Chapter 63: Someone Always Comes for You

Chapter 63: Someone Always Comes for You

Chen Moubai had initially believed that, as an actor with control over his expressions, he could at least rein in the smile on his face. But when the God of Wealth suddenly grinned, he couldn't hold back.

It was now hard to justify the term "smiling lips."

The domineering Huo CEO lived up to his reputation, and true to his word, he continued playing the latter half of the piece, enduring it himself as much as he inflicted it on others.

He felt that even the God of Wealth struggled to bear the sound, but he chose to stand by his words and soldiered on.

As the other side persisted, so did Chen Moubai, every cell in his face working overtime.

When the unsettling nocturne finally ended, it was unclear who was more exhausted.

This time, professional Chen Moubai firmly suppressed the corners of his mouth, meeting the God of Wealth's gaze head-on. With a serious lift of his head, he said, "President Huo played beautifully."

He added earnestly, "It was deafening and thought-provoking."

A nocturne that was deafening – this was nothing but a string of empty compliments.

Fortunately, President Huo didn't expect anything more poetic from him. He reached out to flip through the sheet music and asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to hear?"

Chen Bai's eyes widened beneath his tousled hair. "President Huo is still going?"

President Huo replied, "If it sounds good, I'll try a few more."

Following the logic from before, since playing here wouldn't disturb anyone, if it sounded good, he would play more.

Chen Moubai felt that he counted as someone who could be disturbed.

Given that he could hang out with Zhang, it seemed the God of Wealth wasn't entirely devoid of fun and had a streak of mischief in him.

Casually pushing away the stray locks that fell into his face, he stopped the God of Wealth from flipping through the sheet music. "Boss, take a break. Let me do it."

President Huo chuckled.

And so, Master Chen returned to the piano stool. This time, instead of saying "anything," the God of Wealth requested the same nocturne he had just played.

Having just listened to President Huo's deafening masterpiece, even a professional like Master Chen found it hard not to laugh while playing the same piece.

It was better to play it himself than to have the God of Wealth do it again. That night, through his own efforts, he successfully earned a miserable fee of two hundred thousand yuan.

For the rest of the evening, neither he nor the God of Wealth touched their phones, except when it came to transferring money.

With a last-minute payday, receiving his salary in person, Master Chen slept a little more soundly that night.

The next day was New Year's Eve.

Through years of training, Chen Moubai had become adept at waking up early despite late nights, thanks to his alarm clock.

His mind might not be fully awake, but his body was up and moving.

Slipping out of his pajamas and into loungewear, he drifted downstairs like a ghost, greeting Huo Qing and Auntie Zhang, who had also just come down.

After exchanging greetings, he walked to the window, half-opening his eyes to look outside.

Huo Qing joined him, asking, "What's Brother Bai looking at?"

"Nothing," Chen Bai ran a hand through his hair and said, "The weather forecast predicted snow."

It had been saying that since yesterday, yet no snow had fallen all day, making the prediction seem rather dubious.

Huo Qing glanced at the sky and said, "It might snow today."

Ms. Zhang, already in the dining room, beckoned them over.

Huo Chuan was the last one to descend the stairs.

Upon seeing the disheveled figure already seated in the dining room, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. Taking a sip from the water glass on the table, he said, "You're awake?"

Chen Bai propped his chin up and lifted his head. "Indeed."

There was an inexplicable hint of pride in his tone.

The God of Wealth asked, "Did you go to bed at two?"

Chen Bai held up his fingers to indicate a short distance and laughed. "A bit earlier, I went to bed at half past one."

It was indeed only slightly earlier.

Realizing that half past one referred to half past one in the morning, Ms. Zhang, who religiously went to bed at eight every night, was taken aback. She then scrutinized his complexion and asked, "Why did you get up so early after staying up so late?"

She exclaimed in genuine concern, "Breakfast can be saved by the kitchen. It's bad for your health to not get enough sleep."

She was a staunch advocate of early bedtime.

Chen Moubai nodded in agreement.

