Liang's Father

Lu Jing and Liang Shining didn't know what to say for a moment.

Lu Jing stared at Liang Shining, his expression shifting between light and shadow. Liang Shining stared at Ying Huai, silently opened his mouth, and a rare hesitation surfaced on his face.

Ying Huai hadn't seen Liang Shining like this in a long time. He leaned half against the doorframe and watched Liang Shining with interest for a few seconds: 'Is Mr. Liang trying to come up with an excuse?'

Liang Shining, who had tried to bluff his way through and been exposed, was silent for two seconds: '...No.'

Ying Huai turned his head and coughed lightly, unable to suppress a few hints of laughter in his eyes.

—He actually didn't really care what Liang Shining and Lu Jing had just been saying.

Not long after Ying Huai had fallen asleep, he was woken again by the dull, dragging pain in his stomach.

The pain in his stomach made his heart throb uncomfortably along with it. Song Si Lan helped him turn up the oxygen flow on his mask a little, and only then did he feel slightly better.

Seeing Ying Huai struggling even while half-lying down and panting, he helped the person slowly to his feet, preparing to walk a lap around the hospital room.

—He hadn't expected to overhear the strange conversation between the two.

Looking at Liang Shining's rare expression of awkwardness, Ying Huai inexplicably felt the pain in his stomach ease a little.

He couldn't sleep anyway, so leaning half against the door, the thought of teasing Liang Shining rose again.

'Let me think. Something important enough for Mr. Liang and shixiong to hide from me together must be something very important.'

Ying Huai said slowly: 'But from shixiong's first reaction just now, he was surprised, which means shixiong didn't know about this from the start. It was Mr. Liang who told him.'

Liang Shining's expression grew a touch more solemn. Lu Jing finally came back to himself, and an uncontrollable hint of anxiety surfaced on his face.

'Xiao Huai, it's not what you think, it's.....'

Lu Jing had just opened his mouth when, the next second, he heard Ying Huai say with a smile: 'Mr. Liang told shixiong where you hide your Mint Chocolate, didn't he.'

Lu Jing, who had just been about to deflect with something else: ...?

Liang Shining, whose mind had gone blank from nervousness: ......

Ying Huai was overjoyed. He turned his head and coughed a few times, then reached out a smiling hand toward Liang Shining: 'I guessed right, didn't I. Finders, keepers. Since Teacher Liang told shixiong, you have to share some with me too.'

Every time Ying Huai asked Liang Shining for Mint Chocolate, he was turned away with various excuses. Now that he felt he'd finally succeeded in his 'extortion,' Ying Huai's peach-blossom eyes were full of laughter. He hadn't expected Liang Shining to stare at him for a few seconds, then suddenly raise his head.

'What happened between shifu and Doctor Song in the hospital room just now?'

Ying Huai was startled: 'What?'

'Shifu's complexion looks very bad,' Liang Shining said, glancing at the spot on Ying Huai's stomach he was unconsciously pressing, and frowning slightly. 'Did shifu vomit blood again just now?'

Ying Huai, who had been unexpectedly counterattacked: ......

He denied it flatly: 'No.'

Liang Shining's expression was noncommittal. Ying Huai clenched his teeth. 'Mr. Liang, don't change the subject. If you and shixiong weren't talking about this just now.....'

'The Lu Family Heir Announcement is happening next week.' Lu Jing suddenly said.

Ying Huai froze, then raised his head in disbelief: 'What did you say?'

Liang Shining also turned his head with a frown. But Lu Jing didn't look at anyone in front of him; with lowered eyes, he went on speaking to himself: 'I went back to the company just now because of this.'

'Liangshi Group is demanding that the Variety Show pause recording for a week first. My father is demanding that you....... must attend the Lu Family Heir Announcement.'

Lu Jing took a deep breath and finally slowly raised his head: 'But Xiao Huai, I hope you.....'

Before he could finish, his brow suddenly furrowed: 'What's wrong, Xiao Huai?'

At some unknown point, Ying Huai's face had gone deathly pale.

His body trembled slightly. His eyes were lowered, but the hand at his side was shaking uncontrollably.

Song Si Lan quickly realized something was wrong.

