Human language is truly profound and expansive; a single sentence can be interpreted in countless ways.
Shi Guanghua was deliberately warning her, wanting her to be wary of the opposite sex.
For the first time in a conversation, Chu Yueyi's mind went blank. She looked at him with dazed eyes and stammered, "Willing to do what?"
Her mind was buzzing now, her almond eyes filled with confusion. She had been half pulled up by him, her clothes slightly disheveled.
Shi Guanghua held her hand tightly, their fingers intertwined, while his other hand adjusted the silk ribbon on her shoulder and neck. He stood steadily beside her and said ambiguously, "Who knows?"
What. Is. He. Saying.
Chu Yueyi: Brother, these are your words, of course you should know, right?
Shi Guanghua used to not speak at all, but now when he opens his mouth, it's incomprehensible, completely confusing her.
Chu Yueyi was dumbfounded.
The two maintained their original positions, frozen beside the sofa for a long time, until Shi Guanghua shook the hand he was holding. Standing with an upright posture, he asked leisurely, "Do you want to hold hands for a while longer?"
After a brief pause, Shi Guanghua extended his other hand to her and added, "This one is fine too."
"..."
Chu Yueyi finally came to her senses, realizing that she had been holding his hand back without knowing when it happened. She quickly released her fingers and leaned back against the sofa. Her whole being was in a whirl now, unable to process such a large amount of information. Her usually precise, machine-like brain was overloaded with data.
Shi Guanghua sighed with feigned disappointment and reached out to put away the fallen Promise Key.
She became even more dizzy.
Chu Yueyi remained remarkably quiet afterwards, mainly because she hadn't sorted out her thoughts yet. She was now shooting the MV on instinct alone, barely managing not to malfunction on the spot. She had no awareness of wanting to control the scene, nor did she try to compete for dominance anymore. She simply filmed as the director instructed and let Shi Guanghua guide her if he wanted to.
Shi Guanghua had never seen her so docile before. In the past, she was either smiling flawlessly in front of the camera or deliberately teasing and joking off-camera. In any case, she was always composed and flawless, never seeming to have a moment of losing control.
The shooting continued, and now it was Shi Guanghua's turn to sit in a chair with classic floral patterns. Following the director's instructions, Chu Yueyi leaned against one side of the chair.
The MV Director looked at the scene in the monitor with a worried expression, deep in thought. He stroked his chin hesitantly and suggested, "Can you get a little closer?"
Chu Yueyi suspected that this was the only phrase the director in front of her knew. She turned back to observe Shi Guanghua sitting upright, who had already occupied the entire chair space, leaving not even a crack. There was simply no point to lean on.
She circled around Shi Guanghua in the chair, feeling utterly helpless and desperate inside. She thought to herself that they might as well just ask her to sit on his lap; any closer would be an unreasonable demand.
The next second, her ominous premonition actually came true. The MV Director pondered, "Yueyi, why don't you try sitting on his lap?"
Chu Yueyi: "... That doesn't seem appropriate."
MV Director: "But I think it would look good on camera."
Chu Yueyi: "It wouldn't look good if I broke his legs by sitting on them."
MV Director: "?"
The MV Director laughed heartily at her dry humor. "How could that happen? You're not that heavy, and even if you did break his leg, we could just switch to the other one. He surely wouldn't mind!"
"Right, Guanghua?" The MV Director glanced at the silent Shi Guanghua, seeking his opinion. "You don't mind, do you?"
Shi Guanghua: "Mm."
Unable to reject the director's idea, Chu Yueyi could only reluctantly comply, walking over with an expressionless face.
Shi Guanghua calmly adjusted his posture, leaving space for her to sit. Chu Yueyi didn't dare to put her full weight on his legs. She could only use the complexity of her dress skirt to conceal, barely sitting on his lap, not actually making direct contact, like a feather suspended in mid-air. This posture was indeed quite challenging physically, but fortunately, her expression management was still intact.
Their current state was essentially him holding her in his arms, but they weren't looking at each other, instead both facing the camera.
