Chapter 85
Since Zuo Bian had to continue her training in the afternoon, Qin Ai didn’t take her to a restaurant far away. They had lunch at a nearby restaurant with good food.
The dishes here were light but flavorful.
Zuo Bian enjoyed trying new dishes. During their meal, she told Qin Ai about the amusing incident that had happened that morning.
Qin Ai also shared the CP video she had seen yesterday, which piqued Zuo Bian’s interest.
“Qin Ai, can I watch it?” Zuo Bian looked at Qin Ai with longing eyes.
Qin Ai said, “Finish your food first, then you can watch it.”
“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian nodded happily and ate even faster.
After lunch, Qin Ai showed Zuo Bian the video. Zuo Bian was captivated and finally asked, “Qin Ai, did you make this video? Why are there photos of you from high school?”
Qin Ai smiled, resting her chin on her hand. “I didn’t make it, but it was someone you know. Guess who.”
Zuo Bian searched her memory. “Could it be your mother?”
Qin Ai shook her head with a smile. Zuo Bian guessed again, “Is it Sao Sao (sister-in-law)?”
Tao Zi was the biggest fan of their CP and a woman of action. Photo editing and voting were child’s play for her. It was normal for Zuo Bian to guess it was her.
But Qin Ai shook her head again. This stumped Zuo Bian. She even guessed her own brother.
However, Zuo Yuan was also the wrong answer. Finally, she said, “Qin Ai, could it be my mother?”
“Don’t you think you’ve forgotten someone? You’ve guessed almost everyone, but you haven’t guessed him yet.”
Zuo Bian’s eyes lit up. She was sure she would guess correctly this time.
“Then it must be 555! It’s very good with electronic devices.”
Qin Ai sighed, but there was no disappointment in her eyes. “If Xiao Tian were here, he would be heartbroken.”
Zuo Bian’s eyes widened in surprise. “It was Xiao Tian?”
Qin Ai nodded. “Mm, it was Xiao Tian.”
“He’s so young and already so talented? No wonder there are so many photos of you in the video. And the background music is your piano playing.”
“He snuck into my music room last night to record the piano music, and I caught him. That’s how I found out about the video.”
Zuo Bian chuckled. “Was Xiao Tian scared when you caught him?”
They chatted about it for a while, but they didn’t have much time. Zuo Bian had to go back to her acting lessons.
As the days passed, Zuo Bian’s progress was evident, and her teacher praised her constantly.
Her teacher was a veteran actress who had played many well-known roles. Now that she was older, she didn’t have much energy left, and the current market favored younger actors.
She had thought she would just retire peacefully, but one of her students introduced her to Zuo Bian and asked her to be her acting coach. Teaching Zuo Bian had rekindled her passion for acting. She found meaning in passing on her skills to a new generation.
Zuo Bian also enjoyed the learning process. The only downside was that she was too busy.
“Ascending to Immortality” had recently ended. It was a true hit drama, not one of those artificially hyped-up shows that relied on marketing and trending topics.
Every time it trended on Weibo, it was because there was genuine buzz, driven by real viewers and fans.
With the drama’s success, Zuo Bian, as the female lead, was also in high demand. Various talk shows and programs invited her. She couldn’t accept all of them, but she couldn’t reject all of them either.
So she chose a few interviews and shows, squeezing them into her busy schedule. A month before the filming for “Twins” began, she would also need to experience the protagonist’s life.
Zuo Bian was like a spinning top, constantly on the move.
She could handle the physical demands. She was in good health and slept well at night. The biggest drawback was that she didn’t have much time to see Qin Ai. Before, it was Qin Ai who was busy, and Zuo Bian had to make appointments to see her.
Now, the roles were reversed. It was difficult for Qin Ai to see Zuo Bian. They could only chat briefly during Zuo Bian’s meal breaks, which made Zuo Bian feel guilty.
Today, after finishing an interview, Zuo Bian called Qin Ai and asked if she was free for dinner that night.
Qin Ai agreed, and Zuo Bian happily told her that she had already booked a restaurant.
“Qin Ai, I’ll be waiting for you at the restaurant. I’ll send you the address.”
“Mm.” Qin Ai replied with a smile.
She didn’t blame Zuo Bian for being busy. Seeing her grow and thrive every day made Qin Ai happy.
And she was even happier that Zuo Bian had invited her to dinner.
After hanging up the phone, Zuo Bian smiled.
555 said in her mind, 【Host, everything will definitely go smoothly.】
‘Mm-hmm.’
Actually, this date had been planned by Zuo Bian days ago. She had been too busy lately and hadn’t had much time to spend with Qin Ai.
She had been performing well in her training, so she had asked her teacher for a day off, just to be with Qin Ai.
Since it was a date, it had to be romantic.
According to the guides, women loved special treatment, and if you loved a woman, you should spend money on her. Zuo Bian wholeheartedly agreed, so she booked an entire restaurant, complete with flowers and a violinist.
