I’m Keeping the Overbearing CEO After He Went Bankrupt [Rebirth] 41

Chapter 41: Qingbao Loses Control

Angry.

Of course he was angry.

Huo Li took a deep breath.

Don’t be angry. I am an adult. I am the mature and steady CEO Huo.

…

Fck, this little one, Chu Qing.*

After the grand finale, Chu Qing, as expected, won the championship. Flowers and praise came pouring in. When Huo Li went backstage to find him, the staff said he had already left.

Huo Li chased him back to the hotel and found his note. Then he went back to his home—after all, he had a key—and found that no one was there, and a few sets of his clothes were gone.

There weren’t many places he could go, either a hotel or Yu Weixi’s home. Huo Li directly activated the GPS tracker he had previously installed on his phone and found that he was indeed at Yu Weixi’s home.

When he arrived at Yu Weixi’s residential area, he didn’t encounter any obstacles. After contacting Yu Weixi through the apartment security, he went upstairs.

“Is Qingbao inside?”

Huo Li stood by the door, his face grim. “Did he really move in with you?”

Yu Weixi leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. “Yes, but he doesn’t want to see you.”

He added, “Of course, if you insist on seeing him, come in. I can’t stop you anyway.”

He actually hoped that Huo Li would coax him. He also couldn’t bear to see the two of them being awkward.

Huo Li paused, thought for a moment, and said, “Then there’s no need.”

Yu Weixi was stunned, a little surprised.

He’s not going to see him…?

Huo Li said in a low voice, “Since he doesn’t want to see me, then let’s not meet for now.”

“…Alright,” he said, frowning slightly.

What is Huo Li planning…?

“Please take care of Qingbao,” Huo Li said. “I hope you can take good care of him and supervise him to take his medicine.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

After giving his instructions, Huo Li really left.

Yu Weixi stood blankly by the door.

What’s going on with these two??

He turned and went into the house, only to see Chu Qing sitting in his blanket, looking at the door with a fearful expression.

“He’s gone,” he said, sitting down by the bed. “He asked me to take good care of you and make sure you take your medicine.”

“…”

Chu Qing lowered his head.

Mmm… Mr. Huo has abandoned me.

No, wait, it’s me who abandoned Mr. Huo.

He looked up and said stubbornly, “Because, because I abandoned Mr. Huo…”

Yu Weixi frowned slightly.

“He didn’t abandon me, because I abandoned him first,” he said. “I’ll live a good life on my own from now on…”

He said nothing.

“I’ll go back after staying here for three days. Mr. Huo probably won’t come looking for me then,” he said, a little embarrassed. “I’ll be troubling you for these three days.”

He was still not at ease. “Why don’t you just stay here? The second season of All-Around Idol is about to start filming. We’ll both have to go for the recording then. You might as well just stay here.”

“No need, it’s okay. I still want to go home.” He only felt safe in his own home.

“Alright then,” he said, shaking his head helplessly.

The night grew deeper.

Yu Weixi went to put Niangao to sleep, while Chu Qing turned off the light and lay in bed, in a daze. A moment later, he felt a little cold and then realized he hadn’t covered himself with a blanket.

…Ah.

He was a little lazy to get up, but he also felt cold.

He stared blankly at the window.

Mr. Huo used to cover me with a blanket.

There was no candy when I took my medicine today.

I’m sleeping alone again at night.

I won’t be able to see Mr. Huo when I wake up tomorrow morning.

He gripped the bedsheet tightly and sniffled.

If Mr. Huo were here, he would coax me if he saw me crying.

Mr. Huo is so gentle, so good.

…

No, wait.

He paused. He thought, It’s only the first day of being apart, and I’m planning to live like this from now on. I can’t let my thoughts run wild anymore.

Sleep.

He got up, pulled up the blanket, and covered his head, forcing himself to sleep.

After staying at Yu Weixi’s home for three days, he planned to go back. During these three days, he exercised every day, played with Niangao and helped him with his homework when Yu Weixi was out working, or wrote songs. It was a fulfilling time.

