**34**

Ning Zhi took the old-fashioned phone and walked to the edge of the greenbelt, finding a clean spot to sit down.

The rest of the crew were packing up and getting ready to leave, while a crowd of passersby curious about the commotion and fans who had heard the news gathered around the perimeter.

The spot where Ning Zhi sat was a dim corner, with a row of trees in front of her, shielding her from being photographed.

She slumped her shoulders weakly.

The call with Ruan Yinmeng just now was originally recorded by herself; the phone wasn’t actually dialed out, it was recorded into the air.

However, she couldn’t get the rhythm right, and after messing up twice, Shen Yizhi told her, “Dial my number.”

She accompanied her with her voice and got the scene right.

When editing later, they should include the scenes of Shen Yizhi at the hospital.

Chi Sheng was awakened by Ruan Yinmeng’s staying out all night and realized what Ruan Yinmeng needed most, and what was most crucial for them to be together.

She thought Ruan Yinmeng was out accompanying a guest and didn’t dare to ask. In fact, Ruan Yinmeng refused the guest for her sake, got her stomach hurt by strong liquor, was sent to the hospital by ambulance, and was lying in the ward.

This part of the hospital bed scene hasn’t been filmed yet, so it’s unclear how Shen Yizhi will interpret it.

Ning Zhi sat up straight at the thought of Shen Yizhi, looking up to search for her figure.

Shen Yizhi has been acting strange these past two days; she hasn’t been talking to her much.

It almost sounds like they were very close and chatted a lot, but Ning Zhi could clearly feel Shen Yizhi’s avoidance.

However, if she said this to the other members of the crew, most would probably say she was overthinking it. Shen Yizhi was clearly poised and natural in her speech and behavior.

When their eyes met, she would not look away.

When she encountered difficulties, she would take the initiative to help.

They had been filming on location these past few days, and she even gave her a box of heat-relief medicine.

Ke Ningzhi still felt that Shen Yizhi had become much more distant. If she had to describe it, it would be that the current Shen Yizhi probably wouldn’t press her hand to her forehead to check her temperature anymore.

She didn’t know what was wrong; no matter how hard Ningzhi thought, she couldn’t recall where she had offended her.

She saw Shen Yizhi was about to leave. After taking a couple of steps, Shen Yizhi turned back as if looking for something, and then saw Ningzhi sitting in the corner.

Night had completely fallen, and the surroundings were dim. From a distance of more than ten meters, they couldn’t see each other’s expressions clearly. Ningzhi only saw Shen Yizhi look over here for a moment before turning and walking away.

Ning Zhi stared at her back. Shen Yizhi took a few steps forward, then turned her head and saw Ning Zhi still sitting in the dark little corner, staring at her like a stray dog eagerly waiting to be adopted.

Her heart softened, and she still walked back.

Ning Zhi felt deeply torn. She wanted Shen Yizhi to look at her more, to pay attention to her, to talk to her more, but when Shen Yizhi approached her as she wished, she became so nervous that she wanted to run away.

And when Shen Yizhi really stood in front of her, so close that they could smell each other’s scent, the nervousness intensified to its peak, yet in the midst of her pounding heart, she hoped Shen Yizhi would stay by her side forever and go nowhere.

She tilted her head back and looked at Shen Yizhi, who had walked up to her.

“What are you hiding in the corner for?” Shen Yizhi looked down at her.

Ning Zhi blinked and met her gaze. After a few seconds, just as Shen Yizhi began to wonder if she had misunderstood, Ning Zhi, who didn’t want her to come over, finally said, “Can you sit down?”

After speaking, without waiting for Shen Yizhi to refuse, she took a tissue from her pocket and carefully wiped the spot beside her, then unfolded two tissues and layered them on top.

“I cleaned it,” Ning Zhi said, looking up. “Can you sit with me for a while?”

Shen Yizhi sat down gracefully.

The greenery strip was low, so when Shen Yizhi sat down, her legs bent, looking somewhat awkward. She adjusted her skirt, and after a moment, she regained her usual poised and elegant demeanor.

Ning Zhi smiled with pursed lips.

Shen Yizhi glanced at her lightly and smiled as well.

“Can you speak now? What are you hiding here for?” Shen Yizhi asked.

Ning Zhi said, “Just calming down, thinking about how you’ll perform at tomorrow’s event.”

To actually be thinking about this, Shen Yizhi found it somewhat amusing, yet also very helpless. She jokingly asked, “Do you like Ruan Yinmeng that much?”

Ning Zhi candidly admitted, “Yes, I really like her.”

She didn’t look at Shen Yizhi, so she didn’t notice the helplessness in Shen Yizhi’s eyes.

“Don’t you like Chi Sheng?” she asked.

