Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Pei Chuzhi felt as if she saw a bottomless pit in front of her, and Xing Ye was standing at the edge with ill intentions, waiting for the moment she jumped in so he could swiftly bury her on the spot.

Thinking back over the whole day, his various overt and covert contests made Pei Chuzhi sneer inwardly.

Xing Ye definitely wanted to deliberately tease her.

Did he think she was stupid? Even if there were some fan comments, couldn’t she wait until recording the show later to tell Xie Yiqian?

Did she have to say it today and let him grab leverage?

Pei Chuzhi fiercely praised her own wit, and when she spoke her tone was polite and respectful: “Actually, it’s not only fans. I think many ordinary viewers would also be looking forward to Teacher Xie’s upcoming works.”

After saying that, she lightly glanced at Xing Ye.

See that? Today I’ll let you witness what the self-cultivation of a rational film fan looks like!

“…………”

Xing Ye frowned slightly, seeming somewhat puzzled.

Xie Yiqian did not notice the undercurrent between the two. After saying a few words of thanks, he naturally shifted the topic elsewhere.

When dinner was about to end, the program team took out a Polaroid camera and suggested the six artists take some photos for future promotional materials.

Seeing Tong Yang pulling people around to take group photos everywhere, Pei Chuzhi followed suit and went to take a separate photo with Xie Yiqian.

The Polaroid photo quickly developed. She avoided Xing Ye’s gaze and secretly borrowed a pen from a staff member: “Teacher Xie, could you help me sign the photo?”

“Sure.”

Xie Yiqian smiled gently, signing while saying, “I’m very happy to meet you again through work this time. You didn’t forget what you said back then and have been moving toward your dream.”

Pei Chuzhi felt a bit embarrassed inside.

Back then, when she snuck into the backstage at school to confess to Xie Yiqian, she had been so nervous her brain almost stopped thinking. She actually didn’t remember what she said at all.

It was really something that Xie Yiqian still remembered so clearly.

Thinking that he was actually so kind to fans, Pei Chuzhi couldn’t help but sigh that her taste was indeed first-rate—her favorite idols were all exceptionally outstanding.

After a while, Pei Chuzhi went to the restroom with Tong Yang.

Tong Yang was wearing a jumpsuit today, which was inconvenient to put on and take off, so Pei Chuzhi had to wait outside.

The sinks in this restaurant were unisex, uniformly set at the exit of the restrooms.

Pei Chuzhi set her phone aside and slowly pressed the pump, squeezing out a ball of foam.

She was in a good mood today, and while washing her hands she even softly hummed a song.

The surrounding light dimmed slightly at this moment.

Pei Chuzhi raised her eyes toward the mirror and discovered that Xing Ye had come out at some point.

He stood not far behind her, tall with long legs, blocking some of the light.

The air conditioning in the restaurant was strong. He wore only a black T-shirt, as if not afraid of the cold, sleeves rolled up high, revealing his smoothly lined forearms.

Noticing Pei Chuzhi’s gaze, he also turned his face slightly, the lines from his neck to collarbone pulling into a beautiful arc.

He looked quite cool, the kind of handsome man who, even if he weren’t a star, would attract girls’ frequent glances while walking down the street.

“Getting ready to go back to the hotel?” Seeing he had no intention of going into the restroom, Pei Chuzhi asked, “Wait a moment, Tong Yang is still inside.”

Xing Ye looked at her indifferently: “No, I came to find you.”

Pei Chuzhi put her hands under the sensor faucet to rinse: “What’s up? Any arrangements?”

She thought Xing Ye had come out specifically to discuss publicity matters with her.

Unexpectedly, he raised his brows slightly, crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, and in a tone of disappointment, spoke in a low voice:

“Just now, I told you to talk to Teacher Xie. Why didn’t you say it properly?”

The tap water rushed through her fingers, washing away the foam carrying a fresh fragrance.

Pei Chuzhi straightened up and looked at the man’s reflection in the mirror, her tone hesitant with a trace of guilt: “Are you still angry? Then when we return to Yan City, I’ll call Brother Tang and go with him to formally apologize to you, okay?”

