Hug horizontally
"No, I wouldn't dare." Pan Yue didn't care about saving face at all.
"Could it really sound that bad?" Zhu Shiyi grinned, extremely curious.
“That’s not just awful,” Lin Changren finally seized the opportunity to mock, “After listening to it, you’ll want to go deaf.”
Zhu Shiyi burst out laughing: "It's okay, just pay the medical expenses."
Yu Fan was amused.
"Just kidding," Zhu Shiyi said, her lips twitching slightly, trying to sound serious but unable to suppress her smile. "We would never laugh at you."
Pan Yue made a last-ditch effort: "I can't."
"You can," Zhu Shiyi said domineeringly, "I can accompany you on the instrument, what will you sing?"
Yu Fan promptly took the guitar and handed it to him.
At this moment, Pan Yue was like a fish on a chopping board, completely at the mercy of others.
Seemingly at a loss, Pan Yue chuckled and shook his head: "Alright then."
"Can you play 'Old Boys'?"
Zhu Shiyi nodded eagerly: "Of course."
He has the demeanor befitting his age.
He went on stage with Pan Yue, who was standing and Zhu Shiyi was sitting, one tall and one short.
Offstage, Yu Fan quietly took out his phone and clicked to record a video.
Zhu Shiyi lowered his shoulders and began to strum the strings.
Pan Yue stood there, like a piece of wood, his posture completely erratic, yet as steady as Mount Tai.
"Three, two, one."
Zhu Shiyi silently recited the words in his mind, imagining Pan Yue's magnetic voice ringing out as promised.
"......"
The magnetic voice was nowhere to be heard; only a water buffalo was mooing.
Lin Changren's laughter broke through the roof.
Yu Fan was so startled that his hand trembled, and the video screen shook.
Zhu Shiyi laughed so hard he pressed the wrong chord, and as he strummed the strings, the guitar let out a strange scream.
To sing like that is truly impressive.
Pan Yue covered his mouth with his hand, refusing to continue singing.
His slightly trembling chest and shoulders revealed that he was trying to suppress a laugh.
Zhu Shiyi continued playing the strings, and Pan Yue spoke again.
Zhu Shiyi thought about all the saddest things in his life.
"Youth is gone and never returns, and when it returns, it's all over again..." As he sang the chorus, Pan Yue strained his voice and sang the wrong lyrics.
Zhu Shiyi couldn't resist and started singing.
Pan Yue was slightly taken aback and glanced sideways.
The voice rises and falls with the tone of the voice.
With the existence of standard pitch parts, those out-of-tune sounds, fluctuating up and down, all sound like harmony and are not so unpleasant to listen to.
The woman's voice was soft, while the man's voice was passionate.
It opens and closes, it has tension and relaxation.
Looking at the stage, Lin Changren sighed inexplicably.
This song was his class song during his youth.
Isn't he also an old boy?
A surge of energy welled up inside me.
Lin Changren ran onto the stage in a few steps, found the rhythm on Billy's drum kit, and started playing along.
The drumbeats are powerful, the guitar is passionate;
The male voice is wild, the female voice is affectionate.
Yu Fan gradually became dazed and softly sang along.
modern.
Emerging technologies are so advanced that the city's skyscrapers are lit up all night.
Humans, however, are reduced to tools and regarded as cold machines.
Tonight, the four souls resonated in unison for a fleeting moment.
The warm glow of the technological screen, like a magical treasure box from a fantasy world, quietly records—
The story here.
"If there is a tomorrow, I wish you well—"
"Honey."
The music ended.
Zhu Shiyi swept the end notes involuntarily.
I glanced sideways and met a pair of wild yet sincere eyes.
That pool of water reflects her image.
My heart skipped a beat.
He suddenly blinked.
She disappeared.
Zhu Shiyi suddenly snapped back to reality.
My heart feels like it's in my throat.
"Great!" Yu Fan, who was worth an army, clapped enthusiastically.
Zhu Shiyi smiled shyly, stood up, and adjusted the instrument.
Pan Yue walked past her and casually picked up his guitar.
really.
Just as he thought.
Whoever sings with her, the song will sound better.
He knew he sang badly, and couldn't even tell if he was off-key.
He simply chose a song that he could find the right rhythm for.
Pan Yue had never sung with such confidence before.
He even thought they sang extremely well.
It felt like I had rediscovered the passion I had back then.
"We have to have a drink." Lin Changren raised his glass.
