APCF – Chapter 75 It’s Okay

Qi Xingchen really liked these two horses. He took out his phone and snapped several photos from different angles and poses before sending them to Bo Ye.

Even though they had only been apart for half a day, he already missed Bo Ye a little. He wondered what he was doing right now—filming a show? Training the trainees? Composing for the production team?

Thinking about the music, he suddenly realized— The production team had assigned Bo Ye and Wei Qin to create an original song together.

Wait—could it be…

Could Bo Ye be with Wei Qin right now?!

Qi Xingchen anxiously ruffled his hair. Just then, his phone vibrated twice—Bo Ye had replied.

Bo: [Beautiful horses.]

Xing Xing: [My younger brother sent them over. I love them.]

Bo: [You like horses? I have a few small ponies—very gentle, perfect for keeping as pets. After the show ends, you can come pick two.]

Xing Xing: […No, no! I’m always traveling all over the place. I don’t have time to raise a whole herd of horses! Just taking care of these two is already a challenge.]

Bo: [Alright, then. But if you ever want to ride, you’re always welcome at my place.]

Qi Xingchen didn’t want Bo Ye to think he was too playful and was about to decline again. But then, a thought crossed his mind—

If he had a reason to visit Bo Ye’s house…

That would be amazing.

Xing Xing: [Panda kneeling and kowtowing.gif]

Xing Xing: [Thank you, Your Majesty!]

Bo Ye looked at the panda emoji, bowing in a row, and chuckled silently.

Just the thought of visiting Bo Ye’s house made Qi Xingchen feel much better than before. But he still wanted to know—was Bo Ye with Wei Qin right now?

He walked back to his room from the stable, leaving the lights off. Studies showed that darkness could boost a person’s courage.

He stared at the “video call” button on the screen, and borrowing the courage granted by the night, he gritted his teeth and tapped it.

Twenty seconds later, the call connected.

Bo Ye had apparently just finished showering. His bathrobe wasn’t fully tied, and the loose neckline revealed a broad stretch of his collarbone. Water dripped from his damp hair, forming a shimmering trail that slid down his sharp jawline, across his chin, and over his prominent Adam’s apple…

Qi Xingchen suddenly felt his throat go dry.

“In your room?” Bo Ye was the first to speak. The movement of his Adam’s apple made the water droplets tremble slightly. “Why didn’t you turn on the lights?”

Qi Xingchen swallowed hard. “I—I was in a hurry when I came in. Didn’t have time.”

“Have you eaten dinner?”

Qi Xingchen hummed in response, then added, “My sister cooked. She… uh, her food has weight-loss properties.”

Bo Ye chuckled. “You don’t need to lose weight. You already look great on camera.”

This was the second time Bo Ye had complimented his looks. Qi Xingchen, feeling a bit lightheaded from the praise, blurted out, “Am I better-looking than Wei Qin?”

Bo Ye froze for a moment.

Why did Wei Qin suddenly come up?

Then he remembered—the last time he took a punishment on Wei Qin’s behalf, his little fan had gotten jealous and even pouted, accusing him of being someone else’s little kitty.

“The jealousy really lasts a long time,” Bo Ye muttered under his breath.

“What did you say?” Qi Xingchen didn’t catch it and widened his eyes.

“Nothing.”

Bo Ye sighed. “You’re more beautiful than anyone else.”

“…R-really? You’re not lying, right?”

“I’m not lying. You are the most beautiful, brightest star in the night sky.”

As Bo Ye spoke, the corners of his lips lifted slightly, his voice tinged with laughter, but his tone was completely serious.

Qi Xingchen instantly felt all the blood in his body rush to his face. His hands and feet went numb, and his brain stopped working.

Was he really the brightest star in Bo Ye’s night sky?

No way… Bo Ye must’ve just been saying that to comfort him.

Qi Xingchen shook his head, snapping himself out of his beautiful fantasy. Then he finally remembered why he had started the video call in the first place. Licking his lips, he asked, “Uh… are you alone in your room?”

