Chapter 28: Butterfly Hurricane

Chapter 28: Butterfly Hurricane

Xie Guilan attended only two classes before asking for leave to go to the hospital. Before leaving, he awkwardly brought goji berry water with him.

Song Lingwei is scheduled for a heart stent surgery next month. Xie Mingcheng has invited doctors from abroad for the procedure, and there are many matters to discuss with the family. Strictly speaking, only Xie Guilan is considered family.

Song Lingwei's health was in a fragile state. In her early twenties, even before she had children, she was already dealing with heart issues.

She often stayed up late and only worked at a nightclub at night. She abused drugs, and when customers asked her to take stimulants, she couldn't refuse. She even had a history of drug abuse.

However, her ex-husband's abuse left her with severe internal injuries. The surgical risk was high, so they've managed to stabilize her condition, but the surgery has been delayed until this year.

When Xie Guilan went to the hospital, Cen Wu attended classes obediently and took the time to organize his notes to send to Xie Guilan, even though he wasn't sure if Xie Guilan needed them.

He couldn't fathom what it was like to be the top student in the grade.

"In addition to the evening party, those participating in the sports meet should also remember to sign up with the sports committee," Meng Liangping suddenly remembered something after the morning exercise and poked his head in at the classroom door to say, "But don't let all the activities interfere with your studies for the monthly exam. The principal said that if the exam results are decent, he'll take everyone on a fall outing next month!"

The class erupted in excitement, almost like a throwback phenomenon.

"Is it real?!"

"Ahhh, I won't score last place this time!"

"If you score another 30, I'll strangle you!"

One student excitedly turned to Lu Wang, "Dad, can we go to a hot spring this time?"

Lu Wang raised his small hand and made a slight OK gesture, "Arranged."

The Lu family feared that Lu Wang would be isolated at school, so every year they sponsored the school's fall outing, letting others know that Lu Wang had money and a strong family background, so no one would dare to bully him.

And under the guise of sponsorship, they could coordinate with the school's activities without making Lu Wang a target of jealousy.

Lu Wang didn't understand these things. He just felt he had a lot of money and it was okay to share it with everyone. After giving some to Cen Wu, if he had leftover money, he could give it to others.

Cen Wu suspected that even if Lu Wang knew he had been scammed out of over 600,000, he wouldn't be angry. He would only be sad that Lu Wang was being distant and not directly asking him for money.

This semester was too busy. Meng Liangping's intention was to urge them to rehearse quickly and not delay until the end of the month, affecting exams.

So, he specifically set aside time this evening for the whole class to discuss the program. It must be finalized tonight, and no more classroom time could be occupied afterward.

The sky was gray and drizzling. By evening, the rain became torrential.

Xu Lingling was already an actress, although she had only played small roles like maids. But she was the best actress in the class and had filming experience.

So, it was decided that she would play the lead role in the entire stage play, and Meng Liangping also asked her to take on the role of director.

Their work was more of a classic revival than a stage play. There were too many programs for the evening party, and even for a stage play, they would only be allocated ten to twenty minutes, so there wasn't much plot, just a focus on reviving classic scenes.

Two girls were trying out for roles on the stage, wanting to act as Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, performing the lovers' suicide and transformation into butterflies.

Meng Liangping was also there. He carried a camera over, as the school wanted to film some behind-the-scenes footage. Cen Wu felt like he was on an actual film set.

At sixteen, Cen Wu directed his first film. At that time, his parents had been gone for three years, and he had moved out of his aunt's house. Once, after school, his father's assistant suddenly came to find him.

The assistant, Lu Lian, was only in his twenties and had been a student of his father, working with him on two or three films.

After Cen Wu's parents passed away, he didn’t see Lu Lian much for several years. Unexpectedly, when they met again, Lu Lian had a scruffy beard, dark circles under his eyes, and wearing a crumpled jacket, he looked completely down on his luck.

"Little Cen," Lu Lian said tiredly, "I need to ask you for something. Can I buy you dinner?"

Cen Wu didn’t refuse, and Lu Lian took him to eat some spicy hot pot. It wasn’t that Lu Lian was stingy; he really had no money left. Cen Wu, seeing Lu Lian's wrinkled shirt, couldn’t help but ask, "Director Lu, what’s wrong?"

His voice was hoarse when he spoke. But Cen Wu was only a teenager, and Lu Lian felt he couldn’t cry in front of him. So he quickly wiped away his tears with his sleeve, trying to hide his emotions.

