Chapter 43 She seems to have made a beautiful mistake…
Li Yichen strummed the guitar with his long, slender fingers, his voice melodious and pleasant. After each male-voiced lyric, he would look at Chu Ruofu with tender affection, and she would occasionally meet his gaze. A sweet and romantic atmosphere filled the space between them.
The two perfectly interpreted this song, portraying two people who secretly admire each other, their eyes unconsciously drawn to one another, their touch filled with shy beauty.
The viewers in the live stream were completely engrossed.
I love the line, "I only have feelings for you in the whole world."
[Ahhhhh, it's so good! It's so beautiful I could cry! How can it be so sweet?]
[The second male lead and the first female lead sang with such sweetness, it made me roll around in bed.]
[Li Ge hasn't sung for several years, but his voice is as beautiful as ever, like heavenly music, so beautiful it's almost euphoric.]
[Oh my, so obedient, clingy, gentle, and considerate, second male lead, are you confessing your feelings to the female lead?]
The guests in the rest and viewing area stared intently at the stage, their gazes filled with admiration, envy, and even jealousy.
Song Yi looked at Gu Junsheng, who was sitting across the square table, and said with a slight smile, "The two of them sang really well. They should be the best duet partners tonight."
Gu Junsheng stared at Chu Ruofu and said calmly, "She sang very well indeed."
Chu Ruofu and Li Yichen seemed to be in love, glancing at each other from time to time, like shining stars standing together at the top of the world, with her radiant.
On stage, she is confident, charming, and lovely, all of which is made dazzling under Li Yichen's guidance.
In just one day, Chu Ruofu underwent such a huge change. Li Yichen truly lives up to his boy band background; he possesses the magic of cyborgs.
Listening to Chang Mei's beautiful singing, Xia Yuqing knew in her heart that she would definitely lose this duet. The two of them sang so well, and the romantic atmosphere was unmatched.
She glanced at Lu Xubai and saw that he was staring intently at Chu Ruofu, completely captivated by her. She felt a pang of jealousy and envy.
Qiao Yimo was dying of jealousy. There wasn't a trace of a smile on her face. Even during the live broadcast, she couldn't smile. The glory that originally belonged to Chu Ruofu should have been hers.
If she partners with Li Yichen this time, she will definitely be more beautiful and sing better than Chu Ruofu.
Shen Wuyang's eyes were completely drawn to Chu Ruofu, and he couldn't help but sing along with her, her charming and lovely face reflected in his dark eyes.
His heart was pounding wildly, almost bursting out of his chest. He couldn't wait to tell her that he really liked her and was deeply fascinated by her dazzling presence on stage.
After singing the last line, Chu Ruofu looked at Li Yichen, slightly out of breath, while he looked back at her with admiration and encouragement in his eyes.
The chorus performance ended perfectly, stunning everyone.
The song's lingering notes echoed in the air, leaving a lasting impression, and viewers in the live stream went wild, flooding the chat with comments.
[This is so beautiful! The Fu Chen couple is so sweet it's like the planet is exploding.]
When the show first aired, I thought the female lead was quite ordinary and unremarkable. But after observing her for several episodes, I've found her to be increasingly charming.
[Popularity enhances one's appearance; the more popular a leading lady becomes, the more beautiful and attractive she appears.]
[Actor Li has nurtured this flower beautifully, allowing it to bloom with exquisite charm.]
The guests began to applaud, celebrating the two's excellent performance.
Li Yichen walked towards Chu Ruofu with his guitar on his back, his voice melodious: "You sang very well just now, even better than when we practiced."
Chu Ruofu smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Thank you, you sang very well too."
Li Yichen reached out and handed it to her, saying, "Let's go down and rest."
Chu Ruofu habitually placed her hand in his, letting him lead her as they slowly walked down the dance steps. Bathed in the dreamy starlight, the two headed towards the rest area.
The atmosphere's all set, let's have a kiss! I want to see a sweet kiss.
[Ahhhhh, I'm so excited! Fu Chen CP finally held hands! How far away can a hug and a kiss be?]
[I'm done. I used to look down on fans who shipped couples, but now I'm even more enthusiastic about it than they are.]
【I, Leopard Cat, am born!】
As the two passed Qiao Yimo and Shen Wuyang's table, Qiao Yimo cast a resentful and jealous glance at them. Chu Ruofu was slightly startled when she saw this expression.
Chu Ruofu subconsciously tried to pull her hand away from Li Yichen's grasp.
Li Yichen didn't stop her. He held her hand because he was afraid she would fall down the steps, but now that they were back in the rest area, he naturally let go.
