Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Camping to Watch the Meteor Shower.

After considering Lu Jiuxu's words, Su Xingyao looked at him with some surprise, finally realizing that Lu Jiuxu was asking if he wanted to join him.

Su Xingyao was a bit surprised.

After all, given Lu Jiuxu's personality, he should be the type who rarely takes the initiative to invite anyone...

But he had heard it clearly just now—Lu Jiuxu had indeed explicitly invited him, and it wasn't a casual, polite invitation made on the spot.

Lu Jiuxu wouldn't do that, and he didn't need to.

Su Xingyao glanced at the darkening sky.

This wasn't the best time to go camping.

So, Lu Jiuxu had indeed been waiting for him...

Su Xingyao was a bit surprised, but it also felt like nothing was unusual.

Although they had never explicitly confirmed their relationship, it seemed that, over time, they had come to regard each other as good friends.

Quickly understanding, Su Xingyao looked at Lu Jiuxu.

He noticed that Lu Jiuxu's gaze was fixed on his face.

Meeting his gaze, Su Xingyao politely declined the invitation.

"I have an appointment tomorrow morning, so I might not have enough time."

He wasn't lying.

He had something very important scheduled for tomorrow, and he had already arranged the time with the other person yesterday.

If he went camping tonight, he probably wouldn't make it back in time.

Hearing this, Lu Jiuxu's expression didn't change. He simply nodded in understanding and didn't ask further.

Su Xingyao smiled apologetically and prepared to pull his suitcase toward the villa.

Although he had declined firmly, he still felt a bit of regret.

He had never seen a meteor with his own eyes.

The first time he heard about a meteor shower was when he was five.

Back then, his sister had eagerly told him that she wanted to see a meteor shower in person and make a wish under the dazzling night sky...

She told him that where there were meteors, wishes would come true.

At the time, he was too young to fully understand what a meteor was.

But seeing how much his sister longed for it, he quietly made a wish in his heart.

He hoped that one day he could see it with the most important person in his life.

Although his sister could no longer see it for herself, he still hoped to have the chance to witness it on her behalf.

At the thought of his sister, Su Xingyao couldn't help but lower his eyes, feeling a faint ache in his heart.

Just then, Lu Jiuxu's voice broke through his thoughts.

"We can go tomorrow night instead."

Distracted, Su Xingyao didn't quite catch what was said. He looked up again, puzzled, at the other person. "What?"

"There's another session tomorrow night."

Lu Jiuxu's tone was calm, showing no hint of impatience.

"There are sessions for the next two days; tomorrow night is also an option."

Lu Jiuxu's words instantly sparked hope in Su Xingyao's previously disappointed eyes.

"If I'm back by 5 pm tomorrow, will I make it?"

Lu Jiuxu responded with a soft hum.

"You'll make it."

The following day, Su Xingyao left early in the morning.

Today, he was set to meet with the director and the chief director of "The Voice of Heaven."

When he and Lu Zhiyun had mutually followed each other on the alias account LostTide, Su Xingyao had received an invitation from the show's team.

But at that time, he thought the unconventional invitation from director Xiao Li was an advertisement and almost blocked her.

But later, upon logging into Weibo again, he discovered she had persistently sent him another private message.

This time, she got straight to the point, earnestly introducing the competition to him.

She penned over ten thousand words in total and, fearing disbelief, even attached the show's official filing documents.

Su Xingyao read every word patiently and was moved by her sincerity. They then successfully added each other on WeChat and arranged to meet that day to discuss specifics.

Su Xingyao gazed out at the rising sun through the car window.

He never expected his alias account to be remembered by an industry director.

Because his parents strongly disapproved of his involvement in music, he hadn't posted any new works on this account for two to three years.

The works featured on his homepage were primarily composed during his studies abroad.

It was only during that time, free from his parents' oversight, that he could share his works with fellow music enthusiasts.

Over the years, he had written numerous songs but hadn't released any.

The Shen family villa actually housed a highly professional music studio.

However, his parents permitted only Shen Huaixi to use it.

