She must have a soft spot for her.
Lin Yi looked out at the neon-lit Houhai. Or perhaps it was the atmosphere playing tricks on her—love songs surrounded them, and couples were hugging everywhere, creating the illusion of a fleeting heartbeat.
Yes, that must be it.
After brainwashing herself with that thought, Lin Yi turned her head and saw Xu Shuyan still tugging at her eagerly. Her heart sank again, and she barely managed to find her voice. “If you want to go, then go. It’s not like I own the bar.”
Xu Shuyan’s eyes lit up. “Then can we not go?”
Lin Yi: “…Don’t push your luck.”
Xu Shuyan mumbled a dejected “oh.” Of course, she hadn’t held out much hope that Lin Yi would listen to her and skip the bar, but it didn’t hurt to ask. Asking was free, and what if Lin Yi had actually agreed?
It was fine that she didn’t. Just letting her tag along was enough.
And so, the two of them spent a good while bickering by the riverbank across from the bar. When they went back, they were greeted by the same smiling server, though the look in his eyes was now a little complicated.
…Did he think they were a couple having a fight?
Lin Yi squeezed her eyes shut, thinking with self-abandonment. Whatever. They were bundled up like bears, and the bar’s lighting was dim and chaotic. No one would recognize them. If people thought they were a couple, so be it!
Xu Shuyan, on the other hand, was perfectly at ease. Since she couldn’t eat her candied hawthorn with her mask on, she carefully placed it back in the paper bag, stuck her hands in her pockets, and followed behind Lin Yi. Her cool gaze swept over anyone who dared to look at Lin Yi with interest, like a little puppy protecting its owner, even as the small black rose at the corner of her eye beckoned alluringly.
That was why Xu Shuyan never expected to be the first one to get hit on.
When the server handed her the note, Lin Yi had just ordered two glasses of juice and was trying to communicate with Shen Yujia on stage using only her eyes. Unfortunately, perhaps she wasn’t close enough with Shen Yujia to be recognized by a mere glance, or maybe the bar lights were too dazzling. In any case, Shen Yujia didn’t receive her signal.
“Let’s wait until she’s done singing,” Xu Shuyan said from beside her. She crumpled the note in her hand, then smoothed it out again and asked Lin Yi, “How should I reply to this?”
Lin Yi was distracted. “What?”
Only then did she see the note in Xu Shuyan’s hand.
The handwriting was like chicken scratch. It left a VX ID and a single line: “Would you do me the honor of having a drink with me?”
“Who is it?” Lin Yi frowned slightly and followed Xu Shuyan’s gaze. In the hazy red light, she could make out a greasy-looking middle-aged man raising his glass in their direction.
He was eyeing Xu Shuyan lecherously.
An inexplicable irritation rose in Lin Yi, and her tone became harsh. “Reply to what? Just pretend you didn’t see it.”
Xu Shuyan nodded slowly, but then she called the server over to ask for a piece of paper, one larger than a sticky note. The request grated on Lin Yi’s nerves, and she couldn’t even focus on Shen Yujia’s song anymore. The moment the server left, she demanded, “What are you doing?”
“Doing what?” Xu Shuyan asked, feigning ignorance.
“Still pretending?” Lin Yi saw right through her, feeling even more annoyed. “Why do you need such a big piece of paper? You’re actually going to write him back? Is it that serious?”
Xu Shuyan propped her chin on her hand and blinked. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Lin Yi was taken aback. “…I mean, does it have to be so much trouble? Didn’t he leave you his VX ID? Wouldn’t it be easier to just add him and type?”
“Okay,” Xu Shuyan said.
Lin Yi: “?”
Did she hear that right? Xu Shuyan said “okay”? Was this the time to be so obedient? Couldn’t she hear the sarcasm in her voice? As an idol, could she just casually add someone’s VX?
Lin Yi secretly made a decision: if Xu Shuyan dared to add him, she would turn around and report her to Sister Fang!
Fortunately, Xu Shuyan was just teasing her. A moment later, the server hurried back with the A4 paper and marker Xu Shuyan had requested. Xu Shuyan thanked him and began writing carefully on the paper, stroke by stroke.
“Not into…”
Lin Yi swayed distractedly to the sound of Shen Yujia’s singing. The original folk song carried a sense of world-weariness, singing of the northwestern moon and the snows of Tianshan. Her swaying was slow and gentle, but her attention was diverted by the sight of Xu Shuyan writing so earnestly. Eventually, she stopped swaying and read the words aloud: “Not into men.”
