MY - 16

The person in front of her seemed to have never changed, just as he was before.

He smiled at her, his love never hidden, direct and bright.

His affection was never restrained, it was unreserved, sincere, and fervent.

This kind of thing was the hardest to bear.

A slight carelessness in love, taken to its fullest, could lead to being swallowed whole.

After a few seconds of eye contact, Jiang Xi was the first to look away.

The air was cold, a cool breeze swept through, lifting a corner of Jiang Xi’s knee-length trench coat before letting it fall back. Her hands in her pockets, she looked towards the roadside: “There’s no need to waste your time on me.”

Jiang Xi looked back at him: “It won’t lead to anything.”

Indifferent, unfamiliar, direct.

Lu Nandu, however, didn’t take her words to heart: “Time spent on you is never a waste.”

Around them, only the rustling of leaves could be heard. After Lu Nandu’s words, Jiang Xi fell silent.

After a long pause, she spoke: “Lu Nandu.”

Lu Nandu looked at her.

Jiang Xi looked up, meeting his gaze, her expression as indifferent as water: “Our problem isn’t whether you pursue me or not; it’s that I don’t even want to see you.”

“Since it was just a game back then, there’s no need to go back to old habits.”

Speaking of the past, Lu Nandu seemed a bit nervous. He was somewhat flustered: “No, that’s not it. I didn’t.”

This was the first time in many years they had discussed this topic. Jiang Xi didn’t want to say more and had no intention of bringing it up again after that one sentence.

Lu Nandu sensed she didn’t want to bring up the past and changed the subject: “You’re not an old habit.”

He looked down at her, saying carefully: “I haven’t picked up any other habits.”

So many years had passed, and he was still in the same place.

Jiang Xi’s fingers in her pockets moved slightly. She looked up at Lu Nandu.

Lu Nandu’s eyelashes were very long, and his dark pupils looked at her cleanly and earnestly, as if every word he spoke was true.

Jiang Xi looked away: “Do you think I’d believe you?”

She didn’t see a flicker of hurt in Lu Nandu’s eyes.

The sky was faintly lit, the roadside streetlights still on, and the pan-fried bun in her hand had grown cold.

Jiang Xi didn’t want to stay there any longer. She brushed past him: “Even if what you say is true, that’s your business.”

________________________________________

Jiang Xi had fewer scenes than when she first joined the crew.

Today, she only had one not-too-demanding shoot. The makeup artist was filling in her eyebrows while Jiang Xi closed her eyes to rest.

Someone called her name.

Jiang Xi opened her eyes; it was Xu Yanran.

Xu Yanran had already finished her makeup, wearing a thin white undershirt with a coat over it.

“You’re done with makeup. Why didn’t I see you just now?” Jiang Xi said. She hadn’t seen Xu Yanran when she entered the dressing room earlier.

Xu Yanran sat down at the makeup table next to her: “My mom called me to eat breakfast.”

Jiang Xi smiled: “Your manager isn’t stopping you from eating less anymore?”

Xu Yanran rested her chin in her hand: “With my mom backing me up, I finally got a full meal. But now I’ll have to hit the gym again tonight.”

Then, as if casually, she chatted with Jiang Xi: “Sister Jiang Xi, have you eaten?”

Jiang Xi looked up: “Why?”

“Just now, after I finished eating, I snuck out some food while my manager wasn’t paying attention.”

“You stole it for me?”

“Of course not,” Xu Yanran said, “I took the dessert after the meal, planning to eat it now.”

She sat up straight and rubbed her stomach: “But now I’m a bit too full to eat it.”

Jiang Xi chuckled.

Xu Yanran patted her stomach again: “See, all round.”

Jiang Xi kept the curve of her lips and turned her gaze to the mirror.

Xu Yanran placed a cake box on the table in front of her: “So, it’s for you!” She then kept looking at the cake.

Jiang Xi teased her: “Reluctant to part with it?”

“Not at all,” Xu Yanran smiled brightly at her, “It’s just a bit regretful that such delicious food can’t go into my stomach.”

Jiang Xi smiled, then added: “You can save it for the afternoon.”

“No,” Xu Yanran said, “My manager will be here to watch me soon, and I’ll get scolded for sneaking food.”

