Seeing Ghosts

After that, Wei Linxuan never mentioned grilled fish again!

Lu Heng knew nothing about these childhood trivialities. In his fixed impression, Wei Linxuan was merely that young President Wei who always wore a smile, hid deep schemes behind it, and used ruthless methods; who occasionally acted a little crazy around acquaintances, often made newspaper headlines because of romantic scandals, knew how to balance favors and threats with his subordinates, and knew even better how to use the Wei family's influence to dominate the business and entertainment worlds, breaking apart, acquiring, and integrating resources. He was the overbearing CEO every competitor called a "predator."

Who would have thought that an overbearing CEO had done such things as a child too?

Lu Heng came back to himself and felt someone repeatedly poking his shoulder. Looking down, he saw Wei Jiayi standing before him with tears trembling in her eyes.

"Why are you ignoring me again?" The Wei family's little princess looked at Lu Heng with utter accusation.

Lu Heng smiled apologetically, but even his sincere explanation this time could not save the tears hanging precariously from Wei Jiayi's eyes.

With no other choice, Lu Heng raised his hands in surrender. "Big brother was wrong. You can punish big brother however you want."

"Then sing me a song!" Wei Jiayi immediately demanded.

Lu Heng froze, then shook his head with a wry smile. "I can't sing!"

Especially not songs from sixteen years ago. He could not even remember the lyrics!

Wei Jiayi sniffed miserably, on the verge of crying again.

Lu Heng truly had no idea what else to do, so he could only brace himself and say, "How about I whistle for you?"

"Whistle?" Wei Jiayi paused slightly.

Lu Heng nodded, stood up, and looked around. "Wait here for me."

Lu Heng ran out of the pavilion and examined several ornamental palm trees by the lake. He chose the one that caught his eye most and climbed up it, picking two leaves that were suitably tough, smooth and flat, and in excellent condition.

The cameraman and one of the program's directors followed after him, one carrying the camera and the other holding Wei Jiayi as they hurried beneath the tree.

They saw Lu Heng lightly leap down from the tree. He tore the two palm leaves into strips of varying widths, his long fingers folding and turning them over. In the blink of an eye, he had woven an exquisite emerald-green bird. A thin strip of leaf passed through the bird's back, with its other end held in Lu Heng's hand.

Lu Heng waved the woven bird before Wei Jiayi, and a burst of clear birdsong suddenly came from his mouth.

Wei Jiayi's eyes widened in disbelief.

Seeing Ghosts

Lu Heng's lark call was less a whistle than a form of vocal mimicry. Together with that exquisitely crafted emerald-green woven bird hopping before her eyes, Lu Heng's unexpected little trick immediately coaxed Wei Jiayi back into good spirits. The little princess excitedly stretched out her arm and let Lu Heng tie the other end of the grass strip around her wrist. The delicate green lark danced through the air with her movements, so lifelike that it even attracted two white butterflies. The scene was so beautiful it could have been an empty establishing shot in a film or television drama.

The cameraman following behind them could not help exclaiming, "Xiao Heng, you know so much."

Lu Heng smiled faintly. Whether it was whistling or weaving all sorts of little animals from the long grass growing in the wild, these were probably little tricks every rural child knew. Lu Heng had learned this from his grandfather. His grandfather had said that when he was young, he herded cattle for other families. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would weave grasshoppers and birds, then play grass-fighting games with the other children in the village. His grandfather could even play tunes with leaves, producing sounds just like a suona horn.

Having received her gift, Wei Jiayi immediately released Lu Heng's hand. With one arm raised, she ran lap after lap across the grass, her clear laughter filling the lawn. It seemed as though even the sunlight and air around them had brightened.

Lu Heng and the cameraman stood beside the lawn, watching Wei Jiayi run around. Only after she had run until her face was covered in sweat and she was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open did she obediently return to Lu Heng's side, spreading her arms for a hug.

Lu Heng looked up at the sun overhead, estimated the time to himself, and carried Wei Jiayi back.

Wei Jiayi, her little arms around Lu Heng's neck, tilted her head in confusion and asked, "Brother Lu, aren't you playing anymore?"

Lu Heng said gently, "I'm a little tired. I want to go back and rest for a while."

Wei Jiayi quietly sighed in relief and agreed, "Then let's go back. Actually, I'm a little tired too."

She took a nap every noon. Today, she had been reluctant to sleep because she wanted to keep Lu Heng company. By now, her little head was already bobbing with drowsiness.

The emerald-green lark tied around her arm swayed with the rhythm of their steps. Lu Heng carried her steadily all the way back. By the time they reached the Wei family home, the little princess had fallen asleep, her head tilted against the hollow of Lu Heng's neck as she gave tiny snores.

Zhao Yanan, who was watching television in the living room, immediately took her daughter from him and quietly thanked Lu Heng. When she saw the little thing on Wei Jiayi's wrist, she could not help holding it in her palm and playing with it for a moment. "This little bird is so pretty. Xiao Heng, your hands are so skillful."

As Zhao Yanan spoke, she carried Wei Jiayi upstairs to sleep and instructed the auntie to take Lu Heng to a bedroom to rest.

Lu Heng had assumed that, just as in his previous life, he would be placed in a guest room. To his surprise, the auntie led him to the second floor. The moment Lu Heng saw a photograph of Wei Linxuan on the bedside table, he was speechless.

How could he stay here?

With Wei Linxuan's spiteful, possessive temperament, and his frequent declaration that "only women can lie on my bed," if he found out Lu Heng had slept in his bed... the consequences would be unimaginable!

Lu Heng frowned in deep distress, his gaze fixed firmly on the soft, spacious bed.

Fang Yuqing entered with a stack of clothes in her arms. Seeing Lu Heng standing by the bed, she smiled and said, "Tired? I found you two sets of clothes. Lin Xuan hasn't worn either of them. Make do with them for now, and tomorrow I'll take you to buy new clothes."

Lu Heng came back to his senses and said, "There's no need to spend so much—"

"How could that be an unnecessary expense?" Seeing how restrained Lu Heng looked, Fang Yuqing smiled and cut him off. "The company will be holding a press conference for you in a few days. You can't possibly attend it in old clothes, can you? It's written in the contract, isn't it? The company is obligated to prepare outfits for its artists to wear at public appearances."