"Are we still going to sing now?" Wang Yue asked with a smile.
"Yes!" Li Xiaoman nodded firmly.
After the scare they had just experienced, going to sing a song to vent seemed like a good idea.
As they walked, Li Xiaoman kept stealing glances at Wang Yue. She was incredibly curious about him now. He hadn't shown any fear when facing those two criminals, while she had been completely panicked. Girls, after all, were often drawn to strength. She believed most girls, when faced with insurmountable difficulties, wished for a heroic figure to save them. And Wang Yue had played that role.
"Do I have flowers on my face?" Wang Yue asked with a grin, having noticed Li Xiaoman's furtive glances. In his previous life, Li Xiaoman hadn't acted this way; it had always been him secretly observing her. Back then, she had asked him this exact question with a smile. This stark contrast brought him a secret sense of satisfaction.
"N-no," Li Xiaoman stammered, her face flushing like a child caught stealing a cookie.
"Our Little Mihu doesn't seem as lively as she is online?" Wang Yue teased.
Li Xiaoman, still blushing, retorted, "Why not? It's just, just..."
"Just what?" Wang Yue inquired. "Just that it's our first meeting, so we're a bit reserved?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Li Xiaoman nodded vigorously, like a pecking chick.
"Pfft." Seeing Li Xiaoman's cute gesture, Wang Yue couldn't help but laugh. He wondered why he hadn't noticed this adorable side of her in his previous life.
Feeling teased, Li Xiaoman playfully hit Wang Yue. "Hey old man, what are you laughing at? I'm telling the truth."
"Ouch~" To her surprise, Wang Yue cried out in pain.
Li Xiaoman was startled. "Did I hurt you? But I didn't use any force."
"I had a bit of an injury here before, that's why it hurts," Wang Yue said, feigning pain.
Li Xiaoman believed him and leaned closer. "Let me see. I'm so sorry, old man."
As Li Xiaoman leaned in, Wang Yue held his fist to his face, feigning agony. "Look." Li Xiaoman didn't even realize she had hit his arm, not his fist, which he was clutching.
When Li Xiaoman got close enough, Wang Yue suddenly opened his covered fist and made a heart shape.
"You're so naughty!" Li Xiaoman burst out laughing. She reached out to hit him again, but stopped midway, afraid he might cry out in pain again.
"Hahaha, you're too cute," Wang Yue said, chuckling. He hadn't seen this adorably naive side of Li Xiaoman before. What a treasure of a girl had he missed out on in his past life?
After Wang Yue cracked a few jokes, the distance between them clearly lessened. Li Xiaoman gradually shed her initial awkwardness and truly accepted the reality of meeting Wang Yue in person after knowing him online. This witty and humorous online acquaintance seemed even more impressive in the real world. With this thought, Li Xiaoman felt that agreeing to meet Wang Yue was the wisest decision she had made.
When they arrived at the KTV, Li Xiaoman asked for a small private room. The manager, a middle-aged woman who seemed to know Li Xiaoman well, smiled and led them to a room.
"My dear, we have some free time at the moment, so we'll upgrade you to a medium-sized room for free." The manager said with a smile.
"Thank you, ma'am," Li Xiaoman replied sweetly.
"You're welcome. I hope you have a great time," the manager said before leaving.
"Are you familiar with the manager?" Wang Yue asked.
"I come to this KTV often, and the manager always attends to me, so I guess we're quite familiar," Li Xiaoman said with a smile. She then sat down at the song selection machine and began to choose songs.
"Old man, what song do you want to sing?" Li Xiaoman turned and asked. Under the colorful lights of the KTV, Li Xiaoman's beauty was undiminished; rather, it was enhanced with a unique charm.
"Anything is fine. You pick first; I want to hear you sing a few songs," Wang Yue said with a smile.
"Okay~" Li Xiaoman quickly selected her songs. As the intro music started, Wang Yue's expression turned peculiar. It was "Exclusive Memory." The song immediately reminded him of the time he had impressed Zhong Sheng at a KTV. A truly wonderful memory.
"Since when did I forget how many days have passed since we parted..." Li Xiaoman began to sing. The moment she opened her mouth, Wang Yue narrowed his eyes. The familiar taste. To be honest, Li Xiaoman had a pleasant voice, but for some reason, when she sang, she transformed into someone else. She was rarely on key. However, her voice was nice enough that it wasn't unpleasant, and in fact, sounded rather cute.
Halfway through the song, Li Xiaoman said with a blush, "Old man, don't laugh at me. I know my singing isn't great." Although Li Xiaoman knew her singing wasn't good, she loved to sing. She often came alone when she was feeling down or happy, not worrying about what others thought.
"No, it sounds great," Wang Yue said with a smile.
"Really?" Li Xiaoman's eyes lit up. This was the first time anyone had praised her singing. Her friends used to look disgusted when she sang.
"Really, really. Keep singing," Wang Yue encouraged her. Encouraged by Wang Yue, Li Xiaoman seemed to regain her confidence, and most of her singing was on key now.
After finishing the song, Li Xiaoman still felt like singing more. But remembering Wang Yue was there, she quickly said, "Old man, you sing a song too."
"Okay. What do you want to hear?" Wang Yue asked.
"Hmm..." Li Xiaoman furrowed her brows in thought for a moment before saying, "How about 'Fairy Tale'!" At that time, "Fairy Tale" was a song that spread by word of mouth; almost everyone knew it.
"Okay." Wang Yue picked up the microphone. As the intro began,
"I don't remember how long it's been
Since I last heard you
Tell me your favorite story..."
Wang Yue began to sing, his gentle voice rivaling that of Guang Liang. Li Xiaoman's eyes widened. The moment Wang Yue started singing, she was captivated. It was too beautiful. It felt almost as good as the original, and it had its own unique style.
"You cried and told me
Fairy tales are all lies
I can't possibly be your prince..."
Li Xiaoman closed her eyes, immersing herself in the ocean of music with Wang Yue. Wang Yue's singing was like storytelling, completely drawing her into the narrative of the song.
"I wish to become the angel
You love in the fairy tale
Spreading my arms
Becoming wings to protect you..."
The familiar chorus arrived. Li Xiaoman couldn't help but hum along. Wang Yue sang with increasing passion. Old songs from that era were still powerful even decades later, catchy and melodious. Unlike the Chinese music scene later on, where it was hard to find a few listenable songs.
When the song ended, Li Xiaoman opened her eyes and started clapping wildly.
"Old man, your singing is too amazing!" Li Xiaoman's eyes sparkled; she had clearly become a fan. Because she knew her own singing was poor, she naturally felt a fondness for those who sang well.
"You didn't do badly yourself," Wang Yue said with a smile.
Li Xiaoman immediately blushed. "Don't praise me. I know exactly how I sing."