Chapter 35

Shen Mofeng was momentarily tempted by Ye Chen’s obedience, and he maliciously wanted to force an unwilling “no” out of Ye Chen’s mouth. Therefore, he pretended to be arrogant and domineering, saying, “If I have to stay in the hospital, you’ll postpone all your upcoming announcements for a while. I’ll cover the breach of contract penalty for you. How about that?”

Ye Chen first opened his mouth in astonishment, then thought Shen Mofeng was probably joking again. After considering for a few seconds, he nodded gently and said, “Okay.”

Shen Mofeng observed Ye Chen’s expression, knowing that his joke was too obvious and had been seen through by the kid. He was about to change the subject to something more subtle when Ye Chen preemptively confessed, “I know you’re joking…”

Ye Chen turned his head to look at him, his eyes clear. “But even if you really want me to postpone the announcements, I’m willing to do so.”

Firstly, he had just said he was willing to do anything for Shen Mofeng, so he couldn’t back out now. Secondly, clearing over a hundred million in debts had made him somewhat passive, as he hadn’t earned any real money yet.

Shen Mofeng chuckled, “You…”

Although he understood the principle of “saying is one thing, doing is another,” Shen Mofeng’s heart was still soft as if it were melting.

“What are you willing to do?” Shen Mofeng’s heart softened again, but he also felt frustrated, wishing he could turn over Ye Chen with one hand and spank him. “Breaking a contract without reason is a principle, and I won’t allow it.”

Ye Chen met his gaze and, emboldened, murmured softly, “I’m not doing it without reason, I have a reason…”

Shen Mofeng silently stared at Ye Chen, biting his lip. It seemed that the pain in his shoulder wasn’t enough to restrain him.

Ye Chen retorted for a moment, then backed down, awkwardly turning his head to look out the window.

Shen Mofeng whispered, “Still talking back? Say it’s not okay, that you’re not willing.”

Obeying his reborn parent’s command, Ye Chen obediently repeated, “It’s not okay, I’m not willing.”

Shen Mofeng fell silent.

Just say whatever he wants him to say… A wicked flame surged in Shen Mofeng’s heart.

Two hours later, they arrived at the nearest large hospital.

As soon as the car stopped, Ye Chen quickly jumped out of the car, circling to Shen Mofeng’s door before the assistant, helping him open the door. He supported Shen Mofeng’s uninjured left arm with one hand and blocked the car door edge with the other to prevent Shen Ge from hitting his head. After Shen Mofeng got out of the car, Ye Chen used the cautious posture of a child helping his grandfather to assist him into the hospital.

On the way here, Xiao Liu had called several bodyguards and temporary assistants to wait in advance at the entrance of the hospital they were going to. They were afraid that reporters would swarm in later, causing chaos. When those people saw Shen Mofeng arriving, they all respectfully approached, creating a scene where the seven Hulu ^[1]Hulu Brothers – From a Chinese animation TV series by the same name. Also known as Calabash Brothers. An old man grows 7 calabashes, each with a different color, to fight two demons. And as the … Continue reading babies surrounded their grandfather.

“Stay away from me,” Shen Mofeng, surrounded by people, became irritable and mocked, “I’m not seventy or eighty yet, I don’t need so many people to take care of me.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen disappeared in an instant.

“…” Shen Mofeng glanced at him, and his shoulder, which had just eased up, was hurting again from annoyance. “Come back.”

Being too obedient was also a problem.

The cars sent by the crew to transport the injured arrived at this hospital one after another. Some arrived earlier than Shen Mofeng, while others followed closely behind. The registration hall and payment windows were bustling with activity, filled with familiar faces from the crew. Xiao Gao also came with another car, commissioned by Xiao He to bring some useful items to Shen Mofeng’s room, and he also brought replacement clothes, power banks, and identity cards for Ye Chen. A few reporters who were well-informed had also arrived and were waiting in the registration hall. When they saw their target, they immediately swarmed over to interview Shen Mofeng, only to be blocked by bodyguards and assistants.

Shen Mofeng went into the examination room for X-rays, and Ye Chen took the opportunity to slip into the restroom to change into regular clothes and remove his makeup, preparing to face the bombardment of entertainment reporters later. After he finished adjusting himself, he walked out of the restroom, but before he could take five steps, he was surrounded by a group of reporters who were scrambling for news.

“What was the cause of the accident this time?”

“Are there any loopholes in the safety precautions of the crew?”

“How is Shen Mofeng’s injury? His right arm seems to be immobilized. Will it affect the upcoming filming?”

“How did he get injured?”

Ye Chen only answered a few trivial questions and avoided sensitive ones that might cause trouble. However, he couldn’t remain silent about the cause of Shen Mofeng’s injury. Even if he put aside personal emotions, Shen Mofeng was injured while saving him. If he remained silent during the interview, it might be criticized in the future. So Ye Chen blurred out the details of the accident that might cause trouble, only expressing that Shen Mofeng was injured while saving him and expressing gratitude to Shen Mofeng in front of the media.