Whenever he mentioned anything related to music, his parents would turn cold and mock him.

His father told him to stop wasting his time on pointless pursuits every day.

His mother bluntly said his singing was nothing special and she had no interest in listening to him.

In the Shen family, he had no say in his own life, nor could he even bring up his hobbies.

Otherwise, it would be like when he graduated from high school.

Right after telling his parents he wanted to study music professionally at a conservatory, they shipped him off abroad, forcing him into a finance degree he hated.

"Sir, we've arrived at your destination."

"Okay."

Su Xingyao scanned the code with his phone to pay, tugged his hat lower, and adjusted his mask before stepping out of the taxi.

He followed the GPS to the café where he was meeting Xiao Li and took a seat in a secluded corner.

Twenty minutes later, a middle-aged man and a girl with a cute, bubbly vibe joined him at the table.

The girl asked politely, "Are you LostTide?"

Su Xingyao glanced up, "Yes, take a seat."

"Thanks for waiting."

The middle-aged man gave a nod and took the seat across from him.

"Hi, I'm Song Yingming, chief director of The Voice of Heaven."

After a quick introduction, Song Yingming fixed his eyes on the young man across the table.

Even though the guy's face was nearly hidden by a mask, sunglasses, and a hat.

He couldn't shake the feeling that this guy looked oddly familiar.

Earlier, when Xiao Li mentioned LostTide's request to stay anonymous during the competition, he'd found it a little fishy.

Now, face-to-face, that sense of familiarity instantly backed up his hunch.

This guy was clearly more than just some online creator.

Otherwise, why would he make such a weird demand?

But Song Yingming had been around the block—talent shows, dating shows, you name it. After years in the biz, he'd earned his stripes as the top variety show director in the industry. Nothing fazed him.

So he cut to the chase with Su Xingyao.

"You get it, right? Singing competitions are about talent, but as a show, we need that stage presence, that vibe."

"If you stay anonymous, you're putting yourself at a huge disadvantage compared to the others."

"Plus, if you make it to the next round—or even the finals—it'll be tough to keep your identity under wraps with all those eyes on you and the crew backstage."

Song Yingming brought up some hard truths.

But Su Xingyao had already considered all this before signing up.

He was here to hash things out with the director.

"I hope I can wear a mask to participate in the competition."

After saying this, he drew a simple bear sketch in the air with his finger.

"It's like a full-body mascot costume—you can't see the body shape or the person inside. I’ll make some adjustments to it for the competition, so it won’t affect my singing."

Song Yingming nodded upon hearing this, finding the idea quite interesting.

Su Xingyao then continued, "But there’s one thing I’d like to ask of you, director."

"My voice… can it be altered throughout, except during singing? It also needs to be processed off-stage."

Hearing Su Xingyao mention his voice, Song Yingming found the person's voice even more familiar.

Several faces quickly came to mind, but none matched the person in front of him.

Although Song Yingming hadn’t guessed the person’s identity, he had a pretty good idea.

A person who needs to go to great lengths to hide their identity…

It’s obvious that if they were to invite this person, and if their identity were to be accidentally exposed after the show aired, it could bring a lot of trouble.

Xiao Li, standing nearby, also sensed something was wrong.

She nervously looked at the director, her face filled with a pleading expression.

She truly admired LostTide’s talent and voice, just like any ordinary fan, and deeply wished to provide her idol with a stage to showcase his talent, allowing more people to hear his singing.

Xiao Li’s nervousness added to the tension in the room.

Su Xingyao, looking at Xiao Li who was worried for him, calmly gazed at Song Yingming through his sunglasses.

He had anticipated all of this, which is why he suggested meeting with the chief director to decide whether to sign the contract with him.

Song Yingming smiled.

"Hey, take it easy."

After comforting the extremely nervous Xiao Li, he spoke to Su Xingyao in a relaxed tone, "Your requests aren’t too difficult to accommodate, and the production team can fully meet your requirements."

He gestured as if to whisper to Su Xingyao, "But before confirming your true identity, I still want to ask why you want to do this."

Su Xingyao answered him half-jokingly and half-seriously.

