Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Su Xingyao returned to Lu Jiuxu's villa, it was already completely dark.

The weather was quite unusual today. The temperature suddenly dropped in the evening, and then it kept drizzling.

The driver dropped Su Xingyao off at the entrance of the main house. As soon as he opened the car door, he saw Aunt Zhang standing at the door with a thin coat draped over her arm and an umbrella in her other hand.

When she saw the car stop, she quickly walked over with the umbrella and held it over Su Xingyao.

"You're finally back. It got cold all of a sudden. Hurry and put on this coat so you don't catch a chill."

Su Xingyao's right hand stayed on the door handle, staring blankly at Aunt Zhang.

Aunt Zhang, noticing Su Xingyao wasn't moving, thought he hadn't heard her. She quickly unfolded the coat and draped it over his shoulders.

"Come on in and have dinner."

"Okay."

Su Xingyao replied softly and awkwardly put on the coat.

After stepping out of the car and taking the umbrella from Aunt Zhang, he walked into the house alongside her.

Su Xingyao had only been wearing a thin shirt when he left today, and he should have felt cold with the sudden drop in temperature.

But now he felt a warmth spreading through his body.

The dining table was already laid out with a steaming hot pot and several side dishes.

Aunt Zhang had Su Xingyao take a seat and then hurried to serve rice for both of them.

Su Xingyao glanced up at Aunt Zhang's retreating figure and then looked down at the steaming food on the table.

For a moment, he felt somewhat disoriented.

It seemed that ever since his sister left, he hadn't known what it was like to have someone waiting for him to come home for dinner.

In the orphanage, there was no sense of home. In the Shen family, he was merely an outsider, and his parents had never warmly awaited his return for dinner.

The hot pot was bubbling with steam. Noticing Su Xingyao lost in thought, Aunt Zhang urged him.

"You're so thin. You need to eat more. Eating more will help you get stronger."

Su Xingyao nodded, picked up a piece of meat, and chewed it slowly.

The Shen family also had a nanny much like Aunt Zhang.

However, while Aunt Zhang had raised Lu Jiuxu, Aunt Liu had been raising Shen Huaixi since he was a child.

As a result, all her favoritism went to Shen Huaixi, and in places where his parents couldn't see, she always treated him with cold indifference.

Aunt Liu, who never forgot to make a cup of milk for Shen Huaixi before bed, couldn't even be bothered to leave him a late-night snack the year he was recognized back into the family.

Every day after finishing his self-study classes and coming home, no matter how hungry or exhausted he was, he couldn't get a warm meal.

Even when he stayed up late doing homework and tried to cook for himself, the storage room with the ingredients was always locked.

Later, he had hinted at this to his mother in a roundabout way.

But Mom insinuated that she knew Auntie Zhang's character well and that he, being so young, shouldn’t learn to lie.

While they were having dinner, Mr. Wang, the driver, brought Su Xingyao’s suitcase after parking the car.

Auntie Zhang nearly cried when she saw the worn-out little suitcase.

She knew Su Xingyao had gone back to his parents’ house to pack his things, but she didn’t expect what he brought back to be so sparse and sad.

In fact, during her time spent with him, she had already sensed something unusual.

After all, if someone got seriously hurt and vanished for so long, any normal parent would’ve been frantically searching for them.

But for so long, she hadn’t seen anyone come looking for him, nor had she heard any phone calls showing concern for him.

She couldn’t wrap her head around why such a sweet, well-behaved kid could be ignored by his own family.

*

The next morning, Su Xingyao helped Auntie Zhang pick the freshest flowers for arranging.

He’d just cut some peonies when his manager’s call came in, urgent as an emergency.

Su Xingyao wasn’t planning to pick up.

But then he remembered he hadn’t blocked the number—there were still things to settle—so he answered.

The moment the call connected, Liang Yifan’s snarky tone filled the line.

“Xing Yao, what’s been going on lately?”

Seemingly concerned, but actually accusatory.

Su Xingyao brushed off the sarcasm and got straight to the point.

“Liang, I’m planning to terminate my contract with the company.”

Though the higher-ups had told him Su Xingyao’s disappearance was just a tantrum and running off.

Liang Yifan, used to lording over him, still expected an explanation.

But when he heard “terminate the contract,” he choked on his water and snapped, “What? Why now?”

Although Liang Yifan disdained Su Xingyao, having managed him for two years, he had to admit that Su Xingyao was quite cooperative at work.

Whether it was filling spots or joining shows bound to get flak, Su Xingyao would go along, even if reluctantly.

Even with all the criticism, Liang Yifan thought Su Xingyao loved being a star.

So hearing Su Xingyao wanted out of the contract was a real shock.

Su Xingyao didn’t bother explaining. “Just letting you know,” he said flatly.

His voice was calm but left no room for argument.

It was this attitude that made Liang Yifan feel as if he was being challenged, unable to control Su Xingyao as he used to, so he quickly shot down the proposal.

“Telling me won’t help. Take it up with the company.”

By “the company,” he meant Star Entertainment.

