Chapter 70

Chapter 70

The fact that Su Xingyao had experienced a fire only sparked a brief wave of interest when the show aired.

After the entire live broadcast ended, the audience's focus shifted to Su Xingyao's glitch and the game's dungeon setting.

However, Fu Qingyan couldn't calm down and kept obsessing over this matter.

Why had Su Xingyao said those things during the show?

When had he even encountered a fire?

In that mysterious fire... had he even been injured?

If this were true, why hadn’t he ever brought it up?

And everyone who knew him seemed completely unaware of it...

Questions flooded Fu Qingyan’s mind, one after another.

He couldn’t even understand why he was so fixated after inadvertently learning about this from the show.

After all, Su Xingyao had been out of his life for so long...

He shouldn’t be wasting his thoughts on Su Xingyao.

Annoyed, Fu Qingyan tossed aside the blanket and headed to the living room.

Yet, even though he knew Su Xingyao was no longer part of his life, he couldn’t sleep over something so trivial.

Fu Qingyan grabbed two bottles of wine from the cellar and poured himself a glass.

He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the city lights for what felt like hours.

It could be simple, right?

They hadn’t spoken in years.

Maybe Su Xingyao had been in a fire while studying overseas.

Or maybe it was just a small, insignificant fire.

Either way, it had nothing to do with the fire six years back.

Fu Qingyan smirked bitterly at himself.

Why was he even bothering with some offhand comment from someone so indifferent?

Fu Qingyan downed the entire bottle of liquor in no time.

Even as he tried to reason with himself, the alcohol made his eyes drift to the photo clutched tightly in his hand.

It was a photo of him and Su Xingyao, taken after his very first audition.

Back then, Director Liu’s new drama was still in pre-production.

To capture the lead’s innocence, he skipped established actors and went with a complete newcomer.

He then held auditions for the male lead at universities nationwide.

At that time, when they were searching for the male lead, he was having a major falling out with his family.

In a fit of anger, his parents froze all the cards under his name and forbade his friends from helping him.

During that time, all his friends were urging him to apologize to his parents.

But Su Xingyao, the only one who knew how much he loved and was perfect for the role, risked it all to help him submit his resume.

Later, after he secured the audition, Su Xingyao paid for his ticket to the out-of-province audition when he was broke.

To boost his confidence, Su Xingyao, who had always been a model student in the eyes of his teachers, lied and skipped class for the first time...

For his far-fetched dream, Su Xingyao resolutely joined him on that journey.

The audition that day is something Fu Qingyan will never forget; it was the role that catapulted him to fame in the entertainment industry.

But what he remembers even more vividly is.

The figure waiting quietly for him under the dim streetlight on that snowy night.

Even after all these years, Fu Qingyan can still vividly recall how bitterly cold it was that day.

Because so many people were auditioning that day, the staff were especially strict with the entrants.

Only those with an audition notice were allowed in; not even relatives or parents could enter.

The temperature plummeted that day, making it unbearably cold, so he told Su Xingyao to go back to the hotel and wait for his news.

But to his surprise, a few hours later when he walked out of the building, the first thing he saw was the slender figure waiting for him outside.

The biting wind was fierce, and the streetlight cast a long shadow.

Su Xingyao, bundled in a white down jacket, had his nose red from the cold.

His long eyelashes were also dotted with droplets from melted snow.

The person, whose hands and feet were numb from the cold, waved immediately upon seeing him emerge.

In the warm glow of the streetlight, he flashed him a smile.

It was a smile as radiant as the summer sun.

Fu Qingyan stood frozen, staring at the other's figure for what felt like an eternity.

When everyone was against his dream, he always felt like a lone warrior.

But in that moment, he suddenly realized that Su Xingyao, who had always quietly supported him, was the light guiding his brave journey forward.

"How did it go?"

The shivering figure ran through the snow towards him, his amber eyes locked on him, shining with hope.

After a brief pause, he replied, "The director told me to go home and wait for the news."

After saying this, seeing the surprise in the other's eyes, Fu Qingyan, who had initially planned to keep it a secret, felt a wave of emotion.

Facing someone who cared for him so deeply, he couldn't keep anything from him.

So the next moment, he shared his speculated result with him.

"I performed quite well."

"From what I gathered, if nothing unexpected happens... it’s pretty much secured."

This was the first time he had confidently told someone about something he wasn’t entirely sure of.

