As the song ended, the throne carrying the two slowly disappeared in the mist. The audience erupted into chaos like oil dropped into boiling water. They let out excited shouts, even screaming themselves hoarse, completely forgetting their fan allegiances and creating an atmosphere of wild celebration.
The platform gradually lowered, blocking out the noisy sounds from outside and making the dim backstage seem even quieter by contrast.
With the performance over, the two maintained their final pose, Shi Guanghua still motionless under Chu Yueyi's grip. His eyes darkened mysteriously, occasionally flashing a faint light as he silently gazed at her.
Though his stage costume appeared cold and dignified, the warm aura emanating from his body was undiminished, nearly scorching Chu Yueyi pressed against him. Her eyes trembled involuntarily, feeling a strange dizziness come over her. Though she didn't say a word to him in that moment, she could feel his heart beating like a drum.
Chu Yueyi had been unaware during rehearsals and on stage, but now that she had fully emerged from her performance mindset, she finally sensed something was off and suddenly understood Shi Guanghua's nervousness during practice.
She instinctively released his tie and awkwardly tried to stand up, but due to the narrow backstage, was forced to press against him again. They had just finished performing, and waves of heat surged through their bodies, causing the ambiguous atmosphere to ferment and intertwine.
Shi Guanghua remained silent throughout, as if frozen in place, merely gazing at her with deep eyes.
Chu Yueyi felt somewhat out of place under his gaze. It was only now that she realized how strange things were between them, noticing many things she had previously overlooked.
Because Shi Guanghua was always socially inept, often appearing silly and clumsy, she had never felt his aggressive side. In her view, he just looked smart but was actually easy to push around and bully, completely unable to match her.
However, he was undeniably male, and males inherently possess an invasive quality. The baser ones flaunt it shamelessly, while the nobler ones restrain themselves through morality. But that doesn't mean this side completely disappears - it's just hidden in depths that are hard to perceive.
She had gotten carried away, always thinking his mind was simple and he would surely be defenseless, forgetting the gender difference between them.
Chu Yueyi felt feverish from the emotions permeating the air. Her head was a jumble, and trying to regain her composure, she blurted out dryly: "So you're actually a man."
In her current muddled state, faced with the delicate atmosphere, she thoughtlessly spoke the truth, instantly shattering the undercurrent of tender feelings!
The hazy awareness that had been lurking between them suddenly plunged into speechless silence.
Shi Guanghua had already been quite restrained, but now his face showed a strange expression: "?" What kind of statement was that?
After a moment, he asked in disbelief: "You thought I was a woman before?"
Seeing his surprised look, Chu Yueyi realized her slip of the tongue. She quickly tried to change the subject, laughing awkwardly: "Ah, we should hurry back to the dressing room, don't wait for the director to come rush us..."
Chu Yueyi thought to herself: How could a big mute have any gender? It's just that you were too silly before!
Recalling Shi Guanghua's childish words and actions in the past, she felt his maturity level was barely that of a kindergartener. But she clearly couldn't say such provocative things to his face. Completely disregarding Shi Guanghua's expression, she stiffly stumbled to her feet and bolted towards the dressing room without looking back, as if being chased by a demon.
Watching her flee in a flash, Shi Guanghua didn't immediately follow. He sat quietly for a long while with an inscrutable expression. He casually pulled off his crooked tie, finally feeling fresh air flood his lungs as he escaped the tense and unbearable state of restraint.
Before long, Shi Guanghua's thoughts calmed and he prepared to return to their shared dressing room, but unexpectedly encountered an uninvited guest.
The backstage area after the show was quite busy, but the hallway to the dressing rooms was empty of staff, with only someone deliberately waiting to ambush Shi Guanghua. Bai Yiyang quietly waited for him to approach before slowly emerging from a corner, taking the initiative to greet him: "Hello, I'm Bai Yiyang."
Bai Yiyang wasn't wearing her performance gown, but casual clothes. However, she hadn't removed her stage makeup, giving her an imposing air that suggested she came with ill intent.
Shi Guanghua stopped in his tracks. He wasn't actually good at remembering celebrities, but her name sounded very familiar, seeming to be from a question he had once gotten wrong. Searching his memory, the tag "Chu Yueyi's rival" popped up, and a look of realization dawned on his face.
Shi Guanghua didn't introduce himself or speak, silently waiting for her to continue.
Seeing that he wouldn't even exchange pleasantries, Bai Yiyang raised an eyebrow slightly and got straight to the point: "The reason I came to find you is simply out of curiosity. May I know why you joined the show?"
Shi Guanghua: "That doesn't seem to be any of your business."
Noticing his uncooperative and cold attitude, Bai Yiyang gave a light laugh before saying more gently: "I may have forgotten to mention earlier, but Chu Yueyi and I were college roommates, sharing bunk beds. During school, she rarely interacted with males, but was inexplicably popular among girls. There wasn't a single female classmate in our year who disliked her - you could even say she was like a gender-swapped campus heartthrob..."
Bai Yiyang's expression turned nostalgic, as if recalling happy times.
Shi Guanghua found her expression strangely glaring and annoying. His tone grew increasingly cold: "What are you trying to say?"
Bai Yiyang snapped out of her reminiscence and looked back at him with an ambiguous smile: "Precisely because of this, her experience in handling relationships with the opposite sex is pitifully lacking. She doesn't even know that males are ignorant, shallow, impulsive, and opportunistic beings, occasionally lacking boundaries and moral sense."