Lin Yi: “…”
She hissed, “Are you crazy? You’re coming out here? What if someone recognizes you?”
“They won’t,” Xu Shuyan said.
After she finished, she used a highlighter to trace the strokes, making them thicker and bolder. Then she clipped the paper to the drink menu stand on the table. She raised her hand, pretending to casually rest it on the sofa behind Lin Yi, and shot a provocative look across the room.
Sure enough, the old man’s smile gradually vanished. He gave them a complicated look, raised his glass in a mock toast, then turned to try his luck with someone else.
Lin Yi said sullenly, “You sure learn fast and put it to use right away.”
“You’re a good teacher,” Xu Shuyan’s fingertips tapped lightly on the fabric sofa. Her eyes curved into a smile as she looked at Shen Yujia on stage, a sour feeling rising in her heart. “Did you really arrange to meet her? When did you plan it?”
Lin Yi was helpless. “If I said it was a coincidence, would you believe me?”
Xu Shuyan shook her head. “No.”
A coincidence meant they were fated. The Qinghai-Gansu trip was a coincidence, and now this bar was a coincidence too? What right did Shen Yujia have to be fated with Lin Yi?
She wouldn’t allow it!
“But it really was a coincidence.” Lin Yi was tempted to tell Xu Shuyan that she and Shen Yujia had planned it, but they hadn’t coordinated their stories, so the lie would be exposed immediately. She could only tell the truth. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask her when she comes over. She’s like the wind, blowing here and there. How could I possibly arrange to meet up with her?”
Xu Shuyan stared at her. “You’ve been wanting to meet her but haven’t had the chance, is that it?”
Lin Yi: “…”
She gently punched Xu Shuyan’s leg. “Is your life too comfortable that you have to find trouble for yourself? What good would it do you to confirm that Shen Yujia and I planned this in advance?”
What good would it do?
Xu Shuyan considered it. “It would determine my attitude toward her later.”
“Just don’t talk to her,” Lin Yi said. “You don’t know her well, and she might not even want to talk to you.”
“…”
Xu Shuyan nodded thoughtfully.
The strawberry mojito was light on alcohol, its taste mostly sweet and refreshing on her tongue, with an occasional hint of bitterness. She savored it, drinking slowly, all the while praying in her heart that Shen Yujia would never stop, that she would just keep singing forever.
It would be nice to just sit here quietly with Lin Yi like this.
She wanted peace and quiet, but she was simply too eye-catching. Although the “Not into men” sign on the table effectively deterred a lot of unwanted attention, and the natural CP-vibe between her and Lin Yi was already palpable—ambiguous even when nothing was happening, let alone now—their gazes connecting like threads of silk, no one was tactless enough to approach them.
But there were always stubborn ones.
This time, the person who approached was a cute girl with big eyes, dressed in a JK uniform. Her short student-style hair was tied in two pigtails, the ends flipping up, with two small strawberries adorning the red hair ties, bobbing as she spoke.
“Can I get to know you, miss?” The JK girl’s voice was soft, and she waited cautiously for Xu Shuyan’s reply. “You said you’re not into men, and I’m not either!”
Xu Shuyan: “…”
Lin Yi: “…”
She couldn’t help but glance at Xu Shuyan.
It was true. Even bundled up like this, with her mask pulled down to her chin, the hood of her down jacket obscuring half her face, and her long hair in disarray, a beauty was still a beauty. A single glimpse was enough to captivate and attract people.
Besides—
Lin Yi averted her gaze, thinking to herself, besides, a beautiful and mature woman like Xu Shuyan was the ultimate dream girl for lesbians. It wasn’t surprising that a cute girl would hit on her.
But come on! Lin Yi fumed inwardly. Xu Shuyan has someone she likes, okay? And she’s sitting right here! Can’t you see? Even if you can’t, you should be able to tell from the way Xu Shuyan looks at me, right?!
It wasn’t that she needed everyone to know Xu Shuyan liked her, but Xu Shuyan was an idol, and their group couldn’t afford another scandal. Otherwise, she wouldn’t care—
“I’m sorry,” she heard Xu Shuyan say, her voice gentle and tinged with a smile. “I already have someone I like.”
“Ah!” The cute girl’s big eyes blinked, and she quickly glanced at Lin Yi beside her. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I thought… I’m really so sorry!” she stammered.
Then she bowed to Lin Yi. “Please don’t be angry!”
Lin Yi: “?”
“I’m not…” she started to say.
