***
Chapter 67 – Obsessive Fan
During their week-plus stay in the United States, Jiang Liusui spent nearly every moment with He Yujing when the latter wasn’t working.
They spent one afternoon on a yacht. Initially, they were just chatting while enjoying the sea breeze, but when He Yujing noticed how clingy Jiang Liusui was, he pulled him into the cabin. That evening, they dined with a mixed group of men and women. Jiang Liusui silently marveled at how many friends He Yujing had, listening as they laughingly shared countless stories about him. Unconsciously, he drank a bit too much and was dizzy by the time they returned to the hotel.
When he drank, Jiang Liusui could say anything, and it seemed to provoke He Yujing, who playfully “tormented” him. The next day, when He Yujing had to work, Jiang Liusui was completely drained of energy. He barely managed to wake up to say goodbye before collapsing back into sleep.
As the tour moved through several cities, everyone in the team came to know Jiang Liusui. Seeing how the two seized every private moment to be together, He Yujing’s long-time makeup artist remarked with a laugh, “EVIN used to attend after-parties with us after the shows, but now he slips away faster than anyone.”
New York was the last stop of Jiang Liusui accompanying He Yujing on the U.S. tour. After tonight’s concert, he would prepare to return to China, while He Yujing would continue the tour. They wouldn’t see each other again until the end of the year.
When Jiang Liusui woke up, He Yujing was gone. As he lifted his hand, a slender bracelet slid down his wrist—one of the gifts He Yujing had bought him yesterday.
At the thought, Jiang Liusui rested his wrist over his eyes and smiled faintly. He got up and changed clothes, reminiscing about the previous day.
In his twenty-plus years of life, it was the first time he had received so many gifts in a single day—so many that they had to send some back to the hotel with an assistant because they couldn’t carry them all.
He had gone shopping with Zhou Xun before to accompany Shen Sijia, and he had thought that the young lady’s shopping sprees were already extreme—but compared to her, He Yujing took it to an entirely new level…
“Awake?” A familiar voice interrupted Jiang Liusui’s thoughts.
He turned and noticed He Yujing approaching, wearing an identical bracelet to his own. Jiang Liusui’s lips curved upward.
He Yujing started filming him with his phone again. Jiang Liusui initially waved playfully at the lens but then asked, “Why are you recording me every day? Are you really switching careers to become a vlogger?”
“This is called documenting life’s little moments. I’ll personally edit a VLOG when we get back,” He Yujing said casually. “By the way, your fly is open.”
Jiang Liusui flushed, instinctively glancing down, only to find no such issue. Annoyed and embarrassed, he snapped, “He Yujing!”
The named man grinned mischievously. “So gullible.”
As they stepped out of the elevator into the hotel lobby, Jiang Liusui spotted a figure with blonde hair.
She was checking in at the front desk, luggage in tow. When they emerged, the blonde girl stared fixedly in their direction.
Her again?
Unlike before, Jiang Liusui was certain this time she was looking at He Yujing.
Having followed them from Los Angeles to New York, it couldn’t possibly be a coincidence. Her expression was disturbingly intense—a mix of excitement and perhaps jealousy. Hesitantly, Jiang Liusui murmured, “That girl…”
“Don’t mind her,” He Yujing said calmly.
He had encountered similar situations many times before—there had been stalkers who followed him closely in the past. As long as they didn’t cross the line, he generally paid them no attention.
Jiang Liusui nodded and followed He Yujing out of the hotel.
Night had fallen, and the lights above the audience seats flickered and shifted in color. The stadium, filled with tens of thousands of people, was completely packed. As the opening VCR played, waves of screams erupted from the crowd.
Jiang Liusui sat high up in the stands. When the figure everyone was waiting for appeared on stage, the cheers and screams surged to a crescendo, like the beginning of a wild celebration, instantly electrifying the atmosphere!
Over these past few days, Jiang Liusui had attended every concert in person. Even though he had seen it several times already, every time He Yujing appeared on stage, his heart would uncontrollably race, beating faster and heavier.
Jiang Liusui’s gaze remained fixed, closely following the dazzling star on stage.
Around the halfway point, He Yujing spoke in English, mentioning the inspiration behind the next song.
He said it was a recently written new song, and tonight would be its first performance during the U.S. tour. When he showed a slightly troubled expression and revealed that most of the song was written during a period of heartbreak, Jiang Liusui heard waves of gasps and exclamations around him. Clearly, no one could believe that EVIN could ever experience rejection.
“But now it’s different,” He Yujing stood on the rising platform, his eyes sparkling with laughter, as if carrying a hint of pride, “It’s a commemorative song to me.”
“The song is called ⟪Love Reservation⟫[mfn]Okay, confession time. In the raws, this title is written in English as “Love Appointment.” Sorry, I didn’t know EVIN would drop the correct English title of the song this late in the story. Since I have already posted the chapters and it’s too late for me to change the title now. I have to change it to “Love Reservation” so it is consistent throughout the story. I hope you guys can forgive me.[/mfn].”
