Chapter 15: The Cat and the Dog

Inside Gu Yan’s car, Meng Ying pulled a slip of paper from her bag and handed it to him. Gu Yan leaned against the window, accepting it but not opening it immediately. Instead, his eyes lingered on her face.

“Just now, was that the CEO of Huaying, Mr. Xu?” he asked, his tone probing.

Meng Ying smiled faintly, leaning back in her seat. “I don’t know him.”

Gu Yan raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

He didn’t press further, instead tearing open the yellow slip she had handed him. It was a fortune for relationships. Only four words were written on it.

Gu Yan glanced at it, unconvinced, and tucked the slip away. Meng Ying looked at him. “Well? What do you think?”

Gu Yan chuckled softly. “It’s alright.”

Meng Ying also smiled, asking no more.

This time, Gu Yan had made a detour to Tianjin City, but he didn’t climb the mountain himself. Instead, he asked Meng Ying to request a love fortune for him. The temple on Buddha Mountain was famous for its prosperity, with fortunes known to be eerily accurate. However, such fortunes were also highly private.

As Gu Yan rested his hand on the back of the seat, his fingers drummed lightly, brushing against her hair. He thought to himself: The fans weren’t wrong.

She looked much more beautiful than she did a year ago.

The kind of beauty that seemed like a complete transformation.

“What are your plans next?”

Meng Ying, holding her phone, replied while typing a message: “I’m heading back to the company.”

“Alright, I’ll take you.”

Gu Yan instructed the driver, who turned the car around and headed for Xingyao Entertainment. Over the past year, the company had tried promoting two or three artists, but none had made a big splash. Without Meng Ying, it was like the company had lost its backbone. When they learned of her return, everyone gathered at the entrance to wait. When they saw that touch of black getting out of the car, all their eyes widened.

“Holy crap…”

Liu Qin dashed out from the doorway and hugged Meng Ying tightly. “Oh my god! Where have you been this past year? What have you been eating? How did you take care of yourself? How are you so beautiful?”

Meng Ying smiled at her, her eyes as clear and sparkling as a pool of water. Liu Qin felt dizzy, unable to handle even one glance. The others didn’t dare get close either.

Manager Yu coughed twice and said, “Meng Ying, let’s go sign the contract, sign the contract…”

Now that she was back, they had to act fast. Several people nearby chuckled. Liu Qin clicked her tongue and pulled Meng Ying along. “Come on, the boss is personally asking you to sign the contract…”

Meng Ying paused slightly and turned back.

Gu Yan’s bodyguards had already taken her suitcase out of the car. Chen Jie quickly stepped forward to take it. Liu Qin exclaimed, “Should we invite the ‘dream guy’ to come in for a bit?”

“No need. He has to rush to an event.” Meng Ying waved at the man in the car. Gu Yan leaned out, nodding to her.

That slight lean made everyone else gasp. Liu Qin clutched Meng Ying’s hand tighter and whispered in her ear, “When are you two going to make something happen?”

Only Liu Qin knew about Meng Ying’s past relationship with the CEO of Huaying Entertainment and how it didn’t end well. She kept her lips sealed on that topic and only focused on Meng Ying’s current relationship with Gu Yan.

Meng Ying smiled faintly, holding Liu Qin’s hand in return. “He and I… don’t have much to develop at the moment.”

“Why? What’s wrong with him?” Liu Qin was puzzled. Meng Ying smiled but didn’t answer. Liu Qin tapped Meng Ying’s shoulder. “Keep your eyes wide open and judge properly.”

“Got it.”

A year ago, Manager Yu was reluctant to sign a contract. After Meng Ying’s year-long hiatus, he finally realized her value. The contract was already prepared, with terms so favorable that Liu Qin didn’t even need to argue for them. Manager Yu obediently offered her the treatment of a top-tier artist. Watching Meng Ying sign her name, Manager Yu felt a pang in his heart. Holding the contract, he muttered, “Ying Ying, do your best, alright?”

You were out of the game for a year, and I’m still giving you such good terms. You should be grateful.

