Chapter 52
Lu Youyou was rushed to the hospital last night and underwent a series of examinations. Finally, it was found that there was nothing wrong with her head, though her ankle was slightly sprained. Following medical advice, she decided to stay in the hospital for two days.
This hospital served as a designated facility for people in the industry; the service was excellent, and the privacy was top-notch. Her private room was spacious and comfortable, featuring its own bathroom, a balcony, and even the companion bed was clean and soft.
Meng Qiuran stayed by Lu Youyou’s side throughout the night. Despite the comfortable environment, neither of them felt sleepy; they spent almost the entire night talking.
Meng Qiuran started by explaining the System’s missions and everything she had done since transmigrating to complete them, making Lu Youyou’s eyebrows twitch incessantly. They talked from late night until dawn, and only then did they manage to catch a bit of dazed rest.
Perhaps the joy of reuniting with an old friend was too intense, or perhaps Lu Youyou still had too many questions, but just after eight o’clock, she woke Meng Qiuran up again.
“Old Meng, do you think we can negotiate with the System to change the mission?”
Meng Qiuran wasn’t in a deep sleep; she was simply resting because she had talked too much. She kept her eyes closed and murmured, “What do you think?”
“You didn’t follow the entertainment industry before, but by now you should know how hard it is to finish this mission, right?”
Meng Qiuran gave a dissatisfied hum; her head was already aching.
“We’ve come this far, so we can only grit our teeth and keep moving forward.” Meng Qiuran slowly opened her eyes and turned to look at her. “Besides, I think Gu Ruolan is quite impressive. It might not be impossible.”
“How long has it been since you met her, and you already think she’s impressive?” Lu Youyou laughed. “But your eye for talent is correct. Sister Lin mentioned to me in private a few times that Gu Ruolan’s talent is extraordinary. Once she encounters a good script and a good team, she’ll definitely fly higher.”
Meng Qiuran also laughed. “That’s why I had to wake you up so urgently. Otherwise, who would help me?”
“You truly almost scared me to death,” Lu Youyou said, clutching her chest and feigning lingering fear.
“I was the one truly almost scared to death.” Meng Qiuran had spent last night worried that Lu had actually broken her head.
Lu Youyou lay back and sighed, recalling the past. “That was so many years ago, yet you remember it so clearly.”
“I’ve always remembered it.”
Lu Youyou turned to look at her, her eyes reflecting both surprise and touch.
“I was afraid of triggering bad memories for you, so I never brought it up.”
“It’s nothing. I grew up being scared.”
Lu Youyou was particularly concerned about “face” in this regard, and Meng Qiuran, being very “understanding,” played along with her. “That’s for sure.”
“The plans you mentioned sound good, but they aren’t very realistic to execute. We need to reorganize everything. Moreover, this matter requires Gu Ruolan’s cooperation. Otherwise, no matter how much you chase after her to film a movie, it won’t work.”
“I’ve actually been wanting to know—how exactly does the Xinghe movie plan to trap Gu Ruolan?”
Lu Youyou shook her head. “I really don’t know about that. At least for Sister Lin’s movie, there doesn’t seem to be any problem currently.”
Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Both assumed it was a nurse checking the ward. Meng Qiuran lazily got out of bed while Lu Youyou sat up straight against the headboard.
“I’ll get it.” For the sake of their private talk, Meng Qiuran had locked the door last night.
Now that they weren’t talking about serious business, sleepiness flooded her; she really wanted to yawn. Thinking it was impolite to yawn in front of a nurse, she covered her mouth.
However, when the door opened, the person standing there wasn’t a nurse. It was Gu Ruolan.
The yawn was forced back into Meng Qiuran’s system, and she snapped into instant alertness.
“Why are you here?”
“Why are you here?”
The two spoke almost simultaneously, their eyes filled with uncontrollable surprise. It seemed neither had expected to see the other here.
Gu Ruolan was the first to explain: “I heard from Sister Lin that Miss Lu was hospitalized, so I came to pay a visit.”
Lin Mengjia was on vacation out of town and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. Gu Ruolan had originally wanted to discuss the script, but instead, she received news of Lu Youyou’s admission. Considering she would likely have frequent contact with Lin Mengjia and Lu Youyou in the future, a hospital visit was only natural.
Meng Qiuran scratched her messy hair and said casually, “I happened to be there when she got injured last night, so I called the ambulance.”
Gu Ruolan thought to herself: So Meng Qiuran was the one who saved her.
“Who is it?” Lu Youyou asked, not seeing a nurse and hearing Meng Qiuran talking to someone who sounded like an acquaintance.
