Page 32

The elderly couple exchanged a smile. Chen Simiao gently coaxed, "It's a very good idea for young people to want to build a career of their own. Grandpa supports you. If you need any help while starting your business, you can come to Grandpa. But Grandpa has one requirement for you."

Cheng Yu tilted his head up at his grandfather. Though his expression remained blank, his whole demeanor had softened. Chen Simiao could not help laughing. "You can't neglect your studies."

Cheng Yu frowned and seriously argued, "I graduated from university a long time ago. I don't want to study anymore."

"Nonsense." Lin Sufen could not hold it in either. She cut the apple she had just peeled into pieces and handed them to grandfather and grandson. "You're only starting your second year of high school this semester. How could you have graduated from university?"

"I graduated from university five years later." Cheng Yu emphasized, "I studied at BJOP in F Country. My advisor was..."

Cheng Yu said his advisor's name in F language, but Chen Simiao and Lin Sufen did not understand a word.

"You said it yourself—you only graduated from university five years later. It isn't five years later yet, so for the next five years, you still need to study hard." Chen Simiao dealt with his grandson's usual excuse for hating school with clear, rigorous logic, then curiously asked, "What language were you speaking just now?"

"F language." Cheng Yu added as he ate his apple, "I learned it while studying abroad in F Country."

"Our Cheng Yu is amazing. You taught yourself F language and can speak it so beautifully." Lin Sufen fed her grandson another small piece of apple. Seeing him slowly chew with one cheek puffed out, she could not help smiling. "So you need to study hard. That way, when you get into that B university in two years, Grandpa and Grandma won't have to worry about you having trouble communicating over there."

After a pause, Lin Sufen added, "When the time comes, your grandfather and I can go to F Country to visit you, and you can be our tour guide."

Cheng Yu abruptly stopped biting his apple. Looking at his kindly smiling grandparents, he said very seriously, "Better not. Flying is pretty dangerous."

Lin Sufen and Chen Simiao looked at each other again, unable to make sense of their young grandson's way of thinking.

"Why isn't there any durian? I want durian. I'm going to buy one."

Thinking of certain things from his previous life sent Cheng Yu's mood plummeting once more, followed by an almost uncontrollable surge of irritability. He took two deep breaths, casually made up an excuse, and fled the hospital room in a panic. At the supermarket downstairs, he bought a bottle of water, swallowed two pills, then sat on a bench outside the landscaped area and slowly waited for his emotions to settle.

The blazing sun scorched everything. Even with ample sun protection, anyone walking beneath it would easily be reddened and drenched in sweat. Yet Cheng Yu, seated on the bench, remained cool, clean, and pristine. His cold, pale skin was so white beneath the sunlight that it seemed to reflect it. He looked as frosty and severe as an ice pop freshly taken from the freezer, the kind that still gave off an icy chill.

The passing doctors and patients' family members could not help looking at him again and again. Some even deliberately circled past him several times, trying to catch his attention—if Cheng Yu's aura had not been so cold and intimidating, they probably would have gone up to strike a conversation.

After sitting under the blazing sun for a while, Cheng Yu felt the violent fury churning in his chest gradually calm. The bone-deep chill and suffocating cold that made him feel as though he had just crawled out of an ice pit also lessened. Only then did he slowly rise. He was about to buy half a durian from the fruit shop across from the hospital to support his lie when a sleek, greasy-looking fatty blocked his path.

"Wow, it really is you! You looked so much like him from far away. I never thought we'd be this fated." Zhu Jianxin looked at Cheng Yu with particular excitement. This time, Cheng Yu seemed even more handsome than the last time they met.

"Do you remember me? I'm the one you saved last time—"

"I know. Zhu Strong, right?" Cheng Yu impatiently frowned and directly warned him, "I'm not in a very good mood right now. You'd better stay away from me."

Zhu Jianxin was so frightened by the vicious aura rushing at him that he staggered back two steps, instinctively clutching his chest with his chubby paws. "Well, actually... my name is Zhu Jianxin, not Zhu Strong."

Cheng Yu ignored him and walked around Zhu Jianxin, striding away.

When Zhu Jianxin turned his head, Cheng Yu's way of walking stunned him with how handsome it was. He hurriedly trotted after him, already panting after only a few steps. "Handsome guy, handsome guy, do you remember what I told you last time? Are you interested in becoming an entertainer? I think you have exceptional potential. Believe me—if you're willing to enter the entertainment industry, you'll definitely become hugely popular."

Cheng Yu turned a deaf ear. Zhu Jianxin continued trying to persuade him. "Don't boys your age all like being admired? Being a star is great. So many people would know you, so many fans would like you, and you could be friends with major celebrities in the entertainment industry. You've probably heard of that talent show, Shining Stars, right? It's especially popular now. The auditions aren't even over, and its ratings have already surpassed 1.2%. Once the auditions end and it enters the national knockout rounds, the ratings will probably exceed 2% to 3%. With that level of public recognition, the contestants it produces will definitely draw a lot of attention. You know XXX and XXX from last year, right? Their popularity exploded after the show ended, and they're practically second-tier domestic stars now. Endorsements and appearances keep pouring in, and they can even hold concert tours across the country. How glorious is that?"

Cheng Yu suddenly stopped. Caught off guard, Zhu Jianxin nearly crashed into his back. Cheng Yu seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and stepped aside. Zhu Jianxin stumbled several steps forward before barely managing to stop himself.

"What kind of sudden stop was that?" Zhu Jianxin patted the fat trembling all over his body and boasted, "Good thing I'm so nimble, or I'd have hit the ground."

"You did that on purpose, didn't you, handsome guy?"

Cheng Yu ignored Zhu Jianxin's nonsense and asked, "Even if the talent show you mentioned really is that popular, and contestants see their popularity soar after appearing on it, what makes you so certain that the contestant you promote will definitely make it to the final?"

Zhu Jianxin's eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "Because our company works with the production team. For a knockout show like this, every company has to send contestants, and each company gets reserved slots."