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Chapter 21: Blocked

Song Xian found herself bewildered by the sudden embrace—not just this one, but by several of Jiang Liuyi’s recent actions. She couldn’t make sense of them. Was it because Yu Bai had come back, and Jiang Liuyi was struggling to manage her emotions?

That wasn’t entirely out of the question.

Just yesterday she couldn’t stop asking to be comforted.

Song Xian thought about it. Jiang Liuyi had made her breakfast this morning—no small feat. It was just a hug. She patted Jiang Liuyi gently on the back, the gesture full of reassurance.

Jiang Liyi only held her tighter.

Zhao Yuebai had been right.

Song Xian needed to feel her—and she was finally starting to respond.

After a moment, Jiang Liuyi let go and said, “You should get to work.”

Song Xian, calm-eyed, picked up her bag and left. She had just gotten into the car when a call came through from Gu Yuanyuan. The moment she picked up, she heard, “Aren’t you coming to pick up the bread?”

Since Jiang Liuyi’s return, Song Xian had been stopping by the bakery every morning instead of after work. Gu Yuanyuan had been waiting and waiting, and finally gave in and called.

Song Xian, Bluetooth in her ear, replied evenly, “I’ll be there in a bit.”

Gu Yuanyuan checked her watch. “Should I get you milk?”

Song Xian answered, “No need.”

When the two met, Gu Yuanyuan tugged her over. “Did Jiang Liuyi give you a proper explanation last night?”

Song Xian, holding the bag of bread, looked at her calmly. “She did.”

“As long as she was clear with you,” Gu Yuanyuan said. “But even if they met up for work, you still need to be careful. First loves, exes—they’re the ones most likely to come crawling back.”

Yesterday, hidden behind the folding screen, Gu Yuanyuan had observed that Jiang Liuyi did seem to keep some distance, and even left after dinner, bringing an omurice back for Song Xian.

She could barely believe it was all work-related.

Song Xian nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Don’t just let it go in one ear and out the other,” Gu Yuanyuan warned. “Yu Bai looks like she came back with a plan.”

Song Xian paused at that. “Weren’t you the one who didn’t support my marriage in the first place?”

“Me?” Gu Yuanyuan looked at her, a sentence caught in her throat. After a moment, she said, “It’s not that I didn’t support your marriage—I just didn’t support you rushing into it. You didn’t even know her personality or whether you two were compatible.”

Song Xian tilted her head. “We’re pretty compatible.”

Still, it would be even better if Jiang Liuyi could manage her emotions a little more, and didn’t always need to be “comforted.”

Gu Yuanyuan glanced at Song Xian, her expression conflicted, like she had something to say but held back. Ever since she started working here, she knew Song Xian often struggled with insomnia. Her complexion had never looked great. But after marrying Jiang Liuyi, her skin tone had visibly improved. When she asked about the insomnia, Song Xian had said she tended to fall asleep more easily when she was tired.

And as for how she got tired, that didn’t really need elaboration. So, letting herself indulge a little—it was just to get a good night’s sleep.

Seeing Song Xian in better shape naturally made Gu Yuanyuan happy. She swallowed everything else she wanted to say and murmured, “As long as it’s working.”

Other customers in the shop had started eyeing Song Xian again. She picked up the bag of bread and said, “I’ll head out.”

Gu Yuanyuan waved. “Coming back tonight?”

Song Xian hesitated for a couple seconds. “Do you have plans?”

Gu Yuanyuan blinked. “No, I’m free.”

“Then come with me to buy a dress tonight.”

Gu Yuanyuan leaned in. “A dress?”

“It’s for Jiang Liuyi’s friend’s birthday.”

“Well then, it has to be something gorgeous.” Gu Yuanyuan lit up. “There’s a good shop downtown—I’ll take you after work.”

Song Xian nodded. “Alright.”

After they parted ways, Song Xian headed to the magazine office. Having been away for a day, she was met with the kind of curious stares usually reserved for newcomers. He Xiaoying made a show of it, deliberately turning to Wu Ying across the room and saying, “Look who’s back.”

