Du Xiu Chapter 86

Haicheng. In winter, the wind carried the damp chill from the sea, and after a few showers, the cold seeped right through.

On the bustling streets, Christmas decorations still hung in place, but pedestrians were already bundled up, cheerfully awaiting the arrival of New Year’s Day.

Inside the car, Chu Duxiu sat in the passenger seat, gazing at the scenery outside. With a sigh, she said, “Another year is about to end.”

After graduation, she was struck by how quickly time flew. Recording the third season of The Stand-Up King, completing tour performances across different cities, then appearing on several other shows – it all blurred together, and suddenly it was the year’s end.

In her memory, it felt as though she had just been in Yancheng performing, taking the chance to visit Chen Jingshu and Xie Wentao. Yet not long after returning to Haicheng, the New Year’s holiday was already around the corner.

Life seemed to be running at double speed, utterly different from her student days, with more than half of it slipping away without her even noticing.

As Xie Shenci drove, he nodded and replied, “Luckily, I managed to do a lot this year.”

“What kind of things?”

“Work, and life too.” While waiting at a red light, Xie Shenci cast her a sidelong glance. “At least I’ve kept my promise. I’m not someone who goes back on his word.”

After the hectic touring season, the two of them spent weekends wandering around Haicheng – riding bicycles on sunny days to admire the European-style houses along the streets, hunting down hidden gems of restaurants tucked away in alleys, visiting an amusement park with a fairy-tale castle, taking evening boat rides to enjoy the lights glittering on both sides of the river – gradually making their way through all the nearby attractions.

Chu Duxiu had often heard stories of couples fighting during trips, but she had been lucky never to encounter that. Or perhaps it was because she simply couldn’t imagine herself quarreling with Xie Shenci; she couldn’t even picture it in her head. If anything, she suspected that even in the heat of an argument, they might just end up laughing together.

Though quiet and unassuming at the company, Xie Shenci was remarkably dependable when they traveled. He always had the details prepared in advance, making every outing smooth and enjoyable.

If one day they really did argue, it could only be like performing a comedic dialogue on stage – him playing the straight man, her the joker, and nothing more than a skit.

Chu Duxiu praised him, “Not bad, Mr. Meow – you really are a qualified tour guide. Plenty of experience as a travel companion, and the service you provide is practically flawless.”

“Not really,” Xie Shenci replied. “I don’t actually have much experience playing tour guide. I’ve lived in Haicheng for quite a while, but I’d never really explored it before. Only recently did I wander around.”

Perhaps when someone lives in one place for a long time, they end up overlooking the city’s cultural landmarks. It takes a particular moment, or a special reason, to discover another side of it.

Just like when she came to Haicheng – his daily life shifted, and everything took on a fresh sense of surprise.

“But you mapped out the sightseeing route so well?” Chu Duxiu was taken aback. Then she frowned, suspicion rising. “Wait a second – if you’d never toured around yourself, why did you invite me to go sightseeing after joining Shanle, back when the finals were being recorded?”

She remembered it vividly: someone had praised Haicheng to the skies, claiming it was unmatched anywhere, even boldly declaring how much he looked forward to working with her.

Who would’ve thought he’d barely explored the city himself.

Even after being exposed, Xie Shenci didn’t panic in the least. With full confidence, he said, “Wasn’t that just an excuse? A slightly more tactful way to do it – otherwise, how else could we have met up on the weekend?”

This man truly took pride in what others might find shameless.

“You? Tactful?” Chu Duxiu exclaimed. “I thought you’d just send a WeChat message saying you were coming over with your record player.”

Lately, she had become ever more aware: he was elegance wrapped around thick skin. Always calm and collected as he did the most shameless things – like a cat stealing sips from a human’s cup. Scold it, and it doesn’t care; a couple of days later, it does the same thing again, utterly fearless.

Xie Shenci seemed to have an epiphany. “Oh right, we still haven’t listened to the records. Then in the next two weeks I can bring my turntable over to your place.”

Chu Duxiu: “?”

She protested, “Stop stealing my ideas – and don’t you dare bring that turntable here.”

“Why not?” Xie Shenci said in a plaintive tone. “Don’t want to deal with me anymore? Planning to abandon me?”

“I just don’t want to clean the place. I haven’t had time for a big housecleaning lately. Once I’ve finished tidying up, then you can come over,” Chu Duxiu argued with conviction. “For now, we’ll inspect your place first, see if you wreck your own home – then we can discuss the matter of adoption.”

The two of them finalized their weekend plans, and before long, they drove up to Shanle.

Just before getting out of the car, Xie Shenci pulled out an elegant gift bag from the side and casually handed it to Chu Duxiu in the passenger seat. “Want some candy? Or you can just take it with you.”

Chu Duxiu took the bag, noticed the red double happiness character（囍） printed on it, and realized it was actually a packet of wedding candy. Curious, she asked, “Where did this come from?”

