Chapter 174. Play Somewhere Else

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Arc 9: Real World.

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With a loud bang, the door was kicked open, the door frame slamming against the wall with a horrific, screeching sound. The person inside didn’t react at all, but continued to bang his head against the wall, and blood trickled down, a shocking sight.

Li Yan’s face tightened, and he grabbed the young man’s wrist, whispering, “Chen You, what are you doing?”

Chen You was still muttering to himself, repeating the same three words. He hung his head, his stray hairs falling down, a drop of blood clinging to the end of his hair. The next second, it trembled and fell, creating a blood flower on the ground. Then another drop fell in the middle of the blood flower, diluting the crimson color.

That wasn’t blood, it was tears.

Li Yan’s thin lips were pressed tightly together. He took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from the young man’s face. His low, husky voice carried a convincing strength, tinged with tenderness, “Your dad is alright.”

Chen You’s bewildered expression faded, and he reached out to grab Li Yan, “Really?”

Li Yan nodded, “Mm.”

Chen You gripped Li Yan’s arm even tighter, suppressing his sobs, “Has my dad come out of the operating room yet?”

Li Yan said not for now but, “Soon.”

Chen You stared straight at him, “You’re not lying to me?”

Li Yan wiped the bloodstains from his forehead, “I’m not lying to you.”

Chen You loosened his grip on Li Yan’s arm, as if he had come back to life. He couldn’t imagine the consequences of his father’s accident, and he certainly couldn’t accept or cope with them.

Li Yan took Chen You to treat the injury on his forehead.

Chen You cooperated well, his hand was held by Li Yan, and he didn’t struggle at all even when the doctors and nurses looked him over.

After treating his wound, Chen You returned to the chair outside the operating room. Leaning back, he stared into the void and said to Li Yan, “It’s my fault. If I had been a little more careful when I went out, and had kept an eye on my dad, or if I had been more attentive when walking in the neighborhood and looked back to see if anyone was following me, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Li Yan patted his hand, “Don’t blame yourself.”

Chen You sighed. How could he not blame himself? He felt terrible and miserable. Complaining about fate was useless, he could only blame himself to feel better.

“That day my dad told me about Old Pang’s matter, and I started telling him about homosexuality every now and then. Every time, he was very disgusted and resistant, and even got angry at me. I didn’t even realize that I had revealed something that had already aroused my dad’s scrutiny. I was completely unaware.”

Chen You propped his head up with his hand. He had taken a lot of medication during this time. Could it have affected his IQ? Made his brain react slowly? No, it was just a problem with him. He forced a smile and sighed, “Ai, I feel like I’m no different from someone with an intellectual disability.”

Li Yan frowned and squeezed the young man’s palm hard.

Chen You pouted. He had thought of several ways to come out of the closet before, but now he didn’t need to think about it anymore. He had just suddenly reached this point, catching everyone off guard.

Fuck!

Chen You’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He saw the caller ID, it was Hu Wei, probably to discuss tomorrow’s schedule. He pressed the answer button, “My dad fainted. Can you take care of the announcement for me?”

Hu Wei had just finished showering, poured himself a glass of wine, and was planning to drink after the call to calm himself down and go to sleep. When he heard what Chen You said, his expression immediately changed, “How is the situation now?”

Chen You glanced at the operating room door, “Not awake yet.”

Hu Wei asked, “Is Li Ge here?”

Chen You said he was there, and when he heard Hu Wei’s request, he did as he was told, handing the phone to the man next to him.

Li Yan held his phone, not sure what Hu Wei had said to him on the phone, but his expression remained unchanged, and his half-closed eyes showed no emotion.

Withdrawing his scrutinizing gaze from the man, Chen You rubbed his hands together, unsure if Hu Wei had mentioned him or revealed something.

After hanging up the phone, Li Yan handed the phone to Chen You, and then took the medicine bottle out of Chen You’s pocket.

Chen You was startled and instinctively reached out to grab the medicine bottle from the man’s hand. He failed to do so and said sharply, “What are you doing? Give me back my medicine!”

Li Yan put the medicine bottle into his shirt pocket, “Starting tomorrow, I will give you the medicine on time. You can’t take it at other times.”

Upon hearing this, Chen You’s face showed anxiety. He stood up and tried to grab it, almost like a madman, “No, why should my medicine be with you? Give it to me now, Li Yan, give it to me.”

Li Yan restrained the young man’s hands, pinning them behind his back, his voice low and cold, “Behave!”

The man’s rebuke sent a chill down Chen You’s spine. He slumped back into his chair, head hanging low, and said, “Did Hu Wei tell you about my medication? I know that taking too much only provides short-term suppression and will be bad for my health after a few times, but I can’t control it.”