Chu Yueyi found maintaining this posture extremely tiring. She felt the shooting was dragging on endlessly, and her body began to tremble slightly. But it was truly inappropriate to sit down completely, so she could only endure the difficult position.
Shi Guanghua noticed her unconscious trembling. Of course, he knew she hadn't fully sat down. He whispered, "So it turns out you're not that bold after all."
Talking about taking initiative was one thing, but actually being afraid was another.
Chu Yueyi was stunned.
Shi Guanghua's arms were around her, but he wasn't directly supporting her. Instead, he used the back of his hand to prop up her waist, providing a point of support in the shadows. His arms were quite strong, instantly taking over the burden for her, suddenly allowing her to relax a bit.
If he hadn't whispered those intriguing words, he would have been the perfect professional partner.
Chu Yueyi thought secretly.
She actually had judgments about the people around her. Once she established an accurate understanding, she would know how to interact with them. In her past perception, he belonged to the category of silent and introverted people, lacking the ability to communicate properly, not understanding the rules of variety show filming at all, but possessing keen observation skills and good qualities, silently taking care of others.
This was a double-edged sword. His contributions were silent, and conflicts erupted silently as well. Unable to pry open his mouth, people found no way to deal with him.
But now he started to speak up, saying things that broke her perception, making her re-enter the judgment period.
She noticed that he was supporting her with the back of his hand in a gentlemanly manner, and for a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Shi Guanghua seemed to have changed now, yet it seemed nothing had changed; he was still him.
As the filming of the seventh episode ended, and the MV shooting officially concluded, Chu Yueyi was completely exhausted by the end of work. She was in a state of utter confusion, like a computer with scrambled code, practically losing her soul.
In the car, Chu Yueyi had just sat down in the company van when she heard Li You speak first: "Yueyi, you and Shi Guanghua..."
Chu Yueyi was rubbing her temples and reflexively responded, "Sister You, I know, I know, let me reorganize my thoughts..."
She needed to catch her breath now and ponder his transformation.
Li You hadn't participated in the MV shooting today and naturally didn't know the details of the set. She asked in surprise, "What thoughts do you need to reorganize? Isn't it just attending the platform's big conference? It's not like you haven't attended before, at most you're going with Shi Guanghua this time."
Chu Yueyi came back to her senses: "Oh, so that's what it's about."
Li You became suspicious: "What else could it be?"
Chu Yueyi said numbly, "Nothing, but doesn't this mean I'll be seeing him every day, both inside and outside the show?"
Li You: "Of course, there's a lot of work to do after the New Year, and all of this needs to be completed before you start your new project. I guess you two will be packaged together for the coming days."
Chu Yueyi: "..." They really weren't giving her any time to think.
"Heart-Fluttering Promise" needed to continue filming, there was the production and promotion of the digital album, the pre-heating for the sweet yogurt advertisement, and the video website's New Year's Gala. Thinking carefully, Chu Yueyi realized that she and Shi Guanghua were practically conjoined twins, with no work completely separate from each other.
Sure enough, even before the seventh episode had been uploaded and broadcast, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua were set to appear together at the platform's New Year's Gala. After the MV shooting, the two briefly discussed the album at the studio the next day, and the third day was the day of the gala.
Chu Yueyi wanted to find an opportunity to rethink, but with the mountain of tasks piling up, she didn't even have a chance to catch her breath. Closing her eyes meant sleep, opening them meant work, and it was all joint work with him.
At the entrance of the cultural and creative park, Chu Yueyi sat in the car, watching Shi Guanghua appear in a suit. She couldn't help but comment, "It seems like we've been seeing each other every day these past few days."
Shi Guanghua, rarely dressed in a crisp suit today with even his jet-black messy hair styled, glanced at her lightly and said, "Tired of seeing me?"
Chu Yueyi felt this statement wasn't quite right and hurriedly said, "... No."
Shi Guanghua's lips tightened slightly: "Mm, that's normal. After all, I'm not that handsome."
Chu Yueyi: "No, I misspoke. Mr. Shi, please get in the car..."
Chu Yueyi thought to herself: Now he talks more, but occasionally it's a bit strange.
