Xi Jinwei sat in the car, laptop open on his lap. As his driver drove through the streets, Jinwei attentively listened through his headphones that was connected to his laptop.
The audio decives he had Cheng Qi hide earlier was oddly convenient. Multiple times he had heard Fu Tuying talking to a specific figure about a lot of things. Though the subject of their conversations were rarely business.
He mostly used a flirty tone when speaking to that specific someone occasionally, so he assumed it was a lady but the subject of their conversations was a bit weird.
Also, his Xue'ers name has been uttered on his lips a few times though the context was lost on him.
His name also appeared in his conversation once and it was laced in hatred which stunned him to the core.
So far the audio had just picked up mundane sounds of Fu Tuying footsteps and shuffling. But then Jinwei heard the phone ring. Raising the volume, he strained to make out the words.
Fu Tuying was talking to someone, but the second voice wasn't coming through.
Xi Jinwei listened closely as an address was exchanged in hushed tones along with a date. Unease settled in Jinwei's stomach. Fu Tuying was always a good friend of his but what was he tangled up in and why was his Xue'er involved?
He did just mention her name again asking 'Was it worth it?'
Was what worth it?
Xi Jinwei was lost in a maze of thoughts as the car pulled up outside his home. Pieces of the conversations that has gone on in the course of his spying on him for a while now swirled in his mind, each small clue raising more questions.
He didn't want to tell Xue'er about it because he was scared of how she might feel. Fu Tuying was her friend too.
But sometimes his thoughts lingered to the fact that maybe he was talking to Xue'er.
He didn't want it to be true that his girlfriend was maybe , perhaps cheating on him with Fu Tuying.
When he first found the dark jacket in her closet the last time, he almost snapped. He thought that she had confirmed his suspicions but then she clarified who it was for and he believed her.
Desperately.
His eyes stared unseeingly at the screen before him, playing and replaying the fuzzy audio on loop as his keen mind worked frantically to make connections.
"Young Master, we have arrived." His driver's voice cut through the mental fog like a knife.
Xi Jinwei blinked, slowly emerging from the trance-like state of deep concentration. He removed the headphones in a daze.
Had she lied to him? Or was Fu Tuying aspiring to harm her. It went two ways.
His heart clenched painfully at both scenarios and he almost couldn't breathe. He groaned in pain while his head felt like it was splitting into two.
What was happening?
Stepping out of the plush car seat onto the driveway seemed to drag him fully back to reality. His eyes, usually so perceptive and sharp, were now clouded with troubled thoughts.
" Are you okay, Young Master?" His driver asked when he saw him sway a bit.
Xi Jinwei absentmindedly nodded barely registering the driver's words. He strode inside in a distracted haze, more determined than ever to solve this puzzling new case.
" Jinwei, you're finally home. How was the dinner with your friends?" His grandmother called out.
" Uh... it was fine. Here, Xue'ers mother gave me this to give to you. Some tea from...somewhere. Can I garden your flowers later please?"
The old lady looked at the tea leaves gratefully and frowned when she heard him. " Why? Are you ok?" Her forehead creased in worry.
" I'm fine. Just tired. I will just lay down for a bit." He walked upstairs and flopped down on the bed. Taking a deep and long breath, he released it slowly before his hand reached his pocket with his heart racing.
" Hello?" The voice spoke when the call set in. He couldn't help it. He had to hear her voice just to make sure. But the words could not leave his mouth while his head split in two.
"...."
" Hello? Hello? Jinwei? Are you okay?"
The silence unnerved the person on the other line and panic set in immediately.
"Oh God, Jinwei? Jinwei! Was there an accident?What is happening? M-Mom? Something happened to..." She cried in fear.
" I'm fine Xue'er." He answered finally his voice thick and gravelly with emotion the pain subsiding slightly and his tongue felt loose enough to speak.
" Jinwei. Don't do that . You scared me seven ways to hell. If you do that again, I will not talk to you ever again, even if you beg ,do you hear me?" She scolded.
" Yes Baby." He hummed with a smile. His heart rate calmed down and the throbbing of his head eased.
Finally
After a few moments of silence, Wang Linxue continued.
" So, why did you call me? You just saw me a few minutes ago. Why are you so clingy huh? You're ruining your image to me."
" I don't care. Just don't ever leave me ok? I'd be lost without you.'' He swallowed anxiously. He felt a sense of impending doom in his gut.
" Stop exaggerating Jinwei. You...you'd do great without me. Like you always do." Wang Linxue whispered shyly.
'' Promise me."
Silence rang from the mobile phone again.
" Fine, fine. I promise that I will never leave you. Never stop loving you, because, we are soulmates and we probably met and had a children together in our previous lives. Here we are again. " She joked with a laugh that shot straight into his heart.
