Married in a Daze - Chapter 83
Chapter 83
Zhu Yao still hadn't left.
The dressing room was a hive of activity with people coming and going, yet she alone remained seated, unmoving. Her assistant was on the phone, and without even thinking, one knew she was reporting the situation to their manager. Zhu Yao's thoughts were in turmoil.
He Xin and Zhou Huyue exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with disdain. They both gave wry smiles and left the dressing room.
Before long, the room that had just been bustling was now empty save for her and the stylist. She still hadn't changed out of her costume or removed her makeup. The stylist, standing behind her, asked twice, but Zhu Yao seemed not to hear.
When her assistant re-entered the room, she was still sitting there. The assistant stood beside her and said softly, "Yaoyao, we should get going."
"Did I do something wrong?" Zhu Yao whispered to herself. Her assistant didn't know how to respond, merely pursing her lips and standing behind her. The stylist tried to approach again, but the assistant waved her off: "Could you please wait a moment?"
The stylist nodded and stepped out. Just outside the door, she was immediately pulled aside by a colleague. "Still hasn't left?"
"I'd say there's an eighty percent chance she's waiting for Lu Ruyun."
"But seriously, she's married now. What's the point of this? Doesn't she care about face at all?"
"Face? If she really cared about face, she wouldn't have been clinging to a married woman. My friend was on the Like a Dream crew before. Said she stuck to Lu Ruyun every day, and Lu Ruyun didn't even acknowledge her."
The intermittent chatter faded into the distance. When Lu Ruyun and Director Qi emerged from the meeting room, they saw Zhu Yao was still there, alone in the now-empty dressing room. He Shuangshuang frowned at the sight of Zhu Yao and said to Lu Ruyun, "Ruyun, wait a moment. I'll have them arrange another dressing room for you."
Lu Ruyun's lips tightened. Before she could speak, a quiet, almost ethereal voice came from behind.
"Why?"
"Teacher Lu, why did you ask me that question?"
Zhu Yao's expression was eerily calm. For once, there was no fiery passion in her eyes, just a flat, emotionless gaze fixed on Lu Ruyun. "I want to know. Why did you ask me that question?"
He Shuangshuang was about to speak again, but Lu Ruyun gave a slight shake of her head. "Wait outside for me. I have something to say to Miss Zhu."
"Fine. But be quick." He Shuangshuang agreed reluctantly, shot a glance at Zhu Yao, and turned to leave.
Only after the door clicked shut did Lu Ruyun turn around. Her expression was detached, her eyes cool. "Miss Zhu, I didn't come here for the audition today to do charity. You ask me why I asked you that? Isn't that rather laughable?"
She and He Xin had seized the initiative, each having their own moments to shine in that scene. But Zhu Yao and Zhou Huyue had not. So, that final segment was actually an opportunity for Zhu Yao and Zhou Huyue to perform.
A pity Zhou Huyue was too busy wallowing in regret to realize it.
Zhu Yao listened to her cool, detached explanation and suddenly let out a low laugh. "Then what if it were Qin Zhenzhen? If it had been Qin Zhenzhen playing the female lead just now, would you still have asked?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Ruyun lowered her eyelids, pondered for a full two minutes, then lifted her gaze. "I would."
"Aren't you afraid she'd get angry?"
As if thinking of Qin Zhenzhen, Lu Ruyun's expression softened considerably, and even her voice gained a touch of warmth. "Zhu Yao, liking someone is about progressing together, not about mutual concession."
"If I didn't ask, that's when she would get angry."
For the first time, Zhu Yao heard her own name spoken with a hint of warmth from those lips. Before, she had always been 'Miss Zhu'. Even when Lu Ruyun was exasperated, it was a cold, hard 'Zhu Yao'.
She had never called her name with such a gentle, soft tone.
Zhu Yao wanted to laugh but couldn't muster it. The last lingering ripples in her heart slowly dissipated. Looking at the person she had yearned for, obsessed over for years, she felt only an increasing sense of unfamiliarity.
