Chapter 44 Can I kiss you if I write a love letter?

Chen Jingchi had to go back to his meeting. After the call ended, Zhou Yu was left sitting alone on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.

The jade in her palm was a little hot. She knew Chen Jingchi had no intention of giving her a chance to return it, so she had no choice but to accept it.

How could something worth 500,000 yuan really be used to hang keys? Zhou Yu put it back in the box, thinking that the only use of this little gadget was probably to look at it occasionally to relieve boredom.

They truly cherish it, afraid of dropping it.

A message popped up; it was from Tan Bei.

Tan Bei: [I thought I accidentally pressed the button, why did it hang up?]

I just called Chen Jingchi in a hurry, and she didn't even have time to explain. Zhou Yu replied: "[Sorry, I hung up. I just made a call.]"

Tan Bei: [Okay, okay, the meeting here is almost over, so you should get some rest.]

Zhou Yu: [You too [heart][heart]]

Before going to bed, Liu Xianya noticed that her daughter had been staring at a page in her book for almost ten minutes without turning it, so she couldn't help but ask gently, "What are you thinking about?"

Zhou Yu snapped out of her reverie. Perhaps it was her mother's presence that reassured her, and some of the unfounded worries in her heart dissipated. She put the book she hadn't been reading aside and asked softly, "Mom, do you think relationships are based on mutual ulterior motives?"

It was rare to hear her talk about relationships, so Liu Xianya stopped looking at her phone, pondered for a moment, and said, "Not necessarily. Healthy love is unconditional. For example, a mother doesn't want anything from you; she just hopes you grow up safely and smoothly. But in reality, some parents will demand that their children get good grades to make them proud, or have a good job to ensure they can support them in their old age. You can't say that this isn't love; it's just that you have to exchange things for their love."

Zhou Yu looked at her and asked, "If you were their child, would you strive to meet their expectations?"

"Of course, love is an essential part of our growth." Liu Xianya said with a smile, "You see, my maternal grandmother had three children. After my two uncles were born, the focus of the family shifted to them. At that time, my maternal grandparents ran a small restaurant and were busy every day. In order to reduce their burden, I dared not slack off in my studies, for fear that my grades would be bad and my parents would be called in by the teacher."

"Won't your grandparents think that you're so sensible, it's only natural? You do it perfectly ninety-nine times, but you get criticized for doing it wrong just once?" Zhou asked.

"You think too highly of them," Liu Xianya laughed. "When I didn't do well on the exam, I didn't dare tell them. After my grandma found out, she specially made my favorite braised pork ribs. Back then, if you wanted to eat pork ribs, you had to wait until Chinese New Year."

Zhou Yu didn't reply and fell into deep thought.

Liu Xianya leaned closer and asked, "Thinking about Xiao Chen?"

Zhou Yu nodded slightly.

Liu Xianya said softly, "Love is different from family. There is no blood connection. It is essentially the attraction between strangers. What attracts you is what you want. You must also be attracted to him because he is handsome, sings well, is willing to spend money on you, and provides you with emotional value. Without these, Xiao Chen is no different from any random man on the street."

Zhou Yu frowned and retorted, "But those are his inherent strengths. I don't like him because of those."

"Then how did you fall in love with him?" Liu Xianya asked in return.

Zhou was speechless.

Why do I like Chen Jingchi?

Long ago, she wanted to draw strength from his singing. During a lyric contest, she hoped Chen Jingchi would sing the lyrics she wrote and create a song that belonged only to them. Later, as she became more familiar with Chen Jingchi, she began to hope that his gaze would fall upon her.

Although these were all secrets she never spoke of, she did get what she wanted from him: his singing, his works, and his affection.

Liu Xianya sighed and said, "Baby, you're still so young, and you have such a long life ahead of you. Why worry so much? Love is a very simple thing. Don't overcomplicate it. He likes you, and you like him, isn't that enough?"

Zhou wanted to give up thinking and mumbled, "I understand."

*

After rehearsals began, the group chat became quieter day by day. Only on the day the concert tickets went on sale did everyone briefly pop up. Zhuo Wencheng was surprised that all the tickets sold out in a second, wondering how the fans could be so fast.

Tan Bei would occasionally send Zhou Yu a few rehearsal videos so she could see how the band was doing. The band wasn't just the three boys; there were several other musicians from the company too, a large group of people, but Chen Jingchi wasn't seen.

After finalizing the playlist, Zhou Yu went to her grandmother's house, borrowed her cousin's tablet, copied the lyrics, and sent the file to Chen Jingchi.

Chen Jingchi forwarded a chat log containing dozens of photos of outfits he planned to wear on stage for the three-day performance.

