Chu Yueyi didn't continue to argue with Shi Guanghua about the clothing issue. She was gradually figuring out his personality - although he usually seemed easygoing, he occasionally revealed a stubborn side. Directly transferring money to repay the favor clearly wouldn't work.
She fell into deep thought, realizing that for now she could only observe Shi Guanghua's needs and look for suitable opportunities to repay him.
As the rehearsals for the Qinguo TV New Year's Eve gala intensified, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua were both fully focused on their preparations, completely unaware that the broadcast of the fourth episode of "Heart-Fluttering Promise" had caused a huge stir, practically exploding among the show's devoted fans.
"Moonlight Departure" shot to the top of trending searches overnight. The "Moonlight Science Club" stopped updating their Weibo that evening, leaving only a sea of lamentations in the comments and bullet screen sections.
In the show, the fortune teller gave an inauspicious reading for their compatibility. Chu Yueyi didn't directly deny the idea of leaving. When the two said goodbye in the square, they had nothing to say. At the end, Shi Guanghua stood alone on the viewing platform in the night breeze, while Chu Yueyi walked along an unfamiliar, secluded path, seemingly completely detached from the show's filming state.
The fourth episode of "Heart-Fluttering Promise" ended abruptly at this point, with no one knowing what would happen next to the Moonlight Couple. Even more infuriating was that there was no preview for the next episode!
-- I'm assassinating the production team tonight, how can they stop here? Are they even human?!
-- No, no, no, why does every couple I ship end up breaking up? Am I cursed or something?
-- Bah! As a successor to socialism, I absolutely don't believe in feudal astrology!
-- Listen to what he said! You're a perfect match, a heavenly match, please don't leave each other!
-- The coffee shop scene was the most genuine moment for me, but it's precisely because it was so real that it feels precarious now, wuwuwu.
-- Turns out I'm the clown, thinking it was sweet, only to get stabbed in the back!
-- This episode was both heartbreaking and real, yet somehow still a bit sweet. I guess I'm good at picking up sugar from broken glass.
-- I firmly believe it's a reverse flag. As long as the emotions are built up properly, there's no way they'll actually break up.
-- They probably really did break up. Long-time fans of the female lead understand, she never used to do variety shows. I was quite against it at first, then it did feel sweet, but now there's nothing we can do. I hope they both have better futures.
-- Yueyi, don't be so morally upright. Even if you two are just acting, I still want to watch it [crying]
Countless Moonlight fans had their hearts broken that night. The complete silence from the "Moonlight Science Club" in particular left them feeling leaderless and devastated.
The official Weibo of "Heart-Fluttering Promise" was nearly overwhelmed by grief-stricken viewers, but they stubbornly held their ground without revealing anything, not even their usual program promotions.
In the brightly lit hotel corridor, Shang Qing raised her hand to knock on the room door. After waiting for a moment with no response, she took out her key card and entered. As soon as she looked up, she saw the artist sitting on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window, giving her a start.
Bai Yiyang was wrapped in a white bathrobe, her hair still wet, apparently having just finished a shower. She had alluring features, a delicate oval face, and wavy black hair, exuding feminine charm.
Shang Qing was startled: "Oh, you're in the room?"
Bai Yiyang didn't respond. She stared at her phone expressionlessly, completely isolated from the world.
Shang Qing curiously walked over to take a look. When she glimpsed "Heart-Fluttering Promise" on the screen, she impatiently pursed her lips and said acidly, "The marketing for this show is really impressive, it's practically a permanent fixture in the trending topics."
Chu Yueyi had gained a crazy number of fans through this show, with an impressive conversion rate after just four episodes of filming, while also gaining access to more projects and business opportunities in the industry. The male guest, Shi Guanghua, was really too weak. His team didn't fight or compete at all, and didn't even spread rumors of discord with the female guest like other celebrity couples do for publicity.
Shang Qing was quite looking forward to Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua having a falling out, as that was the common ending for most publicity couples. Shang Qing looked at the fixated Bai Yiyang and sneered, "Stop watching, it's just editing tricks. She definitely won't leave the show. You have no idea how popular this program is!"