“I really can’t control it, Li Yan. When my head starts to hurt, it feels like there’s a steel needle in my brain.” Chen You pointed to his temples, “It’s piercing from one side to the other. It hurts so much. I want to pull the needle out, but I can’t feel it. I’ve even thought about cutting my head open…”

Li Yan held the young man tightly in his arms, his arms tightening around him, pressing against his bones. He lowered his eyelids, his eyes filled with heartache and panic.

Chen You was tightly bound, and he remained motionless, his face buried in the man’s chest, where his clothes were quickly soaked.

The corridor was silent, but the faint sobs coming from the young man’s throat were unusually clear, caught in the surrounding air currents and drifting endlessly into the air.

After releasing his pent-up emotions, Chen You sniffed, took out a tissue and gave it to Li Yan, wiping the snot and tears from his chest, “Keep the medicine. I’ll listen to you from now on.”

Li Yan didn’t move.

Chen You leaned closer and noticed that the man’s hands on his lap were trembling slightly. He pursed his lips, pulled the man into his arms, and comforted him, saying that it was no big deal, “When I told you about cutting open my head, I was just saying it casually. I won’t do it. I’m afraid of pain, and it’s so bloody. The brain tissue would be completely exposed, and brain matter would be splattered everywhere. The way I would die would be too ugly.”

“It’s okay, I’m really okay, don’t worry.”

Li Yan still didn’t move.

Chen You sighed, ai Gege, do you know how much I can’t stand to see you like this? My head doesn’t hurt, but my heart hurts, and it hurts like hell when it hurts. He patted the man’s back, “My dad is still in the operating room. I can’t count on anyone else, I’m counting on you. Calm down.”

Li Yan pushed Chen You away abruptly and slammed his fist against the wall.

Chen You was startled and nervously grabbed the man’s arm, hurriedly checking the wound on his hand, every joint was bleeding.

In an instant, Chen You’s anger flared up, “What the hell are you doing?”

Li Yan said calmly, “Feeling sorry for me?”

Isn’t that obvious? Chen You glared at him, his eyes still red.

Li Yan raised his eyelids slightly, “Then do you know how I felt when I saw you banging your head and heard you say you had a headache and wanted to cut your head open?”

Chen You opened his mouth, but couldn’t say a word.

Li Yan reached out and pressed the pad of his middle finger against the gauze on the young man’s forehead with very light pressure, just like his voice, “Chen You, stop treating yourself with that indifferent attitude.”

Chen You squeezed his fingers together, bravely admitting his mistake, “I’m sorry.”

Li Yan didn’t let him off the hook, “Next time you have a headache, don’t hide it from me.”

Chen You immediately nodded and agreed to everything.

Li Yan didn’t let him pay attention to the wound on his hand, “What happened tonight was the will of Heaven. Even if it wasn’t tonight, it could have been tomorrow night, the night after, or any day in the future. You, me, and your dad would have faced this situation. It was unavoidable and not your personal responsibility.”

Chen You ran his fingers through his messy hair, “I understand.”

He understands the concept of fate, that everything is preordained, and that everyone has their own destiny. Everyone else, except for fools and children, understands these principles, but very few can truly see through them and accept them. He certainly can’t.

He’s just an ordinary guy, a total average guy. He went to an ordinary school and studied an ordinary major. The only difference is that he’s a bit handsome and has fallen for a man.

This isn’t some heinous crime, there’s no need to make such a big fuss. Chen You silently offered a prayer, holding the man’s large hand, “My dad didn’t wake up, but the two of us are the ones who got injured one after another.”

He pulled the man up and said, “Come on, let’s go get your hand bandaged first, then we’ll go outside for some fresh air and come back.”

Li Yan said, “No need to bandage it.”

Chen You glared at him, seemingly oblivious to the danger, and said, “If you dare not bandage it, I dare to tear the gauze off my forehead.”

If someone else used such a clumsy method to threaten Li Yan, they wouldn’t get any benefit and might even witness a bloody scene. But when used by a specific person, the effect is earth-shattering.

Li Yan fell for it and went along with it.

The two of them went out for a walk and calmed down. One of them was no longer anxious, and the other was no longer flustered. As long as they were together, no medicine could compare to a hug or a look from each other.

Just before midnight, Chen Weidong was wheeled out of the operating room, and the doctors pulled him back from the brink of death for the second time.

Chen You and Li Yan stood in the ward without saying a word until the doctor finally broke the oppressive stillness. He said that although the patient was out of danger, careful care was still necessary, and the specific symptoms would only be determined after the patient regained consciousness.

After the doctor left, Chen You wiped his face and said to Li Yan, “It’s getting late, you should go back.”

Li Yan told him to come to the hotel with him.

Chen You refused, saying, “I’m not going. I have to stay here and watch over my dad.”

Li Yan said, “There are doctors and nurses here. I asked around, and your dad won’t wake up tonight. The earliest he’ll wake up is tomorrow.”

Chen You was half-carried out of the ward by him.