But the JK girl, mortified after her apology, had already scurried away, leaving Lin Yi stunned. “I’m not- I’m not angry! Hey! You’ve got it wrong, I’m not her girlfriend, I’m…”
Her voice trailed off, and her face turned red.
What was all this nonsense!
Why was she even explaining?
But Xu Shuyan chuckled, looking at her earnestly and repeating her words, “You’re not my girlfriend.”
Lin Yi: “…Right!”
Xu Shuyan added, “You’re the person I like.”
Lin Yi: “!!!”
The background music was Shen Yujia’s slightly melancholic singing, rising and falling, just loud enough to cover their voices, extinguishing them in the cracks of time.
It would be easy to play dumb, to pretend she hadn’t heard, to let this confession pass by and rescue her from the ambiguous atmosphere.
But her heart was suddenly pounding so fast.
Blood slowly climbed up the pale blue veins in her neck, to her earlobes, to her cheeks. As she struggled to breathe, her mind raced with scattered thoughts. It must be because she was wearing too many layers, she thought. The heating in here was too strong, the atmosphere too intense. That was the only reason her face was flushing so uncontrollably.
She had made up so many clumsy excuses that she was starting to feel dazed, wavering between belief and disbelief, when the bar suddenly fell silent.
“She’s done singing?” Xu Shuyan’s lips curved into a slight smile. Seizing the opportunity while Lin Yi was still in a daze, she waved the server over. “She sings so well. Can I request a song?”
“Of course.” The server clicked his ballpoint pen. “What would you like to hear? It’s two hundred for one song.”
Xu Shuyan didn’t want to hear anything. She even wanted to ask if she could pay two thousand to have their lead singer leave through the back door. But considering Lin Yi would completely lose it with her, she settled for the next best thing: stalling. “Whatever she likes is fine.”
The server: “You got it!”
After the server cheerfully walked away, Lin Yi finally came to her senses. “You haven’t heard enough?”
Xu Shuyan nodded along with her words. “I’ve discovered that Shen Yujia is actually a really good singer. And you like listening to her, don’t you? Let’s listen to a couple more.”
Lin Yi remained skeptical. “You really think so?”
Xu Shuyan: “Mhm!”
Her long, thick eyelashes fluttered, her eyes full of sincerity. She no longer looked like a puppy, but a cunning and beautiful cat. A little bit of charm and a couple of soft meows were all it took to make someone drop their guard, their heart softening unconsciously.
After their brief exchange, the server had already invited Shen Yujia back on stage. Shen Yujia sat down on the high stool, her voice slightly hoarse from singing. “This next song is for the guests at booth 24.”
As she spoke, she looked over. Lin Yi quickly pulled her mask down a little and waved at her.
A flash of surprise crossed Shen Yujia’s eyes, followed by understanding. She gave Lin Yi a small smile and a slight nod. “A song called Beijing, Beijing. I hope you like it.”
Xu Shuyan: “…”
Regret. The party in question was now filled with regret.
Shen Yujia’s voice was good. Whether it was an original or a cover, she could always sing it in her own style. As the song about this city began to play, it felt as if it was leading people into empty streets, searching for an exit that couldn’t be found, a desperate cry of confusion and pursuit.
Lin Yi was mesmerized. She cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone to cheer for Shen Yujia. “That was amazing!”
Xu Shuyan took a sip of her strawberry mojito.
What a terrible mojito. Why was it so sour?
According to Shen Yujia, she had arrived in B City last week. Before that, she had been traveling along the Sichuan-Tibet highway. The owner of this bar was a friend of hers, and the regular singer had a family emergency, so she had been asked to fill in for a while.
“What are you two doing here?” Shen Yujia poured a glass of plain water. The private room was quiet, making her voice exceptionally clear. “Aren’t you afraid of being photographed?”
Lin Yi explained, “We didn’t plan on coming in. I… Yanyan and I just came out for some air, but then we heard a voice that sounded like yours, so we came in to check. And it really was you! We’re so fated to meet!”
Shen Yujia smiled. “Yes, we are.”
She asked, “How have you been lately? You know I rarely follow the news. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the concert you sent me tickets for. I was trapped in the mountains by a blizzard.”
“It’s okay,” Lin Yi waved her hand, though she felt a little regretful. “But that was our group’s last five-member concert, so it was pretty meaningful.”
Shen Yujia looked puzzled. “Is someone leaving?”
Lin Yi nodded.
“That’s normal,” Shen Yujia said, slowly sipping her water. “I used to have a band in S City. We promised we’d start from S City and sing our way to Lhasa.”