What did she really know about her?
Nothing. She knew nothing. She thought she could warm Lu Ruyun with the heat of her passion, but never considered whether this person even needed that warmth. She wasn't a fool. She could see how Lu Ruyun's expression softened the moment Qin Zhenzhen was mentioned. She thought she would feel devastated, would wail in anguish. Yet, in this moment, she felt an unexpected calm.
Perhaps right there on the stage earlier, the moment Lu Ruyun asked that question, she already knew. Her love was dead.
Zhu Yao let out a long sigh. "Are you two together?"
Lu Ruyun turned her eyes to her. Zhu Yao smiled faintly. "I'm sorry. It was me. I was the one who leaked the news about your marriage of convenience."
She finished speaking and lowered her head, bracing for the reprimands and curses she assumed were about to pour from Lu Ruyun. But nothing came. Lu Ruyun neither flew into a rage nor showed any sign of anger. She merely gave Zhu Yao a faint glance, her red lips parting to say, "I know."
I know.
Zhu Yao looked at her impassive face, listening to the three simplest of words. Suddenly, she thought of the recent scandal. "Those trending searches..."
Lu Ruyun looked back at her, completely composed. "I bought them."
"Miss Zhu, one must understand the principle of reciprocity."
Stunned by her calm, unruffled demeanor, Zhu Yao found herself momentarily speechless, her throat as if caught in a vise. She opened her mouth, struggling to speak. "So that's how it was."
She had suspected everyone she'd ever worked with, except for Lu Ruyun. Hearing it now, she expected to feel furious resentment towards the woman who had ruined years of her hard work in one fell swoop. But her heart remained eerily peaceful.
Before coming here, she had been thinking of finding the person who bought those trending searches and taking fierce revenge. Yet now, she felt no such anger. Instead, she felt a sense that she had brought this upon herself.
Lu Ruyun was right. She had been laughable.
A knock sounded on the door. He Shuangshuang's voice carried through. "Ruyun, we have dinner with Director Qi later. We're running out of time."
Hearing He Shuangshuang's voice, Lu Ruyun looked at Zhu Yao, her expression turning serious. "Miss Zhu, you've been asking questions for quite a while. May I ask you one?"
Zhu Yao looked up, her eyes devoid of any emotion, looking at Lu Ruyun as if at a stranger. "What is it?"
Lu Ruyun enunciated clearly, her voice slow and deliberate. "I'd like to know. Who told you that Zhenzhen and I are in a marriage of convenience?"
It was already past ten o'clock when Qin Zhenzhen finished filming her last scene. During dinner, she had contacted Lu Ruyun and learned she had succeeded in the audition. To celebrate, she had even rewarded herself with two extra pieces of meat. After wrapping for the day, everyone was busy packing up; they wouldn't need to come up the mountain tomorrow. Naturally, Qin Zhenzhen was overjoyed and couldn't wait to share this good news with Lu Ruyun.
Chen Feng, watching Qin Zhenzhen immediately grab her phone and chat animatedly the moment filming ended, couldn't help but chuckle. "Zhenzhen, you and Ruyun have been married for half a year now. Why are you still acting like you're in the honeymoon phase?"
Qin Zhenzhen paused her messaging, turned to Chen Feng, and called out, "Sister Qian!"
Chen Feng shot her an annoyed glance. "Little imp."
When Zhang Qian arrived, the three of them laughed and joked for a while. Qin Zhenzhen kept glancing at her phone. Lu Ruyun still hadn't replied.
Since they wouldn't be coming up the mountain tomorrow, all the equipment needed to be transported down tonight. Although it was a mountain path, it was relatively flat. As it was a tourist area, the road was well-maintained, and since it was downhill, the crew didn't find it too strenuous.
Qin Zhenzhen also helped carry some props. The group made their way down the mountain in a long procession.
