In the afternoon, everyone was still at the retirement community. Xia Weige was supposed to meet up with the others to go to the activity room, but she continued to follow Wang Ning to help with miscellaneous tasks.
Wang Ning’s work was very heavy throughout the day. There were many sick elderly people, and she had to wash clothes and care for those who couldn’t get out of bed.
Because the community was short-handed, Wang Ning was constantly busy with barely any time to rest, so Xia Weige followed her and helped out.
Xia Weige understood the director’s reason for choosing to film here. He wanted to use the camera behind him to record the most authentic look of the retirement community, and even more, to let the livestream audience and more people pay attention to and help the elderly here.
While some things could be shown in the activity room where everyone gathered, following Wang Ning allowed her to see more.
Xia Weige wasn’t just following to record; she did whatever Wang Ning did.
Fans in the livestream watched her hand-wash clothes, clean, and even help wash the elderly residents’ bodies, expressing their surprise.
After all, she had maintained a “fairy sister” persona since her debut and was the cherished maknae (youngest) doted on by the older members in her audition group.
Although her image has been shifting towards a more mature direction in recent years, most people’s impression of her remained that of the “fairy sister.”
However, some people didn’t believe her actions.
【It’s fake, come on, does anyone really believe Xia Weige would do this? Is she just putting on a show for the cameras?】
【Isn’t this a live broadcast? How can she fake it?】
【Just pretending for the cameras, she has to put on a show for her fans. It’s a gig worth tens of millions; can’t she keep up the act for a week?】
【The comment before is so funny, why aren’t the others pretending then?】
【The others aren’t as hypocritical as Xia Weige, she’s deliberately trying to build a reputation here.】
【Speaking of Xia Weige being hypocritical, haven’t you seen the news leaked on a certain forum? Is it not that popular?】
【What leak? Details!】
【A certain A-list actress with the surname X is rumored to have never returned home since her debut and barely contacts her parents. She didn’t even go home to care for her seriously ill father, while simultaneously taking on variety shows.】
【Huh? That’s practically calling out Xia Weige by name.】
【I just went to check and came back, it’s really something. The original poster is still leaking, saying that Xia Weige and this Wen Rong were in a sugar-baby relationship at the time, and Xia Weige was the one being kept.】
【Holy crap, who was keeping whom? What’s the deal with this Wen Rong?】
【They broke up seven years ago. Counting the time, Xia Weige was participating in the audition show then. Wow, she was being kept during the audition show. No wonder she was able to debut.】
The bullet screen in the livestream was flooded, almost entirely discussing the leaks about Xia Weige on the certain forum. The heat was rising, but it wasn’t what the director wanted to see.
Director Wang, with a faint stubble that might have been due to neglect or a deliberate attempt at a unique style, and wearing black-rimmed glasses, sat in front of the camera with a deep frown.
“Contact Xia Weige’s manager,” he turned and instructed his associate director, furrowing his brow.
Director Wang watched Xia Weige on the video feed, helping an elderly person with limited mobility wash their hands and feet. Her lips curled into a smile. She chatted with the elder while concentrating on her task.
She had been busy since the morning and hadn’t complained of tiredness once.
Director Wang didn’t actually dislike Xia Weige; instead, he was quite impressed by this idol.
She quickly understood what he wanted to film and the message he wanted to convey, and she physically helped to achieve it.
But he didn’t want the discussion about the show to be solely focused on the leaks about Xia Weige and the endless arguments on the bullet screen.
He watched Xia Weige half-squatting by the bed, grooming the elder’s hair. The subtle light in her lowered eyes was a tenderness that anyone could sense through the screen.
Xia Weige clearly remembered the elder’s name, having briefly seen them in the morning when delivering medicine.
The elder had given her a piece of candy. She had already eaten it before lunch; it tasted sweet and sour.
Now, the elder lay in bed, looking at her with a loving expression, and gave her another piece of candy.
