Chapter 34

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Chapter 34: Title

It was human nature to love watching excitement.

Not to mention such a dramatic scene.

So, in the moment after this "unexpected guest" appeared, the cheers from the audience were even louder than the applause right after the dance had ended.

The livestream audience only wished they could rush to the scene immediately to witness this dramatic moment with their own eyes.

[Fight! Fight!]

[Wow! A new character has appeared! Program team, give us a close-up, I want to see if he is handsome!]

[So, is Gu Feng’s partner about to be taken away? What a chaotic scene!]

[Cameraman, quickly switch to a close-up of Gu Feng! I want to see his expression!]

As if hearing the audience’s thoughts, the cameraman quickly zoomed in on Gu Feng.

Gu Feng had no expression, or rather, he looked a bit dazed.

His emotions had been going up and down all day, and he wasn’t feeling great. Learning that the program team had suddenly requested an impromptu performance had caught him off guard.

Then, someone unexpectedly barged in, and that person was—

Before Gu Feng could react, he heard the woman beside him speak.

Song Yutian did not accept the invitation from the stranger but instead asked the staff beside her, "I remember the rule card only said it must be a duet; it didn’t say who I should perform with, right?"

This sudden situation caught the staff off guard.

The staff member was saying something into the microphone, probably discussing it with the director.

The man who had caused all this seemed unaffected by the chaos happening around him.

The man had originally been bent over, with one hand behind his back and the other reaching out to Song Yutian—a classic gesture to invite someone to dance.

Upon hearing Song Yutian’s question to the staff, the man naturally straightened up, smiled, and said, "It seems Miss Song is accepting my invitation?"

Song Yutian looked closely at the man who was speaking.

The man wore only a simple white shirt and casual pants, but his presence was just as strong as Gu Feng, who was dressed in a full suit and tie.

At that moment, the photographer finally gave the audience a shot of this unexpected guest.

The audience immediately became excited.

[So handsome! He looks just as good as Mr. Gu!]

[Help! He perfectly matches my taste! I need to know his name in three minutes!]

[Is this really an unexpected event, or is it a scripted scene? Can an ordinary person really look this good?]

[If it’s a script, I can only say the program team did an amazing job. It’s much more interesting than the evening shows.]

There were several cameras filming them at the scene, and almost everyone’s attention was on him, accompanied by whispers all around.

But the man’s expression remained calm, as if he were in his own living room, showing no signs of nervousness or discomfort.

Song Yutian thought to herself that even if this man wasn’t from the industry, he definitely had experience appearing in public. Otherwise, it would have been hard for an ordinary person to be so relaxed in this situation.

Song Yutian did not answer the man’s question but instead asked, "Do I know you?"

He had just called her Miss Song.

The man laughed, "I know Miss Song, but Miss Song does not know me."

Song Yutian frowned slightly.

After just a few words, she couldn’t tell who the person in front of her was. Not to mention that she didn’t quite remember the side characters from the original book; even if she had, it would have been hard to recognize someone just by looking at their face.

Just as Song Yutian was thinking of brushing it off, Gu Feng finally spoke his first words after finishing that last piece of music.

Gu Feng said, "Lu Qiao?"

Song Yutian paused, as if recalling something.

Thanks to the original author’s obsession and her own unusually sharp observation skills, Song Yutian had noticed while reading this novel that the main character and all her suitors had names with the "wood" radical.

The main character’s name included "Cherry," the male lead’s name was simply "Maple," and the deeply affectionate second male lead who silently protected the main character had the surname "Willow." There was also an antagonist in the book who at first approached the main character to go against the male lead, but eventually fell in love with her too.

The villain was named Lu Qiao.

Thinking of this, Song Yutian looked at the man with both curiosity and caution.

This man was one of the few in the original book who truly posed a threat to the main character’s career; he was not simple at all.

Luckily, once Gu Feng spoke, Song Yutian didn’t even need to deal with him.

Because there was often a deadly attraction between the main character and the villain, when they met, it was always exciting.

