Kiss

Liang Shining gathered him up entirely, threw back the covers and lay down as well.

Ying Huai, still in a daze, was stunned for a moment.

He had been living at Liang Shining's home for a long time, but always slept alone. Even when he was sick with a fever and needed Liang Shining to keep him company, Liang Shining would only sit at the bedside and half-hold him.

Ying Huai's brain couldn't process it, but his body had already instinctively moved toward the heat source, pressing his whole self against Liang Shining's side.

In his daze, Ying Huai felt his clothes being slowly removed by someone.

He became lucid for a moment, somewhat blankly raising his head to look at the person before him: "What are you doing... Liang Shining?"

"Your clothes are wet, you're showing some signs of a low fever now, if you keep wearing them you'll easily catch a chill." Liang Shining said in a low voice.

They had checked into the hotel in a hurry tonight, and Ying Qi had only sent this one set of pajamas.

Ying Huai's mushy brain processed for two seconds, then suddenly reached out and started tugging at Liang Shining's clothes too.

"Then keep me company."

The person before him seemed to tremble, and grabbed Ying Huai's hand in one swift motion: "Shifu!"

"You just said you'd keep me company," Ying Huai lowered his eyes, a faint flush gradually appearing at the corners of his eyes, whether from sleepiness or sadness unclear, "I'm so cold, Liang Shining."

The moment his words fell, he felt the person before him pause in his movements, then, the grip on his wrist loosened bit by bit.

Ying Huai's eyes curved triumphantly, but the next second, he felt a slight weight settle on him.

Liang Shining took off his own top, helped Ying Huai put it on, then buried the person entirely under the covers.

"Shifu wears my clothes, I'll... hold Shifu." Liang Shining said in a low voice.

"This way is the warmest."

Ying Huai instinctively wanted to struggle free.

But the scorching warmth emanating from the clothes wrapped around Ying Huai in an instant, his struggling gradually relaxed, and he unconsciously curled up into Liang Shining's arms.

The continuous heat radiating from Liang Shining's body gradually enveloped him, Ying Huai comfortably sighed like a little cat, buried his head in the crook of Liang Shining's neck, and suddenly said: "Do you have abs, Liang Shining?"

The person beside him was silent for a few seconds, then lowly 'mm'-ed.

Ying Huai was instantly interested.

His health was poor, his muscle mass extremely low. When his heart condition wasn't as severe as a child, he could occasionally be required by his father to learn things like fighting.

But later, as he grew older, his heart became increasingly overburdened — let alone exercise, even walking a slightly longer distance left him breathless.

Ying Huai reached out and directly went to touch Liang Shining's abdomen: "Let me feel."

Liang Shining grabbed his wrist in one motion, his voice unconsciously carrying a hint of hoarseness: "Don't mess around."

Ying Huai's fever hadn't fully subsided, his brain couldn't turn the corner, doing things entirely based on his instinctive preferences.

He was somewhat puzzled: "How is that messing around? I've never had abs, can't I just look?"

Liang Shining paused, still not letting go of Ying Huai's hand.

Ying Huai narrowed his eyes, he slightly raised his head, "You're my disciple, is there anything about you I can't see?"

Ying Huai's logic was too self-consistent, Liang Shining strangely paused for a second, momentarily at a loss for how to refute it.

He silently opened his mouth, but the next second, heard Ying Huai suddenly softly 'hiss', his wrist struggling: "It hurts."

Liang Shining was stunned, he instinctively let go, and the next second, heard the person before him softly laugh, and unhesitatingly reached his hand to his abdomen.

The slightly cool sensation of fingertips came in an instant, Liang Shining's body suddenly tensed.

Ying Huai's fingers lightly traced across Liang Shining's abdomen, his fingers moved down inch by inch, then, suddenly heard Liang Shining let out a muffled groan.

Liang Shining once again grabbed Ying Huai's wrist in one motion: "Ying Huai!"

Ying Huai didn't understand why Liang Shining reacted so strongly, he could only good-naturedly curve his eyes.

He was already extremely sleepy by now, his goal already achieved, his eyelids slowly sinking, he leaned a little more into Liang Shining's arms.

Liang Shining once again lowly muffled a groan.

He took a deep breath, his voice somehow a bit hoarse: "Shifu, you—"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly heard the person in his arms softly laugh, and slowly say: "It's... hard."

