After the last scene was filmed, there was no longer a need to worry about the makeup on his face. Upon entering the bathroom, Qi Cong immediately took off the mask, went to the sink and turned on the faucet to splash some water on his face.

The cold water came into contact with his hot and swollen eyes, relieving the discomfort and providing an outlet for some uncontrollable fluids to release freely.

When his emotions almost calmed down, Qi Cong splashed water again on his face. He looked at his red eyes in the mirror and avoided looking away. He drew a paper towel to wipe off the water stains on his face before picking up the mask and putting it back on.

When walking out of the bathroom, Qi Cong was stopped by an unexpected and not so unexpected person. He turned and looked at Lian Pengxing who had been waiting outside the bathroom for who knows how long. Then he instinctively raised his hand to adjust his mask and asked, “Is Senior calling for me?”

Lian Pengxing nodded, motioned to a corner of the garden and invited, “May I have a word alone? There is something that I want to tell you about Xiao Liu.”

Xiao Liu.

Qi Cong’s heart moved, measuring Lian Pengxing gentle and sincere posture at this time, and walked over.

When the two men came to a corner where there were fewer people, Lian Pengxing, after making sure that no one was around, looked at Qi Cong and said, “Your fall into the water may have been caused by Xiao Liu.”

Surprised Qi Cong asked, “Why do you say that?”

Lian Pengxing was silent for two seconds before he replied, “When Xiao Liu came to the crew yesterday, my new assistant saw her sneak into the prop room. After you were rescued yesterday, the crew immediately checked the wheelchair you were in and found that it was broken in a strange way, as if it had been deliberately broken.”

So the person the small actor saw outside the prop room that day was indeed Xiao Liu?

Qi Cong gathered his thoughts, looked at Lian Pengxing’s face and said, “Senior suspects that Xiao Liu broke the wheelchair I was in? What good would that do her? I don’t have any grudges with Xiao Liu.”

Lian Pengxing looked embarrassed as he replied, “She probably did this to make me happy and keep her job. I wanted her to quit before. Maybe she just wanted to play a prank on you at first, to make a fool out of you, but she didn’t expect that things would become so big. When she made you fall into the water so she hurried to save you. Anyway, I’m sorry, I didn’t control my assistant. If you want me to make up for it, I can make it up to you. “

This was very honest.

Qi Cong probably understood Lian Pengxing’s intention of coming.

The damage to the wheelchair was suspected to be man-made, and it was very unlikely that the crew could hide it from Zhao Zhenxun.  With Zhao Zhenxun’s character, if he knew that the damage to the wheelchair could be related to Xiao Liu he would certainly suspect that Xiao Liu was instructed by Lian Pengxing and then he would look for an opportunity to secretly clean up Lian Pengxing. What’s more, Zhao Zhenxun may also associate some of the previous events with Lian Pengxing.

Also Xiao Liu had amnesia. Xiao Liu’s amnesia made it impossible for Lian Pengxing to know the specific situation that occurred that day. In case he, the person in question, discovered something when he fell into the water that day, or something else that happened when he fell into the water, in order to avoid being caught unaware and setting himself on fire, Lian Pengxing came clean and also offered to give compensation.

In short, Lian Pengxing was trying to reveal everything he knew with him in private so he wouldn’t make a big deal of falling into the lake.

He was a smart person who understood timing.

Instead of answering the compensation proposition, Qi Cong asked, “Why would Xiao Liu think that pranking me would make you happy?”

Lian Pengxing’s expression stiffened and he was silent for more than ten seconds before raising his eyes to look at Qi Cong and replied, “Because I have been privately comparing our costumes and acting skills. I was afraid that our acting would be compared after the drama aired and you would develop better than me in the future. My gentleness is just a persona, but I can feel that yours isn’t. Qi Cong , maybe you don’t realize it yourself, but your temperament is too attractive to those who are emotionally cold inside.”

Qi Cong froze because of Lian Pengxing’s overly honest reply and his comment about his temperament.

It was the first time he heard someone evaluate him like that.

