Chapter 155 Best Friends
No matter what Chen Xingzhi's intentions were, Yan Fangshu didn't care. She would never forget the sincerity that Ren Limeng had wasted that year, and she would not be shaken by one or two threats from Chen Xingzhi.
Shen Xingzhi is indeed a big shot who cannot be offended, but Yan Fangshu believes that as long as Ren Limeng no longer has feelings for Shen Xingzhi and does not deal with him sincerely, it will not be a problem for Ren Limeng.
Yan Fangshu's half-smile and half-uncooperative attitude did not annoy Chen Xingzhi as expected. Chen Xingzhi still stood firmly at the door, his cold eyebrows carrying the same solemnity and seriousness, which made Yan Fangshu unable to help but look sideways.
"What happened before...I was wrong to Li Meng. I've explained everything to her. I know nothing I say now can change the past, but besides apologizing, I also hope to do something for her now, even if it's not about public or private matters."
"oh?"
"What I want to ask you is, why did Li Meng change her career? What happened back then? Is it related to Li Chuyue? Did Li Chuyue steal Li Meng's admission quota?"
"...What are you talking about?"
Yan Fangshu was completely stunned, looking at Shen Xingzhi with a puzzled look. She had just spent a long time secretly wondering what Shen Xingzhi wanted to ask her about. Mengmeng's interests and hobbies? Her life and feelings over the years? Her current attitude towards him?
No matter what it was, she had made up her mind not to say much to Shen Xingzhi, but Yan Fangshu didn't expect that Shen Xingzhi's words would make her stunned. Why did Shen Xingzhi suddenly ask about this?
"Yueyue stole Mengmeng's recommendation spot? Where did you hear that? Back then... Mengmeng gave it up on her own. Yueyue didn't snatch the recommendation spot. There was a selection process at the time, but there were no problems. This is a rumor."
Yan Fangshu thought quickly in her mind and finally figured out the meaning behind Shen Xingzhi's words. She shook her head gently, looking at the certainty in Shen Xingzhi's eyes. For some reason, her tone gradually became a little weak.
Certain details that I had always ignored suddenly emerged in my mind again and again. Mengmeng and Yueyue...when did they become as cold as strangers?
"rumor?"
Shen Xingzhi repeated with interest, leaning back slightly, staring straight at Yan Fangshu. His gaze seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, carrying an unquestionable majesty and oppression, "Are you sure?"
"......certainly."
Yan Fangshu felt that Shen Xingzhi's eyes were filled with doubts, as if to say, "Are you Ren Limeng's friend?" This made her secretly annoyed, and she couldn't help but explain a few more words, "Mengmeng's career change has nothing to do with Yueyue. It's... because of family reasons. Anyway, Teacher Shen, no matter where you heard it from, it's all gossip."
"What happened back then?"
Shen Xingzhi continued to ask, as if he didn't notice Yan Fangshu's reluctance to talk. The concern and sincerity in his eyes made it difficult for Yan Fangshu to ignore.
"Whatever happened, it's all in the past. Mengmeng is doing well now. Why bring it up again?"
Besides, in what capacity did Shen Xingzhi ask her about these things?
Yan Fangshu raised her face and prepared to leave as soon as possible. Today, Shen Xingzhi was an important guest of the theater and troupe, but she was an actor in the troupe, not a receptionist, so she had no obligation to answer all of Shen Xingzhi's questions.
"Did the selection competition that year really... have any problems?"
Chen Xingzhi's questioning tone was filled with obvious suspicion. Yan Fangshu took a deep breath and was about to refute when she heard Chen Xingzhi continue, "As Li Meng's best friend, do you really think Li Meng would ruin her costume on the spot?"
"You know what happened back then, so what else is there to ask?"
Yan Fangshu glared at Chen Xingzhi angrily, but after a moment of emotion, she pondered the meaning behind Chen Xingzhi's words, and her face froze and she subconsciously frowned.
"I've been asking around these past two days, but I didn't expect you to know nothing."
Chen Xingzhi's tone was a little disappointed, but Yan Fangshu didn't notice it at all. The more she thought about what Chen Xingzhi had just said, the more she felt that something was wrong that she had ignored.
Will Mengmeng destroy her costume on the spot because she doesn't want to act?
She clearly remembered that Mengmeng had trained very hard and pondered the play over and over again the week before the auditions. How could her attitude change so drastically on the spot?
Even if it was an accident, many of Mengmeng's reactions back then were...wrong, right?
What on earth had she...overlooked?
Yan Fangshu unconsciously clenched her fists. Her heart was in turmoil. She subconsciously stared at Chen Xingzhi who was asking the question, "What do you know? Chen Xingzhi, what do you mean?"
"I just want to know what happened back then."
Chen Xingzhi's face was calm, but his words were filled with unquestionable firmness. Whether it was Ren Limeng's debut performance of "Yu Tang Chun" or her words and deeds observed in Mei City in the past few days, Chen Xingzhi could see that Ren Limeng had complicated feelings about opera, a feeling that was completely different from the impression of everyone in Meixiang Theater, and it was completely different from the youthful rebellion that everyone talked about when they got to know her.
Apart from the obvious mother-daughter issue, there must be other factors. What's more, he accidentally overheard the conversation between Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue on the first day he arrived.
Shen Xingzhi wanted to get the truth for Ren Limeng.