With that, he strummed the strings of his electric guitar.
A gentle prelude flowed out, and He Yujing’s unmistakable voice filled the stadium. Since the official audio hadn’t been released yet, many were hearing this love song for the first time. The audience held their breath, and the venue grew exceptionally quiet, as if only He Yujing’s singing remained in the world.
Aside from that one night in a small European country, this was the first time Jiang Liusui had heard him perform this song live.
Unlike that time, He Yujing seemed to be in a good mood, a smile gracing his handsome face, the crescents under his eyes curving noticeably.
His silver-white hair stood out vividly on the large screen, the studs on his ears glinting, and his long fingers gripping the microphone studded with red diamonds. He seemed almost unreal, like a character straight out of the CG animation shown earlier.
The way He Yujing sang this song was completely different from his aggressive demeanor while dancing earlier. The girls sitting around Jiang Liusui couldn’t help but whisper their admiration halfway through the song. The words he heard most from them were “charming” and “sweet,” and he couldn’t help but smile.
He Yujing’s performance of this song tonight was indeed quite sweet.
When he finished singing, the surrounding applause and cheers lasted for a long time. After the performance, there was a segment for interacting with fans onsite. He Yujing randomly called out a seat number, and a girl near the extended stage stood up with a dreamlike expression.
Seeing her face appear on the big screen, the girl froze for a moment before snapping back to reality and taking the microphone handed to her by a staff member. She immediately blurted out a string of fluent Chinese: “Yu-ge! Are you in a relationship?!”
As if finally having a chance to confirm the rumors, the girl looked especially excited. Most of the fans present didn’t understand what she said at first, but that didn’t stop them from getting caught up in the excitement, as teasing cheers erupted from all directions.
Everyone had expected He Yujing wouldn’t answer directly, but to their surprise, he nodded generously: “Yes, I am in a relationship.”
After speaking, he deliberately repeated the statement in English, sending the entire venue into a frenzy of screams.
Jiang Liusui froze for a moment, only then realizing that He Yujing had casually and openly revealed his relationship status just like that.
Once it sank in, he couldn’t help but smile and joined the surrounding fans in cheering and teasing.
The girl, having calmed down from her excitement, looked at He Yujing’s expression and guessed, “Then, did they hear ⟪Love Reservation⟫ live tonight?”
“He probably heard it.”
He Yujing glanced in Jiang Liusui’s direction. The distance was too great to see clearly, but he knew the person sitting there was undoubtedly watching him.
His next words directly confirmed her speculation: “After all, he’s here too.”
The venue erupted into even louder screams. The fans around Jiang Liusui, understanding what had been said, excitedly clapped and started chattering among themselves.
By halftime, the clip had been sent back to China, immediately causing a massive uproar online.
Live recordings and photos from the concert were widely circulated, with He Yujing’s name dominating the top spots on all major platforms—some sites even crashed due to the traffic:
【Holy shit— this is the first time in so many years he’s admitted it himself!】
【He’s in a relationship, he’s in a relationship, he’s in a relationship!! My idol is really dating someone, I’m going crazy ahhh!! There were some hints before, but I never expected him to confirm it outright.
Watching the video, it seems like he was caught off guard but just answered honestly—typical He Yujing! No beating around the bush at all!】
【I knew it! Lately, you’ve been strutting around like a peacock for a reason. You even specifically explained that the song was written for your partner—your love songs were never this sweet before! Just watching the video, I could feel the air filled with sweet bubbles!】
【Damn, He Yujing is so handsome ahhh!! Casually dropping such explosive news… If I were his partner, I’d be over the moon!!】
【No more calling him “husband” from now on, wuwuwu! He’s already someone else’s hubby. Blessings, blessings! When will the handsome guy introduce his partner to us?!】
After the initial shock, everyone began speculating about who the other person might be.
For a while, all kinds of rumors flew around. Some took a more analytical approach, meticulously reviewing He Yujing’s recent schedule to deduce who he might have met. Others turned to astrology, using star charts to make predictions. Debates even erupted over whether the person was a civilian or a fellow celebrity.
【Was that really his boyfriend at the airport that time? Then wouldn’t that mean…】
【Yu-ge said “TA” ahhh, this is when I hate how nuanced Chinese is—does that mean male or female?![mfn]In spoken Mandarin Chinese, 他 (he) and 她 (she) are pronounced exactly the same. You cannot hear the difference when someone speaks unless it appears in writing: 他 = he (male) 她 = she (female)[/mfn] If it’s a guy, I’m going to dream big! It’s Xiao Jiang, right?? 】
【Please, please let it be Jiang Liusui, right? Right?! Right?! 】
【Saw the video in broad daylight and was first stunned by how handsome he looked, then my heart literally jumped to my throat—don’t let my CP get a BE[mfn]BE = bad ending[/mfn] ahhh!】
【Sisters, let’s be rational! Yu-ge already has a partner, it’s not appropriate to say these things anymore, don’t attract hate with baseless talk!】
【My feelings are so complicated right now, I’ll send my tearful blessings first.】
Almost at the same time, a lengthy Weibo post unexpectedly shot to the top of the hot search.