Next up were Qiao Yimo and Shen Wuyang. The song they chose was quite sweet, but their duet was clumsy and they missed several notes.
Qiao Yimo's voice isn't unpleasant. Singing isn't her strong suit. She used to sing theme songs for TV dramas, spending tens of thousands of yuan to hire a sound engineer to tune her voice. The edited songs went viral online, and many people praised her singing.
Singing live without a sound engineer truly reflects an individual's skill level.
The viewers in the live stream were greatly disappointed.
Why did Qiao Yimo sing several keys wrong? Did she practice seriously?
[MoMo sings very well; don't compare her to professional singers.]
The fourth male vocalist's voice was rather immature, and the overall effect of the chorus was rather mediocre.
[Rumor has it that Qiao Yimo hired a million-dollar sound engineer, and it turns out to be true. No wonder she wouldn't sing when fans asked her to during her live streams.]
Fans wanted to defend Qiao Yimo, and some fans, with their biased views, thought that Qiao Yimo might have practiced singing for too long today and her throat was uncomfortable, which is why her performance on stage was only so-so.
Solo fans will start arguing with people when they see negative comments, and blame Shen Wuyang for the mistakes. This duo's singing level is about the same as Xia Yuqing and Lu Xubai.
Qiao Yimo accidentally sang a wrong note, and her smile almost vanished. She was inwardly blaming the production team for not providing teleprompters for the guests.
To prevent guests from forgetting their lines on set, many variety shows prepare teleprompters for them out of the camera's view. However, the production team of "Romantic Encounter" did not prepare one.
During the chorus, Qiao Yimo suppressed her displeasure and looked at Shen Wuyang, hoping to get his interaction.
Shen Wuyang, standing to the side, gazed at Chu Ruofu below the stage. The love song they sang together seemed to be sung only for her, his eyes filled with tender affection.
Qiao Yimo was furious.
The few minutes of the duet were a dark period for Qiao Yimo. She barely managed to finish the song, her face looked rather pale, and she quickly left the stage.
Shen Wuyang stepped off the stage and approached Chu Ruofu, asking, "Fufu, how did I sing? Did you think it sounded good?"
Chu Ruofu thought it was alright, but not as good as professional singer Li Yichen. Shen Wuyang's advantage was that he had a nice voice and had studied the song carefully, so he didn't sing off-key.
"It sounds beautiful." She praised without reservation.
Shen Wuyang looked shy and said, "If we have the chance, let's sing together."
Upon hearing this, Li Yichen looked at the inexperienced young man and thought to himself, "With your level of skill, you still want to ask Chu Ruofu to sing?"
The last pairing was from the shopping mall. Song Yi and Gu Junsheng chose a rather melancholic song. Their voices blended together, and they sang quite well. The guests listened quietly.
Chu Ruofu looked at the stage and met Gu Junsheng's eyes; he had been watching her the whole time.
Lu Xubai and Gu Junsheng have different voices. One is cold and deep, while the other is clear and steady. The mature man's voice is slightly magnetic. They have different timbres when singing, but both are very pleasant to listen to.
After the song ended, Song Yi and Gu Junsheng walked off the stage together, just like business partners.
The production team informed all the guests that the scoring for the group singing would close at midnight. The guests were free to move around in the back garden now, eating, chatting, or singing as they pleased.
Chu Ruofu had no interest in singing. After working for so long, she was hungry, so she sat down quietly and picked up something from the table to eat.
Once everyone started chatting, Xia Yuqing suggested that Li Yichen shouldn't waste his talent and should go on stage for a solo performance.
Li Yichen looked at Chu Ruofu and asked her, "What song do you want to hear?"
Chu Ruofu paused for a moment, then replied, "There's no song I want to hear."
Li Yichen picked up the guitar that was placed to the side and said lazily, "Then I'll sing you a song."
"This isn't just for Chu Ruofu; it's for everyone," Xia Yuqing said irritably. "Do you think we don't exist?"
Li Yichen walked onto the stage, sat alone in the center of the dazzling lights, strummed the guitar strings, and sang a gentle and lyrical song in his clear and melodious voice.
The guests listened quietly as he sang.
The atmosphere at the party tonight was great. Everyone gathered together, eating, drinking, and chatting happily. There were drinks on the table. Chu Ruofu listened to the music, picked up a glass, and took a small sip.
She thought the fruit wine had a low alcohol content and didn't pay much attention. After drinking a whole glass, she drank another one.
The night breeze in Haicheng was slightly cool this time of year. She was wearing a strapless dress and had drunk two glasses of iced fruit wine, and she felt a little chilly all over.
