Jian Xingsui remarked, "If there's nothing else, help me fill this out. I need to hand it in."

Hesitantly, An Ran inquired, "Will your parents, I mean, your uncle and aunt come over?"

Jian Xingsui seemed uncertain as he responded, “They might come.”

An Ran smiled softly, "That's good. It's been a while, and they might miss you."

He thought to himself, they probably miss you, but whether they'd want to see me is another matter.

However, he chose not to express these thoughts aloud. After waiting silently for An Ran to finish filling out the form, he took it with a quiet, "Thank you."

As he was about to leave, An Ran's voice stopped him. "Wait!"

Jian Xingsui turned back to look at him.

An Ran stood there, seemingly struggling with his words. Eventually, he said, “Jian, my father and brothers might visit me in a few days, and you...”

Jian Xingsui froze in place.

Memories of intense pain, it seemed, could become ingrained in the body. As An Ran spoke, a sharp pang shot through Jian's heart, memories of his father's cold words and the card he had handed him flooding back.

Sometimes, Jian would recall the happier times, like when they were children and his father would take them on family trips. He remembered being carried in one arm, his brother held by the other, and their mother cooking his favorite dishes. His elder brother would buy him the latest toys, and his second brother would sing to him on rainy days.

Their family had once been so close.

But as he grew up, and as he started attending the same class as An Ran in junior high, everything changed. Disappointment became the common look he received from everyone.

He had tried to be the pride of his family, but he always messed up. Some things couldn't be achieved just by holding on tightly. For years, he had lived rigidly, refusing to adapt or let go, which led to his eventual breakdown.

There was no going back.

He knew it.

“Why are you telling me this?” When Jian Xingsui turned again, his eyes were calm and unemotional. "I have no ties with them anymore."

An Ran choked back his emotions.

It seemed like the answer he had been seeking, and yet, not.

Watching Jian Xingsui walk away, An Ran felt an inexplicable sensation that the man had changed, and they would never be the same again.

...

The next day

The show began its recording. Instead of focusing on performances, the producers had a task for the participants: to call their parents in front of the cameras to capture the emotions after a month apart.

Before the calls, a staff member asked the contestants, “How do you think your parents will react when they hear your voice?”

The answers varied.

Shen Xingchen boasted, “Isn’t it obvious? They'd miss me.”

Ning Ze kept it simple, “They'd tell me to keep pushing forward.”

Li Xu'an said with a smile, “They'd probably miss me and give me some advice.”

An Ran, visibly moved, commented, “Just being able to talk to them would be enough. Honestly, after all this time away, I miss them dearly.”

The staff turned the camera to Jian Xingsui and asked, "What about you?"

Jian Xingsui didn't expect that he'd be put on the spot too.

Facing the camera, he gave an awkward smile, "Well, I really can't predict."

The staff chuckled and decided to let him off the hook. But this only made everyone more curious about the anticipated reactions. Then someone brought in a box with phones for everyone, "You have five minutes. Please take this time to call your parents."

Everyone picked up a phone and started dialing.

Shen Xingchen was the first. Once his call went through, a deep male voice responded, "What is it?"

"Hey, Dad," Shen Xingchen drawled out playfully, "It's me, your son!"

Shen's father replied, "What now? Did you get into trouble again?"

The viewers watching the live stream were in stitches.

Shen Xingchen clicked his tongue, slightly embarrassed, "Dad, what are you talking about? I just missed you. We have an event in a couple of days, you know. Bring my brother and come watch me. It's the only chance in the next few months!"

"..."

There was a momentary silence on the other end.

Shen Xingchen, quite smugly, asked, "So, are you excited?"

"Just a few months?" Shen's father seemed to sigh, "I was hoping for a longer break from you."

Shen Xingchen's eyes widened.

The viewers were entertained by the humorous yet loving banter between father and son. Although the father pretended to be annoyed, his fondness for his son was evident, making the audience both laugh and envy.

Next up were the other contestants.

Ning Ze's parents, as expected, expressed their concern and urged him to work hard.

When An Ran made his call, Jian's father answered warmly, "Ran Ran, we've been watching your broadcasts. You're doing wonderfully, and we're proud of you. Rest assured, your parents will always support you."

An Ran was moved to tears.

The audience was deeply touched as well.

While everyone was sharing their heartfelt moments, Jian Xingsui sat by himself. He dialed a number, but there was no response. Three of the five minutes had already passed. As everyone else was immersed in warm conversations, all Jian Xingsui got was the cold automated message: "Sorry, the user you dialed is currently unavailable..."

The camera zoomed in on Jian Xingsui, practically in his face, "What happened? No one's picking up?"

Jian Xingsui lifted his eyes to the camera, lost for words. His hands, resting on his lap, involuntarily tightened. His downcast gaze hid a fleeting shadow of sadness. He managed a strained smile, "Hmm, they must be busy."

Were they really that busy?

No one knew.

In those five minutes, all the contestants were deep in conversation with their families. Only Jian Xingsui sat there in silence.

As the filming concluded and the crew began collecting the phones, Jian Xingsui’s phone vibrated. Just as he was about to hand it back, it began ringing. He hesitated, wondering whether to answer since the allocated five minutes had passed.

A staff member smiled kindly, "It's okay, answer it."

Jian Xingsui hesitated, "But the rules..."

"Don't worry about it; rules are just guidelines." The staff member pointed to a quiet corner, "Go over there, finish your call, then return the phone to me."

Only then did Jian Xingsui pick up the phone and walk away.

The staff member watched his retreating figure and sighed. It wasn’t that she was particularly willing to make an exception for Jian Xingsui, but the look in his eyes when he sat there earlier, even though he was trying to control it, was heart-wrenchingly sad.

...

Meanwhile.

After answering, Jian Xingsui hesitated before speaking, "Hello?"

Mr. Zhang responded, "Hello, is this Xingsui? I was busy in the shop earlier and missed your call."

Jian Xingsui quickly reassured, "It's okay."

Although he had left home impulsively, a month had passed, and his anger had subsided. Seeing others’ parents cherishing their children, he secretly hoped the Zhang couple might also care for him.

He waited for a moment before hearing Mr. Zhang ask, "How are you holding up there?"

A smile slowly spread across Jian Xingsui's face, "I'm doing well."

"That's good. How's An Ran? He seems to have lost some weight from what we saw on the broadcast," Mrs. Zhang added.

Jian Xingsui's grip on the phone tightened.

Was An Ran tired? Perhaps. But wasn't he tired as well?

His effort on the stage made him lose weight, yet his struggles never seemed to concern the Zhangs.

Struggling for composure, Jian Xingsui replied, "He's alright."

Mrs. Zhang sighed, "That's good. So, Xingsui, what did you call for?"

By this point, Jian Xingsui had lost the desire to invite them. He made up an excuse, "Just checking your blood types for the show. What are yours?"

Mr. Zhang answered without thinking, "Oh, B type."

Jian Xingsui frowned, "B type? But I'm A type..."

"..."

There was a deafening silence on the other end.