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Psst! We're moving!
Yan Man turned her head to see Ye Lin leaning slightly forward.
At the same time, Bian He had also leaned out to look at her.
She tried her best to ignore the collective excitement of the production team and parted her lips. “I was going to say something about the butterfly...”
She extended her left hand to point ahead, but the butterfly, startled, flapped its wings twice and flew away.
There was another brief silence.
She looked down at Ye Lin’s fingers still gripping her wrist.
He hadn’t let go yet.
[He’s panicking! He’s afraid his wife will run away!]
[In my lifetime, I never thought I’d hear Ye Lin say something like this...]
[Don’t choose him, choose me! AHHHHH SO DREAMY, KILL ME!]
Finally, the second actress chuckled while holding back laughter. “Why don’t you three go together? I’ll do the task alone—I’ve always wanted to ride that single-person yellow duck.”
[Production team rejoices: Ratings are here!]
[Female actress rejoices: No need to find a teammate with one foot in and one foot out!]
[Ye Lin rejoices: Wife secured √!]
And so, the three of them were grouped together and boarded the largest kayak.
The two men got on first, almost landing at the same time, and simultaneously turned to help her aboard. But before they could extend their hands, Yan Man had already grabbed the railing and stepped onto the boat smoothly, stamping her feet lightly.
“Why are you just standing there?” she said. “We can get going!”
“...”
The first task was to find bottles floating on the water. Each bottle contained different clues for the day. After examining a few, Yan Man said, “The yellow bottles are empty, the blue ones have fake clues, and the transparent ones are useful.”
“Let me check,” Bian He compared them for a long time before saying, “You’re right. We only need to look for the transparent bottles.”
For some reason, the front of the kayak where Ye Lin sat started leaking. He worked with the boat handler to fix it while Yan Man sat at the back, searching for bottles. Suddenly, Bian He said, “You’re wearing red again today.”
She glanced down. Indeed, she was wearing a red midi skirt. “Yeah, why?”
Bian He replied, “The first time I saw you, you were wearing red too.”
“Where?”
Bian He pursed his lips, looking slightly nervous. “Do you remember that photo?”
Yan Man racked her brain. She had worn so many dresses that she couldn’t recall immediately. “Which one?”
Bian He lit up his phone and showed her his wallpaper. “It was after Fusheng Jiunian wrapped. You took a set of photos in a bell tower wearing a red dress. It got forwarded a lot at the time.”
On the screen was the viral photo of Yan Man bending down to adjust her heel.
[Wallpaper! Did no one notice he has this as his wallpaper?!]
[OMG, crow’s mouth! So Bian He really has feelings for Yan Man?!]
[Oh no, everyone, we casually joked earlier, but didn’t expect an actual rival...]
“Oh, I remember now,” Yan Man said. “Is that when you first noticed me?”
“Actually, before that, I think I saw you twice at a film studio, but it was from far away,” he said softly, laughing lightly. “That’s when I started following you.”
[I shall call it teenage boy crush.]
[#Congratulations to Bian He for successfully fangirling over Yan Man!#]
[Nice, keep talking. Make Ye Lin jealous, you dog.]
Hearing this, Yan Man couldn’t help but reflect. “I feel like I’ve encountered so many people at film studios. Later, quite a few artist friends told me they’d seen me before, but I didn’t know anything back then.”
They chatted a bit more, and the camera turned to Ye Lin.
The man glanced back. His bangs fluttered in the wind, making his expression hard to read.
The chat couldn’t resist chiming in: [I’m working here, and you’re flirting behind my back?]
After scooping up another transparent bottle, the icy water made Yan Man instinctively pull her hand back.
“I’ll open it,” Bian He offered.
After flattening the note inside, Bian He continued chatting. Suddenly, loud banging noises came from the front.
The camera zoomed in. Ye Lin was bent over, hammering something, the sound echoing deafeningly.
For a moment, even the wind seemed muted.
[I’M GONNA SINK THE BOAT AND SEE HOW YOU GUYS KEEP TALKING.]
[Hahahahahahahaha.]
