I’m Keeping the Overbearing CEO After He Went Bankrupt [Rebirth] 32

Chapter 32: Qingbao Acts Cute

In the end, Chu Qing was still dragged to the park by Huo Li to exercise.

Huo Li had him follow along with an aerobic workout. Although many of his movements were not standard or he couldn’t do them, he at least moved his whole body.

“Mr. Huo…” Halfway through, Chu Qing began to doubt his life. “Is this really an aerobic exercise?”

“Hmm?”

Chu Qing muttered, “I think it’s an anaerobic exercise…”

“…”

Pfft.

Huo Li patted his waist. “Alright, stop talking. Straighten your back.”

Chu Qing could only do his best to hold a horse stance.

Huo Li’s method of giving a stick and then a carrot made Chu Qing feel that he was oscillating between being strict and teasing him. He wanted to try to persuade Huo Li to let him stop, but he didn’t dare. He could only follow along silently, feeling aggrieved.

After a few more squats, Chu Qing’s legs started to tremble.

“Mr. Huo…”

Seeing that his whole body was shaking, it seemed he really couldn’t hold on anymore. Huo Li helplessly took his waist. “Let’s take a break.”

Chu Qing used his support to stand up, then sat down on a chair as if he were about to collapse.

Huo Li asked curiously, “Feeling comfortable?”

“…” Chu Qing sniffled. “Not comfortable.”

His joints felt like they were about to break.

Huo Li didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It’s normal that you can’t experience the fun because you haven’t moved in so long.”

“Then how long…?”

“It depends on how hard our Qingbao works.”

The two sat and rested, and Chu Qing scrolled through his phone.

Eh…?

Ever since Gebulaige’s repost, more and more people had gone to listen to his song. And some people, perhaps to prove that they could understand it, had listened to it several times even if they didn’t. In addition, all the major software platforms had also jumped on the bandwagon to promote it. For a time, Chu Qing’s song… had climbed to the number one spot on the playback charts of all major platforms.

And the reviews had also changed.

XXX: Mmm… actually, it’s not that hard to understand. Really, my radio station played it, and I fell in love with it after listening to it a few more times

XXX: This song is really the kind that gets more and more addictive the more you listen to it. After settling down, the feeling is completely different

XXX: Very interesting, the more you listen, the more interesting it is. Is this song by the same singer as “Wish”? Amazing. I want to learn more about him

XXX: Teacher Chu is amazing. The meaning of this song is really deep. I suspect that Teacher Chu has also waited for someone for a long time like this, until all hope was extinguished… no, wait, it should be said that in the end, there was no feeling left, and he was relieved

XXX: Same as above. Is this a series with “Wish”?? Aww, I’m super curious about Teacher Chu’s private love life. Has he ever been in a relationship?? The person he likes must be so lucky!

And so, this song, which was originally considered too highbrow for the masses, was now being sung more and more.

It had become a huge hit again, just like “Wish,” and even “Red Gauze Shadow” was not as famous as this song. After all, “Red Gauze Shadow” was an opera, and an ordinary person might not listen to it. But it had earned Chu Qing recognition, while this song, “Waiting”… was said to have made many people cry.

Many people had gone to watch the show because of it and had questioned Jiao Changxu’s first place. The fact that Jiao Changxu’s fans had manipulated the votes had also gone viral along with this song.

Now, Jiao Changxu’s fans and Chu Qing’s fans were complete rivals and had a feud. As for the idols themselves…

After so many things, Chu Qing had already disliked Jiao Changxu, and Jiao Changxu was also getting more and more dissatisfied.

Chu Qing was indifferent to him, and even fought back endlessly, which made Jiao Changxu a little angry.

Of course, Chu Qing didn’t know what he was thinking. At this moment, his mind was full of how to escape on the spot or play dead.

If he suddenly fainted now, would Huo Li believe it…?

Chu Qing did as he thought. He mustered up his courage, took a deep breath, and fell off the chair, lying on the ground with his eyes closed.

Huo Li: “…”

Huo Li said in surprise, “Qingbao fainted!”

He also squatted down, rubbing his chin. “Oh my, what should I do… how about I give him some artificial respiration? He’ll wake up after that.”

Chu Qing: “…”

???

Huo Li did as he said, hovering over Chu Qing and leaning his head towards his lips.

“…Mr. Huo!”

