The Forty-Ninth Star
Jiang Chuyi: “How can you be jealous of a rabbit?”
Zong Ye kept his eyes closed, not arguing, just slightly nuzzling her palm in a silent urging.
Ruby wiggled its ears and instinctively moved its short legs to the corner.
Zong Ye must have been a pet cat in his past life, and was the most jealous, best-looking, most spoiled one that got the most love from its owner.
Jiang Chuyi went along with his wishes, using the same method she used to pet the rabbit, scratching his chin and running her thumb along the side of his face.
Zong Ye’s skin was very good, famously so in the industry, soft as if water could be squeezed out. It felt very different from the fluffy rabbit fur, but both were pleasant. Jiang Chuyi couldn’t help but stroke a few more times.
After petting him, she was about to withdraw her hand, but he grabbed it back again. This happened several times until Jiang Chuyi gave up and lowered her head to continue reading the script, absentmindedly petting Zong Ye with her other hand.
He would occasionally adjust the position of her hand himself, and Jiang Chuyi went along with it, sometimes stroking his face, sometimes his ears, sometimes his eyes, sometimes his head, making sure to cover everywhere.
Flipping through the script in her hand, Jiang Chuyi was studying the lines, not noticing the passage of time. When she came across a few parts she didn’t quite understand, she wanted to find a pen to mark them, when suddenly she felt her hand being gently bitten twice.
Jiang Chuyi turned her head.
Zong Ye’s brows were slightly furrowed, his face pale yet tinged with red, his eyes rippling with emotion.
She put down the script and touched Zong Ye’s forehead with the back of her hand, “What’s wrong? Are you feverish too?”
Zong Ye looked at her without speaking.
Jiang Chuyi could see a hint of distress and grievance in his expression.
She asked again: “Not feeling well?”
Zong Ye bit her finger, “Chuyi, you’re making me a bit uncomfortable.”
Jiang Chuyi realized what was happening.
Zong Ye was quite thick-skinned, asking her to do this and that. She did as he requested, and in the end, he still accused her like a victim.
She felt both wronged and amused at the same time.
Zong Ye was like a sensitive plant, reacting to just a little touch…
Inappropriately, Jiang Chuyi recalled a netizen’s comment: Zong Ye naturally looks like he needs to be ravished.
……
……
Jiang Chuyi had just recovered from her fever and still felt a bit weak. She decided to stop reading the script and just keep Zong Ye company as he slept.
By noon, Zong Ye got up to make porridge in the kitchen and also cooked a pot of milky white fish soup. After everything was ready, he brought it to the coffee table for her.
“Chuyi, shall I feed you?”
Jiang Chuyi was watching TV: “Thanks, I can manage on my own.”
Zong Ye seemed not to have heard this, picked up the bowl and sat beside her, “You’re still sick, the food is very hot, you need to eat slowly. I’m afraid you’ll get tired holding it.”
Jiang Chuyi: “…”
She wanted to remind him that she had only had a fever and hadn’t become a vegetative patient unable to move. It didn’t warrant such meticulous care.
But seeing Zong Ye’s expression, he seemed to really enjoy taking care of her, so she let him feed her one spoonful at a time.
Being sick came with many privileges. For instance, Jiang Chuyi could comfortably direct Zong Ye to change Ruby’s water, food, and clean its litter box. She could also ask Zong Ye to fetch the packages that had accumulated over the past few days.
After yesterday’s heavy rain, the weather in Shanghai was beautiful today, even the air felt fresher. A few potted plants sat in the corner of the living room, with warm afternoon sunlight falling on the wooden floor.
Jiang Chuyi lay on the sofa watching “Empresses in the Palace”, while Zong Ye sat on the carpet, patiently opening her packages one by one.
They were all little things for girls.
Rose-scented bath bombs, Lego sets, birthday banners, Palace Museum art books, perfume, beautifully packaged cosmetics…
Zong Ye suddenly said: “Chuyi, I really like your home.”
“You like my home?” Jiang Chuyi found it strange, “The property prices in my area are probably not even close to a fraction of your neighborhood’s.”
