Chapter 41: Targeted Collapse
Outside the window of the van heading to the airport, the scenery flashed by, the neatly planted trees seeming to melt in the summer heat, merging into a continuous stretch of green.
The air conditioning inside the car was on full blast, but a ray of sunlight still pierced through the one-way tinted window, shining on Min Zhi’s metal earrings.
Zhu Minglang, driving in the front, occasionally observed Min Zhi’s expression through the rearview mirror.
Only the two of them were in the car; they could speak freely.
About that shocking and earth-shattering…
Zhu Minglang tried to digest it, but he still couldn’t quite. But thinking about how this person had been unconventional ever since he became his manager, liking men, well, wasn’t that normal?
He started another round of self-persuasion with his twisted logic.
Taking a few deep breaths, he, as a married man, tried to offer his boss some advice: “Boss, I think…”
Min Zhi immediately straightened up from his languid posture, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
Zhu Minglang said cautiously: “Although some fans fantasize about dating you, most of them are just fantasizing. They like your aloof and unattainable image. If you actually contacted them privately, saying you wanted to date them, they would only be disillusioned, you understand? Not only would your persona crumble, but their beautiful fantasies would also be shattered…”
“Not to mention,” Zhu Minglang gulped and continued slowly, “the forced kiss.”
Min Zhi: “…”
“Essentially, this is you collapsing.” Zhu Minglang said. “Thankfully, it only collapsed for one person. A targeted collapse, truly impressive.”
Min Zhi was silent for a long time.
He seemed unwilling to accept reality, changing the subject: “But Xi Leng is a man, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I don’t like men.”
Zhu Minglang, who had been straight for over thirty years, said helplessly: “You’re asking me? I don’t know either, my daughter is already in elementary school.”
“Aren’t you usually quite the talker? Then what do you think this situation is called?” Min Zhi, completely ignoring his plight, forced the topic to continue. “Targeted bending?”
Zhu Minglang: “…”
He was going to call the police.
Meanwhile, Xi Leng arrived at the airport two hours early.
He didn’t have a manager or a studio, he took a taxi to work, checked in himself, and waited in line to board the plane.
Business class had a VIP lane, only a few staff members from the program team around him, no need to queue with the massive crowd in economy class next door.
Before entering the jet bridge, Xi Leng couldn’t help but look back.
A sea of heads, impossible to distinguish.
There was still plenty of time before boarding, he didn’t know if Min Zhi would make it in time.
Just as the program team disappeared into the jet bridge, two heavily disguised figures emerged from the end of the economy class line.
Min Zhi was wearing a loose black T-shirt, faded jeans, the wide brim of his baseball cap covering half of his earrings, two uniquely designed silver necklaces around his neck still eye-catching.
He pushed up his sunglasses and said with certainty: “He’s definitely looking for me.”
Zhu Minglang: “…”
Whatever you say.
Using the VIP lane was too mainstream, apparently.
“Damn it, Boss, stop showing off.” Zhu Minglang suddenly nudged him anxiously. “You’ve been recognized!!!”
Xi Leng’s seat was by the window. After waiting for a while, the person sitting next to him finally arrived, a screenwriter he had met before, a very young woman.
Xi Leng helped her put her luggage in the overhead compartment. The flight attendant, arriving a step late, could only rub her hands awkwardly. Then the two thanked him profusely, making him feel like a big star.
Well, he could be considered a minor celebrity now.
The two sat down, and the plane started slowly taxiing on the runway. Xi Leng thought for a moment and asked the screenwriter beside him: “Is Min Zhi also traveling alone this time?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t seen him.” The screenwriter wasn’t sure either. “But it seems like he didn’t change his flight.”
Min Zhi wasn’t short of a few thousand yuan, if he really couldn’t make it, he could just buy a new ticket.
His time was far more valuable than this little bit of money.
Xi Leng didn’t continue the topic, taking out his wireless earphones, putting them on, and closing his eyes to rest.
