Chapter 41. You can't take it even if you want to.
Chu Ruofu didn't distrust him; she distrusted herself.
She was introverted and timid. When she was acting on set, she completely obeyed the director's instructions. She would act however the director asked her to, and if the director was not satisfied, she would act until the director was satisfied.
As a minor actress with little say, she was used to being attacked and belittled, and increasingly lost her self-confidence.
Having observed Chu Ruofu for so long, Li Yichen has gained some understanding of her personality. She always puts herself in a vulnerable position, and it takes time to discover her lovely and outstanding side.
Chu Ruofu has excellent bone structure and is a natural beauty. Hidden under her bangs, she becomes timid when others look at her, which makes her seem honest and easy to bully.
Most people dislike this kind of reserved 'cowardice'.
Li Yichen felt that she should be given more encouragement. With the constant recognition from others, she would secretly bloom with her own beauty, like a mimosa.
"You have a beautiful voice, but you haven't learned how to produce sound when you sing, which is why you sometimes can't sing in tune."
Chu Ruofu had never learned to sing and didn't understand that singing required proper vocalization. Wasn't it just a matter of opening your mouth and singing along with the lyrics and melody?
Her subtle facial expressions are easy to read.
Li Yichen chuckled and said, "I'll teach you how to pronounce it first. It's very easy to learn."
Chu Ruofu hummed in agreement.
Li Yichen taught her how to warm up her voice, how to pronounce accurately, and how to control her breath, patiently teaching her all aspects at once.
Chu Ruofu was amazed to discover that there was so much to learn about singing. She followed him to learn how to vocalize, and gradually found the right method, overcoming her initial inaccurate pitch.
The audience was completely charmed by this scene.
[Actor Li is so gentle.]
The second male lead is like a completely different person; he's so handsome and charming.
[As expected, the most charming thing is when someone shines in their own field; the second male lead scored a big point this episode.]
[Li Yichen truly lives up to his reputation as a professional singer. I followed him to learn how to warm up my voice, sang a few lines, and it was definitely different from just casually singing.]
[Keep it up, Mei Bao! You sang beautifully.]
Chu Ruofu practiced for a while, then looked down at the lyrics on her phone again and sang along to the song she would be performing that night. She felt that it was different from before; her pitch had improved a lot.
The two sat on the sofa, very close together, and could smell each other's faint fragrance.
Chu Ruofu was unaware that she was standing next to Li Yichen, so close that it exceeded the social distance between strangers. She lowered her eyes and looked at the lyrics seriously, practicing the song along.
Li Yichen didn't take his phone; his gaze fell on her phone screen as they looked at the lyrics together.
She sings in a female voice, he sings in a male voice; their voices intertwine, like ever-rising curves entwining and merging to form a romantic love song.
This is the first time the two have collaborated on a song.
After Chu Ruofu finished singing, she looked at Li Yichen beside her with delight: "We finished singing, and we didn't sing off-key."
Li Yichen looked at her, his fox-like eyes smiling, and said, "You sang very well."
Hearing the affirmation from a professional singer, Chu Ruofu's heart pounded with excitement: "You too."
The two gazed at each other from a very close distance, and there seemed to be an ambiguous atmosphere in the air.
Chu Ruofu then realized that she had unknowingly sat intimately next to him, so close that if either of them moved forward even a little, their skin would touch.
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks; she was extremely embarrassed and moved to the side.
Seeing her move away from him a little, Li Yichen found it amusing. Was it too late for her to realize she was too close to him? Like a slow-moving little animal, she was just too cute.
"Do you believe me now?"
Chu Ruofu nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "If they sing even better, we should practice more."
Li Yichen was very confident in his singing performance. He believed he could lead Chu Ruofu to first place. He didn't want to appear too arrogant, so when he heard her say to practice more, he immediately agreed.
He has been proficient in various vocal techniques since childhood, debuted in a boy band in his teens, and possesses absolute talent. Diligence is also part of his talent.
He once stayed up for three days and three nights to write a song until he produced a satisfactory piece.
His bandmates all thought he was a bit obsessive; who would stop eating and drinking to the point of madness just to write songs?
One cannot truly live without being obsessed.
An excellent work must be polished in every way, and he is willing to give his all for it.
"Shall we sing it together again?" Li Yichen's smile never faded as he looked at Chu Ruofu with a charming and affectionate gaze.
