Because Gu Yan was in a hurry, he naturally chose to take a taxi back. However, at this time of day, the demand for taxis near the suburban university town was extremely high. After Qi Xi booked a ride online, they discovered they had to wait for about twenty minutes.
While waiting at the entrance of Rongda University, Qi Xi noticed a roasted sweet potato vendor and suddenly had a craving. Taking advantage of the wait, she left Gu Yan and joined the queue.
Unfortunately, the vendor still hadn't updated his payment methods and only accepted cash. Since starting her job, Qi Xi rarely carried cash. Unwilling to miss out on the treat, she ran back to Gu Yan, intending to borrow some money.
She had only been gone for a short while, but as she turned back, she was surprised to find a girl standing next to Gu Yan. The girl was stylishly dressed, with delicate makeup and more luxurious attire than the average college student. She was smiling sweetly and chatting with Gu Yan.
Qi Xi had heard from Zhao Yiran about Gu Yan's popularity with girls, both on and off campus, but witnessing it firsthand was different. It stirred an unexpected unpleasant feeling within her.
However, she quickly realized she had no right to feel this way, which only amplified her discomfort.
"Excuse me, could you lend me a hundred yuan?"
Moving closer, Qi Xi finally made out the girl's words. Her voice was sweet and gentle, like flowing water, as she softly asked Gu Yan for money. "I'm so sorry, but my bag was just snatched by someone on a motorcycle at the intersection. My wallet and phone were inside. Could you please lend me some money for a taxi home?"
The girl, her lips glossed, looked at Gu Yan with a pitiful yet adorable expression, clasping her hands together. "Please, I beg you. I can give you my WeChat ID and phone number. You can contact me later, and I'll return the money. You can trust me."
Qi Xi rolled her eyes internally. This blatant attempt at flirting was ridiculous. First, borrow money, then use it as an excuse to exchange contact information, and finally, under the pretense of returning the money, arrange a dinner date. One meal leads to another, and by the third or fourth, they'd practically be a couple...
It was a cliché tactic, but...
But the girl was undeniably beautiful. There was a chance Gu Yan might actually agree.
Qi Xi nervously anticipated Gu Yan's response, but soon realized she was overthinking it.
Gu Yan didn't even shift his stance. Without bothering to feign politeness, he flatly refused.
"I don't carry cash."
The girl bit her lip, surprisingly persistent. "Then, would you be willing to hail a taxi for me? You can pay for it online."
"I'm not willing," Gu Yan stated coldly. "Find someone else. I see a guy over there who seems eager to lend you money. He might even offer you a ride home."
"..."
The girl was completely stunned. Used to getting her way with her looks and this old trick, she was likely caught off guard by Gu Yan's rejection, unsure how to proceed.
Gu Yan glanced at her. "The area around Rongda's entrance has been integrated with the public security system. The security here is excellent. Motorcycle snatchings were a thing of the past, maybe fifteen years ago when this area was desolate and easy for a quick getaway. Now, this street is filled with couples strolling. No one uses motorcycles to snatch bags anymore."
"..."
Gu Yan spoke bluntly, unconcerned about her embarrassment. He turned around and spotted Qi Xi. "Are you done?"
Qi Xi couldn't pinpoint her emotions at that moment. The previous gloominess had vanished entirely, replaced by a mix of uncontainable joy and relief, like a bird released from its cage, every feather vibrating with emotion. It took all her effort to suppress the urge to burst into song.
Gu Yan noticed her empty hands and frowned slightly. "Weren't you buying roasted sweet potatoes?"
Qi Xi inhaled sharply and moved closer to Gu Yan. "They only accept cash, and I didn't bring any."
For some reason, she no longer felt hungry or craved anything sweet. Despite not having the roasted sweet potato, a sense of peace settled over her.
She smiled at Gu Yan. "It's alright, I don't want it anymore."
However, the moment she finished speaking, Gu Yan took out his wallet and, right in front of the girl who had failed to borrow money, pulled out a hundred-yuan bill and handed it to Qi Xi. "Go buy it."
Qi Xi was taken aback, and the girl who had been refused was even more so.
Gu Yan frowned, seemingly unaware of the awkwardness, and glared at Qi Xi. "Hurry up, the taxi should be here soon."
Flustered by his urging and the speechless stare of the other girl, Qi Xi's face flushed. Her limbs felt uncoordinated, and without thinking, she took the money and headed towards the vendor.
Her heart pounded until she purchased the sweet potato and got into the taxi with Gu Yan, under the dumbfounded gaze of the girl. Even then, she could barely calm down.
