Never Forget - Chapter 20

Ye Zhuyi struggled to sleep in unfamiliar beds. She usually needed medication to fall asleep on her first night in a hotel and would arrange for Xiao Qiao to wake her with a phone call the next morning.

Last night, she hadn’t taken any medication and hadn’t stayed up too late. However, she had been dreaming all night. When she woke up, she felt even more exhausted than if she hadn’t slept at all, her head feeling heavy and foggy.

After hanging up the phone with Xiao Qiao, she tried to close her eyes and linger in bed for a while longer. But as her eyelids closed, the image of Qin Zhizhen’s cute childhood face immediately appeared in her mind. She seemed to see the brightness in little Zhenzhen’s eyes, and it instantly cleared her thoughts.

After the opening ceremony, they would film the first scene at an outdoor location. Actors with roles in the scene needed to get their makeup and costumes ready before heading to the set.

Ye Zhuyi checked her phone. It was 6:30 AM. She should have enough time to have breakfast with Zhenzhen before her makeup appointment.

With that thought, Ye Zhuyi rolled out of bed and changed into a loose T-shirt and hot pants. She had no scenes today, so she could watch Zhenzhen film after the opening ceremony. It was better to wear something cool in this hot weather.

After washing up and tidying herself in the bathroom, Ye Zhuyi couldn’t wait to open the door and head out.

The door across from her remained shut, and she wasn’t sure if the person inside was still there.

Rustling sounds drifted from the kitchen. Ye Zhuyi walked toward them, her heart pounding, only to see Xiao Qiao’s eyes drop in disappointment.

Xiao Qiao, who was busy with the coffee machine, heard the footsteps and turned to see Ye Zhuyi. She grinned and teased, “I thought you’d be sleeping in a bit longer.”

The coffee machine wasn’t theirs. Xiao Qiao wouldn’t just use someone else’s things without permission, and besides, she didn’t have a key card.

Ye Zhuyi stepped closer and asked, “Did Teacher Qin let you in? Is the coffee machine hers?”

“Yes, Lian Rong and I came up together. Teacher Qin was already awake and let us in. When I saw Lian Rong bring the coffee machine, I remembered you could do latte art, so I mentioned it. Then Teacher Qin asked if you could make her a latte with art on it.” Xiao Qiao clasped her hands together in a humble gesture. “I’m sorry, I took the liberty of agreeing for you.”

“Latte art?” Ye Zhuyi took a moment to process the request, then glanced at the latte art cup next to the machine and smiled. “No need to apologize. You did the right thing.”

Ye Zhuyi glanced at Qin Zhizhen’s closed door and asked, “Where are Teacher Qin and Lian Rong?”

“Lian Rong went downstairs to pick out breakfast and order room service,” Xiao Qiao whispered. “Teacher Qin said he’s still sleepy and wants to rest a bit longer.”

A lazy cat, Ye Zhuyi thought, her gaze softening as she looked at the coffee machine. A smile deepened on her lips.

“I’ll make the coffee,” she said.

Xiao Qiao, who had been struggling with the machine for a while to no avail, was more than happy to step aside. “I’ll go check on Lian Rong.”

“Take the room key,” Ye Zhuyi reminded her. “It’s in my bag in my room.”

“Lian Rong has hers,” Xiao Qiao said, already heading out.

Just as Ye Zhuyi finished tamping the coffee grounds into the machine, Lian Rong and Xiao Qiao returned. Like excited children, they pushed the breakfast cart into the room and began setting the table.

Since both Qin Zhizhen and Ye Zhuyi were watching their weight, breakfast was the only meal of the day they could truly indulge in. Lian Rong had ordered a generous spread.

As they finished setting the table, Qin Zhizhen emerged from his room. He looked like he had just showered, his hair still damp at the tips. Since he had to get his hair and makeup done right after breakfast, he was dressed casually, his pale, clean-shaven face completely bare of any products.

“Lian Rong, have you contacted the makeup artist?” Qin Zhizhen asked as he closed the door.

“I have. Sister Jin is picking up your clothes. She said you can go straight to the makeup room after breakfast.” Lian Rong finished setting the table and added, “The hotel has so many dishes, so I got a little of everything. Which one do you like, Teacher Qin?”

“That’s too much waste.” Qin Zhizhen glanced at the table and rubbed his forehead in a headache. His tone turned stern. “Lian Rong, if you can’t finish all this, you’re not leaving this room today.”

“…” Lian Rong instinctively touched the fat on her stomach, wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear. She tried to negotiate, “Please don’t, Teacher Qin. I’ve gained so much weight lately.”

“Then why did you get so much? Are you feeding pigs?” After saying this, Qin Zhizhen felt his headache worsen. Lack of sleep really did affect one’s intelligence.

