Chapter 37

Zou Qi’s scenes were expected to take two weeks to film. The Young Master Li he played returned on the night of the wedding, and this sudden turn of events broke the trajectory of everything that had been set in motion.

Chu Feng had only lifted half of the veil when the thunderous shout of “Father!” from downstairs startled Ji Fengling awake. She pushed Chu Feng away in panic and rushed to the window, then excitedly ran downstairs.

Chu Feng’s smile froze at the corner of her mouth. She saw Ji Fengling run downstairs and tightly embrace a man.

The villagers attending the wedding banquet craned their necks curiously. Between bites and drinks, they watched the phoenix that had flown onto a branch fall back down and become a chicken.

Ji Fengling’s tight embrace of Young Master Li was not fake. Her tears of joy were not fake. Her emotional murmurs were not fake.

Ji Fengling repeatedly called out a name that was both unfamiliar and familiar to Chu Feng. Unfamiliar, because it was the first time she had seen the real person; familiar, because she had heard that name many times through the praises passed from mouth to mouth among the Li family servants.

“Master Li’s son! A dragon among men!”

“Young Master and Young Madam Ji are a match made in heaven!”

“The two of them were childhood sweethearts. What a pity, there had been no news of him for five years…”

Chu Feng felt the world spin around her. Her temples throbbed painfully. The red bridal veil clutched in her hand fell to the ground.

Ji Fengling abruptly looked back. Just like when Chu Feng had ​bailiantales.com​looked up at her from the courtyard last time, Ji Fengling raised her head.

There was no one by the window.

The “groom” stood beneath the eaves, hearing the congratulatory voices turn into mockery and ridicule.

The man was furious. The first thing he did after returning to the Chu house was find Chu Feng. His fist fell with the force of wind. “You—”

Chu Qiu came out of the main room wearing a jacket and asked in surprise, “What happened? Weren’t you going to drink wedding wine?”

“Xiao Feng!” Chu Qiu screamed. The man’s fist stopped right in front of Chu Feng’s nose. The wind from the punch shook loose one tear.

Chu Feng shoved him away and wiped her face in a sorry state. “What did you come back for!”

The man spat at the wall. The large red flower used for the wedding was still pinned to his chest. He asked, “What about the money?”

Chu Qiu asked in astonishment, “What are you two talking about?”

Chu Feng straightened her clothes and stubbornly turned her head away. “I don’t know.”

The man’s low voice said, “Your sister’s belly can’t be hidden anymore.”

Chu Qiu covered her slightly rounded lower abdomen.

“Without money, we won’t be able to leave Water Town for the rest of our lives!”

Recently, three major events happened in Water Town. First, the labor-reform criminal married into the Li family, but on the day of the bridal chamber, the Li family’s rightful young master returned. The ceremony was not completed, and the bridal chamber was never entered. No one acknowledged him as the young son-in-law anymore. The labor-reform criminal once again became a joke among the surrounding villages.

Second, Young Master Li had returned, bringing good news to the isolated Water Town. He said the war was about to end!

Third, Young Master Li had been sent back by the higher-ups to rebuild the legal order of Water Town!

The next day, before the three days of flowing banquet in front of the Li residence had even been cleared away, the yamen was renovated and renamed the police station. After the government office was repainted, old cases were reorganized, and prisoners who had not completed their sentences were to be escorted back.

The police station gave them a chance for leniency and told them to turn themselves in.

A dark mass of people blocked the entrance of the police station, waiting every day to watch the show. Which family stole chickens and dogs, which widow had an affair, whose land had occupied an extra portion, whose stall had been seized by force—the simple Water Town revealed another side of itself. Straw that had been piled up for a long time was turned over, exposing the rotten, foul-smelling foundation beneath.

“I have to go.” Young Master Li lightly embraced Ji Fengling. “There are still matters at the station.”

Ji Fengling nodded and straightened his lapels. The two went downstairs together. Butler Fang had packed his luggage and was waiting at the door. Now that his indenture contract was gone, he was leaving Water Town.

Young Master Li smiled at him. “Uncle Fang, you’re leaving?”

Butler Fang carried a bundle on his back and held a memorial tablet in his arms. “I’m leaving. Before I go, there are a few thiRead on BaiLianTalesngs I want to say to Young Master.”

The two went out together. Ji Fengling stood beneath the corridor and heard the soft sound of a wooden bucket being set down in the kitchen.