In Shang Qing's view, no one could give up such a windfall opportunity. It was nothing more than a publicity stunt by the show, and Chu Yueyi would have to be out of her mind to walk away.
Bai Yiyang, who had been silent until now, suddenly retorted: "That's not necessarily true."
Chu Yueyi was different from others. Although Bai Yiyang was reluctant to admit it, the other woman's caliber far exceeded that of ordinary people, even including herself. Her appearance was friendly and harmless, but her mind was exceptionally tough, sometimes frighteningly strong.
She would probably choose to leave.
Shang Qing didn't argue, but instead brought up the schedule: "Oh right, after the gala ends tomorrow night, do you want to have dinner with that producer from last time? He has a project in preparation and said he'd like to meet with you to discuss it."
"Forget it, what good projects could he have?" Bai Yiyang sneered. She stared at Shi Guanghua playing the piano on the show, then disdainfully said, "Besides, men like that can't be any good."
Bai Yiyang had seen too many overly friendly men in the industry. She hadn't fallen so low as to have dinner with just anyone.
Seeing Bai Yiyang reject the offer without even looking up, Shang Qing felt there was a hint of indirect criticism in her words. She muttered, "Fine, I'll make up an excuse to decline. Just don't be too harsh if you run into him."
Bai Yiyang remained silent.
The night was vast and everything was quiet.
Bai Yiyang dried her long hair and lay down in the soft bed. She instinctively logged into "Honor of Kings" again, and finally couldn't resist clicking on the intimate relationship page. The lover column still showed "CYY". Chu Yueyi had neither changed her game name nor deleted her as a game friend, as if sealing away all past events.
Bai Yiyang used to feel a jolt when she saw Chu Yueyi online, reflexively exiting the page, but soon realized that the other person remained unaffected, while she alone was immersed in the past. Recalling events from their university days kept her tossing and turning, yet the other person seemed completely unaffected.
Just like now, dreaming of their school days.
"Let's bind an intimate relationship in the game."
"Whatever you want. So, we choose best friends?"
"No, let's choose lovers! You can have five best friends, but only one lover!"
"...Will your boyfriend be okay with that?"
"I'll just tell him it's a top player I met online. It'd be great to make him jealous, especially since you're even stronger."
"Alright, alright, you really know how to play."
Bai Yiyang recalled the past in her hazy sleep. She always felt a heavy weight that prevented her from sleeping soundly, spending the whole night in a daze and exhausted, trapped in an inescapable nightmare.
At the Qinguo TV gala venue, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua had already changed into their stage outfits and were going through the final rehearsal process. Shi Guanghua was wearing a white shirt and black suit pants, with a dark silk tie around his neck, sitting on a crystal stage bench.
According to the performance positioning, Chu Yueyi would exit through the space under the back of the chair, quickly change costumes backstage, and then reappear on stage. She was wearing a black feathered spaghetti strap dress, adorned with a Gothic-style choker, like an elegant black swan. She casually draped her arm over his shoulder.
Shi Guanghua was originally singing his part when he suddenly felt her lean in close. There was a faint scent and a gentle physical contact, which caused his mind to go blank and his performance to stutter.
At that moment, he didn't dare to look back at all, feeling that if he glanced back even slightly, he would see her smooth, round shoulders.
The accompaniment hadn't ended, but the singing abruptly stopped.
Director Qin looked at the frozen performer with a puzzled expression: "?"
Shi Guanghua remained motionless. Chu Yueyi also noticed her partner's unusual state. Sensing the bewildered gazes of others, she unceremoniously patted him and urged, "Sing."
Shi Guanghua snapped back to reality at her pat. He smoothly found his rhythm again and continued seamlessly.
Director Qin's expression eased slightly, though he still felt strange.
After the rehearsal, Chu Yueyi was still wearing the black dress. She crossed her arms dissatisfied, as if she had caught his weakness, and teased, "You actually slacked off on stage?"
Shi Guanghua had never made mistakes during rehearsals before. His rare slip-up today naturally surprised her.
Faced with a fully made-up Chu Yueyi, Shi Guanghua didn't know where to look. Suppressing the palpitations and nervousness in his heart, he awkwardly said, "I think your costume needs adjustment."
