Chapter 36: No Amount Of Tenderness Is Too Much For The Person You Like
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
After a while, Feng Tangtang led a group of people to appear at the door. There were about sixty people, all of whom were young girls. They were holding flowers or gifts in their arms, and even those big dolls that can't be held properly. Some of them looked like they were still high school students.
Ruan Yesheng stood up.
As soon as those fans saw Ruan Yesheng, their eyes suddenly lit up. They seemed to want to scream, but they were afraid of making too much noise. So they looked at each other and let out low voices. Several of them had red cheeks, just staring at Ruan Ye Sheng, whispering to each other, and didn't dare to approach for a while. The few who were hugging dolls had their faces covered by the dolls and were anxious to move the dolls aside, revealing a pair of eager eyes underneath.
"It's Xi Mo!"
"It's true... Xi Mo is really waiting for us!"
"Living goddess, am I dreaming!"
This was an advance notice for the fan visit, and everyone had prepared themselves mentally. But no matter how much mental preparation they had, under the anxiety and longing, it continued to ferment and turn into reality at this moment, and there was still a bit of uncontrollable dreamy feeling.
At this moment, Xi Mo walked out from behind the crowd, passed through the fans, and walked straight into the lounge.
On the way, she glanced sideways at Ruan Ye Sheng and said with a friendly smile, "Xi Mo, is this your fan visit? Did I come at the wrong time? I'm just here to pick up some things, and I'll leave in a while."
Ruan Yesheng felt like laughing at her look in her heart, considering she had been very firm in saying she wouldn't come earlier. She cooperatively said, "No problem, feel free."
Then she turned to the group of fans and kindly said, "Thank you all for coming to see me. Come over."
The fans exclaimed as if they were awakening from a dream, and while excited that the goddess was talking to them, they gathered around Ruan Yesheng. Feng Tangtang, Gu Qisong, and other staff followed closely, trying to keep a certain distance between the fans and Ruan Yesheng.
The fans were only looking at Ruan Yesheng, but they didn't know that their real goddess Xi Mo had already passed by and gone to the sofa on the other side of the lounge. They didn't know Ruan Yesheng. When they saw Xi Mo passing by, they thought it was another cast member and were too embarrassed to say hello.
Only one girl among them kept staring at Xi Mo's retreating figure, not taking her eyes off her.
One of her companions quietly called her, "Chen Xuan, come over, stop looking around."
The girl named Chen Xuan finally snapped back and apologized, saying softly, "Oh, I'm coming, sorry."
She walked with a slight limp, indicating a leg injury.
Because of Xi Mo's appearance and aura, she was very popular among girls, and her fan base had a higher proportion of female fans. The representatives of this fan club visit were all girls.
This kind of fan club had a large number of members, and they even had designated roles. Those who could come were die-hard fans. Among them, two were the fan club leaders, and they appeared much more experienced and mature than the others. They had communicated with Lu Qingming before, knew Feng Tangtang, and had obviously followed Xi Mo multiple times. They conducted themselves in a relatively composed manner. As for the remaining fans, their overflowing excitement was almost hard to contain.
However, Ruan Yesheng found that they were indeed more disciplined as Xi Mo said. Although their eyes were filled with excitement, they were still restrained. They were jumping for joy but holding back, probably because they were afraid of scaring their goddess.
During the autograph session, a few of them were quite shy. After handing over items for autographs, they didn't know what to say but kept repeating, "Xi... Xi Mo, I like you, I really like you!"
Many celebrities have nicknames, and fans like to use these nicknames. For example, some of Shen Qingbie's fans liked to call her "Qingqing." Ruan Yesheng's fans used to call her "Ruanruan" a long time ago. However, Xi Mo didn't have a specific nickname. Some fans addressed her by her name or "goddess." It's unclear if it was related to the aura she exuded. Others just directly called her by the character's name or a character's endearing nickname from her works, blending her with the characters they loved.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Ruan Yesheng smiled and signed autographs for them. There were all kinds of signed items, including autograph books, clothes, photo albums of Xi Mo, Blu-ray DVDs of starring movies, etc. Several people also asked her to sign directly on their phones.
Looking at those people who wanted to ask her to sign their mobile phones, Ruan Yesheng was a little bit dumbfounded. They quickly explained, "We use our phones frequently, so if you sign our phones, we can see your... your signature anytime."
Ruan Yesheng nodded and signed on the back of the phone with a paint pen as per their request.
Those people took the phone back and happily put the phone case on the phone carefully, for fear of scratching the signature.
At this time, Ruan Yesheng thought they were quite cute.
In the past, she too had been surrounded by flashing cameras and adoring fans, basking in the limelight among the stars. After fading from the spotlight and retiring, her aura gradually dimmed until it disappeared. Over the years, her state of mind had become more tranquil. However, at this moment, as she gazed at the earnest and pure eyes of these fans, there was still a touch of nostalgia and emotion in her heart.
How great it is to be liked by these lovely people.
And looking at the light called happiness in their eyes, knowing that she is bringing happiness to them on behalf of Xi Mo, she also felt happy.
