This is a short chapter.
The assistant driving the car was startled and hurriedly asked, “President Cheng, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Cheng Yu leaned back against the seat, unable to calm his panicked heartbeat for a long time.
In his mind’s eye, Pei Yan’s dead eyes stared at him, silently saying: Cheng Yu, you killed me.
During that battle, when Pei Yan killed the enemy general, only he was by Pei Yan’s side. The soldiers who rushed over only saw Pei Yan falling to the ground, no one knew that he had sneak attacked Pei Yan. But Pei Yan, in their last life, knew.
If one day Pei Yan remembered his previous life, then he…Cheng Yu’s panicked eyes suddenly condensed with cold and gloomy killing intent: As long as Pei Yan died.
He asked gloomily, “The classical music concert at the end of this month that Qi Feng is performing in…how are the preparations coming along?”
“Don’t worry, sir,” the assistant lowered his voice and said, “Everything is ready. It will be flawless.”
—
After that banquet, Cheng Yu contacted Qi Feng more proactively than before.
Every time after Qi Feng’s livestream, performance, or musical debut, he would be the first to send Qi Feng a message:
【That was brilliant, as expected of you.】
【Are you busy? Have you eaten lunch?】
【Did anything happy or unhappy happen today?】
And so on.
The words were intimate, no longer the polite interaction between investor and endorser, but the casual conversation between close friends.
Qi Feng was also no longer as cold and distant as before. Instead, he confided openly to Cheng Yu about his mood that day.
【Many fans came to the performance today. Hearing them call out my name and seeing their smiles makes me feel very happy.】
【I hope I can do even better, to not disappoint those who like me.】
【Mr. Cheng, you must be very busy too. Please remember to eat properly and take care of your health.】
……
Cheng Yu was in a meeting when his phone buzzed. He secretly glanced at Qi Feng’s message when no one was looking, his lowered eyes brimming with smiles.
He held his phone under the conference table with both hands and replied: 【The date for your orchestra’s debut is coming right up, I can’t wait. I really want to hear you play Phoenix Seeking Phoenix live.】
Qi Feng: 【I’m still practicing, hoping to fluently perform this guqin piece at the performance that day.】
Cheng Yu: 【I saw your program list. Your solo is the last act of the whole performance. After you finish, may I come on stage and present you with a bouquet of flowers?】
Qi Feng: 【If the event organizers agree, then it’s fine.】
Cheng Yu sent him a smiling emoticon.
After Qi Feng’s solo performance of Phoenix Seeking Phoenix, it would be time for his onstage confession – also Pei Yan’s death…The smile in Cheng Yu’s eyes was abruptly restrained.
He wanted Pei Yan to witness with his own eyes his confession to Qi Feng, before dying in despair. In this life, he would still be the winner.
After receiving the last message from Cheng Yu, Qi Feng opened his chat with Pei Yan.
Their last exchanged messages dated back two months ago. After Pei Yan said his phone was being monitored, Qi Feng had not contacted him since.
But this time, Qi Feng felt something was off.
He typed: At the end of this month, I’ll be performing Phoenix Seeking Phoenix at the orchestra’s debut. Afterwards, he will…
Qi Feng frowned and deleted all these words.
A few minutes later, Qi Feng updated his Weibo.
— January 30th, traditional instruments orchestra debut. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.
— At the end of the ensemble performance, I will present all of you with a guqin piece I’ve never played before, Phoenix Seeking Phoenix.
— Thank you, @Cheng Yu, for your support of the orchestra. All the members of our orchestra look forward to your attendance.
It was an ordinary promotional post for the performance, and also gave advance notice of their schedules to fans.
—
At the Pei family residence.
Pei Yan was lazily reclining on the sofa, his long legs casually bent. His open coat revealed his sturdy and well-built chest.
He held his phone, looking at the Weibo post Qi Feng made a minute ago, his eyes appreciative: “See, he’s so clever. I didn’t tell him anything, yet he knows what I’m doing and used this method to send me a message.”
The handsome man smiled blissfully: “He’s so good to me.”
Pei Junhai walked by and glanced at him, sneering coldly: “Stop imagining things. Can’t it be that Qi Feng actually likes Cheng Yu? Posting on Weibo is just interacting with his fans.”
Pei Yan: “Dad, I presented the audio evidence of Cheng Yu and his assistant’s conversation, how can you still not believe me?”
Pei Junhai snorted: “If nothing happens at the end of the month performance, I’ll immediately send you to a psychiatric hospital to get your head checked.”
Pei Yan sighed: “Alas, he killed me in our last life and will try to kill me again in this life. I just don’t want you to experience the sorrow of seeing your son die again.”
Pei Junhai scolded: “Shut your mouth, you would be better off dead, bastard.”
“Dad, if I really die this time, please help me look after Qi Feng, okay?” Pei Yan’s fingertips caressed Qi Feng’s face on the phone screen. “Anyway, after I die, he probably won’t be too sad. He most likely…doesn’t like me but truly respects you. His helping me now, letting me mistreat him so badly in the past, is probably all because…he wanted to repay you.”
Pei Junhai yelled at him again: “If you don’t shut up with this nonsense, I’ll strangle you first.”
Pei Yan just chuckled lightly, unaffected.
The current Pei Junhai thought he was mentally ill. If he still had some trust in his own son, Pei Junhai would have sent him to a psychiatric hospital already.
After all, when he first regained memories of his past life, he also thought he was mentally ill.
But those agonizing memories replayed over and over in his mind, pounding his heart over and over, hurting so much he wanted to cry, wanted to disregard everything and protect the boy under his wings so that he would never be hurt again.
After realizing that it was his and Qi Feng’s previous lives, he also clearly understood one thing.
That night at the nightclub, Qi Feng had approached him with memories of their past lives, seeking help from him.
When the boy had asked him, ‘Can you take me away?’, he was so hopeful.
But what did he do?!
He made rude remarks, calling the boy shameless and improper. He forcibly pressed the most helpless boy down in his car. Used money and power to coerce the boy to be with him for so long.
Young Master Qi of the Qi’s noble household was a person of such astute talent and arrogant pride.
What had he done to him? He deserved to die a hundred times over.
Pei Yan pinched his own palms. “Dad, those words you said to him at the banquet must have…hurt him deeply too. I really am, I really…”
“Weren’t you the one who told me to go along with it?” Pei Junhai viciously kicked him. “Don’t be so self-important. Who knows if that brat even has you in his thoughts.”
“If you really feel apologetic, then pull yourself together and get through this.”
“Dad…” Pei Yan tilted his head, smiling at Pei Junhai. “I know you like Qi Feng. Even if you think I’m mentally ill and everything I said about our past lives is fake, deep down, you still like Qi Feng, right? So, in the future, can you be a father to Qi Feng?”
Pei Junhai: “That depends on whether he likes you!”
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Please consider supporting the author directly.
You can also follow me on Ko-fi to get the latest updates on my translation progress and new projects. I appreciate your love and feedback.
