I Joined a Fake Variety Show (GL) - Chapter 59

The words sounded like “happy,” but there was no joyful emotion behind them.

Han Shutong’s expression didn’t change. She lowered her hand. “Go eat.”

Han Shutong then walked to the bed, picked up the jacket she had placed there, and spread it out like a blanket, covering herself with it.

Han Shutong: “Teacher Zhou, can I lie on your bed for a while?”

Zhou Xi was already sitting on the sofa. Hearing Han Shutong’s words, she looked up and asked, “Are you tired?”

“My eyes can’t stay open anymore.”

Although Han Shutong spoke with her usual cool tone, Zhou Xi could still detect a hint of pitiful grievance.

Zhou Xi convinced herself she was hearing things. After a pause, she said softly, “Then go ahead and sleep.”

Zhou Xi not only didn’t question why Han Shutong didn’t go to her own room to sleep, but after giving permission, she turned to Bai Mo, who was watching a video with the sound on, and said softly, “Xiao Mo, can you turn the volume down a bit?”

Bai Mo acknowledged her.

Zhou Xi then stood up and pulled one of the curtains closed, blocking the two o’clock afternoon sunlight from spilling onto the bed.

Han Shutong lay on the bed. Although the air was filled with the smell of Zhou Xi and Bai Mo’s takeout, she closed her eyes, accompanied by a sweet scent.

This sweet scent was provided by Zhou Xi.

It was because Han Shutong noticed Zhou Xi’s action of pulling the curtain for her. In that instant, she remembered a saying: Instinctive thoughtfulness cannot be concealed.

Did this mean… she held a certain status in Zhou Xi’s heart?

That’s why Zhou Xi would care about her.

Carrying this thought, Han Shutong’s heavy eyelids slowly closed.

At night, the surrounding neon lights were blurred by a layer of fog, making them indistinct.

Han Shutong and Zhou Xi stood beneath a streetlamp.

Han Shutong’s clothing was also blurred due to the fog. She wasn’t bothered by this.

Looking at Zhou Xi’s exceptionally clear face, Han Shutong thought: As long as Zhou Xi is next to her, that’s all that matters.

A sudden urge to grow closer to Zhou Xi rose in Han Shutong’s mind. The thought was fleeting but left a deep lingering impression.

Han Shutong hesitated. After walking two steps, she turned to Zhou Xi.

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Xi sensed Han Shutong’s change in mood.

Han Shutong: “…”

“Is there something you want to tell me?” Seeing Han Shutong look as if she was struggling to speak, Zhou Xi smiled. “Just say whatever you want to ask. I’ll definitely answer you seriously.”

Han Shutong’s eyes brightened. “Really?”

Zhou Xi smiled and nodded. “Really.”

“Can you,” Han Shutong was caught in Zhou Xi’s smile, deeply immersed in it, which led her to blurt out her burning question:

“…tell me the answer now?”

Zhou Xi was confused. She frowned and asked, “The answer? What are you talking about?”

Hearing that Zhou Xi had forgotten, a sharp sting rose in Han Shutong’s heart. But she spoke seriously, “I mean… will you be my girlfriend?”

“I can,” Zhou Xi replied without thinking.

Han Shutong instantly looked up, meeting Zhou Xi’s eyes. She opened her arms, wanting to hug Zhou Xi.

But just as she was about to embrace Zhou Xi, Zhou Xi took a step back and evaded her.

Under Han Shutong’s confused gaze, Zhou Xi asked softly, “Are you happy?”

“Of course.”

With that, Han Shutong took a step forward and opened her arms.

The next second, Zhou Xi raised her hand to block her. Zhou Xi smiled and said, “You haven’t said you’re happy yet.”

Han Shutong looked at Zhou Xi’s blocking hand, then looked back at her and said, “Happy.”

Zhou Xi lowered her hand, walked to the side, and smiled. “But my answer was a lie.”

A lie…

Han Shutong clutched her chest. Why… why didn’t it hurt this time?

Zhou Xi didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with her answer, nor did she notice Han Shutong’s distress. She continued to smile at Han Shutong. “The lights over there are beautiful. Let’s go take a look.”

