Through the camera, Fu Yuqian saw Song Yu’s look of utter despair and couldn’t help but chuckle. This little cat must be cursing him to death in his heart.
“Auntie, please rest assured. I will definitely handle everything regarding Xiao Yu,” Fu Yuqian said in a calm but convincing tone. Song’s mother, who had been worried all afternoon, finally felt at ease. Even Song Yu, lying there, suddenly thought that Fu Yuqian seemed surprisingly reliable.
Fu Yuqian had a good reputation in his circle. Despite being born into wealth, he was never arrogant or oppressive. The only incidents involved him quietly blacklisting a few people who tried to stir up scandals with him. Other than that, he was diligent, highly skilled, and even seemed to understand him.
Unbidden, Song Yu recalled the first day he transformed into a cat. He had been worried about his fans’ emotions and didn’t arrange for a PR team to manage the comments, letting fans vent their frustrations on their own.
At the time, he hadn’t thought much about it, but looking back now, he felt a twinge of gratitude.
Song Yu slapped himself. No, this enemy was too cunning. He couldn’t be fooled. Everything Fu Yuqian did was just to get his body!
He couldn’t waver like his mom!
Song Yu decided to give his mom the cold shoulder for one minute.
After ending the video call, Song’s mom instinctively reached out to pet Song Yu, but he darted away. She didn’t mind, though, and picked up her chopsticks, saying to Ying Qi, “Dr. Ying, I’m so sorry about earlier.”
Ying Qi, having just recovered from a coughing fit, waved his hand repeatedly. “It’s fine, Auntie. Old Fu is truly a good person—you can trust him.”
“I trust him,” Song’s mom said, her gaze turning a bit melancholic as she looked at the peacefully sleeping Song Yu on the hospital bed. “You and Xiao Fu are both good kids. Once Xiao Yu wakes up, I’ll definitely talk to him.”
Song Yu silently extended the cold-shoulder duration to two minutes.
After dinner, Ying Qi stayed to chat for a while, but midway through, he received a phone call. Song Yu, with his wide field of vision, caught sight of the contact name on the screen: Brother Fu.
He then noticed Ying Qi’s face turn slightly red, a shy expression appearing as he stood up apologetically. “Auntie, I’ll just step out to take this call.”
With that, he hurried out.
Song Yu was stunned. Ying Qi is gay too? He’d never have guessed.
Fu Yuqian arrived at the hotel, ate a light meal, rested briefly, and then headed to the TV station. The backup dance team was already there. When they saw him, they greeted him in unison, and Fu Yuqian nodded politely in response.
This dance team had a long-term contract with the TV station and was considered top-notch in the country. Fu Yuqian took off his coat and rehearsed the choreography with them. His long limbs, perfect proportions, and graceful coordination made his movements sharp and captivating, drawing everyone’s attention.
This was their first collaboration with Fu Yuqian. Initially, they thought the rehearsal would take a long time, as they had worked with many celebrity artists before, some of whom were unfamiliar with the choreography and required constant adjustments. Some even demanded changes to highlight their center position.
But Fu Yuqian wasn’t like that. His rhythm was precise, and their first rehearsal felt as though they had already practiced together many times. His synchronization with the team was flawless, a clear result of countless hours of private practice.
Their impression of Fu Yuqian improved significantly, as did the program coordinator’s.
Recently, Fu Yuqian had been riding a wave of popularity. First, the explosive success of TOS brought in over 20 million digital copies sold and over 100,000 physical magazine sales. Then, his battle with Xing Yue became a major talking point. Despite all this, his precise dance moves showcased his discipline and focus, earning their admiration.
During a break, one of the more outgoing female dancers cautiously approached him and asked, “Brother Qian, do you really see Song Yu as a kindred spirit?” Her voice trembled with nervousness, and even her hands shook.
Fu Yuqian smiled and asked, “Pisces girl?”
The girl gasped, her eyes widening. Fu Yuqian knew about Pisces? And he didn’t look the least bit annoyed? Pisces is real! She was about to burst with excitement—this was official material directly from the source!
She desperately wanted to share her joy in her fan group, but Fu Yuqian pressed a slender, perfectly shaped finger to his lips. “Shh—”
“Waaah, I get it, I get it!” she whispered tearfully. “Brother Qian, please take good care of my baby. He’s been through so much.”
She was not only a Pisces girl but also a Song Yu “mom fan.” Xing Yue’s recent antics had left her deeply worried for Song Yu, and she couldn’t help but pin her hopes on Fu Yuqian.
Fu Yuqian made a serious promise: “Don’t worry, as long as I’m here.”
Thanks to the smooth rehearsal, which began at 8 PM, they wrapped up before 10 PM. When Fu Yuqian returned to the hotel, he noticed a missed call from his second brother, Qin Yuqiu.
He called back, and Qin Yuqiu answered in a somewhat grave tone: “Third Brother, I hacked into Zhao Hua’s and the company boss’s private computers. There’s nothing about Song Yu on them. They’re very cautious—it must be stored offline somewhere. I also checked Zhao Hua’s boss’s phone and found a suspicious number after cross-referencing. It belongs to a psychologist. Both Zhao Hua and the boss saved the same psychologist’s number but have never called it. I find that strange. Oh, and I also checked Song Yu’s background. It seems he changed his name. Your sister-in-law accessed the civil registry, and I found that he used to go by the name Zheng Xiaoguang.”
Zheng Xiaoguang? Fu Yuqian felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest.
Name changes are common in the entertainment industry, with many stars adopting stage names based on numerology. The name “Song Yu” resembled that of a famous handsome man from ancient times, and his looks lived up to it—praised as a “peerless beautiful youth” when he debuted.