Liang Shining's body instantly froze.

He suddenly lowered his head, but saw the person in his arms breathing evenly, eyelashes slightly trembling, already fallen into a heavy sleep.

Liang Shining closed his eyes.

His body stiffly lay beside Ying Huai, until confirming Ying Huai was completely asleep, he finally awkwardly sat up little by little, and quickly walked toward the bathroom.

·

Ying Huai slept straight through until noon that day.

Both Ying Qi and Liang Shining knew his health was poor, they didn't rush him, until nearly afternoon, Ying Huai finally fully woke up.

The room's door was knocked, Ying Huai sitting on the bed turned his head at the sound, just seeing Ying Qi walk in with a smile.

"Just now Xiao Ning said you've finally woken up." Ying Qi said with a smile, "How do you feel, still uncomfortable?"

Ying Huai shook his head.

Ying Qi looked him up and down, then suddenly started laughing: "You slept with Xiao Ning last night?"

Ying Huai was stunned.

The memories of the second half of last night gradually returned, Ying Huai's ear tips flushed slightly, he said in a low voice: "How did you know, ge?"

Ying Qi looked at his younger brother, more smile in his eyes, shook his head without speaking.

Ying Huai steadied himself, then suddenly spoke again: "Ge, what you said yesterday....."

He opened his mouth wanting to ask about last night, but Ying Qi seemed to have anticipated it, directly turned and walked outside: "That's good, I'll arrange a car to take you back, you pack up first, after lunch we'll leave."

Ying Huai frowned.

He turned over wanting to get off the bed, the next second, an enthusiastic voice came from the doorway.

"Huai-ge, you're awake!"

Chu Ming rushed in from the doorway excitedly, directly wanting to pounce on Ying Huai.

"Huai-ge, long time no see, let me hug you—"

Ying Huai's movement of getting off the bed paused, he leaned against the bedside without moving, Chu Ming was overjoyed, unhesitatingly rushed over, the next second, felt his collar tighten again.

Liang Shining reached out and unceremoniously pulled him back half an inch, with a twist of his wrist, Chu Ming let out an 'ow', and directly stumbled back several steps.

"What are you doing? I haven't seen Huai-ge in so long, what's wrong with hugging him—"

"How can you say it's been a long time." Ying Huai directly lazily interrupted Chu Ming.

Chu Ming's attention was instantly drawn to Ying Huai.

He turned to look at Ying Huai, seriously said: "We only saw each other yesterday, but when I can't see Huai-ge every day feels like a year, so it really has been a long time."

Ying Huai raised his head and glanced at him, then suddenly laughed: "Every day feels like a year, right."

"When I see you it really does feel like a year, I saw you yesterday, rounding up I've already seen you for a year."

Ying Huai curved his eyes: "So we don't need to meet for a whole year."

Liang Shining beside them coughed lowly, covering the smile at his lips.

Chu Ming was first delighted hearing the words 'every day feels like a year', after a few seconds, he finally realized what Ying Huai had said, and his expression instantly collapsed.

"Huai-ge!"

Ying Huai couldn't be bothered with him.

He got up and slowly walked to the dining table, Chu Ming hurriedly followed wagging his tail wanting to support him.

But the next second, Liang Shining once again grabbed his collar and yanked him aside directly, naturally standing beside Ying Huai.

Chu Ming struggled to no avail, truly furious: "What exactly do you want?"

"I checked yesterday, you're Huai-ge's disciple, not some cohabiting relationship, don't try to deceive me here....."

Liang Shining completely ignored him, supporting Ying Huai as he slowly stood up.

"Should I go change clothes....."

Chu Ming was still here after all, Ying Huai was a bit embarrassed to eat directly in Liang Shining's pajamas.

But Liang Shining stopped him: "Last night's set of clothes hasn't dried yet, this one is warm to wear."

Ying Huai had no choice but to let it go.

Chu Ming beside them was hopping mad: "Hey, say something, don't pretend here—"

Before he finished speaking, his gaze fell on the clothes Ying Huai and Liang Shining were wearing, and his voice abruptly stopped.

When Ying Huai was sitting on the bed earlier it wasn't so obvious, now suddenly standing up, Chu Ming could clearly see the clothes on Ying Huai were a size too big, the silk pajama shirt hanging down to his upper thighs, lightly brushing against his skin as he moved, a faint flush rising on his fair skin.