Ye Zhuyi, who hadn’t had a chance to say hello, placed her coffee cup under the machine. As she frothed the milk, she eavesdropped and couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

The air seemed to freeze after her laughter. Sure enough, when Ye Zhuyi turned her head, she saw Qin Zhizhen staring at her with narrowed eyes and a blank expression.

As an actress, Ye Zhuyi quickly composed herself, hiding her smile. She cleared her throat and greeted him, “Good morning, Teacher Qin.”

The amusement in her voice was still plain to hear.

A flicker of annoyance crossed Qin Zhizhen’s eyes. He let out a soft huff in response, glanced at Ye Zhuyi, and then turned his attention to the coffee machine.

The machine had stopped, and the aroma of a freshly brewed espresso filled the air.

Qin Xiaomiao is such a cute little kitten, Ye Zhuyi thought.

Biting her lip to suppress a laugh, she picked up the coffee cup in one hand and the milk pitcher in the other. As she poured the frothed milk into the coffee, she changed the subject. “What kind of latte art would you like, Teacher Qin?”

“Can you really make any design?” Qin Zhizhen asked. Seeing Ye Zhuyi freeze, he raised an eyebrow, his mood instantly improving. “How about a panda?”

“I can do that,” Ye Zhuyi replied. That’s my specialty, she thought.

“If it were up to her, Teacher Qin would probably want to be a giant panda in his next life,” Lian Rong muttered under her breath.

Xiao Qiao asked curiously, “Why does Teacher Qin like pandas so much?”

Lian Rong shook her head. Qin Zhizhen glanced at the two young assistants, and they both immediately fell silent.

Because Ye Zhuyi’s nickname is Bamboo, Ye Zhuyi answered Xiao Qiao in her mind. She gently tilted the milk pitcher, letting the white foam flow into the coffee cup as her thoughts drifted back.

Back then, during a school field trip to the local zoo, she had seen a giant panda holding a stalk of bamboo in its paws. The moment Qin Zhizhen saw it, he decided that pandas would be his favorite animal from then on.

When he made the decision so impulsively, Ye Zhuyi had asked him, “Why?”

Qin Zhizhen had replied with a completely straight face, “That way, I can hold Bamboo in my arms. And if she makes me angry, hmph, I’ll just gobble her up!”

Recalling her childhood, Ye Zhuyi’s lips unconsciously curved into a smile. In the coffee cup, the panda figure gradually took shape, a chubby little bear holding a stalk of bamboo.

“That’s impressive,” Qin Zhizhen said, raising an eyebrow in genuine praise. “Did you learn that somewhere?”

“Yeah, I learned a few tricks from the barista when I was working part-time at a coffee shop,” Ye Zhuyi said as she handed the cup to him. “I couldn’t get it right at first. Did you buy that latte art pitcher because you’re planning to learn?”

“It came free with the coffee machine,” Qin Zhizhen said calmly.

“…”

“This little panda is so cute, I almost can’t bear to drink it.” Qin Zhizhen placed the cup in front of her and stared at the panda latte art, lost in thought.

She had imagined a panda holding a bamboo stalk, and strangely enough, Ye Zhuyi had made it almost exactly like her vision. Does she have a worm in my stomach? Qin Zhizhen wondered.

“If you like it, Teacher Qin, I can make you a panda latte every day,” Ye Zhuyi said as she sat down across from her. She had brewed herself a simple coffee without any art.

“Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish,” Qin Zhizhen replied. “If I don’t learn, I won’t be able to see such cute patterns when you’re not around.” She took a photo of the panda coffee with her phone, then hesitated for a moment before stirring it with a spoon.

Qin Zhizhen looked up at Lian Rong and Xiao Qiao. “Sit down and join us.”

Lian Rong nodded distractedly and sat down. She felt like she was floating. Are the two of them flirting?! Making latte art every day! Is Teacher Ye really this pampering?! Teacher Qin, do you know your voice is as soft as the milk foam in a coffee cup?! Lian Rong grabbed her phone and ran to the “One Pearl” super topic to write a fanfic.

Xiao Qiao saw her face flushed with excitement as her fingers tapped rapidly on the screen. She couldn’t help but glance over and accidentally saw a fan-made edit of Ye Zhuyi and Qin Zhizhen.

It looked like she had discovered something scandalous. Xiao Qiao pushed up her glasses, lowered her head to eat her porridge, and decided to pretend she hadn’t seen anything.

Qin Zhizhen’s words and his series of actions were like a stone thrown into the lake of Ye Zhuyi’s heart, sending ripples across its surface.

I can stay by your side forever, as long as you’re willing.

Ye Zhuyi took a sip of soy milk and suppressed her true thoughts. “Alright,” she said. “When you have time, Teacher Qin, I’ll teach you.”