Chu Qing’s eyes widened, and he used all his strength to block the man who was suddenly pressing down on him.

Huo Li raised an eyebrow at him. “Oh? Artificial respiration is so effective. He’s fine before I even did it.”

“…”

Chu Qing’s cheeks were red. “Can you get up first…”

Huo Li laughed out loud and couldn’t help but hug him. “Silly Qingbao, you’ve learned to be bad, huh? You even know how to trick people and act cute now, right?”

Chu Qing was encircled in his arms, his face still red.

“I didn’t…”

The two sat back down on the chair, and Huo Li asked, “How is it? Do you have any ideas for your performance the day after tomorrow?”

Time was tight. The other contestants had basically already started creating. Only Chu Qing had not started anything yet. It had to be said that this was really unbelievable. But Chu Qing’s livestream room had not been on for the past two days, and the audience only heard that he had not done anything yet, and were all dying of curiosity.

“No…” Chu Qing couldn’t control it either. If he had it, he had it. If he didn’t, he didn’t.

If he didn’t have it, he was unwilling to force it. Music was not something that could be forced out like this.

Huo Li said helplessly, “You don’t have any direction at all?”

He paused. “Maybe… I want to write what they call a saliva song.”

“Hmm?”

“I saw on Weibo that they said I can’t write a saliva song,” he said.

“If you can’t, you can’t. Everyone has a different style. You’re a musician, not a saliva song singer,” Huo Li said, pinching his ear. “Those people are just nitpicking because they think you’re too perfect.”

“But with music, I have to be able to do everything,” he said stubbornly. “I can do it all.”

He had a very high sense of dignity and reverence for music, even to the point of an obsessive-compulsive-like persistence. It was a part of his life, something that had grown with him and accompanied him through countless years.

“Alright,” Huo Li said with a smile. “Write a song about how you don’t want to exercise?”

Chu Qing was stunned and scratched his cheek. “That’s not it…”

Huo Li smiled and said nothing.

At night, after the dinner party ended, just as Chu Qing was about to go to the park, he was stopped by An Yize.

“What’s wrong?”

An Yize frowned. “Qingqing, how are your preparations going?”

He was stunned.

An Yize explained, “I don’t know how Jiao Changxu’s fans found out, but anyway, they’ve been dissing you online for slacking off, for not having completed anything yet.”

Indeed, to suddenly disappear for two days during a show and not have done anything, and not even to have cultivated a “writer’s block” persona to gain sympathy—that was arrogant.

“I…”

“Tomorrow is the last day, Qingqing. There’s only one day left,” An Yize said, shaking his head. “If you really can’t think of anything, just write something casually. At least you’ll have something when you go on stage?”

“I can’t.”

“Huh?”

Chu Qing raised his voice. “I can’t!”

“What can’t you do?”

“I can’t just write something casually,” he explained.

“Then…” An Yize didn’t understand what he was so persistent about. He frowned. “You have to have something.”

“I can’t write casually. If I don’t have it, I don’t have it,” he said seriously. “I’ll only have it when I have it.”

It’s not like food, where you can substitute blueberry flavor if you don’t have strawberry. If you don’t have the desire to express yourself, just making up the numbers is a sacrilege.

“…” An Yize said helplessly, “Don’t be willful. You’re at the center of public opinion now. If you don’t have anything when you go on stage the day after tomorrow, won’t you be mocked to death?”

“It doesn’t matter…” he thought. Being mocked won’t do anything. I won’t lose a piece of flesh. It’s just a waste of other people’s time and emotions.

“You…!” An Yize was almost so angry at him that he had a heart attack. He took a calming breath and asked, “Then what have you been doing these past few days?”

“I’ve been exercising.”

“…” An Yize was tired. He thought, Let the kid do whatever he wants. After all, although Chu Qing looked gentle and polite, once he made up his mind, nine bulls couldn’t pull him back. He couldn’t force him at all.

…

The next day, the third day after the lot drawing, and also the last day of preparation for the competition.

Considering that everyone was in a rush, the competition would start tomorrow evening, which meant that everyone would have an extra morning and afternoon to sprint.

When Chu Qing woke up, his mind was still a blank.

“Good morning, Chu Qing.”

When he woke up, he saw Huo Li sitting by his bed with his arms crossed, looking at him.

“…!”

He was startled and immediately fell back, pretending he was not awake yet.