Fidgeting with her fingers, she bit her lip. "That girl was quite pretty, wasn't she?"
"Who?"
"The one who asked you for money."
Gu Yan glanced at Qi Xi. "Didn't notice." Then, with a hint of surprise, he added, "What have you been paying attention to? Stop staring at people's faces all the time."
"..."
For some inexplicable reason, Qi Xi's heart raced, like the anticipation before a lottery draw. She was both excited and afraid of disappointment. Even though the odds of winning were slim, she couldn't help but crave the reveal. "Why did you refuse to lend her money, but you lent it to me?"
Qi Xi was on pins and needles, but Gu Yan remained nonchalant.
He looked at her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "What else would I do? Lend money to a complete stranger? If I lend it to you and you don't pay me back, I can just ask my sister to deduct it from your salary. Lending it to her would be like feeding a stray dog."
"..."
Gu Yan coughed and looked away. "Don't you know that cracking down on telecom fraud is a national priority this year? What good could come from giving your WeChat ID to strangers? Who knows, maybe she'll find out I'm a lawyer and expect free consultations every day."
"..."
Gu Yan fixed Qi Xi with a cold stare. "That's why I told you not to randomly add people on WeChat."
"..."
Qi Xi thought that Gu Yan's ability to stay single for so long after his failed pursuit of his first love might indeed be due to his own doing.
**
Back at the law firm, Qi Xi and Gu Yan immersed themselves in their work. The little incident at Rongda University didn't cross Qi Xi's mind again. However, she never expected it to cause such a significant chain reaction—she and Gu Yan had inexplicably become internet famous.
After dinner, Qi Xi received a call from Zhao Yiran, her voice brimming with gossip. "Qi Xi, do you know you've gone viral?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Today, a popular live streamer was teaching her audience how to act cute and get what they want from men. She called it a tutorial, claiming that there was no man she couldn't win over with her cuteness. She pretended to be a damsel in distress needing to borrow money, using her words to make even strangers willingly hand over their cash. The live stream lasted about an hour, and all the men she approached before gave in, some even genuinely interested in pursuing a relationship with her..."
Qi Xi's eyebrows furrowed as she realized what Zhao Yiran was getting at. "You mean..."
"Until this streamer tried her tricks on Gu Yan, and it completely backfired, like, epically backfired. Gu Yan refused to lend her a single yuan, saying he had no cash one minute, then pulling out money for you the next. It was so embarrassing that the live stream went viral." Zhao Yiran continued, her voice thick with amusement. "Netizens started digging up information about you two and stumbled upon those legal education videos you filmed for the Bar Association a while back. Now those videos are blowing up too!"
Zhao Yiran couldn't contain her laughter. "What in the world were you two thinking with those videos? You playing the role of a hooligan, I have to admit, you were quite convincing! But Gu Yan looked so indifferent, not even resisting, with this 'go ahead and assault me, I've got nothing to live for' expression..."
While Zhao Yiran reveled in the confirmation of their rekindled relationship, Qi Xi grew increasingly uneasy.
After hanging up and searching online, Qi Xi felt her blood run cold.
Not long ago, she and Gu Yan had rehearsed and filmed a series of short legal education videos for the Bar Association. The filming location was quite basic, a clear indication of the Bar Association's limited budget. After completing the rough-around-the-edges videos, Qi Xi had no idea where they were being released and assumed they wouldn't make any waves.
However, after ending her call with Zhao Yiran, she discovered that she and Gu Yan had become unexpected internet sensations.
The previously obscure videos had resurfaced and were now exploding in popularity.
Staring at the view count, which had skyrocketed from a mere few thousand to tens of millions, Qi Xi felt a sense of dread.
A pig that stands out too much is destined for the slaughterhouse, and a person who attracts too much attention...
As expected, the next day, Qi Xi and Gu Yan were summoned to Gu Xuehan's office.
"The Bar Association informed us that the legal education videos you filmed were incredibly well-received. They've requested you to film a series. You two are now considered the Bar Association's star attractions, so you must take this task seriously. This time, the script was written by the director of the Bar Association himself."
The mention of the director's involvement immediately triggered a sense of foreboding in Qi Xi.
Her premonition proved true when they received the script.
It was another story centered around a marital dispute.
