After Amnesia, I Learn I'm a Scumbag Top?! - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Chu Tinghan found himself in a bind. After agonizing over the matter for days, he still couldn’t decide how to respond.

He had already found a suitable young actor. Whether he met him now or later was merely a matter of timing. He knew he couldn’t delay any longer, yet when faced with the same question again, he still couldn’t bring himself to nod in agreement.

Just as Zhou Yingjie had warned him, this plan was too risky. There are no walls without cracks, and with Pei Ji’s intelligence, he would inevitably discover the flaws sooner or later.

Chu Tinghan couldn’t predict Pei Ji’s reaction at that point, nor was he certain he could bear the worst possible outcome.

Once he agreed, there would be no turning back.

The atmosphere in the hospital room was unnervingly strange. Guan Nan, standing pressed against the wall, still felt like he was intruding. After all, they were discussing family matters, and his continued eavesdropping was inappropriate.

Guan Nan suddenly coughed and, flustered, came up with an excuse to escape. “Um… it’s almost lunchtime, and you must be hungry. I’ll go buy some food and be back in a bit.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned and fled, his footsteps blurring as if he feared being detained.

Pei Ji stared at Chu Tinghan’s determined back, speechless. I asked Chu Tinghan the question, so why is the assistant running faster than his boss?

Oh right, I forgot Director Chu sprained his ankle. He can’t exactly run.

Director Chu, stranded by his assistant and unable to move freely, was equally speechless. The sudden interruption had broken his train of thought, causing him to forget the carefully crafted response he’d been mentally rehearsing.

Left with no other choice, Chu Tinghan slowly uttered two words: “I won’t.”

After a pause, he finally made up his mind, his voice deepening with conviction. “I won’t go back on my word. Once the plane lands, I’ll let you see him.”

Pei Ji smiled and agreed.

A knock suddenly echoed at the door. A nurse entered, asking who the family member was and requesting payment for the medical fees.

With only two people in the room, Pei Ji froze for a moment before realizing the nurse was referring to him.

Even though he and Chu Tinghan had been married for some time, hearing that title still felt strange.

Pei Ji’s face flushed inexplicably. He cleared his throat awkwardly before replying, “That’s me.”

The nurse’s gaze lingered on his face for a moment, her eyes betraying a hint of gossip.

She knew the patient in the room was the legendary singer Chu Tinghan, but she had no idea he was married.

The handsome man before her looked several years younger than Chu Tinghan. Judging by his age, he could have been Chu Tinghan’s younger brother, but their dissimilar features suggested no familial connection.

Aside from blood ties, the only other familial bond was marriage. Could this man be Chu Tinghan’s… partner?

This would be earth-shattering news! Chu Tinghan had actually gotten married, and his spouse was not only younger but also seemed to be a relatively unknown commoner.

The towering god of music, deigning to marry a commoner? This was truly extraordinary.

Aside from genuine love, she couldn’t imagine any other reason.

Having witnessed countless celebrity marriages crumble, she’d assumed the entertainment industry was rife with superficial relationships built on self-interest. She never imagined true affection could actually exist within its gilded cage.

Pei Ji, oblivious to the nurse’s mental gymnastics, grew increasingly uneasy under her lingering gaze.

He cleared his throat to snap her out of her reverie. “You mentioned payment. How should I settle the bill?”

Realizing she’d been lost in thought for far too long, the nurse smiled apologetically, glanced at the invoice, and quoted the total.

Pei Ji checked his bank card balance. It was just enough to cover the bill; any less, and he wouldn’t have been able to afford Chu Tinghan’s medication.

When he realized this, he couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but it certainly wasn’t pleasant.

His heart a tangled mess of emotions, he slowly and clumsily shuffled back to the hospital room.

Inside, Chu Tinghan lay still on the bed, his eyes tightly shut as if exhausted and asleep.

Pei Ji tiptoed to the bedside and sat down to watch over him, silently gazing at Chu Tinghan’s tranquil profile. He couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

With Chu Tinghan’s injury, he had nearly been unable to afford the medical bills. The more he thought about it, the more useless he felt—defeated and disheartened.

A moment later, Guan Nan entered with lunch. Noticing the deathly silence in the room, he saw Pei Ji sitting by the bed with his head bowed, his expression grim. Assuming something had gone wrong again, Guan Nan hurriedly set the lunchbox on the table and rushed over, asking anxiously, “What’s wrong, Brother Pei? Why do you look so terrible?”

Pei Ji made a “shush” gesture, signaling him to be quiet and not disturb Chu Tinghan’s rest.

But Chu Tinghan was a light sleeper. The heavy footsteps still roused him, and his eyes slowly fluttered open.

In that first instant of waking, he thought he glimpsed a hint of melancholy in Pei Ji’s eyes. But in the blink of an eye, that fleeting sadness vanished without a trace, replaced by a warm, gentle smile.

Chu Tinghan was certain he hadn’t imagined it. Just as he was about to ask Pei Ji what was wrong, Pei Ji spoke first: “You’re awake. Are you hungry? Want something to eat?”

Chu Tinghan nodded slowly, his mind still preoccupied with the fleeting melancholy he’d glimpsed on Pei Ji’s face.

What’s wrong with him? Is he upset? Why is he upset?

Pei Ji opened the lunchboxes one by one and handed Chu Tinghan a pair of chopsticks.

Chu Tinghan didn’t move, suddenly asking, “Are you not happy?”

Pei Ji froze for a moment, then forced a slight smile, pretending nothing was amiss. “No, not at all. Let’s eat.”