Chu Ruofu dared not meet his beautiful eyes, for fear of being bewitched by his good looks.
"Okay," she replied softly.
The two hadn't used a Bluetooth microphone yet; they were just listening to the original song on their phones and singing along. When they sang together again, their collaboration was even better, with each of them taking turns to add a line, perfectly in sync.
Bullet comments:
[Ahhhhh, this sounds so good!]
I absolutely adore Mei Bao's voice; it's so sweet it warms my heart.
[Li Yichen kept encouraging Mei Bao to sing loudly; he's really good at guiding her. The Fu Chen couple is so sweet!]
I just checked out the other guests' situations, and I have a feeling this couple will win first place.
[Wow, the way Mei Bao and Li Yichen sang was so sweet and romantic, it makes me want to fall in love!]
Before they knew it, it was noon. The production team prepared lunch for the guests and invited them to have lunch together.
Xia Yuqing and Lu Xubai heard melodious singing coming from the living room as they went up and down the stairs. He looked towards the source and saw Chu Ruofu and Li Yichen nestled in a double sofa, singing a duet.
The female voice blends with the male voice, clear and melodious, the voices are like heavenly music, so beautiful that you want to keep listening.
A look of surprise flashed across Xia Yuqing's eyes. Li Yichen himself came from a boy band, and singing and dancing were his strengths. The shy and reserved Chu Ruofu could sing so well, just like a professional female singer.
She and Lu Xubai practiced for half a day, but their duet had no chemistry whatsoever. She looked at Lu Xubai.
Just as she was about to say something, she saw Lu Xubai exuding a chill, his eyes fixed on Li Yichen and Chu Ruofu, looking like a husband catching his wife having a pleasant date with her lover.
Xia Yuqing's mood was a little complicated. Lu Xubai had announced to the guests long ago that Chu Ruofu was his first choice.
The guests were all surprised that he had announced his crush so early, since the dating show's rules stipulated that the buzzer could not be pressed until the time specified by the show's producers.
The guests can express their feelings privately, but they cannot confess in front of the audience. They can directly choose the romantic partner they want.
High-profile, attractive male and female guests live in the "Heartbeat House" to film a dating reality show. Viewers watch the romantic entanglements between the guests and learn how to get along with and date the opposite sex or ship couples.
Xia Yuqing initially wanted to get close to Li Yichen, but she was targeted and cyberbullied by Qiao Yimo. She also discovered that Li Yichen had an eccentric temperament, so she had no choice but to change her target.
She came to record the dating reality show only to find a high-quality partner to date, or to gain popularity by forming a couple.
If this guest isn't good, replace him with another one.
Seeing that Lu Xubai still liked Chu Ruofu, Xia Yuqing had a strange feeling. She was not jealous of Chu Ruofu, but felt that Lu Xubai had a special charm. If someone could win his heart, he would definitely be very devoted.
Xia Yuqing's gaze fell on Li Yichen. He scoffed at the beautiful and charming actress, but paid close attention to Chu Ruofu.
Do Li Yichen and Lu Xubai both like girls who are easy to control?
Her personality was too enthusiastic and bright, too flamboyant, and they felt they couldn't control her, which is why they kept their distance from her.
She lives with Chu Ruofu, but she doesn't fully understand what kind of person Chu Ruofu is. She thinks that only someone like Chu Ruofu would be liked by the male guests.
Xia Yuqing's mind wandered, wondering if she could imitate Chu Ruofu?
After the second duet, Chu Ruofu let out a soft breath, then suddenly realized there were two more guests in the living room, and she immediately felt awkward.
Li Yichen turned around and saw Lu Xubai's tall figure standing not far away, like a wooden stake. He raised his eyebrows slightly, revealing a very subtle provocative expression.
What's the use of looking? Chu Ruofu is his partner now, a match made in heaven. No other male guest can take her away even if they want to.
Male animals are keenly aware of the other's provocation and possessiveness. Lu Xubai's dark blue eyes looked coldly at Li Yichen.
Live stream chat:
[Lu Ge is extremely jealous, wishing he could sit next to Fu Mei in place of the second male lead.]
[Where Fu Mei is, there's bound to be a chaotic scene, hahaha, she's definitely a succubus with a penchant for variety shows.]
