Confession during live stream
"Stop looking." Yu Songlin reached out and took his phone without saying a word, and the screen went dark instantly.
He held Ding Xuefei's slightly cool hand with a steady grip, trying to convey some warmth and support, "Looking at these things is meaningless except for making yourself feel bad."
Ding Xuefei looked up, trying to smile at Yu Songlin, but her smile was more like a grimace, her voice trembling slightly: "What they said was so awful... It's all my fault..."
“It’s not your fault.” Yu Songlin interrupted him. “Dating is a matter between the two of us, it was before, and it is now. The ones who are wrong are those who make malicious speculations and say hurtful things.”
He paused, gazed into Ding Xuefei's eyes, pulled her into his arms, and said cautiously, "Xuefei, I originally wanted to wait a while before telling you about going public, but now that things have come to this, we have to respond now. Tell me, what do you think? Whatever you want to do, I'll listen to you."
"I..." Ding Xuefei opened her mouth, but found that her mind was blank.
Deny it? That would be lying, and he didn't want to.
Going public? What kind of tumultuous storm would that bring? He was afraid.
Should we give it the cold shoulder? Pretend nothing happened, let speculation fester, and let Yu Songlin continue to bear the criticism?
Yu Songlin offered what seemed to be the safest advice: "If you haven't thought it through yet, or if you're afraid, we can handle it quietly for now. I'll have my team suppress the trending topics, not respond or explain, and wait for this storm to pass. There are new hot topics in the entertainment industry every day, and everyone will forget about them in a few days."
Seeing Ding Xuefei's bewildered expression, Yu Songlin knew that although Ding Xuefei seemed indifferent, he was actually not good at dealing with this kind of "dirt." Feeling sorry for him, Yu Songlin pulled him into his arms, gently patted his back, and said, "Don't worry, I will always be by your side, I will handle it."
Nestled in familiar arms, listening to Yu Songlin's steady heartbeat, Ding Xuefei's chaotic thoughts slowly began to sort out.
The "cold shoulder" approach... it sounds easy, like burying your head in the sand like an ostrich, pretending nothing happened. But then what? Must their relationship forever live in the shadows? Must they always carefully maintain their distance?
It was because Yu Songlin was by his side that he was in such a dilemma. If it were just him alone, he wouldn't care what others said.
He recalled what Sister Shang Rou had said—"Ask yourself, setting aside all external factors, do you still like him?"
He remembered his sister's unwavering support—"Brother, live for yourself this once."
He recalled the courage he had just had in his room, the courage to rush out and confess his feelings without a care in the world.
He liked Yu Songlin, really liked him. This feeling might have started from a hazy past, but every heartbeat after their reunion was real and vivid.
It shouldn't become something to be hidden from the light just because it's afraid of being misunderstood.
The inner struggle was like going through a violent storm, but in the end, calm and determination prevailed.
Ding Xuefei slowly raised her head from Yu Songlin's embrace. Although her eyes were still red, her gaze had become clear and resolute.
“No,” Ding Xuefei’s voice was still a little hoarse, but unusually firm, “I don’t want to let this go unnoticed.”
Yu Songlin looked at him with some surprise.
Ding Xuefei took a deep breath and continued, "We were together before, that's a fact. We're together again now, that's also a fact. Lying and running away won't change anything. I don't want our relationship to become something others call 'unspeakable.'" He paused, as if making a final decision, "I want to... face it honestly. To the production team, and to everyone who cares about us."
He took out his phone again, this time without trembling fingers. He first dialed the program director, briefly explained the situation, and expressed his desire to address the matter directly through the program's official channels or in the next recording.
After hanging up the phone, he looked at Yu Songlin with an astonishingly bright gaze, filled with a desperate courage: "Yu Songlin, I used to be a bit foolish and timid, always overthinking things and being afraid of this and that. But this time, I don't want to hide anymore. I like you, and I want to be with you openly and honestly, no matter what others say."
Yu Songlin stared at him, Ding Xuefei before him seemingly radiant. The girl who was always shy about relationships, habitually stubborn, and prone to running away from problems, was now displaying a sense of responsibility and courage he had never seen before. For their relationship, he was willing to face the fiercest public opinion. A surge of warmth welled up in his heart, overwhelming all his worries and concerns.
He reached out and gently stroked Ding Xuefei's cheek, wiping away the tears welling up in his eyes with his thumb. His eyes were filled with deep affection and pride: "Okay. I'll go with you."
He lowered his head, his forehead touching Ding Xuefei's, his voice low and solemn, "No matter what happens, I will be by your side. I was before, I am now, and I will be in the future."
*
After deciding to respond publicly, the production team communicated urgently with both teams and ultimately decided to conduct a joint live broadcast the following morning through the program's official live broadcast room.
The announcement of the live stream instantly went viral. Haters, shippers, casual fans, and just casual viewers flocked to the stream, which had already surpassed ten million viewers before it even started, with the comments scrolling so fast that the text was almost illegible.
