The lakeside restaurant had been carefully decorated by the production team. Upon entering, there was a memory lane filled with hanging photos, followed by the table where the first recording took place. The two ordered dishes for each other, enjoyed a delicious lunch, and then moved to a new area.
On the table sat a familiar conch-shaped glass container, still filled with colorful strips of paper containing questions. Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua had once gotten to know each other through these colored strips. Back then, Shi Guanghua had stumbled through his answers, only able to respond to Chu Yueyi's questions by playing the piano.
Today, the piano in the restaurant had disappeared, moved to an unknown location.
The executive director explained, "This is the Future Conch. You'll take turns drawing questions, and the strips contain questions about the future. We hope both of you will answer honestly."
Only then did the two realize the restaurant's design: the entrance was a path of memories, lunch was a rest stop, and now they were embarking on a journey towards the future. Each space in the room was interconnected.
Chu Yueyi glanced at Shi Guanghua and joked, "Shouldn't they bring out an instrument? What if Mr. Shi can't find the words?"
Teased about his past, Shi Guanghua calmly retorted, "Do you want to hear me sing again?"
Chu Yueyi was suddenly at a loss for words. She felt that the "singing" he mentioned wasn't quite what she had imagined, and didn't dare to respond hastily.
The two sat at the table, each drawing a strip of paper from the glass conch. By unspoken agreement, they didn't immediately unfold them.
Shi Guanghua asked, "Who goes first?"
Chu Yueyi deliberately said, "Gentlemen first."
Shi Guanghua slowly unfolded the colored strip. Reading the question, he looked up at her: "What are your work plans for the next three years?"
Chu Yueyi answered smoothly, in an official tone: "Work hard, act well, strive to transition to the big screen, and after earning money for the company, hopefully be allowed to perform in some stage plays."
Previously, she had skill but wasn't popular enough, so naturally had little say in the company and had to follow the team's arrangements. Now that she was gradually getting good resources, as long as she could seize the opportunity to reach a new level, she would have more freedom in the future and no longer need to complete various miscellaneous tasks.
This was the development path for most celebrities. Once popularity accumulates and settles, there's time to do things that improve oneself, provided that the fame in the industry isn't just a flash in the pan.
Chu Yueyi had a clear career plan. She wanted to act until she was an old lady, and stage performances were a good way to hone her acting skills. However, the return on investment was too low, so the company currently didn't support it.
Shi Guanghua scrutinized her for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and said, "Is that all?"
He thought to himself that she seemed to have a clear understanding of her work, answering without hesitation.
Feeling slightly guilty under his gaze, Chu Yueyi dryly asked back, "Isn't this about the work plan for the next three years?"
"Hmm, I didn't say it wasn't," Shi Guanghua said casually. "Your turn."
Chu Yueyi, seeing that he hadn't brought up any strange topics, finally relaxed. However, when she unfolded her paper strip, she was stunned. She hadn't expected her question to be so direct.
Noticing her silence, Shi Guanghua looked puzzled and asked, "What's wrong?"
Inwardly cursing the production team, Chu Yueyi maintained a calm facade and reluctantly said, "...When do you plan to get married?"
Shi Guanghua was caught off guard by the shocking question. A flash of panic crossed his eyes, and seeing Chu Yueyi lower her head in embarrassment, he felt a burning sensation rise within him.
With his heart nearly leaping out of his throat, Shi Guanghua clenched his fists nervously, his palms slightly sweaty. He stiffly said, "Well, I haven't earned a hundred million yet."
Faced with this unexpected answer, Chu Yueyi's face immediately flushed: "What?!" Shi Guanghua raised his voice: "Didn't you say..."
Chu Yueyi: "I never said that!"
The question on the paper strip caused the two to explode like fireworks, their voices inexplicably rising.
In the corner, the staff members, faced with this cryptic exchange, all wore bewildered expressions. They began to inquire in their group chat: [Which episode is this reference from? I can't remember.]
[Who's in charge of the photos? Can anyone recall?]
[I really have no impression.]
