Chu Yueyi actually had no interest in synastry chart readings. It was similar to how she understood zodiac signs but only used them as conversation topics, never taking them to heart. To change the subject, she coaxed Shi Guanghua into entering the astrology booth, finally breathing a small sigh of relief.
Inside the astrology booth were layers of deep purple curtains, adorned with star and moon ornaments and crystals that glimmered in the dim light. A faint scent of aromatherapy lingered in the air. The two followed a dark narrow path to the inner sanctum, where they found a spacious astrology table covered with various gemstones and tarot cards.
Chu Yueyi commented on the setup and atmosphere: "It looks quite authentic."
Shi Guanghua glanced around: "But there's no one here?"
"I think I hear something," Chu Yueyi said, picking up the sound of keyboard typing. She searched for the source of the noise and finally discovered the person in charge in a shadowy corner.
In the corner, a staff member dressed as a witch was crouched on a chair, furiously typing away on a computer. The blue light from the screen illuminated her face, giving her an eerie and sinister appearance. She occasionally let out silly giggles.
Chu Yueyi politely ventured: "Excuse me..."
The witch turned her head at the sound, and upon seeing the two of them and the black-clad cameramen behind them, she nearly fell off her chair in shock. Her whole body shuddered as she exclaimed, "Good grief, you scared me to death!"
Shi Guanghua remained silent for a moment before saying in a low voice: "This looks very suspicious."
Chu Yueyi ignored his skepticism and smiled gently: "I'm sorry, we'd like to try this out."
The witch had a sudden realization and stood up. She emerged from the corner and spoke across the astrology table cheerfully: "Sure thing, do you want to do it together? Tarot or synastry?"
Chu Yueyi asked: "Is there a difference?"
The witch explained: "Tarot is one question at a time, focusing on short-term fortune for the next six months. With synastry for a couple, you can ask anything, it all depends on what you need."
Chu Yueyi immediately understood. Although she posed it as a question, her tone was decidedly certain: "Synastry is more expensive than tarot?"
The witch's gaze shifted guiltily as she hemmed and hawed: "The difference isn't that big, synastry for couples is just more detailed..."
Chu Yueyi saw right through the witch's smooth talk but couldn't be bothered to expose her little scheme. She was about to suggest they just try tarot cards when Shi Guanghua unexpectedly said: "Let's do synastry then."
Chu Yueyi turned to him in surprise: "?" Was he volunteering to pay the idiot tax?
Chu Yueyi: "Didn't you think it was suspicious?"
Shi Guanghua: "We're already here."
Chu Yueyi: "..."
Chu Yueyi didn't care either way about tarot or synastry, so she went along with Shi Guanghua's choice. She provided her birth chart information to the witch, including her exact birth time and place.
When asked for detailed information, Shi Guanghua hesitated: "This is basically my Eight Characters. You're not going to use it for anything else, are you?"
The witch vowed solemnly: "I have strong professional ethics. Client information is kept confidential."
Chu Yueyi couldn't help but think to herself: If he thinks it's suspicious and potentially malicious, why insist on synastry?
The witch entered their information into the computer to generate the chart. Chu Yueyi glanced at the screen from the corner of her eye, confirming that the data she had just memorized was correct, and then committed Shi Guanghua's information to memory.
She did this instinctively, but then felt strangely conflicted and annoyed, sensing that something wasn't quite right. If she decided to leave the show today, collecting this information now seemed pointless.
To ease her inner discomfort, Chu Yueyi struck up a conversation with the witch: "Aren't you going to use anything on the table? Is synastry for couples done only with computers?"
The astrology table was covered with tarot cards and other props, with feathers, aromatherapy items, and gemstones as decorations, giving it a mysterious air.
The witch, focused on generating the chart, replied without looking up: "Well, astrology has entered the digital age too."
Shi Guanghua grew even more suspicious upon hearing this, but Chu Yueyi responded calmly: "How progressive."
The witch worked efficiently, completing the synastry chart on the computer before turning to share the results with the couple. She spoke confidently: "Your composite chart shows compatibility for a romantic relationship. The Sun is in a sextile aspect with Venus, indicating mutual affection and the potential for romance. The Sun is trine Jupiter, suggesting alignment in life direction and joy in your interactions. The male partner is generous in giving. Additionally, Mars conjunct the Sun represents passion and emotion, which can also promote mutual growth..."
