After Taking Advantage Of An Opening [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 6

After Wen Ling left, Gu Rongqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yet when she remembered being held in Wen Ling’s arms, she unexpectedly felt a little reluctant to let that moment go…

But the thought that she might never again be able to indulge in that embrace made Gu Rongqing strangely uncomfortable.

As for their divorce, she had agreed almost immediately when Wen Ling asked for it.

They had been together for seven years. Sometimes Gu Rongqing wondered whether she felt romantic love for Wen Ling, but no matter how much she thought about it, she could never figure it out.

All she knew was that being with Wen Ling had always felt comfortable and that Wen Ling had treated her more than well enough.

The problem was Gu Rongqing herself.

She had confidence in her abilities and in her work, but she had no confidence in herself.

She could only treat Wen Ling in the ways she believed were good for her.

Giving birth to Wen Nuan was one example.

Knock, knock.

The sudden sound at the door made Gu Rongqing rise to open it.

“Rongqing, you’re awake? I thought the two of you were still sleeping. I came to call you down for breakfast.”

It was Mrs. Gu.

“Mm, we’re awake.”

“Where’s Wen Ling?”

Mrs. Gu glanced inside but didn’t see her.

“She went to check on Nuan Nuan.”

“Then go call them in for breakfast.”

Gu Rongqing nodded.

When she found them in the garden, she was just about to call Wen Ling when she heard Wen Nuan ask tearfully, “Don’t you love Mommy anymore?”

Gu Rongqing immediately grew nervous.

At the same time, she felt a faint sense of anticipation.

But…

She never heard Wen Ling’s answer.

Gu Rongqing gripped the doorframe tightly.

Her heart… hurt a little.

It was an indescribable feeling. Even when Wen Ling asked for a divorce, Gu Rongqing hadn’t felt this miserable.

Now her heart felt hollow and painfully empty.

Gu Rongqing took a deep breath, composed herself, and walked toward Wen Ling and Wen Nuan.

“Mommy~”

Wen Nuan was the first to notice her.

Wen Ling had her back to Gu Rongqing because she was holding the child. Only after hearing Wen Nuan call out did she turn around.

“It’s time to eat.”

Gu Rongqing avoided Wen Ling’s gaze and held out her hand to Wen Nuan.

Wen Nuan looked at Mommy’s outstretched hand, then at Mama, who was holding her.

She climbed out of Wen Ling’s arms, took her hand, and led her over to Gu Rongqing. Then she placed Gu Rongqing’s hand in Wen Ling’s.

“Mama, let’s hurry and go eat with Mommy.”

Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing instinctively looked down at their tightly joined hands.

Gu Rongqing frowned, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Seeing her frown, Wen Ling instinctively tried to let go. But little Wen Nuan didn’t give her the chance. She tugged them toward the house while urging, “Hurry! I’m so hungry.”

She looked nothing like the tearful little crybaby from a moment ago.

Wen Ling abandoned the thought of letting go. Instead, she tightened her hand around Gu Rongqing’s.

Mrs. Gu had prepared breakfast. The simple meal of milk and sandwiches was both nutritious and healthy.

Wen Ling remained silent as she busied herself helping Wen Nuan eat. Gu Rongqing knew even less about what to say, but her gaze remained fixed on Wen Ling and Wen Nuan.

Wen Ling truly had taken excellent care of Xiao Nuan.

When Wen Nuan got milk around her mouth, Wen Ling smiled, called her a messy little kitten, and wiped it away.

Gu Rongqing’s gaze was actually extremely gentle as she watched the two of them.

Mrs. Gu noticed everything.

She knew her daughter was poor at expressing herself. Sometimes, Gu Rongqing didn’t even understand her own feelings. Naturally, she had no idea how tender her expression became whenever she looked at Wen Ling and Wen Nuan.

Mrs. Gu truly couldn’t bear to watch this family fall apart.

Of course she felt sorry for her daughter. It hadn’t been easy for Gu Rongqing to meet someone as considerate and sensible as Wen Ling, someone who genuinely kept Gu Rongqing in her heart.

