What can she do now?
As the saying goes, at home one relies on parents, and outside one relies on friends.
Although this saying might not be entirely appropriate here, Shi Xinxin could only act accordingly. She propped herself up in bed, took out her phone, and opened her contacts to call her good friend Wen Xiaoxiao.
Wen Xiaoxiao was busy with something and only answered after a while. Shi Xinxin, with a hint of complaint, said hello, and the other party replied lazily.
Hearing her tone, Shi Xinxin felt even worse. She then asked in a coaxing and slightly flattering tone, "What are you doing? Why didn't you answer my call sooner? Are you looking at pictures of handsome guys on your phone again?"
"Of course," Wen Xiaoxiao retorted with a laugh, "I'm looking at pictures of handsome guys on my camera, and I won't show them to you. Jealous?"
"Alright, that's enough from you. Really." The two of them burst into laughter over the phone.
Shi Xinxin knew that Wen Xiaoxiao was most likely tinkering with her cameras again.
And this person always spoke with a mix of truth and jest, which had already dissipated most of her complicated feelings from earlier.
However, she still didn't know what to do next. So, Shi Xinxin poured out everything she had just thought of, bit by bit, to her good friend.
She ended with, "You're not allowed to laugh at me, okay? Think of a solution seriously for me."
Wen Xiaoxiao had indeed been caught. She was fiddling with her newly bought camera on her bed.
When she heard her phone ring, she didn't put down what she was holding. She was very engrossed and only remembered to answer the call after a while. Upon seeing the caller ID, she knew she couldn't avoid being complained at, but she still answered in a somewhat teasing tone.
After all, they were best friends. It didn't matter how much they teased each other; no one would get angry. It would even strengthen their bond.
She understood what Shi Xinxin meant but still played coy, wanting to hear her out. So, she asked, "What solution should I give? What are your thoughts? Do you still like him? If not, then just cut all ties, why bother asking me?"
Shi Xinxin knew she was being deliberately obtuse, but she had no choice. To calm herself down and do something else, she had to rely on the person on the other end of the line.
So, she honestly replied, "I, I naturally like him, but, but I'm afraid of repeating the same mistake as last time, aren't I? Ever since I returned from the coffee shop, I've been thinking about this. Every minute, every second, I've been thinking about it. I don't have the energy to do anything else, which is why I'm asking you. But you're still making fun of me. That's not right."
Hearing this, Wen Xiaoxiao could no longer say anything frivolous and could only seriously analyze the current situation for her.
"Mmm, that's right. Tell me honestly what you think, and I'll naturally give you advice."
She also sat up in bed, adopting a serious posture, and began to analyze for Shi Xinxin how she should behave in the upcoming variety show.
"You accepted this variety show, and that's a matter of attitude first. You can't slack off, you can't be passive, and you can't perform poorly just because of him. Doing so would be detrimental to your popularity, your relationship with him, and the show's producers, bringing no benefit."
"And then?" Shi Xinxin asked.
"Then, my advice is for you, but whether you follow it or not is another matter. Listen carefully: you must shine on the show. You should perform well yourself, but don't get too close to him. It doesn't mean you should completely ignore him, but don't proactively seek him out. Do you understand?"
"Why does this matter sound so complicated when you say it?" Shi Xinxin said with some dissatisfaction.
"Oh, where is it complicated? I think you just didn't understand," Wen Xiaoxiao said, exasperated, and then explained it in the simplest terms: "Just act like you're not close to him. Do you understand?"
At this point, even an idiot would understand. Shi Xinxin hadn't expected to be tricked again. She didn't understand why and didn't mind. Instead of getting angry, she started questioning it.
"Why? But I'm actually very familiar with him. And pretending to be unfamiliar might fool the audience, and it might fool people who don't know us well, but what will he think of me? Moreover, people around us who know us well will also know our relationship. It's not like we're strangers who don't talk to each other. How can I explain it to them? And what's the point of doing this?"
"Heavens, I say one thing, and you throw ten questions at me. With so many questions, which one should I answer first?" Wen Xiaoxiao grumbled with displeasure but still patiently explained.
"You're good at everything, beautiful, smart, and a good singer. It's just that when it comes to love, your brain becomes so clumsy. People say that those in love are fools, and I'm starting to believe it. Right now, you're almost like a fool."
"Okay, okay, stop making fun of me. I'm already miserable. Just give me some guidance."
"Where are you miserable?" Wen Xiaoxiao couldn't resist adding one last sentence. Fearing that Shi Xinxin might actually get angry, she continued:
"The logic is very simple. As the saying goes, what you can't get is the most precious. Think about it, although you two fell in love at first sight, now, it's clear that Sheng Chenjin doesn't remember you anymore. We still don't know the reason. If you continue to cling to him like this, who knows what he'll think. Not to mention Sheng Chenjin, or myself, even anyone around who knows a little about your situation would see you as actively pursuing him. If someone doesn't like you, it's natural for them to say or do whatever they want. All the logic is on their side, and you're just losing out incredibly. What's the point?"
After finishing her words, Wen Xiaoxiao heard Shi Xinxin's silence for a few seconds and knew she was seriously contemplating her words. After waiting for tens of seconds, she asked, "Do you think I'm right?"
Shi Xinxin had already replayed those words in her mind countless times.
After a while, she slowly said, "You're right. I'll do as you say."
It wasn't until the next morning, when she woke up in agony, that Shi Xinxin realized that the program director's urgent calls to him were not solely due to responsibility.