Chapter 84: Embers Rekindled

Lin Che immediately leaned over with a grin. “We have to go! Jia Yan, right?” He deliberately patted Shen Jia Yan’s shoulder, pulling her back from her daze.

Shen Jia Yan glanced at him but didn’t respond.

With the conversation having reached this point, Yang Han couldn’t refuse. She nodded. “Alright then, Wan Ning. We’ll definitely get a chance to treat you later.”

A faint smile curved Wen Wan Ning’s lips. “Of course.”

With that, she glanced at her wristwatch. “Han-jie, I still have some work to do and need to head back to the firm first. I’ll send the time and address to…” She turned to Shen Jia Yan, her gaze steady, her voice softening slightly. “…Jia Yan later.”

Shen Jia Yan froze, lifting her head to meet Wen Wan Ning’s eyes.

Wen Wan Ning leaned in slightly, her hair brushing lightly over Shen Jia Yan’s shoulder. Then, she drew close to her ear, her warm breath grazing the earlobe like a feather skimming her heart. “See you tonight.”

The three words were barely a whisper, yet they struck like a jolt of electricity from her ear straight to her chest.

Shen Jia Yan went rigid, her ear tips flushing crimson uncontrollably.

Yang Han watched Wen Wan Ning’s retreating figure, a suspicion stirring in her mind. These two didn’t seem like recent acquaintances.

She stepped closer to Shen Jia Yan, frowning as she asked in a low voice, “Jia Yan, you and Lawyer Wen…”

Shen Jia Yan was straightforward. “She’s the one I mentioned in Tide Line—the person I like.”

She had never intended to hide it from her bandmates.

The air stilled for a moment.

Lin Che, Yang Han, and the other band members all turned to her in unison, faces etched with shock.

“Huh?” Yang Han’s mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time. “You mean, you and Lawyer Wen… you’re…”

“Yes, we’ve known each other for many years,” Shen Jia Yan said flatly.

“Then—” Yang Han wanted to press further, her eyes darting between Shen Jia Yan’s reddened ear tips and the spot where Wen Wan Ning had stood moments ago, a flood of questions threatening to spill out.

“Han-jie.” Shen Jia Yan suddenly raised a hand, her voice low and laced with weary clarity. “We’re still at the courthouse right now, and there are tons of media waiting outside. Are you sure you want to keep asking here?”

Yang Han blinked and glanced outward. At the courthouse side entrance, reporters still lingered, their cameras occasionally sweeping toward their group. Flashes could ignite at any moment, and any private conversation might be twisted into tomorrow’s headline.

She clamped her mouth shut. “You’re right.” She quickly snapped her schedule book closed, resuming her professional manager demeanor, though the knowing curve at her lips betrayed her. “We’ll talk about this later when we’re back.”

Then she called over her assistant. “Chu Nian, when we head out, make sure you and the other assistants take good care of everyone—especially Jia Yan.”

“Got it, Han-jie. Don’t worry.” Chu Nian responded crisply and turned to coordinate the other staff.

She was Shen Jia Yan’s personal assistant and the leader of the assistant team—young, but remarkably steady and methodical.

Moments later, Chu Nian hurried to Shen Jia Yan’s side. “Jia Yan-jie, I’ll stick right by you when we go out and help block for you.”

Shen Jia Yan gave her a look and nodded slightly. She knew Chu Nian had noticed something—her daze since leaving the courtroom, the lingering flush on her ears, her close contact with Wen Wan Ning… But Chu Nian asked no questions, simply shielding her in the most reliable way.

Chu Nian smiled and added softly, “I charged your phone. If… anyone sends a message, you’ll see it right away.”

Shen Jia Yan had left her phone with Chu Nian during the trial.

Shen Jia Yan paused, then understood, her ear tips heating again. She gently patted the back of Chu Nian’s hand. “Chu Nian.”

“Alright, let’s go.” Yang Han straightened her clothes, exuding the manager’s poise and steadiness.

Outside the courthouse, the sunlight was blinding. Long lenses and cameras zeroed in on them instantly, flashes popping relentlessly.

“Miss Shen! What are your thoughts on the victory?”

“Are you satisfied with the verdict?”

“Will Chuze Band use this to stir up hype?”

…

Yang Han stepped forward at once, her voice calm and commanding. “Everyone, the court has ruled fairly on the case. For details, please refer to the official announcement. All I want to say is…” She paused, her gaze sweeping the lenses, her tone resolute.

“Original creations cannot be infringed upon, and the truth cannot be distorted. Shen Jia Yan expresses her emotions through music, and we will use every means to protect her right to speak.”

“So…” Other reporters pressed on.

“That’s enough, everyone,” Yang Han emphasized, her voice low and firm with unyielding boundaries. “Today’s interview ends here. Ms. Shen Jia Yan and the other band members need rest. All future responses will come via official statements.”

She turned sideways, arms slightly outstretched, professionally shielding the group from the cameras and crowd.

Shen Jia Yan, Lin Che, and Yang Han rode in one car with Chu Nian, while the others took another.

The doors shut, blocking out the media clamor and blinding flashes.