Han Shutong looked in the direction Zhou Xi pointed. She saw the lights were even more blurred than before, only discernible as colorful, large and small circles.

She couldn’t see anything else.

Han Shutong wanted to say a few more words to Zhou Xi, but when she retracted her gaze, Zhou Xi had already walked away, heading toward that indistinct area.

“Teacher Zhou,” Han Shutong quickly followed.

Zhou Xi said without turning her head, “Come on, let’s go see.”

“Teacher Zhou,” Han Shutong called again. She wanted to finish saying what she had to say to Zhou Xi first.

For some reason, Han Shutong felt that if she didn’t say it now, she might not have the chance later.

Fortunately, Zhou Xi stopped this time and slowly turned around.

But the next second, seeing Zhou Xi’s face, Han Shutong froze on the spot.

The hand she stretched out to pull Zhou Xi also froze in mid-air.

She saw Zhou Xi’s features slowly blurring. In the blink of an eye, Han Shutong couldn’t see anything clearly.

She could only vaguely make out the outline of Zhou Xi’s body.

Han Shutong’s voice trembled with fear. “Teacher Zhou?”

Zhou Xi replied, “Hurry and follow me.”

Han Shutong reached out to touch the spot where Zhou Xi had just been, but she only grasped empty air.

Han Shutong looked down at her empty hand, then looked around. She saw nothing.

Finding nothing, Han Shutong called Zhou Xi’s name, but Zhou Xi’s reply sounded in her ear.

Han Shutong stood still.

She looked into the darkness and shouted, “Teacher Zhou? Zhou Xi?”

No response.

“I can’t see you.”

“I can’t find you.”

“Please come out, okay?”

Han Shutong called out over and over, she didn’t know for how long.

Han Shutong only knew her voice was hoarse.

“Zhou Xi.”

Han Shutong continued calling Zhou Xi’s name.

Finally, when Han Shutong’s voice gave out, she still didn’t hear a sound from Zhou Xi.

She looked at the distant lights, forcing her voice, saying, “I don’t like you anymore. Please come back, okay…”

Her throat clearly couldn’t produce another sound. Just opening her mouth felt like tearing.

But Han Shutong could only describe the pain; she couldn’t feel it.

Han Shutong cried.

She touched her face, but there were no tears.

Yet, Han Shutong felt a wet sensation slide down her cheek.

Han Shutong opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the view outside the uncurtained half of the window.

An orange-red sky, with pink-orange clouds.

Very beautiful.

The sight instantly pulled Han Shutong out of the dark, hellish nightmare.

She closed her eyes, mentally pushing away the lingering fear of the dream.

A minute later, Han Shutong sat up.

She saw another view of orange-red beauty.

After dinner, Bai Mo left.

Seeing Han Shutong deeply asleep, Zhou Xi didn’t wake her. She sat alone on the sofa, with the script resting on her raised knees, studying the character’s lines.

Zhou Xi tended to become engrossed when analyzing a role, often oblivious to her surroundings.

So, she didn’t know how much time had passed.

It wasn’t until she finished analyzing all the lines and stage directions, wrote down her notes on the script, and picked up her phone to check the time that she realized it was past five o’clock.

She put the script away and turned to see the person who was supposed to be sleeping sitting up on the bed.

Zhou Xi’s gaze landed on Han Shutong’s profile. A mark, running from the corner of her eye down to her temple, was pressed into her skin.

Zhou Xi blinked. Her eyes met Han Shutong’s.

Perhaps from just waking up, Han Shutong’s eyes were red.

“Did you just wake up?” Zhou Xi asked.

Han Shutong didn’t speak. She looked at Zhou Xi’s eyes, not daring to blink, afraid Zhou Xi would disappear if she did.

Seeing Han Shutong silent, Zhou Xi got up and walked to the bedside. She leaned forward slightly, placing her hands behind her back.

Meeting Han Shutong’s eyes again, Zhou Xi softened her voice. “Did you have a nightmare?”

Zhou Xi asked this because, as she drew closer, she realized the mark on Han Shutong’s cheek wasn’t a pressure mark; it was a tear track.

Zhou Xi also glanced at the pillow Han Shutong had been using and noticed a circular wet mark on it.

Han Shutong held her breath.