The video website's New Year's Gala was very procedural, nothing more than industry insiders gathering for a meeting, with stars and artists walking the red carpet and making appearances. Senior executives would showcase future prospects on the big screen, outlining a new blueprint for film and television entertainment, discussing major projects for the coming year, all to attract investment and paint a grand picture.
Chu Yueyi used to attend these events alone. Without substantial popularity, it was crucial for actors to maintain good relationships with the platforms. This was entirely an industry insider gathering. Having a good reputation within the circle and decent connections with platform executives was one of the few ways for low-profile actors to obtain projects and resources.
She had secured roles this way before. A pleasant collaboration with one producer could spread by word of mouth to others. Although this method was less efficient than stirring up gossip or generating buzz, it allowed for steady progress without much psychological pressure.
Of course, she had buzz this year too, and she was riding that wave as she arrived.
Chu Yueyi recognized the familiar scenery outside the window. It was the same venue as last year's video site gala. Already, numerous media workers had gathered outside, along with swarms of fans from several celebrity camps. The scene looked bustling, with camera flashes going off intermittently.
She sat in the inner seat of the luxury van, further from the door. With a slight tilt of her head, she could see Shi Guanghua beside her. He wore a dark shirt and suit, calmly gazing forward, completely unaffected by the commotion outside.
Chu Yueyi felt a slight stirring in her heart and suddenly asked, "Have you been here before?"
Shi Guanghua answered honestly, "No."
Shi Guanghua had never attended the New Year's Gala before. The celebrities and artists who attended were either trending stars or those with good relationships with the video site. As a musician, he naturally had no reason to appear.
Chu Yueyi nodded in understanding, "I see."
Hearing this, Shi Guanghua turned to her and inquired, "Is there anything I need to be aware of?"
"Not really," Chu Yueyi tilted her head in thought for a moment before adding, "Welcome to the world of industry insiders."
This was an environment completely different from his own. She hoped he wouldn't be disappointed by it.
The car door slowly opened, and cool air rushed in. Chu Yueyi saw the camera flashes lining the red carpet from inside the car, finally feeling a sense of returning to real life. During the program's recording, she had felt like she was living in a fairy tale - a vacuum constructed by Shi Guanghua and the directors, far from the reality of the entertainment industry.
These few months had passed in the blink of an eye; she had almost forgotten about all this.
Shi Guanghua got out of the car first. He stood on the red carpet and turned to offer her his hand, causing a small commotion among the surrounding fans.
Despite his recent tendency for sarcasm, he hadn't forgotten to maintain face in front of the cameras. If anything, he was doing more than before.
Chu Yueyi was momentarily stunned. This was her first time attending with a partner. She took his hand carefully as she got out of the car, then walked down the red carpet arm in arm with him. It was truly a novel experience. While others arrived solo, they were required to appear together.
The platform had even specified that they should arrive in the same car, which was why they had met up at the entrance of the creative park.
They had both been low-key individuals when apart, but together they became the focus of the world's attention. Walking side by side down the red carpet, they were nearly blinded by camera flashes.
Noticing her light attire, Shi Guanghua looked down and asked with concern, "Are you cold?"
"It's fine. Enduring the cold is a traditional skill for female celebrities," Chu Yueyi replied naturally, her arm linked with his. "It'll be better once we're inside."
Chu Yueyi was familiar with the New Year's Gala routine. She entered arm in arm with Shi Guanghua and then went on stage as the representative guest of the platform's annual program "Heart-Fluttering Promise". The two stood on stage listening to the leader's lengthy speech. Just as her smile was about to freeze, they were finally able to leave the stage.
Shi Guanghua clearly hadn't experienced such a scene before. He seemed a bit wooden on stage, staring expressionlessly at the speaker.
The New Year's Gala was being live-streamed. The two slowly descended the stairs, finally reaching their moment of liberation. Chu Yueyi held onto his wrist as they went down, noticing the stiffness in his body. She asked, "Are you alright?"
Shi Guanghua steadied her as she reached the ground, saying indifferently, "I couldn't understand a word he was saying."
He had tried hard to analyze the leader's speech but hadn't grasped the main points at all, despite the long duration.
