The phone had barely rung once before it was picked up, as if the person on the other end had been waiting all along—even though, by time difference, it was only five thirty in the morning in the U.S.
After a few brief words—”Fang Li’s at Qi Jian’s place”—Feng Hui handed the phone over.
“Here. Qin Weidong wants to talk to you.”
Fang Li let out a slow breath. He knew this confrontation was unavoidable. Eventually, Qin Weidong was bound to find out he was back. He had no relatives in Jinyang, and besides Qi Jian’s, Fang Li couldn’t think of anywhere else he could go—let alone somewhere he could hide from Qin Weidong.
After a moment’s hesitation, he reached out and took the phone.
“…Hello.”
He expected an immediate barrage of curses, perhaps even to be strangled through the phone line if that were possible. But to his surprise, after that single word, there was only silence on the other end for several long seconds. Then he heard what sounded like Qin Weidong exhaling in relief.
“Lili,” Qin Weidong’s voice was hoarse. “Is your heart bothering you? I had Feng Hui get your meds. You forgot to bring them. Take them first.”
Feng Hui held up a bag. “Qin Weidong asked me to buy these. The batch numbers are different here. Some imported meds are only available through hospitals in Beijing. He already made arrangements.”
Suddenly, a tight ache settled in Fang Li’s chest. After all these years, he and Qin Weidong had never truly been apart—at least, not by choice.
“I’m not sick. I’ve been fine since I got here. I don’t need to take medication every day.”
His voice still sounded steady and alert. Only then did the blade that had been hanging over Qin Weidong’s heart for the past few days finally drop.
“…It was my fault,” Qin Weidong said.
Fang Li pressed his lips together. “You’ve made plenty of mistakes. Which one are you talking about?”
“I was wrong in every way,” Qin Weidong replied quietly. “No matter what, I shouldn’t have treated you like that. Lili, I’ve booked you a hotel here in the country. Rest for a week. I’ll have a doctor examine you next week. If everything’s fine, I’ll book your flight back. Alright?”
That instantly reignited the surge of irritation Fang Li had been trying to suppress.
“So now you’re just informing me again?” he asked coldly.
There was a pause on the other end. “It’s not convenient for you to stay at Qi Jian’s. Please, just listen to me. Go to the hotel—I’ve arranged everything.”
“What’s so wrong about staying at Qi Jian’s?” He wasn’t going to let this go. “Qi Jian is my friend—my friend! We’re not even sleeping in the same bed. Can you stop with this obsessive possessiveness? Do you think every person on the planet who sees me is going to fall for me?! Why don’t you just stick me inside a glass case and lock me up?!”
Fang Li was furious. The same had happened with his singing, and now again with his return—Qin Weidong hadn’t reflected at all. He was angry enough to leave him, and even that hadn’t been enough to wake him up. And now, he couldn’t even accept that Fang Li was staying at a friend’s house.
“Calm down,” Qin Weidong said. “You haven’t adjusted to the jet lag yet. What if you get short of breath from getting worked up…”
“Stop pretending to care all of a sudden!” That only made Fang Li angrier. “That night…! That night, when you did what you did, did you even think about whether I could breathe?! Qin Weidong, I’ve had enough of this. Ever since you climbed to the top, you’ve treated me like some kind of private possession tucked away in your wallet. When I obeyed you, you were all gentle and accommodating. But the moment I disagreed with you, all you thought about was how to make me listen. I don’t want a life like that—do you even get that?!”
Qin Weidong kept his tone in check. “I was wrong that night, and I apologize. Lili, just come home, okay?”
Fang Li could hear the thin patience in Qin Weidong’s voice. Normally, that would be enough to make him back down—but not this time. This time, he wasn’t afraid at all.
“You’re apologizing—so does that mean you agree to let me sing? That I’ll be free to do what I want in the future?”
Qin Weidong didn’t answer directly. His brows were tightly knit, his expression worn. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “Lili, come back first. We can talk everything through.”
“Heh.” Fang Li let out a cold laugh. “I know what that means. Don’t try to bullshit me with your usual lines. I’m hanging up. I’m not coming back.”
