Chapter 105: Superstar

Liu Jingye stared blankly at Chen Yuxin, surprised that she could congratulate him so nonchalantly, even though her face was as red as an apple.

After a long pause, Liu Jingye scratched his head and chuckled, "Same to you, same to you."

Chen Yuxin did not reply, as the crowd around them erupted into thunderous cheers, shaking the ground with overwhelming enthusiasm. She and her colleagues immediately raised their cameras toward the arrivals gate, snapping shutters frantically.

Just then, a group emerged. Leading the way were burly bodyguards in black sunglasses, flanked by airport security on alert and staff members holding signs to maintain order. In the center were two unremarkable-looking women, likely managers or assistants. At the very core, a woman with hair reaching her waist, wearing a floral cheongsam, displayed an incredibly alluring figure. Unfortunately, she was masked and wearing sunglasses, hiding her true face.

"Ah... Goddess, I love you!" The fan group beside Liu Jingye let out earth-shattering cries. Some were so emotional they were covered in tears and snot, as if they had just reunited with long-lost family members.

"Shiya! Shiya! I love you!" the crazed fans shrieked at the top of their lungs.

Liu Jingye scratched his head and muttered, "Shiya... that name certainly has a thunderous reputation."

At that moment, the entourage of the highly publicized star moved quickly. The curvaceous celebrity waved continuously at the crowd, her lips curling into a sweet smile. Her figure was stunningly beautiful; as she walked with a swaying, willow-like grace, she moved with a standard cat-walk, every curve and contour exuding elegance.

Soon, the group broke through the crowd and reached the main entrance. Chen Yuxin said anxiously, "I have to get to work. I'll call you when I'm done."

"Alright, take care," Liu Jingye urged, but Chen Yuxin didn't hear him, diving straight into the crowd.

"That girl is full of energy," Liu Jingye smiled. "I need to work hard too!" He hoisted his hotel sign, waved it vigorously, and shouted, "Country Hotel! Beautiful scenery! Twenty percent off! Free pickup and drop-off!"

"Free pickup and drop-off?" A crisp, melodious voice, like a warbling oriole, suddenly asked from beside him.

He turned to see a woman fully camouflaged: wearing a sun hat, oversized sunglasses that covered almost her entire face, a black mask, and a blue airport cleaner's uniform. She was nearly as tall as he was.

Liu Jingye smiled bitterly, "The free service is only for hotel guests. I'm not responsible if you're just commuting to work."

"I'm staying at the hotel. Take me away, quickly," the woman said impatiently.

Liu Jingye looked at her uniform and remarked, "You'll have your pay docked for leaving work early."

"Are you doing business or not?" the woman asked, losing patience.

"Please!" Liu Jingye said decisively.

The woman followed closely behind Liu Jingye, looking somewhat furtive. She was carrying a small suitcase, and Liu Jingye even suspected she might be a thief who had stolen something and was trying to escape.

The woman was also puzzled. Following Liu Jingye for over twenty minutes, they passed two parking lots and even the outermost public parking spaces. She finally couldn't help but ask, "Where exactly is your car parked? You aren't a scammer trying to drag me into a pyramid scheme, are you?"

*I should be the one suspecting you're a thief!* Liu Jingye thought to himself. He pointed to a motorcycle parked in the distance and said, "There! Right there!"

"What? A motorcycle?" the woman exclaimed in shock.

Liu Jingye shook his sign and said, "Small business, please bear with me."

"Fine, let's go," the woman urged impatiently.

They boarded the motorcycle. As Liu Jingye rode at a leisurely pace, the woman asked from the back, "Do you offer free sightseeing along with the free pickup service?"

"We're an honest business; we don't charge for these basic services," Liu Jingye replied with a thick face.

"I'm not in the mood for scenery. Speed up!"

The woman suddenly shouted, startling Liu Jingye. He instinctively twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle lurched forward, nearly rear-ending the car in front. Liu Jingye slammed on the brakes.

The sudden acceleration and stop created immense inertia. The woman first leaned back, then lunged forward, pressing her entire body against his back—a sensation that was impossible to describe.

The woman said coldly, "Did you do that on purpose?"

"No, no, absolutely not," Liu Jingye shook his head frantically, denying it. He really hadn't done it on purpose.

The woman didn't say anything more but silently extended her arms, using her elbows to brace against his back to prevent another 'rear-end' incident.

Just then, a powerful roar of an engine echoed behind them, like a wild beast snarling. Through the rearview mirror, Liu Jingye saw a black commercial van speeding toward them.

"If you're in such a hurry, you go first," Liu Jingye said, pulling off the main road and slowing down.

The woman looked back, then cried out in alarm, "Run! Run! They're chasing us!"

"Who's chasing us?" Liu Jingye asked, confused.