He looked at Lian Pengxing and examined his expression before he replied, “I have a question to ask you.”

Lian Penxing hurriedly answered, “Just ask.”

“After Xiao Liu lived in Dingli, did her personality change in comparison to before? I hope you can answer this question honestly and seriously.”

Lian Pengxing froze. He looked at Qi Cong, and although he didn’t understand why Qi Cong asked, he still carefully recalled, then thought of something. His brow slowly wrinkled as he answered. “A little. She became more talkative, and her food taste also changed. She also always mentioned you in front of me. I even once thought she became a fan of yours.”

Sure enough.

The last doubt in Qi Cong’s heart disappeared. He took a step closer to Lian Pengxing and lowered his voice. “Since joining the crew and up until now, all the things that have happened to me, I will no longer trace who the real culprit behind it was and who wanted to harm me.”

He deliberately stressed the word “real”. Lian Pengxing caught the hint and his expression changed.

“I don’t know which instance you were involved in, but there is no next time.” Qi Cong pointed to the stop and then said in normal volume, “I am very grateful to Xiao Liu for saving me. As for today’s conversation, I will tell Zhao Zhenxun how things should be handled. He will contact you.” After he finished speaking, he no longer looked at Lian Pengxing and turned to leave.

At a quarter past two in the afternoon, Qi Cong said goodbye to the crew and took the luggage that Xiao Han and Zhao Zhenxun had packed for him back at the hotel in advance. He directly left the crew for the airport, ready to attend the promotional program for his new song tonight as originally planned.

On the way, he told Zhao Zhenxun about his conversation with Lian Pengxing. Zhao Zhenxun’s face darkened after hearing it, but after a few seconds of contemplation, he said, “I will contact him. There are rules for private settlements. What do you want? I can help ask for you.”

Remembering the way Xiao Liu looked dazed when she was discharged from the hospital, Qi Cong touched the glass cut on his palm and said, “I only have one request, that we don’t implicate Xiao Liu. She did nothing wrong. If possible, please send her back on her original track and not let what happened during her memory loss affect her whole life.”

Zhao Zhenxun was surprised and then remembered that Qi Cong’s life changed beyond recognition because of amnesia. He understood why Qi Cong made this request. He sighed in his heart and nodded. “OK, I’ll help speak for you.”

At 3:30 p.m., Qi Cong boarded the plane back to Beishi and just two and a half hours later, the plane landed. Qi Cong, accompanied by Zhao Zhenxun, got into the car Manju Entertainment prepared in advance.

The makeup artists and stylists waiting in the car immediately came forward after Qi Cong got into the car and divided their work, as they helped style Qi Cong and change his clothes.

Zhao Zhenxun sat opposite of him, took out his tablet and said to Qi Cong, “Your new song was scheduled to be released at six o’clock today, but because you were delayed yesterday and you weren’t able to be back before six o’clock to take part in the Penguin Music Program, I took the initiative to change the release time of your new song to eight o’clock in the evening. It’s 06:10 now, we’ll be at Penguin Music in about an hour and a half. After you arrive you’ll start preparing immediately. The program will start live at eight o’clock sharp. This is the interview process and the interview outline, you should read it immediately.”

Qi Cong took the tablet handed over by Zhao Zhenxun and looked at it.

“Mr. Qi Cong, keep your posture still, I’ll apply your eye shadow.”

Qi Cong became motionless as he quickly scanned the interview outline on the tablet, then looked at the people in the car who were busy because of him. The hand holding the tablet tightened.

He really is going to become an artist.

Unfortunately, he was also destined to never be close to anyone ever again.

 

…….

 

At 07:30 in the evening, a promotional picture with the theme of ‘A New Life’ was hung on the home page of Penguin Music.

Some sporadic Penguin Music users noticed the sudden appearance of this promotional picture and were puzzled by the mysterious guest with a question mark on it. They clicked on the picture and found that it was actually the Penguin Music custom interview room that was rarely open. It showed that preparations were being made for the arrival of the guest. Some surprised, idle or curious users simply stayed in the live room waiting for the broadcast to begin. They really wanted to see who this mysterious guest was in the promotional picture.