Ever since Fang Li had left, Qin Weidong had been in a constant state of anxiety. Now, even as he forced himself to stay calm, his voice was tight. “Lili, I’m sorry again for what happened that night. If you come home, you can hit me however you like—I promise I won’t move an inch. But you’re all alone over there. You didn’t bring anything with you. No housekeeper. I’m not there. How are you supposed to adjust? Who’s going to take care of you? Just come back. Whatever you want—I’ll give it to you…”
“Oh, so now you think I care about what you can give me? A fancy condo? Designer watches?” Fang Li felt an overwhelming sense of futility the moment he heard that. He never should’ve answered this call. Qin Weidong was still the same. Still unwilling to change. Still incapable of change. “Qin Weidong, is that what you think? That I can’t survive without you?” He ground his teeth and spat out, “Let me remind you—when we first got together, you were a broke miner who didn’t even have pocket change. I made it through those days just fine. I can do it again now.”
Qin Weidong was holding himself back with everything he had. Any other day, with his temper, he would’ve ordered Feng Hui to drag Fang Li straight back to the hotel. His office landline was ringing nonstop. Rongshan was at a critical turning point, and he had no time to waste—
“Fang Li, go ahead and rebel for now. But in a week, I’m booking that flight. You’re coming back.”
Qin Weidong delivered his final ultimatum. Hearing the sentence pronounced over the phone, Fang Li was so furious that it felt like his hair was about to stand on end. Just as he expected! That bastard Qin Weidong had finally shown his true colors—he was nothing but an absolutely authoritarian tyrant! All that apologetic nonsense he’d spouted earlier? What a load of crap!
Gripping the phone, Fang Li shouted, “Qin Weidong! You think just because you made some money you’re all that?! I’ve been way too soft with you these past few years! Let me make this clear—starting today, stop talking to me in that goddamn tone!”
“Fang Li!” Qin Weidong growled his name through gritted teeth.
But Fang Li showed no fear. He shouted back into the phone, “Let me make this official: I’m back in China! And I’m never going back to America! I’m done with that bullshit life you gave me—I don’t need it! I’m chasing a new life now! Do you hear me?! I never want to see you again for the rest of my life! From now on, stay in your America and make your fortune. Go to hell!”
That final “Go to hell!” shook the shabby old room so hard it almost brought the ceiling down. He slammed the phone down and flung it back at Feng Hui in a fury.
Feng Hui barely caught it. In the cramped room, the two men who’d overheard the entire exchange stared at Fang Li in utter shock, jaws practically on the floor.
“What are you staring at?” Fang Li snapped.
Feng Hui stammered back to himself. “F-Fang Li… you cursed at Brother Qin like that back in the States too…?”
Fang Li gave a cold snort. “You think I want to yell at him? He asks for it! He’s been a pain in the ass since he was a kid! I’ve spoiled him too much these past few years, let him climb all over me. Damn it, I let him up there for a couple of days and now he won’t come down!”
Fang Li “seriously reflected” on himself—his biggest mistake over the years had been indulging Qin Weidong too much. That man should never be spoiled. Five years ago, he wouldn’t have dared treat Fang Li like this, not in a million years!
“Let him rot. Right now, I’m just grateful for that… what was it called, that ‘Paci’ something?”
Qi Jian cautiously offered, “…The Pacific Ocean?”
“Yes! That’s it, the Pacific! Damn it, might as well throw in all the oceans—pile them together and keep that bastard from flying over! Son of a bitch!”
Having let out all that anger he’d been bottling up for days, Fang Li finally felt a bit better. Starving, he returned to the table and dug into his noodles again. After a few bites, Feng Hui calmed down slightly from the shock. Given Qin Weidong’s current status and fortune… it was probably safe to say Fang Li was the only person who dared speak to him like that.
He sat down and asked, “Fang Li, what on earth were you two fighting about? I mean, after all these years, after everything that happened… Back then, he fell out with the whole Qin family, gave up a brilliant future just to take you to America. Your love was legendary. Now that his career’s taken off, what could possibly be worth fighting like this over?”
Fang Li chewed his noodles, then paused.