[Li Yichen is a womanizer and a smooth talker. He doesn't deserve Fu Mei. Stay away from our precious Fu Mei. Fu Mei belongs to Brother Lu.]
[Your Fu Bai CP is going too far! Our Actor Li can sing and act, he's gentle and patient, much better than your cold-faced Lawyer Lu.]
Stop trying to glorify your master; that's been overused in the entertainment industry for years.
The director was stunned. Even when fans of different pairings argued before, this episode was more intense than the one before. They started resorting to personal attacks, and each person was using the most vulgar language.
The show has only aired its third episode, and there are still many more to come. I wonder how much controversy it will generate later on.
Lu Xubai strode up to Chu Ruofu and said in a deep voice, "You sang very well."
Li Yichen smiled casually: "Of course, her voice is naturally beautiful, and we work together very well."
Chu Ruofu was a little embarrassed, and politely asked, "How's your practice going?"
"We haven't even finished practicing half a song yet," Xia Yuqing said as she ran over. "I can already foresee tonight's disaster."
Li Yichen laughed: "Your song is very simple, it should be easy to learn."
Xia Yuqing glanced at Lu Xubai, somewhat helplessly: "Lawyer Lu isn't very good at singing."
Chu Ruofu looked at Lu Xubai with her big eyes. His voice was a rather cold and mature male voice, with a slight magnetic quality. He should be able to sing well.
Lu Xubai admitted expressionlessly, "I really don't sing much."
Xia Yuqing spread her hands and said, "I hope we won't be laughed at by everyone for singing tonight."
Li Yichen narrowed his fox-like eyes, a hint of pleasure flashing across his face. He felt even more grateful to the production team for arranging the singing gala, giving him an opportunity to showcase his stage presence.
Males compete for females by displaying a healthy, strong physique, good looks, and impressive hunting skills.
When male guests participate in a dating reality show, they must present their best qualities to the female guests in order to gain their attention and favor.
At first, Chu Ruofu kept her distance from him and was even a little annoyed when she saw him. Now, she doesn't dislike him and is unconsciously attracted to him, gradually getting closer to him.
His relationship with Chu Ruofu is heating up, and he believes it won't be long before he wins her heart.
As for the other male guests, they could only be filled with impotent rage and jealousy beyond recognition.
Chu Ruofu didn't want to feel awkward with Lu Xubai, so she said, "It seems like it's time for lunch. Let's hurry to the restaurant."
Li Yichen lazily got up: "Let's go, we still need to practice after we eat."
The guests gathered at the restaurant. The guests who were paired up chose to sit together. Apart from Li Yichen and Chu Ruofu, the other guests looked a little anxious and irritable.
The singing gala arranged by the program team will have a major reward for winning a place. Even if you don't care about the reward, singing well at the gala may make you a trending topic and go viral online.
The dating reality show is the most popular on the entire internet, and everyone wants to perform well.
Chu Ruofu didn't think too much while eating. Nothing in the world could affect her eating and sleeping. This was her natural instinct as a lazy bum. Even if the sky fell, there would be tall people to hold it up, so it wouldn't stop her from lying down.
Li Yichen chatted with her occasionally, served her food with serving chopsticks, and looked very pleased with himself. Anyone could tell he was in a good mood.
After the meal, Chu Ruofu expressed her opinion: "I want to go back to my room for a nap."
It's time to sleep after a good meal. She got up too early today, so she needs to rest and catch up on some sleep.
Li Yichen wanted to stay close to her, but seeing her slightly tired appearance, he asked, "How long do you want to sleep?"
Chu Ruofu took out her phone and set an alarm, saying, "We'll meet in the living room at 2:30. If I'm not up yet, come knock on the door."
Li Yichen nodded and said, "Okay, go to sleep."
While the other guests were making the most of their time practicing their songs, Chu Ruofu went back to her bedroom alone and slept soundly under the covers.
Bullet comments:
[Fu-mei has such a great attitude.]
My baby looks so sweet and adorable when she's sleeping, I love it! [heart][heart][heart]
[Star boy group: Are you kidding me?!]
[After preparing for the gala for over ten hours, Chu Ruofu actually had time to sleep. Brother Li, are you still the Brother Li I know?]
[Star boy band: Back then, forget about sleeping; even taking a nap would get you yelled at and forced to practice singing.]
