His expression was gentle, but it was too gentle, too different from his usual self, making one feel uneasy inside, like the calm before a storm.

Xu Zhinan didn’t know why, but she instinctively took a step back. “No, I don’t.”

Lin Qingye caught her every movement in his eyes. “If there’s nothing, why are you backing away?”

“…It’s not like that.”

His presence was overwhelming right now. Xu Zhinan didn’t know how to explain, because she hadn’t even figured out why Lin Qingye suddenly asked that question.

“I don’t have any complaints about you,” Xu Zhinan made a final struggle.

He walked toward her, saying one word with each step: “Okra, chives, wolfberries.”

All things that never appeared in their home before.

“…”

Lin Qingye walked up to her, very close, looking down at her from his height. “You’re not so innocent, little girl.”

“…”

Xu Zhinan was completely innocent, but his tone made her face flush red. Before she could say anything, her face was already burning. “That’s not it.”

She was so intimidated by him that she couldn’t speak. It felt like the old Lin Qingye had returned.

She stepped back, and Lin Qingye immediately stepped forward, maintaining the same close distance. Unable to bear it anymore, she pushed him back slightly. “Just stand there for now.”

Lin Qingye looked at her, at ease, and nodded. “Alright.”

Xu Zhinan explained with a red face: “It’s not because of that. I was worried you were tired, so I bought things that could help relieve fatigue.”

“Not because of that,” he raised an eyebrow. “Which ‘that’?”

Xu Zhinan’s heart skipped a beat, knowing she had fallen into his trap.

Yet she couldn’t find the words, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Finally, she let out an impatient “Aiya!” But her voice was soft and delicate, like she was pouting. She looked up at Lin Qingye with slight annoyance, but her upturned eyes and emotions made her beauty even more breathtaking.

“Anyway, I just bought them because I was worried you were tired, not for any other reason!”

When embarrassed, her face reddened quickly, and even the corners of her eyes showed traces of redness.

Lin Qingye found it amusing. He didn’t think she bought them as male tonics. After hearing her explanation, he believed her, but he couldn’t help teasing her a bit more.

But as the words reached his lips, he suddenly remembered what she had said when drunk that night: “It would be nice if you could always smile so happily. You can say anything as long as you smile.” She had looked so aggrieved yet enduring.

Lin Qingye didn’t have the heart to tease her anymore and ruffled her hair.

Who knew she was already annoyed—she swatted his hand away with a “smack,” snorted, and walked out.

Lin Qingye followed her outside, placed the fruit plate on the coffee table, and pulled her into his arms.

At first, Xu Zhinan didn’t want to be held by him. After silently pushing back and forth a few times, she pursed her lips and obediently nestled into his embrace.

After all, Lin Qingye didn’t have the heart to tease her, and she didn’t have the heart to truly be angry with him.

Xu Zhinan couldn’t remember the last time she had watched TV. It’s possible she hadn’t even turned on the television since renting this apartment.

When Lin Qingye was first imprisoned, she often didn’t allow herself to enjoy life. Watching TV, playing with her phone, using air conditioning—all these things made her think of him. Even occasionally dining out with roommates would remind her of him. She knew Lin Qingye had to spend years inside without enjoying these ordinary things, and she didn’t know how to accept them with peace of mind.

Over time, she rarely engaged in these entertainment activities.

Later, it became more manageable—not deliberately restraining herself, but out of habit. Like now, sitting on the sofa watching TV with Lin Qingye, she suddenly realized she hadn’t watched television in a very long time.

There wasn’t much worth watching at this hour.

“Is that music show you mentioned on?”

“Let me check.”

Lin Qingye cycled through the channels and finally found it—just at the beginning of an episode, a rerun.

As Wang Qi had said, this show was completely different from the music variety show from before. One emphasized “variety,” while this was a proper “music performance” program.

The audience was mostly fans, with a few reporters asking questions. Apart from a few games to liven up the atmosphere, almost all topics centered around the new songs.

In today’s entertainment-dominated programs, this was indeed quite rare.

After watching a full episode, Xu Zhinan felt much more at ease.

When the time reached nine o’clock, she turned to ask, “Should we go to bed now?”

“It’s still so early,” Lin Qingye raised his eyebrows. “Are you tired?”

She shook her head. “I’m worried about you. You’ve been sleeping late recently. Since you’re off today, you can rest earlier.”

He chuckled softly, with a teasing expression. “Zhinan, aren’t you being a bit too concerned about me lately?”

