#Li Mengfu's blushing ears【Breaking News】
#Li Mengfu's coming of age ceremony
#Qi Zhi and Li Mengfu's eye contact
【Mengmeng always blushes easily when she's shy. Just now after making eye contact with Qi Zhi, her ears started turning red.】
【Don't randomly speculate! What if her ears turned red because it's cold or because she was nervous?】
【Damn, if there's nothing going on between these two, I'll eat my keyboard!】 A certain CP fan asserted.
【Congratulations to Mengmeng on becoming an adult!】
【Hehe, now you can do some adult things.】
【Wuwuwu, when will the ZhiMeng CP announce their relationship officially?】
For a while, there were various opinions online.
As people online engaged in heated debates, Li Mengfu was still in the midst of the final stage of her coming-of-age ceremony.
Noticing the online buzz, Qi Zhi sent a message to his agent, asking him to take advantage of the situation to promote "Full Moon 2" and divert attention.
【Are you guys annoying or what】
【I already said before that they're just friends. If you have time to care about their love life, why not pay more attention to when the Full Moon 2 will be released】
【Can CP fans please go back to your own circles and stop causing chaos out here?】 Some fans were also getting tired of the ever-growing ZhiMeng CP fans.
When Qi Zhi and Li Mengfu first started filming 'Old Shadows of the Republic', the ZhiMeng CP fan base was just a few hundred people. In just half a year, it had developed into a sizable group.
Apart from real CP fans from their film and TV series, most were actually solo fans of Qi Zhi and Li Mengfu.
Because they also felt that there was something fishy between these two...
The two were of similar age, practically childhood sweethearts.
Mengmeng who had never signed with an agency was actually signed by Xiao Qi, and he even seemed eager to promote and support her.
It was only natural that feelings would develop over time.
In fact, many fans who had been following the two for four years already assumed that Xiao Qi and Mengmeng were secretly dating.
The pear blossoms in the scenic area were in full bloom, resembling swathes of white snow, with delicate branches and tender leaves swaying in the breeze like phoenix feathers.
It wasn't until 5pm that Li Mengfu's coming of age ceremony ended.
The guests and relatives dispersed, and for some unknown reason, Li Mengfu's parents simply said a few words to her before leaving in a hurry. In a blink of an eye, only Li Mengfu and Qi Zhi were left.
After seeing off Director Wu and Teacher Guan, Qi Zhi walked towards Li Mengfu. He held a small blue gift box in his hand and smiled, gesturing for her to take it. "A birthday gift for you."
"Thank you." Li Mengfu smiled and took the palm-sized gift box, placing it aside.
Only then did she have time to read online comments. Unexpectedly, everyone was discussing the eye contact between her and Qi Zhi two hours ago.
Li Mengfu pursed her lips, feeling a bit nervous as she read those comments. She clicked on Qi Zhi's Weibo page and found that he hadn't responded yet.
Li Mengfu opened her mouth, about to ask him how they should handle this.
Unexpectedly, Qi Zhi looked at the time, then raised his brows at her with a smile: "Let's go, I'll take you somewhere."
Li Mengfu looked confused, Qi Zhi simply grabbed her wrist and made a gesture to run outside with her.
"Where are we going?" Li Mengfu was still wearing the red ceremonial robes.
She was afraid of forgetting the gift box Qi Zhi gave her, so she put the small blue box into her wide sleeves.
"To see the sunset." Qi Zhi didn't keep her guessing: "I heard the sunsets here are stunning and we rarely get the chance like today."
So that's it.
Li Mengfu glanced at Qi Zhi's profile, her peripheral vision catching a glimpse of his hand holding hers. Feeling the warmth on her wrist, Li Mengfu couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
The two took the cable car to the mountaintop. Just in time, the last rays of the setting sun slid down from the azure-green mountains. Strands of orange red hues spread across the distant horizon.
The pear blossoms in the scenic area were in full bloom. The light breeze brought down petals like flying snow, creating a gorgeous scene before her eyes that took her breath away.
She glanced at Qi Zhi out of the corner of her eye, he was dressed in black and white robe resembling a pine tree.
The most beautiful thing isn't the scenery itself, but the person accompanying you to appreciate it.
She thought she could never find anyone else willing to put in this much thought for her like Qi Zhi.
Li Mengfu's expression was somewhat moved: "Qi Zhi..." I like you.
But she still swallowed those words back down in the end.
"Hmm?" Qi Zhi responded, waiting quietly for her to continue.
"Nothing." Li Mengfu lightly shook her head, then revealed a bright smile: "Thank you, I'm very happy."
Hearing this, Qi Zhi reached out to ruffle her hair: "As long as you're happy."
Li Mengfu's eyes flickered slightly but she felt somewhat hesitant inside. Does Qi Zhi like me?
All the things he did for her seemed effortless for the young master of the Qi family.
Could it be that I'm too easily moved and being self-indulgent here?
For a moment, Li Mengfu felt conflicted due to the difference in their backgrounds, making her hesitant to speak up.
*
It was already 10pm when Li Mengfu returned home that night.
"Li Zhongshui, it's one thing to gamble, but you even owe debts outside!"
Li Mengfu had just reached the door when she heard her mother's shrill, piercing voice.
After making out what was said, Li Mengfu painfully closed her eyes, even her breathing slowed down a beat. Her father still hadn't changed his ways, and even owed money outside now.
Standing outside the door for a good while, Li Mengfu took a deep breath and her expression turned calm and composed as usual. She coldly took out her keys and opened the door.