*****

After breakfast, Qin Zhizhen went downstairs to the dressing room to get her hair and makeup done. Lian Rong stayed in the room to help her pack the items she needed for the set. Xiao Qiao called a hotel staff member to clear the table, then went to help Ye Zhuyi pack her things.

“Yezi, do you want to sleep a bit longer?” Xiao Qiao muttered to herself as she placed a parasol and a handheld fan into a large bag. “The weather forecast said it might rain today, so I need to bring an umbrella.”

“I’m not tired.” Ye Zhuyi glanced at the bag, which looked incredibly heavy. She didn’t even have any scenes to film today and could have returned to the hotel to rest after the opening ceremony. Yet, for her own selfish reasons, she was making Xiao Qiao stay on set with her. Feeling guilty, Ye Zhuyi said, “Let’s split the things into two bags. I’ll carry one. Otherwise, it’s too heavy.”

“I can handle it,” Xiao Qiao replied.

“It’ll be easier for me to grab things if I’m carrying a bag myself.”

Ye Zhuyi insisted on using two bags, and Xiao Qiao had no choice but to comply. She packed their things into two separate bags as Ye Zhuyi had suggested.

Later, Xiao Qiao was very glad she had listened to Ye Zhuyi and split the items into two bags.

As they were leaving the room, Lian Rong had also finished packing Teacher Qin’s things and was ready to go. The three of them decided to leave together. Seeing that Lian Rong had too many things to carry, Xiao Qiao offered to help.

“Thanks, Xiao Qiao. This bag is light,” Lian Rong said as she handed a small bag to Xiao Qiao. She then added a warning, “But be careful. Teacher Qin’s cup is inside. If it breaks, I’m dead meat.”

Xiao Qiao was amused by her dramatic remark. “What kind of cup is it?” she asked curiously. “Why is Teacher Qin so protective of it?”

“It’s a panda cup. I’ve never seen Teacher Qin use it before, but he specifically asked me to bring it today. It’s really special. There’s a 3D panda perched on the rim, and it’s super cute! The handle is a…” Lian Rong instinctively glanced at Ye Zhuyi. “…bamboo shoot.”

Ye Zhuyi noticed Lian Rong’s gaze and admitted, “I gave it to him.” She paused, pursing her lips. Her heart raced as she asked, “Did Teacher Qin specifically ask you to bring it?”

“Mhm, mhm, mhm!” Lian Rong nodded vigorously, like a little chick pecking at rice. She watched the corners of Ye Zhuyi’s lips curl upward and saw the dimples ripple across her exquisite face. Oh my god! Lian Rong screamed internally. I’m shipping them so hard!

Outside the hotel, the crew was busy loading equipment and props onto the vehicles. Ye Zhuyi spotted Zhou Wen and Lu Buping in the crowd. She told Xiao Qiao and Lian Rong to get in the car first, then walked over to greet them.

“You can ride back with us after the opening ceremony,” Lu Buping said. “But I personally suggest you stay and watch. Today is a scene with Chen Ming and Qin Zhizhen. A Film Emperor and Film Empress acting together—you can learn a lot from them.”

Ye Zhuyi smiled. She had planned to do that anyway, but she still feigned modesty. “Alright. Thank you for the advice, Director Lu.”

“Watch Zhenzhen’s performance carefully,” Zhou Wen added. “It’ll help you when you have to do your scenes with her later.”

Ye Zhuyi nodded obediently.

The three of them didn’t rush into the car, chatting casually instead. As a director, Lu Buping had met many people and seen a lot of things, so she could talk endlessly.

“I once had a project with an unknown young actress,” Lu Buping said. “She was incredibly talented, but she’d been held back so much before.”

“You’ve told us this story several times,” Zhou Wen said. “That’s Tian Ting, right? Didn’t she become a star after your movie came out?”

“Yeah, she did. But what’s the point? She immediately married into a wealthy family and quit acting,” Lu Buping said with a hint of regret. “She really had a gift.”

Ye Zhuyi’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly. The hand she held behind her back clenched unconsciously.

“Hey! Zhenzhen’s makeup is done! Wow, she looks so handsome!” Zhou Wen nudged Ye Zhuyi, gesturing for her to turn around and look. She teased, “Quick, look at your husband. Isn’t she handsome?”

In the drama, Ye Zhuyi’s character, Shen Manqing, was married to Qin Zhizhen’s character, Yin Xingmang. Zhou Wen’s joke was perfectly fine given their roles.

But Ye Zhuyi felt her ears burning. It took her a long moment to slowly turn around.

Before she could even look up, a hand ruffled her hair. Qin Zhizhen’s voice was lowered, carrying a magnetic huskiness. “She wouldn’t dare say I’m not handsome.”

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