It was as if life was back on track. Seeing this, Yu Weixi was also much more at ease.

He went home with two bags of food, but when he opened the door, he was a little stunned.

The flowers and plants on the balcony were neat and tidy, and the whole place looked very clean and neat, as if someone had been coming to clean it every day.

“…”

Could it be… impossible.

He patted the back of his head.

Don’t dream.

“Qingbao? You’re back?”

The next moment, he saw Huo Li wearing a pink apron, coming out with a plate of food and a smile. “I heard from Yu Weixi that you were coming back today. I even specially prepared your favorite food.”

*The river snail… Mr. River Snail himself.*

Chu Qing: “…”

“Sponsor Daddy, you must be tired from being out. Come and eat,” Mr. River Snail said, taking off his apron and sitting down at the dining table in his home clothes. “I’ve been cleaning the house well these past few days.”

Actually, he had called a cleaning lady, but that was not important. Mmm.

Chu Qing: “………”

You might not believe it if I told you, but the person in front of me is really Mr. Pan’s sworn brother.

He finally found his voice. “Um… Mr. Huo, you… what are you doing?”

“Hmm?” Huo Li looked back at him. “Cooking. Come and eat.”

“…”

To be honest, Huo Li had also had a temper at the beginning. He had even gone crazy and wanted to forcefully take him back.

So, he had chosen not to talk to him, worried that he would scare him away, and he also knew that he had made up his mind at that time and would not change it easily.

But after three days of cooling down, now Chu Qing… maybe…

Huo Li secretly made a bet. Did he miss me a little?

If he did, then he wouldn’t refuse so harshly, and they could still have a calm and good talk.

“Mr. Huo… I…”

As expected, he was desperately twisting the hem of his clothes. After struggling for a moment, he still sat down.

After sitting down, he didn’t dare to look at him and just ate with his head bowed.

Huo Li propped up his chin and looked at him with a grin.

After a few bites, he couldn’t eat anymore and put down his spoon, sitting there in a daze.

“Qingbao has no appetite?”

He paused. “Why is Mr. Huo here?”

“Why am I not here?”

He frowned. “We’ve already… already ended. I’m not your sponsor anymore.”

“Do you think it’s over just because you say so?” he said pitifully. “I’m at least the other person in this relationship. You didn’t even discuss it with me or let me know? You decided everything on your own. This is the exploitation of a black-hearted capitalist.”

“…”

“Qingbao, did I do something wrong that you’re in such a hurry to fire me?” he said, taking his hand. “Is it because my skills are not good? But you didn’t give me a chance to practice. Or is it because I’m too demanding? Then how about I don’t be a canary in the future? I’ll be your full-time bodyguard, okay?”

He kept shaking his head.

After a lot of pestering, he still remained unmoved, and Huo Li was also a little helpless.

“Then you eat first.”

He frowned. “When are you leaving?”

After a pause, he cautiously made a request, “The, the key too…”

“Be good, Qingbao. Eat first,” he said, stuffing the spoon into his hand.

The two didn’t say anything more and quietly finished their dinner.

After they finished eating, he looked at Huo Li, who was washing the dishes, with some apprehension.

Why is Mr. Huo like this…

He’s not listening to me at all.

I clearly said it was over. Why is he still pestering me here?

…

Ah.

He suddenly realized, Right, Mr. Huo is not willing. He’s still pestering me here.

Is it because of money… or does he like me?

Impossible. He doesn’t seem to need my money, and he doesn’t need me either.

He just felt that his mind was a mess.

“I… I’m going back to my room first.”

He turned and left.

After returning to his room, he found two milk candies by his pillow.

The two candies lay on the side, as if they had sweetened the whole night.

He took them blankly.

And after Huo Li washed his hands, he found that he had locked the door.

He took a deep breath and didn’t force him, but just went to sleep on the sofa.

And so the night passed.

