The Whole World Is Waiting for Me and My Ex-Girlfriend to Remarry (Entertainment Industry) - Chapter 29

The Benefactor.

The convenience store staff had already gotten to know Dong Huaci. She was always the one on duty in the middle of the night, and they knew there was a company nearby managing a girl group. Every so often, there would be a performance, and a crowd would gather in the vicinity; once the show ended, the crowd would disperse. As soon as the automatic doors chimed, the clerk greeted Dong Huaci, even adding, “Little Ci, was your first performance a success?”

Dong Huaci was still in a daze, her soul seemingly scattered. She rarely heard people call her by that nickname, so she froze for a moment before nodding and smiling. “It was great, very smooth. I even received flowers, Sister.”

Zhong Qing followed close behind her.

It was unclear whether the clerk failed to recognize Zhong Qing or if she was simply busy, but once Zhong Qing entered, she stopped chatting with Dong Huaci. She gave Zhong Qing a single glance before turning naturally to tidy the shelves.

At this moment, Zhong Qing and Dong Huaci were in that delicate atmosphere of having “kissed for ages but not yet defined the relationship.”

In truth, Dong Huaci didn’t know why they had come to the convenience store. Back in the elevator, Zhong Qing had pressed the button for the first floor; the doors opened, they finished kissing, and they were both stunned—but they couldn’t just stay inside. They couldn’t go back to the dorms either; more accurately, neither of them wanted to. So, they went out.

But having come out, they didn’t know what to do.

Inside the elevator, Zhong Qing had been kissed by Dong Huaci until she lost all sense of direction. Her usual cool temperament and headstrong ways had been completely tamed by Dong Huaci today. She followed Dong Huaci like a fool. As Dong Huaci led the way, she thought about how Zhong Qing had kept asking if she was hungry, so she decided she might as well be “hungry.”

Thus, she sat at the long counter by the convenience store window. In the dead of night, it was pitch black outside, with only the occasional car passing by. Zhong Qing bought a green bean slushie and some of the yogurt snacks that girl group members loved because they weren’t fattening. She stuffed the green bean slushie into Dong Huaci’s hands.

Dong Huaci teased her on purpose: “Aren’t you afraid I’ll be hungry?”

Zhong Qing: “You said you were thirsty.”

Dong Huaci: “Alright then.”

Zhong Qing suddenly felt a bit of a sour pang: “Dong Huaci, you’re so familiar with the store clerk.”

Dong Huaci unwrapped her snack: “It’s because you look too ‘authoritative.’ Everyone is shocked by your face, the ‘Face Genius’ Lord Zhong Qing~” She was imitating the way Zhong Qing’s fans spoke.

Zhong Qing smiled but remained silent. After those kisses in the rooftop elevator, the two of them were now acting like total strangers in public, being as restrained as possible. Dong Huaci kept her head down, focused on drinking her slushie; Zhong Qing didn’t drink her yogurt, just sat there, not daring to look at Dong Huaci, locking and unlocking her phone screen to pretend she was busy.

Dong Huaci seemed addicted to the drink and didn’t speak. Zhong Qing realized that she ought to take the initiative to say something now. Otherwise, this opportunity would slip away.

“Do you want to drink green bean slushies every day?”

Dong Huaci turned her head and blinked.

Zhong Qing said, “I can treat you to a green bean slushie every day.”

Dong Huaci choked a little and giggled. “Then I’ll treat you to milk tea occasionally. I can’t afford it every day.”

“You don’t have to pay me back,” Zhong Qing said, sounding a bit anxious.

Dong Huaci turned away again. “Then I’d feel bad.”

Zhong Qing felt shy too, saying in a voice almost as quiet as a mosquito, “Then… then kiss me a few more times.”

The clerk was already looking over curiously. Dong Huaci wished she could bury her face in her drink. “You can’t kiss ‘best friends’ every day. I feel like you’re… you’re very strange today.” She blushed as well. “It’s still that simple sentence. I don’t know why. But I really don’t want to see you sad, Zhong Qing, and I really want to be with you for a lifetime. I don’t want to fight with you, and I don’t want to be apart from you.”

Zhong Qing seemed to make a firm decision and said, “Then can you kiss your ‘girlfriend’ every day?”

