Chapter 137: Thirty Years in the East, Thirty Years in the West

When I reached the hospital entrance, I suddenly remembered that I had left Jiang Yichen alone there.

I felt annoyed and wanted to go back to him immediately, but then I thought, Jiang Yichen was with Lin Nan, maybe they had left long ago.

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but smile to myself.

After saying goodbye to Qin Lei, I was about to leave, but suddenly I saw Jiang Yichen standing not far away, staring at me quietly.

My heart suddenly tightened and a feeling of guilt came over me.

I walked over slowly, and each step seemed extremely heavy.

"Explain!" Jiang Yichen's voice was low and powerful, his eyes full of confusion and dissatisfaction.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, and then slowly said, "Jiang Yichen, I know you are very disappointed with what happened today. But I had to do this to solve the problem. Hong Yu and his friends have been harassing me and even throwing things at my door. I called the police to protect myself and my family."

I paused and observed Jiang Yichen's reaction.

He remained silent, but the anger in his eyes seemed to ease.

I continued, "As for you, I did leave you there. But I thought you and Lin Nan would be fine. I..."

"Enough!" Jiang Yichen suddenly interrupted me, "I don't need your explanation. I just want to know, why don't you trust me? Why don't you tell me these things?"

I looked at him, my heart filled with guilt and helplessness.

I know that my concealment did make him feel disappointed and hurt.

I took a deep breath and said sincerely, "I'm sorry, Jiang Yichen. I admit that I concealed these things because I was afraid that you would worry and get involved in this storm."

Before, he was always implicated because of me.

Now I don't want him to worry about me again.

"I don't want to implicate you anymore." I said at the end, my voice getting smaller and smaller.

But I mean it.

Jiang Yichen's expression became increasingly solemn as I continued to talk, and his face was so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip out of it.

He interrupted me rudely and asked me harshly, "Gu Mo, what on earth are you thinking? Why are you so stupid as to put yourself in a situation where you are being tricked?"

I felt aggrieved, my eyes slightly red, and I choked up as I explained, "I myself had never expected such a coincidence. My resume was sent to Hong Yu without any bias. I really didn't expect it to be like this..."

However, Jiang Yichen was merciless. He angrily accused me: "Gu Mo, when will you grow up? You never take my words to heart, and you just do stupid and annoying things! How can I say anything about you?"

I listened to his reproach, feeling grief-stricken and angry. I couldn't bear it any longer and retorted, "Jiang Yichen, you are the same. You only know how to scold me and never give me the understanding and respect I deserve. Since you can't stand me so much, why don't you let me go and let me find my own sky? Is it fun to tie me down like this?"

Jiang Yichen's face turned even darker when he heard this. He clenched his fists and said in a low and firm voice, "Gu Mo, I told you, forget it! I won't let you go, so just give up on this idea!"

I took a deep breath, tried to calm myself down, and looked at him firmly: "I understand, Jiang Yichen. Since you insist so much, I won't force you anymore. I'll take a taxi and leave, and we'll go our separate ways from now on."

After saying that, I turned and walked towards the door, leaving resolutely.

When I got home, I asked Gu Bai anxiously, "Did anyone come to our doorstep and throw things today?"

Gu Bai shook his head and said calmly, "I didn't see it today, but if anyone dares to make trouble again, we will call the police immediately. We can't let them continue to be so arrogant."

I felt a little relieved when I heard this, and I hoped that those unpleasant things would disappear.

However, despite being physically exhausted, I still tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

At this moment, the phone screen suddenly lit up. It was a message from Jiang Yichen: "Be on time for work tomorrow, don't be late."

The brief words revealed unquestionable majesty.

I looked at this message silently, feeling mixed emotions, uncertainty about the future and complicated feelings towards Jiang Yichen.

The next morning, I got up early, got myself ready, and returned to Jiang Yichen's company on time.

As soon as I entered the door, I heard Lin Nan calling everyone to a meeting.

At the meeting, Lin Nan announced an important news: "The company plans to shoot a series of advertisements, but the originally scheduled model was fired for some reason, so we urgently need to find a replacement within the company."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole office became excited and everyone was discussing who would be the lucky person.

At this time, Xiao Tiantian suddenly stood up and suggested with a smile: "I think Gu Mo can give it a try. Not only does she have an outstanding image and temperament, but she also has strong expressiveness. She will definitely be able to do this shoot."

I was a little surprised by Xiao Tiantian’s proposal, but more touched and grateful.

After Lin Nan suggested finding someone within the company to replace the model for the commercial, her eyes stayed on me for a moment, and she was obviously not optimistic about me.

