A Washed-up Movie Queen's Divorce Strategy [Rebirth] - Chapter 28

Ji Chenli woke from her coma to find herself surrounded by darkness. She was huddled in a cramped space; when the ceiling collapsed, it had formed a triangular void less than half a meter high against the corner of the wall. Ji Chenli’s foot was pinned under concrete debris, and she had several scrapes on her body, but fortunately, no vital areas were injured, and there was no immediate threat to her life.

The first thing she did upon waking was feel around her surroundings. She remembered bringing half a bottle of water. After groping around, she finally found a flattened plastic bottle. Pulling it out with difficulty, she saw it was leaking severely; only a few mouthfuls remained.

Ji Chenli moved the stones off her leg and pushed hard against the slabs above her, attempting to shift them. In the darkness, a voice very close to her hissed, “Don’t move!”

Ji Chenli froze. Following the direction of the voice, she asked tentatively, “Han Xinyuan?”

As soon as she spoke, a beam of light hit her directly in the eyes. It was the glow of a mobile phone screen, set to minimum brightness, but having been in the dark for so long, Ji Chenli still needed a moment to adjust.

Using the faint light to see Han Xinyuan, Ji Chenli gasped in horror: “Your arm!”

Han Xinyuan was huddled side-by-side with Ji Chenli in this small corner, the width between their shoulders less than five centimeters. Ji Chenli could smell a distinct scent of blood coming from her. Han Xinyuan held the phone in her right hand, while her entire left arm was soaked in blood, the flesh torn open as if the white bone beneath might be visible at any moment. Even in the dim, yellowish light of the phone, the sight made Ji Chenli’s scalp crawl.

Han Xinyuan herself seemed relatively indifferent. She glanced at it and let out a soft chuckle. “They say ‘if you survive a great disaster, there will be blessings later.’ In an earthquake this big, being alive is good enough.”

At the mention of the earthquake, Ji Chenli fell into deep thought.

This was an experience almost identical to her previous life. Because of an earthquake, she and Han Xinyuan had been buried in ruins for two days and nights before being dug out.

But that earthquake was supposed to happen in the latter half of the year. Back then, Ji Chenli was the newly crowned Movie Queen, and Ming Lang had used her momentum to make her play a supporting role to Han Xinyuan. They had lived together for over two months in a small mountain village in the Southwest. During the filming of the final scene, the earthquake struck, burying both Ji Chenli and Han Xinyuan; neither had escaped.

Ji Chenli had always planned to simply avoid that specific day, but she hadn’t expected everything in this timeline to shift. All the disasters were replaying themselves unexpectedly, making them completely unavoidable.

Even the details were strikingly similar. In the previous life’s earthquake, Han Xinyuan’s arm had also been injured—quite severely, as it turned out. She went through rehabilitation afterward, but she never regained the dexterity she had before the injury.

Thinking of this, Ji Chenli tore a long strip of cloth from her old T-shirt. Her movements suggested she intended to bandage Han Xinyuan, but the moment she touched Han Xinyuan’s arm, the other woman instinctively pulled back. “What are you doing?”

“Your arm,” Ji Chenli explained. “We can’t just leave it. At least we need to stop the bleeding.”

Han Xinyuan remained wary. Ji Chenli said patiently, “There are only two of us here. If you die next to me, I won’t be able to explain it. Rest assured, I won’t hurt you.”

Only then did Han Xinyuan tentatively stretch out her injured left hand.

Ji Chenli bandaged Han Xinyuan’s wound using the dim light. She didn’t know much about first aid, so she managed to wrap the wound with Han Xinyuan’s guidance. However, without hemostatic medicine, blood soon seeped through the cloth strip.

“This will have to do for now,” Ji Chenli said.

Han Xinyuan nodded and glanced at the phone screen. “Almost out of battery.”

“Turn it off. Save it for later,” Ji Chenli said, resting her head against the cold stone.

Han Xinyuan locked the screen. The cramped space fell into total darkness. According to the time displayed on the phone, it was 9:00 AM. It seemed they had been trapped for over nine hours.

Neither of them spoke in the dark; only the sound of light breathing filled the air. After a long time, Han Xinyuan spoke: “I wonder how Ming Yan is doing.”

“Don’t worry, she’s fine,” Ji Chenli said softly.