Compared to his time on set, his sleep duration had increased significantly, which was more than sufficient for him. Sufficient, but he didn't elaborate, simply assuring her with a series of affirmatives to put her mind at ease.

"…"

Huo Qing, who occasionally stayed up until two herself, sat silently on the side, temporarily avoiding the spotlight. Initially, she hadn't intended to speak, but then she realized something and asked her brother, "How did you know he went to bed at two?"

Ms. Zhang, who hadn't caught on to this detail, also turned to look.

Chen Bai answered for him, "We had a brief chat last night."

And they also briefly enjoyed President Huo's generous offering of a nocturne.

"..."

At the thought of the serenade, the sounds from last night echoed in Chen Moubai's mind, lingering for a moment before fading away. He quickly lowered his head, his hand supporting his chin subtly moving up to cover his lips that were struggling to contain a smile.

Sometimes, having a good memory wasn't always ideal.

The person holding the water cup glanced down at him but chose not to expose his barely concealed laughter this time, withdrawing their gaze to take a sip of water.

—Detective Huo Qing furrowed her brows, sensing that something was amiss.

Something seemed to have happened between these two when they weren't around yesterday. She felt like she woke up to find her brother had undergone some subtle changes.

Something had occurred, but no one told her about it. Second Brother Bai chatted with them as usual without mentioning anything about last night, and her brother was even less likely to speak up.

Her curiosity unsatisfied, the topic was skipped over, and time moved on to the afternoon.

Today, there was no scorching sun outside, so in the afternoon, everyone stayed in the living room at home instead of going out to the courtyard.

Initially, they sat on the sofa looking for something to watch on TV. Later, the pastry chef mentioned baking cookies, and driven by the desire to exchange experiences and learn, Chen Moubai went to the kitchen to join in.

Huo Qing, the young miss who had never set foot in a kitchen since birth, also joined in, albeit clueless but now equipped with her own apron.

Chef Chen, who already had ample experience making small cookies, and the pastry chef conducted a targeted tutorial for her, ensuring that neither the flour nor the butter would be wasted, successfully salvaging the situation.

After kneading the dough, it was time to shape the cookies. There were molds available, making the process simple, convenient, and quick.

Chef Chen shaped other forms by hand while wearing gloves, without using any molds, and Huo Qing followed suit, attempting to do the same.

What she created couldn't be defined by conventional standards of beauty or ugliness; it belonged to the realm of abstraction.

"..."

Staring at her creation for a long time, she finally decided, "Don't waste it. Give this to my brother to eat."

Chef Chen nodded in agreement. "Good idea."

The two quickly reached a consensus. The pastry chef, standing nearby, glanced at the abstract cookie, then at their brother who just entered the dining area for a drink. Ultimately, he chose to look away, quietly and diligently continuing to make cookies using the molds.

Unaware that someone had briefly visited the dining room, halfway through shaping the cookies, the phone in Chen Moubai's pocket vibrated. Chef Chen temporarily removed his gloves amidst his busy work and pulled out his phone to check.

It was a message from Ms. Jiang, asking if he was working at the moment.

He was technically working, but could still take a call. After saying he'd be back shortly, he took his phone to an empty corridor.

Ms. Jiang usually sent such messages when she wanted to discuss something. Indeed, after he replied, she called.

On the call, Ms. Jiang began with routine greetings, asking if he had eaten on time and whether his work was tiring.

With meals included in his job, which essentially involved playing, Chef Chen ate more regularly than when he was alone at home. He felt that this kind of work shouldn't be considered exhausting from any perspective.

So he modestly replied, "Not too bad."

Then he asked, "Auntie, is there something you need?"

Ms. Jiang didn't have any specific matter, she just wanted to know what he liked to eat, if he had any dietary restrictions, and other things.

With several days left until their visit, Ms. Jiang had already started planning the menu, determined to satisfy all his cravings and desires within those few days.

She sighed, saying, "Xu Sinian would definitely know. I wanted to ask him and surprise you later, but he's busy and hasn't replied." That's why she ended up calling Chen Moubai.

