—You’ll have to ask the Captain.
Song Yushi, who had just hung up on a spam call and added the number to her blacklist, only heard that sentence. She paused, looked up, and asked blankly, “…What?”
Qi Ke smiled and patted the back of her hand. “It’s nothing. You just eat.”
Song Yushi gave her a strange look. She was about to lower her head and continue tackling the hotpot, but she felt that Qi Ke’s smile was mischievous, alluring yet unsettling.
After a moment’s thought, Song Yushi put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth unhurriedly, and smiled at the camera. “You all know what our lead singer is like in interviews. Whatever she says, just believe half of it.”
Fans: …
Although it was a bit heartbreaking, Captain, could you tell us which half of “You’ll have to ask the Captain where the ring was bought” we should believe?
But Qi Ke didn’t look heartbroken at all. Her gaze towards Song Yushi was filled with doting affection, leaving the onlookers with evidence that “I only look into her eyes, I don’t care what the millions are cheering for.”
Onlookers ate up the drama, and seeing the Sweet Day members together, they exclaimed that their youth was back.
Zhong Yi’s fans, shipping the CP their idol shipped, felt one step closer to Zhong Yi.
Qi Yu CP fans took screenshots until their hands cramped and recorded the screen until their legs went soft. Their screaming posts built up over three thousand floors, successfully reaching the top of the CP Super Topic chart.
In short, whether the livestream was “straight” or not was debatable, but it was certainly a broadcast that pleased everyone.
【How can they be so compatible? And for some reason, they give me the feeling of a long-married couple. Keke was talking to us in the livestream while occasionally reminding the Captain that this is delicious, to eat some fruit, to eat slowly, or asking if she wanted some soup. Just! Savor it! Savor it! This kind of relationship is so natural, I’m swooning. How many years has Qi Yu been married?】
【Keke finishes filming tomorrow, she must be reluctant to leave, right? Afterwards, she just gave the livestream back to Zhong Yi. In those brief moments on camera, in the corners where no one was looking, I saw love!】
【Eh? I heard the crew gives flowers when filming wraps up? Can I dream of our little Captain giving Keke flowers tomorrow?】
【Let’s dream bigger. Little couple, please kiss in public for me, won’t you?】
A spring rain drew open the curtains of the season. Tender shoots emerged from the branches, their delicate green adorned with raindrops that fell slowly, turning over the soil and releasing a fresh fragrance mixed with the light rain.
The entire film studio city seemed like a painting of a bright and beautiful spring day. The early morning fog dispersed in the rising sun, and the colors gradually grew brighter and warmer.
People were always starting or finishing work. Amidst the hustle and bustle, following the director’s “Action!” over the walkie-talkie, Qi Ke’s final scene began filming in the female lead’s bedroom.
It was a scene with not much dialogue.
According to the revised script, the villainous female supporting character was in love with the female lead. Later, her feelings could no longer be hidden and were finally noticed by the female lead, leading to a confrontation between the two in the female lead’s home.
Song Yushi brewed her emotions and immediately got into character after filming began. With tears in her eyes, a mix of panic and uncertainty, she yelled at Qi Ke, “What on earth are you trying to do? Are you happy now that everyone has left me? Is this your way of celebrating victory, by coming here to show off in front of me!!”
Qi Ke didn’t speak, just looked at her.
“Say something!”
Song Yushi pushed at Qi Ke, but her strength was like a light feather, not affecting the other’s composure in the slightest. It wasn’t until she raised her hand high to slap her face that Qi Ke raised a hand and caught her wrist.
Song Yushi froze for a moment.
“He hasn’t left you yet.” Qi Ke stared at Song Yushi, yet it didn’t seem like she was looking at her, but rather through her at something else.
“What?”
Qi Ke raised her voice and repeated, “He hasn’t left you yet!”
Song Yushi gave a sad smile. “Would you be satisfied if he left me?”
But Qi Ke slowly shook her head, her voice lowering. “I’ll only be satisfied when you leave him.”
It was a double entendre, but the female lead, muddled by anger, didn’t grasp its meaning and just gave a mocking smile. “Is there a difference?”
After that, Qi Ke had no more lines, only acting with her eyes.
It was very difficult.
