Chapter 35: The Last Time They Used the Secret Code

The sweet little puppy mode was activated!

If it were any other day, Sheng Li would have softened and agreed. Her face buried in her pillow, her eyes barely open, she mumbled: “I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep before you even get here. I’m so tired today, and I’m not feeling well. Can you wait a few days? I’ll come see you, okay?”

“What if I say no? Would Sister still let me come over?” Yu Chi asked softly.

A faint “click” sounded—it was the sound of a lighter.

Sheng Li knew he was smoking again. Though Yu Chi didn’t smoke much, especially when he was with her, she could tell his mood wasn’t great. Thinking he was upset, she forced herself to open her eyes and patiently coaxed him: “Missing me? Can you hold on for a few more days? I’ll find a chance to visit you next week, okay?”

After a while, Yu Chi replied in a subdued tone: “Okay.”

Two minutes later, Sheng Li had already crawled under the covers and lay down, but inexplicably, she lost her sleepiness. She got up again and sent Yu Chi a WeChat message.

Sheng Li: 【Yu Xiao Chi, I suddenly want to see you again. Come find me.】

Sheng Li: 【Remember to use the secret code.】

At that moment, neither of them realized this would be their last time using the secret code before their breakup.

At 12:30 AM, Yu Chi arrived wearing an all-black casual outfit: black baseball cap, black mask. Though fully covered, his tall, slim figure and outstanding demeanor made it clear from just his silhouette that he had excellent bone structure and must be very handsome.

Yu Chi briskly walked into the underground parking lot’s safety passage and climbed ten flights of stairs in one go.

He had his earbuds in, and his phone was on a call.

Sheng Li heard his slightly labored breathing and smiled faintly: “Are you almost here?”

“Mm.” Yu Chi stood at the entrance of the hallway, glancing at the empty, silent corridor. His heartbeat quickened slightly as he stepped onto the carpet, walking silently. He lowered his voice: “I’m on the tenth floor. Sister, prepare to open the door for me.”

Sheng Li stood behind the door, slowly teasing: “I need to hear you ‘squeak’ first.”

Since he had taken advantage of her so many times before, she wouldn’t feel satisfied unless she took something back—this was Sheng Li’s style, after all.

Yu Chi: […]

It had been over a month since the last time he’d “squeaked.”

Yu Chi still thought the secret code was absurd, but it no longer felt as difficult to say. In fact, he quite enjoyed hearing Sheng Li “squeak.” It was their private code, known only to the two of them.

His steps were light as his gaze swept past the room numbers.

1025, 1026, 1027, 1028…

He looked around, ensuring no one was nearby, then stopped, reluctantly whispering: “Squeak.”

The door opened immediately.

Sheng Li stood behind the door, grinning triumphantly at him. Yu Chi quickly slipped inside, closing the door behind him. Leaning against the door, he pulled down his mask and glanced at her from beneath the brim of his hat. The shadow cast across his face gave him an air of aloofness and restraint.

She leaned in, hooking her arms around his neck, and smiled brightly as she looked up at him, whispering softly: “Yu Chi, I’ve noticed you’ve gotten even more handsome since the last time you came here. You’re way hotter now.”

“Is that so?” Yu Chi wrapped his arms around her waist, looking down at her with a slight smirk.

“Of course. I always said I have great taste—I picked a hidden gem,” Sheng Li teased, lifting one leg to wrap around his waist and hopping lightly. Yu Chi effortlessly caught her.

“Carry me inside.”

Yu Chi held her like a child, raising an eyebrow teasingly: “Do you want a script?”

Sheng Li: […]

Though she had suggested it earlier, asking for role-play every time they met would make her exhausted. With a straight face, she said: “No, Sister can’t handle you tonight. Be gentle. Carry me to lie down for a bit and keep me company while I sleep.”

Yu Chi obediently nodded and carried her into the room.

The suite was dimly lit, with only the wall lamp casting soft shadows. The bedroom had the same setup, with warm light spilling onto the white pillows. Yu Chi placed Sheng Li on the bed, and she removed his cap, tossing it aside while keeping her arms hooked around his neck. “Lie down.”

Yu Chi propped himself up on his elbows, leaning over her with his hair slightly messy from the hat. His youthful features were clean-cut, his gaze pure and sincere. Under his intense stare, Sheng Li felt her heart flutter. She reached up to kiss his lips softly, pressing her hand against his neck.