Dong Huaci nearly bit through her straw.

She asked in an innocent and expectant tone, “Even though I know such things exist… can two girls be together?”

Zhong Qing nodded, nodding repeatedly. “I know where you’re from might not understand, and my parents might not understand either. But I feel like I can’t just be friends with you just because others don’t understand. I can’t stand it.”

Dong Huaci suddenly flashed a bright smile. “Alright then! For the sake of the green bean slushies! Let’s give it a try, Zhong Qing.”

And so, disregarding the presence of others, Dong Huaci leaned in and pressed her face against Zhong Qing’s for a moment.

Two days later, after a performance, they found a shopping mall in a more suburban area. Dong Huaci’s fame was limited to a few fans at the theater. In contrast, because Zhong Qing had been performing longer, was taller, and had handsome, striking features, she was harder to forget and easily recognized. Consequently, Dong Huaci would often browse items in stores without much burden, while Zhong Qing wore a black mask and waited by her side.

She knew Dong Huaci had been in a bad mood lately because her mother’s health was poor, though she was reluctant to talk about it much. Dong Huaci was in Shanghai, her salary was low, yet she saved as much as possible to send back home; however, no amount of money could convince her mother, who avoided doctors out of fear. The eighteen-year-old Dong Huaci didn’t have the courage to quit her girl group job just as it was gaining momentum to go bankrupt flying back just to persuade her mother to seek treatment. Thus, she could only send daily messages and save money pathologically to squeeze out a bit of extra cash. Naturally, her lack of eating could be excused as dieting, but how could someone in a girl group not buy clothes or other bottles and jars? On a rare day off, Zhong Qing practically dragged her out to shop.

For a while, Dong Huaci had been very interested in Zhong Qing’s vanity table, and Zhong Qing loved watching her ask questions about everything.

The suburban shopping street was lined with shops where mostly families wandered. No one would specifically stare at two young-looking girls, and girl group fans didn’t usually hang out in family-oriented areas. Therefore, they grew bolder as they walked. Zhong Qing directly took Dong Huaci’s hand and led her into a perfume shop.

“This English is so complicated.” Dong Huaci stopped at the entrance of the shop and wouldn’t go in, pulling on Zhong Qing. “It’s such a long string of letters.”

Zhong Qing looked up. “Ah, maybe it’s not English. But I don’t know what language it is either.”

“Cursive script.” Dong Huaci subconsciously took two steps back. “Whenever I see a shop with this kind of cursive, I want to run. The perfume here is too expensive. I feel like I’m not a flower worthy of it.” She spoke quite candidly at the end.

Zhong Qing smiled. “You’re certainly not a flower; you’re a little tree.” She pulled off her black mask. “What are you afraid of? I’ll take you in. Can anything be more expensive than the ring on my hand?”

“You’re such a show-off, Zhong Qing.” Dong Huaci slapped her on the back, laughing so hard her eyes squeezed shut.

Intent on coaxing her, Zhong Qing waved her hand and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t sell you to the shop to clean their windows.”

And so, nineteen-year-old Zhong Qing led eighteen-year-old Dong Huaci into that perfume shop with the long cursive name. Dong Huaci was dazed again by the dazzling array of items; she had been spacing out lately, like a butterfly lost among too many flowers. She leaned down to look at the colorful bottles of various strange and stylish shapes. A shop assistant walked up, but her first glance was directed at Zhong Qing.

Dong Huaci sensed something and looked back. Zhong Qing naturally took her hand out of her pocket, ruffled her hair twice, and gave a very sincere smile. “It’s fine, we’re just looking around.”

Amidst the conversation, for some reason, Dong Huaci felt that Zhong Qing’s aura was always a bit different. Today, she had long black hair, a tight camisole, slim jeans, and black running shoes. Relying entirely on her youth and her face to carry off such a casual look, she looked like a female college student who had just finished classes, yet she gave off the feeling that she was no longer just a student, even though she was only nineteen. In contrast, the eighteen-year-old Dong Huaci was clearly dressed up with care—a white camisole, a pink tulip skirt, and black leather shoes. When she leaned down, the rhinestone butterfly knots on the ends of her twin braids and the upturned ribbons really made her look like a flower butterfly.

