Dazed

Song Fengyi's expression panicked. He instinctively avoided the camera and glared viciously at Ying Huai.

'Did Huaihuai deliberately start this livestream?'

Song Fengyi's heart burned with hatred, but his face still called out warmly.

He tried to shift all the blame onto Ying Huai again: 'If Huaihuai wanted to know something, you could have just told me directly, no need to specifically find people to come open a livestream and eavesdrop......'

'Stop talking nonsense!'

Before Song Fengyi could finish speaking, he was suddenly interrupted by an angry female voice.

A girl standing in front of Ying Huai suddenly stepped in front of him, looking at Song Fengyi with an angry face: 'We started the livestream ourselves, it was never requested by Teacher Ying.'

Song Fengyi's expression stiffened for a moment.

He forced a smile: 'Little girl, don't tell me you're being used and helping count the money........'

'Don't slander people!' Before Song Fengyi could finish, he was angrily interrupted by the girl in front of him.

'If Teacher Ying were as bad as you say, we wouldn't have livestreamed your conversation.'

·

Ten minutes ago.

Ying Huai had just left Xin Wan not long ago when he suddenly heard very light footsteps behind him again.

Ying Huai sighed silently.

He turned around, and his expression suddenly froze.

In front of him were two girls with excited expressions, their faces showing a mix of excitement and slight timidity.

Some unpleasant memories from his past life suddenly surfaced, and Ying Huai instinctively took a step back, but heard the girl in front of him speak urgently.

'Teacher Ying, we're your fans!'

'We're also livestreaming bloggers in the art field. We came to see the Art Exhibition and happened to run into you, we just wanted to quietly confirm it was really you, we weren't specifically following you.'

Ying Huai's steps paused.

He lowered his eyes, looking at the two people in front of him, and for a moment, a rare trace of bewilderment appeared in his peach blossom eyes.

Seeing that Ying Huai hadn't spoken up to chase them away, the girls gradually grew bolder and quickly spoke again: 'We didn't want to disturb your visit to the Art Exhibition, we just wanted to tell you—we really like you!'

Ying Huai's peach blossom eyes flickered, and after a long moment, the corners of his lips curved slightly: 'Thank you.'

He looked down at the phone in the girl's hand, and the girl immediately realized something, 'We're just livestreaming to give our fans a tour of the exhibition, if you mind we can turn off the livestream.'

The comments in the girl's livestream instantly filled with wails of protest, and the girl softly apologized while reaching to turn off the stream.

Unexpectedly, the next second, she suddenly heard Ying Huai speak softly: 'No need to turn it off.'

'The livestream is your own work to begin with, you shouldn't be affected because of me.'

Ying Huai lowered his head, his eyes curving slightly, 'Since you're not disturbing me, I shouldn't disturb you either, right?'

The two girls in front of him were stunned for a moment, and a flash of pleasant surprise crossed their faces.

They watched Ying Huai walk off in another direction, and not wanting to disturb him further, turned and walked the opposite way.

But just as they walked behind an easel, one of the girls suddenly frowned and instantly fell silent.

That girl exchanged a glance with the person beside her, their footsteps slowly coming to a stop, and they brought their phones closer bit by bit.

A gentle but slightly smug voice came from behind the easel: '......as long as you give me dirt on Teacher Ying, no, or just make something up........'

Listening to the conversation coming from next door, their brows gradually furrowed.

On the other side, Ying Huai had only been walking for a short while when he suddenly heard voices behind him again.

'Teacher Ying!'

The girl ran over panting, her expression anxious and angry: 'Teacher Ying, we just discovered something—'

Ying Huai's expression shifted slightly, and he slowly came to a stop.

·

Song Fengyi's face alternated between green and white.

With the media's involvement, the popularity of this incident began to climb rapidly, and more and more netizens poured into the livestream.

[Song Fengyi is definitely lifting a rock only to drop it on his own feet this time, what is he even after.]

[After the buzz, of course. Unwilling to always be overshadowed by Ying Huai, now look, his infamous fame is really about to match Ying Huai's.]

[Honestly speaking, Ying Huai seems like a really good person, speaks so gently, and always has a smile on his face, forming a stark contrast with Song Fengyi's forced act.]