At this time, the person in charge of the crew also arrived at the hospital, and the reporters dispersed in a flurry, turning their guns on the person in charge. Ye Chen took the opportunity to slip away. When he returned to the door of the examination room, Shen Mofeng happened to come out with the results of the X-rays. The two of them were surrounded by a crowd and escorted to see the doctor’s images. The result was that there was no damage to the bones, just a dislocated shoulder joint. The doctor performed traction on Shen Mofeng to reset the joint. After the traction treatment, the pain immediately eased a lot, but Shen Mofeng still dared not move his right shoulder much. There was a large area of bruising on his right shoulder, and although the bones and joints were fine, his movement was still restricted.

Anyway, the fact that there was no problem with the bones relieved some of Ye Chen’s psychological burden.

As for Shen Mofeng, he knew before taking the X-rays that there was a high probability that there would be no serious problems.

Because he had a secret.

However, the confidentiality level of this secret was so high that even he, the holder of the secret, was not very clear about the details…

Shen Mofeng only knew that since he was very young, a blank memorial tablet had always been solemnly enshrined in the ancestral hall of his family. Every day, his father, Shen Ting, would personally bring three meals into the ancestral hall and place them in front of the blank tablet. During festivals, Shen Ting would worship fervently in front of the tablet. As far as Shen Mofeng could remember, Shen Ting’s acts of delivering food and worshipping at the tablet were almost unstoppable.

Shen Mofeng remembered that when he was young, his mother had argued with his father many times about this matter. However, his father always remained vague and never revealed who the blank tablet was dedicated to. Later, Shen Ting went into business and his business flourished. Gradually, Zhang Yujie, his mother, no longer dwelled on the issue of the blank tablet. She tacitly accepted the mysterious existence in the ancestral hall that brought wealth to Shen Ting.

When Shen Mofeng was young, out of curiosity, he had asked about the secret of the blank tablet. However, Shen Ting always remained tight-lipped and remained silent like a mute when faced with this question. Only once, perhaps irritated by his incessant questioning, he suddenly slammed the table without warning and angrily shouted at the young Shen Mofeng, “I’ll tell you, if you pry into secrets, you’ll shorten your life! You’ll live ten years less! Do you want to live ten years less?! Children should not ask so many questions!”

The five-year-old young Shen Mofeng: “…wuwuwu…”

Since then, Shen Mofeng had never asked that question again.

But he could feel something strange.

For example… Shen Ting aged very quickly.

When Shen Mofeng was born, Shen Ting was twenty-four years old. Now, Shen Mofeng was twenty-six, and Shen Ting was only just fifty. Even though he consumed all sorts of precious health products daily, never stopped massaging or exercising, sought all sorts of holistic treatments, hired one private health consultant after another, and even flew abroad to receive a type of cutting-edge medication costing hundreds of thousands of dollars per injection, he now looked like someone in their sixties. The contrast between him and the well-maintained Zhang Yujie was… uncomfortable to look at.

For example… Shen Mofeng always managed to avert disasters.

Putting aside the bumps and bruises from childhood and school days, since his debut at nineteen, he had rarely used body doubles to ensure the filming effect. Although he had experienced several serious and minor injuries, every time he encountered a disaster, he could vaguely sense something protecting him from the unknown. It was a genuine, protective force, not a figment of his imagination.

Shen Mofeng confirmed this because he was not superstitious. Not only was he not superstitious, but during his rebellious period, he also detested and resisted such things because of his father’s superstitions. When he was fifteen, he even overturned a table in protest against Shen Ting’s superstitions. But later, as he experienced more things, he believed… reluctantly.

It was on a certain day when he was twenty-one years old. During a horse-riding scene, Shen Mofeng fell off the horse due to an accident. When the fallen horse pressed down firmly on his ribs, he clearly felt the protection of that mysterious force. It was the most serious accident he had ever had in his life, and it was also the most powerful and undeniable appearance of that protective force.

That evening, Shen Mofeng rubbed his ribs, which were only bruised from being smashed, and walked into Shen Ting’s study with a disheveled appearance, apologizing to Shen Ting for overturning the table when he was fifteen.

From then on, not only did he no longer attempt to pry into the secrets in the ancestral hall, he wouldn’t even try to reason or contemplate.

Some things were not meant for him to know.

The blank memorial tablet in the ancestral hall… intriguing.

The injuries suffered by several other cast members on set didn’t seem as heart-stopping as Shen Mofeng’s, yet each of them was more severe than his. In the end, Shen Mofeng, miraculously unscathed, was the first to be discharged from the hospital, looking like nothing had happened. Xiao He carried a bag of first aid supplies and, together with a few bodyguards, held back the tidal wave of reporters.

