Page 49

Cheng Lang's gentle embrace completely shattered Shen Huaiyu's psychological defenses. He threw himself into Cheng Lang's arms, hugged him tightly, and cried, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Shen Huaiyu did not know why he was apologizing. He just felt aggrieved and afraid. He had once been a proud person, but what happened after his parents' car accident had nearly destroyed his outlook on life and the world. Shen Huaiyu no longer knew what he had to do to satisfy this world. He only knew that when he had been at his most terrified and helpless, Cheng Lang had reached out and pulled him up from the abyss. Cheng Lang had cleared up the rumors in front of his classmates, helped him get back the money from his uncle's sale of the house, shown him that even his little tricks could make money, and helped him rebuild his dignity.

So when Lu Chengxuan used Cheng Lang to threaten Shen Huaiyu, Shen Huaiyu had only one thought: he had to protect Cheng Lang.

He could not let his only friend—the only person willing to lend him a hand—go through everything he had gone through.

"Why are you apologizing?" Cheng Lang gently patted Shen Huaiyu's back. "You didn't hurt anyone. The ones who should apologize are the people who bullied you."

Shen Huaiyu sniffed. "Don't go looking for him. I'm afraid he'll hurt you."

Thinking about what had just happened, Cheng Lang fell silent. He felt Shen Huaiyu seemed to have mixed up the subject and object.

"Anyway, if you really don't want to be with Lu Chengxuan, then go ahead and end the relationship. You don't need to worry about me." Cheng Lang paused, then decided to lay his cards on the table. "Don't worry. Lu Chengxuan only knows how to scare sweet, obedient little victims like you. He can't hurt me."

The system timidly reminded him in his mind: [The p-plot...]

Cheng Lang turned a deaf ear and continued, "Even if, due to some objective force majeure, the two of you can't break things off for the time being, you should still try to live a little more happily. Treat yourself better. Make your days more comfortable, so that at least you won't regret it in the future."

As he spoke, Cheng Lang was also considering how to deal with the "unlawful confinement" Lu Chengxuan would very likely attempt in the future.

Cheng Lang comforted Shen Huaiyu for a while, but Shen Huaiyu kept crying. It was as though he wanted to cry out all the grievances he had suffered these past days.

Cheng Lang sighed. "Try not to cry so hard. Don't get snot all over my clothes. I still have to go onstage and perform later!"

Shen Huaiyu: "..."

Shen Huaiyu sniffed and let go of Cheng Lang with an embarrassed expression. "Thank you."

Cheng Lang turned and glanced at his shoulder. Shen Huaiyu said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "I didn't get any on you."

Cheng Lang gave a grunt and casually pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket, handing it to Shen Huaiyu. Even a beauty with tears like pear blossoms was not elegant with snot running down his nose.

Shen Huaiyu accepted the tissues, then felt embarrassed again as he blew his nose. He felt that he truly had no image left whatsoever in front of Cheng Lang.

"Oh?" Cheng Lang lightly teased, "Who knew our classmate Shen had the baggage of being the school heartthrob?"

"It's not that—" Before Shen Huaiyu could finish, the floor manager who had hurried over cut him off.

"I knew it. Even if you showed up early, you wouldn't honestly get to work. You must've run off somewhere to slack off again." As he spoke, the floor manager grabbed Cheng Lang's arm. "Hurry upstairs! Chen wants to see you."

"Chen wants to see me again?" Cheng Lang could not help thinking of Qin, the man who had overheard his bold declaration about climbing into his bed. Even someone as composed as him could not help feeling a tiny bit awkward.

"I'm about to go onstage." Cheng Lang said, "Why does he want me now?"

"If you ask me, who am I supposed to ask?" The floor manager shoved Cheng Lang and snapped, "Anyway, Chen wants you, so get over there. He must have something important to tell you. Maybe it's about Old Master Qin's birthday banquet."

Cheng Lang's heart skipped a beat, and he headed upstairs with a grin.

Chen was waiting for him in the third-floor office. Two other people were seated on the sofa. One was refined-looking and wore glasses; Cheng Lang remembered that he seemed to be Qin's assistant. The other wore a black suit but had a fierce, imposing air. Cheng Lang knew him too—Gu Yong, the head of White Jade Capital's security department.

Seeing this lineup, Cheng Lang could not help muttering to himself. Could Qin have gotten angry after hearing his declaration about climbing into his bed and decided to kick him out of White Jade Capital?

"Cheng Lang!" Chen clearly had no idea what Cheng Lang was thinking. With a grave expression, he said, "How is your preparation for performing crosstalk at Old Master Qin's birthday banquet?"

Cheng Lang looked somewhat bewildered. "Prepare what?"

Chen froze at that. "The crosstalk script, of course. Don't tell me you plan to improvise when you get there?"

That was indeed what Cheng Lang had been thinking.

The three men were instantly speechless. They exchanged looks, and Chen laughed in exasperation. "You really are skilled enough to be bold. You dare improvise at an event like that?"

"I think he's deliberately slacking off." The security manager snorted. "Maybe he plans to perform badly on purpose once he gets there, so outsiders can laugh at White Jade Capital for having no backbone. Just because Third Master Qin said one word, any stray cat or dog can be propped up as our headliner!"

Cheng Lang blinked. In a flash of insight, he seemed to understand why Chen had made him the headliner. So it was still because they had been intimidated by someone's authority?

So this was an opportunity to warn him? Were they afraid he had some shady connection with that threatening "Third Master Qin"?

Cheng Lang pondered it inwardly, but outwardly he agreed with a grin. "Don't worry, Brother Yong. I've been smart, quick-witted, lively, and brave since I was little. As long as the money is there, I definitely won't let you down. I have excellent professional ethics."

Brother Yong was taken aback. "What money?"

Chen explained, "The appearance fee we promised him."

As he spoke, Chen looked at Cheng Lang with a headache. "Don't worry. I'll never go back on something I promised you. But you need to take this seriously too. Write down the routine you plan to perform later and let us take a look. Old Master Qin is advanced in years and likes lively occasions, but he is not very receptive to many new things. I'm afraid you'll speak without restraint and frighten the old man. That wouldn't be good."