Butler Fang did not go anywhere else. Holding the memorial tablet, he entered the police station together with Young Master Li. Under Young Master Li’s confused gaze, he rushed into the noisy crowd, raised the memorial tablet high, and declared that he wanted justice! Granny Zhou had not died of illness!

Lin Ke closed the script and rubbed her brows, thinking that it was fortunate this film was about to finish shooting. This was truly tormenting.

There was too much content woven into the script. It was difficult to act, and Director Shen had also revealed that quite a lot of content would be cut in post-production.

Lin Ke covered her face with the script, thinking about Ji Fengling’s ending after admitting to murder for Chu Feng’s sake. For a long while, she could not determine right or wrong. She could only sigh over the characters’ fates.

“What are you thinking about?” Zou Qi came over and asked curiously.

Half a month had passed, and Water Town had entered autumn. It was already October. Actors in the crew were wrapping their parts one after another. Fortunately, there were still dozens, even hundreds, of staff members around, so it did not feel deserted.

Lin Ke moved the script away, gave an “mm,” and asked, “Do you need something?”

Zou Qi casually dragged over a folding stool and sat down, his legs crossed in a sloppy manner. He sighed with feeling. “I really didn’t expect it. You and Lin Bingran actually got together.”

Lin Ke said, “There are plenty of things you wouldn’t expect.”

Zou Qi smiled. “Old classmate, how have you been all these years?”

Lin Ke put the script back over her face. Her hand hanging on the other side unconsciously searched for something to hold onto. She answered, “Fine. Say what you want to say.”

Zou Qi did not hide it either. “Aren’t you going to Director Gu’s crew? How about it? Help me out. Let me play a third or fourth male lead, or any role will do.”

Lin Ke looked at him with disdain. “I don’t have that authority.”

“Teacher Lin doesn’t either?” Zou Qi asked, raising his hand to lift the script from Lin Ke’s face. “Yo, are you about to cry?”

“Fuck off.” Lin Ke snatched the script back. “The sun’s too bright.”

Lin Ke’s nose and eyes were red from the sun. Beside her were medicines for cooling and relieving heat. The autumn heatwave was fierce, and for the first time, she felt unable to endure the scorching weather.

Half a month had passed. On set, she and Zou Qi had maintained a relationship of not interfering with each other. She thought it would stay peaceful until the end. Now it seemed she had thought too much.

Zou Qi said, “Back then, so many people in class hated her. You were the only one who liked her so much. After all these years, have you finally gotten your wish?”

Lin Ke lazily yawned and spread open the script to fan herself. “No matter how much you say, it’s useless. I won’t help you fight for a role. Hurry up and flop through the center of the earth.”

The smile at the corner of Zou Qi’s mouth stiffened. He showed a simple, honest smile and said, “I wanted to invite Teacher Xiao Lin to a meal. We can talk in detail at the table. Is that okay?”

Lin Ke smiled and nodded at him. “No. Keep running your mouth and I’ll blacklist you.”

Zou Qi’s jaw tightened. His bronze skin flushed red. His face twitched twice, and with a smile that did not reach his eyes, he said, “Don’t be angry, Teacher Xiao Lin. I’ll contact you another day.”

Zou Qi stood up and turned around, only to see Lin Bingran leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.

At this distance, she should not have heard their conversation. Zou Qi quickly calmed down and gave Lin Bingran a bright, hearty smile. “Teacher Lin.”

Zou Qi had proper features. When he smiled, he looked like the typical big boy in fans’ eyes. If Lin Ke’s expression of disgust had not been too obvious, Lin Bingran would not have felt there was anything wrong with him.

Lin Bingran lowered her eyes lazily, looking dispirited as she glanced at Zou Qi. “Stay away from her.”

Zou Qi froze. “What does Teacher Lin mean?”

Lin Ke stood up. “Teacher Lin, I’m fine.”

After Zou Qi left, Lin Ke lay back on the reclining chair and complained that she was sleepy.

Lin Bingran asked directly, “You don’t get along well with your old classmate?”

Lin Ke’s gaze lowered slightly. “Mm. He wanted me to help shove him into Director Gu’s drama.”

Lin Bingran understood. “You refused?”

Lin Ke glared. “If I didn’t refuse, was I supposed to agree?”

Lin Bingran pinched Lin Ke’s cheek. “Dolphin, your eyes are red from anger. What did you two talk about?”

Lin Ke flipped over and lay down, unreasonably taking her anger out on Lin Bingran. Impatiently, she asked, “Nothing. What did you come find me for?”

