The rap mentor obviously didn’t catch on that quickly. He was stunned for a moment, looking from Song Yushi to Qi Ke, then from Qi Ke back to Song Yushi, and stammered, “Uh, this?”
Was “girlfriend” the kind of girlfriend he was thinking of?
Two gorgeous women getting together?
The rap mentor felt a pang in his heart, but he still couldn’t believe it. He struggled to force a smile. “The girlfriend Yushi mentioned must mean a female friend, right? You girls like to—”
As if someone had pressed pause on a lively track, the rap mentor’s voice abruptly stopped.
Because he saw Qi Ke walk past him to stand in front of Song Yushi. She first pinched Song Yushi’s cheek and whispered, “Baby, you’ve worked hard.” Then, she wrapped an arm around Song Yushi’s slender waist, pulling her into an embrace. Raising her eyes, her gaze fell casually on him. “Let me introduce someone too.”
The rap mentor: “?”
Qi Ke turned her head and lightly planted a kiss on Song Yushi’s cheek, her smile radiant. “My wife.”
The rap mentor: “…!!!”
Song Yushi: “…”
Having inexplicably received a new identity, Song Yushi’s expression remained unchanged. Only after watching the rap mentor leave, utterly dejected, did she lightly punch Qi Ke in the waist.
Qi Ke let out a fake “ouch” and, grinning, grabbed her captain’s hand.
Their hands were about the same size, long fingers intertwining and clasping together. A hint of smugness, as if she had just obtained a beloved treasure, touched the corners of her eyes. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Qi Ke hugged Song Yushi, inhaling the faint scent of her perfume, and whispered again, “Wife.”
Song Yushi rested her forehead against Qi Ke’s shoulder and didn’t object.
The tips of her ears grew hot.
Her face flushed slightly.
This performance was completed by the remaining 32 trainees. Fans had traveled from far and wide to see their stage, and even after the show ended, some were reluctant to leave.
Because the fans were so enthusiastic, the production team didn’t dare let the trainees linger in the venue. Almost as soon as the results were announced, a bus was arranged to take them back to the training base.
Most of the staff were in the main venue cleaning up, leaving the backstage area deserted. Only Xiao Nan remained at her post—on Sister Ming’s orders, she was to keep a careful watch on the surroundings whenever the little couple got lovey-dovey, safeguarding their romance and, most importantly, making sure no one else found out.
Xiao Nan watched the whispering couple and, with a pained expression, sent a message to Sister Ming: The rap mentor knows.
Sister Ming replied instantly: ? I just went back to the company to grab a file! How could this happen!
Xiao Nan recounted the course of events. Sister Ming replied with an “oh,” followed by the sound of furious typing: That rap mentor did pursue Keke before. Uh, quite devoted, huh? He hasn’t forgotten after all these years.
Xiao Nan: …He’s had six girlfriends over the years.
Sister Ming: …
Sister Ming: It’s over, it’s over, it’s over! Rejected men are the pettiest. He won’t go around blabbing, will he? Quick, give me his number. I need to have a chat with him.
Xiao Nan quickly replied: Sister Ming, don’t worry! Before he left, Teacher Qi already threatened him. She said if he breathed a word, she’d have him blacklisted!
Sister Ming breathed a sigh of relief.
That’s good… good my ass! The way this little couple carries on without any restraint, the entire entertainment industry will soon know they’re dating! Even if everyone’s mouth has been sealed, what’s the difference between that and an official announcement!
Sister Ming lamented tragically: A person lives on a breath of oxygen, and my oxygen is you—money.
Xiao Nan: …
Why did she start singing?
Xiao Nan asked Sister Ming for instructions: Are we still going back to the company in a bit?
Sister Ming: We’re off the clock. Send them home and let them be in love. Don’t mind me, I’m going to go look at my savings account to keep myself alive.
Sister Ming: Oh, right. Remind Qi Ke that the last song for her new album needs to be recorded soon. The studio has prepared two versions, a duet and a solo. If she can’t find someone for the duet, she should just record the solo version first.
Xiao Nan: Roger!
Just as Xiao Nan finished replying, Song Yushi and Qi Ke finished their sweet moment and started walking toward her. Qi Ke spotted Xiao Nan first and clicked her tongue. “Xiao Nan is so dedicated. My assistant clocks out the second her shift is over.”
Song Yushi was puzzled.
Qi Ke whispered, “She’s started dating someone recently. Her boyfriend is in Yunzhou, and following me around means she barely gets to see him a few times a month. I figured there wasn’t much left to do, so I let her go early.”
She sighed and looked at Xiao Nan. “It seems being single is better after all. You can focus on your career.”
