Dating My Drama Queen Girlfriend On A Slow-Paced Variety Show - Chapter 37

Li Yue asked calmly, “What are you doing?”

Luo Mingzi took a deep breath and said timidly, “You only live once. Cherish your life. You’re still young, and there’s no obstacle you can’t overcome…”

“…”

Li Yue looked down at her feet.

The bar was three stories high. Below was an alleyway lined with one quiet bar after another, interspersed with small food stalls.

Luo Mingzi cautiously poked her head out to take a look, her expression looking as if she were about to cry. “This street is so dark.”

Li Yue countered, “Do I need to pick a scenic spot to jump off a building?”

Luo Mingzi was truly about to cry now, looking terrified, yet she refused to let go of Li Yue. Li Yue let out a sneer. Placing her hand on the railing, she easily vaulted over it and returned to the rooftop.

She glanced to the side.

South Sea University stood tall ahead. The library was brightly lit; even though it was ten o’clock at night, many lights were still on in the teaching buildings.

Meanwhile, the area surrounding the bar was buzzing with people. The aroma of food wafted through the air as students chatted and laughed on their way back to campus. Every face was vivid and full of life. Li Yue asked calmly, “Curfew is at ten-thirty.”

“Oh, right,” Luo Mingzi nodded and asked, “Are you going back now?”

Li Yue looked down at the hands still clamped around her waist and said flatly, “I’m talking about you.”

“I don’t live on campus.” Luo Mingzi realized belatedly and released her grip, feeling a bit embarrassed. She hadn’t been sure if Li Yue was about to do something foolish, but now the other girl looked perfectly composed. She pouted slightly and, trying to play it off, reached out and patted Li Yue’s waist.

“Not bad at all. Nice waist, nice waist… hehe.”

Li Yue: “…”

Her expression was beyond description. She blocked Luo Mingzi’s hand, bent down to pick up the guitar bag she had dropped on the ground, and strode away. Fearing that Li Yue might just be looking for a different spot to do something reckless, Luo Mingzi hurried after her.

“Go away,” Li Yue said rudely.

Luo Mingzi reached out and grabbed the strap of Li Yue’s guitar bag, saying softly, “Let’s chat. Do you live on campus? What year are you? I’m a junior!”

Li Yue found this person incredibly annoying and said bluntly, “Go away. Stop following me.”

Luo Mingzi pretended she hadn’t heard a word and prattled on, “My name is Luo Mingzi, I’m from Shangjing. Where are you from? By the way, I’m actually quite famous at our school. I’m very pretty, so everyone calls me the school belle.”

With a screech of her sneakers, Li Yue halted her steps. She turned around, looked down, and stared coldly at Luo Mingzi.

Luo Mingzi hunched her shoulders and whispered, “Are you going to hit me? Are you the kind of person who hits people?”

“…Stop following me. I have another gig to catch,” Li Yue said, exasperated.

If she was headed to a gig, she probably wasn’t going to do anything stupid anymore. Luo Mingzi’s eyes darted around as she smiled, “Then I’ll go with you!”

Li Yue didn’t respond. She brushed Luo Mingzi’s arm away and intended to quicken her pace to leave, but then she heard hurried footsteps behind her followed by a sharp “Ouch!”

Ignore her.

Li Yue thought to herself; nothing good ever came from being entangled with a “neurotic” person. She took another step, then two… “Boohoo,” the sound of sobbing drifted from behind her.

Exasperated, Li Yue turned around.

Luo Mingzi, who was covering her face but peeking through the gaps in her fingers, began to cry even louder. Wiping away non-existent tears, she complained, “The manhole cover ate my shoe!”

Li Yue sighed and walked over reluctantly. She adjusted her guitar bag, crouched down, and took hold of Luo Mingzi’s ankle.

“This one?”

Luo Mingzi sniffled and said aggrievedly, “Mm-hmm.”