By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, it was almost eleven. Yu Changlin, in a rare move, treated everyone to a late-night snack. Qin Zhenzhen sat on a stool, cradling a bowl of hot soup. The warm feeling spread to her chest, so comforting she half-closed her eyes like a lazy cat.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. Qin Zhenzhen quickly put down her bowl and pulled out her phone. Sure enough, it was a message from Lu Ruyun.
—Just finished showering. Did you just wrap?
Qin Zhenzhen's eyes lingered on the first few words. Just showered, huh?
Her mind drifted to something else, and the warmth in her body suddenly felt a bit feverish. The wailing winter wind whistled past the window outside. Amidst the chatter of the crowd, Qin Zhenzhen suppressed the wicked thoughts that had abruptly surfaced and lowered her head to reply: Yeah, just finished.
No sooner had she sent it than a familiar ringtone sounded. Qin Zhenzhen jumped, nearly dropping her phone. Those impure little thoughts still hadn't been fully eradicated from her mind. Feeling ashamed, she gripped her phone, unwilling to answer.
"Zhenzhen, your phone is ringing," Ji Lu walked over to her, noticing her flushed face. "What's wrong?"
Qin Zhenzhen turned her head. "Nothing. You keep eating. I'm going back to my room to rest."
With that, she stood up and headed for her room. Only after entering did she answer the call. "Hey—"
Her voice stretched out with joy, carrying a hint of adorable petulance. Lu Ruyun chuckled softly and called, "Zhenzhen."
Qin Zhenzhen sat on the edge of the bed. The room had no heating, only air conditioning. It was still chilly just after entering. She inhaled a breath of cool air, covered her legs with the blanket, and asked, "What's up?"
Lu Ruyun's tone was as gentle as ever. "Are you down the mountain?"
Qin Zhenzhen glanced around. The simple, monotonous guest room now seemed warm and adorable. She smiled. "Yeah, just got back to my room."
Lu Ruyun thought for a moment before saying, "I saw Zhu Yao this afternoon."
"Zhu Yao?" Qin Zhenzhen hadn't heard any news about her for quite some time. Although Zhu Yao had been absolutely crucified online before, Qin Zhenzhen had been too busy filming to pay attention, so she hadn't taken it to heart. Now, hearing Lu Ruyun's words, she instinctively asked, "Did she go looking for you again?"
Lu Ruyun gave a light laugh. "No. She was there for the audition."
Qin Zhenzhen sighed in relief. "That's good."
Lu Ruyun lowered her gaze. "She asked me a question."
"What?" Qin Zhenzhen unconsciously fiddled with the ends of her hair as she listened.
Lu Ruyun continued, "Actually, during today's audition, she originally had a chance. It was because I said something that she failed."
"She asked me, if it had been you standing in her position, would I still have asked the question."
Qin Zhenzhen's movement stopped. She processed it quickly. "What a pointless question! You should ask if you need to ask. You should fight for it if you need to fight for it! Teacher Lu, rest assured, even if you and I were competing for the same role, I absolutely wouldn't go easy on you!"
Her righteous, serious tone made Lu Ruyun laugh. She chuckled a couple of times but didn't answer. Qin Zhenzhen, curious, pressed, "How did you reply?"
Lu Ruyun's voice remained light and clear, coming through the phone line. "I told her liking someone isn't about concession. That if I didn't ask, you would be angry."
Hearing this, Qin Zhenzhen felt a warmth spread through her chest. "Teacher Lu, is this your roundabout way of confessing to me?"
Lu Ruyun paused briefly. After a few seconds, she replied, "You certainly know how to focus on the key point."
Qin Zhenzhen corrected her. "I only focus on Teacher Lu's key points."
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized the unintended double meaning and hurriedly tried to clarify. "I mean..."
"Zhenzhen."
Lu Ruyun cut her off, her voice dropping slightly lower. "If you want to catch them, then come back soon."
Qin Zhenzhen's earlobes instantly burned red, her cheeks feeling scalded. She swallowed, managing to utter a single, stifled word. "Okay."
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