Chapter 88: She Was Actually Very Cowardly
Changqing was dumbstruck. In her heart, she knew clearer than anyone.
She could also roughly guess why even He Yongsui and the others had a 180-degree change in attitude towards her.
Guan Ying said softly, “These few years, I took up many minor characters and when I didn’t do well, the director wouldn’t even treat you like a human, so I understand many things. As actors, we have no right to tie our emotions with filming. Unless we’re as popular as Ruan Yang, then you have the right to say you’re not in a good mood and you don’t feel like shooting. But even Ruan Yang is also cautious and conscientious. After all, everyone has days when they feel down. If everyone’s like you, then the drama can’t be filmed.”
She spoke till Changqing’s lips started trembling.
But she didn’t blame Guan Ying. She only did what a good friend should do.
Loyal advice jars the ears.
Good friends should be like this.
“I know,” Changqing said depressingly.
“Go and greet CEO Fu.” Guan Ying held her hands and led her towards Fu Yu.
The closer she got, the more conflicted Changqing felt.
Fu Yu just finished instructing Cai Gao and when he saw her, a shallow smile surfaced in his eyes immediately. “Changqing, don’t feel stressed. I just talked to Cai Gao just now, and your scene with Ke Yongyuan will be changed to another time.”
Changqing glanced at Cai Gao and thought it was strange that Cai Gao didn’t seem unhappy.
Ke Yongyuan was a rookie currently rising in popularity and had never-ending movie contracts and commercials. Suddenly cancelling the shooting of this scene would definitely delay Ke Yongyuan’s afternoon schedule. An actor’s time was money and she definitely would’ve delayed a few million. On top of that, Cai Gao was known in the industry to be petty. He should be fuming right now.
Just when she was in doubt, Wen Tong came over with a lunch box.
Changqing reached out to accept it but Fu Yu suddenly took it, holding her shoulder with one hand gently, saying, “Eat in the waiting room. It’s hot out here.”
Changqing looked around awkwardly. On this set full of tens of people, everyone was busying themselves with something or chatting as though none of them saw it.
And Guan Ying who was left in the same spot had a frozen face.
She came with Changqing just now to greet Fu Yu but he didn’t even look at her properly. This made her, who stood in the limelight during the party, feel extremely awkward. It seemed the entire production team would know Guan Ying as the woman who was ditched by Fu Yu.
Guan Ying tightened her grip on her lunchbox. Cai Gao called her over to the side and said, “Now you’re clear that there’s no such thing as good friends in this industry. However, since Changqing can get the favor of CEO Fu, as long as you get in Yan Changqing’s good books, you will get your flow of resources too.”
Guan Ying felt uncomfortable inside.
She comforted herself. Changqing knew Fu Yu since they were young and she didn’t mean to vie with her.
“CEO Fu treasures Yan Changqing exceptionally. You know, Xiaoke wanted to release an album before but it was never permitted. Just now, CEO Fu agreed to let him release an album this year probably so that Xiaoke wouldn’t have any opinions on what happened today. Xiaoke’s singing skills can only be considered mediocre and there won’t be many chances of making big money. CEO Fu was never one to take such risks but for the sake of Yan Changqing, he’s willing to throw money aside.” Cai Gao laughed, “A pity you don’t have such good luck and can only depend on yourself.”
Guan Ying lowered her head. Her long hair covered half her face and one could only see the stiff smile on the other half of her face.
In the waiting room, Fu Yu closed the door.
Changqing frowned. “Brother Fu Yu, I think you’d better open the door. It’s just a meal and I don’t want others to think otherwise.”
“Even if I didn’t close the door, people would also think otherwise.” Fu Yu’s gaze was filled with gentleness and patience as though he was embracing his little girlfriend who was in a bad mood.
Changqing frowned in frustration.
Fu Yu took a few steps closer to her and opened the lunch box in her hands. “It’s getting cold, eat up.”
Changqing was really hungry but the moment she put a piece of beef into her mouth, Fu Yu beside her kept his eyes fixed on her, making her lose all her appetite.
She thought for a while and placed the lunch box down, looking seriously into Fu Yu’s eyes.
“Does it not taste good? Let me get someone to change it for you.” Fu Yu looked at her lively face and felt warm and sweet, as though he had eaten some honey. No matter how frustrating or tiring work got, as long as he could look at her, everything would feel satisfactory.
“Brother Fu Yu, I thought a lot about what you told me the other day.” Changqing turned her face away as she spoke.
Fu Yu’s deep-set eyes moved. “Is the reason why you couldn’t perform well today because this had been on your mind? You asked your sister already?”
“My sister already told me. ” Changqing couldn’t be bothered with his misunderstanding and continued, “My father also told me. When I knew the reason, it was indeed hard for me to accept, but… it could also be said that there was no affinity between the two of us. If we were fated, we would’ve long been together. I only view you as a brother now, so let the matters of the heart end with the past.”
Her decisive words landed on Fu Yu’s heart, as though they landed on a piece of ice and the ice suddenly melted into water, drowning his entire heart. It was cold, without any warmth.
