Chapter 74 Extra 4 (Normal World Ending)

So, on an ordinary Thursday afternoon, Zoothys Studio's official Weibo account, along with the accounts of the five members, simultaneously released a joint statement and a handwritten letter.

The Weibo server was caught off guard and shook violently.

The statement was concise, but what truly touched people's hearts was the letter written by the five individuals themselves.

One sentence in the letter was quickly bolded and enlarged, and then circulated:

"Zoothys will never disband; we've just found a different way to continue being together."

The online world went through the entire process of shock, disbelief, and then understanding in a single day.

Initially, the screen was flooded with nothing but "??????!!!" and "[tears][tears][tears]".

Many people thought it was a gimmick from a marketing account when they saw the title, but they only realized the sky had fallen when they clicked on it.

Many influential fans and fan sites posted immediately, their emotions shifting from disbelief to gradual understanding: "Although my heart sank for a second... if it's their joint decision, I support it."

"I get it now, the sisters are going to be bosses! That's a promotion and a raise! [kneeling in admiration]"

"After crying, I thought about it carefully, and it seems like we really don't need to separate? So I'm okay again!"

"Holy crap, my house collapsed?... Wait, it doesn't seem to have completely collapsed?"

"Logically, it feels awesome; emotionally, it's my youth [cracked]"

Because of Zoothys's enormous influence, some economic bloggers have even broken down their cases for analysis:

"This is the healthy development model. Once you've earned enough fame, reputation, and money, it's much better to transition into capital in a timely manner than to stubbornly cling to the past and squander your youth."

Regardless, after the news was released, many bystanders felt a sense of emptiness, and Weibo's servers crashed three times in one day.

Leaving aside the uproar online, Ling Wei, after handling all the necessary public statements and team communications, was unusually perplexed, clutching her phone.

In recent years, she and Qu Mingyuan have not lost contact; it's just that she has been extremely busy, and he has never had a moment's rest.

In addition, it's not a serious matter if you don't talk about your idol during the idol-idol period, even if there's some ambiguity in your words. I'm afraid that if we keep talking, we won't be able to stop, and I'm even more afraid that it will mess up my mood and affect my state of mind.

Their most recent intensive communication was when she encountered a problem abroad, and he sent her a series of video calls and messages to confirm her safety.

At the time, she was in a frantic rush to coordinate the follow-up schedule and could only hurriedly reply with "Peace, don't worry."

Now that everything has settled, she doesn't know how to start the conversation.

Should I send a message like, "Hello, are you there? I'm here to keep my promise, haha"?

...He's such a fun person.

Or: Do you still remember me waiting for you under the big locust tree?

Before she could finish her thought, Ling Wei shuddered and got goosebumps all over her body.

Or, why not just send him a link to the statement and see his reaction?

No, no, no, this is too absurd. What if the other party replies with a question mark...? If Ling Wei reveals her pained expression, she'll look like a clown.

Most importantly, four years is neither a long nor a short time.

Ling Wei wasn't sure if the promise they made back then still held the same warmth and weight in the other person's heart.

Waaah, Commander, why aren't you back yet?!

The other day, that guy told her in high spirits that because of the successful implementation of this idol project, the regional economy had benefited, and the world had gathered a huge amount of positive energy. He had been summoned by the Heavenly Dao to participate in some kind of advanced messenger commendation conference.

Although Tongzi is a useless person who loves to complain, at least she can secretly check on the other person's condition at times like this, right?

Never mind, maybe they haven't even seen the news and are busy. Let's talk about it tomorrow.

Ling Wei tossed her phone aside and paced back and forth in her spacious living room. After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the deepening night, talking to herself:

"The weather's nice tonight, let's go for a drive."

She grabbed her coat and went out.

I was just going for a drive.

......

As for why the car stopped outside Guanlan Mansion half an hour later, it was simply because the location was high up and offered a wide view at night.

She was just enjoying the scenery and the breeze halfway up the mountain; she certainly didn't have any intention of bumping into anyone.

