Even as Shi Guanghua drove home, Chu Yueyi hadn't fully processed the news. She mumbled, "I guess we... have quite a connection..."
She was about to mention their reunion on the dating show, but then recalled his questionnaire, realizing their re-encounter might not have been mere coincidence.
She had previously thought Shi Guanghua's knowledge of her came from the show, but now it seemed he might have been paying attention to her even before that.
As Shi Guanghua was opening the door, he cheerfully replied, "Yes, we do have a strong connection."
Chu Yueyi suddenly remembered something and hastily asked, "Wait, how did you know my name?"
"I asked someone back then," Shi Guanghua added, "but you hadn't done much acting at that point."
After finishing "Rolled Palace Curtains," Shi Guanghua continued working overseas for a long time. Whenever he went online to handle domestic affairs, he would habitually search for her. It was truly amazing how the girl he had met by chance was shining brightly on the other side of the ocean, never ceasing to work hard over the years.
Zou Qian teased Shi Guanghua about being her fan, but Shi Guanghua never admitted it. He didn't think she was like Zou Qian and the others, nor did he believe his interest stemmed from a fan mentality. He had been pondering his feelings for a long time.
Perhaps he was seeing another version of himself in her.
She had said things that resonated deeply with him, and her words hadn't changed a bit through the test of time. They even motivated him to believe more firmly in his own ideas.
He later faced troubles of his own, but no longer felt the initial frustration. He accepted that he was different from others.
He became indifferent to many outsiders' opinions. As his abilities and influence grew, his self and the outside world reached a harmonious balance. Others began to accept his uniqueness, and more people started to stay by his side.
Neither of them was at their best when they first met, but their encounter prompted changes in both of them.
After Shi Guanghua returned to China, he learned about Zou Qian's collaboration with her. Zou Qian had tried to set them up more than once, but he had always hesitated to take action. He didn't know how to describe his subtle feelings, and perhaps she had long forgotten about their past encounter, focusing solely on her career path. His appearance might just be a disturbance.
He didn't even know why he understood her thoughts so well, as if looking in a mirror, convinced that she had no interest in romance.
Until Zou Qian mentioned that she was going to record "Heart-Fluttering Promise," a dating reality show.
For the first time, Shi Guanghua's judgment of her was incorrect. He mistakenly thought she had developed an interest in things beyond her career. Although it led to many confusing situations, the end result was ultimately good.
Chu Yueyi hadn't expected Shi Guanghua to cherish a chance encounter for so long.
She indeed couldn't clearly remember his appearance or voice, mainly because their interaction had been so brief. She only remembered meeting a friendly person and having a relaxed and pleasant chat.
Neither of them had shown their best side then. She wasn't an actress with a reputation, and he wasn't a talented musician. They were just ordinary people experiencing life's ups and downs.
They both had difficult and dark moments, but their accidental collision sparked a flame that dispelled the bone-chilling cold of the long night. This tiny flame wasn't particularly large, but it gave them the strength to keep moving forward until they reunited in the faint light of dawn.
Seeing Chu Yueyi still in a daze, Shi Guanghua recalled her compliment and smirked, "They were all wrong."
Chu Yueyi asked confusedly, "Who was wrong?"
Shi Guanghua replied, "Cheng said only my face was worth looking at, but apparently you don't care about looks."
He had been dressed like a black mummy due to a cold on the film set, yet she thought their first meeting was better than on the show.
Chu Yueyi: "..."
Chu Yueyi frowned slightly and couldn't help but retort, "Wait, shouldn't you be reflecting on how poorly you performed on the show, to the point where even your good looks couldn't save you? Why is your conclusion that I don't care about appearances?"
Shi Guanghua ignored her grumbling and mused to himself, "Is this love at first sight?"
Chu Yueyi: "...Don't get lost in your own world!"
She realized she had no control over an artist's thoughts; his head was always full of various romantic fantasies.
After pondering for a moment, Chu Yueyi suddenly walked to the neat bookshelf and took out the "Rolled Palace Curtains" soundtrack CD. She asked puzzledly, "But why couldn't I find any information about you last time..."
When Shi Guanghua had a fever, she had discovered the CD and specifically searched online. If there had been news about his involvement in the production, she might have had a chance to remember earlier.
"Really?" Shi Guanghua hadn't searched much about himself and replied uncertainly, "I'm not sure."
The two decided to play an episode of "Rolled Palace Curtains" and fast-forwarded to the credits. Shi Guanghua pointed to a line of Korean text and said calmly, "That's me."
Shi Guanghua now uses Chinese or English for his credits. He didn't know why the production team had used Korean back then, possibly due to the company's preconceived notions.
Chu Yueyi exclaimed, "Why is it in Korean?" No wonder her information search had failed.
Chu Yueyi stared intently at the small text on the screen, trying to memorize his foreign name. However, it was beyond her current knowledge, and she didn't know where to start.