He turned and caught the person with one hand, reaching out to press directly on Ying Huai's pulse: 'Ying Huai?'

Ying Huai's eyes lost focus, and his breathing grew uncontrollably rapid.

Song Si Lan felt the irregular heartbeat beneath his fingers and said through gritted teeth: 'Calm down, Ying Huai. Take a deep breath.'

But Ying Huai couldn't hear a word of what Song Si Lan was saying.

In his mind, there was only the sentence Lu Jing had just said.

—Why had the Lu Family Heir Announcement suddenly been moved up?

Ying Huai remembered. In his last life, Ying Qi had died on the very night of the Lu Family Heir Announcement.

He remembered clearly. In his last life, the Lu Family Heir Announcement had come after the broadcast of their first episode of the Variety Show.

The Variety Show in his last life hadn't been broadcast live. At the time, because of the malicious editing of the first episode, Ying Huai had once again been subjected to abuse across the entire internet.

And Ying Huai had deliberately used that opportunity to catch a thread leading to the person behind Le Xi — connected to the upper echelons of Ying Corporation and Liangshi Group.

Ying Huai had asked his elder brother Ying Qi to help him keep an eye on the situation at Ying Corporation, and that very night of the Lu Family Heir Announcement, he had received a call from Ying Qi.

'I found out some things, Xiao Huai,' Ying Qi's voice carried an inexplicable weariness, but was still gentle. 'I'll tell you in person, but you need to be mentally prepared.'

Ying Huai had been on his way, tricked by Lu Jing, to see Lu's father at the time.

Listening to Ying Qi's voice, an inexplicable sense of foreboding rose in his heart: 'Dage, where are you now? I'll come find you.'

'Our Xiao Huai knows how to worry about his big brother now.' Ying Qi had heard the concern in Ying Huai's voice and smiled softly.

'I'm at....'

But before Ying Qi could finish, a sudden, sharp sound of brakes came from the other end of the line.

Ying Huai's face changed drastically: 'Dage!'

What answered him was a tremendous 'bang,' followed immediately by the simultaneous sound of a car exploding and people screaming.

The hand holding the phone began to shake violently, beyond Ying Huai's control.

He turned sharply and started walking out, but the next second, Lu's father appeared suddenly before his eyes with several bodyguards.

'Where might Xiao Huai be off to?' Lu's father looked at Ying Huai, his face unable to conceal his smugness and greed. 'Coming to see me, are you?'

'Get out of the way.' Ying Huai said through gritted teeth.

He stepped forward directly, but Lu's father reached out and blocked him again: 'Didn't Lu Jing just tell you someone was looking for you?'

Ying Huai's steps paused for a beat. The next second, he pushed Lu's father's hand away and kept walking forward.

Lu's father didn't see the shock he'd expected on Ying Huai's face, and his expression instantly soured: 'I said stop. You're not still thinking of finding Lu Jing to help you, are you? He betrayed you for the position of Lu Family heir—'

Lu's father reached for the shoulder of the person in front of him as he spoke, but the next second, he saw Ying Huai duck with extreme speed, and immediately afterward, he felt his neck tighten sharply.

'I already know it was Lu Jing who tricked me into coming. You don't need to keep emphasizing it,' Ying Huai stood behind Lu's father and laughed softly. 'And you don't need to keep making me confirm just how despicable you and shixiong are—'

—It also confirmed that the shixiong who once, no matter what, had stood in front of him to shield him, was long gone.

A great surge of shame and fury suddenly rose in Lu's father's heart.

He couldn't help spinning around sharply, but the next second, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his abdomen, followed by a stabbing, bone-deep pain in his knee.

Lu's father let out an uncontrollable, violent wail. He curled up and collapsed to the ground, his bloated face twisting grotesquely.

He began cursing at the surrounding bodyguards: 'A bunch of useless trash, what are you waiting for? Get him—'

'Are you sure you don't need to check on Uncle Lu's condition first?' Ying Huai pressed a hand to his chest and took a subtle breath.

He walked forward as he spoke, a half-smile on his face: 'His kneecap is broken. He might be crippled for life — and that would be your failure to do your job.'

