Dark Fire chapter 30
Not Too Difficult
Returning to the hotel at nearly nine in the evening, Ling Zhuo saw the living room piled with gifts, reminding him that these were from yesterday’s fans.
He sat down and patiently began to open them one by one.
Yang Ming came to help him and suddenly said, “Hey, Zhuo Ge, is this from Yiran Ge?”
Ling Zhuo’s heart stirred as he took the half-opened package from Yang Ming.
On top was a card with familiar handwriting: “Happy birthday, wishing you happiness every day. —Zhong Yiran”
Below was a gift wrapped in paper. It was very light, its contents unknown.
Ling Zhuo slowly unwrapped it and saw what was inside.
It was a record, a classic limited-edition album from a disbanded foreign band that he had been looking for a long time. It was no longer available on the market, and second-hand ones were extremely rare. Ling Zhuo didn’t know where Zhong Yiran had found it, but it must have taken a lot of effort.
He was dazed… What did Zhong Yiran mean by this?
When Lu Chixie came in, Ling Zhuo was still sitting on the floor in a daze, looking down at the record in his hand.
Yang Ming hesitated and said, “Zhuo ge, I’ll be heading down first.”
Ling Zhuo looked up, only then noticing that Lu Chixie had come up to him.
Yang Ming left, closing the door behind him. Lu Chixie stood still, looking down at Ling Zhuo’s face, then his gaze shifted to the item in his hand. He asked, “What’s that?”
Ling Zhuo: “A record.”
His tone was a bit downcast. He paused and then told the truth: “A birthday gift from the captain.”
Lu Chixie squatted down, reaching for it. Ling Zhuo instinctively didn’t want to give it up, gripping the record tightly. Lu Chixie stared into his eyes: “Let go.”
Ling Zhuo’s grip loosened, and Lu Chixie took the record, slowly flipping through it: “Do you like this?”
Ling Zhuo: “…Yes.”
Lu Chixie: “Ling, it’s just a record. Are you so easily swayed by him?”
Ling Zhuo frowned: “No.”
Lu Chixie: “You know best whether you are or not.”
Ling Zhuo: “Really, I’m just feeling a bit uncomfortable.”
Lu Chixie: “The way you are makes me uncomfortable too.”
Ling Zhuo, sulking, said: “Sorry.”
Lu Chixie patted his face with the record: “I’ll take it.”
Ling Zhuo opened his mouth but didn’t say anything.
Lu Chixie: “Reluctant?”
Ling Zhuo: “If you want it… then take it.”
Ling Zhuo looked very reluctant, not knowing whether it was the record itself or the person who gave it. Lu Chixie unceremoniously took it, leaving him with no lingering thoughts.
“Stop overthinking it. We have a shoot tomorrow. Let’s start the lesson.”
A week later, Ling Zhuo asked for half a day off to record the last song of his new album.
He first returned to the hotel to get some things. As he was about to leave, he ran into Lu Chixie, who had just returned from the set. Ling Zhuo greeted him and was about to leave when Lu Chixie stopped him: “Let’s go, I’ll go with you.”
Ling Zhuo reminded him: “I’m going to work.”
Lu Chixie: “I know, I’ll go with you.”
Lu Chixie drove his own car, leaving Yang Ming behind, and it was just the two of them.
After getting in the car, Ling Zhuo asked him: “Don’t you have filming?”
Lu Chixie casually said: “Just two scenes this afternoon. I told the director to reschedule.”
Ling Zhuo was a bit speechless.
Lu Chixie glanced at him and said, “Why aren’t you wearing the watch I gave you?”
Ling Zhuo replied, “How can I wear it while filming?”
Lu Chixie asked again, “But we’re not filming this afternoon. Why not wear it?”
Before Ling Zhuo could respond, Lu Chixie continued, “Is it because you’re meeting your captain later, so you don’t want to wear it?”
Ling Zhuo leaned back in his seat, feeling somewhat sleepy. He furrowed his brows upon hearing this and looked at Lu Chixie beside him, saying helplessly, “I just forgot.”
Lu Chixie looked at him skeptically and scoffed, “Forgot.”
Ling Zhuo insisted, “I really did forget.”
Lu Chixie didn’t say anything more and drove in silence.
Ling Zhuo knew he still didn’t believe him. He wanted to explain but Lu Chixie’s attitude made him feel awkward.
Forget it then.
He ignored Lu Chixie and turned to face the window, closing his eyes against the seat.
An hour later, they arrived at their destination. Before getting off, Ling Zhuo hesitated and asked Lu Chixie, “I might need to record for two or three hours. Will you wait for me here?”
Lu Chixie got out of the car first.
In the recording studio, Zhong Yiran and the others were already there.
Zhong Yiran was talking to the staff, Zhang Xun was playing with his phone, Deng Lanluo was dozing off, and Qi Liangli was ignoring everyone with a sour face. He greeted Ling Zhuo when he entered, then noticed Lu Chixie behind him and was visibly stunned.
