Chapter 76: He Said, "More Charming Than a Rose"

Nosebleed?

Qin Yichi raised his hand to his nose, and sure enough, he felt the warm sensation against his skin, the blood flowing steadily downward. His fingers, stained crimson, formed a stark contrast against his pale skin, striking and impossible to ignore.

Qin Yichi: "..."

A rare silence.

The boys nearby were dumbfounded, staring in shock and disbelief. The world-weary Qin Yichi—the intimidating figure who kept everyone at arm’s length—was now bleeding profusely from his nose just from glancing at Qiao Zhen from afar?!

They exchanged looks, and two seconds later, burst out laughing in unison. Forced to keep their voices down, they stifled their laughter until their stomachs hurt, faces contorted, softly offering their sympathy:

"Pfft... Brother Chi, you... hahaha, maybe go wash up in the restroom?"

"If Qiao comes and sees you like this... pffft hahaha! I swear I might die laughing!"

"Brother Chi, you know we usually don’t laugh at you—unless we just can’t help it..."

Qin Yichi stood and walked to the restroom, throwing a sharp glare their way that instantly silenced them.

Behind him, the boys whispered furtively, laughing at him in a way they’d never dared before:

"Damn, hahaha, Brother Chi! He’s done for! Who would’ve thought he’d be so hopeless when it comes to romance?!"

"Ah, it's hard to comment. I wish him luck!"

They didn’t know that three scouts behind them were also keeping a close eye on Qin Yichi’s every move.

Sheng Lulu’s eyes widened: "Whoa, he’s really got a nosebleed! Qiao sang and he just couldn’t handle it!"

Chen Meixiang gritted her teeth, giving him a new nickname: "Secretly Thrilled Guy."

Meanwhile, as the song ended, Qiao Zhen lifted her red dress and stepped slowly down from the stage in her low heels.

She hadn’t felt this nervous during the performance itself; now her heart was pounding wildly, her fingertips trembling.

She was excited.

This was her best performance yet.

Those four consecutive "I love you"s, each with its high note and vibrato, were easy enough to sing—but only with resolve and courage could one truly bring them to life.

Qiao Zhen looked into the distance, spotting Niu Yifeng and Zhang Ning waving at her excitedly, and she smiled sweetly at them.

But Qin Yichi was nowhere to be seen.

Qiao Zhen’s mood dropped abruptly, her lips curving downward and her shoulders drooping.

Strange... where could he be?

Without realizing it, Qin Yichi’s every move had come to dictate all her emotions.

Since that night when Qin Yichi got drunk, they hadn’t seen each other for more than a week.

In truth, it had only been a few days, but people are greedy by nature.

Qiao Zhen wished she could see him every moment of every day—how wonderful that would be...

Suddenly, his familiar figure appeared in her sight.

Not far away, Qin Yichi stood in a corner, leaning against the wall with his long legs crossed, exuding youthful energy and an indescribable, deadly allure.

He wore a half-smile as he beckoned to Qiao Zhen, his deep, dark eyes fixed intently on her, the side of his face bathed in warm, orange light.

A gentle warmth radiated from him.

Qiao Zhen’s lips immediately curved upward, and she walked toward him with a spring in her step.

The corner was dimly lit, deserted and quiet. The audience was fully focused on the stage, so no one noticed the two of them.

Qiao Zhen moved to his side, blinking, and asked cautiously:

"How did I do today?"

She wore a dazzling red dress, and the rose tucked beside her ear made her look even brighter and more charming.

No makeup, but her skin was snow-white, her eyes fluttered like a deer’s, and her cherry lips shimmered faintly.

Qin Yichi stared at her lips, his gaze lingering for several seconds, his voice hoarse:

"Do you want the truth?"

Qiao Zhen’s fist clenched at her side, her face tense, inexplicably nervous: "Mm-hmm."

She wanted the truth.

At her words, Qin Yichi slowly smiled, unable to resist reaching out. As he adjusted the red rose at her ear, he replied seriously, his voice low and rich:

"More captivating than a rose."

Today, Qiao Zhen was more dazzling than the reddest rose in the world.

She probably didn’t realize that, as she stood on stage singing, everyone’s ears perked up, their eyes glued to her.

She probably didn’t realize just how beautiful she was now—so beautiful it was tempting, even wicked, making someone want to press her against the wall and ravish her...

The words "more captivating than a rose" struck Qiao Zhen’s heart, sending wave after wave of ripples, refusing to settle.

And at that moment, Qin Yichi bent his head slightly, casually but tenderly adjusting the rose at her ear.

His fingers were long and slender, brushing her earlobe and hair without meaning to, the heat sinking into her skin, strand by strand.

A blush crept over Qiao Zhen’s earlobe, her gaze darting away unnaturally, her voice soft:

"Oh..."

Suddenly, she wanted to run away, to be a cowardly deserter.

Ever since she dreamed of her past life with Qin Yichi—their passionate moments—or perhaps, ever since she truly understood her feelings... she found herself unable to meet his gaze.

Afraid her face would turn as red as a tomato, afraid she’d lose control and throw herself at him, and most of all, afraid that if her feelings were laid bare, he’d never pay her any attention again.

Qiao Zhen became lost in thought.

The next moment, Qin Yichi called her name, his seductive voice and warm breath brushing her ear:

"By the way, I have a little gift for you."

He added, nonchalantly: "Just... bought a few things."

Qiao Zhen snapped out of her reverie and looked down by his feet—a huge white bag, big enough to fit several of her heads.

She stood frozen, stunned.

A little gift... little? This was enormous!

Qin Yichi picked up the bag, rummaged through it lazily, raising his eyes:

"It’s just some snacks. They were on sale, and I accidentally bought too much."

Strawberry macarons, milk soufflé, chocolate moon pies, Oreo molten cheesecake, taro cheese balls, Napoleon mille-feuille...

And they were all her favorites! Each and every one!

Qiao Zhen was completely dumbstruck, her eyes widening as she murmured, "So much? I can’t finish all this by myself..."

Watching her adorable, happy expression, Qin Yichi’s heart melted.

A smile bloomed in his eyes. He wanted to pinch her cheeks, roll her into a ball, flatten her out, or squeeze her until she dripped.

This time, Qin Yichi truly wasn’t lying—he really did buy too much by accident.

He had only meant to bring Qiao Zhen two or three little cakes.

But two days ago, when Qiao Zhen took out the trash downstairs, Qin Yichi happened to see through the window that she’d gotten thinner.

Lost in thought, he kept tossing snacks into his basket, and before he realized it, the money was already spent.

He was helpless.

Whenever he saw something tasty, pretty, or fun, he couldn’t control his hands; he just wanted to pile it all before Qiao Zhen and make her happy...