One and Only

Chapter 13: Who Bestows the Soul with Color (1)

As the days counted down, she grew somewhat nervous and asked him if she needed to meet the Zhou family members in advance. Zhou Shengchen flatly refused, saying, "There's no need to meet them beforehand. At most, in three years, I'll return to my normal life, and so will you. Nothing needs to change."

She understood that by "normal life," he meant the way he had been at the Xi'an research institute—wearing a white lab coat, leading researchers, working on materials she would never comprehend.

Even with the engagement approaching, she still had professional commitments to fulfill.

For instance, a group of voice actors under East Vision was scheduled to record a charity song. These actors rarely sang, but once they stepped into the recording studio, their voices, accompanied by music, would undoubtedly captivate most listeners. Since its inception three years ago, this had become an annual tradition every May.

She didn’t even have the chance to request time off.

Uncle Lin drove her to the recording studio, where many people were already waiting. Some stood, others sat, all dressed casually, chatting and laughing. When Shi Yi pushed open the door, two middle-aged women grinned and said, "Look, the best voice of the year has arrived!" They were industry veterans who often teased her. She exhaled deeply and playfully bowed in a grand, exaggerated manner. "Esteemed seniors, this junior has truly overstepped by winning this year's award. Please forgive my audacity!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

This was the beauty of being a voice actor—no need to show one's face, fame limited to the industry, and surrounded by those indifferent to fame and fortune. Shi Yi, with her pleasant demeanor and respectful attitude toward her seniors, was naturally well-liked.

She walked over and habitually asked Meilin for the script.

To her surprise, Meilin crossed her arms and said with a troubled expression, "The rules have changed this year. The boss wants to emulate The Voice —have all of you record your best performances and compete for charity."

"Really?" Shi Yi glanced around and noticed no one held any papers.

"Really," Meilin chuckled, lowering her voice. "Want to use your face for the poster?"

Shi Yi elbowed her sharply.

Meilin whispered, "By the way, D Wang is here today."

Wang Yingdong, or D Wang, was an exceptionally low-key producer—brilliantly talented. Most importantly, he had liked Shi Yi for a long time, so long that everyone knew, though he had never explicitly confessed to her. Shi Yi wasn’t oblivious, but since they worked for the same company, interactions were inevitable. She had tried her best to have Meilin arrange her work to avoid him, but large-scale projects like this made it impossible.

She frowned slightly but said nothing.

If possible, she wished this life could remain simple—no entanglements with anyone except Zhou Shengchen.

Fortunately, everyone was seated in the lounge.

Apart from those entering the recording booth, who might hear D Wang’s voice, there would be no other contact.

As Meilin had said, the format had indeed changed. Each person had to recite a designated character’s lines, and to capture entertaining behind-the-scenes footage, no prompts were given. Once pushed into the recording booth, random background music would play. Thankfully, most songs were popular hits, so only a few struggled to sing along.

However, some who specialized in documentary voiceovers never listened to pop music and had to learn on the spot by replaying the tracks a few times.

When Shi Yi was ushered in, D Wang didn’t make things difficult for her.She chose the lyrics she was most familiar with, and the song was also one that everyone knew by heart.

"You Exist in My Song."

A song that had been sung on every street and alley, and had become wildly popular because of a talent show. She put on her headphones and saw D Wang on the other side of the glass, also donning black headphones, giving her a slight thumbs-up with his signature gesture to signal her readiness.

The music swelled, and she softly hummed along with the melody.

The lyrics were simple.

Every line made her think of so much.

"Without a hint of warning, not a trace of hesitation, you appeared like this, in my world... You exist, deep in my mind, in my dreams, in my heart, in my song..."

She still remembered the moment he suddenly appeared. They had both taken early flights, and the airport was sparsely populated—thankfully so, or else it would have only made him feel even more abrupt. Every detail was vivid in her memory, like how he turned from the left, carrying nothing more than his laptop, passport, and boarding pass.

A light blue and yellow checkered shirt, and a clear gaze.

When he saw her, his expression remained unreadable, which only made her own eyes seem flustered in contrast.

Shi Yi rested her hand on the metal stand of the microphone, singing softly, never before so immersed in a song.

On the other side of the glass, only D Wang and Meilin watched her.

Both seemed to realize she was singing for someone, with pure, unadulterated emotion. D Wang gently lowered the volume of the music, leaving it almost like an a cappella performance. He thought to himself—this woman, one of the top four female vocalists in the mainland and a recent award winner, might truly be in the midst of a secret romance. The tabloid news from the awards ceremony that night had led him to believe Shi Yi was slowly changing, but tonight, her voice clearly conveyed that she was deeply in love with a man.

Regardless of that man’s status, she had poured her heart into it.

