Published at 2nd of September 2019 9:53 pm

Chapter 15.1 — To Dote Even a Bit More (1)

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Tune of Yong’an’s success was somewhat beyond expectations. Jia He had just submitted the script for the final episode of that drama adaptation from the novel, and then Director Jiang was already calling her. The general tenor of the conversation was simply that he wanted to film a sequel for Tune of Yong’an. Sprawled on the bed, still a little groggy, Jia He responded with “mm-hmm, mm-hmms” and “uh-huh, uh-huhs.” Then, tossing the phone aside, she flopped back into Yi Wenze’s embrace and carried on sleeping.

It was a full minute later before she was finally able to link those few sentences together.

And then, she clutched Yi Wenze’s arm and began swinging it. “A sequel! The thing I hate most is sequels.”

The eyelashes of the person in front of her fluttered, but he did not open his eyes, instead reaching his arms out and circling her tightly in them. “Good morning, my wife.” His breath brushed against her ear. Practically without making a sound, he sealed away her voice behind his lips. However, before long, her mobile phone started ringing again. Pulling one arm out from the covers, she groped around for quite some time before she was able to answer the call.

On the other end, Qiao Qiao was chortling. “Congratulations. The discussions for a sequel have started, and you can start the ones about your price, too. I’m totally relying on you to make me a famous producer.”

Jia He was nearly unable to gasp in a breath. With all her might, she tried to make her voice sound normal. “I’ll call you… in a bit.”

Qiao Qiao was astonished. “It’s so early, but you’re busy already? That’s not like your normal schedule.”

Jia He clenched her teeth together tightly, already unable to utter anything. Very soon, the person on top of her took her phone from her. Yi Wenze’s voice was mild and polite, carrying a slight apologetic tone in it as he stated, “My wife is doing some morning exercise. She’ll call you in a little bit.”

Right as the call was being hung up, Jia He’s ears were nearly deafened by Qiao Qiao…

When they had completed their “morning exercise” and Jia He wanted to fall right back into a slumber where she was dead to the world, she at last remembered that she had a meeting to attend today. Therefore, she could only grit her teeth and drag herself out of bed. “What am I going to do? How am I going to write this sequel? We’ve already gotten to marriage and having babies and political stability has been achieved in the land. What, am I going to have to write in a homewrecker of some sort?” Rapidly, she organized and sorted through in her mind the most frequently used plotline patterns of the highly popular domestic dramas. And then she cringed.

If I’m really going to have to write something like that, you must as well just kill me.

“How much for one episode now?” He grabbed some clean clothing. While he turned on the faucet, he lowered his face and kissed her.

“Around eight or nine thousand [RMB], I guess. We still haven’t formally talked about it.” Jia He nudged him away slightly, her face so red it could dye cloth. “We’re talking about something serious and proper here.”

Amid the sound of gushing water, the water level in the bathtub slowly rose, layer after layer of waves slapping against the white porcelain, steam suffusing outward. He bent at the waist and looked at her, smiling tranquilly. “Honey, this is an extremely serious and proper matter.”

He was practically forcing her to her doom here. Terribly bashful, Jia He shoved him into the bathtub. “Didn’t we just finish morning exercise? …” Once the words came out, though, she ended up choking herself on them. Immediately, she threw open the door and fled from there, lest she be pulled into “trouble.”

After he returned to Beijing, there was a period in which Yi Wenze was actually quite idle, and every day he very dutifully cameod as Jia He’s personal chauffeur. The only thing was that every time, she would force him to pull over at a spot far away from her destination and not allow him to show his face. Eventually, even Wu Zhilun mocked Yi Wenze that a very thorough job was being done of keeping his beauty hidden away in a golden house. In fact, the person feeling most suffocated was Jia He. Every day Yi Wenze was like a shadow that followed her, such that this entire time she had been unable to do the things she wanted to…

Not until Yi Wenze went to do a studio photoshoot for a magazine interview was Jia He freed to have a genuine shopping excursion.

When Yi Wenze came home in the evening, she was sitting on the couch, her eyes blinking, and beside her was a large pile of bags.

He was still standing in the front entryway changing his shoes, but Jia He was already eagerly pulling out a selection of big and small… boxer shorts and socks. “I bought a ton of stuff for you.” While prattling away, she even mentioned the sizes.

Quietly watching her until she had finished spreading everything out in display, Yi Wenze finally asked with a smile, “You were busy the whole day with buying this stuff?”

“Obviously. I’m so tired.” With a pair of scissors, Jia He removed the tags from each item. “I know you always just wear antibacterial underwear, but no matter how I look at it, I just find it weird. In my whole family, only my uncle has the same habit, because he’s a surgeon. For him, though, it’s because he’s worried about getting dirty during surgeries. For you, it’s better to just be a little more normal.”

Unexpectedly, he bowed his head and let out a chuckle. Then ambling over, he sat down next to her, slipped an arm around her, and pulled her against his side. “How do you know my size so well?”