Han Xinyuan looked at her in surprise. But without light, she could only see the silhouette of Ji Chenli’s profile, unable to make out her expression. “I thought you hated her.”

“Hatred is one thing, but a life is still a life,” Ji Chenli gave a yawn.

To be honest, she was also worried about Ming Yan. Ming Yan hadn’t appeared in the earthquake in her previous life, so she had been safe, but it was hard to say for this life.

Two people who didn’t like each other were now each other’s only support in the darkness. Ji Chenli’s nose was filled with the metallic scent of Han Xinyuan’s blood, and she felt that fate was truly incredible, always pulling two unrelated people together.

As soon as Ming Lang received the news, she immediately dispatched the Ming family’s private jet to Songhu Mountain. Signal at Songhu Mountain was completely cut off. When Ming Guangwen and his wife learned that Ming Yan was also in the earthquake with her fate unknown, they both suffered heart palpitations and fainted from anxiety. After being revived by doctors, they insisted on going with Ming Lang no matter what.

The earthquake at Songhu Mountain had just passed, and there was no telling how many aftershocks would follow. Ming Lang half-persuaded and half-forced the elderly couple to stay. Her mother grabbed her hand, tears nearly falling. “A-Lang, you must… you must bring your sister back safely…”

“Mom, don’t worry. Ming Yan will be absolutely fine, I promise.” Ming Lang’s tone was firm. Leaving her parents with those words, she immediately boarded the plane.

The flight from C City to Songhu Mountain took about two hours. The plane landed in a neighboring city, and from there, two helicopters were deployed to fly directly to the epicenter. Near the epicenter, a large excavator had cleared a temporary landing spot for helicopters, and a vast area of tents housed the displaced people. Various supplies were being continuously transported to the affected areas via helicopters, transport trucks, and the backs of soldiers, yet it was still not enough.

When Ming Lang arrived with rescue supplies, an aftershock hit, lasting about half a minute. Everyone in the entourage felt a chill in their hearts, prepared to put their lives on the line.

Ming Lang found Ming Yan at a temporary settlement near the landing point. She was indeed fine, having suffered only minor injuries. Currently, all transport and supplies had to go to those in most need; since her injuries weren’t serious, no one was looking after her. Aside from some instant noodles and biscuits, there was nothing else. When she saw Ming Lang, she was covered in dust, sitting on the ground with a group of people munching on biscuits—looking nothing like the second miss of the Ming family.

“Sister.” Seeing Ming Lang, Ming Yan immediately stood up and wiped the crumbs from her mouth, saying nervously, “Sister, you’re here.”

Ming Lang nodded. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Ming Yan said. “I sneaked into town with a few people that night to relax. When the earthquake happened, we were just wandering the streets and escaped a calamity.”

Ming Yan added, “Sister, but Xinyuan and Sister-in-law…”

“They will be fine,” Ming Lang interrupted coldly. Then, as if comforting herself, she repeated, “They will be fine.”

“Luyang, when can we organize a rescue?” Ming Lang turned to ask her assistant.

Xu Luyang, Ming Lang’s assistant, stepped forward. “The rescue team is ready and can depart at any time.”

Ming Yan said hurriedly, “Sister, I’m going with you!”

Ming Lang glanced at her. “You stay here. Once the communication lines are up, report back to Mom and Dad that you’re safe.”

“Hey, what time is it now?” Ji Chenli asked weakly, her head drooping. She didn’t know how much time had passed, only that the hunger in her stomach was growing more intense, as if trying to consume her organs.

The light on Han Xinyuan’s side flickered and quickly dimmed. “5:00 PM.”

“So it’s already afternoon,” Ji Chenli chuckled softly. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes,” Han Xinyuan admitted, then calmly analyzed, “I’ve lost too much blood. I can probably only last another twenty hours.”

“I really want to eat something…” Ji Chenli closed her eyes and fantasized. “Roast chicken, ribs, braised pig trotter, meat buns, and jianbing guozi with two extra crispy crackers…” She licked her dry lips and heard a distinct swallow from beside her, followed by the rumbling of a stomach. She chuckled again.

“What’s so funny?” Han Xinyuan snapped, sounding a bit embarrassed.

Ji Chenli stopped laughing. “Alright, let’s not talk about food. Let’s talk about something else.”