It was founded by Qin Mingchuan, a rising business mogul.

After saying this, Liang Yifan sneered and spoke again.

"It seems you've really grown up after being away from home for a month. But after all the time we've spent together, there's still some bond between us. Don’t blame me for not being upfront with you. If you think you’re ready to fly, fine, but first, take a good look at yourself. Do you have what it takes? Will anyone want you? Can you handle the backlash?"

Liang Yifan narrowed his eyes disdainfully, as if certain that he would be finished once he left the company, and continued.

"Xing Yao, do you think you're Shen Huaixi? He has star power and traffic. What about you? You’re drowning in scandals, getting roasted every time you’re on a show, with hate trending everywhere. Besides the company, which one would dare to take you after you terminate your contract?"

Liang Yifan's words were harsh and cruel.

He could’ve approached the termination discussion differently, but he went straight for what he thought would hit Su Xingyao the hardest.

Although he didn't know the exact relationship between Shen Huaixi and Su Xingyao, he could sense the undercurrent of tension between them.

Especially with Shen Huaixi on top while Su Xingyao was left in the dirt.

After saying all this, Liang Yifan felt a sense of satisfaction from pulling the strings.

However, he didn't expect the response to be a calm "It's okay."

It's okay.

The company Qin Mingchuan built for Shen Huaixi didn’t matter to him if he walked away.

Su Xingyao’s calm demeanor made Liang Yifan wonder if he knew something.

He knew the higher-ups had set up a decent debut for Su Xingyao, letting him gain some traction. But then they ordered Liang Yifan to funnel all the good opportunities to Shen Huaixi, leaving Su Xingyao high and dry.

Having followed the company’s shady orders, Liang Yifan now faced Su Xingyao’s defiance. Feeling backed into a corner, he raised his voice to hide his guilt.

"Stop dreaming. Even if you want out, you’ve got to finish the TV series you’re stuck with."

Su Xingyao knew it’d be a lousy role and shot back, "You never got my okay, and I didn’t sign anything."

Liang Yifan sneered, "The company and I call the shots for you."

Then he hissed, "It’s a top-tier series. Be on set in three days."

With the contract still binding him, Su Xingyao knew he had no choice but to give in.

He tossed out a casual "Fine" and hung up.

As he pulled the phone from his ear, Su Xingyao spotted a text from an unknown number.

Unknown number:

"Xing Yao, go ahead and block me if you’re mad, but don’t take it out on Mom and Dad. Do you have any idea how much you’re hurting them?"

Shen Huaixi’s manipulative text popped up front and center, leaving Su Xingyao at a loss for words.

He blocked the number on the spot and made a mental note to change his number ASAP.

Getting pestered by two people back-to-back was irritating, but it didn’t faze Su Xingyao.

He silenced his phone and made his way to the rose garden to trim a few more blooms.

*

He had only taken a couple of steps when, after rounding a row of hydrangeas, he spotted Lu Jiuxu sitting on a chair, looking at him.

He held a stack of documents in his hand, and a cup of coffee sat on the table in front of him.

Obviously, he was working here.

Lu Jiuxu's unexpected presence surprised Su Xingyao.

Just yesterday, he had heard from Auntie Zhang that Lu Jiuxu was abroad on business.

He hadn’t expected him to return so soon, let alone be here so early, reviewing documents.

Meeting Lu Jiuxu's gaze, Su Xingyao immediately thought of the phone call he had just had with his manager.

He had been standing just a hydrangea bush away from Lu Jiuxu.

At such a close distance, he must have probably disturbed him.

Realizing why Lu Jiuxu had been looking at him, Su Xingyao’s eyes immediately showed a hint of apology.

"Mr. Lu, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were here earlier and must have disturbed you."

Lu Jiuxu calmly looked away, his expression unbothered by the disturbance.

"No worries, I just got here."

He sipped his coffee, set the documents down elegantly, and gestured for Su Xingyao to sit.

"Mr. Su, let’s have a chat."

Lu Jiuxu’s invitation surprised Su Xingyao.

Nevertheless, he walked over confidently and sat down on the chair opposite.

His light-colored eyes met Lu Jiuxu’s, curious about what he wanted to discuss.

To Su Xingyao’s surprise, Lu Jiuxu genuinely meant just a casual chat.

He casually brought up a topic and effortlessly engaged Su Xingyao in conversation.

As they chatted, Su Xingyao noticed Lu Jiuxu’s elegant and erudite manner, far from the typical businessman’s vulgarity.

His voice was magnetic and soothing, making the conversation feel like a breath of fresh air.

Before he knew it, Su Xingyao had been talking with him for over an hour.

This gave him a fresh perspective on the tycoon.

Their comfortable conversation finally came to an end as the sun began to set.

The pet, possessive of Su Xingyao, ignored its own master and jumped onto the chair beside him.

Su Xingyao rubbed the pet’s head, his eyes smiling, and casually spoke from the heart.

"Mr. Lu, I’ve been imposing on you for a while now. Thank you so much."

