“Can this even be aired?” Lin Yi asked a soul-piercing question. “This is a group variety show, not a dating show!”
Chen Yuan quickly waved her hands. “No, no, this is just the proposal. We won’t say it like this during the actual recording. In short, for this one limited day, the person who draws the lucky card has to be unconditionally nice to their partner.”
Yan Qi said, “Oh. So, in name, we could call it ‘Sisters for a Day,’ right?”
Chen Yuan nodded. “Mhm!”
Xu Shuyan asked, “Who’s paired with whom?”
Zhou Shichen wrapped her arms around Yan Qi’s. “I don’t know, but I’m with the Captain anyway.”
Xu Shuyan & Lin Yi: “?”
Did they have any other choice!
The atmosphere eased a little, but then suddenly fell silent, the silence spreading through the small conference room as if it were tangible. The rain pattered outside. Beyond the blurry glass, the LED screen on the building opposite was still playing a support video for the five of them.
Girls full of energy, shining brightly on stage.
“Do you have to leave?” Zhou Shichen suddenly spoke, tears falling from her eyes. She tried to keep her tone calm, but it still trembled uncontrollably. “Why? We clearly said we’d be together forever.”
Chen Yuan bit her lip. “I’m sorry…”
At a time like this, what was the use of saying sorry? The public condemnation was already more than enough. What was the point of them adding their own accusations?
Xu Shuyan looked out the window, catching a glimpse of Lin Yi wiping her eyes in her peripheral vision.
…Crying again?
A wave of irritation suddenly rose in her heart. She rubbed the toe of her combat boot against the table leg, almost self-punitively, and turned to Chen Yuan. “What’s he like?”
Lin Yi shot her head up and glared at her, as if she had asked something she shouldn’t have.
It was something she shouldn’t have asked.
Xu Shuyan thought so, too, but she just had to ask. In the smokeless war she and Lin Yi had waged all these years, neither was the victor. Lin Yi wanted to deceive herself and ignore the real winner, but Xu Shuyan was determined to rip the truth open for Lin Yi to see.
This wasn’t just about Chen Yuan.
There was another main character in this story. He grew up with Chen Yuan, and they developed feelings for each other. One dusk or dawn, they broke through that final barrier. They went from friends to lovers. They loved each other, knew each other, and promised each other every possible future.
That was Chen Yuan’s love bubble, a thin layer that she and Lin Yi could never enter.
Zhou Shichen didn’t notice the undercurrent between them. Seeing that Chen Yuan hadn’t spoken, she also asked, “Yeah, what’s he like? What does he do?”
“He…” Chen Yuan said, “He designs airplanes. He works at a research institute.”
“You don’t see each other often, do you?” Yan Qi asked.
Chen Yuan nodded. “Very rarely.”
She hesitated for a moment, then said it anyway: “But we’ve always been good.”
A pang of pain shot through Lin Yi’s heart. She hurriedly lowered her head, tears welling in her eyes. But afraid that someone would notice, she could only force them back. In her peripheral vision, she saw Xu Shuyan’s hand, resting by her side, trembling slightly. Her fingertips twitched, and she grabbed Xu Shuyan’s fingers.
How strange, she thought. Perhaps Xu Shuyan was her kindred spirit, because the moment she grabbed Xu Shuyan’s hand, her heart steadied.
Xu Shuyan’s expression faltered slightly. She turned her head to the side and glanced at her.
Lin Yi looked so pitiful at that moment. She had forced her tears back, but her eyes still shimmered with a faint, watery light. She was soft and fragile, like a stunningly beautiful rose abandoned in the wind and rain, tempting passersby to pick her.
Pick her.
Pick her and take her home. Place her under a glass dome, so she’ll never have to endure the wind and rain again.
Pick her.
Let her become someone’s exclusive rose.
Pick her-
A knock on the door interrupted Xu Shuyan’s thoughts. She hastily pulled her hand away and looked toward the door. It was the group manager’s assistant, asking if their small meeting was over. If it was, the Captain and Chen Yuan were needed for another meeting.
“I can go by myself,” Chen Yuan stood up. “The Captain just flew back and hasn’t rested. She should go get some sleep.”
“How could I possibly sleep?” Yan Qi took a sip of coffee, shook her head, and sighed. “Besides, this isn’t just about you. On the way here, I already saw a lot of rumors. This concerns the group’s reputation too.”
Yan Qi insisted, and Chen Yuan said no more.
The other three didn’t have to attend the meeting, but they didn’t want to leave either. Sister Fang came out and gave them a lecture: “You can’t help by being here, you’re just getting in the way. Shichen, go catch up on sleep. Yanyan and Xiao Yi, you two are starting on set soon. How’s your acting coming along?”
