Yan Xi opened her phone to find the top trending hashtag on Weibo: "Zhou Corporation Offers Free Movie Tickets to All Employees."
A question mark popped up in Yan Xi’s head.
Why was this even trending?
She clicked into the post and saw that the official Weibo account of Zhou Corporation had announced that all employees would be treated to a screening of the movie Crazy Summer & Winter. The post itself was unremarkable, but Zhou Yanci had reposted it with an added comment: "My girlfriend invested in this film. Must support."
The comment section exploded—
["Girlfriend??"]
["Wait, I saw Xingyao listed among the investors—so is the girlfriend Yan Xi?"]
["AHHHHH THEY FINALLY CONFIRMED IT!"]
["Our Zhou-Yan ship is REAL~ I knew it!"]
["SweetieBigFan has been saying it was true all along! Y’all just didn’t believe her!"]
["But this is an official announcement! Gotta screenshot this for posterity!"]
["Front-row screenshot +1"]
["President Zhou is so busy flexing his girlfriend that he forgot his little sister is also in the movie!"]
["LMAO prioritizing love over family~"]
["I always thought the young miss and President Zhou didn’t get along, but somehow they do? Hilarious."]
...
Yan Xi was torn between laughter and exasperation. Zhou Yanci’s "look-at-my-girlfriend" post alone wouldn’t have caused such a stir—but then, someone followed suit.
The official Weibo account of Pei Group also announced free movie tickets for employees. Pei Hanli reposted it with the caption: "My girlfriend stars in this film. Must support."
["!!!!!"]
["ANOTHER OFFICIAL COUPLE ANNOUNCEMENT?!"]
["AHHHH Pei Hanli finally did it!"]
["On The Journey, Pei Hanli kept staring at Zhou Qingyu—his eyes were practically glued to her! Knew there was something going on!"]
["I thought the young miss would be harder to win over, but he actually succeeded! Congrats!!"]
["And now Pei’s showing off too!"]
["Feels like they’re competing over who can flex their girlfriend harder—like two kindergarteners…"]
["It’s the first day of Lunar New Year, and I haven’t even eaten dumplings yet, but I’m already stuffed on dog food…"]
...
It wasn’t just Zhou Corporation and Pei Group—even the Lu family joined in. Their official Weibo invited all employees to watch the movie, but the reposts from the Lu family members were the real bombshell.
Lu Wanning: "My little sister invested in this film. Must support!!!"
Lu Beiyu: "My second sister invested in this film. Must support!!!"
Lu’s Father & Mother: "Our daughter invested in this film. Must support!!!"
["Wait… what’s happening?"]
["Did the Lu family find their missing youngest daughter?"]
["What’s the tea? Someone explain!"]
["The Lu family lost their youngest daughter years ago—Lu Beiyu mentioned it on The Journey!"]
["They found her? Who is it?"]
["We know Yan Xi is an orphan and also an investor in Crazy…"]
["HOLY CRAP? No way, what a coincidence!"]
["Today’s gossip is too much—I’m gonna explode from all these revelations on New Year’s Day!"]
["Wow, this is straight out of a drama!"]
...
Crazy Summer & Winter had modest buzz compared to other Lunar New Year releases, but with the "Big Three" of Haicheng all promoting it—plus three major bombshells—the film’s popularity skyrocketed.
While netizens were busy digesting the drama, curiosity grew: "Is the movie actually good?"
The first wave of viewers began posting reviews, which quickly spread thanks to the trending hashtags.
["Absolutely incredible! I cried so hard—Crazy is hands down the best film of the year!"]
["Director Wei nailed it. This could go down in cinematic history!"]
["I was bawling—so were my parents. Not in a tragic way, just pure emotional impact. Must-watch!"]
["The movie was fantastic, but the real shocker was Zhou Qingyu’s acting. A total 180! Her cello performance scene? She looked like a fairy!"]
["Right?! Zhou Qingyu’s acting in this is on another level—nothing like before!"]
["I’m low-key devastated she quit the industry!"]
【In short, "Crazy" is super good—everyone must go watch it!】
...
Online buzz continued to grow, and more and more people learned that "Crazy" was an excellent film. Compared to the novel, this time the word-of-mouth praise for "Crazy" spread even faster.
Yan Xi knew this was partly due to her and Zhou Qingyu’s influence, but the most crucial factor was the film’s own high quality.