[It's ridiculous, we film with them every day, how can we not follow?]
The directors swore that when creating the memory lane, they had reviewed the content of each episode and couldn't have missed any knowledge points, yet somehow this had slipped through the cracks.
The recording time passed quickly. The two drew questions from the conch shell, answered them, and chatted casually for a while. Before they knew it, dusk had fallen.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sun slowly set, painting the lake surface with a brilliant sunset. The golden-red flames completely extinguished, replaced by a dim sky.
As the daylight outside the restaurant faded, the indoor lights suddenly brightened, startling both Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua. They finally realized that their last moments together were slipping away. They had both arrived very early today, yet still had to face the end. It was surprising how quickly a day could pass.
Both fell silent, unsure of what to say.
"Yueyi, Guanghua, please move upstairs now," the executive director broke the deadlock, guiding the guests to the final scene and pointing out the path to the second floor.
Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua stood up together. As they walked to the executive director's side, they were surprised to discover the staircase. The lakeside restaurant apparently had a hidden space.
On the stairs, Chu Yueyi walked in front, curiously looking around and quickening her pace: "There's a second floor here? But you can't see it from outside?"
Shi Guanghua followed behind her, unable to resist stopping her quick ascent. He gently reminded her, "Your dress."
Hearing this, Chu Yueyi instantly reverted to being ladylike. She thoughtfully adjusted her dress and said softly, "Oh..."
The cameraman was filming from behind them, and it wouldn't be good for her to be careless on the stairs.
Shi Guanghua followed closely behind her, stepping where she had just been, using his tall frame to completely block her from the cameraman's view.
The restaurant stairs led to an open-air platform. Both were stunned when they arrived.
Colorful, dreamy mood lights decorated the railings, and the long-unseen piano had been moved here. Next to the piano stood a glossy black microphone, the gift Chu Yueyi had given to Shi Guanghua.
Chu Yueyi glanced at him: "So the piano is here, along with someone's belongings."
Shi Guanghua admitted, "I had planned to surprise you, but I didn't expect you to wear this outfit. Now it seems I lack creativity."
Shi Guanghua had been anxious since morning, somewhat resistant to the inevitable farewell. But upon seeing her white dress, he felt relieved.
He had been very afraid of losing contact after the finale, worried that she might lose interest after calming down, or even coldly exit the "on-screen" state. That's why he had always thought about singing a song in the final moments.
But after today's recording, he gradually felt at ease and decided to postpone this song.
This song shouldn't belong to the show; it should belong solely to them.
She wasn't an unpredictable, fickle person. She knew better than anyone what she was doing, and he should trust her choices.
As long as he asked, she would do everything within her power, even exceeding expectations. Whether it was wearing a stage gown, pinning their chat messages, or quietly remembering his preferences.
She was memorizing everything about them, and the rest would come with time. She wouldn't make flashy promises, but would simply and directly present results, just as she had done with anything in the past.
When she wanted to study acting, she didn't talk to her parents about dreams, but presented scores and art exam certificates. When she wanted to perform in plays, she didn't directly approach the company, but showed returns and achievements.
She wouldn't speak rashly, but he could feel the warmth.
On the terrace, Shi Guanghua took a deep breath of fresh air. He suddenly felt an unprecedented relaxation and followed her to the railing to admire the moon.
The two leaned on the railing decorated with colorful lights, gazing at the distant lake from the high vantage point.
The sky and lake surface were profoundly deep, with only the moon hanging in the night sky.
The lake, sky, and moonlight created a double reflection.
In the sky was the celestial moon, on the lake was the water moon, the moonlight connecting them into one, illuminating the distant horizon.
Both were captivated by the moonlit glow, standing side by side in silent appreciation of nature's amazing beauty.
Shi Guanghua rested his arms on the railing, gripping something in his hand. He suddenly said, "I won't sing today."
Chu Yueyi turned to look at him, grumbling with dissatisfaction: "The piano and microphone are all set up, yet no song for farewell?"