When they got back into the car, it was already two in the morning. They urgently needed a place to stay overnight and recuperate. Xiao He drove the car out of the encirclement, while Xiao Liu searched for the nearest five-star hotel.

Seated in the middle of the back seat, next to Shen Mofeng on his left, Ye Chen shifted uncomfortably, turning his face slightly to the right to glance at Xiao Gao, who had squeezed into the car amidst the chaos.

Xiao Gao responded with an innocent gaze and whispered, “Chen Ge, where are we staying tonight?”

“Um…” Ye Chen’s brain raced at full speed.

When he followed them, he was preoccupied with worries about Shen Mofeng and hadn’t thought about the accommodation issue for tonight.

Both Ye Chen and Shen Mofeng were artists, and it wouldn’t make sense for Shen Mofeng to bear the accommodation costs for Ye Chen and his assistant. They would each be responsible for their own and their assistant’s room charges. The hotel Xiao Liu found cost over two thousand for a night, totaling more than five thousand for two rooms…

…How about finding a 24-hour KFC to sit in? It’s bright. Ye Chen stared at Xiao Gao with a complex look full of information, attempting to communicate with him telepathically.

“Let’s stay at the same hotel as us, don’t bother.” The silence in the car lasted for only about three seconds. Shen Mofeng instructed Xiao Liu very naturally, “Book two more rooms.”

Ye Chen subconsciously declined, “No need, no need.”

“Staying at the same hotel is more convenient, isn’t it?” Shen Mofeng smiled lightly, “You’re here to help me with my medicine. They are a bit heavy-handed… Xiao Liu, have you finished booking?”

Xiao He remained expressionless, “…”

Is it because we are heavy-handed, or is it because Shen Ge, your heart is heavy?

“Booked.” Xiao Liu said.

With the situation settled, the tension in Ye Chen’s muscles relaxed slightly, and he said tentatively, “Thank you, Shen Ge.”

“You’re welcome.” Shen Mofeng responded casually, sneakily stealing a glance at Ye Chen’s clothes.

He had been paying quite a bit of attention to Ye Chen lately. A few days ago, he had come across a post online about Ye Chen and decided to take a look.

It wasn’t exactly a negative post. The OP, probably out of curiosity, had compiled Ye Chen’s outfits over the past few months. The post was titled—”Just How Much Does Ye Chen Like These Clothes!”

After reading this post, Shen Mofeng discovered that not only did Ye Chen like to wear old-fashioned clothes, but the quantity of these old-fashioned clothes was also strangely small. He had actually worn some of his clothes from when he first debuted just two months ago… And this was only a compilation of photos that fans had scraped from various entertainment news. Shen Mofeng had seen Ye Chen almost every day for the past two months, and upon careful recollection, this issue became even more obvious.

It seemed that Ye Chen would rotate several sets of good clothes within a season, and as for sunglasses, he always wore that one pair from Prada.

Shen Mofeng remembered a phone call he had accidentally overheard before. At that time, Ye Chen had mentioned on the phone that he had fallen out with his family in order to enter the entertainment industry. Shen Mofeng had felt somewhat worried at the time, but it wasn’t appropriate for him to inquire about someone else’s family matters. When he had refused to inherit the family business in order to pursue acting, his own parents had cut off all financial support. He still remembered the miserable scene when his father had kicked him out of House, with not a penny in his pocket and all his cards frozen.

Luckily, he had many friends, and when they heard that Young Master Shen was homeless in the park and being bullied by stray dogs, those rich second Generation friends had happily come to his aid. If he had to say, Shen Mofeng had actually lived more comfortably during that time than he had at home. Besides, Ye Chen was different from him back then. Ye Chen was rising in fame, and he had already taken on quite a few jobs. Logically speaking, how broke could he really be?

But now Shen Mofeng wasn’t so sure.

Maybe… his little friend couldn’t even bring himself to buy a piece of clothing worth tens of thousands?

And Ye Chen’s hesitation when booking the hotel just now only intensified his suspicions.

The author has something to say:

Ye Qiongqiong’s financial statement today:

Today’s expenses: Almost spent 5000 yuan, luckily Shen Ge helped me pay…

Today’s income: Value of 5000 yuan for two five-star hotel rooms

Ye Qiongqiong: Overnight riches! ╰(*°▽°*)╯

Shen Mofeng’s account book today:

— Even willing to cancel shoots for me… Too silly.

Shen Mofeng’s favorability: +30

Current favorability: 290/1500, four stars.

— Whatever I ask him to repeat, he repeats it, in the future… hehe.

Shen Mofeng’s favorability: +30

Current favorability: 320/1500, four stars.

— The little friend fell out with his family for me, seems like he can’t even afford a piece of clothing worth tens of thousands. (This matter needs further investigation)

Shen Mofeng’s favorability: +50

Current favorability: 370/1500, four stars.

Realizing things are not as simple as they seem… Shen Mofeng’s IQ +1