I’m Keeping the Overbearing CEO After He Went Bankrupt [Rebirth] 60

Chapter 60: Qingbao’s New Challenge

On the way back, both Chu Qing and Huo Li were very proud and very happy.

Monk walked behind them, his face expressionless.

“Mr. Monk, we’re going back to the manor to rest and enjoy our time together,” Huo Li said after leaving the music festival, putting an arm around Chu Qing and getting into the car. He glanced at Monk and raised an eyebrow. “Take care of yourself, Mr. Monk.”

Monk: “…”

What was I even doing here today? Looking for trouble?

To experience someone else’s sweet love?

The corner of Monk’s mouth twitched. “Then I wish you two a wonderful evening. Buonanotte.”

The two got in the car, leaning against each other and laughing non-stop.

They were so bad.

“Tsk tsk, you flirtatious thing, flirting everywhere, hmm?” Huo Li said, his arm around Chu Qing’s waist with a low laugh. “Let’s see how I’ll deal with you.”

“The one who’s flirting everywhere is clearly Mr. Huo,” Chu Qing said, dissatisfied. “You and Teacher Monk were exchanging glances and had your arms around each other when I was on stage.”

“You’re talking nonsense, twisting the facts…!”

“You’re the one who’s full of lies, trying to blame me to get yourself off the hook,” Huo Li said, and reached out to tickle his waist.

After a moment of fooling around, Chu Qing was a little tired and leaned against him with a grin.

“Rest well when we get home,” Huo Li said, his arm around his shoulder, his voice gentle. “You can sleep first.”

“Mmm.”

He said in a low voice, “I feel… it’s like it’s different.”

“What?”

“I feel like my life has suddenly become so different,” he said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “I don’t know how to say it… but…”

“Mmm,” Huo Li tightened his embrace.

The car drove on smoothly.

…

After two days, they had almost finished watching the drama. Chu Qing went to the studio to report, ready to start the enclosed work.

He would be staying at the studio manor next. Fortunately, Huo Li could go with him and they could have a room together, which made him feel much more at ease.

“Ah…? It’s not decided yet?”

He and the other teammates, including the team leader Monk, were sitting in a room, and he heard Monk and an assistant of the director talking by the door.

“No, you have to decide first so we can decide on the hand double and write songs for him. You don’t even have a person now, so we can only temporarily set this role aside,” Monk said with his arms crossed and a smile. “This is not my fault.”

“Ah… what do we do now? This role is very important. We can’t delay it,” the assistant also said with a troubled expression.

“But the director is still not satisfied…”

Monk rubbed his chin and turned to him. “There’s a role, a supporting role that doesn’t have much screen time but is very important in the plot, a beauty named Losessi. Roseland hasn’t found a suitable actor yet. If we can’t find one, we can’t start writing songs for him.”

He stared at him blankly.

“Oh, oh…”

He thought, Why is he specifically telling me this?

“Chu, I think you’re so good-looking, and you’re a star. Stars can all act, right?” he said with his arms crossed and a smile. “Why don’t you go next door for an audition?”

“…?” his eyes widened.

What?

He said, “I… my acting is not very good.”

“It’s okay. Roseland cares more about feeling and aura than acting. Anyway, he knows how to direct. Come on, let’s go and take a look with me.”

“Oh…” he was very flattered and quickly got up to follow him to the audition studio next door.

“Monk? Why are you here?”
“Ah, and Chu. Come, come, come and watch the audition with me.”

He and Chu Qing sat down on the side, glanced at the auditionee who was performing in front, and said with a smile, “I heard you’ve gone through over eighty today and still haven’t found the right one?”

Roseland shook his head. “Most of the people who came have good acting skills, and there are many who have a suitable appearance, but… the feeling is not right.”

Monk raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

“Well… the feeling of Losessi. I’ve met some with a rare and suitable temperament, but the actor himself doesn’t understand the role.”

“If they don’t understand, you can teach them, right?” he asked curiously. “Aren’t you responsible for explaining it to them and making them understand?”

“No,” he said without a shred of doubt. “This role is different. It’s not like the main character, where acting and appearance are the main focus. You can’t explain this role. They won’t be able to get it even if you do. If they can’t get the role, then I’m definitely not having it.”

Monk nodded.

He had done his homework before he came. Not only had he re-read An Zuo’s original work, but he had also read every version of it.

Not to mention the original, but the other versions were generally criticized and picked on for Losessi, not the main character.

He didn’t have much screen time, but he was a very brilliant supporting character.

He was born a tragedy, a beautiful tragedy.

In this story, one of the main characters, a policeman, infiltrated a theater to find a murderer, only to find that the top courtesan he had fallen in love with was the hidden murderer.

And Losessi was deeply in love with the murderer. For the sake of his beloved, he helped the murderer cover up the truth, assisted in the crime, and even took the blame for him in the end.

He was pure and kind, but he became cruel, ugly, and cunning for love.

He was taciturn, otherworldly, but he also went crazy in the end because of love.

