Chapter 16: To Cherish Deeply
Yang Tong had left with Liu Yan. After driving Liu Yan home, she turned the car around and headed back to her place. Tossing her small bag aside, she went upstairs to look for someone. Not finding Yang Rou in the room, she turned around and went downstairs. Spotting the housekeeper tidying up on the first floor, she asked, “Where’s my sister?”
The housekeeper, busy organizing the liquor cabinet, replied, “Miss Rou went out, took a script with her.”
Yang Tong paused briefly, quickly ran to the couch, grabbed her small bag, took out her phone, and dialed Yang Rou’s number. The call was answered quickly, with wind sounds audible in the background.
“What’s up, Tongtong?”
“Where are you this late?” Yang Tong asked.
“I’m out…” Yang Rou hesitated before continuing, “I’ll be back soon.”
“Sis,” Yang Tong pressed, “what’s going on with you and Xu Dian now? What’s he even thinking? He waited for you all these years, and now he doesn’t show any signs of doing anything?”
On the other end of the line—
Yang Rou’s steps faltered slightly. Holding the thick script in her hand, she said, “Tongtong, I don’t know either.”
Whether it was after the miscarriage or throughout the following year, he never made a move. After circling back and forth, she finally realized Xu Dian was the one who treated her best. The dowry he sent when she got married gave her so much face. But his thoughts were just too hard to read. She felt he hadn’t changed, yet at the same time, he seemed different.
Yang Tong stomped her feet. “Sis, you need to step it up! That stand-in has come back. Even though I don’t think she’s much of a threat, you still need to try harder!”
Yang Rou paused and unconsciously tightened her grip on the script. “Mm.”
But it was so difficult. She had always been used to Xu Dian taking the initiative. Now that she had to make the first move, how could she…
The next morning, Meng Ying received a call from Liu Qin, saying she would come pick her up to sign the movie contract. Over the phone, Liu Qin yawned repeatedly, evidently having stayed up all night negotiating with the team.
After hanging up, Meng Ying went to freshen up, changed into a white shirt dress, added a black belt, and carried her small bag downstairs. A black business car was parked at the door. Meng Ying bent down to get in, where Liu Qin was sitting in the back. Liu Qin handed her a breakfast package. Meng Ying accepted it, finished her collagen drink first, and then started on breakfast.
Leaning on the seatback, Liu Qin said, “From here to the signing venue, you still have time to back out. If you regret it, we’ll turn around and head back to the office.”
Meng Ying smiled faintly, said nothing, and continued eating her breakfast.
Six months ago, Yu Lin resigned, and now the driver was a new assistant named Xiao Meng, whose driving style was the cautious, steady type.
Driving through the busy central district felt like watching a tortoise crawl. Liu Qin couldn’t help herself and said, “Xiao Meng, you should practice some drifting techniques when you have time. At this speed, if reporters ever chase us, we’d be surrounded in no time…”
Chen Jie burst out laughing.
Xiao Meng stammered nervously, “Yes, okay…”
Just as the “okay” left her mouth, a figure suddenly darted across the road ahead. Startled, Xiao Meng swerved the wheel sharply.
The next second—
Bang!
The car collided with the guardrail.
“Dammit!” Liu Qin cursed after a few seconds of silence in the car.
Meng Ying unfastened her seatbelt, tossing her unfinished breakfast into a small trash bin. Chen Jie, still shaken, yanked the car door open. Liu Qin got out first, followed by Meng Ying, who pulled up her mask as she exited. She turned to glance at Xiao Meng in the driver’s seat. Xiao Meng sat frozen, her hands gripping the wheel, her face a picture of panic.
Meng Ying tapped the window with her fingertips, motioning for Xiao Meng to get out. Only then did she walk toward the front of the car.
Since there was heavy traffic, Xiao Meng had just changed lanes before the incident. This area was mostly residential, and the traffic light here seemed broken. The pedestrian crossing was in disarray. The figure that had darted out was now being helped up by Chen Jie.
