Chapter 104: Former Friend
“I’m leaving. Take care of the house.”
“Take care.”
Ye Zhiyun was out again. This time, she said she was flying to Heilongjiang, seemingly involved in her father’s business. Her father asked her to go to Heilongjiang and help him out. Ye Zhiyun didn’t refuse and booked her flight early, planning to go over. This time, she didn’t know how long she would be gone, at least a week, at most half a month.
After experiencing failure, Ye Zhiyun became even stronger, her eyes filled with greater determination. This time, going to help her father with business should allow her to learn more and clearly understand where she was still lacking.
Yu Linna was once again alone. She stayed in the empty house, a sense of melancholy washing over her. Although she had been used to living alone, having Ye Zhiyun around recently made her feel a little unsettled now that she was gone.
I should prepare a delicious meal for her when she comes back, Yu Linna thought.
Since Ye Zhiyun wasn’t home during this period, she could also fully utilize the free time to do something. Unlike the typical mischievous child who gets wild when parents aren’t home, Yu Linna, having never experienced parental love, wouldn’t feel happy about someone leaving the house. Instead, she felt more unaccustomed.
During this recent cohabitation with Ye Zhiyun, she gradually developed a vague concept of “home.” Would her future family life also be like this?
Actually, thinking about it, it didn’t seem too strange. Every morning, sending her wife off to work at the door, then cleaning the house, taking care of the children, going grocery shopping in the afternoon, preparing a delicious dinner and waiting for her wife to come home. After dinner, watching TV together, turning off the lights and going to bed after a while. A day passed just like that.
Thinking about it like this seemed pretty good.
Although something felt a little off.
After washing the dishes, Yu Linna did some cleaning around the house. Today was the weekend, so there was no school. The final exams were next week, and winter break was also approaching. She was now thinking about how to spend the New Year. If she were alone, what should she do? Should she find a part-time job like last year?
She turned on the TV. When bored, she liked to watch TV. The anime she was following wasn’t updated yet; she could watch some variety shows as a placeholder. She opened a variety show she often watched, planning to spend the morning watching.
“Welcome everyone to ‘Star Dialogue’! I’m Nan Xuan. The celebrity having a face-to-face dialogue with us today is someone you wouldn’t expect. I believe you definitely don’t know who it is. Want to take a guess?~”
The female host on the TV held a microphone, her expression slightly comedic. Yu Linna wanted to laugh just watching the host’s expression, which was also why she liked watching her shows.
“Alright, no more keeping secrets. Today’s guest is, securing a spot on the annual box office chart, bursting into the ranks of first-tier celebrities as a newcomer, the superstar, NangongYing!”
Clap clap clap!
Applause rang throughout the studio on TV, while Yu Linna, outside the TV screen, just stared blankly at the scene unfolding.
After the applause, the spotlight flashed. A girl dressed somewhat androgynously walked out from backstage. She was wearing a single ponytail today, tight pants, a pair of patterned socks faintly visible.
She looked energetic, radiant, a bright smile on her pretty face. The host saw her and extended her hand. Nangong Ying also politely shook it.
“We’re truly lucky to have you today, Miss Nangong. You know, since your movie became a hit, many people wanted to interview you, but you refused all of them. I heard you went back to school to study. Have you been harassed?”
“Regarding that, I think it’s just an isolated phenomenon. The reporters blocking the entrance could only be paparazzi, completely different from professional, ethical reporters. I hope these big brothers and big sisters can calm down and not disturb the other students.”
Nangong Ying, now experienced in the entertainment circle, had learned to be tactful. She didn’t speak directly, just beat around the bush, giving others face. Of course, the audience couldn’t see this; it was also the effect the host wanted.
Yu Linna stared blankly at the Nangong Ying on TV, unable to speak for a long time. Compared to before, Nangong Ying seemed more energetic, her eyes sharper. And she had also learned to speak evasively, a stark contrast to the straightforward Nangong Ying from before. She had truly started to become a stranger.
“Miss Nangong, I heard you used to practice martial arts, even won championships. In your opinion, is there any relationship between martial arts and acting in movies?”
“Well, there’s some connection. Martial arts is also a profession, and it also requires performance on stage. And for us actors, performing for others to see, that’s also a profession. The two are actually related. You see, actors like us who have learned martial arts can perform very well in action films, without needing stunt doubles.”
“So you’re saying, you never used a stunt double when filming movies?”
“Not never used, rarely used. I still personally completed most of the action scenes. You could see my movements in the movie; they are actually different from what a stunt double would do.”