Xiao Nan: “…………”
What on earth did a single person do to deserve this! Not only do I have to work overtime, but I also have to endure a critical hit of public affection! And—
Teacher Qi, maybe you should let go of our boss’s hand before saying something like that?
Song Yushi was a considerate boss. She shot Qi Ke a look, then pulled Xiao Nan aside to explain the studio’s benefits in detail. Bonuses, overtime pay, holiday stipends—all told, it added up to a considerable income.
After listening, Xiao Nan clenched her little fists, her eyes shining. “I will burn with the fire of youth for my career!”
Qi Ke, who was following behind, overheard and silently gave a thumbs-up.
If her captain weren’t an idol, she could totally run a pyramid scheme.
The summer night breeze carried a hint of warmth. Outside the stadium, the fans, however reluctant, had all dispersed, heading off to dinner or back to their hotels. Many of the support banners and signs hadn’t been taken down and fluttered in the wind.
The driver was already waiting by the roadside, the car’s lights flashing and cutting through the quiet of the night.
A long flight of stairs led downward. Song Yushi was long accustomed to high heels and descended the steps as if walking on level ground, keeping pace with Qi Ke in her flats, and was even a few steps ahead.
Qi Ke watched with concern and couldn’t help but say, “Slow down, don’t twist your ankle.”
The words had barely left her mouth when Song Yushi, having safely reached the bottom step, twisted her ankle. She sucked in a sharp breath of pain. After a two-second pause, she looked up at Qi Ke, who had just reached her.
Her gaze was slightly reproachful.
A jinx. It had to be a jinx!
Qi Ke: “…”
Had she just revealed herself as a prophet?
“Captain—” Qi Ke snapped back to reality and helped Song Yushi up, anxiety written all over her face. “Are you okay?” She had Xiao Nan support Song Yushi while she squatted down. Touching Song Yushi’s ankle, she looked up and asked, “Does it hurt?”
It was just a minor twist. While it hurt a little, it wouldn’t affect her walking. Song Yushi wasn’t one for theatrics and was about to subconsciously say it didn’t hurt, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she met Qi Ke’s worried gaze.
Genuine concern, blatant favoritism—an invitation to be unabashedly vulnerable and seek comfort.
The words on the tip of her tongue took a detour. Song Yushi lowered her eyes, her lips turning down slightly as she said in a small voice, “…It hurts.”
She looked pitiful, like a little kitten abandoned on the roadside, wanting to show its claws but afraid of being left behind again. Her small, aggrieved look tugged at Qi Ke’s heart.
A pang went through Qi Ke’s heart. She gently touched Song Yushi’s ankle again.
The fair, slender ankle was now tinged with a faint red, the mark distinct, beautiful, and alluring. As Qi Ke’s fingertips brushed over it, she heard herself ask softly, “Does it hurt a lot?”
Song Yushi hummed a low assent.
It hadn’t really hurt before, or at least, the pain had been tolerable. But people are like that; once you confirm that you are cherished, that you can afford to be vulnerable, that little bit of pain naturally gets magnified.
It hurt so much.
The kind of hurt that made you want to be comforted.
Qi Ke turned around, patted her own shoulders, and said, “Get on. I’ll carry you.”
Song Yushi froze for a moment.
She subconsciously started to refuse. “It’s such a short walk…”
“It’s still fifty meters,” Qi Ke insisted. She looked down at Song Yushi’s ankle, heartache lacing her tone, then smiled. “You’re not heavy. Get on!”
Song Yushi muttered, “That’s because I’m good at maintaining my figure.”
Qi Ke nodded repeatedly. When Song Yushi still didn’t move, she turned back, tugged at the hem of her dress, and gave it a little shake. “When is my little princess finally going to be a good girl and come home with me?”
After a moment of awkwardness, Song Yushi finally bent down and wrapped her arms around Qi Ke’s neck. Her face, warm from the breeze, pressed against Qi Ke’s smooth, soft, and fragrant skin. Her breath was hot. “…Can you even carry me?”
“My stamina was the best in the whole group,” Qi Ke said as she supported Song Yushi’s legs and stood up.
She was so light.
So light a gust of wind could blow her away. She was curled up small on Qi Ke’s back, her warm breath tickling Qi Ke’s ear, turning the tip red and seeping down the curve of her ear into her heart.
Xiao Nan followed behind, listening to snippets of their conversation drift over on the wind.
“Am I heavy?”
“So light. I told you that previous manager of yours was exploiting you.”
“I’ll carry you next time.”
“Okay. But we’ll have to find a stage, the kind where we can play games. I need to let the whole world see.”
