Chapter 221: Family Visit
Amidst the training days for the next duo performance, the company surprises the trainees again for the unexpected family visit. Unlike when the first visit was due to the incident about the riot, this ti the company prepared more to shoot openly to capture the monts with their family.
It’s just that while most felt happy, so felt complicated— like Gu Yijin and Qin An who are both orphans.
For Qin An who hadn’t experienced this, he was more calm and expressionless as he stayed on the corner and looked at the family gatherings. As for Gu Yijin, a rare look of daze flashed on his face for a few seconds before he looked away and went towards the young man.
Gu Yijin sat beside Qin An and both stayed silent, neither asking if even if they don’t have direct family, what about so relatives?
Qin An glanced at the trainees with their family and rembered their conversation with Nan Moyi. Each of them has the sa emotions written on their faces right now— happiness. They have this smile painted on their lips and their eyes seem to have the sa light that they had when they joined the competition... as if all the passion that wear off for the following challenges disappear and the original fire inside their hearts burn again.
Was this the connection that Nan Moyi talked about regarding the bond between family relationships? Can sothing about blood really do this way? Qin An was still in confusion because he never experienced having one.
Grim reapers like them just existed out of the blue. They even never experienced being a child or a teen like any humans. They just popped out to whatever they looked like and stayed like that for the rest of their lives. They don’t have family or sothing that they are connected to since they existed.
But looking at them, is having a family great?
"Neither."
Qin An was stunned when he heard Gu Yijin’s voice. It turns out that he voiced that question unknowingly and he later responded.
The young man didn’t look at him but he continued his words. "Having a good family is probably the best blessing that you can have in life." He motioned the trainees in front of them. "Like them."
"..." Qin An didn’t know what to respond but Gu Yijin seems to finally find soone whom he can talk to and just unexpectedly beca talkative all of the sudden.
"To have a good family ans there will be soone who’ll be at your back wherever you go and support you throughout the path you chose." Gu Yijin’s voice sounded just casual as he explains but after these words, he paused for a mont before he suddenly sneered. "Of course not everyone is."
"..." Qin An didn’t respond again.
"So families are like chains that prevent you from being freed. If you are a rose, they are the thorns around you— preventing others from fully admiring your worth because they cannot touch you. It may look like a protection to others but if no one will pick you up, you’ll just wither on the corner and rot forever in that place."
"... Is not getting picked better because staying in the plant can make you live longer?" Qin An couldn’t help but asked.
Gu Yijin turns his head at him. "Can living longer give you freedom? If being picked and dies early but having the chance to see the world, I’d rather that."
He looked away again and his eyes landed on the families around with an indescribable expression on his face. "Not everyone has the luck to have that."
"..." Silence envelops them after that.
Then what about him? Was this just the fate of neither having a good or bad family?
Qin An fell into confusion and was so focused on his own thoughts that he didn’t notice soone ca close to him. Only when he felt a warm touch wrapping around him tightly that he was caught off guard and quickly looked at the sudden person embracing him.
It was the familiar person that he first knew after transmigrating in this world, Li Bai.
The latter didn’t notice the stiffness on his body and kept on hugging him.
"Brother Qin! It’s good, it’s good!" Li Bai kept on repeating those words and even proceeded on patting his back that fell him into confusion. Fortunately, the latter moved away after a second and grinned widely at him.
"Brother Qin, you did so great!" Li Bai happily greeted him with a complint as usual.
Qin An paused but fortunately, the young man didn’t notice his awkwardness.
Li Bai looked at Qin An from head to toe and saw the drastic changes in the young man from the last ti they t. This made Li Bai want to cry in tears and look at Qin An as if his own child was finally an adult.
Even if Qin An was younger but he called him Brother, Li Bai just thinks that it’s suited more for the young man in the past due to the latter’s extre indifference and stoicness. He was too distant and all that no one seems to have the courage to get close to him. Even he himself had a hard ti when he was clearly the Manager.
However Li Bai watched all the episodes from the competition and saw the young man’s changes within himself. He saw how Qin An slowly opened himself and beca willing to be close to everyone around him. And looking at him now, Li Bai could feel the hidden aggressive temperant around him lessen and a sense of softness lingers around it.
Qin An learned how to soften his wall to hear and see the world around him.
Li Bai inhales deep to relax himself. "Brother... ah no," he suddenly stopped and smiled. "Can I call you Anan too?"
Qin An was speechless but for the young man’s eagerness, he had no choice.
"... Sure."
This made his smile grow more widely. Brother Qin was such a distant na in the past and calling him Anan looks more closer to him, just like how the young man let others reach him.
"Is there a problem?" Qin An asked when Li bai just stared at him with teary eyes. He was not used to that face and felt a little uncomfortable.
"No, no, no!" Li Bai quickly shakes his head and composes himself. "Anan, I’m just really happy to see you going until now. I’m very proud of you!" And Li Bai just proceeded on excitedly showing off how he changed and how he did well for all the challenges in the competition with a bright smile on his face.
"... Thank you." Qin An felt a bit uncomfortable with the constant praise but could do nothing.
Li Bai giggled and was about to say sothing again when they heard soone calling for the young man.
"Anan! Anan!" They saw He Yan holding his mother and waving at them enthusiastically while walking towards them.
When they were near, Li Bai beca nervous at the sight of Madam He and was about to salute but the latter gently shook her head and turned towards Qin An.
"It’s been a while, Anan." Hou Nian greeted the young man.
"It’s been a while, Mrs. He," he responded but the latter raised her brows.
"Mrs. He? I think that sounds too distant." Hou Nian jokingly said. "Won’t it be better to call Auntie?"
"..." Qin An was speechless. As far as he rembered, Madam He knew his real identity and knew that he was far older than anyone in this world. Call her Auntie? Was that... too strange to begin with?
Hou Nian chuckles again after receiving the young man’s eyes. This Qin An never fails to amuse her. Be it an awed for his mysterious power and the amusent for his unexpected innocence, she thinks it’s cute.
Rembering her other son’s face just made her face palm even though she was actually still worried until now.
Speaking of He Li, Hou Nian glanced at the flying small cara on their side before talking. "By the way, the situation outside is going to end soon."
She didn’t care about the shocks and gasps from everyone and just stared closely at Qin An’s expression. "A’Li will be back."
It’s just that to her slight disappointnt, Qin An was surely surprised but that’s it. Hou Nian clicked her tongue inside her mouth and felt a sudden pity for his son who’s at the border right now.
Just from He Li’s personality and the young man’s ignorance, can they even pull this up? Hou Nian really wanted to be frank and ask questions but dared not to as she respected both of them.
She sighs. Whatever. Whatever fate will be given to them, she will just accept it.
As for Qin An, he was calm when he heard that. He was convinced of the man’s strength and knew that he would definitely survive. What was on his mind right now is actually the Marshal’s possible situation about his ntal power.
Surely, the man used his strength again but they all knew the danger that may co any second if he continues doing it. Just what Madam He told him, he was just as stubborn as he is in terms of enduring everything and as careless for their own health.
This made him rember again the man’s sudden outburst at the laboratory and wanted to roll his eyes.
How dare that even he himself doesn’t know how to take care of himself.
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