And then he saw Su Xingyao clapping happily in place.

Then, he was completely overwhelmed by the full expectation and joy in Su Xingyao's eyes.

After sharing the good news, Su Xingyao smiled and produced a cup of milk tea from his thick scarf.

When Su Xingyao handed the milk tea to Fu Qingyan, it was still warm.

Fu Qingyan didn't know how he managed to keep it warm on such a cold night.

All he heard was Su Xingyao say to him, "Have a cup of milk tea to celebrate."

After saying that, Su Xingyao took out his phone and stood with him.

Under the streetlight, the two of them stood with their backs to the audition building, laughing as they quickly snapped a photo together.

"Teacher Fu's first audition," Su Xingyao captioned the photo.

The phone froze their happiness at that moment forever.

Much later, after securing the role, he finally asked the question he had wanted to ask but hadn’t when he saw Su Xingyao outside.

—Why did you wait outside the building on such a cold day for me?

Su Xingyao replied nonchalantly.

—Because I wanted to share the joy with you right away.

At that time, he felt that the logic of this statement was a little off.

Because no one could be sure that his audition would be a success.

Later, lying awake at night, he kept replaying the sentence in his mind until he finally understood what was off.

This statement was meant for him after his success.

And correspondingly, if he had failed the audition at that time, Su Xingyao would have been there.

Su Xingyao hoped that in that snowy late night, Fu Qingyan wouldn’t have to face it alone.

He would have been there, steadfastly by his side, right from the start.

Recalling all these past events, Fu Qingyan filled his glass with wine again.

The photo from the audition, now in his hand, had been given to him by Su Xingyao before their graduation trip.

Upon learning that he would officially join the crew a month later, Su Xingyao found a shop to get their photo printed and handed it to him.

"Future Fu, the future movie star, for the sake of our revolutionary friendship, remember to sign it for me first."

Fu Qingyan turned the photo over to see.

On the back was a signature.

It wasn’t the kind of modern, stylized calligraphy that’s popular now, but a name meticulously written, stroke by stroke.

And right in the middle of this signature, the character "Qing" in Fu Qingyan's name had a long crack running through it.

He had torn this photo in half six years ago.

Just like the irreparable rift between him and Su Xingyao.

Fu Qingyan didn’t know how much he’d drunk or when he’d fallen asleep.

In his dream, he slept fitfully, repeatedly dreaming about that devastating fire.

Though lying in bed, he was acutely aware of the raging fire surrounding him.

Yet he was trapped, paralyzed and unable to move.

The relentless fire approached, searing his body inch by inch, but his head felt heavy, sapped of all strength to resist.

Fu Qingyan urged himself not to succumb to sleep, to find a way to escape, or he would surely die here.

He hadn’t even begun to perform the role he’d just landed; his life was only just beginning...

Cold sweat drenched Fu Qingyan’s forehead.

Even though he knew he was in a dream, the despair and stark realism of teetering on the brink of death yet powerless crushed him.

As the fire closed in, everything in the room ignited.

A dull ache throbbed in his left arm, the sizzling sound of his burning flesh filling the air...

His lucid mind screamed at him repeatedly that he was truly going to perish in this inferno...

A loud "bang" echoed.

Just as Fu Qingyan was about to suffocate, he glimpsed a figure charging in bravely.

"Qingyan!"

Flaming debris rained down in front of the figure, hindering his progress.

Yet the figure pressed on undeterred, sprinting toward him through the roaring flames, disregarding everything.

Through his haze, Fu Qingyan fought to open his eyes, trying to see what his rescuer looked like.

In his subconscious, it should have been Shen Huaixi who had rushed in.

Because he remembered, the last figure he saw before passing out was Shen Huaixi.

The sudden rescue in the sea of fire gave Fu Qingyan a strong sense of hope and the will to survive.

So he tried hard to wake himself up.

Then he felt the other person using all his strength to carry him on his thin body, enduring the burns from the fire, slowly carrying him downstairs.

In his daze, he felt a sense of weightlessness.

At this moment, his muddled consciousness finally cleared.

As his body fell, he opened his eyes.

Looking up from beneath, he finally saw the face of his savior in the sea of fire.

It was Su Xingyao!

Fu Qingyan suddenly woke from his dream.

He was curled up on the sofa, already drenched in cold sweat.

Even though he had woken up, the final scene of his dream kept replaying in his mind.