The hotel wasn’t far from the hospital, so Li Yan didn’t drive. He and Chen You walked there. At this hour, there were few pedestrians on the street, and only one or two would pass by every now and then. They were all in a hurry, rushing home to rest.

“I’ve asked the butler to bring you some clothes. Go to the hotel, take a shower, and then go to sleep. Make sure your head doesn’t get wet.”

“Okay. ”

Chen You put his hand into the pocket of his casual pants, took it out a few seconds later, moved it to the side, touched the man’s hand, and grasped it, “We’re officially out of the closet now, right?”

Li Yan, “Hmm.”

Chen You let out a sigh of relief, then suddenly exclaimed, “Oh no! What about Laifu and Xiaojin? There’s no one else at home, they’ll be scared.”

Li Yan asked, “Have they eaten?”

Chen You said they had already eaten, “They had dinner around the same time as me. Laifu is growing and eats a lot, poops a lot, and is very lively. Xiaojin has a small appetite and eats very elegantly, like a young master from a wealthy family.”

Li Yan said that it was fine, “It’s already midnight, they should all be sleeping.”

Chen You said, “Okay.”

The atmosphere quieted down, with only the sounds of breathing and footsteps, which were muffled by the engine noise from the car.

A fragment flashed through his mind, but disappeared before he could grasp it. He was a little dazed, his mind was in disarray again. Should he take his medicine? Right, the medicine is with Li Yan, he can’t just take it randomly.

A large hand pressed down on Chen You’s head, bringing his thoughts back to him and helping him resist his reliance on the medication.

After arriving at the hotel, Chen You and Li Yan washed up and went to sleep. They slept in each other’s arms, unusually refraining from playing around before bed.

The next day, Chen You went to the hospital early. Chen Weidong was still asleep, lying on the hospital bed with his eyes closed, with multiple tubes attached to his body.

The doctor came to make rounds with a group of staff. After the examination, he instructed Chen You to call the nurse after the patient woke up.

Chen You breathed a sigh of relief, which meant his father would wake up.

In the dean’s office, several department heads were called in to discuss Chen Weidong’s condition. The dean occasionally interrupted, offering different ideas.

Li Yan sat on the sofa with his long legs crossed. He had already made his stance clear and remained gentle throughout, without forcing anyone to do anything. Everyone will eventually die, but Chen Weidong cannot be in trouble at this time. He did not want the young man to bear an unfounded crime and never be able to get out of it for the rest of his life.

Around 9 a.m., a Weibo post appeared online, involving a prominent figure. The post was deleted shortly after being published, but it was still reposted and caused a stir on various platforms.

When it comes to that important figure, most media outlets dare not get involved, while a few are just trying to profit from the chaos.

Chen You received a call from Hu Wei and learned that the news of his father being sent to the hospital last night, and the photo of him holding hands with Li Yan had been posted, inevitably leading to a scandal.

Hu Wei has been in the entertainment industry for a long time and has seen many ups and downs. When small fry are causing trouble, he ignores them all and doesn’t care. In the long and boring gossip news, there are also celebrities coming out as gay, causing a huge uproar, but it has nothing to do with him.

But this time it’s his people, so the attitude towards them can’t be the same.

Chen You had no time or energy to get involved with those keyboard warriors online. He didn’t even want to log into Weibo. The company had professional public relations staff. Whether it was his agent Hu Wei, the company boss Lin Fuxing, or even his assistant, everyone knew more than he did.

All he had to do was follow instructions and not cause trouble.

Hu Wei analyzed the current development trend for Chen You and also gave two options that he thought were feasible, provided that Li Yan agreed in advance, “One is to hold a press conference as soon as possible before the public opinion deteriorates, and you can take this opportunity to come out as gay and be done with it. You won’t have to hide it anymore. The other is for you to get involved in a scandal with one of the company’s female artists who have their own popularity, and then arrange for you to appear on a show. If paparazzi photograph you entering and leaving a certain place, find a trustworthy media outlet to publicize it, making the matter seem real and muddying the waters.”

Audiences have limited attention spans, while focusing on one thing, another will inevitably be overlooked.

Chen You said, “Let’s start with the first one then.”

Hu Wei asked, “Have you thought it through?”

Chen You nodded. He regretted it now. He was caught in the middle and regretted it later. He should have listened to Li Yan and been honest with his father. It would have been much less frightening than being caught by his father in the act.

Hu Wei said, “Since you’ve made the decision, you need to be prepared for the consequences. Also, your relatives must have seen the news by now. Your father hasn’t woken up, so you’ll have to deal with them on your own.”

He added, “Chen You, in the entertainment industry, falling down is commonplace. Your idol has also fallen, and he fell very badly. Why does he have the status he has today and the influence he has in the music industry? It’s because he got back up and didn’t give up. Some people can’t get up after falling once, so they can only lie on the ground and become stepping stones for others.”

