Chapter 362, Update 3621
362:
Ye Qingxi spent a minute explaining his thoughts to Mu Shaowu.
Mu Shaowu was shocked. No, weren't they here today to help Huo Zinan resolve this online controversy?
How did things get to the point where his son wants to take him away from his parents?!
This...this...
Mu Shaowu thought his son was really bold and daring!
"How about this," he advised Ye Qingxi, "you leave this to me, I'll take care of it."
Ye Qingxi shook her head, "I can do this myself."
"You can't." Mu Shaowu didn't want him to take on another person's life at this age.
This is not an easy task.
Ye Qingxi was young and didn't think things through. She just thought that if her friend was unhappy at home, then she could leave her parents and live in a different environment.
Little did they know that changing a person's life in this way, causing them to deviate from their original path, would be ideal if the person could understand and sympathize with them later in life.
But if the other party turns around and blames him, thinking that he has delayed or affected him, then the one who gets hurt will change from Huo Zinan now to Ye Qingxi back then.
Mu Shaowu didn't want his son to get hurt.
So he took the initiative to say, "Don't worry, Dad will definitely handle this for you."
"No need, I can do it myself," Ye Qingxi insisted.
Seeing his expression, Mu Shaowu could only express his concern.
"Xiao Xi, I know you're doing this for Huo Zinan's own good. But have you considered that now you're helping Huo Zinan leave his parents, but what if he still can't let go of them when he grows up? What if they reunite and his parents discover he wasn't really going to be a trainee, but was lying to them? They'll feel you deceived young Huo Zinan and ruined his career, and they'll resent you, causing Huo Zinan to also resent you and regret his past choices. What will you do then?"
“They are Huo Zinan’s parents, they share the same blood, they are his family, his relatives. You can’t guarantee that they won’t reconcile in the end and then turn their anger on you, an outsider. In that case, you will become the villain who destroyed their family’s harmony.”
Ye Qingxi had certainly considered these things, but...
“I have a clear conscience,” he said. “Dad, if I don’t help him now, I will feel guilty because I know I have the ability, but I haven’t reached out. But if I help him and he reconciles with his parents later and turns around to resent and hate me, then I will still have a clear conscience.”
“That’s why I said leave this to me,” Mu Shaowu said. “I’m an adult, I can handle this better, and my relationship with Huo Zinan isn’t nearly as deep as yours with him, so even if he turns around and accuses me later, I won’t be too upset.”
Ye Qingxi shook her head.
He was very willing to ask Mu Shaowu for help with many things.
Because he is his father, someone he trusts and relies on.
Because his help would make him happier.
But this time it won't work.
This is a matter he must resolve personally.
Only in this way will his second life not have been in vain.
Only then can one truly move on from their past self.
Self-growth, self-redemption.
“I can do it, Dad, you believe me.” Ye Qingxi said earnestly, “From the moment I wanted to help him, I thought about everything, including whether he would think I was too impulsive in the future, whether his parents would resent me, and whether he would gradually become dissatisfied with me because his parents resented me.”
"But I still decided to do it."
"Because only in this way can I sleep soundly."
“Dad, I have the ability to weather storms, and you should try to let me weather some storms too.” Ye Qingxi looked at her father. “Let me take responsibility for my own decisions, instead of always making you the one to bail me out and pay the price, right?”
Mu Shaowu: ...
At that moment, Mu Shaowu felt as if his son was really growing up.
She's no longer the baby who could only snuggle in her mother's arms.
He had prepared for the worst, but he still wanted to do it himself.
Whether it's right or wrong, whether sunshine or snow awaits him, he is willing to bear it all and endure it himself.
Well then, Mu Shaowu thought, since he insists so much, let him do it.
Just as Ye Qingxi said, he always had to step out of his embrace to see the storms outside. He couldn't, and shouldn't, keep him sheltered in a greenhouse forever.
Ultimately, the worst outcome is that Huo Zinan will hate him when he grows up, and Ye Qingxi will see his true colors and realize that not every sincerity can be rewarded. It can be considered as taking a lesson in human nature in advance.
