Chinese entertainment: Top stars have no holidays

Night fell completely over Shenzhen, and the lights of the city's buildings lit up one after another.

Under the cover of night, a van smoothly drove into a private, upscale Cantonese seafood restaurant in the city center.

To avoid crowds and fans, Jiang Bai had his team book a private viewing room on the top floor in advance, isolating them from all the noise and providing a quiet and relaxing environment.

It's just the right time for the two of them to unwind after a busy day of canvassing buildings and enjoy a proper meal.

Most importantly, this store offers a high degree of privacy, so there's no chance of being secretly photographed.

Pushing open the door, the private room is bathed in warm, soft light, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the city at night, with layers of lights creating an immersive atmosphere.

As soon as Tian Xiwei sat down, she completely relaxed, leaning lazily against the back of the chair, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"I've been craving this for so long." She rested her chin on her hand, looked out the window, and sighed softly, "Cantonese cuisine is very famous, but I've never had authentic Cantonese food."

Jiang Bai sat opposite her, looking at her childlike appearance, smiled and nodded, pushing the menu in front of her: "Order whatever you like today, don't be shy, I'm keeping my promise."

Tian Xiwei didn't stand on ceremony with him and smiled as she checked off a bunch of dishes she wanted to eat.

Crispy roasted pigeon, steamed shrimp with garlic and vermicelli, steamed grouper, Cantonese sweet soup – we ordered almost all the signature dishes.

Jiang Bai didn't think Tian Xiwei would like to eat it.

After all, Cantonese cuisine is known for not being spicy, so it might be too bland for girls from Sichuan and Chongqing.

But it's clear that Oda's high spirits and happiness weren't because he wanted to eat these Cantonese dishes.

The dishes were served quickly, with one exquisite Cantonese delicacy after another filling the table with their aroma.

The two, who had to maintain a distance and be mindful of boundaries during the day while canvassing buildings, now relaxed completely in the empty private room.

Tian Xiwei's cheeks are puffed out when she eats; she eats earnestly and adorably.

When she bent down to peel the shrimp, her fingers were not very nimble, her nails were short, and it was quite difficult for her to peel them. After struggling for a long time, she could only peel off a small piece of shrimp meat.

Jiang Bai looked at it for a few seconds, said nothing, and silently reached out to take the shrimp plate in front of her.

Her slender fingers moved deftly, peeling a whole, tender shrimp in a few quick strokes, without leaving a single shell, and naturally placed it into her bowl.

Tian Xiwei was taken aback, looked up at him, a faint smile in her eyes: "How come you're so skilled?"

"I grew up by the sea and have eaten seafood since I was a child." Jiang Bai smiled faintly and continued to peel shrimp for her, speaking gently, "Eat slowly, no one will take it from you, I'll peel it for you."

In the following period, Jiang Bai took on almost all the troublesome tasks.

The pigeon's skin is crispy, and he will carefully tear off the tenderest part of the leg and hand it to her.

The fish bones were fine and delicate, so he carefully removed them before placing the fish meat into her bowl.

Even with sweet soup, he would blow on it to cool it down a bit before pushing it in front of her.

The entire process was natural, skillful, and considerate.

Tian Xiwei felt warm inside from his care, her cheeks flushed slightly, she lowered her head and ate her food in small bites, occasionally stealing glances at him.

The light fell on Jiang Bai's profile, outlining his clean and sharp jawline, while his eyes and brows appeared gentle and serene.

She had lost some of the aloofness and professionalism she displayed during the day, and gained a relaxed and gentle demeanor that she only showed to her.

"Aren't you tired from signing autographs today?" Tian Xiwei asked softly, trying to break the silence. "We went up and down so many floors, my hand is sore from signing so many autographs."

"It's alright." Jiang Bai looked up at her, his gaze fixed on her eyes, his tone filled with a smile, "Seeing you happy makes me feel less tired."

A single, seemingly casual remark instantly made Tian Xiwei's heart race.

She turned her face away, pretending to look at the night view outside the window, but her ears were secretly turning red. She muttered softly, "How come you're getting better and better at talking? You used to be so honest."

Tian Xiwei keenly noticed that Jiang Bai seemed a little different today than before.

They've become much bolder, more direct, and more proactive.

Jiang Bai chuckled softly, his chest trembling slightly, his gaze fixed on her, never wavering.

The atmosphere at the table was gentle and ambiguous. There was no deliberate flirting, but there was an intimacy that went beyond that of ordinary friends.

The two chatted about the employees they met during their daytime building visits who were shipping couples, and about the funny comments from netizens who were shipping couples. It was a relaxed and pleasant conversation.

Occasionally, their eyes would accidentally meet, and the two would pause for half a second in tacit agreement, unable to hide the smile in their eyes.

The air felt as if a sweet, sticky evening breeze was swirling around it.

Towards the end of the meal, Tian Xiwei took two sips of slightly sweet fruit wine.

The prescription wasn't strong, but it was enough to give her cheeks a light blush, and her eyes became watery and hazy. She looked softer and more obedient than usual.

She rested her chin on her hand and looked at Jiang Bai, speaking earnestly: "To be honest, I was really angry about those haters spreading rumors online yesterday."

"It's a good thing you called the police promptly, otherwise those rumors would have continued for who knows how long."

Jiang Bai looked at her puffed-up face, reached out and gently touched her flushed cheek, his touch soft and natural: "I know you protect me."

The cool touch of her fingers against her skin was gentle and fleeting, yet it felt like a tiny electric current, instantly coursing through Tian Xiwei's entire body.

She froze instantly, staring blankly at him.

The private room fell silent, with only the faint sound of traffic outside the window and the clearly audible heartbeats of the two people.

