Chapter Sixty-Two: Subtle Affection

Chu Yueyue’s household had only her mother as the sole breadwinner. For her to attend the Provincial First High School would be a heavy burden on her family. Yu Qian wanted to help her, but knowing Chu Yueyue’s stubbornness, she realized that if she offered direct assistance, it would surely make Chu Yueyue uncomfortable. So she could only go home first and discuss it with Wenxiu.

After Yu Qian mentioned the matter to Wenxiu, Wenxiu consulted Siming to learn more about Chu Yueyue’s situation, then took full responsibility, not allowing Yu Qian to worry further.

By the time Zhou Jingchen returned to the provincial capital, both Yu Qian’s exam results and Chu Yueyue’s issue had already been resolved. Zhou Jingchen, who had vowed to handle everything for Yu Qian, felt somewhat dispirited at not knowing about these small matters, let alone being able to help.

Fortunately, once Yu Qian learned that Chu Yueyue’s family’s difficulties were settled, her attention shifted elsewhere—to the game "Soul of the Beautiful Lady," which was still in closed beta.

“When is the open beta?” Yu Qian hugged her laptop, her face earnest.

Zhou Jingchen pressed his forehead in resignation. If only he’d known she was so interested in games, he would have saved her some beta access codes. “The closed beta ends at the end of July. Barring any surprises, the official launch will be on August eighth.”

Yu Qian calculated the dates and, disappointed, set her laptop aside. “It’s still so long away.”

She had played this game for several years with Lin Su and Chu Yueyue in her previous life; now, seeing it released early and even optimized, she was naturally curious. Moreover, Nuwa and the others had all heard about the game from Wenxiu and were also intrigued.

Even the real-life Pu Songling, usually addicted to sleep, had been dragged in and made to recount every story from "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio."

Thinking that everyone in the group wanted to play, Yu Qian hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. “Zhou Jingchen, is the game using the server that Xiuxiu provided?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes!” The man, who had been staring at her in a daze, was startled by her question and answered after a moment.

Yu Qian rolled her eyes and smiled at him. “I’m going to practice. Do you want to keep me company?”

“Yes!” Zhou Jingchen replied instantly.

He had never actually seen Yu Qian practicing dance or music before and was curious.

Zhou Jingchen went to the practice room first, brewed a pot of tea, and sat on the couch to wait. Yu Qian, meanwhile, went to her room to change clothes and fetched her instrument before entering.

Just last night, she had learned a new dance from Su Daji in the little grotto. According to Su Daji, she’d created this dance specifically to seduce King Zhou.

The first time Yu Qian watched Su Daji perform it, she had been utterly stupefied. Truly worthy of her title as the femme fatale who brought down a nation—the dance was bewitching and soul-stealing. Even Yu Qian, as a fellow woman, felt captivated; it was no wonder King Zhou, a man, would succumb.

She hadn’t intended to perform it for Zhou Jingchen so soon, but after not seeing him for several days, she found herself missing him. Besides, being only twelve years old, even if Zhou Jingchen were bewitched, there was nothing he could do, which made her mischievously curious to see him lose his composure.

The music, composed by Jade Pipa, had already been sent to Yu Qian, so she played it directly from her computer.

"Flight of the Phoenix" was the name Su Daji had chosen. Both the melody and the choreography complemented each other perfectly.

Yu Qian’s performance was only half as good as Su Daji’s, but Zhou Jingchen was already entranced.

He watched the girl before him, every gesture and movement radiating charm. He felt uncomfortable, wanting to leave to compose himself but unable to bear missing a single motion.

After enduring the entire dance in a self-tormenting fashion, Zhou Jingchen’s face was flushed as if it might catch fire.

A laugh slipped from Yu Qian as she saw his embarrassment. “Zhou Jingchen, you’re so cute!”

She walked up to him, cupped his cheeks in both hands, and gazed at him with a bright smile.

Zhou Jingchen felt awkward. He had always acted calm and strong before Yu Qian, never once flustered like this. He tried to free himself from her hands and stand up to leave, but Yu Qian collapsed into his arms with laughter before he could move.

Stunned, his hands stiffly encircled her waist, not daring to move.

“Ha ha ha…” Yu Qian laughed so hard her whole body trembled.

Although she was only twelve, her height had reached 1.6 meters, and her figure was still slender and undeveloped. Yet perhaps because of her years of dance training, her posture was graceful and her skin was soft and delicate.

Soft fragrance and warm jade nestled in his arms—it was the girl he cared for most. Zhou Jingchen, a boy full of youthful vigor, couldn’t help but react.

Yu Qian, in the midst of her laughter, suddenly grew still, awkwardly shifting herself away from Zhou Jingchen bit by bit.

No sooner had she moved aside than Zhou Jingchen, as if chased by a ghost, leapt to his feet and bolted from the room.