This was not the first time Qi Changyi had seen Xing Shi. He had caught glimpses of him from a distance twice before.
But even before meeting him, he had heard plenty about him.
Bad temper, very stubborn.
For most teenagers, being too headstrong could lead to disadvantages, but not for Xing Shi. He was sharp and quick-witted, always making clever moves. Director He had been careful around him for two years, but his efforts had achieved little.
Over the past couple of years, many people had given Director He advice. Qi Changyi had also tried to come up with solutions, but nothing worked.
That being said, Xing Shi wasn’t entirely indifferent to everything.
At the very least, he had no conflicts with his stepmother. When she and Director He returned from overseas and told him they were in love and wanted to get married, Xing Shi had only targeted his father.
After nearly six months of interaction, Xing Shi and his stepmother had reached a level of casual friendship. They could go out shopping or have meals together—but only if Director He wasn’t there, and only if she didn’t speak on his behalf.
Later, when the two finally registered their marriage, Director He had thought that meant Xing Shi had come to accept them. But he soon realized that wasn’t the case. His son simply had no objections to his stepmother, yet still resented his biological father.
Qi Changyi hadn’t known any of this.
He only found out when he overheard his aunt talking worriedly with his mother about the father-son relationship.
At first, he had assumed it wouldn’t be that hard to appease a teenager, so he started coming up with ideas for Director He. But after watching every single one fail, he finally understood how difficult Xing Shi was.
After that, he would occasionally hear updates about the situation while caught up in his own busy life—until today, when they finally met face-to-face.
Qi Changyi knew that Xing Shi wasn’t easy to approach, and he had envisioned different possible scenarios for their first meeting.
Maybe the kid would give him the cold shoulder.
Maybe he’d be indifferent after learning about his aunt’s connection to Qi Changyi.
Or maybe, if he had heard Qi Changyi’s songs or seen his works, he might be a little more open to conversation.
But he had never expected that Xing Shi would simply greet him with a calm, “Hello, cousin.”
Qi Changyi studied him. “You knew who I was?”
Xing Shi replied, “I found out by chance.”
Qi Changyi was intrigued. “When?”
Xing Shi said, “I forgot.”
Qi Changyi changed the question. “Before joining the company or after?”
Xing Shi still gave him a short answer. “Secret.”
Qi Changyi’s charming peach blossom eyes curved with amusement. “Then—”
Before he could finish his sentence, a small commotion broke out.
Because he had removed his mask to make a good impression, he had been recognized.
Although there weren’t many people in the VIP arrival area yet, news would spread fast. Without wasting any time, they hurried toward the parking lot.
Meanwhile, Fu Xiuning suddenly heard Lin Kecheng’s voice nearby.
“…Why is Ning here too?! If he sees me, won’t he figure out my intentions?”
The system urged him, “Get out of here quickly! Don’t let him—”
Then the voice cut off. But the meaning was clear.
Fu Xiuning didn’t even bother looking up and followed Director He and the others into the parking lot.
Several assistants discreetly checked their surroundings to ensure they weren’t being followed before relaxing.
Director He, still in disbelief at seeing his son again, asked cautiously, “How are things at the company?”
Xing Shi answered with a simple “Hmm.”
Fu Xiuning added warmly, “The teachers all praised him, said he was talented.”
At this, Director He and the others all turned to look at him.
Qi Changyi had already explained who Fu Xiuning was after they got off the plane—the president of June Culture, the only son of the Fu family, and a man whose looks and presence were just as impressive as his reputation.
Director He first glanced at Xing Shi, and seeing no reaction, he couldn’t help but ask, “What else did they say?”
Fu Xiuning replied, “They also said he trains very hard… By the way, did you see the trending searches a few days ago?”
Director He immediately brightened up. “I watched it several times! He danced really well!”
Fu Xiuning continued, “The choreography concept was his idea.”
He briefly explained, “We both attended Z University. I was his senior, and originally, I only invited him to perform a solo act at the anniversary event. But he suggested involving all the trainees so that everyone could have a chance to shine.”
Director He was touched. “Really?”
Fu Xiuning nodded.
