In the blink of an eye, the year-end arrived.
Because S City is situated in the south, it never experienced snow even in the coldest winter. Consequently, the picturesque scene of “snow-covered landscape, draped in silver attire” was absent. Instead, the air was bitterly cold and damp. Zhao Xiaokui’s entourage, be it her agent or assistant, were all bundled up in thick down jackets and fluffy scarves. Only she remained adorned in a bright outfit, not appearing to be bracing for winter but rather dressing a bit thicker to accommodate everyone as the weather turned colder.
Luo Ziwei, having aged, watched Zhao Xiaokui as if she were looking at her daughter. She couldn’t help but say, “Young people shouldn’t only care about style, but also warmth. In such cold weather, you’re dressed so lightly. Be careful, or rheumatic disease might afflict you, and that’s not something you’d want to endure in the future!”
Rheumatic disease?
Zhao Xiaokui paused. When it came to being cold, she truly didn’t feel it. The damp cold of the south made her feel particularly comfortable, almost like returning to the deep sea. However, regarding rheumatic disease… do mermaids even get rheumatism?
Amused by her thoughts, she grabbed her agent’s hand, saying, “I really don’t feel cold. Here, hold my hand.”
The agent, surprised by her warm hand, exclaimed, “Oh, you really aren’t cold. Your hands are warm.”
The shivering assistant, frozen and envious, said, “Xiaokui, your body is too good.”
Zhao Xiaokui chuckled. After advancing a rank as a transcendent being, her resistance to extreme temperatures greatly improved. Moreover, being a mermaid who preferred low temperatures and disliked high ones, she was not afraid of the cold at all. However, she deliberately warmed her hands before letting the agent touch them. Even in summer, her hands wouldn’t naturally be warm, depending on her internal body temperature.
Zhao Xiaokui’s cold resistance was not particularly evident when she was with her agent. After all, they stayed indoors with air conditioning or in a well-heated nanny car most of the time. It was only during evening award ceremonies when she walked the red carpet in a formal gown that her distinctiveness became apparent.
Other celebrities, even male stars in suits, shivered visibly, unable to control their expressions in front of the camera. As the live audience watched, someone couldn’t help but ask, “Is Zhao Xiaokui not afraid of the cold, or is she just really good at enduring it? From her entrance until now, she hasn’t even shivered once. Her acting skills are too strong, aren’t they?”
Xiaokui fans: “…”
What are acting skills?
Have you forgotten that even Zhao Xiaokui’s occasional selfies can trend on hot searches?
If she has acting skills, do they need to celebrate taking a selfie as if it were Chinese New Year?
Xiaokui’s fans chatted among themselves in the barrage, “It seems like Xiaokui really isn’t afraid of the cold. I have a friend who works as her assistant, and they say she’s still wearing clothes from autumn and often forgets to wear a coat when going out. It seems like she genuinely doesn’t feel the cold at all.”
“Young people are really energetic. Is Xiaokui’s energy a bit too vigorous?”
“+1, little darling, wear a bit more. Don’t sacrifice warmth for style.”
During seating arrangements, Zhao Xiaokui and Nie Fu were not far apart. Although she was still young, her position in the music industry was not inferior to that of Nie Fu, an old-school singer. As they took their seats, Nie Fu stared at her for a while, then leaned over and asked in a hushed voice, “Aren’t you cold?”
Zhao Xiaokui: “…”
She raised her hand.
Unlike others whose hands turned blue from the cold, her hands were as fair as jade, with rosy nails showing no signs of the cold.
Nie Fu, shivering despite being covered in warming pads inside his suit, sighed with genuine envy.
“…” Truly feeling the jealousy.
Although Zhao Xiaokui didn’t release an album this year, the achievements of her three songs were substantial. With official support, no one dared to spread negative rumors about her. Consequently, she naturally brought home the most prestigious awards – “Best Composer Award,” “Best Chinese Female Singer Award,” “Annual Best Song Award,” and a few other less significant trophies.
In Shen Zhifei’s villa, a room had long been prepared specifically for her, dedicated to displaying her awards.
In the Duobao Pavilion, looking at the trophies lined up in a row, Zhao Xiaokui’s expression seemed somewhat trance-like.
“These are all the awards I won?”
Shen Zhifei placed her hand on her shoulder and affirmed, “Yes, it’s all you.”
Suddenly, Zhao Xiaokui turned around and tightly embraced her.
Shen Zhifei gently patted her back, suddenly feeling warm liquid falling on her shoulder.
Zhao Xiaokui couldn’t explain why she was crying, but there was an indescribable discomfort in her heart.
Zhao Zijin has also won many awards. When Zhao Xiaokui scrolled through Zhao Zijin’s old Weibo, she could see many photos of her holding trophies.
Although those awards were won with her songs, in Zhao Xiaokui’s eyes, they weren’t truly hers.
Fan praise and the compliments of strangers were not real to her.
