Two spotlights illuminated Jiang Lin and Li Qianxing precisely. The camera panned, capturing them in a single frame as they leaned against the same armrest.
They froze for a moment, instinctively glancing at each other before breaking into smiles.
Applause erupted around them. Li Qianxing and Jiang Lin released their intertwined hands, stood up, and embraced each other warmly.
After exchanging congratulations, they turned to hug Qi Jingnian and He Zhanpeng, seated on either side. They then made their way out from the less crowded side, shaking hands and thanking well-wishers along the way.
The award presenter shook hands with the pair as they came onto the stage and jokingly said, “I watched ‘Reunion’ a few days ago—it’s a beautiful love story. Your matching white suits today look like you’ve stepped right out of the final scene. Did you just get married and stop by to pick up an award?”
Jiang Lin laughed, draping his arm over Li Qianxing’s shoulders. “Yes, we were just visiting this world for fun. Who knew the director would secretly hide our wedding rings? We can’t go back, so we might as well stick around and help the director make a film.”
Li Qianxing added, “The director said he wouldn’t return our rings unless the film won a Golden Award. Perhaps the jury should consider trading the award for our secret of interdimensional travel?”
The crowd burst into laughter at their banter. The camera cut to He Zhanpeng, who gave them two thumbs up.
The presenter handed Jiang Lin and Li Qianxing their certificates and Best Actor trophies, then left the stage for the newly crowned winners to deliver their acceptance speeches.
It was only then that the 99CP fans snapped out of their daze, congratulating the pair in the comments while chatting excitedly in their Weibo groups.
[Two Best Actors! Double win! [Throwing flowers]]
[I was worried about 99 competing against each other—it seemed so cruel. Who knew it could turn out like this! [Throwing flowers]
[Qianxing finally completed his Best Actor triple crown at the three major film festivals at 30. Fans were quite disappointed he hadn’t won at WL before.]
[Lin-ge won two years in a row. It’s incredible—he might collect all three even younger than Qianxing did.]
[Excuse me, I’m new to stanning critically acclaimed actors and feeling a bit lost. Are you all… used to your idols winning awards, or just too zen? Aren’t we supposed to celebrate?]
[Do we need to do something special? I usually just congratulate Qianxing on his Weibo post. His agency’s PR team posts an announcement too, and fans who want to can repost it.]
[We can’t compare to Qianxing’s veteran fanbase. We’re not used to Lin-ge winning so many awards yet. But we don’t really have special events either—just congratulate him on Weibo. He replies to some comments when he has time.]
[How do other fandoms celebrate?]
[In my experience, for major awards like this, fan clubs and big accounts prepare prizes in advance. As soon as the results are out, they coordinate with the agency for giveaways. The company buys trending topics, attracting casual users to repost and quickly boost popularity.]
[I’ve already seen it trending. But what should we give away?]
[Let’s forget it then. If we’re all unfamiliar with this, we might cause problems that would reflect badly on 99.]
[Agreed, let’s just repost with the hashtag.]
[Oh, they’re leaving the stage. If only they’d confessed their love for each other at the end of their speech.]
[Didn’t they already admit they’re married? [Laughing]]
[Only Best Picture is left. If ‘Reunion’ wins the Golden Award, will Director He have to go home and rummage for those wedding rings? [Laughing]]
At the award ceremony, the presenter announced loudly, “The winner of this year’s Best Picture is—”
After a drumroll, music filled the air.
The 99CP fans screamed first.
[Ahhhhh! It’s ‘Reunion’s’ theme song!]
[I was wondering why I could understand the lyrics. It’s really a Chinese song, I was confused.]
[Is it us? Is it us? Is it us?!]
The big screen lit up, playing ‘Reunion’s’ promotional video.
The presenter: “Best Picture—’Reunion’!”
The camera panned across the ‘Reunion’ team. Having just won two Best Actor awards and now the Golden Award, everyone was visibly moved.
He Zhanpeng stood, hugging the six team members before walking on stage.
The presenter shook his hand, continuing the earlier joke, “The jury asked me to pass on a message—please secretly hand over the two Best Actors’ wedding rings to the jury president later, don’t return them.”
