HTI: Chapter 138

Once everything was ready, the entrance of the theater opened and fans started to enter. Qiu Xing’s sitting position was too conspicuous. Fans quickly noticed him and couldn’t help shouting his name loudly.

Qiu Xing glanced over and politely nodded at everyone. The fans became even more excited and someone shouted, “Mr Qiu, your new hairstyle is super handsome!”

Qiu Xing was taken aback and hurriedly withdrew his gaze.

“Happy?”

Qiu Xing controlled his expression. “No.”

Mother Qiu obviously wasn’t convinced. She looked back at the fans and told Qiu Xing, “They are very cute.”

Qiu Xing frowned and muttered, “You don’t see them when they open their mouths.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Mom, do you think it is noisy? Do you want soundproof headphones?”

Mother Qiu smiled and waved her hand. “I came here to hear Yang Yang sing today. What soundproof headphones?”

At 2 o’clock, the lights in the theater dimmed. Fans lit up their support sticks and light boards and the audience was a sea of white stars. Mother Qiu looked back again and wondered, “I saw the lights that fans use when other singers hold concerts are all colorful. Is this Yang Yang’s one?”

Qiu Xing replied, “Yes, this is it.”

“This?”

Qiu Xing changed his sitting position and replied, “Yes, the white starlight is Xie Yang’s chosen support light. He said that the first support light he received was like this and he prefers it.”

Mother Qiu observed Qiu Xing’s expression and asked, “Why do you look like you’re stealing something?”

Qiu Xing quickly retorted. “What am I stealing? No.”

Mother Qiu smiled. “You are the first support light?”

Qiu Xing picked up a cup of water and drank from it while pretending to be casual. “Due to his stinky temper, he angered a group of people on the Internet before he made his official debut. Who would give him support in the beginning except for me?”

Sitting on the other side of Mother Qiu, Liu Sha smiled and turned her head away. She smartly didn’t mention that Qiu Xing had thrown away the cheering sticks before Xie Yang’s first performance and that she reminded Qiu Xing about using the mobile phone’s torch as a cheering light.

A beam of light suddenly appeared in the middle of the dark theater stage. Xie Yang appeared in the beam of light while holding a guitar. He was wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans and sat on a high chair with a microphone stand in front of him.

The audience cheered. Qiu Xing and Mother Qiu paused in their conversation and watched the stage. Xie Yang raised the microphone and waved with a smile. “Good afternoon everyone.”

The cheers were louder. Xie Yang glanced in the direction of Qiu Xing and Mother Qiu and continued, “Thank you for your support over the past year. I will give you a new song called ‘Starlight’.”

Starlight.

Qiu Xing paused.

Cunning guy. Was this song title pleasing him or pleasing the fans? Or… he looked at his mother who was startled after hearing the word ‘starlight’. Perhaps he was comforting an old woman’s heart.

‘Starlight’ was a quiet and warm song. It depicted love, whether it was a fan’s love for an idol, an idol’s love for their fans, the love between family members or the love between partners… all love was like starlight. Love was always there and starlight was eternal.

By the end of the song, Mother Qiu’s eyes were a bit red but she had a smile on her face as she clapped.

***

After all, it was a fan meeting. Apart from singing, Xie Yang needed some interaction with fans. In order to avoid Qiu Xing’s jealousy, Xie Yang asked Qin Cheng to turn all the interactions into a lucky draw and gave fans various benefits on the spot.

The moment all the benefits were delivered, Mother Qiu suddenly patted Qiu Xing’s hand. “Ah Xing, my legs are a bit cold. Can you bring me a blanket?”

Qiu Xing frowned and reached out to help rub Mother Qiu’s legs. He saw Xie Yang sending fans off the stage and responded, “Okay.” Then he got up and walked toward the side exit, preparing to go backstage to grab a blanket from there.

