Wu Man came out of the hospital room. He Huiyu and the others were sitting in the corridor outside, asking: “Leaving already? Want to grab a meal together?”

She shook her head, remembering the lie she’d just told: “No thanks. Like I said, I still have some things to handle.”

“Really…?” He Huiyu’s suspicious gaze swept over.

“Remember to watch out for paparazzi when you come and go,” Wu Man instructed before leaving. “Don’t let the hospital address leak out.”

“Don’t worry, paparazzi probably can’t stake out here right now.” He Huiyu scrolled on her phone saying: “Just while you were inside, Tang Yingxue had another incident on Weibo.”

“She had an incident? What happened to her?”

“Fainted on stage again, now sent to the hospital.” Her tone was like watching a show. “Last time we ate, I met their group’s manager who said she seems to have some chronic illness, creating lots of extra trouble for him.”

Wu Man’s face showed no expression, as if hearing gossip about a complete stranger: “You should listen to less gossip. Not much of it is accurate.”

He Huiyu immediately thought of how she’d believed Wu Man and Yu Jiaze had broken up at the awards ceremony only to be proven wrong, her face somewhat embarrassed as she shooed her away: “You just had to bring that up—hurry up and leave!”

*

After returning to the Northwest, Wu Man eventually softened and accepted Zhui Ye’s friend request.

During the remaining filming period, she occasionally received photos of his wound from Zhui Ye, continuing until the day he was discharged.

Though Wu Man never replied once, each time she viewed and burned immediately, deleting the chat records right away.

As filming days in the Northwest neared their end, Wu Man welcomed the most anticipated day of the year—her birthday.

Usually if there was no filming period, Zhao Boyu would help arrange a birthday party—ostensibly celebrating for her, but actually it was a fan appreciation activity. For artists, birthday parties were typically work.

But Wu Man felt genuinely excited from her heart. She could endure quiet loneliness on all other days, but only on this one day did she hope for it to be lively and bustling, full of applause, golden confetti everywhere.

Call her vain if you will—this was her small compensation to herself.

So every year, she very much looked forward to having a birthday party. But if she was unfortunately caught up filming, she’d feel a bit dejected because she could only celebrate simply on set and be done with it.

This year also happened to coincide with filming. After the day’s shoot, the line producer pushed over a cake for her. The filming environment was harsh—unlike big cities with refined dessert shops, the cake was that kind of bright white vegetable cream type, decorated with heavily pigmented cream flowers, with one shriveled little cherry stuck in.

The line producer scratched his head somewhat embarrassed: “Sorry Sister Man, it’s too desolate around here. And express delivery doesn’t reach. Please bear with it.”

Wu Man accepted the cake with both hands saying: “You worked hard, thank you.”

The line producer’s face, already reddened from the Northwest sun, turned even redder.

Though he didn’t truly believe Wu Man was thanking him—it was all just surface courtesy. But not every artist knew how to express even surface-level respect to these powerless “film industry workers” like them. He’d traveled north and south mixing through countless crews, handled many actors’ birthdays big and small. Many artists had their assistants help receive cakes and say thanks, then in a flash, the cake he sent would end up in some trash can.

Only very few artists would thank him face-to-face, let alone a first-tier star like Wu Man.

He already felt very content.

Yet unexpectedly, Wu Man cut off a large piece of cake, sat to the side and seriously ate it.

This left him dumbfounded…

Generally female actresses wouldn’t possibly touch desserts, or even if they did, were extremely picky—how could they look favorably on this kind of run-down street corner’s cheapest cream cake?

Wu Man ate very quickly, even getting a little cream on the corner of her mouth, completely unaware. The line producer didn’t speak up to remind her either. In his view, that bit of cream was completely harmless—rather, like rice grains at an angel’s mouth, even someone always high above became vivid because of it.

*

After Wu Man finished the cake, she thought she’d have to exercise two extra hours back at the hotel to make up for it. Of course, the first thing upon returning to the hotel was to take advantage of having internet and hurriedly reply one by one to the many WeChat birthday wishes.

Yu Jiaze directly called her via video, rubbing his brow saying: “Just finished shooting?”

