Chapter 22.2

Yan Qing carefully applied medicine to Meng Shi’s wrist and wrapped it in bandages. At the end, she even tied them into a bow.

“A virtuous wife and loving mother…”

Ye Wei’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

She had never seen such a gentle side of Yan Qing before. Today, she had Meng Shi to thank for the privilege.

Meng Shi and the older woman kept exchanging glances. The love filling their eyes was so overwhelming that Ye Wei nearly choked on its sweetness.

She felt painfully unnecessary.

Unable to keep watching, she lowered her head and concentrated on eating their dog food.

“By the way, give Ah Shi the access card you have. You can apply for another one later.”

Yan Qing also gave Meng Shi Ye Wei’s contact information and the landline number for her house.

“The next time you come here, please use the main entrance! Don’t get caught by security again. What if something happens?”

She repeatedly reminded Meng Shi, still worried.

“It’s fine. The security guards here were very polite. The neighborhood was simply too large, and I couldn’t remember your house number. I walked around several times but couldn’t find it, so I went to ask the guards.”

“…You went to the security guards yourself?”

Ye Wei looked completely bewildered.

“Mm.”

The older woman did not know whether to laugh or cry.

No wonder the security guards had politely invited Meng Shi to drink tea yesterday.

Yan Qing had believed they might make things difficult for her.

Thinking about it now, had she been worried about the wrong people?

While they were tidying up, Meng Shi’s phone rang.

She looked at the screen.

Meng Jiu was calling.

Meng Shi glanced at Yan Qing before answering.

“Mm~ Where are you?”

Meng Jiu had probably just opened her eyes and had not yet gotten out of bed. Her voice was lazy and soft, heavily nasal, with a hint of coquettishness.

Furthermore, the first thing she asked was where Meng Shi was…

Forget the older woman—even Meng Shi herself found the voice suggestive.

Meng Shi remained silent for a moment and looked at Yan Qing.

“I’m outside… exercising…”

The older woman pursed her lips and secretly laughed.

“I have to go to work soon, so I can’t stay home with you. Remember to come home early and spend more time with Mom.”

Meng Jiu yawned, and her voice finally returned to normal.

“All right. I understand.”

The older woman was now completely reassured.

She found it amusing that she had actually been jealous of Meng Jiu.

Just after Meng Shi ended the call, another one came in.

She looked at the screen.

It was an unfamiliar number, so she immediately rejected it.

“I’ll stay with you for a little longer before going home. These past few days—”

Ding—

The phone rang again.

Meng Shi checked it.

It was the same unfamiliar number.

Confused, she answered.

“Hello, Ah Meng~”

“…”

A woman’s voice came from the other end.

Meng Shi looked utterly confused and glanced at the older woman.

“I’ve been quite busy recently and haven’t paid much attention to you. Are you free tomorrow? Let’s meet.”

The moment Ye Wei heard the voice, she froze as though someone had struck one of her acupoints from a distance.

Yan Qing also frowned slightly.

Meng Shi assumed she was unhappy.

“You have the wrong number.”

She immediately hung up.

However, Ye Wei stared at Meng Shi with shock, shock, and even more shock.

The older woman, meanwhile, was laughing uncontrollably.

Meng Shi had no idea what was happening.

Ye Wei gave her a thumbs-up.

“As expected of the person Boss has chosen. You’re impressively domineering!”

“Uh?”

Meng Shi looked at her phone.

“You know that person?”

“…”

Ye Wei did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“That was your boss! Your boss!”

“No, it wasn’t. I saved Sister Xiaoyan’s number.”

“It was Fang Yu,” the older woman finally reminded her.

“Which Fang Yu?”

After a long pause, understanding dawned on Meng Shi.

“Oh.”

“That’s strange. I haven’t contacted them in a long time. Why is she looking for me?”

“She probably heard some news related to you.”

“Don’t worry. The one thing Fang Yu lacks most is shame. She’ll call again shortly.”

The older woman made it clear that she understood Fang Yu’s personality extremely well.

Sure enough, the phone rang again as soon as she finished speaking.

Meng Shi was about to answer when Ye Wei pressed down on her arm.

“My personal suggestion is that you remember you’re still an artist under contract with Huayu.”

“No matter what, Fang Yu is your boss. If you maintain a good relationship with her, your life will be easier in the future.”

Meng Shi nodded.