Yu Chi kissed her deeply, pressing his entire body against hers.

Unlike in the rented apartment, there was no creaking air conditioner or squeaky bed. In the silent night, the only sounds were their intimate kisses. Tonight, Yu Chi was like an injured wolf cub, treating Sheng Li as his sweet candy—licking her to soothe himself. As he licked the corners of her mouth, Sheng Li giggled softly, caressing the back of his neck and whispering: “Yu Xiao Chi, are you feeling down tonight?”

“No.”

Yu Chi pulled her close, lying on his side. He half-reclined against the headboard, one hand resting near her pillow, a leg bent casually as he gazed down at her. He admitted to himself that his mood had been low before coming, but now it had improved.

Sheng Li lay on the pillow, looking up at him.

Her eyes were bright and lively, black and white clearly defined, exceptionally clear and radiant.

Yu Chi gently stroked her long hair spread across the pillow, locking eyes with her for a few seconds before letting out a self-deprecating smile: “Tonight, my mom and Jiang Dongmin went to my rental place. I used to think that if my mom apologized sincerely, I’d forgive her. But today, I realized that whether I was sold off or pursued acting or top universities, she wouldn’t care. She doesn’t think she did anything wrong because Jiang Dongmin doesn’t think so either. She’ll never take my side or consider my feelings.”

Sheng Li propped herself up, leaning over him, cupping his face: “That’s why she’s your stepmother. Stop thinking about her. Isn’t having Sister enough?”

Yu Chi smiled faintly, gazing at her for a moment before whispering: “Enough.”

If this could last forever, it would be enough for a lifetime.

Sheng Li had managed to stay awake from 11 PM until nearly 1 AM, but she couldn’t hold on any longer. Sliding back onto the pillow, she closed her eyes, ready to sleep. Yu Chi moved closer, kissing her lips and murmuring softly: “What time should I leave?”

“After I fall asleep, or at 5:30 AM,” Sheng Li whispered sweetly. She felt that tonight, Yu Chi was clingier than usual—a testament to the boundless energy of a teenage boy. Half-opening her eyes, her gaze wet and dreamy, she looked at him. Yu Chi pressed her hand down, his gaze restrained as he rasped: “I don’t need to.”

Sheng Li kissed his chin softly, her hand already loosening the drawstring of his sweatpants. She whispered: “Don’t be insincere, Yu Xiao Chi.”

Yu Chi closed his eyes, burying his chin in her hair, inhaling her scent. His entire being, body and soul, was completely under her control. At the last moment, he hoarsely whispered into her hair: “Sheng Li, I like you. Don’t leave me.” I can’t live without you.

Sheng Li’s palm burned, and her heart felt scorched too.

This was the first time Yu Chi had explicitly confessed his feelings.

She tilted her head to look at him, finding him both adorable and vulnerable. Unable to resist, she playfully nibbled on his chin before whispering seductively into his ear: “Be good, and next time, I’ll use my mouth.”

Yu Chi stared at her intently, his Adam’s apple bobbing hard, feeling utterly ensnared by her.

...

The sound of running water filled the bathroom as Yu Chi emerged freshly showered. By then, Sheng Li was already fast asleep. He stood by the bed, watching her for a moment before setting the alarm for 5:30 AM. Climbing into bed, he embraced her and closed his eyes contentedly.

At 5:40 AM, Yu Chi strode out of the hotel parking lot.

________________________________________

Two days before Qixi Festival, at 10 PM, Yuan Yuan walked into Sheng Li’s room carrying a stack of packages.

Sheng Li was on the phone with Zhou Sinuan, who had wrapped up filming several days ago. After resting at home for a few days and feeling rejuvenated, she wanted to visit the set. “Do you have a lot of scenes the day after tomorrow? If not, I’ll book a ticket for that day.”

“A lot. No time for you,” Sheng Li replied, grabbing a pair of scissors. She put the phone on speaker and sat on the carpet, excitedly preparing to open her packages!

Zhou Sinuan’s tone turned sour: “Sheng Baixue, you’re neglecting your friends for love.”

Sheng Li, busy opening packages, retorted: “Yes, what can you do about it?”

“When do you have fewer scenes? Tell me quickly.”

Sheng Li paused, thinking for a moment. “Next Tuesday. I only have one scene that night, finishing around 9 PM. We can go out for dinner or late-night snacks afterward.”

