Chapter 53 p2
After Xu Jingyu left, she had spat out the cockroach, her body trembling with disgust and fear, and had run to her parents, crying.
Her parents, hearing about Xu Jingyu’s actions, had been furious, even her useless brother joining in their outrage.
They had surrounded Xu Jingyu, their voices filled with accusations.
Xu Jingyu, sitting on the sofa, rubbing her temples, had found their noise annoying.
She had lost all patience with this family.
Fine.
Then no one would be happy.
She had gone to her room, retrieved a stack of photos, and tossed them onto the coffee table, right in front of her mother, who had been defending her adopted daughter.
The living room had fallen silent.
As her mother looked at the photos, her face paling, her body swaying slightly, she had forgotten all about Xu Jingyu, turning to slap her husband across the face.
From that day on, their family had never been the same.
And Xu Jingyu, a detached observer, had watched their world crumble.
She had been only fifteen years old, her coldness already unsettling.
Three years later, it had only gotten worse.
She had taken control of the company, seizing her family’s assets, her grip on their lives absolute.
She had replaced her father, sending her enemies to faraway lands, firing those she disliked.
She had frozen her mother’s credit cards, ending her extravagant spending habits, and had sent her useless brother abroad.
And then, with a touch of malicious amusement, she would occasionally return home, spending a few days with her terrified mother and sister.
Even now, her sister couldn’t speak in her presence, her fear crippling her.
She had destroyed their family, turning them into puppets, their lives at her mercy.
But she had found peace, and that was enough.
From then on, everyone knew Xu Jingyu was ruthless, a force to be reckoned with, a monster who wouldn’t hesitate to destroy even her own family. They treated her with a cautious respect, their fear palpable.
Xu Jingyu, the cold, aloof, and utterly ruthless woman, was known as one of the two “madwomen” of their social circle, the other being Dan Yan.
Dan Yan, however, was the opposite of Xu Jingyu, a fiery, impulsive creature of chaos, always on the verge of explosion.
Xu Jingyu had heard the rumors, but she didn’t comment.
She considered herself perfectly sane, her emotions under control, unlike Dan Yan, who was a true sadist.
The churning waves calmed, their foamy edges receding as they lapped gently against the shore.
And Xu Jingyu’s memories, like faded photographs, sank into the depths of her mind.
She stood there, the cool water washing over her legs, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
Just then, as she stood there, lost in thought, someone grabbed her wrist.
She turned instinctively, and as she saw the person beside her, her memories, her anxieties, the vastness of the ocean, it all faded away, a soft smile playing on her lips.
It was Xin Yao.
Xin Yao knew how to swim, but it was her first time swimming in the ocean.
Despite the lifeguards and the lifeboat nearby, she hadn’t dared to venture too far from the shore.
She had been splashing around near the water’s edge, holding onto a pink inflatable float, her legs kicking, her arms flailing, like a little corgi paddling in the water.
She had floated over to Xu Jingyu and grabbed her wrist.
“Why are you just standing there? Are you still sulking about your rejected proposal?”
Just then, a wave crashed against the shore.
Xin Yao’s face paled, her arms and legs flailing wildly as she tried to paddle away.
“Help! Xu Jingyu, run! The wave… glub, glub, glub… I’m drowning! Glub, glub, glub… I’m going to drown!”
Xu Jingyu, unable to contain her laughter, walked over and scooped Xin Yao up into her arms.
Then, cupping her face in her hands, she kissed her, a long, deep kiss.
She held Xin Yao close, her head buried in her neck, her laughter muffled by Xin Yao’s hair.
“I think I’m starting to like the ocean.”
Xin Yao, having swallowed a mouthful of seawater, pouted, her face still slightly pale. “Really? That’s sudden. You looked like you wanted to die just a moment ago.”
“Mm-hmm,” Xu Jingyu, amused by her description, held her even tighter. “Because I like you. I like you very much.”
Seeing you is like seeing the sun.
You have no idea how much I like you.
They spent the afternoon playing in the water, their laughter echoing through the air.
It wasn’t until they returned to the villa that evening that Xin Yao, while Xu Jingyu wasn’t looking, retrieved her phone and saw the missed calls.
Over a dozen missed calls, all from Ying Xi.
Her eyes flickering with concern, she called back.
The person on the other end seemed to have been waiting for her call, answering immediately.
But she didn’t speak.
Xin Yao also remained silent, waiting.
After a long moment, Ying Xi finally spoke, her voice hoarse, as if she had been crying.
“I called you many times.”
“I didn’t have my phone with me this afternoon,” Xin Yao explained. “I just saw the missed calls.”
Ying Xi was silent for a moment, then continued, her voice even softer now. “I saw the news.”
“And?”
“He’s targeting you, isn’t he?”
“Obviously.”
Another long silence followed.
Then, Ying Xi laughed, a strange, hollow sound, her voice a mix of resignation and despair.
“The streetlights and security cameras in the alley near my home are broken.”
It had happened just two days ago, both on the same day.
Ying Xi, remembering Xin Yao’s warning, had been paying attention to such details. Standing at the entrance of the alley, bathed in sunlight, she had felt a chill run down her spine.
And then she had seen the news about Xin Yao.
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
She had to believe Xin Yao now. Li Xu was targeting them, and he wouldn’t hesitate to kill them.
