Chapter 29: Pinned

The second episode of Perfect Partner spent several days filming—and just as many days on the hot search.

It wasn’t until the day after the episode ended that the buzz slowly began to fade.

It was just after the new year, and everyone’s schedules were packed. Last night, after the drinking and chatting at Building 1, the production team had arranged a car to take all the guests to the only three-star hotel in the county town. Gao Qi and his wife Qin Pei had left overnight. Ning Ke had caught the earliest flight—she had a promotional appearance to make, an interview show that had been scheduled before the new year.

Before boarding, Lin Yun sent her a triumphant data report: “This just broke the all-time record for online viewers!”

Ning Ke: “Decent numbers, and the buzz is solid too.”

Lin Yun: “We’re releasing a few more behind-the-scenes clips today. Remember to repost them, babe!”

Ning Ke: “Got it. Gotta go.”

On the plane, Ning Ke switched her phone to airplane mode.

An Yu sat beside her and asked, “Sis, want some honey water? You drank again last night—take care of your stomach.”

Ning Ke said it was fine. “Just a bit of beer. My tolerance is bad now, I get drunk too easily.”

An Yu: “That’s good to hear. When Teacher Yan was helping you out, I thought you’d drunk a lot more.”

Ning Ke froze. “…Helping me out?”

An Yu: “Yeah. Why?”

Ning Ke tried to recall last night, only remembering she’d drunk, kicked Jiang Lin… and had she eaten strawberries?

She thought she’d used Yan Yunzhi for support to stand up, but she hadn’t walked far before An Yu came to take over… it should have been nothing.

An Yu went on. “It was so late by the time we got to the county hotel. Luckily Director Lin had arranged the rooms in advance. Teacher Yan stayed in the room next to yours. When I was picking up your luggage, I ran into her—she looked really tired.”

Ning Ke: “…Oh.”

An Yu, sensing she didn’t want to continue the topic, changed the subject. “Get some rest. You got up so early, your dark circles are pretty bad.”

Ning Ke hummed in acknowledgment, but she didn’t pull down her eye mask. Instead, she looked at her phone.

She’d been hurriedly woken by An Yu this morning, eaten a bread roll in the car for breakfast, and slept the whole ride. Apart from replying to Lin Yun before boarding, she hadn’t opened anyone else’s messages.

She’d had a lot of people contacting her over the past few days—directors she’d worked with, reporters, and acquaintances in the industry—asking if Lin Yun’s show needed guest stars.

WeChat was full of messages, countless red dots.

She scrolled all the way down before she saw the message Yan Yunzhi had sent her.

It was sent very early. And because of the Do Not Disturb setting, it had sat quietly at the very bottom, almost invisible.

Just like how she’d orchestrated everything for this concert, yet stood behind the curtain last night, looking completely unbothered.

Ning Ke long-pressed the message. Options appeared on the screen: Mark as Read, Pin, Delete, and more.

But she didn’t tap any of them. She just opened the chat, tapped the small person icon in the top right, turned off Do Not Disturb, and then returned to read the messages.

The first one asked: “Already left?”

Over an hour later, seeing no reply from her, she’d made a voice call. Not answered.

Ning Ke hadn’t even mentioned to Yan Yunzhi that she was leaving early this morning.

Looking at that message, a thought popped into her head… She’d left Yan Yunzhi alone.

Ning Ke asked An Yu, “Did Yan Yunzhi message you?”

An Yu: “I contacted Teacher Yan this morning. I had someone bring her luggage back, and I let her know. She asked if we’d left, and I said yes.”

Ning Ke fell silent.

She turned her head and gazed at the sea of clouds outside the window.

The phone screen went dark.

Her itinerary didn’t need to be reported to Yan Yunzhi.

Besides, life is vast and wide… who hasn’t been left behind?

–

At noon, the plane landed.

The entertainment industry was the most utilitarian and the most realistic—the hotter you were, the more resources you got. After filming two episodes, Ning Ke’s Weibo followers had grown by two million. More collaboration offers came knocking, most of which Xu Jian turned down. The hotter you were, the more selective you had to be, he said.

