Chapter 64, the happy ending...
"All the fansite admins from Lin Suxing's fan site are here!? This support is spectacular. I heard that the light sticks, light boards, and banners were all made by the top fan site admin at her own expense and given to the fans for free. That's so generous."
"At least half of the audience are fans of Lin Suxing alone. My god, with such terrifying popularity, she must be a clear winner..."
"After all, it's the first performance stage since the restart of 'Produce Producers,' and all the fan sites will be there. It's just that Lin Suxing's luck has been too good lately, and her fans are on a completely different level from others."
The audience seats were filled with people, densely packed, stretching to the horizon.
The glow sticks and support signs were not yet lit, like dormant sparks, but countless subtle sounds and movements wove together a huge, expectant net.
Mint Milk Green Tea, Chocolate Puff, and other fansite admins sat in the audience, chattering about Lin Suxing's recent surge in popularity.
"Su Xing is really hot right now. After the release date for the first performance was announced, the popularity vote for the contestants was restarted, and he immediately jumped to first place with more than double the votes of the second place. That's terrifying!"
"Oh dear, even though I'm a fan site admin from another site, Lin Suxing is so popular right now, everyone's here to see him, haha."
"He just joined the cast of 'The Legend of Mountains and Rivers' as the second male lead. He'll only become more popular after that. From now on, he'll be the one making the shows popular, not the other way around."
Lin Suxing's acquisition of the only Asia-Pacific brand ambassador title for Aethelred, a niche European luxury brand, is enough to make many top celebrities with regular appearances on variety shows envious.
Not to mention, he also landed the second male lead roles in "I Am Immortal" and "The Mountains and Rivers"!
These two works are currently the pinnacle of the film and television industry. Even a minor supporting role would be enough for a new actor to gain popularity, let alone the fact that Lin Suxing is playing the second male lead whose character is likely to become a breakout star.
Chocolate Puff is a well-connected friend. I also heard that Lin Suxing is actually the young master of a high-end luxury brand, and he came out to experience life.
Considering the excellent resources he received from his debut, Chocolate Puff thinks it's very possible.
Moreover, the handsome and extraordinary CEO of the high-end luxury brand who has recently become very popular not only shares the same surname as Lin Suxing, but has also been photographed picking up and dropping off Lin Suxing for get off work.
"By the way, didn't their group used to have a member named Lin Ke? She left the industry after the bullying scandal broke, right?" Honey Syrup asked.
Mint Milk Green shook her head: "It's probably because of the bullying allegations that his resources dropped drastically afterward. Small endorsements that had been agreed upon with him all chose to terminate their contracts. Later, he seemed to have acted in a web series, but you all know... well, he's not exactly handsome, so the series wasn't very popular."
"That's true. His acting isn't very good either; it's all pretty bad. I guess someone was trying to promote him before. Later, they probably realized they couldn't promote him anymore, so they gave up," Chocolate Puff commented.
"...So that's how it is." Everyone felt a bit emotional. Lin Ke was originally a very popular contestant on the show, while Lin Suxing, despite her outstanding appearance, was virtually unknown.
But today, everything has changed drastically, and the two are in very different circumstances than before.
The lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only the scattered light sticks in the audience seats, like stars scattered across the Milky Way.
On the huge circular stage, a thin mist created by dry ice slowly spread, and the background screen showed a shimmering lake and the flickering lights of fireflies, as if the air had brought the coolness and excitement of a summer night in advance.
"It's starting! Quiet, quiet!" Chocolate Puff and the other fansites also quieted down and focused on watching the performance on stage.
The intro begins with a languid and gentle synthesizer melody, accompanied by the crisp sound of wind chimes.
Lin Suxing.
He stood quietly in the center of the halo, as if shutting out all the noise.
The light blue silk shirt the young man wore had a soft sheen, which made his already pale skin seem to glow, like the finest mutton fat jade.