If not for the success of “Nine Heavens,” if not for the buzz around your rumored relationship with Gu Yan, if not for you still being so stunning after a year of rest…

After signing the contract, Liu Qin accompanied Meng Ying home. On the way back, she kept glancing at Meng Ying, trying to read other emotions from her face. 

But Meng Ying’s expression remained calm.

Finally, Liu Qin felt relieved. Only those who have matured and gained clarity can achieve such tranquility. Compared to now, the Meng Ying from a year ago clearly had things weighing on her mind and was much more emotionally volatile.

“Yesterday, I had someone clean up a bit. Go take a look,” Liu Qin said as she opened the door. Meng Ying carried her suitcase inside. The furniture and decor in the house were still the same as when she left, as if nothing had changed. Yet, it felt different. She pointed to the sofa and said, “I’ve ordered a new set.”

Liu Qin walked over to water the plants and nodded. “Alright. Change whatever you want.”

Meng Ying smiled, sat on the sofa, and stretched.

“How about I cook later? Stay for dinner?”

“Sure.”

Dinner was prepared by Meng Ying. It was Liu Qin’s first time tasting Meng Ying’s cooking, and it was so delicious she felt like she could swallow her tongue. Liu Qin kept praising Meng Ying repeatedly. At the same time, Meng Ying happened to be trending on social media.

Liu Qin glanced at her phone and clicked her tongue twice. “Manager Yu knows how to work it. You’re back for just a day, and you’re already on the hot search.”

Meng Ying tidied up the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them.

When she came back out after washing the dishes, Liu Qin realized it was time to leave. She stood up and bid goodbye. Meng Ying saw her off, closed the door, let her hair down, and went into the bathroom to shower. Every corner of the house seemed to carry traces of Xu Dian, but Meng Ying felt nothing at all. After her shower, she came out, drying her hair.

That was when her phone rang—it was a call from Li Yao, the gentle doctor and a member of the Li family from Licheng.

His warm voice carried a hint of a smile. “You’re back?”

“Mm, just arrived this afternoon.”

“Want to come to Starry Sky? Relax for a bit? Consider it my thanks for the meal on Mount Buddha…”

Meng Ying opened the window and looked out.

The entire city of Licheng was ablaze with lights, its glamour and luxury showcasing the mundane beauty of human life. It was nothing like the serene mountain forests she had seen on Mount Buddha—true paradise.

Ever since Li Yao treated Meng Ying’s injury and they exchanged contact information, the two had kept in touch sporadically. A month ago, Li Yao and some friends visited Tianjin City and stopped by Mount Buddha to seek a divination, where they ran into Meng Ying.

That afternoon, Li Yao stayed for lunch, which Meng Ying prepared herself.

After thinking for a moment, Meng Ying replied, “Alright.”

“Should I pick you up?” Li Yao asked with a smile.

“No need. I’ll come on my own.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Meng Ying went to her room to change. She chose a white dress, let her hair down, and left the house with no makeup, her natural beauty unadorned.

When she arrived at the Starry Sky club, Li Yao came out to meet her. He had a cigarette in his mouth, but when he saw Meng Ying, he quickly took it out and smiled. “You just got back, and you’re already trending. Impressive.”

Meng Ying smiled faintly, carrying her small bag as she walked up the steps.

Her entire demeanor carried an indescribable charm. As a doctor, Li Yao had met countless women, yet he still found himself momentarily captivated. He chuckled, stubbed out the cigarette, and pushed open the door to a private room. Inside the room, there was a blend of sandalwood, nicotine, and a faint trace of alcohol. The combination didn’t feel excessive, and the ambiance was different from last time. There was a sofa, a card table, and even a billiards table.

On the sofa sat a young woman and two men. The woman, with the air of a wealthy heiress, was lazily smoking a slim cigarette.

A man was sitting casually on the armrest of a chair, playing idly with a black fountain pen. When he saw her enter, he raised his eyebrows slightly and then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. With a smile, he said, “Li Yao, you’re something else…”

Another man, with a cold and stiff demeanor, sat in a single-seater sofa, looking bored. His eyes briefly swept over Meng Ying, lingered on her for a second, and then moved away.

