Chapters 45 & 46 part 1
“Mom, I’ve made up my mind.”
“I do not agree!”
Zhou Yingzi’s face instantly clouded over, her expression so severe that it gave Bai Sinian a fright. He had never seen Zhou Yingzi look this fierce before.
Bian Rui didn’t seem to dare look at his mother either. He kept his head slightly lowered and continued, “I…”
Before he could get the words out, Zhou Yingzi cut him off. She walked over to the single sofa beside Bian Rui and sat down.
“Rui Rui! Why do you have to be just like your father and refuse to listen to anything? This industry isn’t that simple! Your dad is a living example—look at him, he’s over forty and has achieved absolutely nothing!”
When Zhou Yingzi mentioned Bian Guang, she couldn’t suppress her agitation.
Bian Rui remained silent, clenching his back teeth. Sitting beside him, Bai Sinian felt the oppressive low pressure in the air and didn’t dare make a sound.
“You have good grades. In the future, you could take the civil service exam and have a stable life. That is my greatest hope for you. Don’t enter the chaotic mess that is the entertainment industry. Tens of thousands of people sign up for art majors every year, but how many actually make it to the big stage and become stars? It’s a hard road, Rui Rui. Mom just wants you to have a smooth life.”
“Mom, I just like it…”
Zhou Yingzi interrupted him again. “Can ‘liking’ something put food on the table? Your dad liked his major back then too, but what happened? Even up until you were born, we were living a life of drifting from place to place. All these years, it’s been me swallowing my pride and begging for work just to raise you.”
By the end, recalling those bitter days of the past, Zhou Yingzi couldn’t help but burst into tears.
Bai Sinian hurriedly pulled a few tissues from the coffee table and handed them to her. Bian Rui, holding his breath, finally couldn’t keep it in any longer.
“Why is it that you guys got to choose the paths you liked, but I can’t?”
It was true. His father worked in vocals, and while his mother was a D-list actor, she was still considered part of the industry. Bai Sinian hadn’t expected that his parents would be so undemocratic about this, acting just like the authoritarian parents in stories.
“It’s precisely because we’ve walked this path that we know how hard it is!” Zhou Yingzi screamed, her voice hoarse. “Even your dad wouldn’t agree to this! It’s fine to play around with it as a hobby, but how can you gamble your whole life on it?”
Bian Rui suddenly stood up. “Mom, it’s my life. I’ll take responsibility for it!”
His voice carried a suppressed restraint. Dropping those words, he headed for the entryway, intending to leave the house to cool off.
Zhou Yingzi suddenly cried out, “Your dad didn’t want me! Are you going to abandon me too?”
Bian Rui’s back stiffened. The warm yellow light of the entryway hit the top of his head, yet it felt devoid of any warmth.
He paused for a long time, but eventually, he opened the door and walked out.
“Auntie, please don’t be sad. I’ll go talk to Bian Rui! How could he not want you?” Bai Sinian was at a loss, trying to comfort Zhou Yingzi while his eyes kept darting toward the door, wanting to chase after him.
“I… I’ll go check on him. Wait for my update!”
Seeing that Zhou Yingzi’s sobbing had quieted down a bit, Bai Sinian felt safe enough to run out after him.
The neighborhood was incredibly quiet at night. Leaves rustled softly in the breeze.
“Bian Rui! Bian Rui!” Bai Sinian couldn’t see him and started to panic.
He ran along the cobblestone path leading to the community gate, shouting and looking around as he went.
“Bian Rui!”
At the corner near the gate, that familiar, tall silhouette finally came into view. Bai Sinian sped up to catch him.
“Bian Rui, are you okay?” Bai Sinian asked, panting.
Bian Rui had his hands in his pockets, his mood clearly sour. “I’m fine.”
“Auntie is just in the heat of the moment. She’ll be fine once she cools down.”
Bai Sinian racked his brain to come up with comforting words.
Bian Rui shut him down with a single sentence: “Whenever this topic comes up, she’s always like this.”
So, there was no room for negotiation?
Bai Sinian didn’t know how else to comfort him, so he suggested going to his place first, especially since Bian Rui was still wearing his clothes.
Back at Bai Sinian’s home, his mother simply asked what they had been up to before going back to her room to sleep.
Bai Sinian pulled Bian Rui to sit at his desk, locked the door, and then stood mysteriously in front of him without moving.
Looking gloomy, Bian Rui couldn’t help but look up at him. “What are you doing?”
Bai Sinian hid his hands behind his back, looking both nervous and expectant. He asked cautiously, “Bian Rui, what are your thoughts now? Will you consider your mom’s opinion and change your college application?”
Bian Rui shook his head. He was confused and torn.
If he blindly persisted, he might be stuck in a cold war with his mother forever—unless one day he actually made it big. But he didn’t know what the future held; he was running solely on passion.
In so many industries, there were far too many people who had nothing but passion and ended up achieving nothing.
But if he listened to his mother, he would have to give up everything he loved right now.
His eyes were dim and lusterless. He had passed the difficult hurdle of the College Entrance Exam, only to trip over the application forms?
Bai Sinian seemed to read his mind. He bent down in front of the bookshelf, rummaged around, and whoosh—pulled out a pile of books, from which several photos flew out.
Bian Rui: ??
“This! And this!” Bai Sinian neatly arranged every photo in front of him.
“Aren’t these photos of us? You actually developed them?”
Bian Rui’s slender fingers traced over the photos. He realized they were all candid shots Bai Sinian had taken of their daily life at school.
A hint of confusion appeared in his eyes. “You took photos of everyone? What’s the use of this?”
Bai Sinian hadn’t brought out the four boxes hidden in his wardrobe yet—that was his ultimate weapon.
He pointed at the photos, took a deep breath, and said, “First, I need to clarify. I don’t like Cui Yeyi, and I don’t like Fan Hongyi. It’s not what you think.”
“Hmm?”
“No, it’s not that I dislike them. I mean, it’s not that kind of like. I like the group of you. I like the ‘Dazzling Star’ version of you!”
The light in Bian Rui’s eyes grew slightly brighter. He gazed earnestly at Bai Sinian’s face, listening to his explanation.
Bai Sinian’s eyes became as determined as someone taking a solemn oath. “Bian Rui, you can stick to your choice. The future ‘Dazzling Star’ will definitely be the most awesome band in the entire Mandopop scene!”
“I will always believe in you guys!”
They looked straight into each other’s eyes, reading the trust reflected there. It was a feeling unlike anything before.
Seeing Bian Rui’s trust in him, Bai Sinian saw a glimmer of hope ignite in those previously dim eyes. He knew Bian Rui definitely had an idea now!
And from Bai Sinian’s dark pupils, Bian Rui saw his future self. Perhaps, just as Bai Sinian said, he really would achieve something great.
The confusion and helplessness from a moment ago gradually dissipated. Bian Rui solidified the decision in his heart.
This idea was his truest desire, the one thing he wanted to realize most.
He finally let out a soft chuckle, lowered his eyes, and said, “I don’t know how you can be so firmly convinced that ‘Dazzling Star’ will make it big in the future.”
Bian Rui added, “You can believe in me, but how can you even believe in those guys?”
Bai Sinian laughed loudly. “They just have a low starting point. If they practice diligently, they’ll be talents too!”
“I can believe in anyone, just not Cui Yeyi,” Bian Rui said bluntly.
His fingers randomly picked up a photo of himself. Holding it between two fingers, he brought it up to his eyes and raised an eyebrow. “So, you took photos of us often during sophomore year? Did you develop those too? Where are they?”
Bai Sinian, who had been giggling, suddenly choked. Bian Rui was way too smart!
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