Although she had originally thought that after their tacit cooperation during the program recording, they had already let bygones be bygones, since Xing Ye still refused to turn the page, then she and Tang Dong might need to carry a rod on their backs and plead guilty?

However, he shook his head: “I’m not that petty.”

Pei Chuzhi became even more confused, and her mind blurted out directly: “So you weren’t fishing for enforcement?”

“I…”

Xing Ye was almost amused by her anger. He pressed his cheek, the line of his jaw tensing sharply, and only after a long while did he ask, “What do you have that’s worth me fishing?”

That was true.

But Pei Chuzhi felt a bit stung.

She pulled out a tissue to wipe her hands and replied unconvincedly: “Then you can’t blame me for overthinking. You suddenly said that out of nowhere; I was afraid I might accidentally make you unhappy again.”

Xing Ye paused: “You’re afraid of me?”

???

Is that the key point?

And what does that disappointed tone of yours mean?

She threw the tissue into the trash bin and turned around to explain a few things to him, only to see Xing Ye step forward two steps and directly block her between his body and the sink.

Pei Chuzhi took a deep breath, thinking this person’s habit of blocking people just because he was tall really needed to be fixed.

The edge of the sink was damp and a little cold. She had no choice but to stand stiffly upright and look up at his deep and sharp brows and eyes.

“Don’t overthink it. I’m really not afraid of you.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized they sounded a bit strange, like she was provoking him, so she cleared her throat and changed her wording: “Although it’s a bit late to say this now, actually I’ve always wanted to tell you…”

Xing Ye’s Adam’s apple rolled unconsciously a few times, his gaze slightly darkening.

Pei Chuzhi was made nervous by his stare for a moment, and her voice softened: “In the more than two years since debuting, although I haven’t seen much of the world, you really are the one among the people I’ve met who has treated me the best.”

“I treat you well—isn’t that only natural?” Xing Ye’s voice was slightly hoarse, falling low beside her ear like a murmured love talk.

Pei Chuzhi lowered her head, a patch of crimson spreading along the fair side of her neck.

She couldn’t quite stand it when Xing Ye leaned so close and spoke to her in a low tone.

It would throw her heartbeat out of rhythm.

She focused intently on the tips of her shoes, deciding not to look up again: “Anyway, that’s what I mean. I think it’s quite pleasant getting along with you, and there’s not much pressure, so I’m really not afraid of you, and later when…”

Her voice suddenly stopped.

Pei Chuzhi realized what she had just wanted to say—when the contract ends, we can still continue to keep in contact.

But when that time comes, would Xing Ye still treat her well?

According to the contract, once the couple relationship was unbound, she could no longer use Xing Ye’s name to create buzz.

And Xing Ye and his company would probably also avoid her in a businesslike manner.

Would they become worse than even ordinary friends?

Somewhere in her heart turned sour.

Pei Chuzhi bit her lip blankly, not understanding what was wrong with her.

“You just said, being with me makes you very happy?”

Xing Ye’s voice came from above her head.

That wasn’t exactly what she originally said, but Pei Chuzhi was too lazy to fuss over such details and just nodded lightly.

Xing Ye let out a low laugh, a faint vibration coming from his chest: “Me too.”

Pei Chuzhi froze for a moment and subconsciously raised her head.

Then her gaze passed over Xing Ye’s shoulder, and she saw Tong Yang standing by the restroom door with a shocked expression.

For some reason, her first reaction was actually to raise both hands and push Xing Ye away.

Caught completely off guard, Xing Ye staggered back a few steps, almost crashing into the wall outside.

He frowned tightly and was just about to speak when he also noticed Tong Yang’s presence.

The three of them looked at each other in silence for a few seconds.

“I—I didn’t see anything, didn’t hear anything.”

With a bang, Tong Yang slammed the door shut and hid back inside the restroom. “I won’t go out and talk nonsense!”

Pei Chuzhi: “……”

Xing Ye: “…………”

·

Tong Yang thought she had accidentally stumbled upon an “affair,” and on the way back from the restaurant to the hotel she turned into well-behaved.jpg.

