Chapter 50 – Visiting the Sick
As the car came off the overpass and approached the high-rises, his manager, keeping her eyes on the road, said, “This meeting is likely about an endorsement deal. It’d be great if we can get it, but if not, there are other options.”
Even though EV had scheduled the meeting, it didn’t guarantee anything. The previous brand ambassadors were top celebrities, so it was quite competitive.
With the drama ‘Ask Fate’ still airing and drawing big audiences, his company had secured several backup endorsements, which were also promising. If EV didn’t work out, they had other options.
Chen Bai took another sip of his black coffee, his frown easing as he finished. He nodded, showing no particular opinion on the matter. As long as he could make money, it was all the same to him.
When they arrived near the commercial area, his manager pulled into EV’s parking lot, avoiding the headache of hunting for a spot.
The EV office building was tall and distinctive with its white walls, standing out among the surrounding buildings. A staff member was waiting for them at the entrance and led them into the building as they got out of the car.
The general manager, surnamed Su, had his assistant greet them. After introductions, they took the elevator up to the fifteenth floor, passing by the office area, with the manager’s office and a lounge at the end of the hall.
As they walked by, some of the employees glanced up and caught sight of his white hair beneath the brim of his hat. Just a quick glimpse, and he disappeared around the corner.
Chen Bai entered the office with his business partner.
The general manager looked young, probably in his early thirties. As they entered, he was wrapping up a phone call at his desk, saying, “Just wait a moment.”
He ended the call, stood up, and came over with a friendly smile to greet them.
They all sat down, and the assistant poured them tea. It was a pleasant meeting.
Su was unexpectedly straightforward, which indicated EV’s serious interest. They seemed more willing to settle the endorsement than expected, and the meeting had been arranged after considerable internal discussion.
Chen Bai sipped tea and chimed in occasionally. Between the black coffee and tea, he was now fully awake.
After some friendly negotiation, it was time for the money talk, which was his business partner’s expertise. Left with nothing to do, he was free to explore, so the assistant took him to the lounge.
The lounge was set up with refreshments, and as the assistant was about to pour him another cup of tea, Chen Bai quickly stopped him.
He was already alert enough and had had more than enough to drink that morning.
With no more assistance needed, the assistant handed him a plate of snacks and left, opening the door just as someone else arrived—a man in a flashy tie, talking on the phone and holding a cigarette in his other hand.
“It’s just the same here as always, nothing interesting.”
Without hesitation, he walked straight towards the lounge. Recognizing the man, the assistant intercepted him, politely saying, “Mr. Zhang, let me take you to the meeting room.”
“There’s already someone in there?” Mr. Zhang, now at the lounge entrance, looked amused as he paused his phone call, making a snide comment about how busy Su must be.
He glanced past the assistant, catching sight of a man inside wearing a light blue shirt and hat, looking oddly familiar.
The person inside slightly lifted the brim of his hat, and when he looked up, his eyes met those of the person with white hair under the hat.
—Definitely familiar.
As he was about to leave, Zhang Wenxuan paused, turned on his heel, and walked back toward the lounge.
The assistant, who hadn’t expected him to change his mind, looked confused. “Mr. Zhang…”
Zhang Wenxuan waved him off as he continued inside. “It’s fine; I know him.”
The assistant then turned his gaze to the man seated inside.
With that momentary exchange, Chen Bai’s brain finally managed to retrieve the stored information, remembering that this was Zhang, a friend of the “golden goose” he hadn’t seen in a while. He nodded in recognition.
Relieved, the assistant closed the lounge door and went to pour tea for the new arrival.
After ending his phone call, Zhang casually placed his phone on the table and commented, “What a coincidence.”
The assistant served the tea, and Chen Bai removed his hat, ran a hand through his messy hair, and echoed, “Yeah, what a coincidence.”
Having seen this white hair online before, Zhang wasn’t surprised. He casually stubbed out his cigarette and asked, “What brings you here?”
Chen Bai thought it was obvious enough that he was here for work.
Zhang clearly understood but had only asked out of politeness. He then laughed and said, “So it’s you that Su Peng mentioned he was meeting today.”
Su Peng, also known as “Mr. Su” to others, was his friend and the general manager here. Zhang had come over for some matters of his own, only to be told that Su had scheduled a meeting with someone else for a new endorsement, so he had to wait.
