Chapter 10 — Fake Heavenly Metal Meets True Love

I picked up the microphone.

“Every time you call me sister, the next sentence must remind others that I have left the Tham family.”

“Every time you get an interview, you have to forgive me once in front of the camera.”

“You forgive me once, everyone will judge me once more.”

The smile on her face gradually stiffened.

"I always consider you family."

“Real family members will not step on each other to prove that they are honest.”

“I don't need that kind of sister.”

Tham Tri Vi's eyes quickly turned red.

“Do you always blame me for taking back what belongs to you?”

“What do I blame you for?”

“It's very normal for you to regain your identity and receive compensation from your parents.”

“I got my biological mother back and live my life very normally.”

“You say you don't need a man, but you need all the men around you.”

“Is that called being alert?”

“She both wants to be liked by everyone and refuses to admit that she wants it.”

“Too fake.”

The whole scene was silent. Chu Tu Bach took the microphone from my hand.

“There is one more thing that needs to be clarified.”

He looked towards Tham Tri Vi.

"You and Hua Chi have never been in the same competition. I have never chosen you either."

Tham Tri Vi's face gradually turned pale. She said she respects each person's freedom to leave. Now, those men truly have freedom and go towards others. She said women don't need men to prove their worth. But when no one is around, she becomes the most difficult person to accept. Chu Tu Bach put down the microphone and reached out to me.

“Hua Chi.”

“On the first day of the program, I wanted to choose you.”

“Until the last day, the answer was still the same.”

I placed my hand in his palm.

“What happens after the program ends?”

The lines on his face became gentle.

“After the program ends, there is no need to send vibration messages anymore.”

“Every day I will tell you directly.”

He held my hand and led me down to the stage, the live broadcast camera still chasing behind. Chu Tu Bach turned his face to the side.

“After this job ends, what do you plan to do?”

I deliberately think.

“Receive compensation, return to run the studio.”

“Is that all?”

“I still have to take care of my mother and support the children in the orphanage.”

Chu Tu Bach stopped walking.

“Hua Chi.”

“What?”

“One person is missing from your work plan.”

I held back my laughter.
\deer?"

He held my hand tightly.

“The trainee boyfriend has been pursuing her for twenty-eight days on the program and still hasn't gotten an official status.”

I raised my hand to mess up his neatly combed hair. His bangs fell down, and he returned to the look with soft hair that I was familiar with.

“Then let me become an official employee first.”

Chu Tu Bach's eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“Trial period of three months.”

“Too long.”

“Two months.”

“One week.”

“Are you still haggling?”

He bowed his head closer, his voice rang in my ears.

“Boyfriends don't bargain.”

“Boyfriends are just trying to gain status.”

His kiss fell. Behind the stage came the sound of Trinh Du laughing:

“Director, move the camera a little further away! It's too close, no children should see!”

The whole studio burst into laughter. I pushed Chu Tu Bach. He didn't let go, just raised his hand to block the approaching camera.

“Do not play this part.”

The director stood far away and shouted:

“Oh my god! It's live, it's all out!”

13 After the program ended, three hundred thousand yuan in compensation was quickly transferred. My biological mother's surgery went smoothly. The orphanage also passed the review process of the Tinh Lan charity project. The children's tuition fees for the next three years have been covered. My photography studio once again received many orders. When the hotels belonging to the Tham family group sent invitations to public bidding, I still submitted the plan as usual. Without the identity of Miss Tham family, there was also no Chu Tu Bach to speak up to help. After three rounds of evaluation, my studio won annual partnership contracts with two hotels. On the day the contract was signed, the hotel general manager gave me the scorecard.

“Chairman Zhou proactively withdrew from the entire evaluation process.”

“He said you wouldn't want a contract with personal feelings mixed in.”

I turned to the last page, signed my name in the position on side B. When I walked out of the meeting room, it was already dark. Chu Tu Bach sat in the last row of chairs in the hotel lobby, her soft bangs hanging down, next to my camera bag. Seeing me leave, he naturally stood up and received the contract.

“Signed?”

“Signed.”

“What rank?”

“First.”

Chu Tu Bach lowered his head to look at the contract, the corners of his lips curled up.

“Lady Hua is really good.”

I intentionally snatched the camera bag back.

"Currently, Chairman Chu is also from side A, a bit far away from side B."

He reached out to hold the bag again.

“Work is work.”

“A boyfriend picking up his girlfriend after work is not within the scope of the contract.”

We went outside the hotel, the sea breeze blew. Chu Tu Bach did not go to open the car door but gave me a black box. I opened it, there was no jewelry inside. It's a very thick album. On the cover there are only four words: Beyond the Lens. The first page is the first day we met on the show. I'm bowing my head and peeling oranges. Everyone around was looking at the camera, only I was seriously researching whether orange segments were sweet or not. The second site is the coastal market. I squatted on the ground to help the old lady pick up coins, my hair blowing in the wind on my cheeks. In the back, there are photos of me closing my eyes and leaning on the railing when seasick, fixing the bride's dress, sitting on the roof of the homestay watching videos of the children in the orphanage. In all of those photos, I did not look at the lens. But the lens is always looking at me. I turned the pages, but the last page was blank. Above is just a row of handwritten words. The rest of my life, waiting to be photographed. I raised my head.

“What do you mean?”

Chu Tu Bach took out a small remote from his pocket. Not far away, a camera was placed in front of the hotel door. The lens is pointing straight at us.

“Photographer Hua has recorded other people's love many times.”

“You might as well keep one for yourself.”

He extended his hand towards me. I placed my hand in his palm.

“Just take one picture?”

“Let's take a photo today.”

He pulled me into his arms.

“Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and Every day after that, we slowly take photos.”

I leaned on his shoulder and saw the countdown timer on the camera start to flash. Ten seconds. Chu Tu Bach suddenly bowed his head.

“Hua Chi.”

“What?”

“The program contract has ended.”

“So what?”

“The short-term cooperation has expired.”

His arms holding me tightened.

“I came to ask for a contract extension.”

I held back my laughter.

“What is the treatment like?”

“All salaries are paid to you.”

“What else?”

“Every day we pick you up and pick you up, we call you present, we won't skip jobs for the rest of our lives.”

I frowned intentionally.

“The contract term is too long, I have to think more.”

The countdown timer only has three seconds left. Chu Tu Bach bowed his head, the tip of his nose gently touching mine.

“So let's try for a lifetime first.”

A second before the shutter closed, I raised my head and kissed him. The lights, the sea breeze and the hotel behind are all captured in the photo at the same time. I used to always stand behind the camera, watching other people fall in love. Then, there was a person who walked through all the cameras, walking steadily towards me. He pressed the shutter button for me. Also pulled me into my own story. End.