Chapter 60#
World 2: I Want to Be a Fish in Your Pond#
The ambulance wailed as it left D University. Today was destined to be a restless night.
Just as he was about to go to bed, Mu Feiyan was called aside by the program staff and handed a phone.
“Your scandal is trending. We called you over to ask how you think it should be handled,” the staff member asked politely.
If it were any other trainee, there would be almost no room for negotiation. Before the sun shone into the Star Academy the next day, that trainee would have to pack up and leave.
But Mu Feiyan was different. First, he had a prominent family background and strong connections. Second, his professional skills were top-notch, and his looks were also top-tier. Third, the show had only aired one episode, and he had already garnered millions of fans. Even with such an outrageous scandal, his fan count was still rising. This kind of devilish charm was extremely rare.
In short, Mu Feiyan was a natural-born superstar. If he left the Star Academy, the program team would suffer the heaviest losses.
“Our PR department is ready and can post on Weibo to help you clarify at any time. Do you have any plans?” The staff member carefully observed Mu Feiyan’s expression.
Having just finished talking to Qin Qing and gaining immense spiritual satisfaction, Mu Feiyan’s expression was currently pleasant and lazy.
The phone the staff member handed him was his own. He logged into Weibo and slowly scrolled through the related information.
Many netizens were calling him a simp, saying he had no bottom line, acting so arrogant towards Yellow Hair but so cowardly towards Qin Qing. Some even called him cheap, thinking he didn’t deserve to be an idol.
Mu Feiyan’s gaze swept carelessly over all these abusive, mocking, and disparaging comments. If his mood wavered even slightly because of this, he wouldn’t be Mu Feiyan.
No matter what others said online, the damage to him was zero.
The heat of the scandal was still rising, and even British media had reposted it. After all, the Delsey family was not unknown there.
Mu Feiyan slowly browsed the web pages, then discovered reposts from American and Korean media.
Seeing his gaze fixated, the staff member said worriedly, “This matter has blown up quite a bit. It’s better to clarify it quickly.”
Mu Feiyan blinked, his amber pupils flowing with amusement. He asked expectantly, “Do you think they can see this news in Africa?”
The staff member was confused for a few seconds, not understanding why the topic shifted to Africa. But he still answered seriously, “As long as there’s internet in Africa, they should be able to see it.”
The corners of Mu Feiyan’s lips hooked up, and he actually smiled happily. His satisfied expression didn’t look like someone about to issue a clarification.
The staff member scratched his head, wanting to ask for clarification, but the direction of public opinion online began to shift. Netizens, or rather paid trolls, initially attacked Mu Feiyan heavily, but later began to dig deep into Qin Qing’s background, saying they must find this scandal partner to see what kind of celestial being he was.
Comments cursing Mu Feiyan were sniped by fans, but comments doxxing Qin Qing received everyone’s support.
Humans are naturally curious. Mu Feiyan’s conditions were right there. He was handsome, tall, from a prominent family—his specs were absolutely top of the top. What would someone he loved so madly look like?
Imagination about Qin Qing fermented in everyone’s hearts. So, minutes later, another title trended—“Finding Qin Qing.”
Everyone began to dig for the secrets hidden behind this name, online and in reality, not letting go of any clue.
This was definitely not a good phenomenon! Qin Qing never yearned for vanity. All he wanted was a quiet corner, a half-open balcony, wind to listen to, rain to admire, and flowers to tend.
Ye Rongzheng could knock on his door with a few pots of flowers; that was his entire spiritual need.
Mu Feiyan’s eyes, which had been flickering with satisfaction, suddenly became cold and sharp. He was still smiling, but the tender affection hidden in his smile had turned into the ruthlessness of hunting an enemy.
“Someone is guiding public opinion behind the scenes, trying to dig out my baby. You don’t need to worry about this; I’ll handle it.” After giving a few instructions to the staff, he took his phone to a more secluded place and made several calls in a row.
The staff member didn’t dare approach, only vaguely hearing phrases like “protect Qin Qing,” “suppress public opinion,” “release information,” and “ruin him.”
