Chapter 23 Chapter 23
"Brother, the sun is shining on your butt, wake up!"
Hearing the familiar voice, He Xianyu slowly opened his eyes.
"…Xiao Tao!"
He looked at his sister in disbelief, "Didn't I die? Didn't I travel through a book? How can I still see you?"
Xiao Tao was stunned, "Brother, are you talking in your sleep?"
He Xianyu reached out and pinched Xiao Tao's face, "Does it hurt?"
"It hurts! Brother, wake up!" Xiao Tao opened the curtains, and bright sunshine poured in.
He Xianyu looked around the room. There were off-white wallpaper, off-white curtains, a half-built Lego brick on the desk by the window, and a pair of AJ sneakers given to him by his aunt under the desk.
This is his home where he has lived for more than ten years!
The phone rang. His good friend Jiang Yue said on the phone: "Xianyu, there is a new escape room on Jinan Road. I heard it is very brain-burning. Let's go and play together this afternoon. We want to break the record for the fastest clearance, and we can't do without you."
He Xianyu's heart was moved, but he could only decline: "I'm not feeling well——"
His friend interrupted him, "Wasn't your surgery very successful? Xiao Tao said you are completely healed and can live like a normal person from now on."
Happiness came too suddenly, He Xianyu couldn't believe it was not a dream. The success rate of the operation was only 1%, he was ready to leave this world, and said goodbye to his family and friends.
However, if the operation failed, how could he see Xiao Tao and hear the voice of his good friend?
Very good!
He didn't die, didn't travel through time and space in a book, and didn't become an artist for no apparent reason.
Xiao Tao asked curiously: "Brother, why did you just say that you were in a book?"
"I had a dream, a very real dream." He Xianyu talked about her interesting experience of traveling through a book with relish, "I dreamed that I became a cannon fodder and participated in a variety show called "College Entrance Examination Countdown", and I also met a few friends. Jing Chen is sunny and cheerful, Jiang Bai is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and there is also a proud and arrogant idiot named Gu Zeye."
Xiao Tao said with interest: "It sounds quite interesting."
"I guess the author of the novel is a hater of the film queen Song Xue. Because the vicious female supporting character in the book has a face exactly like Song Xue's." He Xianyu smiled.
Just like the vicious female supporting character Song Xue, Jing Chen, Jiang Bai, Gu Zeye, Xiao Qinghe, and Chen Zhuo are all paper figures.
He is a three-dimensional person, who came into contact with these paper people because of a fantastic dream.
Now that the dream is over, he wants to say goodbye to these paper people.
Dongdong——
Mother He opened the door and said with a smile: "Xiao Yu'er, the dumplings are cooked, come out and eat."
When he saw his mother again, He Xianyu's eyes were red. In that long dream, he deliberately suppressed his longing for his parents, fearing that once a hole was opened, the dam that he had built with great difficulty would collapse completely.
Now that he has finally returned to his parents, he is no longer the poor guy in his dreams who has no father or mother to love him, but He Xianyu who has grown up in love and happiness.
The hot dumplings were served on a plate and the aroma immediately filled the room.
Mother He picked out a barely acceptable dumpling from a pile of oddly shaped dumplings and put it in He Xianyu's bowl. She said disdainfully, "Your father is clumsy and can't even make dumplings. I don't know why I was so obsessed with him in the first place."
He's father began to quarrel with his lover every day: "Ms. Yao, you were the one who pursued me. When we first met, I didn't even know your name, but you came to me and said you wanted to find a Tsinghua professor to improve the genes of your offspring, and asked me if I was willing to cooperate with you for life."
"Didn't I also improve the genes of your offspring?" Mother He touched her son's face and said proudly, "Look how good Xiaoyuer is, and how well he sings."
Xiao Tao puffed up her cheeks, like an angry frog. "Why am I your child, but I'm not good at studying and I'm tone-deaf?"
"Xiao Tao, you're great. In fact, you've always been my brother's pride." He Xianyu's voice was very gentle. In Xiao Tao's moved eyes, he continued, "You're the best eater among all the girls I know."
"Brother, you are going too far!" Xiao Tao jumped up from the chair, ran towards He Xianyu, and grabbed his neck, "Apologize! You must apologize to me! I am the most beautiful girl in Haidian, not a good-for-nothing!"
