Chapter 57

They bought a lot of things, and both of them were carrying bags full. When they reached the parking space, Luo Mingxiu took the bags from her.

"I'll hold your phone for you," Shen Li said, taking the phone and then, seeing that he was having trouble, taking the car keys from his pocket. "I'll drive back to the villa."

After saying that, she opened the door, sat down, and waited for her boyfriend to put his things away.

Only after picking up the phone did I see that the screen was still lit up. Luo Mingxiu seemed to be sending some documents to his assistant. The signal in the elevator was bad, so it took him a while to send the documents successfully.

After receiving an "ok" reply, Shen Li prepared to put her phone aside, but accidentally swiped and exited the chat with Xiao Wen.

The entire WeChat interface was displayed in front of her, and above various film crew groups, there was a particularly eye-catching pinned post, which featured her.

But the note says it's a puppy's pear?

What does this mean?

Pear is her, and is the puppy him? Although she sometimes feels that he is like a big dog, no one can make a dog out of themselves.

Perhaps it's because of the profile picture.

Shen Li's profile picture is a hand-drawn yellow pear by a fan, which she has used for many years without changing it, while Luo Mingxiu's profile picture has remained unchanged for many years as well, featuring a hand-shadowed puppy.

This nickname made it seem like they had matching profile pictures. Shen Li smiled, found it amusing, picked up her phone, and changed Luo Mingxiu's nickname to "Pear's Little Dog".

Since that's the case, let's go along with it and make a couple's nickname for each other.

However, as Shen Li stared at those words, she pursed her lips, and something suddenly flashed through her mind: puppy, pear, why does this combination of names sound so much like that strange fan on Weibo?

Is there any connection between a puppy eating a pear and the puppy eating a pear?

If you don't think about it, it's fine, but once you do... The same IP address doesn't want to show up, doesn't want her autograph, and is usually very busy with work. If you put Luo Mingxiu into the shoes of her fan, these signs make perfect sense.

Shen Li was shocked by her own analysis; she hadn't even noticed when Luo Mingxiu had gotten into the car.

Luo Mingxiu checked that the file had been successfully sent, then turned to see Shen Li deep in thought, looking at her phone. He assumed she was replying to something important and didn't disturb her.

I played on my phone for a while, but the car still wouldn't start.

Luo Mingxiu spoke up: "Chen Li?"

Shen Li didn't respond immediately. After a few seconds, she looked at him hesitantly and said, "Um, I accidentally saw the nickname you gave me."

Luo Mingxiu's breath hitched slightly: "You...don't like it?"

“I like it, I even changed our names to couple names.” Shen Li waved her interface in front of him.

When Luo Mingxiu saw the words "Pear's Little Dog" pinned to the top, his heart was filled with warmth.

"If you like it, that's fine."

“However,” Shen Li hadn’t finished speaking, “your nickname reminds me of a fan who’s often active on my Weibo, Little Dog Eating Pear.”

It's quite a coincidence, really. He's been following me since my debut. His editing skills are amazing. My studio contacted him for a collaboration before, when he was still a student. I guess he's working now. I wonder what kind of work he does?

Luo Mingxiu: "Do you care about him a lot?"

“A little,” Shen Li continued to probe when she saw his expression change. “I was afraid he would turn from a fan to a hater. Before, to thank him, I specially asked Xiao Yu to contact him to come to the company to clock in and give him merchandise and autographs, but he didn’t want to see me and didn’t want my autograph.”

“How could someone who’s liked you for so long become a hater?” Luo Mingxiu suddenly retorted, and seeing Shen Li smiling at him, he understood everything in an instant.

“You guessed it, right? Yes, that’s my alternate account,” Luo Mingxiu said.

She guessed that he was the one to be guessing, but Shen Li still harbored a slight thought that it might be a coincidence. When she heard him admit it himself, she was truly shocked.

"sorry."

Before she could say anything, Luo Mingxiu apologized first.

