Chapter 30
The celebratory dinner following the awards ceremony took place in a resplendent ballroom. Crystal chandeliers shone brilliantly, and the air was thick with the scent of champagne, the fragrance of fine perfume, and the veil of insincere pleasantries. The artists shed their stage costumes for exquisite gowns, engaging in more important socializing off-camera. As a newly nominated nominee, Ankhsu was naturally a focal point. He skillfully navigated the worlds of directors, producers, and brands. His smile was impeccable, but a subtle detachment lingered in his eyes.
His agent, Sister Jingjing, walked over to him with a glass in hand, her face beaming, and clinked glasses with him gently. "Congratulations, He Su! Being nominated for the Best Newcomer Award is a real leap forward! I've read the next few scripts, and one is particularly suitable for the award..."
An Hesu listened with a smile until Sister Liangliang suddenly changed the subject, as if remembering something interesting, and said casually, "Oh, by the way, did you hear? Qiqi is back!"
Ankhsu's fingers holding the wine glass tightened almost imperceptibly.
"He's really big now," Sister Jingjing didn't notice his subtle change and continued to sigh. "He's doing very well abroad, winning several international choreography awards. He's now a sought-after choreographer in the industry. His concepts and creativity are first-rate! Several major agencies are vying to sign him!" As she spoke, she looked at An Hesu with a businessman's shrewd look in her eyes. "I remember you were quite familiar with him, right? You knew him from Xihe? He's a great connection. Find an opportunity to connect us and see if there's any possibility of collaboration. If you can get him to direct your next single or music video, the buzz and quality will definitely be guaranteed!"
An Hesu barely registered what Sister Liangliang said next. The words "Qiqi is back" exploded in his mind like thunder, instantly scrambling his thoughts. That name, along with the clear image of that man, roared back with a sense of overwhelming pressure. He seemed to see Feng Ling's gaze upon Qiqi once again, that look of adoration and dependence... Panic, like a cold vine, instantly wrapped around his heart, tightening ever tighter.
"Sister Jingjing, I feel a little uncomfortable. I want to go out for some fresh air." He managed to maintain his composure, put down his wine glass, and without even having time to listen to Sister Jingjing's response, he turned around in a hurry and almost fled from this noisy place where people were drinking and chatting.
Walking to the secluded terrace, the cold night breeze blew, and his turbulent emotions, far from calming down, became even more turbulent. He immediately pulled out his phone, and with trembling fingers, he dialed Feng Ling's number.
The call was answered almost instantly.
"Hello?" Feng Ling's gentle voice came.
"Where are you?" His voice was filled with an urgency and a barely perceptible tremor that he himself was not aware of.
"I'm at home. I just took a shower. Why..."
"Wait for me." He interrupted her, his tone unquestionable and firm, "I'll come to you now."
Without waiting for her response, he hung up the phone, driven by a strong sense of unease. He had to see her immediately, confirm her existence, and keep her firmly in his sight.
***
When An Hesu arrived at Fengling Apartment with a slight chill from the night breeze, she was wearing soft home clothes, her hair still wet and draped over her shoulders, and she looked at him with a little confusion on her face.
He took a few steps forward and gripped her wrist tightly, so tightly that she frowned slightly. He stared into her eyes, trying to find any trace of something unusual in them. His voice was low and tense, "Qiqi is back."
He closely captured the slightest changes in her facial expression.
However, Feng Ling was only slightly startled, then lowered his eyes, and said softly in a calm, almost indifferent tone: "I know."
She paused, looked up at him, and added, "He came to see me."
***
Just two days ago, Feng Ling finished work at the advertising company where she had just been hired after her internship. In the evening, as the lights came on, she followed the crowd out of the magnificent office building and was about to head to the subway station.
"Seal the spirit!"
A deep and extremely familiar voice penetrated the hustle and bustle of the city and reached her ears clearly.
Her steps suddenly stopped, and her heart seemed to be gripped by something. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall man leaning against a black car across the street.
It’s July 7th.
He had changed. His once sunny, cheerful, boyish aura had been replaced by a calm, reserved demeanor. A simple black turtleneck and trousers outlined a more solid, upright figure. His features had lost their youthful immaturity, their contours more defined. His eyes, piercing with the mature charm of a man bestowed by experience and time, had a more aggressive air. He stared at her intently, his gaze complex, a mixture of the thrill of a long-awaited reunion, a deep-seated pain, and a hint of unquestionable determination.