Shi Guanghua caught her focused expression from the corner of his eye. His eyebrows raised slightly as he asked suggestively, "Want to learn?"
"..." Chu Yueyi was silent for a moment before firmly replying, "Thanks, but no."
She now had PTSD when it came to "learning" and was wary of any form of after-class tutoring.
Shi Guanghua had only meant to tease her because she looked so serious about remembering his name. He hadn't actually planned to do anything. He closed the video and asked leisurely, "Anything else you want to know?"
She had been asking questions all the way home, marveling at their amazing connection.
Chu Yueyi still found it unbelievable and asked in a voice barely above a whisper, "So you really came to record the show because..."
Shi Guanghua nodded, "Yes."
She asked tremblingly, "Didn't you ever think that the outcome might be different from what you expected..."
"I did," Shi Guanghua admitted frankly. "If that happened, I'd just have to accept it. It would be regrettable, but I wouldn't regret it."
Of course, he hadn't come with the belief that success was guaranteed. He had mostly misunderstood, thinking she had opened up a little and might not be averse to getting to know someone.
He had caused many problems on the show and at one point thought he had completely messed up. But looking back now, it was all a colorful memory.
If it had been someone else, there might not have been any result. Many people wouldn't have her patience or tolerance. They would have made a final judgment after the first meeting, and there wouldn't have been any story afterward.
Of course, if it hadn't been her, he wouldn't have come to record the show in the first place. There's always a reason for connections to form.
Years ago, she knew how clumsy his comfort was, yet she gratefully accepted it and even encouraged him in return. Years later, she remained the same - she was a very, very good person, which is why their story had a result.
He had always thought she was a good person, so he believed everything was worth it.
His life had no multiple-choice questions. He wasn't afraid of future variables; the dazzling flashes of the past were enough to offset all unknowns.
Chu Yueyi found it hard to describe her feelings at that moment. Someone had silently crossed years and still firmly chose her.
Could he really be a fairy tale character who believed time doesn't change anyone?
Shi Guanghua blinked and asked, "Any more questions?"
Chu Yueyi lowered her eyes and said softly, "...No."
Shi Guanghua nodded, "Alright, then it's my turn to ask. Who are you paired with as a couple in the game now?"
Chu Yueyi was confused by the sudden change of topic: "?"
Shi Guanghua said expressionlessly, "Let me see your phone."
Chu Yueyi stiffened: "You don't even play games, this isn't really important..."
Shi Guanghua: "I just finished downloading it."
He had started downloading the game as soon as he got home, and it was now complete.
Chu Yueyi: "..."
Under his supervision, Chu Yueyi was forced to dissolve her in-game couple relationship.
She hadn't dissolved it before because she thought it was childish. They weren't kindergarteners; if they were breaking up, they were breaking up. Deleting the relationship seemed too dramatic. She believed that not caring meant letting go, but Shi Guanghua obviously cared a great deal.
Chu Yueyi said helplessly, "If I had known, I would have dissolved it back then. What's the point of dissolving a relationship after so many years?"
Shi Guanghua said calmly, "You didn't have a girlfriend then, so now you're indirectly notifying her. Isn't that normal?"
Chu Yueyi glanced at him and teased, "Girlfriend?"
Shi Guanghua looked back at her: "What?"
Chu Yueyi joked, "I won't acknowledge it unless you wear a skirt."
Shi Guanghua: "?"
Chu Yueyi: "Come to think of it, I still have a key of promise. If it doesn't cancel out your final request, I could also make you do something, and I'm often said to have strange hobbies."
Shi Guanghua: "???"
Shi Guanghua strongly resisted Chu Yueyi's terrifying ideas, but she enthusiastically searched for plus-size women's clothing, though it was unclear if she was joking. As she looked at the images, she kept muttering, "I love it, I love it."
During the promotional period for Chinese New Year blockbuster movies, the Moonlight Scientists had been starved of interaction for so long that they could only rely on old materials to get by, already on the verge of fainting from hunger.
Chu Yueyi was quite cunning. After cracking the password of the advanced class fan group, she completely cut off all sugar supply channels using her excellent counter-surveillance skills.
According to the business CP routine, after the finale, couples either completely fall out and purify their relationship, or occasionally reunite to harvest a wave of fans. There's no such thing as remaining static. CP fans thought that since the two had no conflicts, they should at least come out from time to time to stir up some heat. Who would have thought they didn't even want to make money?
Six Mang: If they made another album together, promoting Chu's movie and Shi's music, wouldn't that be great? Do we have to write a fan-milking proposal for them?
Moonlight No Business Today: Look at the annual sales of "Miss9". Can we get a brand that understands business opportunities?
8345: The yogurt endorsement is about to expire too. If they don't renew, the two will really be disconnected.
Caramel Tea: We don't know if they've broken up, but the kids are really about to starve to death.
