daomingsi, dongshancai.

got me this far

No one had ever believed in her like he did.

Well.

Her parents believed in her to an extent, she supposed.

They believed in her in the confidence that she would either be the dutiful successor to their food delivery business, or, and when he came into her life, that she would be the solution to all their financial problems by using her 'charm' to marry him and gain his fortune.

Her friends believed in her.

Sort of.

If she asked them if they believed in her, QingHe would say yes because he always wanted to please her. XiaoYu would say yes because she loved her. And LiZhen would say yes because she owed her.

_____

But no one believed in her like he did.

_____

Even his sister who was preparing her for the cooking competition that month didn't quite believe in her. She knew that all of the extra fluffy stuff about how to be a lady and naming her dishes after Chinese myths and fables were because there was that, though tiny, inkling bit of doubt that Shancai really was good at what she did.

She didn't show it, but she was so scared for that competition.

And when she was at her wit's end and about to dissolve into a fit of tears right there in the kitchen, because she had no idea what to make for the final round, she thought of him, and how she wished he was right there with her. She didn't know why, because of course she didn't like him or anything, of course not.

It was confusing. His unwavering support of her just made her want to cry even more, especially at the thought of letting him down. The other girls' eyes burned holes in her back as she tried to look anywhere but them, trying to force her tears to roll back in. Caina looked at her concernedly.

She was about to give up.

And then, like a miracle, he was there.

And she saw his panicked face, him mouthing words she couldn't make out, and the security guards pulling him back. She hadn't understood what he'd said or was trying to say then, but there was something in his eyes when he looked at her that made her want to keep fighting.

So she did. Keep fighting, that is.

If he believed she was good enough, she knew she had to be amazing.

And she believed in herself wholeheartedly for the first time, because of him.

_____

After the competition, after receiving the special prize, she doesn't wait. Her eyes scan the audience, trying to see him. Where is he?

She can't find him.

Strangely disappointed, she looks down, her head hanging and the euphoria from just a few minutes before extinguishing instantly. Where are you, Daoming Si? She can feel the trophy weighing down in her hand, except it feels cold. Then she hears a tortured voice.

"That dish with the pineapples was not inspired by my hair! Stop looking at me like that Lei. There's absolutely no resemblance!"

She doesn't think, she flies.

She starts sprinting straight towards him and the poor thing, he doesn't even notice her running until she's right there in front of him. His face lights up and he opens his mouth to say something, but his words die in his mouth when she throws her arms around him and kisses him.

He doesn't respond, he is stiff straight.

"T-thank you," she whispers when she pulls back instantly, mortified at his reaction.

He stares at her. "You . . . you."

"Me." She avoids looking at him.

"Me . . . I mean, no, you . . ."

"Both of you!" Meizuo chimes in.

"Shut up, Meizuo," he growls. He clears his throat. "You . . . why–"

"It was just a thanks," she says, her voice breaking, and she's close to crying for the second time today.

She starts to turn away when he immediately grabs her hand and pulls her into him.

"I love you."

Her head jerks up, and it is her turn to stare.

He kisses her, and says it again, in between kisses.

And then again.

And then once more.

_____

She doesn't say it, but she thinks it.

_____

Thank you for believing in me. I think I might love you, too.

_____

Author's Note: Do listen to the song 'au volant' that was the inspiration of this oneshot. I attached the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaYupLPw7gg, and it's a pretty amazing song. The line "who do you think got me this far" really spoke to me in how Shancai was just as affected by Si as he was her, so I wrote about it.

- coexistantLilli

_____