My daily life is getting weird because I am caught between being in a band and being an idol.

Xiangzi gritted her teeth and helped her father up from the ground. Though petite, she appeared exceptionally resolute at that moment, supporting her dazed father as they walked step by step toward the door. Her steps were slow but firm, each one seemingly a reminder to herself to remember this humiliation.

After leaving the entertainment room, some of the former servants of the Toyokawa family saw their young lady in distress, and Xiangzi, who was generally kind, couldn't help but want to go forward and help.

"Don't get close!"

Xiangzi refused, not only because he didn't want others to pity him, but also because he didn't want others to be blamed.

I'm even more afraid that I'll burst into tears after receiving help from others.

. .

In the hospital corridor, Xiangzi listened quietly to the doctor's instructions, nodding slightly. The doctor told her that her father's condition was not serious, with only some superficial injuries, but the possibility of a concussion still existed, and recommended that he be hospitalized for observation for two days, just in case.

"Thank you so much."

She bowed deeply to the doctor, politely thanked him, and then walked to the ward door, glancing at her father lying on the bed. His face still had some bruises, and he wasn't sleeping peacefully, occasionally muttering to himself. Xiangzi took a deep breath, turned, and left the hospital.

Back at her rented apartment building, Xiangzi stopped abruptly at the door. A figure sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the door startled her.

Chaoyang was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, eyelids drooping slightly, clearly dozing off.

They probably came to my house because my phone was dead and they couldn't reach me... Ugh, what an idiot. What a waste of time if I hadn't come back today!

Xiangzi felt a warm current surge through his heart, and his eyes involuntarily became slightly hot.

Realizing she was about to lose control, she immediately turned her face away, silently wiping her eyes with her sleeve, concealing all her emotions. When she turned back, her indifferent expression had returned to normal.

She didn't speak, but walked forward expressionlessly, took out her keys, and prepared to open the door. As soon as the door opened, Chaoyang's body tilted slightly with the opening and closing of the door, and half of her body almost fell into her entryway.

"What, what's wrong?"

Chaoyang had just woken up and was still at a loss when he saw Xiangzi silently taking off his shoes in the entrance hall, and then he remembered where he was.

After finishing her meal, she tried to go find Xiangzi, but she wouldn't answer her phone, and her messages didn't show as read.

Chaoyang was still worried. Anyway, there was nothing important to do next, and he happened to know Xiangzi's new address, since he had helped him find a new place when he moved.

They went straight to where Xiangzi lived.

Unfortunately, there was no one there.

I just kept waiting, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep leaning against the door.

Although Chaoyang understood that Xiangzi disliked feeling pressured, it must be something serious to make Xiangzi so anxious.

"What exactly happened? Your expression changed drastically and you suddenly left your seat."

Xiangzi did not answer directly, but responded coldly.

"This is none of your business. Please go back; I need to rest."

Her tone was cold, as if drawing an insurmountable line. Chaoyang was slightly taken aback. Xiangzi's attitude gave him a strange feeling, as if she had reverted to the distant attitude she had shown when they first met.

Although his impression of Xiangzi hadn't changed, the way Xiangzi deliberately kept his distance made him feel that there was an invisible wall of ice between them.

For some reason, Chaoyang felt that if he left like this, he and Xiangzi would drift further and further apart.

"How could that be? You just left like that! Even a fool would know you must have run into trouble."

Chaoyang originally wanted to yell, but since this was an apartment building, it would be bad if the neighbors called the police if he spoke too loudly. So he lowered his voice and spoke to Xiangzi.

www.53dushu.com

"...So I said it has nothing to do with you. Please go home now."

"You bastard! Enough already! It's always like this! Are you planning to abandon me like a Crychic teammate?"

"..."

Xiangzi fell silent; Chaoyang had clearly touched upon her past, a past she was unwilling to revisit.

“I’ve already helped you so much! Of course you’ve helped me a lot, so why not just continue like this? You’re just a student, do you really expect to solve your own problems? I’ll help you, and then you can repay me with your work.”

"...Nobody told you to do that."