And most importantly, Ying Huai's clothes were clearly a matching set with Liang Shining's pants.

Chu Ming's face instantly reddened.

He could hardly believe what he was seeing: "Huai-ge, what you're wearing, what you're wearing is....."

Ying Huai turned his head in confusion, "What?"

Chu Ming swallowed: "Huai-ge, you guys aren't, aren't really that kind of relationship....."

Ying Huai didn't understand, and couldn't be bothered to deal with him.

Liang Shining glanced up at Chu Ming, his expression as calm as ever.

Chu Ming was instantly riled up again.

"What are you doing? Are you deliberately provoking—"

He said while reaching out to block in front of Ying Huai, but Liang Shining grabbed his arm.

"The facts are right in front of you, so who's really provoking whom?" Liang Shining said unhurriedly.

Chu Ming was left speechless with anger.

He watched Liang Shining help Ying Huai sit down at the dining table, gritted his teeth, and unwillingly followed.

"Huai-ge, what do you want to eat? I'll have the kitchen downstairs make it for you.....

But Ying Huai didn't seem interested, and casually cut him off: "No need."

Chu Ming was confused: "It's fine, Huai-ge, just tell me what you want to eat, I'll definitely get it for you.....

Before he could finish, he suddenly saw Liang Shining cut in first: "Shifu needs to take his medicine before eating."

Chu Ming was stunned for a moment.

He watched Liang Shining take out a small box of medicine from his pocket, opening each little compartment's lid one by one, all of them filled with various colorful pills and tablets.

Liang Shining turned to look at Chu Ming: "If you want to eat lunch, you can go eat first. I'll stay with Shifu until he finishes his medicine."

Chu Ming came back to himself and immediately said defiantly: "It's just feeding medicine, I can do that too. Huai-ge, which medicine do you want to take, I'll hand it to you.....

Before he could finish, he heard Ying Huai laugh softly: "All of them."

Chu Ming's voice cut off abruptly.

He watched Liang Shining pick out different medicines from each compartment and hand them to Ying Huai, who calmly swallowed them all down at once.

Chu Ming could clearly sense Ying Huai's resistance and reluctance, and couldn't help but say in a trembling voice: "Why do you have to take so many medicines? Ge, your body.....

His stomach felt uncomfortable from a whole cup of warm water. Ying Huai bent slightly forward and held his stomach, laughing casually: "Because if I don't, I'll die."

The moment his words fell, he saw Liang Shining's brow furrow instantly.

Ying Huai laughed, soothingly hooking Liang Shining's finger: "Got it, I won't say careless things anymore."

He watched Liang Shining's expression settle again, and said ingratiatingly: "For the remaining medicines, can I not take them?"

Liang Shining glanced at him, and for once nodded: "You can."

Ying Huai's heart leaped with joy, but the next second, he heard Liang Shining say calmly: "Those medicines happen to need to be taken half an hour apart, so wait until after you finish eating."

Ying Huai:........

On the other side, Chu Ming's expression was somewhat dazed.

He knew Ying Huai's health wasn't good, but before he went abroad, it wasn't nearly this serious.

A nameless panic crept into Chu Ming's heart.

A server brought lunch to the room. Chu Ming forcibly steadied himself, reached out with his chopsticks to pick food for Ying Huai: "It's fine, Huai-ge, your body will definitely get better, I'll stay with you and slowly recover.....

But the moment his chopsticks reached out, Liang Shining stopped him once again.

"What are you doing?" Chu Ming was already afraid, and now even more furious. "Is it interesting for you to fight me over this? Huai-ge's health isn't good, he should eat more.....

Before he could finish, he saw Ying Huai turn his head in disgust, covering his mouth and dry-heaving a few times.

Chu Ming was stunned for a moment, instantly at a loss: "Huai-ge, you, what's wrong, I didn't mean to.....

"He can't eat anything too salty or oily right now. The meal I prepared for him was made by me personally."

Liang Shining quickly soothed Ying Huai's back, his voice turning cold: "Can you stop making trouble?"

Chu Ming's movements froze for a moment.

He stared blankly as Ying Huai coughed and panted for a long while before his breathing gradually steadied, and when he straightened up, his face was visibly paler.

Chu Ming's eyes gradually reddened.