The woman also wore a white shirt dress but had paired it with a light blue belt.
She waved her hand and looked toward them.
For a moment, their gazes met in the air. Meng Ying narrowed her eyes slightly, then tilted her head and noticed the woman’s earlobe.
A small red mole.
Meng Ying had seen Yang Rou in person before, but from a distance. The lighting had been too bright that day, and all she had noticed was Yang Rou’s eyeliner and earrings. That fleeting moment had already unsettled her, leaving her no time to observe Yang Rou’s actual features. Later, when researching, she came across unedited photos of Yang Rou without makeup.
Yang Rou had delicate and soft features, similar to Meng Ying’s own. While their overall temperaments were alike, Meng Ying’s facial features were more distinctive. Her nose was more defined, her chin sharp and delicate, and her eyes were captivating—when she smiled, they curved charmingly. In contrast, Yang Rou’s unadorned smile lacked such charm; it was plain, which is why she relied on eyeliner to enhance her appeal.
“Are you alright? Should we take you to the hospital?” Liu Qin asked, worried the woman might try to pin the blame on them. Her tone was efficient and ready to resolve the situation.
“No, no need. I’m just rushing to the airport…” Yang Rou shook her head, her gaze drifting back to Meng Ying. Her sixth sense told her to pay extra attention to Meng Ying.
“Then let us at least take you to the hospital,” Liu Qin said, picking up Yang Rou’s fallen suitcase. On the ground was also a phone, its screen shattered from the fall.
“Your phone is broken, should we compensate you?”
“No need, I have to go to the airport now. I have a spare phone in my suitcase, but it’s not charged. Can you…” Yang Rou paused, then glanced at Meng Ying again.
Meng Ying raised an eyebrow, and after a few seconds, pulled down her mask and asked, “Do you need a charger?”
Yang Rou looked at Meng Ying’s face and her suspicions were confirmed. She froze for a moment. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then said, “Can you give me a phone so I can make a call and have someone come pick me up?”
Chen Jie relaxed and quickly reached for her phone. But she didn’t have it.
Liu Qin clicked her tongue and said, “I don’t have mine either, go get it.”
She pointed at Chen Jie. Chen Jie nodded and turned to get it. But Meng Ying stepped forward and handed her own phone to Yang Rou. Yang Rou looked down at it for a few seconds before taking it. She dialed Xu Dian’s number, inputting a string of digits, but the phone didn’t show any saved contacts. She dialed anyway.
About three seconds later, the call was answered, and a deep male voice came through, “Meng Ying?”
Yang Rou paused before speaking, “Xu Dian, I fell down near the Yaolin Villa…”
As she said this, she looked up at Meng Ying. Meng Ying was standing quietly, a smile at the corner of her lips, watching her. Liu Qin, on the other hand, jumped up as soon as she heard Xu Dian’s name and stared intensely at Yang Rou.
On the other end, Xu Dian paused for a moment, flipping through some papers. He said, “Give the phone back to its original owner.”
Yang Rou was stunned.
“What?” she said.
“Give it to her.” Xu Dian’s voice came again. Yang Rou hesitated, glanced between Meng Ying and her own dress, before handing the phone back to Meng Ying.
Meng Ying looked at the phone, puzzled.
“Answer it,” Yang Rou said.
Meng Ying, a bit impatient, took the phone and said “Hello?”
On the other end, the man’s voice was deep and steady, without any rise or fall: “I’ll send two cars over to handle it. First, get Yang Rou to the airport. You need to come to Huaying to sign the contract. In the afternoon, you’ll have to go to the film city; they can’t wait.”
The production of Interstellar was costly, and after a year, it was still in this state, all due to Director Liu’s picky nature. The character of the fourth female lead had a significant amount of screen time because she dies in the middle of the story. In order to make her death impactful, she had many scenes earlier on, which also led to Director Liu thinking that no one could perform the role well.
