Chapter 24 Emotional Outburst: She had never seen Chai Yundu like this before. ...
She had never seen Chai Yundu like this before.
"What's wrong?" Zhu Qingting asked anxiously, quickly stepping forward.
Chai Yundu braced himself with one hand on the ground, stiffly stood up, and staggered.
Zhu Qingting quickly helped him up, but he pulled her into his arms. His embrace was tight, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
She felt a warm, damp touch on her neck, and heard him whisper, his voice terribly hoarse, "Why don't you come home at night? Why are you torturing me?"
"I don't understand what you're saying. How have I tormented you?" Zhu Qingting was completely confused. She gently patted his back. "Youyou and I went to Qushui Lanting Bathhouse. We bought 12-hour bath tickets and had dinner, a late-night snack, and breakfast there as well."
"Is it just the two of you?" Chai Yundu loosened his grip on her slightly, looking anxiously into her eyes.
"Yes."
Chai Yundu then realized he had misunderstood, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, yet he was still swaying precariously because he hadn't slept all night.
Seeing that he was not in a good mood, Zhu Qingting invited him to come in and sit down.
She helped him into the living room, sat him down on the sofa, and then went to the kitchen to pour him a glass of warm water.
Seeing his haggard appearance, she asked with concern, "You haven't been waiting here all night, have you? Is something urgent?"
“I saw the dance studio you showed on the show,” Chai Yundu looked directly into her eyes, his voice still hoarse, “You still have feelings for me, don’t you, Zhu Zhu?”
His question was direct and urgent, leaving Zhu Qingting momentarily at a loss for words. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, and finally nodded gently, letting out a soft "Mmm."
This subtle response was like a ray of light illuminating Chai Yundu's heart. He could no longer control himself and leaned down to kiss her.
This kiss was more passionate than the last, filled with the urgency and certainty that followed a night of torment.
Zhu Qingting was stunned at first, but then softened under his ardent advances and began to respond awkwardly, letting his tongue explore and intertwine with hers.
Sensing her response, Chai Yundu's actions became even more intense. His fingers ran through her freshly washed, still fragrant hair, while his other hand began to wander restlessly.
Slowly moving upwards from his slender waist, through the thin fabric, one could feel the slight trembling of her body.
His kiss moved away from her soft lips, down her sensitive jawline, leaving moist, fine marks on her fair neck.
His tongue gently licked the pulse beating on the side of her neck, feeling her heart racing.
"Mmm..." Zhu Qingting unconsciously tilted her head back and let out a soft moan, a sound that seemed to be the best encouragement.
She had never experienced such intimate contact before, and a strange and intense heat surged through her body.
As he leaned closer and she felt his obvious change, Zhu Qingting opened her eyes in alarm, placing her hands against his firm chest and gently pushing him away, "Too...too fast..."
Chai Yundu immediately stopped all his movements. He took a deep breath and forced himself to pull himself out of the whirlpool of emotions. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice hoarse and still filled with lingering feelings.
He turned over and sat on the sofa next to him, trying to calm his turbulent emotions.
Zhu Qingting blushed as she straightened her disheveled clothes, her heart pounding like a drum.
She stole a glance at him and saw his taut jawline and the fine sweat on his forehead, feeling both shy and longing.
About five minutes passed before Zhu Qingting asked, "So why did you wait outside my house all night?"
Chai Yundu hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "I thought you went on a date with your boyfriend..."
"What boyfriend? I don't have one." Zhu Qingting looked confused.
So Chai Yundu told her about seeing her and Tian Jiayou going home together that night. Zhu Qingting suddenly realized what was going on and quickly explained that he was her senior from high school, and the two had reconnected because of their collaboration on the Lotus Cup Dance Competition. He had only come to help her change a light bulb that day.
“He likes me, but we’ve already made it clear that I don’t have those feelings for him,” she said seriously, then added, “I already have someone in my heart.”
Chai Yundu took a deep breath and mustered his courage to ask, "Then...can you be my girlfriend, Zhu Zhu?"
Zhu Qingting nodded gently, "Okay. But let's not show it in the show yet, okay? I want your fans to gradually get used to my presence first. I also want them to accept my presence in my future performances."
"I'll do whatever you say." Chai Yundu smiled gently, leaned down and kissed her again, but the kiss was brief.
"We have to record a show tonight, and you're not feeling well right now. You need to go home and rest," Zhu Qingting said earnestly.
Chai Yundu, however, clung tightly to her waist as if being a spoiled child. "I don't want to go home. It's dangerous for me to drive while I'm tired." He looked up, his eyes like those of a pitiful husky. "Besides, if I go back, it feels like I'm dreaming. When I wake up, you've rejected me again... Can I rest at your place for a while? Just sleep, and do nothing."
Seeing his bloodshot eyes and tired expression, Zhu Qingting softened. "Okay, then you can go to my bedroom and sleep for a while. I need to go to the dance studio to practice."
Chai Yundu's eyes lit up immediately, and he followed her into the bedroom. The bedroom was simply and elegantly furnished, with light-colored strawberry sheets that exuded the same faint fragrance as her.
