Chapter 23
It really was sexy.
During Zhao Yu’s solo part, the artists sitting on either side of Shen Junyi were all cheering and applauding. Shen Junyi didn’t understand Korean, but from their tone, he could tell they were excited and appreciative.
Onstage, the girl with pink hair threw a wink at the camera. Hearing the screams, she raised an eyebrow and crooked her finger toward the loudest direction.
The screams grew even louder. She smiled, swept her hand back through her long hair, and gave a casual, sensual little shimmy—effortless and alluring.
Watching from below, Shen Junyi felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity.
She was nothing like the girl he remembered.
Her aura, her smile, her gaze, her commanding stage presence—all belonged to a polished, flawless star. If it weren’t for the same name, and if he didn’t know she’d debuted through a survival show, he might not have recognized her at first glance.
But then again, the last time they’d met was when he was filming an idol drama on her school campus. Back then, she’d been pretty cold and distant. She was probably even less familiar now. Shen Junyi figured he shouldn’t just turn around and say hello out of the blue.
He was attending as a special guest presenter, scheduled to hand out the group awards. Until he got the cue card, he had no idea whether Zhao Yu’s group had won.
After the opening performance, other artists took the stage.
Zhao Yu hadn’t moved a muscle since sitting down—she’d been staring at that head in the front row the whole time.
Sigh. When you’ve been single too long, even the back of someone’s head starts looking handsome.
A few times, the big screen camera cut to her. From that angle, you couldn’t tell what she was looking at—she just appeared to be spacing out.
Performance after performance ended, and finally it was time for the awards. Zhao Yu slowly pulled her gaze back and focused, waiting for the results to come.
The earlier awards were all individual categories. When it came time for the group awards, Zhao Yu saw the camera pan to Shen Junyi. The crowd’s cheers grew louder. On screen, the boy in a suit looked sharp, handsome, and composed. He stood, buttoned the third button of his jacket, smiled, waved to the audience, and walked onto the stage.
Lin Zhinan, suppressing her shock, leaned close to Zhao Yu’s ear. “Did I hear that right? The host said he’s a special guest presenter?”
Zhao Yu sat upright, expressionless. “You heard right. I heard it too.”
Lin Zhinan was even more nervous than she was. “That means if we win, he’ll have to hand you the award in person, face to face? You’re not going to cry on stage, are you?!”
Zhao Yu didn’t answer, still stone-faced.
Lin Zhinan was caught between tension and anticipation, with even a hint of excited schadenfreude.
The first epic meeting between fan and idol was finally happening! Let’s see you dodge this one!
Shen Junyi spoke in English.
The first award was the highly anticipated Best Group of the Year.
The camera cut to the three nominated groups in the audience. Everyone was more or less nervous, hiding it behind smiles. Zhao Yu looked at the straight-backed figure onstage—maybe a double negative making a positive—but she was actually the calmest of them all.
Shen Junyi opened the ribbon-tied cue card. When he saw the name on it, his brow lifted slightly, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He announced in a youthful, clear voice: “And the winner for Best Group of the Year is…”
He looked down at the audience. Across a distance that was neither far nor near, his eyes met Zhao Yu’s. His smile widened. “Congratulations, Shining Five!”
The venue erupted in screams and applause.
The girls stood up excitedly and hugged each other.
As Lin Zhinan hugged Zhao Yu, she whispered in her ear: “Stay steady when you go up!”
Step by step, they walked onto the stage, getting closer to him. None of the scenarios she’d imagined happened. Even her wildly pounding heart suddenly steadied.
He was right there in front of her. She no longer had to look up from afar.
She’d done it.
What was there to be nervous about? She should be happy.
The elusive, intangible dream she’d been fighting for—right here, right now—was truly in her grasp.
A hostess walked over with the trophy. Shen Junyi took it and stepped in front of her.
He smiled, his bright, clear eyes reflecting the light, and handed her the award. “Congratulations,” he said.
Zhao Yu glanced at the golden trophy. His fingers were long, and as he held it, his knuckles stood out sharply. She had climbed step by step for him, and in the end, he was the one presenting her this award.
