ASPWL Ch105: Couples’ Travel Chronicles

The phone rang again and again, but Ye Leyao never pressed the call button.

Qin Yao’s gaze landed on Ye Leyao, noticing his nervousness. He softly said, “Want me to answer for you?”

Ye Leyao met Qin Yao’s gentle eyes, and his heart warmed slightly. He replied in a low voice, “It’s okay, there’s nothing to worry about…”

Two years ago, Ye Leyao, Qin Yao, and Huo Yan suddenly announced their withdrawal from the variety show Let’s Go Traveling Together. The fans and the other guests on the show were all caught off guard when they learned this news.

At first, fans and the other guests didn’t think too much of it. They assumed that Ye Leyao and the others would only be absent for one episode and would return for the next one.

But Ye Leyao didn’t appear in the sixth episode, nor in the seventh. By the time the final episode began, and there was still no sign of Ye Leyao among the guests, both the fans and the other guests began to realize something was off.

Ye Leyao was indeed a college student, but hadn’t his military training ended a long time ago?

More importantly, a few days prior, some netizens had called the admissions office of the university Ye Leyao was supposedly attending. The response they got was that Ye Leyao had never reported to school.

So where exactly had Ye Leyao gone?

During the earlier episodes of the show, the internet was abuzz with discussions about “Where did Ye Leyao go?” But soon, the buzz around this topic was suppressed, as if someone deliberately worked to contain the spread of this information.

Once the hype died down, the discussion naturally dwindled.

But everyone knew the matter wasn’t over. Fans and netizens were just waiting for the right time.

So, when the final episode began and fans noticed Ye Leyao was still absent, they couldn’t hold back anymore. The comment sections were flooded with questions.

The production team tried to guide the narrative, but it was futile.

Fans and netizens followed Let’s Go Traveling Together primarily for the drama, and what they loved most was following Ye Leyao to unravel gossip. Who would have thought that after the fourth episode, they’d never see Ye Leyao again?

Additionally, fans noticed that Ye Leyao hadn’t updated his Weibo account since two months ago.

Where had Ye Leyao gone?

Some fans and netizens even started speculating conspiracy theories, wondering if Ye Leyao had offended someone and been blacklisted.

This theory was quickly dismissed.

Leaving aside Ye Leyao’s current romantic relationship with Qin Yao, just looking at Huo Yan, who was still actively working in filming projects, it was evident that Ye Leyao couldn’t have been blacklisted.

So where had Ye Leyao gone?

If he wasn’t blacklisted, why was he absent from filming?

When the speculation was at its peak, Qin Yao finally posted on his private Weibo account, announcing that Ye Leyao had gone abroad for studies.

This news caused the uproar among fans and netizens to finally subside.

Although a small number of fans still had doubts, the majority believed the explanation.

The only ones who didn’t believe it were the show’s guests, who had interacted with Ye Leyao.

Fans and netizens could only rely on their own speculations and whatever crumbs Qin Yao and the Huo family were willing to share.

But the guests were different—they all had Ye Leyao’s contact information.

Back when Ye Leyao first missed an episode, Li Siyuan sent him a message on WeChat. But after sending it, there was no reply from Ye Leyao.

Li Siyuan kept sending messages, every so often, whenever he thought of it. But all the messages were like stones dropped into the ocean, with no response.

After the sixth episode, Zhou Zijian and Wen Xiangyue called Ye Leyao, inviting him out for a meal. The call connected, but the person who answered was Mama Huo.

On the phone, Mama Huo told them that Ye Leyao had gone abroad for studies and couldn’t join them.

Zhou Zijian then asked if it would be convenient to share Ye Leyao’s current contact information.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line before Mama Huo finally laughed and apologized. Then she hung up.

Liu Yan didn’t call Ye Leyao much, only sending him a few messages. Shen Chong, however, made several calls, and like Zhou Zijian, the ones who answered were Huo parents or other family members.

But no matter how many times the calls connected, it was never Ye Leyao answering.

It was as if Ye Leyao had vanished.

They couldn’t reach him, nor did they hear anything about him.

The guests had long realized that something was amiss.

