Chapter 56: Feigning Obedience and Playing the Victim
Saturday evening.
Rong Xingyi slid out of the backseat of the taxi furtively, bent down, and waved at the person inside.
His long-lost bespectacled friend appeared, looking up at the magnificent Cloudtop One gate, his jaw dropping as he exclaimed: “Wow…”
Rong Xingyi raised his chin proudly: “Don’t be so surprised!”
His friend readily complimented him, but unfortunately, despite his curiosity, he couldn’t visit today.
The two walked around the pavilion downstairs.
Rong Xingyi stopped and urged again: “Liang Zi, hurry up.”
His friend hugged his backpack, his lips pressed together, looking troubled.
Rong Xingyi shook his shoulders impatiently: “Quickly! Hit me!”
His friend really couldn’t bring himself to do it, slowly raising his arm. Rong Xingyi didn’t flinch or even blink, but in the end, he only poked him, on his dimple.
Rong Xingyi was silent for a moment: “…Are you an idiot!?”
His friend hesitantly said: “I think your brother is quite reasonable, just tell him the truth, that you like living at home, act coquettishly, ask him to let you commute…”
“No, that won’t work.” Rong Xingyi’s expression was serious. “And I’ll have to take a leave of absence next month to join the training camp, skipping school to go on a survival show, how am I supposed to explain that?”
For the sake of commuting to practice and taking a two-month leave of absence for the survival show, Rong Xingyi came up with a plan that, in his friend’s opinion, was utterly absurd—pretending to be bullied at school.
His friend whispered: “…That’s lying.”
“He also lied, we’re even.” Rong Xingyi said nonchalantly, offering his handsome face. “Come on, hit me.”
“…”
They lingered until sunset, the aroma of food wafting from the apartments above.
Slap!
Rong Xingyi slapped himself across the face without flinching.
His friend was stunned, his lips trembling for a few seconds before he reacted, just as Rong Xingyi was about to do it again, hurriedly stopping him: “You’re joining a survival show, what if you get disfigured?”
Rong Xingyi: “I won’t, I know how to control my strength.”
“No, don’t do this…” His friend not only refused to hit him, but now he was even holding his hand. “Your brother will definitely agree, that’s enough, enough.”
The two were at a stalemate.
Usually, Min Zhi drove, taking the elevator directly from the underground parking garage to his apartment, he wouldn’t encounter the two kids wandering around upstairs.
But today, he just happened to have gone to the store near the complex entrance, and was walking back when a familiar, clear, and youthful voice reached his ears.
It was Rong Xingyi.
He stopped, not approaching them, but finding a hidden spot to observe.
Rong Xingyi’s left cheek, where his dimple was, was red and swollen.
Min Zhi frowned, his gaze shifting to the bespectacled teenager opposite him, assuming he was the culprit, but he saw distress on the young, delicate face. He even took out a bottle of mineral water, letting Rong Xingyi hold it against his cheek to reduce the swelling.
Strange.
Min Zhi raised an eyebrow, continuing to observe discreetly.
Rong Xingyi flatly refused the water bottle: “No! This is for my brother to see! What’s the point if the swelling goes down?”
…Hm?
His friend sighed: “But what if your brother doesn’t believe you were bullied at school? Then wouldn’t it be for nothing? Really. If you don’t tell your brother, if you don’t ask him, how will you know if he’ll support you joining the survival show?”
Rong Xingyi said nonchalantly: “Telling him is a death sentence! Think about it, would your parents agree?”
“But he’s your brother, and he’s on a variety show himself…”
“Because he’s already graduated from university… aiya, he might tolerate me skipping class occasionally, but taking such a long leave of absence is impossible.”
Min Zhi roughly understood the situation from their conversation.
Come to think of it, Rong Xingyi had been subtly trying to persuade him to accept the vocal mentor offer for “Shining Boys” since about a month ago.
He learned from Qiao Yusen that Rong Xingyi himself had applied for “Shining Boys.” As for why Rong Xingyi didn’t tell him personally, did he perhaps lump him together with Xi Leng?
This guess amused Min Zhi.
Now, it seemed that Rong Xingyi was trying to fake being bullied to get permission to join the survival show.
As if Xi Leng would fall for that.
Suddenly realizing he understood Xi Leng better than his own brother, Min Zhi’s mood brightened, and he returned home excitedly.
