Chapter 61
It took Chen Zhiyi more than an hour to finish eating the two bowls of noodles. After washing the dishes, he led Lin to hear the fingerprint being entered on the front door handle.
"From now on, you can enter and exit simply by using fingerprint recognition."
"good."
"Lift your head up."
"Huh?" Lin Ting looked up suddenly and heard a click. Chen Zhiyi had taken a picture of her.
"I sent the photo to the property management and entered it into the community access control system. After that, I can directly enter the community and the building entrance using facial recognition."
"Oh!" Lin Ting was a little confused, but then her mind raced and she suddenly thought of something. "If you send the photos directly to the property management, won't they get curious?"
"What are you curious about?" Chen Zhiyi asked, a little puzzled.
"I'm curious who this girl is? What's your relationship with her? Are you living together? Will she tell anyone? I don't want others to know about our relationship."
Chen Zhiyi got angry again, "Am I that shameful?"
"No, that's not what I meant!" Lin Ting felt that the person in front of her had a different way of thinking than others.
"What does that mean? Our relationship is perfectly legitimate, but you have to go to great lengths to hide it. Can't you just give me a proper status?"
"ah?"
"I don't care, this time I have to make three rules with you."
"Which three chapters?" Lin Ting asked.
"I'm going to go public with our relationship."
"I'm about to make our relationship public."
"I have to make our relationship public."
Chen Zhiyi's tone was resolute, leaving no room for regret.
Lin Ting was stunned, taken aback by his astonishing words, and weakly asked, "When do you plan to announce it?"
"tomorrow."
"Isn't there a need to be in such a hurry?"
Chen Zhiyi stopped talking and stared directly at Lin Ting, his anger almost bursting out. He could clearly see the evasiveness and unease in the woman's eyes.
Lin Ting sensed his anger, stretched out her arms to hug his waist, stroked his hair, and said gently, "Your acting career is at its best. I know how much it can damage an artist's career if they go public with their relationship. Don't let a small thing ruin your career. Besides, if our relationship is exposed to the camera, we won't have any privacy. A relationship is a matter between two people, why make it known to everyone?"
"All you do is try to appease me? I feel so insecure in this relationship." Chen Zhiyi wrapped his arms around her.
"Shouldn't that be my line?" Lin Ting leaned against him, her voice muffled. "There are so many beautiful women in the entertainment industry."
"Yeah, there are so many beautiful women in the entertainment industry, but I only like you. Why am I so pathetic?"
Although she didn't look up at him, Lin Ting could imagine the cheeky expression on his face when he said those words, and she chuckled to herself in his arms, hugging him even tighter.
After taking fingerprints, Chen Zhiyi led Lin Ting on a tour of the house. There were four bedrooms in total: the master bedroom, the second bedroom, and the other two had been converted into a study and a walk-in closet.
When Lin Ting opened the door to the second bedroom, she was stunned for a moment and stood at the doorway, captivated by the fresh floral pattern inside. The curtains, blankets, and sheets were all covered in floral prints.
It's clearly designed for girls, and the whole room is filled with straight male aesthetics.
Chen Zhiyi, carrying the luggage, followed behind her. "Why aren't you going in?"
"Have other girls stayed here before?"
Chen Zhiyi sensed the sourness in her tone, placed his hand on her lower back and gently pushed her forward, "Go in, everything is prepared for you."
When were you preparing for this?
What do you think?
Lin Ting no longer needed to guess; he must have started preparing after their reunion. "Looks like he's been planning this for a long time?"
"Hmm~~"
"What if I don't get kicked out by the landlord? What should I do then?" Lin Ting joked.
"Then I'll buy the house you're renting and make you homeless."
Lin Ting sighed, completely speechless.
Chen Zhiyi placed her luggage against the wall. "The sheets and blankets are freshly washed and dried, they're very clean. You can go to sleep after a shower. You can pack your luggage tomorrow."
Lin Ting nodded.
"I have to leave for the filming location at 6 a.m. tomorrow and I probably won't be back until 8 p.m. I have a lot of scenes to film all day, so I might not be able to contact you in time. If you need anything, you can contact Zhang Ke."
