The event stage had been set up outdoors on the first floor, occupying the very center of the plaza. The seating area could accommodate several dozen people, making it comparable to a small-scale fan meeting.
Jiang Siyang stood by the window of the dressing room, looking down. From this vantage point, he had a full view of the backstage area, which was shielded by large partitions. Staff members were rushing to and fro, their feet never seemingly touching the ground; it was a scene of utter chaos and industry.
The event was scheduled to begin at ten in the morning and would last the entire day until the mall closed at ten in the evening. Since Jiang Siyang was a guest, he didn't need to perform. To put it bluntly, he was there to draw a crowd and provide promotion. His time on stage would consist entirely of interviews and interactive segments.
According to Liu Wenping, a total of ten guests had been invited: two idol groups, and the remaining five consisted of two actors and one singer—wait, that math didn't add up—two actors and a singer... Jiang Siyang was one of the actors.
"The first half of the event will involve a brief introduction of the guests, after which you'll head backstage. Your individual stage time is in the afternoon. Everyone will go up one by one, and your slot is at two o'clock," Liu Wenping reported the schedule while looking at her phone.
Her previously loose hair was now tied into a high ponytail, making her look even more efficient and sharp. Standing there, she exuded the aura of a powerful career woman.
"Got it," Jiang Siyang withdrew his gaze and turned around. "But who is the other actor?"
Liu Wenping narrowed her eyes slightly, quickly sizing up Jiang Siyang now that his styling was complete.
Evidently, aside from his "merciless" approach to cutting hair, the stylist was quite skilled. He was particularly good at playing up strengths and hiding weaknesses. Jiang Siyang’s hair was slightly curled, and his bangs had been blown into a "comma" shape that brushed his eyebrows without covering them. It didn't obscure his "peach blossom" eyes in the slightest; in fact, a touch of eyeliner had been added to slightly flick the corners of his eyes upward.
Liu Wenping felt that Jiang Siyang could easily pass for a member of a boy band—as long as he didn't have to dance.
She tucked her phone back into her pocket. "They didn't disclose it. Probably someone around your level of fame. After all, they can't afford anyone truly A-list."
Jiang Siyang nodded. "True..."
"Let's head down. After the groups finish another performance, it'll be time to introduce the guests." Liu Wenping walked to the door and pushed it open.
"Okay," Jiang Siyang followed her out.
***
Zhang Jin’an finished reading the last word and couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration. "How are kids these days so good at writing?"
At the moment, Zhang Jin’an was the only one in the lounge. The air conditioning was set to the perfect temperature, and he was sprawled on the sofa with his legs crossed. Elvis had told him that since he wasn't on the official guest list, he could go down whenever he pleased. Thus, Zhang Jin’an decided to use the time to binge-read some fanfiction before heading out.
As it turned out, he was in for a shock. The number of posts under the #ZhangYangUnstoppable# hashtag had increased by over sixty overnight. Zhang Jin’an clicked through them one by one. Aside from a few that were a bit too "tasteful" for him to linger on, the quality of the rest was excellent. He was having a blast reading, losing track of time until now.
He had saved *Tuan Yuan’s* work for last, and she certainly didn't disappoint. *Tuan Yuan* had updated three chapters at once, totaling about six thousand words. One had to realize that six thousand words was usually a week's worth of output for her. From the screen full of exclamation marks in her Weibo post, Zhang Jin’an could feel her excitement practically bursting through the phone.
[@SystemLimitedTuanYuan]: I really didn't expect them to follow each other back! [Holy shit, who could have seen that coming?!] I’m so excited I can’t sleep! If we round up, this is basically a confirmed ship!!! I never thought this niche circle would see a day like this T_T! "Heatwave" ends here! The next arc will be called "Meeting the Light"! That’s right! They’re going to start interacting! I’m planning an airport encounter—how romantic is that?!
[@SiyangsLittleQuiltedJacket—SlicedNoodles]: Front row! Author-sama, you’re too good at this! "Like hot magma deep below beginning to scorch the calm waves"—Siyang was originally the calm wave! He’s the kind of person who stays cool even when winning his first award! Is the author a bit too excited hhhh, look at all those exclamation marks.
[@LuoLuoGenerous]: It’s real (szd). When they followed each other, I knew the author would definitely pull an all-nighter!! And she did! Three chapters!!
[@OnlyAFoolWouldBelieveMe]: Today is truly a Lunar New Year for ZhangYang girls! Every author I follow has posted: October, Tuan Yuan, Shen Qingwan...
As Zhang Jin’an kept scrolling, several IDs started looking familiar. Like him, they could be considered die-hard fans.
Scrolling further, he saw the fan artist.
[@DidZhuoYinDrawToday]: I finished reading! Damn, that was so good! Is "Meeting the Light" taken from "You are my light"?
[@SystemLimitedTuanYuan] replied to [@DidZhuoYinDrawToday]: That works too! But what I was thinking was: "Meeting you is like meeting the light of my past life."