He silently stood up, carried his tray to the seat farthest from Ying Huai.

Ying Huai glanced up at Chu Ming, his peach blossom eyes flickering, but in the end said nothing.

·

In the afternoon, Ying Qi personally drove Ying Huai and Liang Shining home.

"Ge, is it really okay for you to go back to the company alone?" Ying Huai looked at Ying Qi as he got out of the car, hesitating.

"I'm fine, what could happen to me?" Ying Qi bent down, amusedly flicking Ying Huai's forehead.

"Isn't your variety show starting to record again? Take good care of yourself, and I'll be fine."

Ying Huai didn't dare tell Ying Qi about his past life. He looked at Ying Qi in silence for a few seconds, then gritted his teeth: "Is it because of those scandal stories about me?"

A flash of surprise crossed Ying Qi's expression.

Ying Huai said urgently: "Ge, don't investigate, this is my own business, I'll handle it myself.....

Hearing Ying Huai's words, Ying Qi felt an inexplicable panic for some reason.

"No!" Ying Qi said suddenly.

Ying Huai was stunned.

Ying Qi also realized his reaction was a bit excessive.

He was quiet for a few seconds, then took a soft breath: "Has Xiao Huai grown up and doesn't need gege anymore?"

Ying Huai was stunned, and said hurriedly: "I didn't mean that, Ge, I was just worried.....

"Wouldn't I worry too?" Ying Qi said softly.

Ying Huai's voice caught.

He listened as Ying Qi said warmly: "You're my little brother. If something happens to you, I'd worry too."

"If I could have helped you but gave up and it led to something happening to you, I'd never be able to forgive myself."

"Until this is investigated thoroughly, it'll keep bringing you more harm." Ying Qi said softly. "I need to know who he is and why he's doing this."

Ying Huai lowered his eyes and said nothing. Ying Qi looked at Ying Huai's helpless expression and sighed silently.

"Don't try to stop me, Xiao Huai, but I promise you, I'll be fine." Ying Qi said warmly. "I'll tell you about anything that happens, right away, okay?"

Ying Huai didn't speak, but after a long while finally nodded.

Ying Qi's lips curved slightly. He reached out and gently patted Ying Huai's hair, gave Liang Shining a slight nod, and sat back in the car.

·

Ying Huai watched Ying Qi's car gradually drive away.

He had just turned around when he suddenly heard a weak voice from behind.

"Huai-ge.......

Ying Huai's eyes flickered, but he still stopped.

He listened as Chu Ming quickly walked up to him and suddenly bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry, Huai-ge."

Ying Huai narrowed his eyes.

He didn't answer immediately, just crossed his arms and leaned lazily against the doorway, studying Chu Ming for a few seconds. "Why are you apologizing?"

Chu Ming stayed half-bent, only slightly raising his head, and said earnestly: "I shouldn't have made a scene just now, Huai-ge. I made you feel bad, it's my fault."

"Please don't be angry with me, Huai-ge, it's my fault. I just missed you too much, I thought you didn't want me anymore.....

"When did I say I was angry with you?"

Chu Ming hadn't finished speaking when Ying Huai casually cut him off.

Chu Ming was stunned.

He suddenly straightened up, meeting Ying Huai's half-smiling expression.

Ying Huai really wasn't angry.

Whether Chu Ming had made a scene or not, he felt uncomfortable once or twice every morning, and was long used to it.

On the contrary, he was quite happy to watch Chu Ming and Liang Shining bicker.

Liang Shining was usually like a closed gourd, and Ying Huai rarely got to see this "sharp-tongued" side of him.

Chu Ming took a few seconds to react, and his expression instantly brightened with excitement.

He let out a long breath.

"That's great, Huai-ge. At first I thought you didn't like me anymore."

Ying Huai was tired from standing, and turned to walk inside: "That depends on whether you'll keep saying careless things about liking me, wanting to pursue me.....

Before he could finish, he heard Chu Ming say earnestly: "I'm not saying it carelessly, I really do like you, Huai-ge."

Ying Huai choked, raised his hand to flick Chu Ming's forehead again, but the other dodged with a grin.

"But I won't say it again after this, Huai-ge. I didn't know before that you and Liang Shining were already in that kind of relationship, after this........

Chu Ming hadn't finished when he saw Ying Huai look up in confusion: "What relationship?"

