WS - Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Yu Nianbing and Song Shiyue entered the Old Castle's main door one after the other, but before they had gone more than a few steps, Wang Daming called out from behind them, "Just use the washroom on the left side of the main hall!"
He was even policing which washroom they used? Yu Nianbing and Song Shiyue both turned their heads to glance back in unison.
When Yu Nianbing turned back around, she found Song Shiyue looking at her.
"Together?" Song Shiyue had a smile on her face, but her gaze flicked once more to Yu Nianbing's ankle.
Yu Nianbing could only nod. What else was there to do?
They hadn't come here to engage in some bizarre shadowing anyway.
Yu Nianbing quickened her pace, quickly drawing level with Song Shiyue, who was waiting for her.
Just as she came close, Yu Nianbing's sleeve was caught by Song Shiyue and given a gentle tug. Yu Nianbing had no choice but to follow the pull, stepping closer to Song Shiyue.
Song Shiyue drew the person to her side and said in a low voice, "They wouldn't think we hid food upstairs and are going to the washroom now to get it, would they?"
Though the two had already slept together for a night, in broad daylight Yu Nianbing still wasn't quite used to being so close to someone, so close their heads were almost touching.
But before Yu Nianbing could manage her discomfort, Song Shiyue's words landed in her ear.
"You haven't forgotten again that we are being livestreamed at all times, and that Director Zhang can still see our livestream windows, have you?" Yu Nianbing glanced at Song Shiyue somewhat helplessly, pulled back her sleeve from Song Shiyue's grip, and took a step sideways to re-establish a safe distance.
Song Shiyue was momentarily stunned, then smacked her own forehead and laughed: "Seriously... these invisible cameras are really hard to get used to."
Was it only the invisible cameras that were hard to get used to?
Yu Nianbing couldn't help recalling that a few days ago, after being thoroughly frightened by the supernatural materials she'd found, she had gone looking for some shows to watch to divert her attention. Somehow, she'd ended up opening the sitcom that Song Shiyue had shot.
That sitcom, airing one episode a week, filmed and broadcast simultaneously for over a year, was something Yu Nianbing still hadn't finished watching even by the time she joined this program.
Although Song Shiyue wasn't the female lead, she was a significant supporting actress who appeared in almost every episode.
Even if that production team didn't use high-end cameras like these, Song Shiyue should at least be used to facing the lens.
But looking at her now... she truly seemed to have little awareness of being filmed.
Why was that?
The question surfaced in Yu Nianbing's mind, but Song Shiyue showed no sign of sensing it. She just continued laughing: "It doesn't matter if they overhear; as long as they don't catch us in the act, it's fine."
Those words... sounded...
Yu Nianbing temporarily set aside the question in her heart and looked at Song Shiyue with some surprise: "You didn't actually secretly stash away food and plan to go get it, did you?"
"Oh, we're here. Should I go first, or you?" Song Shiyue took a few quicker steps forward, stopping at the entrance to the hallway on the left side of the main hall, and turned back to ask Yu Nianbing.
"You first..." Yu Nianbing halted.
Song Shiyue nodded, tapped the Privacy Shield Button on her wristband, stepped into the hallway, and turned into the washroom just at its entrance.
Seriously... Yu Nianbing watched the washroom door close and couldn't help massaging her brow.
Song Shiyue, this person, really could throw her off. She had nearly made her forget the purpose for which she'd followed her here.
Yu Nianbing took a slow, deep breath and looked at the time on her wristband.
Even which washroom to use had been meticulously arranged by the production team. Deprived of the opportunity for any sleight of hand, Song Shiyue naturally just came to use the washroom plainly.
Yu Nianbing mentally counted the time; from the moment Song Shiyue activated her Privacy Shield to when the washroom door made a sound, barely two minutes had passed.
Just as Song Shiyue opened the washroom door, Yu Nianbing also pressed her Privacy Shield Button and took a few hurried steps forward.
"The production team refuses to let us carry food. Even if we could evade that Dog's search earlier, there'd be no way to avoid all these people and cameras when actually eating it. When the time comes, the punishment would only be more and heavier. Besides, on the StarNet livestream, it might not look good to be rough with the Dog. So I..." Yu Nianbing stood before Song Shiyue, her voice pressed very low, but speaking quickly and urgently.
