Chapter 6

Chapter 6 More Important — Overlap, Entangle The next day, Nan Shu deliberately got up early and took the high-speed rail back to her grandmother's house. Her grandmother's home was in the countryside on the outskirts of the city—not as bustling as the downtown area of Jingjia. Here, one could even see many old self-built rural houses. When Nan Shu was very young, she lived in the city with her parents, but her parents divorced during her elementary school years. Not long after, her mother passed away, and she could only return to the countryside to be raised by her grandparents. Later, after graduating from middle school, she stayed at her aunt's house and returned to the city to continue high school. The morning market stalls in the town hadn't packed up yet. On the narrow path, there were stalls selling egg pancakes, glutinous rice wraps, and early-rising farmers selling their homegrown vegetables. In short, it was full of the flavor of everyday life. When Nan Shu arrived, her grandfather was tending the shop downstairs, while her grandmother sat in front of the TV, watching with great interest. "Nannan's here." As she entered the house, her grandmother was watching the drama that had aired yesterday. The floor fan blew straight at her. Grandmother picked up the TV remote, pressed pause, then went to the second bedroom and brought out all the fruits, cookies, and milk the family had been saving. In an instant, the coffee table piled up into a small mountain. Grandmother pinched Nan Shu's face with concern. "Nannan's gotten thinner again. Is life on set too hard? Don't listen to your agent about losing weight. Grandma thinks you're nothing but skin and bones now." "Not at all, Grandma. Look at me—I've actually gained quite a bit since I was last here." There was a box of wedding candies on the table. Nan Shu opened it, unwrapped a soft candy for her grandmother, and peeled a small piece of chocolate for herself. "Grandma, who got married?" Nan Shu looked at the four big characters "A Hundred Years of Harmony" printed on the candy box. Grandmother said a name. Nan Shu remembered her as a girl around her own age whom she used to play with as a child. She was twenty-five this year. Many of her peers were dating or even married, but her grandparents never pressured her. Grandmother patted Nan Shu's head. "Don't worry, Grandma and Grandpa aren't in a hurry. Our Nannan should take her time—when she meets someone she likes, she should examine them carefully before dating." Nan Shu knew it was because of her mother. Back then, her mother had married the wrong man—her father—and her luck had started going downhill. Even up to a month before her mother died in a car accident, she was still trapped in a storm of malicious gossip about a romantic relationship. • The weather was too hot, so Nan Shu only headed home the next evening, after the sun had set. Before she left, Grandmother grabbed her hand and took her to the corner shop to pick out her favorite snacks. "I remember Nannan loved this when she was little... and this one too..." "Grandma, that's enough. I can't eat that much." In Grandmother's eyes, she would always be a child. Every time she came to visit, they would pick out two big bags of snacks for her to take back. The two elderly people saw Nan Shu into the taxi. Nan Shu took the high-speed rail, then transferred through three subway lines. After getting off the subway, she walked a few minutes, turned a corner, and finally reached her residential complex. Nan Shu had always planned to buy an apartment in Jingjia and eventually move her grandparents over. So to save money, she cut corners wherever she could when renting. The complex she lived in now was fairly old, and both the property management and the basic facilities were clearly a notch below. By evening, the community park was already crowded with residents cooling off after dinner and aunties dancing in the square. As Nan Shu walked along the gravel path through the community park, a child practicing on a bicycle came barreling straight toward her. The child was going too fast. By the time Nan Shu noticed, it was too late—she stumbled backward and fell, the bags in her hands dropping and spilling snacks all over the ground. The child was young, with training wheels still attached to the bike. Seeing that she had accidentally bumped into someone, she burst into tears first. "I'm sorry, big sister, I didn't mean to, waaaah." Only Nan Shu's calf had been scraped. She stood up, bent down to help the child right her bicycle, and said, "Just be more careful next time you ride, okay?" The child was still sobbing. "Big sister, does your leg hurt? I'll use my allowance to take you to the hospital, okay?" Nan Shu couldn't help but laugh. "Big sister's fine. No need for the hospital." A middle-aged woman with long hair came running over in a panic. "Baby, how did you fall? Let Mommy see." Then she turned around and apologized profusely to Nan Shu. "I'm so sorry. I just took a phone call and lost sight of her. Are you hurt?" Nan Shu shook her head and picked up the things from the ground. "I'm fine. Please check on your child." The woman bent down to help Nan Shu gather the items. "I'm truly so sorry. My