If Ye Leyao had really gone abroad as the Huo family and Qin Yao claimed, why wouldn’t he contact them?

Ye Leyao had only gone abroad; it wasn’t like he’d gone to outer space.

Or was it that Ye Leyao had never considered them as friends from the start?

When this suspicion arose:

“That’s impossible.”
“That can’t be it.”

Someone suddenly asked, “Song Zhehan, do you know something?”

Song Zhehan’s expression remained unchanged as he looked up. “Know something? If I did, I wouldn’t be like this.”

“Of course, I know he isn’t that kind of person.”
That’s why Li Siyuan found it even stranger.

The other guests nodded in agreement.

Although their time with Ye Leyao wasn’t long, they felt they understood his character well.

So, what was the real reason?

They had asked the Huo family and Qin Yao, but every time, the answer was surprisingly consistent—

Ye Leyao went abroad to study.

During the first year, Ye Leyao’s phone rang an unusually high number of times.
Whenever Papa Huo or Mama Huo heard it, they would answer the calls, but none of the WeChat messages were ever replied to.

In the second year, the calls gradually became fewer, and the WeChat messages also weren’t as frequent as the previous year.

However, whenever it was a holiday, Ye Leyao’s phone would inevitably chime with WeChat notifications once again.

Even though Ye Leyao had not responded to any of their messages over the past two years, their greetings had never ceased.

Not only were his family and loved ones waiting for Ye Leyao to return, but his friends and fans were also eagerly looking forward to his comeback.

That afternoon, the gossip mill among the crew was running wild. Among them were not only staff members but also many extras.
Someone—no one knew who—had ambiguously posted online, claiming that two actors from a certain production team had been cheated on by the same person.

It didn’t take long for this post to gather a flood of curious onlookers.

Under the urging of the netizens, the poster soon detailed the incident, though the names of those involved were omitted.

But modern gossip-loving netizens are like Sherlock Holmes. In no time, Ling Feng and Cao Qu’s names were trending on the hot searches.
As the topic gained more and more traction, others jumped on the bandwagon to share their own stories, and even a few photos taken on-site began circulating online.

Though the photos didn’t feature the involved parties, netizens only gave them a cursory glance before dismissing them as unremarkable… Wait!

Who were those two onlookers standing off to the side? Why did they look so familiar?

Netizens quickly scrolled back to the photos for a closer look. Upon realizing who they were, countless viewers gasped in shock—

—”Ye—Le—Yao—”

—”Isn’t that Ye Leyao?!”

—”Could it really be him?”

—”It is Ye Leyao! And the person next to him is Qin Yao!”

As this revelation spread, more and more netizens joined the discussion.

Two years had passed—long enough for the entertainment industry to churn out a relentless wave of news and updates. Yet, oddly enough, no one had truly forgotten Ye Leyao.

The impression he had left was simply too unforgettable.

Even this year, many content creators were still editing clips from the first four episodes of Let’s Go Traveling Together to draw traffic.

It didn’t take long before this photo shot to the top of the trending list.

Following closely behind it was the outrageous hashtag: #Let’sGiveAProudWelcomeBackToOurMelonKing

As soon as Ye Leyao started trending, the guest group chat for Let’s Go Traveling Together blew up.

Ye Leyao’s phone began ringing non-stop.
Not only that, but his WeChat messages were pouring in without pause.

How could Ye Leyao not be anxious in this situation?!

“Maybe… just turn off the phone for now?” Qin Yao suggested.

Ye Leyao thought for a moment and then said, “Let’s start a group chat.”

Qin Yao understood what he meant. With a faint smile in his eyes, he nodded, pulled out his own phone—which had also been buzzing relentlessly—and quickly created a group chat.

As soon as the group chat was established, Li Siyuan eagerly initiated a group video call.

At the same time, Ye Leyao’s phone calls finally ceased. He took a deep breath before answering the video call.

On his screen appeared five faces: Li Siyuan, Zhou Zijian, Liu Yan, Song Zhehan, and Qin Yao.

The moment Ye Leyao’s face appeared on the screen, he was nearly deafened by the noise:

“Two years!”
“Ye Leyao! It’s been two years! You’ve finally learned to answer your phone?!”

