53 Orange and Apple Theory

I like anything you give me.

Yan Sui stood up and walked slowly but firmly toward Jian Liyun.

She gently nestled into Jian Liyun's arms, muttering, "I'm not a child who needs comforting."

Jian Liyun chuckled and said, "Yes. I wonder who was crying on the other end of the phone just now."

Yan Sui snuggled against Jian Liyun's chest. "I'm sorry, I made you worry."

Jian Liyun ruffled her hair. "No need to apologize. Are you reviewing the entire game right now?"

Yan Sui nodded, "Since you're back now, I'll teach you how to play the next four moves. Including what I taught you before, it'll be seven moves in total."

After completing these seven steps, the situation will be completely reversed.

Actually, Yan Sui could have continued to teach, but there's no guarantee that He Chenyu wouldn't pull any tricks later, so it's best to teach her this much for now.

Jian Liyun quickly learned how to do it. She glanced at the clock on the wall and said, "It's getting late, get some rest."

Yan Sui then realized, "Sorry! I was so focused that I forgot you have to go to the film set early tomorrow morning."

Her face showed regret, and Jian Liyun couldn't help but chuckle. "It's okay, Sui Sui, why are you being so cautious today?"

Jian Liyun's words hit the nail on the head, and Yan Sui turned her head away, "I didn't."

Instead of pressing the issue further, Jian Liyun stood up and said, "I'm going to wash up now. You should rest first."

After Jian Liyun finished washing up and changed into her pajamas, Yan Sui, lying on the big bed, still had her big, round eyes wide open.

Jian Liyun threw back the covers. "Can't sleep?"

Yan Sui nodded honestly.

Jian Liyun naturally pulled Yan Sui into her arms and nuzzled the top of her head with her chin. "Is it because of her?"

Jian Liyun didn't say who it was, but Yan Sui's body stiffened.

They all knew it perfectly well.

Jian Liyun's tone remained gentle. She reached out and turned off the desk lamp, leaving only the dim moonlight streaming into the room from the window.

"You two had a fight."

Jian Liyun spoke with certainty.

Yan Sui's voice was muffled, "It wasn't exactly an argument, it's just... Li Yun, I don't know how to say it."

"Then don't say anything," Jian Liyun gently stroked Yan Sui's thin back. "Don't think about her, or you'll really have a sleepless night."

Yan Sui's voice was a little tense, "Li Yun."

"I am here."

“If,” Yan Sui said slowly, “I mean if. You’re someone who likes to eat apples, and you want to get apples from me. I know you like apples, but I can’t give you apples, I can only give you oranges. Would you blame me?”

Before Jian Liyun could answer, Yan Sui gave a wry smile, "You'll definitely blame me, won't you?"

Just like she used to blame her mother.

Her mother always gave Yan Sui what she thought was the best, but never asked Yan Sui what she really wanted.

Yan Sui prides herself on being different from her mother, and she tries her best not to become like her.

Therefore, when she was interacting with Jian Liyun and Lu Shutian, she wanted to know more about what the other person liked and what they needed than what she had and what she could give.

But she couldn't give it to them, or rather, she didn't have what they wanted.

“I probably won’t fall for the fruit shop owner,” Jian Liyun said abruptly. “So, it doesn’t matter to me whether it’s apples or oranges, as long as it’s given to me by you, I’ll like it.”

"Huh?"

Jian Liyun's answer left Yan Sui stunned for several seconds, and her previous frustration vanished.

Jian Liyun hugged the person in her arms even tighter. "Life isn't all perfect. If you want everything to be perfect and to have everything, then you will lose everything."

Even if I really am the kind of person who only likes apples, as you assume, I can still distinguish between what's important and what's not. More than apples, I care about and like you, so as long as it's you, I can accept anything you give me.

What Jian Liyun fears even more is that her moon will leave her.

“If someone,” Jian Liyun’s dark eyes held an unreadable emotion, “furthermore, if they throw a tantrum because you can’t give them the apple they want, that’s not your fault.”

"It's all my fault."

Yan Sui's eyes welled up with tears again. She was relieved that neither of them could see each other's faces clearly, otherwise her embarrassing state would have been seen again.

Jian Liyun sighed and kissed Yan Sui's forehead. "It's not your fault. If she's angry because you can't give her an apple, it just means she doesn't care who gives it to her; she only cares that the final result has to be an apple."

Yan Sui was a little confused.

She gripped Jian Liyun's shoulders, hesitant. "She probably cares about me a lot, which is why she wants the apple from me even more."

