Chapter 20 Some memories can only be abandoned
This was the third time Gu Manman dreamed of a snowball.
She reached out to touch its white fur, but found that her fingers passed through its body and touched nothing.
When I woke up, the pillowcase was soaked with tears.
It was getting light outside the window.
She turned to look at the bedside table, which had been Snowball's favorite sleeping spot.
A few days passed, but she still couldn't adapt to life without Snowball.
She got up mechanically and drew open the curtains.
The doorbell suddenly rang.
She casually tidied her messy hair, put on a loose home dress, and walked towards the door.
Li Xu appeared at the door holding the small pet cage.
In the cage, a white cat that looked almost identical to Snowball was looking around curiously. Same blue eyes, same white fur, even the light brown lines at the corners of the eyes were very similar.
"Miss Gu, Mr. Feng asked me to bring it here. I searched for a long time before I found it," Li Xu carefully observed Gu Manman's expression, "I almost went to all the pet markets in the city."
Gu Manman stood there in a daze, her heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand. The white cat tilted its head and made a soft "meow", the sound was exactly the same as Snowball's.
"It's beautiful," Gu Manman finally spoke, her voice dry as if she hadn't spoken for a long time, "but I can't have it."
"Why? It's almost exactly like Snowball."
Gu Manman smiled bitterly, reached out and gently touched the cage, then retracted her hand: "It is precisely because it looks like a snowball that I cannot accept it."
She turned and walked towards the living room, and Li Xu had no choice but to follow her holding the cage: "Ms. Gu, I know you are sad, but life must go on."
"Every day when I see it, I only remember how Snowball died. I only remember the pain that cannot be undone."
"Snowball is not a toy that can be replaced, he is my family and a part of my life. His departure has left a hole in my heart that cannot be filled by another cat."
The white cat seemed to feel the heaviness of the atmosphere and paced restlessly in the cage, blinking its blue eyes innocently.
"I appreciate your kindness," Gu Manman approached Li Xu and gently stroked the white cat in the cage. "It's very cute and should belong to a family that can truly love it, not someone who treats it as a substitute."
"I understand, Miss Gu." He knew that Gu Manman's decision could not be changed.
He sighed inwardly, wondering how he would explain to Feng Mingzhou when he returned.
/
Gu Manman walked into the bedroom and dragged out a black suitcase from under the bed.
This was the suitcase they used when they went to the Maldives a year ago. There was still a label on the side of the suitcase from the resort where they had seen the most beautiful sunset.
As I ran my fingers gently over the label, memories came flooding back.
They sat on the beach that day, he hugged her and said he wanted to show her every beautiful scenery in the world.
Thinking about it now, it’s so ironic.
Gu Manman opened the wardrobe and saw Feng Mingzhou's clothes hanging neatly there, taking up half of the space.
She took them off one by one and folded them into the box.
Each piece of clothing held a specific memory: the dark grey sweater she had given him for his birthday, the blue tie he had worn on their first date.
She took out the black tie clip from the drawer. It was the gift she gave him on their first anniversary. The back of the clip had their initials and the date engraved on it.
In the bathroom, there are razors, aftershave, and a couple's toothbrush cup...
On the title page of the book he gave her was written in his neat and powerful handwriting: "Yu Manman, I wish to go through the spring and autumn with you."
At first, these words moved her to tears, but now, reading them, they sounded like the cruelest joke.
In the kitchen cabinet, there was a set of cups that they had picked out together. He once half-jokingly said, "Our children can use this pair of cups to drink milk in the future." At that time, she laughed and patted him, thinking that he was thinking too far.
Now, that “later” will never come.
On the TV cabinet in the living room, rows of photo frames record their every moment - the kiss under the Eiffel Tower, the cuddling while admiring the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, the sweetness of a gondola ride in Venice.
She took them off one by one and threw them into the black garbage bag nearby.
Some memories can only be abandoned.
/
Gu Manman's life is filled with running back and forth between the hospital and the crew.
Director Wu's condition is sometimes good and sometimes bad. She goes to the hospital every morning, then rushes to the crew, and then returns to the hospital to keep watch at night.
Snowball's departure made her lose the last bit of warmth in her life, but ironically, it was this pain that helped her find herself again.
She began to rethink what was truly important to her.
Those fantasies about love, those obsessions about Feng Mingzhou, became so pale and powerless in front of the hospital bed of the dean's mother.
The filming of "Homeward Journey" is progressing smoothly, and everyone says that this work will be a milestone in her career.
The director praised the script highly, the leading actress's performance became more and more mature, and even the new cat who replaced Snowball gradually integrated into the role.
The days are busy but fulfilling.
Unfortunately, even though she doesn't cause trouble, trouble always haunts her.
On a weekend morning, just after Gu Manman finished feeding Dean Wu the medicine, her cell phone started vibrating wildly.
When you open Weibo, her name tops the trending search list.
A long article titled "Exposing the fake talent Gu Manman: the plagiarism scandal of the best-selling novel "Homeward Journey"" was reposted crazily.
Before I finished reading the trending searches, a message from editor Wang popped up: "Manman, the largest investor, Lin's, has announced its withdrawal, and other investors are following suit. The crew may have to suspend filming."
Gu Manman closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She knew this was just the beginning.
Sure enough, before noon, major literary websites had removed her works from their shelves, several publishing houses announced the termination of their cooperation with her, and even the director of "Homeward Journey" issued a statement to "draw a clear line" with her.
Just yesterday, these people were still smiling and welcoming her, but now they are scrambling to distance themselves from her.
The fickleness of human nature and the cruelty of the world are just like this.
The phone rang, and Gu Manman reached out tiredly to touch it. The words "Su Yu" on the screen made her hesitate for a second, but she finally picked up the phone.
"Manman, I've already contacted a lawyer for you. Lawyer Li is very experienced in intellectual property. We can meet tomorrow."
"Thank you, Su Yu, but it's no use."
"What do you mean useless? This is clearly an infringement!" Su Yu's voice rose eight octaves.
"This is not a simple infringement issue. Lin Jinyun clearly wants to ruin my reputation," Gu Manman sighed softly, "She is not an ordinary person. She has the entire Lin Group behind her. And..." Her voice lowered, "Feng Mingzhou will protect her."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, and then a string of curses broke out: "Feng Mingzhou, that bastard! The best of the scumbags! The shame of a man! He is not worthy of you, Manman!"
"Just wait, I will introduce you to ten male models, all of them are tall, have long legs and well-developed muscles. Let Feng Mingzhou see what it means that there are always people who are better than you!"
"Okay, stop messing around."
"Who's making a fuss? I'm serious!" Su Yu said righteously, "Do you want me to send you the photos? There are fitness coaches, flight attendants, and professional models..."
"Su Yu..."
"Okay, okay," Su Yu's tone also became gentle, "Then what are you going to do?"
"During this period of time, I just want to spend time with Dean Mom. I don't want to care about other things."
"You," Su Yu sighed, "remember to find me immediately if you have any problems. I am always available, no matter my strength or IQ. It's like a special forces sisterhood. Do you understand?"
Su Yu's exaggerated tone successfully made Gu Manman laugh.
She laughed out loud, but tears fell at the same time.
After hanging up the phone, Gu Manman stood in front of the window with a smile still on her lips.
She could imagine Su Yu's heroic look when she said this - probably with her hands on her hips, eyes wide open, like a little gangster ready to fight.
Thinking of this scene, her heart warmed and her tense emotions gradually eased.
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