“And then?” Lin Yi asked.
Xu Shuyan’s interest was piqued as well, and she sat up straighter.
“And then we set off, full of ambition, riding our bicycles, brimming with passion and youthful invincibility. It was spring, and wherever we went, flowers bloomed. It was tough, of course, but it was also joyful.”
“I mean, I was joyful.”
Shen Yujia continued, “But some people weren’t. There’s a limit to a person’s passion. If you don’t have to lose anything, perhaps that passion can last a long time. But when you add conditions—like harsh environments, exhausting journeys, singing to no one, or disagreements and fights—all these factors accumulate, and passion slowly erodes.”
“When it reaches a certain point, someone chooses to leave. And then, more and more people leave.”
Lin Yi murmured, “You must have been very sad.”
Shen Yujia thought for a moment, then nodded, and then shook her head. “I was sad at first, but later I slowly came to understand that life is just a series of encounters and farewells. Accepting meetings and accepting partings is a required course in life.”
“You don’t have to get a high score in this course, but just realizing this makes things a lot better.”
“Besides,” Shen Yujia looked at Xu Shuyan, then at Lin Yi. “You two still have each other, don’t you? I’ve heard friends talk about you, saying you’re very close. That’s really nice.”
At these words, the way Xu Shuyan looked at Shen Yujia changed completely. She leaned forward, a “great minds think alike” expression on her face. “Yes, Xiao Yi and I, we’re very close.”
Lin Yi: “…”
So after all that chicken soup for the soul, it all came back to shipping their CP? Shen Yujia, don’t you need to update your information? The two people sitting in front of you have! Already! Had a bad ending!
But Shen Yujia didn’t seem to care much about these things, and explaining would be a hassle, so Lin Yi gave up and changed the subject. “Since you’re in B City, do you want to participate in that singing competition I mentioned to you before?”
Although it was Sister Fang’s suggestion, Lin Yi had felt it was a pity when Shen Yujia declined. She appreciated talent and thought it was a shame for such a voice to be confined to roadsides or bars. Shen Yujia deserved a better, bigger stage.
Shen Yujia let out a puzzled “hm.” “Is that competition still going on?”
Lin Yi said, “The finals are coming up soon. The organizers are looking for strong, buzz-worthy contestants to come in as challengers and stir things up. It’s highly likely they’ll create a reversal for dramatic effect. If a surprise challenger wins, it’ll be a great show.”
Shen Yujia hesitated.
Seeing a chance, Lin Yi pressed on. “If you want to be a challenger, you don’t have to go through our company’s channels. You can contact the organizers directly. There’s no contract tying you down after you participate. You just take the money and go.”
Shen Yujia laughed. “The way you put it, I’m actually tempted.”
Lin Yi urged her, “Go for it, go for it!”
Shen Yujia slowly nodded. “I’ll think about it. I’ll contact you on VX.”
Lin Yi: “Okay!”
Just then, Xu Shuyan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. “Can we add each other as friends?”
Lin Yi was stunned for a moment. Shen Yujia had already scanned the QR code Xu Shuyan presented and asked, “Is your VX ID yzyyszd?”
Xu Shuyan: “Yes, that’s me.”
Lin Yi said, “That string of letters sounds so familiar.”
Shen Yujia guessed, “Yue zou yue yuan shei zhi dao?” (This poetic phrase, literally “The farther one walks, the farther away it gets, who knows?”, suggests uncertainty about the future of a journey or relationship. A more natural English equivalent is, “Who can say how far apart we’ll drift?”)
Lin Yi shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh,” Xu Shuyan said casually. “Yan zhi you yi shi zhen de [Yan Zhi You Yi is real].”
Shen Yujia: “?”
She asked, “What does that mean?”
Lin Yi: “…Haha!”
Under the table, her hand tugged at the hem of Xu Shuyan’s clothes, her eyes threatening: You’re done for if you dare to explain!
Xu Shuyan shrugged.
She said to Shen Yujia, “It doesn’t mean anything. It just means it’s real.”
Shen Yujia nodded, looking as if she half-understood. She then opened her browser and searched for it. A string of results related to Xu Shuyan and Lin Yi appeared. She casually clicked on one, read for a moment, and then suddenly smiled.
When she looked at Xu Shuyan again, her gaze held a new, profound meaning.
Xu Shuyan, however, was very calm, her smiling eyes curving as she met Shen Yujia’s gaze. But her mind was clearly not on her; it was entirely focused on Lin Yi beside her. She asked Lin Yi, “When are we going back?”
