CHAPTER 15: CHAPTER 14: PAST TENSE

When Zhou Huaiyi ran to Liu Yang with a cup of coffee, her pale face had already turned as red as Guan Gong’s, as if she were on the verge of a volcanic eruption.

She clutched her chest, trying to calm her racing heartbeat, panting heavily. Recalling Xiang Qichen’s posture just now, she stomped her feet in embarrassment again, making such a fuss that Liu Yang looked at her curiously.

He held a microphone windscreen in his hand, putting it on while playfully poking her with the microphone pole, asking, "Zhou Huaiyi, did you get drunk on coffee?"

Zhou Huaiyi pouted and replied, "Yeah, drunk, I’m really drunk."

You see, some things Zhou Huaiyi might be okay saying herself, but if Mr. Xiang inadvertently found out, she’d be so embarrassed she’d want to disappear.

Zhou Huaiyi reached over to help him smooth the line, her tone suddenly softening, "Senior, can you not make me set up Xiang Qichen’s wireless today?"

Liu Yang twisted the windscreen cover and asked in surprise, "What, not into him anymore?"

Zhou Huaiyi had expected Liu Yang’s question and blinked without changing her expression, teasing, "I’m just afraid of being dazzled by his handsomeness!"

Liu Yang froze, his mouth twitching, and pointed to the recorder on the box, "Go tune the equipment!"

Zhou Huaiyi bent over and nodded, "Okay, okay, no problem."

——

The shoot lasted until nine in the evening that day.

By the time the crew packed up the equipment and returned to the hotel, it was already past ten.

Exhausted, Zhou Huaiyi took a quick shower and slipped into a clean T-shirt before crawling into bed to sleep.

Liang Lufei was rustling in the bathroom, removing makeup and brushing teeth, while Zhou Huaiyi’s phone on the bedside table buzzed several times, its crisp tritone particularly jarring in the quiet bedroom.

With a sigh, Zhou Huaiyi unplugged the charger, pulled the phone under the covers, and unlocked it to see a string of messages from Kang Xuan on WeChat.

She was not surprised, opening the conversation to find the first thing Kang Xuan had sent wasn’t about Xiang Qichen nor any gossip, but a—

Selfie of a heavily made-up stranger.

Zhou Huaiyi: "......"

Then she noticed the following messages from Kang Xuan—

[President Kang: Do you know who this is?]

[President Kang: Do you know whose internet-celebrity face this is?]

[President Kang: Do you know whose face has been enhanced, eyes enlarged, and chin sharpened like this?]

[Zhou Luobu: ...how would I know]

[President Kang: Sigh, Cheng Yi’s new girlfriend.]

[Zhou Luobu: Oh.]

[President Kang: ...]

[President Kang: Oh? Just, oh?!]

[Zhou Luobu: How did you find out?]

The reply to Zhou Huaiyi was a screenshot of a social media post. Zhou Huaiyi opened it and saw the sender was still Cheng Yi’s unchanging avatar. She glanced at it briefly before closing the image.

[President Kang: Got any other comments?]

[Zhou Luobu: Her double eyelids are too wide, the corners of her eyes are poorly done, and the eye makeup is too heavy. I don’t think she’s anything special.]

[President Kang: Wow Zhou Luobu, even with all that Photoshop, you can still tell.]

[Zhou Luobu: (¬_¬)]

[President Kang: No emotional turmoil at all?]

[Zhou Luobu: None.]

[Zhou Luobu: Right now, my heart is with Xiang Qichen and nothing else!]

[President Kang: .........]

About her relationship with Cheng Yi, it was a case of emotions starting but decency stopping. He was Zhou Huaiyi’s first love. Back when they were dating, she quite liked him, but as time went on, she found out they weren’t compatible. Zhou Huaiyi eventually realized that Cheng Yi was not the person she wanted.

The breakup was inevitable.

[Zhou Luobu: Anything else? If not, this meeting is adjourned, I’m going to bed.]

[President Kang: Yes, the official blog announced that Xiang Qichen’s birthday party this year will be in Yanchuan.]

Zhou Huaiyi stared at the screen for about half a minute before snapping back to her senses and sending over three "!!!".

[President Kang: You’re not mistaken, it’s in Yanchuan. However, tickets aren’t for sale; they’re won through a lottery, so I’ll be trying all sorts of ways to get them.]

[Zhou Luobu: TAT Can you try to get one for me too?]

[President Kang: If I can win two tickets, then of course. But since I’m usually unlucky, it’ll be hard to even get one.]

[Zhou Luobu: ...]

[Zhou Luobu: So, are you planning to come to Yanchuan?]

[President Kang: Let’s see if I can get a ticket first.]

[Zhou Luobu: Come on, it’s my last year in college. You have to come to visit at least once. After graduation, it’ll be harder. Anyway, I’ve been up close to Xiang Qichen, so missing the birthday party is fine!]

[President Kang: No, I haven’t been able to touch him, so it really matters to me (smile). So, please help by retweeting on Weibo to help me get tickets.]

[Zhou Huaiyi: ...... Fine, I’ll do it your way!]