Zhong Yiran also noticed Ling Zhuo and Lu Chixie and frowned slightly.
Lu Chixie ignored them and found a place to sit on his own.
Ling Zhuo felt a bit uneasy but didn’t explain himself.
Zhang Xun was indifferent, Deng Lanluo raised an eyebrow upon seeing Lu Chixie, glanced at Zhong Yiran, who said nothing but reminded everyone, “Let’s go inside.”
Before entering the recording studio, Lu Chixie suddenly called out to Ling Zhuo, “Ling.”
Ling Zhuo turned back.
Lu Chixie lazily leaned back in his chair and looked at him, “Finish early and let’s have dinner outside tonight.”
The others had various expressions, and Ling Zhuo nodded slightly.
The five of them entered the recording studio together. Before putting on their headphones, Qi Liangli quietly asked Ling Zhuo, “Zhuo Ge, why did you bring him here?”
Ling Zhuo replied, “He happened to be free, so he came along.”
Ling Zhuo didn’t elaborate further and put on his headphones first.
Deng Lanluo glanced at Zhong Yiran, who looked complicated but didn’t say anything, and also put on his headphones.
Lu Chixie waited outside in the control room, occasionally glancing at Ling Zhuo through the glass wall.
Ling Zhuo seemed to sense something and looked up several times, meeting his gaze before looking away.
During their break, Lu Chixie went outside to take a phone call.
Ling Zhuo asked about the concert. Qi Liangli smirked and said, “Zhuo Ge, you didn’t know? Zhong Yiran has signed up as a coach for Shangxun’s street dance variety show next quarter. The recording schedule overlaps with our concert. Whether the concert will happen is still a big question mark.”
Ling Zhuo was slightly surprised and glanced at Zhong Yiran for confirmation. Zhong Yiran nodded, “Yeah, it’s true.”
Zhang Xun added, “That’s good. It should be like this. Everyone has to think about their future.”
Qi Liangli glared at him.
Ling Zhuo didn’t have much opinion. At this point, whether the concert would happen or not was just another job for him. If it did happen, he would do his best; if not, he was fine with it. He actually wanted to hold a solo concert; he had opportunities anytime.
Zhong Yiran’s choice actually gave him a feeling of “so be it.” It was better this way; he didn’t want Zhong Yiran to keep giving up opportunities.
He said, “Congratulations, that’s great.”
Zhong Yiran hesitated and said, “Thank you.”
The atmosphere was a bit awkward for a moment. Lu Chixie came in, and Qi Liangli called out to him, “Hey, Young master, why are you always pestering our Zhuo Ge?”
Lu Chixie sat down and smiled ambiguously, “Because I can.”
His gaze turned to Ling Zhuo, “Ling, do you think I’m pestering? Since this little brother is curious, why don’t you answer him?”
Ling Zhuo was extremely embarrassed, but luckily the staff reminded them, and they resumed work.
At five o’clock, the recording ended.
Zhang Xun and Qi Liangli left one after another. Ling Zhuo packed up, and Lu Chixie sat on the side waiting for him.
After Zhong Yiran finished the handover with the staff inside, he came out and called out, “Ling Zhuo.”
Ling Zhuo turned around.
Lu Chixie also casually turned his head, his gaze sweeping past.
Zhong Yiran just looked at Ling Zhuo, “Are you… going back to the set?”
“Yes,” Ling Zhuo nodded, “After dinner, I’ll go back. By the way, Captain, where did you find the album you gave me? Thank you.”
Zhong Yiran said, “… As long as you like it.”
Lu Chixie suddenly stood up, urging Ling Zhuo, “Ling, let’s go.”
He walked out first, Ling Zhuo picked up his bag and followed. When he walked out, Zhong Yiran reached out and pulled him, Ling Zhuo looked puzzled, and Zhong Yiran hesitated, asking him, “Do you want to have dinner together tonight?”
Before Ling Zhuo could speak, Lu Chixie turned back and reminded him again, “Ling Zhuo, let’s go.”
Zhong Yiran looked at Ling Zhuo, and Ling Zhuo avoided his gaze, “Captain, I have plans tonight. I’ll leave first.”
Zhong Yiran slowly let go, Ling Zhuo whispered “goodbye,” and quickly went out to catch up with Lu Chixie, who had already walked far away.
At the end of the corridor, Ling Zhuo pushed Lu Chixie. Zhong Yiran looked at them as they bickered and walked into the elevator together, lowering his head and closing his eyes.
“You pushed him away yourself, and now you regret it?” Deng Lanluo’s voice came from behind.
Deng Lanluo came out a moment later, looking at Zhong Yiran in front of him, “Captain, if it’s Shangxun’s young master, I think whether it’s Liu Ge, Ling Zhuo’s agent, or the company, they wouldn’t object, right?”
Zhong Yiran frowned, his eyes slightly cold, “Ling Zhuo is not that kind of person.”