“When Xiaoyu contacted me, I knew I had attracted your attention. That account contains things from before I entered the industry, and I can’t let anyone else know about it except Brother Liang, so I simply rejected her.”

"But you are not just anyone, and I don't want to hide anything from you. I've been thinking about a suitable opportunity to tell you recently."

Luo Mingxiu's eyes revealed sincerity. Shen Li didn't actually blame him; she was just a little surprised.

"No need to apologize, I understand. I also have a secondary account, but I'm not like you, a celebrity yourself, still using an alternate account to follow stars on Weibo." Shen Li said somewhat embarrassedly, clicking on the account of "Little Dog Eating Pears" to take a look.

She frequently shares, likes, and comments on her Weibo posts; without being told, no one would guess who's behind it—it's clearly a fan account focused on generating data.

Shen Li scrolled down and found many more Weibo posts about her; she couldn't scroll to the bottom anytime soon.

"You've been using this alternate account all along, haven't you posted anything else?" Shen Li frowned; it was all Weibo reposts and poll links, making her eyes hurt.

“Yes,” Luo Mingxiu’s eyes flickered slightly, and his Adam’s apple bobbed, “those are things you can’t see.”

Shen Li watched as his neck turned red, a smile playing on her lips: "Can I see it?"

Luo Mingxiu nodded, logged onto Weibo, handed her his phone, and then looked away, appearing somewhat embarrassed.

Shen Li saw a vast amount of information visible only to herself, from this person's childhood to the present, surging towards her like a tide.

The day I confessed:

She likes me. She actually said she likes me. This isn't a dream.

Further down:

New Year's wishes: 1. My sister will stop avoiding me. 2. I will become her leading man.

It's already halfway done. Below this is a picture of Luo Mingxiu kissing the puppy necklace she gave him, captioned: "She gave it to me, I like it."

The detective was a birthday gift she gave him while he was filming, and he still wears it around his neck.

It's been four years, and I finally saw her. She's still so beautiful, and she looks stunning in period costume.

This likely refers to the day when filming of "Detective" began, she changed into her costume, and they bumped into each other in the corridor.

These all happened after we reunited; before that...

-I passed the audition and I'm about to meet her. Thanks to that guy who suddenly ruined the story.

-My sister is finally back to acting! "Detective Xie Huaixi" is really good, no wonder it's a script she chose.

-Now that I have an agent, I should have more roles in the future and more opportunities to see her.

- How long do you need to rest, Shen Li? We've been filming in Hengdian for so long, and I've never seen you!

“Luo Mingxiu, your concern is just like my career-obsessed fans,” Shen Li was amused, but at the same time she was wary, “Don’t tell me you want to film a movie just to see me?”

"You..." Luo Mingxiu moved his lips, but did not give a direct answer. "You'll find out as you read on."

- I feel like I've improved. Director Chen, who often criticizes me, recommended a new film to me.

The director scolded me for being a useless pretty boy, and he's right. I can't even deliver a single line clearly. How can I be an actor? How can I even see her? It's too difficult.

- I was scolded by the director to the point of questioning my life. Am I really not suited to be an actress? I really hope to be like my sister, playing the roles I like and shining on the screen.

Oh, so she still has the same thoughts as when she first entered the industry. That puts her mind at ease.

Below are some records from before he entered the entertainment industry, showing how Aunt Luo initially disagreed with his becoming an actor. I don't know how he managed to persuade her, but judging from Aunt Luo's current attitude towards him, she must have finally agreed.

Shen Li continued scrolling down, and the next words that appeared made her heart tremble.

- Shen Li got married.

This post was published more than two years after the previous Weibo post announcing the decision to become an actor.

During his period of heartbreak, she once mistakenly thought he was hurting someone else, but in reality, the person involved was her own heartbreak.

That period must have been a tough time for him...

Suddenly her vision blurred, and a tear fell onto the screen. Shen Li quickly wiped it away, but Luo Mingxiu still saw it.

"Stop looking." Luo Mingxiu reached for his phone, but Shen Li snatched it away again.

