Chapter 74: When Are You Coming Back

Chapter 74: When Are You Coming Back

"..."

Oh ho.

A group of people fell silent, unable to speak. Zhang Wenxuan couldn't think of what to say for a moment, and his friends tried to prompt him to speak, but after much urging, no one dared to step forward and talk.

As this side remained quiet, the person on the other end asked again, "Hello?"

Indeed, he hadn't misheard; it was clearly a voice that had been crying!

Instantly, the group of friends dared not make a sound, all nudging Zhang Wenxuan with their elbows.

If they didn't speak up soon, the call would be hung up as if it were from a strange number. Zhang Wenxuan had no choice but to take over. Clearing his throat, he tried to keep his voice as light as possible, "Ah... it's me."

Finally getting an answer, the person on the other end still greeted him politely at this time, asking what he wanted.

What did he want?

He had called to confirm the person's state and say some kind words, but now there was no need to confirm the state, nor was there a need to say any comforting words. The other party clearly already knew about the online situation.

That was indeed a solid fact, without any misunderstanding.

After thinking it through, Zhang Wenxuan couldn't come up with anything to say, so he closed and opened his mouth, trying to make conversation by asking, "Are you crying?"

It was a silly question, even bordering on pouring oil on the fire. One of his friends directly smacked him on the head.

The person on the other end said, "No."

As he spoke, there was a faint sound of him sniffing.

Zhang Wenxuan: "…"

The group of friends: "…"

Chen Yibai really wasn't crying; he just had a cold that had rapidly worsened in a short amount of time.

His agent dropped him off at home, and after taking another hot shower, it was already late. It was too late for streaming but too early for sleeping. After answering Aunt Jiang's call, he started to inventory the things given by Caisen. He had just begun when he received the call.

Including his agent, this was the second person today who said he sounded like he was crying.

Running out in the heavy rain wasn't something he could easily admit himself, so he simply denied it.

After a few rounds of conversation, he still didn't understand why the other party had called, but he didn't ask further, treating it as just another person to chat with.

While listening to the person speak, he wandered around the living room, remembering that the items given by Caisen weren't here, so he returned to the bedroom.

The watch he had bought previously was still on the cabinet, unopened, along with the keychain.

His keys already had the keychain that Good Neighbor gave him when they went to the Yeh General Assembly, so this item wasn't very useful and could only be placed here.

Fortunately, the brand's shopping bag from when they sent clothes last time was still there. He put the watch and keychain together in the shopping bag and then rummaged through the closet.

...Not good.

His nose started to itch again, so he turned around mid-way to find tissues.

Listening to the commotion on this side, the person on the other end of the phone didn't dare to make a sound. Not until the noise turned into the sound of a drawer opening did Zhang Wenxuan dare to ask, "What are you doing over there?"

His voice was lighter than when he was scolded by his grandfather.

Clamping the phone between his ear and shoulder, Chen Bai tidied up the clothes that Caisen had given him when he got caught in the rain and went to his house long ago, saying, "I'm tidying up."

—Tidying up was a good way to divert attention. Remembering to actively divert attention at this time indicated that he was still facing the matter positively.

There was still hope.

A group of people on the small phone screen looked at each other, feeling that the situation seemed to be alright.

After all, they had known each other for nearly two years. Although they didn't understand what exactly attracted them to him, they did indeed love him. Things seemed to be slightly better than they had imagined.

Zhang Wenxuan thought for a while but couldn't figure out how to respond, so he said, "Good."

He was a professional at making conversation when there was nothing to say.

Putting the clothes into another shopping bag, Chen Bai finally freed up his hands, stretched his shoulders, and holding the phone, asked, "Do you have time these next few days?"

A sudden question came, causing the person on the other end of the phone to sit straight up, and his friends also tensed up.

At this time, asking if he had time probably meant he wanted to discuss Yang Shu's matter.

Facing such a difficult task, Zhang Wenxuan cursed Huochuan again in his heart, but his voice remained unusually gentle, "Yes, yes, what's up?"

Putting the shopping bags together, Chen Bai said, "I want to ask you for a favor."

He said, "I've just packed up some of President Huo's things here. When you have time, I hope you can help me return them."

These items were all related to work, and he never intended to keep them from the moment he received them.

No matter how good the office facilities were, you couldn't take them away when you left.

Knowing that Caisen must have been busy with his childhood friend's matters during this time, the considerate Chen Moubai didn't want to disturb him. Also, because mailing the items would require additional insurance fees, which wouldn't be worth it, he decided to deliver them manually, asking Caisen's best buddy to help return them.

"…"

Silence fell on the other end of the phone.

After a while, Zhang Wenxuan cautiously asked, "This is...?"

