He Xing was efficient. In three days, Qin Sizheng regained his freedom.
The entertainment world was like a bottomless ocean—its people castles built from sand. One moment filled with glory and flowers, the next could be swept away by a single wave.
At that moment, Shengyu had been arrogantly flaunting his contract, and now, just a month later, he was about to vanish from the industry entirely.
Stepping out of the hospital, Qin Sizheng nearly missed a step and stumbled.
He Xing’s eyes were sharp, her hand quick to catch him. “Are you alright?”
Qin Sizheng shook his head, quietly clenching his fingers. Suddenly, a sharp, electric-like tingle ran through his hand, leaving it a little weak, and he frowned instinctively.
“Your hand hurt?”
“No, it’s nothing… maybe just tiredness.” Qin Sizheng relaxed his hand, clenched again, feeling as if the earlier sensation had been an illusion.
He Xing didn’t dwell on it. Walking alongside him, she said, “The contract’s signed. From now on, all resources from Lu Xianqing’s studio will serve only you two. No need to rush. You’re still young—you’ll become popular.”
Qin Sizheng nodded earnestly. She continued, “During this period, I’ll arrange a few teachers for you—singing, dancing, acting. You won’t take on any work for now. Focus on training.”
Qin Sizheng understood.
Being public with Lu Xianqing had been unavoidable, thrusting him into the spotlight, but he had already gathered a decent fan base with his previous martial arts feats. Coupled with a few good collaborations, there hadn’t been much backlash.
If he rushed into a big production, his skills would still be insufficient. Not only would he risk embarrassment, but Lu Xianqing could be ridiculed too.
He Xing smiled slightly. “You understand, that’s enough.”
Lu Xianqing would stay secluded at the studio for at least two more months. Since his injury, the filming schedule seemed accelerated. Besides checking in each morning to say he had arrived on set, he rarely contacted Qin Sizheng in the evenings.
Qin Sizheng wasn’t quite used to it, but without him calling, there was no need for the usual exchanges over the phone.
Every day, Qin Sizheng diligently traversed various teachers’ studios, obsessively absorbing skills. He trained obsessively in the car and at home, tormenting Shen Changfeng’s ears.
“Please, take a break. If you keep singing, your vocal cords will get calloused.”
Qin Sizheng took the thermos she handed him, sipping the wolfberry and red date tea to soothe his throat. He declared righteously, “I’m supposed to climb to the pinnacle of life, win wealth and fame… and now I have to drink wolfberries?”
Shen Changfeng said, “It’s just that Fourth Brother’s not home. If he were, I might have even given you some bull’s penis.”
Qin Sizheng sprayed water from his mouth in shock. Just as he was about to fling the cup at him, a woman appeared at the doorway—tall, elegant, holding a small handbag in her right hand.
Shen Changfeng saw her too and whispered, “Could it be your mom fan?”
Qin Sizheng scrutinized her carefully. “Sort of, but not entirely.”
“?”
Standing there, Qin Sizheng felt his throat tighten nervously. How had she come here? Was she deliberately waiting at the door for him?
Shen Changfeng muttered, puzzled, “Got a grudge or something?”
Qin Sizheng looked at her half-smiling, half-serious expression. His legs felt like lead as he slowly moved forward, and, amid Shen Changfeng’s confusion, he managed to awkwardly say, “Mommy.”
?
Shen Changfeng’s face crumbled, then slowly composed itself. Oh—this was Lu Xianqing’s mother.
Ye Xu’s face broke into a warm smile as she affectionately wrapped her arm around Qin Sizheng’s. “Baby, why just now back? Haven’t you been busy lately? Look at this sweat—you must be exhausted.”
Shen Changfeng quickly opened the door for them, letting them in and excusing himself.
Qin Sizheng, flustered and nervous, helped Ye Xu sit down. Though the house was clean, he still felt everything was slightly off. He fumbled serving tea, fetching snacks, asking if she was tired or needed anything.