After the fans who received the benefits stepped down, Xie Yang suddenly looked at the audience and said, “It is my first anniversary. Shouldn’t I cut a cake to celebrate?”

The fans replied clearly, “Yes!”

Qiu Xing paused for a moment and looked sideways at Xie Yang on the stage. Then he accelerated his pace of going out.

“Then I will pick a fan to help push the cake to me. I hope the fan and I will cut the cake together.” Xie Yang snapped his fingers. “Teacher in charge of the lights, please help me choose a lucky person.”

The lights dimmed while the fans shouted, “Choose me, choose me!”

Qiu Xing’s face turned dark. Why cut the one year anniversary cake with a fan? Yesterday, he clearly said—

A beam of light suddenly fell from above and headed straight to Qiu Xing. Qiu Xing stopped abruptly. The shouts of the fans stopped before they screamed more excitedly. It wasn’t known who took the lead but the fans chanted Qiu Xing’s name.

“……”

Qiu Xing slowly turned sideways to stare at Xie Yang on the stage. Xie Yang smiled. “The fan chosen by the lighting teacher for me is very handsome and fits my liking.”

The screams of the fans almost toppled the roof.

Qiu Xing, “……”

The corners of his mouth went up before he pressed them down.

“The cake is here. Can this fan help push it over to me?”

A staff pushed in a three-tier cake from the entrance and stopped in front of Qiu Xing. This had obviously been prepared beforehand. Qiu Xing looked at Xie Yang and then back at Mother Qiu who was watching him with a smile. Then he stepped forward and pushed the cake cart onto the stage.

The screams of the fans became more enthusiastic. Liu Sha and the others laughed and followed along. Qin Cheng commanded the photographers and videographer he invited and told them to shoot this scene well.

Qiu Xing pushed the cake onto the stage and stopped in front of Xie Yang, trying to ignore all the fans under the stage. He was trying so hard to suppress his emotions that his expression was a bit fierce and his tone was rushed. “Your cake.”

Xie Yang took the initiative to hold Qiu Xing’s hand and spoke to the audience members. “The more I look at this fan, the more I like him. After thinking about it, I have decided to let him cut me a lifetime cake. Do you agree?”

“Agree—!”

“Agree!”

“Get married!”

Qiu Xing almost broke his control. He hurriedly squeezed Xie Yang’s hand back and lowered his voice. “What nonsense.”

Xie Yang raised his eyebrow, ignored this person and let go of Qiu Xing’s hand. He snapped his fingers again, “The lighting teacher, please turn off the lights. I’m going to blow out the candle.”

The lights went out but the fans’ support lights were still present.

Xie Yang watched Qiu Xing. “Where is my candle?”

Qiu Xing saw Xie Yang’s smile and couldn’t hold back. He raised his hand to rub Xie Yang’s head. Then he took the candle from the table and inserted it into the cake, lighting it up seriously.

“Then I will make a wish.” Xie Yang walked to the cake, held the microphone in both hands and closed his eyes to make a wish. “I hope this fan with the last name Qiu can promise me one thing.”

The entire scene was quiet and Xie Yang could hear Qiu Xing breathing lightly. He continued, “Please get well soon and let me give you a wedding.”

It was deathly quiet before the screams overturned the roof again. Xie Yang still closed his eyes as he asked, “Will my wish come true?”

“Yes—!”

“It will come true—!”

He shook his head. “Why aren’t I hearing this fan’s answer?”

The fans once again feel quiet. Xie Yang’s eyes were still closed as he fell into a familiar embrace. A hand held the back of his head and a slightly muffled voice entered his ears. “Yes.”

The screams started again.

Xie Yang hugged Qiu Xing back and opened his eyes in a satisfied manner. “I will hold you to your word.”

Qiu Xing touched the back of Xie Yang’s head and replied, “My words count.”

Xie Yang smiled and let go of Qiu Xing. He saw Qiu Xing suppressing countless emotions in his eyes and couldn’t help leaning over to kiss him. Then Xie Yang turned around and blew out the candle.