Just then, the dressing room door opened, and the stylist called Xu Yanran, telling her to go out and try on clothes.

Xu Yanran stood up: “Coming! Sister Jiang Xi, I’m heading out now.”

Jiang Xi nodded.

________________________________________

After Xu Yanran changed, she met her manager outside.

The manager walked over from a distance, frowning: “I heard from the West Garden restaurant manager this morning that they saw you.”

Xu Yanran hadn’t eaten with her manager that morning, and she stammered, trying to lie: “No, my mom took me.”

Manager: “Don’t make things up. Can your mom turn into two people? One eating with me, one eating with you?”

Xu Yanran: “...”

Then she mumbled to herself: “How did you two happen to bump into each other?”

The manager heard her and said: “Right? Specially to deal with you.”

Ancient costume styling was much stricter than modern. After speaking, the manager glanced at her waist: “You look perfect on camera now. Any more eating wouldn’t be good. Don’t sneak food anymore. I’ll let you off the hook today.”

Then she tapped her forehead: “In the future, learn to refuse when others ask you out to eat.”

Xu Yanran covered her forehead: “They didn’t ask me.”

“Who was it?”

Xu Yanran said: “Brother Nandu.”

The manager, of course, knew Lu Nandu and their relationship, and said: “That’s still not allowed. Don’t just eat other people’s free meals.”

“I’m not eating free meals. I eat by my own ability,” Xu Yanran said.

Otherwise, Lu Nandu wouldn’t bother to invite her to eat.

“Oh?” The manager raised an eyebrow, arms crossed, “Then tell me, what ability are you relying on?”

The filming was about to start, so Xu Yanran smiled: “It’s a secret.” With that, she ran off.

________________________________________

That evening, Jiang Xi finished showering and came out of the bathroom. On the bed, her phone screen showed a missed call from Xia Xinyan.

Jiang Xi sat on the edge of the bed, wiping her hair with a towel.

White duvet, white sheets, Jiang Xi’s legs nestled within.

Jiang Xi called Xia Xinyan back, and the call was answered quickly.

“Xiao Xi.”

Jiang Xi hummed and said: “I was just showering.”

“Are you free now?” Xia Xinyan asked.

“Yes, nothing much left to do.”

“That’s good,” Xia Xinyan said, “Aunty was just afraid of delaying your work.”

“It’s fine,” Jiang Xi asked again, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing much, just sitting with your uncle watching TV, watching your drama. Two episodes aired today.”

Jiang Xi just smiled faintly: “Uncle isn’t working overtime tonight?”

“He has nothing at the company tonight.” As soon as she finished speaking, Xia Xingming seemed to say something to Xia Xinyan on the other end of the line.

Jiang Xi couldn’t hear, so she sat waiting for Xia Xinyan to speak.

“Your uncle wants you to find time to come home for dinner,” Xia Xinyan said, “You haven’t been back in two months.”

Jiang Xi chuckled: “Are you counting the days?”

“Aunty gets too bored alone at home. Now all of you aren’t around me.”

“I haven’t been very busy recently, so I have time to go back.”

“Then next time you come back, remember to tell Aunty beforehand so I can prepare food. Last time you came back, you were in a hurry to leave, and I didn’t even get to make you anything.”

Jiang Xi found it amusing: “I’m not coming back just to eat.”

“You child, even if it’s not for eating, you still need to eat. Look how thin you’ve gotten,” Xia Xinyan was probably seeing her on TV right then, “Look at that tiny waist.”

Both were looking at a screen, but the family and the audience had different points of focus.

Jiang Xi replied to Xia Xinyan: “I can’t help it, it’s natural.”

Xia Xinyan had watched Jiang Xi grow up since she was little, so how could she not know? Jiang Xi’s parents both had excellent bone structures, handsome men and beautiful women, so their child was naturally outstanding.

Jiang Xi looked thin, but in reality, she had a very good figure, just like her mother.

Xia Xinyan told her: “Even if it’s natural, you should still eat more.”

She repeated several times that Jiang Xi should eat more, and Jiang Xi agreed: “Alright, tomorrow at lunch I’ll eat two bowls of rice and even send you a video.”

Xia Xinyan was amused: “Heh, you child.”

Then she chatted about this and that for a few more sentences. Jiang Xi could tell that Xia Xinyan had something serious to ask.

