The Twenty-Ninth Star
On the second day, Jiang Chuyi went to the company office. In the afternoon, she went to a studio with a female artist from Kaijun to shoot magazine photos.
The two sat in front of the makeup mirrors.
Not far away, a phone on a table was casually playing a song. The melody was very familiar. The young artist couldn’t help but mutter, “BloodXGentle’s song… You’re listening to them too.”
The makeup artist cheerfully added, “Yeah, they’re so popular.”
Jiang Chuyi’s eyes were itchy from the makeup, and she couldn’t help blinking.
The young artist recalled something and curiously asked Jiang Chuyi, “Chuyi-Sis, didn’t you just finish filming a movie with BloodXGentle? Are they the same in real life as in videos?”
Jiang Chuyi fiddled with a doll, her tone objective. “They’re pretty much the same as in the videos, but even more handsome in person.”
The makeup artist chimed in, “I also did their makeup once before. Those guys are handsome, even bare-faced, really. Especially Zong Ye, his skin is incredibly good.”
Suddenly hearing this name from someone else’s mouth, Jiang Chuyi’s heart skipped a beat.
The makeup artist was outlining Jiang Chuyi’s eyebrows, her tone suggestive. “Ms. Jiang, I heard you and Zong Ye have a pretty good relationship?”
“What?”
“Don’t mind me, I’m just casually asking.”
Jiang Chuyi answered her, “He has a good relationship with many people in the crew.”
Seeing that her attitude was a bit evasive, the makeup artist didn’t continue asking.
These popular idols were always hot topics. They chatted around and started gossiping about BloodXGentle in low voices. For example, a high-level executive at Xunfei had a daughter who was a zealous sasaeng fan of Zong Ye. She once followed his overseas schedule for a month, changing phones to make harassing calls to him. And how a certain starlet was particularly scheming, deliberately falling into Ji Kai’s arms backstage at an event. There was also a female idol from IM who made a fuss, following Zong Ye and Wang Tan on Weibo and Instagram, unfollowing repeatedly when they didn’t follow back.
The assistants organizing clothes on the side listened with great interest.
Jiang Chuyi fell silent, listening to them talk without participating in the topic further.
She stared at the rabbit doll in her hand, thinking about Zong Ye.
The posts in that supertopic, with netizens confidently making all sorts of analyses, made Jiang Chuyi feel as if she had fallen into a strange loop.
Even though they were all talking about things related to her, she had to detach herself from it, avoiding projecting herself into any of it, lest her imagination run wild.
Rationally, no one was clearer than herself about what had happened between her and Zong Ye. They had no ambiguity beyond the bounds of friendship.
But emotionally, Jiang Chuyi could vaguely sense that Zong Ye treated her a bit differently from others.
These subtle differences, she didn’t know how to categorize them.
Perhaps it was because he had watched her movies since he was young, developing an admiration similar to a “fan” for an “idol.” There was also a very small possibility that she had an opposite-sex attraction to him.
But after much thought, Jiang Chuyi felt neither was quite right.
Most importantly, there was no shortage of people in the circle chasing and admiring Zong Ye. Compared to others, she really wasn’t very competitive.
Jiang Chuyi silently sighed in her heart and dismissed those distracting thoughts from her mind.
*
In the early hours of January 13th, her phone alarm suddenly rang.
At that moment, Jiang Chuyi had just finished showering and was drying her hair with a towel.
She picked up her phone and saw the reminder, only then abruptly realizing it was Zong Ye’s birthday.
Not caring that her hair was still dripping, Jiang Chuyi wiped her hands a bit and sent him a happy birthday message.
Because she wanted to send it right on time, she hurriedly sent the message. Leaning against the bathroom door, she was still thinking of the next blessing when the chat window whooshed and he replied.
Zong Ye: “Thank you. You’re not asleep yet?”
She was a bit surprised, not expecting him to reply instantly.
Jiang Chuyi: “I’m not. What about you, aren’t you busy right now?”
Zong Ye: “Wrapped up work early today.”
Zong Ye was sitting in a chair as he typed this sentence. A few people came over to congratulate him.
“Another year older, Teacher Zong Ye. Happy birthday.”
“Happy birthday, Brother Ye.”
Zong Ye slightly covered his phone and nodded in thanks.
They had just finished an interview and would soon set off for the stadium to rehearse for tonight’s first tour stop.
Several days of high-intensity work made Zong Ye feel a bit tired. Around him were people hurrying about. New messages kept popping up on WeChat, all congratulating him. Zong Ye scrolled through the message list with his thumb, too lazy to click in. He flipped back to the top, waiting for her reply.
A few minutes later.
Jiang Chuyi: “Hope you have fewer troubles and more happiness this year. Get some rest early. I won’t disturb you more!”
Zong Ye typed slowly.
He typed a line, then deleted it.
He replied with a thank you and good night, then put away his phone.
*
Starting from last week, #BloodXGentle Shanghai First Tour# had been high on the hot search list. Until January 13th, the actual start date, various online forums, platforms, Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and TikTok were all posting stadium candids.
A few videos of BloodXGentle’s rehearsal were hotly discussed.
The four of them hadn’t done their hair and makeup yet, wearing sunglasses and masks with bare faces. On stage, they tried walking through positions, holding microphones, swaying their bodies to the music’s rhythm. Their dance moves were all lazy and relaxed.
Ticket checks started at 5:30 PM. Afraid of hitting Shanghai’s evening rush hour, Jiang Chuyi and Xin He set off half an hour early.
Their seats were in the front viewing area, very close to the stage.
Before coming, Jiang Chuyi had some worries. Her “scandal” with Zong Ye had yet to die down. If she showed up at BloodXGentle’s concert and was photographed, she didn’t know if it would stir up some discussion again.
After arriving, Jiang Chuyi realized she was indeed taking herself too seriously.
Just as Zong Ye had said before, besides her and Xin He, many people from the circle had come to show support. Some familiar and unfamiliar artists, including young singers from Taiwan and Hong Kong, had specially come to join in the excitement.
Perhaps some of them weren’t really interested in the concert, but they wouldn’t pass up riding the wave of popularity.
It was still a bit cold today. The stadium was semi-open. Jiang Chuyi couldn’t help but wrap her coat tightly around herself.
Sitting here among a group of celebrities, Jiang Chuyi seemed out of place.
Because she was the only one dressed to match the weather, wearing a blue and white fleece coat with thermal leggings under her jeans. The rest were basically decked out in fashionable outfits from head to toe. A few had even specially done their hair and makeup before coming to the concert.
Before the show started, they held up their phones and took selfies in twos and threes. After selecting suitable photos, they happily posted on Weibo to cheer for BloodXGentle, indicating they were at the concert venue.
As the time neared 7 PM, the fans gradually entered the venue, and warm-up music started playing inside.
According to past conventions, the seats were basically divided into four areas. As the sky gradually darkened, at a glance, the areas each lit up with different colored glow sticks.
Wang Tan’s support color was silver, Ji Kai’s was green, Fu Cheng’s was gray, and Zong Ye’s was blue.
Jiang Chuyi didn’t know if it was a coincidence, but the official support light stick originally placed on her seat was blue.
She studied it in her hand for a while and found that the bottom of the stick even had a Q-version avatar of Zong Ye.
This Q-version was not only cute but also drawn with great detail, even including the beauty mark on the side of his neck.
Jiang Chuyi was about to take a photo of it with her phone when she noticed Zong Ye had sent her a message: “Are you here?”
Jiang Chuyi casually took a picture of the light stick and sent it to him.
After a while, her phone vibrated.
Zong Ye: “Looks like you plan to be my fan today.”
The teasing meaning of this sentence was a bit obvious.
Jiang Chuyi immediately thought of the previous incident when her secret account was exposed. She felt a bit embarrassed and replied with a crying emoji.
Zong Ye: “After the concert ends, let’s go eat together. Will you come?”
Jiang Chuyi: “Where are we eating?”
Zong Ye: “At my place. My uncle is cooking. Xin He is also going. His cooking is quite good. Does Teacher Jiang want to give me the honor?”
Jiang Chuyi hesitated a bit, her fingers hovering over the screen.
Zong Ye: “Just consider it a thank you for the birthday gift you gave me.”
Jiang Chuyi leaned over and quietly asked Xin He, “Zong Ye said to go eat at his place after the concert. Are you going too?”
“Yeah.” Xin He glanced at her chat window and immediately saw the line “Xin He is also going.” She instantly understood why Fu Cheng had called her late last night, saying Zong Ye specially invited her to eat together for his birthday.
Xin He rarely exposed Zong Ye, her eyes drifting as she urged Jiang Chuyi, “You should go too. The more the merrier.”
Jiang Chuyi: “Alright then.”
She deliberated for a moment before typing a reply: “Okay, so after the concert ends, Xin He and I will just wait in our seats for you guys?”
Zong Ye: “I’ll have my assistant take you backstage later.”
Jiang Chuyi: “OK, you go ahead and get busy~! Good luck later.”
Zong Ye: “Alright.”
*
At 7:30 PM, the concert began on time.
When the names appeared on the big screen, all the lights in the venue dimmed. Then the font changed, and BloodXGentle’s group logo emerged. Fire rings and smoke blasted out. The center stage slowly rose, revealing the silhouettes of four people.
In an instant, the majestic ten-thousand-person stadium erupted in unified cheers.
Accompanied by the central control glow sticks and coordinated with the stage’s light effects, the scene turned into a rainbow sea of four colors.
Jiang Chuyi felt like she was in a huge rave.
By her ears were calls surging like tides, waves of sound that never ceased. Almost every song, every few lines, could trigger the entire audience to sing along.
This first stop of BloodXGentle’s tour had just begun and the news immediately flooded Weibo, topping hot searches and trending several topics.
Regardless of whether they were BloodXGentle fans, everyone had to admit that their concert was undoubtedly an excellent audio-visual experience.
The stage design and performance were perfectly integrated. Fu Cheng and Wang Tan sang with open mics. Zong Ye strummed the bass guitar in his hands. Ji Kai uninhibitedly played the drums.
Just the few live clips revealed made countless fans wail that their life’s biggest regret was not being able to snatch the sky-high priced tickets from scalpers.
If there was a slight disappointment, it would be that although the live sound quality was very good, the accompaniment was almost drowned out by the cheers from the audience.
Like most people, Jiang Chuyi was completely immersed in their performance, even forgetting to take out her phone to take photos.
Time passed unwittingly, and it was soon 11 PM.
Nearing the end, the atmosphere became more relaxed.
The last song was a ballad that didn’t require dance moves. They began interacting with the live audience.
The stage was large. The four of them walked off in different directions, each followed by a camera operator carrying a camera.
The lyrics scrolled across the big screen:
“There is a ray of light, crossing through all my dreams.”
“You are the star I see when I look up, the cloud I can never touch.”
“I am willing to be dust and flowing sand, wishing to have another beautiful dream.”
…
…
Jiang Chuyi watched with wide eyes as Zong Ye walked over.
He stopped a few meters away from her.
Zong Ye was tall. He half-squatted at the edge of the stage, singing while raising his other hand to greet the people below.
Being close, Jiang Chuyi could see that his shirt collar was slightly open, revealing a thin silver chain on his neck.
…
…
“The heavens once showed mercy for a minute, the clouds turned into falling rain.”
“You became a star and melted.”
“I know, in that one minute, I was saved by you.”
