Chapter 45 A Pretense Becomes Real
Su Tangtang didn't know why she blurted out such a sentence. It was like a silent seduction, or a self-delusional feeling, as if she was certain that he was hiding something, but he was waiting for her to ask.
Perhaps it was because Huo Yizhou's protectiveness towards her tonight was too touching, or perhaps the alcohol had quietly unlocked her reason, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
Huo Yizhou looked at her quietly for a moment, then said in a low voice, "There is indeed something."
Su Tangtang's heart tightened, and her heart pounded like a drum.
She said softly, "Go ahead."
"After the show is finished recording, I can help you deal with Gu Qingke and make sure he stops harassing you."
She paused, a vague sense of loss washing over her. "Is that all?"
Huo Yizhou nodded, then asked in return, "Otherwise, what did you think it was about?"
Su Tangtang pursed her lips.
For a fleeting moment, she genuinely believed that he liked her.
She lowered her eyes. "It's nothing."
Huo Yizhou took a step forward.
As the distance suddenly closed, the air seemed to thicken.
Su Tangtang's breathing hitched slightly, but she still met his gaze without looking away.
He gazed at her intently, his tone serious, "Actually, there's something else I need to say."
She swallowed unconsciously. "What is it?"
Huo Yizhou lowered his head slightly, looking into her eyes, "Su Tangtang, I like you. Would you be willing to make this a real relationship with me?"
"Bang bang bang~"
Su Tangtang felt her heart beating very fast.
Surprise flashed in her eyes. "What did you say?"
Huo Yizhou wasn't actually sure of her feelings.
But after spending these past few months together, he became acutely aware of his own changes. He realized that he had unknowingly fallen in love with her.
I can't quite put my finger on what I like.
Perhaps it was her clear-headedness and resilience, perhaps it was her confident and radiant personality, perhaps it was her fearless spirit in the fields, or perhaps it was her energetic demeanor every day.
Of course, this also includes her occasional absent-mindedness and the cuteness that comes out unintentionally.
In short, he was smitten.
I didn't dare say it before because I was afraid that if I revealed it, I wouldn't even be able to maintain the current state of things.
But tonight, fueled by alcohol, he still blurted it out.
He remained uneasy.
If she likes him too, then all his worries will disappear. If she doesn't... then he'll find a way to make their interactions less awkward.
He held his breath, waiting for her response.
"What I said before, if you have something to say, just say it. If you don't say it, I'll never know. That means if you like me, you should tell me. Otherwise, I won't know you like me," Su Tangtang said softly, a little embarrassed, after a while.
It turns out she wasn't just imagining things.
He truly loves her.
Huo Yizhou smiled belatedly, "I see."
He paused, then asked softly with a hint of mischief, "But why don't you tell me you like me first?"
Su Tangtang lowered her head and said softly, "I'm afraid of being rejected."
Huo Yizhou was slightly taken aback, then remembered the past when she had chased after Gu Qingke but was rejected without mercy. It turned out that it had left a shadow.
"So," his voice softened, "you've agreed?"
Su Tangtang raised her head, her eyes seemingly filled with starlight, and nodded gently, "I agree."
A surge of joy instantly filled Huo Yizhou's chest.
He suddenly realized that the wine he drank tonight hadn't been wasted, and the fight hadn't been in vain either.
He naturally reached out and gently took her hand.
Huo Yizhou never claimed to be a gentleman. Since they were already a couple, it was only natural for him to hold his girlfriend's hand.
Su Tangtang was taken aback by his directness and then gripped his hand in return.
The two smiled at each other, held hands, and walked back side by side.
Han Yang, who had just finished applying the medicine, happened to witness this scene, and was both surprised and delighted.
To everyone's surprise, Su Tangtang and Huo Yizhou got together; to everyone's delight, she finally stopped bothering Gu Qingke.
But the next second, he started to worry.
How is he supposed to explain this to her brother?
Are you going to say, "Your sister has let go of Gu Qingke, but now she's gotten involved with an even more formidable person"?
Seriously, this is a real headache.
The two returned to the house, and Huo Yizhou still did not let go of her hand, standing in the center of the main room holding hers.
Su Tangtang looked down at their tightly clasped hands and couldn't help but smile.
