Married in a Daze - Chapter 161

Chapter 161

The guest room door closed softly. Lu Sheng leaned her back against it, her expression dazed. The questions Yin Ye had just asked replayed in her mind, but before she could sort through her jumbled thoughts, the doorbell rang again. She paused, thinking it was Yin Ye again, and quickly opened the door to find Lu Ruyun and Qin Zhenzhen standing outside.

"Aunt."

Lu Ruyun stood at the doorway with Qin Zhenzhen, offering her a faint smile.

A complex mix of feelings instantly surged in Lu Sheng's heart. She masked the emotions in her eyes and acted as usual. "What brings you two here?"

Qin Zhenzhen exchanged a look with Lu Ruyun and smiled. "We missed you, Auntie, so we came."

Her voice carried a hint of a young girl's sweet, almost cloying charm, which was rather endearing. Lu Sheng, who had still been somewhat angry with Lu Ruyun, couldn't maintain her stern face in front of the lovely, smiling Qin Zhenzhen and her sweet address. She took a step back. "Come in."

Qin Zhenzhen's smile widened. "Thank you, Auntie."

Hearing this, Lu Sheng couldn't help but curve the corners of her eyes into a smile. The three of them entered the room together. Lu Ruyun glanced at the coffee table where two cups of coffee sat, steam still rising. A glint flashed in her eyes before she lowered her eyelids.

Once inside, Qin Zhenzhen stuck close to Lu Sheng, asking all sorts of questions. One moment she complained about the hotel being no good, with all sorts of inconveniences; the next, she mentioned that Lu Sheng had just returned and how rare it was for her to have a few days free. She hinted, both overtly and subtly, that she wanted Lu Sheng to return to the apartment.

Lu Sheng saw right through her little schemes but just smiled without commenting.

The three of them sat on the sofa, chatting about other topics for a good while. Lu Ruyun looked at the coffee cups on the table. "Aunt, did someone visit?"

Lu Sheng followed her gaze to the coffee table, paused for a moment, and then smiled. "An old friend."

As she spoke, she picked up the untouched coffee cup and placed it on the nearby kitchen counter. Turning back to Lu Ruyun, she asked, "Would you like something to drink?"

Lu Ruyun pursed her lips, her profile—so similar to Lu Sheng's—looking rather indifferent.

"Anything is fine."

Lu Sheng poured tea for both of them and brought it over. Lu Ruyun took hers, took a small sip, placed the cup on the coffee table, and stood up. "I need to use the restroom."

"Over there." Lu Sheng pointed in a direction and took a sip of her own tea.

While waiting for Lu Ruyun to go to the bathroom, Qin Zhenzhen sat down next to Lu Sheng and whispered, "Auntie, are you really not coming back?"

Lu Sheng tilted her head to look at her. Qin Zhenzhen's pretty face wore a pleading smile, her bright eyes clear and curved into crescents, a sight that lifted anyone's spirits.

"I'm not coming back."

"Wouldn't going back disturb you two?"

Lu Sheng's tone was half-teasing, half-bantering. A faint blush spread across Qin Zhenzhen's cheeks, and her voice lowered slightly. "Of course it wouldn't disturb us."

A soft chuckle came from beside her. Lu Sheng patted her shoulder. "Alright. The reason I'm not going over is that I'm very busy with meetings these days. I'll come see you when I have time. Besides, you two have filming to worry about and wedding preparations. Don't always be thinking about me."

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhenzhen set aside her shy demeanor, straightened her expression, and bit her lower lip. "Auntie."

Lu Sheng picked up the cup from the coffee table and took a sip of tea. "Hmm?"

Qin Zhenzhen lifted her gaze, her eyes shining under the crystal chandelier. "Are you not coming back because you're still angry with Ruyun?"

Lu Sheng was momentarily stunned. A few seconds later, she smiled. "Of course not..."

Qin Zhenzhen interrupted her. "Is it because of the script?"

Her voice had lost its earlier coquettish tone, adding a layer of quietness. Lu Sheng turned to look at her. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Lu Sheng pursed her lips. "Did Ruyun tell you everything?"

Qin Zhenzhen shook her head. "No."

"But I can tell."

"Auntie, I know you're only angry because you care about Ruyun."

Lu Sheng nodded lightly. "Zhenzhen, did Ruyun—tell you about her situation?"

Qin Zhenzhen hummed softly in affirmation. "Yes."

