The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

158.

Zhao Qianfan's sudden appearance made everything delicate. Du Zihua hugged Li Zichun tighter in a show of defiance, his gaze rather unfriendly.

Zhao Qianfan walked down from above the lakeside and pulled Li Zichun up from the bench, saying, "Since you left, all I can think about is you. Didn't we agree to face things together? Why did you leave me? Who does he even mean? What he can do, I can do too."

Du Zihua also stood up and took his other hand, saying, "Because you did something dirty and put him in danger, you even gave up the singing competition to fulfill your relationship. You should be content. Unlike me, I only feel sorry for him."

Zhao Qianfan shouted, "Shut up! You opportunistic scoundrel! From the very beginning, you've been trying to interfere in other people's relationships. What kind of person are you?"

Du Zihua was also furious. He grabbed Li Zichun and tried to shake off Zhao Qianfan's hand, saying, "I'm better than you. You ignored me for half a year, and now you remember how good he was? Why didn't you stand up for me and block those rumors back then? Was it because you ran out of songs?"

Zhao Qianfan grabbed his hand and shouted, "What business is it of yours? You're the third party who interfered! I haven't even agreed to break up with him yet!"

Li Zichun was being pulled back and forth by the two of them, feeling like his soul was about to ascend to heaven. Finally, he helplessly shouted at Zhao Qianfan, "Enough, enough! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be preparing for the Global Singing King Competition?"

Zhao Qianfan said aggrievedly, "You actually yelled at me? What use is a title to me without you? I traveled for hours by plane and more than ten hours by car to find you, only to see you confessing your feelings to him. What's so good about him that makes you so sincere? You never told me any of this."

Du Zihua snorted coldly: "You white lotus, trying to pull this on me. Who told you to come over here? You're just eagerly coming up to me."

The two argued back and forth, pulling Li Zichun around so much that they almost broke him.

After arguing for a while, Li Zichun felt his head buzzing and had a headache. He took a deep breath and said coldly, "Shut up, all of you. If you keep arguing, we can't talk anymore. I'm not someone who can't live without anyone. Your existence is dispensable to me."

The two stared at each other blankly and then gave up and remained silent.

Li Zichun was right. Although Zhao Qianfan and Du Zihua were outstanding in appearance and ability, and were rare talents, the world is full of talents. At worst, we can call the teacher to ask for help and maybe find some good new faces.

If all else fails, a national selection process will surely attract new talent.

If it weren't so time-consuming, he wouldn't want to use either of these two jealous creatures.

Before the two could react, Li Zichun walked straight back to the hotel, leaving the two looking at each other in bewilderment, following behind, exchanging disapproving glances and whispering amongst themselves as they discussed their plans.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Zhao Qianfan didn't leave but followed them directly into the large suite for two.

The three of them sat on the sofa by the bed, neither of them speaking.

Li Zichun made himself a cup of tea, sat by the window watching the two angry men, rolled his eyes, took a sip of tea and said, "Have you made enough of a scene? Calm down and listen to me."

The two swallowed hard, exchanged a snort, and looked at Li Zichun, waiting for him to continue.

Li Zichun quietly observed them, her mind racing. She secretly compared the two men and found them surprisingly evenly matched. One was young and handsome, the other masculine; their physiques were similar, their heights comparable—like the red rose and white moonlight in a female protagonist's novel.

He didn't need any of that. His interactions with these two were merely a passing fancy, a way to satisfy a physiological need that was secretly affecting his reason. To avoid leaving any lingering feelings in this sub-world, these were temporary partners who were, in fact, dispensable to him.

Besides, with my current wealth and influence, what kind of person can't I get?

He just hates trouble, but now he has to make a choice.

Li Zichun's gaze swept back and forth between the two of them, he casually raised his hand to stroke his chin, and finally said leisurely, "What are you two thinking?"

Du Zihua immediately stood up and declared, "I will do whatever you say."

Zhao Qianfan glanced at him irritably, nodded, stood there staring at Li Zichun, and took a deep breath, saying, "Choose me. He's just a passerby on your path, only I can provide lasting companionship."

Li Zichun's gaze sharpened, as if she had gleaned something from his few words, and she said calmly, "What do you know?"

Zhao Qianfan said with a firm gaze, "I know far more than you want to know. It's just that I can't say it out loud."

Li Zichun gasped, and said somewhat excitedly, "You too?"

Zhao Qianfan chuckled and said, "Yes and no."

Du Zihua was completely bewildered. What were these two talking about? He felt no part of it at all, which meant he had no chance to even try. He couldn't help but get anxious: "I don't care if you are or not, I'm the one standing next to him now."

Li Zichun regained his composure, and the decision he had made suddenly wavered. He didn't know whether Zhao Qianfan's words were true or false, or what "yes or no" meant, but he was sure he knew something.

While Li Zichun was deep in thought, Du Zihua felt that his hope was even more remote. He stepped forward without regard for anything else and said in a sincere and pleading tone, "I don't care what you think, but my feelings for you will never change. Even if it's just a short time, I want to spend the rest of my days with you."

Li Zichun let out a long sigh, smiled, and patted his head, saying, "Okay, you go take a shower first, I'll talk to him alone for a while."

Du Zihua nodded, then looked at Zhao Qianfan, and turned to him, saying, "If he bullies you, just call me. I'll beat him until he can't take care of himself."

After saying that, he obediently withdrew, leaving the two of them alone.

Li Zichun took a sip of tea, gestured for Zhao Qianfan to sit down, and then said with a smile, "Can you tell me now?"

Zhao Qianfan poured himself a drink, took a long breath, and said, "No, because I can't say it, and you won't listen."

