"Are you alright?"
The incident happened so suddenly. Wen Tingxue was next to the wall and caught herself quickly, so she didn't fall.
The girl opposite was not so lucky. She fell directly, and the things in her hands scattered everywhere.
Wen Tingxue took a step forward, wanting to help her up.
Unexpectedly, the girl knelt on the ground, picking up her things and saying, "It's fine, it's fine. You should go."
"Let me help you."
Wen Tingxue sheepishly crouched down with her.
After picking up only a couple of items, the girl suddenly stopped her, saying, "No! I'll handle these. Sister Xiaoyi doesn't let others touch them!"
Sister Xiaoyi?
Wen Tingxue's fingertips curled, and she immediately noticed the girl carefully picking up the black leather notebook.
The thin layer of dust on it was gently wiped away by her sleeve.
That notebook...
Wen Tingxue's expression changed slightly. "Are you Xie Jinyi's assistant?"
"Yes," the girl replied, looking up and smiling, "Do you know Sister Xiaoyi?"
Wen Tingxue was wearing a mask and a hat, revealing only her eyes.
The girl couldn't see her face clearly, but Wen Tingxue could see her perfectly.
Her eyes flickered.
Que You, who rushed over upon hearing the commotion, was also stunned.
"Mm."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Wen Tingxue didn't want to hide too much, lest it cause trouble if it was dug up later.
After a perfunctory reply, she helped the girl pack the remaining items into the box.
When they were done, she pulled the girl up. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"
Wen Tingxue asked again.
Que You chimed in, "It's best to move your wrists and ankles a bit, just to be safe."
"I'm fine," the girl said with a smile, waving her hand. "Really, I'm fine. My name is Xia Ya. Sister Xiaoyi is in the lounge ahead. Shall I take you there?"
She thought Wen Tingxue and Xie Jinyi were close.
"The livestream is about to start, so I won't disturb her. I'll see her after the show is over," Wen Tingxue politely declined.
Xia Ya thought her reasoning made sense. "I see. Then I'll be going now."
Wen Tingxue and Que You made way for her.
After she left with the box, Que You leaned closer and whispered, "Don't you think she looks a lot like you used to?"
Wen Tingxue withdrew her gaze and didn't reply.
-
At seven o'clock, the livestream began on time.
The tickets Xie Jinyi gave were in a good spot.
It was convenient for watching the stage and also good for avoiding the camera.
As a new blogger, Qiao Xixi would naturally make full use of such an advantage!
She started the livestream and engaged in all sorts of interactions.
The number of online viewers quickly soared.
"Even so, I still don't think this ticket is worth the price."
Qiao Xixi whispered her complaint to Wen Tingxue.
Wen Tingxue had little interest in this kind of competition.
She was there solely for Yu Wenli.
Therefore, she hadn't watched the performances of the previous contestants.
She was completely engrossed in her work.
Hearing Qiao Xixi, she didn't know how to respond.
Xu Kexin said, "Things that are hyped up usually exceed their intrinsic value, but the buyers aren't really buying that value."
"Oh," Qiao Xixi nodded, seeming to understand.
The next second, the lights dimmed.
In the entire venue, only a strong beam of light shone from afar.
A small, round spot, just enough to encircle the young man at the top of the second-floor stairs.
"What did you guys do backstage?"
Qiao Xixi couldn't help but tease, "Was it that intense? Your voice even changed."
"..." Wen Tingxue blushed and pushed her away. "Focus on your show, stop chattering!"
"Oh dear, where's that 'cool and aloof' male god you talked about?" Qiao Xixi mischievously pointed at Wen Tingxue's slightly swollen lips. "You were really rough."
Wen Tingxue slapped her hand away.
...
The cameraman deliberately focused on the young man's hand holding the microphone.
Then, it was magnified on the big screen above the stage.
Slender and fair as jade.
His sexy Adam's apple moved with the rhythm of his singing, making people blush even through the screen.
"This cameraman really knows how to use the lens."
"So seductive, I love it!"
"Want to kiss."
"Suddenly, I feel like this ticket price is actually worth it~"
Qiao Xixi said to Xu Kexin, who nodded in agreement.
Wen Tingxue: "..."
"Worth what? Not worth it at all!" The girl's face darkened.
He's singing, so why are they filming his hands and Adam's apple?!
It's too much!
Qiao Xixi and Xu Kexin exchanged a look. The former said, "We were talking about the song."
"Give your acceptance speech," Jiang Tu said with a fake smile, "After all, it wasn't easy to get."
Yu Wenli gave him a meaningful look. "It really wasn't easy."
Jiang Tu chuckled and prepared to go down.
As they brushed past each other, he sneered softly, "Cherish it. Good luck won't always be on your side."
Yu Wenli ignored him and walked to the center of the stage, bathed in the spotlight.