Li Yao leaned over to Meng Ying and whispered, “The one with the pen is Zhou Yang. The other guy is my cousin, Li Yi, and the lady over there is Miss Liu Yan.”

Before he could finish speaking, a woman’s voice came from behind them.

“Li Yao, you booked a private room without telling me?”

That voice made Meng Ying’s eyelids lift slightly. She turned her head slowly.

Yang Tong entered, wearing a black dress and holding a small silver handbag, her high heels clicking against the floor. When her eyes met Meng Ying’s, she froze mid-step. In the light, Meng Ying was stunning, standing there like a jade sculpture, elegant and graceful. For a moment, Yang Tong felt a sharp sense of crisis.

But then she remembered Meng Ying’s disheveled state from a year ago and smirked. “Oh? Who do we have here?”

She sauntered over and circled Meng Ying, scrutinizing her.

Meng Ying lowered her eyes slightly, a faint smile on her lips, exuding indifference. Yang Tong’s heart jolted, a flicker of discomfort crossing her face, especially as the others in the room seemed to enjoy the show she was putting on.

Yang Tong quickly dropped her smug expression and asked Li Yao, “Playing mahjong?”

Li Yao smiled at her but then bent down to hand a glass of red wine to Meng Ying, lightly guiding her to sit on a sofa. Yang Tong stared in disbelief and said, “I want some too.”

“Get it yourself,” Li Yao replied.

Yang Tong clenched her teeth in frustration. She glanced at Zhou Yang, who smirked, his long legs crossed, his expression filled with amusement. Yang Tong fumed silently before taking a seat beside Liu Yan.

Meng Ying sipped her wine but didn’t drink much; she got tipsy easily. She glanced at Li Yao, who smiled back and asked, “How about a game of mahjong?”

Meng Ying smiled and nodded. “Sure.”

Li Yao quickly made arrangements, and Meng Ying joined the table while Liu Yan sat at another one nearby. Yang Tong put down her handbag and claimed one of the seats as well, opposite Li Yao. After over a year of living a reclusive life, Meng Ying felt a bit rusty as she touched the mahjong tiles. Resting her chin on one hand, she played her turn, slowly getting the hang of it.

The two men lounging on the sofa, not participating in the game, smoked and chatted casually. Occasionally, their gazes drifted to Meng Ying’s strikingly beautiful face.

Zhou Yang nudged Li Yi. “Doesn’t she look like your ex-wife?”

Li Yi frowned slightly. “Where? She’s way prettier than Yang Rou…”

Zhou Yang burst into laughter.

---

After a few rounds, Meng Ying gradually pieced together the situation. The man on the sofa was Yang Rou’s ex-husband—the real ex-husband. And since Li Yao was his cousin, they were part of the Li family. The Li family clearly had connections with Yang Tong. As for the man with the pen, Zhou Yang, he looked somewhat familiar—she must’ve seen him before. And Miss Liu Yan, clearly someone from an elite background.

It became obvious that Li Yao was from a prominent family in Licheng.

But wasn’t he supposed to be the doctor introduced by Liu Qin?

Meng Ying placed down a red dragon tile, looked at Li Yao, and smiled. “Liu Qin mentioned that she’s been thinking about you lately. Should we invite her out sometime?”

Li Yao put down a tile, looked up, and froze.

As a doctor, he wasn’t as adept at navigating the complexities of social dynamics compared to people like Xu Dian in the business world. He seemed momentarily caught off guard. “Liu Qin… is…”

He suddenly shut his mouth.

Damn.

Meng Ying smiled slightly and looked straight at him. “That night, it wasn’t Liu Qin who called you, was it?”

Her eyes were too clear and beautiful, rendering Li Yao speechless. Meng Ying’s gaze grew colder, and she didn’t say anything more, focusing instead on her game of cards.

Yang Tong had been eavesdropping halfway but suddenly found the conversation cut short. Unwilling to give up, she asked with a smile, “How do you two know each other?”