Chen: [Help me choose one]

Zhou Yu was overwhelmed by the sights and asked, "Don't you have a stylist?"

Chen: [I want to wear what you like]

Zhou Yu was so shocked by his words that he was speechless, and wanted to ask if the account had been changed.

Halfway calmed down, but not completely, I asked: "How many sets do you want to choose?"

*

Three days before the performance, Zhou Yu woke up in the morning and saw a group photo of the band sent by Chen Jingchi at three o'clock in the morning.

Chen: [Just finished]

Zhou Yu spotted him in a group of people. He didn't know what had happened during the filming, but everyone was laughing. Chen Jingchi's smile was faint; he didn't seem like the main character, but more like an observer.

She replied: 【Why are you practicing so late?】

It's only eight o'clock now. I thought he should be sleeping, but he replied instantly.

Chen: [We had to change the songs because we couldn't get the copyrights for two of them.]

Zhou Yu: [Are you awake or not?]

Chen: [I'm awake, just arrived at the office]

Zhou Yu: [Aren't you tired after sleeping so little?]

Chen: [Sleepy]

Chen: [Tired]

Upon seeing those two consecutive words, Zhou Yu felt as if something had stabbed his heart.

Chen: [We need to hold on for a few more days]

Zhou Yu typed a few words in the input box, hesitated for a long time before sending it: 【Take care of yourself, don't overwork yourself】

After sending it out, I felt that such a light and insignificant sentence might not have any effect.

Chen: [Can I ask for a reward next time I see you?]

Zhou feigned ignorance: "Do you want a certificate or a banner?"

Chen: [We'll see when the time comes]

Chen: [Afraid you won't see me]

Zhou Yu silently muttered to himself, "How could I possibly not see him?" This was clearly a malicious remark.

At noon on the 13th, everyone had arrived at the Xianhai Sports Center to prepare for rehearsal.

When Zhou arrived at the entrance, she learned that the venue was closed and non-staff members were not allowed to enter. Knowing that everyone was busy and not wanting to trouble others, she simply sent a message to Tan Bei.

The staff were setting up the equipment when Tan Bei, who was sitting on the newly set-up stage, was idly playing on her phone. Upon seeing her message, she instantly came to life, immediately asked which door she was at, and ran out.

Upon seeing her, he rushed forward and hugged her tightly: "I'm so glad to see you! You have no idea how tough these past two weeks have been."

Tan Bei's main concern is companionship. She sees them rehearsing every day but no one talks to her, and they finish work late, sometimes not until 2 or 3 in the morning. She's about to reach her limit.

"You've worked hard." Zhou Yu hugged her back.

"They're busy; it'll take them a long time to debug the equipment," Tan Bei asked. "Do you want to see Chen Jingchi? He's inside too."

Going to see him alone would be too deliberate. Zhou Yu knew that time was tight and tasks were heavy, and she didn't want to distract him, so she whispered, "Let's not go, let's go have some fun."

We had already made plans to go out together when we came to Xianhai this time. We had both prepared our itinerary in advance and were looking forward to meeting.

Tan Bei looked surprised for a second, but then quickly laughed: "Yay, let's go!"

After leaving the sports center, the two got into a taxi. Tan Bei sent a message in the group chat, telling them not to worry, that she was out shopping with Zhou Yu.

Just as Zhou Yu finished reading Tan Bei's message, Chen Jingchi's private message popped up.

Chen: [Are you really not going to see me?]

Zhou Yu felt inexplicably guilty, and she replied: 【I don't want to bother you, you should focus on your rehearsal】

A few minutes later, he replied: "It's only you I miss."

The power of just five words is immense.

Zhou Yu suddenly turned her phone over and placed it on her lap. In the summer, the phone got very hot, and she was wearing a short skirt today. The hot screen was touching her thigh skin, making her feel hot all over.

Tan Bei was still browsing group-buying deals when she noticed a light pink blush on her cheeks and asked curiously, "Are you hot? Is the air conditioning not working properly?"

The driver in the driver's seat asked, "Would you like the temperature turned down a bit?"

Zhou Yu quickly waved his hand: "No need, I'm fine."

Tan Bei sensed something was wrong and chuckled, "Did Chen Jingchi send you a message?"

Zhou Yu glanced at her, then gently covered her mouth with his hand and whispered, "Don't say anything."

"I won't tell you, I won't tell you." Tan Bei shook her head with a smile, then suddenly remembered something, "Oh, right!"

She took a square gift box out of her bag and handed it to her, saying, "This is the birthday present I promised you last time. Luckily, I put it in my bag and brought it with me today."