Um.

Perhaps it was because she was wrapped up too tightly and stubbornly wore sunglasses in the dark that the security guard noticed her and found her behavior suspicious.

The threshold for residents here is not just money; security has always been strict, and any unauthorized lingering will attract attention.

Seeing that she didn't move, the security guard's eyes became increasingly wary, but his professionalism kept him polite. He stepped forward and politely informed her:

"Hello ma'am, are you a visitor? This area on the southern slope of Xiangshan Mountain belongs to the private property of Guanlan Mansion, and outside vehicles are not allowed to stay for a long time. If you want to visit the owner, you need to contact the owner to confirm."

Ling Wei: "......"

She had no intention of going in at all; she just wanted to stay outside for a while.

Under the increasingly wary gaze of the security guards, she had no choice but to take out her phone again.

To fight or not to fight? That is the question.

Just then, the raindrops began to fall without warning, hitting the car window and blurring the lights outside.

On the other side, inside the car.

Secretary Sun carefully closed the car door, walked around to the driver's seat, and the car smoothly glided into the night.

He handed a box of hangover medicine he had just bought to the back seat.

"No need, it's alright."

Qu Mingyuan rubbed his temples, leaned back in the seat, rested his elbows on the windowsill, pressed his palms against his forehead, and closed his eyes to rest.

The light and shadows flowing outside the window flickered on his handsome profile. Secretary Sun glanced at him in the rearview mirror and felt a pang of emotion.

He had followed Qu Mingyuan for many years, from the deputy director level all the way up. He had seen those drinking parties that he couldn't help in the early years, and he had also seen the leaders drink themselves into discomfort.

Later, as his position rose, things became quieter, and no one dared to urge him to drink anymore. Tonight, seeing him take the initiative to pick up his wine glass again was truly unexpected.

“Sun Hai,” Qu Mingyuan suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a slightly husky, magnetic quality, “Why didn’t you take a vacation this year?”

Secretary Sun paused for a moment, then replied, "I plan to take a break at the end of the year to spend a few days with my wife. She always complains that I work overtime more than I see her."

His tone revealed the intimacy unique to young couples, "Fortunately, we both work in the system, so she is understanding, but she still needs to be coaxed occasionally."

Qu Mingyuan's gaze fell on the window.

"When you're busy, how do you manage to keep track of time for the two of you?" he asked casually, but his fingers curled up on his knees.

Secretary Sun's heart stirred slightly, vaguely sensing that her leader's seemingly casual conversation might be hiding other inquiries.

"Try to find a gap, call me sooner or later, and have a meal together when you have some free time."

Secretary Sun shared her thoughts: "Actually, being together doesn't mean you have to be glued to each other all the time. She knows I'm doing important things, which makes her feel at ease, and I know there's someone waiting for me at home, which warms my heart. You just have to remember to keep each other in your heart, no matter how busy you are."

Qu Mingyuan didn't ask any further questions. Secretary Sun's words kept replaying in his mind and on his heart... He asked himself if he had ever dared to forget them, but was it enough that he had kept them on his heart, separated by mountains and seas and countless things beyond his control?

Does it... count?

After a moment, Qu Mingyuan spoke in a low voice: "Let's not go back yet, we need to go somewhere..."

He gave the name of a neighborhood.

Secretary Sun suddenly understood.

No wonder.

The reason for that drink tonight ultimately lies with that person.

He did indeed catch a glimpse of Zoothys' major official announcement during the day, and he was stunned for a long time.

I was only able to suppress my emotions for the time being because I was busy arranging dinner that evening.

Secretary Sun gripped the steering wheel, a surge of emotion welling up within him, along with a subtle sense of exhilaration.

Over the years, the two seemed to be going their separate ways with little interaction, but only he knew that the leader had always been paying attention to everything about the other.

He once thought that the relationship between the two of them was over, and he even regretted it in private.

Now it seems that the leadership has not only seen it, but... is it finally going to take action?