Wen Xi usually returned home quite late; sometimes she would stay at school to self-study for a while.
Because the house her parents had left behind was somewhat old, the soundproofing was poor, and the sounds of children running upstairs would drift down from time to time. It was fine when she was drawing, as she could find peace in her art, but her studies were easily affected.
Autumn had arrived, and in this southern coastal city, night fell quickly. Wen Xi stepped out of the school gates just twenty minutes before they closed. The sun had already begun to set, staining a vast expanse of clouds in the west a deep crimson.
Shen Yu, with her bag slung over one shoulder, was hiding under the staircase, scrolling through her phone out of boredom.
In those days, a streak of rebellious teenage spirit was still hidden deep in Shen Yu’s bones. No matter how well-behaved she appeared on the surface, she would still secretly carry a phone.
Wen Xi walked downstairs as usual, but on this day, she was caught off guard by someone calling her name.
“Wen Xi?” Shen Yu came out to look after hearing footsteps, finally having waited for her person. “I didn’t get the name wrong, did I?”
Wen Xi’s reaction was the same as when she first met Shen Yu, she was still standing with her back to her.
Once Wen Xi realized it was Shen Yu, she stood as stiffly and properly as a child seeing their teacher.
“It is Wen Xi!” Wen Xi clutched the hem of her clothes nervously with both hands, asking boldly, “Are you… waiting for me?”
“Yes,” Shen Yu smiled. The aura around her softened, making her seem approachable. “Because I felt like you were looking for me?”
Wen Xi’s eyes widened slightly. “So, you saw me today?”
Shen Yu asked in confusion, “I recall we made eye contact?”
“Yes, yes,” Wen Xi’s palms were sweating from nerves. “We did make eye contact.”
Wen Xi’s heart was beating so fast; it was the first time she realized a heart could race like a professional sprinter.
Wen Xi truly hadn’t expected that with so many people between them at the time, Shen Yu was actually looking at her.
So, there really could be a day when she was favored by the goddess of luck.
“I wanted to say thank you.” Wen Xi stood before Shen Yu, tilting her head slightly to look at her. “After you spoke to the principal, they stopped bullying me.”
“No need for thanks, I didn’t do much.” Shen Yu tilted her chin up, gesturing for Wen Xi to look at the sky outside. “But we have to get out of the school gates; the security guard is coming over soon.”
Hearing this, Wen Xi smiled and jogged to keep up with her.
“It’s so late today, I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”
“It’s fine. Only my younger brother is at home; there’s nothing for me to do even if I go back.”
At that time, Shen Yu hadn’t yet moved out to rent her own place and lived with her family. Unfortunately, that massive villa didn’t have the slightest scent of a “home.”
They walked home together that day, and Wen Xi hadn’t expected that Shen Yu lived in the same direction. In the end, Wen Xi even plucked up the courage to ask for Shen Yu’s contact information.
Shen Yu was from a wealthy family, but she was very different from the others. Wen Xi wanted to get to know her.
Later, on an accidental occasion, Wen Xi saw Shen Yu holding a box of pastries. She secretly noted the name of the pastry and learned how to make a budget-friendly homemade version.
That was the first time she had ever made pastries. She failed several times, but fortunately, she finally produced a version that was presentable.
She packaged the pastries and arranged a meeting with Shen Yu. It was a surprise; she remembered that Shen Yu was very happy when she received them and praised her for being skillful.
Wen Xi’s life had been almost entirely devoid of light. Her family ties were thin, and she was all alone in her empty house.
But then Shen Yu appeared. They were clearly unrelated, yet Shen Yu had reached out to help her once.
At that time, Wen Xi didn’t understand the concept of love at first sight; she only felt that this person, Shen Yu, was wonderful no matter how she looked at her.
And so, later on, she couldn’t bear to let Shen Yu stand at the peak of public scrutiny…
Wen Xi’s consciousness was sinking, yet it also felt as if she were floating atop the clouds, unable to find solid ground.
She seemed to hear Shen Yu’s voice, but reality and dreams overlapped so heavily that she couldn’t tell which era’s Shen Yu was speaking.
“Boss… Boss!” A long time seemed to have passed. This voice… was it Pu Tao?
Wen Xi frowned and forced her eyes open. Her head throbbed with a bloated pain, and her vision was a blur.