From the looks of it, "Crazy" might earn even higher box office numbers than in the novel.
Yan Xi was so happy her eyes turned into little gold ingots. Higher box office meant more money—and she had a share in the profits!
Becoming a wealthy woman was just around the corner!
Looking up, she saw another screening had just ended, and Zhou Yanci and Pei Hanli walked out. Both were tall, making them stand out side by side.
Yan Xi tilted her head. "Why are you two here?"
She could’ve gotten them tickets if they’d said something earlier!
Zhou Yanci ruffled Yan Xi’s hair. "Supporting my girlfriend’s movie, of course!"
Pei Hanli nodded. "Supporting my girlfriend."
The system scoffed. 【Unbelievable! The big villain actually succeeded!】
【I thought he’d have to chase the young miss for a while longer before winning her over!】
【Song Zhile must be heartbroken!】
Yan Xi couldn’t help but laugh, and Zhou Yanci chuckled too.
Pei Hanli eyed them suspiciously. "Why do I feel like you two are keeping secrets from me?"
He leaned in. "Hey! We’re practically family—what’s there to hide?"
Zhou Yanci took Yan Xi’s hand and walked ahead.
"We’re family. You? Still just a boyfriend. You’ve got a long way to go."
Pei Hanli frowned, displeased, but after a moment, he suddenly smirked.
"Zhou Yanci, aren’t you just a boyfriend too? Who knows if the Lu family will even accept you? What’s there to gloat about?"
Zhou Yanci: "..."
Ouch.
...
In the premiere hall, Zhou Qingyu bid farewell to the main cast and crew.
She had already left the industry, and as the third female lead, attending the premiere was just a formality. The promotional events afterward were the main team’s responsibility.
Along the way, Zhou Qingyu overheard many fans praising her acting. It was the first time she’d received so much acclaim—it felt amazing!
If anyone dared criticize her acting in the future, she’d just shove "Crazy" in their face! Now she could argue with confidence!
In the theater lobby, Zhou Qingyu spotted Yan Xi and the others.
Yan Xi handed her a bouquet. "Congratulations, superstar!"
Zhou Qingyu happily accepted the flowers.
"You all came!"
"Of course!"
How could they miss the young miss’s first—and last—film?
Zhou Qingyu turned to Zhou Yanci. "Zhou Yanci, you used to oppose me joining the entertainment industry, saying my acting was terrible. Whose acting is terrible now? Didn’t you just watch the movie? I totally stole the show!"
Seeing her smugness, Zhou Yanci didn’t bother arguing. "Yes, yes, your acting is the best."
Zhou Qingyu then looked at Yan Xi. "The Golden Dove Award would be a joke if it didn’t go to me, right?"
Yan Xi laughed. "Best Actress of the Year goes to you!"
Zhou Qingyu knew this was just flattery, but it was fun to hear. Since she’d left the industry anyway, a little exaggeration didn’t hurt.
.
The reputation of "Crazy Summer and Winter" kept spreading, and by the fifth day, it had surpassed all other films to become the top box office hit of the Lunar New Year season.
News of the Lu family reclaiming their youngest daughter also spread far and wide—even Ye Luoyi in Hengdian heard about it.
When Su Lingling visited Ye Luoyi after the New Year and saw the online updates, her eyes widened.
"Yan Xi is actually the Lu family’s youngest daughter? What a crazy coincidence!"
Unlike Su Lingling’s shock, Ye Luoyi felt a sense of closure.
She sent Lu’s Mother a message: 【Congratulations, Godmother, on finding your daughter!】
Lu’s Mother quickly replied: 【Thank you! I heard from Master Zhao that you spent the New Year filming in Hengdian. Take care of yourself!】
Su Lingling peeked at the message.
"Madam Lu is such a kind person."
Ye Luoyi sighed. "She really is."
The Lu family had always been kind to her. Many assumed that Lu's Mother took her in as a goddaughter simply because she saw her as a replacement for her youngest daughter, but Ye Luoyi could sense that Lu's Mother had clear boundaries.
Perhaps it was because Ye Luoyi had helped Lu's Mother on a flight once, and seeing her struggling alone in the entertainment industry, Lu's Mother wanted to lend a hand. The Lu family had also noticed Pei Yubai’s questionable behavior early on, with Lu's Mother even advising her—though at the time, Ye Luoyi hadn’t understood.