The audience erupted in laughter again. The camera cut to the new Best Actors: Jiang Lin gave a wry smile while Li Qianxing sighed, covering his face.
CP fans were thoroughly amused.
[Oh no, 99 will have to stay and work at WL.]
[Is there a skilled thief we can crowdfund to hire?]
[We can’t! If they get their rings back and travel back, we won’t have a CP to follow anymore.]
[We could crowdfund to buy them new wedding rings.]
[Wait! Did they secretly hold hands again? I think I saw it!]
Unfortunately, the camera quickly cut away, leaving fans to wait for the full video release to confirm.
The WL Film Festival concluded successfully, with ‘Reunion’ unexpectedly sweeping the awards. All seven team members happily attended the banquet, then found a place to celebrate over dinner, returning to the hotel just after eleven.
*
Although they had booked two rooms, Jiang Lin followed Li Qianxing into one as usual.
He was a bit excited, still scrolling through his phone even after showering and lying in bed.
As soon as the closing ceremony ended that afternoon, ‘Reunion’ had begun presales. Jiang Lin opened two or three movie ticket apps, casually checking the situation in several major cities.
Despite only one night passing in China, Valentine’s Day tickets were nearly sold out. For some prime showtimes, even the side seats were booked.
Jiang Lin clicked his tongue and said to Li Qianxing, “The base audience for romance films isn’t huge. I thought with our and Director He’s reputation, we could maintain screenings before Spring Festival, then gradually decline during the holiday. But now, we might even compete during Spring Festival.”
Li Qianxing remained calm. “Tonight’s three awards weren’t for nothing.”
As they talked, Li Qianxing’s phone chimed. He checked it and saw it was a WeChat message from Qi Jingnian.
[Brother: Grandmother posted on Weibo. You two should repost and thank her.]
Li Qianxing replied while informing Jiang Lin.
Jiang Lin opened Weibo, found Li Fengqin in his following list, and saw a giveaway post also shared in the 99CP super topic.
He clicked into the super topic, finding several giveaways requiring reposts with #Li Qianxing Jiang Lin Double Best Actor# and #Reunion Wins WL Best Picture#. The IDs were familiar big spenders who often bought photos and videos.
It was early morning in China. Li Fengqin’s post, offering the most prizes, had just been shared. Fans and netizens, either early risers or night owls, were eagerly reposting.
They quickly reposted too.
[@Jiang Lin V: Thank you, Teacher Li Fengqin, for your support! I’ll continue working hard to portray more great roles! [Happy] //@Li Fengqin V: …]
[@Li Qianxing V: Thank you very much for your giveaway support. //@Li Fengqin V: …]
Jiang Lin chuckled, “Grandmother is actually a big fan in our CP super topic. With this giveaway, everyone knows she ships 99CP now.”
He checked the comments and saw quite a few comments from CP fans.
[I’m dizzy, our super topic had such a hidden powerhouse.]
[Same, I checked three times to confirm it’s really Grandma Li, not a fake account.]
[To think Grandma Li and I ship the same CP, it feels weird to share this with an elder.]
[I’ve been a 99 fan for a while, but my super topic level is lower than Grandma Li’s. How embarrassing.]
[99 reposted too. I wonder how they feel seeing Grandma Li shipping their CP.]
Jiang Lin showed Li Qianxing the last comment.
Li Qianxing: “Grandmother really likes you.”
Jiang Lin smiled. “Natural to like your loved one’s partner, it’s normal.”
Li Qianxing: “No, it’s not that. When I mentioned you to her, she said she’d noticed you two years ago. She’s watched all your shows with significant roles and always believed you’d make it big. She’s delighted we’re together now.”
Jiang Lin blinked in surprise. “That’s… truly an honor.”
Li Qianxing glanced at Jiang Lin’s phone again, then suddenly said, “Since fans came to support us today, should we post something to show our appreciation?”
Jiang Lin: “A video saying thanks?”
Li Qianxing shook his head. “I’d rather fans focus on my work, not me personally.”
Jiang Lin laughed. “That’s not something we can control.”
Li Qianxing: “So, let’s show appreciation from our characters’ perspectives. We could act out a short scene?”
