Dating My Drama Queen Girlfriend On A Slow-Paced Variety Show - Chapter 36

“Thump, thump, thump.” “Ding-dong, ding-dong.”

Meng Qian raised her hand, alternating between knocking and pressing the doorbell. She looked down at her phone, no answer and couldn’t help but press her ear against the door. Just then, the sound of “pitter-patter” footsteps came from inside. The door was pulled open with a “whoosh,” and Meng Qian let out an “Ow!” as she nearly tumbled to the floor.

Luo Mingzi caught her and asked in shock, “What are you doing?!”

Meng Qian rubbed her leg as she scrambled up, equally shocked: “I was going to ask why you weren’t replying to my messages…wait, hold on. Why is your makeup so exquisite?” She stared at Luo Mingzi in amazement. Luo Mingzi had a breathtakingly beautiful face, her freshman registration photo had gone viral across Nanhai University on her first day, and her military training photo had hit the trending searches a second time.

Back then, Meng Qian wasn’t friends with her yet. At a freshman orientation, she saw Luo Mingzi surrounded like a star. Being social and fond of making friends, Meng Qian had leaned in to chat and heard that many talent agencies were reaching out to Luo Mingzi.

Meng Qian had been so excited, talent agencies! She asked Luo Mingzi why she didn’t sign, many of them were reputable companies. Didn’t she want to be a big star?

She still remembered Luo Mingzi’s words: “Huh? Why would I want to be a celebrity? It’s exhausting.”

“Celebrities make so much money!” Meng Qian had said excitedly. “And way more people would love you.”

At the time, Luo Mingzi replied with a look of boredom, “The money celebrities make is just… whatever. Besides, I’m not exactly lacking people who like me.”

Those words left a deep impression on Meng Qian. Later, when people on the campus forum argued about Luo Mingzi claiming she was fake, arrogant, and crafting a ‘rich princess’ persona. Meng Qian actually believed them for a while.

That changed when Meng Qian’s two month old bicycle was stolen on campus. Heartbroken over that and a recent breakup, she sat by the road wailing her eyes out. Luo Mingzi passed by, watched her cry in horror for two hours, decided Meng Qian was “impressive” for having that much stamina, and bought her a brand-new bike.

It was a very expensive brand. Meng Qian was startled, they weren’t even close, so why give such a pricey gift?

“Is it expensive?” Luo Mingzi asked curiously. “Just take it. I’m afraid you’ll cry yourself to death. You’re actually quite terrifying when you cry.”

From then on, they became best friends. It was only after Meng Qian started fighting people on the campus forums that she realized the girl constantly slandering Luo Mingzi was someone who had almost signed with a talent agency. When the agency backed out, the girl assumed they had chosen Luo Mingzi instead. Meng Qian could only marvel at how the world was full of wonders and how humans were more dramatic than the animal kingdom.

Later, when she told Luo Mingzi about her “battles” online, Luo Mingzi looked confused, not understanding why Meng Qian would waste time on such things. Meng Qian thought, How is this a waste of time? You can’t just let people talk behind your back.

“For things like that, I usually just leave it to the lawyers,” Luo Mingzi had laughed.

Meng Qian: “…”

Still, Luo Mingzi treated her to a very expensive dinner, though mostly because Luo Mingzi wanted to eat at that restaurant herself.

In short, Luo Mingzi was beautiful, pampered, and didn’t care about others’ opinions. Perhaps because she came from money, she lived life exactly as her name suggested, ziyi (carefree and unrestrained).

Meng Qian had never seen Luo Mingzi inconvenience herself for anyone. So, when Luo Mingzi asked her yesterday about the opening time of the bar they visited last time and said she wanted to go, Meng Qian was stunned. Luo Mingzi had always looked down on bars, thinking they were too loud and messy.

And then there was the Luo Mingzi standing before her now.

She looked like she had been cropped out of a high-end CG image. She wore a stunning little dress that showed off her long, straight legs. Her usually loose long hair was swept up into an elaborate style, adorned with sparkling accessories.

Meng Qian looked down at the tall, slender, translucent heels on Luo Mingzi’s feet and slowly let her jaw drop.

“Are you… going to a runway show?” Meng Qian had never felt so self-conscious. She took two steps back. “Stay back!”

“I’m going to the bar to play,” Luo Mingzi hummed.

This was exactly why Meng Qian had come over. Luo Mingzi was going to the bar without her! Even though Meng Qian was the one who introduced her to it!

“I’m going too!” Meng Qian declared.

Luo Mingzi pouted. Just then, a woman in a professional suit ran out from the living room. She wore a brand logo on her lapel and gloved hands, holding out a pink handbag.