Shen Yizhi replied, “Once the camera is off, the feeling disappears.”

Ning Zhi puffed out his cheeks, somewhat dissatisfied: “You really are quite calm. Haven’t you ever gotten deeply into a role?”

Shen Yizhi said, “Often, but with this one, I’ll try my best to separate the drama from reality. I won’t treat you like anyone else.”

Ning Zhi suspected she was being implied at, but now she couldn’t afford to be angry. She just felt regretful—Shen Yizhi was so calm, so they wouldn’t even have the chance to fall for each other through acting.

It was ridiculous how she seemed to love Shen Yizhi wholeheartedly from every angle.

“Fine.” Ning Zhi gave up completely, forcefully pulling a blade of grass, pinching it in her hand and rubbing it, “You really don’t seem like the type who would like someone like Chi Sheng.”

Shen Yizhi didn’t expect her to come to such a conclusion and asked in confusion, “Why?”

“You should like someone more reserved,” Ning Zhi pondered and described, “someone about your age, more mature, not so sensitive, and very successful in their career.”

Ning Zhi was describing an image completely opposite to herself. This was something she had thought about countless times—what kind of person Shen Yizhi would like, and it should be someone like that.

Shen Yizhi’s expression grew increasingly strange. She asked, “Who told you I like men?”

Ning Zhi was taken aback by her question for a moment, then replied, “You said it yourself. I asked you before, don’t you remember?”

But that was seven or eight years ago, Shen Yizhi definitely wouldn’t remember. Ning Zhi helped her recall: “Once I called you and said that two girls in our class were together, and I also asked whether you liked boys or girls. You said you liked boys.”

She smiled as she spoke, her eyes curved: “Actually, I lied to you. There are no girls together in our class at all; I made it up. But I didn’t make it up to test your orientation. I just wanted to know your attitude towards two girls being together. Asking about orientation was just a spur-of-the-moment thing—I couldn’t help myself.”

In the end, it would have been better not to ask at all.

She lowered her head and broke the innocent blade of grass into several pieces, crushed it into a ball, and forcefully threw it back into the grass pile.

“I don’t like men,” Shen Yizhi said.

Ning Zhi was startled and looked at her. There was undisguised surprise in her eyes. Shen Yizhi let her look and said, “I’m the same as you.”

Ning Zhi almost didn’t know what expression to have about this matter. She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.

It wasn’t until nearly a minute later that she calmed down and realized there was a huge difference between Shen Yizhi liking girls and Shen Yizhi liking her.

“Oh, then I have to congratulate your future girlfriend first,” Ning Zhi said coldly.

After saying that, she felt utterly sour inside.

She plucked another blade of grass, pinching it tightly in her hand.

Shen Yizhi was momentarily taken aback by her, fell silent for a moment, then stood up, tidied the tissues, and said, “Let’s go back.”

She was truly calm. Ning Zhi suddenly felt a surge of dissatisfaction. She stood up and faced Shen Yizhi, speaking each word deliberately: “You’re so calm, but you don’t know if having someone you like might make you lose control. Most likely not, but maybe the person you like doesn’t even feel your affection.”

Meilan had said similar things before. At that time, Shen Yizhi felt nothing at all. If he had to say, he just thought Meilan was gossiping and boring.

But now hearing Ning Zhi say it, Shen Yizhi felt these words like sharp knives stabbing her heart.

She looked at Ning Zhi and her voice softened: “Ning Ning, I’m not calm. That day, when I heard your grandmother was hospitalized, I bought the nearest flight back. When I got off the plane, I was so anxious that I almost tripped and fell. I have moments when I’m very worried too.”

Ning Zhi felt guilty after hearing her words. That day, Shen Yizhi had indeed rushed over as quickly as possible. Ning Zhi cared about her schedule and knew she was filming a public service advertisement in a very remote location.

“If the person I like can’t even feel my affection, then it’s my fault; I didn’t do well enough. But Ning Ning, liking someone isn’t about expressing it uncontrollably. I treat her well, care for her, help her, and show up when she needs me. Isn’t that enough?”

Shen Yizhi looked into Ning Zhi’s eyes. Ning Zhi clenched the blade of grass in her hand and said nonchalantly, “Of course it is. Everyone has their own way. As long as the person you like accepts it, you don’t have to tell me.”

Shen Yizhi was so angry she couldn’t speak. She nodded and turned to leave.

Ning Zhi followed behind her, feeling as sour and jealous as if he had eaten an entire lemon tree.

Being good to her, caring for her, helping her, appearing when she needed it—who could be so lucky as to receive such thoughtful affection from Shen Yizhi?

He hoped this person would appear later, so that he would still have a reason to occasionally talk to Shen Yizhi like he did now.

