【Yangzhou Dream】(14-18)

Author: Long-haired Yao Yao
Published: 2015/3/29
First Published: No
Word Count: 7742 Chapter
Fourteen
After leaving the storage room, Duan Min returned to his apartment alone. The silence after Xu Zhen's hysterical cursing was
much better, but his head was still spinning.
It was already February, yet the weather was still unbearably cold. Duan Min shivered as he entered the house.
While changing his shoes at the door, he caught a glimpse of Qin Yin's closed bedroom door. He stood there for a moment, then silently
walked to his own room, collapsing onto the bed before even taking off his clothes.
A familiar headache swept over him, and his throat felt burning dry. He laboriously turned his head and looked towards
the door. He had a feeling that Qin Yin would appear behind the door again, carrying a thermos, her face full of surprise, rushing
over in a flurry.
"Duan Min?"
Duan Min smiled and closed his eyes. It seemed he had a fever again and was starting to hallucinate.
"Duan Min? Duan Min!"
Qin Yin's voice echoed in his ears again and again, but his heavy eyelids wouldn't open. Duan Min sighed
, his head drooping weakly.
What a crude dream.
Fifteen
When Duan Min opened his eyes again, the familiar white ceiling greeted him, so glaring that he frowned
. The air, thick with the smell of disinfectant, rushed into his respiratory tract, and he coughed, his chest aching
as if being torn apart.
A nurse who had just finished her examination in the ward glanced at him upon hearing the sound, then left the room. Not long after, Sister Li
walked in from outside. Seeing Duan Min's ashen face on the bed, she was speechless for a moment.
"Sister Li," Duan Min greeted her with a smile, but as soon as he uttered the words, a dull pain shot through his chest, and his haggard
smile froze for a few seconds, his heart sinking.
"You just woke up, don't talk too much, have some water." Sister Li poured a glass of water and helped
Duan Min, who was struggling to sit up.
Duan Min took a small sip, and felt a distinct foreign body sensation in his throat as he swallowed, which aggravated his worries.
"Sister Li, what did the doctor say?"
Sister Li didn't expect Duan Min to ask this question as soon as he woke up, and hesitated slightly.
"I know my own body, you tell me, I know what I'm doing." Duan Min's voice was weak, but his eyes
were exceptionally firm, forming a strong contrast with his sickly face.
"The previous upper respiratory tract infection hasn't completely healed, plus this..."
"Can I still sing?" Duan Min didn't have the patience to listen to these complicated medical terms, he just wanted to know the final result
.
"The doctor said it depends on the situation, try not to use your voice during this period, and have a minor surgery after you feel better,
the chances of recovery are still very high." Sister Li tried to describe it in an optimistic tone, concealing the truth under
a few simple words.
"Hmm." Duan Min nodded. He didn't quite believe what Sister Li said, but he didn't press further. Instead,
he asked, "I'm afraid you can't go on that reality show you mentioned before."
"The company has decided to have Chen Weiliang replace you."
"Oh, Liang." Duan Min smiled bitterly and didn't say anything more.
Later that afternoon, the three members of the band came to visit him. Because they had learned from Sister Li that Duan Min had vocal cord problems
, they didn't let him talk too much. Most of the time, the three of them talked, and Duan Min lay on the bed
listening quietly. When he heard that Qin Yin had found him unconscious in the apartment, Duan Min was stunned. "Where is she?
Why didn't she come?"
"She went home for the New Year. It's already mid-February." Chen Weiliang replied.
"Oh, I see." Duan Min thought about how his previous actions had become the final
impression he left on Qin Yin this year, and he was speechless for a moment.
Lin Xiaofan thought Duan Min was depressed because he would have to stay in the hospital during the Spring Festival, so he quickly comforted him, "Don't
worry, we'll come to the hospital to keep you company on New Year's Eve. We won't let you watch the Spring Festival Gala alone."
"Watch the Spring Festival Gala? Are you eighty years old?" Mountain joked, "You might as well bring a mahjong table
."