Someone like Meng Ying—how could she possibly know Li Yao?

The sound of mahjong tiles clattering onto the table filled the air. No one responded. The door to the private room, half-closed, was pushed open by a man’s hand. His gaze swept over to Zhou Yang, who he was about to call away, but it caught on the woman sitting opposite the door. Xu Dian paused, extinguished his call, and walked in. His tall figure seemed to dim the light around him.

He removed his glasses and leisurely wiped them, looking at Meng Ying as he said, “Everyone’s here?”

That familiar voice.

Meng Ying narrowed her eyes briefly before raising her gaze, sweeping it lightly toward him. Their eyes met. Xu Dian’s almond-shaped eyes held a faint smile. She curled her lips into a smile as well, but it was devoid of any warmth—just polite. Then, she resumed focusing on her cards, her demeanor indifferent. The other two at the mahjong table, however, couldn’t maintain their composure.

Especially Yang Tong, who stared directly at the strikingly handsome man.

Li Yao’s throat felt dry. His gaze darted to the couch, where Zhou Yang lounged with a smile, casually shaking his long legs while gesturing with his phone. The implication was clear—Xu Dian had been called over by Zhou Yang.

Li Yao cursed inwardly.

Zhou Yang was always one to enjoy stirring up trouble.

Just as Li Yao was about to say something, Xu Dian patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll take over.”

Li Yao managed a faint smile. “I…”

“I’ll take over,” Xu Dian repeated, his deep voice laced with a faint, chilling smile. Li Yao could only push his cards aside, stand up, and step away. Xu Dian rolled up his sleeves and sat down. His almond-shaped eyes behind the glasses swept over to Meng Ying across from him.

Under the light, the woman’s skin appeared as white and translucent as jade, almost as if she might vanish at any moment. She propped her chin lazily, casually drawing and playing her tiles. It was as if nothing around her mattered.

Xu Dian’s lips curved slightly. His long, slender fingers began to pick up the tiles, rearranging the mess of a hand Li Yao had left. Yang Tong, not being particularly skilled at mahjong herself, gave Xu Dian tiles several times on purpose. Xu Dian played languidly, clearly here just to enjoy the game.

Yang Tong’s heart was on edge.

She fervently hoped that Xu Dian would end up with her elder sister—there was no way Meng Ying could interfere.

She smiled, pinched her earlobe, and looked toward Meng Ying, asking, “Meng Ying, you’re not wearing your earrings today?”

As soon as those words were spoken, it was as if someone hit the pause button on the entire private room. Only the two people involved remained completely composed—Xu Dian’s long fingers continued arranging his tiles, while Meng Ying lifted her eyelids slightly to glance at Yang Tong and replied, “You like them? Then wear them yourself.”

Yang Tong hit a wall with that response. She stared at Meng Ying in disbelief—how could she not show a shred of embarrassment or sadness? A year ago, Yang Tong could never forget the sight of Meng Ying leaving that banquet, utterly humiliated. She still relished the memory of Meng Ying’s panicked escape.

But now, Meng Ying smiled faintly, tilted her head, and said, “Hu. Sorry about that.”

Snapping back to reality, Yang Tong looked down at the tiles. Not only had she played a tile for Meng Ying to pong, but Meng Ying had also managed to draw a winning flower tile. Fuming, Yang Tong said nothing more and focused entirely on the game. She had a strong competitive streak, and even in mahjong, she refused to lose to Meng Ying.

Meng Ying reached out to collect her winnings. The man across from her, Xu Dian, lazily handed her the money. Without sparing him a glance, Meng Ying took the cash and tucked it into the drawer. At that moment, her phone rang. It was Liu Qin calling. Meng Ying glanced at the screen and stood up to answer it. Liu Qin’s excited voice came through the line:

“Let me tell you, as soon as you hit the trending topics, Director Liu from Interstellar reached out! He said he hopes you can reprise the role of Jolan. I’m not exaggerating—ever since you’ve been on hiatus this past year, the movie has been struggling. That role is so critical; they’ve gone through three or four replacements already. You’ve become completely irreplaceable… I’m thrilled!”