" Mm. Keep going."
"... Jinwei, are you sure you're okay. You sound a bit down. Did something happen at home? "
" No, I just-I just miss you."
"Awww. I love you baby." Wang Linxue whispered shyly.
" I love you too Xue'er." He murmured .
He ended the call still not giving anything away about what he heard. He would go to the address and date Fu Tuying and whoever he was speaking to set.
He had to get to the bottom of this before it was too late.
****************************
"Aaaaand cut! Great job you two and I must ask, Ling Zhirou is it?" Renji Liang peered through this glasses and stared at the talent infront of him.
" Yes sir." She humbly replied.
" Well done. You are one of the few all rounders in the group today. Keep it up." He praised.
A few faces soured with envy at being outdone once more. They stared daggers at Zhirou.
But Ling Zhirou did not look at them focused solely on her script. She maintained her calm demeanor, giving her detractors no satisfaction or acknowledgement.
" Thank you sir."
Wang Linxue scoffed. She did all the work while her sister just renacted it. She knew she had decided not to enter showbiz but it was very frustrating seeing all the nights she put into doing reports and summarization for Ling Zhirou, all the credit went to her.
She stared attentively at her sister in case she needed anything or else it would give her the prerogative to indirectly mock her of not being able to do her work as assistant though she could have Sister Xu Yan or Huang Lin do it.
"Everyone take a few minutes break''. Renji Liang said and Wang Linxue almost swooned.
Again.
She hadn't mustered the courage to speak to him yet and ask for a picture or even autograph.
Only stare from afar. She had a lot of his posters on her wall and that was as close as she could get to the 27 year old star. He looked younger but as a true fan, she knew almost everything about him.
" Can you get me mineral water? My throat is feeling a bit parched." Ling Zhirou said to her standing beside her.
" Can't you just have regular water like the rest of the people here?" Wang Linxue quipped.
" Nope." She answered in a sing song voice before deepening it, " I want mineral water,unless you don't want your job anymore . That is fine by me."
" Fine, I will go buy you some. Just wait for a while ok." She answered getting up resentfully
" Good." She smiled sweetly.
The other assistants she sat with shook their head indignance and she mirror their expressions. Ling Zhirou didn't really care what others thought of her and that was actually admirable but when it came to one person , she acted like a saint who could do now wrong and it was hypocritical.
Wang Linxue walked back from the store outside the auditorium to get the mineral water. She even bought sparkling water just incase her sister asked for it. She's done something like this before.
A crashing sound echoed down the hall. She paused, recognizing the direction - the storage room near the auditorium.
There weren't many people around her since it was working hours but it was a bit weird no one had noticed.
Another bang followed, and glass shattered. Curiosity piqued, she ventured closer. Peering inside, a chaotic scene met her eyes.
Quan Fumin stood amidst the wreckage, face flushed with rage. His hands grasped for the next thing to hurl - a chair, which bounced against the wall. Shelves had been emptied, equipment strewn about. A mobile phone was scattered into different pieces of the floor.
Wang Linxue's eyebrows rose wryly. It seemed puberty's storms now raged within young Quan Fumin too. Unable to resist, she cleared her throat in mirth.
" I told you to get out of my sight. Didn't you here me?"
Quan Fumin whirled, fury swirling in his eyes ready to unleash. But finding it was her there ,his wrath sputtered into shame. A deep blush rose under his dark scowl as he avoided her amused gaze.
"Get out!" he snapped, but the venom lacked its earlier bite. His tantrum had been witnessed, boyish vulnerabilities exposed.
" I will, but could you stop destroying stuff here. Yeah Yeah, I know your family is rich and can pay for damages ,whatever. " She said a bit carefully. He could snap and bash her head in if she wasn't.
Quan Fumin fell sullenly silent at her words only his loud breaths echoed in the room.
"What's the matter?" she asked gently coming forward. He glared, turning away to hide his vulnerable expression.
"Leave me alone, it's none of your concern!" he snapped, but the fire had drained from his words. Linxue persisted with her soothing gaze.
" Yeah? But we all need someone to talk to. Besides,you're right. It is none of my concern. So just treat me like I'm air and talk to me. Come on. What do you have to lose?"
Deflating, Fumin leaned against the ravaged shelves. He silently pondered on it before staring at the girl in front of him. His gaze shook uncontrollably.
He made a resigned sigh before opening his mouth.
"My family...they disapprove of my dream to act and sing. They call it frivolous, a waste. They say I'm ungrateful after all they've done for me. Why should I mingle with low class people when I can support their reputable businesses they have. I should stop being stubborn and show familial piety. Then they act proud outside when I accomplish something and scold me in secret because I didn't do it their way ."