"Yes, she does care about you, but as I said, following this logic, she cares more about getting the apple."

Yan Sui's voice still carried a hint of confusion, "But..."

It was late at night, and Jian Liyun had to go to work early the next morning, but Yan Sui really wanted to say a lot more.

Jian Liyun noticed it too, and her voice was filled with laughter, "Although it's a bit sudden, I'd be happy to have a chat with you tonight."

Yan Sui was conflicted. "You have work tomorrow."

Jian Liyun didn't care. "It's okay. My scenes start filming late tomorrow, and the workload isn't heavy. Besides, even though I have to get up early, I can take a nap in the car on the way there."

Yan Sui licked her lower lip and finally made up her mind, "My mother is a very outstanding person."

[Warning! Transmigrator Yan Sui,] .001's voice shone sharply in her mind, [Please try not to talk about your time in the original world, as this might make the female supporting character realize that you are not from this world.]

The noise from .001 was giving Yan Sui a headache, but she ignored it.

“She has achieved great success in a certain field, so she hopes that I will follow in her footsteps and shine in that industry.”

Jian Liyun listened patiently at this moment, and said, "Hmm."

Yan Sui's speech slowed down, and her heart began to ache dully.

"Originally, I also thought that following the path she planned for me wouldn't be bad. But... because of my mistake, I lost something very important to me, something very important..."

Little bird.

The word stuck in Yan Sui's throat; she couldn't say it.

Sniffing, Yan Sui continued, "So for a time, I even hated my mother. She always took it for granted that she would give me what she thought was good, and what I thought was good, priceless. If she didn't think it was important, then I was forced to think it wasn't important either—"

"But I can't do it."

Yan Sui's tone was pained, and she breathed heavily, "But when I came to my senses, I suddenly realized that she is my mother. She suffered a lot when she was pregnant with me and gave birth to me. She put a lot of effort into raising me since I was a child, but in the end, I still let her down."

Yan Sui gave a bitter smile. "I wanted to do everything well, but in the end, I messed everything up."

She lost her little bird forever, her relationship with her family plummeted, and her Go career, which had once been a source of pride for the whole family, completely collapsed.

Yan Sui once thought that in this novel world, at least as a transmigrator with a partial perspective, she would be able to complete her mission well and save the people she wanted to save.

In the end, just like in the real world, she still messed everything up.

“Life is full of disappointments,” Jian Liyun said slowly after a long while. “No one can be omniscient or omnipotent, and no one can make absolutely correct choices every time. Suisui, don’t always take all the blame on yourself.”

Yan Sui carries too much on her shoulders, and it's too heavy a burden, which she doesn't have to bear.

Yan Sui remained depressed. She gave a self-deprecating laugh, "I even said I would teach you how to love yourself. Now that I think about it, I can't even handle my own relationship problems. How can I be qualified to teach you?"

It was only now that Yan Sui realized that her previous mindset had contained a kind of unconscious arrogance.

“No,” Jian Liyun denied, “to me, you absolutely deserve it, Sui Sui.”

She smiled and pinched Yan Sui's earlobe. "The luckiest thing in my life is meeting you."

She had prepared herself to rot in the mud, but Yan Sui suddenly appeared and pulled her out of the mud.

Yan Sui took a deep breath and said, "Li Yun, I won't let you down."

She will help Jian Liyun break free from all constraints and live freely.

Jian Liyun said tenderly, "Sui Sui, whatever decision you make, you won't let me down. Try to pay more attention to your own feelings."

Yan Sui didn't continue the topic. She snuggled against Jian Liyun and said, "Liyun, goodnight."

Jian Liyun hummed in agreement. "Go to sleep."

After chatting with Jian Liyun all night, Yan Sui slept exceptionally soundly. So much so that when she woke up the next morning, the warmth beside her had long since dissipated, indicating that Jian Liyun had gotten up and left quite some time ago.

She sat up with a yawn and saw the note on the bedside table.

"Sui Sui, breakfast is on the table. If it gets cold, just heat it up in the microwave."

Jian Liyun's handwriting is well-spaced and lively; just by looking at these characters, one can imagine the smile on her face when she wrote them.

Yan Sui thought for a moment and then quietly put the note away.

No matter what, life goes on.

Yan Sui quickly washed up, ate breakfast, and then took out her phone to make a call.

"Hey Director Kong," Yan Sui said with a smile, "Well, Li Yun has been doing quite well on set, and the director is satisfied with her."

After Director Kong finished speaking, Yan Sui asked in a natural tone, "By the way, Director Kong, have you heard about the He family's matter?"