Shi Guanghua revealed the Promise Key in his palm, holding the silver rod up to her hand. He lowered his eyelids and said softly, "The third promise is that I hope to sing for you under such moonlight every year in the future."
So he wouldn't sing today; there was still time in the future, no need to rush for one song now.
His voice was like a gentle night breeze, his eyes filled with the shimmering moonlight, intoxicating and swaying.
Perhaps bewitched by tonight's moonlight and him, she suddenly wanted to impulsively agree, breaking her usual conservative principles. After all, she had nothing to lose, and he was within reach, just an arm's length away.
She could seize him now. It wasn't her fault that their work in the production team forced them to be distant, and new situations after the show's finale were unavoidable. If solo fans backlashed after the finale, that wasn't something she could control either.
As long as she didn't think too much or consider his feelings, he would be hers immediately. He couldn't outmaneuver her.
If she didn't play nice, no one could outmaneuver her.
But he was so, so good.
Chu Yueyi's lips moved, but as she looked at the Promise Key in his palm, she couldn't bring herself to raise her hand.
Shi Guanghua said lightly, "You don't have to answer now. You can take it back to think about it. You can use props to cancel it later if you want. You deliberately kept one, didn't you?"
Her Promise Key could refuse this request; two props canceling each other out would nullify it, and the production team would take it away directly.
Chu Yueyi was suddenly stung by his words. She couldn't accept his pretend nonchalant tone and suddenly felt the urge to cry, her voice thick as she said, "You..."
Why do you put yourself so low!?
She cherished all of this, which was why she was so careful, but he was practically burying himself.
Chu Yueyi didn't continue speaking; as soon as she opened her mouth, her voice was thick with emotion, and she couldn't even suppress it with her acting skills.
Seeing her eyes brimming with tears, Shi Guanghua became flustered. He stepped forward, suddenly unsure how to comfort her, and could only awkwardly open his arms and gently embrace the teary-eyed person.
Chu Yueyi buried herself in his embrace. She didn't dare to speak, not wanting to be caught on camera, feeling that crying in public was particularly embarrassing. She mercilessly wiped her tears on his clothes.
Why was he so unguarded?
If he were recording the show with someone else, he'd probably be torn apart after the finale.
Thinking of this, she wiped her face on him even more vengefully, not even caring about her on-camera makeup.
Shi Guanghua could only dutifully serve as a face-wiping towel, allowing her to rub her face all over him. He gently patted her back and comforted her, "Let's talk when we get back."
He could roughly guess her thoughts. She had work that required her full attention soon, and she might also be worried about both of them cooling off after the finale, with emotions potentially fluctuating.
She didn't know why he was recording the show, nor did she know that he had been calm for many years.
Some things are meaningless when just said; time proves everything.
A moment later, Chu Yueyi composed herself. She snatched the Promise Key from his hand and had the staff bring her the other two. These were all props she had obtained from him, and now she returned them in full, placing them in his palm.
Shi Guanghua: "?"
Shi Guanghua: "You only need one to cancel, why are you returning all of them?" What did he do wrong?
If she wanted to cancel, she should use her own prop, not return used ones.
Chu Yueyi raised an eyebrow impatiently: "No, I want you to put them together."
Chu Yueyi had studied the Promise Keys at home long ago. They both received three at the beginning of the show, and each time they used one, they had to give one to the other person. However, Shi Guanghua's initial props were a bit more delicate than hers.
Shi Guanghua was stunned. He lowered his head and carefully manipulated them, discovering that the Promise Keys could actually fit together, eventually forming a spiral women's ring. He hadn't paid much attention to the show's props and had no idea there was such a hidden mechanism.
Chu Yueyi extended her left hand towards him. She shifted her gaze to the side, her voice barely audible: "I'm giving you a chance. Choose a finger and put it on."
Her fingertips suspended in the air trembled slightly.
Witnessing this scene, Shi Guanghua couldn't control the upward curve of his lips.
He gently took her hand and solemnly placed the ring on her ring finger. The size was just right.