"Just start a game online, why bring mahjong..." Chen Weiliang shook his phone, and
when he turned to look at Duan Min, he found him staring intently at him. He was a little surprised, "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
"No, it's just that I feel like I haven't seen you in a long time." Duan Min smiled and looked away.
Sixteen
After returning home, Qin Yin still kept in touch with Chen Weiliang, but she didn't mention Duan Min's rude behavior that day to anyone
. She was really frightened by him at the time, and hid in the bathroom for a long time. Finally, she decided
to use the excuse of the approaching Spring Festival to ask Sister Li for leave and go home early. After receiving Li Jie's permission, Qin Yin immediately
returned to her apartment to pack her luggage. Just as she entered, she heard a heavy thud from the second floor and found Duan Min lying
unconscious in the room.
From Chen Weiliang, Qin Yin learned about Duan Min's recent condition. Although it was a minor surgery, she
had a bad feeling, remembering Duan Min's week-long hospitalization after his last illness. However, given his previous actions,
Qin Yin didn't call to inquire about his condition. On New Year's Eve, when she called Chen Weiliang and the other three to wish them a Happy New Year,
she only briefly told Duan Min to take care of himself before asking him to pass the phone to the next person. Duan
Min's voice was hoarse on the other end of the line as he softly said "Happy New Year," followed by Lin Xiaofan's
loud voice.
That weak "Happy New Year" made Qin Yin's heart ache. She pitied Duan Min's miserable situation as a singer
, but his unreasonable and abusive behavior was unforgivable. However, these complex emotions were quickly
forgotten due to the busy New Year holiday, only to resurface when they met again.
Qin Yin had come to get Sister Li's signature, but she bumped into Duan Min talking to Sister Li in the office. Even
though it had only been a little over a month, Duan Min looked so haggard that Qin Yin almost didn't recognize him. Having undergone surgery before the New Year and
recuperating at home for a while before returning, Duan Min wore a mask that almost covered half his face, his eyes were sunken, and his coat looked...
It hung ill-fittingly on his thin body. Seeing Qin Yin appear at the door, Duan Min nodded to her
without saying much, only staggering as he stood up from his chair, as thin as a bamboo pole unable to withstand even a strong gust of
wind.
Qin Yin instinctively wanted to help him, but the distance was too great; she only took one step before withdrawing
, watching Duan Min leave the office.
"What is it?"
Only after Sister Li asked did Qin Yin realize she had turned her gaze away from Duan Min, walk to the desk and hand over the document.
"Sister Li, this needs your signature." Sister Li glanced at the document's contents, picked up the pen on the desk, and began to sign.
Qin Yin glanced outside to make sure Duan Min was gone before asking, "Sister Li,
how is Young Master Duan's health?"
Sister Li, head bowed, was signing documents, her tone not very cheerful. "His health isn't seriously affected, but he's not putting in the effort
. Even if he recovers well, it's useless."
"Not putting in the effort?" Qin Yin repeated Sister Li's words, asking doubtfully.
Sister Li realized she had said too much, coughed twice, handed the documents to Qin Yin, and waved for her
to leave. "In short, he's still under observation. Don't talk to anyone, and don't ask any more questions."
Having said that, Qin Yin didn't press further and reluctantly left.
She hadn't seen Duan Min since returning to the company after the New Year, and seeing him now was truly shocking. Not only was he weak, but
he seemed completely drained of energy, unlike his usual lively self. Could it really be as
Sister Li said, that the healing stone's effects end there, and the final recovery depend
on his own mindset?
Just then, Qin Yin heard a heavy thud from the stairs, as if someone had fallen. Her heart sank, and she rushed
over to check. Sure enough, it was Duan Min. He sat slumped on the ground, resigned to his fate, showing no intention of getting up,
his head bowed low, looking utterly pathetic.
"Are you... alright?" Qin Yin asked hesitantly as she approached.
