Due to Lin Qingye’s sudden appearance, “Tattoo Talk” hit the trending topics as soon as it aired, with viewership climbing rapidly, far exceeding the production team’s original expectations.

But these were all afterthoughts, as by the time the show aired, they had already finished recording three episodes.

Going back to the time of the first episode recording.

Lin Qingye essentially transformed into a clingy, childish boyfriend.

“Ah Nan, help me get a milk tea.”

Xu Zhinan glanced at him, then at the milk tea clearly within his reach, and somewhat confused, helped him take it out and placed it in front of him.

Lin Qingye reminded her: “Straw.”

“…”

Xu Zhinan quietly inserted the straw for him with a good temper.

She picked up her pen again and continued drawing. This design didn’t need a creative touch; realism was sufficient, with the focus on realistic details.

This was Xu Zhinan’s area of expertise. She drew quickly and remained quiet and focused throughout, being the first to finish.

Seeing her put down her pen, the male tattoo artist sitting next to her said: “You drew that so fast.”

“It’s fine, take your time, there’s no time limit anyway.”

Soon, another tattoo artist also finished: “Ah Nan, let me see your design.”

They were all quite familiar with each other and quickly started calling her “Ah Nan” following Lu Xihe’s lead.

Xu Zhinan didn’t find it strange and handed over her design.

Only Lin Qingye slightly raised his eyes at this moment, lazily leaning against the chair back, his eyes revealing a hint of flirtatious laughter: “Ah Nan,” he called, following the others.

Xu Zhinan turned her head: “Hmm?”

“I want to drink your milk tea.”

“Are these milk teas you bought different flavors?” Xu Zhinan placed her cup in front of him, glancing at the label.

It was the same milk tea, with only one difference – hers was room temperature, while the others seemed to be without ice.

She calculated the time; her period was coming soon.

She couldn’t drink anything too cold before her period, otherwise she would feel uncomfortable and easily get stomach cramps.

Lin Qingye remembered this.

“Since when do you like room temperature drinks?” Xu Zhinan asked in surprise.

Lin Qingye answered casually: “Just felt like it today.”

“That’s good, drinking ice-cold things all the time isn’t good for you.”

The two spoke quite softly, not disturbing the other tattoo artists still drawing nearby.

But they forgot they were all wearing microphones, so when the show aired, their whispered conversation was broadcast very clearly, even accompanied by sweet background music and special effects, creating a stark contrast with the six single tattoo artists beside them.

Hahahahaha Lin Qingye’s inner thoughts: This is my wife! Only I can call her Ah Nan!

What an absolute jealous freak!!!

Now I understand why, before they went public, Wild Brother was always mentioning having a girl he liked. I thought he was trying to prevent other rumors and avoid trouble, but it was just because he couldn’t hold back! Since going public, he wants to show off their love every day!!!

…

After completing the designs, led by Lu Xihe, they asked Lin Qingye some relationship questions, and finally laughingly mentioned the scene when he first met Lin Qingye.

“At that time, the ‘Ah Nan’ tattooed on his back was inflamed, quite severely. Later he came to my shop with a friend of mine, and I gave him some anti-inflammatory ointment,” Lu Xihe said with a smile. “I even mentioned it to Ah Nan at that tattoo design competition later. I thought it was just someone with the same name, didn’t expect it was actually tattooed by her. The little girl has a cruel heart, tattooing in such a painful place with barely any flesh.”

Everyone was already curious about the story behind Lin Qingye’s back tattoo.

From what Lu Xihe was saying, the girl figure and the two characters “Ah Nan” weren’t tattooed at the same time, and moreover, “Ah Nan” was deliberately tattooed in a painful spot.

They immediately became even more curious about what circumstances led Xu Zhinan to tattoo these two designs on Lin Qingye’s back.

Since the show aired, this became the most curious question among viewers, but it never received an answer, remaining a secret.

A total of seven tattoo artists with their stories met the audience, bringing many touching moments and insights, helping people understand that tattoos can have their unique meaning.

By the final episode, Xu Zhinan suddenly proposed to the production team that she also wanted to get a tattoo through the show, as a record, which would be quite meaningful.

The production team naturally agreed.

When asked what design she wanted, Xu Zhinan smiled lightly and said: “I want to tattoo a cluster of locust flowers on my shoulder.”

She wanted it on her back shoulder position, which she couldn’t tattoo herself. In the end, she designed the locust flower pattern she wanted, and Lu Xihe helped tattoo it.

During the tattooing process, several cameras were filming around them.

Xu Zhinan straddled the chair, hands resting on the backrest, hair swept to one side. She wore a spaghetti strap dress, perfectly exposing the fair skin of her back shoulder.

Her skin was clean and unmarked; this would be her first tattoo design.

Lu Xihe placed the transferred pattern on her right shoulder.

With her fair skin, the milky white cluster of flowers looked especially beautiful.

“So I’ll start tattooing now?” Lu Xihe asked.

“Mm.”