At the same time, Mrs. Gu sincerely liked Wen Ling and hoped these two children could be happy.

That was why she was determined to help them.

“Wen Ling, I heard one of your works is being adapted into a film?”

Wen Ling put down what she was holding and answered, “Yes, it’s being made into a movie.”

“So the rumors are true?”

Mrs. Gu sounded delighted. She nudged Mr. Gu beside her.

“Old Gu, the movie Rongqing is going to film was written by Wen Ling!”

“Didn’t you already tell me yesterday? You were delighted about it for ages,” Mr. Gu replied, bluntly exposing her act.

Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing exchanged a glance, each seeing the awkwardness in the other’s eyes.

Mrs. Gu paid no attention to that and continued, “The two of you are truly impressive.”

She then turned to Wen Nuan.

“Xiao Nuan, aren’t your mama and mommy amazing?”

Wen Nuan nodded to show that they were.

In truth, she hadn’t entirely understood the conversation. She simply believed that her mama and mommy were amazing no matter what.

“When does filming begin?”

“Wen Ling, will you be joining the production too?”

“And if both of you are busy, what will happen to our Xiao Nuan?”

Mrs. Gu fired off three questions in succession.

The first two were easy enough, since Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing already knew the answers.

The final question, however, put Wen Ling in a difficult position.

Once she became busy with the production, she truly wouldn’t be able to care for Wen Nuan properly. Her own mother wasn’t in Jingcheng City, so she couldn’t help her either.

After hearing her mother’s question and seeing Wen Ling’s troubled expression, Gu Rongqing prepared to speak on her behalf.

“Mom… Wen Ling can—”

“Don’t speak.”

Mrs. Gu glanced at Gu Rongqing, inwardly beside herself with anxiety.

Why is this child so hopeless? Who do you think your mother is doing this for? If Xiao Nuan stays here, you two can see each other on set and then come home to see each other again!

“Wen Ling, leave Xiao Nuan with me. I’ll take care of her.”

Mrs. Gu smiled at Wen Ling. Afraid she might refuse, she immediately turned to Wen Nuan.

“Xiao Nuan, would you like to stay with Grandma for a while? Mama and Mommy will be working together, so they won’t be able to take care of you. But they’ll come back to visit you together.”

Wen Nuan pouted. She looked at Wen Ling, then at Gu Rongqing, clearly somewhat reluctant…

But then she remembered what Grandma had just said.

Mama and Mommy were going to work together.

That meant they would be together, right?

Then perhaps they wouldn’t get divorced.

“All right, Grandma.”

Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing watched as their precious daughter, little Wen Nuan, went from reluctant to delighted in an instant.

Children’s moods truly were like the weather in June—changing without warning.

Since Wen Nuan had already agreed, Wen Ling couldn’t think of any reason to refuse. She could only accept the arrangement.

After breakfast, Wen Ling prepared to take Wen Nuan home.

Before leaving, she told Mrs. Gu that she wouldn’t be joining the production for another few days. She would return home, pack Wen Nuan’s luggage, prepare everything she needed, and then bring it all over with the child.

Mrs. Gu naturally agreed with a smile and played with Wen Nuan for a little longer.

But just as they were about to walk out the door, Wen Nuan changed her mind again. She released Wen Ling’s hand and walked over to Gu Rongqing.

“Mommy~ Aren’t you coming home with us?”

Wen Nuan gazed at her with wide, unblinking eyes.

“I’m sorry, Xiao Nuan. Mommy still has work today.”

Gu Rongqing crouched down and hugged Wen Nuan.

The look in the child’s eyes made her heart ache, but she knew that she no longer belonged in that home.

Standing nearby, Wen Ling heard Gu Rongqing’s answer and remembered her call with Ji Chenxi the previous night.

Just as I expected.

“Xiao Nuan, Mommy still has work. Don’t bother her.”

“No! I want Mommy.”

Wen Nuan wrapped her small arms even more tightly around Gu Rongqing’s neck.