She had also bought 999 red roses. A candlelit dinner with roses, it would definitely be a romantic date.
Zuo Bian arrived at the restaurant early. Qin Ai wasn’t there yet.
She entered the restaurant. Candles were already lit on the table.
Qin Ai arrived shortly after. As soon as she entered, someone covered her eyes.
“Qin Ai.” It was Zuo Bian’s voice.
Even without hearing Zuo Bian’s voice, Qin Ai wouldn’t have dodged. She could smell Zuo Bian’s scent as soon as she got close.
Everyone had a unique scent, and when you spent enough time with someone, you could recognize their scent even from a distance.
Zuo Bian was a few centimeters shorter than Qin Ai, so she had to stand on her tiptoes, her body practically pressed against Qin Ai’s back, to cover her eyes.
“Are you giving me a surprise?” Qin Ai’s lips curved into a smile. Although her eyes were covered, they must be sparkling with amusement.
Zuo Bian hummed in response and led Qin Ai forward.
The melodious sound of a violin filled the air. Qin Ai’s vision was obscured, but she could smell the fragrance of roses.
She easily guessed what Zuo Bian was planning. Such romantic gestures might lose their novelty after being used too many times, but for Qin Ai, the romantic aspect was secondary. What mattered was Zuo Bian’s heart.
This girl, who was clumsy and awkward even when pursuing someone, was incredibly serious when it came to love. Her earnestness touched Qin Ai’s heart.
“Qin Ai, these roses are for you.” Zuo Bian removed her hand from Qin Ai’s eyes as they reached a display of 999 red roses.
The flickering candlelight illuminated the vibrant roses.
Even in the dim light, their beauty was undeniable.
They were luscious and fragrant, their color, shape, and scent like a blazing fire, enveloping Qin Ai like a net, mirroring the overwhelming emotions in Zuo Bian’s heart.
Zuo Bian fidgeted with her clothes nervously. “Qin Ai, do you like them?”
Qin Ai tore her gaze away from the roses and turned to look at Zuo Bian. The candlelight cast a warm glow on her face, making her eyes sparkle.
When they first met, Zuo Bian had thought Qin Ai’s eyes were like a calm sea hiding turbulent depths, unfathomable and mysterious.
But now, Qin Ai’s lips were curved into a smile, her eyes gentle, her once unfathomable gaze reflecting Zuo Bian’s image.
Zuo Bian was the only thing Qin Ai could see.
Even though Qin Ai hadn’t answered yet, Zuo Bian already knew the answer. She smiled, her eyes sparkling with joy.
Only then did Qin Ai finally speak. “I like them. Not just the flowers.”
Zuo Bian led Qin Ai to the table, their hands clasped together. The waiter, who had been waiting in the shadows, immediately served the dishes as they sat down.
Qin Ai had expected a typical candlelit dinner, but when the food arrived, she couldn’t help but chuckle.
Zuo Bian, seeing her reaction, said sheepishly, “Is it weird to order well-done steak at a Western restaurant?”
Qin Ai picked up her chopsticks and took a bite of the stir-fried steak. “It’s fine. It’s safer to eat meat well-done anyway.”
Zuo Bian smiled brightly. “Mm-hmm, Qin Ai, try this steamed goose liver with fermented rice wine.”
“Okay.” Qin Ai took a bite. “It’s good.”
Zuo Bian’s smile widened, and she ladled a bowl of pork rib and mushroom soup for herself.
555 remained silent. It thought the chef must be crying. Who would force a Western chef to cook Chinese food?
Grilled steak had become stir-fried steak, pan-fried foie gras had become steamed goose liver with fermented rice wine, and creamy mushroom soup had become pork rib and mushroom soup. Fortunately, the chef had previously specialized in Chinese cuisine before switching to Western cuisine, so he was able to handle the request.
It wasn’t that Zuo Bian was deliberately making things difficult. Both she and Qin Ai preferred Chinese food. And that website called Jinjiang, where their mission was based, had been promoting the importance of avoiding wild game, eating cooked food, ventilating rooms, washing hands frequently, and wearing masks.
So they were having Chinese food at a Western restaurant, and they were enjoying it, although the atmosphere was a bit strange.
However, their stunning beauty made everything seem perfect. Who could resist beautiful flowers, beautiful people, and safe food?
The violinist had left at some point, leaving only Zuo Bian and Qin Ai in the spacious room.
The candles flickered, casting long shadows, and they leaned closer to each other.
The atmosphere was charged with unspoken emotions. Their lips met in a soft kiss, the sweetness reaching its peak.
Unfortunately, this kiss could only be a brief one. They were in public. Qin Tian had been taken to his grandmother’s house by his mother tonight, so Qin Ai took Zuo Bian to her own home.
There were no distractions. However, they accidentally entered Qin Ai’s music room instead of her bedroom.
But at this point, they weren’t picky about the location. Qin Ai lifted Zuo Bian and placed her on the piano lid.
Before being censored, 555 yelled, 【Don’t get water on the piano!】
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