"Alright then," Mu Shaowu said.
Ye Qingxi smiled and said, "Thank you, Dad."
Mu Shaowu chuckled, "Thank you, Dad. If you say so, then let me sign him."
“That won’t do,” Ye Qingxi said. “If you sign him, Huo Zinan’s parents will start contacting you more often if they can’t reach Huo Zinan. You can’t ignore them. If you ignore them, they might resort to the media. Only by finding a stranger and an unfamiliar company will they be hesitant to bother you out of unfamiliarity.”
"Besides..." Ye Qingxi said pragmatically, "If you sign Huo Zinan, they will definitely ask you to pay more for the signing fee, and they might even try to play the victim to scam you more. Uncle Li Jing is more suitable. They don't know him, and his people can directly negotiate the price. Right now that Huo Zinan has gotten into this mess, the signing price can be reduced a lot."
"Your little brain is really something..." Mu Shaowu couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder your grandfather is always thinking about having you work for the group in the future. You really know when to use which kind of person."
Ye Qingxi smiled and said, "I learned that from you, Dad~"
“Your dad didn’t teach you these things; you might as well say you learned them from your grandfather.”
“That works too!” Ye Qingxi said with a smile. “That’s what I learned from my grandfather.”
Mu Shaowu smiled and pinched his cheek.
After finishing their meal, the two took a plane back home.
Ye Qingxi acted immediately. The next afternoon after school, she went to find Li Jing and told him her idea while having dinner.
Li Jing: ? ? ? ! ! !
Li Jing felt that his future nephew was truly extraordinary.
At such a young age, he dares to shoulder the burden of other people's lives.
"So you mean I just need to sign him and then I don't have to worry about it anymore?"
Ye Qingxi nodded, "I will take responsibility once he arrives here."
"You'll take responsibility? How will you take responsibility?"
"I've already made up my mind," Ye Qingxi said. "Once he comes over, I'll ask my dad to help me get him into the second year of junior high at No. 1 Middle School."
"Second year of junior high? Aren't you already in the first year of senior high?"
“I started first grade when I was five, and he’s six,” Ye Qingxi explained. “We can’t expect him to go straight to junior high and prepare for the high school entrance exam, can we?”
He didn't think Huo Zinan was good enough.
Li Jing: ...That's true.
“That way, by the time he finishes his college entrance exam, five years will have passed. By then, he will be an adult and can do whatever he wants.”
"So, during this period, you were responsible for his tuition and living expenses?" Li Jing asked.
"Yes." Ye Qingxi replied without hesitation.
Li Jing: ...
Li Jing couldn't help but applaud him, "You shouldn't be sitting here, you should be sitting on the lotus platform."
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi glared at him childishly.
Li Jing chuckled, "Does your father know about this plan?"
"Of course. My dad even tried to persuade me to sign with his company, but I refused."
"So your dad doesn't have any objections?"
Ye Qingxi nodded, "Uncle Li, I know what you're worried about. You're also worried that if I interfere in other people's family affairs, I'll end up doing all the work for nothing, right?"
"You know that too?"
"I know, that's why I'm getting involved. Everyone else thinks the same way, so no one else will interfere."
This is normal, and Ye Qingxi has always been understanding.
I don't think there's anything wrong with it.
However, he wanted to be the abnormal one.
Only abnormal people, doing abnormal things, can bring a different life to others.
There are too many normal people, so one more won't make a difference.
Hearing his words, Li Jing felt that he really was someone who had always had his own opinions and ideas since he was a child.
At the age of six, she dared to go to Feng Que alone to fight for a role.
Now, I dare to take responsibility for the life of a former friend.
“Okay,” Li Jing agreed. “I will have my assistant talk to his parents and bring him over to you then.”
"Thank you, Uncle Li." Ye Qingxi said happily, "Uncle Li, you can negotiate with his parents to lower the price so you don't have to give them too much money. Of course, I will reimburse you for that."
"You?" Li Jing chuckled. "You'd better give up."
“I have money,” Ye Qingxi said.
“Then I’ll only be richer than you,” Li Jing said with a smile.
