[On the other side of the film set — Qin Mu]
Qin Mu was in the middle of filming an action sequence, suspended in a wire harness. The moment the director yelled "Cut!" and his feet touched the ground, his assistant, Xiao Zhang, rushed over.
"Qin-ge! Wayne just sprinted out of here! He looked like he'd seen a ghost!"
Qin Mu frowned. "What happened?"
"Apparently... he got a call from Ye Xiaoxiao's family. They said she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital..."
Qin Mu's heart constricted violently. For the first time, he didn't even try to hide his emotions. It was a visible, sudden flash of panic.
He stared at his assistant. "...Which hospital?"
"Municipal Hospital No. 3," Xiao Zhang stammered.
Without a second thought, Qin Mu dropped his script. "Tell the director I'm leaving the set immediately."
The assistant was stunned. "Qin-ge! You still have three more scenes—"
"I'm going to the hospital."
His tone wasn't a request for leave; it was a declaration. He didn't care about the consequences anymore. The stunt coordinator standing nearby stared in shock: Qin Mu? This much of a hurry for a junior assistant?
The director roared from a distance, "Qin Mu! You—!"
But Qin Mu didn't look back. "I'll come back to finish. Get the double ready for the wide shots," he threw over his shoulder. His voice was calm, but his pace was as fast as the wind.
What no one knew was that the moment he heard "Ye Xiaoxiao collapsed," his heart had practically exploded. It felt like something was being ripped away. This wasn't just "justice for the weak" anymore. It was a premonition—a realization that losing her would hurt too much to breathe.
[At the Hospital Entrance]
The air was filled with the sound of sirens and the frantic movement of stretchers. A taxi screeched to a halt, and Wayne stepped out in his sequined sandals. A split second later, a black luxury van pulled up, and Qin Mu strode out.
They arrived almost simultaneously. Wayne glanced at Qin Mu. Showing up for Xiaoxiao even while risking your reputation... barely a passing grade, I suppose, he thought.
Qin Mu hadn't even buttoned his jacket properly. "Wayne," he said, his brow deeply furrowed.
Wayne stopped and gave him a side-eye. "Talk to me."
"Why is she in the hospital?" Qin Mu's voice was low and heavy.
Wayne bit his lip, his tone uncharacteristically solemn. "I don't know yet. Her mom called me, that's all I know."
For once, there was no flamboyance, no drama, and no sequin-induced glow—only raw worry. They walked through the automatic doors together, the blast of cold hospital air hitting them like a physical blow to the chest.
"Where... where did she fall?" Qin Mu asked.
"On the street," Wayne exhaled.
Qin Mu's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. Wayne caught the reaction and thought: This guy's face is usually as cold as a freezer, but look at that scowl. No way... has he actually fallen for her?
Instead of calling him out, Wayne changed the subject. "I know a bit about Xiaoxiao's family. Want to hear it?"
Qin Mu was silent for half a beat, then nodded. Their footsteps echoed down the sterile hallway. Wayne's voice softened—a rare occurrence.
"Xiaoxiao's dad passed away when she was little."
Qin Mu turned to look at him.
"Her mom raised her alone. You know what it's like for a single mother? Saving every penny, giving the best of everything to her child. When Xiaoxiao was a kid, her mom would save her own portions just so Xiaoxiao could eat."
The words were light, but they carried a complex weight of heartache.
"Xiaoxiao sometimes says her mom spoiled her," Wayne said with a bitter smile. "But that kind of 'spoiling'... it's not the billionaire kind. It's the kind where the house isn't rich, but the parents still want the children to have the world."
Qin Mu's pace slowed. It was as if those words had pierced through him.
"You know why she works so hard?" Wayne continued. "Because her mom told her from a young age—if you're willing to work hard, you'll never lose to anyone. So she tries to be the best at everything. She never spends money on herself. Those cheap lunchboxes she eats... it's not because she likes them. She's saving."
Qin Mu looked down, his fists tightening even more. A deep, heavy emotion was being suppressed beneath his cold exterior.
Wayne came from a wealthy background where everything was exquisite, high-class, and as cold as a museum gallery. His parents traveled constantly; he'd go months without seeing them. He used to joke: "When I talk at home, the only thing that answers is my own echo."
People usually thought he was being funny. But the first time Ye Xiaoxiao heard that, she looked at him with genuine concern and asked: "...Does it feel very lonely?"
That was the first time Wayne had ever been stunned into silence. From that day on, he placed her in his "inner circle" of people to protect.
The first time Wayne visited the Ye household, he nearly blinded Xiaoxiao's mother with his UV-level sequins and three-inch heels. Mrs. Ye's eyes had trembled as she said, "Oh my... this child... is certainly... bright."
But within ten minutes, Wayne was sitting on the sofa discussing the proper use of cilantro, photo editing tips, and soap opera plots with her. Mrs. Ye was laughing uncontrollably. "This boy is so interesting!"
Ever since, Wayne became a permanent fixture at the Ye house. He'd grab fruit from the fridge, Mrs. Ye would force-feed him soup, and he'd help Xiaoxiao fix her equipment bags or pick out her outfits. In that house, Wayne found the feeling of "someone waiting for you" that he had never had.
Xiaoxiao used to watch Wayne talking to her mother on the phone and think to herself: So YOU'RE the biological child, and I'm the one you picked up from a dumpster??