Chapter 57: As for the benefactor, the greatest benefactor is always yourself
The air in the box was a bit stuffy, so Gu Manman used the excuse of getting some fresh air to gently open the glass door leading to the terrace and walked out.
The sea breeze blew towards us with a slightly cool and moist feeling, instantly blowing away the noise and restlessness in the room.
In the distance is the dazzling night view of Haicheng, with continuous lights reflected on the inky sea, gently swaying with the waves.
Gu Manman walked to the railing, held on to it with both hands, and took a deep breath. The salty yet fresh air filled her lungs, relaxing her tense nerves.
She stood quietly, looking at the lights in the distance.
Behind me, I heard the sound of a glass door being gently opened and closed.
Gu Manman didn't look back, she knew who it was.
The footsteps were light and stopped not far behind her.
Zhou Mubai looked at her back.
After not seeing her for a few years, she seemed to have changed, yet she seemed to have not changed.
More beautiful.
Now she has washed away all the unpolished glitz and glitz, and has developed a quiet and restrained resilience.
Her radiance is no longer outward-looking, but is gently restrained within, revealing a quiet beauty.
The aura around her isolates her from the disturbances of the outside world.
She just stood there, her back looking a little thin in the night, but revealing an indescribable calmness and confidence, as if she was an independent and complete world of her own.
"The night view here is nice." He spoke first, his voice gentle, breaking the silence between the two.
Gu Manman turned around and looked at him.
The light on the terrace was not very bright. Zhou Mubai stood in the shadows, his eyes unclear behind his gold-rimmed glasses, but his gentle and distant temperament was exactly the same as in his memory.
"Yeah, it's pretty good." She responded in a soft voice.
"Long time no see, Manman." Zhou Mubai took a step forward, stood beside her, and looked at the distant sea with her. There was just the right distance between them.
"You seem to have changed a lot."
Gu Manman glanced at him sideways, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "People always change, isn't it the same for Senior Zhou? He's a big director now."
He smiled and said, "I just did what I like."
His eyes fell on her again, with a probing look, "Just now...they were a little aggressive in their words, don't take it to heart."
"It's okay, I'm used to it." Gu Manman turned back and looked at the night view again, "Other people have their own mouths, let them say whatever they want."
This indifference was the same as the girl in his memory.
He looked at the strands of her hair that were blown by the wind and brushed against her white neck.
"Have you been doing well these years?" He asked softly, with cautious tentativeness.
Gu Manman was silent for a few seconds, then said "hmm" softly and didn't say anything more.
"then……"
He had just uttered two words when the glass door to the terrace behind him was opened again.
Lin Xiao walked out gracefully, holding a glass of red wine with a perfect smile on her face.
"Brother Mu Bai, you are here. It was so easy for me to find you."
Her voice was gentle, but her eyes swept meaningfully between Gu Manman and Zhou Mubai, with a hint of undisguised scrutiny.
She walked up to Zhou Mubai and naturally took his arm in an intimate manner.
"It's lively inside. Li Wei is looking for you everywhere to toast. Why did you come out alone?"
Her appearance instantly broke the delicate atmosphere on the terrace.
Zhou Mubai frowned and broke free from Lin Xiao's hand.
The smile on Lin Xiao's face froze for a moment, his arms hanging in the air, feeling a little embarrassed.
Gu Manman didn't want to get involved in their mess.
She nodded politely to the two of them as a greeting.
Then he turned and walked back to the box.
Only Zhou Mubai and Lin Xiao were left on the terrace.
Zhou Mubai looked at Gu Manman's back as she disappeared behind the door, his eyes silent for a few seconds.
He turned his head and looked at Lin Xiao beside him, his voice a little colder than before.
"Lin Xiao."
"Be careful."
"I told you, there is no possibility between us."
After saying that, Zhou Mubai stopped looking at her and turned away.
Lin Xiao looked at his back as he left without hesitation, and the resentment and humiliation in his heart instantly reached its peak.
She couldn't help but raise her voice and shouted at his back: "So is there a possibility between you and her?!"
"Is it possible for Gu Manman?!"
Zhou Mubai paused for a moment, but did not look back.
The atmosphere in the box was still lively. Many people were already slightly tipsy and their voices were much louder.
Lin Xiao quickly scanned the entire room and soon located Gu Manman.
She was sitting on the sofa in the corner with Su Yu and two other female classmates, chatting in low voices.
Lin Xiao walked over with a glass of wine.
She naturally sat down in the empty seat on the sofa, just diagonally opposite Gu Manman.
"What are you talking about? You look so happy." She spoke with a smile, her eyes falling on Gu Manman.
The two female classmates who were chatting with Gu Manman were obviously a little restrained when they saw her coming, and their smiles were restrained.
Su Yu raised her eyelids and glanced at her without saying anything.
Gu Manman raised her head and smiled at her: "Nothing, just chatting about things that happened in school in the past."
"Really?" Lin Xiao took a sip of red wine. "Come to think of it, Manman is now a talented girl among our classmates. The Misty Forest is so popular that it was all over the Internet a while ago."
She leaned closer and raised her voice: "Hey, but what about those revelations a while ago? I saw that they were written with details, saying that you... Oh, the media is really something nowadays, they just like to make up stories."
Her face showed just the right amount of concern and sympathy. "But then again, Manman, it must have been difficult for you to be so successful at such a young age. Shouldn't you share the secrets of your success with us old classmates? Let us learn how to avoid detours and achieve our goals quickly?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the air in the small area around the sofa suddenly became quiet.
The smile on Gu Manman's face faded a little: "Writing does require a lot of thought and time. There is no special trick, just staying up late and losing hair."
"As for the stuff on the Internet, just take a look at it. If you take it seriously, you will lose. Thank you for your concern."
Lin Xiao chuckled, and the contempt in his eyes could hardly be hidden.
"Manman, you are too modest."
"We've all heard that The Misty Forest was able to sign such a big film and television contract. There must be someone behind it who helped, right?"
"After all, talent alone is not enough these days. Connections and resources are the real deal."
"Look at you, you didn't even bring a companion with you, unlike Shiqi, who found such a capable husband, so she won't have to worry about anything in the future."
"We old classmates are all worried about you."
Su Yu's face darkened completely. Just as she was about to lose her temper, Gu Manman held her hand.
Gu Manman raised her eyes and looked at Lin Xiao calmly, with even a faint smile on the corner of her mouth.
"Thank you for your concern."
"As for the noble person, the greatest noble person is always yourself."
"The glory gained by relying on others may not last long. What do you think, Miss Lin?"
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