Chapter 187: Long-Awaited Reunion

Watching the woman in front of him, Ling Chen was equally stunned. He had only wanted to go to the restroom and hadn’t expected such a coincidence as running into Tang Shiyun.

Feeling the disbelief in Tang Shiyun’s gaze, he couldn’t help but grin: "Girl, don’t you recognize me anymore?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Tang Shiyun finally realized that she wasn’t dreaming; her beloved Ling was truly here.

"Ling!" She couldn’t hold back and quickened her pace, opening her arms and trotting towards Ling Chen, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying herself in his embrace.

The warm hug, long missed, brought tears to her eyes, glistening and on the verge of falling.

Ling Chen gently patted her back and smiled: "Alright, alright, no crying, we should be happy to finally meet."

"Mhmm." Tang Shiyun, nestled in his embrace, replied softly, holding him tightly, unwilling to let go for a long time. Seeing Ling Chen was not just joy and excitement for her, but more importantly, it was a feeling of reliance. As long as she was in his arms, the grievances of the past days seemed to vanish into nothing.

Just then, the room door next to them suddenly opened, and Zhong Wei, who had just stepped out, was startled to see this scene.

"Captain Zhong." Ling Chen coughed lightly, smiling sheepishly.

Seeing someone nearby, Tang Shiyun quickly lifted her head, leaning cutely against Ling Chen with a blush on her cheeks.

Zhong Wei hadn’t clearly seen her face when she was leaning on Ling Chen earlier, so he hadn’t reacted. But when he saw the familiar face that had appeared countless times on TV, his eyes widened instantly.

"Miss... Miss Tang..." He stammered, his voice full of disbelief.

"Girl, let me introduce you. This is Zhong Wei, my captain."

"Hello." Tang Shiyun greeted him politely.

"Hello... Hello, Miss Tang, I really enjoy your songs."

Tang Shiyun smiled sweetly: "Thank you!"

At this time, the people inside the room heard the commotion outside and squeezed their way to the doorway. Seeing Tang Shiyun, a group of burly men instantly turned into fanatical fans, excited about getting photos and autographs.

Since they were all friends of Ling Chen, Tang Shiyun naturally obliged and accommodated each one of their requests.

While Tang Shiyun was taking pictures with the other teammates, Zhong Wei pulled Ling Chen aside and quietly asked, "Bro, did you know her from before?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

"You didn’t ask."

"What was that... just now?" Zhong Wei didn’t finish his sentence, but the suggestive smile in his eyes said it all.

Ling Chen blushed, "Why ask so many questions?"

"Ling."

Tang Shiyun returned to his side with a smile, habitually wrapping her arm around his. This intimate gesture made Zhong Wei and the others green with envy, looking at Ling Chen with envy, jealousy, and resentment.

Ling Chen didn’t mind and waved his hand, "We are going to step out first."

Leaving the room, Ling Chen suddenly thought of something and asked, "Didn’t you come to have dinner? Are you done eating?"

"Not yet."

"Then why aren’t you going back? You are still a guest after all, don’t stay away for too long."

"I don’t want to go."

"Why?"

"There’s someone really annoying." Thinking of Zhang Zekai, Tang Shiyun pouted, her face full of displeasure.

"You mean Zhang Zekai?" Ling Chen immediately grasped her meaning.

Tang Shiyun nodded slightly.

Ling Chen’s brows knitted as he asked, "What’s wrong with him, did he bully you? Tell me about it."

"He..." Tang Shiyun’s lips parted slightly, hesitation flickering through her bright eyes.

Seeing her hesitate to speak, Ling Chen couldn’t help but urge, "What exactly did he do?"

"It’s nothing, just a small matter." Tang Shiyun forced a smile, "Ling, let’s talk about you instead, how have you been lately?"

She originally wanted to tell Ling Chen what Zhang Zekai had done to her, but after another thought, she decided against it. Although her Ling was skilled, Zhang Zekai had money and power, and she didn’t want to cause trouble for Ling because of herself.

Watching the smile on her face, Ling Chen sighed internally, then took her hand and led her to the balcony, looked into her eyes, and said word by word, "Girl, if you still consider me your Ling, then tell me honestly, what exactly happened."

He might not be old, but his experiences far surpassed those of Tang Shiyun. Tang Shiyun’s forced cheerfulness didn’t fool him; he could see that the girl definitely had something on her mind but was afraid to speak. The more she acted this way, the more he believed that Tang Shiyun must have been wronged.

Under Ling Chen’s gaze, Tang Shiyun’s eyes started to dodge, "Ling, I... I haven’t..."

"If you keep this up, it means that I’m not important in your eyes; you never used to hide things from me."

"No, that’s not it." Tang Shiyun quickly shook her head, "Ling, I... can I talk now?"

Then, she collected her emotions and narrated the incident she had encountered. Upon hearing her story, Ling Chen’s face turned ashen, and a nameless anger shone from his eyes.

Tang Shiyun had his full support on her chosen path, but he was equally worried. Everyone knew that the industry was treacherous, full of dirty dealings and unspoken rules, and the last thing he wanted was for Tang Shiyun to fall victim to such things.

But still, Tang Shiyun couldn’t avoid it.

Zhang Zekai! He sneered inwardly, a glint of sharpness in his eyes. Quite the nerve, to bully Tang Shiyun.

He took a deep breath to quell the rage in his heart, gently stroked Tang Shiyun’s hair, and said gently, "Girl, don’t be afraid, Ling will stand up for you in this matter. If anyone dares to bully you in the future, just tell me, and I’ll make sure they regret it."

"Don’t. Ling, I heard from Mr. Zhu that Zhang Zekai’s family is very powerful. Better not to provoke him. Zhang Zekai also promised me just now that he will not bother me anymore; let’s just forget about this, shall we?"

"Silly girl, you believe his words? In this industry, you can’t be too naive, or you’ll suffer a great loss."

"But..."

"Enough!" Ling Chen cut her off, "Don’t keep on with the ’buts.’ I’ll handle this matter and make him not dare to harass you anymore." After a pause, he added, "I know you’re worried about me, but rest assured, it’s always been your Ling who bullies others; no one can bully me."

"Okay." Tang Shiyun nodded softly, her delicate face showing a sweet smile, feeling delighted within.

Her Ling was still the same Ling, who would always stand up for her no matter what.

"Girl, you go back first, and I’ll come over to find you later."