A Friend Is Coming

"Come on, didn't you ask me to pretend to be your boyfriend?" Zhang Yang said with amusement. "Do you expect me to act like we're not very close?"

"Hugging and cuddling is the bottom line," Liu Chang muttered to himself.

"But you were the one who initiated the kiss," Zhang Yang muttered to himself. "Why don't you have a good talk with your best friend about this later, clear things up, and prevent any rift between you two?"

"No!" Liu Chang panicked for a moment, then smiled and grabbed Zhang Yang, "Good brother, let's keep what happened just now a secret from each other."

Zhang Yang smiled but didn't reply. "Let's go, your sister Han Lu is still waiting."

A moment later, Zhang Yang saw Han Lu still waiting by the roadside, eagerly anticipating his arrival.

"Let's go, get in the car."

"Wait a minute," Liu Chang, in the passenger seat, suddenly said with a smile, "I'm getting out too. I need to make room for someone in the passenger seat."

Zhang Yang found it amusing; he hadn't realized Liu Chang was so sensible.

A moment later, Han Lu smiled and got into the passenger seat, Liu Chang obediently went to the back seat, Zhang Yang drove the Ghost straight to Beijing SKP.

Of course, we had to have dinner first, at Jingji on the second floor of the Ritz-Carlton across from SKP.

Along the way, Liu Chang excitedly shared what had just happened with Han Lu.

"You didn't see it, but the moment Zhang Shuai came out, my ex-boyfriend turned completely pale. You know how arrogant he is, we had to teach him a lesson he shouldn't be so naive."

"With Zhang Yang taking the lead, it's a sure-fire victory." Han Lu stared at Zhang Yang, her eyes revealing undisguised admiration.

"Oh right, Zhang, you still haven't told me where you got this car? Did you just buy it?" Liu Chang pressed on.

"It wasn't bought, it was a gift," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

"A gift? Who's so kind as to give you Ghost? Tell me, I'll go get one too someday." Liu Chang joked.

I don't know how much time passed, but we arrived at the Ritz-Carlton in the China World Trade Center.

Having booked a table in advance, Zhang Yang, accompanied by two flight attendants, headed straight for the Jingji on the second floor of the Ritz-Carlton after getting off the bus.

As a high-end brand under Xinrongji, with two Michelin stars and one Black Pearl diamond, Jingji's location and environment are naturally impeccable, and its prestige is high enough.

The minimum charge for a private room is 2,500 yuan per person.

Zhang Yang simply asked for a private room, and the three of them sat inside, with the lights of Beijing visible through the curtains.

"Jingji, huh? One of my colleagues in the flight crew had her boyfriend take her to Jingji once, and she bragged about it to us for ages afterward." Liu Chang stared at the menu, her big eyes wide.

"My goodness, this must-order signature dish, the boiled soft-boiled shrimp, costs 1280 yuan? And this crispy beef brisket, just this much, is 698 yuan?"

Han Lu looked at the menu and was speechless with surprise when she saw that a dish of Mapo Tofu with white roe cost five hundred.

Zhang Yang noticed that the two flight attendants were taking orders while letting out soft gasps of surprise, which he found rather amusing.

"Order it, it's 2,500 yuan per person, don't hold back."

"Two thousand five hundred per person, that means the three of us will have to spend at least seven thousand five hundred today?" Liu Chang was a little speechless. Then, she composed herself, solemnly took out her phone to look up some recipes, and ordered a few recommended dishes.

In a short while, the three of them quickly pointed out a bunch of dishes from the shop's signboard.

Dishes like steamed flower crab with chicken fat and Shaoxing wine, braised Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and boiled sweet-smelling prawns...

There look like a lot of food, but I'm guessing the quantity won't be that much.

While waiting for their food, the two flight attendants chatted idly, when Zhang Yang's phone, which was on the table, suddenly buzzed.

He glanced at it, somewhat surprised.

The caller was surprisingly Tian Chuxi.

Tian Chuxi had told him a while ago that she was planning to come to Beijing in a while, but there had been no news for so long that he had almost forgotten about it. He didn't expect her to call him today.

"Could she have already gone to the Beijing?"

A thought flashed through Zhang Yang's mind, and he answered the phone without thinking.

"Surprise, guess where I am right now?" Tian Chuxi said with a laugh on the phone.

"You didn't come to the Beijing, did you?" Zhang Yang asked, feigning surprise.

"You guessed right, I was thinking of finding you as soon as I landed. So, is there dinner to treat you to?" Tian Chuxi asked with great anticipation.

"Of course there are, but right now..." Zhang Yang looked up at the two flight attendants beside him.

