The tens of thousands of fans erupted in satisfaction, cheers rising and lingering.
Helpless but relieved, Ye Chen hurriedly left the stage with Gu Qiuyi via the lift.
Yesterday’s intense kiss had been more viral than today’s light one.
But because they kissed both days, fans assumed it was part of the stage design.
Back in the lounge, Gu Qiuyi scrolled through Weibo trends, laughing, “Ye Chen-gege, fans think this is scripted. Looks like you’ll have to kiss Tawanna on stage for the next two shows.”
Ye Chen shrugged, “Whatever, it’s through a mask, doesn’t count as a real kiss.”
Gu Qiuyi snuggled up like a bunny, smirking with a coy tone, “Poor Tawanna, only kissing Ye Chen-gege through a mask, unlike me, who can kiss you directly.”
She leaned close, her lips inches from his, warm breath on his face, poised to kiss any second.
“You…” Ye Chen hadn’t expected this girl, after kissing him yesterday, to let loose like this. Alone together, she wasn’t shy, she was teasing him.
He leaned back instinctively, saying sternly, “Nannan, can we be a bit more reserved…”
Gu Qiuyi didn’t care, resting her face on his chest, whispering, “I’ve already asked you for a son, what’s there to be reserved about?”
Ye Chen was speechless, rubbing his temples with a silent sigh.
He swore to himself, no matter who asked, he’d never agree to this again.
…
Tawanna’s schedule was two shows, a day off, then two more.
So, the third day gave her a break.
To win Ye Chen’s favour, she planned a full-day Yanjing tour, livestreamed globally.
Early the next morning, Tawanna, her agent, assistants, bodyguards, and a crew of over twenty set off for the Great Wall.
Multiple cameras streamed live on several platforms, drawing over ten million online viewers.
Tawanna was fully engaged, praising everything she saw, showing foreign viewers who’d never visited China or Yanjing the Great Wall’s grandeur.
After the Great Wall, her convoy raced back to the city, touring the Summer Palace, then visiting the Old Summer Palace.
Many assumed Tawanna, unaware of China’s history or the Old Summer Palace’s significance, chose it simply for its fame and proximity to the Summer Palace.
But unbeknownst to them, Tawanna had prepared thoroughly.
Knowing Ye Chen’s patriotism, she orchestrated the global livestream and “casually” picked the Old Summer Palace to make a statement, appealing to his values.
At the Old Summer Palace, she played the innocent, praising the scenery while asking her guide about its history.
The guide, assuming the American star was clueless, explained the palace’s origins and its destruction.
The livestream focused on the ruins of the Great Fountain, the most iconic remnant of the palace’s destruction.
Seeing the ruins, the chat exploded with comments in various languages, all lamenting, “What a shame.”
Tawanna, feigning shock, asked, “Who destroyed this place?”
The guide replied, “It was burned by the Anglo-French forces in 1860 during the Second Opium War. They aimed to flood China with opium, and after capturing Yanjing, they looted and wrecked the Old Summer Palace. Many artefacts are still in the British Museum.”
Tawanna gasped, “The British and French did this? Have they ever apologised?”
“Of course not,” the guide said. “They colonised the world, pillaging and killing. As far as I know, they’ve never publicly apologised to any nation, and the stolen artefacts, still displayed in the British Museum, haven’t been returned.”
“My God!” Tawanna said indignantly, “This is outrageous! Mistakes can often be forgiven with a sincere apology, but how can they be so shameless? No apology, no return of stolen artefacts, and they display them proudly in their museum? Are they proud of colonising and plundering the world? Is this their idea of British gentlemanly conduct?”