In the few seconds of eye contact, all the jokes and relaxation slowly faded away, leaving only naked excitement and uncontrollable emotions.

Jiang Bai withdrew his hand first, the smile in his eyes fading slightly, replaced by a deep restraint. He said softly, "Have you finished eating? I'll take you back to your hotel."

Going back to the hotel so early?

But Tian Xiwei didn't say anything, she just nodded gently, murmured "Mmm", and obediently got up with him.

Stepping out of the restaurant, the night wind blew in my face, dispelling some of the heat, but it couldn't dispel the warmth surging in my heart.

The van drove smoothly, and no one spoke the rest of the way.

The atmosphere in the cramped carriage was quiet yet ambiguous.

The two stood close together, their arms occasionally brushing against each other, each slight touch warming the atmosphere even more.

Back at the upscale hotel, the elevator took us directly to our high-floor guest rooms.

Jiang Bai had arranged for his assistant and staff to go back to rest beforehand, and they did not follow him upstairs. The entire corridor was quiet and empty, with only the sound of their footsteps remaining.

Tian Xiwei walked to her room door, took out her room card, swiped it, and with a soft beep, the door slowly opened.

She turned to the side, looked at Jiang Bai beside her, her eyes crinkling, and said in a natural tone, "Then I'll head back now. Thank you for dinner tonight."

After saying that, she prepared to turn around and go inside.

The next second, a deep, gentle male voice came from behind: "I'll go in and sit for a while."

Tian Xiwei paused, then turned around abruptly.

His eyes instantly filled with astonishment and surprise.

She stared blankly at Jiang Bai, her pupils slightly contracting, clearly not expecting him to say those words.

They had always been in an ambiguous relationship, not quite lovers, maintaining a perfect balance of closeness yet always keeping a distance, and never once going into each other's rooms late at night alone.

"Huh?" Tian Xiwei paused for two seconds, then instinctively asked, "Aren't you going back to your room?"

Jiang Bai took half a step forward, his figure slightly closer to hers, looking down at her.

He gazed intently at her, his eyes clearly reflecting her flustered and shy expression, and said in a low, earnest tone, "I don't want to be alone."

Five simple words, gentle yet extremely aggressive.

Tian Xiwei's heart pounded wildly, her cheeks burned, her palms sweated slightly, and her mind went blank; she couldn't even muster the thought of refusing.

She pursed her lips, hesitated for two seconds, and finally gently stepped aside to make room for the doorway, her voice barely a whisper: "Then... then come in and sit down for a bit."

A faint smile flickered in Jiang Bai's eyes as he stepped into her room.

The door closed gently, shutting out the lights and sounds from the outside corridor.

In an instant, the entire quiet room was filled only with the presence of the two of them.

The room was lit by soft, warm lights, the curtains were half-drawn, and the evening breeze gently blew in through the gaps, carrying the unique coolness of the night.

Tian Xiwei stood there awkwardly, at a loss, not even knowing where to put her hands.

The usually lively and outgoing girl from Sichuan and Chongqing, who never hesitates to tease others, was completely flustered at this moment. Her ears turned bright red, and even her neck was tinged with a thin layer of red.

Jiang Bai, on the other hand, was much more composed. He turned to look at her, his gaze calm and gentle, and slowly approached her step by step.

As the two drew closer, the previously ambiguous atmosphere was amplified.

"Nervous?" Jiang Bai asked softly, a hint of amusement in his voice, as he looked at her tense expression.

Tian Xiwei subconsciously shook her head, but dared not look him in the eye, her voice soft: "No... I'm not nervous at all."

His insincere manner is both straightforward and endearing.

Jiang Bai stopped and stood half a step away from her. He raised his hand and gently brushed away the stray hairs that had fallen beside her cheek, his fingertips softly stroking her warm cheek.

Its soft and delicate texture made him linger.

"From filming until now," Jiang Bai looked down at her, his voice low, gentle yet earnest, "we've been pretending to be friends for so long, I'm starting to not want to pretend anymore."

"Can I take back what I said before?"

These words were like a match, instantly igniting the feelings that the two had suppressed for so long.

Tian Xiwei shuddered and looked up at him abruptly, meeting his deep and gentle eyes.

There were no jokes, no perfunctory remarks, only long-hidden seriousness and an irrepressible flutter of the heart.

They had always been cautious, remaining at the threshold of being more than lovers, not daring to easily break through that thin veil of secrecy.

But tonight's evening breeze, tonight's solitude, and tonight's undisguised emotions in each other's eyes can no longer conceal the pretense of openness.

Tian Xiwei's breathing quickened slightly, her eyes welled up, and she murmured softly, "I wasn't pretending..."

"Mmm." Jiang Bai lowered his head, his gaze falling on her reddened eyes and slightly pursed lips, his tone gentle to the point of being tender, "I couldn't help myself."

He slowly raised his hand and gently grasped her wrist.

The force was light, yet carried an irresistible tenderness, gently pulling her closer.

The two instantly drew close, their breaths mingling, their warm breaths swirling and swirling, Xiaotian's shapely body pressed tightly against Jiang Bai's thin skin.

Even through a layer of clothing, you can feel the other person's beautiful figure.

Tian Xiwei's body stiffened, her eyes widened slightly, and her long eyelashes trembled gently.

Jiang Bai lowered his eyes and stared at her for a long time, as if patiently waiting for her to back down.

Seeing that she didn't resist at all, but just stood obediently in his arms, her eyes full of shyness and trust.

He finally leaned down slightly, slowly approached, and kissed Tian Xiwei's red lips, pulling her down to the bedside.

"Mmm...uh...please massage gently."

"Curtains! Draw the curtains..."

"Don't step on my hair!"