Blind and crazy pursuit of stars is not advisable. Not only will it have a negative impact on the fans themselves, but it will also cause a lot of trouble and distress to the celebrities.
But within a reasonable and non-intrusive scope, becoming the object of admiration for fans can bring them joy and happiness, and even the courage and motivation to move forward. Perhaps this is a certain kind of power that spreads when humans long for and seek beautiful things.
Xi Mo sat on the sofa and looked at Ruan Yesheng from a distance, feeling that she was not playing herself at the moment, she felt like she was genuinely Ruan Yesheng – warm and genuinely smiling.
If anyone were her fan, they would be very happy.
The evening break wasn't very long, and Ruan Yesheng was still in makeup and costume. Her costumes often had wide sleeves, which made signing a bit inconvenient. The long sleeves kept brushing against things, and the girls surrounding her felt anxious and considerate, helping her gather them up, and holding them in their hands.
"Thank you," Ruan Yesheng smiled and nodded at the girl who had helped her.
The girl felt that her heart was going to explode at this moment. She thought how could there be such a beautiful and good-tempered person? Her face immediately turned red. Several people around her were also pushing the girl slightly in envy, excited altogether.
Xi Mo watched the whole process with a sullen face. She felt that Ruan Yesheng had a peach blossom in her eyes at this moment. She was always flirting with people, it was that kind that was completely unconscious. Suddenly, she wanted to block her indiscriminate flirting which was almost evil.
As for why she would want to intervene, she hadn't really thought about it.
Someone plucked up the courage and said, "Xi Mo, Can...can I hug you?"
Ruan Yesheng said: "Okay."
The person's eyes immediately lit up, and they rubbed their hands for quite some time as if making sure they were clean. Then, they came over to hug Ruan Yesheng. Ruan Yesheng felt like the person was either too excited or nervous, even trembling a bit.
The person had probably been instructed by the fan club leaders and Feng Tangtang before coming, emphasizing the need to be considerate and not make their goddess uncomfortable. So, she gave Ruan Yesheng a quick, polite hug. After the hug, she had a dreamy, "Am I dreaming?" look on her face, practically bubbling with happiness.
When the fans behind her saw that they could actually hug the goddess, they all said 'wow' and started saying they wanted a hug too.
Xi Mo had always been friendly in front of fans and was known for treating them well. So, Ruan Yesheng didn't need to pretend to be noble or aloof at this moment. She could act naturally, with a good temper, and smiled as she said, "You can all line up to hug* if you want."
*she said 抱抱 (bà obà o), a childish/ cutesy way to say hug
Xi Mo: "..."
Hug?!
...How old are you? You still have the nerve to say 'hug' to young girls like them. You're embarrassing me.
She suddenly felt a little uneasy and unhappy again.
She sat on the sofa, watching Ruan Yesheng and her fans hugging each other in a friendly manner. She didn't have anyone to hug, so she started by crossing her arms, but she found it quite dull that way. Then, she had no choice but to hug one of the pillows on the sofa. Her chin rested on the pillow, and she clutched it tightly with her slender fingers, subconsciously petting it.
Watching her, it seemed she had a gloomy expression, but the way she was gently rubbing the pillow showed a certain tenderness.
Lately, the shooting schedule had been quite heavy every day, and Lu Qingming had stressed that the fan visits shouldn't be too long. Feng Tangtang was worried it might affect her Sister Xi's precious resting time. Seeing that things were pretty much wrapping up, she quickly suggested, "Let's take a group photo now. After that, I'll arrange transportation for you to go back. Thank you, everyone."
Someone whispered: "Sister Tangtang, can we... each of us take a photo with Xi Mo?"
Several people next to her probably felt that this suggestion was not very appropriate and nudged her while making a shushing sound. The person said sheepishly: "...I'm sorry."
Feng Tangtang was also a little hesitant. With so many people signing autographs and hugging each one before, and now taking photos one by one, her Sister Xi must be exhausted, right?
Feng Tangtang was about to decline politely, but Ruan Yesheng said gently: "It doesn't matter, it's okay, but we need to make it faster."
The fans were ecstatic and quickly came over to take turns taking photos with Ruan Yesheng. In fact, they also shoulder a heavy responsibility. When they returned from the visit this time, they had to publish the photos to other fans who could not come. They were both serious and excited while taking the pictures.
More than sixty people lined up, and everyone took a selfie with Ruan Yesheng on their phone as a souvenir. Finally, Feng Tangtang took a few group photos of them, and that was the end.
The visit ended here, the fans left reluctantly, and Feng Tangtang and Gu Qisong sent their large group out.
Only flowers and a bunch of gifts were left in the lounge, as well as Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo.
Xi Mo hadn't expected Ruan Yesheng to be so accommodating with the fans' requests. She had done her best to cooperate with their requests this time. Xi Mo noticed that Ruan Yesheng looked a bit tired and said nothing. She poured a glass of water and handed it to her.
"Thank you," Ruan Yesheng was indeed quite thirsty and finished the water. She noticed that Xi Mo was still quietly watching her.
