Chapter 93 Don't worry

"To put it bluntly, you're jealous of me."

Ren Limeng lightly summarized all of Li Chuyue's remarks. Li Chuyue in front of her had red eyes, her pale cheeks were swollen due to the violent breathing fluctuations, and her fingers were unconsciously twisted together, completely losing her usual shyness and quietness.

Ren Limeng just stared at Li Chuyue coldly. Her calm eyes showed nothing of her countless breakdowns that day. Her sharp summary made Li Chuyue want to refute, but Ren Limeng interrupted her coldly and ruthlessly.

"If thinking this way allows you to shamelessly believe you're not at fault, then so be it. However, let me remind you that you were able to distort all the facts today and get away with doing something wrong because of our twelve-year relationship. I won't tolerate you doing it again, and there won't be a next time. And don't set your sights on Fangfang. Li Chuyue, remember, whether it's the lead role or the recommendation, you earned this spot with our friendship. I hope you won't regret it."

Ren Limeng will not indulge Li Chuyue a second time.

Even if she was willing to suffer this loss this time, it was just to preserve this friendship. She had poured her deep affection into it for twelve years. She also believed that at the beginning of the story, Li Chuyue must have been sincere, but now they chose to go their separate ways.

The relationship between them was far more important than the so-called recommendation. At least in Ren Limeng's heart, she never questioned or wavered for a moment.

"Mengmeng..."

Looking at Ren Limeng's back as she left decisively after she finished speaking, Li Chuyue subconsciously stretched out her hand and raised her right foot. She wanted to grab the corner of Ren Limeng's clothes. At this moment, she only hoped that Ren Limeng would curse out loud.

Just like Ren Limeng's mother Wu Murong did backstage and in the theater, harshly blaming her, scolding her for her willful behavior, criticizing her nonsense, even if she just looked at her with red eyes, Li Chuyue was a little panicked.

"Ren Limeng, are you speechless? You also know that what I said makes sense?! Just break up! Do you think I care? I'm not wrong, you were the one who wronged me first! You..."

Don't go...

Li Chuyue's eyes were fixed on the door of the training room. After hearing a soft sound without hesitation, she slowly squatted down and burst into tears. Countless emotions were intertwined in the lonely cry, and only the silent training room remained there.

After being chosen as the lead actress of "Peach Blossom Fan", Li Chuyue rarely appeared in the drama school. She went to the province to be busy with rehearsals, competitions, and awards. When she returned to the drama school dormitory again, the play "Peach Blossom Fan" in which she starred had won an award, and she was admitted as she wished. The entire drama school was posted with congratulatory posters and banners, but Li Chuyue was not as happy and excited as she had imagined.

"...Where's Mengmeng? Why isn't she in the dormitory?"

"Mengmeng...she's been in her rebellious phase lately! Yueyue, you're so busy with the competitions that you don't know that Aunt Wu and Uncle Ren are going crazy. Ever since that incident with you, Mengmeng has been in a bad state. Not only has she not made any progress in her acting practice in the past few months, but her performance has actually deteriorated. Even her final grades have dropped. Now she's been daydreaming in the classroom every day and has been less likely to go to the training room. I'm so worried about her. You came back today...she wanted to come, but she had something to do! She asked me to greet her! Congratulations! Next time...she's treating us to a meal! No, she told you to make up for the meal you won! Don't try to shirk your responsibility!"

Yan Fangshu frowned, her tone hesitant. She spoke vaguely, becoming more and more fluent as she spoke, imitating Ren Limeng's tone and manner. She spoke so well that even she couldn't help but believe it and nodded silently.

Li Chuyue just glanced at her upper bunk. She lowered her eyes and listened quietly to Yan Fangshu's excited expression. She bit her lower lip tightly, pulled the corners of her mouth, and finally revealed a smile that was uglier than crying, as if she could deceive herself in this way.

They could still fulfill their promise of fair competition, just as Yan Fangshu had described, and continue practicing together cheerfully and carefree, just like in the play "Picking Grass for Pigs" they had once rehearsed. They could still resolve their arguments with a smile, sing along the way, and go home happily together...

"Welcome back to Mei City, Li Meng."

In my memory, the bright and lively girl was wearing colorful clothes, and her dimples when she smiled always had a bit of quirky liveliness. She could move forward bravely in the face of big things. And the calm woman in black in front of me still had that fearless temperament, but her dimples were shallow, but more dignified and steady, with the elegance and dignity of the passing years.

Li Chuyue's lips moved slightly, and she was a little afraid to look into Ren Limeng's bronze-like, calm and deep eyes. She really wanted to tell the person in front of her that she regretted it, especially when facing certain difficulties. When she looked around all the theaters and stages in Mei City and could no longer find her figure, she finally understood what kind of friendship she had lost.

The sonorous and resolute words always echoed in her ears involuntarily. Only this time, Li Chuyue opened her eyes and looked forward, and was able to see the living Ren Limeng.

So, this time, she couldn't just watch her leave.

