Did Assistant Xie Make the Trending Searches Today? - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: A Confession?

Xie He-ting spent over two hours playing to his heart’s content at the children’s playground. If the staff hadn’t come over to remind them that it was time for lunch, Xie He-ting could have stayed there the entire day.

The playground was simply too much fun!

He had never played with such interesting things before.

Sitting on the roller coaster felt as if his entire being was flying. When he laughed, the air would rush into his abdomen, making his stomach itch intensely, yet he couldn’t help but continue laughing loudly.

Riding the carousel, after a few laps, his head would start to spin, feeling just like being drunk—the world was whirling.

And then there was the trampoline where he could bounce endlessly high. As long as he had enough strength, he could even bounce into mid-air, giving him the illusion that he could reach out and touch the canopy of the sky.

“Brother, thank you for bringing me here. I like it very, very much; it’s really fun.” Xie He-ting’s dark brown bangs were stuck to his forehead in strands, a flush had bloomed on his cheeks, and several crystal-like beads of sweat appeared on the tip of his nose, refracting dazzling light under the sun.

When Shi Jixing saw his smile, his gaze seemed scorched. He couldn’t help but smile along: “I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it! It’s great fun. Thank you; I’ve never played with these before.”

“Never played before?” Shi Jixing froze for a moment.

Setting aside the fact that most parents take their children to playgrounds, even Disneyland is very popular with adults nowadays. Back when Shi Jixing was a freshman, his classmates even organized a trip to Disney together.

Xie He-ting did not look like a child from a poor family, yet he said he had never played at a playground… this made Shi Jixing feel a bit perplexed.

No way. Looking at the way he dresses and carries himself, he doesn’t look like someone who never went to a playground as a kid.

Wow, do you all have to be this naive? He’s clearly faking it.

Typical He-ting. Like a high-grade Longjing tea from ’82—a total old ‘Green Tea’ (manipulator).

“Mhm!” Xie He-ting nodded vigorously, breaking into a grin: “It’s my first time playing, and it’s wonderful.”

Hearing his happy voice, Shi Jixing ignored the tiny bit of doubt in his heart and let the corners of his mouth curve up as well.

I’m dying. Why do I feel like He-ting has CP chemistry with everyone?

Hahahaha, He-he is just like that—he matches with anyone.

Seeing Xie He-ting playing so happily, a staff member stood behind Shi Jixing and made a hand gesture toward Xie He-ting.

Right, the hidden task!

In a spot where Shi Jixing couldn’t see, he made an “OK” sign.

This was something he had just learned from TV yesterday; it was very useful!

Xie He-ting scanned the surroundings. Most of the children were brought by parents, usually with two adults per child. Since today was Saturday, there were quite a lot of people at the amusement park.

The production team’s requirement was for Shi Jixing to play and sing a song provided there were more than 30 passersby.

The numbers were sufficient!

Xie He-ting spoke tentatively: “Brother, are you happy today?”

Shi Jixing nodded.

Xie He-ting possessed a special kind of magic; being with him made one feel very comfortable and relaxed.

Xie He-ting guided him step-by-step: “When you’re happy, don’t you feel like playing music? I’m like that; whether I’m happy or sad, I like to play the zither.”

“Mhm.” Shi Jixing glanced at Xie He-ting and asked further: “You know how to play too?”

“I do~” Xie He-ting nodded and winked at Shi Jixing.

Shi Jixing looked at him, puzzled.

In a flash of insight, the words Xie He-ting had said to him before they set out suddenly crossed his mind. With a stir in his heart, he asked, “Do you want me to play the guitar for you?”

“Mhm, mhm! It would be even better if you could sing.”

His happy tone instantly set the bullet chat on fire.

Especially Shi Jixing’s fans, who were angry to death.

Star-Picker: He-ting, don’t be too ridiculous! He accompanied you on the carousel and you’re still not satisfied? You even want Little Xing to play for you? How thick-skinned can you be!

Do you have any idea how much one song from our Little Xing costs? You freeloading spirit, get out!

Wow, it’s really my first time seeing a guest this shameless. How does he have the nerve?

Some passersby couldn’t stand it and spoke up for Xie He-ting.

He’s just completing a hidden task; stop acting like your Shi Jixing is some sort of royalty.

Exactly, what’s there to be so worked up about that you’re cursing like this? I thought He-ting had broken some divine law.

And Shi Jixing himself hasn’t said anything. Are you his self-appointed spokespeople? Just yapping away.

The “Stars” (fans) seized on the fact that Shi Jixing didn’t agree immediately and began to speculate wildly.

Xing clearly isn’t willing; he didn’t even agree. Completing a task is one thing, but it has to be mutual.

Look at his troubled expression; he’s thinking of how to refuse.

Some people have no self-awareness, making it quite annoying for others, okay?

Xie He-ting saw Shi Jixing hesitating. Although he really wanted the points, he knew that some masters had their own rules. Perhaps Shi Jixing was unwilling. He said, “It’s alright, you don’t have to sing.”

“I want to sing.”

Their voices collided.

Shi Jixing looked at Xie He-ting earnestly for a moment, then turned his head away awkwardly, his gaze drifting everywhere except on Xie He-ting.

“But I have one requirement.”

Shi Jixing turned his gaze back, staring into Xie He-ting’s clear, black-and-white pupils, and said in a low voice: “I want you to sing with me.”

“Sing with me?” Xie He-ting pointed at himself blankly.

“Mhm. I like your…”

When “Star-Picker” heard this sentence on the screen, crack, she heard the sound of her own heart breaking.