But she didn’t rush her, just listened quietly as Xia Xinyan spoke.

Sure enough, after a while, Xia Xinyan began to stammer, asking her: “Xiao Xi, you haven’t been in a relationship recently, have you?”

Jiang Xi had guessed it would be this kind of topic, and silently curved her lips: “No, why do you ask?”

Xia Xinyan, seeing she wasn’t resistant to the topic, quickly asked again: “Then you didn’t see anyone you liked in the crew either, did you?”

As soon as she said this, Jiang Xi knew what she wanted to ask and smiled: “You want to ask about Cen Wanzhe and me?”

Xia Xinyan was guessed correctly: “How did you know what Aunty was going to ask?”

Jiang Xi didn’t answer, only asked: “Did you see some news online?”

Xia Xinyan spoke softer: “How could Aunty not see news about you?”

Although Jiang Xi knew it was true, she still said: “You should read less of that stuff; you can’t even tell if it’s real or fake.”

Xia Xinyan agreed, then asked: “So you and that male actor in the drama...”

Jiang Xi leaned lazily against the headboard: “Fake.” She then chuckled to herself, “Can’t you tell?”

Logically, Xia Xinyan had raised her for so many years; she should understand her well and be able to discern truth from falsehood. She was probably influenced by public opinion.

Xia Xinyan, however, said: “I can tell. Aunty told your uncle from the beginning that it was fake. That so-called scandal photo, it just didn’t look like you. But yesterday, those scandals, they just suddenly all disappeared.”

Jiang Xi didn’t know about this. She listened as Xia Xinyan continued: “Then I panicked, afraid it might be true.”

When Jiang Xi first entered the entertainment industry, Xia Xinyan told her not to get involved with anyone from the industry.

Now hearing Jiang Xi deny it, she breathed a sigh of relief: “It’s good that it’s not true. I knew our Jiang Xi wouldn’t like that type.”

Jiang Xi smiled, it was true.

Xia Xinyan said: “In the future, find a good family, settle down, and live a peaceful life.”

Jiang Xi chuckled and casually said: “Then you can help me pick someone who isn’t troublesome in the future.”

“Someone not troublesome, would you even like them?” Xia Xinyan seemed to resign herself, sighing, “You child are not meant for a peaceful life; you only like trouble.”

Jiang Xi was silent for a moment. She seemed to always be like this, from childhood to adulthood, whether in academics, relationships, or career, she was always busy and troublesome.

Xia Xinyan heard her quietness and seemed to remember something, calling her worriedly: “Xiao Xi.”

Jiang Xi snapped back to attention and smiled: “It’s nothing.”

Xia Xinyan told her: “Just because it was bad before doesn’t mean it’s bad now. In the future, everything our Xiao Xi does will go smoothly.”

Jiang Xi turned her head to look out the window. Her reflection appeared on the glass pane. She drew her gaze back and smiled: “Alright, whatever you wish for me is fine.”

Xia Xinyan: “It’s not about what I wish; it’s about what you yourself like.”

“Okay,” Jiang Xi glanced at the time, “It’s very late. You should hang up and rest.”

“Alright, don’t stay up too late either.”

“Mm.”

________________________________________

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Xi remained motionless for a while, her expression indifferent.

A minute later, she opened her phone again, wanting to check for messages but found she hadn’t downloaded the app.

Jiang Xi never liked looking at those things, too lazy to download. She tossed her phone aside and then lay down on the bed.

She remembered what Ji Yuanzhou had told her yesterday. They were having dinner, chatting, and Ji Yuanzhou said Tong Yun was not simple.

Jiang Xi asked her if she meant the scandal was released by Tong Yun.

Ji Yuanzhou had laughed, knowing Jiang Xi already knew.

Jiang Xi did know. From the moment the scandal between Cen Wanzhe and her broke, she knew it was all arranged by Tong Yun from beginning to end.

She just turned a blind eye.

Tong Yun was fundamentally a businesswoman, and a businesswoman’s actions are solely for profit, which is understandable. This is not only true in the entertainment industry but also common in the workplace.

So Jiang Xi didn’t feel that Tong Yun did anything wrong; it was just everyone’s choice.

