Chapter 69: Can I Tell You Something?
NOTE: Please play "Here With Me" by Marshmello feat. Chvrches to get the full effect of the chapter.
On the night of the live shoot of the award ceremony, Qiu Yue was seated near the front of the many rows. Qiao Feng wasn't able to sit next to her, so he had decided to stay backstage until it was time for her appearance. Almost everyone here was a famous artist, or such, and were generally all very hard-working people. Qiu Yue had her beautiful, slightly distancing smile on her face. She never wanted to seem too open and it didn't feel like her image either. The cameras on the red carpet on the way there had been flooded with flashes. Only sad thing was that she had to walk alone. She clapped for everyone announced as the winner and for the nominees, everyone who won deserved it and so she felt no qualms about it. It was important to give praise where it was deserved, that's what she felt.
Before her performance, she was directed backstage, and there she changed into a simple dusty pink skater dress. The material of the dress was just a little sparkly and complimented the lightning of the stage that they had planned out at the rehearsal. She had her hair up in a ponytail and other than her bold eye makeup, she opted to stay simple. Turning to give Qiao Feng a playful wink, she bounded onto the stage energetically.
There, she immediately heard cheers go up in the crowd at the back. She grinned happily. She really did love all her fans. That was why she was singing in a different language this time. Language was special to everyone and she wanted to make the people who supported her happy. Going forward she wanted to perform and release songs in different languages.
Her song would be released just as the live performance began so no one had heard it before. The song began and without skipping a beat she started to sing.
"Can I tell you something just between you and me?"
The crowd went wild. No one had expected her to sing in another language! Some of them felt shivers of excitement. The internet exploded too. Some immediately said that she was just singing a few lines in another language and would soon switch.
"When I hear your voice, I know I'm finally free
Every single word is perfect as it can be
And I need you here with me"
But they were proven wrong and the crowd loved it.
BittenApple: TT-TT I feel so touched I feel like she was singing for us!!!
- PosterHero: Really? I felt like she was singing for her fiancee!
- GeoMaster: It could go either way I think, I think she meant it for both of us.
- PinkMonster: -sniffs- I'm just crying
- DeerL1ghts: I LOVE YOU TOO. I need you here with me too!!
But Qiu Yue didn't know about the comments yet. On the stage, the lights from overhead were flashing constantly and she couldn't see much of the audience, but she could certainly hear them, as well as feel their energy. It made her very emotional. It was because her fans and Qiao Feng were the two existences that truly loved her for who she was.
"When you lift me up, I know that I'll never fall
I can speak to you by saying nothing at all
Every single time, I find it harder to breathe
'Cause I need you here with me"
This song was for both Qiao Feng and her fans, it was also a happier sounding song.
"'Cause I need you here with me
Every day"
The blue lights on the stage twirled around her as she danced lightly. Halfway through, someone had started clapping rhythmically with the beat. Soon the entire audience was doing so and it sounded like the whole stadium was supporting her. With the song ending, the music faded for the last chorus and just her sweet voice echoed.
"Can I tell you something just between you and me?
When I hear your voice, I know I'm finally free
Every single word is perfect as it can be
'Cause I need you here with me"
The last beat hit and then the audience just couldn't stop clapping. Qiu Yue waved at the crowd before quickly leaving the stage so that the next performance could start. She could feel the energy coursing through her veins, giving a good performance always excited her. She had to change and go back to the audience. But before that, she grabbed Qiao Feng and pulled that ridiculously tall man down, pressing a kiss to his lips, hoping to tell her how she felt. Looking at his smile and the way his eyes felt on her as she left, she knew he'd gotten the message. The staff around also had small smiles. It didn't feel awkward because everyone already knew of their relationship, and she had only kissed him far away from all the flurry and activity.
After the show was over, all the artists had to give individual interviews with the reporters invited. It was almost like a mini-conference. No one expected it to get out of hand, however, so there was no official regulator present. As expected it went smoothly. One reporter had asked Qiu Yue about the news coverage for her upcoming wedding, which was expected to be a huge deal. Not only was Qiao Feng the son of a reputed family, but Qiu Yue was also an international star and with the news, the Lang family had spread, her status was only more pronounced.
Qiu Yue made clear that the actual ceremony itself could not be recorded, not by the press. Qiao Feng, who was next to her interjected after she finished by saying that there would indeed be a performance that they could record after the ceremony itself, but that it would be he himself performing and not Qiu Yue.
That declaration not only had the reporters surprised but Qiu Yue herself too. It was so surprising that she wasn't able to hide it, promptly getting photographed. It wasn't bad however, that was why Qiao Feng had said it here. It was Qiao Feng's present to her. He used to play the piano when he was a kid. His birth mother had taught him how to, and after her death, he'd stopped playing entirely. She knew he could play because he had told her, but she hadn't expected him to play for her.