That fiery and impolite tone could only belong to Li Siyuan.

“Leyao, you’re really not cool. We’ve been messaging you for two whole years. You just went abroad, right? Couldn’t you have responded to at least one message?”

“Did the foreign guys look so good that you even forgot about President Qin?”

After two years, even Zhou Zijian had learned how to tease.

The two men complained angrily, while Liu Yan spoke more slowly:

“Ye Leyao, you were really in the wrong.”

“But we won’t hold it against you. However, you must explain why, after coming back, you didn’t contact us first but instead ran off to chase gossip. Is gossip more important than us?!”

Even with Ye Leyao’s advanced mental processing, he felt a little overwhelmed.

That said, he was no longer the socially clueless system he had been. So despite the barrage of complaints, Ye Leyao wisely kept quiet.

He waited until the group had vented their frustrations.

Then, in a soft voice, Ye Leyao said, “It was my fault.”

“Of course it’s your fault!” Li Siyuan snapped.

Zhou Zijian added, “At least you know it’s your fault.”

Liu Yan chimed in, “We’re not mad, but it was worrying when you disappeared without a word back then. Who wouldn’t be concerned?”

As they spoke, their conversation once again gained momentum.

By the time another round of scolding ended, Ye Leyao and Qin Yao had already arrived home.

Papa and Mama Huo, noticing that Ye Leyao was still on a video call, didn’t say much. They simply reminded the two to rest early before heading upstairs.

As for his three brothers, they all had their own matters to attend to and weren’t home that evening.

Holding his phone, Ye Leyao led Qin Yao by the hand as they returned to their room.

While walking, Ye Leyao earnestly apologized to his friends and also made plans to meet them for dinner.

At this moment, everyone had vented their emotions enough.

Hearing Ye Leyao’s words, they all agreed one after another.

Just before the video call was about to end, Li Siyuan suddenly asked, “Strange, Song Zhehan, why haven’t you said a word tonight?”

The corners of Song Zhehan’s lips curved into a smile.

Ye Leyao’s eyelid twitched abruptly.

His intuition told him that Song Zhehan’s smile carried a hint of malice.

But before Ye Leyao could stop him, he heard Song Zhehan chuckle and say, “Of course it’s because I’ve already voiced my complaints. Don’t you know? The set he went to gossip about this afternoon is Zhang Qiran’s set.”

Ye Leyao closed his eyes in mild despair.

The next moment, a chorus of sharp complaints erupted in the call once again. This time, even Liu Yan joined in.

Ye Leyao: “…”

Damn Song Zhehan! That cunning schemer!

After finally ending the video call, it was already past midnight.

Ye Leyao was utterly drained, collapsing onto the bed and refusing to move an inch.

Qin Yao walked over, scooping him up effortlessly, and leaned in to plant a kiss on his lips. “Not going to shower?”

Ye Leyao looped his arms around Qin Yao’s neck and lazily said, “Don’t feel like moving.”

The two were so close their noses almost touched. They could even feel each other’s soft breaths brushing against their faces. Qin Yao quietly stared into Ye Leyao’s eyes, chuckled lightly, and said, “Want me to carry you?”

Ye Leyao was about to agree, but suddenly remembered the events of last night. He hastily rolled away from Qin Yao’s embrace and slipped out nimbly. “Forget it; no need to trouble you…”

Qin Yao caught his arm just in time and, with a gentle tug, pulled him back into his arms. He wrapped an arm around Ye Leyao’s waist and lifted him slightly so that Ye Leyao ended up clinging to him.

Though their heights were nearly the same, Qin Yao was about half a head taller. His lean yet well-defined muscles were no mere decoration, and with a bit of effort, Ye Leyao was immobilized against him.

Once again, Ye Leyao thought of the events from last night.

Every time he had tried to escape then, Qin Yao would firmly grip his waist and pull him back into his arms, giving him no chance to catch his breath or slip away.

Of course, that was assuming Ye Leyao truly wanted to escape.