[Bian He! Don’t take advantage of the situation!]
Hearing the noise, Yan Man couldn’t help but walk over, curious. “What are you doing? It’s so loud. Haven’t you fixed it yet?”
“It’s done,” Ye Lin tossed the tool aside. “Go sit back down.”
[? That’s it?]
[Angry baby, needs his wife to comfort him.]
[Comfort him, wife! COMFORT HIM!! YE LIN!! AS A TOP STAR, DO YOU HAVE ANY PRIDE LEFT?!]
The two returned to their seats. Yan Man picked up the note and analyzed the current clues. “So, the shortest route is to the left. The person we’re looking for is wearing black. The first team to arrive gets an extra clue—”
Just as she spoke, she sneezed.
Bian He: “Are you cold?”
“A little,” Yan Man said. “It’s windy here, and I’m not dressed warmly enough.”
Female artists in winter aren’t allowed the luxury of dressing like bears.
After a moment’s thought, Bian He stood up and moved to block the wind, unzipping his down jacket.
Seeing Yan Man’s slightly surprised gaze, he smiled awkwardly. “Let me shield you from the wind.”
[Nice, Bian He scores one point.]
[Little Jia Bei has a touch of romance.]
But in the next second, Ye Lin had already taken off his long down jacket and placed it on her.
“Wear it.”
[WHAT?? He just took it off??]
[Alright, I declare Ye Lin the winner.]
[I pick Ye Lin, I pick Ye Lin!!!]
[Millions of people choosing passionately online, not knowing there isn’t a single man in real life.]
[Don’t insult us like that!]
The boat had no windows, and the wind rushed in from all sides, growing even more relentless.
As the wind tousled her hair, Yan Man’s first reaction was to part it. “Aren’t you cold?”
“Not cold,” he said. “I was actually feeling hot just now.”
[He’s been a virgin for 23 years, and now his fire is burning strong!!!]
Still hesitating, Yan Man watched as Ye Lin pulled back the sleeve of his jacket, gesturing for her to put her hand inside.
“You’ll catch a cold if you don’t wear it,” he said.
With no choice, Yan Man slipped it on and placed her hand inside. The man adjusted the shoulder seam and helped her pull out the other sleeve.
“This side.”
The chat noticed something odd:
[Is he helping his wife change clothes?]
[...Looks like it.]
“It’s fine, I can wear it myself,” Yan Man quickly stood up, zipped up the jacket, and sat back down.
“You sit inside,” Yan Man said. “It’s less windy there.”
Thankfully, Yan Man summarized quickly, avoiding many useless clues. Ten minutes later, they finally disembarked and headed into a restaurant to prepare for lunch.
Yan Man first asked the owner for a few cups of hot water. As the camera panned past, it briefly captured the hem of Ye Lin’s coat.
[His heat is fake! That hoodie is just a two-in-one fake layer!! His hands are already red from the cold!!]
Fortunately, the air conditioning inside was on, and everyone warmed up quickly. Yan Man took off her coat.
The other guests arrived later, following the task clues, and it was already an hour later when they finally found the restaurant.
By this time, there weren’t many dishes left, and many dishes were missing ingredients. After some thought, Bian He suggested, “Why don’t we cook ourselves?”
Yan Man: “Do you know how to cook?”
“Yes,” Bian He said, eyeing the kitchen area. “I see there are ingredients over there. Let’s do it ourselves—ordering might not even get us anything.”
“Alright,” another male artist chimed in. “Xiao Bian, show us your skills.”
Soon, for the sake of the show’s entertainment value, those who knew how to cook began chopping vegetables, while the others washed and prepared the ingredients.
Bian He took out a carrot, sliced it diagonally a few times, then cut it horizontally into thin slices. With meticulous precision, he arranged them on a plate and showed Yan Man. “Look, carrot petals.”
Yan Man glanced at it—it really did look like petals. Her hands paused scrubbing potatoes as she nudged the actress beside her, marveling, “His edges are so neat! They’re all the same size!”
Actress: “Yeah, I couldn’t do that.”