Xi Leng heard the door open, turned to look at the returning Rong Xingyi, and froze, hurriedly approaching him, his gaze fixed on his swollen cheek.
Rong Xingyi lowered his head, avoiding his gaze, pushing away his outstretched hand.
“…Don’t touch me.”
Then, like a troubled teenager, he slipped back into his room, slamming the door shut.
“…?”
Xi Leng naturally wouldn’t let it go, barging into Rong Xingyi’s room and cornering him.
“Who did this?”
His voice was filled with anger.
Looking at Rong Xingyi, his eyes downcast, his demeanor gloomy, his brother who shared some resemblance with him, Xi Leng froze again.
Anger.
That was his instinctive, unthinking reaction after seeing the injury on Rong Xingyi’s face.
Just like how Min Zhi reacted after seeing the scar on his neck.
But he wasn’t as composed as Min Zhi, not giving his immature younger brother any room to escape, forcefully pulling his arm away to examine the slap mark on his face.
“Sit down, don’t move.” Xi Leng suppressed his anger, trying to calm down. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
Rong Xingyi remained silent, only struggling slightly when Xi Leng tried to examine him further: “Leave me alone!”
He was no match for the adult Xi Leng in terms of physical strength and was easily subdued, his shirt lifted.
Honestly, his resistance seemed a bit half-hearted, almost like he was inviting it.
Xi Leng vaguely sensed something strange.
There was a large bruise on the boy’s thin back, a shocking sight, he didn’t know if it was from bumping into something or being kicked.
Xi Leng suddenly felt irritated: “Did you run into him on the way?”
This “him” naturally referred to their biological father, Rong Haigao.
Rong Xingyi’s reaction to their father was even more severe than Xi Leng’s, but he calmly shook his head, showing no emotional fluctuation.
Xi Leng was slightly relieved, that was good. If Rong Xingyi could still be found by Rong Haigao, his efforts to transfer him to another school would be wasted.
He continued to ask: “Then who did this?”
“No one.” Rong Xingyi’s large eyes darted around. “I fell.”
Xi Leng asked: “You fell on your face?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Rong Xingyi’s evasiveness reminded him of those pitiful children in movies and dramas who were bullied at school.
But Rong Xingyi being bullied? Impossible. He was more likely the bully.
If he was really bullied, he would either retaliate himself or seek help from someone stronger.
He was definitely not the type to endure hardship alone, he had his mother, his brother, and many friends.
Moreover, with tuition fees of over two hundred thousand yuan, if this international school allowed bullying to happen, it would be shut down immediately.
Xi Leng didn’t say anything more, grabbing a bottle of bruise relief ointment and tossing it to Rong Xingyi, saying indifferently: “Then apply it yourself, I don’t want people to think I’m abusing you.”
…What?
He wasn’t going to ask anymore?
Rong Xingyi looked up in shock, only to hear Xi Leng say: “You don’t know how to apply it yourself?”
He bit his lip and obediently applied the ointment.
At night, just as Xi Leng was preparing for bed, Rong Xingyi came over and knocked on his door, his still-swollen face looking pitiful: “Gege…”
Xi Leng wasn’t swayed, his attitude unchanged: “What’s wrong?”
“I…” Rong Xingyi walked in, hesitating for a while, then, unable to keep up the act, said directly, “I don’t want to live in the dormitory anymore.”
However, to his surprise, the seemingly stubborn and unreasonable guardian readily agreed: “Okay.”
Rong Xingyi was stunned: “…You’re not even going to ask why?”
“Didn’t you say your roommates snore?” Xi Leng actually remembered all his made-up excuses. “And then you complained about their smelly feet.”
“It’s true!” Rong Xingyi puffed out his cheeks. “Then, then I can live at home starting next week?”
“Okay.”
“…”
This was too easy, wasn’t it?
The matter of asking for leave to join the survival show almost slipped out, and Rong Xingyi hurriedly swallowed it back, his throat tightening.
Forget it, there were still two months, he could bring it up later.
“Thank you, ge! Good night~”
“Mm-hmm.”
Unexpectedly, the person most affected by Rong Xingyi’s switch to day school was their neighbor.
With Rong Xingyi home every night, it wasn’t as convenient for the neighbor, who was also a celebrity and his idol, to visit.