Ye Qingxi: ...Okay.
Ye Qingxi could only say, "Then when you and my aunt get married in the future, I'll give you both a super big gift!"
"I really hope that day comes soon," Li Jing said sincerely.
A month later, as promised, Li Jing had his assistant contact Huo Zinan's parents and tell them that Xingli wanted to sign Huo Zinan.
"However, as you know, his reputation isn't very good right now, so continuing as an actor isn't a good choice. Luckily, the idol market is booming right now, so we plan to send him abroad to train as a trainee, let him get some experience overseas first, and then come back."
This is a common method for idols to debut in China nowadays, and Huo Zinan's parents know about it and don't think there's anything wrong with it.
"Training will be very busy during this period, so please don't contact him too frequently. Of course, you may not be able to reach him, and it's best if you don't contact him at all, lest he feel that life in China is more comfortable and wants to come back."
"That's right, that's right," Mr. and Mrs. Huo nodded, "It's this signing fee..."
"This is already a very high offer. Given his current situation and reputation, if it weren't for his young age and decent looks, which might give him room for growth, the company wouldn't even consider signing him. Of course, you can reconsider; we're not in a position to sign him."
Mr. and Mrs. Huo: ...
The two discussed it all night and finally decided to sign!
Their conflicts with Huo Zinan were not isolated incidents.
As Huo Zinan grew older, he became less and less controllable than when he was a child, and the problems they faced increased.
We argued, cursed, and even hit each other, but nothing worked.
We tried everything – emotional appeals, filial piety, and both soft and hard tactics – but he remained unmoved.
A month ago, when Mu Shaowu came, they thought he was there to help Huo Zinan. But a month has passed, and Mu Shaowu hasn't done anything. It's clear that he doesn't care about them at all.
At this point, instead of waiting for my son to grow up someday, it's better to let him go abroad and experience hardship.
At worst, they can get a signing bonus right now.
Moreover, he might be doing very well abroad and become a big star when he returns to China?
Idols are so popular these days!
Especially those from overseas!
Mr. and Mrs. Huo felt it was worth taking the gamble!
They told Huo Zinan about it the day after they signed the contract.
Although Huo Zinan already knew that this was Ye Qingxi's plan, he still couldn't help but feel disheartened that he, as the party to the contract, knew nothing about it and had never even seen the contract.
It's always been like this, every single time. They never ask for his opinion; they always make their own decisions, even when he is the one in charge.
Huo Zinan half-jokingly said that his parents had a fight.
This was originally part of the plan; he only needed to act angry and dissatisfied. But in the end, he seemed to have forgotten their plan and turned into a genuine accusation, resentment, disappointment, and sorrow.
He slammed the door and went back to his room. He sat on the bed and subconsciously reached out to pick at the scar on his arm, but then stopped, remembering something.
Huo Zinan stood up, walked to the desk, opened the drawer, looked at the drawer full of flowers, and tried to breathe deeply.
He took out a flower and began to carefully unwrap it.
As he disassembled it, his emotions gradually calmed down.
His mother shouted from outside the door, "You'd better pack your luggage now, so that when they come to pick you up tomorrow, your luggage won't be ready."
Huo Zinan paused for a moment, then continued unpacking the flowers.
After he finished unpacking, he stood up and took out his suitcase.
Huo Zinan didn't bring much with him.
He only took a few clothes, the little sunflower that Ye Qingxi had given him that he had dried, and the flowers that Ye Qingxi had given him that he had taken apart and then folded back together.
During the month he waited, he learned how to fold flowers.
I learned to follow the folding marks left by Ye Qingxi to fold the flowers he had taken apart.
When he folds flowers, his heart becomes very calm, as if he has returned to that day when he sat to the side, watching Ye Qingxi write words for him one by one and fold flowers.
Finally, they were going to meet again.
Finally, he was about to leave his parents.
This time, they won't lose contact after a chance encounter like they did when they were children.
He will become a true friend with him, a good friend for life.
He looked at the flowers he had unwrapped; a note read: "Ye Qingxi said, 'I'm so glad I met you.'"
