Trending topic alert: The mysterious fan site administrator of a top celebrity has been exposed.

Zhou Jiashu took a bite of the freshly baked potato, then leaned over to Zhou Ai, his mouth full of food, and mumbled, "Brother Zhou, did you offend Teacher Chu somehow? I feel like he hasn't been willing to talk to you lately."

The hustle and bustle of the bonfire party was blurred into a hazy background sound by the drizzle, but Zhou Jiashu's unintentional question still lingered in Zhou Ai's ears, carrying the heat of roasted potatoes that made his heart ache.

Even this clueless kid could tell that Chu Yi was avoiding him.

Zhou Ai silently took a big gulp of rice wine, sat obediently in place, and remained silent for a long time, quietly watching Chu Yi not far away.

He saw Chu Yi stand up, glance at his phone screen, turn around and exchange a few words with the person behind him, and then turn and walk towards the darkness outside the party.

Zhou Ai's gaze involuntarily followed that slender figure, and when he came to his senses, he realized that it had started to drizzle. The villagers at the bonfire party also got up and headed home.

Without much hesitation, Zhou Ai stood up, grabbed a spare umbrella leaning against the side, and followed.

He stopped a little further away in the shadows, watching Chu Yi standing in the rain talking on the phone. The rain wasn't heavy, but it was enough to soak her hair and clothes. Chu Yi seemed somewhat absent-minded, speaking quickly, with a barely perceptible weariness in her voice.

"Okay, that's settled then. I'll talk to you when I get back." Chu Yi finished speaking and was about to hang up the phone when she belatedly felt the coolness on her hair and neck.

He looked up, paused for a moment, and saw a black umbrella silently opening above his head, keeping him out of the rain.

Chu Yi turned around abruptly and was surprised to find Zhou Ai standing just a step behind him.

The other person didn't speak, their face expressionless, just quietly watching him, patiently standing there holding their umbrella and waiting for him to end the call.

Chu Yi subconsciously and quickly said "I'm hanging up now" to the person on the other end of the phone, and then turned off the screen.

The air fell silent instantly, with only the soft patter of raindrops hitting the umbrella.

A subtle silence hung between them.

Zhou Ai looked at Chu Yi's slightly widened eyes, in which her own reflection was clearly seen, along with a hint of surprise that she hadn't had time to hide.

He asked nothing, said nothing, and silently handed the umbrella handle to Chu Yi before turning to rush into the rain. His action of handing over the umbrella was swift and decisive, without uttering a single word.

However, just as Zhou Ai stepped out from under the umbrella, and the rain was about to fall on his shoulder, a slightly cool hand suddenly reached out from behind and gently grasped the hem of his windbreaker. The force was light, but it instantly stopped him from taking the step.

Zhou Ai stopped in his tracks and turned around with some confusion. Chu Yi was still holding onto his clothes, the umbrella tilted slightly to shield him from the rain, while half of Chu Yi's own shoulder was exposed to the rain.

"Wait a moment." Chu Yi's voice rang out, softer than raindrops, yet clearly penetrating Zhou Ai's ears.

Zhou Ai looked at him, waiting for him to continue. He thought Chu Yi would at least say thank you, or ask, "Why are you here?"

But Chu Yi just looked at him, her brows slightly furrowed, and asked, "You gave me the umbrella, what are you going to do now?"

Zhou Ai paused for a moment, then forced a smile, trying to appear relaxed, and pointed to her clothes: "It's okay, my windbreaker is waterproof."

As he spoke, as if to prove it, he raised his hand, pulled up the hood attached to the back of his clothes, and put it on his head to cover his hair. Then he lowered his head and made a gesture as if to continue walking out. "I'm leaving."

That posture clearly indicated that she was afraid of bothering the other person even for a second longer.

But as soon as he moved, the hand gripping his clothes didn't loosen; instead, it tightened even more.