Yan Man parted her lips, about to say something, but then heard the crisp, rhythmic sound of a knife hitting the cutting board.
She turned her head and saw Ye Lin slicing potato threads with expert skill. Each thread was thin and even, piling neatly on the cutting board.
“There’s something I like to eat!” she exclaimed again. “How can you guys be good at everything?”
Ye Lin: “What else do you like? Tofu?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
In the moment she turned her head to speak, by the time she looked back, he had already finished slicing the tofu.
At first glance, there didn’t seem to be anything special about it, but once submerged in water, the tofu revealed itself to be thinly shredded, swirling along the water’s ripples like a blooming flower.
Yan Man clapped appreciatively and leaned in to take a photo.
[He smiled again—he stealthily chuckled!]
[Though, Ye Lin really does feel like one of those concubines in a palace drama trying desperately to catch the emperor’s attention.]
[Hahahaha big balls!]
[YE LIN!!! You’ve really got guts today!!!! Don’t act all COOL!!!!! DAMN IT HOW DARE YOU LET MY DAUGHTER CHASE YOU!!!!!]
[Ye Lin: Some wives have chased me too, but I rejected them because a real man chases his own wife.]
[Sorry, am I the only one noticing this speed and technique?]
[Same here—I’m thinking of things that can’t be aired.]
[Manman, so happy.]
Finally, the meal was ready. Everyone sat down, and Yan Man volunteered to pour drinks. As they ate and chatted, the atmosphere was pleasant.
After eating, to divide tasks clearly, the two chefs stayed behind to rest while the others cleaned up.
On TV, The Last Voice , the episode starring Yan Man and Bian He, was being broadcast. It had gained significant attention and was even exported overseas.
Bian He casually glanced up, commenting on a scene. “Teacher Ye, did you know? This scene where Manman struggled to button her shirt multiple times was particularly cute, and then—”
Turning his head, he met a face as cold as ice.
Bian He: “...”
Their eyes locked, and something unspoken surged between them.
Ye Lin suddenly spoke. “Your show was a campus drama?”
“Uh, sort of,” Bian He stammered. “There wasn’t much urban content...”
Ye Lin: “So no kissing scenes?”
Bian He: “No, definitely not.”
After some thought, Bian He asked, “But you guys filmed some, right...?”
“Mm,” the man replied casually yet deliberately emphasized, “Maybe about seventy or eighty scenes.”
...
...
The chat exploded with laughter. After a minute of pure “haha”s, people finally started typing.
[Damn, he’s showing off again.]
[So all this time, you were saving the big reveal?]
[Look at Bian He’s face color! Hahahaha, bloodless doesn’t even cover it.]
[I love these chaotic scenes [drooling].]
[Ye Lin: I want to boast about every single moment of my wife.]
Bian He was stunned for a long time, as if hit by a truck. Finally, he stuttered, “Then... congratulations?”
“No need,” the man said. “We haven’t finished filming. We’ll shoot more tomorrow.”
Bian He: “...”
The final live broadcast ended amid laughter and joy, lasting until 11 PM. By the time Yan Man returned to the hotel, it was already past midnight.
She checked the time, tossed her phone aside, and decided to deal with anything tomorrow. After a quick shower, she hurriedly climbed into bed and fell asleep.
The next morning, she woke up to rush to a fitting session.
After wrapping up Cherry Smoothies , she and her team discussed her next project. They decided against another idol drama—it was unnecessary to narrow her acting range—and opted for something more grounded.
Coincidentally, a great script came her way—a female ensemble drama focusing on women drifting through urban life. It featured three protagonists in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
This series was called City Travelers . The writer and director wanted to explore the challenges and struggles women face during these pivotal stages of life and how they save themselves and move forward.
Yes, self-salvation.
Yan Man was intrigued and took on the role of Lu Yingying, the 20-year-old character.
Lu Yingying embodied the dilemmas faced by contemporary women: safety concerns while living alone, uncertainty about the future, a lack of stability in life, the search for meaning, and the seemingly elusive quest for true love.
