Going Home

Weibo quickly boiled over following the statement Ying Huai posted.

[?? What am I seeing? Has Ying Huai lost his mind?]

[Ying Huai's in this state and Le Xi has always treated him so well, and now he suddenly kicks him out for no reason — absolutely disgusting.]

[I have a friend who works at the Hospital who leaked that Ying Huai kicked Le Xi out because he did something wrong, and that he's also taken on a better disciple.]

[? That can't be real. In Ying Huai's current state, who would still apprentice under him? And what disciple could be better than Le Xi?]

[Y: Liang Shining.]

[???]

[? What are you saying, upstairs?]

[Swear Brother: Dying laughing. I swear, even if Ying Huai acknowledged me as his shixiong, he still wouldn't take Liang Shining as a disciple.]

[Oh, Swear Brother has emerged from retirement again?]

[Swear Brother: Face's gone down, bro's back. That 'Y' upstairs — how many peanuts did you eat with that drink?]

"How many peanuts did you eat with that drink? Still not sobered up?"

Inside the Hospital, Ying Huai walked briskly out of the ward, speaking in a frustrated tone: "Claiming everything at random."

Lu Jing beside him seemed to want to say something but held back. Liang Shining's expression, on the other hand, remained calm.

"I'm not drunk right now." Liang Shining followed behind Ying Huai, speaking softly.

He paused, then raised his head seriously: "And I didn't claim it at random, shifu."

Ying Huai: ......

He took a deep breath, walked to the nurse's station, and quickly signed the discharge notice.

Lu Jing behind him frowned, slowly reaching his hand toward the medical records on the side. The next second, a hand with clearly defined knuckles suddenly pressed down on it.

"Thanks, shixiong, I'll take it myself." Ying Huai said with a smile, unhesitatingly pulling the medical records out.

Lu Jing's expression stiffened. Unable to save face, he frowned and said: "What are you guarding against, Ying Huai? I just want to know about your physical condition...."

"Just low blood pressure, didn't recover in time." Ying Huai said casually, head lowered as he signed. "No need for shixiong to trouble himself."

Lu Jing had held a high position these past years, and it had been a long time since anyone dared to directly defy him like this.

Today, having been thwarted repeatedly by Ying Huai, the anger in his heart gradually rose. He reached out directly to snatch the medical records from Ying Huai's hand.

"Give me the medical records—"

The next second, Ying Huai suddenly turned around and came face to face with Lu Jing behind him.

Lu Jing was momentarily dazed. His center of gravity was unstable, and at the last moment he quickly reached out to brace himself against Ying Huai's side, barely managing to steady himself.

"What do you want to do, Ying Huai?" Lu Jing said through gritted teeth. "You—"

"Didn't shixiong just now lean in on his own?" The young man before him tilted his head slightly back, his slender neck forming a beautiful arc.

Compared to Lu Jing's dishevelment, he appeared unusually calm, which also caused Liang Shining, who had been about to step forward, to pause.

"I remember, shixiong's office has a huge floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks the entire city. It should satisfy shixiong's need for control quite well, shouldn't it?"

Ying Huai curved his lips: "So that's how you developed the bad habit of snatching other people's things?"

Lu Jing frowned: "How do you know what my office looks like?"

Ying Huai had never been to his office. His office was a 270° corner, with the floor-to-ceiling window on the other side, impossible to see from outside.

Lu Jing suddenly realized something, his expression instantly cooling: "Ying Huai, have some shame."

"Even if you found out where my office is and went there to find me, I still won't help you clarify—"

"Who said I'm going to shixiong's office?" Ying Huai laughed. "It's not the Lu Family Heir Announcement's office — is it that precious?"

Lu Jing's face darkened.

The Lu family's internal affairs were intricate. The Lu Family Heir Announcement was decided by Father Lu personally, and he might not necessarily secure the heir's position now.

Lu Jing inexplicably recalled Ying Huai's mention at the previous banquet of 'helping him return to the Lu family.' His expression tightened for a moment: "What do you mean—"

Ying Huai, however, didn't continue, instead changing the subject: "I just want to remind shixiong."

He casually played with the Hongyu Jewel at the end of his hair, laughing softly: "Shixiong has stood in a high position for too long — it's time to experience what it feels like to fall."

Lu Jing was stunned for a moment. Before he could react, Ying Huai had unhurriedly turned around and handed the medical records along with the discharge form back to the nurse.

Lu Jing's face instantly darkened: "Ying Huai!"

He raised his hand again. The next second, his wrist was suddenly gripped tight.

"This is the Hospital," Liang Shining said softly, gripping Lu Jing's arm. "Does Young Master Lu want to cause a medical disturbance?"

Lu Jing paused.

The surrounding medical staff looked over, some nervous, some curious. Some nurses were quietly urging their patients to return to their rooms.

Lu Jing closed his eyes, stepped back to break free of Liang Shining's grip, turned, and strode away.

"Thanks for shixiong's concern, I'm heading home first." Ying Huai yawned, returning to his usual languid manner.

As he spoke, he walked briskly outward, but heard footsteps following closely behind him again.

"I'll say it one more time — I haven't taken you as a disciple, Liang Shining." Ying Huai took a deep breath, turned around, and said coldly: "Stop following me."

"But I have nowhere to go." Liang Shining said softly, and Ying Huai inexplicably heard a hint of grievance in it.

He took a deep breath: "Have your manager come pick you up."

"My phone is dead."

Liang Shining paused: "Coming from the banquet to the Hospital was too rushed earlier, and I left my charger in my coat pocket."