He hadn’t expected that person to be someone he knew.
The assistant returned with freshly brewed tea and, after setting it down, left the room to give them some space.
Taking a sip of tea, Zhang said, “Su Peng likes to plan everything thoroughly before making a move. If you’ve met with him, that endorsement is pretty much in the bag.”
He added, “If you’d said something earlier, you could’ve asked Huo Chuan. His resources are even better.”
In just a few words, he’d managed to downplay his friend’s workplace a little.
Asking one client to introduce another was bold, but Chen Bai had no such intentions and waved it off.
Zhang, expecting this response, looked pleased but also a bit regretful on Chen Bai’s behalf. “It’s a win-win situation; he wouldn’t lose anything. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to ask.”
Chen Bai gave him a proper look.
Though he didn’t remember the details, he recalled how this character had once scoffed at the protagonist for seeking resources from Huo Chuan. It was hard to believe this same person was now suggesting it.
The difference between reality and fiction was striking.
Zhang then asked, “Have you seen Huo Chuan lately?”
Chen Bai popped a piece of milk candy into his mouth and nodded.
Zhang said, “Don’t overthink it. He’s just been busy, and Aunt Zhang hasn’t been feeling well lately, so he’s been juggling a lot.”
Chen Bai didn’t see why he’d need to overthink it. He tilted his head slightly and asked, “Aunt Zhang’s been unwell?”
Surprised at the question, Zhang paused with his teacup in hand. “You didn’t know?”
Chen Bai nodded.
He’d become online friends with Aunt Zhang, and they used to chat frequently. He’d assumed the recent silence was because Huo Qing had returned from school and was keeping her company.
He hadn’t heard about any health issues, and Huo Qing hadn’t mentioned it either.
Zhang, realizing this, said, “She probably didn’t want you to worry or disrupt your work.”
“You’ve been pretty busy yourself lately.”
The entertainment circle was small, and word of any news would spread by the next day. They all had close ties with Huo Chuan, so there was no hiding it. Zhang had assumed Chen Bai knew and forgot that he was still on the periphery and wouldn’t be up-to-date on these things.
Chen Bai took out his phone and messaged Huo Qing.
Zhang, watching, said, “Don’t mention it was me who told you, or she’ll scold me.”
Or rather, she definitely would.
Chen Bai obliged by rephrasing his message to say he’d heard from an unnamed friend and inquired about Aunt Zhang’s condition.
Huo Qing, who seemed to be on her phone, replied quickly.
Now that the secret was out, she explained that Aunt Zhang’s health had been affected by the changing seasons, but she’d been hospitalized and was now improving.
She hadn’t mentioned it because Aunt Zhang had asked her not to. She didn’t want Chen Bai worrying about it on top of his work, feeling it wasn’t a big deal.
Chen Bai asked for the hospital address and saved it for later.
Zhang asked, “Thinking of visiting?”
Chen Bai nodded.
Even aside from his connection to Huo Chuan, he valued his friends and felt it was only right to check on her.
Zhang then started reminiscing about how Huo Chuan’s taste was questionable in the past. Chen Bai barely listened, focused instead on the candy and wondering if he should have another.
Just then, there was a knock on the lounge door. It opened, revealing his manager and Mr. Su, along with an assistant who had just arrived.
It looked like their negotiation was over. Both had neutral expressions, so the deal had likely ended on satisfactory terms.
Seeing an extra person in the room and noticing the not-so-distant seating arrangement, they both paused. Mr. Su raised an eyebrow, and the manager gave Zhang another look before recognizing him. “Mr. Zhang.”
Zhang Wenxuan, the sole heir of the Zhang family, was in an industry connected to theirs, and she had seen him at some banquet. The manager still had some impression of him.
He remembered vaguely that this person came from a wealthy family with a reputation for being playful, often hanging out with various celebrities.
Gao Qian “…”
The manager kept a polite smile but was already on alert. Mr. Su’s wariness was more obvious, and he lowered his voice, saying, “This is my newly signed spokesperson!”
Seeing Mr. Su’s expression, Zhang quickly waved his hands. “Don’t overthink it. We’re just friends.”
He denied it so quickly and decisively, it seemed like a reflex, with no intention of hiding anything.