“Your home makes me feel very warm, just like you.”
Jiang Chuyi pretended to focus on the TV, and after a while, she said softly as if unintentionally: “If you like it, you can come more often in the future.”
Zong Ye’s eyes curved into a smile, “Okay.”
*
On Jiang Chuyi’s birthday, Chen Yi and Zhao Guangyu came over at noon.
They were stunned when they saw Zong Ye as they entered, and were stunned again when they received gifts from him. They couldn’t help but exchange glances.
Chen Yi immediately recognized the expensive packaging in the bag and uncertainly looked at Jiang Chuyi: “What’s this for? Why are you being so polite? It’s not my birthday today.”
Zong Ye explained: “You’re all Chuyi’s friends. We were in a hurry before, and I didn’t have a chance to formally meet you. This is a meeting gift.”
Chen Yi: “…”
Zhao Guangyu reminded him: “Mr. Zong, we’ve met before.”
“Oh?” Zong Ye smiled, “But my status is different now, isn’t it?”
Zhao Guangyu wasn’t as reserved as Chen Yi. He excitedly opened the gift to find it was BloodXGentle’s nearly out-of-print debut commemorative album, with all four members’ signatures. On the back of Ji Kai’s solo poster was a handwritten note of blessing.
Zhao Guangyu exclaimed emotionally, “Say no more, Zong Ye, you’re my true bro now. Who’s Jiang Chuyi? I don’t know her.”
Jiang Chuyi: “…”
Chen Yi covered her face and pulled at him, “Alright, that’s enough, don’t embarrass yourself.”
Ever since seeing Zong Ye at Jiang Chuyi’s home, Chen Yi had been feeling a sense of unreality. Although she had known for a while that her friend was dating a top star in the industry, she had only occasionally browsed their super topic, helping Jiang Chuyi keep an eye on online trends, without really inquiring about their daily interactions.
BXG was a well-known boy group that had dominated the industry for years since their debut. As the top member of the group, Zong Ye often appeared on social media and in various trending topics, a very unapproachable male celebrity. In Chen Yi’s mind, Zong Ye belonged to the category of people who could only be admired from afar, too high to reach even if close.
Now, as a friend of the family, she first received Zong Ye’s warm and polite “greetings”, then watched as Zong Ye, after saying hello to them, very naturally walked into the kitchen, put on an apron, and continued washing and preparing vegetables.
The overwhelming sense of domesticity made Chen Yi unable to hold back anymore.
Pulling Jiang Chuyi aside, Chen Yi asked in a low voice, “Jiang Chuyi, be honest, what kind of spell did you cast on Zong Ye?”
“What kind of spell could I cast on him?” Jiang Chuyi was puzzled.
“Zong Ye is completely different from what I imagined?!” Looking at the busy figure in the kitchen, Chen Yi reasonably questioned, “Are you sure you don’t have some kind of leverage over him?”
Jiang Chuyi patted her, “He’s different from what I imagined too.”
……
……
That afternoon, Chen Yi successively met Wang Tan, Fu Cheng, Xin He, Ji Kai… If there had been a paparazzo staking out near Jiang Chuyi’s home, they would have had enough material for half a month’s worth of news.
They were all hot topics in the entertainment industry, which put a lot of pressure on Chen Yi.
Wang Tan, Xin He, and Chen Yi played poker, Ji Kai and Zhao Guangyu played video games, and Fu Cheng slept with headphones on.
Jiang Chuyi occasionally washed some fruit for them, but most of the time she kept Zong Ye company in the kitchen, talking with him.
Xin He looked at the two in the kitchen, “They really look like a young married couple.”
Wang Tan clicked his tongue, “What do you mean ‘look like’? Our Mr. Zong is already living the newlywed life in advance.”
Xin He called out: “Jiang Chuyi, come out and play a round for me, I need a break!”
Jiang Chuyi responded affirmatively.
“Do you know how to play cards?” Wang Tan showed her a small WeChat accounting app, “We’re playing for money here, don’t try to weasel out of paying later.”
