Wei Xing's chest constricted, the shock refusing to leave her body. For a moment she stood frozen on the balcony, Zhou Yu's figure still etched in front of her eyes. Then, as if waking from a dream, she gasped and scrambled to hide behind the wall.
"I—I'm sorry! Sorry for that!" she shouted awkwardly, her voice trembling, before rushing back into her apartment. She slammed the balcony door shut, leaned against it, and slid down to the floor.
"Zhou Yu, still in shock, leaned forward to peek through the balcony, trying to confirm if it was really Wei Xing. But with how quickly she had vanished, he could only retreat back into his room, unsettled."
Tears welled up in Wei xing's eyes as she whispered into the emptiness, her voice cracking with each word.
"Why… why does it have to be like this? Does this make any sense at all?"
Her sobs filled the silence.
"You made him my classmate when all I wanted was to be his friend in childhood… then you took him away without leaving a single trace. And now, when I finally searched for him, you made him come back—only to want revenge. You put me by his side as his assistant, and now…" She laughed bitterly, her tears spilling freely. "Now you made us neighbors."
Her voice broke as she covered her face.
"I don't know what you want from me," she murmured to the ceiling, blaming some unseen god. "Do you want me to be happy for finally meeting him again, or do you want me to sad because he doesn't even like me anymore?"
The night thinned slowly, and pale light crept into her room through the balcony curtains. Exhausted, Wei Xing lay still for a while, staring blankly at the ceiling until the alarm dragged her back into reality.
With heavy steps, she got ready for the day. A plain white T-shirt, fitted trousers—simple enough to blend in. Her dark hair fell loosely over her shoulders, unstyled but graceful in its natural sway. Standing at the door, she hesitated.
Unbeknownst to her, Zhou Yu had been waiting behind the door, sneaking peeks through the peephole to confirm if it was really Wei Xing or not.
Wei xing rose on her toes and peeked through the peephole. The hallway was empty. After a long pause, she cautiously opened the door, every movement slow and deliberate. Her eyes flickered toward the apartment opposite—Zhou Yu's. Nothing. Relieved, she tiptoed out, clutching her bag. She moved as if walking across a minefield, careful not to make a sound. Only after she finally reached the exit did she breathe again and hurry down the street.
A taxi carried her toward the entertainment company.
Zhou Yu opened his door moments later. As he had witnessed it all: the frantic peeking, the sneaky tiptoeing, the way she froze in fear yet couldn't hide her clumsy cuteness. He leaned against the doorframe, laughter escaping his lips, quiet but genuine. His ears flushed red as he shook his head.
"Baka... (Stupid…)" he whispered, smiling shyly.
But beneath that smile, his eyes softened. He had been waiting—waiting for the chance to see her again, waiting for her to face him not as a stranger or an assistant, but as her true self.
---
At the company, Wei Xing stepped out of the elevator, her heart pounding at the sight of bustling staff. Posters lined the walls with bold letters announcing: New Historical Drama Shooting Begins Today. Crew members hurried past, arms full of props and costumes. Assistants called out scripts, managers shuffled papers, and the air buzzed with anticipation.
Her gaze was drawn to the set being assembled in the main studio. Ornate backdrops resembling an ancient palace were being erected. Cameras were lined up, cables snaked across the floor, and makeup artists wheeled carts of brushes and powders. The sweet, heavy smell of foundation mixed with the metallic tang of equipment.
Someone whispered beside her, "It's the first day of filming for Zhou Yu's new drama. The director's putting everything into this one."
Wei Xing swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. She was supposed to be calm, professional, invisible. But the weight of the truth pressed down on her: today wasn't just any workday. Today, she would be standing on set—serving as assistant to the very man who was both her childhood memory and her present storm.
Zhou Yu leaned back in his chair, the heavy silk of his costume brushing against the armrest. His script rested loosely in his hand, though his eyes were no longer on the lines. The moment Wei Xing entered and greeted him, something in his expression shifted—like a spark flickering to life.
"Sit," he said casually, motioning to the chair across from him. His voice was calm, but his gaze lingered on her a moment longer than necessary.
Wei Xing obeyed, clutching her notepad tighter than she needed to. Her mind was a whirl, her composure fragile. Every second she spent near him felt like standing on thin ice.
For a while, Zhou Yu flipped through his script, as if considering whether to speak. Then, with a faint curl at the corner of his lips, he broke the silence.
"You know… last night, I realized something interesting."
Wei Xing's heart skipped. She dared not breathe too loud.
"My new neighbor," he continued, his tone light but edged with amusement. "She was awake past midnight. And instead of sleeping, she was singing." His eyes flickered up from the script, watching her reaction. "Quite loudly, actually. A strange choice at that hour."
Wei Xing froze, panic shooting through her chest.
Zhou Yu tilted his head, studying her with a calmness that felt too deliberate. "But… the song was kind of cute. Almost like a midnight snack itself—sweet, a little unexpected. I've never heard it before." He leaned back slightly, pretending indifference but hiding a smirk. "Do you happen to know it?"
The words tumbled out of Wei Xing before she could stop them.
"Y-Yes… It's an old song. I used to listen to it in junior high."
Her eyes widened the moment the confession slipped out.
Zhou Yu's smile deepened ever so slightly, and he looked back down at his script as though satisfied with the answer.
Just as Zhou Yu was about to lean forward, his lips parting as if he had more to say, the door swung open.
His agent stepped inside briskly, clipboard in hand. "Zhou Yu, it's time. They're ready for you on set."
The spell between them snapped. Wei Xing quickly lowered her gaze, pretending to check her phone, though her fingers trembled slightly.
Zhou Yu's jaw tightened for the briefest second, a shadow of annoyance flashing across his face. He glanced back at Wei Xing, his eyes lingering, as though he wanted to finish the words left unsaid.
But then he simply stood, his expression smoothing back into the mask of professionalism he always wore in public.
"Alright, I'm coming," he replied to his agent.
As he moved past Wei Xing, he paused for just a heartbeat, close enough that she could catch the faint scent of his cologne. His voice dropped, softer, almost like a secret.
"We'll talk later, Xing'er."
And then, without waiting for her reply, he left the room with his agent.
Wei Xing sat frozen in her chair, her heart pounding like she had just run a marathon.