Su Lingling suddenly asked, "By the way, have you heard about Pei Yubai’s recent situation?"
Ye Luoyi’s heart skipped a beat. "Pei Yubai… what happened to him?"
"Rumor has it he’s drowning in debt, being chased by loan sharks, and has already fled the country! Good thing you’re no longer involved with him. If you were still together, he’d have dragged you down with him!"
Ye Luoyi stared blankly ahead, feeling as though the past six months had been nothing but a dream.
"Yeah… lucky I left early."
Life was long. Taking a wrong turn didn’t matter—there would always be chances to start anew.
After the New Year, Yan Xi threw herself into a new project. Unbeknownst to her, the timeline in the novel where Zhou Yanci was supposed to die had already passed, and the plot of the story was drifting further and further away from them.
After all, an extra like her was never meant to be part of the main storyline. The world had returned to its peaceful, ordinary state—except for the system that still buzzed around Yan Xi daily, a reminder that the past six months hadn’t been a dream.
Two months ago, SP’s seven-member boy group debuted, with Shen Yi taking the center position and Si Ye narrowly missing first place, landing in second. Over the past two months, Yan Xi had arranged for them to film a variety show and even sent all seven to South Korea for intensive training.
Now, it was time to release the show and meet the fans.
As an idol group with a strong "growth journey" appeal, the hype was immense, and anticipation was sky-high.
On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhaozhao came to Xingyao Entertainment to visit Yan Xi.
She had barely managed to return home for the holidays, but her stay in the country was short. Eager to make the most of her time, she sneaked over to Xingyao to catch a glimpse of the stars.
Before Yan Xi was revealed as the Lu family’s heiress, many online had envied Zhaozhao for being Zhou Qingyu’s best friend.
But Zhaozhao considered herself just as lucky—after all, she was Yan Xi’s roommate! And her roommate just happened to be the CEO of an entertainment company! With so many rising idols and actors orbiting around her, how could Zhaozhao resist the urge to fangirl a little?
Yan Xi had known Zhaozhao was coming and personally went downstairs to greet her. She handed her a temporary staff pass, granting her access to the Xingyao building.
Zhaozhao’s eyes sparkled like copper bells as she took in the sight of idols practicing in the dance studio, singers recording in the sound booth, and actors training in the fitness room…
"Ahhh! Being your roommate is the best! So many celebrities! Are Shen Yi and Si Ye here? I have to go back to school tomorrow—I need their autographs!"
Yan Xi checked the schedule. "They’ll be here later. I’ll make sure they sign for you—they’re all really easygoing."
Zhaozhao hugged her tightly. "Yan Xi, you’re the best!"
As Yan Xi and Zhaozhao chatted, the system occasionally popped up.
It had something to say too.
But after hesitating for a long time, it stayed silent.
The system was leaving.
The "Extra System" was essentially a training phase for newbie systems, helping them familiarize themselves with the mechanics of novel worlds. Once they learned the ropes, they’d be assigned to guide transmigrators through various missions.
When Zhou Qingyu accumulated 100 points of protagonist aura, it also marked the end of the system’s training phase.
Leaving was inevitable.
Still, the system couldn’t help but feel reluctant—after all, Yan Xi was its first host.
But it also knew how useless it had been. Aside from keeping Yan Xi company, it hadn’t contributed much. The fact that Yan Xi managed to gather protagonist aura for Zhou Qingyu was entirely due to her own efforts.
Her host still had work to do today.
Maybe… it was better to leave quietly.
The system was feeling down, quietly crouching in a corner, its tiny hands pinching its round little self and poking at its plump belly.
Yan Xi glanced at her phone. Wen Rou, the manager of SP, had just texted her saying that due to traffic, the SP members would be half an hour late to the company.
They had a recording session for their new song scheduled for today, but now it would have to be delayed by thirty minutes.
Yan Xi asked Qiao Yan to adjust the schedule while calling Lin Zhi over. "Take my friend on a tour. I have something else to take care of."
Zhaozhao was sipping her milk tea and nodded obediently. "Go ahead! I won’t cause any trouble! I’ll leave as soon as I get autographs from Si Ye and Shen Yi!"
Yan Xi walked to the corner and picked up the glowing ball curled into a tiny bundle.
[Host?]
"Come on, let me show you something."
The system was utterly confused but obediently followed Yan Xi.
Inside Xingyao, there was a dedicated screening room where everyone would gather to review new dramas or variety shows before release.
