Chapter 25: I Used To Hate Rainy Skies
“Thank you, Yu Wei, otherwise I wouldn’t even know where to find someone…”
Fei Hong wiped his neck with a towel while expressing gratitude to Yu Wei beside him. Normally Zhou Mumu went out alone, so they really didn’t know where she would go.
“No big deal.”
Yu Wei glanced at Fei Hong, whose lips always carried a smile. Ever since the two came back leaning on each other, his gossip heart had instantly lit up.
He’d never seen a star fall in love before; he really needed to record it as material.
“What were you two doing in the rain? The moment I mention Mu Mu, your gaze instantly softens…”
“Don’t talk nonsense, we didn’t do anything.”
Dialect slipped out in his urgency, as if nothing had happened. Yu Wei spotted his slightly red ears at a glance but didn’t point it out.
This kid was skilled in handling people and relationships, but he seemed a bit rigid when it came to romance. Who knew if it would work out in the end.
While Yu Wei was teasing Fei Hong, a staff member suddenly came over to tell them that Zhou Mumu had a high fever and might not be able to participate in the subsequent program recording.
Romance in the rain turns out like this…
“Is it serious?”
Fei Hong, who had been a bit shy the second before, felt a jolt through his body and rushed out without a word. Yu Wei followed right behind, his mood complex.
A fever and cold didn’t sound that serious, but during program recording, this could be a big or small issue. To put it bluntly, if something happened, who would take responsibility?
Actually, in many variety shows, young fresh meat getting bumped and sent straight to the hospital was arranged by the program team, only for the star to end up criticized as dramatic…
It wasn’t him whitewashing young fresh meat; during program recording, if a star had any accident, the program team arranging medical care promptly was the most reliable method. Otherwise, there would be a lot of trouble.
If not sent to the hospital, what if there are other illnesses? What if the star’s management company isn’t happy?
Of course, some young fresh meat going to the hospital for a scraped knee is indeed dramatic, but besides them, the program team treating them like treasures should be criticized too.
Zhou Mumu’s condition was much more serious; she had a persistent high fever and was unconscious, lying in bed constantly breaking out in cold sweat.
The small dwelling did have a medicine box, but after taking the medicine, there was still no effect yet…
“She’s so hot; maybe we should still send her to the hospital.”
Tong Yulu paced back and forth anxiously, wishing she could carry Mu Mu out right away. At this point, she had already put away those little schemes, leaving only genuine concern for her friend.
Even Yu Wei, who had just arrived a week ago, had such a good impression of the program; they had been filming here for over a month. To say they had no emotion at all would definitely be false.
Don’t think she and Chi Leying didn’t get along; if the other got sick, she would definitely worry too…
“We still need to ask Mu Mu what she thinks.”
Chi Leying removed the towel from Zhou Mumu’s forehead, soaked it in warm water, wrung it out, and put it back. “If she doesn’t want to film, of course she can leave.”
“Mu Mu doesn’t like this program… everyone should know that, right?”
Tong Yulu’s words exploded the topic. Actually, everyone could see it, but no one had broken that window paper.
The room fell silent for a moment, and it was the anxious Fei Hong who broke the stalemate first, preparing to have the program team arrange a hospital trip immediately.
Don’t think the guests usually had a lot of little thoughts; when something real happened, everyone was basically of one mind.
Tong Yulu and Fei Hong advocated immediate medical attention, but Chi Leying and Yu Wei thought they should listen to the patient’s own wishes.
They weren’t children anymore; adults make their own decisions and bear the consequences. In the end, they were at most co-renting “neighbors.”
Yu Wei might be a bit scheming; he considered more. If sent to the hospital, the program recording would have to miss her, whose loss would the program team compensate? Would the management company be happy?
He could think of this, and everyone else could too. The program team hadn’t stated a position, weren’t they just waiting for the person’s own opinion?
They wanted to stay out of it like a non-stick pan…
“I, I want to continue recording the program.”
Zhou Mumu slowly woke up, and her first words resolved everyone’s urgent issue. Though she had been unclear-headed earlier, she had vaguely heard everyone’s words.
Everyone was clearly surprised she would say that. Anyway, she didn’t like this program, so why not take the chance to rest for a while?
And in her condition…
“I want to persist a bit longer.”
Zhou Mumu curled up under the covers, thick cotton batting covering her body, like a fish locked in an oven. Every breath carried scorching heat, labored and heavy.
She recalled Yu Wei’s words that afternoon. After hearing how her company had coaxed and deceived her onto the program, Yu Wei’s response was simple:
Since you’re here, make the best of it.
He didn’t comfort her about her experience, nor say something callous like “then rebel.” He just told her to cherish every day here now that she was here.
In the adult world, how could one so easily say no? Everyone has their own difficulties, and there aren’t that many assumed plots.
“I really don’t like this program, but I like the feeling of being together with everyone…”
In the air, there was only her intermittent panting and the tiny sounds from her cracked lips moving and pulling.
Yu Wei could completely understand this mood. Stars’ normal social interactions were already few; here they could rarely escape the entertainment industry dye vat, and “roommate” feelings were more genuine.
The group felt a warmth in their hearts but couldn’t say anything to persuade her, so they exchanged glances, wanting to hear everyone else’s ideas.
“How about this: if Mu Mu isn’t better by nine o’clock, we get medical help promptly. For now, let her rest quietly.”
They were all overly concerned and confused, but Yu Wei, being new with shallower feelings, was the most rational at this moment.
This suggestion was very sensible, respecting the patient’s opinion while providing a backup plan, and it quickly gained unanimous agreement.
Yu Wei was just going with the flow. This handling was easy to think of, but if the other regular guests didn’t know how to bring it up, he had to be the one to say it.
The program team agreed too, but for safety, someone had to stay and watch…
Everyone was perceptive; looking at Fei Hong fidgeting beside them, they tacitly decided to have him stay.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll perform a talent to liven things up.”
“Talent?”
Only then did everyone realize Yu Wei still had to pay rent. As an artist, how could he earn money without producing something…
With this incident, they had almost forgotten the program process.
So, was Yu Wei serious? He really created a song in just a few days?
The happiest to hear this was definitely the program team. They really wanted Yu Wei’s song to appear in the program, but hadn’t found a convenient way to ask about progress.
After longing for it like stars and moon, they finally got this song.
Yu Wei wasn’t stupid; if he didn’t do anything in the program, he’d get scolded after broadcast. An artist’s work is art; after the performance, everything would be fine.
If not for this rain, it should be his bonfire farewell party now…
Fei Hong looked at Yu Wei with slight apology. It seemed he couldn’t attend this farewell.
Yu Wei nodded to him, not minding. Whether on-site or not was just formality; the sentiment mattered.
Fei Hong watched everyone leave before sitting by Zhou Mumu’s bed with a full face of worry.
Her whole body was like a piece of red-hot charcoal, sweat-soaked hair tips sticking to her neck, cool like water weeds.
……
The rain sounded sometimes dense, sometimes sparse, sometimes a dense rumbling burst, then soon turning fragmented into whispers.
Several people sat around on the living room sofa, quietly watching Yu Wei somewhat clumsily tune the guitar.
They had waited a long time for this moment, but when it arrived, it didn’t seem as exciting as imagined.
They still looked forward to Yu Wei’s song and still wanted the opportunity to collaborate with him, but at this moment, they hoped Mu Mu would get better.
Everyone sat in the room, the rain sounds outside seeping straight into their ears, as if determined to fill the room.
Yu Wei glanced toward Zhou Mumu’s room while livening the mood and introducing: “This song fits the scene perfectly; it’s called Sound of Rain.”
They should be able to hear it…