Duan Min looked up at her, then leaned against the wall to get up. Seeing this, Qin Yin offered a hand, helping him
pick up his scarf that had fallen to the ground.
"I'm sorry about what happened before. I haven't properly apologized to you," Duan Min's voice was weak and hoarse, completely
lacking its usual clear tone.
Qin Yin felt a pang of sadness, but didn't look at him, her gaze fixed elsewhere. "I'm fine,"
Duan Min sighed almost imperceptibly deep in his throat, took the scarf, and turned to leave.
Remembering what Sister Li had said earlier, Qin Yin hesitated before speaking, "Um..." Duan
Min, who had just walked down a few steps, heard Qin Yin's hesitant voice and turned around to look at her expressionlessly.
"Wrap your scarf properly, or you'll catch a cold again when you go out. And... cheer up, we all hope
you get better soon."
Duan Min's eyes lit up, he nodded obediently wrapped his scarf, and silently left.
Seventeen
Because of Duan Min's absence, the Chu Ke Band's public activities were basically suspended. However, Chen Weiliang had taken on a new
reality show, which maintained the band's exposure. But this became the source of Qin Yin's sleepless nights.
It was a reality show where celebrities pretended to be married, and Chen Weiliang's partner was a Japanese female singer who
participated in the show to open up the Chinese market. Qin Yin had watched the show when she was in school;
the celebrities in the show had to pretend to be newlyweds, decorate their wedding room together, go out on dates, and even take wedding photos together, etc.
Because the celebrities invited by the program were mostly strangers before,
their sudden announcement as newlyweds often led to many amusing incidents during their interactions. Perhaps for the sake of the show, the two celebrities would usually
become familiar and intimate after several dates, leaving the audience with a warm and happy ending at the end of the program. However,
many participating celebrities also started dating as a result. Just last year, a pair of celebrities who had partnered on the show
held a real-life wedding.
The first episode of the show featured both of them visiting their respective agencies to meet with colleagues and friends. Qin Yin, as
the intern manager of the Chu Ke band, was also invited to appear on camera. Qin Yin had already roughly looked up the information on this
singer named Nan Qianxia, who had debuted less than a year ago, but after seeing her in person, she felt that she seemed even more charming than in the photos
. She was petite, dressed in a sweet Japanese style, and although her features were not as three-dimensional and deep as the currently popular mixed-race faces
, her small nose and almond-shaped eyes were well-matched, making her look like a doll and very
lovable. To develop her career in China, Nan Qianxia learned some Mandarin. Although she spoke it haltingly, her childish
pronunciation mistakes only made her more endearing.
"Xiao Nan, this is our band's intern manager, Yin Yin," Chen Weiliang introduced
her gently, speaking slowly and deliberately. His attentive manner made Qin Yin uncomfortable.
"Hello Yin Yin, my name is Nan Qianxia," Nan Qianxia greeted Qin Yin with a smile, extending her hand.
Qin Yin simply smiled, shook hands, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then excused herself.
But Nan Qianxia didn't disappear from Qin Yin's sight. Later, Chen Weiliang and Nan Qianxia went on dates at
coffee shops, rode bicycles along the seaside road, and hiked together in the early morning for the program. Qin Yin, as an intern manager
, had to accompany them. Watching the two do things that couples do in front of the camera—from initially
awkwardly avoiding eye contact when they accidentally looked at each other, to later naturally holding hands and walking together—Qin Yin's jealousy grew daily
. Even though she constantly reminded herself that this was just a virtual program, and that their intimacy was all an act for the audience
, like a movie, the on-screen couple would have no connection to real life, and they would never cross paths again after the program ended , Qin Yin's 　　heart still churned
whenever she saw the two of them walking side by side, one tall and one short . 　　There was even one time when they were on a date on the grass, Chen Weiliang played and sang "The Changing Seasons" for Nan Qianxia. 　　Because it was a Japanese song, Nan Qianxia was very familiar with it, and the final scene of that episode was a shot of them 　　singing together in the sunset. Nan Qianxia clapped her hands, tapping out the rhythm, and sang with her eyes closed in rapture, while Chen Weiliang, holding 　　his guitar, smiled at her.