Chu Tinghan took the chopsticks but didn’t start eating, his gaze fixed on Pei Ji, trying to decipher his true emotions through his micro-expressions.

That intense stare was impossible to ignore. Pei Ji couldn’t understand why Chu Tinghan was so fixated on whether he was happy or not. After a moment’s thought, he changed his approach, teasing, “Alright, fine. I am unhappy.”

Hearing this, Chu Tinghan’s heart sank, and he suddenly tensed, his face etched with worry.

Seeing this, Pei Ji chuckled helplessly, secretly marveling at his incredible luck in finding such a love-obsessed sugar daddy husband.

Pei Ji frowned dramatically, sighed, and his expression grew even more dejected than before. “Ah, how could I be happy when you’re hurt? If I were, wouldn’t that make me a complete and utter jerk?” By the end, he couldn’t keep up the act any longer, his tone softening until it sounded like a joke.

Chu Tinghan stared blankly for a long moment before it dawned on him that Pei Ji was teasing him. “You… uh”

He barely got a word out before something was suddenly stuffed into his mouth, choking off the rest of his sentence.

Pei Ji picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of meat, and shoved it into Chu Tinghan’s mouth. He curled his lips into a gentle smile, his voice unconsciously tender: “Alright, eat up. It’ll get cold if you don’t.”

In the next instant, both men froze, as if time had momentarily stilled. Their reflections were crystal clear in each other’s eyes.

It was only when their gazes locked that Pei Ji realized how intimate this gesture had been.

The warm, golden sunlight streamed in quietly, and the air suddenly felt stifling.

Pei Ji’s heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason. Bewildered by his own actions, he immediately averted his gaze, his ears burning crimson. His hand, still holding the chopsticks with the meat, grew numb from being held in mid-air, unsure whether to put it down or not.

After a moment, Pei Ji felt the chopsticks in his hand twitch slightly as Chu Tinghan slowly took the piece of meat between them.

Chu Tinghan lowered his head, chewed several times, and swallowed. His mood felt light, like walking on cotton.

Before, Pei Ji had only ever placed food on his plate. Now, he was feeding him directly from his chopsticks, closing the distance between them in an inexplicable way.

The two men ate in silence, heads bowed, neither speaking another word. Even so, Pei Ji could still sense that Chu Tinghan seemed to be smiling.

That smile sent Pei Ji’s thoughts drifting in a certain direction, beyond his control.

Pei Ji absentmindedly shoveled rice into his mouth, his mind replaying the earlier scene uncontrollably, his feelings growing increasingly complex.

This situation made them seem like a newly confirmed couple on their first date—awkward and giddy, their excitement tinged with embarrassment.

“Are you in a hurry?” Chu Tinghan broke the silence, asking softly.

Pei Ji snapped back to reality, momentarily puzzled. In a hurry for what?

Seeing his bewildered expression, Chu Tinghan guessed he hadn’t understood and clarified, “Are you in a hurry to see the child?”

In the past, Pei Ji’s acts of attentiveness had always been motivated by requests he needed to make. This time, however, he had switched to a more intimate gesture, leading Chu Tinghan to mistakenly assume it was the same as before. Currently, the only thing worth such a gesture was seeing the child.

Pei Ji’s answer caught him completely off guard.

Pei Ji paused, considering for a moment before saying, “No, I’m not in a hurry.”

He had once been desperate to see his child, but now he was reconsidering.

He had always believed that raising a child required adequate financial resources. At the very least, he needed enough money.

But right now, he was penniless, barely able to afford Chu Tinghan’s medical expenses.

If he couldn’t afford medicine now, what about the child’s food next time? Or even a small plush toy?

He couldn’t bear the thought of having to awkwardly tell his child, “Sorry, I can’t afford that,” when they begged for something. And then have to explain, “Actually, I’m your other dad’s kept man. He’s my sugar daddy, and we both depend on him for everything.”

He shuddered at the potential harm such an upbringing could inflict on the child. What if the child took him as a role model and ended up becoming a scoundrel himself, living off others and marrying for money?

The mere thought made his head ache.

He was a failed father, and he knew he wasn’t ready. To put it bluntly, he wasn’t qualified.

Chu Tinghan, unaware of Pei Ji’s inner turmoil, was utterly astonished by his response.

Immediately, Pei Ji’s expression froze as if he’d suddenly realized something. He blurted out incoherently, “D-don’t misunderstand! I… I’m not rushing to see the child because I don’t want to take responsibility. It’s just… I’m not ready yet. Give me some time—a week at most. I’ll definitely be ready within a week.”

The words “irresponsible,” “scumbag,” and “moocher” were deeply seared into Pei Ji’s soul. The moment he sensed even a hint of irresponsibility in his words, he reflexively began to explain himself.

“Within a week?” Chu Tinghan confirmed the timeframe.

Pei Ji’s voice was resolute. “Yes, a week. I’ll definitely be ready within a week.”

This was the first time he urgently realized he needed to focus on building his career and making money.

Previously, he’d envisioned slowly working his way back into the public eye through social media. Now, he lacked the patience to wait.

He just wanted to stage a swift comeback and earn the right to support his child as soon as possible.

Upon hearing this, Chu Tinghan’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly. Feigning nonchalance, he murmured a dismissive “Hmm,” but inwardly, chaos reigned. He knew he couldn’t run anymore.

A week was the deadline Pei Ji had set for him—a death sentence.

Within that week, he had to familiarize himself with the child actor, rehearse their scenes thoroughly, and ensure he wouldn’t slip up in front of Pei Ji.