Chapter 99: The Gift.

Actually, she didn't have many opportunities to appear on camera. Old Qian had been hoping she would be in full force when she returned from her vacation, but Sheng Yi's pace had clearly slowed down.

Aside from occasionally making public appearances for routine business collaborations, she remains largely out of the public eye. Even the news of her visiting Wu Simin on set can be discussed for a day or two.

The fans were so lonely and desperate that they suggested she bring her brother-in-law out to meet people: "Why don't you just bring him out for a stroll? As long as he can be seen, that's fine."

Then someone accurately attacked him, leaving him devastated: "Is it possible that he's too ugly to show his face in public?"

Sheng Yi truly admired their creativity.

She asked Wen Shili, "Don't you think this is a bad thing?"

At this point, the so-called explanation to the public is nothing more than satisfying the curiosity of a few people.

Wen Shili looked up, saw the seriousness in her expression, shook his head and said, "It's okay." The end of this relationship is up to her, and all he can do is accompany her.

After more than a month of rest, Sheng Yi returned to her normal work rhythm. The film, originally scheduled for release in the summer, was suddenly blocked from review before the license was issued. The vacant schedule was readjusted, and the studio decided to choose another TV series as a temporary measure.

The final choice was an urban fashion drama, filmed locally in S City, with a short shooting period and convenient travel. The first thing that flashed through her mind when she saw the script was the one handed to her two years ago. The resources and details were now incomparable, but looking back like this might help her see her past more clearly.

Compared to the hustle and bustle of filming, life on set felt more like a period of adjustment and transition, a state she was used to and thoroughly enjoyed. Except for the occasional surprise checks-ins from someone.

This drama takes the female lead's growth path as the starting point, and all the male leads are just passersby in her life. During the casting process, fans from all sides fought tooth and nail for the positions of the male lead, second male lead, and third male lead. Only after joining the cast did Sheng Yi bear the "bitter fruit" of the female lead being too popular.

Some people always speak gently, but their actions are relentless. They step on the boundaries she can accept, gradually eroding her territory until it's completely gone.

As soon as the video call connected, Sheng Yi proactively reported her schedule for the day. Wen Shili responded with a faint "hmm".

He was unusually dressed in a formal suit today, looking like he had just come from a meeting, exuding the air of a business elite. However, the moment he looked up, his neck was wide open, and with his slightly raised eyebrows, he gave off the vibe of a refined scoundrel from a script.

If she could, she would recommend one of the male supporting actors to the director—a clear case of using local talent. Unfortunately, their small production team wasn't good enough to earn his favor.

Wen Shili looked at her as if she were an idiot. "As long as you agree, I'll cover all your food and lodging, and you don't even need to pay me."

Sheng Yi got angry when she heard this, "Are you stupid? Don't give me the salary, I'll spend it for you."

Okay, so you agree?

Wen Shili chuckled softly, his voice as gentle as a feather brushing against the skin, giving one an irresistible itch.

"Can't you be a little more reserved?" Sheng Yi changed the subject, but couldn't help but smile.

Don't think she doesn't know what he's up to. Could anyone other than the male lead have gotten him to agree to this? Maybe all the supporting male characters' romantic scenes would be cut so badly that even their own mothers wouldn't recognize them.

It was said as a joke, but unexpectedly, a few days later, the third male lead's scenes were completely cut. Sheng Yi didn't know exactly what happened, only that the script was urgently adjusted and the other staff members were also given time off.

Old Qian squeezed in a few more events for her, and the production team even reportedly flew to Z City overnight to burn incense at a temple. As expected of the most popular temple in the area, a chance encounter with passersby sent them trending on social media, sparking speculation among netizens about the inside story. If the drama becomes a hit next year, it might even bring another wave of worshippers to the temple.

Taking advantage of the holiday break, the screenwriting team worked overtime late into the night to completely cut out the third male lead's scenes, transferring all of his character and screen time to a new character.

Sheng Yi has been completely absorbed in filming and hasn't shown her face again, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the next holiday. And the closest one is Valentine's Day. Unless it's a drama entirely devoid of romantic pairings, this day is an essential promotional opportunity.

Sheng Yi currently has several unreleased and filming projects in hand, and the promotional materials released that day certainly lived up to fans' expectations. A barrage of dual-person posters and videos bombarded drama fans, leaving them dizzy with excitement. The one currently filming was even more impressive, releasing behind-the-scenes footage that significantly raised anticipation and washed away any recent negative publicity.

Just as the pre-planned hashtags were trending and receiving a good response, Wen Shili unexpectedly stole the spotlight. Of course, their show wasn't the only one to suffer; Sheng Yi's show was even considered a disaster, at least making it into the top ten trending topics.

