Chapter 0029: The Big Star

Night fell.

Lin Yi sat in a chair, gazing out at the scenery. High above, the stars were sparse, and the moon hung like a crescent. The city lights intertwined, weaving a tapestry of bustling beauty. On the streets below, people came and went, and traffic flowed like a river. Every bit of this beauty was captured in his eyes.

Deep in emotion, Lin Yi couldn't help but whisper a line from Zhu Ziqing: "The bustle is theirs, I have nothing."

He sat in silence for a long time. Memories surfaced in his mind—the agonizing time spent repeating his final year of high school, the fall of his youth, the passing of his loved ones...

"Everything is in the past now. Lin Yi, you must live this life well," he whispered, clenching his fists.

*Ring, ring, ring!*

His phone rang. Picking it up, he saw an unfamiliar number and frowned.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Is this Mr. Lin Yi? I am the director of Hunan Satellite TV's 'Day Day Up.' Do you have any time recently? We would like to invite you to participate in our program."

'Day Day Up'?

Lin Yi had lost count of how many production teams had called him recently, but without exception, he had rejected them all. He didn't like being on variety shows. He also knew exactly why they were calling: three words—television ratings.

Lately, he had become a nationwide sensation thanks to his college entrance exam results and his song, "Your Answer." His name was everywhere—on Weibo, in social circles, and in entertainment gossip. Being a red-hot celebrity, he was naturally a target for production teams.

"Thanks, Director, but I don't like variety shows," Lin Yi said after a moment of thought, declining the offer.

"Lin Yi, you don't have to refuse right away. You can think about it a bit more."

"Director, I really don't want to go on a variety show," Lin Yi said, feeling awkward.

"Fine." A sigh came from the other end of the line.

After hanging up, Lin Yi stared blankly into the distance. Being famous meant dealing with gossip; the director of 'Day Day Up' had actually been quite polite. Several other production teams that had called earlier were extremely rude; the moment he refused, they would resort to sarcasm and insults.

*Hmph!*

Lin Yi was so angry he laughed. Going on a show was his choice—was it a crime to refuse? Damn it, that wasn't even the worst of it. Some even accused him of being stuck-up and claimed he would be "finished" sooner or later.

What the hell? Who was the one being stuck-up? Did they have any self-awareness? What kind of logic was that? He truly didn't know what was inside their heads.

*Sigh.*

"Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. The more I think, the more I want to hit someone." Lin Yi brushed away the unpleasant memories, put on a mask, and walked out of the hotel.

Since he was in Nanjing anyway, he might as well walk around and see the beauty of the city. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the Xinjiekou pedestrian street. A thick sense of cultural heritage washed over him; the architecture was a blend of ancient and modern, Eastern and Western. Lanterns hung in the air, casting a warm, antique glow.

The street was filled with a dazzling array of goods, vendors were calling out loudly, delicious aromas drifted through the air, and pleasant music spilled out from the shops.

"The taste of saury, the cat and you both want to know. The scent of first love, just like that, we found it again. That warm sunshine is like a freshly picked, bright strawberry..."

It was Jay Chou's "Qilixiang." As the song ended, a familiar melody began to play from the speakers.

Lin Yi saw a girl around his age holding a microphone, swaying her arms and nodding her head. "Maybe the world is just like this, and I'm still on the road, with no one to tell..."

It was quite good. The girl's slender figure, charming face, and youthful, lively aura drew quite a crowd who stopped to listen.

Lin Yi stood still, watching the fair-skinned girl, and smiled slightly. He really hadn't expected this song to have become this popular.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, screams and the sound of chaotic footsteps came from behind. Lin Yi turned around to see a woman in sunglasses and high heels running towards him in a panic. A large crowd was chasing her, their faces filled with excitement, eager to catch her.

Stumbling, the woman looked like she was about to fall. In her desperation, her slender, jade-like hand reached out and grabbed onto Lin Yi.

Lin Yi’s eyes widened as he watched her arms flail, knocking his mask off. Instinctively, he reached out to steady her.

*Hmm?*

Soft.

*Oh!*

*Damn it!*

His hand seemed to have landed in a place it shouldn't have. The woman’s brows furrowed slightly; Lin Yi hurriedly moved his hand and held the beauty steady. However, he seemed to have forgotten that his face was now "exposed" to the air.

"Lin Yi!" The girl singing with the microphone spotted his face and was overcome with excitement, shouting his name.

That shout traveled through the speakers for miles.

"Wow! It really is Lin Yi!"

"Lin Yi, I love you so much!"

"Hey! Sisters, charge! Capture Lin Yi!"

...

*Oh no!*

Lin Yi glanced at the woman beside him, gritted his teeth, and hoisted her onto his back before breaking into a run.

The onlookers, not knowing what was happening but caught up in the excitement, joined the chase.

"Damn it." Lin Yi looked back, scanned his surroundings, and spotted a large shopping mall not far ahead. He dove straight inside.

After a short sprint, he led the woman into... a fitting room.

*Huff, huff!*

Lin Yi locked the door and set the woman down, leaning against the wall, gasping for air.

*This body is out of shape!* It seemed he couldn't just stay cooped up at home anymore; he needed to exercise more.

"Are you the Lin Yi who's been so popular lately?" the woman in the sunglasses asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. Who are you? Why were so many people chasing you? Don't tell me you're a celebrity too?" Lin Yi licked his dry lips; he was losing moisture rapidly and desperately needed water. Besides, the fitting room was cramped, stuffy, and hot.

"Yes, I'm Tong Liya." As she spoke, she lowered her sunglasses. "Thanks for just now!"

Tong Liya?

Lin Yi froze, staring at her.

"What? Don't you recognize me?" Tong Liya asked, tilting her head, looking displeased.

"I do," Lin Yi replied, quickly coming back to his senses.

He runs into a celebrity just by going out for a walk? His luck was incredible! Why hadn't he run into anyone like this in his past life?

"Hey, if you don't do variety shows, how do you have time to go shopping?" Tong Liya asked curiously.

Lin Yi had been very popular lately. If he capitalized on his fame and did a few shows, he could make enough money to last an ordinary person a lifetime.

"Not interested," Lin Yi said flatly.

"Not interested? You don't want to earn money when it's right in front of you? Are you an idiot?" Tong Liya asked, clearly indignant.

"What about you? Aren't you the same?" Lin Yi retorted, glancing at her.

"I... I..." Tong Liya stomped her foot in annoyance. Was she the same as him?

The atmosphere grew quiet; the two of them breathed heavily, staring at each other. A sense of intimacy filled the air.

"Do you have any plans to join an agency?" Tong Liya changed the subject.

"Not interested. I've never thought about entering the entertainment industry."

"Why?"

"Not interested."

Tong Liya was speechless.