Married in a Daze - Chapter 94
Chapter 94
It was already past seven by the time Qin Zhenzhen finished filming. The sky was ink-black, with only streetlights illuminating the ground, stretching people's shadows endlessly. Ji Lu, who was dropping Qin Zhenzhen off at the hospital entrance, still asked with great concern, "Are you sure you don't need me to come in with you?"
After all, the events of last night were still fresh in her mind. Furthermore, Qin Zhenzhen was coming to the hospital this time, which was completely different from her previous public displays of affection.
Qin Zhenzhen shook her head, fully armed with her disguise. She firmly rejected Ji Lu, then strode into the hospital.
Zhang Yiyao was staying in the private patient ward area. He Shuangshuang stood waiting for her at the door. After they met, neither knew quite what to say. Qin Zhenzhen could only purse her lips and ask, "How is Miss Zhang doing?"
He Shuangshuang looked down. "She's okay. Nothing major."
Qin Zhenzhen followed He Shuangshuang inside. Lu Ruyun was peeling fruit. Seeing Qin Zhenzhen walk in, she gave a faint smile. "You're here."
"Mm." Qin Zhenzhen nodded, placed her purse to the side, and turned to look at Zhang Yiyao sleeping in the hospital bed.
Zhang Yiyao looked quite energetic, with a rosy, glowing complexion and bright eyes. As Qin Zhenzhen walked over, she smiled and greeted her. "Zhenzhen, you're here."
Qin Zhenzhen also walked over to her bedside with a smile. "Feeling any better? I told you the other day we should have brought you to the hospital for a check-up, but you wouldn't listen."
Zhang Yiyao froze for a moment, then realized Qin Zhenzhen probably didn't know about her actual condition. She went along with Qin Zhenzhen's words. "It's fine. It was never a big deal. It's just Ruyun who wouldn't rest easy and insisted I come in for a full check-up. My leg still can't support walking, so I'll just stay for a couple of days."
Qin Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good, then."
This statement was genuine.
Although her initial intention wasn't exactly concern.
She just felt that if Zhang Yiyao was okay, then Lu Ruyun probably wouldn't need to see her so often.
Qin Zhenzhen lowered her eyes to hide her little thoughts, making idle chit-chat with Zhang Yiyao. Seeing the time was getting late, He Shuangshuang urged Lu Ruyun and Qin Zhenzhen to head back first, saying she would keep watch here at the hospital and there was no need to worry.
Zhang Yiyao looked at Lu Ruyun, her eyes holding a trace of fear and wariness, as if terrified she would just abandon her. Lu Ruyun met her bright gaze and found the words 'I'm leaving' stuck in her throat.
Qin Zhenzhen hooked her arm through Lu Ruyun's and said to Zhang Yiyao and He Shuangshuang, "Alright then, we'll be off first."
"Yaoyao, we'll come see you again tomorrow."
Zhang Yiyao gave a faint smile and nod, her gaze still fixed on Lu Ruyun. Her voice was a little softer as she said, "If you're busy, you don't need to come. Shuangshuang is here to keep me company, that's enough."
He Shuangshuang also nodded. "Yeah, Zhenzhen, aren't you super busy lately? Don't bother coming to the hospital. What if some paparazzi follow you and end up writing some nonsense?"
Qin Zhenzhen blinked, not speaking. Lu Ruyun pressed her lips together. "I'll come again tomorrow."
Zhang Yiyao waved at her. "See you tomorrow then."
Lu Ruyun hummed in acknowledgment. "See you tomorrow."
He Shuangshuang saw them off to the parking lot. Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun got in the car, exchanged a few words with her, and then drove off. Neither spoke during the journey. Qin Zhenzhen held it in for a long time before finally asking, "What's really wrong with Miss Zhang?"
It definitely wasn't because of her previous injury. After acting for three or four years and coming into contact with all sorts of people, Qin Zhenzhen could still guess a thing or two by reading expressions.
Upon hearing her question, Lu Ruyun sighed. "Nothing."