The staff member was taken aback for a moment, then said, "I'll go and communicate with them right away."

However, Wen Shili's popularity is not so easy to snatch. At first, it was just fans urging him to release a new song in the comments section. But since the last single was released, it's like they've found a direction to work hard on. They urge him to check in on every holiday and festival. Valentine's Day, how can they not do something for him?

The fact is, the whole morning passed without any sign of fetal movement.

"Brother, look at what day it is today, aren't you going to give us something?"

"You don't seem to be in a very good mood? Or are you busy spending time with your sister-in-law?"

The group jokingly urging for more episodes grew larger and larger, but unexpectedly, it wiped out all the film companies that were ready to spend money.

The hashtag remained firmly at the top of the charts for over half an hour, then, for some unknown reason, all the hashtags related to Wen Shili disappeared from the list. Those buried at the bottom of the charts were overjoyed, while Wen Shili's fans continued to joke and tease, "Haha, is he angry because he's embarrassed?"

The onlookers couldn't help but worry privately about their brother-in-law, fearing that one day their idol would be put on such a pedestal: "Why are there never any pictures of him? Is he really ugly?"

...

After filming wrapped, Sheng Yi immediately flew to City B. Her offline popularity and online buzz complemented each other, making her first public event for the new endorsement a resounding success. For the next few days, Sheng Yi was constantly working to pay off her debts, flying back and forth between various cities across China. Her fans felt both sorry for her and wished she would never stop.

After years of being nurtured by stardom, she is now like a flower in full bloom. In addition to her youthful innocence, she has gained the charm of a mature woman. Every gesture she makes exudes the aura of a popular leading lady.

"Sis, someone is following us."

Her recent schedule has been open and transparent. Even in the middle of the night, there are still many people waiting outside the airport, and it is expected that the media will flock to her.

Sheng Yi glanced at the rearview mirror. "No rush, we'll shake them off up ahead."

Unexpectedly, this time the attacks were even more persistent than before, and it seemed like more than one media outlet was involved. Over the past few years, the people following her have become increasingly familiar with her methods. Her new drama has just finished filming, and she might be going into another period of silence afterward. If they don't take advantage of today to gather as much material as possible, the difficulty of following up will increase exponentially. If they're lucky, they might even manage to get a big news story.

Everyone became more and more energetic.

After circling around several times, they finally shook off their pursuers. The driver parked the car in the garage, and Sheng Yi glanced at the time. They were almost two hours later than they had originally planned to arrive home.

Sheng Yi pushed open the door, and the light in the entryway was quietly on, waiting for those returning home late at night.

Wen Shili turned around at the sound of the voice, "You're back?"

"Okay." Sheng Yi put down her bag. "Didn't I tell you to go to sleep first?"

"It's okay, I'm not sleepy." Wen Shili got up and went over to her, taking her hand. "The kitchen made a midnight snack, are you hungry?"

Sheng Yi: Here we go again.

The close proximity made the expectation in his eyes all the more clear. Sheng Yi avoided his gaze, "Why didn't you go out with your friends? I told you I'd be late."

The overly empty room was filled with scattered sounds again. Wen Shili said softly, "No one asked me out."

Sheng Yi chuckled; this man couldn't even be bothered to put on a perfunctory face. She pushed his hand away, took out the cake hidden behind her back, carefully lit the candles, and urged, "Hurry up and make a wish, or it'll be past midnight soon."

She stood before him, holding the cake in her hands, a warm glow illuminating her face, inspiring endless tender and sweet imaginings.

Wen Shili's voice softened unconsciously, as if he were cherishing a fragile dream, "May I ask you for a promise?"

Sheng Yi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "Me? You give it a try."

"Any wish is allowed?"

Sheng Yi winked mischievously, "Not necessarily." Even for the sake of the birthday person, she couldn't go too far.

"Hmm." Wen Shili hesitated for a moment, his deep eyes staring straight at the person in front of him. Sheng Yi raised an eyebrow slightly, reminding him not to go too far.

The warm light flickered and amplified infinitely in her heart. In the cozy candlelight, her clear eyes were focused intently on him. Her smile was gentle and bright.

"Then I wish my baby's dream comes true."

May her expectations and dreams never be in vain. May her clear eyes never be clouded.

He blew out the candles, picked up a knife, cut the first piece of cake, and handed it to her.

Sheng Yi accepted the cake; it tasted familiar, and those girlish fantasies became even more vivid at that moment. Something stirred within her, yet she still smiled brightly, "Wen Shili, happy birthday."

He couldn't help but smile, accepting the offer without hesitation, "Thank you."