"What's this all about?" Qin Yin stared at the monitor behind the cameraman, clenching her fists, wishing she could rush out
and pull the two apart. But her troubles didn't disappear with the footage. After the show ended, the two seemed
to discover many shared musical interests and arranged to have dinner together. However, just to be on the safe side, their respective
managers also went along.
Although Nan Qianxia's Chinese wasn't good, it didn't hinder their pleasant conversation, and Qin
Yin, watching from the sidelines, couldn't get a word in edgewise. Nan Qianxia's manager, a woman in her forties, didn't speak any Chinese at all. She only
occasionally spoke a few words to Nan Qianxia, spending the rest of the time engrossed in her phone, completely ignoring Qin Yin's presence
. Qin Yin could only silently drink her beverage, feeling utterly bored, until she saw Nan Qianxia and Nan Qianxia into a taxi, only then
did she feel a sense of relief. She glanced sideways at Chen Weiliang beside her, who seemed to be having a very pleasant and unfinished conversation
. Feeling uneasy, she crossed her arms and tentatively asked, "Did you enjoy chatting with her
? Even basic language communication must have been a problem."
"It was alright. When we couldn't communicate verbally, we just used gestures. Xiao Nan is quite smart; she understands everything." Chen Weiliang said
as he hailed a taxi, intending to go back to the apartment with Qin Yin.
"Oh," Qin Yin gave a strange, dismissive reply, then fell silent.
"What's wrong? I get the feeling you don't like her?" Chen Weiliang
asked, tilting his head, noticing Qin Yin's unusual attitude.
"It's not that I don't like her, it's just..." Qin Yin stammered, making up a random excuse, "It's just that
I've seen some anti-fans targeting you online lately, probably brainless fans who like Nan Qianxia. I'm
worried that getting too close to her might have a bad influence on you."
Chen Weiliang looked at the sulking Qin Yin as if she were a child speaking to an adult, and couldn't help but
ruffle her hair, his eyes full of laughter, "Okay, okay, it's kind of you to think of everything. I'll be more careful in the future
."
Chen Weiliang's doting tone gave Qin Yin a small surprise. She looked at Chen Weiliang beside her
, and her heart warmed involuntarily: No matter what, Brother Liang still cares about me.
**********
When the two returned to the apartment, it was almost ten o'clock, but they heard a commotion inside as soon as they opened the door. Qin Yin was wondering
what was going on when she opened the door and saw a huge suitcase in front of her.
"Young Master Duan?" Chen Weiliang recognized the suitcase and called out first, kicking off his shoes and running into the living room.
Qin Yin peeked in and saw that it really was Duan Min back, being hugged tightly by Chen Weiliang who rushed over.
"Too tight, too tight, you're choking me!" Duan Min laughed heartily, patting Chen Weiliang's back and waving to Qin Yin
.
"You're back! Are you feeling better?" Qin Yin walked up to him and asked with delight. Compared to the last time they met, Duan
Min looked much better. Although his voice was still a little hoarse, his spirits had improved significantly.
Lin Xiaofan appropriately set off a small birthday party confetti cannon, spraying out a bunch of confetti and sequins that scattered all
over Qin Yin's head and shoulders. "That's right, our lead singer has defeated the disease and returned in triumph!"
Duan Min laughed at Lin Xiaofan for being childish, still fiddling with these little gadgets at his age and making a mess of the house.
As he spoke, he subconsciously reached out to remove the ribbon from Qin Yin's head.
"It's okay, I can do it myself." Qin Yin quickly took a step back, avoiding Duan Min's outstretched hand.
Duan Min paused for a moment, then, to avoid embarrassment, placed his hand on Chen Weiliang's shoulder instead. "Why are you guys so late
? What were you doing?"
"We went to record a show, and came back after dinner, so we're a little late."
