chance encounter at the party

"It's Ding Xuefei's car!"

"Brother Xuefei! Ahhh, my husband!"

The cheers outside the car window almost shattered the glass. Ding Xuefei wanted to raise his hand to rub his temples, but the makeup artist immediately pushed him away. The latter was adjusting the brooch on his suit jacket and completed the task the moment the car came to a complete stop.

Before getting out of the car, his manager, Guo Chu, pinched his arm hard across the seat: "Darling, stay focused! Don't mess up tonight!"

Ding Xuefei tilted her head triumphantly: "When have I ever disappointed you?"

Guo Chu hesitated, recalling many explosive moments, but in the end he only sighed: "Also, if you happen to see... cough, certain people, just pretend you didn't see them."

"Alright, alright, I got it. Stop talking so much!"

The car door opened, and a deafening roar instantly engulfed him.

At the end of the red carpet, the first thing to land was a pair of gleaming pointed leather shoes, followed by long, straight legs encased in well-tailored suit trousers.

Wearing a stylish dark blue suit, she accentuated her broad shoulders and narrow waist, creating a figure that is exceptional even among celebrities. The dress was adorned with rhinestones on the shoulders, which sparkled like snowflakes under the flashlight.

Under the spotlight, his nose bridge was steep and straight, his features were deep and his jawline was sharp. It was a face so striking that it was unforgettable.

Ding Xuefei, 25 years old, is a former boy band idol who is currently trying to transition into a new career.

He straightened his collar, his eyes swept across the crowd, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. His light-colored, world-weary eyes curved into a smile, and his round nose and full lips instantly softened his coldness, revealing a sweetness with a striking contrast. Every frame was a work of art.

The fans screamed even more wildly.

He waved to signal, then strode briskly toward the signature wall, his movements swift and determined.

*

Tonight is the anniversary dinner of a fashion magazine. Ding Xuefei is not good at socializing in the industry and has prepared herself to fake a smile all night.

With time to spare before the banquet began, most of the celebrities were chatting freely. The fan area was already bustling with photographers, snapping up all sorts of beautiful and unflattering pictures, as well as snippets of flirtation and subtle attacks.

After greeting a dozen or so celebrities she encountered, offering eight insincere compliments, and laughing inexplicably five times, Ding Xuefei finally reached the deserted corner of the corridor before her smile froze.

The place is dimly lit and deserted, with a pile of miscellaneous items piled up beside the passageway. There are no cameras, only the occasional staff member rushing by. It's a peaceful haven.

He leaned against the cold wall, let out a long sigh, and his tense nerves finally relaxed for a moment.

I took out my phone and opened the group chat for my former teammates, which was called "We're a Loving Family (Shameless Version)". It was already flooded with 99+ messages, all of them unethical condolences and a barrage of emojis related to Ding Xuefei's misfortune.

Ding Xuefei has been a controversial figure since her debut, becoming famous only with countless criticisms, and recently she has been experiencing a severe run of bad luck.

This all started last month when he participated in a wilderness survival reality show. Ding Xuefei didn't have many survival skills, but he was good at creating a lively atmosphere. The hosts on the show took good care of him. Later in the show, a newcomer named Elio came along. This guy was a complete baby, and Ding Xuefei couldn't stand it, so he took extra care of him. Who knew that this guy would suddenly start creating a CP (couple pairing) between him and someone else.

He tolerated it, since everyone in the industry knew the secrets to generating traffic, and it was a win-win situation for both sides.

As the hype went on, things got increasingly out of hand. After the show aired, the younger colleague posted several ambiguous Weibo posts and played the victim during a live stream, making it seem as if Ding Xuefei had seduced and abandoned him.

He tolerated it, since Ding Xuefei didn't rely on this anyway. Who knew that this junior would start buying articles to smear Ding Xuefei, saying that he had a bad temper, acted like a big shot, and bullied his juniors.

Pure fabrication! Fans have been purging this information at 800x speed, and anti-fans have taken many GIFs out of context, including a video of his former teammate jokingly calling Ding Xuefei the group bully. At first glance, it all seems plausible, catching Ding Xuefei completely off guard.

No? What kind of gang leader is he? Those three brats are all riding on his head.

Although Ding Xuefei's temper is indeed not good, she can be a bit arrogant towards people she doesn't know well, and she can be quite fierce when she's cold-faced. She can even yell at some of her former teammates. But no matter what, she is completely unrelated to the rumors.

The problem is that it's not easy to respond to this kind of thing. If you respond, you're giving the other party face. Not only will all the fans turn around and sympathize with the other party, but you'll also give the younger generation a free boost in popularity.

When has Ding Xuefei ever felt so aggrieved?

Given the current situation, the company doesn't have any better options than to let Ding Xuefei make more public appearances and engage in some friendly banter with her former teammate Lu Huai.