Inwardly, Chu Yueyi maintained a poker face, but outwardly she appeared attentive, nodding frequently in agreement.
Shi Guanghua had been cautiously watching the witch's every move, but now his expression softened slightly as he said with conviction: "I see."
The witch gazed at the synastry data on the computer, thoughtfully rubbing her chin as she continued: "However, the Saturn-Neptune square challenges these positive aspects, suggesting that the relationship may be built on insincerity and illusory deception. The initial romantic attraction could easily turn into disappointment and confusion, lacking a practical direction..."
Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua were both taken aback, not expecting the synastry reading to have both good and bad elements.
The witch continued to analyze the progression chart: "The composite Uranus in the 7th house indicates that you may suddenly form a partnership, but it could also end quickly. Uranian energy is all about suddenness. One of you feels like an outsider, valuing your independence highly and reluctant to make long-term commitments."
Shi Guanghua's eyes flickered slightly, and he pressed his lips together. Even without speaking, his disapproval was evident.
Chu Yueyi, who had only felt a slight jolt earlier, now felt as if someone had installed a psychological detector in her. It took all her acting skills to maintain a calm and unperturbed demeanor.
Wasn't their show relationship inherently deceptive, and hadn't it formed suddenly?
How could a fake CP possibly have long-term commitment?
"Additionally, Neptune in the 7th house represents a love that can lead to losing oneself. One person in the relationship may not see the other clearly, viewing everything through rose-colored glasses and imagining the relationship to be perfect when it's far from it. This person tends to become either a savior or a victim and may feel hurt when the illusion shatters..."
Shi Guanghua's eyes betrayed a rare hint of displeasure as he said decisively: "That's not the case."
The witch, abruptly interrupted, glanced at him in surprise before placating him halfheartedly: "Alright, alright, it's not. Let's continue."
"Looking at your future trends, your path won't be smooth sailing. You're likely to have major arguments and may even lose contact completely at one point. However, due to a deep and long-standing karmic connection, you'll both improve through these hardships and ultimately achieve a happy ending."
"The witch's advice is this: sometimes you need to break down to break through. Only by completely destroying false dreams can you rebuild something genuine from the ruins and welcome a warm, gentle dawn."
Chu Yueyi thought to herself, how could anything be rebuilt from desolate ruins? Were they supposed to be infrastructure maniacs?
The couple had entered the astrology booth casually but came out feeling dazed and conflicted. The witch's reading was neither entirely good nor bad; although the ending was positive, the process seemed painful, even devastating.
As Shi Guanghua emerged from the dimly lit astrology booth and saw daylight again, he feigned indifference and said: "It's not accurate."
Chu Yueyi hesitated: "Actually, it wasn't that bad..."
Although she had initially been dismissive, she had to admit that it resonated with her state of mind, with some events matching up. Even if the witch had watched the show or received instructions from the director, she shouldn't have been able to interpret their true feelings so accurately.
Shi Guanghua pondered for a moment before changing his stance: "Parts of it were accurate." The ending was good, at least.
Chu Yueyi, as a guest on the show, felt she should provide proper guidance. She said candidly: "Well, we should approach astrology with a critical mind, taking the good and discarding the bad."
Shi Guanghua nodded in agreement, choosing to focus on the positive and ignore the negative.
Standing in the amusement park, Chu Yueyi, having digested the astrology reading, felt a growing sense of resolution. She asked softly: "What should we do now?"
Shi Guanghua sensed her distraction and gave her a long, deep look before suggesting: "Why don't we find a place to sit for a while?"
Chu Yueyi was surprised: "But we just got here, and it's rare to visit an amusement park."
The production team had specifically arranged for them to film at the amusement park. If they didn't fully take advantage of the setting, wouldn't it be a waste of the directors' careful planning?
"Is that really important?" Shi Guanghua's eyes were as dark as black jade as he cut to the chase, "You don't like noisy places either, do you?"
It was the first time Shi Guanghua had spoken so bluntly. He was usually reticent but without edge, but now he seemed oddly assertive, displaying a sharp insight into her thoughts.
