Married in a Daze - Chapter 158
Chapter 158
Lu Sheng truly wasn't very familiar with City A. Strictly speaking, the number of times she had visited could be counted on one hand. So, she got lost near the agreed-upon café.
The location was chosen by Yin Ye. She took a cab to the vicinity, and the driver sped off as soon as she got out. Standing on the street in her stilettos, she had no idea which way to go.
Through the window, Yin Ye watched the figure not far away looking left and right. Sunlight fell upon her, bending her hair into lovely arcs.
In the first few years after their breakup, she had secretly watched her like this more than once. She had even gone to the café downstairs from her workplace and sat for half a day, sometimes only catching a fleeting glimpse through the window.
What kind of feelings had driven her to wait for her back then?
She had almost forgotten by now.
Yin Ye stirred the coffee in her cup, her gaze still fixed on the person outside. When she saw her pick up her phone, Yin Ye looked at her own phone. The screen lit up; it was still that unfamiliar number.
She answered and said softly, "To your left, second floor."
Hearing her prompt, Lu Sheng instinctively looked left. It was a small shopping plaza. She looked up and saw someone sitting by the second-floor window, looking back at her.
Lu Sheng narrowed her eyes, taking in Yin Ye, who was completely different from how she remembered.
A sleeveless red dress with a V-neckline revealed a fair, slender neck. Her long hair was pinned up, with only a few stray strands falling by her ears. Silver earrings gleamed under the bright sun, exuding an air of refined elegance from every angle.
Time had stripped away her youthful aura, adding a touch of composure and grace.
The two exchanged a glance through the window. Yin Ye concealed the emotions in her eyes, her expression neutral.
Lu Sheng also averted her gaze and walked into the plaza with her head down. Yin Ye watched the slender figure enter from the entrance and ascend to the second floor. She stirred the spoon in her coffee cup and took a small sip; the rich coffee carried a hint of bitterness.
Should she say "long time no see"?
Or pretend to greet her as a friend?
Before Yin Ye could decide between the two options, she saw Lu Sheng place a stack of papers in front of her. Her expression held a coldness Yin Ye had never seen before.
The two sat face to face. Sunlight quietly cast a soft halo, giving Yin Ye the illusion of having returned to the past.
Of course, this illusion faded the moment Lu Sheng opened her mouth.
"What is this?"
Lu Sheng pushed the script towards Yin Ye, her bright eyes concealing a sharp glint. Yin Ye looked down at the script and, seeing the author's name, inexplicably wanted to laugh.
"What about it?" Yin Ye picked up the script. "Is there a problem?"
Lu Sheng pointed at the script. "You wrote about Ruyun's affairs?"
Yin Ye blinked and looked up, her lips curving into a faint smile—a single, fluid motion without any pause. She smiled. "Haven't you already seen it?"
Lu Sheng's lips pressed into a straight line, her expression displeased. "Why did you write about her matters?"
Yin Ye watched her angry expression, exactly the same as it was years ago—full of displeasure, not even bothering to hide it. Her red lips parted slightly. "Why can't I write about it?"
Lu Sheng frowned deeply at her words, giving Yin Ye a long look before looking away. She said softly, "I don't agree with you writing about Ruyun's affairs. Please change it, Miss Yin."
Miss Yin.
Yin Ye suddenly let out a soft laugh. The tiny hope she'd harbored before coming was instantly extinguished. She stirred the spoon in her coffee cup. "You called me out just because of the script?"
Lu Sheng looked at her, seeming not to understand why she'd suddenly ask that. Seeing Lu Sheng's puzzled gaze, Yin Ye averted her eyes, looking out the window. Her profile tensed. "I will not change the script. You may leave now, Miss Lu."
She stood up as she spoke. "I have other matters. I'm leaving first."
Lu Sheng watched Yin Ye stand up and stood up as well, calling out, "Yin Ye."
Her tone was icy, devoid of any warmth.
Yin Ye glanced sideways at her, her narrow phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, the smile gone from their depths. "Lu Sheng, Ruyun is an adult now. She has her own decisions and judgment. Whether or not I write this script, I don't need your permission."
Lu Sheng listened, her lips still pressed tightly together. Seeing Yin Ye about to leave, she grabbed her arm. The movement was too abrupt and knocked against the coffee cup, producing a crisp clatter.
Several people glanced over. Yin Ye's composed expression now held a hint of anger. "Lu Sheng, what are you trying to do?"
Lu Sheng held her wrist with one hand and picked up the script with the other, handing it to Yin Ye. "Please change it, Miss Yin."
Enduring the slight sting in her wrist, Yin Ye forced a smile. "Lu Sheng, you're still as unreasonable as ever!"
Lu Sheng looked at her steadily. "And you, Yin Ye? You're just as selfish."
"You haven't considered the harm this could do to Ruyun at all. You haven't considered anyone else's feelings. Yin Ye, do you think she can handle it?"
Yin Ye looked back at her. "Whether she can handle it is for her to decide, not you, Lu Sheng."
"You've already made one choice for her. You can't make a second one!"
Lu Sheng's anger flared, her voice rising slightly. "She decides? Yin Ye, if she's being reckless, you'll just follow along? She doesn't understand, and neither do you?"
"Do you have any idea how hard it was for her to finally come out of it after all these years? If people find out..."
Yin Ye forcefully shook off her hand, not backing down an inch. "So what if people find out? Lu Sheng, do you think your so-called protection is really for her own good? You've just put her in a different cage!"
