Chapter 25: A phone call that lasted four hours.

When Bai Xiaojie pushed He Guan out, he was still perplexed as to why she was upset.

He felt his words were perfectly fine.

His primary concern was Jiaqi’s career. He mentioned the potential repercussions for the family, but the moment Bai Xiaojie heard the word "divorce," she reacted as if a raw nerve had been touched and drove him away.

Why?

Why does she, despite enduring domestic abuse, still perceive that environment as a family?

It's clearly a cage.

Only now did He Guan glance at his watch, realizing it was nearly five in the morning. Time had slipped by unnoticed.

In spring, dawn breaks early. A faint hint of light began to lift the dark shroud from the horizon.

Standing outside his apartment building, He Guan took a deep breath. Feeling slightly more awake, he drove to his office.

Yan Xu had sent testimonies from several patients. After reviewing them, He Guan granted him a day off, suggesting he simply drop the documents at the company.

Everything had been progressing smoothly, so He Guan was caught off guard by Bai Xiaojie's resistance.

Why was she reluctant to clear things up for her son?

Why did she remain so distant, claiming they were still a family?

Having endured domestic violence, how could she still call it "home"? What twisted notion was this?

As He Guan collected the testimonies in the boardroom, his frustration grew.

Everything was ready; they were just waiting for the right moment.

Yet, that moment was elusive because of her reluctance.

With a simple nod from Bai Xiaojie, He Guan could immediately release the prepared materials and videos online. Tong Jiaqi would then make a public "apology" - which would actually be a clarification - casting him as a hero who saved his mother from an abusive relationship.

He couldn’t fathom her reasons.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he tossed it onto the table, adjusted his chair, and drifted off to sleep.

When he awoke, it was past one in the afternoon. The trending topic, having been artificially boosted, remained hot throughout the day.

While eating, He Guan reviewed data from the PR department, indicating that resolving a public controversy within three days of its eruption yields the best results. Anything unresolved after three days usually ends disastrously.

While Tong Jiaqi's situation wasn't the latter, even releasing just the materials on He Guan's phone would significantly shift public sentiment.

Tong Jiaqi had only argued and hadn't thrown a punch. As long as he didn't act on impulse, he remained the good young man who only spoke his mind.

But He Guan aimed for a perfect resolution.

This was his first time managing a group. Though he could have effortlessly quelled this controversy, they stumbled right at the start.

He Guan wasn’t willing to let it go.

He ultimately decided to speak with Bai Xiaojie again.

However, when he located Tong Jiaqi, Jiaqi responded with surprise, "My mother? She said she needed a break and took a bus to our hometown this morning. Seeing her so upset, I just let her go..."

After a moment's thought, He Guan asked, "You're closest to your mother. Do you know why she won't leave Tong Gang? Why she stays even after being abused?"

Tong Jiaqi paused for a moment in He Guan’s office before shaking his head, murmuring, "I don’t know. I truly don't."

He said with palpable pain, "I've tried to persuade my mother many times, but she never listened... I truly don't understand..."

He Guan asked, "Was your father good to your mother?"

Tong Jiaqi replied, "He was, in the past. But once I became a trainee and spent long periods away from home, I lost track."

He Guan probed further, "Had you not failed to debut earlier and returned home for those two days, you wouldn’t have discovered this, right?"

Tong Jiaqi nodded incessantly, his lip quivering.

Rubbing his temples, He Guan motioned for understanding, told him to head back for training, and then called Du Junyan, instructing him to drive him to the village Bai Xiaojie had returned to.

He tried to catch up on sleep during the drive. Alighting from the car, his dark circles from sleep deprivation and crumpled suit were accentuated, yet somehow fitting against the backdrop of the village.

Fortunately, his tall stature and handsome features spared him from looking entirely out of place.

As He Guan approached the village entrance, he overheard conversations.

"Did Xiaojie return? Oh, don’t tell me! Bad luck, bad luck, hope she doesn’t visit my house..."

"You definitely want to know, don't walk away..."

"Share it, let me be in the loop too."

The deeper He Guan ventured into the village, the more he heard. By the time he reached Bai Xiaojie's house, he had pieced together a whole narrative.

*

Surprisingly, the roots of the story traced back to Bai Xiaojie's parents.

After Bai Xiaojie's birth, her father developed a gambling habit, starting with card games and gradually escalating to slot machines.

His tolerance for his wife's nagging waned, transitioning from mild, to moderate, to extreme impatience, eventually manifesting in physical abuse.

