A Billion Stars Can't Amount to You

The traffic ahead subsided, but there was an endless amount of cars behind He Jichen. They honked with all their might, but it didn’t snap him out of it.

Someone eventually got out of their car and walked over to him. They patted his shoulder and reminded him in a rugged voice, “Hey, bro! Please stop blocking the road, alright?”

He Jichen felt someone touch him, so he slowly brought his gaze back and looked over at the person. He finally realized what was going on and he apologized before he hurriedly got into the car and drove.

After about ten minutes, He Jichen’s fingers trembled on the steering wheel as he stopped the car by the side of the road. Then he put his hand on his aching chest and rested on the steering wheel.

Sorry, I’m truly sorry... Though he knew no matter how many times he apologized, it would never make up for the pain he put her through, he had been repeating those words in his dreams all this time.

–

For the first half of the month during her winter break, Ji Yi stayed at home every day. She basically spent those days sleeping or eating, lounging around.

Usually for Chinese new year, Ji Yi spent it in Beijing. This year, Ji Yi’s mum got carried away and planned for them to spend new year’s in the warm springs of Hainan.

On Chinese new year’s eve, Ji Yi’s family flew on Hainan Airlines from Beijing to Hainan.

As the new year drew closer, there were a lot of flights, so the Ji family’s flight was delayed by half an hour. When they landed in Hainan, it was already eight in the evening.

Ji Yi’s dad booked a car. After the family picked up their baggage and walked out of the airport, they saw a driver with a sign to pick them up.

In the taxi, there was a television broadcasting the latest entertainment news.

Ji Yi and her mum sat in the back of the car, enjoying the warm breeze. Slightly tired from her long plane journey, Ji Yi shut her eyes to get some rest.

The car drove for about ten minutes before Ji Yi’s mum suddenly nudged her arm.

Ji Yi opened her eyes to see her mum pointing at the television in the car.

She instinctively turned her gaze towards it, and before she could see what was on, she heard her mum say, “Xiao Yi, look! Isn’t that Jichen?”

As Ji Yi’s mum spoke, the poster of “The Palace” that she filmed in October was the first thing she caught sight of. Then she realized that today was the opening night for “The Palace.”

In front of the poster, there was a line of people. Ji Yi immediately saw He Jichen standing tall and straight, all dressed in a suit.

Beside him was director Liang who was talking into a microphone.

The car television was silent, so Ji Yi read the subtitles and learned that director Liang was just saying a few wishful words like hoping that everyone could support “The Palace” and so forth.

The cameraman probably thought He Jichen looked very striking, so he gave him a bit of screentime. Ji Yi froze looking at He Jichen who she hadn’t seen for some time.

Ji Yi’s mum didn’t notice anything strange with Ji Yi as she continued to chatter beside her, “So Jichen came to Beijing for the movie. Say, Ji Yi, isn’t this related to what you do? Why don’t you keep in contact with Jichen? I see he’s doing well. Who knows, maybe he can help you...”