I Will Hold a Concert Only for You

Lin Wanwan froze in her chair.

It is over.

I am going to trend on social media.

Are you Ms. Li, the VIP customer who comes to our store often? Oh my, you are bundled up so tightly, I almost did not recognize you!

Lin Wanwan choked up.

All her prepared excuses got stuck in her throat, and her mind went completely blank.

Chen Zhi reacted instantly, pressing his hand over Lin Wanwan's on the table and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Yes, yes, Ms. Li, Chen Zhi turned to the waitress, spouting nonsense with a perfectly straight face. She recently developed a spring UV allergy, and she has severe social anxiety, so she cannot see strangers. Please serve the dishes quickly, and also, no noodle-pulling performances—she gets scared.

The waitress suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly.

Got it, got it, spring allergies are common! I will get Ms. Li a hot towel. You two wait a moment, the food will be right up!

The private room door was closed again.

Lin Wanwan let out a long breath and slumped back into her chair.

She yanked off her black mask and the bucket hat on her head, tossing them along with her sunglasses onto the empty seat next to her.

Scared me to death! Lin Wanwan patted her chest. I thought she was going to ask for my autograph!

Chen Zhi pushed the menu in front of her.

Alright, Ms. Li, hurry up and order. If you pass out from hunger later, I will have to carry you out.

The soup base was brought up, red oil boiling in the pot, emitting an enticing aroma.

Lin Wanwan completely let herself go.

These past few days, preparing for the finals combined with high-intensity psychological pressure meant she had hardly eaten a proper meal. Now that the competition was over and her tense nerves relaxed, she was hungry enough to eat a cow.

Beef tripe, duck intestines, pork aorta, and beef rolls.

She poured plate after plate into the pot.

Chen Zhi very consciously picked up the slotted spoon, acting as a ruthless meat-boiling machine.

He timed the tripe perfectly, dipping it up and down before piling it all into the oil dish in front of Lin Wanwan.

Eat slower, no one is fighting you for it. Chen Zhi watched her scarf down the food and casually handed her a tissue.

While chewing the crisp tripe, Lin Wanwan started complaining indistinctly.

You have no idea how awful the crew's boxed lunches were! I ate boiled cabbage for a week straight!

And that Zhou Chengyu, acting so arrogant backstage. His makeup team even tried to take our spot. Sister Su Man almost got into a fight with them.

Chen Zhi boiled another slice of beef for her and put it in her bowl.

And then what?

And then you brought Taylor in! Lin Wanwan's eyes sparkled, not even bothering to wipe the red oil from the corner of her mouth. You did not see the look on Zhou Chengyu's manager's face. It was so satisfying!

Chen Zhi smiled, did not reply, and continued dropping shrimp paste into the clear broth pot.

Half full, Lin Wanwan finally slowed down.

She grabbed a tissue, wiped her mouth clean, and took out her phone.

After tapping the screen a few times, she shoved the phone right in front of Chen Zhi's face.

Look!

Chen Zhi leaned back, dodging the screen that almost poked his nose.

Look at what?

The follower count! Lin Wanwan raised her chin, her face full of pride. Five million! It went up by two million the night I won! Quick, praise me!

Chen Zhi glanced at the number on the screen.

Then he clapped his hands twice very perfunctorily.

Clap, clap. Amazing, truly worthy of the new singing champion.

Lin Wanwan was displeased.

She grabbed a chopstick stained with red oil and reached across the table to poke Chen Zhi's face.

Chen Zhi, you are humoring me! How is your tone any different from praising a kindergarten kid!

Chen Zhi turned his head to dodge.

Stop messing around, the oil is going to drip on my clothes. This jacket is very expensive.

I am going to draw on you! I will draw a turtle on you!

The two were flailing and bickering around the hot pot table.

Suddenly, an extremely piercing singing voice came from the private room next door, penetrating the not-so-thick wall.

Say bye-bye to all your troubles—say hi-hi to all your happiness—

Lin Wanwan's movements stopped.

She blinked, listening to the lively commotion next door, and her eyes darted around.

An idea formed in her mind.

Lin Wanwan put down her chopsticks, picked up her phone, and quietly scanned the QR code at the corner of the table.

Chen Zhi was fishing out wide noodles from the pot, completely oblivious to her actions.

A few minutes later

The door to the private room was suddenly pushed open.

Four waiters in Haidilao uniforms rushed in, holding flashing LED signs and pushing a small cart.

A birthday song played from a speaker.

Happy birthday to you—Happy birthday to you—

The slotted spoon in Chen Zhi's hand stopped in mid-air.

The four waiters surrounded him, clapping and swaying their bodies.

Say bye-bye to all your troubles! Say hi-hi to all your happiness!

The leading waiter acted with extreme proficiency, taking a pink paper birthday hat and plopping it right onto Chen Zhi's head.

The atmosphere in the room reached its peak.