In a small village, domestic violence is widely known yet seldom confronted.

It was dismissed as "family matters."

In a tragic turn of events, Bai Xiaojie's mother was killed during one such confrontation.

That day, having just finished her first year in senior high, Xiaojie hid in the adjacent room, as her mother had instructed. When she sensed something was amiss and returned, all she witnessed were her mother's final moments.

After that, her father quit gambling and treated her exceedingly well, but Bai Xiaojie could never feel close to him again.

That remained the case until his death.

He Guan couldn't ascertain what Bai Xiaojie's mother whispered in her final moments, but after some reflection, he imagined it might have been something like, "Endure, my dear Xiaojie. Please, don't end up like me..."

It was an unfortunate twist of fate that, despite her mother's hopes, Bai Xiaojie too found herself ensnared in an abusive relationship.

This time, fearful of repeating her mother's tragic fate, she chose to endure.

Compared to being beaten to death, life is more precious.

Given the circumstances, He Guan could understand Bai Xiaojue's actions.

Because enduring can save one's life.

But if that was the case, why was Tong Gang so adamant that Bai Xiaojue would never admit to domestic abuse?

*

Eventually, He Guan asked for Bai Xiaojue's home address and was led there by a few helpful villagers.

When he opened the door, Bai Xiaojue was using a clay pot to steam buns. The smoke billowed, making it almost impossible to keep one's eyes open.

He Guan hadn't expected her to be unfamiliar with using the clay pot. Covering his nose and mouth, he adjusted the wood in the stove.

In a short while, the clay pot resumed its function and the chimney emitted smoke normally. He Guan stood up from the chair, not wiping the ash off his face, fearing it would smudge even more.

Bai Xiaojue held a basin of clean water and stood outside the door. Seeing him come out, she placed the basin on the ground and walked away, saying, "Clean your face and then leave."

She maintained her previous demeanor.

He Guan was not deterred by her indifference: "Thank you, ma'am."

Bai Xiaojue sat in a corner of the courtyard, on a wooden stool far from him, lost in thought.

Soon, Tong Gang returned with two bottles of beer. Noticing a visitor he recognized, he asked, "Why are you here?"

He Guan: "I wanted to discuss the domestic violence issue further. Jia Qi is about to debut..."

Tong Gang grabbed a wooden stick from a cart, warning, "Try staying in my house and see what happens!"

He Guan glanced at the nails on the stick. Realizing reasoning wouldn't work, he returned to his car, asking Du Junyan to drive back.

On the way, He Guan called Lou Dongcang: "Old Lou, I won't be coming home today."

Lou Dongcang sounded noticeably disappointed, "Why?"

He Guan: "Things are urgent here. I need to resolve them immediately, or I won't be at ease."

Lou Dongcang: "Can you fill me in on the details?"

At that moment, Du Junyan was driving through a market. It was around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and the place was still bustling.

He Guan: "I'm going to buy an e-bike. The car is too conspicuous. We were noticed even before reaching the village entrance. I'll talk to you in a bit."

Lou Dongcang: "Okay."

He Guan asked Du Junyan to leave him a blanket, and with the blanket and the e-bike, he headed back to the village where Bai Xiaojue lived.

Lou Dongcang: "Where are you headed?"

He Guan, gripping the handle with one hand: "The artist I manage, Tong Jiaqi, witnessed his father's domestic abuse and nearly retaliated. To prove he didn't assault anyone, we must explain his father's actions. But it seems his father doesn't care much about it, and his mother denies it. Why might that be? I'm currently in their village."

If it's not domestic violence, then what could it be?

Is all of this just an act?

Lou Dongcang: "Isn't it sufficient to just prove he didn't assault anyone?"

He Guan sighed: "Yes, but he's a public figure. What was he thinking trying to fight someone in public? There must be a reasonable explanation. It certainly involves his father's domestic violence. But if his mother denies it, can we..."

Lou Dongcang interrupted: "Tong Jiaqi lives in Xingyu, right?"

He Guan: "Yes."

Lou Dongcang: "...And his parents?"

He Guan paused, taken aback.

Everyone knew Tong Jiaqi came from a poor family, but the extent of their poverty was unknown. If Tong Jiaqi's stay in Xingyu was free, where were his parents living? With him in the city?

Another call came through for He Guan: "Hold on, it's a call from the company."

He kept Lou Dongcang on the line and answered the message from Xingyu's PR.

It was a while before Lou Dongcang heard He Guan speak again.