Chu Yueyi exclaimed in surprise, "...You actually tried to understand?"
Noticing his sinking mood, she quickly patted him reassuringly, saying in a soothing voice, "There, there. Today's work is over."
The insiders' work hours had come to an end; it couldn't have been easy for him to stand stiffly for so long.
The two were supporting each other as they came down from the stage, naturally away from others. Just as Chu Yueyi patted him, she suddenly heard a commotion in the venue, startling her.
Shi Guanghua, who was still supporting her, also looked bewildered, glancing towards the hall in confusion.
On stage, the host was alerted by the clamor. He turned back in surprise, examining the large screen in the hall, and joked, "What's going on? Did our director capture something interesting?"
The venue suddenly became noisy, and the live stream comments exploded. The platform's reason for inviting celebrities was simple - they wanted to lure viewers to watch the live stream, which undoubtedly required eye-catching highlights.
Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua had been quietly leaving the stage, but unexpectedly, they were caught by the camera and shown on the big screen.
-- Report to the teacher! They're whispering secretly, expose them quick!
-- Director, zoom in! I want to hear what they're muttering about!
-- Well, well, nothing in the show, but holding hands outside the show. That's so you guys.
-- As a distinguished member of the video site, don't I deserve to see some adult content?
-- Who photoshopped their screenshot from the speech into a "Together Forever" picture?
-- Do we even need to photoshop that? It's obvious to anyone with eyes.
-- LOL, Teacher Shi's black face on stage clearly shows he couldn't stand it either.
-- Shi: Stop babbling already, can't you see my wife is tired?
Caught off guard, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua hurriedly tiptoed back to their seats to avoid the live broadcast cameras in the venue.
They both sat upright and serious, staring straight ahead without moving until the screen changed to a different scene.
They continued to sit properly, listening to the hypnotic gala.
After a while, Chu Yueyi felt her hairstyle was a bit awkward and wanted to adjust it discreetly. Her style was quite complex and not really suitable for prolonged sitting. She turned her head carefully to fix it, inadvertently bumping Shi Guanghua's shoulder. Shi Guanghua turned to look at her; she was seriously lowering her head to fix her braid, her delicate eyelashes fluttering, looking obedient and harmless.
He stared at her silently for a long time, then tilted his head to bump her head lightly.
Chu Yueyi: "?"
Chu Yueyi stopped adjusting her hairstyle and bumped him back in confusion, asking bewilderedly, "What are you doing?"
Shi Guanghua: "Nothing."
After speaking, Shi Guanghua expressionlessly tilted his head again, lightly bumping the top of her head with his.
Chu Yueyi couldn't understand his behavior. She simply lowered her voice and said, "...Stop acting if there's no camera."
"I don't think I've ever told you before," Shi Guanghua heard this and looked at her lightly, revealing a mysterious expression as he said in a low voice, "I'm not an actor, I don't know how to act."
His voice was calm and peaceful, but his eyes held unfathomable emotions as he gazed deeply at her.
Chu Yueyi stared at him in a daze, seeing her own reflection in his eyes.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
In the next second, the host on stage broke the deadlock, humbly and patiently pleading, "Um, you two, could you stop playing for now? Let's move on to the next part and keep things moving, okay?"
To increase the live stream's popularity, the director kept cutting to shots of the Moonlight Couple, naturally capturing their head-bumping moment. The silent gaze between the two now further diverted the audience's attention. The viewers had no interest in listening to the conference on stage; they just wanted to stare at the big screen in the venue.
The host felt the director had a vendetta against him. Everyone was so focused on performance now that they disregarded others' well-being. Sure, the live stream's popularity had increased, but what about the order in the venue? Were the leaders not going to speak anymore?
The host had no choice but to risk speaking up to stop the source of the disturbance.
Faced with the reminder, Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua quickly turned to face forward, no longer whispering to each other.
The host breathed a small sigh of relief and continued to move the proceedings along: "Next, we'll review the platform's new member acquisition data for the year. Please welcome..."
Just then, a shout erupted from the back row: "Just let them play! The new member data will definitely be enough, it's absolutely more useful than this dry talk!"
Host: "..."!