"Do you have something to say to me?" Ruan Yesheng's eyes curved into a smile.
After a moment of silence, she said sarcastically: "You are too gentle."
A look of surprise appeared in Ruan Yesheng's eyes. She was thinking that Xi Mo probably wouldn't say such a thing directly to her face. At the same time, she felt like she might be dreaming. She raised her eyes, looking at Xi Mo in a charming and coquettish manner.
Xi Mo saw her expression and realized she might have misunderstood. She quickly added with seriousness, "I mean, you're gentle with the fans."
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
She immediately pretended to be shy and said, "So that's what you meant. I thought you were talking about something else."
Xi Mo: "..."
"Gentleness is good. It's just that too much gentleness can be a burden. Certainly, everyone likes someone gentle and accommodating. When you're being gentle and trying to meet every request from everyone, it makes others happy, but it also makes you very tired," Xi Mo said. "Today, only about sixty people came, so it's manageable. But what if more people come? Will you be able to cater to each one like you did just now?"
Ruan Yesheng responded with a smile, "I understand what you mean. Are you saying all this because you don't want me to get tired? I'm happy."
Xi Mo: "..."
"You are thinking too much." Xi Mo said coldly.
Ruan Yesheng had long grown accustomed to Xi Mo's outwardly cold and stern demeanor. She replied nonchalantly, "I've watched many videos of you meeting fans, and as long as the requests aren't excessive, you always try to accommodate them. Sometimes when there are too many fans, you stay late just for them. So, you must've been tired as well. And because you used to be like that, I thought I should be too. I have to live up to the expectations, or else people might get suspicious."
"...That's not the case," Xi Mo stubbornly denied, but she sensed that something was amiss.
After the hotel fire incident, when Ruan Yesheng replaced her at the press conference, Xi Mo noticed that Ruan Yesheng imitated her to an extent that she found unsettling. Even the subtle gestures and movements were mimicked. At that time, she had thought that maybe Ruan Yesheng had watched many of her videos and studied her thoroughly, which had been a bit unnerving. However, due to their antagonistic relationship at the time, she quickly dismissed this conjecture.
Now, thinking back and with Ruan Yesheng confirming it, she realized it was indeed true.
Xi Mo felt a little uncomfortable: "What were you doing watching so many videos of mine?"
Ruan Yesheng still smiled and teased, "Thoroughly researching you, digging up your secrets, so I can expose you later."
Xi Mo: "..."
"Okay, okay, I just said nonsense." Ruan Yesheng said: "I am your fan, isn't it normal to like to watch your videos?"
"An anti-fan?"
Ruan Yesheng spread her hands innocently.
Xi Mo gestured to her with a bottomed cup: "Do you still want some water?"
Ruan Yesheng shook her head and sat down on the sofa with the pillow she had hugged earlier. She continued, "Your fans are polite. If they line up, it actually goes pretty quickly. I also have a sense of boundaries; it won't interfere with your work. I know when to agree and when to refuse."
Ruan Yesheng said it was appropriate, and Xi Mo still absolutely believed it. She said nothing and sat down next to her.
"I've been away for too long, and some things are no longer familiar to me." Ruan Yesheng's eyes were a little blank, and the smile on the corner of her lips was shallow: "When I saw your fans, although they think of me as you, the look in their eyes reminded me of the past."
Xi Mo was silent.
She remembered that Ruan Yesheng had many fans in the past. From being in the spotlight to falling into silence, what exactly did she go through?
"I think they are very cute." Ruan Yesheng said: "They are quite orderly, and it's not tiring at all. They come in an orderly manner, and I really like them."
"No amount of tenderness is too much for the person you like. I am willing to bear the burden." She looked at Xi Mo intently: "Because it's worth it."
There was a glint of water in her eyes as if it could trap people, preventing them from sinking ashore.
Xi Mo met her gaze, and after a while, she shifted her gaze and said, "Give me the pillow in your arms."
"Isn't there another one over there on the sofa?" Ruan Yesheng said, picking up the other one: "Here."
"I want the one I was holding earlier."
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
Ruan Yesheng had no choice but to hand the pillow to Xi Mo and hug the other one.
The two of them hugged a pillow and sat side by side on the sofa.
No one said anything. Ruan Yesheng thought it was a bit silly for the two of them to sit holding pillows like this.
But it was the kind of silly that made her a little happy.
"Are you going to sit here for a while?" she asked in a hushed tone.
"I'm just going to sit here," Xi Mo said, closing her eyes to rest. "Waiting for the night scene."
Seeing Xi Mo sitting quietly, Ruan Yesheng felt a sense of tranquility deep in her heart, as if everything around her had been abandoned. She had nothing important to do at the moment, so she just waited with her.
This tranquility was quickly broken by a knock on the door.
The two of them turned their faces at the same time, the door was open, and Gu Qisong knocked on the door politely a few times, with a girl standing next to him.
It’s the girl named Chen Xuan who was among the fans who visited just now.
Gu Qisong said: "Miss Ruan, excuse me, this Miss Chen is looking for you."