Meng Ying squinted her eyes.
A few seconds later, her tone was calm. “Okay.”
She then handed the phone back to Yang Rou, who was about to take it, but when she looked at the screen, it had gone black. The call had ended.
Yang Rou lowered her hand.
Meng Ying instructed Chen Jie to help Yang Rou into the car. Yang Rou’s knee had bled, and her phone had broken because it was crushed under the car wheels. When Xiao Meng turned the steering wheel, the broken phone became visible.
Liu Qin kept her eyes on Yang Rou’s neck, almost not wanting to help her with the injury. In the end, she gritted her teeth, grabbed the first aid kit from behind, and handed it to Chen Jie, instructing her to tend to Yang Rou’s wound. She then went to scold Xiao Meng. Meng Ying, wearing a mask, leaned against the car door and didn’t get in, just watching Xiao Meng get scolded.
Once Xiao Meng was done being scolded, Liu Qin came over, briefly glanced at Yang Rou in the car, and clicked her tongue. “You’re still dressed better than her…”
Meng Ying smiled but didn’t respond.
Liu Qin continued, “So this is what she looks like. Honestly, you two don’t look alike at all…”
Soon after, two cars sent by Xu Dian arrived, but it was Xu Dian’s assistant who got out of the car. Xu Dian himself didn’t come. Yang Rou, carrying her suitcase, quietly sat in one of the cars after seeing the two of them. Meng Ying called out to her directly.
“Yang Rou!”
At the sound of her name, both Liu Qin and Chen Jie froze. Meng Ying stood where she was and said, “You should get a check-up after you get off the plane. We’ll cover all the expenses.”
She appeared calm and composed.
Yang Rou, sitting in the car, looked at her and instinctively tightened her grip on her skirt. “Okay, it’s fine.”
“Take care,” Meng Ying said, pulling up her mask again.
Yang Rou tightened her fingers around the fabric and slowly rolled up the car window. The black car drove off.
Another assistant stepped forward and asked Meng Ying to get into the car. Just as they were about to leave, the insurance company’s car arrived. Meng Ying got in with Liu Qin, and Liu Qin’s phone had been ringing non-stop.
It was a call from the producer of Interstellar, which seemed quite urgent.
Meanwhile, Chen Jie and Xiao Meng stayed behind to handle things at the scene.
The car drove straight to Huaying, with Meng Ying following Liu Qin up the stairs. Liu Qin answered a phone call, speaking quickly. Once they reached the office, Liu Qin flung the door open. Upon seeing the people inside, she stumbled a bit, and Meng Ying steadied her by the shoulder.
Xu Dian was sitting on the couch, his long legs crossed. He looked up at them briefly, his silver-framed glasses reflecting Meng Ying’s face. After a few seconds, he said, “The producer just left, just sign the contract and hand it to me.”
He had a strong presence, but Liu Qin wasn’t intimidated when she thought of how Meng Ying had been a year ago. Liu Qin smiled and said, “Mr. Xu, you’re really calm. The woman you’ve been thinking about had an accident, and you’re not worried at all?”
The atmosphere in the office suddenly became tense.
Xu Dian’s eyes slowly turned toward Liu Qin. After a few seconds, he smiled, uncrossed his legs, and said, “You really know a lot…”
Liu Qin gritted her teeth.
At that moment, a phone rang sharply in the office. It was Meng Ying’s phone. Xu Dian looked at her as she held the phone and answered. Her expression slightly changed. She turned on her heel in her high heels and said to Liu Qin, “Go to the hospital. Gu Yan was hit on the head by a fan…”
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out, not sparing Xu Dian a glance. Liu Qin stood frozen for a second, then quickly turned around and walked a few steps before suddenly stopping. She turned back to Xu Dian and said, “Mr. Xu, this is how someone who truly cares for their loved ones behaves.”
She deliberately taunted him. Then, she quickly caught up with Meng Ying.