Xiangzi turned his head to look elsewhere.

“No one asked me to do this, but I just wanted to help you.”

However, this time she was determined not to involve Chaoyang.

"It's better to be clear now, in case you misunderstand. From now on, don't have anything to do with me anymore. I'll stay at your agency until the concert ends, and after that, we'll have nothing to do with each other... Besides, you're already in dire straits yourself, and your shop has been mortgaged. Do you still have the leisure to meddle in my affairs?"

Xiangzi sneered, as if mocking Chaoyang for being reckless and courting death.

Chaoyang gritted his teeth. Although he was the older one, Xiangzi had already made it clear that he wanted to cut ties with him.

“What I’ve encountered isn’t really a problem. Compared to the pressure these things put on me, losing you, Xiangzi, would have a much greater negative impact. You’re indispensable to my company. I could ignore it before, but this time I have to get involved.”

After Chaoyang finished speaking, he closed the door and sat down in the entryway.

Chaoyang understood that Xiangzi was not a heartless person. Once he understood why she left CRYCHIC, he would naturally understand why she wanted to cut ties with him this time.

First, she had to maintain her self-respect; second, she didn't want to involve her friends, who would surely pity and help her if they found out. This was what she couldn't tolerate the most.

This time, Xiangzi's reaction was even stronger than before, which shows how big the trouble she was in was.

"Even if you call the police... I'll come back after I've been 'educated' (dealt with). If you move, I'll go back to where your father lives. Or I'll go to your school and wait for you every day. Even if I get arrested and jailed, I'll wait until I get out. As long as I'm alive, I'll continue like this!!!"

After Chaoyang finished speaking, he crossed his legs, put his hands on his hips, closed his eyes, and sat down completely.

Even if Su Shi's persistence is not as strong as Chao Yang's at this moment, after all, Su Shi still cares about his image to some extent, while Chao Yang can abandon him at any time.

At the same time, he was certain that Xiangzi wouldn't actually do anything to him.

Xiangzi began to make sarcastic remarks.

"A scoundrel? How ugly. If you like it so much, then sit here."

Similarly, Xiangzi felt that since Chaoyang was involved this time, given his personality, he would definitely help him regardless of the cost. He knew that Chaoyang was a fool just by helping Pastel* without regard to the cost.

Why... why are there such foolish people in the world! Getting involved in this will only drag you down to hell.

She was screaming inside.

Xiangzi lowered her head. She couldn't understand it, and she would never do that.

Finally, Xiangzi raised his head and spoke to Chaoyang with an extremely indifferent face.

"...Are you so persistent in your pursuit of me because you like me? If I satisfy you, will you cut ties with me completely?"

Chapter 123 If you don't know what's good for you, I'll go to the blacksmith's shop and have a chain made!

After Xiangzi finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Whether it was to belittle Chaoyang to make him angry and leave, or to satisfy his own desires and make him leave, Xiangzi could accept it.

Moreover, if Chaoyang had chosen the latter, Xiangzi would have felt more at ease.

Firstly, it completely repaid the kindness Chaoyang had shown him all along. Secondly, it proved that he was not truly interested in anything, and that he would not have any more memories like CRYCHIC's in the future.

"Xiangzi."

Chaoyang called her name in a heavy voice.

He looked at Xiangzi without anger or greed in his eyes.

"No matter how much you want to avoid involving others, that can't be a reason to hurt yourself."

Chaoyang reached out and touched Xiangzi's cheek. Xiangzi wanted to escape and refuse, but his body seemed to be out of his control.

He gently placed his hand on hers, making it impossible for her to look away.

She noticed that Chaoyang's eyes seemed a little moist.

"While you're hurting yourself, you're also hurting those around you. Your so-called abandonment of the past, even if you get used to this pain... will eventually become unbearable."

After saying that, Chaoyang withdrew his hand.

Xiangzi listened without saying a word. His hands involuntarily wrapped around his shoulders, as if trying to warm his body.

Chaoyang's thoughts became clearer and clearer, confirming that he could not live without the sound of the zither, nor without Xiangzi.

