Chapter 69

Lin Qin called to say that a medicine she often takes is out of stock, and the hospitals and pharmacies near her hometown are also out of stock. She asked Lin Ting to buy some and send it back.

Lin Ting managed to get the medication at the hospital through a relative who works as a nurse in the emergency room. The relative left the medication in the emergency infusion hall so Lin Ting could pick it up directly after get off work.

After receiving the medicine, I turned around, just as the nurse pulled back the curtain, her eyes precisely catching sight of the figure in the corner behind it.

The man leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, his hands clasped over his abdomen. A faint blush crept onto his exposed white neck. He wore a black overcoat, and despite being ill and receiving an IV drip, he remained as noble and elegant as ever.

Amidst the chaos and turmoil around him, he possessed a detached and independent existence.

Despite wearing a black mask and hat, Lin Ting still recognized her.

She looked around and found that no one was with her. Logically, at least an assistant should be by her side at this time. How could a public figure like him appear in public alone?

Perhaps it was an overwhelming sense of empathy, but when Lin Ting looked at the dark figure in the corner, she felt a resonance and thought he was lonely and vulnerable.

So she stepped forward to express her concern.

As soon as he walked to his side, his eyes, which had been tightly closed, opened, and he was clearly surprised to see Lin Ting.

Lin Ting gave an awkward smile. "Hello! Mr. Han, I am Lin Ting. We've met once before, do you remember me?"

Han Ming took off his mask and gave a polite smile. "Yes, just call me Han Ming."

"You should still wear a mask. There are a lot of people here, and it would be troublesome if you were recognized."

"Okay, thank you." Han Ming put his mask back on.

"Are you alone?" Lin Ting asked him.

Han Ming understood the meaning behind her words, smiled slightly, and explained, "I'm all alone, and I'm not used to having people around me."

Lin listened and said "Oh," then nodded to indicate that he understood.

That's true. Not everyone in the entertainment industry is a high-and-mighty "life loser" who needs someone to follow them everywhere and arrange everything in advance.

Han Ming pointed to the bag of medicine in Lin Ting's hand, "Are you sick? Didn't he stay with you?"

Lin clearly heard who Han Ming was referring to when he said "he." Without hesitation, she replied, "No, this is medicine for my mother. I came straight here after work to pick it up. He... he hasn't finished work yet today." A hint of shyness flashed across her face as she finished speaking.

"Yes, I finished work early today, but he has several night scenes to film."

After speaking, Han Minggong stood up and coughed violently.

Lin Ting reached out to pat him on the back, but remembering the difference between men and women and that they weren't close, she withdrew her hand.

Looking at Lin Ting's awkward expression, Han Ming said in a hoarse voice, "It's mild pneumonia. She's been on IV fluids for a few days now. It's nothing serious, just a bit of a cough."

He coughed up blood from his eyes, and the veins on the back of his hands were slightly bulging from the IV drip. It was early winter, and the cold air was penetrating, causing the exposed skin on the back of his hands to turn red from the cold.

He brought nothing with him, not even a water bottle.

Lin felt sorry for him and decided to go buy some things. "Wait for me."

Before Han Ming could ask her what was wrong, he saw a figure quickly run out of the hall.

Not long after, Lin Ting returned, carrying a thermos and a hot water bottle.

She quickly opened the thermos and placed it in Han Ming's hand, which was not connected to an IV drip. "This contains honey water. It's not too hot, so you can drink it directly. You need to drink more water if you have pneumonia. I think it's easy for the mouth to taste bitter when you have an IV drip, so I added some honey."

Then she took out a coral fleece cover from her bag, wrapped the hot water bottle in it, and placed it under Han Ming's hand, who was receiving an IV drip. "The weather is cold now, and the medicine is cold, so it's too cold to inject into the vein. Holding a hot water bottle in your hand will make it more comfortable. I made this cover myself. In winter, I like to use it to cover the hot water bottle to keep my hands warm, so it can keep them warm for a longer time."

Han Ming watched quietly as Lin Ting busied herself for him, as if it had been a very long time since anyone had cared about him like this.

Under the warm light, the girl's face seemed to be gently enveloped in a soft glow, making her appear gentle and charming. Her clear eyes sparkled with a soft and deep light like stars, her skin was delicate and fair, and a faint smile always lingered on her lips, as bright and warm as the spring sun.