Her jet-black, soft hair was carefully styled, with a few strands casually falling onto her smooth forehead, adding to her effortlessly fragile charm.
The camera zooms in, focusing on his face in a close-up.
Those were features meticulously sculpted by God, so exquisite they seemed unreal.
His eyelashes were long and thick, casting small fan-shaped shadows under his eyelids, which fluttered like butterfly wings as he closed and opened his eyes.
The handsome young man parted his thin lips slightly, and a clear, clean voice flowed out: "The evening breeze of a summer night..."
His voice was clear and bright, but when he lowered it, it sounded like he was born to sing folk songs, instantly captivating everyone's ears.
As the song progressed, teammates joined in one by one.
Meng Huaiwen's roguish sexiness, He Jiayang's vibrant energy, and Zhang Xiyi's calm gentleness each have their own unique characteristics.
But whenever the camera pans across Lin Suxing, that extremely clean and aloof feeling always instantly captures everyone's attention.
With each graceful turn, his jet-black hair would flutter gently, his pale profile sculpted beautifully under the shifting lights, and his eyes, framed by long lashes, curved into a slight smile. That fleeting smile softened his aloofness, like the first melting of snow and the first bloom of spring flowers, eliciting even more fervent shouts from his fans below the stage: "Su Xing! You sang so beautifully!"
The flickering lights moved with your breath, their afterglow echoing the movement of the lamplight.
During the chorus, when Lin Suxing sang this line from the center position, she looked tenderly at the audience.
The dazzling stage lights fell on him, casting a halo around his soft hair and long eyelashes.
The support banners, like waves surging in the ocean, were raised high by countless hands.
Printed with various stunning stage moments or exquisite official portraits of Lin Suxing, often accompanied by inspiring phrases such as "Rising to the stars, shining eternally!", "Your eyes are filled with galaxies", and "Lin Suxing, debuting in the center position!"
Some banners even use glow-in-the-dark materials, emitting a soft glow in dim environments, persistently proclaiming their support for him.
What's most eye-catching are the hundreds and thousands of uniformly waved ice-blue light sticks.
They swayed in unison to the rhythm of the music, rising and falling like breathing, forming a soft yet magnificent wave of light.
When the performance reached its climax, the wave of icy blue light accelerated suddenly, as if the entire venue was trembling for his brilliance.
Lin Suxing looked down at the audience, at the sea of lights that filled almost half of the seats, where fans were shouting his name at the top of their lungs and chanting his support slogans in unison.
"Tracing the brilliance of the stars, walking alongside them!"
"Su Xing! You're the best!"
"So handsome! So handsome! Holy crap, how can he be so handsome? He's even more handsome in person than in photos!"
"And his proportions are just too good; he's the best-looking and most eye-catching one among the contestants..."
The voice was so passionate and sincere that it almost overwhelmed him and lifted him to the clouds.
Flowers, applause, unreserved love... it all felt like the most splendid dream.
The dazzling lights before my eyes distorted and changed color in an instant, transforming into blinding and malicious flashes.
The overwhelming praise and affectionate nicknames that filled my ears were strangely distorted into a deluge of sharp insults and curses.
"Fake singer! Liar! You're a disgrace to the entertainment industry! Get out of the entertainment circle!"
"Lin Suxing is quitting the entertainment industry! Trash!"
I feel disgusted just looking at you!
He seemed to be standing on that imagined, cold and lonely stage again.
There was no accompaniment, no teammates, just him alone, opening his mouth in vain, trying to sing the last note, but no sound came out.
The crowd below the stage was no longer a sea of twinkling lights and cheering support, but rather countless angry and distorted faces, and countless arms throwing water bottles, glow sticks, and even some filthy debris at him.
Sticky liquids and cold, hard objects splattered on his face and body, soiling his expensive stage costume and bringing waves of dull pain and a deeper chill.
He stood helplessly in the center of the stage, like a young animal soaked by a downpour with nowhere to escape.
