Really

The rehearsal was very simple.

It was just a run-through of the process, from the waiting area to the stage entrance, then to the main stage positioning, the lighting cue nodes, and the movement lines for handing over to Taylor. They went through it twice from start to finish, and then it was over.

However, Taylor's team was quite fussy. Jeffrey held a walkie-talkie the whole time, chattering non-stop with the security team.

Chen Zhi sat on a folding chair backstage the entire time, his legs crossed as he scrolled through his phone.

Pei Ningxue sent a WeChat message: [I left the documents for signature on your desk. Sign them and send me a photo before tomorrow.]

Chen Zhi replied with an "Okay."

Immediately after, another message came: [Where are you right now?]

Chen Zhi typed: [Overseeing a project.]

Pei Ningxue: [Oh.]

Just one word, but Chen Zhi felt as if the phone screen was radiating cold air.

He quickly locked the screen and stuffed the phone into his pocket.

The rehearsal on stage was almost wrapping up. The director held the walkie-talkie and shouted, "Alright, alright, thanks for your hard work, everyone." Lin Wanwan ran down the stairs on the side of the stage, looking around as if searching for her boyfriend.

Su Man was waiting at the entrance of the passage, holding Lin Wanwan's down jacket and backpack in her hands.

"Wanwan, makeup is at 9:30 tomorrow morning. Get some rest early tonight."

Su Man handed the things over, glancing toward Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi stood up and walked over.

Su Man nodded at him, didn't say anything more, and turned to walk toward the parking lot.

She took two steps, stopped, and looked back to add, "Don't stay up too late."

Her words were very restrained, but the meaning was clear: I don't care what you two do, just don't let my artist go on stage tomorrow with dark circles under her eyes.

Chen Zhi gave her an OK gesture.

Su Man shook her head and left.

The hotel wasn't far from the broadcasting building; it was only a ten-minute taxi ride.

Lin Wanwan started chattering away as soon as they got in the car.

"Did you know? Taylor taught me a lot of techniques during the rehearsal just now, the kind I couldn't even learn in school."

"Mhm."

"She also said my vocal range is wider than she expected. For the chorus, we can try pushing it up half a key so the layering of our voices will be stronger."

"Mhm."

"Are you even listening?!"

"I'm listening." Chen Zhi turned his head to look at her. "You had a pretty good time chatting with Tay-Tay?"

"Super happy!" Lin Wanwan clasped her hands together, still immersed in the afterglow of excitement. "She's so nice, with no airs at all. She even praised my vocal placement, saying my chest voice is very powerful."

"Alright, alright, I don't understand all that."

Lin Wanwan pouted, but her eyes were sparkling.

The taxi stopped at the hotel entrance. Chen Zhi got out first and walked around to the other side to open the door for Lin Wanwan.

Lin Wanwan hopped out and naturally linked her arm with his.

The hotel receptionist recognized Lin Wanwan and took a few extra glances, but remained professional and didn't say a word.

It was just the two of them in the elevator.

Lin Wanwan leaned on his shoulder, losing her previous excitement and liveliness, and began to act clingy.

"Chen Zhi."

"Yeah?"

"When you said you couldn't come, I was really sad."

Chen Zhi didn't reply.

"Those people backstage looked down on me, the makeup artist didn't even want to do my makeup properly, and Zhou Chengyu came over to threaten me into joining his studio."

Lin Wanwan's voice was muffled.

"At that time, I was thinking, if only you were here."

The elevator arrived.

Chen Zhi pulled her out and swiped the card to open the door.

The room was a standard business king room, not very luxurious, but clean and tidy. Lin Wanwan threw her bag on the sofa and casually draped her down jacket over the back of a chair.

Chen Zhi closed the door behind him.

Just as Lin Wanwan turned around, she was pulled into his embrace.

"Did you miss me."

These words were spoken right against her ear. The hot breath brushed against her auricle, and Lin Wanwan's neck instantly flushed red.

"I miss you every day."

Her voice was as soft as melted cotton candy.

"How much did you miss me?" Chen Zhi tightened his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Why haven't you shown it at all?"

Lin Wanwan lifted her face from his chest.

Then she stood on her tiptoes, pressed her lips against his, and offered a sweet kiss.

Chen Zhi froze for half a second.

Lin Wanwan's hands gripped the front of his hoodie as she leaned her whole body against him. Her lips pressed up softly, carrying a hint of sweetness between their lips and teeth.

Chen Zhi cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

An unknown amount of time passed.

The two parted, panting heavily, a thin, glistening thread of saliva connecting them.

Lin Wanwan hung limply against him, her legs unable to stand steady.

Chen Zhi supported her waist and led her to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I helped you with such a big favor, how are you planning to thank me?"

Lin Wanwan hadn't fully recovered from her previous state. Her small face was flushed red, and she was panting in small breaths.

"Didn't I just thank you?"

"That was you kissing me because you missed me. What does that have to do with thanking me?"

Lin Wanwan bit her lower lip and thought for two seconds, feeling that it made some sense.

"Then... then how do you want me to thank you?"

Chen Zhi leaned close to her ear.

And whispered something.

Lin Wanwan's eyes widened abruptly.

"Huh?" Her entire face turned red. "That... that's not a good idea."

Chen Zhi leaned back against the headboard, frowning with a pained expression.

"Do you know how uncomfortable I was when we were kissing just now, really."

He said it with a serious face, as if he were going through some unbearable torture.

Lin Wanwan's gaze unconsciously drifted downwards for a glance, then quickly darted away, the tips of her ears turning red.

"How about... how about I help you?" she whispered.

Chen Zhi let go of her, shifted to the side, and sighed.

"Forget it."

His tone carried obvious disappointment.

"I'll figure something out myself."

Lin Wanwan froze.

Watching Chen Zhi look like he was really about to get up and go to the bathroom, an indescribable sense of grievance suddenly surged in her heart.

"But I have to sing tomorrow..." She tugged at the hem of his shirt, her voice trembling slightly. "We really can't do that, my throat will..."

"I know." Chen Zhi stopped and looked back at her. "That's why I said forget it. Don't worry about it."

He spoke very plainly, but Lin Wanwan just felt that he was suffering.

She bit her lip, her fingers twisting the bedsheets, struggling internally for a good while.

"Then, then besides that, I'll help you however else you want."

Chen Zhi's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Re... really."

Chen Zhi handed his phone to her,

)i(