He laughed. The image of Changqing with her little head lowered was reflected in his pupils. “Changqing, I don’t think we’re not fated. If that’s so, why would I have met you again after so many years?”
“It’s not just affinity.” Changqing felt a little at a loss. Rejecting someone was never her strength, especially when it came to rejecting someone she had liked since she was young. This felt like she had lost a little puppy that she loved a lot. “Brother Fu Yu, you were angry and couldn’t forgive what happened between your parents and I could understand that. But what about after that? You left for so many years and could look for me any time. Even if I moved to Northern City, you could’ve found out from our neighbours but you didn’t. Instead, you even found a girlfriend. I think Guan Ying wasn’t the only girlfriend you’ve had. When I first saw you, I felt extremely shocked and uncomfortable seeing you with Guan Ying. If you had me in your heart, how could it be that you couldn’t feel my sorrow?”
Changqing laughed bitterly, shook her head and continued, “Brother Fu Yu, you always said I was silly since I was young. Perhaps I am silly. I really don’t understand people like you. You say you don’t like her but your actions prove otherwise. This isn’t the relationship I want. Perhaps it’s because you’re always very confident so I always kept you in my heart so you’re not anxious at all. Even when you see me suffering, you could pretend that you didn’t know and you wouldn’t explain anything to me. The old Brother Fu Yu gave me the feeling of simplicity and warmth but you’re too complicated right now. This kind of relationship isn’t right for me. I just want my love life to be a little simpler.”
She turned over and Fu Yu appeared anxious. “When I first saw you at ‘Sound of Snow,’ I really wanted to tell you all this but that was also when I knew you were good friends with Guan Ying. You always place high importance in your friendships. If I suddenly broke up with Guan Ying then, what would you think of me? Therefore, I could only take things one step at a time and wait for the right opportunity to tell you the real reason I was with Guan Ying. Besides, my mom had been undergoing surgery and I had to take care of the company and her as well. It wasn’t until recently when her condition improved that I had some time to tidy up the things between us.”
“But it’s too late for you to say all this now.” Changqing felt confused after everything he said. She took a few steps back while holding onto her lunch box and she said in a low voice, “Brother Fu Yu, I’ve already let go of the things between us.”
“Let go?” Fu Yu’s heart felt cold. “Changqing, are you still angry at me for not coming back earlier, for getting together with your friend? I did return, three years ago. I returned to Yangzhou but your family already moved out. Your grandma and neighbours all weren’t around. I couldn’t find any news about you and it happened that my parents were in the midst of their divorce then and there were some problems with the company. I had to return back to the States when I was in my second year of junior high. I also only came back to China recently, it hasn’t been a long time.”
He closed in anxiously and Changqing was forced into a corner by him.
Fu Yu held onto her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. “Changqing, let us go back to how we were in the past. I will still care for you and love you. Did you forget you said in the past that you wanted to be with me forever?”
“Can you just take it that I was young and insensible?” Changqing struggled in his embrace, spilling the rice and soup all on his chest.
Fu Yu’s arms loosened coldly and Changqing managed to free herself. She said with her head leaning to the side, “I said everything I wanted to clearly. I can’t argue with you even if I go on. I just feel that the feeling you gave me in the past compared to now is different. You really don’t need to waste too much time on me. I’m very grateful for your help in the matters with the production team and perhaps if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even have the qualifications to film this drama, but now, you can only be my Brother Fu Yu and I’ve never thought of you as anything else other than my brother. You also said in the past that I live thoughtlessly, so maybe I really am such a person. I’m sorry.”
Changqing finished her piece and didn’t even want the lunch box anymore. She turned around to run out.
She was actually very cowardly and also very conservative. After her marriage, she was also very afraid to be implicated by such relationships outside her marriage. Since there would be no outcome, a brief pain would be better than a long-lasting pain.
When she exited, she happened to run into Guan Ying. Both of them froze for a while like a picture.
Changqing turned her face away and also ran past Guan Ying quickly.
Fu Yu clenched his teeth and fists hard.
He didn’t believe that his Changqing would push him away personally.
There must be a reason he wasn’t aware of.
Footsteps sounded behind him and a strand of hope rose in Fu Yu’s heart. He turned back suddenly but the person he saw was Guan Ying.
His face frowned maliciously and he went up to Guan Ying and gripped onto her arm tightly. “What are you doing here? You eavesdropped on our conversation. Was it you who said some things to Changqing? I know—you must’ve been showing off every day when you were with Changqing, right?”
That must’ve caused a change to Changqing’s image of him.
Guan Ying’s heart tightened. Fu Yu’s temper changed quickly and he was also very sharp and skeptical. She was very afraid and this wasn’t the time to offend him, but in front of such a person, the only way out was to be truthful.
She composed herself and said, “I did boast but I was unaware you liked Changqing. I also only found out on the day of the dinner party. After that, I’ve always been careful not to mention the things between us to Changqing…”
“There was nothing between us,” Fu Yu interrupted with his cold and icy handsome face. “I’m warning you—don’t spout nonsense.”