This interview had been scheduled early. The editor-in-chief was a woman named Yu Li, an old friend. Two years ago, when Ning Ke had just made her comeback after being blacklisted, Editor-in-Chief Yu had interviewed her, so when this invitation came, Ning Ke had agreed readily.

The magazine cover shoot came before the interview.

The moment the blower fan switched on, Ning Ke reacted on reflex. “Turn it off.”

The staff stopped. “What’s wrong?”

Ning Ke took a beat. “Nothing. Continue.”

The person who always needed to stay out of the wind to avoid coughing… wasn’t by her side right now.

After the shoot came the interview segment.

Editor-in-Chief Yu had watched Perfect Partner before coming, and since she was close with Lin Yun, she’d seen a few unreleased behind-the-scenes clips at Lin Yun’s place. She asked several questions related to the show.

After working through the pre-designed questions, the two chatted casually like old friends.

Ning Ke, sitting under the lights, was feeling a bit drowsy.

Seeing her tiredness, Editor-in-Chief Yu handed her a cup of red date tea. “It’s been tough, hasn’t it?”

Ning Ke said it wasn’t too bad. “Not as tough as two years ago. It’d be a lie to say it’s easy, but what good does complaining do? And if we’re talking tough, the sanitation workers sweeping the streets have it tougher. I met a woman once—she told me her husband and she chose to become sanitation workers in Mingchuan City because the city gives preference to sanitation workers’ children for schooling. That really shook me. There are so many people in this world working desperately hard to live.”

The editor smiled. “Some people used to say being a celebrity was a high-risk profession.”

Ning Ke: “It’s also a fast-return profession.”

Editor: “Why talk about returns? What do you plan to do once you’ve saved enough money?”

Ning Ke: “I’m not short on money. I don’t earn money to spend it. I earn it to give myself absolute freedom. When you can’t rely on anyone, you can only rely on yourself.”

Editor-in-Chief Yu stood up to refill her water. She had always admired Ning Ke’s personality. “I love your answer. Next segment—how would you describe yourself in daily life, and have you encountered any worries or troubles recently?”

Ning Ke was caught off guard.

Worries, no. Troubles… a three-character name popped into her head.

But she quickly rejected it.

…Why was she thinking of her again?

Editor: “Hmm? Hard to answer?”

Ning Ke pointed at her own face. “If I had to name a worry, it’s wanting to eat too much but not being able to. In this line of work, you’re accountable to the camera and accountable to the audience.”

Editor-in-Chief Yu laughed. “I know—it takes real effort to maintain your figure. Last time we went for seafood, you only ate a few shrimp.”

Ning Ke: “Can’t help it. I’ve been eating too much on the show lately… I’m getting worried.”

The topic circled back to the show, and the editor followed up. “After wrapping up the episode yesterday, I saw a little clip. Why did you say you believe in love, even if it’s not meant for you? Do you consider yourself a pessimist?”

Ning Ke remembered Lin Yun’s mention of the behind-the-scenes clips… so that was one of them.

She hadn’t expected her answer to be like that either. She thought for a moment before saying, “No particular reason. Just like people feel happy at beautiful things—I believe in fervent, sincere love, but I don’t necessarily have to possess it.”

Editor-in-Chief Yu stood up. “I understand. I’m a firm believer in remaining unmarried, but I still believe in love. Alright, that’s it for today. Thank you, Ning Ke. I enjoy talking with you.”

Ning Ke also stood and shook her hand. “You’re welcome. I enjoyed your questions.”

The camera caught this moment.

At the flash of the shutter, Ning Ke suddenly remembered—she hadn’t replied to Yan Yunzhi’s message. She hadn’t picked up her call.

She hadn’t even called her back.

–

After the interview, Ning Ke didn’t get home until evening.

Sister Lu had just finished tidying up and was about to head back to the annex building to rest. She startled at the sight of her. “Goodness, why are you back so late?”

Ning Ke: “Had a gig. Just finished.”

Sister Lu followed her inside and hung up her coat and scarf on the hall rack. “This filming trip was tiring, wasn’t it? Azhi came back looking pretty pale. I’ll brew some soup in the next couple days to nourish you both.”

