Chapter 61 I'll Wait for You
Secretary Sun pushed her wheelchair to the doorway, staring in disbelief at the scene inside.
Grandma Yu's broom was still hanging in mid-air, and Ling Wei was making a face in perfect unison. The two of them froze in their pose.
Ling Wei met Qu Mingyuan's gaze directly. His leg was in a cast, and he looked slightly tired. There were some stubbles on his chin, but they did not diminish his handsome appearance.
Behind him were not only several officials from the cultural department, but also several officials from the Ministry of Emergency Management and the Ministry of Water Resources, all of whom had come to investigate the scene after receiving the emergency report.
The village party secretary rushed forward, pointing excitedly at Ling Wei, his voice booming:
"It was Xiaoling! Last night I was about to go up the mountain, and she was worried that I, an old man, would have an accident on my motorcycle, so she insisted on going with me. There was also a young man who came along despite having a fever. The two kids managed to turn off the valve in the dark. If it weren't for them, those newly built guesthouses downstream would have been in serious trouble!"
In an instant, all eyes were focused on Ling Wei.
Grandma Yu silently hid the broom behind her back, and Ling Wei quickly stood up straight and smoothed her messy hair.
These officials stepped forward one by one to shake her hand, their praises rising and falling:
"Young people should take responsibility!"
"Fearless in the face of danger, well done!"
"This is what a new-era idol should be like!"
Ling Wei shook hands with each of the leaders one by one, until she encountered the last slender hand. Qu Mingyuan sat in his wheelchair, watching her with a smile.
She naturally half-squatted down to look him in the eye, their fingertips touching. His palm was warm and dry. Just as she hesitated whether to gently scratch his palm with her little finger, a force struck her.
Ling Wei: ? ? ?
She opened her eyes wide in disbelief. The other person still had that gentle smile, but the force in their hand reminded her that this person was really pinching her hard.
"Yi—" Ling Wei stopped herself from uttering the word.
Everyone looked at her. Ling Wei said, "It's what I should do! As a young person of the new era, this is my duty!"
Amidst the applause, she subtly put her hands behind her back, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Qu Mingyuan watching her.
Ling Wei gritted her teeth and, while everyone turned to greet the other members, quickly rolled her eyes at him.
Qu Mingyuan's eyebrows twitched slightly as he lowered his head to adjust the blanket on his knees, barely concealing the corners of his upturned lips.
Secretary Sun, who had been keeping a close eye on the two of them, exclaimed: "!!!"
There's a problem!
There's definitely something going on between those two ever since that incident!
After exchanging a few more words, Ling Wei noticed reporters arriving to take photos of her team. She immediately understood that this positive image was now secure.
Not long after, the group prepared to leave.
Before leaving, someone patted Ling Wei on the shoulder to encourage her. Ling Wei immediately understood and stepped forward to greet them, shaking hands with each of them with a polite smile to say goodbye.
When she stood in front of Qu Mingyuan's wheelchair again, she first moved her wrists.
Immediately, she reached out and precisely grasped his hand, subtly applying pressure the instant she was about to utter those sweet words:
"Thanks to the Quyi Hall and the Cultural Hall for providing such a valuable cultural platform as 'Dreaming of Qinghe' for our younger generation, allowing us to pursue our dreams and showcase ourselves..." she said sincerely, with a bright smile, but secretly exerting force in her hands.
Red Egg! After not seeing her for so long, he dares to be violent towards her right away!
Qu Mingyuan's eyes were still smiling, his expression as gentle as a spring breeze, as if he was completely unaware of the force in his hand.
After Ling Wei finished speaking her eloquent words, seeing that he remained unmoved, she had no choice but to prepare to withdraw her grip.
However, just as she was about to withdraw her strength, her palm was gently scratched by a warm fingertip.
How daring!
Ling Wei withdrew her hand without changing her expression, as if nothing had happened, and continued to maintain her impeccable smile as she watched the group leave.
Grandma Yu slapped her on the back in an annoyed manner, and then hurriedly went with her old friends to their residence to visit the sick Qu Chen.
Ling Wei returned in the afternoon, and after all the commotion, it was already evening.
They packed their bags and prepared to return home. The filming ended early due to unforeseen circumstances, but they had already accumulated enough footage.
Qu Mingyuan and his group were also preparing to leave. Qu Chen, who had taken medicine, had his fever subside. Grandma Yu and several other elderly people surrounded him, giving him endless advice. Qu Chen lowered his eyelashes, and his pale face showed no impatience; he simply nodded gently.
Qu Mingyuan asked Secretary Sun to stop the wheelchair and waved to Ling Wei.
Under the sycamore tree, within sight of everyone, the two spoke so frankly that it seemed like nothing more than ordinary conversation.
Ling Wei pouted: "What other instructions does the music hall have?"
Good luck in the game.
She gave a soft snort and turned her face away.
Qu Mingyuan looked at her and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have squeezed your hand."
"You know it's wrong, yet you still persist?"
Does it hurt a lot?
"It doesn't hurt..." Ling Wei muttered softly, "I just didn't expect you to react like this."
"Because I really want to pinch you."
Ling Wei's eyes widened. What kind of excuse was this?
As dusk deepened, the last rays of warm light on the horizon outlined Ling Wei's silhouette. Qu Mingyuan gazed at her quietly, watching her hair being gently stirred by the evening breeze.
He recalled receiving the news last night that she had braved the torrential rain to ride her motorcycle up the mountain, and for a moment his heart almost stopped.
Upon learning that Qu Chen had also gone up the mountain, Qu Mingyuan booked the earliest train ticket overnight and rushed over. He kept on the phone the whole way, personally coordinating to speed up the rescue progress and contacting a familiar rescue team for assistance.
He stood guard at the disaster relief site, his brow furrowed as he watched the construction progress; even the staff noticed his unusual anxiety.
The young man's courage to make a contribution deserves praise, but when he learned that it was her who went up the mountain and saw her standing safely in front of him, a myriad of emotions surged up: relief, pride for her, and an indescribable sense of fear.
These complex emotions clashed within my chest, but ultimately could only be expressed through the restrained strength of my fingertips, to confirm her presence.
Ling Wei waved her hand: "Never mind, is your foot feeling better?"
"Yes, it's alright now." Qu Mingyuan looked at her gently.
"Weiwei."
He called softly, his voice low and gentle, like a feather lightly brushing against her ear, but Ling Wei had no time to be moved. Her first reaction was to nervously look around, afraid that someone would hear her.
Seeing her wary expression, Qu Mingyuan chuckled helplessly and handed her a plain-colored envelope.
"A gift from fans." Qu Mingyuan said casually, as if he were handing out a small cake.
A gentle breeze rustled the sycamore leaves. He sat in his wheelchair, looking up at her, while she stood before him, looking down at him. Their gazes met in the twilight.
"I've always been behind you," he said softly, the rest of his words turning into warmth in his eyes.
Ling Wei clenched the envelope tightly: "Idols can't date."
"I know you don't need to..."
“That sentence,” she interrupted him, “is for the day when I have truly stood at the peak and fulfilled all my dreams as an idol.”
She gazed at him, her eyes bright: "I will give you a proper answer when the time comes."
"It's just...it might take a long time." Her voice trailed off, tinged with unease. "Of course, it's perfectly fine if you have other ideas along the way; I was just saying..."
"I'm waiting for you."
Suddenly, all around became so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.
“Okay,” she finally replied softly.
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