Staring into Fang Juexia’s clear eyes, Pei Tingsong’s lips curved upward. He couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle his hair, his expression tinged with a hint of pride and childishness. “Then I’ll be the second-smallest boring natural number.”
“So you’re a little less interesting than me.”
“Whatever. I’m sticking right behind you anyway.”
Pei Tingsong chose a point on the infinite number line with utmost care, never imagining how beautiful that spot would turn out to be.
After the signing event ended, the six members of Kaleido boarded the van to head back to the company. Xiao Wen took the driver’s seat, closing the door and shutting out the fans’ calls. “We were supposed to have a dedicated driver starting today, but his kid got sick and he took leave. I’ll drive one last day!”
“Oh no, is our driver Xiao Wen getting laid off~?” Ling Yi wrapped his arms around Xiao Wen’s neck from behind.
“Then we’ll need a bigger vehicle,” He Ziyan remarked.
Xiao Wen looked surprised. “How did you know?”
Lu Yuan teased his clueless expression. “With one more person in the driver’s seat and Qiang Ge squeezing in, there won’t be enough room.”
“Oh, right.” Xiao Wen wriggled free from Ling Yi’s embrace and started the car as soon as Cheng Qiang got in.
Ever since Pei Tingsong got injured, Fang Juexia had been on edge, terrified his arm might bump or scrape against anything. They waved goodbye to the fans, drove a short distance out, and merged onto the highway. Fang Juexia kept a constant eye on the road, occasionally glancing at Xiao Wen.
He noticed Xiao Wen kept checking the rearview mirror.
“Xiao Wen, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know if I’m seeing things,” Xiao Wen frowned. “I keep feeling like a car is following us.”
Cheng Qiang grew alert, rolling down his window to glance back. “The black Volkswagen?”
“Yep.” Xiao Wen found it odd. “It’s been right behind us since we pulled out. We’ve passed several intersections, and it’s still following.”
Fang Juexia instinctively sensed something was off. After dismissing a few far-fetched possibilities, he ventured a guess. “Could it be a stalker?”
Stalker fans were a peculiar breed. Though labeled as “fans,” their actions far exceeded normal fandom behavior. They’d obtain celebrities’ private numbers through improper means, make incessant harassing calls, chase after vehicles, stalk them at hotels, or even resort to terrifying acts like installing hidden cameras.
Cheng Qiang closed the car door. “Probably. Let’s take a different route back to the company. If they’re still following us, it’s likely them.”
The pleasant atmosphere inside the car instantly turned cold. Ling Yi sighed. “Another stalker.”
Jiang Miao ruffled his hair, offering a gesture of comfort.
Last year, Ling Yi had changed phone numbers multiple times due to stalker harassment. Calls came daily, and if he didn’t answer, he’d receive countless abusive texts. Even blocking them only led to new numbers. The pressure was immense, yet he found no effective solution beyond constant avoidance.
They called him “brother” with every breath, yet their actions were beyond what any normal person could endure.
Xiao Wen slowed the car. Trying to shake them off by speeding up now would only make things more dangerous.
“Thankfully, we don’t have any urgent appointments today.” He took a longer route, but the black Volkswagen still followed behind, clinging like a ghost that couldn’t be shaken.
Pei Tingsong recalled something. “Last time I went back to school, someone followed me too, but I didn’t think much of it.”
Cheng Qiang felt irritated, wanting a cigarette but unable to have one now. “It’s definitely a stalker. From now on, we’ll arrange security to protect you on your way to school.”
He Ziyan shook his head. “Security can’t follow us inside during class. It’s too complicated.”
After circling back to the company, they quickly got out of the car. Sure enough, the people who had been following them got out too—a few young girls who rushed up to them, trying to get their attention.
“Jue Xia! Can we get your autograph?”
“Ziyan! Miaomiao!”
“Peisheng! Wait, don’t go in yet!”
Cheng Qiang had already contacted the company staff. The moment they got out of the car, the staff surrounded Kaleido, shielding them from the fans and escorting them into the company.
Even after passing through the company gates, Fang Juexia could still hear the voices outside. Having failed to get what they wanted, the girls had shifted from fawning to loud, abusive shouts—every kind of nasty insult imaginable.
Humans really are complicated.
Inside the company, they held a brief meeting in Cheng Qiang’s office, mainly going over recent schedules and new resources.