[Indeed, what's that word for Song Fengyi's type, I remember there's a specific term to describe—]

Outside the livestream, Song Fengyi had just opened his mouth to say something more when he heard the girl in front of him angrily say: 'Green tea bitch!'

The livestream chat instantly filled with [hahahahahaha], and Ying Huai couldn't help it, a few more hints of amusement appearing in his expression.

Song Fengyi's face changed.

The surrounding media continued to swarm forward, pressing Song Fengyi with endless questions.

Ying Huai yawned, slowly turning to walk outside.

But before he had taken two steps, he suddenly heard Song Fengyi's voice behind him, gentle but tinged with resentment: 'Does Huaihuai really have the heart to treat me like this?'

'I just said a few wrong things, can't Huaihuai forgive me?'

Ying Huai's footsteps paused slightly.

He turned back, seeming quite surprised as he stared at Song Fengyi for a few seconds, then slowly smiled: 'Teacher Song, you've got the wrong hat on, haven't you?'

'The one who actually wanted to incite cyberbullying was you, not me.'

Outside, sunlight squeezed in bit by bit through the door crack, and Ying Huai squinted, feeling waves of drowsiness wash over him.

He just wanted to go back and have a good sleep now, too lazy to play word games with Song Fengyi.

He turned to leave, the corners of his lips curving absently: 'Now that Teacher Song has brought the fire on himself, there's nothing I can do about it.'

The media behind him surrounded Song Fengyi once again, and Liang Shining quietly followed behind Ying Huai.

He watched Ying Huai walk up to that beam of sunlight, slowly reach out his hand, his expression calm as he let the sunlight swallow him bit by bit.

·

'Little shidi—'

Ying Huai had just taken two steps out of the Art Exhibition when he suddenly heard Xin Wan's anxious voice behind him.

Ying Huai's footsteps didn't stop, he continued walking forward on his own.

Just as Xin Wan was about to touch him, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and, as expected, blocked Xin Wan.

'If Teacher Xin has something to discuss, let's talk about it later.' Liang Shining said quietly.

Xin Wan's mind was in complete chaos.

He hadn't expected at all that he'd get a chance to start over, he wanted to make it up to Ying Huai, but for the moment didn't know how.

Instinctively, he could only keep following Ying Huai, trying to make up for the guilt in his heart that way.

'I, I don't have anything to say, no—' Xin Wan suddenly raised his head.

He bit his lip, and in three quick strides walked directly in front of Ying Huai.

'Little shidi, about that time you switched companies before—'

Ying Huai's expression cooled slightly, the corners of his lips curved slightly, he was just about to say something when he suddenly heard the person in front of him speak in a trembling voice.

'I'm sorry.'

Ying Huai was stunned.

'You were forced, weren't you,' Xin Wan said quietly, 'you had no choice........'

In his past life, until Ying Huai's death, Xin Wan had never been able to find out what Ying Huai had originally wanted to say to him.

He began to investigate what had happened to Ying Huai back then, and the more he dug, the more alarmed he became.

All of Ying Huai's pre-debut information had been completely erased, and even with Liang Shining's help, Xin Wan could only barely find out that Ying Huai had indeed been forced back then, pressured by someone into jumping to the Lu Corporation.

—But the specific reasons for the coercion, who had forced him... these more detailed causes, no matter how he tried, he couldn't find out.

But now this was already enough to drown Xin Wan in guilt.

Xin Wan had helped Ying Huai clarify things, publicly apologized, but the guilt in his heart hadn't lessened in the slightest.

—Just like now.

'I'm sorry, little shidi, I didn't know, I should have thought of it sooner... but why didn't you explain it to us?'

Xin Wan anxiously stepped forward: 'Tell me, I can help you, you don't have to carry this alone...'

Ying Huai stayed silent, his expression subtly cooling.

He suddenly laughed: 'What is shixiong talking about, I don't understand.'

Xin Wan's expression froze.

'If shixiong wants to chat with someone, why not buy a parrot and teach it to talk, let it parrot your words back to you.'

Ying Huai's breathing was somewhat rapid, but his tone remained lazy, 'No need to keep trying to trick words out of me here.'