The bodyguards instantly hesitated. Lu's father, collapsed on the ground, began cursing again: 'What are you standing around for? Quick, call an ambulance—'

Ying Huai had already reached the corner in a flash. Lu's father gritted his teeth, raised his head, and suddenly spoke: 'Do you regret helping Lu Jing return to Liangshi Group back then?'

'Signing a contract that was nearly an indenture just for Lu Jing — do you regret it?'

Ying Huai's footsteps didn't stop. Just when Lu's father thought he wouldn't answer, what seemed to be an extremely faint voice came from the distance.

'I regret it.'

When Ying Huai finally found Ying Qi, dragging his exhausted body, all he saw was his cold corpse.

A few days later, he was once again 'sent' to the Sanatorium.

·

A sudden sharp pain at his philtrum brought Ying Huai back to himself with a jolt.

His breath caught for a moment. He turned his head and coughed a few times before realizing that, at some unknown point, he had been helped back to sit on the edge of the bed.

'Alright, now that you've come around, there's nothing major to worry about.' Song Si Lan, beside him, withdrew his hand and exhaled with a frown.

Ying Huai's head was a little dizzy.

He felt weak all over, and his chest felt as if a great stone were pressing down on it, so heavy he couldn't catch his breath.

'...What happened to me?' He tried to raise a hand to press his brow, but his wrist only trembled once before falling back weakly.

'Why am I here.....'

Song Si Lan cut him off directly: 'You had a sudden heart attack just now, but you've stabilized now.'

He frowned at the dazed person before him, deliberately glossing over how dangerous it had just been.

After Lu Jing had finished that sentence, Ying Huai had seemed to suddenly enter a dazed state, unresponsive to calls, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Song Si Lan had tried to rouse him, but the next second, a look of pain had flashed across Ying Huai's face, and he had clutched his chest and dropped straight down.

Song Si Lan had quickly fed medicine to Ying Huai and hurried him back to the hospital room. Fortunately, after a while, Ying Huai had finally come around and slowly regained consciousness.

Liang Shining held out a cup of warm water with a straw to Ying Huai. Ying Huai lowered his head and took a small sip, only then noticing that his fingertips were still faintly bluish-purple.

Ying Huai instinctively pressed his fingertips and felt the familiar numbness.

'Did I just....... pass out?' Ying Huai said softly. 'How did I.....'

'You just had a brief disturbance of consciousness and arrhythmia,' Song Si Lan said quietly, watching Ying Huai's expression. 'You have no memory of what just happened at all?'

Ying Huai hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

Song Si Lan's expression grew more solemn. He looked up at Liang Shining, who frowned, the hand gripping the cup slowly tightening.

Ying Huai didn't notice the others' unusual behavior.

He was utterly exhausted, wanting to simply close his eyes and fall asleep, but what Lu Jing had just said forced him to stay alert.

'Shixiong, you just mentioned the Lu Family Heir Announcement. When exactly is it?' Ying Huai forced himself to speak, his voice low.

Lu Jing looked at the person before him with concern and slowly said: 'It starts at seven next Monday evening, in the same banquet hall as last time.'

Ying Huai pressed his chest and nodded slightly.

He wasn't sure whether it was because he had changed the course of events in this life that some of the original timing had shifted.

—But he had to keep Ying Qi alive.

Ying Huai was in the middle of figuring out how to avoid the announcement ceremony to go find Ying Qi, when he suddenly heard Lu Jing's slightly heavy voice.

'But I don't want you to go, Xiao Huai.' Lu Jing said quietly.

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment, unable to process it right away: 'What?'

'I'll help you refuse my father,' Lu Jing said slowly. 'If my father finds you, just say... it was me who told you didn't need to come.'

A flash of surprise crossed Ying Huai's face.

He was quiet for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed softly: 'What are shixiong's conditions?'

Lu Jing was startled.

He shook his head: 'None.'

'Then why does shixiong want to help me?' Ying Huai coughed a few times, his face pale.

The events of his past life were still vivid in his mind. Ying Huai raised his head with a half-smile, though the smile didn't reach his eyes: 'Shixiong is a businessman, and businessmen seek profit. Shixiong helped me, so what benefit does shixiong need from me—'

'I know that me being able to return to Liangshi Group was because of your help.' Lu Jing suddenly said in a low voice.

