Ma Jiaqi: Did You Recognize Me?

A fleeting encounter on the subway, a pair of Bluetooth earbuds picked up by mistake, and “Mayfly,” the song she’d had on repeat for years.

Lin Yu thought it was just another everyday moment in the city.

“I’m getting off at the next stop. Wait for me there.”

Five minutes later, she saw him at the South Gate stop for Forest Park. He was six feet tall, most of his face hidden behind a black mask, with only a pair of eyes full of stories showing.

She didn’t know that the young man, who had taken the subway because of a traffic jam, was Ma Jiaqi, the leader of a top-tier boy band in the Chinese entertainment industry.

He didn’t know that the girl who’d picked up his earbuds by mistake was listening to “Mayfly,” the very song he had sung.

“Hey, these are your earbuds.”

“Thanks.”

A brief exchange, then they turned and went their separate ways.

But from that moment, the wheels of fate began to turn.

Years later, Ma Jiaqi was asked in an interview, “How did you meet Ms. Lin Yu?”

He smiled and gave just one answer:

“She was listening to my song.”