“Haha, after watching your movie, many girls have become your fans. Without exaggeration, there are more girls who like you than boys.”
The host chuckled and teased.
Actually, saying so wasn’t wrong. Since Nangong Ying filmed the movie, her female fanbase grew a lot. Even many girls became her loyal fans. Because Nangong Ying’s performance in the movie was too cool; many women yearned for this kind of Nangong Ying and naturally became her fans. It could be said that the protagonist played by Nangong Ying was the epitome of the new era’s women.
“Miss Nangong, as a newcomer, your film actually grossed 1.8 billion at the box office. This must be very significant for you.”
“Yes, indeed. This is the reward for my hard work, and also a height I want to surpass in the future. Debuting with such a box office record, surpassing this record later on will be quite stressful, but I hope I have the opportunity to surpass it in the future.”
“You seem to have big ambitions~”
“Haha, it’s just an ideal. I believe everyone has ideals. Working hard to realize your own ideals and goals, I think that’s a wonderful thing.”
In front of the television, Yu Linna looked at her face, her body trembling uncontrollably. Just looking at that face made her clench her fists.
Dreams, ideals, goals, these words sound so beautiful.
Wasn’t she the one who destroyed all of this?
Looking at the Nangong Ying on TV, Yu Linna’s feelings were very complicated. Nangong Ying was once her friend, her best friend, and also the person she trusted most, yet they couldn’t make it to the end.
She had once thought they could be friends for a lifetime, but in the end, she realized they could only walk part of the journey together.
“I once heard that you would often mention a good friend of yours on set, a friend working in the entertainment industry together with you, except that friend couldn’t reach the same heights as you. Is this news true?”
When this was said, Nangong Ying was silent for a few seconds.
Who prepared this question? It’s too sharp. This was a hurdle Nangong Ying couldn’t cross in her lifetime.
Indeed, she did have a good friend. But that was “once.”
She once wanted to protect her, wanted to safeguard her, wanted to walk with her, to higher and farther places in the entertainment industry. She believed that as long as she was there, she could overcome any difficulty. She once thought so.
But fate played a cruel joke on her. She and she ultimately didn’t end up together.
She betrayed her, pushed her into the fire pit. Although she later heard that Ye Zhiyun spent a hefty sum to redeem her from Orange River, it had become the greatest pain of her life – personally selling out her best friend to make her own name. How could such an act not make her suffer?
If given a chance, would she still do this? She didn’t know either, because there was no chance anymore.
“There are many people and much chatter on set; such whispers are inevitable. Firstly, I don’t have any friends developing in the entertainment industry. I do have a good friend, but she hasn’t entered the entertainment industry.”
Drip.
A tear rolled down and landed on the floor.
Yu Linna’s eyes blurred.
She just stared at the Nangong Ying on the TV, tears flowing uncontrollably.
“Liar…”
She looked at the screen and murmured this word.
Nangong Ying was lying, deceiving everyone, but only she realized it.
How could Nangong Ying be so cruel, so heartlessly betray her, so heartlessly sever their connection? How could she treat her like this? She trusted her so much, yet she was treated like this.
“Is that so? Then it seems the rumors persist. Miss Nangong, do you really have no other friends in the industry?”
“Of course, I have. Sister Yuexin from my band, and a few others…”
Yu Linna couldn’t bear to watch TV anymore. Just looking at Nangong Ying’s face, she couldn’t control herself. So, in Nangong’s heart, her position was this low, non-existent?
It was also her fault, trusting Nangong Ying completely, that led to this consequence. If only she had been more perceptive then, this wouldn’t have happened. Nangong Ying, she was truly too much. No one would have thought she would resort to such tactics.
She wiped away her tears, grabbed a tissue, and went to the bathroom to wash her face. She swore, she would never trust anyone again, not even her closest ones. She wouldn’t be hurt by anyone again because the past, naive Yu Linna had already died, died at the train station.
The television Yu Linna no longer watched was still on, the program continuing to play.
“Miss Nangong, the show is nearing its end. Is there anything you’d like to say?”
“There’s not much I want to say, just a little bit. Actually, for me to reach where I am today, I relied on the help of many people. I definitely couldn’t have succeeded alone. Sometimes, you really must cherish the people by your side, cherish everything you have. Don’t wait until you lose it to regret; it will be too late then. I’ve actually also regretted before, regretted the mistakes I’ve made, but there’s nothing I can do to change them now; there’s no going back. I only hope that each of you can cherish the happiness before you, because happiness is hard-won. Treasure every moment, every step of the way. Thank you.”
Applause arose, and the show ended.
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