“Of course. I was taking a shower—no one else could come in even if they wanted to.”

“Oh… wait.” Qi Xingchen suddenly realized something. “When I called you… you were in the middle of a shower?”

“Mhm.”

“Like, halfway through?”

“Yes.”

No wonder Bo Ye hadn’t even tied his bathrobe properly.

Qi Xingchen, feeling guilty, said, “Sorry for disturbing your shower. Next time, don’t mind me—just finish washing first.”

“It’s fine. I just wiped my hands,” Bo Ye said casually. “You’re more important.”

Speaking of Liang Jing, Qi Xingchen had already planned to visit Jing’an Hospital during this trip back.

One reason was to check on Tao Xuan, and another was to ask about Liang Jing’s clinical project, which was being conducted there. He needed to find out how Liang Jing and Tao Tao were doing.

After waking up naturally, Qi Xingchen did his vocal warm-ups and stretches in the courtyard. Qi Yujie, fully dressed, passed by him.

“Xingxing, I’m going to the spa with my friends today, so I won’t be able to join you for breakfast. The chef just started cooking the porridge—make sure you eat it soon while it’s hot. Cold food is bad for your stomach.”

“Got it.” Qi Xingchen listened to the nagging but felt incredibly happy. “You take care too. Call me if anything happens.”

“No way. I can’t let those girls see your handsome little face—I’m afraid they’ll try to steal my baby brother.”

Steal a brother? Qi Xingchen chuckled helplessly. He assured her that no other sister could steal him away, then asked, “Has the horse caretaker arrived yet?”

“Yes, he came at five in the morning.”

“That’s good. These horses cost two or three million—we have to take extra good care of them.”

“That’s not too bad,” Qi Yujie replied. “Spending two or three million dollars on two top-quality Akhal-Teke horses? Jiaze definitely got a great deal.”

Two or three million… dollars?!

Qi Xingchen nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Turns out, last night he had missed a single word—‘USD’.

And that one word made the horses almost seven times more expensive!

He had been thinking of paying Qi Jiaze back, but now it seemed impossible anytime soon.

Sitting on a balance of just a few million yuan from his acting fees, Qi Xingchen shed tears of poverty and inexperience.

Jing’an Hospital wasn’t far from the Qi family’s estate. At 10 a.m., Qi Xingchen, fully disguised, drove himself to the hospital.

On the way, he received a call from Qi Yunxiao, informing him that Dongcheng TV had announced their decision regarding the internal favoritism scandal.

After hearing the details, Qi Xingchen told Qi Yunxiao to wait for his call before taking any action.

Sneaking in through the hospital’s back entrance, Qi Xingchen spoke with a nurse and learned that Tao Xuan had been transferred from the intensive care unit to a regular VIP room. Following the room number, he made his way there, only to unexpectedly run into Liang Jing at the door.

Had Liang Jing already started consulting on Tao Xuan’s case?

Had Night Peach reached the part of the story where Liang Jing was about to be discarded?

Liang Jing glanced at him and asked curiously, “Xingxing, what are you doing at the hospital?”

“…You recognized me?” Qi Xingchen was quite surprised.

Afraid of being spotted by paparazzi, he had covered himself up tightly with a mask, hat, and sunglasses.

“I could recognize you just from your silhouette,” Liang Jing replied, a hint of anticipation in his eyes. “Are you here to visit a patient… or to see me?”

“I came to visit a patient, and to see you while I was at it,” Qi Xingchen answered honestly.

Lately, the clinical effects of a newly developed drug had been underwhelming. On top of that, his mentor’s health had taken a turn for the worse, leaving him with several patients to handle. Liang Jing had been working from morning till night and hadn’t even found time to meet Xingxing despite knowing he had returned to H City.