"Just the two of you went to eat? While I was away, were you always secretly having private meals with Yin Yin
, leaving Mountain and Xiao Fan out of the picture?" Duan Min put his arm around Chen Weiliang's shoulder, like a primary school
student puncturing a classmate's secret relationship, with a hint of teasing.
"Look at what you're saying, Xiao Yin is our band's manager, she wouldn't give me private meals. Today I
ate with Xiao Nan and the others," Chen Weiliang explained.
"Oh! It's that female singer you're paired with!" Lin Xiaofan exclaimed, nudging Chen
Weiliang with a mischievous grin. "You two seem to get along quite well."
Duan Min, noticing Qin Yin's darkening expression, spoke up even more hastily than Chen Weiliang, "It's for filming a show;
getting to know each other privately is essential for a good result."
"But you two have a lot of buzz online. Many fans are praying you two will become a real couple, making
them believe in love again," Mountain joined in the teasing.
"How come even you've become so gossipy?" Chen Weiliang punched Mountain. "As the team leader
, instead of practicing properly, you're online reading all this nonsense. Your manager should talk to him."
Qin Yin forced a smile, trying to blend in with the atmosphere and reluctantly joining the unpleasant banter
.
"You don't have to film a show tomorrow, right? Let's rehearse together." Duan Min seized the opportunity to change the subject,
shifting the focus of everyone's conversation away from the relationship between Nan Qianxia and Chen Weiliang. "Yinyin, you be the audience and see if we've
regressed."
Qin Yin glanced at Duan Min, somewhat worried. "Is your voice fully rested? Won't it be too
much to sing tomorrow?"
"I've been resting my voice for almost two months, no problem." Duan Min waved his hand dismissively and smiled faintly
. The proverb "If you don't advance, you fall behind
"
seems to apply everywhere. The two-month rehearsal gap
was evident in just a few songs. Although Duan Min's voice had recovered somewhat,
it was still far from the effortless control he once displayed in live performances. Although everyone knew that the initial rehearsal wouldn't be ideal,
they couldn't help but feel disappointed when they truly experienced it.
Qin Yin naturally wouldn't let the negative emotions linger. She clapped enthusiastically,
expressing her admiration like a devoted fan, not allowing even a second of silence in the practice room after the performance. She methodically
sketched out a bright future: Duan Min, having improved through rehabilitation training, could...
With Chen Weiliang wholeheartedly dedicated to music creation, Lin Xiaofan practicing without interruption for a long time, and
Mountain rigorously demanding of himself and meticulously planning, Qin Yin described
the future grand comeback of the Chu Ke Band with anticipation. Although her initial purpose in joining the company was to get close to Chen Weiliang,
after several months together, she genuinely hoped that this band, harboring a simple musical dream, could achieve its goal.
After all, people who truly persevere and practice their initial dreams are rare in real life.
The company also put in a lot of effort for the Chu Ke Band's perfect comeback. On one hand, they leveraged Chen Weiliang's TV appearances to attract
a large fan base; on the other hand, they invited professional teachers to personally guide Duan Min. The band hadn't had any outings recently, and Qin
Yin had been busy with various trivial matters, so her communication with the band had unknowingly decreased. However, not long ago, Chen
Weiliang finally finished recording the program that had been bothering her, which made her feel much better. The thought that Nan Qianxia
would no longer be around Chen Weiliang filled Qin Yin with a sense of relief, like "after the storm comes the calm."
One day, Qin Yin, as usual, took the organized materials to Sister Li. Just as she walked down the stairs, she saw
Duan Min hiding outside Sister Li's door, seemingly eavesdropping on something. It was the first time she had seen Duan Min acting so suspiciously;
he looked quite comical, and she wondered what interesting things he was eavesdropping on, so unconcerned about his image. She quietly
approached and whispered, "What are you doing?"
Duan Min was startled and turned around nervously.
"What's wrong?" Qin Yin saw Duan Min's strange expression and vaguely sensed something serious was happening inside,
so she peeked inside.
