A tea restaurant
Xu Changjia straightened his clothes and said, "Come in."
Seeing her get up, Ou Liyao followed suit, smiling brightly at the newcomer.
She never expected that Sister Mei, a top-tier celebrity whom even her agent admired, would appear before her so radiantly.
Xu Changjia's sleeves, which he had just straightened, were grabbed tightly by Ou Liyao and wrinkled.
She smiled and smoothed things over, standing between the two to introduce them to each other, and then arranged for Sister Mei to sit in the best window seat with the best view.
One of the main figures at the dinner party was feeling dizzy, and his movements as he reached out to shake hands with Sister Mei were very stiff. "Sister Mei, hello, my name is Ou Shiyao, no, Ou Liyao."
"Hello, I'm Sister Mei."
Her words were very concise, just like her efficient and capable style of handling things.
Xu Changjia, who was sitting in the middle, also felt a bit awkward, so he called over the waiter and said, "Let's order for everyone first."
There's nothing that can't be resolved over a meal; if one meal isn't enough, just have another.
After asking Sister Mei about her dietary restrictions and preferences, she then asked Ou Liyao, who replied that everything was fine. She then knew what to expect.
They asked the waiter to upgrade the dishes to what they usually eat here, and even though there were only three of them, they still had a simple meal of five dishes and a soup, which symbolized that everything would go smoothly for them.
Taking advantage of the fact that she was full and satisfied, she got straight to the point, "Sister Mei, the main reason I invited you out today is to introduce you to my friend, Ou Liyao."
She paused, and Sister Mei naturally understood what she meant. She subtly covered up this part, using her parents' name to show concern for her, and talked about various things that were beyond their control in the entertainment industry, which made them feel somewhat frustrated.
There was not a trace of agreement or concern in his words.
Just when they both thought the dinner was going to be a waste of time, Sister Mei brought the topic back.
The conversation then shifted to her having such a group of good friends, implying that they could lend a hand.
Xu Changjia had no idea how close her parents were to Sister Mei. It was only at this dinner party that she realized how outstanding her mother had been.
Not only were they college classmates, but they were also old friends for many years. Even her mother had received help from her at the TV station.
Sister Mei could vaguely see the shadow of an old friend in her, so when she made a request, she would more or less lend a hand.
Her gaze swept over another young girl sitting next to her. She looked a bit like her and Xiyan when they were young. How happy they were back then! They didn't have to worry about making a living. They just went to class every day and then sneaked out to play. It was such a wonderful life.
Thinking about all this, she couldn't help but be moved. "I will think about your matter carefully."
"However, Huaxin Entertainment is also a big company with a lot of resources. You should make good use of them so that I can give you a push at crucial moments and help you move up to a better place."
Ou Liyao picked up her teacup, using tea instead of wine, and repeatedly expressed her gratitude to Sister Mei.
She had thought this meal would simply be about meeting a new friend.
She never expected Xu Changjia to bring her such a big surprise. She was still humming a song and singing a little tune on her way back in the nanny car.
Her assistant, Chen Hongmei, saw her beaming with joy and chuckled along.
Back in her small apartment, Xu Changjia began preparing for her Christmas trip, and in her spare time, she also submitted a paper of tens of thousands of words to her advisor for review.
I'm busy from morning till night every day, and time slips away like sand in my hand.
Christmas Eve arrived quickly. She and Jiang Shuyun agreed to meet at the airport, and then the two of them would travel to H country to see Zheng Ruoqian's performance.
This wasn't their first time traveling abroad, so they were very familiar with the whole process.
From the hotel to the concert venue, and then to all the good food, drinks and fun things to do nearby, the two of them checked off everything in less than a day.
They had thought that by coming a few days earlier, they could spend more time in H country with Jiang Shuyun, but they both forgot that this wasn't their first time here.
Jiang Shuyun has come to this venue to watch concerts three or five times. Since she was a minor, her parents have brought her to see the idols that her mother used to like.
After she became an adult, she would often travel abroad alone with her backpack, and H country was the country she visited most frequently, without exception.
She watched Xu Changjia's back as she took pictures of herself with her camera, and it seemed as if she saw a bit of herself in her.
"Xu Changjia, let's go over there and take a look. I know a good coffee shop."
She put down her camera and walked towards the coffee shop in the direction Jiang Shuyun pointed, but unexpectedly encountered two people wearing black hoodies and hats there.
