Serenade

Chapter 80

Chu Zhao is now Wei Song's tutor, living in the apartment for servants next to the manor.

Since that morning when she saw Jing Chi, she hasn't had a chance to see him again. Jing Chi rarely comes to the mansion, after all this is Wei Xun's private residence.

The entire Wei family is quite respectful towards Chu Zhao, this tutor. She is more free than the servants in the house, without restrictions on where she can go, and often goes out for strolls.

On several occasions, she did see Jing Chi.

He stood in the boundless prairie, gazing north, where his hometown was.

When Jing Chi turned around and saw her, he would immediately leave.

Chu Zhao's neighbor is a girl who looks no older than sixteen, named Xiao Huai. She works as a maid in the big house, with the gossip and innocence typical of a young girl. She told Chu Zhao many things.

Mostly gossip about Wei Zhaozhao, saying how she was infatuated with Jing Chi, saying how Jing Chi fought in boxing rings every night, and was so skilled in martial arts, and also saying what a perfect match Wei Zhaozhao and Jing Chi were, like a prince and princess' love...

Most of the time, Chu Zhao just listened silently, without comment.

That day, she went to the market.

The market here had quite an exotic Southeast Asian feel. Because there was an important worship ceremony happening later, the market was very crowded, bustling with people.

Chu Zhao clearly felt someone grab her wrist.

She was slightly shocked, and instinctively wanted to shake them off, but the person didn't let go.

A warm, familiar feeling came from her wrist. Chu Zhao's heart started pounding rapidly, but she didn't have the courage to turn around.

The man was pressed against her back, his hot breath falling on the top of her head. She just heard his soft yet magnetic voice say, "Baby."

Chu Zhao suddenly squeezed his hand tightly.

"I'm here, don't be afraid, I'll take you back." Her voice trembled, her emotions barely held in check.

"That bastard Xu Chaoyang..." Jing Chi swore in a low voice, "When I get back, I'm going to kill him."

Chu Zhao lowered her head, tears swirling in her eyes.

His hand moved forward, encircling her waist.

In the crowded masses, the two held each other tightly, very inconspicuous. It was precisely because of this that Jing Chi dared to risk getting close to her.

He leaned in next to her ear, and said in a low voice, "Now that you're here, I can't easily persuade you to go back, right?"

Chu Zhao vigorously shook her head with tears in her eyes. "I won't, I won't leave you, I want to take you back!"

He let out a soft sigh, and tightened his hand, hugging her tightly, as if wanting to press her into his body.

He could hardly imagine where this girl, who had never traveled far from home alone, got the courage to take such risks and come to this dangerous place alone.

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"Since I can't persuade you to go back, then stay," Jing Chi said helplessly. "Stay with me."

Chu Zhao looked back in surprise. She hadn't expected Jing Chi to agree so readily to letting her stay!

"Don't look back," he said.

So Chu Zhao immediately turned her head back around, facing forward at the bustling crowd.

"Stay by Wei Song's side. That child is very naive. Get him to like you. If necessary, he can protect your life."

Chu Zhao really couldn't imagine how a ten-year-old child could protect her, but here, nothing was impossible.

"I'm leaving now," Jing Chi said. "From now on I won't seek you out alone. That would bring you danger. Similarly, don't always stare at me, okay? Wei Zhaozhao is the jealous type."

Chu Zhao suddenly grabbed his hand, not wanting him to leave.

Jing Chi kissed the back of her head and said helplessly, "Zhaozhao, I have never betrayed you."

Chu Zhao lowered her head and started sobbing. "I know."

"Don't cry. Be brave, be smart. No matter what happens, we'll face it together, okay?"

Chu Zhao nodded repeatedly, and wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

The man let her go. Chu Zhao felt the lingering warmth on her back gradually fade away.

Her bloodshot eyes looked straight ahead. Her brows were knitted with fortitude and courage.

This was how Jing Chi was different from other men. Just like when he bravely pursued her back then, telling her, "Don't like Xu Chaoyang anymore. I'm good too. Consider me."

He never shrank back or felt inferior, because he was always striving, and striving men don't feel inferior.