Until the weekend, when Rong Xingyi went to be with his mother.
Finding this out was very simple, Min Zhi just had to ask his neighbor if he was cooking or eating out today at noon.
Xi Leng said he had brunch at ten and wasn’t hungry yet, he would eat again in the afternoon.
Only single people living alone had this kind of two-meals-a-day eating habit.
Min Zhi was very satisfied.
The serious topic ended here, and Min Zhi suddenly sent a random message—
Zhengzhu (Idol): 【I want to put my pants in the refrigerator like you】
Leng: 【No one puts their pants in the refrigerator】
The former, nonsensical, the latter correcting him seriously.
But the former persisted, talking to himself.
Zhengzhu: 【No, I want to put my pants in the refrigerator like you】
Zhengzhu: 【So they become cold pants】
Zhengzhu: 【Hahahahaha】
Leng: 【…】
Zhengzhu: 【I really want to see your speechless expression, unfortunately, I’m not there】
He even seemed a bit regretful.
Finally returning to the main topic,
Zhengzhu: 【Have something to eat first, I’ll bring you delicious food tonight】
Xi Leng replied with an “okay.”
He was a man of few words, but he was always the one to end the conversation.
Min Zhi, thinking there was nothing else to say, tapped on the abstract drawing on Xi Leng’s profile picture.
Xi Leng’s message was pushed up by the new notification.
Min Zhi smiled, putting away his phone contentedly.
He had recently joined a production, filming a crime suspense movie, a supporting role with limited screen time but a challenging character, a morally ambiguous and complex person, with many dangerous chase and fight scenes.
At eight o’clock in the evening, he arrived at Xi Leng’s door with takeout from a popular restaurant near the set.
Like the owner of the house, he handed the plastic bag to Xi Leng, naturally changing his shoes and entering, then brazenly making a request: “Get some alcohol.”
Xi Leng went to the refrigerator, just as he was about to ask what he wanted, he turned around to see a handsome face inches away from his.
Min Zhi had silently snuck up behind him.
His arm muscles instantly tensed, his fingers gripping the bottle stiffening slightly, only his expression and tone remaining calm as he asked: “…What’s wrong?”
Min Zhi didn’t take the alcohol, instead looking into the refrigerator: “Checking if you hid any pants in there.”
Xi Leng sighed helplessly: “…Are you done with this yet?”
“Got it.” Min Zhi chuckled. “I’ve seen your speechless expression.”
Xi Leng was speechless, having unintentionally contributed another speechless emoji.
It was October in Beijing, the seasons changing, the temperature wasn’t low, but the heating wouldn’t be turned on for another month.
Xi Leng closed all the windows to keep the warmth in. After eating a warm dinner and having some alcohol, his whole body felt cozy.
Min Zhi also took off his jacket.
He was unexpectedly wearing a short-sleeved shirt under his cool leather jacket, both arms exposed, making one worry about him catching a cold.
Xi Leng glanced over, then his gaze lingered.
“What?”
Min Zhi raised his arm, turning his elbow, guessing that Xi Leng was looking at the bruise. He, the injured party, was surprisingly nonchalant: “I fell off a roof today.”
Xi Leng froze: “…A roof?”
Was that something to be so casual about?
Xi Leng’s frown deepened, wanting to say something but stopping himself.
Min Zhi glanced at him, his expression cheerful: “Eat more.”
Xi Leng’s face was serious, losing his appetite, his gaze constantly drifting towards the carefree person.
Min Zhi, knowing when to stop, showed him his elbow again, asking: “Do you want to touch it?”
Xi Leng cautiously extended a finger, afraid of hurting him.
Then touched it again.
He frowned.
A chuckle came from above. Xi Leng understood, bringing his finger back and looking at it. The bruise had actually rubbed off, red and purple.
Min Zhi chuckled: “It’s makeup.”
Xi Leng was exasperated, hearing him murmur as if to himself: “If I was really injured, I wouldn’t tell you.”
Xi Leng pursed his lips: “…Just eat your food.”
They ate until midnight. Min Zhi, using the excuse of being drunk, refused to leave, sprawled on the sofa.
He also started drunkenly revealing secrets, but not his own, selling out his true little fan: “I saw Xiao Yi downstairs earlier, asking his friend to hit him, and when his friend refused, he did it himself.”