Wu Ying immediately offered her a cup of milk tea with a grin. “Just bought it. Still warm.”

Song Xian took it calmly. “Thanks.”

Wu Ying lingered at her side, practically one step short of offering a shoulder massage. Song Xian raised her eyes. “Anything else?”

“No, no,” Wu Ying said quickly, cheeks flushing. “Just… did Miss Jiang say anything about us when she got home?”

They’d all been a bit too lively at the dinner—had a bit of alcohol, got a bit drunk, maybe said something they shouldn’t have. Even though Yuan Hong said it was fine, it was still more reassuring to hear it from Song Xian.

Song Xian shook her head. “No.”

Wu Ying scratched her head, clearly relieved. He Xiaoying held up her hand for a high-five. Just then, Xiao Li walked in looking absolutely exhausted, dark circles under her eyes.

He Xiaoying turned to her. “Pulled an all-nighter?”

Xiao Li smiled. “Yeah. Don’t you want to get the print issue early?”

He Xiaoying let out a dramatic gasp. “Of course I do! I mentioned it to my bestie and she told me to save her, like, a hundred copies!”

“Your bestie?” Xiao Li frowned. “Which bestie are we talking about?”

Wu Ying cut in, “The one who runs that music blog—the one with quite a following. I think she’s got like three or four hundred thousand fans. She specializes in reviews, and she’s a huge fan of Jiang Liuyi. She asked to reserve a hundred copies in advance for a giveaway.”

At that, Xiao Li immediately smacked He Xiaoying’s shoulder. “You told her? Aren’t you worried—”

“Relax,” He Xiaoying said with a grin. “I cleared it with the editor-in-chief. She said it’s fine. We were going to start promo today or tomorrow anyway, so technically we just saved on marketing expenses.”

“Is it reliable, though?” Xiao Li asked.

Wu Ying pulled out her phone. “We’re about to find out.”

Song Xian had been quietly sipping her milk tea while listening to their chatter. It was sweet and warm. After a few small sips, she set it aside, turned on her computer, and got ready to edit photos.

“Check your phone, check your phone!” He Xiaoying suddenly called out.

She gave Song Xian a little nudge. “Look at your wife.”

Song Xian tilted her head and saw that He Xiaoying’s computer screen was open to a blogger’s Weibo page. The blogger had just posted a new update two minutes ago: [Oh my god! You’ll never guess who Man Tong invited for this issue’s feature interview! My absolute favorite goddess!]

This wasn’t some small-time blogger—she had over four hundred thousand followers and was already quite active. She liked many musicians, but there was only one she ever referred to as her absolute favorite goddess: Jiang Liuyi.

The comments section below immediately exploded with chatter.

[Wait, what? Jiang Liuyi? Is it really her? She just wrapped up her world tour—my sister couldn’t even get tickets!]

[Fengfeng, is it Jiang Liuyi? I’m obsessed with her face!]

[What? Our Yiyi? Holy crap crap crap crap!]

The blogger didn’t reply to a single comment, letting the speculation run wild. Marketing accounts immediately caught the scent and started reposting with headlines like: [Jiang Liuyi’s First Exclusive Interview], [Genuine or Just Hype?], [If it’s really Jiang Liuyi, would you buy it?] Polls like these quickly boosted visibility, and in no time, the original post had climbed to number ten on the trending list.

He Xiaoying exclaimed, “Sister Yuan is really going all in!”

Just then, Yuan Hong walked in and happened to hear. She chuckled. “Going all in? I haven’t spent a cent.”

The others looked surprised. “Didn’t our magazine buy the promotion?”

Yuan Hong beamed. “Of course not.”

It hadn’t even been officially announced—just the buzz around Jiang Liuyi was enough to shoot a single blogger’s vague post to the top ten. If they actually went public with it?

It’d blow up.

The whole office lit up with excitement. Xiao Li immediately sent the finalized layout to the printer. Watching their energy surge, Yuan Hong smiled and reminded them, “Be careful—no mistakes allowed.”