[@DidZhuoYinDrawToday] replied to [@SystemLimitedTuanYuan]: ! Is it because Siyang’s past life was all about Big Brother?
[@SystemLimitedTuanYuan] replied to [@DidZhuoYinDrawToday]: Yes! hhh
[@DidZhuoYinDrawToday] replied to [@SystemLimitedTuanYuan]: Say no more. I’m in. I ship it. [Heart-eyes emoji]
He had to admit, kids these days really had a way with words. It was as if they had a teleprompter in their brains; every time they spoke, it was a line of poetry.
He had just seen another story—a high school AU where they attended the same university later. However, it wasn't full of romantic lines; it was full of "trash talk" and flirtatious banter.
Zhang Jin’an checked her other works; "bold moves" seemed to be her standard operating procedure.
*Plum Blossom Only in October’s* writing style was very different from *Tuan Yuan’s*. She leaned toward unrealistic and crack-fic comedy. Her pieces were short and perfect for killing time. Zhang Jin’an strongly agreed with a comment on her profile: "October’s titles are as literary as her plots are wild."
As Zhang Jin’an was laughing, he suddenly slapped his thigh and sat up straight.
How had he only just thought of this? He could ask Jiang Siyang if he was interested in acting in *Hidden Shadows*! Jiang Siyang’s looks were beyond reproach; he perfectly fit the image of Cui Chi. The only things that needed confirming were his acting skills, his schedule, and whether he would agree.
But the most critical problem right now was that he didn't have Jiang Siyang’s contact information.
Sister Liu definitely had it, but he had sent her a message yesterday and she still hadn't replied.
Well, the idea had barely formed before the opportunity vanished.
"Ah, forget it..." Zhang Jin’an gave up on thinking and slumped back again, even starting to fantasize. "It would be great if he just showed up here."
But how was that possible? He was probably off filming somewhere.
Zhang Jin’an checked the time; without realizing it, he had been resting for over an hour. He stretched his limbs, stood up, turned off the lights, and pushed the door open to leave.
***
When Jiang Siyang arrived at the venue, he finally saw the other guests. After greeting them and chatting for a while, he returned to Liu Wenping and Xie Jie’s side.
Liu Wenping patted the plastic chair next to her, signaling for him to sit.
As soon as Jiang Siyang sat down, Xie Jie leaned over from his left. "There are a lot of people."
When they walked over earlier, Jiang Siyang had noticed a large crowd surrounding the stage. Some were just curious onlookers, but others hadn't moved an inch, even holding support banners in their hands.
"They're probably mostly fans of the idol groups. I'm jealous," Jiang Siyang said.
Xie Jie hurriedly tried to comfort him. "There are some for you too! I just saw someone holding your banner."
"It's fine, it's fine. I was joking," Jiang Siyang said with a smile.
"Phew, I thought you were feeling down," Xie Jie said. "But I really wasn't joking. I actually saw someone holding your banner. I think it even said..."
Jiang Siyang reached out his hand to stop him. "No need to recite it."
Liu Wenping suddenly looked at the two of them. "Xiao Jie, did you find that person from the elevator?"
If Liu Wenping hadn't mentioned it, Jiang Siyang would have almost forgotten. He also turned to look at Xie Jie.
Xie Jie shook his head. "No, he's not here."
This result was within their expectations.
Jiang Siyang: "It's fine if we can't find him."
Liu Wenping chuckled. "I told you, with the way you remember things, you'd never find him. You forgot what his clothes looked like, you don't know anything... all you remember is that he 'dressed rich.' Even the police couldn't find him with that."
Xie Jie scanned the surroundings, hissing through his teeth. "That shouldn't be right. Are there still people who haven't arrived?"
"No, the guests and staff are all here..." As Liu Wenping was speaking, her phone rang. She glanced at it and said to them, "Elvis is calling me. I'll be right back. Just listen for your name and go up when they call you."
Jiang Siyang nodded. "Got it. Go ahead."
Jiang Siyang watched Liu Wenping walk toward a small door. Just as she was about to push it, the door was pulled open from the other side. A man holding a phone in one hand opened the door. Liu Wenping seemed to say thank you before walking out, and then the man stepped inside.
The man wore a black cap pulled low, obscuring his face. He was dressed in a loose white short-sleeved T-shirt, black suit shorts, long white socks, and a pair of sneakers. He was dressed very casually. He walked straight toward the staff members on the side, stuffed his phone into his pocket, and began talking with them.
Jiang Siyang felt like he had seen this outfit somewhere before, but he couldn't recall it at the moment.
He stared at the man, even furrowing his brows. "Wait..."
There were many people coming and going backstage, and it was quite noisy. Only someone close by could hear Jiang Siyang’s murmur. Someone like Xie Jie.
Hearing him, Xie Jie asked, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Siyang turned his head. "Oh, nothing. What were you saying?"
"I said—when you went to greet them just now, did they mention you being on the trending searches yesterday?" Xie Jie repeated.
