***
Chapter 33 – Rejection
It was no longer spoken in a joking tone, nor was it an ambiguous probe.
Jiang Liusui saw raw, unguarded passion in the pair of light brown eyes before him. He Yujing’s gaze neither wavered nor looked away, laying his feelings out so plainly that the intensity in his eyes almost carried a hint of aggression.
With his proud personality, even a simple confession could sound like an unwavering declaration.
Looking at him, Jiang Liusui found himself at a loss for words.
He couldn’t claim to be completely unaware of all this. Several times, he had felt that He Yujing’s attitude was too ambiguous. But He Yujing’s personality was unlike anyone else he had ever met—truly impossible to read. Coupled with some inexplicable personal reservations… he didn’t want to disrupt their current relationship and even hoped it could continue just as it was. Unconsciously, he had overlooked the possible deeper meaning behind He Yujing’s words and actions.
No one spoke in the lounge. The prolonged silence gradually cooled the once-passionate atmosphere, until it even began to feel somewhat awkward. He Yujing’s heartbeat gradually slowed. After rushing over to see Jiang Liusui right after the performance, his body had been heated from the intense exercise. Now, standing in the air-conditioned lounge for some time, his fingertips felt the unavoidable chill.
Just as He Yujing felt himself on the verge of losing control, Jiang Liusui finally spoke: “I’ve always thought of you as a friend…”
Jiang Liusui felt a little flustered, only starting the sentence before trailing off, unable to continue with the detached, rational coldness he usually employed when rejecting others.
“I’ve told you before, I can’t be just friends with you.”
He Yujing looked straight into his eyes, bringing up what he had said during the variety show recording. But this time there was no ambiguity—not like the subconscious way he had said it before, when even he hadn’t fully realized the meaning of his own words.
He had never liked anyone before. In the past, he was always the one being confessed to. Even though he could write lyrics that moved countless people, in front of someone he liked, he seemed unable to find the right words.
“……”
“Listening to what you just said made me really happy. I couldn’t hold it in, so I confessed,” He Yujing slowed his words. He knew his confession was sudden and might startle him. “I know it’s unlikely you feel the same way about me. Like you said, you only see me as a friend.”
He paused briefly, then smiled with a hint of defeat, as if resigning himself to fate. “Even if it’s just me liking you one-sidedly, that’s fine.”
“You praised me so much just now—in your eyes, I must be pretty decent, right?” He Yujing met his gaze, speaking each word carefully: “Jiang Liusui… do you want to try being with me?”
Jiang Liusui was the first to look away, avoiding He Yujing’s gaze.
“No need, Yu-ge. I…” Jiang Liusui’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only murmured softly, “I don’t want to be in a relationship right now.”
The instinct to retreat was written all over him. He Yujing’s heart skipped a beat, almost feeling as if he were being completely pushed away. He quickly composed himself and went along with his words: “Alright. Then just pretend I never said any of this today.”
Never said it…?
Jiang Liusui lifted his head and looked at the man before him. He Yujing had been waiting for him to do exactly that. The moment their eyes met, He Yujing said softly, “Let’s pretend I never confessed to you. From now on, let me pursue you—okay?”
After saying this, He Yujing stopped pressing him and quietly waited for Jiang Liusui’s response.
For him, this attitude of being completely submissive and awaiting judgment was already a sign of putting himself in a lower position.
For some reason, a strange, uneasy feeling crept over Jiang Liusui.
He had just witnessed He Yujing at his most dazzling and had been genuinely captivated by the charisma he exuded on stage. Jiang Liusui didn’t want to see that star dim its own light, treading carefully, even appearing somewhat humble, in front of him.
To pursue someone meant surrendering your emotions to their hands. If He Yujing continued, he would only make things harder for himself than they already were.
Jiang Liusui’s mind was in turmoil, unsure how to respond. In the end, he could only slowly shake his head.
He Yujing’s eyes dimmed, yet he seemed to want to say something more. Jiang Liusui also realized his attitude wasn’t decisive enough—an ambiguous rejection could let feelings linger like threads that never fully break.
Hardening his heart, Jiang Liusui blurted out, “I will never like you.”
He Yujing froze.