Sometimes, love turned to hate very easily.
And Ying Xi, tormented by Li Xu’s betrayal, his affair, his abandonment, and now his threat to her life and the life of her unborn child, was filled with a burning rage.
She wiped away her tears, her voice hard. “You were right. Why should we die, while he gets to live?”
Xin Yao’s eyes flickered as she looked out the window at the moonlit sky.
“Then I look forward to working with you, to making him pay.”
She hung up the phone and turned around, then paused, seeing Xu Jingyu standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable.
Seeing her like this, Xin Yao knew she was worried, that she wanted to protect Xin Yao, to take revenge on her behalf.
Xin Yao walked over and took her hand.
“I know you’re worried about me, but I’m really fine. And I want to handle this myself, okay?”
Xu Jingyu, her lips pressed together, looked at Xin Yao for a long moment, then finally nodded.
“This is the last time. If they hurt you again, I won’t hold back.”
Xin Yao smiled, gently squeezing her hand.
“Okay.”
The next day, after lunch, Xin Yao prepared to leave.
Xu Jingyu had wanted her to stay longer, to relax and enjoy the beach, but Xin Yao, feeling better and not wanting to delay the filming any further, decided to return to the set.
As she arrived that afternoon, the crew, seeing her, fell silent.
Xin Yao, however, her usual cheerful demeanor unchanged, greeted them with a smile, making their hearts ache even more.
She blinked, her voice light and teasing. “What’s with the long faces?”
Director Gao, seeing her, rushed over. “Yao, are you okay? Why didn’t you rest for a few more days?”
“I’m fine, really,” Xin Yao said, smiling wryly, then, seeing their concerned expressions, she added, “How about I treat everyone to milk tea? Don’t worry about me.”
Li Ying, the makeup artist, couldn’t help herself.
“I’ll treat you!” she exclaimed.
Her words seemed to break the tension, and other voices echoed her offer.
“I’ll pay!”
“Me too!”
“Let the director pay!”
Xin Yao, surprised by their generosity, looked at their concerned faces, then chuckled.
“I’d be drinking milk tea for the rest of the year!”
She turned to Li Ying, her smile warm and sincere.
“Thank you.”
Her gaze, so earnest and heartfelt, made Li Ying’s heart flutter.
“You’re so sweet! I love you, Yaoyao Laoshi!” [Teacher/Ms. Xin]
Xin Yao winked at her. “I love you too.”
Li Ying, smitten, was about to say something when the assistant director grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
“Are you crazy?! Ms. Xu is staring daggers at you! You’d be toast if looks could kill!”
Li Ying, following her gaze, saw Xu Jingyu standing among the crowd, her eyes dark and intense, sending a chill down Li Ying’s spine.
She gulped. “How long has she been staring at me?”
The assistant director scoffed. “Since you confessed your love for Xin Yao.”
A beat of silence.
Then, they both whispered in unison, “Wow, she’s jealous!”
Ms. Xu, you’re so in love!
After that incident, Xin Yao officially returned to work.
She filmed her scenes, monitored the online discussions, and continued gathering evidence with Ying Xi.
Once they were ready, they would choose the perfect moment to strike, to bring Li Xu down.
Meanwhile, the filming of “Unseen Spring” progressed, reaching the middle of the story.
Today, Xin Yao was filming a pivotal scene, the first intimate scene between the two female leads after they got together: a love scene.
She and Xu Jingyu would be sharing a bed again.
Sitting in her chair on set, Xin Yao felt a flicker of nervousness. She hadn’t expected to film another intimate scene so soon.
But she was an experienced actress now, having gained even more experience with her girlfriend, so…
No, she was still nervous!
It was a love scene, after all. No matter how many times she did it, or who she did it with, she couldn’t help but feel a little shy and awkward.
Just then, Director Gao, her script clutched in her hand, walked towards her, her eyes lighting up as she saw Xin Yao.
“Yo, Yao, been waiting long?”
“Have you read the script? Are you ready? It’s a tough scene, but don’t worry, we’ll take our time. No pressure.”
As she spoke, Xu Jingyu, also in costume, approached them.
She was wearing a simple white shirt, black pants, and black boots, her demeanor cool and aloof, her presence intimidating.
And this was the person Xin Yao would be sharing a bed with.
Director Gao, leading Xu Jingyu towards Xin Yao, continued, “It’s a tough scene for both of you. I can see you’ve become closer, but sometimes, the more comfortable you are with someone, the more awkward these scenes can be.”
“So, how about, like last time, you two chat for a bit before we start filming, to build some chemistry?”
Always impatient, she didn’t wait for their reply, simply saying, “Alright, then. You two get to know each other. I’ll go check on the cameras.”
With that, she hurried away, leaving a slightly nervous Xin Yao and a seemingly indifferent Xu Jingyu standing there.
Xu Jingyu, taller than Xin Yao, her dark eyes cool and intense, her gaze slightly intimidating, said, “Then I look forward to working with you, Ms. Xin.”
But this seemingly aloof and composed woman had been kicked out of bed by Xin Yao that morning, still smarting from their passionate encounter the previous night.
On set, they maintained a professional distance, their interactions polite and formal.
No one knew the hidden depths of their intimacy, the passion that burned between them in the darkness of their shared nights.