The next day, he woke up early for a change and caught the morning sun.

And when he washed up and pushed open the door to find that Huo Li was still there, he was completely stunned.

The tall man was lying on the sofa, his legs crossed lazily, his clothes messy from just waking up, a few buttons on his white shirt open, revealing his firm chest.

He was stunned and quickly looked away.

“Mr. Huo… Starry Sky is sending a team representative to talk to me today. We’re meeting at a coffee shop outside.”

“That’s a good thing,” he said, turning his head with a smile. “They want to plan your career path properly, right?”

“Mmm…” he clenched his fists and stammered, “Mr. Huo… you… when are you leaving?”

“Why should I leave?” he said, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve already said, we haven’t talked it over properly. You can’t just kick me out.”

He paused, then turned and ran back to his room.

Huo Li looked at him like this and shook his head helplessly, then got up to prepare breakfast.

After eating, he was about to go out, and Huo Li also followed him.

“I’ll drive you.”

When the two arrived at the coffee shop, they saw that the team representative had already arrived early.

“Hello, Mr. Chu. My name is Fang Luobin,” he said. He was a tall, thin young man with thick glasses, holding a tablet in his hand. From his appearance, he looked very reliable.

He also believed him. After all, Wu Yueshan had said that this was someone she had found for him after a lot of screening. It was said that his business ability was top-notch, and the reason he was expensive was that he would never hold him back for the sake of short-term gains, and he knew how to judge the situation, which was most suitable for him, who often attracted negative rumors.

“Hello,” he nodded.

“And this is…?” Fang Luobin glanced at Huo Li.

He said with a grin, “Mr. Chu’s bodyguard and assistant, responsible for everything.”

“Oh… oh! I’ve heard about it from Sister Yueshan.”

He ordered a coffee. After a brief introduction, Fang Luobin went straight to the point and talked about his future business plans.

“Teacher Chu should know that you’ve gained a lot of fans since your last variety show ended.”

In the grand finale, his song had gone viral again. Combined with the many songs before, more and more people had seen this musical talent, and more and more people were willing to understand him.

After understanding him, what negative rumors were not important anymore.

Someone who can write such pure songs can’t be a bad person. Some people were even so impressed by his talent that they didn’t care about his character at all.

In short, the anti-fans and those who disliked him still existed, but they were finally not all of them, and he was no longer blacklisted by the entire internet.

“Therefore, we recommend that Teacher Chu is best suited for singing competition shows with live streaming and follow-up recording. At present, your popularity and foundation are not yet stable, so you can continue to follow the model of the previous variety show.”

What he said was right. Chu Qing’s personality was special. The two variety shows he had participated in before had ruined his audience appeal because of editing problems and taking things out of context.

He had to let the audience follow him live, to slowly get to know him without any processing.

And as for music-related shows, it was needless to say. That was where he could shine.

“We looked at the contracts on Teacher Chu. The next variety show is as a mentor on All-Around Teen Idol. Breaking the contract is not conducive to long-term cooperation with the investors, and this variety show is broadcast live, and there are also places where you can shine, which is very coincidental.”

From what he meant, it seemed he wanted him to participate in this as originally planned.

He frowned slightly and said hesitantly, “As a… teacher? I might… not be able to.”

He didn’t want to mislead the younger generation, and he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to bear the responsibility of a teacher.

“Teacher Chu has already participated in a talent show and won the championship. It’s not suitable for you to compete as a contestant again. And the other music exchange shows we have on hand are not broadcast live, and you have to deal with other singers and veterans, which is a big test of your emotional intelligence and adaptability.”

He paused.

“Then, then I don’t want to.”

Looking at it, All-Around Idol is still the best.

“Then it’s settled,” Fang Luobin said with a smile. “The first season of All-Around Idol had very good ratings. The second season has the original lineup, with top-tier celebrities like Yu Weixi. It’s a good show.”

“Teacher Chu doesn’t have to worry about the work. We plan to start planning singles and albums, and look forward to a concert,” he said with a smile. “So next, you might have to work even harder on your creation.”

