After Flirting with the Wrong Stand-in, I Overturned (GL) - Chapter 44

Just as Lin Shuyan expected, no sooner had the first season of The Princess of Qin wrapped than Leaving Home began its broadcast. As a contemporary drama grounded in daily life, Leaving Home caught the attention of many drama fans the moment it aired on satellite TV. With leads whose acting was on point and a briskly paced plot, it quickly became a major point of focus.

Topics that strike a chord with the public—family, parents, children, education, and the preference for sons over daughters—drove the show’s popularity, and memes from the series went viral across the web. Although Lin Shuyan’s screen time wasn’t extensive, her role made her a familiar face to countless viewers.

With attention on the character came attention on the actress. Many fans soon discovered that she was the same person acting alongside Rong Yu in The Princess of Qin.

[Argh! This visual… I’m in. I’m suddenly looking forward to The Princess of Qin!]

[Same. I was originally just going to watch my “Sister’s” cut version, but now I feel like I can watch the whole thing.]

[Go look at the wrap-up photos for The Princess of Qin. Her period costume look is a masterpiece!]

[…]

While Leaving Home was airing, the television in the Ren family living room was tuned to it more than half the time. In Butler Wang’s words, he had to support Miss Lin.

Even though Lin Shuyan emphasized many times that it wasn’t necessary and thanked him for his kindness, he remained adamant.

“I love watching it,” Butler Wang insisted stubbornly. “Watching dramas is my freedom.”

“I think it’s quite good, too,” Ren Xuan supported. Lin Shuyan didn’t know what else to say. She felt both expectant and shy seeing Ren Xuan watching her performance.

“Amazing.” Ren Xuan gave her a thumbs-up after watching, which finally calmed Shuyan’s fluttering heart.

That day, Lin Shuyan was playing with Ren Ke as usual. Ren Ke’s acceptance of the situation was remarkably high. Regarding her sister’s girlfriend, Ren Ke understood it like this:

This will be Sister Yan’s home too from now on. I have another sister to dote on me. Great! As for the actual implications of the word “girlfriend,” Ren Ke only realized the specifics belatedly.

“Sister’s almost off work,” Ren Ke said, pointing at the clock hanging in the living room after playing with the toy train for fifteen minutes.

“Mhm.” Lin Shuyan glanced at it, thinking to herself: Almost off work. A-Xuan gets off in five minutes. It takes thirty minutes to drive from the company to the Ren estate, and about three minutes to walk in from the gate. Even if she meets someone or has something to settle on the way, she should be home by 6:00 PM at the latest.

In fact, it was almost exactly as she calculated, save for a phone call Ren Xuan took on the way back.

“Wanna come out and play?” the voice on the other end asked lazily.

“No,” Ren Xuan answered succinctly.

“No way,” Ning Yinman said, exasperated. “You’re taking this too far! My treat this time. I want you to meet someone. I’ve sent you the address.”

“Aren’t you going to meet Sister?” Ren Ke asked, blinking her big, adorable eyes.

“Meet her?” Shuyan was puzzled.

“Sister’s almost at the courtyard.” Ren Ke looked at the clock again and said urgently, “In the dramas I watch, people wait considerately… and then they do… that… whatcha-ma-call-it.” Ren Ke covered her eyes as she spoke.

Her words were fragmented, but Shuyan understood most of it. Her face flushed halfway—the “greeting kiss”…

“Children shouldn’t watch those things,” Shuyan said, her face crimson, her voice lacking conviction.

“Sister Yan,” Ren Ke slowly lowered her fingers, pretending she hadn’t heard, but peered out curiously. “So, are you going to meet her?”

As much as Lin Shuyan wanted to see Ren Xuan sooner, she was too embarrassed to go now. “I’ll stay and play with you.” She tried to change the subject quickly.

“I can play by myself.” Ren Ke held up her toy train, looking perfectly obedient.

“It’s no fun alone,” Shuyan said.

“It is—”

“What are you two chatting about?” Ren Xuan entered and saw the two sitting on the living room rug, talking animatedly.

“Sister Yan said she missed you.” Ren Ke scrambled up, dropped that line, and ran into the courtyard within seconds, leaving Lin Shuyan alone in the living room to face Ren Xuan.

Ren Xuan was stunned for a moment. Looking at Shuyan’s expression, she understood immediately. “She’s getting more and more playful,” Ren Xuan said, setting her bag down and walking over quickly, choosing not to mention Ren Ke’s words.

For some reason, Shuyan felt a fleeting sense of disappointment. But the next moment, seeing Ren Xuan looking at her tenderly, that feeling vanished.

After dinner, Lin Shuyan browsed through the fan forums (Super Topic), stretching her body like a satisfied cat. Ren Xuan walked over carrying a coffee, glanced down at the phone screen, and patted her head. “It will get even better in the future.”

Right now, her followers had only increased by a few tens of thousands. Ren Xuan believed that once Shuyan acted in a few more dramas, more people would recognize her.

“Mhm.” Shuyan tilted her head and leaned naturally against Ren Xuan’s leg. “I know.” She believed so deeply.

“Ning Yinman,” Ren Xuan added, as if making sure Shuyan understood, “my childhood friend. She booked a private room at Xingsheng and said she wants to introduce someone. Do you want to go?”

“I…” Shuyan hesitated. For A-Xuan to ask this meant she intended to introduce Shuyan to her friends.