Shi Guanghua's complete transition to behind-the-scenes work resulted in extremely few public appearances together. Plus, he didn't even promote Chu Yueyi's New Year movie, which caused widespread disappointment in the Moonlight Science Association, losing even the few online sugar-feeding opportunities.
The reason Shi Guanghua didn't promote was simple: he was terribly nervous about meeting Chu Yueyi's parents.
During the Spring Festival, the complex pandemic environment prevented Shi Guanghua from reuniting with his family, so he and Chu Yueyi greeted his parents online.
His parents, who lived abroad due to work, were very friendly towards Chu Yueyi. They trusted Shi Guanghua's judgment and naturally concluded that Chu Yueyi was excellent.
Shi's mother was actually a bit surprised, as she had always thought her son was a loner and had prepared herself to let him be.
Although Shi Guanghua was strong in music, his personality wasn't popular with girls. As his mother, she was quite self-aware and really hadn't expected him to have a relationship.
Shi's mother asked curiously, "Yueyi, what exactly do you see in him?"
Chu Yueyi smiled and said, "Sincerity?"
Shi's mother kindly advised, "Ah, then you should think about it again. That quality is too vague and might disappoint you in the future."
Shi Guanghua suddenly felt backstabbed: "?" Hadn't he been sending money to his mother these past few years?
Chu Yueyi said gently, "Actually, I'm too career-oriented and hope my partner can stay at home to support his wife and teach the children..."
Hearing this, Shi's mother felt relieved and nodded thoughtfully, "That makes sense. He indeed doesn't go out often and has life skills."
How could Shi Guanghua survive if he didn't like interacting with people?
That undoubtedly meant he handled everything himself, which indeed showed excellent self-care abilities, a positive influence of his personality.
Chu Yueyi sensed a familiar scent from Shi's mother. After careful consideration, she realized it was reminiscent of Cheng. They feared she might be blinded by Shi Guanghua's appearance and were worried she would be greatly disappointed in the future. Only when they were sure she was fully aware of his flaws did they dare to truly relax.
Shi Guanghua never expected his own mother to unexpectedly criticize him. After hanging up the video call, he said seriously, "Don't listen to her, she's talking nonsense."
Faced with his speechless expression, Chu Yueyi teased with a smile, "Mm-hmm, Teacher Shi isn't disliked at all."
Shi Guanghua didn't understand her anime reference and said, "It's good as long as you don't dislike me."
Chu Yueyi was stunned. Seeing his solemn expression, her heart slightly moved, and then she smiled, "Do you want to come to my place for New Year's this time?"
Shi Guanghua: "Ah."
Chu Yueyi: "My parents suggested watching a movie together. Of course, you don't have to come if you don't want to."
Chu Yueyi had a new film releasing during the New Year season, and since Shi Guanghua couldn't go home for the holiday, Chu Wenyue suggested inviting him over for a meal and then going to watch a movie together.
Chu Wenyue had mentioned this last year, but Chu Yueyi didn't feel comfortable bringing Shi Guanghua home then, feeling their relationship wasn't at that stage yet. Now everything fell into place naturally, and there were no more concerns.
Shi Guanghua had just said it was good as long as she didn't dislike him, but now his mind went blank, suddenly feeling as nervous as during the first recording. With a tense expression, he asked, "...Which day?"
"Any day during the New Year period is fine. You've met my dad before, he remembers you."
"..."
Shi Guanghua desperately tried to recall his first meeting with Chu Wenyue, but he remembered his words were all jumbled that day, and he couldn't remember what he had said. He felt increasingly anxious, wishing he could rewatch the show.
He used to get nervous easily around Chu Yueyi, but gradually got used to it through recordings. Now, the familiar feeling surged back, and he remained restless for several days.
In the studio, Cheng complained, "Bro, can you not be like this? You've been out of it for days."
Anyone could tell Shi Guanghua's recent state was off. Despite Chu Yueyi's kind reassurances, it had little effect.
The last time Cheng saw him so uncomfortable was probably before recording "Heart-Fluttering Promise", when this brother was similarly anxious for a long time.
Shi Guanghua felt unsure and hesitated, "...What if I mess it up?"
Cheng consoled him nonchalantly, "It's okay, it's not like it's your first time messing up." As long as he could perform normally, there was no situation he couldn't mess up.
Shi Guanghua humbly asked for advice, "Do you have any suggestions?"
He had searched online for opinions, but thought friends should be more reliable.
Cheng: "I suggest you wish that she comes from a family of scholars."
Shi Guanghua: "?"
Cheng: "She was able to save the awkward situation in the first recording, maybe her uncle and aunt can also save the scene."
Rather than hoping for Shi Guanghua to perform above his level, it's more realistic to hope that the uncle and aunt are emotionally intelligent.
Shi Guanghua: "..."!