Ruin him? Who did this “him” refer to? The staff member pondered worriedly.
After the calls, Mu Feiyan took his phone with him. This was against regulations, but the staff member didn’t dare stop him. He felt that something big was going to happen tonight.
When Mu Feiyan returned to the dormitory, the other trainees were still awake, looking at him with curious eyes, mixed with a few gloating glances. They must have heard some rumors.
Mu Feiyan didn’t care. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his strong chest muscles.
The scent of male hormones suddenly spread, making people feel very uneasy. Tonight, Mu Feiyan was more aggressive than usual, like a mad beast thoroughly provoked but lurking in the grass waiting for the moment to kill.
He turned his cold amber eyes, sweeping over everyone’s faces with a mocking, half-smiling gaze.
Those trainees secretly observing him immediately looked away, pretending to be busy.
Just then, Yellow Hair burst into the dormitory, sat on Mu Feiyan’s bed, and said with a grin, “I didn’t expect this, I didn’t expect this. You act so cool usually, but why are you like a dog in front of others? Who is that Qin Qing anyway? I really want to find him and see.”
Mu Feiyan stepped back a few paces, away from his bed.
His shirt was half off, revealing his solid chest and defined abs, like a classical David sculpture, displaying vigorous strength and beauty. He looked down at Yellow Hair, his thin lips curving up slightly.
“Did you guide the comments online about finding Qin Qing?” His deep voice clearly carried a hint of a smile, yet hid a chilling coldness.
Yellow Hair smiled, his tone frivolous: “Guess.”
He had backing too; what was he afraid of?
Mu Feiyan nodded slowly, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening.
“I guess it’s you,” he said calmly.
“So what if it is?” Yellow Hair leaned back comfortably, hands supporting him on the edge of the bed. Didn’t Mu Feiyan have mysophobia and not let people touch his things? He touched them, so what?
“Good if it’s you. I don’t want to hurt the wrong person because my baby doesn’t let me be bad.” Mu Feiyan pulled out his chair and sat down lazily, crossing his long legs elegantly. He raised his wrist slightly, revealing a watch worth tens of millions, and glanced at the time carelessly.
“What are you going to do?” Yellow Hair straightened up, asking warily.
He finally noticed something wrong with Mu Feiyan’s expression. The man was clearly smiling, but his eyes flashed with a mocking and cold light, like a beast that had caught its prey and could kill at any moment.
Mu Feiyan didn’t answer.
In fact, he didn’t need to answer. A group of police officers suddenly burst into the dormitory, pinned Yellow Hair down, and loudly asked for his name. Upon receiving the correct answer, they handcuffed Yellow Hair’s hands.
“You are suspected of raping a minor. Come back with us for investigation!” Several police officers dragged Yellow Hair out, who was already scared out of his wits.
Not long after Mu Feiyan made his calls, several underage girls, accompanied by lawyers and parents, went to the police station to report the crime. The related news quickly trended, and the pathetic image of Yellow Hair being handcuffed and put into a police car spread across the internet in an instant.
Public opinion boiled over, and the news about finding Qin Qing vanished at this moment.
Mu Feiyan logged into Weibo and slowly typed a sentence: [I said, your soul is fouler than a septic tank.]
Fans naturally knew who the “you” he referred to was. Before, some people scolded him for having a poisonous mouth and spraying people randomly, but now the wind changed, and everyone praised him for his keen eye.
Mu Feiyan hooked his thin lips, narrowed his deep eyes, and carelessly scrolled through the web pages. Finding that all public opinion about Qin Qing had disappeared, he tossed the phone aside, revealing a satisfied smile.
Witnessing the cruel scene of Yellow Hair being taken out at light speed, the trainees in the same dormitory didn’t dare to breathe loudly.
Several staff members came in and automatically changed Mu Feiyan’s sheets, quilt, and pillow, with service comparable to a five-star hotel. This showed how strong Mu Feiyan’s background was.
Regret spread.
After a long silence, a trainee asked cautiously, “Mu Feiyan, do you still need a partner? For the second performance, I can be in your group.”