“…Young lady, don’t be so vain.”
“I just want to show off to the whole world. Song Yushi, my person.”
“…”
Song Yushi let out a muffled laugh.
“Are you laughing secretly?”
“…Mm.”
“You should have been laughing secretly long ago.” Qi Ke walked very slowly under the bright moon, wishing she could stretch these fifty meters into infinity. She muttered, “Who am I? The ultimate crush of the lesbian community, and I only like you.”
“Don’t praise yourself.”
“Then you praise me.”
Song Yushi was silent for a moment before asking, “Have you found someone for the duet on your new album?”
“Huh?” Qi Ke didn’t immediately understand. “Didn’t I ask you? You weren’t willing, were you?”
Song Yushi said, “Well, I can do it now.”
“Really?!” Qi Ke was so excited she nearly dropped Song Yushi. Just as she was about to say something, the driver, who had already gotten out of the car to wait for them, approached. “Teacher Qi, Teacher Song.”
No matter how much they dawdled, they had reached the car. The fifty-meter distance felt shorter than they’d imagined.
Teacher Song… no matter how composed she was, she couldn’t help but blush a little.
It was one thing to be a little dramatic with your lover, and having Xiao Nan as a third wheel was bearable, but now the driver had appeared too. Being so lovey-dovey in public…
Song Yushi was helped into the car. Qi Ke took some liniment for sprains from the car’s first-aid kit and sprayed it on Song Yushi’s ankle a couple of times.
The medicine had a strange smell that filled the car.
Song Yushi wasn’t used to the smell. She frowned for a moment, then beckoned to Qi Ke. “Come here.”
Qi Ke had just put the medicine away and was still holding the first-aid kit. Hearing Song Yushi’s summons, she leaned over without a second thought.
An arm wrapped around her waist.
Song Yushi turned her head and buried her face in the crook of Qi Ke’s neck, taking a deep breath. She smiled in satisfaction. “You smell nice.”
Qi Ke: “…”
Was she being taken advantage of?
After a pause, Song Yushi added, “And soft.”
Qi Ke couldn’t hold back any longer. She placed a hand on the back of Song Yushi’s head and gently ruffled her hair, finally asking the question she hadn’t outside. “Sister Ming told us to avoid arousing suspicion. Are you still going to sing my song?”
Song Yushi was silent for a moment. “I’m not going to listen to her.”
“So disobedient, my little captain.” Qi Ke smiled and hugged Song Yushi back. “Baby, you love me so much.”
Song Yushi: “?”
Qi Ke couldn’t hide her smile, so she didn’t even try. The amusement in her voice was clear. “I figured it all out. Getting back together with me meant dancing to 《Cherry》 at the hundred-thousand-seat stadium. Even if you didn’t want to dance, you still got back together with me.”
Song Yushi: “…You were the one who danced first anyway.”
Qi Ke: “?”
Song Yushi: “If anyone was going to be embarrassed, it would be you.”
Qi Ke: “…”
Ah, love. It’s so fragile.
【@BlindlyShippingCentral: Song Yushi, Qi Ke, new album song collaboration.】
【??? Am I seeing things? Did I read that wrong? When did Blindly Shipping Central become a marketing account and start posting fake gossip? You’ve changed! My youth is over!】
【How has it changed? This is great shipping material! Just ship it like it’s real!】
【I heard a leak from an industry insider too. That person has never leaked fake info before, so it’s probably true. AHHHH a new album! A collab track! This will go down in history! (Jk, I’m just talking nonsense, don’t @ me, if you argue with me you’re an idiot)】
【Qi Ke hasn’t collaborated with anyone since her girl group days. With how well-liked she is, it’s not that she couldn’t find someone, she just didn’t want to. Song Yushi is the exception. I’m so shipping this.】
It had rained in Yunzhou City two days prior, and the asphalt roads still glistened with water. A black Audi sped past, sending up a spray of water.
Inside the car, Song Yushi was still reading her script.
Xiao Nan sat obediently to one side, holding a coffee. She sipped it while sneaking glances at Song Yushi, her other hand busy typing a message: The audition is over. The director was very pleased and signed the contract on the spot. Our boss is amazing!
The reply came back instantly: Good.
Xiao Nan glanced at Song Yushi again. Without changing her expression or even looking up, Song Yushi suddenly asked, “How much are they paying you to be a spy?”
Xiao Nan flinched. “I-I’m not getting paid!”
She was more than happy to serve her CP.
Song Yushi closed her script, picked up her coffee, and studied Xiao Nan as she drank. The longer Song Yushi stared, the more Xiao Nan felt her job was on the line. Just as she was contemplating whether she should just grovel and plead that even if she hadn’t made great contributions, she had at least worked hard, Song Yushi put down her coffee and asked, “Am I not a good partner?”
