Even though Xiao Xi felt a headache coming on, she knew that this was also a good chance to gauge the public's reaction to Mingyan being in a relationship. At the very least, when Mingyan and Shen Yan actually announced their relationship, there would be fewer hearts to break.
Mingyan was getting busy. She had numerous requests for variety shows, and a tour had just been announced. With her music video released, the hype only intensified. Although she was reluctant to leave Shen Yan's side, she had to travel from one country to another for her tour with her album.
Currently, she was in Las Vegas.
Mingyan wasn't the only one unwilling to part. Shen Yan had sleepless nights before Mingyan's flight. The two looked as if they were parting for eternity as they hugged each other for a very long time at the airport. If it weren't for the fact that Mingyan was riding a private plane, she would have missed her flight long ago.
Shen Yan would have loved to come, even if it meant returning to a mountain pile of work. But he had a more pressing matter to attend to: his proposal and wedding preparations.
Yes, Shen Yan would probably be the only guy who would propose without considering the possibility of the person being proposed to saying no—already preparing for the wedding without receiving an official reply.
Only after they promised each other to call every morning upon waking up and every night before going to bed did they finally part ways.
Thus began Mingyan's quest to conquer the international music industry, while her future self-proclaimed husband took care of their wedding arrangements.
Mingyan had toured through all of Asia in just four months and was now preparing to tour the eastern side of the world. As she toured, she was constantly creating new songs, sometimes even altering the setlist of her concerts based on their popularity.
Currently, she was sitting near a floor-to-ceiling window, holding a pen in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. The paper on the table in front of her remained blank, reflecting her expression. She wore only a bathrobe, as she was alone.
Lily, her loyal companion, was playing with the flowers in a nearby vase when she noticed her master's somber mood.
"Mingyan~ What's wrong?" Lily hopped towards the blank paper and sat on it, looking up at her master's dazed expression.
"I miss him," Mingyan replied softly.
Lily immediately fell backward, her head landing on the table. "But you just talked to him for an hour ten minutes ago," she exclaimed.
"Mm," Mingyan nodded solemnly. "But I still miss him," she stated matter-of-factly.
Lily was at a loss for words. What could she say to comfort her love-deprived master? This was far beyond her expertise, okay? She's only a stuffed rabbit, okay?
"What do you want to do? The second wish is almost fulfilled anyway," Lily remarked, returning to playing with her flowers, no longer concerned about the lovesick couple.
That realization only deepened Mingyan's sense of despair. Despite doing everything she could to expedite the process, there were still factors beyond her control. Concert tickets needed to be sold, rehearsals needed to be completed, and venues needed to be filled. The sheer scale of her concerts made it almost impossible to accomplish everything in a single day.
Yet, Mingyan's impatience and longing for Shen Yan continued to gnaw at her. She couldn't bear the thought of waiting even one more day to be in his arms again.
Mingyan wracked her brain, and finally, the next day, she shared her plan with Xiao Xi. The poor manager's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in astonishment. "I'll go arrange it right away!" she exclaimed, sprinting towards the elevator.
Mingyan's plan sounded simple enough: host a final special concert in the largest hall they could rent and have it broadcast live on an international television channel. But turning that plan into reality was another matter entirely.
Fortunately, Daddy Gu came to the rescue. With his special connections, he managed to book one of the most popular international television channels to broadcast his daughter's concert. And all he asked for in return?
A kiss on the cheek.
Yes, you heard it right—a simple peck on the cheek. Even Aunty Chang couldn't help but slap her husband's back in exasperation.
The popular channel immediately announced on their webpage that there would be a live broadcast of Mingyan's concert two days later. They hadn't actually made it difficult for Uncle Gu because Mingyan's fame was seriously spreading to all corners of the globe. They were happy enough to ride on her coattails.
Their announcement sparked excitement across the eastern part of the world. Everyone eagerly awaited the day of the broadcast and immediately invited friends or family over to watch it together.
There were even some towns that arranged for no school on the day of the broadcast.
Meanwhile, in Mingyan's house, Shen Yan browsed through Mingyan's Weibo in an attempt to alleviate his loneliness even just a little. He paused when Mingyan's music video caught his attention. Pressing play, he held his head in his palms.
His focus was solely on the video.
The other actors in the music video had their faces either out of the camera or blurred, while only Mingyan's face remained clear. This added to the sentimental atmosphere, as if he was peering into her memories. Shen Yan's brows furrowed as he watched. The longer he observed, the more tangled his thoughts became. Everything, from the moment Mingyan in the music video seemed to transmigrate, mirrored the events that unfolded when his Yanyan was shot.
He immediately replayed the intro over and over again, fixating on the scene where Mingyan was floating in the galaxy. He paused it when the camera zoomed in on her face.
Mingyan appeared dull, as if her emotions had been drained, leaving her like an empty shell.
Shen Yan's heart was shaken. He had never seen Mingyan look so forlorn before. What could this mean?
With renewed vigor, Mingyan finally accomplished the second wish, and she eagerly hopped onto a private jet bound for China. She longed for the four months' worth of hugs awaiting her.
After a mere five hours, she landed at China's international airport. Barely stepping foot inside the building, she immediately grabbed Xiao Xi and urged her to rush home at the fastest speed possible. Her fans, who had caught sight of her, barely had time to register her presence before she disappeared from the airport.
