SH – Chapter 17

The next day, the snow gave way to clear skies.

The azure sky was cloudless for miles. Bathed in golden sunlight, the village shed its black-and-white filter, becoming like a brightly colored painting. The accumulated snow sparkled under the sun.

Yun Chu’s mind had been racing before she went to sleep last night. The more she thought about it, the more reliable Meng Zhaozhao’s wingman plan seemed. Her brain grew so excited that she only fell asleep after her mental theater reached the scene of her and Jian You having a wedding abroad.

She had a dreamless night, and when she got up, the small courtyard was surprisingly still quiet.

Fifteen minutes ago, Meng Zhaozhao had sent a text: “Are you awake?”

Five minutes ago, another one came: ??? Still not?

Yun Chu replied: Awake, awake

Meng Zhaozhao replied instantly: Today is free date day. You should invite Jian You out on a date on the little blackboard!

Yun Chu: What about you

Meng Zhaozhao: It’ll be fine after you take Jian You away

Yun Chu: …Have you considered a problem

Meng Zhaozhao: What?

Yun Chu: What if I can’t get Teacher Jian to go with me?

Meng Zhaozhao: No way, right?

Meng Zhaozhao: I think Teacher Jian has a pretty good impression of you

Yun Chu: Really

Meng Zhaozhao: Yeah

Yun Chu: 【secretly-laughing-out-loud-under-the-covers.jpg】

Meng Zhaozhao: ?

Yun Chu rolled over, trying to control her smile, but she couldn’t help giggling foolishly. Then she leaped out of bed. It was a date, after all. She had to pick her prettiest clothes and put on her most exquisite makeup.

However-

Before that, she had to write Jian You’s name on the blackboard and extend the invitation.

Yun Chu pattered downstairs. The blackboard was at the entrance to the living room. The production team had drawn balloons and hearts on it and had also applied little bunny stickers. She picked up a piece of chalk and solemnly wrote Jian You’s name on the board.

【Invitee: Jian You. Inviter: Yun Chu. Date Time: After breakfast. Date Location: Indoor rock climbing, grabbing a bite ^ ^】

If Jian You agreed, she just had to put a smiley face sticker next to it.

Yun Chu put down the chalk and sent Jian You a message as she walked upstairs: “Teacher Jian, are you up yet?”

Jian You probably wasn’t awake yet; she hadn’t replied.

Yun Chu didn’t mind. She took a quick shower and opened Weibo while blow-drying her hair. She liked to use a side account for following gossip, but yesterday she’d used her main account to promote the drama and hadn’t switched back. Who would have thought that overnight, her followers would surge, her comments and retweets would be 999+, and the app would freeze the moment she opened it.

Yun Chu: ?

Her phone had clearly never experienced such an onslaught. It was frozen for a full two minutes before it recovered. Yun Chu opened her message list, completely bewildered.

【QAQ Xiao Chun is so cute ahhhhhh】

【I love bright girls so much. I looked through your Weibo, I love it, followed followed】

【Your acting is so good! I’ve discovered a treasure!】

【I really respect that crying scene from yesterday. The young lady has a promising future.】

【I’m into it again!】

【Oh my god, isn’t this Yun Chu, who’s on the dating show with Jian You? Besides dating, can you two collaborate on something! Looking forward to it, looking forward to it!】

What was going on?

Because The You I First Met had been delayed for so long, and Yun Chu was just a supporting character among supporting characters, and also because she’d been filming the dating show these past few days with her mind completely on Jian You, she hadn’t paid much attention to the drama.

It was only because Chen Jing had reminded her yesterday that her character was about to appear that she’d posted a promotional Weibo.

So many people flocking over… Was it a water army?

Yun Chu took a screenshot and sent it to Chen Jing.

Yun Chu: Sister Jing, if you have money to buy a water army, you might as well negotiate a raise for me with the company.

Yun Chu: Look at this mess. What’s the point of this fake prosperity!

Chen Jing: You’re awake???