She then turned to Song Xian. “Could you let Miss Jiang know we’ll start warming up the promo at ten? We already mentioned it before and asked if she’d help share the post.”

Song Xian nodded. “Of course.”

With a clap of her hands, Yuan Hong sent the team back into high gear. He Xiaoying watched the skyrocketing engagement under the post and suddenly felt like a battle was about to break out.

For years, Meixiu had been throwing shade at them, covertly and openly. They even poached Zhang Susu recently. That day, He Xiaoying had nearly exploded with anger—frustrated and with nowhere to vent. But now, finally, they could hit back. Hard.

It felt amazing. Absolutely amazing. Like a breath of fresh, clean air.

Thinking of this, she didn’t forget to say to Song Xian, “Thanks.”

Song Xian turned to look at her, expression unreadable, but didn’t press.

Just past ten, the official promo launched. Song Xian reached out to Jiang Liuyi, who was in the music room. One hand wandered idly over the piano keys while the other held her phone.

“What time?” The waltz she was playing floated in the background. Song Xian was momentarily entranced before realizing Jiang Liuyi had asked her a question.

“What?” she said.

“What time does it start?” Jiang Liuyi asked again.

Song Xian came back to herself. “Ten o’clock. It already started.”

“Alright,” Jiang Liuyi replied.

Song Xian hung up the phone, the notes of the melody still seeming to linger in her ears. She had never heard Jiang Liuyi play live—only seen a few clips online. They were all well-known pieces, stage performances, bright lights, elegant gowns, applause. Quite different from the quiet notes just now.

She shook her head and set down her phone. The buzz online was steadily climbing. This time, Man Tong hadn’t opted for a teaser—they went straight to the official announcement, catching many people off guard.

Especially their competitors.

Naturally, Meixiu got wind of it too.

Yu Cai was busy working on an interview draft when the editor-in-chief stormed into the office, heels clicking furiously across the floor. She slammed a folder onto the desk with a loud bang.

Everyone else kept their heads down, too scared to move. Yu Cai looked up, frowned at the stiff atmosphere, and asked, “What happened?”

“What happened?” the editor-in-chief barked at her. “You guaranteed me—guaranteed—that our issue would crush Man Tong. And now look what’s happened?!”

Yu Cai stood there, stunned. Before she could respond, the editor-in-chief flung the folder at her. It hit her square in the chest, causing her to stagger back a step.

“Open your eyes and take a good look—see who Man Tong invited!”

She looked down. A colleague had already whispered the answer: “It’s Jiang Liuyi.”

“No way!” Her voice rose in pitch, shrill with disbelief. “There’s no way they got Jiang Liuyi! She doesn’t do interviews!”

The editor-in-chief gave a cold laugh. “The final print is already on its way out. Want to buy a copy and see for yourself?”

Yu Cai blanched. The thought that Man Tong had actually landed Jiang Liuyi made her take two steps back, heart pounding with panic. Seeing the editor-in-chief still glaring at her, she swallowed her frustration and said, “I’ll call Jiang Liuyi.”

The editor-in-chief glared, and Yu Cai scurried to the window to make the call. But Jiang Liuyi’s line was busy.

Out of options, she reluctantly dialed Lin Qiushui instead.

After Yu Cai explained the situation, Lin Qiushui fell quiet for a moment and said, “I’ll ask Liuyi.”

Jiang Liuyi had just stepped out of the music room when Lin Qiushui’s call came through. The screen flashed for half a minute before she picked up.

Lin Qiushui tried to ease in with small talk. “What were you up to?”

“Practicing,” Jiang Liuyi answered. “What’s going on?”

Lin Qiushui gave a dry chuckle. “Nothing serious. Yu Cai just called me. She said she can’t reach you.”

“Mm. I blocked her,” Jiang Liuyi replied calmly.

“Blocked her?” Lin Qiushui was stunned. “Why?”

Jiang Liuyi answered, perfectly righteous, “She bullied my wife.”

Lin Qiushui was speechless, caught entirely off guard.

Yu Cai quickly pieced it together and immediately called Yu Bai to complain.

