The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Chapter 217 I dare not think of him, yet I am afraid of forgetting him.

Both of them were preoccupied, and the meal was rather unappetizing. As Jian Zheng had predicted, the food at the 'Shengchun Banquet' was truly awful; every bite was like chewing wax, difficult to swallow.

That night, Shang Yibo's mood was in turmoil. The initial joy of seeing Zhou Yanruo was overshadowed by the "tricky" situation she brought up. He finally mustered the courage to try and express his feelings to Zhou Yanruo in a subtle and implicit way, but to his surprise, Zhou Yanruo easily avoided the topic with an almost joking attitude. This left him feeling both embarrassed and helpless, with an indescribable sense of frustration lingering in his heart, leaving him with a complex mix of emotions.

He secretly pondered that perhaps revealing his true identity directly to her when they first met would have allowed them to be more honest about their relationship. However, that seemingly opportune moment had quietly passed, and bringing it up now would only complicate matters and make things more awkward.

Shang Yibo was deeply troubled. He didn't know how to start the conversation in a way that would both express his true feelings and convince her that he wasn't making up a story or having ulterior motives.

His thoughts were in turmoil, and a sense of unease crept over him. Shang Yibo couldn't help but sigh and mutter to himself, "I really should find a place and have a good drink."

Zhou Yanruo shook her head gently and laughed, "Stop joking. With this eye-catching face, we can't go anywhere."

Shang Yibo thought for a moment and said, "Let's go back to the hotel then. There's a small bar in my room with beer and whiskey. What would you like to drink? Or, I can have Xiao Guangzi go and buy some of your favorite drinks."

After Shang Yibo said that, Zhou Yanruo actually felt like having a drink, so she nodded.

On the way back to the hotel, the two fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

To be closer to the film set, they chose a hotel located outside the city center, which was somewhat remote. It was already past 9 p.m., past the evening rush hour, but the drive still took more than 40 minutes.

This hotel is the most upscale and best-equipped in the area. Since they would be staying there for approximately two months, to prevent unwanted attention from paparazzi and stalkers, the production crew specially booked the entire top floor of the executive suite for Shang Yibo. This floor, nearly 2,000 square meters, includes a presidential suite and five standard rooms. This allows Shang Yibo's team to work and rest together on this floor, while also facilitating hotel security.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Zhou Yanruo gestured for Shang Yibo to go back to his room first, while she went to the front desk to check in.

She dragged her suitcase back to her room, sat wearily on the sofa, and stared blankly for a long time. The words Shang Yibo had said to her at the "Shengchun Banquet" kept replaying in her mind, lingering there.

"What exactly does he mean? He wants me to treat him like that person... This isn't a subtle hint, it's a blatant declaration. Does he really think I can't understand? I managed to get away with it by making jokes."

But now, he wants to drink with me, and I actually agreed without hesitation. Why didn't I even hesitate for a second? I had countless excuses I could have used, so why didn't I say them? Am I going crazy?

She kept asking herself these questions, trying to find the answer. However, faced with Shang Yibo's complex gaze and sincere words, she found herself wavering. She didn't know if this was just her imagination, nor was she sure if she should continue to interact with him in this ambiguous way.

The past six months, from when she met Shang Yibo until now, flashed through her mind. She carefully checked to make sure she hadn't acted out of line or shown any inappropriate emotions. Finally, she took a deep breath and decided to temporarily put aside these chaotic thoughts. As for the rest, she'd deal with it later.

Just as she was lost in her thoughts, her phone rang, indicating an incoming message. She opened her phone and saw a message from Shang Yibo: "Why aren't you over yet? I checked the fridge, and there are only two cans of beer and two small bottles of whiskey. How about I have Xiao Guangzi go buy some? What would you like to drink?"

Zhou Yanruo replied, "I noticed there's a small supermarket in the hotel lobby that's still open. I'll go down and buy it. What would you like to drink?"

Shang Yibo quickly replied, "Moutai, I don't like foreign liquor. Bring some food up too, I haven't eaten much."

Zhou Yanruo replied, "Okay, I'll be back soon."

Shang Yibo washed his face; the cool water droplets slid down his cheeks, washing away his agitation and clearing his mind somewhat. He stood in front of the mirror, his gaze deep, a hint of worry showing between his brows.

Recalling Zhou Yanruo's ambiguous attitude just now, Shang Yibo felt a pang of unease. She no longer seemed as quick-witted and insightful as she used to be; instead, she had become somewhat hardened and unpredictable, occasionally revealing the worldly sophistication of an adult. Shang Yibo couldn't help but sigh, realizing that time truly can change many things, including people who were once so familiar.

He fell into deep thought, pondering how to convey his feelings to her. Should he confess directly again, or wait for a more suitable opportunity to express himself in a more subtle way?

Shang Yibo took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart. At this moment, he finally realized that the pure feelings he had back then were gone forever, and he had to face Zhou Yanruo in front of him again.

A short while later, Zhou Yanruo walked into Shang Yibo's room carrying two large bags of food and drinks.

"Why did you buy so much?" Shang Yibo asked, somewhat surprised, as he took the bag from Zhou Yanruo.

"If you can't finish it, just leave it. We're going to stay here for a while anyway. It's not convenient for you to go shopping by yourself," Zhou Yanruo said with a smile. "The supermarket didn't have the wine you mentioned. I bought a local kind of wine. The clerk said it's sweet, but it's quite strong, and told us to drink it slowly. But are you sure you're okay drinking today?"

Shang Yibo understood what she was worried about, so he said, "Didn't you see my schedule? We have consecutive night shoots tomorrow and the day after. It's okay to have a few drinks tonight, since we don't have anything to do during the day tomorrow anyway."

Neither of them were heavy drinkers, and after a few glasses of baijiu (Chinese liquor), coupled with the fact that they hadn't eaten much for dinner, they were already slightly drunk.

Zhou Yanruo gradually became more talkative, "Yibo, don't take it to heart. When I first met you, I kept mistaking you for him. Even though I knew it was impossible, I still couldn't control myself."

Zhou Yanruo stared at Shang Yibo with a dreamy look in her eyes and said slowly, "I dare not think about him, yet I am afraid of forgetting him. You don't understand these feelings, and you will never comprehend them."

"How do you know I don't understand?" Shang Yibo frowned.

Zhou Yanruo raised her glass and clinked it against Shang Yibo's, glancing at him sideways, "Because you're young, you haven't experienced anything like this yet."

Shang Yibo's face grew paler with each sip of his drink, until it was as white as paper. "I understand," he said, his lips pressed tightly together, his voice low and heavy, as if emanating from his chest. "I like you."

"You can't like me," Zhou Yanruo blurted out without thinking.