Xin Wan was stunned for a moment, and instantly realized that Ying Huai had misunderstood something.

'No, I didn't........'

He watched Ying Huai turn around, his thoughts racing, and blurted out: 'Was it to protect us?'

Ying Huai's feet stopped.

The fingers hanging at his side suddenly tightened.

Xin Wan looked at Ying Huai, a guess faintly surfacing in his heart: 'You hid everything because you were afraid we'd be dragged in too, to protect us........'

Xin Wan's tone was anxious.

In his past life, Ying Huai had already died, and Xin Wan could slowly wear down the person in the shadows; but in this life, Ying Huai was standing right in front of him safe and sound, and Xin Wan absolutely didn't dare let anything happen to Ying Huai again.

He was eager to know the truth, but the next second, he heard Ying Huai say coldly: 'Enough.'

Ying Huai covered his chest and took two rapid breaths, looking at Xin Wan with slightly curved eyes.

'There's no need for shixiong to keep 'sincerely' deceiving me like this.'

Xin Wan was stunned, he said somewhat urgently: 'I wasn't trying to deceive you, little shidi, I know all this is because of my past...'

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly saw the wariness in Ying Huai's expression.

Xin Wan's words came to an abrupt halt.

He belatedly realized a desperate fact.

Ying Huai was afraid of him.

—Ying Huai was afraid that trusting him would hurt him all over again.

Xin Wan's body trembled.

He subconsciously swallowed the words about a 'past life' that had been on his tongue, and listened as Ying Huai spoke with a half-smile: 'I don't care how shixiong guessed.'

He took a small step back, leaning most of his weight against Liang Shining, and said casually: 'My head is very dizzy right now. If shixiong wants to keep trying to extract information from me, be prepared for me to stage a fake injury.'

Ying Huai had originally prepared for Xin Wan to keep pestering him.

He hadn't expected the person before him to look lost for a few seconds, then suddenly panic, hurrying forward: 'Little shidi, where do you feel unwell? I'll take you to the Hospital right now... no, no.'

Xin Wan seemed to think of something, his face paled, and he slowly stepped aside to clear the path.

'Let Teacher Liang take you there,' Xin Wan raised his head, barely managing to tug the corner of his lips into a smile uglier than crying. 'I won't go. Little shidi, don't be afraid.'

Ying Huai frowned slightly.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Xin Wan, but he had already spent too much energy today; even standing now was barely manageable.

Ying Huai said nothing more, slowly straightened up from beside Liang Shining, and silently walked over.

·

When Ying Qi heard that Liang Shining was also nearby, he decisively had Liang Shining take Ying Huai back.

Ying Huai's heart ached with an oppressive heaviness, and he truly had no energy left to explain these complicated things to his own gentle dage, so in the end he silently got in the car with Liang Shining.

He curled up on the side with his eyes closed, lids slightly lowered, resting.

Lately, every time he closed his eyes he couldn't help but recall the various things that had happened around Ying Qi's accident in his past life; let alone falling asleep, he would even wake up startled from his dreams.

Ying Huai had thought he wouldn't fall asleep, but now, unconsciously listening to Liang Shining's steady breathing beside him, he unexpectedly drifted off in a daze.

Whether from sheer exhaustion or some other reason, Ying Huai had actually slept with a rare peace.

But he had no strength in his body, and every time the car hit a slight bump, his body would uncontrollably tilt to the side.

Ying Huai's heart was already uncomfortable, and the jostling made his head spin, waves of nausea gradually welling up.

He tried to struggle awake, but his drowsy consciousness seemed unable to feel his body anymore.

A vague panic rose in Ying Huai's chest, and his breathing grew subtly rapid with it.

The next second, a hand suddenly drew him in gently, a familiar warmth instantly enveloped him, and skillfully began to slowly massage his chest.

Ying Huai's body unconsciously relaxed. He let out two low breaths, his head tilting weakly to one side, slowly settling into the crook of Liang Shining's neck.

Liang Shining's eyes darkened slightly.

He turned his body slightly, wanting to lower his shoulder a little so Ying Huai could rest more comfortably, but the next second he heard the person beside him let out a soft hum, brows faintly furrowed.

Liang Shining's movement instantly froze.

But the person beside him didn't stop moving.