Huo Yizhou stared at her. "What are you laughing at?"
“We’re inside now, we should let go,” Su Tangtang said softly.
Huo Yizhou gripped even tighter, "I don't want to let go."
Although they had held hands before, none of them had ever filled his heart with such warmth as this.
Su Tangtang was both amused and exasperated. "Are we supposed to hold hands all night?"
Huo Yizhou turned to face her, his gaze intense. "Yes."
Su Tangtang was speechless for a moment.
Before she could respond, he had already wrapped his other arm around her waist, and she fell into his arms due to the inertia.
Her cheeks flushed instantly, but she still bravely met his gaze.
Huo Yizhou's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he lowered his head to kiss her.
Unlike the fleeting kiss last time, this one was a deep and passionate exploration.
Huo Yizhou was clearly a novice; his kissing skills were clumsy yet passionate. After a moment, Su Tangtang tasted a hint of rust between her lips and teeth.
She gently pushed him away.
Huo Yizhou loosened his grip slightly, their foreheads touching, and he asked in a low, husky voice, "What's wrong?"
Su Tangtang's cheeks turned even redder. "It seems like my teeth hit your lips. I tasted blood."
Huo Yizhou chuckled softly and pursed his lips. "It looks like she's bleeding."
"Open your mouth so I can see," Su Tangtang said with concern.
Huo Yizhou opened his mouth obediently, and Su Tangtang examined him closely, but only saw his neat teeth. "I don't see any wounds."
He pulled her back into his arms. "It's alright."
After cuddling together for a while, the two went to their respective beds to sleep.
-
When Su Tangtang woke up in the morning, she had just opened her eyes when she was met with a handsome face so close to hers that her heart skipped a beat. "What are you doing?"
Huo Yizhou's gaze softened. "I was watching you sleep."
Su Tangtang sat up and gently patted her chest. "You scared me. Don't do that again. It's too frightening."
Huo Yizhou nodded obediently, but suddenly reached out and gently stroked the back of her head, gently pulling her forward, and placed a light kiss on her lips, which lasted briefly before they parted.
Su Tangtang's cheeks flushed slightly. "I haven't brushed my teeth yet..."
“I don’t mind,” Huo Yizhou said with a smile.
Su Tangtang puffed out her cheeks and couldn't help but laugh, "Huo Yizhou, how come you've changed so much since we got together?"
What has changed?
“You’ve become so clingy,” she tilted her head and looked him up and down. “This is so unlike your usual self.”
Huo Yizhou chuckled softly, unconcerned, "If it doesn't match, it doesn't match."
Su Tangtang, "..."
-
After Su Tangtang and Huo Yizhou finished getting ready, they went to Taoyuan together.
The morning's picking work was halfway through when Meng Meng finally arrived late. She went straight to Su Tangtang and said in a sharp tone, "Su Tangtang, are you feeling particularly smug right now?"
Su Tangtang gently placed the freshly picked peaches into the basket, looked up at her calmly, and said, "I am indeed quite happy."
These words completely enraged Meng Meng. "You're really shameless. Being surrounded by two men, are you having a blast?"
Su Tangtang's face instantly darkened. "Meng Meng, watch your mouth."
"Did I say something wrong?" Meng Meng snorted coldly, her anger rising at the thought of Shen Yingying crying until midnight last night.
"Don't force me to take action," Su Tangtang warned.
Meng Meng defiantly brought her face closer, saying, "Let's see if you dare in front of the camera!"
The crisp sound of the slap stunned the photographer.
Meng Meng covered her face, staring at Su Tangtang in disbelief, "You bitch, how dare you hit me!" She then lunged at Su Tangtang.
Su Tangtang nimbly dodged to the side.
At this moment, Huo Yizhou quickly stepped forward, shielding Su Tangtang behind him, and grabbed Meng Meng's wrist as she swung at him, pushing her away.
Meng Meng staggered a few steps and fell to the ground, bursting into tears, "You've all ganged up on me! I'm going to expose you!"
"Go ahead," Su Tangtang said calmly. "Let the netizens judge whether you asked for this slap or not."
At this moment, Shen Yingying and her group arrived.
