Starlight Descends - 42

Possibility

---

The air itself seemed to stop moving for two whole seconds.

Yu Jiashu froze for the briefest moment. The change in his expression was subtle, but unmistakable.

Qi Yao: "..."

She'd already said she didn't want to tell him. He was the one who kept pushing.

Pressing her lips together, ears burning red, she bent slightly and slipped out from beneath his arm with practiced agility. Hugging the stuffed toy, she retreated to the sofa, as if reaching some kind of safety zone, and looked at him across the breakfast bar. After a brief pause, she forcefully changed the subject.

"So what did you actually want to see me about today?"

Eyes lowered, Yu Jiashu finally succeeded in pulling a paper towel out. He leaned against the bar and carefully wiped each finger clean one by one.

Normally, he'd have replied with something insufferable like, "Can't I see you without a reason?" or "Do I need an excuse to take you to dinner?" But he wasn't exactly in the mood right now.

"In about ten minutes, you're going to get a call."

Yu Jiashu didn't look at her. He kept rubbing his fingers with the tissue, then crumpled it and tossed it into the trash. Maybe it was the lighting, but a faint flush seemed to cover the tips of his ears.

"You'll know when it comes."

Qi Yao nodded. "Oh."

And that was the end of the conversation.

One standing, one sitting, they occupied the same spacious room that somehow felt far too small, each nursing their own complicated emotions.

The awkwardness spread, inch by inch.

The moment it went quiet, all she could see in her mind were those characters, pinned to the top of his chat list.

Heartless Kitty Who Dumped Me. 

He looked like such a normal person. What on earth went through his head all day?

Unconsciously, Qi Yao toyed with the button on the little bear's overalls, nearly yanking the strap off. Finally, unable to bear the atmosphere any longer, she went searching for a topic.

"That video today. Was that your little sister?"

Only after a long pause did Yu Jiashu seem to snap back to reality. He pulled a bottle of soda from the refrigerator and gave a quiet hum.

"Different mothers."

Qi Yao made a soft sound, carefully not touching that sensitive subject. "She's adorable. Her name's Yu Qiuqiu?"

"Qiuqiu's her nickname. She was born in autumn."

After a moment's thought, Yu Jiashu put the soda back in the fridge and grabbed a room-temperature bottle from the cabinet instead. Walking over slowly, he added, "I forgot her actual name."

Qi Yao: "..."

Impressive.

"So what's your nickname?" she asked suddenly, intrigued. "Yu Dongdong?"

"..."

Yu Jiashu handed her the opened bottle. He held it together for two seconds, then lost it and laughed, amusement glittering openly in his eyes.

"Do you have an addiction to cutesy ABB names or something?"

Bai Pangpang. Zhou Niuniu. Yu Qiuqiu.

So cute.

Offended at the mockery, Qi Yao pursed her lips and spoke without thinking. "Still better than your system. Weird idioms plus little animals."

Yu Jiashu had been bending forward to sit. He froze mid-motion, stuck in place.

The air went quiet again.

A stunning silence.

Qi Yao: "..."

Her scalp prickled. She nearly ripped the button clean off the little bear's overalls.

No, wait, listen, I can explain.

I didn't mean to say that!

Yu Jiashu paused for only a second before settling onto the sofa, his expression hidden beneath lowered lashes. His long fingers fiddled with his phone. "Fine."

"I'll change Zhou Qi to Loudmouth Little Yellow Ox right now. And Da Bai to Black-Framed Glasses Polar Bear. Then you won't be special anymore."

"...Don't."

Qi Yao's mouth opened. Something in his wording caught her off guard. Her lashes fluttered. She dropped her gaze, hesitating for a moment, then said softly.

"If you change the idiom part in front of mine, I won't hold it against you.”

Hold it against him?

Yu Jiashu laughed. "Change it to what?"

Qi Yao didn't know either. She thought for a moment but said nothing.

How could she suggest something like that herself? Saying it out loud would sound like she was singing her own praises. Too embarrassing.

Yu Jiashu watched her for a beat, then drawled, as if reminiscing. "Radiant beauty? Stunning beauty?"

"Or maybe heavenly-beauty, human-Ideal?"

"...Stop talking!"

The sudden ringtone of her phone arrived like a savior, interrupting his endless recitation.

The screen showed an unfamiliar number.

Connecting it to his earlier cryptic remark, Qi Yao glanced at him. The man sprawled across the sofa still wore traces of a smile, looking thoroughly relaxed and carefree. He lifted his chin slightly, signaling for her to answer.

"Hello?"

She looked so well-behaved taking the call. Lashes lowered, back straight, expression earnest. Every so often she'd respond with a soft "mm," as if the person on the other end were standing right in front of her.

The living room was quiet. Faint fragments of conversation drifted through the air.

Yu Jiashu just sat there, watching her answer in that soft, gentle way. A few sentences in, her peach blossom eyes suddenly, uncontrollably, flew wide open. She instinctively looked toward him.

His expression had settled back into calm. That teasing, irreverent mirth had receded, replaced by something deeper. He watched her for a moment, then rose and went to the study, returning with a bag and a document.

Qi Yao had just hung up. She sat there, dazed, her peach blossom eyes wide, her pale lips slightly parted, staring at him as though she couldn't believe what was happening.

After a long while, she finally spoke in stunned disbelief.

"...I got the Fengxing endorsement."

As she spoke, her phone was still clutched in her hand, suspended in front of her. She'd forgotten to put it down.

She really looked like a startled kitten with huge round eyes.

Yu Jiashu lowered his gaze to hide his smile. "Yeah."

He pushed the document in front of her. The words "Endorsement Contract" and the Fengxing logo stood prominently on the front page.

