Chapter 170 – 141: A Blast on Anhe Bridge, Regrets for the Dogs by the Roadway
The rain had just stopped not long ago, and the ground was still a bit damp, reflecting the mottled neon reflections.
The car was parked in the charging parking lot outside the neighborhood, and the two walked to the entrance of the neighborhood.
“When is Teacher Xu coming?” Qi Ting looked up at the neighborhood gate, “Three big steps, a rise with every step, huh.”
Lin Wanzhou was tense, pursing her lips without speaking.
Before long, a figure appeared in the distance.
“Over here! Teacher Xu!” Qi Ting shouted with great penetrating power, “Sister Zhou Zhou is here too!”
The call nearly scared Lin Wanzhou to death, and she subconsciously shrank her neck, slipping back into her habit of feeling embarrassed for others.
“Keep it down, Ting Ting, it’s midnight already.”
“It’s fine, Sister Zhou Zhou, this neighborhood looks like it has very few residents.” No sooner had Qi Ting finished speaking than she abruptly heard a voice mixed with the smell of rain floating over.
“Is it possible that, at this hour, people have already gone to sleep?”
Hearing this, Lin Wanzhou’s face turned bright red, and she almost wanted to turn around and run. It had already been so difficult to muster the courage to insist on coming here, and she had regretted it countless times on the way.
She must have disturbed him, coming over so inexplicably in the middle of the night.
But the task she had rehearsed countless times in her mind still had to be completed; otherwise, she’d be worried and unable to sleep all night long. She wanted… to see him.
Online contact always felt intangible; she had to see him in person.
“Xu…” She held her hands behind her back, stammering, “Sorry for disturbing, it’s so late I shouldn’t have… but Ting Ting said… she persuaded me that it’s best to come over and see.”
Qi Ting abruptly turned her head, eyes wide as she looked at her. Her mouth slightly open, her face wore an expression of disbelief.
Damn it, Sister Zhou Zhou really thinks she’s some kind of deity, always turning things back on herself!!
Xu Qingyan just smiled, didn’t continue to inquire, and turned to lead the way.
“Let’s go, let’s talk more once we’re upstairs.”
“Okay.” Lin Wanzhou took a mask out of her bag and expertly put it on.
“Teacher Xu really has a good attitude, not panicking at all even though he’s been called out online.” Qi Ting said with a smile, “Sister Zhou Zhou, on the other hand, can’t seem to keep calm, like an ant on a hot pot.”
“Is that so?” Xu Qingyan turned his head to glance at Lin Wanzhou.
The latter averted her gaze, muttering quietly.
“She’s talking nonsense.”
Xu Qingyan touched his face, “I’ve told you not to worry about me; it’s not the first time I’ve been called out. And I’ve left that show already, I’ve long since cut ties with my past self.”
“Haha, but being called out can lead to internet violence.” Qi Ting laughed carefreely.
“That’s right.” Lin Wanzhou followed weakly, and when she looked up, she suddenly realized she didn’t know how she ended up walking beside Xu Qingyan, with Qi Ting lagging behind.
Originally the three of them had been walking side by side, with Qi Ting in the middle, but a swift maneuver had left her a few steps behind.
“Notoriety is still a form of fame, let the production crew worry about that.” Xu Qingyan, oblivious to any discomposure, had just arrived at the building lobby.
During the wait for the elevator, Lin Wanzhou sneaked a glance at him.
The light gently fell on his face, his expression indifferent. It seemed he truly didn’t care about the online violence, just as he said.
The elevator dinged, repeating the ascent.
Xu Qingyan stood in the elevator when his left eyelid twitched. The night was unbearably long. The appearance of a critical post had stretched time, and both women had come.
“Right, I told you I was fine, but you insisted on coming. I’ve already gone up and down twice.”
Twice?
Qi Ting slapped her face, fearing the worst. Lin Wanzhou also seemed off, already nervous, and now she was blinking incessantly.
But they were in the elevator, the red digits had already jumped to 17A. Trying to find an excuse to leave now hardly seemed feasible, so she had to steel herself and keep going.
Ding! The nineteenth floor.
He walked out of the elevator first, turned his head to wait for the two to come out, and took the opportunity to say.
“Didn’t you say last time you wanted to cover ’Qing Tian’? The original artist is here too; you might as well talk it over, Pei Muchan is also interested in ’The One I Miss’.”
“Oh.” Lin Wanzhou was a bit dazed.
The girl was stunned by the maneuvering, overwhelmed by the complex load of information, trying to figure out who she was, where she was, and what she originally intended to do.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“Ah? What?”
“Buying the rights to cover each other’s songs, what do you think of this proposition?” He glanced sideways at Lin Wanzhou in the corridor, who seemed to have regained her composure.
“Sounds good.” She was still a bit confused.
In the corridor, footsteps resonated as Xu Qingyan continued to speak in a lowered voice while leading the way.
“A few days ago, you said you were going to join a show, have you picked out a song?”
“’The One I Miss’.” Her eyes were downcast, her mood not very high, “That’s the only song I have now, I can’t sing any others.”
“Or ’Qing Tian’, if the deal goes through.”
“Yeah.” Xu Qingyan slowed his pace, his eyes briefly drifting over her face, “’Qing Tian’ suits your voice more, but it’s not advantageous for a competition.”
Trailing two steps behind and with her hands behind her back, Qi Ting watched Teacher Xu online coaxing the young girl, feeling a bit amused.
In a few days, they would head to Jianye, shame that the peak of summer is past. Grasping the tail end of this summer should still offer a view of Jianye’s wildly growing banyan branches.
It’s uncertain whether Teacher Xu will go, probably not.
If he did, Zhouzhou would probably be delighted. They could visit Jiming Temple to have a vegetarian meal, or walk around the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum to watch the sunset and the white doves.
Jianye is truly beautiful and romantic.