“Oh my? It seems he’s fainted again. Artificial resp…”

“Good morning, Mr. Huo,” Chu Qing said with a blank expression, and sat up again.

Huo Li had a grin on his face. “Good boy.”

“I see your body is gradually getting used to it, and it doesn’t hurt as much. So today is a set of light stretching and aerobics, and then we’ll walk to the school.”

He paused and added, “We don’t have to walk all the way to the school, but we’ll walk a little further today.”

“So far…?” Chu Qing’s face was pale.

“We’re not running there. We’ll run for a bit and then rest for a bit,” Huo Li said, raising an eyebrow. “Today is the day to let yourself go and experience the refreshing feeling of exercising.”

“…”

He was on the verge of tears.

The two went to the park. Huo Li looked at him doing his stretches, and thinking of the attacks from the anti-fans these past few days, he had a sudden idea.

He quickly registered an account and posted.

@BodyguardLinHuo: Teacher Chu is working out hard, says he wants to become a strong man [Image]

Not long after he posted, he was discovered by Chu Qing’s fans.

XXX: woc is this Teacher Chu’s handsome bodyguard??

XXX: Awww awww awww Teacher Chu working out, I’m good, I’m good again!!!

XXX: So Teacher Chu was not in the livestream room these past few days because he went to exercise?? He’s so healthy, hahahaha!

The fans immediately started clamoring under Huo Li’s Weibo, wanting to see more of him. Of course, there were also those who questioned the authenticity of his identity.

Huo Li smiled and simply started a livestream, pointing the camera at him.

XXX: woc it’s real! It’s the live bodyguard!

XXX: Ahhhhhhh bodyguard, I declare my love for you! You’re so cute! Thank you for always being by Teacher Chu’s side to protect him qaq

XXX: Ahhhhhh Qingqing working out is so cute!! He’s a complete beginner, right? You can tell at a glance that he doesn’t usually exercise

“Ngh… Mr. Huo…”

Chu Qing, not knowing that the camera was on, was trying hard to do a plank on the mat, struggling to lift one of his legs.

“Keep going,” Huo Li said. With the camera on, he couldn’t tease him, so he just said in a gentle tone, “Continue. Next leg.”

“Ngh… phew…” After finally lifting all four limbs once, he collapsed on the mat, exhausted, and said aggrievedly, “I want to drink water…”

XXX: Ahhhhhh let him drink, let him drink! How can you not give in to such a cute baby!! 😭😭😭😭😭

XXX: Hahahahaha no, mommy won’t let you stop. You have to work out hard, baby!! You really can’t go on like this!

XXX: The cute Teacher Chu, I’m good, I’m gone, I’m good, I’m gone

XXX: Oh my god, the way he called him “Mr.”… I ship it. The ship of Teacher Chu and the bodyguard is so beautiful qaq

“Teacher Chu is not ashamed of himself like this,” Huo Li said with a laugh, switching the phone to the front camera and handing it to him. “Look, everyone is watching you.”

He took it blankly, then was startled.

“H-Hello, everyone…”

XXX: Awww awww awww Hello, Teacher Chu!!! Mommy’s little baby———

XXX: Have you been exercising these past few days, Qingqing? 😭😭😭 I miss you

He panted and nodded. “Mmm.”

XXX: How was your exercise experience, Qingqing?

XXX: Hahahahaha look how tired the kid is. His little face is so red, I’m here for it!

XXX: Hahaha, Bodyguard Lin is so inhumane. So strict. Don’t you have a heart? I just want to pick up this Teacher Chu and worship him

XXX: Aww, Teacher Chu, how’s your song going? Is the progress okay?

He said honestly, “I don’t like it… it’s very tiring.”

“I… I haven’t started writing yet.”

After he said that, the livestream room was quiet for a moment.

XXX: …

XXX: woc?

XXX: Qingqing, you??

He said in a low voice, “I can’t think of anything.”

XXX: Oh my, so you came to exercise because you have writer’s block? It’s okay, Qingqing, keep going!!! There’s still one day left. You can still think of something now!

XXX: Go, Qingqing! Awesome!

He glanced at Huo Li, who was hinting at him to turn off the livestream and start running. A mischievous thought crossed his mind. “I, I can sing for you guys… this is, a fan benefit.”

He thought, I see other artists give benefits like this.

Huo Li raised an eyebrow on the side.

