At the entrance of the building.
Sang Lu steadied her suitcase, her gaze fixed on the far end of the road.
She glanced down at the time.
9:15.
It was already 9:15.
Why hadn’t the car arranged by the TV station arrived yet?
Qinghe Bay didn’t allow unfamiliar vehicles to enter, so she had already informed the property manager to grant access to the TV station’s car.
But now, well past the scheduled time, there was still no sign of it.
Could it have been stopped at the gate?
Just as Sang Lu hesitated whether to go check, a silver-white car pulled up in front of her.
A young man stepped out from the driver’s seat.
Dressed in a light blue casual jacket, he had a refreshingly clean aura and offered her an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, the station’s driver had a sudden stomachache, so I came instead. I’m not very familiar with the roads in Jing City, so it took longer. My apologies—have you been waiting long?"
Sang Lu was momentarily stunned.
Was this… Xie Sinan?
His face looked even smaller in person than on TV.
Xie Sinan had only joined Jing City TV Station at the beginning of the year, and Sang Lu hadn’t crossed paths with him at work.
She had assumed they’d only meet at the airport, but here they were, face to face ahead of schedule.
And she certainly hadn’t expected the popular host to become a substitute driver.
Her surprise lasted only a few seconds before she flashed a polite smile and greeted him:
"I just came downstairs, so I haven’t been waiting long."
Xie Sinan returned the smile and, noticing her suitcase, stepped forward.
"Let me help you put your luggage in the trunk."
Just as his hand was about to touch the suitcase handle, Sang Lu pulled it back slightly, creating a small distance between them.
"It’s fine, no need. I can manage."
Such a small task didn’t require assistance.
She had already cut back on the face masks and snacks she originally planned to bring, so the suitcase was light as a feather.
Xie Sinan’s outstretched hand hovered in the air, and he blinked in mild surprise before smiling again, his hand now open in greeting.
"I forgot to introduce myself—Xie Sinan. We’re heading to Qingmang together for the exchange program. Looking forward to working with you."
Sang Lu shook his hand with effortless grace.
"Haha, no introduction needed. Everyone knows the famous host! Hello, I’m Sang Lu from Project Team D. Likewise~"
From over a dozen floors above,
Sang Lu’s bright, sweet smile landed squarely in the dark pupils of a certain man watching from above.
The man observed indifferently from his vantage point.
His gaze lingered on their briefly clasped hands.
His eyes darkened, a faint trace of cold sharpness surfacing.
Even after the silver-white car drove away, Feng Yan didn’t look away.
After a long pause, he took a sip of water, his handsome brows slowly furrowing.
In the sky, a plane left behind a long contrail.
Abrupt. Conspicuous.
Hanging in the middle of nowhere.
An inexplicable emotion slammed into his chest.
……
The plane landed in Nan City at 1 p.m.
Just as Sang Lu had anticipated—
Chaos ensued.
The moment they stepped out of the terminal, a dozen fans swarmed them with screams.
Click—click—
Cameras fired like cannons, relentlessly capturing Xie Sinan.
"Ah, Xie Sinan! Can I get your autograph?"
"I love your show so much!"
Sang Lu was shoved aside by the crowd, nearly colliding with a pillar.
Xie Sinan noticed and quickly grabbed her jacket to steady her.
With his signature gentle smile, he said,
"Everyone, please be careful. No pushing."
This gesture instantly drew the fans’ attention to Sang Lu.
Whispers filled the air—
"Who’s that girl? Is she Sinan’s new co-host?"
"No idea, but she’s pretty. Let’s get a photo…"
Click—
Before she could react, a camera was shoved in her face.
Sang Lu: "……"
After a frantic twenty-minute ordeal at the airport, they finally made it into the car sent by the event organizers.
Once inside, Sang Lu exhaled in relief, pulling out sunglasses and a mask from her bag and putting them on.
Noticing this, Xie Sinan awkwardly apologized,
"Sorry about that. The fans can be a bit overwhelming. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble."
Sang Lu paused. "……?"
Huh?
Xie Sinan seemed to have misunderstood her actions.
As a variety show producer, she’d never complain about enthusiastic fans.
Behind her sunglasses, her eyes curved into a smile as she wagged a finger playfully.
"You’ve got it wrong—no trouble at all. I just think wearing shades and a mask makes me look cooler if I accidentally end up in a shot."
Xie Sinan blinked, then burst into laughter, his tension vanishing.
"You’re hilarious."
Over the next three days,
They toured Qingmang TV, attended meetings, and participated in workshops.
Their schedule was packed to the brim.
Despite the grueling pace, Xie Sinan was amazed to see Sang Lu not only keeping up but thriving—energetic, lively, and even squeezing in time to explore Nan City.
Impressive.
……
Jing City.
Qinghe Bay Mansion.
Feng Yan lifted his gaze from the glow of his laptop, finally done with work for the day.
He picked up his phone absently.
Opened his chat with Sang Lu.
His thumb scrolled up and down a few times.
Closed the app. Opened it again.
The screen remained unchanged.
Their last conversation was from the day they visited his family’s old home—his message had gone unanswered.
Five days had passed since then.
The man, who used to receive constant messages from Sang Lu every time he checked his phone, frowned slightly and leaned back.
His brain questioned why he’d opened the chat again,
But his fingers moved faster, tapping into her social media feed instead.
In those five days,
She had posted over a dozen updates.
The latest was a photo of sushi with the caption:
"I hereby declare—scallop sashimi is the GOAT!"
Scrolling down, she shared snippets of her life:
"Waited an hour at the trendy bubble tea place, only to find out they only had black tea left. Felt like showing up for a fancy French dinner and being served plain rice as the grand finale."
Further down, she vented:
"Went shopping at Nan City Skp and saw Patek Philippe offering a 1% discount. ONE PERCENT! Folks, let that sink in. It’s like handing me a $50 coupon for a Ferrari. Do I look like I’m short on fifty bucks!? Huh!?"
……
Feng Yan read every single one.
Turned off his screen. Stood up.
Unbeknownst to him, a trace of irritation flickered across his usually composed face.
Leaving the study, he noticed a lone floor lamp casting dim light in the living room.
Barely enough to illuminate a small corner.
It struck him then—
He hadn’t seen the room this dim in a long time.
When Sang Lu was home, she’d turn on every light, flooding the space with brightness.
Lost in thought for a moment, he strode forward.
His footsteps echoed softly against the floor.
In the quiet of the living room, the sound seemed unusually loud.
Instinctively, his eyes drifted toward the TV.
The screen was off.
Its dark surface reflected his tall, imposing figure.
At this hour, it should’ve been on—blaring some sitcom like My Own Swordsman or iPartment.
Sometimes before the actors on TV could even finish their lines, Sang Lu's bright laughter would already ring out.
Now the silence around him was deafening.
The man's fingers curled slightly at his sides.
Strange.
Shouldn't he have long grown accustomed to the quiet?
His thoughts spiraled uncontrollably.
The feeling left him unsettled.