Chu Yueyi was uncharacteristically bashful, feeling as if her innermost thoughts had been exposed, with unspoken subtle words somehow understood. She indeed disliked noisy amusement parks, preferring quiet and leisurely home environments, but his words seemed to carry additional implications.
He had already sensed something.
Though he wasn't skilled at socializing, his intuition was exceptionally keen.
The two finally arrived at a secluded café in the amusement park. As the surrounding attractions were not yet open, there were hardly any tourists nearby, making the environment tranquil and serene.
The sounds of revelry from afar seemed like a world away, with the café interior deadly quiet. Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua chose a window seat, where she slowly stirred her coffee, watching as Shi Guanghua fiddled with a guitar.
Shi Guanghua had borrowed the guitar from the café staff. He casually plucked the strings, occasionally jotting something down on paper, composing with his head lowered, once again falling silent.
Chu Yueyi: "What are we supposed to do now?"
Shi Guanghua looked up at her words, saying pointedly: "You're always thinking about what to do next."
"You can do anything you want, just like I am now. After all, this is our last time together." His tone was extremely calm, having already figured out her unusual behavior. After today's recording, they could choose to end things, perhaps bidding each other a formal farewell.
In the seventh house of Leo, relationships form extremely quickly, and end just as swiftly.
He was definitely not the one ending things, which meant she must have grown tired of it all.
Chu Yueyi hadn't expected him to hit the nail on the head, completely exposing her thoughts. She suddenly couldn't continue her act. She had originally planned to finish this episode properly, at least maintaining her usual performance, but with her partner being so direct, she might as well throw caution to the wind.
Her silence at this moment was tantamount to admission.
Shi Guanghua didn't receive any denial from her, making him feel even more desolate as he slowly strummed the guitar strings.
Hearing the occasional notes springing forth, and thinking about finally ending the performance, Chu Yueyi suddenly relaxed completely. She asked curiously: "Do you want to compose now?"
Shi Guanghua responded: "Yes, I feel like this is the best state to be in."
A quiet and comfortable environment, accompanied by music, with her by his side. He couldn't imagine anything more beautiful. The show's design was meaningless; this moment was enough for him to cherish for a long time.
Chu Yueyi: "Why did you come to record this show?"
Shi Guanghua stopped plucking the strings. After pondering for a few seconds, he candidly said: "Because it was an opportunity I had been waiting for a long time, even thinking at one point that I might never get it."
Chu Yueyi understood. He had indeed stepped into the limelight because of the show, so participating in a dating reality show made sense, needing more exposure to solidify his foundation.
Shi Guanghua asked in return: "Why did you come to record the show?"
"I..." Chu Yueyi paused briefly, as if lost in memories, then smiled helplessly, "It doesn't seem to matter now."
She had originally just wanted exposure, but clearly, this method didn't suit her. The knot in her heart remained unresolved.
Chu Yueyi said regretfully: "I'm just a bit frustrated, I guess. I've worked hard for so long, but it can't compare to the buzz generated by..."
Although she had anticipated it, she still felt discontented. All those heartfelt works she had accumulated over time couldn't match the impact of just four episodes of a show and some commercials. Even though these were the rules of the industry, and she had thought about using them to her advantage, subconsciously she still felt indignant, unable to suppress her sense of unfairness.
She had no regrets about her past efforts, but the disparity between effort and reward was laughably ridiculous. The things she cared about hadn't yielded results, while things she didn't care about sparked heated discussions.
It felt utterly surreal. At this rate, she might as well just keep recording shows, maybe even give up acting altogether.
She felt she couldn't sink any lower, or she'd end up just like the rest of them.
Shi Guanghua: "Do you think you don't deserve the attention you're getting now?"
Chu Yueyi: "Do you think you deserve it?"
"I don't know if I deserve it, but I think you do. You've worked hard for long enough, it's time for you to reap the rewards. You deserve all of this."
He was speaking from the heart. He hadn't come to know her through the show; he could trace back to when she had no roles to play.
Shi Guanghua's eyes gleamed like winter snow. Still holding the guitar, he gazed out the window into the distance, speaking slowly and deliberately: "You think it's the show that's making people pay attention to you, but there are people who have been watching your progress for a long time. They don't think you've made the wrong choice, and are actually happy to see you shine."
It was truly a miraculous thing. He had inadvertently supported a rain-soaked flower bud, and this seemingly delicate flower had struggled to bloom after the storm, its fragrance filling the entire land.
