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

Chapter 219 Trying to hide and escape? No way!

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight crept into the room, Zhou Yanruo was the first to wake. She lay back on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling for several seconds. Then, she reached out and touched the blanket covering her, her gaze returning to the shimmering golden ceiling and the dazzling crystal chandelier. At that moment, she suddenly realized what had happened the night before.

Zhou Yanruo suddenly sat up from the sofa, the scene before her making her even more awake. She then noticed that Shang Yibo was lying quietly on the opposite sofa, breathing evenly and deeply, clearly still fast asleep.

Recalling everything that happened last night, Zhou Yanruo felt a splitting headache and her neck was stiff and uncomfortable. The blurry fragments of memory gradually pieced together in her mind, and she realized that she had indeed drunk too much last night and had completely lost control.

Zhou Yanruo lowered her head awkwardly, her cheeks slightly flushed. She dared not look at Shang Yibo again, afraid of waking him, and even more afraid of facing that awkward situation. So, she quickly stood up and practically fled the room.

Back in her room, Zhou Yanruo eagerly opened the shower door and stood under the showerhead. Steaming water cascaded down from above, instantly enveloping her. The warm water seemed to have a magical power, slightly easing her embarrassment and discomfort.

"This is so embarrassing," Zhou Yanruo muttered to herself, her voice tinged with regret and helplessness. "How could I have lost my composure like this? I must be more careful about my words and actions in the future. I can't let this happen again."

Shang Yibo was awakened by the sound of a door closing. He had slept very soundly and comfortably. He still clearly remembered what happened last night and was secretly glad that he hadn't drunk to the point of blacking out.

The person who was sleeping on the opposite sofa was no longer there. The image of Zhou Yanruo leaving with a blushing face flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but smile.

He got up and began to tidy up the trash on the coffee table, putting the unopened snacks into bags and placing them on the shelf by the door.

On the shelf, he saw two paper bags. Opening them, he found they contained vegetables and snacks. He was puzzled; these things certainly weren't brought back by him and Zhou Yanruo. Had someone been in the room last night?

Just then, the phone rang.

The sound didn't seem to be his phone, so he followed the sound and found Zhou Yanruo's phone ringing in the gap between the sofa and the wall.

The caller ID showed Ding Jiajia, but Shang Yibo couldn't answer because he couldn't unlock his phone. So, he picked up his own phone and called Ding Jiajia back.

Ding Jiajia answered the phone almost the instant it rang, "Yibo?"

Shang Yibo asked, "Jiajia, are you looking for Yan Ruo? She left her phone in my room. What do you need her for so early? Didn't she have no schedules today?"

Shang Yibo's direct statement that Zhou Yanruo had spent the night in his room made Ding Jiajia feel a little embarrassed. She stammered, "Oh, right, I didn't have anything to do during the day. I just wanted to ask everyone what they wanted for breakfast?"

"Just for this?" Shang Yibo said again, "You know Yan Ruo's room number, right? Call her room and tell her that she left her phone in my room."

Ding Jiajia hesitated and said, "Is this...is this appropriate?"

"It's just a phone call, what's so inappropriate about it? Why are you acting so strange today? What did Jian Zheng take you to eat yesterday?"

After hanging up the phone, Shang Yibo thought of Jian Zheng and sent him a message: "I'm free today and tomorrow during the day."

The message had barely been sent when Jian Zheng called, "Let's do it today then."

Shang Yibo asked, "Why are you up so early too?"

Jian Zheng replied, "I haven't gone to sleep yet, I was just about to take a nap. I'll pick you up around four o'clock this afternoon."

Shang Yibo estimated the time; it was a night shoot, so there shouldn't be any scheduling conflicts: "I'll send you the hotel address."

Jian Zheng: "No need, I know which hotel you're staying at."

Although Shang Yibo was puzzled as to how he knew the hotel address, he didn't delve into it. "See you this afternoon."

The doorbell rang as soon as the phone call ended.

Shang Yibo thought it was Zhou Yanruo coming to get her phone, so he pulled down his clothes and went to open the door.

Upon opening the door, she found Ding Jiajia standing there. "What are you doing here?"

Ding Jiajia retorted, "Why can't it be me? Yibo, do you have a problem with me? You always seem to dislike seeing me. Did I offend you? I ate something delicious yesterday and was thinking of bringing some back for you."

Shang Yibo explained, "I thought it was Zhou Yanruo coming over to get her phone. You're overthinking it. I don't take you seriously."

Ding Jiajia said, "You might as well not explain." Then she added, "Sister Yanruo asked me to come and get it. We made plans to go downstairs for breakfast. She's taking a shower, so I came to get my phone first."

Shang Yibo stepped aside to let Ding Jiajia in, pointed to the phone on the coffee table, and said, "It's over there, take it." Ding Jiajia took the phone, and only remembered to ask before leaving, "What are you having for breakfast?"

Shang Yibo said defiantly, "I'm not eating, I'm going to sleep."

Ding Jiajia said, "Okay, you didn't sleep well last night, catch up on your sleep. We still have to film a night scene today."

"Okay, you guys go and eat and drink to your heart's content." As soon as Ding Jiajia left, Shang Yibo slammed the door shut and complained in a low voice to the empty room, "You can all go wherever you want, but I can't, right?"

He turned and went into the bedroom, lay down fully clothed, and his thoughts involuntarily returned to the previous night. Zhou Yanruo's words, "You can't like me," uttered under the influence of alcohol, acted like an invisible barrier, instantly blocking out his deep affection and longing.

He pondered her words repeatedly, realizing that she actually meant "cannot like," a subtle difference from "do not like." This gave him a sliver of confidence; once they were both sober, he was determined to find an opportunity to have a proper talk with her and thoroughly untangle this complicated relationship. He was thoroughly fed up with this testing and ambiguity, which had been troubling him and keeping him awake at night.

"You're not even showing your face, trying to hide and escape? No way."

After Shang Yibo figured things out, he naturally had his own ideas and felt much calmer.