“Thank you.”

【Ye Wei: Hehe, I touched her!!】

【Yan Qing: She slipped through my defenses!】

“I’m Fang Yu.”

Fang Yu introduced herself from the other end.

Even through the phone, they could practically imagine her gloomy expression.

“Oh, Sister Fang Yu. Is something the matter?”

“Are you free tomorrow? Could you come to the company?”

The faintly consultative tone in Fang Yu’s voice sounded rather intriguing.

“Mm. I’ll see.”

Then Meng Shi…

Hung up again.

“…Boss, what happened to the good attitude we discussed?”

“If she makes things difficult for you afterward, what will you do?”

Ye Wei now felt that the expression birds of a feather flock together existed for a reason.

“She only signed me to anger Qing’er. I never expected her to give me any worthwhile opportunities.”

The moment Meng Shi finished speaking, she noticed Ye Wei’s strange expression.

Ye Wei’s face remained blank, yet it had turned bright red from suppressing her laughter. Every so often, a single laugh escaped, but she did not dare laugh openly…

In any case, she looked extremely peculiar.

Meng Shi turned toward Yan Qing.

Only then did she discover that the older woman’s beautiful face was also bright red and that she was gritting her teeth.

“We need to talk!”

Yan Qing grabbed Meng Shi by the ear and dragged her into the bedroom.

…

Half an hour later, the older woman led the pitiful girl out of the bedroom with a kind smile.

“Come. Repeat what you just said.”

She rested one hand around Meng Shi’s waist and looked at her with a smile.

Meng Shi rubbed her bright-red ear with one hand and covered the faintly aching skin at her waist with the other.

She pursed her lips aggrievedly.

“Fang Yu only signed me to anger… anger my lady… I never expected her to give me any worthwhile opportunities.”

“Pfft!”

Ye Wei nearly burst out laughing, but managed to control her mouth just in time.

“Mm, yes. I think I know why Fang Yu suddenly remembered you.”

Ye Wei handed her phone to Yan Qing.

It displayed a recent interview with the Smiling Angel, Karina.

Karina was considered something of a legend in boxing. She had competed for ten years without suffering a single defeat.

At least, that had been true before she encountered Meng Shi.

The interview generally stated that Karina had temporarily abandoned the idea of continuing to box.

Instead, she planned to use her exceptional natural advantages to enter the film and television industry.

She had already accepted a role in a major action film based on a famous intellectual property and directed by a prominent director.

During the interview, she deliberately mentioned the opponent who had given her the first defeat of her career.

She praised Ah Shi endlessly and openly stated that she hoped to work with her someday if given the opportunity.

Yan Qing then opened Fang Yu’s Weibo account.

Her latest post was a repost of that interview, accompanied by a video clip from Meng Shi’s match with Karina.

“This Fang Yu truly finds opportunities everywhere.”

Meng Shi became unhappy when she saw the video.

When she originally signed with Fang Yu, she had clearly said she did not want her family to know.

Now Fang Yu had publicly released footage of her boxing.

What would happen if her sister saw it?

“Still, Ah Shi, this is an opportunity.”

Yan Qing thought carefully.

“As a competitor, I genuinely find Fang Yu unbearably irritating.”

“However, that also proves she has ability. Huayu has indeed developed quite well over the past two years.”

“Fang Yu may be somewhat slick and opportunistic, but once she recognizes your potential, she will properly cultivate you.”

Yan Qing paused and considered her words.

“Do you still want to enter the entertainment industry?”

Meng Shi fell silent.

She liked working at the boxing gym.

She liked interacting simply with uncomplicated people.

But…

Ding—

Hearing Meng Shi’s phone ring, Ye Wei glanced at her.

“Why are you even busier than I am…?”

Meng Shi picked up the phone.

Yuan Xiaobai was calling.

“Hello, Sister Xiaobai. What happened?”

Meng Shi’s thoughts were already in turmoil.

On the other end, Yuan Xiaobai spoke rapidly, firing off a long string of words.

In brief, she was saying…

“What? Say that again?”

Meng Shi looked astonished.

“I was fired?”

After ending the call, Meng Shi remained completely bewildered, frowning as she thought.

“What happened?” Yan Qing hurriedly asked.

“Sister Xiaobai said I’ve been fired.”

“She said Sister Xiaoyan asked her to tell me and wants me to collect my salary from the gym tomorrow.”

