Tonight's hot search list was almost entirely dominated by the gala. As soon as a topic about two audience members sitting in the audience appeared, it immediately sparked widespread discussion and gossip among netizens.
There were GIFs and screenshots, and the two people inside were none other than Father Xie and Mother Xie. In order to appear before the entire nation, they not only secured the seats closest to the stage but also came specially styled.
Father Xie wore a black suit, his figure in no way inferior to current male celebrities, and he carried an air of authority. Not to mention Mother Xie sitting beside him, stunningly beautiful—no one would guess she already had a son in his twenties.
【I've been wanting to ask, were those two former celebrities? How are they both so handsome and beautiful.】
【When I was watching, they seemed to be holding hands the whole time, smiling so sweetly, wuwuwu, for a moment I didn't know who to envy more.】
【Are they a couple? Their child would definitely be good-looking.】
【Honestly, looks aside, these two have incredible presence, even the surrounding celebrities can't compare.】
【The seats they're sitting in are specially reserved by the gala for people who have driven economic impact—in short, major entrepreneurs, the kind comparable to chaebol-level.】
【Rich and beautiful, I'm so jealous.】
【By the way, don't you guys think these two look vaguely familiar.】
【They really do seem a bit familiar, not sure where I've seen them.】
【Ah, I also think they look familiar, but if I had seen them before, I would definitely remember.】
Below the comments, more and more voices started saying they looked familiar, until Xie Xi came out to sing.
【Ahhhhhh, Zai Zai has been working so hard lately!】
【I can't believe we get to see Xixi at the gala, a miracle!】
【？？？ I think Xie Xi looks a bit familiar.】
【What are you saying above?】
【...Why do I also have a sense of déjà vu.】
It wasn't until the camera panned across the audience, showing viewers those two overly good-looking audience members from earlier.
Netizens were confused for a long time, finally going to Weibo to seek validation.
【Am I seeing things? Why do I think those two audience members look a bit like Xie Xi.】
【Beautiful people often look alike, it's normal, right? I also think Professor Ye and Xixi look alike, hahahaha】
【No, they really do look alike.】
【Friends, friends!!! Haven't you all noticed something? Those two audience members have been sitting elegantly the whole time since the start, even their applause had a 'leadership inspection' vibe, but! Look when Xie Xi comes out! GIF】
In the GIF, Father Xie and Mother Xie in the audience suddenly sit up straight, stop holding hands, stop whispering, and seriously watch Xie Xi on stage, clapping vigorously.
All that elegance was long forgotten.
【Holy crap, a terrifying guess just popped into my head.】
【Not gonna lie, I also have an absurd idea.】
【Long-time Xie fans from his debut days should remember, back then he was a newcomer with no resources, yet his lifestyle was better than top-tier celebrities. The outfits for events, others rented or borrowed, only Xixi bought his. If the guess is true, then all those past things can be explained.】
【No way, no way, could those be Zai Zai's parents sitting there?!】
【Hiss—so in the end, we were the ones reaching too high for Xixi, how are we worthy of being 'mom fans', wuwuwu.】
Xie Xi's parents
This topic quickly topped the trending list, even showing signs of 'exploding' in popularity.
The manager waiting outside, Wei Qi, saw this news and didn't have time to verify if it was true or false, she could only arrange for someone to suppress the hype.
It's the New Year, this kind of attention isn't good, and Xie Xi doesn't need this trending topic anyway.
As for Father Xie and Mother Xie inside the venue, while their son was singing on stage, they excitedly clapped. Only after Xie Xi left the stage did they remember they were supposed to maintain elegance. They immediately put their hands down, Father Xie nonchalantly straightened his sleeves, while Mother Xie smoothed her long hair and gave an elegant smile to the camera panning over, as if they weren't the ones just clapping wildly moments ago.
After leaving the stage, Xie Xi sat in the celebrity area at the back, unable to sit with Father Xie and Mother Xie.