They were going to a film and television city south of the Huai River, a three-hour flight.
Half-asleep, listening to music, he vaguely heard the woman beside him speak. He instinctively lowered the volume, then heard the rustling of clothes, the woman standing up, leaving, then returning.
Xi Leng glanced over curiously.
He saw a pair of legs. He couldn’t quite remember what the woman was wearing, but it definitely wasn’t this kind of loose, men’s faded gray jeans.
As he was momentarily stunned, one of his earphones was removed.
“Want to try a curse? One you haven’t heard before.”
Xi Leng froze for a few seconds, slowly turning his head. Beside him was the man’s sharp profile.
And the rebellious and flamboyant earrings on his left ear, their presence impossible to ignore.
Xi Leng didn’t ask how he suddenly appeared, only asking: “…Your song? One I haven’t heard before?”
“Mm-hmm.” Min Zhi, appearing out of nowhere, replied naturally. “An unreleased demo.”
Since Xi Leng didn’t refuse, Min Zhi put one of his earphones in Xi Leng’s ear.
Xi Leng paused the music on his phone.
The right earphone was his own, silent. And from the left, the familiar style of the intro flowed into his eardrum.
「I’m like I’m bewitched」
This was indeed a song he had never heard before.
「You’re like strong liquor flowing through my veins」
「Through me, engulfing me, It’s all your fault」
As Xi Leng was lost in thought, the person bewitched and intoxicated in the song calmly touched the back of his hand.
The touched skin felt as if it had been burned. Xi Leng instinctively tried to pull away, then realized that Min Zhi was just returning the earphone he took earlier.
Quite polite.
Xi Leng held the earphone, still warm from Min Zhi’s touch, his eyes lowered slightly, listening to the music.
「I’m like I’m bewitched」
「You’re like thorns entwined, punishing my sins」
「Piercing me, kissing me painfully, It’s all your fault」
“It’s a love song, didn’t fit the album’s style, so I didn’t release it.” Min Zhi paused for a while, waiting for Xi Leng to look over before adding, “Initially written for music.”
Xi Leng asked, puzzled: “…A love song written for music?”
It was called a love song, but the rock melody wasn’t gentle or tender at all, more like violent destruction.
“Mm-hmm, something like that.” Min Zhi, looking at him, continued, “It feels like madness, losing control. Writing songs while awake, writing songs in dreams. Quite clear-headed in dreams, but every time I wake up, I feel empty, unable to grasp anything.”
“So I wrote this song, trying to capture my dream.”
「All my principles broken by you」
「All my reason stripped away by you」
「My flaws, my weaknesses」
「Dissecting me, destroying me」
But this person, driven to madness to the point of writing a love song for music, hadn’t touched music for almost four years.
He even claimed that music, his once beloved music, was a curse.
Xi Leng’s thoughts drifted further and further, and he thought of the question about “the meaning of the earrings” he had asked Rong Xingyi.
Rong Xingyi said that of the four piercings on Min Zhi’s left ear, the one on his earlobe was from his debut at 18, the three on his cartilage were to commemorate his first, second, and third debut anniversaries.
Rong Xingyi had also said more.
Like the tongue stud and the “keep silent” tattoo on his finger, which appeared after his last concert three years ago.
Fans speculated that it might be some kind of vow to give up music. After all, judging by his past experiences, he was someone who valued rituals.
Xi Leng couldn’t find the real reason, but he did find some information and couldn’t help but ask Min Zhi directly: “A tongue stud should affect your vocalization and singing, right?”
Min Zhi looked at him for three seconds before answering: “If it’s small enough, it’s fine.”
“But you still stopped singing.” Xi Leng said.
“Still curious about why I gave up music?” Min Zhi suddenly smiled. “I’ve changed my mind now, I don’t want to tell anyone, not even if you offer a secret in exchange.”
