107.
A basin of water must be held level. (NT: Chinese idiom meaning one must act fairly and even-handedly, without showing favouritism.)
So I grabbed Gu Yiliang’s hand again so the Meiyan fans could snap a few more pictures. By then, time was almost up.

I watched the staff gently ushering fans to leave, reminding them to stay safe on their way back. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a young girl I didn’t recognize standing a little ways off, hesitating as she looked at me.

I waved at her with a smile and reminded her to be careful. At that moment, she seemed to come to a decision—she rushed over, pulled a banner and a paint marker out of her bag, and asked me for a personalized autograph.

“Why didn’t you give it to me with the others earlier?” I uncapped the marker. “Who’s it for?”

In a low voice, she replied, “For… @WilLiam…”

 

108.
That name sounded familiar. When I looked down, I understood why she hadn’t handed over the banner earlier.

On the pastel blue banner was a chibi-style drawing of Gu Yiliang holding a chibi version of me, both characters nestled inside a pale pink heart bubble.

Holy crap, this was a full-blown couple banner!

And WilLiam… wasn’t that one of the major CP fans I’d stumbled upon during last night’s internet dive?!

A true content-producing machine in the fandom! A Yuan Longping of the fanfic world! One half of the CP literature sky!

(NT: Yuan Longping is known as the “Father of Hybrid Rice” in China—here used metaphorically to describe someone with immense productivity.)

So it’s YOU? You’re the grandmaster?!

 

109.
I swallowed my internal panic and quickly pulled myself together, putting back on the cool, blank expression of an idol.

It was time to reevaluate the makeup of my fanbase.

So this is what’s been going on: while you all pose as my loyal supporters, you’ve secretly been fantasizing about me getting dominated by my rival?

You all look so refined and proper on the surface, but behind the scenes you’re writing thousands of words of steamy scenarios?

Children, you’re putting your father in a very difficult position…

 

110.
CP fans have always had a delicate position within a fandom, and bothering the celebrity directly is considered pretty rude. I must’ve stood there stunned for too long, because WilLiam, clearly uncomfortable, waved her hands and said, “It’s okay, it’s okay, you don’t have to force yourself!”

Caught between signing or not signing, I froze—until Gu Yiliang walked over and asked, “Why haven’t you gone back yet?”

Reflexively, I looked at him with pleading eyes.

And right next to me, WilLiam let out a strangled squeak.

 

111.
Right. Got it. Tonight, I’m going to be featured in another 20,000 words of steamy fanfiction…

 

112.
At this point, I gave up and unfolded the banner in front of Gu Yiliang to ask for his opinion. “Can I sign this?”

WilLiam started squealing like a rooster announcing dawn, but I didn’t care anymore.
After all, it’s not every day that your favourite idols do fanservice right in front of you—I could understand her excitement.

 

113.
“Of course, sign it.” Gu Yiliang laughed as he ruffled my hair. “Want me to sign it too?”

 

114.
Look at this man—what a true boss.

 

115.
I heard WilLiam let out a strangled cry from deep in her throat. Worried she might faint on the spot, I quickly shoved the marker into Gu Yiliang’s hand. “Here.”

A true scene of the grandmaster accepting the pen.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gu Yiliang signed his name right next to where my image was drawn.

Authentic, idol-produced content. Genuine CP serving up sugar live and direct.

 

116.
A thick, honey-sweet biscuit had been forcibly stuffed into both my mouth and WilLiam’s.

I had slightly more HP than her, so I managed to hold it together long enough to sign my name beside the chubby-cheeked chibi version of Gu Yiliang.

But her hands were shaking so badly she could barely stand.

I was still thinking about who I should write the “For” to, when WilLiam, trembling, snatched the banner from my hands with both of hers:

“...No, don’t write ‘For.’ It’s not necessary… I don’t want my name to sully this perfection… I’m not worthy…”

Me: “…”

 

117.
She carefully folded up the banner and adjusted her backpack.

“Get home safe,” Gu Yiliang said to her.

I followed up with, “Text the others when you’ve arrived.”

Her eyes red, she waved at us with both hands. “I’ll come see you again another time!”

 

118.
There was definitely something weird about this whole scene…

Before I could think further, Gu Yiliang turned to me with a smile. “Feels like a couple sending their kid off to college.”