Song Yushi thought, acting with one’s eyes required so much emotional mobilization, so much fundamental skill and experience. She was prepared for a retake.
Then she saw Qi Ke’s expression slowly change.
The indifference gradually softened, the feigned sarcasm crumbled. The shift from coldness to gentleness seemed to take a century, but the shift from gentleness to pity took only a second.
Yes, pity.
In the scene, the supporting actress looked at the female lead with pity.
Off-screen, Qi Ke looked at Song Yushi with pity.
Song Yushi’s heart skipped a beat.
Thump, thump.
Her heartbeat, frantic and uncontrolled, was like a little rabbit held in her arms.
Song Yushi was lost in a daze for two seconds, not even hearing the director yell “Cut.” By the time she came to her senses, the crew had already gathered around, releasing balloons and scattering confetti, their praises endless.
“Amazing, absolutely amazing! Teacher Qi’s gaze just now was incredible. Even as a woman, my heart was moved.”
“Wuwuwu, who cares about the male lead? The pretty older sister is true love!”
“Where’s the screenwriter? Screenwriter, kill off the male lead!”
“Hey! The male lead is still standing right here!”
“The male lead agrees!”
“Teacher Song, the flowers are ready for you.” While still in a daze, a bouquet was suddenly thrust into Song Yushi’s hands. The stagehand gave her a little push towards Qi Ke. “Go give them to Teacher Qi!”
Baby’s breath surrounded champagne roses, blooming in her arms.
At the end of the clamor, Qi Ke was waiting for her.
With so many eyes on her, Song Yushi felt a little uncomfortable and averted her gaze from Qi Ke’s. She walked quickly towards her and thrust the bouquet into her arms. “Happy wrap.”
After speaking, she stared at the bouquet, trying to trace the patterns on the petals to avoid Qi Ke’s overly intense gaze. Just as she was absorbed in her observation, she heard Qi Ke call her name and subconsciously looked up.
Qi Ke smiled at her. “Give me a smile, Captain.”
After only a second of stunned silence, Song Yushi smiled.
Click—
The camera lens engraved this moment into eternity.
That evening, the official Weibo account of the 《Awakening of Insects》 crew posted photos of Qi Ke’s wrap. A photo of Qi Yu was in the center position, a beautiful picture of the two looking at each other and smiling, one with her head up, the other with her head down.
Qi Ke quickly reposted the Weibo post.
Qi Ke: Very lucky to have had this fortuitous encounter. 【TV Drama 《Awakening of Insects》: Our lead singer Qi Ke has wrapped! At the same time, our Keke will also be lending her voice to the ending theme song, 《Timely Rain Falls》. Please look forward to it [Naughty]】
【Fortuitous encounter? Qiyu? Qi Yu is real!】
【Timely Rain Falls? Yushi? I’m shipping it!】
【Is this me fucking shipping a CP? It’s my CP that’s messing with me! [Let me see who’s flaunting the CP in front of the mains, oh it’s the mains themselves.jpg]】
【The “Official Canon Kills Fanfiction” series.】
Meanwhile, Qi Ke, who was already in another city, humming a song in an Audi while saving various edited photos from the Super Topic, received a call from Sister Ming.
“Qi! Ke!” Sister Ming’s roar filled the entire car. “You’re really the death of me!!!”
Qi Ke quickly moved the phone away from her ear, placing it far away on the passenger seat.
The driver in the driver’s seat: “…”
Might as well just torture him to death.
After waiting for what she calculated to be the right amount of time, Qi Ke slowly brought the phone back and chimed in at the right moment, “Sister Ming is right.”
“Haha.” Sister Ming took a sip of water. “Then tell me, what part of what I said was right?”
Qi Ke deflected skillfully, “Everything was right.”
“But you just won’t listen?”
“Uh-huh.”
“…”
Sister Ming: I want to cry. Right now, I just want to cry.
Qi Ke took a bottle of water from the car’s mini-fridge. As she twisted the cap, she asked, “Sister Ming, you didn’t call just to scold me, did you?”
Sister Ming: “Hehe, you didn’t even listen to the call, yet you know I was scolding you?”
Qi Ke: “…” The devil is always one step ahead. Sister Ming is also leveling up.
