SGSHE88

Seeing Qu Jialiang smile at Luan Xing’an and then immediately turn stern to call his name, Qu Liuguang was so terrified his mind went blank.

It was only when he spotted the director standing beside Qu Jialiang that he felt a sense of relief wash over him.

There hadn’t been enough time for his older brother to find out everything that had happened in such a short span.

In all likelihood, the director had snitched on him.

Qu Liuguang cursed the director silently. The man had agreed right to his face to consider the matter regarding the editing, only to turn around and go straight to his older brother.

***

Out in the quiet empty corridor.

Qu Jialiang’s slender fingers rested on the railing, tapping lightly as he furrowed his brows. “I heard from the director that you wanted the production team to kick out other outstanding trainees?”

Qu Liuguang didn’t answer, instead, he shot back, “Big brother, what are you doing here at the production set?”

His older brother managed the bulk of the family business, handling a mountain of affairs and was incredibly busy, so how did he have the time to listen to a minor director’s complaints?

And to think Qu Jialiang had actually believed it and come to confront him! The more Qu Liuguang thought about it, the more he felt that Qu Jialiang didn’t truly view him as a real brother.

Qu Jialiang replied, “Why can’t I be here? I’m an investor.”

Qu Liuguang was stunned for a moment by this explanation, then bristled with indignation. “I’m just participating in a show, why do you all have to interfere? Why invest in it? Didn’t you say you’d let me take my own path? Can’t you guys consult me ​​before doing things like this?”

The thought that everyone in the Qu family might be aware of his every move made the hair on the back of Qu Liuguang’s neck stand up.

In his panic, he tried to mask his anxiety with anger.

Qu Jialiang felt a momentary pang of guilt at the accusation, mixed with a sense of weariness.

He and his second younger brother, Qu Wenyuan, were close in age, they had grown up together and shared a very close bond. The youngest brother was nearly ten years their junior, perhaps due to the generation gap, they found it difficult to get along.

Neither he nor his second brother were talkative types, they preferred action over words. Whenever they tried to correct their youngest brother, he would invariably react with resentment and anger.

Over time, he and his second brother simply stopped trying to interfere.

After all, if it is not family, who would bother looking out for him?

Qu Jialiang explained, “It was mom’s idea, she was worried about you because that industry is a messy place. Big Brother is just concerned, so I invested in the show but didn’t get involved in anything else.”

Having explained that, Qu Jialiang steered the conversation back to Qu Liuguang’s conduct.

He asked in a stern voice, “You still haven’t told me why you wanted to cut out someone else’s performances.”

Qu Liuguang’s mind was in turmoil, something felt deeply off about the whole situation.

For one thing, Jing Heguang’s reaction had been very strange.

For another, he hadn’t even known that his eldest brother was an investor in the show.

The cold light of the overhead bulb illuminated Qu Jialiang’s sharp, rugged features, giving him an air of stern authority that made him seem unapproachable.

Terrified that his explanation might arouse suspicion, Qu Liuguang held his breath nervously, lowered his head, and mumbled, “I don’t like him…”

“Why don’t you like him?” Qu Jialiang asked. “A single tree doesn’t make a forest, chopping down all the other trees isn’t necessarily a good thing for you. A healthy industry environment helps everyone grow together.”

Qu Jialiang reasoned patiently, hoping his youngest brother would understand.

Qu Liuguang’s eyes widened as he complained, “In our battle, I was clearly the better performer, yet everyone voted for him! He’s like a ‘white lotus’, he just sits there and gets handed opportunities, even taking things that should have been mine!”

Hearing this, Qu Jialiang understood the situation.

It seemed likely that Qu Liuguang’s bad temper had prevented him from building good relationships with others.

The Qu family possessed extensive connections and formidable influence, peers usually curry favor with Qu Liuguang, and he rarely encountered situations that didn’t go his way. Yet, after stepping out into the real world, he was quickly getting a harsh lesson in how things actually worked.

Qu Jialiang patted him on the shoulder and said, “Everyone casts their own vote, there’s no rule saying they must vote for the strongest contender. Big brother believes that as long as you perform well enough, the audience will see your talent.”

“I understand.” Qu Liuguang felt a heavy weight lift from his chest, relieved to have made it through that hurdle.

However, the relief was incomplete. He suddenly realized that when Qu Jialiang entered the cafeteria, he must have seen Luan Xing’an.

What was he supposed to do now?!

After seeing Qu Jialiang off, Qu Liuguang felt as though he were sinking into a quagmire.

Why did his intuition have to be so spot-on? Was Luan Xing’an really a child of the Qu family?

Why did that woman simply abandon Luan Xing’an back then instead of killing him outright?

Useless. She couldn’t get anything right.

As this thought crossed his mind, a trace of hatred flickered in Qu Liuguang’s eyes.

