Chapter 38

Zhu Xinyue and Ji Linyu were dating, it was already an open secret.
It all started after the release of Peach Blossom Spring, when the two of them went to watch the midnight screening together.
The movie premiered during the May Day Golden Week, and every screening was packed, making tickets hard to come by. So, Zhu Xinyue and Ji Linyu agreed to wait until the Golden Week was over to catch the midnight show.
Watching a movie in the theater just has a different atmosphere.
Zhu Xinyue wasn’t entirely sure how large her fanbase was among the general public, but before heading out, Brother Hu had reminded her to disguise herself to avoid being recognized by fans and disrupting the normal work and lives of ordinary people. So, for the time being, it was best to take some precautions.
Thus, Zhu Xinyue wore a baseball cap and a face mask when she went out.
Boss Ji was a behind-the-scenes worker who kept a low profile. Even without any disguise, when walking on the street, only those particularly attentive to his industry would recognize him. To others, he was just a handsome guy with good looks.
A film-focused content creator, who had already watched Peach Blossom Spring three times, was recording a short video on her phone to show her followers that even the midnight screening of the movie was packed with viewers. As she filmed, her camera lens was unconsciously drawn to a man with a physique rivaling that of an international supermodel.
The handsome man had tried his best to dress less formally to match his girlfriend’s style. He wore a simple casual shirt, its hem tucked into black casual trousers. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his arm muscles were well-defined. He held a bucket of popcorn in his left hand and casually carried a bottle of mineral water in his right, quietly waiting as his girlfriend accepted a cup of Coke handed to her by a staff member.
When his girlfriend took a step back and nearly bumped into someone trying to cut in line, his right arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her gently toward him.
Afraid of spilling the iced Coke in her hand, she raised the cup, from which water droplets were still trickling. The hem of her cropped top lifted slightly, revealing the faint outline of her toned abs.
"Water..." The iced Coke in her hand kept dripping, landing on the man’s arm and her own leg.
He guided her away from the concession stand queue to a waiting area.
The content creator generously kept her camera focused on the attractive young couple, curious to see what they would do next.
The handsome man first set down the items in his hands on a nearby table, then pulled a pack of tissues from his pocket. While his girlfriend took a tissue to wipe her hands, he took the iced Coke from her, carefully wiped off the moisture seeping from the cup’s surface, wrapped the cup in a tissue, and handed the now-dry drink back to her.
His girlfriend tilted the straw of the Coke toward him, and he took a sip. Then, palm up, he naturally accepted the trash she handed him, along with the tissues he had used to wipe the cup, and tossed them into a nearby bin.
Their movements were seamless and natural, carried out without a single word, relying only on eye contact.
The film-focused content creator couldn’t shake the feeling that the girlfriend’s figure looked familiar, and the handsome man’s face also seemed like one she had seen somewhere before.
Coincidentally, her seat for her fourth viewing of Peach Blossom Spring was right behind the young couple.
Having already watched the movie several times, she was well-acquainted with the audience’s reactions. Instead, she focused more on the couple in front of her, her intuition telling her that these two were definitely people she knew.
The lighthearted, humorous moments of the first half of the movie had passed, and the audience had responded enthusiastically. Now, it was time for the latter
The first tear-jerking moment was Qingyu's final words, "I haven't reported to the Second Elder yet..."
Every time the uploader sees this part, she cries for Qingyu. It's not just because Qingyu died tragically and heroically, but also because the uploader already knows the subsequent plot: the Second Elder used the sword from Qingyu's umbrella-sword to commit suicide, sacrificing himself to the formation, and was buried alongside her in the Peach Blossom Spring.
This umbrella-sword was only drawn twice.
Once when Qingyu died, and once when the Second Elder died.
If Qingyu had known that the Second Elder she protected would use her sword to take his own life because she died in the Peach Blossom Spring, would she have chosen to leave the island without hesitation when outsiders asked if she wanted to go, instead of staying behind to protect the formation and the person she wanted to guard?
Their relationship could be described as that of master and disciple, or even familial. The director handled their subplot with great restraint, making their bond particularly poignant to witness.
Regardless of the nature of their feelings, the outcome was deeply unsatisfying.