"Handle this discreetly if possible."

"They're asking for 5 million?"

"You recorded it, right?"

"Already considering a replacement?"

"Alright... Let's wait until tomorrow. If they don't retract by then, we'll issue a statement."

He Guan quickly hung up.

Lou Dongcang: "They're demanding 5 million to admit to the domestic violence?"

He Guan put away his phone: "Yes, the abuse is just a smokescreen. The real agenda is to extort the company. This is... they're pushing Tong Jiaqi into the spotlight just to bring him down."

Though his tone seemed unchanged, the hand clutching the e-bike's handle was trembling.

He Guan: "Tong just got home. He's there now. I need to move fast... Take care, Old Lou."

Lou Dongcang, sensing something was amiss: "Go on, but be careful."

He Guan hastily pocketed his phone, not even checking if he'd hung up.

He intentionally avoided the main roads, cutting through the heart of the village, and it took him a while to locate Bai Xiaojue's house.

By then, it was already midnight.

Most of the village was asleep.

He Guan parked his e-bike against a wall. Seeing the front gate firmly locked, he used the bike's seat to boost himself over the wall—

His suit proved cumbersome, nearly causing him to trip atop the wall.

He Guan had inspected this area during the day. Although the courtyard was dusty, there were no sharp objects that might injure someone.

These two lived in the city.

Unexpectedly, just as he began to move, there was a jingling sound from behind, swiftly followed by the whoosh of air!

He barely had time to raise his arm in defense when he felt a wooden stick firmly strike him!

The sharp nails punctured through his suit, embedding directly into his flesh!

The assailant, after one blow, attempted another. He Guan reacted swiftly, rolling to his feet and lunging at the attacker!

The courtyard light suddenly switched on, illuminating the entangled pair.

Blood streamed down He Guan's forearm. With his injured arm, he tightly covered Tong Gang's mouth, preventing him from shouting.

Seeing the light, He Guan turned his gaze to Bai Xiaojue, who stood frozen, assessing the situation.

If Bai Xiaojue called for help now, their negotiations would be over for good—by morning, they'd be facing extortion charges from the company.

As Tong Gang continued to struggle, Bai Xiaojue suddenly spoke: "Let him in, husband. You've assaulted him and he hasn't retaliated. He's not here for trouble."

He Guan released his grip.

Tong Gang sat up from the ground and retreated indoors.

He seemed very obedient to Bai Xiaojue. This was contradictory to the domestic abuse claims.

Bai Xiaojue followed him inside. When she returned, she brought iodine and gauze, suggesting, "Let's bandage that up first."

As Bai Xiaojue dressed his wound in the courtyard, He Guan, noting her expertise, asked, "Why do you have these supplies?"

Bai Xiaojue chuckled: "When Jiaqi was young, he was always getting into scrapes and bruises. Going to the village clinic was too much hassle, so we always kept these on hand."

Her primary concern was always her son's future.

Jiaqi, with his good looks, was selected by the company, alleviating the family's financial burdens. Bai Xiaojue was ecstatic upon hearing that after his debut, he could earn a significant amount of money.

The opportunity was not only profitable but also something her son enjoyed. It was the best of both worlds.

The person who supported Tong Jiaqi the most was her.

So, hearing from He Guan now that Tong Jiaqi might face problems, she would undoubtedly be the most worried.

He Guan remained silent for a moment, then, unexpectedly, stood up to leave, "Stay here. I must go. Judging by your husband's actions... if this isn't settled, Tong Jiaqi won't be able to make his debut, and all his efforts will have been in vain."

Bai Xiaojue interjected, "Can't debut? He's trained for so many years, hasn't he..."

He Guan looked at Tong Gang, who stood behind him, "You should ask him what he thinks."

Without missing a beat, he probed, "The domestic violence was a charade, right? An act both of you put on?"

Tong Gang opened his mouth but said nothing, clearly taken aback by He Guan's accurate guess and momentarily displaying a flustered expression.

He Guan: "..."

Everything now made perfect sense.

It was actually true.

Tong Gang never abused his wife; he had alcohol issues, and Bai Xiaojue's earnings weren't sufficient to support his habits.

With Tong Jiaqi's impending debut and increasing influence, Tong Gang saw an opportunity to extort the company, hoping to use the money to buy an apartment in Huaiyin city center.

They currently lived on the city's outskirts, where commuting was quite inconvenient.