“How could I not know how to play?” Jiang Chuyi said seriously, “I even downloaded ‘Happy Landlord’ specifically, and sometimes when I think my teammates are bad, I throw tomatoes and eggs at them.”
Wang Tan: “…”
Soon, Wang Tan realized that Jiang Chuyi wasn’t joking.
On the app, the numbers under his name slowly changed color, and Wang Tan’s expression changed.
Just then, Zong Ye brought a cup of medicine for Jiang Chuyi.
Wang Tan complained to him: “Zong Ye, your wife is bullying me.”
Zong Ye raised an eyebrow and asked Jiang Chuyi with a smile: “How are you bullying him?”
Jiang Chuyi put her cards face down on the table and retorted: “I’m not bullying him, he’s just not good at cards.”
After she finished drinking the medicine, Zong Ye naturally raised his hand, curled his index finger, and with a gentle, doting expression, helped wipe her mouth.
Chen Yi was so shocked she almost spit out her drink.
Judging by Wang Tan’s expression, he seemed used to Zong Ye’s behavior. Chen Yi held back from saying anything.
Zong Ye’s treatment of Jiang Chuyi was so exaggerated that… Chen Yi couldn’t find words to describe it. Even CP fans wouldn’t dare to make up rumors to this extent.
Jiang Chuyi’s cold hadn’t fully recovered, so she couldn’t join them for drinks in the evening.
Zong Ye sat next to Jiang Chuyi, chatting casually with Fu Cheng about work during the meal.
While talking to others, Zong Ye peeled shrimp and fed them to Jiang Chuyi.
Feeling everyone at the table pause and look at her, Jiang Chuyi quickly said, “I can eat by myself.”
Zong Ye didn’t seem to notice, “Do you want some soup? Shall I get you some?”
Fu Cheng: “…”
Wang Tan finally couldn’t hold back, “What’s your position here, Zong Ye? Even being a devoted husband doesn’t mean you have to be like this.”
Ji Kai: “You’re really embarrassing us men.”
As they teased him, Zong Ye maintained his good-natured demeanor, “Just enjoy your meal, don’t mind me.”
Wang Tan looked at him as if he was beyond help: “No one wants to mind you.”
After dinner, under Xin He’s direction, everyone took a group photo together.
Following her principle of staying low-key, when choosing photos for her birthday post, Jiang Chuyi only included a picture of the table of food, without showing anyone else.
@JiangChuyiV: Another year older! Thank you all for the wishes~ [birthday cake emoji][photo]
Two hours after she posted this on Weibo, #JiangChuyiBirthday# shot up to the top of the trending list.
By then, the others had just left, and Zong Ye was still washing dishes in the kitchen. Jiang Chuyi sat in the hanging chair, called her family for a while, then opened Weibo again. Seeing this trending topic, her first reaction was to wonder if Gao Ning had bought bot followers for her again.
Confused, Jiang Chuyi asked Gao Ning on WeChat: “Why did you buy a trending topic for me? I don’t need this kind of attention right now.”
Gao Ning: “Sis? Does this trending topic look bought to you? Haven’t you seen your comment section?”
Jiang Chuyi immediately opened the comments and, sure enough, saw several familiar faces.
Her mind went blank.
@XinHeV: “Baby, happy birthday, be happy forever~”
@ChenYiV: “Happy birthday, beautiful”
@ZhaoGuangyu: “Rappers don’t easily wish others happy birthday, you’re an exception [side-eye]”
@JiKaiV: “Teacher Jiang, happy birthday!”
@WangTanV: “Happy birthday, no need to thank me”
@FuChengV: “Happy birthday”
@ZongYeV: “Chuyi, happy birthday.”
All four members of BloodXGentle gathered to send wishes, the last time such a spectacle occurred was in the comment section of IM’s CEO two years ago. Whenever these four appear together, fans never fail to battle it out in the comments and likes. That Weibo post of IM’s CEO ended up with nearly a million comments.
At this moment, the comments on Jiang Chuyi’s birthday Weibo post were still exploding.