Lin Bingran glanced at her and picked up the script that had fallen to the ground for Lin Ke. In the script, Ji Fengling’s final scene was admitting guilt for Chu Feng.

Lin Bingran said, “This plot point might not pass review.”

Lin Ke said, “It won’t pass?”

Lin Bingran said, “Mm. The director and screenwriter are discussing another ending.”

Lin Ke sat up and asked with concern, “Then are we still filming it?”

Lin Bingran sat beside her. “Yes. We’ll film it all first and then see the editing effect. They might add another scene for you.”

Lin Ke calculated the time. After wrapping, she only had one free week, and her schedule was already full: one magazine shoot and two commercials, then seamlessly joining the next crew.

During this period, while on set, Lin Ke was either filming or reading the script Director Gu had faxed over.

“As long as it doesn’t delay wrapping,” Lin Ke sighed.

Lin Bingran gave an “oh,” looked at Lin Ke, and said, “The big star is quite busy.”

Lin Ke asked, “What are you doing after wrapping?”

Lin Bingran rubbed the base of her fingers, thought for a moment, and said, “I’m still watching scripts. I’ll rest for two months and go abroad to see my parents.”

Lin Ke said, “…Then once we leave the crew, how will we meet?”

Lin Bingran clicked her tongue and pretended to be troubled. “It might not be convenient to meet again.”

Lin Ke: “…”

Lin Bingran reasoned, “Once you join a crew, it’ll be at least three months, or as long as five months to half a year. When you’re busy, I won’t be idle either. I won’t have time to visit your set. How would we meet?”

Lin Ke said, “Then when I wrap, I’ll go find you.”

Lin Bingran shook her head. “When you join the crew, I’ll be busy with other work. When you wrap, I’ll probably be joining a crew too. With the time between two dramas, a whole year will pass.”

Lin Ke listened until her blood pressure rose. read the original at bailiantales.com Lin Bingran pinched her damp red nose and scratched it lightly.

Lin Bingran asked, “Have you thought it through? Are you still going to hide things from me?”

Lin Ke asked, “What…”

Lin Bingran said, “Zou Qi didn’t trouble you earlier or later, but today, on his last scene, he came to negotiate terms with you?”

Lin Ke lowered her head, turned away, and said, “…It’s just that in middle school, I fought him and lost. We have a little grudge.”

Lin Bingran held her chin and turned Lin Ke’s flushed face back, examining it, intending to see through her.

Lin Bingran said, “Didn’t you want to blacklist someone? Whose courage did you borrow?”

Lin Ke stiffened her neck and said, “…I’m a fox borrowing the tiger’s might.”

Lin Bingran rubbed Lin Ke’s reddened eye corner with her finger and asked, “Do you want me to help you blacklist him?”

Lin Ke said softly, “It’s already in the past. Even interrogations have a statute of limitations. Let him off once.”

Lin Bingran leaned over and kissed the corner of Lin Ke’s eye. “I almost thought you were crying.”

Lin Ke tightened her chin, holding back a chestful of emotion.

Ever since she was little, she had always been useless like this. When she got emotional, she loved to cry. She would cry in bed, and she would cry when she was indignant and wronged too.

In that year of second grade of middle school, the tears she shed in one year were more than the total she had shed in the eight years afterward.

Lin Bingran was her chronic illness and scar, while Zou Qi was the one who had pierced that festering wound. Lin Ke’s eyes dodged as she stammered, “I didn’t lie to you that time we met. I really was your fan.”

Lin Bingran said, “I guessed.”

Lin Ke was even more surprised than Lin Bingran. She shamefully gripped her pant leg. “You knew? Since when?”

Lin Bingran smiled mysteriously, leaned close to Lin Ke’s ear, and said, “When we’re in bed, you never refuse me.”

Lin Ke: “…”

Lin Bingran stopped smiling, pressing away her dimples.

Embarrassed, Lin Ke said, “Nonsense. It’s clearly because you’re too seductive! I…”

“I liked you before I even differentiated!” The first half of the sentence left her mouth before she could stop it. The second half was like a clot of blood blocking her throat. “I… I just…”

Lin Bingran narrowed her eyes slightly. If Lin Ke had liked her bailiantales.combefore differentiating, then the reason she hated her afterward…

Lin Bingran hastily cut Lin Ke off, suddenly standing up. She smiled and said, “I’ll go prepare for the scene first. Don’t be angry anymore. Be good.”

Lin Ke looked at Lin Bingran’s back in disappointment, her finger piercing through the thin page of the script.

The one who had been avoiding things had never been only Lin Ke.