Chapter 19
No one knew whether it was because he was wary of the fact that they were still live on camera, or because he knew he was in the wrong, but Jiang Cheng did not continue knocking.
Everyone’s training was able to continue.
There were less than two days left before the agreed debut stage, and a tense atmosphere spread through the classroom.
Even Lin Zhiqiao, for once, felt a slight sense of urgency.
Just like before, Cheng Xia took on the role of “instructor,” seriously adjusting the final details.
But outside of training, Lin Zhiqiao noticed that something seemed a little off about Cheng Xia’s condition.
On the surface, he looked just as serious and focused as ever, but that faint spark Lin Zhiqiao had once sensed in him seemed to have dimmed considerably.
Lin Zhiqiao looked at him once.
Then looked at him again.
[My good little goose seems unhappy…] Lin Zhiqiao fell into deep thought. [What do I do? I don’t know how to comfort kids!]
Cheng Xia froze slightly, and the tips of his ears turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Ji Ran glanced at him as if wanting to say something, but Cheng Xia avoided his gaze and shook his head.
After one round of training ended, Lin Zhiqiao sat by the wall to rest when a bottle of mineral water with the cap already twisted open was suddenly handed to him.
It was Cheng Xia.
Lin Zhiqiao took it and drank two mouthfuls. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Cheng Xia was also holding a bottle of water. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, “Lin Zhiqiao, can I ask you a question?”
Lin Zhiqiao blinked. “Go ahead.”
[Is my good goose-son… coming to Daddy for a heart-to-heart?]
Cheng Xia did his best to ignore the inner voice. “If, and I mean if.”
His fingers tightened, and the mineral water bottle let out a harsh crackling sound under his grip. “If you weren’t an actor, what would you choose to do?”
“If I weren’t an actor…” Lin Zhiqiao thought for a moment. “If I’d saved enough money, then I’d retire early! Raise a cat and a dog, buy an RV, and take them traveling with me. Go wherever I want, whenever I want!”
As he spoke of the life he longed for, the young man’s pale eyes brightened slightly, as though holding a pool of clear light.
[It would be even better if I could eat fresh, crisp, sweet melon anytime and anywhere!]
‘Who wouldn’t want to retire early, sob sob sob’
‘If I actually had money, who would willingly keep working this crappy job [the resentment of an office slave.jpg]’
Cheng Xia listened quietly and murmured softly, “I see… that sounds pretty good too.”
Lin Zhiqiao glanced at him.
[Asking a question like this all of a sudden… does my good goose-son not want to be an idol anymore?]
A loud bang came from the classroom—it was Ji Ran dropping the water bottle in his hand.
Cheng Xia pressed his lips together, looking somewhat lost. “Right now… I’m a little unsure what I’m supposed to do anymore.”
“Before, I didn’t have any other choice. But now things are different from before,” he said softly.
Becoming an idol trainee had never been a path he chose for himself.
To be fair, Cheng Xia had once found happiness along the way, but after two years of reflection and settling down, almost all of the passion that had once surged within him had faded away.
Staying here and becoming an idol was one path he could choose now, but it was no longer the only one.
Cheng Xia felt lost, even a little at a loss.
Everyone has something they want to pursue.
Before, Cheng Xia had neither the time nor the energy to think about such things for himself. Now that he did, he suddenly had no idea which direction he was supposed to look toward.
‘I’m stunned… Brother Xia isn’t seriously thinking about leaving the industry, is he?!’
‘Please no, wuwuwu… I waited two years. He finally got his chance to rise again, and I was still hoping Xia-baby would debut in the group [tearful.jpg]’
‘I actually understand Cheng Xia’s feelings a lot… he’s stood at the top and also fallen to rock bottom. After going through these past two years, he’s probably already seen through a lot of things’
‘My heart hurts for Xia-baby T^T Whether he decides to stay or leave in the end, I’ll respect his choice (I’m saying that, but I’m still so reluctant, wuwuwu [crying wildly.jpg])’
Cheng Xia had not actually expected a reply from Lin Zhiqiao. He had simply wanted to talk to someone, but he did not know who to talk to, so he had thought of Lin Zhiqiao.