“…”

“First, you wouldn’t let me carry you even a short distance because you were afraid I’d get tired, then you prepare all this okra and chives for meals, and now you want me to go to bed at nine o’clock?”

Hearing him put it that way, Xu Zhinan also felt she might be overreacting a bit, and mumbled, “I was just suggesting.”

Lin Qingye leaned forward and took a piece of fruit, offering it to her lips.

She ate it. The fruit was juicy, wetting the corner of her mouth. Lin Qingye raised his hand to wipe it for her.

After wiping, his hand didn’t move away, lingering on her full lips, which were naturally reddish without any application, free of lip lines, like springy cherry blossom jelly.

Following his movement, Xu Zhinan looked up.

The light hung overhead. The two of them had somehow crossed the safe distance between them and were staring at each other.

Xu Zhinan saw Lin Qingye’s prominent Adam’s apple move up and down. Her heart seemed to follow the same rhythm, rising and falling.

His eyes gradually darkened, revealing his former self.

Then his body leaned in with the overwhelming aura, and Xu Zhinan fell back onto the sofa. Her long hair spread out smoothly, her pupils involuntarily dilated, staring at him intently.

Lin Qingye pressed down on her, his arm crossing her lower back, holding her.

His eyes held unspeakable emotions and desire. After a moment, he suddenly smiled. “You’ve grown up.”

Xu Zhinan didn’t understand.

“In this position, you don’t even push me away. In the past, you definitely would have pushed me off.” He was teasing her.

Xu Zhinan’s chest was being pressed, making it hard to breathe, let alone speak.

In the past, she had always been shy about her relationship with Lin Qingye. Even though she liked him, she never dared to follow her heart—partly because it felt taboo, and partly perhaps because she wanted to make a futile attempt to disguise her feelings.

But now it was different. She was completely frank about her feelings.

In other words, although her personality still made her shy, she was willing to let Lin Qingye do whatever he wanted to her.

She looked at Lin Qingye frankly.

After a moment of eye contact, her eyes were covered by Lin Qingye’s hand.

The familiar sensation, the sudden darkness, flashed fragments of their first time in her mind. She seemed to have been covered like this back then, too.

His hoarse voice was right by her ear: “Zhinan.”

He lowered his head, burying it in the crook of her neck, taking a deep breath. “When you look at me like that, I can’t hold back.”

Xu Zhinan said softly, “But… I’m not asking you to hold back.”

The hand covering her eyes was removed.

As soon as she finished speaking, her face reddened again, but she still stubbornly gazed at him with utmost seriousness and devotion, her thick, curled eyelashes trembling slightly.

“Baby.”

His voice was low, containing calmness, affection, and restraint.

He rarely called her that. Xu Zhinan suddenly felt completely calm, but the next second, Lin Qingye sent her heart racing again—

He lowered his head and kissed her lips.

It was their first real kiss since he had returned almost a month ago.

All of Lin Qingye’s aggressiveness was revealed. He pressed against her, warmed her—he just had that kind of presence.

Xu Zhinan’s chin was held up by him. She wanted to respond actively, but his momentum was truly unstoppable. Xu Zhinan could only passively accept, her back sinking completely into the sofa, breathlessly enduring Lin Qingye’s kiss.

Her lips and tongue were sealed, as he swept through all her domains, almost suffocating her.

At the same time, his hands started to wander.

Xu Zhinan wore a buttoned shirt with only the top button undone modestly. Lin Qingye raised his hand to unbutton the second one, continuing downward. Seemingly annoyed, he pulled, and the buttons clattered to the floor.

Her clothing was completely open.

Xu Zhinan had been with Lin Qingye for three years before. Although her physical stamina couldn’t keep up, they were compatible.

But the former Lin Qingye had always been casual about everything, as if everything was within his control. This was the first time Xu Zhinan had seen him show a rough side in this matter. Startled, she let out a whimper from her throat.

Saying he didn’t need to hold back was one thing, but experiencing it was another.

Especially now, autumn nights were still somewhat cool. After her clothes were opened, the skin on her sides felt cold, while the parts pressed by Lin Qingye were burning hot, like being attacked from two sides.

While kissing her, his hands were pinching and kneading her body with force, as if trying to release years of longing.

Xu Zhinan couldn’t help curling up like a small shrimp.

To be honest, the current Lin Qingye was unfamiliar.

Lin Qingye, in her memory, always seemed cold and self-restrained. Even in bed before, the one who ended up dizzy and disoriented was always Xu Zhinan, not him.

But now, he made Xu Zhinan feel like he had slightly lost control. She didn’t know what would happen to her tonight if she let him continue.