When the rims of the glasses touch under the light, the liquid refracts the light.
In high spirits, Lin Changren ordered a bunch of barbecue.
Having received the doctor's authoritative advice that she didn't need to lose weight, Zhu Shiyi felt relieved and enjoyed a hearty barbecue.
At Yu Fan's urging, she chose a dare.
Lin Changren called to her, and she imitated the Brain Gold commercial, dancing around the bar once.
Zhu Shiyi was hesitant.
Fortunately, Yu Fan and Lin Changren were extremely supportive, clapping and cheering the whole time.
Perhaps it was because they became familiar with each other, coupled with the influence of alcohol.
Zhu Shiyi's comedic nature was revealed; she twisted her neck, waved her arms and legs, laughed while covering her face, and couldn't straighten her back.
Pan Yue didn't make a fuss, he just watched with a smile.
A feeling of extreme satisfaction welled up inside me.
Take control of your happiness.
Control.
With happiness.
The two things he valued most happened at the same time.
If life could always be like this, he would be happy with it.
Quit smoking easily in this lifetime.
The vast sky is filled with starlight.
It was late at night, and Zhu Shiyi's eyelids were drooping; he was clearly already feeling sleepy.
Pan Yue glanced at the time, then spoke up at the opportune moment: "Take a nap."
"Okay, I'm too old for that." Yu Fan waved his hand, found a comfortable angle, leaned back, and closed his eyes.
Lin Changren mumbled something and fell asleep instantly.
Zhu Shiyi nodded his head repeatedly, showing great obedience.
He nodded again, but couldn't lift his head.
Pan Yue stared intently at it.
The girl lowered her head, her breathing steady and long.
He chuckled.
He couldn't help but take a few steps forward.
Suddenly.
She shifted her body, sitting crookedly, but still couldn't lean against anything and fell asleep again.
Pan Yue: ......
Sleep.
He lowered his head, tidied up the mess on the table, washed his hands, adjusted the air conditioner temperature, and then walked to the sofa.
He was also planning to take a nap.
When Zhu Shiyi passed by.
Her leg twitched.
Pan Yue stopped in his tracks.
She straightened her knees, smacked her lips, pouted, and leaned back in her chair.
This looks much more comfortable and doesn't hurt my neck.
Pan Yue didn't intend to pay any attention to it.
On the narrow sofa, the person in front of me suddenly turned to the side.
He instinctively bent down closer, reached out, and placed his arm around her waist.
The girl opened her eyes halfway, her gaze unfocused.
Pan Yue was startled and subconsciously leaned back slightly.
Her eyes closed again in an instant. Just like that, with the little bit of force he gave her around her waist.
Pan Yue's eyebrows twitched slightly.
“…Hey.” Pan Yue called out softly.
The only response he received was gentle breathing.
He raised his other hand and gently patted him: "Wake up."
Zhu Shiyi remained motionless.
Seeing the hand that was supporting someone's sleeping position, Pan Yue sighed softly, squatted down, and didn't dare to move.
After a long while, the girl's breathing became deeper and heavier.
With his other hand around the girl's knees, he exerted a little force, stood up, and lifted the girl into his arms.
I glanced around.
He took a step forward, carried her to another empty sofa, and laid her down flat.
He sat down on the other chair and his gaze fell on the girl's face.
Perhaps because she had been drinking, her cheeks were flushed.
She moved again.
He twisted his neck, curled his calves into a ball, and pouted slightly.
With each breath, the chest rises and falls, bringing a sense of peace.
Pan Yue smiled involuntarily, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
We lay together in the room, pillows touching, unaware that dawn had already broken.
--
morning.
Sunlight streamed into the room through the window.
Outside, vendors were scattered in twos and threes, making a clanging and banging noise.
Pan Yue was awakened by the noise.
He rolled over and sat up, looking around.
Inside the shop, besides him, no one was sober.
I accept my fate.
After tidying up his clothes, Pan Yue went to a convenience store, bought four sets of toiletries, and washed up first before turning over.
He walked up to Zhu Shiyi and gently called her name twice: "Zhu Shiyi".
There was no movement.
Pan Yue gently patted Zhu Shiyi's back again.
"Hmm?" Zhu Shiyi murmured, opening her eyes a tiny slit before closing them again, scrunching her face, pouting her lips, and turning away from him.
Pan Yue: ...at a loss.
He turned around and slapped Lin Changren awake.
Lin Changren suddenly opened his eyes.
