When all the lights went out at once, Yu Shuxin guessed that her friends were about to bring out a cake to celebrate her birthday.
Just then, someone gasped: “Look outside the window!”
Yu Shuxin followed the voice and looked out the window. Over the shimmering Huangpu River, drones twinkling with lights rose slowly into the air, like scattered specks of starlight forming a galaxy.
Drone shows were nothing new to the people in this private room, but witnessing a thousand drones form a giant portrait of Yu Shuxin with their own eyes was still a breathtaking sight.
The images shifted one after another—from an adorable girl with two little braids, to a high-ponytailed schoolgirl with a backpack, to a little princess with a crown and long flowing hair…
Yu Shuxin’s journey of growth unfolded in the images, and the various roles she had played since her debut appeared one by one.
After the drones spelled out “ysx, Happy Birthday,” all the words in the sky shone together for over a dozen seconds. Then the lights scattered like bursting fireworks, and finally, a pink heart that kept pulsing appeared in the sky.
The crowd parted to make way as Shen Du walked over slowly, holding a bouquet of flowers. Yu Shuxin stood stiffly, not daring to meet his eyes. She had already guessed what he was about to do next.
After all, it was all too obvious.
Shen Du was specially dressed in the costume of Haku, the male lead from Spirited Away—Yu Shuxin’s favorite anime—and he held a bouquet of red roses blazing like flames.
Shen Du gazed tenderly at the childhood friend who had grown up with him and occupied such a significant place in his life. According to his original plan, he was going to propose to Yu Shuxin at this special moment today.
However, the evasive look in Yu Shuxin’s eyes was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head. Before Shen Du even spoke, he already knew her feelings.
Shen Du swallowed all the words he had meant to say. Smiling, he handed over the flowers: “Xinxin, happy birthday. This is our twenty-fifth year of knowing each other… May our friendship last forever.”
Yu Shuxin’s pupils dilated for a split second before she maintained her smile and took the flowers: “Thank you, Brother Xiao Shen.”
Shen Du joked: “So? Were you scared? Did you think I was going to propose?”
Yu Shuxin replied playfully: “Hehehe… yeah, but I wouldn’t have said yes to you anyway. We idols have to have idol ethics.”
Li Miaomiao had been scared half to death by these two all day, completely unaware of the turbulent undercurrents beneath the two award-winning actors’ cheerful banter. Seeing that the ship of their friendship had survived the storm without incident, she let out a huge sigh of relief: “…You two are really going to give me a heart attack. Yu Shuxin, do you know I actually thought you were about to quit the industry and get married just now?!”
“Really? A popular girl group member quitting the industry to get married—that does sound like a pretty romantic headline.” Yu Shuxin covered her mouth with a delicate laugh, casually tossing out a completely different possibility for how her life might have gone.
Shen Du touched the blue-green ring box in his pocket. He had chosen Tiffany because Yu Shuxin loved Audrey Hepburn and adored watching her in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
This ring had been custom-made five years ago.
Back then, Yu Shuxin had just returned to China from Singapore. Only twenty years old, she said she wanted to make her way in the entertainment industry. Her parents disapproved, but Shen Du had spoken up for her and mediated, saying it was fine to let her go out and face the world on her own.
Shen Du gave Yu Shuxin a long, deep look. She was no longer the little rose that had grown up in a garden.
Probably only Li Miaomiao, that silly girl, would think Shen Du was just joking. Ding Yuxi watched this little melodrama unfold with a hint of amusement curling at the corner of his lips.
He genuinely had to admire Yu Shuxin now. What did it mean to have one’s wings fully grown? This was exactly that!
If Yu Shuxin’s career were still lukewarm this year, she might not have had the confidence to reject “Little Brother Shen’s” confession.
The Yu and Shen families had been close for generations. Children from families like theirs often had no control over their own lives—marriage was sometimes even used as a bargaining chip in the family business arena.
It was clear that this “Little Brother Shen” truly understood Yu Shuxin well. Just from her hesitant expression, he gave up on the idea of a public confession that would have put her on the spot.
A businessman who left no loose ends and was quite proper in his conduct—even the drone-delivered confession flying outside was expressed subtly. Those who didn’t understand would think it was just fans showing support for Yu Shuxin.
But then, why wouldn’t such a proper man be willing to wait a little longer?