The uploader couldn't hold back her tears again. As she lowered her head to wipe them away, she noticed the couple in front of her also dabbing their eyes.
It seemed the guy was the one tearing up, because the uploader heard his girlfriend patting his hand and comforting him in a hushed voice, "It's okay, it's okay. Movies aren't real."
Huh? That voice sounded somewhat familiar.
The theater was too dim for the uploader to see clearly who was sitting in front, but she recognized the voice she'd just heard, the same one that had moved her to tears earlier, and it suddenly clicked.
Oh my god! The uploader keenly sensed she was witnessing some juicy gossip firsthand and grew very excited. She pulled out her phone to message her best friend, a die-hard fan of Zhu Xinyue.
[Uploader: Babe! I ran into Zhu Xinyue and her boyfriend at the cinema!]
[Best Friend: ??? No way! For real?!]
[Uploader: Don't worry, her man is super handsome and he looks familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before.]
Her best friend immediately sent a photo, Ji Linyu's college graduation picture.
[Uploader: It's him! (sends video)]
[Best Friend: Wuwuwu! I have no regrets now!]
Right after sharing this big scoop with her best friend, the uploader looked up and saw that the couple in front had already left the theater early.
The short video she'd taken before the movie started had also been uploaded online.
In the video, Zhu Xinyue was wearing a baseball cap and a mask, so her face wasn't visible, but Ji Linyu had no disguise at all and was quickly recognized.
Hot search topics with "Ji Linyu" in the name soon climbed the charts.
#JiLinyuBrother-in-law
#ZhuXinyueMysteryBoyfriend
#ZhuXinyueJiLinyu
As Zhu Xinyue's popularity grew, the order of the hot search topics shifted.
Zhu Xinyue and Ji Linyu had just returned to Lishan and were about to rest when they received news about the hot search rankings, one went to answer a call from their agent, the other from the PR department.
After watching the short video, Zhu Xinyue noted it was a bit blurry, likely because it was taken from a distance and the uploader's phone wasn't great; even zoomed in, it wasn't very clear.
She glanced at the direction of the comments section.
[Eh? Is it strange that Zhu Xinyue has a boyfriend? Didn’t she say from the start that she wasn’t single?]
[It’s not strange. What’s strange is that the other party is the big boss of Jin Huan Group!]
[Whether it’s a boyfriend or a sugar daddy is still up for debate.]
Perhaps the Zhu family couldn’t stand it any longer. Zhu Shilang, using his official account, stepped in to confront a habitual hater.
[@Zhu Shilang: Does my sister need a sugar daddy? //@Hater: Whether it’s a boyfriend or a sugar daddy is still up for debate.]
The trending searches exploded completely.
#ZhuXinyueZhuChangGroup
Zhu Xinyue had just hung up on Brother Hu’s call when she picked up calls from Zhu Shilang and Zhu Hengnian.
“Xiao Yue, I heard from Linyu that you two are dating with the intention of a serious relationship.” Zhu Hengnian’s tone seemed particularly happy, though it was unclear whether it was because Zhu Xinyue had found a good partner or because her partner was the boss of Jin Huan Group, Ji Linyu.
“When do you plan to go public?” Zhu Shilang asked.
Zhu Xinyue: “When we get married, we’ll go public.”
Or, to put it another way, when they go public, they’ll get married.
“Good!” Zhu Hengnian only heard her say “get married” and immediately agreed enthusiastically.
Zhu Shilang, however, caught the underlying meaning in her words. When he had asked Ji Linyu the same question earlier, Ji Linyu had given the same answer.
These two were exactly alike.
After spending this period of time with her, Zhu Shilang had come to understand Zhu Xinyue’s personality. She had her own pride and had matured significantly. Seeing her thrive in the entertainment industry, others had even started referring to him as “Zhu Xinyue’s brother.”
Zhu Shilang could rest assured.
She had grown up.
She was no longer the little girl who needed her family’s protection.
After hanging up the calls from the Zhu family, Zhu Xinyue received a long-awaited notification from the system.
“Congratulations on fulfilling your wish to reconcile with the Zhu family. Rewards have been distributed.”
