Can't Hide My Love for You - Chapter 85

Cheng Yixin stared at Chi Yi for a long moment.

Good grief—looking closely, Chi Yi’s eyes actually did look a bit like that old gentleman playing the extra on set.

“What are you thinking about?” Chi Yi tilted her head. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” Cheng Yixin pondered for a bit. “How old is your grandfather this year?”

“In his seventies.”

“Seventies… his hair should be completely white by now, right? Is he bald?” She remembered the old man on set had quite a thick head of hair, which had surprised her at the time.

“He doesn’t have the habit of dyeing his hair, so it is indeed white. He’s not bald, though; he probably has good genes. My uncle has plenty of hair too. Why are you suddenly asking this?”

“…” Cheng Yixin’s eyes widened. The more she heard, the more the features matched…

“I might have…”

“Might have what?”

“I might have already met your grandfather!”

Chi Yi was also shocked and hurriedly asked, “When? Where?”

“I’m not certain if it’s him. Do you have a photo?”

Chi Yi took out her phone and found a family photo in her album. She pointed to an elderly couple in the center. “This is my grandfather, and this is my grandmother.”

Cheng Yixin fell into a prolonged silence. She never would have imagined that the old man who pushed his luck by asking her for a bowl of tofu pudding and played an extra was actually Chi Yi’s grandfather.

She wanted to ask if the old man had discovered something and was testing her, but then she remembered the day of the opening ceremony… she was the one who had invited him into the van to escape the cold in the first place.

The more she thought about it, the more her heart stifled.

“I’m finished. I had no idea he was your grandfather. But he probably doesn’t know about me, right…?” Cheng Yixin still clung to a glimmer of hope.

“He knows,” Chi Yi said calmly. “I’ve told him about you, but only as a friend. I said you’re a very good person. That’s probably why he wanted to see for himself what kind of friends I have around me.”

Cheng Yixin frowned and remained silent for several seconds.

Since things had already reached this stage, and they had met by accident anyway, she felt she could perhaps use this information gap to her advantage…

Seeing her look as if she were facing a formidable enemy, Chi Yi said worriedly, “I’ll tell Grandfather to stop loitering around the film set. Though, he’ll likely be busy giving Siqi lessons for a while, so he probably won’t go back.”

“Don’t say anything. It’s rare for an elder to find something to pass the time.” Cheng Yixin let out a soft breath and asked, “What does your grandfather like to eat?”

Chi Yi thought seriously for a moment. “He likes cake, but my grandmother worries about his blood sugar and keeps him on a strict leash. He only gets to eat it very occasionally.”

“Is he mean?”

“He’s very gentle with me and Siqi, always smiling. But when he truly gets angry, it’s quite terrifying,” Chi Yi said. “Others are in awe of him, including my uncle. Maybe it’s that ‘grandparent-grandchild’ bond.”

Chi Yi asked back, “How is he with you?”

“Pretty much like a normal old man,” Cheng Yixin thought. “We haven’t had much contact. My impression is that he doesn’t put on airs. If I hadn’t recognized him, I wouldn’t have guessed he was a billionaire.”

“So, what do you plan to do?” Chi Yi asked.

“I don’t know.” Cheng Yixin let out a “ha.” “I guess I’ll just take it one step at a time.”

“Let’s not talk about that.” She slid off Chi Yi’s lap. “It’s 11:00 PM. Let’s wash up and go to sleep.”

Chi Yi’s luggage consisted only of a satchel with two changes of clothes, clearly intended for a weekend stay.

Cheng Yixin carried the bag and led her into the bedroom. Upon pushing the door open, Chi Yi saw the same bedding they had at home—cream-colored sheets. Actors usually stay in the same hotel for a long time during filming. Since hotel sheets are washed in bulk, the hygiene and disinfection aren’t always ideal. Most people bring their own bedding for cleanliness, and Cheng Yixin was one of them.

“Oh~ the sheets.” Chi Yi recognized them immediately. During her last visit, Cheng Yixin had just moved in and hadn’t swapped them yet, using the hotel’s white sheets. The cream color made the room look a bit warmer.

Teacher Cheng assigned the tasks: “You go take a shower, I’ll change the sheets.”

“Why change the sheets?” Chi Yi teased her, intentionally playing dumb.