Wang Linxue listened empathetically as bitter words tumbled out. How his parents constantly ridiculed his aspirations, saw him as the black sheep. Her heart ached at his familial neglect. She somewhat understood how he felt. Her own father treated her similarly after Ling Zhirou came and poisoned his mind .
No wonder Quan Fumin wore his scowl like armor, to shield deep wounds. Behind prickly walls lay a sensitive soul craving acceptance.
Taking his hands in hers, he flinched but Wang Linxue didn't mind and spoke gently "Let me quote this from my recent drama. Let's see. Aha! ,' Your path is your own, my son. '""
" What?" He narrowed his eyes but his heart raced at their contact.
" Forget the last two words I said." She laughed. " I mean, you should stay true to your gift,Quan Fumin. There are those who will support you. Like your assistant. He is annoying but, he cares about you. He doesn't want anyone to corrupt you or stand in your way. That is a true friend, if you think about it. And I will support you if want. Like how any other air would, I mean." She smiled at him squeezing his hand gently.
He blushed pulling his hand away and turning away from her, his heart speeding up even faster. Her warmth began to melt frozen places in his heart.
Quan Fumin's eyes were downcast like a scolded child's, cheeks stained pink. When Linxue offered the sparkling water she had with a gentle smile, confusion creased his brow.
"What should I do with this?"
Her grin widened at his boyish innocence. "You appear to need this more than I do."
Her encouragement lifted Fumin's hung head. Tentatively, he accepted the drink with a small "thank you.
" Let's go. Don't you have rehearsals to do in the auditorium?"
Slipping from the cluttered room, Quan Fumin walked close by Linxue's side.
" Why did no one come and stop to from destroying the place?"
" I... threatened them." He shamefully answered.
" Oh."
They entered the auditorium where rehearsals bustled, but all fell quiet seeing them together.
Great! Another hot topic.
Quan Fumin's assistant seethed when she saw Wang Linxue with Young Master, yet obeyed Fumin shook his head. He sputtered about to argue but obliged when his little boss' face turned stern.
The assistant still glared at her and she stuck her tongue out in return .
Just then Renji Liang approached. "Where have you been, Fumin?" Wang Linxue froze like a startled doe at spotting her idol standing in front of her.
Quan Fumin replied casually, "Tending personal matters. It was very urgent sir."
" No worries."
Renji Liang turned to Linxue inquisitively. Her mouth opened and closed as he studied her carefully for the first time.
"Such a lovely lass, have you considered modeling?" He flashed a sparkling smile and glided away, leaving Wang Linxue dizzy with elation.
" W-Wait!" She called after Renji Liang before realizing she'd yelled. Slapping a hand over her mouth, her brown eyes went wide as deer in headlights.
Renji paused, looking back with an amused grin. Linxue lowered her hand slowly. "M-may I trouble you for an autograph?" she asked meekly.
"Anything for such a pretty fan," he chuckled, charm sparkling in his clever eyes. Wang Linxue gasped happily, running back to her seat fumbling through her bag.
At last she produced her lyric book, holding it out to him bashfully. Renji took pages, perusing the book to see before signing his name with flourish.
"Thank you for your support," he, handed the book back with a wink. Then he sauntered away, leaving Linxue spellbound in his wake.
Ling Zhirou approached her sister eyebrows raised at her starstruck eyes, "Where is my water?" she said wryly.
Oh right.
*******************************
The sun hung low as Linxue exited the bustling auditorium, exhaustion pulling at her limbs after a long day. She had to go home or risk the nagging of Mr Nuo . He has started to like he was her father , which he was not.
Nagging her if she had studied, eaten, or if she wants something.
He should just be with her mother and stay out of her life. She already had been disappointed by one father, she didn't need another.
But she could not just say it outright like that though.
But it also felt kinda nice too.
As she began the walk home, a familiar figure caught her eye. Quan Fumin stood alone by the road side distracted gaze drifting the sunset skies. On impulse, Linxue called out " Quan Fumin!"
He turned, eyes widening slightly at her approach. Then a small smile tugged at his lips.
Wang Linxue giggled. Was that a smile she saw? "I was about to head home. Why are you standing here by yourself?"
" My assistant is going to bring the car. He has taken long, I wonder....
Quan Fumin stopped and let out a mocking huff. "Since when have we been friends?" But as he began to saunter away, he paused and glanced back over his shoulder.
Wang Linxue rolled her eyes at him with a shake of her head. Then slowly, a genuine smile broke across Fumin's stern features, softening harsh planes. He gave a subtle nod.
" See ya." He waved at her when the car arrived. The assistant rolled the glass down and made the 'I got my eye on you sign' with his two fingers pointing to his eyes then at her before driving off.
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