Xiao Nan was dumbfounded. “…Huh?”
“Why doesn’t she contact me directly?”
“Because… you don’t look at your phone when you get busy?” Xiao Nan tentatively pointed out the problem. Seeing Song Yushi frown slightly and subconsciously reach for her phone, she continued, “You and Teacher Qi aren’t dating within the group anymore, where you could see each other every day. The biggest fear in a long-distance relationship is a lack of communication. You’ve been busy with the new drama, you don’t even charge your phone when it dies, and your replies take hours, so…”
Song Yushi found her phone in her bag. There weren’t many messages in her WeChat.
Her chat history with Qi Ke showed even less interaction.
【Are you asleep?】
【Fell asleep yesterday.】
【Remember to eat breakfast.】
【Dinner was pretty good.】
【Good night.】
【Good morning.】
Song Yushi: …
She, who had been in a relationship so long ago, seemed to have no idea how to be in one now.
Song Yushi stared blankly at the chat log, then looked up at Xiao Nan, her thin lips parting slightly. “Teach me.”
Xiao Nan: “?”
Song Yushi added, “Teach me what I should do.”
A weight settled on Xiao Nan’s shoulders. She swallowed hard and asked a question first. “Boss, do you miss Teacher Qi?”
Song Yushi answered without hesitation. “I do.”
Xiao Nan: “Then why don’t you reach out to her? Communication is so easy these days… a phone call, a text, or a video chat would all work.”
Song Yushi’s grip on her phone tightened. She pressed her lips together and said in a low voice, “If I can’t touch her, I’ll only miss her more.”
During their time apart, she had missed Qi Ke terribly. She had tried calling her, but in the cold, unanswered dial tone, her longing had grown like wild weeds, becoming more and more intense.
What good was hearing her voice if she couldn’t hold her? What good was seeing her face if she couldn’t kiss her?
In those days, she had learned not to let herself miss her.
Xiao Nan’s eyes welled up. She suppressed a sob, patted the back of Song Yushi’s hand, and said earnestly, “Then let’s start from now. Let’s learn again.”
Song Yushi raised her eyes.
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly.
Xiao Nan smiled at her. “Our boss is so amazing and such a fast learner. There’s nothing you can’t learn!”
Song Yushi looked at her for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Do I have anything on my schedule tomorrow?”
Xiao Nan shook her head. “Tomorrow is a day off.”
“Good.” Song Yushi nodded and said to the driver, “Go to Changzhou City.”
Dusk gradually settled in. As the last glimmer of light vanished from the horizon, streetlights began to switch on one after another. The black Audi changed direction, its headlights cutting a path toward the light in the darkness.
Qi Ke had recently joined a variety show, a competition for original singer-songwriters. She had to produce a new song each week for recording and performance. The show was filmed in Changzhou City, and since Qi Ke had no other commitments, she usually just stayed in the hotel booked by the production team to work on her music.
Changzhou City wasn’t far from Yunzhou. Two hours later, they arrived at the filming location. They were a little late; the recording had just finished.
Sister Ming had already spoken with the assistant director, so the production team sent someone to the back entrance to meet her. Knowing she was there to see Qi Ke, the staff member chatted enthusiastically about Qi Ke’s performance that night. “Teacher Qi was on another level tonight! She wrote a song in three days and crushed her opponent in the audience vote. Forget the audience, even the other competing teachers were moved to tears.”
Song Yushi smiled. “That amazing?”
“Absolutely!” The staff member was genuinely full of admiration. “Teacher Qi is beautiful, has a sweet voice, and she can write her own songs and dance. She’s just incredible.”
Song Yushi thought to herself, Yes, she is incredible.
“Oh, right.” The staff member remembered something else. “Teacher Qi is about to clock out. Our show always gives a bouquet of flowers to the winner. Since you’re here, you should be the one to give it to her. I’m sure Teacher Qi would be thrilled to receive it from you.”
Song Yushi was puzzled. “…Do Teacher Qi and I seem that close?”
Logically, people in the industry understood the concept of a “business couple” and usually didn’t fall for the ship, unless—
“Every time we film, whenever Teacher Qi chats with the other guests, she manages to bring you up within a few sentences.” The staff member took a bouquet from a colleague and handed it to Song Yushi. “Her catchphrase is ‘my captain this, my captain that.’ Hahaha, anyone who didn’t know better would think you two were actually dating!”
Xiao Nan, who was trailing behind: “…”
Young man, you talk too much.