"So your foot isn't twisted, right?" Song Shiyue had just opened the washroom door when she saw Yu Nianbing striding quickly toward her, almost about to bump into her chest, and then immediately started speaking without pause. Song Shiyue took a moment to understand what Yu Nianbing was talking about. Realizing Yu Nianbing must have also turned on her Privacy Shield, Song Shiyue immediately asked about the thing she cared about most.
Interrupted, Yu Nianbing paused briefly, then shook her head: "No, it was just an act. I originally wanted to hint at it to you in front of the camera, but in the end, I couldn't..."
"Hahaha, in the end, I didn't tune into your frequency. You still had to spell it out clearly for me." Although Song Shiyue had already guessed as much, Yu Nianbing's confirmation now that it wasn't twisted finally allowed her to truly set her mind at ease.
Having been sidetracked by Song Shiyue twice, Yu Nianbing couldn't quite pick up the thread of what she'd wanted to say earlier.
Looking at Song Shiyue's clear, bright eyes and her cheerful, smiling expression, Yu Nianbing couldn't help but go straight to the point: "You don't blame me?"
Once that sentence was out of her mouth, Yu Nianbing actually relaxed.
Whatever the answer, it no longer mattered.
For Yu Nianbing, the difficulty had lain in the preceding explanation. Being able to actually voice this question surprised even herself; it truly wasn't something she should have said.
Still, it was fine...
If Song Shiyue said just one word of blame, she would have no need to care about this person. They'd simply go their separate ways.
If Song Shiyue didn't blame her...
Before Yu Nianbing could finish the thought, she heard Song Shiyue laugh, and suddenly had a somewhat unpleasant premonition.
"Hahaha, am I that foolish? Hahaha, or are you the foolish one? How could I possibly blame you? Earlier, it was just instinctive food-guarding. Handing it over was the normal thing to do. After all, we can always find food in the mountains. I didn't want to eat bugs with them at noon either." Song Shiyue laughed so much her eyebrows and eyes took flight, but her gaze toward Yu Nianbing held a hint of teasing. "You didn't really think I'd blame you for reminding me, did you?"
Yu Nianbing was silent.
Song Shiyue gradually reined in her smile, and when she spoke again, she carried a touch of seriousness: "You really thought I blamed you? Did you come over specifically to explain things to me?"
"I came to use the washroom." Yu Nianbing's expression was solemn, her tone cool. She took a step to the side, making way for Song Shiyue, and then added, "Excuse me, let me pass."
Seeing Yu Nianbing like this only confirmed for Song Shiyue that her guess was correct.
Being treated so kindly and so carefully moved Song Shiyue a little. Yet, what came out of her mouth was still an exclamation: "You, really... you carry your worries a bit too heavily."
This ordinary-sounding sentence reached Yu Nianbing's ears, but it was taken in a completely different way. Instantly, an irrepressible anger flared up in her heart.
"You didn't blame me? Then what was the meaning of that look you gave me right before you opened your pack and handed over the food? And later, when everyone had jerky to eat, I was the only one..." Yu Nianbing bit her tongue, reining herself in. She was shocked at what she'd been saying, but had no desire to explain. She just turned her face away, refusing to look at Song Shiyue anymore, and after taking a deep breath, spoke again, saying only, "I need to go in now. Move, please."
Song Shiyue was a bit bewildered by Yu Nianbing's sudden flash of temper.
That look?
Which look?
She'd looked at Yu Nianbing who knows how many times today; was there any specific look that had been a problem?
Yu Nianbing's first question, Song Shiyue couldn't even parse the subject, let alone formulate an answer.
However, regarding the second, unfinished matter Yu Nianbing mentioned, Song Shiyue did have something to say.
"That jerky..." Song Shiyue started.
"Beep beep beep beep beep..."
Yu Nianbing glanced at Song Shiyue's wristband: "You only have thirty seconds left. Go on. I'm going in."
Song Shiyue casually pressed the Privacy Shield Button, adding a five-minute extension.
"Hey..." Yu Nianbing saw her action and wanted to stop her but it was too late. She could only sigh. "You can't use the extension like that..."