She finished her part and left quickly.

Unaware of the teasing D Wang received in the studio afterward. Someone patted him on the shoulder and joked, "The most beautiful woman at East Vision seems to be taken by someone quite remarkable." D Wang tapped the workstation lightly with two fingers, smiling helplessly without a word. "As long as she’s happy, nothing else matters more than that," he finally said.

The usually strict producer suddenly speaking such sentimental words left the room in rare silence.

When she went downstairs, Zhou Shengchen was already waiting by the roadside.

Shi Yi guessed he must have kept to his habit of arriving 15 minutes early. As they approached the rainy peak of summer, the streets at night were often dampened by sudden drizzles, with green parasol or ginkgo leaves sticking to the ground. Stepping on them gave the illusion of sinking into something soft. Shi Yi walked over to him and asked, "Did you take the professor back to the hotel?"

Zhou Shengchen nodded. "I dropped him off an hour ago."

"An hour?" She calculated the time. "How long have you been here?"

"Thirty minutes."

"Thirty minutes?" She laughed. "Didn’t you say your waiting habit is to arrive 15 minutes early?"

He opened the car door for her and casually replied, "If it’s for my fiancée, doubling the time isn’t excessive."

She hadn’t expected him to say that. As she got into the car, she noticed Uncle Lin seemed to be smiling too.The car turned the corner and smoothly merged onto the brightly lit main road. Shi Yi noticed him rolling down the window just a quarter of the way—enough for fresh air but not enough to mess up her hair. Between them was a wooden armrest, but he didn’t rest his arm on it, leaving the space for her instead.

Such minute details suddenly caught her attention.

Perhaps this was how he had always been with her.

Though their feelings had grown gradually, he had truly done everything he should—making time for her, giving her space, never letting cumbersome family rules constrain her. Yet from her single meeting with his mother, Shi Yi had sensed just how unyielding those traditions were.

Gently, she touched his arm.

Zhou Shengchen turned to look at her.

Quietly, she pointed to the front seat. Understanding, he raised the soundproof glass.

“For your family’s engagement, are there any specific rituals required?” she asked.

Zhou Shengchen thought carefully. “Nothing much. I’ve already had them cancel everything that could be omitted.”

“Then… do we need to exchange rings?”

He smiled. “We do.”

“After the rings,” she said, gazing into his dark eyes, “do you have to kiss your fiancée?”

Zhou Shengchen seemed surprised but still considered it seriously. “That… they didn’t tell me about.”

His voice carried a faint trace of amusement.

Shi Yi thought he might have understood her meaning.

Or perhaps not.

“Come closer,” she whispered.

Obediently, he leaned in slightly, his expression still questioning.

Blushing, she asked softly, “Would asking so many details make others uncomfortable?”

After a brief pause, he replied, “Perhaps.”

Unsure how to continue, she hesitated, but Zhou Shengchen waited politely and patiently.

Even seated, he was much taller than her, so he had to lower his head to speak. The closeness was intoxicating.

If she didn’t act now, she might never find the courage again tonight.

Suddenly, Shi Yi closed her eyes and leaned in. The moment their lips touched, the line between past and present blurred. The sensation stole her breath—she didn’t dare move, didn’t dare open her eyes.

Her heart pounded wildly as her fingers tightened around the wooden armrest between them.

In that brief stillness, she could even feel his gaze, so close. Her eyelids squeezed shut even harder, lashes trembling faintly, stubbornly refusing to pull away.

Fortunately, he soon responded, kissing her back with gentle tenderness, effortlessly turning passivity into initiative as his tongue parted her lips and teeth.

His hand, warm but not forceful, closed over hers, cradling it in his palm.

Lips and tongues entwined—this proximity was something she had never dared imagine. He took his time, kissing her with deliberate patience, inch by inch, stealing away her thoughts and awareness. She didn’t want to part, and he showed no intention of letting go, so they lingered, again and again, for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, he withdrew from her lips, pressing a light kiss to her cheek.

Silently, they separated.

He seemed about to say something but only smiled in the end.

Shi Yi, too flustered to meet his eyes, quickly turned her head to watch the scenery flashing by outside the window.The car continued its smooth journey, with buildings fading into the distance and lights rushing past. What a beautiful night—how wonderful it would be to just keep driving like this, watching the scenery unfold.

She returned home and moved a chair in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass doors on the balcony.

From here, she could see the elevated highway in the distance, where cars flowed like a river.

She sat there for a long time.

Suddenly, she wanted to piece together the memories of her past life—how she and Zhou Shengchen had met, how they had grown close, and how it had all ended. Yet, the once-vivid images from her childhood now seemed like fragmented montages.

Layer upon layer, countless shards.