Chu Ming was stunned, and he opened his mouth somewhat blankly: "Isn't Liang Shining, Huai-ge, your boyfriend?"

"The matching outfits you two wore this morning........"

Inside the room, Liang Shining, who had been tidying up, suddenly paused.

Ying Huai narrowed his eyes, suddenly realizing why Liang Shining had refused to let him change clothes that morning.

"Of course not." Ying Huai glanced at the tense-looking Liang Shining inside the room and slowly smiled.

Chu Ming was stunned.

"Then he's just Huai-ge's disciple?"

Ying Huai lifted his eyelids to glance at Liang Shining, opening his mouth with a half-smile: "He was before, but in the future... I'm not sure either."

The moment his words fell, he heard Chu Ming suddenly cheer.

"That's great, Huai-ge, then I can still pursue you!"

Ying Huai was stunned.

He suddenly turned his head: "No—"

But the excited Chu Ming couldn't be bothered with any of that: "Don't worry, Huai-ge, I'll definitely learn how to take good care of you. What was that variety show Ying-dage mentioned earlier? Can I go too?"

"No." Ying Huai said expressionlessly.

He began to regret telling Chu Ming the truth earlier. "You're a business student, what would you cause trouble on a variety show?"

Chu Ming laughed twice, "Why not? I have so much variety show appeal, it'll definitely be fun."

He didn't say anything else, just mysteriously waved at Ying Huai and quickly rushed out the door.

Ying Huai stood at the door with a head full of confusion, silently sighing.

He turned and walked back inside. Liang Shining beside him, holding the fat Bouquet, carefully stepped forward: "Shifu......."

Ying Huai glanced at him, then suddenly beckoned him over.

Liang Shining felt a moment of relief, but the next second, he felt the fat Bouquet in his arms let out a meow, kick its fat legs, and instantly wriggle out of his arms, trotting over to Ying Huai.

"I called Bouquet, why are you running?" Ying Huai raised his head with a smile.

Liang Shining: ???

He realized Ying Huai was really a bit angry, paused, and said aggrievedly: "Shifu, I was wrong."

"Don't, I can't bear to accept that 'shifu'," Ying Huai rubbed Bouquet's chin, glancing up with a half-smile. "Don't you agree, boyfriend?"

Liang Shining: ?

He opened his mouth to say something more, but saw Ying Huai squat down, reach out with effort to pick up Bouquet, and turn to walk upstairs.

"Shifu, let me carry it." Liang Shining, seeing Ying Huai struggling with the huge ball of cat, hurried forward.

—Liang Shining swore that when Ying Huai had just stood up, he had been pulled into a stumble by the fat Bouquet.

"No need." Ying Huai shook his head with effort.

He stubbornly took two steps up holding Bouquet, then suddenly paused.

"What's wrong, is something uncomfortable, Shifu......." Liang Shining hurried forward.

The next second, he saw Ying Huai turn around expressionlessly and shove Bouquet into his arms.

"Forget it, I can't carry it."

Ying Huai took a deep breath.

"It's nothing, when I got home earlier the housekeeper told me Bouquet seems to have gotten heavier again..."

Liang Shining hadn't finished speaking when Bouquet in his arms directly gave him a slap.

Ying Huai watched the person and cat before him struggling wildly with a half-smile, and slowly said: "I see........ Thanks, 'boyfriend'."

Liang Shining's movements suddenly froze, then he was kicked again by the opportunistic Bouquet.

·

Two weeks later, the variety show began recording again.

On the Lushi side, Lu Jing seemed to have been carrying out a reorganization all along.

He had unhesitatingly replaced the original Director, and Song Fengyi's side had seized the opportunity to start PR, pushing all the blame onto the previous Director.

But on the Liangshi Group side, a new Director still hadn't been selected. This variety show had now become a hot potato—two episodes had cost them one guest and one Director, and that guest had been sent straight to the police station.

The industry was all saying this variety show was cursed, so the Liangshi Group could only push out a temporary Assistant Director first.

Ying Huai wasn't surprised by this outcome at all.

Song Fengyi and Le Xi were clearly both planted by the person behind the scenes, with the purpose of ruining him.

He hadn't expected this variety show to unexpectedly go viral, and it had even indirectly helped him turn around part of the public opinion.

