Read Novel Full Chapter 62 - You're The Best
**Chapter 62: You’re the Best**
Translator: Namizaki
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As Xu Ling had mentioned, there were other volunteers present today besides her—two young men and a young woman, all seemingly students, teaching the children paper-cutting crafts in a small room.
The young woman was remarkably skilled, while the two young men struggled, sweating profusely as they fumbled with the stiff paper, unable to cut out even a simple shape after much effort.
Chi Zhongqiao: “……”
He could write characters but had no aptitude for crafts; just watching them struggle made him feel overwhelmed.
Yuzhou, being both skilled and domestic, would probably be good at this. But Lu Yuzhou had gone to discuss the matter about the sponsorship with the Dean. Chi Zhongqiao glanced back, then removed his mask and hat, knocked on the door, and entered.
Everyone in the room immediately turned to look at him. The little boy who had been nestled in the young woman’s arms wriggled free and scampered over to Chi Zhongqiao.
Chi Zhongqiao was too tall, so he had to bend down for the child to grasp his hand. After a few comforting words, he smiled at the stunned young volunteers, introduced himself briefly, and then lowered his head to play with the children.
After their initial shock, the three students quickly regained their composure and gathered around Chi Zhongqiao to discuss how to cut the construction paper.
Lu Yuzhou entered to find this scene: the three students huddled around Chi Zhongqiao, entertaining the seven or eight-year-old children with laughter.
Behind Lu Yuzhou, Xu Ling quietly pulled out her phone and snapped a photo.
Lu Yuzhou walked in softly. “Brother Qiao.”
Chi Zhongqiao, who was holding a girl’s hand and teaching her how to cut paper, smiled at him.
A faint “click” sounded behind them. Lu Yuzhou paused, turning to glance at Xu Ling, who still held her phone aloft. His gaze carried an icy chill, making Xu Ling shiver. She wondered what she had done to offend President Lu, then glanced down to realize she had just taken a full-frontal photo of Brother Qiao.
Xu Ling’s survival instincts kicked in. “This photo turned out great, President Lu! I’ll add you and send it over right away.”
Lu Yuzhou nodded slightly. “Very well. Thank you.”
Xu Ling nervously added Lu Yuzhou as a friend on her phone and sent him the photo. Lu Yuzhou received it, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes. “Thank you.”
Xu Ling hurriedly shook her head. “N-no problem at all.”
Only after Lu Yuzhou entered the room did Xu Ling finally exhale in relief. My god, how does Brother Qiao manage to share a room with such a big shot? Just hearing Lu Yuzhou say “thank you” felt like it had shaved ten years off her lifespan. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what President Lu would be like in a romantic relationship.
Still shipping them? Forget it. I can’t…
Xu Ling looked up and saw Lu Yuzhou sitting beside Chi Zhongqiao. Chi Zhongqiao turned and said something, and Lu Yuzhou, who had maintained a stoic expression since entering, curved his lips into a smile. He took the paper cutouts from Chi Zhongqiao’s hand, glanced down, and with a few swift snips, fashioned a rabbit shape. He handed it back to Chi Zhongqiao with a smile.
He’s so cold and distant to everyone else, but not to Brother Qiao!
Xu Ling: Shipping! Why wouldn’t I ship them?! They’re too shippable!
Chi Zhongqiao played with the children until after six in the evening. As the setting sun streamed into the room, he and Lu Yuzhou finally emerged.
The Dean had been watching them with a warm smile all afternoon. When the volunteers prepared to leave, she cut a plate of fruit for them. Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t refuse and ate a couple of pieces. The Dean, never one to stay idle, returned to her small room to work on her cross-stitch after seeing them settled with the fruit.
The tall male volunteer said, “Brother Qiao, your calligraphy is so good. Why don’t you replace that banner?”
It was strange how the group of young men in their early twenties acted like mice before a cat when Lu Yuzhou, who was around the same age, was present. Yet they got along well with Chi Zhongqiao, who seemed psychologically six or seven years older. Throughout the afternoon, they addressed him as “Brother Qiao” as frequently as the little girls did.
Chi Zhongqiao glanced back. The room served as the children’s activity center, where most of their daily activities took place. Hanging prominently at the front of the room was a banner that read “Know Gratitude and Repay Kindness”.
Chi Zhongqiao didn’t particularly like the phrase “Know Gratitude and Repay Kindness”, but since it was already hanging, he couldn’t say anything. When the tall boy mentioned it, he hesitated, “It’s not very appropriate…”
“It is!” the boy insisted. “I bought it. There was nothing else at the time—just stuff like ‘May Your Fortune Be as Vast as the Eastern Sea and Your Longevity as Enduring as the Southern Mountains.’ The owner wrote this one specifically because he knew it was for our Welfare Home.”