At 7:40 p.m., a blogger named “Qi Cong” appeared silently on the two mainstream social networking software, Weibo and Le Play. Then a few minutes later, Manju Entertainment Company, Manju Music Studio, Manju Beauty Photos and many other official Weibo accounts, work accounts and public accounts followed these two accounts, one after another.

The fans of Manju artists following these accounts noticed this movement and followed one after another. Then they immediately understood something after seeing Qi Cong’s new verified account. Excitedly creating the topic of #Qi Cong joined Weibo| Le Play#.

At 7:50 p.m., Shen Jia’s Weibo and Le Play accounts went online one after another and followed Qi Cong one after another. In the following minutes, Lian Pengxing and other main actors and actresses of “Legend of Youth” also followed Qi Cong’s account. Then even the official Weibo account of “Legend of Youth” followed Qi Cong’s Weibo account.

The number of followers of Qi Cong’s account started to increase rapidly, and at the same time, the topic  #Qi Cong joined Weibo| Le Play# appeared at the bottom of the Weibo and Le Play hot search respectively.

At 7:55 p.m., the opening ads on Weibo and Le Play suddenly changed to a five-minute countdown “Newcomer in progress timeout” progress bar.

At the same time, Penguin Music’s C-position promotional map also turned into a five-minute countdown bar. The live broadcast room connected to the promotional map also hung a countdown.

At this time, more sensitive netizens have already realized what’s going on. The Weibo which has been shaken numerous times due to the name of “Qi Cong” was once again in a commotion due to Qi Cong.

07:58, Qi Cong’s blank Weibo changed its background. It was a pale fog and in the depths stood a cold figure with its back to the camera. Slightly in profile, his face was obscured by the fog so it couldn’t be seen clearly.

At 07:59, Qi Cong’s original custom avatar changed into a watercolor bird rushing out of the mist.

At 07:59:50, the Penguin Music promotional map changed synchronously with Weibo and Le Play. The picture on the screen changed simultaneously as a bird egg with a beautiful pattern appeared. As the countdown gradually approached zero, cracks gradually appeared on top of the bird egg and then grew bigger little by little.

There was a soft piano sound, the rhythm somehow slowed, like young birds in the egg pecking against the eggshell.

Countless impatient netizens watching the opening screen and advertisements became attracted by this image and unconsciously focused their eyes.

The seconds moved and the countdown jumped to single digits …… eight …… seven …… six ……

 

…..

 

In Hengcheng, in an unlit hotel room, Gu Xun sat on the window with his back against the big cat doll behind him. His face was illuminated by the light coming through the phone screen, his eyebrows quiet.

The sound of the piano music became lower as the sound of the eggshell cracking became louder.

“Four ……” Gu Xun suddenly spoke in a low voice, holding the phone with both hands. Raising it slightly he looked up at the screen as if he was looking at someone.

“Three ……”

The eggshell loosened and a little feather of a small furry animal showed.

“Two ……”

Snap.

The eggshell was lifted and a young bird with beautiful feathers appeared and spread its wings with a merry cry.

Gu Xun reached out and touched it, raising the corners of his mouth as he spoke. “One.”

The beautiful colored bird circled nimbly on the screen, then flew toward the screen with the sudden change in the rhythm of the music.

Phew.

The soft-colored petals exploded all over the screen, and then gradually changed to form the words ‘A New Life’.

The opening screen disappeared.

Not far away, on the small table in the open studio, the screen also showed the bright words of ‘A New Life’. Then it disappeared as the colorful birds soared with the sound of music in the sunrise over the forest. Below the forest, a line of small letters appeared –

A New Life

Singer: Qi Cong

Gu Xun still held up his phone, watching the open screen disappear to reveal a Weibo page and the early search of Qi Cong on the homepage. Clicking to follow, he then looked at the live screen where the little bird was playing happily in the forest with its parents. Gu Xun’s voice was light and gentle, as he typed:

“Congratulations, on your new song… fly well.”

 

Edited by: Antiope1

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