Chapter 84: Seine River Bank, Left Bank Coffee
Chi Ye lowered his head and simply strummed the guitar in his hand. Once he felt it was about right, he looked up at everyone: “…So many people?”
Everyone was silent. The few students who had borrowed his guitar were excitedly saying something to him.
“It’s starting.”
Chi Ye didn’t speak again. His fingers lightly plucked, and a melodious and light tune rose, but it was an unusually unfamiliar prelude.
Like a lover’s heartbeat, it conveyed an impatient throb and expectation, as if it were the joyful tune played casually by a pedestrian strolling by the riverbank, free and at ease.
Everyone was stunned.
You Han and the program team: “Is there this song domestically?”
Shang Youshu had already reacted, covering her mouth, excited to the point of disbelief: “New… new song?!”
“Isn’t it When You?!”
Jin Xia’s pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes were also stunned, murmuring: “When did Teacher Chi write a new song? How come I didn’t know…”
Here, though the prelude was short, it was like a key that instantly opened the door in people’s hearts to romance and beauty.
Chi Ye’s pleasant voice was like heavenly music. When the lyrics reached his mouth, it naturally switched to the most classic pop singing style:
“Seine River Bank, the coffee on the Left Bank”
“A cup in my hand, tasting your beauty”
“Lips that leave a lipstick print”
Everyone at the live performance was dumbfounded.
Jin Xia was instantly stunned, looking at the Seine River Bank behind her, then at the coffee cup in her hand that had somehow lost its straw…
She looked at Chi Ye again, her bright eyes blooming with unprecedented brilliant light.
“Who got the name wrong on the flower shop rose”
“Confession Balloon, blown by the wind to the other street”
“Smile flying in the sky”
Shang Youshu finally reacted completely, excited to the point of flushed cheeks, stomping her feet wildly: “He, he he… Is he doing live lyric and music composition?!”
“OMG…”
You Han was also dumbfounded.
Isn’t it, buddy, are the requirements for showing off this high now?!
“…Did you record it? Did you record it?!”
Director Li was already sweating profusely, inwardly cursing Chi Ye for misleading him! From what Chi Ye had said earlier, he hadn’t mentioned he was going to sing like this!
Damn, to protect your family member’s career, you’re doing this to me?!
This song is so good, it’s bound to go viral!
“Recorded, recorded… Don’t worry.”
The photographer next to him hurriedly pried open Director Li’s hand that was gripping him.
Prelude ended, first chorus.
Chi Ye’s pair of clear eyes stared at Jin Xia, staring at the girl on the Seine River Bank at dusk who was also staring dazedly at him.
She was really so beautiful, so perfect.
“You say you’re a bit hard to chase”
“Want me to back off knowing it’s tough”
“Gifts don’t need to be the most expensive”
“Just the fallen leaves on Champs-Élysées”
“Oh~ Creating a romantic date”
“Not afraid of messing everything up”
“Having you is having~ the whole world”
The Empress Dowager suddenly lowered her head, her fair cheeks instantly flushed with blood, her heartbeat accelerating at a visible speed at this moment.
Thump thump thump.
Thump thump thump.
“Darling, falling in love with you from that day”
“So sweet and easy”
“Darling, don’t be capricious, your eyes”
“Are saying I’m willing”
After the first main chorus, Chi Ye didn’t pause, stood up and walked toward Jin Xia:
“Seine River Bank, the coffee on the Left Bank”
“A cup in my hand, tasting your beauty”
“Lips that leave a lipstick print”
Jin Xia’s breathing quickened, but her feet didn’t retreat at all, standing firmly in place, gazing at the approaching Chi Ye.
At this moment, her eyes held only Chi Ye.
“Mm~”
But in her dazed moment, she failed to hold onto the balloon. The colorful hydrogen balloon seemed to suddenly come alive, blown by the wind toward the sky and the opposite bank.
“Who got the name wrong on the flower shop rose”
“Confession Balloon, blown by the wind to the other street”
“Smile flying in the sky”
Chi Ye walked over and coolly extended one hand, making an invitation.
The Empress Dowager really wanted to maintain some composure. She held back for a long time, a really long time… okay, she didn’t hold back at all.
She impatiently reached out her hand and placed it on top.
Big hand holding small hand, Chi Ye turned to meet her gaze:
“You say you’re a bit hard to chase”
“Want me to back off knowing it’s tough”—Teacher Chi, stop teasing, you can’t control this Jin someone of mine!
“Gifts don’t need to be the most expensive”
“Just the fallen leaves on Champs-Élysées”—Gifting you the Champs-Élysées fallen leaves bracelet I love most today.