The woman on the other end of the phone paused, then teased Yan Sui for being so well-informed.

Yan Sui exclaimed, "There are no secrets in this industry. Director Kong, He Chenyu has taken leave from the film crew these past two days. You know his background, and he's worked with my Li Yun twice before, making it the third time. If the He family makes things difficult for him, and it affects us too..."

"Tsk," Director Kong was also dissatisfied. "To put it nicely, those kinds of people are brought in with their own money; to put it bluntly, they're just pure scourges. I heard that his older brother's funeral is supposed to be held this afternoon. They're clearly from an old-money family, but the burial site they chose is a very ordinary cemetery."

Yan Sui's lips twitched. How did Director Kong even know where the other party's grave was? His information network was even better than Sister Wei's.

But she still followed up, asking, "Then where is the cemetery?"

Director Kong stuffed a mouthful of noodles into his mouth and mumbled, "It's the Fu'an Cemetery in the western suburbs of our city."

The west side? That's quite far from the film crew in the eastern suburbs. No wonder He Chenyu needed to take two days off.

"But let's not talk about him for now," Director Kong swallowed his noodles, "Xiao Yan, your good news is coming soon too."

Yan Sui didn't believe that the good news Director Kong was talking about could be that good. She smiled and said, "What good news? Director Kong, tell us."

Director Kong refused to answer, saying, "You'll find out soon enough. This matter is still going through the process. It could be as early as tomorrow, or as late as three to five days. In short, you'll find out then."

Seeing that the other party was deliberately keeping her in suspense, Yan Sui didn't press the matter further. She figured it was probably about a promotion and a raise, which she didn't really care about.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Yan Sui had just hung up the phone when another call came in.

Luo Yanquan

Yan Sui frowned slightly. Wasn't this the writer Jian Liyun had appeared on the variety show last time?

Because Luo Yanquan had repeatedly asked Jian Liyun to play a role in her novel, Yan Sui, as Jian Liyun's agent, exchanged contact information with Luo Yanquan.

A few seconds later, Yan Sui answered the phone, "Writer Luo."

The woman's voice on the other end of the phone was a little hoarse, "Xiao Yan, are you free today? I need to ask you to meet up."

Yan Sui assumed it was about Jian Liyun's work, and since she was free today, she agreed, "Of course. Where shall we meet?"

The two quickly finalized a time and place to meet.

Luo Yanquan was very easygoing. The phone call came suddenly, and she also unceremoniously set the meeting time for an hour later.

At this time, coffee shops are just opening for business, and Yan Sui had no objections. It was also quiet and not crowded at this time.

After changing her clothes, she sighed as she checked her bag to make sure she had everything she needed.

[Host, why are you sighing?] the system asked.

Yan Sui's tone was wistful, "Even if this author's work is decided to be adapted into a film or television series, from selling the rights to writing the script, to organizing filming, and finally airing, it will take at least a year and a half. I'm worried that by then I'll already be..."

He was no longer by Jian Liyun's side.

When Yan Sui completed the ceremony, she knew that she only had three hundred days left in this world, and she thought she had already prepared herself mentally.

The system comforted him, saying, "Host, don't be sad. After you complete the mission, although you can't stay in this world, you can return to your original world, survive the car accident, and hear those words again. In short, you will be very happy."

Will I really be happy when that time comes?

Yan Sui was puzzled, but then she thought that whether she could return to her original world smoothly after completing this mission was another matter.

Let's not think about things that are so far in the future.

Patting her face, Yan Sui composed herself and prepared to go out.

Just as she opened the door, the door next to her also opened. As if by telepathy, the two pushed open their doors at the same time and looked at each other.

Yan Sui took the initiative to start the conversation, asking, "Are you heading to the concert venue for rehearsals?"

Lu Shutian clearly didn't intend to continue this topic with Yan Sui. "Did Jian Liyun come here to see you last night?"

Yan Sui was both amused and exasperated. "This is her home, of course she can come back."

Lu Shutian slowly closed the door, her right hand pressed against the cold bronze door. "You slept very well with her last night, didn't you?"

Yan Sui could no longer maintain her gentle expression, and her speech slowed down, "You can think whatever you want about me, but don't involve others. Li Yun did come back to me, but she didn't do what you're thinking."

Lu Shutian even laughed, "Oh, she's so high and mighty, I'm just a petty person who overthinks things."

Yan Sui didn't want to argue with someone so early in the morning, so she closed the door and turned to walk towards the elevator.

Lu Shutian followed closely behind her, "Do you think she's some kind of good person?"

Yan Sui pressed the down button and watched the elevator floor number rise on the screen.