Driven to desperation by their financial struggles, had he convinced Bai Xiaojue to join him in blackmailing Xingyu?

But why would Xingyu pay 5 million for an undiscovered talent?

The phone call he received earlier was from Yan Xu, updating him on the emergency PR meeting's outcomes that afternoon.

The company's final decision was... if Tong Gang continued his extortion, Tong Jiaqi would be immediately dismissed.

He Guan picked a foxtail weed from the courtyard, relayed the company's stance, and questioned, "Have you two lost your minds?"

Tong Gang looked stunned.

He clearly hadn't expected the company to consider dropping Tong Jiaqi and stammered, "How could they? I mean, surely, surely..."

He Guan interjected sharply, "Surely what? Aren't you the mastermind behind this scheme? You saw the potential rewards but overlooked the risks? Considered immediate gains but failed to anticipate the consequences?"

During the days when He Guan's family business was in debt, his parents, through the advice of relatives, taught him the importance of repaying debts and ensuring the company's smooth dissolution.

Despite having to mortgage their properties and endure frugal days, his parents never once considered jeopardizing his future for monetary gain.

This was sheer foolishness!

In a chilling tone, He Guan remarked, "He's only eighteen, with a promising path laid out before him. Now, it seems both of you have conspired to ruin it."

Bai Xiaojue, still grappling with her emotions, exclaimed, "But Jiaqi has trained for three years without debuting! We can't even afford the rent on the outskirts of Huaiyin! Things have come this far... this far... let Tong Gang continue! Can't we just give up on the debut? The 5 million would be enough for our family to live comfortably!"

"You're a young master. How would you know how high the city's housing prices are? In winter, even with two blankets, the rental room still lets the cold wind in! It's never been warm!"

"If only... if only we succeed this time..."

He Guan paused for a moment before saying, "So, you're willing to trade Tong Jiaqi's future for money? Are you aware that Tong Jiaqi picks up the meals you prepare for him at the company's front desk every day?"

"He has a big appetite, and he loves the dishes you cook. He always carries the lunch box you bought for him. On variety shows... when he's exhausted from dancing, he subconsciously reaches for the lunchbox you gave him."

"He says it's what's been driving him all this time."

"They're debuting in just over two months. In a few days, they're heading to Paris for a magazine cover shoot and will meet the producers, photographers, and fashion directors there."

"He deeply cares about you. When he heard about your situation, his first instinct was to defend you."

"Even if the entire situation was fabricated."

"But you're about to shatter his long-held dream and block his path that's within his grasp. He didn't attend high school because of his training – he spent three years at Xingyu. Preventing his debut means rendering all his prior efforts useless."

"What he worries about the most is you. If he knew you did all this... it'd be better to have killed him."

"You shouldn't have let him train in the first place. But would you have stopped him? His living expenses were covered by the company, and you were thrilled, weren't you? If given another chance, you'd still let him train, right?"

Bai Xiaojie was sobbing uncontrollably.

He Guan: "Now, only you can save Jiaqi. If this isn't resolved properly, Jiaqi will fail his pre-debut evaluation. You'll also face imprisonment. Misappropriating five million is a huge sum – you're looking at three to ten years."

"Your actions have brought negative attention to the company, not just in terms of public opinion, but financially as well. We don't need you anymore."

"How can we possibly compensate five million for a star who hasn't even debuted yet?"

As the general manager, He Guan managed to push the deadline to tomorrow.

"Tomorrow is the final deadline. If you still insist on blackmail, Xingyu will immediately initiate legal action and disclose the entire incident to the public."

By the end of his words, He Guan stood silently in place.

After saying all that, he had nothing left to add.

Now, the decision lies with Tong Jiaqi's parents.

"Do you retract the blackmail, and Tong Gang admits to domestic violence at the police station, or do you both go to jail for continuing with the extortion, with your son getting fired by the company?"

Any reasonable person would make the right choice.

Given the situation and his status, questioning further would seem hypocritical.

He can't leverage his privileged position to question why you'd go to such lengths for money.

All He Guan hopes for... regardless of whether Xingyu pays to suppress the news or whatever else may come...

"Tong Jiaqi must never know this truth."

With a hoarse voice, Bai Xiaojie asked, "So, what should... what should I do?"

He Guan replied, "Admit that you were hit. If Tong Gang acknowledges it, then it's domestic violence, and Tong Jiaqi's actions will be seen as justified."

Bai Xiaojie choked up, nodding, but still asked, "Once he debuts, he will surely earn a lot of money, right?"

