Lin Su was woken up by a loud bang in her studio apartment. Yes, she had earned a decent amount from the show, but not enough to buy a full apartment complex in Beijing. Real estate here was notoriously expensive; a single one-bedroom apartment in a decent district could easily cost upwards of 3–5 million yuan, while luxury complexes soared beyond 20 million. So for now, her modest studio was her sanctuary—a place she could afford while keeping hope alive. "Who could that be at this early hour?" she murmured, still half asleep and half awake.
Groggily, she dragged herself to the door. The moment she opened it, her assistant, Xiaomin, was waving a tablet frantically in her hands. "What's going on?" Lin Su asked, frowning. Xiaomin's eyes sparkled with excitement as she replied, "We did it." She took a deep breath before continuing, "It's barely a day since the release of our series, and we've hit 1 billion views on iQIYI, surpassing 'The Untamed's' record by 15%. Can you believe it?"
Xiaomin continued, her voice rising with excitement. "And that's not all! Companies are lining up to work with you—Estée Lauder, L'Oréal, Shiseido, and even Dior. Agencies want to sign you as their exclusive talent. Your personal Weibo account went from a few thousand followers to over 5 million, and it's now verified!"
This avalanche of news snapped Lin Su fully awake. She grabbed the tablet and began scrolling feverishly, reading comments, tags, posts—so many people were celebrating her success. It felt surreal. Every like, every comment, every share seemed to validate the hard work, late nights, and countless sacrifices she had made.
Finally, after taking a deep breath, she decided to contact her girls. Over the past few months, these friendships had evolved far beyond film sets. Xu Yan, Liu Wen, and Mei Lin were no longer just her co-stars—they were her anchors, her confidantes, her family. A few days after sending Director Park off to the airport, the girls had felt a strange emptiness, unsure of how to fill their lazy, post-production days. But through these conversations, they discovered the strength in their bond, learning more about themselves and each other.
The only others who had ongoing work were Zhao Yiming, Wen Jinhai, and Jian. Zhao Yiming was filming a drama on the outskirts of the city, so he was largely absent. Before leaving for filming, he had mustered the courage to confess to Liu Wen, but she gently refused. "My heart beats for someone else," she had told him. Yiming, perceptive as he was, guessed that 'someone else' could be Jian, so he did not press further. Though disappointed, he respected her honesty, choosing to channel his energy into his work instead.
Wen Jinhai, meanwhile, had refused any new projects. He had made up his mind—he would not let Lin Su slip away again. All of his focus, all of his time, was devoted to her. Every plan he made from that point forward included her, and nothing else.
Jian, on the other hand, sought only a reprieve from work. The premiere had been exhausting, the fan interactions exhilarating but draining, and now he wanted to simply breathe, to take a holiday, to live in the calm before the next storm. He had no pressing commitments; no urgent obligations other than himself and the quiet satisfaction of watching his friends thrive.
When the girls finally met up after sending Director Park away, the atmosphere was light, warm, and unburdened. Over cups of tea in a small, cozy café, they began to talk about everything—personal feelings, hidden insecurities, the moments that had defined their bond. They laughed, sometimes teared up, and often paused in reflective silence. It was here that they realized just how far they had come. What began as a professional connection had blossomed into a friendship that would endure far beyond cameras, scripts, and premieres.
Lin Su looked around at her friends—at Xu Yan's easy smile, Liu Wen's gentle gaze, Mei Lin's sharp but caring eyes—and felt a warmth swell in her chest. She had discovered more than fame, more than recognition. She had found people who understood her, people she could trust, people who had become her chosen family. And in that moment, she made a quiet promise to herself: no matter where life took her, she would cherish this, protect it, and never take it for granted.
The city outside hummed with life, but inside that café, time seemed to slow. For Lin Su, Jian, Wen Jinhai, and her friends, the future was no longer a void to fear—it was a canvas, vast and waiting, ready for the brushstrokes of new memories, laughter, and shared victories. A new dawn had begun, and they were ready to step into it together.