CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 69: WATCHING THE MOVIE (PART 2)

When they reached the cinema, it was exactly nine o’clock. The craze for "Strings That Move Your Heart" had passed, but Xiang Qichen’s popularity had not diminished. With Jiang Wei’s influence in the entertainment industry over the past decade, "Ten Miles of Tender Spring Breeze" still attracted quite an audience.

Kang Xuan had booked the tickets online early. She took a fifty from her wallet and handed it to Xiang Qichen, saying, "You get the popcorn, and I’ll pick up the tickets."

Xiang Qichen nodded without taking her money and went straight to the cash register line.

Kang Xuan was a bit startled, watching his carefree back. Without saying more, she put the money back in her pocket and went to get the tickets.

There were four popcorn purchase windows, so Xiang Qichen didn’t wait too long. Seeing the man in front finish his purchase, he put away his phone and stepped forward.

Just as he moved, he noticed a movie ticket slip from the fingers of the man ahead. The man, holding two buckets of popcorn, seemed unaware.

Out of kindness, Xiang Qichen turned and called out, "Hey, you dropped your ticket."

Hearing this, the man who was about to leave slowly turned, glanced at the ground, then bent down to pick it up. When he stood up and saw who was speaking, he was visibly startled: "Tha...thank you."

"You’re welcome." Xiang Qichen gave him a calm glance, noticing his sudden shift in expression, but thought little of it and turned to order two popcorn combos at the register.

Just as he put the change back in his wallet, Kang Xuan came up.

They stood side by side at the window, waiting to pick up their items. Kang Xuan suddenly elbowed his hand: "I saw that, you know～"

Xiang Qichen gave her a sidelong glance, not understanding what she meant.

"Oh, you, Zhou Huaiyi." Kang Xuan smiled with a special meaning, "Are you playing hard to get? The most familiar stranger?"

Xiang Qichen still looked completely puzzled: "???"

Kang Xuan squinted at him: "You’re the best at playing dumb, so why act dumb with me?"

Xiang Qichen: "What are you talking about?"

"Hey? You..." Kang Xuan crossed her arms, rolling her eyes in disdain, "I mean your ex-boyfriend, Cheng Yi."

Xiang Qichen recalled the man’s startled look just now, his mind suddenly blurred, and he asked, "Are you saying that was Zhou... my ex-boyfriend?"

Kang Xuan grabbed the popcorn on the counter, still with a look of disdain: "Yeah, your ex-boyfriend, the one you used to be crazy about."

Xiang Qichen was stunned by the words.

His heart felt like an overturned jar of spices, a mix of emotions, uncomfortable.

"My... ex-boyfriend I used to be crazy about?" he questioned word by word.

"Wasn’t he?" Kang Xuan tossed a piece of popcorn in her mouth, her face nonchalant, "Otherwise, why would you keep wearing that silver bracelet he gave you after breaking up?"

Xiang Qichen instinctively glanced down at the silver bracelet on his left wrist.

"That’s the one Cheng Yi gave you, right?" Kang Xuan said.

Xiang Qichen didn’t respond, his heart feeling suffocated, extremely uncomfortable.

He remembered that when she first put the microphone on him, she was wearing it.

At that time, he thought the bracelet made her hand look particularly delicate and cute.

In Kang Xuan’s eyes, Xiang Qichen’s lonely and dim look became another mindset, making her feel as though she accidentally touched Zhou Huaiyi’s saddest spot.

She awkwardly stuck out her tongue and immediately fell silent.

Throughout the movie, Xiang Qichen couldn’t concentrate. In the pitch-black theater, he only felt the big screen flickering before his eyes, with nothing in his mind but Zhou Huaiyi’s words from before.

"My name is Zhou Huaiyi, and he’s Xiang Qichen. In ancient times, there was a saying ’When the Huaiyi present their treasures,’ making us a match made in heaven, don’t you think?"

"Psh, so what if he likes long hair? I can grow mine long."

"Not exactly... if I had you, it would be perfect..."

"Xiang Qichen, actually I like you too..."

"What I mean is... I’m actually your fan too."

"You’re so hardworking, excellent, warm, you make my heart ache; I’m definitely not giving up on you."

"Then stay within my heart a bit longer; I can still protect you..."

"Hee hee, I’m pretty shallow, I just like how handsome you are!"

...

"Qi Chen, well... do you have someone you can never forget, no matter what?"

...

"I do."

The deep, mellow voice echoed gently in his mind, the word "I do" suddenly overturning everything else said before, like a thin silver needle piercing the heart. It left no visible wound but caused real pain.

Someone you can never forget, no matter what.

Is it the so-called ex-boyfriend?

He felt the silver bracelet on his wrist, frowned, and yanked it off, stuffing it into his bag.

Out of sight, out of mind.