“For the reality show segment, we’ll continue filming Xiao Pei Juexia’s survival challenge as before. Everyone else’s regular commitments remain unchanged. Oh, Yuan Yuan, you’ve been confirmed as the mentor for that street dance competition. The first episode records next Friday—get yourself in shape.”
Lu Yuan flashed an OK sign. “Got it.”
“Miao Miao, are you interested in trying acting?” Cheng Qiang sat down. “There’s an up-and-coming director—not very famous yet, but his films are solid. He’s planning a music-themed movie with a lead role for a guzheng player. We’ve arranged an audition for you.”
Ling Yi was even more excited than Jiang Miao. “Wow! A movie!”
Jiang Miao nodded. Truthfully, it was because his sister was a movie buff that he wanted to try acting.
“Then there’s this last-minute addition for Wednesday—we’re all going to the recording of Happy Friday to promote the new album.”
“You scared me,” Pei Tingsong teased. “I thought we were actually going on Happy Comedy People.”
“Hahahahaha!”
Fang Juexia couldn’t hold back his laughter either. He pictured the scene in his mind: the six of them standing in front of a red backdrop, dressed in traditional Chinese robes. If they really went to perform group crosstalk on a show like that, with everyone else chattering away, he figured he’d probably just end up standing on the sidelines playing the clappers.
But his clappers would definitely be spot-on, because his childhood clock was always punctual, and he was a master at keeping the beat.
“You guys may want to go, but we can’t get that kind of resource. Happy Friday is one of the most popular variety shows nationwide. Let me remind you—you six are the only guests. Make sure you all perform well and don’t just stand there like wallflowers.”
Everyone turned to look at Fang Juexia. He sighed helplessly, “I’d talk more if you guys were here.”
“Once the show airs, you might gain another wave of fans,” Cheng Qiang sighed. “Gaining fans is good, but it also brings problems. Today’s stalkers were relatively mild. The more famous you become, the more trouble you’ll have, and the more people will be watching you. The company will do everything to protect its artists, but you yourselves can’t let your guard down, understand?”
The six of them nodded in unison, looking like scolded children.
“Alright, you guys go back to work. I’m gonna have a smoke.”
After the meeting, Ling Yi was called out for a gathering by his best friend from college, while Jiang Miao had to accompany her long-lost younger sister on a shopping trip. Fang Juexia had planned to stay at the company to practice, but He Ziyan Lu Yuan dragged him off to play basketball. Thinking of Pei Tingsong’s injury, he hesitated to join. Unexpectedly, Pei Tingsong had coordinated with the other two and insisted on participating in the outdoor activity. Unable to resist their persistence, Fang Juexia put his practice on hold and accompanied them to the court.
Fortunately, when they left the office, the paparazzi had already dispersed. They rode back to the residential complex where their dorm was located, which featured an outdoor basketball court. However, occupancy in this neighborhood was low, with few residents and even fewer basketball players. Changing into loose clothes, the group of young men eagerly headed down to play. With too few players for a proper game, they just played casually.
Pei Tingsong possessed natural talent for all sports, basketball being no exception. Even with one hand injured, he dribbled and shot with remarkable ease.
Fang Juexia had been on his high school basketball team and continued playing in college, drawing large crowds at every game. Taking the ball from Pei Tingsong, Fang stepped back beyond the three-point line, raised his hand, and sank a clean shot.
“Juexia has such steady hands,” Lu Yuan marveled. “His accuracy is incredible.”
“He’s got nerves of steel,” He Ziyan chuckled, bending down to tie his shoelaces. “Try shooting free throws when the entire stadium is chanting just your name—now that’s pressure.”
Pei Tingsong, dribbling with one hand in place, frowned at the remark. “What’s this ‘entire stadium chanting your name’ thing?”
He Ziyan stood up, waved to Pei Tingsong, and passed him the ball. “You didn’t know? Jue Xia was the campus heartthrob back in college, and he played for the school basketball team. There was a video circulating online for a while of him playing a game at twenty. The whole stadium was chanting his name—nothing but ‘Fang Juexia’.”
Lu Yuan started mimicking the scene, straining his voice to imitate the cheers.
Fang Juexia had just unscrewed a water bottle and taken a sip when he nearly spit it out. “It wasn’t that exaggerated.”
After saying that, he threw a ball. It fell and was caught by Lu Yuan. “You say it wasn’t that exaggerated? I saw it, okay? The cheering was way more exaggerated than mine. Little Pei actually didn’t watch it.”
He Ziyan teased, “Of course not. How could certain people have gone online to watch Juexia’s videos back then?”