All she could recall were the impossibly beautiful moments they had shared.

And the certainty that she must have been the one who wronged him.

What exactly had happened in the end? Perhaps it was too painful, because she truly couldn’t remember.

In the pitch-black room, a white light suddenly illuminated the space—it was him calling, even at this late hour.

Shi Yi’s heartbeat fluttered as she picked up the phone, though she felt an inexplicable unease. Usually, after seeing her home, he wouldn’t call again, having already bid her goodnight at the door.

She pressed the phone to her ear and softly answered, “Hello?”

Zhou Shengchen’s voice was calm. “Not asleep yet?”

“Me?” Shi Yi didn’t know why, but ever since that kiss tonight, hearing his voice sent her into a fluster. “Mm, I’m just sitting in the living room.”

He fell silent for a moment.

Whatever he had intended to say, in the end, he said nothing at all.

Only a quiet “Goodnight.”

Shi Yi echoed softly, “Goodnight.”

After Zhou Shengchen hung up, Uncle Lin, sitting in the front seat, asked in a low voice, “Shall we head back now?” He gave a slight nod, and the car slowly pulled out of the apartment complex, making its way toward the elevated highway.

Earlier, he had noticed that the lights in her room never came on, completely unlike her usual routine. Normally, she would take a shower within ten minutes of entering her room. But tonight, she hadn’t done so, which made him suddenly worry if something had happened.

And there was another reason for the call.

On such a special night, shouldn’t he say something to her?

But what? In the end, he realized that once the call connected, nothing needed to be said.

He could hear the slight restraint in her breathing over the phone, a stark contrast to her usual self. Zhou Shengchen rested his elbow against the car window, propping his chin with two fingers as his gaze drifted to the night outside.

After a while, he couldn’t help but let a faint smile touch his lips.

Three days ahead of schedule, she accompanied him back to his ancestral home in Zhenjiang.

Her parents would arrive a day later.

Throughout the journey, Shi Yi was restless with anxiety, dreading the moment she would face his mother—or even his entire family. As the car wound deeper into the mountains, she realized they had passed by familiar places without stopping, venturing instead into denser greenery and quieter woods. Eventually, towering stone archways appeared, flanked by increasingly tall trees.

Along the road, a murmuring stream flowed on the left, while on the right, layers of stone steps were built from bluish-gray rocks.

Gazing at the scenery outside, she wondered where this place could be.

Before long, she spotted two or three girls strolling leisurely along the stone steps, seemingly engaged in casual conversation. As the car passed, the girls suddenly turned their heads. One of them recognized the vehicle and eagerly waved. “Eldest Brother!”

Their voices echoed faintly through the valley.The car slowly came to a stop, and Zhou Shengchen stepped out first. The young girl wanted to run but hesitated, instead walking briskly over from the nearest gravel path. As she approached, Zhou Shengchen reached out and gently touched her face. "You're sweating. Did you walk down from the mountain?" The girl hummed in agreement, then smiled and moved past him to stand before Shi Yi. "Hello, Miss Shi Yi. I'm Zhou Wenxing, your future sister-in-law."

She glanced briefly at Zhou Shengchen, realizing this must be the beloved younger sister he had mentioned.

So far, she had met four members of his generation in the family. Just as he had said, apart from him and Zhou Shengren, who were exceptions, the rest all shared the generational character "Wen" in their names. There was no distinction, regardless of closeness or lineage.

Zhou Shengchen seemed concerned about her physical condition and insisted she get back in the car, not wanting her to climb further.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Wenxing was delighted and called over two other young female relatives, taking the initiative to close the car door. "Big Brother, you should accompany Miss Shi Yi on foot. I hope you can make it in time for lunch," she said, urging Uncle Lin to drive off before adding, "Oh, and today is the tasting session for the dishes. Don't be late."

The car soon disappeared around the winding mountain road.

At that moment, Shi Yi felt as though she had entered a deserted scenic area.

No transportation in sight—just her and him.

Zhou Shengchen smiled helplessly. "We still have a stretch to walk."

"It's fine," she said, already strolling leisurely. "The scenery here is beautiful. Walking won't feel tiring."

He checked his watch. "At your pace, it might take about 50 to 60 minutes."

She paused mid-step. "Your sister mentioned you have a dish tasting at noon?"

Zhou Shengchen nodded, taking off his suit jacket and draping it over his arm, clearly preparing for the hike up the mountain.

It was almost lunchtime. If they walked for nearly an hour, wouldn’t all the elders be kept waiting? The thought made Shi Yi hesitate no longer. She grabbed his wrist. "I can walk very fast. Extremely fast."

Only when she held his hand did she realize how intimate the gesture was.

(End of Chapter)