Shouldn't my brother have said, with a straight face, "How can you sleep at your age?"
Li Yichen didn't rest. The production team delivered the guitar he wanted. This guitar was custom-made from abroad at a high price and was kept as a treasure in his villa. The production team got it for him.
There was a tall stool in front of the French windows, and he sat down to tune his guitar.
After tuning the guitar for a while, Li Yichen tried plucking the strings and slowly played a choral song; the music was beautiful.
After playing the piece several times and becoming thoroughly familiar with it, he tried different tones, searching for the most beautiful melody. He sat alone on the stool, his expression serious and absorbed.
After Chu Ruofu finished her afternoon nap, she tidied her hair and went downstairs. She saw Li Yichen sitting alone in front of the French windows, playing the guitar and singing a song that they were going to perform together.
The bright afternoon light fell on him, making him look like a handsome school heartthrob performing on stage in a youth idol drama, beautiful and dreamlike.
Li Yichen looked up and saw her, a smile playing in his eyes, and sang lyrics to her.
"No matter how beautiful or sweet a smile is, if it's not yours, it's not special..."
"The whole world only has feelings for you..."
"I will be obedient, sweet, gentle, and considerate, and I will never be perfunctory..."
As Chu Ruofu listened to the beautiful lyrics, her heart fluttered, and her hands, which were hanging at the hem of her skirt, tightened.
If she didn't know he was practicing singing, she would have felt like he was giving her a romantic confession.
The viewers in the live stream were already completely captivated by this scene.
This song was the right choice.
[This is such a sweet and beautiful song, perfect for couples.]
Did the second male lead confess his feelings through song lyrics?
[I don't care, this is a confession! Ahhhhh, Fu-mei, just give in to him!]
Chu Ruofu tried her best to maintain a calm expression, walked up to him, and said, "You play the guitar very well."
Li Yichen strummed the strings and said, "I haven't played the guitar in a long time. I practiced for a while this afternoon and got a feel for it. Now I'm not so rusty."
Chu Ruofu glanced at the beautiful guitar and asked, "Are you planning to play the guitar tonight?"
Li Yichen smiled slightly: "Do you think it's okay?"
Chu Ruofu nodded: "Okay."
Li Yichen smiled slightly and said, "There are only a few hours left before the gala, let's practice a few more times."
Chu Ruofu replied, "Okay."
In the afternoon, the two of them practiced many times in a quiet place where they wouldn't be disturbed.
Around 4 o'clock, Chu Ruofu felt that she hadn't sung well enough and wanted to sing it again, but Li Yichen stopped her.
"That's enough." Li Yichen took out a fruit-flavored throat lozenge from his pocket and said, "You've practiced long enough. If you keep practicing, I'm worried you'll lose your voice."
He unwrapped a throat lozenge and held it to her lips, coaxing her gently, "The only thing you need to do now is eat a throat lozenge to protect your voice."
Chu Ruofu subconsciously opened her lips, and the floral-scented throat lozenge entered her mouth, its sweet taste sweeping over her taste buds.
What's going on? Why has Li Yichen become so considerate?
Chu Ruofu stared at him, her eyes wide.
Seeing her dazed and adorable expression, Li Yichen couldn't resist pinching her soft cheek.
He was attracted to her as soon as he arrived at the dating reality show, but she kept her distance from him. He tried to get her attention, but he used the wrong methods. She grew to dislike him more and more and rejected his advances.
Unwilling to be ignored by her, he spent the whole night finding the gift she had given him, wanting to tell her that he hadn't thrown it away, that he treasured it, and hoped she wouldn't misunderstand.
Unfortunately, she didn't care at all.
The agent is right, he's using the wrong approach. Whoever likes her will be the one to pursue her. He needs to let go of his superior attitude, and winning her heart will be just a matter of time.
Chu Ruofu was pinched on the cheek, and she snapped back to her senses, immediately looking at Li Yichen with a wary gaze.
"I'm sorry." Li Yichen apologized sincerely, "I just thought you looked so cute when you were stunned. Don't be angry, okay?"
Chu Ruofu's raven-black eyelashes trembled slightly as she said, "Don't pinch my face again."
Her cheek felt a strange sensation as his warm fingers gently pinched it.
The party started at 8 p.m. The production team informed the guests to arrange time to get their hair and makeup done. It was the first party held by Heartbeat House, and the guests needed to make a stunning entrance.