After all, Yu Shuxin’s career was still on the rise. But if she still hadn’t broken into the top tier in a few more years, it would be time to consider retiring from the industry and getting married.
Ding Yuxi thought this, and he asked it too.
Shen Du had started the gift-giving, and everyone took turns presenting their gifts. After blowing out the candles and cutting the cake, the party dispersed.
Quite a few people had drunk too much playing the King’s Game. Ding Yuxi, the good-natured one who hadn’t touched a drop and was still sober, accompanied Yu Shuxin as she sent each tipsy friend into their cars, staying until the very end.
Hearing Ding Yuxi’s question, Yu Shuxin’s smile looked more like she was about to cry.
“Him…”
“He can’t wait any longer. Last month, Grandpa Shen was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He told Shen Du that he wanted to see his grandson married before he closed his eyes.”
Perhaps it was because she had a heart full of thoughts with no one to share them with, or maybe because Ding Yuxi really was a good listener.
Yu Shuxin swirled the champagne in her goblet and spoke slowly: “When I was sixteen or seventeen and first developed feelings for Shen Du, he was already in university. He wouldn’t have given a girl like me a second look. Don’t let his ascetic appearance fool you—the girlfriends he had were each spicier than the last.”
“Later, when I came back to the country, maybe it was a case of ‘a girl changes eighteen times by adulthood.’ He didn’t object to the tacit verbal engagement our parents had agreed upon.”
“But I wasn’t willing. I said I wanted to be an actress, and they all opposed it.”
“Only Shen Du said, ‘If she wants to go, let her go. She’ll come back once she’s battered and bruised.'”
“That’s what he said, but Shen Du still had someone pass my resume to the CEO of Xingyue Entertainment. I signed with Xingyue right after my interview.”
“Over the years, every time I felt like I couldn’t hold on any longer, I’d think about whether I should go back and join the family company. At worst, I’d have to listen to my parents and be at their mercy.”
“These past few years, Shen Du has also become like a different person—ascetic, with no tabloid gossip about him anymore.”
“But I don’t love him anymore. I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love.”
“Luckily, I got famous this year. I finally don’t have to go home.”
Ding Yuxi clinked his juice against Yu Shuxin’s glass, his bright eyes gazing at her with warmth: “To freedom.”
Yu Shuxin’s lips curved slightly upward: “To freedom.”
When they parted, Ding Yuxi traced circles around his eyes with his fingers. “If your eyes are swollen tomorrow, you can cut two slices of potato after you wake up to reduce the swelling.”
Yu Shuxin rolled her eyes at him dramatically. “Like I’d actually cry, okay?”
The next day, Yu Shuxin had to eat her words. She cut a big potato and brought it along, tilting her head back and applying the slices the whole ride in the van.
You know what, the potato slices worked wonders for the swelling—didn’t hold up her work schedule one bit.
…
But how much grievance would it take to cry in your sleep? So it turns out we did like each other, it’s just that my feelings and yours were out of sync.
【Yuzhou Zhongxin】Super Topic
Bao Bao Cat Cat I’m Born: “MASSIVE sugar! Bro and Sis low-key birthday same-frame”
Attached images: [Anonymous beauty (blurred) and Yu Shuxin group photo.jpg]
[Anonymous beauty (blurred) and Ding Yuxi group photo.jpg]
“Dug this up from Little Red Book! This beauty is super low-key, should be Sister Fish’s friend. Caption just says happy birthday, first image is a cake. If it didn’t look like the same cake from Sister Fish’s Weibo post, I almost scrolled past it.”
Floor 1: “Wow, so Sister Fish’s birthday had that many people? From her Weibo I thought she just celebrated with family.”
Floor 2: “Sister Fish’s birthday party is pretty famous, lots of celebs go hang out.”
Bao Bao Cat Cat I’m Born: “The beauty sister replied to my DM! She told me Bro Yu lost a game of King and had to take photos of other people with Sister Fish. But he took them so well that everyone wanted one, and by the time everyone left, they all had a Polaroid with Sister Fish.”
Floor 3: “Damn, Bro Yu’s that nice?”
Floor 4: “Should be real—I saw several people posting their Polaroids with Sister Fish today.”
Floor 5: “Shipping it!”
Floor 6: “Shipping it!”
…