In contrast, the name Zheng Xiaoguang was ordinary and unremarkable.
But Fu Yuqian’s instincts told him that his brother wasn’t done yet. Sure enough, Qin Yuqiu continued: “I searched using that name and found a news report, though I’m not sure if it’s about Song Yu. It’s from nine years ago—a gambler surnamed Zheng, unable to repay his debts, got into a conflict with debt collectors and committed manslaughter. He was sentenced to thirteen years.”
Fu Yuqian closed his eyes, his breath hitching. Though his brother claimed uncertainty, it was likely true; otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned it.
If his brother hadn’t uncovered this, Fu Yuqian would have never imagined that Song Yu came from such a family. After all, both Song Yu and his mother seemed to carry no trace of darkness in their demeanor—always warm and pure.
He knew gamblers often mistreated their families. What kind of childhood did Song Yu endure? How much suffering had he faced? Fu Yuqian’s heart ached unbearably. He suddenly wanted to rush back to the capital and hold Song Yu tightly in his arms.
“Third Brother, there’s more,” Qin Yuqiu hesitated before speaking again. “I found discussions on a local forum about this case. Zheng Xiaoguang’s father, in order to reduce his sentence and gain forgiveness from the victim’s family, as well as to offset his gambling debts, colluded with those people and used his son as leverage to force his wife to become the mistress of a casino owner.”
Fu Yuqian slammed his fist onto the table, his eyes reddening. “Beast!”
The scattered pieces of the puzzle began to connect. Why did Song Yu cherish his fans’ love so deeply? Why did Zhao Hua have a psychologist’s contact saved but never use it? Why did she confidently say, “If he dies, let him die in Xingyue”? Why was she so dismissive of Song’s mom? Why did Song Yu comply?
Qin Yuqiu’s next words confirmed Fu Yuqian’s suspicions: “I also checked Song’s mom’s medical records. Six years ago, she attempted suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills and was hospitalized for gastric lavage. I suspect she suffered a mental breakdown and became suicidal. Fortunately, she was rescued in time. Zhao Hua likely discovered Song Yu’s potential for stardom and helped arrange treatment for Song’s mom, using that as leverage against him.”
Fu Yuqian clenched his jaw so tightly that the veins on his face bulged. His eyes burned with unshed tears. Six years ago, Song Yu was only fifteen. How had he endured all this? Fury boiled in Fu Yuqian’s chest—he wanted to destroy everyone who had hurt them.
Qin Yuqiu’s voice was laced with anger: “This is just what I found online, and it might not all be true. You should verify it. I’ve deleted all the forum posts I came across. They didn’t have many views or comments. Plus, Song Yu’s appearance changed significantly after he signed with Xingyue at seventeen. His poor living conditions before made him look very different. It’s unlikely anyone would connect him to the current Song Yu. I’ll set up a program to monitor online activity and notify me and your sister-in-law immediately if anything arises. As long as you can get your hands on their stored files, this matter can be resolved.”
“Thank you, Second Brother,” Fu Yuqian said hoarsely.
“We’re family—no need to thank me. Just treat Song Yu even better in the future. That child has been through too much. Also, keep in mind that his father will be released in less than four years. Stay vigilant.”
“I won’t let him get away with it.”
After hanging up, Fu Yuqian could no longer contain his pain. He tried booking a flight but found no suitable options. He immediately contacted a local businessman under his family’s name to borrow a helicopter and applied for a flight route. He had to see Song Yu right away.
Yin Lang, startled, rushed to his room. “What are you doing now? Do you know what time it is? You have a rehearsal at 9 AM tomorrow! Are you planning to skip it?”
“I’ll try to make it back in time. Please inform the TV station,” Fu Yuqian said, his eyes still bloodshot, which only worried Yin Lang more. “What’s going on with you?”
“I can’t explain,” Fu Yuqian said before heading straight to the airport without packing anything.
At 2 AM, Fu Yuqian arrived at Sheng’an Hospital. After contacting Ying Qi, he made his way to Song Yu’s ward.
Song’s mom had already taken Song Yu to the family quarters to rest, leaving the ward quiet and dark with only Song Yu inside.
Fu Yuqian sat on the edge of the bed and gently brushed his fingers across Song Yu’s beautiful face. His heartache was almost tangible. He thought, Thank goodness fate made you my cat, allowing me to uncover the wounds hidden beneath your joyful exterior and help you heal.
Unable to suppress his emotions, he climbed onto the bed and wrapped Song Yu in his arms. The two fit together perfectly, as if they were always meant to be held like this.
Fu Yuqian had imagined countless times what it would be like to hold Song Yu—perhaps passionate and intense. But he never expected their first embrace to be filled with endless heartache.
In the companion building dozens of meters away, Song Yu was curled up next to his mother, peacefully asleep and softly snoring. Suddenly, he felt himself enveloped in a warm and gentle embrace, as if soaking in a hot spring. The comfort was so soothing that he couldn’t help but want to respond to it.
Although he never admitted it out loud, he actually loved such hugs. Sleeping near Fu Yuqian always brought him peace, and nightmares never bothered him in those moments.
Author’s Note:
QAQ I also want to hug little Song Yu.
Feel free to scold me—this is the only angsty part of the entire story!
Thanks to the lovely angels who donated nutrient solution:
- Wuxing Que Qian Hao Duo Nian (20 bottles)
- Cai Chongzi (10 bottles)
- Luo Luo (3 bottles)
Thank you so much for your support! I’ll keep working hard!
[mfn]If you enjoy my translations, you can show your support by leaving a comment or donating to my Ko-fi. It will be much appreciated. Thank you! -TL: YSIAD
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