Su Xingyao, it was Su Xingyao.

The one who saved him in his dream wasn’t Shen Huaixi—it was Su Xingyao...

The dawn light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling window, illuminating Fu Qingyan's face.

He looked down at the torn photo he had been gripping all night, and after a moment, he took out his phone and dialed Shen Huaixi's number.

Shen Huaixi answered quickly, his voice groggy and tinged with annoyance.

"Qingyan, what’s up this early?"

Fu Qingyan remained silent.

Suddenly, Qin Mingchuan’s warning echoed in his mind.

—Shen Huaixi is not as simple as you think.

Fu Qingyan instantly calmed down, his rationality slowly returning.

Shen Huaixi waited a few seconds but heard no response, so he frowned in confusion. "What’s going on? Why the silence?"

Hearing this, Fu Qingyan finally spoke, "I had too much to drink last night and just woke up. I must have accidentally called you."

Then he asked, "How did your audition with Director Zhang go?"

Shen Huaixi was initially annoyed by Fu Qingyan’s accidental call, which had interrupted his pleasant dream.

But now, hearing the other mention the role he had helped him secure, his mood instantly lifted.

"I owe you one," he said with a sweet smile. "The audition went well, and barring any issues, I should get the part."

Shen Huaixi’s words rang a bell.

Fu Qingyan’s eyes drifted to the photo he had taken with Su Xingyao during the audition.

At that moment, reality and memories blurred together.

His heart skipped a beat, as if stabbed by something.

Suddenly, Fu Qingyan realized he couldn’t share Shen Huaixi’s happiness.

After a half-hearted congratulations, he blamed his hangover headache and hung up.

But after talking to Shen Huaixi, the scenes from the program—where Su Xingyao had casually and evasively mentioned the fire—kept replaying in his mind.

Even though they hadn’t been in touch for a while.

He was sure that Su Xingyao’s reaction on the program wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed.

That was no ordinary fire.

In the afternoon, Fu Qingyan reached out to Qin Mingchuan and Ban Yang.

After their last argument, Fu Qingyan and Qin Mingchuan hadn’t spoken.

When he tried to set up a meeting today, Qin Mingchuan didn’t even want to take his call.

Only after Fu Qingyan texted, mentioning he wanted to ask about Su Xingyao, did Qin Mingchuan reluctantly agree to meet that afternoon.

Qin Mingchuan looked even thinner than the last time they’d met.

He sat across from Fu Qingyan, his expression grim.

"Listen, if you’re going to treat Xing Yao like last time, we’ve got nothing to discuss."

Fu Qingyan brushed off Qin Mingchuan’s warning and cut straight to the chase.

"Do you know about the fire Su Xingyao mentioned on the show?"

Qin Mingchuan, who’d clearly seen the broadcast, raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "No."

He flicked the lighter open and closed, sighing at the flame. "I don’t know when, where, or what happened."

Back then, he’d ignored Su Xingyao so completely, it was like he didn’t exist.

As Qin Mingchuan wallowed in regret, Fu Qingyan, silent until now, took the lighter and asked quietly.

"Where did Su Xingyao go after that fire six years ago?"

The lighter slipped into Fu Qingyan’s hand, the flame flickering and burning his fingers.

He frowned, his gaze fixed on the flickering flame.

He’d finally brought up the past he’d tried so hard to forget.

Qin Mingchuan stared at Fu Qingyan in disbelief.

Last time they’d discussed this, Fu Qingyan had been vehemently opposed.

But now, after so little time, Fu Qingyan was the one bringing it up.

This was strange.

But it was this very change that made Qin Mingchuan suspicious.

"Why are you asking about this now?"

Fu Qingyan shrugged. "Just curious."

Qin Mingchuan didn’t call him out. After a pause, he spoke again.

"I don’t know where he went, but I tried calling him once. It didn’t go through."

Fu Qingyan leaned in. "And?"

Remembering how he’d brushed Su Xingyao off, Qin Mingchuan waved a hand. "Nothing after that. I can’t remember."

*I can’t remember…*

Fu Qingyan's brow twitched, realizing that he was actually quite similar to Qin Mingchuan.

When it came to that period, everything always felt hazy.

A lot of things were a blur.

This feeling was really odd.

It felt like something was deliberately pushing them, making them overlook many details.

