After speaking, Mo Qingcheng straightened up and motioned for her to quickly go to the restroom to remove her makeup and change clothes, as early spring was still quite chilly. Those mysterious feelings from moments ago still lingered between them, and Gu Sheng didn’t even dare to look at him directly. Yet, as they reached the top floor of the teaching building and could already see their laughing and playful companions in the distance, she suddenly halted in her tracks.
“Mo Qingcheng…” She suddenly ran in front of him, turning around to face him.
He looked at her, puzzled.
She gazed at him, feeling seven parts anxious… and ten parts embarrassed.
His confusion deepened, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes and brows.
The most captivating thing about Gu Sheng was how all her emotions were laid bare on her face and in her eyes. At twenty-two, how had she managed to live so openly and unscathed, without ever being harmed by others?
He couldn’t help but smile slightly.
She seemed to finally make up her mind, reaching out to gently wipe his lips.
He understood, quietly lowering his head to watch her as she destroyed the evidence.
Once, twice—several wipes later, it was finally completely clean.
The lipstick… was indeed quite heavy…
“All clean?” he asked softly, his voice tinged with laughter.
“Mm.” She pretended nonchalance as she turned and continued walking, her steps uneven… Even though she had wiped it clean herself, she still felt guilty, afraid something might still remain on his lips…
“Sheng Sheng, haven’t you removed your makeup yet?” The makeup artist, chatting with someone in the hallway, saw her approaching and immediately handed her makeup remover and facial cleanser. “Why has so much of your lipstick worn off? Did you eat it?”
…
“Huh? Worn off?” Gu Sheng wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, feigning calm.
Mu Mu glanced at her and said with professional sincerity, “It’s not good to eat that stuff. You should eat less of it in the future.”
…
Could everyone please stop discussing whether or not to eat it? T.T…
The group extended the topic from how the lipstick on Gu Sheng’s mouth had been “eaten” to how eating lipstick was a very bad thing, then to how some lipsticks were plant-based and might be harmless if ingested… and finally to… how they should develop a lipstick series called “Couple Lipstick” specifically for eating…
She was in the restroom, quickly removing her makeup with the help of the makeup artist, listening through the wall as the topic extended to such lengths, silently enduring until she almost suffered internal injuries…
Mo Qingcheng seemed to be in a good mood.
Aside from her darkened expression while taking photos on the rooftop, he spoke a few more words than usual, though only to Mo Bai and Mu Mu. To others… he was undoubtedly born with an aversion to women—admirable from afar, but no one had a chance to approach and strike up a conversation.
⊙﹏⊙b
This… why were the Top talents she knew always so amiable and proactive…
In the end, under Mo Bai’s persistent coaxing, their dinner turned into a group outing at McDonald’s + karaoke. Just a few hours ago, they had been strangers, but after taking photos together, complaining together, changing outfits together, and chatting animatedly over plates of fries at McDonald’s, they had successfully become familiar with one another.
However, after just an hour of listening to others sing in the private room, she finally realized something was very wrong when she heard the name “Qiang Qingci” more than a dozen times.
She was Sheng Sheng Man, and beside her was Qiang Qingci.
She was an ancient style singer, and the Top talent was a voice actor who sang even better than singers.Although they had colluded with Mu Mu and Mo Bai from the start to conceal their identities in the Two-dimensional world, once facing the microphone, could they really avoid exposure... She glanced at the person beside her, took a sip of milk tea, and the pearls smoothly slid through the straw into her mouth...
"I want to sing 'Drunken Dream Immortal Grove'!" Two young girls crowded around the song selection screen, with two more standing behind them, giving directions.
"Can you hit those high notes?"
"It's fine, I just want to commemorate my Top talent's first song," the girl selecting the song immediately revealed her identity as a seasoned "Porcelain Disc"...
Gu Sheng smoothly... swallowed two pearls.
Mo Qingcheng remained as calm as ever.
"Do you want to hear me sing?" The voice beside her suddenly made this beautiful yet dangerous suggestion.
Of course... she wanted to...
Under the constantly flickering stage lights, she looked at him somewhat nervously, thought for a few seconds, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Qiang Qingci, aren't you afraid of being discovered?"
He smiled, lowering his voice, "Sheng Sheng Man, as a voice actor, having a versatile vocal range is a basic skill."
...Alright, she had been hit where it hurt.
The name Qiang Qingci, since his debut, had been most praised not only for his natural voice that struck right at the heart but also for his innate talent for vocal versatility. As long as the role wasn't too outrageous, he could completely master it.
How could she have forgotten—he was Qiang Qingci.
⊙﹏⊙b...
After the girls had settled on their songs, he walked over to pick one.
As he stood before the song selection screen, head bowed as he flipped through the songs, most people's eyes lit up. Who doesn't like a handsome guy? And if a handsome guy dares to go up and pick a song, it means he must sing pretty well! For a room half-filled with Voice Fetishist girls, this was simply a huge temptation...
And...
Everyone caught a glimpse of the song titles he was browsing and immediately got excited.
It was actually Chinese style! This handsome guy was actually a fellow enthusiast! Good singers of pop songs are everywhere, but those who can sing ancient style songs well are rare treasures, right? Do you think just anyone can sing ancient style songs? Try asking the guys around you and you'll know! "Um... can I timidly ask, sir, can you sing 'Drunken Dream Immortal Grove'..."
A seasoned Qiang Qingci fan suddenly had a whim and eagerly requested a song.
He smiled and shook his head.
This KTV wasn't quite up-to-date; there were very few online ancient style songs, mostly Chinese-style songs released by popular singers. In the end, he casually picked the latest "Red Dust Inn." As soon as he made his choice, the girls who had selected songs earlier generously offered: "Please skip ours, let the handsome guy go first..."
