Yun Chu had never attended a gala before. She usually spent New Year’s Eve out partying, counting down to the new year in a public square with Zhou Zhitao and a crowd of strangers. So, when she suddenly couldn’t spend it with her this year, Zhou Zhitao was a little depressed.
Yun Chu said smugly, “Can’t be helped. I’m famous now, you know. How could I possibly spend New Year’s Eve with you?”
“Pfft!” Zhou Zhitao retorted with disgust from the other end of the line. “I’ll be sitting in front of the TV right on time to watch your performance. If you sing off-key, I’ll record it and post it on my Moments!”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Why wouldn’t I? I’ll even edit it together with that video of you singing at KTV in high school and post it on Weibo. It’ll definitely go viral, believe it or not!”
“I’m going to silence you for good today!”
“Yun Chu-” Chen Jing, who was sitting beside her, couldn’t take it anymore. She slapped Yun Chu on the leg. “Can a female celebrity talk like that? Be more dignified! Keep smiling!”
Zhou Zhitao: “Hahahahaha!”
Yun Chu: “…”
Being a female celebrity is exhausting, Yun Chu thought. She used to be an 18th-tier actress that no one paid any attention to. She could do whatever she wanted. With only a few roles a year, she didn’t have to deliberately maintain a camera-ready figure or watch what she ate. She ate whatever she pleased-a foodie with a foodie’s soul. She even did the occasional mukbang stream to encourage everyone to eat with her.
Now, things were different. Even when she wasn’t on camera, she had to do airport walks, and her airport fashion had to promote brands. During rehearsals, people filmed behind-the-scenes vlogs, and after her own rehearsal was over, she had to stay and watch others.
“The group coming on stage next is from Song Yushi’s studio. They just debuted, and this is their first big performance. You’re their senior, so you should go say hello,” Chen Jing instructed her.
Yun Chu tried to recall. “Is that the girl group whose fan support banners lined the entire street outside?”
Chen Jing: “Yes.”
“Just debuted?” Yun Chu was full of questions. “They’re this popular right after debuting? I don’t have a single fan banner! You couldn’t even rent some for me to make a good showing!”
“Calm down,” Chen Jing said, patting the back of her hand soothingly. “They’ve had exposure since their trainee days. They’ve been building up to their debut for over a year, so it’s normal for them to have accumulated a fanbase.”
Yun Chu let out an “oh.” “That makes more sense.”
Watching the girls take the stage one by one, she couldn’t help but sigh. “I had a girl group dream once, too.”
Chen Jing rolled her eyes. “And then you took one dance class and came out crying and screaming that you wanted to be a good actress and shine bright on the path of film and television.”
Yun Chu: “…Forget that part.”
As expected of a girl group from Song Yushi’s studio, their skills were top-notch. Each member had her own distinct style, yet they blended together seamlessly on stage. Yun Chu watched with great interest, not forgetting to film a short video to send to Jian You.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: [Video]
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Inviting you to enjoy a gorgeous performance! (Even though they’re not in makeup or stage costumes and are wearing masks) But this performance is really good!
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: It’s the girl group trained by Song Yushi
Wifey: Very synchronized.
Wifey: The one second from the left at the end has good stage presence.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Are you scouting for actors here?
Wifey: Song Yushi won’t let a newly debuted group out to act.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Why why why
Wifey: Since the goal is to build a group, they won’t let anyone go solo when their initial development is still unstable. They’ll only open up individual opportunities once the group is established.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Let’s form a girl group!
Wifey: ?
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: That way we can be tied together forever!
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: No wonder Qi Ke and Song Yushi are so close. Spending all day and night together really makes feelings grow! It must have been hard to leave each other’s side back when they were in a group!
Wifey: Girl groups aren’t allowed to date.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: But dating within the group is okay, right?
Wifey: .
Wifey: Mmm.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Hehehe [kiss.jpg]
Wifey: You should join the film crew early.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Huh?
Wifey: That way we can be together every day.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: [how_embarrassing.jpg]
Wifey: ^ ^
Chen Jing nudged her. “Still giggling at your phone like an idiot? Are you afraid people don’t know you’re in a relationship? Their rehearsal is over. Hurry up and get ready to receive your juniors’ greetings.”