Lu Shutian's red lips parted slightly, but she ultimately held back.

Once she has investigated everything about Jian Liyun, she will reveal Jian Liyun's ugliest side to Yan Sui in its entirety.

She wanted to see if Yan Sui could still love someone as ugly as Jian Liyun.

bite.

When the elevator arrived at the corresponding floor, Yan Sui stepped in first.

There were only two people in the elevator. Lu Shutian switched to the sweet tone that Yan Sui knew best, "Sister, I dreamed about you last night."

Yan Sui didn't even lift her eyelids, "Oh."

She neither knew nor wanted to respond.

Lu Shutian continued, "It was a very fantastical dream. I dreamt of your previous world."

Yan Sui's heart skipped a beat, and at the same time, the voice of .001 rang in her mind.

[That's impossible! The female lead hasn't met the conditions to regain her memories yet.]

Seeing that Yan Sui didn't speak, Lu Shutian continued, "I dreamed that in that world, my sister was an exceptionally talented chess player who won many, many awards at a young age."

The elevator continued to descend.

Yan Sui's throat was dry. "And then?"

"And then?" Lu Shutian shook her head. "And then there was nothing more. This dream was already hazy, and I couldn't see many of the scenes clearly. They were all like fragmented pictures, fleeting in an instant."

So did you save my little bird back then?

Yan Sui was torn between her inner thoughts and her own, but ultimately refrained from asking.

Lu Shutian shrugged. "Maybe it's because I know you can play Go, so I subconsciously guessed that you were a Go master in your original world as well."

The elevator reached the first floor where Yan Sui wanted to go, while Lu Shutian was going to the underground parking lot. Watching Yan Sui's retreating figure, Lu Shutian raised her voice a few decibels.

"Sister, it'll be soon."

What's coming soon?

Yan Sui didn't turn around or ask any questions.

Only after Yan Sui got into the taxi did the system cautiously ask, "Host, are you still angry with the female lead?"

.001 was speechless, [Low-level system, rather than discussing the transmigrator Yan Sui's emotions, I think we should be discussing why the female protagonist regained some of her memories.]

The system wasn't going to tolerate .001. It immediately retorted, "[.001, aren't you a high-level system? Use your powerful computing capabilities to think about it. Don't bother the host.]"

Yan Sui looked at the scenery rushing past the car window and thought to herself, "I'm not angry."

Really? I don't believe it.

The system amused Yan Sui, whose eyes crinkled with laughter. "So how did you tell I was angry?"

She felt that she had remained emotionally stable throughout the entire process.

The system hesitated for a moment, then said, "I don't know how to say it, but I just feel that you're angry, host."

Yan Sui shook her head. "I'm really not angry. I've come to terms with it since last night."

“Lu Shutian wants an apple from me, but I don’t have any. If giving her only oranges because I have oranges would be inconvenient for her, then I’ll try a different approach.”

"[What method?]" the system asked naively.

Yan Sui lowered her eyes, "Let's find another way to protect her without her noticing."

This way, I can reduce contact with Lu Shutian to prevent her from misunderstanding again, and also protect her.

This was the best solution Yan Sui could think of.

The system pressed further, "[Then, host, how do you plan to protect the female lead?]"

Yan Sui took off her gold-rimmed glasses and rubbed her temples. "Now, whether it's Jian Liyun or Lu Shutian, the root cause of their misfortune is He Chenyu."

Once He Chenyu is dealt with, everything will be fine. However, the plan will change from her teaming up with Lu Shutian to her fighting alone.

.001 couldn't help but interject: "[Transmigrator Yan Sui, considering both the mission success rate and your safety, cooperating with the female lead is a better choice for you.]"

Yan Sui had made up her mind, "But that would cause her pain, so let's not."

If someone has to suffer, if someone has to be the sacrificed piece in the game—

She'll take the position.

Despite being devoid of emotions, the system sounded like it was about to cry. [But host, what if something happens to you?]

“Why are you crying?” Yan Sui chuckled. “Do I look that unreliable? It’s true that it’s more difficult to handle this problem alone, but that doesn’t mean I’ll lose.”

[But Yan Sui, the transmigrator, you may die. I mean, whether in this world or your original world, you will truly die.]

Yan Sui didn't even blink. ".001, do I look like someone who's afraid of death?"

Rather than saying she was afraid of death, it would be more accurate to say that she was someone who once longed to rush towards death.

Yan Sui believes that death is a separation, but it can also be a reunion.

A little bird is still waiting for her, and she will eventually meet it, no matter which world it is in.