He was also incredibly beautiful. Unlike the courtesan’s morbid and unreal beauty, his beauty carried a hint of sadness.

Yes, sadness.

He was the embodiment of sadness. In the original work, his every frown and smile, every move, was full of twists and turns. Even his expression and features were naturally tinged with a bit of sorrow.

This was why Roseland had said he was looking for an actor who could “get it.”

After all, in the previous remakes, what was criticized was that Losessi’s portrayal was only a one-sided sadness, not a natural expression from the bones.

“This is the last one.”

After sending off an auditionee, Monk propped up his chin with a smile. “Still haven’t found one today, and we’re starting to shoot tomorrow.”

Roseland shook his head. “At worst, we’ll postpone. I won’t allow any flaws or rat droppings in my work.”

“Since you can’t find anyone, how about… you let Chu try out?” he said with a grin, patting his shoulder.

“Huh?” he said with a frown. “Chu can also act?”

“He’s a star in his own country, an actor!”

“Ah…!” he had never thought of him as an actor on screen, but now that he looked at him, he was sitting quietly on the side, his gaze lowered, and he didn’t have much interaction or connection with them. Although he often smiled, except for when he was talking to his bodyguard, there was not much happiness on his face the rest of the time.

He did have a bit of Losessi’s shadow.

“I… um…” he said honestly. “I have acted before, but I dragged down the box office… my acting is not good.”

“Oh? So you have acted. Give it a try,” he said, pointing to the open space in the middle of the studio with a smile. “Go and act a scene.”

“O-Okay,” he said, and stood up, taking a deep breath and organizing Losessi’s information in his mind.

“Mmm…” he rubbed his chin. “I’ll pick something you’re good at. Let me see your limit.”

“You… just do a scene of Losessi’s farewell with the murderer.”

After this farewell, he would go to “turn himself in,” taking all the blame for the murderer and fulfilling the happy ending of the two main characters.

In this farewell, there was reluctance, sadness, blessings, and love.

The previous portrayals were all tear-jerking, watching him resolutely abandon himself and walk towards tragedy step by step.

“Good.”

He nodded and sat down at the piano.

Thump…

Where the fingers reach, there is a world.

He began.

…

“See,” he said, and after listening for a moment, he looked at Roseland with a grin. “I told you he could get it.”

“Mmm,” he said with a slight frown and couldn’t help but lean forward to get a better look.

He was already immersed. He closed his eyes, his fingers playing sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, and his expression also changed.

“He changed the piece,” he said, propping up his chin, and found it interesting.

“Mmm,” he was also attracted by the music.

He rubbed his chin. “It seems… a little more mournful?”

“To be precise, it has added more reluctance and sadness, letting us feel his unwillingness and heartache.”

He frowned. “But I thought Losessi’s farewell was great?”

“Your Losessi is a god. This one in front of you is a human. I think that’s the difference?” he explained. “Maybe Chu’s understanding is that no matter how great a person is, they can’t be completely relieved in such a situation.”

“There is still dedication and greatness in his piece, but the reluctance is completely unconcealable. It’s really sad, but he still forces himself to suppress his emotions just to fulfill it.”

“Very interesting,” he nodded. He could also hear it.

After he finished playing, he clapped with a grin, but he was lost in thought.

This was the first time he had seen such a Losessi, but… it was more real.

It was really sad. This sadness was direct and plain, and he couldn’t help but feel a little sad in his heart—he felt sorry for him.

This was just a very direct, subconscious reaction and mood, just feeling sorry for someone, without any obscure thoughts or artistic elements.

“Mmm, not bad,” he said with a smile. “I’ll give my decision tomorrow.”

“Good. Thank you, director and teacher, for giving me this opportunity,” he said, and bowed respectfully.

…

After leaving the studio, he said with a smile, “How are you going to thank me for my recommendation?”

He paused and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I will work hard.”

“Oh? So you mean you wouldn’t work hard if I hadn’t recommended you?”

He was stunned and helplessly quickened his pace to go back.

“Oh my, little beauty. Don’t be in such a hurry. How about you have a meal with me?”

He took his hand with a grin. “Shall we go to the cafeteria together?”

Just as he was about to refuse, he said mysteriously, “I’ll tell you why I recommended you. I… know a lot of secrets.”

Ah…?

And so he was dragged to a small cubicle in the cafeteria.

He had someone bring some good wine and filled his and Chu Qing’s glasses.

“Teacher Monk…” he said, taking the wine glass. “I don’t drink outside.”

“I know you can understand Losessi. I also know you can get this role,” he said with a grin. “I also know… you have depression, right?”

“…”

“I’ve listened to your previous works,” he said.

He stared at him blankly.

A moment later, he said with a helpless smile, “Yes. Teacher Monk is so amazing…”

He raised an eyebrow and looked at him suspiciously.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Teacher Monk, did you call me here just to expose me and admire my expression?”

“Yes. That’s very interesting,” he sneered, dissatisfied. “But you didn’t give me any interesting expression.”

“Teacher Monk, I also have a secret about you. Do you want to hear it?” he said, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve also listened to your works.”