It seemed slightly off, uncertain, prompting a need for further observation.

Chen Bai said, "Since we won't be seeing each other much from now on, I wanted to return these things first."

Now it wasn't just a vague sense of something being amiss—it was clearly wrong.

His legs restless, Zhang Wenxuan stood up, causing the others to stir as well. He asked, "What do you mean by 'not seeing each other much'?"

Then they heard the person on the other end of the phone chuckle lightly, saying, "This is the end; there won't be many opportunities to meet in the future."

The end.

"…" Oh, dear.

This wasn't about facing things positively; it was about letting go directly.

A simple sentence chilled everyone's hearts.

Regardless of whether he had time to help with the delivery, Zhang Wenxuan wiped his sweat and said, "Let's put aside the matter of returning things for now. There's a reason for today's incident…"

He didn't know what reason there could possibly be, but he needed to keep the person calm.

In the brightly lit room, Chen Bai carried the handbag from the bedroom to the living room, answering the phone, "I know."

He asked, "Do you have time before tomorrow evening?"

Aunt Jiang, unusually not asleep early, called him. As expected, once she called, he couldn't hide his cold. Ms. Jiang informed him that they would both attend the birthday banquet of the God of Wealth the next day. Afterward, they would take him home to recover from his illness, likely until his next job began. During this period, he would be staying there, making the transfer of work inconvenient.

—He definitely couldn't accept the items; accepting them would mean their relationship was truly severed. His friend frantically gestured in disagreement, and Zhang Wenxuan knew the logic behind it. He said, "Tomorrow…?"

"Is it not possible?"

A faint voice, somewhat hoarse, with a heavier nasal tone than before, almost unrecognizable from its usual clear and cheerful timbre.

Facing the gazes of his friends, Zhang Wenxuan closed and opened his eyes, his lips twitching slightly. In the end, he said, "…Yes."

Having received an affirmative answer and agreed upon a time, Chen Moubai said goodbye and hung up the call. Tossing the phone onto the table, he realized he still wasn't sure why Zhang had made the call.

The other party hadn't mentioned it themselves, so it must not have been important.

On the other side, after hanging up, Zhang Wenxuan held the phone, immediately receiving criticism from his friends: "How could you agree!"

Everyone knew this wasn't something one should agree to!

Putting down the phone, Zhang Wenxuan stubbornly said, "Or you could refuse?"

He looked at another friend, asking randomly, "Would you dare to refuse?"

Not satisfied with singling out one, he pointed at another, "Would you dare?"

"…"

The friends questioned were momentarily speechless.

In such a situation, listening to the voice on the other end, whoever refused would be considered a beast.

"Well, there you have it," Zhang Wenxuan clapped his hands. "You don't want to be that beast, and neither do I."

He threw the phone onto the table. "Regardless, it's Huochuan's own business. I'm done meddling."

A friend asked, "So you're really going tomorrow?"

He opened his eyes wide. "Or should I learn from Huochuan and stand him up?"

That meant he would definitely go, and he had to.

Suddenly becoming a brave warrior facing a storm, his friend patted him on the shoulder.

—

The next day was overcast, the heavy rain finally stopping in the afternoon. Puddles lingered on the roadside, reflecting the clouds above and the glow of streetlights. Leaving the banquet early in the evening, Zhang Wenxuan headed to the arranged meeting place.

Not wanting to burden someone with delivering items during such weather, the chosen meeting spot was actually right outside the entrance of the other party's residential complex, suggested by him.

Occasionally, people passed by the entrance of the residential area at night. He got out of the car and immediately spotted the figure wearing a hat and mask, squatting by the roadside.

Only those in that profession would need to wear hats and masks outdoors in summer. It felt like they hadn't seen each other for some time, or perhaps because of the light summer clothing, the person appeared noticeably thinner.

As he approached, the other party sensed the movement and slightly lifted the brim of the hat, looking over.

The eyes beneath the brim reflected the light, faintly red-rimmed, the corners drooping, visibly weary. The person stood up and greeted him.

The voice was as hoarse as yesterday. Seeing the person's appearance, all the words he had planned to say on the way here became irrelevant. Zhang Wenxuan hastily returned the greeting, reaching out to take the handed-over handbag, only daring to ask, "Are you feeling better now?"

The handbag glided through the air, along with nearly two years of time, effortlessly transferred. Light and weightless, it happened in an instant.

Sniffing, Chen Moubai, with his eyes wide open, said, "Probably."

Probably not improved at all. Last night, thinking that he wouldn't be staying here for a while again, he spent the late hours cleaning his house. Today, when he woke up, his head seemed even more muddled.

Zhang Wenxuan thought it was reasonable; such things couldn't suddenly improve overnight. Knowing that it wasn't appropriate to dwell on these matters, he changed the subject, asking, "What are your plans afterward?"