“If…” Ren Xuan was about to say it was fine if she didn’t want to. Ren Xuan had to go herself; although she roughly knew who Ning Yinman wanted to introduce, it was the first time things had been made so formal. Usually, she would only hear a name over the phone or see a girl by Ning Yinman’s side at a party.

“Are they all your close friends?” Shuyan asked, her heart thumping as she looked up.

“Yes,” Ren Xuan nodded. “Friends I grew up with. Four in total.”

Besides Ning Yinman, Ren Xuan had three other childhood friends. They contacted each other occasionally. In the half-year since Ren Xuan arrived here, she had mostly contacted the others by phone, except for Ning Yinman. These friends didn’t find it strange; the previous Ren Xuan used to gather with them physically but was never there emotionally. Now that she was barely seen in person, it seemed normal.

“I’ll go,” Shuyan said, sitting up straight with her hands on her knees, answering with great solemnity.

“It’s just a small gathering,” Ren Xuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Just be casual.”

Lin Shuyan nodded repeatedly, but she didn’t feel casual at all. This was the first time she would meet Ren Xuan’s friends; she had to leave a good impression.

Lin Shuyan began busying herself that very night. From clothes and shoes to accessories and makeup, she rummaged through her closet over and over, only to realize she still didn’t have many clothes.

She used to be poor and couldn’t afford them. After taking a few roles, she wasn’t rich, but she could afford food and clothes. However, she spent almost all her time at the studio, and Sister Zheng supervised most of her public outfits. Excluding those, Shuyan sat on her bed in distress. She couldn’t exactly go out and buy clothes now.

“A-Xuan.” While she was dazing off, the doorbell rang. She ran to the door in her slippers and saw Ren Xuan.

“I’m coming in,” Ren Xuan said casually.

“Wait… wait a second!” Shuyan remembered the open closet and tried to stop her…

But Ren Xuan was already inside. Shuyan covered her face. Why does A-Xuan always see the room when it’s a mess?

“Still thinking about the party tomorrow?” Ren Xuan saw right through her.

“Mmh…” Shuyan leaned against the wall and nodded, barely daring to look her in the eye. Would A-Xuan think she was being petty? A-Xuan said it was just an ordinary gathering, but Shuyan had never experienced this before, and she was worried.

“I’m afraid I’ll ruin it for you,” Shuyan said, hanging her head dejectedly.

In this situation, no matter how many times Ren Xuan reassured her, Shuyan likely wouldn’t believe it. Ren Xuan gave a brilliant smile. “Is that why you’re packing so late?” Ning Yinman’s appointment was for 7:30 PM tomorrow, and neither of them had anything to do all day.

“Mhm.” Shuyan’s voice grew lower and lower.

“I’m very happy that Shuyan values my friends so much,” Ren Xuan took her hand and smiled gently at her puzzled expression.

“However,” Ren Xuan tilted her head, “Shouldn’t the task of dressing up my girlfriend be mine?”

“If you handle the clothes and jewelry all by yourself, what use do you have for a girlfriend like me?”

“Huh?” Shuyan was too surprised to speak, blinking in confusion.

“Leave it to me,” Ren Xuan chuckled. “My girlfriend is the most beautiful even without dressing up.”

Shuyan’s face flushed. She suddenly realized—had Ren Xuan come to knock on her door so late because she knew Shuyan was worrying about tomorrow?

“A-Xuan…”

“Can you sleep peacefully now?” Ren Xuan asked.

“No.” Shuyan’s chest felt warm. She wanted to hide her feelings, but the light in her eyes and the emotions in her heart couldn’t be suppressed. She hugged Ren Xuan, leaning against her shoulder, and murmured, “A-Xuan is so good to me that I can’t sleep at all.”

“This is enough to be ‘good’?” Ren Xuan curled her lips.

“Mhm.” Shuyan nodded hard.

“My Shuyan is so easily satisfied,” Ren Xuan smiled.

“No, I’m not.” Shuyan rubbed her itching nose against Ren Xuan’s shoulder. She was actually becoming less and less satisfied. The better A-Xuan was to her, the more she wanted to push her luck.

She wanted to hold A-Xuan or lie in her arms. At first, she thought she’d be happy just feeling her presence. But now, like at this moment, she could hear the call from the bottom of her heart. She suddenly wanted A-Xuan to stay.

Stay in this room. Stay in the room where she was living.

They were a couple; wasn’t it natural to stay together? Of course it is, Shuyan could hear her own heart echo.

“A-Xuan…” Shuyan stammered. “I…” How do I ask my girlfriend to stay? She had seen it in dramas and novels, so why couldn’t she say a single word now!

“Lin Shuyan,” Ren Xuan sighed softly, her eyes holding a complex look that Shuyan couldn’t see. “Don’t trust others too easily. When people are good to you, they always want something in return.”

“Mhm.” Shuyan obediently noted it down. Of course she wouldn’t trust others easily; she only trusted A-Xuan. Was A-Xuan telling her this because she was worried someone would lure her away?

No way. Shuyan thought: I only want A-Xuan. And A-Xuan only wants me.

Did they share a mutual understanding? If they did, why wasn’t A-Xuan more intimate with her? Was she afraid Shuyan would regret it?

Shuyan knew Ren Xuan’s character; after thinking it over, it seemed that was the only logical reason. A-Xuan considered everything for her. Should she do something as well?