An account named “YY,” claiming to be a long-time fan of He Yujing, stated that she had been living in the U.S. for the past few years and wasn’t particularly up-to-date with his activities, although she still liked him a lot and would follow his U.S. schedules.
Unexpectedly, a few days ago, YY witnessed He Yujing privately interacting with a fan. Disappointed to the core, she posted all the photos she had taken recently.
『 You’ve had this person by your side throughout the ten-day schedule, entering and leaving together every day, even staying at the same hotels. Just because you’re not in China, you think you can act so recklessly? Several times, the other person had hickeys on their neck.
After liking you for so many years, I finally see what kind of person you are. How could you stoop to sleeping with fans? Isn’t that disgusting?
And the other person involved, as a fan, don’t you know to keep your distance from his private life? So eager to engage in a secret affair, how shameless. 』
The number of photos she posted was indeed substantial, but because they were taken from a distance, most of them were blurry. Only one clearly showed He Yujing’s face, while the other person was only visible from the back or in profile.
YY even meticulously organized the shooting locations and timelines, which did align with He Yujing’s recent concert schedule.
She had assumed that once the post went live, everyone would unanimously condemn He Yujing. But even though it quickly climbed to the top of the hot search and attracted massive attention, the focus of netizens’ discussions was completely different from what YY had anticipated.
【Sounds so righteous, but isn’t the blogger basically acting like a sasaeng[mfn]an obsessive fan who invades a celebrity’s privacy[/mfn] with these “private” sightings? So many media outlets breaking the news at once—you must’ve made a fortune selling those photos, huh?】
【Sasaengs should stay away from his life. If you have psychological issues, go see a doctor. Why do you care who he dates? He’s He Yujing, after all.】
【He already said he’s in a relationship earlier, so isn’t this a misunderstanding? This is clearly He Yujing’s boyfriend.】
【These photos were posted almost immediately after the U.S. concert video. He Yujing probably never imagined that being in a serious relationship would be twisted into “private interactions with fans.”】
【Since many sasaengs don’t actually spend money to support their idols and just enjoy following their private schedules, I’m guessing the blogger probably didn’t even attend the concert. Otherwise, why would she be making such a fuss here? Maybe you should check the hot search.】
【Holy shit, today is so dramatic! I was just worrying that Yu-ge protected him too well with zero clues, and suddenly so many photos popped up. Sisters, come quick and analyze who this actually is!】
【It really looks like Suisui, I can’t hold back anymore. I didn’t dare speak recklessly before, but the body shape and side profile are just too similar!】
【Seriously, someone’s already overlaying the images for comparison! One photo overlay came out almost identical!】
***
The blonde girl crouched in the parking garage on the underground level of the concert venue, constantly refreshing Weibo comments.
As luck would have it, He Yujing had preemptively declared he was in a relationship. After watching the viral video they were talking about, Chen Ying felt both shocked and furious, her fingers flying across the keyboard under the Weibo account name “YY”:
『 Of course he’d say he’s in a relationship!
The fact that he privately contacted a fan can’t be covered up forever—claiming it’s a relationship is less embarrassing.
You should dig into that guy’s identity! He’s probably the admin of some domestic fanbase, or at least a big fan leader. Otherwise, how could he possibly get close to He Yujing? I’m overseas and don’t know these details. 』
After posting this reply, she was met with even fiercer mockery:
【Wait, are you crazy? How can you be so sure it’s private interactions? Your words contradict themselves!】
【Someone dug up her Insta and saw some of her past posts—she really thinks she’s He Yujing’s girlfriend. Crazy obsessive girlfriend fans are terrifying…】
【Thankfully, Yu-ge isn’t the type to hide things, or this situation would be hard to clarify. But the concert’s first half ended at 21:30, which is 9:30 PM domestic time—a full ten minutes earlier than when that blogger posted their fictional account. I’m honestly disgusted. Sasaengs who spread rumors deserve to die.】
【Girl, the photos you took really look like Jiang Liusui. If it’s him, you’re making a huge fool of yourself.】
The comments repeatedly mentioned that her photos resembled someone—some used initials, others nicknames—but they all seemed to refer to the same person. Finally seeing someone use the full name, Chen Ying hesitantly opened the search bar.
She only followed He Yujing and paid no attention to other domestic celebrities. Typing the name into the search bar, her eyes suddenly widened.
It was that face!
He was really in a relationship? How dare he?!
Chen Ying hid in a dark corner of the parking garage, incessantly scratching her arms until they were nearly bleeding.
In the distance, lights flickered on, accompanied by gradually approaching footsteps and chatter. She abruptly lifted her head, staring intently in the direction of the sound.
Amid the crowd of staff members, He Yujing had his arm around Jiang Liusui’s shoulders. They were speaking quietly to each other, walking toward the direction where she was hiding.
— — — —