He crossed the street and walked up to her. His voice was not loud, but it carried an irresistible force: "I'm here to take you 'home'."
Feng Ling stood there in a daze. Before she could react, he gently but firmly pulled her wrist and led her towards the black car.
The car was enclosed, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe. Qiqi started the car, but didn't drive away immediately.
"When did you come back?" Feng Ling tried to break the suffocating silence.
"The day before yesterday."
"Oh, that's good..."
"You two are together, right?" He wasn't asking her, but stating a fact in an affirmative tone.
Feng Ling's heart sank, and he didn't answer, which was tantamount to acquiescence.
The next second, Qiqi suddenly leaned over, put his arm over the center console, grabbed her neck, and kissed her lips fiercely with an almost destructive force!
This kiss was filled with punishment, unwillingness, and crazy jealousy, completely different from his usual gentle and restrained image. He roughly pried open her teeth, sweeping her breath away, as if he wanted to swallow her whole.
"He..." He gasped between kisses, his voice hoarse and painful, "Is this how he kissed you?"
Feng Ling struggled hard, but he held her even tighter.
"I'm dying of jealousy!" He pressed his forehead against hers, his breath burning, his eyes bloodshot. "I thought I could let go temporarily, could watch you happy in the grandeur of your life... but I can't do that! Feng Ling, I can't lose you... I can't!" When Qiqi saw the blurry photo and saw An Hesu looking at Feng Ling with that look... he knew he was wrong! He immediately ended everything he was doing and flew back to find her as fast as he could!
His confession was like the roar of a trapped beast, full of despair and desperate madness.
***
The words "he came to see her" were like an ice pick, piercing Ankhsu's heart. His pupils constricted, and his grip on her hand subconsciously tightened. His voice was filled with disbelief and hidden anger. "He came to see you?! When did it happen? Why didn't you tell me?!"
"I have to meet a lot of people every day and deal with a lot of work connections. Do I have to report every person I meet and every little thing to you in detail?" Feng Ling tried to explain in a calm tone, but her wrist was hurt by his grip.
"Seal the spirit!" An Hesu growled, a terrifying storm surging in his eyes. His handsome face was now as gloomy as a devil from hell. "You know he is not the same." He gritted his teeth, and the words flowed out from between his teeth one by one.
Seeing him nearly losing control, Feng Ling's heart clenched. She sighed and stopped trying to break free. Instead, she softened her voice and looked back at him firmly, "To me, Anhesu, the one I'm with now is you. So, he's just like any other man, a memory from the past."
These words were like a glimmer of light, barely piercing the defenses of Ankhsu's fear-shrouded heart. His tense body relaxed slightly, but the panic deep in his eyes remained. He stubbornly turned his face away, gazing out the window at the pitch-black night. His profile was cold and hard, like a tense ice sculpture poised to shatter at any moment.
Feng Ling's heart softened as she watched him, this fragile yet stubborn expression. She reached out and gently embraced his slender waist, resting her cheek against his slightly cool chest. Her voice was as gentle as if she were soothing a frightened young animal: "Anhesu, look at me."
His body was stiff and he didn't move.
She continued softly, each word striking a chord in his heart: "I remember your hands shaking when you gave me the ring, I remember you grinning all night long just because I said 'I like you', I remember you staying up late to work and still insisting on listening to my nagging... These little things are irreplaceable. I love this Ankhsu now, the one who gets nervous because of me, who's afraid of losing me, and who gives me 'everything' without reservation."
Her confession, like the gentlest yet strongest silk thread, entwined layer upon layer around his panicked heart. Ankhsu's stiff body finally softened bit by bit. He slowly turned his head, his deep eyes swirling with intense emotions: helplessness, fear, and the profound feeling of being comforted by her words.
He suddenly reached out and hugged her deeper into his arms, his arms tightening so tightly that she almost suffocated. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his body unable to help but tremble slightly. It was the uncontrollable vulnerability brought about by the sudden relaxation after the extreme fear.
"Ling..." His voice was muffled and hoarse with sobs.
Feng Ling patted his back gently, like comforting a child.
After a long while, he finally raised his head, his eyes red, but his gaze was locked on her stubbornly. He lowered his head and kissed her lips. This kiss no longer carried the violence and questioning of the previous one, but was filled with extreme tenderness, the cherishment of having lost and regained, and the unspeakable pain hidden underneath.
"You are mine," he whispered against her lips, his voice broken and firm, "only mine."
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