Chapter 179 : About Our Promise!
"Tsk, what rotten luck~"
Bai Yiyue was running for her life, glancing over her shoulder at the paparazzi chasing her relentlessly. She let out a sigh of resignation. She had only stepped out for a quick bite, yet somehow, she still managed to run into the paparazzi.
Running into them was bad enough, but the worst part was that she'd been eating at the time. Despite using one of the "Four Great Evil Arts"—disguise—to cover herself, her lack of a mask gave her away, and she was recognized almost instantly.
Left with no other choice, Bai Yiyue had to make a break for it. If these reporters managed to catch her, her overbearing manager would never let her hear the end of it, making it even harder to sneak out in the future.
Seeing their target flee, the paparazzi naturally took off after her. After all, they had been specially hired from Hong Kong, known for being among the fastest chasers in the world. According to them, no celebrity had ever managed to escape their pursuit.
Bai Yiyue looked back at the paparazzi closing in on her and let out a bitter smile. Despite her decent stamina, she was still a girl, and these were some of the fastest runners in the business.
But then, she spotted a familiar yet strange figure up ahead. Yes, even though that person had grown up, their figure and features had changed, Bai Yiyue could recognize them instantly. After all, this was the person she dreamed of day and night—the one she loved most in the world.
Finding new strength, Bai Yiyue sped up, pushing herself to her limit. She dashed toward the person and threw her arms around them, taking in their stunned expression. It was just like when they were kids.
Ling Ning stared at the girl embracing her, utterly bewildered. She had no idea what was happening or why this strange girl had suddenly hugged her. Was she about to claim she was Ling Ning's long-lost childhood friend or something?
And what was the deal with those middle-aged men holding cameras who were quickly approaching? Seriously, wasn't she about to get caught?
Realizing the situation, Bai Yiyue acted without hesitation. She grabbed Ling Ning by the hand and started running.
Anyone else being pulled along by a stranger would have struggled or resisted a bit. Ling Ning wanted to as well, but as soon as Bai Yiyue took hold of her hand, an image flashed through her mind.
It was a memory of a little girl holding her hand as they ran. The moment the girl turned back to look at her, the image disappeared. Ling Ning found herself running alongside the mysterious girl without resistance.
After running for a while, Bai Yiyue sensed something was off. She instinctively glanced behind her, noticing that the paparazzi who had been pursuing her had all disappeared.
In reality, the paparazzi had almost caught up to her, but for some inexplicable reason, a series of comical accidents occurred—someone stepped on a banana peel, another tripped over dog poop, others bumped into an elderly person or some obstacle, and one even stopped because their phone rang. Before long, they had all fallen out of pursuit.
To be on the safe side, Bai Yiyue continued running for a bit longer before ducking into a small alleyway, where she finally stopped and breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing that the mysterious girl had finally stopped, Ling Ning also exhaled deeply, grateful since she was already at her limit. If they had kept going, she surely wouldn't have been able to keep up.
"Um, could you please let go of my hand now?" Ling Ning asked between gasps, looking at the girl in front of her.
"Nope~"
"Eh?" Ling Ning blinked, her confusion clear as day.
"I'm so hurt. Just because I’m wearing a mask, you don't recognize me?" Bai Yiyue pretended to be deeply wounded, looking at Ling Ning with a dramatic expression.
Ling Ning paused for a moment. She didn't recognize this girl. Even though she felt a strange sense of familiarity, she couldn't recall who this was.
Seeing Ling Ning's bewildered expression, Bai Yiyue sighed in exasperation. "Honestly, there's no helping you. If I take off my mask, you'll know who I am, right?"
With that, Bai Yiyue removed her mask.
Staring at the beautiful face revealed beneath the mask, Ling Ning finally remembered—it was Bai Yiyue, the famous celebrity. No wonder those strange people had been chasing her—she was a superstar!
"So? Do you recognize me now?" Bai Yiyue asked, her gaze filled with expectation.
Ling Ning nodded slowly. "I know you. You’re that famous celebrity, Bai Yiyue. Of course, I recognize you."
The moment Ling Ning said this, the anticipation in Bai Yiyue's eyes instantly turned to deep disappointment and confusion.
"Ling Ning, have you really forgotten?" Bai Yiyue asked, her voice dropping.
Hearing Bai Yiyue call her name, Ling Ning froze. This was supposed to be their first time meeting, so how did Bai Yiyue know her name? And why did this girl seem so familiar? And what had she forgotten?
"I'm sorry, but this really is the first time we've met. I don't know you... mmph!"
Before she could finish speaking, Ling Ning felt a soft pressure on her lips. For a moment, she completely forgot to struggle. Bai Yiyue took advantage of this moment to deepen the kiss, invading Ling Ning's territory.
Ling Ning wanted to resist, but for some reason, her entire body felt weak, as if all her strength had left her. At the same time, the sensation felt strangely familiar. Suddenly, an image flashed through her mind—two little girls sharing a kiss.
She had no idea how long it lasted, but just as Ling Ning thought she might pass out from lack of air, Bai Yiyue finally pulled away.
Bai Yiyue licked her lips, then gently lifted Ling Ning's chin. "After all these years, it seems your kissing skills still haven't improved, huh, Ling Ning? So, do you remember me now?"
Ling Ning took several deep breaths, ignoring Bai Yiyue's teasing. Frowning, she said, "I had a severe illness when I was a child, and I lost some of my memories. This is my first impression of meeting you, but something tells me I should know you."
Bai Yiyue raised an eyebrow at this. "What do you remember, then?"
"As a child, I remember playing and running in an orphanage yard with a little girl whose face I can't recall... and we kissed. I also remember standing all alone in the orphanage yard. That's about it."
After listening to Ling Ning, Bai Yiyue fell silent for a moment before smiling. "It’s alright. I'll help you remember everything—about our promise."
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
Author's Note:
This salted fish is done for... Can someone save me~