And so, the song he had just picked was moved to the top of the queue.
Gu Sheng bit down on her milk tea straw, listening as the intro gradually began, holding her breath slightly... In the two songs he sang for the public on YY Voice Chat, he had used his natural voice, so even she couldn't help but wonder what he would sound like singing with a different voice...
Until he took the microphone.
Until the first note emerged, until she bit down on her straw, completely stunned:
"Under the eaves, the window lattice slants, casting shadows of branches, with you, sitting on the ground drinking tea, I sketch you meticulously with fine brushwork, lifting the brush not for elegance..."Shedding the imposing aura and imperial grandeur of "Drunken Dream Immortal Grove" and "Exhausting the World," his voice had completely transformed. Whether in tone or emotional expression, he had fully immersed himself into this song.
Stripped of extravagance, leaving only a pure, clean vocal tone.
Far removed from the clamor of the mortal world...
It was breathtakingly beautiful. She thought of a phrase: to turn the world upside down.
He sang, she listened, and everything else was merely background noise.
All the listeners were captivated, yet no one could tell he was Qiang Qingci.
Even after he finished singing, those voice fetishists couldn’t help but eagerly ask if he wanted to become a voice actor or try cover singing. They were as excited as if they had discovered a hidden treasure. Mo Bai, watching from the sidelines, was nearly laughing himself to tears. He quickly ushered Qiang Qingci back to Gu Sheng’s side. Qiang Qingci glanced at his watch and said, "The air here isn’t great. Want to go out for a walk?"
Since the party was in full swing, it probably wouldn’t matter if the two of them left, right?
She quietly placed her milk tea on the table and whispered, "Okay. I’ll go to the restroom first. Wait for me by the main entrance."
After saying this, she grabbed her bag and hurried out first.
It had to be said, the KTV’s decor was quite European in style. The restroom faced an entire wall of mirrors, and as you walked out, different doors led to various corridors. Even through the doors, you could hear the rising and falling sounds of singing. She quickly washed her face and hands, tidied her hair, and stepped out, glancing at herself in the large mirror.
She blinked.
Hmm, looking good...
Just as she was about to turn around, she saw Mo Qingcheng in the mirror, standing in the corridor leading to the main entrance, hands in his pockets, smiling as he watched her... Clearly, he had noticed her little vanity moment in front of the mirror.
How long had he been watching?
No idea...
But she hadn’t been looking at herself for that long, right?
...
The two of them took the elevator downstairs. Out of habit, he popped a throat lozenge into his mouth—it seemed many voice actors and singers had this habit. Actually... she wanted to say, wasn’t it bad to rely on them so often? It might even become an addiction...
Although this was a bustling downtown area, the KTV was located on the top floor of a commercial building, designed to be quiet amidst the noise. So, when they stepped outside, there weren’t many people around.
Few people, few cars, but the lights were bright and dazzling.
As she walked out, she happened to pass through a drafty spot, and a chill swept over her.
While she was looking around for the nearest bus stop, two young women pushed open the glass door. He pulled her aside to avoid the transparent glass, his warm hand gripping her wrist as he leaned her against the glass wall.
Behind them, the brilliant lights outlined her silhouette and illuminated his face.
Whether from the cold or something else, she felt much warmer leaning against the glass wall with him shielding her in front.
It was just the position...
She glanced at the security guard uncle on the other side of the glass door... feeling a bit guilty, she turned back and asked an unrelated question: "Do you know... which bus goes from here to our school..." Or... the subway would work too...
She was still searching for the bus stop when he suddenly, without any warning, lowered his head. "I know."
Their noses touched, and naturally, their lips found each other. His tongue gently explored, giving her a moment to adjust. One second, two seconds.
But there was no time to adjust.
His breath was scorching, her mind was spinning—this time, it was real.
She was pressed against the glass wall by him, forced to tilt her head back.The taste of throat lozenges, the fresh scent of mint—was he doing it on purpose…? Scattered thoughts desperately tried to connect into a coherent line in her mind, only to be lured into disarray by him. What technique was there? Her tongue was teased and sucked by him like this, even brought into his mouth and gently held.
Such intimate contact, yet it happened unexpectedly here.
Mixed with the sounds of passing cars and the scent of trees by the roadside…
"Over there, over there…" someone spoke in the distance, excited as if watching a romantic drama.
She clearly heard the voice and abruptly pushed against his chest.
She managed to push him away, but he then pressed her head against his shoulder, holding her like this… His dark, bright eyes curved unmistakably: "What did you just ask me?"
Her heart floated in her chest, swaying unsteadily.
She buried her face in his shoulder, hiding her mouth and nose like an ostrich, barely revealing her eyes to watch the two passersby gradually walk away. She murmured softly, "Didn’t you say you knew…?"
A first kiss… and it happened in public, with people watching…
"Knew?" He thought for a moment, then took another throat lozenge from his pocket, tossing it into his mouth and speaking indistinctly, "Oh, you mean the bus… There’s no direct bus here, only the subway."
……
……
Then why did you say you "knew"?
Was it just an offhand remark without thinking…?
After a while, he patted her back, signaling it was time to go.
Gu Sheng immediately regained her composure, slipping out of his embrace, just wanting to leave this place as quickly as possible—whether by bus, subway, or plane… If he felt like doing it again in a moment of excitement, and if the people upstairs also got bored and decided to leave early, she’d never dare to face his two friends again…
Author’s Note: T.T Oh my… My girlish heart—I must go roll around on the bed…
PS. When I said I wanted to finish quickly, I didn’t mean finishing in just a few chapters… I meant I wanted to find time to update faster.
Another PS. I’m heading to the "dark room" tomorrow, see you all (I really shouldn’t have said I wanted to write faster—as soon as I said it, I got locked up!!!!…).
OpenNovel