In the years they dated, he rarely kept anything from Chu Zhao. When he felt miserable, tired, unable to bear it, he would honestly tell Chu Zhao and act coquettish in her arms, listening to her opinion. As for the future, he would also plan and discuss it with Chu Zhao.

He let Chu Zhao take part in his life.

And this time too, he didn't force her to leave. She came, so she came...

Live together, die together. There was no other choice.

**

Wei Zhaozhao loved throwing parties, and would often invite her girlfriends over to eat, drink, and have fun. The mansion had a private infinity pool, and spacious grounds.

Every time she invited Jing Chi to come join the fun, he always refused. Jing Chi didn't like participating in these kinds of gatherings. When Wei Zhaozhao complained that Jing Chi didn't love her, Jing Chi would always laugh and say, Chinese girls usually don't introduce their boyfriend to their female friends.

"Why not?" Wei Zhaozhao didn't understand.

"To prevent fire, theft, and girlfriends. I don't want to come between you and your friends."

"You dare!" Wei Zhaozhao grabbed Jing Chi's collar. "If you dare betray me, I'll kill you."

Jing Chi knew she wasn't joking. She meant it. For her, killing someone was as easy as crushing an ant.

Surprisingly, this time she had invited Jing Chi, and after rejecting her several times, he actually agreed.

Wei Zhaozhao was very excited, saying she would host the biggest party ever. So Chu Zhao's neighbor Xiao Huai kept complaining that she had to get up at 5 AM to prepare desserts, decorate, and clean the swimming pool. She was so tired her waist was about to give out.

Of course, Wei Song also invited Chu Zhao to the party, and said he would take her swimming. Chu Zhao said she was very afraid of water and didn't dare go swimming. So Wei Song volunteered to teach her.

At dinner, Wei Song said he wanted to invite Teacher Chu as a guest to the party. Wei Zhaozhao had already forgotten about Chu Zhao. She casually asked, "Which Teacher Chu?"

"The one you met last time, my Chinese tutor."

Wei Zhaozhao still vaguely recalled her. She casually said, "Her? She doesn't even have nice clothes. What's she coming for? To embarrass me? Don't let my friends laugh at me for inviting servants to join the party."

"She's not a servant, she's my teacher!"

Wei Xun was an uncultured buffoon, but placed great importance on his children's education. Seeing how much Wei Song liked the new tutor, he was naturally very happy. He said, "Tutors aren't servants. She can come to the party."

Since Dad had spoken, Wei Zhaozhao shrugged indifferently and said, "Then take one of my dresses for her. Have her put on some makeup. Don't let her embarrass me."

Chu Zhao stood in front of the mirror, trying on that beautiful, wispy white fringe dress.

Xiao Huai sat on a chair, admiring it and exclaiming, "I've seen Miss wear this dress before. It's so beautiful! But you're wearing it...you look even prettier than her!"

Chu Zhao turned back with a faint smile. "If she heard you say that, she'd kill me."

Xiao Huai immediately covered her mouth. "I'm wrong, I'll never say it again!" But she still couldn't help whispering, "It really is very pretty. Xiao Huai isn't lying. But you're so beautiful, how could you come to this place? China is so nice."

Chu Zhao casually said, "To earn money. The wages here in one year equal a decade of hard work for me."

Xiao Huai said, "If I were you, I definitely wouldn't leave a place as nice as China to come to a ghost place like this."

"Do you really want to go to China?"

"I do, I dream about it!"

"In the future if there's a chance, I'll take you there."

"Great!"

That night, lights blazed in the big house. Colored lights were strung in the trees. Young men and women gradually walked into the villa.

Their outfits weren't particularly fashionable. After all, in a war-torn place like Nidan, resources were quite scarce, especially after the World Trade Organization blocked most of the imports and exports here. Good stuff could only be obtained through dangerous smuggling...

The grand and luxurious party described by Xiao Huai was nothing special in Chu Zhao's eyes.

As Chu Zhao walked to the edge of the swimming pool in her beige dress, she immediately attracted the attention of many young men and women.

Most of the girls here had darker skin, coarse pores, blemishes and acne on their faces, making them not very pretty.

Chu Zhao came with no makeup, just her bare face, yet she was already the most beautiful girl at the party.