He had thought the black dress suited the stage style, but hadn't expected it to have such a powerful effect when she wore it.
"Wasn't this your choice? How else should it be adjusted?" Chu Yueyi teased mischievously, "Do you want the dress to be even shorter?"
Because Chu Yueyi had some dance moves in the latter part, the black spaghetti strap dress was tailored to allow her better movement. She didn't feel it was too revealing; in fact, the black dress was a bit longer than denim shorts, with only a semi-sheer lace design that was slightly sexy, but nothing compared to summer attire.
Shi Guanghua was caught off guard by her surprising words. He immediately blushed and stammered, "That's not..."
Chu Yueyi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. She walked towards the dressing room, casually waving her hand: "Sorry, I won't be adjusting the length of my dress. My apologies for disappointing you."
"..." Shi Guanghua was left speechless by her retort. He watched her gracefully walk away, feeling like he had dug himself into a hole.
The two completed their final rehearsal and were now waiting for the gala to officially begin. Since they were a surprise act, they kept a low profile during rehearsals, and their performance was scheduled towards the end.
While waiting, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua watched the gala in the room, appreciating the performances of other artists. Surprisingly, the opening act of the Qingguo TV New Year's Gala was Zou Qian, and coincidentally, the song was composed by Shi Guanghua.
Li You stared at Zou Qian singing and dancing on the screen, stroking her chin thoughtfully: "Zou Qian seems to perform Guanghua's songs quite often."
Before Shi Guanghua and Cheng could respond, Chu Yueyi mercilessly quipped: "Isn't it because these are his only hit songs?"
"Even if he wanted to perform his own songs, the TV station wouldn't agree."
Cheng, who was acquainted with Zou Qian, tried to mediate: "Actually, his self-written songs aren't that bad..."
Although Zou Qian couldn't compare to Shi Guanghua, he still had some talent.
Shi Guanghua nodded rationally: "Not that bad, just a little bad."
Cheng's eyebrows twitched as he reminded them: "...Zou Qian just paid us."
Remembering the client's face, Shi Guanghua wisely chose to keep quiet, displaying the gentleness of a contractor.
Chu Yueyi, however, enjoyed stirring up trouble: "Our song is also written by you. If the ratings aren't as good as Zou Qian's, wouldn't that be your fault in the end?"
Shi Guanghua was taken aback by the phrase "our song," but unsure of the outcome, he looked troubled: "Well..."
If it were Shi Guanghua's song competing against someone else's, he would have the confidence to talk big. But since both songs were written by him, it became unpredictable.
Chu Yueyi was deliberately giving him a hard time, but someone unexpectedly broke the deadlock.
A knock sounded on the dressing room door, and Zou Qian peeked in furtively. Seeing the two, he seemed to relax a bit and greeted them casually: "I was afraid I'd gone to the wrong place. Your dressing room doesn't even have a sign, you're really hidden deep!"
Other artists' doors had their names, but the surprise act had no real name. Zou Qian strode over to Shi Guanghua, holding a drink in his hand. He put his arm around Shi Guanghua's shoulders, boasting proudly: "Brother Shi, how was it? My performance today was pretty good, right? I came to see you right after getting off stage!"
Shi Guanghua wanted to move Zou Qian's arm away, but his movement was so subtle that Zou Qian only held him tighter. He could only display a helpless wooden expression.
Zou Qian clung close to Shi Guanghua, throwing a challenging glance at Chu Yueyi. His demeanor was extremely childish, as if comparing who was closer.
Chu Yueyi was used to his annoying behavior. She chuckled lightly and bluntly exposed him: "What do you mean 'right after getting off stage'? You clearly met with others before remembering us."
Zou Qian was startled by her words. He was so shocked that he let go of Shi Guanghua, exclaiming in disbelief: "How did you know!?"
Shi Guanghua was equally surprised. He looked curiously at Chu Yueyi, then silently at Zou Qian.
Faced with his inquiring gaze, Zou Qian's forehead began to sweat. He tried to explain: "Brother Shi, don't listen to her nonsense. My loyalty to you is beyond question..."