Deng Lanluo asked, “What kind of person? How do you know they’re not serious?”
….
Ling Zhuo was shoved into the car by Lu Chixie. Ling Zhuo stretched out his foot and kicked him. Lu Chixie bent down, propping the car door with one hand, staring at him intently.
Ling Zhuo: “Are you picking a fight again?”
Things were fine before. Just as he followed out, this person suddenly ignored him again. He was so angry that he decided to say he was going to have dinner with Zhong Yiran instead, but Lu Chixie dragged him into the car along the way.
“Cut it out,” Lu Chixie warned.
Ling Zhuo: “Cut what out?”
Lu Chixie: “Stop flirting ambiguously with other men in front of me over and over again.”
Ling Zhuo blushed with anger. Lu Chixie’s words were harsh. “You’re the one flirting ambiguously…”
“Who am I flirting with?” Lu Chixie cut him off. “Are you being reasonable? Besides you, is there another person by my side?”
Ling Zhuo: “I wasn’t flirting. You’re the unreasonable one. You’ve gone too far.”
Lu Chixie got into the car, lowered the passenger seat, pinned Ling Zhuo down, and grabbed his chin, kissing him.
Ling Zhuo tried to turn away but was caught by Lu Chixie again. He bit his lip in response.
He struggled for a moment, unable to break free, eventually giving up but refusing to respond.
Lu Chixie kissed him for a while, then pulled back from his lips, lightly touching his face. “Angry again? Why are you so easily angered?”
Ling Zhuo was annoyed. “You’re unpredictable yourself. Do I have to put up with everything? You’re delusional.”
Lu Chixie looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then smiled again. “Alright, my bad. Don’t be angry.”
Ling Zhuo: “Then tell me, why were you upset just now?”
Lu Chixie: “You refused to wear the watch I gave you. He invited you to dinner, and you hesitated?”
Ling Zhuo pushed him again in anger. “You’re talking nonsense. I said I forgot, and I didn’t hesitate. I was thinking about how to refuse when you called me. I refused him immediately.”
Lu Chixie squinted slightly, seemingly evaluating the credibility of his words.
Ling Zhuo was furious. “Forget it if you don’t believe me.”
Lu Chixie grabbed one of his hands, lowered his head, and kissed him again. “I’m sorry.”
Ling Zhuo couldn’t push him away. In the end, he reluctantly hugged him back.
This time, he cooperated by parting his lips, their tongues touching. Unable to bear it, he complained, “Don’t bite me, be gentle…”
….
Zhong Yiran and Deng Lanluo came down together to the parking lot. Zhong Yiran seemed absent-minded, and Deng Lanluo noticed the sports car parked not far away, with two figures intimately entwined in the half-open door.
He turned and blocked Zhong Yiran’s view. Zhong Yiran looked at him in confusion. Deng Lanluo smiled and said, “I’m free tonight. How about we go to dinner together?”
Zhong Yiran nodded casually. “Let’s go.”
Lu Chixie returned to the driver’s seat, Ling Zhuo sat up straight, licked his lips, still sore from being nibbled, and silently complained about Lu Chixie, realizing belatedly that they were in a public place with the door half-open, regretting his carelessness.
Lu Chixie asked him, “What are you thinking?”
Ling Zhuo: “…Teacher Lu, next time pay attention to the location.”
Lu Chixie ignored him and drove away.
For dinner, Lu Chixie found a private club restaurant. At the table, he handed something to Ling Zhuo: the album Zhong Yiran had sent.
Ling Zhuo was slightly surprised. “You’re willing to give it back to me?”
Lu Chixie: “Take a look. What’s different from before?”
Ling Zhuo turned the album over and widened his eyes slightly. There were several new signatures on the cover.
Lu Chixie: “Signatures from the band members themselves.”
Ling Zhuo: “How did you manage to get them? The band disbanded a long time ago.”
Lu Chixie casually said, “If people are still around, you can get anything. What’s so difficult?”
Ling Zhuo fell silent. What Zhang Jing said about things that others couldn’t get no matter how hard they tried was indeed not an exaggeration for Lu Chixie.
Lu Chixie: “Do you like it?”
Ling Zhuo nodded. “Yeah.”
Lu Chixie: “If you like it, give me a smile, not a frown.”
Ling Zhuo squeezed out a smile. “With your ability to easily obtain whatever you want, doesn’t life lack many surprises and pleasures?”
Lu Chixie: “Who said I can easily get everything?”
Ling Zhuo: “Isn’t that the case?”
Lu Chixie looked at him. “I want you to wholeheartedly like me. Is that easy?”
Ling Zhuo was stunned.
Stared at by Lu Chixie, Ling Zhuo inexplicably blushed.
He lowered his head and took a sip of water, mumbling, “That shouldn’t be too difficult. Just try a little harder.”
Lu Chixie saw his reaction and chuckled softly. “Alright.”