Lin Yi couldn’t help but protest, “I-”
“The sky isn’t falling,” Sister Fang patted her arm, cutting her off. “No matter what, just do your own work. Don’t lose your composure.”
Still worried after speaking, she instructed Xu Shuyan, “Look after your group’s youngest.”
Lin Yi thought to herself, Xu Shuyan’s heart is probably shattered into a million pieces right now, and she’s supposed to look after me? It’ll be a miracle if we don’t end up crying in each other’s arms. How could she…
Before she could finish the thought, an arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, pulling her into an embrace. Xu Shuyan’s voice sounded, “I know.”
Lin Yi glanced at Xu Shuyan in surprise.
Only after Sister Fang left did Xu Shuyan release her, saying coolly, “Don’t look at me like that. I’m upset too. But Sister Fang is right. There’s nothing we can do. Let’s just focus on our own work.”
Though she said that, her mood was completely beyond her control. After messing up a dance move again, Lin Yi simply gave up and collapsed onto the practice room floor. The sound of the drumbeat mixed with Xu Shuyan’s steps on the floor made her head buzz.
She lifted her eyes and watched Xu Shuyan dance to a sweet song with a blank expression.
She couldn’t help but nitpick: “Xu Shuyan! Where’s your facial expression control! Smile! Just smile!”
Xu Shuyan executed the moves perfectly, speaking the most disgruntled words over the sweetest BGM: “Someone who gave up halfway has no right to criticize my facial expressions!”
Lin Yi said resentfully, “I’m just giving you the whole stage, okay?”
Xu Shuyan ignored her. Without Lin Yi’s cooperation, her positioning was still precise. When she jumped, her sweatshirt rode up, revealing flashes of the pale skin of her waist and outlining her slender waistline.
Xu Shuyan’s waist was so slender.
That time in the hotel in Chaka Salt Town, she had observed it carefully. Amidst the gently swaying, snow-white skin, water droplets slid down her sexy abs to a more hidden place, washing over a small mole and making it stand out clearly.
…Very beautiful.
Lin Yi didn’t know why she was thinking about this. She tried her best to distract herself, but with Xu Shuyan moving right in front of her, her wandering thoughts could only land on things related to Xu Shuyan.
Xu Shuyan loved sweets and couldn’t handle spicy food.
Xu Shuyan liked explosive, stage-dominating songs, but also occasionally got lost in melancholic music.
When Xu Shuyan was a guest mentor on a survival show, she was rated as the most impersonal mentor. But only Lin Yi knew that during the live broadcast of their own debut night, when Xu Shuyan saw her favorite trainee debut, she had hugged Lin Yi, crying and screaming.
Xu Shuyan had a habit of rushing the beat when she sang. Lin Yi corrected her every time, and Xu Shuyan made the same mistake every time, but she was always fine on stage.
Xu Shuyan loved buying bags. Half of the walk-in closet in their dorm was filled with them. Lin Yi once secretly wore one to the airport, and Xu Shuyan noted it down in her little black book, saying she would get her revenge someday.
Xu Shuyan checked her college entrance exam results with her at the company. The air conditioning in the computer room was broken. In the stuffy, tense air, they sweated layer after layer. After the clock struck midnight, they immediately entered their names. When they both saw they had passed, she and Xu Shuyan hugged each other.
Xu Shuyan smelled so good back then.
Xu Shuyan-
A snap of fingers sounded by her ear. Xu Shuyan’s voice was muffled, as if underwater. “What are you thinking about?”
Lin Yi blurted out, “Xu Shuyan.”
Xu Shuyan sat down next to her. “Hm?”
Lin Yi blinked, slowly coming back to her senses. “…Nothing.”
She couldn’t possibly tell Xu Shuyan she was thinking about her to distract herself, could she? Xu Shuyan would just dry heave in disgust, and she’d be the one who was insulted. She looked outside and said, “I wonder if the meeting is over yet.”
Xu Shuyan took a tissue to wipe her sweat. “Probably not for a while.”
Although Xu Shuyan and Lin Yi weren’t easily affected by public opinion, this matter was no small thing. Sister Fang was still afraid it would affect their mentality, so she had simply confiscated their phones. They had no idea what was happening in the outside world right now.
Being idle always led to overthinking. Xu Shuyan pulled Lin Yi up. “Practice.”
Lin Yi reluctantly sat up, placed both hands on Xu Shuyan’s shoulders, leaned forward, and fell into Xu Shuyan’s arms. Xu Shuyan pushed her. “What are you doing?”
