Nan Qing was utterly stunned.
He knew his reputation in the industry was bad, but surely a trip to the hospital wasn't enough to make people assume he was accompanying his girlfriend to the obstetrics department?!
His phone kept buzzing, new messages popping up nonstop on Weibo. Both the comments and mentions had already reached 99+.
Nan Qing tapped into one at random.
"Chinese entertainment: discovering new babies anytime, anywhere!"
"Come look, flop fans! Your fave quit showbiz to become a dad @NanQingFans."
"LMAO, did he realize he couldn't make it in showbiz and decide to quit and live off a woman?"
At a glance, almost everything was mocking him. Nan Qing scrolled down several times before finally finding a comment speaking up for him:
"Isn't this not the obstetrics department? Isn't this the seating area in the corridor of such-and-such hospital?"
Nan Qing's eyes lit up, and he was about to like it when he saw that the same user had added a reply.
"Wow~ So he hid here because he was afraid of being discovered! Your Nan Qing really is forever a spineless flop!"
Nan Qing: "..."
His fist clenched.
Why did they have to call him a flop every time they insulted him?
It sounded awful.
If this had happened to any other artist, their company would definitely have stepped in to handle it.
But he had now lost the Bai Family's protection and had so much negative press that, if not for wanting to squeeze out the last of his value, Huading Entertainment probably wouldn't even bother with him, much less clear things up for him.
Nan Qing opened his profile, preparing to post on Weibo to clarify things.
But after thinking it over, he backed out.
After all, a clear conscience had nothing to fear. There was no way he could produce a child out of anywhere.
He was flat broke anyway. Bad publicity was still publicity, and perhaps he could land a couple of small promotions and save up some money of his own.
After all, he had to spend the rest of his life in this world. He still needed to learn to earn money through his own abilities.
Huo Yuzhou had signed an agreement with him, sure, but who knew whether the man might kick him out one day? When that happened, he wouldn't be able to take the car, the house, or the money with him. He would still be flat broke.
Nan Qing hurriedly logged off. He was just about to find a restroom to hide in when Huo Yuzhou called.
A deep, cool voice came through the phone, sounding even more magnetic as it reached his ear.
"Did you see the trending searches?"
Nan Qing murmured an acknowledgment, cupping his phone tightly.
"Even you know?"
The man's pleasant voice sounded again. Nan Qing wasn't sure whether he had heard a hint of laughter at the end.
"Yes. After all, there's even an illegitimate child now."
Nan Qing's ears grew hot.
Having been a young master for so many years, he still had his pride.
Teased like this by Huo Yuzhou, Nan Qing felt a little embarrassed, his cheeks growing warm too.
In the spirit of professionalism as Party B to their contract, Nan Qing rebutted him in all seriousness.
"You know those people are talking nonsense. That's not what I'm here for."
"Besides, I'm still a virgin! I've never even dated!"
The sound of turning pages came from the other end.
Even without seeing him, Nan Qing could picture Huo Yuzhou from his previous impressions, sitting in the chair in his CEO's office with a cool, expressionless face.
"Really?"
"How will you prove it?"
Nan Qing's ears began heating up again.
Back when he was still the Bai Family's young master, Nan Qing would have talked back a little at the very least.
But now that he had signed a contract with Huo Yuzhou, he had no choice but to bow his head under someone else's roof. He could only curse inwardly, while his mouth remained obedient.
"Hubby, you can check."
Fortunately, Huo Yuzhou didn't pursue the subject. Instead, he changed the topic and asked for his opinion.
"The person who secretly photographed you probably hasn't left yet. Do you still plan to see a doctor at this hospital?"
"Would you like to switch hospitals, then? Any hospital is fine. I can help you contact one with better privacy."
The dense crowd surged like a tide. Sensing several gazes following him from behind, Nan Qing furrowed his delicate brows and thanked him very, very quietly.
"Yes, thank you."
Half an hour later.
The car came to a smooth stop at a private hospital in S City known for its high-end equipment and leading specialists. A middle-aged man in a white coat was waiting at the entrance to welcome him, all smiles as he introduced himself as the hospital director.
Nan Qing nodded to him and followed him into a dedicated elevator, heading all the way to the psychological counseling department.
The walls weren't a cold porcelain white. Red honorary banners softened the hospital's coldness, and the wooden desk and shelving were clearly made of excellent materials, with more than two rows of award plaques displayed on them.
The doctor seated in the consultation room also looked very kindly. She was a woman nearing fifty, with neatly cropped short hair.
Nan Qing rested his fingers obediently on his knees and somewhat nervously described his symptoms over the past two days.
"...I only noticed it yesterday. It was like I could suddenly hear someone's voice, but they clearly weren't speaking. They hadn't even opened their mouth."
"What I hear doesn't follow any logic, either. It's always a sudden sentence, and then it disappears very quickly."
The female doctor smiled at him, her voice gentle.
"Can you hear everyone's voice? For example, with the two of us sitting face-to-face right now, can you hear my voice?"
Nan Qing shook his head.
"So far, I've only heard one person's voice. I can't hear anyone else's."
"Have you taken any medication recently?"
Nan Qing thought for a moment, then shook his head again.
"Has anything happened recently that's made you feel a little stressed?" the doctor continued.
At that question, Nan Qing fell silent for a while, then nodded.
Being driven out of the Bai Family hadn't affected him much, but failing his mission had put him under some pressure. Perhaps that was what had caused his auditory hallucinations.
The doctor asked a few more questions, had him answer a questionnaire, then wrote out an order for him to undergo some brain examinations.
Nan Qing did as instructed.
He didn't know whether it was because his symptoms were somewhat complicated, but while waiting in the VIP room, Nan Qing saw the director who had brought him in leading several more doctors into the consultation room from earlier.
Nan Qing let out a long breath, trying his best to calm down.
He reassured himself that it was all right. Getting another chance at life was already worth it. Technology was so advanced now, anyway. Perhaps an illness that seemed to need treatment now could be easily resolved in a few years.
But on the other hand, he was afraid.
In the quiet room, Nan Qing heard his own heart beating, over and over, like a little rabbit held aloft, about to leap out of his chest at any moment.
He told himself to be stronger. There would always be a way.
Yet his hands and feet felt icy, and even his blood seemed to have congealed in his veins.
Through the window, he saw the doctors facing the director with solemn expressions, arguing about something he couldn't make out.
Nan Qing suddenly felt some regret.
Perhaps he shouldn't have come for this examination.
After all, no one in this world cared about him, and no one would know whether he had a mental illness.
Almost in an instant, the urge to turn and run flashed through his mind. Nan Qing squeezed his fingers and was about to get up when he heard a rush of footsteps outside the door.
With a creak, the door opened.