Tsk tsk.

He took the guitar on the side, and the fans immediately excitedly asked him to sing “Waiting.”

He obediently held the guitar in front of the camera and began to sing.

After he finished singing, he paused, then secretly glanced at Huo Li. “I have a new song. You guys haven’t heard it.”

XXX: Ahhhhhhh looking forward to it!!! Is it a masterpiece!

XXX: Ahhhhhh is it tomorrow’s song!

XXX: Awwwww Qingqing, wait for mommy to get her headphones! Mommy hasn’t burned incense and bathed yet!

Then he began.

He tapped the guitar to set the rhythm and began to play.

“My arms will be sore, my legs will hurt, I don’t want to exercise, I don’t want to exercise…”
“You’re forcing me again, and you’re watching me.”
“You’re still watching me.”
“Still watching me.”

…

?????

The livestream room was quiet again.

He continued to sway to the music and sing.

“My legs will hurt, you don’t feel bad for me, I don’t want to exercise, I don’t want to exercise…”
“You’re forcing me again, you’re still forcing me.”
“You just have to move your mouth, and I have to move my legs and hands…”

Then there was a hum. After he finished humming, he stopped playing and said seriously, “I’m done singing.”

Then, he looked at the screen, and it was already full of “hahahahaha.”

XXX: hahahahahahahaha
XXX: hahahahahahahahahaha
XXX: hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

He was a little embarrassed. “I, I can still sing saliva songs…”

Trying hard to prove himself.

XXX: Sorry, this is not a saliva song, this is a silly, brainwashing song. The little vixen actually has two faces. How did I not know that Teacher Chu has such a silly side!!! What happened to the angel who doesn’t eat worldly food!

XXX: Baby, you really don’t have to go this far!! Hahaha, don’t think I didn’t see your little eyes keep looking at the bodyguard

XXX: I feel it. Hahaha, bodyguard, you’re so bad!! How can you force our Qingqing! [doge face]

XXX: dedeidei, let’s attack the bodyguard together! The bodyguard is a bad guy!

XXX: Ahhhhhhh mommy, I ship it! So sweet, so sweet! Awwwww bodyguard, you have to protect Qingqing, okay?

The livestream room was in a fit of laughter. A large group of people were shouting, “Bodyguard, did you hear that?” Everyone was really surprised. They hadn’t expected Chu Qing to be able to sing “I don’t want to exercise” with the same hands that played world-famous pieces and with a serious expression as if he were going to war.

This super-soulful song was quickly screen-recorded, edited, and spread.

And then… Chu Qing probably hadn’t expected that for a long time after, a certain short video software would be full of various versions of “you don’t force me.” A wide range of students, office workers, and equally unwilling-to-exercise creative netizens had turned this song into a completely brainwashing song with their own silliness.

And it was also a complete slap in the face to those Jiao Changxu fans who had said that Chu Qing’s music was floating.

And at this moment, he really couldn’t delay any longer. After turning off the livestream, he saw Huo Li propping up his chin, looking at him with a half-smile.

He was a little guilty and lowered his head. “That, um…”

“Oh my, it seems I’m really a bad guy, huh?”

He lowered his head, not daring to look at him. “No…”

“It’s okay. I’m just a bad guy who likes to force people. But, Qingbao…” Huo Li rubbed his chin. “You probably haven’t seen what I’m really like when I force people.”

He was stunned.

Huo Li held him and pinched his chin. “Let me show you what bad guys are like when they force people.”

“Huo… Mr. Huo?! No, ngh…”

Huo Li lowered his head and directly blocked his mouth.

“Ngh…”

He gripped the fabric on Huo Li’s back tightly, held in his arms, unable to move, his lips fiercely bullied.

It’s not my fault, he thought. Who told him to tease me again.

And…

At this moment, he suddenly felt that Chu Qing was different.

When he was singing, he had secretly glanced at him, and his eyes had a deadly charm and light. Usually, he was always listless, as if he were out of touch with his surroundings, but now, in front of him, he was getting cuter and cuter, and had more and more mischievous ideas.

Like a child challenging him, and also like a lover throwing a tantrum.

So, he couldn’t help but… cross the line.

“Ngh… don’t…”

He pressed the back of his head, deepening the kiss, like a greedy wolf tearing his prey apart and devouring it.

Especially, especially fragrant.