“Sis! It was that vixen who made her block me!” Yu Cai protested angrily. “I bet it was the vixen using her phone—Jiang Liuyi probably doesn’t even know I’ve been blocked!”

She was Jiang Liuyi’s sister-in-law, after all. Jiang Liuyi had always been good to her. There was no way she’d block her on purpose.

Yu Cai absolutely refused to believe it. She insisted Jiang Liuyi had to unblock her and reached for her phone again, determined to call.

Yu Bai frowned at her insistence. “Let me call her first.”

She ended the call with Yu Cai and dialed Jiang Liuyi. A strange sense of unfamiliarity crept over her.

Since coming back to China, she’d clearly felt that Jiang Liuyi had changed. Not just toward her, but toward Qian Shen and the rest of their circle. People always said Jiang Liuyi was cold, distant, too serious to approach when she wasn’t speaking.

But she knew better. In private, Jiang Liuyi had a good temperament. She was gentle, attentive. She remembered little things—things Yu Bai had only casually mentioned, yet Jiang Liuyi always took to heart.

Neither of them had been masters of love, but they’d never once fought. Because Jiang Liuyi had always been the one to accommodate her.

Accommodate everything. Every flaw.

Every time she and Jiang Liuyi had a difference of opinion, their mutual friends would go to Jiang Liuyi, and Jiang Liuyi would always be the one to reach out first. Maybe it was because of this that Yu Bai had always believed Jiang Liuyi would wait for her.

The call rang twice. Someone picked up.

Jiang Liuyi’s voice came through, cool and distant. “Hello.”

She’d never spoken to her like that before. In the past, every time she answered her calls, she’d always greet her with a smile: “Yu Bai, what’s up?”

The stark contrast caught Yu Bai off guard. Her mouth opened, but no words came out for several seconds.

Jiang Liuyi frowned and asked again, still cold, “Do you need something?”

Snapping back to herself, Yu Bai pushed down the bitter ache in her chest and blinked rapidly. “Yiyi, did Xiaocai do something wrong?”

Jiang Liuyi’s tone didn’t soften. “Ask Qiushui.”

Yu Bai’s breath caught. Her fingertips ached from how tightly she was gripping the phone. She tried to calm herself and answered quietly, “Okay. I understand.”

Jiang Liuyi asked, “Anything else?”

Yu Bai bit her lip. A rush of emotion surged up—resentment, grievance—and her nose tingled with the threat of tears. She choked out, “No. That’s all.”

She was on the verge of crying. Was that not obvious? Couldn’t Jiang Liuyi tell?

Yu Bai clutched at her chest, stifled by the ache there—only for the call to end abruptly.

She stared at her phone in disbelief, turning her head as if to escape the reality of it. Her eyes burned, and it was only after standing in the wind for a long time that she managed to regain control of her emotions.

Just as Lin Qiushui finished sorting out the situation, Yu Bai’s call came in. She asked why Jiang Liuyi had blocked Yu Cai.

“Didn’t Yu Cai tell you?” Lin Qiushui replied.

Yu Bai frowned. “What did Xiaocai do?”

Lin Qiushui explained the situation simply, but she made sure to emphasize that Jiang Liuyi had only agreed to the interview because Yu Cai had poached Zhang Susu and, in front of so many people, had accused Song Xian of stealing her sister’s girlfriend.

“She’s not a child. She should know what’s appropriate to say and what isn’t.”

Yu Bai fumed quietly.

Lin Qiushui added, “Yu Bai, this really was Xiaocai’s fault. Whether emotionally or professionally, she crossed a line. And she cost Man Tong Zhang Susu. Liuyi reacting in the heat of the moment—anyone would.”

Yu Bai lowered her eyes and said quietly, “I understand. I’ll talk to Xiaocai.”

“Good. Talk to her properly. And if possible, have her apologize,” Lin Qiushui said with gravity. “Yu Bai, Liuyi doesn’t respond well to pressure—she never has. If you push her further, none of us will be able to help you.”

