The ball (Part two)

Behind the cameras, the production team sighed with feeling. The situation with Asta and Su Yue had already exceeded their expectations.

Editor Liu had said those two would definitely be swarmed, but no one had expected it to get this crazy.

Director Zhang sighed. "We underestimated Asta's influence."

Editor Liu said, "And Su Yue, too. He blew up the moment he hit the trending list. People dug up loads of his old photos and credentials. Plenty of people asked him for autographs today, too."

Not that he had signed a single one.

"You should've seen his face today, haha." Editor Liu couldn't stop laughing.

Once the laughter subsided, the mood turned reflective again. They had never imagined Lin Yuxi had experienced something like that. Although she hadn't finished her story, they were seasoned enough to tell that it certainly hadn't been an isolated incident.

Fortunately, Lin Yuxi had met some wonderful people afterward.

Their production team had also met some wonderful guests.

A staff member returned and knocked on the door. "Director Zhang, Editor Liu, it's all sorted."

"We worked with the people aboard the Spaceship to find a place for autographs and photos. Asta was pretty willing."

There were just so many people that he was sweating from the effort.

Just as the two of them had predicted, there would be no dancing in the end. The production team had its footage without having to worry about getting flamed by the audience. Brilliant.

Listening to the report, the two old men wore expressions that said everything had gone exactly as planned, earning themselves a host of admiring looks.

Director Zhang said, "Asta actually knows his limits. Let him go. Keep an eye on him and set a time limit. Just don't let him wear himself out."

People from his planet seemed quite happy to interact closely with fans and give autographs.

"What about Su Yue?"

The staff member shook their head. "We don't know. He didn't ask a camera operator to follow him. He said he wanted to take a walk alone."

Director Zhang and Editor Liu exchanged a glance, and neither could help laughing.

That young man really made you love him and resent him at the same time.

They admired his abilities, but couldn't help remarking on his foul temper.

Director Zhang sent the staff out to rest, then said to Editor Liu, "Ah, if I didn't owe his father a favor, this fourth season might never have aired."

Still, who knew what his father was thinking, throwing his son onto a dating show to find a partner?

With everything Su Yue had going for him, was there really any need to worry?

"But we really do have to thank Su Yue. Otherwise, how would we have gotten the chance to reach another peak?" Editor Liu sighed.

Heart-Pounding Expedition 4 was gaining tremendous momentum, climbing to the top against the tide after several sluggish years for variety shows. With plenty of hooks and plenty of handsome men and beautiful women, its audience reach was enormous. Now, instead of worrying about tarnishing their reputation, they were worrying about which advertisers to choose.

Haha.

Director Zhang felt much better after hearing that.

He hesitated, then asked, "Then should we give him a chance?"

Editor Liu nodded and sighed.

"That kid's hard to read, but we've got the perfect opportunity to test him tonight!"

The two chuckled and exchanged a glance, finding the same anticipation in each other's eyes.

Meanwhile, in the Ballroom.

Asta and Su Yue had been swept away by the crowds surrounding them. Yu Manman had shown remarkable foresight, slipping away in the confusion as soon as those two were mobbed.

She had plenty of fans, too, but had always stuck to the principle of chatting online and not meeting offline outside official events.

Zheng Yu, meanwhile, spun across the dance floor like a flamboyant butterfly, having the time of his life.

He hadn't gone out to let loose in months and had been feeling terribly cooped up.

The camera operator had been filming Shi Zhou and Lin Yuxi for quite a while. Lin Yuxi had finished her drink and sat holding the cup in both hands without speaking. The atmosphere was a little awkward.

Shi Zhou sighed. This wouldn't do.

He turned to ask, "Yu Xi... if you could learn to dance now, would you be willing to try again?"

He pressed his lips together and looked at Lin Yuxi earnestly.

Lin Yuxi shrank back, her shoulders drooping. Her voice was full of unease and self-doubt.

"N-no, I'd rather not. I'm not very good at it."

What if she danced badly? How embarrassing would that be?

She could already disregard other people's opinions in other areas of her life, but the helpless little girl who had lain on the floor back then remained trapped in a nightmare, unable to escape.

Just then, the music in the Ballroom changed again.

The loud, rapid beat faded, and a soothing melody slowly spread through the entire space.