Seeing Wen Xi open her eyes, Pu Tao hurried to ask, “Boss, how are you feeling?”
Wen Xi could see several people standing in front of her. She couldn’t recognize them, but she could distinguish Pu Tao’s voice and figure out where she was. She grabbed Pu Tao’s hand and spoke with difficulty: “Pu Tao… I’m fine, I’m just a bit sleepy. Tell everyone to leave first, don’t let… find out…”
Having finished this sentence, Wen Xi couldn’t hold on any longer and fell back asleep.
She felt like she was on a bed now; Pu Tao must have carried her onto it.
Because Pu Tao was close, she had leaned down when Wen Xi spoke and heard clearly that Wen Xi said “don’t let who find out.” She froze for a moment, then straightened up to look at Shen Yu, who was standing to the side, and said cautiously, “Teacher Shen Yu… my boss should be fine now. She might just be too tired.”
The story goes back to about ten minutes ago. It was nearly five o’clock, and Pu Tao’s messages to Wen Xi remained unanswered. The phone calls wouldn’t go through, and the door wouldn’t open. Consequently, after confirming with the hotel that Wen Xi had entered her room, Pu Tao asked the staff for a spare key card, fearing an accident. The staff accompanied Pu Tao to open the door.
It happened to be dinner time, so more or less everyone on that floor noticed the commotion. Wen Xi’s other employees had also gathered at her door.
Ke Han had heard the noise when Pu Tao was knocking and immediately sent a message to Shen Yu.
At that moment, Shen Yu had just returned from scouting locations with the crew. She received the message while in the hotel lobby and happened to run into Pu Tao and the hotel staff while waiting for the elevator.
Shen Yu’s expression was dark. “What do you mean, she won’t open the door?”
Pu Tao was also anxious. “It’s just… she won’t reply to messages, and the phone won’t go through…”
Shen Yu let out a soft breath. As soon as the elevator arrived, she took the new key card and was the first to step out and open the door.
When she entered the room and saw Wen Xi sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed, her breath hitched for an instant.
Shen Yu practically ran over. It wasn’t until she touched the body that still held warmth that she realized she had broken into a cold sweat.
Shen Yu carefully lifted Wen Xi onto the bed. Throughout the process, Wen Xi didn’t react at all. She gently shook Wen Xi, calling her name.
Shortly after, Pu Tao and the others entered. Seeing that Wen Xi was alright, Pu Tao dispersed the crowd.
Shen Yu’s face was cold as she asked, “What is going on with her?”
Pu Tao walked over and felt Wen Xi’s hand, letting out a long sigh of relief. “She should be fine. It’s likely she took some medicine and is having some side effects.”
What happened next was Wen Xi waking up and immediately telling Pu Tao not to let Shen Yu know.
Pu Tao didn’t know why Wen Xi said that, but she knew that if Wen Xi said it, there must be a reason.
Shen Yu stood in place without speaking.
Instead, the hotel staff, sensing the freezing atmosphere, said a few polite words and left first.
Pu Tao scratched her head and said softly, “Maybe we should go out to talk and let the boss get some proper rest.”
“Fine.” Shen Yu gave Wen Xi a deep look before turning to leave.
Pu Tao couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. She tucked Wen Xi in and followed right behind Shen Yu.
As soon as Pu Tao stepped out, she saw Shen Yu leaning against the wall with her head lowered, her expression unreadable.
For some reason, Pu Tao felt a bit nervous.
Clearly, Wen Xi and Shen Yu didn’t have much of a relationship. Could it be that after a single lunch, their feelings had skyrocketed?
Pu Tao had seen plenty of big stars before and didn’t usually feel nervous facing Shen Yu.
Shen Yu spoke flatly: “What’s the situation?”
Pu Tao wasn’t clear on the relationship between the two and answered vaguely, “She’s probably just too tired. The boss hasn’t rested well these past few days.”
“Hasn’t rested well?” Shen Yu let out a short laugh. “Does this look like someone who just hasn’t rested well?”
Shen Yu exhaled softly. She had been frantic a moment ago, and her racing heart hadn’t settled yet.
Wen Xi’s state really didn’t look like simple exhaustion, she hadn’t reacted even after being called for so long.
“The boss is just like this. It’s happened before. She’ll be fine after some rest,” Pu Tao explained, biting the bullet.