He took his phone out of his pocket and secretly sent a message to Ye Qiusuo, not mentioning he was at the gala today: 【Professor, I sang a new song.】
When Ye Qiusuo received the message, she was still in the living room watching the program with her parents, though Father Ye was struggling to stay awake, having dozed off on the sofa. Mother Ye was still awake but also drowsy, fighting to keep her eyes open.
"Mom, you two should go to bed first, watch the replay tomorrow," Ye Qiusuo said.
Mother Ye woke up: "Mom and Dad will stay up with you to count down the New Year. Don't young people like the New Year's countdown?"
"No need, I'm going to sleep too." Ye Qiusuo didn't have that kind of obsession with the countdown. For her, today was just another day, no different except for being able to have a reunion dinner with her parents.
"You're tired too? Then let's go to sleep." Mother Ye turned off the TV, stood up, and patted Father Ye to wake him up for bed.
"Qiusuo's not watching anymore?" Father Ye asked, waking up.
"Not watching anymore." Ye Qiusuo helped him up. "Dad, you two go rest."
"Okay, you rest early too."
Only after her parents went into their room did Ye Qiusuo return to her own room, planning to finish up some work. It was then that she saw the message from Xie Xi.
Ye Qiusuo: 【Sounded great.】
Xie Xi waited a while for the reply and immediately asked: 【You watched the gala?】
Ye Qiusuo: 【Yes, my parents also said you sang well.】
Xie Xi: "..."
Right then, the camera panned over, and a blushing Superstar Xie appeared before the entire nation.
Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, fans naturally wouldn't miss this detail.
【Why is Xixi's face so red?!】
【The tips of his ears are red too, is he feeling unwell?】
【This expression doesn't look like he's unwell at all, it seems more like shyness.】
By the time the next camera shot swept over Xie Xi, he had already lowered his head, so the audience couldn't see his face.
Xie Xi was messaging his parents.
Xie Xi: 【She praised my singing, and her parents said it was good too.】
Mother Xie, taking advantage of the camera being elsewhere, replied: 【Our Xixi's singing has always been great. Mom is so proud of you.】
As for Father Xie, he asked reservedly: 【Did the in-laws mention us?】
Xie Xi: "......?"
Xie Xi: 【Dad, we're not even... Besides, they don't know you, and you weren't performing on stage.】
Father Xie: 【That's true.】
...
Later, for the countdown, everyone who had performed had to go on stage, and the cameras started cutting everywhere.
After the final number was counted, the audience watching on TV saw the brilliant fireworks outside. After the fireworks, the broadcast cut back to the venue, and the first shot happened to land on Xie Xi's face.
Xie Xi looked into the camera, his eyes almost enough to drown anyone who met his gaze, and slowly, silently mouthed: "Happy New Year."
To his professor.
Unfortunately, the person he was speaking to beyond the camera didn't see this scene, as she had already started working.
Instead, it was the fans who were mesmerized by that look.
Xie Xi's killer gaze
I feel like he's saying Happy New Year to me.
He is saying it to me.
That look he gave made my legs go weak, I feel so deeply adored.
Zai Zai has gotten so smooth lately? Such good acting skills, he's ready to be in dramas.
Ahhhhh, that look could literally kill, it's too much!
Xixi is really good at fan service now, what's going on? Where's the old Xie Xi who was too lazy to even take endorsements?!
Throughout the entire gala, Xie Xi's stage performance wasn't actually the main focus, more like filler material, but he ended up singing so beautifully. It wasn't overly exaggerated or blatantly festive, just a simple melody, even his humming had its own unique charm.
Several topics trended. If Wei Qi hadn't suppressed it, that topic about his parents would have blown up even more.
He was basically one of the biggest winners of the gala, along with a certain sketch that also caught everyone's attention.
Xie Xi came out with his parents. Although the family didn't have their New Year's Eve dinner at home, they still spent a special New Year together. The parents were especially happy after learning that Xie Xi had someone he liked.