Li Zichun pondered those words, and then understood. It wasn't that she wouldn't say it, but that she couldn't say it; even if she did, he would hear something else entirely.

Just as Li Zichun was about to ask why, Zhao Qianfan took out his phone, searched for a picture of "scales," placed it in front of him, and said, "On both sides of the scales, things are unpredictable. To win the favor of the world's will, you must let the story continue and walk the path you are meant to walk before you know your final fate."

Li Zichun sighed softly: "And you? Are you the same?"

Zhao Qianfan shook his head and said, "No. I don't need to stand on the scales, because... in short, that's it. When you truly embark on the path you want to take, you will know who I am and who you are."

Listening to these cryptic words, Li Zichun felt a headache coming on. Those who knew the truth couldn't speak, and even if they did, the meaning would be left to guess, making him no different from the fortune tellers in the temple.

Li Zichun rubbed his head and said, "So, why are you staying by my side?"

Zhao Qianfan tilted her head slightly, looking at him with a deep and leisurely gaze, as if she were looking at him, yet also at someone else. She smiled faintly and said, "Because I like you. I want to be with you until the end of the world."

Li Zichun pondered the sincerity or falsehood in those words. Zhao Qianfan stepped forward and hugged him tightly, saying, "I don't care how many people come and go in your life, as long as it's you in the end."

Li Zichun listened quietly without saying a word, but his mind was already racing through countless possibilities.

Zhao Qianfan's aura was like a ghostly venomous snake, eroding his five senses. Unlike Du Zihua's scent, the alluring fragrance was like a long-lost friend entering his heart, affecting his judgment and making it impossible for him to make a calm and clear decision. It was as if the moment the words of parting were uttered, this haunting feeling would disappear.

Zhao Qianfan gently nibbled on his earlobe and whispered, "Choose me, okay? I'll do anything you ask."

Li Zichun swallowed hard, feeling like he was the apple tree in the Garden of Eden, while Zhao Qianfan was the serpent guarding him, constantly coiling and tightening around him, wanting to eat all the apples on the tree one bite at a time.

Du Zihua quickly finished showering and came out wrapped in a towel, only to see Zhao Qianfan hugging him by the window. Li Zichun's face was flushed with obvious struggle. He stepped forward, pushed Zhao Qianfan away, and shouted, "What did you do to him?"

Zhao Qianfan slumped onto the sofa. Du Zihua took the reddened Li Zichun, and the cool touch of her skin after her shower suddenly brought him back to his senses.

Li Zichun looked at Zhao Qianfan, then at Du Zihua, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

Zhao Qianfan looked at Du Zihua, scanned his figure from head to toe, and said softly, "You only have a year and a half, consider this my charity to you."

After saying that, he pulled Li Zichun closer and said, "I want to stay with you, is that okay?"

Before Li Zichun could speak, Du Zihua, standing to the side, exclaimed anxiously, "No! This is time that belongs to just the two of us!"

Zhao Qianfan chuckled softly, glanced at his watch by the window, and said, "Hehe, are you sure? What can a little star like you with such shallow background give him? Without my help, I'm afraid neither of you will be able to leave Crescent Moon Village."

Li Zichun frowned: "What do you mean by that?"

Zhao Qianfan didn't answer him, but walked behind him, moved him to the window and said, "Look into the distance."

Li Zichun and Du Zihua followed his gaze and saw a large group of tourists approaching.

The official announcement by Li Zichun and Du Zihua immediately ignited the internet. With the Spring Festival approaching and everyone having time to travel, many people deduced their location based on their background photos. In addition, Du Zihua's agent, Sister Li, announced on the official website the collaboration with the "Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust," making it extremely difficult to obtain plane tickets for travel to Northwest China.

How many chances in a lifetime can one have such a clear encounter with a celebrity? Nobody wants to miss the opportunity to meet two top stars.

The Northwest has many scenic spots, so which one would catch their eye? Li Zichun is known as the Moon Emperor, so of course he would visit Crescent Lake in Crescent Village. Everyone was more or less gambling with their plans, having gone through mountains and rivers for this chance encounter.

As Li Zichun watched the approaching crowd, the dust storms caused by the speeding jeeps and camels gave the scene a sense of the Silk Road reborn.

At this time, there was a knock on the door.

The three exchanged glances. It turned out that the village chief of Crescent Moon Village had come to visit them in person. After a conversation, they learned that he had invited them to perform and hoped that they would not stay too long.

"Don't stay too long?" This request left all three of them dumbfounded; it was blatantly a way of kicking them out.

It turns out that the sudden surge in tourists has exceeded the carrying capacity of Crescent Moon Village. Furthermore, many outsiders are unaware of and do not understand the village's rules and regulations, leading to early signs of environmental damage. Numerous conflicts have already erupted between outsiders and locals due to differences in customs and traditions, and many reporters have been staking out the area near their hotels.

After learning about the situation, the village chief immediately took serious action and located the source of the problem to negotiate with them.

Li Zichun felt very sorry and promised to finish filming and leave the next day.

As for the performance, it was merely to appease the restless crowd. With the holidays approaching, people come here just to have some fun; if a conflict breaks out, all three of them will be trending on social media.

They could understand this; in just a few hours, the number of camels they could see was almost greater than the number of people in the entire village.

After discussing it with the village chief, Li Zichun immediately began preparations. A bonfire party would be held in the large square in the center of the village that evening, where they would perform on stage.

The news was broadcast repeatedly over the village's loudspeaker, immediately energizing all the tourists and locals, partly because of their idol and partly because they wanted to see which deity could have such a great influence.

After seeing the village chief off, Li Zichun sighed, looked at Zhao Qianfan and Du Zihua, waved his hand and said, "You two handle this yourselves, I'm going to get the accompaniment."