Ying Huai yawned, casually thinking that the person behind the scenes was probably going crazy with anger.

But even so, probably no new people would dare join, unless they were idiots........

"Huai-ge! Long time no see!"

Ying Huai hadn't finished thinking when the next second, an enthusiastic voice instantly came over.

Ying Huai's expression paused.

—Well, the idiot had arrived.

He raised his head expressionlessly, just in time to see Chu Ming, dressed like a peacock, walking over while waving frantically in this direction.

"Who is this person, how can someone dress so flashy," Xin Wan beside him couldn't help but say. "Little shidi, do you know him?"

Ying Huai stared at him expressionlessly for a few seconds, then quickly looked away: "Not sure, don't know him."

But the next second, Chu Ming had already walked right up to him: "Did you miss me, Huai-ge? I've been holding back from coming to find you these past two weeks......."

Ying Huai pushed his face aside: "Then you'd better hold back a bit longer."

"How could that work," Chu Ming didn't care at all, instead directly grabbing Ying Huai's hand, opening his mouth with a grin. "Don't I still need to accompany Huai-ge on the variety show?"

Ying Huai frowned. Xin Wan beside him, watching their movements, instantly bristled: "Who are you, getting so close to our little shidi, and can you just join this variety show whenever you want..."

"That's right," Chu Ming didn't look at Xin Wan at all, staring at Ying Huai with a cheerful grin. "I'm so capable, of course I can join whenever I want."

Xin Wan choked. Ying Huai instantly understood what was going on.

"Did you beg Chu-shu?"

Chu Ming choked a little, opening his mouth quietly: "Huai-ge, can you not say 'back door' so loudly?"

Ying Huai neither confirmed nor denied. Chu Ming gritted his teeth, looking at Xin Wan's contemptuous gaze beside him, stubbornly refusing to back down.

"I didn't, this episode I'm just invited as a flying guest, how can a flying guest count as going through the back door!"

Ying Huai didn't believe Chu Ming's nonsense at all.

But he was somewhat surprised that Chu Hongsheng had ultimately agreed to let Chu Ming on this variety show.

After all, Chu Hongsheng looked gentle and refined, but was actually an old fogey just like Ying Huai's father. Their initial disagreement with Ying Huai's father seemed to also be related to company transformation.

Ying Huai didn't notice that not far away, Song Fengyi, who had originally wanted to step forward, suddenly paused when he saw Chu Ming, a flash of disbelief crossing his expression.

He stiffened for a few seconds, but still walked forward in the end, giving Chu Ming a slight bow: "Hello, Young Master Chu."

Chu Ming turned his head in confusion, frowning slightly.

He didn't know this person, but for some reason felt he looked familiar somewhere, seemed to have seen him at his father's place.

"Alright, let's start today's recording."

The Assistant Director held the script and said quietly.

He looked obedient and honest, didn't dare cause trouble, following the script step by step.

"First let's welcome our new guest, Teacher Chu Ming. Teacher Chu Ming is the son of the Vice President of Ying Corporation, specially arranged to be a flying guest for this episode of the variety show at his father's request, with subsequent conversion to a regular guest depending on the situation.......ah, this part shouldn't have been said."

The Assistant Director had read half of the small text before belatedly realizing something.

The bullet comments in the livestream were about to die laughing.

[Hahahahaha this Assistant Director is so dumb, kind of cute.]

[Dying of laughter, directly lifted Chu Ming's pants, Assistant Director how are you going to survive in the future (pointing fingers).]

[Hahahaha Chu Ming looks silly and kind of cute too, and he seems to really like our Xiao Huai.]

[If going through the back door is fun then I actually don't mind much, after all I'm just a meme person (holding pot lid overhead)]

[Above +1]

[Evil capitalists, going through the back door to this variety show, trying to ride the traffic to go viral?]

[No, he looks like he just wants to stick to Ying Huai.]

On the other side, Ying Huai narrowed his eyes, looking at Chu Ming whose face had turned red.

"Tell me, how long did you beg?"

Chu Ming was silent for a few seconds, then quietly said: "Two weeks."

—Evil capitalists.

Ying Huai took a deep breath, thinking expressionlessly.

—No wonder Chu Ming hadn't had time to come find him these past two weeks.

"Brother Huai, I really do want to see you, don't have prejudice against me......"

