novelraw Chapter 40 Five Flowers Bloom
Chapter 40 Five Flowers Bloom
"I haven't thought that far ahead yet," Chen Bo said. "Let's get the show recorded first. I still have some songs left."
"There are still some?" Zhao Lulu's eyes widened. "Are they all this quality?"
"More or less," Chen Bo said.
Everyone else at the table fell silent.
Bei Weiwei looked at Chen Bo with eyes full of admiration.
Zhou Lingyan wondered to himself: Just how many surprises does this guy have that I don't know about?
Xu Yueqing lowered her head, and the swamp of regret in her heart began to bubble up again.
Li Man coughed lightly, looked at Xu Yueqing, then at Chen Bo: "Yueqing, didn't you have something you wanted to say to Chen Bo?"
All eyes turned to them.
Xu Yueqing raised her head and looked at Chen Bo, her eyes filled with a do-or-die courage.
"Chen Bo, first of all, I want to formally apologize to you." Her voice was clear, though slightly trembling. "For my indifference over the past month, for the way I broke up with you, for the hurt I caused you... I'm sorry. I was too selfish, too foolish, blinded by some illusory things, neglecting what was truly precious around me..."
Her eyes reddened again, but she held back her tears.
"Secondly, I want to say that I heard the song you sang tonight. I heard every single line. It made me realize how ridiculous and cruel I am... Chen Bo, I don't ask you to forgive me now, I just want you to know that I was wrong."
She looked at Chen Bo, tears finally streaming down her face: "I don't expect us to go back to the past, I know I'm not good enough for you. But... if possible, could I... pursue you again? Like Weiwei, openly and honestly, competing with others? Give me a chance to make amends?"
After these words were spoken, the table became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Bei Weiwei clenched her fingers and looked nervously at Chen Bo.
Zhou Lingyan's eyes were complicated, her lips moved, but she ultimately didn't speak.
Zhao Lulu's mouth formed an "O" shape as she looked at Xu Yueqing, then at Chen Bo, inwardly screaming: Holy crap! Is Yueqing this fierce? Has she declared war directly?
Li Man sighed softly and patted Xu Yueqing on the shoulder.
Chen Bo remained silent for a long time.
He looked at Xu Yueqing, the first woman he had intimate contact with after transmigrating. Her face, which had once amazed him, was now filled with tears, regret, and pleading.
The original owner's emotions seemed to ripple slightly in some corner of his heart, but quickly subsided.
"Xu Yueqing," Chen Bo said calmly, "I accept your apology. Let bygones be bygones."
Xu Yueqing's eyes lit up.
But Chen Bo's next words made her heart sink again.
"As for pursuing someone again..." Chen Bo smiled, a faint, distant smile. "I don't have the mind to think about that right now. My journey has just begun, and I don't even know what the future holds. So, don't waste your time on me. You deserve someone better, like that poet Lu; he might be more in line with your pursuit of the spiritual world."
"No!" Xu Yueqing shook her head violently, tears streaming down her face. "Chen Bo, I was wrong! What I've always wanted is the Chen Bo who would make me ginger tea, remember all the little things about me, and care about me—the ordinary yet real you!"
She stood up excitedly: "I know it's ridiculous and shameless of me to say this... but I can't control myself! Chen Bo, give me a chance, even just a fair chance to compete, please?"
Before Chen Bo could answer, Bei Weiwei suddenly stood up as well.
Her face flushed red, but her eyes remained resolute: "Yueqing, I respect your feelings. However, I've liked Chen Bo for three years. Before, you were his girlfriend, and I didn't do anything. Now, I'm also one of his competitors. Chen Bo, I won't give up."
Looking at this dramatic scene before him, Zhou Lingyan suddenly felt that the wine in his hand had lost its flavor.
She scratched her hair in frustration, slammed her glass down, and stood up.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing!" she shouted. "Can you really get anything out of arguing about relationships? Chen Bo is single now, and whoever likes him or pursues him is free to do so! But—"
She glanced around, her eyes carrying a warning: "If you're going to pursue someone, do it yourselves, don't let things get messy! After all..."
She hesitated for a moment before saying, "After all, we're still... friends."
Li Man stood up, pulled Xu Yueqing to sit down, then pressed Bei Weiwei down, and finally glared at Zhou Lingyan: "You sit down too, what kind of behavior is this!"
Zhou Lingyan obediently sat down, her bossy aura undiminished.
Li Man looked at Chen Bo and said gently, "Chen Bo, matters of the heart are something that can't be rushed. You're just starting out, so focusing on your career is the right thing to do. You know their feelings, that's enough. As for what happens in the future, let time tell. Tonight is to celebrate your success, so don't let the atmosphere become awkward."
Chen Bo nodded and raised his glass: "Xiaoman is right. Thank you everyone for celebrating with me tonight. As for the rest... we can talk about it later."
He changed the subject, asking Zhao Lulu what projects she had been busy with lately.
Zhao Lulu immediately chimed in, launching into a long, rambling account of the bizarre things that one of the internet celebrities she had invested in had done.
The atmosphere gradually eased, and although there were still some subtle undercurrents, at least on the surface harmony was restored.
The night grew deeper.
The celebration banquet was drawing to a close.
Xu Yueqing and Bei Weiwei had both drunk quite a bit. One was slumped on the table, completely dejected, while the other clung to Chen Bo's arm, refusing to let go, muttering, "Chen Bo, don't hate me."
Zhou Lingyan had also drunk quite a bit, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glazed over. She pointed at Chen Bo and said, "You dare to betray my investment?"
Li Man and Zhao Lulu were relatively sober and busy taking care of the drunkards.
Finally, Li Man's car took Zhao Lulu away. Zhao Lulu asked to sleep at Li Man's house, saying she didn't want to watch the rest of the story. Bei Weiwei, on the other hand, was forcibly shoved into the guest room by Zhou Lingyan.
The villa finally quieted down.
Zhou Lingyan sauntered into the living room, looked at Chen Bo who was cleaning up the mess, and suddenly asked, "Chen Bo, don't you think... the five of us are a hassle?"
Chen Bo stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her.
Under the warm yellow light, Zhou Lingyan shed her usual flamboyance and sharpness, appearing somewhat soft, even a little fragile.
"No, it won't." Chen Bo smiled. "It'll be quite lively."
"Lively?" Zhou Lingyan scoffed, walked up to him, looked up at him, her eyes unusually bright and moist from the alcohol. "Chen Bo, I only brought you back to spite Xu Yueqing."
"I know."
"But now..." She frowned, as if struggling to find the right words, "I think... I don't want to just use you anymore."
Chen Bo's heart skipped a beat.
Zhou Lingyan waved his hand, turned around and staggered upstairs: "Never mind, I've had too much to drink and was just rambling... Goodnight, my tool."
Early the next morning.
Chen Bo swaggered over to Xu Yueqing's villa across the street.