Cheng Yixin turned around, saw the playfulness in Chi Yi’s eyes, and tossed the bag onto a nearby armchair. She then grabbed Chi Yi’s collar with both hands, leaned in until her lips brushed against her earbone, and said bluntly and suggestively, “To do you, of course~”

Her voice was low. After speaking, she blew a puff of air into Chi Yi’s ear. Almost instantly, Chi Yi’s ears turned a vivid red.

Chi Yi felt she couldn’t lose the battle of momentum. She gave a light cough and straightened her face, feigning a serious tone. “Grandfather just gave me a lesson on ‘Moral Character,’ Teacher Cheng. You’re being a bit shameless.”

“Oh?” Cheng Yixin raised an eyebrow. Her hand, which was gripping the collar of the jacket, slid slowly downward until she felt a hard object through the fabric. Her fingers slipped into the pocket.

Cheng Yixin held a pink box between her index and middle fingers. The plastic seal hadn’t even been removed. She shook it slightly in front of Chi Yi’s eyes.

“Who’s being more shameless? Carrying finger cots around.”

President Chi was momentarily speechless. At the time, she had only thought about carrying them on her person so she wouldn’t have to pass them through a security scanner, but she hadn’t expected the person in front of her to be more precise than a security machine.

A few seconds later, she admitted it frankly: “I brought them. Is it enough?”

Sincerity is the ultimate killing move.

“Enough. I bought some too.”

The two looked at each other and couldn’t hold it in; they both burst out laughing.

As a “shameless” couple, two negatives made a positive.

As the saying goes, a short separation is better than a honeymoon. Cheng Yixin changed the sheets at lightning speed and then went in to find Chi Yi, under the pretext of providing a “back-scrubbing service.”

During the scrubbing, things naturally took a different turn, moving from the bathroom to the bedroom…

Cheng Yixin had to film the next day, so they didn’t toss and turn too late. After the “battle,” half the box was still left. Though the body was tired, the spirit was incredibly satisfied, feeling fully charged and full of energy.

Ripples spread across the surface of the bathtub water. Cheng Yixin was so sleepy she could hardly open her eyes; in a daze, she rested her chin on Chi Yi’s shoulder.

Chi Yi gently stroked Cheng Yixin’s back while asking, “What time are you getting up tomorrow? I’ll wake you.”

“Mmm, seven… I have three scenes to film in the morning…”

It was nearly 3:00 AM, meaning Cheng Yixin only had four hours of sleep left.

“Sleep peacefully. I’m here.”

Hearing Chi Yi’s words, Cheng Yixin felt at ease and fell asleep. In her daze, she could feel a towel brushing against her body, followed by a sensation of weightlessness as she was picked up…

When she woke up in the morning, her pajamas had already been changed, and the sheets were fresh. She felt completely refreshed. Since she had work, Cheng Yixin didn’t linger in bed. By the time she got up, Chi Yi had already finished washing up and was coming out of the bathroom.

However, President Chi’s expression wasn’t exactly bright. When she looked at her, there was a hint of grievance in her eyes.

In Chi Yi’s silk pajamas, the collar exposed the skin of her neck, revealing a very obvious red mark on the side, along with a faint bite mark. In that patch of red, a single mole was particularly prominent.

The culprit bit her lip and let out a giggle.

“You’re still laughing.” Chi Yi pointed to the hickey on her neck. “If we’re photographed when we go out, people will start spreading rumors again.”

“Hahaha, it wouldn’t be a rumor,” Cheng Yixin laughed. “It’s the truth after all.”

Chi Yi pursed her lips and didn’t speak. She personally didn’t mind wandering around with her girlfriend’s mark, but if they were photographed in the same frame, it wasn’t hard to guess what the marketing accounts would write. It would be equivalent to kicking the closet door halfway open, which she felt would be disadvantageous to Cheng Yixin.

“Why are you acting like a little daughter-in-law?” Cheng Yixin walked over and poked her cheek. “Don’t worry, Big Sis will fix it for you in a bit. Just wait for me to brush my teeth.”

President Chi believed her nonsense and sat upright at the vanity, waiting for Cheng Yixin to finish washing up.

Cheng Yixin’s method was to use concealer to hide the mark, but since the trace was a bit heavy, it didn’t stay hidden. Instead, it looked like a “don’t look here” sign that only drew more attention.

“Oh, forget it.” Cheng Yixin used a wet wipe to remove the concealer. “It won’t cover up anyway.”

“Did you do it on purpose…?”

“No.” Cheng Yixin coughed lightly. “I just didn’t control myself last night…” She tilted her head back and pointed to her own neck. “I’ll let you kiss me back.”

