Song Nianxing's pupils abruptly contracted, and his body trembled uncontrollably. Then, as if in a stress response, he flung his phone to the other end of the sofa.
That person knew he was alone right now!! That meant they really were somewhere near him!!
That person said they were coming to find him!
No, there were cameras here. No, that person wouldn't dare!
Song Nianxing's mind instantly descended into chaos. He curled himself into the corner of the sofa as much as he could, seeking even the slightest sense of security. His eyes flicked toward the camera from time to time, constantly checking that it remained on.
How he wished one of the guests would finish their work commitments and hurry back. Any guest would do, but would anyone really come to "save" him?
Time ticked by, second after second, and Song Nianxing's nerves grew ever tighter, like a string being steadily tightened, ready to snap at any moment.
He looked toward the camera again.
His gaze was utterly pitiful, like a kitten so badly frightened that its eyes had instinctively gone round.
Shen Siyi watched this scene in the bottom-right corner of the "Star-struck Moments" livestream on his tablet. His eyes narrowed slightly, and the curve of his lips held both tenderness and a faint, hidden trace of excitement.
He lightly tapped the screen, enlarging the bottom-right split-screen feed into the main view, then gently traced Song Nianxing's outline with his fingertip.
The cameraman following Shen Siyi happened to capture this scene for the livestream, and the scrolling comments instantly erupted into screams.
[Ahhh, Shen Siyi, you really won't let Song Nianxing out of your sight for even a second! Even when you're out working, you have to watch the livestream to see how Song Nianxing is doing.]
[This dating show has only been airing for one short day, but I'm already tired of saying "Gleaming Starlight" is real.]
[Did Song Nianxing drug Shen Siyi or something? Look how bewitched Shen Siyi is.]
[How come Song Nianxing is the only one with no work commitments? With a face like his, he shouldn't be short of opportunities. Didn't people always say he used his looks to latch onto rich patrons and get jobs? I thought it was true, but why are his opportunities so abysmal? He doesn't have a single gig.]
[Waaah, someone finally noticed! We Song Nianxing fans have explained this eight hundred times. If he were even slightly willing to latch onto a rich patron, he wouldn't be at his current level of standing. But he won't listen to the company's money men and refuses to do that sort of thing, so he's basically been kept half-frozen out all this time. They don't give him any work opportunities at all. This variety show was practically divine favor, a windfall from heaven, waaah.]
[When you put it that way, he really does have it rough. Then how about we put in some effort and get the boy an endorsement or something? Ideally with Shen Siyi, so next time they can go to work together and we'll have sweet moments to feast on!]
[I'm all for it! I'm genuinely shipping them now. Just look at Shen Siyi's expression and the way he strokes his beloved through the screen. That's pure love, okay!!]
Jiang Jingzhe's work commitment that day was with Qiu Bailu and Shen Siyi.
He had just finished hair and makeup and only needed to wait for the magazine shoot, so he decided to take the opportunity to see what the show's viewers thought of him now. He searched for the show's livestream, but the moment he entered, he found the screen filled with Shen Siyi's and Song Nianxing's names.
Pure love, my ass! "Gleaming Starlight," my ass!
Unable to remain composed, he furrowed his brows and raised his eyes toward Shen Siyi, who was sitting upright in another lounge area.
As if sensing his gaze, Shen Siyi slowly lifted his head and met his eyes.
At that instant, even the air around them seemed to stand still.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
"Mr. Shen, we're ready for you."
"Jingzhe, you can come over here for your shoot too."
The magazine shoot coordinator's voice rang out.
Shen Siyi stood with a smile, and Jiang Jingzhe rose as well. Their green-screen sets happened to lie in each other's direction, so they walked toward one another.
When only about an arm's length remained between them, they both tacitly stopped at the same time. As they turned their heads, their eyes met once more.
"It wasn't convenient to say this on the show, but now that we're off it, I have to say something. As the person Nianxing knows best and relies on most in this world, I'd like to thank you on his behalf for looking after him, Senior Shen."
Jiang Jingzhe spoke first, his smile not reaching his eyes.
Shen Siyi listened without getting angry. He merely raised his brows slightly, maintaining his polite smile. "The person Nianxing relies on most and is closest to? You? I don't seem to have heard him mention that~"
Jiang Jingzhe's eyes instantly curved into two crescents, and his lips curled into a smile, but his words sounded as though they were being forced out between his teeth.
"Whether he's mentioned it or not, it's a fact. Just like how we've always celebrated our birthdays together since childhood, and how he'll definitely choose me the day after tomorrow. It's a fact that will never change. Besides, Senior Shen, haven't you heard the saying? In everything, there's an order of arrival. That goes even more for relationships."
Shen Siyi lifted a hand and patted his shoulder, looking every bit the kindly senior reassuring a junior.
"Is that so? But I think a latecomer who fights and snatches seems more likely to win someone's heart. Still, what you said isn't entirely without merit. An order of arrival-I've learned something. A fact that will never change? Heh, interesting. Then let me offer you a saying too: a winner is someone who can give up things a loser can't."
Their eyes remained locked. From their posture and expressions, anyone who knew nothing of the situation would have thought they were discussing something pleasant.
Only when the coordinator came over again to remind them that they could begin shooting did this confrontation temporarily draw to a close.
As for why it was only temporary, the moment they finished their shoots, this contest of fighting and snatching versus an order of arrival began all over again.
Before you continue