Sitting on a small stool by the window, Chen Moubai, who was easy to please, didn't have any dietary restrictions. He casually listed a few dishes he often enjoyed with his good neighbor, then remembered something and asked, "Was Xu Sinian also working at this time before?"

Ms. Jiang confirmed, saying, "That man works year-round, regardless of holidays."

She explained that the situation had been similar for many years. They could find time to meet occasionally, so it wasn't necessary to see each other specifically during the New Year's holiday. Over the years, they had become accustomed to this arrangement.

That meant he had spent many consecutive years in the crew during the holidays. Chen Bai's fingers, resting on the chair, twitched slightly.

Seemingly aware of what he might be thinking, Aunt Jiang from the other side said, "We've gotten used to it over the years, and so has he. Don't dwell on this. Remember to rest early once your work is done."

He agreed, and after she finished asking what she needed to know, she said she wouldn't disturb his work further. They bid each other farewell and hung up.

The call ended, but the phone screen remained lit, displaying a series of notifications from various apps and messages from friends, mostly congratulating him on the New Year's Eve.

Having not celebrated the New Year since high school, the most vivid memory he had of holidays was the triple pay. It wasn't until he saw these messages that he gained a sense of reality about the New Year.

After sitting on the chair for a while, he responded to the other messages, put his phone away, and stood up, returning to the kitchen.

In the brief time it took for him to make the call, by the time he re-entered the kitchen and put his gloves back on, Miss Huo had already created another abstract masterpiece and was contemplating how to deal with it.

If it really couldn't be salvaged, the dough could be flattened and remade, but she was reluctant to part with her somewhat artistic abstract creation. So she turned around and silently placed her work next to his, deciding, "Let's consider this as something Second Brother Bai made for my brother."

Thus, the victim was still presumed to be the God of Wealth.

Indeed, she was his real sister.

Chef Chen accepted the masterpiece without returning it.

That day, the pastry chef and the two people who entered the kitchen together had a great time.

The result of their joy was that the number of cookies far exceeded expectations. The plate holding the cookies was overflowing. The remaining small cookies were packed into special bags. Chef Chen received a bag of cookies he made himself, perfect to take back to his room for a late-night snack.

When the plate of cookies was brought to the table, if he wasn't mistaken, both the God of Wealth and his mother's eyebrows twitched upon seeing the two incredibly conspicuous abstract cookies.

Huo Qing looked at her brother and introduced, "This one is specially made for you by me, and this one is made for you by Brother Bai."

Chen Moubai watched from the side, feeling that both abstract cookies looked as if they were made by the same person.

Ms. Zhang avoided the abstract cookies, her raised eyebrows lowering again.

Eating while watching TV, the entire plate of cookies, along with two abstract stars, were gracefully consumed as a compliment to their presence.

Today's dinner was known as the New Year's Eve feast, an abundant spread gracing the table.

Aunt Zhang, being somewhat physically inconvenienced, had Huo Qing take over her phone to snap a photo of the table. She captured the moment against the backdrop of the rapidly darkening winter sky, which had already turned pitch black by dinnertime. Aunt Zhang was delighted tonight; her smile never left her face, and she even broke her routine by staying up until nine o'clock. It was only after the caregiver reminded her that she finally bid everyone goodnight and was wheeled back to her room.

The tradition of staying awake all night on New Year's Eve wasn't strictly followed here, as it was generally agreed that early to bed and early to rise was better for one's health. The lights in the mansion remained on even after Aunt Zhang retired to rest. Following suit, Chen Bai also headed to his room, took a shower, and changed into his pajamas.

As the night wore on, messages on his phone multiplied. While drying his hair, he noticed a message from his good neighbor.

Sent during his shower, the sender likely assumed he was still working, so instead of calling, they typed out:

"Finish work around eleven."

"Sleep early tonight."

The first message was a response to his earlier inquiry about work, while the second was a personal note, probably sent during a break.

