Chapter 50: Turmoil in the Rehearsal Room

Lucian glanced down at his phone.

The screen was lit up with over a dozen messages from Chen, who had been bombarding him since the morning.

【Chen: Where are you??】

【Chen: You didn't know we have class today??】

【Chen: We need to fill out forms for the modeling competition prizes!!】

【Chen: You bastard, are you still at the Counselor's place?? Has his fever not broken??】

【Lucian: Be there soon.】

He tucked his phone away and looked up.

Sebastian was still lying on the bed, his hand gripping Lucian's wrist, refusing to let go. His expression was incredibly stubborn, looking as if Lucian owed him billions.

Lucian watched him.

Looking at that pale face and that fierce yet fragile appearance, he suddenly felt like laughing.

"Your fever just broke; don't go to the firm today. Just rest well."

"I have to go," he said.

Sebastian didn't speak, nor did he let go. He was very angry, but he couldn't quite put into words what exactly he was angry about.

Lucian waited for two seconds.

"Seriously, I have class."

Sebastian still gave no reaction.

Lucian let out a sigh.

He leaned down, bringing his face close to Sebastian's.

So close he could count his eyelashes, so close he could smell the scent of medicinal ointment on him.

Sebastian’s brow furrowed, his face full of wariness. "What are you doing?"

Lucian didn't say a word. He reached out and gently rubbed Sebastian’s face.

The way he rubbed was exactly like stroking a cat with ruffled fur.

From the cheeks to the chin, then from the chin to the base of the ears.

Sebastian froze.

He lay there, completely dazed by the stroking, his eyes wide and round, his mouth agape. He didn't process what was happening for a long time.

Lucian saw his expression and laughed out loud.

"Be a good boy. I'll come see you tonight."

With that, he withdrew his hand, straightened up, took a step back, and strode out.

At the doorway, he looked back.

Sebastian was still on the bed staring at him, his expression a mix of bewilderment and rage, fierce yet silly.

Lucian winked at him.

The door closed.

Sebastian stared at the door, unable to react for a long time.

A few minutes later, he sat up abruptly.

"LUCIAN!!!"

The door had long been closed; the person was long gone.

Sebastian sat on the bed, his face flushed deep red.

Good boy?

Who was he calling "good boy"?

He was thirty-four years old, and he was just had his face rubbed and told he was "a good boy"?

What right did he have?!

Sebastian grabbed a pillow, wanting to hurl it.

But the door was closed, and Lucian was nowhere to be seen.

He held the pillow up for two seconds, then slammed it back onto the bed.

He lay down, staring at the ceiling.

His mind was filled with the scene that had just occurred.

His face grew a bit hotter.

He told himself in his heart.

Once he was better, he’d definitely show that kid who was boss.

He gritted his teeth and thought.

He’d show him what "good boy" really meant.

He’d show him—

As he thought, his head grew dizzy again.

The medicine was still working, and that bout of exertion just now had drained all his energy. He stared at the ceiling until his eyelids began to grow heavy.

No! Can't sleep!

If I sleep, he'll just bully me again!

He forced his eyes open with great effort.

But his eyelids were too heavy, like they were weighed down by stones.

He held them open for a minute, then they closed again.

He rolled over, pulled the duvet over his head, and curled up inside, leaving only a messy tuft of hair showing.

After a long time, a muffled voice drifted out. "...Bastard."

The duvet rose and fell gently as his breathing gradually stabilized.

———

When Lucian pushed open the door to the rehearsal room, the atmosphere inside was as lively as a pot of boiling water.

The music was deafening. Several male and female students were rehearsing their movements, weaving back and forth to the beat.

The mirrored walls made the room brilliantly bright; everyone's expressions, movements, and even the wrinkles in their clothes were on full display.

He stood at the door, looking at the bustling scene, and suddenly felt a bit dazed.

This morning, he was still on the bed holding that man, biting his finger.

And today, he was here.

Life is freaking amazing!

"Lucian! Over here!"

Chen's voice drifted out from a corner.

Lucian looked over; Chen was waving at him, standing with two others.

He walked over.

"Come, come, let me introduce you." Chen pulled him over. "This is Haze, second place in the selection."