Of course, the romance subplot was secondary—the focus remained on the character herself. Yan Man had read the script and found it exceptionally well-written. The production team was top-tier, having previously worked on similar series with great success.
After finishing Slush , she made some preparations and seamlessly transitioned into the new project.
This morning, she went for a fitting session to help City Travelers proceed with its schedule.
The fitting lasted half a day. She tried on numerous outfits and styles before settling on one main look and two secondary ones. After shooting the final looks, she thanked the staff and hopped back into the car to head to the Slush set.
She expected today to be exhausting, but unexpectedly, it felt lighter somehow.
Perhaps it was because the project was nearing completion, and completing another challenge filled her with a sense of accomplishment. Everything seemed to be moving forward.
As soon as she arrived at the set, a makeup artist teased, “You’re already styled. Did you just come from a fitting?”
“Yes,” Yan Man sat down. “I met some seniors—they seem very reliable and make me feel secure.”
“How will you film afterward?”
“I think today’s the last scene,” Yan Man turned to confirm with Simon. After receiving a nod, she continued, “Then tomorrow, I’ll return for some reshoots, and I’ll officially wrap!”
Her tone was unmistakably light and cheerful. “After resting for a few days, I’ll join the new project. It’ll take four or five months to film, and I’ll need to immerse myself in the character.”
The makeup artist was surprised. “You’re wrapping up tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Yan Man said. “It’s been over three months.”
At this point, Ye Lin, who had been reading his script, put it down and spoke. “After wrapping... you won’t come back?”
“Mm,” Yan Man nodded. “I initially planned to stay an extra week or two in case of reshoots, but the new project is starting earlier than expected.”
“I discussed with my team, and I’ll go ahead and join them. If there’s reshooting here, I’ll come back every Wednesday since editing is on Thursdays.”
This arrangement wouldn’t delay the production schedule.
Ye Lin’s hand froze mid-action. He lowered his gaze and said nothing.
A void seemed to open up somewhere, echoing with a hollow silence.
After adjusting her look, Yan Man wrapped up. The director shouted, “Alright, our heroine’s final scene! Let’s aim for a one-take finish!”
Yan Man: “Definitely a one-take finish.”
Once done, she would head home to sleep.
Director explained the scene: “This is a singing scene. I won’t enforce specific lines since the final edit will use BGM.”
“Manman, sing freely—it’s a pre-celebration for you. Then follow the script.”
Yan Man gave a thumbs-up and snapped her fingers at Ye Lin. “Why are you sitting still? Hurry up, let’s start.”
He took a few seconds to react, reaching out to grab her hem, but she had already stood up.
He stretched his hand, grasping only empty air.
The script had long been set aside. He looked down at his empty hand.
She chose “Secret Love” —the lyrics resonated perfectly throughout the room.
________________________________________
You say letting go of love will take you farther
Why change what’s already passed?
With your fingertips, you stop me from saying goodbye
Imagine you’re beside me
Before I lose you completely
Perhaps fate’s lottery
Only lets us meet
Change, missed chances, loss—each lyric struck his heart like a dagger, stirring waves of pain.
Having acted in so many dramas, he had always been better at farewells than reunions. But now, it wasn’t the case. It felt like a chunk of flesh clinging to his heart had been torn away, leaving bones aching faintly like a chronic ailment triggered by unpredictable weather, drawing forth an unbearable chill.
He realized he hadn’t gotten used to it, wasn’t resigned to it, and hoped to be with her every moment. He wished every story of hers involved him.
He didn’t want to say goodbye, didn’t want to part from her.
Regret surged deeper—why hadn’t he cherished every moment with her from the start? Why had he pushed her away every time she approached?
Yan Man continued singing: “You say letting go of love—”
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Startled, she lifted her head. The man from the seat abruptly stood, striding toward her.
Instinctively, she stepped back, but her back hit the wall. Her spine pressed against the tiles, heels braced against the edge—there was nowhere left to retreat.
She raised her head, meeting his gaze.
Husky, he said, “I can’t let go.”
“Huh?”
Ye Lin stepped closer, his palm pressing against her waist.
“I can’t let go.”
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