He had barely touched the pillow when he was enveloped by that familiar scent, and exhaustion instantly overwhelmed him, his eyelids becoming so heavy he could no longer open them.
"Sleep well," Zhu Qingting said softly, tucking him in.
As she gently closed the door, Chai Yundu had already drifted off to sleep. This time, his dream was no longer filled with loss and unease, but with the girl who had finally chosen to walk towards him.
Zhu Qingting turned and walked into the dance studio. She changed into a black practice outfit and stood in front of the mirror to warm up.
Yesterday's indulgence left her feeling guilty. Hot pot, desserts, and late-night snacks—she consumed hundreds or even thousands of times more calories than usual. But she had no regrets; she was now determined to maintain her peak condition through training.
Sweat quickly soaked her practice clothes. She strived for perfection in every movement, as if that could atone for yesterday's "sins."
During each break, she would listen carefully to the sounds in the bedroom to make sure Chai Yundu was still asleep before continuing with the next practice session.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Chai Yundu finally woke up naturally. He slept exceptionally well, and the lingering fragrance on the bedding made him feel more at ease than ever before.
He walked out of the bedroom and followed the music to the door of the dance studio.
When the music ended, he gently knocked on the door.
Zhu Qingting immediately opened the door, looked at Chai Yundu outside, and wiped her sweat somewhat embarrassedly, "You're awake?"
"Um. May I take a look around your dance studio?" Chai Yundu peeked inside.
"sure."
The dance studio was actually very simple, with a full-length mirror on one wall, a gleaming floor, and a ballet barre—just like any other dance studio. The only difference was the posters hanging on the wall.
Chai Yundu looked through them one by one, as if recalling his six years of hard work and development. "Why are they all hanging here?"
"Because you are my role model! Whenever I see what movies you've made with big directors, what awards you've won, or what achievements you've made, I ask myself, how can I not work hard? How can I stand shoulder to shoulder with you if I don't work hard? How can you see me if I don't work hard?"
Chai Yundu hugged her, moved, and said, "Thank you for your efforts, which allowed me to have you."
Zhu Qingting asked in a muffled voice from inside her arms, "Are you hungry? Shall I make you something to eat?"
Chai Yundu was really looking forward to the big meal his girlfriend had prepared for him, but when he saw a vegetable salad and two fried eggs in front of him, he was both happy and hungry. It wasn't even enough to fill a gap between his teeth...
After finishing his meal, Chai Yundu checked the time. "I should go back now. I'll take a shower, shave, and wait for the production crew's car to pick me up."
Zhu Qingting saw him to the door and reminded him again, "Remember, on the show..."
“Don’t expose our relationship,” Chai Yundu interjected, looking at her earnestly. “I know. But…” He quickly pecked her lips lightly, “is that alright?”
Zhu Qingting blushed and pushed him away, "Let's go!"
At 8 p.m., a large number of Chai Yundu's fans had already gathered at Pudong International Airport. They held up support banners and eagerly awaited his arrival.
When he got out of the van and took the suitcases out of the trunk one by one, it instantly triggered screams.
"Brother Du! Look here!"
"Brother's new hairstyle is so handsome!"
"Bon Voyage!"
Chai Yundu smiled and greeted his fans, skillfully accepting the letters they handed him and carefully putting them away.
As he approached the check-in window, he saw that Zhu Qingting had also arrived.
Because she was about to take a long flight, she changed into a particularly relaxed and soft off-white knitted maxi dress, paired with comfortable flat shoes, and carried a Chanel 25 bag over one shoulder. Next to her on the luggage cart were two Rimowa suitcases, one light blue and one cream-colored.
Chai Yundu smiled and stepped forward to greet him, "Teacher Zhu, it's been a long time. We're working together again." He then greeted the production crew as well.
"Teacher Chai, it's been a long time." Zhu Qingting wanted to maintain the slightly aloof image she had projected on the previous "Street Dance" program.
When the two checked in together, Chai Yundu easily placed both of her suitcases on the conveyor belt with smooth and natural movements.
"Thank you," Zhu Qingting said softly.
After passing through security, they waited in the VIP lounge. A subtle silence hung between them in front of the camera.
The production team was worried about not having enough material, so they suggested that they chat, but Zhu Qingting wanted to pretend that she wasn't that familiar with Chai Yundu. What topics should she come up with?
Finally, Chai Yundu broke the silence, saying, "I've looked it up; the Chain Bridge in Budapest is especially beautiful at dusk."
“I saw it too,” Zhu Qingting chimed in. “And Fisherman’s Bastion, they say there’s a beautiful archway over there that’s perfect for watching the sunrise. Matthias Church’s stained-glass roof and stained-glass windows are also worth seeing.”
"You've done a lot of research on the itinerary," Chai Yundu said admiringly.
"It's always good to know beforehand," she replied with a smile.
And so, they pretended not to know each other very well and chatted casually about tourist attractions.
After boarding the plane, Zhu Qingting sat down in her window seat, put on her headphones, and began watching a TV series starring Shan Zhiyi.
Chai Yundu sat diagonally behind her, his gaze occasionally falling on her focused profile.
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