“Creating a romantic date”
“Not afraid of messing everything up”
“Having you is having~ the whole world”—Chi Ye truly felt from the bottom of his heart that having the Empress Dowager might really mean having the whole world.
“Come on.”
Chi Ye brought the microphone over.
It was the Empress Dowager’s first time hearing this song; she had no idea how to sing it, but she sang it very happily—perhaps the happiest time in these twenty-plus years.
Her coquettish voice rose, following Chi Ye’s heavenly voice, like a lost little girl receiving guidance:
“Darling, falling in love with you from that day”
“So sweet and easy”
“Darling, don’t be capricious, your eyes”
“Are saying I’m willing”
Chi Ye turned back to look at her:
“Darling, falling in love with you, love diary”
“Memories of drifting perfume”
“A whole bottle of dreams, all about you”
“Stirred together”
He looked again at the people on site who were already cheering wildly and the domestic colleagues who were completely stunned:
“Darling, don’t be capricious, your eyes”
“Are saying I’m willing~”
“Alright, thank you.”
He bowed quite ceremoniously, and the Empress Dowager subconsciously bowed with him.
“Hey, why are you bowing?”
Chi Ye returned to his half-dead expression and asked in surprise.
“You bow, I bow. You do what you do, and I’ll follow you!”
Jin Xia blurted it out subconsciously, then realized the occasion wasn’t right—but did she care?!
No, it’s just not right!
Clap clap clap clap.
At this moment, the people around reacted and burst into applause.
—Mostly from the domestic program team; the foreigners didn’t understand the song.
Of course, with such a romantic tune and the scene of Chi Ye and Jin Xia’s interaction just now in the City of Romance, it was hard not to give some applause.
The group of already excited international students were now endlessly shouting in various dialects: “One more song, one more song!”
“You are a great singer!”
“Nice, nice.”
“…No, you… you…”
Director Li, You Han, and a few others walked over, looking at Chi Ye, stunned and unable to say anything.
Shang Youshu had no such reservations; she was completely fangirling out!!
“Aaaah!! Really really!! This is all real!”
Shang Youshu screamed inwardly: Chi Pan Xia Yu is real!!
If there weren’t so many people now, she really would have jumped up!
But even without jumping, she felt surrounded by pink bubbles.
“Did you just make this up on the spot?!”
You Han finally reacted, looking at Chi Ye dumbfounded: “Buddy, you have this strength?”
Chi Ye completely ignored him—Do I need to tell you if I have this strength?
“What do you mean!” The Empress Dowager wasn’t happy: “So what if it’s made on site? Do you have a problem?”
She was now completely dazed by the sweetness, not holding back at all in front of others, carrying an air of arrogance.
And yet, You Han really didn’t dare to say much.
But he didn’t dare; the other two groups watching through the screen had no such qualms.
“Is this live lyric and music composition… Too amazing.”
Xiang You was completely “conquered.” You Wu wasn’t clueless about music, at least… he now felt Chi Ye’s live performance was awesome, completely different from the rumors. And… he was actually this good at lyric writing and composition?
“Inspiration outbreak, right?” Chu Luan Yu next to him was also dazed from listening.
Although the music scene now wasn’t as hot as the film industry, but you… don’t tell me you’re actually this talented!
“It’s over.”
On the other side, after hearing this song, Jiang Cheng felt the sky had collapsed.
—Chi Ye really showed off big time!
Damn it, he originally wanted to learn Chi Ye’s Reboot and release an EP for fun.
After hearing this, how am I supposed to release mine?!
“You young people nowadays.”
Teacher Wen was probably the calmest of everyone, with an auntie smile—real auntie smile—shaking her head and sighing: “Back in the day, several singers wrote songs for me to chase me…”
Jiang Cheng gave her a sideways glance: “Sis, no need to show off now, okay? Want me to tell my brother-in-law about your stories from back then?”
Wen Lijuan: “?”
With a calm face: “Arthur, kid, it’s not sis saying you, but look at Chi Ye’s showing off skill, then look at you.”
“Maybe this really requires some talent. You don’t have it, you’re too lacking.”
Jiang Cheng: “?!”
The two immediately argued over who had better showing off talent.
……
Meanwhile.
At the live performance.
The song ended, “everyone shocked.” After the initial sweetness bombardment, the Empress Dowager finally reacted and immediately grabbed Director Li to ask: “Did it air? Did it air?! Did that segment air?”
Director Li: “Don’t worry, it didn’t air. Your Chi Teacher was afraid your fans and family would explode, and he tricked me.”
He said it while resentfully glancing at Chi Ye.
Jin Xia: “?!”
“It didn’t air?! How can it not air!”
She was anxious: “You have to air it! You must!”
Director Li dumbfounded: “Huh?”
He’d seen people trying hard to go viral, but not trying hard to “collapse their persona.”