Wen Ling sighed helplessly. She crouched beside the child.

“Would you like Mama to take you for ice cream? Don’t you like strawberry ice cream the most?”

Fully aware that her daughter was a little glutton, Wen Ling mercilessly targeted her weakness.

Sure enough, Wen Nuan immediately looked over. Her expression wavered, clearly tempted by the promise of ice cream.

In the end, Wen Nuan left with the ice cream.

Mrs. Gu watched Wen Ling and Wen Nuan walk away, then looked at Gu Rongqing, who was obviously reluctant to see them go.

She was clearly displeased with her daughter.

“What could possibly be so important that you can’t spend time with your child?”

Gu Rongqing felt uncomfortable when she heard that. She turned to her mother and replied, “You and Dad were very busy when you were young too.”

Mrs. Gu was rendered speechless. She looked toward Mr. Gu.

Gu Rongqing ignored them and returned to her room.

Only after Gu Rongqing went upstairs did Mrs. Gu say to her husband, “It’s all our fault. Otherwise, Rongqing wouldn’t have turned out like this…”

Mr. Gu wrapped an arm around her shoulders and comforted her.

“Don’t blame yourself. When we were young, we only wanted to give Rongqing a good life.”

When Mr. Gu was younger, he had been busy running his restaurant. At first, Mrs. Gu divided her time between caring for her husband and looking after Gu Rongqing.

Later, as Mr. Gu’s business grew, he became increasingly busy. The family also became wealthier, moved into a larger home, and hired a nanny.

Mrs. Gu then devoted herself entirely to helping with the restaurant.

The young Gu Rongqing grew up in the care of the nanny, gradually developing the habit of remaining silent and never expressing herself.

After leaving the Gu residence, Wen Ling took Wen Nuan in a taxi to a shopping mall in the commercial district.

First, she bought Wen Nuan her favorite ice cream on the ground floor. After the child finished eating, Wen Ling took her to the children’s playground on the top floor.

Wen Ling would be joining the production in a few days. Since it happened to be the weekend, she intended to spend these next two days keeping Xiao Nuan company.

The moment they reached the top floor, Wen Nuan burst with excitement. She released Wen Ling and immediately ran toward the playground.

Wen Ling had purchased a membership there and brought Wen Nuan whenever she had time, so the child knew the place extremely well.

Wen Ling sat in the nearby parents’ rest area and watched her play.

She suddenly remembered the first few times she brought Wen Nuan there.

The child had always asked, “Why didn’t Mommy come with us? The other children all have their daddy and mommy or their mama and mommy with them.”

At the time, Wen Ling had explained that Mommy was extremely busy and couldn’t come play with Xiao Nuan.

Privately, Wen Ling thought that even if Gu Rongqing hadn’t been busy, she still wouldn’t have brought her to such a crowded place.

If Gu Rongqing appeared here, Wen Nuan probably wouldn’t be able to play at all.

Wen Nuan played in the children’s playground for almost two hours before finally having enough.

She ran all the way back to Wen Ling, who stood and went to meet her.

The child’s small face was flushed, and she had worked up a sweat. Wen Ling quickly wiped her clean, afraid she might catch a chill.

Wen Nuan grinned and hugged her.

“Mama, Mama~ I’m hungry~ I want fried chicken.”

“You greedy little kitten. Come on, Mama will take you.”

Wen Ling picked Wen Nuan up and carried her out of the playground.

They returned to the ground floor and headed straight for the fried chicken restaurant.

Almost every time Wen Ling brought Wen Nuan here to play, the child insisted on having fried chicken afterward. By now, they knew the route by heart.

“Mama, look. Isn’t that Mommy?”

Wen Ling stopped in her tracks.

Directly across from the fried chicken restaurant was a café.

Wen Ling had never visited it, but she frequently saw recommendations saying the coffee there was excellent. She had once thought that if an opportunity arose, she would like to visit it with Gu Rongqing.

But now, seeing Gu Rongqing sitting inside that café with Ji Chenxi across from her, Wen Ling knew she never wanted to set foot inside it again.