Married in a Daze - Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Qin Zhenzhen left the apartment shortly after five the next morning. She had been rehearsing lines with Lu Ruyun until nearly midnight last night, so at this hour, Lu Ruyun was definitely still asleep. She glanced upstairs, thinking she'd give her a call during her lunch break.
Ji Lu was waiting at the door early. Before getting in the car, she helped Qin Zhenzhen double-check everything she needed to bring. Once assured nothing was missing, they got in.
The gray van swayed as it headed toward the stylist. Today's flight departure time was announced by Jian Mu's studio, so there were bound to be quite a few fans seeing her off at the airport. Therefore, Meng Xin still wanted her to change into something more appropriate first.
By the time everything was ready, it was almost seven. Qin Zhenzhen yawned repeatedly. Ji Lu brought over a freshly brewed coffee: "Zhenzhen, drink some. You don't want to get even sleepier later."
Qin Zhenzhen took a sip. The bitter taste spread across her tongue. She wasn't really fond of coffee, but no matter how much she disliked it, she had to drink it. It was better than dozing off at the airport later.
After finishing the coffee, Ji Lu brought the clothes she needed to change into. Qin Zhenzhen stepped into ten-centimeter high heels, wore a pink blouse with a skirt that fell past her knees, and a beige coat over it. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, her makeup was immaculate, and her lovely face was like finely carved jade. Seeing she was ready, Ji Lu bid farewell to Sister Chen, pulled her into the car, and they were off.
In the car, Qin Zhenzhen managed a half-hour nap. They arrived at the airport at seven forty. Quite a few fans were already gathered outside. As the end of December approached, the weather was getting colder. The fans wore down jackets on top but had their bare legs exposed below. Qin Zhenzhen felt cold just looking at them.
The car door opened. Before Qin Zhenzhen could step out, several men in black suits had already cleared a path for her. Supported by Ji Lu, she extended her foot.
A chilling, icy wind swept across her exposed skin. Qin Zhenzhen smiled brightly, waving to the fans, while internally she was drowning in a flood, crying until she felt dizzy.
It was so cold.
"Zhenzhen! Look here! Zhenzhen!"
"Goddess Zhen! We love you!"
The fans' various chants came one after another. Qin Zhenzhen had rarely been out and about this past year, and opportunities to meet fans were few and far between, so they couldn't help but get excited upon seeing her. A few fans charged straight forward, fortunately stopped by bodyguards.
The fan at the very front stumbled, unable to stop their momentum, and crashed right into a bodyguard. Seeing this, Qin Zhenzhen halted her steps, helped the fan up from the bodyguard, and asked softly, "Are you okay?"
The fan she helped up blushed furiously, shaking their head repeatedly. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. Sorry about that."
The bodyguard gave a slight nod, saying nothing. Concern filled Qin Zhenzhen's eyes. "Be careful. Pay attention to your safety."
The fan in front of her eyes grew slightly red, their speech nervous. "I-I-I-I-I'm okay, I'm fine."
Qin Zhenzhen offered a slight smile. Just as she was about to move on, she heard the little fan shout, "Zhenzhen!"
"This is the birthday gift we prepared! We hope you'll accept it!"
Qin Zhenzhen turned and saw several people behind this fan. They stood in a small circle. Others who heard the commotion looked over, some fans showing chagrin in their eyes.
She accepted the gift, smiling faintly. "Thank you."
A wave of cheers erupted behind her. Qin Zhenzhen was again submerged in cries of 'Goddess, mwah!' and 'Zhenzhen, we want a hug!'. Ji Lu whispered a reminder that it was time to go inside, so she waved to the crowd of fans and walked in.
Only after entering did she turn and ask, "What's the date today?"
Ji Lu glanced at her phone. "The 23rd. Why?"
Qin Zhenzhen sighed. "I'm going to be another year older."
Ji Lu was amused by her mournful tone. Her birthday was actually in three days. In previous years, her birthday was always spent on a film set or away from home. 'Celebrating' essentially meant treating the crew to a meal and having a bit of fun. But that wouldn't be possible this year.