Seeing Mengmeng sitting on the ground, she rushed over, "Mengmeng, what's wrong?"
"They bullied me, and Su Tangtang even hit me!" Meng Meng cried, pointing to the red marks on her face.
Shen Yingying immediately turned serious and looked at Su Tangtang, "How could you hit someone?"
"She started it by swearing."
"Mengmeng is just straightforward and speaks without thinking. You shouldn't have hit her."
Su Tangtang frowned slightly.
Compared to Meng Meng, she disliked Shen Yingying's behavior of always hiding behind the scenes, stirring up trouble, and pretending to be a good person.
"So, according to you, I should just put up with her insults?"
Shen Yingying clenched her fists. "No matter what, hitting someone is wrong."
"Okay, then I won't lay a hand on you next time," Su Tangtang said casually. "I'll just curse back."
Shen Yingying was speechless for a moment, her nails digging deeply into her palms.
At this moment, Gu Qingke spoke up to smooth things over, "Alright, let's go about our own business."
These words completely ignited Shen Yingying's anger. "Gu Qingke, we've been together for so many years, how can you be so heartless and always side with her?"
Gu Qingke glanced at Su Tangtang and remained silent.
He's still in pain all over his body and just wants to let things rest for now.
"So what do you want? To fight back for Meng Meng?" he asked coldly.
Shen Yingying was speechless. Not to mention that Gu Qingke would not agree, Su Tangtang also had Huo Yizhou by her side.
“Apologize,” she finally said.
“Make her apologize to me first,” Su Tangtang said without backing down.
"It's Mengmeng who got hit!"
"I'm the one who got scolded!"
Seeing that the two were at an impasse, Meng Meng pulled Shen Yingying back, "Forget it, let's go."
"I will definitely get justice for you!" Shen Yingying vowed.
Meng Meng suddenly turned to Su Tangtang and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have scolded you."
Shen Yingying looked at Meng Meng in disbelief, "What are you apologizing for?"
“I don’t want to see you argue with her because of me,” Meng Meng said in a low voice. “Anyway, you can’t win the argument with her, and it will only make you angry.”
Shen Yingying was so angry that she almost lost control on the spot.
“I apologized,” Meng Meng said to Su Tangtang. “Now it’s your turn.”
Su Tangtang was amused by her childlike tone and said, "I'm sorry, Meng Meng, I shouldn't have hit you."
This farce has finally come to an end.
Shen Yingying turned around angrily to pick peaches, Meng Meng quickly followed, and Gu Qingke also left silently.
The photographer, watching this scene, couldn't help but sigh to himself: such a wonderful shot, but it will have to be cut in the end.
It's already early August, and the fruit-selling trip to the countryside is over.
That evening, the production team announced the final rankings based on the sales data of each group. Qu Xian's group won first place, but Su Tangtang's group earned the most money.
During the awards ceremony, Zhou Yan and Lin Lang simultaneously handed their prizes to Su Tangtang. Su Tangtang was about to decline when the two women jokingly reminded her of her earlier promise to "share the prizes," so she had no choice but to accept their kind gesture with a smile.
After the fruit-selling trip to the countryside ended, everyone rested for two days before being gathered together again by the director.
“We’ve been filming our show for over three months now,” the director said with a touch of emotion. “In about two more months, this season will be over.”
Zhou Yan replied softly, "Time really flies."
Lin Lang nodded, "Yes, it's been more than three months in the blink of an eye."
Qiu Nan smiled, "This kind of life is really fulfilling."
Qu Xian added, "It is indeed a rare experience to have such a period in one's life."
The director joked, "Then how about we invite you to come back for the next season?"
Qu Xian quickly waved his hand, "Director, I meant that 'experiencing it once' is very valuable."
Everyone laughed, and Zhou Yan chimed in, "I'm so tired."
This statement was unanimously agreed upon.
After the jokes, the director began to assign the next task: "The corn in the field has already tasseled and will be ready for harvest in about two months. The vegetables we planted earlier are also due for the change of season. As the saying goes, 'If you don't plant vegetables in August, you won't have any vegetables to eat in October.' So next, we need to clear away the vegetable seedlings, turn over the soil, and replant them. As usual, we will draw lots to decide the types of vegetables each group will plant."
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