The bathroom door clicked shut as Lin Xiaoyu locked it.
In the cramped space, the only sounds were the clinking of bottles and jars as Lin Xiaoyu rummaged through her makeup bag.
Jiang Ling stared silently at the mirror, her eyes red and swollen from crying and frantic wiping. She mocked herself for looking utterly pathetic and gently turned her face away.
Lin Xiaoyu took out a powder puff and stepped in front of Jiang Ling, softly dabbing the traces left by tears on her cheeks and the corners of her eyes with her fingers.
Jiang Ling really wanted to run away.
Because she felt that she must look ugly and weak right now—making mistakes on stage and sneaking away to cry was just so pathetic.
But she knew clearly that if she went to the fan event like this, she would definitely be bombarded with questions. Rather than being caught off guard then, it was better to accept Lin Xiaoyu’s kindness now.
Lin Xiaoyu hadn’t said a single word from start to finish. Whether intentional or not, even her breathing was quiet, and the way she touched Jiang Ling’s face was like handling something fragile.
Suddenly, Jiang Ling felt a wave of clarity.
Though she couldn’t completely shake off her self-destructive mood, at least the extreme emotions from earlier had faded. She pressed her dry lips together and asked, “Is it done?”
She heard her own voice was a little hoarse, and her nose was still stuffy.
“Last, put on some lipstick, or you’ll look pale.”
Lin Xiaoyu handed her a packet of tissues, replying quickly but gently.
“Mm.”
Jiang Ling took them and silently wiped her nose until she could breathe smoothly.
No sooner had she lowered her hand than Lin Xiaoyu cupped her face, applying and smudging the lipstick on her lips.
The pale color instantly came to life.
Jiang Ling glanced into the mirror again.
Lin Xiaoyu’s profile looked calm, saying not a word. She only answered when Jiang Ling asked and didn’t pry further.
Jiang Ling shifted her gaze to herself; the redness at the corners of her eyes was perfectly concealed. If you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t guess she had just been crying.
After applying the lipstick, Lin Xiaoyu stepped back and looked at Jiang Ling: “The fan event will be about this distance. No one will be able to tell, don’t worry.”
“…Thank you.”
Wrapped in such sincere and gentle kindness, Jiang Ling felt a sudden flush of shame. She fiddled with her fingers, lifted her eyes, her mouth half open as if wanting to say something.
“All right, let’s go.”
Lin Xiaoyu just patted her head and turned to open the door.
Blinding light instantly poured in, making Jiang Ling squint reflexively. The panic and helplessness in her heart subsided significantly as she followed Lin Xiaoyu out of the room.
“So slow~”
Mo Ran waved at them, walking cheerfully over to Jiang Ling and slipping a handful of candy into her palm.
“This is super tasty.”
After saying that, she smiled brightly and walked away.
Jiang Ling opened her hand. The candy was the kind she often ate as a child—hard candies, sour and sweet, with colorful wrappers.
She unwrapped one and popped it into her mouth. The sweet, syrupy taste instantly filled her mouth, masking the bitterness deep in her heart.
“Jiang Ling?”
Xu Nuo’s anxious voice rang from outside the door.
Jiang Ling folded the candy wrappers neatly and slipped them into her pocket.
“Coming.”
*
The fan event process was actually quite simple. Essentially, it was an opportunity for fans to interact closely with their idol.
Jiang Ling walked toward the seat with her name on it. She saw many small accessories laid out on the table—probably props for the upcoming photo sessions.
She sat down, her mood completely calm now.
“In the first hour, only two tickets can be used at once, everyone don’t forget—”
Xu Nuo and the staff were shouting out reminders. Jiang Ling looked beyond the safety barrier, seeing the members’ queues packed with people. She was no exception, and an indescribable sense of fulfillment instantly filled her heart.
“All right, let’s get started!”
At the command, Jiang Ling lifted her smile and looked at the first fan approaching her.
She looked young, probably a high schooler, with a lively ponytail. Her eyes shone with excitement as she grabbed the cat ears on the table: “Can I wear these and take a picture with you?”
“No problem.”
Jiang Ling had mentally prepared herself for requests like this, so it was no trouble. She quickly put on the cat ears and took a photo with her.
Taking the instant photo, Jiang Ling patiently asked, “Do you want the autograph drawing to be a little cat too?”
“Yeah!”
The girl nodded eagerly like a pecking chick. While Jiang Ling signed, she opened her mouth: “This is my first time seeing this kind of stage. I think you’re so cute, so I wanted to say a few words to you, hehe.”
“Thank you, you’re cute too.” Jiang Ling signed, watching the girl carefully. “Are you still in high school?”
“Yes, but I don’t skip class! Our school has weekends off, and my grades are good, so you don’t have to worry!”
The girl quickly bit her nails, afraid Jiang Ling would say something like, “High schoolers watching performances? Should be studying instead!”
Jiang Ling smiled and showed her the instant photo: “Is this okay?”
She’d drawn cute cat ears on either side of her own name.
“Perfect! Ah, time’s almost up. I’ll come again next time!”
The countdown sounded, and the girl happily took the photo and left.
Jiang Ling watched her go and greeted the next fan. The moment she saw her, she gasped in surprise: “Sister, you were the one who handed me a flyer at the last roadshow, right?”
The woman in front of her was the white-collar lady who had handed out flyers to Jiang Ling for the first time.
Surprised by Jiang Ling’s words, she asked, “You remember me?”
“Of course! Sister, let’s take a photo first?”
Jiang Ling nodded and guided her.
After the photo, the woman’s surprise and joy didn’t fade: “I thought you’d forgotten me.”
“Though I’m not good with faces, you promised you’d come, so I remembered.”
Jiang Ling said seriously, drawing a small heart next to her name—cute and playful.
Seeing this, the woman casually said, “You didn’t get hurt during the performance, did you?”
Jiang Ling’s hand holding the pen froze, but she didn’t stay silent. She shook her head with a smile: “Just some scratches. It’s okay, sorry you had to see me mess up like that…”
“No, I was worried if you got hurt.”
She cut off Jiang Ling’s apology and then breathed a relieved sigh. “That’s good. I’ll leave now, but I’ll come again next time.”
Jiang Ling waved goodbye, feeling an indescribable emotion inside.
Throughout the rest of the fan event, Jiang Ling met all kinds of people—different professions, ages, everything. But every face was filled with joyful smiles.
Many of them worriedly asked if she was hurt, and after hearing no, they relaxed and left happily.
Finally, when all the queues emptied, her first concert was truly over.
Back in the dressing room, Jiang Ling collapsed onto the sofa, belatedly realizing how exhausted she was.
She was lost in thought when footsteps sounded outside.
“小铃铛，你朋友来啦。”
Mo Ran called toward her, and Jiang Ling looked up to see Song Meng entering.
Her heart tightened instantly.
Song Meng set the bag on the table and looked at the silent Jiang Ling.
“Shall we talk?”