“No, not anymore.” Mu Feiyan shook his head, thought of something, and sighed with satisfaction.
On the day of the performance, Qin Qing, wearing a mask, and Nina entered the studio under the protection of bodyguards, standing in a position far from the stage and closest to the emergency exit.
Afraid of being stepped on, 996 actually climbed onto Qin Qing’s head, squatting there like a king.
Surrounded by fans holding glow sticks and light signs, the noise was like boiling water, emitting anxious heat. Before the competition even started, the tense atmosphere had been heightened to the extreme.
Qin Qing looked around and whispered, “Mu Feiyan has the most fans.”
996 said proudly, “Of course! The second male lead will be a global superstar in the future!”
Nina looked around and nodded silently. Indeed, as far as the eye could see, her son’s name tags were waving everywhere. His support color was purple, so the entire studio lit up with deep and light purple dots.
It was as if the stars in the night sky had all fallen into this small, steaming space.
“Everyone loves Mu Feiyan,” Qin Qing chuckled with emotion.
Nina’s eyes flickered, her mood extremely complicated. Feeling her son’s undeniable brilliance on the scene was far more shocking than seeing it on TV.
Suddenly, a few girls nearby were talking, mentioning a familiar name: “Do you think Qin Qing will come today?”
“He should come.”
“I really want to know what he looks like!”
“Yeah, what right does he have to make Mu Feiyan a fish in his pond! I want to see how charming he is!”
“If he looks average, my impression of Mu Feiyan will be disillusioned. Being a simp for someone worthless lowers Mu Feiyan’s class!”
Someone mentioned Qin Qing’s name, and more and more people joined the discussion. Although the topic of finding Qin Qing was suppressed, fans still wouldn’t give up the idea.
On the contrary, the more they were suppressed, the more they wanted to know what the existence that could make someone like Mu Feiyan so infatuated looked like.
Does Qin Qing have three heads and six arms? Is Qin Qing a celestial being descended to earth? Can Qin Qing hook souls?
Everyone began to turn their heads, searching for Qin Qing in the surging crowd. Anyone with high looks received special attention, and some even boldly stopped them to ask.
Nina held Qin Qing’s wrist, shielding him behind her. Several bodyguards disguised as fans immediately gathered around, blocking the two with their tall and strong bodies.
Ten minutes later, the second performance began. Trainees battled in groups of two, the competition fierce. During the canvassing session after the performance, each group member would show off a little charm, blowing kisses or winking, making the fans below scream crazily.
Qin Qing and Nina stood indifferently in the crowd, quietly waiting for Mu Feiyan’s appearance.
Another ten minutes passed, and Mu Feiyan finally took the stage. Holding a guitar, he stood alone under the spotlight. Everything around him was dark; only he was illuminated.
He tried to look below the stage but could see nothing.
Many dust motes danced, spun, and floated in the beam of light, shining like stars. This reminded him of Qin Qing that day.
Qin Qing held a handful of dust and told him that if he wanted to be loved, he must have light himself. He was preventing his fall; he was protecting him in his own way.
So Mu Feiyan smiled nostalgically.
He narrowed his gentle and affectionate eyes slightly and asked softly into the microphone, “Are you there?”
“I’m here!” Thousands of fans below shouted in unison, then belatedly realized that perhaps this question wasn’t for them, but for that Qin Qing.
Mu Feiyan on stage cared about no one but Qin Qing.
He performed for no one but Qin Qing.
Qin Qing raised his hand and waved, whispering with a smile, “I’m here.”
This faint voice was drowned in the noisy and passionate wave, and Mu Feiyan, far away on stage, shouldn’t have heard it. Standing in the beam of light, he shouldn’t have seen it either.
However, a wonderful thing happened.
Mu Feiyan suddenly turned his head, looking precisely in Qin Qing’s direction, then closed his eyes slightly as if listening to Qin Qing’s answer. A moment later, he smiled with satisfaction, brilliant light shining in his deep eyes.
Finding Qin Qing didn’t require nostalgic eyes, only a devout soul.
Nina stared blankly at her son on stage, asking in disbelief, “He heard you? From so far away?”
