TF01 111

It had been a while since Ying Ming last saw Wang Yiqi.

To be precise, they had not been in contact since the night they parted ways at his place. Ying Ming knew Wang Yiqi was probably worried that the issues with Shi Yi’s family had left some unspoken tension between them. Technically, it had nothing to do with Wang Yiqi directly, but that was how these things worked. Even if everyone understood that the blame did not lie with you, it still became difficult to shake off, and the weight of it lingered all the same.

But what Shi Yi said to him that morning, right before heading out the door, at least made it clear that in his heart, he had never placed that burden on Wang Yiqi.

It had only been a few days since they last saw each other, but they both looked noticeably thinner.

Ying Ming handed Kou Jing and Wang Yiqi each a bottle of something to drink. His apartment didn’t even have boiled water ready. Everything had fallen into disarray lately. Life had slipped into a fog, and nothing was in order.

Wang Yiqi was wearing glasses. “So? How have you been holding up?”

News of Shi Yi and Ying Ming appearing together the day before had already exploded across every platform. When Kou Jing and Wang Yiqi came by earlier, there were still people staked out by the entrance waiting for Ying Ming. But seeing the place was clearly empty, they had left. By the time they followed Ying Ming back home, the car that clearly belonged to a tabloid had already driven off.

Ying Ming sat off to the side. “I’m okay. As okay as anyone can be.”

“Did you see today’s news?” Kou Jing spoke up. He took a sip from his drink and leaned back into the sofa.

Ying Ming raised an eyebrow. “No interest.”

Even without looking, he could guess what it said. Reading it would only make him feel worse. Even if it felt a little like sticking his head in the sand, not looking was better than getting worked up over it.

“You two really don’t hold back. Just walked right into the lion’s den.” Even though he hadn’t been there, Wang Yiqi could easily picture how chaotic the scene must have been.

“I’m guessing you didn’t know Shi Yi was going to show up like that?”

Kou Jing looked over at Ying Ming. “He had asked me a lot of questions about you before, so I figured he was planning something.” In truth, based on Ying Ming’s usual temperament, he never would have let Shi Yi go so public with it. He had always hated the kind of noise that came with gossip and media storms. Especially now, when things were already so delicate, stirring the pot helped no one.

Ying Ming didn’t respond.

Truthfully, this time, he neither supported nor opposed it.

Shi Yi’s actions didn’t match Ying Ming’s usual approach, but people were different. He used to hate that kind of unilateral decision-making. But now that he thought about it, even if they had made it this far together, they were still two separate individuals. They thought differently, came from different places. Ying Ming might not agree with how Shi Yi handled things, but he respected it.

If Shi Yi chose to act, then he must have had his reasons.

And during this time, it hadn’t only been Shi Yi reflecting. Ying Ming had been thinking too.

Thinking about their past, about his own past. Most of what he had turned over in his mind had no clear use, but slowly, it had started to shift something in the way he saw things. He shrugged casually and lit a cigarette. “You can’t just stop living because there are people out there who want to see the world burn.”

“But there won’t be more trouble on Shi Yi’s side?”

“He can handle his family.”

Shi Yi wouldn’t have stepped forward like that unless he was fully prepared.

Ying Ming took a couple of drags and narrowed his eyes, then looked at Wang Yiqi beside him. “How about you? I heard you turned down a film you really wanted to work on?”

He had only found out through television coverage. Things had been so chaotic that he hadn’t had the time to call and ask. In the end, it was Wang Yiqi’s decision to make. Friends could not interfere.

Wang Yiqi wasn’t surprised that he knew. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. After exhaling a breath of smoke, he said, “I came here today because there’s something I need to tell you.”

He paused for a moment, took a few more puffs, then added, “Your film will be my last work as an actor.”

Ying Ming frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Once filming wraps, I won’t be participating in the promotional run. In a few days, I’ll be holding a press conference to announce my withdrawal from the film industry.” Wang Yiqi looked up at Ying Ming. “So I felt I should let you know in advance. If you think this isn’t appropriate, you’re free to replace me.”

The man sitting beside him smoked in silence for a moment, then finally looked up. “Even if it’s a personal decision, I still want to ask—why?”

Wang Yiqi had never treated this industry as a game.

He always carried the reputation of being cynical and aloof, but Ying Ming knew that deep down, he was never someone who accepted compromise easily. This decision came as a real surprise.

Kou Jing, on the other hand, seemed to have known about it beforehand. He didn’t look the least bit surprised. He simply sat there, calm and steady.

Ying Ming’s question was one Wang Yiqi had expected. “My family has always been against me becoming an actor. You’ve known that all along. When the photo incident happened, when Meng Qi left, and when you and Shi Yi ended up like this… to be honest, I really did regret it. If I had never stepped into this circle in the first place, maybe none of this would have happened. I’ll say it plainly, I got scared.”