After Cen Wu’s father, Cen Shen, passed away, their movie was never continued. Cen Shen was the chief director and producer. With the person in charge gone, investors withdrew their funds, and the crew lost hope.

Cen Shen’s team disbanded on the spot.

Lu Lian didn’t have the ability to take charge yet, so he had to go to other crews and continue working as an associate director, enduring much disdain.

Cen Shen was a renowned domestic director, and many were jealous of him. With his mentor gone, Lu Lian was ridiculed wherever he went.

If he did well, the credit went to others. If he did poorly, people mocked him, saying, "Is this what Cen Shen’s student can do?"

The entertainment industry is known for kissing up to the winners and kicking the losers. Lu Lian was nobody, and this time, he was kicked out of the crew for offending the producer.

"Little Cen," Lu Lian said to Cen Wu, "I want to restart that project. If it doesn’t work this time, I’ll leave the industry."

The movie Cen Shen left behind was called *Hurricane*, a large-scale disaster family film. It was originally expected to be the box office champion of that year’s New Year’s film season, highly anticipated both inside and outside the industry.

But they had only filmed half of it, and Cen Shen’s manuscripts were burned in a car accident. In this world, aside from him and Cen Shen’s wife, perhaps only Cen Wu knew how Cen Shen intended to shoot the rest of the film.

Lu Lian only had the script and some incomplete storyboards. He wanted to ask Cen Wu if there were any remaining belongings of Cen Shen.

"I don’t have any either," Cen Wu shook his head.

After his parents passed, everything in the house that could be used to pay off debts was gone. All that remained were a few worthless items.

That night, Lu Lian drank a lot of alcohol, and by the end, his eyes were red. He suddenly grabbed Cen Wu and said, "Do you think you could direct it?"

Cen Wu was startled.

He had spent more time on set than in school and had often helped out on sets, even more familiar with the set than Lu Lian, the associate director. But he had never directed a film himself.

Lu Lian became more and more excited as he thought about it, and he wasn’t entirely joking. He didn’t fully rely on Cen Wu, considering Cen Wu was still young. But with both of them together, could they still not make it?

Cen Wu, of course, hoped to complete the film his parents left behind. Even if it was a wild fantasy, he was tempted.

The most challenging parts were the actors and the investment. Lu Lian had asked around, and more than half of the actors from back then didn’t want to participate again. He hadn’t secured much investment, only a few million at most.

He and Cen Wu started to grovel for investment everywhere. Cen Wu wasn’t socially anxious at first. Although he wasn’t exactly an extrovert, he could at least communicate normally.

They groveled and still came up empty-handed. They were either chased away or met with sarcasm.

No one believed that they could create anything worthwhile.

Just when Lu Lian was about to give up, an old friend of Cen Shen contacted Cen Wu, saying they could discuss investment.

Cen Wu and Lu Lian bought train tickets overnight and rushed over. The other party was waiting for them at a restaurant.

"Uncle," Cen Wu said, taking out the script and storyboards, "please take a look at the script first."

He had also kept the more than a hundred scenes they had already filmed, and Lu Lian brought the backup copies.

The other party placed the script on the table and said leisurely, "Take your time."

Cen Wu couldn't fully grasp what the man wanted from him, but since the other party didn't want to look at the script for now, he didn't push it. He simply got up to pour wine for him.

Cen Wu was sixteen at the time. His body was still growing, but he already had a strikingly cold and distant presence—dark hair, snow-white skin, very young, very young. Even when he bent over, there seemed to be something hard and cold supporting his spine.

One would never associate any soft, or even weak, words with him.

The other party let out a soft, mocking chuckle.

Cen Wu suddenly realized the situation was far more dangerous than he had thought. He coldly dodged the hand that was resting on his waist. The other party seemed annoyed by his refusal but was still willing to give him a bit more patience. "There's nothing impossible about making this film, as long as you want to."

His eyes clouded with desire, the tone heavily suggestive, as the hand reached toward Cen Wu's hand.

"Director Zhang," Lu Lian was stunned, a strong sense of nausea rising in him, but since he couldn't afford to offend the other party, he swallowed his anger and stepped in front of Cen Wu. "I remember Director Cen was friends with you."

Director Zhang frowned impatiently at Lu Lian.