Sheng Yi ate a few bites as a token gesture, leaving the rest for Wen Shili to digest.

As time went by, she developed a certain self-awareness as a "big star," or perhaps it was the daily reminders and encouragement from her staff. However, she no longer had time to pay attention to those minor details.

"I'll go wash up first."

The gentle moonlight shines equally on the everyday lives of ordinary people, as time slowly passes by, like any other ordinary night. In corners where the moonlight doesn't reach, sparks gradually ignite and bring warmth.

Sheng Yi leaned against him, panting softly, the sensation washing over every nerve, sending shivers down her spine and making her buzz. The phone screen kept lighting up and then dimming. She lowered her eyelashes, throwing herself into this unknown revelry.

All doubts were left behind, and I relaxed completely and threw myself into the moment.

Her gaze was so focused, so intense, that it seemed only he could exist in her eyes, and her originally gentle movements became increasingly out of control.

The cell phone rang again and again in the night, its gentle melody like a carefully chosen accompaniment.

"You wrote this?"

"Yes, another gift for you."

So, there really is a Valentine's Day song, but ultimately, it belongs to her personally. Sheng Yi thought hazily. In the warm space, it played again and again, gentle and tender, brimming with love.

However, it's not appropriate for it to appear repeatedly at this moment.

Wen Shili frowned slightly, put his hand on her shoulder, and stopped her from going any further.

Sheng Yi's eyes were still misty with tears. He pouted in dissatisfaction, lingering before kissing the prominent Adam's apple.

Her clear eyes suddenly filled with thick fog, her warm breaths grew heavier and heavier, and Sheng Yi nodded her chin, "Never mind it."

Adorable and coquettish, at this moment, nothing was stronger than her will. A surge of heat swept over him, as if it would completely engulf him in the next second. His fingertips gently traced her lips, Wen Shili lowered his eyes, and bit those irresistible red lips, "Yes, ma'am."

In the instant he was pushed away, the last shred of clarity that Sheng Yi had been holding onto in his mind could no longer be maintained.

Everything was spiraling out of control, or perhaps, in its original order, she was meant to coexist with him. The familiar home, without her, was merely a temporary shell; the other half of the bed, with her, was what made it complete.

Wen Shili scooped up the half-conscious person and stood up. "Don't sleep yet."

Sheng Yi, driven only by instinct, mumbled unconsciously, "No, I don't want it anymore."

After he cleaned her up, Sheng Yi spontaneously rolled up in the blanket, turned over, nestled on one side, and slept with her little face flushed.

He picked up his phone; the screen showed three missed calls, all from Cao Jun.

On the other side of the city, Cao Jun had already closed his eyes peacefully, only the message he left a few hours earlier revealing his excitement at the time.

"elder brother!!!"

"Congratulations!!!!!"

At the very bottom, there's a thoughtful suggestion: "Remember to check Weibo when you're in a good position."

He was slow to realize that disturbing people's sleep in the middle of the night... cough cough, maybe the reward that Brother Li almost gave him would just run away on its own. Luckily, no one had time to deal with him. So after a few missed calls, his WeChat messages were the result of his best efforts to restrain himself.

Thump—something was quietly throbbing in his heart. Wen Shili sat quietly on the edge of the bed, glancing sideways at it for a long time.

When the clamor subsided, he took a deep breath, tapped Weibo with his long finger, and was greeted by a blank screen.

Weibo has completely crashed. Several hours of emergency repairs have been overwhelmed by the constant influx of people, and it has not been able to recover to its original state.

Wen Shili got the result he wanted from screenshots of gossip shared by other friends.

His fingers gently traced the bright red entry:

#Gentle Gifts Together#

A simple and straightforward sentence clearly shows that his private gift has finally opened a small door to the world.

Sheng Yi's words were concise and to the point, directly bringing him into the public eye and linking him to her.

Warmest regards: @温时礼

The accompanying photo was a picture of a figure from behind on campus. He recognized it immediately; it was a road they had walked together in Ancheng. Recorded by innocent and carefree people, it had come full circle and been repurchased by them.

Together they had explored the map of her past, and now, it was her promise to him to enter the second half of her life.

All the past treks and climbs seemed to have been for the sake of waiting for this one result. He accepted all the sacrifices and gains along the way without batting an eye, ultimately, all for this moment.

The belated gift has finally settled in his arms. Now, this is the best outcome.

(over)

-----------------------

Author's Note: The story has come to a temporary end here. Thank you to all the readers for your support and encouragement along the way [heart]. I will try my best to write more in 2026. See you in the next book if fate allows.

I also wish everyone who reads this far happiness, health, and all the best!