After all, as a system, Ye Leyao’s abilities were significant. But when their skin pressed closely together, he could keenly sense the unease in Qin Yao’s heart.

Two years might have been just a fleeting moment for a system recovering its energy.

Yet for Qin Yao, a human, it had been an exceptionally long time.

The abrupt separation had left a mark on Qin Yao’s heart that could not be smoothed over easily.

It seemed that only through their physical closeness, only when Ye Leyao offered himself entirely to Qin Yao, could that inner panic and unease slightly subside.

Ye Leyao wasn’t unable to break free; he simply chose not to.
He allowed Qin Yao to inch closer, step by step, seeking more from him.

Sensing Ye Leyao’s calmness, Qin Yao cradled the back of his head, planting searing kisses from top to bottom.

Before they even reached the bathroom, their clothes were already loosened, revealing a section of fair and delicate collarbone.

Ye Leyao pushed Qin Yao’s head away, his eyes misty as he softly caught his breath. “Qin Yao…”

“Hmm?” Qin Yao hummed in reply, capturing Ye Leyao’s lips. “What is it, Yaoyao?”

Ye Leyao slightly leaned back. “Don’t bite me…”

Qin Yao chuckled lowly, his chest lightly vibrating, the sensation transmitting through the fabric.

Ye Leyao, slightly annoyed, reached out to swat him. “Don’t push your luck!”

Qin Yao gave a small hum of agreement, carrying Ye Leyao straight into the bathroom.

By the time the bedroom lights went out completely, it was already deep into the night.

Ye Leyao, barely able to keep his eyes open, still muttered while holding onto Qin Yao, “Tomorrow… gathering…”

Qin Yao stroked his back soothingly, as though comforting a child. “I’ve already arranged everything. Sleep now.”

Ye Leyao murmured a faint acknowledgment and added, “They… I didn’t expect, they still…”

“Hmm?” Qin Yao leaned in closer.

Ye Leyao’s lips were slightly swollen, his eyes tinged with redness, and his breathing was steady.

Qin Yao smiled warmly, pulling him closer into his arms and planting a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“Of course, after all, you’re the most amazing and remarkable Ye Leyao.”

The night was quiet, promising a sound sleep.

Ye Leyao didn’t wake up until near noon. By the time he finished washing up, it was already late, and he and Qin Yao hurried downstairs to head out.

In the dining area, they saw Papa and Mama Huo still eating lunch.

The couple already knew Ye Leyao and Qin Yao were going out that day, so they didn’t stop them. Just before the two left, Mama Huo casually remarked, “Leyao, now that you’re an adult, the house we bought for you earlier has been fully furnished. When do you plan to move out?”

Ye Leyao froze. “Huh? I just got back! Mom, are you trying to kick me out?”

Mama Huo laughed. “Of course not; I can’t bear to kick you out. But now that you’re in a relationship, isn’t it odd to keep staying at home?”
Her eyes twinkled with mirth as she teasingly glanced between the two of them.

Ye Leyao: “…”

Even as they approached the restaurant they’d reserved, Ye Leyao’s face was still red as he analyzed the situation with Qin Yao. “It’s impossible… The soundproofing in our house is definitely great. Besides, I turned off the heart-sensing system after coming back last night. How could Mama and Papa possibly know?”

Holding Ye Leyao’s hand, Qin Yao rubbed his fingertips and patiently repeated the answer he had already given several times. “It’s probably the intuition that comes with being adults.”

“But I didn’t show anything unusual, did I?” Ye Leyao asked.

Qin Yao replied, “Then let’s just move out earlier.”

Ye Leyao’s face wrinkled into a frown.

The attendant led them to the private room. As soon as the door opened, a loud “bang” was heard.

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened abruptly as a flurry of colorful streamers floated down from above. Sweeping his gaze over the room, he saw Li Siyuan, Song Zhehan, Zhang Qiran, Zhou Zijian, Wen Xiangyue, Liu Yan, Shen Chong, and even Duan Tingyan were present.

A round of applause broke out as everyone in unison shouted, “Let’s give a warm welcome to the return of the Melon King!”

