Appearing on a Marriage Show Before Getting Divorced - Chapter 43

“—You can.”

Ruan Youran was stunned, staring blankly at Chu Nian.

Chu Nian, however, acted as if this were perfectly natural. Her brows arched slightly, and she asked with a half-smile, “What is it? Do you not like it, or are you going to play dumb?”

The aura had shifted. The dominant presence was back! A Chu Nian like this was absolutely intoxicating.

Youran’s legs felt a bit weak. Chu Nian hooked an arm around her waist and whispered softly in her ear, “Don’t you want to?”

Don’t want to? She wanted it so badly she was going crazy.

Chu Nian stared at Youran for a while, her eyes filled with tenderness—a gaze so soft it threatened to melt Youran where she stood. She gently brushed back the long hair by Youran’s ear and kissed it. “Thank you.”

Youran’s face flushed as she looked at Chu Nian. Dammit, why did she have to say something so solemn at a time like this? Was she trying to torture her?

Tender kisses fell upon Youran’s forehead, the tip of her nose, her lips—filled with devotion. Chu Nian took Youran’s hand and placed it over her own heart. Looking into her eyes, she said seriously: “If you do not forsake me, I shall never leave you.”

Youran’s tears began to fall. Chu Nian understood her. Though she rarely said it, she understood Youran’s anxiety, pain, and worry over these past few days.

Chu Nian kissed away Youran’s tears one by one. This time, her actions could only be described as “gentle.” A faint smile remained on her lips even as she pushed Youran back onto the large bed.

She loved Ruan Youran. She loved her beyond the capacity of words to express. In this obscure, dark, cold, and cruel world, Ruan Youran was her only warmth and her only hope to keep living.

In that position… Youran looked up at her. Chu Nian supported herself with her hands on the bed, looking down. Her long hair fell like a waterfall, brushing against Youran’s cheeks, carrying a faint, ethereal fragrance.

At a time like this, was there any need for words? Youran threw away her restraint, wrapped her arms around Chu Nian’s neck, and pulled her down fiercely into her embrace.

Actually, Ruan Youran’s nickname “Jianjian” (Pesky/Naughty) wasn’t given for nothing. Back in the day, she would unbutton her shirt while shamelessly teasing Chu Nian: “In public, I’m a refined lady; in private, I’m an enchantress who can turn your bones to jelly. Care for a taste?”

Chu Nian had tasted it then. Even the legendary Daji… was only so-so in comparison.

Zhengzhi never expected that for a second day in a row, no one would make breakfast for her.

Though it was bittersweet and she felt quite piteous, she was already becoming a pro at this. She knew how to use the landline to call her grandmother. She carefully recited the number from memory and pressed the digits with her tiny hand.

Ruan Qiu and Chu Qing were also in a groggy sleep when the phone rang. Ruan Qiu answered: “Hello? Who is it? Have you no conscience? What time do you think it is?”

Zhengzhi was silent for a moment. She whispered, “Grandma, it’s me.”

Ruan Qiu bolted upright, gripping the phone. “My precious granddaughter! What’s wrong?”

Hearing it was Zhengzhi, Chu Qing also sat up, leaning close to Ruan Qiu to listen. Zhengzhi looked at the closed bedroom door, whimpered piteously for a moment, and said: “Today it changed. Mamma started hitting Mamma-Youran. She hit her for a long, long time.”

Ruan Qiu: “…” Chu Qing: “…”

These two are really going too far!

By the time Ruan Qiu and Chu Qing stormed into the house, Ruan Youran and Chu Nian had finally gotten up. Both looked like they had just showered, their damp hair clinging to their necks.

Chu Nian was clearly feeling guilty. She kept her head down as she fed Zhengzhi porridge, not daring to look at the elders. Youran, on the other hand, had a healthy glow. She took a bite out of an apple with a loud crunch. “Mom, what’s with that look? What’s wrong? Isn’t this perfectly normal? If it weren’t for my Mom nourishing you all these years, could you look this young?”

Everyone was young once; why pretend to be so pure? Ruan Qiu wanted to slap that mouth of hers, but Chu Qing walked over and hugged Zhengzhi. She could tell the child felt wronged but couldn’t express it, so she just sat there silently eating her porridge.

After finishing every last bit, Zhengzhi looked up at Chu Nian. “Mamma, I’ve made up my mind.”

