In B City, there is a park called Nine-Bend Park, named after its winding corridors. Initially, it was intended to promote traditional culture, but the elderly soon took over the corridors, setting up chess and Go games daily.
On a cold winter afternoon, the park was nearly deserted, except for a bustling pavilion in the Nine-Bend Corridor, surrounded by several layers of people.
“Old Yang, that’s a terrible move!”
“Don’t place it there, you’ll definitely lose!”
Ye Shanshan, wrapped in a beige scarf and wearing a black mask with a yellow duck print, noticed that Grandpa Yang, sitting opposite him, had taken back his moves twice. He slapped his own thigh in exasperation.
“Grandpa Yang, stop it! You’ve already taken back your moves twenty times. If you keep doing this, it’ll be dark before we finish. I still need to go home for dinner!”
Grandpa Yang waved his hand and smiled, “This is the last time! Young friend Ye, be patient. Young people shouldn’t be so hasty.” Taking the advice from his supporters, he made another move.
“There have been so many ‘last times’ already!” Ye Shanshan muttered, glancing at the board. Pretending to think for a moment, he made a move.
“Wait! Young friend Ye, I realize that move is no good. Let’s start over!” Grandpa Yang’s words were met with a chorus of boos from the other elderly onlookers, who then resumed giving him advice.
Resting his chin on his hand, Ye Shanshan blinked and pointed at the board. “Grandpa Yang, actually, you can move here, then do this, and then this.”
“Oh, that’s right!” Grandpa Yang listened carefully and realized Ye Shanshan was correct. He carefully placed the black piece, smiling at Ye Shanshan. “That’s a good move, young friend. Very clever.”
At that moment, another elderly man spoke up. “Old Yang, your granddaughter is here to take you home for dinner. Let someone else have a turn; you’ve been playing for too long.”
Grandpa Yang waved at his approaching granddaughter. “I’ll leave after this game is finished!” Then he turned back to Ye Shanshan and asked, “Young friend Ye, now that I’ve made this move, what’s your next step?”
Ye Shanshan held a white piece between his index and middle fingers, his fingertips tinged with a light pink. He placed the piece on the board with a “plop” and leaned in to explain.
“Here, yes, yes, that previous move was optimal. This move here allows you to…” The elderly onlookers also leaned in to listen, all exclaiming in sudden realization, “Brilliant!” “I see!”
Yang Ximei, standing a little behind her grandfather, found the scene oddly familiar. Hearing the voice, she was startled.
She looked at the young man sitting opposite her grandfather. He seemed tall and a bit thin, wearing a navy blue double-breasted coat, bundled up with a thick scarf and a mask. But the exposed tip of his chin was very fair, his eyes had a beautiful shape, and his hair was slightly long, tousled over his forehead.
Her heart raced as she fumbled to take out her phone, opening a screenshot from a live stream of Lord Ye. There was no need to compare—someone looking that stunning even with a mask had to be Lord Ye!
She hurriedly posted in Ye Shanshan’s official fan club:
“OMG, I just saw Lord Ye playing chess with elderly men in the park! It has to be him! There’s no one else who looks like that! His whole being seems to radiate light! What do I do now?”
“Don’t panic, girl. You’re doing a great service for countless fans. Live stream it! But don’t share your location! If Lord Ye objects, stop immediately!”
“Stay calm, don’t leave! Take photos, live stream! Go to room 342512! Hurry, I’ll give you permission!”
Reactions flooded in quickly. Yang Ximei took a deep breath, opened the live stream app, entered the room, and nervously pointed her camera at Ye Shanshan.
As soon as she did, Ye Shanshan looked directly at the camera, his clear eyes meeting hers. She almost dropped her phone in surprise.
Realizing she had been recognized, Ye Shanshan scratched his head, thought for a moment, and gave the girl an “OK” hand sign. He then put a finger to his lips in a “shush” gesture, indicating she could record but quietly.
Yang Ximei covered her mouth to suppress a scream, nodding excitedly with a flushed face.
So, after the official announcement on the Starry Building’s official fan page explaining the situation and posting the live stream link, tens of thousands of viewers flooded into the live stream within moments.
They discovered that the content of the live stream was indeed Ye Shanshan, wrapped up tightly against the cold, secretly playing chess with elderly men in a park after being recognized by a fan.
—What kind of scenario was this?
“Grandpa Yang, you’ve taken back thirty-seven moves already; I counted!” Ye Shanshan propped his chin with his hands, looking slightly exasperated but still smiling. His tone was not impatient but rather amused, clearly finding the situation entertaining.
Meanwhile, the comment section was in stitches with laughter.
“——Grandpa Yang, our Shanshan is about to cry. Are you determined to break the record for the most taken-back moves? But I support you, take your time so we can see more of his beautiful face.”
