Recovery

Ying Huai's expression was somewhat strange.

He stared at Lu Jing, and after a long moment slowly spoke: "What is Shixiong doing?"

Lu Jing's expression was also somewhat stiff.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, but the words had already been spoken and couldn't be taken back.

He gritted his teeth and continued: "I just said, you don't want to go on this Variety Show, I can help you—"

"Does Shixiong also want to sleep with me for a night?" Ying Huai suddenly interrupted softly.

Lu Jing froze, his face instantly darkening: "Ying Huai! What nonsense are you spouting—"

"Then what conditions does Shixiong have," Ying Huai raised his head with a half-smile, "what else do I have here... that Shixiong can make use of?"

Lu Jing's words caught in his throat.

Only then did he belatedly realize that he truly hadn't thought about this when he spoke just now.

His brow furrowed little by little, but to Ying Huai, this silence was taken as acquiescence.

"Shixiong truly is the pupil surpassing the master," Ying Huai tilted his head and coughed a few times, speaking hoarsely, "not letting go of any chance to exploit others."

A surge of inexplicable anger rose in Lu Jing's chest: "Ying Huai, stop slandering me, I just want to help you, you don't appreciate it—"

"Is that so," Ying Huai suddenly laughed, "then Shixiong must feel quite angry right now?"

Lu Jing froze.

Ying Huai slightly raised his head, the stray hair on his forehead covering the mockery in his peach-blossom eyes: "Does Shixiong now know what it feels like to be slandered?"

Lu Jing's expression suddenly stilled.

He belatedly realized where that surge of anger had come from.

—Is this what Ying Huai has been feeling all along?

Lu Jing's expression slackened. He suddenly, unavoidably realized that if Ying Huai had been slandered in the matter of Lu Father, then the truth behind all those other so-called scandals...

The tangled memories in his mind seemed to slowly connect, and Lu Jing pressed his forehead with some difficulty, always feeling that something buried deep in his memory was about to break through the surface.

Ying Huai, however, couldn't be bothered to keep tangling with Lu Jing.

He had just exhausted every effort scheming against Lu Father, and his chest now felt stuffy with fatigue.

He pressed his chest, drew a light breath, and turned to walk straight outside.

At the same moment, Lu Jing suddenly raised his head: "Where are you going?"

"Find my manager to get the Variety Show schedule, go home, sleep." Ying Huai answered casually without looking back.

The moment his words fell, a shadow suddenly loomed before him.

Lu Jing blocked his path, red veins gradually bursting in his eyes, his expression inexplicably panicked as he looked at Ying Huai: "Don't go."

Ying Huai frowned and raised his head somewhat warily.

But Lu Jing seemed to not be looking at him at all. He stared at Ying Huai with a dazed expression for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke in a low voice: "I was wrong, Xiao Huai..."

Ying Huai suddenly raised his head.

Since he had been forced to go solo from the company, Lu Jing had never called out "Xiao Huai" again.

Ying Huai wasn't sure what Lu Jing wanted, but it couldn't be anything good.

Ying Huai stepped back and spoke in a low voice: "What does Shixiong want?"

Lu Jing stared at him with a dazed expression for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke blankly: "It was you who helped me return to the Lu Family, wasn't it?"

Ying Huai's brow twitched, and his gaze suddenly darkened.

He stared at Lu Jing without speaking, but Lu Jing seemed already certain of this.

"What trap is Shixiong trying to push me into again?" Ying Huai laughed softly and raised his head.

Lu Jing's expression froze. He wasn't entirely sure what Ying Huai was talking about, but still instinctively spoke urgently to explain: "No, I—"

Before Lu Jing could finish speaking, he suddenly groaned and stepped back, pressing his brow.

A memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.

It was the night the Lu Family Group announced the final heir. Lu Jing had exhausted every means, yet still couldn't find out who Lu Father had ultimately chosen.

But as the final segment approached, Lu Father suddenly called him over and told him to bring Ying Huai here.

Lu Jing had a bad feeling in his heart, but thinking about the Lu Family Heir Announcement tonight, he gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed the unnecessary worry.

He had "tricked" Ying Huai into coming.

