Chapter 242: Self-inflicted troubles
Looking at the determined Chen Xingzhi in front of her, Ren Limeng's endless words suddenly stopped. Her body stiffened slightly. After nearly a second of silence, she smiled lightly, nodded, and repeated softly.
"Yeah, you're here."
Until now, Ren Limeng still feels a little magical. For many years, she has imagined countless times the scene where her mother Wu Murong realizes her problem and comes to her. That must be a very cool moment. Just thinking about it in her mind makes her look forward to it and feel excited.
But now, she no longer demands the perfection of the past. Unexpectedly, the apology suddenly became a hot topic and came uninvited, with some arrogance and helplessness that made Ren Limeng unable to refuse.
Ren Limeng was filled with mixed emotions at this moment.
"Brother Xingzhi, do you think I was... or have been going down a dead end these past few years? Maybe... my parents made me learn Huangmei Opera since I was little simply because they were in the same field themselves. They wanted me to choose a path they'd walked before, so it wouldn't be too difficult. That's why they always wanted me to become a Huangmei Opera actor, and that's why they were so angry about me changing my major."
Think about it calmly, didn't she also have many problems at that time?
When she was young and frivolous, Ren Limeng only saw her own grievances and struggles, but ignored her recklessness and stubbornness.
Parents who love their children will plan for them in the long run.
Ren Limeng could no longer know what her parents were really thinking at that time, but when she saw her mother Wu Murong's apology and clarification that went viral, she couldn't calm down. She couldn't completely put this matter aside and think about many issues from a completely rational perspective.
Now that she was no longer obsessed with the idea of being blinded by one thing, Ren Limeng had a new perspective on many issues.
Her parents' insistence on having their son become successful was definitely wrong. They didn't consider her emotions at all and didn't care about the pain she suffered during that time, but she didn't actually put herself in her shoes at all.
Time is interwoven with calmness and cruelty, impulse and warmth. As the years flow by, those facts that were thought to be the truth, after time flows silently and indifferently, ultimately reveal that the truth is often not one-sided. Perhaps this is also the magic of time.
"Mengmeng, there's no right or wrong. You shouldn't be stuck in a dead end right now."
Shen Xingzhi's calm voice was filled with convincing composure, and he sighed softly, "Let the past be the past."
There is no such thing as empathy in the world. Many things will have different results if viewed dialectically, but no one can be completely rational, and it is impossible to be comprehensive. All they can do is have a clear conscience and seize the present.
Ren Limeng was slightly startled, staring at Shen Xingzhi in front of her, without saying a word for a long while. She finally smiled and said softly, "Yes, it's all over."
She can't go back to the past, and her current entanglement is just asking for trouble.
"Mengmeng, after the show is recorded, let's go back to Mei City together."
Chen Xingzhi's deep black eyes revealed an unprecedented seriousness. There was a solemnity between his brows. He looked straight at Ren Limeng. A barely perceptible nervousness and expectation flashed in his eyes, and then sank into his deep eyes very quickly in a flash.
His voice was low and powerful, as if every word was carefully considered. The slightly upturned corners of his mouth gave his stern face a hint of softness that was hard to conceal, which particularly attracted Ren Limeng. It made Ren Limeng instantly turn her attention to the present and she had no time to think about anything else.
Didn’t they just finish their second trip to Mei City?
Why did Shen Xingzhi still want to go to Mei City with her?
...Meet your parents?
Or...are they simply here to apologize for their secret marriage during college?
"Back then... our quick marriage was a bit hasty. Uncle and Auntie must be very worried now. You were still young at the time. This was my fault, Mengmeng. I want to apologize to Uncle and Auntie in person..."
Shen Xingzhi spoke slowly, but his voice was very firm. As his throat rolled, Ren Limeng suddenly shook her head and finally couldn't help but interrupt Shen Xingzhi's self-blame.
"Brother Xingzhi, it was me who proposed the marriage back then. We are only one year apart in age. I'm a little unsure how to face my parents now, but... this is not your responsibility."
Shen Xingzhi shouldn't be asked to shoulder all the problems. If she had to explain, Ren Limeng would rather face her parents on her own and face the foreseeable storm rather than hiding behind Shen Xingzhi and letting him bear those unnecessary accusations for her.
They were too young at the time, too impulsive, and prone to taking many things for granted. This is a fact that has already passed. Ren Limeng felt very sorry for letting her parents know about this past event from the hot searches, and she had to go home.
"Don't worry, I can definitely go back alone. It's not your turn yet. I'll take you home when I have the chance!"
Ren Limeng raised her head and spoke with a smile, her tone pretending to be relaxed. She wanted to try her best to dispel the idea of Shen Xingzhi going back to Mei City with her.
Chen Xingzhi's contract with Hanxing is about to end. After the "Shanhai" program, Chen Xingzhi will face a lot of things. It is not a rational thing to do not do business at this time and go back to Mei City with her.
"Um?"
Chen Xingzhi stared at Ren Limeng intently, and his deep response seemed to contain many unspoken words, as well as too much calmness and patience.
