Chapter 4

Joy That I Return Has a Time Limit（04）

Chapter 4

Mu He stepped out of the bathroom wearing a pink-purple nightgown. Thinking of the few slightly embarrassing lines she had just spoken, a faint blush quickly spread across her cheeks and through the back of her ears. She lightly patted her face, feeling slightly warm.

It was her first time acting in this style of scene, and she performed better than she imagined. She hadn’t expected herself to have such soft and charming eyes and voice. She had gotten so deeply into character, her allure natural, but fortunately, she was the only one who knew, or it would have been extremely embarrassing.

The room was slightly cool, and Mu He couldn’t help shivering. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the door was open. Strange—she clearly remembered closing it before showering. Had she not closed it properly, and the wind blew it open?

She walked over and closed the door, then turned toward the bed and quickly slipped under the covers.

The quilt was new, fresh and clean. She had intended to sort through the events of the past few days before sleeping, but as soon as she closed her eyes, sleep washed over her like a tide, and she quickly lost consciousness.

As she fell deep into her dream, the wall opposite the bed flickered with blue light. A seam appeared and slowly, silently opened, revealing a hidden walk-in closet. A tall man stepped out.

Behind him, the door gradually closed and became the wall again.

He walked to the bedside, gazing down at the person on the bed. Her fair face lay in the soft light, clear and flawless. Long, thick black eyelashes hung quietly, and shadows lingered on her eyelids.

His gaze traveled from her forehead down to the tip of her nose, her red lips, her neck, and the gentle rise and fall beneath the blanket.

His profile was hidden in the half-light, making his expression indistinct.

Perhaps feeling cold, Mu He turned over slightly, curling inwards. With her movement, the neckline of her nightgown opened wide, revealing a flash of fair skin, unshielded, directly entering Huo Shiheng’s eyes.

His pupils darkened little by little.

Mu He was completely unaware and shifted positions, continuing to sleep.

Huo Shiheng approached the head of the bed, tapped on the wall, and a control panel appeared. His long fingers lightly pressed it, raising the room temperature by five degrees.

The air began to warm, and warmth clung to him. Looking at the bed again, he noticed her furrowed brow had relaxed. He bent down; under his shadow, her sleeping face returned to peacefulness, her breathing steady.

Perhaps because she was sleeping so soundly, Huo Shiheng felt a rare wave of drowsiness himself. He pursed his thin lips with a faint smile, lifted the edge of the quilt, covering that exposed area.

Then, he quietly closed the door and left, as if he had never appeared.

Outside the window, the stars and lonely moon quietly adorned the desolate autumn night.

Mu He slept well all night. Being someone who went with the flow, she woke in a strange environment without any discomfort.

After washing up and having a simple breakfast, she stood by the floor-to-ceiling window holding a cup, watching the orange-red morning sun at the horizon, the rippling Xi Zi River, her smile making her eyes crescent-shaped.

Today was another new day.

It was almost time, and Mu He prepared to go to the company. She had tried to order rides several times, but no one accepted. Fortunately, Tan Mian called, saying the driver would pick her up, and she arrived at Xingyu smoothly.

After sitting in the small meeting room for a while, Ye Xi and Tan Mian arrived. They greeted each other and sat around the table.

Ye Xi had reviewed Mu He’s profile and prepared a packaging plan. But after hearing from Tan Mian that Mu He had been assigned to Jin Yue Bay and had subtly competed with Zhao Yike without losing face, she scrapped the previous plan.

On the surface gentle, but with deep insight.

Ye Xi understood the principle of still waters running deep and grew even more favorable toward Mu He. If she were truly a naïve beauty with nothing behind the appearance, then Ye Xi would have a real headache.

The question now: what kind of persona should they create?

Most artists needed a persona—cold and elegant, warm and kind, male genius, foodie… Of course, these were subjective impressions in fans’ minds and didn’t necessarily reflect reality. Otherwise, how could personas collapse?

Ye Xi had originally planned Mu He as a beautiful scholar, a persona fitting reality though not novel. After thinking overnight, she decided to scrap it and find a fresh, memorable persona.