"I'll finish right away." Song Shiyue glanced at Yu Nianbing's wristband and quickened her speech. "That jerky, I had it custom-made by a restaurant. The seasoning is good, no doubt, but to minimize volume and pack more, I had them make it very dry, exceptionally dry. Originally, I intended to cook it together with dehydrated vegetables and flour to eat. If eaten straight, it's a bit too tough. If you don't believe me, go out and watch later; I bet none of them finish a single piece."
"Then why did you give it to them?" Yu Nianbing didn't understand. She didn't think Song Shiyue was the type of person who would toy with her companions.
"At first, I just asked the production team people if they wanted some. After all, they confiscated our food. Letting them gnaw on dry jerky for a bit would make us even. Then Mu Xingzhou said he wanted to eat it. If someone else had been the first to ask, I would've explained. But Mu Xingzhou..." Song Shiyue paused, then laughed again. "I always feel like Mu Xingzhou and that Feng Qianqian from the production team seem to know each other. Hahaha, so I didn't stop him. I gave one away, and then Guan Yongyi came to ask, and I couldn't very well explain after that. After giving out two, I could only ask the remaining people if they wanted some too. But luckily, you didn't speak up."
If she put it that way, it seemed she really didn't blame her...
Yu Nianbing realized this point and felt genuinely embarrassed by her own earlier words.
"Um... alright, I understand. You go on now." Yu Nianbing reached out and gave Song Shiyue a tug.
This was the first time since they'd come to the washroom that Yu Nianbing had initiated physical contact with Song Shiyue.
"You are my life-saving benefactor. No matter what you do, I won't blame you." Song Shiyue followed the force of Yu Nianbing's pull, moving away from the washroom entrance she'd been blocking. But she also knew that after this, there would likely be few chances to speak out of earshot of others and out of view of the cameras like this, so she hurriedly added another sentence or two.
"Because I saved you, you won't blame me, no matter what I do?" Yu Nianbing released Song Shiyue's sleeve and repeated in a murmur.
Song Shiyue nodded sincerely: "I will strive to repay your life-saving kindness."
Yu Nianbing was silent for a moment, and then the corner of her lips curved slightly, sketching a faint smile: "Alright. I'll wait and see."
With that, Yu Nianbing slipped into the washroom and closed the door, neither too hard nor too softly.
Song Shiyue hesitated outside the doorway for a moment, feeling that something was still slightly off.
Oh, right.
Song Shiyue leaned close to the door, controlling her volume, and said: "You asked me earlier if I had hidden food. I stashed a bag of jerky in the bedroom, but too bad, I don't have a chance to get it now. I'll go wait for you in the main hall, okay?"
Having said that, Song Shiyue turned and left.
Inside the washroom, Yu Nianbing listened to the voice outside the door, unable to quite name what she felt in her heart. She felt that ever since she'd gotten entangled with Song Shiyue, she'd perpetually been in a state where she didn't know whether to be annoyed or amused.
It was just too...
Yu Nianbing shook her head, turned on the cold water, and splashed her face.
She had, just moments ago, lost some control.
Probably still because of that phrase, "you carry your worries a bit too heavily."
Yu Nianbing knew that Song Shiyue hadn't meant to disparage her, nor did she mean it in the way that person used to when saying that phrase.
But...
It had probably become a conditioned reflex.
All these years, she had constantly been reminding herself not to become the kind of person who controlled others.
Perhaps because she was too worried, too cautious, she had fretted that her earlier reminder to Song Shiyue might have been an unwelcome form of "control," a "for your own good" that deserved blame.
But she should have realized earlier... that silly, simple person probably didn't even possess such a sensitive mind...
She hadn't cared at all about her explanation; she just cared about...
Yu Nianbing looked down at her ankle, which showed absolutely no signs of abnormality, and suddenly felt an urge to laugh.
Yet, she also recalled Song Shiyue's words: "You are my life-saving benefactor. No matter what you do, I won't blame you."
Because she was a life-saving benefactor, she was consistently treated with special regard?
Just like she herself...
Because she was someone she had saved, someone whose frail, helpless state she had witnessed, was that why she had given her extra attention?
Was it, then, the connection forged by saving and being saved?
Yu Nianbing felt as though she had understood something, yet also felt... something had become even less clear.