Huo Zinan smiled. He thought he was even happier than Ye Qingxi to have met him.
Compared to Huo Zinan's happiness, Qin Cheng was clearly not so happy.
On Thursday noon, Qin Cheng was having lunch with Ye Qingxi after school as usual. While they were eating, Ye Qingxi suddenly said, "By the way, I have something to do tomorrow noon, so I won't be having lunch with you."
"What is it?" Qin Cheng asked, puzzled.
"Huo Zinan will arrive around noon tomorrow, and I need to pick him up."
"Huo Zinan? What's he doing here?"
Ye Qingxi then told Qin Cheng about her relationship with Huo Zinan.
Qin Cheng: !!!
Qin Cheng simply couldn't understand it.
He always thought that Ye Qingxi went to see Huo Zinan last time only because Huo Zinan had an accident, and he wanted to comfort him.
After Ye Qingxi returned, she didn't mention Huo Zinan again, so he naturally thought the matter was over. He never expected that Huo Zinan had actually come up with such a big plan!
"Your father and Uncle Li both agreed?"
“Of course,” Ye Qingxi said. “Otherwise, how could he come over tomorrow?”
Qin Cheng: ...
To be honest, their elders really dote on their younger brother a bit too much.
His younger brother is only fourteen years old!
If Huo Zinan is just brought here like this, what will happen to him in the future? Won't his younger brother be responsible?
Is this appropriate?!
"Now that he's here, where are you planning to put him up?" Qin Cheng asked.
“Of course I’ll stay in my house,” Ye Qingxi said.
“After he arrived, I planned to send him to No. 1 Middle School to study in the second year of junior high school. It just so happens that this place is close to No. 1 Middle School, and it will be convenient for him to go to and from school.”
Ye Qingxi had given this matter serious thought!
He originally wanted Huo Zinan to go to Sizhi Middle School, since he had attended Sizhi Middle School.
But later, he realized that the students at Sizhi University came from wealthy families and were bound to be somewhat materialistic and prone to snobbery. The reason he hadn't noticed this back then was because he himself was one of the wealthy and powerful, the kind of person everyone wanted to be around.
But Huo Zinan is different. He has a bad reputation online and no family support. If he transfers to another school now, someone might target him and isolate him, which would be detrimental to his already unhealthy mind and body.
Therefore, relatively speaking, No. 1 High School, which places more emphasis on academic performance and has a more rigorous academic atmosphere, is actually more suitable for him.
Moreover, the high school and junior high school were next to each other at No. 1 Middle School, so they could eat lunch together, which made it easier for him to observe Huo Zinan's adaptation.
Therefore, it was only natural to let him live in his own house.
“Anyway, my house has three bedrooms, and I only use one master bedroom, so the second bedroom is perfect for him,” Ye Qingxi said.
Qin Cheng: ...
Qin Cheng knew that.
He suddenly lost all appetite.
Good grief, his brother doesn't even have a bedroom in his own house, and none of his brother's close friends do either, yet Huo Zinan is going to have one?!
Qin Cheng disliked Huo Zinan, Tao Tao, He Lei, Zhang Ning, and Yang Shu when he watched variety shows back then. To be precise, he disliked anyone who wanted to get close to his younger brother.
But it was just a variety show; once it was filmed, it was over.
Therefore, Qin Cheng didn't pay much attention to it.
Unexpectedly, eight years have passed!
The variety show was canceled, but Huo Zinan made a surprise comeback, returning to his brother's life.
And he's about to take over his brother's bedroom?!
No matter how Qin Cheng thought about it, he felt uneasy.
"How about this," Qin Cheng said, feigning nonchalance, as if he were genuinely only looking out for Huo Zinan's best interests and had no personal feelings whatsoever. "Anyway, I'm about to take the college entrance exam, and after that, I won't be staying here anymore, so how about Huo Zinan stays in my guest room?"
A second bedroom is out of the question.
The second bedroom was left by him for Ye Qingxi.
Of course, if Ye Qingxi likes it, he can stay in the master bedroom.
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