Lu Qiao first smiled at Song Yutian, then turned to meet Gu Feng’s gaze, "Mr. Gu, we haven’t seen each other in a while."

There was no smile on Gu Feng’s face. "What are you doing here?"

Lu Qiao chuckled lightly. "This is a restaurant; of course, I’m here to eat."

Gu Feng furrowed his brows. Given Lu Qiao’s status, would he really have come here to eat and just happened to run into him?

Lu Qiao didn’t believe a word Gu Feng said, but just as Gu Feng was about to speak again, another staff member stepped forward, looking as if the program team had reached a decision.

The staff member said to Song Yutian, "The director says the purpose of the show is to be unexpected. As long as the rules do not forbid it and the law allows it, contestants can perform freely. So, as long as it is a duet, you may complete the challenge with someone other than your partner."

The three people present had different expressions upon hearing this.

Gu Feng looked somewhat surprised; he had not expected the program team to disregard him like this.

Lu Qiao maintained an elegant smile; from the moment he had actively invited Song Yutian, his expression had not changed much.

Song Yutian’s expression showed no obvious change; she simply asked Lu Qiao, "What do you want to dance?"

Lu Qiao looked into Song Yutian’s eyes and said, "Tango. How about that?"

A man and a woman stood in the center of the dance floor, as if the previous scene were repeating itself, but this time the male lead was a different person.

Whether it was Gu Feng or Lu Qiao, both could undoubtedly be described as handsome.

However, Gu Feng’s expression was usually cold and serious, especially when he was with Song Yutian. He rarely smiled and often frowned when he spoke.

In contrast, Lu Qiao always appeared relaxed and at ease. Even if the corners of his mouth did not lift consciously, his eyes always seemed to be smiling.

At this moment, Lu Qiao was smiling at the woman who stood less than a foot away from him, but his gaze held curiosity.

She looked different from what he remembered.

Song Yutian’s makeup was very light, but under the shining lights above the dance floor, she appeared neither tired nor dull. Instead, the light and her dress made her shine even brighter.

The band began to play again, with the sounds of the violin and piano rising one after another.

The woman’s dance steps were still light, but compared to the previous piece, her movements were now more powerful.

With each strong beat, the man and woman sometimes moved closer and sometimes suddenly pulled apart.

Suddenly, Lu Qiao raised the hand that held Song Yutian’s, and Song Yutian began to spin, her skirt drawing a perfect arc in the air.

That black dress seemed as if it had been made just for this dance.

In the final part of the music, Lu Qiao supported Song Yutian’s waist with both hands and lifted her up.

The man’s movements appeared effortless, and the woman gracefully turned in the air before gently landing like a feather.

The music suddenly stopped at its highest point.

After a moment of silence, applause erupted, and cheers filled the air.

There might have been only one person present who couldn’t fully enjoy this feast of sound and sight.

The camera in the livestream first focused on a close-up of Song Yutian.

Song Yutian smiled. After dancing two songs in a row, her chest rose and fell quickly, and her breathing became a bit hurried, but none of this diminished her breathtaking beauty.

Then the camera switched to Lu Qiao.

The man’s face was sharp, with striking features. His recent dance moves had also made his breath a little heavy, and in the clear shot, you could even see a little sweat on his forehead, but all of this only made him more charming—

At least that’s how it appeared to the viewers in the livestream.

[Ahhh! I’m completely captivated! What an amazingly handsome guy!]

[Please let him join the show right now! Program team, don’t make me beg you!]

[Sorry, Mr. Gu! Even though I really like you, please allow me to change my heart for a million seconds!]

[Gu Feng belongs to Moying, and this one belongs to Sister Song. Perfect!]

And quite dramatically, after cutting to these two shots, the next shot zoomed in on Gu Feng’s face.

Gu Feng’s face… seemed to show a smile, but anyone could tell that this smile was forced.

Fortunately, this shot did not last long, and soon the livestream returned to Song Yutian and the man next to her.

"Congratulations, you have successfully completed the challenge," said a staff member as they stepped forward to address the two.

