Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Paris – Day 5 of the trip

Jianci leaned back in the armchair of the VIP lounge at Charles de Gaulle Airport, the distant hum of automatic doors blending with the murmur of passengers and the boom of flight announcements. Mei Lin sat beside him, reading a book, while another member of the team flipped through a folder of recent contracts.

"Sometimes I feel like we spend more time in airports than in our own home," he said.

"You know how it is," she answered, without looking up from her book. "If airports gave out loyalty points, we'd have a private jet by now."

He smiled at Mei Lin's remark. He was grateful that at least the flight would get him closer to the end of the trip, but that didn't make the wait any easier.

Bored, he decided to grab his phone and open the Top Fan platform. He just wanted a quick look before boarding for Beijing.

At first, he scrolled through the usual messages: greetings, photos, routine comments from followers. Nothing surprising. But then a short clip edited by a fan came up, with that line that belonged only to him and Lisi. "You know the plan. What plan? Ruining your shot!" he heard again.

Jianci frowned. For a moment he felt his blood boil: that joke, so theirs, so private, must have slipped out in front of the cameras, and now anyone could repeat it. The feeling was strange, almost violent.

He crossed his arms, breathing deep. The anger gave way to reflection: no one was to blame but themselves. "Unbelievable how everything ends up getting out," he thought.

He watched the clip again. The fan had edited the scene with real affection, but the effect was undeniable: he felt as if something had been stolen from him, and the helplessness cut deep.

He put the phone away, rested his head against the back of the chair, and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Every public appearance, every minute in front of the cameras, was a delicate balance between intimacy and exposure. And that balance could break with the smallest slip, turning even the tiniest secrets public without warning.

He breathed deeply a few times, letting the tension ease a little.

That's when his phone buzzed with an incoming message, pulling Jianci out of his thoughts. It was from Lu Yiran, Lisi's manager:

Jianci lowered the screen, a bright smile spreading across his lips.

"And that's how a brown day turns into a lucky one," he said to Mei Lin, his voice cheerful.

She lowered the book she was reading and stared at him in surprise, eyebrows raised.

Jianci swiped his thumb across the screen and dialed Yiran's number. He did the math: if it was noon in Paris, it would be mid-afternoon there, so it was a decent time to call. The call connected, the repeating ring marking the beat of his impatience.

Mei Lin kept watching him, eyes wide, a smile tugging at her mouth.

"Okay, okay, let me explain before your eyes fall out of your head," he started, holding the phone with one hand. "Before leaving for Paris, I talked to Lu Yiran to see if she could arrange a couple of days off for Xiao Si once I'm back. I told her we needed some time together, because everything with the docushow and Top Fan has us a bit on edge."

"And?" Mei Lin asked, curious for the update.

"Yiran said she'd see what she could do, but couldn't promise anything. I just got her message — everything's ready, and to call her. I'm guessing it's to work out the details."

"Well, sounds like good news, then."

Jianci took a breath and put the phone back to his ear, the ringing still going.

"I really need to properly disconnect for a few days, Mei Lin," he went on, still waiting for the call to connect. "And be a little bit normal, no cameras, no fans, no paparazzi. But close to Beijing, because that's already a lot of flight hours… I need to recharge. And spend time with Xiao Si, if possible. Let's see what Yiran says."

Finally, Yiran picked up, her warm, steady voice filling the speaker.

"Jianci, here's the deal. Yes, Lisi can have three days, starting once she wraps tomorrow afternoon's filming. Well, technically three days and four nights…"

"Perfect, because I land tomorrow."

"The drama's producer had already approved her absence for equestrian training in Hengdian, as an official part of her activities. She needs to train for some scenes that require specific skills."

"Got it, that won't be a problem."

"The thing is, the venue's already booked: I managed to get it nearby, at the Yanqing equestrian center."

"Yanqing, okay."

"And outside of training hours, you can do whatever you want."

"Great, Yiran, thank you so much for sorting this out."

"Honestly, I didn't have to do much, since this was already scheduled for her. I just had to move the date and location to line up with what you asked for."

"Perfect."

"Oh, one more thing: if you two go away for three days, that overlaps with the docushow filming…" Yiran added.

Jianci tensed at that. She was right, he hadn't thought of it. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, that gesture so distinctly his.