Those clear, doe-like eyes were filled with confusion and fear. He didn't know what he had done wrong, nor how to end things. He could only sink little by little in that endless wave of malice until he was completely swallowed up.
"...Tracing the Stars!"
Meng Huaiwen noticed his momentary stiffness, and subtly nudged him with his elbow, whispering a reminder.
Lin Suxing snapped back to reality, her icy fingertips trembling slightly.
The distorted scene before his eyes vanished instantly, and what refocused on him was the warm and vast sea of stars shining for him in the audience.
The stark contrast caused a pang of sadness in his chest, almost bringing him to tears. But the lingering fear of the nightmare still clung to him like cold vines, making him desperately need a solid and reliable anchor to pull his restless mind back to the safety of reality.
Almost instinctively, his gaze began to search eagerly across the audience, sweeping over excited, unfamiliar faces, as if searching for a single lighthouse in a boundless ocean.
His gaze suddenly froze.
Through the dazzling, shimmering starry sky and swaying light boards, past the cheering crowd, the camera finally pinpointed the man sitting in the VIP section.
Li Xinian.
Year after year, his year after year.
The man with a cold and stern face wore a well-tailored, elegant dark suit, which seemed out of place in the lively atmosphere around him.
However, this same person was awkwardly holding a light stick that emitted a soft blue light, completely out of character for him.
Unlike other fans who shouted excitedly, he simply sat there quietly, his deep gaze piercing through all obstacles and settling steadily on Lin Suxing in the center of the stage, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
The contrast between that serious face and the cute light stick made Lin Suxing pause for a moment. Then, an indescribable warmth and sense of security instantly washed away the chill and unease in her heart.
The hands and feet, which had been slightly cold from fear, gradually warmed up, and the tense nerves finally relaxed completely.
He looked at that person, and the corners of his lips involuntarily turned up, revealing a genuine, slightly silly smile. The last trace of gloom in his eyes was dispelled, leaving only a clear light.
This is the person.
Whether he is the protagonist favored by the destiny of this world or the cannon fodder supporting character with a tragic ending in the original work, Li Xinian will stand firmly by his side, support him, and protect him in his own way, just as he does now.
As long as Li Xinian was around, he seemed to have the courage to face anything.
Those unknown and potentially unpredictable futures suddenly ceased to be frightening.
Because he knew that no matter what the future held, Li Xinian would hold his hand tightly.
As long as they work together, the future will surely move in a positive direction.
Thinking of this, the last trace of gloom in Lin Suxing's heart completely dissipated.
Meeting Li Xinian's focused gaze, he raised his hand and waved his arm vigorously in that direction, his smile growing even brighter and more dazzling, as if gathering all the brilliance on the stage.
Then, he turned around and faced all the audience with greater confidence and determination, facing the sea of stars that shone for him.
Bring on the future. He is no longer afraid.
***
Tromsø, Norway.
The snowfield at night was covered with a layer of fresh snow, like an endless white velvet. Stepping on it made a soft "crunching" sound, which was particularly clear in this silent world.
In the distance, the dark green coniferous forests, covered with thick snow, stand like silent guardians, embracing this pristine land.
Looking up, the deep sky resembled a huge piece of black velvet, dotted with a few diamond-like cold stars.
Li Xinian and Lin Suxing, dressed in thick winter clothes and snow boots, walked through the snow, their breath condensing into white mist in the sub-zero air.
"Are you cold?" Li Xinian stopped and carefully pulled Lin Suxing's woolen hat down a little, gently covering his reddened ears with his gloved hands.
Lin Suxing shook her head, her eyes curving into crescents: "With you as my heater, I'm not cold at all."
Just then, the first ray of aurora quietly appeared on the horizon.
"Look!" Lin Suxing pointed to the sky with delight. The ethereal green light, like an awakened sprite, began to dance in the night sky.