“——Why does Shanshan’s black mask with a little yellow duck look so cute! Ahhh, how can he look so good even with half of his face covered! Why does he look so good playing chess with grandpas in the park! Anyway, he looks amazing! I can’t stop taking screenshots; I feel like I have a year’s worth of visual food now.”
“——I’m not used to seeing the serious Lord Ye! Am I the only one? But why do I find Lord Ye, who is always teaching and tolerating Grandpa Yang’s repeated take-backs, incredibly charming!”
While waiting for the next move, familiar music suddenly played from a screen in the small plaza. Ye Shanshan looked over and saw that it was his own “Deer” commercial.
Seeing that the group of grandpas was still discussing the best move for Grandpa Yang, Ye Shanshan asked seriously, “Do you think that commercial is good?”
“It’s good, very good! Even my old wife likes that young man! My six-year-old granddaughter likes him too,” said a grandpa standing to Ye Shanshan’s right, obviously not on Grandpa Yang’s side, chatting happily.
“Old Yang has dominated here for several months. You came to bring him down a notch, to humble him a bit! You’re a good young man too!”
Receiving praise, Ye Shanshan couldn’t help but smile, his eyes bending in delight. If he had a tail, it would be wagging. He nodded repeatedly, “Yes, yes, you and your family have great taste!”
“——Hahaha, I’ve never seen someone so shameless! But I like it, because it shows I have good taste too!”
“——Hahaha, has our Lord Ye captivated the age groups of seventy and six-year-olds now? Wait, Shanshan, look! Grandpa Yang is taking back his move again! Stop chatting!”
“——Why am I inexplicably nervous! Shanshan, stop chatting and focus on the game! It’s one against many! This is a prestigious park tournament, be serious!”
After forty minutes of battle, Ye Shanshan finally won. The surrounding grandpas all acknowledged that their top amateur player, Mr. Yang, had been defeated, admitting that young friend Ye’s Go skills were impressive.
Ye Shanshan smiled shyly, stood up, and cupped his fists, “Thank you, thank you!” His slightly messy hair swayed in the cold wind with his movements.
He accepted his prize—a ten-yuan folding fan sold on the street, with calligraphy by another top amateur, Grandpa Chen, which read “Life is like a game of chess.”
Flipping the fan, Ye Shanshan decided to give it to his majesty, thinking it would definitely make him very happy.
At this moment, the live stream chat room erupted!
“——I’m so excited! Shanshan finally won! It wasn’t easy with all the take-backs! Congratulations to Shanshan for winning the ‘Grand Park Cup’ Go competition, and getting the prize ‘Heavenly Mechanism Fan!’ I can’t make this up anymore.”
“——Go Sage Ye Shanshan emerges! With his mystical artifact, the Starry Fan, he returns to the scene! The masked master makes a stunning appearance! I can’t make this up anymore.”
“——It wasn’t easy to win! Grandpa Yang took back his moves sixty-one times and sought help from spectators over two hundred times. Truly a challenging tournament! Congratulations to champion Ye Shanshan!”
“——Such a quirky style, yet I find this live stream incredibly captivating. Have I really gone astray? But why do I feel like Shanshan is already living a retired life of playing chess and raising birds!”
Ye Shanshan checked his watch, feeling it was time to make his exit. He bid farewell to Grandpa Yang and the others, walked a bit farther, and then discreetly gestured to the girl who had been filming.
Yang Ximei hurried to catch up, meeting Ye Shanshan’s gaze up close. She was stunned for a moment before stammering, “Hello… I-I was live streaming… if…”
Worried that Ye Shanshan would be angry, her eyes reddened with anxiety.
“It’s okay, I know, don’t worry,” Ye Shanshan smiled, removing his mask. “Can you point the camera at me? I’d like to greet everyone.”
The screen froze for a moment, but the sound was clear. Just as the viewers in the live stream were flooding the chat with “ahhhh,” the camera finally focused on Ye Shanshan’s face.
—
With a scarf around his neck, his face looked delicate, even a bit youthful. Ye Shanshan smiled, his dimples showing, and waved the folding fan in his hand. “Good afternoon, everyone.”
“——Ahhhh, hello, Lord Ye! You’re so beautiful it’s making me cry! You’re stunning even without makeup!! Totally in love!”
“——Lord Ye, I love Deer Shanshan so much! It’s so beautiful, I cried so many times! I started liking Lord Ye after watching Deer, but after seeing this live stream, I’m strangely becoming a die-hard fan!”
“——Congratulations to Lord Ye for winning the park’s Go tournament!”
Ye Shanshan showed off his fan and chatted for a bit more, thinking it was better to stay humble. So he decided to leave, “Now I have to go home for dinner. I’ll be attending an event the day after tomorrow, which might be on TV. My manager’s Weibo will have the details. I’ll see you all later.”