She followed Shen Yizhi all the way, walking with her to the place where the car was parked. Ning Zhi looked at her thin back.

The scene before her suddenly overlapped with an evening many years ago.

That day, she had done something wrong that made Shen Yizhi angry. Shen Yizhi walked ahead carrying her schoolbag, ignoring her. She didn’t dare to speak and silently followed behind her.

Just like now.

But that time, she hadn’t followed for long before Shen Yizhi looked back at her, reaching out her hand. She hurried over, grabbed her hand, and asked with a big smile, “Shen Yizhi, you’re not mad anymore?”

Shen Yizhi glanced at her but said nothing, letting her hold her hand.

She smiled proudly, full of confidence, and said, “I knew you couldn’t possibly be mad at me. You definitely forgave me right away.”

Shen Yizhi grasped her hand in return, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes, but he said, “You talk too much.”

But now, she no longer had that kind of confidence.

Walking to the car, Shen Yizhi stopped.

Ning Zhi thought she was going to open the car door and was about to walk over to her own car, but Shen Yizhi turned around, the scene completely overlapping with Ning Zhi’s memories. Ning Zhi was momentarily dazed and walked toward her.

Seeing the white dust smeared on her knee from who knows where, Shen Yizhi bent down to brush it off for her. Ning Zhi had barely managed to keep herself rooted in place, not stepping back.

After the dust was brushed clean, Shen Yizhi stood up straight. She was still quite upset, but she couldn’t really argue with Ning Zhi.

“Go to bed early, see you tomorrow,” she said.

Ning Zhi replied, “See you tomorrow.”

Shen Yizhi got into the car and closed the door.

Ning Zhi walked forward, the thought that had just surfaced began to waver.

He hoped the person Shen Yizhi liked would appear a little later, but not too late, so she wouldn’t have to wait too long.

For the next few shots, Ning Zhi watched from the side the entire time. The emotions Shen Yizhi portrayed were so profound it felt as if she could lead the audience into an abyss.

Ruan Yinmeng pressed the phone to her ear, listening to Chi Sheng’s words on the other end, a slight smile curling at the corners of her lips.

After the call ended, her hand relaxed, and the phone slipped down onto the hospital bed.

Her eyes never opened from beginning to end; her pale face showed a calmness that seemed never to waver, but those who looked closely could see the soul struggling beneath that calm.

Chi Sheng returned home, and her grandmother, seeing her drenched in sweat, urged her to take a shower quickly: “Where have you been all day? You look like a muddy monkey.”

Chisheng obediently finished bathing, and Grandma tidied up the clothes she had taken off. Suddenly remembering something, she asked, “You’re missing two sets of old clothes. Did you lose them during your last sketching trip?”

Chisheng immediately felt guilty but pretended to be casual and followed Grandma’s words, saying, “Yeah, I left them in the countryside.”

“Always so forgetful,” Grandma scolded.

Chisheng smiled and slipped into her bedroom. She let out a long sigh, then smiled again. She was still very happy about finding a job.

But the tutoring classes are all in the evening, so she can still find another job during the day.

But if she finds another job during the day, she won’t have time to be with Ruan Yinmeng.

The first time feeling moved, and at such a passionate age, it’s inevitable to want to stick close to the person you like.

Chi Sheng was troubled for a while, but she also knew that just sticking together was useless; if they only stuck together and did nothing, she and Ruan Yinmeng would break up sooner or later.

Still need to find another job, saving more money is the key.

Chi Sheng decided to continue looking tomorrow during the day.

She spent another whole day out again, but this time her luck wasn’t as good; she came back empty-handed. However, in the evening at the tutoring class, she did very well. Her drawing skills were solid, she knew how to focus on key points, and she was very good at comforting children.

The boss listened to a class and was even more satisfied than during yesterday’s interview, planning to sign a long-term contract with her. Chi Sheng could only apologize, saying she had just over a month before she had to go to university.

This was something that gave a sense of accomplishment, easing the frustration of an unsuccessful job search during the day.

On the third day, Chi Sheng continued looking. In the afternoon, Ruan Yinmeng told her that she had gone home. Chi Sheng still wanted to see her and hurried home.

The door of Ruan Yinmeng’s house was ajar, as if she had known she would come.

Chi Sheng rushed in and, seeing her, hugged her tightly.

“It’s only been two days since we last met…” Ruan Yinmeng, held by her, touched the sweat on her forehead and wiped it clean.

Chi Sheng immediately remembered that she didn’t like being dirty, so he quickly let go: “I’ll go wash up.”

After saying that, his gaze shifted to Ruan Yinmeng’s face. Chi Sheng was stunned for a moment and asked, “Why does your face look so bad?”