Chapter 510: Shoulder to Shoulder
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xia Ling nodded her head indifferently.
She didn’t really sing duets, mainly because very few had voices that were able to match hers. In fact, not even Bai Murong’s voice did, even though he was very popular. However, she held deep admiration for this man, and really wanted to help him make a breakthrough. Thus, she agreed. If others knew of her true intentions, they would think she was crazy. After all, Bai Murong had a lot more popularity and a higher status than her.
Xia Ling asked, “Was the agreement from Bai Murong’s side to have you as the composer?”
It wasn’t that she wanted to ask the question, but it was just weird that Bai Murong would agree to this. Back then, during the Nebula Music Festival, Bai Murong once called Wei Shaoyin picky, harsh, and perverted backstage. He cursed and swore to never work with him in his lifetime. Truth to be told, this was the att.i.tude that many singers held towards the composer. Why would his att.i.tude change so much?
Wei Shaoyin proudly lifted his chin. “Of course, they agreed.”
Initially, Bai Murong’s team sought out Sister Mai Na, who was her broker. All that was needed was Sister Mai Na’s approval. Bai Murong’s team had it all thought out. Once Sister Mai Na agreed, they would bring Xia Ling to record the song together with a song composer with whom they were already comfortable working with.
Unfortunately, Wei Shaoyin learned of the plan.
He said that this song, “Powerful Opponent”, was too vulgar and needed to undergo drastic amendments; otherwise, it could not be sung, for it would degrade Xiao Ling’s style. He was not her broker, and whether he agreed or not wasn’t supposed to pose a big problem, but he used the next song as blackmail. Eventually, Sister Mai Na yielded under his pressure.
Causing Sister Mai Na to give in, and also using all sorts of methods, resulting in Bai Murong’s team giving in too.
When Bai Murong learned of this, he was near tears. To think that after all those years of making his way up, carefully avoiding having to deal with the perverted Wei, he still ended up falling into his hands.
Xia Ling was unaware of how complicated it all was and merely nodded her head before pus.h.i.+ng it all to the back of her mind. She began to focus on activities for the Heavenly Voice Music Festival.
All her luggage was at Pei Ziheng’s house, so she had no clothes and had to get new ones.
Li Lei accompanied her to the mall, where the entire mall was sealed off. She ecstatically picked and chose her clothes, also choosing pieces of precious and chic jewelry to go with them. Li Lei stood by her side, constantly encouraging her to buy more.
Xia Ling said, “My credit card is about to explode.”
These few years, she had hardly any income and depended on her past finances. Her sweeping through the stores had not only depleted all her cash but also racked up a huge credit card debt. Thank goodness she was a celebrity, and previously married into the Pei family to become a rich lady, so the bank’s annual quota for her was sufficient.
Li Lei produced his own credit card, smiling. “Use this.”
With a cheeky face like a dog’s, and just missing a tail wagging at the back.
Xia Ling settled into a good mood and reached out to caress the top of his head. “Good, when I become your wife, I don’t need you to give me the card because I myself will take it. Your good days are dwindling, so keep it for now to hide some money for yourself.”
Li Lei’s eyes lit up. “It’s settled, you’re going to marry me.”
“h.e.l.lo, not till you settle your old man.” After a tearful year by Pei Ziheng’s side, she treasured Li Lei’s feelings for her a lot more, and would not think any further as long as he proposed.
Thinking of his grandfather, Li Lei’s expression became somber. The prejudice was too strong, and who knew when Xiao Ling could have a family she could know as her own? He looked down and softly said, “I have made you suffer.”
Xia Ling was slightly startled and gently laughed. “Regardless of whether there is a certificate or not, we will still be together.” Just look at her and Pei Ziheng. So what if there was a certificate? Two people should not be together when they shouldn’t be, and when they should, nothing could stop that. Wanting to move away from this topic, Xia Ling lifted her head, and an ice-cream store across the road entered her line of sight.
“I want to eat ice-cream!”
Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed Li Lei’s sleeve, jumping in excitement. “Hurry, hurry, bring me there!”
Li Lei followed her line of sight and spotted the ice-cream store. “You’re seeking death,” he laughed. “With so many people there, they’ll swarm around once someone recognizes you!”
“I don’t care, I want to eat ice-cream.” Xia Ling pouted.
Li Lei’s heart melted and stared at her before staring at the store. “I’ll send someone to buy it for you.”
“I don’t care, I want to eat in the store.” Xia Ling’s eyes began to well up.
Li Lei became dizzy and said in a pampering voice, “Then I’ll send someone to clear the place of people.”
“I don’t care, I want to eat within the crowd.” It had been a long time since she was in a crowd by herself. She recalled the times they used to have dates at the playground, with him holding her hand, carefully protecting her and ensuring she did not get shoved by people. That feeling was amazing and was the most precious memory for her in this lifetime.
Li Lei’s survival instincts told him that this time, he could not afford to compromise. Xiao Ling was no longer the slightly popular star she was back then. This time, she was relentlessly and constantly appearing in the news. Portrayed in either a positive or negative light did not matter in the fact that she was now very well-known, and her face was too recognizable.
He painstakingly tried to coax her. “I’ll buy it for you.”
“I want to go inside the store!” She became stubborn. “I don’t care, you protect me. Becoming part of the crowd to buy ice-cream, it’s so exciting.”
Li Lei did not know how to respond.
He began to reflect on whether he had been treating her too nicely.
Xia Ling was already pulling his arm in the direction of the store, chanting, “Ice-cream, ice-cream, ice-cream.”
At the side, store attendants in black and white uniforms tried to hide their laughter. This kind of high-end flags.h.i.+p store had many celebrities as customers, but rarely such a loving couple. Looks like it wasn’t like what the news had been saying, that Ye Xingling went to find Li Lei in the middle of the night and was taken in by him in pity. Judging by how loving they looked, it was obviously Li Lei pampering her to the fullest.
Dragging and pulling, Xia Ling eventually brought Li Lei to the doorway of the ice-cream store.
Out of all the bodyguards following them, some brought the loots of the shopping trip back, while the rest silently slipped into the crowd, ensuring the two of them were in a safe s.p.a.ce.
Xia Ling had at least remembered to put on sungla.s.ses and a cap, so rus.h.i.+ng into the store had not caused too much of a commotion.
But well, that was not it.
She had put on sungla.s.ses, but not Li Lei!
Li Lei’s good looks were definitely way high up the scale and mesmerized many girls at the store.
“Look, just look. He is gorgeous!” Girls yanked on their companions to look at him. Several people whipped out their phones, secretly snapping photographs of him and staring at the scene of this handsome man gently holding a pet.i.te girl as they made their pick of ice-cream flavors at the counter.
Such a sight to behold.
“Could they be filming a drama scene now?” The girls in the store wondered.
They looked left and right. “But we don’t see any cameras rolling.”
“It can’t be. If not filming for a drama, how could such a good-looking person exist in real-life?”
“His girlfriend is very good-looking too, why does she have sungla.s.ses on?”
“That figure looks a little familiar…”