun went back.

Rong Yuheng was tired after a day’s work. He took a shower and lay down to rest, recharging himself for the training the next day.

In the following days, nobody from their dormitory received any work, so they trained and attended classes together.

Ke Ting, among all the mentors, was probably the least busy. After finishing his concert tour, he went to the program group every day. As a result, Rong Yuheng and the other three members of his dormitory were always accompanied by a slice of Ke Ting.

Back in the dormitory, Pu Zaixi couldn’t help but feel exhausted. “I can’t understand Ke Laoshi’s way of thinking at all! I even miss Wen Laoshi a little bit. I don’t know when he’ll come to substitute.”

Upon hearing this, Rong Yuheng naturally replied, “He’s probably still in Country F.”

The air became silent for two seconds, then Pu Zaixi looked up in surprise. “How do you know?”

Rong Yuheng admitted, “He mentioned it in our last phone call.”

Pu Zaixi immediately let out a loud shriek, “You still talk on the phone!! You talk to Wen Laoshi! On the phone! How brave are you?”

As he spoke, he climbed onto Rong Yuheng’s bed, leaning close to him and whispering, “Are you guys that close? Why does he call you? Just for casual chats?”

Rong Yuheng recalled and looked somewhat hesitant, “It’s hard to explain… but I don’t think our conversations are very casual.”

Like discussing kidnappings.

In fact, Rong Yuheng didn’t quite understand how talking on the phone equated to being close. According to that logic, he and Xu Sun were practically bosom buddies.

Rong Yuheng asked for clarification.

Pu Zaixi’s eyes looked momentarily complex, “Don’t you think something is off? Wen Laoshi wouldn’t call us, nor would he tell us he’s in Country F. He…”

Pu Zaixi stopped abruptly, a suspicion emerging in his mind, but it was too outrageous for him to confirm.

He probed, “What do you think of Wen Laoshi?”

Rong Yuheng answered without hesitation, “He’s a good person.”

Pu Zaixi remained silent.

He felt a pang in his heart, “Does Wen Laoshi know that you send him those cards?”

Rong Yuheng shook his head, “I don’t think he knows.”

Furrowing his brows, Rong Yuheng continued, “You’re right, I should express my feelings to him.”

Then, Pu Zaixi saw him took out his phone, “…”

Although that suspicion hadn’t been confirmed, he suddenly felt a trace of desolation for Wen Zhecheng.

At this moment, Wen Zhecheng had just landed from his flight.

The words “Little brother” from Rong Yuheng lingered in his mind like a swinging pendulum, causing his heart to thump and ripple.

His polished leather shoes stepped on the smooth tiles, the sound of footsteps echoing through the spacious hall.

Qu Youhe pushed the luggage cart, guarding Wen Zhecheng as they headed towards the VIP passage.

Qu Youhe had been in possession of Wen Zhecheng’s phone, and now it suddenly rang. Xiaotang on the side quickly took the luggage, and Qu Youhe pulled out the phone, only to see the words “Rong Yuheng” flashing on the screen.

Qu Youhe remained silent.

He felt like he was holding Pandora’s box in his hands.

But unfortunately, his Gege Wen was fooled by this little demon.

Just as he was thinking this, Wen Zhecheng turned his head, “Is it a message?”

Qu Youhe hummed twice and handed it over, “It’s from Rong Yuheng.”

A surge of excitement filled Wen Zhecheng’s heart!

He had just landed, and Rong Yuheng already sent him a message. What… This was telepathy!

While Wen Zhecheng was secretly thrilled about this forced “telepathy,” he saw two messages lying in the conversation box:

– You are a good person.

– [Otter rubbing face.jpg]

Author’s note: Wen Zhecheng: I have acquired otter PTSD.