daughter just started learning to ride a bike—she's way too reckless." "Here's my contact information. If anything comes up later, feel free to reach me anytime." "Okay." Nan Shu acknowledged, watching the mother and daughter's figures gradually disappear into the distance. "Mommy, my hand really hurts." "Mommy will rub it for you. No more running off like that, okay?" Her eyes reddened slightly. Nan Shu turned and walked toward her own building. When she stepped out of the elevator, she saw her landlady hovering by her door. "You haven't been home all day." Nan Shu walked up carrying her two bags. "Auntie." The landlady, a middle-aged woman with permed curls, turned around at the sound of Nan Shu's voice. Her gaze swept over the snacks in Nan Shu's hands, and her tone was less than friendly: "Have you thought about what I mentioned last time?" Nan Shu's hand, twisting the key, paused. "Auntie, our contract states three thousand a month, with utilities calculated separately." Nan Shu had a soft temperament. After the landlady discovered she was an actress, she assumed that actors were never short on money. Ignoring the contract, she made an exorbitant demand—raising the rent to five thousand a month starting next month. "Oh, you know, prices and housing costs are rising too. Our contract needs to be updated." The landlady looked Nan Shu up and down. She was fair, delicate, and very pretty—especially that exquisite little face. Who knew how much money she spent on maintenance? How could she possibly not afford five thousand a month in rent? She coughed. "You celebrities spend tens of thousands on clothes and meals all the time. What's a little rent compared to that?" Nan Shu's head ached. She opened the door and set her things on the floor. Huituichang, hearing the door open, wagged its tail and trotted to the entrance, sniffing at the bags on the ground. Nan Shu crouched down and clipped the leash onto Huituichang. "Auntie, I'm hardly a celebrity. And whether I earn much or little, it's money I worked hard for." She had no obligation to "subsidize" anyone. Huituichang had never seen its mother angry before. Knowing it was this bad person in front of them who caused it, it dashed out the door and barked furiously at the landlady. The landlady, afraid the little dog would jump up and bite her at any moment, paled. She dropped a parting remark and hurried into the elevator. "Either you agree to the rent increase, or you terminate the contract early and move out before next month. Otherwise, believe me, I'll post on Douyin and tell everyone that the great big star owes me rent. Then you can wait to be dragged through the mud!" Nan Shu laughed in exasperation. At least the landlady thought highly enough of her to call her a "great big star." But she was genuinely afraid the landlady might do something. These days, many people on the internet catch wind and assume the worst—a small matter can be blown out of all proportion. To avoid trouble, she thought, it was time to find a new place to live. She took the next elevator down with Huituichang. Ever since adopting Huituichang, she had walked it twice a day without fail, usually circling the lake in front of the residential complex. On summer evenings, the weather was pleasant, and many cyclists passed by the lake, leaving trails of laughter and chatter. Nan Shu felt downcast. She rarely had negative emotions. When she reached a bench, she tried negotiating with Huituichang: "Huituichang, can you keep Mama company and sit here for a bit?" Whether Huituichang understood or not, seeing Nan Shu point at the bench, its round black-grape eyes rolled once, and it pulled her toward the bench. Nan Shu curved her lips, coiled the leash, and sat down, gazing blankly at the lake. The lake breeze brushed across her cheeks, its gentle touch seeming to let her forget her worries, if only briefly. Huituichang obediently crouched at her feet, neither barking nor fussing. • "President Xie, there's an issue with the pet charity project you invested in." In the evening, as the sun set, the sky was dyed in shades of golden amber. A black Bentley drove smoothly along the city's main thoroughfare. In the back seat, Cheng Kai was reporting to Xie Zeyan. The man leaned against the seat with no expression, fatigue written plainly on his face. He showed no interest in speaking, his knuckles tapping lightly against the car window. Cheng Kai had worked alongside Xie Zeyan for years and understood what that gesture meant. After a brief pause, he continued his report. "Earlier, to expand the project's visibility, we invited a female celebrity to serve as ambassador for promotion. But... it turned out that celebrity had a long history of abusing cats and dogs." At the words "abusing cats and dogs," Xie Zeyan frowned. He lifted his eyes and said in a low voice, "The people below didn't know to run a background check?" His volume suddenly rose: "Is Mingyu really keeping this bunch of useless people?" Cheng Kai's spine went cold. "Yes, President Xie. The relevant useless people have already been dismissed." When Xie Zeyan had invested in this project, he was still abroad—out of sight, out of mind. The people below had indeed taken advantage of the