Chapter 54
Chapter 54
The atmosphere in the living room was suffocatingly delicate.
From the second Xing Ye appeared, Pei Chuzhi froze on the spot.
She stiffly turned her neck, meeting Ruan Li’s hesitant expression, and realized she couldn’t utter a single word.
And at this point, nothing she said would help.
She couldn’t exactly shove Xing Ye back into the bedroom and knock Ruan Li out to erase her memory.
Xing Ye didn’t say much on the phone, mostly short interjections.
After a while, the person on the other end seemed to be asking about his location, so he smiled slightly, the corner of his eyes glancing teasingly at Pei Chuzhi’s face: “I’m at Zizi’s place.”
His voice carried a hint of satisfaction and an undefinable arrogance.
A few minutes later, Xing Ye hung up, showing no embarrassment of being “caught in the act,” and calmly asked, “Going out?”
His demeanor was far too casual, like a boyfriend casually asking about his girlfriend’s plans.
Pei Chuzhi exhaled slowly: “Yeah, Ruan Li and I had plans earlier.”
Ruan Li stiffened: “Uh, I can go alone too.”
“???”
Pei Chuzhi stared at her in disbelief—was she really this fake?
Ruan Li shivered internally, recalling her earlier comment about the “pretty boy.”
Though they say ignorance is innocence, she felt that rule probably didn’t apply to Xing Ye.
Xing Ye thought seriously for a moment: “It’s fine, you two have fun.”
He put away his phone, walked over, and patted Pei Chuzhi’s head, acting affectionate: “I need to go home for a bit. Song Shiqing is looking for me.”
Ruan Li, who had tried to minimize her presence, looked up at the mention of a name, opening and closing her lips several times but couldn’t ask anything.
Pei Chuzhi didn’t notice Ruan Li’s reaction. She focused entirely on Xing Ye, half-seriously asking, “Are you taking your luggage?”
Her black-and-white eyes hid reluctance, even her eyelashes trembling softly, which stirred something in Xing Ye’s heart.
After a pause, he quietly said, “Yes, I’m taking it. Flying abroad tonight.”
Pei Chuzhi felt a momentary pang of loss but still lifted the corners of her mouth: “Take care of yourself.”
Xing Ye nodded, knowing that by the time he returned, Pei Chuzhi would already be on set filming.
He wanted to say a few more words, at least to tell her the deepest, truest thoughts after one night together.
But with Ruan Li present, many things couldn’t be said aloud.
Helplessly, he restrained the urge to confess his feelings and turned to leave the living room to pack.
The clothes he wore yesterday had already been discarded; the only things left to pack were a few items from the bathroom. He deliberately slowed his movements, going back and forth between the two rooms several times.
Pei Chuzhi hesitated for a moment, then said to Ruan Li: “Can you wait for me a little longer?”
“I’ll wait outside.”
Ruan Li took the chance to make amends, grabbed her bag, and dashed out.
Pei Chuzhi walked into the guest room that had seen no one sleep in it last night, seeing Xing Ye had already closed his suitcase, sitting on the edge of the bed with a faint, teasing smile as he watched her.
When she entered, he quietly asked: “Not wanting Ruan Li to know I’m here? Want to hide me?”
“Of course not, I’m just a little embarrassed,” Pei Chuzhi stood in front of him, looking into his eyes. “Remember to miss me.”
At some point, when she and Xing Ye were together, she no longer needed to pretend deep affection.
Every glance and tone was her honest heart, revealed under the guise of the contract.
And at this moment, the unmelting affection in Xing Ye’s eyes made her unwilling to question its truth—she only wanted to lose herself in his gentle gaze.
Xing Ye was slightly taken aback, his voice hoarse as he replied, “Me too.”
Pei Chuzhi curved her brows, leaned slightly forward, letting her falling hair brush Xing Ye’s cheek, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.
Xing Ye smiled, and Pei Chuzhi felt her heart bloom with joy.
·
The beauty salon Ruan Li had booked wasn’t far from the neighborhood, specializing in body management.
In plain terms, it used all sorts of strange devices to shape the body quickly and tighten muscles.
Pei Chuzhi had only come to accompany Ruan Li. She wasn’t interested in this kind of “high-tech” experience and didn’t dare remove her clothes in the salon, fearing the red marks on her chest and waist might be seen.
Ruan Li changed into a robe and lay on the treatment table, sighing: “If I’d known Xing Ye would be here last night, I wouldn’t have come today. And you could have easily asked me to stay away—he’s your boyfriend after all. We’re all adults, what’s there to be shy about?”
Pei Chuzhi flipped through a magazine in her hands: “I didn’t expect him to come out directly either.”
Ruan Li turned her body: “Because you were hiding things from me. How could someone like him endure that kind of grievance? Song Shiqing once said…”
She paused abruptly, swallowing the rest of her words.