He seemed to feel a bit cold, his body slowly sliding down, continuously snuggling closer to Liang Shining.

By the time Liang Shining reacted, the person before him had, like a cold-fearing kitten, turned his face to the side, his upper body curled up and resting against Liang Shining's chest.

Liang Shining's entire body instantly stiffened.

He could clearly feel Ying Huai's shallow breath against his chest.

Liang Shining tentatively reached out to help Ying Huai up, but the moment he moved, he felt the person before him slide down another half inch.

Liang Shining's body suddenly tensed.

A low groan caught in his throat. He closed his eyes briefly, then froze, not daring to move a muscle.

This 'suffering' lasted all the way until the car finally pulled up downstairs at Ying Qi's home.

Liang Shining took a deep breath, lowered his eyes, and gently patted Ying Huai's back.

'Ying Huai, wake up, we're almost there.' Liang Shining tried to avoid touching Ying Huai as he spoke softly.

The person in his arms trembled violently, but his eyes remained tightly shut, showing no sign of waking.

Liang Shining knew that Ying Huai was prone to low blood pressure and dizziness when first waking.

He only assumed Ying Huai's heart was acting up again, so he slipped a pill under Ying Huai's tongue, then slowly reached out to help him sit up, so he could recover as quickly as possible.

'Sit for a moment, wait for me... wait a moment, then I'll help you down.'

Liang Shining exhaled silently, only then noticing that his throat had gone somewhat hoarse at some point.

He didn't dare let Ying Huai notice his 'abnormality,' and turned to get him a bottle of water—only to find that the moment he let go, Ying Huai's body swayed and weakly collapsed to the side.

Liang Shining was startled.

He hurriedly reached out to steady him, urgently saying: 'Ying Huai?'

Ying Huai's head hung slightly, his neck bent softly, swaying weakly with his movement, his eyes unfocused.

Hearing the voice, he slowly raised his head, looked at Liang Shining for a moment, then suddenly said softly: 'Ge...?'

Liang Shining was stunned for a beat, quickly realizing something was wrong with Ying Huai: 'We just got home, I'll take you to find Ying Qi right away, okay?'

The moment his words fell, Ying Qi's gentle voice came from behind at the same time: 'Xiao Ning? Why aren't you and Xiao Huai coming in...'

Liang Shining instantly breathed out in relief: 'Your brother is here. Let me help you out, okay?'

He soothed Ying Huai in a low voice, reaching out to help him up, but the moment he touched him, he saw Ying Huai let out a muffled groan and suddenly press a hand to his chest.

'No, my brother is gone...'

Liang Shining's movement froze abruptly.

Ying Huai clutched his chest, clearly looking at Ying Qi, but his expression held an uncontrollable panic: 'I can't save him. I couldn't save him before, this time too...'

Liang Haining instantly understood, and his heart sank heavily.

He suddenly said: 'You can save him.'

'I'll help you save Ying Qi, okay.'

Ying Huai blankly raised his head, watching as the person before him slowly reached out and pushed the Hongyu Jewel Pendant at the end of his hair into view.

'If I can save you, I can definitely save Ying Qi.'

Liang Shining reached out and gathered the trembling person into his arms: 'I promise.'

The car was silent. Liang Shining let Ying Huai lie against his shoulder, listening to his rapid panting gradually calm, and after a long while let out a low 'hm.'

'Liang Shining?' Ying Huai slowly propped himself up, his voice hoarse.

'Why am I here? Just now...'

'Recently when you wake up... have you always been in this state, Ying Huai?' Liang Shining softly cut him off.

Ying Huai raised his head in some bewilderment: 'What state?'

Liang Shining's expression darkened, and Ying Qi beside him took a deep breath, gently steering the topic away: 'It's nothing. You just had another nightmare. Let's go home first, Xiao Huai.'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment, then instantly realized something, his face paling a few shades.

But the next second, he smiled again: 'I see... sorry for troubling dage again.'

Ying Qi shook his head, his expression carrying a barely perceptible sadness.

'You never need to apologize to me, Xiao Huai,' Ying Qi turned his head, a bit more smile in his expression, 'but you do need to say thanks to Xiao Ning.'