Suddenly, a suit jacket was draped over her shoulders, carrying a faint, cool, woody scent. She looked up and saw that Gu Junsheng had appeared beside her at some point and had taken off his jacket to cover her.
"Thank you." Chu Ruofu's cheeks were flushed with a slight intoxication.
Looking at her slightly tipsy appearance, Gu Junsheng said gently, "This wine has a strong aftereffect. Don't drink too much, or you'll get a headache."
"It can make you drunk?" Chu Ruofu's eyes widened, her obedient and adorable appearance was rather cute: "I thought it was just ordinary fruit wine."
A faint smile flashed in Gu Junsheng's eyes as he said, "You've never had this kind of wine before?"
Chu Ruofu nodded slightly and said, "No."
She used to occasionally drink red wine with her best friend in her apartment. When she came to the dating reality show, the production team would always prepare various drinks, and after trying them, she couldn't stop.
Chu Ruofu really enjoyed this slightly tipsy state. Her mind was a little sluggish, and her whole body felt as if she were bathing in the ocean, feeling lazy and comfortable.
Gu Junsheng finally found an opportunity to chat with her, saying, "You look very beautiful tonight, and you sang very well too."
Chu Ruofu was in a good mood after being praised by many people tonight. She was a little smug and smiled, her face slightly flushed: "Thank you."
Live stream chat:
[President Gu is so thoughtful.]
[There were so few scenes of Fu Sheng interacting with President Gu this episode, sob sob, we can finally ship our Fu Sheng CP!]
I'm really into mature, aloof CEOs who are mature and caring, but who can spoil a little girl with a bit of sweet talk.
[Who understands? The way the male and female leads are together gives off a sense of peaceful bliss.]
After Li Yichen finished singing, he noticed that Gu Junsheng and Chu Ruofu were chatting. He had his coat draped over her shoulders, and her smile faded slightly.
There was no time to relax; the moment he was away from Chu Ruofu, the dogs, drawn by the scent, would come over.
Suppressing his extreme displeasure, Li Yichen walked over and sat in his designated spot, the closest to Chu Ruofu. He turned slightly to the side and asked, "What are you drinking?"
Chu Ruofu picked up the half-empty bottle of fruit wine beside her and said in a soft, sweet voice, "This is delicious."
Li Yichen took it from her hand, poured himself a glass, and smelled it: "Strawberry rose wine, I like this flavor."
He picked it up and took a sip. The taste was refreshing and sweet. "Delicious."
Chu Ruofu smiled and said, "I also think it tastes very good."
Gu Junsheng pursed his lips when he saw Li Yichen forcefully insert himself between the two of them. He was decisive and ruthless in the business world, but he was not good at competing with others when it came to love.
Li Yichen raised his hand and glanced at his watch. He looked at Chu Ruofu, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, and said, "President Gu, it's getting late. You should go back and rest early."
Gu Junsheng said, "I'll take her back to rest."
Li Yichen's voice was indifferent: "You live in Building 2, which is inconvenient. I live in the same building as her and will send her back safely."
Xia Yuqing, her face flushed from drinking, said with a smile, "That's right, President Gu, you live in Building 2, which is quite a distance from ours."
Live stream chat:
The saying "being near the water tower allows one to get the moonlight first" certainly holds some truth.
[Ugh, what a vicious production team!]
The second male lead is very competitive and knows how to attract the female lead's attention.
[Third female lead, stop trying to dampen our spirits. Don't you think our CEO Gu is pitiful enough?]
Chu Ruofu nodded in agreement: "Thank you, but it's no trouble at all. I'll go back with them later."
A hint of helplessness flashed in Gu Junsheng's eyes. He maintained his polite demeanor and did not press the matter, saying calmly, "Remember to drink some honey water or milk when you get back; it will help you sleep."
Chu Ruofu hummed twice, then yawned, her watery eyes looking sleepy.
Li Yichen took the suit jacket off her shoulder and tossed it to Gu Junsheng, then draped his own jacket over her shoulders, saying, "Let's go back if you're tired."
Chu Ruofu swayed as she stood up, and Li Yichen supported her arm. She waved to Gu Junsheng and said, "Bye-bye, see you tomorrow."
Gu Junsheng draped his coat over his elbow, looked at her with deep eyes, and said with pursed lips, "See you tomorrow."
Chu Ruofu's steps were unsteady in her high heels. The fruit wine had a strong aftereffect, and she felt weak all over, leaning uncontrollably towards Li Yichen.
The girl suddenly rushed into his arms. Li Yichen held her in his arms and was momentarily at a loss. He treated her as if she were a precious treasure, handling her with utmost care.