Li Chuyue took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly. "I should have said sorry to you sixteen years ago. I'm sorry... I stole your admission recommendation and... framed you. I was too young at the time and didn't dare to face that situation. Now that I think about it, I was really wrong."

On the terrace, Ren Limeng looked towards the corridor inside the door not far away. The stills hanging on the wall of Meixiang Theater were neatly arranged and gorgeous. Each carefully selected photo captured the actors' most sincere emotions and the most exciting moments of the performance. They were quietly hung on the wall, silently watching the people coming and going.

Listening to Li Chuyue's words full of apology, Ren Limeng just smiled politely. The past was like smoke, and there was no turning back. All the regrets and entanglements of her childhood had been blown away by the wind. At that time, she would desperately seek an answer, painfully clinging to a look of apology, but now she would no longer be troubled by anyone, or suffer for anything.

"Chu Yue, there's no need to apologize. That was my choice. We both paid the corresponding price and got what we wanted. Let's move on!"

Don't look back, at least she won't look back, and she can't say forgiveness on behalf of the sixteen-year-old Ren Limeng. Of course, the thirty-two-year-old Ren Limeng will no longer be entangled. She will just take over the conversation calmly and end the matter.

The world has changed so much that she no longer has the urge to hug and cry with her old friend. Ren Limeng hinted to Li Chuyue subtly with the social decorum of an adult. She smiled so gently, but Li Chuyue vaguely saw a familiar determination in her eyes, and her eyes instantly turned red.

"Mengmeng... Limeng, can't we go back? Are you still blaming me? I didn't expect... you would sacrifice so much later. I thought you didn't care about the recommendation, and that Auntie wouldn't do anything to you. I also always believed that it would be easy for you to get into the drama school. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. Because of me, you and Auntie had such a big fight later. It's all my fault! I later heard from others that you had secretly changed your application. I really didn't expect it would ruin you! I also... tried to contact you. I'm really, really sorry!"

When Li Chuyue returned to the drama school to pack her things, Yan Fangshu mentioned that Ren Limeng was in the school. She wanted to see Ren Limeng very much at that time, but she walked all over the school from the classroom to the training room, from the teaching building to the dormitory building, but she still didn't meet her. She couldn't help but look at the door of the training room and burst into tears.

At that moment, Li Chuyue felt mixed emotions when she thought of Ren Limeng who had easily found her countless times.

And now, Li Chuyue's face had a bitter expression. She stood in front of Ren Limeng, her arms raised involuntarily, and she excitedly tried to hold Ren Limeng's hand. Ren Limeng lowered her eyes, calmly put her hands on both sides of her trouser pockets, and lightly avoided Li Chuyue's touch.

"Chu Yue, do you want to go back?"

Before Li Chuyue could answer, Ren Limeng's deep eyes looked straight at her, "You're overthinking it. There's nothing wrong between my mother and me. 'Ruining me' is an exaggeration. I don't quite understand why you have this misunderstanding. I'm also working hard for the career I love, just like you. We just need to complete the recording of 'Mountains and Seas' well, don't worry."

The word "Don't worry" was abrupt but carried too much unspoken meaning. Ren Limeng stopped there and looked at Li Chuyue, whose arms remained suspended in the air for half a second, with a distant and friendly smile.

She didn't care whether Li Chuyue's "I'm sorry" was sincere or not. She only explained in detail because she was afraid that someone around might hear it. She remembered that the structure of the second-floor terrace of Meixiang Theater was quite complicated. Although they tacitly looked around when they came from the corridor, what if there were still people there? Ren Limeng didn't want to cause any inexplicable trouble because of a few words about an old matter.

Ren Limeng really didn't care anymore. She was looking at Li Chuyue, and her mind was already thinking about the dinner appointment with Yan Fangshu. She had to cut the Gordian knot quickly, as Yan Fangshu was still waiting for her at the elevator.

Therefore, she would not ask Li Chuyue why she chose this moment to apologize to her so sincerely, nor would she ask her to clarify the truth behind the selection of "Peach Blossom Fan" in front of others.

We are all adults now, and a simple "don't worry" is enough to dispel some of Li Chuyue's concerns.

Their common goal now is just to record "Mountains and Seas". They just need to continue to play their roles in front of the camera with their own purposes. There is no need to add troubles to their short intersecting lives. She will not put any obstacles in Li Chuyue's way, and of course she can't provide any help to Li Chuyue. Ren Limeng doesn't have much saintly heart, and not looking for trouble is her greatest kindness.

Ren Limeng's steady and calm voice left Li Chuyue speechless for a moment. She was secretly shocked, and looked at Ren Limeng's faint smile, which seemed to be clear to her, with hesitation. Finally, she once again understood what Ren Limeng said that year, "There will not be a next time."

Yes, her clumsy method back then was able to succeed easily only because the person in front of her did not pursue the matter, but now they have no feelings for each other anymore.

Li Chuyue and Ren Limeng looked at each other in silence, neither of them noticed the flickering scarlet light behind the inner wall of the terrace.