Jiang Shuyun covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes widening involuntarily as she stared in that direction for a long time without looking away.
Xu Changjia, who was standing behind her, took two steps forward and also saw the two people standing in the light and shadow.
The two seemed to sense something and met their gazes.
Zheng Ruoqian took two steps forward, revealing a long-lost smile, staring at Xu Changjia, unable to look away for a long time, "You guys are here too."
The lighthearted tone conveyed the joy of the person speaking to anyone who heard it.
"Yes, we've come to see your concert."
This is still outside, with people coming and going everywhere.
Xu Changjia never expected to see the person he had been longing for day and night here.
Before the fans noticed their commotion, Zheng Ruoqian and a few others found a clean private room nearby and sat down for afternoon tea.
Several months have passed since they last parted ways.
Zheng Ruoqian suppressed his excitement, his eyes burning as he kept glancing at her.
The team leader sat beside them, his posture upright, chatting happily with the two of them using some small interactions from the group.
He would occasionally chime in, but his responses were completely off-topic, and everyone could tell that his answers were incoherent and somewhat erratic.
Xu Changjia looked at him and said, "The afternoon tea at this tea restaurant is quite good. I also have a few small cakes that I'd like to see in person. You two chat, and I'll have Zheng Ruoqian take me to the front desk to take a look."
As soon as she stood up, a tall man followed closely behind, closing the door behind her.
"Jiajia, I really miss you."
His hot breath landed on the back of her neck, making her heart pound.
Without even realizing it, her voice trembled as she said, "I miss you so much, boyfriend."
The sound was very soft, but it clearly reached Zheng Ruoqian's ears despite the two people being so close together, flowing straight into his heart along with the warmth he felt.
He knew that coming to the front desk to see the actual cake was just an excuse, so he grabbed her hand and walked towards the park next door.
I had planned to go somewhere less crowded and have a good chat with Xu Changjia, but everywhere I went was packed with people, so I gave up and went back to the tea restaurant.
However, they changed to a different private room and didn't stay with the captain and the others.
He poured out his longing to Xu Changjia, but didn't mention a word about the sweat he shed behind the scenes on stage. His aggrieved appearance was just like a big dog trying to please its master.
She immediately pulled a photo out of her handbag. It was a picture of her sitting in the front row at the first concert she ever attended, with him on stage. She had asked Jiang Shuyun to take the photo for her.
Unexpectedly, this turned out to be the only photo of the young couple together. She specially developed it and kept it with her, but she felt that Zheng Ruoqian needed this photo more than she did, and needed a source of motivation to continue supporting him.
Are you tired? These past two months.
A simple word of concern made his hand holding the photo tremble slightly, and he gently shook his head to indicate that he was alright, but the redness in the corners of his eyes had already betrayed him.
Xu Changjia saw this and felt sorry for him, so he didn't press the matter further and changed the subject to something lighter.
She came with Jiang Shuyun this time, and brought a lot of support merchandise. It is said that if they enter the venue early, they can exchange materials with their fans.
She herself is clumsy with her hands and can't make anything, so she and Jiang Shuyun figured out that they could find a lady who could draw to commission her to create designs. They commissioned vampire makeup designs for all the members of their group and made a batch of posters and support bracelets, which they would distribute to everyone at the event.
Of course, there are also a small number of dolls made just for him, since she will always be his most loyal fan, without exception.
As he listened to Hsu Chang-chia talk eloquently, from the materials to the stage, with the topic always revolving around him, he casually remarked, "You've done so much preparation for my concert, but haven't you been working on your project with your mentor these past few months and completing your assignment?"
Speaking of this, she couldn't help but feel a little proud.
She told him that she had already met the requirements for graduating with a master's degree as soon as she enrolled, and that in the past few months, in addition to studying, she had also been involved in some group affairs, and even had the ability to help Ou Liyao gain a foothold in the entertainment industry.
Seeing his girlfriend, whom he had been watching since she was fifteen or sixteen, grow from a budding flower into a beautiful, blooming bloom, he was genuinely happy for her.
He took her small hand and asked in a muffled voice, "Mr. Xu, now that I'm a little singer back in the country, can you look after me too?"
With a buzz, his mind began to race, trying to recall whether Zheng Ruoqian had returned to China in his previous life, and when.
Will dating her cause him to derail his life and change its trajectory? Is this the right thing to do?
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