The office door shook twice.
Xu Dian calmly stared at the office door. After a few seconds, his long, slender fingers tugged at his shirt collar, but it seemed stuck. He suddenly pulled harder. The buttons popped open, and the shirt collar flung wide, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone. His gaze shifted to the contract on the desk.
On the contract were the two characters.
[Meng Ying]
They were in bold, and the air carried a faint fragrance. A very familiar scent.
“How did this happen so suddenly?” Since neither of them had a car, they had to flag down a taxi at the door. Liu Qin was confused. “What kind of person is Gu Yan? How could he get hit on the head by a fan?”
Meng Ying shook her head, indicating she didn’t know. Liu Qin was about to say more, but her phone rang. She picked it up, and after a few seconds, she swore, “Damn it, the dog that bites doesn’t bark!”
“What’s wrong?” Meng Ying looked at her.
Liu Qin’s face darkened as she opened Weibo and handed it to Meng Ying. Meng Ying took it and looked down. The trending topic from last night was #Gu Yan Went to Pick Meng Ying Up, Sweet#.
Now, the trending topic read: #Gu Yan Went to Pick Meng Ying Up, Ugh, All a Show#.
The new trending topic stemmed from a Weibo post, posted this morning by Yang Rou. She had shared two hand-drawn comics. In the first, a couple embraced at the airport. The man wore a black shirt and sunglasses, his sharp chin visible, holding the woman who had rushed into his arms. The woman’s long hair billowed as she buried her face in his chest, dressed in a white dress. The background was blurred, making their embrace stand out, emphasizing the romantic and sweet atmosphere.
Because it was a cartoon, the man holding the woman somewhat resembled Xu Dian, but not exactly. Meng Ying quickly scanned the comments below.
The first top comment read:
“Hmm… this is the real couple picture. The one with Meng Ying and Gu Yan at the airport is clearly staged. After disappearing for a year, they suddenly appear and have Gu Yan pick her up. She’s just trying to suck Gu Yan dry. If these two really had feelings for each other, what have they been doing for the past year? Why haven’t they gotten married?”
This comment had a hundred thousand likes, with over six thousand replies. Under the comments, there were more that agreed. Someone even posted a picture of Meng Ying and Gu Yan at the airport, showing them walking together, with no hand-holding or arm-linking. They walked side by side, and due to the angle, their faces looked cold and distant.
No interaction, no sweetness. Meng Ying had grown accustomed to sucking people dry… and so on. These comments led to the trending topic. Liu Qin stood beside her, her tone cold, “…For the past year, she’s been rising to fame just based on her talent. Now, on Weibo and in the eyes of netizens, she’s this talented, beautiful fairy who excels at everything—playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She often makes the trending topics, and no one feels disgusted by her.”
“This Weibo post of hers was so timely, it’s like she’s mocking you. And Gu Yan got hit by fans because of this post.”
Meng Ying closed Weibo and said, “Maybe it’s just a coincidence. She probably drew this because she was also picked up by Xu Dian yesterday, and they embraced at the airport.”
Liu Qin paused. “That’s true. Those two sisters are definitely not easy targets!”
She glanced at Meng Ying. Seeing her calm expression, Liu Qin’s anxiety eased. Meng Ying picked up her phone again and checked Weibo. There were many private messages, and she didn’t need to look to know they were insults. She quickly glanced through a few, but then a phone call flashed on her screen.
It was a somewhat familiar number.
She answered it, saying “Hello.”
Xu Dian’s deep voice came through, “To see him, you’re willing to forgo signing the contract?”
Meng Ying paused for a moment before replying, “Is the contract more important than a person?”
On the other end of the line, the man fell silent for a while, his faint breath audible. Then, with a hint of indifference, he said, “Fine. If you don’t sign, then there’s no chance.”
Meng Ying smiled lightly. “It’s okay.”
With that, she ended the call, turned to Liu Qin, and said, “The ‘Interstellar’ deal is off.”