But her signal was too poor. She could only see Yu Jiaze raising his hand then freezing—like he was about to gouge out his eyeballs, which startled her.

Wu Man wrinkled her face, looking confused: “What? Anus down?”

She didn’t catch the word “shooting” either.

“…” Yu Jiaze’s brow twitched as he decided to keep it short: “What gift do you want?”

This time Wu Man heard clearly: “Just say happy birthday to me.”

“I asked about a gift.”

“That is the gift I want.”

“Why is this your answer every year you’re asked?” Yu Jiaze frowned. “Birth…”

He didn’t finish “day” before it froze again.

Yu Jiaze’s patience ran out. He directly cut the call, replying on WeChat with one sentence: “Terrible signal.”

Wu Man could only reply soothingly: “Sorry.”

Yu Jiaze didn’t reply again. She still didn’t get a complete happy birthday from him.

After handling WeChat, there were also Weibo birthday wishes. Among them was one surprisingly from Tang Yingxue.

She’d followed Wu Man after that debut finals night, but Wu Man hadn’t followed her back.

Because she was a traffic idol, her comment was pushed up to hot number one by masses of fans—Wu Man couldn’t avoid seeing it even if she wanted to.

@numerous-TangYingxuev: Teacher Wu Man, wishing you eternal youth~

Those last four characters were sarcastic.

And Wu Man’s usual method for dealing with sarcastic idiotic remarks was to turn a blind eye.

She replied to everyone, leaving only hot number one bare and hanging there. After all, the embarrassment wasn’t hers.

After replying to everyone’s messages, half an hour had passed. But whether on Weibo or WeChat, she hadn’t received any birthday wishes from Zhui Ye.

Those WeChats she never replied to once—the kid was probably disheartened.

Or perhaps he simply didn’t care today was her birthday.

Wu Man listlessly turned off her phone. So many people’s birthday wishes all seemed like cold wind from the Gobi at this moment, whooshing through her heart but leaving nothing behind.

*

After finishing everything, the clock hand was about to reach twelve. Her birthday was almost over.

Wu Man removed her makeup, changed into workout clothes, and came to the second-floor gym to burn off the cake’s calories.

Although this hotel was already the most well-appointed in the Northwest, it could only be considered the tallest among dwarfs—impossible to have a private gym. This second-floor public gym’s area also wasn’t very large. But fortunately at this time it was completely empty.

She put in earbuds, watching some highly-rated films on her tablet while exercising. This was her “recharging time”—managing her figure while increasing her film viewing, maximizing use of time.

She watched focused, completely unaware another person had pushed into the gym.

That person also didn’t disturb her, choosing a treadmill two spaces away from hers to run.

So when Wu Man inadvertently turned her head, she was startled, nearly stumbling and slipping.

That person wasn’t wearing proper workout clothes but rather a black suit, completely incongruous with the treadmill.

“…How are you here? Your body’s not fully healed and you’re running around?”

She was surprised as she turned off the machine, stopping while catching her breath to ask him.

Zhui Ye unhurriedly also stopped, hand resting on the machine looking at her: “Whether I’m healed or not, doesn’t big sister know best?”

Wu Man turned away: “I set you to do not disturb, didn’t look.”

Zhui Ye pursed his lips: “Lying again.”

“Believe it or not.” She touched her nose. “So why exactly… did you suddenly appear here?”

He said calmly: “I took my first endorsement deal, for a car, came to the Northwest to film an ad.”

“A car… not bad, good product. Congratulations.”

The moment she saw Zhui Ye arrive, her heart nearly stopped, thinking he’d come specially to see her.

Turns out it was just work.

Expectations receded. While she breathed a sigh of relief, disappointed emotions were also stranded at the harbor.

Zhui Ye unobtrusively observed her reaction: “I didn’t accept because of how high-end the car is.” As if feeling his tie too tight, he loosened it not very skillfully, casually mentioning: “Just because the production team told me we’d be filming in the Northwest, I accepted.”

The coastline rose again with the tide, carrying away those disappointed emotions bit by bit from the harbor.