Her young heart had been severely shaken by the shocking huge gossip, and even the shadow of being frightened by Sister Wang’s special-effects makeup earlier completely vanished. That night she didn’t dare go to Pei Chuzhi’s room at all.

The next morning, the group returned to the villa and finished filming the remaining plot.

After wrapping up, Pei Chuzhi felt it was a bit troublesome. Today, whenever Tong Yang saw her and Xing Ye, she immediately became as quiet as a chicken, her little face practically saying, “My lips are super sealed, please don’t assassinate me.”

Pei Chuzhi thought for a moment and felt that Tong Yang was at least a somewhat famous child star. The reason she had become so panicked must be pressure coming from Xing Ye.

So she secretly called Xing Ye aside and told him he’d better gently talk with Tong Yang, so as not to affect the little girl’s mental health.

After listening, Xing Ye nodded and walked directly to Tong Yang, lifting his chin at her to signal her to follow him.

There wasn’t a trace of a gentle big brother.

Tong Yang looked extremely pitiful.

She was already small, with a tender little-girl face. Following nervously behind Xing Ye, she looked exactly like a well-behaved kid targeted by a school bully.

Pei Chuzhi, who witnessed the whole process, felt quite speechless.

Fortunately, a few minutes later when Tong Yang came back, her expression looked much more relaxed.

She hopped over to Pei Chuzhi in two quick steps, smiling as she held her hand and said softly, “Zhizhi-sister, sorry, I was too jumpy before.”

Pei Chuzhi patted her head: “It’s okay, you’re still young.”

No one knew what Xing Ye had told her, but Tong Yang looked completely free of psychological burden.

She turned her neck to look around, and seeing no staff paying attention, she blinked and said, “But now I finally understand why Xing Ye-gege tried so hard to protect you yesterday. At the time I thought it was for the program effect, but it turns out it was genuine feelings.”

Pei Chuzhi: “Huh?”

“When you two officially announce it, remember to tell me in advance,” the little girl’s eyes sparkled, faintly revealing excitement. “I’ll give you my most sincere blessings!”

Pei Chuzhi felt a bad premonition: “What did he tell you?”

Tong Yang found a chair and sat down, her voice crisp: “He said you’re his girlfriend, and that he’s liked you for a very, very long time. It took him countless hardships before he finally managed to chase you.”

“…It wasn’t that hard.”

Just signing a contract.

Tong Yang glanced at her, somewhat dissatisfied: “Zhizhi-sister, you can’t say that. Lots of girls at our school really like Xing Ye-gege, and not just at school. As far as I know, quite a few female artists in the circle secretly like him too. But from beginning to end he only had you in his heart, he doesn’t even look at other girls. If I were you, I’d definitely feel extremely happy.”

The more Pei Chuzhi listened, the more confused she became. She quietly sat beside Tong Yang, deciding to hear exactly what strange ideas had been instilled into her.

The little girl sighed and continued emotionally: “Although his tone just now was very serious, I could tell he definitely values you a lot. Otherwise he wouldn’t have warned me that if I go out and talk nonsense and reporters write randomly, causing you bad influence, he’ll retire from the industry.”

“Retire from the industry?!”

Pei Chuzhi almost slid off the chair. What the hell did she just hear?

Tong Yang’s childish face was full of longing: “This is the kind of fairy-like love people talk about online, right? When you truly like someone, reputation and status no longer matter. You’re only willing to give them the rest of your life, even your life.”

Pei Chuzhi fell silent for a long while.

She suddenly wanted to send an emoji to Xing Ye.

The stage hasn’t even been set, and you’re already addicted to acting :）

Author’s note: Brother Ye, a Best Actor devoted to adding scenes for himself :）

Thanks to the little angels who threw overlord tickets or irrigated nutrient solution during 2019-12-10 21:22:35~2019-12-11 20:59:58~

Thanks to the little angel who irrigated nutrient solution: Violeta, 16 bottles;

Thank you very much for everyone’s support, I will continue to work hard!