CHAPTER 77

Xiaoyuan lay in bed, finally feeling at ease as she clicked on the red envelope transfer Wei Zhuang had sent her. Watching the red envelopes she sent being opened one by one in the WeChat chat box, she couldn't stop smiling.

Oh my, ten of them! What kind of expression would Wei Zhuang have while clicking?

'Am I the only one daring enough to send a red envelope to the big boss?'

Wei Zhuang accepting them would be too cute, wouldn't it?

In fact, that message should have been sent to her.

Xiaoyuan chuckled again.

By the time she had finished clicking on all of them, Xiaoyuan was laughing so much that her legs were kicking the blanket.

Ah, she still hadn't replied to He Chenying! Xiaoyuan hurriedly jumped to He Chenying's chat window. It was past midnight, she wondered if she had gone to sleep.

Chenying: [I remember someone saying I was too old to play 'Meng Xiaozhou'. Who was it, who was it?]

She couldn't send the same "You're just too cute!" line again. Xiaoyuan typed, [I was wrong! Sister Chenying can play any role!]

[Sorry, I was busy with something earlier and didn't reply in time. Goodnight, Sister Chenying.]

After sending the message, she waited for a moment but didn't see a response from Chenying. She must have really been resting, she promised herself not to get distracted next time they talked.

"Sister Yuan, why are you so happy??" She didn't even hear Tiantian come in.

"Oh," Xiaoyuan scratched her head, not knowing where to start, so she just smiled and shook her head.

"Come on, tell me~" Tiantian teased her.

"Go to sleep already." Xiaoyuan turned off the bedside lamp, still smiling.

Tiantian also smiled, happy to see her in a good mood. These days, the pressure Xiaoyuan faced on set was immense. After each scene, her silence worried both Tiantian and Cai Juan, yet they dared not show their concern.

"Sister Xiaoyuan, are you in love?" With the lights out, the room quieted down, creating a perfect atmosphere for chatting.

"Huh?"

"You're smiling so happily. It must be because of someone you like, right?"

Xiaoyuan was silent for a while.

"Are you asleep?" Tiantian asked in confusion.

Xiaoyuan turned over and pretended to be asleep. Tiantian chuckled softly and turned to sleep as well.

In the darkness, Xiaoyuan lay with her eyes open, feeling a mix of complicated emotions.

She opened her phone, but Wei Zhuang hadn't replied to her. The chat box still displayed the message, [If you don't accept it, that won't be cute!]

The room was warm and peaceful, yet her emotions were in turmoil.

It had been a long time since she had been in love. The feelings Wei Zhuang brought to her were different from those of her ex-boyfriend. She hadn't thought much about it, believing it was simply an instinct to want to get closer to her.

Tiantian's casual question reminded her that perhaps her feelings for Wei Zhuang ran deeper. Maybe, no, she really liked Wei Zhuang.

What did she like about her?

She couldn't quite put it into words.

In the entertainment industry, a place of fame and fortune, Wei Zhuang was among the elite, standing high with a broad view. Almost no one she encountered could stand on equal ground with her.

Xiaoyuan always referred to her as "President Wei," but in private messages, she felt like she was just interacting with Wei Zhuang, not "President Wei." She didn't care about her social status.

She wanted to get closer to the real Wei Zhuang, the mysterious, solitary figure, the one who was as elusive as cold rain. What she liked most was the warmth of her presence, her hugs, and her kisses.

Xiaoyuan's face flushed as she began to understand her own feelings more clearly. If this wasn't liking someone, then what was it?

On this New Year's Eve, she silently mocked herself, realizing why she couldn't act in romantic scenes—she didn't even know she liked someone!

But she also blamed her lack of experience. With her ex-boyfriend, she merely tolerated him. Every time they had physical contact, it felt like something was missing. She never experienced that electric feeling described in books and movies.

She recalled that brief night with Wei Zhuang. She had been too shy, or perhaps her brain hadn't processed it yet. The feeling was very brief. Wherever their bodies touched, it was as if an electric current had passed through her spine, causing her whole body to tremble.

Later, Xiaoyuan had thought about her heightened sensitivity that night. Neither she nor Wei Zhuang had any experience with women. Perhaps being women themselves made them more aware of how to please one another physically.

Looking back now, her body's response couldn't deceive anyone. She liked Wei Zhuang.

But what did Wei Zhuang think?