Cen Shen was already dead, so what could they do to him now? He had been eyeing Cen Wu for a year or two, which could be considered deep affection. Besides, he was willing to give Cen Wu a few million to 'waste' on the film.

The film? He didn't take it seriously at all.

He waved his hand, and Lu Lian was taken away. Then he reached out to touch Cen Wu's face, but before he could, a hard punch smashed into his nose, sending blood gushing from his nostrils.

The middle-aged man in his forties, used to indulgence and excess, with loose skin and swollen flesh, was no match for Cen Wu.

The waitstaff were scared silly, not knowing how to stop him. Cen Wu held the man down and punched him again and again. His beautiful eyes were like cold fog in the deep mountains, filled with a ruthless indifference.

Cen Wu only stopped when the man's face was drenched in blood. Lu Lian was held down, struggling with all his might but unable to break free, his clothes a mess, sitting on the floor crying.

Cen Wu frowned and, with a cold voice, said to him, "Stand up. Don't cry."

Lu Lian's tears froze on his cheeks, and he obediently stood up. Later, when he thought back on it, that night was when Cen Wu became the rock that held him together.

It would indeed be quite scandalous to make a move on a friend's child, especially one who was only a teenager.

Director Zhang didn't bother Cen Wu again after that.

Cen Wu and Lu Lian continued to look for ways. Cen Wu submitted some of Cen Shen's other scripts to film companies, as well as a few scripts he had written himself. There was no news about *Hurricane*, but one of his own scripts received a response.

He had written a film about forbidden love, inspired by *Hurricane*, and titled it *Butterfly*.

But after finishing it, it had nothing to do with *Hurricane* anymore; they were completely different works.

A film school professor offered to help Cen Wu secure funding, suggesting he try to make the lower-budget film. *Hurricane* had too high a budget, and no one trusted them, but this project had a smaller investment and was worth a shot.

Lu Lian became Cen Wu's assistant director again. The crew was operating on a shoestring budget, with everyone wearing multiple hats, and the main actors were students Cen Wu found at the film school.

Cen Wu led a team of fewer than fifty people and filmed for three whole months.

It was winter, and there weren't enough cameramen, so Cen Wu took the camera and filmed himself. His hands got frostbitten.

There was an actor in the crew who thought Cen Wu was too inexperienced to lead the project and refused to follow his instructions. In a condescending tone, he said, "Young Cen, I think this line..."

"In this crew, I'm the director," Cen Wu's eyes were cold, and his tone was icy. "If you can't respect my authority, then get out."

That male actor was the only one in the crew with a bit of fame. Although he was playing a supporting role, he thought he was the one carrying the entire crew.

He didn't believe Cen Wu would dare to let him go.

But that very night, Cen Wu followed through and terminated the actor's contract. It was snowing outside, and he was kicked out of the crew by Cen Wu.

The rest of the crew were all students, who obediently called Cen Wu "Director" and did everything they were asked. Cen Wu was juggling homework at night, barely keeping up under the pressure, but he finally finished filming.

Cen Wu never expected the movie to be such a success. Despite his youth and lack of experience, its rawness had its own charm.

Plus, he was particularly skilled at crafting scripts filled with intense emotions, giving the entire film a strong stylistic and emotional tone. As it was released and submitted for awards, it even received a nomination at the Berlin Film Festival.

"Butterfly" was released on Valentine's Day and became a genuine box-office dark horse that year.

Cen Wu's grandfather had once been a jewelry tycoon, and his parents were also well-known. The media rushed to the film's premiere with their cameras, expecting the movie to be just a publicity stunt. However, by the end of the premiere, people left wiping their tears.

After the Berlin nomination, Cen Wu's fame skyrocketed. Although he didn't win the award, there was investment to adapt "Butterfly" into a television series, which also became a hit that year.

Both the film and the TV series made the leading actors incredibly popular, and even some supporting actors were catapulted to fame.

It became so popular that movie theaters nationwide displayed "Butterfly" posters all year round. Initially, it only had a couple of screenings per day, and many theaters didn’t show it at all, but by the end of the year, its box office numbers skyrocketed, and it was being shown up to a dozen times a day.

It eventually became the box office champion of that year.

Especially after the TV series aired, it became an overnight sensation, so much so that every winter, when it snowed, people would think of "Butterfly," and every cinema displayed a butterfly specimen—both as a nod to its popularity and as a symbol of its milestone status.

