MY - 26

Jiang Xi was the person who loved Lu Nandu the most.

How did things turn out this way?

He nestled his face against her neck, that single tear seemingly an accidental slip on his part.

Jiang Xi, too, had merely stumbled upon a secret.

The cold wind swept by, its chill entirely blocked by Lu Nandu. She only heard the sound of the wind.

It was as if he was still her old, well-behaved Lu Nandu.

Jiang Xi slowly raised her hand, wanting to stroke his head as she used to, but her hand stopped just inches away.

Lu Nandu couldn’t see any of this.

After a long while, she lowered her hand. Yet, she didn’t push him away.

“Don’t get too close to anyone else,” Lu Nandu’s eyes pressed against her shoulder.

His voice trembled slightly: “Wait for me.”

Jiang Xi’s eyelashes fluttered lightly, but in the end, she said nothing.

He held her for a long, long time, very tightly.

________________________________________

After an unknown period, Jiang Xi finally spoke, “I need to go back.”

Lu Nandu didn’t let go.

Perhaps due to the lowered psychological defenses in the dead of night, Jiang Xi added, “It’s cold, you should go back too.”

Lu Nandu, likely not expecting Jiang Xi to show him such consideration, froze for a moment.

Jiang Xi noticed that the person in front of her showed no intention of letting go; instead, he held her even tighter.

At that moment, Jiang Xi was utterly helpless against Lu Nandu.

________________________________________

Finally, Lu Nandu was the first to release her. Jiang Xi finally saw his face.

His eyes were red, but because Jiang Xi had rarely given him a piece of candy—and a not-so-sweet one at that—he smiled at her.

Jiang Xi’s face showed no emotion, but this didn’t affect Lu Nandu’s happiness in the slightest. She looked at him blandly.

“If you go in, I won’t be able to shield you from the wind,” he zipped her down jacket all the way up, leaving only her small, fair chin exposed. “Jiejie, don’t catch a cold.”

Jiang Xi stood with her hands in her pockets, looking at him without speaking.

Finally, she shifted her gaze from his face, turned around, and entered the residential complex.

________________________________________

It was a few minutes later when she took the elevator home. The curtains had been drawn before she left earlier today.

Jiang Xi entered the house without turning on the lights. She took off her clothes, threw them on the sofa, walked to the window, and drew open the curtains. The French windows faced tall buildings, with traffic winding along elevated bridges and roads.

She glanced outside.

The black Porsche at the complex entrance was still there, parked in the night.

But Lu Nandu was gone.

Jiang Xi stared blankly for a few seconds, then turned and picked up the cigarettes from the coffee table.

A thin white stick was held between her fingers, delicate smoke curling upwards.

The taste of tobacco burned into her lungs, clearing Jiang Xi’s mind somewhat. She realized she had lost some control tonight.

Previously, she could easily maintain distance from Lu Nandu, but tonight was an exception. Something in her heart seemed to be crumbling, yet Jiang Xi instinctively felt a sense of crisis.

A cigarette’s worth of time passed, but the anxiety in her heart hadn’t lessened a bit.

She extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray, stood up, and went into the bathroom.

________________________________________

The next day, Jiang Xi went to the company. After her lines class, Tong Yun called her into the office.

Jiang Xi’s popularity had risen considerably compared to before, but she wasn’t hugely famous. Opportunities weren’t pouring in, though things were better than before.

“No scripts have come in recently, but I’ve secured a magazine resource,” Tong Yun pushed a contract over. “Sign here.”

These resource collaborations were usually negotiated by Tong Yun. Jiang Xi flipped through it casually, picked up a fountain pen, and signed deftly.

After signing, she closed the contract and handed it back to Tong Yun.

Tong Yun took it and placed it aside: “I’ll notify you when the schedule is out in a few days for the shoot.”

“Mhm.”

“Oh, by the way,” Tong Yun seemed to remember something, “Remember what happened last time when Cen Wanzhe was photographed?”

Last time, for the promotion of a new drama, several members of the cast went to record a show together. That evening, Cen Wanzhe was photographed shopping with a woman. Because the woman’s back bore some resemblance to Jiang Xi, she was mistakenly thought to be Jiang Xi herself.

Jiang Xi leaned languidly in her chair. Even though she knew who was behind all this, she kept silent.

She nodded casually: “I remember.”

“Cen Wanzhe’s relationship has been partially exposed, and this topic has been fermenting recently,” this time it had nothing to do with Tong Yun, she said, “Initially, I thought it might not be good for your development, since you were the one being overshadowed by the two of you.”