"I’m worried that if I just appear as myself, your show might face backlash severe enough to be suspended."

Song Yingming waved his hand indifferently, pointing to his increasingly sparse hair, "Do I seem like the type who’s scared of a little criticism?"

If any episode of his variety show wasn’t criticized by the audience, Song Yingming would worry that his reputation as the leading variety show director might be at risk.

Song Yingming’s tone was slightly exaggerated, and both Su Xingyao and Xiao Li couldn’t help laughing.

After the laughter subsided, Su Xingyao turned serious.

He met Song Yingming’s gaze and shared his true feelings.

"All I want is a stage, purely for singing."

"It doesn’t matter who I am, my appearance, my background, or my history. I simply wish to connect with everyone through music."

Song Yingming was lost in thought upon hearing this.

He gazed steadily at the person before him.

On paper, this young man's actions were quite contradictory.

By joining the show, he clearly wanted to showcase himself and gain some popularity.

Yet, he chose to stay hidden, wanting only to communicate through his singing.

This contradiction was something Song Yingming couldn't understand, but his last words had genuinely touched him.

After some consideration, he finally agreed.

"Alright, I understand. What you've said is fine, and I can keep it confidential from everyone."

"However, as the director, I need to be accountable for the show. These days, any artist appearing on a program must have their identity verified. So, before signing the contract, I need to know who you are first."

Su Xingyao nodded, then took off his sunglasses and mask.

Upon seeing who it was, Xiao Li gasped and covered her mouth in shock.

Meanwhile, Song Yingming suddenly felt it all click.

If this person was Su Xingyao, then everything fell into place.

As he left, he ran a hand through his hair, which had finally grown back after so long.

After many years, he had decided to return to creating a music variety show, and now, a figure who had been widely criticized online had appeared on the program...

Huh. This script felt oddly familiar...

After finalizing the details with the production team, Su Xingyao rushed back, arriving at the villa before five.

*

Lu Jiuxu had already prepared everything in advance, so Su Xingyao had nothing to worry about. He simply tossed the luggage he had packed that morning into the trunk, and the car headed to the campsite.

Su Xingyao had been traveling almost non-stop these past few days, and he was exhausted as soon as he got in the car.

Noticing his fatigue, Lu Jiuxu, who was driving, turned off the music inside the car.

"Get some rest. I'll wake you when we arrive."

Su Xingyao was indeed quite tired and didn't need to be told twice. He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

When he woke up again, the sky had darkened.

He glanced to the side and saw Lu Jiuxu scrolling through his phone, head down.

Noticing his gaze, Lu Jiuxu looked up.

"Awake?"

Su Xingyao murmured in response, his voice slightly nasal, still not fully alert after waking up.

"Come on. Dinner should be ready soon."

With that, Lu Jiuxu opened the car door.

Su Xingyao followed him and reached out to open the car door, only to realize that a piece of clothing had been draped over him without him noticing.

It belonged to Lu Jiuxu.

Su Xingyao folded the clothes neatly and held them in his arm, following Lu Jiuxu to the trunk to get their things.

After getting out of the car, Su Xingyao took in the scenery of the campsite.

Underfoot was a soft, grassy meadow, surrounded by low rose hedges. In the distance were rolling, verdant hills, and nearby flowed a clear stream.

A gentle breeze carried the scent of grass and flowers through the air.

As soon as he stepped onto the land, Su Xingyao felt his mood relax.

Lu Jiuxu led him around the rose hedges, and from a distance, he saw a group of bustling young people ahead.

Lu Zhiyun and the others had arrived earlier. Several telescopes were arranged on the ground, and the table was laden with various foods.

The tents and awnings had already been pitched, and now the group was busy preparing the barbecue.

"Xing Yao!"

Lu Zhiyun, who was busily grilling, turned his head and immediately spotted Su Xingyao. He abandoned the squid he was grilling and hurried over to him.

"You're finally up."

The first sentence Lu Zhiyun spoke gave away too much.

Su Xingyao shot a glance at Lu Jiuxu out of the corner of his eye.