"No, they only asked how I knew Zhang Jin’an..." As Jiang Siyang spoke, he suddenly froze. Remembering something, he quickly pulled out his phone and opened Weibo.
"So what did you say?" Xie Jie asked.
Jiang Siyang scrolled through his phone, then looked up at the man, his head bobbing up and down as he compared the two.
After a few repetitions, Jiang Siyang took a sharp breath. Without even turning his head, he reached back and slapped Xie Jie’s thigh. "Xiao Jie, look at that person. Does he look familiar?"
"Which one?" Xie Jie squinted, looking around.
Jiang Siyang pointed the way. "The one in the white shirt..."
Xie Jie craned his neck. "Let me see..."
Jiang Siyang swallowed hard.
It was Zhang Jin’an!
He knew he had seen that outfit somewhere. Zhang Jin’an had posted a Weibo half an hour ago—a mirror selfie wearing those exact clothes.
While white T-shirts and black shorts were common, not everyone had that specific hat. It was only when Zhang Jin’an turned around that Jiang Siyang saw the back of it.
It was a custom hat made specifically for him by his fans. There was a long strap at the buckle, and on that strap, "Zhang Jin’an" was written in Pinyin.
Jiang Siyang only knew this because Zhang Jin’an had trended once, and the comments had explained the origin of the hat.
It was Zhang Jin’an. Why was he here?
Before Jiang Siyang could even begin to process this, Xie Jie suddenly grabbed his arm and let out a loud "Holy crap!", giving Jiang Siyang a fright.
Jiang Siyang hurriedly asked, "What is it?"
Xie Jie’s face was flushed with excitement and joy. "Damn! It’s him! The guy who helped me with the milk tea!"
Jiang Siyang: "???"
Xie Jie clearly hadn't recognized that it was Zhang Jin’an. He was simply happy to have found the person, even starting to brag. "See? I told you he had to be someone from here. My powers of observation are no joke. Hey, I’m going to go over and strike up a conversation in a bit. You come over after."
Jiang Siyang imagined the scene and felt his skin crawl. "...I think we should forget it."
Xie Jie was puzzled. "Why forget it? We finally ran into him. It’s fate!"
"..." A thousand thoughts swirled through Jiang Siyang’s mind.
The strategy was sound—as long as the other person was easy to talk to, the success rate of making a friend was high. However, both he and Xie Jie had forgotten one prerequisite for this strategy: the person couldn't be a superstar.
Otherwise, it would look far too calculated.
Jiang Siyang looked at the man who was currently laughing and chatting, confirming once more: "...Are you absolutely sure it's him?"
Xie Jie nodded emphatically. "I'm sure. Positive."
Jiang Siyang no longer cared if Xie Jie was telling the truth. He was just curious—how on earth did Xie Jie look at Zhang Jin’an’s outfit, which eight out of ten guys on the street could pull off, and conclude that he "dressed rich"?
"How does he look rich in that outfit?" Jiang Siyang questioned.
Xie Jie: "I didn't say his *clothes* looked rich."
Jiang Siyang: "Then what?"
Xie Jie made a sound of realization. "The accessories! His watch is a Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre Quantième Lunaire, model 6043420."
Compared to the price, Jiang Siyang was more shocked that Xie Jie could identify the brand and model of the watch at a single glance.
Jiang Siyang: "How... how do you know that so clearly?"
Xie Jie sighed. "Because I once had..."
He had one?! Jiang Siyang was surprised. Was Xie Jie a closeted wealthy heir?
He listened intently as Xie Jie continued.
Xie Jie: "...the dream of buying it."
Jiang Siyang: "...?"
Xie Jie thumped his chest in regret. "But in the end, poverty forced me to close the official website. Do you know how much I regretted being poor at that moment?"
Jiang Siyang: "Okay, okay, I get it. You don't have to say any more."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
#张扬不下# | #ZhangYangUnstoppable# | The CP (Couple) name for Zhang Jin'an and Jiang Siyang.
《热浪》 | *Heatwave* | Title of a fanfiction mentioned in the text.
《遇光》 | *Meeting the Light* | Title of the sequel/next arc of the fanfiction.
《暗隐》 | *Hidden Shadows* | The name of the film/project Zhang Jin'an is considering Jiang Siyang for.
崔驰 | Cui Chi | A character name in the project *Hidden Shadows*.
积家双翼 | Jaeger-LeCoultre Duomètre | A high-end luxury watch brand and collection.
阿伟死了 / awsl | I'm dead / AWSL | Internet slang expressing overwhelming excitement or "dying" from cuteness/beauty.
真情实感 / zqsg | Sincere emotions / ZQSG | Internet slang for being genuinely invested in a celebrity or ship.
你说的对 / nsdd | You're right / NSDD | Internet slang abbreviation.
桃花眼 | Peach blossom eyes | A specific eye shape in Chinese culture considered very attractive and flirtatious.
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