Belatedly, she began to feel afraid.

But his movements suddenly stopped. After one last hard squeeze of her waist, he suddenly relaxed, collapsing on top of her, resting against her neck.

“Damn it,” he cursed softly.

Lin Qingye rarely cursed. Xu Zhinan was shocked.

Then she heard him continue: “It’s so fucking hard not to be a bastard.”

“…”

He lay on top of her for a good while, pressing close without any gap, even the hard object jabbing her stayed put from beginning to end.

“Forget it.” He patted her face and added in a hoarse voice, “Soon.”

His voice was so low it seemed like he was talking to himself.

Then he sat up again.

Xu Zhinan hurriedly covered her chest and sat up too, turning her back to him. All the buttons had popped off, so she couldn’t fasten them again.

Her thin skin wasn’t enough to support her staying in the bright living room, so she quickly clutched her clothes and ran back to the bedroom.

She didn’t come out again, just took a shower and went to bed.

It was a long time before Lin Qingye came in, bringing the smell of cigarettes. Xu Zhinan frowned slightly, shrinking into her neck, both hands gripping the quilt, only her eyes visible: “Why did you smoke so much again?”

He glanced at her.

Xu Zhinan continued: “Aren’t you about to go on the show? And the music festival too. You should smoke less.”

“I know.” He chuckled and went into the bathroom to wash up.

He came out in pajamas and got into bed from the other side. The mattress dipped, making Xu Zhinan nervous again, unconsciously moving away.

Lin Qingye noticed her reaction and glanced at her.

He was sitting, she was lying down. His gaze felt tangible, and Xu Zhinan’s face gradually reddened again. She was the first to look away.

He laughed lightly: “With your timidity, what were you pretending to be brave about earlier?”

Xu Zhinan couldn’t stand his playful talk. She slowly slid under the covers, hiding her head.

Lin Qingye laughed even more heartily.

Because of this incident, the next morning when Xu Zhinan looked at the shirt buttons that had been collected one by one on the coffee table, her face burned with embarrassment again.

She had originally wanted to sew the buttons back on, but holding them reminded her of last night, making her heart flutter too much to continue sewing. In the end, she had to give up.

Because of this incident, Xu Zhinan didn’t dare to provoke Lin Qingye again.

She didn’t dare to bring out those foods she had bought to help relieve his fatigue for fear of stimulating him, so the matter was set aside.

Soon, it was time for Lin Qingye’s new album release.

Qi Entertainment Company had already made an announcement three days in advance, and fans were “on high alert.”

Early that morning, Xu Zhinan couldn’t sleep, feeling both excited and afraid. Lin Qingye, however, was as usual, making it seem like Xu Zhinan was the one releasing an album, not him.

Lin Qingye hugged her and lay back down: “Relax a bit.”

“…”

At nine in the morning, “Whispers” was released simultaneously online and offline.

News of Lin Qingye’s return had already been announced, and almost as soon as nine o’clock struck, downloads and purchases rose synchronously, with discussions climbing rapidly.

This was his first official album, and also his first album after that sensational incident and his return.

Shen Linlin had been severely criticized by many anti-fans after asking him for a song previously, but the criticism only made her more determined. She was genuinely intent on proving them wrong and immediately posted a Weibo message promoting Lin Qingye’s album.

As a trendsetter in the music industry, her post led to more people sharing it.

An hour after the release, Wang Qi called Lin Qingye.

He walked to the balcony to answer. As soon as he connected, Wang Qi’s laughter came through: “How’s it going? Have you seen the data?”

Lin Qingye smiled faintly: “I’ve seen it.”

“I told you your comeback would be fine. At this rate, the promotional coverage will be even broader in the future. Once we establish a good reputation, this first battle will be half won.”

Lin Qingye responded with a “hmm” and thanked him.

“What are you thanking me for? You’re with my company. When you succeed, I make money too.” Wang Qi laughed and added reflectively, “I’ve always thought this—you’ll be an evergreen in this circle. Those who need careful nurturing and protection can’t become evergreens. Only those who can capture everyone’s attention as soon as they appear can become evergreens.”

After chatting with Wang Qi for a while and discussing the work for the next few days, Lin Qingye returned to the living room. Xu Zhinan was holding her phone, looking at comments from various channels.

Lin Qingye approached and took her phone away.

“Hey—” she exclaimed softly.

“How long have you been looking? Aren’t your eyes tired?”

She muttered softly: “I was just checking.”

“Did you see people insulting me?”