The bullet chat was instantly flooded with “AHHHHHHHH.”

“…voice.”

Damn it, kid, stop pausing in the middle of sentences! I almost had a heart attack!

Star-Picker’s ten fingers were trembling, typing with increasing force.

I told you, Little Xing has absolutely! no! romantic! interest! in! He-ting!

A bullet comment, watching the drama with glee, replied: How is that ‘no interest’? Someone already gave us a fun fact last time that Shi Jixing is a voice-fetishist. ‘I like your voice’ basically rounds up to ‘I like you,’ doesn’t it?

Never underestimate the influence a voice has on a voice-fetishist.

Star-Picker was so angry her head was spinning.

These people are crazy! Their brains have been ruined by shipping CPs!

After a small daze, Xie He-ting reacted and looked at Shi Jixing with some worry: “I’m not very good at singing.”

Shi Jixing asked considerately: “What can you sing?”

“Qing Yu An, He Chong Tian, Xiang Jian Huan?” Xie He-ting’s tongue slipped, and he blurted out a series of Ci poem titles.

“Hmm?” Shi Jixing looked over in confusion.

Xie He-ting hurriedly waved his hands: “Nothing, nothing. I don’t know many songs. You choose; I’ll listen to you sing for a bit and see if I can follow along.”

“That works.” Shi Jixing had already taken his guitar out of the car. While unzipping the case, he asked Xie He-ting: “Is it okay to sing Slowly Like You?”

Xie He-ting naturally had no objection.

The staff were extremely well-prepared. They chose a flat area in the center of the playground, set up a microphone stand for Shi Jixing, and clipped a small lapel mic to Xie He-ting’s collar.

The sky was very clear at this time, and their significant movements attracted many people’s attention.

More and more onlookers gathered. The staff asked everyone to leave a small circle empty. Shi Jixing stood by the mic and cleared his throat.

“Ah! It’s Shi Jixing!”

“No way, how could it be him?”

“It’s real; they’re filming a show. Look, there’s the Orange TV logo.”

“I know! Orange TV’s newest same-sex dating show, Love Signal. The guests are actually having a date here.”

“Who is that next to him? That boy is so handsome. Is he a star?”

“It’s the commoner guest, He-ting! Heavens, he’s actually even more delicate in person than on screen. How did those features grow like that?”

“I finally know why the guests are all dizzy over him.”

Shi Jixing was very relaxed, his handsome face exposed to the sun, fine bangs hanging between his defiant brows, with his signature cool expression.

More and more people gathered, probably forty or fifty now.

Shi Jixing pulled the mic down, adjusted to a comfortable posture, and suddenly raised his hand, pointing his index finger upward gently. The screaming voices went quiet instantly.

“Nervous?” Shi Jixing turned to look at Xie He-ting.

Xie He-ting was very calm.

In the past, when he went out on the streets, the people surrounding him were no fewer than this; he had long since grown accustomed to it.

Shi Jixing gave a slight smile. His smile was actually like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy’s, carrying a green, shy quality.

The gentle sound of the guitar suddenly rang out, and the surrounding crowd went silent.

“The books always love to write about those overjoyed evenings…*”

Xie He-ting had always heard that Shi Jixing was very good at singing, and his vocal qualities were indeed outstanding, but it wasn’t until Shi Jixing actually started singing that he realized it was a completely different feeling.

Xie He-ting didn’t know how to describe Shi Jixing’s voice; it was like cool spring water, yet mixed with an untamed wildness unique to Shi Jixing.

A small breeze rose up at some point, carrying Shi Jixing’s voice far away.

The laughing children, the eagerly chatting adults, the staff members grumbling impatiently…

All sounds went quiet.

They listened to him sing in silence.

Before his eyes were swaying soundwaves, full of charm, capable of singing directly into one’s heart…

“Slowly like you, Slowly remembering, …*”

Shi Jixing turned his head slightly, his peripheral vision landing on Xie He-ting, a small smile blooming on his lips. He seemed to be encouraging him to follow along.

The melody of this song was not complex. After listening for a bit, Xie He-ting knew how to sing it.

He didn’t know the lyrics, so at the end of the first verse, he began to hum along softly.

A warm accompaniment was added to the slightly raspy but magnetic male voice. This accompaniment was not intrusive; instead, it interpreted the emotions in the song with more layers, adding an invisible texture to the entire track.

The surrounding crowd unconsciously began to hum along.

Even the bullet chat, which argued all day long, went quiet.

So good to hear. He-ting is great; those harmony lines he sang at the end were fantastic!

I finally understand why Xing said he is a voice-fetishist for He-ting; his singing voice is really good!

When the final chord ended, the audience was still entranced.

Everyone was left wanting more, intoxicated by their wonderful duet.

The sound of the mic stand being pushed aside startled the people nearby.

Applause rang out like thunder, and someone shouted loudly for an encore.

“Shi Jixing, we love you!”

“Encore! Encore!”

Shi Jixing very coldly packed up his guitar. Looking at Xie He-ting, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement, his heart stirred.

His calm gaze looked straight into those black-and-white eyes as he asked softly: “…Do you like it?”

An ambiguous sentence instantly set the bullet chat on fire, with people rubbing their hands in excitement waiting for the next development.

But the production team, being particularly wicked, cut the main camera.

Leaving the viewers in front of the screen scratching their heads in frustration.

Damn it! Like what? Is it ‘do you like the song’ or ‘do you like brother’?

Shi Jixing, you aren’t about to confess, are you??? Are you?

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