Meanwhile, Xing Shi silently observed him.
Fu Xiuning had a reputation for being bad-tempered. The reason he had originally asked Xing Shi to perform was probably just to enjoy the show himself.
So why was he saying all this now?
Had he overheard something from Qi Changyi and was trying to smooth over the awkwardness?
Was he actually this kind-hearted?
Then they reached a fork in the road.
Qi Changyi had arranged for a nanny van, which was parked separately from Fu Xiuning’s car.
Without hesitation, Xing Shi followed Fu Xiuning. Naturally, Director He and Qi Changyi followed suit, while the rest of their group went to the nanny van.
Xing Shi slid into the passenger seat as usual.
As Fu Xiuning drove, he occasionally talked about work and school while subtly observing Xing Shi.
Director He and Qi Changyi chatted in the back seat, but they kept stealing glances at Xing Shi. They both found it strange—he was unexpectedly calm today.
Qi Changyi handed over his phone. “Let’s add each other on WeChat?”
Xing Shi turned his head and added him.
Qi Changyi checked his profile—his username was “It’s better to eat than to struggle”, and his profile picture seemed to be… a roasted sweet potato?
He chuckled and put his phone away.
Meanwhile, another car pulled up outside Linlan Garden.
Not long after, Lin Kecheng also arrived nearby in his own car.
He and his system had carefully planned their approach.
Step one: Catch Qi Changyi’s attention and make a good impression before leaving.
Step two: Stir his curiosity and continue luring him in.
Step three: Make formal contact.
Looking at the elegant Chinese garden restaurant in front of him, Lin Kecheng was brimming with confidence.
It didn’t matter if Fu Xiuning was here—they would be eating in a private room. At some point, Qi Changyi would need to use the restroom, and that would be his chance.
He pulled out his phone to call a few friends and asked, “How much is the per-person cost here?”
The system, which had been tracking Qi Changyi and his team, had assumed they were heading to a restaurant. Only now did it realize something was off.
It checked again and reported the price.
Lin Kecheng winced at the cost, but he had been making extra money thanks to his system, so he could afford it.
Then the system suddenly said, “Wait. This is a members-only restaurant.”
Lin Kecheng frowned. “Then I’ll apply for a membership.”
The system hesitated. “…That’s not the problem. Each private room has its own restroom.”
Lin Kecheng: “…”
The night breeze was cool.
Both man and system were silent, collapsing together in utter defeat.
Xing Shi had no idea that his so-called ally was currently freaking out outside, anxiously waiting for dinner to start.
He and Fu Xiuning had been to Linlan Garden once before, but that time it was just the two of them, and they didn’t order much. This time, the table was filled with dishes!
The private dining room was larger than the last one, with a round table. Xing Shi sat beside Fu Xiuning, with Qi Changyi on his other side. Next to Qi Changyi was Director He, followed by three assistants and the film’s supporting male lead.
The supporting actor immediately found the focus of the evening: “Director He’s son is really handsome.”
Director He smiled proudly. “Of course.”
Then, he introduced the man to Xing Shi.
Xing Shi nodded and called out, “Brother Zhang.”
The supporting actor sighed. “I saw the trending searches too. Have you officially debuted yet?”
Xing Shi shook his head. “I’m still a trainee.”
Qi Changyi studied him and asked, “Do you have a favorite variety show? I’ll take you on one.”
Xing Shi replied, “I don’t watch variety shows much.”
Qi Changyi offered, “Then I’ll pick a few for you. You can choose one.”
Xing Shi remained firm. “I have classes and training to attend.”
Qi Changyi understood his meaning—he wasn’t interested. But he tried again. “Are you interested in acting?”
Xing Shi replied, “Still learning.”
Qi Changyi smiled. “Experience on a film set is the best teacher. I’ll find some books for you and personally coach you?”
Director He interjected, “I have plenty of books at home. You can pick whichever you want.”
The supporting actor was stunned by this level of attention. Meanwhile, Xing Shi, realizing that they were not going to let this go, gave in slightly. “Maybe after I’ve trained for a while.”
