Chapter 123: If You Like It, Give It a Smooch (Two-in-One)

Originally, Zhou Miao didn’t think much of it, but Zhao Li Dong’s restless glances around, his eyes darting nervously without daring to meet his gaze, left him utterly speechless.

“Enough looking, just go take a shower quickly,” Zhou Miao said.

Hearing this, Zhao Li’s face flushed slightly. After a brief hesitation, he took some clothes from his bag and entered the bathroom. But not long after, he poked his head out and asked, “Do you think there might be cameras in the bathroom? I heard these small inns are pretty shady.”

Zhao Li’s concerns were not unfounded. For safety, the two of them thoroughly checked every corner of the bathroom and covered any possible spots with black tape.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Zhou Miao said, “Alright, just go wash up. If you’re still worried, wear a mask while showering; at least if you’re recorded, no one will know who you are.”

Zhao Li lightly tapped him, “You jinx! If I get recorded, you won’t get away either. If you’re so brave, why don’t you just skip your shower tonight?”

Zhou Miao came out of the bathroom casually, “What’s there to be afraid of? I’m a grown man; I won’t lose a piece of myself just because someone sees me.”

“Pfft!”

After closing the door, Zhao Li deliberately made the sound of locking it very loud. Zhou Miao sneered, “Little Wangzai bun, what’s so interesting about you?”

The inn’s soundproofing was terrible. Even with the shower running, Zhao Li could still hear Zhou Miao watching TV outside.

In a strange city, in an unfamiliar inn, sharing a room with a man—even if for work—felt rather odd.

Zhao Li tilted her head back under the hot water, hoping the flow would wash away the tangled thoughts in her mind. Perhaps due to the heat, her heart raced somewhat abnormally.

Turning off the water, Zhao Li wrapped herself in a towel and stood before the mirror, wiping away the steam. A girl appeared—a fresh, dewy beauty, like a lotus emerging from water.

Fresh from the shower, her complexion was rosy, like a ripening apple. She opened the towel and admired herself in the mirror for a moment. Except for being a bit petite, everything was nearly perfect.

Such an alluring figure—who knew which lucky guy would win her in the future?

At that thought, an image suddenly sprang unbidden into her mind. Zhao Li quickly patted her face to stay alert.

But the more she tried to control it, the harder it became. She sighed helplessly, sitting on the toilet and looking toward the locked bathroom door.

Though reluctant to admit it, Zhao Li knew she had feelings for Zhou Miao.

Meeting such an outstanding young man at the most tender age made it hard not to fall for him. Unfortunately, he already had the perfect girl by his side.

Hu San was a gentle and kind girl, even Zhao Li liked her.

She didn’t want to see Hu San hurt, nor did she want to fall deeper herself.

After finishing this variety show, she decided to keep some distance from Zhou Miao.

…

For a woman, showering was troublesome, especially when washing hair—blow-drying alone took half an hour.

By the time she came out of the bathroom, Zhou Miao was already lying on the bed asleep.

Zhao Li nudged him twice but couldn’t wake him. Clearly exhausted, she helped him take off his shoes, covered him with a thin blanket, and turned up the air conditioning a bit.

Lying on her side just an arm’s length away from Zhou Miao, Zhao Li watched him silently for a long while before finally reaching out to turn off the light.

Good night, Zhou Miao.

The next morning, Zhao Li turned on the camera and recorded some footage of them waking up. Zhou Miao emerged from the bathroom with his hair still wet.

“Why didn’t you call me after your shower last night?” Zhou Miao asked.

Zhao Li rolled her eyes, “I did call you, but you were dead to the world.”

“Where are we performing today?” she asked.

Zhou Miao shook his head, “No rush. During the day, we’ll finalize the itinerary. In the evening, we’ll find a crowded spot for street performances.”

It was a weekday and scorching hot. Performing in the heat risked heatstroke, and passersby wouldn’t stop under the blazing sun to listen. Better to wait until it cooled down at night.

At seven in the evening, the two Ultraman characters returned to Earth, landing at the People's Square in Shijiazhuang.

Zhao Li adjusted the crooked mask and said seriously, “If we don’t make 500 yuan tonight, I’m not leaving!”

They came prepared tonight. Zhou Miao took out a cardboard sign: “Song requests 20 yuan each.”