Qin Qing hummed an affirmation, his nasal cavity carrying a slight stuffiness and tremor. That pull from the soul—he had felt it too, just a moment ago.
Before the performance began, his eyes were already wet. This was an uncontrollable emotion, one that couldn’t be eliminated even across time and space, or a change of worlds.
Qin Qing raised his hand and waved.
The crowd surged around him; countless glow sticks and light signs waved above his head. His hand was empty, hidden in the dimness, and shouldn’t have been noticed by anyone.
Yet, Mu Feiyan on stage raised his hand at the same moment, waving at the audience below where light and shadow floated but nothing was clear. His smile was deeper and more joyful than before.
He felt that most special gaze.
Qin Qing pulled down his mask, smiling at Mu Feiyan from afar. Those misunderstandings, that annoyance, that exhaustion and weariness, all disappeared in this response.
“Some of my selves haven’t awakened yet. Please give them a little more time, okay?”
“Okay, I have endless time to give you.”
Promised long ago, to give you lots and lots of time. Qin Qing raised his wet eyes, gazing quietly at Mu Feiyan in the beam of light, waving his arm again and again.
Nina stood aside, secretly observing his tear-shining eyes and the expression of suppressed love. Her hard heart softened for some reason.
Her son falling in love with such a lovely young man really put her in a difficult position. She wanted to ruthlessly separate them, but didn’t know how to start.
Mu Feiyan looked in Qin Qing’s direction, adjusting the guitar strings while saying softly, “This song is called ‘Baby,’ written by myself, for my baby.”
The fans below screamed in excitement. Although they knew clearly that the baby their idol referred to was that player Qin Qing, it didn’t stop them from fantasizing.
“What magic does that Qin Qing have? Did he cast a spell?”
Amidst a fan’s complaint, Mu Feiyan gently strummed the guitar. Unlike the crazy wantonness of the first performance, this time he just stood in the center of the stage, quietly singing a song with a soothing rhythm.
His eyes always looked towards the east side of the stage, as if his baby was really hiding somewhere there.
His extremely magnetic deep voice wrapped in infinite tenderness, drifting in the beam of light, quietly probing in the darkness.
He was looking for his baby, with his gaze, with his voice, with his love.
He finally looked down at the guitar in his hands, singing affectionately: “…Baby, you smile at me slightly, and my heart gets drunk.”
Then he looked up, again towards a spot on the east stage, and indeed revealed an intoxicated smile.
This lingering voice, this gentle, bone-eroding look, drove all the audience below crazy. Everyone cupped their faces, looking up at the stage together, shouting excitedly.
Even such a soothing love song set the whole stage on fire.
Who wouldn’t want to be called so gently and affectionately by such a Mu Feiyan? Who wouldn’t want to be watched by his focused gaze forever? Who wouldn’t want to be the baby he cherished in his heart?
The cold, arrogant, and solitary him was fascinating; the gentle and affectionate him was even more maddening.
“Who is Qin Qing! What right does he have to be Mu Feiyan’s baby!” A fan cried jealously while waving a glow stick.
The camera seemed to sense everyone’s interrogation, so it searched the east stage.
Suddenly, a face appeared on the big screen behind Mu Feiyan. Skin white as snow, radiating a faint light, a pair of dark eyes moist and wet, as if filled with a galaxy of gentle waves. No one could escape from this galaxy unless they completely failed to appreciate the ultimate beauty of the world.
Discovering his figure projected, these breathtakingly beautiful eyes widened slightly, seemingly a bit flustered, but for just a second, they overflowed with deep laughter, and his thin red lips hooked into an intoxicating arc.
“…Baby, you smile at me slightly, and my heart gets drunk.”
Just as the lyrics sang, how could such a gentle and sweet smile not make people drunk?
Is he Qin Qing? He is, right? Who else could it be?
Only such a peerlessly beautiful face was worthy of such madness. The fans who were screaming excitedly just now all fell silent. Glow sticks stopped waving, light signs stopped shaking; time seemed to pause briefly because of this person.