“Do you know Wang Li?”

She thought for a moment. “Isn’t he the assistant director who’s always working with Director Shang?”

With the boom of stand-up comedy, Shanle’s staff had expanded as well, and not everyone crossed paths often. Since scriptwriters and directors dealt directly with the performers, Chu Duxiu naturally remembered some of them, unlike people from other departments who were complete strangers to her.

“Yeah. He joined the company pretty early. Not long ago, he got married – the bride also works at Shanle, handling external business with Shang Liang,” Xie Shenci explained. “They invited us to their wedding banquet, but Shang Liang didn’t go, so I went instead. That’s where the wedding candy came from.”

Many of Shanle’s early members carried their own comedic ideals. Not only did they find like-minded colleagues there, some even found lifelong partners. Wang Li and his wife hadn’t held a grand wedding, just invited a small circle of close acquaintances – like Bei He and Xie Shenci – to witness their important day.

Chu Duxiu said, “I didn’t even know Director Wang got married.”

Xie Shenci replied, “It’s only been a couple of days. I guess by this week they’ll be handing out wedding candy in the office.”

Chu Duxiu was rather amazed. “So there are quite a few couples in our company? Director Shang’s partner too?”

If she remembered correctly, there were indeed several married couples in the company, though they worked in different departments. As the biggest stand-up comedy company in the country, Shanle didn’t shy away from employees being married to each other – as long as everyone did their own job well.

She had also only found out later that Director Shang was married, though her husband wasn’t part of the directing team, even though he was around the company regularly.

“They were already married before joining Shanle. After Director Shang left the TV station, her husband followed her out. So I’m not sure if that counts as a company couple,” Xie Shenci explained. “We can’t really take the credit for that.”

Shang Xiaomei was Xie Shenci’s senior from school, a few years older than him, and had already been married for several years. She was the one who joined Shanle first; once the company gradually stabilized, her husband left the TV station and came over too.

Chu Duxiu nodded in understanding, then lowered her head to examine the wedding candy again.

Watching her fiddle with the sweets, Xie Shenci suddenly said, “So… does that mean we could hand out candy at the company too?”

Chu Duxiu: “?”

Other people gave out wedding candy – what on earth would the two of them be handing out?

Feigning ignorance though she understood perfectly, she nodded. “Sure, why not? You hand out candy every day, and no one has any objections.”

“Every day would be a bit much…” He trailed off, then added, “No need to flaunt it that hard. We should leave other people some room to breathe.”

At least he had a little humanity – he couldn’t be so happy that it made others miserable.

“…”

*

Inside the company, Chu Duxiu and Xie Shenci entered the elevator together. She carried the wedding candy back to her desk, while he headed to another floor to work on matters related to a new program.

Nearby, Wang Nali heard the commotion. She poked her head out, saw Chu Duxiu appear, and casually said, “Director Wang just came by to drop off wedding candy – I left yours on your desk. Huh…”

“How come you have a whole bag? Did he give you extra?” Noticing the familiar bag of wedding candy in Chu Duxiu’s hand, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

Chu Duxiu explained, “This bag is from Mr. Xie – he just passed it to me.”

“Oh,” Wang Nali sighed. “Mr. Xie is even more over the top than Mr. Shang. I thought it was outrageous enough that Mr. Shang treats you like a cash cow, but it turns out Mr. Xie is even more intense. I’ve noticed he’s been asking about your work a lot lately.”

Since the broadcast of the third season, Chu Duxiu had been preparing material for her solo show while also taking part in numerous company and external events, bringing considerable attention to the stand-up comedy industry.

Shanle Culture had set an ambitious goal: to produce a comedy program that didn’t rely on celebrities, drawing audiences instead through outstanding stand-up comedians and high-quality content, gradually moving away from the chase for gimmicks and viral moments. To achieve that, the company needed internal figures who could generate buzz – and without question, Chu Duxiu was the best fit. Naturally, she was a focus of Shang Liang’s attention.

Although “being valued by Mr. Shang” sounded like a good thing, most performers wanted nothing of the sort. They all feared the stern president to some degree and kept their distance, with only Chu Duxiu managing to handle his greetings and inquiries with some dignity.

Lately, however, Wang Nali had noticed something new: Chu Duxiu seemed to interact with Mr. Xie even more than with Mr. Shang.

Chu Duxiu froze for a moment, then spoke in embarrassment, “Uh…”

Although she had never mentioned it openly, people around her were vaguely aware of her relationship with Xie Shenci – they just didn’t bring it up at work.

Shang Liang had long since stopped finding their appearances together unusual, not to mention Nie Feng and Scallion. Having watched them since their days in Yancheng, they had noticed early on that something was different – Xie Shenci paid special attention to Chu Duxiu.

But Wang Nali was more slow on the uptake and clearly hadn’t caught on.