Even though the three new songs released this year had caused quite a sensation, Zhao Xiaokui didn’t feel like she had done anything extraordinary. She even felt that without the added boost from her mermaid talent, she might be nothing at all.
These awards undoubtedly represented recognition.
Recognition of her identity as a singer, recognition of her singing ability, and recognition that she had come a long way on the road to pursuing her dreams.
After a while, Zhao Xiaokui finally said, “Zhifei, let’s go visit Grandma.”
Even though she had returned for a while, it was her first time going to the cemetery where Grandma Zhao was laid to rest.
On the way there, Zhao Xiaokui bought a bunch of sunflowers. The golden sunflowers bloomed in her hands, resembling the brilliant winter sunlight.
Shen Zhifei parked the car by the side of the road near the cemetery. The two of them climbed the steps.
Even though it had been many years since she last came, Zhao Xiaokui accurately found where her grandmother’s tombstone was.
In the photo, an elegantly dressed elderly woman smiled kindly, with gentle eyes gazing ahead.
She looked exactly like the elderly person Zhao Xiaokui and Shen Zhifei had seen in her memories.
Placing the flowers she brought, Zhao Xiaokui poured two glasses of wine and set them in front of the grave, saying, “When my grandma was fine, she liked to have a drink. At that time, I always said that when I made big money, I would buy her the best wine. But my grandma never waited for that time to come.”
“Grandma, I’ve come to see you. I’m sorry it took me so long to come.”
“Grandma, I won awards, quite a few trophies. They were just too heavy, so I didn’t bring them with me. But I brought photos; Zhifei helped me take them. Later, I’ll burn them for you.”
As Zhao Xiaokui spoke, she wiped her face with her hand, tears streaming down.
Looking at the photo on the tombstone, it was as if she had returned to her youth. Every time she opened the door, there was always an elderly person waiting for her in the kitchen or on the living room sofa, saying, “You’re back.”
Unfortunately, that elderly person was no longer there.
“Grandma, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I was so scared, afraid that you wouldn’t recognize me, afraid that you’d blame me for not coming to see you for so many years. I’m not exactly human now. Can you still recognize your granddaughter?”
She reached out, touching the tombstone, her hand covered in light golden scales as if showing her grandmother what had grown on her body.
Suddenly, Shen Zhifei felt a spiritual movement.
The scene before her eyes blurred, and when she opened them again, she was sitting on a familiar sofa.
It was the house in the Qingmu community.
The elderly person sat across from her, familiarly exchanging greetings, “You’re here.”
“Grandma?!” Shen Zhifei stood up abruptly, asking, “Where’s Xiaokui?”
Grandma chuckled, “Xiaokui is outside; don’t worry. She won’t find out you’re here. I just wanted to talk to you. After we’re done, you can leave.”
Only then did Shen Zhifei sit down, saying, “Grandma, Xiaokui misses you a lot.”
Grandma said, “I miss her a lot too.”
“Why don’t you meet her then?” Shen Zhifei, not understanding, asked, “Since you can see me, why can’t you see her? ”
“You are different.” Grandma, unaffected by her anger, calmly explained, “We can meet because both of us are Star Seer. Only Star Seers can cross the distance of time and space, meeting in the gaps.”
Shen Zhifei was stunned; she had never thought that the person she encountered was Zhao Xiaokui’s grandmother from the past.
Grandma whispered, “Tell me about how Xiaokui is now. Although I can sometimes see glimpses, what I see is never as real as your firsthand experiences.”
Shen Zhifei recounted some of Zhao Xiaokui’s experiences to Grandma.
As she listened, the smile on Grandma’s face gradually faded, turning into a look of distress. “After going through so much, that child must be very tired. Thank you for being with her all this time.”
“I haven’t done much.” Shen Zhifei hesitated for a moment but decided to ask the question on her mind. “Grandma, did you already know that Xiaokui would be taken over by the Parasite? Why didn’t you stop the Evil God from doing this? As a transcendent being, you should have the power to prevent all of this.”
Although this might mean that she may never meet Zhao Xiaokui in her lifetime, and perhaps she would watch TV programs, be amazed by a girl’s singing voice, then turn away, forgetting her face… but…
But as long as she thought about the five years Zhao Xiaokui had experienced, as long as she thought about the loneliness she felt in her dreams, she would rather use her and Zhao Xiaokui’s missed encounter to exchange for her happy and peaceful growth.
“I know what you’re thinking. It’s not that I can’t prevent it; it’s that I cannot prevent it1It means that although it is possible to prevent or she can prevent it, but she chooses not to. The “can’t” refers to action and the “cannot” refers to her choice. .” Grandma looked kindly at her, as if understanding all her thoughts, and said, “Some destinies can be changed by the Star Seers because even if changed, it doesn’t matter much. But some people, from the moment they are born, bear a different destiny from ordinary people. Even if I changed her fate of being invaded by the Evil God, one day, she would still embark on this path. It’s just a matter of sooner or later, a difference between hardship and greater hardship. What I can do is try my best to give her some help, so that she can walk a bit faster and farther.”
