Chapter 9

That evening, the adults were chatting and playing mahjong. Only Zhao Yu dragged a little stool over to the TV, counting the lineup on the program schedule and waiting for Shen Junyi’s segment.

He performed alongside several industry seniors in a singing number.

There weren’t many close-up shots of him. Zhao Yu pointed her phone at the TV screen and tried to capture him several times, but they all came out blurry. She deleted them silently.

After the performance, another channel was broadcasting backstage interviews.

Zhao Yu switched over.

When she tuned in, the screen was showing an interview with one of his senior co-performers. Shen Junyi stood beside them, laughing and chatting with someone from the crew behind him, his brows bright and spirited.

A moment later, it was his turn.

The host said, “Say a New Year’s greeting to the audience at home.”

The young man wore a red suit, handsome and refined, his makeup and hair neat and proper—unlike his usual playful self in event videos. He smiled and waved at the camera. “Hello, everyone. I’m Shen Junyi. Wishing you all a happy New Year, good health, and may all your wishes come true!”

The host briefly introduced his works, then smiled and asked, “I heard you once wished to perform on the Spring Festival Gala, and now that wish has come true. What’s your next wish?”

Shen Junyi: “I hope I can keep performing on the Gala next year.”

Everyone around him burst out laughing, but Zhao Yu, watching from the TV, felt a little sad.

The interview lasted less than a minute. Zhao Yu switched back to the Gala, but her interest had faded. As midnight approached, she pulled out her phone and opened her messages.

Her conversation with Shen Junyi still ended on the day of her college entrance exams.

She stared at the screen for a long time. When the clock struck 11:59, she finally typed out a long blessing:

— Firecrackers roar, the New Year’s here, this text brings greetings near. My heartfelt wishes I convey—Xiao Yu wishes you a happy New Year, good health, smooth sailing ahead, and ever-rising success in your career!

It looked exactly like a mass-forwarded greeting text, but it was sent only to him.

The countdown began on TV.

As it hit one, the New Year’s bells rang. Zhao Yu pressed send precisely on time. It was just a simple blessing, yet her ears were already burning red.

A girl’s unspoken feelings were hidden inside that message, flying off into the distance.

The streets were still lively on New Year’s Eve, with a steady flow of cars.

Shen Junyi was stuck in traffic, lying in his tour van catching up on sleep. Just after midnight, countless New Year’s wishes flooded his phone, and the van vibrated nonstop.

The assistant held the phone and said, “They’re all New Year’s greetings.”

Shen Junyi had been swamped with schedules and hadn’t slept well in a long time. He kept his eyes closed and said drowsily, “Read them to me.”

The assistant read them out one by one. After each one, Shen Junyi dictated a reply for the assistant to type and send.

Most people just sent “Happy New Year and all the best,” so a simple “Happy New Year” in return sufficed. But when they got to Zhao Yu’s, the assistant burst out laughing.

Shen Junyi listened, then was quiet for a moment. “That’s pretty catchy… Wait, let me think about how to reply properly.”

The assistant said, “It’s obviously a mass text—just reply with ‘Happy New Year.'”

Shen Junyi: “No way—that’d make me look illiterate.”

So half an hour later, Zhao Yu, who’d been anxiously clutching her phone, finally got his reply:

— New Year’s here, blessings near, Junyi sends his cheer. Wishing you good health and days so bright, smooth studies and a heart so light, luck and fortune in plain sight, happiness always in your sight!

Zhao Yu: “………………”

What the heck—she’d spent so long crafting her message, and he just copied a mass-forwarded greeting to brush her off!

Would it kill him to send her a sincere “Happy New Year”?!

Fuming, Zhao Yu threw her phone aside and went to bed.

On the first day of the New Year, relatives started visiting.

There weren’t many Jiang family relatives in Hangzhou—most had moved to Shanghai years ago. Zhao Yu didn’t have to deal with a gauntlet of elder interrogations, which was a relief. Besides eating and lazing around at home, she spent her time next door keeping Granny Shen company.

Granny Shen said Shen Junyi would be back in a few days after finishing his work.

Zhao Yu felt nervous.

Was she going to see him again? It’d been so many years—what would she even say? Would he still treat her like the little neighbor girl?

Maybe she shouldn’t see him at all?

But she kind of wanted to see him, to talk to him…

Zhao Yu twisted into a worm on her bed, tangled in indecision.

That evening, as the family sat in the living room watching TV and chatting, sudden commotion erupted outside. The clatter of hurried footsteps echoed loudly through the quiet lane at night.

Zhao Yu’s sharp ears caught the voice of Xiao Luo, Granny Shen’s caregiver.

Jiang Lei said worriedly, “Don’t tell me it’s a burglar? Jiang Yu, go check it out.”

Jiang Yu stood up and headed out, and Zhao Yu quickly hopped off the sofa and slipped on her shoes. “I’m coming too!”

By the time they got outside, the commotion had died down. The caregiver was standing at the gate, cursing at someone. Jiang Yu asked, “What happened? What’s wrong?”

The caregiver replied, “A bunch of people were crouched outside taking photos. It’s fine—they’re gone now.”

Jiang Yu frowned and looked toward the end of the lane, then lowered his voice to Zhao Yu. “Fans or paparazzi, probably. Some people are sick—coming here on New Year’s to harass an old woman.”

