Hospital

Xie Yibai really couldn't hold it in any longer.

Zou Yan said generously, "Whatever you like. You can even call me grandpa."

If Xie Yibai had been a loudspeaker, he would have let out a piercing screech right then. He glanced around and spotted the blond-haired, blue-eyed finance director and the designer of Italian descent heading their way. Xing Zhanyun still hadn't gone mad, so he said to Zou Yan, "Brother Yan, why don't you take a seat? There's more to the program."

"Okay." Zou Yan's gaze returned to his face. He leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I'm still taking you home tonight."

Xie Yibai agreed and watched him leave, then put on a smile to reciprocate the two white people's enthusiastic hugs and cheek kisses.

Fortunately, things hadn't gotten out of hand. At last, Xie Yibai sat down like a spinning top finally coming to rest, the aftermath of the commotion written all over his face. The precious metals at his neck and on his fingers and wrists gleamed under the lights, while the gems sparkled like scattered stars, dazzlingly echoing the fading panic in his eyes.

The banquet began to the host's clear, pleasant voice.

Only when the elegantly dressed ladies came to the table in twos and threes to offer toasts did Xie Yibai realize just how popular he really was.

Half the female VIPs present were his fans, willing to buy jewelry they would never wear just for a chance to exchange a few words with him. He, in turn, did everything he could to cater to them and make them feel they had gotten more than their money's worth.

As for the men, he didn't know whether Xing Zhanyun had bought anything, but the order Zou Yan had signed for had genuinely startled him.

"It's fine. I bought it for my mom. I don't go home much, so I ought to buy her a few little things to make her happy." Zou Yan clasped his slender hand; his fingers were long and supple, and the rings sat loosely at their bases. "I bought the set you're wearing too. It's especially beautiful and suits you perfectly. Keep it on, don't take it off."

Xie Yibai wasn't fond of jewelry. He usually wore it because his work and catering to his fans left him no choice, as his fans also loved seeing him looking pretty. Now, with no easy way out, he could only accept the lavish gift with reluctance and say delightedly, "Thank you, Brother Yan. I love it."

This was the lack of freedom that came with being supported by others.

Whoever held him up got to dress him as they pleased.

That was also the truth of the entertainment industry; it left him no room to reap the benefits and still complain.

Xie Yibai had just had a few drinks without eating anything, and he couldn't stay put any longer. "Brother, I'll be away for a few minutes."

Zou Yan was every bit the social expert people said he was. He was completely at home on occasions like this, getting along with everyone and never lonely even on his own. "Go ahead. Call me if you need anything."

Xie Yibai only needed to use the bathroom, so he didn't call his assistant. He left the banquet hall alone, crossed the corridor, and entered the lavish men's room.

Once he had relieved himself, he took off his expensive rings and put them away. But when he felt the cold diamonds set into them, he remembered they had been paid for and now belonged to him. Unwilling to go to any more trouble, he dispensed a pump of hand soap, washed his hands, and dried them.

He was the only one there. The mirror above the sink was polished and clear, and rose-scented incense and warm lighting created a peaceful atmosphere. Xie Yibai wanted to rest there for a little while, but when he felt his empty pockets, he realized he hadn't brought his phone.

Forget it. I might as well go back.

He headed out. A series of footsteps drew closer, then stopped at the doorway, blocking his path.

One hand in his trouser pocket, Xing Zhanyun looked him over with a roguish air. "Hey, found someone new already? Guess I underestimated you."

Xie Yibai had wondered whether Xing Zhanyun suffered from schizophrenia. He kept saying he wanted to treat him well and wouldn't hurt him, yet did everything he could to dash his hopes and hurt him with nasty words.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to go around him, but an arm barred his way.

"Why are you running? Am I that scary?" Xing Zhanyun pressed.

"I'm working tonight. I don't want to argue with you," Xie Yibai said. "Move."

"Working? Isn't your job just flirting with all those men and women?" Xing Zhanyun rested his arm on Xie Yibai's shoulder and leaned in. "What? You can do it with everyone else but not with me? How much do you want? Go on, tell me. How do you know I can't afford it?"

"Why do you insist on making me sound so lowly?" Xie Yibai raised his voice, which trembled. "If you look down on me so much, why do you keep bothering me? You have so much money. What can't you buy?"

He had spent the whole evening socializing on an empty stomach and was already exhausted. He wanted to play on his phone but hadn't brought it, and was wondering how to vent his frustrations. Xing Zhanyun just had to walk into the line of fire, so Xie Yibai stopped holding back and said loudly, "Can't you see I've been putting up with you this whole time? Stop making snide remarks at me. I've acted in so many shows; what kind of nasty review haven't I seen? Do you think a few words from you can get to me? Xing Zhanyun, I used to think you just hadn't grown up, because you said you lacked love, that your mother died young, and that you didn't want lots of money, only lots of love. But today I've realized you don't lack anything. The only thing you lack is manners."

"If I were your parents, I'd be very sorry to have raised a son like you." Xie Yibai let out all the resentment he had bottled up over the past several days. "And stop buying me things. I don't care for them."

Even then, he wasn't satisfied. He pressed his advantage. "Even if you recorded everything I just said and posted it online for the whole world to hear, I still wouldn't be afraid of you, because everything I said is true!"

