Chapter 12: Departing for Hengdian, tentatively exploring the next possible step in their relationship...

On the third day, the day of her discharge, Qin Youyou asked the group leader for half a day off and stayed to accompany Zhu Qingting as she was discharged.

Not surprisingly, Chai Yundu appeared at the ward door again at 9 o'clock, saying he was there to be a driver.

Qin Youyou blinked and whispered in Zhu Qingting's ear, "Oh dear, I finally got this half-day off for free, and I can't bear to go back to the practice room floor like this. Zhu Zhu, do you mind if I stay and be a third wheel? I can also give you a good check-up."

Zhu Qingting naturally didn't mind; in fact, she was a little afraid of being alone with Chai Yundu.

The production team settled all fees yesterday, and the participants only need to pack their personal belongings to leave.

After being discharged from the hospital, Chai Yundu drove them directly to the high-end styling salon he had mentioned the day before.

A stylishly dressed stylist approached, clearly having received the request beforehand. His movements were extremely gentle and professional, carefully avoiding the area around Zhu Qingting's head injury, and he used gentle hair care products to thoroughly remove the stubborn residue of hairspray.

Qin Youyou curiously looked around the store and whispered to Zhu Qingting, "I saw online that this store only caters to celebrities and rich women. The price for one styling session is enough for our basic salary for a year. Today, thanks to you, I got to see it for myself."

Stepping out of the styling salon, Zhu Qingting felt completely refreshed and invigorated, with even the last trace of discomfort in her head vanishing.

A gentle breeze caressed my freshly styled hair, carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance.

Chai Yundu then drove the two back to the Huafu Tiandi building. The trunk was filled with various fruits and supplements sent by the production team. There were quite a few things, and Qin Youyou obviously couldn't carry them all by herself, so the two of them refused to let Zhu Qingting lift a finger.

"Let me carry them up for you," Chai Yundu said, picking up several of the heaviest gift bags.

He genuinely wanted to help carry the heavy items. After neatly placing them in the entryway, Chai Yundu took his leave.

"You've been busy all morning, why don't you come in, have a drink of water and rest for a bit before you leave?" Zhu Qingting said, trying to persuade her to stay.

Chai Yundu stood outside the door and shook his head. "No, you've just been discharged from the hospital and need to rest, so I won't bother you. Remember what the doctor said: don't overwork yourself for the next two weeks, and absolutely do not secretly practice dancing. Focus on resting and don't overexert yourself."

After seeing Chai Yundu off and closing the door, Qin Youyou immediately sidled up to Zhu Qingting and shrieked, "My dear Zhu, let me tell you, based on his behavior these past three days, if he's sincere, dating him is definitely a win-win situation! He's incredibly handsome, a pillar of his career, and so caring! Even if he's acting and has ulterior motives, being served so meticulously by a man like him is still a treat!"

She gripped Zhu Qingting's hand tightly again, "Sister, this is a rare opportunity, seize it!"

Zhu Qingting was both amused and exasperated by her outburst, but her face involuntarily flushed red. "Stop stirring things up..."

The two chatted and laughed for a while longer before Qin Youyou checked the time and realized she had to rush back to the dance troupe. She repeatedly told Zhu Qingting to get some rest before hurriedly leaving.

Finally, only Zhu Qingting was left.

She walked to the window and looked at the location of Panlong No. 1 residential area, her mind uncontrollably replaying every detail of the past three days.

Food delivery, errand running, moving cars, picking people up from the hospital, contacting stylist shops, and carrying things like a boyfriend...

Every detail reveals extraordinary care and thoughtfulness.

She took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, walked to the sofa, picked up her phone, and tapped on the familiar cloud-shaped profile picture.

I organized my thoughts, then typed softly:

"Teacher Chai, thank you so much this time. You've worked so hard, doing everything you could... I wonder when you'd be free next week? How about I treat you to a meal?"

She only started to get nervous after sending the message.

Not counting the meals delivered to the hospital, the two have already eaten alone twice, but both times it was at Chai Yundu's invitation.

This time, she took the initiative herself, which is a subtle signal, testing the waters for the next possible step in their relationship.

The wait for a reply seemed to drag on. She nestled on the sofa, and before she knew it, she was feeling sleepy, her eyelids starting to droop.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep, her phone finally vibrated and the screen lit up.

She immediately snapped out of it and opened the message.

Chai Yundu: "I probably won't have that honor. [Sighs] I just received an urgent notification from my agent that the second male lead in my upcoming drama has been reported by the Chaoyang masses for drug use. The investors have decided to take advantage of this public opinion to arrange for their own people to reshoot the relevant scenes. I'm leaving for Hengdian and Lishui later, and I'll probably be staying there for a while."

Upon seeing this message, Zhu Qingting felt a pang of disappointment and regret.

It seems this dinner invitation won't be possible for now. I wonder when we'll see each other again.

As she was pondering how to reply with understanding and regret, Chai Yundu's second message popped up:

"However, the scenery there is beautiful, with clear waters and lush mountains. It's far from the hustle and bustle of the city, and the air is much fresher than in the city. It's actually a great place to recuperate. Would you like to come with me? It should be good for your recovery."

Zhu Qingting looked at the words on the screen: Go to Hengdian with him? Is that appropriate?

She was indeed somewhat tempted. A rare sick leave meant she couldn't dance, and staying cooped up at home all day would be incredibly boring. Being able to get some fresh air and see different scenery was truly appealing.

