Appearing on a Marriage Show Before Getting Divorced - Chapter 10
Ruan Youran walked back toward her room. Her hands and feet felt ice-cold, and her head throbbed as if the blood flow had stopped.
Before she reached the room, she heard voices coming through the half-open door. It was Chu Nian and Qin Yanlan.
Qin Yanlan: “The wound is quite deep. Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”
Chu Nian: “It’s fine. Just help me with the tetanus shot.”
…
Youran peered through the crack in the door. Qin Yanlan was wearing medical gloves, looking as professional as a doctor. She flicked the syringe with her finger, disinfected the area, and slid the needle into Chu Nian’s arm without hesitation.
As the needle sank into the flesh, Chu Nian didn’t even flinch. Youran’s heart, however, gave a sharp tremor. Why had she changed so much? In the past, the Film Queen was fearless and hardworking… except when it came to needles and medicine. Now, she looked like she was completely used to it.
Qin Yanlan pulled the needle out. “Doesn’t it hurt?”
Chu Nian (flatly): “I’m used to it.”
Ruan Youran: “???”
Used to it? How could she be used to it?
Before she could think further, Qin Yanlan’s eyes narrowed. she turned her head. “Who’s there?”
As expected of a CEO, her senses were sharp. Youran pushed the door open and walked in. Her face was pale and haggard. Chu Nian stood up. “What’s wrong?”
Youran glanced at her, looked away without a word, and went straight into the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water echoed, masking the vulnerability inside.
Chu Nian stared at the bathroom door for a long time, slowly lowering her head. Qin Yanlan watched her. Since she’d known Chu Nian, she had never seen such a proud and stubborn person look so fragile.
“Did you do something wrong?” Qin Yanlan couldn’t help but ask.
Chu Nian remained silent.
Understanding boundaries, Qin Yanlan didn’t pry. Instead, she said softly: “Nian Nian, sometimes feelings aren’t like work. You can’t just rely on a frontal assault.”
Chu Nian looked up at her, eyes shimmering. Qin Yanlan took a deep breath. “Don’t look at me like that. I can’t handle it.”
Chu Nian: “Go on.”
Because their personalities were somewhat similar, Qin Yanlan could see through her. “If one path is blocked, take another. To get a beautiful result in the end, using a few schemes and tricks along the way is only natural.”
She packed her medical kit. “Think about it. I’m leaving.”
As she left, Qin Yanlan saw Chu Nian looking thoughtful. She knew Chu Nian was a smart woman; the only reason she was stuck was because “the person involved is blinded.” Once given a nudge, she would understand.
A very smart woman…
Much more so than the one in my room. No matter how many hints Qin Yanlan gave her, that person only treated her like a junior.
With a soft sigh, Qin Yanlan carried the medical kit back to her room. Inside, Lan Ke was still practicing her horse stance. She had changed into a sharp tracksuit. Seeing Qin Yanlan, she was surprised. “Xiao Qin, you even know how to give injections?”
Qin Yanlan raised an eyebrow: “I know how to do a lot of things.”
Lan Ke: “…”
The cameras are off during break time; do you have to be so ‘suggestive’?
Wiping her sweat, Lan Ke prepared to rest. Qin Yanlan opened her laptop. Assuming the President was working, Lan Ke didn’t want to disturb her. She peeled an orange.
Qin Yanlan looked up. In terms of age, it made sense for Lan Ke to be health-conscious, but wasn’t this a bit much? If she wasn’t working out or boxing, she was eating fruit or protein powder. She was in a constant state of “energy replenishment” 24 hours a day.
Seeing Qin Yanlan staring, Lan Ke misinterpreted the look. She naturally walked over and popped a segment of the orange into Qin Yanlan’s mouth.
Qin Yanlan froze. She looked at Lan Ke. This is…
Lan Ke looked at the laptop: “Hey, that photo looks a bit familiar.”
Qin Yanlan: “…” Her attention isn’t on me at all.
Feeling defeated, Qin Yanlan ate the orange and nodded expressionlessly. “Mhm. It’s my graduation photo.”
“Graduation photo?” Lan Ke looked closer, murmuring to herself. “It really does look familiar.”
Heh.
Qin Yanlan gave a cold smile. She knew it. The person she had held in her heart for so many years didn’t have a single memory of her.
“Looks familiar, does it?” Qin Yanlan’s fingers moved across the trackpad. She zoomed in on the school crest in the background.
Lan Ke gasped: “Isn’t this A-University? Xiao Qin, you went to the same school as me!”
Qin Yanlan had gone abroad after her undergraduate degree at A-University, so most people only knew about her master’s degree.
“Very familiar, right?” Qin Yanlan was smiling, but her eyes were chilly. Lan Ke felt a mysterious shiver.
