Hua Zi’s condition improved slightly, and he insisted on being discharged.
The male doctor tried to stop him a few times before finally realizing he couldn’t argue further.
He pushed up the thick glasses on his nose, looking at Hua Zi with a serious, measured tone.
“Don’t take it too hard. Look on the bright side—people like us, ordinary folks, don’t get a chance to be exposed to this kind of drug, right? Just think of it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience as a ‘beauty aristocrat.’”
“Beauty aristocrat,” Hua Zi thought bitterly.
One sentence from the doctor had all three of them on the verge of breaking.
Fan Qing and Jin Yi were barely holding back their laughter, while Hua Zi was on the verge of collapse.
Even though he had asked Fan Qing to make him look ugly, for this doctor to come out with that kind of comment… it was enough to make anyone lose it.
Under the doctor’s gaze of “I get it, I get it, don’t take it too hard,” Hua Zi realized for the first time how much other people’s eyes could affect him.
Almost as if fleeing, he left the hospital and got into Jin Yi’s car. He glanced at Jin Yi, then at Fan Qing sitting beside him, and fell into an odd, contemplative silence.
It wasn’t anything else.
Hua Zi just suddenly remembered something—hadn’t Fan Qing gone trending once before?
And if he remembered correctly, there was a photo of the three of them having a meal together.
So…
Hua Zi tried to sort out his thoughts, but soon gave up.
It was impossible to untangle.
All he wanted now was a makeup wipe to remove the overly sympathetic doctor’s makeup from his face.
“Here.”
A small package was suddenly handed to him.
Hua Zi blinked.
Fan Qing pressed the package into his hands.
“A makeup wipe. Use it now—it should be fine.”
“How did you know I wanted this…”
Hua Zi’s words stopped abruptly.
He had just noticed Jin Yi sneak a glance at him.
Then another.
And another!
Without a second thought, Hua Zi tore open the package and quickly pulled out a makeup wipe that he would normally have dismissed as cheap—now, anything was better than nothing.
No picky business.
Too bad, though.
Fan Qing’s peripheral vision caught Hua Zi’s eagerness and felt a twinge of regret.
He had seen Hua Zi’s file before.
Very impressive—both in looks and ability.
And so far, he was the only one he had seen who could even come close to matching Nie Luo.
But…
Not too regrettable.
Fan Qing glanced at Jin Yi beside him.
Once this problem with Hua Zi was solved today, tomorrow Jin Yi should go after Nie Luo.
That’s how favors work—one gives, one gets, right?
Still… something felt off.
Jin Yi curled up in the corner, shivering, unable to speak.
And yet, the atmosphere in the car was painfully awkward!
He shouldn’t have stubbornly snatched his brother’s driver in the first place—the driver was way too quiet!
Couldn’t he say something appropriate at the right moment?!
It was Hua Zi, now without makeup, who finally broke the silence.
He looked at Jin Yi, then at Fan Qing.
“Thanks to both of you for today.”
Jin Yi touched his nose, not daring to say a word.
Thanks for what?
It was obvious!
He should take the blame for sixty percent of this!
Even though Hua Zi’s good looks deserved forty percent, it was clear that Hua Zi had taken the bigger hit.
Fan Qing turned slightly, smiling faintly.
“No need to thank me. I was just helping Jin Yi out.”
He paused, then added teasingly with a smirk,
“I thought you’d hate me more for the makeup I put on you.”
Indeed.
Jin Yi wanted to nod in agreement from the corner.
That makeup was genuinely catastrophic.
No wonder the doctor had reacted the way he did!
Hua Zi recalled the doctor’s words—especially, “Look on the bright side—people like us ordinary folks don’t get a chance to be exposed to this kind of drug. Just think of it as a beauty aristocrat experience.”
As a beauty aristocrat, this was the first time he had realized how others viewed such things.
The more he thought about it, the more his face betrayed him.
Hua Zi quickly composed himself and spoke seriously.
“I heard the call Jin Yi made. I also have to thank Manager Fan for preparing everything. Otherwise, I’d probably have ended up trending tonight.”
And as a huge scandal too.
“That part doesn’t matter.”
Fan Qing sent Jin Yi a meaningful glance.
For what?
Jin Yi didn’t dare respond.
Fan Qing: ……
Don’t you want to ask Hua Zi anything?
He tried another look.
Jin Yi dodged perfectly.
Come on, big brother, just say something!
Fan Qing silently rubbed his forehead.
After a moment, Hua Zi spoke up.
“Do you two want to ask me something?”
He paused.
“You mean… about how I got exposed to the drug?”
Jin Yi suddenly understood.
So Fan Qing wanted him to ask that?
But… didn’t Fan Qing have a mouth too?
He didn’t get it.
Why didn’t Fan Qing just ask himself?
Fan Qing understood.
Fan Qing: ……
Forget it.
He looked at Hua Zi and asked seriously,
“If you don’t mind, can you tell us what happened tonight?”
Something felt strange.
Although Hua Zi’s face was calm, his curiosity was piqued.
If he wasn’t mistaken, why did it seem like Jin Yi was actually waiting for Fan Qing to ask?
But hadn’t Fan Qing just been exposed? Wasn’t he just an ordinary person who had recently been promoted from assistant to manager?
As soon as the thought occurred to him, Hua Zi realized something else.
Right—aside from the exposé, Fan Qing had a photo with Jin Yi and Nie Luo, having a meal together. They clearly already knew each other.