Yu Bai used to be proud—like a peacock, head held high. Jiang Liuyi had always held her up, and their friends had treated her delicately. She had never once taken the initiative to soften her stance. This was the first time she was bowing her head to Jiang Liuyi.

But would Jiang Liuyi accept it?

She didn’t know. Clutching her phone, feeling lost, she said, “Qiushui.”

Lin Qiushui was about to hang up but paused when she heard her name. “Yes?”

Yu Bai asked, “Do you think Liuyi and I… can ever go back to how we were?”

Lin Qiushui was silent for a long time. Then, she suddenly asked, “Why did you break up with her in the first place?”

Yu Bai bit her lip and said nothing.

Lin Qiushui had asked the very question none of them had ever quite resolved. Back then, Yu Bai had a promising future. Not long after graduation, she was offered an opportunity to pursue further studies at Newss—under Bai Ye, no less. It was the kind of offer most could only dream of. Of course she wouldn’t turn it down.

She still remembered when the admission letter arrived. Everyone had been thrilled—especially Jiang Liuyi. She had hugged Yu Bai tightly and said, “That’s amazing!”

But no one could have expected what came next: Yu Bai asked for a breakup.

Qian Shen, who was closest to her, had been completely stunned. She called Yu Bai right away. “Are you out of your mind? You want to break up with someone like Jiang Liuyi?!”

Other friends tried to talk her out of it, too—telling her to think it over. Long-distance relationships weren’t a big deal. Even across countries, everyone believed Jiang Liuyi would persevere. She loved Yu Bai too much to care about something like distance.

Jiang Liuyi didn’t care. But Yu Bai was stubborn—stubborn to the core. She insisted on breaking up. She said they were both in the prime of their careers, that she didn’t know when she’d be back, and she didn’t want to hold Jiang Liuyi back.

It was absurd.

And yet, no matter how absurd, they still broke up.

For the past three years, Lin Qiushui had never stopped wondering what kind of reason could make Yu Bai give up on their relationship.

Yu Bai was silent for a long time before finally saying, “Qiushui.”

Lin Qiushui, holding the phone, answered softly. “Yeah?”

Yu Bai’s voice wavered. “Please don’t ask me why anymore, okay? I know I wronged Liuyi. I wronged all of you. I’ll make it up to her.”

Lin Qiushui lowered her eyes.

The once-proud little princess was now pleading with her not to ask. How could she press further?

To Lin Qiushui, Yu Bai was like a younger sister. She had always looked after her, reluctant to be harsh. And now she was on the verge of tears.

All Lin Qiushui could do was hang up.

Yu Bai stood by the window, phone in hand, tilting her face toward the scorching sun. It blazed like fire.

She suddenly recalled a time she and Jiang Liuyi had sat beneath a tree, resting back-to-back. She had asked, “How long do you think you’ll love me?”

Jiang Liuyi had hesitated for a while before replying, “Until the day you stop loving me.”

Yu Bai hadn’t understood. “Why?”

Jiang Liuyi had answered seriously, “Because if you stop loving me and I still love you, I’ll end up clinging to you. I’d become a burden—and I don’t want that.”

It was rational. Mature. But Yu Bai hadn’t liked that answer.

She’d been young then, craving promises that lasted forever. She wanted to hear vows of eternal devotion, to be told she’d be loved for a lifetime—madly, passionately.

But she also knew Jiang Liuyi would never say something like that.

Jiang Liuyi had always been more mature than her peers—except when it came to love. When she was figuring out how to confess, she asked the group chat again and again. Everyone eventually got tired of it. Later, when they were dating, she constantly asked friends how to navigate a relationship.

They had learned, bit by bit, how to be together. But Jiang Liuyi learned faster. She became steadier, more attentive. Yu Bai had once wanted to be like her.

But over time, she was spoiled by the way Jiang Liuyi treated her.

She became increasingly reckless in love.

And that’s why the breakup had been so willful.

Yu Bai stood with her arms crossed, quietly staring at the poplar trees in the distance. It took a long time before she came back to herself. She called Yu Cai to get Man Tong’s contact info, then dialed the number herself.