Han Xinyuan said, “Better save your strength. Every word saved is another minute of life.”

“Forget that,” Ji Chenli scoffed. “Whether we get out alive depends on fate. We might as well chat while we have the chance, so we won’t be lonely on the road to the underworld.”

A few hours ago, she was convinced she would be saved, but now she wasn’t so sure. Since events in this timeline had changed, her experiences from the previous life no longer counted, and her accumulated knowledge was now useless.

“Talk about what?” Han Xinyuan asked.

“Let’s talk about…” Ji Chenli thought for a moment. “Let’s talk about Ming Lang. You know her best, after all.”

It was strange. She had lived two lives; in the first, she begged for a single glance, and in this one, when the other person finally looked at her, she only wanted to run as far away as possible. Truly an ill-fated connection.

The only topic they shared was Ming Lang. If they didn’t talk about her, they probably wouldn’t have anything to say until the moment they died.

“Ming Lang…” Han Xinyuan narrowed her eyes in recollection. “She is the best woman I’ve ever met in this world.”

“I really like A-Lang’s hands. Her fingertips are very cold, but when she holds me, fingers intertwined, those hands slowly become warmed by mine.”

“I hope that one day, she can open her arms to me, let me hold her… let only me hold her.”

“I want to lock her up.”

At the mention of Ming Lang, Han Xinyuan clearly spoke more. Lacking strength, she spoke in fragments, breaking down Ming Lang’s virtues and explaining them bit by bit to Ji Chenli. Hearing this, Ji Chenli felt an unspeakable envy.

She had been so arrogant in her previous life. Given the relationship between Ming Lang and Han Xinyuan, how could anyone have ever interfered?

“It seems you truly love Ming Lang,” Ji Chenli said softly.

Han Xinyuan was stunned and didn’t speak for a long time. Eventually, she murmured, “She gives me a sense of security. She is the only person who can give me security.”

Ji Chenli nodded. “You are a match made in heaven. If we can get out alive, I wish you both happiness.”

“Really?”

Ji Chenli smiled. “At a time like this, why would I lie to you?”

After a silence, Han Xinyuan said, “Ji Chenli, you’re actually not a bad person.”

Only when things are truly discussed can one see a person clearly. Only now did Han Xinyuan connect Ji Chenli with the woman who had saved her life.

Han Xinyuan’s feelings for Ji Chenli were contradictory. On one hand, she wanted to thank her savior, but on the other, this person had used despicable means to ruin her happiness, making Han Xinyuan want to kill her and take Ming Lang back.

Rationally, Han Xinyuan understood Ji Chenli was her second parent, but emotionally she was unwilling to admit she had the blood of this “despicable person” flowing through her. Only now did she finally admit that this woman wasn’t actually bad.

Someone willing to save a life can’t be all that bad after all.

But…

“If you don’t like Ming Lang, why did you force her to marry you?”

“That story is too long to explain in a short time,” Ji Chenli said helplessly. “Just consider that I was too stupid before and have finally come to my senses.”

“Since we’re going to die anyway, is there anything you can’t—”

Before Han Xinyuan could finish, the surroundings began to shake again. They had experienced many such aftershocks today. Every time, the collapse around them grew worse, and every time was heart-stopping.

This aftershock seemed particularly long. Ji Chenli and Han Xinyuan held their breath, waiting for the tremor to pass. Suddenly, the slab above them loosened, and a large chunk of the ceiling crashed down.

Ji Chenli didn’t even have time to think. Instinctively, she rolled over to shield Han Xinyuan, pinning her beneath her body. She arched her back to take the direct hit from the falling reinforced concrete.

Han Xinyuan’s heart stopped. “Ji Chenli!”

Ji Chenli’s back felt like it was on fire against a large, rough slab. Her elbows were braced on either side of Han Xinyuan’s head as she smiled with difficulty. “This time… I’ve finally paid back the debt I owed you from my last life…”

In the previous life, Han Xinyuan had shielded Ji Chenli like this. Today, Ji Chenli finally returned the favor.

“Ji Chenli? Ji Chenli!” Han Xinyuan grabbed Ji Chenli’s arm, trembling. “Are you crazy? Why shield me? If you die… I… I’m not finished with you!”