Ying Huai's voice cut off abruptly.

His expression suddenly cooled. He raised his head and silently looked at Lu Jing.

He listened as Lu Jing slowly said: 'There are no conditions. Just consider it... repayment for your help to me, alright?'

The mistakes he had made in his past life flashed before Lu Jing's eyes one by one, and his voice involuntarily carried a hint of remorse.

He slowly crouched down in front of Ying Huai and said in a near-pleading low voice: 'Is that okay, Xiao Huai?'

Ying Huai didn't answer. He was quiet for a moment, then laughed softly: 'How does shixiong know about this?'

Lu Jing opened his mouth, but for a moment couldn't find an answer.

He could feel the wariness and distrust in Ying Huai's expression.

Lu Jing was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly took out his phone and dialed a number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered. The next second, Lu Father's voice came through: 'Lu Jing?'

'You notified Ying Huai about the Lu Family Heir Announcement, right? Tell him he must come that day—'

'Xiao Huai can't make it that day.' Lu Jing directly cut off his father.

Ying Huai raised his head and heard Lu Father pause in disbelief: 'What did you say?'

'Lu Jing, have you lost your mind? Do you still want the position of Lu Family Heir or not? Let me tell you...'

'I don't want it anymore.' Lu Jing cut off his father once more.

Lu Father on the other end of the line began cursing outright, but Lu Jing slowly raised his head and looked directly at Ying Huai.

In his past life, he had thought what he cared about most was the position of Lu Family Heir.

He had thought that by becoming the Lu Family Heir, he could prove himself to his father and make Ying Huai regret his choice to abandon him back then.

—It wasn't until he actually sat in that position that Lu Jing realized how terribly wrong he had been.

'Give the position of Lu Family Heir to your other sons,' Lu Jing looked at Ying Huai, his voice involuntarily slowing, 'I don't need it anymore.'

Lu Jing hung up the phone directly.

'I know this isn't enough to repay even one ten-thousandth of what you did for me back then, Xiao Huai, but I'll make it up to you bit by bit from now on.'

He looked at the silent person in front of him and tried to curve his lips into a smile: 'Just focus on recovering. Don't worry about anything.'

The hospital room was silent. Ying Huai looked up at Lu Jing with a strange expression.

His peach blossom eyes were somewhat dazed. After a long silence, he finally slowly said: 'Why?'

Lu Jing closed his eyes briefly.

'Because I don't need it anymore.'

—He broke free from the twisted, self-abasing emotions of his past life and belatedly realized that what he had always cared about was never that position.

Only Ying Huai.

·

Lu Jing had helped him solve the big trouble of the announcement ceremony, so Ying Huai was happy to have some leisure.

But he was still worried that something unexpected might happen on Ying Qi's side.

In this life, he hadn't asked Ying Qi to help him investigate the Ying Corporation.

But a few days ago, Ying Qi had suddenly called him for some unknown reason, saying he had found some things inside Ying Corporation related to his internet-wide defamation.

Worried that the carefully avoided turning points might return to their original trajectory, Ying Huai rushed straight to Ying Qi's house the day Song Si Lan approved his discharge from the hospital.

'You've lost weight again recently, haven't you, Xiao Huai.' Ying Qi was somewhat surprised by Ying Huai's appearance, but the next second, his brows furrowed slightly.

'Have you been sick again recently?'

Ying Huai quickly shook his head and said with a smile: 'Of course not.'

'My body's always been like this, isn't it, gege,' Ying Huai grabbed Ying Qi's hand and quickly walked toward the room, 'Don't worry.'

The next second, he heard Ying Qi say in a low voice: 'I already know about you falling into the water.'

'Recently you've gotten quite capable, even knowing how to hide things from your big brother.'

Ying Huai choked.

He lowered his head and pulled Ying Qi forward, trying to avoid the topic, when he suddenly felt Ying Qi's fingers flip over and press directly onto his pulse.

'If your heart's not feeling well, just rest properly. Why are you running around everywhere?' Ying Qi frowned as he felt Ying Huai's irregular pulse.

Ying Huai raised his head in disbelief: 'When did gege learn that trick from Song Si Lan?'

Ying Qi looked puzzled: 'Who is Song Si Lan?'