Song Yushi looked at the bouquet of roses in her hands. This was the second time she had given flowers to Qi Ke, she thought. The last time was when filming for 《Awakening of Insects》 wrapped up. Then, too, she had been surrounded by people as she placed the flowers in Qi Ke’s arms.
Back then, it had been mostly out of reluctance.
Not now. Now, she stood in the backstage corridor, waiting with a heart full of joy for Qi Ke to emerge. The wait seemed to stretch on, every second an agony of anticipation.
She heard a clamor of voices approaching from a distance.
A moment later, the door at the end of the corridor opened. Qi Ke walked out first, a jacket draped over her shoulders. She wore a slim-fitting long dress, the hem swaying to reveal glimpses of her long, straight legs. She was in the middle of a sentence as she emerged. “Thank you, Teacher Chen. If you hadn’t talked so much with me, I wouldn’t have—”
Her unfinished words were lost to the air.
Qi Ke stopped in her tracks, staring blankly at Song Yushi.
Song Yushi smiled at her, walked over, and pressed the flowers into her arms. Qi Ke was blocking one side of the doorway, so the people behind her came out the other side. Seeing Song Yushi, they all began to greet her.
“Teacher Song, I’ve heard so much about you! Are you here to see Teacher Qi?”
“Look at you! Why didn’t you come earlier? You could have watched the performance live!”
“I was thoroughly impressed by today’s show. It was a textbook example of pop music. Remember to watch the broadcast!”
Most of the guests were heading off with the director for a late-night meal. The director had even called out for Qi Ke to bring Song Yushi along. The two of them in the same shot would make for a great behind-the-scenes clip to post on the official Weibo account; the view count would surely skyrocket.
Qi Ke refused, her gaze never leaving Song Yushi for an instant. She nudged her assistant. “You go handle it. Don’t let anyone disturb me.”
The assistant hurried off to take care of it.
Song Yushi watched Qi Ke with a gentle smile, watching as Qi Ke reached out like a fool and pinched her cheek. “It’s soft. It’s real.”
Song Yushi: “…”
Did she think she was a hologram?
Before she could make a sarcastic retort, Qi Ke reached out and pulled her into an embrace, resting her chin on her shoulder, still in disbelief. “Am I dreaming?”
“…Qi Ke,” Song Yushi said hesitantly.
“I’ve been filming this show for half a month, and the whole time I kept wondering if you might suddenly show up. I didn’t dare think about it too hard, afraid I’d be disappointed.” Qi Ke’s whisper in her ear was a mix of bittersweetness. “But I couldn’t help hoping.”
Qi Ke smiled, kissed Song Yushi’s cheek, her own smile blossoming. “It’s so good that you’re here.”
The tip of Song Yushi’s nose tingled. She grabbed Qi Ke’s wrist, her hand sliding down until their fingers were intertwined. She started walking, pulling Qi Ke along. “Come with me.”
Qi Ke didn’t ask where they were going, simply followed in her footsteps.
“Where are you staying?”
“…The hotel across the street.”
“Which room?”
“1903.”
A small path led directly from the filming location to the hotel’s back entrance. Normally, paparazzi would be staked out there, waiting to see if any of the guests brought someone back to the hotel. But they had received a tip that the director was taking the guests out to eat, so they had all rushed over to stake out the restaurant instead.
No one knew that the entertainment industry’s hottest couple, Hundred Flowers Best Actress Song Yushi, was walking by, pulling the famous singer Qi Ke by the hand.
The express elevator.
The key card.
The wall sconces in the suite that lit up automatically.
In the ambiguous play of light and shadow, the sound of running water from the bathroom swallowed the sound of kissing.
Qi Ke leaned against the frosted glass of the bathroom door, Song Yushi’s long hair tangling around her fingertips. She was utterly defeated by Song Yushi’s sudden initiative.
“Yushi…” Qi Ke’s fingertips tightened as she breathed Song Yushi’s name.
Amidst the fine spray of water, Song Yushi lifted her eyes. Droplets clung to her long lashes, rolling off as she blinked. She licked her lips and shook her head, her voice slightly hoarse. “When you introduced me to that person, what did you say I was to you?”
Qi Ke stared at her, stunned.
Through the mist, the corners of Song Yushi’s reddened eyes were wet and alluring. Her crimson lips parted. “Say it.”
“…Captain.”
Song Yushi shook her head.
“Girlfriend.”
Song Yushi still shook her head. “That’s not it.”
As if struck by inspiration, Qi Ke suddenly understood what Song Yushi meant. She threaded her fingers into Song Yushi’s hair, stroking it slowly, and enunciated each syllable softly. “Wife.”
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