The viewers on StarNet, who had been actively complaining that the production team's numerous restrictions were practically giving the artists no way to survive, were then greeted with the happy sight of two Mosaic strips merging once more.
Although attending to personal matters indeed allowed the Privacy Shield to be activated, to stand outside the washroom for quite some time with the shield on meant they had certainly been talking.
Such a pity, they couldn't hear a thing!
They watched helplessly as one Mosaic strip emerged from the washroom, and the other Mosaic strip swiftly walked over. Then, because the two Mosaic strips were so close, their edges almost fused together...
All they could say was, never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined that one day, they'd be mentally extrapolating so much content just from blurry Mosaics.
The Little Mooncakes bubbled up joyfully; whether the melon was clear or blurry, as long as it could be eaten, it was a good melon.
This time, the Little Ice Buckets surprisingly didn't say much.
From their fan nickname "Little Ice Buckets" and their pet name for Yu Nianbing, "Little Ice Block," one could see the strong protective urges Yu Nianbing's fans held toward her.
Earlier outside the washroom, Song Shiyue had gone in first, and it was Yu Nianbing who had later, on her own initiative, turned on her Privacy Shield early. The Little Ice Buckets naturally wouldn't pick a fight with the Little Mooncakes at a time like this. Otherwise, if the production team punished Yu Nianbing as well, it would be troublesome.
Everyone was intensely curious about what they'd said, but due to the rules, even the cameras hadn't captured it.
Still, two Mosaic strips, after being watched for a while, turned out to be... quite interesting.
It couldn't help but remind people of those two Mosaic strips on the bed the previous night.
If the first time was due to circumstances, then what about the second?
Upon closer examination, the existence of Mooncakes didn't seem quite so unreasonable after all...
Quite a few viewers found the Mosaics interesting, and among them was a watcher in a villa on the shores of Luwei Lake on Beichen Planet.
Inside the spacious and bright dining room, a young man in his twenties sipped chicken-shredded congee from his bowl while glancing up from time to time at the screen before him, his face full of smiles.
However, this happiness did not last long.
An elegant and poised woman descended the spiral staircase, and just as she entered the dining room, she caught the young man beaming foolishly at the holographic screen. Her brow furrowed, and the innate grace and ease she carried immediately took on a hint of sternness. "Haoyan, how many times have I told you not to watch StarNet while eating?"
"Mom." The young man looked up with a smile, raised his hand, and shared the StarNet interface before him to the woman's display. "Look, Sis's livestream reality show."
The woman, however, didn't spare it a single glance. She casually dismissed the StarNet broadcast back to the young man and said, "While eating, don't watch StarNet, and don't mention her."
With that, the woman sat down. The cook, who had been quietly waiting by the kitchen entrance, immediately served her a bowl of chicken-shredded congee.
"Fine, I won't watch it then." Under the woman's severe gaze, the young man turned off StarNet, but he still couldn't resist adding another sentence, somewhat unwillingly. "Sis earns as much now, maybe even more than she would have staying at the company."
"We raised and cultivated her all these years just so she could do this? Why are you suddenly bringing this up again today? Do not follow her example." The woman put down her spoon and looked at the young man with a straight face. "Have you finished reading yesterday's departmental meeting summaries? Any thoughts? Have you figured out how to answer if your grandfather or your father asks you this morning?"
The young man also set down his spoon and wiped his mouth, about to speak, but the woman spoke again: "I've prepared a summary of the key points here, along with some thoughts. If you don't know what to say, memorize these."
After speaking, the woman opened StarNet and sent a file over.
The StarNet client on the young man's wrist beeped twice. He pressed his lips together, lowered his head, and ultimately reopened StarNet, pressing 'Receive.'
"Without the courage to flee, you must bear the consequences of being controlled."
The young man suddenly remembered the words his sister had said to him before leaving home that year. Without being able to help himself, he glanced again at the livestream page still running in the background of his StarNet.
Still the familiar position, the familiar two Mosaic strips...
"Once you've saved that, eat your meal, and study it well once you've finished." The woman's voice sounded again.
The light that had just begun to kindle in the young man's eyes dimmed once more. Silently, he shut down StarNet and picked up his spoon. The chicken-shredded congee, once rich in broth and tender in meat, now tasted as he drank it of a cloying greasiness, hard to swallow.
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