But because of this, Dong Huaci seemed even more like she had no one to lean on, carrying a sense of helplessness. When those two eyes looked at you, you only felt she was pitiable, not formidable.

As she turned her head, her braids followed, making her look even younger. It was no wonder the clerk instinctively addressed Zhong Qing first.

Left alone there, Dong Huaci grew inexplicably nervous, so she quickly called out, “Zhong Qing.”

Zhong Qing walked over with an air of composure. “Try whatever you like. Those are the tester strips.”

“Tester strips?” Dong Huaci didn’t understand.

Zhong Qing was very patient and demonstrated for her. Open, spray the paper, bring it to the nose to smell. The sequence of movements was fluid and graceful. Dong Huaci stared only at the knuckles of Zhong Qing’s long fingers, suddenly feeling quite shy as she thought that Zhong Qing’s movements were very sexy.

Zhong Qing noticed her daze. “What are you thinking about now?”

Dong Huaci let out an “Ah” and shyly followed suit to try one. “I’m still thinking, will this be very expensive?” She repeated her sentiment from the shop entrance in a rather humble way. “I’d feel bad if I tried it and didn’t buy it.”

So, Zhong Qing changed the question: “Of all these, which one do you think looks the best?”

Dong Huaci pointed to a pink bottle with an oval label and a white lace butterfly knot at the neck. Most exquisite of all was the crystal-clear white bead on top, like a full moon.

Zhong Qing smiled. “Penhaligon’s Luna. You have great taste; it matches your outfit today perfectly.”

What was that gibberish she just said? Dong Huaci didn’t understand, but Zhong Qing had already taken out her phone to pay. Dong Huaci didn’t even get to ask about the price. They continued wandering for a while, and by the time they returned to the company dorm, it was nearly midnight. He Xizi wasn’t there today, perhaps next door or at some gathering. The dorm was just the two of them, quiet. Dong Huaci found the light switch, clutching the exquisitely packaged shopping bag. She sat on the edge of the bed and, almost impatiently, opened the perfume. She took out the bottle and held it up to the light, then turned her head with a beaming face, saying, “Are you really willing to give this to me?”

Standing by the door, Zhong Qing was exceptionally happy seeing her like this, perhaps even happier than if someone had given her a new perfume. She hummed twice. “Actually, I’m a little bit reluctant. So you’d better hide it well. If you ask again, I’m taking it back.”

Dong Huaci thought for a moment. “Zhong Qing, I have a great idea.”

“What?” Zhong Qing poked her head in. Usually a bit of a clean freak, she had already washed her hands, but with Dong Huaci, it seemed Zhong Qing had no such obsession. The bed Dong Huaci was sitting on was Zhong Qing’s bed. She had already changed into her classic white camisole nightdress. She opened the cap, sprayed twice toward the chest area of her clothes, and then, with a purely innocent and reckless attitude, waved at Zhong Qing: “Come and smell it.”

Zhong Qing froze in place. Dong Huaci tilted her head slightly; the roles had reversed, and she seemed to be teasing Zhong Qing. “Weren’t you reluctant to let this perfume go? How about this: you come over and smell it, and that way you can smell it every day.”

Zhong Qing awkwardly clasped her hands together. Her face was flushed, deep red. But she was walking over. Dong Huaci was sitting on her bed, and as she approached, Dong Huaci suddenly lunged at her, trying to escape. “You’re really coming! I just put it there; smell it yourself if you want to.”

Zhong Qing laughed too, unable to stop. She caught Dong Huaci, wrapping her arms around her slender waist. The phrase “land of gentle beauty” immediately became concrete for Zhong Qing. She pressed against the fabric where Dong Huaci had sprayed the perfume. Dong Huaci couldn’t breathe properly and kept patting the back of Zhong Qing’s head, trying to grab her hair, but she couldn’t push her away. Dong Huaci realized with a start that when Zhong Qing used her full strength, she actually couldn’t beat her! Fortunately, once Dong Huaci and Zhong Qing were tired from playing around, Dong Huaci took the initiative to play a trick, lowering her head to give Zhong Qing a lingering, tender kiss. She whispered that once the smelling was done, she had to go take a bath. “You’ll have to wait in line today, my Benefactor.”