Chapter 56: Happy Valentine's Day
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The new year has not yet passed, but they have entered a busy period. "Wangchuan River" is about to premiere, and the scandals between the male and female leads are very popular. What is different this time is that this TV series once involved Qu Xizhi, and the rumors of discord between Gu and Qu have resumed. Once brought to the spotlight, what makes people want to sit down and seriously watch the drama is that, amid the heated rumors of discord between Gu and Qu, a seemingly intimate kissing photo of the two quietly circulated on the internet.
Netizens on a well-known forum reported the following:
LZ, your PS* skills are acceptable, I will accept you as my apprentice.
*LZ (楼主/lóu zhǔ) - thread starter/original poster. PS - Photoshop
Wangchuan River is just hyping up, it’s immoral to drag up with my Xiao Qu!
Wkkkk*this is a photo that you must right-click on. I’ve been a fan of them for more than three years, and this time it’s really amazing~
*laughing/snicker
Is there something to be happy about this thread? The manager came out to respond that the photos were taken from the filming of "Wangchuan River" before. Jiang Tu also posted on Weibo to confirm. I don’t know how many times you CP fans have to deceive yourself and fantasize to get the two of them together. Come on, more than one person in the circle has proved that the two are at odds.
A certain "third-time nominee" is bundling with My Xiao Qu for hype again. It's been five years, can you try some new tricks? If you have time, you should have been a movie queen by now, right?
You're feeling quite self-confident. If your mistress hadn't intervened halfway, there's no doubt who would have been the best actress in Scarlett Li's film.
It's funny. If you really have the strength, you don't need so many ifs. If she's truly capable, she should win an award this time and speak confidently.
What are you still talking about? The post next door has been deleted. Please investigate the Best Actress's background. It's been so many years, and we haven't seen any negative news about her. Also, right-click +1.
Don’t be like this. I’ve been happy with this photo for a long time. If it’s fake, I’ll be heartbroken. 5555*
*Chinese chat lingo for crying
…
Gu Xizhi scrolled through Weibo in the dressing room backstage of the show. Seeing that the photo incident didn't cause much trouble, she put away her phone with confidence.
It's quite a coincidence that Lin Mingling posted the photo just when rumors were circulating about her and Qu Xizhi not getting along on the set. If it were someone else, the public might have easily believed the photo was real. However, because multiple sources have confirmed the strained relationship between the two, most people find it hard to believe that they have such a relationship. Instead, they see it as a new round of publicity stunt. The only drawback is that in the face of this publicity, most people feel that Qu Xizhi is innocent, and the drama "Wangchuan River" is considered to be overly hyped due to the appearance of the photo, thus causing controversy.
This time, appearing on the program "The Truth," on one hand, is for promoting the TV show, and on the other hand, it's also to want to explain some misunderstandings, avoiding self-defeating moves that could bring widespread criticism.
Lili was checking the program flow with the program team, and Gu Xizhi, who had already put on makeup, was chatting with other members of the crew. Because the program would be broadcast live, many actors were actually a little nervous.
Although this kind of program uses real privacy as a gimmick, after all, there must be room for the program to continue. The program team will actually go over the questions to be asked with the agents before the official broadcast, as long as it is not particularly tricky or extreme. The agents will approve them, but the guests themselves have absolutely no idea of the questions in advance.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
After Lili reviewed the process and felt it was appropriate, she signaled OK to Gu Xizhi, and then Gu Xizhi walked into the studio.
The ninth day of the Lunar New Year is also February 14th. Gu Xizhi is busy with work, while Qu Xizhi is still on a rest period.
After dinner, Yin Jun was still watching TV in the living room. Qu Xizhi, who had changed her clothes and looked ready to go out, but stopped and sat down next to her when she passed by. Yin Jun asked casually while changing channels, "It's a good day, why are you sitting here and not going out?"
Qu Xizhi sat on the sofa and said, "I'll leave after watching one program."
Yin Jun handed her the remote control and said, "Ever since you were in middle school, many men and women would come to our house uninvited at this time every year. Why are there none this year?"
"You are not the only one who is good at dealing with rotten peach blossoms*." She said in a straightforward manner
*Peach blossoms or 桃花 (táohuā) refers to romantic encounters/affairs/prospects, rotten implies troublesome
"Oh, my daughter knows how to refuse people now," Yin Jun smiled half-heartedly "Your dad said you asked him for that eza diamond ring. Who are you planning to give it to?"
T/N: not sure what eza means probably a brand
"You know." Qu Xizhi switched the TV program to "The Truth" channel.
Yin Jun turned to look at her, "Do you think you can be with her for a long time?
"Mm."
"I think you should take it slow. Don't give away eza carelessly. If you can stay together for a year without breaking up, then we can talk."
"She and I will never be separated. There is no difference between giving it now or later."
"Is that so?"
"Mm."
Yin Jun raised her brows, "Okay if you two break up, you won't be allowed to be together in the future."