Me: “…”

Grandmaster, I beg you—have mercy! This sugar is too much for me alone!

 

119.
I was lifting two big bags, one blue and one green, when Xiao Chen suddenly appeared out of nowhere and snatched them from my hands:

“Yanyan, Yanyan, let me carry these! If anyone sees you, your fans are going to complain again that the assistant is slacking and making their baby carry his own stuff!”

I laughed. “It’s just a few steps.”

But the other bag in my hand was also taken… this time, by Gu Yiliang.

Seeing my stunned expression, he weighed the green bag and said, “Green suits me.”
(NT: In Chinese culture, “wearing green” implies being cheated on, often used humorously or ironically.)

 

120.
Me: "…"
Me: "Don’t you think there’s something wrong with what you just said?"
Him: "…"
Him: "Forget it, let’s head back before the director starts complaining."

 

121.
The male and female leads were filming a confrontation scene. I sat on a small stool just off set, looking around.

Gu Yiliang was leaning on the table beside me, silently reviewing his lines. “…I thought I could forget it, thought I kept it buried in my heart, but it’s carved into my bones, leaving behind…”
Maybe the male supporting role’s lines were a bit too dramatic—he paused for a few seconds.

Without thinking, I continued: “When I think back to those images, those words, those moments… it hurts so much. A deep, aching pain, because I know all of it… from now on… will never come back.”

 

122.
Gu Yiliang looked at me, somewhat surprised. “...You memorized them?”

These were lines between the second male lead and the female lead, nothing to do with me, so his surprise made sense. I answered honestly, “I memorize everyone’s lines.”

That was a bit of an exaggeration, so I added, “Well, at least for these few scenes—I haven’t looked at the rest yet.”

He looked even more surprised. “You could remember all that just from reading it?”

I nodded. “I can memorize them after reading a few times, but I forget them after the shoot. Otherwise it’d take up too much space in my brain.”

 

123.
He flipped through his script and randomly picked a passage. “Hey, saying lofty, dramatic stuff is easy…”

Me: “…With that two-faced look of yours, you’re just a shameless thug, a dishonourable dog.”

Him: “Ruo’er, look at the sky…”

Me: “…It’s already dark. The nearest village is still a few kilometers away. Why don’t we stay here for the night?”

Him: “Ah! Your leg!”

Me: “It’s just a scratch, it’s no big deal. You’re not hurt, are you?”

Him: “Your eyes, your smile…”

Me: “…As bright as the stars, as gentle as the evening breeze—it’s the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.”

 

124.
No matter whose lines he read, he always adjusted his expression and tone with vivid emotion, while I stayed like a dead fish, reciting flatly and without feeling.

 

125.
Gu Yiliang took a light breath, looked at me in silence for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the script. “…Are you free tonight?”

I was a little surprised and glanced at his script. “Whose lines are those? That scene doesn’t exist.”

He let out a soft hiccup, looking at me with a mix of helplessness and despair. “…No, I meant—if you’re free, do you want to rehearse together?”

Ah! There it was! A real actor was inviting me to rehearse with him! I responded happily, “Okay, okay—wait for me in your room, I’ll come over after I shower.”

 

126.
Just then, Xiao Chen approached with a small fan in hand. His expression changed abruptly.

He looked around warily, hesitated as if wanting to say something, glanced at Gu Yiliang beside me, quickly shoved the fan into my hands, and darted out from under the parasol.

My phone vibrated twice—two new WeChat messages.

 

127.
OrangeWarmSun: Yanyan, be careful who’s around when you talk. A lot of people are listening.

I was confused, and new messages started flooding in.

 

128.
OrangeWarmSun: Tell me, you didn’t actually hire paparazzi to try and seduce the other party and get them blacklisted, did you?

OrangeWarmSun: Doesn’t seem like a great idea, right?

OrangeWarmSun: Or were you trying to seduce them to get money and sex?

OrangeWarmSun: Or seduce them to torment them physically and emotionally?

OrangeWarmSun: Doesn’t seem like a great idea, right?

OrangeWarmSun: If you need anything, just tell me—I’d be happy to help!

 

129.
I blocked him.

 

 

Translator : DarNan