As he spoke, he suddenly crouched down, and under Ying Huai's startled gaze, lifted him up horizontally and strode toward Ying Huai's bedroom.

Ying Huai was startled.

He instinctively reached out to wrap his arms around Ying Qi's neck, the tips of his ears quickly flushing red: 'Gege!'

'What's wrong? Are you too grown up to let gege carry you now?' Ying Qi laughed warmly.

He set him down steadily on the bed and stood up to draw the curtains for Ying Huai, but his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

'I'm not sleepy now, da ge.' Ying Huai knelt up on the bed, looking at Ying Qi with some nervousness.

Tonight was the Lu Family Heir Announcement, and Ying Huai needed to make sure Ying Qi didn't leave the house tonight.

He looked at Ying Qi, his eyes curving into a smile: 'Da ge, sit with me and chat for a while, okay?'

Ying Qi found Ying Huai's reaction a little strange, but he had always been unable to refuse this younger brother.

'Alright, if you're not sleepy, sit for a while.'

Ying Qi smiled warmly: 'Is there anything you want to eat or drink? I'll get it for you.'

Ying Huai's eyes lit up: 'I want to eat Mint Chocolate Ice Cream!'

Ying Qi gave him a meaningful look, then slowly stood up and walked out.

Then came back with a glass of pure milk—without any Mint Chocolate, honey, or cream.

Ying Huai's face fell immediately.

'Drink the milk first, then I'll go find Mint Chocolate Ice Cream for you,' Ying Qi said warmly, 'Eating only ice cream isn't good for your stomach.'

Ying Huai felt these tricks were oddly familiar.

He gritted his teeth, took the milk and sipped it: 'Da ge, you really haven't been in touch with Liang Shining and the others recently?'

Ying Qi looked a little puzzled and slowly shook his head: 'No.'

He said thoughtfully: 'Liang Shining is the one who pretended to be your boyfriend last time—'

'No!' Ying Huai suddenly raised his head, caught between laughter and tears.

—He didn't understand why everyone had brought this up recently.

'Last time was an accident. Liang Shining and I have no relationship whatsoever.'

'Is that so,' Ying Qi turned his head and smiled warmly, 'but I feel like Xiao Huai seems to quite like him.'

Ying Huai choked on a mouthful of milk and immediately went into a violent coughing fit.

Ying Qi was startled and quickly reached out to pat Ying Huai's back: 'What's wrong? Drink slowly, Xiao Huai.'

Ying Huai covered his mouth and coughed for a long time, then looked up at Ying Qi somewhat helplessly: 'I really have nothing to do with Liang Shining, gege. Where on earth are you getting that from?'

'It's just intuition. If you don't want to hear it, I won't say more.' Ying Qi looked with some amusement at the person in front of him whose entire ears had turned red, and coaxed him with a smile.

He actively changed the subject: 'So who is this Song Si Lan you mentioned earlier?'

'He was brought in by Liang Shining... ahem, he's my current attending physician.' Ying Huai mumbled vaguely, speaking in a low voice.

Ying Qi smiled and helped him complete the sentence: 'Also brought in by Liang Shining.'

For some reason, Ying Huai's vision went slightly dizzy. He pressed his brow and nodded slightly.

'Speaking of which, about your falling into the water incident, I originally wanted Ying Corporation's lawyers to get involved,' Ying Qi said thoughtfully, 'but when I went over, I found that Liangshi Group's legal team had already taken over the case.'

'Liang Shining? What is he doing...' Waves of drowsiness surged up for no reason. Ying Huai's body swayed, and he reached out to support himself against the bedhead.

'Maybe he's worried about something else going wrong with the Le Xi matter.' Ying Qi frowned, noticing Ying Huai's abnormality.

'What's wrong, Xiao Huai?'

Ying Huai pressed hard on his brow and shook his head, 'Nothing, just a little sleepy.'

He felt his eyelids grow heavy. After a dazed moment, he suddenly came back to himself: 'I'm fine... gege doesn't need to worry about my affairs, gege just protect yourself... mm.'

Ying Qi watched as the person in front of him couldn't keep his eyelids from drooping again, and laughed helplessly: 'If you're sleepy, just sleep. I have nothing to do these couple of days, I can stay home with you the whole time.'

