Chapter 80: The Beginning of Ruin
She walked down the street. The sky was gray, and raindrops had begun to fall. If any weather could describe her mood, the current weather was probably the most fitting. She couldn’t figure out how she had fallen to this point today.
Continuing to stay at Orange River was unrealistic. Sooner or later, she would become Orange River’s toy. She finally understood why Orange River was so disliked by female actors in the circle. This place was inherently a playground of capital and fame, a battlefield for men. Women were naturally the weaker ones.
Yu Linna finally understood this principle.
Unfortunately, she understood it too late.
Her naivety had harmed her, leading her to eternal damnation.
What could she use to compete with Orange River? No power, no influence, no money, and now signed to an indenture contract. Being subjected to the unspoken rules was probably just a matter of time. She didn’t want to continue like this.
“Better run away…”
Thinking this, Yu Linna silently made up her mind. As a girl, she was unwilling to just hand herself over here, no matter what. She had to resist her fate.
Thus, from this day on, Yu Linna disappeared from Orange River…
Yu Tianchen called her, but she didn’t answer. She didn’t even go to school anymore. She just hid herself away. Orange River also discovered this person had disappeared but didn’t show any panic.
Yu Linna thought she could hide from Orange River this way, hide from everything, then escape, completely leaving this city. She had also thought it through: if it really didn’t work, she would just hide in another city.
But she was ultimately too naive. She thought she could hide from Orange River this way, yet Orange River knew her thoughts the day after she disappeared. How could they just let her go? Since she was already an artist under Orange River, she had to bring profit to the company. Now, she hadn’t even earned money for them, hadn’t even been played with as a toy. How could they possibly let her go?
Orange River just let her continue playing, continue escaping, not in a hurry.
Yu Linna hid at home, locking the door from the inside, drawing the curtains, living on cup noodles every day, surviving one day at a time. School was abandoned, life was abandoned; she just wanted to hide here.
Anyway, no one would help her anymore. Then she would just hide. Wasn’t there a saying, “The most dangerous place is the safest”? Then she would hide at home, never going out even if it meant death.
She covered herself with a blanket, dark circles under her eyes growing darker, her complexion becoming sallower, surviving on that little bit of cup noodles every day. Nangong was gone. She had to learn to take care of herself properly; she had to be strong. Even if she didn’t want to, she had to accept it.
“So bland…”
Eating the just-prepared noodles, she lightly complained.
She thought she could live a life of eating well and wearing warm clothes. Now, let alone eating well, it was already good enough not to be caught for the unspoken rules. She was still hiding here eating noodles; how could she talk about eating well and wearing warm clothes?
Yu Linna now understood. It was impossible for her to become a star. From the very beginning, others were deceiving her. Thinking carefully, where did she get the strength, where did she get the ability to be noticed? Wasn’t it because she was good-looking? If it weren’t for being good-looking, who would care about her existence?
And precisely because she was good-looking, that’s why she…
She truly regretted it now. If she had the chance to choose, she swore she would never sign that damned contract again. Knowing it was her indenture contract, she absolutely wouldn’t touch it.
Bang bang bang!
Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door. Yu Linna’s body trembled, and she turned her head abruptly.
“Yu girl, you can get lost now! There’s no place for you to live here! Come out quickly, don’t wait for me to open the door myself!”
The landlady?
Why was she here? Logically, wasn’t it not time to pay the rent yet?
Before she could think too much, the door was kicked open by the landlady. This door itself was already aging and should have been reported for repair long ago, but the landlady found it troublesome and never did. And with this kick, this door was definitely broken.
The door slammed heavily onto the ground, making a loud noise. Yu Linna stared blankly at the aggressive woman. The uneaten instant noodles were still steaming.
“Landlady…”
“Out. Immediately.”
“Landlady, the rent date isn’t here yet! I said I’ll pay back the money I owe you all at once!”
She pleaded bitterly with the landlady to give her a chance, almost kneeling on the ground.
“Cut the crap! I don’t need you to say these words anymore! Now get out immediately! I don’t welcome you!”
The landlady showed no mercy, grabbing her hair and dragging her outside, forcefully throwing her out. Poor Yu Linna, small and weak, couldn’t resist at all. She tried to push and pull, but was completely no match for her.
How could Yu Linna possibly know that the landlady did this because people from Orange River found her and gave her money?
Otherwise, why would the landlady kick her out without even wanting the money she owed?
This commotion was so loud that the surrounding neighbors were attracted. They opened their doors and saw Yu Linna desperately pulling at the landlady’s clothes corner, begging her not to kick her out. But the landlady showed no mercy, throwing out clothes piece by piece from her house, along with a few necessities. Finally, she threw out a yellowed exercise book with Yu Linna’s name written on it.
