Chapter 30: Should We Squeeze Yu Hui Again?

The journey was marked by intermittent stops, and by evening, the group reached their destination. It was another lakeside guesthouse, though this one resembled a cozy villa, with a back deck that extended out over the waters of Qionghai.

Everyone began moving their luggage. Yu Hui, lacking enthusiasm, hauled his suitcase inside and immediately headed to the back deck to smoke. Zhang Qidong made two trips, and noticing Yu Hui’s poor mood, went over to talk to him.

Xu Shujian and Song Yue had arrived earlier, and their belongings were already in their rooms. This time, the production team had arranged things differently: all the bedrooms were upstairs—two extra-large suites, each with four beds, giving it the feel of a communal dormitory.

As Xu Shujian headed back downstairs, he saw Huang Lingling struggling alone with a large suitcase. He hurried over to help. "Where’s Hui?"

Huang Lingling didn’t let go. "It’s fine, I can manage. I’m used to it."

Xu Shujian tugged twice, pulling the suitcase into his own grasp. "If I hadn't seen you, that would be one thing, but now that I have, how could I let you carry it alone?"

"Thank you," Huang Lingling said, finally releasing her grip.

"You're welcome."

The hallway was narrow, making it difficult to drag or carry the luggage normally, so Xu Shujian hoisted it onto his shoulder in one swift motion. He climbed the stairs quickly before setting it down to drag it the rest of the way.

"Shujian, when are you going to upload that song? I’ve been wanting to listen to it," Huang Lingling’s voice drifted from behind him.

Xu Shujian looked back. "What’s wrong?"

Huang Lingling’s mood was also quite low. Hearing his question, she leaned against the hallway wall. "I don’t know. Maybe I’m just trying to clarify my own thoughts. He’s been trying to appease me, and he’s done things he never did before, but I just don’t want to respond. I even snapped at him a few times. Logically, I know exactly what’s going on, but after all these years, there are still feelings involved. I thought about giving him a chance, but I feel like... I just can't."

Xu Shujian smiled. "It’s fine. It’s normal. Don’t overthink it; just follow your heart. Ask yourself what kind of life you want to live. Once you figure that out, everything else will fall into place."

Xu Shujian had spoken casually, but Huang Lingling began to ponder his words in earnest. Was he reminding her to think about her future? Was living with Yu Hui the life she really wanted?

The weight of words depends on who speaks them. Zhang Qidong had rambled on about Yu Hui’s virtues, but it hadn't registered; yet, she grasped Xu Shujian's point immediately. Huang Lingling didn't think this was just the halo of a celebrity idol; it was a fundamental difference in the people themselves.

What kind of life did she want? Huang Lingling glanced at Xu Shujian and realized she quite wanted to become someone like him.

If a life isn't working, you end it. At the very least, from what she could see, Xu Shujian wasn't someone who dragged things out. On the surface, he still spoke for Song Yue, but everyone could see his actual attitude: he had stopped caring, and he had no intention of "solving" the problems. Whose fault was it? He readily admitted his own, but he wasn't changing—which meant he was headed straight for divorce.

A smile slowly spread across Huang Lingling’s face. This was the kind of idol worth admiring, someone entirely different from those "good guys" who just tried to smooth things over.

Xu Shujian pushed open the door to the female guests' bedroom. It was empty, but the bathroom was occupied; it was likely Song Yue, as she was the only one who hadn't come downstairs yet. Xu Shujian didn't enter; he pushed Huang Lingling’s suitcase inside and stepped back out.

"I’m heading down. There’s no need to torture yourself. Just follow your heart."

Huang Lingling smiled and said sincerely, "Thank you."

Xu Shujian passed her and headed downstairs, wondering if he should "leverage" Yu Hui again. Huang Lingling had been a fan of his in the past; doing something for her could be seen as a way of providing closure to those fans he had left behind without a word.

Recording this show really came down to two things: divorcing Song Yue and finding the right angles to produce suitable content. Song Yue’s state of mind was a bit off; she kept saying it was her fault, which was fine—it was just like him, knowing one has flaws but being unable to change them. For her to start obsessing over her own issues now felt like moving backward. If he continued to use Song Yue as a springboard, Xu Shujian feared it might have a counterproductive effect.

That was the reason he had brought up those old conflicts that afternoon. To put it bluntly, for Xu Shujian, the other three couples were essentially tools. He had considered picking someone else at random to stir the pot, but after some thought, it wasn't easy to choose. Chen Linye and Pan Yun hadn't reached a breaking point yet, and getting involved there would just drag him into unnecessary drama. Even if he were to use that couple, it would have to be later. As for that old fogey Zhang Qidong, he was likely begging for the attention, and Xu Shujian didn't want to give him the engagement.

After much deliberation, Yu Hui seemed like the perfect fit.

The kid had provoked him before, so a little retribution was only fair. Coming down the stairs, Xu Shujian looked through the back door of the villa and saw Yu Hui still chatting with Zhang Qidong. For some reason, looking at Yu Hui now, he found him rather amusing.

Pan Yun and Chen Linye came downstairs after putting their bags away, heading off to order dinner.

By the time night fell, everyone gathered in the back courtyard for the meal. It wasn't the feast one might imagine—the budget was tight, and a single fish and a plate of shrimp cost over a hundred, with the rest being simple side dishes. Yet, no one complained.

Xu Shujian ate with great elegance. He wasn't hungry; he had eaten his afternoon meal at nearly three.

Perhaps influenced by Zhang Qidong’s advice, Yu Hui kept putting food on Huang Lingling’s plate. It was fine at first, but after the fourth or fifth time, Huang Lingling snapped, "Do I look like I love fish that much?"

Yu Hui froze, then retorted, "You're not happy that I’m picking food for you?"

Pan Yun looked over immediately. "Lingling, do you not like fish?"

Huang Lingling sighed. "It’s fine. I’m okay with this 'one fish, three ways' dish you ordered. I like fried food, but with soup dishes, I seem to be very sensitive to any fishy smell. I’m sure I’ve told him this before. He just doesn't pay attention to me. I think it would be better if he just acted like himself."

Yu Hui put down his chopsticks and stood up to go smoke.

Zhang Qidong immediately began trying to smooth things over, rambling on about how Yu Hui meant well. Huang Lingling kept her head down and ate, occasionally glancing toward Xu Shujian, feeling more and more that Zhang Qidong was an irritant.

If you don't have the skill, can you stop playing the peacemaker? Yu Hui would be acting more normally if you didn't meddle. Every time you get involved, he just makes things worse, exposing so many details that it only serves to remind me that this relationship isn't worth it.

Huang Lingling thought Yu Hui was a fool. Of all people, why listen to Zhang Qidong? Could his experience with relationships really be called experience? Look at Lin Xiaoxian, a major celebrity—what has she been reduced to now? Can’t he see that?

Huang Lingling tried her best to think of Yu Hui's good points. She felt she was really, truly trying.