The dance floor lay in the center of the hall, its crimson carpet perfectly smooth. Quite a few people were already moving onto it in pairs, holding each other as they waited for the dance music to begin.

The melody of a waltz drifted through the air. Violin and piano intertwined, tender and lingering, wrapping the whole room in a hazy, delicate warmth.

The hall wasn't brightly lit, but the scattered pools of soft light mingled across people's faces, lending them a gentler air.

Shi Zhou stood and smiled at Lin Yuxi. "Come on. Let's give it a try."

Sitting there, Lin Yuxi had kept watching the people spinning across the floor. There wasn't much resistance in her eyes; mostly, there was envy.

She wanted to dance. She simply didn't want to face what had happened in the past again.

If someone gave her a helping hand, perhaps she could step out of those memories.

Lin Yuxi let out a startled, "Huh?"

Shi Zhou bowed to her like a gentleman, bending at the waist and extending his right hand.

His star-bright eyes brimmed with warmth. Fragments of light from the crystal chandelier fell across his gently trembling lashes, while the silver ear cuff on the tip of his ear gleamed amid the shifting light.

"Don't be afraid. Just give me your hand."

Shi Zhou smiled, his voice steady.

Looking into his eyes, Lin Yuxi instinctively placed her hand in his not particularly large palm before her mind could catch up.

With his left hand behind his back, Shi Zhou held her hand in his right and gently lifted it. He stepped backward lightly, and before she knew it, he had led Lin Yuxi to the edge of the dance floor.

Following the beat and Shi Zhou's movements, Lin Yuxi was drawn into the dance.

Their dancing wasn't especially proper. Only her upper body turned with her partner's guidance, while her feet failed to keep up with the music. She even stepped on Shi Zhou's feet several times.

Still, with Lin Yuxi's skirt swirling around her and the two of them making such an attractive pair, the result wasn't unpleasant to watch.

Lin Yuxi could hear Shi Zhou counting the beats softly beside her ear, his breathy voice carrying a smile. His shoulders weren't particularly broad, but they were just right for holding her.

As she looked up during a turn, the lights overhead seemed to become a flowing halo, and that beautiful, finely sculpted face left her dizzy.

To her shame, Lin Yuxi blushed. Her gaze darted everywhere except at Shi Zhou.

Her mind became a tangled mess, the same thoughts flooding through it:

Aaaaah, how could she have thought Shi Zhou was a meek bottom earlier?

He was clearly such a top!

Waaah!

When the song ended, Shi Zhou asked, "Want to dance another?"

He felt that Lin Yuxi didn't seem averse to it.

Lin Yuxi checked how she felt. He was right.

Maybe this wasn't so frightening after all?

She nodded and said firmly, "Yes!"

So dancing could be this much fun. She was grateful to Shi Zhou. Without him, she might never have found the courage to dance in front of so many people.

The gentle melody began again, and they took their places together once more. Shi Zhou continued guiding her patiently, her steps much more practiced than before.

Another song ended.

Shi Zhou smiled. "You're a quick learner. You danced wonderfully!"

Encouraged, Lin Yuxi's cheeks flushed pink. She said earnestly, "Zhouzhou, thank you."

Being on this show made her so happy!

Just then, the clock on the wall at the front of the Ballroom suddenly let out a deep, clear clang!

After the first chime, more followed, echoing throughout the Ballroom and drowning out some of the surrounding clamor. Everyone instinctively turned toward the clock.

It was already nine in the evening.

The dance floor switched to a partner-swapping format, lights sweeping in every direction. People could change partners freely as they danced or let loose on their own. There was no need to worry about whether someone already had a partner, and quite a few people came to invite Shi Zhou and Lin Yuxi.

After politely declining, the two felt they had enjoyed themselves enough for the day and decided to leave.

Lin Yuxi and Yu Manman planned to browse some more and do a little shopping. The Spaceship carried specialty goods from all sorts of planets, well worth a look.

But Shi Zhou remembered what shopping with his mother was like and hastily shook his head.

Lin Yuxi and Yu Manman looked disappointed. "Don't worry. We'll bring you presents!"

Shi Zhou didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Thanks, then."

Wasn't it really the two of them who wanted to shop?

Yu Manman in particular was a complete shopaholic. She might have an extra suitcase by the time they disembarked.