“What’s wrong, Ma’am? Why so angry? The little girl is still young, why did you kick her out?”
“Yeah, Ma’am, Yu girl is so pitiful. If you kick her out, she’ll have nowhere to live!”
“Ma’am, please calm down. Yu girl has no parents. Don’t kick her out. At worst, we neighbors can pool the debt she owes and pay you back!”
The neighbors saw the landlady’s appearance, knew things had escalated, and all spoke up. Putting other things aside, Yu Linna was always a good child in the neighbors’ eyes, obedient and sensible. Now kicking her out just like that, it didn’t make sense!
However, the landlady didn’t listen at all. She stuffed the thrown-out things towards Yu Linna, then threw out her suitcase, stood in front of Yu Linna, looking down at her collapsed on the ground, her icy gaze almost capable of killing.
“Listen up! Whoever stands up for Yu girl, get out with her! Whoever dares to take her in, get lost! This girl has challenged my limits time and time again! From today on, I don’t want to see her in this building ever again! I’ll kick her out every time I see her!”
Yu Linna was stunned. Looking at the landlady’s face, she knew she was serious. There was no turning back.
Why did it turn out like this…
She silently shed tears, her appearance heartbreaking to see.
She had lived here for several years. Now, she finally had to leave here too, and was kicked out.
Orange River, oh Orange River, why must you treat me like this…
Yu Linna just didn’t understand why she had to encounter such things. She just wanted to eat better, wear warmer clothes. Was that wrong too? Why treat her like this? What had she done wrong?
Holding back tears, she silently picked up the clothes thrown on the ground, put them into the suitcase, packed the few necessities thrown out, and finally, the yellowed exercise book with the three characters “Yu Linna” written on it. This exercise book had been with her since childhood, the only thing that could confirm her name.
The neighbors watched the girl’s actions, feeling heartbroken. She was still so young, parents not around, not yet old enough to step into society, yet kicked out the door like this. Wasn’t it too pitiful? Anyone with a conscience wouldn’t do this, right?
Yu Linna wiped away her tears. She said nothing, nor was she willing to resist anything. She knew she had no right.
Taking her suitcase, she left, left from here. From now on, she no longer belonged here.
Although the neighbors wanted to say something, seeing the landlady’s eyes, they all chose to shut their mouths.
The girl no longer resisted anything. Perhaps she had accepted her fate. Perhaps, she chose the wrong opponent from the very beginning. Making an enemy of Orange River was undoubtedly seeking death. Even Nangong Ying didn’t dare to confront their power; how could she possibly deal with them?
In the unseen world, the ending seemed already destined.
Perhaps Fang Jianing at school would notice that Yu Linna suddenly disappeared, but she didn’t take it seriously, thinking she took leave as usual. How could she know she wasn’t taking leave, but skipping class?
A few days after that, Yu Linna dragged a suitcase, with little money, impossible to stay in a hotel. She wanted to go to the tutoring institution where she used to work, find her boss for help.
But when she arrived at the tutoring institution, Zhou Xiaoqing’s words plunged her further into despair.
“You’ve been fired. This is your wage.”
“…Wh-why?”
Her eyes were dull, her face filled with bewilderment. Her body froze there.
She didn’t understand why she was treated like this.
Even her last refuge was gone. This was the place she had worked the longest. Why did even her boss want to fire her? Why treat her like this?
Zhou Xiaoqing looked at Yu Linna’s almost despairing expression, ultimately finding it hard to be ruthless. She silently added a few more red bills to the wages she gave her.
“Linna, did you offend someone?”
“…They came looking for you?”
“Yes. Said you must be driven away, otherwise, they wouldn’t let us continue running the tutoring center. I don’t know who they are. Tell me, what exactly do they do? Why did they even bring people from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce?”
So that was it. She completely understood.
The hidden darkness here was even darker than she imagined. In the face of power, one could truly do whatever they wanted.
She was just a pawn in their game.
“I understand, Sister Qing. I’ve caused you trouble. I’ll leave now. I won’t cause you any trouble.”
“Linna, where are you going?!”
“Where I go has nothing to do with you. I don’t have a home anymore.”
Dragging her suitcase, Yu Linna was like a dead person. Having experienced so much despair, she no longer held any hope.
Now, just live one day at a time. Since death would come sooner or later, why not live a little happier?
Thinking this, she smiled, but she wasn’t happy.
Her figure disappeared from sight…
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