“Mu He, do you have any special skills?”

“I know!”

Tan Mian smiled and raised her hand. “Her hair!”

Her long hair reached her waist, black and shiny like silk, clearly cared for with much effort.

Mu He couldn’t help laughing, and Ye Xi smiled, the atmosphere lightening. She asked again, “Anything else?”

Mu He thought for a moment. “I’m also good at cooking.”

Clearly, that wasn’t the answer Ye Xi wanted. Just as she was about to speak, the phone on the table rang. After answering, she learned one of her artists had accidentally fallen during rehearsal. She hurriedly left.

After Ye Xi left, only the two remained in the meeting room.

Tan Mian smiled at Mu He, shaking her phone. “Teacher Mu, the company’s official Weibo posted a welcome for the new recruits. You should repost it too.”

Mu He nodded, logging into Weibo. She had been active for nearly two years and had over fifty thousand followers, though engagement was low, with only a dozen comments per post. She searched for Xingyu’s official account, followed it, and found the latest post.

Xingyu Media V: Welcome @Zhao Yike and @Mu He, the two new stars, to the Xingyu family.

She clicked to view the comments:

“Xingyu, I advise you to be kind [knife emoji]”

“Xingyu, please be human, haven’t you harmed enough female celebrities these past two years?”

“xswl just asking, is there any female star left untouched by Xingyu?”

“2333333 no need to say more, knowing Xingyu’s habit of promoting one to flop the other, pre-ordering a flop package for both [candle emoji][candle emoji]”

“Don’t be sour, not everyone can get into Xingyu, right? Anyway, my male idol reposted, wishing the two ladies a bright future.”

Xingyu’s artists, including actor Lin Xiyu, popular celebrity Zhao Qin, young male idols, and female artists, all reposted to show welcome.

Mu He wasn’t used to flattery. Holding her phone, she typed simply. Tan Mian peered over: she had only written, “Thank you, Xingyu, thank you to all the seniors. I will work hard.”

“Teacher Mu,” Tan Mian hesitated, “isn’t that a bit… plain?”

Mu He rechecked and agreed. She removed the period and added a [cute] emoji.

Tan Mian: How shameful to act cute.

After reposting, Tan Mian saw Zhao Yike’s new Weibo. She had written a short essay, sincerely reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future, every punctuation dripping sentiment.

Tan Mian smirked; it was clearly written last night. Such cunning… it left her unmoved, but a wave of Yike fans were deeply touched.

“Yike, fly bravely, your fans will always follow!”

“No matter where you go, you are always the brightest goddess in my heart.”

“Believe everything happens for the best, looking forward to Yike’s new work!”

As expected, #ZhaoYikeShortEssay# quickly trended. The comments were tightly controlled by fans, but black fans came to cause trouble.

“Finally seen what a perfect white lotus looks like.”

“Poor Dongchen, he put so much effort into promoting her, only to be stabbed in the back.”

“The saying ‘milk is mother’—Dongchen never expected to be raising a white-eyed wolf.”

“Zhao b****, explode with your Xingyu [boom emoji]”

Yike fans fought back furiously, clearing black fans from the comments.

Meanwhile, many Yike fans commented on Xingyu’s official Weibo: “Xingyu, you must treat our Yike well.”

“Our little fairy deserves the best in the world!”

As more fans joined, the tone of the comments changed.

“Forgive my ignorance, who is Mu He? Why is she announced alongside our Yike?”

“Hehe, some 180-line nobody, how dare she ride our goddess’s fame?”

“Refuse kb (bundled) promotion! Take Yike, we’re not participating!”

Someone dug further and posted a screenshot of Mu He’s Weibo, highlighting her 50k followers in red. Yike fans were outraged—how dare this small nobody ride their goddess’s popularity? They immediately formed the “Yike Protection Squad.”

“What X crap riding your mother’s fame!”

“Ugh, you made me vomit my leftover meal, your family—dead!”

“Flop dog riding fame, deserve a lifetime of failure!”