The other man seemed to have heard nothing. He placed the tent on the ground, unzipped it, and began setting it up.

Lu Zhiyun knew he had slipped up but couldn't help himself, lowering his voice to a whisper as he continued.

"My brother told me not to wake you."

No sooner had he spoken than Lu Zhiyun felt something flying towards him.

He quickly reached out to block it.

It turned out to be a small night light.

Lu Jiuxu's voice immediately followed.

"If you forget again, you'll have to hike down the mountain and buy it yourself."

Lu Zhiyun chuckled and quickly muttered, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

Realizing he had slept for so long and that Lu Jiuxu had stayed in the car to avoid waking him, Su Xingyao felt a little embarrassed.

He walked over to Lu Jiuxu and grabbed some tools, eager to help with the setup.

But Lu Jiuxu didn't want his help.

"Go take a rest."

Lu Zhiyun, who had already taken a few steps, quickly retreated upon hearing this.

"My brother's an outdoor expert. He can handle the mountains solo. Just let him be."

"Let's go, let's do something with a good vibe."

After saying this, Lu Zhiyun dragged Su Xingyao to hang string lights on the canopy.

Lu Zhiyun talked a big game but wasn’t great at this kind of stuff, and the lights ended up crooked.

In the end, Su Xingyao, who had a good eye for aesthetics, fixed the wiring and got the lights set up properly.

Once they plugged in the lights and flipped the switch, the string lights lit up one by one, creating a beautiful pattern.

The campsite instantly felt more lively and cozy.

It wasn’t just Su Xingyao and the other two camping; Lu Zhiyun had also invited some of his own friends.

Even though they didn’t know each other, everyone was friendly and welcoming toward Su Xingyao.

After Lu Zhiyun introduced him, everyone warmed up to him right away.

One of them was rumored to be a hotel chef, a pro at grilling, and he took over the cooking for the evening, with Su Xingyao helping out.

Everyone pitched in, and after working together for over an hour, it was finally time to eat.

The table was packed with all kinds of delicious food and fruit. The nine of them squeezed around the table, and even though it was tight, the vibe was super lively.

This was a first for Su Xingyao.

At his adoptive parents’ house, he didn’t have any friends, and even at the orphanage, he mostly kept to himself.

Later, after meeting Qin Mingchuan, he made a few friends, but it didn’t last long.

But most of them ended up cutting ties with him because of Shen Huaixi.

When he was studying abroad, he got along with his roommates, but everyone was too focused on their own work to hang out much.

So this was really his first time hanging out with such a big group.

When Lu Jiuxu told him yesterday that Lu Zhiyun was bringing some friends, he’d been a little worried he wouldn’t fit in.

But tonight, he didn’t feel out of place at all.

After hours of work, everyone was starving.

As soon as the meal began, Lu Zhiyun went straight for his favorite salt-baked shrimp.

But instead of eating it himself, he generously put it in Su Xingyao’s bowl.

"Xing Yao, eat up before these hungry monsters take it all."

Just as Lu Zhiyun was about to drop the shrimp in, Lu Jiuxu stopped him.

"He’s allergic to shrimp."

Lu Zhiyun was confused and, after a pause, turned to ask, "Huh?"

Su Xingyao looked at the shrimp hanging in mid-air and explained to Lu Zhiyun.

"I’m allergic to shrimp."

Hearing this, Lu Zhiyun yanked his hand back in a panic.

After a moment's thought, he quickly tossed the item into the bowl of the person sitting farthest away, as if it were toxic and could infect Su Xingyao, keeping it as far away as possible.

"Then you better not eat this."

After saying that, he seemed to remember something and asked Su Xingyao, "Do you have any other allergies?"

Su Xingyao nodded and listed all the things he was allergic to.

Hearing this, Lu Zhiyun's mouth formed an 'O' shape, and his gaze towards Su Xingyao was filled with pity.

"So many allergies? That's really rough..."

Su Xingyao smiled lightly, "It's okay, it's not like I can't eat anything."

With that, he glanced at Lu Jiuxu beside him.