Jiang Lin’s expression turned peculiar. “You know what CP fans want most, right?”
Li Qianxing: “What?”
Jiang Lin leaned in, kissing his lips. “This, and what follows. We’d have to censor most of the screen.”
Li Qianxing stared back, speechless. “No normal scenes?”
Jiang Lin chuckled. “I can’t think of anything interesting right now. We’ll film when inspiration strikes.”
He opened his Weibo, replying to some fans while asking, “By the way, any Valentine’s Day plans?”
Li Qianxing: “Reading scripts at home.”
Jiang Lin laughed, nuzzling him. “Then, would you join your boyfriend for a special Valentine’s Day quest?”
Li Qianxing: “How do you want to spend it? ‘Reunion’ premieres that day. With our current popularity, we’d need to go abroad for a date to avoid recognition.”
Jiang Lin thought about it and said, “I think I could fool people with a wig and fake beard. You, though…”
He examined Li Qianxing’s face. “A beard might be too obvious. How about dressing as a woman?”
Li Qianxing: “You need to show your ID card when you stay in a hotel.”
Jiang Lin felt that his thoughts were seen through by him and touched his nose in embarrassment.
Li Qianxing thought for a moment and said, “We have time now. We don’t have to aim for Valentine’s Day. See if there’s somewhere nearby you’d like to go. We could take a vacation before returning home.”
Jiang Lin agreed, happily starting to search.
*
They chose a hot spring inn in a small town, planning to stay for three to five days. After filming for so long, especially with heavy action scenes, relaxing in hot springs sounded perfect.
Of course, they’d also enjoy the other pleasures of the hot springs.
The only downside was the mediocre food. Jiang Lin simply asked the innkeeper to buy ingredients and cooked himself, even teaching the innkeeper couple some Chinese home-style dishes, receiving snacks as gifts in return.
On the last day, Li Qianxing woke from his afternoon nap. Seeing the nice sunshine outside, he called to order two fresh-squeezed juices, changed into a bathrobe, and walked to the backyard.
He had just sat down by the hot spring pool, dipping his legs in to soak, when he heard the doorbell ring.
After a while, Jiang Lin came over with a tray of juice in one hand and a mobile phone mounted on a tripod in the other.
He placed the juice beside Li Qianxing, stepped back, set up the tripod, adjusted the phone, then looked up at Li Qianxing.
As Li Qianxing sipped his juice, Jiang Lin suddenly asked, “Mr. Ji Ming’an, how do you like this honeymoon trip?”
He looked over in confusion and saw Jiang Lin smiling and pointing at his phone.
Li Qianxing looked at the camera lens. “You’re filming?”
Jiang Lin: “You wanted to film something for the fans earlier. I just thought of this—a couple filming each other during their honeymoon. How’s that theme?”
Li Qianxing considered, then adjusted his demeanor to get into character, signaling Jiang Lin to start over.
They quickly filmed a short segment. Jiang Lin set the phone aside, returning to find Li Qianxing had removed his robe and was soaking in the pool.
He raised an eyebrow, quickly shed his robe, and slid into the pool, moving towards Li Qianxing.
◇◆
‘Reunion’ pre-sales reached 300 million.
Valentine’s Day premieres across the country were extremely well-received. Riding on positive word-of-mouth, even a week later during the fierce Spring Festival competition, it maintained a steady attendance rate and screenings. The box office performance was impressive for a romance film.
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, most people had finished their New Year visits and were relaxing before returning to work.
‘Reunion’s’ official Weibo suddenly posted in the 99CP super topic:
[@Reunion Film V: Offering exclusive after-sales service, thanks to fans for the WL red carpet support [Heart] [Video]]
CP fans curiously clicked on the video.
It seemed to be filmed on a phone, first showing Li Qianxing’s profile. He wore a bathrobe, sitting by a pool with his legs in the water, sipping juice through a straw.
Jiang Lin’s voice came from off-camera. “Mr. Ji Ming’an, how do you like this honeymoon trip?”
Li Qianxing turned, leaning back on one hand, looking relaxed. His expression was entirely Ji Ming’an, whom fans had just rewatched several times.
He said, “It’s okay. The accommodation is nice; the food’s good, too.”