Yike fans felt as if their ancestral tombs had been dug up, unleashing a torrent of obscene, indecent language. These fans were always fierce in online fights, and when riled up, they were like they had taken drugs.

The insults were so vulgar that bystanders couldn’t stand it: “Wake up, really, if you look at it carefully, it’s Xingyu official Weibo’s fault, okay?”

“Maybe Xingyu thought having two new stars would be a double blessing, for good luck.”

Naturally, they were ruthlessly attacked.

Forget it, forget it, they couldn’t provoke them—let the fans have their self-induced climax.

After tearing into the hype, Yike fans then sarcastically mocked Mu He for reposting Xingyu’s official Weibo. Compared to their goddess’s heartfelt essay, Mu He appeared cold and pretentious. Then, the tag #ZhaoYikeMuHe started trending on real-time hot topics.

Someone sensed the tension: “Friends, don’t you see? Zhao Yike switched to a new company. Obviously, it’s a ‘kill He to offer heaven’ rhythm.”

This was exactly the effect Zhao Yike wanted. She hurriedly had people hire water army accounts, determined to push it into the top ten trending, to vent her frustration.

Unexpectedly, before marketing accounts could act, #ZhaoYikeMuHe directly shot to first place on the trending list.

It turned out that Yike fans dug a screenshot from a palace drama on a video site. Zhao Yike played the daughter of a minister, while Mu He was just a minor maid beside her. This surprising discovery emboldened Yike fans’ arrogance: “Oh, isn’t that her? She used to be an extra for our Yike.”

“Ladies, tear her apart, must tear her apart, must make it clear!”

Yike fans originally intended to use the image to praise their goddess and simultaneously trample Mu He, but somehow the focus shifted—

“Don’t be fooled by Zhao Yike’s luxurious outfit. What first caught my eye was the little maid beside her—she seems to be glowing!”

“+10086, the little maid’s appearance is too striking!”

“I just want to know, does such a divine face really exist?!”

“Love it, love it, the little maid’s face is wallpaper-level gorgeous.”

“Ahhh, this face I can’t handle!”

“Whoa, did we accidentally dig up some peerless treasure?”

Someone replied: “No, it’s all thanks to Yike fans.”

“Tsks, without comparison, there’s no harm. This is the worst Zhao Yike’s face has been crushed.”

“Zhao Yike still denies plastic surgery. With this photo on her face, would she dare admit it?”

“Looks like nose filler, chin shaved, eye corners opened [smile]”

“Yike fans, stop talking nonsense. Open your eyes and look at your goddess’s face now—completely stiff.”

“Plastic surgery cowards, get out of the entertainment industry!”

…

This development left Yike fans completely stunned. What was happening?

“We posted the screenshot to help you ridicule the minor extra riding fame, not for you to fangirl and attack our goddess in return.”

“Friends, such a beautiful young lady, don’t just admire her, follow her!

Portal @Mu He”

“Go go go!”

A large number of beauty fans, onlookers, and even Zhao Yike’s haters flooded into Mu He’s Weibo. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Soon, #MostBeautifulAncientStyleMuHe##ZhaoYikePlasticSurgery# simultaneously hit trending.

Weibo became lively like Chinese New Year, with proper following and mockery.

Loyal Yike fans, under the banner of refusing to let anyone ride fame, single-handedly (with astonishing combat power) pushed their idol’s potential rival onto trending, giving her a massive surge in popularity for free—Mu He gained three hundred thousand followers in a day while Yike fans inadvertently blackened their own goddess. This dramatic move would be forever recorded in fan history.

“Congratulations, Yike fans, great achievement!”

“Unbelievable, which fan group can match Yike fans in cunning?”

“Hahaha, I bet Zhao Yike is so angry she’s bleeding!”

“I suspect she even wants to kill her fans…”

Finally, one fan summarized this storm succinctly: Zhao Yike tried to reap without effort but lost, and Mu He might become the biggest winner.

A final verdict: The drama of the year.

