His sudden words made Su Chengyang feel a panic as if her secret was about to be revealed. She suddenly raised her head and unexpectedly met Lin Yu’s deep pupils. Her breath was caught in her throat, and her throat tightened.
“I… ” Su Chengyang opened her lips, feeling dry and tongue-tied. She almost blurted out, “I like you,” but ultimately suppressed it with her rationality.
Lin Yu regarded her as a friend. If she told him that she liked him, he would definitely feel that she had crossed the boundary of friendship, and from then on, they might not even be able to remain friends.
Su Chengyang dared not do that. If possible, she wanted to be friends with Lin Yu forever.
After the traffic light turned green, the vehicles started moving.
Amidst the honking cars, Su Chengyang’s voice rang out, “I’m different.”
Lin Yu was taken aback and remained silent.
“You’re too excellent, and I can’t reach that level.”
As she spoke these words, Su Chengyang’s voice became very low, drowned out by the surrounding honks. She didn’t know if Lin Yu had heard her.
The car fell into a brief silence.
Su Chengyang anxiously bit her lower lip. She was afraid that if Lin Yu heard her, he would sense her feelings.
The car continued to drive for a while, and neither of them spoke.
Lin Yu looked silently ahead, while Su Chengyang dared not speak.
“Su Chengyang.”
In the quiet car, Lin Yu suddenly spoke, calling Su Chengyang’s full name, a rare occurrence.
“I am not an outstanding person. The things I possess were given to me by my ancestors. Don’t you think that compared to me, someone who arrived in this world all alone, with countless opportunities to go astray and turn to a life of crime, yet managed to create a better life for themselves with their own hands, is truly outstanding?”
“She lives in the mud, untouched by the filth, has witnessed the world’s cruelty and heartlessness, yet still loves this world and her life, cherishing every person she encounters. Don’t you think that such a person is like the moon hanging in the sky, an existence that people yearn to touch but cannot reach?”
Su Chengyang stared at him blankly, her heartbeat echoing in her ears, pounding like thunder, deafening her.
Lin Yu’s words pierced through her like a thunderbolt, causing Su Chengyang to forget to breathe, her mind going blank.
After a strange silence, Lin Yu let out a sigh, his voice softened as he explained, “Chengyang, I didn’t mean anything else. I just want to tell you not to belittle yourself. You are more outstanding than most people. You deserve to be liked by others. Don’t doubt yourself, and don’t imagine me to be too good. I’m not as bright and glamorous as you imagine. I am selfish and unscrupulous. You need to know the real me, not rely on your imagination to understand me.”
Su Chengyang’s heart tightened, and she quickly lowered her head, whispering, “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize. I just…”
“Brother Lin, I understand…” Su Chengyang interrupted him, “I understand.”
It was precisely because Su Chengyang understood everything that she felt irresistibly drawn to Lin Yu once she got to know him.
He was too good, too insightful, and too gentle.
The atmosphere in the car became eerie, and Su Chengyang didn’t like it. She was afraid that Lin Yu would feel uncomfortable, so she changed the topic.
“By the way, has Xiao Lu ever been in a relationship?” Su Chengyang asked curiously. She was indeed somewhat curious.
Lin Yu also had no intention of dwelling on the topic and smiled, saying, “She had one before joining the military.”
“Is that true?” Su Chengyang couldn’t imagine what kind of state Xiao Lu would be in when in a romantic relationship.
Lin Yu nodded and said, “Although our mother is Italian, our nationality has always been Chinese. Xiao Lu studied in China when she was young. She should have been in the second year of high school when she had a relationship with a classmate. At that time, our family knew about it and supported her.”
“What happened later?”
“Xiao Lu had the same temper as before. She used to be fond of taekwondo and never lost a fight. One time, while playfully wrestling with her boyfriend, she accidentally used too much force and ended up fracturing his bones with a shoulder throw. He had to stay in bed for a month before he could get up. Since then, whenever her boyfriend saw her, he avoided her like a cat avoiding a mouse.”