Xi Leng thought silently, I’m actually not your fan.
“Unless you’re not just…”
He didn’t finish his sentence.
The music in the earphones continued playing, loud and boisterous, like a tsunami in his veins.
Min Zhi, while speaking, appeared calm, composed, and restrained.
The music playing in his ears was a completely different story.
The intense drumbeats, the overpowering melody, like a storm sweeping everything away, domineering, invasive, possessive, tearing at the world.
And at the center of the storm was the soul of the person he was staring at.
「It’s all your fault」
「It’s all your fault」
「I’m shattered, unable to survive」
「Like a walking corpse, just muddling through」
The nameless demo reached its final chapter, the melody slowing down, each word echoing clearly in his ears.
「Can only capture you」
「I’m gonna capture you」
The English chorus mixed in, low and husky, like a dangerous and alluring whisper in the dead of night, close to his ear.
As he was lost in thought, he felt a warm and dry touch on his wrist, Xi Leng looked down.
A hand with a ring tattoo on its middle finger, slender and distinct, was wrapped around his wrist, tightening silently.
Before he realized it, that hand had become a shackle, inescapable.
Min Zhi’s hand held him captive, a thin black band around Min Zhi’s wrist, at first glance, it looked like a new tattoo.
Looking closer, it was strangely familiar.
It was his slightly loose black hair tie.
At this moment, the last note in the earphones faded.
「Capture you」
Xi Leng’s breath hitched.
Finally enduring these seemingly endless minutes, he pretended nothing had happened, quickly pulling his hand away, his gaze averted.
These past few days, the popularity of the show and the guests remained high. When the five arrived at the film and television city, they were immediately spotted by tourists and fans of various productions, photos leaked online, quickly trending.
Min Zhi was undoubtedly the most popular guest. Fans pieced together photos of his departure from the Beijing airport. Every detail of the top star’s attire was clearly visible in the high-definition photos.
Min Zhi was known in the industry for his “good taste” in fashion, although his flamboyant personality made it controversial. Those who liked him were incredibly passionate, those who hated him went to the other extreme. Every time he appeared at the airport, whether spotted by fans or passersby, it was guaranteed to be a trending topic, no need for staged photos.
That night’s Weibo trending topics—
1#MinZhiUnlimitedEscapeRoomAirportDepartureReuters#
2#UnlimitedEscapeRoomFilmCity#
Relaxing in his hotel room, Xi Leng opened these trending topics one by one, after all, it was related to his god of fortune, which meant it was related to him.
He only learned after seeing the trending topics that he hadn’t run into Min Zhi at the airport because Min Zhi hadn’t used the VIP lounge at all, coincidentally giving fans plenty of fan service along the way.
In the end, he even went through the economy class line to board the plane, letting passersby take close-up photos of him, praised by fans for being down-to-earth.
Xi Leng: “…”
He realized that the entertainment industry had a unique set of standards for Min Zhi, just like his unique personality. Living under public scrutiny, yet able to do whatever he wanted, unrestrained, as expected of someone protected by the protagonist halo.
As the excitement subsided, hidden details gradually surfaced, and sharp-eyed fans noticed several unusual things.
First, Min Zhi’s phone wallpaper.
Half of the screen was covered by his fingers, and the paparazzi photos weren’t very clear, but one could vaguely see that he had changed his wallpaper to a white background with a pencil sketch, clearly different from his usual flamboyant, dark, and abstract style.
Fans started a heated debate about who was in the portrait.
First, they confirmed it was a short-haired man, putting most of their worries to rest, then, looking closer, wasn’t it Min-ge himself?
【This is clearly fanart, everyone, move along】
【Min-ge is actually using fanart as his wallpaper now???】
【Gege, please look at my drawing too sob sob @MinZhi @MinZhi…】
Fans were incredibly excited, practically ready to sign up for art classes to get noticed by Min Zhi, who had suddenly become interested in art.
