Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Xie Wei's good fortune did not disappear with his death.

The movies he had filmed in the past were approved for release due to changes in government policies. The production company did not arrange for theatrical release but released them directly online, where word of mouth exploded overnight.

Xie Wei became hugely popular, dominating entertainment news headlines for three days straight and being praised as a superb actor.

However, just when the public was most interested in him, he died.

Xie Wei suffered from depression and paranoia, taking medication for years. His condition had been under control. But for some unknown reason, when he decided to take revenge, he stopped taking his medication.

After that, the guilt from murder and the relief from retaliation, perhaps some other complex factors, eventually led him to choose this path.

The world did not know the twists and turns behind it. They only lamented the passing of a generational talent.

Everyone sighed, if only they had known Xie Wei earlier, if more people had supported him, perhaps he would not have come to this.

But there were no ifs.

Good things in this world are fragile, colorful clouds scatter easily and glazed glass breaks.

Xie Wei was like a shooting star, brilliant yet ephemeral. Before the affection could fade, he fell amidst everyone's grief.

In people's minds, he was frozen in his most perfect moment.

Both online and offline, people organized memorial events for Xie Wei, the scale far exceeding the memorial for Shao Meng. Every app homepage featured related content. Even in remote rural areas, as long as there was a smartphone, people would know Xie Wei.

It was safer to be a fan of the dead than the living.

Xie Wei's Weibo followers increased by tens of millions.

And the last post he made was from five years ago promoting a movie.

The comment section was flooded with tears.

Everyone was very sad, as if they had lost the most important friend, the best actor, and the most admirable brother.

Jian Jing was still perfectly still.

She was busy writing at home.

The word count for "Roses, Gold and Assassins" was around 20,000. She had completed nearly eighty percent during the holidays, the only part she repeatedly deliberated over was the romance.

She had been very bad at writing it before, unsure of how to convey the hazy, breezy feelings between two people. But now she knew how to write it.

The girl's feelings toward the assassin, from distrust to trust, from suspicion to reliance, gradually progressed. But she was full of hatred, never realizing her feelings had changed unknowingly. By the time she looked back, it was all in the past.

The assassin's feelings toward the girl, from being cold towards his employer, to sympathizing with her, and finally because of this "humanity", finding his soul again. He was no longer a cold, heartless killing machine, and began to have his own likes and dislikes.

He decided to avenge the girl, but not for money, rather to protect her.

The girl's life should not be like this, her later years ought to be bright and radiant, not wasting away behind bars.

The assassin changed plans, not wanting the girl involved. He embarked alone.

Before leaving, he left her a bouquet of unnamed wildflowers, as a goodbye.

The book contained no confessions, no sensationalism. The ending was as orthodox as could be. The criminal's misdeeds were brought to light, and the assassin paid with his life for the blood on his hands.

The girl's life went on.

She returned to normal life, went to university, and it was all over.

Jian Jing wrote the last 30,000 words in a week. She completed it in one go each time, but looking back, still felt her skills were lacking, unable to fully capture the turmoil in her heart with just a few strokes.

But the word count could only decrease, not increase.

Too explicit, too passionate, the traces would be too obvious, as if impatient to spoonfeed the reader mouthfuls of saccharine sweetness, cloyingly sweet.

Then what about subtly rolling surges? Like a diamond, colorless yet dazzling brilliant, wouldn't that be even more touching?

No, that wouldn't work either.

There was no such deep love after all.

Diamonds form under high temperature and pressure, only after being hammered hundreds of times could they be created. They hadn't even expressed any affection, how could their love be stronger than diamonds?

He snuck in and finally breathed a sigh of relief, putting down the heavy cat cakes and shaking out his arms: "So heavy, Pudding gained another two catties, I'm going crazy."

Jian Jing poured him water: "How did you know where I live?"

"I asked Chairman Kang." Jiang BaiYan drank it all in one go, finally taking off his hat and wiping imaginary sweat. "Teacher Jian Jing, I've come to beg you to save me."

Jian Jing: "?"

"I'm going to film a drama in Ice City." Jiang BaiYan put his hands on his waist and sighed. "My friends used to help me feed Pudding before, but now they can't. If left alone, it won't move and just gets fatter. The doctor says it has to lose weight." He was reluctant to leave it at a pet hospital, so could only beg for help.

He bowed ninety degrees: "Teacher Jian Jing, please save me!"

Jian Jing: "..." If they didn't know better, they'd have thought he was entrusting an orphan.

"I don't know how to raise cats." She didn't dislike cats, just didn't know how to keep them.

Jiang BaiYan said: "I've prepared the cat bed, litter box, scratching post, cat carriers, everything. I'll go downstairs to get the cat litter and food from the car, it'll definitely be fine."

Jian Jing folded her arms: "What if I disagree?"

Jiang BaiYan raised Pudding's front paws, putting on a miserable and pleading expression: "Please, take me in."

Jian Jing: "..."

"Please, I'm begging you," he lowered his voice humbly, with tears in his voice, "Our Pudding doesn't make noise or trouble, he's gentle and cute, and other than eating he has no other bad habits. You won't find a more adorable cat than Pudding."

Although she knew he was acting, Jian Jing still couldn't help laughing. "Alright, alright."

"Come on, Pudding, kowtow to your godmother." Jiang BaiYan pressed the cat's head down, bump bump twice. The orange cat was really good-tempered, dumbly letting him manipulate it, without even showing its claws.

"Don't bully Pudding." Jian Jing had already automatically taken on the role of guardian, unable to resist snatching the kitty and cuddling it in her arms, stroking it a few times.

Jiang BaiYan: "Then I'll go move the litter box."

He obediently made two trips, moving the kitten's litter box and food over, then started installing a cat tree, placing it against the wall: "Teacher Jingjing, you should let Pudding exercise more, he can go out for walks."

Weighing the cat in her arms, Jian Jing agreed: "Alright."

"I'll be filming for about two months, I'll come back soon." Jiang BaiYan gave her his schedule.

Jian Jing suddenly came back to her senses: "You took a new role?"

She hadn't been looking at her phone the past couple days, but she knew the battle over Devil 2 had already begun. Jiang BaiYan taking a role now was equivalent to giving up.

"Yes." Jiang BaiYan didn't make excuses, frankly admitting it.

Jian Jing just said "Oh", without commenting further.

But he continued speaking on his own: "Teacher doesn't want to ask why?"

"You must have your reasons," she said, "You don't need to explain to me."

Jiang BaiYan said: "But I want to explain."

"Then go ahead," she smiled.

Jiang BaiYan became serious: "Because, you already have the best demon, the best hunter." The light in his eyes dimmed slightly, "I can't compare to him."

Jian Jing shook her head: "Don't say that, Xie Wei..." She thought for a moment, then earnestly said, "Good things take time, it took him ten years to attain his current acting skills. You're only a few years old."

The same goes for acting skills. Jiang BaiYan debuted young, started from a high point, and is currently popular, so having this level of acting is already not bad.

But what about Xie Wei? He has experienced all kinds of cold and warmth in human relationships, the vicissitudes of life.

"I understand what you mean." Jiang BaiYan said, "But I don't have a chance to surpass him anymore, right?"

Jian Jing was silenced for a moment.

"Then I'll get going first, goodbye Teacher Jingjing." He didn't drag things out, putting his hat back on and about to leave, but hesitated and said at the door, "Also..."

After much deliberation, he finally painfully spoke: "Our Pudding's...poop is a bit stinky, make sure to turn on the fan before cleaning it up."

Jian Jing: "Pfft..."

Jiang BaiYan fled in panic.