Lin Ting was taken aback. "Back to work tomorrow? Have you rested enough? Are your injuries alright?"
"Don't worry, everything is fine now. I took the initiative to contact the director and request to resume work. It would be very expensive for the crew to stop filming for even a day, and we couldn't delay the filming schedule."
Lin Ting was still worried, "Don't push yourself too hard."
“I know, the car keys are in the entryway, you can drive to work in the morning.”
Lin Ting quickly waved her hand, "It's quite close to my company, and there's a subway right outside the complex, which is very convenient. Besides, if your Maybach gets scratched or damaged, I can't afford to pay for it."
Chen Zhiyi joked, "It's okay. If we really do kowtow, I'll repay the debt with my body."
Lin Ting stomped his foot.
Chen Zhiyi wasn't annoyed. "Alright, get some rest. Remember to close the door properly. When I'm awake, I'm pretty reliable, but when I'm asleep, it's a different story. What if I sleepwalk? I can't guarantee I won't open the door and come in."
"Okay!" Lin Ting unconsciously curved her lips into a smile.
The second bedroom had its own bathroom. Lin Ting took out her pajamas and went in to take a shower. She found that everything was prepared inside. In addition to the usual toiletries, there was a set of skin care products, as well as neatly arranged cotton pads and sanitary napkins.
She really is a meticulous person. Lin Ting opened the shower gel and smelled it; it had the gardenia scent that she liked.
With less of a long commute, Lin Ting woke up an hour later than before. Her sleep quality was very poor, and it had gotten worse in recent years, to the point that she almost needed to take melatonin every day to fall asleep.
But I slept very well last night without taking melatonin and didn't wake up until the alarm rang.
The happiest thing in the world is having your loved ones by your side, living a peaceful and tranquil life.
After getting up and washing up, Lin Ting looked at her empty neck in the mirror and suddenly remembered something. She hurriedly ran out of the bathroom, opened her suitcase, and touched the bottom—thankfully, the box was still there.
After many twists and turns, the "ear" necklace was back on her neck. It still sparkled and looked brand new, as if telling the story that although the relationship had gone through a five-year hiatus, it had never faded.
As soon as Lin Ting arrived at her workstation, Song Xiaolei smelled something unusual. Sure enough, as soon as she turned her head, she noticed the necklace around Lin Ting's neck.
"Tsk tsk tsk, is something going on?"
"What?" Lin Ting pretended not to understand.
Song Xiaolei reached out and pulled out the pendant hidden in her collar. "Isn't the design quite unique? Little ears, who gave it to you?"
"Can't I just buy it myself?"
"Come on, someone who usually pinches every penny has the nerve to buy themselves a necklace. This one is obviously custom-made."
Lu Fan, also curious, joined the conversation, "Disciple, do you really have a girlfriend?"
"No," Lin Ting immediately denied.
Lu Fan: "What's there to be shy about? It's perfectly normal for someone your age to be in a relationship."
Song Xiaolei: "Exactly, it's not some forbidden love that can't be talked about."
"Can't I just say it?" Lin Ting thought to herself, a blush creeping onto her face.
Now Song Xiaolei was even more aware of what was going on. "Quickly, tell me who it is?"
Lin Ting's relationship was like big news, with a bunch of people gathering together to gossip about it non-stop.
Fortunately, Zhang Ying's words, "Lin Ting, come to my office," relieved her predicament.
"The boss is looking for me, I have to go right away." After saying that, Lin Ting picked up his pen and notebook and ran impatiently towards Zhang Ying's office.
Zhang Ying sat in the swivel chair, arms crossed, looking at Lin Ting. Her eyes were smiling, a rare display of her charm, and she looked completely in love. "You've made up?"
Lin Ting was taken aback, then remembered that Zhang Ying also knew about it, so she didn't hide it and nodded shyly.
"Then it was worth it for him to get injured saving you this time."
Lin Ting looked up, her face filled with disbelief. "How...how did you know?"
Zhang Ying laughed and said, "I'm not stupid. Do you think anyone would risk their life to save a stranger these days, unless it's someone they care about?" Then she sat up straight and told Lin what was on her mind, "Now that you're back together, cherish it. Not all relationships can be mended. Some things, once missed, are missed forever."