It was an embarrassingly cheesy line, but for some reason, when they shouted it out, there wasn’t the slightest awkwardness. Instead, it made Ye Leyao’s eyes well up with emotion.

“Come, take a seat!” Li Siyuan strode over to Ye Leyao, immediately prying apart his and Qin Yao’s tightly held hands. He grabbed Ye Leyao’s arm and guided him to sit in the center.

Then, Li Siyuan sat right beside Ye Leyao.

Zhou Zijian quickly snatched the other seat next to him.

Ye Leyao laughed and looked at Qin Yao.

Qin Yao smiled helplessly and took a seat across from him.

Even though they hadn’t seen each other for two years, the group showed no signs of estrangement. Once seated, they began animatedly sharing all the fun and interesting things that had happened to them over the past two years.

Ye Leyao listened attentively, but his attention was drawn when he saw Duan Tingyan repeatedly placing food on Li Siyuan’s plate. Unable to resist, he interrupted, asking, “Did Ting Ting finally win him over?”

Duan Tingyan paused momentarily. After a long while, he responded in a tone that was both resigned and amused, “I haven’t heard that nickname in a long time. It’s been two years. Can we let it go already?”

The others burst out laughing.

Li Siyuan couldn’t help but laugh along. “What’s the matter? Don’t you like the nickname I gave you?”

Duan Tingyan’s face broke into a grin. “How could I not like it? It’s my absolute favorite nickname.”

“Good to know, Ting Ting,” Ye Leyao said as he raised his drink and took a sip.

The others chimed in, “Good to know, Ting Ting.”

Duan Tingyan: “…”
Alright then.

A world where only Duan Tingyan gets picked on was achieved.

This reunion lunch lasted until three in the afternoon. Feeling it wasn’t enough, the group decided to head to a resort.

That evening, Zhou Zijian once again stationed himself by the grill. Nearby, Li Siyuan was engaged in a lively argument with Duan Tingyan.

Song Zhehan and Zhang Qiran were seated together, diligently skewering meat, while Liu Yan directed Shen Chong as he stir-fried dishes.

Ye Leyao and Qin Yao floated wherever help was needed, offering assistance.

Before long, the barbecue was ready. The five couples gathered around, raised their glasses, and enjoyed their skewers.

Liu Yan suddenly remarked, “It feels like we’re back to the days of filming two years ago.”

Everyone turned their heads toward her, then burst out laughing.

“True,” Zhou Zijian said, glancing at Wen Xiangyue with a smile. “Honestly, I kind of miss it.”

“Yeah,” Wen Xiangyue nodded repeatedly. “‘Let’s Go Traveling Together’ was genuinely the most relaxing show I’ve ever done.”

“So, is there going to be a sequel?” Song Zhehan asked Qin Yao.

Instead of answering, Qin Yao first glanced at Ye Leyao.

Ye Leyao locked eyes with Qin Yao for two seconds before breaking into a smile. “Even if we filmed a sequel now, it couldn’t be called Let’s Go Traveling Together, right?”

Li Siyuan raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Why not?”

Ye Leyao explained, “It should be renamed Couples’ Travel Chronicles!”

At this, the group erupted into laughter again.

“Not a bad idea!” Zhang Qiran said.

“I’d even say Let’s Go Traveling Together could be renamed Let’s Fall in Love Together,” Zhou Zijian added with a grin.

“President Qin, did you hear that? The name’s already been decided for you,” Duan Tingyan quipped.

Qin Yao smiled and nodded, his gaze resting on Ye Leyao beside him.

He remembered it.

At 2 a.m., netizens suddenly noticed that Ye Leyao, after two years of inactivity, had logged into his Weibo account.

He stayed online for only a minute, just long enough to post a new update.

The post had no words, just a group photo taken that night.

In the photo, they were all raising their glasses, gathered together, laughing heartily as they enjoyed their barbecue.

The starry sky shimmered above, and the mountain breeze carried their laughter and the aroma of wine into the distance.

The most beautiful and vibrant moment was captured and forever preserved.

Ye Leyao held his phone, his smile suddenly freezing. Leaning close to Qin Yao’s ear, he whispered softly, “President Qin, the last plotline has ended.”