Chapter 69
Chapter 69
It felt like an eternity before Shen Qingyuan finally came to her senses, gathered up the empty wine bottles and glasses, and went downstairs.
She went down from the rooftop, took the elevator, and found her room. The whole process felt like an AI performing a mechanical task. She was very confused, her mind a jumbled mess, more chaotic than she had ever been before the college entrance exam.
You're not kidding, are you?
He used to joke that if someone couldn't get married, they could marry him. This time... I doubt anyone would make such a joke, it's too much of a sacrifice, too much of a self-sacrifice...
Late at night, Shen Qingyuan left a message on a Q&A community:
What should I do if I'm suddenly kissed by a guy?
I asked this using a newly registered alternate account; it's anonymous.
She's waiting online, a little anxious. She's completely unable to sleep.
A kind person left her a message: If you like it, kiss her back; if you don't, hit her back.
Shen Qingyuan recalled that her reaction at the time was stunned. Kissing back was not the right thing to do, but hitting back seemed... reluctant.
A while ago, she had a vague feeling about it, but she didn't think about it too much. Now wasn't a good time for her to be in a relationship. With no clear future, she was always uneasy.
However, there doesn't seem to be a "best time" for falling in love. When one is full of ambition and pride, how could one be preoccupied with the mundane details of a romantic relationship?
Life is truly full of contradictions.
Moreover, Ye Chuyang is now enjoying both fame and fortune, and has countless fans. He has many choices.
She couldn't discuss it with Song Ting; if she did, Song Ting would definitely guess it was Ye Chuyang. Sigh, besides Song Ting, there was no one else to talk to about this kind of topic. Shen Qingyuan didn't consider herself an expert in this area.
The problem is, how should I face him tomorrow? There are always moments of impulsiveness, right? He's a young man, and it was his first love ten years ago. People always have a bit of obsession. Once you actually get him, you'll find it all rather tasteless.
Moreover, modern people are quite realistic. Even Sun Zhi's mother doesn't think she's a good match to help her son reach new heights. Ye Chuyang's mother, Shen Qingyuan, recalling Aunt Su Qin's figure, probably looks down on her even more.
It's absurd. Shen Qingyuan, from childhood to adulthood, has made great strides. The highlight of her life was successfully entering the medical school of Jicheng University. She was a prodigy. How could she be so annoying?
She tried to analyze the situation rationally for Ye Chuyang and concluded that it wasn't a good choice. Finding some short-term amusement might be an option, given Ye Chuyang's physique... Shen Qingyuan chuckled slightly, thinking it wasn't a bad deal.
Shen Qingyuan wondered if she should just pretend to be drunk and forget about it. She could let it go and not complicate their simple old classmate relationship. She thought and thought, but couldn't make up her mind. She decided to wait and see how he reacted.
A new message popped up on my phone: Shen Qingyuan, I'm almost in Hengdian! Get ready to pick me up!
Shen Qingyuan almost shuddered. So fast! She had a feeling of unease, like she was about to be caught in the act of adultery.
-
That night, Ye Chuyang slept unusually well. This might have been partly due to his light sip of red wine.
Once he's on set, he usually gets very little sleep, five or six hours a day is considered a lot. When he first started to gain recognition, he took on a crazy number of roles to further his career, interspersed with variety shows and commercials, sometimes working non-stop or only getting two or three hours of sleep. During that time, his heart condition wasn't very good. It was his agent, Zhang Jing, who couldn't bear to see him like that and coordinated with all parties to give him a whole day to sleep.
He didn't even need to see a doctor; he knew that a good night's sleep would make him energetic again, and he could get up and continue working. At that time, he didn't feel particularly pitiful. When there was no hope, when people rejected him, the feeling was much more bitter than this.
He said what he wanted to say, though it was a bit impulsive, but he wasn't nervous. What needed to be said had to be said eventually. Keeping it inside only made him feel suffocated.