Cross-legged on the bed, he reached to reply when something outside the floor-to-ceiling window caught his attention. Chen Bai turned just in time to see a firework suddenly bloom in the sky.

Being near the outskirts of the city, there weren't many people around. It was quiet, and far enough from where the fireworks were launched that he could see them but not hear the sound.

Setting his phone aside, he got out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and pushed open the tightly shut window. As soon as the window opened, a cold gust of wind hit him, causing his loose strands of hair to flutter backward.

The firework he saw seemed like a prelude, as more and more fireworks began to ascend, bursting silently and brilliantly in the dark night sky, creating a continuous spectacle of colors and twinkling lights.

Light extinguished in darkness, only to be replaced by new fireworks. Their existence was brief yet dazzling.

"..."

His pale gray eyes reflected the intermittent flashes of light, and at the end of his gaze, he could faintly make out the illuminated skyscrapers in the distance.

In the chilly night breeze, Chen Bai reached up to hold down his hair, constantly blown by the wind. Without much thought or reason, the instant his cool fingertips touched his temple, he turned and walked back into the room.

Closing the window, he put on his coat over his pajamas, donned his hat, grabbed his phone, and finally picked up the small cookies left on the table. Without needing any further preparation, he opened the door to his room.

Descending the stairs, the living room was still brightly lit, and he happened to meet Huo Qing, who was coming downstairs in search of a midnight snack.

Seeing that he was already dressed in his coat, Huo Qing paused mid-step toward the kitchen and asked, "Second Brother Bai, are you going out?"

Chen Erbai nodded, confirming her observation.

Huo Qing was momentarily taken aback, glancing between the dark sky outside and him before asking, "Now?"

It was a rhetorical question, but the person descending the stairs patiently replied, "Yes, I'm meeting a friend."

The term 'friend' is usually a general reference, but when he used it, it often referred to a specific individual. Recalling the man she had glimpsed once in the hospital, Huo Qing promptly said, "I'll find Uncle Li to drive you."

Uncle Li was the chauffeur. Chen Bai waved his hand, declining the offer. "I've called a taxi; it should be nearby within three kilometers, arriving shortly."

While most people choose to return home at this hour, some seize the opportunity to work during this lucrative time. Although they were close to the outskirts, as long as it wasn't a completely uninhabited area, one could typically hail a taxi.

He changed into his shoes and bid farewell with a smile.

Before he left entirely, Huo Qing timely informed him, "The gatekeepers work in shifts; no matter what time you return, someone will be there to open the gate."

The man in the hat acknowledged her words with a nod and waved goodbye.

This time, he truly departed.

Casually closing the mansion's main door behind him, Chen Bai crossed the courtyard, walked through the garden beds, greeted the gatekeeper, and under his watchful eye, stepped out of the classical arched gate.

After the time it took to cross the courtyard and waiting for two minutes at the entrance, a car approached from the highway and came to a smooth stop. Seeing that there was indeed someone waiting, the driver let out a sigh of relief.

Getting into the car, fastening his seatbelt, and watching the scenery pass by, Chen Bai greeted the driver.

The car was warm inside due to the heater, significantly warmer than the outdoors. The driver focused intently on the mountain road ahead without much conversation until they descended from the winding mountain path, at which point he visibly relaxed.

Leaning back slightly, the driver casually asked, "Why are you out so late, young man?"

Still traveling from one city fringe to another, the journey would take approximately two hours.

Chen Bai gave the same answer: "To meet a friend."

Drivers are accustomed to chatting with passengers, and the driver subconsciously responded, "How so?"

How so.

Glancing at the time on his phone, Chen Bai looked up again, gazing out the window at the fireworks continuously rising, blooming, and fading away. He smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because I don't want to have any regrets."

During that winter vacation of his second year of high school, he didn't anticipate that the ordinary and short-lived New Year celebration would be the last complete one he would experience.

Back then, he was also sitting in his room, quietly watching the fireworks rise and disappear.

The future was uncertain, so he chose to seize the present.