“What?” Liu Qin froze for a couple of seconds before realizing, “It’s already off? Could it be because of what I said…?”
“No, no. They couldn’t wait. It’s fine,” Meng Ying reassured her.
Liu Qin thought for a moment, muttered a curse, calling Xu Dian worthless.
Then she shrugged and said, “Forget it. I’ll help you pull some scripts in the next few days.”
“Alright.”
Meng Ying wasn’t in a hurry.
The car quickly arrived at the private hospital.
Even though it was a hidden private hospital, there were still quite a few reporters around. As soon as Meng Ying got out of the car, they rushed towards her. Thankfully, there were bodyguards from Gu Yan nearby who rushed over to shield her and guide her inside. The private hospital was not crowded, and they quickly reached the single-patient room where Gu Yan was.
Pushing open the door, Gu Yan was sitting on the bed, his forehead wrapped in bandages.
He wore a white shirt, looking a little pale, but his spirits seemed fine. There were quite a few people in the room, including Gu Yan’s manager, assistant, and what seemed like a public relations team. When Gu Yan saw Meng Ying, he smiled and said, “Why did you come all the way here?”
Meng Ying smiled and walked over to sit in the chair beside him. “Your assistant called me, how could I not come? Plus, your injury happened because of me.”
Gu Yan chuckled, his long leg hanging over the side of the bed as he looked at Meng Ying. He then glanced at his manager, who was standing nearby.
Shen Chong, his manager, stepped forward and said to Meng Ying and Liu Qin, “We were planning to talk to you after things settled down. Gu Yan has always wanted to be friends with Meng Ying, especially after she took a year off and is now starting again. Yesterday’s trending topic wasn’t taken down, but no one expected things to escalate like this. We’ve discussed it and plan to announce that Gu Yan is pursuing you…”
Meng Ying was momentarily stunned. Liu Qin, however, brightened up.
“That way, things will be much easier to handle.”
Meng Ying looked at Gu Yan. Gu Yan smiled and nodded at her, his eyes showing no other emotion.
Meng Ying thought for a moment, “This…”
“It’s not exactly a relationship, so it’ll be easier to handle later. Let’s just say Gu Yan is pursuing you,” Liu Qin suggested.
“That sounds better,” Liu Qin laughed, “It’s better than saying they’re in a relationship…”
Meng Ying was still hesitant.
Gu Yan said, “If you don’t agree, my head might get hit again…”
Meng Ying: “…”
The group discussed for over an hour. Liu Qin, using her skills as a manager, negotiated with Shen Chong and finalized the plan.
Meng Ying was somewhat resistant.
But she had no real reason to resist too much. If Gu Yan hadn’t consulted her, he could have just announced it on Weibo. Pursuing someone was just a process, not as complicated as being in a relationship. In the end, Meng Ying had no choice but to compromise. Once everything was settled, she called for food to be delivered.
They were having a meal for Gu Yan’s team.
Since Gu Yan had a mild concussion, the doctor advised him to stay in the hospital for observation. Meng Ying and Liu Qin didn’t stay long, sitting for a while before leaving. By the time they stepped outside, it was already dark.
There weren’t many reporters around, just a few quick photos before Meng Ying and Liu Qin got into a taxi. As the car entered the busy streets, Liu Qin received a call from President. Seizing the opportunity, she told him about the project. President Yu seemed unable to understand at first.
He sounded somewhat reproachful toward Liu Qin. Liu Qin could only patiently explain. Meng Ying patted Liu Qin’s shoulder as she listened. President Yu had offered great terms to sign Meng Ying again, but the future was still uncertain. His anxiety was understandable. But Liu Qin was the one who had to deal with the consequences.
After hanging up, Liu Qin clicked her tongue and said, “President Yu will probably be in pain for three years over this. We’re going to see his pained expression for a long time…”
Meng Ying smiled.