“What’s the rush?” Lin Yi said. “It’s still early.”
“…But I have an early flight tomorrow.”
“What early flight?” Lin Yi’s eyes widened slightly. “Where are you going? How come I didn’t know you had a schedule? Aren’t you going back to S City with me?”
Xu Shuyan hummed in agreement. “It was a last-minute thing. I’m flying to LA tomorrow.”
Lin Yi lightly patted her. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? What time is your flight?”
“Eight-thirty in the morning,” Xu Shuyan said.
“Then you won’t get much sleep!” Lin Yi glanced at the time, growing anxious. “Let’s go, let’s go. You need to get back.”
“Aren’t you coming back?”
“I…”
“If you don’t go back, I won’t either.”
“…”
Lin Yi glanced at Shen Yujia. Now that Shen Yujia knew the meaning of “yzyyszd,” she could easily guess Xu Shuyan’s intentions and how she was declaring her claim. She sighed inwardly at how wonderful it was to be young, to love so openly and directly.
She was happy to help them along.
So she gave Lin Yi a reassuring smile. “It’s fine, you should go back. I’m about to get off work anyway.”
Lin Yi breathed a sigh of relief. “Then we’ll talk on VX!”
As she spoke, she stood up and grabbed Xu Shuyan’s wrist. “What are you still sitting for? Hurry up and go back to sleep!”
Xu Shuyan used her other hand to take Lin Yi’s, her long, slender fingers weaving through and clasping Lin Yi’s hand. Then, she guided Lin Yi’s hand to help her put on her red fluffy hat and wrap her scarf, leaving only her eyes exposed.
Her large, dark eyes darted around. With her blushing face hidden, her voice came out muffled. “…You’re so bossy, Xu Shuyan.”
Xu Shuyan gently patted her on the head through the hat.
Her lips curved into a smile.
She whispered, “Lin Yi.”
Lin Yi followed her out of the bar and hummed in response. “What?”
“When do you think they’ll invent a superpower that can shrink people?”
“…What are you planning?”
“You’re so cute, I wish I could shrink you down and carry you in my pocket.”
“…”
“Stop being a pervert, Xu Shuyan! And that’s illegal! The whole country is watching you!” Lin Yi said with righteous indignation, but the face Xu Shuyan had carefully hidden was turning a deeper shade of crimson, inch by inch.
Like rouge dissolving in water.
Seeping into her heart.
The north wind howled through the bustling crowd towards her, and all her excuses became pale and feeble. She followed closely behind Xu Shuyan, and in a daze, she seemed to understand the real reason for her blushing.
[Family, my hands are shaking, holy crap holy crap holy crap, help me see if this is Xu Shuyan and Lin Yi!]
[Image][Image][Image]
[I just got back from Houhai, I saw them in a landscape photo I took. Because they weren’t the focus, it’s a bit blurry, but the more I look, the more it looks like them! Anyone want to fight me on this?]
[???]
[My swollen-from-crying eyes just shot wide open…]
[The CP fans haven’t even dried their tears, what is this?]
[Sex on stage, divorce off stage, and then go on a date after that, is that it?]
[It really is Lin Yi and Xu Shuyan! I just sent the photo to my solo fan friend, she’d never mistake her bias. She said it’s definitely Lin Yi, but she doesn’t know about the person next to her.]
[LMAO, still being stubborn.]
[Hahaha, Xu Shuyan solo fan here. Don’t know if the person next to her is Lin Yi, but the one holding the candied hawthorn is definitely Xu Shuyan. She loves sweets so much, isn’t she afraid her hands will get cold?]
[Maybe her wife bought it for her, so she has to hold it reverently.]
[…]
[??? I’ve been celebrating the Yan Zhi You Yi divorce and haven’t even slept yet, and you’re telling me they’re out shopping and eating candied hawthorn?? Is there any justice in this world!]
[I just finished editing my “The Truth is Fake” fanvid…]
[I sincerely suggest that reporters stop asking Xu Shuyan about her sleeping habits. How would Lin Yi know? When you’re tired from doing it, you just fall asleep. Who has time to observe their wife’s sleeping habits?]
[Mhm, next time they can just ask directly: What are Xu Shuyan’s habits in bed?]
[Lin Yi might publish a book.]
[Xu Shuyan’s 100 Habits in Bed by Lin Yi. Sample reading: Likes to kiss, likes to bite, tongue is nimble. End of sample. The rest is paid content.]
[Take all my money! I would buy that out!!!]
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