“…”

Lin Qingye’s grand, high-profile comeback, using Shen Linlin’s song request as a prelude, then directly coming back with a full album—no speeches or press conferences, letting his ability speak for itself—would inevitably invite criticism from many who already disliked him.

However, from what Xu Zhinan had been reading for a while, it wasn’t too bad. The impact of this comeback on fans overshadowed the anti-fans.

He had left the entertainment industry for two and a half years, during which not a single photo of him had been captured by the outside world. Fans could only look at his old photos and miss him.

The album cover was the first photo in two and a half years.

A completely different Lin Qingye from before.

It undoubtedly made all fans boil with excitement. In the real-time comments, many fans said they burst into tears as soon as they saw the cover.

“Wuwuwuwuwu I didn’t feel it before, but now seeing the cover, I feel like brother has suffered so much.”

“Looking at the cover while listening to the song, I’m crying non-stop. I’m glad everything is over now. I will walk the flower road with you in the future!”

“Since I fell into Lin Qingye’s fan pit, I’ve never climbed out, not even to my previous favorites.”

“I feel so heartbroken. When will I get to see my brother in person? That scar under his eye breaks my heart wuwuwuwuwu.”

“I will love Lin Qingye for the rest of my life!”

“Ahhhhhh ‘Whispers’ go! Number one in sales!!!”

…

Meanwhile, the negative comments could pick at any angle, making Xu Zhinan feel upset.

She pouted slightly: “There aren’t that many insults.”

“Let them say what they want.” Lin Qingye ruffled her hair. “Don’t pay attention to it.”

Sometimes Xu Zhinan wondered if Lin Qingye didn’t care or if he was just strong enough.

His life had been difficult. Neglected by his mother since childhood, receiving little maternal love, bearing many criticisms due to Shi Heng’s death, and then being imprisoned in the prime of his youth.

Perhaps those criticisms and accusations truly meant nothing to him now.

He knew very clearly what he wanted to do and what his goals were. Those insults were just small pebbles on the road, perhaps not even obstacles.

So Xu Zhinan nodded: “I understand.”

Once the album cover was released, fans’ curiosity about Lin Qingye reached its peak.

At this moment, the official Weibo account of the music show “Music Moment” posted a notice that Lin Qingye would soon be recording for the show, asking everyone to stay tuned.

A few days later, Lin Qingye set off to record “Music Moment.”

The executive director came to the makeup room and told the makeup artist, “Don’t make the makeup too heavy. Just keep it in the same style as the album cover.”

“Understood, Director.”

The executive director smiled and said to him, “Your fans heard you were coming to record, and the live tickets sold out in less than a second. That’s truly remarkable.”

Wang Qi, sitting nearby, asked: “Are the reporters all ready for later?”

The seats for “Music Moment” were divided into two sections, and there was a direct reporter Q&A segment.

“They’re ready. Don’t worry, our show has rules that questions must focus on the album itself, not gossip or private life.”

Wang Qi patted his shoulder: “Thank you for your hard work.”

When it was time to record, Lin Qingye went on stage.

The fans below erupted in screams the moment they saw him, some even bursting into tears.

After two and a half years, they were seeing the real Lin Qingye again.

The screams nearly lifted the roof of the studio, with light boards brightening the entire area.

The host gave the fans plenty of time to calm down, not interrupting, while Lin Qingye stood on stage waiting patiently.

Once it became slightly quieter below, he leaned slightly toward the microphone stand.

Laser spotlights swept down from above, and the intro music to the album’s main song “Whispers” played from backstage, the beat timing perfectly with chest-resonating vibrations.

He stood against the light, his figure enveloped in light and shadow, surrounded by a halo, his angular face sharply yet exquisitely cut by the light and shadows, his dark eyes profound.

It had been a long time since he stood on stage, and a long time since he heard such thunderous sounds from below.

Lin Qingye looked at the light boards inscribed with his name below, lifted his chin slightly, his neck stretching into a smooth, beautiful line.

Then he spoke: “Hello everyone.”

Still the same unchanging phrase—

“I am Lin Qingye.”

His words landed with conviction.

Below, a “swoosh” sound, and once again, screams and shouts erupted.

His voice, caught in those screams, remained as clear as ever, piercing through eardrums.

Cutting through all surrounding darkness.

He said: “I have returned.”

At this moment, 26-year-old Lin Qingye returned to when he was 18, winning the Golden Melody Award, becoming famous at a young age, carrying hopes and expectations, free-spirited and unrestrained, proud and unrivaled in the world.