Pan Yue then politely woke Yu Fan up.
He pointed to the side: "Could you please call her?"
......
"Shiyi, wake up, the sun's shining on your bottom!" A gentle voice patted her back lightly.
Zhu Shiyi opened his eyes slightly, and what he saw was darkness.
She flipped the phone over and saw Yu Fan's handsome face.
Suddenly I didn't want to get out of bed.
Zhu Shiyi tucked his knees over his head, trying to cover his ears with his knees.
Yu Fan placed his hand on her leg, covering the hem of her skirt.
She shuffled forward, trying to move closer.
A sudden feeling of weightlessness came over my lower body.
Zhu Shiyi opened her eyes in surprise and gripped the things beside her tightly with both hands.
"Finally awake?" Yu Fan gently supported her with his other hand.
Zhu Shiyi then realized that he was holding onto Yu Fan's arm.
"Hmm..." Zhu Shiyi rubbed her eyes and loosened her grip.
"What would you like to eat?" a gentle voice asked. "I'll go buy breakfast."
Zhu Shiyi looked up and saw Pan Yue looking over at him.
Backlit, the man's figure was tall and slender, the light and shadow blurring his face, but also giving it a hazy filter.
Gentle and kind.
Like Mom.
"Anything is fine!" Zhu Shiyi smiled brightly. "I want to eat everything."
She suddenly felt incredibly happy.
When she first started elementary school, this was how her mother woke her up.
"Then I'll buy you some xiaolongbao?" Pan Yue approached, his voice even softer.
"good!"
Pan Yue handed Zhu Shiyi a toothbrush, and Zhu Shiyi thanked him.
"Old Pan, I want to eat three liang of beef offal rice noodles." Lin Changren was brushing his teeth, and his words were muffled.
“Let’s get down to business,” Pan Yue said, emphasizing, “there are breakfast shops on the street.”
"Then I want pan-fried dumplings," Lin Changren mumbled, "with fresh pork filling, and a cup of soy milk!"
“He’s the most troublesome,” Pan Yue muttered to himself, then asked Yu Fan.
Yu Fan ordered soy milk and fried dough sticks.
Pan Yue went out to buy food.
Zhu Shiyi got up to brush his teeth, then paused, lost in thought.
She then realized that the place she was sleeping in seemed different from where she had slept the night before.
She scratched her face. Was she sleepwalking?
Never mind, I guess I just forgot because I was sleepy.
She's always a restless sleeper.
A short while later, Pan Yue returned with a pile of breakfast.
The three of them were waiting for food, which consisted of three hungry chicks eagerly waiting for Pan's mother to distribute breakfast.
The oily xiaolongbao bursts with fresh aroma when you bite into it.
This gluttonous girl is always looking for something better while eating what's in her bowl.
Zhu Shiyi's eyes darted around, scanning the food in other people's hands... wanting to try a bite of everything.
She turned her attention to Yu Fan, using a feigned retreat as a tactic: "Sister Fan, do you eat xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)?"
Yu Fan nodded, handed over the fried dough stick, and asked, "Want some?"
"Eat!" That was exactly what she wanted.
Pan Yue glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.
The little girl's eyes were shining.
"Homegrown flowers aren't as fragrant as wildflowers?" Pan Yue suddenly remarked.
Zhu Shiyi was taken aback, remembering the fabricated story Qin Cheng had told her.
She immediately understood.
I glanced at the pumpkin and red bean steamed bun in Pan Yue's hand.
...It was tasteless, just like what her grandmother loved to eat.
But Zhu Shiyi was very sensible: "Do you want to eat xiaolongbao?"
A statement of affirmation, accompanied by a small steamed bun.
She knew that Pan Yue must also be craving wildflowers.
To everyone's surprise, the other party refused, saying, "You can eat it."
He then gestured to the steamed buns in the bag: "Want some?"
Zhu Shiyi shook her head, silently picked up the steamed buns, and casually complained, "Don't you like spicy food? Why did you buy such bland food?"
“Whole grain steamed buns,” Pan Yue said, “are oil-free and slow-carb, making them a healthier choice for breakfast.”
He added, "The diet for building muscle is high in carbohydrates, high in protein, and low in fat."
Zhu Shiyi didn't understand, but silently mourned for him in her heart.
In Qincheng, she also envied Pan Yue, who could eat more because he exercised.
As a result, we could only eat those few things.