Haze smiled and reached out a hand. "Heard a lot about you, third-place handsome guy!"

Lucian shook his hand.

"Hello."

Haze looked very sunny, his eyes crinkling into slits when he smiled. He looked like the carefree type.

Chen pointed to the other guy beside them.

"And this is Xavier Lin, first place."

Lucian looked over.

The guy was leaning against the mirrored wall with his arms crossed, a faint smile on his face. He was quite delicate-looking with subtle features, exuding an air of detachment.

He extended a hand. "Hello, I'm Xavier Lin."

Lucian shook it. "Lucian."

Xavier Lin’s hand was very cold, like it had just come out of a refrigerator. He withdrew it immediately after the handshake.

"You guys chat," he said. "I'm going over there to warm up."

Lucian watched his back.

"This guy is a bit cold," he noted.

Chen leaned in and lowered his voice.

"I heard he's from a single-parent home; his mom raised him alone. He doesn't like to talk much, but his walk is truly impressive. He deserved that first place."

Lucian nodded and didn't think much more of it.

Haze leaned in, looking gossipy.

"Hey, I heard you took leave yesterday? What were you up to?"

Lucian glanced at him.

"Private business."

Haze chuckled a couple of times but didn't press further.

Actually, he had already heard gossip about Lucian from Xavier Lin. He didn't know why Xavier Lin was pretending not to know Lucian when Chen came to say hello today.

"Alright. Come on, let's rehearse. The second round is next week; we can't screw up."

Lucian was pulled into the rehearsal formation.

The music started again.

He stood before the mirror, moving to the beat, but his mind couldn't help but drift elsewhere.

He suddenly let out a small laugh.

"Lucian! What are you laughing at?!" Chen's voice came from the side. "Your positioning is wrong!"

Lucian snapped back to reality and realized he had drifted off course. He quickly adjusted, but the smile remained on his lips.

Haze leaned over.

"What are you thinking about? Smiling so dreamily?"

Lucian pushed him away.

"Nothing."

Haze looked unconvinced.

"Nothing? Then why are your ears red?"

Lucian touched his ear; it was indeed hot.

He cleared his throat and straightened his face.

"Movements, movements. Stop talking crap."

In the corner, Xavier Lin leaned against the mirrored wall, watching the group laughing together.

His face remained expressionless, but his eyes followed Lucian.

Watching him stand before the mirror—6'2", broad shoulders, long legs—a natural clothes horse just by standing there.

Watching him laugh, watching him mess around with others, watching that oblivious look of his.

Xavier Lin retracted his gaze and looked down at his own hands.

These hands had been working since childhood—washing clothes, washing dishes, washing vegetables. They cracked in the winter and peeled in the summer.

He had fought with everything he had to get into this school, practiced until he broke, and fought to take first place.

All for that hundred thousand dollars.

A hundred thousand was enough for his mother's medical bills for a year.

He lifted his head and looked at Lucian again.

That person was still laughing.

Laughing so easily, so carefree.

He didn't know what life was like; he didn't know what poverty was like; he knew nothing.

Xavier Lin retracted his gaze and stood up slowly.

He walked over to the clothing rack in the corner where their clothes were hanging.

Lucian’s jacket was hanging on the outside—black, simple style, but the fabric was clearly expensive.

He glanced around; no one was paying attention to him.

He reached out his hand and lightly pressed against the inside of Lucian’s jacket.

There was a tiny object there, something he had sewn in last night.

Small, thin, like a thorn.

It wouldn't hurt too much when put on, but during the show, every step would prick.

He wouldn't discover what it was; he would just think the clothes were uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable, so he would be distracted.

Distracted, so he would make a mistake.

Make a mistake...

Xavier Lin withdrew his hand and turned to leave.

His face still wore that same detached expression.

By the time Lucian finished rehearsing, it was already four in the afternoon.

Drenched in sweat, he walked to the corner and called for Chen to go eat. Chen tucked his phone away and slung an arm around Lucian's shoulder as they headed out.

Lucian was quite happy, but his mind kept going back to Sebastian...

Thinking about him lying on the bed, buried under the duvet with only a messy tuft of hair showing.

He couldn't help but laugh again.

Chen looked utterly speechless.

"Laughing again? Are you freaking possessed today?"