But that was someone else's way of life, and Shi Zhou chose to respect it.

When he found something suitable, he would give her a present, too. He couldn't always let one person do all the giving. That was Shi Zhou's philosophy when it came to friendship.

Watching the two women walk away hand in hand, Shi Zhou went to check the map.

There probably wouldn't be many people in their room tonight, either. With the Spaceship so large, going back would be boring. He decided to find somewhere to explore as well.

Seeing that he didn't know where to go, a staff member suggested, "You could take a look around the Spaceship's terrace. It's spacious, and the view is especially beautiful."

When he looked over, they grinned and chuckled, looking oddly excited for some reason.

Shi Zhou found it a little puzzling, but the terrace hadn't existed a couple of years ago, and he was quite interested. He took the elevator again, this time traveling all the way past the top floor. An illuminated sign informed him that the terrace closed at eleven sharp.

But the moment Shi Zhou stepped out of the elevator, he forgot all about closing time. The camera operator reminded him, "Zhouzhou, look up."

Shi Zhou smiled and lifted his head. "What..."

"Wow-it's magnificent!"

His mouth fell open as he murmured, completely overwhelmed by the sight before him!

It wasn't just him. Everyone watching the livestream was so stunned that they forgot to post comments!

The Spaceship had completely left the planetary belt behind and was cruising through the vast, boundless universe.

The sky was incredibly bright. As he looked up, a river of stars rushed into his eyes.

These weren't sparse points of light, but a dazzling ocean of stars surging in waves.

Silver radiance shattered across the ink-black sky, forming layer upon layer of misty clouds, like frost-coated cotton or flowing gauze woven with crushed diamonds. Spreading across the boundless heavens, they became a sea of stars.

As the Spaceship traveled, translucent halos drifted past. They spread and curled in overlapping layers, sometimes unfurling into gentle waves, sometimes gathering into billowing peaks. Starlight traced their edges in fine silver. As the ship passed, they rippled slowly outward, the stars' glow wavering within them. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Shi Zhou gazed upward for a long time, only lowering his head when his neck ached unbearably. He exhaled a plume of white breath.

It was a little cold, but truly beautiful-the kind of sight he would never forget!

That sense of awe could only be understood by experiencing it in person. Shi Zhou felt the trip had been well worth it.

But this was the sort of view the male leads and their romantic partners should see. What a waste to show it to a cannon-fodder extra like him!

It seemed a little too late to go looking for the others now.

Hmm, once he had a girlfriend, he would bring her here, too.

A staff member interrupted his thoughts. "Zhouzhou, since you're already here, could you do us a favor?"

"What is it?" Shi Zhou asked curiously.

The staff member said, "Yue's upset. It's getting late. Could you go talk him around?"

Shi Zhou smiled. "Would he listen to me?"

Su Yue seemed to be a bit of a clean freak, so he probably didn't like coming into contact with that many people. That must have been what had upset him.

The staff member seemed very confident in him. "Of course."

"He's at the Café on the west side of the top floor."

In that case, all right.

Shi Zhou wasn't in a hurry. He strolled over at an easy pace. The Café was large and open-air.

It was already past ten, and few people remained. Apart from two young couples, there was only a figure in a royal-blue suit seated in a corner.

Unlike his usual upright posture, he had one long leg stretched lazily forward and was leaning against the back of a wicker chair. He gazed at the scattered starry clouds ahead, his thoughts unreadable.

Shi Zhou stifled a laugh and signaled for the camera operator to keep quiet. The two crept up behind him.

No one on the production team had gone to bed. They gathered together, eyes wide, watching the camera feed intently.

They had been waiting for these two!!

Su Yue gazed quietly ahead, only his cool profile visible. His elbow rested on the chair back, and his fingers held that silver ear cuff. There was no telling what he was thinking.

Despite his usual vigilance, he hadn't noticed anyone approaching.

"Yue."

A familiar voice, warm with laughter, came from behind him.

Su Yue gave a slight shudder. Before he could move, someone covered his eyes from behind.

Warmth spread through his cold body.

Su Yue paused for two seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing, then released a long breath.

At last, he lowered his head,

and suddenly clenched the ear cuff in his hand.

His fingers closed tightly around it, veins standing out on the back of his pale hand.