16
At Zhongtian Entertainment, the regular training hours were from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a one-hour break at noon. However, most trainees practiced longer, often staying until 11 p.m. or even midnight.
Having abandoned their studies and signed ten-year contracts, these trainees had no way out but to train hard and debut.
Cen Feng had once been the top among them, the first to arrive and the last to leave. Now, however, he had clearly become the least motivated. By the time Yin Chang and the other trainees had already worked up a sweat during their morning session, Cen Feng would just be arriving.
He wore a black baseball cap and avoided speaking to anyone. The brim of his cap was pulled low, covering most of his face. Under the dance teacher’s pained and exasperated gaze, he would finish the day’s required routine and then sit in the corner like a cold statue, staring blankly out the window.
This dance had only been introduced to the trainees yesterday. Yin Chang hadn’t even finished learning the individual moves, yet Cen Feng could already perform the entire routine flawlessly and without missing a beat.
The dance teacher was both amazed and heartbroken, amazed by his talent but heartbroken by his apparent self-sabotage.
But over the past year, everything that could be said or advised had already been tried. In their eyes, this once-promising trainee had already been labeled as someone who had given up.
Sighing a few times, the teacher clapped to get the other trainees’ attention. “Alright, let’s run through it two more times. Yin Chang, stop staring at Cen Feng, he could dance this better than you with his eyes closed!”
The training room erupted in laughter. Gritting his teeth, Yin Chang forced himself to look away, secretly vowing to surpass him one day.
Around noon, Niu Tao’s assistant came to fetch Cen Feng. “Brother Niu wants to see you in his office.”
Niu Tao was the man who had confronted him at the night market the previous evening. He was the company executive responsible for managing the trainees.
Cen Feng stood up and walked out in silence.
As soon as he left, the training room buzzed with chatter.
“Is he going to talk to him about terminating his contract?”
“Probably, right? It’s been a year already. Anyone else would’ve been kicked out by now.”
“Good riddance. I’m sick of him acting like a zombie and ruining my mood.”
“Watch your mouth! Cen Feng never treated you badly before, did he? All those times he stayed up late helping you break down dances, was that for nothing?”
“Who are you to talk? Am I wrong? Come on, tell me—am I wrong? If he doesn’t want to be here anymore, isn’t it better for him to leave sooner rather than later?”
“Yin Chang, you’re closest to Cen Feng—you tell us!”
Yin Chang, who had been stretching his leg against the mirror, slowly lowered it. His handsome, fair face couldn’t hide his sadness, and his voice sounded muffled. “It’s up to him. Whatever he wants to do is fine, as long as he’s happy.”
Everyone knew he and Cen Feng were closest. Now that Cen Feng was likely leaving, Yin Chang was probably the most affected. They were all just teenagers, after all, without any real grudges. Setting aside their differences, they gathered around to comfort him.
With a tone that was both sorrowful and resolute, Yin Chang said, “I’m fine. No matter what, I’ll keep pushing forward on this path—together with all of you!”
Unaware of the stir he had caused in the training room, Cen Feng now stood in the supervisor’s office. Niu Tao sat at his desk, a stark contrast to his aggressive demeanor from the night before. He looked at Cen Feng with a faint, ambiguous smile.
Standing across from him, Cen Feng remained expressionless, as if even the sky falling wouldn’t make him flinch. Niu Tao slapped a document on the desk in front of him. “Take a look at your attendance record from the past year.”
Cen Feng gave it a cursory glance.
Niu Tao continued, “You’ve been late or left early over ten times, you’ve been passively slacking off, and your practice hours are the shortest of everyone here.” He leaned forward, rested his chin on the back of his hand, and asked with a smile, “Cen Feng, tell me the truth—do you even want to debut anymore?”
The smile was anything but friendly.
It was like a snake flicking its tongue, sinister and terrifying.
Cen Feng stared at him without saying a word.
After waiting a moment and receiving no response, Niu Tao leaned back in his chair and spoke slowly. “You probably think I’m going to say, ‘If you don’t want to debut, then terminate your contract,’ right?”
His smile turned even more sinister. “Is that what you’re waiting for?”
For the first time, Cen Feng finally furrowed his brow.
Niu Tao seemed pleased with his reaction, fingers drumming cheerfully against the edge of the desk. It seemed he wanted to use this method to break Cen Feng’s composure, but after drumming for a while, Cen Feng showed no further reaction beyond that earlier furrowed brow.
Niu Tao’s patience was wearing thin. Suddenly standing up, he jabbed a finger angrily toward Cen Feng. “Don’t even think about it! What do you take Zhongtian for? A place you can come and go as you please? Cen Feng, let me tell you something—even if you rot, you’ll rot right here at Zhongtian! You don’t want to train? Fine, no one can force you. You don’t want to debut? Well, I’ll tell you this—even if you wanted to, you’ll never get the chance again in this lifetime!”
He snatched up the trainee contract and slammed it onto the desk. “Ten-year contract. If I don’t initiate the termination, can you afford the penalty fee? You could sing on the streets for the rest of your life and still never earn that much! You like busking, huh? Fine, go ahead and sing all you want. But if you think you’ll get a peaceful contract termination, you’re dreaming! Trying to act tough with me? Let’s see who can outlast who!”
After his outburst, he felt immensely satisfied, eagerly awaiting Cen Feng’s panicked expression and inevitable pleas.
But the result disappointed him.
Cen Feng’s expression remained unchanged, his dark pupils cold and calm. “Is there anything else? If not, I’m leaving.”
Niu Tao nearly choked on his own breath.
Was this guy some kind of emotionless robot?