The driver chuckled, briefly lifting his eyes to the fireworks illuminating the sky at the end of the road, and said, "The fireworks at midnight will be even more beautiful."

Chen Bai smiled. "Is that so?"

With few cars on the road, the driver noticed that Chen Bai was still wearing his pajamas beneath his coat and assumed he was in a hurry. Thus, he slightly increased his speed, swiftly passing by the city's towering buildings.

Swooping past the high-rise buildings, the vehicle finally entered the old district where there were fewer people, coming to a gradual stop by the roadside.

They had arrived.

After paying the fare, Chen Bai opened the car door and got out. Through the window, he waved at the driver and said, "Uncle, Happy New Year. May your wealth flow like a river next year."

The driver smiled genuinely and imitated his gesture, waving back.

As the vehicle departed from the curb, the person standing in place looked across the Skyway at the brightly lit hotel, illuminated by the colorful lights on the nearby tree. He then picked up his phone and glanced at the time displayed on its screen.

"23:55"

---

In the hotel.

Rushing to meet their deadline earlier that afternoon, the crew had skipped dinner. After wrapping up the day's shoot, they decided to have their meal at the hotel.

Having finished their filming tasks ahead of schedule at ten-thirty, it took them several minutes to pack up. By eleven o'clock, over a hundred members of the production team had gradually gathered in the hotel restaurant. This evening's feast would serve as their New Year's Eve dinner.

Xu Sinian made a symbolic appearance, sitting at the main table with the director and producers. Dinner was a quick affair for him, and while seated, his most frequent action was picking up his phone.

He did nothing else but take a glance.

Once again lifting his phone, he lowered his head to look at the unresponsive message interface. Leaning back in his chair, he downed a sip of water, eyes cast downward.

His frequent phone-checking didn't go unnoticed, even by the director sitting beside him, who turned to ask, "Is something the matter?"

Turning off the phone screen, Xu Sinian placed the water cup down and tersely replied, "Nothing."

He assumed that the other party was still working and hadn't had the time to respond.

To be working at this hour meant that, according to that person's habits, they would be up late once again tonight.

As the water cup hit the table, the previously silent phone suddenly lit up.

A faint vibration accompanied the illumination.

Though the sound was soft, those seated nearby could hear it. Several individuals who had set their phones to vibrate mode instantly reached into their pockets. Just as they touched their own motionless devices, they noticed the man who had been sitting quietly pick up his phone and stand up.

It was Xu Sinian's phone that had rung.

The entire table watched as he walked to the less crowded area near the corridor by the window to answer the call. It seemed as though only two sentences were exchanged before he turned around, phone in hand, looking down toward the street below. Then, he pressed the button for the elevator.

As the elevator ascended, it would take some time for it to return. He thus headed straight for the stairs on one side.

In just a moment, the figure disappeared from view at the stairwell.

"..."

Holding his phone, Xu Sinian descended the stairs and exited the hotel lobby, stepping into the cold wind of the street. Listening to the voice coming from the phone, he gazed at the empty, deserted street.

The lights on the roadside flickered, but there was not a soul in sight.

"Wrong, look up."

With the phone in one hand, listening to the voice emanating from the earpiece, he seemed to sense something and turned to look up. There, he saw a figure swiftly crossing the Skyway.

Descending the Skyway stairs, the familiar silhouette suddenly burst into his dark pupils.

The side of the face was illuminated by the phone's light. The person descending the stairs held tightly onto the precious hat that couldn't be lost, rapidly taking three or two steps at a time, the white coat's hem fluttering.

Again, the familiar way of descending the stairs. His pupils slightly dilated, Xu Sinian involuntarily raised his hand.

Unable to use either hand due to the rapid descent, the person running toward him failed to brake in time. This time, unable to stop, they lunged forward.

The wind rushed towards him, and Xu Sinian was caught in a full-body tackle, taking half a step backward. One hand buried itself in the soft hair, and this time, he finally caught the person steadily. The familiar, faint scent filled his nostrils.