As soon as Li Mengfu pushed the door open, her parents immediately stopped arguing, both of them nervously looking at her.
"Mengmeng..." Li's mother had an anguished expression. She hesitated to say: "You heard?"
Li Mengfu's steps faltered. Her cold gaze swept over her father: "Yes."
"Mengmeng…" Seeing that she knew, her father could no longer pretend. He said mournfully: "You have to save your dad."
Ever since the incident where her father almost took Li Mengfu's dowry bank card, Qi Zhi had a professional financial planner manage her assets.
Besides providing necessary living expenses and support for her parents, the rest of Li Mengfu's pay and endorsement fees were under her own name, so her father couldn't get an extra penny.
"Dad only has you as a daughter, and you only have me as a father."
Her father knew she had grown up now, and climbed up Qi Zhi's high branch. How could he still have the parental airs pretending to be the head of household in front of Li Mengfu like before?
Upon hearing these words, Li Mengfu turned around and stared at her father with a cold and icy expression, imitating Qi Zhi's usual demeanor.
After being with Qi Zhi so long, Li Mengfu had learned most of his cold, stern expressions.
Her father felt both uneasy and angry under her gaze, never expecting his daughter, who had always been under his control, to look at him like this.
He maintained a stiff expression for a few seconds, then he put on a fake smile, even the wrinkles on his forehead appeared insincere and hypocritical: "Our family used to be poor but Dad tried his best to meet your demands buying you whatever you wanted..."
"You've grown up now and can earn money, you're even a big star."
Saying this, he sighed deeply, glancing at Li Mengfu with a feigned sense of disappointment: "If you don't help your dad, dad won't blame you. It's dad's fault, dad shouldn't have gambled outside."
He kept saying "dad" over and over, constantly reminding Li Mengfu of their father-daughter relationship.
He sneered inwardly. They were father and daughter by blood. Would Mengmeng really be so hardhearted as to not give him money?
"Li Zhongshui!" Li's mother shoved Li's father, wishing she could tear his face apart.
"Divorce! I want a divorce from you!"
"You've borrowed high-interest loans outside by yourself, what does it have to do with me and our daughter?"
Li's mother, angered by his seemingly concession but actually coercive words, was trembling all over, "Mengmeng, you're not allowed to help him!"
Li Mengfu's eyelids trembled. Her right hand clenched into a fist, her back rigidly straight.
This man was a gambler, but he was also her father. He was the father who had worked hard on construction sites to provide her with good food and clothing when she was a child.
"How much do you owe?" Li Mengfu's voice quivered, not even knowing how she managed to ask.
"8 million, with 32 million in interest, totaling 40 million."
"32 million in interest?" Li Mengfu laughed angrily. She unsteadily leaned against the wall.
She silently looked at her father, her gaze dim, filled with disappointment and pain.
Li Mengfu suddenly stood up, strode into her bedroom, and locked the door behind her. Her bright almond eyes gradually turned red.
She was so tired. She really wanted to call Qi Zhi right now.
Li Mengfu's fingertips trembled as she unlocked her phone screen, but saw people were still heatedly discussing her making eye contact with Qi Zhi online.
Li Mengfu clicked into Qi Zhi's profile and saw he had not responded at all.
Drip.
Tear drops the size of beans fell onto her phone screen as Li Mengfu choked back a sob.
Not sure if it was for her father or Qi Zhi. Being so deeply trapped like this, how could she deserve Qi Zhi?
Li Mengfu logged into her own account and responded:
【We're just friends】 【Picture】 【Picture】
The first image attachment was a photo of the two of them when they were thirteen or fourteen years old, and the other was a selfie they took watching the sunset today.
She was dressed in gorgeous embroidered red ceremonial robes, her smile radiant and dazzling. Qi Zhi was dressed in a black and white bamboo-patterned robe, gazing at her with a gentle expression...
Realizing this, Li Mengfu kept flipping through the album looking at their photos together. There were shots they took together, as well as behind-the-scenes shots taken by the crew.
She didn't know when it started, but Qi Zhi's gaze on her had always been gentler compared to how he looked at others.
In the silence of the night, where only the faint sound of Li Mengfu's weeping could be heard, the phone suddenly rang:
"Duu duu--" It was Qi Zhi calling.
Li Mengfu covered her mouth, not daring to make a sound in case he heard her crying.
"Mengfu." Qi Zhi looked up at the apartment building where Li Mengfu lived.
Qi Zhi had been monitoring Li's father's actions all along, and also knew he had borrowed money outside. He also knew Mengfu was very sad right now.
But she had to experience this herself, and make her own decisions.
In the previous life, Li's father held Li Mengfu, who had no independent opinions, hostage because of his blood ties, causing the child to gradually fall into the abyss.
If her father's issue wasn't thoroughly resolved, even if Qi Zhi could help her for now, he wouldn't be able to protect her for life. In the end, she had to learn to make her own choices.
Otherwise, she would live her whole life under the shadow of her gambling addict father.
Li Mengfu was silent on her end. Qi Zhi continued, "Look, how beautiful the moon is tonight."
In fact, the moon was hidden behind dark clouds, and the colorful neon lights of Beijing City obscured the night sky, leaving no trace of moonlight at all.
Li Mengfu held back her tears and looked out the window. "Nonsense, there's no moon tonight."
"Yeah, no moon," Qi Zhi's voice suddenly carried a hint of laughter, happy that she still had the spirit to argue with him.
"Qi Zhi..." Li Mengfu's voice choked, she really wanted to confide in someone about what was happening at home. "My dad borrowed money from loan sharks, and he wants me to help him pay off the debt."