“What I want to say is that in this life, you don’t need to care too much about what others think. Just be true to yourself, do your best, and that’s enough.”

Chen You downed the bowl of inspirational soup, saying, “I understand, thank you.”

He put his phone in his pocket, then remembered something and turned it off, not wanting to hear his relatives’ shocked yet disgusted voices at that moment.

Chen You pondered. His phone was off, and Hu Wei couldn’t reach him, so he would go to Li Yan. It shouldn’t be too late if something important happened. As for his buddies and classmates, they would basically know the answer after watching the press conference.

His only worry was his Laolao, and he hoped that DaBo’s family would not mention it in front of her.

Even if Laolao really discovered his relationship with Li Yan at that birthday banquet, which is why she said that strange thing, she would still be angry if she heard anyone talking about it.

When an elderly person gets upset, it can cause a lot of trouble.

Chen You had a headache. Just as he was about to go find Li Yan, the door to the ward was pushed open from the outside, and someone walked in.

Li Yan asked, “You agreed to hold a press conference?”

Chen You had already anticipated this. Before Hu Wei told him about the two options, he had already spoken to Li Yan. He said, “Don’t interfere. Let me handle this myself.”

Li Yan’s brows were furrowed.

Chen You said earnestly, “Li Yan, I won’t have any problems, trust me.”

Li Yan’s thin lips tightened, and he said in a tone that brooked no refusal, “You only have one chance. If it doesn’t work, I’ll handle it.”

If you handle it, the matter won’t just be reduced to a minor issue, it will be completely resolved. I’ve told you before not to do bad things and to be a good person. Chen You glanced at him and said, “Oh.”

On the day of the press conference, Chen Weidong was still unconscious. Chen You didn’t bother to dress up and was dressed casually, like a college freshman. He said to Li Yan, “I don’t know when my dad will wake up. Could you stay here and keep an eye on him?”

Li Yan raised an eyebrow, “You don’t want me to go?”

Of course I don’t want to. If you go, things will be chaotic. Chen You coughed, “I only have my dad left. You are the person I trust the most, which is why I entrusted him to your care.”

Without scrutinizing the young man’s words or trying to discern any hidden meaning, Li Yan picked up a magazine, opened a page, and said, “The driver will take you to Hu Wei’s place.”

That means he promised not to go.

Chen You kissed him on the cheek, “I’m leaving.”

Li Yan didn’t look up, “Chen You, I’m glad you chose the first option.”

Chen You stopped in his tracks, sighed, turned around, hugged the man, and kissed him for a while, “I’m really leaving now. I’ll definitely get this sorted out. I’m leaving my dad in your care.”

Paparazzi were staking out the hospital, but they never expected that Boss Li would arrange for his lover to drive away in an ordinary, dusty van that was so inconspicuous.

Hu Wei was waiting at his residence, as was Lin Fuxing. As soon as Chen You arrived, they set off for the company.

On the way, Hu Wei asked Chen You how he got the injury on his forehead, but Chen You managed to bluff his way out of it with a few words. He couldn’t very well say that he did it himself, or he would be seen as crazy.

Hu Wei didn’t ask any more questions, but repeatedly told Chen You to stay calm, stay composed, not to panic, not to swear on the spot, and not to hit anyone. He secretly gave Lin Fuxing a I won look.

Just before Chen You arrived, they made a bet on whether Li Yan would personally show up.

Hu Wei understood Chen You better than Lin Fuxing. With his young and flamboyant personality, he would face things on his own and not let Li Yan interfere, hiding behind the scenes. Lin Fuxing didn’t believe this, thinking that the other party couldn’t influence Li Yan’s decision.

So he was proven wrong.

The press conference was held at the company, and many media reporters, mostly first- and second-tier figures, attended. The commotion at the scene lasted for a short while before subsiding.

Chen You sat back down, adjusting the microphone in front of him. Damn, he used to watch the show, but now he’s the show himself. How to put it? It’s even more disgusting.

He pulled down some stray hairs from his forehead to try and cover the gauze on his forehead, not wanting it to be too conspicuous.

After the formalities were completed, a male reporter stood up and asked sharply, “Some people say you rose to your position through underhanded means. What’s your take on that?”

Chen You chuckled, “I’ve only filmed one show, the web series 《The Fifth World》. Have I risen to prominence?”

The male reporter pressed on, “So you think that when you were negotiating with Mr. Li at the beginning, you didn’t consider things properly and should have asked for a role from a popular IP instead of a web series?”

Chen You smiled, okay, buddy, I’ll remember you. He said, ”I didn’t say that. I’m sure all the media friends here have good ears and didn’t hear it either. Don’t force your own imagination onto me, okay?”

The same reporter asked, “So you believe that if there were no shady dealings between you and Mr. Li, then it’s true love?”