The cameraman also forgot to move the lens, focusing intently and for a long time on this unparalleled handsome face.
Mu Feiyan just finished the last line, his hand strumming the strings dropping. Sensing the strange silence in the venue, he turned his head perceptively to look at the big screen.
The Qin Qing he had missed for so long was right there, smiling at him, his eyes shining with warm light.
So Mu Feiyan smiled too, his expression so satisfied, his gaze so entangled.
The cameraman also projected Mu Feiyan’s face on the big screen, side by side with Qin Qing’s. In the alternating time and space, their gazes touched lightly. Although they weren’t looking at each other directly, it seemed their eyes held only each other.
Mu Feiyan quickly turned his head to look at the east stage. The spotlight was still on him, surrounded by hazy dots of light and shadows.
He saw nothing, yet seemed to see the person he cared about most.
He chuckled low, calling out softly and affectionately, “Baby, you came.”
That beautiful face on the big screen bloomed at this moment. He really was Qin Qing! He was responding to this call that was gentle to the bone.
So Qin Qing was a man! So Mu Feiyan was actually gay! Such a thought didn’t cause any disgust in anyone; it only made everyone sober up instantly and then scream even more passionately.
Qin Qing actually looked like this! Then everything had a reasonable explanation. Looking at his face that turned souls upside down, meeting his deep, gentle gaze, colliding with his charming smile, whose brain wouldn’t be muddled? Whose mind wouldn’t be dimmed?
No wonder Mu Feiyan simped so hard! If he didn’t simp, how could he have a chance with such a beauty! He wanted to be a fish in his pond; was there even a spot for him in such a small pond?
Fans covered their faces and screamed continuously.
No talent needed, no performance needed, just with this face, Qin Qing could debut!
“Oh my god, oh my god, if Qin Qing smiled at me, I’d be willing to die!” Someone shouted, causing Mu Feiyan on stage to frown.
He glanced at the chief director hiding behind the curtain. The chief director immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and told the cameraman to stop filming Qin Qing’s face. Many bodyguards squeezed into the audience, surrounding Qin Qing and Nina, slowly escorting them to the VIP room on the second floor.
Confirming Qin Qing was safe, Mu Feiyan narrowed his eyes at the audience below and said slowly, word by word, “I think you already know. I stand here performing because the person I love most told me his eyes can only see stars. For him to see me, I must be draped in starlight, shining brightly.”
The audience below shouted encouragement, telling him to keep going.
Everyone understood Mu Feiyan’s paranoia. Struggling for such a person, it seemed no matter how tired or bitter, it didn’t matter.
However, Mu Feiyan shook his head and smiled with relief: “I’ve decided to withdraw from the competition. This is my last performance.”
What? The audience below erupted in turmoil.
Qin Qing and Nina in the box were stunned, completely unable to understand the situation.
996 screamed directly and rolled off the sofa.
“Why?” Qin Qing stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and murmured.
Mu Feiyan looked up at the middle box on the second floor. Wherever Qin Qing was, his gaze would follow.
“To protect my dream, he gave up a major opportunity that could change his life. So I asked myself, why must I make him see? Why can’t I willingly be a speck of dust for him? After dust settles, it becomes soil. What can soil do?”
Mu Feiyan asked extremely seriously.
Silence below the stage, then various messy answers.
Mu Feiyan looked up at Qin Qing on the second floor and said slowly, “Soil can grow a flower, but starlight cannot. Looking at it this way, is being a speck of dust more meaningful than being a star? So I’m sorry everyone, I’m quitting. To protect the person I love most, it doesn’t matter if I’m not seen by him, it doesn’t matter if I become dust. As long as I’m useful to him, anything is fine.”
Speaking here, he smiled with satisfaction and sighed slowly: “Goodbye everyone, I’m going back to grow flowers.”
Qin Qing listened blankly, palms pressing against the glass window, burning hot. For him, Mu Feiyan actually gave up the freedom and dream that were within reach.
996’s flat face was also pressed against the glass window, howling miserably: “No, you can’t! The plot can’t collapse anymore! Qin Qing, you shit-stirrer, give me back my plot!”