Lin Yi found the position quite comfortable, so she clasped her hands together around Xu Shuyan’s neck. Displeased with Xu Shuyan’s squirming, she said, “Don’t move. I’m very fragile right now. Let me hug you for a bit.”
Xu Shuyan shifted uncomfortably but ultimately didn’t push her away.
Lin Yi pushed her luck, resting her chin on Xu Shuyan’s shoulder and calling her in a small voice, “Yanyan.”
Xu Shuyan broke out in goosebumps. “Speak properly!”
Lin Yi: “…”
Damn it. It was all her fault for reminiscing about the old Xu Shuyan just now. Being so close to her and smelling her scent, she had blurted out her nickname.
It really was disgustingly sweet.
But she refused to admit it. She cleared her throat. “What’s wrong? Am I not allowed to call you Yanyan anymore? I’m gonna call you that! Yanyan, Yanyan, Yanyan, Yanyan!”
Xu Shuyan: “…If you’re not going to speak properly, get up and dance.”
Lin Yi tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Fine.”
After a moment of silence, she said, “Yuanyuan said she loves him very much.”
Xu Shuyan froze for a second, then hummed in acknowledgment.
“Actually, I’m a little angry,” Lin Yi said, carefully dissecting her own feelings. “I’m angry that she hid it so well. Was the Chen Yuan I knew and liked real? Which of her words were true, and which were false? What did she do with the person she loves when we couldn’t see…”
Xu Shuyan closed her eyes and raised a hand to pat the back of Lin Yi’s head. “Don’t think about it so much.”
“I know.” Lin Yi turned her head, pressing half her face against Xu Shuyan’s shoulder in a posture that sought comfort. “But I can’t control it. I’m angry, and I’m also envious.”
“Envious…” Xu Shuyan knew the answer, but she still wanted to ask, “Envious of what?”
“Envious of the person she likes,” Lin Yi said. “I’m envious that he knew her before I did, envious that he saw and possessed Yuanyuan’s innocent youth, envious that he can love Yuanyuan openly, and envious that Yuanyuan loves him.”
She asked, “Aren’t you envious?”
Xu Shuyan said, “…I am.”
“Then I thought about it again. Our anger and envy are all because we like Yuanyuan. It’s because we like her that we have these feelings. And because we like her, we can also hide these feelings and wish her happiness.”
Xu Shuyan chuckled.
Lin Yi asked, “What are you laughing at?”
Xu Shuyan slowly stroked the back of her head, long strands of hair slipping through her fingers. She said in a low voice, “I’m laughing at how kind you are, Lin Yi. As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters, right?”
Lin Yi frowned and gently pushed Xu Shuyan away. “You don’t think so?”
Xu Shuyan lowered her eyes. “The person I like, only I can give her happiness.”
Now it was Lin Yi’s turn to laugh, her tone tinged with mockery. “Give me a break, Xu Shuyan. At a time like this, why are you still deceiving yourself with words like that? The two of us are losers. It’s already a foregone conclusion, isn’t it?”
Xu Shuyan didn’t speak, just slowly shook her head.
No.
She hadn’t lost yet.
The meeting dragged on into the evening and still wasn’t over.
The rain had stopped by the time Lin Yi and Xu Shuyan got home. Zhou Shichen, who had just woken up not long ago, was sitting by the coffee table with messy hair, eating fried rice. She asked them, “Is the meeting over?”
Lin Yi replied listlessly, “Not yet.”
Xu Shuyan asked, “Where’s your phone?”
Zhou Shichen lifted her chin. “On the sofa.”
When Xu Shuyan picked up her phone and asked her to unlock it with her face, she said, “Don’t go online. People are saying all sorts of things right now. Out of fifty trending topics, twenty are about our group. It’s pointless.”
Xu Shuyan looked at the unlocked phone, hesitated, and tossed it aside.
She said to Lin Yi, “You go shower first.”
Lin Yi didn’t want to move. “You go first.”
“We played rock-paper-scissors for it,” Xu Shuyan said smoothly. “You have the unconditional right to shower first. If I go before you, I have to post on Weibo that I’m a pig. Don’t you try to trick me into posting that.”
Lin Yi: “…”
Xu Shuyan is so annoying!
Cursing under her breath, Lin Yi went upstairs to shower. Zhou Shichen, however, saw through it. She knew Xu Shuyan just wanted Lin Yi to relax a bit; finding something to do was better than waiting around aimlessly.
“It’s been hard on you and Xiao Yi these past two days,” Zhou Shichen said.