Yun Chu: “…”
Most of the girl group members were still minors, their faces full of collagen and radiating youthful energy. Yun Chu had intended to put on the air of a senior, but her naturally lively personality couldn’t be contained. She got carried away chatting with the young girls, and by the time Chen Jing came to hurry her along, she had already added all of them on WeChat.
“I’ll be looking forward to your performance tomorrow!” Yun Chu waved.
The girls replied in unison, “Okay! We’re looking forward to your performance too, Senior Yun Chu!”
Yun Chu was so delighted her eyes curved into crescents. She immediately told Jian You that she was a senior now, and that she’d gotten their contact information so she could make her move faster when they were eventually allowed to take on individual projects.
It took a while before Jian You slowly sent back a question mark.
Yun Chu got into the car back to her hotel. S City was a coastal city, and even in late December, the southern temperature hovered around twenty degrees Celsius. The car window was open, and the wind whistled in as they drove. She looked at the question mark on her screen, and a new message appeared below it: You got their contact info pretty fast.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Social butterfly extraordinaire 【smug】
Wifey: Why didn’t you ask for mine back then?
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: [timidpandahead.jpg]
Wifey: [sadkittyhead.jpg]
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Are you jealous?
Wifey: No.
Wifey: [tearykittyhead.jpg]
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Hey, I only got their contact info to help you with casting! Besides, they can’t date! They’re not even adults! If they date, it can only be within the group!
Wifey: . Not all girl groups have members dating each other.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: Really?
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: I don’t believe you.
Xiao Chu Will Never Admit Defeat: What do you know about secret relationships!
Jian You couldn’t win the argument against her and sent a message conceding the point. When Yun Chu didn’t reply for a while, she found herself staring at the document on her screen, unable to write. She ended up just playing with her desk lamp.
It had a pull-cord switch, and the light flickered on and off.
Finally, on the twentieth time the light came on, a voice message arrived from Yun Chu.
The sound of whistling wind came from the other end. In the coastal city, even the air carried the salty dampness of the sea. The girl’s voice was very close to the microphone, soft, yet like taking a bite of a cream puff, a wave of sweetness rushed eagerly toward her.
Yun Chu said, “I’ll only have an in-group romance with you.”
The New Year’s Eve gala was broadcast live on television and streamed simultaneously on all the major video websites. Many fans who had stayed in to watch their idols had already happily ordered takeout before the show began, ready for the program to start.
Jian You, however, was working overtime.
The new film was set to start shooting in January, and there was simply too much to do. The entire team was unable to take a holiday. Given her usual work habits, she would never have approved leave for anyone who wanted to celebrate New Year’s Eve, but this year, she had given them the day off.
When Xiao Liu asked her about it, she thought for a moment before saying, “Important holidays should be spent with important people.”
Xiao Liu looked at her, seeing she had no intention of leaving work, and asked, “So your most important thing is still work, huh?”
He was promptly tapped on the head.
Jian You retracted her hand. “Of course it’s because my most important person isn’t here with me.”
Xiao Liu said, “Oh. So you’re using work to numb yourself.”
Jian You: “If you leave now, you can still have your holiday.”
Xiao Liu: “I’m outta here!”
He got to the door, then turned back and gave Jian You a brilliant smile. “Happy New Year!”
Without looking up, Jian You waved her hand.
She worked until nine in the evening. Estimating that Yun Chu’s performance was about to start, she finally opened her web browser, followed a link to the livestream, turned off the bullet comments, and checked the program schedule. She found her timing was perfect-Yun Chu’s performance was next.
Little did she know, the moment she entered the livestream room, all of her Weibo followers received a notification: The user you follow, @JianYouV, is currently watching XX TV’s official livestream.
Jian You’s fans: !!!
