Xin Jia'er eagerly pulled Su Ding along, "Let's go see too."
Su Ding was dragged downstairs and out of Shopping Mall C, instantly engulfed by the crowd.
Upon arriving at the scene, Su Ding realized the mall had invited a celebrity for a promotional event.
The front rows were packed with young girls, with onlookers forming a dense crowd behind them. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement.
The amplified sound from the stage soon reached their ears.
"This voice sounds a bit familiar?"
Su Ding looked up, and through the heads of several people, she finally spotted a familiar figure: Xue Zhiqiao.
Xin Jia'er enthusiastically joined the fans, raising her hand and shouting:
"Zhiqiao Gege! We love you!"
"Jia'er, hey, Jia'er," Su Ding heard Xin Jia'er's voice, louder than many of the die-hard fans. Worried she might strain her voice, Su Ding asked, "Do you like Xue Zhiqiao?"
"Not really, just joining the fun, hehe," Xin Jia'er replied briefly before resuming her shouting.
Su Ding silently closed her mouth, realizing this approach was also acceptable.
The host on stage asked Xue Zhiqiao to interact with the audience. Xue Zhiqiao scanned the crowded mass, and to his surprise, he saw Su Ding!
A smile curved his lips as he pointed in a direction with his microphone.
"How about the girl in the yellow outfit?"
Su Ding was wearing a goose-yellow sweater, and Xin Jia'er was in a light yellow dress. However, Xin Jia'er was the one with her hand raised, shouting the loudest with excitement.
The host quickly prompted again, his gaze happening to meet Xin Jia'er's.
Xin Jia'er looked bewildered, turning to Su Ding, "Are they calling me?"
The people around them were also looking at her, their gazes filled with envy and jealousy, directed at Xin Jia'er, who was starting to feel a bit timid.
Su Ding knew Xue Zhiqiao was referring to her, as their eyes had met briefly when he pointed.
She really didn't want to go up for an interaction and quietly lowered her head.
"They are calling you, hurry up and go!"
A girl beside them, seeing Xin Jia'er still hesitant, couldn't help but urge her on.
Xin Jia'er blinked, then looked at Su Ding, "Dingding, wait for me."
With that, she parted through the crowd via an automatically cleared path and walked onto the stage. Xue Zhiqiao was taken aback, but his professionalism kept a smile on his face.
"Welcome, this young lady. It seems you're a super fan of Zhiqiao Ge!"
The host, with a smile, appraised the somewhat reserved Xin Jia'er on stage. "What should we call you?"
"My name is Xiao Jia, hello," Xin Jia'er smiled shyly.
"Hello," Xue Zhiqiao nodded at her. His tall, handsome figure and mixed-race, handsome face elicited a collective scream from all the girls present.
In the sunlight, his skin was dazzlingly fair, his features chiseled as if carved by a knife. He looked like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.
Xin Jia'er's face instantly flushed red.
The host took over, asking a few simple questions about Xue Zhiqiao's previous films and TV shows to warm up the crowd, intending for Xin Jia'er to answer.
However, Xin Jia'er's face turned bright red, and she stammered, "Uh, that..."
She had only recently returned from abroad and wasn't a fan of celebrities, so she had no idea what Xue Zhiqiao had acted in. She was merely joining the excitement.
Seeing Xin Jia'er unable to answer after a long while, Xue Zhiqiao immediately recognized her as a fake fan and intervened, "It seems this sister is too nervous. It's alright, thank you for your support earlier."
Xin Jia'er nodded nervously, "Oh, oh, I will!"
The host then prompted Xue Zhiqiao to hug Xin Jia'er. Xin Jia'er's heart pounded. After a brief physical contact, they separated.
Xin Jia'er descended from the stage amidst the envious gazes of the other girls.
Back in her original spot, Su Ding grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the crowd.
"Phew..."
Xin Jia'er let out a long sigh, the heat on her face gradually subsiding. "I was so nervous just now, it was so embarrassing. Luckily, he didn't expose me."
Su Ding smiled and shook her head. "Don't just join the fun next time."
Xin Jia'er nodded, "I definitely won't. Dingding, do you know the star on stage? I just returned to the country and I'm not really familiar with domestic celebrities."
She had met Su Ding abroad at a location where Su Ding was filming. So, after returning to the country and meeting Su Ding, she had looked up Su Ding's information.
She knew Su Ding was still in the entertainment industry and hence, she asked.
"...I do," Su Ding replied.
"Oh, he's so handsome," Xin Jia'er recalled, unable to help but comment on the man she had seen up close.
Su Ding smiled, watching the infatuated Xin Jia'er. She had to admit, Xue Zhiqiao was indeed perfectly handsome.
She hadn't contacted him in a while since Xiao Rui's incident.
Just then, her phone vibrated: "Ding Ni, let's have dinner in half an hour. I'll send you the address via WeChat. - Xue Zhiqiao"
Speak of the devil.
Seeing that it was still early, Su Ding agreed to the invitation and turned to Xin Jia'er, "Jia'er, want to grab dinner later? A handsome guy is treating."
"Huh?" Xin Jia'er looked at her, confused.
Su Ding gestured with her eyes, glanced at the stage, and continued, "Together?"
Xin Jia'er quickly nodded, "Yes, yes!"
Half an hour passed quickly. When Su Ding and Xin Jia'er entered the private room, Xue Zhiqiao was already there.
"Are you done with your work?" Su Ding greeted him proactively.
"Mm," Xue Zhiqiao glanced at Xin Jia'er, raising an eyebrow. He knew Su Ding was bringing a friend, but he hadn't expected it to be this fake fan who went on stage.
"This is my friend, Xin Jia'er," Su Ding introduced, then pointed to Xue Zhiqiao. "Xue Zhiqiao, a friend I've known since abroad."
Xin Jia'er gave an awkward smile, "Hello."
"My fan?" Xue Zhiqiao teased.
Xin Jia'er's face turned completely red, "In the future, I will be."
Seeing their banter, Su Ding felt a strange sense of chemistry and watched their interaction with amusement before walking to the table and sitting down.
Seeing Su Ding sit, Xue Zhiqiao stopped teasing Xin Jia'er and said seriously, "I was abroad for an event a while ago, and my phone was confiscated by my agent. I only returned today and saw your message... Are you okay now?"
"Yes, it's all in the past," Su Ding didn't want to dwell on it and kept it brief.
Xue Zhiqiao nodded. At least Su Ding looked in good spirits now. "How is Xiao Rui? Has she mentioned me at home?"
Su Ding chuckled, "The little one keeps asking why you haven't replied to her messages and says you owe her the deluxe Barbie doll set."
"Hahaha, I wouldn't dare," Xue Zhiqiao picked up the bag behind him and handed it to Su Ding. "Take this back to her."
"Thanks," Su Ding accepted it without politeness, knowing Xue Zhiqiao genuinely liked her daughter.
All three had lived abroad for a considerable time, and they found it easy to converse, making for a harmonious and pleasant meal.
Xin Jia'er also keenly observed something.
Although Xue Zhiqiao interacted with Su Ding in a teasing, friendly manner, his gaze and conversation were always focused on Su Ding.
Alas, it seemed one-sided affection.
Recalling Director Jin's cold, noble, and serious demeanor, Xin Jia'er compared the two in her mind for a long time but ultimately couldn't make a choice.