Qin Zhenzhen, gripping the steering wheel, turned her head. "Are you hiding something from me?"
Lu Ruyun opened her mouth, thinking of the message she had sent and then withdrawn. After a pause, she said, "She wants to break up with Qiuhan. Her old illness has flared up again."
Qin Zhenzhen's hands on the steering wheel tightened slightly, her brow furrowing. "Aren't she and Director Duan doing great together?"
Lu Ruyun shook her head with a grave expression.
This wasn't the first time she had threatened to break up. She was usually very tolerant towards everyone, but when it came to Duan Qiuhan alone, she was extremely demanding. Sometimes, if a call wasn't answered, she wanted to break up. If a message wasn't replied to promptly, she wanted to break up too. Lu Ruyun knew she lacked a sense of security and had always dissuaded her in the past.
But this time, she didn't want to dissuade her anymore.
It was, after all, her own life. She shouldn't comment too much.
Seeing her shake her head, Qin Zhenzhen asked, "Will they break up?"
Lu Ruyun's voice was slightly low. "Zhenzhen, I'm not them. I don't know."
Hearing these words, Qin Zhenzhen felt inexplicably flustered.
She pulled the car over to the curb, her hands gripping the steering wheel. Her voice wasn't its usual self as she asked, "What about us, then?"
Lu Ruyun was taken aback and looked at her. "What?"
Qin Zhenzhen turned to look at her. "Will we break up?"
She stared intently at Lu Ruyun, terrified that the words 'I don't know' might come out of her mouth. She didn't know what she was afraid of either. It was clearly Zhang Yiyao and Duan Qiuhan breaking up, but somehow she always ended up relating it to herself and Lu Ruyun.
Her heart was filled with fear and panic. Qin Zhenzhen couldn't describe her feelings at that moment with words, finding them only complicated.
Lu Ruyun met her eyes, seeing the unease hidden within them. She reached out and hugged Qin Zhenzhen, pressing her head against her own shoulder. "No."
"We won't break up."
She was her light, the warmth she wanted to draw close, the person she wanted to spend her life with.
Unless Qin Zhenzhen said the words to break up, she would die before ever uttering those two words herself.
Hearing this firm answer, Qin Zhenzhen's eyes grew hot. She felt she was being ridiculous, acting foolishly. Her body honestly embraced Lu Ruyun back, her voice slightly choked. "Promise me!"
Hearing the hint of tears in her voice, Lu Ruyun's heart ached. She raised her hand. "I promise."
Qin Zhenzhen laughed through her tears. "What are you promising?"
Lu Ruyun gave her a look, held her face, and brought their noses together. She spoke clearly, word by word. "I promise that in this lifetime, I will only ever like Qin Zhenzhen."
Hearing her confession, Qin Zhenzhen just laughed and snorted. "How cliché."
Before Lu Ruyun could respond, she added, "You drive."
"I'm going to start overthinking things."
Lu Ruyun: ...
It was already around nine o'clock by the time they got home. A cold wind howled, and snowflakes began to drift down from the sky, dampening Qin Zhenzhen's hair. Lu Ruyun opened the door and pulled her inside. Their breath turned to white mist as they spoke.
After a simple wash-up, Qin Zhenzhen got into bed. She lay on her stomach, holding her script, studying it. Lu Ruyun placed several books on the bedside table and asked Qin Zhenzhen, "Are you getting two days off for the New Year?"
Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "Yes, I've already called my mom. Oh, right, she asked what dishes you like so they can prepare in advance."
Lu Ruyun got under the covers, picked up a book, and said, "Anything's fine. I'm not picky."
Qin Zhenzhen put down her script. "I knew you'd say that."
She smiled, wrapped her arms around Lu Ruyun's waist, and buried her head against her chest, nuzzling. The fresh scent after a bath filled her nostrils. Satisfied, Qin Zhenzhen gave the 'big white rabbit' a nibble before turning back to continue reading her script.
Lu Ruyun's mind swayed slightly from the provocation. Just as she looked down, she saw Qin Zhenzhen had turned her back to her. She slipped her leg between Qin Zhenzhen's and rubbed against them. Qin Zhenzhen cried out in feigned annoyance, "What are you doing!"
