#YeLinFollowsYanMan# quickly shot to the top of the trending list.

In the popular Weibo posts, Ye Lin’s fans maintained strict control over the narrative.

[It’s just Teacher Ye taking care of the trainees and encouraging the champion~ Let’s not forget that this top-tier actor, with three Best Actor awards under his belt, has just wrapped up his latest project!]

The CP (couple) fans were also considerate enough not to disturb.

Since the rise of the Yan-Ye CP fandom, the relationship between the two fanbases had become quite delicate.

The subtlety lay in the fact that while solo fans naturally didn’t want their idols paired up in fictional romances, given the current state of the industry, they couldn’t exactly dictate others’ preferences. Besides, CP fans often boosted both sides’ data, showing genuine love for Ye Lin as well.

Moreover, if solo fans clashed with CP fans whenever the two actors appeared together, it would create a negative impression for casual viewers and tarnish the reputation of the top-tier star.

Considering all these factors, several influential fans in Ye Lin’s “Bell Circle” community called for focusing on their own idol and refraining from picking fights. If emotions got too overwhelming, they could vent within private groups.

Of course, respect was mutual.

Ye Lin’s major fans understood the importance of respecting boundaries, and the leaders of the Yan-Ye CP fandom responded politely. If they noticed any topics where solo fans had already taken the lead, they urged CP fans not to intrude unnecessarily, giving Ye Lin’s solo fans some breathing room.

After all, if things escalated into a full-blown fight, both sides were capable of causing chaos, which would ruin everyone’s fan experience.

Being online is supposed to be fun, right?

Yan Man’s solo fans mirrored her easygoing nature—so long as it didn’t harm Yan Man, they didn’t mind anything else.

Naturally, there were always a few unruly fans who couldn’t resist stirring trouble, but under the guidance of the major fans controlling the narrative, those minor disputes were quickly forgotten amidst the rapid tides of the internet.

It wasn’t exactly harmony, but both sides left enough space for each other to coexist peacefully, making their online surfing experience smoother.

When Yan Man saw the trending topic, she had just finished shooting an advertisement.

Holding her phone, she hesitated for a moment about whether or not to follow him back when Simon suddenly dashed over, his face brimming with excitement. “Director Ke Qing wants to shoot a short anthology series and reached out to us!”

Yan Man immediately looked up. “Ke Qing of To the Surging Moments ?”

“Yes, the super talented one!” Simon exclaimed. “She’s currently working on an anthology series and asked if you’d be interested in participating. It’ll take about seven days to film.”

“Of course, I’m in,” Yan Man replied without hesitation. “Go ahead and confirm it.”

Simon raised an eyebrow. “You’re not even asking about the pay?”

“I’d do it even without payment.”

Ke Qing was one of the most outstanding female directors in the industry, known for her ability to portray nuanced female characters. Collaborating with her was an honor many dreamed of.

“The custom drama script is still being written, so I have time,” Yan Man explained. “As long as no other projects have started filming, push any acting opportunities like this my way—I’ll participate if I can.”

Consider it accumulating experience.

She was the sole follower of the custom drama’s official Weibo account, and in recent days, audiences had flooded in, practically shouting out every male actor in the domestic entertainment scene.

Who would ultimately be cast as the male lead? Even she was curious.

Thus, the trending topic was interrupted, and soon Yan Man dived into her next job, completely forgetting about the热搜.

________________________________________

Inside Ye Lin’s RV.

The man emerged from the shower, dressed and composed.

The RV continued its smooth journey, but his agent’s expression resembled someone witnessing the sky collapsing.

Bi Tan pointed at his phone, his voice trembling. “...Ye Lin, what is this?”

Ye Lin glanced down briefly before calmly averting his gaze.

This time, the man didn’t try to deny anything.

People who stubbornly stick to their habits often fall into their own patterns. Only now did he realize something important.

He said, “If you liked someone, what would you do?”

Bi Tan didn’t expect him to ask such a question, but his immediate response was, “Pursue her, obviously.”

“Mm.” Ye Lin nodded. “So, as you can see, I’m learning how to pursue her.”

He finally felt a tinge of regret.

If only he had taken the time to understand her better earlier—if he had seen the interesting and gentle soul beneath her beautiful exterior—he might have realized sooner that she was such an adorable girl.

Bi Tan took several minutes to process this revelation, then slowly, very slowly, extended a finger toward his nose to check if he was still breathing.

Ye Lin: “...”

“You’re alive.”

“I’m alive, but how am I witnessing Ye Lin pursuing someone?” Bi Tan found it hard to believe. “Am I hallucinating before death?”

“...”

“Has heaven finally opened its eyes? Has the iron tree blossomed? Is this really happening in reality? My aloof artist, who has ignored countless advances from A-list actresses, is now browsing forums for tips on how to woo a girl?”

Bi Tan decided to buy a lottery ticket later. If even gods could fall in love, maybe there was hope that Ye Lin wouldn’t retire after all?!?!

After a long pause, Bi Tan confirmed, “It’s Yan Man, right?”

“Who else?” Ye Lin scrolled through the forum posts. “Do I have anyone else?”

“True, I’ve suspected something was off about you since the beginning,” Bi Tan shook his head. “If it were any other actress having to film so many intimate scenes with you, you would’ve blown me up the moment I handed you the script.”

“...”

Given their line of work, Bi Tan adapted quickly.

Sitting quietly for a few minutes as the RV continued driving, he finally voiced his thoughts:

“You’ll need to work hard. More and more people are falling for her.”

“...”

Soon, Yan Man received the script for the anthology series.

Her co-star this time was Bian He, a popular actor among the A-listers with a youthful charm and good rapport with audiences.

She assumed their first meeting would be on set, but unexpectedly, they crossed paths at a variety show.

Having filmed numerous studio-based variety shows, Simon had booked her for an outdoor one this time, titled Rapid Burn Time .

Simon explained, “The first two seasons were more brain-teasing, so this season alternates between heartwarming and challenging episodes. The audience seems to enjoy it.”

The variety show revolved around five main MCs, each episode featuring different themes. For Yan Man’s episode, six guests were invited, including herself.

Even before meeting, the group of nearly a dozen people was already buzzing with energy.

Yan Man heard that Bian He was also part of the lineup. As she stepped out of the car, Simon pointed ahead. “See that? The guy in black is him.”

Yan Man nodded. “Looks similar to his photos.”

She had done her homework beforehand and remembered well.

Bian He himself seemed a bit nervous. Spotting her from afar, he stood up but froze, unsure of what to do. It was Yan Man who approached him first.

She extended her hand and smiled. “Hello, I’m Yan Man.”

Bian He raised his hand to shake hers but quickly pulled it back.

Yan Man gave him a puzzled look. She watched as he hastily wiped his palm. “Sorry, my hands are a bit sweaty...”

She and Simon burst out laughing. Simon teased, “Teacher Bian is so amusing.”

Before departure, there was a small physical fitness test segment consisting of basketball, hula hoops, and shuttlecock kicking.

Yan Man excelled in everything except basketball, while Bian He struggled with everything except basketball.

—Then again, he was quite skilled at basketball.

The director’s team mentioned that this test was related to the later filming. Afterward, everyone was a bit tired and rested for a few minutes.

Bian He tapped away on his phone for a while before looking up at Yan Man, seemingly wanting to say something.

Yan Man: “What is it?”

He touched his earlobe. “I posted a Weibo and tagged you.”

Yan Man opened her Weibo and scrolled through the mentions until she found Bian He’s post from a minute ago.

Bian He-Hero: [@Teacher Yan Man’s basketball photo—just the right amount of coolness. [Image]]

The show’s sponsor was a mobile phone brand, so the production team had provided each guest with a new device to capture moments of the others during the activities.

Yan Man had photographed everyone, and coincidentally, her shot of Bian He turned out particularly dynamic. The director praised it, and Bian He himself saved it.

In the industry, it was customary to respond to such posts; otherwise, the person involved might feel awkward. Especially since Bian He had already mentioned it to her.

Yan Man immediately understood. She followed him back and reposted: [Teacher Bian’s slam dunk [thumbs up].]