She thought of their renewed contract, her feelings becoming even more complicated.

Two years.

Wei Zhuang was truly a contract fanatic. Did she believe a cold, hard contract provided more security?

There were too many mysteries surrounding her life, including the Wei family's secrets.

Yet, she could say things like, "I'm attracted to you," words that tugged at the heartstrings...

Xiaoyuan checked her phone again, then looked at Wei Zhuang's Moments, but it was empty, with nothing posted.

She sighed, lying back on the bed, gazing at the ceiling lost in thought.

When she leaned on Wei Zhuang's chest, when she kissed her on the cheek, that feeling was unparalleled.

Thinking about being able to spend time with the person she liked in the future, Xiaoyuan felt a surge of strength, making the difficulties of filming seem insignificant.

By February, the filming of "Huo 3" was nearing its end. Xiaoyuan had lost quite a bit of weight, but was still in good spirits.

During this time, Wei Zhuang hadn't contacted her. Well, she wasn't the type to chat on WeChat. It was already a big deal that she had initiated contact with her.

"We agreed to meet when we returned to Shencheng." Xiaoyuan muttered to herself.

Since she hadn't returned yet, she wouldn't send a message to herself.

Xiaoyuan wanted to message her, but she didn't know what to say. There was an unspoken balance between them now, and she feared that taking action might disrupt that balance. So, she decided to wait and see.

Having never been in a relationship with a woman, this would be an entirely new journey for her.

On Valentine's Day, it was quiet as usual.

Xiaoyuan didn't feel any unpleasant emotions. Instead, she thought, 'Hmph, if you don't message me, I won't message you either. I don't even see you as my Valentine right now!'

She originally thought today would be as bland and uneventful as previous years.

But around nine o'clock that evening, a trending topic about Lu Jingnian exploded on Weibo.

A marketing account revealed that Lu Jingnian had been hospitalized after a suicide attempt, even posting a blurry hospital photo showing the shadow of an ambulance.

Xiaoyuan furrowed her brow.

After that public relations battle, Fang Hao had successfully risen to fame with "Zui Xiaoyao [Drunken Wanderer]," while Lu Jingnian was sidelined by her company, publicly claiming she was sick and resting. Everyone could see through this, but only the fans from both sides were fooling themselves

This news broke on Valentine's Day and was widely propagated by various marketing accounts. Before long, aside from bystanders gossiping, fans were arguing fiercely, with two central themes emerging:

Fang Hao's fans: [Here we go again, that old actress is trying to use our brother for publicity, and she picked today of all days. What a scheming tactic!]

Lu Jingnian's fans: [A backstabbing and ungrateful wretch!]

Both Lu Jingnian and Fang Hao were under the same agency, and the agency didn't want a repeat of the previous PR debacle. So, an hour later, the studio released a statement thanking fans for their concern, stating that Lu Jingnian was simply ill. The ambulance had been called by an overly concerned manager, and it was not a suicide attempt.

However, the fans from both sides were already at odds, and instead of calming down, the arguments grew more intense.

Xiaoyuan asked Cai Juan, "What's really going on?"

Cai Juan had already looked into it and sighed, mimicking a cutting motion with his wrist. "Looks like she couldn't take it anymore."

Xiaoyuan fell silent for a moment. "Can I call her?"

Cai Juan and Tiantian exchanged a glance, both having the same opinion. "It's probably best not to."

Since it didn't concern them and they weren't close, it was better not to get involved to avoid trouble.

"People may not necessarily understand your good intentions, and she's not in a good mood. Plus, you've just landed a good movie role while she's still in a period of being sidelined. Calling her might not offer much comfort." Cai Juan analyzed calmly.

Tiantian hadn't fully expressed her thoughts yet, and who knew if the other party might use Xiaoyuan for publicity. Lu Jingnian was now like a discarded chess piece, and her manager would undoubtedly seize any opportunity for a comeback.

It sounded practical and ruthless, but Xiaoyuan had worked hard to achieve her current success, and she couldn't afford to be reckless. They were looking out for themselves without harming others.

Xiaoyuan didn't say anything and turned back to Weibo.

The topic had already escalated to the top of the trending list.

Even Lu Jingnian's fans were frustrated, saying, [We don't even know what our sister is thinking. What's the point of all this for a worthless person? We, who want the best for her, can't see it. It's infuriating! I just want to unfollow her!]