He looked at Chu Ming beside him, who wasn't rushing to explain to the audience but was entirely focused on worrying that he was angry, and couldn't help but sigh again.

—And a foolish capitalist at that.

"Sorry Teacher Chu Ming, that was just an accident, we'll cut it in post-production—ah, it's live so we can't cut it." The Assistant Director said quietly.

Chu Ming's brow twitched.

"Then let's move directly to the next segment. Today's recording isn't indoors—everyone needs to head to various venues around the university district, get close to the fans, and experience campus life." The Assistant Director looked at the script and said seriously.

"Our final Concert requires audience participation, so this episode's task for everyone is to head to various venues around the university district, complete missions, and personally attract a certain number of fans to come to the final Concert."

The Assistant Director said seriously: "The guest who completes the task first and meets the standard wins."

The large venue the Production Team selected was the university district.

"Today's first task is to participate in a university music department class. The Concert requires singers to have solid fundamentals, so everyone needs to listen carefully in class, and after class, complete the questions the professor sets through a quiz-bowl format."

The Assistant Director said seriously: "The guest who meets the standard first gets priority in inviting fans."

The moment the Assistant Director finished speaking, the smugness on Song Fengyi's face beside him was almost impossible to hide.

He was the only professionally trained singer among them, and could be said to know these basic music theory concepts inside and out.

He glanced smugly at Ying Huai beside him, only to find that Ying Huai had already curled up in the corner and fallen into a drowsy sleep.

Chu Ming, who had been keeping an eye on Ying Huai, turned his head curiously: "What's wrong? Did you get a cramp in your eye?"

He didn't notice that behind him, Ying Huai's body was tilting slightly to the side with the car's bumps, slowly leaning onto Liang Shining's shoulder.

Song Fengyi's expression twisted for a moment. He gritted his teeth: "........No."

"Then why are you squinting like that?" Chu Ming asked curiously. "Like that kind of eye that's been squeezed into a slit [redacted]."

Song Fengyi's brow twitched.

He instinctively wanted to fire back, but looking at Chu Ming's face, he took a deep breath and ultimately held back.

He simply turned around and closed his eyes. Chu Ming turned back in confusion, nearly bristling for a moment.

"What are you doing? Why are you letting Brother Huai lean on you—"

The person leaning on Liang Shining's shoulder stirred uneasily at the sound. Liang Shining gently patted Ying Huai's shoulder and looked up at Chu Ming with a cold glance.

Chu Ming instantly fell silent, but his eyes were still full of indignant grievance.

He could tell that something seemed off about the atmosphere between Ying Huai and Liang Shining.

Chu Ming assumed Liang Shining was "taking advantage of a vulnerable person" because Ying Huai was asleep. He plopped down beside Ying Huai and reached out to pull him over.

But the moment his hand touched Ying Huai, he saw the person before him frown for a moment and subtly dodge toward Liang Shining.

Chu Ming's movements instantly froze.

Heartbroken, he turned back around. Behind him, Liang Shining silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Ying Huai had indeed been angry at him these past few days.

Although there was no particular reaction, he had been deliberately or inadvertently avoiding people, leaving Liang Shining with no way to make amends.

He had noticed the invisible closeness between Chu Ming and Ying Huai at the time, which made him uncontrollably jealous, and he couldn't hold back in the moment.

The accumulated unease in Liang Shining's heart mostly vanished in an instant when Ying Huai leaned over just now.

He lowered his eyes, looked at Ying Huai's peaceful sleeping face, and silently exhaled.

Liang Shining steadily supported Ying Huai. When they were almost at the destination, he had originally planned to help him back to his seat first.

Unexpectedly, the moment he moved, the person beside him groggily opened his eyes first.

"Liang Shining?" Ying Huai's mind hadn't caught up yet. He tilted his head and nuzzled against Liang Shining's shoulder again. "Let me sleep one more minute, wake me in a bit......"

The person beside him went oddly stiff and didn't respond as usual.

Ying Huai raised his eyes in some bewilderment, belatedly realizing something.

He suddenly sat up straight, but forgot that he was prone to low blood pressure upon waking, and his vision instantly went black.

"Hiss—"

Liang Shining hurriedly reached out to steady him. Ying Huai pressed his brow and rubbed it, finally recovering from the black fog before his eyes.

"Did I lean over on my own just now?"