Both of them, sharing the same thought, fell silent, and the room went quiet.

But the silence didn't last long before a loud, clear voice broke through in the private room.

"What brings the great actor Fu to invite me for afternoon tea today~"

Ban Yang pushed the door open with a grin, and spotting Qin Mingchuan, he perked up even more.

"Yo, Mr. Qin, my man, it's been ages since I last saw you."

He walked over to Qin Mingchuan, half-joking, half-complaining, "You're so busy these days, not hanging out with us anymore, not showing up for gatherings..."

"You suddenly went all-in on your career, and my mom's been on my case about not being serious enough..."

After Ban Yang went on and on like a chatterbox, Qin Mingchuan just gave him a casual nod, gesturing for him to sit down.

Seeing this, Ban Yang's eyes flicked between the two, suddenly realizing they both seemed off.

"What's up with you two?"

Fu Qingyan cut through his rambling and asked directly, "I need to ask you something about Su Xingyao."

At the mention of the name, Ban Yang flinched, "You guys have been all about Su Xingyao lately."

As soon as Ban Yang said that, Qin Mingchuan's face darkened.

He quickly backtracked, "Mr. Qin, I was just kidding."

Ban Yang smiled helplessly, "Weren't you guys closer to him than I was... back then, everyone was close to him, right?"

As soon as Ban Yang said that, even Fu Qingyan's face fell.

Realizing he might have crossed a line, he finally shut up.

Fu Qingyan brushed off the comment, steadied himself, and asked in a low voice, "How did you know Shen Huaixi saved me in that fire six years ago?"

Ban Yang answered without hesitation, "That's what everyone was saying..."

Fu Qingyan frowned in dissatisfaction, "What do you mean?"

What do you mean by 'everyone was saying that'?

Staring intently at Ban Yang, Fu Qingyan corrected him word by word, "You clearly told me back then that you saw Shen Huaixi save me."

Qin Mingchuan also sensed something off from these words and turned sharply to look at Ban Yang, "You didn't see it with your own eyes?"

Ban Yang shook his head, then nodded.

"I saw it happen!"

Fu Qingyan's heart suddenly sank, leaving him feeling somewhat empty.

That dream was indeed just a dream.

"Can you just spit it out..."

Before Fu Qingyan could finish, Ban Yang hurried to explain himself.

"It's not that I'm cutting my sentences short, it's just... how do I explain this..."

He pounded the table, struggling to recall the scene, then continued, "I did see something, but it was you and Shen Huaixi lying together."

Fu Qingyan and Qin Mingchuan suddenly asked him about this. Ban Yang didn't know why, but their reactions told him it was important. So, he got up and reenacted the scene.

He ran from the door and collapsed. "I fainted after running out, didn't I? Then I woke up briefly."

Ban Yang weakly opened his eyes and pointed to his right. "I saw you and Shen Huaixi lying side by side near the window."

"Later, in the hospital, everyone said he saved you."

"At the time, I saw you two lying together, so I assumed he brought you out."

Hearing Ban Yang's words, Fu Qingyan's fists clenched tightly.

Barely containing his anger, he gritted his teeth and asked, "So, you didn't actually see him rescue me from the fire?"

Ban Yang nodded firmly but felt a bit wronged.

"I was out cold, bro! I only came to for a second!"

With a loud crash, something shattered in Fu Qingyan's world.

Fu Qingyan's world came crashing down.

The truth he had clung to for years...

It was all a lie!

He didn't even see it happen!

Ban Yang never saw Shen Huaixi save him!!

"Then why the hell did you sound so sure back then!"

Fu Qingyan roared in frustration, his fists clenched so tight his veins bulged, his breath caught, and his eyes burned with rage.

Fu Qingyan barely remembered leaving the room.

When he came to, he was in the driver's seat, Su Xingyao's number pulled up on his phone.

Fu Qingyan felt like a complete fool.

Six long years had gone by.

Only now did it occur to him to ask Su Xingyao directly.

His fingers shook as he dialed the number—familiar, yet distant.

His heart seemed to skip a beat at this moment.

Fu Qingyan stared intently at the phone screen, waiting in silence.

After a few seconds of silence, the response from the dialed call was an automated voice message.

— The number you have dialed is not in service.

The automated voice message echoed in Fu Qingyan's mind.

He slumped back in his chair, staring blankly ahead.

Su Xingyao's number...

He couldn't reach him.