Ning Ke: “What’s wrong with her?”

Sister Lu: “Nothing much. She said she was tired when she got home and slept for a while. Didn’t eat much at dinner, then went upstairs. I didn’t disturb her.”

Ning Ke: “…Oh.”

She didn’t ask anything more. She put her things down and went upstairs. The house was silent, only her footsteps echoing. Before entering her room, Ning Ke paused at the door and listened toward the next room. Not a sound.

After a few seconds, she closed her door forcefully—the noise wasn’t small—but still heard nothing from next door.

The cold wind howled outside the window.

After showering, Ning Ke sat on her bed and saw the message from Sister Lu. She was taking a day off tomorrow to go back to her hometown and asked Ning Ke to remind Yan Yunzhi to take her medicine.

Ning Ke replied, “Got it,” then tossed her phone aside and buried her face in her pillow.

A vague irritation surged through her, mixed with an indefinable guilt, reaching its peak after she’d read the message.

Ning Ke threw off the pillow and went out to stand outside Yan Yunzhi’s room.

She knocked twice. Two more knocks followed, but there was no sound from within. It seemed no one was there.

Where would she go at this hour?

Ning Ke turned and went downstairs. Standing on the stairs, she heard the door open. She paused, and in the next instant, saw Yan Yunzhi come in.

“You’re back?” Yan Yunzhi looked at her standing on the stairs, frozen for a second, then her eyes curved. “Perfect timing. Have some porridge with me.”

Ning Ke walked down two steps. “I don’t want porridge.”

Yan Yunzhi: “I went for a walk and bought two roasted sweet potatoes on the way.”

Ning Ke couldn’t help but laugh at the image of her buying roasted sweet potatoes from a street stall. “You? Roasted sweet potatoes?”

The violinist who pursued art, who chased the highbrow and elegant. The Teacher Yan with her orderly, health-conscious lifestyle. She ate roasted sweet potatoes?

Yan Yunzhi hummed in affirmation, went into the kitchen, and brought out two bowls of millet porridge. “Did you eat dinner after the shoot?”

Ning Ke gave a vague answer but sat down anyway. “A little something.”

“So you didn’t eat dinner,” Yan Yunzhi said, setting the porridge and the roasted sweet potato in front of her. “Skipping dinner hurts your stomach. No matter how much you’re watching your figure, you can’t skip dinner.”

Ning Ke instinctively retorted, “Then you cooking porridge this late isn’t healthy either. And buying roasted sweet potatoes.”

Yan Yunzhi paused with her chopsticks. She looked at her in the light, her voice clear and clean. “They were for you.”

Ning Ke was startled, not knowing what to say. But the silence was awkward, so after a few seconds she asked in a flat tone, “For me?”

Yan Yunzhi tilted her head slightly, her features striking as a painting in the lamplight. Her tone was as ordinary as discussing the weather. “I want you to remember my kindness. That way, next time, you’ll tell me before you leave.”

Ning Ke was just biting into the sweet potato.

Any other time, she would have snapped back with “And why should I?” But right now, the warm, soft, sweet taste filled her mouth—and it was still scalding hot, so hot she couldn’t speak for a moment.

She gave a slight nod, which counted as agreement.

After finishing the porridge, Ning Ke returned to her room.

When she lay down, she noticed Yan Yunzhi had sent her messages. Doing the math, it was around the time she’d gone to knock on her door.

Yan Yunzhi had sent two messages.

“Home yet? I made porridge.”

“There’s a street vendor selling roasted sweet potatoes. Wait for me to bring some back.”

Before that, a schoolmate group chat and several work groups had pushed out a swarm of messages, pushing Yan Yunzhi’s further down.

Even with Do Not Disturb off, Ning Ke still hadn’t seen them.

Ning Ke thought about it and replied, “Just saw it now.”

Yan Yunzhi replied quickly: “That’s fine. Rest early.”

Ning Ke didn’t respond again.

As she was exiting the chat, her finger hesitated. After a few seconds of thought, she long-pressed for two seconds.

She pressed “Pin.”