Seeing him anxious and bustling like a spinning top, Ye Xu raised her eyebrows.
“Have some fruit—this was bought by Changfeng this morning, very sweet. And this tea is orchid-scented, this one is…”
She didn’t take the cup, but her eyes twinkled as she said, “Ah, you’re supposed to toast me. In our family, tea to the elder requires kneeling.”
Qin Sizheng froze. Ah?
Ye Xu nodded at him. “Kneel?”
He hesitated. Outside acting, he had never knelt before, but this was Lu Xianqing’s mother. Was it appropriate?
Ye Xu saw his discomfort. “Ah, forget it.” She pressed her lips lightly, counting seconds in her head to see if he’d flip out. To her surprise, Qin Sizheng actually bent down to kneel.
Ye Xu grabbed his wrist, deftly removed the tea cup, and sipped. “Kneeling to toast me would make you my son-in-law. This tea will wait until you kneel together when you get married.”
Qin Sizheng finally understood and blushed deeply.
“Or… are you already so eager to enter my home?” Ye Xu teased. After a moment, he stammered, “No.”
“Not thinking of marrying? Well, I’d say Lu Xianqing isn’t that lucky then.”
Qin Sizheng’s face burned red as he stammered, “It’s not… that I… marry…” The word “marry” carried all sorts of connotations, and since he was a man, it was even harder to say aloud.
“Want Xianqing to marry you? Not impossible either.”
Qin Sizheng bit his tongue in embarrassment. From his ears to the corners of his eyes, his face burned crimson. Finally, he forced out a more complete sentence: “I mean… in the future, with Fourth Brother… to toast…”
Ye Xu’s heart melted, her laughter uncontrollable. Her shoulders shook so much the tea in her cup splashed out.
Qin Sizheng, red-faced, wished he could lift her and throw her out, thinking fiercely in his head: stop laughing, stop laughing!
Ye Xu laughed for over three minutes, still unable to stop. Fearing she’d laugh herself sick, Qin Sizheng finally changed the subject.
“Mommy, what brings you here? Haven’t you been busy lately?”
Ye Xu’s smile immediately faded, as if some irritating thought had crossed her mind. Her sharp brows knitted into a small knot.
Qin Sizheng noticed immediately and asked, “Did something happen? Is it because of me?”
“No, not you. Don’t overthink it.”
Ye Xu was irritated just thinking about the culprit. Lately, he had been picking her up from work every weekend; she ignored him, walked past, and he silently followed in his car, escorting her home without a word and then leaving.
She was tired of dealing with him, so she took advantage of a business trip over the weekend to come see her little treasure.
“You’re still so lovable.” Ye Xu pinched Qin Sizheng’s cheek, and just as the words landed, the doorbell rang.
“Mommy, you stay here. I’ll get it.” Qin Sizheng opened the door and was stunned to see Lu Mingxun. “Uncle… Uncle?”
Lu Mingxun stood straight and solemn, giving a small nod. Qin Sizheng’s mind went into overdrive: “I’m done for… they came here…!”
He recalled how overboard he had been on the phone last time, combined with the public incident. Was it too late to reflect? Lu Xianqing liked to have people memorize party rules on the spot—could he learn and recite them now?
“Um… Uncle, I didn’t know you were coming. Did you… come for Fourth Brother? Or…?” Qin Sizheng’s nervous words tumbled into one panicked sentence: “Last time… I was wrong. I promise I won’t say it again.”
Lu Mingxun placed a hand on his shoulder. “…Don’t be nervous. I’m not here to scold you.”
Qin Sizheng instantly felt switched off, quieting down. “Th-thank you, Uncle.”
Ye Xu, curious, asked who he was. Qin Sizheng stepped aside to explain. She instantly stiffened, her expression sharpening. “What are you doing here?”
Lu Mingxun remained calm. “Came to see little Qin.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“I never do uncivilized things.”
“Leave at once.”
“I’m not leaving.”