She frowned slightly and said bluntly: "Gu Mo, you always get into trouble. I'm worried that you will delay the progress of the filming."

However, Xiao Tiantian stood firmly on my side. She smiled and refuted Lin Nan, "Sister Lin Nan, although Gu Mo seems carefree, she grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth. She has a natural temperament, which fits the theme of this advertisement very well. I think she is the most suitable person to shoot it."

Xiao Tiantian's words were echoed by others, and everyone agreed that I was the best candidate to shoot this advertisement.

I was a little surprised and embarrassed by everyone’s support. After all, I did cause a lot of trouble to the company before.

I tried to shirk my responsibility: "Sister Lin Nan, I really don't think I'm suitable. I'm afraid that if I don't do a good job, I'll disappoint everyone's expectations."

But after thinking it over again and again, Lin Nan decided to give me this opportunity.

She looked at me seriously and warned me, "Okay, Gu Mo, I'll give you a chance this time, but you have to remember not to get into trouble again. During the filming, you must follow the director's instructions, perform well, and strive to shoot a satisfactory advertisement."

I nodded solemnly, feeling both grateful and nervous.

After the meeting, I was assigned to shoot a commercial, and I accidentally saw Lin Nan and Jiang Yichen reporting on their work.

"This advertising shoot is handed over to Gu Mo."

I secretly observed that although Jiang Yichen looked unhappy, he did not suggest replacing me. I breathed a sigh of relief and left quickly.

…

In the studio, the director explained to me what the filming was about.

This was my first time participating in this kind of shoot and I didn’t understand a lot of things, but fortunately everyone took good care of me.

Especially the male model who I collaborated with this time, seeing that I was a newcomer, he was particularly enthusiastic and took the initiative to help me, patiently teaching me how to find the camera and how to strike the most photogenic pose.

"Come, look, turn slightly sideways like this and look towards the camera. Yes, that's it. Smile more naturally..." the male model said to me while demonstrating.

I tried to imitate his movements, but my smile just didn't come naturally.

I asked him to take two pictures for me with his cell phone. I covered my eyes and was too embarrassed to look at them.

"It's okay, Gu Mo, when you look at the camera, just imagine that you see the person you like, then your smile will be natural."

"I'll try."

I looked at the camera nervously, Jiang Yichen's face flashing through my mind, and I imagined him confessing his love to me.

As I thought about it, I started laughing.

"Take a photo, take a photo."

I came to my senses when I heard a deep male voice in my ears, but the smile on my lips did not disappear.

"Zhao Ning, is it okay this time?"

Zhao Ning gave me a thumbs up and I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as I didn’t hold them back, I would be satisfied.

I gradually found the feeling. With Zhao Ning's guidance, I quickly became familiar with the process and my performance became more and more natural.

However, this harmony was broken by Jiang Yichen's arrival.

As soon as he stepped into the studio, his eyes were fixed on Zhao Ning and me. Especially when he saw us smiling at each other, his face instantly turned gloomy.

"Mr. Jiang, you're here!" Upon seeing this, the assistant director hurried forward to greet Jiang Yichen.

Jiang Yichen just nodded slightly, his eyes never leaving me. He walked straight to me and said in a cold tone: "You, do that action again."

I was stunned and looked at him in confusion.

The director also looked embarrassed, but did not dare to refute and could only ask me to prepare again.

"But, Mr. Jiang, I have already shot it several times according to the director's requirements..." I tried to explain.

"I think you didn't shoot it well. Try it again." Jiang Yichen interrupted me, his tone unquestionable.

I had no choice but to try again, but Jiang Yichen sitting there staring at me made me feel uncomfortable and my shooting state was greatly affected.

"Your expression is too stiff, try again!"

"This posture is wrong, try again!"

…

Every time I tried, Jiang Yichen could find new shortcomings, which made me feel frustrated.

Seeing this, Zhao Ning patted my shoulder gently and comforted me, "It's okay, don't be too nervous, he may just have higher requirements."

I forced a smile, but I couldn't hide my anxiety.

At this time, Jiang Yichen finally couldn't bear it anymore. He stood up suddenly, glared at me, and then walked away.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked the male model in confusion.

The male model shook his head helplessly: "Maybe he's in a bad mood, don't take it too seriously, let's continue."

I took a deep breath, tried to adjust myself, and got back into the shooting.

After Jiang Yichen left, I clearly felt that the pressure was relieved a lot, and my mood relaxed as well.