Jiang Lin off-camera: “So what’s not satisfactory?”
Li Qianxing raised an eyebrow, his eyes slightly coy, appearing seductive. “My husband doesn’t satisfy me. We’re supposed to be traveling, but I barely got to see any sights.”
Jiang Lin paused before replying, “But we’re here for our honeymoon. Sightseeing isn’t the focus.”
Li Qianxing set down his juice, stood up, and walked towards the camera.
The scene suddenly shifted, panning out to show Jiang Lin, also in a bathrobe.
Li Qianxing’s voice now came from off-camera, “So, Mr. Cheng Yue, how do you find this honeymoon trip?”
Jiang Lin’s eyes brightened, his lips curving involuntarily as if savoring a memory. “Excellent.”
Li Qianxing’s voice huffed lightly. “So you never planned on sightseeing? How’s that different from staying at home?”
Jiang Lin’s smile deepened. “A change of scenery is naturally different. Didn’t you say the accommodation is nice? Besides, we don’t have hot springs at home.”
As he spoke, he stood up and walked around the phone.
The frame emptied, leaving only their voices audible.
Jiang Lin: “It’s still cold. You’ll catch a chill wearing just that without getting in the water. Come in quickly.”
Li Qianxing: “Your expression doesn’t match your words. Mr. Cheng Yue, you’ve become corrupted by society, so hypocritical.”
Jiang Lin: “Then I’ll be direct: Mr. Ji Ming’an, our holiday time is limited. Don’t waste these precious moments.”
Li Qianxing: “I want to see the Lantern Festival tonight.”
Jiang Lin: “Alright, we still have a few hours until dark.”
Li Qianxing: “What if I can’t walk?”
Jiang Lin: “I’ll rent a bicycle and push you there.”
As they conversed, their figures reentered the frame. Jiang Lin carried Li Qianxing in his arms, stepping into the pool, then bending to place him in the water.
Li Qianxing leaned against the pool’s edge, his robe completely soaked.
He glanced at the camera. “The camera’s still on.”
Jiang Lin moved past him, his half-wet robe clinging as he approached the camera, reaching out.
The screen went black.
CP fans went wild.
[How can it stop there!]
[Is there anything my precious VIP membership can’t access?]
[Rolling on the floor! I want to see hot spring play! I’ll riot if I can’t see it!]
After venting for a while, people started discussing what this “after-sales service” meant.
[It’s not 99, but Ji Ming’an and Cheng Yue. Is it a behind-the-scenes clip? A deleted scene?]
[Doesn’t seem like it. The video’s timeline is after the movie. The end credits didn’t even show the frontal shot of the wedding, so they probably wouldn’t have planned a post-wedding scene.]
[Plus, I remember there weren’t any hot springs near their filming locations.]
[After-sales service for red carpet support… Could it be that 99 had a sudden idea and filmed this spontaneously? After all, we mainly went to support them two.]
[! If that’s true, doesn’t it mean 99 went to soak in hot springs!]
[Let’s ask someone. Summoning the admin.]
However, the official account played dumb.
[Admin’s reply: The admin doesn’t know either, we just received the copy and materials and posted as instructed.]
CP fans then tagged all relevant personnel.
As usual, Li Qianxing remained silent, and this time Jiang Lin didn’t respond either.
Screenwriter Yang He did reply, but said nothing substantial – [Yang He: I didn’t write this part. But I wasn’t on set, so I don’t know if they added scenes during filming.]
He Zhanpeng, having received a message from Jiang Lin earlier, gave an evasive answer – [He Zhanpeng: The video quality is clearly from a phone camera, and neither of them is wearing makeup, so it obviously couldn’t be used in the actual film.]
Fans were frustrated: Just tell us if this was planned by the production team or not!
CP fans could only watch the video over and over, trying to uncover the truth.
Unfortunately, Jiang Lin and Li Qianxing’s acting was too good. No matter how many times they watched, the two were completely in character, with no flaws except for the lack of makeup.
After extensive analysis, they still couldn’t determine whether the two were actually working when filming this video.
In the end, they could only sigh wistfully at the screen – this love-hate inducing after-sales service!
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