Damp hair still dripping water quickly soaked the bedding. The room had only one bed, aning she and Chang Yu would share it. Ji Yaoguang ran her fingers through her long hair, her heart pounding. Despite their many intimate monts, she could only see Chang Yu's back. After a mont's hesitation, she slipped out from under the covers, put on a robe, and went to look for a hair dryer. Ji Yaoguang disliked blow-drying her hair, preferring to sleep with it damp. However, Chang Yu would always pull her out of bed, saying it would cause headaches.
The hair dryer's noise suddenly filled the room. Ji Yaoguang stole a glance at Chang Yu, seeing her gaze fixed on the script, unaware that Chang Yu's thoughts had long since wandered. Eyes slightly narrowed, fingers running through her hair, Ji Yaoguang recalled Chang Yu drying her hair, a warm feeling spreading through her body. Though right in front of her, they were now more distant than strangers. Ji Yaoguang dared not speak, fearing it might change Chang Yu's mind, turning her soft heart beneath that cold exterior to stone.
Since Ji Yaoguang entered the room, Chang Yu couldn't focus on the script. The usually professional actress was annoyed at her own lapse, sothing that hadn't happened even during their argunts. Tossing the script aside, she pressed her temples, scenes from the past flashing before her eyes. The determination and decisiveness with which she had presented the divorce papers had vanished; all her resolution had been re emotional impulse. Fatigue once again engulfed her body and mind. Struggling to control her anger towards Ji Yaoguang, she got up, took clean clothes, and entered the bathroom.
What if Ji Yaoguang had changed? The thought involuntarily surfaced. Chang Yu looked at herself in the mirror, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. Who knew if this change was just montary compromise? She still rembered Ji Yaoguang's sarcasm, her uncontrollable jealousy when Chang Yu dined with directors or showed slight intimacy with co-stars. Each ti like an unreasonable child, so different from the frank, composed, slightly lazy Ji Yaoguang of the past. Her finger traced "Ji Yaoguang" on the cold mirror surface. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, all chaotic emotions had vanished.
Compared to Chang Yu's tumultuous thoughts, Ji Yaoguang's mind had gradually settled. She began planning her next steps. Today's events had shown a glimr of hope in endless darkness. Didn't it an Chang Yu was reluctant to let go, willing to accept her? As the hair dryer's noise faded, replaced by the sound of running water, Ji Yaoguang took a deep breath, pushing aside all flights of fancy. She crawled under the covers, only her bright eyes visible, staring at the ceiling. Back to three years ago, it had been ongoing for so ti. Ji Yaoguang hardly considered it a dream; perhaps those three years had been a long dream, covering her heart with guilt, allowing her to be less impulsive upon waking, choosing the most suitable path. From small personal matters to the whole world, nothing had developed as she rembered. She still needed to live cautiously. If anything had changed, it was her more steadfast love for Chang Yu.
As her mind gradually emptied, Ji Yaoguang didn't notice when sleep ca, only that it arrived swiftly, plunging her into dark dreams before she could react. When Chang Yu erged, she saw only the figure curled up on the bed, wrapped entirely in the blanket like a cocoon. Fearing noise might wake Ji Yaoguang, she towel-dried her hair and approached the bed to look at Ji Yaoguang's sleeping face. Whatever she was dreaming, her furrowed brows betrayed deep unease. Besides her slightly red cheeks, Chang Yu noticed a small bruise on her forehead, likely from the earlier thud, though she hadn't ntioned it.
Because of Ji Yaoguang, Chang Yu had sighed countless tis today. She didn't want to bother with her, but as she was about to lift the blanket on the other side of the bed, she suddenly withdrew her hand, glaring at Ji Yaoguang before searching for the ointnt. This careless person seed intent on using up the entire tube in one day.
"Who is she... Chang Yu! No divorce, I don't want it!" Fragnted sleep-talk erged from the sleeping figure. A hand suddenly shot out from under the blanket, flailing wildly, grasping the nearest thing and refusing to let go. Chang Yu's heart was struck hard at this mont. Her expression fluctuated before she slowly pried Ji Yaoguang's fingers open, freeing her wrist. The ointnt on Ji Yaoguang's forehead wasn't fully absorbed, but Chang Yu had lost the will to continue. She washed her hands and turned off the lights, instantly enveloped in darkness.