"Rest for a few days," Chen Yibai pondered briefly before saying, "And then probably back to work."

His money-making partner was still discussing work matters; they would likely consult him in the next couple of days.

Rest and work, straightforward and leaving no room for anything else. Looking at the blue-and-white mask covering the person's face, Zhang Wenxuan ultimately refrained from saying more, only managing to say, "Take care of your health."

The other party had already handed him several handbags, still holding one in his hand. Thinking it might have been overlooked, he looked down and asked, "This is?"

"I'm going to hang out at a friend's place," Chen Bai smiled, saying, "These are gifts for them."

Zhang Wenxuan glanced at the time: "Wait a moment?"

Chen Bai nodded. Zhang Wenxuan then said, "Good." It was better than being alone.

It didn't take much time; the gifts had already been handed over. Chen Bai waved his hand, thanked him, and said goodbye.

There was indeed no reason to linger. Zhang Wenxuan could only acknowledge it, turning halfway to leave before looking back and saying, "If anything happens, let me know."

Chen Bai smiled and nodded.

Zhang Wenxuan left, carrying several bags of hot potatoes. After getting in the car, he placed the scalding items to the side and exhaled.

The driver was a friend, curious about the situation but too timid to face it directly, so he took on the role of a temporary chauffeur, observing quietly from the vehicle.

It was hard to see clearly at night, especially with the man on the street wearing a hat, half of his face in shadow and the other half hidden behind a mask. The friend couldn't discern much, so as Chen Bai got in, he started the car and asked, "What's the verdict?"

"What can I say?" Zhang Wenxuan replied, "I didn't even dare to look into his eyes."

At such a critical juncture in their relationship, the other person had backed out, all for the sake of meeting his first love. Even Zhang Wenxuan felt a pang every time he heard about it, let alone the person involved.

"So what's Mr. Huo's stance on this?" the friend asked, "Is it possible that this whole thing is falling apart?"

Zhang Wenxuan said, "He wants to clear things up with Yang Shu first before we talk about anything else."

Mentioning these two names triggered an immediate headache. Thankfully, after a day had passed, his emotions weren't as intense as before, allowing him to approach the matter more calmly.

At least the person wasn't planning to abandon Chen Yibai and get entangled with Yang Shu again. He finally said he would resolve things with Yang Shu.

He scoffed, saying, "Clear things up and then talk. He's really confident that Chen Yibai will wait for him until then."

Not having experienced such love himself, he couldn't understand the feelings of someone who was loved. Without making further comments, he leaned back and said, "By the time he slowly resolves everything, someone might have already taken the lead. Then he'll just have to cry about it."

---

As soon as Zhang left, Ms. Jiang and her companion arrived, taking Chen Moubai with them.

Muffled by his mask, he still insisted on showing Aunt Jiang and Uncle Xu the small cakes he brought.

Yesterday, while working, his assistant bought some special-tasting cakes near the hotel. His first thought was to share them with his good neighbor and his kind aunt and uncle.

Today, he searched online and found that there was also a chain store nearby, a bit far away, but not inconvenient. He bought some before Zhang arrived.

His small cakes received unanimous praise, while his cold was met with unanimous criticism.

It wasn't because of the rain that he was scolded; mainly, Ms. Jiang had repeatedly emphasized that if there were any health issues, they must be reported immediately. This time, if not for a sudden phone call, he would have almost gotten away with hiding it.

The criticism came in the form of the two of them seriously reminding him not to hide illnesses.

Chen Moubai, whose attempt to hide his condition failed, nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at grain, and offered more cakes.

As soon as he handed over the small cakes, Ms. Jiang couldn't hold back her smile, breaking into laughter instantly. She accepted the cake and reached up to tousle his messy hair.

Bowing his head to let her do as she pleased, Chen Moubai smiled with his eyes.

Four days later, upon returning, he took his medicine and had a historic early night's sleep.

The next day, his agent indeed called to discuss future work.

The call came just as he was watching Ms. Jiang and Mr. Xu go to work in the courtyard, where there happened to be no sun, allowing him to squat down and answer the call right there.

His money-making partner was considerate, first checking on his cold before proceeding to the main topic once she confirmed he was still alive.

Chen Yibai thanked her for her concern and assured her that it was just a minor cold, and living wasn't an issue.

The agent said, "There's a variety show coming up. I wonder if you're interested."

When she put it that way, it usually meant she believed he would be interested. Feeling a bit tired from standing, Chen Yibai squatted down and said, "Tell me more."

The details were that the variety show's production team had recently approached them with a historically high salary, hoping he could join as a guest star.