[I've already given up. Not unfollowing while not criticizing is my greatest kindness. She won't get popular again, so just let it be.]

[Hey, there's no need for that. Why not follow someone else? The next one might be better!]

Compared to Fang Hao's harsh comments like [Why don't you just die?], Xiaoyuan felt that Lu Jingnian's fans were saying more hurtful things.

Cai Juan took her phone and handed it to Tiantian. "Don't get involved in this mess. It's a complicated situation. Don't step into it."

Ruan Qing sent a video over, clearly noticing the issue at hand. It was evident that Tiantian had informed her about it.

Xiaoyuan felt somewhat helpless.

Ruan Qing gently asked her, "What do you think?"

Facing Ruan Qing, Xiaoyuan felt a bit of pressure but answered honestly, "I just feel that right now, she needs some care."

"During her lonely moments, it's still comforting to know that there's someone willing to call her, rather than avoiding her out of fear."

She recalled those days when she had no acting roles, feeling like she had almost nothing, relying on the encouragement of her family and He Chenying to get through.

Ruan Qing was a bit surprised but not entirely so.

Cai Juan sighed knowingly, his expression confirming what they all expected. At that moment, everything hinged on Ruan Qing's decision.

After thinking seriously for a moment, Ruan Qing surprisingly agreed, "Okay."

Xiaoyuan was taken aback by the response.

Ruan Qing smiled and reassured her, "It's not a big deal. Don't worry. It won't be a hassle."

When the boss spoke, she naturally had a clear plan, and both Cai Juan and Tiantian had no objections. After Ruan Qing ended the video call, Xiaoyuan picked up her phone and dialed a voice call on WeChat.

It rang for a long time before someone picked up. It wasn't Lu Jingnian's voice but that of an older woman. "Miss Xiang?"

"Hello, who is this?"

"I'm Jingnian's manager." Her tone was warm but carried a hint of caution.

"Is Miss Lu okay?"

"Haha, she's fine, it's just a fever..." The manager's smile sounded somewhat insincerely genuine.

Xiaoyuan: "Please tell her to rest well and get better soon."

The manager seemed surprised, about to say something, but Xiaoyuan quickly excused herself, saying she had something to attend to. After hanging up, she let out a sigh.

A few minutes later, she saw Lu Jingnian calling back.

When Xiaoyuan answered, the other side remained silent, and she didn't speak either.

Cai Juan pulled Tiantian away.

"I didn't expect it to be you calling me..." Lu Jingnian's voice was hoarse, as if she had been crying for a long time.

"..." Xiaoyuan didn't know what to say, everything felt awkward.

"Many people think I'm being foolish, but I don't regret loving him."

'Can love really reach this level?' Xiaoyuan thought of her mother, whose first marriage had failed. In her second marriage, she acted as if she were on the ground, with no principles, always yielding, blindly submissive.

"Thank you. I also miss acting." Lu Jingnian suddenly laughed.

Xiaoyuan blinked, and Lu Jingnian chuckled a few more times, her laughter becoming clearer and more relaxed.

Xiaoyuan also smiled, "Mm."

"I was offered a role in a web series before. The production quality was poor, but the script was interesting. Haha, I'm thinking of taking it." Lu Jingnian was laughing again, but Xiaoyuan felt like she could hear her wiping away tears.

"If you find it interesting, then go for it. You know I've acted in things before, looking back, it was pretty fun."

"If someone else said that, I would think they were just talking without understanding the pain. But coming from you, it's very convincing."

"Hahaha~"

"Hahahaha!" The two of them burst into laughter.

"Thank you," Lu Jingnian paused. "Not getting to know you properly before was my loss. You are very pure, very rare. I wish you all the best."

Xiaoyuan blinked, scratching her head.

She hung up the phone.

Holding her phone, Xiaoyuan felt a mix of emotions, and her eyes were a bit teary.

In that brief phone call, she witnessed someone struggling to rise from the ashes of a broken heart, trying hard to smile and move forward.

Was this the power of love?

To love deeply, to love brightly, and then to be left with ashes after it all, not everyone can rise from those ashes.

While Lu Jingnian might still be able to stand up, her mother had never managed to pull herself together, she still didn't remember her children.

The destructive power of love is too great. Xiaoyuan wondered, what if it were her? If she fell in love with someone, what would the outcome be?

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