***

While Qu Liuguang sat staring at his rice, feeling a sense of impending doom, Jing Heguang intercepted Qu Jialiang.

The director was surprised to see Jing Heguang and introduced him to Qu Jialiang: “Boss Qu, this is our show’s head mentor, Teacher Jing Heguang.”

Qu Jialiang smiled and extended his hand, adopting the demeanor of a parent addressing a teacher: “Hello, Teacher Jing. Thank you for looking after Liuguang. The boy has a bit of a difficult personality, I hope you’ll bear with him.”

Thanking the teacher while humbly downplaying one’s own child was standard social protocol.

Usually, a teacher would respond in the exact opposite way, perhaps even praising the child to satisfy the parent’s desire for validation.

But unexpectedly, after shaking Qu Jialiang’s hand, Jing Heguang adopted the persona of a parent to another child. “Hello, Boss Qu. There’s no need to call me teacher. I wanted to speak with you regarding Qu Liuguang.”

“I find it strange, why does Qu Liuguang keep picking on my Xing’an? Xing’an is a very well-behaved, honest kid. You could even ask the director about that.”

Qu Jialiang looked a bit bewildered and glanced at the director.

The director nodded. “Luan Xing’an is indeed a very honest kid, a bit introverted, actually. Liuguang might have some sort of misunderstanding about him. I’ll try to mediate later.”

Qu Jialiang frowned. “I’ve already spoken to Liuguang about this, he’ll handle it calmly.” Naturally, he felt compelled to defend his younger brother in front of an outsider. Besides, judging by what his brother had said, he had indeed been wronged.

Jing Heguang took out a digital voice recorder and handed it to Qu Jialiang.

Qu Jialiang was puzzled but took it anyway.

“You can listen to this in the car, Boss Qu. I honestly feel that his hostility toward Xing’an is excessive, it’s as if Xing’an had done something terrible to him.” Jing Heguang left it at that.

He believed that someone capable of managing so many businesses, like Qu Jialiang, was certainly not stupid and possessed a keen sense for such matters.

After all, in his past life, even after Luan Xing’an was gone, the Qu family had managed to spot inconsistencies in the details and eventually uncover the truth.

***

Qu Jialiang got into his car and headed back to the company.

Holding the digital voice recorder in his hand, Qu Jialiang hesitated for a moment before deciding to play the audio.

As the recording played, Qu Jialiang felt as though he were discovering a whole new side to his younger brother, Qu Liuguang.

Between the incident with the director and this recording from Jing Heguang, it was clear that his brother had mastered the arts of both coercion and bribery.

Moreover, the targets had been chosen with such precision, it seemed likely that he had employed these tactics more than once…

Qu Jialiang’s emotions were in turmoil.

It took a long while for him to finally admit the truth to himself: his brother, Qu Liuguang, was not exactly a good kid, at least, not the upright, responsible sort of child the Qu family had hoped for.

Later in the recording, when he heard Jing Heguang accuse Qu Liuguang of having a filthy mind, a sense of protective indignation rose within him.

But then, a question occurred to him: why had Jing Heguang handed over the full recording? Wasn’t he afraid of provoking him?

Driven by curiosity, Qu Jialiang used his phone to search for the name Luan Xing’an online.

That was when he saw the face that had made such a strong impression on him earlier that day, a face that bore a striking resemblance to his mother’s.

Qu Jialiang’s fingers traced the date of Luan Xing’an’s birthday.

“The same day.”

Luan Xing’an and Qu Liuguang shared the same birthday.

Without Jing Heguang, this recording wouldn’t exist. Without Jing Heguang, Qu Jialiang might never have realized that the two men shared a birthday.

But because Jing Heguang had intervened, the discovery of the truth had inevitably come to light sooner than expected.

Accustomed to the dramatic tales of wealthy families, Qu Jialiang’s mind immediately jumped to the most sensational possibilities.

He instructed his secretary to investigate Luan Xing’an’s background and history, while also ordering a check on Qu Liuguang.

If his hunch was correct, his dear brother was already in the know. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so wary and harsh toward a complete stranger.

Clutching the small voice recorder, Qu Jialiang felt a storm of emotions raging within him.

***

The first live performance took place before Qu Jialiang received the results of the investigation.

Seated in the audience were four hundred people invited by the production team. Most possessed some musical knowledge and spanned a wide range of ages.

Backstage, the crew bustled about in a flurry of activity.

A massive beam of red light snapped onto the stage, revealing Jing Heguang as he rose into view on a lift platform.

He wore a loose-fitting black silk shirt that perfectly accentuated his physique, while a pair of non-prescription glasses perched on his nose lent him an air of refined, restrained allure.

Upon seeing his face clearly, the younger men and women in the audience erupted in cheers.

“Jing Heguang!”

“So handsome! Oh my god, I’m dying!”

“It’s the real life brother Jing!”