Soon, a big guy wearing a gold chain approached, “Is a song request 20 yuan? Can you sing ‘Sword Pointing to the Sky’?”

Sword Pointing to the Sky... Zhou Miao fell silent. Was that even a song? It was more like shouting rap.

“Sorry, we only sing normal songs,” Zhou Miao politely declined.

This was a variety show, after all. If he sang that, how could he continue in the industry?

“50!” the big guy insisted; tonight he had to hear that song.

Zhou Miao smiled and shook his head, “Sorry, it’s really not about the money.”

“100! If you don’t sing it, I’m leaving,” the big guy’s limit was being tested.

“Sword pointing to the sky, standing on the earth! Recalling that arrogant past! Fearless of gods, ghosts, and demons! So mighty, heaven and earth...”

Zhou Miao’s sudden loud shout startled a baby in a nearby stroller. The infant’s little mouth puckered and began crying loudly.

The young mother hurriedly picked up the baby, soothing it while casting a disdainful glance at Zhou Miao. “What’s wrong with you?”

The big guy promptly paid and applauded, “You’re obviously a pro; you shout it even more passionately than the original!”

A hundred yuan in hand, but Zhou Miao wasn’t happy at all. He felt like he had sold his soul for a mere hundred yuan.

Zhao Li, heartless as ever, giggled nearby, “Why are you so skilled? Did you secretly practice? How do you remember such a long song?”

Zhou Miao glared at her fiercely, “Do I have a photographic memory or what? Should I tell you?”

They couldn’t stay here any longer. After that shouting act, everyone around looked at him as if he were a monkey.

The two quickly packed up and moved deeper into the area. Now was prime time for street performances; they couldn’t waste any time.

They stopped next to a fried chicken shop, where business was good—people coming and going, searching for food.

Zhao Li set up the microphone stand and asked, “Want me to go first?”

Zhou Miao glanced around; mostly women were nearby. “I’ll go. I have a way with girls.”

“What will you sing?” Zhao Li asked curiously.

Zhou Miao looked at the fried chicken shop and said, “‘Eating Fried Chicken at People’s Square.’”

A few simple strums, smooth and fresh guitar sounds spread along the street as Zhou Miao slowly sang:

“Lately you’ve become so cold,
Leaving me at a loss,
I didn’t expect too much,
For you to love me like before,
But even our dates you avoid...”

Zhou Miao’s lazy vocal tone immediately caught the attention of many girls. Though their faces were blurry, his sexy voice was captivating. Even Zhao Li felt a shiver run through her.

Zhou Miao’s voice was distinctive. To avoid revealing his identity, he deliberately altered his pronunciation, creating an unexpectedly stunning effect.

But Zhao Li was puzzled—the lyrics seemed unrelated to the song title. Was Zhou Miao pulling her leg again?

Suddenly, the guitar rhythm quickened, and Zhou Miao’s singing grew passionate:

“I’m eating fried chicken at People’s Square,
But where are you at this moment?
Perhaps you’re making a diversion,
But I’m too tired to doubt...”

Zhao Li covered her mouth. The chorus lyrics were brilliant—so fitting, and full of carefree coolness.

People nearby couldn’t help but applaud. The lyrics were so down-to-earth. Though about a breakup, it sounded adorably silly.

Many were so enticed they went to the fried chicken shop to order some.

A beautiful young woman with a sweet voice kindly bought a portion for them. Zhao Li was nearly moved to tears. These past days, to save money, they’d eaten only cheap noodles or Lanzhou beef noodles. Tonight, they could finally taste fried chicken.

“You’re too kind, miss! May heaven bless you with a long life!” Zhao Li said joyfully.

Zhou Miao told Zhao Li to sit and eat first. Taking advantage of the crowd, he wanted to perform more. Eating wasn’t the priority; making money was.

Sitting on the steps, Zhao Li occasionally stuffed pieces of fried chicken into her mask, watching Zhou Miao’s back. Suddenly, she felt as if they were a married couple performing on the streets.

Though tough, this life had its charm.

They performed from seven until half past ten, moving to a new city. Zhou Miao repeated his usual set, including “Girl Across the Street, Look Over Here” and “Love Me, Don’t Go.”