Ying Huai: .....

—He swore he had just seen a pitiful big dog with drooping tail.

·

At the same moment, outside the Hospital.

Lu Jing walked forward briskly with a dark expression. A voice suddenly came from behind: "Uncle Lu!"

Lu Jing turned around. Le Xi stood on the steps at the entrance, speaking timidly: "Uncle Lu, could you help me give this document to shifu?"

As he spoke, he handed over something — the stack of documents he hadn't had time to give Ying Huai in the ward earlier.

"Shifu might just be in a bad mood today, Uncle Lu, don't be angry with shifu." Le Xi said quietly. "Shifu has had a really hard time lately,"

Lu Jing said nothing.

He stared at Le Xi for a few seconds, then suddenly spoke: "Was it you who leaked Ying Huai's whereabouts?"

Le Xi's eyes instantly reddened: "I really didn't mean to, Uncle Lu."

"When I got Uncle Lu's call I rushed over in a hurry and didn't notice there were a few reporters staking out at the door, who secretly followed me and found this place." Le Xi spoke with a crying tone.

"I'll definitely be more careful next time, Uncle Lu, please believe me."

Lu Jing didn't say whether he believed him or not, but slowly said: "Then why didn't you tell Ying Huai just now?"

Le Xi was stunned for a moment, then instantly switched to a wronged expression: "Because I'm afraid shifu already doesn't trust me anymore. If I say more, I'll just make shifu angrier...."

"I'll go apologize to shifu in person in a few days, but shifu's manager said this document is very urgent. Please help me give it to shifu, Uncle Lu."

Le Xi had always presented an innocent, unworldly appearance before. Having just entered the entertainment industry and never having encountered reporters staking out was understandable.

Lu Jing's expression softened slightly. He looked down at the document: "What is this?"

"It's a new Variety Show our company is planning, inviting shifu to participate." When Le Xi said this, his voice instantly became excited.

"They say it'll invite many of shifu's old friends to participate together. Uncle Lu must make sure shifu joins."

Le Xi observed Lu Jing's expression and said quietly: "This way Uncle Lu can also have the chance to learn more about shifu, right?"

·

Meanwhile, at Ying Huai's home.

"There's a charging cable in the living room. Once your phone turns on, call your manager right away."

Ying Huai walked inside, speaking tiredly: "Leave within half an hour."

Just now at the Hospital, looking at Liang Shining's dejected expression, the words on the tip of his tongue inexplicably couldn't come out anymore.

By the time he realized it, he had inexplicably brought Liang Shining back to his doorstep.

Ying Huai pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed silently.

He really had no energy left to deal with Liang Shining anymore. He turned and walked toward the inner room.

At the door, Liang Shining had just raised his foot when he heard a slightly cold voice from inside the room: "You're only allowed to stay in the living room. Don't touch my things."

Liang Shining looked down at his fully charged phone, declined yet another call, and stood at the door without moving.

Ying Huai's house was very new. The overall color scheme was mainly white and gray, which didn't match the cynical personality Ying Huai presented — there was an empty, hollow feeling.

—It seemed as if the owner had merely decorated the house and placed it here, without truly treating it as a home.

Liang Shining looked around, his gaze falling on a cat climbing frame in the corner.

A lazy Bouquet was curled up there, curiously watching this stranger.

Liang Shining crouched down and waved at Bouquet. The cat let out a 'meow' and instantly stood up, trotting toward him.

But the next second, a warning voice suddenly came from the inner room: "Come back."

Bouquet let out a pitiful 'aow' but slowly shuffled back anyway.

Liang Shining stood up, hearing the displeased voice from the inner room again: "And the other one — don't touch my cat either."

"I won't," Liang Shining paused, then said softly. "Don't worry."

The room fell silent. Liang Shining waited a while, then slowly walked two steps forward, and indeed saw Ying Huai curled up on the bed, deeply asleep.

—His heart had acted up once today. Although it wasn't very serious, his body had still been worn down too much.

Liang Shining glanced down at his phone, which was lighting up with another call, and reached for the blanket at the foot of the bed.

But the moment he raised his hand, he heard a slightly hoarse voice from behind: "Leave the blanket there. My chest feels a bit tight."

Liang Shining turned around. Ying Huai had woken up at some unknown point, glanced up at him: "Once your manager arrives, leave first."

"What happened today was an accident," he slowly pushed himself up to sit against the headboard, speaking softly. "I won't be your shifu anymore, Liang Shining."

The surroundings were silent and dim. Liang Shining was quiet for a few seconds, then said softly: "Why?"

Ying Huai seemed somewhat surprised.

He turned his head and coughed twice, then said softly: "Liang Shining."

"It was you who took the initiative, unilaterally, to cut off our master-disciple relationship."

"I don't want to go through it again."

Liang Shining's hand at his side trembled slightly. He suddenly spoke: "It won't happen again."

Ying Huai frowned. Before he could say anything more, the person before him suddenly leaned down.

The distance between them closed in an instant. Ying Huai instinctively dodged backward, but saw that the person before him merely unfolded the blanket and tucked it snugly around his waist.

"This way your waist will be warmer." Liang Shining said softly.

He half-knelt down gently and devoutly, meeting Ying Huai's surprised gaze, and said softly: "It won't happen again."

"Trust me one more time, please, shifu."

Ying Huai said nothing.

He lowered his eyes and stared at the person before him, his expression inexplicably somewhat dazed.

"Trust you — so you can betray me again, Liang Shining?"