"Don't move, don't come any closer." Chen Li held back her tears, turned her back to Luo Mingxiu, and continued watching.

Didn't you say you didn't have anyone you liked? Why?

Where did Fang Wei come from? What makes him so special?

-Boyfriend? That's not true.

Sister, I'll listen to you. I'll tell you my feelings after the college entrance exam. Will you wait for me?

Unable to hide the tears welling up in her eyes, she knew without even looking that the boy's heart was filled with her every little detail.

Tears gradually blurred her vision. Shen Li slid straight to the bottom and saw the words. Tears streamed down her face and fell onto her hand, leaving it wet.

-Shen Li, I love you.

This is the first Weibo post on this account; it's a confession he made to her four years ago.

"Don't cry. I don't want you to like me because you're touched." Luo Mingxiu handed over a pack of tissues from behind.

“Who said I liked you because I was moved?” Shen Li turned around and said loudly with red eyes, “I confessed to you after thinking it through. I didn’t know any of this before I confessed. You can’t think like that, you idiot.”

"Who told you to write these cheesy, sentimental accounts of unrequited love, and not let me be moved or cry?"

Luo Mingxiu: "Fine, fine, go ahead and cry."

Shen Li sobbed twice, then pulled out a tissue to wipe her face: "Don't cry, I can't cry anymore."

Luo Mingxiu smiled and raised his hand to wipe away the tears that remained at the corner of her eyes.

Shen Li's heart skipped a beat. She grabbed his clothes, forcing him to lean forward, and planted a deep kiss on his lips, making a crisp, clear sound.

Luo Mingxiu looked bewildered: "Why so suddenly?"

"I don't know, you're so cute, I just want to kiss you." Shen Li looked at her boyfriend, who was now smiling slightly. He had a beautiful mouth, long eyelashes, and a straight nose.

What was wrong with her eyes before? She never paid attention to the person who had been by her side since childhood. Now, she sees that this face is exactly what she used to think.

A man who makes your heart flutter.

"What are you looking at?" Luo Mingxiu felt her focused gaze, and his ears turned red effortlessly again.

Shen Li turned around, gripped the steering wheel, and curled her lips into a smile: "You know perfectly well why I'm asking this."

.

I strolled around the central garden on my way back for a while, but I couldn't make it home in time, so I ate lunch outside.

Once home, Shen Li sat down on the sofa and remembered to quickly video call her mother.

"How busy you are, big star! You haven't even made a single video call home in so long?" The mother's voice came before the video of her son appeared.

"I'm sorry, Mom. You know I tend to forget things easily when I'm filming," Shen Li said guiltily, changing the subject. "How are you and Dad doing lately?"

Mother Shen: "Same as always, your father asked me to tell you that the wine you sent back for your birthday last time was delicious, and he asked you to give him the winery's contact information so he can buy some as gifts."

“Oh, I’ll send it to him,” Shen Li flipped through the list, “Where’s Dad? Is he home today, Sunday?”

"He was playing chess with your Uncle Liu in the yard. He was so engrossed in the game that he wouldn't come back no matter how much we called him," said Mother Shen. "Is Mingxiu still here? Have you eaten yet?"

“I went to the kitchen to put the vegetables away. We played for a while and didn’t have time to cook at home, so we ate out,” Shen Li said, seeing Luo Mingxiu come out of the kitchen. She beckoned to him, “You’re here. Let me show you your godson.”

Luo Mingxiu took off his hat, walked over and sat down next to Shen Li, held her phone for her, and smiled at Shen's mother, saying, "Godmother."

“Oh, Mingxiu, it’s been so long!” Mother Shen’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “He’s so handsome! How has he changed? He’s gotten even more handsome.”

Luo Mingxiu was so flattered that he remained silent.

Shen Li chimed in, "It's not that dramatic a change; she didn't have plastic surgery."

"How can you talk like that? You two see each other all the time at work, of course you don't think it's wrong," Mrs. Chen glared at her, her eyes sweeping over the two of them, "What are you dressed like..."