As for the result, Shen Qingyuan, don't disappoint me this time!
-
The next morning, Shen Qingyuan went to measure her employer's blood pressure and heart rate.
"morning."
"morning."
The two sides exchanged greetings as a matter of routine.
Dr. Shen had a cold face, never smiled, and exuded an aura of intimidation that kept strangers at bay, as well as a low-pressure atmosphere caused by lack of sleep.
Blood pressure is normal.
Her heart rate was two or three beats lower than usual. Thinking about what happened last night, Shen Qingyuan was a little confused. How could this person be so calm?
The two exchanged a glance, and then their eyes quickly and simultaneously looked away.
Did you sleep well last night?
It sounds like a completely medical question. Xiao Chao, who was tidying up his things, chimed in, "Brother Yang slept really well last night; he turned off the lights before eleven."
Xiao Chao clearly remembers that after Ye Chuyang turned off the lights, he was afraid that the noise in the room would disturb him, so he hurriedly said goodbye to his girlfriend. At that time, his girlfriend was still angry, and the two of them had already gone from one topic to another, discussing the grand proposition of "whether love should be selfish".
Shen Qingyuan raised one eyebrow, her voice escaping through clenched teeth, "Sleeping so soundly..."
Reflecting on his actions last night, Ye Chuyang suddenly wondered if he had been too offensive. The romance dramas he directed were all like this: a wall slam at a crucial moment, a kiss when their eyes met, a mini-climax in the story.
However, these are all clichéd and vulgar approaches, and they probably wouldn't work on Shen Qingyuan.
He said, "Because I said what I wanted to say, I slept soundly."
He openly continued to flirt with her in front of Xiao Chao! He didn't deny it, nor did he intend to pretend yesterday didn't exist or let it go today.
Shen Qingyuan's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she panicked for a moment. She wanted to find another topic to change the subject and distract her.
"Um... Song Ting said she's coming to Hengdian today and asked if I could visit the set... No problem, I'll turn her down for you if it's inconvenient!"
Ye Chuyang smiled, looking at Shen Qingyuan's face, and said cheerfully, "It's convenient, just invite her over. She's an old classmate, of course I have to give her face!"
"ah……"
Xiao Chao said, "Brother Yang, Sister Chen, I've heard you guys mention Song Ting's name a lot. This time I have to see who she is!"
-
I'd been saying I'd come for ages, and now it's finally happening. Song Ting brought her boyfriend along on her annual leave this time. After much deliberation, she probably decided on Hengdian because she thought her big-star old classmate could best support her.
This was Shen Qingyuan's first time meeting the "deputy director," though she had seen his photo before. He was a stocky man with a square face, upright and honest, giving off an aura of righteousness.
Song Ting had previously tentatively asked, "Shen Qingyuan, you... won't be upset if I share my relationship with you?"
Shen Qingyuan understood what she meant. She was heartbroken and unemployed, feeling gloomy and miserable, while Song Ting was thriving in love—a stark contrast. It's best to be low-key when things are going well, and it was rare for Song Ting to be so thoughtful and considerate of her feelings.
"Of course you're overthinking it."
“I’ll just have to put up with it even if I’m unhappy,” Song Ting chuckled. “I’ll be all alone for much longer than you are.”
After exchanging greetings, the two girls immediately forgot about the deputy director and started chatting about their own topics.
Shen Qingyuan's parents asked Song Ting to bring some food and drinks for their daughter. It was a big package, vacuum-packed, and could be frozen in the refrigerator so it would last a long time.
The deputy director wanted to go back to the hotel to catch up on sleep, which gave the girl some time alone.
When Song Ting heard that Sun Zhi had come to see Shen Qingyuan, her eyes widened in surprise. "Shen Qingyuan...you didn't get back together with Sun Zhi, did you?" She still didn't know the reason why Shen Qingyuan and Sun Zhi had broken up.