Instinctively, she wanted to attach a picture—it didn’t feel complete without one. Perhaps because she had scrolled for so long, Bian He suggested, “How about we take a selfie together?”

Yan Man looked up, and Bian He had already switched his phone to selfie mode.

...

Just as they finished posting the selfie, the production team began urging them to board the bus.

The theme for this episode was children in remote mountain villages. They were headed to a secluded rural area to advocate for greater attention to the mental health and well-being of these children.

After a three-hour drive and over an hour of hiking, they finally arrived at their destination.

Once at the school, the MCs began dividing into groups.

Yan Man turned to Bian He: “Our segment focuses on autism, right? How about we join the group with autistic children?”

“That works,” Bian He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’ll help me get into character for the role too.”

One of the MCs reminded them, “But this group might be a bit challenging. If the kids aren’t willing, it might be difficult to interact with them.”

Autism, also known as ASD, manifests in various ways, and children with autism are often referred to as “children of the stars.”

The MCs were considerate, fearing that if the new guests joined and ended up with no lines or substantial scenes due to a lack of interaction, they might feel like they’d wasted their time.

Yan Man nodded. “It’s fine. The experience is more important than screen time.”

And so, the most challenging group was assigned to them, making it easier to divide the rest. Within minutes, everyone headed to their respective rooms to meet some of the more representative children.

When Yan Man entered the room, the children were drawing, gripping half-used oil pastels and scribbling on paper. Upon seeing her enter, none of them made eye contact, and one child even seemed uncomfortable.

She had read through plenty of materials beforehand and knew this was normal. To avoid overwhelming them, there wasn’t even a cameraman in the room—only cameras placed discreetly in the corners.

Yan Man quietly retreated to the far edge of the room, giving them space to be alone.

Noticing extra paper and oil pastels nearby, she broke off a piece and handed it to Bian He.

They sat quietly, drawing alongside the children. After over an hour, Yan Man sensed the atmosphere gradually relaxing.

Suddenly, a child knocked over a cup of water from the table. Their feet were surrounded by drawings, and Yan Man quickly stood up to save the artwork, picking up the papers in an instant.

Thankfully, the drawings weren’t wet, but water dripped down the corner of the table, soaking the hem of her clothes.

She didn’t have time to worry about that. Kneeling halfway on the ground, she leaned forward to match the height of the child sitting on the stool and handed back the drawing.

She spoke softly: “Is this yours?”

Her first guess was correct. The little boy nodded.

This was clearly a rendition of Van Gogh’s Starry Night . She recognized it immediately. The painting was full of spirit, and it was hard to believe it was created by such a young child without formal training.

She couldn’t help but say, “It’s beautiful.”

Meeting the boy’s slightly bewildered gaze, she smiled. “I mean it.”

“When I was your age, I tried painting too. My work was all crooked, and my galaxy was bigger than the houses.”

Perhaps her description was so vivid that the boy pursed his lips and let out a faint smile.

Through observing their drawings, Yan Man began to understand the personalities of the children. While the manifestations of autism varied, they all shared a tendency to isolate themselves in their own spaces.

Yan Man never intended to force them into conversation. Simply watching them draw felt like a gift. Having been busy since entering the industry, she felt an unexpected sense of calm.

Just as she was deeply immersed in admiring their work, the girl she thought would be difficult to approach handed her a tissue.

Yan Man tilted her head. “Hmm? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

The girl shook her head and pointed to the damp edge of her clothing.

Yan Man paused for a moment before realizing and took the tissue to dry it off.

“Thank you.”

After hours of interaction, she felt that these children weren’t much different from ordinary kids. In fact, they were quieter and possessed unique souls, along with talents that surpassed those of many others.

Laughter echoed from outside. Yan Man turned to Bian He: “What’s going on?”

Bian He scratched his head. “It seems they’re organizing a small sports event to give the kids more attention. That physical fitness test earlier was preparation for this.”

The production team was indeed efficient. Within just a few hours, many of the children who had been reluctant to communicate opened up and started playing around the guests.

However, their reluctance to engage differed from what Yan Man observed in her group. Glancing around, she saw that the children in her room were still focused on their drawings, clearly uninterested in the commotion outside.