Stung by the jab, Pei Tingsong, undeterred despite his disability, prepared to confront He Ziyan. Fearing he might hurt his hand, He Ziyan could only feign reluctance to provoke him. After a brief scuffle, they parted ways. Lu Yuan joined He Ziyan on the court, while Pei Tingsong stepped back and walked over to sit beside Fang Juexia, who was sitting on the sidelines.
“Want some water?” Fang Juexia looked up at him and handed him a bottle.
Pei Tingsong took the bottle but didn’t drink. He fell silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on the two playing basketball nearby.
“Does your hand ever hurt?” Fang Juexia asked.
“No, it’s fine.”
Fang Juexia nodded with satisfaction, then turned his gaze back to the players, watching them with rapt attention. Suddenly, he heard Pei Tingsong’s voice right beside his ear.
“I feel so regretful.”
Turning his head, the fading twilight fell upon Fang Juexia’s gentle face. “What’s a pity?”
“It’s a pity for myself.” Pei Tingsong stretched out his long legs. “I’ve known you for two years now, yet I kept my distance because of my own prejudices. It feels like I’ve missed out on so much.”
Pei Tingsong’s youthful spirit was most evident when he showed vulnerability. At times like this, Fang Juexia would clearly recognize that he was indeed a few years younger than himself, and he would feel a special affection bordering on doting toward the boy before him.
“If we must define it, it’s that we missed each other. But if two people are on the same page, it can’t be called missing out. With aligned thoughts and mindsets, we’ll always recover those lost memories together.”
Fang Juexia recalled his past self and found it quite amusing. “You were arrogant toward me, while my attitude toward you was more like prejudice. Back then, I thought, ‘Is this some spoiled young master who just showed up?’ I really didn’t want to deal with you at the time, feeling it was a waste of time.”
As he spoke, he chuckled. “Plus, you just parachuted in back then—got here effortlessly. But it took me so long to barely make my debut. No matter how I tried to rationalize it, I couldn’t help feeling a bit resentful. Later, I realized you were far more talented than I’d imagined, even if you were a tad… troublesome.”
He made a gesture emphasizing “just a little bit,” then turned to look at Pei Tingsong, reaching out to adjust the slightly askew headband on his forehead. “But geniuses get special privileges.”
Seeing him like this, Pei Tingsong thought back to his own childhood. He’d been so lonely, truly envying peers who had older brothers—someone to play games with, to shoot hoops or swim with.
He even grew greedy, no longer dwelling on the two lost years but wishing instead that he’d known Fang Juexia from childhood. Perhaps then, this rough pebble could have been smoothed by tenderness, transforming into a true pearl.
Suddenly recalling a small detail from the book signing, Pei Tingsong asked again, “Hey, do you really like mature people?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he deliberately added two more, “Back then.”
Fang Juexia curled one leg up onto the steps they sat on, wrapping his arms around his knees and resting his head against them. Startled by Pei Tingsong’s sudden question, he paused before tilting his head to look at him. A soft smile touched his usually aloof face. “What do you think?”
Pei Tingsong answered honestly, “I hope it’s not true. But if it is, I’ll work on becoming more mature.”
Fang Juexia’s eyes softened as he shook his head. “You don’t need to.”
He Ziyan called out to Fang Juexia from a distance. He looked up and caught the ball thrown recklessly his way. “Be careful, there are injured people here.”
After speaking, he stood up, preparing to walk toward Lu Yuan and the others. But before leaving, he paused in the fading daylight and said to Pei Tingsong, “I never knew what kind of person I liked before. To get by, I just went along with it.” “ After speaking, he stood up, preparing to head toward Lu Yuan and the others. But before leaving, he paused in the fading daylight and said to Pei Tingsong, ”I never knew what kind of person I liked before. To get by, I casually listed some conditions, but they were all false propositions. However, now…”
Fang Juexia glanced at Pei Tingsong, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly.
“You are the proposition itself. If you truly want to know the criteria, deduce them from yourself.”
Author’s Note: This is actually a mutual affection story~
To prevent anyone from misunderstanding the final line, let me explain. When Grapevine asked Juexia if he liked mature people, “maturity” was the ‘condition’ Juexia mentioned. He said he made up those conditions when he didn’t know what kind of person he liked, because back then, liking someone was a false proposition for him. But now that he’s fallen for Pei Tingsong, Pei Tingsong is the proposition itself, and his qualities are the “conditions.” This line is essentially a veiled confession.