Xi Leng wasn’t surprised: “Because he wants to commute.”
Min Zhi opened his eyes, a knowing smile on his lips: “Is that so?”
He remembered, the more important reason was probably to join the survival show “Shining Boys,” right?
“Right.” Xi Leng, however, changed the subject, also bringing up “Shining Boys,” “I heard from Jackson that ‘Shining Boys’ wants to invite you to be a vocal mentor. You don’t have to perform, just teach the kids.”
The sleepy haze in Min Zhi’s dark eyes dissipated, his gaze clear and intense as he looked at Xi Leng.
Xi Leng went to get a beer from the coffee table, his prominent Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as he tilted his head back. After a moment, he muttered to himself: “This show will be a huge hit, incredibly popular.”
“Ouch.” Min Zhi suddenly frowned, curling up slightly. “Is it because of the alcohol? The pain is back… everywhere, muscle pain, bone pain.”
“I know Xiao Yi was pretending to be bullied.” Xi Leng, seeing Min Zhi’s dramatic act, couldn’t help but smile. “But he’s only 15, underage, and you?”
Min Zhi smiled, his tone righteous: “I’m only 25. I’m of age, aren’t I?”
Xi Leng: “…”
Even after living two lifetimes, Min Zhi was still older than him, who would believe this?
But Min Zhi was probably drunk, he would be more tolerant.
He didn’t notice that his own gaze and tone were unusually gentle as he looked at Min Zhi and said: “But you’re older than me.”
Min Zhi hummed in agreement: “Mm-hmm, I’m older than you.”
These words carried no deeper meaning.
Min Zhi was probably too drunk to even think straight. When Xi Leng tried to send him home, he clung to the sofa, unmoving.
“Min Zhi.”
“Min-shen.”
“Min Zhi-ge.”
After a long while, Min Zhi finally opened his eyes slightly, a dazed look in them.
Xi Leng waved a hand in front of his face, no reaction.
“Do you like sleeping on the sofa that much?”
Min Zhi closed his eyes again, humming vaguely: “Mm-hmm.”
Xi Leng sighed, calling his name again, but there was no response.
After thinking for a moment, Xi Leng asked: “Do you even know who you are?”
Min Zhi’s eyelids twitched, opening slightly as he looked at the person squatting in front of him. After a moment, he suddenly reached out and played with Xi Leng’s curly hair, smiling as he replied: “I’m Xiao Leng.”
Xi Leng couldn’t help but chuckle: “Hm?”
Curious about what other nonsense Min Zhi would say.
However, Min Zhi only stared into his eyes, his gaze clear and focused, his words incredibly distinct,
“I’m Xiao Leng’s gege.”
Xi Leng froze.
After a while, Min Zhi asked again: “Do you want one?”
Xi Leng looked away: “I don’t have a gege… I don’t need one.”
Min Zhi pressed: “So you don’t want one?”
“…” Xi Leng was silent for a moment, changing the subject, “You’re drunk.”
“No.”
This scene felt familiar.
Like the night of their first kiss in the loft.
Reality and memory overlapped. Xi Leng’s breath hitched, feeling a long-lost sense of helplessness again.
“Just like how you protect and take care of Xiao Yi,” Min Zhi said seriously, word by word, “I also want to protect and take care of you, like a gege.”
—But I lied to you.
These words repeatedly reached the tip of his tongue, then were forcefully swallowed back by Xi Leng, like shards of glass, a self-inflicted pain.
His throat burned, yet a strong sense of emptiness filled his chest. Xi Leng suddenly realized that he hadn’t smoked in a while.
He acted rebellious and unrestrained, claiming it was an artist’s eccentricity, but in reality, his principles were stronger than any wall. He wasn’t addicted to cigarettes or alcohol, he had no uncontrollable desires. He hated Rong Haigao, yet he also saw him as a lesson.
Because half of that man’s blood flowed through his veins, he was especially afraid, afraid of becoming someone controlled by his desires.
And now, he looked at the half-asleep Min Zhi, after thinking for a while, he still took his cigarettes and lighter and went to the balcony.
He smoked half a pack in one go.
If the lie was going to be exposed eventually, the sooner, the better. A voluntary confession was better than being forced to reveal it.