Having said all that, Xie Yibai felt as though he had swept away the gloom above his head in one stroke, parting the dark clouds to reveal the moon. But the light that suddenly shone down was so cold that all his insides curled up. He drew a deep, uncomfortable breath, his heart racing, and had nothing more he wanted to say.

A smattering of applause rang out, intruding like a hallucination.

"Well said. That delivery is among the best I've ever heard."

Only when Zou Yan walked up to him did Xie Yibai blush in surprise.

"All right, everything's been said. Let's go." Zou Yan took his hand, intending to lead him back to the banquet.

Xing Zhanyun's gloomy face contorted the second he saw their hands clasped together. He could take all of Xie Yibai's retaliation and resistance, but an outsider's interference was intolerable. His fist was quicker than his tongue, whistling through the air like a meteor as it struck Zou Yan's cheek.

Then he got his wish and saw the two hands separate.

"Who said you could hold his hand?" Xing Zhanyun asked.

Xie Yibai's eyes widened in alarm. "Brother Yan..."

Caught off guard by the blow, Zou Yan cut the corner of his mouth on his teeth, and the taste of blood spread through his mouth. Half his face was swollen, aching and numb, and waves of dizziness pulsed at his temples. Then his instinct to fight was roused. He stepped forward, grabbed the brat who didn't know his own limits, and punched him back in kind.

Not wanting to become an innocent casualty, Xie Yibai stood helplessly against the wall. He watched in bewilderment as the two fought in the bathroom and tried to break it up. "Don't do this... What if someone comes in?"

Oh, god, why on earth did they start fighting? It was just an argument.

Was it worth getting physical over?

Zou Yan hadn't fought anyone in nearly ten years, and he hadn't expected to relive his hot-blooded youth before he turned thirty. The taste of his own blood and the sting of pain sent his nerves into overdrive. Driven by hormones and aggression, he showed no intention of stopping.

There was no need to mention Xing Zhanyun. He was a madman to begin with, his eyes bloodshot as though this were a fight to the death.

Xie Yibai didn't have his phone and couldn't call for help or report it to the police, so he immediately ran out to find someone to help.

This is a disaster! The brand won't invite either of them next year!

At eleven thirty that night, Sheng Ke finished a day's work and prepared to turn in early. His life was simple, with a packed work schedule and a streamlined itinerary. He had no miscellaneous social engagements, and any gatherings he couldn't avoid were scheduled for the end of the month.

Zou Yan had said he would livestream the banquet for him, but he had only sent a few dimly lit videos with blurry picture quality, and Sheng Ke hadn't had time to open them for a closer look.

He put his phone on the bedside table to charge and was just about to lie down when he received a call from Zou Yan-

"Asleep yet?" It was Zou Yan's voice.

"I'm going to sleep. Let's talk tomorrow." Sheng Ke assumed he was just calling to chat for no reason.

"Don't go to sleep yet. Come to the hospital. I need you."

"What for?"

"I'll tell you when you get here."

Hearing the word "hospital," Sheng Ke really couldn't sleep. He got out of bed, changed his clothes, grabbed his car keys, and headed straight for the underground garage.

Chapter 16: Hospital

Before reaching the hospital, Sheng Ke had imagined countless possibilities. Had there been an accident on set? An injury from a prop, an actor falling ill, food poisoning among the extras... and so on.

But he had never dreamed that Zou Yan had been beaten up.

-Beaten up by an idle, good-for-nothing rich brat in a jealous fight over a pretty face with nothing else to offer!

And the culprit was standing in front of the hospital bed in tears. Xie Yibai had taken off his soiled jacket and was wearing only a thin white shirt. On his pale face, only the skin around his eyes and the tip of his nose were flushed. A small jade-green leaf hung from the silvery chain at his neck, swaying and sparkling with his every emotion.

He glimpsed Sheng Ke coming in, stepped back, and raised a hand to wipe away his tears. The bangle on his wrist seemed to encircle it like moonlight, and the tiny diamonds on his rings looked like stars set beside his cheeks, shining against his glistening tear tracks.

A noble, graceful beauty; a swan at midnight.

Ethereal, enchanting images drifted through Sheng Ke's mind. It was an occupational affliction of his as a director: once something struck and inspired him visually, his imagination would sprout wings and take flight without bounds.

His instinct for light and shadow gave him an urge to pick up a camera, but for one thing, he hadn't brought one, and for another, Zou Yan was still sitting on the bed with a plaster splint on.

He cut short his fantasy and looked at the battered Zou Yan.

Zou Yan's injuries weren't serious. A minor fracture in his left hand had been treated, a cut on his forehead from a vase shard had required two stitches, and the rest were merely superficial wounds that had been treated with ointment. As though he felt no pain, he joked with Xie Yibai, "Xiaobai, you were born for this line of work. The way you cry and wipe your tears is the height of luxury. Too bad the photographer wasn't here, or you'd be a shoo-in as this brand's global ambassador."

Tsk, no wonder we're partners, Sheng Ke thought. He and Zou Yan always had an extraordinary understanding when it came to aesthetics. Yet, in these circumstances, he found it somewhat contemptible.