…Although it was over half a month late, but his wallpaper change did achieve the purpose of proving his fan service.
Of course, there were also some jealous and sour comments.
【Seriously, this drawing isn’t even close to Teacher XL’s level, it looks very rough】
【He probably just saw it online and saved it as his wallpaper, nothing more, just to prevent you guys from snooping on his phone (lol)】
【Min-ge: You guys can just imagine, I’ll just laugh and say nothing】
The artist of both paintings: “…”
In any case, the wallpaper was just a simple pencil sketch, not many people paid attention to it.
More noteworthy was his left hand holding the phone.
The tattoo on his middle finger, normal. The black band on his wrist, strange.
He often wore jewelry, today he had a delicate metal necklace, yet on his wrist was a plain black band, seemingly a woman’s hair tie???
The shock and confusion this caused were evident in the sea of question marks.
【？？？】
【Has anyone figured out which brand this bracelet is from??】
【Which luxury brand is trying to scam us again… how can there be a bracelet that looks like a hair tie… reminds me of that brand’s paperclip necklace that sold for six thousand】
【No one has figured it out yet? Ridiculous】
【Sisters, is it possible that it’s actually a hair tie】
【The kind you can buy ten for a dollar…】
【I want to say it but I don’t dare… this looks too familiar, exactly like the hair tie I use】
【？？？？？】
Xi Leng experienced the terror of the entertainment industry firsthand.
Just a hair tie, yet it had already been linked to a secret relationship. After all, Min Zhi had short hair, he didn’t need a hair tie. Such a personal item appearing on his wrist could only belong to his girlfriend. He even flaunted it at the airport, just like those celebrities who secretly showed off their relationships, knowing the risks.
Anyone experienced in unrequited love knew that if their male god suddenly started carrying a small bag or wearing a hair tie on his wrist, then they probably had no chance.
Even some rational career fans with impressive deduction skills dug up an old interview video.
The host asked the 20-year-old Min Zhi five years ago the question all popular celebrities couldn’t escape: “What’s your ideal type?”
The young and impetuous Min Zhi, oblivious to the trap hidden within this question, answered frankly: “I like long, wavy hair, the sexy kind.”
His taste was quite typical and shallow, but at least this kind of preference would discourage a large number of teenage fans.
Unlike many male celebrities who were good at maintaining their female fan base, when asked this kind of question, they would only give vague answers that most girls could meet, to keep them liking them, spending money on them. Like, “Looks aren’t important, figure isn’t important, I like someone gentle, cute, and kind…”
And Min Zhi’s bluntness made the host follow up with a question about his relationship status.
“I’m single now, but I’ll definitely be in a relationship in the future.” Min Zhi said frankly, completely disregarding the feelings of his girlfriend fans. “If I’m in a relationship, I definitely won’t be able to resist telling everyone.”
Xi Leng: “…”
Considering Min Zhi’s ideal type, fans naturally assumed the hair tie belonged to his girlfriend, speculating that she might be someone outside of the industry, hence Min Zhi not announcing it immediately, or perhaps they were still in the ambiguous stage, and there was still a chance…
Close to midnight, Xi Leng lay in bed, playing Min Zhi’s music to help him fall asleep, but the more he listened, the more awake he became, constantly recalling those shared earphones on the plane.
The unreleased demo, the flowing notes surrounding his heart, still lingering, its presence as strong as the hand that held his wrist.
And Min Zhi’s distinct wrist bones, his hair tie wrapped around it, and the fingertips slowly caressing the back of his hand.
Following the rhythm of the music, those small actions replayed in his mind repeatedly, being analyzed and interpreted, revealing unspoken words.
Like, I wasn’t drunk.
Like, I didn’t forget either.
And also, what do you think?
About how it felt to kiss me.
…This protagonist gong is truly crazy.
Xi Leng rolled over, facing the ceiling, gathering his long hair behind his head.