"What? Are you not available right now? Do you have a girl with you?" Tian Chuxi asked with a smile.

"I have a few friends here," Zhang Yang said. "I was worried it might be inconvenient for you, so how about this, I'll send you an address, and you can come over if you don't mind?"

"Okay, then I'll shamelessly go over there." Tian Chuxi readily agreed.

A moment later, Zhang Yang lowered his head and wrote down the address. When he looked up, he saw two flight attendants staring at him.

"Excuse me, a friend of mine might be coming over later."

"Come on, come on! By the way, is your friend... a woman?" Liu Chang asked with a smile. "A confidante? Or something else?"

Seeing this Han Lu lightly patted Liu Chang, "Why are you so gossipy? What are you asking?"

"Hmph, you don't appreciate kindness. I'm asking on your behalf, okay?" Liu Chang snorted and muttered in protest.

Zhang Yang shook his head and chuckled, offering no further explanation.

His friend is a rising star, and while she may not be a top-tier celebrity, she has a promising future and is currently one of the most sought-after young actresses.

I wonder if these two flight attendants know each other.

After sitting for a short while, the dishes began to be served.

The two flight attendants tacitly refrained from eating, so Zhang Yang simply gave each of them a homemade ice cream with zero calories to eat first.

A little while later, Zhang Yang's phone rang.

It was a message from Tian Chuxi.

She said she had arrived.

"My friend has arrived," Zhang Yang said with a smile after glancing at him.

"Finally here. I was afraid I would have fainted from hunger if it had been any later." Liu Chang gently pressed his lower abdomen with both hands, his expression immediately becoming relaxed.

It's really hard to resist eating when there's delicious food right in front of you!

A moment later, footsteps could be heard.

Everyone in the private room looked towards the door.

Tian Chuxi wore a sweatshirt and jeans, a very fresh and casual style, and as usual, she wore sunglasses and a mask.

"Hello, have you been waiting long?"

Tian Chuxi greeted them and sat down beside them.

The two flight attendants exchanged glances, especially Liu Chang, who couldn't help but whisper in Han Lu's ear, "Zhang Yang's friend is really strange, isn't he? Wearing sunglasses and a mask so late at night? He's hiding so well?"

"Shh!" Han Lu lowered her voice, but her gaze couldn't help but linger on the girl in front of her.

Tian Chuxi, of course, didn't notice their whispers.

She gently removed her baseball cap, sunglasses, and mask, revealing a delicate, fair face.

Celebrities naturally possess a certain charisma.

When such a distinctive face suddenly appeared, both flight attendants felt as if they recognized it.

"Hey beautiful, you look familiar... We probably haven't met before, have we?" Liu Chang suddenly couldn't help but ask.

"You look very familiar, Zhang Yang. What does your friend do?" Han Lu couldn't help but ask.

"My friend..." Zhang Yang was just about to introduce him.

Tian Chuxi smiled and extended her hand, "Then you have probably seen me before. Tian Chuxi, currently an actress. It's nice to meet you."

The expressions on the two flight attendants' faces were incredibly vivid and captivating.

"Tian Chuxi! I knew it! I should have recognized you at first glance, but I didn't dare to think in that direction."

"Damn, I actually met Tian Chuxi! Zhang Yang, you're friends with Tian Chuxi? Am I dreaming?"

The two flight attendants gasped in surprise, as if they were dreaming.

This is so surreal!

We just went out for dinner together that evening, and a friend showed up, only to discover that she's one of the hottest young actresses in China right now.

They shouldn't have lost their composure like that, after all, they often have the chance to run into celebrities on airplanes.

But the situation is different now.

Airplanes are public places, but this is a private dinner party, a private occasion. Seeing celebrities in such a setting can be quite impactful, inevitably turning them into enthusiastic fans.

Zhang Yang guessed that these two flight attendants were at most just casual fans before.

But at this moment, seeing the real person, it's not surprising at all that casual fans would instantly turn into die-hard fans.

Can we take a photo together?

"Oh, right, can we... can we add each other on WeChat privately?"

The two young flight attendants, their faces flushed with excitement, cautiously made their request.

"Sure, we can all be friends." Tian Chuxi nodded generously and showed her her personal WeChat.

Han Lu and Liu Chang immediately beamed with joy, took out their phones to add each other on WeChat, took a group photo together, and then returned to their seats satisfied.

Only then did Zhang Yang have time to chat with Tian Chuxi.

It's been a while since I've seen her, and it seems like Tian Chuxi hasn't changed at all. She's still sweet and full of youthful energy.

"The play is over, right?"