The girl murmured, “We’re not looking for anything in return.”
They were volunteers, unpaid. Helping at the Welfare Home offered little practical benefit beyond Moral Education Credits for students. Yet these young men and women still carved out time to care for the children, pouring their energy into the work. Beyond their time, they often donated a significant portion of their earnings from part-time jobs and tutoring to the Welfare Home.
What were they seeking? Not reward, but the peace of mind that comes from doing what’s right.
Standing before the “Know Gratitude and Repay Kindness” banner, Chi Zhongqiao recognized the problem. The children were too young to understand the phrase now, but as they grew, these words would become a shackle on their path to adulthood, constantly reminding them of their origins in the Welfare Home and how they had to rely on others’ support to succeed.
Many children from orphanages are sensitive and prone to feelings of inferiority. The phrase “Know Gratitude and Repay Kindness” or more like “Pay Kindness with Gratitude” weighs on them like a mountain, making it difficult to stand tall and constantly reminding them that they are somehow lesser.
Just like Chi Zhongqiao, who lived under someone else’s roof, always felt suffocated.
Chi Zhongqiao asked, “Change it? Change it to what?”
Lu Yuzhou, who had quietly appeared beside him, watched for a moment before softly suggesting, “How about ‘A Promising Future’?”
The student volunteers, all familiar with the show <Campus Prince and Campus Belle>, savored the phrase “A Promising Future” in their minds, finding it perfectly fitting. They immediately agreed, “That’s perfect!”
For children who had endured countless hardships, what better blessing could there be?
Chi Zhongqiao nodded.
The students quickly pushed the tables together, and Xu Ling pulled out her phone. “Brother Qiao, can I record a video?” she asked excitedly. “Brother Qiao is writing for us himself! Himself! Well, for the kids.”
Chi Zhongqiao spread out the paper and smiled without looking up. “There’s nothing interesting to see. If you want to record, go ahead.”
Lu Yuzhou conscientiously ground the ink for him. Chi Zhongqiao dipped his brush, but didn’t immediately begin writing. Instead, he paused to find his rhythm, recalling the mindset he had when he played the role of the campus heartthrob. Only then did he set brush to paper.
This time, he didn’t hold back. The brushstrokes were sharp and bold, sweeping across the page with unrestrained force, like an axe cutting through the paper. The intensity of his strokes stood in stark contrast to his usually reserved demeanor.
When the final stroke was complete, Chi Zhongqiao laid down his brush. Lu Yuzhou set down the inkstone as well. Chi Zhongqiao nodded, gesturing for him to look at the calligraphy.
“No one writes more beautifully than Brother Qiao,” Lu Yuzhou declared.
Several eager boys nearby nodded in agreement.
Chi Zhongqiao shook his head. “I’m just a beginner. Real calligraphy Masters wouldn’t even look at my amateurish style.”
But Lu Yuzhou gazed at him earnestly. “Those Masters have never written for a bunch of kids like us. To me, Brother Qiao writes the best.”
Whether it was a wild style or a traditional one, nothing could compare to a heart full of tenderness and a brushstroke imbued with affection.
After returning to her dorm, Xu Ling lay on her bed and pulled up the photos and videos she’d taken that day. She’d recorded several videos, uploaded them to the cloud, and was now deleting them one by one to save space.
However, two videos caught her attention, and she couldn’t resist watching them again before deleting them.
The first video opened with a pair of hands—long, slender fingers with calluses at the tips—holding a pair of scissors. The sharp blades deftly cut a lifelike rabbit from deep crimson cardstock.
Once the rabbit was finished, another hand reached out, as if to show it to someone, before a third hand suddenly appeared from off-screen and snatched it away.
The video ended there.
The one cutting the rabbit was Lu Yuzhou, while the person who took it was Chi Zhongqiao.
Xu Ling had initially thought President Lu was cold and aloof, but watching this video again in the quiet of the night revealed subtle details she’d missed during the day.
In Brother Qiao’s presence, the aloof President Lu was no different from any other young man his age.
The second video showed Chi Zhongqiao writing calligraphy. Chi Zhongqiao was tall, and the makeshift desk formed by pushed-together classroom tables was a bit too low. As he leaned over to write, Lu Yuzhou, who was grinding ink beside him, watched Chi Zhongqiao intently.
That gaze…
Xu Ling suddenly sat up straight. “Holy shit!”
That look… that look was way too fucking romantic! How could someone look at another person with such tender affection?
