Chapter 36
In the days following the official announcement, the eye of the public opinion storm seemed to subside, replaced by the novelty and pressure of being the center of attention. Anhesu's mood, however, was like a field clearing after a rainstorm, exceptionally clear and bright. Although he knew Feng Ling was still struggling, he saw it as merely the lingering fear after the storm, a minor shadow that must be passed before the light. They could finally stand side by side in the sunlight, and that brought him greater satisfaction than any trophy or accolade.
He turned down unnecessary social engagements and returned early to their shared apartment. Feng Ling was sitting on the carpet by the floor-to-ceiling window, a laptop on her lap. An unfinished promotional plan was displayed on the screen, but her eyes were somewhat vacant as she stared out the window at the lights gradually lighting up.
"I'm back." An Hesu walked over and hugged her from behind, his chin gently resting on the top of her head, his voice filled with laziness and satisfaction after being relieved of a burden.
Feng Ling's body stiffened slightly, almost imperceptibly, then relaxed, leaning into his embrace with a soft "hmm." She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his embrace and the strong beat of his heart, trying to dispel the inexplicable sense of emptiness in her heart. He succeeded. They were finally "open and aboveboard." Wasn't this exactly what he wanted, and what she finally agreed to? She shouldn't have any other thoughts.
"Are you tired?" An Hesu noticed her silence and asked in a low voice, his warm breath brushing against her ears.
"It's okay." Feng Ling shook her head, turned around, faced him, and tried to force a smile, "It's just a little...uncomfortable." Not used to being recognized wherever she goes, not used to her private space being invisibly compressed, not used to her life becoming a performance that requires her to be online all the time.
Ankhsu held her face in his hands, his fingertips gently stroking her slightly furrowed brows, his eyes as deep as the sea: "I know, Ling. I know this is difficult and you need to adapt. But I promise you, I will handle everything and will not let anyone or anything hurt you. We will slowly find the most comfortable way to get along." His kiss landed lightly on her forehead, with a sense of comfort and promise, "Give me some time, give us some time, okay?"
His words were so sincere, his embrace so warm, as if they could block out all the storms of the outside world. Feng Ling's doubts and anxieties were temporarily silenced by his tender affection. She nodded and pressed her lips to his, a desperate attempt to confirm their feelings with the warmth of their bodies. That night, they spent their nights in a passionate embrace, as if masking a lingering unease, a farewell to something unspoken but about to be lost.
***
On an ordinary weekend, Feng Ling went home to spend time with her parents as usual. Her mother dragged her shopping, chattering about family matters, but her eyes were filled with a hint of curiosity and concern about her daughter's choice. Her father didn't say much, but Feng Ling could sense that he wasn't entirely enjoying the attention his "celebrity son-in-law" had brought him.
When passing by an open-air cafe in a high-end shopping mall in the city center, Feng Ling's eyes accidentally swept across the seats against the glass fence. His steps suddenly stopped and his blood seemed to solidify in an instant.
It’s Sister Liangliang.
She was dressed in a sharp business suit and was chatting cheerfully with a middle-aged man in a fancy shirt and rimless glasses. Feng Ling had seen that man's face countless times while gathering evidence for her rebuttal not long ago—he was the owner of the entertainment weekly that had first published the negative information about Ankhsu!
At that moment, the two men, cups of coffee in hand, wore relaxed, almost intimate smiles. How could they possibly have just been through a life-or-death legal battle? The atmosphere was clearly that of old friends reuniting, or perhaps... the tacit agreement of partners celebrating the success of their plans!
Feng Ling's heartbeat suddenly went haywire, and a chill instantly shot up from her feet to her head. She turned abruptly, leaning against the cold mall pillar. Her mind went blank, then was filled with chaotic and terrifying thoughts.
Could it be Sister Jingjing? !
Was she resentful of Ankhsu's growing lack of control, his insistence on going public with their relationship, disrupting her and the company's plans, and perhaps even... tempted to suppress him, to force him into submission? So she orchestrated this crisis herself? First, using the dirty laundry to bring him to the bottom, then having the team "turn the tide"—a way to both consolidate control and make Ankhsu grateful and more obedient? And was she merely the unexpectedly useful cog in her plan?
This thought, like a venomous snake, gripped Feng Ling's heart, leaving her feeling a suffocating fear. If this were true, wouldn't An Hesu be surrounded by danger? Could the very core of his team, whom he trusted most, harbor sinister intentions?
She no longer had the heart to go shopping. She made up a random excuse, saying she wasn't feeling well, and hurriedly said goodbye to her parents. Her fingers, cold as ice, gripped her phone. She wanted to call Ankhsu directly, but she forced herself to hold back. This matter was too serious to discuss over the phone.
***
That evening, An Hesu received a call from Feng Ling with an unusually serious tone. He immediately canceled a nighttime recording studio schedule and rushed back. Upon entering, he saw Feng Ling huddled on the sofa, hugging her knees. Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with panic and a cautious scrutiny he had never seen before.
"Ling, what's wrong? What happened?" He walked over quickly, squatted in front of her, and held her cold hand worriedly. "Did someone say something online again? Don't be afraid, I'm here..."
"I saw Sister Jingjing today," Feng Ling interrupted him, her voice trembling slightly. "She was drinking coffee with the manager of that weekly magazine, chatting and laughing. They seemed very familiar with each other."
The concern on Anhesu's face froze instantly, his pupils shrank slightly, and the hand holding her tightened unconsciously.
His reaction made Feng Ling's heart sink even further. She stared into his eyes and unleashed her terrifying suspicions. "Su, tell me, was it Sister Liangliang... was it the company... because they felt you were getting out of control, because you were going public with your relationship, that they... they staged this whole thing, hoping..."
She didn't finish her words.
Because Ankhsu slowly, ever so slowly, released her hand amid her increasingly passionate accusations. He showed no anger, no shock, none of the emotions she'd expected from betrayal. He simply remained silent, then looked at her with an extremely complex expression, one that held struggle, guilt, a hint of relief, and even... a touch of almost cruel calmness.
Time seemed to stop at this moment.
Finally, his Adam's apple rolled, avoiding her burning gaze. His eyes fell on a certain point in the void. In a voice so low that it was almost inaudible, yet as clear as thunder exploding in Feng Ling's ears, he spoke slowly and word by word:
“…I did it.”
Feng Ling's eyes suddenly widened, and the blood in her body seemed to flow backwards and freeze instantly. She even suspected that she was hallucinating.
"You...what did you say?" Her voice was very dry.
An Hesu raised his head and looked at her again. This time, his eyes were no longer evasive. In them was the frankness after a desperate move, as well as a kind of almost paranoid madness.
"I said, I did it." His tone was eerily calm, as if he was stating a fact that had nothing to do with him. "It was me who planned this 'crisis'."
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