With newfound wealth and fame, Cen Wu quickly moved forward with the production of "Hurricane."

The following year, during the New Year's film season, "Hurricane" was released and, as expected, became a huge success. The quality of the film hadn't diminished despite the death of the chief producer, and it once again took the box office championship.

Cen Wu continued to release one film a year, some of which he didn’t solely direct but still participated in. Most had impressive box office numbers, and even those with more modest earnings won numerous awards.

The actor who missed out on the role was absolutely gutted. Seeing those film school students he once looked down upon become hugely successful, while he was still playing supporting roles after all these years, filled him with so much hatred that it made him sick.

But Cen Wu was an extremely cold person and wouldn’t give him a second chance, acting as if they had never met.

The actor was filled with resentment but realized that times had changed, and he was no longer in a position to seek revenge against Cen Wu.

Although most directors remain behind the scenes, Cen Wu became a household name. There was even a viral photo of him taken during a winter shoot. It was raining snow in the south, and Cen Wu was holding a black umbrella, wearing a long black coat. The white fog in the background framed his handsome face.

Actually, the umbrella belonged to the crew, and the coat was quite bulky. After filming several night scenes, he looked unkempt, having worn his thickest coat because of the cold. But because Cen Wu was so slim, the coat didn’t make him look bulky; instead, it accentuated his thinness.

His hair was a bit long, as he hadn’t had time to get a trim. The snow and rain fell, and his cold-white skin and slightly red lips held a cigarette. His eyes, which happened to meet the camera, were cold and sharp.

Realizing he was being photographed, he furrowed his brow, his eyes filled with undisguised disdain.

As a result, when these candid photos were posted, fans jokingly commented 'step on me, wife!'

Especially when a fan edited a video combining clips from Cen Wu's films, his public appearances, and various candid shots. Overnight, it received over 100,000 shares and continued to grow.

Even those who hadn’t seen "Butterfly" had seen the video, #I've seen a beautiful dream wrapped in rain and fog#.

However, Cen Wu's popularity did not overshadow the success of his films and actors. His movies gained even more popularity, and the actors became even more popular, like a storm triggered by the flutter of a butterfly's wings.

Cen Wu's films dominated the screens for four years, always with the best reviews and the highest box office numbers. The media later commented that his era was young and brilliant, and his departure was like a shooting star.

Nominated at 16, he skyrocketed to fame, and at 21, he won the Best Director award at the Berlin Film Festival, only to fade into obscurity afterward.

Cen Wu never publicly announced his retirement, but after winning the award at 21, apart from wrapping up a few projects, he never made another film again.

Cen Wu looked up to see a drag performance on stage. A 1.9-meter-tall, muscular man was playing Cinderella, while a girl slightly over 1.5 meters tall portrayed the prince.

The girl held a sneaker that her classmate had taken off, using it as a glass slipper. She laughed wildly while chasing the boy around the classroom—chasing him.

"I don't want it anymore," the boy said in a deep voice, his face flushed with shyness as he ran.

Cen Wu: "……"

Lu Wang was filming beside him. Cen Wu finally couldn't resist adjusting the angle and settings on Lu Wang's phone.

Lu Wang didn’t even notice, but when she looked up again, the lighting was much clearer, capturing an unexpected sense of timeless affection, as if it was a scene of her mischief and his indulgence.

Cen Wu rested his cheek in his hand, his soft face slightly squished. He looked down at his phone and saw a message from Guan Xue sent just fifteen minutes ago.

"Guan Xue: Baby, Mom and Dad are at the mall. Is there anything you want?"

Cen Wu dared not let the Cen family spend money on him; it all felt like debt. But he looked up, and the rain outside was getting heavier. After some hesitation, he asked Guan Xue.

"Cen Wu: Mom, could you buy me a pair of shoes?"

Song Lingwei's condition was deteriorating. The doctor requested another full-body examination. Xie Guilan had been busy all day and later attended a discussion among experts about Song Lingwei's surgery.

When it finally ended, as he walked into the hospital room, he saw Xie Mingcheng standing outside.

"Here? What did the doctor say?" Xie Mingcheng adjusted his watch and turned to ask.

-

Xie Guilan's gaze was cold and indifferent, showing no reaction.

Xie Mingcheng couldn't help but smirk.