He Guan, having his hand grasped by her, paused for a long time before responding, "Yes, as long as you both keep silent."

Before leaving, He Guan posed a question that had been bothering him: "Why did you do this? Weren't you both living peacefully in the suburbs before? Did someone guide you? Am I right?"

Neither of them had a high educational background. Bai Xiaojie's was slightly better, but she didn't finish high school either.

Tong Gang hesitated, "...It was a drinking buddy of mine, a bright young graduate from a prestigious 985 university."

He Guan inquired, "What's his name? Any details?"

Tong Gang replied, "I don't know much..."

"He said his surname is Yan."

*

After resolving the issue, He Guan left the village, preparing to ride back to the city.

He unlocked his phone intending to call Lou Dongcang and update him, pondering how to hide the day's injuries. To his surprise, he found the call connected to Lou Dongcang the entire time!

The call duration... four hours and thirty minutes.

No wonder he felt warmth in his pocket; the prolonged call had heated up his phone!

He forgot to hang up!

Holding the phone, He Guan felt like he was holding a hot potato – uncertain whether to drop it or keep holding.

He stood there, flustered, and stuttered, "When... when did I call?"

The person on the other end, whose emotions were unreadable, retorted, "Right after you left. I thought you were going to discuss something, so I didn't hang up."

He Guan, frantic, exclaimed, "Why didn't you say anything when you picked up? I had no idea..."

He didn't realize it, but as he spoke, he sounded so pitiful, as though his injuries hurt even more.

The other person paused for a moment, ignoring his previous statement and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Still, his mood was indiscernible.

He Guan, looking downcast, mumbled, "It doesn't hurt."

Clutching the phone, he whispered softly, "It's not that bad... really..."

"I had originally wanted to keep it a secret, but now, it's all been overheard."

As if waiting for a response, He Guan paused for a moment before countering over the phone, "It's just a minor external injury. Seriously, it's no big deal. If you don't believe me, I'll show you when I get home..."

"Stop pestering me. I haven't even asked you yet—how come you're still awake after listening to the call for so long?"

"Lou Dongcang, why aren't you responding?"

"Fine, I'll ask you again when I get home..."

Author's Note:

I've revised the story; there are inconsistencies between the comments and the main text.

——2022.4.8 5：31

Hello everyone, I've read all the comments.

Firstly, I'd like to confirm that I'll be revising the narrative, specifically from the beginning of Chapter 23 to the end of Chapter 24.

When I wrote it, I was focused on Tong's family, particularly wanting to depict his mother, so it became more like her autobiography, leading to the protagonist's diminished presence.

Many feedbacks suggest that readers did not enjoy this plot. After the revisions, the protagonist's involvement will increase, contradictory settings will be eliminated, and the narrative will be more aligned with the main storyline.

This part of the story was my oversight, and I sincerely apologize.

Secondly, thank you to those who left constructive comments. I'm grateful for the support, encouragement, and valuable suggestions.

For instance, Bai Xiaojie being a university teacher conflicting with her views on scandals and Tong Gang willingly giving money are settings that, after reflecting upon, seem unnecessary. Such elements, as many pointed out, diminish the story's appeal.

I understand the disappointment when the story doesn't meet expectations. My deepest apologies.

Over the next few days, I'll be replacing parts of Chapters 23 and 24, ensuring that readers won't feel as though I'm just filling in word counts. My chapters are often long because I believe in completing a narrative arc for better readability.

Each of your tokens isn't taken for granted, and supporting official releases is angelic. So, thank you very much for sharing your thoughts.

Lastly, I'll be deleting comments that are unnecessarily harsh.

You can check whether your comment was deleted by the author or due to review guidelines by navigating to "My Comments" on the desktop version.

The above actions are directed towards comments, not individuals.

PS: Regarding the update schedule, many readers have inquired in the comments section. As mentioned in the description, updates are every other day at precisely 23:59:59, unless there's an exceptional circumstance. Regular updates will occur.

If you check and there's no new chapter, it means I'm still writing or it's not yet the update time. Please be sure of the timing before expressing dissatisfaction.

Barring unforeseen issues, I'll always update as promised. After stating the "every other day" schedule last month, I haven't missed a single update. The only delay was on March 28th, which was one day late.

To prevent frequent inquiries and ensure timely responses, I'll specify the update time for the current chapter and the exact date and time for the next update in each chapter's note.

"Just check on time and move on."

"Once again, thank you all for listening to so much of what I have to say."