Liang Shining was silent for two seconds, then gave a slight nod.

Ying Huai closed his eyes briefly and silently exhaled.

—This body of his really was useless.

The Director up front began urging everyone to leave. Ying Huai gently pulled free of Liang Shining's support and silently rose to walk forward.

A flash of dimness crossed Liang Shining's expression.

But the next second, a casual voice came from beside him: "Thanks, little disciple."

Liang Shining suddenly raised his head.

He noticed with sharp eyes that the tips of Ying Huai's ears seemed inexplicably red.

·

To avoid affecting the university's normal classes, the Production Team specially invited a retired professor to give a special lecture. The students were all voluntary participants, and fans of every guest were among them.

"This time, the quiz game will be conducted in pairs, determined by drawing lots,"

The Assistant Director seriously produced a handful of paper lots with handwritten numbers on them: "To ensure fairness, everyone come draw."

The final result was indeed—very fair.

By an unprecedented coincidence, Ying Huai happened to be paired with Liang Shining.

Chu Ming looked at the result, on the verge of tears: "Why am I not paired with Brother Huai?"

"Didn't I already pull strings? How come I still couldn't get drawn with him?"

Ying Huai was caught between laughing and crying, and the barrage in the livestream chat was going wild with laughter.

[Hahahahaha, Chu Ming is really so funny, making fun of himself for pulling strings.]

[Chu Ming is the most aggrieved string-puller I've ever seen. He probably joined this Variety Show just for Ying Huai, but couldn't even get paired with him hahahaha.]

[Dying of laughter hahahaha, this Assistant Director really looks seriously cute.]

The Assistant Director beside him sympathetically patted Chu Ming's shoulder. Chu Ming turned around aggrievedly, just about to complain, when he heard the Assistant Director say seriously: "Teacher Chu, please return to your team quickly, our professor is about to come in."

He pointed at Chu Ming's spot as he spoke: "Teacher Chu is a bit in the way."

Chu Ming, who had been on the verge of tears: ........

He forcibly held back his tears.

Song Fengyi, who had been holding back all this time, finally found a chance to sidle up to Ying Huai.

"Teacher Ying, among the eight guests, only you and I are singers. You must be very familiar with these basic music theory concepts."

Song Fengyi said warmly: "Otherwise, if we can't answer many questions later, it'll be really embarrassing."

Ying Huai's mind was full of being paired with Liang Shining and couldn't be bothered with him at all.

He said lazily: "Is that so? Then I wish Teacher Song a per—"

He had originally wanted to wish Song Fengyi a perfect score, but before he could finish, he suddenly heard the Assistant Director up front say seriously: "Alright, let's welcome the lifetime honorary professor of the Classical Music and Composition departments, Professor Mu Heguang!"

Ying Huai's voice cut off abruptly.

He raised his head in disbelief, just meeting Mu Heguang's cheerful face as he walked up to the podium waving.

Mu Heguang clearly knew in advance that Ying Huai was coming. Meeting Ying Huai's gaze, he winked and made faces smugly at him.

Ying Huai was caught between laughing and crying for a moment, and didn't notice that Su Xin beside him also looked somewhat surprised.

Ying Huai turned his head and said sincerely: "I wish Teacher Song a passing grade."

Song Fengyi's expression twisted for a moment.

"What does Teacher Ying mean by that? Are you deliberately mocking yourself?"

Ying Huai gave a noncommittal smile and didn't answer.

—He knew just how tricky and obscure Mu Heguang's questions were.

The Assistant Director beside him clapped again and suddenly asked everyone to hand in their phones: "Professor Mu's classes have always been very popular. To test everyone's listening effectiveness, we don't allow anyone to record with phones or any other devices during the lecture, but one team will get the right to take handwritten notes."

"This right will be competed for by each team through a Pocky game."

The moment the Assistant Director finished speaking, the students below instantly exclaimed, and the expressions of the guests on stage were equally varied.

"What Pocky game?" Ying Huai, who didn't play games much, was baffled and didn't react for a moment.

The moment his words fell, he heard the Assistant Director say seriously: "Each team will be given a Pocky stick. Both team members will eat toward the middle at the same time, and the team whose stick breaks with the least remaining length gets the right to take notes."

"Everyone be careful, don't actually kiss."

Ying Huai's expression instantly stiffened.