Chen Zhi, now wearing a pink paper hat and surrounded by four waiters singing a cheesy birthday song, was curling his toes so hard in his shoes he could almost scratch through the Haidilao floor.

Lin. Wan. Wan.

Chen Zhi turned his head, gritting his teeth.

Lin Wanwan had long since hidden on the other side of the table.

She was holding up her phone, the lens aimed dead at Chen Zhi, laughing so hard she collapsed onto the table, her shoulders shaking violently, unable to even catch her breath.

Hahaha... Chen Zhi... your expression... hahaha I cannot take it!

The waiters sang even more enthusiastically and even brought out a rattle drum, shaking it by Chen Zhi's ear.

Dear handsome guy, wishing you many happy returns of the day! Come on, let us make a heart shape together!

Chen Zhi closed his eyes, looking as if he had nothing left to live for.

After finally sending the overly enthusiastic waiters away, the private room was restored to peace.

Chen Zhi ripped the pink paper hat off his head and, with a dark face, held his hand out to Lin Wanwan.

Give me the phone.

No way! Lin Wanwan hid the phone behind her back, her cheeks flush from laughing. This is my exclusive blackmail material, I am keeping it for the rest of my life!

Delete it.

I will not!

Not only did Lin Wanwan refuse to hand it over, but she boldly leaned in and snatched Chen Zhi's phone from the table.

I am going to send the video to your phone and set it as your lock screen! So you can look at yourself wearing a pink hat every day!

By the time they walked out of Haidilao, it was already ten o'clock.

Lin Wanwan equipped her anti-paparazzi three-piece set again: black mask, oversized sunglasses, and a bucket hat pulled down extremely low. Wrapped entirely in a long trench coat, she looked exactly like an undercover agent preparing for a rendezvous.

Chen Zhi walked beside her, carrying the half-finished cup of sour plum drink Lin Wanwan had not finished.

Sister Su Man's black Mercedes nanny van was parked right across the street. Seeing the two come out, the van's headlights flashed twice.

Sister Su Man watches you really closely, Chen Zhi said, looking at the vehicle.

Lin Wanwan stuffed her hands into her trench coat pockets and spoke with a muffled voice through her mask: She is afraid of me getting photographed by the paparazzi, and even more afraid that I will get excited and drag you straight to a hotel room.

Chen Zhi nearly choked on her scandalous words.

Superstar Lin, you are a public figure now for better or worse, mind your image.

"It's just the two of us, what's there to worry about?" Lin Wanwan scoffed, taking out her phone to send a WeChat message to Su Man.

The executive van parked opposite them slowly started up. Instead of driving over to pick them up, it trailed behind them at a snail's pace, staying about fifty meters away—a perfectly safe distance that wouldn't disturb the two of them.

"I told Sister Su Man we ate too much and wanted to walk back to digest," Lin Wanwan said, shoving her phone back into her pocket.

Walking on the inner side of the sidewalk, she kicked a small pebble along the curb.

"Chen Zhi."

"Yeah."

"Actually, the moment they announced I was the champion, I didn't want to look at the cameras at all." Lin Wanwan stopped walking and looked up at him.

Even through her sunglasses, Chen Zhi could feel her gaze glued tightly to him.

"When Mr. He handed me the trophy, the audience was full of fans screaming my name, and even those senior singers who usually wouldn't give me the time of day were smiling at me."

Lin Wanwan's voice was very soft, carrying a hint of a lingering nasal tone.

"But all I could think about at that moment was where you were."

"I just wanted to rush off the stage and hug you in front of everyone."

She lowered her head, scuffing the toe of her shoe against the asphalt.

Chen Zhi didn't say anything. He switched the plum juice in his hand to his left, freeing up his right hand to hold Lin Wanwan's hand that was tucked in her pocket.

She pulled her hand out of his grasp, unzipped her trench coat, and fumbled around in an inner pocket for a long time.

"Close your eyes," Lin Wanwan said.

Chen Zhi obligingly closed his eyes.

He felt her take a step closer. After a rustling sound of packaging, a small, cold object was pressed into his palm.

"Open them."

Chen Zhi opened his eyes and uncurled his fingers.

Lying in the center of his palm was a guitar pick.

Its edges were polished to a perfect smoothness, and two English letters were engraved right in the middle.

C.Z.

The initials of Chen Zhi's name.

"What's this?" Chen Zhi pinched the pick, his thumb brushing over the indented letters.

"A pick, can't you tell?" Lin Wanwan pulled down her mask, revealing a clean, makeup-free face. "I had it made using the deposit from my first endorsement deal after winning the championship."

She tilted her chin up, her tone laced with unconcealed pride.

"Sister Su Man helped me land an Asian regional endorsement for a major brand. As soon as the deposit hit my account, I found someone to rush-make this."

Lin Wanwan looked at Chen Zhi, her eyes sparkling.

"I know you're the big boss of Deep Space Technology now, holding billions of dollars in funding, and probably think nothing of the pennies I make."