Soon, the taxi arrived at her place on Xinyue Road, but they couldn’t go directly there because the road was under construction. To reach her building, they had to take a big detour. Since they were in a taxi, Meng Ying got out near the road and walked toward her neighborhood. Just as she arrived, a black car pulled up in front of her, blocking her path.
The car door opened.
Meng Ying saw the man sitting in the driver’s seat. Xu Dian was holding a cigarette, looking at her with his head turned. The car’s interior was dark, and his face was obscured by shadows. A few seconds later, he held up a document and pointed to the passenger seat.
Meng Ying, using the dim light, could make out the document—it was the contract for “Interstellar.” She glanced at it, then turned and walked away.
She bypassed the front of the car and headed straight for the neighborhood. The car door slammed open, followed by footsteps. The next second, the man grabbed her wrist, giving it a light tug, pulling her back. Meng Ying was pulled back a few steps, her wrist raised. She furrowed her brow and looked at him coldly.
Xu Dian lowered his head, his eyes scanning her face, her dress, her neck, and finally resting on her tightly pressed lips. He let out a laugh. “You’re in a pretty bad mood now.”
Meng Ying smiled, her expression cold, “Is there something you need?”
“If there’s nothing, then why are you grabbing me? I’ll call the police,” she said.
Xu Dian raised an eyebrow, casually nodding. “Go ahead.”
Meng Ying took out her phone and dialed 110, describing the situation as she glanced at Xu Dian… Then she hung up. Xu Dian silently watched her finish what she was doing, then chuckled. “Alright.”
After saying this, Xu Dian’s gaze fell on her phone screen.
A notification beeped.
A Weibo post popped up.
Gu Yan Studio V: “Regarding the rumors between Meng Ying and our artist, Gu Yan, we’d like to clarify. Currently, our Senior Gu Yan is pursuing Meng Ying with great sincerity and is cherishing her very much.”
Cherishing her very much.
Xu Dian silently stared at this message…
His lips tightened. At that moment, a siren sounded behind them. Meng Ying forcefully pulled her hand away from his and pointed to the men who had gotten out of the police car, then turned and swiped her card to enter the building.
She walked into the lobby.
Xu Dian’s identity left the police stunned for a moment. Then, the alleged victim, who was supposed to give a statement, walked away without offering much. She only agreed to talk on the phone and stated that her reason for calling the police was that someone had been harassing her.
The person was Master Xu from the Xu family in Licheng…
It was a bit awkward because this didn’t seem likely. So, the police asked the neighborhood to retrieve footage from the cameras. After watching it, they respectfully saw Xu Dian off.
Xu Dian tossed the contract into the passenger seat and drove off. After parking in the garage, he leaned against the steering wheel with a cigarette in his mouth. After a while, he smiled faintly, adjusted his collar, opened the door, and got out of the car. He walked toward the house. The lights inside were dim, and Aunt Chen, the housekeeper, was preparing breakfast for the next morning. She would head home after finishing. Xu Dian lived alone in the villa and usually didn’t let anyone stay.
Hearing the noise, Aunt Chen poked her head out. She saw the tall man unbuttoning his collar and sitting on the sofa, holding a cigarette between his fingers.
Aunt Chen smiled and asked, “Xu Dian, do you want something to eat for a late-night snack?”
On the sofa, Xu Dian tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and rested his arm on the armrest, letting it hang loosely.
He paused, then quietly said, “Make some hangover soup…”
“Did you drink?” Aunt Chen asked in surprise, not smelling any alcohol.
A few seconds later.
Xu Dian opened his eyes, took off his glasses, and said, “I didn’t drink. Don’t bother making it.”
Aunt Chen smiled, “This year, you’ve had me make hangover soup several times, but you were never happy with it, always complaining about this and that. Is it because some girl made hangover soup for you, and it was so good that you’ve been thinking about it?”
“No way.” The man laughed lightly, leaning forward and flicking the cigarette butt with his fingers. “What’s so great about hangover soup?”
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