He had only agreed to keep the mother and son around not because of any feelings for Song Lingwei. At that time, he was in the process of taking over the Zhou family. Half of Huaijing was already under the Xie name. The Zhou family was either dead or sick, yet Zhou Li still looked down on him.

Even after so many years of marriage, Zhou Li remained arrogant towards him, which Xie Mingcheng found ridiculous. It just so happened that Song Lingwei came to him with her child. Without even a paternity test, he decided to keep them.

He would have taken in anyone who came his way. He just wanted to show Zhou Li that she was worthless now.

At first, Zhou Li had thrown tantrums, but over the years, she seemed to have accepted Xie Guilan's existence. Of course, he didn't care what Zhou Li thought.

The reason he had built such a vast Xie empire was that he knew what mattered and what didn't.

Xie Guilan simply didn't understand this. He cared too much about Song Lingwei, which led to his own miserable life.

Xie Guilan was also his son. It didn't matter who gave birth to him; as long as he carried Xie blood, he would be treated equally.

He could have given Xie Guilan the same treatment as Xie Shangjing, but Xie Guilan just couldn't get it.

The nurse was giving Song Lingwei an injection. Her black hair cascaded down, making her neck appear even paler, looking frail and beautiful. She was afraid of needles and covered her eyes with her hand, her eyes red, not much different from when she was a teenager.

"Not everyone who gives birth to you is a mother," Xie Mingcheng said coldly to Xie Guilan, "You need to distinguish between a mother and a prostitute. Do you think she loves you? She loves my money. If I didn't have money, you wouldn't even be born. You better figure out what's truly important. She'd sell herself to anyone; how much conscience do you expect her to have?"

Xie Mingcheng didn’t even lower his voice. The hospital room had good soundproofing, and with the door closed, Song Lingwei couldn’t hear what he was saying. However, the medical staff and patients in the hallway caught every word, their eyes subtly glancing over.

Xie Guilan stood by, his pale young arm revealing blue veins.

Maybe Song Lingwei lacked shame, but Xie Mingcheng had no right to criticize her.

They had known each other since childhood in the mountainous region. When Xie Mingcheng went to Huai Jing for college, Song Lingwei had given him three hundred yuan. Several decades ago, a few hundred yuan in the mountains was unimaginable wealth—it was hard to fathom how long Song Lingwei had saved up for it.

He used women to get ahead but treated each of them with equal disdain.

Xie Mingcheng frowned when Xie Guilan remained silent after all that.

But Xie Guilan suddenly spoke, a cold smile tugging at his lips, “You want to sell yourself, but can you even sell yourself?”

“...” Xie Mingcheng’s expression darkened, “Xie Guilan.”

“Because you can’t sell yourself,” Xie Guilan’s cold, narrow eyes flashed with a mocking smile, and he didn’t lower his voice, “Is that why you have so much resentment?”

Xie Mingcheng’s face darkened, his chest heaving as he raised his hand and slapped Xie Guilan across the face.

He was a grown man who worked out regularly, with great strength in his hands. Xie Guilan’s face was turned from the force of the slap, and his lip immediately bled, half of his face going numb.

From the ward, Song Lingwei heard the commotion and clutched the blanket in fear, “Xiao Lan? Xiao Lan? Are you here?”

It had been years since anyone had dared to talk back to Xie Mingcheng like that. He laughed bitterly, his eyes cold as he pointed at Xie Guilan, “You have guts. Since you look down on me so much, go take care of her surgery yourself. I won’t spend another dime. Don’t come crawling back to me.”

Xie Guilan leaned casually against the wall, pressing his tongue against his cheek. He ignored Xie Mingcheng and went straight into the ward.

Song Lingwei, anxious from waiting, panicked when Xie Guilan opened the door. As soon as she saw his face, she hurriedly asked, “What happened? Did you fight with your father again?”

Xie Guilan lowered his long lashes, showing no reaction.

“Why won’t you talk?” Song Lingwei’s voice rose slightly, her face full of anxiety, “Why did you make your father angry again? He’s your father; he doesn’t have bad intentions toward you.”

She was about to undergo surgery and was afraid Xie Mingcheng wouldn’t pay for it. She wanted to please him, deeply regretting that she had swapped children back then.

Xie Guilan was never good at winning Xie Mingcheng’s affection. She had met Cen Wu; that child was much more obedient. If that child had been hers, Xie Mingcheng would have doted on him.

Perhaps they would have gotten married by now.

