Chapter 11
The other singer, Ouyang Hua, looked at Tang Yao with a hint of amazement, but Tang Yao didn't particularly like his gaze.
Athletic Wu Yang was a very honest and simple northern man; every three sentences he spoke inevitably included his daughter and wife.
Seeing everyone greet Tang Yao, Zheng Xinrui reluctantly greeted.
"Hello, I'm Lu Bei," Lu Bei, who had been at the back of the crowd, suddenly spoke to Tang Yao.
Tang Yao smiled and replied, "Hello."
Everyone was somewhat surprised to hear Lu Bei take the initiative to greet her.
However, Lu Bei simply found it strange. His persistent anxiety and headache seemed to have eased somewhat after approaching this guesthouse.
This realization surprised him, considering he had been undergoing treatment for a long time with little effect.
The relief from the ever-present pain and the unprecedented comfort in his mind made him feel blissful.
That was why he had impulsively taken the initiative to greet her.
Realizing his lapse in composure, Lu Bei coughed lightly and returned to his usual demeanor.
After greeting everyone, Huang Yong told them to go back to their rooms to rest. After such a long drive and the morning's work, everyone looked a little tired.
Tang Yao went to the dining room to eat.
Xiao Li had already prepared her meal, which was still steaming hot, and brought it directly to her.
Before leaving, Lu Bei glanced back. Tang Yao sat there quietly. The sunlight shone on her almost translucent white skin, making her incredibly beautiful.
Lu Bei frowned slightly, thinking for a while but still unable to figure it out.
In the afternoon, the director took everyone out to do a task and film the beautiful scenery of Wanhua Town.
This variety show was primarily for relaxation, so the tasks weren't too complicated.
Tang Yao also took the opportunity to go grocery shopping and stroll around.
Almost everyone on the street recognized her and greeted her. Tang Yao smiled and responded, appearing sweet and obedient.
Many people even considered marrying her in as their daughter-in-law.
However, Tang Yao politely declined them all.
Finally escaping the enthusiastic neighbors, Tang Yao breathed a sigh of relief.
Tang Yao was now in a narrow alley, about to leave, when she encountered three men dressed in a shady manner.
Tang Yao recognized these men; they were notorious thugs in town, idle and lazy and often engaging in petty theft.
She hadn't seen these men for many years, and their memories should have been hazy. However, in her previous life, living in a wealthy family, she had heard Aunt Li tell a story: a young woman in town, already engaged, had been violated by these thugs and, unable to bear the humiliation, hanged herself in her home.
Aunt Li had spoken of the incident with a heavy sigh. The girl and Tang Yao knew each other. At that time, Tang Yao hadn't been doing well either, but still felt heartbroken for the girl's ordeal.
Thinking of this, Tang Yao's eyes turned cold. If she could, she hoped to avoid this tragedy.
The three men opposite her also noticed her, laughing and joking as they approached. Their words were frivolous and they even tried to grab her.
Tang Yao frowned, quickly taking a few steps to avoid them. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what to secretly retrieve from her spatial storage.
She did have a gun, obtained from the post-apocalyptic world, but in this situation, such a weapon seemed unnecessary. A stun gun should suffice.
Just then, the light at the alley entrance was blocked, and a figure appeared before the group.
Tang Yao's hand, reaching for the stun gun, froze.
The newcomer was Lu Bei, whom she had met that morning. His hands were in his pockets, while half his face hidden in the darkness.
Despite his expressionless face, Tang Yao felt a strange chill run down her spine.
The thug didn't recognize Lu Bei and pointed at him, telling him to mind his own business.
Lu Bei leisurely strolled over with his fingers twirling. The next second, his fist was aimed straight at the thug's face. The thug couldn't dodge in time and took a solid hit.
Tang Yao, standing not far from Lu Bei, clearly saw a strange excitement flash in his eyes.
She walked to the alley entrance, stopping the cameraman who was about to follow them in to record. She told the cameraman to call the police and also to get others in to help.
By the time the police arrived, the three thugs were already bruised and battered.
Lu Bei was being pulled aside by his manager, whispering something. Judging from his heaving chest, he didn't seem to have fully recovered.
When Tang Yao went over to thank him, Lu Bei seemed much more normal.
"It's nothing, just happened to run into you," Lu Bei said.
"I have to thank Boss Tang for stopping the camera for my Lu Bei. If this scene had been broadcast live, regardless of whether he was acting heroically or not, his image would have been severely damaged." The manager, wearing a floral shirt, seemed much more agitated.
"It's nothing," Tang Yao waved her hand. "From now on, it'll be free for Teacher Lu when you come to eat."
"It's my honor," Lu Bei replied in a low, slightly hoarse voice.
After the thanks, the police notified Tang Yao and Lu Bei to give statements.
The manager still needed to discuss with the director how to handle the sudden interruption of the live stream, so he told Lu Bei to go give his statement first and he would pick him up later.
"You must control yourself, okay? Don't make things harder for me, okay?" The worried manager leaned against the car window like a mother hen, giving him instructions.
Tang Yao recalled the bloodthirsty look in his eyes she had seen earlier and the comments from viewers in the live stream about not seeing Lu Bei on camera for a long time. She thought that something was probably wrong with Lu Bei's health.
The two sat in the same police car, neither speaking. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
Inhaling the faint fragrance emanating from beside him, Lu Bei felt his agitated blood and throbbing head ease somewhat.
Upon arriving at the police station, the detained thugs strained his swollen eyes and glared at Tang Yao.
He wanted to glare at Lu Bei, but dared not.
Lu Bei silently stood in front of Tang Yao, shielding her from those gazes.
After giving their statements, it was already past four o'clock.
The two returned to the guesthouse. The production crew hadn't returned yet. The manager dropped them off at the guesthouse entrance, told Lu Bei to rest, and then hurriedly left.
It was clear that abruptly stopping the live broadcast had had a significant impact.
"Are you hungry? Want to get something to eat?" Standing at the guesthouse entrance, Tang Yao asked casually, out of politeness.
After thinking seriously for a few seconds, Lu Bei nodded, "Okay."
Tang Yao had Xiao Li make some wontons. Each wontons wrapped with a whole shrimp, giving the wonton wrappers a pale pink hue.
Lu Bei ate quickly, but his movements were never crude.
Soon, the bowl of wontons was empty.
The two ate their wontons, chatting casually, and the initial awkwardness gradually dissipated.
As dusk approached, the production crew returned to the guesthouse.
Lu Bei also restarted his live stream.
As soon as he started, viewers flooded the live stream. The barrage of comments made the image on the screen unreadable.
Seeing the comments nearly spiraling out of control, the director quietly asked Lu Bei step forward and explain a bit.