"Just run! It'll be terrible if they catch us," the woman screamed anxiously.

Liu Jingye didn't want any unnecessary trouble and remained indifferent. Suddenly, the woman said, "If you don't speed up, I'll jump off right now. There are so many witnesses on this road; some might even think you pushed me off!"

"I hate being threatened!" Liu Jingye growled. "If you've got the guts, wait until I'm at top speed before you jump!"

Helplessly, Liu Jingye twisted the throttle to the limit. The motorcycle surged forward like a rocket, instantly putting distance between them and the van. However, two wheels could never outrun four. The pursuers accelerated, slowly closing the gap again.

Liu Jingye asked in frustration, "What on earth did you steal from the airport that they're chasing you so relentlessly?"

The woman said nervously, "I'm not a thief, and I'm not a bad person. I just borrowed this uniform. I'll explain everything once we shake them off. Please, you have to believe me."

The woman's tone was sincere and earnest. Liu Jingye didn't doubt her further. He increased his speed and began weaving through traffic. Although he wasn't a professional racer, his motorcycle handling was excellent.

At high speed, he dodged and swerved with ease, as if performing stunts. The wind whistled in his ears. Even though the woman behind him wore sunglasses, the wind made her eyes stream with tears, and she instinctively hugged Liu Jingye's waist—she couldn't care about anything else now.

The car behind them was also very fast and couldn't be shaken off. Soon, they entered the flat, wide Airport Boulevard. Surrounding cars began to speed up, the road widened, and the car behind began to accelerate recklessly, closing the distance in an instant.

Though Liu Jingye's motorcycle wasn't slow, it couldn't compare to a high-end commercial van. Seeing the distance closing, the woman clung to him tightly, seemingly out of fear, or perhaps as a special way of cheering him on.

Just then, they exited the Airport Boulevard and entered the city, where narrow streets and alleys began to appear. Seeing the van about to pull alongside them, Liu Jingye gritted his teeth. He suddenly twisted the handlebars, forcing the motorcycle onto the far right side of the road, compelling the van to switch to the left to overtake.

But the moment the van surged forward, Liu Jingye released the throttle and slammed the front brake. The front wheel locked instantly, while the rear wheel continued to spin due to inertia. The bike remained stationary while the rear tire screeched and rubbed violently against the ground, causing the motorcycle to fishtail.

At the critical moment, Liu Jingye snatched victory from the jaws of danger with a beautiful, extreme sliding stop.

The woman on the back felt the world spin. She clung to his waist to avoid being thrown off. When she opened her eyes, she was stunned to see they had turned a full 180 degrees, facing the opposite direction, as the commercial van sped past them.

Liu Jingye smiled faintly, shifted gears, twisted the throttle, and shot back the way they came, disappearing into a nearby alleyway after a few sharp turns.

The van stopped in the distance, knowing it could no longer catch them. The people inside were furious, panicked, and at a loss.

"Please, come in." Outside the hotel, Liu Jingye parked the bike. The woman got off, trembling all over. Her hat had been blown away at some point, revealing a head of long, dark hair that was now a chaotic mess. Beneath her sunglasses, two long tracks of tears remained.

The woman calmed herself and looked at the surroundings: a quiet little village, green hills and clear waters, and a simple country hotel. She nodded in satisfaction. "This place is nice. Remote and quiet; perfect for a vacation."

As she spoke, she removed her mask and sunglasses, revealing an exquisitely beautiful face. Her forehead was smooth, her eyebrows slender, and her almond-shaped eyes dark and glistening. Her nose, in particular, was tall and delicate, like a pearl set on her face, and her thin lips were as vibrant as rose petals.

"You..." Liu Jingye was stunned by this flower-like beauty. She looked very familiar, but he couldn't recall her name after trying for a long time.

The woman smiled slightly, smoothing her hair, and said softly, "Hello, my name is Tang Shiya!"

"Oh, right, right, it's you!" Liu Jingye realized suddenly. He had seen her on TV yesterday. He wasn't a fan, but being so close to a celebrity still excited him. He said enthusiastically, "I was watching your commercial yesterday! 'Women always have those uncomfortable days, but I have its care; staying close means staying thoughtful...'"

Tang Shiya was struck speechless, her face darkening. She chuckled bitterly, "Is that the only commercial of mine you watch?"

"There's more, there's more... I like your milk commercial the best. You take a sip, and it spills from your mouth, flowing down your lips, and then you lick it with your tongue..."

"That's enough," Tang Shiya said, feeling awkward. "Thank you for your support. I didn't expect to have a fan here; it's quite a surprise. Besides the commercials, have you seen any of my films or heard my songs?"

"No!" Liu Jingye replied bluntly. "I only like watching those two commercials of yours."

Tang Shiya laughed bitterly, "You really are honest!"