Meng Qiuran stepped aside to let Gu Ruolan in. “Please, come in.”
Gu Ruolan was holding flowers and some nutritional supplements—the standard equipment for a hospital visit. “Miss Lu, hello. I heard from Sister Lin that you were hospitalized, so I came to see you.”
Lu Youyou hadn’t expected Gu Ruolan to be the first person in the industry to visit her. Although the news of her hospitalization hadn’t officially spread, there are many “shrewd spirits” in the circle; if someone truly wanted to find out, it couldn’t be hidden.
“How thoughtful, thank you.” Lu Youyou’s original attitude toward Gu Ruolan had been strictly professional—neither cold nor warm. But since recovering her memory and hearing about the mission from Meng Qiuran, she subconsciously viewed Gu Ruolan as her own mission too. After all, standing by Old Meng’s side was a long-established habit.
Lu Youyou almost tried to get out of bed to pour Gu Ruolan a glass of water, only to find her foot wasn’t cooperating. Meng Qiuran walked back and, seeing her clumsy attempts, couldn’t bear to just watch. Without waiting for Lu Youyou to speak, she went straight to the water dispenser and filled a cup.
“Have some water.”
Gu Ruolan accepted it politely, sensing something was different. Leaving aside whether Meng Qiuran had stayed the night, just observing the unspoken understanding in that simple act of pouring water—it didn’t look anything like the “stranger” state they had been in before.
She took a shallow sip. It was warm—neither cold nor hot—and very comfortable.
“Please sit. Standing is tiring,” Lu Youyou said, pointing to a nearby chair.
Meng Qiuran had used it for her coat last night. She quickly snatched her trench coat off the back and straightened the chair. “Please, sit.”
Gu Ruolan’s confusion deepened. The feeling of Lu Youyou and Meng Qiuran hosting her together grew stronger. She sat down hesitantly but found she didn’t have much to say. Her previous contact with Lu Youyou was mostly due to Lin Mengjia; now that Sister Lin wasn’t here, Gu Ruolan really had nothing to chat about.
That faint sense of constraint reappeared. Though Gu Ruolan hid it well, Meng Qiuran could see her unease. She bit her lip to suppress a smile and gave a light cough.
“The doctor said Miss Lu…” She almost said ‘Luzi’ but caught herself. “Miss Lu isn’t in serious condition. It’s just a sprained ankle; she can go home in two days.”
Gu Ruolan nodded understandingly, appearing slightly relieved. An outsider would think she was relieved because the condition wasn’t serious, but Meng Qiuran knew she was relieved because someone had broken the awkward silence.
Lu Youyou lifted her leg slightly. “Just a small accident, don’t worry.”
Gu Ruolan nodded again. “That’s good. But you still need to be careful with the recovery.”
She frequently suffered small bumps and bruises while filming; she had encountered this kind of injury many times and knew it wasn’t a major issue. After sitting for just a moment, Gu Ruolan rose to take her leave. “Since it’s not a major problem, I won’t keep you from your rest.”
Since she was leaving, Lu Youyou breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Meng Qiuran. Fearing Gu Ruolan would become suspicious, Meng Qiuran decided to leave with her.
“I was just about to leave as well. Shall we go together?”
Lu Youyou waved goodbye to them from the bed, the smile on her face more vivid and rich than before, mostly because her attitude had become much more cordial.
Meng Qiuran trailed half a step behind Gu Ruolan, one hand carrying her coat while her other hand gestured a “call me later” sign behind her back. Lu Youyou smiled and nodded, signaling she understood.
Gu Ruolan suddenly turned around, giving Meng Qiuran a fright. “What… is it?” She thought she had been caught.
“Did you drive?” Gu Ruolan suddenly remembered she said she called the ambulance last night.
“My car isn’t at the hospital.”
“Then I’ll give you a lift.”
Meng Qiuran hadn’t expected Gu Ruolan to be so proactive. She smiled and nodded.
Gu Ruolan’s driving was good; she was clearly a frequent driver. Meng Qiuran felt a bit drowsy after getting into the car and rolled down the window slightly to stay awake.
Gu Ruolan asked casually, “Did you stay at the hospital all night? You look very tired.”
“I was worried she might have hit her head, so I stayed just in case.”
Gu Ruolan paused for a moment, then added, “You’re very kind-hearted.”