Bian He asked, “Should we go out?”

“It seems they don’t want to. There’s no need to force them outside—it might make them uncomfortable,” Yan Man replied. “Do you want to go out and play? You can. I’ll stay here.”

She worried about affecting Bian He’s screen time.

But Bian He shook his head and smiled. “I think staying inside is pretty nice too.”

Outside the village, a crowd quickly gathered. Many people drove over from nearby areas to watch the event from outside the school gates.

Even on entertainment forums, hot posts began surfacing. One user expressed their thoughts:

Fast Burn Time was considered a national variety show, and the theme of this episode had been hinted at in advance. Discussions within reasonable limits were allowed by the production team.

Poster: [Haha, they’re competing now! They’re playing hula hoops—it’s quite fun.]

After a few comments, someone asked: [Where’s Yan Man? What’s Manman doing?]

Poster: [I asked the staff—they said it’s okay to share. A friend of mine is inside. Yan Man is interacting with autistic children. She hasn’t come out since she went in.]

[Some guests asked if she wanted to bring the kids out to play, but she said they didn’t want to, so it’s fine.]

[Huh? Does that mean she won’t have any screen time?]

[Probably… But choosing the group with autistic children meant limited screen time anyway.]

[To those who said she’s obsessed with fame, come face death. Even on a high-traffic national variety show, she stays true to herself.]

On the playground outside, filming was in full swing. Without a doubt, this segment would be the highlight of the episode, so all the guests were enthusiastically participating, showcasing their strengths to win fans.

Poster: [Yan Man probably has no screen time. The staff went to call her out, hahaha!]

A few minutes later: [Damn, Yan Man said no thanks—she has something else to do later.]

[After a while, the staff saw on the monitor that everyone outside was laughing and having fun, while she was tiptoeing to help the kids hang their paintings...]

[...Holy crap.]

[Oh my god, this is literally a fairy descending from heaven.]

[Aww, Manman isn’t just a chatterbox—she can also be quiet and gentle.]

[She’s truly considering the autistic children. She didn’t force them into socializing just to showcase her own brilliance. Forcing such interactions, even if edited well later, could harm the kids.]

...

Poster: [They’re almost done filming. Yan Man gave her bracelet to that little girl. Sobbing, she’s so sweet… I was neutral before, but now I’m starting to become a fan.]

[She also said her house needs more wall art and joked that when they grow up, she’ll ask them to paint for her.]

[Stop making me cry!]

By the time filming ended, the post kept updating continuously.

Someone discovered more details: [I checked online—Yan Man just donated one million yuan to establish a charity fund...]

[???]

[Aren’t they eating dinner now?!?]

[Yeah, it was probably arranged during the meal. Will her studio announce it later? I’m so moved—I want to help spread the word.]

[I don’t think her studio will announce it. Knowing her, she probably thinks it’s nothing special...]

[Fan here—I agree. She wouldn’t announce it.]

Poster: [Damn! Just saw a friend’s WeChat Moments post. Yan Man noticed the kids’ crayons were old and bought them new crayons and tracing books… I’m seriously going to cry...]

[Aww, she truly respects their dreams!]

[Legacy, this is legacy TAT]

[She didn’t just support her own group. The production team bought new backpacks, but only she noticed that many kids had worn-out shoes. She contacted a store in town to measure everyone and get them new shoes later.]

[Winter’s coming soon...]

[Stop messing with my tear ducts!!!]

[Manman seems playful and carefree, but she’s actually very gentle and attentive.]

[If she weren’t gentle, she wouldn’t handle such delicate emotions so well. She’s truly a treasure.]

...

The thread slowly quieted down after several hours but had already amassed over 2,000 replies. Many were moved by her actions and spontaneously donated money or clothes.

During dinner, Yan Man opened Weibo for a quick look.

She couldn’t eat too much—she’d indulged during the hot pot banquet earlier. She ate some salad and planned to kill time.

Upon opening Weibo, she saw quite a few likes and comments. Only then did she remember that she had reposted Bian He’s tweet a few hours ago.

Bian He’s traffic wasn’t as high as Ye Lin’s, so it hadn’t trended, but the comment section was lively.

