When the four of them arrived at the private room they had booked, several people were already seated inside, chatting happily. Upon seeing Xie Na and He Jiong enter, they all stood up to greet them. The other two were completely forgotten in the corner; after all, Yi Xing and Ju Jingyi didn't have much fame, a stark contrast to their performance on the show.
The two exchanged glances, both seeing the helplessness in the other's eyes. They smiled and consciously took seats near where the dishes would be served. As 'small transparencies,' they raised their glasses when needed and ate the food in front of them when not, not daring to rotate the table. Anyway, the conversation had nothing to do with them, so they let the others chat.
The dinner quickly ended, and by nine o'clock, everyone gradually put down their chopsticks and walked out of the private room. Yi Xing quietly asked the person beside him, "Xiao Ju, are you full? If not, how about we go buy some snacks outside later?"
"Yes, please!" Ju Jingyi quickly agreed. Despite eating for so long, she felt like she hadn't eaten anything, constantly either toasting or on her way toasting.
Fortunately, the two were 'small transparencies,' and no one paid attention to whether they had finished the wine in their glasses. One glass lasted from the beginning of the dinner to the end, each time taking just a tiny sip, pretending it was enough.
Just as they were discussing what to eat next, Sister Na's voice came from a distance: "Xiao Xing, Xiao Ju, do you want to ride back with me?"
Since they had hitched a ride with Sister Na on the way there, it was natural to ask her about the return trip. She was also heading back to the hotel, so it was convenient.
Yi Xing, who had been called, walked up to her and whispered, "Sister Na, you go back first. Xiao Ju and I aren't full and plan to look around for something good to eat to fill our stomachs."
"Coincidentally, I didn't eat much either. There are so many snacks nearby. I'll take you to try them. You don't mind one more person, do you?"
Her words put him in a difficult position, making him feel caught between a rock and a hard place. Sister Na was so enthusiastic that he couldn't very well refuse her kindness. However, if she joined them, the private atmosphere of his and Ju Jingyi's gathering would change, and their communication would be hindered.
"Uh... Sister Na..."
At the critical moment, Teacher He came to the rescue. A hand reached out from inside the car and firmly covered Sister Na's mouth, preventing her from speaking further. He pulled her back into the car and said to Yi Xing,
"It's fine, she's had too much to drink and is talking nonsense. You two just go by yourselves." After saying that, he even gave a wink.
Yi Xing understood that Teacher He was helping him out and gave him a grateful look. However, he didn't quite understand the wink afterwards. Could he have misunderstood his and Ju Jingyi's relationship again? Never mind, let him misunderstand; he was tired of explaining.
——————
A boy and a girl walked side by side down a brightly lit street, each holding a bag of savory pancakes. The bright lights illuminated their continuously moving figures.
Ju Jingyi used a skewer to pick up a small piece of pancake and put it in her mouth. The crispy crust and rich sauce spread in her mouth, making her eyes narrow involuntarily. It was worth it for her to have waited in line with Yi Xing for so long. Fewer people didn't necessarily mean bad food, but more people usually meant good food.
"Yi Xing, quickly try it. It's really good! Much better than what I've had in Modu."
"Is that so? I'll try it." Yi Xing ate the pancake in his hand, nodding as he ate, completely agreeing with her. The sauce and spicy flavors blended together. Unlike the girl's, his had chili.
"It's really delicious! No wonder so many people are queuing outside."
"Right, right? How could my taste be bad?" She proudly lifted her small head.
They walked aimlessly down the road and stopped by a park. Unbeknownst to them, it was already half past nine. There were almost no people inside at this hour; the elderly regulars had long since gone home. Looking inside, one could vaguely see one or two young couples intimately cuddling.
"What, do you want to go in for a walk?"
"No!" Ju Jingyi decisively refused. She wanted her stomach to be filled with delicious food, not the 'dog food' passed by passersby. She then continued walking forward, completely ignoring whether the person behind her had caught up.
Yi Xing was amused by her earlier appearance, her cheeks puffed out, trying to hold back his laughter. Realizing she had walked far ahead, he quickly chased after her, shouting, "Hey, hey, hey, wait for me!"
"Weren't you going to the park? Why are you following me?"
"Who goes to the park this late? I'm certainly not. Do you hear the music coming from ahead? It looks quite lively. Interested in checking it out?" He pointed to the crowd ahead.
Ju Jingyi looked in that direction, vaguely hearing the violin music echoing in the air. Her curiosity was immediately piqued. At this hour, someone was still playing the violin outside—what dedication!
She quickened her pace towards the source of the music. Circles upon circles of people blocked her path. Tiptoeing forcefully was useless; she still couldn't see what was happening inside. Just then, a large hand appeared in front of her—it was Yi Xing's.
"Hold on tight, I'll take you in."
She looked at the hand in front of her, paused for a moment, then gently placed her hand into his.
Yi Xing pulled Ju Jingyi, weaving through the crowd, shouting, "Excuse me, please move aside! If your clothes accidentally get splashed with oil, I'm not responsible!"
Precisely because of this statement, everyone in Yi Xing's path instinctively dodged to the side. Whether he was telling the truth or not, what if? Thus, a narrow passage was cleared for the two of them, and in a few steps, they reached the front row of the crowd.
A woman in a dress stood in the center, engrossed in playing the violin, completely absorbed. A phone was placed in front of her, live-streaming, with comments and likes from netizens constantly scrolling across the screen.
As the piece ended, a burst of warm applause erupted from the audience. The woman opened her eyes and bowed to the surrounding crowd, grateful for their applause. Ju Jingyi felt a bit antsy; if the other person wasn't live-streaming, she would have wanted to go up and play a piece too, but her company's rules made her feel somewhat constrained.
"Is there any piece you'd like to hear?"
"You play the violin?"
"Just a little, just a little."
"Then 'The Butterfly Lovers'!" She thought for a moment and gave an answer.
Yi Xing nodded, indicating he understood. He walked forward and negotiated with the woman, received her permission, and took the violin from her hand. After she explained the situation to the audience and netizens, he prepared to begin.
Standing still, he took a deep breath, placed the violin under his chin, and lightly rested the bow on the strings. As his arm slowly moved, the mournful and evocative melody of 'The Butterfly Lovers' lingered in everyone's ears, unforgettable.