The other guy was also looking at him just then, his expression unreadable.

Su Xingyao had originally wanted to ask Lu Jiuxu how he knew he couldn't eat shrimp, but under that gaze, he momentarily forgot.

"Last time you were here, Auntie Zhang bought shrimp but didn't cook it." Lu Jiuxu seemed to know what Su Xingyao wanted to ask and directly gave him the answer.

"She said you're allergic to it."

After explaining, he looked away, as if remembering something, and added quietly, "So you're allergic to these too, huh."

The people across the table suddenly burst into laughter over something they were discussing.

Lu Jiuxu's words were drowned out by their laughter, so Su Xingyao didn't catch what he said.

After the lively meal, it wasn't even eleven yet.

The meteor shower wouldn't appear until around four in the morning.

With so much time left, if they went to sleep, they might miss it, but just waiting around wasn't an option either.

So Lu Zhiyun suggested, "How about we play some cards..."

Everyone agreed to the suggestion.

Su Xingyao had thought Lu Zhiyun meant playing cards.

But instead, the guy brought out a box of mahjong from the car...

The barbecue chef quickly laid out the tablecloth, and another guy looked at Su Xingyao, smiling as he asked, "Xing Yao, you in?"

Su Xingyao quickly shook his head.

"I don't know how to play this."

Lu Zhiyun, however, enthusiastically called out to him, "Come on, come on, I can teach you."

Su Xingyao smiled and waved his hand, "You guys go ahead, I'll watch tonight and learn from you first."

Seeing that Su Xingyao wasn't playing, everyone didn't press him.

Lu Zhiyun took a seat first, then made a panicked stop gesture towards Lu Jiuxu.

"Bro, you're a pro, so you're out of this game."

Lu Jiuxu, who had no intention of playing mahjong to begin with, smiled helplessly, "I didn't say I was going to play either."

Only after hearing this did Lu Zhiyun pat his chest in relief and start complaining to everyone.

"You guys have no idea, last time my brother cleaned me out—left me with nothing but my underwear."

Su Xingyao was tickled by Lu Zhiyun's description.

He quietly asked Lu Jiuxu, "Is it really that bad?"

In fact, he was quite surprised that Lu Jiuxu knew how to play mahjong.

In his mind, he had always seen Lu Jiuxu as someone who only worked and rarely indulged in such leisure activities.

Su Xingyao gazed at Lu Jiuxu with a playful smile.

He had expected Lu Jiuxu to downplay it.

But instead, Lu Jiuxu nodded, a faint smile playing at the corners of his eyes.

"Yes, he still owes me his New Year's money."

The night breeze whispered Lu Jiuxu's words into Su Xingyao's ears.

In the soft glow of the night lamp, he took a closer look at the striking man before him.

This side of Lu Jiuxu seemed far more lively than usual.

*

As Lu Zhiyun and the others played cards, Su Xingyao observed from the sidelines.

Soon, he realized what it meant to be a terrible player with a huge addiction.

After watching a dozen rounds, he pretty much got the hang of the rules, yet Lu Zhiyun still managed to lose every single game.

After watching the four of them play mahjong for a bit, Su Xingyao wandered back to where they had eaten earlier and idly scrolled through his phone.

He had been working non-stop on set for so long and hadn't had a decent break since coming back.

Once the initial excitement faded, he started feeling a bit drowsy as he relaxed.

Su Xingyao sprawled on the table, mindlessly scrolling through his phone, his movements growing slower and slower.

Lu Jiuxu noticed the exhaustion on his face and gently called out to him.

"Go get some sleep, I'll wake you later."

Su Xingyao was genuinely tired.

He nodded, stood up, and headed towards the tent Lu Jiuxu had prepared for him.

At first, Su Xingyao was overwhelmed by sleepiness.

But the moment he lay down, his mind snapped awake.

Outside, the sounds of laughter and chatter from Lu Zhiyun and the others playing cards still echoed.

But Su Xingyao might as well have been deaf.

Instead, he was struck by the fear of being alone in a dark, tight space.