“Fired?”

Even the older woman was confused.

Leaving everything else aside, based solely on the way Xiang Xiaoyan had looked at Meng Shi that day, Yan Qing did not believe she would dismiss her.

Meng Shi considered it briefly and called Xiang Xiaoyan.

No one answered.

After waiting for a while, she called again.

There was still no answer.

“Don’t worry yet,” Yan Qing comforted her.

“Uh… Do you think your sister might have said something to your boss?” Ye Wei guessed.

“No.”

Meng Shi shook her head.

“My sister cannot conceal what she’s thinking. If she had said anything to Sister Xiaoyan, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to hide it from me.”

“Hmm… Then your boss is rather strange.”

“The number of customers at your gym has increased considerably recently, and many of them are coming specifically for you. Surely she can see that.”

“Firing you at a time like this would be refusing money.”

Ye Wei analyzed the situation.

“I’m leaving. I need to go to the boxing gym,” Meng Shi said.

“Mm. I’ll have someone drive you. It’ll be faster than taking the bus.”

Yan Qing glanced at Ye Wei.

Ye Wei immediately called for a driver.

While they waited, Yan Qing comforted Meng Shi several more times.

She glanced at Meng Shi’s phone and silently memorized Xiang Xiaoyan’s number.

After Meng Shi left, Yan Qing took out her phone and entered it.

“Sister Qing, are you genuinely serious about her?”

“Hmm?”

“Mm… It’s nothing.”

“This little girl is quite good, but the big boss is also wonderful. Besides, the two of you have known each other for so many years.”

“Won’t you reconsider?”

Ye Wei carefully observed Yan Qing’s expression.

“No.”

“Old Chu is a very good friend. She and I can only ever be friends.”

“Don’t make a decision on a temporary impulse and regret it later—”

“My love is a temporary impulse.”

“I felt that impulse the first time I saw Ah Shi.”

“…”

Ye Wei silently raised a thumb.

She had finally met someone even more willful than Chu Yihan.

…

Meng Shi went to the boxing gym, but unexpectedly, it was closed.

A sign had been placed outside stating that the business would be closed for one day.

Meng Shi could not find anyone, and her calls remained unanswered.

With no other choice, she returned home first.

She did not know why Xiang Xiaoyan had suddenly fired her.

However, she knew there had to be more behind the matter.

When Meng Shi returned home, her mother was unusually silent.

“Mom, I’m back.”

There was still no response.

Meng Shi feared something had happened and hurried into the room.

The older woman was completely absorbed in watching television and had no attention to spare for her.

Yesterday, Meng Jiu had worried that their mother would become bored at home alone, so she installed internet television for her.

Today, Xie Ping had already become engrossed in it.

“Mom, what are you watching?”

“Shh! Don’t speak! She’s about to do it!”

The older woman concentrated intensely, almost as though she wanted to crawl inside the television.

Seeing how absorbed she was, Meng Shi sat down and watched with her.

“When Will the Swallows Return?”

Looking at the film’s title, Meng Shi thought it seemed somewhat familiar.

Then, in the blink of an eye, a familiar face appeared on the screen.

Wasn’t this Yan Qing’s breakthrough film?

Meng Shi knew about it.

She had seen it mentioned in the notes.

The story consisted of three films: Dream Song, Deep Spring, and Evening Sun.

Together, they told the story of Princess Ji Yao of the Kingdom of Jiang and her turbulent, glorious, yet lonely life.

When Ji Yao was young, she unexpectedly met Cheng Huaijin, a political hostage from Nanling.

The two fell in love at first sight, developed mutual affection, and shared a sweet and romantic period together.

Unfortunately, the good times did not last.

Cheng Huaijin persuaded Ji Yao to help him escape the Kingdom of Jiang.

He promised that after seizing the throne, he would request her hand from the King of Jiang and marry her.

Ji Yao agreed.

Every day, she waited atop the city walls, hoping and longing for Cheng Huaijin’s marriage proposal and for the person she loved to return and marry her.

However, what she finally received was internal chaos within Jiang.

Natural disasters and human calamities struck, while internal and external threats surrounded the kingdom.

At that critical moment, the King of Jiang decided to marry Ji Yao to Cheng Huaiyu, the crown prince of Nanling, using Nanling’s strength to resolve the crisis.

Deep Spring primarily told the story of Ji Yao’s life in Nanling.