Zhou Sinuan hung up and booked her flight.

A minute later, Sheng Li’s phone rang again.

She glanced at it—it was Rong Hua calling.

“Yuan Yuan, answer it.”

Yuan Yuan quickly answered and put it on speaker.

Sheng Li hadn’t contacted Rong Hua for a few days. Since Rong Hua rarely called for idle chats, Sheng Li assumed it was work-related—either contract matters or, worst-case scenario, Lu Xingyu causing trouble again, requiring her to help with damage control.

Once connected, Rong Hua didn’t speak immediately but instead instructed her assistant: “No matter what, suppress it for now. I’ll negotiate the price later. And book me a flight for tomorrow morning.”

Sheng Li frowned, clicking her tongue. Sure enough, Lu Xingyu had gotten into trouble again.

The next moment, Rong Hua calmly asked: “Sheng Li, what’s going on between you and Yu Chi?”

Sheng Li felt as though something inside her had collapsed. Her hand trembled, and the sharp tip of the scissors pricked her fingertip, creating a small wound. A drop of blood seeped out, forming a crimson bead on her fingertip.

Her mind went blank for several seconds. Finally snapping out of it, she forced herself to remain calm and asked: “Were we photographed?”

Rong Hua sneered: “What do you think?”

Yuan Yuan was utterly stunned. Seeing the blood dripping onto Sheng Li’s white shirt, she quickly grabbed a tissue to press against her finger. Sheng Li let her tend to the wound, feeling numb and not particularly pained.

Celebrities couldn’t escape scandals and hype. Even top stars, male or female, had engaged in hype. Fans might accept hype or shipping, or even casual flings, but they might not tolerate genuine relationships.

Having navigated the industry for years, Sheng Li had certainly participated in hype. But hype was different from dating—she hadn’t planned to expose their relationship so soon.

She thought she and Yu Chi had been careful enough.

Moreover, Yu Chi currently had zero exposure. Outside of the production crew, no one recognized him.

Sheng Li forced herself to stay calm: “Where and when were we photographed?”

“Last week, at 5:34 AM. Yu Chi was seen leaving your room,” Rong Hua said angrily, clearly trying to control her temper. “I warned you before that Yu Chi didn’t seem like an assistant. Even if you wanted to keep a young lover, shouldn’t you have considered whether he was suitable? Without my attention, you’ve pulled a massive stunt.”

Sheng Li couldn’t help but frown: “We’re seriously dating.”

Rong Hua’s tone was icy: “I don’t care if you’re dating or keeping a young lover. The nature is the same. You’re only twenty-three. Do you think it’s appropriate to publicly announce your relationship now? Do you understand your public image? Even if you want to go public, have you thought about the consequences? Do you think paparazzi and netizens will let you off easily? Once exposed, Yu Chi’s background will be thoroughly investigated. Was he an adult when you started dating? Are you keeping him or seducing him? Can you control the mouths of netizens?”

Sheng Li fell silent.

Rong Hua was extremely busy on her end, and it was evident that the PR department was overwhelmed because of her. After delivering this speech, she coldly added: “Stay in your room tonight and don’t contact Yu Chi. I’ll suppress this for now and come over tomorrow.”

After hanging up, Sheng Li sat on the floor in a daze.

Yuan Yuan bandaged her finger with a Band-Aid. Panicking inside, she anxiously asked: “Lili, what should we do?”

Sheng Li looked at her honestly: “I don’t know.”

This was her honest thought. She hadn’t anticipated such complications initially. At first, she genuinely wanted to date Yu Chi, but discovering his contract was an unexpected twist.

Her growing affection for him was real, but she wasn’t naive enough to believe every romance had to last forever. She hadn’t planned to break up either—just thought they could quietly date for two or three years, hiding their relationship until their careers stabilized. Then, they could find an opportunity to go public when hiding became impossible.

She hadn’t expected to be photographed so soon.

Now, she felt utterly helpless, even paralyzed.

Sheng Li didn’t want to admit it, but deep down, she was panicking.

Her phone vibrated wildly.

Lu Xingyu: 【[Angry][Sad][Crying][Sad]】

Lu Xingyu: 【Sister, I’ve been saving myself for you. How could you chase someone else?】

Lu Xingyu: 【I suspected something was off between you two last time, and you denied it!】

Lu Xingyu: 【You promised me three months, Sister, but now you’re fooling around with another younger guy. This is cheating! Cheating! Cheating!】

...