—Or rather, Ying Huai thought Lu Jing had finally believed him, and came willingly.

[Shixiong, tonight is when the Lu Family Heir Announcement will be made, right?]

Lu Jing looked at Ying Huai and said nothing.

During that period, Ying Huai's health was already very poor, and he had only just recovered from a serious illness.

Lu Jing wondered when Ying Huai's health had gotten so bad, but this minor doubt would each time quickly dissipate because of other more important matters.

He answered casually in a low voice: [Go downstairs first, your manager has something for you.]

Ying Huai froze, seeming somewhat hesitant: [Can I go a little later?]

Lu Jing thought Ying Huai had seen through his lie, and his face instantly darkened.

Ying Huai looked at Lu Jing's expression, sighed silently, then smiled again: [I was joking with Shixiong, I'll go right now.]

He turned and walked two steps, then hesitated, suddenly turning back: [When the heir is announced later, I'll try to rush back.]

Lu Jing's expression slightly froze, and he belatedly realized why Ying Huai had been reluctant to go earlier.

He looked at the person before him, whose face was pale but whose peach-blossom eyes curved in a smile: [I'll come watch Shixiong become the heir.]

But that night, the segment where Lu Father would announce the heir at the originally scheduled banquet was inexplicably delayed by an hour.

In the end, Lu Father appeared with a livid face, announced Lu Jing as the Lu Family heir, while Ying Huai once again inexplicably ended up in the Hospital, recuperating for a full half year.

To this day, Lu Jing still doesn't know what exactly happened that night.

He only knows that was the last time he ever saw Ying Huai in his life.

·

Countless memories churned and tangled in his mind, and in his daze, Lu Jing seemed to inexplicably understand what "trap" Ying Huai had been referring to earlier.

He suddenly reached out and grabbed Ying Huai's wrist: "It was my fault..."

Ying Huai's body trembled uncontrollably.

Lu Jing's mind was in chaos, he gritted his teeth and barely managed to find a sliver of clarity to speak: "This time it's not a trap, if you don't want to go on this Variety Show then don't, Shixiong will help you..."

Ying Huai raised his head, listening to Lu Jing speak in a trembling voice: "Trust Shixiong one more time, won't you."

Lu Jing's voice was a bit loud, and other passersby turned their heads in surprise.

But unlike before, Lu Jing wasn't in a hurry to avoid suspicion. He stared intently at Ying Huai, urgently waiting for an answer.

Amid the chaos, Ying Huai suddenly laughed softly.

'No.' Ying Huai said slowly.

'Shixiong should find someone else to deceive. I'm tired.' He broke free from Lu Jing's hand and walked straight outside.

After a few steps, he suddenly turned back: 'Also, who told Shixiong I didn't want to go on this Variety Show?'

Lu Jing's head was splitting with pain. He raised his head somewhat dazedly: 'What?'

Ying Huai didn't answer.

He looked at Lu Jing, slowly fiddling with the Hongyu Jewel at the end of his hair: 'I'm actually quite looking forward to seeing how my former "friends" perform on the Variety Show.'

Behind him came a muffled 'thud,' followed by the panicked exclamations of other company employees.

Ying Huai didn't look back again.

He therefore didn't see Le Xi suddenly walk out of Lu Jing's office, glance meaningfully at Ying Huai's retreating back, and quickly run to Lu Jing's side.

·

Ying Huai sat in the taxi, covering his chest and slowly exhaling.

This body really was too weak. He hadn't done anything today, yet his chest still felt faintly tight.

Ying Huai vaguely felt that his reborn body was weaker than at the same time in his previous life. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind, but he forcibly pushed it aside.

—He still had many things left unfinished. He absolutely couldn't be held back by such a minor thing.

Ying Huai rubbed his chest and exhaled again.

The next second, a sharp phone ringtone suddenly sounded.

Ying Huai glanced down at the caller ID and frowned.

—It was Ying Father.

Since Ying Huai entered the entertainment industry, Ying Father had publicly announced he'd severed ties with him. Even in his previous life when Ying Huai was being blackened across the entire internet, Ying Father had stubbornly refused to step in.

Over the years, the two had only maintained contact through Ying Qi smoothing things over on both sides.

