Shrine - Chapter 95
Chapter 95
Eating Shi Ran's resources was like a swarm of ants and insects devouring a leaf. These withered leaves that fell from Shi Ran couldn't cause her any fundamental harm, but they were enough for the ants to have a full meal.
She was a towering tree, not easily felled. But if unsatisfied people wanted to break off a branch or two to nurture their own foundations, they would need to leave her one day, whether now or in the future.
Shi Ran had taught Ruan Ruan to "take one step and see three ahead." Everything was interlinked. Building one's own team wasn't that easy. Perhaps An Lu just wanted to test her thoughts, first forming an alliance of interests, then starting to operate in that direction. An Lu probably didn't know about Shi Ran and Ruan Ruan's relationship, but she knew Ruan Ruan was being mentored by Shi Ran. To throw out such bait, her attitude was so nonchalant it was chilling.
As if this were the most normal thing in the industry.
Ruan Ruan was silent for only three or four seconds, then wiped her phone screen, making it light up. She said, "An Lu."
"You just told me one of Shi Ran's weaknesses. I'm very grateful that you trust me, so I'll tell you one of mine."
"I love Shi Ran very much."
She choked up, her tone carrying an irrepressible hint of tears.
Ruan Ruan didn't specify her relationship with Shi Ran, instead blurring it into a one-sided affection. She was still subconsciously protecting Shi Ran. She thought numbly, when did I stop burning incense and praying to the shrine? Before, she had wanted to be famous, to make a name for herself, to stop being a backup choice, to be the one irreplaceable in everyone's eyes. But when someone finally told her that day might come—that perhaps she could get there faster and higher than she had anticipated—she paused.
She had painstakingly pulled the weeds from her barren heart and burned down the dilapidated house that imprisoned her. The road ahead was so brilliant, but… would Shi Ran be there?
The Shi Ran who, upon hearing her say "hello hello hello hello," would tap her fingers on the sofa four times in sync; who, when they reunited on set, would say "my apologies" to her as she knelt according to the script; who gave her the Black Cat Detective doll and remembered she called it "Little Cat Officer"…
She was very frank, capable of saying, "Last night, and this morning, I was a little happy." She was also very sensitive, asking her repressively, "Why didn't you say anything?" after turning back for her in the valley. Sometimes she was proud and aloof, following up "She promotes them, I promote you" with a deadpan "I've managed to show off again." Other times she was cunning, telling her with high spirits amidst the dazzling lights, "Call me Boss." She was also very childish; no one would have guessed that Shi Ran had once tried to spray someone with a marble soda, or that she had been utterly confident she could get her the best tickets to a concert. She had tried every trick in the book to get Ruan Ruan to call her Wife, and would have been even happier with "Baby."
She was the most unrestrained, and also the smartest. She wouldn't endlessly lavish patience on her girlfriend, but she could take her to see a fireworks display over the sea when it got dark.
She was a living, breathing person. If she were to reminisce, the Shi Ran in Ruan Ruan's eyes had a hundred different faces. But she didn't dare pick up the Doraemon that had fallen on the floor. The trash can in the room she stayed in always had to be checked. If an inch of her hair was cut, someone would want to glue it back on for her.
Like gluing the long hair back onto a Barbie doll as a child. Barbie would never say what version of herself she liked; she just smiled forever.
This was a most ordinary morning. Ruan Ruan had no work, wearing inexpensive pajamas, with a bowl of milk she could no longer drink beside her.
It was also the morning Ruan Ruan found most heart-stopping and most calm. Heart-stopping because she had heard the temptation from the shrine; calm because she had already made her choice without even realizing it.
"She's very important to me," Ruan Ruan said softly. "I want to be with her. Preferably, I can help her."
She was subtle, not wanting to say too much.
She also didn't want to make An Lu feel awkward. Her words remained gentle and completely non-aggressive.
A sound like An Lu taking a slow breath came through the phone. She thought An Lu was choosing her words to end the call gracefully, but instead, An Lu spoke in a voice even quieter than before, "Little Bread, if you had made a different choice just now, you wouldn't be hearing what comes next."
Ruan Ruan's gaze sharpened. She didn't quite register it. She had never heard An Lu sound so serious. The subtext was that she would not repeat herself.
She casually picked up the cold milk and took a sip.
"Okay," she said obediently.
"Do you remember that charity gala you attended before?"
How could she not remember? The sky-high priced glasses had also cost Ruan Ruan a sky-high price.
