Chapter 56 Can We Be Honest? ...

Originally, Sheng Yi wanted to spend more time with Wu Simin, but Lao Qian added an outdoor photoshoot to her schedule on the 31st in addition to her original work.

By the time she finished work, even Fu Xiaodan, that workaholic, had left early to spend some time alone with Liang Hui.

That evening, the two had no intention of joining the crowds. Sheng Yi personally cooked a sumptuous dinner, which Wu Simin gratefully devoured.

After dinner, Wu Simin slumped on the sofa, touching her protruding belly and sighing, "What a disaster."

Sheng Yi washed her hands and came out, nudging her foot to make some space, "What's wrong?"

Wu Simin moved aside, raised her chin, and pointed at the TV screen. "They're working so well there, while I'm just gaining weight. Ah—I'm so jealous!"

Sheng Yi pulled over a fruit plate, picked up a strawberry, and asked her, "Want some?"

Wu Simin shook her head, "No."

On the screen, Xu Jiayi is wearing a white mini-skirt, with a bright smile on her face, dancing and singing on stage.

After looking at her for two seconds, Wu Simin gave up struggling and said, "Fine, just give me a piece of watermelon."

Every year, TV stations compete fiercely for their New Year's Eve galas. As early as half a month ago, Pineapple TV announced its strongest lineup, and as the guests were officially announced one by one, it silenced the gossip-loving public.

Film and television stars, popular celebrities, top athletes, and rising stars gathered together, giving Pineapple TV a lot of prestige.

It's safe to say that 99% of viewers watching the New Year's Eve gala had their remotes tuned to this channel.

Of course, Sheng Yi and his group were not immune to the trend either.

No matter how grand the program was planned, in today's diverse entertainment landscape, it always lacked something truly eye-catching. The two chatted while the TV was on in the background, listening to the sounds intermittently.

As midnight approached, the lurkers in various small groups began to emerge and become active. Sheng Yi and Wu Simin exchanged a glance, ready to make their move, when they heard a clear and melodious singing voice.

The melody was completely unfamiliar, but—it was very directional.

They both looked up at the same time and then looked at each other.

On stage, a man dressed in red, his hair slicked back, revealed strikingly handsome features. The ever-changing stage lights shone on him, making everything else fade into the background; on the entire stage, only he shone brightly and dazzlingly.

Wu Simin's eyes gleamed with excitement: So sexy!!!

Warmest regards: ...

As the last notes faded, the atmosphere on and off the stage had already been ignited by Wen Shili like wildfire. For a moment, Sheng Yi felt as if he had returned to his own exclusive concert.

The few fans holding other support signs could only rely on their willpower to shout his name.

"Haha, switching sides on the spot." Wu Simin laughed so hard that she spat saliva all over the table.

Meanwhile, on television, the host excitedly announced, "The clock is about to strike midnight, dear viewers, let's count down together..."

"10—9—8—" the crowd shouted in unison.

Amidst the excited heartbeats of those on and off stage, and the joyful responses from Wu Simin beside her, Sheng Yi joined in the celebration, chanting, "4—3—2—1—"

The moment the bell rang, the two couldn't help but embrace.

"Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year!"

The room was warmly lit, and Sheng Yi looked at the people on the screen, their faces beaming with joy as they congratulated each other. She couldn't help but start looking forward to the new year.

Suddenly, Wu Simin in her arms froze, "Ahhh, my red envelope!!"

When Sheng Yi clicked in, all the group chats were already flooded with all sorts of "Thank you, boss" emojis. Her phone was also swarming with new well wishes.

Clutching her phone and listening to the constant notifications of new messages, she could clearly feel that the past year and the years before her were distinctly different worlds.

What was not very noticeable then has now solidified into a real boundary.

In the new year, all we need to do is climb to even greater heights.

She called back a few close friends, and the songs performed on stage had changed.

Almost simultaneously, a new notification popped up in the message box.

The words "neatly and neatly" appeared at the very top of the chat page.

Sheng Yi glanced to the side and saw Wu Simin already nestled in a corner of the sofa, talking non-stop to her friends and family on her phone. Noticing her gaze, she quickly mouthed to reassure her, "I can't get a picture of you."

In the blink of an eye, the New Year's greeting on her phone was overshadowed by a new chat message. Sheng Yi scrolled through her phone and replied, "Happy New Year."

The person on the other end was probably still busy socializing; they replied quickly, "Aren't you asleep yet?"

Sheng Yi said, "Yeah, I'm still watching the New Year's Eve gala."

The moment the message was sent, I wanted to retract it.

Wen Shili, however, acted even faster.

It was a voice message, five seconds long.

Wu Simin had already changed from sitting to lying down, swinging her legs back and forth, completely absorbed in the conversation, showing no shyness at all.

After considering for two seconds, Sheng Yi still stood up, holding her phone.

I took my earphones out of my bag, turned them on, and heard the captivating voice that had just been on stage, gently echoing in the dark night.

"I just finished work, do you want to video chat?"

Looking through the glass at the endless stream of cars and the flashing streetlights, Sheng Yi had just typed out her refusal when the other party replied a second earlier.

Five minutes.

He said it would only take five minutes.