Jing Chi stood under a tree, gazing at the charming girl by the pool. The dappled light on the water cast ripples on her body, as if she was in a dream.

Jing Chi frowned and stubbed out his cigarette.

She's attracting too much attention, this won't do.

Just then, Wei Zhaozhao had come over, pulling Jing Chi's hand to show off her boyfriend to her friends.

With Jing Chi's looks, he was already quite handsome compared to most men in Nidan. Most men here averaged 1.7 meters tall, rarely reaching 1.8 meters. So Jing Chi's 1.87 meter tall figure made him stand out in the crowd, not to mention his handsome features, especially his beautiful double eyelids, which were quite enticing.

To Wei Zhaozhao, Jing Chi was like her beautiful dresses and jewelry, something she could show off and take pride in.

After showing off Jing Chi's looks, she wanted to flaunt his talents next. Jing Chi was good at fighting, of course she couldn't let him spar with someone in front of so many people. So Wei Zhaozhao called over the band, "My boyfriend sings really well, I've heard him at a bar before. Why don't you sing us a song?"

Applause and whistles sounded from the crowd.

Jing Chi felt very helpless, he didn't want to sing, it made him feel like he was being pimped out.

Chu Zhao had also walked into the crowd, smiling as she watched Jing Chi.

Others didn't know, but she knew Jing Chi could not only sing, but also play the guitar. On Jing Chi's 21st birthday, Chu Zhao had gifted him a cute little ukulele. To treasure this precious birthday present, Jing Chi had actually followed online tutorials to learn the guitar. He was very smart and picked it up in just half a month.

On countless afternoons at sunset, he would sit on the hill behind the school, strumming and singing as Chu Zhao leaned against him listening to his songs.

He had sung many sweet and romantic tunes for her.

Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he last sang for her.

Seeing her expectant eyes, Jing Chi hesitated briefly before agreeing to sing a song.

Like everyone else, Chu Zhao clapped enthusiastically.

Jing Chi went over to the band and took the guitarist's guitar, saying he could sing and play by himself without accompaniment.

Sitting on a chair hugging the guitar, he tuned the strings and played a light, melodious prelude. As the melodic tune flowed, his rich baritone voice slowly sang out, "The restless passenger puts on an arrogant show... You raise your glass and toast yourself, one for the morning sun, one for the moonlight."

When Jing Chi sang this lyric, Chu Zhao's eyes reddened slightly.

In the past, Chu Zhao really liked this song "Dissipating Sorrows", because it contained the words "morning sun", of course that was a long long time ago, back when Chu Zhao was madly obsessed with Xu Zhao Yang. She would always loop this song repeatedly.

Later on, Jing Chi would always use this song to tease her, laugh at her disastrous first love, laugh at her timidity, and also laugh at her reckless youth.

Chu Zhao could also frankly face it. The grievances she once cherished were now laughed off after she let go, laughing at her own frivolous youth.

"One for hometown, one for the distant place, staying with my girl, urging me to grow up. So the roads north and south are no longer endless, my soul no longer drifting aimlessly."

Jing Chi modified the lyrics. Although most people there couldn't understand what he was singing, it didn't matter. He was only singing for his girl to hear.

Not daring to let his affectionate gaze linger on Chu Zhao for too long, he kept his eyes downcast, gently strumming and singing tenderly, "One for freedom, one for death, forgiving my ordinariness, dispelling confusion..."

"Alright, stop singing!"

Wei Zhaozhao suddenly interrupted Jing Chi's performance. She erupted in inexplicable anger, "I don't like this song! It's awful!"

She ran back to the villa in a huff, with tears actually shimmering in her eyes.

Not for anything else. In Jing Chi's affectionate eyes, she saw the shadow of another girl. She didn't know who it was, but those eyes definitely did not hold her in them!

Only when a man is missing his beloved would he reveal such a tender expression.

Wei Zhaozhao was no fool.

The young miss suddenly got angry, leaving the people around at a loss.

Jing Chi stood up holding his guitar, looking once more at the girl in the crowd. She smiled brilliantly at him, mouthing "sounds good".

Concealing his emotions, Jing Chi expressionlessly headed back to the villa.