TF01 27

After four days of rally racing, Shi Yi returned to the city and drove straight to the office instead of going home.

He had complete trust in Ou Yang’s handling of things, but there were still decisions that required his personal approval. Paperwork could be postponed, but it couldn’t be delayed indefinitely.

Ou Yang wasn’t the least bit surprised to see him back. “With your workaholic nature, I really can’t tell if this company is blessed or cursed.”

Shi Yi took off his jacket and casually tossed it onto the couch. “It’s your blessing and the employees’ curse.”

Especially his assistant.

There was hardly ever a true break.

“What’s the situation over the past couple of days?”

“Nothing special. Everything’s moving forward according to schedule. The preliminary negotiations for potential collaborations have already entered the next phase.”

Shi Yi suddenly thought of Weisai. “Put the cooperation with Weisai on hold for now.”

“Why?”

Ou Yang, his business partner, was taken aback. “Weren’t you very keen on this before?”

“There’s been a situation on their side. There might be some changes.”

“Changes?” Ou Yang frowned. “Just what the hell did this rally race result in?”

The collaboration had seemed highly promising. Both sides had aligned short-term goals, and the negotiation space was considerable. Partnering with Weisai was all upside for them, with no real drawbacks. But at the same time, Weisai wasn’t particularly reliant on them either.

Shi Yi didn’t answer directly. He flipped through the documents on his desk while pressing the intercom to call his assistant in. Only then did he look up, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “The result, huh…”

“The result is, I came in second.”

“So you’re ditching the partnership with Weisai just because of that?”

Ou Yang still didn’t fully understand Shi Yi’s sudden decision to back out.

But Shi Yi clearly wasn’t inclined to explain further. He only raised an eyebrow with an air of mystery. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Right then, the assistant knocked and entered, placing the documents that required Shi Yi’s signature on his desk. Shi Yi skimmed through them before giving instructions to compile information on companies besides Weisai that could potentially collaborate with them. He wanted the report on his desk before the end of tomorrow.

Shi Yi’s attitude made it clear he wasn’t joking.

“You got a particular direction in mind?”

“I remember we had a backup company on the list. If the deal with Weisai falls through, we’ll reach out to them.”

“Rewrite the entire event plan?”

“Yeah, start over.”

Shi Yi said it without a hint of pressure, but the assistant, who had yet to leave the office, visibly stiffened. His face twisted into an expression of utter despair as he shuffled out of the room.

Bad news like this had to be shared with his colleagues.

—

The first thing Ying Ming did when he got back was take a shower.

The warehouse always carried a faint sense of loneliness after being unoccupied for a few days. By the time he got home, it was already nighttime. He casually stripped off his clothes while rummaging through the fridge for a drink, then made a loop around the room and checked the messages on his answering machine.

Most were reminders from his manager. One was from his mom, asking him to call home when he had time.

The last one was from Wang Yiqi.

“Holy shit! Ying Ming, you really took that movie? You actually dared to take it?!”

That was all he shouted before hanging up.

It was hard to tell whether he was gloating or just itching to get involved. But that all-too-familiar energy made Ying Ming frown. Once again, he had the sinking feeling that starring in a film alongside Wang Yiqi would be the worst decision of his career.

Still, before worrying about Wang Yiqi, he knew the matter with Weisai wasn’t over yet.

After spending half an hour in the shower, Ying Ming had barely stepped out of the bathroom when he heard a knock on the door.

He raised an eyebrow, already expecting it.

He opened the door and found Kou Jing standing outside, just as expected.

“Come in.”

He stepped aside to let Kou Jing in.

This place was practically Kou Jing’s second home, so there was no need for formalities. Ying Ming simply shut the door and went straight back to the couch.

Kou Jing glanced around and asked, “Where’s Smoke Ring?”

“Got sick a couple of days ago. Sent him to the hospital.”

“What kind of illness?”

“Nerve-induced gastritis.”

“Fuck!” Kou Jing couldn’t help but remark, “That’s a pretty high-class illness.”

“I was filming, so I left him with Haozi. Turns out he refused to eat or drink, just crouched by the door whining all day. Took him to the vet, and they said it was nerve-induced gastritis.”

Smoke Ring was actually Ying Ming’s cat.

Whenever work kept him too busy to take care of it, he would leave it with a bandmate.

Now that Kou Jing mentioned it, Ying Ming realized it had been a while since he last saw the cat. He should find time to pick it up tomorrow. It had been long enough.

There was water on the coffee table. Kou Jing grabbed a bottle, twisted it open, and took a few sips before looking at his old friend. “You’re really planning to stand your ground against Weisai?”

“Yeah, not signing.”

“I told the people at Weisai that you and Shi Yi go way back. Hopefully, they won’t push too hard. But be careful. No matter what, this can’t get out.”