Taking their place was surging seawater beating against her, making her heartbeat even more intense than just now on the treadmill.

To cover this bewilderment, she turned the machine back on, absentmindedly starting to run: “Seems you really love the Northwest. Went adventuring there at sixteen, still can’t forget it now.”

Zhui Ye still watched her: “I’m indeed a nostalgic person.”

Wu Man changed the subject: “Can you exercise now?”

“I can.”

“Then this outfit doesn’t make sense.”

Zhui Ye removed his jacket and draped it aside, rolling up both sleeves. His just-exercised arms showed distinct veins.

While rolling he said: “Just finished filming, saw it was almost midnight. Asked where you were and came straight over, no time to change.”

“…Don’t make it sound like you came specifically looking for me.”

“Big sister, today is your birthday.” He finally finished rolling his sleeves, hands inserted in suit pockets, standing upright under the bright lights. “I’m already in the Northwest—how could I not come congratulate you in person?”

Wu Man pressed her lips: “Then thank you.”

“I also prepared a birthday gift for you.”

Wu Man was about to say no need, but the words that came out were: “What is it?”

His hand in the suit pants moved, pulling out a lighter.

…That’s it?

Seeing the gift he mentioned, Wu Man went from initially uncontrollable joy to disappointment. She couldn’t help comparing it to the gift he gave Ding Jiaqi—clearly that one was more thoughtful.

This one seemed like something bought at a roadside convenience store, suddenly remembering someone had a birthday and buying it to make do.

Better not to give anything at all.

But Wu Man couldn’t say anything—after all, his willingness to give was already a favor. What right did she have to be picky?

She got off the treadmill, reaching out to take it. Zhui Ye raised his hand, making her grab empty air.

He smiled saying: “I just wanted to smoke—why, did you think it was your gift?”

Wu Man confirmed he did it on purpose… this kid was slyly wicked.

She turned around: “Whatever.”

He grabbed her wrist: “Why do you get angry so easily again?”

She pulled back: “I’m not angry.”

Zhui Ye put the lighter back saying: “The gift requires you to come with me to get it.”

“Go where?”

“Just come with me and you’ll know. If I tell you now, won’t that ruin the surprise?”

Wu Man’s expression was difficult: “Making it so mysterious…”

As if seeing her reluctance, he softened his tone with a somewhat wheedling flavor: “I came all the way here—you won’t come with me to get it? That’s too heartless…”

Wu Man hesitated for a long while: “Then wait here for me, I’ll go change.”

She was truly too curious about what gift Zhui Ye mentioned that required following him to get.

Wu Man grabbed her tablet, walking toward the elevator with a calm expression. When the elevator opened on her floor, it revealed Wu Man’s face trying not to smile, biting her lip with slightly upturned corners, toes tiptoeing unable to help almost breaking into a run.

She was light and quick, truly like a little bird.

Having just sweated, Wu Man still decided to take a quick shower. Just as she finished tidying up, she heard knocking at the door.

Thinking it was Zhui Ye getting impatient and asking for her room number to find her, she opened the door to see—standing outside was Liang Zi’an.

He said somewhat shyly: “This late—am I disturbing you?”

She suppressed her surprise: “No, what’s up?”

“I just finished shooting. We filmed separately all day today, didn’t get a chance to say happy birthday to you.”

Wu Man smiled at him: “Thank you.”

He looked at her outfit a couple more times: “…Are you preparing to go out?” Realizing his slip after asking, he quickly added: “Going out this late, be careful and stay safe.”

She was about to nod when the elevator nearby dinged. Zhui Ye came out from the opening doors, meeting the two on a narrow path.

Liang Zi’an immediately recognized Zhui Ye, softly exclaiming: “He’s here too?!”

Wu Man instantly felt an unnecessary panic.

Under Liang Zi’an’s astonished gaze, Zhui Ye walked closer and closer.

Liang Zi’an: “…?”

Zhui Ye was half a head taller than Liang Zi’an, standing beside him with imposing presence.

“I wondered why you weren’t coming…” Zhui Ye glanced mockingly to the left, his tone strange. “Turns out you were held up by another little brother.”