Chapter 22 Chapter 22 The Warmth of a Hug
The two did not return to the party, but went to a bar on the other floor of the hotel. It was already past midnight. Today was New Year's Day 2020. The bar was next to the Nike party venue. No one else came. Kwon Ji-yong and Jeon Xingai sat in a booth next to the floor-to-ceiling window in the corner, facing each other.
"You want to order so much alcohol? You just became an adult not long ago, right?" Quan Zhilong looked at the row of various alcohols in front of him speechlessly.
"I became an adult last year. I just took the college entrance exam again this year." Quan Xingai placed two rows of glasses on the wine table, filled with a mixture of various beautiful foreign liquors that he couldn't name. The strong aroma of the liquor mixed with the two people's perfume made him feel slightly tipsy just by smelling it.
Quan Xingai took the lead and drank the wine in the first row directly. Her face flushed a little after she finished drinking. She looked at Quan Zhilong across from her with a shimmering look and spoke sincerely,
"I'm sorry, Zhilong, for reminding you of something unhappy with my previous mischievous words. I'm sorry."
Miraculously, he seemed to have gotten used to Quan Xingai's repeated behavior of not using honorifics. They agreed to put aside the misunderstandings after drinking some wine. Quan Zhilong didn't say anything and also finished the whole row of wine in front of him.
Both of their faces were red from drinking, and their eyes seemed to be red too. Quan Zhilong couldn't help but smile. "It's not entirely your fault. I haven't been in a good mood these past few years. You were just the unlucky one who ran into me."
After finishing a row of drinks, the atmosphere between the two became relaxed, and they switched to larger glasses and drank more casually.
"You look so beautiful smiling like that." Quan Xingai drank while looking at Quan Zhilong who turned back into a cute little boy after drinking.
As expected, he was still the same as before. After drinking, he became more cheerful, his eyes curved into the shape of the moon, and parentheses couldn't help but run out.
"Let's shake hands, we have resolved the misunderstanding. I shouldn't vent my emotions on strangers. Actually, I don't know why I was like that. Just like now, I don't understand why I would drink with you. It's obvious that we are not even friends." Quan Zhilong moved slowly, and finally sat next to Quan Xingai.
Jeon Seong-ae held the hand that Kwon Ji-yong extended. She was only a 21-year-old female idol who had just become popular, while the other party was a senior who had debuted for more than ten or twenty years, but he did not care about his identity and status at all, and even did not care about the honorific expressions that Jeon Seong-ae was not used to.
Her Zhilong, although he has become a melancholy cat, he is still kind and soft in heart.
"Then let's be friends starting today. I'm Quan Xingai, the new Sarah. Zhilong, the Sarah in your heart will live in your memory forever." Quan Xingai was already a little drunk. She felt Quan Zhilong holding her hand tightly and not letting go. After hearing her words, he looked at her more seriously.
"You, can I hug you? You smell really like her. Don't stand up. Let's just hug like this, okay?"
Quan Xingai woke up and saw that her puppy's eyes were wet with sadness. Before her brain could think, her body had already moved forward consciously, put her arms around his neck, and leaned against him tightly. This was her favorite way of comforting him. She hugged the other person's neck with both hands, got completely close to him, hugged him tightly, and used her body temperature to let the other person feel her.
She does the same now. The two half-drunk people are like two little animals licking each other. Only when they hug each other do they feel each other's thinness. Quan Xingai thinks with some heartache that her cheerful puppy has turned into a lonely cat. Now when he is drunk, he looks at you obediently and tests you cautiously. He was so radiant 10 years ago, and he couldn't hide his unbridled enthusiasm even in a dim bar.
As soon as Quan Zhilong finished speaking, the girl hugged him firmly. He closed his eyes, and his nose was filled with the fragrance of roses. The way of hugging was exactly the same as before. As long as he didn't open his eyes, he could always indulge in dreams.
"I miss you so much. Where have you been? Why did you leave me?" He hugged the girl's slender waist tightly and buried his head in her hair, as if the person he was hugging was really his Sarah.
"It's okay, Zhilong, I'm here."
The two hugged each other for a long time until Wu Xianhao suddenly broke in...
"Oh, you guys..."
"Ah, brother, you're here. We didn't drink too much, just a few glasses and a little tipsy." Quan Xingai was still hugging Quan Zhilong. She leaned on his shoulder and heard the noise. She raised her eyes and spoke lazily.