"We've just started talking about meeting the parents... aren't we moving too fast..."
Ren Limeng spoke softly, suppressing the smile on her lips. A cunning gleam flashed across her bright eyes, and the air around them seemed to suddenly become relaxed.
Ren Limeng quickly raised her head and glanced at Shen Xingzhi. Where their shadows overlapped, Ren Limeng gently and quickly poked the back of Shen Xingzhi's fair hand.
"I can't help it… I can't wait any longer."
There was a hint of hoarseness in Shen Xingzhi's low voice. He took up Ren Limeng's teasing as if it was a matter of course. The unexpected "shamelessness" made Ren Limeng choke for half a second, and her eyes couldn't help but widen.
This time she was a little overwhelmed.
Ren Limeng originally wanted to use teasing Shen Xingzhi to change the topic of going home, but she didn't expect Shen Xingzhi to take over the conversation so openly. Looking at the smiling black eyes of Shen Xingzhi in front of her, Ren Limeng paused for half a second, but couldn't help but lowered her head, and shouted in a low voice with some embarrassment, "Shen Xingzhi!"
"Um."
Shen Xingzhi slowly moved closer, or maybe it was just Ren Limeng's illusion. She felt that the air around her became particularly thick with the light response of the person in front of her. The shallow yet deep sounds of their breathing suddenly became so clear that Ren Limeng unconsciously divided her thoughts and focused more on Shen Xingzhi's every move with a strong presence.
"So, Mengmeng, let's go together!"
"Uh-huh?"
Ren Limeng blinked lightly, and when she looked up subconsciously, she couldn't help but suspect in her heart that Shen Xingzhi, who seemed to be standing seriously in front of her, was secretly using a "honey trap" on her.
But listening to Shen Xingzhi's solemn and firm voice, looking at his handsome face with sharp edges, Ren Limeng finally had to step back secretly. She cleared her throat and subconsciously changed the subject.
"Well... let's talk about it later, Brother Xingzhi, let's deal with the trending search issue first. Now is a good opportunity."
Ren Limeng took a deep breath, and the dimples that were faintly visible at the corners of her mouth were concealed, and her eyes showed more rationality again.
Now is not the time to relax. There are still too many articles to be written on the hot searches of the platform where discussions are exploding, and they are needed to add fuel to the fire.
As Ren Limeng's mother, Wu Murong's personal apology on Weibo had already triggered another round of huge discussions. Coupled with the solemn statement issued promptly by the drama school, the direction of public opinion became even more confusing, and gradually attracted more people to think about it, even temporarily overshadowing the discussion related to Ren Limeng and Shen Xingzhi's divorce.
"This drama school's statement has the official seal, so it can't be fake, right?"
"I thought there would be a twist from the start. How could Li Meng be from the privileged class? Her Huangmei Opera skills were obvious on the show. What young master or young lady would need to work so hard?"
"But her mother does hold a high position in Huangmei Opera. She wasn't even on the same level as the rest of us when it came to learning Huangmei Opera. No matter how talented she appears, I can only laugh. If she didn't have special privileges, would the opera school issue a statement so late at night?"
"They didn't issue a statement, and you kept harping on it. They issued a statement, and you still made a scene. Some people are so hard to please these days (spreading hands). Did you really read Li Meng's mom's apology? Actually... I feel a little sorry for Li Meng. She must have worked so hard to look effortlessly good in front of the camera. No wonder she performed so well in the first and second male performances! She must have really suffered (crying)"
"Yeah, if Li Meng is really rich and powerful, why isn't she popular on the Orange platform? She only got the last part of "Shan Hai" by picking up some leaks at the last minute. It must have been so difficult for her to get this far (sigh) (sigh) (sigh)"
"I was just trying to eat a melon, but I didn't expect it to end up on me. Actually, I feel like my mom is a lot like Ren Limeng's mom. She's super controlling, but it also seems like every plan is for my own good. I can't tell the difference between the real and the fake. I don't have the courage to go all out like Ren Limeng, so until now I can only struggle with both pain and happiness..."
"The relationship between East Asian mothers and daughters... Sigh, I just watched this episode of 'Mountains and Seas' specifically. If it weren't for the hot search revelations, I would have felt that Ren Limeng and her mother were somewhat estranged, but it was a normal feeling, as if they were just close to their hometown and felt a strong sense of affection. I can't believe they had a falling out, especially over something as important as the college entrance examination. I even feel that there's nothing wrong with either of them, just from different perspectives. Even the outsiders feel so twisted. I really don't know how Ren Limeng got through those years..."
"Li Meng was only 18 years old at the time. I feel so sorry for her! Even though she struggled so much to leave, Li Meng still performed Huangmei Opera so seriously on the show. She really lives up to the reputation of Huangmei Opera! Can some of those haters please just quiet down a bit?"
"I don't care about Ren Limeng's eighteenth birthday. Aren't you curious about Ren Limeng's twenty-one birthday?"
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