Shut up, will you? If you push me too far, believe me, I’ll jump off the stage and bite you! Chen You’s facial muscles twitched. He leaned back, crossing his left leg over his right, “What a joke! Why should I tell you whether he and I are truly in love? Who are you?”

The male reporter’s face flushed a mixture of white and red, seemingly surprised that Chen You would retaliate. He thought that even a newcomer with powerful backers wouldn’t dare to do something like this, “You…”

Chen You’s eyes slanted upwards, his smile forced and insincere.

The situation briefly spiraled out of control, but then stabilized at the edge of the situation, with no media leaving on the spot.

Chen You didn’t answer every question. Some questions were alright, they’re even genuine questions from reporters. But some were just asking for trouble. He wanted to take off his sneakers and throw them at those reporters with their annoying expressions.

Hu Wei, standing behind, was sweating bullets, “Tissues!”

The assistant said, “No more.”

Hu Wei growled, “If there’s no more, just go get some more! Do I have to tell you that too?”

The assistant ran away feeling wronged.

Hu Wei tugged at his collar. Chen You, ah, Chen You, you’re really something. The script I prepared for you was completely useless to you. He then said, “Fuxing, let’s pause the press conference.”

Lin Fuxing, who was standing next to him, watched with great interest, “There’s no need for that. Chen You is handling it very well.”

Hu Wei, “…” Are you sure your brain isn’t broken?

Lin Fuxing, with his hands in his pockets, said with a smile, “It’s time for an outlier to appear in the entertainment industry. Everyone’s the same, how boring.”

Hu Wei was powerless to refute, the emperor was not worried, but the eunuch was.

If Chen You is unhappy, then nobody else can be happy either. He won’t give them a good look, so they might as well go away and play somewhere else.

After several reporters asked serious questions, another one appeared, spewing venom. This time it was a woman in her thirties. Perhaps she had suffered some trauma, or perhaps someone close to her had come out as gay. Her words revealed hostility and hatred towards homosexuals, “Your father had brain hemorrhage surgery last year and has been recovering well, but he was hospitalized this time because of your situation.”

“If you continue to be with Mr. Li, your father won’t approve, right? So what are you going to do? Severe ties with your father? Don’t you think you’re being too selfish?”

Chen You said, “I refuse to answer your question.”

The female reporter’s expression stiffened, “So you’re admitting it?”

Admit my ass! Are you trying to force LaoZi to swear? Chen You sneered, “This press conference was initiated by me personally. The purpose is to announce my relationship and give an explanation regarding the photos. I don’t understand why my family has to be dragged into this. Can you give me an answer?”

No one from the media spoke.

Chen You grinned, “Ayi, you mentioned my family. I’ll say it here, I will do everything I can to get his consent and beg for forgiveness, but this has nothing to do with anyone here, including the outside world. I don’t need the approval of any of you.”

“You’re holding microphones, not knives. Don’t always try to stab people in the heart. That’s not good, it’s immoral.” Chen You’s smile became more pronounced, sunny and without a trace of gloom, like a friendly young man next door, without any malice, “Of course, most of Gege and Jiejie are very nice. We can talk things out.”

Among the reporters in the audience, several who had verbally clashed with Chen You looked quite displeased.

This is the first time an artist has publicly confronted the media.

Some people think Chen You is foolish for offending several media outlets at once, believing he’ll surely be relentlessly attacked and destroyed – that he’s digging his own grave. More people are re-evaluating his relationship with that powerful figure, speculating that his ability to act so boldly indicates he has extremely strong backing, suggesting a relationship far beyond a simple business transaction.

Perhaps the reason that person hasn’t expressed their opinion isn’t because it’s unimportant, but because there’s another reason.

After the press conference ended, Chen You slumped onto the sofa and waved his hand at Hu Wei, who had rushed over, saying, “Don’t say anything, just let me quietly beat myself up in my mind for a while.”

Hu Wei asked his assistant to pour water for Chen You, saying, “You did everything you shouldn’t have done. You’re great.”

Chen You replied, “…You flatter me.”

He took a sip of water, “Is everything ok?”

Hu Wei said that the rest would be handled by the company, “Right, Boss Lin?”

Lin Fuxing, arms crossed, raised his chin and said, “Chen You, congratulations on coming out. Please tell Li Ge when you get back.”

Chen You twitched his lips. What was there to be happy about? His father was still lying in the hospital. If his father agreed and said, okay, you two should get married soon, that would be a real cause for celebration.

No, that’s a dream.

Chen You went back to take a shower and then went to the hospital. He was wearing a hat and a mask when he arrived, so no one recognized him, and he didn’t run into any relatives.

The press conference wasn’t completely trashed or deemed utterly worthless, on the contrary, it received a great deal of support and encouragement from young people. In this day and age, the gay community is no longer so insignificant, and there are many unexpected things happening within it.