He hadn’t expected Xingxing to come to him on his own today. The exhaustion that had been piling up for days seemed to ease a little. He stepped forward and gently held Qi Xingchen’s wrist, his voice soft. “You’ve lost weight.”

“Let’s go inside first,” Qi Xingchen quickly pulled his hand away.

Liang Jing’s steps halted. They had always been close, often slinging their arms around each other’s shoulders during school. Xingxing had never shown any resistance to his touch before.

Did Xingxing really… not like him at all anymore?

Watching the other man’s retreating back, Liang Jing frowned deeply. Qi Xingchen didn’t wait for him and walked straight over to the hospital bed.

Tao Xuan had just woken up, looking weary. As before, he turned his head to gaze out the window. Not wanting to startle him, Qi Xingchen called out softly, “Tao Xuan.”

Tao Xuan didn’t respond but eventually turned his head back.

“How have you been feeling lately? Any better?”

Qi Xingchen hadn’t expected an answer, but to his surprise, Tao Xuan’s lips parted slightly. “It’s the same as always.”

Being able to communicate with outsiders was already progress. Qi Xingchen was stunned for a few seconds before asking a few more questions—whether Tao Xuan needed tutoring, if he was craving any food, or if he wanted to go out and have some fun.

If Tao Xuan’s condition improved, then Liang Jing wouldn’t have to resort to donating a kidney.

However, reality soon made it clear that he had been overly optimistic—Tao Xuan stopped responding to him altogether.

With a sigh, Qi Xingchen left the room, contemplating possible solutions. Liang Jing saw him come out and pushed aside his own turbulent emotions, slipping back into his professional role. “Were you able to have a proper conversation with him?”

“No.”

“What a shame,” Liang Jing murmured, lowering his voice. “If his mindset improved, it would help with his recovery.”

“He’s not cooperating with treatment?”

“Not really,” Liang Jing shook his head. “He even strongly resists the routine examinations twice a day. The only time he was a little better was when his sister came to visit.”

The moment he heard the word sister, Qi Xingchen immediately became alert. “You… you met his sister?”

“I have,” Liang Jing replied, unsure why Qi Xingchen was reacting so strongly.

“What’s your impression of his sister?”

Liang Jing found the question odd. “I heard she’s a celebrity, but she doesn’t act like one at all. She’s very approachable—a gentle and kind girl.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “It would be better if she could visit Tao Xuan more often.”

Liang Jing had only met Tao Tao once, yet he already held such a high opinion of her. That alone was proof of the heroine’s overwhelming aura. Qi Xingchen anxiously scratched the back of his neck, suddenly realizing something was off.

He asked, “Tao Tao only visited Tao Xuan once?”

“Yes.”

It had been nearly a month since Liang Jing started overseeing clinical treatments at the hospital. Qi Xingchen was surprised. “Could it be that she came when you weren’t around, so you just didn’t see her?”

“Tao Xuan is a key observation patient. His daily routine is fully recorded. According to the records, Tao Tao has indeed only visited once—less than Jiaze, even.”

“???” Qi Xingchen felt a headache coming on. “What the hell is that brat Jiaze doing here?!”

“He brought workbooks and textbooks and has visited three times. Tao Xuan finds him extremely annoying,” Liang Jing said with a chuckle. “But honestly, I hope he keeps coming. When he’s around, Tao Xuan seems more… alive. How should I put it? He’s no longer like a fragile porcelain doll—he seems like a real, living person.”

Hearing this, a few vague thoughts surfaced in Qi Xingchen’s mind. They weren’t entirely clear yet, so he’d have to sort them out later.

He bid Liang Jing farewell, but before he could leave, Liang Jing remembered something. “Oh, right. Jiaze asked me to teach you how to ride a horse. When are you free?”

“I’m free all week. Just let me know when.”

Leaving the hospital, Young Master Qi decided to inspect his business empire.