Ying Huai didn't answer.

The scene before his eyes was blurred behind a hazy mist. He couldn't see clearly, and even his chest felt too weak to rise.

Ying Huai took a short, gasping breath. He felt something was off.

But the fall into the water this time had caused severe damage to his heart, and the medicine Song Si Lan had prescribed contained a sedative component. Ying Huai had often fallen asleep mid-conversation while hospitalized.

Ying Huai could only push the strange feeling in his heart to the back of his mind.

He leaned weakly against the bedhead, struggling to reach out and grab Ying Qi: 'Gege, don't go out tonight...'

'...Stay with me.'

Ying Qi found Ying Huai's reaction a little strange, but patiently agreed: 'Okay.'

The arm holding the cup went limp, his wrist suddenly losing strength, and the cup was set down heavily on the bed.

He lowered his head, his breathing gradually becoming even.

·

When Ying Huai forced himself awake from a deep stupor, it was already completely dark outside.

The room was silent. Ying Huai knelt on the bed, shook his head, pressed hard on his brow, and only after a long while finally became somewhat lucid.

'Da ge?' Ying Huai slowly got out of bed, supporting himself on the bedhead, and said in a hoarse voice.

The room was silent. No one answered.

The feeling of unease in Ying Huai's heart gradually grew.

He quickly searched the entire house but found no sign of Ying Qi.

Ying Huai's body swayed. He reached out to steady himself against the nearby wall, forced himself to calm down, and dialed Ying Qi's number.

The phone rang for a long time before finally being answered.

'You're awake, Xiao Huai?' Ying Qi's voice carried a hint of surprise.

'Why aren't you sleeping more? Is something bothering you...'

'I'm fine.' Ying Huai quickly interrupted Ying Qi.

He listened to the noise in Ying Qi's background and the unease in his heart grew stronger: 'Gege, where are you now?'

He listened as Ying Qi said warmly, enunciating each word: 'I am at the Lu Family Heir Announcement.'

Ying Huai felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

He opened his mouth soundlessly, and only after several seconds found his voice again: "Wasn't the Lu Family Heir Announcement only inviting Father?"

"Why would you go there, gege?"

Ying Qi said: "Father suddenly had another meeting conflict tonight and asked me to come in his place."

He caught something off in Ying Huai's voice and asked with concern: "Is there a problem, Xiao Huai?"

Ying Huai's first instinct was to tell Ying Qi to come back.

But the next second, he abruptly fell silent, his entire body soaked in cold sweat.

—No. Ying Qi absolutely could not go out again tonight.

Ying Huai closed his eyes briefly, then quickly began putting on his shoes and changing clothes: "It's fine, gege. Stay there, I'll come find you."

"I'll take a cab over right now. Don't hang up the phone, wait for me to get there, okay?"

Ying Qi felt something was off about Ying Huai's state, but still said warmly: "Alright."

"Don't worry, Xiao Huai. I'm not going anywhere, I'll wait for you right here."

·

When Ying Huai arrived at the venue, he immediately spotted Ying Qi, who had been waiting at the door.

"Dage!" Ying Huai rushed forward, and after confirming Ying Qi was safe and sound, his legs went weak and he nearly collapsed on the spot.

Ying Qi quickly reached out to steady him: "What's wrong, Xiao Huai?"

Ying Huai's head was still feeling dull and dizzy. He forced himself to calm down and shook his head slightly: "I'm fine."

He turned to pull Ying Qi back.

"Wait, Xiao Huai," Ying Qi suddenly reached out and held him back, saying somewhat helplessly, "I still need to give an address on Father's behalf before the ceremony."

Now that Ying Huai had finally seen Ying Qi, the unease in his heart had largely faded.

He closed his eyes briefly, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart.

"Okay, I'll stay with Dage," Ying Huai raised his head and forced a smile. "Once Dage is done, we'll leave."

Ying Qi didn't know what was going on with Ying Huai tonight. He touched the sweat-dampened fringe on Ying Huai's forehead with heartache, preparing to take him somewhere to rest first.

But Ying Huai stubbornly followed behind him, silently tugging at his sleeve like a skittish kitten.