Xu Ling muttered to herself, “You’re forcing me to ship them… Fine, I’ll ship them! What else can I do?!”
**********
During his vacation, Chi Zhongqiao spent all his free time at the Welfare Home. He quickly became familiar with the volunteers, moving in and out as if it were his own home. Within days, Lu Yuzhou’s sponsorship plan was finalized.
That day, to avoid being photographed during the media coverage, Chi Zhongqiao had to restrain himself from visiting the Welfare Home.
He never imagined that the media attention would cause trouble. The reporters took numerous photos during their interviews, many of which were shot in the activity room.
Chi Zhongqiao’s calligraphy stood out prominently, and the media specifically captured a close-up of it, featuring a large image in their article. The author was praised by the profound meaning of the four characters, expressing hope that the children at the Welfare Home would flourish and become pillars of society.
However, this photo backfired. The article was published online, initially attracting little attention. But by that afternoon, a comment appeared beneath it:
[ Niconi: I think this calligraphy… looks a bit like Brother Qiao’s… ]
[ Big White Bun: Don’t be so insensitive, bro. It’s just the Liu Style, so it looks similar. ]
[ Drizzling Rain: We’re begging you, please don’t mention Qiao Bao. Our Qiao Bao doesn’t want fans dragging him into every discussion. Please delete your comment. ]
Initially, the comments were relatively harmonious. But after several layers of replies, an account appeared, furiously attacking the original poster as a “bootlicker” with vulgar language, insulting all celebrity fans. This immediately ignited public outrage, sparking a heated flame war that built into a towering thread beneath the article.
Perhaps the drama of the online battle drew even more attention. As <Secrets to Getting Rich> continued its viral run, Chi Zhongqiao gained a significant number of anti-fans alongside his growing fanbase, making him a highly controversial figure.
Consequently, the debate over whether the handwriting belonged to Chi Zhongqiao surged like a rising tide, quickly climbing into the trending topics.
However, regardless of whether these comments came from bot accounts or genuine users, most were overwhelmingly negative toward Chi Zhongqiao.
[ Seafood Lotus Fruit: Seriously? You see someone’s calligraphy and immediately start hyping up your idol? Have you even looked at where this writing is from? A Welfare Home! Your idol writing for a Welfare Home? That’s hilarious! This pretty boy who climbed to fame through hype hasn’t even participated in a single charity event. ]
[ Curtain After Curtain: A kind person sends blessings to the children, and a bunch of fans try to claim it for their actor? The calligrapher must be furious. ]
[ Is Gan Cui Mian: Five yuan for a key? CZQ, do you even deserve one? You don’t. ]
Many fans trembled with anger, but it was their own members who had first mentioned Chi Zhongqiao in the comments. The more they argued, the more they were mocked, with personal attacks and even insults directed at their families. Many girls were driven to tears.
Meanwhile, Xu Ling and the others were busy all day hosting media interviews. Even after returning home, they remained in seclusion, editing footage for the Welfare Home’s promotional campaign, completely unaware of the online storm brewing. The elderly Dean, unfamiliar with social media, was also unable to issue a timely clarification.
Sun Qi contacted several fan club presidents, urging members to exercise caution in their online conduct. However, by the time the incident had escalated to this point, self-restraint from the fans alone could no longer quell the flames.
Yet, an hour before the controversy erupted, Du Yusheng and Chi Zhongqiao had already left Zhaohui.
Du Yusheng had poured his heart and soul into managing Chi Zhongqiao. Though he hadn’t secured any new projects for him, he had gone to great lengths to obtain an invitation for Chi Zhongqiao to Old Geng’s birthday banquet.
Holding up the invitation, Du Yusheng said, “This invitation to Old Geng’s birthday banquet was incredibly difficult to get. You must cherish it.”
Old Geng, Geng Zhong, was the first Chinese filmmaker to win the Weiguo1in TL it means Great Nation~ more like an award from a great nation, it didn’t mention Oscars or Emmy’s but maybe it referred to that or other awards from other nation (Berlin Filmfest or France..I’m really not sure LOL Award for Best Director. The Weiguo Awards are universally recognized as the highest honor in the film industry, and Geng Zhong’s two Best Director wins cemented his unparalleled status in the industry.
Du Yusheng rattled off a string of instructions, then, worried about putting too much pressure on Chi Zhongqiao, softened his tone. “You only have <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> under your belt right now, so your clout in the film industry is still thin. You’re not on the radar of the big-name Directors yet. I’m not asking you to cozy up to Old Geng directly, but you should make an effort to connect with other Directors and leave a good impression.”