Singles and albums required long-term planning. The two talked for a long time, and Huo Li quietly listened on the side.

This team was one that Shao Fanxing had discussed with him, so he was naturally satisfied.

It could be seen that this team was also working hard to plan for him. When they talked to him, they seemed to be considerate of his emotions and worried that he wouldn’t understand. They were very gentle and careful, and didn’t use any professional terms, just chatted like ordinary people. It seemed they had investigated his temper.

After they finally finished talking, it was already evening. The few of them had dinner together before saying goodbye.

On the way back, he sat in the passenger seat. Huo Li was driving and adjusting the frequency of the car radio.

The car was filled with light music, and the two didn’t speak.

He leaned against the back of the seat and closed his eyes to rest.

After chatting for an afternoon, he was a little tired and felt uncomfortable all over, his back also hurting.

He frowned slightly and gently pressed his back.

Huo Li looked at the road ahead, paused, and said with a smile, “It’s snowing.”

Fine snowflakes fell from the sky and landed on the car window.

He parked the car in front of a closed shop and unbuckled his seatbelt.

He looked at him in a daze. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s snowing.”

He looked out the window.

Ah…

A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes.

“Like it?” Huo Li said with a grin, taking off his jacket and putting it on him. “I told you to wear more when you went out at noon, but you didn’t listen.”

The thick coat was very warm.

“Let me rub it for you,” Huo Li said, placing his hand gently on his back.

This was the reason he had suddenly stopped the car.

“Mr. Huo…” he was stunned, and finally couldn’t hold it in anymore, his eyes gradually turning red. “Why are you still not leaving?”

“I’ve already said, you haven’t had a good talk with me. I’m not leaving.”

He bit his lower lip, trying to breathe in and hold back his tears.

“You… you bastard…” In the end, he still started to cry, desperately trying to cover his face with his hands.

“Qingbao…”

Huo Li unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned over, and pulled him into his arms.

After three days of holding it in, and a whole day of fear and anxiety in front of him, he finally couldn’t help but cry out loud after being held in a firm embrace.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid… I’m here.”

He leaned against him, his shoulders heaving.

The reason he had to wait until after the grand finale to say goodbye to him was because he was afraid that he… wouldn’t be able to get through it. He wanted to finish the competition from beginning to end. He was afraid that if he said it, he wouldn’t be able to finish.

Just like now, he had clearly promised to live a good life, but he still broke down.

As time passed, he gradually realized… he depended on him, he needed him.

He even wanted to possess him.

He thought, If I stay with him for longer, I’ll definitely become more and more inseparable from him.

But he doesn’t need me. If he gets tired of me in the future, what will I do?

“Qingbao, why don’t you want me?” he said, holding him, his head resting on his shoulder. The two were squeezed into such a small space, and his voice was hoarse. “Tell me, okay? I’ll change.”

“Mr. Huo… cough…” he sobbed. “Mr. Huo is very good.”

“Mr. Huo is very, very good, very good. He is very gentle, very amazing. Even if he goes bankrupt, he can quickly make a comeback. Huo, Mr. Huo is also very smart…” he gripped his shirt, his voice trembling. “I’m afraid you won’t want me in the future. I’ll… I’ll…”

“I’ve already, worked so hard… I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” he spoke intermittently, even a little incoherently.

He didn’t know what to do now, when he found that he had a longing.

Then, he discovered his own cowardice.

And then, he found that he couldn’t solve his own cowardice.

“Qingbao…”

Huo Li stared blankly at him in his jacket, at a loss for words for a moment.

“I…”

This person…

Huo Li’s whole body was a little stiff, as if he had been electrocuted, and he stared at him blankly.

“Mr. Huo, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” he was a little out of control, grabbing him, his breathing even a little uneven. Huo Li reached out and gently patted his back.

“Qingbao…” Huo Li closed his eyes. “I’m also afraid of losing you.”