【Logged into the wrong account???】
【LMAO, watching a livestream directly through Weibo is social suicide.】
【Why is Jian You suddenly watching a New Year’s gala? Didn’t she go out to celebrate? Who even watches these boring galas! Actors singing, singers doing skits, and product placements… I took one look and closed it.】
【I remember there was a pretty good girl group, are they about to perform?】
【The girl group already performed. Maybe her finger slipped? She probably closed it once she realized.】
【She’s still watching.】
【HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT! Family! My CP radar is going off! Isn’t this the gala Yun Chu is at???】
【I just checked the program, the next performance is Yun Chu’s!!!】
【Fuck.】
【???】
【Jia Jian Cheng Chu CP fans are so blessed!】
【Is she here to watch her wifey perform?】
【I’m dying, I’m dying, this is too sweet.】
【? Are Jia Jian Cheng Chu CP fans dying of boredom again?】
【Bullshit! This time I’m dying from shipping them, I’m dying! This CP is so good! Crying for this beautiful love story sob sob sob.】
【Yun Chu’s styling is great this time. A light purple off-the-shoulder long dress. She looks so fair and noble, what a beauty!】
【A beauty that our Director Jian clearly doesn’t want to miss.】
【I’m speechless. Jian You, don’t be so in love, I’m telling you.】
【Yun Chu isn’t singing a sweet little song, surprisingly. It’s such a contrast to my impression of her. That deadpan look she just gave the camera stunned me! I live for sweet girls with cold expressions…】
【Is Jian You still watching?】
【Mmm… she’s here to watch her wifey. How could she leave before her wifey is done performing?】
【This PDA is hitting me hard.】
【The fan service for this show is amazing, they’re even promoting it outside the show. Jian You, Director Jian, just tell me what you’re missing, maybe I can give it to you!】
【It’s actually pretty good.】
【Her pitch is way better than the male celebrity next to her.】
【LMAO, is that the girl group in the audience cheering for Yun Chu? They look so excited.】
【I actually want to listen to it again.】
【It’s over already?】
【Jian You is offline.】
【…So ruthless. Absolutely refusing to give the TV station a single point in ratings for anything other than Yun Chu.】
【She really just came online to watch one performance???】
【Jian You: I’m in too deep.jpg】
【I want to date Jian You too ahhh sob sob sob.】
【I’m fine with dating either Jian You or Yun Chu. Can I join them?】
【Count me in.】
【Me too.】
【I’m full from the last dose of dog food of the year.】
New Year’s Eve Gala, backstage dressing room.
Yun Chu’s performance was neither at the beginning nor the end of the show. After she got off stage, she sat in the guest seating area and watched the rest of the performances. Only just before the countdown did she sneak backstage. She snatched her phone from a surprised Chen Jing, who asked, “Everyone’s waiting for the stroke of midnight out there, why did you run back here?” Yun Chu just replied, “I came back to wait for midnight, too!”
She ducked into her dressing room and placed a video call to Jian You just before midnight.
Jian You answered instantly.
Yun Chu placed her phone on the table and rested her arms on it, propping up her chin to look up at Jian You on the screen. After looking her up and down, she complained, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“I was thinking,” Jian You said.
“About what?”
“That today’s livestream wasn’t high-definition at all, and the stage’s camera work and art design were terrible.”
“You watched my livestream?” Yun Chu’s eyes lit up.
“I did.”
“How was it? How was it? Was my singing good?”
“It was good.”
“Praise me more.”
“It was very good.”
“…Fine.” Yun Chu rested her chin on her arms, her glittery eye makeup sparkling. She shot Jian You a mournful look. “Your praise isn’t the least bit sincere.”
That look made Jian You’s heart itch. She wanted to reach out and touch her, but then she remembered the vast distance separating them. Her fingertips twitched as she said, “Come a little closer.”
Yun Chu obediently leaned closer to the camera. “What is it?”
“I want to see your beautiful face.”
At that, Yun Chu grew shy, and her earlier pique instantly vanished. She lifted her face, her smile full of sweetness. “Here, look. Do you like it?”
Jian You sighed internally. It would have been better not to look. The more she looked, the more her heart itched.
“I do,” she said.
“It’s almost midnight.” Yun Chu didn’t notice Jian You’s mood. She stared at her intently as the sound of the unified countdown from the main stage drifted in. They were already at five.
Jian You: “Mmm.”
Four.
Yun Chu: “My last ‘I love you’ of the year.”
Two.
Jian You: “I love you, too.”
One.
Yun Chu started to smile.
Zero.
Fireworks rose into the sky the moment the countdown ended, filling it with brilliant light.
Yun Chu: “Happy New Year!”
Jian You: “Happy New Year.”
-Every second from now on is a new beginning. This coming year will be the first full year that I have you.