[Jiang Chuyi, you’ve got some skills, did you save the lives of these BloodXGentle members or something?]
[Don’t envy lovebirds or immortals, just envy Jiang’s every day]
[Even Fu Cheng joined in… who can see this and not say it’s awesome]
[Laughing so hard, the funniest thing in this comment section is Zong Ye’s solo fans, collectively commenting “What kind of fairy-tale friendship is this”, they’re really stubborn…]
[I’m dying from this, completely crazy! Don’t mind me!!! If Yijian Zongqing isn’t real then I’m fake, Zong Ye bringing his brothers to wish his wife happy birthday, right? Those who know, know, wuwuwu]
*
Zong Ye put the last bowl in the sterilizer and washed his hands before coming out.
She closed the comment section, put down her phone, and asked, “Why did you all suddenly post on Weibo together?”
Zong Ye walked over, crouched in front of her, looking up at her: “To wish you a happy birthday.”
“Did you ask them to post?”
Zong Ye neither confirmed nor denied.
She hesitated: “Isn’t this… a bit too high-profile?”
Zong Ye looked at her for a long time, then spoke in a calm tone: “Chuyi, I really wanted to post on Weibo alone, to openly wish you well, but I know that doing so now would cause you a lot of trouble… So I could only blend in with your friends to send you wishes.”
“Don’t say that…” Jiang Chuyi slid down from the hanging chair, crouching next to Zong Ye. She tilted her head, blinking twice, “I’m already very happy that you came to spend my birthday with me.”
His eyes swept over her fair feet, and he said softly, “Don’t step on the floor barefoot, it’s cold.”
She didn’t care much, “It’s fine.”
Zong Ye reached out to get her cotton slippers.
Jiang Chuyi’s heart skipped a beat, and she spontaneously threw herself at him.
He was caught off guard and instinctively used his hand to shield her. Both of them lost their balance and rolled onto the ground. Jiang Chuyi put on a fierce expression and pinched his face, saying, “Zong Ye, don’t be unhappy. I was just asking, I didn’t mean to blame you.”
He was momentarily silent.
Jiang Chuyi carefully observed Zong Ye’s reaction.
Indeed, with her pressing down on him, he dared not move, and his awkward expression slowly reappeared. Jiang Chuyi secretly chuckled to herself.
She extended a finger and gently touched his eyelashes.
Zong Ye’s eyelashes fluttered.
Curiously, she then touched his ear, and as expected, it quickly turned hot and red.
Ruby, not knowing what the two of them were doing, was drawn by the noise and watched from a short distance away.
For the first time, Jiang Chuyi found teasing him so amusing. “Zong Ye, you seem like a sensitive plant.”
Zong Ye grasped her hand. “Don’t…”
“Did you forget how you bullied me before?”
Knowing that he was still concerned about her illness and didn’t dare to do too much to her, Jiang Chuyi’s resentment grew. “I haven’t gotten my revenge yet.”
He asked with difficulty, “So how do you plan to… get back at me?”
She looked down at him from above. “First promise me that you won’t move and you won’t act like you did last time.”
Zong Ye closed his eyes, controlling his tone with effort. “Alright, I’ll try my best.”
Through the sweater, Jiang Chuyi lowered her head and bit his shoulder.
As expected, Zong Ye shivered.
Taking full advantage of the situation, Jiang Chuyi, knowing how to punish him, endured her own embarrassment and leaned in to bite the mole on his neck.
She actually liked this spot a lot.
But she was afraid of going too far, which might cause Zong Ye to lose control and end up causing trouble for herself. Since he was letting her have her way, Jiang Chuyi took the opportunity to indulge a little more.
Ruby, mimicking its owner’s actions, nibbled at Zong Ye’s hand.
Zong Ye raised his arm slightly, absentmindedly picking up the fat rabbit and moving it a bit further away.
She followed his gaze.
With a hoarse voice and light panting, Zong Ye, being ambiguous about who he was speaking to, said, “Be good, bite Daddy gently.”
