Chapter 94
In the days following their breakup, time seemed to thicken and slow. Su Rui felt a dull ache in his heart, not sharp, but a constant reminder of the immense loss and betrayal. He didn't dare tell his grandmother, fearing she, too old, wouldn't be able to handle the worry and turmoil.
In the chaotic days after the incident broke out, he forced himself to hold onto his last bit of sanity and contacted his most trusted colleagues at the studio, begging them for help. He wanted to take his grandmother to Hainan for a vacation ahead of time, away from any possible exposure to rumors and gossip. This was the only way he could protect his grandmother.
Now, he was alone in the empty house, facing the dead silence and the unceasing noise on the Internet. Ling Yao obviously couldn't accept such a decisive breakup. He began to frantically try to contact Su Rui, sending her messages using various numbers.
The content of those messages was chaotic and complicated - sometimes it was painful apologies and attempts to make amends, expressing how painful it was to lose Su Rui; sometimes it was angry questions, blaming Su Rui for not understanding his difficulties; sometimes he turned back into the domineering Ling Yao, ordering Su Rui to answer the phone and reply to him...
Each message was like a tiny needle, piercing Su Rui's unhealed wound. He watched the numbers constantly changing, each one speaking the same chaotic, self-centered language, only to feel more exhausted and hopeless. He didn't reply once, simply silently blocking each new number. This process itself was a cruel torture.
Just when Su Rui was about to be crushed by this dilemma, Shen Qingyuan appeared and became the only stable light source in his gloomy life.
Shen Qingyuan didn't bother him too much, but he always showed up at regular intervals. Sometimes he'd bring light food and quietly eat with him; sometimes he'd just sit for a while, checking he was okay, chatting up some trivial things to distract him; sometimes he'd bring news about the outside world's progress, calmly and objectively telling him the storm was slowly passing, reassuring him.
His companionship was thoughtful and restrained, with a deep respect and understanding. He never asked for details about Su Rui and Ling Yao, nor did he try to explain or criticize Ling Yao, but simply provided a quiet and safe presence.
However, a few days later, Shen Qingyuan keenly realized that Su Rui's current address might no longer be safe. Although they had tried their best to block it, the pervasive paparazzi and extreme fans might still be able to get there.
"You can't live here for long," Shen Qingyuan said to Su Rui seriously when he came over one day. "For absolute safety, you need to move as soon as possible. I've asked my friends to find a few apartments with good privacy, and I'll help you move there this afternoon."
Su Rui stared at him blankly. Before she could react, Shen Qingyuan had already begun making arrangements with great vigour. He called in his absolutely trusted assistant and driver, and personally helped Su Rui pack the necessary items. His movements were swift and orderly, minimizing Su Rui's need for effort and the emotional recollection of old items.
In less than half a day, Su Rui was already in a brand new, high-end apartment with extremely strict security. The environment here was quiet, the neighbors were either wealthy or noble, and they valued privacy very much, so there was no way paparazzi could sneak in.
Standing in front of the French windows of his new apartment, gazing at the tranquil garden below, Su Rui felt a sense of unreality. A storm had uprooted him from his original life, and when he was most helpless and adrift, it was Shen Qingyuan who provided him with this safe haven.
He turned his head and looked at Shen Qingyuan, who was carefully checking the doors and windows for safety. A complex and indescribable feeling of gratitude welled up in his heart. This person, also caught up in the storm, had silently shouldered more and, when he was in such a mess, had provided the most practical and warm support.
The dull ache in my chest still existed, but my fear of the future seemed to have eased a little because of this calm and reliable person beside me.
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