The air in the room seemed to freeze. Perhaps he hadn’t expected Jiang Liusui to speak so ruthlessly. He Yujing pressed his lips together and, after a moment, used a playful tone to ask softly. “Not even a little room for negotiation?”
“…I’m sorry.” Jiang Liusui took a step back, putting complete distance between them. “I won’t be going to your celebration party tonight. The performance was incredible—thank you for inviting me.”
With that, Jiang Liusui turned and walked directly toward the lounge exit.
The door lock in the room seemed faulty. When Jiang Liusui pressed it down, it didn’t open immediately, prompting him to silently curse in his mind.
The gaze from behind felt almost tangible, fixed intently on his wrist, making his skin crawl. After several forceful attempts, he finally heard a click as the door opened.
Jiang Liusui felt as though he had narrowly escaped a sentence. Seeing him leave without a backward glance, He Yujing struggled to keep his emotions in check. His hand clenched into a tight fist, so hard that the veins on the back of it stood out sharply. Only then did he manage to force down the urge to chase after him and drag him back.
The lounge fell into a deep silence. After a long moment, the one who remained let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh and cursed softly.
“What fucking celebration party?”
To ensure the concert went smoothly, he had only drunk some water to moisten his throat before going on stage and hadn’t eaten much of anything.
By tradition, every concert ended with a team dinner. This time, however, He Yujing made a point of telling everyone that he had other plans. If they went out to celebrate, he would pay for it, but he wouldn’t be attending.
He’d already reserved a table at one of his regular restaurants. Since it was late at night, arranging it had been slightly troublesome.
After all the effort poured in for tonight, all he ever wanted was to share a meal alone with Jiang Liusui.
***
When Jiang Liusui’s call came through, Zhou Xun was reading his academic books.
He attended one of the top-ranked science and engineering universities in the country and had been accepted into its graduate program a few months prior. His parents had hoped he’d use the break to properly unwind, but Zhou Xun had always been fascinated by astronomy. Before the new term began, he still wanted to immerse himself in material related to his field.
Jiang Liusui’s voice on the phone was unusually flustered as he asked if he could stay at his place for the night. Zhou Xun immediately agreed.
Both of Zhou Xun’s parents were teachers, and they’d taken the opportunity of summer break to travel. The house was left with only him and a Samoyed whose tail wagged incessantly. After a brief thought, Zhou Xun led Snowball to the balcony where it usually stayed. “Stay in here today. People get scared when they see you.”
Snowball seemed to understand it was about to be confined and barked several times in protest. Zhou Xun bargained with it, “I’ll let you out tomorrow when I get the chance.”
In all the years they had known each other, Jiang Liusui had rarely asked to stay over. The last time it happened so suddenly was during the winter break of their freshman year. At that time, Shen Sijia had known Jiang Liusui for about half a year, and through her, Zhou Xun had gradually grown familiar with him too. One night, just before the New Year, Jiang Liusui suddenly asked if he could come stay for a day or two.
Since Shen Sijia was of the opposite gender, it wasn’t convenient for Jiang Liusui to approach her. Compared to that, the only person he could turn to was Zhou Xun—who, at the time, he still wasn’t particularly close to.
Jiang Liusui’s voice on the phone sounded deeply exhausted, yet he didn’t say what had happened. Even so, though they’d known each other only briefly, Zhou Xun already considered him a close friend and agreed without a second thought.
There was something almost magical about Jiang Liusui. The moment he arrived, he won over the entire Zhou household—including Snowball. Zhou Xun’s parents even wanted him to stay and celebrate the New Year with them, but Jiang Liusui left after just two days.
Even without him saying a word, Zhou Xun could faintly tell that Jiang Liusui hadn’t wanted to intrude on their family time together.
What Shen Sijia later told him only confirmed his suspicions. From her, he learned that Jiang Liusui’s uncharacteristic behavior back then had been caused by problems at home.
Zhou Xun didn’t know the details of Jiang Liusui’s family affairs, but he was aware that his parents were extremely indifferent towards him. It was as if both regarded him as a symbol of their failed marriage. Beyond the bare minimum of parental obligation, they wanted no further connection with him at all.
Although the voice on the phone just now was different from the weak, drained tone during that winter break, the fact that he had called so late at night meant that Jiang Liusui was probably quite at a loss.