“There’s something even more familiar.”
Qin Yanlan shifted the view. She moved the cursor to a teacher in the front row surrounded by students. She zoomed in on the face—closer and closer.
With a thud, the orange in Lan Ke’s hand fell to the floor. She stared at Qin Yanlan, dumbfounded.
That… that teacher wasn’t her, was it?
There are many heartless people in the world, and just as many who are sensitive and delicate. When Ruan Youran emerged from the bath, she felt as “damp” as her body. She was so distracted that she nearly burned herself while blow-drying her hair. Chu Nian watched her, biting her lip.
Let’s just end it, Youran thought. She didn’t want to fight anymore. Since they’d decided to split, they shouldn’t keep these lingering ties. Seeing each other only added to the sorrow.
Once, she had desperately wanted an explanation from Chu Nian. Even a single word. Now, she was tired. She didn’t want it anymore.
She lowered her head and sent a text to Director Niu.
Auntie, I’m sorry. I want to withdraw. It’s a personal issue and has nothing to do with Chu Nian. My manager will handle the follow-up and the contract breach fees—I’ll pay double. If it’s difficult for you, I can have my mom pick another artist from the company with similar heat to replace me.
Youran felt this message was sincere and flawless. Surely the director wouldn’t make it difficult.
Director Niu was drinking Red Bull and reviewing edits when she got the text. She was dissatisfied with everything she saw. Her assistant saw the message and jumped. “Sister, look—”
“What’s the panic?” Niu glanced at it, her brows knitting into a knot. She told the assistant: “Take a screenshot, send it to Chu Nian, then delete the message immediately. Turn the phone off. Our signal here is bad—we haven’t received anything, got it?”
Assistant: “…Got it. How terrifying.”
After sending the message, Youran felt a huge weight lift from her chest. She even felt like leaning back and listening to some music.
Chu Nian went to shower. She specifically curled the ends of her hair. In the past, Youran loved that look. After Chu Nian showered, Youran would act like a “greedy little puppy,” sniffing her hair and whispering in a baby voice: “Oh, Sister Chang’e, I love your curls. They’re so soft. I want to eat you up.”
When Chu Nian emerged, her hair was damp and she was wearing white silk pajamas. These were the pajamas Youran had personally bought, personally put on her, and personally taken off of her for their fifth anniversary…
Youran, who had been quite calm, felt the music in her ears change flavor. She swallowed hard and looked away.
“Youran.” Chu Nian sat in front of her and spoke softly.
Youran turned to look at her. Youran? Chu Nian hadn’t used that “stranger” tone in a long time. It felt alien.
“Let’s talk.”
Chu Nian looked at her seriously. Her skin was translucent after the bath, like carved jade. Her red lips were like cherries soaked in water. With her right hand still bandaged, she had a kind of “frail beauty.”
Youran took a deep breath. “Is this how you talk? Why are you dressed so… improperly?”
Chu Nian looked at her pajamas. “Improper?” Her voice sounded innocent. “Didn’t you buy these?”
…
One sentence dragged their memories back to the past. Youran paused, looked at Chu Nian, and asked flatly, “Fine. Talk. What do you want to say?”
Chu Nian met her eyes. “We agreed to get divorced after the show. Since it’s settled, don’t change your mind halfway through, okay?”
Ruan Youran: “…” DIRECTOR NIU!!!
Chu Nian’s eyes shimmered, her voice uncharacteristically weak. “Even if we part, it’s still ten years… let’s treat this as a final memory for each other.”
These were the exact words Youran had wanted to say, but hearing them made her nose sting.
“I hope,” Chu Nian continued, “that during these three months of filming, we can open our hearts and stop being so cold to each other. Treat it as… a perfect ending to our ten years.”
Youran’s hand tightened. A full stop.
Yes. A full stop. What did ten years bring? Aside from the pain, hadn’t they had too much joy and happiness? They should part on good terms.
I should be more generous, Youran thought. I’ve always been the one to accommodate her, haven’t I? Let this be my final compromise.
She lowered her head for a long time before nodding. “Okay.”
Seeing a small, undeniable smile bloom on Chu Nian’s lips, Youran tilted her head and asked seriously, “Are you telling the truth? You’re not lying to me?”
Chu Nian sat up straight, her fingers lightly brushing her hair, releasing a faint scent. “Of course not.” She looked into Youran’s suspicious eyes. “You don’t trust me?”
True to her nature, Youran nodded.
Chu Nian: “…”
After a silence, Chu Nian pointed to the bright orange lightbulb by the bed. “I swear on this lamp. I am not lying to you.”
The moment the words left her mouth, a loud snap echoed, and the power in the entire building went out.
Ruan Youran: “???”
Chu Nian: “…………….”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