Yun Chu: I’m awake

Chen Jing: I’ve been holding it in all night! I asked the director’s team, and they said you were resting, so I didn’t dare disturb you!

Yun Chu: ?

Chen Jing: You don’t know yet, do you? The You I First Met blew up!

The You I First Met was the kind of genre that could easily become a hit. It had a wide target audience, a conscientious production company, and a top-tier script and team. The main cast was highly popular with the public, and it aired on a satellite TV channel. After its premiere, the viewership index broke 1 for two consecutive days. Riding this wave, Yun Chu was also seen by more people.

Chen Jing: Last night, after midnight, I saw your follower count shooting up. I even dreamed that you won Best Actress and were giving your acceptance speech.

Chen Jing: 【dreaming-is-so-nice.jpg】

When Yun Chu first took the role, she was attracted by the good team and script. The director was also famous for being good at coaching actors. She did her best to play her part well and didn’t think much about it afterward.

But she never expected that this gift, delayed for so long, could still give her such a surprise.

Chen Jing: It’s a pity you don’t have many scenes!

The death of Xiao Chun, the character Yun Chu played, directly led to the formation of the protagonist’s personality and had a huge impact on them, so her death was inevitable. Only through death could she become a white moonlight, an unremovable, unhideable scar.

Yun Chu: 【since-you’re-praising-me-I’ll-put-my-hands-on-my-hips-for-a-bit.jpg】

Yun Chu: I’m going on a date with Teacher Jian today!

Chen Jing: ? Things are moving that fast?

Jian You still hadn’t replied, so Yun Chu felt a little insecure. She replied with an “Mm,” and just as she switched out of the chat window, she saw Jian You’s reply: “Come downstairs for breakfast.”

It seemed Jian You was used to waking up early and had gone out to buy breakfast again.

After Yun Chu went downstairs, the other guests also arrived at the dining room in twos and threes. Zhu Wan’er said sheepishly, “Teacher Jian, you get up so early every day and even prepare breakfast for us.”

Jian You smiled but didn’t say anything.

Yun Chu drank her milk, glancing at Jian You once, then again. She muttered to herself that since she’d come downstairs with Wen Xi, it wasn’t convenient to go look at the blackboard in the living room, so she didn’t know if Jian You had agreed or not.

Meanwhile, Jian You ate her breakfast impassively, showing no emotion.

Pei Wan said, “We’re having individual dates today.”

Meng Zhaozhao asked, “Do you have someone in mind?”

“Not yet,” Pei Wan said, feigning nonchalance. “But I saw that someone does.”

“Has someone already written on the blackboard?” Wen Xi usually slept during the day and partied at night. After several days of recording, she still hadn’t adjusted to the time difference and was so sleepy she could only yawn. “I haven’t looked yet.”

Pei Wan hummed in affirmation. “Someone has.”

Zhu Wan’er ran to the dining room entrance and peeked at the little blackboard in the living room. “There really is.”

Wen Xi: “Wow!” She also wanted to stand up and have a look.

“Alright, alright!” Yun Chu quickly stopped them, saying with a red face, “I wrote it.”

Meng Zhaozhao: “Oho.”

Yun Chu continued to confess, “I asked Teacher Jian.”

Wen Xi was very concerned. “Did Teacher Jian agree?”

Yun Chu: “Not yet-”

“I agreed.” Jian You put down her milk, her expression nonchalant. “But I’ve never been on a date. I don’t have any experience.”

Yun Chu: “Me neither!”

Jian You hummed, then nodded. “I’ll go change my clothes.”

Yun Chu suppressed her excitement. The cameras were rolling, so she couldn’t be too obvious, otherwise how embarrassing would it be when Jian You saw it when the show aired! She took a deep breath, then another, and another-

Zhu Wan’er: “Nervous?”

Yun Chu stammered, “N-No.”

Zhu Wan’er looked at her.

The others looked at her too.

Yun Chu: “Okay, fine. I’m nervous.”