Zhou Xun stroked Snowball’s fluffy neck, coaxing it gently. “If Jiang Liusui’s in a better mood tomorrow, you can go give him a scare.”
Snowball barked in response. Zhou Xun took it as consent and shut the balcony door. A short while later, a knock sounded at the front door.
When Jiang Liusui saw Zhou Xun answering the door, he glanced inside and asked, “Have uncle and aunt already gone to rest?”
It was already close to midnight. Earlier, Jiang Liusui had been worried about disturbing Zhou Xun and had hesitated for quite a while before making the call.
“They’re off traveling—won’t be back until September. I’m the only one home,” Zhou Xun said, pulling out a pair of brand-new slippers. “Wear these. I’ve never used them.”
Jiang Liusui stepped into the living room. Zhou Xun headed towards the fridge. “What do you want to drink? Cola, juice, or water?”
There was no answer for a long moment. Puzzled, Zhou Xun poked his head out from the kitchen—just in time to hear Jiang Liusui say, out of nowhere, “…I want a drink.”
“……”
Alright. Looks like he’d really run into trouble this time.
Zhou Xun poured him a glass of water, set it on the coffee table, and said, “With your alcohol tolerance, are you planning to get drunk and tell me your bank card password?”
Jiang Liusui steadied himself, fully aware that drowning worries in alcohol was nothing but wishful thinking. He sat there in silence, eyes fixed on the graffiti-covered mug in front of him. Just as Zhou Xun assumed he’d wandered off into his own head, Jiang Liusui spoke out of nowhere: “He Yujing confessed to me.”
“Pfft—!”
Zhou Xun had just taken a sip of cola and immediately choked on it. He coughed for ages, and Jiang Liusui, unable to keep watching, reached over and gave his back a couple of pats.
“Cough—cough—!” Zhou Xun finally managed, too stunned to care about himself. “Say that again—who confessed to you?! You’re talking about the He Yujing I’m thinking of?!”
On the day He Yujing’s new album dropped, he had even called Jiang Liusui privately after the press conference. Zhou Xun happened to see it and was taken aback—he assumed the two must be really close.
After all, when it came to Jiang Liusui, becoming best friends who can talk about anything with a superstar within just a few months didn’t seem all that strange.
But a confession…?
Maybe it was Shen Sijia’s influence, but Zhou Xun couldn’t help muttering a curse. For a moment, he even imagined—if anyone else found out about this, it would probably blow up the internet tonight.
Zhou Xun calmed down and, looking at Jiang Liusui’s expression, quickly grasped the situation. “So… you turned him down?”
“Yes,” Jiang Liusui replied, letting out a sudden sigh. “But my heart feels so tangled. The truth is…”
Although they hadn’t known each other for so long, he and He Yujing got along extremely well. He didn’t want to ruin this unexpectedly close relationship, especially not by ending it this way.
Even with his emotions in disarray, there was one thing Jiang Liusui was absolutely certain about: he did not feel the same way He Yujing did. No matter how much he wanted to avoid it, he had no choice but to refuse.
Zhou Xun fell silent for a beat, then said bluntly, “You’re not feeling any regret for falling out with him, are you?”
Jiang Liusui hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly. Zhou Xun, noticing this, realized that something about the situation was unusual.
But then again, considering how close He Yujing was to him and that Jiang Liusui had never rejected such a dear friend before, it was only natural for him to be troubled.
“Actually, you don’t need to overthink it,” Zhou Xun comforted him. “He probably just got caught up in the moment, thought it was exciting. Besides… you’re incredibly good-looking.”
Even someone like He Yujing might not be immune to superficial attraction.
“I’m not saying he only cares about appearance, just … you know what I mean.”
Given He Yujing’s fame and status, he must have encountered all kinds of people. Such intense feelings for someone might just be a fleeting impulse, sparked by Jiang Liusui’s captivating looks.
Jiang Liusui’s looks could perfectly be described as “vividly beautiful,” and combined with his seemingly soft and harmless personality, he naturally attracted a lot of unwanted attention.
“I know,” Jiang Liusui murmured. He understood better than anyone just how much his appearance drew attention, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what he felt inside. “It might be better if it was just a passing fancy.”
Zhou Xun watched Jiang Liusui lower his gaze, his lips parting as if to speak, but he ultimately stayed silent.