"I know."

"...It's really me?"

Qi Yao glanced at it, still submerged in the moment the gentle female voice on the phone had told her she'd been chosen as the face of the Fengxing X-11 series. 

The whole thing felt unreal. She furrowed her brow, confirming again and again.

"My public image lately..." She paused, searching for an appropriate description, though no adequate word quite captured the absurd disaster she'd been dragged into. "Hasn't been exactly great."

This was Fengxing.

The company who would terminate a contract the instant an artist said something inappropriate. Fengxing, who valued reputation above all else.

Yu Jiashu didn't comment on her words. He simply arched an eyebrow, his dark pupils fixed on her.

After a long silence, he finally seemed to relent and sat up straighter.

"Miss Qi Yao."

His expression softened slightly. Fingers interlaced, he leaned forward, elbows resting loosely on his knees. For the first time, he addressed her with complete formality.

His voice was certain, his expression calm. As if this outcome were a foregone conclusion, something that had never once been in doubt.

"We believe you're a newcomer of immense innovation and creative capacity. Your scores in both interviews were among the highest, and your response during the crisis situation was fast, effective, and impressive."

"Among hundreds of candidates, you were the only one who relied entirely on yourself. You took the time to truly understand an unfamiliar brand, avoided clichés and conventional thinking, and presented your ideas with sincerity and genuine effort."

"You may not know this, but during the standard public-image evaluations, your reputation and likability among general audiences ranked far surpassed others. Even among our internal interviewers, your sincerity and professional ability scored significantly above the second place candidate."

"Just like what you said in the final interview." Yu Jiashu held out a pen, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes, his pupils dark.

"We think you're absolutely worthy of it."

"Fengxing believes you possess limitless possibilities."

***

"Babe, you're amazing! Oh my god! That's Fengxing! The golden ticket so many people dream of! Never mind the money, your professional standing and visibility are going to jump through the roof!"

On the other end, Ye Qingman was stamping her feet with excitement. She fought to control herself but still couldn't help shrieking.

"You're incredible! I want to set off fireworks to celebrate! Ahhhh!"

Qi Yao smiled too. Listening to her friend's increasingly bizarre noises, she lowered her head and replied to Qiu Lang's messages.

When Fengxing notified her, they had notified the company side at the same time.

At the time, Qiao Nian had been busy lecturing a young artist who refused to accept a fourth-female-lead role. Already furious, she'd spent half an hour celebrating after receiving the news, thrown several large red-envelope bonuses into the team chat, and then become even angrier the moment she looked at the ambitious yet incompetent rookie she'd been managing.

Even Qiu Lang had personally called her.

He'd said a bunch of polished things about how he'd never doubted her. 

Then he sent her an enormous red packet. Qi Yao claimed it without hesitation.

[1]: thanks boss

The reply came quickly.

"You're welcome. You're one of the company's heroes."

"Are you free this Saturday? I thought we could grab dinner before you join a production after the New Year."

Qi Yao asked, "Is it to celebrate? Some people on the team might not be available."

Lizi's mother had fallen ill recently, Qi Yao had told her to stay home and take care of her properly. Qiao Nian was busy taking artists to auditions. They probably couldn't all get together.

The typing indicator appeared for several seconds. Then, after a moment.

Qiu Lang: "No."

"Just the two of us."

Her fingertips paused.

A strange feeling rose inside her.

Qi Yao's instincts in these matters had always been sharp. After thinking it over, she found a convenient excuse and declined.

Qiu Lang didn't push it, just told her to take the follow-up shoots and public appearances seriously, sounding every bit like a capitalist boss issuing orders.

"What can I say, you've got a Fengxing endorsement. By extension, I've got one too."

Ye Qingman was still propping her chin on her hand, daydreaming. "God, I can't even imagine. Your ads playing before variety shows, massive billboards hanging in shopping malls. Life-size standees everywhere."

"Ahhhhhhh, you're gonna be a top star!"

"Okay, okay." Qi Yao laughed at her antics. "Stop daydreaming. One endorsement doesn't make someone a top star."

"Can't a girl just enjoy imagining the future? It's only a matter of time anyway." Ye Qingman flipped her hair, suddenly thought of something. "But why didn't he tell you himself? You were literally sitting right there. Why make someone else call you?"

Qi Yao lowered her eyes and pulled a box from the bag. "I asked him that too."

The plastic wrap sealed the outer shell. She carefully tore it open from the corner and took out the brand-new phone.

The contract stipulated that as an official spokesperson, she'd need to use the endorsed product in public appearances and on social media. Fengxing had given her one to test out in advance.

"What did he say?" Ye Qingman asked curiously.

"He said..."

Qi Yao lowered her eyes and powered on the phone. What surfaced in her mind was the image of Yu Jiashu, sitting there with that careless air, looking up at her.

The setting sun outlined his handsome profile in soft gold. The usual coldness around his features had relaxed. His pupils were dark, his jawline sharp, but his whole expression had softened.

He looked at her for a moment. Then, with a seriousness that bordered on solemnity, he spoke quietly.

"Because I didn't want you to think I secretly pulled strings for you. Or used some convenient connection to get you through."

"You accomplished this entirely on your own."

"You're the most sincere and courageous princess in the world."

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, vast stretches of sunset clouds painted the sky pink and violet.

Her heart pounded. Car horns blared, now distant, now close, indistinct. Qi Yao sat frozen as he called her name with complete sincerity.

"Qi Yao."

"No matter whether it's in someone else's eyes... or mine."

Yu Jiashu looked up at her. His narrow, long eyes shimmered with scattered starlight.

Word by word, he said softly:

 

"You're better than everyone else."

---

← Previous | Table of Contents | Next →

0