But today, the room held only Yan Xi and the system.
[Host, what are we doing here?]
The projector suddenly lit up, displaying footage from SP’s upcoming group variety show—content that wasn’t supposed to air until next week.
The system’s eyes sparkled instantly, bouncing around in excitement.
[Wow! Isn’t this supposed to be a preview for next week? We get to see it now?!]
Yan Xi smiled. "You get to watch it first!"
[Huh?]
Yan Xi picked up the tablet controlling the screen. "And there’s more—Shen Xinghe’s abs photos, Han Shu’s new album…"
"I also read a lot of novels and compiled guides for system missions—like How to Be an Excellent Redemption System, 108 Moves of a Heartthrob System, Daily Rules for a Gossip System… I don’t know if you’ll need them later, but it’s good to be prepared!"
The system froze. [Host… you knew I was leaving?]
Yan Xi pinched its cheeks. "Do you think I’m stupid? Of course I knew."
Lately, the system had been frequently downcast. Since it was always by Yan Xi’s side, she could guess the reason even without asking.
No system could stay with its host forever.
The end of their journey also meant parting ways.
Truthfully, Yan Xi would miss it, but she couldn’t keep the system forever.
She ruffled the system’s head. "When you’re with your new host, take care of yourself, okay?"
Tears welled up in the system’s eyes as it clung to Yan Xi. [Host! You’re so good to me! I’ve been useless, but you still treated me so well! You even prepared all these things for me!]
"Don’t talk nonsense. How could you be useless?" Yan Xi said seriously. "You helped me so much! Besides, we’re friends. Friendship isn’t measured by usefulness."
The system cried even harder, its tears soaking its little spherical body.
"You won’t be just a background character system anymore, right?" Yan Xi asked. "Our little system is leveling up!"
Wiping its tears, the system beamed. [Yes! I’m going to be a heartthrob system now!]
[I leveled up! I can use the guides you gave me to help my new host! I’ll definitely complete my missions!]
Yan Xi nodded approvingly. "That’s amazing!"
The system dutifully stored all the files Yan Xi had prepared into its database—SP’s variety show footage, the system guides, everything.
Its form began to fade, its glow dimming.
It turned to Yan Xi one last time. [Host, I really have to go now.]
Yan Xi’s eyes reddened, her nose tingling. "Safe travels!"
The system nodded vigorously. [Host, I got a gift pack from leveling up too. I have a present for you!]
"What is it?"
The system winked mischievously. [If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise! But you’ll find out soon!]
With those words, its body dissolved into shimmering particles, vanishing into the air.
Yan Xi knew—it was off to find its next host.
Life is often like this—new journeys bring new encounters, but also partings.
Yet Yan Xi remains happy, grateful to have met the system.
Stepping out of the media room, the SP members had already arrived at Xingyao to record their new song.
Zhaozhao got exactly what she wanted: autographs from every member, each signing for her, along with a group photo.
She was practically over the moon. "This is my soul fuel! Whenever I’m struggling abroad, I can just look at them!"
Graduate school is tough; sometimes you need a little fangirling to keep going~
A knock came at the door, and Lin Zhi entered the office. "President Yan, Miss Qingyu is here at the company."
Yan Xi’s eyes widened. "Qingyu?! Wasn’t she supposed to fly out today?"
Pei Hanli had pulled strings to connect Zhou Qingyu with a renowned cellist, who finally agreed to mentor her—but insisted on meeting today.
Yan Xi had only allowed Zhaozhao to visit Xingyao because she thought Zhou Qingyu wouldn’t be around.
Zhaozhao, however, was thrilled at the news.
"Miss Qingyu is coming? Can I get her autograph too? I adore her! Her role as Li Hua was amazing!"
Yan Xi gave her a pointed look. "Do you remember when you threw shade at me in front of her, accusing me of stealing your boyfriend?"
Zhaozhao froze, then gasped. "That was half a year ago! You still haven’t told her the truth?! What if she thinks I’m here to confront a mistress and decides to end me?!"
Yan Xi shot up from her seat. "You’ve got your autographs—time to go!"
If these two crossed paths now, it’d be a disaster.
Zhaozhao was equally panicked. In Zhou Qingyu’s eyes, she and Yan Xi were romantic rivals!
But the moment they stepped out of the office, they nearly collided with Zhou Qingyu herself, striding toward them in sky-high stilettos.