After saying this, he thanked the phone’s owner, signed an autograph, put on his mask again, and headed towards the park’s back gate, where his driver was waiting.
After getting home, Ye Shanshan had dinner, then diligently studied and went over his script for a while.
However, that night, Ye Shanshan found himself unable to sleep.
He always thought he had excellent sleep, believing he would never have insomnia. But as he lay there in the early morning, hugging his pillow and staring at the ceiling, he realized his previous self was still too naive!
He turned over, feeling both sentimental and frustrated, and finally called Gong Yue.
It was afternoon where Gong Yue was. He stood by the office’s floor-to-ceiling window, the golden sunlight slightly blinding.
“Shanshan?” His tone naturally softened.
Hearing Gong Yue’s voice, Ye Shanshan felt a pang in his heart and hugged his pillow tighter. “I miss you,” he said softly, “I miss you very much, really a lot.”
During the day, he had wandered around and tried a different lifestyle. It was interesting and fun. But coming home to an empty house without Gong Yue, his happiness instantly dropped by several points.
He had never experienced this feeling before. As he tossed and turned, unable to sleep, he suddenly understood,
——This is what it feels like to miss someone, to yearn for someone.
“I miss you too,” Gong Yue calculated the time, knowing it must be around three in the morning in B City. “Shanshan, can’t sleep?”
Ye Shanshan decided to be a bit more sentimental, “Yeah, I can’t sleep without you. I want to hear a bedtime story.”
Gong Yue thought for a moment and then seriously recounted a textbook-level acquisition case.
“……”
The more Ye Shanshan listened to this “bedtime story,” the more awake he became. “Who was in charge of this acquisition? They did a great job!” He actually knew it was Gong Yue who had orchestrated it.
“It was me. I completed this acquisition when I was sixteen.”
Praising his boyfriend sincerely, Ye Shanshan also felt a bit sad for Gong Yue—within Gong Yue’s worldview, there was no concept of a “bedtime fairy tale.”
So he softened his tone, “I’m getting a bit sleepy, you should get back to work. Remember to think of me.”
After hanging up, Ye Shanshan got out of bed, changed into Gong Yue’s pajamas, and snuggled back under the covers, feeling as if he were being held by him.
—
On the afternoon of the 28th, after lunch, Zheng Dong took Ye Shanshan to Director Zhang’s studio.
Though the evening gala was themed “Endangered Animal Protection,” it was organized by a highly influential international group. The event invited celebrities from various fields worldwide and included an auction, with all proceeds going towards endangered animal protection.
The entire team was busy preparing for the charity gala that night. Since there would be a red carpet event, every detail of their appearance had to be perfect. Even Director Zhang submitted to having his eyebrows trimmed by a makeup artist, looking resigned.
Ye Shanshan had his hair slicked back, revealing his smooth forehead and well-defined features. The makeup artist hesitated, unsure where to start—whether with or without makeup, his eyelashes were so thick that eyeliner and mascara were unnecessary.
Ye Shanshan suggested, “The lighting at the venue might make me look less good in photos. Just a bit of contouring will do.”
Zheng Dong, reviewing the event schedule nearby, chimed in, “For you, it’s just the difference between looking very good and exceptionally good.”
Everyone present agreed with this assessment.
At this moment, Ye Shanshan’s assistant, Lin Xiatian, arrived with a suitcase. “Young Master Ye, your clothes are here.”
Zheng Dong had been concerned about the outfit, but Ye Shanshan assured him he had plenty of unworn options and would simply bring one.
Although male celebrities’ red carpet attire isn’t scrutinized as harshly as women’s, any slight misstep could attract a barrage of criticism from fashion pundits, branding them with “poor taste.”
Zheng Dong doubted Ye Shanshan’s elevated aesthetic, but Ye Shanshan’s wardrobe was mostly curated by Gong Yue. As soon as Lin Xiatian opened the suitcase, Zheng Dong felt dazzled.
“Isn’t this from that AS couture workshop in London?” Zheng Dong was astounded, feeling envious. This purely handmade suit likely cost in the six- to seven-figure range, accessible only to the ultra-wealthy.
“Probably?” Ye Shanshan usually wore whatever Gong Yue bought for him without fuss. For this event, he selected an outfit from the clothes Gong Yue had recently ordered for him.
The suit was deep blue, simple with no excess embellishments, and perfectly tailored. After putting it on, tying the tie, and fastening the cufflinks, Ye Shanshan asked Zheng Dong, “How do I look?”
Zheng Dong, feeling once again blinded by Ye Shanshan’s appearance, pitied whoever would accompany him on the red carpet.
“Perfect.” Though he knew fans would go wild tonight.
At 8 PM, the charity gala officially began.
1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading ❤️”