Feng Hui chimed in, “Sometimes, you have to try to understand him too. Rongshan is at a critical stage right now. If he doesn’t rely on Qin Zhengrong, the only thing he can count on is himself…”
“I know. Do you think I haven’t been understanding or supportive all these years?” Fang Li put down his chopsticks. It was hard to tell if his expression was one of frustration or disappointment. “I’ve supported everything he’s done all these years. I’ve really listened to him. Forget it… there’s no point explaining it to you—you wouldn’t get it. None of you would. Because you’ve never been with him… all you see is his success. Yes, he excels at everything, he’s extremely capable—I’ll give him that. But I have my own dreams too, and yet everything I want to do—he refuses. To him, it’s all worthless…”
Fang Li sighed. “Feng Hui, I don’t even know when things between us became like this…”
Back then, Qin Weidong had always had a strong personality, but at least… he wasn’t this overbearing. If it hadn’t been for that day, when he lost his temper so viciously, maybe Fang Li would’ve kept muddling along. After all, they lacked nothing. Qin Weidong had indeed given him the best life possible. Even if their relationship wasn’t equal… sometimes, people are just like that—once they’ve woken up, it’s hard to pretend to sleep again.
Another person might endure it all—for money, for the luxurious life that Qin Weidong could now provide. But for Fang Li, that was never an option. Their relationship had long ceased to be something that could be traced back to a clear beginning, but one thing was certain: he had never been with Qin Weidong for his wealth or his status as Qin Zhengrong’s son. So now, at the end, none of those things would influence his decision to walk away either.
Seeing that Fang Li had made up his mind, Feng Hui said, “Alright, alright, since you’ve come back, what’s done is done. But are you really not going to the hotel?”
“No.”
“Sigh.” Feng Hui could only sigh in resignation. He pulled out a bank card and around 3,000 yuan in cash from his wallet. “Don’t look at me like that. Your husband gave it to you. And you really are something—coming back to China without a single cent. Oh, and everything from the hotel—he had someone buy clothes and essentials you’d need for the week. His assistant already dropped them off. I’ll ask him to bring them over here instead.”
“I don’t want them.” Fang Li stabbed his chopsticks into the bowl, ignoring both the cash and the card. “He’s not the only one who can make money. I can too.”
Feng Hui nearly cursed. “Seriously, how are the two of you both so hard to deal with? I’m amazed the two of you didn’t drive a few of those foreigners insane in the States!”
Fang Li didn’t care about the teasing. “Either way, I’m not taking it. If I do, then this whole thing will’ve been for nothing. He’ll just get even more arrogant.”
Feng Hui muttered, “Fine, fine. Go ahead and sulk, the both of you…”
Fang Li flatly refused both the money and the card, and Feng Hui didn’t dare to force him. That would be a joke—even Qin Weidong wouldn’t push him, so how could he? In the end, Feng Hui put the money away, but before leaving, he secretly handed it to Qi Jian, asking him to give it to Fang Li later, when he might be in a better mood.
Feng Hui was quite busy these days, so he told Qi Jian to let him know immediately if anything happened with Fang Li. Especially if he felt unwell—Feng Hui emphasized that he had to know right away. If something were to happen to Fang Li while he was in Feng Hui’s care, given Qin Weidong’s current state, he might just eat him alive.
“Can’t have my baby becoming a young widow,” he joked, leaning over to kiss Qi Jian.
Qi Jian glared and pushed him away, reminding him that Fang Li was still inside.
Feng Hui had no choice but to drop it. Judging by Fang Li’s mood today, if he kept pushing, he might end up getting burned himself. “Baby, try talking some sense into him, will you?” he said. “Tell him to stop being so stubborn and just go back. His husband’s got a mountain of gold and silver waiting—what’s he doing here, stealing my wife?”
Qi Jian didn’t want to listen to his nonsense. Blushing, he shoved Feng Hui out and shut the door. Feng Hui just chuckled and drove back to the office.
After a few days, Fang Li started to get over his jet lag. Qi Jian had to work during the day, and Fang Li, not wanting to deal with Qin Weidong’s calls, simply unplugged the phone line. Qin Weidong would only keep repeating the same crap, and Fang Li had no interest in hearing it.