"They wouldn't consider it beneath them to participate in a dating reality show. It's an opportunity to get close to female celebrities while gaining fame and fortune through exposure. As men, they have nothing to lose. Who would refuse such a sweet deal?"
Bai Yiyang understood clearly the mentality of male guests joining dating shows. Women have an undeniable natural disadvantage in certain aspects. She had no interest in Shi Guanghua's motives for joining the show, but he shouldn't excessively entangle with Chu Yueyi, even trampling the boundaries that should exist only for the cameras.
If Chu Yueyi had chosen to leave the show, or hadn't participated in the evening gala, Bai Yiyang wouldn't have felt this sense of crisis. That would have meant everything was still under control. However, Chu Yueyi's uncharacteristic behavior proved Shi Guanghua's influence. Something was quietly changing in the shadows - a dangerous signal.
"A man's obsession can still be spoken of; a woman's obsession cannot be mentioned."
Bai Yiyang knew well Chu Yueyi's experiences as a "widow queen". She certainly didn't want her to fall because of a TV show.
Listening to her sarcastic insinuations, Shi Guanghua maintained a calm demeanor throughout before suddenly saying: "You must have very poor relationships with men."
Bai Yiyang's eyebrows shot up. During school, she may not have been popular with girls, but she never lacked boyfriends. She immediately sneered: "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Shi Guanghua: "Being able to disparage the opposite sex as completely worthless proves you've never met a good man. Perhaps it's a case of like attracting like."
Bai Yiyang didn't expect that he, who seemed so quiet and unresponsive, could actually be so venomous and tricky with words. Taken aback by his retort, she inhaled sharply before saying with a cold laugh: "What are you so smug about? You're just a coworker to her. Once the show is over, you'll have no relationship at all."
Shi Guanghua calmly countered: "Then what are you to her?"
Bai Yiyang was instantly stung by his words and couldn't answer for a long while.
"A friend, or an enemy?" Shi Guanghua said unhurriedly. "What right do you have to come find me?"
Shi Guanghua rarely confronted others directly, but he resented Bai Yiyang's probing and critical attitude, as well as her use of malicious and dark thoughts to scrutinize their relationship. He admitted that he had joined the show with personal motives, but those were absolutely not base or inferior thoughts, nor did they involve any pursuit of fame or fortune.
Shi Guanghua: "I'm different from you. I won't casually entrust my emotions to others due to my own inner emptiness. Only when I meet that person will I have the thought of commitment. If I don't meet them, I'll just be by myself."
There are two types of emotional patterns for people: one fears loneliness and casually seeks a partner, while the other experiences a flutter of the heart before the idea of companionship is born. The former can be replaced at any time, but the latter cannot be substituted.
If he hadn't met her, he would have continued on alone.
"You may have good intentions for her, but the disparity in your levels is too great. She actually doesn't need you."
In Shi Guanghua's view, Bai Yiyang was truly shallow, completely different from Chu Yueyi. The former was like a dull gemstone illuminated by strong light, requiring great effort to shine, yet lacking the latter's natural transparency.
However, he wasn't surprised by this. It was precisely the mediocrity of most people that highlighted her specialness.
After listening to his brazen speech and witnessing him leave without looking back, Bai Yiyang gritted her teeth in anger: "Well done, I'll remember you."
She didn't believe Shi Guanghua's righteous words. Which man wouldn't put on an act in public?
It was all part of men's inherent flaws, and she would expose him sooner or later.
In the break room, Chu Yueyi heard the door open. She glanced nervously at Shi Guanghua and said with inexplicable guilt: "You took so long."
Usually, Chu Yueyi would use her deductive skills to ponder the reasons for his slow actions, but now she dared not think too deeply and didn't pursue the matter further.
Shi Guanghua didn't mention anything about Bai Yiyang. Instead, he casually asked, "Were you popular among girls at school?"
"Ah, who told you that? I guess so," Chu Yueyi said, scratching her head. "I don't know if I'd call it popular, but everyone was nice to me."
Chu Yueyi thought: If only they didn't always come to me to vent about their relationships, I might feel even happier.
Shi Guanghua felt a strange sensation rising within him. He asked meaningfully, "Were you perhaps too nice to them?"
Chu Yueyi: "?"
Confused, Chu Yueyi asked in surprise, "We're all girls, what's there to be concerned about?"
"Of course it's concerning," Shi Guanghua said, his gaze deepening. "Do you still see me as a woman?"
Faced with this bizarre shift in conversation, Chu Yueyi was completely baffled: "..." Good grief, I can't continue this chat with you. It's clearly the prelude to unreasonable behavior.
Seeing her silence, Shi Guanghua stared at her for a moment before saying, "You're acting strange."
Shi Guanghua thought: A strange love rival has appeared.
Faced with his nitpicking, Chu Yueyi halfheartedly replied, "Yes, yes, yes, I'm acting strange. I see you as a woman. Why don't you put on women's clothes right now to prove your ridiculous theory?"
"Come on, the dress is over there. Help yourself, Teacher Shi!" Chu Yueyi couldn't be bothered to humor this childish behavior. She waved her hand, gesturing towards the clothes rack in the corner, exuding an air of resignation.
Shi Guanghua: "..." !