"But this is money I earned myself."

"Chen Zhi, I've engraved your name on the starting point of my career."

Chen Zhi's fingers tightened slightly around the pick.

This girl usually seemed so carefree—crying when she felt wronged, acting crazy on stage when she was happy.

But when it came to love, she had her own stubborn persistence.

She didn't care about the title of the newly crowned Queen of Singing, nor did she care about the endorsements or gigs.

What she cared about most had always been the person who had been by her side since childhood.

Chen Zhi carefully put the pick into his pants pocket, then took a small step forward, closing the distance between them.

"Just a pick?" Chen Zhi looked down into Lin Wanwan's eyes. "Back in the hotel in Changsha, someone personally promised a special reward if she won the championship. What, you think you can just brush me off with this?"

Lin Wanwan's face instantly flushed red.

Feeling guilty, she glanced around like a thief.

The van behind them had tactfully stopped a block away and didn't follow them any further.

Lin Wanwan bit her lower lip.

Suddenly, she reached out with both hands, grabbed the collar of Chen Zhi's jacket, and pulled him down hard.

At the same time, she stood on her tiptoes.

Chen Zhi's vision went dark for a second as a soft sensation pressed against his lips.

He froze for half a second before quickly taking control.

He tossed aside his half-finished plum juice, wrapped his arms around Lin Wanwan's waist, and pulled her tightly against his chest.

Their lips and teeth intertwined.

The two kissed under the streetlight for a long time.

Until the sound of electronic music drifted over from the end of the road.

"Wishing you peace—oh—wishing you peace—"

A street sprinkler truck with flashing yellow warning lights was driving in their direction, spraying high-pressure water jets while blasting a 90s oldie.

Lin Wanwan abruptly pushed Chen Zhi away, gasping for air.

"Sprinkler truck!" she pointed ahead.

The water jets were already hitting the sidewalk, making the leaves of the roadside holly bushes rustle loudly.

"Run!"

Chen Zhi grabbed Lin Wanwan's wrist and dragged her forward.

Lin Wanwan was still wearing slightly heeled leather shoes, making her stumble a bit as she ran, but she had absolutely no intention of stopping.

"Chen Zhi, slow down! My shoes are going to fall off!"

"If we go any slower, we'll both be soaked like drowned rats!"

The sprinkler truck chased them at a leisurely pace from behind, the mist from its high-pressure nozzles refracting into tiny rainbows under the streetlights.

The two of them sprinted wildly down the midnight sidewalk.

Lin Wanwan's bucket hat had long since flown off to who knows where, and her sunglasses were sitting crookedly on her nose. She simply yanked them off, letting the night wind blow her hair into a messy tangle.

She laughed loudly as she ran.

Her laughter pierced through the sprinkler truck's music and through the cold air of late-night Beijing.

Ahead of them was a pedestrian overpass.

"Up here!" Chen Zhi pulled her up the stairs.

They dashed up the overpass in one breath, dodging the truck's water jets.

The sprinkler truck drove slowly under the bridge, still singing "Wishing You Peace," leaving behind a trail of wet asphalt.

Lin Wanwan leaned on the overpass railing with both hands, bent over and panting.

Chen Zhi leaned against the railing next to her, trying to catch his breath.

The wind was strong up on the overpass.

The taillights of cars occasionally passing below stretched out into trails of red light.

Lin Wanwan finally caught her breath and straightened up.

She turned her head and looked at Chen Zhi leaning against the railing.

The streetlight hit the side of his face. The loose hair on his forehead was slightly damp with sweat, clinging to his brow bone.

Lin Wanwan suddenly stood fully upright and took a step forward.

Standing in front of him, she cleared her throat.

"Chen Zhi."

"Hmm?"

Lin Wanwan didn't say anything.

She looked into his eyes and suddenly started singing.

"We were both young when I first saw you…"

"I close my eyes and the flashback starts…"

Lin Wanwan's voice scattered into the night wind.

This was the song, Love Story, that she had sung as a duet with Taylor at the grand finale.

But on that highly anticipated stage, she had been singing it to the entire nation.

And now.

On this empty overpass.

She was singing it just for Chen Zhi.

"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone."

"I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run."

When Lin Wanwan reached the chorus, she didn't use the half-step key change technique that Taylor had taught her. Instead, she used her most natural, softest breathy voice.

It sounded like a gentle whisper right by the ear.

Chen Zhi watched her quietly.

He looked at the girl next door, his childhood sweetheart whom he had teased since they were kids, and saw the rising star who now stood at the very center of the Chinese music industry's spotlight.

The song came to an end.

"Chen Zhi." She stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his chest.

"From now on, I will only hold concerts just for you."

Chen Zhi reached out and pulled Lin Wanwan into a tight embrace. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he breathed in the faint scent of shampoo in her hair.

"Okay," Chen Zhi said softly.

The two held each other in a long embrace on the overpass.