Suddenly, the warm and happy home disappeared, a bright light appeared in front of He Xianyu's eyes, and then he appeared at the door of the operating room of the hospital.
The surgeon bowed his head and apologized: "I'm sorry, we have tried our best."
He Xianyu was completely stunned. He turned his head with difficulty and saw his father and grandfather with grief on their faces, his mother and aunt crying with their hands covering their faces, and Xiaotao crying bitterly.
"What's wrong with you?" He Xianyu's scalp was numb and he had difficulty speaking. "I'm not dead! I'm still alive and well! Dad, Mom, don't cry! Look at me, I'm right in front of you! Can't you see me?"
He Xianyu was terrified.
They can't see him!
They couldn't hear him!
They are no longer from the same world as him!
"Dad! Mom!"
He Xianyu woke up instantly and sat up from the bed, "Hmm——"
He covered his head in a hurry and felt a piece of gauze on his forehead. His head hurt so much that he felt dizzy and couldn't tell the difference between reality and dreams.
"You're awake!" A man in a suit walked quickly up to him.
He Xianyu endured a wave of dizziness, looked at him, and said hesitantly: "You are——"
The man was startled, bent down, and stared into He Xianyu's eyes, "He Xianyu, are you kidding me? I am Chen Zhuo."
Pondering?
The protagonist of "The Domineering President's Soft Lover"?
"Am I dreaming again?" He Xianyu raised his hand and pinched his face, "Does it hurt?"
Chen Zhuo never expected that he would be pinched on the face by a kid who was almost a generation younger than him. He pinched back without any hesitation, "What do you think?"
He Xianyu's skin is very thin, and a red blush appeared immediately where she was pinched.
It hurts, so this isn't a dream.
It turned out that it was just a beautiful dream he had just had. He was dead, and he would never see his relatives again in this life.
He Xianyu stared at Chen Zhuo in a daze, tears falling silently.
"......!" Chen Zhuo originally wanted to say that he didn't mean it, but he clearly did it on purpose.
President Shen has been resolute for many years, but now facing a sad and crying teenager, he is a little at a loss. He regretted his recklessness just now. He Xianyu had experienced a car accident and was injured and lying in the hospital. It was the most vulnerable time for his body and mind. Why did he have to argue with a child? Thinking of this, Boss Shen softened his voice and apologized to He Xianyu: "Kid, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pinched you."
Ji Zhen heard these words as soon as he arrived at the door of the ward. He was angry but dared not say anything to his new boss.
"Xianyu, how are you? The doctor said you have a mild concussion and you need to rest well." Ji Zhen hesitated for a moment and said, "Your mother is in the ICU now."
He Xianyu wiped away her tears, her face expressionless, "Is Song Xue going to die?"
In the novel, Song Xue, who had committed countless evil deeds, did not get into a car accident. Instead, she was sent to a mental hospital by Xiao Qinghe and lived out her life in solitude.
Has he become the butterfly in the Amazon rainforest, whose arrival changed the fate of the characters in the book?
"The doctor is still trying to save the child." Ji Zhen felt sorry for the child. He had been without a father since childhood and now he was going to lose his mother. It was really pitiful.
【84 days left to the college entrance examination】
When He Xianyu woke up again, the air was still filled with the unique smell of Lysol that was characteristic of hospitals.
The ward in my memory smelled just like Lysol, but at that time, his parents were by his side.
And now, he has nothing.
"You're awake." Xiao Qinghe slowly helped him up and let him half lean on the pillow. "How is it? Does your head still hurt?"
He Xianyu glanced at Xiao Qinghe, then shifted his gaze to the window.
The sunlight came in through the half-open blinds, and the shape of zebra crossings was spread on the ground.
"What time is it now?" He Xianyu asked.
Xiao Qinghe raised his hand and looked at his watch. "Nine forty-six."
He Xianyu stared at the dust floating in the sunlight and said in a low voice, "The Chinese test has begun."
"The exam is not important, your health is the most important." Xiao Qinghe continued, "Good news, your mother is no longer in danger, but she hasn't woken up yet."
He Xianyu suddenly said angrily: "She is so vicious, it would be best if she died."
Xiao Qinghe glanced at his assistant.
The assistant closed the door when he left.
"Xianyu, she is your mother after all." Xiao Qinghe's voice was very gentle.
He Xianyu shook her head and said stubbornly: "She is not my mother. I don't have such a mother."