Truth be told, last time Chi Ye sang When You, while the CP fans were in carnival, a lot of Jin Xia’s die-hard fans were already on the verge of exploding.
But luckily, that could be passed off as inspiration from the program.
But this time was different; this was right in the face!
Doing this song right at the live performance… He still didn’t know what this song was called.
But in terms of effect, it was way more “explosive” than When You.
If it really aired, Jin Xia’s “persona collapse” hot search would top the charts in an instant, and who knows what trouble it’d cause at home.
Top streamer top streamer, not just male top streamers; female top streamers are equally taboo about dating, especially when the partner is an “unpopular star” like Chi Ye.
With so many scandals before, too many in the industry had dated during their career rise and talked themselves out of it.
“No, no no!”
Jin Xia wasn’t buying it, arrogant to the max: “I’m fine, but Teacher Chi sang so well, if you don’t air it… I… I… Don’t make me play Game of Thrones with you!”
Director Li: “?!！”
Wanting to throw a little tantrum, huh?!
He directly turned to Chi Ye: “Chi Ye, handle it yourself!”
Damn, I want to air it more than anyone; if this song appears in the first episode of With You, this variety show will definitely explode in popularity!
Chi Ye: “…”
He hadn’t expected the Empress Dowager to be so “unconcerned about her career.”
Actually, besides that reason, doing such a song live was a bit too fast and too “awesome.”
So he originally planned to pad it with time, and he was indeed thinking of Jin Xia… Can’t always let the young girl help him without considering her.
But he never imagined his “priority” was this high in the Empress Dowager’s eyes.
“Teacher Chi.”
Jin Xia walked over sullenly, tugging his clothes, not speaking.
“…Fine fine, whatever you say.”
What could Chi Ye do?
Spoil her ass.
“Mm mm! I knew you were the best!”
The Empress Dowager immediately beamed, humming and pouting as her anger vanished in a second, leaving the onlookers dumbfounded.
—Are you doing Sichuan opera?! Why so domineering to others but so… so coquettish to Chi Ye?
Damn, this world really is unfair.
Here, Chi Ye and Jin Xia had stopped paying attention to everyone, returned the guitar, and went aside to whisper.
“Why do you want the program team to air this scene so much?”
Chi Ye was curious.
“Because I want everyone to know you’re the best, the most outstanding.”
The Empress Dowager’s answer was as expected.
Chi Ye was silent, then asked: “Is that important?”
“Important and not important.” Jin Xia thought about it and said coquettishly: “But it’s my selfish wish. I want to see you do well, but if you’re really unwilling… I’ll listen to you.”
Chi Ye: “…”
He looked up at the sky and suddenly felt today was an unlucky day.
Why did he come out to record the program with the program team?
Why wasn’t it just him and the Empress Dowager out playing alone?
Look at this mess; he was stuck awkwardly, neither up nor down.
Well… whatever, the Empress Dowager had no ulterior motives toward him, but he couldn’t really go overboard.
“Should you discuss it with your management team? Give them a heads-up.”
After walking a bit, Chi Ye reminded.
“Oh, right!”
If he hadn’t said it, Jin Xia definitely wouldn’t have thought of it now… After With You airs this episode, Sister Mi or even her family seeing it… they’d go crazy.
“Mm… It’s fine, I’ll make a fuss when the time comes!”
After a long time, she steeled herself and came up with this sentence.
Chi Ye was impressed and indicated: Sis, your “making a fuss” won’t directly storm the heavenly palace, right…
“Right, Teacher Chi, what’s this song called? It’s really so good, I love it.”
“You decide this time.”
Chi Ye silently apologized to Jay in his heart: Sorry, I’m a dog.
The Empress Dowager turned to look at the opposite bank, where two balloons were stuck in a tree and taken down by two kids: “How about we each take half?”
“Hm? Sure.”
Chi Ye nodded.
“Then my half is Balloon. That scene was so beautiful.”
Chi Ye was stunned and inexplicably smiled: “Okay, then my half… is Confession.”
“Hm?”
Jin Xia was stunned. Her beautiful peach blossom eyes glanced at Chi Ye, then she quickly turned away, lowering her little head in her classic “wronged” expression—just like when they first met.
“What’s wrong?” Chi Ye asked in surprise.
“Um… Teacher Chi.” After a while, she mumbled: “This… this doesn’t count. How can this count… Don’t think you can get away with it so quickly!”
Chi Ye: “…”
“What are you thinking.” Chi Ye knocked her little head and looked up at the sky.
Stars dotted the sky, night like a curtain.
“I say, let’s call this song Confession Balloon.”
“Put it in my first official album.”
“What do you think?”
Two updates today.
