Chapter 179: No Way Back
Chen Xi looked at Li Chuyue with satisfaction. In front of the camera, her face was filled with shock, but her eyes were filled with gloating.
The dog-eat-dog situation is more exciting than expected. Li Chuyue seems to have made up her mind to fight to the death with Ren Limeng. Even if Ren Limeng seems to have no problem when their "old accounts" are brought up, as long as Li Chuyue insists that Ren Limeng does not like Huangmei Opera, the situation will definitely continue to be exciting.
After all, this is Mei City, and Ren Limeng has been playing the role of a Huangmei Opera lover in front of the camera for a week.
There were many people at the recording site, and even if Ren Limeng asked Shen Xingzhi to cut out this footage in the end, everything that happened would not be forgotten by everyone, and there would always be someone on the social platform who would hear the news that was spread.
Chen Xi has even thought about how to add fuel to the fire.
"Chu Yue, is fame all you care about? Is the meaning of your life just fame and fortune?"
Ren Limeng blinked in disbelief. Her hoarse voice was filled with great sadness and disappointment. After a long silence, she finally looked at Li Chuyue again, "Li Chuyue, is this why you betrayed me back then and are now stabbing me in the back?"
Ren Limeng's words were very clear, no longer as euphemistic as before. Her experience made her very clear that a quick decision was needed at this moment.
The recording in Mei City is nearing its end. Meixiang Theater will not allow Li Chuyue to get into trouble at this time. This footage will inevitably be affected. At this moment, Li Chuyue's face with crazy questioning will definitely not be broadcast. All she has to do is end this unexpected confrontation.
What's more, she and Li Chuyue had been strangers for a long time, so there was really nothing to argue about.
Ren Limeng concealed all the complexity in her expression. She stared at Li Chuyue with her fists clenched, as if she had never really known Li Chuyue. The light in her eyes gradually dimmed.
"Betrayal, Ren Limeng, our relationship has never reached a level where this word is needed."
Li Chuyue suddenly fell silent. She smiled coldly, her eyes hollow with only red rims. "You're always so easygoing. You won't understand. You don't even consider me a good friend. From childhood to adulthood, I've had to use all my strength to catch up with you. Have you ever looked back at me? I... am sorry, but you're not as honest as you think!"
In addition to her talent, Li Chuyue has always envied Ren Limeng's background. Ren Li has had her parents' meticulous help since she was a child, and she is never alone in anything in Huangmei Opera. She comes and goes freely in Meixiang Theater as if it were her own living room. How can such a person understand the worry and fear that she still unconsciously feels when she walks into Meixiang Theater every day?
Li Chuyue's bitter smile contained too many emotions, but in front of the guests and staff of "Shan Hai", she did not mention anything else. She just tried to take a deep breath, trying to force back all the tears that came to her heart, and wipe away all the grievances that settled in her heart.
"You're truly sorry for Huangmei Opera. Why did you come back? Are you using Huangmei Opera as a springboard to stardom?"
"Chuyue!"
"Li Chuyue!"
Han Tai and Guan He's voices of stopping rang out at the same time. Li Chuyue glanced at Han Tai lightly, then quickly retracted her gaze. There was a playful smile on the corner of her mouth. She raised her eyebrows without changing her expression, her eyes wandering between Ren Limeng and Shen Xingzhi. When she looked at Ren Limeng again, Li Chuyue's eyes were filled with too many meanings that only they could understand.
From the moment Ren Limeng mentioned that she would take the art exam for "Peach Blossom Fan", Li Chuyue knew that her future was over. She wanted to drag Ren Limeng down with her, but after venting all her anger, it was hard for Li Chuyue to ignore the vague emptiness, as if, apart from envy, jealousy and hatred, she had no real feelings towards Ren Limeng.
However, human emotions are too complicated, and even Li Chuyue herself cannot tell what is really in her heart at the moment.
Obviously, she wanted Ren Limeng to be disgraced like her, but no matter how many times the words came to her lips, she was still unwilling to use Ren Limeng's parents and scandals to attack Ren Limeng. Li Chuyue knew very well that compared to Chen Xi's persistent career change and controversial personality, these things were more likely to arouse everyone's discussion.
After all, she had known Ren Limeng for more than 20 years, and she understood better than many others the points that Ren Limeng could not refute. But in the end, Li Chuyue just did exactly as Chen Xi wished, and repeatedly questioned Ren Limeng's capriciousness in leaving Huangmei Opera.
"Whether I've done my job well in Huangmei Opera is not up to you to decide."
Ren Limeng's voice returned to calm. She silently raised her slender and well-proportioned hands, as if the naturally curved joints carried the shadow of gestures. Only when she exerted a little force to restrain herself could her slender palms be straightened and closed like others.
"From childhood to adulthood, I've endured just as much hardship as you have. Huangmei Opera has never been a springboard for me. Now that I can stand on the Huangmei Opera stage again, have you ever thought about my perseverance over the years?"
Ren Limeng understood Li Chuyue's questioning, all the bitterness and unwillingness that she didn't show in front of others, but in fact, everyone has their own bitterness and unwillingness.
