The sight of Si Hongqi stepping into the hallway made Tian Ruyi catch her breath. His hazel warm eyes were glaring at the men before him and the smile he flashed them was dark. She never thought that he could look so livid. He was literally vibrating with suppressed violence.

The two perverted men must be dumb right now as they didn't budge at all after seeing how lethal Si Hongqi looked.

​​

One of the men took a step forward as he shot him an incredulous gaze. "Mind your own business, man."

"She is my business," Si Hongqi snapped, taking a step forward and was obviously not backing up from the two.

Tian Ruyi felt her heart skip a beat. Woah, how could he sound so cool when saying that? It only made her feel like she was in a movie where the male lead came to her rescue while looking so cool.

"You don't even know her. Scram bastard!"

The smile on Si Hongqi's face disappeared. "Did I say that I don't know who she is?"

While the men were distracted, Tian Ruyi took the chance to escape from them and instead, hid behind her savior.

"Should I call the security?" Si Hongqi threatened as he stood his ground before the two men.

The men eyed each other. Since it was such a public place, they decided to back down. "You better remember this!" One shouted before they went to the room they reserved.

Tian Ruyi heaved out a sigh in relief. "Thank you, Si Hongqi."

The man turned to look at her. "Why are you still here?"

"I waited for you, duh!" She huffed. "How dare you make a woman wait! And here I thought you were a gentleman!"

Si Hongqi wasn't really planning on coming by but every time he checked his phone for the latest news, Lu Mengjie's marriage with Yong Liwei was on the top trend. He may be at work and he could just bury himself with it but he was distracted by Tian Ruyi's message especially when she texted: [I'll be waiting.]

"I'm going to the restroom, just wait for me in room 007." Since she couldn't hold her bladder anymore, she rushed to the restroom.

Instead of doing what she said, he waited for her outside of the women's restroom just to make sure that she wouldn't bump into those same kind of perverted men.

Minutes passed by and when Tian Ruyi went out, she was surprised to see him leaning against the wall while waiting for her.

"I'll be the one paying tonight," he said as he straightened his back. It was his way of making up for making her wait.

Tian Ruyi grinned and was delighted upon hearing his words. "If you really want to make up then you will have to drink as much as I'll tell you to!"

"Are you planning on killing my liver?"

"Don't worry, a rich man like you can always have a liver transplant!" She held his hand and began dragging him to the room she reserved for them.

"..." He cast his eyes at their hands as he followed behind her. He felt that strange spark from her and something warm was growing in his chest once again. It was strange but at the same time familiar. Why was this woman affecting him like this? It was truly unusual for someone like him.

They entered the room and the table was still filled with alcoholic beverages as well as half-eaten snacks.

"Should I order more snacks?" Tian Ruyi asked upon releasing his hand.

"No need." He sat on the sofa and stared at the drinks for a few seconds.

Noticing his gaze on the bottle of beer, she took it and handed it to him. "You can drink as much as you want."

"You're going to kill me." Si Hongqi shook his head in disbelief upon accepting the drink.

"Before that happens, then I'll grant you the chance to hear my beautiful voice!" She grinned at him. She took the remote and the songbook as she began choosing the song to sing. Upon doing so, she began pressing the buttons in the remote.

Slow music began playing after she entered the numbers.

"Here." She handed him the other mic.

"I'm not going to sing. I'm only here to drink."

"Suit yourself then." She placed the mic beside him before she looked at the TV screen. She readied herself as she saw the 3 seconds countdown on the screen.

"As we walked together, with our shoulders side by side

As we laughed over pointless subjects, we were looking at the same dream

If I try to listen, I can still hear it now

Your voice, in the town that is dyed in an orange pastel"

Si Hongqi ended up looking at her upon hearing her sweet honey-like melodic voice. Other than that, what really caught his attention the most that strummed his heartstring was the lyrics of the song as she continued to sing with her eyes locked on the TV screen.

"Just like the clear sky after the rain, or a cleansed soul

I recall your smile and recalling it makes me smile

I'm sure, just like how we were on that day, just like innocent kids

We keep running through the passing seasons, looking at all kinds of tomorrows"

It was one of Tian Ruyi's favorite songs. Whenever she sang it, it reminded her of her friendship with Bai Jingye. It was not her intention to make Si Hongqi feel even more downcast by singing the song.

"I wonder what you'll see from here on

And I wonder what I'll see here from now on

In the town dyed in orange from the setting sun

I'll let myself cry a few tears"

As she was about to sing the chorus, she was surprised upon hearing Si Hongqi's voice on the side, singing along. She finally turned to look at him, her eyes widened in disbelief. He really was singing the song. As she heard the gentleness of his singing voice, she could also feel how heavyhearted and broken he was with the way he sang it. He really must have loved Lu Mengjie a lot huh?

She lowered her mic as she watched him sing. He was so beautiful and yet, it was heart-wrenching upon seeing him full of pain.

"Among the tens-of-thousands of stars that shine, a single love was born

You don't have to change, and even if you do, you are you, so don't worry

When we one day become adults, and meet up with someone amazing

It would be wonderful if we could meet at this place with our irreplaceable families"

Si Hongqi continued to sing, letting out a side that he never showed anyone. He didn't care if Tian Ruyi was watching at that moment. All the pain he held back for so long, he sang it all out.

He slowly lowered his head as he placed the mic away. It was already surprising enough that he didn't end up crying despite all the emotions he gave on the song. He breathed out a rigorous sigh before he grabbed his drink and chugged it in one go.

"Y-You…"

Si Hongqi slammed the bottle on the table, making Tian Ruyi flinch. "I should have known that you were a crafty bi-" he paused the moment he darted eyes at her. His narrowed eyes slowly enlarging when he saw her face full of tears. His nose wrinkled. "Why are you crying?

"I'm not crying!" She quickly brushed off the tears on her face upon realizing that she was already sobbing for him. "My eyes are just sweating!"

"..."

She sniffled. "Also, you stole my song! How can you just steal my song just like that huh? It was my moment to shine! It was my favorite song! You can't just steal it from me!"

"..." And here he thought that she intentionally chose that song to trigger him.

Instead of stopping, Tian Ruyi ended up crying out loud like a child. "How can you even be better at singing than me?!"

"Genes." He turned away and took another alcoholic beverage as he decided to ignore her but he couldn't really do that at all. He was bothered when he saw her crying face. He suddenly felt a strange restlessness in his chest. He eyed the sobbing woman beside her. Why was she still crying?

"Tian Ruyi," Si Hongqi called, gaining her attention.

She pursed her lips as she whimpered, "I-I'm sorry…" She kept on wiping her tears but she couldn't stop crying. "I-I'm really sorry… my eyes are sweating too much."

"Tian Ruyi," he called once again. This time she finally turned her gaze at him and when she did, he motioned her to come close to him.

"What?"

He sighed once again so he finally voiced out, "come here and sit beside me."

"Why?"

"Because I said so, so stop asking me questions and just come here." He patted the space beside him.

Tian Ruyi sniffled once again, looking at him with her glossy eyes as she said, "why do I have to come there? You come here! The egg never swims towards the sperm!"

"..."

Once again, Si Hongqi became speechless. Now he understood why she easily became Lu Mengjie's friend. Birds of a feather flock together.

---------

AN:

Credits to the artist of the song. If you want to listen to the song they sang, you can search 'Orange by 7 (Your Lie in April)' on Youtube. :D