"No matter how many times you try to push me away... I will stick to you. If you don't come to see me, I will break down the door."

Then they'll put a chain around your neck.

"I can not understand."

Xiangzi whispered in a trembling voice.

She hugged her shoulders tighter, her expression contorted in pain.

Chaoyang resolutely took a step forward and gently placed his hand on Xiangzi's shoulder.

"Please, please don't touch me..."

Although Xiangzi said that, he did not struggle or resist.

Chaoyang placed his other hand on her shoulder as well, looking directly at Xiangzi.

"I don't want things to stay like this... No matter what our relationship becomes in the future... I need to move forward now."

After saying that, he pulled Xiangzi towards him and hugged her shoulders.

Xiangzi's string finally snapped, and he began to sob in Chaoyang's arms, the tears that had been building up in his eyes finally bursting forth.

Seeing Xiangzi finally shed her disguise, and with the morning sun gently stroking her hair, Xiangzi's heart, riddled with wounds, finally found a moment of peace in his embrace.

I do not know how long it has been.

After crying himself to exhaustion, Xiangzi finally felt relieved because the pressure he had been under for so long was finally released, and he was also tired today.

She actually fell asleep right in Chaoyang's arms.

Chaoyang gently picked up Xiangzi and carried him into the room. He looked around and his gaze lingered on the cabinet door.

First, gently place Xiangzi on the tatami mat, then walk to the cabinet door, carefully open it, and as expected, find the bedding neatly folded inside.

They took it out and spread it on the tatami mat, then gently placed Xiangzi on the prepared bedding, allowing her to lie down comfortably.

Looking at Xiangzi's somewhat disheveled clothes, a moment of hesitation flashed through his mind, wondering whether he should help her change. However, opening the wardrobe and undressing her would be somewhat inappropriate, especially at Xiangzi's vulnerable moment, and he didn't want to offend her in the slightest. So he abandoned the idea and pulled the blanket up for her.

Then, Chaoyang silently took the key out of her bag, went outside, locked the door, and put the key in the mailbox behind the door.

He was already tired today, and as for Xiangzi's problem, he planned to leave it for later.

. .

Back home, Chaoyang eagerly took a hot bath, intending to completely relax. However, the scenes from Xiangzi's house two hours earlier kept replaying in his mind.

While reminiscing in the bathtub, her body kept rolling back and forth.

"...Oh my! Thinking about it now, it's super embarrassing!"

He couldn't help but gasp softly in the bathtub, his face slightly flushed. He recalled the scene when he firmly held Xiangzi's hand and said those words.

Chaoyang often experiences this; while doing something, he might suddenly remember an embarrassing thing he did as a child, and then feel extremely shy and blush for no apparent reason.

"Um... or rather, to put it more subtly... um, it's too embarrassing."

Meanwhile, at Xiangzi's home on the other side.

Xiangzi lay on the bed, eyes open, face flushed, her mind in turmoil. She recalled Chaoyang's words, "I'll come close, no matter how many times you push me away," and her heart trembled. His approach, his touch, his words... all the details replayed in her mind, yet she didn't know why she hadn't pushed him away then.

"Why...why did we let him do that...?"

She murmured to herself, unconsciously clutching the blanket tighter in her hands.

Thinking about her future with Chaoyang, she felt a mixture of anticipation and inexplicable anxiety. Maintaining a cold demeanor might not be easy, but she also couldn't easily open her heart completely; her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Do I really have to rely on that man?

Xiangzi was still hesitant, having never relied on anyone before.

Even during the CRYCHIC era, when he was still quite gentle, Xiangzi was a hidden strongman.

After seeing the words written on the lamp, I assumed they were lyrics based on my own understanding, or if they weren't, they must be.

But the rising sun, like a rogue, forcibly pressed itself against us.

"If you don't come to see me, I'll break down the door."

Thinking back to that sentence...

"What do you mean, 'break in'? Idiot... That's trespassing..."

Xiangzi, now lying on the bed, blushed and replied to the air.