In three days, they'd still be on Jian Mu's film set.
After her moment of lament, Qin Zhenzhen turned to Ji Lu. "Let's go in."
They had only taken a few steps inside when noise erupted behind them. Qin Zhenzhen looked back. Jian Mu was surrounded by a group of people, followed by waves of screams and shouts.
Various cries of "Ahhh!" continued nonstop. Jian Mu strode over to Qin Zhenzhen's side. He took off his sunglasses, eliciting another round of screams from the fans. A faint smile graced his handsome face. "Sorry, have you been waiting long?"
Qin Zhenzhen chuckled, shaking her head. "No, I just arrived too."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, they boarded the flight. Once on the plane, Jian Mu couldn't spare much attention for Qin Zhenzhen. His assistant came over from time to time to express apologies, but Qin Zhenzhen thought it was just fine; it didn't interfere with her chance to catch up on sleep.
Three hours later, they arrived in City M. The landing location wasn't known to the fans, so the airport was quiet. Naturally, Qin Zhenzhen and Jian Mu were in full disguise. However, no matter how well they disguised themselves, their presence couldn't be hidden. Simply standing there drew sidelong glances. Qin Zhenzhen followed behind Jian Mu, hearing him say in a low voice, "Sorry, I had things to attend to on the plane and couldn't get away."
Hidden behind her sunglasses, Qin Zhenzhen's eyes held a hint of a smile. "Mr. Jian, there's no need to be so polite."
Jian Mu chuckled upon hearing her formality. "No need to be so distant. Just call me Jian Mu."
Qin Zhenzhen obliged readily. "Alright. Then you don't need to call me Miss Qin either. Call me Zhenzhen."
Jian Mu gave a faint hum of agreement, calling out, "Zhenzhen."
His voice was slightly low, magnetic, as if resonating from his chest, making one's heart tremble. Qin Zhenzhen was stunned for a few seconds. "Hmm?"
Jian Mu continued calmly. "We'll head to the hotel first, rest for a bit, then start work. Any problems with that?"
Qin Zhenzhen smiled, pressing her lips together. "No problem."
Her schedule for these three days had been handed over to Jian Mu's side anyway. Even if he wanted to start work immediately, it would be fine. But his gentlemanly inquiry still earned him quite a bit of goodwill from Qin Zhenzhen.
Achieving success at a young age, treating others with courtesy, knowing when to advance and retreat, not putting on airs—these qualities alone were enough to make someone likable. Qin Zhenzhen now understood a little why his fans were so devoted. Even she felt like becoming a fan.
Amused by her own thoughts, Qin Zhenzhen's lips curved upward, her eyes crinkling like crescent moons. When Jian Mu turned to ask for her opinion, he inadvertently caught sight of this scene and felt as if a hundred flowers were blooming before his eyes, slowly unfurling.
They arrived at the hotel right at mealtime. Jian Mu had his assistant take their luggage to their rooms first, inquired about her taste preferences, and then booked a table at a nearby Western restaurant.
Qin Zhenzhen and Jian Mu entered the restaurant still in full disguise, but their presence was impossible to ignore. The waitress who came to serve them seemed to recognize Qin Zhenzhen, her eyes fixed on her. Once inside the private room, Qin Zhenzhen simply took off her mask and sunglasses, letting her look freely.
The waitress glanced at her, then at Jian Mu beside her, excitement overflowing, her speech becoming slightly stuttered. "S-sorry, actually I'm your fan. I just got too excited seeing you, that's why..."
Qin Zhenzhen interrupted her, smiling reassuringly. "It's fine."
The waitress left the private room in a daze, Qin Zhenzhen's gentle smile lingering in her mind. Finally unable to contain her excitement, she sent a message to her colleagues' group chat.
—Holy crap, I just saw Qin Zhenzhen and Jian Mu!!! So beautiful and so handsome! Can't breathe!
Lu Ruyun didn't wake up until after seven. She turned off the alarm on the bed, got up, and went downstairs. Seeing the closed study door, delight colored her eyes.