Zhao Yu was angry too. She said to the caregiver, “Sister Xiao Luo, just call us if anything happens.”

Xiao Luo nodded repeatedly.

Back in the living room, Jiang Yu explained the situation. Zhao Kangning sighed, “Being a celebrity isn’t easy either.” He glanced at Zhao Yu and teased her with a deliberate sigh, “Sigh, when our little girl gets famous, we’ll have to move.”

Zhao Yu put her hands on her hips. “Comrade Jiang Lei, I’m reporting Comrade Zhao Kangning for sneaking a smoke in the garden today!”

Jiang Lei shot her husband a sharp glare.

Zhao Kangning: “…………”

The next afternoon, after finishing her daily training, Zhao Yu was about to take a shower when her phone on the bed started vibrating wildly.

It was Lin Zhinan calling.

She’d barely said “hello” when the excited, stunned voice came through: “Did you see the trending news?! Shen Junyi’s girlfriend got exposed—he even took her home for the New Year!”

Zhao Yu: “???”

A bad feeling crept over her.

She quickly opened Weibo. The top trending topic was “Shen Junyi’s Mysterious Girlfriend,” with a red “explosive” tag beside it.

The photo was clearly taken secretly, showing only a back view.

It was obviously a young woman, wearing fluffy slippers, walking into the courtyard of Shen Junyi’s grandmother’s house, carrying a plain red plastic bag in her hand.

Very casual, everyday attire.

The gossip claimed this was Shen Junyi’s secret girlfriend, who’d been staying at his grandmother’s place throughout the New Year. Someone had leaked his schedule—he was flying to Hangzhou tomorrow morning, clearly to see his girlfriend.

Zhao Yu looked closely and thought those fluffy slippers and the red plastic bag looked awfully familiar.

Wasn’t that her???

Yesterday, a relative had brought over a box of Red Fuji apples—soft-textured and good for the elderly—so Zhao Yu had bagged ten of them and taken them over to Granny Shen.

She’d been photographed??

Shen Junyi had massive traffic and high visibility. Any news about him would be reposted wildly by marketing accounts, and netizens loved gossiping about him. From the moment the photo surfaced until now, rumors had spread far and wide, with trending topics filled with accusations of him being an irresponsible idol.

Zhao Yu stared at her phone in shock.

She froze for a moment, then quickly messaged Lin Yi: Yi Yi, did you see the trending news? It’s fake—don’t believe it!

Lin Yi: Of course I don’t believe it! Gege wouldn’t do something to ruin his career! He promised his fans he’d focus on his work! Damn Huachang, why haven’t they released a statement yet?! But who is that girl anyway? A relative?

Zhao Yu didn’t dare tell her it was her…

Fortunately, the photo only showed a blurry back—no one could recognize her.

Huachang quickly issued a statement, explaining that it was just a neighbor bringing New Year’s gifts and urging everyone not to spread rumors. They also issued a serious warning and strong condemnation against the photographer, calling on everyone not to disturb the elderly.

Zhao Yu recalled the people crouched at the gate last night taking photos and was furious.

Despite the company’s denial, not everyone believed it. Shen Junyi’s previous scandal with a backup dancer still had anti-fans clinging to it.

The peak was high, and the winds were fiercer.

This undoubtedly caused more negative impact on him.

Zhao Yu felt terrible.

She’d been so careful—how did she end up causing him trouble again?

The online buzz continued wave after wave. He must be overwhelmed. Would he… would he find her annoying?

He was coming back tomorrow.

Granny Shen had said they’d all make dumplings together when he returned.

If they got photographed again, it’d be even harder to explain.

The online discussion raged on. Zhao Yu packed her bags and left Hangzhou that very night.

She still had two days of vacation left, but heading back to the company early was better than staying and causing him more trouble.

Beijing was colder than Hangzhou.

By the time she landed, it was nearly 11 PM. Jiang Yu had arranged for a driver he knew to pick her up. As she was loading her luggage into the trunk, her phone rang.

Thinking it was her mother, she swiped to answer casually. “Hello?”

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice came through: “Hello, is this Xiao Yu?”

Zhao Yu froze on the spot. The night wind and snow blew into her collar, making her shiver.

Shen Junyi didn’t get a response and called again, “Hello, is this Xiao Yu?”

Zhao Yu slowly took a deep breath, steadied her voice, and finally spoke. “Yeah, it’s me.”

She got into the car and closed the door. His voice became clearer in her ear. “I just finished work. Did you see what happened on the trending topics today? Sorry for causing you trouble.”

Zhao Yu was stunned and didn’t know how to respond.

Why was he apologizing to her?

She was the one who’d caused him trouble.

His voice was light and cheerful, as if today’s events hadn’t affected him at all. “I’m heading back to Hangzhou tomorrow. Granny said we’re making dumplings together—she’s already prepared the filling.”

Zhao Yu was silent for a moment, then said in a deliberately calm, slightly indifferent tone, “I’m already back at school.”

Shen Junyi sounded surprised. “That soon?” He said with genuine regret, “I was hoping to see how much you’ve grown. Granny said you’ve changed a lot.”

In his words, she was still the little neighbor girl who’d tagged along behind him.

Who would ever like a tagalong?!

Zhao Yu was absolutely crushed.

She’d been handed the perfect “childhood sweethearts” script, yet she’d somehow played it into a “older brother, little sister, tagalong” trope!

What had she been thinking as a kid?!