He put on his glasses, glanced in the mirror, adjusted his frames, and sighed, "I look five years older just like that."
Lin Fan chimed in righteous indignation, "Brother, what are you saying? You're the coolest guy ever!"
Even before reaching the mall, I could see a sea of people outside. The entire square was packed with fans, and security had set up two rows of barriers. Light boards and banners stretched out from behind the barriers, forming a dense, overwhelming mass.
Looking at the dense crowd outside the window, Song Shi'an was somewhat shocked. "So many people?"
Lin Fan proudly said, "Brother, you probably didn't check your phone, but the mall was already packed with people at three or four in the morning. The mall security guards were woken up and had to add extra security."
While still in the car, Lin Fan got out first and opened the car door. Song Shi'an took a deep breath, smiled, and got out of the car.
Screams erupted instantly, a cacophony of " An'an " and "Lawyer Su" mixed together, and flashes of light resembled a surging galaxy.
This was the first time Song Shi'an truly felt his popularity. Staff members led him to the main stage for the drama's promotion. As he walked, he waved to both sides. A dense array of mobile phones were pointed at him, and every camera was recording his every move.
As I walked onto the stage, the main characters from the other episodes were already there.
This was their first time meeting each other, Song Shi'an tactfully stood at the very edge, next to Li Yaqi.
The series has reached the point where Su Wenli abandons Jiang Shuyue and leaves for the company, and everyone is curious about the exact nature of their relationship.
During the Q&A session, a reporter directly raised this hot potato. "Professor Song, what exactly is the relationship between Attorney Su and Jiang Shuyue? Are they lovers or something else?"
Song Shi'an never expected to be asked this. He thought for a moment and summarized it in one word, "Each gets what they need."
The room fell silent for a second, then a chorus of meaningful "Oh~"s rang out. The world of adults is something that can only be understood, not explained.
Song Shi'an was a little confused. What were they saying? They were definitely getting what they wanted; one enjoyed mental torture, and the other loved money...
Another person pressed further, asking, "Professor Shi'an, Su Wenli seems to be a two-faced character. Does he have any other secrets?"
Song Shi'an cleverly avoided discussing the unreleased plot points, only mentioning his understanding of the character's early stages.
As he spoke, the fans below the stage quietly held up their phones, the cameras swaying slightly in sync with his every micro-expression.
Later, when the spotlight was given to the other lead actors, he stood An'an to the side, nodding, smiling, and clapping. Occasionally, when he was called upon, he would pick up the microphone and say a few words.
The official promotional livestream for the drama started simultaneously, and just as it was about to end, a wave of people suddenly flooded into the livestream room.
"I just finished watching the latest episode of the show next door, and I almost cried my eyes out. It's so good to see An'an alive now. If Xia Yu had met Su Wenli back then, he definitely wouldn't have chosen to leave this world."
"What the hell are you guys talking about?"
"In the neighboring drama ' Endless Summer,' Xia Yu jumped off a building. Although it was a bit unpleasant to say it in the promotional material, it really made my heart clench. Seeing An'an still standing on the stage made me feel a lot better."
"No way, I haven't even watched the latest episode yet! He died again?"
No spoilers! I'm going to see it myself!
After the promotional event for the drama ended, Song Shi'an took photos with fans. Lu Shiyue stood at the front of the crowd, and it was the first time she and Song Shi'an were in the same frame.
She watched him smile in the camera lens, completely different from the boy who had just debuted. He was becoming more and more radiant and composed, and she pressed the shutter.
After the promotional event for the drama ended, Song Shi'an took off his glasses as soon as he got into the car and rubbed the bridge of his nose, which had been pressed down by the glasses for a long time.
He turned to look out the car window, where his fans were still waving at him. He rolled down the window, stuck half his face out, and waved back at them.
Shi'an took off his glasses, the sharpness in his eyes and brows faded considerably, replaced by a gentle and approachable demeanor, making him seem more like his true self.
That evening, Song Shi'an's high-definition, unedited photos flooded major short video websites.
The comments section was filled with "my husband".
Some people wondered if his picture had been edited separately, but fans directly shared screenshots of the official live stream recording.
Okay... there really are people who aren't on the same layer as others.
Even more talented fans edited Xia Yu and Su Wenli into a completely different drama.
The scene opens with Xia Yu standing on the edge of a rooftop, the hem of her blue and white school uniform billowing in the evening breeze, while the setting sun sinks in the distance.
He took off his glasses and placed them beside him, the wind blowing his bangs across his forehead. Then the scene shifted to Su Wenli holding an umbrella in front of the courthouse.
The editing was slow-paced. Xia Yu closed her eyes in the sunset, and Su Wenli's footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.
Just as Xia Yu leaned forward, a hand reached out from behind and grabbed his wrist.
Two identical people, one at the end of despair, the other walking out of the light, instantly evoked a strong sense of redemption, and the video garnered over five million views that night.
The comment section was filled with cries.
"The two An'an's sense of redemption is overwhelming."
"One was at the end of despair, the other walked out of the light, and they saved each other."
"Two faces of the same person: one that hasn't been hurt by the world, and one that has learned to protect themselves."
The next day, the new episode aired, delivering a shocking blow to all viewers.
The righteous lawyer who stood in court to defend the bullied boy, and Su Wenli who reached out to Xia Yu in the rooftop montage, revealed their true colors.
The comments section, which was filled with "my husband," suddenly became "your husband."
The comments section for " The Invisible Bystander " was even more heartbreaking.
"What would that boy think if he knew that the person defending him was this kind of person...?"
"Sister, please don't say anymore, I really can't bear to think about it."
"Morality and bottom lines are at odds; the more love there was a few days ago, the more hatred there is now."
"Don't project your own personality onto the character. This also tells us that seemingly outstanding people are not necessarily good people."
"When you feel that this person is a perfect match for you, you should know that your 'pig butchering scam' has begun."
"You can criticize Su Wenli Su Wenli if you want, but don't criticize An'an! An'an is innocent!"
"Hilarious! Last time I praised Su Wenli for being handsome, you all said I had good taste. Now I'm here to fulfill my promise, so please take back your praise."
"Yesterday we were all caught up in a rooftop mashup of life and death, but today, with Su Wenli revealing his true colors, the redemptive feeling of that mashup instantly turned into a horror movie."
The online debate surrounding this character continues, Song Shi'an has already boarded a car to the airport.
He leaned back in his seat, scrolling through his phone, and saw the overwhelming posts about "your husband" turning into "that pervert," which made him feel both complicated and amused.
Pei Zhiyan just sent me a message with a photo of two kittens and their mother rolling around in their new luxurious cat bed, complete with everything they need, even the cat bowls had gold rims.
The place where his three cats live is bigger than his villa! Is there no justice in this world?!
He replied to Pei Zhiyan with a message: "President Pei, do you need another cat? The kind that can talk."