Completely unaware that she had been pushed into the spotlight and become the biggest winner, Mu He now stood before a private room at the Jinye Club. She looked at the dark carved wooden doors, took a deep breath, and pushed them open.

Seeing her, Zhong Mingyu quickly stood, smiling: “Mu He, you’re here.”

Mu He nodded calmly, looking at her steadily. She was still the same person, but some things were different. Gorgeous clothes and jewelry, delicate makeup, but her eyes no longer had their former sparkle.

“Sit.”

Zhong Mingyu awkwardly avoided her gaze. “I heard you went to Xingyu. That’s great, congratulations.”

Mu He lowered her gaze. “Thank you.”

In such a short time, the two who used to speak about everything had become strangers. Zhong Mingyu’s smile was forced, her eyes reddening: “Mu He, do you think I did wrong?”

Matters of mutual desire have nothing to do with right or wrong. Besides, it was done and could not be undone. Zhong Mingyu only sought reassurance from her.

Mu He shook her head slowly, saying nothing.

Zhong Mingyu seemed drained of all strength, slumping onto the sofa, covering her face as she wept softly. Mu He didn’t sit beside her to comfort her like before, but quietly closed the door behind her.

From now on, each would be well in their own way.

Mu He felt a silent ache in her heart. She knew very well that this industry was a giant dye vat, but she had her own boundaries—lines she would never cross.

She walked with her head down, then suddenly noticed a flicker of light. Looking up, she saw a man in black clothes and pants, tall and upright. From her angle, she could only see his cold, hard profile. Short hair, high nose bridge, sharp lips. The orange light couldn’t soften his icy aura.

She would never forget this face in her life.

Could it really be him?

Mu He stared in disbelief. Seeing him about to disappear, she shouted at his back: “Xi Heng!”

He didn’t stop.

She called again: “Stop right there!”

The man seemed not to hear and continued walking at an unhurried pace. However, the young man beside him glanced back.

Mu He ran to catch up. Just as she was about to reach him, he stopped. She couldn’t restrain herself and collided with his back. Her nose hurt, and before she could react, a strong, inescapable force lifted her waist, carrying her.

The sudden suspension made her uneasy. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck, then relaxed, adjusting to hold his shoulders.

After a few steps, Mu He struggled slightly to get down. Who would have thought the man who treated her like a stranger moments ago wouldn’t let go? She had to whisper in his ear: “Put me down.”

The girl’s warm, soft breath and voice brushed his ear. Huo Shiheng calmly adjusted her body upward, glanced slightly at Zhang Chang.

Zhang Chang, receiving his gaze, went to manage the surveillance.

Huo Shiheng continued walking with her on his back, entering a private elevator to reach the penthouse suite on the top floor.

Perhaps certain it was him, Mu He didn’t feel panic along the way. When the door closed, she jumped off his back and examined his face closely, especially his distinctive peach blossom eyes. Her lips curved into a smile: “Xi Heng, I knew it was you.”

“Oh?”

Huo Shiheng loosened his cuff, composed, and countered, “Are you really sure?”

Before he finished, she lunged at him, lifting her hand to undo his shirt buttons. After undoing two, she deftly shifted the collar. The scar below his collarbone, proof of his identity, was revealed. Her heart raced. She lifted her chin, eyes gleaming, triumphant like a clever little fox: “Both witness and evidence, do you still want to deny it?”

The man looked into her eyes and softly murmured “Hm,” with a hint of helplessness: “Seems impossible to deny.”

Mu He felt elated, her eyes full of laughter, crystal clear and bright.

Yes, impossible to deny—so what now?

He suddenly lowered his head. His crisp, male scent, like morning pine, drew near. Mu He froze, unsure of his intention, instinctively holding her breath.

He continued closing the distance between them.

The oxygen in the air rapidly dwindled; she could hardly breathe.

Mm, not any closer.

Any closer and he would kiss her.

Within this dangerous proximity, every eyelash of the man was clearly visible, and her heart trembled slightly.

Perhaps because of the heat radiating from his face, when he kissed her, Mu He could clearly feel that his lips carried a slight chill.