Pei Chuzhi looked up and caught the faint sadness in Ruan Li’s expression.
She remembered Xing Ye once mentioning that Ruan Li’s previous manager was Song Shiqing, and they ended their professional relationship due to personal reasons.
Their eyes met briefly in the air.
Pei Chuzhi didn’t want to pry and looked away, noticing Ruan Li’s fair and delicate face blushing slightly.
“You know about me and Song Shiqing?” Ruan Li asked softly. “Did Xing Ye tell you?”
“When filming Quietly Falling in Love with You, you asked me a few times about Xing Ye. I was curious, so I asked him, and he gave me a brief answer.”
Pei Chuzhi, worried she might misunderstand Xing Ye gossiping, added: “It really was just a little.”
Ruan Li smiled in relief: “It’s okay. Everyone knows Teacher Xing; he’s not that kind of person.”
Pei Chuzhi responded with a soft “Mm,” feeling that after talking, Ruan Li seemed more relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart.
“Zizi, I’ve liked Song Shiqing for many years.”
Pei Chuzhi almost dropped her magazine, instinctively turning to check the slightly closed door, making sure no salon staff were eavesdropping, then quietly asked: “You knew each other before?”
Ruan Li said, “Back in middle school, he was my dad’s student. Later, I wanted to become an actress and had conflicts at home, so I often complained to him. One day, he suddenly said he would be my manager and help me become famous.”
“Eventually, he really made me famous, but I got stuck in a mental rut.”
“In this industry, it’s easy to be insecure.”
“He supported me, and I worried he was just doing his job. He didn’t support me, I thought he disliked me and didn’t want to pay attention to me.”
Pei Chuzhi’s eyes flickered.
Ruan Li lowered her eyelashes, showing a sadness that didn’t match her innocent public image: “I was too greedy, mixing emotions and work, and in the end, couldn’t tell anything apart.”
“Who suggested changing managers?” Pei Chuzhi asked.
Ruan Li pointed to herself: “I did. That feeling was unbearable. Can you understand?”
Pei Chuzhi put the magazine back on the shelf, nodding after a long pause: “I understand.”
A staff member in a light green uniform knocked outside the door, signaling the start of the treatment, ending the topic abruptly.
For the rest of the day, the two didn’t bring it up again.
·
In the following days, Pei Chuzhi spent the remaining vacation immersed in her script.
On the day Yan City reached this year’s highest temperatures, she boarded a plane to leave for the initial filming city of Half a Lifetime of Glory.
According to the production schedule, Half a Lifetime of Glory would film in three cities, with an estimated duration of four months.
As the plane roared into the sky, Pei Chuzhi looked down at the shrinking Yan City, thinking that by the time she returned, it would already be the bitterly cold deep winter.
And this brilliance became the last memory she carried, as wonderful as a dream she didn’t want to wake from.
Time passed quickly after joining the crew.
Half a Lifetime of Glory was a female-lead drama. Pei Chuzhi was on set almost from dawn to late at night every day. When she returned to the hotel, she was so exhausted she didn’t even want to speak, yet she still forced herself to review the next day’s script.
Fortunately, her efforts were not in vain.
Bai Ruxu repeatedly praised her in front of everyone, saying she had talent and charisma, and was willing to dive deeply into her role.
Although the praise always ended with a comment like “Xing Ye has an eye for talent,” the cast’s perception of her gradually shifted from “Xing Ye’s girlfriend” to “an actress with great future potential.”
By mid-September, Quietly Falling in Love with You officially aired.
Pei Chuzhi was fully devoted to shaping the character Zhuo Wei, paying little attention to online reactions to Jiang Nanyan.
Since her family fell into decline, she had learned a principle: one should always look forward. Constantly dwelling on the past would only keep her from progressing.
Even so, Tang Dong still flew to the set to excitedly tell her, “Zizi, you’re really popular now!”
Unlike before, when she rose through scandals, or increased her fame through variety shows, Pei Chuzhi had finally entered public awareness as an actress, thanks to the daring and passionate Jiang Nanyan.
“The first ten or so episodes, people criticized you really harshly,” Tang Dong recalled, shuddering a little. “Luckily you were busy filming and didn’t go online much, otherwise I’d be worried you’d collapse under the pressure.”
Pei Chuzhi was eating lunch, staring blankly at the braised beef in her lunchbox, unconsciously picking out the cilantro, then asked, “And now?”
Tang Dong handed over his phone: “Now they all adore you.”
Pei Chuzhi glanced at the screen and almost couldn’t handle it.