Ding Xuefei's former group, Mania, was a semi-limited-time group. At the time, the company was just jumping on the bandwagon and creating a boy group, and unexpectedly, they became a hit. After they became famous, everyone went their separate ways and developed their own careers, but they always maintained a good relationship.

The last message in the group chat was sent by Lu Huai: "Brother, don't be afraid, your dad is coming soon, mistress, step aside!"

Six relationships in one sentence, so confusing that Ding Xuefei burst out laughing, and her gloom of the past few days dissipated a little.

Upon seeing the message, Ding Xuefei's playful side was aroused. She pressed the voice message button, deliberately using a high-pitched voice that even she found cloying, and sent a message:

"Why aren't we here yet? Your brother's waiting to 'show off our love' with you, help me!"

He replied almost instantly, first sending a gun-pointing-at-the-screen emoji, then typing: "Stuck in traffic, just you wait, Dad."

As soon as Lu Huai finished posting, someone in the group posted a screenshot of Weibo, followed by three laughing emojis.

Ding Xuefei clicked on it and glanced at the text: Will my ex-boyfriend meet me tonight? [Teary-eyed]

Reply: Looking forward to the older and younger brothers meeting [tearful eyes]

Reply: If we can't blush when we meet again, will we still be able to blush? [Teary-eyed]

Reply: I'm looking forward to a group photo. The lack of one must mean they're avoiding each other, and avoiding each other means they were once in love. [Shouting]

Well, you've said both the truth and the sarcasm, so Ding Xuefei has nothing to say.

This fan's profile picture is still his heavily edited photo, what bad luck!

He didn't care about the fans' comments at first; he just laughed off the grumbling in the group chat...

But Ding Xuefei really did have an ex-boyfriend.

And you might actually run into it. But it's best to avoid it.

Just seeing those words made Ding Xuefei's heart feel like it had been squeezed.

"Who said he's my ex-boyfriend? He doesn't even deserve it!" Ding Xuefei sent another voice message, his tone sharp, as if that could calm his agitated and chaotic emotions—of course, he was cursing that ungrateful junior, Elio, and definitely not cursing any real ex... probably.

The moment the voice message notification finished, extremely light footsteps sounded behind him.

Ding Xuefei turned around abruptly.

A few steps away in the shadows, a person was standing against the wall, seemingly out of nowhere.

His tall figure almost blended into the darkness, except for his eyes, which, like a cold star in the dim light, were fixed on him without blinking, exuding a sense of oppression even without uttering a word.

"Holy crap!" Ding Xuefei was so startled he almost swore. His phone slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. He was thrown into the air and his back slammed into a stack of boxes with a loud thud, making him wince in pain.

Just what I feared most happened—his mouth!

Yu Songlin, what is he doing here?!

Since this person went abroad to film a movie last year, Ding Xuefei hasn't seen him in public for a long time, which is why she let her guard down and is now reacting so strongly.

He touched his heart, which was suddenly pounding violently, but this was because he was startled by the person who suddenly appeared, and definitely not because this person happened to be his ex-boyfriend. Absolutely not.

After a moment of panic, Ding Xuefei immediately regained her aloofness, putting her hands in her pockets and coldly staring at the other person.

What are you doing here?

Yu Songlin leaned forward slightly from the shadows, the dim light outlining his impeccable features—a high, straight nose, slightly thin lips, eyelashes casting shadows under his eyes, a soft yet masculine facial contour, and a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.

It seemed that the cold gaze just now was just Ding Xuefei's illusion.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit, exuding an air of nobility that seemed out of place in this cluttered corner.

Not only did he not offer any help, but he also seemed surprised by Ding Xuefei's foolish behavior, politely but distantly saying, "Surprised? I just finished filming my last movie and only returned to China yesterday. I might have forgotten to inform you. Oh, by the way, I'm the special guest presenter for today's awards."

Who asked you?

Ding Xuefei thought to herself, "After so long, my ex has only gotten more and more annoying: ...I mean, why isn't the great movie star Yu sitting outside? What is he doing sneaking around here?"

In fact, Ding Xuefei regretted it as soon as he finished speaking, as if he were very concerned about Yu Songlin's whereabouts.

Yu Songlin curled his lips, his eyes conveying a sense of scorn: "Weren't you here too?"

"You..." Having not faced Yu Songlin face-to-face for a year, Ding Xuefei had almost forgotten the feeling of being choked to death by the other party after just a few words. He silently chanted not to get angry; the best attitude towards an ex was to not care. He took a deep breath and said calmly, "I won't stoop to your level..."

The corridor fell silent for a moment. Ding Xuefei turned to leave when she heard the other person speak again.

"Were you texting your lover just now?"

What are you saying?

Ding Xuefei didn't understand at first, but recalling what he had just said, mentioning "showing affection" and "ex-boyfriend"... it did seem easy to be misunderstood.