This time, the plot was even more outlandish and convoluted:
"Xiao Qiang and Xiao Meng, the daughter of his father's wealthy friend, Uncle Wang, were childhood sweethearts. Their relationship blossomed naturally, and they eventually got married. Tragically, after the wedding, they had three children in a row, all of whom were born with congenital diseases and passed away. The heartbroken couple, drowning in sorrow, underwent genetic testing and discovered the shocking truth—true love was not meant to be for them, as they were actually half-siblings! Xiao Qiang was Uncle Wang's illegitimate son! Uncle Wang, who had always favored sons over daughters, suffered a fatal heart attack upon hearing the news, leaving behind no will. Xiao Qiang, the illegitimate son, and Xiao Meng, the legitimate child, were now embroiled in a bitter legal battle over the inheritance, their marriage annulled due to their close kinship... In the end, through legal means and mediation, they reconciled, deciding that if they couldn't be husband and wife, they could at least be siblings, forever bound by a different kind of love, sharing the massive inheritance together..."
Overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of the plot, Qi Xi didn't know where to even begin her complaining.
The Bar Association was clearly taking this project very seriously. "Last time, we let you two handle the filming yourselves. But since your previous video generated such impressive publicity, the Justice Bureau has granted us a special budget. We've even hired a director and production crew, so your workload will be much lighter. Let's make this one a blockbuster!"
If it weren't for the fact that the speaker was a Bar Association staff member, Qi Xi would have thought they were part of some criminal organization holding a pre-heist pep talk.
**
Despite the increased budget and additional personnel, the filming process, instead of becoming easier, became more complicated.
"Come on, you two, get closer! You're childhood sweethearts! Cheek to cheek!"
Previously, when it was just Qi Xi and Gu Yan filming, they didn't pay much attention to such details. However, this director was a perfectionist. "You're a couple, get closer! Ideally, embrace and pretend to kiss!"
Following the director's instructions, they were positioned on the stairs, Qi Xi on the lower step and Gu Yan on the higher one.
Qi Xi was already standing quite close to Gu Yan, but the director remained unsatisfied, demanding more physical interaction. Gu Yan was to put his arm around Qi Xi, who would then stand on her tiptoes, tilt her head up, gently touch Gu Yan's waist, and offer her lips for a kiss.
They didn't have to actually kiss, but...
Even in this pose, Qi Xi felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.
Gu Yan's jacket felt slightly cool against her hand, making the warmth of her touch stand out even more. She felt her entire body burning up, her limbs turning soft and weak as if she had come down with a fever.
Their faces were so close that her nose almost touched Gu Yan's.
The director continued to guide Gu Yan. "Tilt your head slightly! Cooperate, and we'll be done in no time!"
Perhaps due to the meticulous nature of the shoot, Gu Yan, despite his usual composure, seemed slightly irritated. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself, before finally following the director's instructions and tilting his head.
This brought them into a position that resembled a kiss.
To enhance the authenticity, they were positioned incredibly close together.
"Perfect! Perfect! Hold that pose! We need multiple shots for promotional posters! Just a little longer!"
Qi Xi was incredibly nervous.
Gu Yan's gaze swept over her like a gentle breeze. They were so close that even the slightest movement from her could lead to their lips accidentally touching. The feeling of her rationality melting away returned.
Just as Qi Xi started to breathe cautiously, Gu Yan did something that only added fuel to the fire.
"Don't move."
His voice was slightly strained, probably due to their proximity, and he seemed to be controlling his volume, making it softer than usual. This, however, only added a hint of unintended intimacy and fleeting ambiguity.
However, the more he told her not to move, the harder it became for Qi Xi to control her trembling.
"Great! Now hug each other!"
Overwhelmed by her nervousness, she lost her usual composure. In her haste to comply with the director's new instructions and break free from their overly intimate position, Qi Xi moved too quickly. As she turned her head, her lips brushed against Gu Yan's.
Gu Yan froze, staring at her blankly as if he hadn't registered what had just transpired.
Qi Xi wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and disappear from the face of the earth.
What had she done?!
Although it was just a fleeting touch, technically speaking, it was...
Qi Xi couldn't bring herself to finish the thought.
She deliberately and stiffly moved into the next pose the director required, pretending to be unfazed and nonchalant as she embraced Gu Yan.
When one's conscience is heavy, the best course of action is to feign innocence and take control of the situation.
Since Gu Yan appeared calm, Qi Xi felt she couldn't lose her cool. She had to appear even more composed than him.
However, she soon realized that was not the case.
In their embrace, her head rested against his chest, and she could hear his heartbeat—a frantic rhythm that mirrored her own, if not faster and more erratic.
Qi Xi found it hard to believe that beneath Gu Yan's calm demeanor, his heart was beating like this.