When Shang Shujue heard Nuomi's voice, all the bluster born of his panic instantly vanished. He actually didn't want to admit it, and even wanted to refute Nuomi's claim that he had feelings for Song Yanqing.
But he couldn't get the words out, because when he saw Song Yanqing looking at him through tear-filled eyes, his heart really had stirred a little, right at the moment those tears fell...
The sunlight had just cleared the building behind him, falling perfectly across his face and making the teardrop poised on his cheek gleam dazzlingly. It also lent Song Yanqing a fragility that made him seem as though he would shatter at a touch...
That fragile yet unyielding bearing instantly took Shang Shujue back to the first time he had met Song Yanqing. Back then, Song Yanqing had only been eighteen, very beautiful, and renowned at school as its aloof campus heartthrob...
Shang Shujue's thoughts seemed to drift back to that somewhat bleak autumn, but before he could recall the scene in detail, a plainly dressed trainee suddenly walked past the front of the Cullinan and caught his attention.
The young man wore a shirt washed almost white, and the color of his jeans had faded considerably too.
Clearly, he had gone out in his own clothes, without wearing a single piece supplied by the production team, perhaps for fear of dirtying or damaging them.
[Huh... this guy looks a little familiar...]
Shang Shujue unconsciously leaned forward. Then, after a full fifteen-minute absence, his inner voice exploded in the ears of everyone who could hear it within twenty meters of him, including the young man walking past.
The young man's name was Zhang Yunchen, and he had just returned from the hospital. His younger brother was ill, and their mother had trouble looking after him from her wheelchair, so Zhang Yunchen had gone over to check on him last night and only returned this morning. He hadn't expected to run into Shang Shujue, let alone become his target.
Zhang Yunchen panicked a little, unsure whether to leave or stop. His body briefly froze, and when he spotted Xu Jiaqiao and the others a short distance ahead, he instinctively crouched to tie his shoelaces.
Is he about to talk about me? This suddenly? I'm not ready yet... I'm a little scared...
*[Oh, his name is Zhang Yunchen... huh? You're saying his bone age is only seventeen, but his ID says he's eighteen?*
*Hiss... I thought he looked a little too skinny, not like an adult. So he really is just a kid. Got any gossip on him? Look some up for me...]*
Hearing Shang Shujue's inner voice made Zhang Yunchen even more nervous. Song Yanqing said nothing, merely giving Zhang Yunchen a discreet glance. Watching him go through 108 different ways of tying his shoelaces, he couldn't help narrowing his eyes.
Great, another guy who can hear Shang Shujue's thoughts. Heh... I'm so mad I could laugh. Why am I not the only one who can hear him? ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚
Yun Qishan drove a short distance away and parked. Blocking the main entrance really did interfere with traffic a little.
Yu Yang looked at him, then at the video he treasured on his phone. After some thought, he decided to keep Yun Qishan company and listen to those thoughts with him.
Xiao Jue's thoughts might have something to do with us. If possible, I'd like to help Xiao Jue too. It would count as accumulating merit for Yun'er. Yun'er, Xiao Jue saved our son and me. If I help him more from now on, will you blame me?
Meanwhile, Xu Jiaqiao and the others all pricked up their ears. Barring any surprises, Zhang Yunchen should be the second subject of today's gossip. Whether there would be a third lucky person depended on Shang Shujue's mood.
[Pfft, hahahaha... this guy is actually obsessed with plushies! He even has to hug one to sleep. Isn't that a little too cute?]
As soon as Shang Shujue's thoughts rang out, Zhang Yunchen's ears turned red. He stopped crouching there tying his shoelaces and walked straight over to a bench with a fairly nice view. Sitting down, he pulled out his phone and pretended to listen to music while basking in the sun. It looked perfectly natural.
Shang Shujue glanced at him without finding anything strange, his gaze even turning a little fond. Xu Jiaqiao and the others couldn't help smiling, but their smiles were restrained and friendly, not mocking.
*[Huh? Why does this kid have such a tragic background too? A dad who died young, a mom in a wheelchair, a little brother, and him, with his musical composition talent maxed out, only to have his work stolen, his appeals go nowhere, and finally be falsely accused of plagiarism and nearly kill himself?*
Hiss... what did you say?! His mom found out before he killed himself, and used every ounce of strength to crawl upstairs to save him, but her hand slipped in her panic, and she fell from the building and was smashed to pieces?!
*Oh, good heavens! Wouldn't this kid spend his whole life feeling guilty and blaming himself? Just thinking about it is agonizing, okay? He wouldn't even dare die after that!]*
Zhang Yunchen nearly crushed the old, barely functional phone in his hand. He hadn't seen where Shang Shujue was, and afraid someone would notice something wrong with his expression, he lowered his head and stared fixedly at his phone, his heart trembling for a long time.
How could this happen? Mom... no... I won't let anything like that happen! It absolutely cannot happen... who stole my work?!
Shang Shujue finished his breakfast and noticed the water Song Yanqing had uncapped beside him. He casually thanked him, picked it up, and took a big gulp, still muttering inwardly.
*[Oh my god! Does this kid have to have it this bad? How did his little brother, who was only five, end up seeing their mom fall? It scared the poor kid straight into becoming mentally disabled...*
He had extraordinary musical talent too, but now, it was all gone...
*How badly must Zhang Yunchen blame himself? ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh, this rotten, miserable world really doesn't leave ordinary people any way to survive! I fucking give up!]*
Zhang Yunchen... went completely blank... He couldn't say a word. Even his thoughts seemed to stop dead in an instant, his mind utterly empty, as though he could no longer hear anything.
Why would this happen? I've already been trying so hard to live... I could have helped Mom regain the use of her legs. I could have given my brother a wonderful life...
I could have... but I couldn't do anything... and I even caused them to suffer the worst possible harm because of me...
Xu Jiaqiao and the others hadn't expected Zhang Yunchen to endure not only physical suffering and material hardship, but every kind of psychological torment too. Not a single kind of suffering had passed him by.
*[You piece of shit! Su Youchuan, it's you again! Just how fucking vile is this asshole? His idiot little brother was the one who stole Zhang Yunchen's work, and he actually had the nerve to advise his brother to turn around and accuse the victim!*
*I seriously can't take this anymore. I have to find a time to throw a sack over Su Youchuan's head and beat him up! What a piece of shit!]*
Zhang Yunchen froze, then suddenly clenched his fists.
He was certain he had never mentioned his family circumstances to anyone.
Yet Shang Shujue knew exactly who was in his family, and even knew that he liked hugging a plushie to sleep.
Everything his inner voice had said had to be true.
Hearing Su Youchuan's name yet again, Xu Jiaqiao and the others turned green. Wasn't this man supposed to be the dream of countless girls and boys? How could his character be so rotten?