Her heart trembled slightly, but the pain melted into warmth. This man never stopped surprising her, and though what he gave her was enough he always went above and beyond for her. She really wanted to reach out and hug him, just melt right into his arms but instead, she restrained herself, slipping her hand into his. Her fingers curled around his and she firmly held onto him, trying to tell him how much she loved him through the warmth.
It was a few months later. Qiu Yue sat on a cushioned seat as Bai Yi and Yao Yan brought in her wedding dress. She and Qiao Feng had decided to use the rings they had as their wedding rings. They had taken them off for now and were going to put them on each other at the ceremony once again. However, even that momentary absence felt like a tendril of cold curling around her heart. That feeling of unfamiliarity was unsettling. She softly clenched her fist, reassuring herself. It was only a few hours now, she wasn't going to start worrying now.
Her wedding dress was custom made and at first, she debated between many choices, far and wide. She knew it was a dress, but it was special, it felt special. Finally, she had decided to go with something that matched her ring. She had looked at so many red dresses, but somehow none felt right. Running out of options she had stumbled on this beautiful fabric that was blue, not red and had her heart stolen. It was a lace spectacle. She loved the soft and romantic look they had. Dipping into a boat neck, they went around her shoulders stopping without any sleeves. The lace slanted down into a deep V, exposing her back. The faint net barely covered her shoulders, dusting them with a crisscrossing of glitter. The lace that covered the dress grew sparse over the skirt, leading into a long train. Here was where the white gave way to this brilliant inky indigo, tampering into it. The lace at the very edge of the train was gold, and it was reminiscent of her ring, and somehow that fit perfectly. The skirt fell straight down, without any added volume, just fitted till her thighs such that it barely showed and the fabric loosely hugged her.
Her usually wavy hair was styled half up. It was loosely bunched together and on that sat a crown. Qiu Yue was not wearing a veil, she had chosen to wear a crown instead. There were white beads that dotted the tresses of her waves as they curled around her back, pulled away from her face. Her makeup had taken ages to complete, but it looked simple and soft, just accentuating her features. She had stuck to her favorite red lip color, after all, she was getting married to a man who had seen all of her. Her makeup wasn't to give an impression, it was for her to feel amazing.
Yao Yan had had a slightly concerning lost look in her eyes sometimes, but it would disappear the moment she looked back at Qiu Yue and Bai Yi. She had kept to herself mostly, not appearing much even to Qiu Yue. She felt very conflicted and Qiu Yue's wedding was all the more… But she didn't want to say anything, she couldn't. She had no right.
Xiang Yu Se was walking his sister down the aisle today. Although her so-called father and step were attending, Qiu Yue hadn't wanted either of them to walk her down. If she was going to walk down a red carpet of sorts, she'd do it with people she cared about.
A lot of the people at the wedding were Qiao Feng's friends, and he had a big bachelor's party. As a present Qiu Yue had sent him an audio recording. She had recorded it just a few days ago, it wasn't much, just her voice as the chords of a guitar that she had played along. Qiao Feng had promised to sing for her after the ceremony, but he had still sent her a small note and a photograph of both of them. She wasn't sure when it had been taken but she was asleep in Qiao Feng's arms, and he was looking at her so softly that she had to bite her lip to stop from crying.
"Nothing can ever compare."
Qiu Yue had closed her eyes and sighed, letting the weight at the back of her throat dissipate slowly.
Finally, Qiu Yue stepped out of the door leading outside, into the wide expanse of green that for today was decorated with cool blue lights and dusty pink flowers all over. Gold ornaments hung from the black metal arches that were covered by dark green vines, positioned around the grounds. It was getting darker, and the sun would soon be setting as they said their vows. She looked up at Yu Se who had her arm in his, a big grin on his face but his feelings were given away by his misty eyes. Qiu Yue chuckled before leaning over and kissing his cheek. This older brother of Qiu Yue's had really been unconditionally kind to her. She could see how much he loved the original owner. She could see he was happy for her, and yet this cry baby was also bawling while watching her get married.
Taking a deep breath, Qiu Yue inclined her head at her brother. He nodded and she looked forward as they began to walk forward.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Qiu_Yue
Qiu_Yue Well well, how is it so far? Thank you to all you wonderful people who voted and liked and commented! It absolutely amazing that people are still reading!
This arc will finally end in the next few days! Just 2 more chapters to go and I'm fired up for the next arc so here's to hope!
I do adore comments so please do comment! I am and have been reading them all.
If you want to re-read this arc like me to actually remember things again, start from 2.1!Like. Comment. Ily. Do join discord at BGQrRHF!
PS. Unedited, don't have an editor pls help.
KO-FI: Qiu_Yue
PATREON: Qiu_Yue
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone