After being apart for a long time, Chu Yueyi feared their relationship might have grown distant. But as soon as she saw Shi Guanghua, a natural and familiar feeling washed over her. Neither of them had changed since the end of their show, and even months apart hadn't eroded the comfortable atmosphere between them.
Faced with her sudden arrival, Shi Guanghua wanted to say so much but didn't know where to begin.
Chu Yueyi sensed his uncertainty. She patted the space beside her, her eyes sparkling like clear gems, and said softly, "Shall we talk?"
Her tone was gentle, and he couldn't refuse.
Shi Guanghua walked towards her as if approaching the light itself.
He didn't know what they would discuss, but he wanted to hear everything she had to say, to make up for the months they'd been apart.
Or so he thought.
Shi Guanghua sat down, full of anticipation. He patiently waited for her to speak, but as she launched into a series of lectures, he felt increasingly bewildered. Finally, with a numb and expressionless face, he asked, "Did you come all this way just to tell me these things?"
The woman he liked had come to his house late at night to have a heart-to-heart, only to instruct him on how to behave in the entertainment industry!
She criticized his reckless behavior and his lack of restraint over the past few months!
Chu Yueyi spoke until her mouth was dry. Noticing his hesitation to speak, she raised an eyebrow and asked bluntly, "Do you have any objections?"
Unable to keep him in check while she was away on set, now that they were face to face, she exuded confidence and began a storm of ideological reformation.
Faced with her haughty attitude, Shi Guanghua pondered for a few seconds before replying expressionlessly, "No objections."
He now felt it was a miracle they had managed to complete the dating reality show together. She was so straight-laced she could bend steel, yet somehow she had managed to deliver a career-oriented speech in such a romantic atmosphere.
It must be karma.
This had to be karma.
Because he had performed so poorly at the beginning of the recording, leaving her speechless then, it was now his turn to suffer.
Chu Yueyi was deeply unsatisfied with his lukewarm response. She crossed her arms and said pointedly, "I feel your response lacks sincerity."
Although Shi Guanghua said he had no objections, his face was clearly unconvinced, and anyone could see the disconnect between his words and his heart.
Shi Guanghua thought to himself that in movies, reunions usually involved embraces or emotional scenes. But with her, it was all about explaining the unwritten rules of the entertainment industry, and then demanding to know if he accepted it. He took a deep breath and tried to sound sincere: "I really have no objections."
Don't ask, just agree.
What else could he do when the woman he liked was so career-focused that she launched into work talk as soon as she arrived?
Seeing his distraction, Chu Yueyi persisted, "You're clearly just saying you agree without meaning it. Is there anything I've said that's incorrect? You're always responding publicly to topics, which will affect your work..."
"Mm, you're not wrong," Shi Guanghua nodded mechanically. Finally seizing an opportunity to interject, he spoke casually, "I like you."
Even if she was going to continue lecturing him, he wanted to express his feelings first.
He had kept these words hidden long enough, waiting from the start of recording until the finale, from her departure until her return. At last, he found the chance to say it out loud.
He didn't even care about her response; he just wanted to tell her directly.
Chu Yueyi was stunned by his sudden confession. Faced with the unexpected declaration, she responded quietly, "Oh, I like you too."
Shi Guanghua's eyes widened as he looked at her in disbelief, unable to control the surge of emotions in his heart.
They both fell silent, the air between them electric.
Chu Yueyi met his unguarded gaze. Suppressing her embarrassment and awkwardness, she declared loudly and righteously, "But that's beside the point! We haven't finished our previous discussion. Liking each other doesn't change everything!"
Shi Guanghua's emotions, thoroughly stirred by her words, were now abruptly interrupted. "?"
Still maintaining his good temper despite feeling on the verge of a breakdown, he asked stiffly, "What else is there to discuss?"
Chu Yueyi was silent for a moment. Averting her gaze guiltily, she began to speak at length, "People's feelings can change. Even if things are like this now, there are potential variables. Although you don't plan to develop your career in the public eye, you keep mentioning our couple pairing. This might brand everything you do in the future..."
"What if, and I'm just saying what if, you regret it later? It would be very difficult to erase that image then." Chu Yueyi lowered her eyes anxiously. "Maintaining such a high level of interest in our pairing, do you know how troublesome that could be for you in the future?"
Chu Yueyi didn't regret anything she had experienced, but everyone thinks differently. Perhaps Shi Guanghua might change his mind one day.
It's like couples in the honeymoon phase who constantly show off their love, but when the passion cools, they might regret their impulsive behavior and look back on it with disdain, considering it embarrassing.
At that point, everything he did would be tied to her. Even if he completely retreated behind the scenes to focus on music, years later the media might still dig up their past, and people would gossip about the once-sensational Moonlight Couple.
He wouldn't be able to escape her shadow in any of his work or life, especially since he was so open about mentioning it now. If something were to change, it would surely leave him vulnerable to criticism.
She never believed in forever and couldn't make empty promises, so she always overthought the future, hoping that even a parting wouldn't bring him harm.
This didn't mean her feelings were shallow, but rather that she hoped he wouldn't one day decide his true feelings had been misplaced, realizing his past affection for her was worthless and only brought trouble.
She hoped that one day when he looked back, he would still find value in their time together, rather than feeling annoyed.
Shi Guanghua pondered thoughtfully, "Mm, I suppose it could be troublesome."
Seeing him seemingly come to his senses, Chu Yueyi lowered her head slightly and replied, "Of course it would be troublesome..."
He was making such a big fuss now, leaving himself no way out.
Shi Guanghua glanced at her and blinked, saying, "It would be hard to resolve without getting married."
"..." Chu Yueyi's breath caught. She said dryly, "I'm not joking with you!"
"But knowing all this, you still came to find me, didn't you?" Shi Guanghua noticed the worry in her eyes, but his own mood was soaring like a bird taking flight, his heart fluttering.
She was more rational than anyone, more thoughtful than anyone, but she still came to him.
How could she not know the impact of a promotional couple becoming real? The mark wouldn't be left on him alone, yet she didn't mention herself at all, even though she was the one in the spotlight.
He hadn't fallen for the wrong person; she would never let anyone down.
Since she wouldn't regret it, neither would he.
Shi Guanghua said, "Because meeting you has made me a better person, so even if things change, I won't regret it."
These were words they had once said on the show, and he still believed them to be true.
Hearing his serious tone, Chu Yueyi lowered her eyes and mumbled, "Oh, me too."
Shi Guanghua looked at her awkward profile, finding the scene indescribably cute. He patiently asked, "So, are you done talking?"
Chu Yueyi looked up, puzzled. "Why?"
Shi Guanghua: "Can I hug you now?"
She had come back only to lecture him, and he had listened patiently without complaint. He really hadn't expected such an unromantic reunion.
Chu Yueyi was quiet for a few seconds before asking hesitantly, "Just a hug?"
Shi Guanghua: "..."
Before Shi Guanghua had time to feel embarrassed, Chu Yueyi suddenly pinned him to the sofa, catching him off guard. He felt her pressing down on him without mercy, but fearing he might accidentally knock her off, he naturally hesitated to struggle too much.
Still surprised by her sudden aggression, he heard the person straddling him say coldly, "Oh my, I remember Mr. Shi was quite arrogant on the phone!"
She still remembered how he had repeatedly taunted her while she was on set, even saying they should each use their own methods to gain the upper hand.
Hearing her combative tone, Shi Guanghua immediately felt the situation was different from what he had imagined. He quickly denied, "...No."
Chu Yueyi continued to bring up old scores, complaining, "You were just talking back to me!"
Faced with her accusations, Shi Guanghua felt his scalp tingle. Feeling utterly helpless, he tried to defend himself, "I didn't..."
Heaven knows, he had absolutely no complaints and was lying there accepting her scolding. Hadn't his attitude just now been good enough?
The first thing she did upon returning was to lecture him, and he thought he had shown enough survival instinct by not uttering a single word of reproach, at most just letting his face show some reaction.
Chu Yueyi, still sitting triumphantly on top of him, declared, "You did! You're agreeing verbally but not in your heart!"
Under the warm yellow light, Shi Guanghua looked up at the domineering woman above him. He gently pressed his lips together before honestly admitting, "Actually, I wasn't even agreeing verbally."
He had wanted to hug her as soon as he saw her. If it weren't for fear of upsetting her, he wouldn't have had the patience to listen to her lecture.
Chu Yueyi: "?"
Chu Yueyi: "You're this arrogant with me now?"
Shi Guanghua used to be more restrained, but after not seeing each other for months, he had become reckless, completely rebellious. He was quite reserved on the show, but now he was truly letting loose.
Chu Yueyi's arm pressed against his warm chest, pinning him down firmly. Noticing his pale lips, she murmured, "Still not submitting verbally?"
Shi Guanghua only felt a shadow fall over him. In the interplay of light and shadow, her kiss was gentle and delicate.
Chu Yueyi pulled back immediately. She lowered her eyelashes and said firmly, "Do you submit now?"
Shi Guanghua looked at this scene. He had been allowing Chu Yueyi to dominate, but suddenly he didn't want to play this childish game anymore.
Shi Guanghua sat up abruptly, finally embracing her, and replied, "I don't submit."
The distance between them was instantly closed, followed by intimate contact.
Chu Yueyi felt his familiar, crisp scent enveloping her, followed by his face just inches away and an intense kiss. The soft yet scorching sensation stole her breath away, giving her a tingling sensation that made her whole body feel like it was on fire.
His series of concessions had been pushed to the limit, and now he was launching an explosive counterattack, so intense that it made her dizzy and slightly intoxicated. She could only helplessly endure the surging tide of emotions.
Usually somewhat stiff, he was now burning with passion.
She was kissed until her mind went blank, nearly suffocating, yet she could still hear his breath as he pulled away – fragmented, restrained, and low, intertwined with threads of affection, completely different from his usual reserved manner, with an indescribable sexiness. He was clearly not too calm either, pressing his face against the side of hers, steadying his barely perceptible panting.
Her whole body felt electrified now. Suddenly, she wanted to hear him sing with this voice, a song dedicated only to her!