“Therefore… you still need to get to know your friend better. There are many things that aren’t as simple as you think.” Fu Yu couldn’t resist the urge to look at the back of her head, his eyes filled with gentleness.
Changqing looked at him blankly. There were things she might know but wasn’t willing to face.
“So Changqing, I didn’t do anything to let your friend down.” Fu Yu’s deep-set eyes become even gentler. “Alright, it’s not early, so I should be off. If there’s anything unsatisfactory about the production team or if anyone bullies you, come and tell me, okay?”
“… Oh.” Changqing’s mind was a slight mess.
After all these affairs, it turned out both Fu Yu and Guan Ying had their own motives. She even thought they were genuinely in love previously and was even jealous of Guan Ying, but it seemed so ridiculous thinking about it now.
“I’ll be coming over again in the next two days.” Fu Yu was reluctant to leave.
Changqing returned to the production team and everyone seemed to look at her differently too, acting exceptionally polite toward her.
Dinner was packed meals that the production crew got from town. Changqing sat with Guan Ying to eat. She opened her box and there were honeyed ribs, deep-fried conch and fish slices.
Guan Ying smiled at her. “They’re your favorite.”
“Yeah.” Changqing found it weird, but when she saw what was in Guan Ying’s box, it didn’t look bad and the thought in her mind was quickly dismissed.
There were limited rooms in the yard. That night, Changqing shared a room with Guan Ying.
Changqing saw a few mosquitoes flying around the house and used the insect repellent to spray them.
Guan Ying smiled. “You’re so forgetful normally. It’s rare that you would be so meticulous this time around to bring insect repellent.”
Changqing thought of Song Chuyi and blushed.
After bathing, the two of them laid side by side on a bed. Changqing couldn’t fall asleep, thinking about what Fu Yu said. She tossed and turned around. Guan Ying said quietly, “We haven’t slept together like this for a long time since we graduated.”
“Yeah, everyone’s busy with their own things.” Changqing was also a little sentimental. “Xiaoying, did you think about your future love life after breaking up with Fu Yu? If this drama becomes popular, you’ll definitely get multiple offers. I think you should find someone who sincerely likes you.”
“Fu Yu said something to you in the evening, right?” Guan Ying suddenly said.
Changqing didn’t make a sound.
After a long while, Guan Ying turned over, with her back facing her.
In the middle of the night, Changqing felt cold and opened her eyes drowsily to see Guan Ying covering her up with a blanket.
Vague memories from when they were in university flooded in. At that time, everyone was living in a dormitory and she always loved to kick her blanket. Guan Ying slept on the lower bunk with her and would always get up to pull her blanket up for her.
It wasn’t just covering her up with a blanket. She was a carefree person and would always cause many problems with all her small habits, be it in her everyday life or in her studies, and Guan Ying was always the one who would clean up after her.
In Jiang Duoyao’s terms, Guan Ying was Changqing’s mother in university.
Her heart ached and she held onto her warm hands. “Xiaoying, no matter what you do, you’ll always be my friend.”
“Mm, me too.” Guan Ying held her hand tightly.
After three days of shooting at the vineyard, Changqing felt that certain artists on the production team seemed to be keeping their distance from her. If it wasn’t for Guan Ying by her side, she would have basically been alone most of the time.
Changqing didn’t like this feeling.
That afternoon, she had no scenes for the time being, so she specially brought some dried fruit over for He Yongsui. He Yongsui was 38 and had some status in the industry. She would be playing her mother in the drama and Changqing thought that since they would have many scenes together in the upcoming months, it would be important for them to have a good relationship for the time being.
No one answered the door after she knocked on He Yongsui’s room door for a while. Changqing went up to the second-floor balcony disappointedly.
Before she went up, she suddenly heard He Yongsui’s voice from above. “I’m so angry every time I see that hussy look of hers. I never would’ve thought that in terms of experience and acting, you wouldn’t win over a host that depended on unspoken rules.”
“There’s nothing you can do—she has some special relationship with Fu Yu of Shang Wei. Didn’t you see that Fu Yu came all the way here by car on the first day of shooting just to call her over for a short conversation? On the entire production team, she has the best food and accommodations. You and Ke Yongyuan will have to stand aside.” The other voice came from someone on the production team called Yue Xiaofan. “Only Guan Ying sticks with her every day. I heard Guan Ying used to be Fu Yu’s woman. Fancy how she could still be so calm staying with Changqing in the same room every day.”
“Maybe she likes serving the same man. I heard they were close friends.”
“Haha, that’s true.”
Laughter sounded from the balcony. Changqing returned to her room angrily with the dried fruit. The more she thought about it, the angrier and aggrieved she felt.
The next day, Chi Yining entered the production team. When she wasn’t shooting, she would be seated with He Yongsui.
During break time, Changqing was staring at the side listlessly. Guan Ying noticed it and asked, “Why do you keep looking at them?”
Changqing told her about the things she heard at the balcony objectively. “I have to return to Northern City tomorrow, and I don’t feel assured about leaving you alone to deal with these people.”
“It will be fine. I’ve seen a lot of people like them.” Guan Ying smiled lightly.