Chu Yueyi analyzed calmly: "First, our dressing room is the closest, but you took until now to come, obviously held up by something along the way."
"Second, that's not the water provided by the station." Her gaze fell on the drink in Zou Qian's hand as she smiled nonchalantly, "It looks like it was given by a girl. You don't seem like the type to drink this."
The drink in Zou Qian's hand didn't match his style, and Chu Yueyi saw through it instantly with her keen observation.
Faced with her logical deduction, Zou Qian took a sharp breath, feeling goosebumps rise on his back. He gaped: "Chu Yueyi, you're too scary! Your future partner wouldn't dare to have an affair!"
Zou Qian thought: Forget about having small thoughts, he'd be afraid she'd commit the perfect crime and make him a widower.
Hearing this, Shi Guanghua responded seriously and calmly: "Her partner won't have an affair."
Zou Qian: "..."
Faced with the double attack, Zou Qian gritted his teeth: "Alright, I'll take my leave now. I wish you two a hundred years of happiness!"
After saying goodbye, Zou Qian left the dressing room, seemingly heading to catch a ride home. After all, his performance was over, and he was now a free man who had successfully finished work, with no need to linger at the station.
Li You, being a sensitive manager, was surprised that Zou Qian didn't deny the speculation: "He's a popular star now, yet he's still interacting with girls?"
If Li You were Zou Qian's manager, she would be sensing a crisis, smelling the coming storm.
Chu Yueyi snorted coldly: "Who knows, he's got guts."
Cheng looked hesitant: "He shouldn't be dating anyone, we haven't heard anything. Do you know, Brother Shi?"
"I don't know," Shi Guanghua answered simply, then after a pause, he added, "I only know that I'm not dating anyone."
Chu Yueyi: "...Nobody asked you." This guy really knew how to chat.
On the gala stage, stars came and went, taking turns to shine, including Chu Yueyi's old acquaintance, Bai Yiyang. She took the stage to sing a ballad, though her makeup seemed heavy, perhaps to cover up her tired appearance due to lack of rest.
Chu Yueyi now found her both unfamiliar and uninteresting. She had never forgotten anything, but some things were better left unsaid, perhaps unnecessary to mention, best kept deep in her heart.
"Excuse me, you two can go backstage to prepare. It will soon be our turn," a staff member came to the dressing room to remind them, indicating that Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua could move to the stage.
The Qingguo TV New Year's Gala live broadcast was extremely long, and fans of various artists had gathered at the venue, though they now looked weary. TV audiences were equally drowsy, with many ready to switch channels as soon as their idols finished performing.
The crystal-like stage gradually dimmed, and a gentle, enchanting mysterious prelude began to play. A large amount of dry ice smoke billowed onto the stage, and in the hazy dreamscape, the silhouettes of two people could be seen dancing, seemingly a man and a woman.
The fans of other artists at the venue, holding their light sticks, stared blankly at the screen, wondering: "Whose performance is this?"
"I don't know, let me check..." One of them was about to look up the program list on her phone when she caught a glimpse of the stunning close-up of the duo on the big screen. She immediately screamed loudly, "Oh my god, it's Moonlight!"
"Which star is called Moonlight?"
"Are you stupid? It's the Moonlight Couple that's been trending on social media!"
TV viewers obviously had more information than those at the venue, as Qingguo TV had displayed the song name and performers clearly on screen.
Song: "Two-Faced Muse"
Performers: Moonlight Group (Chu Yueyi, Shi Guanghua)
It must be said that the TV station directly using "Moonlight Group" showed they really understood how to play the game.
Although the live audience consisted of fans of various stars, it didn't stop them from bursting into excited exclamations, feeling a tingling sensation on their scalps. The couple that had announced their breakup yesterday was now performing together on the gala stage today – it was indescribably thrilling!
Meanwhile, when Bai Yiyang saw Chu Yueyi shining brilliantly on stage, she appeared dazed and lost, as if she hadn't anticipated this at all.
Shang Qing, seeing the audience's reaction, was completely dumbfounded: "Have these people gone mad?"
The ethereal smoke was like a light veil, connecting the two dancers. The lights in the venue converged on the stage, along with the expectant gazes of the entire audience.