Just like that previous time, when he had suddenly felt an intense urge to see Lin Zhiqiao.
Maybe it was because Lin Zhiqiao was the one who had broken the “shackles” around him.
Cheng Xia lowered his lashes, only to suddenly hear the person beside him say softly, “If you don’t know what to do, then just do nothing.”
Cheng Xia suddenly looked up. “Do… nothing?”
“Yeah.” Lin Zhiqiao nodded. “Give yourself a proper break. Then when you’ve figured it out, and when you’ve found what it is you want to do, just start then, right?”
He lifted a hand and patted Cheng Xia on the shoulder, speaking with heartfelt emotion. “You’re still young right now. It won’t be too late no matter when you start. Being happy is the most important thing!”
[Kids who keep frowning all the time will turn into little old men!]
[Besides… the Ji family is so rich. Even if you just lie flat and do nothing for the rest of your life, you still wouldn’t eat the Ji family into bankruptcy!]
Ji Ran nodded wildly at the side.
Exactly, exactly!
Cheng Xia sank into thought. A long while later, he finally said softly, “You’re right.” He curved his eyes slightly. “Thank you.”
Lin Zhiqiao looked deeply gratified. “You’re welcome. As long as you’ve figured it out, that’s enough.”
[This is all what Daddy should do, ehe!]
‘You can totally tell Cheng Xia has gradually gotten used to his identity as good goose-son hahaha’
‘Xia-baby, don’t be scared. Daddy and Mommy fans all love you [dog head.jpg]’
*
After training ended, the group set off together to head back to the dorms.
Unexpectedly, an unwelcome guest was waiting at the dorm entrance.
Cheng Li stopped Cheng Xia. “Brother Cheng Xia.” He grabbed Cheng Xia’s sleeve. “Let’s talk.”
Cheng Xia frowned slightly. “I don’t have time right now.”
“I know Brother Cheng Xia is very busy right now.” Cheng Li looked pitiful. “So I booked private room 403 at Qingye for eight tonight. Just this once, let’s have a proper talk, okay?”
Without waiting for Cheng Xia’s reply, Cheng Li threw out a line—“I know Brother Cheng Xia will definitely come”—and quickly left.
Cheng Xia’s brows knitted together slightly.
Lin Zhiqiao wrinkled his nose and shrank back behind the others.
The tea smell was way too strong.
It was a little choking.
“Don’t go. Who knows what kind of trap he’s dug for you to jump into!” Ji Ran looked furious. “That guy clearly doesn’t have any good intentions at all!”
‘Isn’t that a bit too much? Lili clearly didn’t even say anything!’
‘Cheng Qiang and his wife are definitely wrong, but Cheng Li is innocent too. He’s really pitiful as well, okay? He got stuck with parents like that and still has to clean up their mess…’
If this had been before, Cheng Xia would only have had one choice: go.
There was a strange magnetic field around Cheng Li. If Cheng Xia did not go along with what he wanted, Cheng Xia would always run into even more unpredictable “disasters.”
That was Cheng Li’s unique strange field, and also the “shackles” that had bound Cheng Xia for so many years.
That line—“Brother Cheng Xia will definitely come”—hid a threat only Cheng Xia could understand. It made his heart sink, and in that instant it felt as though even his blood had stopped flowing.
But now…
Cheng Xia glanced at Lin Zhiqiao.
The chestnut-haired young man’s expression looked a little blank, as though he were spacing out.
But even with just that one glance, Cheng Xia suddenly calmed down.
A strange strength slowly rose within him, gradually dispersing the chill in his heart.
He had Lin Zhiqiao.
Cheng Xia repeated those words silently in his heart.
He wanted to try following his own will for once.
He did not want to go.
[Holy shit? HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT!]
The sudden shriek interrupted everyone’s train of thought.
[What kind of plot is this? If he can’t have him, he’ll destroy him? Cheng Li is actually holding a creepy obsessive-yandere script?!]
Lin Zhiqiao sucked in a sharp breath. [Protect my good little goose-son! Stay the hell away, you psycho, ahhhh!!!]