"It's in the later stages. I came to Beijing this time to participate in a variety show, so my schedule isn't too full. I have plenty of time to relax." Tian Chuxi looked relaxed and naturally started eating her food. "Oh, you guys are eating too."

Only then did she notice the untouched dish.

The two flight attendants seemed to snap out of a daze and quickly picked up their chopsticks to taste Jingji's dishes.

Zhang Yang also tried it.

As expected, the food lived up to its reputation and the price was well worth it. Whether it was the soft-boiled shrimp with its runny yolk, the crispy beef brisket with its crispy exterior and tender interior, or the uniquely flavored Mapo tofu, the taste was quite special.

We're all girls, so we should all pay attention to managing our figures.

However, in comparison, Tian Chuxi only ate a little of each dish, nodding as she ate, while the two flight attendants, although they didn't eat much either, were still quite different from Tian Chuxi's almost demanding attitude towards food.

After eating for a while, the two flight attendants noticed Tian Chuxi's eating habits and blushed. They then began to eat more meticulously in the same way.

Actually, they were more curious about Tian Chuxi than about the food.

Throughout the meal, they kept asking all sorts of questions, inquiring about many things that interested them.

Tian Chuxi generously satisfied their curiosity.

"By the way, I have a rather sensitive question to ask. You don't have to answer if it's inconvenient." Liu Chang asked abruptly, for reasons unknown.

"I think I know what you want to ask." Tian Chuxi gently put down her chopsticks.

"Okay, so here's the question: you're single right now, right? No secret boyfriend or anything?" Liu Chang asked with a smile, seemingly casually.

"Of course not," Tian Chuxi replied quite naturally.

"Okay, I guessed it. You're in the prime of your career right now, so it's normal that you don't have any." Liu Chang said with an "I knew it" look. "Zhang Yang just said a friend was coming, and we were wondering who you were. It's unbelievable, we never dreamed it would be a big star. By the way, how did you and Zhang Yang meet?"

"That's enough," Zhang Yang said with a laugh. "Look at the questions you asked, are they appropriate? They're all personal and private."

"I was just curious," Liu Chang said weakly, not daring to argue with Zhang Yang.

"Chu Xi, how did you get here?" Zhang Yang asked Tian Chuxi again.

"The van is downstairs. I need to finish eating early and head back to the hotel first." Tian Chuxi glanced at the two flight attendants. "I won't disturb you and your two friends any longer."

"So soon?" Zhang Yang asked in surprise. "Alright, you should go home early. I'll invite you out alone another day."

Tian Chuxi nodded slightly, ate for a while longer, and then prepared to leave.

"You guys enjoy your meal, I'll be going now."

The two flight attendants instinctively stood up.

"Please have a seat, I'll see you off, I'll be right back." Zhang Yang glanced at the two flight attendants, smiled, and said, then looked at Tian Chuxi, "Let's go, I'll see you off."

"Okay." Tian Chuxi put her mask back on.

The two walked out of the private room one after the other.

"I'm going to the restroom." Liu Chang also stood up.

··

Outside the private room, Zhang Yang and Tian Chuxi walked side by side.

In a quiet corner, Zhang Yang glanced at Tian Chuxi, who was staring straight ahead and deliberately not looking to the side, and smiled as he put his arm around her waist and pressed her against the wall.

"Are you crazy?" Tian Chuxi's eyes widened. "Instead of spending time with your two flight attendants, you've come here to make fun of me?"

"Take off your mask," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

"No." Tian Chuxi said softly, gently swatting away the hand that was resting on her thigh.

"Remove it," Zhang Yang continued, leaning slightly forward.

"Zhang Yang, we're outside," Tian Chuxi said gently, pleading, "We'll talk about it later... later."

It's clear that her will is not strong.

Zhang Yang smiled and gently reached out to remove Tian Chuxi's mask.

"Hurry up." Tian Chuxi seemed resigned, her eyes slightly closed, her face tilted back. "Just a moment... um..."

She let out a soft moan as Zhang Yang kissed her.

Since they were out in public, Zhang Yang couldn't just do whatever he wanted. He gave her a light kiss, then smiled and got up to help Tian Chuxi put on her mask.

Let's go.

"You're so reckless. You'll be in big trouble if you get caught." Tian Chuxi rolled her eyes at Zhang Yang and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Zhang Yang said dismissively.

"Of course you're not afraid." Tian Chuxi angrily punched Zhang Yang lightly.

The little girl's fist was as light as a breeze. Zhang Yang smiled and seized the opportunity to grab it, then took her hand and walked straight to the elevator.

Not far behind, someone peeked out from the corner of the wall, their expression blank.

What did I see?