At six in the evening, the production team arranged for a car to take her back. When Changqing was about to get in the car, she saw Fu Yu in the backseat and was a little dazed. “Brother Fu Yu, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to pick you up.” Fu Yu chuckled in a deep voice with his legs crossed. There wasn’t a single crease on his pants. “Quick, come in.”
Changqing was baffled.
When the door closed, there was a wisp of sandalwood fragrance wafting in the high-class car.
The car drove off and Fu Yu passed her a packet of almonds. “You used to love eating these as snacks.”
“No thanks, I’ve been on a diet lately.” Changqing leaned on the window without much appetite.
“Are you too tired from filming? Director Su told me you performed very well.” Fu Yu smiled. “He even said he intended to recommend you to shoot Fu Ning’s new movie.”
“Really?” Changqing wanted to be happy but she couldn’t lift her spirits up. “Brother Fu Yu, did you tell the production crew to make special arrangements for my food and accommodations?”
“Yeah, is there a problem?” Fu Yu tugged at the tie in front of his chest. He looked forward slightly.
“Of course there’s a problem.” Changqing frowned, “I know you did it for my own good, but this is the production team and it’s a place where there’s a lot of talk and rumors. Doing this would only make people misunderstand that I played by unspoken rules. Besides, everyone knows about your previous relationship with Guan Ying, and they might even think that we’re two women serving the same husband.”
Fu Yu’s face sank. His features revealed a slight resolution. When he frowned, the aura of a leader came out naturally. “Are there people gossiping?”
Changqing turned away. “No.”
However, Fu Yu already guessed it. “It was a lack of consideration on my part.
“Brother Fu Yu, I’m already content to have this drama. Please let me develop on my own in certain aspects,” Changqing said while looking at him seriously.
“Alright.” Fu Yu was silent for a while and nodded. “Let’s have dinner together later?”
“Well… My father knew I was coming home today, so he got the nanny to cook up a feast at home,” Changqing said with difficulty.
“Alright then, it’s been a long time since I saw your father. I wanted to visit but hadn’t found the right time to. Today would be perfect.” After Fu Yu said that, it took Changqing a long time to understand that by that, he meant that he was going to her house for dinner?
Changqing felt uneasy. What if Song Chuchu was there at night as well?
Song Chuchu would definitely condemn her.
“That… There might not be enough for all of us. Why don’t we make it another day?” Changqing said with difficulty: “I’ll get them to prepare more dishes.
“I don’t eat a lot.” Fu Yu had a gentle look. “Besides, didn’t you say your nanny cooked up a feast?”
Changqing almost wanted to bite her tongue off.
Fu Yu smiled. “It’s okay, I used to go to your house often. I think your father would be happy to see me too.”
Changqing bit her lip silently. I’m finished. How am I going to prevent Fu Yu from going to my house?
On the way, Changqing racked her brain and when they were about to reach her house, Fu Yu suddenly got a call. After he finished, his face was regretful. “I have some official things to do all of a sudden. It seems like I won’t be able to make it. Next time then.”
“Mm, okay.” Changqing’s heart, which was suspended, finally settled. Why did she feel a sense of exhaustion as though she was having an affair? She definitely was innocent and didn’t do anything.
When they arrived at the door of the Yan villa, Fu Yu got off and opened the door for her. He just opened his mouth while Changqing was already waving her hand, walking towards the courtyard. “Brother Fu Yu, thanks, drive slowly. I’ll head inside first.”
He got in the car expressionlessly and slammed the door with the moonlight shining on him. He lit a cigarette and ordered his assistant, Longxin, who was driving in front: “Investigate the things that have been happening on the production team these past few days.”
“Sure.”
Changqing looked back and when she didn’t see Fu Yu’s figure, she let loose and ran towards the entrance. She only ran two steps when her nose knocked into a solid chest. She fell back, muddled from the collision.
A hand held up her waist and Song Chuyi’s voice came from above her head. “You must be sick. Why are you not looking where you’re going?”
Changqing covered her nose. “You’re the sick one, appearing like a ghost. Why’s your chest so hard? It hurts.”
She hit his chest with her fist with all her strength.
Changxin, who was at the back, giggled sneakily. “Aiyo, just got back and this little couple is flirting at the door.”
Changqing blushed and stared over. “Who’s flirting?”
“So sorry.” Changxin turned over. “Alright, I won’t disturb this little couple. If you want to kiss, go ahead; come in for dinner quickly after you guys are done. I’ll be famished from waiting for you.”
The garden at night, after Changxin left, was left with silence.
Changqing silently cursed at Yan Changxin’s ancestors but she recalled she was in the list and gave up.
But it was really awkward.
She pretended to have not heard her sister and rubbed her nose so hard that her features were crumpled together. Her heart was beating wildly.
Come to think of it, ever since that day in the hospital, she had never had a phone call or message from Song Chuyi ever since. She also only told Yan Lei about her return. In actual fact, she was unsure if he would come at all. However, now that she had seen him again, she was still unclear of his intentions.
“Is it really painful?” Song Chuyi asked as he bent down.
“Mm…” Changqing replied vaguely.
He suddenly took her hand away and his elegant and handsome face came down to hers, looking straight at her with those charming eyes.