Tensions simmered between them. Qin Sizheng shivered on the side, wanting to intervene but unsure how. He tried opening his mouth a few times, but words failed him, so he gave up.
“Not leaving, huh? Does my daughter-in-law need you here?”
“I’m her father too.”
“Mind your own business. We’ve been divorced twenty years; it’s none of your concern.”
“Little Qin.” Lu Mingxun turned to Qin Sizheng, and in the boy’s trembling state, uttered a shockingly firm statement: “Call me Father.”
“…Uh, Uncle, sit for a bit. I’ll make some tea.” Qin Sizheng truly wanted to surrender, but seeing them at verbal daggers drawn, he couldn’t intervene. He took the excuse to slip into the kitchen for backup.
He quickly closed the kitchen door and called Lu Xianqing, who was just coming down for touch-ups. Lu Xianqing picked up immediately.
“What is it? Want me in broad daylight? Isn’t the house hiding me already? Isn’t that enough?”
Qin Sizheng, in no mood for teasing, lowered his voice. “Mommy and Uncle are here, arguing outside. What do I do? If they fight, who should I side with?”
Lu Xianqing paused for a second, then laughed. “They won’t fight. Both love each other, just stubborn. My mom can’t get over that hurdle. Just lean toward her a bit, that’s enough.”
Qin Sizheng, still hearing the quarrel, whispered lower, “Mommy said they’ve been divorced twenty years. What hurdle? If they still love each other, why don’t you persuade them?”
Lu Xianqing hesitated, not sharing all the painful past. “Just a small misunderstanding. Both are stubborn, which has built up. If you can make them reconcile, those two would probably spoil you to bits.”
Qin Sizheng had already been nervous seeing Lu Mingxun on the phone. Meeting him in person, the pressure made him tongue-tied. Persuading them seemed impossible.
“Last time Uncle heard me… um, I was afraid he’d think badly of me. He looked so serious.”
“He’s not that rigid. Just speak normally. Last time, he only blamed me for leading you astray, not you.” Lu Xianqing said this, while someone was already urging him to finish touch-ups. He hurriedly instructed, “Let them stay the night. Have He Xing send some food over, and she’ll pick them up tomorrow morning,” before hanging up.
Qin Sizheng thought for a moment. He could cook himself instead of troubling He Xing, maybe earning some extra points in their hearts.
Determined, he carried the tea out, nervously glancing at Lu Mingxun, trying to keep his expression serious rather than flippant.
“Uncle, it’s late. Why not stay the night with Mommy, try some of my cooking? Tomorrow morning, I’ll have Changfeng send you to the airport, okay?”
Ye Xu had no objection; whatever her little treasure said was fine. But, “He’s not staying.”
Lu Mingxun: “Then I’ll trouble you.”
Qin Sizheng shook his head vigorously, smiling apologetically. “No trouble, no trouble. You two talk a bit; I’ll go cook!”
He turned on the TV, placed the remote on the table, and ran into the kitchen to cook. Lu Xianqing probably anticipated this and had already sent over their dietary preferences.
Ye Xu’s teasing, Lu Mingxun’s calm compliance—the worlds inside and outside the door—Qin Sizheng peeked through the door crack. Luckily, no fight broke out.
Relieved, he refocused on chopping vegetables. Suddenly, his fingers tingled; the knife clattered to the floor.
He reached for it, but his hand had no strength, fingertips visibly trembling.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Ye Xu walked over.
Qin Sizheng swayed, squatting to pick up the knife with his left hand. He glanced at her and smiled faintly. “Nothing, just dropped it by accident. You sit a bit; I’ll have it ready soon.”
Ye Xu frowned. “Have He Xing send some food. No need to cook yourself. What if you hurt yourself?”
Lu Mingxun said, “Mm.”
At least for now, their positions were aligned. Qin Sizheng, determined to show he could handle things, thought, I can’t give up halfway. “Really, it’s fine. I usually do things myself when I have free time. Fourth Brother even praised my cooking—you both have to try it!”