Han Ming felt as if his heart, which had been ailing for a long time, had been suddenly gripped by something, and he needed to beat violently to break free. He seemed to understand why Chen Zhiyi loved her so much and couldn't forget her.

She is like a flower blooming quietly, unassuming yet possessing an irresistible charm. Every movement, every glance, reveals an indescribable gentleness and allure, drawing people in effortlessly.

If Han Ming hadn't been wearing a mask, Lin Ting would have definitely noticed his flushed cheeks.

Lin Ting even called a nurse to change the IV bag for him. "I asked the nurse, and this is the last one you have left. It will take about half an hour to finish the infusion. I'll be going now."

Han Ming didn't try to stop him, nor did he have any reason to. He simply lowered his eyes, lowered his voice, and said, "Thank you."

After Lin Ting left, Han Ming smelled the condom on his hand. It smelled the same as the one on her body. He couldn't help but take a deep sniff, and the pure and refreshing scent of gardenias lingered in his heart.

The next day, before Chen Zhiyi left, Lin Ting gave him a thermos containing freshly stewed rock sugar, white fungus, and snow pear soup.

"Didn't we agree that you wouldn't get up early to prepare lunch for me when you're at work?" Chen Zhiyi was a little angry and didn't take the thermos.

Since Chen Zhiyi mentioned that the food on set was not good, Lin Ting would get up early on her days off to prepare lunch for him and bring it to the set. Although Chen Zhiyi enjoyed this thoughtful care, he couldn't bear to see her working so hard. Lin Ting, however, felt that this was also a way to reciprocate love and didn't find it hard. So the two made a strict agreement that they would not get up early on weekdays.

“I washed and chopped everything last night and put it in the stew pot. I set the timer, so I didn’t get up early.”

Chen Zhiyi was relieved and took the thermos from Lin Ting. "Winter weather is dry, so drinking this is perfect for moisturizing the lungs. I will definitely drink it all."

"This wasn't prepared just for you; you and Han Ming are sharing it?"

"What?" Chen Zhiyi thought he was hallucinating. He looked down at the thermos in his hand, then tilted his head to look at Lin Ting, his eyes clearly saying "What the hell is going on?"

"Han Ming? When did you become so familiar with him? You've only met once, right? Or did you actually meet in secret behind my back?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Last night I went to the hospital to get my mom her medication, and I saw her alone in the emergency room getting an IV drip. She looked so lonely and pitiful, unlike you who have an assistant with her."

Chen Zhiyi was displeased. "Stop. What do you mean by not being like me? Sister Fei assigned him an assistant, but he didn't accept it. He said he was used to living alone and felt uncomfortable having someone around. Besides, Zhang Ke only helps me with work. I also try to keep her out of my life."

Lin Ting didn't want to waste any more words on him. This man was just a jealous person in human form, constantly being so sour. "He got pneumonia. If this kind of disease isn't treated properly, it can easily lead to long-term effects, like coughing day and night. Living alone isn't easy. You were classmates in school, and now you work at the same company. Can't you just use this to express your concern?"

"She's been on an IV drip for days, and you didn't even notice, even though you've been acting with her every day?"

Chen Zhiyi then remembered that he had indeed been hearing Han Ming coughing incessantly lately, and that he looked sickly even when he was resting. "Alright, I can reluctantly share with him."

A crow flew overhead. "I thank you on Han Ming's behalf for your trouble!"

Upon arriving at the film set, Chen Zhiyi saw Han Ming sitting in the rest area breaking up a sachet of medicine. He walked over and placed a thermos on the table next to him. "You have a bad cough from pneumonia, drink some of this to soothe it."

Han Ming opened the insulated container, looking quite puzzled. "What's this?"

"Can't you tell? It's stewed pear with rock sugar."

"I know, where did you get this from?"

"Of course, I brought it from home."

"You did this?" Han Ming couldn't believe it.

Seeing Han Ming's hesitant expression, Chen Zhiyi got angry. "Why can't you eat what I made? She made this. Last night, she saw you getting an IV drip alone and felt a little sad, so she specially stewed a pot of this for me to bring over."

Han Ming felt a warmth in his heart and immediately ladled out a bowl to drink. The white fungus and snow pear were stewed until very soft and tender, with a sweet and refreshing taste that wasn't cloying. As he drank it, a warm current flowed down his body, as if it could penetrate into every cell, making him feel moist, warm, and very comfortable.

Like its creator, she is a girl who makes people feel comfortable and warm.