Xia Weige accepted it and ate it under the elder’s gaze. It was still sweet and sour.
She smiled and narrowed her eyes, her face completely relaxed, overflowing with the purest joy.
Director Wang stared at the screen and sighed softly. The entertainment industry was a big dye vat. He used to only film public service announcements and didn’t have much contact with those in the circle. But how could someone in Xia Weige’s position be pure?
…
Xia Weige was busy until past six o’clock, but there was still a lot to do. The production team urged her, saying everyone was leaving together.
She turned to look at Wang Ning next to her, then came back to her senses and nodded, indicating she understood.
She was truly exhausted today. Although being an artist was also busy, it was far easier than staying here.
Although she faced the elderly with cheerfulness, the oppressive feeling of helpless sorrow would weigh on her once she turned away.
Xia Weige sat on the bus, looking through the window at the rusted iron gate of the retirement community deep in the alley. Wang Ning and Grandma Wu were standing at the entrance, seeing them off.
Xia Weige could no longer clearly see their expressions, but a cloud of gloom persisted in her heart.
The bus gradually pulled away, and the scenery outside the window began to reflect the city’s prosperity.
Xia Weige half-closed her eyes until the retirement community completely disappeared from sight.
That place felt like a different world.
She was so tired that she slowly drifted off to sleep with the rocking of the bus.
When Xia Weige woke up again, she found Wen Rong sitting next to her.
The last of the city’s twilight was slowly fading, and the scenery outside the car window was dissolving before her like a zoumǎdēng (a revolving lantern).
She turned to look at Wen Rong, not speaking.
They had parted on bad terms at noon, or perhaps it was her one-sided displeasure. Wen Rong probably felt nothing.
Xia Weige gazed at Wen Rong’s features, not flinching, just focusing her gaze, and suddenly realized that Wen Rong had changed quite a bit.
Her features were more defined, her eyebrows and eyes more mature, and the subtle trace of youthful innocence beneath the gentleness seven years ago was gone.
And there was a barely noticeable yet undeniable inaccessibility, the kind that comes from not being the favored one.
Xia Weige tilted her head and gave a self-deprecating laugh. It took her seven years after they broke up to notice this.
Her laugh immediately caught the attention of Wen Rong next to her, who turned her head and met her eyes.
Xia Weige still didn’t flinch, meeting Wen Rong’s placid gaze, and still didn’t speak.
It was Wen Rong who first looked away, staring at Xia Weige’s ankle, and slightly pursed her lips.
Then she took out a box of ointment from her pocket and handed it to Xia Weige, “Don’t always ignore minor injuries. Apply the ointment after you wash up tonight.”
Xia Weige didn’t take it, staring at the ointment, and her heart recalled the self-deception with the glasses again.
Wen Rong was always like this.
She had never thought before that the other party’s gentleness could make her sad.
Xia Weige closed her eyes. She was truly tired today.
She didn’t want to tolerate anything more, and a stubbornness arose in her heart.
She reached out and took the ointment. When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was fervent, fixed on Wen Rong, “Sister, then help me tonight.”
As she spoke, she grabbed Wen Rong’s wrist and put the ointment back into her hand.
Wen Rong looked at her with a gentle gaze. After a long moment, she put the ointment back into her coat pocket and replied warmly, “Okay.”
The bus drove all the way back to the cottage. After dinner, Director Wang did not arrange any more activities, only instructing them to return to their rooms and exchange text messages.
Xia Weige still sent hers to Wen Rong.
She leaned on the chair and typed the message she was sending to Wen Rong, then, filled with anticipation, waited for the reply that she didn’t know would come tonight.
This took only a few minutes. Xia Weige rested her forehead on the back of the chair, subconsciously starting to count.
She felt her heartbeat slowing down in her chest, and time seemed so long.
“Ding dong.”
Xia Weige suddenly lifted her head.
This time, she received a text message from Wen Rong.
【Come and call me after you’ve washed up.】