For some industries, summer vacation might be the off-season, but for the entertainment world, it couldn’t be busier.
Take movie releases, for example. Aside from the Spring Festival slot, the summer period is probably the second hottest. Many films premiere during this time, and if the market is strong, even bad movies can grab a piece of the pie, allowing low-budget films to make double their investment.
And according to various data points, students make up the largest percentage of celebrity fans. It’s not just movies; many celebrity schedules are also set during the summer break.
Starting Monday, Chi Shuo was overwhelmed with work. She had a bit of a compulsion when it came to her job—anything that could be finished today absolutely wouldn’t be left for tomorrow. As a result, this week she sometimes even worked until 6 PM before heading home.
However, she wasn’t the only one busy in the office, which provided some small comfort.
Thursday afternoon brought a similar situation. Chi Shuo stared at her computer, frowning slightly at the spreadsheet, ensuring every piece of data she entered was completely accurate.
The Flashing Star app had a huge user base. When Chi Shuo first learned this, she felt an immense weight on her shoulders. Even a small error could lead to user loss, subsequently affecting the company’s revenue.
It was already 5:50 PM, but Chi Shuo was still sitting in her chair, the computer screen illuminating her face, clearly showing her slightly dry lips.
Xia Zhou stretched in her chair, pushed off the floor with her feet to spin around, and looked towards Chi Shuo. She kneaded her neck and stood up, walking over to Chi Shuo.
“Shuo Shuo, are you almost done?” Xia Zhou leaned against a nearby desk. For office workers like them, spinal problems were the most common ailment. Sitting for so long every day, it would be strange not to feel discomfort.
Chi Shuo didn’t even look away from the computer, but she heard Xia Zhou’s question and nodded. “Almost. Just double-checking.”
“Okay, I’m going to get some water. Let’s grab dinner together tonight.”
“Sure,” Chi Shuo agreed readily.
Colleagues continued to leave one after another, exchanging polite goodbyes as usual. After another five or six minutes, Chi Shuo finally put down her mouse, pressing her warm palm, heated from gripping the mouse for so long, against her slightly sore eyes, letting out a soft breath.
The office was quiet. The evening sky outside still held the glow of sunset. Chi Shuo tilted her head, looked outside for a few more seconds, then started packing her things.
Zeng Guai had a lighter workload. Her main task was reviewing content, but there wasn’t that much to review each day, so she usually left right at 5:30 PM. Chi Shuo and Xia Zhou weren’t so lucky.
Just as Chi Shuo put her charger into her bag, Xia Zhou walked over, slinging her own bag over her shoulder. She asked, “Shuo Shuo, any plans this weekend?”
Chi Shuo asked, “It’s only Thursday, asking about the weekend already?”
“Can’t I ask?” Xia Zhou chuckled.
“You can. I don’t have any plans.” Chi Shuo picked up her bag and walked out with her. “This week has been too tiring. I just want to sleep at home for two days.”
After answering, she felt Xia Zhou’s question was a bit off. She turned to look at Xia Zhou and asked back, “Do you need me for something?”
They had reached the elevators, but one hadn’t arrived yet.
Xia Zhou nodded, then shook her head, looking hesitant.
Chi Shuo curved her lips slightly. “Let me guess. You’re going on a date with some guy, but you’re nervous and want me to come along?”
It wasn’t surprising she’d guess this. Previously, Xia Zhou had asked Chi Shuo and Zeng Guai to accompany her when she was meeting up with a senior student. But “coming along” just meant being nearby, not actually hanging out together.
Xia Zhou raised her hand to touch her earlobe and nodded under Chi Shuo’s speculative gaze. “Yeah… Yue Ke asked if I wanted to do an escape room this weekend.”
“Is it scary?”
“Probably a bit.”
Chi Shuo froze upon hearing this and waved her hands. “I really can’t go to that. I never go to places like that. I can’t even watch horror movies. An escape room like that would kill me.”
She shook her head vigorously while refusing.
Just then, the elevator arrived on their floor. Xia Zhou reached out and grabbed her arm, asking pitifully, “But I can’t refuse him, can I? He said he wants to go. Should I really say no?”
The elevator doors opened. Chi Shuo glanced inside and saw He Lindi standing there, quietly in a corner, eyes closed, looking exhausted.
Xia Zhou saw her too. She exchanged a look with Chi Shuo, shut her mouth, and entered the elevator.
By the time they reached the ground floor, the elevator was packed. Chi Shuo and Xia Zhou stood further inside, only stepping out after most people had left.
He Lindi was right beside them, less than a meter away. Neither said a word.
The atmosphere was somewhat strange. Xia Zhou couldn’t stand it anymore and greeted He Lindi, who had now opened her eyes, “Didi, you’re heading down early today?”
Chi Shuo subtly lit up her phone screen to check the time—6:05 PM. Compared to usual, He Lindi was indeed leaving a few minutes earlier.