Chen Zhiyi muttered to himself, "Listen to Sister Fei and get an assistant. You dare to go to the hospital alone for an IV drip? Aren't you afraid of running into haters or entertainment reporters and getting into trouble?"

Han Ming completely ignored Chen Zhiyi's words and focused on savoring the sweetness in his hand.

Seeing that he had drunk two bowls in a row, Chen Zhiyi became anxious and took back the thermos. "Leave some for me. It was made by my husband, after all. You're just leeching off his kindness."

Han Ming had a lot to say, but because of the phrase "my wife," he only said, "She's a very good cook."

Chen Zhiyi blurted out, "Of course!" Pointing his chin at the insulated container, his face beaming with undisguised pride. "This is a piece of cake. You've even had her stuffed green peppers, haven't you? There are few girls who can cook, and even fewer who can make a decent meal. I don't subscribe to the outdated notion that girls must know how to cook; I just think girls like that understand and love life."

Han Ming joked, "Then why don't you hire a cook?"

Chen Zhiyi glanced at him, wondering if he knew anything about romance. "This is just one of her minor strengths. There are too many good qualities to count on one hand."

When Lin Ting's merits were mentioned, Chen Zhiyi couldn't stop showing off.

"It goes without saying that she's good-looking. If she wanted to get into our industry, her face would be perfect for the big screen. She looks so small and delicate."

This Han Mingyi has a seemingly indifferent and calm face, but her gentle eyes are full of stories, making people want to get closer and learn more about her.

"Moreover, she graduated from a top-tier university with a prestigious major. She excels in her field and is highly skilled in fashion design. It's hard to find someone her age who can rival her. You can find someone to design your red carpet looks, and the effect will be just as good as any big brand."

Han Ming silently noted this down.

"Moreover, she is strong and independent. She earned all her expenses during college and never asked her family for money. Most importantly, she is kind-hearted. She feeds and waters stray cats and says goodbye to them. She is so considerate and caring towards animals, let alone her family and friends. She is the kind of person we have met in the script but rarely in real life, with a very delicate and insightful heart."

Han Ming listened silently, and couldn't help but smile.

At that moment, Han Ming's phone received a Weibo notification with the title: "Ang Lee, the Oscar-winning director, is preparing to film his new movie. The male and female leads have been confirmed as famous Hollywood actors XXX and XXX, and the second male lead will be chosen from among Chinese actors."

"You saw this news too?" Chen Zhiyi had seen it as well.

"Um."

"Working with director Ang Lee is something every actor dreams of."

Hearing Chen Zhiyi say this, Han Ming was both understanding and surprised. He had spoken the minds of many male actors, but someone like him who had already won many honors and had no shortage of resources didn't need to add any more prestige to his resume and was still playing a supporting role.

“I heard that this film was shot entirely overseas and requires early training, with a total cycle of eight months. With no exposure or buzz for so long, and having to dedicate yourself entirely to a film, would Faye Wong agree to that? Aren’t you worried that many newcomers will emerge and replace you during those eight months?”

Chen Zhiyi, however, was quite frank: "I don't care about the amount of traffic or the number of topics. I only care about whether I have made new breakthroughs in each drama and whether my acting skills have improved. These are the things I care about. Which industry doesn't have new talents emerging? Just because I've been active for the past eight months, does that mean new talents won't appear? Those who are meant to come will come. If they are better than us, that's a good thing. Every industry needs an injection of fresh blood."

Han Ming stopped talking. In terms of being insightful and upright, he was far inferior to Chen Zhiyi.

That evening, Chen Zhiyi discussed this matter with Lin Ting, wanting to hear her thoughts.

Lin Ting said, “My advice is to listen to your heart and do it boldly. I think whether it’s eight months or eight years, as long as you think it’s worth it, then do it. Director An Li was unknown for a long time before directing his famous work, but he still managed to get through it. You are in a much better situation than him now, at least you have some fame. It’s very rare to meet someone you like and want to work with in life. I hope you can seize that opportunity. If you care about those empty names and glories, then you are not the Chen Zhiyi I know.”

Chen Zhiyi hugged Lin Ting, comforting her, "No one knows me better than you." But then he thought, "If I'm really chosen, it means we'll be separated for eight months." He couldn't help but feel a little reluctant to part.

Lin Ting pinched his arm. "We'll talk about it after you get selected. It's not like we're filming in outer space. I can't possibly not find someone. Sometimes I really want to give your love-struck brain a good cleaning."