We got back into the shooting, and with the completion of the last set of shots, the day's shooting mission came to a successful conclusion.

Everyone was packing up their things and preparing to leave, and I started packing up my things too.

At this time, Zhao Ning walked up to me and invited me with a smile: "The shooting went smoothly today. Why don't we go have a meal together? We can get to know each other better and have a better understanding in the future shootings."

I felt warm at the words, but thinking of Jiang Yichen's ugly face, I politely declined: "Thank you for your invitation, but someone is waiting for me to have dinner at home today. Let's get together next time if we have a chance."

Zhao Ning felt disappointed after hearing this, but soon he smiled again: "It's okay, I understand. Then I'll take you to the station."

I wanted to refuse, but I was worried about offending people, so I had to agree, "Okay."

We walked side by side, and I didn't know what to say for a moment. The atmosphere was a bit awkward.

"that……"

We both spoke at the same time and looked at each other awkwardly. I tidied the hair around my ears uncomfortably.

He smiled and said, "I have a basic book about acting. If you are interested, I can give it to you. If you have any questions, you can also ask me."

I looked at him in surprise. If I had known that Zhao Ning's current status would lower his status by filming a commercial with me, he was still willing to teach me.

"Don't you like it?" Zhao Ning saw that I didn't say anything and misunderstood my thoughts.

I quickly explained, "I like you, but I didn't expect you to be so approachable."

Zhao Ning put his hands in his pockets and said with a smile: "I'm not like this to everyone."

"ah?!"

His words are too ambiguous, I don't dare to respond.

"What I mean is, I think you have great potential, so I'll be more patient with you."

"Oh, thank you. Do I really have great potential? In fact, I have been thinking about what I can do or what I want to do in the future. I am also worried that I don't have any talent in this area."

We chatted idly and before we knew it we were at the station.

"Um... I'm here."

I pointed to the station, indicating that he could go.

He looked back and saw that there was no one or car near the station. "I'll wait with you for a while. It's not safe for you to wait here alone."

I…actually, I really want to say that I feel very uncomfortable with him being here.

We were waiting for the bus at the station and the atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.

In order to break the silence, I tried to find some topics to talk about, but I really didn't know what to say, so I gave up in the end.

Just then, a familiar car drove slowly and stopped in front of us.

The car window rolled down, revealing Jiang Yichen's stern face.

He honked the horn at me, signaling me to get in the car.

I looked at him in surprise, wondering why he was here.

Zhao Ning also cast a curious look and asked in confusion: "You and Mr. Jiang..."

"We've divorced, but we're still friends." I explained subconsciously, fearing that he might misunderstand.

It would have been fine if he hadn't explained. Once he did, the faces of the people in the car became even darker.

"Get in the car." Jiang Yichen ordered coldly.

I smiled awkwardly at Zhao Ning and said, "I'm leaving first. Thank you for today."

I hesitated for a moment, and finally decided to get in Jiang Yichen's car.

Thinking about how he always finds fault with me during work during the day, I was afraid that he might have something important to tell me.

…

I got into Jiang Yichen's car under Zhao Ning's gaze. I always felt weird, as if I was being kept by my boss and was discovered by others.

I fastened my seat belt and turned to look out the window, feeling mixed emotions.

Jiang Yichen started the car without saying a word, stepped on the accelerator, and the car quickly drove away from the station.

I was filled with doubts and anxieties, not knowing where he was going to take me.

The car sped along, but it was not heading towards home.

I mustered up my courage and cautiously asked Jiang Yichen, "Where are you taking me?"

Jiang Yichen didn't answer, but just drove silently.

Finally, he parked his car in a parking lot by the sea.

It is empty and quiet here, with only the sound of waves hitting the rocks echoing in my ears.

He still had a gloomy face and said nothing.

I sighed helplessly, not knowing how I had offended him again. Thinking of his attitude this morning, I was afraid that if I spoke, I would be criticized again, so I could only choose to remain silent.

However, Jiang Yichen suddenly spoke up: "Can you live without a man? If so, why don't you come to me?"

His words shocked and angered me. I stared at him with wide eyes: "Jiang Yichen, when will your thoughts stop being so dirty!"

He just sneered: "I only believe what I see."

I was so angry that I was shaking all over and I didn't bother to explain anything to him.

I turned to open the car door and wanted to get out and walk back, but he suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Why are you so irritating?" He approached me, his eyes full of anger and confusion.

I responded without showing any weakness: “I don’t understand what you are so angry about every day!”

He blurted out: "I'm angry that you always get involved with those messy men!"

