He Zhou had a natural restraint and gentleness.

Even his kiss was quiet, and he pulled away as soon as it began.

Jiang Ye breathed lightly.

She hesitated for a moment, then looked up, tiptoed, and deepened the kiss again.

Her kiss was green and clumsy, but it carried a surging, unrestrained liking that rushed towards him.

When the fireworks ended and the cheers of the crowd faded.

They quickly separated.

Except for them, no one knew that they had exchanged a kiss in that brief moment.

After the performance, Liang Yu said she wanted to treat Jiang Ye to dinner.

They had both been busy with their own careers for so many years, they had hardly seen each other.

Now that they had finally met in a foreign country, they had to get together.

"Bring me two dozen beers later!"

Liang Yu raised her chin, her tone exactly the same as the girl who hid fruit juice wine from the management years ago, "Don't go back until you finish them all!"

Jiang Ye: "..."

Jiang Ye remembered the past, her nose felt a little sour, and she smiled, nodding, "Okay."

Liang Yu and Jiang Ye reminisced about the past over drinks.

He Zhou was sitting next to them, listening to them chat.

He didn't speak much, only occasionally interjecting when Liang Yu and Jiang Ye recalled their time on 《Chasing Light Girls》.

Liang Yu was a little surprised, "You actually watched our survival show?"

He Zhou nodded and said to Liang Yu, "Your third performance was very good."

Liang Yu instantly had a lot more respect for He Zhou.

When it was time to say goodbye, Liang Yu, who was half-drunk, pulled Jiang Ye aside and whispered, "Is he really just a regular friend?"

Jiang Ye: "..."

Jiang Ye could only nod first.

Liang Yu bumped her shoulder, "Well, your friend is pretty good, you have to seize the opportunity."

Jiang Ye laughed helplessly, "... Why are you playing matchmaker?"

"Oh, I'm just thinking, you've been a lonely wolf for so many years, I've done all my duty, you must be tired now."

Liang Yu said, looking her over seriously, with a hint of drunkenness, "I know you've always felt like you can't just date because you're an idol. But I still think, no matter what, Jiang Ye, you have to make sure you're happy, okay?"

"..."

Jiang Ye curved her eyes and nodded seriously, "Okay."

Liang Yu said goodbye to her and was then taken away by her friend.

He Zhou asked Jiang Ye, "Ready to go?"

"Uh, I can't walk."

Jiang Ye looked up at him, her eyes still bright with a hint of alcohol, "Carry me."

Actually, she wasn't drunk enough to not be able to walk.

She just wanted to legitimately act cute to her boyfriend.

He Zhou looked at her, laughed, and obediently squatted down, "Get on."

"Where do you want to go? Back to the hotel, or do you want to walk around some more?"

"Just walk around."

Jiang Ye said, "If you get tired, put me down."

He Zhou chuckled softly, "Then I'll probably have to walk until dawn."

The street was almost empty at night.

He Zhou's pace wasn't fast, it was like he was taking a slow stroll while carrying Jiang Ye.

Jiang Ye hooked her arm around his neck, her face buried in the fleece of his coat, her whole heart felt soft.

"He Zhou."

Jiang Ye asked in a muffled voice, "Am I a lot of trouble?"

"No."

He Zhou's voice was filled with a gentle smile, "I'm very happy."

"Then you're doomed."

"I'll probably always be a lot of trouble for you."

Jiang Ye sniffed, "You have to really like me, really like me, to put up with it."

"I know."

He Zhou said softly, "I was prepared for this."

Jiang Ye: "Huh?"

"Because being with you, you'll definitely have to carry some pressure."

"No matter how well you do, when you announce your relationship, there will be fans who unfollow you."

"So, I'll make up for everything that your fans can give you, and everything they can't give you."

He Zhou's tone was very calm, but it was like he was making a very serious promise.

Jiang Ye rested her head on his shoulder, and she felt like crying.

She felt like she was immersed in boundless happiness.

"... I want to ask you something."

"If I want to leave the company and start my own studio."

"Will you come with me?"

He Zhou was slightly stunned.

He didn't even think before saying, "Of course."

But he still turned his head and looked at Jiang Ye, making sure she was awake or drunk, "Why are you suddenly saying this?"

Jiang Ye was a little tipsy.

But she was still very conscious.

"My contract expires at the end of this year."

"I've been thinking about what I want to do after I transition, because I don't think I need the company to provide me with resources anymore, and I don't want to deal with events that I don't really want to participate in."

Jiang Ye said, "After seeing Liang Yu today, I'm even more certain. I want to be like her, releasing my own music while participating in charity tours, bringing my music to more places and doing something meaningful for society."

She had grown up in an orphanage, so she had been raised by society.

Now, it was time for her to give back to society.

She had been thinking about this for a long time, but she hadn't dared to put it into practice.

But here and now, she suddenly had the courage.

He Zhou only asked her, "Have you decided?"

"I have."

Jiang Ye said, "It might be very hard, I don't have any experience, if I start my own studio, I have to start from scratch."

She asked, "Will you come with me?"

"It's your decision."

He Zhou said slowly, "No matter where you go, I'll be with you."

"Okay!"

Jiang Ye rubbed her cheek against his neck, her tone cheerful, "Then I'm not afraid."

"Our combination, we must be invincible."

From now on, she wasn't alone anymore.

No matter what she did, someone would be with her.

Jiang Ye's dreamlike vacation finally came to an end.

But she had already figured out everything she needed to, so for her, this vacation was a huge success.

But because she wasn't ready to go public yet, and she still had some things to take care of.

So, after she went back, she and He Zhou hardly had any time to see each other.

After all, love is love, but work still comes first.