Director He, seeing that he hadn’t been flat-out rejected for once, was a little taken aback. “Alright, I’ll have the scripts ready whenever you need them.”
After some casual conversation, the food finally arrived.
Xing Shi perked up immediately, picking up his chopsticks and focusing entirely on eating. He only responded to the others when necessary.
Director He observed him while eating, hesitated for a moment, and then tentatively placed a piece of food on his son’s plate. When he saw Xing Shi eat it without complaint, he took a deep breath.
Something was definitely wrong with his son.
His small habits were still the same, which meant he was indeed his son and hadn’t been replaced.
His eyes were clear, his behavior was normal, and he answered questions fluently. He didn’t seem possessed by an evil spirit or under a spell.
But this wasn’t right.
The last time he had seen Xing Shi, the boy had still been rebellious and defiant, treating him with an air of arrogance. Even when he was sitting quietly, he had a cocky, untamed energy about him.
But now…
Now, he was calm, composed, and shockingly well-mannered.
It made Director He feel like… his son must have suffered some kind of hardship without his knowledge.
Something painful.
But how was that possible?
Although his son had always ignored his messages, Director He’s own parents and Xing Shi’s grandparents had been in contact with him. They never mentioned anything unusual happening.
Besides, Xing Shi was never the type to suffer losses. It was always others who were left regretting their decisions after dealing with him.
And it hadn’t even been that long since they last met. How could he have changed this much?
Director He frowned.
Qi Changyi was also silently observing Xing Shi, feeling surprised.
The way the kid behaved now was completely different from the stories he had heard about him over the past six months.
The system, in a state of high alert, urged, “Stop eating! Your dad and Qi Changyi are both staring at you! They must be getting suspicious!”
Xing Shi swallowed his food, then raised his head and asked calmly, “Do I have something on my face?”
Director He, startled, instinctively shook his head.
Qi Changyi smiled. “It’s just that I’ve never seen someone enjoy a meal so much. I looked twice.”
Xing Shi’s response was simple. “Eat.”
Director He and Qi Changyi withdrew their gazes.
Xing Shi was satisfied.
After finishing his meal, he slouched in his chair, too full to move.
Fu Xiuning had anticipated this. He turned his head slightly and asked, “Tired?”
Xing Shi replied lazily, “It’s fine.”
Fu Xiuning nodded with concern. “Make sure to get plenty of rest. I heard you’ve been waking up really early every day.”
Director He, who had been suspicious all night, immediately seized on this. “Insomnia?”
Xing Shi shook his head. “No.”
Director He frowned. “Really? You used to sleep until almost noon before.”
The system nearly malfunctioned from panic, but Xing Shi remained calm and made up an excuse. “Everyone else wakes up early, so I got used to it too.”
Director He, knowing how demanding trainee life could be, frowned even deeper. “You shouldn’t stay in the dormitory. I’ll buy you an apartment near the company.”
Qi Changyi immediately interrupted. “Even if you buy a place, you’ll need time to renovate it. He can stay with me for now. I live in a high-end residential area—quiet, private, and I’m usually not there anyway.”
But Fu Xiuning smoothly interjected, “That location is too far. And reporters often stake out there—it’d be easy for him to get photographed.”
Qi Changyi: “?”
Whose side are you on?!
Fu Xiuning had played the role of the perfect boss and considerate senior the entire night, but he wasn’t here just to be polite.
Director He had to leave for another stop after tomorrow’s roadshow, meaning his time was limited.
If a parent is about to leave their child in someone else’s care, common courtesy dictates that they say something to that effect.
A simple “Please take care of him” would make things much easier for Fu Xiuning moving forward.
But he hadn’t expected them to immediately bring up moving houses.
Things were moving too fast.
Fu Xiuning thought to himself, Xing Shi is sharp. If I push too hard now, he might get suspicious.
But… opportunities like this don’t come often.
He just had to smooth things over later.
With a calm expression, he said, “My place is close to both the school and the company. It’s big enough, and we wouldn’t be in each other’s way.“
Then, he turned to Xing Shi and asked, “How about staying with me?”
Xing Shi: “?”
The system: “!!!”