But, together with Chai Yundu...

This inevitably leads to speculation, and besides, he's going to work, so it wouldn't be good for me to go with him.

She held her phone, typing and deleting her replies repeatedly.

Agree? That seems too hasty.

Rejection? A secret longing and anticipation stir within me again.

Just as she was hesitating, Chai Yundu, as if possessing mind-reading abilities, sent a third message at the perfect moment, precisely dispelling her concerns:

"Don't worry, I was mainly working there, filming on set during the day, so my schedule was very full. You can hang out with my assistant Xiaoya; she knows this area very well and is a great guide and travel companion."

Upon seeing this message, Zhu Qingting finally let go of her last bit of worry.

I've met Chai Yundu's assistant, Fang Xiaoya, a few times before on the show "Street Dance of China." She's a lively and cheerful young girl, very similar to Qin Youyou. I think I can get along with her.

Without further hesitation, she replied swiftly with her fingertips:

"Great! Finally, I can see the world from the drama you filmed. Thank you and Xiaoya for your help. [Cute]"

That evening, Zhu Qingting packed a few comfortable and convenient clothes and daily necessities, and pulled her suitcase to the entrance of the residential area.

Not long after, a black Mercedes MPV slowly drove up and came to a smooth stop in front of her.

The electric door opened slowly, revealing a comfortable and soft blue light inside the vehicle.

Zhu Qingting spotted Chai Yundu sitting in the second row, behind the driver.

He was dressed in dark gray casual wear, leaning back lazily in his chair, his long legs casually crossed, and he was turning his head to smile at me.

Zhu Qingting felt her cheeks begin to burn uncontrollably again. This man, how come every pose he strikes looks like a meticulously choreographed magazine cover? So alluring!

At this moment, the passenger door opened from the inside, and a man taller and more robust than Chai Yundu jumped out of the car with a nimble gait, greeting her with a smile, "I am Shi Yufan, Brother Du's assistant and bodyguard." He naturally took the suitcase from her hand, "I'll put it down."

Zhu Qingting wanted to go to the trunk to help, and a girl with a ponytail immediately leaned out from the third row. "Sister Qingting, you have a head injury and can't be exposed to the wind, get in the car quickly!" It was Fang Xiaoya, the female assistant she had met before.

She could only thank Shi Yufan, then greeted the driver and Chai Yundu before bending down to get into the car.

Zhu Qingting was a little conflicted. Where should she sit? Should she sit in the empty seat in the second row next to Chai Yundu, or go to the third row and sit with Fang Xiaoya?

Just as she hesitated, Fang Xiaoya patted the seat next to her enthusiastically, "Sister Qingting, sit here! We can chat on the way."

This arrangement secretly relieved her, as she no longer had to sit side by side with Chai Yundu.

The car door closed gently, and the vehicle smoothly headed towards Hengdian.

Fang Xiaoya was very outgoing and approached Zhu Qingting without any awkwardness, saying, "I'm sorry to trouble you to share a room with me. Several big film crews are shooting in Hengdian recently, and we were added at the last minute because the hotel didn't have enough rooms."

Then he enthusiastically introduced the layout of Hengdian, local delicacies, interesting stories from the film crew, and the stunning scenic spots in Lishui perfect for taking photos.

While chatting with Fang Xiaoya, Zhu Qingting would occasionally glance at the second row out of the corner of her eye.

Chai Yundu spent most of his time focused on reading the script, occasionally typing rapidly on his phone, presumably communicating with someone about work, and then giving Shi Yufan some instructions.

When he got tired, he would close his eyes to rest and conserve his energy for the upcoming intensive filming.

At this moment, Zhu Qingting and Fang Xiaoya also lowered their voices and quietly ended their conversation before going to rest.

It was already late at night when we arrived in Hengdian.

The hotel reception staff discreetly led them to the staff elevator to go upstairs.

As the elevator slowly ascended, Chai Yundu turned to Zhu Qingting and said apologetically, "I'm sorry to have troubled you with all this work, that you can't rest so late."

"I'm not tired. I took a nap at home this afternoon." Zhu Qingting was worried about his condition; Chai Yundu's voice clearly showed his fatigue.

"Then you should get some rest as soon as possible." Chai Yundu and Shi Yufan helped the two of them carry their suitcases into the room, then said goodbye and left.

When Zhu Qingting came out of the bathroom after washing up, her eyes were drawn to Fang Xiaoya's suitcase.

Inside, there were neatly arranged items such as a folding kettle, a foot bath tub, a camera, a power bank, various data cables, Yunnan Baiyao spray, plasters, gauze, bandages, and even a massage device. Clothes only took up a small corner of the space.

"These... are all essential for your work?" Zhu Qingting asked, somewhat surprised.

As Fang Xiaoya tidied up her things, she explained, "This is how assistants are equipped. Brother Du is quite easy to take care of; he doesn't ask for much. My job is much easier than other artists' assistants." She winked playfully, "This time, thanks to you, I get to travel on pay!"

This joke made Zhu Qingting laugh as well.

Fang Xiaoya closed the suitcase and urged, "Your concussion hasn't fully healed yet, so get some rest. Sleep in tomorrow, and I'll take you to my favorite breakfast place."

Zhu Qingting lay on her comfortable bed, filled with anticipation for the next few days.