But the recent incidents with Lu Jing and Le Xi had caused quite a stir. These past few days, Ying Father didn't know what had gotten into him, suddenly wanting to start disciplining Ying Huai.

Ying Qi had left early before he went to find Lu Father. Apart from Ying Huai not wanting Ying Qi to see his 'unsightly' side, it was also more to keep Ying Father stable.

—But it seemed now that he hadn't managed to keep him stable.

Ying Huai stared at the phone for a few seconds, then decisively reached out and pressed reject.

A few seconds later, the phone rang again, persistently.

Ying Huai pressed reject again.

After this had repeated several times, the taxi driver in front finally couldn't hold back: 'Young man, are you fighting with your girlfriend?'

Ying Huai froze for a moment, finding it both funny and exasperating: 'No, I...'

'If not, then just answer the phone,' the driver misunderstood something and started rambling, 'Whatever misunderstanding can't be cleared up? If you can't on the phone, explain it in person. Even if you don't like them anymore, reject them cleanly. Don't end up like me, Uncle, with regrets.'

Ying Huai's peach blossom eyes flickered, and he suddenly laughed: 'You're right.'

The next second, the phone rang again, and Ying Huai directly answered.

'Someone just advised me to reject cleanly, so even if you keep calling me, I won't go to your house.' Ying Huai said leisurely.

He waited in good spirits for Ying Father's furious voice to erupt so he could hang up and block him directly. But unexpectedly, the next second, a slightly deep, somewhat strange voice came through the phone.

'You're coming to my house, Ying Huai?'

Ying Huai froze for a moment.

He suddenly pulled the phone away, looking at the name 'Liang Shining' on the screen, his brow twitching.

Before he could even explain, the next second, he heard Liang Shining directly state an address.

'Got it,' the enthusiastic taxi driver floored the gas pedal before Ying Huai could speak, not even realizing the voice on the other end was male, 'It's better to explain in person anyway. This place isn't far, I'll take you there right now.'

Ying Huai: ...?

·

Meanwhile, at the Hospital.

'Lu Shu, you're finally awake!' Le Xi sat beside the hospital bed and stood up joyfully.

Lu Jing had inexplicably fainted at the company earlier, but the doctors at the Hospital couldn't figure out why.

Le Xi reached out to help Lu Jing, but heard the person on the bed suddenly speak: 'Xiao Huai—'

Le Xi froze for a moment, not reacting immediately: 'Lu Shu, who are you looking for?'

Lu Jing suddenly came back to himself.

He turned toward Le Xi beside him at the sound, suddenly frowning, and directly avoided Le Xi's outstretched hand.

Le Xi was startled.

Before he could say anything, he heard Lu Jing speak indifferently: 'Why are you here?'

Le Xi paused, then said quietly: 'I went to Lu Shu's office to find you earlier, but found you had fainted. I was worried, so I've been staying here with you.'

'Lu Shu, don't overwork yourself. The doctor said this time it might be from overwork,' Le Xi paused, then spoke as if casually, 'Although Lu Shu's initial return to Lu's Company had its difficulties, didn't it all work out in the end? Everything's hard at the beginning. Maybe Lu Shu should just relax a bit now...'

Before he finished speaking, he saw as expected Lu Jing suddenly raise his head: 'How do you know that?'

Le Xi pretended to look up blankly: 'Know what?'

'My experience returning to Lu's Company.' Lu Jing stared at him for a few seconds, then spoke slowly.

He watched the person in front of him freeze for a moment, then put on an expression of being caught at a loss.

'Lu Shu, I wasn't deliberately hiding it from you,' Le Xi said quietly, 'I was afraid that if I told Lu Shu directly that I was the one who helped you, Lu Shu would think I had ulterior motives...'

He waited for Lu Jing to show ecstatic delight, but when he raised his head, his expression froze.

Lu Jing didn't show the slightest surprise or delight.

On the contrary, his expression inexplicably cooled a few degrees. He stared at him meaningfully for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke slowly: 'Is that so?'

He suddenly spoke: 'Does Xiao Huai know about this?'

Le Xi froze.

He belatedly realized who Lu Jing had been calling for when he first woke up.

—It was Ying Huai.