Han Junjie's contemplative posture fell into Wei Haoran's eyes.
This was a dance that the trainees only started to learn yesterday. Wei Haoran hasn't even finished learning the decomposed movements, but Han Junjie already memorize the choreography completely and perfectly on beat.
The dance teacher was amazed and sad, amazed by Junjie's talent, but also saddened by his self-deprecation. He had tried to persuade him since last year but to no avail. This seedling who was once the best in their eyes, has been labeled as a waste of resources.
The teacher sighed a few times and clapped his hands to attract the attention of other trainees, "Memorize faster; it's not even a hard choreography! Wei Haoran, don't stare at Han Junjie! He can dance better than you even with his eyes closed!"
Wei Haoran gritted his teeth and retracted his gaze. He secretly made up his mind that he must surpass Han Junjie!
When it was almost noon, the Trainee Manager's assistant came to call Han Junjie: "Brother Niu asked you to go to the office."
As a Trainee Manager, it was Niu Lin's duty to keep the trainee in line.
Han Junjie stood up and walked out in silence.
As soon as he left, discussions started in the training room:
"Are they going to talk to him about terminating the contract?"
"I think so. It's been a year. If it was someone else, he would have been kicked out by the company."
"Will he leave?"
"Leave." 'It's better for him to leave so he won't bother disrupting my mood for training.' Wei Haoran accidentally revealed his thought.
"How do you talk? Han Junjie is good to you, right? He stayed up all night to help you dance and sing. Don't be ungrateful!"
"It's not like that, his kindness I know it in my heart, but if Brother Junjie doesn't want to stay here anymore, isn't it better to leave early than later?"
Everyone knows that he and Han Junjie had the best relationship. Now that Han Junjie is leaving, he should be the saddest.
They were all just a group of teenagers, so there was no deep hatred, so they put aside their prejudices and came to comfort him.
Wei Haoran said sadly but still firmly: "I'm fine; no matter what, I will stick to this road! Together with you!"
Oblivious to Wei Haoran's play in the training room, at this time, Han Junjie arrived at the director's office.
Nu Lin sat in front of the computer desk, changed from his domineering attitude looked at him with a half-smile.
Han Junjie stood opposite him, still looking like he wouldn't even frown when the sky was falling.
"The girl from last night, is she your girlfriend? Did she tell you not to debut because she can provide for you?"
Han Junjie frowned.
It was a common assumption, who said only women could rely on men and not the other way around. Their company invested in Han Junjie partly because of his appearance, the girl at the police station was also pretty. The lawyer's car and effective settlement proved how resourceful the girl was. But Niu Lin also saw the other boy she linked arms with.
"Likes fade; once they have a new person, the old would be discarded."
Niu Lin tapped his fingers happily on the edge of the table. He seemed to want to use this method to break through Han Junjie's psychological defense, but after knocking for a long time, Han Junjie didn't show any extra fluctuations except for the frown just now.
"They say don't trust what men say, but women are scarier. Don't slack off unless she promised you marriage or help you terminate the 10-year contract," sipping his coffee, he signaled him to go. "You can go; remember what I said."
Han Junjie turned around and went out.
When he went downstairs, Wei Haoran was waiting there with a few teenagers he was friends with.
As soon as they saw him coming, he blocked him; "Han Junjie, are you going to terminate the contract?"
Han Junjie turned a blind eye, lowered his head, and walked down.
Wei Haoran gritted his teeth and half cried in front of everyone: "Brother, do you really ignore me?"
He is handsome and thin, He belongs to the type that can arouse people's desire to protect. This cry.. was even more helpless than when a girl is crying.
Han Junjie had already walked down the stairs, his back was indifferent, and he didn't even turn his head.
The few people around Wei Haoran were all aggrieved by him: "What's the matter with Han Junjie? Does he treat all of us as enemies?"
"We have practiced together for three years, so even if he is leaving, we can say goodbye, right?"
"He didn't seem too sad, his contract probably doesn't terminate. Although he doesn't train well now, he is still the best among us!"
"That's true.. The teachers always praised him during practice; the company may not give up on him."
Wei Haoran thought that Han Junjie had already terminated the contract when he went to the office just now, but now that he heard this, he felt that it might not be resolved.
His hate for Han Junjie almost reached its peak.
Han Junjie finished his practice time in the afternoon and had a casual dinner in the cafeteria.
When he left the company, it was snowing again.
It was getting bigger and bigger, and a thick layer of snow had already accumulated on the road.
It is estimated that not many people will go to the park, and he cannot make extra money.
"Brother!"