This time, the rewards were distributed quickly and without any side effects. As soon as Zhu Xinyue blinked, her vision became exceptionally clear.
After her family background was made public, the public opinion in the comments section shifted.
[Just passing by, but I’m totally shipping them!]
[Their looks are a perfect match, so compatible!]
[Official pairings are the best to ship!]
[I always knew the Linyue CP was real!]
...
It seemed their relationship wasn’t a bad thing after all. Moreover, Zhu Xinyue’s fans had long been prepared and had their suspicions. Ji Linyu would often like Zhu Xinyue’s posts, as well as videos and photos made by her fans. It was as if he had “I like her” written all over his face. Otherwise, why would he, out of all the artists in Jin Huan Group, only like Zhu Xinyue’s posts?
It was currently the release period for "Peach Blossom Spring," and Zhu Xinyue didn’t want her personal affairs to affect the film, so she decided to handle the matter with a low profile. She had someone suppress the trending searches and didn’t offer any further responses to the situation.
"Linyu, do you blame me?" Zhu Xinyue straddled Ji Linyu’s lap, cupping his cheeks with her palms, worried that he might be upset or angry.
Although this was Ji Linyu’s first time being in a relationship, he was a mature adult by nature and understood that this approach was the wisest course of action.
Her career still had a long way to go, but the film’s release window was limited. Whether they went public sooner or later didn’t matter much, it wouldn’t affect their relationship.
That’s what Ji Linyu thought, but his actions told a different story.
He turned his face away, pretending to be upset, waiting for her to coax him.
Zhu Xinyue kissed the corner of Ji Linyu’s lips, wrapped her arms around his neck, and said, "Once my contract expires, I’ll step back from the spotlight."
She had already saved up a decent amount, and the industries she had invested in were about to hit a boom. She needed to seize this rare opportunity, which meant she might not be able to focus as much on her acting career.
Ji Linyu was a bit surprised and asked, "You’re not going to act anymore?"
Zhu Xinyue had originally become an actress to fulfill the original host’s wish, to closely guard Ji Qingyuan’s path to stardom. She had always chosen roles similar to herself, staying within her comfort zone without pushing her limits. She didn’t have lofty ambitions like Liang Yuyu and others, who pursued acting to fulfill their dreams.
"No, I’m not. At first, filming felt interesting, but over time, it started to feel just… ordinary."
Zhu Xinyue treated acting as just a regular job, but others didn’t see her as ordinary. Her casual remarks were amplified and dissected by the public, and marketing accounts, like vampires, sucked every bit of value and attention from her. Anyone she got close to would have their lives turned inside out, and Ji Linyu had to suffer as her secret boyfriend.
"What do you want to do in the future?" Ji Linyu asked.
Zhu Xinyue thought for a moment and answered honestly, "I don’t know what I want to do. I only know I don’t want to work."
It sounded a bit pitiful. In her over twenty years of life, she had no real aspirations, her only goal was to avoid having a job.
"I’ve always lived for others. I don’t know what I truly want; I only know what I don’t want. But in this world, we often have no choice. Even when I know what I don’t want, I still have to do it."
In the past, she had to work to survive. Now that she was financially free and didn’t want to work anymore, she found herself unsure of what to live for.
Ji Linyu gazed into her bewildered yet clear eyes. Perhaps because she was slightly nearsighted, she always had a habit of leaning in close to look at him.
It reminded him of the tabby cat his maternal uncle from the Lu family kept. Every time he visited, that cat would jump up, press close, and rub its damp nose against his.
Ji Linyu pulled her into his embrace and gently patted her back.
Zhu Xinyue leaned against his chest, hearing his heavy and powerful heartbeat, one beat after another, bringing her a sense of security.
"People aren’t born knowing what they want. There’s still a long road ahead, and I’ll accompany you as you slowly figure it out," he said.
Zhu Xinyue’s heartbeat gradually synchronized with his.
It was as if, in the vast universe, she had finally found the planet that belonged to her. Drawn to each other, even if they collided head-on, it wouldn’t matter. Even if they turned into cosmic dust, they would be stardust, inseparable and indistinguishable.
Later, what they announced to the world was not a relationship, but wedding news.