【Zizi, good girl! Look at Mommy, you haven’t been online in so long!】
【Fairy sister, when will you break up with Xing Ye? I’m holding my love queue for you QVQ】
【Get lost upstairs! Our Coconut Juice CP is untouchable, no one can separate us.】
【Come on, you guys haven’t posted sweet stuff in ages, I’m pretty sure you’ve broken up. But it’s okay, Zizi, look at me, I promise I’ll treat you better than Xing Ye!】
【Even though you have a boyfriend… do you mind having one more girlfriend?】
Pei Chuzhi’s eyelids twitched. She thought netizens nowadays were really unrestrained. She handed the phone back to Tang Dong and asked, “Besides these comments, are there any normal ones?”
Tang Dong nodded repeatedly: “Of course. This drama is trending, lots of people are watching. Most think your Jiang Nanyan truly captures the essence of the original character.”
He patted his chest, confidently promising: “We didn’t hire any bots this time. You’re genuinely popular now.”
At the same time, in the vast desert…
Xing Ye spat out the sand in his mouth, took the bottled water Xiao Zhou handed him to rinse, and finally walked to a shaded area to rest under the blazing sun.
He had been filming in the desert for days, enduring harsh conditions and poor signal, and hadn’t contacted Pei Chuzhi for several days.
Thinking of this made him slightly irritated.
Song Shiqing looked at his phone: “Pei Chuzhi is trending.”
“Mm?”
“The drama Quietly Falling in Love with You just aired a major scene with her and the second male lead,” Song Shiqing pushed up his glasses and sneered, “the Southwest couple is attracting countless fans.”
Xing Ye’s gaze darkened: “Tch.”
Song Shiqing spun the phone a few times in his hand, then looked at his annoyed client: “Earlier, you didn’t post the restaurant photos. Should I help boost the hype?”
Xing Ye: “Post.” He paused for a few seconds, then added, “Remind Zhong Li’s company not to hype the drama’s CP.”
Song Shiqing nodded, a playful smile at the corner of his lips: “Pei Chuzhi is popular now. You probably don’t need to invest resources to get roles. What’s next?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
Song Shiqing leaned closer, speaking softly so only Xing Ye could hear: “I’m your manager. You should tell me the direction of your romance—going from fake to real, or just keeping it superficial?”
Xing Ye gripped the water bottle tightly, the muscles in his arm forming sharp, defined lines.
Song Shiqing sighed helplessly, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s best to separate romance and work; otherwise, things could backfire.”
Xing Ye glanced at him, “When you broke up with Ruan Li, did you think the same way?”
“…”
Song Shiqing paused, then teased him, “I don’t think you’re any better. Does she even know you like her?”
Xing Ye withdrew his gaze calmly, thinking for a moment before raising his head, “Let’s terminate the contract early. No need to wait two years.”
Since that contract had become an obstacle between them, it was better to let it disappear.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, I’ll tell Tang Dong,”
Song Shiqing opened the notes app on his phone, “I’ll contact the lawyer first. If Huaxing tries to extort money, we’ll be prepared.”
A sudden gust of wind lifted countless grains of sand.
Xing Ye closed his eyes in silence for a moment. When he opened them, a trace of a smile crossed his gaze.
“No need. This is between her and me. After she wraps filming, I’ll tell her myself.”
Author’s note: And then you get slapped in the face (cold.jpg)
Also a notice: the next book When I Like You, It’s Like Seeing Spring has revised its setting. Sorry to the little ones who had it in their collection before; the author suddenly had a new idea she really wanted to write.
New setting: [Tech CEO researching drones vs. Popular science illustrator studying birds]. You can read the synopsis first. If you like it, please don’t remove it from your favorites. (:з」∠)
Synopsis -
A friend introduced a girl to Zhou Yanchuan, saying she was not only beautiful but also very knowledgeable.
Zhou Yanchuan reluctantly added her on WeChat and politely asked, “Miss Lin, what do you usually enjoy?”
Lin Wan replied, “I like watching birds.”
“…”
Zhou Yanchuan frowned lightly, then moved her to the blacklist with a few taps.
When the friend asked about his impression of Lin Wan, Zhou Yanchuan’s expression was indifferent, his voice cold: “Utterly insipid.”
·
Six months later, during the third-generation drone test flight at Xingchuang Technology, Zhou Yanchuan met Lin Wan in the wild.
She was bathed in spring sunlight, efficiently setting up a tripod among the hills, aiming her camera at a black-capped chickadee perched on a branch. When she pressed the shutter, infinite tenderness hid behind her bright, beautiful face.
On the way back to the city, Zhou Yanchuan saw Lin Wan’s car had broken down. He offered her a ride and, to prevent misunderstandings, handed her a business card: “Don’t worry, I’m not a bad person.”
“So you’re Zhou Yanchuan.”
Lin Wan lowered her gaze to scan the card, then looked up at his beautiful peach blossom eyes. A few seconds later, she curved her lips in a smile, “Indeed, utterly insipid.”
Zhou Yanchuan: “…”