Meng Ying listened and gave a simple “Mm.”

After a few seconds, Liu Qin realized something and added, “Oh… um, but since it’s all tied, if you don’t want to take it, you don’t have to. I know you’re just returning to the industry, and choosing roles can be tricky, but I believe—”

“No need. I’ll take it,” Meng Ying interrupted her.

Liu Qin hesitated for a moment. “Are you sure? It’s okay if—”

“Liu Qin, wherever I fell, I’ll get back up. I’m not afraid of her.” She wasn’t afraid of that so-called real deal. Her conscience was clean, so why fear Yang Rou?

Liu Qin let out a big sigh of relief. “That’s great. I was really worried you’d beat yourself up over this. I’ll negotiate the pay with Director Liu—your hiatus this year should come with interest, too.”

Meng Ying chuckled softly. “Alright.”

Leaning against a vintage carved screen in her white dress, she appeared poised and graceful. Li Yao found himself unable to look away. He instinctively glanced at Xu Dian, who was fiddling with a mahjong tile in his hand. Whether Xu Dian noticed the alluring figure or not was unclear, but Li Yao clicked his tongue in admiration.

After hanging up the call, Meng Ying returned to her seat. She bent slightly as she sat down, glancing briefly at Xu Dian before sweeping her gaze over Yang Tong and Liu Yan. Smiling faintly, she said, “Sorry about that. We can continue.”

Liu Yan smiled, biting the tip of her slim cigarette. “Alright.”

Yang Tong, however, grumbled, “Taking such a long call—our time is precious, you know.”

Meng Ying smiled at her but didn’t respond, turning her attention back to the game.

On the other side of the room, Li Yao sat down and marveled aloud, “Her mental fortitude… unbelievable.”

Sitting across from a man who once broke her heart and beside the sister of that so-called real deal, Meng Ying remained unfazed, playing her tiles as if they were invisible.

Incredible.

Zhou Yang chuckled. “Phoenix rising from the ashes.”

Li Yao nodded. “Exactly.”

Xu Dian, as usual, remained indifferent and detached, his emotions unreadable.

Meng Ying wasn’t having much luck. She had never been good at counting tiles, which put her at a disadvantage, and luck played a significant role in her game—something she seemed to lack tonight. Yang Tong won far more rounds than her, gradually reclaiming the few chips she had lost. Despite this, Meng Ying’s expression didn’t change as she kept playing.

When she was down to her last two chips, her luck finally turned. She began clearing mismatched tiles from her hand and making progress, one play at a time. Quietly, she played her tiles and managed to pong a white dragon—discarded by none other than Xu Dian.

Xu Dian, meanwhile, accepted a cigarette from Li Yao. The light above cast a soft glow on his face as he bit the cigarette at a slant, his attention fixed on the game. Among the three women at the table, his performance was strikingly balanced—not winning much, not losing much—maintaining a subtle control over the game.

After another three or four rounds, Meng Ying won again with a rare tile, the seven-dot, completing a kong-drawn flower hand. In one go, she recovered all the chips she had lost.

Yang Tong’s face turned dark as she reluctantly retrieved chips from the drawer and tossed them onto the table. Meng Ying smiled as she accepted them. Across from her, Xu Dian casually flicked a few chips onto the table as well. His gaze lifted, landing on Meng Ying with an unreadable expression. She stared at the chips for a moment before collecting them.

In the next round, Meng Ying once again ponged a clean tile discarded by Xu Dian.

Her lips tightened slightly. As the game progressed, Meng Ying soon held a promising hand ready for a win. Yet instead of declaring victory, she pushed the tiles in front of her with her fingers, toppling the stack.

The table fell silent.

Everyone looked up at her in surprise. Yang Tong was the first to speak, her tone full of annoyance. “What are you doing?”

Meng Ying responded by pushing all her tiles onto the table, disrupting the game completely. Across from her, Xu Dian remained silent, observing her calmly. His collar was slightly open, and he leaned back against the chair lazily. In his long, distinct fingers, he held a tile he was about to discard—the very one Meng Ying needed to win.