Ying Huai's movement of getting out of the car paused.

He instantly understood something, raised his head in some surprise, and the moment his feet unexpectedly touched the ground, his legs suddenly went weak.

The next second, Liang Shining instantly reached out and scooped him up in a bridal carry.

'What's wrong? Where does it hurt...'

Ying Huai's movement stiffened, and Ying Qi beside him instantly froze as well.

Liang Shining didn't notice the two's abnormality.

His mind was full of how drowsy Ying Huai had looked just now, and in his panic he reached toward Ying Huai's chest—only to hear Ying Huai awkwardly speak the next second.

'I just... sat too long. My leg cramped.'

Liang Shining's expression went blank for a moment, and Ying Qi beside him couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

'You're still laughing at me, ge,' Ying Huai, rarely a little embarrassed, reached a hand toward Ying Qi, trying to get him to help him down. 'Help me in quickly...'

But Ying Qi suddenly turned around: 'I just remembered, Bouquet's shrimp today hasn't been peeled yet.'

Ying Huai was stunned: 'Didn't you say yesterday he needed to lose weight...'

'What are you saying,' Ying Qi said gently. 'Bouquet will starve and get thin in a bit. I'll go in first, so I'll trouble Xiao Ning to carry Xiao Huai in.'

...Ying Huai really couldn't imagine how his family's fat Bouquet—who left a paw print on your leg with every step—could possibly starve and get thin.

But Ying Qi had already abandoned him without a second thought.

Ying Huai helplessly sighed.

He was at least a few years older than Liang Shining, and at this moment his elder's pride inexplicably rose, making him rarely feel awkward.

'Thank you so much just now, Mr. Liang. Please put me down—my leg is much better, I can walk back myself...'

What answered him was Liang Shining unhesitatingly lifting his foot directly.

Ying Huai was startled.

He instinctively reached out to wrap his arms around Liang Shining's neck, and the next second heard Liang Shining calmly say: 'Didn't you want to get down?'

The tips of Ying Huai's ears reddened. He gave Liang Shining a half-smiling glance, and really began trying to get down.

But unexpectedly he seemed to touch somewhere, and immediately Liang Shining's movement gave a sudden jolt.

'Don't move.'

Ying Huai was startled, and once again quickly reached out to wrap his arms around Liang Shining's neck.

Afraid Liang Shining might accidentally drop him, he didn't dare move anymore. He silently sighed, then simply found a comfortable position and lazily rested his head on Liang Shining's arm.

He felt Liang Shining pause in place for a few seconds, take a deep breath, then slowly lift his foot again.

Ying Huai narrowed his eyes.

He stared at Liang Shining for a few seconds, then suddenly asked with curiosity: 'Why is your face so red?'

Liang Shining, who had been 'tested' twice in quick succession, stiffened and said through gritted teeth: 'Then I really must thank shifu.'

Ying Huai's face was full of bewilderment.

·

After all that commotion in the car earlier, even though Ying Huai was forcing himself to stay alert, he still couldn't keep the exhaustion from creeping in.

Ying Qi wanted him to go back to sleep, but Ying Huai insisted he'd slept enough, half-leaning against the sofa, squinting as he watched and listened to Ying Qi and Liang Shining chat.

Ying Huai felt his eyelids growing heavier. He blinked slowly, the fingers stroking Bouquet the cat pausing slightly, then gradually going slack.

He didn't know when he'd fallen asleep, only felt someone gently pat his shoulder in the haze.

"Xiao Huai?"

"......I'm not asleep," Ying Huai mumbled, struggling to open his eyes. "Ge, I'm not tired."

Ying Qi looked with some amusement at the person in front of him whose eyelids were blinking and almost about to close. "Alright, but let me take you to the bed to rest for a bit, okay?"

Ying Huai frowned without speaking, instinctively shrinking back.

A trace of helplessness crossed Ying Qi's expression. He glanced back at Liang Shining.

Liang Shining paused, then slowly walked up to Ying Huai, reached out, and gently embraced the person in front of him.

Ying Huai's sluggish brain couldn't quite process what was happening. He only felt a familiar, warm presence enveloping him.

Ying Huai's eyelids grew heavier, and his breathing finally gradually steadied.