Chi Yi stared at the fair skin before her, feeling a bit tempted. In the heat of the moment last night, she had tried her best to restrain herself from leaving marks in conspicuous places. It was even more impossible to let all that effort go to waste now.

However, seeing how “Cheng-someone” looked so fearless, she felt a bit unbalanced.

She held Cheng Yixin’s waist, stood up, and pressed her forward a few steps. The edge of the bed was right behind them; Cheng Yixin stumbled slightly and fell onto the mattress.

“Ah… hahahaha! It tickles!” Cheng Yixin was ticklish. Her body reacted uncontrollably, her abdomen rising and falling rapidly.

Near her waist, there was a slight sting. Chi Yi intentionally used the tips of her teeth to grind against the skin. Cheng Yixin stared at the ceiling as a subtle sensation welled up in her body, like an electric shock, accompanied by a bit of numbness.

The red mark was surrounded by faint tooth prints. Chi Yi slowly straightened up, her finger brushing across her lower lip, very satisfied with her masterpiece.

Lying on the bed, Cheng Yixin’s lifted hem exposed most of her skin. The red mark on her flat left abdomen was particularly striking against her fair skin. When the person in question saw the mark Chi Yi had left, her ears heated up, and she gave Chi Yi a light kick with her knee.

“You’ve learned to be bad,” she chided.

“You were the one who asked me to kiss you back.” Cheng Yixin’s reaction gave President Chi a look of slight triumph.

When changing clothes, Chi Yi still wanted to find a high-collared shirt to hide the hickey, but she hadn’t brought one. Cheng Yixin had some, but she simply didn’t want Chi Yi to wear them. She stated bluntly that she wanted to “claim her territory” and test the fans’ reactions. After all, it was just a hickey; if netizens really tried to argue, there was no proof of who left it.

After weighing the options, Chi Yi followed her girlfriend’s wishes.

When the two appeared in the restaurant for breakfast, Xiao Yu, who was already waiting, greeted them enthusiastically. However, when she saw the hickey on Chi Yi’s neck, her jaw nearly dropped.

She lowered her voice and whispered, “President Chi, President Chi! Your neck! Your neck!”

President Chi rubbed her neck without changing her expression and said, “It was a mosquito bite.”

Xiao Yu: “???” Isn’t that a bit too fake?

“It was a mosquito,” Cheng Yixin added from the side. “Is there a problem?”

“…No…” Xiao Yu laughed awkwardly. As long as you two are happy.

By the time they reached the film set, work had already begun. They were filming the male actors’ scenes. Cheng Yixin went to change her clothes and had Xiao Yu lead Chi Yi around to look around.

“Filming an outdoor scene today?” Chi Yi looked around. Coolies pulling rickshaws, vendors hawking along the streets, children selling newspapers—the Republican-era architectural style really gave an immersive feeling. The only thing that broke the immersion was that the extras were wearing coarse cloth short sleeves under their thick cotton jackets, shivering from the cold.

Xiao Yu explained: “In the drama, it’s summer. It looks better on camera that way, so the costumes are seasonal.”

“It looks so cold.” Chi Yi instinctively touched the scarf around her neck. Xiao Yu had given it to her in the car; it was very warm and successfully hid the hickey.

Xiao Yu smiled. The extras were fine since their shots passed in a blur, but the leads would suffer. The male lead’s costume was mostly suits or leather jackets, which were somewhat windproof, but the female lead’s most frequent look in the drama was the qipao—all sorts of them—and today was an outdoor shoot.

Chi Yi wandered around and eventually returned to the set. The staff were ready, and the assistant director was telling the extras how to position themselves.

When Cheng Yixin emerged from the makeup van in full styling, Chi Yi had only intended to take a glance. She never expected that a single look would fix her in place.

Unlike the modern clothes she was used to, Cheng Yixin in a silk qipao was a revelation. The elegant fine bamboo pattern had a unique charm. The qipao was custom-made, outlining Cheng Yixin’s slender waist and full hip lines, with a side slit reaching the thigh that let her long, fair legs peek through.

Cheng Yixin held a white clutch, stepped into high heels, and with her red lips, willow-leaf eyebrows, and wavy hair, her aura instantly transformed into that of the sophisticated, charming woman from the drama.

She spotted Chi Yi in the crowd and gave her a faint curl of the lips. That single nod struck President Chi right in the heart. At this moment, Chi Yi realized that no matter how many times she saw her, she would always fall for Cheng Yixin.