But after all, he wasn’t her biological child.

The ward door was closed tightly, and the sound of leather shoes on the corridor grew fainter, moving further away. Xie Guilan didn’t want to say anything, while Song Lingwei, anxious, tried to get out of bed to go after Xie Mingcheng. The IV line was yanked, causing blood to start flowing back. Xie Guilan pressed her shoulder, pushing her back onto the bed.

Song Lingwei struggled, kicking and almost slapping Xie Guilan again. When she saw the red mark on his face, she flinched in horror.

She grabbed Xie Guilan, trying to touch his face, forcing a painful smile as she said, “Mom didn’t mean it. Did it hurt? Xiao Lan, are you...”

Xie Guilan dodged her hand, grabbed her wrist, and reinserted the IV needle that had been dislodged during her struggle, then picked up his backpack and left the ward.

Song Lingwei wanted to chase after him but didn’t dare. She called out to him several times, but Xie Guilan’s footsteps didn’t stop.

She lowered her head and began to cry.

The elderly woman in the next bed couldn’t stand watching anymore and gently advised Song Lingwei, “Xiao Song, think about the child too. Don’t push him too hard. He still has school, and it’s not easy for him to run back and forth every day. Just look at his shoes.”

The elderly woman didn’t say it too directly, but Xie Guilan’s shoes were already coming apart at the seams, beyond repair. This year, the rains in Huai Jing came one after another, and who knows how soaked his shoes were inside.

Song Lingwei had initially been in a single ward, but she found it too lonely and asked Xie Mingcheng to switch her to a double room.

Xie Mingcheng didn’t refuse. To him, Song Lingwei was nothing more than a pet to keep around. When he was in a good mood, he was willing to spend a little money to please her. When he wasn’t, it wouldn’t matter if she died.

But he also found it ridiculous that some people couldn’t even enjoy a good life. They refused to stay in a VIP suite and opted for a shared room, yet still wanted to marry him.

Was he really going to marry someone like her and embarrass himself in Huaijing’s elite circles?

"He... his father bought it for him," Song Lingwei twisted her hair, feeling a bit embarrassed and tried to brush it off. "But the child doesn't want it. He's stubborn."

The old lady shook her head and said no more.

She had been staying in this ward for almost three months and found this mother and son quite strange. Song Lingwei was too meek to act like a proper parent. In fact, she felt that Song Lingwei seemed a bit afraid of her son, Xie Guilan.

As soon as Xie Guilan put on a cold face, Song Lingwei didn’t dare to say anything. Xie Guilan had never hit or scolded her, but there was a hint of coldness and exhaustion in his eyes.

Outside the hospital, the rain was pouring down, and the cold wind made the wound on Xie Guilan's face sting. Half of his face was shrouded in the dark rain curtain, his eyes filled with unshakeable gloom, as if the weight of his thoughts was pressing down on him.

He finally had time to check his phone. Ji Changyu had shared some game results with him, which he skipped. Below that were notes that Cen Wu had sent him earlier in the day.

His fingertip hovered over the kitten icon, intending to exit, but accidentally tapped it.

The screen then displayed a notification: "You tapped Cen Wu."

Xie Guilan: "..."

Xie Guilan didn’t quite understand this feature and wanted to recall it, but found that he couldn’t. Moreover, Cen Wu had already sent a message.

"Cen Wu: o.O"

"Cen Wu: I'm here."

Xie Guilan had no intention of talking to Cen Wu, but when Cen Wu didn’t receive a response for a few seconds, he continued.

"Cen Wu: Hello, do you need any help? Press 1 for help with dinner, press 2 for homework assistance, press 3 for live support."

Xie Guilan: "..."

"Xie Guilan: TD"

Cen Wu sent a crying cat meme.

Cen Wu’s message made Xie Guilan’s lips twitch, but the movement aggravated his wound, sending a metallic taste of blood into his mouth. The anger in his eyes flared up again.

He typed something, then deleted it, deciding not to respond. But Cen Wu sent another meme: "Don't think I'm not here, I'm always here.jpg"

Xie Guilan had no choice but to ask him.

"Xie Guilan: Where are you?"

"Cen Wu: In class."

"Cen Wu: Do you want to come and find me? A cat blinking meme."

Xie Guilan wasn’t planning to go to Lan Ye tonight and was about to head home, but his fingertips hesitated for a moment.

"Xie Guilan: Okay."