So… could it be that the rumors about Fan Qing and Nie Luo were actually true?
A whole jumble of chaotic thoughts flashed through Hua Zi’s mind, but he took a deep breath and shoved them all aside.
Even if he was curious, he needed to deal with the immediate situation first.
He exhaled slowly and began to speak.
Hua Zi had been signed to the company five years ago. He came from a regular talent show, but because of his exceptional looks, even in such a fiercely competitive year, he had stood out from the crowd and finished sixth.
Sixth place wasn’t the top, but it was enough to get him signed by Teng Huang.
At first, Hua Zi’s projects were all in the idol category.
Until he got a role in an idol drama.
He paused, his tone laced with ironic mockery.
“I don’t even know if I should call it lucky or unlucky. That drama was just an ordinary, pure, school-themed idol show—but somehow it ended up making me popular.”
“That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”
Jin Yi couldn’t help but interject.
That drama?
Fan Qing, sitting cross-legged in the middle, leaned back thoughtfully.
He hadn’t forgotten the profile he’d just reviewed. The drama had indeed made Hua Zi famous, but the script itself was exhausting and melodramatic—not exactly a high-quality work.
“Yeah, it was good, but also not good.”
Hua Zi’s tone was tinged with melancholy.
“After I got popular, the company kept wanting me to do similar projects. But after acting in that drama, I realized that I actually enjoy acting more than just being a flashy celebrity.”
Playing someone else—it was fun for him.
But things didn’t go as he hoped. The company clearly didn’t share that view.
I see.
Fan Qing and Jin Yi both fell silent.
After a moment of quiet, Hua Zi suddenly looked at Jin Yi.
“By the way, Jin Yi, you recently took over the company, right?”
He looked at Jin Yi earnestly.
“Although it might sound like complaining, you also saw it today. The company’s a mess right now. Especially the faction led by Vice President Chen—they want to trade good-looking artists for resources. If you’re not interested in managing the company, I’d advise you to get rid of this hot potato sooner rather than later.”
Tonight, he had been forced by Vice President Chen to accompany the executives for dinner. Who would have thought that just after a sip of water, he’d get caught up in all this?
Jin Yi was speechless.
He had thought the same before—but now that Hua Zi put it like that…
Was he supposed to just let it slide?
If such a thing happened at the company and he walked away, how would he save face as the boss?
No.
This couldn’t be left unresolved.
Jin Yi’s gaze quickly flicked to Fan Qing.
Help! Emergency 2.0!
Fan Qing: …?
What made Jin Yi think that his thoughts could somehow sync with Fan Qing’s?
Hadn’t their last attempt at communication completely failed?
Emergency attempt failed.
Jin Yi frowned, then quickly pulled out his phone and nudged Fan Qing.
Fan Qing: …?
Since it’s come to this, why not just speak?
He sighed, then boldly took out his phone under Hua Zi’s nose and started messaging Jin Yi.
Hua Zi froze, a swirl of emotions on his face.
Are these two serious?
Whispering secretly in front of him?
Could this even be called a secret?
Jin Yi typed a message:
“Uh… can this problem be solved?”
Fan Qing raised an eyebrow.
Jin Yi… taking responsibility?
He didn’t strike Fan Qing as the charitable type.
“Well, that depends on how Jin Yi wants to solve it,” Fan Qing replied.
Huh?
Wasn’t it just “solve it”?
Jin Yi—the real playboy, uneducated second young master—looked blank.
He thought for a moment, then cautiously typed:
“Uh… just let him keep making money for the company?”
That should count as solving it, right?
Fan Qing chuckled lightly.
“But if he goes and does entertainment transactions, isn’t that still making money for the company?”
Jin Yi felt like he’d been struck by lightning.
He couldn’t believe it!
He looked up at Fan Qing’s calm, collected face, unable to hold back:
“Damn, you mean to technically invest just to mess around in the company? What about my money?!”
That was close!
Almost called out Old Nie. Really close!
Just as he was thinking this, he looked up.
Fan Qing’s expression was filled with murderous intent.
W-what’s wrong?
Jin Yi looked puzzled.
He hadn’t said Old Nie’s name out loud, had he?
…Tch.
Forget it.
Fan Qing withdrew his threatening aura, feeling a bit foolish.
He should’ve known—relying on Jin Yi’s mouth to be trustworthy was as likely as seeing a pig climb a tree.
But since it was like this…
Fan Qing slowly turned to look at Hua Zi.
Hua Zi was dumbstruck.
Hua Zi’s shock was palpable.
He slowly covered his ears with both hands to prove his innocence.
Fan Qing typed out a question mark.
Would it have been better to fix the shocked expression on his face before covering his ears?
But now that Hua Zi had already heard, whatever—just do it.
Fan Qing turned to Jin Yi.
“You haven’t blocked your brother, and he hasn’t blocked you either, right?”
Jin Yi blinked.
“No.”
Even though he wanted to, his brother had a hundred ways to keep him disciplined and on track.
People shouldn’t, or at least, shouldn’t live that way.
“That’s good.”
Fan Qing smiled slightly.
“Then next, it’s time to solve the problem.”
The moment he finished speaking, Hua Zi silently lowered his hands.
His tone was heavy.
“Can I… first ask what kind of solution this is?”
Was it one of those “go entertain clients” kinds of solutions?