"Don't look, you'll get caught." Duan Min tugged at Qin Yin's sleeve, forcefully pulling her aside.
Qin Yin only saw Sister Li and Chen Weiliang talking seriously inside the room. Before she could even listen to their conversation
, she curiously asked Duan Min, "What are they talking about in there?"
Duan Min shook his head cryptically and turned to leave.
Seeing that she couldn't get any information from Duan Min, Qin Yin prepared to go to the back door to listen herself. But just as she reached
the back door, the front door opened, startling her so much that she quickly jumped to the other side of the corridor.
"Xiao Yin?" Chen Weiliang came out of his office and bumped into Qin Yin, his face still showing
the seriousness from before.
"I... I came to deliver some documents to Sister Li," Qin Yin explained hastily, as if trying
to cover something up, afraid that Chen Weiliang would ask more questions, and hurriedly walked past him.
**********
...

Should he tell her? Duan Min hesitated, his thoughts drifting back to the moment he overheard her.
Although he hadn't mentioned it to anyone, Duan Min's rehabilitation training wasn't going smoothly. It seemed
his past success had squandered all his good fortune; even after nearly a month of training, his voice showed little
improvement. He knew what a lead singer with damaged vocal cords meant for the company, so
like a bird startled by the sound of a bow being drawn, he was extremely vigilant about everything around him. Sure enough, that day he overheard Sister Li and
Chen Weiliang's secret conversation.
"Someone in the company's upper management has suggested abandoning the Chu Ke band and letting you go solo." When he heard Sister Li say this
, Duan Min was so shocked he almost couldn't stand. He leaned against the wall against the back door, his mind blank. Although Sister Li
was only revealing this news to Chen Weiliang on the surface, she was clearly testing Chen Weiliang's reaction. Chen Weiliang didn't
give a clear answer; after all, they were partners who had struggled together for years, and he couldn't just abandon them like that. But
Duan Min had lost interest in Chen Weiliang's response; the company's intention to disband the band and abandon him was
the real issue. He hadn't expected to be in such a precarious situation so quickly.
"Hey, what are you daydreaming about? What did you hear?" Qin Yin, seeing Duan Min lost in thought after her repeated
questioning, was even more confused about the conversation.
Duan Min snapped out of his reverie, looking into Qin Yin's questioning eyes. For some reason, he saw Chen Weiliang's
shadow in them, and a strange sense of resentment welled up inside him: Why was Chen Weiliang everywhere?
"Say something!" Since his return, Duan Min wasn't as playful as before, and now he remained
silent, making Qin Yin uneasy. This strange atmosphere gave her the illusion of returning to their encounter before the New Year,
where Duan Min's face was grim and unpredictable.
"…Fine, if you don't want to talk, then don't." Qin Yin felt inexplicably afraid and started to back down.
"Sister Li and A Liang said," Duan Min suddenly spoke up, calmly saying, "that they want to
create a scandal between Nan Qianxia and A Liang."
Qin Yin stared wide-eyed in disbelief, speechless for a moment, "A scandal? What? What do you mean?"
"It's nothing more than a trick to attract attention with a scandal and increase the Chu Ke Band's popularity." Duan Min's brain raced
as he explained in a seemingly professional manner.
"You must have misheard me, this..." Qin Yin thought for a moment and quickly asked, "What did A Liang say?
How did he respond?"
Duan Min looked coldly at the nervous Qin Yin, touched his earlobe, and said, "
You know better than I how he and Nan Qianxia are getting along, don't you?"
"Rumors, just rumors." Qin Yin's words seemed to be directed at herself, her sentences jumbled, "Even
if A Liang agreed under pressure from the company, it's just rumors, not..."
"Right, just rumors. Who knows if they'll really date?" Duan Min said meaningfully.
He picked up where Qin Yin left off, uttering the sentence she feared most. 　　Qin Yin glanced at Duan Min with complicated emotions, 　　then
walked away.
[To be continued]
**************** 　　...

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【Yangzhou Dream】(14-18)

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