"Here's what I'd suggest," she went on, "talk to An Li, tell her you're going away for a few days and you've thought about filming yourselves. They can leave you a professional camera. A handful of takes of whatever you want should be enough. Just be professional about it, okay?"

"Got it. Don't worry, we'll deliver on what we agreed with the show."

They said a quick goodbye. When he hung up, Jianci turned to Mei Lin.

"The days are sorted. Now we just need to plan the rest," he said, with a satisfied smile.

"Did I hear Yanqing…?" she said.

Jianci filled her in on what Yiran had told him.

Mei Lin lit up.

"Well, I've got even better news: I know a private resort near the equestrian center. Want me to book it? It'd be perfect for some peace and privacy."

Jianci nodded, already picturing how it would all play out. He'd leave the logistics to Mei Lin — all that was left was telling Lisi.

After hanging up, Mei Lin turned back to Jianci with news about the resort.

"Got it sorted," she said. "The resort is used to hosting artists and knows how to handle privacy. Staff sign confidentiality agreements. There's also a secondary entrance you can use."

Jianci nodded, more relaxed.

"Perfect. For outdoor stuff, is everything within the controlled perimeter?"

"Yes. The guest areas are closed to the public, including a hiking trail and some riding areas. There's also a private dock, in case you want to take her out on a boat without anyone around," the agent said, with a wink. "Resort security and our own people will coordinate it."

He rubbed the back of his neck, still working through it.

"Good. So, special protocol: tinted agency vehicle, discreet route, zero stops along the way."

"Already on it," Mei Lin replied, smiling. "You relax. I'll let security know to prep the transfer."

"Have them pick me up, we swing by Lisi's set, and from there straight to the resort."

"Okay."

Jianci smiled, satisfied.

"Perfect," he said, thoughtful. "I want this trip to go off without a hitch. No leaks, no eyes on us… just her and me."

"Exactly," Mei Lin replied. "Anything that happens at the resort stays at the resort."

"Yanqing. I like it. Did you book it?"

"Luxury suite, panoramic views, exclusive access," Mei Lin said, smiling. "All set for tomorrow night. And if Lisi says she doesn't want to go, I'll come with you instead," Mei Lin laughed.

❖ ⋯ ❖ ⋯ ❖

Beijing – Saturday, April 12th

The "welcome event" gathered fans in the airport hall at 6:00 a.m. Tan Jianci's flight was expected to land between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m.

Xijie walked up to the group.

"Hi, I'm XijieJCT. This is my first time coming to a welcome event for Jianci. Actually, my first event ever."

"Hi, I'm BluePeach."

"And I'm StarDancer."

"Char1005. I'm one of the admins of the 320 Global Little Fires WeChat group. Call me Char."

"Oh, lovely to meet you. I'm in your chat, Char," Xijie said, pleased. "I really love getting to meet you all, putting a face and a personality to your names."

Yes, she felt truly happy. She was probably the oldest in the whole group, but she was just as excited as the youngest of them.

"BluePeach, your name rings a bell from Fandom Premium. Is that possible?" Xijie asked.

"Really? You've seen me there? I put in a few hours, haha."

"By the way, Xijie, what a great username. 'The one who delights in the exceptional'… like our laogong."

"It's not a username. It's my real name."

"No way!"

"It's true! Maybe, ever since I was born, I was destined to fall for someone exceptional."

"Well, there's certainly no one more exceptional than him."

"I love your name."

"Is anyone here on Top Fan?" someone asked.

The group went quiet. Then a girl raised her hand.

"I am. I'm SunnyNote."

Xijie, sensing the sudden shift in the mood, didn't dare admit she was on Top Fan too.

"Is it really worth paying for that exclusivity? I've heard it's a constant battle in there," one of the girls asked.

"Well, it's a mixed bag," SunnyNote answered. "Some people fight to be Top Fan; and then there's people like me, who pay just to get more and better content that's only published there. The extra features are also amazing. That alone makes it worth it."

Xijie silently agreed with her.

"To me it just seems like a way to split the fandom," Char said.

"I think so too," said BluePeach.

"I mean… it's like anything: it depends how you use it."

"But don't tell me the exclusivity thing is healthy."