Ye Xu shook her head vigorously. “No, no. I need to buy you a bigger house, hire a few more helpers. Cooking every day yourself—what kind of life is that? Your hands will get rough.”
Lu Mingxun replied, “Xianqing’s place is big enough. Just move there; there’s no need to be extravagant.”
Ye Xu’s eyebrows shot up. “What’s that got to do with you? Did it cost you money? Did I ask you to buy it? I’m happy to buy a house for my son so my daughter-in-law can be comfortable. Mind your own business.”
Lu Mingxun fell silent.
Qin Sizheng quickly smoothed things over. “Fourth Brother and I don’t like overly large houses. This one is perfect.”
Ye Xu snorted. “If you can’t raise a child properly, keep them away from my daughter-in-law, don’t spoil her.”
Qin Sizheng expected Lu Mingxun to argue, but he remained silent again and returned to the living room.
During the meal, the atmosphere shifted from tense to near icy. Qin Sizheng glanced at one, then the other, wondering what kind of misunderstanding could create such a rift between them.
Perhaps Lu Mingxun felt guilty toward Ye Xu… was it an affair… or something else?
But he didn’t seem like that kind of man. Ye Xu’s personality didn’t seem the forgiving type either. Then what had led them to this state?
Qin Sizheng didn’t dare speculate, so he buried his head in his meal, silently praying they wouldn’t fight.
After finishing fruit, Qin Sizheng set out new pajamas and toiletries in the bathroom, changed the sheets and pillowcases, and even lit the jasmine essential oil Anning had sent last time.
Both adults were tired, so after showering, they went to rest.
Qin Sizheng finally exhaled, first messaging Shen Changfeng to come pick them up tomorrow. No sooner had he sent it than he received a video call from Lu Xianqing. He quickly answered.
“Done filming so early today?”
Lu Xianqing propped his head with one hand. “Baby, if I stay up any longer, I’ll collapse.”
For the past month and a half, Lu Xianqing had been filming almost daily until midnight, with a few overnight shoots, resting half a day, then overnight again. His eyes were red from fatigue.
Zhou Changjiang, unable to watch, insisted he take a break, which allowed him a rare ten o’clock wrap-up.
Qin Sizheng’s heart ached. “You don’t need to rush so much.”
Lu Xianqing said, “It’s fine. I just want to see you sooner. A little effort is worth it. By the way, are your parents asleep?”
Qin Sizheng chattered on about the evening’s events. Lu Xianqing wasn’t very interested, but seeing his enthusiasm, he didn’t interrupt. It was clear he really wanted a home.
“Fourth Brother, what really happened between Mommy and Uncle? Can they still reconcile?” Qin Sizheng asked again, noting that he hadn’t answered in the rush of the kitchen earlier.
Lu Xianqing, wary that the truth might frighten or sadden him, skirted the topic. “When my dad was young, he was obsessed with work, treating the bureau like home and neglecting us. It wasn’t a big deal.”
Qin Sizheng clearly didn’t believe it—Ye Xu didn’t seem the type to divorce just because of neglect.
“Don’t worry, I won’t neglect you because of work. Filming is almost done. In a few days, I’ll come back and get my marriage certificate.”
Qin Sizheng choked. “Marriage certificate? Don’t say nonsense.”
After a month of enforced abstinence due to filming, Lu Xianqing finally had some free time. Seeing the boy in pajamas with a slightly open collar, water in his hair cascading down past the collarbone…
“Baby, move me out. Let me see you play.”
Qin Sizheng panicked. “N-no! Mommy and Uncle are here. They’ll hear us!”
“They won’t. The soundproofing in your house is decent. If uneasy, just be softer.” Lu Xianqing said, reading his expressions carefully, knowing all his weak points. “I’ve been filming for a month and a half straight. Zhou Changjiang couldn’t stand it and finally gave me one night off. Won’t you let me rest comfortably?”