Xu Shuyan shook her head. She pinched the bridge of her nose and murmured, “I wonder what the outcome of the meeting will be.”
When Lin Yi came downstairs after her shower, the smart speaker in the living room was playing the white noise of a fireplace. The crackling sound made it seem like they were by a bonfire. Yan Qi and Chen Yuan were already back. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, everyone turned to look.
Xu Shuyan beckoned. “Lin Yi, come here.”
Seeing their solemn expressions, Lin Yi’s heart sank. She walked over very reluctantly and sat down next to Xu Shuyan. Xu Shuyan’s hand was on the sofa, and after a moment’s hesitation, Lin Yi placed her own on top of it.
Their fingers intertwined, and she once again found a sliver of comfort.
She feigned a relaxed tone. “Were you waiting for me? Have the Captain and Yuanyuan eaten? My shower made me hungry. Shichen, which place did you order the fried rice from? I want some too.”
“Eat later,” Yan Qi said. “I’ll tell you about the meeting first.”
…As expected, with Yan Qi, you could never procrastinate.
The back of her hand was patted. Lin Yi froze slightly. In her peripheral vision, she saw the person who had patted her hand looking at Yan Qi with a serious expression. “Captain, go ahead.”
Yan Qi nodded. “Like I said before, this isn’t just about Yuanyuan. It affects our entire group. It’s not easy for our rivals to get dirt on us, so they’re spreading all kinds of negative press releases online, slinging mud, and even starting rumors that Yuanyuan’s boyfriend is her sugar daddy.”
“So, we’ve all agreed to adopt the third solution.”
“…What is it?” Lin Yi’s heart fluttered with panic.
“The third solution: no destruction, no construction.” Yan Qi looked at Chen Yuan and said, “Chen Yuan will leave the group and get married.”
Xu Shuyan and Lin Yi said in unison, “Get married?”
Yan Qi nodded slightly. “Leaving the group will protect the group, and getting married will show everyone her determination. It proves she’s serious and cuts off the sugar daddy rumors at the source.”
“Of course, it also prevents this from becoming a topic again in the future. After all, Yuanyuan and her boyfriend are so in love, they’ll get married eventually. Rather than have it dragged out again for another round of press releases then, it’s better to resolve it all now. Netizens are forgetful. We just have to get through this period.”
“But getting married…” Zhou Shichen asked, “Isn’t it too rushed?”
“It is a bit,” Yan Qi said. “But three months is enough. Yuanyuan won’t participate in the recording of the group variety show anymore, but she will participate in the concert tour as planned to complete her stages with the group.”
“With that, Chen Yuan will have graduated from the girl group.”
“…”
In the suffocating silence, Yan Qi said, “Meeting adjourned.”
That night, both Xu Shuyan and Lin Yi had insomnia.
To be precise, none of the five members of the Gu Group slept well. Just as they were finally getting a little drowsy at dawn, their manager and assistant were already knocking on the door.
The live press conference was scheduled to start at nine in the morning.
[Holy shit? I’ve really seen it all now! With such a huge setup, Chen Yuan isn’t quitting the industry, is she?]
[…I heard Chen Yuan was already dating before the group was formed, and the manager knew about it. Now that the scandal broke, they’re just pushing Chen Yuan out to take the fall, right? Sweet Melon Entertainment, you’re such a capitalist!]
[Nooo, Chen Yuan’s acting is pretty good. She’s the rising actress I had the highest hopes for. Don’t quit!]
[To be fair, Chen Yuan really carries viewership ratings, and she’s great at boosting a drama’s popularity. That last historical idol drama was such a low-budget production, wasn’t it Chen Yuan’s portrayal of Princess Pingting going viral that made it a dark horse success?]
[Why hasn’t the livestream started yet ahhhhh]
[The other four members of the Gu Group are there too! I wonder if they’ll be in the livestream… I don’t want my daughter to participate in a livestream like this]
[Group stans, are you okay?]
[Thanks for asking, my bestie is a group stan, she’s been crying for two days straight]
[What’s going to happen to our Gu Group…]
[Fuck! The livestream is starting!]
At the same time, backstage at the press conference, the other four members of the Gu Group sat up straight. They couldn’t accompany Chen Yuan to the press conference, but they insisted on coming to the venue to watch the broadcast from backstage.
The livestream froze for a moment. When the picture stabilized, it had cut to a close-up of Chen Yuan’s face.
She was wearing full makeup, concealing her exhaustion and fragility. The gentle makeup style wasn’t aggressive at all. She pulled the microphone on the table closer. “Hello everyone, I’m Chen Yuan of The Notes.”
