novelraw Chapter 28 is time to play solo again.
Chapter 28 is time to play solo again.
The morning in Haicheng was bright and sunny.
Lu Ze barely slept all night.
He still held the backup phone in his hand, the screen displaying a 45-minute call record with Zhang Guanhai from the early hours of the morning.
The core idea of the call can be summarized as: how to make a challenger named Chen Bo "die naturally" on the stage of "Singer Battle" in the most artistic and subtle way.
Lu Ze got out of bed and walked unsteadily to the bathroom mirror.
The person in the mirror had sunken eyes, a messy stubble, and a loosely tied robe belt, exuding a decadent aesthetic that appealed to young women.
"I can't do this..." Lu Ze muttered to himself in front of the mirror. "I am a poet, an artist. Even if I want to take revenge, I must do it elegantly and with style."
He turned on the tap and splashed his face with cold water.
The icy water stimulated his nerves, clearing his muddled mind somewhat.
"Zhang Guanhai agreed." Lu Ze looked at his dripping face in the mirror, a twisted smile slowly spreading across his lips. "The costumes, the lighting... every single detail of the initial stage can be rigged. Chen Bo, you think you can turn things around just by getting a ticket through Xu Yueqing's charity? I'll make sure you fall the hardest on the biggest stage."
Thinking of this, Lu Ze felt a little better.
He even had the leisure to start thinking about how he should comfort Xu Yueqing after Chen Bo made a fool of himself on stage. Should he write a poem to criticize the unworthy phenomena in the entertainment industry, or invite Xu Yueqing to a high-class concert to cleanse her soul, which had been tainted by Chen Bo, with art?
"Yes, that's it." Lu Ze nodded at himself in the mirror and started shaving. "Xu Yueqing was just confused for a moment, fooled by Chen Bo's good looks. Once she sees Chen Bo's pathetic state on stage, she'll understand that true charm comes from within, from the depth of the soul, like someone like me."
After shaving, Lu Ze changed into a neatly ironed white shirt and khaki pants, and put on gold-rimmed glasses.
The person in the mirror regained his image as a gentle and refined poet.
However, the lingering gloom in his eyes betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
"Ding-dong—"
Doorbell rang.
Lu Ze frowned. Who would come at this hour?
He walked to the door, looked through the peephole, and saw it was the deliveryman.
After signing for the package, Lu Ze opened it. Inside were the deluxe edition of "The Complete Collection of 20th Century Western Poetry" that he had ordered last week, as well as a book titled "How to Elegantly Win Back Your Ex: A Psychologist's 28-Day Reconciliation Plan".
Lu Ze stared at the second book. He had originally bought this book to use scientific methods to solidify his relationship with Xu Yueqing after their breakup.
It now seems that the plan needed to be brought forward, and the difficulty has increased.
"It's alright." Lu Ze placed the two books side by side on the bookshelf. "The greater the challenge, the stronger the sense of accomplishment after victory. Xu Yueqing, I will definitely bring you back to my side."
After saying that, he picked up his phone and sent Xu Yueqing a WeChat message: "Yueqing, I read a line of Rilke's poetry this morning and it suddenly reminded me of you: 'He who is alone now will always be alone.' I hope you're in a better mood today. Also, I got two tickets from a friend for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's concert next week. If you're free, we can go together. Art can heal some things."
Click send.
Lu Ze smiled. Look how elegant and considerate she is.
It expresses concern, showcases good taste, and avoids mentioning unpleasant things.
This is what a mature man should be like.
After sending the message, Lu Ze walked to the window, looked at the bright sunshine outside, and suddenly felt that it was time to play solo again.
"Damn it," he cursed under his breath, scratching his head in frustration. "Why do I feel so...no, I need to calm down, I need to maintain my composure..."
He went into the bedroom and closed the door.
Three minutes later, Lu Ze walked out with a wise expression, his eyes clear and his mind at peace.
"Alright, let's start a new day." He straightened his shirt cuffs, a standard artsy smile on his lips.
Yunding Mountain Villa, Zhou Lingyan's Villa.
Chen Bo slept until 10 a.m.
He was woken up by hunger.
I opened my eyes and checked my physical condition. My back and legs didn't ache, but my stomach felt so empty I could swallow a whole cow.
And then there's the Great Wall, which never falls.
"Sure enough, youth is an asset." Chen Bo stretched and got out of bed.
After washing up, he went downstairs in his pajamas, ready to go to the kitchen to find something to eat.
As I reached the corner of the stairs, I saw Zhou Lingyan sitting on the living room sofa, hugging a cushion, staring blankly at the television—which wasn't even turned on.
"Good morning, Boss Zhou." Chen Bo yawned. "Is there anything to eat? I'm starving."
Zhou Lingyan suddenly came to her senses, saw Chen Bo, and her face flushed slightly.
Last night's scenes resurfaced in my mind: Chen Bo's hand on her leg, the warm touch; her impulsive decision to sit in his lap; and then that butt-pinching moment.
"You're awake?" Zhou Lingyan's voice was a little unsteady. "There's breakfast in the kitchen; I asked the housekeeper to prepare it."
"Thanks." Chen Bo strolled into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and saw sandwiches, milk, fruit, and a pot of chicken soup that looked very nourishing.
He took out the items one by one, laid them out on the table, and began to devour them in a flash.
Zhou Lingyan followed him into the restaurant, sat down opposite him, rested her chin on her hands, and watched Chen Bo eat with clear eyes.
This man... his table manners are really unrefined, but strangely, it doesn't make him seem rude. Instead, he has a kind of genuine cuteness.
Pah! Pah! Pah! What do you mean cute? It's awful!
"Um..." Zhou Lingyan cleared her throat, "about last night..."
"What happened last night?" Chen Bo looked up, a half-eaten sandwich still dangling from his mouth. "Oh, you mean the scene on the balcony? It was well-acted. I think Teacher Xu must have been furious."
Zhou Lingyan choked.
Is this guy genuinely stupid or just pretending?
"I didn't mean that!" she gritted her teeth. "I meant... your hand later..."
"What happened to your hand?" Chen Bo put down his milk glass, wiped his mouth, and said frankly, "Boss Zhou, you were the one who came over to sit down last night. As a dedicated assistant, cooperating with the performance is my basic professional quality. Besides, I was helping you find the right angle so that the other side could see you more clearly. Look how well it worked! Teacher Xu called right away."
Zhou Lingyan: "..."
She was unable to refute it.
"Besides," Chen Bo leaned closer, lowered his voice, and smiled mischievously, "Miss Zhou, you didn't seem to object last night... did you? I thought you enjoyed it."
"Chen Bo!" Zhou Lingyan grabbed a napkin and threw it at him. "Shut up!"
Chen Bo caught the tissue and burst into laughter.
Zhou Lingyan's face turned red with anger, but Chen Bo's outburst actually dissipated a lot of her awkwardness and embarrassment.
That's true. Last night's situation was originally her suggestion. Chen Bo was just playing along and incidentally performed a little beyond his usual level.
If anyone's to blame, it's her own fault for playing with fire too much.
"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore." Chen Bo said seriously, "Seriously, I've finished the song. Today I'll make the final adjustments to the arrangement, and then I can send it to the production team."
When it came to business, Zhou Lingyan also composed herself: "So soon?"