Wen Xi: “If you’re nervous, how about I go with you two?”

Yun Chu: “…Suddenly, I’m not nervous anymore.”

Wen Xi: “…”

With Wen Xi’s interruption, Yun Chu was no longer nervous about the upcoming date. Instead, she was a little worried Wen Xi would butt in and turn their two-person date into a three-person outing.

Fortunately, right after breakfast, Meng Zhaozhao held Wen Xi back and gave Yun Chu a “don’t worry” look.

Yun Chu was secretly grateful: Wingman, my reliable wingman!

On the other side of the dining room.

Wen Xi asked Meng Zhaozhao, “What did you want to see me about?”

Meng Zhaozhao said, “Your voice is very nice.”

Wen Xi: “…Well, I’m a voice actress.”

Meng Zhaozhao: “I think it’s also very suitable for singing.”

The corner of Wen Xi’s mouth twitched. “Are you serious? It’s not like you’re…” She glanced at the camera and smiled. “I don’t think it’s very suitable.”

The cameraman following them looked at the two of them, then exchanged a glance with Xiao Lan in the living room.

This pair was going to be difficult.

Jian You was taking an awfully long time to change.

Yun Chu didn’t mind. She ran to the living room, took a picture of the blackboard, and smugly sent it to Zhou Zhitao. Her cameraman, Xiao Lan, also took a shot. “Let me get a high-definition one for Teacher Yun.”

“Make sure this gets aired,” Yun Chu said, secretly delighted. She asked Xiao Lan, “What do you think of my outfit?”

Xiao Lan: “It’s beautiful!”

Yun Chu continued to be delighted. Just as she was reveling in her joy, Zhou Zhitao replied.

Taozi: Jian You is that easy to ask out?

Taozi: Then you really lost out by having a secret crush for so long

Taozi: If you’d known, you should have confessed back in school. Maybe you’d even be married by now

Yun Chu: Don’t push…

Taozi: By the way, don’t you have a drama that came out recently?

Yun Chu: Oh, thank you so much for remembering me

Taozi: Hehe, a friend of mine asked. She knows we’re close and wanted me to get an autographed photo from you. Should I just give her your elementary school homework book instead?

Yun Chu: 【the-other-party-disagrees-and-throws-a-doggie-at-you.jpg】

Since she had nothing better to do, Yun Chu went on Weibo to read the private messages from netizens. She was just starting to gain traction, and her likability with the general public was pretty good. Aside from some of Jian You’s fans telling her to stay away from Jian You, the rest were all praising her.

She found a clip from last night’s broadcast and sent it to her grandma: Grandma! Did you see it! It’s my new drama!

Chu: How was my performance!

System: Your message has been sent, but it was rejected by the recipient.

Yun Chu: …

What a petty old lady.

“Teacher Yun,” Xiao Lan called to her in a low voice. “Teacher Jian is out.”

Yun Chu quickly stood up and looked toward Jian You’s room, and then her breath caught.

Jian You was wearing a lotus-pink, low-necked sweater, which made her skin look snow-white. A necklace rested on her slender collarbones, glinting as she moved. Her long hair was braided behind her ears, tied with a matching bow. Her whole demeanor was as gentle as a spring breeze. Just one look, and in an instant, the scenery was bright and clear, and spring had arrived.

“What is it?” Jian You held her scarf in her hand, looked down at herself, and raised an eyebrow slightly. “Is something wrong?”

Impossible. She had asked her designer friend about this outfit; it was an intellectual, gentle ensemble perfect for a date. Yun Chu was staring blankly. Did it not suit her aesthetic?

Yun Chu blurted out, “Teacher Jian, you look so beautiful.”

Jian You: “…Oh.”

She said, “Let’s go.”

She stepped out the door one step ahead of Yun Chu. The brilliant golden sunlight shone on her, cutting through the biting winter breeze. She lowered her head, but still couldn’t help but lift the corners of her lips in a smile.