Mr. Su’s expression finally softened, his gaze falling on the ashtray with a single cigarette stubbed out not long after it was lit.
Though Zhang had his flaws, he never lied and held his friends to high standards. If he said they were friends, it must be true.
It was just surprising that these two, who seemed to have no connection, knew each other.
The manager felt the same. She exchanged a glance with the man, who stood up from the couch with a carefree grin, making her involuntarily twitch her mouth.
With business concluded, Zhang had other matters to discuss with Mr. Su, so the manager took the white-haired man and left. An assistant accompanied them all the way to the parking lot.
In the parking lot, the assistant glanced around before pulling a blank sheet of paper from a stack of documents and asked cautiously, “Could you sign this for me?”
While the company generally didn’t allow employees to request autographs or photos, technically, the parking lot wasn’t part of the office.
Signing a piece of paper was no trouble. Chen Bai took the paper, glanced around, then leaned against the car window and signed his name.
Having never practiced a signature, he simply wrote as he normally did. The two characters for “Chen Bai” were clear and neat, and even a regular ballpoint pen could capture the strokes.
The assistant took back the paper and pen, her eyes widening at the name, and she jumped slightly with joy.
She thanked him repeatedly, and Chen Bai, still wearing his hat, replied with equal politeness.
The manager started the car, and Chen Bai said goodbye to the assistant, got in, and waved as the car pulled away from the parking lot.
Once it was just the two of them on the road, the manager glanced at him, her curiosity piqued. “You know Zhang Wenxuan?”
“Zhang Wenxuan?”
Chen Bai took a moment, realizing that must be Zhang’s full name. He nodded and said, “Sort of. A friend of a… friend of a friend.”
He found it hard to explain his connection to the “golden goose,” so he chose to skip it, pretending it was just a distant acquaintance.
The convoluted answer took the manager a moment to process.
—This guy really does have a wide social circle.
This sociable person turned to her and asked, “Do I have any more appointments today?”
The manager smiled with the exhaustion of a worker. “You’re done. I still have a few things to wrap up.”
So Chen Bai asked if she could drop him off at the next intersection.
The manager raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going back?”
Chen Bai shook his head. “I’m going to visit a friend and then head back afterward.”
It was still early, just the right time to check on Aunt Zhang before returning to stream.
At the next intersection, the manager let him out, reminding him to avoid crowds and try not to be recognized.
Chen Bai lowered his hat brim, gave her a thumbs-up, and said not to worry—no one would recognize him.
Gao Qian “…”
The more he reassured her, the less at ease she felt, but she left with some lingering concern.
Chen Bai didn’t head into the crowd.
Instead, he took the subway, simply and unassumingly.
On a Friday, the subway inner loop was packed with all kinds of people. He figured the safest place was where the most people were. Standing amid the crowd, everyone around him was glued to their phones, with one person even watching ‘Ask Fate’ with headphones.
In an unnoticed corner, a white-haired man quietly joined and left the crowd.
His good online friend Aunt Zhang was staying at a private hospital in a quiet area.
As there was bound to be a flower shop nearby, he had pre-ordered a bouquet on the subway. By the time he arrived, the shop owner hadn’t finished wrapping it, still busy with a prior order. So he picked out the paper and ribbon himself and wrapped the bouquet.
It was a bunch of green lisianthus, blooming brilliantly in the light and fitting snugly in one hand. Taking the bouquet, he left the shop just as the owner gave him a second glance. He messaged the Huo Qing to confirm the hospital room and let her know he was coming.
She quickly replied with an exclamation mark, offering to meet him at the entrance of the new inpatient building.
Putting away his phone, he glanced at the electronic map showing the hospital building layout, memorized it, and headed toward the inpatient building.
The hospital was a comprehensive one, large and fully equipped with multiple buildings. He took a few turns, but with a decent sense of direction, he eventually arrived.
Huo Qing was already waiting at the entrance, waving with a smile and standing out in the crowd.
Chen Bai waved back and approached her.
Aside from watching his streams, they hadn’t seen each other in a while. Huo Qing radiated joy as she ushered him into the elevator, glancing at the white hair peeking out from under his hat.
He looked even better in person than he did online.
Aunt Huo’s room was on the top floor of the inpatient building. As the elevator ascended, Chen Bai asked about her condition.