Being able to be yourself is what makes you successful.

Even top-tier celebrities can’t do this, they want too much, can’t let go of anything, and are unwilling to give up everything.

Zheng Shuai saw the video on Weibo. He called Chen You but couldn’t get through, so he called Wang Yao. The two of them talked on the phone and were both very surprised and questioned their existence.

Their buddy is gay, they didn’t know. But when he came out publicly, facing comments from all over the world, they found out. It all felt so unreal.

Zheng Shuai said, “I can’t get through to Old Pang either, I don’t know what’s going on.”

Wang Yao hesitated and said, “Could it be that he is also…”

Zheng Shuai said, “Bullshit, even if we are, Old Pang isn’t. Just think about it, how many girlfriends did he have while he was in school?”

Wang Yao said, “That’s right. Let me tell you, Old Shuai, I can’t read the comments on my Weibo anymore. Everyone’s asking me about it. Damn, they’re all meddling in other people’s business.”

Zheng Shuai said he also simply ignored it.

Before hanging up, Zheng Shuai couldn’t help but ask, “Old Wang, do you find Youzi disgusting?” After all, everyone around him thought that homosexuals were promiscuous and sick.

Wang Yao said, “What disgusting? He’s just like you, dating someone, just with a guy.”

Zheng Shuai said, “I’m relieved that you think that way. I thought you would…”

“Damn, do you think I’m that kind of person? Even if you get surgery and become a transvestite someday, I’ll still treat you like a XiongDi.”

“Get lost, I’m hanging up!”

On the other side, Pang Yilong sat in front of his computer with an indescribable expression on his face. He watched the press conference video over and over again, thinking that the person with Youzi was the agent with glasses. He didn’t expect it to be that the other party was someone with a powerful background, someone that even the Pang family couldn’t afford to offend.

Youzi actually knows that kind of person? Pang Yilong shook his head. He looked at the spirited young man in the video and chuckled, “I’ve known you so little these past three years…”

A husky avatar was flashing in the lower right corner of the computer screen. Pang Yilong knew it was Zheng Shuai. He paused, clicked on the avatar with the mouse, and a chat box popped up with a line of text.

Zheng Shuai: Damn it, where are you? Youzi has caused a huge commotion!

Pang Yilong reached for his lighter and cigarette case, lit a cigarette, and puffed away at the computer screen, showing no intention of replying. He was already set to invisible mode, so Zheng Shuai thought he wasn’t online, giving him an excuse.

A blood-spitting emoji was thrown at him. Zheng Shuai: LaoZi know you’re online, Old Pang. Ren Wu has been gone for a while now, it’s about time you moved on!

Pang Yilong chuckled, propping his head up with his hand, “Ren Wu…”

If Zheng Shuai hadn’t mentioned the name, he wouldn’t have remembered it at all.

Almost half an hour later, Pang Yilong typed a message to Zheng Shuai: I just saw the video.

Zheng Shuai, who was sitting in front of the computer, replied immediately: What’s wrong with your phone? Did you change your number?

Pang Yilong: Hmm.

Zheng Shuai: …

Pang Yilong said he was going abroad and couldn’t use his domestic phone number anymore. He didn’t want to have any more contact with anyone related to Chen You and wanted to forget about his university days, so he wouldn’t contact Zheng Shuai or Wang Yao either.

Zheng Shuai threw a poop-like emoji at him.

After a while, he asked again: Did you already know that Youzi was gay?

Pang Yilong, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, typed on the keyboard: Yeah, I knew it all along, me too, and there was a smiley face after it.

Zheng Shuai has gone silent, and his profile picture has turned gray (indicating he’s offline).

Pang Yilong suddenly thought, gays are attracted to men, but he isn’t. It’s pathetic as well as laughable.

A few days later, an interview appeared online, published by the largest media outlet. The interview lasted only three minutes and featured another protagonist of the coming-out scandal who announced he is coming out of the closet, as the head of the xx Group, not as a shareholder of Shangyu Film and Television Company. The camera ended by focusing on the ring on his ring finger, which was a pair with the ring worn by the young man at the press conference.

The ring quickly went viral online, with many “experts” claiming it’s worth a certain amount, speaking as if it were true, but in reality, it’s just silver.

At the press conference, five media outlets that tried to profit from the chaos went bankrupt overnight. The reasons were known to their peers, who were secretly glad they hadn’t done so, thus escaping disaster.

About ten days later, Chen Weidong woke up.

Chen You then discussed with Li Yan the idea of taking his father back to Li Yan’s place first, which would avoid the relatives and be beneficial to his father’s recovery.

Li Yan had no objection.

The ward was changed to a large and bright room, but Chen Weidong didn’t even glance at his son before closing his eyes and remaining indifferent.

Chen You didn’t take on any new projects or appearances, and his phone remained switched off. He was completely focused on his father, turning him over, massaging his arms and legs, and talking to him every day, even though he received no response.