A flicker of surprise crossed Lu Sheng's face, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. She gathered her chaotic thoughts. "Zhenzhen, since you know about Ruyun's situation, you should probably also understand why I disagree."

"I'm not angry with her."

Qin Zhenzhen lowered her eyes. "Then is it with Auntie Yin?"

Lu Sheng heard the sound of the toilet flushing from the bathroom. She pressed her lips into a thin line, no longer uttering words contrary to her heart, and nodded frankly in admission. "She shouldn't have written about Ruyun's story without authorization."

"Without authorization?" Qin Zhenzhen frowned, her bright eyes looking at Lu Sheng with added confusion. "Auntie Yin didn't write about Ruyun's story without authorization."

Lu Sheng stared fixedly at her. "I've read the script. It's about Ruyun. She never sought our consent. Isn't that without authorization?"

Qin Zhenzhen was stunned for a few seconds before quickly understanding. Her lips curved upward. "Auntie, didn't Ruyun tell you?"

Lu Sheng looked at her in surprise. "Tell me what?"

Qin Zhenzhen parted her lips gently. "Didn't she tell you about the script?"

"She asked Auntie Yin to adapt it based on her own story."

Lu Sheng's elegant brows knitted together, a look of disbelief on her face. "What?"

She truly hadn't known about this. Back when she first saw the script, she had gone directly to confront Yin Ye. Their conversation that day had been filled with anger, and there had been no proper communication.

Qin Zhenzhen let out a soft breath, calming her emotions. "Auntie, you misunderstood Auntie Yin. The original script wasn't about Ruyun; it was about another child with a somewhat similar experience. Later, after Ruyun finished reading the script, she contacted Auntie Yin and asked her to change it to her own story."

"So the script wasn't written by Auntie Yin without permission."

Upon hearing this, Lu Sheng abruptly clenched her hands. The image of Yin Ye just before she left flashed before her eyes. Her face turned cold, her lips pressed into a tight line. Qin Zhenzhen, observing her changing expression, spoke softly, "Auntie, actually, at the beginning, I felt exactly like you. I was completely unwilling to let Ruyun get involved with this script."

She finished with a somewhat self-mocking smile. "When I first finished reading it, I even wanted to tear it up."

Lu Sheng lowered her eyelids, acknowledging her words. "Then why did you agree later?"

Qin Zhenzhen leaned closer to her. The cool light of the crystal chandelier fell on her, adding a layer of soft glow. Lu Sheng looked at Qin Zhenzhen and saw her lips curve into a smile, her voice dropping slightly. "Because Ruyun wants to move forward."

"She doesn't want to see us worrying about her anymore."

"She wants to tell everyone who cares about her that she's better now, that we don't have to be so careful tiptoeing around her feelings."

"Auntie, she wants to be a normal person."

"I didn't want to refuse, and I couldn't refuse."

After speaking, Qin Zhenzhen smiled at Lu Sheng, her exquisite features blooming like a flower in an instant. Lu Sheng was momentarily speechless, her hands still tightly clenched.

The words that person had just said suddenly resurfaced in her mind.

"She is the one who was hurt. She is the one willing to step out. It's something she can face with composure herself, yet because of you, she has to tread carefully, minding your feelings. She has to pretend to stay in a cage, in the place you think is safe, simply because you think she might get hurt again. You have so little confidence in her that you won't even give her the courage to try and uncover the wound."

"Lu Sheng, is this your love for her?"

Is this your love for her?

Making her give up on wanting to be a normal person again, all because she has to consider your feelings.

She had only thought about her own worries, about being unable to bear the potential consequences, so she didn't dare let Lu Ruyun try. She had forgotten that Ruyun was no longer that frail, lonely child from back then, no longer the person who only knew how to hide behind her.

Lu Sheng suddenly felt that perhaps the selfish one wasn't Yin Ye.

It was herself.

It was her own inability to move forward that had caused Ruyun to lose chance after chance to step out.

Lu Sheng fell silent for a long time. Time ticked by. Finally, the bathroom door opened again. Lu Ruyun walked out, her expression normal as she sat down beside Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Sheng, smiling. "What were you talking about?"

Qin Zhenzhen curved her lips, her voice soft. "Nothing much, just chatting casually with Auntie."

"You keep Auntie company for a bit. I need to use the restroom."

Lu Ruyun smiled. "Alright."

Qin Zhenzhen stood up with a smile and walked into the bathroom. The door closed softly. The two people in the living room sat upright, their similar features and even their expressions almost identical. Seeing that Lu Sheng hadn't spoken for a while, Lu Ruyun took the initiative. "Aunt."