Lu Ruyun calmly withdrew her leg, resumed her proper posture, and said leisurely, "Returning the favor."
Qin Zhenzhen: ...
They spent the latter half of the night 'returning favors' before finally falling asleep. Sunlight streamed onto the bed. Qin Zhenzhen squinted her eyes and turned off the alarm. Within minutes, her phone started ringing persistently. Annoyed, Qin Zhenzhen answered, "I know, I know, I'm up."
Hearing her groggy, muffled voice, Ji Lu knew she had just woken up and hurriedly placated her with a smile. "Okay, okay, you're up."
Qin Zhenzhen mumbled a couple of times before hanging up. Turning her head, she saw Lu Ruyun's sleeping face. She smiled, gave her cheek a kiss, and got out of bed.
Half an hour later, Lu Ruyun woke up too.
She opened her eyes, looked at the ceiling, stared blankly for a few seconds, then called out, "Zhenzhen?"
There was no response beside her. Lu Ruyun turned her head, catching sight of the empty half of the bed. She quickly reached for her phone, her sharp eyes noticing a note on the bedside table.
—Teacher Lu, were you born in the Year of the Pig? [^^]
Lu Ruyun stared at the note for a few seconds, blinked, then sent Qin Zhenzhen a message: What does that mean?
Qin Zhenzhen was still in the car, not yet at the film city. When her phone notification sounded, she glanced at it and saw Lu Ruyun's message asking 'What does that mean?' on the screen.
She thought for a few seconds, remembering the note she had left.
—You slept way too soundly [pig head].
Seeing this, Lu Ruyun pursed her lips into a smile, then the smile froze.
If Qin Zhenzhen hadn't reminded her, she would have completely forgotten that it had been a very, very long time since she last suffered from insomnia.
She felt as if she were bathed in warm sunlight, the darkness having receded. Only then did she realize how beautiful life and the world could be.
A warm feeling spread through Lu Ruyun's heart. She exchanged a few more messages with Qin Zhenzhen before getting up. She prepared some dishes and nourishing soup, and once everything was ready, she set off for the hospital.
Duan Qiuhan still couldn't get in touch with Zhang Yiyao. Her phone was perpetually switched off. At first, he didn't think much of it, but when it remained off the next day, he grew restless and hurriedly called Lu Ruyun.
Lu Ruyun was still on the phone when she entered the ward.
"She's fine, don't worry."
"Qiuhan, I can't promise you that."
"You two need to talk it out in detail."
After entering the ward, Lu Ruyun saw Zhang Yiyao sitting up in the hospital bed. She looked dazed, but upon hearing the noise, she looked up and called out gently, "Ruyun."
"It's Qiuhan's call." Lu Ruyun handed the phone to her. Zhang Yiyao took it, listening to the incessant chatter on the other end. She frowned impatiently and coldly interrupted, "Enough. I don't want to say more. We'll talk about everything else when you get back."
"Yaoyao, Yao..."
Zhang Yiyao hung up the phone nonchalantly. On the call log screen, right below Duan Qiuhan's entry, she saw Lu Ruyun's call record for—Wife Zhenzhen.
Zhang Yiyao closed her eyes for a moment, then handed the phone back to Lu Ruyun. The ward fell silent for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, He Shuangshuang said, "I'll go get some hot water."
She picked up the thermos and left. Lu Ruyun placed the things she brought on the coffee table and turned to Zhang Yiyao. "Have you had breakfast? I made some porridge. Want to try a bit?"
Zhang Yiyao watched Lu Ruyun's busy figure, her slender waist seemingly easy to encircle, her long, black hair neatly in place, the tenderness inadvertently revealed between her brows. Staring at Lu Ruyun, she called out in an even gentler voice, "Ruyun."
Lu Ruyun turned her head, meeting her gaze. Their eyes met. Zhang Yiyao's eyes churned with painful emotion. She steadied herself and said, "I regret it."
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