Chapter 60
At night, Jiang Lai lay sprawled across the bed, staring out at the view beyond the window. Not far away, the woman sat on a wooden stool, focused as she typed on her keyboard.
Jiang Lai pursed her lips, bored. She couldn’t help yawning, and the woman noticed immediately.
“Am I bothering you?”
The woman finally looked away from the computer and at her.
Jiang Lai rolled over and lay on her stomach instead. “Aunt Cheng, I’m so bored. I want to scroll on my phone...”
At that, the woman took out her own phone and handed it over. “Use mine.”
Jiang Lai put on a show of hesitation. “This... doesn’t feel quite right. What if I see something important of yours? Wouldn’t that be bad?”
“There’s nothing bad about it. Besides, I don’t have any secrets from you. When we get back to the city, I’ll buy you a new one.”
“Boss Cheng is so generous. Then I want something else too...”
The woman was amused by her “Boss Cheng” and laughed. “Stop talking nonsense. Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you.”
Jiang Lai lay there, leisurely crossing her legs and swinging them.
“Keeping your legs crossed for long periods can lead to poor circulation, spinal curvature, and an increased risk of varicose veins in the lower limbs.”
The woman lifted her head and pushed up the glasses that had slipped down her nose; the look behind the lenses was gentle yet serious.
The slightly dangerous-sounding words reached Jiang Lai’s ears, and she instinctively lowered her legs. Her mouth twitched. “Did you memorize an entire encyclopedia?”
“I’m just reminding you. If something really goes wrong, it’ll be too late.”
“Oh, I won’t.”
She wore a proud expression. “I’m still young; nothing’s going to happen to me.”
The moment she said it, she felt the air in the tent turn chilly. Realizing what she’d just said, she wished she could slap herself a few times. All she could do was look at the woman ingratiatingly. “Heh... Aunt Cheng...”
The hand the woman had wrapped around her cup paused. Half-lidding her eyes, she looked at her. “What, do you think I’m too old? Or too naggy?”
“No, no, absolutely not.”
Jiang Lai raised three fingers to the sky in a solemn vow. “You’re at the height of your beauty, with the unique charm of a mature woman. I like that kind the best.”
“If you say that again, I’ll be angry.”
She sat up a little awkwardly and was just about to argue when she saw the woman raise her brows at her. Whatever irritation she’d felt from being lectured vanished at once.
“Aunt Cheng, let’s chat.”
“Mm, okay.”
The woman closed her laptop and sat down in front of her.
Smiling, Jiang Lai scooted inward to make room. “Sit here. I just warmed it up; it’s still hot.”
“Thanks, Alai.”
“Aunt Cheng, there’s a car back to the city tomorrow. Why don’t you go back with them?”
The smile in the woman’s eyes vanished at once, and a trace of hurt appeared there. “You’re... trying to send me away?”
Jiang Lai quickly waved both hands, the panic in her eyes impossible to hide. “No, no, don’t misunderstand. I don’t mean to send you away. It’s just that Guxian still needs people, and I know you care about me, but I can’t let you stay here with me...”
“But I came of my own accord.”
Jiang Lai took her hand. “Go back first. If you stay here, I won’t be at ease.”
Looking at her serious expression, Cheng Shuyang’s grievance vanished cleanly. Still, she deliberately pulled her hand back and set her face.
Jiang Lai grew flustered, but she couldn’t quite tell what the woman was thinking, so she could only stare at her pitifully. “Aunt Cheng...”
“Enough. Go to sleep.”
She pushed the girl away and crawled into the blanket on her own.
Jiang Lai refused to move. From behind, she wrapped her arms around her waist, her voice sticky with coaxing. “I really didn’t mean to send you away. Please believe me.”
The woman murmured a soft “mm,” then suddenly pulled her a little closer. Jiang Lai’s face pressed against the curve of her neck; the woman’s chin rested on top of her hair.
“Then take good care of yourself. Don’t make me worry.”
“Okay.”
Early the next morning, Cheng Shuyang got into the car headed back. Through a corner of the window, she saw Jiang Lai standing at the entrance, waving at her over and over.
She pushed the window open a little more and leaned out.
“I’ll wait for you.”
She didn’t know whether the girl heard her, but it seemed like her smile grew even brighter.
Only when the car disappeared around the bend and she could no longer see that figure did Cheng Shuyang sigh helplessly.
She’d only been gone a few minutes; how was she already missing her?
And Jiang Lai, standing at the doorway, lowered her hand only after the car was gone. She looked completely wilted, toeing at a pebble as she muttered to herself.
“Day one without Aunt Cheng. Miss her, miss her.”
“Is that your friend?”
One of the people traveling with her leaned over curiously.
Jiang Lai withdrew her gaze and smiled faintly. “Someone I’m very close to.”
After she returned to the city, the woman took a taxi straight to the set.
When she arrived, she could already see Qin Li in costume talking to the director from a distance; Qin Li’s expression didn’t look very good.
Just as Cheng Shuyang stepped forward, Qin Li spotted her first.
“Teacher Cheng? Why are you back all of a sudden?”
Her eyes lit up. She hurried forward to take the luggage from the woman’s hand, only to be gently refused with a smile.
“No need. My assistant will be here soon.”
Qin Li didn’t mind.
“Shuyang, are things at home all taken care of?”
The director also smiled and asked.
“Yes, everything’s handled. There wasn’t much going on, so I wanted to hurry back to the crew.”