"What the platform offers isn't a bad thing. I pay for Top Fan too," another of the girls chimed in. "And if you can win something that lets you get closer to him, it's worth the time and money you put in."

"It's not worth the stress for me," Char said.

Seeing things getting tense, Xijie decided to step in.

"Hey, guys, I'd love to buy one of those LED signs you're carrying. Can you tell me where I can get one?"

"Oh, sure," Char said. "We've got a van outside with official merch. We've got LEDs, bomb lights, banners. I'll take you over."

Someone came running over.

"Heads up," she said. "The flight's running late. It left Paris pretty delayed."

The girls started grumbling. Some of them had work and would have to leave without seeing him. Many others said they weren't budging. Xijie had no problem either way — being freelance, she explained, gave her a lot of flexibility with her schedule.

Buying the LED sign and the bomb light thrilled her more than she expected. Holding them in her hands, she felt "more of a fan." More than with any subscription, any ranking, any unlocked reward. Feeling like she too could be one of those lights lining the path for her laogong was a feeling like nothing else.

That's when she noticed a small sticker stuck to the back of the sign. When she went to peel it off, Char stopped her.

"I think you're going to want to keep that sticker."

"Why? Is it important?" she asked.

"The code FFE105 matters to any Little Charcoal Fire," Char said with a smile. "It's the code for our yellow. Some of the signs sold online don't get the shade right. Ours have the real color."

Xijie looked at the sign with new eyes. Then she ran her finger over the sticker and decided she'd never take it off.

The wait gave them time to keep chatting, to get to know each other better. Every now and then, she couldn't help it, she opened the platform's app. There was such a contrast between what she saw in the fans here and the ones online. The atmosphere here was relaxed, full of the excitement of seeing Tan Jianci, of giving him a warm welcome. That was real. And yet, she had to admit, the sense of personal closeness to the artist that the app gave her, the sheer amount of great, varied content… how could she turn that down? She knew it was less real, that it wasn't the same as what she was living through that morning, she knew the platform ran on marketing and emotional hooks… but it also made her feel good. And all of that, together, left her feeling torn.

Someone suddenly started a call to action. She thought he was arriving, but it was something else. A group buy was being organized. She had no idea what they were talking about.

"Are you guys buying more merch?"

"No, no. We're buying products from the brands he's an ambassador for!"

BluePeach, seeing her confusion, explained:

"These group purchases boost sales for the brands Jianci promotes. That's how we show our loyalty and help grow his commercial influence, and secure future ambassador deals."

She couldn't believe it. She thought it was an incredibly smart move.

She watched them work at an unbelievable pace: one calling out what to buy, another passing around screenshots with discount codes, another scheduling reminder messages to post photos once the items arrived… It was an incredibly efficient chain.

With all that going on, they barely noticed the time passing.

Someone announced the plane had landed and everyone hurried to their positions to greet him. That, too, was well organized: some set up the LED screens in the front row, arranging the lines so they'd see him pass by. Others were ready with cameras and phones. No one argued, no one stepped out of place, everyone followed instructions.

"Girls, keep it down. We can't disturb the other travelers. Please be ready, he could come through any minute," said the one who seemed to be running the show.

The collective excitement exploded the moment he appeared around the corner. Her Xijie saw him tired, worn down by the trip and the jetlag. It hurt her to see him like that. And yet he walked up to the group smiling, asking after them.

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Yes!" they all said at once.

"But the flight was almost 3 hours late! What time did you get here?"

"Since 6!"

He put his hands to his head.

"Thank you, girls, thank you. You're amazing."

Then he stood in front of the group so the girls in charge and his own team could get some photos and video.

He straightened up and turned back to them.

"Please get home safe and rest up. Take care of yourselves. And thank you for the welcome."

Xijie barely saw him leave. She was shaking, tears in her eyes. She was still processing everything she'd just experienced. It was her first time meeting him.

❖ ⋯ ❖ ⋯ ❖

Early that afternoon, the set seemed to hum with a different kind of energy the moment Jianci showed up. Lisi noticed it from across the set as she finished her scene, and for a moment her eyes went wide. The surprise took her breath away.

Jianci opened his arms before she could even react.