"The stage doesn't lie. Even if, as you say, I'm more talented and there are many factors beyond our control, no play can be performed on stage without practice. Apart from those factors beyond your and my control, my dedication and passion are no less than yours."
"You always say my life has been smooth, but not a single step of my journey to where I am today has been easy. It's just that most of the time we can only see ourselves. You have your pain, and I have my challenges. I have never let you down."
Li Chuyue raised her head, tears silently streaming down her face. She did not look at her hands, but it was undeniable that her hands, like Ren Limeng's, were slightly bent when out of control. That was the inertia of movement left by practicing Huangmei Opera thousands of times, just like the countless days and nights they had spent together. Ren Limeng had actually appeared by her side too many times.
They had both tossed and turned over a poorly thought-out play, and had both gritted their teeth and persevered in their efforts to break through themselves time and time again. However, time passed quickly, and they drifted apart without knowing when.
There's no going back.
"Li Meng, are you okay?"
At the end of Mei City, no one practiced anymore. Li Chuyue and Han Tai left the B&B, and the guests went back to their rooms to pack their luggage. Ren Limeng and Chen Xi tacitly occupied a corner of the room each. The only sound in the silent room was the subtle sound of clothes rubbing against the suitcases.
It was at this time that Guan He came to find Ren Limeng.
After a brief greeting with Chen Xi, Guan He walked straight towards Ren Limeng with concern in his eyes. Chen Xi stared at Ren Limeng and Guan He with a half-smile, with some ambiguous light in his eyes.
"It's okay, thank you for your concern."
Ren Limeng smiled politely. She put down the bag in her hand, looked up at Guan He, and her words of thanks were very gentle, and it was difficult to respond.
Guan He subconsciously glanced at Chen Xi, then looked at Ren Limeng's suitcase, which was almost packed. "Limeng, are you almost done packing? Do you want to go out for a walk?"
"No, we're about to gather and leave. Brother Guan He, have you packed your things?"
The rejection in Ren Limeng's eyes was evident, and it was hard for Guan He to pretend not to see it, but he still said with some reluctance, "I've packed it. You can call me when you're done. I'll help you move your luggage... And Sister Chen Xi, you can just leave your suitcases here. I'll carry them!"
"Guan He, yo, you're not interested in the bar?"
Chen Xi glanced at Ren Limeng, her arms folded across her chest, a hint of amusement in her eyes. As if she didn't notice the camera still quietly recording, she continued to ask, "Do you like Limeng? You two..."
The deliberately prolonged ending tone carried infinite possibilities of speculation. Chen Xi's gossipy voice made Guan He subconsciously look at Ren Limeng, who was looking at Chen Xi with a smile on her face.
"I......"
I want to pursue Li Meng. Guan He hesitated slightly, suppressing all his concerns. Just as he was about to speak, Ren Li Meng had already answered Chen Xi, "Brother Guan He and I both studied opera. Brother Guan He may be thinking about the past and being more friendly to me. Sister Chen Xi, you won't think too much, right?"
Ren Limeng's calm statement made Chen Xi couldn't help but smile. Chen Xi really admired Ren Limeng. She was able to hook up with Shen Xingzhi and keep Guan He hanging at the same time. She could lie so calmly in front of the camera.
"Li Meng, am I overthinking it? Maybe some of your behaviors are causing people to misunderstand you!"
"Ah? Sister Chen Xi, why do you say that? During practice, you and Brother Guan He cooperated more. Is there some misunderstanding between us?"
Ren Limeng raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked at Chen Xi. She secretly clenched her left hand into a fist, feeling the disdain in Chen Xi's eyes. She smiled and finally fixed her eyes and met Chen Xi's deep gaze.
Ren Limeng answered decisively, and her voice, seemingly neither humble nor arrogant as before, was more resolute. The silent atmosphere in the room made Guan He couldn't help but regret that perhaps he shouldn't have come here.
"Just treat it as a misunderstanding."
After a while, Chen Xi finally chuckled meaningfully, "I was just saying it casually, Li Meng, you don't have to answer so excitedly."
"Sister Chen Xi, I'm sorry."
Ren Limeng spoke in a seemingly submissive tone, pursing her lips with a hint of self-blame on her face. "Since the show aired, I've been trending a lot. I didn't want Guan He to be inexplicably implicated, so I might have reacted unconsciously. I'm sorry, I know you were being blunt and didn't mean it."
Chen Xi's smile froze slightly. Ren Limeng's implication of retreating to advance was very clever, so clever that she couldn't help but secretly bite her back teeth. If she hadn't been concerned about Shen Xingzhi, she would have made Ren Limeng pay the first time she dared to refute her. How could she have endured it until now!
"Brother Guan He, why don't you go back first? Please tell Brother Xingzhi that we are almost done packing."
Chen Xi finally couldn't help but frown, staring at Ren Limeng with gloomy eyes. Ren Limeng seemed unaware and turned to look at Guan He, giving Guan He a reason to leave. She had no intention of breaking up with Chen Xi, but she was not a soft persimmon. No matter what Chen Xi thought, she would not be anyone's punching bag.
After Guan He left, Ren Limeng stood straight and watched Chen Xi coldly turn off all the cameras in the room.
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