Sheng Li stared at his tantrum with a blank expression and replied with one word: 【Go away.】

Lu Xingyu: 【How can you treat me like this? Sister, I’ve been so good these past two months. Haven’t I been good enough? What’s so great about Yu Chi? He has nothing except for a decent face. Even if he enters this industry, what resources does his lousy company have? How long will it take him to make a name for himself?】

Lu Xingyu: 【Break up with him, Sister, and be with me.】

Sheng Li: 【If you bother me again, I’ll block you.】

Lu Xingyu: 【…】

Lu Xingyu sent a sad emoji and stopped talking.

Sheng Li irritably tossed her phone aside, biting her lip in silence, feeling an emptiness in her heart.

Perhaps she had been silent for too long, because Yuan Yuan cautiously asked: “Should we still open the remaining packages?”

There were still two unopened packages left.

Sheng Li pressed her lips together, took a deep breath, picked up the scissors, and softly said: “Open them.”

It was useless to think about these things now. She would figure out what to do after Rong Hua handled the situation.

Yuan Yuan picked up the white shirt stained with a drop of blood, frowning: “I’ll wash it and see if it can come out clean.”

“Leave it,” Sheng Li stopped her, lowering her eyes to continue opening the packages, hesitating slightly. She had only bought one shirt this time, originally intending to button it up on Yu Chi herself. With his physique and demeanor, he would look great in a shirt—cold and restrained.

Glancing at the stained shirt, she murmured: “Bloodstained, it’s unlucky. Let’s not keep it.”

A few thousand yuan worth of shirt...

Yuan Yuan thought it was a pity, believing her soon-to-be brother-in-law wouldn’t mind, but it did seem a bit unlucky. Helplessly, she set the shirt aside.

“Don’t throw it away either. Wash it and put it in my closet,” Sheng Li softly instructed.

Yuan Yuan muttered gloomily: “Oh, okay...”

Sheng Li finished opening all the packages, sat on the sofa folding clothes. She wasn’t very skilled at folding, making them somewhat crooked, then stuffed them into a bag and placed them in the closet.

An hour later, Rong Hua called to say: “It won’t be exposed, but the matter still needs to be resolved. I’ll come over tomorrow to talk to you in person.”

Sheng Li had no objections: “Mm.”

After hanging up, it was already midnight.

Sheng Li sat on the bed, holding her phone, hesitated for a while before sending a message to Yu Chi.

Sheng Li: 【Yu Xiao Chi, I want to eat egg pancakes tomorrow morning.】

Yu Xiao Chi: 【Okay.】

Sheng Li: 【Chi Ge, I can’t come see you tonight [pitiful], my agent is coming over to discuss work with me.】

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

Yu Xiao Chi: 【It’s fine.】

Sheng Li: 【Are you angry?】

Yu Chi immediately sent a voice message, lazily sneering: 【Sister, do you think I’m some immature kid who throws a tantrum every time I don’t get candy?】

The phone buzzed again.

Another voice message.

Yu Xiao Chi softly said: 【I’m not angry.】

Sheng Li paused, realizing she had overthought things. Yu Chi didn’t go astray or collapse when he was sold by his biological mother at fourteen. He was purer and more resilient than any teenager she had ever met.

She hesitated for a moment, slowly typing: 【What if I can’t come see you for a long time?】

After finishing, she hesitated, not sending it immediately.

Seconds later, she deleted it, one character at a time.

In the rented apartment, Yu Chi was still editing a video he had made himself, putting a lot of effort into it, planning to give it to Sheng Li after wrapping up filming. In fact, he had edited a few videos of Sheng Li before, at Hu Yi Yang’s request.

Hu Yi Yang had offered him money, but he refused.

Those videos were still stored on his hard drive.

The light from the screen illuminated his face. The young man appeared calm, a faint smile playing on his lips as he glanced at his phone.

Why hasn’t she replied yet? Did she fall asleep?

He picked up his phone and softly sent a voice message: 【Sister, are you asleep?】

________________________________________

The next morning, Sheng Li walked into the dressing room and asked Yuan Yuan to make her a cup of coffee. Yuan Yuan went out to wash the cup and returned holding a disposable food container filled with slices of freshly cut egg pancakes.