Xiao Qinghe sighed in his heart.
"The day before yesterday, I asked you to stop Song Xue and Xiao Jun's marriage by sending them sweet potatoes. Song Xue would really kill Xiao Jun, why didn't you believe me?" He Xianyu felt more and more aggrieved, her eyes turned red, and her voice became hoarse. "Do you have to wait until everything is beyond repair? Do you want to turn evil and become a world-destroying villain? Isn't it good to be a popular star?"
Xiao Qinghe: “…………”
Could it be that this child was hit and became stupid?
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to my uncle."
"I can't rest assured!" He Xianyu was almost dying of worry. Xiao Qinghe was just a villain, and villains didn't have the aura of protagonists. If he didn't kick Song Xue out, Xiao Jun would be offline!
The boy pursed his lips, and his eyes turned red again.
Xiao Qinghe couldn't help but raise his hand, wanting to touch He Xianyu's head to calm him down, but after hesitating for a moment, he gave up. "Your mother has come back from the brink of death this time, maybe she will change her ways. Why don't you give her a chance first?"
He Xianyu remained silent. Song Xue would change, unless a sow could climb a tree.
There was a knock on the door, and then it opened.
Xiao Jun walked in slowly, holding an insulated box in his left hand and leaning on a cane in his right hand. There were dark circles under his eyes, his lips were chapped, and he looked so haggard that he seemed to have aged ten years.
Xiao Jun finally found his wife in middle age, but she got into a car accident before the wedding. Although she is out of danger, she is still in a coma.
He said in a hoarse voice: "Xianyu, are you hungry?"
He Xianyu hadn't eaten since the evening before yesterday. He was extremely hungry and nodded.
Xiao Qinghe took the insulated box and opened it. The first layer was a large shallow plate with white steamed buns and flower rolls on it; the second layer had two ceramic lunch boxes, one containing steaming pumpkin millet porridge and the other containing preserved egg and lean meat porridge.
He Xianyu took a bite of the steamed bun and suddenly thought of something. He put the bun down and apologized to Xiao Jun sincerely: "Uncle, I'm sorry, I was too rude to you before. I hope you don't take it to heart."
Xiao Jun forced a smile, took He Xianyu's left hand, held it tightly, and said sincerely: "Xianyu, you are safe and sound, which is God's blessing to me. From now on, I will be your father in this world."
He Xianyu suddenly thought of his father in that world. That knowledgeable, hardworking, family-loving and doting father must have been heartbroken after he left.
A writer once said that the departure of a loved one is not a rainstorm, but a long dampness in this life. Those who stay behind are forever trapped in the dampness, and every calm day will bring about a storm. (Note 1)
However, time is the best medicine and can heal most pains. He Xianyu believes that with the company of his mother and sister day and night, his father will definitely start a new life.
Seeing that He Xianyu remained silent, Xiao Jun considerately let go of her hand, then turned his gaze to Xiao Qinghe and advised, "Take good care of your brother."
A top-tier celebrity who is admired by thousands of fans outside, he is just a well-behaved and obedient nephew in front of his uncle. "Okay."
After Xiao Jun left, Xiao Qinghe opened the WeChat QR code and said to his younger brother, "Let's add each other as friends."
Most artists have two WeChat accounts, one for work and one for personal use. Xiao Qinghe's work account avatar is a selfie of himself, while his personal account avatar is his beloved cat Nian Gao.
He Xianyu never thought that one day he would be able to add a top-tier private account. He was surprised and said, "Teacher Xiao——"
Xiao Qinghe corrected him, "From now on, call me 'brother' in front of my uncle."
He Xianyu understood his subtext. In front of Xiao Jun, they were like brothers, but at other times, they were just an ordinary teacher-student relationship.
He Xianyu fell into another deep sleep, and when he woke up, he saw Ji Zhen.
"Brother Ji," He Xianyu climbed up, "What time is it?"
Ji Zhen replied: "Two-thirty."
He Xianyu asked: "How long does it take to get to school from here?"
Ji Zhen opened Baidu Maps and said, "About fifteen minutes."
"It's not too late." He Xianyu climbed down from the bed, "Brother Ji, take me to school. I need to take the exam."
Ji Zhen was stunned when he heard this: "Xianyu, it's just a mock exam, it's not important."