The production team shut down the live broadcast, and stylists came to the Heartbeat Villa to select suitable outfits for the guests and create custom-made looks for them.
The young lady who did Chu Ruofu's makeup this time was the same girl who did her makeup at the opening of her first appearance on a dating reality show.
"Hi, we meet again," the makeup artist greeted happily.
Chu Ruofu smiled slightly.
The makeup artist asked, "How about I clip up your bangs to set them, curl your hair, tie it up, and make two cat ears?"
"Either is fine," Chu Ruofu said.
She paused for a moment, then added, "You're a professional makeup artist, I trust your judgment."
The makeup artist knew that Chu Ruofu was an introverted and quiet person. Hearing her say that, she smiled happily and became more talkative.
"Your skin is still so good. I won't put heavy makeup on you; the style will be sweet and innocent-yet-seductive..."
Chu Ruofu kept nodding and agreeing with everything the makeup artist said.
Since she was the makeup artist invited by the production team, she believed that any styling would look good. The production team hoped that the guests would amaze the audience, so they would definitely ask the stylist to highlight the guests' strengths.
The stylist first styled her hair, then meticulously applied her makeup. When the makeup was finished, Chu Ruofu looked at her somewhat unfamiliar self in the mirror, her eyes shining with surprise.
The girl in the mirror has cat-ear hairstyle, revealing an oval face, innocent-looking big, watery eyes, and blush on her cheeks that make her look both pure and alluring, as charming and cute as a cat.
"How is it? Are you satisfied?" the makeup artist asked.
Chu Ruofu blushed: "It doesn't seem like me at all..."
No wonder people say makeup is one of the four great sorceries; this style is different from her previous image, and she looks so beautiful it's unbelievable.
The makeup artist said, "How could it not look like you? This is you. You are naturally beautiful, you are just this pretty."
Chu Ruofu blushed even more after being praised.
The makeup artist brought a purple bow and tied it around her graceful swan neck. She then placed two pearl earrings on her ears, the full, round pearls hanging on her fair earlobes, making her look as elegant as a princess.
The makeup artist looked at her with satisfaction and said, "You're sure to charm all the male guests tonight."
Chu Ruofu's heart raced; she was always a little nervous about the upcoming big occasion.
"Let me pick out a dress for you." The makeup artist selected a pure white strapless dress from a pile of gowns prepared by the production team to match her makeup. "Go change quickly."
Chu Ruofu took the dress to the dressing room to change.
When Xia Yuqing came out after changing her dress, she sat in front of the dressing table and saw her in the mirror, her expression shocked: "...Chu Ruofu?"
Chu Ruofu replied, "It's me."
"Wow, you're so beautiful!" Xia Yuqing exclaimed excitedly. "The makeup artist is amazing! I want to be as beautiful as you!"
The makeup artist quickly said, "Miss Xia, don't move, don't move, your eyeliner is going to be crooked."
Xia Yuqing thought that on the day of their date, Chu Ruofu, dressed in a green gown, was retro and elegant. The spring breeze and flowers seemed to be intoxicated by her. Today, she was wearing a pure white short gown, looking like a carefully dressed princess, pure and beautiful, charming and lovely.
Anyone who sees her will find her extremely cute and charming.
Even she, a woman, thought it was beautiful.
Xia Yuqing could almost see the male guests' eyes glued to Chu Ruofu, unable to look away.
Chu Ruofu finished her hair and makeup, left the dressing room, and prepared to go find her partner for the evening.
Wearing high heels, she carefully descended the steps.
"Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of lending you a hand?" a melodious voice rang out.
Chu Ruofu looked up.
The man, dressed in a formal suit, exuded a relaxed and casual air, resembling a handsome and elegant nobleman from a comic book.
His eyes held a hint of amazement as he raised his arm and placed it in front of her. This time, he acted like a loyal guard who strictly adhered to etiquette, never overstepping his bounds.
Chu Ruofu placed her hand on his arm, and through the luxurious fabric of his suit, he led her down the last two steps, allowing her to step safely onto the floor.
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Author's note: Makeup, styling, and dress inspiration: Tom's dream cat.
[Kiss] Thank you for your message and nutritional supplement, baby. I've set up a giveaway for all subscribers.
Good night, I'll update again when I get up at noon.
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