The audience below was like a boiling wave, but Chu Yueyi on stage couldn't hear any sound. She gazed at Shi Guanghua with complete focus, her eyes intense and bright, as if she could only see him. Unaffected by the noisy environment, she extended her hand after a smooth spin, dancing gracefully with the music.
Chu Yueyi's singing skills weren't exceptional, but stage performance also valued expressiveness. Shi Guanghua's suggestion was simple: he would handle most of the singing, leaving only the most melodious chorus for her.
Shi Guanghua wore a white shirt. He reached out to hold her soft fingers, his eyes shimmering, and began to sing softly. The prelude of this song was captivating, like the glistening dewdrops at dawn, conveying a subtle, swaying emotion.
From an unknown moment,
A secret hidden deep in the heart.
After the thunderstorm,
Feelings quietly sprouted.
Both dressed in white, they looked like high school sweethearts, exuding a warm sense of pure innocence.
The white-dressed girl twirled gracefully, her flowing sleeves elegant and soft. She was like a sacred white lily, singing an ethereal and distant chorus.
Double-faced Muse, divine descent.
Deeply immersed, unable to approach.
The crystal-clear stage lights flickered, then projected beams like mysterious moonlight, cold and crisp, gradually darkening the stage. A crystal-like bench slowly rose on stage, resembling a lonely throne built of transparent glass. Shi Guanghua sat alone on it, while Chu Yueyi had disappeared.
The screen showed only a close-up of Shi Guanghua's handsome features. His expression was calm and distant, like an abandoned traveler taking a brief rest on an unfamiliar throne, resembling an ice pillar standing in the polar region.
Pure joy,
Subtle attraction.
Inescapable, sea king's dream.
Real or fake, close yet distant.
The heart-stirring low male voice lingered above the stage. Just as the audience was holding their breath to appreciate the singing, an ethereal and melodious female voice sounded again.
Chu Yueyi had finished changing her outfit. She was like a bewitching devil in the dark night, revealing a light and alluring smile, casually placing her hand on him.
At this moment, indulge and intoxicate.
At this moment, dance together.
She was like a vengeful black swan, completely different from her earlier demeanor. Her eyes were now adorned with sparkling jewels, her expression between a smile and not, truly captivating, making it impossible to look away!
The audience immediately erupted in uncontrollable screams, as if they wanted to tear the roof off!
Backstage, Bai Yiyang stared at Chu Yueyi in a daze, knowing better than anyone her expressive power. Even though she wasn't the most beautiful girl in school, her on-stage presence was unrivaled and unbeatable. If she were to play a dark elf, she would undoubtedly have a soul-stirring allure.
Her acting was getting stronger, while she herself was falling further behind.
On stage, if their dance had started as pure-hearted companionship, it now seemed like a flirtation filled with ambiguity.
The black-dressed Chu Yueyi exuded a strong presence. She cornered the white-clothed Shi Guanghua step by step, even boldly loosening his silk tie, exposing half of his deep collarbone.
She revealed a mischievous smile, ignoring his slight embarrassment, and sang the chorus again, sounding deeply affectionate.
Double-faced Muse, divine descent.
Deeply immersed, unable to approach.
Shi Guanghua was pinned to the throne by her, his tie in her grasp. Now he had nowhere to hide, his ears burning red. He nervously averted his gaze and sang with her, gritting his teeth.
Double-faced Muse, divine descent.
Deeply immersed, unable to approach.
Chu Yueyi suddenly yanked the tie, finally breaking the last bit of distance. They were almost face to face as they sang, so close they could almost touch each other's lips. Their warm breaths mingled subtly, and the trembling emotions in their eyes could no longer be hidden.
She had originally been performing according to the script, but inadvertently caught the glimmer in his eyes, and at that moment, her heartbeat synchronized with his nervous pulse.
His gaze was as intense as fire, the throbbing in his heart like a sincere drum, beating against her heart one after another, powerfully disrupting her own heartbeat as well.
They gazed deeply into each other's eyes, in an almost kissing posture, and sang the last part together.
Amidst the roaring waves, just you and me.
Under the unchanging moonlight, just you and me.