“It rained all night last night. When Laifu went out this morning, he chased after a Samoyed, but he fell into a ditch and came back covered in mud. Xiaojin crawled away in disgust and wouldn’t let him near.”

“Dad, you met the butler, right? The one with the full head of white hair. He walks so silently that I’m always startled. I heard Li… Li Yan say that he’s an internationally renowned photographer. Once you’re better, have him take photos of us and put them in an album.”

“The scenery around us is beautiful. Oh, and there’s a lake in the back. Dad, you can go fishing there. Fish as much as you want. I’ve already bought you a set of fishing gear. It’s really good quality. I hope you get better soon.”

“Here’s what I’m thinking, this season is a good time for fishing. Dad, you can catch at least ten fish a day. Then we can stew the small fish into soup and braise or steam the big fish. If we catch a lot of fish, we can raise them and eat them slowly.”

“Annoying.”

“There are also grass carp in the lake…” Chen You’s words stopped abruptly. He was stunned for a moment, then laughed foolishly, his eyes reddening, “Dad, you’re willing to talk to me now.”

Chen Weidong said, “Get out.”

Chen You then pleaded, “No, you’ve been listening to me for so long. I think you must have a lot to tell me, Dad. Please speak to me, I’m listening carefully.”

Chen Weidong said, “Your dad, I, have nothing to say.”

Chen You’s smile froze, turning into something more like a grimace. He forced himself to stay composed, “Dad, why don’t you have anything to say to me? You should point your finger at me, yell at me, hit me, make me kneel before Mom and apologize, say I’m a scoundrel, messing around with a man, that of all things I could have become, I had to become a gay, and that I lied to you, to my Laolao, and to my classmates.”

His shoulders slumped, “I was wrong…”

Chen Weidong thought his son had finally come to his senses, but the next moment he heard his son say, “But I can’t help it. I’ve tried to turn back, but it’s no use. Dad, I have no way back.”

“Get out of here.” Chen Weidong’s chest heaved, “You…you get…”

Chen You was so frightened that he kept trying to calm him down, “Dad, don’t get agitated. If you don’t want to hear it, I won’t say anything. Really, I promise I won’t say a single word.”

A patch on the blanket covering Chen Weidong’s chest had darkened and was getting bigger. He knew his son was crying, but he didn’t look up to see.

Just then, a noise at the door broke the silence of the sorrow inside the room.

Li Yan pushed the door open and entered, gesturing for Chen You to leave.

Chen You rubbed his eyes, shook his head at Li Yan, stop messing around. If you stay alone, you’re likely to be in big trouble.

Li Yan frowned.

Chen You swallowed hard, forced out by the extremely low air pressure.

He wasn’t forced to go far, he just eavesdropped outside the door. Damn it, the door was so soundproof he couldn’t hear anything.

Just as Chen You was about to go next door to try, he heard a sharp cracking sound. His eyelids twitched. Oh no! The water glass he had just brought in was on the bedside table. His dad must have smashed it.

Where would that glass land? Chen You’s eyes welled up with tears. He slapped himself and banged his head against the wall. Damn it, you idiot, why didn’t you think of taking the glass with you when you left?

The butler arrived just in time to stop Chen You from hitting himself, “Mr. Chen, do you need medicine?”

Chen You shook his head, “Butler, do you have a cell phone?”

He just blurted it out. Butler probably should not have it. He’s usually elusive and such a tacky thing as a mobile phone does not match his temperament at all.

A sleek black phone was handed to Chen You, it was the latest model, one he had wanted to buy but hadn’t been willing to.

Chen You took the phone with a complicated expression. I must be blind to realize that you, Butler, are the king of the tacky team.

He composed himself, leaned against the wall, unlocked the phone, and typed “coming out” into the browser. Many web pages appeared, some recounting personal coming-out experiences, full of blood and tears, while others were inquiries seeking guidance from experts.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and that’s exactly Chen You’s current situation, he’s searching for everything online.

Novels are based on real life.

Li Yan is definitely going to bear the brunt of his father’s anger. I only have this one precious son, I raised him from a baby, feeding him and changing his diapers—well, raising him—and I was counting on him to carry on the Chen family line. I was looking forward to holding a chubby grandson, but then my son was snatched away by you! How can I swallow this insult without settling the score with you? Absolutely impossible! You kneel down first, and I’ll beat you up before we talk!

The above is a scenario that Chen You imagined.

Following the typical plot of the novel, he would also have to be there, kneeling alongside Li Yan, being beaten together, crying and begging, dad, please grant our wish, please! After shouting that, he would start kowtowing, as loudly as possible, preferably until blood was drawn.

The butler noticed that the young man’s expression kept changing, making it really hard to guess what he was thinking.

Not to mention the butler, even Chen You himself didn’t realize that he had gone mad.

