"Where did she go? She was just here."
"Did she leave from that side?"
"Chase her! She can't have gone far!"
Since it was a holiday, the mall stayed open until midnight, so the store was still quite lively. The sales assistants watched as people carrying light sticks and cameras ran up and down the floors, murmuring amongst themselves.
"What are they doing?"
"It's obvious they're chasing a star! I've seen this several times before, nothing to be surprised about!"
"Who has that much charm to draw a crowd like this?"
"They ran too fast, just a blur, I didn't get a clear look... But I think I heard them shouting something about Su Lin? Do you know who that is?"
"Su Lin? I've been a fan of his for ages! Isn't he supposed to be abroad recently? Why would he suddenly appear here?"
"Who knows? Maybe they mistook someone else!"
Listening to the screams outside, Su Lin felt speechless. He finally let out a heavy sigh of relief when it quieted down outside and the mall lights dimmed.
"It should be safe outside now, let's go." Su Lin listened for a moment, then gently pushed open the fitting room door.
Han Yutong leaned against the wall behind her, trying hard to regulate her breathing.
Her palms were sweating from nervousness.
Although this wasn't the first time the two of them had been this close, she still couldn't suppress her wildly beating heart. They had actually filmed more intimate scenes before, but that was just acting. Under everyone's gaze, no romantic thoughts could arise.
But here, there was no director, no cameras. Everything here was real. She remembered his warm hand, his heaving chest, and the faint scent of men's cologne on him... She wasn't dreaming; she had truly met Su Lin!
Su Lin waited for a long time, and when she didn't come out, he thought something had happened to her. After all, he had pulled her here, and it seemed wrong to just leave. Su Lin hesitated for a moment, took a few steps back, and bumped right into Han Yutong, who was just about to come out.
This time, it was a real collision.
Han Yutong's forehead hit his chin, and her whole body, propelled by inertia, stumbled into his arms.
The posture was very intimate, as if they were embracing.
"Sorry!" Both of them said in unison.
Then, they looked at each other simultaneously.
Su Lin, acting like a gentleman, steadied her and took a step back. "We should leave here as soon as possible, to avoid them catching up to us."
Han Yutong lowered her gaze and softly hummed in agreement.
"Is someone coming to pick you up?" Su Lin asked.
Han Yutong shook her head. "I came out by myself."
Su Lin scanned their surroundings while leading her away from the parking lot. "I've called a car; I'll take you back first."
"You... why are you here?" Han Yutong, under a pseudonym, had been lurking in his fan groups, silently following him, so she had some idea of his schedule.
"I was being followed, and I didn't want them to find my place, so I parked my car downstairs at the mall," Su Lin explained briefly. "And you?"
"I finally had a holiday, so I wanted to go out shopping. I didn't expect to be recognized..." Han Yutong's recently released movie had made her truly famous. Clearly, she underestimated her own popularity and still thought of herself as a nobody in the entertainment industry.
She was now one of the "Four Young Actresses of the Post-2000s Generation" selected by netizens, a star whose social media account had surpassed five million followers.
Su Lin rubbed his nose, feeling as if he saw his past self in her.
When he first debuted, he was also quite lost, never imagining that so many people would like him. But with that came more trouble; he had to wear a mask and hat every time he went out, no longer able to go wherever he pleased.
His thoughts returned to the present. Su Lin pointed ahead. "The car I ordered has arrived, let's go."
Han Yutong glanced around cautiously and quickened her pace to follow him.
Fortunately, Su Lin had made the right decision to abandon his car at the mall. Otherwise, they would have been completely surrounded by persistent fans who hadn't left yet.
Once they were in the taxi, Su Lin first asked Han Yutong for her address and asked the driver to take her home first, as it wasn't safe for a young girl to be out so late.
The driver glanced at the two of them, their extraordinary aura making him curious.
They were both so good-looking, like movie stars.
Sensing the driver's gaze, Su Lin subtly blocked Han Yutong beside him. "Driver, please go to No. 48 Yunji Road."
"Alright," the driver said, starting the engine and focusing on the road ahead.
Since it was about a twenty-minute drive, the driver, who couldn't keep his mouth shut, asked, "Are you models? You're so tall!"
Su Lin was a bit socially anxious and didn't respond.
Han Yutong felt it was impolite not to reply and followed his lead, "Yes, we just finished work and are on our way home."
"So, being a model is also tough!" the driver remarked.
"Every profession has its difficulties," Han Yutong replied. "Some jobs only look glamorous on the surface, but in reality, you're living paycheck to paycheck."
"Oh, you're a smart young lady," the driver chuckled. He then asked her where she was from, as her accent sounded familiar. They chatted like this the entire way, and finally reached their destination.
Su Lin hadn't said a single word from beginning to end.
As Han Yutong got out of the car, the driver quietly asked her, "Is he your boyfriend? He seems very quiet!"
Han Yutong didn't know how to explain and vaguely replied, "That's just how he is... Could you please take him home afterward?"
The driver smiled and agreed.
After watching Han Yutong enter the residential complex, Su Lin finally spoke, "Let's go."
"Hey, young man, how can you be a boyfriend and not escort your girl?" the driver said, shaking his head and complaining. "I think that girl is great. With your attitude, she'll get tired of you sooner or later!"
"I'm not..." Su Lin tried to explain, but the driver interrupted him ruthlessly, "You're not trying to be like those scumbags, playing games without giving her a proper relationship, are you?"
Su Lin: ...
Seeing his silence, the driver continued, "It's not easy to find a good wife these days. That young lady is beautiful and has a good personality. What more could you want?"
"Don't wait until the girl is heartbroken and gives up completely, and then regret it when it's too late!"
The driver chattered on.
Su Lin felt inexplicably annoyed.
He and Han Yutong were not in the kind of relationship the driver imagined!
What Su Lin didn't know was that while they hadn't been caught by fans in person, they hadn't escaped the surveillance cameras. The footage of Su Lin pulling Han Yutong into the clothing store had been recorded in its entirety.
Previously, rumors about the two of them had died down due to the silence of both parties. Their fans had argued fiercely online for several days. Eventually, they reached a consensus: let their idols be, and each go their separate ways.
The storm that would erupt if this video was leaked was immense.