Chapter 17: With a Crack, My Heart Shattered

“Forget it. This one phone call is enough. I won’t be going back to the company. You just stay over there for now, and don’t contact me for a while.”

Yu Mozhi had one arm around the little dumpling and the other holding his phone. His body leaned back against the chair, his voice sounding a little careless.

That same calm and indifferent tone made Liu Wu breathe a slight sigh of relief.

“What do you mean, ‘don’t contact you for a while’? Just be straight with me—are you planning to start your own studio?”

“Yeah.”

“You think I’m the kind of guy who waits for you to get everything set up just so I can come in and enjoy the fruits of your labor?! You think I don’t know what’s going on in the company? Just thinking about it makes me sick. That Jiang Nianyue only gets away with things because of his status and those crazy brain-dead fans of his. Everyone has to bow and scrape in front of him. I’ve been wanting to get out of there for a long time!”

“Liu Wu, you know how things are right now. Every step is difficult. The other artists under you are all on the rise. There’s no need to make a scene with the company.”

Yu Mozhi frowned.

“Senior! Take me with you, take me with you! I’ve been sick of Jiang Nianyue’s face for ages. It’s okay if you don’t take Brother Liu, but take me! My family’s rich. If you’re opening a studio, you’ll need artists, right? You can’t be the only one. Take me with you!”

Before Liu Wu could speak, an energetic voice came through the receiver—it was another artist under Liu Wu, someone who went to the same university as Yu Mozhi. His name was Yue Han.

His name sounded cold and aloof, but in reality, he was a lively, sunny young man.

“You little brat, get out of here.”

Having had his spotlight stolen, Liu Wu pushed the voice away and spoke again to Yu Mozhi, “Don’t worry. I’ve been planning this for a while too. I’m sick of all this crap here. I’ve been wanting to set up a studio for my own artists. You stepping out like this? That’s just me getting a golden opportunity to latch onto your thigh! Mozhi, give me your address. And don’t go wandering around. Those crazy fans are seriously dangerous.”

Hearing him go that far, the curve of Yu Mozhi’s lips softened a little. He then told him his current location.

Liu Wu had a vague impression of where it was, and while walking, he asked, “Mozhi, this the house you bought before? Oh right, another thing. That ‘raising a baby’ thing you mentioned earlier—what’s that about? Is it a pet? I guess that makes sense. With everything going on right now, raising a pet to heal emotionally is a good idea. Just don’t go making some huge headline, okay?”

The little dumpling wriggled in Yu Mozhi’s arms, still eyeing the bowl of porridge on the dining table longingly. But since Daddy was holding her, she didn’t demand anything too strongly. Now, hearing the person on the phone seemingly mention her, she turned her little head, her round face filled with confusion. A few strands of hair stuck out at odd angles on top of her head, and when she moved, those messy little hairs wobbled with her.

“Ah…”

A soft, babyish voice floated out.

“There’s no company now, so PR has to be done by myself. Do you know how hard that is? Don’t go adding more work for me… Wait, what was that sound just now?”

“Uncle, Mianmian isn’t a pet! Mianmian is Daddy’s precious little sweetheart, a little fairy!”

This time it was clear as day—that unmistakably soft and milky voice that only human babies have. It was so tender it melted your heart—absolutely adorable.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the phone, Liu Wu, separated by nothing but a phone screen, thought: …I just heard the sound of an enormous increase in workload.

With a crack, my heart shattered.

(End of Chapter)