Last time they met, Lu Jiuxu had left abruptly, and Su Xingyao hadn’t had the chance to thank him.

"Thank you for saving me, for taking care of me during this time, and for covering the medical expenses..."

Mr. Lu nodded slightly but inadvertently cut off Su Xingyao before he could finish.

"Auntie Zhang was the one who took care of you."

Out of all the topics, Mr. Lu only mentioned the care, giving all the credit to Auntie Zhang.

Su Xingyao didn’t expect that response and just smiled, "It’s all the same."

If it weren’t for Mr. Lu, he wouldn’t have met Auntie Zhang.

Moreover, Mr. Lu had taken in the homeless Su Xingyao temporarily, which was already a huge favor, not to mention the high medical expenses that Mr. Lu never brought up.

Noticing the smile on Su Xingyao’s lips, Mr. Lu smiled faintly too.

"Why bring this up all of a sudden?" he asked Su Xingyao.

Su Xingyao looked at him.

Given Mr. Lu’s depth and keen observation, it was easy for him to grasp Su Xingyao’s meaning.

But since Mr. Lu asked, Su Xingyao decided to be upfront.

"Mr. Lu, you’ve done so much for me, and I wanted to thank you in person."

Su Xingyao continued, "Please tell me how much the medical expenses were."

As he spoke, Su Xingyao shot a glance at Mr. Lu.

But Mr. Lu’s deep eyes were fixed on him, clearly uninterested in discussing the matter.

Su Xingyao had to drop the subject and awkwardly revealed his real reason for coming.

"Mr. Lu... I’ve overstayed my welcome."

He’d been here too long; it was time to go.

Even though there was Auntie Zhang who doted on him, the affectionate Sunset, and the peonies he adored.

But none of this was ever his to begin with.

Being able to snatch some time here to enjoy this comfort and relaxation was a rare treat.

Even though Mr. Lu never hinted at wanting him to leave, Su Xingyao knew better.

This wasn’t his home, and he couldn’t just mooch off them indefinitely.

After hearing Su Xingyao out, Mr. Lu didn’t respond right away, just took another sip of his coffee.

After a moment, he spoke, his eyes still on the coffee cup.

"It’s gone cold."

He seemed to be grumbling about the cold coffee, but his eyes were on Su Xingyao.

Then, almost offhandedly, he added, "You’re not fully recovered yet; you should stay a while longer."

Lu Jiuxu looked at the bouquet of sunset coral held in Su Xingyao's hand and smirked.

"Think of it as... just looking after these flowers for a while."

Following Lu Jiuxu's gaze, Su Xingyao also looked down at the soft, vibrant peony petals in his hand.

He expected the other to silently accept his leaving.

After all, isn't that how it should be with strangers?

But to his surprise, Lu Jiuxu stopped him.

Using a rather odd reason.

Su Xingyao knew Lu Jiuxu probably didn't like being refused.

So, since the conversation had come to this and Lu Jiuxu had already asked him to stay, though unsure why, Su Xingyao knew not to push further.

He reached out and gently touched the petals he held, his light eyes meeting Lu Jiuxu's gaze.

"Mr. Lu, do you like these peonies too? I noticed you've planted many sunset corals in the garden."

Lu Jiuxu looked at those light eyes, thought for a moment, and then answered honestly.

"No, I don't care for them."

But the next second he spoke again.

"It was an old friend of mine..."

"He probably liked them."

As he spoke, Lu Jiuxu recalled a pair of light brown eyes, just like Su Xingyao's.

*

That night, Su Xingyao couldn't stop thinking about Lu Jiuxu's words.

Those words seemed a little odd.

But he couldn't pinpoint what was off.

If a friend liked them, why say 'might'?

That night, he dreamed.

In the dream, there was a blurry yet familiar figure.

It was a boy, about seven or eight years old. In the dream, he stood beside his younger, crying self, gently stroking his hair, comforting him, while firmly saying two things.

"You will definitely become the most dazzling star."

"Don't let anyone negate you."

You will definitely become the most dazzling star...

When Su Xingyao woke, those words still echoed in his mind.

He got up, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote these two sentences on a piece of paper.

After returning to the Shen family, he had this dream many times, and in the dream, this friend of his always firmly encouraged him.

But over the years, every time he dreamed, the scene was just a vague sentence.

But this time, he finally saw a clearer scene.

Though he still couldn’t see the other person’s face clearly, he could tell they were comforting his crying self.

"You will definitely become the brightest star one day."

"Don’t doubt yourself because of anyone."

From the first dream, his intuition told him this person was an incredibly important friend.

Although he somehow forgot the other person, when his whole family was dismissing his dream, only this person appeared in his dreams to firmly support him.

Su Xingyao placed the two lines he had written next to his identification documents.

This time, he wouldn’t let anyone shake his confidence.

*

The day after chatting with Lu Jiuxu in the garden, Lu flew abroad again.

Meanwhile, Su Xingyao was called into the "Falling Flowers and Colored Glaze" crew overnight by Liang Yifan.