Fang Yongkang

The sudden rain had stopped, but the sky was still covered in dark clouds, creating a stifling atmosphere.

Pedestrians on the street hurried their steps, as if afraid of getting soaked if they slowed down even a little.

A solitary figure stood out from the crowd, walking slowly, as if each step was a struggle.

"Why don't any of you support me!"

"My classmates laugh at me, and even you don't think I can do it!"

Fang Yongkang walked down the street in despair, his face ashen, as if he had suffered a major blow.

He was 1.63 meters tall, and his short stature contributed to his introverted personality. He didn't have many friends to begin with, and after they heard his dream was to become a singer, even his few close friends began to distance themselves from him.

Fang Yongkang would never forget how his classmates had mocked him that morning. Because he loved music, he always doodled on his books, writing his own lyrics and composing his own melodies, humming them to himself.

Today, during a surprise exam, his books were accidentally picked up by a classmate known for causing trouble while moving chairs. The first page they opened revealed Fang Yongkang's wish.

"I want to be a singer."

The handwriting was small, but it was still discovered by the other student. From then on, it spiraled out of control, and the entire class, even the entire grade, heard about his aspirations.

"I've never heard him sing before? I thought he couldn't sing at all!"

"Huh? Really?"

"That startled me, I really didn't expect him to be so ambitious!"

"It's not that bad, is it? I heard he wanted to sign up for last year's school talent show, but there were too many acts and he didn't get a slot."

"What? Who are you talking about? Fang Yongkang? I think he'd be better suited to be a crosstalk comedian!"

"Having ideas is good! Thinking too much isn't."

"If you want to sing, you also need good looks. I think I'm more suitable than him."

What hurt Fang Yongkang the most was that the girl he had a crush on also didn't seem to believe in him. Although she hadn't badmouthed him, Fang Yongkang wished she would support him. Perhaps just a simple "You can do it!" would have been enough to revive him.

Fang Yongkang was a very low-key boy, wearing a pair of plain black-rimmed glasses. He often went unnoticed in crowds, not speaking much.

However, Fang Yongkang's heart was actually full of passion. He had registered accounts on multiple online singing platforms and secretly recorded songs to upload during his free time. In the past two years, he had gained the support of over a thousand fans.

It was precisely this passion that gave him the courage to sign up for the school's talent show, despite his introverted nature. However, he was unable to perform due to the sheer number of participants.

Splash!

The rain started pouring down again. Fang Yongkang stood frozen like a statue, letting the rain wash over him.

In a daze, a car sped past, splashing dirty water all over him.

Fang Yongkang gave a wry smile, "Is even heaven against me?"

Just then, an old man with an umbrella walked by. The old man looked at the young man in surprise, "Why are you standing here like this? Hurry and find shelter from the rain!"

"My future is so bleak, it feels like it's raining everywhere I go," Fang Yongkang murmured.

The old man looked at him with a bitter smile, "Why are all you young people so melancholic these days? Let me tell you, when I was your age, I also felt like the sky was about to fall. Breakups, exams, job hunting..."

"Even a stranger's sarcastic remark could make life seem dark. But once you've truly weathered these storms, you'll realize that many things in life are just a joke!"

The old man was clearly a man with a story. He shook his head and smiled, then walked away.

"A joke? Maybe I am a joke?" Fang Yongkang squinted, the rain hitting his face.

"Nonsense. Everyone has their own strengths. No one is a joke, only giving up on yourself is."

Fang Yongkang suddenly turned around, only to find that there was no one behind him.

Did I mishear?

He sighed and turned back, only to see a figure holding an umbrella standing in front of him.

"Young man, if you can't find your way in life, go find Master Shen!"

With that, the person walked away with his umbrella, leaving Fang Yongkang stunned.

"Master Shen?" he whispered.

This passerby who walked by with an umbrella, acting all cool, was actually Shen Qiong himself. After closing his shop for the day, he had taken a car to Deshun City, next to Lingxi City.

It was only a forty-minute high-speed train ride, but Shen Qiong had made the trip specifically to help his sister move into university tomorrow.

He hadn't expected to encounter such a dazed young man on the road. Shen Qiong, of course, took the opportunity to advertise himself.

His sister, Shen Shi, lived with their mother. He found their address and knocked on the door.

Shen Shi, who was sitting on the couch watching TV, jumped up excitedly and rushed to open the door, knowing it must be her brother.

"Brother! I missed you so much." Shen Shi threw herself into Shen Qiong's arms.

Shen Qiong chuckled and pushed his clingy sister away, "Your clothes are a bit wet, don't get me wet!"

"Ah! Come in quickly, I'll find some clothes that fit you. Don't catch a cold," Shen Shi said anxiously.

Shen Qiong walked into the house with a smile. He looked around but couldn't find the familiar figure.

"Mom isn't here?" Shen Qiong asked Shen Shi, who was in the room.

Shen Shi rummaged through boxes and cabinets in the room. "Mom went out to buy groceries. As soon as she heard you were coming, she rushed out saying she wanted to cook you a big meal!"

Shen Qiong chuckled and placed his umbrella by the shoe cabinet, then found a place to sit down.

He carefully observed the house. The decor was slightly better than his own home, but the old furniture indicated that their financial situation wasn't actually well-off.

Shen Shi blushed. "Here! Wear this one!"

Shen Qiong looked and exclaimed, What the heck! What is this? It was a pink shirt with a cute cat pattern on it.

Shen Shi stuck out her tongue. "This is the only one that's big enough! I bought it online, but the size was too large, so I only wore it once."

"Alright! Nobody sees you at home anyway," Shen Shi giggled.

Shen Qiong reluctantly changed into the shirt, shaking his head with a wry smile. If his fans knew he was wearing something like this, Weibo would probably explode the next day.

Not long after, Mother Shen returned with a large pile of grocery bags. Upon seeing Shen Qiong, she became instantly happy. "You're here! Mom will make your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs tonight."

Shen Qiong licked his lips and smiled. "Great! I haven't tasted Mom's cooking in a long time."

Shen Shi looked jealous. "See how much Mom dotes on you? She never makes it for me even when I pester her."

"Haha, really!" Shen Qiong patted his sister's head.

"Of course, Mom has always been biased," Shen Shi pouted, clearly unhappy.

Son preference; many families still held this view nowadays, as Shen Qiong was well aware.

Shen Qiong smiled. "It's okay! Big brother dotes on you."

Shen Shi smiled sweetly. "Who needs you to dote on me! I want Mom to dote on me."

The family was harmonious