Rebirth from the Ashes

Chapter 457: Pulled Some Major Strings

Of course, Fu Qingli knew what was going on. No sooner had Shen Xi left than Fu Qingye was so eager to go after her. He should not have let them do as they pleased. Displeasure was clear in Fu Qingli’s tone. “To find her?”

Fu Qingye calmly picked up his suitcase and gave him a strange look before answering curtly, “Work.”

Despite knowing Fu Qingye’s true intentions, Fu Qingli had no reason to stop him since it was a rightful excuse. Fu Qingli could not argue with that. “I seem to recall that your trip to China was over.”

Work?

Fu Qingye sure was good at making an excuse when they both knew that the work was only a front for him to look for Shen Xi.

“I had a new job in line.” Fu Qingye blatantly walked out with his suitcase.

Angered by Fu Qingye’s attitude, Fu Qingli’s gaze looked past him and went straight to Fu Junqiu. “Are you going to China too?”

Truthfully, Fu Junqiu had cold feet standing in front of her eldest nephew. Still, she remained unapologetic in her answer. “Jing Yu has taken off. I’m his temporary manager.”

Fu Qingli could feel a fire starting in him. “Are you going to look for her too?”

Fu Junqiu frowned strangely. “Who? I’m only going to scout potential talents for our company. This is my duty as the company’s CEO.”

To avert Fu Qingli’s further interrogation, Fu Junqiu tipped Fu Qingye the wink, as if saying, ‘Don’t just stand there and let him drill you. Get a move on!’

Fu Qingye looked back and lamented, “Qingli, it’s time for you to put aside your prejudice.”

Qingli had too deep of prejudice towards the girl.

Now keeping to himself, Fu Qingli quietly stood there and watched them leave. His eyes reflected his bitter pain.

Prejudice, huh? He had to disagree. He had the clearest head of the bunch.

Fu Qingli knew what he should and should not do as well as the necessity of doing so.

As the backbone of the family, Fu Qingli was not in the position to do as he liked solely on a hunch or preference like them.

What was he expected to do when they rather got into a row with him than let go of Shen Xi? Fu Qingli’s only option was to let them follow their hearts.

He gave Qingye the go-ahead when the latter wanted to get into showbiz.

Fu Qingli permitted Qingxuan to dive into the medical world.

What about him?

Had anyone stopped to think about or asked him what he really wanted?

As the eldest son of the Fu family, Fu Qingli was destined to shoulder the responsibility of the family. His destiny was already set in stone from the day he was born.

Fu Qingli believed he had always done a good job, whether it was in the past, present, or future. He steadfastly moved ahead just so his family could live the lives they wanted.

Fu Qingye had walked quite a distance before he turned around and looked back at his bedroom. Through the large glass window, he could see the man standing erected there, straightening his back before walking away steadily.

Finding it odd, Fu Junqiu glanced back. “What are you looking at?”

“Aunt.” Fu Qingye turned back and stared blankly at the empty room as bouts of pain ran through his veins. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have pushed him.”

He was only pushing Qingli to admit that he did not hate Shen Xi but Qingli was set in his ways. In retrospect, Fu Qingye had underestimated his older brother.

The person, who was an invincible presence to them and carried the family burden since the age of fourteen, was far more resolute than Fu Qingye had imagined.

“What are you talking about?” Fu Junqiu was confused.

“Nothing.” Fu Qingye shook his head with a bitter smile. He had made his bed, so it was time to lie on it.

This would be the last time.

For one last time, he wanted to have his way, follow his heart, and do what he wanted.

Then, Fu Qingye would return and help Qingli carry the weight of the family responsibility so that the latter would not be alone to face the heavy burden.

…

Instead of flying back to the capital, Shen Xi went straight to the set of National Idol in T Town.

She arrived there on her own at six o’clock in the morning just to avoid the peak hour.

There was no one in the lobby except for the receptionist and security guard.

As a precautionary measure, Shen Xi pulled down her hoodie. She was unbothered to be seen by strangers as her only concern was Song Wenye.

Someone on the left end of the lift kept staring at her. Hit with a realization, the person cynically said, “Shen Xi.”

Shen Xi looked back and recognized the person standing behind her to be He Lu, the prettiest girl in Shen Feng’s school. She paid He Lu no heed following the quick glance.

He Lu was taken aback by Shen Xi’s tactlessness even though the former had initiated the greeting. Furious to be given the snub, He Lu did not hide her animosity as she scoffed in disdain. “So, you’re that substitute trainee, huh?”

The program was supposed to begin its recording last week, but one of the trainees fell sick. The show could not go on with one person missing.

The production team had to source a new trainee. It should be easy to make up the number with a random pretty face since many agencies and new talents would fight tooth and nail to get a spot.

However, the investor then said they had a candidate in mind as a replacement. The group of one hundred trainees wasted so many days waiting for that one person.

The other trainees were in the dark about this as it was a secret. He Lu found out from her uncle, and it never occurred to her that the person would be Shen Xi!

Refusing to give He Lu the time of the day, Shen Xi whipped out her phone to send Li Yuan a message. [Brother, I’ve arrived and am in the lift.]

Since there was no signal in the lift, Shen Xi observed the icon spinning round and round while the message was being sent. Looking at this was more interesting than listening to scratchy noise in the background.

“You sure pulled some major strings!” Angered by the attitude, He Lu ripped into Shen Xi. “The investor must be your sugar daddy. I guess it has already been decided that you’d make your debut?”

“Rather than worrying whether others are pulling strings behind, maybe it’s better that you work on yourself.” Shen Xi was in a great mood when the icon stopped spinning. The message was sent. Hence, she nicely gave He Lu a word of advice.

“You seem smug for someone who did not play fair,” He Lu scorned. Internally, madness and jealousy were brewing. Why did Shen Xi get to have an opportunity to debut handed to her by a sugar daddy?

Her uncle was the deputy head of the TV station. He Lu must inform her uncle to have the cameraman capture Shen Xi’s ugliest moments and tamper with the editing. So what if Shen Xi made her debut? She was bound to be the laughingstock of the century.