His right hand, enough to make hand-lovers go wild, gently grasped the microphone.
The person standing here earlier to announce the votes was Jiang Tu.
But Yu Wenli was taller than Jiang Tu.
So, with an elegant movement, he adjusted the height.
Jiang Tu, who had just taken his seat: "..."
Damn it!
Can't he leave me some dignity?!
Is being tall an advantage?!
...
The young man, dressed in white, stood in the brightest spot.
Noble and elegant.
He easily reminded people of a crane.
"As Teacher Jiang said, it wasn't easy to reach this point in two months, and to receive this trophy.
"I am honored and grateful."
Yu Wenli took a step back and bowed sincerely to the audience.
Gentle and gentlemanly.
After standing up, he adjusted the microphone and said earnestly:
"But what I want to thank most is my girlfriend."
Wen Tingxue's seat was not easy to find, but he looked over immediately.
Under the live broadcast camera, his affection was undisguised.
"She has always been by my side, through thick and thin, she has stayed with me steadfastly.
"On stage, every song I sing, every lyric I write, has her shadow behind it, her effort. She is my muse.
"It is she who made me believe in the most ethereal thing in the world, love."
"What kind of acceptance speech is this? This is openly showing affection!"
"I can't take it anymore, really can't!"
"To be fair, to dare to confess to his girlfriend publicly at such an important moment, he's a real man!"
"This is practically tying his career and love together. Aren't you afraid of what might happen later?"
"I suddenly believe in love."
-
The livestream ended, and Wen Tingxue slipped backstage to find Yu Wenli.
However, at the corner, she saw Xie Jinyi and her group.
This was the only way, and Wen Tingxue didn't want to run into her.
Just as she was about to turn away, Xia Ya spotted her first.
Joyfully, she said, "Sister Xiaoyi, your friend has really come to see you!"
Friend?
Xie Jinyi raised her eyebrows and looked over. Her casual expression became serious upon seeing her.
"She was the one who helped me pick up my things earlier," Xia Ya said happily.
Xie Jinyi smiled. "She's my best friend."
"Wow!" Xia Ya exclaimed, "So it was this sister! I've finally met her in person!"
There were people around, so Wen Tingxue played along and stepped forward. "It's raining outside, I've come to pick you up."
"Then you guys go back to the company first," Xie Jinyi seized the opportunity to dismiss them.
Then, she familiarly linked her arm with Wen Tingxue's and pouted playfully, "Come on! Accompany me to the restroom."
The overly familiar gesture.
It felt like a flashback to school days.
-
Xie Jinyi knew Wen Tingxue wasn't here for her.
And she wasn't going to the restroom either.
Instead, they went to the deserted fire escape.
"Let's play this charade to the end. Many people are watching me now, so just stand with me for a while. When the car arrives, I'll find a reason to explain."
Just now, Wen Tingxue's excuse was, "It's raining outside, I've come to pick you up."
Many staff members had heard it.
If not handled properly, it could easily cause trouble.
Even if Wen Tingxue wasn't in the entertainment industry, she knew Xie Jinyi's position was unstable.
Many people were waiting for her to stumble.
As for the bullying incident, since she had lied, she would have to continue doing so.
Otherwise, it would all be in vain.
"Okay," Wen Tingxue replied faintly. "How long will it take? I'll send him a message."
So Yu Wenli wouldn't think something had happened to her.
"About ten minutes," Xie Jinyi explained. "My colleagues drove the car away, so I had to ask Wen Bin to pick me up."
"Alright."
After Wen Tingxue informed Yu Wenli, she squatted on the ground playing a puzzle game.
Xie Jinyi walked a little further away to smoke.
The wind carried the faint smell of smoke.
Wen Tingxue wrinkled her nose and prepared to move to another spot.
As she stood up, Xie Jinyi answered a phone call.
She accidentally pressed the speakerphone, and Wen Tingxue heard it clearly.
"Miss Xie, your mother's addiction has relapsed. Please come and handle it quickly. The caregivers have been injured by her, two of them have been sent to the hospital..."
Wen Tingxue didn't hear the rest.
Because Xie Jinyi had turned off the speaker.
But Wen Tingxue saw Xie Jinyi's reaction very clearly.
She stood by the window, flicking cigarette ash, her expression completely devoid of emotion.
As if accustomed to it, she faintly said "Mm," and continued, "I'll be there in half an hour. Please restrain her first. If it's really necessary, administer an injection."
Her tone was light, carrying a kind of numb clarity.
Wen Tingxue found it hard to imagine what Xie Jinyi had been through all these years.
To make a young woman in her early twenties exude a sense of impending doom from head to toe.
Xie Jinyi hung up the phone.
As she turned back, she met Wen Tingxue's gaze, which hadn't had time to retract, filled with complexity.