Treating Someone to Dinner

Chang Qing wasn't particularly enthusiastic about meeting fans. It had nothing to do with arrogance; he was simply a little afraid of large fan gatherings, and the number of offline events he had attended could be counted on one hand.

Later, a few reliable fan-site admins from his fan club organized something themselves, hoping to take photos of Chang Qing now and then and shoot short video interviews. Chang Qing readily agreed.

And whether it was a photo shoot or a short greeting video, his sincerity always came through.

As something of Chang Qing's manager, Zhu Wen handled the arrangements. It averaged once a month and wasn't much trouble. Whenever he caught a good candid shot, he would bundle it up and send it to the admins, who turned out polished photos at an impressive speed.

As a result, Chang Qing's interaction with his fans was both distinctive and steady.

But Zhu Wen hadn't expected his phone to suddenly run out of battery. They had arranged today's meeting a week earlier, yet he had been so swamped that he forgot about it. With the rain pouring down, several fans ended up stranded outside the filming building, creating this awkward situation.

"Shen Lian, why were you out getting air for so long?" Jiang You asked.

"Nothing much. I ran into a few of Chang Qing's fans and helped them out a little," Shen Lian said. "We probably won't be able to shoot today. Let's wait a bit longer, then head back to the hotel if it's still a no-go."

Within minutes of Shen Lian sitting down, Chang Qing hurried outside. He was tall and slender; there was no question that those wide-sleeved robes would look good on him.

Bored with nothing to do, Shen Lian teamed up with his two assistants for some gaming.

Li Yi was surprised to discover that Shen Lian was exceptionally good at games. At his most spectacular, he turned the tables and killed an opponent with barely a sliver of health left! Jiang You played support, and being carried by someone so skilled felt wonderful. Her only job was to lavish him with praise from the sidelines. "You're amazing, Shen Lian! That was ridiculously cool!"

They played several rounds. Just as they finished, the coordinator approached with an apologetic expression. "Teacher Shen, I'm sorry. The photography team says we can't shoot."

It was still raining outside. It would have been a miracle if they could.

Shen Lian understood. "All right, we'll head back to the hotel first. We can discuss the details later."

"Thank you! Thank you, Teacher Shen!"

He had just stood up when he heard Wang Yueling swearing again nearby.

The brand's coordinator offered to treat Wang Yueling to a meal, only for Wang Yueling to snap, "Do I look like I need you to buy me dinner?" After a pause, however, Wang Yueling looked toward where Chang Qing had been sitting. "Did you invite him too?"

The coordinator finally caught the underlying meaning. Wang Yueling might put on airs, but he probably knew the gap between himself and Chang Qing. His tone was cautious, yet that caution carried a trace of resentment, as though he feared the brand would treat the two of them to meals of different standards.

Well, obviously, the coordinator thought. Our vice president had to drink through three rounds before securing Chang Qing. Wang Yueling might act like a big shot, but booking him really wasn't difficult.

The coordinator smiled politely. "Mr. Chang probably has other plans."

Wang Yueling gave a quiet snort.

By then, Shen Lian and the others had already left the VIP area.

Li Yi went to get the car, while Shen Lian and Jiang You stood by the entrance. Shen Lian turned his head and asked, "What would you like for dinner? My treat."

Jiang You licked her lips. "Steak."

"Sure. I'll buy you steak."

"Teacher Shen." A cool yet gentle voice sounded behind him.

Shen Lian turned, surprise appearing on his face.

"If you don't mind, Teacher Shen, I'd like to treat you to dinner," Chang Qing continued.

Shen Lian quickly realized it must be because of those fans. He smiled. "Don't worry about it. It was no trouble."

"Then all the more reason to thank Teacher Shen." Chang Qing's expression was warm, no longer distant and indifferent. "I hope you won't refuse."

Shen Lian considered it briefly, then nodded. "All right."

Just after they left, Wang Yueling appeared a short distance behind them, his expression sour.

Chang Qing chose an upscale, quiet Western restaurant. Rather than the stiffness they might have expected, the atmosphere was pleasant and relaxed. Jiang You tucked into her food, utterly content.

Shen Lian and Chang Qing exchanged a few words now and then, each forming a good impression of the other.

When his phone rang, Shen Lian glanced at the caller's name, and his expression shifted slightly. "Sorry. Please, keep eating."

He stepped aside to answer, though he wasn't very far away. Chang Qing wasn't deliberately listening; Shen Lian's words simply drifted into his ears.

"I'm eating. A big shot's treating me."

"Why's he treating me? Because everyone loves me, of course. Even flowers bloom when they see me."

"All right, I'll stop teasing. I helped him out a little. What about you? Have you eaten?"

"Takeout won't do. Go home right now and have Aunt Fen cook for you, or I'll get angry."

"A potted cactus arrived today?! Has the florist lost his mind? I'll call him in a bit! Hmm... sure, you can keep it if you like it. They're easy enough to care for, and they can flower."

It was all idle chatter, but that was precisely what made their relationship seem close-even excessively close.

Chang Qing gave nothing away. He knew very well what that tone meant.

Shen Lian really wasn't hiding anything. The person on the other end was probably his girlfriend.

After a few more words, Shen Lian hung up and returned to the table. The meal was enjoyable. When they parted, everyone got into their respective cars, and no one noticed the flash that vanished in an instant from the shadows.

Unfortunately, after they returned to the hotel, the rain in Lin City continued for another two days.

Shen Lian didn't feel right asking Li Yi to drive him home and back again. That would be too fussy. What if the rain stopped halfway there? Hu Kailan hadn't had an easy time securing this opportunity. Shen Lian could be patient, but Chu Yilan's resentment was clearly rising.

He kept saying, "It's fine," but every word came out stiffly, conveying an unmistakable "I'm unhappy." There was nothing for it; Shen Lian soothed him over video calls at night.

Their relationship had only just begun to find its footing, and Chu Yilan was sensitive by nature. Shen Lian understood.

Finally, when he opened his eyes on the third day, the rain had stopped.

Almost at the same moment, the brand called.

Everyone sprang into action, making the most of the time.

Around noon, even the sun obliged and came out for a while.

As Li Yi put it, the black drop-crotch pants they were advertising would have been downright unwatchable on anyone but Shen Lian.

With his hands tucked into his pockets and his chin slightly raised, Shen Lian followed the photographer's instructions and adopted a haughty, disdainful expression. Halfway through the shoot, a chauffeured van pulled up, and Chang Qing stepped out.

Chang Qing was also a dedicated professional. The perfume commercial was easier to shoot, so he had progressed faster than Shen Lian.

Now Chang Qing leaned against the van door, wearing sunglasses.

The night after their dinner, he had looked up information about Shen Lian. Honestly, he had been very surprised. At the very least, the person described online bore no resemblance to the Shen Lian he had met.

"Passing through, Mr. Chang?" After finishing that segment, Shen Lian walked over with a smile.

"More or less. Everyone's shooting around here." At that, Chang Qing looked toward a minivan behind his own vehicle. "Though there's also something I'd like to trouble you with, Teacher Shen."

"Go ahead."

"One of my fan-site admins would like your autograph."

Shen Lian was surprised. "Mine?"

"Yes!" The minivan's door opened, and a young woman hopped out. She was one of the fan-site admins Shen Lian had helped that day. In her hands was a heavily edited screenshot from Shen Lian's recent variety-show appearance.

Shen Lian understood. "No problem! Come on over."