Chapter 39: Rising Again

Chen Shu Yin was 95% certain that Pei Yu had managed to get the household registration book from Fang You You.

In Fang You You’s eyes, Pei Yu was the perfect choice for her granddaughter’s husband.

This was thanks to the strong foundation Pei Yu had built with her since his youthful high school days, leaving behind an indelible image of a pure and untouchable first love.

Chen Shu Yin decided to put in more effort to persuade Fang You You.

After all, how could her own grandmother stand on someone else’s side?

That night, back at Si Shui Alley, Chen Shu Yin blocked Pei Yu from going upstairs under the excuse that turning on the lights would disturb her grandmother’s rest.

She tiptoed inside, but just as she entered the pitch-dark living room, the lights suddenly flicked on.

Fang Lao Tai sat steadily on a small wooden stool by the door, smiling kindly.

Chen Shu Yin let out a startled scream, clutching her chest. “Grandma! Are you trying to scare me to death in the middle of the night?”

Fang You You picked up a bamboo ruler and lifted Chen Shu Yin’s chin. “I just saw it from upstairs—Pei Yu sent you home, didn’t he?”

Chen Shu Yin immediately distanced herself. “He insisted on sending me. It wasn’t my idea.”

“You didn’t want him to?” Fang You You raised her eyebrows.

“Nope.” She flopped onto the sofa and raised both hands and feet in protest. “You always tell me to act according to my heart, yet you keep asking me the same question I’ve answered a million times. Do you think I could lie to you?”

“Yes, you are the most honest child in the world. But that doesn’t mean you never lie,” Fang You You said, sitting beside her and patting her hand gently. “It’s possible that you’ve formed a muscle memory response about a certain person or situation. Even if you don’t intend to, you might instinctively say the opposite of what you truly feel.”

“I heard that when the fire broke out across the river the other day, Pei Yu was rushing there to film. And you ran so fast to find him that you didn’t even change your shoes. Wasn’t that for him?”

Chen Shu Yin felt wrongly accused. “I’m a professional with a sense of duty and a heart full of love. He was just… incidental.”

“What did I do to make you misunderstand so badly? I can change!”

Fang You You shook her head like she was dealing with hopeless mud. “You’ll have to suffer a few losses before you learn.”

“Grandma, stop worrying about me.” Chen Shu Yin hugged her arm. “I liked someone a lot back in high school. Once I finish this busy period, I’ll go find him as we agreed, and I’ll bring him home to meet you. How about that?”

“Really?” Fang You You was half-convinced. “You hid him so well that even I didn’t notice.”

“It was a secret crush. It didn’t happen, so I couldn’t say it out loud. What if he didn’t like me? That would be embarrassing.” Chen Shu Yin pinched her own cheek and made a face. “Your granddaughter has a thin skin, you know.”

“Alright, alright. Now that I think about it, Pei Yu is indeed destined to be a superstar. You two are on completely different paths, and it’s true you don’t seem to have much fate together. I won’t push you anymore.” Fang You You sighed in relief. “As long as you actively seek someone you love, I’ll be satisfied.”

Chen Shu Yin beamed and leaned on her shoulder. “Mm! I’m joining a show, and they’ll announce it soon. I’ll be away for two weeks. But I’ll come home every day before filming starts, okay?”

“Promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

Chen Shu Yin hooked her pinky with her grandmother’s. “During this time, you must keep my household registration book safe. Don’t let anyone with ulterior motives take it.”

---

The next morning, the official account for Traveling with the Stars announced the ten guests. They had kept it completely under wraps before the reveal, which caused an immediate buzz.

As soon as Pei Yu’s name appeared, his fans swarmed in.

The director’s background, the broadcasting network, and the prime-time slot all signaled that this was a well-resourced, high-potential variety show.

Career-focused fans praised Pei Yu’s ambition, speculating that he might be gearing up for a major surprise move into the film industry.

Though he had acted in films before, he had only ever played childhood or teenage versions of protagonists. Now that he was at an age where he could carry a film on his own, perhaps he was preparing for a leading role.

Recent media reversals now looked like carefully orchestrated steps leading up to this moment, all pointing toward Pei Yu.

Hot discussions exploded across online forums.

Some fans were moved to tears.

“See? I told you to wait before jumping to conclusions! He didn’t respond because someone was trying to sabotage him out of jealousy.”

“Ugh, he was quietly planning something huge! That’s our Pei Emperor!”

“Don’t fall for any distractions! Just follow his lead—he’ll give us a masterpiece!”

Meanwhile, skeptical bystanders chimed in.

“So, this means he’s really dating Zhu Xi? But my industry insider friend told me Zhu Xi has had a wealthy boyfriend for years. Pei Yu might just be gradually warming the public up to the idea of him dating.”

“That makes sense. Everyone says they have chemistry, but I’ve followed Pei Yu for years, even during his break to study. He’s always been a reserved person who delegates most things to others. He and Zhu Xi seem more like friendly coworkers than romantic partners.”

Then, alumni from his school jumped in, and the discussion went off on a tangent.

“Pei Yu was ridiculously popular on campus. Every time he appeared, students crowded the railings of several floors just to get a glimpse of him. I was a year ahead of him, and even after I graduated, I remember he was always around this one girl. At first, I thought she might be his girlfriend—she was famously beautiful and hard to approach. But actually, they were constantly competing for first place and always arguing in the office.”

“I was a year below him, and I remember that too! People even spread rumors about them at first, but once you passed by their classroom and heard them bickering, no one believed it anymore.”

As the comments flooded in, someone noticed a certain name.

Chen Shu Yin.

She had just created a new account the night before. Zero followers, nothing fake or bought—far too clean compared to other minor influencers.

Curious fans dug up her background.

Her old awards and prize photos surfaced—she was striking in every image, with flawless proportions and an upright posture.

Most of the time, she wore long, sleek black hair, her side profile exuding both a cold aloofness and a hint of scholarly fatigue, as if she had been dragged from her books to attend events.

And, shockingly, she had attended the same high school and university as Pei Yu.

Connecting this with the alumni’s recollections, people quickly realized—was she the girl who had always been by Pei Yu’s side?

A new storm of speculation erupted online.

As part of the show’s promotion, the production team asked Chen Shu Yin to post an official announcement. She quickly uploaded the pre-prepared text and images.

Minutes later, her follower count soared.

Then, Pei Yu liked her post.

His active fans noticed immediately and went wild with speculation.

Chen Shu Yin, still on Weibo, saw the flood of comments praising her and asking about Pei Yu.

Pei Yu had liked her post?

She clicked on his profile and saw it—his most recent interaction.

Had he lost his mind?

She messaged him instantly.

[Dancing Notes in the Trees]: “Why did you like my post? Your fans are swarming me. Undo it now!”

Pei Yu’s typing indicator appeared.

Before he could respond, she bombarded him with a series of aggressive emoji punches and kicks.

[Py]: “Okay.”

He agreed so easily that it made her uneasy.

Seconds later, she refreshed her Weibo—he had unliked her post but liked all eight of the other cast members’ posts.

What a joke.

This was just as bad as before!