The lights came on at the right time. Xie Yang took Qiu Xing’s hand, and looked at Mother Qiu who was watching them with red eyes. “He will live forever and we will always be together.”

Mother Qiu pressed a hand against the corner of her eye and nodded.

***

The fan meeting ended and the topic #Xie Yang’s marriage proposal# immediately became a hot search on Weibo. Various photos of the fan meeting went viral on Weibo and countless people gave them blessings.

However, the two people involved didn’t have time to pay attention to it. Five days later, Mother Qiu fell unconscious. She might’ve lasted a long time but the time had come.

Qiu Xing and Xie Yang pushed away all the work and stayed in the sanatorium to accompany Mother Qiu. Feng Qinglin also rushed over.

Two days later, Mother Qiu suddenly became sober. Her spirit was normal. She pulled Xie Yang and Qiu Xing to watch the video of the fan meeting, flipped through the photo albums and ate two meals normally. At night, she insisted on going to the terrace to watch the stars.

Everyone realized something and suppressed their emotions. They tried to act as usual as they moved Mother Qiu to the terrace. The night was getting deeper and the stars flickered. Mother Qiu stared at the sky and suddenly asked, “Ah Xing, is Qinglin home?”

She was confused again. Feng Qinglin couldn’t bear it and blinked. After a long pause, he turned his head and told her, “Grandma, I have come back. Previously, I didn’t understand anything but don’t worry, I am back.”

Mother Qiu’s eyes were fixed on Feng Qinglin’s face. It took her a long time to recognize him. She felt relieved and held Feng Qinglin’s hand. “You came back. Listen well to your uncle’s words.”

Feng Qinglin nodded desperately.

“Ah Xing.”

Qiu Xing held Mother Qiu’s other hand.

“You are sick. Are you okay?”

Qiu Xing helped pull the blanket over his mother’s legs, tidied her hair and replied, “Yes.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“You are lying to me.” Mother Qiu held Qiu Xing’s hand. She even let go of Feng Qinglin and turned to Qiu Xing with a stubborn expression, repeatedly muttering, “Ah Xing, you have to live.”

Everyone could see she had reached her limit but she was desperately trying to hold on because she couldn’t let go of her worry.

Qiu Xing suppressed his emotions and promised her. “Mom, I swear, I will live well.”

Mother Qiu was still stubbornly unwilling to relax.

Xie Yang, who had been sitting quietly on the side, suddenly stopped up. He picked a closed bud from the flowers on the terrace and held it in his hand. He walked up to Mother Qiu, removed Qiu Xing’s hand and spread open Mother Qiu’s palm. He pressed something against Mother Qiu’s palm as he leaned toward her ear and whispered something.

Mother Qiu’s body shook and she stared at Xie Yang with shock.

Xie Yang soothed her. “Mom, I told you that I am the Qiu family’s lucky star.” Then he slowly moved his hand away.

A warm, blossoming flower lay quietly in Mother Qiu’s palm. Mother Qiu stared at the flower on her palm and squeezed it tightly. Then she raised her eyes to look at Xie Yang again like she was looking at hope. “You…”

“It has blossomed, Mom.”

Mother Qiu clenched her hands and laughed while crying. Then she murmured, “God bless.”

Her eyes were as bright as fireworks as she stared at Qiu Xing with joy. “Ah Xing, you will be well.”

***

Mother Qiu fell unconscious again and was sent back to her room.

By the time the sun rose the next day, Mother Qiu had gone with a smile. She seemed to have a good dream as she clasped her hands on her abdomen with a relaxed expression. She was still holding the flower in her hand.

Qiu Xing walked out of his mother’s room and hugged Xie Yang who was waiting outside. He buried his face in Xie Yang’s shoulder and tightened his arms.

“Yang Yang… it is just you and me at home now.”

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Proofreader: Paranoid Kitten