He let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“It was because of that fear that I finally understood. All the things I’ve been trying so hard to distance myself from are still things I can’t let go of. I admit that acting has always been my dream, something I’ve worked toward for years. But when I had to weigh that against my family, I realized what I truly could not afford to lose. If I have to choose between the two, I’m choosing to give up acting.”

Not everyone has the ability or the courage to face the cost.

If Ying Ming and Shi Yi had not used their photo to protect Wang Yiqi’s, then the fallout on the Wang family would have been even worse than what Shi Yi was dealing with now.

What Wang Yiqi went through in those days was something only he knew.

Everything he had once brushed off, everything he thought he could live without, only revealed its true weight when it was on the verge of being destroyed. He could live without the so-called fame and recognition of the entertainment world, but he could not disregard the feelings of his family. To put it bluntly, reputation meant nothing to Wang Yiqi, but the people who cared about it meant everything to him.

“Ying Ming, I finally understand what you meant when you said that sometimes, giving up is the easiest thing.”

As he spoke those words, his eyes turned red.

Meng Qi’s death, the decision to give up his dream of being an actor, these things were not as difficult as he had imagined. The pain and struggle had come during the hesitation, during the weighing of choices. But once the decision was made, there was a strange sense of relief.

For them, this was the worst possible outcome. Nothing could hurt more than this. Even if the resentment and sorrow lingered, time would eventually dull their edge.

They did not have the courage that Ying Ming and Shi Yi had, to walk a path that would bind them to pain.

Ying Ming sat in silence, holding his cigarette, unmoving. The warehouse’s vast emptiness made the passage of time feel strangely sluggish, as if everything were suspended in air. He only stubbed out the cigarette when it was nearly finished, pressing it into the ashtray. Just as he reached for another, his hand paused, then withdrew.

“If you’ve already made up your mind, then I support your decision. As for whether the film needs to recast your role, I’ll speak with Dong Xiao and the others. I’ll give you an answer after we’ve discussed it.”

“All right.”

There was a trace of guilt in Wang Yiqi’s eyes, but his tone was surprisingly firm.

Kou Jing sat nearby, watching the two of them. A strange thought drifted through his mind. People’s lives could really take the strangest turns. Back when Dong Xiao had his accident, everyone thought his career in this world was finished. Whether he could recover from his injuries was one thing, but as an actor, he was no longer seen as having the right to stand shoulder to shoulder with his peers. But he had returned, and in his own way, he had fought again for what he wanted. Meanwhile, Wang Yiqi, who had every advantage and stood on solid ground, had become the first among them to step away from the stage.

Was this fate playing games, or just the way the world worked?

In the end, it was all about the choices people made. Whether they chose to let go or to keep going, what mattered was that they made those decisions for the things they truly cared about. In making those choices, they gave themselves a chance to live without regret.

“Shi Yi said we should all get together sometime.”

The atmosphere had grown heavy again, but this reminder cut through it. Ying Ming rubbed at his nose. “What do you think?”

Wang Yiqi raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. “Shi Yi?”

“Yeah. Kou Jing called me earlier, and he happened to be there. It just came up.”

Shi Yi was a knot in Wang Yiqi’s heart. And the only person who could untie it properly was Shi Yi himself.

Kou Jing chuckled knowingly. “I’m always free. Depends on Young Master Wang.”

But Wang Yiqi didn’t answer right away. He stared off into space for a long while before finally nodding, a bit stiffly. “I’m fine with that. Let me know when.”

“When are you holding the press conference?”

“In a couple of days. I’ve already informed the company. Still working through a few contract and procedural things.”

“Your company agreed?”

“With something like this, once I’ve made my decision, there’s not much they can do. I’ll cover whatever breach penalties there are. No one wants to force it.” Truthfully, Wang Yiqi’s agency had always treated him well. They understood his personality and had always given him space. Most of his career decisions were made by him. Even when his views didn’t align with theirs, they rarely tried to stop him.

If not for everything that happened, Wang Yiqi likely never would have thought about changing companies.

In this industry, a lot of things really were more complicated than what the public could see. But at the same time, many things were also far simpler than what outsiders imagined. When it came down to it, every so-called system of relationships was just made of people. It only became messy when power and profit got involved. Strip that away, and things could be surprisingly straightforward.

Ying Ming was still thinking about Wang Yiqi’s situation with the company, but Kou Jing’s mind had drifted elsewhere. He stared at Wang Yiqi for a while with an odd look on his face, then finally muttered, Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you perform opera before…”

He tried to picture it in his head, but couldn’t form a clear image. Eventually, he sighed. “It just doesn’t feel real.”

The two men next to him both raised their eyebrows at the comment. Wang Yiqi let out a quiet snort. “I’ve been onstage since I was ten.”

That only made it worse. Even Ying Ming laughed. “Actually… I can’t picture it either.”

The mismatch was hard to ignore. It was like forcing an ostrich into a rabbit costume.

It just looked wrong, no matter how they tried to imagine it.