"Don't take my picture," Lin Suxing said shyly, turning her head and reaching out to block the camera. "I'm taking pictures of the aurora."
Li Xinian's deep voice carried a hint of amusement: "You look beautiful in this light; it would be a shame not to take a picture."
These words made Lin Suxing's ears turn even redder, but luckily they were hidden inside her hat so it wasn't noticeable.
The aurora grew brighter and brighter, like an overturned palette flowing across the sky, and the white snowfield seemed to be reflected with a few flowing lights.
Lin Suxing squatted down and made a snowball: "Let's build a snowman! Let's build you and me."
Li Xinian indulgently squatted down and wrapped his arms around him from behind, and the two rolled a snowball together.
Soon, two chubby snowmen stood side by side.
Lin Suxing found some pebbles and carefully made facial features for the snowman. When he looked at the snowman representing Li Xinian, he deliberately used a twig to draw a straight line as a mouth.
“Look, this is you,” he laughed smugly, pointing at the snowman with a serious expression. “You’re always like this, never smiling, serious, like a domineering CEO.”
Li Xinian raised an eyebrow, took the branch from his hand, and drew two large circles on the snowman's face representing Lin Suxing: "Then this is you, with eyes that are always wide open, like a frightened little deer."
"I didn't!" Lin Suxing protested, reaching out to wipe it off, but Li Xinian grabbed her wrist.
“Yes,” Li Xinian’s voice suddenly softened, “Every time I look at you, your eyes are like this, round and bright.” As he spoke, he gently kissed Lin Suxing’s eyelids.
Lin Suxing's heart skipped a beat, and she forgot to refute.
The young man was hugged and kissed for a long time before he lowered his head to continue perfecting the snowman, using a tree branch to connect the two snowmen's arms: "It's finished! This looks like we'll always be holding hands."
Li Xinian chuckled softly: "...Yes, I will."
The aurora grew brighter and brighter, like an overturned palette flowing across the sky.
Lin Suxing excitedly pointed to the ever-changing band of light: "Doesn't it look like a glowing river?" Just as he finished speaking, another purple aurora crossed the sky, intertwining with the green band of light to form a dazzling net of light.
Li Xi smiled and reached out to brush away the snowflakes that had fallen into Lin Suxing's hair.
This intimate gesture warmed Lin Suxing's heart. He deliberately made a snowball and gently threw it at Li Xinian, then laughed and dodged backward.
Li Xinian's eyes darkened, and he pretended to be angry as he chased after him.
Lin Suxing laughed and tried to back away, but his foot suddenly slipped. Li Xinian caught him by the waist with quick reflexes, and the two of them fell into the soft snow together.
The snow was so thick that they were stuck inside, like lying on a giant down bed.
"You did this on purpose." Li Xinian leaned over Lin Suxing, snowflakes landing on his eyelashes.
Lin Suxing smiled and reached out to brush it away for him, her fingertips lingering on his sharply defined cheek: "Yes, didn't you catch me?"
The handsome young man with black hair laughed and panted, his breath creating a misty haze, and his hair and eyelashes were covered with glistening snowflakes.
They smiled at each other in the snow. Li Xinian lowered his head and gently kissed away the snowflakes on Lin Suxing's nose, and then her lips.
The kiss, carrying the chill of ice and snow yet burning with passion, was exceptionally long and tender under the witness of the aurora borealis.
As they parted, Lin Suxing, her breath unsteady, said, "Shouldn't we get up?"
"Wait a little longer." Li Xinian refused to let go, instead hugging him even tighter, pointing to the sky, "This is the clearest angle to see it."
Lin Suxing leaned against Li Xinian's warm embrace, feeling his steady heartbeat, and felt that this moment was as beautiful as a dream.
“Li Xinian,” he said softly, “I think you are more beautiful than the aurora.”
Li Xinian chuckled softly, a pleasant vibration emanating from his chest: "I should have said that first."
At this moment, they lay side by side on the soft snow, gazing at the magnificent night sky above them, illuminated by the aurora borealis.