"I'm sorry. I'll ask Auntie Yin to change the script. Please don't be angry anymore, okay?"

Seeing Lu Ruyun yielding like this, Lu Sheng's heart instantly ached with a sharp twinge, twisting so tightly it made breathing painful. Qin Zhenzhen's words just now and Yin Ye's words tangled together in her mind. She lowered her head and didn't make a sound.

Lu Ruyun sat not far from her. Seeing she didn't respond, she moved a little closer, sitting next to Lu Sheng, and imitated Qin Zhenzhen's coquettish tone. "Auntie..."

Lu Sheng was amused by her awkward imitation, a glimmer of moisture appearing in her eyes. She turned her head to look away, her lips curving. "Not convincing at all."

Knowing Lu Sheng was saying her imitation of Qin Zhenzhen was completely unconvincing, Lu Ruyun let out a light chuckle.

The two looked at each other for a few seconds. Lu Ruyun stared at the cup on the coffee table. "Aunt."

Lu Sheng hummed in response and turned to look at her.

"I saw Auntie Yin just now."

Lu Sheng was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "Did you also hear what we just said?"

Lu Ruyun didn't hide it, nodding honestly. Lu Sheng glanced toward the bathroom, suddenly understanding why Qin Zhenzhen had said those things earlier. This child was truly clever and sharp.

Ruyun was indeed extremely fortunate.

Lu Sheng withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Lu Ruyun, opening her lips. "Do you have something to say too?"

Lu Ruyun thought for a few seconds. "Did Zhenzhen tell you everything?"

"Pretty much." Although not explicitly stated, Zhenzhen had already said everything she wanted to convey. Lu Ruyun didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "I wanted to ask... back then, when you and Auntie Yin broke up, was it because of my situation?"

Hearing this question, Lu Sheng was first taken aback, then fell silent.

In truth, back then, she hadn't really wanted to break up with Yin Ye.

She had just been so infuriated when Yin Ye started arguing with her while Ruyun was hospitalized after her suicide attempt that she impulsively said they should break up. She never expected Yin Ye to agree immediately, packing her things and leaving their apartment without a shred of hesitation or attempt to reconcile. When she returned from the hospital to an empty apartment, she had thought about contacting her. But the hurtful words they had hurled at each other during the fight had pierced each other's hearts. The more they cared, the more it hurt. She was angry too, so she didn't go look for her right away. Later, when she finally couldn't hold back and inquired, she found out Yin Ye was doing very well, even happier than when they were together.

Gradually, she forced herself not to disturb her.

Occasionally, they would run into each other, but she would always come and go hurriedly, not daring to greet her, not daring to ask how she was.

Lu Sheng nodded, then shook her head, finally smiling. "You could say so."

Lu Ruyun's eyes turned slightly red, her voice dropping low. "Auntie, I'm sorry."

Lu Sheng's eyes glistened with moisture, her voice hoarse. "There's no need, Ruyun. You don't need to apologize to me."

"It's me who should apologize to you."

"And to her."

A prickling itch rose in Lu Ruyun's throat. Suddenly, she reached out and wrapped her arms around Lu Sheng's neck, hugging her just like she did when she was little.

When Qin Zhenzhen came out of the bathroom, she saw the two embracing on the sofa. A gentle light appeared in her eyes as she stood not far away, not moving.

Hearing the bathroom door close, Lu Sheng patted Lu Ruyun's back lightly. "Alright. It's getting late. You and Zhenzhen should head back early to rest."

Qin Zhenzhen walked over as the two separated. Lu Sheng said to her, "Go back early."

"Okay."

Qin Zhenzhen agreed and looked at Lu Ruyun, noticing her slightly reddened eyes and delicate nose. Her always steady, bright eyes shimmered with watery ripples, misty, possessing a unique kind of allure.

Judging by this look, the necessary conversation must have been had.

Qin Zhenzhen's expression relaxed considerably.

Lu Sheng saw them to the door, waving her hand to indicate they could leave. Qin Zhenzhen led Lu Ruyun into the elevator. The doors slowly closed. Standing beside Lu Ruyun, Qin Zhenzhen whispered, "Ruyun, did you bring your ID?"

Lu Ruyun tilted her head in confusion. "What?"

Qin Zhenzhen looked at her seriously. "I want to see if the hotel bed is more comfortable than the one at home."

Lu Ruyun: ...

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