Chapter Three: Just Once, I'll Go With You to See the Ends of the Earth

“Why are you going on that nostalgia-driven variety show?” Wang Xue asked instinctively.

Recently, a celebrity couple in the entertainment industry had been going through a divorce, leaving a vacant spot for a pair of guests on that show.

“Alright, I’ll check with them for you.” Wang Xue hung up the phone.

“Our Love?” Su Zitan was taken aback. “Isn’t that the show that invites several long-married celebrity couples on stage?”

“Exactly. Zitan, you should go with me,” Lin Ze said.

Because Lin Ze was the spokesperson for Zitan’s brand, and lately, the brand had come under attack due to Lin Ze's controversies. Rival companies were also taking advantage of the situation. Su Zitan had been so busy, it had been hard for her to make time to see Lin Ze today.

Coincidentally, Director Zhang, who was shooting “Our Love,” was known for reality shows without scripts. Filming such a show might be a good way to relax, and to avoid further complications.

“A variety show? Am I cut out for that? I’m not even a celebrity,” Su Zitan said, feeling embarrassed at the thought of appearing on television.

“Oh, come on, Zitan. When you stand there, which actress could compare to you?” Lin Ze hugged her face and kissed her fiercely. “Besides, we’re just going there to be a couple.”

Su Zitan blushed. “But being filmed while dating... it feels strange.”

“No worries,” Lin Ze pointed at a folk singer secretly recording them nearby. “Just now, when we were kissing passionately, at least fifty thousand people must’ve seen it.”

Su Zitan was speechless.

The folk singer, seeing Lin Ze point at him, gathered his courage and called out, “Lin, the viewers in the livestream want to hear you sing!”

“Alright!” Lin Ze stood up, holding Su Zitan’s hand. “Enough thinking, let’s sing one more song and then head home.”

Lu Lin and Su Zitan walked over. Looking into the camera, Lin Ze said, “It’s getting late now. I’ll sing one last song for everyone, then we’re heading home.”

The comment section was flooded with question marks.

[We waited so long, and you’re just singing one song?]

[Home? No one’s going anywhere! Keep playing, keep dancing!]

[Lin Ze is a disgraced artist! I demand the moderators shut down this stream!]

Lin Ze let out a cold chuckle, raising his hand tightly clasped with Su Zitan’s.

“Do you see what this is?”

While the audience stared at their phones, confused, a mocking smile appeared at Lin Ze’s lips.

“This is my fiancée’s hand, got it?”

“I have a family. Do you think I’m like you? Watching livestreams in the middle of the night—obviously single.”

The comment section exploded again.

[???]

[I feel insulted.]

[Any old fans here? Is Lin Ze always this snarky?]

There was only one high stool on stage.

Lin Ze let Su Zitan sit, then picked up the folk singer’s guitar and stood beside her.

Right now, there was a song Lin Ze deeply wanted to sing.

His fingers swept across the strings, and his gentle voice filled the air.

“I want to see you smile, I want to tease you.”

“I want to hold you in my arms.”

“One moment we’re blushing and arguing.”

“The next, we turn and make up.”

On stage, a handsome young man sang with a guitar to the girl beside him.

It was like that summer when they were eighteen, the girl sitting on an old sofa, listening to the boy sing a newly written sweet song.

Even though that song was terribly written back then, as long as she knew it was for her, it was enough.

“Just once, I’ll take you to see forever.”

“Laugh out loud in the sunshine.”

“Quarrel freely in the open air.”

“Do you know, you are all I want…”

The two gazed at each other on stage, love overflowing from their eyes, almost spilling through the screen.

Someone quietly typed in the livestream chat.

[You said you’d sing one last song for us. Was that for us?]

[Is it possible Lin Ze isn’t really dating anyone? He just wants to lure me in and sing to me?]

[Honestly… they look so good together!]

The song wasn’t difficult. For the last verse, Lin Ze handed the microphone to Su Zitan. She hesitated, then sang under his guidance.

“The world’s still small, I’ll go with you to the ends of the earth.”

“In a corner free from troubles, we’ll stop searching.”

“In carefree days, we’ll slowly grow old.”

“Do you know, my every heartbeat follows yours.”

When the song ended, Lin Ze put down the microphone.

“Lin, they’re saying they want more!”

“More?” Lin Ze strode over, grabbed his phone, his face filling the entire screen.

“Two orioles sing among willows green.”

“You still don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Two rabbits stroll along the ground.”

“You still don’t have a boyfriend.”

Lin Ze laughed as question marks flooded the comment section.

Glancing at the clock—it was already half past one. Lin Ze returned the phone and guitar to the folk singer.

“Sorry about tonight…” the folk singer scratched his head.

“No worries. I was planning to make the announcement tomorrow anyway,” Lin Ze smiled.

Su Zitan noticed everyone else in the bar had grabbed paper and pens, apparently ready to ask for autographs.

“Time to make our escape,” Su Zitan whispered.

Lin Ze nodded, lowering his voice, “Bro, play along.”

“Huh?” The folk singer was confused.

Suddenly, Lin Ze grabbed the folk singer’s collar.

“Stop fighting! Don’t hit each other!” Su Zitan cried at just the right moment.

The autograph-seekers were stunned.

Lin Ze and the folk singer struggled, while Su Zitan loudly tried to break them up at the side.

“Look! Everyone, come see! The celebrity is fighting!” the folk singer shouted, only to get punched in the face.

He wasn’t one to back down, and immediately punched back.

The two wrestled their way toward the door, with Su Zitan urging them to stop but not really intervening.

[Hahaha.]

[Brilliant! If I hadn’t heard ‘play along,’ I’d have thought it was real.]

[I recorded it! I’ll post online that Lin Ze was drunk and got into a fight!]

They tumbled out the door together. The folk singer quickly released Lin Ze and pulled out a marker. “Lin, could you sign for me?”

“Sure.”

“Just sign the guitar.”

Lin Ze and Su Zitan each signed their names, drawing a small heart between them.

Inside, the crowd sensed something was off and headed toward the door, only to see the folk singer returning contentedly, clutching his guitar with the two signatures on it.

…

They returned to Su Zitan’s apartment.

Recently, Zhang Yang’s fans had been keeping an eye on Lin Ze’s place; there was no going back there.

Su Zitan’s apartment was near her company, two bedrooms and a living room, decorated elegantly.

As luck would have it, tonight the breeze had closed the guest room door, and Su Zitan couldn’t remember where she’d left the key. Lin Ze had no choice but to squeeze in with her.

“You go shower first!”

Su Zitan’s face was flushed as she handed Lin Ze a new set of pajamas, under his teasing gaze.

“Why do you even have men’s pajamas?” Lin Ze muttered.

Su Zitan blushed slightly. “It was a buy-one-get-one deal. I bought a set for myself, and they threw in one in your size.”

“Hurry up and shower! Go on!”

After shooing Lin Ze into the bathroom, Su Zitan stealthily opened her wardrobe and found a small box.

Inside was a set of cool, comfortable clothes.