She lived every day filled with guilt toward Huaijin, resistance toward Huaiyu, and constant unease and fear.

Yet after Cheng Huaijin learned of her circumstances, he showed no sadness whatsoever.

Instead, he became overjoyed.

He comforted Ji Yao and encouraged her to remain peacefully beside Cheng Huaiyu and serve him well.

Using sweet words, he soothed Ji Yao and persuaded her to gain Cheng Huaiyu’s favor.

He was determined to transform Ji Yao into a nail embedded deeply within Cheng Huaiyu’s bones.

At first, Ji Yao continued trusting him completely and even imagined a beautiful future for the two of them.

However, through repeated exploitation and betrayal, she gradually saw Cheng Huaijin’s true nature.

Only the throne existed in his eyes.

Everything and everyone were merely pieces on his chessboard.

The once innocent, carefree young woman gradually lost her childishness under such circumstances.

She became a calculating woman who no longer possessed any longing or pursuit of love.

Only the instinct to survive remained.

After Crown Prince Cheng Huaiyu ascended the throne, he appointed the read the original at bailiantales.compregnant Ji Yao as empress and exiled Cheng Huaijin beyond the frontier.

However, Cheng Huaiyu had been physically weak since childhood.

Not long after ascending the throne, his old illness returned.

He wrote an imperial decree naming the unborn child in Ji Yao’s belly as crown prince.

He also hinted to Ji Yao that if she wanted to preserve the kingdom for herself and her child, she had to kill Cheng Huaijin.

Caught between affection and power, she chose to give Cheng Huaijin one final opportunity.

She concealed the news of Cheng Huaiyu’s death and deceived Cheng Huaijin into entering the palace.

However, his behavior disappointed her completely.

In the end, she personally killed him.

…

The scene currently playing showed Ji Yao killing Cheng Huaijin with her own hands.

On the screen, Ji Yao wore no phoenix crown.

Her long hair flowed freely as it had during her youth, and her bright-red robe resembled a wedding gown.

Holding a pair of scissors in one hand, she slowly approached Cheng Huaijin, who lay unconscious on the floor.

Her raised hand refused to descend.

It trembled faintly.

The gaze she directed at Cheng Huaijin contained determination that could not completely conceal its tenderness.

Suddenly, the scissors came down viciously—

But stopped steadily above his chest.

Ji Yao desperately restrained herself.

Her body trembled involuntarily, and her chest rose and fell violently.

Gritting her teeth, she raised her hand again.

Tears gathered in her eyes.

That single tear hanging there without falling made the audience’s hearts ache unbearably.

With a wet stab, the scissors pierced him.

When she pulled them free, a trail of blood droplets followed and splashed across her face.

She paid no attention.

She silently stood, expressionless and hollow-eyed.

The sound of the scissors falling to the floor alerted the maidservants outside.

They hurried inside and stared in horror.

Ji Yao sat at the bedside, one hand covering her abdomen as she gazed blankly at the ground.

“Upon learning of His Majesty’s passing, Prince Huai remembered their brotherly affection. Overcome with grief, he followed His Majesty in death.”

There were no tears.

No wailing.

Her voice was cold and her tone peaceful, as though she were describing something entirely unrelated to herself.

…

“Hah…”

Meng Shi took a deep breath.

Even through the screen, she could feel the intense oppressive atmosphere.

She could not help admiring Yan Qing’s exquisite acting.

Meng Shi touched her chest and remembered the spear that the Yan Qing from her previous life had driven through her.

It hurt so much!

Suddenly, the television screen jumped backward, returning to the moment when Ji Yao stabbed Cheng Huaijin.

???

Meng Shi looked utterly confused.

“Good! Kill him!”

Beside her, Xie Ping clenched her fist and cheered.

“Upon learning of His Majesty’s passing, Prince Huai remembered their brotherly affection. Overcome with grief, he followed His Majesty in death.”

The moment Ji Yao finished speaking, the image once again jumped back to the stabbing scene.

This time, Meng Shi saw clearly.

Her mother was controlling the television with the remote and had rewound it.

“Mom… what are you doing…?”

“One stab is far too lenient for a scumbag like him. If I watch it several more times, it’ll be like stabbing him several more times!”

Xie Ping spoke indignantly.

“…”

Meng Shi covered her chest.

【Meng Shi: It hurts so much…】