Kou Jing reminded him a few more times, but Ying Ming stayed silent. He only picked up his cigarette after drying his hair. “Kouzi, give it to me straight. What really happened to Dong Xiao?”

The so-called accident report was still nowhere to be seen. Dong Xiao had always been reckless, always stirring up trouble, but even so, things shouldn’t have ended up like this.

He wasn’t an idiot. No one would knowingly seek death.

Kou Jing didn’t answer right away. He just took another sip of water and remained silent, staring at Ying Ming as he smoked.

Neither of them spoke. They sat there in a standoff until Ying Ming’s cigarette was half-burned. Finally, Kou Jing ruffled his hair and muttered, “I swear to god, your temper is something else.”

Kou Jing shot Ying Ming a look of mild frustration before sighing. “If you want me to pinpoint exactly whose fault it was, I can’t say. Weisai never brought me in on this from the start. I only managed to catch bits and pieces of information. You know how these events are, poorly planned from the get-go. Issues were bound to happen. The cars you were driving this time were a new model Weisai wanted to promote. That’s why they went all out. But the vehicles were probably still in testing. There were minor issues, nothing serious enough to cause a major accident, but if someone like Dong Xiao happened to be the unlucky one…” Kou Jing trailed off, shaking his head. “Guess the kid just had bad luck. The rest of you drove them for days without a problem, didn’t you?”

“So that’s why you kept checking in on me?”

Now it made sense. During their calls, Kou Jing had been overly concerned about his condition even though Dong Xiao was the one who got hurt.

“So Weisai isn’t planning to take responsibility?”

“The contract Dong Xiao signed is clear. Weisai will cover all his medical expenses until he fully recovers, including any future costs for reconstructive surgery.” Kou Jing paused for a moment before looking up. “The contract also involves his family. You know his situation.”

In the entertainment industry, there were plenty of people with powerful backing, but there were just as many struggling under immense pressure.

Ying Ming had been lucky, rising to fame by chance without any complicated history weighing him down. Dong Xiao, on the other hand, had spent years enduring hardships just to make it this far. He had his own reasons for enduring everything he did.

“Did Dong Xiao know about the car’s issues?”

“There’s no way to be sure. Maybe he had an idea, maybe he didn’t. Either way, he signed the contract, so it’s already set in stone.”

Everyone made their own choices. Gains and losses were impossible to measure unless you were the one living through them.

Ying Ming took a slow drag from his cigarette before pausing. “Do you know which hospital he’s in?”

Kou Jing did not answer right away.

After a while, Ying Ming let out a short laugh. “Forget it. Pretend I never asked.”

Kou Jing had already said a lot today, and that was only because of the years of friendship between them.

The contract he signed must have been just as ruthless as the one he had just described.

But this was his job.

Whether as a friend or a brother, no one could afford to burn their own bridges.

Knowing that Ying Ming had finally caught on, Kou Jing let out a small laugh. He stood up and patted Ying Ming’s shoulder. “I’ve told you what needed to be said, and even what shouldn’t be said. Just keep this Weisai matter in mind.”

The reason he had told Ying Ming the truth wasn’t because he had been asked. It was because this situation was far more serious than anyone initially thought.

If handled poorly, it would bring trouble straight to their doorstep.

But friendship was like this. When you were standing at the edge of a pit, someone reached out to pull you back. Whether you chose to step away or jump in was up to you, but that one pull was what it meant to be a friend or a brother.

Ying Ming nodded, stood up, and casually grabbed a cigarette from the table, handing it to Kou Jing before walking him to the door.

Just before stepping out, Kou Jing turned back with a teasing remark. “When I asked before, you told me you and Shi Yi were just ordinary friends. But from the looks of it, that bond is a little more than just friendship.”

From a strategic standpoint, Shi Yi had no reason to get involved in this mess.

Even if he refused to sign the contract, there was no need for him to take responsibility for Ying Ming’s situation as well. Kou Jing had already heard about what had happened at the event center.

Many people were surprised that someone like Ying Ming, barely third-rate, had somehow become close with Shi Yi. But it was precisely this connection that convinced Weisai’s people when Kou Jing claimed that the two had a solid friendship.

A dog’s worth depended on its owner.

Since Ying Ming was Shi Yi’s friend, Weisai wouldn’t dare push things too far.

Kou Jing’s playful jab made Ying Ming recall how he and Shi Yi had shared meals, living spaces, and even beds during the rally race. He shook his head helplessly. “If you ask me now, I really don’t know how to define our relationship.”

“That’s exactly my point. Every time you run into trouble, there’s always someone there to help.”

“Yeah, and you’re definitely one of them.”

“Glad you know it.”

They exchanged a few idle jabs before Kou Jing casually waved and left.

Ying Ming closed the door behind him and let out a long breath.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Shi Yi.

Want to visit Dong Xiao at the hospital tomorrow?

The reply came almost instantly.

A single word.

Okay.