Jiang Xi’s popularity was not as high as Cen Wanzhe’s, and the gap in fan numbers was even larger, so Tong Yun would not risk doing anything detrimental to her own artist.

“But this time, with Cen Wanzhe’s relationship exposed, public opinion surprisingly swayed in your favor. Most of the informed fans have sided with you, meaning they’re no longer ‘universal love’ fans; now they’re exclusively your fans.”

Jiang Xi had never paid much attention to these things; she had entered the entertainment industry simply to make a living.

She knew Tong Yun was telling her all this with some advice in mind, so she asked directly, “And then?”

Tong Yun opened her files, dealing with affairs, and said, “There’s an event the day after tomorrow. Cen Wanzhe will also be attending. Be mindful, it’s best not to have any interaction.”

Jiang Xi had never agreed to hype, and naturally had never intentionally guided her fans.

She said, “That’s too deliberate.”

Tong Yun looked up at her: “Sometimes, the faker it is, the truer it becomes. I believe you understand this principle.”

With both of them at the same event, fans would definitely pay excessive attention to their state. No interaction would only further confirm what fans thought, believing Cen Wanzhe had let Jiang Xi down.

Sometimes, the most childish tricks are played in the darkest corners.

Jiang Xi had little interest and asked Tong Yun, “Is there anything else?”

Tong Yun didn’t look up at her, her pen still moving: “No, you can go back. Be extra careful tomorrow.”

________________________________________

The event was hosted by a brand.

Jiang Xi, riding on the recent popularity of her newly aired drama, was invited to such an event for the first time.

The event venue was in another city, so there wasn’t enough time to fly back the same day; she would have to stay there overnight.

Jiang Xi’s suitcase lay open in the living room.

Halfway through packing, Xia Xinyan called her. Jiang Xi held her phone between her ear and shoulder.

“Xiao Xi,” Xia Xinyan said, “no work recently? Have you been out to have some fun?”

Clothes were neatly arranged in the closet. Jiang Xi rummaged through, pulled out a few sets, and tossed them into her suitcase, lying without blinking: “Yes.”

Xia Xinyan, however, didn’t believe her: “Definitely not.”

Jiang Xi chuckled: “You know me quite well, don’t you?”

“Auntie watched you grow up,” Xia Xinyan said.

Jiang Xi sat on the sofa.

Xia Xinyan suddenly tentatively asked her, “So if you haven’t been out, has anyone asked you to go out for a walk?”

Jiang Xi knew immediately what Xia Xinyan was trying to probe.

She chuckled: “So concerned about my private life?”

“If Auntie doesn’t care about you, who will?” Xia Xinyan said.

“That’s true,” she said, then added, “Have you been in contact with Chen Lin?”

These things couldn’t be hidden from Jiang Xi. Xia Xinyan: “How do you know everything, child?”

Jiang Xi smiled.

“It wasn’t a phone call. That child, Chen Lin, is thoughtful. He came by to sit for a while yesterday after returning from Beijing, as he was passing by.”

Jiang Xi had seen Chen Lin in Beijing the day before yesterday, so he must have returned yesterday.

Jiang Xi initially said nothing, but then she chimed in: “What did he do at home?”

“Nothing much, just brought some fruits and tonics, and incidentally told me he met you in Beijing this time.”

It was indeed just a meeting, Jiang Xi hummed.

“We didn’t talk much about you,” Xia Xinyan said, “but I could tell that child still thinks of you.”

Jiang Xi glanced out the window, then withdrew her gaze: “You must have seen wrong.”

“How could Auntie, at this age, be mistaken?”

Jiang Xi said nothing.

Xia Xinyan said, “Auntie is just anxious. You’re at this age now, and you haven’t had anyone accompanying you for so many years. You’re constantly away; how nice it would be to have someone with you when you come home.” Instead of returning to an empty house.

Jiang Xi curled her lips: “That’s nothing, you see I’m doing quite well alone too.”

“That’s different,” Xia Xinyan sighed, quickly circling back, “You see, Chen Lin, that child, has a good personality and family background, and he’s handsome too. He’s very caring, if you...”

She paused, skipping over it: “Auntie would also feel at ease.”

Jiang Xi knew what Xia Xinyan meant.

Even though she was no different from an ordinary person now and her health was fine, Xia Xinyan was still exceptionally cautious.

Jiang Xi didn’t offer any comforting words, only saying, “You can see that I’m doing quite well now.”