No need to be nervous. No need to panic. Her shining moment deserved to be witnessed by him.
Zhao Yu smiled, reaching out to take the trophy. The smile bloomed in her eyes, brighter than ever. She said, “Thank you.”
Thank you for being my dream. Thank you for helping me find my dream.
The awards ceremony officially ended an hour later. News of Shining Five’s win had already spread across the internet. Fans celebrated, and even casual observers agreed it was well-deserved. Their status as a national girl group was now firmly established.
The company was thrilled too—before Shining Five, they’d never produced a girl group this successful. The revenue Shining Five had generated over the past year was immeasurable. As soon as the five girls got backstage, the agent excitedly told them that the next two days’ schedules were canceled—the company was giving them a proper break.
Two days off. Laughable, really—just a regular weekend for office workers—but for Shining Five, it was a dream come true.
A whole weekend! No events, no rehearsals. Who knew when they’d last had a break?
Lin Zhinan was already discussing with Kristen which remote little town to visit for a getaway. But Zhao Yu’s heart gave a sudden thump. She looked out toward the hallway.
She had reached the top.
She could go to him now.
She could make this long-buried crush special again.
Zhao Yu started walking out. Lin Zhinan, seeing her hurry off, jogged a couple steps to catch up. “Yu Yu, where are you going?”
Zhao Yu looked composed. “To find Shen Junyi.”
Lin Zhinan stared at her in horror. Once the shock wore off, her eyes went wide. “Are you Zhao Yu? Are you really Zhao Yu? Did someone possess you?!”
Zhao Yu shoved her away in disgust.
Lin Zhinan couldn’t even describe how she felt—it was more exciting than meeting her own idol. She whispered, practically vibrating with excitement: “Yu Yu, you finally grew a spine! You’re not a scaredy-fish anymore!”
Shen Junyi’s dressing room was on the second floor, with a nameplate on the door.
Zhao Yu marched up confidently—but when she reached the door, she hesitated.
Lin Zhinan clenched her gossip-loving fists in despair. “No way, no way? You made it all the way here and now you’re chickening out?!”
Zhao Yu turned and glared at her. “Shut up!”
She took a deep breath and, with a calm expression, knocked on the door.
Lin Zhinan felt her palms sweating.
A few seconds later, a young man with a crew cut and a round face opened the door—Shen Junyi’s assistant. His “Who are you” died in his throat the moment he saw Zhao Yu.
Then Zhao Yu and Lin Zhinan watched the young man’s face flush red from his neck to his cheeks. He stared at Zhao Yu, completely unable to form a word.
Confirmed. Definitely a Yu Meiren.
Zhao Yu smiled. “Hi. I’m here to see Shen Junyi.”
The assistant stammered nervously, “Yu… Shen Ge, someone’s here!”
Shen Junyi had been playing games on his phone. The formal, aristocratic suit from earlier was long gone, replaced by a black hoodie with a cap pulled low. He was sprawled lazily on the sofa.
When he looked up and saw who it was, his relaxed expression froze. He put down his phone in surprise and stood up.
The assistant pulled the door open wider and said, nervously and excitedly, “Please, come in.”
Zhao Yu and Lin Zhinan stepped inside. The assistant, overwhelmed at seeing his idol up close, carefully edged to the side and stole glances at her. He’d been thinking just moments ago about how to ask Shen Ge if he could help get Zhao Yu’s autograph—and now, like a wish come true, his idol had appeared!
Ooooh~!
Lin Zhinan was equally excited.
Finally! Finally, the moment she’d been waiting for had arrived!
Go! Tell him you’re his fan! Tell him how much you like him! Tell him you made it this far because of him!
As she vibrated with excitement, she watched Zhao Yu walk up to the still-surprised Shen Junyi, extend her hand gracefully, and smile—every inch the goddess—saying, “Hello, I’m Zhao Yu from Shining Five.”
Lin Zhinan: “?”
Shen Junyi was clearly taken aback too.
This… this was so formal?!
He glanced at her slender, pale hand and her professional, camera-ready smile. After about two seconds of confusion, he awkwardly reciprocated: “Hello, I’m Shen Junyi. Nice to meet you…?”