“Perfect. Qin Li and I have a small disagreement about the performance. Come take a look in a bit.”
“Alright, I’ll put my luggage down and come right over.”
“No rush. Take your time.”
Xiaoman had already tidied up her room for her; she only needed to rearrange some of the things she used often.
“Oh, right.”
She called out to Xiaoman, who was about to leave, and pointed to a small box in the corner. “That box is for you. Your Alai sister specifically bought you local specialties and some souvenirs.”
Xiaoman dragged the box along and asked casually, “Aunt Cheng, you and Alai sister made up?”
“Mm. If you see her again, be nicer to her.”
“Mm?!”
Xiaoman immediately caught the oddity and naturally didn’t miss the faint, almost imperceptible smile on the woman’s lips. A thought she barely dared to imagine suddenly surged into her mind.
No way, no way. Did this really happen the way she wanted it to?
She asked carefully, “Aunt Cheng, you and Alai sister wouldn’t really...”
At that, the woman’s smile deepened. She lifted a finger to her lips and gave a soft “shh.” “You’re the first to know. Remember to keep it secret.”
“Ahhhhhh!”
Xiaoman bounced in place with excitement. “Oh my god, the ship I’m shipping is actually real!”
The woman laughed at her reaction and reached out to pinch her cheek. “Keep your voice down; someone might hear you.”
“I know, I know. I’ll definitely keep it secret.”
Xiaoman covered her mouth, but the curve of her eyes still betrayed her. Lowering her voice, she leaned in a little. “Aunt Cheng, which one of you made the first move?”
“Take a guess.”
“I guess... it was Alai sister. She’s terrible at hiding things!”
The woman lifted her cup and took a sip of water; the tips of her ears were faintly red. “That... I’m not telling you. It’s a secret.”
“Ah... Aunt Cheng, just tell me already.”
The woman showed no mercy at all and pushed her out, shutting her outside the door. Seeing that pleading was useless, Xiaoman pouted.
“Then I’ll go ask Alai sister.”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you.”
The woman cracked the door open again. “Alai’s phone is broken. When you’re not busy, come with me to buy her a new one. Thanks.”
“I...”
Before she could finish, the door closed again.
Fine. I’m just one part of their play too.
Inside the room, Cheng Shuyang looked down at the photograph in her hand; it was the one she’d secretly taken of the girl in Guxian.
The girl in the photo was very beautiful.
On the second day after Cheng Shuyang left, Jiang Lai missed her like mad; she even dreamed of the woman’s presence at night.
It was a full week later that the road to Guxian reopened.
She eagerly slung her bag over her shoulder and set off back to the city.
Because her phone had been broken, she couldn’t contact the woman. She could only squat boredly at the entrance of the set, waiting for the woman to come out after filming.
“You need to handle this shot with sadness...”
A familiar voice drifted over from not far away.
Jiang Lai immediately lifted her head, her eyes sparkling.
“Aunt Cheng!”
She called out to the woman brightly, unable to hide the happiness in her voice.
The woman froze when she saw her. “Alai? What are you doing here?”
Xiaoman, who was following behind her, also waved happily. “Alai sister!”
The actor who had come out with them was also very tactful and found an excuse to leave.
“Alright, I’ll explain this scene to you another time.”
After seeing off her colleague, Cheng Shuyang looked at the girl, who wore an innocent expression, and walked forward two steps before lightly knocking her on the forehead.
“Why are you hitting me again?”
She looked at the woman aggrievedly.
“Why didn’t you go home? Teacher Cheng would be very worried about you.”
Jiang Lai cleared her throat tactically, a little guilty. “It’s just that... I’m out of money...”
“What?”
The woman didn’t catch that and leaned closer.
“I said I’m out of money. I even walked all the way here to find you...”
Only then did the woman hear her clearly. She was both annoyed and amused. “Then where did all your money go?”
“Didn’t my phone break? Then I gave you all the cash I had left that day...”
“What did you give it all to me for? Would I go out without bringing money?”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t have any. Besides, who even carries cash when they go out now?”
“Alright.”
Helplessly, she took a box from Xiaoman and handed it to her. “Here. The new phone I promised to buy you. Go tell the teacher you’re safe first; don’t let her worry.”
Jiang Lai nodded obediently. “Okay.”
“You go first. I still have some scenes left. I’ll find you after I’m done.”
She bounced out happily, then doubled back.
“What now?”
Jiang Lai looked left and right. Seeing that no one else was around, she pulled the woman into her arms and leaned close to her ear. “Aunt Cheng, you look really good in this outfit.”
Xiaoman: “Oh my god, what did I just see? The main couple is openly flirting right in front of me!!!”
Jiang Lai shivered so hard at the shout that she immediately let go of the woman. “Gu Xiaoman, what are you freaking out about? You scared me!”
Xiaoman laughed until she could barely stand. “Who told you to hug Aunt Cheng? And do you even know where you are? What if someone sees you?”
Knowing she was no match for Xiaoman, Jiang Lai could only turn to the woman for help. “Aunt Cheng, look at her bullying me. You have to help me...”
“Jiang Lai!”
The woman’s face turned red, and remembering what had just happened, she raised her hand.
Jiang Lai immediately darted three feet away, smug as anything. “Nyah-nyah, you can’t hit me.”
Cheng Shuyang was so exasperated by her shamelessness that she laughed. She shot Jiang Lai an annoyed look, but it was soft with indulgence.
“Idiot.”
Author’s note: