When the Stars Tremble

The Forty-First Star

Jiang Chuyi’s eyes widened at Zong Ye’s words, momentarily stunned.

The variety show playing on the TV filled the room with laughter.

He remained motionless, still holding up his phone towards her.

She felt as if she were dreaming, her palms tingling, her heart pounding more intensely than ever before.

Jiang Chuyi maintained a stiff, guarded posture as she carefully reviewed the night’s events in her mind, her expression subtly shifting.

After a long while, she couldn’t help frowning. “You really are…”

Despite trying to find the words, facing Zong Ye’s face, she ultimately surrendered, unable to utter a harsh word.

Jiang Chuyi’s shoulders slumped in defeat. After some thought, she murmured, “Zong Ye, I do like you.”

He paused slightly, his grip loosening.

The black phone fell onto his knee.

Jiang Chuyi didn’t notice this and continued pondering to herself, “I want to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

Her expression suddenly turned serious, her tone sincere: “You haven’t terminated your contract with the company yet. If we start dating, would it be considered a breach of contract?”

The words “start dating” from her mouth made Zong Ye…

He closed his eyes briefly, lowering his head. After a few minutes of silence, he gathered his thoughts and explained to her, “We signed the contract in September 2016, so strictly speaking, the contract expires at the end of this month. Wang Tan and Ji Kai should have already received a new contract, while Fucheng and I will begin the termination process. The group won’t officially announce its disbandment, but after next year’s tour, we’ll engage in individual activities.”

“I’m still on leave. The doctor said my eyes can’t handle high-intensity work for now and that I need to rest until at least October. So even if I…”

His voice turned hoarse, “Even if I start dating you, it wouldn’t be considered a breach of contract.”

Hearing this, Jiang Chuyi’s anxious heart finally settled.

She said softly, “I thought about delaying it further because I was worried that your termination fee would be too expensive, and I might not be able to afford it.”

“What?”

Jiang Chuyi glanced at him, her mind in disarray, and mumbled, “You think dating you is a simple matter?”

Zong Ye’s words carried a hint of probing, “You originally planned to help me pay the termination fee?”

“Of course.” Jiang Chuyi’s face revealed a trace of awkwardness, “After all, it’s because of me that you…”

She turned her head away, too embarrassed to continue.

Pretending she hadn’t said anything, Jiang Chuyi continued watching the TV.

The two suddenly fell silent again.

Zong Ye sat still, not daring to allow himself to keep looking at her.

He took off his glasses, burying his face slightly in his palms, carefully concealing the uncontrollable emotions of the moment.

His excitement had reached its peak, and his expression even turned into an eerie and abnormal calmness.

Zong Ye thought that Jiang Chuyi must be the world’s most brilliant genius at tormenting herself.

Every second she spent by his side, every second Zong Ye had to treat her gently, was a trial for him.

When necessary, Zong Ye should remind Jiang Chuyi that she needed to have some sense of crisis. Jiang Chuyi probably didn’t know that her effortless actions, words, and expressions could crush him to pieces.

……

……

A’Xi had been wandering outside for a while. Estimating the time, he went upstairs and pushed open the door, only to see the two sitting properly side by side on the sofa, sharing a small blanket, still half a meter apart.

He walked over, holding a watermelon.

The two simultaneously shifted their gaze to look at him.

Under Zong Ye’s watchful eye, A’Xi scratched his head, “Bro, you…”

Glancing at Jiang Chuyi sitting beside him, he immediately switched to a surprised tone, “Bro, your eyes suddenly got better!”

Jiang Chuyi: “…”

She wanted to withdraw her hand from under the blanket, but the other person was holding it too tightly, and she couldn’t pull it out.

Jiang Chuyi coughed softly, “It’s too late. I should get going.”

“I’ll escort you, Teacher Jiang,” A’Xi immediately offered.

“No need… I’ll take a taxi home.” Jiang Chuyi hesitated, not knowing who she was saying it to, “Let’s keep a low profile for now.”

Low profile.

A’Xi pondered the meaning of those words.

Jiang Chuyi hurriedly picked up her bag and glanced at Zong Ye again, “Take good care of yourself and get well soon.”

After leaving her instructions, she left.

When she got up just now, she struggled a few times. A’Xi’s sharp eyes noticed the clasped hands under the blanket.

A’Xi’s mouth opened slightly as he stood there stupefied, holding the watermelon.

A clicking sound came from the doorway.

Jiang Chuyi had left.

A’Xi wordlessly made eye contact with his boss, “Bro, want some watermelon?”

“You eat it.”

Zong Ye stood up from the sofa, his expression calm as he walked past him and returned to his bedroom.

After a while, Zong Ye came out again, picked up the small blanket from the sofa, and went back to his room once more.

A’Xi was puzzled for a long time, thinking, could it be that… they’re together now?!

*

Jiang Chuyi considered herself to be a relatively emotionally stable person.

But in the past six months, she had already lost sleep and been unable to fall asleep several times because of the same person.

Zong Ye…

Jiang Chuyi pinched her cheeks and arms. The pain told her that this wasn’t a dream.

Lying in bed, she still felt a bit dazed and incredulous.

Half a year ago, Jiang Chuyi even thought that being paired with Zong Ye was out of her league.

The renowned bassist of BloodXGentle, now a top-tier celebrity at the peak of his popularity, with fans dominating the celebrity fandom, he walked with his head held high wherever he went.
And now, she was actually… dating this person.

If the news were to break out, not just Jiang Chuyi, but Zong Ye’s fans could drown the Kaijun building with their spit.

……

……

After the first episode of “Shining Stars” aired, not only the show’s team but also Jiang Chuyi’s Weibo were severely bombarded by comments.

The comments were filled with battles between CP fans and solo fans, both sides fighting fiercely. Jiang Chuyi scrolled through the comments criticizing her, not feeling particularly wronged or frustrated. After all, she had indeed done something “unforgivable.” If Zong Ye’s fans scolded her a bit more, she might feel slightly better.

Due to Star City TV’s entertainment ban, “Shining Stars” was also suspended for a week, and the online criticism gradually subsided after a few days.

The recording location for the tenth episode was in Shanghai.

Recently, Zong Ye seemed to have become clingier. It was as if he knew that Jiang Chuyi was always mindful of his eye injury and couldn’t bear to refuse his requests. The frequency of his phone calls increased. Whenever she returned to the hotel, the call requests would immediately turn into video call requests. Sometimes, Jiang Chuyi couldn’t even understand how Zong Ye managed to keep track of her schedule so accurately. Whenever there was a break or mealtime, his call would always ring at the perfect moment. It made Jiang Chuyi feel helpless as if there were a surveillance camera installed around her.

As these “coincidences” became more frequent, she couldn’t help but grow suspicious. “Zong Ye, how do you always know when I’m taking a break?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

“Did you bribe my assistant?”

“No.” Zong Ye paused for a moment, “A’Xi has a good relationship with Wang Tan’s assistant, so I asked him to inquire about it.”

Jiang Chuyi: “…”

“Sometimes, when you don’t answer my calls, I start overthinking.”

Jiang Chuyi couldn’t help but say, “I don’t answer your calls because I’m working.”

“I’m sorry, Chuyi.” Noticing her tone, Zong Ye’s voice lowered, “I only ask about these things because I’m afraid of disturbing your work.”

Jiang Chuyi felt that something was a bit off, but hearing Zong Ye apologize so sincerely, she softened again and compromised, “Alright, I’m not blaming you.”

“Focus on recovering and don’t overthink things.” She muttered softly, “I don’t even know what you’re so anxious about. It’s not like I’ll suddenly disappear.”

Zong Ye grunted in acknowledgment.
Jiang Chuyi had no experience. She had previously seen Chen Yi have a few non-public relationships with people in the industry. Their interaction model was basically calling each other every few days, playing a couple of games, meeting once every few months, and handling things very casually. They didn’t care much about each other and weren’t particularly clingy.
Jiang Chuyi guessed that Zong Ye must have been too idle at home recently with nothing to do, which was why he was being so clingy towards her. Once Zong Ye resumed his normal work next month, he probably wouldn’t have much time to worry about her.
Seeing that she hadn’t spoken for a while, Zong Ye asked, “What are you doing right now?”
In the private room, Quan Yongning was calling for her. Jiang Chuyi quickly responded, raising her hand to cover the phone, and whispered, “I’m at a restaurant. We just finished recording the show, and everyone is here. We’re about to have a meal together. I’ll talk to you later.”
Zong Ye: “Okay.”
Jiang Chuyi hung up the phone, a hint of apology appearing on her face as she walked back to her seat and sat down.
Quan Yongning handed her a menu and casually teased, “What’s going on with Little Jiang recently? Receiving so many phone calls? Such a busy person!”
“No, no, it’s just a call from home.”
Jiang Chuyi quickly picked a vegetable dish and passed the menu to Feng Miaotong.
One of the guest stars this time was from the same company as her. They had previously done a magazine photoshoot together. The young girl, named Bei Lan, was in her teens.
Bei Lan hadn’t been on many variety shows. Facing so many big names on “Shining Stars,” she couldn’t quite relax. As she chatted with Jiang Chuyi, she suddenly noticed someone entering the door.
Jiang Chuyi was still using her phone to check the company activities that Bei Lan had asked about. The laughter around her paused for a moment.
The private room fell silent for an instant.
She couldn’t help but raise her head to look.
The man at the door was wearing sunglasses, his figure jade-like, dressed in a low-key and refreshing T-shirt and long pants. He was tall, slightly lowering his head as he leaned against the door frame, being pulled aside by the producer who was saying something to him.
After a while, he nodded.
Only after the producer left, the man pushed the door open with his arm and entered the private room. Wang Tan exclaimed, “Who’s this?”
Xu Jiayu: “Zong Ye?!”
Zong Ye politely nodded.
Under everyone’s gaze, he scanned the room, walked to the empty seat beside Ji Kai, pulled out the chair, and sat down.
Jiang Chuyi was also surprised by his sudden appearance. She was stunned for a moment before she casually shifted her gaze and continued staring at her phone.
“Little Zong, have your eyes recovered?” Xu Zhiguan asked with concern.
“Pretty much.”
“Why aren’t you resting at home? Why did you suddenly come here?” Ji Kai asked suspiciously.
Zong Ye chuckled, deliberately switching his voice to a deep bass, and replied, “I missed you?”
Ji Kai: “…”
Bei Lan glanced around, sneaking peeks at the situation over there, and whispered to Jiang Chuyi, “It’s Zong Ye! This is my first time seeing him in person.”
Jiang Chuyi’s expression returned to normal, calmly nodding slightly.
Just as they were talking, Bei Lan noticed Zong Ye’s face turning towards their direction, seemingly looking over. She immediately sat up straight.
Taking advantage of no one noticing, Jiang Chuyi sent a message to Zong Ye: “Why did you come?”
Zong Ye: “To accompany you for a meal.”
Jiang Chuyi: “Didn’t I just say that I would come to your place to find you after eating?”
Zong Ye: “I also missed Ji Kai a bit.”
Jiang Chuyi: “Okay.”
Jiang Chuyi: “You leave first after the meal. I need to pack my things. I’ll come find you after I’m done packing.”
Quan Yongning knew that Zong Ye currently had a light diet, so he ordered a separate congee and soup for him.
During the meal, the director and producer came by a few more times, said a few words, and left.
The table discussed the premiere of “Catching Stars” next month. Xu Jiayu asked Zong Ye, “Will you be able to go then?”
Zong Ye: “It shouldn’t be a big problem.”
Xu Jiayu complained, “That’s great. Recently, the company’s entrance has been blocked by fans. You should recover soon and make a public appearance. Otherwise, I don’t even dare to go back to the company.”
Jiang Chuyi quietly ate her meal, not joining the conversation, occasionally listening with one ear.
Halfway through, she went to the restroom. On her way back, she bumped into Fu Cheng and Zong Ye chatting in the corridor.
Zong Ye glanced at her.
Jiang Chuyi nodded at them.
She directly passed by them and entered the private room.
Fu Cheng lowered his eyes, noticing Zong Ye’s hand that was about to be raised, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
……
……
When it was about time to leave, Feng Miaotong said, “Everyone, eat slowly. I have something to take care of, so I’ll leave first. See you next time.”
Jiang Chuyi took the opportunity to stand up and bid farewell to everyone.
During the meal, Jiang Chuyi had accompanied others in drinking a bit. She wasn’t drunk, but she was slightly tipsy. She returned to the hotel, took a shower to refresh herself, and handed her packed luggage to Little Zhong.
Taking a taxi to the place where Zong Ye lived, Jiang Chuyi entered the password he had given her, changed her shoes, and went inside.
Zong Ye was sitting quietly on the sofa.
She took a few steps closer, noticing that his expression was slightly gloomy.
Jiang Chuyi sat down beside him and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Zong Ye smiled, “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about something.”
She carefully observed him again, “Thinking about what?”
Her probing gaze lasted for a few minutes before Zong Ye spoke, “Chuyi, were you unhappy that I came to find you?”
Jiang Chuyi denied, “No, I was quite happy.”
“When I held your hand, you quickly avoided it.”
“Uh, that was because we were in public. Didn’t we say we should keep a low profile?” Jiang Chuyi tried to reassure him, “With your current situation, it’s not good for us to go public yet.”
Zong Ye suddenly raised his hand, using his fingertips to touch her reddened earlobe.
Her words halted, and she instinctively shrugged her shoulders, feeling ticklish.
“Are we dating, Chuyi?”
“Yes, we are.” She was confused.
“Then you need to slowly get used to the fact that I will touch you. Including holding your hand, hugging you, or…”
Jiang Chuyi interrupted him, “It’s not that I’m not used to it. It’s just a bit ticklish.”
“Is it only because it’s ticklish?” Zong Ye asked in a low voice, “Or is it because you dislike me?”
“How could I dislike you!” Jiang Chuyi was shocked, feeling that he was getting more and more absurd. She explained, “It’s mainly because I’m inexperienced. Apart from some interactions with the opposite sex during filming, I don’t have much dating experience. So I’m temporarily not used to those physical contacts with you. I need to adapt to it more, but I definitely don’t dislike you or anything like that.”
“Then, do you want to try getting used to me?”
“What?”
“Until you get used to me, I’ll try not to touch you. Is that okay?”
The topic was progressing a bit too quickly, and she didn’t quite react, “Huh? … How do I get used to you?”
Zong Ye looked at her thoughtfully, lowering his voice, and said unclearly, “There was one time when you were drunk, and you touched my eyes, eyelashes, and neck. Do you like those parts?”
Jiang Chuyi: “…”
The air fell silent.
She felt that she had thoroughly witnessed another side of Zong Ye.
He was too good at maintaining a dignified and gentlemanly face while calmly saying these decadent words.
Jiang Chuyi was a bit shocked. A crack appeared on her gentle and tranquil face, “You… I… This…”
After a full minute of silence, Zong Ye spoke again, “If I don’t touch you and let you touch me first, is that not okay either?”
Jiang Chuyi actually detected a hint of grievance in his tone.
She couldn’t help but reflect. Was she being too conservative and slow? Not knowing how to flirt with others at all? Since she had agreed to date him, and they were both adults, she should be more “open-minded”…
With this in mind, Jiang Chuyi’s expression became calm. She said, “Wait a moment. I’ll go drink some water first.”
Without waiting for Zong Ye’s reaction, she went straight to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a bottle of ice water.
After taking a big gulp of ice water, Jiang Chuyi calmed down.
She stayed alone in the kitchen, silently giving herself a pep talk.
When she came out, Zong Ye was waiting for her in the dining room.
She walked over to him, relying on the residual alcohol in her system, and said to Zong Ye, “Since you made this request, I’ll give it a try. Where do we start?”
Zong Ye: “Try what?”
“Didn’t you want me to get used to you?”
Time seemed to have hit the pause button.
Zong Ye didn’t move, slowly asking, “Right now?”
“Yes,” Jiang Chuyi answered him.
She looked around and said to him, “Let’s not delay. Why don’t we do it here?”
Zong Ye smiled with hidden meaning, “Okay.”
To accommodate her height, Zong Ye slightly leaned against the edge of the dining table.
He tilted his head, looking at her, seemingly waiting for her next move.
Jiang Chuyi took a deep breath, went to the entrance hall to turn off the main light, leaving only a pendant light in the dining room. She walked back and informed him in an honest tone, “Prepare yourself mentally. I’m going to start.”
“Go ahead.”
“Hold out your hand.”
Zong Ye did as she said.
Jiang Chuyi held his wrist.
Her fingertips traced along his knuckles, all the way to the slightly protruding veins on the back of his hand.
Zong Ye’s fingers curled.
“What’s wrong? Do you also feel ticklish?” Jiang Chuyi asked.
He grunted in agreement.
“I’m already used to holding hands,” Jiang Chuyi said with a straight face half a minute later.
She decided to respect the other party’s opinion, “Where else do you want me to get used to?”
Zong Ye paused for a moment, cooperating, and brought her hand to his face, “Here.”
Jiang Chuyi took a moment, starting from his eyebrows. Her fingers slid down, passing his eyes, lingering on his eyelashes for a while, then continuing downward, past his straight nose bridge, and further down… She was about to withdraw her hand.
Zong Ye grabbed her, slightly bending down, and reminded her in a hoarse voice, “You’re not done touching.”
She quietly placed her slightly cool fingers on his thin lips.
It was a very soft sensation, with a slight dip at the peak of his lips, and a hint of warmth.
A strange electric sensation rose from her tailbone. Jiang Chuyi felt her fingers starting to tremble slightly.
After a few seconds, she tried to steady her voice, “Anything else?”
Zong Ye brought her hand to the side of his neck, “Here.”
Jiang Chuyi touched his Adam’s apple.
This spot moved and swallowed along with her movement.
Her fingers moved slightly, then shifted to the beauty mark on the side of his neck.
Zong Ye’s eyes were slightly closed, a barely audible sigh escaping.
Between restraint and outburst, he was driven to the point where every blood vessel was aching.
“Anything else?” Jiang Chuyi said with difficulty.
Zong Ye gently brought her hand to his collarbone, his voice strained and vulnerable, “Here…”
Jiang Chuyi’s mind was in a daze. Her fingers rubbed against the hollow of that depression.
“Anything else?”
Zong Ye paused for a moment, then, guiding her hand, he lifted the hem of his T-shirt, “Like this, is it okay?”
Jiang Chuyi didn’t say anything.
Her body seemed to be paralyzed, unable to move.
For the first time, she so directly felt the constant heat emanating from his body.
Something was off… really off… how could merely touching with hands be so tantalizing…
Her slender fingertips scraped across his waist.
Zong Ye seemed to be enduring with great difficulty. He hunched over, his eyelashes falling, his teeth lightly biting his lip, and finally, a hint of panting escaped from his throat.
Jiang Chuyi really couldn’t handle him making such sounds. She immediately came to her senses and withdrew her hand.
Zong Ye’s clothes were disheveled. Under the dim light, his eyes and lips were an unusual shade of red.
Jiang Chuyi took two steps back, her breathing erratic, “You look like I’ve taken great advantage of you.”
She hadn’t even done anything too outrageous, yet he already looked like he was about to be played to ruin by her.
At some point, Zong Ye’s slightly upturned eyes brimmed with a hint of moisture, “I’m sorry, Chuyi. I seem to be feeling a bit uncomfortable.”
Jiang Chuyi’s lips moved, about to say that they should call it a day.
Who knew, before she could say it, Zong Ye turned his head, those eyes filled with damp desire looking towards her. He softened and lowered his voice, as if pleading, and asked, “Can you touch me a bit more?”