"Xiao Si…" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

She ran to him, laughing under her breath, light on her feet, and they melted into a long, warm embrace, as if it had been forever since they'd said goodbye. The world around them disappeared for a few seconds.

A kiss, shy at first, then deeper, sealed the reunion. The drama's staff watched from a distance, busy setting up the next scene. The "spy" camera caught every gesture without either of them knowing. Jianci couldn't help a delighted smile against her hair. They laughed softly when the whole crew burst into applause, savoring the moment.

"They're clapping for us," she said between laughs, hiding her face against his chest as he stroked her cheek.

"And it looks like we're the leads now," he replied, with a knowing smile.

They pulled back just a few inches, breathing deep, looking at each other tenderly. They held hands as she rested her head on his shoulder for a few seconds. All the noise on set faded away in the face of the intimacy they shared.

She took him to greet the director and the cast, and Jianci showed his usual warmth, humility, and easy friendliness with everyone. Lisi thought it was no surprise the teams he worked with adored him so much. His kindness was genuine. He let his gaze wander across the set, and when it finally landed on Lisi's again, he caught a flicker of tension there, a memory of their argument. But he decided not to bring it up, letting the joy of the reunion fill the air instead.

Jianci waited while the wardrobe and makeup assistants helped her out of her look from the shoot. When she came out, she was glowing, and Jianci had to admit her bare face captivated him.

"You're done, right? Come on, let's get you to the car," he said, taking her hand and lacing their fingers together carefully. "I've got a surprise ready."

She waved goodbye to her team with one hand, then followed him, light and smiling, savoring the contact and every step that brought them closer to a moment just for them. On the way to the car, conversation flowed easily, jokes about the set and shared laughter, the connection that had always defined them slipping back into place.

"Oh, I have some news, A-Ci."

And she showed him the notification she'd gotten on her phone. It was a note from the production schedule: for three days, Lisi would attend specialized equestrian training, essential for the drama's gala sequences. Her filming schedule for those days had been rearranged.

"It starts tomorrow. I have to head back to Hengdian in a bit," Lisi said, a note of disappointment in her voice as she settled into the car seat. "Three days away again, right when you've just come back…"

Jianci gave her a mischievous smile, gently holding her hand. He waited until she'd finished buckling her seatbelt before saying:

"It won't be Hengdian this time. There's been a change of plans: we're going to Yanqing. Three days and four nights, starting right now. Just you and me. And the riding instructor, of course."

Lisi's eyes went wide, shining somewhere between a nervous laugh and pure excitement.

"Yanqing? Right now?" she asked, trying to process the surprise.

"Yes," he confirmed gently. "All thanks to Yiran and Mei Lin. Your assistant's already packed your bag. All that's left is for you to enjoy the trip… and me. And fair warning, you can't skip the riding lessons… And I can be a pretty tough instructor, so don't get too comfortable! Complaints come with double practice."

"Double practice?" Lisi said. "Let's make a bet: whoever complains first pays for dinner."

Jianci laughed softly and took her hand to seal the deal.

"Deal. But fair warning: I rarely complain… and I eat a lot."

Then Jianci explained to Lisi that the docushow's production team had left them a camera so they could film themselves, which meant they could meet the show's content quota without staff having to tag along on their little getaway. He'd thought they could use their training footage over the next few days to cover the show's required segments, with no filming of their time as a couple.

She nodded, agreeing, as he added that, at the end of the day, the training was the most serious thing they could show, and that their privacy stayed completely off-script.

Once that was settled, they both relaxed completely. She took his hand, resting her head on his shoulder for a few seconds. Happiness and excitement filled the car, wrapping them in a moment of pure closeness. Jianci let the feeling settle for a moment, enjoying how close she was, before adding with a smile:

"We'll talk about the argument later, okay? Right now, it's just us."

Lisi nodded silently as the car drove on toward Yanqing. Suddenly, his head dropped onto her shoulder, completely out. With the jolt, he woke up.

"Sorry, Xiao Si. I think I'm premium-tier zombie right now."

"It's fine. Five days of international schedule plus jetlag… your zombification record is officially certified. Sleep for the rest of the ride. Don't worry about me."

❖ ❖ ⋯ ❖ ❖ ⋯ ❖ ❖ ⋯ ❖ ❖