People addressed He Lindi in various ways. Some called her “Teacher He,” others “Lindi,” and some, like Xia Zhou, used the more intimate “Didi.”
But no matter which one, Chi Shuo imagined herself trying to say them and found she couldn’t. She could only stiffly call her “He Lindi,” as if to maintain distance.
Even though… the distance between them was already vast, far more than just the few meters between floors.
He Lindi nodded lightly, a faint smile on her lips. “Yeah.” She didn’t give a reason and glanced at Chi Shuo. “Are you guys leaving work late today?”
The three of them walked towards the exit, Xia Zhou in the middle, Chi Shuo beside her holding her umbrella, silent.
“The schedules have been packed lately, so it got busy.”
He Lindi offered comfort, “It was like this last year too. It’ll get better once summer break is over.”
“Sigh! Summer break has only just begun.”
While they chatted beside her, Chi Shuo remained silent. Only when He Lindi’s figure receded into the distance did Chi Shuo finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Xia Zhou tilted her head, looking at her with a scrutinizing gaze. Chi Shuo asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Xia Zhou was genuinely confused. “Why are you being so stiff with He Lindi again? I thought you two were chatting quite happily just a few days ago?”
Chi Shuo looked bewildered. “Happily? Are you serious? When have we ever chatted happily? It’s good enough if we don’t argue.” She couldn’t be bothered arguing with Xia Zhou about this, lest it dredged up memories that left her speechless. “Speaking of which, you and Yue Ke are developing things way too fast. He’s still a university student. You’re robbing the cradle.”
“We’re just friends.”
“Friends?” Chi Shuo didn’t believe her nonsense for a second. “What kind of opposite-sex friends go to an escape room alone together?”
The air still carried a touch of oppressive heat. Chi Shuo took off her thin cardigan and held it in her hand.
“We’re not going alone.” Xia Zhou defended herself. “He said he’d invite his friends and told me to invite some too.”
Chi Shuo couldn’t help but stop walking, still insisting, “I really can’t go. I can’t help you this time. Ask Zeng Guai and Xiuxiu. I’m not interested in that stuff.”
Xia Zhou sighed, “Ai,” and didn’t push further, though she still looked a bit disappointed. “Okay then.”
Chi Shuo licked her lips and finally asked the question she wanted to ask: “Do you like Yue Ke?”
Xia Zhou’s expression faltered, and she didn’t answer.
Chi Shuo repeated, “Do you like him?” She added, “There’s nothing to be ashamed of saying.”
“He’s alright,” Xia Zhou replied. “If I were to date him, I think it would probably be okay. I’ve wanted to find a younger guy for a long time.”
“…”
As He Lindi’s cousin, Yue Ke was indeed tall and good-looking. When Chi Shuo saw him at the KTV, she figured he must be popular with girls.
Xia Zhou glanced at her and asked, “Shuo Shuo, have you ever told us about your love life?”
“Doesn’t seem like it,” Chi Shuo gave a noncommittal answer.
In reality, she had never mentioned anything about her romantic life to them.
Xia Zhou’s curiosity piqued again, her eyes shining. “Then why don’t you…”
But before she could finish, Chi Shuo interrupted her with feigned cheerfulness, “The bus is here. I’m heading back. See you tomorrow.”
The bus was crowded as usual, but unusually, Chi Shuo didn’t feel as irritated as she normally would, because her attention was elsewhere.
The entire ride, she thought about her love life over the past twenty-three years and realized there wasn’t much to tell anyone.
In high school, she was focused on her crushes. The two girls she liked ended up together, causing a bit of a sensation at school at the time. And she was like a background character in a movie, without even a name, unnoticed even when the camera briefly panned over her.
Later, in university, Chi Shuo wasn’t single the whole time. She had two girlfriends, but her luck wasn’t great. Both ex-girlfriends, apart from being pretty, weren’t great people; they could even be called “players.”
Chi Shuo remembered last Friday, the things He Lindi had said to the person on the other end of the phone call.
She couldn’t help but raise her hand to touch the top of her head; once upon a time, green grass had thrived there too.
The bus reached her stop. Chi Shuo put away her memories and got off.
Just then, her phone rang. Chi Shuo took it out of her bag and checked the caller ID—it was Xia Zhou.
Chi Shuo answered, “Is there something else?”
“Shuo Shuo!”
“I just heard something about you and He Lindi!”
Chi Shuo’s breath caught, and she stopped walking, her left hand clenching into a fist at her side.
No way? Only Han Yu knew about her crush on He Lindi, right?
“You’re about to go on your first business trip!”
Chi Shuo was completely bewildered. “What?” She asked again, “What does this have to do with He Lindi?”
“You’re going with her.”
“Next week.”
Chi Shuo couldn’t help but curse: “Fuck.”