Yuan Hong had just returned to her office when the call came in. She was briefly surprised, then asked cautiously, “Miss Yu?”

Yu Bai gave a concise explanation of the mistake Yu Cai had made and offered an apology. Yuan Hong didn’t quite know how to respond.

Yu Bai continued, saying she wanted to make amends on Yu Cai’s behalf by recommending her friend’s older sister as a feature for Man Tong’s next issue.

Yuan Hong paused. “Qian Li?”

Yu Bai said, “Yes. Qian Li.”

Of course Yuan Hong knew who that was. Qian Li was a rising star in the entertainment world—she’d done a film and was currently drawing significant attention. She belonged to the kind of celebrity with strong backing, someone that regular magazines wouldn’t dream of approaching. Only the top publications in the country could land her. As for Man Tong—they hadn’t even dared to hope.

Now such an opportunity had landed squarely in Yuan Hong’s lap. Her heart skipped a beat.

She asked, “And your connection to Qian Li is…?”

Yu Bai replied, “Her younger sister is my best friend.”

So she and Qian Li were fairly familiar—asking for an interview shouldn’t be an issue.

Yuan Hong was naturally thrilled. Landing Jiang Liuyi for the first issue had already raised their baseline significantly, and the boss was currently stressing over who to feature in the next one. If it was Qian Li, that would more than carry the weight.

Still, she decided to check in with Song Xian first.

Song Xian was called over to the editor-in-chief’s desk. After hearing Yuan Hong’s proposal, she replied, “That’s fine.”

Yuan Hong blinked. “You mean… you don’t mind?”

Song Xian looked at her, puzzled. “Why would I mind?”

Yuan Hong was momentarily at a loss for words. Wasn’t Yu Bai Jiang Liuyi’s ex? And now the ex was recommending an interview candidate—shouldn’t that bother Song Xian even a little?

It didn’t add up.

But not minding was a good thing—it meant the whole process would move much faster. Yuan Hong said, “Alright then. Let’s keep the same setup—you’ll team up with Xiaoying. She’ll lead the article, and you’ll handle the shoot. Sound good?”

Song Xian answered calmly, “Got it.”

Back at her desk, He Xiaoying nudged her. “What did Sister Yuan want?”

Song Xian turned her head. “We were discussing the interview candidate for the next issue.”

He Xiaoying let out a chuckle. “Looks like Sister Yuan really doesn’t want to let you go.”

Across the desk, Wu Ying chimed in, “Of course not—Sister Yuan’s totally reluctant. Song Xian, why don’t you just put in a request and stay on this team?”

Song Xian glanced at the two of them, then lowered her eyes with a faint smile, saying nothing.

Her phone buzzed twice. She picked it up to check: a message from Jiang Liuyi.

[What time do you get off work?]

She replied succinctly: [Five-thirty.]

Jiang Liuyi stared at the screen, thinking. If Song Xian got off at five-thirty, they could go buy a dress together. That would take them to around seven. After that, they could have dinner out and maybe even catch a movie. They hadn’t gone to the movies together yet.

With that thought, she opened Meituan, scrolling through listings for a while—but had no idea what genre Song Xian liked. So she took screenshots of a few posters and sent them all to her.

Song Xian frowned at her phone and replied with a single question mark.

Jiang Liuyi asked: [Which one do you think looks good?]

Song Xian glanced at the images: [The horror one in the middle seems pretty good.]

It was a sequel to a classic horror film—Song Xian had seen a few clips online and thought the atmosphere looked solid. Jiang Liuyi stared at the poster for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. Since Song Xian liked it, then that was the one.

She booked two tickets and sent a message: [I’ll come pick you up later.]

Song Xian asked: [Why?]

Jiang Liuyi replied: [To go with you to buy the dress.]

Song Xian: [No need, Yuanyuan’s going with me.]

Yuanyuan? Gu Yuanyuan? Why was she going with Song Xian to pick out a dress?

Jiang Liuyi tapped at her phone, suddenly feeling just a little bit miffed.