“Butler, are you going to call Dr. Wang and Dr. Liu?”

“I’ve already called, they’ll be here in five minutes.”

“That’s good.”

Chen You returned the phone to the butler, asking, “How much did you pay for it?”

The butler said a number.

Chen You then said, “You bought it at a high price. If you buy it now, you can save five or six hundred.”

The butler said it was okay. He specifically bought it right when it was released, most people don’t have it, but I do, and that feels great.

Chen You, “…” So awesome.

After an unknown amount of time, the door opened and Li Yan walked out. He was wearing a black shirt, and if it weren’t for the smell of blood on his body, you wouldn’t be able to tell that there was blood on his shirt.

Chen You asked Li Yan where he was injured, and was about to check his arm when he saw blood flowing down from his head on the other side of his neck.

Li Yan pressed down on the anxious young man, “It’s nothing.”

Chen You glared at him, “You have a cut on your head, and you call this nothing?”

He looked up at the man’s head, “Hit by a glass?”

“That’s not right. My dad is lying down, and you’re standing. When the glass comes flying at you, you can dodge it.”

Li Yan said, “I did it on purpose.”

Chen You, “…” You’re so direct, I don’t know what to say.

In the novel, once the self-inflicted injury is staged, the dead end will be opened up. He asked, “My dad agreed, right?”

Li Yan said, “No.”

Chen You choked on his saliva. It seems that the novel is based on life, but also transcends life, and has added fairy tale elements.

“What did my dad say to you?”

“Leave my son.”

“Anything else?”

“Don’t even think about ruining my son.”

“Alright, that’s enough. I understand pretty much.”

Chen You moved aside to make room for the doctor to clean Li Yan’s wound, removing the blood and dirt. He then parted Li Yan’s hair to reveal a deep wound that required stitches.

He stared intently, as if he himself had been injured on the head, in the same spot, and it hurt terribly.

That evening, Chen You sat by his father’s bedside, wanting to say so much, but unsure how to begin.

When Li Yan talked to his father in the afternoon, he was on tenterhooks, afraid that Li Yan would come out and say that his father had fainted, or that someone like Li Yan had been injured and was in a sorry state.

Chen Weidong suddenly said, “Dad misjudged him.”

“Li Yan is not a businessman. Killing a person is like crushing an ant to him.”

Chen You looked up abruptly, “Dad, why did you say that?”

Chen Weidong said, “Son, how much do you really know about him?”

Chen You didn’t know much, but he was certain that Li Yan wouldn’t do anything to harm him.

Chen Weidong said, “I will not agree to this. I’m making this clear right now, and I won’t change a single word unless I die.”

Chen You’s emotions began to spiral out of control. No, he had to find Li Yan and get his medicine right away. He jumped up and ran out.

A faint sigh echoed from inside the room.

On the 16th, Pang Yilong went abroad, and Chen You went to the airport to see him off. He kept his promise.

Pang Yilong didn’t mention the widely discussed coming-out rumors. He looked intently at the young man in front of him and said, “Youzi, give me a hug.”

Chen You hugged him, the kind of hug between XiongDi.

Pang Yilong said softly, “Goodbye, good XiongDi for a lifetime.”

He turned his back, walking away while crying. Hell with good XiongDi! If I had known, I wouldn’t have sworn in the first place!

All good things must come to an end, there are gatherings and partings, partings and gatherings—that’s just how it is.

Chen You’s melancholy disappeared when he returned home. He had to take care of his father, seek forgiveness, and also wanted his father’s approval and blessing.

After drinking a glass of juice, Chen You went to his room to go online using his old laptop. As soon as he turned it on, it crashed.

He reinstalled the system and went to the few drives that he rarely used, wanting to clean them up and delete the stuff from his peak of teenage angst.

The E drive is full of action movies, roughly several hundred, which Chen You has watched. Each one is a record of his glorious years.

He randomly watched one and couldn’t help but sigh that the old movies were much better, the actors were all putting their hearts into their performances and using their souls to portray the emotional ups and downs of their characters.

Who would have thought that movies these days are so fake, and so unappealingly fake.

After watching another action movie, Chen You resisted the urge to immediately write a 10,000-word review and decided to watch it with Li Yan that night, especially the palace dramas, which were superb with excellent plots.

He browsed through the E drive, deleted some movies with poor picture quality, and then went to the F drive, which contained a jumble of files, videos, photos, personal resumes, downloaded software, and many text documents—a complete mess.

After deleting for a while, Chen You’s mouse accidentally hovered over a text file, which showed the date as June of last year.

Chen You exclaimed in surprise, huh? Did he create a textfile back then? He has no recollection of it at all.

Could it be, like the ring, another of his missing memories?

His heart was pounding. Chen You opened the text file, his eyes widening slowly. A moment later, he screamed at the door, “Li Yan, come here right now———”

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