Chapter 1709: Beiping Old Dreams: Beauty Performer Suppresses the Big Shot 24

Pei Yiqing tried to pull his hand away, already believing nine-tenths of what Jin Chen said, perhaps to leave Xiao Pofeng a last shred of dignity, wanting to end this conversation as amicably as possible.

"I don't believe what you say; if you weren't planning to deceive me, you would have made things clear that day we returned to Beiping."

But Xiao Pofeng held on tightly and wouldn't let him leave just like that; seeing Pei Yiqing's resolute attitude, the pain struck him like a trapped beast.

"I know I was wrong… Xiao Qing, just believe me once; if you're willing, I can give up everything and leave Beiping with you."

Third step, willing to elope, but still harboring his own ambition.

Pei Yiqing couldn't pull his hand free and instead felt it ache from being gripped; he stared at Xiao Pofeng, then after a moment let out a long sigh, and actually felt a spark of interest.

It wasn't that he wanted to hear all of Xiao Pofeng's nonsense; he wanted to test how many of the steps his sister-in-law had mentioned this familiar yet strange man could fulfill.

"Give up everything, Xiao Pofeng, can you bear to do that?" Pei Yiqing didn't evade any further, continuing along Xiao Pofeng's words.

"I can bear to! But… not now; let me settle the Xiao family's affairs, then I'll leave with you, just give me a little more time, okay?"

Xiao Pofeng gazed at him in a daze, his handsome brows and eyes radiating deep affection.

Pei Yiqing lowered his lashes, smirking helplessly as he twitched the corner of his mouth.

For some reason, Pei Yiqing suddenly recalled that day at the Colorful Development Theatre, when Xu Nanchun leaned against Xiao Pofeng's embrace.

"And what about Xu Nanchun?" Pei Yiqing asked softly, pulling his hand away with force.

"Can you bear to part with him?"

Xiao Pofeng blinked, suddenly realizing something, joy rising to his brows: "Oh, you're just jealous; Xu Nanchun is merely a performer, if you don't like him I'll never see him again."

Pei Yiqing: "……"

Really disgusting.

He drank tea to suppress his inner discomfort, as if recalling something through Xiao Pofeng.

How could one person pretend to that extent?

"Xiao Qing, I……"

"Wait a moment."

Pei Yiqing interrupted him, lowering his gaze to the steaming tea, his vision also turning somewhat blurry.

"Are you still wanting to say, let me give you a bit more time, let me understand your difficulties, and once everything is settled we can be together properly?"

Xiao Pofeng was utterly stunned, his lips twitching, yet he couldn't utter a word of rebuttal.

"Indeed it is." Pei Yiqing set down his teacup.

He also felt Jin Chen's words were excessive, yet they fit Xiao Pofeng exactly without a hair's difference.

"I don't believe a single word of what you just said."

Xiao Pofeng's expression sank: "Xiao Qing, what exactly do you still want me to do?"

"I want you to see yourself clearly."

Pei Yiqing stood up, placed the meal money on the table, then took out a yellowed poetry book from his bag, his tone extremely slow and utterly sincere: "Xiao Pofeng, when we first met in Shanghai, I thought you were a trustworthy friend."

"When I accepted this poetry book you gave me, I also felt that our mutual understanding was a rare thing."

"But guess what I found out."

He flipped open the flyleaf, pointing to some awkward name on the first page of the poetry book, scribbled over haphazardly with a pen, the characters illegible.

"This is Xu Nanchun's name."

"You're truly laughable, betraying his feelings and still trying to deceive me."

Xiao Pofeng frowned, lowering his gaze; perhaps this poetry book lay on the table, and one day he wrote it while teaching Xu Nanchun calligraphy.

The handwriting was blurred, and he had long forgotten this ever happened.

"Xiao Qing, this is……" "Misunderstanding."

Pei Yiqing took up his words, his expression complex as he shook his head: "Too many misunderstandings amount to the truth; forget it, Xiao Pofeng."

"Even if none of this had happened, we're not on the same path."

"Why?" Xiao Pofeng asked, his emotions unable to settle for a moment,

"Nowadays everywhere is in chaos; Beiping's common folk can still find a corner of peace, yet you aid the garrison in intervening in the pharmaceutical factory, so that the people won't even be able to find health in one region. I cannot accept your ideology."

Pei Yiqing pushed the poetry book and meal money over, solemnly saying: "Goodbye."

Xiao Pofeng remained seated, watching that resolute back depart, then his gaze fell again on the name crossed out on the flyleaf, and he stayed silent for a long time.

After a long while, his assistant entered the private room, looked around, then quietly reminded Xiao Pofeng: "Young Master, Mr. Wei invites you upstairs for a gathering to discuss the auction in a few days."

Understood.

Pei Yiqing hurried, finally making it back to Weiyang Xiyuan as the performance ended, bending slightly to sit beside Pei Yinnian.

"Brother, I'm back!"

Pei Yinnian glanced at him sideways, gave a light laugh, and said nothing.

Instead, Xu Liu helplessly produced a handkerchief from her bosom, pinching her son's cheek to wipe away his tears: "How old are you, still crying over missing a good show?"

Pei Yiqing: "……"

He sniffled, held the handkerchief over his face, and focused on the stage.

Suddenly he felt light all over.

【Villain Blackening Value detected -5, cumulative 55!】

Onstage, the beautiful performer in shifting light and shadow treads cloud steps, her lithe, graceful movements singing the closing melody, vigor arising spontaneously, she brandishes the sword tip and yet cups wine to drink, the entire audience entranced.

Yet her gaze toward the audience holds only one person, her eyes like autumn waves, rippling with bewitching affection.

Pei Yinnian sat in the seat of honor, his brows and eyes softened with tenderness.

Beiping's swallows returned once more, building nests under the eaves of every home, year after year, time flowing on just so.

Seven days later, amid the theater fans' sighs and satisfied laughter as they departed, the showdown between Weiyang Xiyuan and Colorful Development Theatre finally came to a close.

Looking at the first five days, the forces were still evenly matched; even with comparison it wasn't very obvious, but in the last two days the Xiao family seemed to have abandoned the theater, nobody came, and they no longer bothered to promote it.

Compared to Weiyang Xiyuan, which is sold out every day, anyone drawn there has no dislike; the outcome is already decided.

After another two days, Weiyang Xiyuan announced victory in the newspapers; Jin Chen's fame completely resounded in Beiping, with several major newspapers putting him on the front page, and just the photos were enough to attract people.

In contrast, there is Xu Nanchun, who is banned from performing on stage for two years, and the increasingly declining Cai Fa Xiyuan.