He was already delicately featured, and now feeling unwell, his pale face and downcast eyes following behind Ying Qi gave him an inexplicable jade-like coolness and detachment.

Ying Qi's heart was nearly breaking with worry: "I'll go to the backstage to prepare, I'll be out in a bit. Sit here and wait for me for a moment, okay, Xiao Huai?"

Ying Huai looked up at him and shook his head slightly.

Ying Qi sighed: "The backstage is too noisy, your heart can't take it. I'll be right out, okay?"

Ying Huai's vision went dizzy.

He raised his head in a daze, just about to say something, when an incredulous voice suddenly came from nearby: "Why are you here, Xiao Huai?"

Lu Jing and Liang Shining walked up to Ying Huai one after the other, somewhat tensely shielding him in front of them.

"Didn't I tell you not to come, you......"

"I came to find my gege." Ying Huai was listless, hiding behind Ying Qi as he spoke muffledly.

Lu Jing frowned, about to say something, when he heard Ying Qi say warmly: "You must be Xiao Huai's friends."

"I'm Xiao Huai's older brother. I have something to attend to backstage, and he's not feeling well. Could I trouble you to look after him for a bit?"

Lu Jing had met Ying Qi a few times in his previous life, and now didn't dare look at him at all, only nodding quickly.

Ying Qi smiled warmly and turned to walk toward the backstage.

Ying Huai lifted his foot to follow, but was stopped by Lu Jing.

Ying Huai stumbled, barely steadying himself against the nearby wall.

"You have a fever, Ying Huai," Lu Jing said with a frown. "What exactly happened?"

Ying Huai himself wasn't clear what had happened.

He didn't understand why, despite his best efforts to avoid everything, he had ultimately come full circle back to the starting point.

Ying Huai felt as if some unseen hand was invisibly orchestrating everything, and he instinctively couldn't bring himself to trust Lu Jing.

"It's nothing. Let go of me." Ying Huai said quietly.

He was exhausted, with no energy to explain, only stubbornly repeating one sentence: "I need to find my gege."

"Li Xiang is also in the backstage. I've asked him to keep an eye on Ying Qi, nothing will happen." Liang Shining, beside them, suddenly spoke up.

Ying Huai was feverish and dazed, taking a few seconds to process Liang Shining's meaning.

He wanted to refute it, but a subconscious, inexplicable trust in Liang Shining made him involuntarily exhale in relief, his body swaying for a moment.

Liang Shining quickly helped him to a nearby sofa.

"Stay here and don't move." Lu Jing looked at Ying Huai's pale face, afraid he might pass out at any moment.

"I'll go to the backstage and keep an eye on Ying Qi for you. Once he's done, I'll have him come take you home......"

Lu Jing hadn't finished speaking when he was suddenly interrupted by a smug voice: "Oh my, oh my, who is this?"

Lu Jing's body stiffened for a moment.

He quickly shielded Ying Huai behind him and turned to look at Lu Father: "It's nothing, Father. I'll go check the backstage procedures right away......"

He hadn't finished speaking when Lu Father coldly laughed and cut him off directly.

Lu Father walked forward without hesitation, pulled Lu Jing aside, and revealed Ying Huai, who had been shielded behind him.

"Xiao Huai actually gracing our humble announcement ceremony with his presence—I'm truly honored." Lu Father said slowly.

Ying Huai hung his head without speaking. Lu Father turned to Lu Jing and said condescendingly: "It seems you still want the position of heir."

He turned around, gesturing for Lu Jing to come with him.

Lu Jing stood stiffly in place, unmoving.

Lu Father walked a few steps, turned back, looked at Lu Jing's reaction, and coldly laughed: "If you don't want me to do something to Ying Huai right now, come here."

Lu Jing's body stiffened.

He looked back at Liang Shining. Liang Shining gave a slight nod. Lu Jing took a deep breath and ultimately followed.

He followed Lu Father to a corner, watching as Lu Father leaned close to his ear and said quietly: "Do what I told you before."

"Do it, and at the announcement ceremony shortly, you'll be the Lu Family Heir."

"Don't, and both you and Ying Huai are done for."

·

Liang Shining sat with Ying Huai where they were.