He had intended to make a spectacle of Cen Feng, but instead, he felt like the one being made a fool of. To avoid further loss of composure, he quickly snapped, “Get out. And remember everything I said.”
Cen Feng turned and left.
As he went downstairs, Yin Chang and a few of the other trainees who usually got along well were waiting for him. They immediately surrounded him. “Cen Feng, are you terminating your contract?”
He ignored them, lowering his gaze as he continued downstairs.
Gritting his teeth, Yin Chang cried out in front of everyone, “Brother, are you really just abandoning me?”
With his delicate features and slender frame, Yin Chang was the type to easily stir protective instincts. His tears made him look even more helpless than a crying girl.
Cen Feng had already descended the stairs. His back was cold and distant, not even turning to look.
Those gathered around Yin Chang felt indignant on his behalf. “What’s wrong with Cen Feng? Does he see all of us as enemies?”
“We used to get along just fine. Who knows what’s gotten into him?”
“We’ve trained together for three years. Even if he’s leaving, shouldn’t he at least say goodbye?”
“Maybe he’s not terminating his contract? Even though he’s slacking off now, he’s still the most talented among us. Teacher Amo even praised him this morning. The company might not give up on him.”
Yin Chang had initially thought Cen Feng’s visit to the office meant his contract was being terminated. Hearing this now, he realized it might not be the case. A mix of sorrow and resentment surged within him, and his hatred for Cen Feng almost peaked. He skipped afternoon training, taking leave to rest in the dormitory.
Cen Feng coasted through the afternoon practice, ate a quick dinner in the cafeteria, and left the company as snow began to fall once more outside.
The snow grew heavier, blanketing the ground in a thick layer.
With weather like this, the night market was unlikely to draw crowds, so there was no need for him to busk. Yet, remembering the girl who had said she’d wait for him again tonight, he quickened his pace back to the dormitory.
When he opened the door to his room, he noticed the mechanical model on his desk was gone, along with the scattered parts he had left piled together.
Cen Feng paused in the doorway for just a moment before turning to knock on Yin Chang’s door.
It took a while for Yin Chang to answer. Dressed in pajamas and looking as though he had just woken up, he started to say, “Brother—” but Cen Feng cut him off coldly.
“Where are the model and parts from my desk?”
Yin Chang feigned ignorance. “Brother, what are you talking about? I—”
Before he could finish, Cen Feng grabbed him by the collar.
He was naturally lean, and a full head shorter than Cen Feng. Lifted by the collar, he had no room for resistance. In just a few steps, Cen Feng shoved him backward until he slammed against the tightly shut window.
Yin Chang, terrified by his fierce glare, screamed, “Cen Feng! What are you doing?! Are you insane?!”
Cen Feng pinned him with one hand while yanking the window open with the other. A frigid gust of wind rushed in, and before Yin Chang could process what was happening, half of his body was already dangling outside.
They were on the seventeenth floor. The howling wind, heavy with snow, lashed against him like a knife.
Yin Chang completely broke down, shrieking like a slaughtered pig.
Cen Feng tightened his grip on Yin Chang’s collar, hauling him up slightly. Yin Chang saw in his eyes a viciousness akin to a beast tearing its prey apart. Fear stole his voice, leaving only a strangled whimper. Then he heard the question, cold and hard: “Where are the things?”
Trembling, he stammered, “U-under… under my bed.”
The words had barely left his lips when he felt himself drop lower. He wailed, begging for mercy.
The two other roommates, hearing the commotion, finally rushed over. The sight made them gasp, and they yelled at Cen Feng to stop.
Yin Chang clutched the window frame desperately, terrified Cen Feng might actually drop him. Tears and snot streamed down his face. “Brother! Brother, I was wrong! I’m sorry, please… please, brother!”
Cen Feng stared at him, his voice low and deliberate. “If you ever touch my things again, they’ll be collecting your body from the ground below.”
With a violent yank, he dragged Yin Chang back inside. Yin Chang crashed onto the floor with a thud.
Cen Feng turned, walked to the bed, retrieved the hidden model from underneath, and returned to his own room without a flicker of emotion. The two remaining roommates exchanged a glance, mutual fear in their eyes.
Yin Chang lay on the floor, his legs too weak to stand.
A few minutes later, Cen Feng left the dormitory with his guitar slung over his shoulder as if nothing had happened.
The snow fell heavier. A broadcast warned of a blizzard, urging pedestrians to stay safe.
When he reached the night market, the entire street was deserted. Many shops hadn’t even opened.
Beneath a streetlight stood the girl.
She was still bundled up—a pink-and-white down jacket, a bright red scarf, and a hat with fox ears. In her arms, she cradled a pink box.
Shivering from the cold, she bounced in place, the fox ears on her hat swaying with each movement.
Cen Feng walked over.
Hearing his footsteps, she looked up. Joy lit up her eyes as soon as she saw him. She ran toward him excitedly, calling out from a distance, “Brother! With this heavy snow, I thought you wouldn’t come!”
As she drew closer, a sweet, creamy scent wafted toward him.
In her arms was a small cake.
Cen Feng froze for a moment.
Xu Zhaixing glanced around, then walked over to a nearby doorway that offered some shelter from the snow. She waved at him. “Brother, come over here.”
Cen Feng walked over. He watched as she placed the box on the steps, carefully took out the cake, and stuck three candles into it.
Today was his birthday.
How did she know?
Xu Zhaixing acted as though she hadn’t noticed his scrutiny. She stood up, holding the cake. The candlelight reflected in her eyes, warm and bright.
With a cheerful smile, she said, “Brother, today is my birthday. But my parents aren’t home, and no one is here to celebrate with me. Would you share this cake with me?”
On this snowy night, he turned eighteen.
**