Can't Hide My Love for You - Chapter 11

A new place had been found. This time, President Fang was quite generous, waving her hand to rent a two-story villa for Cheng Yixin.

After touring the property, Cheng-laoshi was very satisfied.

The interior of the villa was bright and minimalist. The extra rooms had been renovated so that living alone wouldn’t feel too hollow. A grand piano sat in the living room, instantly elevating the artistic atmosphere of the entire house.

She idly brushed her fingers across the black and white keys, producing a crisp, pleasant sound.

“What made you think of putting a piano here? I don’t even know how to play,” she remarked.

“The singer who lived here before left it behind,” Li Wenjing replied. “I thought it would be a waste to throw it away, so I kept it here to help cultivate your temperament.”

“Forget it,” Cheng Yixin said, closing the keyboard cover and sitting on the sofa. “That song you picked is going to be the death of me.”

“You have the nerve to say that?” Li Wenjing’s eyebrows shot up. “The vocal coach said he was on the verge of a breakdown. He’s never seen a student so difficult to teach.”

“It’s because Cantonese is hard, okay! And you want me to sing it with ‘deep emotion’ on top of that.”

“I don’t care. You have two more music lessons this week. You need to be able to recite the lyrics fluently before rehearsals start. If you’re still struggling by next week, we’re adding extra practice.”

“!!!”

“Unless you want to be mocked by the public again when the show airs, you’d better stick with it until the end.”

“…” How annoying.

After Li Wenjing and the assistant left, Cheng Yixin took out her phone and played the song she had been looping lately, Zhong Wu Yan.

The first time she heard it, she found the melody and the vocals quite nice, but after countless repetitions, the sense of wonder had long since faded. Halfway through the song, she hit pause.

She lay flat on the sofa, staring at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. The weather was beautiful today; sunlight poured through the glass windows, bathing the room in light.

Inevitably, Cheng Yixin’s thoughts drifted from the lyrics to Chi Yi’s face.

She had spent several days reflecting, and after much consideration, she decided it was time to break up with Chi Yi. She had even written down several reasons in her phone’s notes app:

Age Gap: Chi Yi was younger, which didn’t fit her ideal preference for an older partner.

Lifestyles: Their professional worlds were different. Lu Qing at least had one foot in the entertainment industry, whereas Chi Yi’s life seemed simple—just work and home, like a blank sheet of paper.

But the main reason listed in her notes was Chi Yi’s lack of relationship experience.

She believed that dating should be about being with someone you truly liked. She felt Chi Yi was only with her because of that night of drunken indulgence—agreeing to date only because Cheng Yixin had insisted on taking responsibility.

In reality, Chi Yi didn’t seem to feel much for her. She didn’t get jealous over Lu Qing, and she likely had a “white moonlight” crush hidden in her heart. Since Cheng Yixin had only approached Chi Yi to spite Lu Qing, and that drama had passed, there was no need to keep wasting Chi Yi’s time.

Under these circumstances, a breakup was best for both of them.

Cheng Yixin stared at her notes for a long while before adding one final line: Apologize and have a peaceful breakup.

Just as she typed the last character, a voice call from Chi Yi popped up. Startled, Cheng Yixin lost her grip, and the phone fell right onto her face.

“Ouch…” Clutching her sore nose, she answered. “…Hello?”

“You mentioned you were off today,” Chi Yi’s voice sounded light and cheerful on the other end. She issued a straightforward invitation: “Want to see a movie together? At that same private cinema from last time.”

“Sure,” Cheng Yixin agreed immediately. She had been worrying about how to bring it up; now that Chi Yi had invited her out, she could find a moment to suggest the breakup during the date.

“Then I’m downstairs at your apartment now.”

“Uh?” Cheng Yixin looked around her new home. “The company moved me to a new place; I just moved in today.”

The new villa was a bit far from the old apartment, but the mall was located right in the middle. It would take too long for Chi Yi to double back, so they agreed to meet directly at the cinema.

After hanging up, Cheng Yixin prepared to head out. At the door, she glanced down at her clothes—a casual T-shirt and shorts. It felt a bit inappropriate for a “breakup date.”

She went back to her room to change. Usually, stylists handled her outfits for work, ensuring every look enhanced her image on camera. However, Cheng-laoshi’s personal fashion sense was a complete disaster. She had been photographed in private by fans at the airport several times, and the photos were so poorly coordinated they had become a recurring joke on Weibo.

Aware of her limitations, she chose a fresh, light-colored mini-dress—a safe choice that couldn’t go wrong.

As she changed, she recalled Chi Yi’s outfits from their previous meetings and muttered, “Her taste seems to be quite good…”

At the private cinema, she scanned the lobby. Before she could text Chi Yi, a staff member approached and greeted her, informing her that Chi Yi had already arrived and was waiting in the suite.

Cheng Yixin felt a bit nervous before entering. This was a completely private space, unlike their previous meetings in semi-public settings.

This suite was larger than the last one, decorated in a warm, cozy Japanese style. Drinks, fruit, and the essential popcorn were already set on the table.