Chu Nian’s heart skipped a beat. She almost wanted to cover the child’s mouth, fearing she would say something else embarrassing. Zhengzhi blinked her dark eyes and said clearly, “I’ll go to kindergarten after all.”

Youran was shocked. “Why?”

Zhengzhi looked at her. “I know. You don’t want to see me. And if I go to Grandma’s house, the grandmas don’t want me disturbing them either…”

She was just a piteous, unwanted child.

This left all four adults with very red faces. Zhengzhi lowered her head and said slowly, “I learned a new song.”

Ruan Qiu quickly chimed in: “Oh, look at my talented granddaughter! Sing it for Grandma. I’ll find someone to record an album for you later.” Wealthy grandmothers were just that generous.

Zhengzhi began to hum: “The little cabbage… turning yellow in the field…” (A famously sad folk song about an orphan).

Everyone: “…”

Zhengzhi’s pitch was perfect and her voice was beautiful, but most importantly, her expression perfectly matched the tragic mood of the song. It broke their hearts.

Youran rushed over to hug her, kissing her forehead and promising seriously: “Mamma-Youran swears on your Grandma’s character that I will never send you away to kindergarten. Mamma and I will give you so, so much love.”

Ruan Qiu’s expression hardened. She also walked over and hugged Zhengzhi: “Grandma also swears on your Mamma-Youran’s character that I won’t just dump you at kindergarten. If your two mothers won’t look after you, you’re coming home with Grandma. Grandma will make you all the best food, okay? Don’t be sad, my precious.”

The next morning, Zhengzhi put on her little backpack. After a phone call from Ruan Qiu to the school, she officially enrolled.

When Chu Nian dropped her off and saw her daughter looking dejected in her school uniform, her heart ached. Ruan Youran fake-wiped a non-existent tear from the corner of her eye while clinging to Chu Nian’s arm and waving goodbye.

By coincidence, Zhengzhi ran into the little girl from the interview, Su Xiaoyu. Xiaoyu was in a pink dress and hopped over with two braided pigtails. She held some chocolate and looked adorable. “Yo, you’re here?”

Zhengzhi ignored her and didn’t even look back at her two “fake” mothers. She walked straight into the school. Xiaoyu hopped along beside her. “You’re a very cold little friend.”

Zhengzhi turned and looked at her with disdain. “It’s called being aloof.”

Xiaoyu gave an “Oh” and held up her chocolate. “Do you want some?”

Zhengzhi looked at the chocolate without a word, though her throat moved as she subconsciously swallowed. In the distance, the mothers were relieved. Youran coaxed Chu Nian: “See? She’ll have her own friends soon. By then, you’ll wish she’d cling to you, but she won’t.”

Chu Nian knew she was right, but she still felt a pang. She remembered when Zhengzhi was born—so tiny and soft, helpless in the ICU with tubes everywhere. It had been heart-wrenching. Since then, she had raised her through every diaper change, every late-night feeding, and every hospital visit… time really does fly. In a blink, three years had passed.

Chu Nian looked at Youran with eyes full of love, smiled, and leaned her shoulder against hers. Youran felt the warmth in her heart. Chu Nian asked softly, “Where are we going?”

Lately, their lives had revolved entirely around the child. With Zhengzhi at school, she didn’t know what to do with herself. Youran squeezed her hand. “We’re going on a date. Dinner, and then meeting friends.”

“Really?” Youran flicked her cheek. “If I lie to you, you can treat me as ‘bossily’ as you did last night.” Chu Nian’s face felt a wave of heat. Last night… she had indeed been a bit impatient. But who wouldn’t like seeing their lover so excited and out of control because of them?

As celebrities, going out to eat and see a movie was difficult. But Youran was a master of makeup; she could turn a commoner into a celestial being or a man into a woman. After much deliberation, Chu Nian suddenly caught her hand and said, “What if we don’t use a disguise?”

Youran looked at her in surprise. She understood Chu Nian’s intent, but she thought for a moment: “You and I haven’t talked to our agencies yet. The PR teams won’t be able to keep up. Let’s not do that yet, for our own safety in the future.”

Chu Nian’s eyes shimmered with tears. She was still afraid… she wanted to give Youran an official status; she was afraid she would run out of time. Youran knew exactly what she was thinking. Her heart ached, but she pretended not to notice as she put on a bright yellow wig. “Look, is this ‘cringe-core’ enough?”

Chu Nian snapped out of it. She didn’t want her mood to affect Youran. She smiled. “It looks like you when you were a kid—bossy and doing whatever you wanted.”