Ji Yaoguang dread again of Chang Yu embracing that strange woman, still without the right to reproach in her dream, as all ties between them had been severed. When Ji Yaoguang woke, she lay in bed recalling for a mont before rubbing her sleepy eyes. The bedside clock showed nine o'clock; daylight stread in, and Chang Yu was gone. After all, unlike her, Chang Yu played the lead role, with scene after scene to film. Howling winter wind whistled outside as Ji Yaoguang licked her dry lips, reluctant to leave the warm bed. She had grown increasingly lazy lately; the days of rising at dawn for engagents had flown by, leaving only a blurred imprint in mory.
Opening WeChat on her phone, a flood of ssages poured in.
Bian Yuting: How are things with Chang Yu?
Bian Yuting: ???? Don't tell
you're too busy with a passionate night to reply?
Bian Yuting: Want to change your mind? Do you really want to play an insignificant maid? It would have been better if you'd let
be your manager back then.
Su Ci: Quick, check Weibo!!! Big news. Look, but don't reply rashly!
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
These were ssages sent last night; replying now seed sowhat— Ji Yaoguang's fingers hovered over the screen, watching words appear in the chat box before slowly deleting them. Never mind, one word might lead to countless questions. Exiting WeChat, she rembered Su Ci's words and opened Weibo. Overnight, the trending topic had changed to #LiYaoyaoQuitsRole#, stemming from an official statent by the "The Treacherous Courtier" production team.
"I knew my Goddess Ji wasn't that kind of person!"
"The production team is aweso!"
"My goddess's judgnt is as good as ever. Those calling Ji Yaoguang a vase, can you look as good as her? Living off your looks? And those calling Ji Yaoguang illiterate, haven't you heard of Z University? It's a top institution, and she entered as the top-scoring student in the national college entrance exam!"
"May I ask timidly, if Li Yaoyao quit, who will play Princess Pingyang?"
Most comnts were from her fans, with occasional discordant voices quickly shouted down by the majority. While she disliked such keyboard warrior argunts, it would be a lie to say her mood wasn't affected. Ji Yaoguang only glanced briefly before clicking into Li Yaoyao's Weibo. Pinned at the top was a post from early this morning, already with hundreds of thousands of reposts and comnts.
Li Yaoyao V: I've let everyone down, let the teachers down. It's my own lack of skill, unable to grasp the script's aning. Though my ti with the production was short, I learned a lot. Leaving is regrettable, but it will only motivate
to move forward. Thank you again for everyone's support.
Ji Yaoguang disliked Li Yaoyao's perfect white lotus act, especially after being slapped by her. Any perceptive person could see it was intentional. With almost no interaction between them, this inexplicable slap had greatly angered Ji Yaoguang. Li Yaoyao's fans dominated the comnts, comforting her while not forgetting to sar Ji Yaoguang, saying all sorts of unpleasant things. Was it because of the internet's anonymity? Did they think this was freedom of speech? Ji Yaoguang frowned as she finished scrolling through recent Weibo updates. Just as she was about to get up and go to the set to see Chang Yu, another ssage ca in from Qiao Xi: "When you have ti, ask Cheng Henian if she's willing to sing the the song for 'The Treacherous Courtier'." Chang Yu had just ntioned this na yesterday; this ssage was likely at her suggestion.
Ji Yaoguang replied: "Alright." She then searched for Cheng Henian's Weibo, which was verified as "President of the Face to the Yellow Earth, Back to the Sky Association," with several hundred thousand followers. She only followed one person: Lu Yusheng. Ji Yaoguang was puzzled, feeling sothing strange. She scrolled through Cheng Henian's posts, mostly sarcastic comnts and announcents about radio dramas. Curiosity piqued, she clicked on one, only to be startled by suggestive sounds, nearly dropping her phone. She hurriedly exited, her face flushed red, thankful no one else was in the room.
"Weirdo," she muttered, but still clicked follow. Soon, Weibo chid; Cheng Henian had quickly followed back and sent a private ssage: "Hi, fallen for my voice?"
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