This style of mahjong allowed for eating tiles, and he had been intentionally feeding her.

Meng Ying let out a cold laugh. After pushing her tiles away, she pulled a pile of chips from beneath the table and placed them on the surface. Then she stood, picked up her small purse, and said to Li Yao, “It’s late. I need to head home.”

Everyone at the table was stunned. Meng Ying stepped around the table in her high heels, heading for the door. She had barely taken a few steps when a large hand grabbed her wrist.

She turned back.

Xu Dian remained leaning lazily against his chair, his chin tilted slightly upward. He tapped his cheek with a finger and said, “You’ve overturned my game. Trying to give me a slap while you’re at it?”

His features, sharp as if carved from stone, carried a hint of mischief. His tone was light, as if none of this mattered. Meng Ying looked at him for a few seconds. Then, with deliberate slowness, she pulled her wrist free and walked away without another word.

The beautiful eyes betrayed a hint of disdain.

The private room fell silent for a few seconds before Li Yao snapped out of it. Grabbing the car keys from the table, he hurried out.

“I’ll give you a ride.”

Xu Dian’s hand dangled at his side, holding a cigarette. He took a few puffs, then chuckled softly as he lowered his head. Zhou Yang stood up and nudged him with his foot. “Want to grab a drink?”

Xu Dian chuckled again.

Stepping out of the Starry Sky Club, Meng Ying began deleting Li Yao’s WeChat. She didn’t like being close to these so-called elite families. Li Yao chased after her and caught a glimpse of her heartlessly deleting his contact as she stood on the high steps. His heart clenched painfully. Quickening his pace, he blocked her path directly.

Meng Ying paused her steps, standing still as she looked at him standing a step lower.

Li Yao sighed and tapped his phone. “Can you add me back?”

Meng Ying held her phone, gazing at him coolly. “I initially thought you were Liu Qin’s friend, but you’re not.”

“But I can be your friend,” Li Yao said with a furrowed brow. “Tonight, he…”

“No, it’s not about him,” Meng Ying interrupted, leaving her thoughts unfinished. If their acquaintance hadn’t started the way it did, his elite family status wouldn’t have led to her deleting him.

Li Yao froze, feeling like he’d shot himself in the foot. He regretted not choosing another venue tonight. Meng Ying smiled faintly, sidestepped him, and opened the door of a nearby taxi, getting in. Li Yao turned around, standing on the steps, watching as the car door and then the window rolled up, gradually obscuring her delicate face.

The red taxi drove away. To the side, there was a clicking sound. Li Yao turned to see Xu Dian leaning against the door, holding up his phone to snap a photo.

It looked like he was capturing the taxi’s license plate. Li Yao climbed the steps, frowning. “What did you take a picture of? So concerned about her? Why didn’t you give her a ride yourself?”

Xu Dian raised his eyes and smiled, his expression ambiguous. Straightening up, he descended the steps. At that moment, Zhou Yang’s car pulled up. Xu Dian bent down and got in.

Once the door shut, nothing was visible anymore.

But seconds later, the car window rolled down. Xu Dian rested his elbow on the window, tilting his head to look at Li Yao. Smiling, he asked, “You like her?”

Li Yao paused, then smiled back. He stepped down the steps with a hint of defiance. “Yeah.”

Xu Dian smiled faintly and nodded. The window rolled up, and the black car sped away.

Zhou Yang stubbed out his nearly finished cigarette, rolled down the window, and glanced at Xu Dian. “What are you thinking?”

Xu Dian, too, had a cigarette in his mouth. His jawline was sharp, Adam’s apple prominent. He chuckled lightly and said, “You’re already weaving stories, and you’re still asking me what I think?”

Zhou Yang froze for a moment. Then burst into laughter.

This sly bastard. Doesn’t want to admit it, huh?

There’ll come a day when you regret it.

But to what extent would such an admission go? Perhaps just a fleeting fancy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so composed. As the heir to the Xu family in Licheng, what woman was out of his reach? True. No need to invest too much effort in an unknown woman. Zhou Yang nodded, smiling again.

