Chapter 87: You Can’t See Him
An Nanyi stood frozen in place, watching An Jing anxiously chase after Lin Qingyan in the direction he had left. He stammered a call of “Big Brother,” but the other didn’t look back.
Immediately after, Song Shuman and An Lingkang also rushed after them. They passed right by him without even glancing his way. “Mom… Dad…”
An Nanyi watched them leave, feeling lost and helpless, his mind a blank, buzzing.
It felt like, at that moment, he had permanently lost the parents and brother who loved him.
He trembled, his fists clenched tight, his fingernails digging into his palms without him feeling a thing. Lin Qingyan… It’s all Lin Qingyan’s fault!
The surrounding cacophony of discussion pulled An Nanyi back to reality. He stared blankly at the people around him, their watching, disgusted, and scornful gazes all falling upon him.
Some even shouted:
“An Nanyi, what right do you have to stay here!”
“The An family must have been cursed eight generations ago to have you!”
“How dare you call yourself an idol!”
…
The rising tide of curses surrounded him. An Nanyi, panicked and distraught, looked at them. “I’m not… I didn’t!” He couldn’t take it anymore, stepping back and running towards the backstage.
Only now did the director rush over, grabbing his walkie-talkie and shouting, “Quick, quick, quick! Control the crowd!”
The remaining three judges reacted and immediately began to calm the audience. “Everyone, be quiet, quiet down. I understand your feelings, but the show must go on.”
“So, our next segment is… um, to tally the vote counts and announce the rankings.”
Fortunately, all the performances were finished. All that remained was announcing the rankings. The atmosphere was listless, among the judges, contestants, and audience alike.
Once the vote count was announced, the episode ended without being significantly affected by the unexpected incident.
Everyone was probably busy sharing tonight’s surprising events with family and friends, or surfing the internet.
Tonight’s trending topics were about to explode.
…
Lin Qingyan’s pace was quick. His body trembled uncontrollably, his heart beat rapidly, his eyes wet and red, reflecting a complex mix of emotions.
He was scared. He wasn’t as calm and composed as he appeared. The short time he spent on stage had exhausted his courage.
His head spun and buzzed, his breathing becoming increasingly rapid. The aftereffects of his injury were still present, and after a moment, his body began to sway slightly, leaning weakly against the wall.
“Are you alright?” Lu Yuqi hurried over, supporting his arm. “You should still be in your wheelchair…”
Before he could finish, hurried footsteps sounded behind them. The next second, a tall man in a suit appeared before them. Without a word, he bent down and scooped Lin Qingyan into his arms.
Lin Qingyan was enveloped by a familiar scent. Looking up at the handsome and mature man before him, it was like a lost ship seeing a lighthouse, his anxious heart finally settling.
“Ge Fei, you’re here…”
“I’ve been here.” Gu Fei softly reassured him, looking at the person in his arms with concern. “Where are you uncomfortable?”
“I’m fine, just a little dizzy.” The young man’s voice was slightly hoarse.
“Shall we go home?”
“Okay.”
Seeing the young man’s gentle nod of assent, the icy aura around the man softened for a moment. He then said to Lu Yuqi, “I’ll take him back first. Thank you for being with him earlier.”
With that, he carried Lin Qingyan away.
Gu Fei’s steps were quick. Watching his figure disappear from view, Lu Yuqi clicked his tongue, muttering to himself, “Whatever, I’m magnanimous. I’ll forgive your measly eight dollars and eighty-eight cents.”
Young Master Lu smirked, then put his hands in his pockets, leaning casually against the wall, his gaze lowered, as if quietly waiting for something.
Moments later, hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor, growing closer.
Lu Yuqi glanced in the direction of the sound. He saw the man who always appeared calm and composed on camera, his face anxious, rushing towards him.
He saw Lu Yuqi but only an empty wheelchair beside him, and no Lin Qingyan. He looked around, but Lin Qingyan was nowhere to be seen.
He quickly walked over, nervously grabbing the young man’s arm. “Where’s Yan Yan? Why isn’t he with you? Where did he go? Please tell me!”
The man’s voice was tense and urgent, his raised tone slightly trembling. Lu Yuqi looked up and saw that An Jing’s eyes were red, shimmering with tears.
Lu Yuqi paused. He hadn’t planned on telling An Jing because he felt angry and sorry for Lin Qingyan, and even wanted to taunt the man:
Isn’t An Nanyi your beloved younger brother? Shouldn’t you be comforting him right now? What are you doing looking for Lin Qingyan?