Lin Zhinan: “???”
You two meeting like the presidents of two countries—are you serious?!
But Zhao Yu saw nothing wrong with it.
This was exactly how it should be.
A brand-new her. A fresh introduction. A fresh start. Perfect!
Once they’d reintroduced themselves, the next step was getting to know each other again. Since she had two days off, she could invite him to her favorite Korean BBQ place, exchange WeChat, take it slow, build a connection, and when the time was right—confess. Steps locked and loaded!
Zhao Yu smiled, ready to move to the next phase—when the dressing room door suddenly swung open.
Shen Junyi’s agent, Bi Zhou, rushed in with two documents in hand. “Director Chen gave the final go-ahead, so we need to—huh?”
He stopped in his tracks, looking at the two people shaking hands in the middle of the room. “And you are…?”
Zhao Yu didn’t miss the flash of displeasure on his face. She slowly withdrew her hand and was about to speak when Shen Junyi jumped in with a grin: “She’s my friend. Zhao Yu.”
Bi Zhou obviously knew who she was.
He smiled, giving her a meaningful look. “Friend? Didn’t you two just meet for the first time at the awards ceremony? Friends that fast?”
Zhao Yu and Lin Zhinan instantly understood the implication from his tone and expression.
Even though Shining Five was popular right now, that popularity was in Korea. Compared to Shen Junyi—a firmly established top-tier star in China—they were still reaching above their station.
And since they were the Chinese members in a Korean group, showing up to see Shen Junyi at this moment was obviously seen as trying to ride his coattails.
Zhao Yu hadn’t thought of that at all. Now, being misunderstood like this, she was momentarily speechless.
Shen Junyi suddenly slung his arm around her shoulder in a casual, buddy-like way, a smirk playing on his lips. “We hit it off immediately. Is that a problem?”
Bi Zhou choked on his words. He glanced at Zhao Yu and Lin Zhinan again, then dropped it and changed the subject: “Director Chen agreed to use you. We barely secured this role—can’t let Huo Xi steal it again. I rebooked a flight for tonight. Pack up—we’re heading back to China.”
Over the past two years, Shen Junyi and Huo Xi had been locked in a stalemate, each holding half the entertainment industry’s traffic—bitter rivals. If Huo Xi was also gunning for this role, it was definitely a major opportunity.
Suddenly, the invitation to stay and have dinner caught in Zhao Yu’s throat.
She subtly shifted her shoulder. Shen Junyi sensed it and pulled his arm back, turning to look at her.
Zhao Yu smiled at him. “Then I’ll see you when I’m back in China.”
The colder distance she’d anticipated didn’t come. She really had changed—grown up, matured. Shen Junyi smiled too. “Alright. Hit me up when you’re back.”
As she was leaving, Zhao Yu remembered something, turned, and smiled at the assistant. “Want an autograph?”
The assistant nodded enthusiastically.
It wasn’t until they’d gone downstairs that Lin Zhinan, who’d been holding it in, finally exploded: “What was that agent’s problem?! Who does he think he is?!”
Zhao Yu shook her head. “Forget it. It’s understandable. Let’s go.”
The agent was already waiting for them in the garage.
As they drove out, fans lined the exits, trying to catch one last glimpse of their idols. A black Mercedes commercial van drove ahead of them. Lin Zhinan peeked through the window, then turned to Zhao Yu. “That’s Shen Junyi’s car.”
Zhao Yu looked out.
Crowded fans, glittering light signs, flashing cameras. Some tried to rush toward the car ahead, only to be held back by security. Even through the windows, you could hear fans shouting their idol’s name.
So this was what it meant to be top-tier…
Surrounded by fans and cameras, no privacy, no personal life.
Zhao Yu suddenly asked Lin Xiuxi, who was playing on her phone, “Do you ever want to date?”
Lin Xiuxi looked up and gave her a look like she was an idiot. “Do I want to ruin my career?”
Zhao Yu let out a silent whimper, buried her head in her arms, and stomped her foot in frustration.
She was such an idiot!
All she’d thought about was reaching the top—completely forgetting that people at the top aren’t even allowed to date, dammit!!!