Please Dote on Me - Novelbike

As expected by everyone, the Entertainment Headlines were flooded with news about Shichui Mingyan’s recent public confession. The entrance of my hotel was packed with reporters, all because of my foolish star-chasing antics that had caused quite a stir.

Yang Jiexi’s reluctance to leave-whether it was still due to his swollen lip from my accidental collision or simply because he found the situation amusing-remained unclear. I suspected it was the latter. He continued to boss me around, demanding I get him dinner. Even now, as I became the focus of media attention, he showed no sympathy for my predicament.

“Qi Yang! I’m starving!” he shouted, lounging in front of the TV as if moving around was beneath him. This guy, who would fly to Japan on a whim just for breakfast, never shared my curiosity or enthusiasm for exploring new places. No matter which country he visited, his sole purpose seemed to be keeping an eye on me.

“Your lip’s healed, hasn’t it? Can’t we just go back now?” I asked lazily.

“Shut up! Don’t bring up my lip again, or you’ll never get to go back!”

My passport and money had been hidden away by this childish man, clearly to force me to stay.

“Go buy dinner! Or forget about returning home anytime soon!”

“Didn’t you just reject Chinei Youmi’s lunch invitation earlier? How could you possibly be hungry now? Seriously!” I grumbled.

“Who knows what she’d serve us? You’re her number one rival; she might poison you.”

“Ugh, your imagination is truly something.”

“Keep talking, and you’ll never go back!”

Yang Jiexi had no interest in dining with a female star, so he had declined Chinei’s invitation on my behalf.

Under his oppressive demands, I begrudgingly went out to buy breakfast for him.

“It’s not me. I don’t speak much Japanese. Really, it’s not me,” I muttered, nearly being knocked over by the crowd.

The moment I stepped outside, I was surrounded by microphones thrust so close they almost hit my head. My heart trembled with nervousness. Shichui, where are you?

To my surprise, I found myself longing for his protection. Part of me wished he would come to my rescue, while another part hoped he wouldn’t show up-lest the frenzied reporters tear him apart. What a dangerous scene!

“Shichui Mingyan is over there! He’s here!” shouted one of the reporters. I turned to look, and sure enough, there he was, arriving at this chaotic moment. That idiot!

Shichui pushed through the reporters without hesitation, rudely shouting, “Stop questioning her! Get lost!” He grabbed my hand, and the camera flashes went off incessantly. I used my other hand to shield my face and followed him out of the crowd, eventually finding myself seated in his car without fully understanding how.

“That was terrifying. Honestly, being a star doesn’t seem all that great,” I said, glancing back at the reporters still chasing after us. I pouted in disdain.

“Exactly,” Shichui replied, his agreement sounding insincere. Wasn’t he the one who basked in the glory of being adored by millions? His response felt hypocritical.

“Stop showing up in front of me like this! Are you crazy? Seriously, have you lost your mind? A playboy like you is the entertainment industry’s biggest stain. Your scandals could fill every wall in Tokyo. So, what’s the harm in adding a few more, right?” I scoffed at his arrogance.

“Exactly,” he repeated.

This guy! He maintained that nonchalant attitude no matter what. If it were Wen Rou Jing, I would’ve punched him by now. His demeanor was infuriating.

“Why do you always choose such ridiculous ways to confess? Are you really so brainless that you can’t think of a better method?”

“Exactly.”

…

“Did you sleep well last night? You look like you have dark circles under your eyes,” Shichui said, scrutinizing me with a curious gaze.

“Oh, I actually rested fine. I’m good friends with Youmi now. We talked on the phone at noon, and she insisted I try her cooking. It seems my worst fear is coming true-the person I like and my best friend might end up as a couple.” As soon as I said it, I felt ridiculous. Damn it, why was I saying such fake nonchalant yet jealous things to Shichui, just like everyone else?

“Me and Youmi? That’s absurd! Because of her lies, I spent five years foolishly holding onto meaningless assumptions about you. I should’ve trusted you, Qi Yang-you are definitely not the kind of woman who takes things lightly. You still love me deeply.”

I love Shichui Mingyan? Romantic love between a man and a woman? How absurd. I thought this but didn’t want to say it aloud. Deep down, I selfishly didn’t want to admit that the person I truly loved was Gu Yuzui, that brat.

“You treat Chinei like this, yet you act the same way toward someone who loves you. Even though I wasn’t the one you were looking for, I’m here now, aren’t I? And if someone uses a little trick to be with the person they love, what’s the big deal? She did it because she loves you, this useless guy!”

“And you treated someone who loved you the same way. She told me you thought I was dead, and you didn’t care at all. Didn’t you even get angry when she cursed me to die?”

Not care about him?

I leaned back in the seat, rolled down the window, and reached out to catch the falling snowflakes.

“Dead? What does that even mean? I still don’t have an answer. But who said I don’t care about Shichui Mingyan? Even though I can’t quite pinpoint my feelings, I’ve been so anxious about you that I’m terrified of you getting hurt again. That’s why I don’t want to dig into the truth. I don’t know what this so-called truth is, but I know it’s caused you great pain. Seeing you tremble with sadness makes me feel like I’m dying inside. I want to bury those bad things. I want to protect you, Shichui Mingyan.”

“Exactly. Whatever it is, I’m not dead. Touch me and see-I’m right here, real and alive in front of you. If you choose to let go of the past, we can look forward. We still have plenty of time to be together.”

The snowflake in my hand quickly melted away.

“Be together? Look closely at the snowflakes. If you examine them carefully, you’ll see they have six delicate, intricate patterns. But it’s pointless-they vanish in an instant. You’re Shichui Mingyan, a star so famous that fans scream themselves hoarse for you. Standing next to you makes me feel insecure. So, I think I should go back home soon.” I pouted, feeling like I might cry, wanting to say more but ultimately smiling instead.

“Then I won’t be a star anymore. I’ll go to the company and terminate my contract right now!” Shichui suddenly declared, startling me.

“Idiot! Being a star isn’t something you can just start or stop on a whim! You’ve worked so hard to get here, so you better keep striving for your future. You need to become even more famous-famous enough to have fans all over the globe, famous enough that even aliens on the moon and Mars recognize you. Got it?” I said seriously.

“Alright. I’ll work hard! Really hard!” Shichui smiled, an innocent, genuine smile.

Shichui was always brimming with confidence. It was this very confidence that made him so captivating, so irresistible.