We’ve lived together for such a long time already. Of course, she did not state these words aloud and only folded everything up neatly. “Every day after you shower, just toss your dirty clothes into the baskets beside the washing machine. Remember to sort and separate them first. I’ll wash them in batches for you.” She broke out of his embrace and, hugging that mound of shorts and socks, ran into the bedroom.

Sitting there on the couch, he unconsciously reached for his cigarettes, but after thinking briefly, he abandoned that idea and picked up the remote control to turn on the television instead.

When Jia He stepped back out, she saw him intently watching the television screen. Simply from hearing the lines that were being spoken, she already knew what it was. Walking over, she took a seat beside him. This was actually her first time seriously watching something that she had written… “You don’t find it weird? You know, watching something you acted in?” She was very curious. Didn’t Yi Wenze feel awkward?

She was the person who wrote this, and just listening to these lines that were oozing cheesiness left and right already made her feel like blushing.

He was the one who had had to actually act it out. When he saw himself acting out a totally corny plot point here and another totally cheesy one there, wouldn’t he feel weird?

“I’m thinking, what were you feeling when you wrote this?” He was absorbed in his ruminations. On the screen, he was holding Liao Jing in his arms, his voice tender as he delivered a long chunk of arousing, touching lines…

Hugging a throw pillow, Jia He hemmed and hawed for some time before finally answering, “I don’t know. The plot needed it.” Oh no, oh no. She was able to recite it all. The kiss scene was coming…

All of a sudden, the screen went completely black.

Because the lights had just turned off, Jia He’s eyes were momentarily unadjusted to the darkness. And then he was already wholly seizing her in his kiss. Still occupied with thinking about that kiss scene that was to follow, though, her heart felt a little uncomfortable. However, when she tried to push him away, he had already very naturally locked her in his embrace. Jia He gave a humph. “Don’t try to bribe me with your beauty. There will be no love scenes in the sequel.”

So mad, so mad! You just had to act that so tenderly and lovingly…

She heard him say, “My friend is having a concert. He’s invited me to be a special guest in it.”

You just go ahead and change the topic now, you.Jia He continued in her resentment. A sequel, a sequel. I don’t want to write a sequel…Just thinking of Yi Wenze’s kiss scenes made her heart sour with jealousy. She felt so awful she wanted to die.

“This will be his premiere performance in the Mainland.” Yi Wenze spoke in a low voice. “Would you like to go watch it?”

Nestled wordlessly in his arms, Jia He silently chanted, Humph. I don’t care at all. Don’t even think about trying to use a concert ticket to try to bribe me. But a little ripple of excitement still went through her. It had been so very long. He had released a couple of albums when he first started in the entertainment industry, but had not sung since then. After a long moment, the tickle in her heart was unbearable and she finally, of her own accord, wagged her tail at him. “Give me three tickets.”

Then, catching him off guard, she planted a kiss on him. She reflected on that for a bit. Nope, that still wasn’t enough to help her vent. So she kissed him another two times.

Wu Zhilun was right. If outside of the home he kissed someone one time, she would seek compensation by helping herself to a hundred times. Eventually, that discomfort in her heart would stop.

Yi Wenze gave a slight lift of his brow. “Can we consider those as your invitation to me?”

What was meant by “lighting a fire and burning yourself in it”? This! She absolutely asked for it!

……

It was only when the tickets were in her hand that Jia He realized whom Yi Wenze had been talking about.

Qiao Qiao gave her a big thumbs-up. “Man, you’re good. Do you know what kind of price these tickets have rocketed to now? And you actually got three.”

Pursing her lips out, Jia He purposely played dumb and only tossed a glance at her. Well, look who my man is.

Xiao Yu gave a very mournful pat to her shoulder. Finding yourself a celebrity has a whole pile of drawbacks and just a teeny bit of benefit. And here you’re still all happy and enjoying yourself.

As Qiao Qiao and Xiao Yu had arrived a little late, the three did not have time to have dinner first. From the takeout window of the Starbucks near the entrance, they bought coffee and cake, and then holding those in their hands, they mixed in with all the pretty girls, young ones and old ones, and shuffled into the concert venue. They had already taken their seats when Jia He saw that all around were people waving glow sticks, and she realized that the three of them, the old people that they were, had forgotten all the must-have gear for going to a concert.

She elbowed Qiao Qiao. “Go out and buy a few of the biggest glow sticks and bring them back.”

Qiao Qiao was in the middle of drinking her coffee. “Why are you always ordering me around?”

“I provided the tickets; of course you’re going to do all the hard labour.” Jia He took a glimpse at Xiao Yu, who was calm and poised. “If you’re able to persuade Xiao Xiao to do it for you, then you do as you want.”

Qiao Qiao was depressed. “I can’t afford to cross someone who drives a car with a white license plate[1]. It’s better for me to just order myself around.”