This sentence completely infuriated me. I raised my hand to slap him, but stopped in mid-air and held back.

"What? You dare to hit me again now?"

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down: "Jiang Yichen, what right do you have to say that to me? We've already ended!"

I have worked very hard, but why does Jiang Yichen think that I am still unlearned and idling around? Now he even goes too far and says that my private life is chaotic.

I was a little emotionally broken, and my voice was a little choked up: "Jiang Yichen, every day I only think about making money to pay off my debts. If I have other thoughts, it is to go to school and improve my abilities. I really don't have the time or energy to think about those messy things. Can you stop being so boring and staring at me all day long?"

He sneered, his eyes full of stubbornness: "You owe me this."

"I owe you? What do I owe you?" I was so angry at his words that I started laughing, with tears welling up in my eyes.

"We have already settled the account between us! Can you please stop bothering me?"

The two men started arguing, and their voices echoed in the car.

After arguing for a few sentences, Jiang Yichen suddenly fell silent. I turned around to ask him to open the car door, but I saw sweat starting to form on Jiang Yichen's forehead.

He clenched his fists, as if he was holding back something.

I was startled and suddenly realized that he might be unwell.

I glanced at the time and it was already past nine in the evening, so I quickly asked, "Jiang Yichen, have you not eaten yet? Do you have a stomachache?"

He was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect me to suddenly care about his health. He turned his head slightly to avoid my gaze, and his tone was still firm: "None of your business."

"How can you do this?" I said anxiously, "Open the car door. I'll go to the convenience store in front and find you something to eat."

He was silent for a while, and finally opened the car door.

I got off the bus anxiously and ran to a nearby convenience store to buy some bread and mineral water.

"Eat something, don't ruin your health." I handed him the food, with a hint of helplessness and concern in my tone.

Jiang Yichen turned pale with pain, and he clenched his teeth, unable to speak.

I quickly found the medicine in his pocket, fed it to him skillfully, and ran to the car to get him some water.

I patted his back gently to help him swallow the medicine better.

During the whole process, I did it subconsciously, staring at Jiang Yichen nervously, afraid that he might make a mistake.

When he recovered a little, I hurriedly asked, "Are you feeling better? Is it still painful?"

Jiang Yichen looked at me nervously, and there seemed to be some touch in his eyes.

He suddenly asked, "Why didn't you treat me so well before? Why do you treat me well only now that I have money?"

His question made me stunned, and I replied calmly: "I was ignorant before, and I understand more after more experience. I treat you well, and it has nothing to do with whether you have money or not."

The two stayed in silence for a while, and the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

I looked at the time. It was already late and my stomach started to growl.

I pretended to be casual and said, "I'm hungry and want to go eat. What about you? Do you want to come with me?"

In fact, I was worried about Jiang Yichen's health, and I was afraid that if I asked him to go to dinner directly, he would be stubborn and unwilling to listen.

So, I made up an excuse.

Jiang Yichen looked at me, was silent for a while, and finally nodded: "Okay, let's go together."

"Let me drive."

"Oh, forget it. I'm afraid that I won't die of pain, but will be scared to death by your driving skills first."

Jiang Yichen's words made me want to strangle him to death and bury him on the spot.

I turned my head away and muttered, "A dog bites Lu Dongbin, who doesn't know a good person's heart."

"What did you say?" Jiang Yichen frowned and asked in a cold voice.

"Nothing, I just wonder when I can have something to eat."

I rested my chin on one hand and looked outside.

In less than ten minutes, he drove the car to a busy food stall.

"Get out of the car." Jiang Yichen ordered.

I followed him closely and sat on a plastic chair in the food stall. I looked around at the slightly simple but lively environment, my heart full of surprise and curiosity.

As soon as the boss saw Jiang Yichen, he greeted him warmly, "You haven't been here for a long time, what have you been busy with recently?"

"Uncle Li, I went home. I had a lot of things to do, so I didn't come." Jiang Yichen's sullen face rarely showed a smile.

"Okay, you guys do it first, I'll have someone clean it up."

Uncle Li, who was speaking, was a middle-aged man, tall and thin, with a face full of stubble. He spoke in a generous manner, but the look he gave me was a little strange.

"Let me do it, Uncle Li, you do your thing."

"Boss, order food."

"Coming." Jiang Yichen responded loudly.

As he spoke, I saw Jiang Yichen skillfully ordering food and helping the boss clear the table. This was completely different from my impression of him.

Uncle Li seemed to see my surprise and said with a smile, "Don't be surprised, this guy has worked for me before, he is familiar with the process."