“That’s true.”

Jiang Xi said, “You shouldn’t try to set us up. These things happen naturally.”

“Besides,” she glanced out at the gray sky again, “marriage isn’t a necessity.”

Xia Xinyan was most afraid of hearing her say such things: “You child—”

“Don’t worry,” Jiang Xi chuckled, “If I meet the right person, I’ll still get married, I just don’t want to marry for the sake of marrying, it’s not necessary.”

Xia Xinyan breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Xi’s gaze returned from the window: “Well, I should go. I still have to pack my luggage.”

“Alright,” Xia Xinyan reminded her, “I saw the weather forecast for Beijing has been dropping, so wear more clothes, don’t catch a cold, don’t get sick like last time.”

At the mention of “cold,” Jiang Xi paused, remembering Lu Nandu zipping up her jacket the night before last.

But even so, her face remained impassive. Jiang Xi lowered her gaze and hummed in acknowledgment.

“Then that’s all for now. Your uncle is coming home for lunch, so Auntie has to go get busy.”

Without further conversation, the two quickly hung up the phone.

________________________________________

The next day, Jiang Xi flew to a coastal city.

After settling down in the hotel and resting briefly, she departed for the event venue.

As night deepened, the city’s neon lights glowed, traffic was busy, and pleasure boats cruised on the river, presenting a magnificent scene.

Jiang Xi wore a black backless dress that night, her swan-like neck long and elegant, and a pair of beautiful, non-morbid butterfly bones on her back.

Her chest was subtly revealed, her skin fair, exuding a restrained yet sensual charm.

The event was star-studded, filled with polite greetings and smiling faces.

The staff were busy yet orderly, guiding everyone. Jiang Xi was waiting backstage when she coincidentally ran into Cen Wanzhe’s manager.

The two were not strangers, and Cen Wanzhe’s manager was someone who could strike up a conversation with anyone. He initiated a chat with Jiang Xi, and they exchanged a few casual words.

Later, a staff member came to call Jiang Xi.

Jiang Xi nodded slightly to Cen Wanzhe’s manager in greeting: “I’ll be going now.”

Cen Wanzhe’s manager smiled: “Let’s chat again when you’re free next time.”

The red carpet entrance, backstage interviews.

The whole process took two hours. Jiang Xi left after she finished.

________________________________________

Outside the hotel, in the garden fountain, the night breeze was cool.

Just as she stepped out, her phone rang. Jiang Xi opened her handbag and took out her phone. It was Tong Yun calling.

Jiang Xi answered and put the phone to her ear. Before she could speak, Tong Yun already began: “Didn’t I tell you not to have any interaction with Cen Wanzhe at the event?”

Jiang Xi hadn’t spoken to Cen Wanzhe tonight, hadn’t even seen a trace of him.

“No,” she said.

Tong Yun: “Cen Wanzhe’s manager is also on Cen Wanzhe’s side. People always favor their own. You might have been sold out and not even know it.”

Jiang Xi felt nothing: “What’s wrong?”

“Cen Wanzhe’s manager is notoriously two-faced. He seems nice when he’s with you, but in reality, he has a different facade for everyone.”

Jiang Xi didn’t find Cen Wanzhe’s manager particularly comfortable to be around, but their relationship wasn’t estranged; it was merely an acquaintance. However, she was too lazy to explain to Tong Yun.

Passing by the fountain, the wind blew, and a fine mist landed on Jiang Xi’s arm.

Tong Yun went straight to the point: “Go see for yourself.” She then hung up the phone.

Jiang Xi’s face remained impassive as she calmly opened the app.

In just an hour or two, the public opinion, which had originally favored Jiang Xi, had completely turned around online.

An insider exposed that Jiang Xi and Cen Wanzhe were hyping their relationship and exploiting fans, accompanied by several photos of Jiang Xi talking to Cen Wanzhe’s manager that night.

Originally, this post alone wouldn’t have been enough to prove anything; it could even suggest that the two artists had a good relationship.

However, another relationship exposé sparked the fans’ anger, causing Jiang Xi’s every move that night to become a target of criticism.

Jiang Xi glanced at the other exposé.

As soon as a person gained a little popularity, troubles followed.

Several blurry photos, dimly lit. Jiang Xi recognized herself in the pictures, and the other person was Lu Nandu.

It was probably taken during the time when Lu Nandu often visited her at the hotel during filming. In the picture, it was late at night, and she was embraced by Lu Nandu, their posture and the angle of the shot quite ambiguous.