Chi Zhongqiao understood perfectly.
“I’ll go with you,” Du Yusheng added. “Don’t be too nervous.” Everyone who’s anyone in the industry has been scrambling for invitations to this banquet. I’m worried you’ll freeze up the moment you walk in.”
Chi Zhongqiao was far more concerned about his media interview later that day than about the banquet. Besides, he wouldn’t be alone. Fu Jingshen and Ge Fangyu would also be attending, so he could just stick with them and make the rounds.
Du Yusheng had no idea the Little Prince was preoccupied with others’ affairs. If he did, he’d surely give Chi Zhongqiao a piece of his mind, reminding him of all the worries he’d endured on his behalf.
Holding their invitations, the two entered the villa hosting the banquet. Chi Zhongqiao immediately spotted Fu Jingshen and Li Xi.
It was impossible to miss them—the pair were wearing identical suits, one in black and the other in white!
Li Xi waved enthusiastically at Chi Zhongqiao. Chi Zhongqiao paused, always feeling a pang of awkwardness around Li Xi, remembering the delicate misunderstanding that had preceded his agreement with Lu Yuzhou.
Oblivious to Chi Zhongqiao’s discomfort, Li Xi shook off the languid Fu Jingshen and strode over to Chi Zhongqiao.
Fu Jingshen, who had been chatting with a film Director, immediately turned to watch Li Xi’s departure when he felt his lover pull away. Seeing it was Chi Zhongqiao, he raised his glass in acknowledgment.
Fu Jingshen had directed several commercially successful films that had won prestigious awards. Yet he preferred television dramas, arguing that while concise storytelling was admirable, short films couldn’t fully develop complex narratives. He found the episodic format of television series better suited to his storytelling style.
Chi Zhongqiao nodded in response. Li Xi said, “Brother Qiao, let’s go over there.”
Du Yusheng glanced at Fu Jingshen, his eye twitching slightly. So the Little Prince is this close to Director Fu? Why was I ever worried about him fitting in with this crowd?
While Chi Zhongqiao and Du Yusheng were socializing at the banquet, the controversy surrounding the origin of the calligraphy at the Welfare Home had already topped the trending searches.
Du Yusheng had left with Chi Zhongqiao, and since Chi Zhongqiao lacked a dedicated public relations team, the entire company was slow to react. It wasn’t until the public outcry reached a fever pitch that they belatedly realized the severity of the situation.
The public relations team convened an emergency meeting overnight.
When Lu Yuzhou answered Sun Qi’s call, her voice trembled with tears. “President Lu, have you seen the trending searches? What do we do now?”
Having just finished working late, Lu Yuzhou glanced at the trending topics on his phone, skimming through them rapidly. He replied with a curt “Understood” before hanging up.
Tears welled in Sun Qi’s eyes. “President Lu?!”
Lu Yuzhou lit a cigarette, the ember glowing faintly in the dim light. He dialed Xu Ling’s number, and she answered quickly. “President Lu?”
“Miss Xu,” Lu Yuzhou said, “I recall you have photos and videos of Brother Qiao from his time at the Welfare Home, correct? Could you send me a copy?”
Xu Ling sensed something was amiss, her heart racing with anxiety. “Of course, I’ll send them right away.”
Sensing something was wrong, Xu Ling’s fingers trembled as she accidentally sent all the videos to Lu Yuzhou. He forwarded them to the public relations team and assured Sun Qi there was nothing to worry about.
The more Xu Ling thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She opened various social media platforms and quickly found Chi Zhongqiao trending. As she scrolled through the comments, a fire seemed to burn in her chest. Who are these people? Hiding behind anonymity online, they hurl insults and attacks with impunity.
Even if fans’ actions reflect poorly on their idols, what crime could Chi Zhongqiao have committed to deserve such venomous curses? The vile, obscene remarks…
Xu Ling gritted her teeth, her eyes gradually reddening. I’m the one who actually knows Chi Zhongqiao, she thought. How many of these online “experts” have ever even met him?
Fueled by anger, she renamed her account and posted a comment using her verified account:
[ Virtue Education Welfare Institute – Xu Ling: Thank you, @Chi Zhongqiao, for the calligraphy and blessings! We’ll work hard to ensure the children grow up healthy and have a bright future! Also, while Brother Qiao is away, the children have been diligently practicing calligraphy using the models he personally wrote for them. ]
[ Image: Calligraphy Practice Sheet.jpg ]
[ GIF: Hand-in-Hand Calligraphy Lesson.gif ]
[ Verified Account: Member of the Provincial Charity Volunteer Association. ]
