Chapter 81: Trespassing.

While Wen Shili's concert was trending wildly on domestic social media, Sheng Yi had just finished her work for the morning.

Unsurprisingly, this was another moment of nationwide celebration. No matter which platform you opened, all you could see were concert-related posts. Celebrities, internet celebrities, socialites, and even business tycoons all posted photos from the event, as if being there in person would guarantee them a prominent position in the next wave of social media buzz.

Exquisite and bustling with people are not enough to describe this audio-visual feast. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to a limited-time invitation, carving out a dreamlike space for themselves before the magic wore off.

Everyone was shouting and screaming; the boiling sound waves, like a wildfire, quickly engulfed every gap in the arena. Wen Shili, however, seemed to be strolling leisurely, sitting high on his throne, calmly accepting the admiration of the crowd.

This is Sheng Yi's fourth day here. Her invitation card is still lying in her room in S City.

At that moment, she was having lunch with the brand's staff at a restaurant along the street.

It's a rare opportunity to travel abroad, and Sheng Yi's itinerary is packed with important tasks every day. The brand knows her schedule is tight, and even the current timeframe was only reached after a long negotiation between headquarters and colleagues in China; they must complete each item on the task list within the stipulated time.

To be honest, before Shengyi arrived, they were mentally prepared to be swept up in the fun. However, the girl in front of them was completely different from what they had imagined, or rather, she didn't follow any of their preconceived notions.

Of course, except—she's truly beautiful. More breathtakingly beautiful than anything seen in any photo or video.

Such a beautiful girl should have the privilege of being willful, but Sheng Yi has none of the bad habits that come with being so popular. She is gentle, peaceful, and can deliver just the right answers when needed at work.

After a few days, the project was already well ahead of schedule, so now they could sit here and chat leisurely.

There was still filming in the afternoon, so Sheng Yi stopped eating after she had eaten enough. The staff present were all very talkative, and the lunch lasted for almost two hours, from daily work to interesting anecdotes.

Sheng Yi listened for half of the session, but then started to drift off.

After several days of overcast skies, the sky finally cleared up. The small shop was already filled with diners in twos and threes. Through the open window, sunlight could be seen filtering through the bare branches of the trees and gradually dancing onto the window frame.

After working at high speed for so long, even a moment of quiet sitting in the sunlight felt like a luxury. The people at the table were still chatting animatedly when a phone lying to the side suddenly lit up. Sheng Yi picked it up and opened it; it was a promotional text message from an online store.

The date displayed on her phone screen looked extremely familiar. A thought struck her, and she clicked on Weibo. The topics on the trending list were all almost identical, revolving around the same theme. Each refresh brought new pictures.

Gentle, fiery, radiant—these are all shadows clinging to him.

Sheng Yi clicked on the newly refreshed image. It was a side-view shot, showing only half of Wen Shili's face, yet it seemed to capture the gaze behind the camera from a distance. For a fleeting moment, it gave one the illusion that a deity on stage was gazing down upon the mortal realm.

Sheng Yi paused slightly, then suddenly felt a shadow looming over her from the side.

It was a staff member from the brand, sitting right next to her. She had golden curly hair and chubby cheeks—a very cute girl. However, the way this girl leaned closer startled Sheng Yi. She stared at her screen in disbelief, dramatically covering her mouth with her hand.

Sheng Yixin jerked her head up, but on the surface she remained calm and kept her previous posture still. She glanced at the other people at the table, and it seemed that no one had noticed their little actions.

The girl suddenly let go of her mouth, blinked her eyes, leaned closer, and whispered, "Good heavens, look who I saw!"

Her gaze was so intense that Sheng Yi suspected she actually wanted to scream. She shrugged and casually said to the girl next to her, "He's handsome, isn't he? He's a very popular pop idol where I'm from." Actually, calling him an idol wasn't quite right. What had brought him to where he is today was never his appearance. Popularity was just an extra reward bestowed upon him by heaven, in addition to his talent.

As soon as Sheng Yi finished speaking, the girl nodded matter-of-factly. "Oh, of course, without a doubt," she said. "He sang so well, he absolutely deserves our love and respect."

Sheng Yi never expected to encounter Wen Shili's fervent fans so far away, but in front of outsiders, she had no intention of discussing the meaning of pursuing him with them.

On the fifth day, photos of the after-party at Wen Shili's concert began to circulate online. Sheng Yi also sent her her blessings immediately after his performance. Wen Shili replied to her late at night, "It's a pity you weren't here."

Because of the time difference, it was several hours later when Sheng Yi saw it. Often, once that moment is missed, many words become unnecessary. So she said nothing.

Following this concert, news about Wen Shili continues to dominate the headlines, but Wen Shili himself seems to have entered a short hiatus. Even his assistant has started a pleasant vacation ahead of schedule.