Su Chengyang imagined the scene in her mind and burst into laughter.
“Later, she even went to confront the other. Uncle couldn’t do anything about her and asked me if I could come up with a solution. So, I suggested sending her to the military. She mentioned it to me before, saying that she really wanted to be a soldier.”
Su Chengyang’s curiosity grew heavier, gradually forgetting the previous conversation, and she pursued, “What happened next? Do they still have contact?”
Lin Yu smiled and said, “According to Lu Yin, she met the guy once after returning from the military. He is now a policeman, and they made peace with each other. As for whether they had any further contact, it’s unclear.”
Su Chengyang couldn’t help but laugh, “I thought Xiao Lu was like me.”
“Huh?” Lin Yu looked puzzled, “Like you in what way?”
Su Chengyang responded vaguely, feeling embarrassed to say directly that she had never been in a romantic relationship. Fortunately, Lin Yu didn’t ask further.
However, after a brief conversation, the atmosphere in the car returned to normal, and the two chatted all the way to the parking lot of the West Second Theater.
“Brother Lin, I made plans to meet with Songxue and the others at the café across the street.”
Su Chengyang pointed to the café they passed by and said.
Lin Yu nodded, parked the car, and handed a mask to Su Chengyang.
“Thank you.”
They got out of the car separately, with Su Chengyang waiting by the side for Lin Yu to walk over. They were located in the open-air parking lot southeast of West Second Theater, with people coming and going.
From the moment they appeared, there were constant glances in their direction.
Lin Yu is nearly 1.9 meters tall, and his well-proportioned figure makes him look like a model no matter what he wears. He is a stunning sight at first glance. Su Chengyang is taller than the average girl, and even though her face is not clearly visible due to wearing a hat and a mask, her demeanor alone shows that she is not an ordinary person.
When the two of them stand together, the atmosphere is harmonious. People passing by occasionally glance at them with probing eyes, seemingly afraid of being noticed by them. They quickly avert their gaze after a glance.
Both Su Chengyang and Lin Yu are accustomed to being watched, and they don’t pay much attention to these harmless looks. As they approach each other, they exchange a smile.
Lin Yu says, “Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
The two of them leave the parking lot side by side, attracting countless curious glances wherever they go. Neither of them looks like an ordinary person. People probably think they are actors in a play. When they reach the roadside, a few boys take pictures of them.
Lin Yu glances over there and turns his body to block Su Chengyang.
“What’s wrong?” Su Chengyang asks curiously.
Lin Yu whispers, “Someone is taking pictures.”
“Am I dressed too conspicuously?” Su Chengyang furrows her brows, feeling that she is dressed quite normally today.
Lin Yu lowers his gaze and looks at her, saying, “You stand out no matter what you wear.”
Su Chengyang: “…”
She muttered in a low voice, “You stand out a lot too.”
He looks good, mixed-race, with a good figure, like a model. Lin Yu must definitely stand out more than herself.
Finally, they managed to cross the road and arrived at the entrance of the café. The waiter was stunned when he saw the two of them, but after a while, he reacted and hurriedly stepped aside, saying, “Welcome!”
Lin Yu spoke gently, “We have reserved a private room, Room 107.”
The waiter pointed to the stairs and said, “The private room on the right side of the second floor, the innermost one. Please, both of you.”
“Thank you.” Lin Yu nodded, and Su Chengyang also smiled at the waiter.
The waiter watched Su Chengyang and Lin Yu go upstairs until their figures disappeared at the top of the stairs. Then, she suddenly leaned over the counter and shouted at the girl at the front desk, “Did you see them? Did you see them? They’re so handsome! So beautiful! Such a perfect match! They’re like a couple walking out of a movie! What an amazing couple! Are they here to watch a play?”
The girl gave her a blank look and said, “You didn’t even see what the girl looks like.”
“I saw her eyes, they’re really beautiful. She must be very attractive. Oh my God, her boyfriend is also so handsome. They both have such great temperament. I envy them so much.”