After speaking, the staff member seemed to realize something was off and added, "Congratulations to Miss Yutian and Mr. Gu for successfully completing the challenge."

As the biggest villain in the book, Lu Qiao daring to invite someone to dance on camera meant Song Yutian had already guessed that he would not dance poorly.

But his dance moves were even better than she had imagined.

Song Yutian took a small step back, creating a bit of distance between them.

Out of professional respect and because he had helped her, Song Yutian said to Lu Qiao, "It was a pleasure working together."

Lu Qiao raised an eyebrow and replied, "You’re welcome."

Song Yutian smiled.

He really wasn’t very polite.

After leaving the dance floor, Lu Qiao bowed slightly to the camera that was filming him, then turned and returned to his original seat.

A man with such handsome looks—even the simplest action could make a girl fall in love.

Many viewers opened social media to try to find Lu Qiao and follow him. However, they were disappointed to find that he did not have a public, personal account.

Song Yutian also returned to the previous booth at the staff’s signal, and the staff handed the two of them a box. Upon closer inspection, it was the same carved wooden box that had been taken back by the mahjong parlor owner, but this time, the box did not have a combination lock.

"The treasure is hidden in a corner of the restaurant. This is the final clue about the treasure. My task is complete, and I won’t disturb you two any longer. You can continue enjoying your drinks or start looking for the final treasure right away."

After saying that, the staff member left.

As Song Yutian opened the box, she asked Gu Feng, "Do you know that person? I heard you call him Lu Qiao."

She remembered that in the original story, Lu Qiao always troubled Gu Feng, and it seemed that "Song Yutian" had him secretly helping her too.

Even though she had not made things hard for the main character, Su Moying, like in the original story after coming here, Lu Qiao shouldn’t have any reason to act against her. But Song Yutian still felt a little worried, especially since his reason for inviting her to dance was unclear.

Upon hearing Song Yutian’s question, the calm expression Gu Feng had been maintaining cracked just a bit.

Gu Feng gritted his teeth and said, "Are you very concerned?"

Song Yutian replied with a calm face, "If someone unexpectedly invites me to dance, of course, I’m curious—especially since you know that person."

Gu Feng was pleased by the second part of Song Yutian’s sentence, so he glanced at her and said, "He is a partner, not really…"

He stopped in the middle of his sentence, possibly remembering that they were live-streaming.

Song Yutian only wanted to confirm the man’s identity and had not expected to gather information from Gu Feng on camera, so she nodded and didn’t press further.

She took something out of the box—a beautiful piece of stationery with a painting of a flower lantern.

In the lower left corner, delicate script contained some small words. Song Yutian slowly read them aloud:

"In the east wind, flowers bloom on a thousand trees. The wind blows, and stars fall like rain. The noble steed and carved cart fill the road with fragrance. The sound of the phoenix flute stirs, the light of the jade pot turns, and all night, fish and dragons dance."

Gu Feng looked a bit confused, and Song Yutian continued to read the second half of the poem—

"Moths and snow willows with golden threads. Laughter and whispers carry a faint fragrance away. Searching for him a thousand times in the crowd, I suddenly turn around, and there he is, in the dim light."

The live stream showed the expressions of the two, and only when the camera switched to the letter in Song Yutian’s hand did the viewers realize that the letter contained only the first half of the poem.

This meant that the rest was recited by Song Yutian herself.

[Why didn’t I see the line "in the dim light"? Did I miss it?]

[It seems like Sister Song recited the next part herself.]

[So the complete poem is like this? I’m learning it for the first time!]

[I’m sorry for judging by appearances, but Sister Song seems to be more cultured than I imagined.]

Song Yutian recited the entire poem, and they both fell silent for a moment, each lost in thought.

Gu Feng took the stationery from Song Yutian and read it to himself again.

After a while, Gu Feng spoke, his tone a bit uncertain, "Is this poem about the Lantern Festival in ancient times?"

Song Yutian nodded. "Yes, it describes the street scene on Lantern Festival night."