She closed her eyes and played the pawn, not asking why, not intending to pursue it, but she didn’t expect someone to come and dismantle the game.

When Xia Xinyan said she couldn’t find those scandal messages online, Jiang Xi had a premonition of who it was.

________________________________________

Outside, the night deepened. A few strands of Jiang Xi’s hair were still damp. She got out of bed. She rummaged through the hotel TV cabinet for a hairdryer, plugged it in, and started drying her hair.

The room was pitch black, with only the small red light of the hairdryer glowing as it operated, the sound of the hairdryer roaring in her ears.

Jiang Xi put away the hairdryer when her hair was almost dry. As soon as she turned off the switch, the room fell silent again.

The window was open a finger-width, and the wind streamed in, making the curtains gently ripple. She casually placed the hairdryer on the nearby table and looked up.

It seemed brighter outside than inside the room.

Jiang Xi walked towards it. As she got closer to the windowsill, the wind crawled up her calves.

She leaned against the wall beside it, picking up a corner of the curtain with her fingertips to look outside.

From seven stories up, vehicles and pedestrians on the ground looked like ants. There was no familiar vehicle or person from last night.

Jiang Xi only glanced outside before withdrawing her gaze, lowering her hand, and the curtain fell back over the window.

Her gaze landed on the low table nearby.

On the corner of the low table sat a chocolate mousse cake, the one Xu Yanran had given her that morning.

Jiang Xi only liked chocolate-flavored cakes.

She looked away, got up from the wall, and returned to bed.

________________________________________

The next day, Jiang Xi had no scenes all day and stayed in the hotel.

When she was younger, she liked to run around, even if she only had two days on the weekend, she’d grab her bag and go out. Now, she enjoyed wasting time.

Her whole day was unorganized and leisurely. With nothing much to do, she was truly idle. By before 8 PM, Jiang Xi had already slept a round and had a peaceful night’s sleep.

Perhaps having slept too much the night before, Jiang Xi woke up around three or four in the morning.

She didn’t try to get up, just lay in bed until her alarm rang. She had a scene to film today, so she washed up and left without makeup.

The elevator went straight down, stopping on the first floor. Jiang Xi stepped out of the elevator, her high heels clicking on the tiled floor, echoing in the lobby. As she pushed open the main door, a gust of wind blew in.

With winter approaching, the days were getting shorter and the temperature colder.

“Jiejie.”

Suddenly, Jiang Xi’s steps halted.

She hadn’t heard a car door close, but someone ran up.

The night before last, she hadn’t seen Lu Nandu upstairs, and Jiang Xi thought he probably wouldn’t come again.

Lu Nandu ran in front of her, wearing a long black trench coat.

He handed her a bag of breakfast: “Breakfast.”

Just like the day before yesterday, as if she had never refused him.

Jiang Xi’s gaze shifted to the breakfast bag. It was still the brown paper bag with pan-fried buns, but this time, it seemed to contain something else too, as the bag was plump.

She looked away and turned to Lu Nandu: “I already told you last time, I don’t need it.”

Lu Nandu, however, was completely unaffected by her words: “I know, but I’ll still bring it to you.”

Still as rogue-like as before.

Jiang Xi: “I won’t eat it.”

Lu Nandu: “It’s fine. Then I’ll just keep bringing it until you do.”

Jiang Xi’s attitude was not friendly. She couldn’t be bothered to say anything more to him and tried to walk around him.

Lu Nandu didn’t let her. He blocked her path and pulled her closer, looking down at her: “Are you angry?”

“Yesterday, I had something to do at the company, so I went back to Beijing. I came back to find you after I finished—”

His words were cut off by Jiang Xi: “I didn’t ask you.”

Her gaze was unfriendly towards him, but he smiled at her.

Meeting his expression, Jiang Xi realized she had been tricked.

Lu Nandu surely wouldn’t be so foolish as to think Jiang Xi was angry about him not coming yesterday. He was just being deliberate, intentionally provoking her emotions to make her talk to him.

It was his usual trick, one that always worked.

Lu Nandu was a terrifying person. Jiang Xi had only given him a taste of sweetness once, merely by not refuting what he said and knew about her, and he had pursued her relentlessly ever since, no matter how much coldness she showed him.

He tugged at her sleeve: “Jiejie, please don’t be angry with me anymore, okay?”

