Chapter 35

Xi Tang finished her cigarette and walked inside. She glanced at her phone, then at Zhao Pingjin who was cooking breakfast in the kitchen.

She said nothing.

In the afternoon, Zhao Pingjin flipped through her phone’s photo album again.

Sure enough.

Xi Tang had deleted that photo.

He felt a little uncomfortable.

At around four o’clock, Ni Kailun came to pick her up to record a program at the TV station. Xi Tang changed into a high-neck sweater, packed her things, and walked out of the room.

Hearing the sound, Zhao Pingjin came out of his study. He must have been working. Holding a pen in his hand, he was wearing a dark gray shirt. Above the stiff collar of his shirt, there was a conspicuous dark red bite mark on his neck. His face looked a little pale. He pointed to the bank card on the coffee table. “The broken clothes and jewelry, go buy them yourself.”

Xi Tang nodded obediently, lowered her head, picked up the golden card from the table, and stuffed it into her bag. “Thank you, Mr. Zhao.”

At that moment, she sensed Zhao Pingjin behind her, letting out a light sigh of relief.

Xi Tang smiled silently.

She knew that being understanding was important. People like them, who kept celebrity mistresses, were simply looking for comfort. The last thing they wanted was a tangled, complicated relationship with their partner.

Ni Kailun sat in the driver’s seat.

When he saw her open the car door, he glanced at her. “Did you have an argument?”

Xi Tang had a neutral expression. “What’s there to argue about?”

Ni Kailun was quite interested. “But you two were fine at the wedding banquet last night. The photo you posted this morning on Weibo, the ambiguous, clingy emotional state—it’s a professional PR caption that no one could write better.”

Xi Tang responded tiredly, “Boring.”

“The comments are quite lively.”

“I’m not looking.”

Ni Kailun spoke as he drove. “He really knows how to take photos of you. The pictures he posts are all beautiful. Even the company has been asking me who the photographer is.”

Xi Tang scoffed. “Then you should pay him.”

Ni Kailun patiently advised, “Don’t be angry. You and him, isn’t it all about the money? Once you think about it that way, everything becomes clear.”

Xi Tang hadn’t slept well. When she looked in the mirror in the morning, her face was particularly pale, making her dark circles under her eyes even more pronounced. She wore a pair of sunglasses that covered almost half of her face and turned to Ni Kailun, giving a half-smile, half-sneer. “What you said is exactly the same as what he would say. You two should really date.”

Ni Kailun dramatically exclaimed, “Well, thank you then. Except for looking better, I really don’t see what’s so good about Zhao.”

Xi Tang turned her head, silently bowing her head and saying nothing.

Ni Kailun was driving but glanced at her for a moment.

Xi Tang suddenly felt a bit sentimental. “Mommy, when I was nineteen, I first met you at the company in the old Beijing office. It was Zhao Pingjin who took me there.”

Ni Kailun of course remembered how she looked the first time they met. Over the years, he had interviewed countless newcomers, but none had left such a lasting impression as when he first saw Huang Xitang. Even though she was like an unpolished gem, she was already so stunning that it was hard to look away. She walked into the company with her handsome boyfriend, and everyone thought they were filming a movie. Ni Kailun said, “I remember. You were like a Buddha sitting on my office sofa, as if I was going to sell you off.”

Xi Tang smiled and said, “After I signed the contract and came back, Zhao Pingjin told me, ‘Your agent is pretty good-looking.’ I was jealous of him for a while.”

Ni Kailun couldn’t help but laugh, and memories resurfaced. He casually said, “Do you know what I thought when I first saw you two?”

Over the years, Ni Kailun had never talked to her about this. Xi Tang asked, “What?”

Ni Kailun was blunt, “You two would break up sooner or later.”

Xi Tang turned her head and glared at him.

Ni Kailun’s voice remained calm, “The moment you walked in, I knew you would become famous. A young girl turning into a star, her perspective, wealth, and social connections would change drastically. If your boyfriend is a poor guy, there will be conflicts because of the imbalance in status, and you’ll break up sooner or later. If your boyfriend is a rich young man, it’s even worse. A female star works day and night, has no stable home, and when she goes on set to film for two or three months, she can’t even openly date. With an arrogant, handsome boyfriend, you can’t keep him.”