Yan Xi and Zhaozhao both sucked in a sharp breath.
Yan Xi was at a loss; Zhaozhao immediately ducked behind her.
If things went south, Yan Xi would have to take the heat—no blame on her!
Zhou Qingyu stopped in front of Yan Xi.
Yan Xi stammered, "Weren’t you leaving the country? Why are you back?"
"Something came up." Zhou Qingyu tilted her head, eyeing Zhaozhao behind Yan Xi. "This friend looks familiar. Have we met before?"
Zhaozhao shrank back. "Nope, nope… Just a common face. Must be a mistake…"
"Oh!" Zhou Qingyu snapped her fingers. "You’re Yan Xi’s ‘love rival,’ aren’t you?"
Zhaozhao: !!!
She stepped out from behind Yan Xi, utterly mortified.
Why hadn’t Yan Xi cleared things up? Now she looked like a hypocrite—first trashing Yan Xi as a homewrecker, then shamelessly begging for celebrity autographs! Where was her dignity?
She had pride too, you know!
Both Yan Xi and Zhaozhao were tense, avoiding Zhou Qingyu’s gaze.
Zhou Qingyu studied Zhaozhao, her eyes landing on the stack of autographs in her hands.
"You’re an SP fan?"
"Y-yes!"
"You got Han Shu’s signature but not mine?"
"I wanted to, but—"
Zhaozhao’s head jerked up. "Miss Qingyu! You’d really sign for me?!"
Zhou Qingyu turned to Little Meng. "Grab one of my posters—the Li Hua still from Madness. That one’s gorgeous."
Zhaozhao was ecstatic. "You’re the best! I love Li Hua!"
Little Meng handed over the poster and a marker. As Zhou Qingyu signed, she remarked, "Good taste. I did nail that role."
Little Meng nodded eagerly. "Absolutely! And you looked stunning. Never seen anyone so radiant on screen!"
Zhou Qingyu smirked. "Sweet talker."
"Damn right!"
"Want a selfie?"
"Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes!"
Zhaozhao had completely forgotten about previously conspiring with Yan Xi to deceive Zhou Qingyu. A beautiful sister willing to take photos together—what a wonderful thing!
She instantly pushed Yan Xi aside and happily posed for pictures with Zhou Qingyu.
Yan Xi: ???
Wasn’t this situation developing a bit strangely?
Although Zhou Qingyu wasn’t angry with her anymore about the earlier incident, her attitude was way too friendly! Yan Xi had never even given her an explanation in the end!
After getting the autograph, Zhaozhao left utterly satisfied—this trip to Xingyao had been absolutely perfect.
Yan Xi cautiously sidled up to Zhou Qingyu. "About that matter… you’re really not mad at me anymore?"
Zhou Qingyu looked at Yan Xi, her eyes unexpectedly reddening.
She took a deep breath. "The car accident… did it hurt?"
Yan Xi blinked in confusion. "What car accident?"
She was perfectly healthy, and Master Zhao’s driving skills were excellent—what car accident was she talking about?
Then, suddenly, Yan Xi remembered a conversation she’d had with the system a long time ago.
—"In the dream, I only saw the novel’s plot. What about me?"
—[You went to find Zhou Qingyu and got into a car accident on the way, ending up in a vegetative state.]
Yan Xi stared fixedly at Zhou Qingyu.
She hadn’t expected that the final gift the system left her would be this.
Her eyes welled up as she looked at Zhou Qingyu, shaking her head. "It didn’t hurt. I woke up before experiencing that part."
Yet Zhou Qingyu’s heart still ached. She tightly grasped Yan Xi’s hand.
"That’s good."
When she’d dreamed of the novel’s plot, she’d been worried—it was a car accident, after all. Being hit by a car, ending up a vegetable, her spine shattered… How painful must that have been?
Yan Xi’s tears swirled in her eyes before she stubbornly blinked them back, chiding, "You skipped your overseas study opportunity just to ask me this? What a waste! It was such a great chance!"
Zhou Qingyu shrugged. "Didn’t you give up your exchange program abroad because of me too? It’s fine. There’ll be other opportunities."
Studying the cello abroad was indeed important.
But on the way to the airport, during a short nap in the car, Zhou Qingyu had dreamed of her past life. All the mysteries and deceptions suddenly made sense.
Some things were just… more important.