“Stop daydreaming and get back to work!”
Su Chengyang followed behind Lin Yu and walked to the entrance of the private room. Lin Yu raised his hand and knocked on the door. The soundproofing was good, as they didn’t hear any noise before the door was opened.
“Cheng… Mmm!”
As the door opened, Han Songxue’s excited face emerged. She had just shouted a word when Su Chengyang swiftly lunged forward and covered her mouth.
“Do you still want to watch the play properly?” Su Chengyang tightened her grip around her neck and entered the private room, with Lin Yu following closely behind and casually closing the door.
Su Chengyang released Han Songxue and glared at her, “Can’t you have a little foresight?”
Han Songxue linked her arm with Su Chengyang’s and said, “Oops, I forgot.”
There were other people in the private room, and Lin Yu nodded slightly to acknowledge everyone.
The two of them sat down, and three or four more people entered the room. They gathered together and chatted while waiting for the rest to arrive.
“What would you like to drink? I’ll go order.” Lin Yu sat on Su Chengyang’s right side and asked quietly.
Han Songxue must have heard it and eagerly approached, saying with a smile, “Manager Lin, I’d like a cappuccino.”
Lin Yu nodded with a smile and then looked at Su Chengyang, asking her, “And you?”
Su Chengyang ordered a cup of Americano. Lin Yu got up and asked the others what they wanted to drink. Once everyone had placed their orders, Han Songxue exclaimed, “Manager Lin, could you be our errand runner?”
Lin Yu responded, “No trouble at all, besides, Chengyang wants something too.”
“Got it, got it.”
Lin Yu turned and walked out of the private room. Han Songxue took a glance and immediately hugged Su Chengyang’s neck, exclaiming, “Your Manager Lin is so amazing. It’s the first time I’ve seen him in casual clothes, and he looks like an international supermodel. Don’t you feel attracted to him when you see him every day?”
Su Chengyang pushed her away, “Stop talking nonsense. I don’t see Manager Lin every day. Today, Xiao Lu was busy, so he accompanied me here.”
Han Songxue pouted, “But you two look so perfect together, handsome man and beautiful woman. It’s a pity if you’re not in a relationship.”
Su Chengyang pinched her face with her hand and warned, “Don’t talk nonsense in front of Manager Lin, you know?”
Han Songxue shook her arm and muttered, “I envy you so much. You are truly a rare find. If I were you, I would definitely find a way to get Manager Lin. How great would that be?”
Su Chengyang held her cheeks with both hands, “Get him? If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll sew your mouth shut.”
“Wow! Su Chengyang, you’re so cruel!”
When Lin Yu came back, Su Chengyang and Han Songxue were playfully fighting in the private room, and others were avoiding them.
When Su Chengyang ran past Lin Yu, he grabbed the hood of her hoodie and pulled her towards him, saying, “Stop fooling around.”
Su Chengyang immediately acted like a mouse meeting a cat and obediently huddled next to Lin Yu.
Han Songxue gloated and made a face at her, and Su Chengyang couldn’t help but give her a disdainful look.
Just as Han Songxue was enjoying herself, she suddenly felt Lin Yu looking at her. It was just a casual glance, but she suddenly felt like she was being stared at. Slowly, she followed Su Chengyang’s lead and huddled next to her, and the two of them started chatting quietly.
“Your family Manager Lin just glared at me.”
“You’re talking nonsense. Manager Lin wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m not lying to you, really. He definitely thinks I’m bullying you, but it’s clearly you who’s bullying me?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. When did I bully you?”
“You do, you always say I’m brainless.”
. . . . .
The two of them chatted for a while, and everyone else, except Qin You, gradually arrived.
After everyone was gathered, the West Second Theater began ticket inspection, and the group left the café.
Although their faces were somewhat covered, their individual charm was evident. As soon as they reached the side of the road, they attracted curious gazes from onlookers.
Except for Han Songxue, everyone else called their friends or agents. They gathered together and chatted quietly. When crossing the road, they became silent, and the impressive group of people left passersby dumbfounded.