After this morning’s realization, he was disheartened to find that making enough money for a horse through entertainment contracts was proving difficult. For now, he could only rely on squeezing profits from his ocean park and mining operations to patch up his deflated wallet. QAQ

Not wanting to make a big scene, he bought a ticket and entered the park as a regular visitor. He took the chance to check on his “brother” Xiang Xiang and his fossilized shark “big bro” at the museum.

After a full round of inspections and seeing everything running smoothly, he contentedly strolled along the path to the seaside, where he also observed the yachts docked at the port.

How much could I sell this thing for? A few million, at least… right? But if I sell it, will my sister be upset…?

While tangled in his thoughts, his phone rang. It was An Ran.

“Xingxing, what’s your plan? Are you still staying silent?”

It took Qi Xingchen a few seconds to realize she was referring to Kevin’s situation.

Judging by the timeline, public opinion should have reached its peak today, and An Ran must be feeling anxious. Qi Xingchen pondered for a moment before replying, “I’ll respond in an hour.”

“How are you going to respond?”

“Dongcheng will handle it. I can’t reveal the specifics yet, but don’t worry, Sister An Ran.”

Although Qi Xingchen was young, he was incredibly reliable. Hearing the confidence in his voice, An Ran felt reassured. She reminded him to be cautious of paparazzi and avoid crowded places.

Since he had just finished his tour of the ocean park, Qi Xingchen agreed without hesitation. Hanging up, he opened Weibo and clicked into the trending topic for My Era.

As expected, Kevin’s fans, C Entertainment’s paid trolls, brainwashed bystanders, and anti-rich netizens had all gathered together, collectively turning him into a “class enemy.”

[Qi Xingchen is a bully and doesn’t deserve to be a mentor!]

[If you’re so rich, go inherit your family business. Stop polluting the entertainment industry!]

[Aren’t you guys afraid of losing your accounts? You can’t mess with a powerful capitalist. Be careful—if Young Master Qi gets mad one day, he might just make you disappear from this world. 🙄🙄]

[I really want to know how much money Qi Xingchen spent to get into My Era. Seems like anyone can be stuffed into their own variety show now. Dongcheng is doomed.]

Of course, many fans and neutral bystanders also spoke up for him:

[Qi Xingchen’s professional skills are obvious to anyone with eyes. Can you brainless haters at least watch the show before talking nonsense? OK?]

[He stayed up late training with Class F, and you all just conveniently ignored it? Why are you so sure he only got in through connections?]

[Just a neutral viewer here. Putting Kevin aside, I really admire Qi Xingchen’s dedication. His notebook is almost completely filled.]

[I’m a dance instructor. Qi’s dancing is solid. I heard he’s only been training for a year and a half—he must’ve put in a ton of hard work.]

Seeing the flood of comments, Qi Xingchen couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. It wasn’t about the praise—it was about the fact that his hard work was being seen and recognized by the public.

He hadn’t embarrassed himself, nor had he let down the Starlight fans who had supported him so diligently.

Taking out his phone, he dialed Qi Yunxiao’s number.

One hour later, Dongcheng TV released an official statement:

Dongcheng TV Official Weibo: In late August, an unexplained transaction appeared in the accounts of our Operations Director, Project Manager, and Chief Director. Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the funds were bribes from a certain entertainment company, intended to alter the competition results for their trainees.

At the very start of My Era, such a severe incident occurred, prompting deep reflection and self-examination at all levels of Dongcheng TV’s management. As a result, we have made the following decisions:

1. All employees involved in this incident will be dismissed, and the bribe money will be returned in full.
2. A thorough review of the My Era production team will be conducted to ensure this never happens again.
3. To guarantee fairness, My Era will publicly display its voting database until the show ends, inviting public scrutiny and supervision.
4. A dedicated customer service hotline will be launched to address viewers’ concerns and suggestions regarding the fairness of the program.