When they checked their earnings that night, Zhou Miao sighed, “Women’s money is always easier to get. I counted—over seventy people tipped tonight. Only ten were men; the rest were women.”

Zhao Li retorted, “We’re not easy to fool; we’re just more emotional.”

“Today we made 420 yuan, plus a portion of fried chicken. Not bad!” Zhou Miao was pleased with their haul.

Speaking of which, Zhao Li suddenly remembered Zhou Miao hadn’t eaten yet. She took the chicken from her bag, but it had gone cold.

Hungry, Zhou Miao didn’t care and ate heartily.

Just then, an elderly man walked by with a Border Collie.

Zhao Li patted Zhou Miao, “Look, a Border Collie! I love them—they’re so smart and understanding.”

As a cat person, Zhou Miao was indifferent to dogs. But the Border Collie was drawn to the fried chicken in his hand and tugged its owner over.

Zhao Li’s eyes lit up. She tore off a small piece of chicken and waved it in front of the dog. “Want some?”

The Border Collie barked once in response. Zhao Li placed the chicken on the ground, and the dog eagerly swallowed it.

She watched the dog rub its paws together, utterly delighted, squatting and locking eyes with it.

The old man said, “If you like it, you can pet him.”

Zhao Li was thrilled, but before she could reach out, the dog’s paw gently rested on her head, giving a soft pat.

Zhao Li was dumbfounded. Zhou Miao almost spat out his chicken in laughter.

After the old man and the dog left, Zhao Li came back to her senses and asked, “Was that sentence meant for the dog or for me?”

Zhou Miao thoughtfully stroked his chin, “Probably the dog.”

Zhao Li gave him a dangerous look, “Why do I feel like you were implying I’m a dog?”

Zhou Miao slapped her shoulder hard, “How could that be? We’re brothers. Why would I insult you?”

“But you didn’t make your 500-yuan goal today. Are you leaving or not?” Zhou Miao asked.

Zhao Li made an excuse, patting the chicken bag, “Isn’t this heartfelt chicken worth eighty yuan?”

Amid playful banter, they returned to the inn near midnight. Too late to go out, they bought two buckets of instant noodles.

Zhao Li complained, “Before leaving, you promised to treat me well, but now it’s instant noodles or cheap eats every day.”

Zhou Miao pointed to the noodles, “This is spicy beef flavor. Not spicy or tasty enough?”

Zhao Li rolled her eyes but, starving, drank all the broth.

After his shower, Zhou Miao saw Zhao Li squatting on the floor washing clothes, reminding him he didn’t have many changes either. He clumsily grabbed a basin to wash.

Zhao Li watched his technique and couldn’t bear it. “Forget it, you go to bed first. I’ll wash—I can’t watch this clumsy mess.”

Finally finding a thing Zhou Miao couldn’t do better than her, Zhao Li was delighted.

Unbeknownst to her, Zhou Miao had been waiting to hear this. He quickly pushed the basin over, washed his hands, and slipped under the covers to sleep soundly.

Zhao Li smiled wryly, taking his clothes to wash, but as she did, her face suddenly flushed.

How did his underwear end up in here too...?

The next morning, the two boarded a bus again, heading to Zhengzhou.

Traveling during the day was good—they wouldn’t miss the golden time for performances from six to ten at night.

But as soon as they arrived, they noticed rain was falling—a fine drizzle. Not heavy, but enough to prevent outdoor performances.

“Why don’t we find a big mall for an indoor show?” Zhao Li suggested.

A mall was a great spot, but to perform inside, they’d need permission. Wearing Ultraman masks made them look suspicious; unlikely the mall would agree.

Suddenly, Zhou Miao’s eyes lit up. He’d thought of a perfect place. “Follow me.”

The long subway corridor was sparsely populated. Outside, the weather was muggy, but inside was cool. A scruffy homeless man had spread newspapers and was sleeping soundly.

Zhou Miao stopped at the corridor’s edge, “Back in high school, our band dreamed of performing in various cities after graduation. The subway corridor was the most mentioned spot.”

“Why such a fondness for the subway corridor?” Zhao Li asked curiously.

“Performing in a subway corridor is a kind of romance for a roaming band,” Zhou Miao said.

“Did you have songs in mind to sing here?”

“Of course we did.”