“…It’s happened before?” Shen Yu frowned, but seeing that Pu Tao wasn’t going to tell her much more, she said, “Forget it. Go back and take care of her.”
Pu Tao stood there watching Shen Yu leave, feeling hesitant to speak. She felt Shen Yu’s attitude was a bit strange.
Last time was the same; ever since they met at the event, Wen Xi’s state would become abnormal whenever Shen Yu was mentioned.
Pu Tao thought for a moment and then shook her head. She couldn’t figure it out. If the boss wanted to tell her, she would.
Upon returning to her hotel room, Shen Yu dialed her private doctor’s number.
The private doctor was a woman named Mu Qing, who had a very bold and straightforward personality. “Fell asleep and couldn’t be woken up? What were the circumstances?”
Shen Yu gave a brief description.
“Hmm, if you’re worried, you can take her to the hospital for a check-up. But you said her friend was very nervous when they couldn’t see her, yet relaxed as soon as they did, and said it wasn’t the first time,” Mu Qing analyzed for Shen Yu. “It doesn’t sound like a physical issue. Somnolence and clouded consciousness can also be caused by medication side effects.”
Medication side effects…
Shen Yu gritted her teeth. “Alright, I understand. Thanks.”
After hanging up, Shen Yu tossed her phone aside.
She had originally thought that ten years would be enough to let her find closure, to accept the reality of her breakup with Wen Xi, and to adapt to a life alone.
But after reuniting, she discovered things weren’t that simple at all.
She couldn’t accept that she was standing right in front of Wen Xi while Wen Xi looked right through her. She couldn’t accept Wen Xi’s tight-lipped silence, saying nothing at all…
And she herself knew nothing, having truly become an outsider.
On the other side, Pu Tao returned to Wen Xi’s room and ordered a bowl of savory congee for her.
She looked at Wen Xi’s suitcase and sighed, muttering, “At a time like this, why would she suddenly take medicine?”
In the last two years, since her condition had stabilized, Wen Xi wouldn’t choose to take medicine during periods of high-intensity work unless… she had lost control of her emotions.
Pu Tao looked at Wen Xi with concern, pursed her lips, and sat on the sofa to wait for her to wake up.
Pu Tao didn’t want to make a scene, but she had been truly panicked earlier. Even when Wen Xi had taken medicine and fallen asleep in the past, she wouldn’t be so unreachable by phone.
Pu Tao felt like she was dreaming back to when she first started following Wen Xi. Back then, it was Yu Qiao who had scouted her. The salary was very high, but she had also clearly explained Wen Xi’s mental state.
At that time, there were a few instances where Wen Xi had locked herself in and wouldn’t open the door. She had been terrified. When the door finally opened, what appeared was Wen Xi’s deathly pale face.
Pu Tao closed her eyes and let out a soft breath.
She didn’t know Wen Xi’s past. She didn’t know how the injury on Wen Xi’s right hand had happened. She had never asked proactively, feeling it was a past that would only make Wen Xi sad.
It was just… Wen Xi was so good. At the very least, Pu Tao wouldn’t let anything happen to her on her watch.
The hotel booked by the crew was the best one in the film city. It was fully equipped, even with microwaves and such.
So, when Wen Xi woke up an hour later, the savory congee she received was still warm.
“Boss…” Pu Tao stood beside Wen Xi, not daring to make a sound.
“It’s okay,” Wen Xi said with a weak smile. “I know you were worried about me.”
“It’s just that…” Pu Tao said cautiously, “When the door opened just now, Teacher Shen Yu was actually right beside me…”
“…” Wen Xi paused. “Did she say anything?”
“She asked me what happened to you,” Pu Tao chuckled nervously. “But I didn’t say anything!”
“Good, it’s fine,” Wen Xi nodded, repeating, “It’s no big deal.”
“It’s late. You should go back and rest first.”
Pu Tao looked at her with concern. “Boss…”
“I feel much better after that nap,” Wen Xi forced a smile. “I’ll play on my phone for a bit, take another nap, and everything will be fine tomorrow.”
“Then make sure you get out of bed and walk around in a bit. Lying down for too long will make you dizzy,” Pu Tao nagged gently before leaving.
Wen Xi nodded. “Okay.”
Once Pu Tao left and the surroundings fell silent, she put down the congee after only a few bites.
She pulled her knees to her chest on the bed and let out a deep sigh.
What a total mess.