Mingyan was giddy with anticipation. She couldn't help but wonder what Shen Yan's reaction would be when he finally saw that she was back home. Being away for four months felt like an eternity, and if it weren't for their timely calls to each other, Mingyan might have started to doubt if her time with Shen Yan was just a dream.
Blame this old soul for living too long that a year wouldn't amount to a second.
This was also why Lily was so surprised that her Master continued missing Shen Yan.
Reaching the front door of her house, Mingyan quickly fixed her hair and adjusted her outfit before pressing the doorbell. It was already 7:00 in the evening, and she hoped that Shen Yan was home and not out working.
"Yanyan?" came a surprised voice from behind her. Mingyan abruptly turned around.
Shen Yan had just returned from a business meeting when he spotted a familiar silhouette standing at the front door. He was so shocked that he couldn't believe she was real.
Mingyan wore a similar surprised expression. Then, she broke down into tears as she jumped into his arms. "Yan ge! I miss you!"
Shen Yan caught the flying girl and held her closely. It wasn't until he tightened his embrace to the point where Mingyan complained she couldn't breathe that he finally believed she was real.
Shen Yan felt that the empty part of his heart found its missing puzzle pieces, and it no longer felt as stuffy as before.
He kissed away Mingyan's tears before expressing concern. "Have you had dinner? Why are you only wearing a thin jacket? It's already November, and it's getting cold." He then proceeded to take off his jacket and wrapped it around Mingyan, pulling her inside the house.
"I haven't. I just arrived from Las Vegas, and it was warm there," Mingyan answered, finally feeling healed after just a few seconds in his embrace. She actually hadn't noticed the thin layer of snow on the ground or the chilly breeze. "Has Yan ge had his dinner yet?"
"Mn, rest here for now. I'll get you something to eat," Shen Yan said, bringing Mingyan to the living room and guiding her to the sofa. After ensuring she would obey and rest, he strode to the kitchen to find ingredients for a light meal.
Thirty minutes later, he returned holding a tray with a bowl of porridge and chicken strips. He gently placed them on the table and pulled the drowsy Mingyan closer. "Come eat first, then rest later. Don't let your stomach be empty before sleeping."
Mingyan snapped out of her daze and nodded. She was about to start eating when she felt the cold air attacking her hands after they left the warmth of the jacket. She turned to Shen Yan, looking aggrieved.
Shen Yan chuckled and then took the spoon, starting to feed her.
It gave him a flashback to the hospital when Mingyan had looked more pitiful than she did now. She was pale with red eyes, possibly from lack of sleep or continuous crying, and she had looked at him as if he were her savior when they were finally reunited. His heart ached at the memory.
He wanted to know what secrets Mingyan was bearing by herself. The music video had really scared him silly. His heart couldn't take Mingyan's lonely figure as she motionlessly floated in space. She looked like she was about to disappear, and that terrified him.
Shen Yan fed Mingyan carefully, blowing off the steam and making sure it was at the right temperature before pushing the spoon to Mingyan's lips. At that moment, he wished time would stop.
As long as she was by his side, he was fine being kept in the dark about Mingyan's secrets. He just didn't want to lose her, that's all.
Mingyan looked like a lazy cat after getting her fill. She took her arms out of the jacket despite the cold and encircled them around Shen Yan's waist. "I missed you so much."
Shen Yan's heart melted. "I missed you more." He patted the girl's hair and felt her purring, scratching at his already weakened heart. He really hated the idea of losing her.
"Yanyan, I was going to make this grander, but..." Shen Yan pulled Mingyan, along with the jacket, into his lap. He held the dazed Mingyan's face and made her face him. "I can't wait for even a minute." Then he rustled through the jacket's pocket and took out a small red box.
Mingyan's drowsiness was immediately thrown away when she saw the red box. The presence of that small box could only mean one thing. She blinked her bewildered eyes and shifted her gaze from the box to Shen Yan, then back to the box again.
Could this really be what she thought it was?
Shen Yan gave her cheeks a kiss first before carefully opening the box. Inside was a silver ring inlaid with small diamonds. They sparkled as the light hit them.
Mingyan had heard his words about his original idea for a grander proposal, but she found herself favoring this situation instead.
It was just the two of them.
After being separated for too long, Mingyan had finally found her way back to where her heart was most secure, and where her emotions were stable.
She had not expected this pleasant surprise.
Tears dropped on her cheek one by one before she burst out crying. She hugged him tightly while burying her head in his neck. Her entire being was shaking.
"Yanyan?" Shen Yan was startled by her outburst. His hand subconsciously started patting her head as he said, "Shh, don't cry," before his brain had even processed it.
Mingyan cried for a full two minutes before finally calming down with Shen Yan's comforting gestures. She looked up with her red eyes and was about to give her answer when she remembered. "Say it. You haven't even asked me yet~" She pouted and murmured.
Shen Yan was startled, and the hand that was wiping Mingyan's tears froze. Then, he smiled softly.
"Gu Mingyan, will you marry me?" he asked, his voice deep.
The effect of hearing her full name called was too wonderful. Mingyan's face turned a deep shade of red.
"Yes!"