It is not the "sorrow of Zhongyong" that everyone in Meixiang Theatre lamented, nor is it the disappointment that Ren Limeng's mother Wu Murong expressed when she mentioned her, nor is it the faint smile that remained when Ren Limeng mentioned her.
"......I have no idea."
After a long time, Yan Fangshu finally took a deep breath. She lowered her head and suddenly didn't dare to look at Shen Xingzhi's eyes, "I'll go ask Mengmeng."
"Has Li Meng and Li Chuyue not had much contact in recent years?"
"......yes."
"After Li Chuyue was admitted, has the relationship between the three of you changed? Have you eaten together or gone out together again?"
"...No...At that time, Yueyue was admitted through recommendation, and Mengmeng had a conflict with her family. I thought Yueyue was afraid of upsetting Mengmeng, and Mengmeng didn't want to think about it either. I don't know if our relationship has changed..."
"Their relationship with you hasn't changed?"
"No......"
But when she mentioned each other to the two of them, she couldn't understand the expressions of Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue. Chen Xingzhi's questions made Yan Fangshu connect all the questions that she had not investigated in depth. It seemed that... there was only one truth that she was unwilling to accept.
"I heard from you theater people that before the admissions auditions, Li Meng destroyed her costume and was seen by Master Wu. Was Li Chuyue there at the time?"
Shen Xingzhi's affirmative tone was enlightening, forcing Yan Fangshu, who was in a state of confusion, to face this matter. "Impossible, we are best friends."
"Yan Fangshu, you are an adult."
You're not a teenager, but you still trust your so-called best friend?
Shen Xingzhi's indifferent expression made Yan Fangshu smile bitterly. She was silent for a while, "I don't believe it."
Yan Fangshu took out her phone and was about to ask Ren Limeng about this matter, only to hear Shen Xingzhi continue, "Since Limeng didn't tell you, it's because she didn't want to affect you. It's all in the past, so why are you poking at people's wounds now?"
"Then why are you asking me this? Shen Xingzhi, since you already have the answer, why ask more?"
Yan Fangshu looked at Shen Xingzhi fiercely, her uncontrolled emotions seemed to have found an outlet. She clenched her phone tightly and did not open the chat window after all.
"You know better than me what's right and wrong. I just want to verify it with Ren Limeng's best friend."
Shen Xingzhi's tone was mocking, perhaps... it was also because the scene of Yan Fangshu and Li Chuyue chatting and laughing was too glaring.
He couldn't imagine how Ren Limeng would feel when she came back and saw Yan Fangshu and Li Chuyue being so close, so even if Ren Limeng chose to deliberately hide it from Yan Fangshu and didn't want to make Yan Fangshu suffer, he couldn't help but expose this matter.
Just think he's meddling in other people's business.
"I'll confirm this."
Yan Fangshu took a deep breath and looked at Shen Xingzhi solemnly. She was not annoyed by the sarcasm in Shen Xingzhi's words. If things were really as Shen Xingzhi thought, she, as Mengmeng's best friend, would be so ashamed that she would be speechless.
Even though Li Chuyue is her friend, Yan Fangshu can tell the difference between what is more important and what is right and wrong.
"Don't let Li Meng know. Since she didn't tell you, don't let her worry about the past anymore."
"So, you're asking me this because of Mengmeng?"
Yan Fangshu reacted quickly. She secretly decided to review everything that happened between Ren Limeng and Li Chuyue back then, but apart from that, she had to stay calm and deal with Shen Xingzhi first.
She suppressed all other emotions in her heart and refocused her eyes on Shen Xingzhi. Even though Shen Xingzhi's tone was flat, Yan Fangshu still immediately grasped the key point of the question. She re-examined Shen Xingzhi in front of her, with some inquiry in her tone, "This is not something Captain Mengmeng needs to know."
"I like Li Meng."
Chen Xingzhi's straightforward expression made Yan Fangshu look at him straight in the eye, gritting her teeth and questioning, "Then why did you play tricks on Mengmeng back then? Chen Xingzhi, you are a big star, but Mengmeng is also our only baby. If Mengmeng hadn't stopped you back then, I would have fought tooth and nail to the death rather than let you debut successfully."
He had a flash marriage and divorce with Ren Limeng, and then he made his debut on "Idol Signal" and became a top idol. Yan Fangshu despised Shen Xingzhi's greed for profit, and prejudice was not formed in a day.
She would not give Shen Xingzhi another chance to hurt Ren Limeng.
"Back then... I explained what happened to Li Meng last night. That was between her and me. I can only promise you that I will never let her down this time. I will make amends until she forgives me. No matter what she needs, I am willing to give her everything."
There was a firmness hidden in Shen Xingzhi's calm words. He met Yan Fangshu's sharp and angry eyes without flinching. His sincere and earnest tone made Yan Fangshu dazed for a moment, and her heart couldn't help but waver.
"I won't help you. Like you said, this is a matter between you two. I respect and support any decision Mengmeng makes. If she... truly forgives you, I will bless you both."
Yan Fangshu suddenly lowered her eyes and smiled bitterly. There were too many questions in her mind. If it was really as Chen Xingzhi thought, she couldn't imagine how Ren Limeng had gotten through those years, and how could she be so careless as to ignore everything. The feeling of self-blame weighed heavily on her heart.
Yan Fangshu couldn't tell whether Chen Xingzhi was being sincere or not at the moment, nor did she want to interfere in his and Ren Limeng's affairs. Her words were filled with the meaning of "it's useless to look for me".
"But you are Li Meng's best friend."
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