Yan Sui successfully silenced .001.

As the two people chatted, they also talked about their destination.

Yan Sui opened the door and got out of the car. This was a very cozy coffee shop with a two-story layout.

She looked up and met Luo Yanquan, who was sitting by the second-floor window.

The other person waved to her, signaling her to go upstairs.

Luo Yanquan was dressed as an ordinary middle-aged woman today, very inconspicuous. Coupled with her short stature, she was the kind of person who would be swallowed up and disappear in the crowd in the second second.

Yan Sui sat down next to her. "Writer Luo, I'm sorry I'm late."

Luo Yanquan waved his hand casually, "No, I just arrived too early. Alright, have some tea to soothe your throat first."

Yan Sui then realized that Luo Yanquan had already ordered her a cup of flower tea.

She looked at the flower petals floating in the transparent teapot. "What's this?"

“Lilac tea,” Luo Yanquan said, leaning on the table with one hand and looking out the window at the pedestrians on the street. “You probably prefer tea to coffee.”

Luo Yanquan was right about that. Yan Sui was a little surprised. "How did you know?"

The middle-aged woman took a sip of her caramel macchiato. "Guess."

Yan Sui chuckled awkwardly. She didn't think she could guess right, so she changed the subject. "But this coffee shop actually sells herbal tea. It seems they have quite a variety of drinks."

Luo Yanquan smiled but remained silent.

Yan Sui also took the initiative to start a new topic, "I wonder what brings you here this time? Is it about Li Yun's role in your work?"

Luo Yanquan waved his hand, "No, I already had someone follow up on that matter, but..."

"I doubt she'll actually get the role."

Luo Yanquan muttered the last sentence to himself, his voice was soft and his speech was unclear, so Yan Sui couldn't hear what he was saying at all.

She didn't press further, but smiled and asked, "Is there something else?"

Luo Yanquan answered irrelevantly, "What did you think of the novel I wrote before?"

Which one?

Yan Sui quickly recalled that it was "Who is the Protagonist" that she had promoted while recording a variety show.

At that time, Luo Yanquan said some ambiguous things, which even made Yan Sui wonder if there was something wrong with his identity.

But since they lost contact afterward, Yan Sui didn't think about it anymore.

Yan Sui tried her best to answer flawlessly, "It's very good, an excellent literary work. Your novel has been reprinted many times, but it still doesn't sell well."

Luo Yanquan tapped the table rhythmically with his index finger.

Tap, tap, tap.

She began, "Who wouldn't want to be the main character?"

Luo Yanquan chuckled lightly, "However, everyone can be the protagonist of their own life."

Yan Sui nodded slightly in agreement.

The tapping of her index finger on the table grew louder and louder. Yan Sui wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt like she could barely hear anything other than the tapping.

Luo Yanquan's tone was not cheerful for her age.

"I've recently come up with a new story and I'm about to start writing it. Could you give me some feedback before I start?"

Yan Sui didn't know what she had done to deserve such a prestigious author's help in writing a novel, but she still politely said, "Okay, please tell me."

Luo Yanquan said calmly, "The protagonist in the story is already riddled with wounds, and then he is suddenly assigned to save someone. And the person being saved is a female supporting character in a novel."

Yan Sui's brow twitched violently, and she almost instantly called out in her mind to .001 and the system.

".001, System, are you there? Go and investigate Luo Yanquan's identity for me."

But there was no response. Not only the system, but even .001 fell silent at this moment.

Yan Sui didn't know whether they didn't want to talk or couldn't talk. Now she was in a passive position and could only be extremely careful.

Meanwhile, Luo Yanquan continued, "The protagonist transmigrates to a new world, and his original mission was only to save the female supporting character. However, the female lead also finds out about him and becomes entangled with him. In the process of getting to know the female lead, the protagonist discovers that he also has countless connections with her."

Yan Sui was still trying to remain calm. "This story is very interesting, Writer Luo."

Luo Yanquan nodded, "Yes. The protagonist wants to save the female supporting character and also intends to repay the female lead's kindness by saving the female lead. But this is very difficult, and the protagonist plans to risk his life to give the two characters a chance to survive."

Yan Sui fell completely silent.

Luo Yanquan seemed completely oblivious to Yan Sui's change in mood. She raised an eyebrow. "If things continue like this, the protagonist might not have a happy ending, which I think is too cruel for her. What kind of ending do you think would be considered a satisfactory one for the protagonist?"

[Author's Note]

The most unfathomable woman in the entire story has reappeared.jpg

Author Luo: Tell us your wish!