"I should have ordered less oily steamed dumplings instead of these rolled up like this," Lin Changren said regretfully, taking another bite of the dumpling and trying to console himself, "But it's alright, I eat less than you."
"Indeed, I eat a lot, but I'm fine."
Lin Changren's eyes showed confusion, which then turned to emotion.
Pan Yue actually said it was nothing; he even knew how to comfort people!
"Anyway, you're still in the fat loss phase, so you don't need to control your diet. Just eat less." The calm words were full of aggression.
Yu Fan laughed out loud.
We've eaten.
Pan Yue said to Lin Changren, "I've called a designated driver for you. You can take Ms. Yu home."
Yu Fan gave an "OK" sign.
Lin Changren patted Pan Yue on the shoulder: "Brother, let's go."
The two left.
Pan Yue: "I'll see you off."
Zhu Shiyi felt inexplicably nervous: "Okay."
He walked to the car. Pan Yue casually opened the passenger door and then walked back to the driver's side.
Zhu Shiyi closed the car door slightly and got in.
The driver's side door slammed shut with a thud, and the car drove onto the road without making a sound.
......
Zhu Shiyi's mind raced.
"The weather is so nice today!" But he couldn't utter a sound for a long time.
"Yes," Pan Yue replied with a single word.
Then silence.
Zhu Shiyi simply shut up.
“Oh, right,” Pan Yue suddenly said, “I’ll transfer your salary from last night to your WeChat account later.”
"Okay," Zhu Shiyi replied with a single word.
......
She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
I've never felt so embarrassed riding in a car in my entire life.
--
After the festivities of the holiday came the horrific work-off schedule. This year, the work-off started on Saturday and ended the following Friday, a full seven days long.
By Friday, Zhu Shiyi was practically dead.
The thought of having to go to the gym on the weekend makes life seem hopeless. I'm exhausted after a long week, and then I have to take that long subway ride to work myself to the bone.
But the thought of Pan Yue brought Zhu Shiyi back to life.
At least she goes out with a handsome guy.
As early as Monday, she had carefully selected a white tulle swimsuit, and when it arrived by express delivery on Wednesday, she couldn't wait to try it on in her dormitory.
"Wow, you're dressed so sexily," Ni Yuqi teased. "Where are you going?"
"What's there to play? The doctor told me to exercise more." Zhu Shiyi swayed left and right in front of the mirror, turning around to admire herself.
This swimsuit is indeed beautiful, but the neckline is too low. Zhu Shiyi bent down and pretended to swim. In front of the mirror, her cleavage was almost spilling out, and her private parts were completely exposed.
Zhu Shiyi covered her chest and quickly took off the dress.
In Yuecheng, many residential communities have outdoor swimming pools. She especially loved swimming when she was a child. In the outdoor pool, both adults and children wore colorful swimsuits.
Her understanding of swimming equipment was still stuck in her childhood, which is why she bought this swimsuit.
After returning the item, she had to choose again, so she decided to search for recommendations online.
The new knowledge was so surprising that she didn't even dare to say she loved swimming.
Only now does she realize that when swimming in a swimming pool, you must wear a swimming cap and choose a close-fitting racing swimsuit.
She searched for racing swimsuits on a shopping app, and then she went numb.
For racing swimsuits, if you want something that looks good, they're mostly halter-neck styles, and they're also quite expensive!
Alternatively, you could go for a basic black or white style, which has the advantage of being more conservative.
After spending the whole night choosing, she still opted for the most conservative option: a basic black dress.
Thanks to her research, she successfully purchased satisfactory swimming goggles that met the following two conditions:
First, mid-frame swimming goggles – moderate resistance, but not as eye-straining as small-frame goggles;
Second, non-transparent lenses – others cannot see the cross-eyed effect caused by the frame.
Zhu Shiyi cares a lot about his appearance.
Since I've paid for it, I have to buy something nice.
It's definitely not because of Pan Yue.
On Saturday night, she texted Pan Yue to ask him for the exact time.
Pan Yue: [I'll pick you up at the north gate of your school at 4 PM.]
Zhu Shiyi: [It's okay, I can go there myself. Just send me the address.]
Pan Yue: [I was meeting a client in that area around noon, it was on my way.]
Zhu Shiyi then agreed without any pressure.
I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed again.
She was genuinely afraid to ride in his car! She'd be mortified of the embarrassment.
So she searched all night—
How to have a polite and humorous conversation when riding in the car of an elder you are not very familiar with.
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