Chu Yueyi's ears burned, but she pretended to be nonchalant, unable to resist quipping: "You're quite bold, aren't you?"
Shi Guanghua replied seriously: "It's a rare opportunity."
After completing this, they lingered in the moonlight for a long time, finally unable to delay any longer.
The Moonlight Group of "Heart-Fluttering Promise" officially announced its finale, and the male and female guest teams began to say goodbye to the staff. Today's recording ran quite late, and the filming location was remote. After bidding farewell to Shi Guanghua, Chu Yueyi had to rush to the airport without delay, rest briefly at the airport hotel, and then catch an early morning flight to make it to the opening ceremony.
Theoretically, if Chu Yueyi had completed Shi Guanghua's three promises, the production team should have stepped in to assemble the promise ring. However, the two had broken the plot twist publicly, and it was unclear whether Chu Yueyi had agreed or not.
If she had agreed, she should have spoken up; if she hadn't agreed, she should have used a prop to cancel.
Yet the two had pulled a "we'll talk when we get back" move, which immediately unsettled the chief director.
The chief director wanted to test the waters, so he hinted gently: "Yueyi, do you still have any unused props? If not, you can return them to us..."
She hadn't made the third promise yet, so Shi Guanghua's ring couldn't be completed.
Chu Yueyi pretended not to understand, smiling as she said: "Thank you, Director, for taking care of us these past few months. You've worked hard during the recording period. I also want to thank everyone for cooperating with our plans and giving us the opportunity to realize our stage and theater dreams."
Chief Director: "Ah, no, it's our duty. Um..."
Chu Yueyi: "Do you have any more production content coming up? If there are any post-production requirements, you can contact my manager directly. I'm about to start a new project and might not be available. I'm really sorry."
Chief Director: "Alright, alright. There shouldn't be anything for post-production."
"What was I going to say..." The chief director, distracted by her change of subject, became a bit confused. After the small talk, he forgot the details, but then noticed the small cylinder in his hand and hurriedly said, "Oh, this is a souvenir prepared by the production team. You and Guanghua both have one. Take it with you."
The chief director's gift was a cylindrical box with the "Heart-Fluttering Promise" logo on the outside. It looked like it could hold an umbrella, though its actual contents were unclear.
Chu Yueyi quickly thanked him politely. She really couldn't linger any longer and hurriedly got in the car to go to the airport.
Of course, she definitely wouldn't return the remaining Promise Keys. Once they were in her possession, there was no chance of getting them back.
The filming location was so far from the airport that it was already late at night when Chu Yueyi arrived at the airport hotel. She had to board an early morning flight in just a few hours, leaving only a short time to rest at the hotel.
She had already messaged Shi Guanghua during the car ride. He had arrived before her and reminded her to rest early. Today's recording had severely overrun, and his tone was a bit apologetic.
Chu Yueyi looked at the newly changed contact name, coupled with his rueful tone, and suddenly found herself inexplicably amused.
She was indeed exhausted now, having recorded a day of the show and then traveled by car. With only two or three hours before check-in, there was no time for real sleep. She felt that the public shouldn't criticize young people for not dating or getting married. With this kind of work intensity, who had time for anything else? Just surviving was not easy.
Feeling that lying down only to get up immediately would be torture, Chu Yueyi decided to take out the cylindrical box the chief director had given her and have a look at the souvenir prepared by the production team.
Surprisingly, the cylinder contained a rolled-up stack of papers, which turned out to be the familiar survey questionnaire.
This was the ideal type questionnaire from the preparation period of "Heart-Fluttering Promise," with questions so complex and numerous that she had once complained about them.
Chu Yueyi had filled out this survey, randomly answering based on anime characters to complete the bizarre questions. However, the questionnaire in the cylinder was not the one she had filled out.
This was the questionnaire Shi Guanghua had filled out when he joined the show.
The thick questionnaire was clean and pristine, almost blank at first glance.
He had casually written his name but hadn't bothered to answer the questions.
At the very top of the answer section, he had simply written "Chu Yueyi"!