Youran had been the campus bully in her youth—no one dared provoke her. She had a clique of girls who were fiercely loyal to her, not because of her family status, but because of her natural charisma. She really would go through fire and water for her friends.

Youran finished her quick makeup job. With the blonde hair, she looked quite exotic. “Wow, I look like a foreigner.”

At the mention of “foreigner,” Chu Nian’s brow furrowed. She cupped Youran’s face with both hands. “What exactly was the deal with you and Soya?”

Ruan Youran: “…” Dammit. This Film Queen’s memory was too good. That happened ages ago and the girl had already moved back to the States, yet she still remembered?

The freshly applied lipstick was ruined again. Youran felt the “bossy” energy of the Film Queen once more, being pinned to the table and kissed for a long time. Afterward, she held Chu Nian and slowly told her everything about Soya.

Chu Nian was quiet, listening seriously. After a long while, she looked into Youran’s eyes. “Youran, tell me the truth. Did your heart ever flutter for her, even for a second?” A girl like Soya—loving passionately and leaving cleanly—was indeed likable.

Youran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Do you even need to ask me that?”

Chu Nian thought about it and leaned into Youran’s embrace. “Though it’s not good to say… Jianjian, if… I’m saying if… I had stayed away a bit longer, would you have…?”

“No.” Youran stopped her with a stern face. Chu Nian knew she had struck a chord and lowered her head silently. Youran tilted her chin up to meet her eyes. “In this life, because I fell in love with you, I’ve burned everything I have. Who else could a person like me love? I even thought that if I could never forget you, I’d just go to Master Huiguo and become a nun.”

Chu Nian felt a mix of sorrow and happiness. She took a deep breath; she had to live well to be worthy of such devotion.

Youran’s skills were indeed excellent. She gave Chu Nian a “cool girl” look with sharp, defined makeup, while Youran made herself look much softer. They laughed at each other and messed around like kids before heading out.

Walking hand-in-hand through a crowded mall, eating, shopping, and buying popcorn at the cinema… it felt like a lifetime ago for Chu Nian. Since university, her fame had grown steadily, and she had to walk on eggshells everywhere, with everything managed by her agency. She never thought she’d have a day this free.

They went to eat Haidilao. Youran loved spicy food. In the past, Chu Nian wouldn’t let her eat such heavy flavors, but now, she joined her. Her face turned red from the spice, and she stuck her tongue out. Youran found her adorable and couldn’t help cupping her chin for a kiss.

Chu Nian blushed and tapped her shoulder. “What are you doing? There are so many people.” Though the makeup was flawless, there were many eyes around. Sure enough, people nearby were peeking and smiling kindly.

Youran didn’t care. “I’m already being restrained. If we weren’t in public, I’d take care of you right here.”

The red-oil hotpot bubbled merrily, and Chu Nian’s rare, radiant smile lit up Youran’s heart. A world for just the two of them without Zhengzhi was truly… wonderful. They ate tripe, shrimp paste, bamboo shoots, and snowflake beef until Youran leaned back in her chair, patting her stomach.

Youran suddenly had a change of heart about the movie. “Let’s go have afternoon tea instead and meet friends. Invite President Qin over.”

Chu Nian looked at her in surprise. Youran smiled; she knew Nian Nian didn’t have many friends. Big Flower was currently in a mess over her own love life, so only President Qin was left. She wanted Chu Nian to be happy; as long as she was smiling, Youran would do anything.

“Then you should call Sister Lan [Lan Ke],” Chu Nian suggested. Youran and Lan Ke had a good relationship. Youran had the charm to be loved by seniors and followed by kids. Chu Nian felt her own insecurity was somewhat justified—Jianjian was just too charming.

“Oh ho!” Youran teased, circling her arms around Chu Nian. “It’s rare to see our Film Queen in the mood to be a matchmaker.”

Chu Nian swatted her away. “Stop it. I see Yanlan suffering lately, unable to eat or sleep.”

Youran laughed knowingly. “Everyone goes through it. When I was chasing you, it took quite some effort too.”

Lan Ke arrived first. She still looked the part of an academic—white shirt, black trousers, hair in a bun. Seeing Youran and Chu Nian in their disguises, she shook her head helplessly. “You youngsters…”

Youran smiled, and Chu Nian suddenly slipped her hand into Youran’s, gripping it tight. This gesture… Youran looked at Chu Nian, her lips curving up. Lan Ke froze for a moment, then adjusted her glasses with a smile. “I see.”