Zhou Ai turned his head again in confusion. This time, he saw Chu Yi's expression clearly—not the aloofness or politeness he had expected. On that handsome face, his brows were furrowed, his lips were pressed into a line, and his face could even be described as a little dark, as if... he was angry?

Zhou Ai's heart skipped a beat, thinking that his act of offering the umbrella had offended him again and only added to his troubles. He quickly said, "I'll leave right away, really, you..." Before he could finish speaking, Chu Yi coldly interrupted him.

"Zhou Ai".

He spoke with his full name and surname, his tone icy, carrying a suppressed anger.

Zhou Ai was stunned, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

Chu Yi stared into his eyes, her voice growing even colder, almost uttering each word clearly: "If you won't fight, then I won't fight either."

After saying that, he actually pretended to loosen the umbrella handle, letting the black umbrella fall onto the muddy ground.

"Hey—!" Zhou Ai was startled and almost lunged forward to catch the umbrella handle that was about to fall, firmly holding it steady and covering the two of them under the umbrella again.

Looking down at Chu Yi's cold, aloof, and handsome face, Zhou Ai suddenly couldn't understand what he was angry about. "You... I thought you didn't want to share an umbrella with me... so I..."

That's why I wisely left quickly, not wanting to put you in a difficult position.

Zhou Ai didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was crystal clear.

Chu Yi suddenly looked up and stared straight at him, saying each word clearly, "So, you're just going to be delusional and wallow in self-pity as you walk back in the rain?"

The phrase "self-pity" is like a needle, precisely piercing through all of Zhou Ai's carefully constructed protective layers, revealing the clumsy, fearful sincerity beneath.

Zhou Ai was completely stunned, and her fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the umbrella handle.

The rain pattered down, and the space under the umbrella suddenly felt cramped, with a tense atmosphere hanging in the air.

Seeing Chu Yi's angry expression, Zhou Ai suddenly seemed to understand something.

He wasn't angry that he had given the umbrella to the person who brought it.

He was angry at himself for leaving right after delivering the umbrella.

He was angry at himself for his own "self-delusion" and "self-pity" about "I've annoyed you, so I'll disappear immediately."

Zhou Ai opened her mouth, but for a moment she didn't know what to say.

The atmosphere under the umbrella remained eerily silent. Just as his mind went blank, unsure how to react, Chu Yi loosened her grip on his clothes.

When that slightly cool touch disappeared, Zhou Ai's heart skipped a beat.

However, the next second, the hand did not retract, but instead naturally rose and gently patted the tiny water droplets that had gathered on Zhou Ai's left shoulder and onto the fabric of her windbreaker.

Zhou Ai's body froze instantly, as if struck by a tiny electric current.

All the senses were magnified infinitely at that moment.

He could clearly feel the cool temperature of Chu Yi's fingertips through a layer of waterproof fabric, hear the pattering of the raindrops hitting the umbrella more intensely, and even hear the sound of his heart suddenly losing control and pounding wildly in his chest.

His blood rushed to his head and then quickly receded, leaving his ears and neck burning.

Zhou Ai stood stiffly, not daring to move, even holding her breath unconsciously, afraid that the slightest movement would disturb this sudden, almost hallucinatory touch.

Chu Yi moved quickly, wiping away the condensed water droplets before withdrawing his hand. "Let's go." As he spoke, he handed the umbrella towards Zhou Ai, indicating that he would hold it for him.

Zhou Ai was still in a daze, her brain simply unable to process the continuous commands.

He stared blankly at the umbrella handle being offered to him, then looked up at Chu Yi's profile, which was turned away, exuding a rare air of silliness.

He completely lost his usual confident and even slightly roguish demeanor, and instead resembled a teenager experiencing first love, flustered and at a loss because of an unintentional action by the person he liked.

Chu Yi waited for two seconds, but when he didn't take the umbrella, she couldn't help but turn her face back to look at him.