An Lu didn't need Ruan Ruan's answer. Or rather, it was better if these words, which went beyond the scope of a manager's duties, didn't fall on anyone's ears.
"When you were bidding, I don't know if you noticed, but there was a young woman in a yellow dress who also wanted to bid for those glasses."
Ruan Ruan's heart began to tremble slightly. Yes, she remembered. A pale yellow gown, sitting at the edge of a round table on the right. She had never seen her before, and she probably wasn't with the organizers.
"Her name is Molly Huang. She's Gracia Lau's assistant." Gracia Lau was the one at the helm of EM Fashion. Whether an artist could get a magazine cover, and for which month, was all up to her.
So—Ruan Ruan felt as if she'd been beaten into a daze, her mind buzzing. That day, she had been bidding against Gracia?
No wonder. No wonder the other bidders had gradually dropped out after Molly left the bidding.
But what did that have to do with this?
"Those glasses aren't actually valuable, nor do they have much commemorative significance. Gracia brought in Laura Wen through her connection with Perla. Laura Wen is a Chinese-American designer. Her father is the famous calligrapher and collector, Old Wen. He has a very high status and holds sway with both Beiyu and Zhuying. Many people want to get connected with him."
"After Laura Wen was brought in, she casually donated something. The others, as a show of respect, raised the price a bit, but everyone knew that those glasses were meant to end up in Gracia's hands."
"Gracia must have planned to win the bid to give Laura Wen plenty of face and please her. The two of them would go on stage for a photo, show off their connection. I expect the press releases were probably already written, and the magazine would have used several pages to introduce Miss Wen's personal brand."
The thoroughly cold milk began to burn her heart. Ruan Ruan pressed her lips together, feeling lost, enveloped by the sour taste.
She had been the one to jump in halfway. She must have shown an expression of unwillingness to back down. Gracia's side didn't want to incur unnecessary costs, and if the price got too high, it would make the Wen family seem ostentatious—a tall tree attracting the wind—while Gracia's desire to curry favor would be blatantly obvious. So she couldn't conveniently continue and had to give up the bid.
Ruan Ruan understood everything. She had offended Gracia, and perhaps Perla Miller as well.
That was why the brands she was in talks with had pulled out so quickly. That was why the young woman from the jewelry company, with whom she'd had a decent relationship, had stopped replying to her.
Back then, Wu Mei had mumbled, "Is it really that serious?"
Yes, was it? Such a minor ripple of public opinion. It turned out it wasn't just surface-level waves, but a deep-water bomb.
Goosebumps rose on Ruan Ruan's skin, one layer after another. She could guess exactly who had contained that bomb in the deep water.
"So," she let her gaze go unfocused, a bitter taste in her mouth, "Shi Ran."
Two months ago, Shi Ran had signed the contract for 360 Times of Missing You. The male lead was an investor's ugly son, the production company was Zhuying, and among the co-producers were several newly established companies. The shareholder of one of them was Liu Huimei—Gracia Lau's Chinese name.
When the news broke, it had stirred up sparks with Director Tang and Sister Ren, whose project she had politely declined due to scheduling conflicts.
Three months ago, Shi Ran was photographed having dinner with Perla Miller. Everyone guessed she might be on the cover of this year's EM Golden September issue, or the anniversary issue. She had had a bit too much to drink that night. Before getting into the car, she gave Perla a polite farewell hug. In the photo, her smile was faint, and her black coat made her look like a dampened white rose.
Back to the night of the charity gala. Shi Ran had rested her head against the glass car window, blinked twice, and gazed at Ruan Ruan intently. Finally, she gave an ethereal smile, with a subtle, yielding expression.
A few hours before that, Shi Ran had returned to the banquet after talking with Sister Ren and was stunned to see Ruan Ruan raising her paddle to bid on Laura Wen's glasses.
In her peripheral vision, she saw Molly. Through Laura Wen's name, she saw the complex web of relationships behind it. She looked thoughtfully at the glasses, and at Ruan Ruan, who was desperately searching for an exit.
That was the first time she had ever raised a paddle, letting out her own small but firm voice.
In the end, Shi Ran smiled, took her seat, and watched Ruan Ruan walk onto the stage, holding her skirt. She raised her forearm and applauded her gently.
She knew that after this night, everything would be different. These glasses were truly sky-high in price. The part Ruan Ruan couldn't afford, Shi Ran helped her pay for.
"Were you happy when you bought it?"
"Yes."
"Remember it for a long time."
It's more expensive than you think, Little Bread.
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