Frowning, Li Yue experimentally lifted Luo Mingzi’s foot. The stuck heel popped out with effortless ease.

“…”

“Oh,” Luo Mingzi said in surprise, “It came out? Heavens, you’re so strong!”

Li Yue dropped her hand and stared at Luo Mingzi with a cold gaze. Luo Mingzi looked down, the corners of her mouth curling up sheepishly. “Thank you, you really are a great person!”

The “great person” felt like her head was about to explode. She had encountered many clingy people before, most were driven away by her glare, and the few persistent ones usually gave up after being ignored for a while.

In Li Yue’s eyes, Luo Mingzi belonged to the persistent category.

“Heh, follow me if you want.” Her tone remained cold as she stood up and turned to walk away.

Luo Mingzi’s eyes lit up. Taking it as Li Yue’s tacit approval, she happily ran over to keep pace with her. She chirped, “Li Yue, do you go out to sing every day?”

“Li Yue, what time do you sing until?”

“By the way, can I have your contact info? Let’s be friends!”

“Shut up. You’re annoying,” Li Yue said impatiently.

Luo Mingzi covered her mouth with her hand and whispered, “Oh! Okay!”

She smiled, walking beside Li Yue with her hands behind her back, humming a little tune.

Luo Mingzi’s presence was too strong to ignore. Every now and then, Li Yue would glance at her out of the corner of her eye before looking away.

For the next two weeks, Luo Mingzi appeared in the front row of every venue where Li Yue sang. Judging by her excitement, it looked like she intended to keep it up for the next half-month as well.

Li Yue let out a sigh.

“Xiao Li, why are you sighing? The crowd is so hyped tonight, shouldn’t you be happy?” A man walked over and placed his hand on Li Yue’s shoulder.

Li Yue said coldly, “Take it off.”

“Eh, sorry, I forgot your habits. But we’ve collaborated for so long and you’re still so distant. Let’s grab dinner tonight, my treat!” the man said.

“Thanks, but I have work,” Li Yue replied. She quickly zipped up her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and left.

Behind her, the man shouted, drawing out his words purposefully, “Cutting me no slack at all, are we…?”

Once Li Yue stepped out the door, the man let out an irritated “tsk” and said, “I still wanted to talk to her about the contract.”

“You still haven’t given up? You should be thanking her for not holding a grudge after the mess you pulled last time,” another person said, exasperated. “Can we stop making trouble? We all have to earn a living here.”

“How long can you earn a living jumping from gig to gig in bars every day? How long can you survive as a star?” the man said dissatisfied. “Besides, we make three hundred yuan an hour as a group, and she makes three hundred yuan for just one song. How do you even compare those rates?”

The others chuckled and said, “Brother, if you’re so bothered, why don’t you go up there and sing a few lines yourself?”

“You get the bowl your skills deserve. Stop dreaming about things that aren’t yours.”

“You call this dreaming? I’m trying to find a path for everyone. I set her up with a legitimate big company, and at worst, we just take a smaller cut of the commission, isn’t that a win-win for everyone?”

“Chuige, I’ll say it again: stop dreaming.” The man carrying the bass walked over and patted his shoulder, preparing to pack up. But the man stood his ground, beneath his furrowed brow, the calculating look in his eyes showed no sign of giving up.

A truck was parked at the back door of the staff passage, unloading goods for the bar. Not wanting to wait, Li Yue turned around and prepared to exit through the main entrance. Slow-tempo music played in the bar, and the booths were filled with people. A glamorous woman sat holding a wine glass, surrounded by a circle of young men and women.

Li Yue pulled her hat down, but just as she was about to bypass them, the woman tilted her head, spotted her, and immediately raised her voice: “Li Yue!”

Tsk.

Li Yue’s chest rose and fell. She calmed her mind, turned her head, and glanced at the woman.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. I can never catch you. Come over and talk to me for a bit,” the woman waved her over.

Li Yue said, “I have things to do. I’m in a hurry.”

A smirk played on the woman’s lips. “What things? Going to sing for some other place? Cancel it. I’ll pay you ten times their price.”

“Whoa!” “Sister Li is so generous!”

The people in the booth cheered, their loud voices drawing stares from those around them.

The woman called Sister Li snorted and laughed. “This is nothing. Some people don’t know what’s good for them. I offered her two hundred thousand a month just to keep me company, and she wasn’t even willing.”

Someone teased, “Sister Li wants to keep a young girl? Why not look at me?”

“Go on with you! Who’s ‘keeping’ anyone? I’m sincerely trying to pursue a romance. Two hundred thousand is just for ‘dating expenses.’ If she thinks it’s not enough, we can talk more,” Sister Li said, her peripheral vision flickering toward Li Yue, who stood as still as a pillar. She added dissatisfied, “But some people are just stubborn. And yet, that’s exactly what I like. What do you all think I should do about it?”

Another burst of laughter erupted from the booth. Li Yue pulled out her phone and checked the time.

“Li Yue, don’t you dare leave!” Sister Li called out loudly.

Beside her, someone said in a less-than pleasant tone, laughing, “Yeah, Sister Li has humbled herself this much and you still won’t give her face? Don’t think too highly of yourself, you’re just a street singer.”

“Hey, watch your mouth. I don’t like hearing that,” Sister Li scolded her playfully.

The person laughed loudly, suddenly picked up a glass of wine, and walked toward Li Yue. “Come on, Sister Li likes you so much and comes to hear you sing so often. This glass is from her. It’d be pretty disrespectful not to drink it, wouldn’t it?”

Li Yue glanced at him. The man flinched instinctively and took half a step back. Realizing his reaction, his expression soured. Lowering his voice, he said, “You surely know where the money you make every day comes from, don’t you? If it weren’t for wealthy clients like Sister Li giving you face, do you think these bar owners would pay you such a high salary?”

“Come on, Sister Li is watching. Drink it!”

The surrounding crowd began to hoot and holler. Someone shouted, “Sister Li is treating Li Yue to a drink! Will Li Yue accept?”

A group followed up: “Accept! Accept! Say yes to her!”

Li Yue said expressionlessly, “Get lost.”

The man’s face twisted. “You mother”

The onlookers, always eager for drama, wore expressions of anticipation. Just then, a pink shadow squeezed out from the crowd and stood in front of Li Yue.

“Who do you think you are, bullying people here? I’m calling the police!”

The man found it ridiculous at first, but when he looked down and saw Luo Mingzi’s face, he froze. He instinctively asked, “Who are you? Li Yue’s girlfriend?”

Luo Mingzi’s mouth dropped open, her beautiful face filled with surprise and shock. She suddenly whipped her head around to look at Li Yue. Li Yue looked down, her cold gaze sweeping over her, and Luo Mingzi’s face turned bright red instantly.

She let out a cold huff. “I just can’t stand you people bullying my friend. And you.”

She pointed at Sister Li and asked curiously, “Two hundred thousand a month just to hang out with Li Yue? That’s way too cheap. My mom spends more than that on her dog every month!”

The air went dead silent. Sister Li’s face darkened as she heard people whispering.

“Isn’t that the South Sea University school belle who’s been chasing Li Yue around lately? I heard she’s incredibly rich, head to toe in custom designer brands.” “Man, I just want to know if her dog really costs over two hundred thousand a month.”

Seeing that no one was talking back to her anymore, Luo Mingzi nodded with satisfaction. She grabbed Li Yue’s wrist and said with a giggle, “Let’s go, Li Yue. Don’t bother with these people. Only two hundred thousand? If it really took money to be your friend, I’d be willing to give you a million a month, two million is fine too!”

Li Yue: “…You shut up, too.”

She reached up, cupped the back of Luo Mingzi’s head, and covered her mouth. In the middle of the dead silent bar where only the music played, she silently led the girl away.