Zhou Yu was so moved that he was speechless. He wanted to ask why she actually spent money to buy it again, but he felt that since he had already given it to her, it would be too embarrassing to say such a thing. So he simply hugged her and said, "Thank you."

"Open it and take a look," Tan Bei said. "I think you'll like it."

Zhou Yu opened the box, and inside was a small, exquisite photo frame, but instead of a photograph, it contained a three-dimensional moon phase.

“It’s the moon from the day you were born,” Tan Bei explained. “If you take it out on its own, it’s a diffuser stone. You can put perfume or essential oil in it. I specially chose a scent that suits you. It’s tuberose and jasmine. You can smell it first.”

She brought the small box containing the essential oil to her nose, and a delicate green and moisturizing scent wafted over her—a very sophisticated fragrance.

It was a very thoughtful gift, and Zhou Yu liked it from the bottom of her heart. She took a few pictures with her phone and said, "I'll post it on my WeChat Moments."

Tan Bei was surprised: "You don't have a WeChat Moments, do you? When I clicked in, it was completely blank."

“I’ve never posted this before,” Zhou Yu said. “You’re the first.”

"Then I'm so lucky." Tan Bei nudged her hand. "Quick, let's take another photo together. We've known each other for so long, but we've never taken a photo alone together."

After taking the photos, Zhou Yu compiled them together and posted her first WeChat Moments post. Tan Bei liked and commented on her post immediately.

The two took photos at the ancient town scenic area, had a simple afternoon tea, and then spent some quality time together at a cat cafe. In the evening, after Liu Xianya finished work, she took them to the busiest night market nearby. After eating and drinking their fill, Tan Bei didn't want to go back to the hotel, so she simply stayed at Zhou Yu's house for the night.

The next morning, the two of them got up early to have dim sum. In the morning, they visited the intangible cultural heritage experience hall, and in the afternoon, they saw an art exhibition. Around 4 p.m., Tan Bei received a message from Zhan Li saying that they would have dinner together after the rehearsal and that they should come early after they finished playing.

It was almost five o'clock when we arrived at the sports center. We could hear Chen Jingchi's singing coming from the speakers outside the venue. Zhou Yu wanted to save all the surprises for the concerts in the next three days. She felt that watching the rehearsal would be like being spoiled, so she didn't go to see him these past two days and didn't feel any pressure.

Upon entering the venue, it happened to be Chen Jingchi's last song. Zhou Yu walked to the front of the stage at the end of the song, and Chen Jingchi finally noticed her, his gaze leaving the teleprompter.

Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, giving them no time to react, before they heard enthusiastic applause.

All the staff were celebrating the end of the rehearsal when the director shouted from below, "Come on, everyone, let's go up and take a group photo!"

Tan Bei took Zhou Yu's hand and led her onto the stage from the side: "Come on, let's go too."

Seeing them approach, Zhuo Wencheng cleared the space next to Chen Jingchi and called for Zhou Yu to stand there. Tan Bei released her hand and stopped next to Zhan Li: "You can go now."

Everyone had taken their positions, so Zhou Yu had to walk to Chen Jingchi's side. There were so many band members and staff that everyone was crowded together. Zhou Yu's hand, which was hanging by his side, touched Chen Jingchi's. He hesitated for a second and didn't move it away.

This gave Chen Jingchi an opportunity. He casually hooked her fingers, pinching her fingertips lightly. She could have easily broken free, but she didn't.

The director had everyone shout in unison, "Have a great performance!"

After the photo was taken, Zhou Yu pulled his finger out, and Zhuo Wencheng jumped up and down twice: "Let's eat, let's eat! I'm starving!"

Everyone scattered, and the boys even jumped off the stage. Zhou Yu stood by the stage, watching Chen Jingchi go off first and then turn to face her.

The stage was quite high, making it inconvenient for her to walk down in her dress. Just as she was about to step down from the side, Chen Jingchi suddenly reached out his hand to her: "Come here, I'll catch you."

Seeing that several boys were turning around and smiling at them, Zhou Yu felt a little embarrassed but could only go along with him. She bent down, put her hand on Chen Jingchi's shoulder, and the next second, he put his arm around her waist, pressed down on her skirt with his other hand, and lifted her off the stage.

When he held her in his arms, Zhou Yu felt an unprecedented sense of security. She landed safely and saw his eyes intently watching her, seemingly oblivious to the cheers of her friends, with only her in his gaze.

At this moment, longing transformed from intangible to tangible; it could be sensed, seen, and touched. She couldn't tell whether it came from him or from herself.

Zhou withdrew his hand from his shoulder, his voice barely audible: "Thank you."

Chen Jingchi let go of her and asked with a smile, "You've lost weight."

"No, it's your imagination." Zhou Yu lowered his head and walked forward.