The car fell quiet, save for the low hum of the air conditioning. Shen Jia Yan leaned back in the rear seat, eyes closed.

Lin Che sat in the back row, leaning forward toward Yang Han and Shen Jia Yan. “‘Protect her right to speak’—Yang-jie, that was badass.”

Yang Han’s lips quirked as she exhaled. “Had to be badass, or they wouldn’t let us off. ‘Hype’? Hah, they’d love for us to hype it up—traffic means buzz.” Her tone cooled. “Don’t think winning the case means it’s over. Plenty of people are still waiting for us to slip up.”

Lin Che nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, Yang Han remembered something.

She turned to Shen Jia Yan. “Oh, right, Jia Yan.”

Shen Jia Yan opened her eyes at the sound, her gaze questioning.

“We didn’t finish our talk back at the courthouse.”

“Pfft.” Lin Che burst out laughing. “Han-jie, didn’t peg you for the gossipy type.”

“Shut it.” Yang Han shot him a glare before turning back to Shen Jia Yan, eyes intense. “Jia Yan, about that…” She pondered her words. “You said the person you like is Lawyer Wen. Does she know?”

She quickly added, “Of course, if you don’t want to say, that’s fine—it’s your privacy, after all.”

“Pfft.” Lin Che lost it again.

“Lin Che!” Yang Han snapped at him. “What are you laughing at?”

“Sorry, Han-jie.” Lin Che composed himself, though his shoulders still shook. “I just cracked up at how bad you want to know but still say ‘it’s fine if you don’t tell.'”

Yang Han’s cheeks flushed faintly, and she let out an awkward “tch.”

Shen Jia Yan chuckled lightly too.

Sunlight slanted through the car window, illuminating her profile softly and serenely.

Gazing at the blurring cityscape outside, she spoke softly. “She knows, and…” She looked down at her clasped hands. “…I confessed to her, but she turned me down.”

The laughter in the car faded.

Yang Han’s teasing expression vanished, replaced by shock and heartache. “She… turned you down?”

“Yeah,” Shen Jia Yan turned to her, utterly at ease. “What else?” She smiled. “If she hadn’t, wouldn’t I have told my manager ages ago?”

Yang Han sighed softly. “Jia Yan.”

“It’s fine, Han-jie. That was five years ago—it’s all in the past.” Shen Jia Yan turned back to the window, a faint smile on her lips. “Five years… so much can change. The city’s face, our jobs, friends around us, even our innermost thoughts… they might change too.”

Would her heart really change?

Yang Han saw through the facade—the so-called “ease” was just a thin shell forged over five years, calm on the surface but hiding unhealed wounds beneath.

She dropped the topic; some things had to be felt by those involved.

Suddenly, another thought struck her. “Then, tonight…”

Shen Jia Yan stared ahead. “I’ll go tonight. Lawyer Wen won the case for us—I should be there.”

Just then, Chu Nian handed Shen Jia Yan’s phone back from the front passenger seat. “Jia Yan-jie, you’ve got a WeChat notification.”

“Okay.” Shen Jia Yan took the phone.

She unlocked it and opened WeChat.

A message from Wen Wan Ning.

Lawyer Wen: [8 PM, Island Bar. Don’t worry—it’s booked private, no outsiders.]

Another followed right away: [You’ll come, right? (Kitten with expectant eyes.jpg)]

Seeing that familiar emoji from five years ago, Shen Jia Yan’s lips curved into an unwitting smile.

Her fingertips hovered over the keyboard—deleting and retyping.

She wanted to send an emoji back but worried it’d seem too casual; “Okay” felt too earnest.

In the end, she sent just one word: [Mm.]

She pocketed the phone and said to Yang Han, “Lawyer Wen sent the time and place—8 PM at Island Bar.”

“She said to relax; they’ve booked it out—no random people coming in.”

Lin Che muttered under his breath, “Already defending her, huh.”

“What?” Shen Jia Yan turned to him.

“Oh, nothing—just talking to myself.” Lin Che waved it off hastily.

Yang Han said nothing, simply watching Shen Jia Yan quietly. She had seen that subtle curve of her lips, the faint tremble in her fingers as she pocketed the phone, the deliberate calm in her eyes when mentioning “Lawyer Wen”—eyes that couldn’t hide their spark.

She knew this wasn’t “in the past.”

This was embers rekindled.

“Island Bar’s a safe pick anyway—super private, only rich or elite go in and out,” she analyzed seriously, her manager’s instincts sharp. “Attending a high-end gathering like this is good. I can network some connections—help the band’s future development.”

Lin Che chimed in suddenly. “Hey, Han-jie, you think Lawyer Wen picked it to expand our resources or something?”

Yang Han smiled without replying.

If that were true, it meant Wen Wan Ning had feelings for Shen Jia Yan too.

Watching Shen Jia Yan’s state—claiming it was over, but seizing any chance—they had a real shot at getting together. That unguarded anticipation and tenderness Yang Han saw filled her with mixed emotions.

As a friend, she hoped Shen Jia Yan could be with the one she loved. She knew this wasn’t just a past fling for Shen Jia Yan—it was etched deep into her heart.

But as a manager, her artist dating someone of the same sex… the risks were enormous…