However, even six months after the breakup, Sun Zhi didn't go to Chenyang to find Shen Qingyuan. When people are far apart, their hearts drift apart too. Once the initial excitement wore off, what was the point of chasing after her again?
"No," Shen Qingyuan said directly, without keeping anyone in suspense.
Song Ting patted her chest. "That's good. Otherwise, I would really feel sorry for Ye Chuyang."
Shen Qingyuan was taken aback, "Ye Chuyang?"
Having inadvertently let slip, Song Ting decided not to hide it anymore. "Shen Qingyuan, there's something I need to tell you. Although I promised Ye Chuyang I wouldn't tell, well... just don't tell him it was me who said it."
"Okay, tell me quickly."
"You remember the class reunion six months ago, right? Afterwards, Ye Chuyang contacted me and talked to me about your situation. I didn't mean to say it, but I was thinking that he's a big star now, maybe he can help you out and get you back to work in Jicheng or something."
Shen Qingyuan took a deep breath and listened quietly.
"Of course, I don't know your situation very well at the time, but to be honest, you might have encountered some troubles and felt a bit down. The most important thing for you is to get back to work. We're like cattle and horses, and it's always best to go back to the pasture. The energy field is still there, and it's a bittersweet experience. I felt the same way. I hated my job. Every day I was covered in dust and dirt, smiling and begging for people's attention, and I didn't even earn much. But if you asked me to stop working, I wouldn't be happy to!"
Song Ting observed Shen Qingyuan's expression; she wasn't angry, but rather quite calm. She only slightly furrowed her brow.
"After that, you became his personal doctor. I don't think it's possible that things were just a coincidence. Ye Chuyang must have put in some effort. But it's also possible that it was just a coincidence. After all, Chenyang is a small city. You can tour the old town in the time it takes to eat a meal."
I see.
Shen Qingyuan stared blankly, her eyes half-closed, her hands supporting her chin. She had actually suspected this, thinking it was too much of a coincidence, but she hadn't found any evidence. Now that Song Ting had confirmed it, she felt a mix of emotions.
There was gratitude, but also frustration.
In any case, she benefited. Leaving the old residential building in Chenyang and becoming a private doctor was a semi-return to the workforce, and the pay was good with a pleasant working environment, so there was really nothing to complain about.
"Considering your pride, he used such a roundabout way to achieve his goal, Shen Qingyuan, he really treats you well. If someone treated me like that, I would have fainted from happiness long ago," Song Ting said. "The friendship from our youth can be remembered for so long. Whether it's still love or not, I think having this friend, this old classmate, is really worthwhile."
Shen Qingyuan gave a low "hmm," and the slight unease and annoyance in her heart faded away.
She said, "Song Ting, I have a question I'd like to ask you."
"Oh my god, why are you being so serious? Just say it!"
Shen Qingyuan: "If, and I mean if, Ye Chuyang still likes me, should I accept him?"
Song Ting slammed her hand on the table and stood up excitedly, "Of course!"
The sheer scale of it was so overwhelming that the waitress next to me in the coffee shop was almost scared off.
Song Ting lowered her head humbly in the midst of the attention and sat back down in her seat.
Shen Qingyuan lowered her voice: "I meant if, don't get so agitated!"
"Rich, handsome, and loves you! I don't know what you're hesitating about. Even if you can't marry him, you've still gained something by dating! Shen Qingyuan! If you're not going to make a move, can I have a share?!" Her best friend was taking it all as fact, and at this moment, the deputy director was completely out of her mind.
"What if... the relationship doesn't work out, and we can't even remain friends?"
“Shen Qingyuan, you can be quite old-fashioned sometimes. Anyway, you haven’t been in contact for ten years. Even if you’ve broken up and haven’t been in touch, at most you’ll just go back to the way things were before. Originally there was nothing, so where can dust settle?”
Shen Qingyuan was taken aback, never expecting that prophecies could be used in this way.
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