I'm Crushing on Gorgeous Faces in Variety Shows!-Chapter 401: Hold Yourself Together! Qiuqiu, You Can Do It
The porridge and soup were a bit hot, and Mu Qiu’s lips were still slightly swollen, so she ate quite slowly.
Across from her, Cheng Zhirang had already finished eating. He elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin, then picked up another pair of chopsticks and asked her, "What would you like to eat? I can pick it out and let it cool on your plate."
It felt as happy as having someone peel shrimp for you.
Mu Qiu immediately made her request, "I want the meat from the duck leg, two pieces of winter melon, and a piece of corn."
Cheng Zhirang did everything she asked, finally serving a bowl of soup in front of her, "Take your time eating, no rush."
"But it’s so late already, and eating now means I can’t sleep right away. And since we’re not joining up with the show crew today, we’ll definitely need to head out earlier tomorrow."
The official Weibo of the program crew posted a mysterious "spoiler" on Thursday night, then informed the guests in the group chat to gather at Hai City Park on Friday, to head together to the new episode’s recording location.
Unfortunately, with what happened this afternoon, she and Cheng Zhirang naturally couldn’t make it.
The program crew sent both of them the recording location for tomorrow, saying they just needed to be there on time.
As for the fans worrying about them missing the live broadcast this episode, that wouldn’t be happening.
Cheng Zhirang brushed his fingers against the corner of her mouth, comforting her, "Don’t worry, it’s not far. I’ll wake you up tomorrow, and you can sleep a bit more in the car."
"You’ll drive?"
"No, Assistant Liang will come."
"Then you can nap with me."
Cheng Zhirang looked up and stared at her.
Mu Qiu kindly explained, "I mean leaning together, closing our eyes, and resting our minds for a while, not lying on a bed engaging in physical activities."
"...I didn’t mean that."
So really, there’s no need to explain so clearly.
Mu Qiu shrugged and continued drinking her porridge.
"Good, you didn’t mean that. This pickled vegetable is pretty good."
"Like it? I can ask Jiang Lu to get a couple of jars."
"Is Emperor Jiang a big fan of pickled vegetables?" She couldn’t help but laugh, "You contact him just to ask for a couple of jars? That’s a bit embarrassing."
"It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If nothing goes wrong, he’s the invited guest for this episode."
Mu Qiu paused, "Ah?"
"He hasn’t joined a crew recently and said he’d like to have some fun, so the program crew should be inviting him."
"So, tomorrow can we see you two standing together?!"
Cheng Zhirang was puzzled, "Why are you so happy?"
"The two best-looking faces together, surely the effect doubles."
"...We’re just friends."
"That doesn’t affect it."
Cheng Zhirang sighed.
It was already eleven o’clock when they finished eating.
Cheng Zhirang put the bowls and chopsticks into the dishwasher, and Mu Qiu played light music as she spun around in the living room.
Soon, the light music in her Bluetooth earphones got interrupted, replaced by Zhao Yu’s usual verbal update, in a series of voice messages.
"Today’s big news—Mu Qiu got in a paparazzi car accident, Cheng Zhirang got angry, Cheng Zhirang likes Mu Qiu a lot though Mu Qiu is pitiful too..."
"Skipping over ten thousand similar messages, then Su Yan and Lin Banyan rekindling their broken romance, woo woo woo, Different Variety Show episode six, Tang Zi apologizing, Tang Zi apologizing again, Tang Zi apologizing while crying, Tang Zi cried..."
The last voice message reenacted the scene of Tang Zi’s apology.
"Wuwuwu, I really didn’t mean it, Mu Qiu, I’m sorry, Brother Cheng, I’m sorry... I don’t want to say more, just waiting for forgiveness, it’s okay if there’s none... Suddenly feel like such a failure..."
Mu Qiu felt like she might get gastritis listening to it.
Imagining what kind of expression Tang Zi had when posting such a Weibo, ah, her head felt uncomfortable and yet a bit happy.
Tang Zi so good at acting, it’d be best if she’d apologize every day until Mu Qiu said she forgave her.
This would be so spectacular, in the future she could directly earn the title "Miss Apology."
However, the fans’ constant messages under Mu Qiu’s Weibo urging her to forgive aren’t likely to be accepted within a few months.
Apologize all she wants, when her rivals use this to discredit her, she’ll know just how dumb she’s been.
Shu Ran doesn’t seem like the type to show mercy.
"Mu Qiu?"
Mu Qiu immediately turned around, "What’s up, Brother Cheng?"
Cheng Zhirang stood at the other end of the sofa, tapping the dial of his watch on his left hand, "Time to rest."
"Okay."
She ran over to him in slippers.
"Hold me."
Cheng Zhirang picked her up, carrying her upstairs.
"The side bedroom isn’t ready, want to sleep in the same room with me?"
"Haven’t we always been sleeping in the same room?"
"I was worried you might mind."
"Nothing to mind about. But you shouldn’t touch me tonight, we need to get up early."
"...Alright."
Some things Cheng Zhirang probably wouldn’t say even after thirty years, like openly discussing bedroom topics was unimaginable for him.
But the person beside him was used to being bold and straightforward, making such conversations seem like normal exchanges, and acceptable.
Her influence was great, and he was gradually being assimilated.
At the turn of the staircase, Mu Qiu avoided his shoulder, cautiously massaging her chest, then rested her head on his shoulder, like a koala clinging to his embrace.
Lately, she fell in love with being held by him, hanging onto his neck and lying on him gave her a unique sense of security.
Just like this afternoon, when he fearlessly accelerated to block that car, walking straight towards her to confirm her safety.
Sometimes words felt so inadequate, when he walked towards her against the light, her mind could only remember the phrase "hero saves beauty."
At that moment, it was understandable why so many storytellers throughout history loved this trope.
She suddenly asked, "How did you arrive on time today? Were you waiting there all along?"
Cheng Zhirang made a sound of agreement, "I didn’t want to burden you, so I didn’t mention it."
She murmured softly, "Fool."
All the way to the bedroom, Mu Qiu was gently placed on the bed. Cheng Zhirang took off his shirt and prepared to take a shower.
She watched his back, the muscles around his shoulder blades, swallowing twice without changing her expression.
She thought she might have made a shameless comment just now.
Clearly, she was the initiator today, and unable to control herself all night might also be her problem.
It was hard for him, as he had just agreed.
She lay sideways, looking at the ceiling, listening to the pitter-patter of water in the bathroom, constantly reminding herself:
Hold back, don’t act so shamelessly.
Restraint is true love, restraint differentiates humans from animals, restraint is the only way to enlightenment...
The water finally stopped, followed by the high-pitched and stable sound of a hairdryer.
When Cheng Zhirang came out, he found the person on the bed already asleep.
Her hair cascaded on the pillow like seaweed, her lips slightly swollen, her brow relaxed, it looked like she was having a good sleep.
He carefully walked over, bent down and kissed her at the corner of her eye, softly saying, "Goodnight."
In the sparse moonlight, the night breeze drifted into the room, the man with his arm around the woman’s waist, in a protective posture, closed his eyes to join her in sweet dreams.