This was the first time Chu Ruofu had been close to him. Her body was soft and boneless, and her hair and body exuded an alluring fragrance.
Looking at the half-drunk girl in his arms, Li Yichen asked, "Can you still walk?"
Chu Ruofu nestled in his arms, her mind slightly hazy and her body intoxicated. She felt flustered and weak, and had no choice but to lean her body against Li Yichen.
A few glasses of fruit wine were surprisingly intoxicating; I shouldn't drink just any kind of alcohol in the future.
"...Not really." Chu Ruofu's voice was very soft.
Li Yichen sighed softly, somewhat helplessly, and said, "I'm not trying to take advantage of you. It's just that you're unsteady on your feet, so I'm carrying you."
He bent down and swept her into his arms, one arm around her slender waist and the other around her knees, and strode across the grass toward Building No. 1.
Chu Ruofu nestled limply in his arms, her eyes gazing down at his smooth jawline. She thought to herself, "No wonder he's a big star; he's handsome even from this angle."
The man exuded a faint, unique fragrance from his body. The perfume he wore was alluring, a rather sensual men's fragrance that lingered subtly around the nose, full of seduction.
Li Yichen held her effortlessly, his steps steady, and she closed her eyes in relief.
Back in Building 1, Li Yichen carried Chu Ruofu upstairs and happened to run into Lu Xubai coming out of the bathroom.
Lu Xubai looked at Chu Ruofu in his arms, his voice cold and hard: "What happened to her?"
Seeing Chu Ruofu nestled obediently in Li Yichen's arms, his mood plummeted, and the anxiety he had been building up all day finally erupted.
"What did you do to her?" he demanded coldly.
Upon hearing Lu Xubai's voice, Chu Ruofu abruptly opened her eyes, met his cold, deep blue gaze, paused for a moment, and struggled to get out of Li Yichen's arms.
"I'm fine, I'm just a little drunk and can't walk..."
Li Yichen hugged her tightly: "Don't move, be careful not to fall. We're almost at the room."
Lu Xubai gripped Li Yichen's arm with such force that he almost crushed Li Yichen's bones. His tone was forceful: "Didn't you hear her say she wanted to go down?"
Li Yichen frowned slightly, bent down and carefully placed Chu Ruofu on the ground.
Chu Ruofu hurriedly straightened her clothes and stood up. Still under the influence of alcohol, her body was weak and she was about to fall. Li Yichen and Lu Xubai each grabbed one of her hands and steadily supported her.
Chu Ruofu glanced down at their hands, feeling caught in a strange situation.
Li Yichen and Lu Xubai looked at each other and said at the same time, "Let go!"
Chu Ruofu, her mind still a bit foggy, looked up at the two of them and said, "I want to go back to my room."
Neither of them intended to let go. After a few seconds of stalemate, Lu Xubai noticed that she had her eyes slightly closed and looked very tired, so he gradually loosened his grip.
Li Yichen helped Chu Ruofu back to her room, and Lu Xubai followed behind, worried. He watched as Li Yichen opened the door, put Chu Ruofu back on the bed, and covered her with a blanket.
The two left the room together and closed the door.
Li Yichen glanced at Lu Xubai with displeasure, then went back to his room to take a shower.
Lu Xubai didn't want to see Li Yichen. Seeing Li Yichen reminded him of the time tonight when she and Li Yichen sang together on stage, their eyes meeting.
That scene pierced his heart.
I feel terrible.
After the singing party, she and Li Yichen chatted and interacted, and the atmosphere between them was ambiguous and very intimate.
No one can get between the two.
Feeling bitter and jealous, he left the party early and came back alone to take a cold shower to calm down, lest he lose control of his emotions.
Chu Ruofu was completely unaware of what others were doing. She lay in bed with her eyes closed for more than an hour, and the effects of the alcohol wore off considerably. She got up, grabbed her clothes, and prepared to wash up before going back to her bedroom to sleep.
Xia Yuqing returned later than her, took a shower and removed her makeup before lying down on the bed and falling asleep.
Chu Ruofu moved very quietly, turned off the light, and took her clothes to the bathroom. She couldn't untie the bow around her neck, which was a bit of a hassle.
She was a little worried; she couldn't very well take a bath with a bow on her clothes.
As she came out of the bathroom, she was thinking of asking someone to help her untie the bow. It wouldn't be good to wake Xia Yuqing. She picked up her phone, just about to ask Li Yichen and Lu Xubai. As long as one of them was awake, she could get help.
Lu Xubai did not reply to the message, but Li Yichen replied quickly and came out of room 102.
He was wearing home pajamas, the loose V-neck revealing glimpses of his muscular chest, exuding a silent allure.