GD, immersed in his emotions, took several seconds to let go of the girl. He turned around, took a deep breath, bowed slightly to Wu Xianhao, and turned his head so that no one could see his expression. "If you have anything to do, please leave first. I'll be alone for a while."
Quan Xingai sighed, stood up and couldn't help but touch the head of the sad cat as she passed by Quan Zhilong. Just like in the past, "It's not sadness but courage that drives life forward. You look like a lamp in the rain at midnight, senior, you are wet but burning."
Wu Xianhao wanted to look back, but Quan Xingai firmly pulled him away, "Don't look, brother."
He was full of doubts and gossip, and after holding it in for a while, he couldn't help but ask after Quan Xingai dragged him out of the empty bar: "You guys? Oh Mo, how did you know GD? Is Xingai okay? Are you and GD together? GD was crying just now? What happened to you? You're not taking revenge on him, are you?! It wasn't his fault those years ago, we..."
"Brother, you have such a rich imagination. Do you think I'm Prince Hamlet's revenge? Sometimes you really know how to ruin the atmosphere. Look at that atmosphere, how dare you pull me away."
"Tsk tsk, it's good that you didn't do anything bad. Is it more important that I am the one with your passionate kisses, or is work more important? I've tried my best to promote you whenever I could, and finally, Tyson, the president of Asia, and Park Xirui, the head of Korea, mentioned you again." Speaking of work, Wu Xianhao was obviously excited again, and his attention shifted away from gossip.
"Alaso Alaso." She went to the dressing room to fix her makeup, and followed her agent back to the party full of lights and feasting. All the chill and sourness remained in the wine, and she drank it in one gulp.
"Sarah, we were just talking about you. How come you and GD disappeared at the same time? It seems there is a story?" Tyson and Kwon Ji-yong are very familiar with each other. Quan Xingai has been in the United States for so long that she naturally understands the American way of chatting. She actually met Tyson in her previous life, so after chatting for a night, they had already become closer.
"Story? No, Tyson, if I have to describe it, it was all a misunderstanding between me and senior GD." Quan Xing likes to joke and did not say whether he was familiar with GD or knew him.
"Sarah, we should sign a soft cooperation contract." Tyson smiled, and Wu Xianhao did not show any expression, his face was full of smiles. Although the soft contract is not an endorsement, it is also a promotion contract for popular idols. Nike will provide Xing Ai with clothes and shoes, and Xing Ai also needs to wear Nike in public or private occasions to increase promotion.
The most important thing is that this is a direct contract from the president of the Asia region. If Quan Xingai cannot get Nike, the Korean region will most likely give her an endorsement contract for its sub-brand on its own.
"Is Xingai interested in Converse? You are very suitable to be the Korean ambassador." Sure enough, Park Seo-hee, the president of the Korean region, also spoke.
"It's my honor." Quan Xingai shook hands and took photos with the two regional managers, and got a big order amid the lights and feasting of the party.
When it was just her and Oh Hyun-ho left, she looked at her manager and said, "You see, the world is really a makeshift place. If you get to know those people, you'll realize that many things can be easily decided based on personal preference."
"Don't underestimate yourself. Your English is as fluent as an American, and you have done your homework in advance to fully understand Tyson's interests and hobbies. The fact that you were able to get the endorsement is also because Xingai was well prepared. Oh my god, you kid, I didn't expect that you always say you are a lazy fish, want to sleep, and are lazy, but you are working hard behind the scenes." Wu Xianhao smiled like a Maitreya Buddha, happy like a 200-pound child, and patted Quan Xingai's back vigorously, causing the girl to cough awkwardly.
Quan Xingai opened her mouth to explain, but then thought, forget it, it didn't make sense at all. This was the golden finger she had brought from her previous life - valuable experience and skills, it would be a waste to not use them, after all, she was Sarah.
"Okay, I'm going to dance. Don't bother me anymore, brother." Quan Xingai had not completely released her previous frustration. She clasped her hands together and blinked cutely, asking her agent to let her go. After getting the reluctant permission, she jumped onto the dance floor to dance.
Disco dancing is completely different from being on stage. On the dance floor, her mind is empty, she simply expresses and relieves her negative emotions, and she dances to whatever comes to mind. When a woman exudes pure laziness and confidence, her charm becomes infinite. Moreover, Quan Xingai still has a delicate baby face and a queen-like aura. As soon as she enters the dance floor, she attracts the gazes and attention of various men.