Qin Zhenzhen probably wasn't up yet.
At this hour, she was usually still lounging in bed.
Lu Ruyun went to the bathroom to wash up, then entered the kitchen. She originally intended to call Qin Zhenzhen out, but remembering how she had yawned incessantly last night, she couldn't bear to disturb her. Might as well let her sleep a little longer.
Having made that decision, Lu Ruyun turned to prepare breakfast.
Qin Zhenzhen didn't have the habit of eating breakfast. Coupled with her love of sleeping in, Ji Lu usually bought her something to eat in the car. Lu Ruyun glanced at her watch. It was almost seven-thirty. She stood up, walked to the study door, and knocked.
No sound came from inside. Lu Ruyun called out, "Zhenzhen?"
No one answered. Lu Ruyun knocked several more times, but there was still no response. She gripped the doorknob and opened the door. The bed was empty. The quilt was neatly folded for once, the two pillows placed on either side. Qin Zhenzhen wasn't inside.
Lu Ruyun frowned. Gone to the set this early?
Why hadn't she mentioned it last night?
A sudden wave of panic stirred in Lu Ruyun's heart. She hurried back to the sofa, picked up her phone, and called Qin Zhenzhen. A string of busy signals. Her lips pressed into a tight line. Her fingers scrolled down, finding Ji Lu's name.
A sentence flashed through her mind for no reason.
Zhenzhen, when are you moving back?
Had she moved back already?
She quickly walked into the study and opened the closet door. Inside, only two or three pieces of clothing remained. The down jacket and cotton coat she usually wore were gone. She looked around. The spot where the suitcase had been was also empty.
She left?
This thought rooted her to the spot instantly. A wave of cold air poured over her from head to toe, enveloping her completely. Her body stiffened, hands and feet turning icy.
No, that's impossible. If she were moving back, she wouldn't not tell her.
But what difference would telling her make? They had only started living together to dispel rumors. Even if she didn't move out now, sooner or later, she would have to move out. She had no reason to let her stay here indefinitely.
Lu Ruyun's face turned pale, her thoughts in disarray. She dialed Qin Zhenzhen's number over and over, but it remained switched off. A kind of fear slowly enveloped her, took hold of her, making it impossible to calm down and think, impossible to consider anything else.
She just wanted to get through on that call.
This stubborn, almost obsessive thought circled incessantly in Lu Ruyun's mind. Like a madwoman, she dialed again and again, a hint of red creeping into the corners of her eyes.
She didn't know how long she sat on the sofa; she had lost all sense of time. On the dining table not far away, the food that had been steaming gradually grew cold, much like her current mood—soaked in cold water, filled with desolate silence.
It was very quiet all around. Lu Ruyun desperately wanted to calm down, but her thoughts were beyond her control. In her ears, she seemed to hear the sound of Qin Zhenzhen's high heels gradually walking away.
Click—click—click.
This sound of departure grew louder and louder in her ears. Lu Ruyun's face abruptly paled. A fear she hadn't felt in a long time instantly consumed her entire being. Subconsciously, she hugged her own arms and curled into a ball on the sofa.
The sound in her ears grew increasingly intense, pounding against her eardrums painfully. Lu Ruyun shut her eyes tightly, burying her whole face in her knees.
"Buzz... buzz..."
The phone vibrated, accompanied by a familiar ringtone. The sounds in her ears immediately scattered. Lu Ruyun, bewildered for a few seconds, opened her eyes and saw the familiar name appear on the screen.
Her throat tightened. The fingertips clutching the phone ached, turning deathly pale.
"Hello." A slightly hoarse voice traveled from this end of the phone to Qin Zhenzhen's ears. Hearing her unusual tone, Qin Zhenzhen called out, "Ruyun? What's wrong?"
Lu Ruyun held the phone, her posture desolate. Leaning against the sofa, the corners of her eyes slightly red, her voice low, she said, "Zhenzhen, don't leave anymore, okay?"
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