Xi Tang looked outside the car. The traffic on the elevated highway moved slowly. So many years ago, Ni Kailun had already seen through their fate.

“If one day I go crazy, you have to stop me.”

“I can’t stop you.”

“Please.”

Her agent, for the thousandth time, gave her the advice: “Love is unreliable. Always focus on your work.”

It had snowed heavily in Beijing all night.

In the morning, the world was covered in pure white. The Wangfu Garden outside, with its carved beams and painted rafters, looked like a palace made of jade and snow. A thin layer of ice had formed on the stone path, and the car roofs outside were still covered in snow. The branches of the trees in the yard were weighed down by the snow, and several actors’ assistants were playing in the yard. When they shook the branches, the snowflakes fell like a shower.

This was the final few weeks of filming for The Last Princess. The crew had moved to the Prince Chun Mansion in Xicheng District. Around 4 p.m., the temporary studio set up in the Silver Peace Hall was filled with actors resting while the props team moved equipment.

Xi Tang was rehearsing lines with Yin Nan in the makeup room when her assistant Xiao Ning came in and said, “Sister Xitang, there’s someone outside looking for you.”

Xi Tang looked up. “Who?”

Xiao Ning said, “A Miss Ouyang.”

Xi Tang stood up, softly saying, “Nan Ge…”

Yin Nan waved his hand at her. “Go ahead, you know your lines better than I do.”

Xi Tang smiled slightly at him, still in her costume. She lifted her skirt and walked out, seeing Ouyang Qingqing smiling and standing outside the door, holding two boxes.

She led her to the lounge in the west wing of the studio. “Qingqing, come in.”

As they walked, Qingqing asked, “Am I interrupting your work?”

Xi Tang smiled and said, “No, we just finished the last scene. Now we’re moving to a new location. This is a historical building. The props team and art department are redecorating the studio, so it’ll take a bit longer.”

The two of them walked into the lounge, a temporary room set aside for the crew. The furniture and decorations couldn’t be touched, so the actors could only sit on folding chairs on the floor. Makeup products and costumes were spread out in large open boxes. The room was a bit chaotic.

Xi Tang found the large pot of red date tea Xiao Ning had prepared for her and poured a cup for Qingqing, feeling a little embarrassed. “The working environment here is really messy.”

Qingqing warmed her hands with the cup. “It’s fine.”

Then, Qingqing remembered and handed over the box of snacks she had been holding. “Look at me, I forgot. Zhou Zhou sent this to you. His driver delivered several portions to homes today. When he reached ours, he was about to continue to your place, but I told him I was coming over in the afternoon, so he didn’t need to go.”

Xi Tang was momentarily stunned, forcing a smile. “What is it?”

Qingqing smiled and said, “Lotus seed cakes. His family’s nanny is from an old banner family, and her snacks are more authentic than any of the old famous stores in Beijing. She makes them every once in a while. There were several varieties, but he picked this one for you. Probably knows you love it.”

Xi Tang’s heart was lightly touched, but her expression remained calm. She smiled faintly. “Thank you.”

Qingqing cheerfully responded, “Thank him.”

Xi Tang’s smile stiffened. After a few seconds, she suggested, “Shall we take a walk in the garden?”

Qingqing smiled and said, “I think that’s a good idea. Among the many royal gardens in Beijing, this one is the most beautiful.”

The two of them walked slowly along the corridor by the lake. The scenic area on the south side had rocks and water, but the trees had already shed their leaves, leaving only bare branches with snowflakes hanging from them.

Xi Tang casually asked, “What brings you here?”

Qingqing smiled and replied, “I came with some colleagues. We just finished work and I thought I’d stop by and see you.”

Qingqing had always been concerned about her. “I thought you were still in Huairou. Didn’t expect you to be back in the city. Why haven’t I seen you around lately?”

Since the argument after Wu Zhenzhen’s wedding, Zhao Pingjin hadn’t contacted her for nearly half a month.

Xi Tang’s expression returned to a smile. “I’ve been busy. This location is really expensive. Once everyone gets here, work hardly stops.”

Qingqing looked up at the pavilion on the southwest hill, not doubting her words. “Mm, we’re planning an exhibition at Soong Ching-ling’s former residence for the New Year.”