"Yeah, I know." Lin Ting was silent for a moment, then finally spoke, "Boss, could you...?"
Zhang Ying knew what she wanted to say. "Don't worry, I'm not a gossip." She then changed the subject, joking, "I'd also like to take advantage of your reputation."
Lin didn't understand. "For example?"
"Could you pay a lower endorsement fee, take more promotional photos, and extend the cooperation period? I never thought I would have a day when I could control a popular celebrity."
Lin Ting smiled sheepishly.
Getting back to the main point, "How's the progress of the limited edition going?"
"The new draft can be completed today."
When can we communicate with Chen Zhiyi?
"It can be done tonight."
Zhang Ying immediately understood, her eyes lighting up. "Wow, that's fast! You're already living together?"
A hint of shyness flashed across Lin Ting's face; at that moment, silence spoke volumes.
"In that case, give me the final design draft tomorrow. We can't delay any longer; the winter order meeting must be held as soon as possible."
"good!"
After getting off work, Lin Ting stopped by the supermarket to buy some groceries. The meals served on set were all boxed lunches, which everyone knows are not very tasty. After a long day of filming, he wanted to be able to have something hot to eat when he got home.
Braised pork belly, sweet and sour crucian carp, celery and dried tofu, stir-fried greens, plus winter melon and pork rib soup—four dishes and a soup, simple and easy, and I remember that these were Chen Zhiyi's favorite dishes.
After finishing everything, Lin Ting took a picture and sent it to him, along with the words "Waiting for you".
By the time he got his phone and opened the pinned WeChat message, half an hour had passed.
Today's schedule was packed with scenes, and I was busy on set constantly rehearsing, rehearsing lines, and filming. After a long day of non-stop shooting, I was completely exhausted.
Seeing the photos of the food Lin Ting sent, along with the words "Waiting for you," brought a knowing smile to my face, and all my fatigue vanished in that instant.
Zhang Ke had been his assistant for so many years and was used to his serious and aloof demeanor, but she had never seen him smile so genuinely and brightly, like a warm ray of sunshine in spring, gentle and clear.
So he could also have such a natural and innocent smile, it's just that he wasn't smiling at her.
"She's amazing. There aren't many girls who can cook these days," Zhang Ke said.
Chen Zhiyi didn't look up, his gaze still fixed on the photo. "She's incredibly talented. Not only can she cook, but she can also design clothes, and they're all original designs. The key is that she can even turn her designs into finished products herself. She's skilled in all sorts of handicrafts, like sewing, embroidery, and knitting. She's amazing." Chen Zhiyi spoke with great enthusiasm, as if showing off a very precious but rare possession.
"There's only one more scene to finish today, so you don't need to help me get the crew's dinner."
"good."
After filming, when he was almost home, Chen Zhiyi sent a WeChat message to Lin Ting.
I'll be home in fifteen minutes.
"Okay." Lin replied and went to heat up the food.
Chen Zhiyi stood in front of the gate, overwhelmed with emotion. In the past, he had no desire to go home and preferred to stay on the film set all day long. But now, knowing that someone was waiting for him to come home, he was eager to do so.
After years of anticipation, it has finally come true; it feels so unreal.
He had already put his finger on the doorknob, but then put it down and rang the doorbell.
"Who is it?" Lin asked from inside.
This sound made all the unreality of what had just happened come true.
Hearing no response from outside, Lin heard a tense voice: "Who's outside?"
Chen Zhiyi knew she was frightened, so he immediately said, "It's me, Chen Zhiyi."
The doorknob clicked the next second, and he imagined a big hug, after all, they hadn't seen each other for more than ten hours, plus the little incident just now, so he opened his arms and was ready to welcome her.
But nothing happened. The door opened, and before she could even see his face, Lin Ting bent down, took out slippers from the cabinet, turned around, and walked inside, her tone full of complaint.
"It can be unlocked with fingerprint, but I still have to open the door, and there's still food hot on the stove."
Okay, it's all just my imagination.
Chen Zhiyi curled his lips and sighed helplessly. At least they brought him slippers, right?