Alone in the apartment, Fang Li realized that ever since Grandma passed away, he’d had barely any family left. Before going abroad, there had only been Qin Weidong by his side, and now that he was back in China, he truly had no one else.
He spent a couple of days thinking things over, and with the little money he had left, he bought a mobile phone and a new SIM card. Actually, he hadn’t come back completely unprepared. At the very least, he’d brought Yang Yuecheng’s business card with him. He pulled the crumpled card out of his pocket and stared at the number. He was tempted. Now that he was out from under Qin Weidong’s control, maybe it was really time to give it a shot.
When Fang Li called Yang Yuecheng, Yang Yuecheng had just returned to Jinyang with his wife a couple of days prior. He was at the office when the call came in. The moment he heard Fang Li was in town, he sat up straight, excitement lighting up his face. He immediately asked if Fang Li had time to come over—or he could go pick him up.
Fang Li said he had time. He used the landline to call Qi Jian and then headed out.
In recent years, Waves Music had launched a number of popular stars and earned a solid reputation in the industry. The company occupied two floors of a commercial building. As soon as the elevator doors opened, both walls were covered with photos of their artists. Having spent so many years in the U.S., Fang Li didn’t recognize most of them. But he did spot a familiar face: Ding Haoyang from the Southeast-Northwest Band.
The receptionist looked up and saw a young man walking in alone. Before she could speak, she was momentarily stunned—he was far too pretty to be real. She asked if he was a model hired to shoot a poster.
Before Fang Li could respond, someone called out, “Fang Li!”
It was Yang Yuecheng, who greeted him with visible joy. He quickly ushered Fang Li into his office and had someone bring two cups of tea. “I really didn’t expect you back so soon! Are you just on a break from school?”
Fang Li looked around the office. On the shelves, several trophies gleamed, likely won by artists under Yang Yuecheng’s management.
“I didn’t explain clearly the other day,” Fang Li began. “I wasn’t in the U.S. as an international student… I went over there with some relatives.”
“Oh, that’s fine. It doesn’t matter if you weren’t a student. Education isn’t a problem.” Yang Yuecheng picked up a contract from his desk. He’d already had one printed while on the phone with Fang Li. “This is the contract. Let me tell you a bit about our company. We’re the earliest established music and talent agency in Jinyang, and we have our own music label. If you sign with us, we’ll handle everything from music production to distribution, and we’ll also provide full artist management services. Let me tell you about some of the artists we’ve helped rise to fame…”
Yang Yuecheng spoke at length. Fang Li didn’t retain most of it. Yang then started explaining the contract.
Fang Li skimmed it. It was over ten densely packed pages. He didn’t really understand much of it, but one clause caught his eye: the contract term.
“Ten years? That long?”
Yang Yuecheng explained, “Most companies start with ten-year contracts. It takes a lot to invest in and develop a newcomer, and it usually takes two or three years just to figure out their image and style. For the artist, a long-term contract helps ensure stable growth. And with your potential, if you sign for ten years, you’ll get a better profit share compared to a short-term deal. The company will also give you priority access to resources and tailor an album just for you. You can rest assured.”
Seeing Fang Li staring at the contract, Yang Yuecheng couldn’t quite read his reaction. Was he worried about restrictive clauses? But that’s just how the industry works now. Yang Yuecheng was determined to sign him, so he added, “If there’s anything you’re unhappy with, let me know—I’ll ask the higher-ups.”
In truth, Fang Li didn’t understand the contract well. But he did know that Ding Haoyang was with this company.
He said, “Thanks. Can I take it home to read?”
“Um…” Yang Yuecheng hesitated.
Fang Li assumed the contract couldn’t leave the office. He didn’t have any work experience, after all. “It’s fine—if it’s inconvenient, don’t worry about it.” He figured he’d just ask Ding Haoyang about it later.
As he stood up, Yang Yuecheng thought he was leaving and quickly said, “You can! Take it. Go over it, and if you have any questions, call me. How about we set a time? The morning after tomorrow, 8 a.m.? We can discuss it more here at the office. Does that work?”
Fang Li nodded. “Sure.”
Axolotl Translations 
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