But at this moment, he couldn’t bring himself to say these words. After a two-second pause, he truthfully said, “My cousin took him away just now.”
“Your cousin? Gu Fei?”
“Yes.”
Just then, Song Shuman and An Lingkang also caught up, their expressions mirroring An Jing’s anxiety and panic, especially Song Shuman’s.
“An Jing, where’s Yan Yan? Have you seen him?” An Lingkang anxiously grabbed his eldest son’s arm.
This man, usually calm and composed in the business world, unfazed by countless storms, was now just a father concerned for his son.
Song Shuman’s hands trembled, “No, we have to find him immediately. What if something happens to him alone…?”
“Mom and Dad, don’t worry, Yan Yan is fine. He’s with Gu Fei.” An Jing soothed his parents while pulling out his phone. “I’ll call him to ask what’s going on.”
Song Shuman looked surprised. “Gu Fei? Qing Tong’s son? How did they get together?” She and Gu Fei’s mother, Yu Qing Tong, had been friends for many years and naturally knew him.
“It’s a long story.” An Jing suddenly remembered something and gritted his teeth, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He forcefully tapped the screen, dialing Gu Fei’s number.
The phone rang for a moment before being answered. A cold, indifferent voice came from the other end: “Speak.”
An Jing immediately asked, “Yan Yan is with you? How is he? Where are you?”
Gu Fei glanced at the person in the passenger seat. The young man was suffering, his eyes closed, his delicate brows slightly furrowed, his face still pale.
He silently withdrew his gaze, lowering his voice to speak to An Jing on the other end of the phone: “Come to the hospital.” He immediately hung up and focused on driving.
An Jing put down his phone. “Mom and Dad, let’s go to the hospital.”
The three of them hurried out, but An Jing turned back, seemingly remembering something, and looked at Lu Yuqi, who was still standing there, hands in his pockets, with his usual arrogant demeanor.
An Jing said sincerely, “Thank you.”
Lu Yuqi was unusually uncomfortable and mumbled a vague “Mm.” An Jing didn’t pay attention to his reaction and quickly caught up with his parents.
Night fell, the night wind carrying the coolness of early autumn rustled the treetops. Moonlight and streetlights cast dappled shadows on the ground; the trees wished for stillness, but the wind would not cease.
Tonight, for some, was destined to be anything but peaceful.
A black Maybach pulled up in front of the hospital. It was late at night, and the inpatient ward was quiet.
After getting out of the car, Lin Qingyan tried to walk himself, but Gu Fei scooped him up again, his actions conveying an undeniable strength, even without words.
Lin Qingyan didn’t resist, burying his face in the man’s chest, breathing in his faintly reassuring scent.
Gu Fei carried him into the ward, gently placing him on the bed and covering him with a blanket. He softly warned, “Be careful, don’t touch the back of your head.”
He knelt beside the bed, reaching out to gently stroke the soft hair on the young man’s forehead. “Do you want some water? Are you hungry? Is your head still dizzy?”
Lin Qingyan lay obediently, saying nothing, only shaking his head. Gu Fei knew what he was thinking. “Your brother and parents are on their way. They’re all very worried about you.”
The young man’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
Actually, he had left so quickly because he didn’t dare face them. It was a kind of homesickness, wanting to reunite with them, but feeling helpless and uneasy, afraid that something bad might happen.
“Of course it’s true. You’ll be able to see them soon.” Gu Fei gently held the young man’s hand, a soft smile in his eyes. “Yan Yan, you did great.”
Gu Fei said, “I was thinking that if you didn’t want to tell them, I would tell them the truth myself.”
He didn’t want the child to suffer any more because of this. What was rightfully his would eventually be returned, and the person who had taken his place should be punished.
“This is my own business, and I should solve it myself. You’ve already helped me a lot.” Lin Qingyan smiled at Gu Fei, a huge weight finally lifted from his heart, feeling much lighter.
Gu Fei leaned over and placed a light kiss on the back of the young man’s hand. “Rest now, Ge Fei has something to do and will be back soon.”
“Okay.”
As soon as Gu Fei reached the downstairs entrance, he encountered the An family rushing over. He greeted An’s father and mother politely.
“Gu Fei, it’s really you. Where’s Yan Yan?”
“Uncle and Aunt, Lin Qingyan is in the ward upstairs.”
Gu Fei said, “But you can’t see him yet.”