After Qiao Qiao stepped outside, Jia He finally noticed the new tattoo on Xiao Yu’s back. Gaping in astonishment, she exclaimed, “You really went and got the tattoo?” Xiao Yu only gave an “mm” and did not speak. Very wisely, Jia He chose to bury her head and drink her coffee in silence. Behind them, there were a few fans chattering away about their speculations on whom the special guest tonight might be. As Jia He listened on and off to them, she looked at Xiao Yu. “I’ll say, it’s been twelve years, but that guy of yours still isn’t giving you any sort of response?”

Xiao Yu lowered her head, tore open the plastic packaging of a bun, and took a bite. “My love for him is given willingly and voluntarily. He is under no obligation to return it.”

“How about”—Jia He blinked her eyes—“I matchmake you with Wu Zhilun?”

“Didn’t you say his looks are like a woman’s and he’s a boozer?” Xiao Yu had a look of “You’re basically forcing things.”

Fuming, Jia He ripped open her own plastic packaging. “I honestly want to write an anonymous letter to your guy. If the prince doesn’t hurry up and kiss her, Sleeping Beauty is going to become a vegetable from excessive sleep.”

Xiao Yu had just taken a sip of coffee and nearly sprayed it right back out.

When Qiao Qiao returned, the band on the stage had already started the warm-up act. Stuffing glow sticks into her two friends’ hands, she immediately joined in with the crowd, standing and shouting a name. Jia He watched her in embarrassment. Prior to coming, Qiao Qiao had still been saying that she did not like this singer, but now so quickly she had gotten herself into the mood.

However, in this sort of atmosphere and also because, with everyone standing, the two of them really could not see anything if they stayed in their seats, Jia He and Xiao Yu had no choice but to follow suit and rise to their feet as well. They listened to five songs in a row before things settled down and people took their seats again.

The person on the stage gave a little cough into the microphone. “All of you must have been guessing for a long time who the special guest this time is. If it weren’t for the fact that he’s currently in Beijing, I really would have had a hard time getting him here.”

The tip of Jia He’s heart gave a quiver. Her arm received a jab from Qiao Qiao. “The whole venue is going to shake. Just how many years has Yi Wenze not sung?”

Jia He answered absentmindedly, “Many years. I practically can’t remember.”

In the space of these few sentences between them, someone walked out from one side of the stage carrying a guitar.

Because that person had stepped out from a shadowy area and there purposely was no spotlight on him, besides the frontmost few rows of the floor seating, everyone further back did not have a clear view of him. For a moment, all that could be heard was a scream from someone in the front. The stands, though, were quiet, for, unable to clearly hear what that voice in the front had said, all the people were holding their breaths as they speculated.

Until he stepped into the spotlight. Before he had even picked up the microphone, the venue was flooded with ceaseless shrieks and completely erupted into roiling excitement.

Countless glow sticks accompanied countless people as they yelled, “Yi Wenze, I love you!”

He picked up the microphone. “I love all of you, too.” Saying this, he finally gave a faint smile. “I haven’t stood on this type of stage for a long time. It seems I’m not really used to it.”

Screams. And more screams. Even Jia He felt a bit as if her blood was boiling with exhilaration. She had wholly transformed into a delirious fan.

Beneath the spotlight were those two figures. On the big screens on either side was a close-up shot of him.

Grinning, the headliner of this concert put an arm around Yi Wenze’s shoulder and humorously worked the crowd, the general gist of his words being about Beijing’s local culture, sights, and customs, or some interesting and fun things he had encountered on his way here. While Jia He was merrily listening away, the conversation on the stage had already shifted directions and become good-natured teasing of Yi Wenze. “Did your girlfriend come today?”

Yi Wenze sat down, lowering his head to tune the guitar, and answered in a warm voice, “She’s here.”

After a brief, but profound silence, what exploded out were even louder screams. Even Qiao Qiao threw her hands over her ears and shouted in protest, “This is insane, just insane!” In this instant, it was as if something had slid into the very deepest reaches of Jia He’s heart. She was rooted to her spot, gripping her glow sticks, nearly unable to hear Qiao Qiao’s teasing.

“This song wasn’t written by me, but it’s very suitable for tonight. I’m giving it to all of you, and to her.”

He bowed his head. There was only the pure accompaniment of his guitar, no other sounds.

“If we will not see the sun tomorrow,

What will this world become?

In this very last moment,

Let me hold you tight.

Hold you, hold you, I’ll hold you.

If life truly is ever changing,

I am willing to face it openly and unperturbedly,

With you by my side,

With you giving me strength.

Hold you, hold you, I’ll hold you…”[2]

His voice was very mild and also very clean, but still it held down the atmosphere of the entire stadium, containing it.

This was a concert, yet it was too quiet, so quiet it was like he was sitting directly in front of you, very casually singing this song.

[1] In China, license plates with a white background are reserved for those in the police force, military, or armed police.

[2] This song is called《抱着你》“Hold You.”

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