He turned to look at Yu Songlin, whose eyes held a meaningful gaze, but the corner of his mouth did not curve upwards enough, appearing slightly frivolous.

This sight infuriated Ding Xuefei.

Let's not even talk about the fact that he wasn't chatting with his girlfriend at all. Besides, even if he did have a girlfriend, what does that have to do with this dead man?

With a flick of her eyelids, Ding Xuefei spoke up: "Who I text is none of your business."

He thought he was being dismissive, but his tone was actually urgent and aggressive, making the kitten's fur stand on end and causing it to hiss incessantly.

Yu Songlin still had that same smiling face, looking at Ding Xuefei, his expression unreadable, even shrugging innocently.

"I was just asking casually."

This only made Ding Xuefei's current loss of composure seem like that of a clown.

Ding Xuefei hated himself for this, cursing under his breath. If he had known he was going to run into Yu Songlin, he would have preferred to keep a fake smile while socializing outside.

He turned to leave a second time, but was stopped.

"etc."

Ding Xuefei turned around in response.

When Yu Songlin spoke this time, his smile faded, and he became serious to the point of being cold: "There's something I need to clarify: I've never told anyone that I'm your ex-boyfriend."

"Are you crazy to say this now! What if someone hears us!" Ding Xuefei suddenly took a step closer to Yu Songlin, looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when she found no one was there.

"There are no cameras here."

A rare emotion seemed to flash deep in Yu Songlin's eyes, before it immediately returned to its usual warmth, so fast that it was impossible to grasp.

He seemed to sigh, or perhaps it was just his imagination, but his voice, tinged with amusement, was very soft: "It's just a few words with me, why are you so nervous?"

"Nervous?! Stop flattering yourself!" Ding Xuefei's sore spot was touched, and her emotions surged in an instant. She suddenly grabbed the other person's collar.

"Who do you think you are? You think you're so great? We broke up ages ago, I've long forgotten who you are! Just looking at you annoys me! Stay away from me!"

Yu Songlin listened in silence, his habitual smile gradually fading, leaving only his deep eyes fixed intently on Ding Xuefei.

When Ding Xuefei uttered the words "Stay away from me," Yu Songlin's breathing faltered for a moment, and his fingers, hanging at his sides, curled up almost imperceptibly.

Yu Songlin's lips twitched, but he didn't make a sound. He raised his hand as if to grab Ding Xuefei's wrist, leaned forward, and suddenly closed the distance between them.

Ding Xuefei let go first, then subconsciously stepped back, her heel hitting the cardboard box with a dull thud.

Yu Songlin made no further move, simply turning his eyes away, his profile devoid of any smile, and silently brushing past Ding Xuefei.

*

The dimly lit corridor fell silent again. Ding Xuefei raised her hand to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead, feeling a tightness in her chest and her heart pounding rapidly.

In the instant they passed each other, he noticed that Yu Songlin was still using the same cologne he had used five years ago.

Five years have passed since their breakup, which is much longer than the time they were dating, but Ding Xuefei still finds it hard to remain calm every time she sees Yu Songlin.

When they were dating, he was infatuated with Yu Songlin's calm demeanor and the slight smile on his lips, but now he loathed him more than anyone else.

They're exes, what's wrong with saying a few harsh words? The best exes should be buried in the ground.

Yu Songlin, however, not only did not bury himself in the ground, but instead grew taller and taller, shining brightly, making it impossible not to see him.

Ding Xuefei leaned against the wall, completely hiding herself in the darkness, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

He hated this feeling of being out of control.

At that very moment, a sweet electronic voice suddenly rang in Ding Xuefei's ears:

[Ding! Strong energy field of saying one thing and meaning another detected!]

[The host's mental fluctuations meet the binding threshold!]

[The "Survival System Through Acting Cute" is activating... Binding successful!]

【Hello Master! Welcome to the world where "you have to be cute to survive"! Please try your best to complete your tasks and live a positive life~(≧▽≦)/~】

Ding Xuefei suddenly opened her eyes: "...Who?!"

There was no one in front of him. The corridor was still dimly lit, with piles of cardboard boxes. In the distance, staff and artists were walking around. Everything seemed normal.

Is he under too much pressure lately, or is he hallucinating because of Yu Songlin?

[It's not an illusion, Master! Master, did you see my special effects?!]

Ding Xuefei blinked, and as far as her eyes could see, several dreamy... pink bubbles floated eerily in the air?

"Is this a lie?"

[Waaah, don't say that to me, Master! I'm Little Sweetie! I'm your personal system spirit!]

"Huh? A system? I actually encountered such a good thing?" Ding Xuefei caught the key words. He had read a few online novels and knew that according to the formula, the next plot would be him using his cheat system to reach the pinnacle of life!

Wait a minute, what did this system say it was again?

[Hehe, let's take a look together~ Here's the newbie task: Say to Yu Songlin in a cute way, "Don't be angry, okay?" Time limit: Before the party ends]