Chu Nian was a bit embarrassed but said, “Sister, don’t keep calling us ‘youngsters.’ You’re not old either.”

Youran raised an eyebrow. “Sit down, Sister. I ordered the hot tea that seniors like.”

Lan Ke was about to speak when Youran added, “One person is still missing.”

Lan Ke paused, looking from Chu Nian to the grinning Youran. “It couldn’t be…”

Chu Nian nodded. Lan Ke stood up immediately to leave, but she was a step too late. President Qin arrived, dressed casually in a long off-white dress with her hair freshly styled. She opened the door, bringing a scent of perfume as if she were filming a commercial.

Lan Ke stood there awkwardly. Qin Yanlan glanced at her and said flatly, “Are you going to run again?”

Youran and Chu Nian exchanged a look. Oho, it seems there’s been some intense progress here.

There had indeed been progress. On the day Qin Yanlan spoke with Chu Nian and felt the brevity of life, she had called Lan Ke out. Lan Ke, unaware of what was coming, was busy drinking soup.

Qin Yanlan had watched her for a long time before asking, “Sister, what do you think of me?” “You’re great. Beautiful, elegant, and talented,” Lan Ke replied. She felt a bit uneasy; the girl’s gaze today had a certain ferocity to it.

Qin Yanlan leaned forward, closing the distance. A faint floral scent approached. “Then… does Sister like such an excellent person?” Lan Ke grew stiff. “Of course. Aren’t we friends?”

Qin Yanlan smiled coldly yet seductively. “Sister, I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time—ever since I was your student.” Stop giving me that ‘friends’ nonsense.

Lan Ke was frozen. The confession was too blunt. She couldn’t dodge it. “You… you’ve probably misunderstood your own feelings?” Qin Yanlan stood up, her hands on the table, staring into Lan Ke’s eyes. “Why do you say that?” They were so close their hair brushed. Lan Ke’s face heated up. “I’m over ten years older than you. To me, you’re still a child.”

A child? Qin Yanlan’s smile made Lan Ke’s heart turn cold. In the next second, a cool sensation met her lips—the taste of mint lip balm. Lan Ke recoiled, and Qin Yanlan stared at her with deep eyes. “Do you still think I’m a child?”

…The result was Lan Ke fleeing in a panic. They hadn’t met for days until now.

During tea, Qin Yanlan acted as usual, expressing concern for Chu Nian’s health. Chu Nian smiled and chatted about trifles. Youran watched Lan Ke and wanted to laugh; it was obvious the senior’s heart had been moved, yet she didn’t dare admit it.

When it ended, Qin Yanlan hugged Chu Nian and whispered, “Take care of yourself.” Chu Nian smiled and patted her shoulder. “Don’t be sad either.” Intelligent people understood each other’s meaning.

Lan Ke hugged Youran. “You’re too thin. Eat more.” Youran hugged her back. “Sister, you’re quite lucky in love.” Lan Ke: “…”

As they dispersed, Qin Yanlan looked at Lan Ke. “I’ll drive you.” “I’ll call a designated driver,” Lan Ke waved her off. Qin Yanlan gave a cold laugh. “Am I not even as good as a designated driver?”

Youran and Chu Nian witnessed this and smiled. “The refined professor and the overbearing CEO… interesting combo,” Youran mused. Chu Nian pinched her waist. “Don’t talk nonsense. Yanlan holds grudges.”

Youran hugged Chu Nian’s waist. “Let’s go, darling. To the cinema. I’ve been looking forward to this.” “Looking forward? Why?”

Before Chu Nian could think, they arrived at the theater. It was a late-night screening. Youran bought tickets and walked back with two tubs of popcorn. Chu Nian felt her eyes moisten. This, perhaps, was happiness. What had she been chasing all those years? Fame? Pride? Silly reasons to stand beside Youran… she had neglected so much.

Youran walked over. “Let’s go in. I got the back row. Mom just called; Zhengzhi is asleep and doing well.”

“The back row?” Chu Nian looked at the tickets. Youran didn’t have the best eyesight; why buy the back row?

Inside the theater, Chu Nian scanned the room. It was mostly empty, with only a few couples in the front. Not a soul was behind them. Her face instantly turned red as she understood Youran’s intention.

Youran leaned in and whispered in her ear: “Didn’t you say you owed me? You wanted to compensate me. So now, let’s do all the romantic things we didn’t get to do when we were young~”