In the backstage dressing room, Ding Xuefei sat in front of the mirror as the makeup artist did his final touches. He looked at his reflection—a pale-faced man in a simple white shirt—and unconsciously picked at the seams of his trousers.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous; he could even hear his heart pounding wildly in his chest.
A hand gently rested on his shoulder, the warm touch seeping through the thin fabric of his clothes.
Yu Songlin stood behind him, leaned closer, and looked him in the mirror. His voice was deep and steady: "Don't be afraid, look at me."
Ding Xuefei took a deep breath and met Yu Songlin's calm eyes. There was worry and concern in them, but more than anything, there was complete trust and support, like a deep pool that instantly absorbed all his unease.
"Mmm." He responded softly, then reached back and grasped Yu Songlin's hand that was resting on his shoulder, squeezing it tightly.
The live stream has started.
The camera focused on the two sitting side by side. Ding Xuefei and Yu Songlin were both wearing simple white shirts, looking both fresh and serious. Yu Songlin was as composed as ever, while Ding Xuefei pursed her lips slightly, appearing somewhat reserved.
After a brief opening, the host handed over the speaking authority to them.
Ding Xuefei's hand, hidden under the table, clenched into a fist, his nails almost digging into his palm. He looked up at the camera, behind which were countless eyes, some kind of goodwill, some malicious. His throat tightened, and the words he had prepared swirled around his lips, almost swallowed back.
Just then, he felt a hand reach out from the side, gently covering his clenched fist under the table, forcefully prying open his fingers one by one, and then interlocking his fingers with his own.
Yu Songlin's palms were dry and warm, like a calming stone.
Ding Xuefei took a deep breath, as if he had finally found a foothold. He spoke, his voice trembling slightly but still clear:
"Hello everyone, I am Ding Xuefei. I would like to make a statement here regarding the recent online discussions about me and... Yu Songlin."
He paused for a moment, as if gathering his courage, speaking slowly but clearly enunciating each word.
"First of all, I want to apologize to everyone. I apologize for the negative impact caused by the leak of our argument at the aquarium. There was some misunderstanding between us at the time, and our words were rather heated during the explanation. There were indeed some arguments and things got out of control, but that's all in the past now. I apologize to everyone again."
Bullet comments:
"It really is true! He admitted it himself!"
"What's the point of having the police if an apology is enough? Don't try to sweet-talk me if you don't have a good relationship with me, you liar!"
"Don't downplay the important points! Is this even the main issue?"
"Yeah, hurry up and respond to the photo of you two in casual clothes. Did you really date before?"
"Don't make wild guesses! Just because you're walking together doesn't mean you're a couple; you could just be friends!"
The barrage of comments exploded instantly. Ding Xuefei forced herself not to look at the real-time scrolling screen next to her, took a deep breath, and continued speaking.
"I also apologize for... the fact that Yu Songlin and I were once lovers, which we never made public, causing everyone to speculate and be troubled."
“Yu Songlin and I did date for a while in college.” His cheeks flushed slightly as he spoke of the past, but he still insisted on continuing, “We were both very young back then, and we broke up because of some misunderstandings and my immaturity.”
He omitted the specific reasons, not wanting to complicate matters further.
“Participating in this program and meeting him again was an accident for me. Our interactions on the show... were also real. At first, I felt awkward and didn't want to admit that I could still be influenced by him. I said some things that I didn't mean, and did some things that... seemed very childish.” He seemed to remember something, and his voice carried a hint of self-deprecation.
Bullet comments:
"Haha, I remembered the garden date! So it was all on purpose!"
"I knew it! Feifei's acting skills are terrible; she can't convincingly portray a loving couple at all!"
"So that heart rate test... oh my god, I was really nervous!"
“But,” Ding Xuefei’s tone shifted, her voice gradually becoming firm, “it was also during this process that I rediscovered him, and also rediscovered my own heart. Those feelings of attraction, jealousy, worry, and reconciliation… were all real. I wasn’t acting.”
He felt the hand holding him tighten, as if giving him strength silently.
“I know that many people may not understand or approve of our relationship. They may think that we shouldn’t be together, or that we are not a good match…” Ding Xuefei’s voice lowered, carrying a hint of barely perceptible grievance and stubbornness, but soon he raised his head again, looking directly at the camera, as if trying to see through the screen to those who doubted him, “But, our relationship is a matter between the two of us.”
He paused for a moment, as if he had made up his mind, and suddenly turned his head to look at Yu Songlin, who had been silently watching him from the side.
That one glance contained so many complex emotions: nervousness, shyness, but above all, a do-or-die courage and an unwavering love.
The lights in the live stream fell on Ding Xuefei's slightly reddened eyes and pert nose, giving him a fragile yet resolute beauty.
"Yu Songlin," he called his name, his voice not loud, but clearly carrying throughout the entire live stream, "I...I really like you. I did before, and I still do now. Maybe I'm clumsy sometimes, bad at talking, easily make you angry, and always overthink things...but I want to be with you. In the future...I will try my best to cherish our relationship."
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