What Yan Man didn’t know, however, was that at this very moment, a black Porsche was driving down the cement road leading into the village.

Inside the car, Ye Lin reopened that photo.

Had he not randomly scrolled across it this afternoon and noticed that the only person Yan Man had recently followed was Bian He, he wouldn’t have realized the crisis that had suddenly emerged.

For the first time in his usually composed life, a trace of something akin to panic surfaced.

“You’ve looked at it thirty-six thousand seven hundred eighty-one times now,” Bi Tan yawned. “Still not enough?”

Through blurry, teary eyes, Bi Tan refocused and realized something he hadn’t noticed before: in the photo, both Yan Man and Bian He were making a thumbs-up gesture, matching the caption.

Bi Tan teased sarcastically, his tone exaggerated: “Oh~ Thumbs up, huh~”

Ye Lin coldly remarked, “You’re good at singing falsetto?”

Bi Tan: “Yep.”

“…”

Bi Tan gazed out the window and sighed. “It’s been years since we’ve been back here. This road still seems to be the one you funded.”

Ye Lin had filmed a movie here before and visited this school. Hearing that the mountain children’s commute to school was difficult, he funded the construction of this road. The village head had suggested naming it after him, but Ye Lin declined, opting for a regular name instead.

Yet today, after casually scrolling through Weibo for three hours, they found themselves back here.

Beside him, Ye Lin was still browsing the posts he had bookmarked last night.

[The first step in pursuing someone: If there was a past connection between the two of you and you want to rekindle it, remember to maintain a sense of propriety.]

[What does propriety mean? Some men fail in their pursuit because they rush things when the two aren’t close. But if there’s history, failure becomes even worse—don’t act recklessly.]

[So, our approach is divided into three steps.]

[Step one: Don’t overtly reveal your intentions. This stage of pursuit is called ‘nourishing silently.’ Casually appear by her side and provide subtle care—prepare things she mentioned liking in passing. But remember! Don’t make it too obvious—it might cause aversion!]

[If step one goes smoothly and she starts getting used to your gestures, you can move to step two.]

[Step two: Still, don’t suddenly confess. This is preparation for step three.]

[Step two focuses on exclusivity and favoritism…]

The advanced content wasn’t relevant yet, so Ye Lin turned off the screen, intending to review step one.

But as the screen went dark, the reflection revealed Bi Tan’s face, engrossed in watching.

Ye Lin: “….”

He turned his head. Bi Tan pretended to hum innocently and looked out the window.

Bi Tan kept up the act for a while until he felt the oppressive, salary-deducting gaze finally leave.

Ten more minutes passed as the car entered the mountain road, growing darker. The earlier excitement faded, and Bi Tan felt a wave of emotion.

On second thought, he was genuinely grateful to Yan Man. Without her, he would never have witnessed such a rare spectacle or seen this side of Ye Lin.

For the first time, he felt that Ye Lin—the mythic Ye Lin admired by all, the Ye Lin who poured all his emotions into his roles—was finally beginning to live for himself.

…

Ye Lin had participated in this show before, so with a casual inquiry, he learned where their dinner gathering was taking place.

The man pushed open the wooden door, walking briskly straight inside.

His coat fluttered slightly as he quickened his pace.

Yan Man happened to step out at that moment, planning to use the restroom. Turning with her phone in hand, she saw, under dim lighting, a man with tightly pursed lips.

If shock had a pitch, hers would have cracked.

“…??”

Yan Man parted her lips, taking ten seconds to process: “Real person? …Ye Lin?”

Confirming it was indeed Ye Lin standing before her, she was momentarily speechless.

“Did you switch to horror films?”

“…”

Yan Man exclaimed in astonishment: “Why are you here? Are you filming?”

“No,” the man took two steps closer. “I’m here to ask a question.”

She furrowed her brows, pondering for a moment before hazarding a guess: “About me?”

“Yes.”

Still processing his sudden appearance, she asked in confusion: “What?”

“Your Weibo…”

The man’s throat felt dry. Swallowing, he leaned in and asked, “Why didn’t you follow me back?”