By chance, he had remembered her name, watching as her works continuously accumulated, and more and more people came to know her name.
They had only met once, yet it had led him to keep this flower in his heart, unconsciously seeking out news about her. For a while, he didn't even understand their relationship; he wasn't her fan, they seemed to have no connection, yet somehow there was a link.
It wasn't until he came to the show that he truly got to know her.
Chu Yueyi had never heard Shi Guanghua say so much at once. She stared at him, stunned and unfamiliar. His voice was like a cello, his tone steady and certain, not so much discussing an issue as directly conveying a truth.
Shi Guanghua continued to pluck the guitar strings, his face expressionless as he said: "The newcomers aren't just here because of the show either. It's the explosion of energy you've accumulated over time. They're attracted by the you that all your past efforts have created, not by some topic manufactured by the show's production team."
Because back then, he too had merely had his interest piqued, moved by her long-term perseverance.
Their meeting may have been a random event, but the attraction was inevitable.
"You deserve it, there's no doubt about that."
Chu Yueyi was struck hard by his casual words. She couldn't describe her feelings at that moment, almost bursting into tears of frustration on the spot. It was like a child who had endured constant oppression finally having someone stand up for them. She could have endured it alone, but faced with comfort, she crumbled.
If no one had come to console her, she would have swallowed it all and fled as if nothing had happened. But he had to go and spell it out, and with such a resolute tone.
She had never been able to express these feelings, conflicted about her choices, always harboring discontent. And now someone was firmly telling her that she rightfully deserved all of this, that there was nothing wrong with her, that she hadn't gone astray - the rewards had just been delayed!
It wasn't the present she was upset about; she wanted her past to be seen, and he understood this perfectly.
He was so... annoying.
How could someone usually so inarticulate suddenly say such things!?
While feeling deeply rescued, she was also angry and annoyed. Faced with his assertions, she found herself speechless.
Shi Guanghua, who had been composed until now, suddenly lost his cool when he saw the glimmer in her eyes. He hastily asked: "What kind of songs do you like?"
Chu Yueyi instinctively glanced to the side, carefully avoiding the cameras, not wanting the warmth in her eyes to be recorded. She mumbled: "Why are you suddenly asking this?"
Shi Guanghua: "I want to write one you'd like, as a memento."
Chu Yueyi's expression changed slightly, understanding his meaning - this was to be a farewell gift. She deliberately made things difficult: "I like songs like 'Good Luck is Coming'."
Shi Guanghua: "..."
The next second, Shi Guanghua struggled to pluck the guitar strings, beginning to face a new challenge in his professional field.
Chu Yueyi had only heard two notes when her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Her low spirits were instantly dispersed, and she pushed further: "Why don't you just sing a song instead? I've never heard you sing before."
Granted a reprieve, Shi Guanghua relaxed a bit. He gently began to play the guitar, surprisingly singing Charlie Puth's "River".
"Don't run from me river, don't run from me river river..."
His voice was cooler compared to the original, but his pronunciation was accurate and melodious. The soft guitar notes drifted and lingered around her ears, repeating but never fading. His usually stiff tone was washed away by the melody, leaving only a tentative tenderness that tickled the listener's heartstrings.
His eyes were downcast, as if he didn't dare look at her, but the lyrics remained unchanged.
She had thought the cool guy would play electronic music, who knew he'd sing a love song, and one so fitting to the situation? Suddenly, she felt her blood rushing to her head, her cheeks burning with an uncontrollable blush!
Good heavens, this was truly a killing move!
As the song ended, the air in the coffee shop inexplicably thickened. A certain ambiguous signal circled between the two, causing both to remain silent for a long while.
Chu Yueyi was the first to break the deadlock. Attempting to calm her emotions, she brazenly said, "Could you sing it in Chinese? My English listening skills aren't good enough."
"..."
Sure enough, Shi Guanghua tensed up and became flustered in the next second. He looked away, covering his mouth, his ears tinged with pink. His body stiffened and trembled slightly.
Seeing this, Chu Yueyi instantly felt an indescribable sense of victory, as if she had just scored a pentakill in a game, regaining her confidence.
Chu Yueyi thought to herself: Don't think you can dominate in front of me. I'm clearly the strongest!!