Jing Heguang chuckled softly, a low, sexy laugh rumbling in his throat. “Welcome to Voice of Heaven. I’m Jing Heguang. Today, the forty trainees on our show will be showcasing their talents for you. I hope they leave you feeling truly fulfilled.”

After Jing Heguang finished his opening lines, the first group of trainees took the stage, the trio featuring Qu Liuguang.

Qu Liuguang held the center position. With his sharp dance moves and highly distinctive voice, he perfectly embodied a blend of handsome charm and sex appeal.

Then came the second group, the third…

Finally, it was time for the last two acts, and Jing Heguang stood on stage alongside Zhang Qi.

Jing Heguang smiled and said, “Up next are two solo performances by trainees who were in our initial A-Class group.”

Zhang Qi glanced at him. “Just looking at teacher Jing’s smile, you can tell he’s really looking forward to this, and so am I. I’m sure you’ll all be delighted by what’s coming up. Let’s welcome the penultimate act of the night: Swaying Bus.”

Swaying Bus was an original song by the buzz-cut guy. It tell the story of young people striving for their dreams.

The song captured a sense of restless ambition, the stubborn belief in a better tomorrow, and the lingering confusion of youth.

A swaying bus, beside it might be someone’s luxury car, a nimble electric scooter weaving through traffic, or pedestrians on the sidewalk. The starting point, the journey, and the final stop, they all mirror the various stages of a human life…

With his naturally weathered voice, the buzz-cut successfully stirred deep emotions in many listeners. He was self-taught and lacked a certain ethereal flair in his composition, but it was his attitude and the soul within the music that truly moved people.

As the song ended, Luan Xing’an, who had been waiting in the wings, clapped loudly.

Jing Heguang glanced at the director, whose eyes were glistening with tears, let out a soft breath, and stepped back onto the stage.

“Now, let’s welcome our final performer, Luan Xing’an, as he presents his original song, The Street in Her Eyes.”

As Jing Heguang announced the title, he knew that ‘her’ referred to Luan Xing’an’s grandmother.

The audience, however, was unaware of this. They assumed she was simply Luan Xing’an’s girlfriend, who looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old.

Yet, the very first line, ‘You said, the distance is clearer than what is near’, left the audience stunned.

The distance is clearer than what is near?

Did the person this young man loved have such farsightedness?

Luan Xing’an had been nervous at first, his voice trembling slightly as he began, but once he truly started singing, it felt as though he had a companion by his side.

It was an elderly woman with a faltering gait and eyes growing cloudy with age, yet her gaze always held a look of tender love.

She was watching him, she was surely watching him.

So he wouldn’t cry, nor would he show his sorrow. It was just that…he missed her so very much.

She hadn’t given him life, yet through the kindness that flowed from the bottom of her heart, she had sustained it.

Luan Xing’an sang with a smile, singing of meals that tasted a bit too salty, of a small bowl of steamed egg custard shared in two, of the scrap paper and bottles gathered bit by bit, and of the moments when the old woman would reveal a girlish sense of longing and childlike innocence…

The lyrics were simple and unadorned, set to a melody that was light yet imbued with a lingering sense of nostalgia.

He sang with a smile. In the audience, some smiled back, while others shed tears.

Damn the production team!

First, the confusion and pressure of life, and then the regrets of parting ways forever. They were going to get accused of being professional actors again!

Jing Heguang watched from the side, gazing at Luan Xing’an shining brightly in the center of the stage, and blinked.

He, Jing Heguang, a tough guy with an eight-pack, was certainly not going to cry.

On stage.

Luan Xing’an finished the song, yet he still felt a bit dazed.

He had been so focused that his mind was sluggish now; breathing slightly heavily, he bowed and walked off-stage with a somewhat vacant look in his eyes.

Jing Heguang strode onto the stage and pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Xingbao, you were amazing!” Jing Heguang lowered the microphone and whispered words of encouragement.

Enveloped by Jing Heguang’s presence, Luan Xing’an’s heart finally began to race, and his mind snapped back to alertness.

He excitedly hugged Jing Heguang back and said happily, “Really? I’m so nervous right now.”

As he spoke, Luan Xing’an tried to turn his head to look at Jing Heguang.

Coincidentally, Jing Heguang wanted to look at him too and turned his face as well, though he was a beat slower.

Thus, Luan Xing’an’s lips brushed against Jing Heguang’s cheek just as he was turning!

Luan Xing’an’s lips landed on Jing Heguang’s face. He froze for a split second, then darted away.

Jing Heguang: !!!

Watching Luan Xing’an’s retreating figure, Jing Heguang had the urge to chase right after him.

Author’s Note: _(:з)∠)_ I… I… I want to cut out two of the story arcs. Going out every day is too much for this homebody; my brain feels like mush.

T/N: 7 worlds and 1 extra world (2 chapter). (⸝⸝๑ ̫ ๑⸝⸝⸝)