He understood that Jiang Liusui, shaped by a cold and distant family, didn’t want to open himself up to another intimate relationship. Love and friendship were entirely different—partners would rely on and possess each other. Moreover, Jiang Liusui had only known He Yujing for three months, so it was naturally impossible for him to agree to a romantic relationship.
Zhou Xun vaguely sensed that He Yujing wasn’t such a shallow person. Still, his loyalty lay with Jiang Liusui.
As a friend, even if he noticed the subtlety of the situation, Zhou Xun wouldn’t say it out loud.
Suddenly, a scratching sound came from the balcony.
Both of them turned toward the source of the sound. Snowball, finally realizing Jiang Liusui was there, grew instantly excited—panting happily, scratching at the balcony’s glass door with her fluffy white paws, tail whipping back and forth like a flag in the wind.
Jiang Liusui hesitated, a small smile forming. “Has Snowball… gotten a little bigger?”
Zhou Xun: “She’s four and a half years old, she can’t really grow anymore. Maybe her fur is just extra fluffy recently.”
Snowball frantically scratched at the glass door, her gaze fixed intently on Jiang Liusui, looking as if she desperately wanted to rush in and jump into his arms.
From this distance, Jiang Liusui wasn’t afraid of the dog.
“Nope, not allowed,” he said, finally smiling for the first time since arriving at Zhou Xun’s place, caught up in the dog’s boundless energy. “Let’s just keep a safe distance like this.”
He had been muddled for a long while, and he didn’t want to dwell on his worries any longer. Taking a sip from the glass of water Zhou Xun had poured, Jiang Liusui said softly, “Let’s leave this be… and don’t tell Shen Sijia yet.”
Zhou Xun simply replied with a soft “mm.” Even if Jiang Liusui hadn’t said anything, he wouldn’t have mentioned it—Shen Sijia wasn’t the type to handle this news well, and it was better left unsaid.
Encouraged by his quick agreement, Jiang Liusui allowed himself a teasing grin. “So… when are you going to confess to Shen Sijia?”
“…Don’t remind me,” Zhou Xun groaned, clearly vexed about his own feelings. “As far as she’s concerned, there’s only He Yujing.”
Ever since they met, Jiang Liusui had found these two friends particularly amusing. Shen Sijia foolishly treated Zhou Xun as her childhood friend, constantly calling him with gege this, gege that in front of him every day. Zhou Xun kept silent about his feelings, but Jiang Liusui saw everything clearly.
Seeming to recall this as well, Zhou Xun said with a wry smile, “Even though the reasons are different, my two best friends are now completely obsessed with He Yujing.”
Forget Shen Sijia—Zhou Xun was a little impressed that He Yujing could occupy Jiang Liusui’s thoughts too. He Yujing… really is poison[mfn]有毒 (yǒu dú) – lit. toxic / poisonous; slang meaning someone is irresistibly attractive or dangerously captivating[/mfn], isn’t he?”
***
As soon as Chi Lianxi finished his night shoot, his assistant hurriedly handed him his phone. “Xi-ge, your phone has been ringing nonstop.”
Chi Lianxi took the phone, initially thinking it was some friend inviting him out for late-night fun, but was surprised to see He Yujing’s name prominently displayed among the missed calls.
Oh~
The young master was calling him.
Chi Lianxi knew today should be He Yujing’s first concert and found it curious. He walked while calling back, and the other side unusually picked up immediately.
“So, what’s the deal, Jing’er? You actually have time to call me?” Chi Lianxi jumped in before he could speak, teasing, “Aren’t you supposed to be riding high right now? Even our assistant director went out of their way to see your first show.”
He Yujing didn’t respond to his banter. Even when addressed with that annoying nickname, his tone remained calm, as if he was desperately suppressing something.
“Do you have time or not?”
Chi Lianxi noticed something was off and abandoned his teasing tone. “I just wrapped up filming. I’ve got time.”
“Come drink with me,” He Yujing said.
Chi Lianxi hesitated. “I could… but aren’t you having a celebration party with your team?”
“Why is everyone talking about celebration party today…” He Yujing let out a low, quiet laugh before his voice dropped, carrying an edge of dark mischief. “The person I originally planned to meet doesn’t want me, so you can come keep me company instead.”
— — — —