Seeing Zhou Ai's obviously absent-minded, flushed cheeks, and vacant eyes, Chu Yi was also taken aback for a moment. She pushed the umbrella forward a little and urged her, "What are you daydreaming about? Hold it up."

"Oh...oh! Okay!" Zhou Ai suddenly came to his senses and hurriedly caught the umbrella handle. His fingers inevitably touched Chu Yi's slightly cool fingertips, and another tingling sensation ran through him, almost making him lose his grip on the umbrella.

Zhou Ai quickly gripped the umbrella handle, holding it steadily between the two of them. His heart was still pounding wildly in his chest, making his ribs ache.

She secretly glanced at Chu Yi beside her out of the corner of her eye and saw that the other person was looking straight ahead, as if preparing to walk back.

Zhou Ai quickly looked ahead, her body taut, and followed Chu Yi's steps, moving in unison.

Raindrops wove a fine curtain outside the umbrella. The two walked side by side, neither too close nor too far, their arms occasionally brushing lightly against each other's sleeves as they walked in unison.

Every subtle touch made Zhou Ai's heart skip a beat, and then beat faster.

He felt like a child secretly falling in love for the first time, his heart filled with indescribable joy and nervousness, all his senses and emotions amplified and stirred by the person beside him.

It turns out that not all "phase-based relationships" are destined to be cruel.

At least for this moment, in the small space under the umbrella, with the sound of rain pattering and the occasional touch of their clothes, it was enough to make his heart flutter for a long time.

Zhou Ai's heart was still pounding wildly in her chest; the tremor from that gentle touch had not yet completely subsided.

He secretly glanced at Chu Yi beside him. The man was still looking straight ahead, his profile appearing somewhat indifferent in the dim light.

The pent-up grievances and confusion, mixed with the inexplicable panic at this moment, finally made Zhou Ai unable to hold back and speak.

His voice was a little strained, even carrying a hint of impulsiveness and trepidation that he himself was unaware of.

"Chu Yi," he called his name, then paused, as if gathering his courage, "do you dislike me a little?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Zhou Ai regretted them.

Too blunt, too naive, it's not like he would ask such a question.

He instinctively gripped the umbrella handle, his knuckles turning slightly white, waiting for the other person's reaction, like a prisoner awaiting sentencing.

Chu Yi didn't stop walking, nor did she immediately turn to look at him. Just when Zhou Ai thought he wouldn't answer, or would coldly deny it, Chu Yi slightly turned her head, her gaze falling on his tense profile, and asked, "How did you figure that out?"

Chu Yi's question was somewhat unexpected by Zhou Ai.

It's neither a direct denial nor an affirmative answer.

Zhou Ai was stunned for a moment, then a deeper sense of grievance welled up inside him. He almost blurted out, with a hint of accusation, "You don't even want to talk to me."

He listed his evidence: "You never approach me unless it's absolutely necessary. Even when I talk to you, you only give the simplest response, using only one word if you can. Sometimes, when you see me coming, you'll even just walk away..."

His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, until it was almost a muttering to himself, carrying a sense of frustration that even he found somewhat embarrassing.

These details, spoken by him personally at this moment, seem more like a repeated confirmation of the fact that he is indeed disliked.

Chu Yi listened quietly without interrupting. Only after Zhou Ai finished speaking did he let out a soft sigh.

The sigh was very soft, almost drowned out by the sound of rain, yet it clearly reached Zhou Ai's ears.

"It's not that I hate you."

Zhou Ai suddenly looked up at Chu Yi.

Chu Yi did not avoid his gaze, but seemed unsure of how to phrase it. He frowned slightly, as if he was organizing his thoughts.

"But," he paused, finally finding the right way to express himself, his tone becoming very frank, even cruelly frank, "I don't know how to respond to you."

Zhou Ai was even more confused: "My...words?"

Chu Yi looked at him, her clear eyes reflecting Zhou Ai's somewhat silly expression.

"Hmm." Chu Yi nodded, her tone calm but direct. "You always say things that... leave me unsure how to respond. Sometimes it's a joke, sometimes it's... something that sounds casual, but seems more than casual."