Every day is divided among countless small tasks, and every project consists of countless five-minute segments both on and off stage. Sheng Yi is already used to this, and in the scripts assigned to her, she plays each "self" to the fullest.

However, she has never had a natural talent for acting, so she has not yet figured out how to adapt to the plot when there is no script.

At this moment, she stood by the window, gazing at the vast night sky, and seemed to hear a sigh coming from somewhere unknown.

There is no video.

Sheng Yi held the phone, feeling the current flowing through it. After exchanging a few appropriate pleasantries, the phone returned to silence.

There was complete silence on both sides.

At some point in time, they spoke at the same time again.

Even without seeing him in person, his voice is enough to bewitch people.

It must be bewitching, she thought.

Such a lively night should have been a time for celebration. However, she simply spoke softly, reminding the other person, "There are three minutes left."

She was unsure if there was a laugh coming from the other end.

The sound wasn't loud, but it rippled the surrounding air, and thoughts began to flow slowly.

The unknown often coexists with danger.

Sheng Yi wanted to say she had nothing else to say and hang up, but the man opposite her seemed to have a surveillance camera installed in her mind.

"A warm welcome?"

She heard his gentle breath and instinctively responded, "Mmm."

The phone went silent again. In that one second, or perhaps a few seconds of pause, danger crept along the telephone line, creeping up her neck.

She drew the curtains, shutting out the noise and danger outside. "Teacher Wen, I'll hang up now. You should get some rest too."

It's either Teacher Wen or you.

Wen Shili held his phone and chuckled briefly.

"Sheng Yi, do you know what I'm going to say?"

His tone was the same as always, even with a touch of casual laziness. He was always like this, composed and measured, yet relentlessly pressing forward.

Sheng Yi pursed her lips, vaguely recalling that Wen Shili's resume included two film newcomer awards. It turned out that his so-called acting skills were nothing compared to the trap he had fallen into when they were actually facing each other.

At least for now, she could feel his emotions, overwhelming and clearly guiding her on how to proceed.

She could only stand there, slowly wrapping her arms around herself, and asked, "Teacher Wen, where did I get my superpowers?"

The sound of footsteps echoed outside the door. Wu Simin approached, calling out, "Yiyi—"

Sheng Yi turned on the screen, glanced at the time, and saw that twenty minutes had already passed on the phone.

"Time is up."

Wu Simin peeked in, just as Sheng Yi opened the door from the inside.

"What are you doing?"

"My phone was out of battery, I just charged it for a while."

"Oh." Wu Simin took her hand and walked out together. "I thought you were asleep so early."

On the last day of the short holiday, Fu Xiaodan bid farewell to Liang Hui and returned to work, while Wu Simin was also about to leave S City to begin conducting new interviews for the next group.

Who knows when we'll get together again? As soon as Sheng Yi started talking, the two close friends immediately said that a proper get-together was a must. Of course, Sheng Yi would foot the bill.

We went to a newly opened restaurant in the suburbs. Judging from the online reviews, it seemed worth the price and the journey.

Unfortunately, no one reminded them that the appointment dates were already booked a month in advance.

Both Sheng Yi and Wu Simin were wearing masks, so the role of negotiator naturally fell to Fu Xiaodan. Wu Simin was still joking with Sheng Yi that she was being too image-conscious and really acting like a star when they heard Fu Xiaodan's communication with the receptionist not far away not going smoothly.

The group arrived full of enthusiasm, only to leave dejected. A car slowly drove past the gate, and Wu Simin pulled Sheng Yi aside.

She was scrolling through a food app with her head down when she suddenly had the illusion that she was being watched. She looked around, but didn't see anything.

Before the taxi arrived, the receptionist, who had just been sternly insisting on following the rules, hurriedly chased after her, "Ms. Fu!"

...

When I saw the black car parked in front of the apartment building that evening, it wasn't exactly unexpected.

You see, she hadn't even broken even on her previous lottery purchases. And what a coincidence that the restaurant, which required reservations, happened to have someone cancel their reservation within minutes, and that the spot just happened to fall into their laps.

Sheng Yi silently opened the door. The car was dark, with only the dim yellow streetlights at the entrance of the residential area radiating a little warmth in the cold wind.

The car was warm and cozy, but Sheng Yi had no heart to linger on this moment of tenderness.

"I don't like partners who are too controlling." Her voice was soft, but her words were straightforward and decisive.

Wen Shili paused his tapping on the steering wheel and turned slightly to the side.

Sheng Yi didn't know what thoughts had crossed his mind during that brief pause, he only knew that some things, no matter how much you try to escape them, will eventually come full circle.

If she doesn't solve the problem, she'll have to escape forever. But she still wants to survive—in this circle.

No one spoke. Sheng Yi sat quietly in the passenger seat, seemingly unaware of what she had just done.

Wen Shili's silence did not last long, and his voice remained as calm as ever, "I did not mean to force you."

As he spoke these words, his gaze remained fixed on her, unwavering. His gentle facade remained perfectly intact.

Sheng Yi almost felt like laughing.

She really wanted to ask, "Are you sure?"

"Following the clichéd lines of a script, perhaps what you should say next is, 'Let's start as friends.'"

At this point, she couldn't help but laugh. "Can you be honest, Mr. Wen?"