But he found he couldn’t do it, he was becoming less and less capable of doing it with each passing day. Like a slowly deflating balloon.
Leaving Min Zhi in the living room, he went upstairs alone, locked the door, and turned on the music.
But he couldn’t calm down, his heart, in turmoil, far more intense than any nightmare.
…
Min Zhi on the sofa naturally wasn’t asleep.
He saw Xi Leng spacing out in the living room, going to the balcony to smoke, returning to cover him with a blanket, and then going upstairs.
Going upstairs.
Going upstairs?
And not coming back down after an hour.
Min Zhi abruptly sat up, his drowsiness completely gone, feeling incredibly irritated.
He suddenly recalled Rong Xingyi casually mentioning Xi Leng being frigid. Rong Xingyi seemed like a little brat who talked nonsense, could it be true?
No way.
He looked up at the dark staircase.
But their relationship had indeed reached a bottleneck. He had confessed sincerely, even made promises comparable to a marriage proposal, genuine and heartfelt, yet their relationship couldn’t progress any further.
Min Zhi took out his phone, finding Jackson in his WeChat contacts.
Min: 【There?】
Min: 【I offered myself up again, I was even drunk, completely unconscious】
This “him” could only be Xi Leng, but… it was really hard not to make fun of this guy.
Jackson: 【You’re drunk and unconscious right now?】
Min Zhi: 【For him】
Jackson: 【Okay】
Qiao Yusen tonight seemed determined to be difficult.
Heh, who was indulging him?
Min Zhi: 【It seems your love life isn’t going very well recently?】
Jackson: 【Fuck off】
The moment Qiao Yusen sent the message, a red exclamation mark appeared.
Qiao Yusen: “?”
Min Zhi had actually anticipated his anger and blocked him in advance. But that didn’t mean he was truly angry.
The reason Min Zhi had lived so freely for the past 25 years was mainly because when he wasn’t doing well, he wouldn’t let others be happy either.
At this moment, Qiao Yusen suddenly understood his principle and sent him a text message instead.
【You’re both tops】
Then blocked him right back.
As night turned to day, the two old friends remained on each other’s block lists.
Min Zhi placed his phone on the desk, one hand supporting his chin, the other tapping lightly on the table, lost in thought.
Just then, a new message popped up.
Shinichi: 【Min Zhi-gege, are you home? (Fidgeting emoji.jpg)】
Xiao Yi?
Min Zhi frowned, replying with a “no,” then added that he was at his studio.
His studio was actually the size of a regular entertainment company, his own kingdom, where he ruled supreme, only Zhu Minglang daring to challenge his authority.
Rong Xingyi, ten times more talkative than his brother, first sent a couple of cute emojis, asking after his well-being, then tentatively asked if he could come over.
Hm? A readily available solution to his Leng Leng-induced anxiety and silence.
Min: 【Okay】
Min: 【I’ll treat you to dinner】
Shinichi: 【No need for dinner!】
Shinichi: 【(Kitty is coming.jpg)】
Rong Xingyi excitedly arrived at his idol’s company, greeted by Zhu Minglang, who personally escorted him upstairs, quite an honor, making him so nervous he stumbled. He even gulped nervously as Zhu Minglang knocked on the door.
Zhu Minglang, after delivering the person, was immediately dismissed: “You can leave now.”
Zhu Minglang tactfully retreated, closing the door behind them.
“What’s up?” Min Zhi got straight to the point.
Rong Xingyi looked around his office curiously, then smiled, a dimple appearing on one cheek, naturally flattering him: “Min Zhi-gege, your company is so big, you look so handsome today.”
Min Zhi was silent for a moment, his expression complicated: “Can you share some of those compliments with your brother?”
Rong Xingyi closed his mouth, scratching his head.
He felt that Min Zhi at the company wasn’t as approachable as the Min Zhi at home. Or perhaps it was because his brother was always present before, and this was his first time alone with Min Zhi? He suddenly felt awkward.
Min Zhi, seeing this, went to get him a drink, changing his tone and coaxing gently: “It’s okay, you can tell me anything, what’s troubling you?”
“N-no trouble…” Rong Xingyi hurriedly shook his head. “It’s…”
He took two steps towards Min Zhi’s desk and accidentally glanced at the document on it, the words “Shining Boys” clearly visible.
He softly let out an “ah.”