Wen Shili, however, seemed to have plenty of free time, allowing him to chat with her.

In front of her staff, Sheng Yi is always full of energy, but in private, she will complain quietly, perhaps about the weather or the taste of the food. After eating Western food for many meals in a row, she told him, "Now I really want to eat a bite of Auntie's cooking."

Wen Shili took a picture of his plate and sent it to her, saying in a smug way, "If you want to eat, go home early."

While feeling envious, Sheng Yi continued with her own work.

As the new week began, she finally finished her work overseas. The last two days here were free time. Having heard that Wen Shili had stayed in the vicinity during his business trip, Sheng Yi treated him like a human guidebook. After moving out of the hotel she had been staying at, she and Jingjing went to the guesthouse they had booked.

This is a small two-story apartment, about ten minutes from the nearest town. The room layout is compact and orderly, neither too large to be spacious nor too small to be cramped. In fact, the furnishings inside and outside the room are very close to the small house she had envisioned for a comfortable place to live.

Her room was on the second floor. Opening the door led to a large balcony with a rattan chair in the corner and green plants climbing on a flower stand next to it.

Sheng Yi lay on the rattan chair, gazing into the distance. The boundless plains stretched out before her eyes. Further ahead, she saw people with their companions, basking in the sun carefree on the grass.

Before setting off, she had countless ideas and plans for the two days she would have alone after work, but she never expected that her casual ideas would unfold before her eyes.

The landlady was a very kind woman. She warmly invited them to breakfast and thoughtfully gave them many suggestions and precautions. Sheng Yi didn't actually have any specific destination in mind; in this moment free from the constraints of work, she longed for a carefree getaway.

Leaving behind the familiar work environment, even Jingjing's expression became much more lively. She stretched out her curious tendrils to explore the new world, a vibrant quality unique to girls her age. Sheng Yi watched her enthusiastically leading the way with her phone map in hand, smiled, and followed.

The two strolled around all day, and in the evening, they sat in a roadside cafe sharing a dessert. All around them were exaggerated, melodic voices, but in their ears was a familiar voice asking, "When are you coming back?"

Sheng Yi's heart skipped a beat. She looked up at the sky and sent him her return landing time. Wen Shili gave a soft "hmm" after seeing it. Sheng Yi picked up her coffee and took a sip. The spoon accidentally hit the rim of the cup, making a clear, crisp sound.

The city lights came on one by one, and strangers walked back and forth on the streets. Sheng Yi couldn't see their expressions, but unconsciously he was painting the same scene for them in his mind. Perhaps they were all travelers rushing home.

Sheng Yi withdrew his gaze, feeling utterly bored.

The roadside scenery remained the same, but it looked completely different to her eyes. It wasn't until she saw the landlady's smiling face waiting in front of the small building that she finally put aside her chaotic thoughts and went to greet her with a smile.

The landlady had another residence next door, and this small building was reserved for guests. Sheng Yi and Jing Jing each occupied a floor. After they parted at the bottom of the stairs, Sheng Yi went upstairs alone.

Since she got busy this year, she rarely has to stand all day. Her body probably suffers from the effects of disuse. After a whole day of strolling around, she is more tired than working a day.

While feeling disgusted with herself, Sheng Yi picked up her phone and set an alarm for tomorrow. She had just finished showering when she heard a knock at the door.

At this point, aside from Jingjing not thinking much of it, Sheng Yi casually wiped herself down, wrapped her hair in a towel, opened the door, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Upon seeing who was at the door, she was instinctively startled.

Wen Shili's surprise wasn't much greater than hers. The woman before him was drenched in sweat, even her eyes were wet, and her long black hair looked as if she had just been pulled from the water, with water rolling down her cheeks. Her cheeks were flushed a pale pink from the heat. And further down…

He looked away, and Sheng Yi, seeing his reaction, realized something and turned to go inside.

Wen Shili pushed open the half-closed door and followed her in. Sheng Yi was about to dry her hair with a hairdryer when Wen Shili walked behind her and took over the task from her.

The two remained silent in tacit agreement, soft hair lingering on their fingertips before slipping away, the girl's sweet fragrance enveloping them in the small building. When her hair was finally almost dry, Wen Shili turned off the hairdryer. Without the annoying buzzing, only a silent stillness remained in the room.

In the ensuing silence, Sheng Yi suddenly looked up, and their eyes met in the mirror. Sheng Yi's heart skipped a beat, and the question blurted out, "You trespassed?"

Wen Shili slowly and deliberately put the hairdryer back in its original position, then leaned down and gently held her close. The air was crisp and clean, carrying a hint of warmth—a scent unique to Wen Shili.

They chatted across time zones and expressed their longing across the ocean. It was only then that Sheng Yi realized that the marks left by separation became even more pronounced when they met again.

His soft breath brushed past her ear as he said, "I thought I was invited here."