“Miss Luo, you forgot this.”

“Oh, right. Just help me put the other clothes and bags in the walk-in closet. Someone will come to tidy up later. Thank you for your hard work. I’ll treat you to tea another day.” Luo Mingzi waved her hand and pulled Meng Qian out the door.

Meng Qian kept looking back. She knew Luo Mingzi was rich, she had moved out to live on her own in her freshman year. When they became friends and Meng Qian visited her place, she realized the “flat” Luo Mingzi lived in was incredibly high-end.

But now… Luo Mingzi didn’t seem like just a “little” rich girl. She was a wealthy woman!

Meng Qian went from shocked to overwhelmed as she followed Luo Mingzi into a taxi. The car headed toward Nanhai University.

In the car, Luo Mingzi suddenly pressed her hands to her chest, breathing deeply. Her face was a bit flushed. “I’m starting to regret this.”

Meng Qian snapped out of her daze. “Huh?” Regret what?

“Is doing this… not very good?” Luo Mingzi muttered. Looking at her fresh manicure, she said shyly, “Or should I have brought my violin? I know a bit about music, but bars don’t have pianos… How do I even start a conversation and ask to be friends?”

Meng Qian: Wait, with who?

Luo Mingzi turned to Meng Qian, curious: “How did you want to be friends with me back then?”

“…Please don’t make me relive that humiliating memory. But our friendship definitely couldn’t have happened without your ‘money power,'” Meng Qian said honestly. “But don’t expose how rich you are. Strange people will swarm you for your money. Oh man, I shouldn’t have taken you to that bar!”

A bar was, after all, a place of mixed company. Meng Qian had originally wanted to satisfy her own vanity by showing off her beautiful friend. If someone really harassed Luo Mingzi for her money, Meng Qian would feel terrible.

She lectured Luo Mingzi throughout the ride. Even the taxi driver couldn’t help but peek in the rearview mirror.

Luo Mingzi rolled her eyes and said, “You’re so annoying.”

Meng Qian: !!!

“But I remembered it,” Luo Mingzi said, playing with her long, slender fingers and smiling at Meng Qian. Attacked by such a close-up smile from a beautiful girl, Meng Qian’s heart fluttered, and she couldn’t help but cover her cheeks.

She had no idea that Luo Mingzi’s “remembering” meant…

“Using money power,” Luo Mingzi whispered to herself. She strutted into the crowded bar. She even saw people holding banners saying “Li Yue, I love you,” like they were at a concert.

“This is crazy…” Luo Mingzi glanced at the excited fans and walked forward amidst admiring gazes. But there were too many people in the front. She frowned, thought for a moment, and looked toward the empty stage.

Luo Mingzi’s eyes lit up.

In the staff breakroom backstage, away from the noise outside, it was relatively quiet. Someone ran in laughing loudly but was kicked by someone sitting by the door. The kicker signaled for him to look toward the corner.

In the corner, a tall, thin woman had a hat pulled over her face, seemingly asleep.

“Man, she has to go to class and then run to these gigs. No wonder she’s tired. She might as well just drop out and be our permanent lead singer. We could sign with the company together,” the person whispered.

“Dream on,” the one sitting down said, kicking him again. “What were you laughing at?”

The guy couldn’t help himself. He rubbed his hands together and grinned. “There’s this insanely gorgeous girl. She walked straight to the stage and demanded a seat in the very center of the front row. She told the person there to name a price.”

“The guy in the middle thought she was joking and said fifty thousand. He didn’t expect the girl to transfer the money on the spot. She even said, ‘Oh, it’s only fifty thousand?'”

“For real? A rich lady?”

The guy laughed. “That’s not even the best part. After she transferred the money, she told the guy not to forget to report this amount when filing his personal income tax next year. The whole place went dead silent. That scene… it was too funny!”

“Hahaha.”

Under the black brim of the hat, Li Yue opened her eyes. She frowned and checked the time on her phone.

The screen showed a long list of missed calls. Her inbox was piled with various disgusting messages. Li Yue closed her eyes, turned off the phone, and stood up.

“Yo, Li Yue, you’re awake?” The two people by the door looked over with grins.

Li Yue looked at them expressionlessly and picked up her guitar.

“Warming up.”

The others in the breakroom watched her back. The one who spoke earlier asked, “Hey, what if we try talking to her about signing again? It’s gotta pay more than this.”

“Forget it. Put those thoughts away. We all know who the company really wants to sign. We… we’re all replaceable.”

Some sighed, some shrugged. The man who spoke tucked an unlit cigarette into his mouth and clicked his tongue.

At 7:00 PM, the grand opening ceremony of Galaxy Bar began. The owner had spent a lot of money hiring several performers.

Luo Mingzi covered her ears, looking a bit dazed at the chaotic noise around her. Ah… so loud. Too loud. Help!

She endured it with difficulty until 9:00 PM. Amidst the cheers, Luo Mingzi looked up and saw the person she had been waiting for walking out with a guitar. Still the black hat, still the loose black short-sleeved shirt.

Luo Mingzi’s eyes lit up. She immediately lowered her hands and started clapping.

The microphone was at the edge of the stage. Li Yue walked over, her eyes meeting a pair of sparkling eyes directly below. She paused, looked away, and said, “I’ll sing something lively today.”

“Pfft,” Luo Mingzi giggled behind her hand. She found it amusing that Li Yue said she’d sing “lively” songs with such a cold, flat expression.

But she didn’t dare laugh for long. Li Yue performed with the band today. The intense energy of the instruments picked up where the previous excitement left off, and the entire bar swayed to the rhythm.

Luo Mingzi swayed along, head tilted back. When the girl on stage opened her mouth, her captivating voice instantly drowned out every other sound. The hair on Luo Mingzi’s arms stood up. She finally understood why everyone was so fanatic. She couldn’t help but hop up and down, waving at Li Yue and cheering loudly.

Li Yue performed four songs as usual. The fourth was the most intense. During the performance, Li Yue suddenly turned her head to glance at the drums. With an expressionless face, she turned back. Luo Mingzi also looked at the drummer.

Why did this guy stop?

The man with the drumsticks scratched his head.

However, the rhythm of the guitar quickly pulled everyone’s attention back. Few noticed the small hiccup. When the final song ended, Li Yue bowed, took her guitar, and left without looking back.

The band’s bassist grabbed the drummer, shocked: “Are you crazy? Trying to cause trouble?”

“It was just a mistake…” The drummer laughed, patting him. “Besides, she needs to know we’re useful too.”

“I think you’re sick!”

Luo Mingzi squeezed through the crowd, bag in hand, chasing after Li Yue. Up ahead, Li Yue took an envelope from a bartender and pushed through the door to the staff passage. Luo Mingzi looked left and right, took a deep breath, and quietly followed.

“I feel like I’m doing something bad,” Luo Mingzi whispered, walking slowly. She regretted wearing high heels.

It took her ten minutes to climb three flights of stairs. When she finally reached the rooftop, she peeked out.

In the middle of the neon night, Li Yue stood by the rooftop railing. A tiny spark glowed between her fingers.

She didn’t look like she knew how to smoke. The spark flickered, and she suddenly lowered her head, covering her mouth as she coughed violently. Her body shook like withered grass in the wind, looking as if she might collapse.

Luo Mingzi’s heart tightened. She instinctively stepped out. Wait! She ducked back.

Li Yue, standing by the railing, glanced back at her. “Stalking me?”

Her voice was light, cool, quiet, and very beautiful.

Luo Mingzi poked her head out, gripped her bag, and walked out with a stiff face, as if that would make her less afraid.

“Um… I wanted to borrow a cigarette from you.” After saying it, Luo Mingzi wanted to slap herself. What am I saying?

The person at the railing raised an eyebrow and leaned back slightly. She held up her hand, and the cigarette between her index and middle fingers trailed a wisp of gray smoke. Luo Mingzi swallowed and walked over slowly, carefully pinching the cigarette.

Her hand accidentally brushed Li Yue’s fingers. The fingers that had been intensely plucking strings on stage felt like they held a lingering heat, making Luo Mingzi’s hand snap back as if burned.

“…Your hands are very pretty,” Luo Mingzi said.

Li Yue tilted her head, her gaze falling on the cigarette.

Right, I said I’d borrow a smoke… Luo Mingzi stared at the cigarette in her hand with a look of deep resentment. She took a deep breath. But before taking a puff, a thought struck her. She said in surprise, “Wait, does this count as an indirect kiss?”

Li Yue: ?

Before the confusion in her eyes could fade, Luo Mingzi took a sharp drag and then coughed violently. A look of pure disgust and hatred crossed her face. She waved her hands, threw the cigarette on the ground, and scrunched her eyebrows together.

Li Yue: …

Li Yue watched Luo Mingzi’s eyes, seeing them fill with tears as if she were about to cry the next second.

“Cough, cough! What’s so good about inhaling this stuff?” Luo Mingzi spat, shaking her head. She had already moved behind Li Yue.

Li Yue raised an eyebrow, but before she could speak, her waist suddenly tightened. She looked down to see a pair of arms wrapped around her.

A fluffy head looked up, saying proudly, “Hehe, caught you!”