"Okay." Qu Xizhi responded simply.
The program officially started at 8:30 p.m. After a series of activities, the guests sat down in front of the polygraph machine and were asked questions. During the questioning segment, there was only lighting when the camera focused on the actors. The TV program also directly presented the data of the participant's brainwave reactions to the audience, and the test results were announced by specialized personnel.
According to the order, Gu Xizhi was asked the fifth to be questioned, followed by Tang Yu. Soon the lights came on and the host's voice sounded in the microphone.
"Miss Gu Xizhi, your first question: Do you have a boyfriend now?"
"No." She answered immediately and passed the test smoothly.
"Next." The host continued, "Mr. Tang Yu, when you were filming "Wangchuan River", did you ever have a momentary attraction to the female lead?"
On the big screen, there was a close-up of Tang Yu, and his response came without much hesitation.
"Yes."
After one word, cheers suddenly broke out from the audience.
After hearing this question, Yin Jun, who was watching TV, asked Qu Xizhi, "Is this a live broadcast?"
"Of course."
"Then what are you doing here? Today is Valentine's Day, and your little girlfriend is with someone with ulterior motives. Are you so confident?"
"I have plans to meet her after the show, and she doesn't like Tang Yu."
"When your Uncle Li pursued me back in the day, he thought I didn't like your dad either."
Qu Xizhi looked at her helplessly, then checked the time. "Alright, I'm going to find her now."
The streets on Valentine's Day are much busier than before. Men and women holding flowers can be seen everywhere in the city center. Many shopping malls have organized various discounts in response to the event. Even at night, the flow of people in the stores is still unabated.
Qu Xizhi's car was parked under the broadcasting building, and she sent a message to Gu Xizhi saying that she would wait for her downstairs. The next step was the long wait.
According to the schedule, the recording of the program would end at 10:30. Qu Xizhi waited for Gu Xizhi on time at 10:30, but Tang Yu and the crew went downstairs with her.
The moment Gu Xizhi came downstairs, she already saw Qu Xizhi's car. Because the photo incident had just happened, Gu Xizhi was extra cautious. She was afraid that other people walking with her would ask, so she only sent a message to Qu Xizhi.
Qu Xizhi, who was sitting in the car, saw her and wanted to get out of the car to pick her up, but received a message from her in front of the car door: I am going to take a group photo with Tang Yu later. You can wait for me here first. I'll come back for you after it's done.
Qu Xi Zhi glanced at the message and then at Gu Xi Zhi and Tang Yu through the car window. She decided not to open the car window and replied with a simple: Mm.
On a cold and windy winter night, Gu Xizhi took a car to a restaurant with Tang Yu, took a few photos in a hurry, and was about to leave.
She was originally not happy about working so late on Valentine's Day, and having to pose for staged photos to generate rumors felt even more draining.
No celebrity wants to rely on hype to stay popular, but in her current situation, refusing the company's arrangements didn't seem practical either.
The food in the restaurant tasted pretty good, but Gu Xizhi had no intention of eating. Seeing that the photographer brother had finished his work, Gu Xizhi also packed her bag and prepared to leave.
Tang Yu, who was sitting with her, had also been tied up for a whole day. Seeing that Gu Xizhi was about to leave, he stood up and said, "It's too late. I'll give you are ride.'
"No need," Gu Xi Zhi's feelings toward him had been strange since the program ended, "I'll go by myself."
"I'm just giving you a ride for a part of the way, each thing should be treated separately. Your safety is the most important," he looked rational and unquestionable, "Let's go."
When Tang Yu sent Gu Xizhi back to the broadcasting building, it was already 11:30 in the evening. Gu Xizhi saw Qu Xizhi's car still parked under the building and she got out of the car without saying a word. Tang Yu parked his car next to Qu Xizhi's without asking any questions.
Having experienced waiting for someone before, and now seeing Qu Xizhi waiting for her for so long, Gu Xizhi was filled with guilt and apology. In addition, today's date was so special, Gu Xizhi began to apologize to Qu Xizhi as soon as she got in the car.
"I didn't expect it to take this long. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you tonight."
"It doesn't matter." Qu Xizhi watched Tang Yu's car leave in the rearview mirror, "Does he know you came to see me?"
"He didn't ask, and I didn't say anything." Gu Xizhi thought for a while, and then said, "I felt that during this period, it's better for us to avoid our relationship getting exposed, so that's why I didn't come to see you earlier." She paused and continued, "Do you think I'm useless and cowardly..."
"No." Qu Xizhi held her hand, "I agree with you doing this, but you are not allowed to say that about yourself."
Gu Xi Zhi had an indescribable feeling in her heart. "I wish I could be stronger."
"What are you thinking about?" She patted her hand and looked at the time, "There are still twenty minutes left in today. I'll take you somewhere."
Gu Xizhi was slightly curious, "Where?"
Qu Xizhi just turned on the accelerator but said nothing.