Not only did she escort her to the hospital, but she stayed for the results. Even an ordinary person wouldn’t necessarily do that, let alone Miss Meng. No wonder Lu Youyou’s attitude toward her had changed today. Recalling the times she saw Lu Youyou ignore Meng Qiuran at Penguin TV, Gu Ruolan wasn’t sure if she should be happy for her.
“The two of you seem to be on very good terms now.”
“A lot better than before.” Meng Qiuran breathed a sigh of relief; now that her capable assistant was back, many things would be much easier. She looked joyful, and even though she was tired, her delight and satisfaction were impossible to hide.
Sitting next to her, how could Gu Ruolan not feel it?
Meng Qiuran suddenly remembered the message from last night. She looked at Gu Ruolan, seeing that she didn’t seem to intend to bring it up.
“When you messaged me last night, I happened to be dealing with this situation.” This explained why her “talk later” never had a follow-up. Generally, saying “talk later” and then never returning meant the person simply didn’t want to talk.
Gu Ruolan focused on the road ahead. “I guessed as much.” She hadn’t expected this last night, but after hearing Meng Qiuran at the hospital, she made the connection.
“Is the invitation still valid then?”
Just then, they hit a red light. Gu Ruolan turned her head, raising a brow slightly.
“I was wondering if you’d be interested in grabbing some brunch together?”
Though the temperature was low today, the sunlight was perfect—a clear, beautiful day. Sitting by a large glass window, drinking aromatic coffee, eating a hearty meal, and feeling the warmth of the sun through the glass—just thinking about it was pleasant.
Perhaps this beautiful imagery moved Gu Ruolan; after considering for a few seconds, she agreed. “Where do you want to go?” She looked around, considering if she needed to change direction.
“Back to the old place?”
Without realizing it, Sister Lin’s café had become their “old place.” When Meng Qiuran said it, it was the first place Gu Ruolan thought of too.
“It’s a nice place,” Gu Ruolan said with a hint of regret. “Too bad the private rooms don’t get any sunlight.”
Meng Qiuran heard that what she wanted wasn’t just the food, but the sun. She made a bold suggestion: “How about… coming to my place for brunch?”
A flash of shock crossed Gu Ruolan’s eyes, and she was slow to respond this time.
Meng Qiuran laughed. “Not the house with my brother. I have a small place of my own. I don’t go there often, but the environment is nice.” Fearing Gu Ruolan would have reservations, she added, “It’s not far from your house, in the Hengshang neighborhood. The security is very responsible.”
Gu Ruolan’s main reason for wanting to treat her was to thank her for investigating the Xiao Yan incident. Although it had changed from dinner to breakfast, the primary goal remained the same. Meng Qiuran’s proposal wasn’t absurd. Gu Ruolan thought for a bit and agreed.
On the way to the Hengshang neighborhood, Meng Qiuran called the property management to have the neighborhood restaurant prepare food and deliver it directly. Gu Ruolan heard her specify food similar to what they ate at Sister Lin’s, with an extra emphasis on being low-fat and low-oil, and even the coffee was to be sugar-free.
Then, she heard Meng Qiuran add: “And prepare some tea that’s good for the stomach.”
“If your stomach is still uncomfortable, don’t drink the coffee,” Meng Qiuran said after arranging everything. Whether to eat it or not was Gu Ruolan’s choice.
Gu Ruolan curled her lips. “I was supposed to be the host, and now you’re the one busy with arrangements.”
“It’s no different. It’s just a meal; whoever finds it convenient handles it.”
Meng Qiuran truly didn’t visit this duplex apartment often—only when she needed to stay up all night to watch overseas markets. When she felt stressed from investing, she liked to exercise to relax. She was afraid of being suspected by Meng Xiayan at home, but here, she had no such worries.
Gu Ruolan’s car drove from the main gate to the underground garage smoothly without being stopped or questioned; Meng Qiuran must have informed them in advance. Naturally, Gu Ruolan relaxed, feeling much like she was returning to her own neighborhood—no need to worry about being recognized or stared at.
Meng Qiuran lived on the top floor, with a direct elevator from the garage. Gu Ruolan had expected the socialite’s house to be luxurious, but it was a refreshing log-style design instead. Bright floor-to-ceiling windows, clean and smooth wooden floors, very little furniture—it was a model of minimalism. The apartment was filled with many green plants, looking full of life.
Gu Ruolan’s mood brightened the moment she stepped into the house, as bright as the sunlight currently drenching the living room.
“Have some water first. I’ll call property management to have the food sent up.”
Although it was Gu Ruolan’s first time here, she didn’t feel much constraint. Whether it was because the decor was to her liking or because the lack of furniture made it feel unpressured, she felt at ease.
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