When they were queuing for ticket inspection, they heard that the signal inside was not good. Su Chengyang took out her phone and opened WeChat to send a message to Du Senyu.
She had arranged to meet Du Senyu at the entrance of the West Second Theater after the play ended, which happened to be his dismissal time. She was afraid that the signal would be bad inside the West Second Theater, so she informed Du Senyu in advance. After the play ended, she would actively message him, asking him not to wait.
After receiving Du Senyu’s reply, Su Chengyang put her phone back. She raised her head and looked around, only to find Lin Yu standing behind her, staring at her intently.
“What’s wrong?” Su Chengyang asked, confused.
Lin Yu’s gaze briefly fell on her face and then shifted away.
His tone was faint, “Nothing.”
After finishing the ticket inspection, they entered the West Second Theater. The lights inside were bright, and everyone’s seats were in the first two rows, not far from each other.
Su Chengyang’s seat was next to Han Songxue, with Han Songxue on her left and Lin Yu on her right.
Shortly after they sat down, Song Mingan, dressed in white, quietly emerged from the backstage.
He greeted everyone, and when Qi Fu saw him, he couldn’t help but praise him. Han Songxue, on the other hand, didn’t give him face at all and laughed openly, causing the audience behind them to occasionally cast doubtful glances at them.
“This voice… sounds so much like Han Songxue from <Travel>?”
“Look, is that person in the first row an actor from the play? The one who played Xiao Qian?”
“Yes! That’s him, called Song Mingan.”
“Could those people talking to him in front be the guests from <Travel>?”
“Is Su Chengyang there? Is Su Chengyang inside?”
“Su Chengyang!!”
In the noisy West Second Theater, a sudden scream rang out, frightening Su Chengyang and causing the people in the front row to freeze, turning their heads to look at the source of the sound.
“What? Su Chengyang?”
“Su Chengyang came to watch the play? Is it true or not?”
“Did the other people from <Travel> come too?”
“‘Easy to bully’!”
“Shen Fu, I love you!”
“Han Songxue, you idiot!”
Han Songxue: “?”
She rolled up her sleeves and suddenly stood up from her seat, saying, “Who called me an idiot?”
The cast of <Travel>: “…”
If you’re not an idiot, then who is?
Su Chengyang sighed inwardly and instinctively moved away from Han Songxue, leaning slightly towards Lin Yu’s direction.
“Oh my god!!! It’s really them!”
“Wife! Su Chengyang! I love you!”
“Ah ah ah, it’s my first time being this close to them!”
Suddenly, the audience section at the West Second Theater erupted, and the security quickly intervened to prevent any disturbance caused by the high emotions of the audience.
Han Songxue was puzzled and lowered her head to find that others were looking at her with disdain.
Han Songxue asked, “What’s wrong?”
Su Chengyang quickly pulled her to her seat and whispered, “Are you stupid? Originally, they were just guessing, but as soon as you showed up, they knew we all came. Do you still want to leave later?”
Han Songxue: “…”
Guided by security, the excited audience finally calmed down, but there were continuous sounds of people taking pictures from behind.
Su Chengyang turned her head and glanced at Lin Yu on her right, who remained calm and focused on the stage.
Su Chengyang moved closer to him and whispered, “Manager Lin, it might be difficult to leave later. You should go first, and I’ll go with Songxue and the others.”
Lin Yu lowered his eyelids and glanced at her eyes. He imitated her actions and moved closer to her, lowering his voice and saying, “Extend your right hand.”
Su Chengyang hesitated for a moment and stretched out her hand, perplexed.
Suddenly, Lin Yu covered Su Chengyang’s palm with his hand. Su Chengyang’s heartbeat skipped a beat. For a brief moment, she thought Lin Yu would intertwine their fingers. However, in the end, Lin Yu placed a small object in her palm.
Su Chengyang’s expression froze, and she moved her lips, but before she could ask, she received Lin Yu’s response.
“It’s a chocolate from the café, only one piece.”