"After all these years apart, your self-righteousness hasn't changed one bit!"
Having said her piece, Yin Ye didn't spare her another glance. She turned and left decisively. Lu Sheng watched her retreating figure, just like many years ago, when she had resolutely walked out of her world.
Several people in the café were now staring at them and whispering. Lu Sheng steadied her nerves, took a deep breath, and sat down in the seat Yin Ye had vacated.
The script's cover had a brownish stain from the spilled coffee. She looked down at it coldly. Within two minutes, a server brought over a cup of coffee.
"I didn't..."
Lu Sheng's words were cut off by the server. "This was ordered by the lady who just left."
The server set down the coffee and turned away. Lu Sheng stared at the cup in front of her, replaying Yin Ye's words over and over in her mind. Finally, she picked up the nearly cold coffee and took a sip.
It was a taste she knew well.
Lu Sheng skipped work.
When Lu Ruyun woke up, she saw Lu Sheng sitting on the sofa. Days of fatigue had allowed her, with the help of alcohol the night before, to get a good night's sleep. She woke up after ten. To her surprise, Lu Sheng was actually home.
After all, just yesterday afternoon, she had told Lu Ruyun she had a meeting today.
"Auntie?" Lu Ruyun pressed her temple as she sat up. "Why didn't you go to your meeting?"
Lu Sheng snapped out of her reverie and turned to look at Lu Ruyun, who was now sitting upright. Her gaze swept over her from head to toe several times before she finally spoke. "I'll go in a bit."
Lu Ruyun nodded lightly. "Mm."
She was just about to stand up when Lu Sheng pointed at the script on the coffee table. "Ruyun, about this script, don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
Lu Ruyun had just woken up and was still a bit groggy. She didn't immediately grasp Lu Sheng's meaning until she followed her pointing finger and saw the half-open script on the coffee table. Her expression changed slightly.
"Auntie..."
She had barely spoken when Lu Sheng interrupted her. "Why are you dragging up old matters again? Ruyun, you finally managed to pull yourself together, finally found the courage to move forward. Why are you being so stubborn and going back to dwell on the past?"
"Have you thought about what if—"
What if the old illness relapsed? What if history repeated itself? The torment that would bring—she didn't dare to think deeply about it.
Seeing Lu Sheng's agitation, Lu Ruyun moved closer to her and said softly, "Auntie, you don't need to worry. I'm fine now."
"And later?" Lu Sheng turned to look at her, her eyes sharp. "Can you guarantee that later on, you'll be fine? Can you guarantee you won't have disturbing thoughts when you see similar scenes? Can you guarantee you'll stay fine forever?"
Lu Ruyun pressed her lips together, her profile—bearing some resemblance to Lu Sheng's—tensed in silence.
The living room fell momentarily silent. Lu Sheng clasped her hands and stood up. "Ruyun, I don't accept this script, and I don't accept such a risky endeavor."
Lu Ruyun looked up, but before she could speak, Lu Sheng picked up her bag. "I'm going to my meeting now. You think it over carefully."
The living room door clicked open and shut. Lu Ruyun sat on the sofa, her gaze fixed on the script before her. After a few minutes of silence, she reached out and began flipping through it page by page.
Sunlight bathed her, then gradually faded. As dusk settled, Lu Ruyun finally moved her stiff arms at the sound of her phone ringing. She answered, her voice slightly low. "Hello."
Qin Zhenzhen's voice came through the receiver, and like magic, it instantly illuminated her world, dispelling the surrounding darkness.
"Ruyun, where are you?"
Lu Ruyun had been sitting for so long her mind was momentarily foggy. She glanced around and paused for a few seconds before replying, "At home."
Qin Zhenzhen laughed. "Okay, I'll be right back."
She hung up. Lu Ruyun reined in her complicated emotions, got up to wash up, and after coming out of the bathroom, tidied the apartment. Seeing the script on the coffee table, she pressed her lips together and placed it on the TV console.
After bidding farewell to Ji Lu and returning to the apartment, Qin Zhenzhen took several deep breaths before entering, a faint smile on her face. When Lu Ruyun opened the door, she saw her cautiously looking left and right, like a thief.
Lu Ruyun couldn't help asking, "What are you looking at?"
Qin Zhenzhen turned her head. "Where's Auntie?"
Lu Ruyun's lips curved up. "She went to a meeting."
Qin Zhenzhen muttered something under her breath, then turned and hugged Lu Ruyun fiercely. "Why didn't you say so sooner!"
Before Lu Ruyun could reply, Qin Zhenzhen sealed her lips, pushing her backward step by step, directly into the study.
An hour later, the sounds in the room gradually subsided. Qin Zhenzhen lay lazily under the covers, lifting her wrist to check the time. "Ruyun, when is Auntie coming back?"
Lu Ruyun glanced out at the dark sky and gently patted Qin Zhenzhen's smooth back. "Soon, probably."
Just as the words left her mouth, the phone discarded on the floor lit up, its glow cutting through the pitch-black night. She stepped onto the carpet to pick it up. After reading the message on the screen, she lowered her eyes.
Qin Zhenzhen looked over. "What is it?"
Lu Ruyun finished reading the message and turned off her phone. She pressed her lips together. "Auntie says she has something to do tonight and won't be coming back."
Qin Zhenzhen looked at Lu Ruyun, blinked, and after a pause said, "Your aunt really is your real aunt."
Lu Ruyun: ...
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