Ying Qi watched Liang Shining carry him into the bedroom, deftly tucking the blanket around Ying Huai.

"Ying-dage, I'll head back then." Liang Shining quietly closed the bedroom door and spoke softly.

Ying Qi said nothing, quietly watching Liang Shining, then suddenly asked: "Were those really just nightmares?"

Liang Shining's expression stiffened.

He looked at Ying Qi, silently opening his mouth, but Ying Qi just smiled gently: "It's fine, I was just asking. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."

"I just feel Xiao Huai isn't quite the same as before," Ying Qi slowly turned his head. "I keep feeling that when I wasn't watching, he went through a lot of...... bad things."

"Some of it has to do with me, like how he's been 'having nightmares' so frequently lately."

Liang Shining's fingers trembled slightly. He watched Ying Qi quietly draw a breath.

"I don't want my didi to keep going through this."

Ying Qi said calmly: "Last time I went to investigate at the Ying Family, I found some things that might be related to the original wave of online hate against Ying Huai. I need to go confirm it soon."

Liang Shining suddenly looked up.

Ying Qi said softly: "It might be dangerous, so I might not be able to...... keep watching over Xiao Huai all the time."

Ying Qi looked up, his gaze gentle as it met Liang Shining's: "So would I be able to trouble Liang-laoshi to take Xiao Huai to your place and help look after him for a while?"

"You......" Liang Shining instinctively began, but Ying Qi gently made a 'shh' gesture at him.

"It's not just because of that."

"Xiao Huai has been jolting awake from dreams constantly these past few days. Today is the fastest I've seen him recover." Ying Qi looked up and gave Liang Shining a gentle smile.

"Liang-laoshi taking care of Xiao Huai would only be better than me doing it."

"Also," Ying Qi paused, a faint, almost imperceptible sadness gradually settling into his expression, "I just called Song Si Lan......"

Before he could finish, he suddenly heard some strange sounds from inside Ying Huai's room, followed by a muffled thud.

The expressions on both Ying Qi and Liang Shining changed at the same time.

Ying Qi strode quickly toward the room, and the moment he opened the door, just barely caught the person who had collapsed forward limply.

"Xiao Huai?" Ying Qi assumed Ying Huai had fallen into another 'nightmare' as usual.

But after he carried him back to the bed, he belatedly realized that Ying Huai's current state was different from before.

The person in front of him showed no response, eyes drooping drowsily, his whole body limp and weak, his face growing paler by the moment.

Ying Qi could feel Ying Huai's heartbeat racing and irregular.

He tried to feed the medicine to Ying Huai, but Ying Huai's jaw was tightly clenched, his head and neck too weak to bend down, and his lips gradually took on an ominous bluish-purple hue.

Ying Qi's fingers trembled as he forced himself to stay calm.

He reached for his phone to call Song Si Lan, but the next second, the figure behind him suddenly stepped forward, deftly positioning Ying Huai against his shoulder, gently pinching Ying Huai's chin, and swiftly delivering the medicine into his mouth.

"He had a heart attack in his sleep. He couldn't wake himself up and nearly suffocated," Liang Shining said quietly.

"Why would he suddenly have an attack......" Ying Qi asked, his voice trembling.

Liang Shining turned slightly, slowly rubbing Ying Huai's chest, and after a few seconds of silence: "Probably because of all the stimulation he's been getting lately."

"What stimulation?" Ying Qi asked instinctively.

Liang Shining lowered his eyes without answering. Ying Qi paused, then suddenly understood: "Is it because of those 'nightmares'?"

Liang Shining had the person lean back against his shoulder.

He didn't answer. After a long moment, he only said softly: "I gave him the medicine. Once he comes around, he'll be fine."

Ying Qi said nothing, a flash of sadness crossing his expression.

He watched Liang Shining slowly run his hand along Ying Huai's back. He didn't know how long it had been when finally the motionless person before them convulsed for a moment, then suddenly choked and coughed.

Ying Qi instantly exhaled in relief. Liang Shining closed his eyes briefly as well.

"Cough, cough, cough—Liang Shining......?" Ying Huai forced his eyes open.

His head was foggy, and he rasped: "Earlier I......"

"It's alright now, you've already come around," Liang Shining gently cut him off.