As soon as he closed his eyes, the image of being locked in a small dark room by his foster father during his childhood appeared before him.

The size of that small dark room was about the same as this tent.

The night in the early hours was especially dark...

In the pitch-black room, his cheeks were swollen, and his skin burned from the belt lashes that broke the skin.

But he dared not cry out, only crouched in the farthest corner, silently weeping.

If he made any sound, his foster father would return and beat him even more harshly.

And his sister would suffer another brutal beating because of him.

The sound of the belt striking flesh... his sister's cries as she knelt, pleading for him...

Those memories kept resurfacing, and Su Xingyao felt the scar on his left shoulder blade from the burn begin to ache again.

Realizing he still couldn't conquer his fear of small, dark, confined spaces after all these years, he stepped back out.

Lu Jiuxu, who had been looking at his phone, glanced up in surprise.

Su Xingyao couldn't explain, so he lied, his face pale.

"I think I'll stay here; I don't feel sleepy anymore."

Lu Jiuxu didn't say anything.

He noticed Su Xingyao looked unusually pale.

After a quick glance at the tent, he didn't press further, simply saying, "Okay."

*

Fu Qingyan, a glass of red wine in hand, motioned Qin Mingchuan to a corner.

He gazed at the sky and said gravely, "The meteor shower will be visible at four."

Qin Mingchuan didn't respond.

Noticing Qin Mingchuan's distraction, Fu Qingyan quipped, "Come on, Mr. Qin, I've been filming abroad for three months and just got back. The least you could do is acknowledge me."

Qin Mingchuan sipped his wine before finally responding.

"Is Huai Xi sleeping?"

"Yes, he's asleep."

"Have you been in a bad mood lately?" Fu Qingyan turned to look at Qin Mingchuan, finally bringing the conversation back to what he wanted to talk about.

"I heard you overhauled the entire management team at the film studio."

"That's right."

Fu Qingyan smirked, his tone laced with disdain, "Because of Su Xingyao?"

Qin Mingchuan frowned slightly.

Fu Qingyan's tone unsettled him.

He corrected him, "The management itself was the problem."

Seeing Qin Mingchuan actually defending Su Xingyao, Fu Qingyan, slightly annoyed, tilted his head back and downed the wine in his glass.

"He doesn't deserve your goodwill."

As he spoke, Fu Qingyan's gaze subconsciously swept over his arm.

Although the burn scars had been removed through surgery, the memory of that incident was forever etched in his mind.

If it hadn't been for Su Xingyao, he wouldn't have developed such a profound phobia of fire.

Qin Mingchuan had been feeling increasingly frustrated lately, unable to get in touch with Su Xingyao.

Tonight, Fu Qingyan's ill-timed remarks only added to his frustration.

Even though they were childhood friends, Qin Mingchuan had no desire to continue the conversation.

"I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later."

With that, Qin Mingchuan walked alone along the stream.

He looked up at the clear night sky and suddenly remembered the year he turned 18.

It was also a blooming April.

Back then, he loved seeking attention from Su Xingyao and had invited him to sneak out at night to catch the meteor shower.

But that night, he forgot to set his alarm and overslept.

Later, Su Xingyao never brought it up, so he didn't give it much thought.

It wasn't until much later that he discovered Su Xingyao had waited for him on the field all night.

The next day, Su Xingyao caught a chill from the wind and was sick for a whole week.

Realizing his mistake, Qin Mingchuan apologized and promised to take him to see the next meteor shower from that constellation.

But years passed, and there was never another opportunity.

...

After leaving the tent and sitting beside Lu Jiuxu, Su Xingyao quickly calmed down.

Listening to the conversation around him, the unease in his heart gradually subsided.

Feeling relaxed, he soon fell asleep.

Seeing Su Xingyao sound asleep, Lu Jiuxu decided not to wake him this time.

He turned off Su Xingyao's phone, set it on the table, and went to his own tent to get a blanket.

Lu Jiuxu moved quickly.

It took him less than a minute.

But when he stepped out of the tent, he saw a man standing beside Su Xingyao, looking at him with soft eyes.