“You’re here.” Hearing the door, Chi Yi turned and offered a slight smile.

Chi Yi was dressed in all white today: a loose blazer over a matching ribbed crop top. At first glance, she had the aura of a professional model from a magazine, but with an added touch of refined, scholarly elegance.

She looked so “alpha”—a mature vibe that shouldn’t have fit her age, yet on Chi Yi, it felt perfectly natural and sophisticated.

The fruit platter had a wide variety of fresh fruit, mostly things Cheng Yixin loved. As they sat on the two-seater sofa, Chi Yi handed her the remote. “What movie do you want to watch?”

Cheng Yixin hadn’t forgotten her goal, but she needed to lay the groundwork first. She started with the age gap. “The movies I like are a bit old. You might not have seen them, and you probably won’t like them.”

Chi Yi tilted her head and effortlessly listed several classic old films.

Cheng Yixin was stunned. “How do you know those?”

It wasn’t just knowing the titles; she was shocked because these were movies she watched repeatedly when she was alone at home.

“You mentioned in an interview once that you love these movies and rewatch them often.”

“You… you’ve watched all of them? Wait, you’ve even watched my interviews?”

“Is that surprising?” Chi Yi looked puzzled. “Isn’t learning about your girlfriend’s interests a basic requirement of dating?”

“…” That sudden remark caught Cheng Yixin off guard. She felt a fluttering sensation in her chest.

They eventually picked an old movie. To modern audiences used to comedies and sci-fi, it might have seemed dull, but Cheng Yixin watched with great interest. The lights were dimmed to a warm hue, and the sofa chairs were adjustable. Cheng Yixin reclined to a comfortable 45-degree angle.

“Want a cookie?” Chi Yi seemingly conjured a box of cookies out of nowhere.

As a cookie lover, Cheng Yixin took one and took a bite. It tasted different from the ones she usually bought. She finished the rest. They were sweet and fragrant, with the perfect level of sweetness and a flavor that wasn’t just buttery.

“What flavor is this?”

“I added a bit of vanilla so the flavor isn’t too overwhelming.” Chi Yi turned the box. “This one is original.”

Cheng Yixin tried an original one. The taste was familiar. “Ah, are these the cookies from the supermarket tasting event?”

“Yes. I adjusted the sweetness. What do you think?”

“It’s great, just right. The buttery aroma is much richer.”

There were three flavors in the box. Cheng Yixin tried the matcha one next; the taste was exactly to her liking.

Chi Yi explained, “I swapped out some ingredients. They’re lower in calories while keeping the original flavor, so you can eat them without feeling guilty.”

Cheng Yixin remembered her offhand comment during the tasting event at the supermarket. She hadn’t expected Chi Yi to take it to heart, let alone make them specifically for her. She felt a flush of embarrassment.

“I just said that in passing… you didn’t have to go through all this trouble for me.” Even though she assumed a professional chef had made them, the thoughtfulness of “President Chi” deserved praise.

“If you like them, it’s not a trouble,” Chi Yi smiled. “I brought two boxes. If you can’t finish them, take them home.”

Thanks to the cookies, Cheng Yixin’s movie experience was significantly enhanced.

However, halfway through the film, Chi Yi’s phone rang. She stepped out to take the call and returned looking ready to leave.

“Something came up at the company that I need to handle…” Chi Yi said apologetically.

“Then go ahead and get to work,” Cheng Yixin waved her off. “I can finish the movie by myself. Work is important.”

Chi Yi didn’t say anything, but her eyes held a hint of grievance—looking a bit like a kicked puppy.

The look made Cheng Yixin burst into laughter. She instinctively said, “It’s fine! If we can’t finish it this time, we’ll watch it together next time. The cinema isn’t going anywhere.”

With that promise, the look in Chi Yi’s eyes brightened visibly. Before leaving, she instructed, “Text me when you’re finished. I’ll have Ah Tao come and drive you home.”

Cheng Yixin agreed. Only after Chi Yi had left did she realize something.

Wait! Wasn’t the point of today to break up? Why did I just schedule a next time?!

She sighed to herself, then caught sight of the cookies on the table. Forget it… I’ll tell her next time.

The air conditioning in the room was a bit cold. She thought about asking the staff for a blanket, but worried about whether it was clean. If only she had worn something thicker.

Just as she was hesitating, the door opened again.

Chi Yi had returned, a blue blanket draped over her arm.

“Why are you back?”

“I thought you might get cold. I happened to have a blanket in the car, so I brought it up for you.” Chi Yi walked over and unfolded the blanket, revealing a small white deer pattern. She folded it over and draped it over Cheng Yixin’s legs.

Chi Yi had come back solely to deliver a blanket.

She really is attentive.

Cheng Yixin pulled the edge of the blanket up to cover herself. The soft flannel felt wonderful, and she could smell the scent of laundry detergent—it smelled lovely.

She didn’t even notice the uncontrollable, wide smile spreading across her face.