project to line their own pockets. A charity project under Mingyu Investments was naturally different. Back then, many in the industry had their eyes on the title of "charity ambassador." It was a win-win—polishing one's image while securing direct collaboration with Mingyu. "Today they've already started looking for a new charity ambassador." Cheng Kai handed over the iPad. "Two talent agencies have expressed interest in cooperating. This time we did thorough background checks..." It wasn't until a familiar company name appeared that Xie Zeyan spoke: "Starlight Entertainment?" "Yes, this company..." Cheng Kai swiped the iPad to the next page, and a familiar face came into Xie Zeyan's view. "Fine." He responded, adding a rare extra remark: "The ambassador for a charity project isn't something that should go to whoever has the most fame." Cheng Kai naturally understood—what mattered more was who could truly live up to the title. "Yes, boss. Understood." The car had already left the main road. The setting sun was slowly sinking, gilding the lake's surface with a thin layer of gold, the water shimmering with ripples. The driver noticed that Xie Zeyan seemed somewhat interested in the scenery outside today, and with keen perceptiveness, slowed the car down. It was at that moment that the man's gaze landed on a familiar figure by the lakeshore. And the white fluffy ball beside her. The girl's silhouette was slender, as if a single gust of lake wind could blow her away. She leaned against the bench, the evening glow tracing the contours of her profile. The smile that usually lingered on her face had vanished without a trace. "Stop at the intersection up ahead." "Mr. Xie, you've been in cross-continental meetings all day. Why not head back and rest early?" Cheng Kai was worried about Xie Zeyan's health. His boss had only recently returned to the country, had just gotten over the jet lag, and there were all kinds of matters at the group waiting for him to handle these past two days. "No need." Xie Zeyan thought that perhaps something more important had already appeared before him. • The setting sun sank into the lake, and dusk faded away. Nan Shu leaned against the bench, eyes closed, head tilted slightly back, the noise around her gradually receding. Until the leash in her hand was tugged, and Huituichang let out two excited "woofs," spinning in circles on the spot. Nan Shu didn't open her eyes, speaking to Huituichang, "Be good." "Maybe he's seen someone familiar." Xie Zeyan's voice suddenly rang out, and Nan Shu's eyes flew open. A roguishly handsome face was right there before her, the lines of his features clean and distinct. She shot up from the bench with a start. Oh gosh, Xie Zeyan had just seen her from her worst angle. Nan Shu touched her chin with lingering unease and asked Xie Zeyan, "What are you doing here?" As she spoke, she took in the man before her. He had a black suit jacket casually draped over his arm, the top button of his white shirt undone, his tie loosely hanging—languid and effortless. "Did you just get off work?" With that outfit, he didn't look like he'd been walking someone's dog, nor like he'd come back from a bar. Could he have a third job? Xie Zeyan hummed in acknowledgment, leaning his body slightly forward until their eyes were level. He tilted his head, his deep pupils like ink that had been soaked in darkness. "In a bad mood?" Nan Shu's fingers curled slightly, her gaze darting away, but she didn't deny it. "Just a little." Huituichang pounced toward Xie Zeyan, the leash nearly slipping from Nan Shu's grasp. Xie Zeyan stroked the dog's fur, then lifted his gaze. "He seems to want to take a walk around the lake." "Should I take him?" He paused for a second. "Or would you like to come along?" Nan Shu blinked. "Sure, let's go together! But will it take up your time?" Xie Zeyan took the leash from her hand, a faint smile curving at his lips. "No." The two walked side by side along the lake, passing other couples out for a stroll. In comparison, they clearly looked unfamiliar with each other, a faint awkwardness lingering between them. Yet that feeling didn't make her uncomfortable. The evening breeze brushed past, and their arms accidentally touched, only to quickly separate. Xie Zeyan was the first to break the silence. "Did something troubling happen?" Nan Shu had originally wanted to complain about the housing situation. But on second thought, whose adult life wasn't a mess of scattered feathers? So she shook her head. "No, I just suddenly felt a bit down." Xie Zeyan said nothing, and the two walked on in silence for a stretch. Finally, they reached the entrance of a convenience store, and when they were almost at the entrance to Nan Shu's residential complex, Xie Zeyan suddenly stopped and spoke. "I'm sorry." Nan Shu turned around. The pale yellow streetlight gently enveloped the man, the frost-like sharpness he usually carried fading away. Her eyes curved into crescents—Liang Jiayi had once said her eyes looked like crescent moons when she smiled. "Xie Zeyan, why are you suddenly apologizing?" The light stretched the man's shadow long, overlapping and intertwining with hers. He said, "Because it seems I have no way to make you happier."