After changing his shoes, he followed her closely, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his arms. He buried his head in her neck and said in a muffled voice, "You've been so cold to me after just one day. It feels like my enthusiasm last night was just a daydream."
Lin Ting lightly punched his back, "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm heating up the food."
Chen Zhiyi chuckled, her tone full of coquettishness, "Haven't you given me a hug after all this time? Am I any more appealing than food?"
Ha! Lin Ting was completely clueless. The wildly popular young movie star was actually a hopeless romantic! It's laughable.
Aren't you hungry?
"Hungry."
"Then why don't you let go of me?"
Chen Zhiyi chuckled and released Lin Ting. Only then did he notice the shiny chain around her neck. He took out the pendant hidden under her collar, recognized it, and touched it.
"So it was still there after all."
"I've always kept it safe."
"You're wearing it again now?"
Lin Ting nodded.
Suddenly, it dawned on me that I remembered the promise we made when I first put it on her.
"This time, you absolutely cannot take it off again, you can't lose me again." After saying that, Chen Zhiyi bent down and kissed the pendant.
At that moment, Lin Tingxin trembled violently, and even the words she uttered were broken and intermittent, "Okay...okay."
After dinner, Chen Zhiyi gave the study to Lin Ting, knowing she still had work to do. He stayed on the sofa in the living room to read the script. Although they were in two separate spaces, they were seated in positions where they could see each other just by looking up.
In the past, when Chen Zhiyi returned to his place late at night, he would stand by the floor-to-ceiling window and watch the traffic flowing on the city's elevated highways. The flashing neon lights would give him a sense of emptiness.
Now, whenever I look at the other person and see them working diligently, I feel at peace.
But it seems like he's being narcissistic; he's been buried in his work in the study the whole time, without even looking up once.
Chen Zhiyi put down the script in his hand, got up and cut a plate of fruit and brought it to the study.
Before he could even speak, and without even glancing at him, Lin Ting said, "You eat first, I'll eat after I'm done."
"No rush." So, Chen Zhiyi moved a chair over and sat down next to her, resting his hands on the table and his head on his hands, watching her busy herself.
One minute I'm doodling on paper, the next I'm importing it into the software to see the 3D effect. Although I know nothing about design, I can still recognize software; I'm quite proficient with Photoshop and 3D models.
The naked man in the 3D model is so unpleasant to look at. He has broad shoulders, a narrow waist, abs, a V-line, and long legs. Is it really necessary for a software to be designed to be so realistic?
Chen Zhiyi unconsciously touched his stomach. His fitness habits over the years had given him abs, but they were still slightly inferior to the clear outline and distinct lines in the software.
The thought of Lin Tingtian looking at these "naked" images every day made her purse her lips and wish she could delete them all from her computer.
But her focus when she works is truly captivating, and I've enjoyed watching her work diligently for years on end.
"How about I stop acting and you support me?"
"Huh?" Lin Ting turned her head to the side, her face clearly saying, "Are you kidding me?"
Chen Zhiyi suppressed a laugh, "They're quite skilled at using this modeling software. They can bring up naked men in various poses to try on clothes. They can even put together a fashion show with just software. Isn't that amazing? What this century lacks most is technical talent."
Lin sensed a sour smell in the air; they were really going to argue over a piece of software. "Fine, let's rent a small studio apartment later. I can't afford the mortgage on this luxury apartment."
“No problem, as long as we’re together, I’m willing to live in the slums.”
Hearing sweet nothings occasionally can be a sweetener for a relationship, but doing it several times in one night is unbearable and gives you goosebumps.
"These past few years of acting haven't been in vain; I remember my lines pretty well."
Chen Zhiyi finally broke down and burst into laughter, pressing his head against her right arm.
Lin Ting pushed his head away. "Wait a little longer, the new version of the design will be finished. Take a look and make any changes if you have any comments. I need to submit it tomorrow."
"OK."
Lin Ting printed out the new version of the design draft in color and laid it out in front of Chen Zhiyi.