"Important!" He Xianyu continued, "I made a bet with Chen Zhuo that as long as I can get first place in the class in the mock exam, I can be exempted from the 500,000 yuan I owe Juxing."
Ji Zhen held He Xianyu's shoulders and tried to push him back to the bed. "You've already missed a Chinese language test, how can you still get first place?"
"I can do it." He Xianyu looked at Ji Zhen with a firm look.
Ji Zhen has watched the documentary of Storm Boys’ debut. Thirteen-year-old He Xianyu said to the camera with high spirits that one day in the future, Storm Boys will hold a concert for 100,000 people at the Capital Gymnasium. Ji Zhen still remembers the glittering light in the boy’s eyes. However, over the years, the group has disbanded, the members have become obscure, and in the most youthful years, they were hidden by the company and bullied. The light in the boy’s eyes has long been wiped out.
He Xianyu used to be very proud on the outside, but very inferior on the inside, with a lack of confidence in her bones. This was the first time Ji Zhen saw He Xianyu look so confident, and it was also the first time he saw the light in He Xianyu's eyes after many years.
Ji Zhen hesitated, "Are you really okay?"
He Xianyu nodded.
…
Ever since he knew that He Xianyu had been in a car accident, Jing Chen's heart has not been at peace. He looked at the math test paper, his mind was blank. He had forgotten all the knowledge points that He Xianyu had taught him on weekdays.
There was a sudden commotion in the quiet examination room.
Jing Chen raised his head and saw He Xianyu, who was supposed to be receiving treatment in the hospital.
He was not in a good spirit, his face was sickly pale, and there was a piece of gauze on his forehead. This clearly reminded Jingchen that He Xianyu was still a patient.
"Xiao Yu!" Jing Chen stood up.
He Xianyu raised his index finger to his lips, signaling the students to keep quiet. He walked to the only empty seat, sat down, and began to answer questions.
At the same time, in Xiao Qinghe's RV, the most convenient place for talking on the entire campus, He Xianyu's agent and boss had already started arguing.
"Ji Zhen, how do you act as a manager? He said yes, so you let him take the exam? What if he faints in the exam room?" Although Shen Zhuo has been criticized for being harsh on artists, he will never let an artist work while sick.
Ji Zhen suddenly got angry and said, "Boss Shen, didn't you make a bet with Xianyu that if he got first place in the exam, he wouldn't have to pay back the 500,000 yuan he owed the company?"
"For a mere 500,000 yuan, is he willing to give up his life?" Shen Zhuo was extremely puzzled.
Ji Zhen was indignant about He Xianyu: "Boss Shen, maybe 500,000 is just a small amount of money for you, but for Xianyu, it is a huge sum of money. Juxing has hidden him for three years. He can't get any notices and can't make a penny. He borrowed the money for the art exam training from me."
Although He Xianyu has an actress mother, she seems to have never taken care of He Xianyu because Ji Zhen has never been able to contact Song Xue.
Chen Zhuo rubbed his temples, "I am the one who is in charge of Juxing now. The company was sorry to him before, and we will make it up to him in the future."
Chen Zhuo recalled He Xianyu's sparkling eyes when they first met in the grove, and also recalled He Xianyu's red eyes in the hospital, and his heart suddenly felt clogged.
He didn't want to let He Xianyu go.
After pondering for a while, he proposed the conditions for the contract renewal: "Ji Zhen, tell He Xianyu that I can give him the fourth male lead in an S-level TV series and the second male lead in an A-level web series. Doesn't he like singing? I can also release a single for him. You persuade him to renew his contract with Juxing, and I won't treat him unfairly."
"Boss Shen, Juxing treated him like that before. Will he renew his contract only after winning Stockholm? I don't want to persuade him, and I can't persuade him." Ji Zhen sighed heavily, "This kid is so bitter. All those negative information, one by one, were imposed on him by people he once trusted."
The time soon came to 4:30 in the afternoon.
Xiao Qinghe noticed something was wrong with He Xianyu from the surveillance camera. He walked into the examination room from the back door, came to He Xianyu, bent over and asked softly, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Even though he had been lying in the hospital for almost two days, it was still a bit difficult for him to take the exam in his current state. He Xianyu lay on the table and said in a weak voice, "My head hurts a little."
"I'll take you away from here." After saying that, Xiao Qinghe put one arm around his waist, picked up his knees with the other hand, and held him up steadily.
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