CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92: BABY, TURN AROUND

Yu Xia scolded Xie Qingci again.

After she finished scolding, Xie Qingci said: [Don’t worry, I’ll resolve the mess I caused. It won’t affect us]

"Resolve? How will you resolve it? Are you planning to tell Changhui that you signed the contract a few days ago and now you’re dating, and want them to cover for you? Are you dreaming?"

[Xie Qingci: Then are you agreeing to date me?]

[Xie Qingci: If you agree, I’ll do as you say]

"...I told you you’re dreaming, and now you’re really dreaming."

Yu Xia’s ears felt a bit hot. She reached out to touch her earlobe, and the cool fingertips made her shiver when they touched the warmth.

"How do you plan to resolve it?"

[Xie Qingci: Leave it to me, don’t worry]

[Xie Qingci: Can you try to trust me this once?]

She wasn’t very reassured and muttered, "How am I supposed to trust you? You’re just an innocent college student with half a foot in this industry, no connections, no..."

He sent several messages in succession, interrupting her grumbling.

[Xie Qingci: Solving problems requires brains, not experience]

[Xie Qingci: Who told you college students are innocent?]

[Xie Qingci: I don’t want something to happen and end up being the one you have to protect]

[Xie Qingci: I’m your man, not your little brother]

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Yu Xia was choked up by the last message, not only were her earlobes hot, but her face also felt hot.

"I don’t have a brother," she said awkwardly, then skipped the topic quickly like a hot potato, "Then you handle it, I won’t care. But if you mess it up, you know what the consequences will be."

[Xie Qingci: Don’t worry]

[Xie Qingci: Stop being mad, okay? You didn’t smile at me before you left]

"Laugh at your big head ghost. Did I smile at you before? I’ll remember that from now on, I’ll make sure not to smile at you." She always had a way with words.

[Xie Qingci: Come on]

[Xie Qingci: My good mood all day comes from your smile]

[Xie Qingci: Without your smile today, I can’t sleep]

He sent a pitiful cat emoji, adorable and cute, softening people’s hearts.

Yu Xia glanced at the emoji, long-pressed to save it while coldly saying, "Can’t sleep? Good, let it be a learning experience for you. If you act up like this again, just wait for me to beat you."

"Wait, no next time. Do you know how jittery I was just now? If you were standing in front of me now, I’d whip you with a belt."

"Whip you" seemed to have become her recent catchphrase.

Little brothers make people violent.

[Xie Qingci: Fine, with my belt? It’s normal to suffer a bit for love]

[Xie Qingci: So you like playing like this, huh?]

"Xie! Qing! Ci!"

[Xie Qingci: Sister, when can I kiss you again?]

[Xie Qingci: I can’t help it anymore]

[Xie Qingci: I really miss you]

She couldn’t help but bite her lip, saying in an annoyed tone, "We’ve only been apart for three hours, can you...can you not be so straightforward."

[Xie Qingci: When you like someone, you can’t help but express it, it’s normal]

[Xie Qingci: I just want to kiss you. I wish I could spend all 24 hours of the day with you]

[Xie Qingci: Sister, I want to see you, okay?]

The atmosphere seemed to change instantly, making her more uncomfortable. Even though she was alone in the bedroom, it felt like someone would see the blush on her face, so she turned her head away from the phone.

"How, how do you want to see?"

[Xie Qingci: Video]

The message just arrived, and he sent a video call request.

Fearing the noise would wake her dorm mates, she hurriedly accepted it.

On the other end, it was dark, with only a vague outline of Xie Qingci visible.

While her side was brightly lit, switching to a full-screen view, her loose hair and flushed cheeks came into view.

Her collarbones were clearly visible, with only two thin straps over her shoulders and an expanse of cherry-red silk nightgown just barely showing.

Just a glance made her heart race, and she instinctively moved the phone away, aiming the camera at the wall.

[Xie Qingci: Turn back]

[Xie Qingci: Baby, turn back, okay?]

After a while, she was back on screen.

Her eyes were shimmering with moisture, biting her lips, and her gaze was fleeting.

Xie Qingci’s breath paused for a moment.

They silently video chatted this way, refraining from speaking, neither sending messages, quietly coexisting across the screen.

The silence spoke of a year apart, ambiguity spreading on both sides.

After a while, Xie Qingci lowered his head, covering his eyes, taking deep breaths.

Long strands of hair lightly brushed against his hand, causing a ticklish sensation.

[Xie Qingci: Hang up now, it’s time to sleep]

Yu Xia’s fingers reached toward the screen. Before hanging up, she softly said, "Sleep early."

——

She had a dance class appointment in the morning.

Mei dropped Yu Xia off at the classroom, sitting in the corner playing with her phone.

Yu Xia changed her clothes and came out, tying up her hair, following the teacher for morning exercises, leaning forward, stretching.

The dance teacher tilted her head, watching her: "Didn’t sleep well last night?"

Yu Xia looked at herself in the mirror, her dark circles were conspicuous because she wasn’t wearing makeup.

She nodded: "A little insomnia."

"Just insomnia? I thought you stayed up late gossiping like me."

"Gossip?" She glanced at the gossip enthusiast Mei’s silhouette and asked while slowly stretching, "What gossip?"

Asking with a bit of unease in her heart.

The dance teacher’s expression was indescribable, summarizing it briefly: "Director cheating, idol caught cheating, the third party causing chaos everywhere."

Yu Xia raised an eyebrow: "Three things? All true? Big commotion?"

"Anyway, it’s trending. You probably know the director and idol involved, right? It’s Director Sun Jun and that not-so-popular idol Yuan Zhuo, who used to be a somewhat famous boy band member."

She shook her head: "I don’t know the idol, though I’ve heard of Director Sun Jun. Really cheating?"

"More than that, he got involved with three actresses from the crew. One is publicly his girlfriend, and another has a boyfriend."

Yu Xia showed a surprised expression.

Honestly, she wasn’t too surprised, considering this kind of thing wasn’t uncommon in the industry. She almost got "invited" by a director once herself.

But it was quite novel to have it all come out at once.

Gossip only talked for a few sentences, then they moved on to serious dance practice.

She had little foundation, practiced hard, sweat pouring down, loose strands of hair sticking to her neck uncomfortably.

After dancing till her face flushed, it ended, legs trembling, she sat down in the middle of the studio, panting.

She could relate to how tired Xie Qingci described his exhaustion as being.

Mei brought her a water cup, sharing new gossip along the way.

"That group had two people I liked! Luckily, it’s not my idol crashing, a blessing in disguise."

Yu Xia gulped down more than half a cup of water, casting a glance: "Weren’t you infatuated with Xie Qingci recently?"

Mei beamed: "Yes, but it’s not like you can only have one in a relationship. The more, the merrier."

She asked again: "But what if this boy’s place crashes, what will you do?"

"Then obviously someone must have tempted him! It’s not his fault!"

Yu Xia slammed the cup lid closed.