He paused, seemingly recalling specific examples, but ultimately didn't list them, only summarizing, "I can't tell which ones are serious and which are just your habits. I'm afraid that if I respond incorrectly, I'll seem stupid, or... cause a deeper misunderstanding."

His gaze returned to the muddy path ahead, his voice carrying a faint hint of self-mockery and helplessness.

"Like now."

"You asked me if I hate you... If I say 'I don't hate you,' what will you say next? How should I respond? I don't know."

He candidly analyzed his predicament, revealing the social barriers and self-protective mechanisms he had developed due to his inability to accurately grasp the other party's intentions.

"Therefore, many times, remaining silent or avoiding the issue is... the safest and least likely to go wrong choice for me."

He finished speaking, and silence returned under the umbrella, with only the sound of rain continuing.

Zhou Ai was completely stunned. He had never imagined that Chu Yi's estrangement and silence were due to this reason.

It's not that I hate it, it's that I feel helpless.

It was because his words, which he thought were harmless and even provocative, turned out to be difficult questions for Chu Yi, questions she was afraid of answering incorrectly.

A wave of immense regret and heartache instantly overwhelmed Zhou Ai.

Looking back now, his previous "jokes" seem so frivolous and irresponsible.

Looking at Chu Yi's slightly furrowed brows and somewhat troubled profile, Zhou Ai felt as if her heart was being soaked in warm water, both sour and tender.

So that's how that wall was built.

"So, are we friends?" Upon hearing Zhou Ai's second question, Chu Yi paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly.

He didn't speak, keeping his head down as he silently walked forward, deep in thought about Zhou Ai's second question.

He used to be a fan site admin for Zhou Ai, so the two had a fan-idol relationship.

Later, he became Zhou Ai's attending physician, and the two had a doctor-patient relationship.

Now, the two are filming the same variety show, so they can barely be considered colleagues.

Therefore, Chu Yi, after careful consideration, did not know how to conclude about the "friendship" relationship mentioned by Zhou Ai.

He looked up at Zhou Ai, who had been silently waiting for his answer with an umbrella on his left, and threw the question back at him, "If you think so, then so are we."

He paused after speaking, his gaze softening yet carrying an invisible sense of distance, before continuing:

"If you think it's not true, then it's not true."

That was an extremely eloquent statement, and also extremely... cunning.

It sounded full of respect and compromise, as if all the choices and the power to define were generously handed over to Zhou Ai.

If Zhou Ai is willing, they can be friends right now. If one day in the future Zhou Ai feels that she is no longer so, the relationship can be terminated at any time, cleanly and neatly, without leaving any future troubles.

But when Zhou Ai heard these words and saw Chu Yi's gentle yet calm eyes, her heart felt as if it had been suddenly plunged into ice water.

He suddenly realized with absolute clarity that Chu Yi's seemingly gentle act of giving him the decision-making power was actually the most ruthless way of distancing herself from him.

Because this means that in this relationship, Chu Yi herself has no position or attachment.

He acts like a calm observer, thoughtfully providing you with all the options you want, yet refusing to invest even a sliver of his own emotions or expectations.

"If you think so, then we are."

—Okay, if you need this "friend" status to put your mind at ease, then I'll cooperate.

"If you think it's not true, then it's not true."

Of course, if you ever feel it's unnecessary, I will never pester you.

Chu Yi distanced herself completely, leaving no room for lingering thoughts and bearing no possible emotional risks.

All advances and retreats, all joys and sorrows, all beginnings and endings, are solely determined by the thoughts of Zhou Ai.

Behind this gentleness lies a profound rationality and detachment.

Zhou Ai looked at Chu Yi, her throat feeling like it was choked by something, unable to utter a sound.

For the first time, he truly understood how solid the wall built by the person in front of him was, and how... insidiously it could hurt people.

The rain seems to be getting heavier again.