Their bodies were warm from the intense exercise, melting the snow beneath them, but no one cared.
Lin Suxing turned his head to look at Li Xinian beside him. He felt that Li Xinian was a little... different today.
He couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.
Li Xinian rested his arm behind his head, seemingly relaxed as he gazed at the sky, but Lin Suxing keenly noticed that his other hand, placed at his side, was unconsciously curling and relaxing its fingers, repeatedly rubbing the snowflakes beneath him.
His breathing was also slightly more rapid and shallower than usual. Although it was not obvious, Lin Suxing could still feel it.
Moreover, ever since they started building the snowman, Li Xinian's gaze towards him, besides the usual gentleness, seemed to conceal something that was being suppressed and burning intensely, like an undercurrent surging beneath a calm sea.
“Niannian,” Lin Suxing nudged him gently with her elbow and asked curiously, “What’s wrong with you? You seem a bit strange.”
He blinked and joked, "Could it be that you're still upset about losing the snowball fight to me?"
Li Xinian's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then he turned his head to meet Lin Suxing's probing gaze.
He tried to maintain his composure, even managing a faint smile as usual, and reached out to brush away the snowflakes that were about to melt from Lin Suxing's nose: "No. It's just... I think the aurora is especially beautiful tonight."
His voice sounded fairly steady, but Lin Suxing caught a fleeting, almost imperceptible tension.
There's definitely something they're hiding from him.
Lin Suxing muttered to himself, but since Li Xinian didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't press him for details.
Perhaps... something's bothering him at work? He guessed to himself, not considering any other possibilities.
“Yes, it’s especially beautiful.” Lin Suxing replied, lying back down and covering Li Xinian’s hand that was unconsciously rubbing the snow with her own. Her fingertips gently dug between his fingers, trying to convey silent comfort in this way. “But, no matter how beautiful it is, it’s not as beautiful as you.”
He habitually spoke sweet nothings, trying to make Li Xinian happy and relax him.
Li Xinian felt the warmth and tight grip of the hand on the back of his hand, and his heart warmed. The tension that was surging because of the important moment that was about to arrive was miraculously soothed by the clear, doe-like eyes and the clumsy but sincere comforting words of his beloved.
“There seems to be a sheltered place ahead,” Li Xinian took a deep breath of the cold air, trying to make his voice sound natural. He stood up first, then reached out to Lin Suxing, his palm slightly damp with nervousness, but thankfully he was wearing thick gloves so it wouldn’t be noticed. “Let’s go over there; the angle might be better.”
Lin Suxing looked at his outstretched hand. Although the inexplicable doubt in her heart had not completely dissipated, she still handed herself to him without hesitation, smiling as she used the support to stand up: "Okay."
He happily followed in Li Xinian's footprints, like a little snow fox relying on its guide, following step by step.
He was so engrossed in the romance of enjoying the spectacular scenery with his lover that he was completely unaware that the person holding his hand was having their heart pounding like a drum because of the small velvet box in their pocket.
Lin Suxing's steps froze on the spot, her breath caught in her throat, and all the subtle perceptions she had had about Li Xinian being "not right" finally found their answer at this moment.
The candlelight illuminated his sculpted, small face.
Dozens of glass windproof candles formed a perfect circle in the snow, their warm flames dancing in the cold wind.
In the center of the candlelight, the words of love, spelled out by bright red roses and tiny ice crystal flowers, are vivid and dazzling against the backdrop of the snow, like a burning heart amidst the ice and snow.
Li Xinian was already kneeling on one knee in the snow, holding an open ring box in his hands.
The platinum ring shone brilliantly under the combined glow of candlelight and the aurora borealis.
It turns out that all of Li Xinian's nervousness and awkwardness just now was because he was preparing for this moment of marriage proposal!