Jiang Xi knew that whatever she said now would be like hitting cotton for Lu Nandu.

Her mind was also a mess, not knowing why she was feeling so impatient.

She looked at him, and her words came out directly: “Lu Nandu, you know my anger towards you will never dissipate, not in a lifetime.”

One person was amiable and trying to please, the other was cold and attacking.

Lu Nandu knew Jiang Xi wasn’t lying. His eyes turned anxious: “Jiejie.”

“I’ve told you more than once not to call me that anymore,” Jiang Xi lost her usual calm, her tone icy.

With that, she didn’t linger and walked around him.

This time, Lu Nandu didn’t stop her.

________________________________________

Jiang Xi thought her attitude was cold enough, but the next day, Lu Nandu was downstairs again.

It was as if nothing had happened yesterday.

Only, his eyes were a bit grey, indicating insufficient sleep.

Lu Nandu flew back and forth between Beijing and Jiangcheng every day, spending his free time on planes, only able to see Jiang Xi in the mornings.

After a few days, Jiang Xi hadn’t said a word to him, yet Lu Nandu still came to the hotel every day to find her.

Disobedient, yet also obedient, he didn’t disturb her elsewhere.

That afternoon, after finishing her scene, Jiang Xi’s first order of business back at the hotel was to shower. Fine streams of water from the showerhead hit her face, tracing winding curves down her fair, swan-like neck.

Jiang Xi remained still for a long time. Until, at some point, she reached out and flipped the switch, and the water abruptly stopped.

For the next few days, Jiang Xi had no scenes scheduled. Conveniently, Xia Xinyan had called her a few days ago, mentioning that she should come home.

Jiang Xi finished showering and emerged from the bathroom just as dusk was falling; the sky was grey and white, as if it was about to rain.

She sat on the bed and immediately booked a one-way flight home, not buying a return ticket.

Soon, Jiang Xi packed her things, pulled her suitcase, and left the hotel, heading to the airport.

The flight took off smoothly, a direct flight between the two cities. Five hours later, Jiang Xi landed.

Her hometown wasn’t as cold as Jiangcheng; the temperature was pleasant. This time, Jiang Xi had called Xia Xinyan before her flight. When she emerged from the airport, Xia Xingming and Xia Xinyan were already waiting for her in their car outside.

On the way back, Xia Xinyan talked to her continuously, and Xia Xingming also occasionally asked her a few questions about her life.

Xia Xinyan asked her how long it would take for her current drama to finish filming, then when she would finally get a proper break, moving from work topics to food, asking what she wanted to eat at home for the next few days.

The questioning from her two elders didn’t end until they returned home.

After dinner that evening, Jiang Xi sat with them in the living room for a while before returning home.

Even though Jiang Xi and her brother didn’t come home often, Xia Xinyan still cleaned their rooms regularly. Knowing Jiang Xi was coming back tonight, she added a new duvet to her bedroom.

After not being home for several months, Jiang Xi didn’t have trouble sleeping in a different bed at all. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and woke up naturally in the early morning due to her biological clock.

The dawn came earlier here than in Jiangcheng. Faint light slipped in through the curtain gap.

If she were in Jiangcheng now and had work, she would already be downstairs heading to the set.

She knew Lu Nandu would still go looking for her today.

Jiang Xi lay in bed until 8 AM before getting up. She got out of bed and walked over to pull open the curtains.

The weather was good, the sunlight dazzling. On the small path outside the courtyard gate, a few aunties chatted, having just returned from the market.

Jiang Xi stood barefoot on the balcony, basking in the sun.

At some point, Xia Xinyan pushed the door open, but Jiang Xi didn’t notice. The sliding glass door to the balcony was half-closed. Xia Xinyan called Jiang Xi twice.

Jiang Xi didn’t hear her outside. Xia Xinyan walked onto the balcony, and only when she pushed open the glass door did Jiang Xi react.

Xia Xinyan walked closer and asked her: “What are you spacing out about?”

Jiang Xi said: “Nothing.”

“You say nothing,” Xia Xinyan said, “I called you twice just now and you didn’t hear me.”

Jiang Xi said nothing more. She had indeed been zoning out just now.

Before she could speak, Xia Xinyan asked her: “Are you thinking about some young boy?”