"Xixi, how far along are you two now?" Mother Xie probed.
"...Business partners." Xie Xi's sore spot was poked. "She doesn't seem to have any interest in liking someone romantically."
"You're alright, you're quite likable. Don't lose heart." Father Xie expressed his support for his son in a reserved manner.
"What are you cooperating on?" Mother Xie continued. "Singing? Is she in the entertainment industry?"
There are actually quite a few singers and celebrities who don't attend the gala.
"Not exactly. I invested in her project."
Father Xie immediately looked over: "You like Professor Ye?"
Xie Xi: "!"
"What Professor Ye?" Mother Xie instantly latched onto Father Xie. "How do you know who it is?"
Father Xie coughed: "Our son posted about it on Weibo, that glasses project."
Xie Xi had been wearing glasses to various events before, so Father Xie and Mother Xie specifically called to ask what was going on, wondering if he had become nearsighted like the netizens said.
Xie Xi then explained his collaborative project with Ye Qiusuo; they were corrective glasses. They had always followed Xie Xi's Weibo, but Mother Xie hadn't made the connection at first.
"The name Professor Ye sounds a bit familiar." Mother Xie grew excited.
Father Xie remembered and reminded her: "That knowledge competition show before."
"Is it her?" Mother Xie stared at Xie Xi, afraid he would say no.
Xie Xi: "...Yes." He shouldn't have said so much just now.
"Mom really liked her back then. So smart. If you two have children in the future, combining your genes, we wouldn't have to worry about intelligence issues."
Xie Xi sounded a bit downcast: "She still doesn't like me."
The family suddenly fell quiet.
After a while, Father Xie spoke first to comfort him: "If she doesn't like you, she doesn't like anyone else either. You still have a chance."
Mother Xie immediately nodded: "Son, it's okay. Use your sincerity to win Professor Ye over."
...
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, custom dictates paying New Year's visits, but the Ye family didn't have many relatives, so they skipped that formality.
Father Ye and Mother Ye got up at their usual time. Not seeing Ye Qiusuo come out, they didn't disturb her, making breakfast quietly and waiting for her to get up.
Ye Qiusuo had stayed up late last night finishing some wrap-up work and, for once, slept until eight. When she got up, she saw missed calls from Rong Shiyun on her phone. Checking WeChat, she found it had been bombarded by her too, along with some New Year's greetings from students.
An hour ago, Rong Shiyun had sent a photo of fireworks from last night, sharing it with her.
Ye Qiusuo first replied to the students' messages, then got to Rong Shiyun.
Ye Qiusuo: Looks nice.
Rong Shiyun immediately sent a message back: Where have you been? Not answering my calls on New Year's Day?
Ye Qiusuo: Was sleeping.
Rong Shiyun: Incredible. Our Professor Ye actually slept in. By the way, let me show you our Zai Zai's charming side. Seriously, our Zai Zai has been working really hard on fan service lately. Be nicer to him, don't assign too much homework.
Soon, Rong Shiyun sent over a GIF. It was the scene from yesterday where Xie Xi silently said "Happy New Year" to the camera.
Ye Qiusuo clicked on the GIF. Stunned by the look in his eyes directed at her, it took her a moment to see Rong Shiyun's follow-up message.
Rong Shiyun: How is it? Does it feel like he's saying it directly to you?
Ye Qiusuo frowned: To me?
Rong Shiyun: It's just a metaphor. When Zai Zai looks into the camera like that, for us watching, it's as if he's saying it to each one of us personally. Our fan groups and super topics are going crazy. Zai Zai is so earnest when he does fan service, even his gaze is lethal. Wuwuwu, it's too much. It really feels like Zai Zai grew up overnight.
Professor Ye clicked on the GIF again. Looking into Xie Xi's eyes, she felt Rong Shiyun's description wasn't wrong.
Looking at it this way, she too felt Xie Xi was saying Happy New Year to her.