Before Chu Duxiu could say anything, Scallion suddenly burst out laughing. Then he turned around, exclaiming in disbelief, “You really think Mr. Xie is just concerned about her work?”

Wang Nali looked puzzled. “Isn’t he?”

Scallion was torn between laughter and tears. “The two of them have lunch together all the time – you’ve seen them in the cafeteria yourself. And outside of work, Mr. Xie even drives her around…”

He had to admire Wang Nali’s lack of sensitivity. Back when Chu Duxiu did her routine about AI-powered singletons in the “Dating Group,” at least there was some theoretical foundation. But Wang Nali? She was completely out of the loop – hadn’t even brushed against the edge of the dating group – and still hadn’t picked up on the signs!

“The boss being extra friendly with the top-performing employee – doesn’t that make perfect sense?” Wang Nali seemed to have caught on, then glanced at Chu Duxiu, a trace of unease on her face as she hesitantly said, “Wait… you and Mr. Xie aren’t…?”

Together, right?

Chu Duxiu lowered her head and apologized sincerely, “Sorry, I just realized – I never officially told you!”

She had talked about it with her sister but had forgotten to inform Wang Nali – mostly because there hadn’t been a good chance. To bring it up out of nowhere at work would have felt very strange.

“Oh my god, but no one else knows, right?” Wang Nali’s eyes went wide, then she turned to Scallion and tried to save herself from embarrassment. “You’re the only one who figured it out…”

At that moment, she was completely shocked – yet it all seemed to fall into place. Maybe because she’d heard about how Chu Duxiu first got into the industry, and knew her résumé had been picked up by Xie Shenci. Suddenly, she felt a strange sense of wonder, as if the two of them were truly fated and perfectly matched.

“No, everybody knows. Bei He and Ms. Lu figured it out ages ago,” Scallion mercilessly added, “You’re the only one so clueless – actually thinking it was some workplace strategy, as if the boss were dangling carrots and sticks for a star employee.”

“…”

Wang Nali immediately retorted, “That’s not my fault! It’s the stereotype you left me with – that’s why I didn’t notice anything.”

Scallion looked puzzled. “What does this have to do with me?”

“I thought once a stand-up comedian got into a relationship, they’d all turn out like you – endlessly milking it for material.” Wang Nali teased, “No original jokes of your own, just your girlfriend. Honestly, our company ought to be paying Toufu’s social insurance instead.”

She had assumed they were all like the comedy duo – once in love, they couldn’t stop showing it off in their sets!

Scallion: “???”

Time flew quickly. As Chu Duxiu and Xie Shenci’s relationship became more stable, people in the company gradually learned the truth. Outside of day-to-day work, they would occasionally tease them about it.

However, Chu Duxiu slowly realized that what Wang Nali had said wasn’t entirely wrong. Outsiders really couldn’t get a clear glimpse of a stand-up comedian’s love life – no doubt because comedians like Scallion had left too strong a stereotype.

Shanle Culture not only produced its own shows but also partnered with many external programs, offering the company’s performers opportunities for exposure.

Recently, the director of a lifestyle program came by in person to discuss details with Chu Duxiu and others, hoping they could bring a fresh perspective from the standpoint of ordinary people.

“Our show focuses on everyday life – things that happen at school, in the workplace, and so on. Each episode has a different theme. We want your comedians to share their thoughts. You’re all very funny, and what you say resonates with audiences – it fits perfectly with our tone.”

Stand-up comedians had experienced the ups and downs of life firsthand. Compared to typical guest stars, they came across as more relatable, and the budget wasn’t as high either – so the collaboration was naturally a good fit.

The director laughed. “For example, Duxiu, you could speak from the perspective of an ‘AI Single Dog’ and share your views on love.”

“Sorry – you probably don’t know, but I’m not an AI Single Dog anymore,” Chu Duxiu said awkwardly. “It wouldn’t be right to keep talking from that angle.”

She wasn’t one to reveal much about her private life, so outsiders’ impression of her was still stuck on those two earlier seasons.

The director was taken aback, then delighted. “That’s even better! Since you’re no longer single, you can do relationship bits. Talk about whether there are any troubles in your interactions – that would tie in perfectly with the show’s love theme!”

She fumbled, “That might not really work…”

Though Wang Nali and others had also suggested that she weave her new life into her sets, jokes often sprang from negative emotions. For now, she couldn’t go against that creative instinct – she simply couldn’t write material about Xie Shenci.

“Why not?”

“…Because it wouldn’t sound like jokes – it’d just sound like bragging.”

Before, she hadn’t been able to write about romance because she’d had no experience. Now, she couldn’t because she had no troubles to mine. Being with him was easy and pleasant – there was nothing to complain or poke fun about.

Chu Duxiu’s eyes flickered; she lowered her head and said awkwardly, “Sorry, I just can’t bring myself to do something that cruel. My morals are higher than some comedians’.”

Scallion, suddenly called out between the lines: “???”