Chapter 29-30 part 1
“Yao Yao, check it out!” Fan Hongyi’s rap echoed from the doorway, seamlessly blending into the atmosphere.
Cui Yeyi snatched back the red envelope and glanced at the doorway. “Are you an idiot?”
“It’s New Year’s, don’t curse people like that,” Fan Hongyi rushed over. “A red envelope? Who gave it? Bian Rui, was it you? Where’s mine?”
Bian Rui reluctantly took another red envelope from his pocket and handed it to Fan Hongyi. “A belated Happy New Year.”
“Oh yeah! Damn, I’ve got cash again!”
Fan Hongyi clutched the red envelope, dramatically pretending to wail. “Getting red envelopes at school is the best! This way, I don’t have to deal with my parents glaring at me! Bian Rui, I love you!”
“Gross,” Cui Yeyi muttered while counting his money, criticizing as he went.
His method of counting money was slow and deliberate, like a three-year-old, completely opposite to the rapid precision of a bank teller.
“Only 666 yuan, huh? Are you trying to say I’m ‘super cool’?”
“Yep,” Bian Rui replied seriously.
Bai Sinian came back from the balcony, startled to see so many people in his dorm. Why did everyone love hanging out in his room?
Bian Rui handed a similar red envelope to Bai Sinian, wishing him a Happy New Year and success in his studies.
Cui Yeyi eyed Bian Rui suspiciously. Why did Bian Rui’s words to Bai Sinian sound so much nicer? He was getting more and more suspicious of those two.
At this moment, a small figure appeared at the door, wearing a light green jacket, standing out brightly. The person stood there silently, looking like they wanted to join in but didn’t know how.
Bai Sinian, with his sharp eyes, immediately called out, “Shen Bei! Come in! Why are you standing at the door? Cui Yeyi, Fan Hongyi, stop messing around! You’re blocking Shen Bei’s way!”
The two immediately quieted down.
“Xiao Bei, what gifts did you bring us?”
“Come in, come in! Got any snacks?”
Shen Bei dragged a small suitcase in, squatted down, and began introducing the contents to everyone.
The four of them surrounded him, looking down at him with smiles on their faces.
“This is French Montbéliard cheese, really tasty. I got one for each of you. And here’s an Eiffel Tower model and fake wine bottles, souvenirs. France is famous for its wine, but my brother wouldn’t let me buy real wine for minors.”
“There are lots of perfume brands in France too, but you guys probably won’t use them. These are for your parents.”
Shen Bei seriously introduced every single item he brought back. Each gift was thoughtfully chosen.
Bai Sinian praised, “These gifts are amazing! Not only did you bring stuff for us, but also for our families. So considerate!”
Shen Bei blushed at the compliment, smiling shyly.
Bian Rui took out the last red envelope and gave it to Shen Bei. Shen Bei accepted it with both hands, as if receiving a gift from an elder, repeatedly expressing his thanks while Bai Sinian watched him with a smile.
After quickly distributing and claiming their gifts, the group decided to head out for a meal.
There was a Cantonese restaurant nearby, elegantly decorated with a modern touch. The dark red wooden furniture and soft yellow lighting added a strong Lingnan vibe to the place.
They ordered the restaurant’s signature dishes: salt-baked chicken, honey-glazed char siu, Hakka stuffed tofu, and roast goose.
The dishes were aromatic and flavorful, with crispy skin and tender meat.
Shen Bei ate ravenously, having missed Chinese food while in France. Bai Sinian, sitting beside him, poured him water, reminding him to slow down.
Cui Yeyi was scrolling through his phone when he suddenly let out a sharp cry, “Holy crap! Look! Look, guys!”
Bai Sinian squinted at Cui Yeyi, feeling a bit annoyed by the noise. Fan Hongyi, on behalf of Bai Sinian, gave Cui Yeyi a light smack on the head. “Lower your voice.”
Cui Yeyi’s hands trembled. “I just shared it in the group. Check it out! The official media is speaking up for us!”
“What?!”
Everyone immediately put down their chopsticks, pulling out their phones in unison to check the video.
Sure enough, it was an official media account, criticizing the viral cat abuse videos from before the New Year and emphasizing the need for moral education in school curriculums. It highlighted that those who harm stray animals need more attention from educators and that this behavior shouldn’t spread through society.
At the end of the video, the media praised several bloggers who had spoken out for stray animals, including “Dazzling Star.”
Although their screen time was less than five seconds, it was clear that “Dazzling Star” had caught the attention of official outlets!
Their social influence was growing.
“Ahhh!” Fan Hongyi screamed in excitement.
Bai Sinian grinned, baring his teeth. This was great. They were now on the right track, with mainstream support. From here, they would only go further!
“Cheers! To our bright future!” Bai Sinian raised a cup of plain water.
“Cheers!!” Everyone picked up their soup, rice bowls, or paper cups and clinked them together.