Qi Ke said sheepishly, “Isn’t it just about scolding me for being too reckless these past few days, testing the waters on the edge of coming out every day? I promise—”
Sister Ming: “Hmm?”
Qi Ke: “…that I won’t restrain myself in the future either.”
Sister Ming: “…”
Someone, please come and save her!
“The Bvlgari endorsement has been secured.” Sister Ming changed the subject stiffly. “After you finish talking with the lyricist today, fly directly to B City tomorrow. Should I have someone book a ticket for you, or will you use the family’s?”
Qi Ke yawned. “It’s not that far, just book a plane ticket. Can’t be too extravagant.”
Sister Ming: “Hehe. You weren’t thinking that way when you were showing off the diamond ring on the livestream.”
Qi Ke said, aggrieved, “But I wasn’t the one who bought it!”
Sister Ming: “So how many times have you two exchanged rings without entering the palace of marriage yet!”
Qi Ke: “…” Although she wanted to answer the first half of the sentence, it was hard not to focus on the last half!
“It was bought in London when we were filming the group’s variety show.” Qi Ke took a sip of water. The Evian mineral water had a crisp taste, and her fingerprints marked the condensation on the glass bottle. She leaned back against the seat and recalled, “I was the one who suggested it, that we give each other a gift at every place we visited.”
“The Captain, well, she’s so cute. She always thought that because of my family’s wealth, I wouldn’t care for ordinary things, so she bought a huge diamond ring. It cost a lot of money.”
“Actually, as long as it’s from her, even a flower picked from the roadside would be the best.”
Sister Ming was silent. “So that’s how it was.”
So there was such a story behind this ring, a love not accepted by the world, that didn’t dare to see the light of day… Wait, wasn’t she here to shut the closet door? Why was she inexplicably listening to a love story!
Besides, listening to Qi Ke’s tone.
This must be the legendary ‘crying on the surface but secretly showing off’!!!
During filming, Song Yushi rarely scheduled other activities. This year’s reality show was an exception, but because there was a lot of material, enough to be edited into several episodes, and the other guests’ schedules couldn’t be coordinated, the next recording was postponed for two weeks.
So this year, her birthday was once again spent on set.
Song Yushi didn’t particularly like celebrating her birthday.
Before her debut, no one remembered it. After her debut, she would celebrate it at fan meetings. So many fans would bring their heavy love, traveling from afar to see her, sing her the birthday song, and tell her, “You are loved, you are not alone.” After the fan meeting, Sweet Day would celebrate with her again in the dorm.
Blowing out the candles again, making another wish, being surrounded by love once more.
Later, after Sweet Day disbanded, the activity of celebrating her birthday was never put on the schedule again. Most of the time, she spent it on set, paying for the crew’s dinner and then quietly leaving amidst the laughter and chatter.
Just like now.
Song Yushi avoided the crowd and entered the elevator from the back door of the apartment building, luckily not running into any acquaintances.
The long hallway was carpeted, swallowing the sound of her footsteps.
Song Yushi unlocked the door and pushed it open. Suddenly, in an instant, her vision was dazzled.
In the living room.
There was a flower wall like something out of a fairytale dream, a grapefruit-colored cake with a little girl in a white dress and crown dancing on it, and balloons, a room full of colorful balloons.
I’ve gone to the wrong room.
This was Song Yushi’s first thought.
Immediately, she realized this might be a surprise prepared for her by the crew.
The Hundred Flowers Best Actress, having just shed her character, was still trying to summon an emotion called surprise when she suddenly heard something pop. A cluster of balloons rose from somewhere, and a voice so familiar it was etched into her bones rang out in the room: “Surprise!”
At the same time, people hidden in various places all popped out—
“Surprise!”
“Oho, our birthday girl is back!”
“Happy birthday!”
“Hey! You’re stepping on my balloon string!”
“Don’t fucking touch my dress! It’s a new EL model, you’ll pay for it if you ruin it!”
Song Yushi: “…”
Qi Ke, holding a string of balloons: “…”
Let her count. She had gone to great lengths to throw a birthday party, and how many third wheels were there?
Sister Ming, Meng Ying, Zhong Yi, Chengzhi, and—
Why is Ruan Xiangmeng also here being an eyesore?!
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