Guan Ying's phone rang, the caller ID showing Qing Luo.
However, when Guan Ying answered, she found that the voice on the other end was not Qing Luo's.
"How is Qing Luo?"
"Not very well. Although she insisted on getting up, her body is too burdened. The doctor only allows her to move around in a wheelchair."
"This serious?"
Guan Ying had never imagined things would escalate to this point. Just yesterday, Qing Luo had been chatting and laughing with her. As the leader of the girl group, without her, it felt like a basketball team without a soul.
"Yes, severe malnutrition. To be honest, this is our oversight."
In fact, among these sisters, only Guan Ying knew that Qing Luo had been secretly sharing her food with them. She herself had been subsisting on congee made from almost spoiled vegetable leaves bought from the market. When discovered, Qing Luo had smiled and said she was dieting, her stomach wasn't feeling well, and she couldn't eat greasy things. But it wasn't that she couldn't eat them; it was that her money had run out.
Qing Luo had placed all her bets on this performance. If this show wasn't successful, they would be fired by 'Er Ci Yuan Zhi Jia' (Home of the Second Dimension). Moreover, with their stage presence, their daring, and even their connections and interactions, they would have no future even if they went to other similar new media companies.
Only those who have personally experienced the taste of shattered dreams can truly understand it. It's like walking on a dark path at night, seeing only darkness in all directions. Someone ties a string to you, meticulously teaching you that if you follow this string, you can reach the other shore. But as you walk, the taut string suddenly breaks, and darkness rushes in like an untamed horse. You are left disoriented, sinking into the masses, condemned to a life of mediocrity.
People who chase dreams often summarize the process of striving for their dreams with four words: 'Timing is unfavorable.' They never realize that the one who cut the taut string wasn't anyone else, but themselves.
After all, the longer one stays in the dark, the stronger the craving for light becomes. When this craving becomes a constraint, a shackle, you feel weary. With darkness all around, predators lurking, and the wind rustling like ghosts, all these obstacles seem too heavy, so heavy that you feel you can barely move. The light you desire is light-years away, or perhaps just around the corner. The outcome is uncertain. If you don't grit your teeth and push to the end, you'll never know. Some people, meanwhile, pass by on horseback with ease. You don't see them, but your thoughts are carried away by the sound of their galloping hooves, bringing with them resentment and indignation – people start from different positions, where is fairness?
Qing Luo's thoughts drifted far away. If it weren't for the sudden increase in volume on the phone, she might have fallen into further terrifying conjectures.
"Guan Ying, is there really no way for us to continue this time? I, I don't want to be separated from everyone."
The voice on the other end was quietly sobbing, but it was also clear that she was trying hard to control her emotions.
Guan Ying wasn't good at comforting others. Hearing the other person cry, her own taut string suddenly snapped, and she began to sob softly.
"Alright, stop crying. Tears can't solve anything," Ren Yuanhao took the phone and asked, "Is Qing Luo definitely unable to perform?"
"That's what the doctor is certain of, but Qing Luo is very stubborn, and I can't persuade her."
"Is there no way to find a replacement? Or can the six of you not do it?"
Ren Yuanhao knew this was the worst-case scenario. After all, Qing Luo was the soul of the team. Without her, the performance's dynamism, popularity, and appeal would drop a level.
"She choreographed the dance and designed the stage. Without her, we don't even know if we can complete this performance."
Ren Yuanhao sensed a life-or-death situation. After thinking for a while, he said slowly, "Wait for me. I'll come over to see Qing Luo first."
...
At 3:18 PM, after sending Guan Ying and the others to clean and prepare the venue, Ren Yuanhao rushed to the hospital and immediately communicated with the doctor.
"It's like this, the patient is weak and not suitable for any strenuous activity, but walking is still fine," the doctor shook his head, then added, "I haven't seen such a thin girl in a long time. Moreover, her recovery speed has far exceeded my imagination. Of course, I'll maintain my professional opinion. As for what you decide to do, that's for you to consider."
Ren Yuanhao thanked the doctor and then went to Qing Luo's ward.
The youngest among the team members caring for her was named Bai Ling.
Bai Ling had a pair of expressive eyes. When making eye contact, it was as if a world unfolded before you, magnificent and breathtaking, drawing you in.
"Di Di, detected employer's emotional distress. Suggestion: guidance to improve success probability."
"Hey, hey, hey, that word 'guidance' can be easily misinterpreted!"
Ren Yuanhao slowly walked to Qing Luo's side, only to see her as still as a corpse, with no trace of emotional fluctuation.
"Qing Luo, Guan Ying has told me about your situation. I'm very sorry."
Qing Luo still didn't speak, her eyes blankly gazing at the glass window. A gray bird was pecking at its waterlogged feathers, its long beak full of soil. Its eye, as small as a green bean, had a dull, lifeless hue, mirroring Qing Luo's own.
"See the bird outside the window? Its kingdom is in the sky, yet it still has to pounce on the ground to find food. But while searching for food, it could be hunted by other animals. However, if it just keeps flying in the sky, it will eventually run out of energy, fall from the clouds, and be shattered. "
Qing Luo was surprisingly calm, but Ren Yuanhao knew this calmness was like a seemingly placid sea surface, beneath which a violent vortex was already churning.
"At least it can soar freely between heaven and earth. Its fate is determined by heaven. If you worry too much about the future, won't it be unbearable?"
"Yes, free and unrestrained. That's why I envy it." Qing Luo slowly sat up. Her face was pale, her cheeks sunken, and her appearance somewhat gaunt. However, she looked much better than when she first arrived in the morning.
Ren Yuanhao knew she was only concerned about one thing. He said, "Don't worry, Qing Luo. Tonight's performance will be more spectacular than you imagine. And you, as the leader, choreographer, and designer, are the most crucial part of the performance. So, are you ready?"
"Aren't you here to persuade me to rest in bed?"
"Why would I persuade you? This is your stage. Only sufficient willpower can energize you and help you recover faster, isn't that right?"
Ren Yuanhao gently placed his hands on Qing Luo's shoulders. Qing Luo felt a slight warmth on her shoulders, and streams of warmth, like little suns, flowed into her limbs, invigorating her spirit!
"You~"
"Shh~ This is our little secret."
Ren Yuanhao whispered mysteriously into her ear.