After dinner, they each returned to their dorms, planning to rest early since classes would officially start the next day.
Bai Sinian, after showering, lay on his bed and scrolled through his phone, rewatching all the videos about them.
Bian Rui came back, taking off his jacket. “How’s your wound?”
“You’re back, Bian Rui?” Bai Sinian lifted his head to look at him. “It doesn’t hurt much anymore.”
Though it did leave a scar, an emblem of manhood.
“That’s good. If you need help, just let me know.”
“Okay.”
Bian Rui grabbed his pajamas from the closet and went to the bathroom to shower. As soon as he left, Bai Sinian received a voice message from his dad.
If others had been in the dorm, Bai Sinian would’ve converted the voice message to text, but since Bian Rui was in the bathroom, he played the audio directly.
Bai Sinian’s dad: “Sinian, the case from when that guy stabbed you has been closed. It turns out he didn’t mean to hurt you, and he paid us a few thousand yuan. But I didn’t expect Bian Rui’s mom to be some kind of actress. How come I’ve never seen her? It was some kind of emotional dispute between her and that guy.”
Bai Sinian chuckled and quickly typed a response: “She’s mostly in supporting roles in web dramas, not on TV, so you haven’t seen her. It’s all good now, I’ve healed.”
Bai Sinian’s dad: “Alright then, focus on your studies. Don’t let anything else distract you. If you need anything, just call me.”
Bai Sinian: “Got it, Dad. Thanks.”
After closing the WeChat app, Bai Sinian switched to another social media platform to continue browsing news about “Dazzling Star.”
Although there wasn’t much coverage, the comments were overwhelmingly positive. Some praised the group’s looks, others their songwriting, and many admired their values, calling them role models for the new era.
The praise had Bai Sinian grinning from ear to ear as he held his phone, chuckling to himself.
Bian Rui, now dressed, came out of the bathroom. His eight-pack abs flashed briefly before being covered by his clothes. Bai Sinian’s heart raced from just one glance.
This guy must secretly be working out at home. How else could he have such defined abs at such a young age?
Thankfully, Bian Rui never used his physique to market himself. He was a proper, upright kid. Good for him.
Bai Sinian smiled at Bian Rui with a fatherly kind of pride. Bian Rui noticed and was puzzled. “What?”
“Ah, nothing, nothing.” Bai Sinian’s face flushed. “I was just reading the online feedback about us. It’s all really positive! Aren’t you excited? Didn’t you check?”
Bian Rui tossed his dirty clothes into the washing machine on the balcony and then came back, saying, “Not interested. Other people’s opinions don’t matter to me.”
Bai Sinian pretended to be surprised. “Oh? Then why did you rush to my house that day to help delete negative comments?”
Bian Rui shot him a glance. “I was worried you couldn’t handle it. I don’t care. Worst case, I’d just argue back.”
Thinking of how many fans Bian Rui had put in their place over the years, Bai Sinian reminded him, “As a public figure, you need to be more careful with your words. If you don’t phrase something correctly, people might twist your words and blow things out of proportion. Then no matter how justified you are, you won’t be able to explain yourself.”
Bian Rui turned his back to Bai Sinian and climbed into bed.
“Got it.”
Bai Sinian gazed at Bian Rui’s back, which was as solid as a mountain, exuding a sense of strength and reliability. It gave him an inexplicable feeling of security.
The next day, classes officially began. There was no opening ceremony, just intense lectures.
One class after another, the teachers didn’t even bother with small talk and dove straight into the material.
During recess, the homeroom teacher called Bai Sinian to the office, informing him that the school’s phone lines had been ringing non-stop with media outlets trying to interview the members of “Dazzling Star.”
However, the school had declined all interview requests, advising them to stay low-key, especially on weekends when they went home.
It was better not to accept any interviews and to prioritize their studies.
Bai Sinian thanked the teacher for the kind reminder.
Later that evening, while eating dinner, Bai Sinian found out that each of their homeroom teachers had given them the same reminder.
Cui Yeyi, having finished his meal, was picking his teeth at the table. “We’re really famous now! I can feel it. Once I graduate from high school, I’m signing with an entertainment company.”
Bai Sinian immediately stopped him. “We’re a team. Are you going solo?”
Cui Yeyi, surprised that Bai Sinian was addressing him, looked over. “No, I won’t go solo. They can come with me.”
“I’m not signing,” Bian Rui said coldly.
Cui Yeyi stared at Bian Rui with a pained expression. “You’re not still caught up in some kind of ‘purity’ thing, are you?”
Fan Hongyi interjected, “Hey, hey, let’s worry about the future later.”
“Don’t argue,” Bai Sinian said, staring at Cui Yeyi.
Cui Yeyi raised his hands in surrender and shrugged. “Okay, I’m not arguing. We’ll talk about it later. So, are we still practicing? Any upcoming events?”
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