Qin Sizheng tugged at his collar instinctively. The life-sized doll had already been excessive; now, with Ye Xu and Lu Mingxun next door, he really couldn’t do it.
“Enough teasing. Go rest. I’ll eat and film one more scene. About a week, then I’ll be back.”
Seeing the restrained disappointment in his eyes and his nearly bloodshot eyes, Qin Sizheng couldn’t suppress his worry. It’s just a little play. Is it harder than his intense filming?
Lu Xianqing worked so hard just to return sooner. Gritting his teeth, Qin Sizheng said, “I… I’ll play for you. Don’t film tonight.”
He hung up, first confirming the door was locked, then pulled the life-sized doll from the cabinet onto the bed.
Lu Xianqing’s throat tightened as he stared at the boy’s back, swallowing slowly.
Qin Sizheng swallowed several times himself. Last time, Lu Xianqing said it wasn’t realistic enough and had even put his suit on the doll. Now there was a zipper to undo.
His ears reddened. As he began to unzip, Lu Xianqing said, “Wipe first, you’ll make a mess otherwise.”
Qin Sizheng’s face flushed crimson. He grabbed a damp cloth, cleaned it, and in the light, the damp skin appeared even more vivid. He lowered his head and tried, glancing up at the man through the camera from time to time.
Though he was nervous, from Lu Xianqing’s perspective, it looked like a tender seduction.
His gaze was luminous, lips tense, occasional suckling sounds pulling at the man’s awareness.
Two rings on his neck swayed in the light. Lu Xianqing, hoarse, told him to put on the matching ring. Qin Sizheng retrieved the clasp from the nightstand and fastened it.
“This time, Big Brother can’t help you. If you fall, no one will catch you.”
Recalling the last visit when Lu Xianqing had tossed him around, Qin Sizheng, determined to reclaim some dignity, bit his lip and said, “I don’t need you to hold me. I can sit steady!”
The next day, Qin Sizheng woke up to make breakfast, only to find that Ye Xu had already left sometime in the night. She had left a note saying that something urgent came up at the company and that she would visit again when she had time. Lu Mingxun hadn’t left a note either, but he had gone along with her.
When Shen Changfeng arrived in the morning, he noticed a package at the door. He carried it inside and placed it on the table, watching Qin Sizheng hum happily as if he could leap with joy. “So cheerful? Did you find money or something this early?”
Qin Sizheng pursed his lips and smiled. “Fourth Brother’s coming back soon.”
Shen Changfeng poked him on the forehead. “Hopeless.”
Qin Sizheng’s eyes fell on the package. There was no sender, no contact information—only his name. “What’s this?”
“Probably a gift from a fan. It was left at your door when I came. Want me to open it for you?”
“Go ahead.”
Shen Changfeng cut through the tape and opened the package. Inside were just a few sheets of paper and a recording device. “Mysterious… is this some love confession?”
He pressed play, and Lu Xianqing’s voice filled the room.
“Ugh, so romantic,” Shen Changfeng muttered, but Qin Sizheng’s expression changed dramatically at the next words.
The voice belonged to a stranger, calm and gentle, with a soothing, almost hypnotic quality—but what he said froze Qin Sizheng instantly.
“Sending him texts was one phase. That method no longer works. Either you feel that’s not enough, or it’s therapeutic. I lean toward the first. What have you done to him?”
Lu Xianqing’s tone was cold, detached, as if recounting someone else’s story. “I once tricked him into giving me a birthday gift. He drinks poorly; even the sleeping pills I prepared weren’t used. I touched his hands… and his mouth.”
The recording paused; the silence stretched over a minute. Shen Changfeng was dumbfounded. “Sizheng… is this Fourth Brother? What texts?”
Qin Sizheng felt like he’d been struck by lightning.
Texts.
Those messages he had always wanted to trace… the voyeur, the one who had been silently observing him… it was Lu Xianqing.