Shen Li's heart skipped a beat, and then she heard her mother say, "The colors match well, but it's a bit ugly. Is this how you usually go out?"

“If you keep it simple, you won’t get photographed.” Shen Li breathed a sigh of relief after answering, and looked at Luo Mingxiu, who looked completely calm.

Luckily, he was quick-witted and took off his matching hats before coming over, so his mom didn't notice.

"How many days off will Mingxiu take?" Mother Shen asked.

“Five days,” Luo Mingxiu replied.

Mother Shen: "You haven't rested for long, have you? Filming must be tiring. Come visit your sister Lili more often during your holidays. You two have been close since childhood, so don't let your relationship grow distant."

Luo Mingxiu: "My sister and I are very close. She helps me a lot with my work."

Mother Shen: "That's right. You all look after each other while you're out there. No matter how busy you are, you must take care of your health. When you have time to rest, cook for yourselves. Don't always eat out; it's not healthy."

“We bought groceries, and Luo Mingxiu knows how to cook them,” Chen Li interjected, listing a series of dishes. “He said he can cook all of these.”

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Shen's mother's face: "Great! My godson is a master chef now. Lili, what about you? You're such a grown-up, and all you can cook is shredded potatoes and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Have you learned a trick or two from your brother? Let me try it myself when we get home."

"I'll try to learn," Shen Li said with a forced smile. "But Mom, don't get your hopes up too high. After all, my cooking talent comes from you. Look at you, you've been learning from Dad and the housekeeper for so many years, and you still haven't mastered it."

"Hey, you brat, you're asking for it," Mother Chen said. "I'm just worried about you. You're always so busy on set that you only eat a few bites of food. Wouldn't it be healthier if you learned to cook for yourself?"

“I have nutritional meals prepared by a nutritionist, why should I cook for myself?” Shen Li said.

"Is that a nutritious meal? It's more like a diet meal for the sake of looking good on camera." Mother Shen pouted and looked at Luo Mingxiu.

“I heard from your Aunt Luo that Mingxiu doesn’t eat that stuff while filming. He eats normally and even makes soup and tea to maintain his health when he has time. I think he’s in pretty good shape.”

“Godmother,” Luo Mingxiu replied, “I can come to see my sister often when I’m on break, and I’ll cook for her.”

“Oh dear, that’s not what I meant,” Mother Shen chuckled. “I just wanted your sister to learn from you, so she doesn’t neglect her health just because she’s filming.”

"Did you hear that, sister?" Luo Mingxiu turned to look at her.

The conversation circled back to her, leaving Shen Li speechless: "I understand, Mom, go find Dad now. I think I heard him calling you. Bye-bye."

After hanging up the video call, Shen Li grabbed Luo Mingxiu's ear and said, "Well, you're talking about me with my mom. You're such a good boy in the eyes of your elders, my darling."

Luo Mingxiu took her hand and kissed it, his eyes smiling: "I think godmother is right, and I care about your health too."

“I’m perfectly healthy,” he said, his lips brushing against her warm palm. Shen Li pulled her hand away and glanced down.

She pressed her hand against his abs through his thin clothes. "Hmm, Mom was right about one thing: you do have a pretty good physique."

“Chen Li…” Luo Mingxiu’s eyes paused, and he turned his head away, the light red on his neck quickly spreading to his face.

Shen Li paused for a moment, then walked away with a faint smile. She wasn't going to act like a hooligan anymore. After last night, this kid's momentum was indeed very strong; he was easily provoked.

If we start a fire in broad daylight, it will be difficult to handle.

Shen Li: "I'm a little sleepy. I'm going back to my room to take a nap. Wake me up in an hour."

Luo Mingxiu got up from the sofa and nodded obediently, "Mm."

"Bye-bye, see you later." At the top of the stairs, Shen Li blew him a kiss while holding the handrail, then turned and walked upstairs.

Watching her walk upstairs, Luo Mingxiu glanced down at his pants, tugged at the waistband, and pretended not to care.

How can she be so easily provoked? She must have seen it just now.