Min Zhi directly picked up the document he was staring at and let him see it: “Lao Zhu just brought it over.”
“Then, Min Zhi-gege, have you decided to be a vocal mentor for ‘Shining Boys’?” Rong Xingyi’s eyes sparkled. “I really hope you’ll agree…”
Just then, Zhu Minglang returned.
He brought freshly baked cookies and freshly ground latte for Rong Xingyi, receiving a sweet smile and a “thank you” in return, thinking that picking up and dropping off this kid wasn’t for nothing after all, even his grumpy boss seemed a bit more adorable now.
After his moment of satisfaction, Zhu Minglang hesitantly said: “Boss…”
“Mm-hmm, what is it?” Min Zhi acknowledged both of them. “Xiao Yi, wait a moment, have some cookies.”
Rong Xingyi, not ready yet, obediently sat down and started eating.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Minglang’s words were the same old story.
“Boss,” Zhu Minglang sighed, “today’s the deadline, about that vocal mentor offer, can you give me a definite answer?”
Rong Xingyi’s puffed-up cheeks deflated, his ears perked up.
Min Zhi, however, was indifferent, his tone sarcastic: “They’re inviting me to be a mentor, and they’re giving me an ultimatum?”
“No, no, it’s just that filming is about to start.” Zhu Minglang tried to reason with him. “They can’t look for someone else until you officially decline.”
Rong Xingyi silently nodded in agreement.
“Cut it out. Aren’t they choosing between me and Meng Huai Zhi?” Min Zhi was unfazed. He knew Zhu Minglang’s tactics all too well, asking pointedly, “Has Meng Huai Zhi officially declined?”
Zhu Minglang chuckled repeatedly, his chubby face even rounder, then after a while, said: “You know, his style doesn’t match ‘Shining Boys,’ it was just a backup plan. Look at their rap and dance mentors, all so dramatic, there’s bound to be arguments, Meng Huai Zhi isn’t suitable for that.”
Rong Xingyi, listening beside them, frowned slightly, he actually quite liked Meng Huai Zhi’s songs.
Min Zhi: “Get to the point.”
Zhu Minglang sighed, giving up the struggle: “He’s married, he has to accompany his hubby to an international competition, otherwise why would the program team be so insistent on you?”
He was speechless.
He hated Meng Huai Zhi, what kind of person was he, wanting the whole world to know he was married?
“…”
Ridiculous.
Why was this guy getting irritated again?
At this moment, Rong Xingyi also came over to persuade him: “Min Zhi-gege, please agree!”
Min Zhi, looking at his features, which inexplicably resembled Xi Leng’s, suddenly called out to Zhu Minglang, who was dejectedly about to leave: “Fine, I’ll accept it.”
“Really!?”
“Ask again and it’s a no.”
“…”
Rong Xingyi’s timing today was perfect, he actually witnessed his idol signing onto the survival show he dreamed of! He couldn’t be happier, his earlier anxiety completely forgotten.
“Min Zhi-gege, actually I…”
“You passed the auditions.” Min Zhi cut him off. “I know.”
Rong Xingyi was stunned for a few seconds: “You… you know…”
Then that was great.
“Promise me you’ll keep this a secret from my brother, okay? It’s like this…”
The official broadcast of “Shining Boys” was scheduled for the end of this year, but the closed training camp for trainees started much earlier, almost a month in advance, for professional training, filming introduction videos, moving into the dorms, recording the first stage performance, team assignments, practicing the theme song…
Rong Xingyi planned to have his mom handle the leave of absence from school, hiding it from Xi Leng for as long as possible, presenting him with a fait accompli. As long as he didn’t get eliminated in the first round, proving himself with his skills, Xi Leng probably wouldn’t force him to quit.
Rong Xingyi’s expectant eyes were moist, his long and thick eyelashes making him look like a pitiful little animal, but Min Zhi’s expression was serious, his stern demeanor even more like his brother’s.
“How can I help you? Do you think you can hide this?”
Rong Xingyi was speechless: “I…”
“Even if you hide the leave of absence, everyone will see you when the show airs.”
As if thinking of something, Min Zhi raised an eyebrow, his serious expression vanishing.
“Then I’d have to prevent him from leaving the house, contacting the outside world, even using the internet—you want me to imprison him?”