The first thing Jiang Ye needed to solve was the contract issue.

Before talking to the company, she called Tan Meng and talked about her plans, and jokingly asked her if she wanted to leave with her.

Tan Meng: "..."

Tan Meng: "... Who wants to leave with you? If you leave, I'll be the top sister of the company, I'm hoping you leave sooner rather than later."

Jiang Ye just laughed.

Tan Meng's awkward personality hadn't changed in all these years.

Sure enough, Tan Meng paused, her tone lowered, and she said seriously, "... Are you sure?"

Jiang Ye: "I'm sure."

Actually, at her age, it was common for artists to go out and work independently.

It was better for individual studios in terms of both development and freedom.

Tan Meng sounded a bit angry, "... Then why are you asking me if you've already decided?"

Jiang Ye laughed so hard that her eyes curved, "What can I do? If I don't tell you, won't you be even angrier when you hear it from someone else?"

Tan Meng: "..."

She had no rebuttal, so she could only say, "Forget it! It's your own business, I can't control you."

But before she hung up, Tan Meng called out to her, "Jiang Ye."

Jiang Ye: "Hmm?"

"..."

"..."

Tan Meng was silent on the other end of the phone for a while before saying, "Good luck."

Then she quickly added, "Don't regret it later, or I'll be disappointed in you!"

Jiang Ye couldn't help but laugh.

After a while, she said, "Okay, I won't let you down."

Jiang Ye's contract was about to expire, and she had been delaying renewing it.

So, the company basically knew what she meant.

For an artist like her, who had high standards and had been with the company for so many years, the management wanted to keep her, but if she was determined to leave, they wouldn't stop her.

When Xu Lin came to handle the paperwork, he joked, "You went on vacation just to finish your remaining vacation days, right?"

Jiang Ye smiled, "Not really, I just had an epiphany while traveling."

"An epiphany while traveling?"

Xu Lin sighed, "I wish I hadn't approved your vacation."

Jiang Ye: "..."

Xu Lin couldn't help but think back to the past, and he felt a little sentimental, "I still remember when you first came to the company, you were just eighteen, right? Oh, you were so small back then."

"If I remember correctly, I picked you up on the side of the road, right? Yeah, you were caught eating instant noodles in a store."

Jiang Ye: "..."

She suddenly felt like her dark history had been dug up again.

"No wonder CEO Qin has such a keen eye."

"He was the one who saw you at first glance, and he ended up discovering a good seedling."

Jiang Ye was slightly stunned, then she nodded in agreement, "CEO Qin is always very good at judging people."

She had heard He Zhou say that he was also the one who was approved by Qin Yue in the end.

Over the years, Qin Yue had been able to make Shengrui Entertainment a major company in the industry, he really did have the skills.

"Thank you so much, Brother Xu, for all these years."

Jiang Ye paused for a moment and said, "Also thank CEO Qin for me."

A steed needs a good owner to recognize its potential.

No matter what happened in the future, the first step she took towards success was the first olive branch Qin Yue had offered her.

•••

Jiang Ye had a stage performance on Christmas Day.

She had signed this event when her contract was still in effect.

So, even though Jiang Ye had already decided not to renew her contract, the company still arranged a car and staff to take her there as usual.

After Jiang Ye finished her performance and got off stage.

She pushed open the door to her dressing room, ready to have her assistant get her some clothes and take off her makeup, but she froze when she went inside.

There was no manager, no assistant, no makeup artist.

Only her boyfriend, who she had been thinking about, looked up at her, "Hi."

Jiang Ye: "???"

For a moment, she even thought she was hallucinating from missing him too much.

Jiang Ye was stunned for several seconds, then she said with surprise in her voice, "How did you get here?"

He Zhou smiled helplessly, "Didn't you notice that I was driving when they sent you here?"

Jiang Ye thought for a moment, she had been sitting in the back and napping the whole time, she said apologetically, "... I really didn't notice."

"I wanted to surprise you."

He Zhou sighed softly, "But I realized that if I didn't say anything, you wouldn't have-"

He hadn't finished his sentence when he suddenly felt her jump into his arms.

The little girl rubbed against him, her voice soft, "I missed you so much."

He Zhou instantly stopped talking.

He gently touched her head, "I missed you too."

"Merry Christmas."

"Ah."

Jiang Ye looked up at him, realizing something, "Is this my Christmas present?"

"Of course not."

He Zhou said, "Your Christmas present is somewhere else."

He shook the car keys in his hand, "Want to leave work with me?"

Jiang Ye was stunned for a second, her eyes instantly lit up, "Okay."

But she thought for a moment and still said, "But I have to go say goodbye."

Her fans would always wait outside for her after every event.

Even though she wasn't an idol anymore, and she didn't need support anymore, some fans still liked to do that.

So, Jiang Ye always tried to respond to them.

He Zhou drove out.

When they passed the area where the fans were cheering, Jiang Ye rolled down the window.

The crowd of fans instantly screamed.

Jiang Ye smiled and waved to them, "Thank you all for coming. I'm going now, you guys should go home too."

She said loudly, "Merry Christmas!"

"Ah ah ah ah, Jiang Ye!!"

"Merry Christmas!!! Remember to eat apples when you get home!!"

"Goodbye!! Thank you for coming!!"

The fans cheered as they saw her off.

Jiang Ye waved vigorously at them, and she noticed something cold landing on the back of her hand.

She looked up at the sky and said, "It's snowing."

The sound of Christmas bells was about to ring.

It started to snow heavily outside the window.

It did not matter where they were going.

The important thing was that she was with the person she loved, and they were about to embark on a romantic elopement on this Christmas Eve.