Ying Huai didn't have the strength to talk either, just closed his eyes and rested for a moment.

Earlier, in his sleep, he'd suddenly been struck by a bout of palpitations.

He'd sensed something was wrong, struggled to sit up to get his medicine, but the moment his feet hit the floor, he'd instantly lost consciousness.

Ying Huai lay drowsily against Liang Shining's shoulder for a long time, before finally slowly curving his lips into a faint smile.

"I'm fine now," Ying Huai pushed himself up slightly. "Thank you today, Mr. Liang. Mr. Liang and ge should go rest first......"

"Xiao Huai," Ying Qi suddenly said softly, "would you go stay at Liang-laoshi's home for a while?"

Ying Huai froze, his face instantly going white: "No, ge, I,,,,,,,"

"Shh, let me finish, Xiao Huai." Ying Qi brushed the stray hairs from Ying Huai's forehead and spoke gently.

"I just called Song Si Lan. He said it's very likely that I've been putting too much psychological pressure on you, which is why you've been so frequently...... 'having nightmares.'"

"You need to be removed from this environment."

"I'll be fine, I promise you." Ying Qi half-knelt before Ying Huai, his expression carrying an almost imperceptible sadness and tenderness. "Likewise, I can't bear...... anything else happening to you."

"Your body can't keep going on like this...... it won't hold up."

Ying Huai knelt on the bed, his expression panicked and at a loss.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the next moment, he suddenly felt a warmth against his fingers.

Ying Huai instinctively looked down and saw Liang Shining reach out, gently hooking Ying Huai's fingertips.

"I have Mint Chocolate Ice Cream at home, and Bouquet likes me too." Liang Shining hooked Ying Huai's little finger and gave it a gentle shake, speaking softly as if making a promise.

"I can take good care of shifu. The things I've promised shifu, I'll definitely do them."

Ying Huai lifted his head in a daze.

He watched as Liang Shining's expression softened with unusual warmth: "Will shifu come home with me?"

·

Last night, in his foggy state, Ying Huai had ultimately agreed to Liang Shining's words in a muddled, half-conscious way.

By the next morning, as he gradually came to, he finally realized what he'd done.

——I'm done for.

Ying Huai lay in bed and took a deep breath.

——Not only had he been princess-carried by Liang Shining yesterday, he'd actually softened toward him.

Ying Huai buried his face in the blanket, thinking with a blank expression.

——I'm done for.

——After finally getting a fresh start in this life, I'm not going to end up walking the same old path again, am I?

When Liang Shining opened the door, what he saw was a whole bundled-up lump on the bed.

Liang Shining: ......?

"Ying Huai?"

The person buried under the covers' ear tips reddened slightly, instinctively not daring to make a sound.

Worried Ying Huai would suffocate from being under there too long, Liang Shining walked to the bed and directly reached out to pull the blanket off.

Ying Huai had just woken up with insufficient blood supply to his heart, still groggy and unable to fully come around, his brain unable to process what he was doing.

He only felt his 'nest' about to be flipped open, and instantly tensed up, gripping it with all his might.

The two were at a stalemate for a moment, neither noticing the sound of a key being inserted into the lock at the door.

Unable to see what was happening under the blanket, Liang Shining frowned, then suddenly let go.

Ying Huai felt the force above his head vanish instantly, paused for a few seconds, and a flash of triumph instantly crossed his peach-blossom eyes.

——Good, good, the 'nest' is saved.

But the next second, Ying Huai suddenly felt his body instantly lift into the air.

Liang Shining scooped him up in a bridal carry, frowning as he directly peeled the person out of the blanket.

"What are you doing, shifu?"

The startled person instantly wrapped his arms around Liang Shining's neck, speaking through gritted teeth: "Liang Shining, you—"

Before he could finish, an excited female voice suddenly came from the doorway.

"Xiao Ning, I saw that livestream clip of you and Xiao Huai online. Are you two—"

Liang Mu hadn't finished speaking when she looked up and saw the scene before her.

Liang Mu's expression went completely blank in an instant.

She silently opened her mouth, her expression bewildered: "Did I...... interrupt you two?"

Ying Huai, who had just groggily poked his head out: ?