Everyone gathered together for a simple dinner that evening. Tomorrow is the main event, and Zhuo Wencheng is already getting nervous: "I'm so afraid that my legs will start shaking as soon as I get on stage when the place is full of people tomorrow."

"Don't shake," Zhan Li said, "or you'll disrupt my rhythm."

"Your mental fortitude is a bit weak. You'll have plenty of opportunities to go on stage later," Du Heng joked. "If all else fails, have a couple of drinks to boost your courage before going up."

"Absolutely not, you'll just go on a drunken rampage and that'll be the end of it," Xu Yue said. "Brother, you always give me terrible ideas."

Du Heng burst into laughter.

"Get a good rest tonight, and come over early tomorrow for your makeup and styling," Du Heng instructed. "Make sure you're well-rested so you can come in the best condition."

Tan Bei leaned close to Zhou Yu's ear and whispered, "Baby, I won't be staying at your place tonight. I'll keep Zhan Li company."

Zhou Yu nodded: "Okay."

After dinner, Du Heng shouted, "Everyone going back to the hotel, follow me."

As Zhou Yu stood up, Chen Jingchi said to her, "I'll take you home."

As Xu Yue walked downstairs, he turned back and smiled at Chen Jingchi, saying, "How about I take a taxi back myself?"

Of the group, only the three of them were locals. Chen Jingchi had driven there, and Xu Yue didn't dare get in his car.

Zhuo Wencheng hooked his arm around his neck: "Why take a taxi? I'll share my bed with you!"

“Exactly,” Zhan Li agreed. “You’re not superfluous here.”

Chen Jingchi smiled helplessly: "I didn't say he was superfluous."

Zhou Yu remained silent, watching them laugh and joke as they persuaded Xu Yue, and then the group squeezed into Du Heng's car.

Tan Bei, sitting in the passenger seat, rolled down the window and waved to the two of them: "See you tomorrow!"

Zhou Yu waved his hand, watched the car leave the parking lot, and turned to look at Chen Jingchi beside him.

Chen Jingchi opened the passenger door for her: "Get in."

Zhou Yu didn't know when he bought the car; it looked very new and was a low-key black. After getting in and fastening his seatbelt, Chen Jingchi inserted the car key but didn't start it immediately.

The car air freshener had a very pleasant woody scent, very faint, almost imperceptible, not enough to make anyone dizzy. Seeing that he remained silent, Zhou Yu decided not to test his patience and asked, "What do you want?"

"I feel like if I don't do something, I'll be letting them down by not giving us this special space." Chen Jingchi ran a hand through his hair and turned to ask, "No reward yet, could you give me some encouragement?"

Zhou Yu recalled what Zhuo Wencheng had said at the dinner table and asked, "You get nervous too?"

“A little,” Chen Jingchi said, “because I was thinking you’d be watching from the audience.”

Zhou Yu discovered that he was now quite adept at expressing himself honestly, and it was not his own reaction that had brought him such success.

She thought for a long time before saying, "Then just don't look at me, just pretend I don't exist."

“Zhou Yu,” Chen Jingchi’s voice tinged with amusement, “this is difficult.”

"Like, can you pretend I don't exist right now?"

A timely example was given, and Zhou was at a loss for words.

"Where is your home?" he asked.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the residential area, Zhou Yu finally managed to come up with a few words after thinking all the way. As soon as he parked the car, he blurted out, "Chen Jingchi, this is just the beginning. You will stand on a bigger and higher stage in the future. Will you not be so nervous when I'm around more often?"

Chen Jingchi listened quietly, but his gaze towards her deepened.

"Are you always by my side?" he asked.

Zhou Yu nodded without hesitation: "If you need it."

Chen Jingchi looked at her for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Can I kiss you before we're officially together?"

But as soon as he finished speaking, he unlocked the car with a click.

A very soft sigh escaped his lips, whether to advise her or himself, "Let's go home, while I can still bear it."

Zhou Yu got out of the car, but she had only taken a few steps when an inappropriate thought kept popping into her mind, reminding her that she had to do something and couldn't just leave like that.

Impulsiveness prevailed over reason, and she resolutely walked around the front of the car to the driver's side window.

Chen Jingchi rolled down the car window and smiled, "What?"

Zhou Yu didn't speak, but bent down, his eyes resolute, and leaned in.

She placed a light kiss on his forehead.

His voice was tense: "Try your best tomorrow."

-----------------------

Author's note: Thank you for the landmines and nutrient solutions, everyone! [heart][heart]

How can this not count as being well-read? (He threw a landmine.)

Reader "Xia Luo Yi De" added 5 units of nutrient solution to the water.

Reader "keyee" irrigated with nutrient solution +2