He was skeptical of someone calling him, so he didn't turn in direction but a tug on his sleeve proved it otherwise.
"I'm Patrick; we met not long ago."
It was the boy that he and Nie Linzhi saved two nights ago, he nodded.
"Brother, sorry to bother you but I need to bring this computer to the café. Can you help me? The electronics uncle was short staffed but I need to set the part quickly," Patrick clasped his hand when he sense Han Junjie want to decline, "I will pay for your time, Brother. Please help me."
People might not bow to coercion but people will bow to money, and Han Junjie was the living proof of it.
.
.
"Brother Han, here."
Han Junjie accepted the hot water and various sachet drink selection from Patrick.
"Bear with me Brother Han, Sister Linzhi ordered the water filter before the coffee maker. I can only give you an instant drink."
Stirring the hot chocolate, Han Junjie raised his eyebrow: "She's your sister?"
"Well technically she's my boss, but she let me call her sister. Besides she's also my lifesaver, it's reasonable for me to call her that."
Nie Linzhi was the same age as his current self and Han Junjie couldn't help to glance at Patrick, the boy was a couple of years younger than them.
Han Junjie came from a different time, he could be suspicious and pessimistic because in the entertainment circle, he know - some people really did exploit young people's dreams to fulfill their desire. He didn't realize when Niu Lin's words corroded his brain but he hope Patrick wasn't groomed by that girl.
"Ah, Brother Han, do you have free time tomorrow? If you're free how about you help me decorate the place? Sister Linzhi is in Beiling, she told me I can hire a part-timer but I'm wary of strangers."
"I'm also a stranger."
"Of course not! We've gone through slippery ice and a fist fight together."
Sipping the drink, Han Junjie finally nodded. He wasn't helping because of brotherhood but because he knew for sure he would get another thick envelope like the one he had in his pocket right now.
"By the way are you re-opening the internet cafe? Why do you need so many new computers?"
"I don't know, Sister Linzhi didn't say anything. She just give me a drawing and told me to arrange the place accordingly. I honestly don't care though, I'm satisfied by getting the top floor all to myself. I finally don't have to sleep in a damp basement again!"
Nie Linzhi in Beiling had no idea that her favorability was again decreasing in the eye of her idol.
"Achoo!"
The trio in unison, "Bless you."
Rachel check Linzhi's temple, "DId you catch a cold? But you're not hot.."
"Someone's probably talking shit behind her back.. I mean, it's Linzhi.."
Sunny hurriedly dragged Andrea to her side while Linzhi was held doen by Rachel. This duo combination was the most barbaric, they will argued verbally and not afraid to get into a brawl.
Sunny and Rachel needed some face if they wanted to find fine men in castle.
"Your mother invited a famous chief for this sermon, don't lose her face."
Rachel whisper made Linzhi straightened her back and curbed her temper. It was the tenth anniversary of Nie Foundation and as the director's daughter, she must on her best behavior. She saved her mother face but her eyes still exchanging insults with Andrea.
Sunny and Rachel ignored it this time.
This was the biggest castle in Beiling, Nie Construction build it, Nie Foundation operate it, and the group funded it. It won't be exaggeration if teh castle named Nie Castle but it was inappropriate because their religion was all about togetherness and harmony among human beings. Naming their house of worship like that will only create exclusivity. Instead they named it Light, because even after the darkest hours there's always be light.
The Castle of Light was layouted in the classic arrangement, there were five straight rows facing the stage where the ancestors name plaque and the statue of God of Creation placed. Later the Chief would present his sermon on a lower stage.
Everyone was deep in thought for one and another reason but Linzhi suddenly thought of something.
During her darkest hour in her original timeline, she was crying, begging, pleading to god to help her family. To let her grandpa and mother live, but He didn't answer her prayers. He ignored her and she started to ignore HIm too. Her faith fade and yet her career skyrocketed, at the moment she lost all her family members she finally had the damn money she needed.
It's too late, it's all too late.
But she got a new life now, maybe it was the answer to her prayer.
With a new profound mindset, Linzhi waited until her turn to worship. Nie Linzhi took three incense sticks as a gratitude token for her family's safety. She held the stick with her left hand and wrapped her right hand around it. Nie Linzhi held it in front of her chest and lean forward slightly while praying.
"Lemonade?"
Linzhi refused Sunny by showing her tumbler, "No thanks."
"You were super solemn when you prayed earlier, what did you ask for?"
Linzhi was busy drinking her water and Andrea answered Rachel instead, "She probably thanks god for her NUA early admission."
"You got into NUA, Linzhi?"
The quartet shocked by the deep voice and turned at the same time.