The comments on the livestream are full of inappropriate remarks, and Mu Qiu tries her best not to look at them, concentrating on eating her noodles.
Brother Cheng Zhirang, sitting beside her, picks out questions from fans to answer, while also paying attention to her, ready to use a tissue to wipe the corners of her mouth.
The camera for the livestream is pointed at the kitchen, with other areas not in view, which helps protect privacy. After finishing her noodles, Mu Qiu steps out of the camera’s view, goes to get some water, and takes away her portion of cake.
Streaming herself eating noodles in front of so many people is something she truly isn’t accustomed to.
But even after she leaves, her name continues to be mentioned.
Brother Cheng Zhirang keeps calling her name now and then.
"Qiuqiu, do you want more cake?"
"Qiuqiu, can you help me pass the water cup?"
"Qiuqiu, they say there’s a light show tonight, want to go out and see it together?"
"Qiuqiu..."
Mu Qiu simply plops down across from him and writes in big letters in her sketchbook for him to see.
[Don’t keep calling me like that]
Cheng Zhirang: "I didn’t say you were spicy."
Mu Qiu: "..."
She then writes another note: [Interact nicely with the fans, I’ll go back to the room first.]
At this, he can only nod and agree.
However, after she returns to her room, the livestream quickly ends, with Cheng Zhirang putting on a show of eating cake, patiently answering everyone’s questions, chatting and laughing with a few guests who joined the stream, and then openly announcing to everyone:
"I’m going to live it up tonight."
How this statement caused the topic of #Cheng Zhirang Nightlife# to trend again, he doesn’t know, and after turning off the livestream, he goes upstairs.
He’s quite eager to see the biggest gift yet.
(Don’t think too much; the follow-up is in the previous Weibo birthday + 520 small theater; there won’t be anything here.)
---
While 520 isn’t much of a holiday, it’s at most a couple’s date day.
Mu Qiu thought about going out with Cheng Zhirang to play and enjoy the fun other couples have before the premiere of the ninth episode arrives this Friday.
Of course, she also considered the situation where they wouldn’t be able to go out all day.
So when she woke up around noon the next day, without much energy, she wasn’t overly emotional.
Even when Cheng Zhirang got excited again, she didn’t refuse much. She anticipated they could only "date" in the room anyway, which was expected.
If there’s a piece of grilled meat in front of you, could you resist not looking at it for a full day without eating it? That’s impossible.
She couldn’t resist, and neither could Cheng Zhirang.
"Boom——"
In the afternoon, Mu Qiu lay weakly on the small balcony’s sofa, covered with a thin blanket, her eyes half-open, half-closed, gazing outside.
Outside there’s a palm tree, with wind brushing its "beard," causing the fan-like leaves to sway in one direction.
The clouds gathered, the wind and rain seemed imminent.
"It’s going to rain, brother."
This is her new favorite nickname, completely different from saying "Brother Cheng." There’s always a playful lilt when saying "brother," sounding like a coquettish tone that Cheng Zhirang very much likes.
This word duplication certainly does have charm.
Cheng Zhirang holds her, his fingers unconsciously brushing her shoulder while glancing at the already rainy weather outside.
"It shouldn’t blow in, but the wind will make it cold. Want to go back inside?"
"No."
This summer rain came suddenly and fiercely, pouring down instantly, shrouding the view, making the scenery outside seem like it’s covered with a hazy white veil.
Neither of them moved, Mu Qiu spaced out looking outside, then couldn’t control her tiredness, closed her eyes, and nestled back into Cheng Zhirang’s embrace.
The sweat that arose from the earlier heat hadn’t dried yet, dampening a few strands of hair on her ear. Cheng Zhirang gently tucked her hair behind her ear, carefully planting a kiss at the corner of her eye.
Outside, the wind was strong and the rain heavy, inside it was a cozy little home.
Once confirming she was asleep, Cheng Zhirang leaned into her and closed his eyes too. The two nestled together head to head, quietly listening to the pattering sound of rain outside.
Like desires, rain comes quickly and goes quickly. Mu Qiu’s calm breathing unknowingly turned into slightly urgent muffled moans, like a fish out of water, tilting her head and softly humming with closed eyes.
Cheng Zhirang’s warm breath fell at her neck, his lips and tongue trailing downward.
Under the blanket, Mu Qiu’s whole body flushed pink, gripping tightly at Cheng Zhirang’s back, shoulders, and squeezing out tremulous sounds from her throat.
"Brother~"
One call of "brother" is deadly, but it’s her own demise.
By evening, when she finally mustered the strength to get out of bed for a full meal, she was still nestled in Cheng Zhirang’s arms, carried downstairs.
The red sugar egg stew in the kitchen was indeed sweet and fragrant; she drank it intermittently, finally satisfied after two bowls, lying back in his arms and falling asleep again.
Who said human memory doesn’t have a blank day?
This Friday was a blank in her history of memories. If not for someone beside her reminding her, she would genuinely feel she had slept through half a month.
She completely forgot whether today was Friday or Saturday.
When she was dug out to sit by the bed, she was still bewildered.
Bewildered watching Cheng Zhirang busy packing, bewildered staring at the phone screen displaying Saturday in flashing letters.
Saturday... Saturday, what was supposed to happen on Saturday?
Saturday... Damn, Saturday is for recording the show!
---
Mu Qiu sits in the car, for the umpteenth time reproaching herself for being blinded by desires.
Also, for the umpteenth time, reproaching Cheng Zhirang’s blindness by desires.
Both are roughly the same, with nothing serious to do, getting lost at home forgetting which year or month it is.
Even forgetting work!
Of course, the aspect of forgetting work refers solely to her.
"Eat some breakfast," Cheng Zhirang says, inserting a straw into warm milk and handing it over with some rice balls, "Feeling okay?"
Asked seriously and gently.
Mu Qiu could hardly roll her eyes unwillingly, she takes a sip of milk, pretending not to hear, not answering him.
Answering such headless questions in the car could easily have others conjecturing about how she feels.
Her lack of response doesn’t matter; Cheng Zhirang drinks a bit of American coffee, eats two bites of whole wheat bread, and begins speaking softly about this episode’s news.
"This time we’re going to another old town. But it’s a tourist spot within Hai City itself, not far from home. The director tells us we don’t need to change clothes on the way there; there will be an identity draw at the location."
She bites into two rice balls with a soft "Oh."
Cheng Zhirang tilts his head, looking at her, suddenly chuckling, reaching out to hold her hand.
But she pulls it back.
Mu Qiu glances at him: "What are you doing? Don’t be so handsy."
"Ahem."
Sitting in the passenger seat, Chen Song coughs, not turning around, but the comment is clearly aimed at them: "Pay attention to your behavior, we’re almost there."
So she glares at him: Did you hear that, pay attention to your behavior.
Cheng Zhirang nods and then stretches his hand to grasp hers, holding it in the palm.
Mu Qiu struggles twice but doesn’t break free, so she can only eat the rice ball with one hand while mischievously tickling his palm with the other.
Currently, the thought of ten fingers intertwined unnerves her.
Their hands don’t stay clasped for long, as the roads on both sides get wider, buildings become lower, then Chen Song speaks:
"We’re here."