Once again, Dongcheng TV sincerely apologizes to all viewers. Though we had already begun investigating this matter before the competition took place and the involved trainee has since withdrawn for personal reasons, we take full responsibility for what happened. We do not ask for forgiveness—only that you continue to monitor us as we proceed with full data transparency.

Finally, we extend our sincere gratitude and respect to the five mentors. Thank you for your dedication and your fair and just evaluations.

September 25, 2020

The moment the announcement was posted, netizens were dumbfounded.

Ever since talent shows and variety competitions became popular, accusations of shady dealings had been common—but a network actually exposing itself? That was unheard of.

Did Dongcheng have a death wish?

However, upon carefully rereading the statement, people realized that the corruption had been uncovered before the competition even started.

In other words, the scheme had failed, and the first round of eliminations had remained unaffected.

Dongcheng’s decision to publicly admit its mistakes and promise transparency actually demonstrated its commitment to producing a fair and honest show. The sincerity in their words was undeniable.

…Damn, I actually developed a bit of goodwill toward Dongcheng. What the hell is going on?

As soon as the announcement was released, fueled by public discussion and the show’s popularity, “Dongcheng’s Official Statement” shot to the top of the trending list under the “explosive” category.

Clicking into the topic, some netizens expressed their satisfaction with Dongcheng’s handling of the situation, and their goodwill toward the company skyrocketed.

Others, however, were left utterly speechless.

The announcement mentioned that the “involved trainee has withdrawn from the competition,” and it wasn’t hard to guess who that referred to.

Kevin’s fans, along with those who had blindly trashed Qi Xingchen for days, were suddenly hit with the cold, hard truth—right in the face.

They had spent days accusing Qi Xingchen of buying his way onto the show—only to find out that Kevin was the one who had actually paid his way in!

Does it hurt? Yeah. It hurts like hell.

Kevin’s fanbase collectively fell into dead silence—until My Era released a video clip.

In the video, Kevin used rap to complain about the lack of “freedom in judgment” and accused Qi Xingchen of “winning through money.”

Qi Xingchen, however, clapped back immediately with a sharp response: “If you want to be a Chinese idol, learn Chinese first.” If he couldn’t, then “foreign trash should just roll back to ABC.” Every word was powerful, every syllable resonating with strength.

In an instant, nationalist sentiment erupted among netizens!

The biggest Kevin fan account was the first to react:

[I sincerely apologize for attacking Mr. Qi Xingchen over the past few days. From now on, this account will be closed. I will also block all mutuals who are still Kevin fans. Kevin, I hope you take care of yourself.]

Then, Kevin’s fansite admins also renounced their support:

[This fansite has been a labor of love, built on the collective effort of many people. Unfortunately, we did not stan someone worthy of our support. Effective immediately, this site is shutting down, and we will no longer post anything related to a certain male celebrity. Thank you for your time, and goodbye forever.]

The remaining fans had nothing left to say. Instead, they flooded the trending topics, as well as Qi Xingchen’s and Kevin’s Weibo pages:

[I have no class, I admit it. Not only am I unfollowing him, but I’m also going to trash him on my way out. F* you, Kevin. If you don’t like it here, then GTFO already!!]**

[I’m so sorry, I really am. I was blind to Kevin’s true character. I sincerely apologize to Teacher Qi. Thank you for standing up for our culture—I respect you immensely.]

[Damn, that rap battle was FIRE! So tell me—why the hell did I waste my time stanning some foreign garbage when I could’ve been supporting Qi Xingchen, who’s talented AND handsome?! Was I under some kind of K-curse? I need to start stanning Teacher Qi ASAP!]

[Same! I’m officially switching sides to Team Qi!]

[Sisters, take me with you! If we’re stanning, we’re stanning together!]

And just like that, all of Weibo turned into a massive unstan-and-roast party, with ex-Kevin fans flocking to Qi Xingchen instead.

And as for a certain piece of “foreign trash”?

He signed his contract termination and compensation agreement on the spot—and promptly rolled back to his so-called land of “freedom” in ABC.