"There are five styles in total: a coat, a baseball jacket, a hoodie, a sweater, and casual pants. They all reflect your preferred casual and comfortable style. Although they are all basic pieces, they can be combined in various ways to suit different occasions. For example, a coat with a sweater is suitable for formal occasions, while a jacket with a hoodie is perfect for lounging at home or going out. A coat with a hoodie, on the other hand, gives off a mature yet youthful vibe. The main colors are black and white, with a touch of orange. I know orange is your fans' support color, and it's also an expression of love for them."
Lin listened very attentively. Chen Zhiyi seemed to see her standing on the final stage five years ago, her confidence and enthusiasm when explaining her design work were truly dazzling.
After he finished speaking, Lin Ting asked him very seriously, "What are the problems with this version? Are there any parts that need to be revised?"
"No, that's fine."
"What was wrong with the previous version?" Lin Ting still held a grudge.
Chen Zhiyi didn't expect her to bring this up, and said guiltily, "The timing was wrong." In fact, he couldn't even remember what the previous version was like, he only remembered being angry at her indifferent attitude at the time.
"Should I take it out now? Is the timing right?" Lin Ting continued to ask.
Chen Zhiyi said with embarrassment, "The timing was right, but I was afraid of being proven wrong, so I still chose the new version."
"Give me a reason." Lin Ting was determined to prove him right.
"Because of the addition of orange, I saw a two-way love, not just between me and my fans, but also between you and me. Is this reason acceptable?" It sounds fake, but it's also very sincere.
Lin Ting grinned. "Barely acceptable."
Chen Zhiyi led Lin to the dressing room, took out a garment covered with a dust cover, which looked very affectionate, and lifted the cover to reveal its true appearance.
Lin recognized it at a glance and reached out to touch it.
"I wore this for the first time I walked the red carpet. When I was walking the red carpet, I was surrounded by all kinds of lights and screams, but I didn't feel excited or thrilled at all. Instead, I felt very empty. I kept thinking, why am I wearing this dress, but the designer is no longer here? Will I never be able to wear your designs again?" Chen Zhiyi lowered his head and smiled bitterly, then raised his hand to touch Lin Ting's face, his eyes full of affection. "I didn't expect it to come true again today. Today felt so unreal, like a dream. When I got home, you opened the door for me and prepared a table full of dishes for me to eat. We were each in our own space doing our own things, but we could see each other when we looked up. All the beautiful life I had been looking forward to suddenly came true. I'm so afraid that I'll wake up tomorrow and find that it was all a dream."
Lin Ting tiptoed and gave him a light kiss on the lips, then wrapped her arms around his waist, pressed her face against his chest, and said softly, "It's not a dream, it's all real. If time allows, I can design your red carpet outfits every time, as long as you don't get ridiculed by the media."
"What are you laughing at?"
"It's laughable that a big star like you wears clothes that even the designers can't identify. It's so cheap."
"Nonsense, they don't understand. This was designed by Lin Ting, a top designer of haute couture in China. It's a national brand, Chinese-made, and its value is far beyond what those foreign luxury brands can compare to."
Lin Ting buried herself in his arms and laughed so hard she was shaking. "It makes me, a fashion design assistant, feel really nervous."
Chen Zhiyi held Lin Ting's shoulders, "I know M Group is about to hold a pre-order event. I've agreed to attend as their spokesperson and close the show wearing a limited-edition piece. I insist on having the designer of my clothes walk the runway with me at the end. I want everyone to know you, to know your talent. You won't be overlooked. Five years ago, you gave me a hand; now it's my turn to protect you. I know your contract with M Group has over two years left. After it ends, we'll open a custom clothing studio together, establish our own brand, and step by step achieve everything we envisioned back then."
Lin Ting felt a surge of emotion, but deliberately didn't show it. She poked his chest with her finger and asked, "How do you even know when my contract expires? Tell me, do you have someone on the inside?"
Chen Zhiyi raised his eyebrows, looking smug. "I won't tell you, but if you get close to other male colleagues in the future, I'll know immediately and then make a series of calls to find out."
“I’m much more generous than you. If I see you getting close to any actress, I’ll just join in the fun with the netizens, but I definitely won’t ask you.”
Chen Zhiyi laughed in exasperation, "You're just trying to annoy me, aren't you?"
Lin Ting chuckled.
The night was deep outside the floor-to-ceiling window, casting the image of two figures embracing tightly.
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