The moment the words left her mouth, her eyes reddened.
“This will be the last time I introduce myself this way. As everyone has seen these past two days, I have done something wrong. I am not worthy of being an idol who is liked by others. I’m sorry to the fans who have always supported and loved me, I’m sorry to my teammates, and I’m sorry to the company that nurtured me.”
“Therefore, I am announcing here that I will be leaving The Notes after this summer’s concert tour.”
[I’d rather you just kill me…]
[To say something cruel, she did do something wrong, and she deserves the consequences, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling bad for her]
[Career-focused fans have no fear. As long as Chen Yuan doesn’t quit the industry and can keep acting, it’s fine]
[Sigh, the fans are heartbroken]
[I’m actually seeing qualities like ‘facing it honestly and taking responsibility bravely’ from Chen Yuan]
[Give me a break, she’s only facing it because she got caught. How is that honest?]
[Holy shit? What does she mean, getting married???]
[Damn, Chen Yuan is a badass, leaving the group to get married… is that guy really that great???]
[Does this mean I get to see Yan Zhi You Yi as bridesmaids?]
[I never thought the Gu Group would fall apart like this. Is a four-member Gu Group still the original Gu Group?]
[I don’t know, as long as it doesn’t stop Yan Zhi You Yi from dating, it’s fine]
[Yan Zhi You Yi CP fans, don’t make me slap you! If Yan Zhi You Yi dates, isn’t that still an in-group scandal? That’s two scandals at once! The Gu Group would be doomed!]
As soon as the livestream began, the number one trending topic became “Chen Yuan Press Conference.” As time went on, more topics kept trending, including but not limited to “Chen Yuan Leaves The Notes,” “Chen Yuan to Participate in The Notes Summer Tour,” “Chen Yuan Getting Married,” “Group Stans,” and “Gu Group,” followed by tags like “Hot” and “Explosive.”
The PR team hired by Sweet Melon Entertainment worked nonstop, either guiding the narrative or making clarifications. Meanwhile, the legal team was collecting evidence of slander, determined not to let anyone get away with muddying the waters.
In the backstage dressing room.
Lin Yi and Zhou Shichen were already sobbing uncontrollably. Yan Qi, her eyes red, stared intently at Chen Yuan on the screen. Xu Shuyan’s fingertips dug into her palm as tears fell silently.
After a long moment, she gently hooked her fingers around Lin Yi’s.
…She had discovered that Lin Yi seemed to calm down a little when she held her hand. It’s just holding hands, she thought, her mind wandering. Just holding hands, it’s nothing.
As expected, Lin Yi squeezed her hand back.
Their hands were about the same size. As their palms pressed together, their well-defined fingers interlocked. Lin Yi gently pulled their joined hands toward her, as if the two of them were a community of fate in this storm, shouldering the burden and facing it together.
“Get ready.” The dressing room door was pushed open, and Sister Fang stood in the doorway. “It’s about to end over there. The five of you will leave together. It’ll be a show of group spirit.”
She frowned. “I understand how you feel, but stop crying.”
“And you, Lin Yi!” she singled her out. “You’ve been crying a lot these past two days, haven’t you? Your eyes are all swollen. I’ll have the assistant get you an ice pack right away. Put it on as a quick fix.”
Lin Yi sniffled. “Got it.”
The livestream had already ended by the time the ice pack arrived. The black screen of the TV now only showed their group’s official photo. A wave of bitterness washed over Lin Yi as she looked at it. Her hand holding the ice pack trembled slightly, and she couldn’t seem to place it properly.
Just as she was getting frustrated, the ice pack was suddenly taken from her hand.
She froze for a second, then heard someone next to her say irritably, “Head up, eyes closed.”
It was Xu Shuyan.
What’s she being so fierce for?
Lin Yi grumbled internally as she obediently lifted her head. Feeling that her swollen eyes were ugly, she closed them without even glaring at Xu Shuyan.
Xu Shuyan took the ice pack and gently pressed it against her eyes.
The icy coldness rested against her eyelids, dampening her long lashes. The redness at the corners of her eyes was pitiable.
Xu Shuyan’s hand trembled slightly. She averted her gaze, letting it travel down the bridge of Lin Yi’s nose before finally settling on her lips, which were slightly parted, the red tip of her tongue barely visible.
She heard her teammates stand up and walk toward the door. She heard the soft white noise from the TV, the chaos outside the door, and even the pitter-patter of rain from a great distance.
And she also heard, at this very moment, her own inopportune heartbeat, and a thought that grew uncontrollably like a weed.
Lin Yi’s lips looked very kissable.
She thought.
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