Huo Qing waved it off with a laugh. “Her health is just a bit weak, and the season change made her feel off. She’s much better now, spending all day watching TV.”
Then she asked, “You’ve been busy these days, haven’t you, Brother Bai?”
Chen Bai replied that it wasn’t too bad and said, “I was just passing by, so I thought I’d stop in to see her.”
Huo Qing realized that, just like her brother, this person would only say “I’m okay” or “just happened to be passing by” no matter when he was asked about things.
For now, Ms. Zhang was the only patient on the top floor of the inpatient wing. After exiting the elevator, they followed the hallway all the way to her room.
Huo Qing went in first, opening the door and jumping inside, waving enthusiastically to the person half-lying on the bed. “Guess who’s here, Mom?”
Zhang Ling was watching TV and was startled by the commotion. Turning her head, she said, “You’re so excited; did your brother come?”
“I wouldn’t be this happy if it were him.”
Huo Qing laughed and said, “Brother Bai is here.”
Zhang Ling paused, looking up.
At the doorway, sunlight streamed in through the open door. The figure in a simple shirt walked in, lifting the brim of his hat slightly to reveal pale eyes glimmering with a smile beneath his white hair.
He held a bouquet of flowers, their pale green petals catching the warm yellow light from the side, exuding vibrant life.
Zhang Ling sat up slightly, and a smile unconsciously spread across her face.
She took the cheerful bouquet, inhaling its faint, subtle fragrance that was pleasant without being overpowering.
As she held the flowers, a slight blush appeared on her pale face, and she asked the same question Huo Qing had before.
Chen Bai replied again with “I’m okay,” adding that he had some work nearby in the morning and had just finished, so he thought he’d stop by.
Half-truths and half-lies, it sounded perfectly natural.
The room was more like a small suite than a typical hospital room, with a TV and a sofa. Since she didn’t feel like chatting on the bed, Zhang Ling, with the help of the caregiver and Huo Qing, moved to a wheelchair and sat by the sofa.
From there, she had a better view of the TV screen.
She liked the bouquet of lisianthus, keeping it in her lap and admiring the matching-colored wrapping paper.
Thinking her online friend had picked up on something, Chen Bai spoke up, “I didn’t have much time, so I wrapped it myself. It’s a bit rough.”
At his words, Zhang Ling looked closer at the wrapping she usually wouldn’t notice, the fine wrinkles around her eyes deepening as she laughed. “No, I was just thinking this color is quite rare.”
Huo Qing also glanced at it and exclaimed, “Brother Bai, you’re pretty impressive.”
He explained that he had once briefly worked at a flower shop, just long enough to pick up the basics.
Some experiences weren’t particularly useful now but occasionally came in handy.
It might not have been a highly practical skill, but it was enough to make Ms. Zhang happy. After enjoying the flowers, she placed them in the center of the coffee table, where they could easily be seen.
And there, too, was the TV. Chen Bai hadn’t been paying much attention until he heard a familiar voice, which made him raise an eyebrow and look up at the screen.
Chen Bai “…”
It wasn’t a mistake; it really was a familiar voice.
It was the voice of his co-star, the third male lead. Though slightly distorted by the TV, the familiar tone was unmistakable.
Normally, he’d hear that voice sharing dramatic gossip by his ear; he hadn’t often heard it deliver lines so seriously. It took him a moment to adjust.
Then, his friend’s face appeared on the screen, looking dead serious as he delivered his lines, quite the contrast to his usual gossiping self.
Chen Bai “…”
The awkwardness of seeing a friend act hit him again, and Chen Bai couldn’t help but rub his face.
Luckily, the scene shifted to another storyline soon after, and his friend’s face disappeared from the screen.
Only to be replaced by his own face.
The two other people in the room instantly turned to look, their eyes wide as saucers. Huo Qing pointed out, “Si Yang’s worn three outfits so far, and Ms. Zhang and I agree this one looks the best.”
The dark blue robe, with a white-edged blue base, suited both his face and his temperament.
Chen Bai glanced from the TV to the two people beside him and asked cautiously, “Is this what you’ve been watching recently?”
Huo Qing nodded enthusiastically, saying, ‘Ask Fate’!
She added, “Ms. Zhang even upgraded to SVIP for early access; she’s been enjoying it lately.”