He gripped the tattoo pen in his hand, feeling surprisingly nervous and hesitant to begin.

Xu Zhinan, on the contrary, was very calm: “Go ahead.”

“No anesthetic?” Lu Xihe confirmed again.

Xu Zhinan smiled: “You know as well as I do that the effect is better without anesthetic.”

“Alright then, I’ll be gentle.”

Lu Xihe turned on the tattoo machine, which made a buzzing sound.

The pain when the tattoo first touches the skin isn’t very noticeable; it’s later that the pain gradually becomes apparent.

Xu Zhinan’s back was thin, without much flesh. Originally thinking it would be very painful later, surprisingly, she didn’t seem to feel much pain, maintaining her composure throughout.

“Pretty impressive,” Lu Xihe was a bit surprised. “With your pain tolerance, you won’t have to worry if you want to get a large design in the future.”

“But I don’t have any other designs I want to tattoo.”

Lu Xihe asked: “So was your boyfriend afraid of pain when you tattooed him back then?”

Xu Zhinan recalled that time.

Although neither tattoo was done under happy circumstances, looking back from her current perspective, she could come to terms with it.

“Him?” Xu Zhinan smiled. “He was quite afraid; he was almost crying when those two characters were tattooed.”

“And yet you gave him such a large design later, you’re ruthless.”

Xu Zhinan just smiled, without further explanation.

Lu Xihe’s tattoo work was indeed very good. Although he specialized in tribal designs, the cluster of locust flowers he tattooed was equally impressive, with very natural color blending and transitions.

That night when they returned home, Lin Qingye discovered this tattoo on her.

Xu Zhinan hadn’t told him about it beforehand; it was meant as a surprise.

He frowned and firmly turned Xu Zhinan’s shoulder over: “When did you get this tattoo?”

“Today, on the show. The director’s team will even send me the footage of my tattooing session later, which can be kept as a memento,” Xu Zhinan said excitedly. “This is my first tattoo!”

“Why did you suddenly decide to get a tattoo?”

“I’ve tattooed two on you, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t get any myself.”

Lin Qingye wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace: “Does it hurt?”

“No pain.”

His fingers brushed over the tattoo, touching it very gently and carefully. Xu Zhinan laughed: “It doesn’t hurt. I’m much less afraid of pain than you are.”

That night, Xu Zhinan was once again thoroughly exhausted by his tossing and turning.

Whether because of this tattoo or not, he was wilder than before.

He lay on top of Xu Zhinan, his chest against her back, both sweaty, his voice hoarse as he asked: “Want to take a shower?”

Xu Zhinan’s hair was scattered across her back: “My shoulder still can’t get wet.”

“Mm, I’ll help you wash.”

Xu Zhinan was too tired to move at all, so she nodded in agreement.

In the bathroom, steam rose and condensed around the ceiling light.

Lin Qingye used a towel soaked in water to bathe her, carefully avoiding the tattoo on her shoulder.

In the heat, Xu Zhinan’s skin flushed red, especially the newly tattooed area, which was even redder, making the cluster of locust flowers look even more vivid.

Lin Qingye looked at it for a while without speaking, then wrapped a bath towel around Xu Zhinan and carried her back to bed.

He went to close the window, returned to bed, and held Xu Zhinan in his arms.

The bedroom grew quiet again.

After a while, Xu Zhinan felt a burning sensation on her back shoulder, a scorching temperature pressed against the locust flower tattoo.

Xu Zhinan’s dark eyelashes trembled slightly.

She heard him say softly behind her: “Ah Nan.”

“Hmm?”

“I will always be good to you.”

Xu Zhinan paused, then pressed her lips together in a smile: “I will too.”

The “Tattoo Talk” show had very good viewership, and because all seven tattoo artists were ordinary people with no major topics of discussion among them, the series ended quite smoothly after several episodes.

However, one thing that Xu Zhinan found meaningful was that now there were far fewer people with deep prejudices against tattoos compared to before.

After September came the National Day holiday.

But this year’s National Day holiday, due to adjusted rest days, became an 8-day mini-vacation, which happened to include Xu Zhinan’s 26th birthday on October 8th.

Previously, at Lin Qingye’s first concert, he had promised that the Acacia Band would hold a music festival every year, and this time it was coincidentally scheduled for October 8th.

Arranging other venues would take time, so they simply decided to hold an indoor music festival, with the location set at their former regular performance spot – the bar called Wild.

The bar owner agreed without hesitation.

The music festival didn’t charge for tickets, but for safety reasons, there was a limit on the bar’s capacity.

Xu Zhinan was arranged in a private booth at the center of the second floor, with three walls and one side facing the stage with railings, providing an excellent view.

The bar owner, knowing it was her birthday, specially bought a cake for her.

That night, the Acacia Band took the stage.

The music festival began with an explosive atmosphere.

Xu Zhinan stood by the railing, taking out her phone to record.

The entire bar was empty except for her area; everywhere else was crowded with people.