The show was called "Living Together," and as the name suggested, the guests lived together, experiencing life in various roles different from their usual lives. It had already produced many episodes, maintaining high popularity and a steady fan base.

Guest stars weren't permanent fixtures, only needing to film one or a few episodes, adjustable according to their schedules.

The high salary had its reasons. The agent explained, "This program originally followed a script, filming and editing accordingly. This time, they've made a big change, switching to a live format without a script. Most of the previous guests couldn't accept this and terminated their contracts. Starting from your episode, the lineup of guests is basically being completely refreshed. They may not be able to secure top-tier artists with suitable schedules, inviting you to stabilize the show and bring in buzz."

Like films and TV dramas, variety shows typically had scripts to save on shooting costs and time, which was also convenient for the guests.

However, "Living" managed to find a wealthy investor, and with the funds in hand, they promptly reformed the show, changing it to a post-broadcast editing format.

The absence of a script inevitably led to a significant increase in wasted footage. Filming for an entire day might result in very few usable scenes, and it was easy to capture awkward moments where the guests struggled to converse.

With little personal benefit, a high risk of damaging one's image, and the unpredictability of live broadcasts, few artists would actually accept the invitation. As a result, the production team had to offer high salaries to attract people who naturally brought attention and were suitable for variety shows.

Objectively speaking, although Chen Yibai primarily focused on acting, his personality was well-suited for variety shows. He could connect with anyone, always ready to chat, genuine without any pretense, a natural-born variety show saint.

After a brief introduction, the agent quoted a seven-digit figure.

Chen Yibai's hand, which had been pulling weeds from the ground while on the call, froze instantly. No longer bothering with the weeds, he cautiously asked, "For real?"

The agent patiently repeated herself, saying, "Absolutely true."

The weed exterminator, who couldn't help but become one whenever he made a call, finally stood up, sparing the remaining few weeds.

Accepting a variety show didn't require much deliberation. As long as the gold coins were in place, a diligent worker snapped his fingers and agreed.

The agent had anticipated this outcome. Understanding the importance of priorities, she mentioned the potential filming locations and approximate times only after stating the price.

The high quote was partly due to the production team's urgent need for personnel, as they were set to start next week.

Next week, the production would begin.

Comparing the dates with the time of next week, Chen Moubai could no longer hold back his sobbing, tears streaming down like wide noodles.

Though unseen, his agent sensed something amiss and asked him what was wrong.

His friend-minded brain wiped away tears in a primary school manner: "I miss my friend."

"..."

The agent then remembered that this person's good friend just happened to be finishing work next week. By the timeline, it was a perfect miss.

Over a month without seeing each other, for someone with an incurable case of friend-mindedness, it was likely nearing their limit.

She paused, then comforted him: "When your 'Blossom Record' is released, if you can win Best Supporting Actor and a few more awards, perhaps you'll be able to work with your friend in the future."

The release was not until the Spring Festival, and the awards even further into next year, uncertain at best. Her words offered some solace, but not much, as the friend-minded tears continued to flow uncontrollably.

Realizing that her words were not enough, the agent said: "I'm going to hang up now. If you miss your friend, call him yourself and honestly tell him you miss him; telling me won't help."

True to her word, she hung up, the phone emitting a "beep" sound followed by a black screen.

As the screen went dark, the person who had stood up squatted down again, beside the bushes, re-illuminating the screen while tears streamed down. He found his ever-pinned good neighbor.

He felt that his money-making partner was absolutely right and decided to follow through.

His good neighbor might still be working, so he chose to send a voice message instead of calling.

In a lounge across several city districts,

Having just finished a take, Xu Sinian took a sip of water handed to him by his assistant, signaling the end of the morning's work. Another assistant remarked, "Teacher Xu, you seem to have a message on your phone."

Putting down the water, he took a towel and casually wiped the sweat off his brow before sitting down and picking up his phone.

With just one glance, he lowered his head and furrowed his brows, tapping on the two-second voice message.

"When are you coming back?"

A hoarse and soft voice, inexplicably tugging at the heartstrings and causing a lump in the throat.

In the room, the assistants, who had been busy with their own tasks, suddenly perked up their ears.

Then they watched as the man stood up, holding his phone low and walking towards a side room, saying, "I'm going to make a call."

Facing away from them as he left, they finally dared to openly look over, watching the man dial the number, the light from the phone illuminating the contours of his face.

Tall and long-legged, he moved quickly, and before the door closed, they only managed to hear a whisper: "What's wrong?"

So soft it was almost unbelievable.

With a click, the door shut, silencing the voice. The assistants were taken aback, eyes wide open, still in a state of awe.

Watching the figure disappear, they finally averted their gaze, exchanging glances and clearly seeing the trembling pupils in each other's eyes.