Even his enlightenment, he liked it very much, and regarded him as an idol.

“Tell me,” he said, taking a sip of wine. “I’d like to see what you can say.”

He took a deep breath and sat up straight. “Mr. Monk has many paramours, lovers. You’re always changing people, not because of the novelty, but because you feel… lonely.”

His whole body stiffened, and he stared at him blankly.

He bared his teeth with a smile. “I heard it. You feel that everyone and everything in this world is floating, not real. This makes you feel lonely.”

“You…”

He looked at him coldly.

He did not flinch and met his gaze directly.

He looked at him for a moment and then smiled to himself.

“Oh my, Chu. That’s not very kind of you,” he said, propping up his chin. “It’s strange, right? My parents are alive and well, and I have many friends and lovers, but I just inexplicably… can’t feel it.”

Music has made him see too high, go too far, and it has also made him lonely.

He glanced at the slightly smug Chu Qing and sneered. “Little beauty, I’m not done yet.”

He frowned slightly.

He put down his wine glass. “I’ve listened to your previous songs, your famous piano trilogy. Others all said they were sad, lonely, and used this to hammer you and say you have depression. Only I heard that you were hoping and waiting.”

He clenched his fists slightly.

He said proudly, “You couldn’t hold on anymore. A stupid person would seek death and ruin their life, but you didn’t. You used a person as a source of comfort. You used Huo, you used him to relieve your sadness, to help you hold on, to live. Am I right?”

—So there were the unwavering reports on WeChat.
—So there was “Wish.”
—So there was unease and fear.

“You had no expectations for him, and yet you did. Because you had no expectations, you dared to use him. But you also had expectations, so you could hold on. You’re very contradictory. You relied on these to get through when you couldn’t hold on anymore.”

He took the wine glass and pretended to take a sip.

He smiled. “It’s very smart of you to do this, but it’s also very foolish. If he had never responded to your expectations, you could have kept deceiving yourself. But if one day, he personally shatters your expectations… you will die.”

His expression was strange. “You will definitely die.”

It was precisely because he knew these things that he had recommended him for the audition.

He said cautiously, “Mr. Huo did not shatter my expectations…”

He snorted and smiled. “It’s even more dangerous now, because he has given you even greater expectations. You originally thought you could hold on for as long as you could. You’ve already drawn a circle for yourself. But now he’s telling you that this circle can be bigger, or even that you don’t need a circle. You walked out and started to use him to imagine the future. What you’re thinking of now is not whether he can come back, but a beautiful future.”

“If he leaves one day, doesn’t want you anymore, you’ll fall even harder.”

“…” he paused, then looked up helplessly. “Teacher Monk, why are we digging up each other’s wounds like this?”

He also paused.

“Yeah…” he chuckled.

The two were silent for a moment, and then he suddenly said in a low voice, “You’re the only one who understands my music.”

He paused and said helplessly, “You too.”

He said, “If your parents hadn’t died, and you had studied music properly and become a famous musician, maybe we would have been together.”

He said, “But then I wouldn’t have met Mr. Huo.”

He was stunned and smiled. “This Huo makes you not even long for your originally happy life?”

“That doesn’t belong to me.”

What’s not is not. There is no maybe and no if.

Love is love. There is no what if.

If I had never met Mr. Huo…

The thought of it is terrifying.

He didn’t know what a happy life was like, but he knew what it was like without him.

There was no comparison at all.

“Tsk…” he propped up his chin and said in a low voice, “You’re making me envious…”

…

After the two finished their meal, Huo Li also happened to come to pick him up.

He saw him out.

He was a little dissatisfied and took his hand. After he got in the car, he said sourly, “You had dinner with him?”

“Mmm.”

“I see he’s not teasing you anymore?”

He smiled. “He sees me as a person, so of course he’s not teasing me anymore.”

“…??” he said angrily. “He didn’t see you as a person before? What did he see you as?! Does he have the right?”

“He… I was nothing to him,” he said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “He was just interested in me before. But after we talked, he respected me, so of course he doesn’t see me as an object to be teased casually anymore.”

He smiled and pulled on his sleeve to clarify. “So Mr. Huo doesn’t have to worry in the future…”

“How can I not worry?!”

He slapped the steering wheel angrily. “He doesn’t see you as an object to be teased casually. Does that mean he sees you as a serious partner?!”

Chu Qing: “………”

He pointed to the road ahead, his face expressionless. “Drive.”

“Qingbao, what did you two do?”

“Mr. Huo, pay attention to road safety.”

“What did you guys talk about?” he felt a green meadow on his head, and his shampoo was even green.

[T.N: Green meadow on his head, and his shampoo was even green”:   This is an extension of the “wearing a green hat” slang, which means to be cheated on by one’s partner.]

“I’m not telling you.”

“You have secrets now?!”

“…No.”

“Then what did you guys talk about?”

“…”

He was so angry he slammed on the brakes and pulled the car over to the side of the road.

“Qingbao, I think you need to be dealt with.”

“…???”

“Mr. Huo…!”