The black sedan drove to a winery, where quite a few men were still enjoying wine late into the night. Xu Dian and Zhou Yang entered, heading toward the booth where Jiang Yu was seated. Jiang Yu took a phone call, his brows furrowed. His cold and stern face seemed solemn as he grabbed a bottle of wine and stood to leave.

Xu Dian intercepted him with a smile. “Where are you going?”

“My wife called…” Jiang Yu cleared his throat. “Heading home.”

Zhou Yang burst out laughing. “Let him go. Can’t mess with someone who’s under strict wife control.”

Xu Dian stepped back, leaning against the sofa, chuckling. Jiang Yu glanced at the two of them before quickly leaving. Zhou Yang turned back to Xu Dian and asked, “Do you think someone will ever control you like that?”

Xu Dian raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “No way. Who could control me?”

Zhou Yang laughed again.

The two of them moved to another booth for drinks. Halfway through, Xu Dian’s phone rang. Resting his head on his hand, he answered. A gentle voice came from the other end, “Why aren’t you home?”

“Hmm.”

“I can’t get in because you’re not home.”

Xu Dian laughed, holding his beer bottle. “What are you doing at my place so late? Hm?”

The voice on the other end faltered.

After a few seconds, she said, “I’m heading to the film studio tomorrow. The revised script is ready. I wanted to show it to you…”

“No need. Just show it to Director Liu.” With that, Xu Dian ended the call. A few seconds later, he frowned and looked at Zhou Yang. “What kind of wine was this?”

Sitting across from him, Zhou Yang grinned. “Over a century-old cellar-aged wine…”

“Tch, feeling a bit dizzy.”

And dizzy he truly was. While Zhou Yang had only sipped a little, Xu Dian had downed a full glass. His neck showed a slight flush. Zhou Yang glanced at the time and decided it was time to head home. He called for a driver. Soon, the two of them got into the car. Xu Dian leaned back in the rear seat, a cigarette between his lips and his eyes tinged with a hint of intoxication.

Zhou Yang asked, “Which place should I drop you off at?”

Xu Dian closed his eyes. “Xinyue Complex.”

“Where?” Zhou Yang was puzzled for a moment.

The deep voice came again, repeating the same address. Zhou Yang processed it, then stifled a laugh. “Alright, Xinyue Complex it is…”

Back at her place, Meng Ying decided to take another shower. The smell in the private room wasn’t bad, but there had been too much nicotine in the air. Even her hair had picked up traces of it. During her shower, she noticed her left ear. The piercing there was slightly larger than the one on the right. The tear from before had healed but left a small hole behind.

Coincidentally, it was her left ear.

After showering, she headed to the kitchen to make something to eat. Once her hunger was satisfied, she returned to her room to rest.

The moment she lay down, she fell asleep. Halfway through the night, she vaguely heard the doorbell ringing. Meng Ying frowned, planning to turn over and continue sleeping, but the doorbell kept ringing persistently. After a while, still drowsy, she sat up, grabbed a jacket to drape over her shoulders, slipped on her slippers, and groggily made her way to the door.

She was still somewhat groggy. Seeing a familiar face through the peephole, she instinctively opened the door.

Outside, Xu Dian leaned against the opposite wall, smoking, his deep eyes fixed on her. As soon as Meng Ying saw his face clearly, she snapped awake. She yawned, stepped back two steps, and—

Bang—

Closed the door.

Out in the hallway, Xu Dian seemed to sober up as well. He removed the cigarette, walked to the nearby trash can, and extinguished it. With one hand casually tucked into his pocket, he asked in a low, steady voice, “Why’d you send me here?”

Zhou Yang, standing near the elevator, chuckled lightly and asked, “Feeling down?”

Three light words, dispersing like the wind.

“Not really. Just got drunk and ended up at the wrong place.”

His words, too, floated faintly, hard to catch clearly. Back in her room, Meng Ying went straight back to sleep, her emotions untouched, as if it had only been a stray cat or dog ringing her doorbell.

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