Seeing this, Zhou Xi was confused, but she instinctively reached out her hand.

“Did you have a—”

She didn’t finish her sentence.

Zhou Xi froze because of Han Shutong’s action.

Han Shutong gently took Zhou Xi’s hand, slowly turning it palm up.

She lowered her head, and her lips kissed Zhou Xi’s slender wrist.

Then, Han Shutong followed the lifeline closest to the wrist, kissing down the palm.

It wasn’t quite a kiss; it was more like a declaration in action.

Just as Han Shutong’s lips left Zhou Xi’s palm, about to kiss the next inch of her arm, Zhou Xi finally snapped back. She quickly withdrew her hand, curling her fingers into a fist, gripping her wrist with her other hand.

“You…”

Zhou Xi only managed one word.

Han Shutong knew the unspoken word. She said quietly, “It’s disgusting, isn’t it?”

Zhou Xi lowered her hand.

Han Shutong composed herself for a few seconds. “I apologize.”

Han Shutong got out of bed and walked toward the bathroom. After two steps, she turned to look at Zhou Xi, who was standing motionless. “Come on, I’ll help you wash it clean.”

Zhou Xi shook her head. “I’ll do it myself.”

As Zhou Xi walked past Han Shutong, Han Shutong stepped back, making way for Zhou Xi.

When the sound of running water started in the bathroom, Han Shutong, who had been standing still, saw the camera on the wall in her peripheral vision.

She paused for a few seconds, picked up her phone from the bed, and called Luo Shuiqiu.

When Zhou Xi came out of the bathroom, Han Shutong was gone. Only the jacket on the bed remained, proving Han Shutong’s presence.

In the stairwell, Han Shutong stood leaning against the wall.

Luo Shuiqiu’s voice came from the phone. “What the heck? You kissed Zhou Xi? And the camera recorded it?”

Han Shutong wasn’t sure if it was recorded because their position was a blind spot for the camera.

Han Shutong said faintly, “Not sure.”

“That’s not like you! How could you do something like that?”

Han Shutong pursed her lips. “That’s why I’m asking you to help me handle it.”

“Handle what?” Luo Shuiqiu understood Han Shutong’s meaning after asking. She added, “I’m not talking about the camera issue. I’m talking about you kissing Zhou Xi.”

“You didn’t force the kiss, did you?”

“Wait… did you confess to Zhou Xi?”

“Make sure they delete the footage they just recorded,” Han Shutong ignored Luo Shuiqiu’s questions, giving the instruction before saying, “I have other things to do. I’m hanging up now.”

Hanging up the phone, Han Shutong walked out of the stairwell and headed toward her room.

As she passed Zhou Xi’s door, Han Shutong paused, looking up at the room number. The light in her eyes was dim and uncertain.

She didn’t know why she had done that either.

Her mind was a mess now. She couldn’t think straight and was annoyed, making her want to avoid thinking about anything at all.

Returning to her room, Han Shutong stopped in front of a cabinet near the door.

She opened the drawer. There were some snacks inside.

But Han Shutong wasn’t after the snacks; she was after the boxes inside.

Cigarettes.

She pulled out a box. Looking at the warning Smoking is harmful to your health, she found it ironic, remembering how she used to urge Luo Shuiqiu to quit. Now, she needed this herself to calm down.

She had cigarettes, but no lighter.

Han Shutong turned to walk out, planning to go downstairs and buy one.

The door opened, and she met Zhou Xi standing right outside.

Zhou Xi spoke first. “I came to return your jacket.”

Saying this, she held the folded jacket between them.

Han Shutong looked down at it.

“Thank you.”

Han Shutong reached out to take it, but she forgot she was holding the cigarette box in her hand.

Zhou Xi saw the item in Han Shutong’s hand, and surprise flashed in her eyes.

When did Han Shutong pick up the habit of smoking?

Han Shutong followed Zhou Xi’s gaze and saw the cigarette box in her hand. She lowered the hand and used the other to take the jacket.

As Zhou Xi handed the jacket to Han Shutong, she said softly, “Smoking is harmful to your health. It’s better not to smoke.”

The next second, Han Shutong’s reply was:

“Why are you telling me what to do?”