Xi Tang estimated that it was very difficult to get permission to use this royal mansion for the drama’s filming. They could only film for three days, and the main cast members barely had two hours of rest each day. The production team was filming in shifts without interruption. By the time the filming finished, it would be the end of December, and the mansion would be used for something else.

Qingqing enthusiastically said, “If you want to come see it when it’s done, I’ll save a ticket for you.”

Xi Tang thought for a moment and politely replied, “I’m not sure if I’ll still be in Beijing by then.”

Qingqing glanced back at her and pulled her to sit on a bench by the corridor.

Qingqing held her hand and didn’t let go. “Xi Tang, I’ve always considered you a friend. You’re back in Beijing, and honestly, I’m really happy about it.”

Xi Tang’s lips always had a slight, gentle smile. “Qingqing, I really appreciate your kindness.”

Qingqing, being straightforward, said, “Even if Zhou Zhou doesn’t take you out, we can still meet.”

Xi Tang looked at her, her gaze warm, but she gently shook her head. “Qingqing, you know, without Zhao Pingjin, we wouldn’t have any chance to meet again.”

Qingqing glanced at her eyes, and the clarity and calmness in them made her feel a bit uneasy.

Qingqing half-jokingly said, “How could that be? Xi Tang, now that you’ve become a big star, you won’t ignore me, right?”

Xi Tang smiled too. “I won’t.”

Qingqing immediately replied, “That’s good. When you’re free, I’ll ask you out.”

Xi Tang was still smiling, but she shook her head again. Her voice was soft, like the calmness of a stream: “Qingqing, our worlds are just too different.”

Qingqing leaned against the railing, her pure, round face still youthful. She got married right after graduation, and despite the years that had passed, she still looked like she was in her early twenties. Xi Tang couldn’t help but feel a bit envious of her. Qingqing continued to talk to her, “I’m the only girl in my family. When I was little, all the boys in the army compound were like wild monkeys. I never had any female friends. When you left Beijing, you didn’t even tell me. I even asked your classmates about you.”

Xi Tang felt a little apologetic. “Yeah, it was all so chaotic at the time, I didn’t get a chance to tell you.”

Qingqing tentatively asked, “Zhou Zhou had already gone abroad. Why didn’t you stay in Beijing and continue filming?”

Xi Tang softly answered, “Mm, my mom was sick, so I had to go back.”

Qingqing asked with concern, “Is Auntie okay now?”

Xi Tang smiled politely at her. “She’s fine now, doing great.”

Qingqing, perceptive as always, understood that Xi Tang didn’t want to discuss it further.

Qingqing smiled and said, “I haven’t seen you around for meals lately. Zhou Zhou comes by alone each time, in a rush, barely saying two words.”

When Zhou Zhou was mentioned, Xi Tang didn’t know what to say, so she just gave a vague reply. “He’s probably pretty busy.”

Qingqing nodded. “It seems his company is competing for a global energy project, but it’s a risky one. They’ve injected a huge amount of capital in the early stages. Even Langxi said Zhou Zhou was being a bit too bold this time. Last weekend, Xiao Jiang’s fiancée came back to China. She came to meet everyone, and Zhou Zhou didn’t show up until almost 10 p.m. He hurriedly ate half a bowl of food and left.”

Xi Tang couldn’t really comment on Zhao Pingjin’s situation, so she just smiled. “How’s Xiao Jiang’s fiancée?”

“She’s really nice.”

“Xi Tang—” Qingqing finally asked, “Do you still have feelings for Zhou Zhou?”

Xi Tang froze for a second. Her smile remained, but she stayed silent for a while before softly replying, “Between me and him, the choice was never mine.”

Qingqing’s mother and Teacher Zhou were alumni and often went to the Wangfu Peninsula to drink tea together. She naturally knew that the Zhao family was preparing for the wedding.

Their relationship was indeed something she couldn’t interfere with, so Qingqing didn’t press further. “I saw news about your drama. Are you playing the big princess?”

Xi Tang seemed much more relaxed discussing this. “Mm.”

Qingqing sighed. “I’ve read the original novel. The big princess has a pretty tragic ending.”

Xi Tang quietly revealed to her, “The screenwriter rewrote it, and the ending is good.”

Qingqing glanced at her and smiled. “That’s great. Now I can relax.”