Quan Xingai naturally felt that she was surrounded by tall and handsome men approaching her, swinging around her, trying to get her attention.
"Sister, we are the xxx group from x company. Have you heard of us?"
"I am xx"
"You are very beautiful, maybe you know me? I am xxx"
"Give me your number, brother. You have a very special temperament."
"Hello, but can you give me some space? I need some fresh air." Quan Xingai didn't hear clearly what the boys said. She had just become popular again, and now there were all kinds of talented people trying to chat with her, and even some more obscure little idols, some of whom looked like just children.
Unfortunately, Quan Xing Ai's words made the children even happier, and they rushed over and wanted to get closer to dance.
"Ah, I saw my friend. Sorry, brothers." Quan Xingai saw a tall man leaning in a corner not far away. Even with the dim and devilish overhead light, he was still very handsome. Her eyes lit up and she immediately thought of a way to get rid of these annoying kids around her.
“Ah—Nuna—”
"Okay, okay, let's talk next time." Quan Xingai was a little sweaty, and the alcohol seemed to be taking effect. She staggered out of the dance floor in the tiger and wolf land, but she didn't forget to pick up another glass of wine to chat up the handsome guy.
"Hi, I think I've seen you somewhere." Quan Xingai's pick-up line is so old-fashioned.
"Hello, have we met before?" The handsome guy's Korean didn't seem to be very good, and he had an accent, which was exactly what Quan Xingai wanted.
"You can speak English. I'm Sarah."
"Great, I'm Dennis Wu. You seem to be a popular female artist recently. I've seen you on TV." Dennis smiled. Quan Xingai just wanted to say, he's so handsome. It was probably looking at handsome guys that made her happy. She was probably almost drunk and felt dizzy.
*
The party was ablaze with neon lights, with red, green, blue, and purple ambient lighting strips twisting, snaking, and tangling on the walls. The music thumped, and the clamor of voices was drowned out by the crayon playing in the background. Meanwhile, the Pure Dragon King himself, wearing a hat, remained completely unassuming.
"Have you been drinking with Xing Aixi?" Li Zhuhe was sitting on the sofa drinking when he saw the ghost-like Quan Zhilong silently float over and sit down next to him.
"Yes, I drank it, and I hugged her. She really looks like Noona..." Kwon Ji-yong was a little disappointed. He felt that Quan Xingai had feelings for him, but her agent came at the wrong time. He didn't even exchange phone numbers.
"So do you like her, or do you like her because of the shadow of Nuna in her?"
"...I don't know, maybe it's Shadow. This probably isn't fair to her, so I've been hesitant about whether to develop it."
Li Zhuhe listened to Quan Zhilong's words and was silent for a while before saying, "While you are still hesitating, Xing Aixi is not the one who hesitates. She is taking to the party like a duck in water. I heard that she got the endorsement of Converse and is also the queen of the party on the dance floor, attracting a lot of young boys. Now, look, she has set her sights on the most handsome man in the audience, Dennis Wu."
Kwon Ji-yong's breath was caught. He followed Li Zhuhe's gaze and saw Quan Xingai approaching Dennis, lifting her hair and smiling so brightly that it hurt his eyes.
"Ah, this woman... she was hugging me just a few hours ago, and now she's changed?" The male ghost transformed back into a raging lion. Who did she like? Cha Eun-woo, Song Kang, and Dennis? Could she be lumping herself in with these guys?
"So I say, if you like someone, chase them. If you hesitate, the girl won't pay attention to your complaints."
The irritable lion who inexplicably developed a sense of competition, smoothed his hair and suddenly his aura was fully released. Li Zhuhe almost laughed to death. Zhilong, only when there is competition like this will he rush forward regardless of anything.
The two of them stood beside Quan Xingai, one on the left and one on the right, holding drinks.
"You ran away before we finished drinking." Quan Zhilong looked at Quan Xingai, staring at her with a smile.
"Haven't you finished yet? But now..."
"No, you have to finish it."
"You two..."
"Don't worry about it. They owe each other drinks. Dennis, I haven't seen you in a while. When did you return to Seoul?"
The importance of good friends was reflected at this time. Li Zhuhe put his arm around Dennis's shoulder and chatted with him while drinking. On the other side, Quan Zhilong took Quan Xingai out without anyone noticing. Before she knew it, the half-drunk Quan Xingai found herself brought back to the bar by Quan Zhilong.
Mo ya, what is her puppy going to do?
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