Everyone was raising and waving their arms or glow sticks, shouting the name “Acacia Band.”

It was deafening.

The bar’s strong lights shone down, and the laser lights were so bright that people could hardly open their eyes.

The lights continuously hit Lin Qingye’s face, sharply outlining his features, sometimes clear, sometimes obscured.

This kind of music festival was very casual; they didn’t necessarily have to sing their songs, and could even take song requests from the audience.

People wrote their requests on small pieces of paper, which the waiters collected and placed in a box. Lin Qingye would draw lots to select songs, choosing a total of three to perform.

After all, they had performed at the bar for so long that they could sing and play most songs. After singing the three songs drawn by lot, the song request segment was supposed to end, but Lin Qingye pulled out another small piece of paper from his pocket.

He sat on a high stool with one leg bent.

Holding the microphone in one hand and opening the paper with the other, his fingers were long and slender.

“The last song request, ‘Happy Birthday,'” he leaned close to the microphone stand, his gaze sweeping across the paper, and said softly, “Dedicated to Xu Zhinan.”

The crowd went quiet for a moment, then erupted in extremely excited screams, everyone looking up trying to find where Xu Zhinan was.

Lin Qingye looked up at the second floor, made eye contact with Xu Zhinan, then looked away, chuckling lightly, casually explaining: “Song request by: Lin Qingye.”

Xu Zhinan didn’t know if they had specially practiced this universally known birthday song or what, but it had been rearranged by Lin Qingye into a different style, yet still sounded beautiful.

“Happy birthday to you,” coming from his unique voice, winding its way into her heart.

In the end, it became a grand chorus of the birthday song.

Following Lin Qingye’s gaze, everyone finally found Xu Zhinan standing in the second-floor booth, and they all waved their glow sticks toward her.

Never had so many people celebrate her birthday with her.

Xu Zhinan gripped the railing tightly, silently smiling with her eyes curved.

As the chorus ended, Lin Qingye leaned toward the microphone: “Ah Nan.”

He tilted his head up.

Their eyes met across the sea of people.

He smiled and called out: “Happy birthday!”

Xu Zhinan stood on the second floor, smiling back.

But suddenly the birthday song accompaniment changed into a different melody.

Xu Zhinan had learned piano for a few years as a child and recognized it as “Carmen.” Now it was a version of “Carmen” played by Shi Si on electric guitar and Ji Yan on electronic keyboard.

Lin Qingye pulled the microphone from its stand and stood up: “Ah Nan.”

He switched to a different tone, speaking as if telling a story, like he was about to confess something.

Xu Zhinan’s heart inexplicably accelerated.

She knew Lin Qingye couldn’t hear her voice from this position, but she still responded with an “Mm.”

Light fell on his face, dappled and brilliant. He casually curled his lips, with a hint of subtle smile, his long eyes slightly upturned, like a deliberate enchantment.

He smiled and said slowly: “Today is your 26th birthday, and I’ve known you for over 10 years now.”

At his words, the crowd below also quieted down.

“From the first time I saw you, I’ve only liked you. For more than ten years, I’ve only liked you and no one else. No matter what happens in the future, I can be certain,” he lifted his chin slightly, “I, Lin Qingye, only like Xu Zhinan.”

“Just like the tattoo on my back, your name is engraved in my bones and blood.”

“I know after ‘Tattoo Talk’ aired, everyone was curious about under what circumstances my two tattoos were done. Neither occasion was a good one.”

“I was quite a jerk when I was young, perhaps what people would call a ‘scumbag.’ Since I started liking you at 16, I used some tricks to win you over, but didn’t treat you well. The ‘Ah Nan’ name on my back was my one-sided atonement at that time.”

“And that self-portrait of you was tattooed during our last meeting before I went to prison. I’ve mentioned this before, but never explained the reason. I was quite a jerk then, too. Originally, I planned not to find you after getting out of prison, but you weren’t willing, so that’s why this design came about. After you finished tattooing it, you told me, ‘You have to carry it for a lifetime; don’t think about abandoning me.'”

“Now I’ve come to fulfill the promise I made back then. I’ll carry it for a lifetime, and you have to stay with me for a lifetime too.”

Xu Zhinan’s heart was beating extremely fast.

Lin Qingye removed the guitar strap from his shoulder and placed it beside the high stool. The light fell on his shoulders, outlining his exceptionally fine physique and contours.

“Ah Nan,” he pulled out a small box from his pocket.

It was square, a black velvet box, very exquisite – one look and you’d know what was inside.

The crowd instantly erupted in screams.

After those screams subsided, Lin Qingye looked up at her, playing with the ring box in one hand, picking up the microphone again: “I know I’ve been a jerk for many years, and you’ve always been very accommodating with me, but I’ll be good from now on.”

“I can be good too,” he repeated softly, his tone reverent.

A moment later, Lin Qingye smiled, suddenly kneeling on one knee, took a breath, then slowly exhaled, his voice steady and firm: “So, do you want to try marrying me?”