During the evening discussion program, Meng Liangping wasn’t strict with attendance, so going to the bathroom didn’t require permission. When Xie Guilan arrived at the school, Cen Wu was waiting for him in the hallway. He looked up, his gaze lingering on the wound on Xie Guilan’s face, but he didn’t ask any questions.

Cen Wu handed him a shoebox. "Try them on, will you?"

He had asked Guan Xingxue to buy it. At first, Guan Xingxue thought he was buying it for himself, but when Cen Wu gave a different size, Guan Xingxue was surprised. "Who are you buying these for, little one?"

"C...classmate," Cen Wu said softly, "Mom, don't buy something too expensive."

Guan Xingxue understood without him needing to explain. If it was too expensive, the other person might not be willing to accept it. She chuckled and said, "Got it. You want sneakers, right?"

Cen Wu hadn't seen his parents in years. He was filming *Butterfly* during the winter, which meant lots of outdoor scenes in the snow.

The snow boots he bought were from the same brand his mother used to buy for him, and the price was about the same, around three to four hundred yuan, but the ones he bought himself never seemed to keep him warm.

He thought he was just bad at choosing.

It had been raining nonstop in Huijing, and the temperature was plummeting. He wanted to get Xie Guilan some clothes and shoes, but he was worried Xie would turn him down, so he held off.

But since Xie had already taken the goji berry water, it couldn’t hurt to accept a little more, right?

Xie Guilan pursed his lips and turned away, his voice icy. "No, I don’t want it."

"Oh," Cen Wu responded slowly, holding the shoebox. "Then I’ll give it to Zhang Yuanzhou. But it seems a bit big for him. Maybe I’ll give them to A Ling. He’s so handsome, he’d look good in anything."

Cen Wu turned to leave.

Xie Guilan's Adam's apple bobbed as his dark, peach-blossom eyes fixed intensely on him, gloomy and unsettling.

Cen Wu asked, "Do you want it or not?"

Xie just stared, speechless.

Cen Wu asked him to try it on.

Xie Guilan bent down to put on the shoes but couldn't tie the laces. He realized his hands were still shaking with anger.

Cen Wu watched for a moment, then simply crouched down to tie the laces for him.

Xie Guilan was stunned, then furrowed his brow and grabbed his arm, trying to pull him up. "Young Master..."

Cen Wu ignored him and tied the laces.

He had managed many actors before. When the crew was short-handed, he and Lu Lian would buy the costumes themselves. A single glance was enough to know the size, and sure enough, it fit perfectly.

"A...all done," Cen Wu said.

Who else would treat you like a child when I'm gone?

Xie Guilan didn't say anything more. His long lashes drooped, casting a shadow over his dark, brooding eyes, staring at the shoes on his feet.

The hallway was dim, and Xie’s sharp brows and deep-set eyes made him look like he was carrying the weight of a stormy night in his gaze.

Cen Wu leaned over to look at his face again. Xie Guilan stiffened, intending to move away, but if he tried to move, Cen Wu would just follow him, keeping him cornered.

A kid from the next class walked by, glancing at them with obvious curiosity, like they were a bickering couple.

Xie just stared, speechless.

Xie Guilan stood there with a cold expression, no longer dodging.

Cen Wu blinked and said, "You… you wanna come over to my place tonight? I’ll get us outta here, let’s go now."

Before Xie Guilan could say no, Cen Wu was already on his feet. Xie Guilan had no choice but to pick up his bag and follow. With injuries on his face, Cen Wu was worried Xie Guilan wouldn’t want people to see him like that, so he said, "Stay here, I’ll be back in a sec."

"..."

Xie Guilan froze.

The moment he put on those shoes, everything felt off. Like some kind of dog, whenever Cen Wu told him to stop, he just… did.

What gave him the right?

He wanted to rip the shoes off and toss them, but the irritation kept building inside him. He stood there, wanting to just leave, but after a long while, he realized his legs hadn’t moved at all.

Xie Guilan: "..."

Cen Wu was afraid that Xie Guilan would leave on his own. Xie Guilan didn’t care about anyone; even the disciplinary head was just an old fart in his eyes. Cen Wu quickly informed his class teacher and went outside.

But to his surprise, Xie Guilan, with a cold expression and his dark, cold eyes—those damn peach blossoms—were lost in the shadows, and hadn’t left yet.

Damn, he actually waited for me.