In just this short while, Ying Huai's temperature had rapidly risen. Liang Shining got a cup of warm water and let Ying Huai warm his fingertips.

The next second, an indignant voice suddenly came over: "Didn't you say you weren't coming?"

Ying Huai opened his eyes.

Le Xi stood over him condescendingly, gritting his teeth: "Did you deliberately tell Uncle Lu and President Lu you weren't coming, then changed your mind at the last minute to draw their attention?"

Le Xi had dressed up specially today precisely to attract Lu Father's attention.

He hadn't expected that as soon as he came in, he'd see Lu Jing and Lu Father talking with Ying Huai.

The more Le Xi thought about it, the angrier he got, but he saw the person in front of him stare at him for a few seconds and say somewhat bafflingly: "Why aren't you in prison yet?"

Le Xi nearly fainted from anger: "Why should I be in prison?"

Stubborn to the last, he said: "Who can prove I pushed Xin Wan into the water? Do you have evidence? Without evidence, why should I go to prison......"

Ying Huai covered his lips and yawned, saying unhurriedly: "You were bailed out by your manager, weren't you?"

Le Xi's face twisted for a moment: "I said it, without evidence all of this is slander—"

"Who said there's no evidence?" Liang Shining suddenly cut off Le Xi.

Le Xi froze, his face instantly going white: "What did you say?"

Ying Huai raised his head thoughtfully. Liang Shining said nothing more and got Ying Huai a fresh cup of warm water.

Le Xi clenched his teeth.

In the two days since his manager had bailed him out, he had been calling that number nonstop, but no one had ever answered.

After days of paranoid speculation, he had somehow become convinced that the person must be Lu Father.

Le Xi stared at Ying Huai and suddenly asked: "What did Uncle Lu and President Lu say to you just now?"

Ying Huai lifted his eyelids to glance at him, saying nothing.

Le Xi was desperate to reach Lu Father by any means. He clenched his teeth and, uncharacteristically humble, said: "Teacher Ying, could you put in a word with President Lu for me? I want to meet him, to tell him some things......"

Before Le Xi could finish, he suddenly heard Lu Jing's anxious voice from behind: "Xiao Huai, come with me quickly."

"My father probably has people guarding the main entrance. I'll take you out through the back door," Lu Jing reached out and directly helped him up. "I'll get you out first, and once Ying Qi is done I'll have him come find you—"

Before Lu Jing could finish, Le Xi suddenly cut in: "Is it President Lu who wants to see Teacher Ying?"

Le Xi forced his way in front of Lu Jing, full of hope: "Uncle Lu, Teacher Ying has things to do and doesn't want to see President Lu, but I'm willing. Could you take me to him?"

A strange look flashed across Ying Huai's face.

Lu Jing froze for a moment, instinctively glancing at the room he had just come out of.

The next second, Le Xi turned without hesitation and ran directly toward the direction Lu Jing had come from, pulling open the door and walking in.

The surroundings fell silent for a moment. Lu Jing looked dazed. Ying Huai broke free from Lu Jing, rubbed his wrist, and spoke casually.

"It's fine now, isn't it, shixiong?"

"N-no, it's fine." Lu Jing came back to himself and said slowly.

Ying Huai turned to sit back on the sofa.

But he had only taken two steps when another wave of dizziness hit him.

Ying Huai's expression changed. He reached out to grab the nearby wall, but his hand found nothing.

Fortunately, Liang Shining, who had been nearby, quickly reached out, half-embracing his waist to steady Ying Huai.

The next second, a slightly deep voice—

"What are you doing, Liang Shining?" Liang Father walked out from somewhere, looking at the two of them with displeasure.

"So this is the reason Li Xiang mentioned for why you insisted on mobilizing the Liangshi Group legal team?"

An inexplicable strangeness showed on Liang Father's face.

He held it in for a few seconds, then suddenly gritted his teeth: "Why don't you take him home to show your mother?"

Liang Shining froze.

He raised his head in bafflement, only to hear Liang Father's tone take on an inexplicable awkwardness the next second: "Since you're going to help your—boyfriend?"

Liang Shining's expression instantly stiffened. Ying Huai froze for a moment, then raised his head thoughtfully.

Before any of them could speak, the next second, a scream suddenly came from the room Le Xi had entered.