Gu Feng said, "What does this have to do with the treasure? The waiter just said the treasure is in this restaurant, right?"

Song Yutian confidently replied, "Yes. I remember very clearly—she said the treasure is hidden in a corner of the restaurant."

Gu Feng stared at the stationery in his hand, looking very confused. "Then why do I feel this poem doesn’t match the surroundings at all? Where are the blooming trees and the luxury carriages here?"

Song Yutian looked around. Indeed, this was a Western restaurant, and it was August, making it hard to connect the Lantern Festival with this place.

Song Yutian shifted her gaze to the dance floor where she had just been dancing. Now, no one was dancing; only the band nearby was playing music. Suddenly, the bright ceiling light above the dance floor shone into her eyes, making her squint slightly.

Suddenly, Song Yutian had a bright idea.

She realized the scene in the poem had something in common with this restaurant.

"Searching for him a thousand times, then suddenly turning back, that person is at the place where the lights are dim." Song Yutian turned to Gu Feng and said, "Do you remember the last few lines of the poem I just read?"

Gu Feng frowned slightly in thought. "Are you saying this line about the dim lights hints at the treasure’s location? It does seem… The line about searching a thousand times sounds like a clue for treasure hunting."

Song Yutian replied with a "yes," then looked around the entire hall before focusing on one spot. "The dim lights refer to a place where the light is sparse and faint. Look over there—"

Gu Feng followed Song Yutian’s gaze. The restaurant was overall very bright, especially with several bright lights hanging above the dance floor in the center of the hall. If they were to find a place that matched the description of "dim lights," it would indeed be that spot.

In the northwest corner of the restaurant, there was a bar-like area with some tall stools in front of the bar and a tall cabinet displaying various bottles of liquor.

Song Yutian had already stood up. "Let’s go take a look."

As soon as Song Yutian and Gu Feng walked near the bar, the bartender greeted them, "Hey, gorgeous couple. Would you like a drink?"

The two exchanged glances.

The program team wouldn’t let them drink here just to find the treasure, would they? This show was watched by many teenagers.

As if sensing their concern, the bartender quickly smiled. "Just kidding. I know what you’re here for."

The bartender was a woman with sharp eyeliner and red lips, looking very glamorous.

Gu Feng’s eyes brightened. "You know where the treasure is?"

The bartender leaned forward a few inches, smiling enticingly. "I do, but—of course, I can’t tell you, Mr. Gu. If you want the treasure, you need to strive for it yourself."

The bartender spoke slowly, with her gaze fixed on Gu Feng. This made Gu Feng feel a bit of vanity and helped him regain some confidence after the dancing incident.

Gu Feng smiled at the bartender and then purposefully glanced at Song Yutian, as if to say, "See? I am very popular."

Song Yutian held back from giving him an eye roll.

Gu Feng misunderstood Song Yutian’s silence and felt even prouder, his voice cheerful. "Then let’s look around here."

The bartender said behind Gu Feng, "Just to let you know, you can’t touch the liquor cabinet behind me. Don’t break my bottles."

Song Yutian glanced at the liquor cabinet she mentioned, where every shelf was filled with bottles of different heights, looking quite messy at first glance. The program group said the treasure was an emerald necklace, and if a small piece of jewelry was really hidden among these bottles, it would be nearly impossible to find quickly. Since the bartender had said this, she was likely helping them rule out that option.

This small bar in the restaurant corner was not big, and everything was visible.

Besides the liquor cabinet, there was just the bar and a few high stools, plus a decorative wall nearby with some grooves that held small decorations, so hiding something wasn’t impossible.

So where could it be? Song Yutian thought about the poem; it didn’t seem to give any more clues.

Gu Feng was already moving the high stools, bending down to see if there was a place under the bar to hide anything.

Song Yutian was also looking at the items placed on the decorative wall to see if anything seemed suspicious.

But after searching for a while, neither of them saw anything like "emerald jewelry."

There weren’t many places to search, so Song Yutian stood still, feeling like she had missed something.

What could it be?