…
…
Xin He whistled and cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting, “Zong Ye, so handsome—”
Infected by the joyful atmosphere, Jiang Chuyi also followed the others, excitedly raising the glow stick in her hand and waving it vigorously for him.
“If my wish comes true.”
“If my wish comes true, I only wish for you to enter my dreams.”
“I only wish…”
The song gradually reached its end. All the accompaniment faded. The people on stage quieted down.
At the same time, brilliant fireworks exploded in the deep blue night sky like a curtain. Thousands of balloons flew into the air.
The fans’ emotions were completely ignited. Deafening cheers of “ahh ahh ahh” resounded through the stadium.
People around her were discussing animatedly.
Jiang Chuyi held her breath, watching the romantic scene before her eyes.
Until the music started again, Zong Ye tilted his head. The side of his sweaty face was illuminated by scattered light.
Star-shaped confetti fell layer upon layer from the sky, scattering across the entire venue. It was a magnificent scene that seemed to only appear in movies.
The moment Zong Ye stood up, his gaze met Jiang Chuyi’s.
He smiled, fingers resting on the microphone by his lips. He gently sang the last line of tonight’s song:
“—Until the moment the dream ends, when the stars tremble lightly.”
*
By the time the concert ended and the crowd dispersed, it was nearly midnight.
Jiang Chuyi’s surging emotions had yet to subside. Sitting in the car, she couldn’t help but use her phone to watch videos of their first tour stop today.
Although Jiang Chuyi didn’t turn on the sound, just watching quietly to herself, she was still accidentally caught by Wang Tan.
He couldn’t help but tease, “Teacher Jiang, we’re right beside you. Isn’t it better to look at us in person?”
“You guys in person…” Jiang Chuyi pressed her lips together and said what was on her mind. “It feels a bit different from on stage.”
“How is it different?”
“I can’t quite say.” Jiang Chuyi thought for a bit and paid them a compliment. “You’re more handsome on stage.”
Hearing this, Zong Ye’s lips curved up. He glanced at her.
…
…
What surprised Jiang Chuyi was that Zong Ye’s home was in an old alley with a very strong sense of ordinary life. It was a small courtyard with a few sycamore trees planted by the entrance.
She followed them inside.
The TV in the house was playing the news. The air was filled with the delicious aroma of food.
Jiang Chuyi’s mind wandered as she looked around.
Like most ordinary people’s homes, Zong Ye’s was very clean and tidy. A few guitars were placed in the corner. The decor style was unexpectedly simple and cozy, a big contrast to his top star identity.
“Ayo, you’re here.”
Hearing this greeting, Jiang Chuyi slowed her steps and turned her head, coincidentally running into the person carrying a dish head-on.
She instinctively dodged a couple steps but still got splattered with some oil stains on her clothes.
Jiang Chuyi immediately apologized, bowing slightly. “I’m sorry, I was distracted just now. Did it burn you?”
“I’m fine.” The one holding the dish was a man in his fifties with a very kind face. He put the steaming dish on the dining table. “Your clothes got dirty. Do you want to wash them?”
Jiang Chuyi looked down at her clothes and waved her hand. “It’s alright. I can take care of it when I get home later.”
“Do you want to wash it?” Zong Ye spoke up. “It won’t be easy to clean if you wait until you get home.”
“Okay then.”
Zong Ye took her upstairs.
He walked in front, pushing open a door.
After entering, Jiang Chuyi realized this seemed to be his bedroom. The room had a very familiar citrus, bitter fragrance.
Passing by the black king-size bed, she didn’t dare look too much. She lowered her head and followed behind Zong Ye.
Zong Ye turned on the light.
The bathroom was cut off from the laughter downstairs, feeling exceptionally quiet.
Being alone with him in such a strongly private space, she didn’t know where to look.
Zong Ye apologized to her. “It’s not very convenient to take you to my uncle’s room. We can only come to mine.”