The river in winter is magnificent and silent, and the quaint bridge deck is not as deserted as it should be in winter because of the special holiday. It's almost midnight, but the cruise ships with neon lights on the river are still running, and the commercial lights under the bridge are colorful.
Qu Xizhi parked the car under the bridge and asked Gu Xizhi to wait for a while, then went to a convenience store to buy something. There were actually many tourists and couples on the bridge at such a late hour. Gu Xizhi stood there and waited for a while, then couldn't help but walk towards the riverbank.
She doesn't know how the cruise ship that has been docked in winter is still running today. It’s just that the dazzling LED advertisement on the cruise ship attracted special attention. Gu Xizhi gazed at them for a while and felt her eyes becoming tired. Since Qu Xizhi had not returned yet, she decided to go and find her.
Although she's not sure why Qu Xizhi brought her here so late, she thought she must have her own reason. She already wasted a lot of time tonight, and now she just wanted to be with her, no matter what she was planning to do. The commercial district is only one road away from the riverbank, and through the greenery, Gu Xizhi could see many convenience stores that were still open. However, she had been so focused on the river view earlier that she hadn't noticed where Qu Xizhi had gone.
As she decided to cross the street to look for her, the distinctive hotel on the other side of the river, facing the bridge, began to ring the early morning bell.
After all, today has come to an end. Gu Xizhi looked at the long clock in the hotel and was slightly entranced. Then the exclamations from the people on the bridge made Gu Xizhi couldn't help but look towards the river.
On the vast river, several cruise ships were crisscrossing under the bridge, seemingly trying to adjust their positions. From Gu Xizhi's perspective, the LED screens on the sides of these cruise ships were facing her directly. At first, because the position of the cruise ship was not adjusted properly, Gu Xizhi did not find anything special about those words. Soon, as the cruise ships settled into place, the words that appeared on the LED screens of all nine ships immediately caught everyone's attention.
Beautiful fireworks bloomed from the other side of the river in an instant. People on the bridge exclaimed and took pictures when they saw the row of words. Gu Xizhi looked at the row of words, but suddenly felt an indescribable feeling in her heart.
Each block on the huge LED screen has only one word, and when connected together it becomes this sentence:
Gu Xiao Jing, Happy Valentine’s Day
As a result, the people on the bridge were extremely envious, jealous, and hateful towards this person named Gu Xiao Jing, and they all shouted to express dissatisfaction.
Standing on the shore, Gu Xizhi took the row of dazzling words into her eyes, then closed her eyes and quietly calmed down. After a few seconds, she made sure that this was not an illusion and then opened her eyes again.
The fireworks on the other side of the river were particularly brilliant, and the fireworks bloomed in the sky. The font color on the cruise ship was changing, and the position sequence was also shifting. In a matter of moments, it transformed into a huge heart shape.
There were footsteps behind her that came to a halt. Gu Xizhi turned around and saw Qu Xizhi standing in the wind, wearing a white windbreaker and holding flowers.
She was still wearing her favorite high-heeled shoes, and her long, straight black hair, which was not dyed or permed, hung down to her waist. Although it was bitterly cold in winter, her clothing was relatively thin. She stood less than one meter away from Gu Xizhi and smiled at her. Under the moonlight, her long eyelashes appeared to be coated in a layer of white frost, and her features were exceptionally gentle.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, I originally wanted to finish these things earlier, but it’s still a little late."
She approached Gu Xizhi, and handed her the flowers, took out a diamond ring from her pocket, and extended her hand towards Gu Xizhi's left hand and continued, "I don't ask that you love me deeply, but I hope you'll come to like me more and more."
Gu Xizhi looked at her hand in the air and remained silent.
Qu Xizhi raised her eyebrows, "Don't want it?"
She looked up at Qu Xizhi and shook her head.
Qu Xizhi's hand moved closer to her.
Gu Xizhi finally extended her left hand to her.
Qu Xizhi put the diamond ring on her ring finger, held her hand, and said, "Once you put it on, you can never take it off. You can never leave me, do you understand?"
Gu Xizhi didn't speak, probably because she couldn't say anything.
Qu Xizhi hugged her directly.
In the distance, about ten meters from the greenbelt by the riverside, a red car had been parked for a while. Inside, a woman with curly hair wearing a fur coat watched the serene woman in the rearview mirror and said, "My information was correct; Qu Xizhi is indeed here." She smiled and asked, "So, did this scene touch you more?"
The woman in the back seat just said, "As long as Sister Xiao Jing is happy."
"I don't understand, if you like her, why don't you fight for her?"
"Liking is different from wanting. You just want to possess Miss Qu."
"What do you know?" Her face immediately turned cold.
The woman in the back seat stopped talking.
Seeing her silence, the woman in the driver's seat laughed again, "Speaking of which, do you really not want to tell her about your situation?"
The woman immediately looked up at her and said firmly, "If you say anything, we'll all be in deep trouble."
The woman in the driver's seat rolled her eyes at her, "Nervous wreck."
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