“Su Xing…” Li Xinian’s voice was slightly hoarse with nervousness, but exceptionally clear, “You are the person I love most in this world. I love you. Give me a chance to protect you, support you, and take care of you forever, okay?”
Lin Suxing looked at Li Xinian kneeling in the snow, holding the ring box. Tears instantly blurred her vision. The overwhelming happiness and emotion in her heart washed away all the previous minor confusion.
What touched Lin Suxing's heart the most was not the carefully arranged romantic scene itself, but the place itself.
He wasn't a person who pursued formalities. If Li Xinian had chosen to propose at a high-end restaurant or a grand party, he might have been happy, but he would never have felt as if his soul had been violently struck, completely enveloped by a tremendous happiness called "he truly understands me."
Li Xinian understands him.
She understands his deep longing for purity and freedom, his appreciation for their time together over glitz and glamour, and his romantic soul that resonates with nature.
There are no noisy crowds, no magnificent palaces, and no extravagance or disturbances belonging to human society here.
The two of them stood alone on this vast, boundless snowfield, with the magnificent aurora dancing above them and the silent forest draped in snow, seemingly witnessing their presence. The only sounds were the soft rustling of the wind through the snow and their own heartbeats.
Therefore, Li Xinian chose this once-in-a-lifetime marriage proposal to take place in this icy wasteland that seemed to be at the end of the world, with the aurora borealis as the backdrop, the snow as the mat, and the mountains and rivers as his witness.
He suddenly remembered that long ago, on an ordinary evening, he had leaned on Li Xinian's shoulder, looking at a travel brochure, and casually said, "Compared to those crowded historical sites, I seem to prefer pure natural scenery. In front of mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, one feels very small, but when you are with the people you love, you feel like you have the whole world. It's wonderful, isn't it?"
He was just casually sharing his feelings at the time, and he himself might not even remember it so clearly.
But Li Xinian remembered it.
Tears finally broke free, rolling down her slightly reddened cheeks, yet carrying a scorching heat.
Before Li Xinian uttered that long-awaited request, Lin Suxing's heart had already given a thousand affirmative answers.
He stood outside the circle of light that was lit just for his heartfelt wishes, crying uncontrollably, yet also laughing radiantly, feeling so deeply loved and understood by the world and by the person he loved.
Lin Suxing nodded vigorously and threw herself into Li Xinian's open arms: "I do!"
Li Xinian's grey-blue eyes shone brightly in the candlelight, almost overflowing with love and joy.
He took Lin Suxing's left hand and carefully pushed the platinum ring, symbolizing an eternal promise, slowly into the base of the young man's slender ring finger.
The size fits perfectly, as if it was born to be there.
The ring's cool touch made Lin Suxing tremble slightly, followed by an overwhelming sense of belonging.
Just above them, the aurora borealis burst forth, sweeping across the night sky like a magnificent green curtain, shimmering and ever-changing, as if the universe were offering the most glorious tribute to the lovers.
Li Xinian cupped Lin Suxing's face in his hands, gently wiping away the undried tear stains on his beloved's cheek with his thumb. His gaze was deep and focused, as if he were looking into his entire world: "Suxing, I love you."
“I love you too, Nian Nian.” Lin Suxing looked up, her doe eyes reflecting the aurora and Li Xinian’s affectionate face, filled with complete trust, love and boundless anticipation for the future.
He tiptoed slightly and closed his eyes.
Li Xinian lowered his head and gently, solemnly, kissed his future partner.
This kiss was filled with unwavering devotion, cherishment, and overwhelming love. The cold wind remained, but it could not dispel the passion and eternity within that small space.
On the snowy plains of Tromsø, Norway, surrounded by warm love and candles, and witnessed by the aurora borealis, they sealed their vows with a kiss, promising to spend the rest of their lives together.
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Author's Note: [Hugs] I'll be writing a few extra chapters after the finale. If you ladies have any requests, feel free to leave them in the comments section of this chapter! [Let me see][Kiss][Farting]
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