Steam rose from the transparent container; the egg pancakes were still warm.

Sheng Li glanced outside the door. Yu Chi had his hands in his pockets, casually glanced over, then turned and walked away.

Yuan Yuan placed the egg pancakes on the table and muttered softly: “If you wanted egg pancakes, I could’ve asked the hotel chef to make them. Now... during this sensitive period, you two should avoid suspicion.” She glanced at Sheng Li and consoled her: “However, this is the set, closed filming, and it’s still early, so it’s not a big deal.”

Sheng Li took the box, opened it, and handed a piece to her. “The hotel chef’s aren’t as good. Try this.”

Yu Chi had only a few days left until he finished filming.

They didn’t know when they’d get to eat his breakfast again.

Sheng Li wasn’t in a good state today, resulting in quite a few NGs.

Rong Hua arrived at the set at 3 PM. At that time, Yu Chi was filming an action scene suspended by wires. Having done such scenes and wire work as a child, he wasn’t afraid. Being smart and athletic, he learned quickly. After the martial arts instructor taught him once, he remembered all the moves, practiced a few times, and executed the fight scenes cleanly and smoothly, each movement fluid and beautiful.

Rong Hua watched from behind the monitor for a while, her expression calm.

Director Liu smiled: “What do you think? Not bad, right?”

He had intended to say that the fight scenes were better than Lu Xingyu’s but refrained out of consideration for Rong Hua’s feelings.

Rong Hua chuckled: “Pretty good. He’s willing to endure hardship, isn’t scared, and is bold. His movements are cleaner than Lu Xingyu’s. This kid might become popular in the future, provided he has a good agent and no messy scandals.”

Sheng Li stood nearby, hearing everything. She knew Rong Hua was saying it for her benefit.

At 8 PM, Sheng Li finished work and returned to the hotel with Rong Hua.

Once inside the room, they each sat on opposite sides of the sofa, silent for a few seconds before Rong Hua spoke: “Have you made up your mind?”

Sheng Li looked at her, speaking honestly: “No, I don’t want to break up, and I don’t want to go public either.”

“Do you think I have a solution?” Rong Hua smiled, pulling out a cigarette case, lighting a cigarette. Her slender fingers, painted with red nail polish, held the cigarette, calmly taking a drag before speaking evenly: “If the subject were Lu Xingyu, it would be easier to handle. But now, it’s Yu Chi.”

She flicked the ash, looking at Sheng Li: “You’ve been in this industry for nearly ten years. You understand many things without me having to spell them out. This time, I managed to suppress it, but I can’t guarantee it every time. Like with Lu Xingyu, I can’t always intercept the articles before they’re published. When they do leak, I can only help him whitewash his image. As for how many people believe it, that’s up to the fans. It affects him significantly, but it doesn’t mean he can’t survive. Black popularity is still popularity. Once the scandal blows over, he’ll thrive again.”

“Yu Chi is different. He has no works, no fans. Can that Starshine Entertainment afford to PR for him?”

“They can’t. You know that.”

“And most importantly, if your relationship is exposed, I can distance you completely, or, according to your wishes, publicly announce the relationship and change your development path. After enduring a year or two, you’ll still be Sheng Li. But Yu Chi? How will he survive in this industry? Whenever people mention Yu Chi, it will always be ‘Sheng Li’s boyfriend’ or ‘Sheng Li’s ex-boyfriend.’”

“The first impression is hard to change. Make your own judgment.”

Rong Hua smoked calmly, not in a rush. She seemed to have seen through Sheng Li.

People shouldn’t have weaknesses.

Once they have a weakness, they lose their advantage in negotiations.

Sheng Li admitted that everything Rong Hua said, she had already thought through last night—clearly and thoroughly, even more so.

For example, after breaking up, what would happen to Yu Chi?

Would he hate her?

She had personally promised not to dump him.

He was her discovered treasure, the one she pulled into this industry. He should stand at the pinnacle of stardom, shining brightly. People should remember him for himself—he’s Yu Chi, not someone’s ex-boyfriend or boyfriend.

Sheng Li fell silent for a moment before softly speaking: “I’ll renew my contract with you for five years. You help Yu Chi buy out his contract. Whoever you need to negotiate with, however you need to do it, just solve it. I’ll pay the termination fee. Then contact Huang Baiyan—I’ve already spoken to him. He wants to sign Yu Chi.”