“So? Flights, hotel, tickets—it’s all on me. You just have to show up.” Both of them were wearing face masks, Ying Shu’s eyes closed as she enjoyed the gentle massage. “You’re not busy lately anyway.”

Yan Zhen asked, “Since when are you into following celebrities?”

“Just a little fun.” Ying Shu pressed her fingertip against the edge of her mask. “So, are you going or not?”

“Which city?”

“Z City, this weekend.”

…How could it be such a coincidence?

Yan Zhen stared at the ceiling. “How many days is the concert?”

“Two, but we’ll only go to the first day. We can do some sightseeing in Z City afterward.”

Yan Zhen considered for a moment. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

Z City was much warmer than Ningchuan. As soon as the plane landed, the hot sun pierced through the cabin window. They disembarked and got into the waiting car. The driver, a young man, kept addressing Ying Shu as "Sister Ying Shu," which struck Yan Zhen as odd.

“Do you know each other?”

Ying Shu, wearing sunglasses, leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed. “He’s Qin Chu’s assistant.”

Qin Chu was the star performing at the concert.

Yan Zhen sensed something was up.

The coastal scenery along the way was breathtaking. Yan Zhen snapped a few photos of the landscape, and a few more of the hotel’s architecture once they arrived. She added some captions and was about to post them to her WeChat Moments.

Barely a minute after posting, a friend commented: “Visiting Z City? That hotel is unique, very nice. I recommend trying their breakfast.”

How could he recognize it?

Panicked, Yan Zhen quickly deleted the post.

Only after deleting it did she realize that this friend wasn't one she shared with Chen Huaixu. He wouldn't have seen the comment. Besides, he never posted anything himself, maybe he didn’t even look at Moments?

Yan Zhen fretted over her overreaction, finally huffing, “I’m not doing anything wrong. Why am I being so secretive? Just because he’s in Z City doesn’t mean I can’t be. I’m not here to see him.”

“What are you muttering about?” Ying Shu handed her a room key. “Come on, let’s drop off our luggage.”

The concert was in the evening, so they decided to explore after settling in. Ying Shu politely declined the assistant’s offer to accompany them. “You’ll be busy with the concert tonight. Don’t worry about me, go help him prepare.”

As the assistant walked away, Yan Zhen glanced at her. “I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s going on? A celebrity's assistant picking you up?”

“Exactly what you’re thinking.” Ying Shu winked. “But keep it under wraps, nobody knows yet.”

Yan Zhen’s first reaction was, “Will your dad approve?”

“It’s way too early to talk about that. I’m not planning on taking it that far with him yet.”

“Miss Ying, that sounds rather heartless of you.”

Ying Shu playfully nudged her with her elbow, and the two dissolved into giggles, playfully jostling in the hotel corridor.

The concert that evening was a sea of people. From their private box, Yan Zhen peered out at the crowd; the roars of the audience seemed to shake the entire stadium.

On stage, Qin Chu performed with electrifying energy. His handsome face was magnified on the large screens. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and he casually swiped it away, pushing his dark hair back with a single, sexy gesture that sent the crowd into a frenzy of screams.