This was the first time Chu Ruofu had seen him like this, so she quickly shifted her gaze to his face, feeling a little embarrassed: "Could you help me take off the bow tie around my neck?"
Li Yichen smiled and said, "Of course."
He walked up behind her and reminded her, "Look down."
Chu Ruofu lowered her head, revealing her fair neck, which was adorned with a large purple bow, making her neck appear slender and delicate.
Li Yichen's eyes darkened, and his breathing slowed. He stretched out his slender fingers and gently untied the bow for her, as if he were removing the ribbon from the most beautiful gift in the world.
"Alright." He slowly exhaled.
Chu Ruofu breathed a sigh of relief, turned to look at him, and smiled faintly: "Thank you."
Li Yichen lowered his fox-like eyes, gazing at her smiling face, and continued downwards, brushing his gaze across her lips.
She hadn't removed her makeup yet; her face was innocent yet alluring, and her moist lips were excessively tempting.
In the dead of night, the two secretly met, a sense of secrecy spreading through the air.
Li Yichen took a deep breath, struggled to look away, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Chu Ruofu looked at the bow in his hand: "It's gone."
Li Yichen reached out and handed her the bow, and she reached out and took the bow. The two of them held the bow and fell silent.
Chu Ruofu looked up at him in confusion, meeting a pair of deep and unfathomable eyes.
She was familiar with that intensely aggressive gaze; she often saw it in Lu Xubai's eyes, and she knew what it meant.
Chu Ruofu's heart raced as she looked at the handsome man so close to her.
On stage, he is radiant and devilishly handsome, hailed as the most perfect lover in the world; off stage, his eyes are alluring and within reach.
Chu Ruofu had never received consistent affirmation and praise from anyone. Singing in perfect harmony with him, every time their eyes met, she felt a strange electric current, and her heart fluttered wildly.
Whether it was the lingering effects of the fruit wine or some other factor, she felt an impulse.
Li Yichen's jaw tightened, his Adam's apple bobbed, and blood rushed to his head, urging him to do something. He was like a person walking in the desert, and only she was the oasis that could save him.
His heart had never been pounding so fast, a testament to how much he was smitten with her.
A voice from the depths of his being told him that if he didn't seize the opportunity, he would miss the best chance and never have another one.
Li Yichen reached out and grasped her slender shoulders, leaned down close, and murmured, "May I kiss you?"
The moment he lowered his head, Chu Ruofu froze, raising her eyes to look at his handsome face. His fox-like eyes had a hint of red at the corners.
"Is that alright?" he asked again.
"Mmm." Chu Ruofu's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. He seemed to receive the most beautiful command, so he lowered his head to kiss her. His slightly warm lips touched hers gently, like a feather brushing against hers.
She didn't close her eyes and could see his handsome face flushed, and the hands supporting her shoulders trembling slightly.
Li Yichen tasted the sweetness of her lips and felt how soft they were. His ears burned, his whole body was hot, and his blood was boiling and rushing wildly through his body.
He closed his eyes, gently caressing her lips for a while, then murmured, "The strawberry rose flavor is really wonderful..."
Chu Ruofu's eyelashes trembled, her breathing became rapid, and she slightly parted her lips. He discovered a novel way to attack her and tried to go deeper, playing with her shyness.
Their cheeks were flushed and hot, their eyes were moist, and their breaths mingled.
In the quiet night, the sound of water could be heard.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Yichen held her in his arms and kissed her, as if he were savoring a delicious pastry. She felt weak all over and could only lean on him.
When Chu Ruofu was out of breath, she pushed his chest and accidentally touched his bare skin. His body temperature was frighteningly high.
Li Yichen released her lips, looked down at her wet eyes, his gaze dark and unfathomable. He stretched out his slender fingers and gently wiped away the saliva from the corner of her lips.
Chu Ruofu felt that she was too drunk to think clearly and was easily bewitched by the male fox spirit, so she secretly kissed him.
She's always been honest and timid; how could she have done something only a madman would do?
Li Yichen held her soft body in his arms, his fox-like eyes slightly narrowed with pleasure, the corners of his eyes glistening with emotion, making him even more alluring than she was.
Chu Ruofu calmed down, got out of his arms, snatched the bow and ran away, entered the bathroom and closed the door. She accidentally glanced at herself in the mirror and her eyes widened.
Is this still her?
Drinking is indeed harmful; it can easily lead people to do absurd things they wouldn't normally do.
She cupped her face in her hands, looking somewhat annoyed.
What should I do tomorrow?
She seems to have made a beautiful mistake.
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Author's Note: Fu Mei: Oh dear, I've blacked out~
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