Chapter 107 Utterly Foolish
Just as the broken moans were about to sneak out from the seams of the fabric, Song Ni mustered all her strength to raise her hand and stop Tan Zheng. "Enough," she said. It couldn't continue any further. The interplay of numbness and pain left her teetering on the edge of a fiery abyss, where a single misstep meant falling in. Song Ni thought of the dream she had last night, consumed by lust, but the timing was off. She was in no state to "do that kind of thing."
Tan Zheng clearly sensed the ambiguous atmosphere. His eyes were like the night outside the window, a tempest of rain and lightning. If Song Ni could turn and see Tan Zheng at that moment, she would have noticed how much he resembled the Tan Zheng in her dream.
Finally, the man withdrew his hand and pulled down the garment he had lifted. Then, without a word, he went into the hospital bathroom to wash up. He washed away the medicinal oil from his palms, but he couldn't wash away the slickness he felt beneath them. In the mirror, he saw a man who, for the first time in five years, held an uncharacteristic look of desire and longing. Before, his eyes had been fixed on race cars. Now, they were fixed on Song Ni.
Tan Zheng stared at the man in the mirror for a long time, cupping water to try and wash away the desire, but the desire in his eyes only became clearer. He should have realized it sooner; that one encounter five years ago had planted a seed in his heart. Song Ni was destined to be the most special person in his life. That was why, after the phone call, he couldn't resist flying to Yu City. It was completely unlike him, yet because of Song Ni, it all made sense.
When Tan Zheng came out again, Song Ni was already leaning back on the bed, propped up by herself. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her eyelashes still held droplets of water. It was a tear that had escaped as she forcefully suppressed her body's reactions. Hearing the sound, she looked up at Tan Zheng. But the man, upon meeting her pair of flushed, amorous peach-blossom eyes, quickly averted his gaze. He couldn't look at Song Ni's eyes any longer. Those eyes could speak, and they could bewitch people.
The atmosphere between them was rare, both intimate and awkward. Tan Zheng instinctively reached for a cigarette in his pocket, only to realize in his haste that he had nothing. Song Ni then remembered to ask, "Did you not bring anything?"
"No." Song Ni's heart felt a flutter of sweetness, and she asked again, "How long are you planning to stay here?"
"I'll leave when you get better."
Song Ni's eyebrows shot up. "Then I'll just lie here forever."
No sooner had she spoken than Tan Zheng shot her a glance. Song Ni quickly shrugged and waved her hands. "Just kidding."
Tan Zheng did not like such jokes. After the tender moment, he finally remembered that Song Ni was injured. He had received a call from Lu Fang when he landed. The rain was heavy on the way, and he had been speeding, so he hadn't been able to ask for details. "Tell me, how did you get hurt like this?"
The smile on Song Ni's lips faded. "Some idiot wanted to give me a hard time while I was on the wire rig. In the end, she couldn't control herself, pointed her sword at me, and charged. If I hadn't reacted quickly, I might not be lying here chatting with you right now." As she spoke, Song Ni had a hint of boastfulness in her tone. In that situation, the outcome would have been completely different for anyone else.
The moment he heard the word "sword," Tan Zheng's expression darkened. "Who?" His voice was low, and Song Ni only then noticed the murderous intent lingering in his eyes. Song Ni knew then that Tan Zheng was already furious.
"Lu Fang said..." Before she could finish, a commotion erupted outside the hospital room. It was Yang Lan. Chang Zi and Chi Xia were guarding the door. Yang Lan's agent was holding something, claiming to be there to offer condolences, but Yang Lan's expression clearly indicated she was there to cause trouble.
Even with Mr. Lu's clear hints, Yang Lan was thinking not of salvaging the situation but of confronting Song Ni to demand an explanation. Chang Zi found the woman utterly foolish. If she truly wanted to continue acting, she should have sought Song Ni's forgiveness and begged for mercy, not put on a sour face and assume the posture of a victim to question her. It was clearly her own malicious intent that had almost led to a disaster.
"Ni Ni is resting. You should leave," Chang Zi said, not wanting Yang Lan to enter. Chang Zi had considerable influence at Lu's Corporation, and agents were graded. Yang Lan's agent was more seasoned, past the age of striving for more. That was why Yang Lan had wanted Chang Zi to guide her, but now, seeing Chang Zi's demeanor, she felt dissatisfied. Why could Song Ni so easily obtain what she, even with all her efforts, could not?
"Sister Chang, we're from the same company. It's only reasonable for me to visit. This is a hospital, and there are many eyes and ears," Yang Lan said, glancing towards the onlookers in the corridor. It was too easy for netizens to dig up dirt on someone these days.
Chang Zi frowned deeply. If news of discord between Yang Lan and Song Ni got out, then Yang Lan's excuse for quitting the role of the second female lead would lose all credibility. Moreover, if Yang Lan merely sowed a little discord, Song Ni could be cursed by countless netizens. The matter could be resolved, but it would be unpleasant.
As Chang Zi hesitated, Song Ni's voice came from inside, "Let her in." Chang Zi immediately opened the door. Upon seeing an extra man in the room, Chang Zi was quite surprised and then looked at Chi Xia. "He's been here for half an hour."
Chang Zi quickly retracted her gaze. She didn't fear dealing with Lu Fang, as he was their boss, but this man, she didn't dare to meet his eyes on two occasions. If Yang Lan was foolish enough not to understand the situation, her acting career would be ruined. But Chang Zi still underestimated Tan Zheng, underestimated his concern for Song Ni, and underestimated his disdain for others. Once Tan Zheng learned of what happened on set, Yang Lan would no longer be able to continue in this industry.
Yang Lan had just entered and hadn't spoken a word when Tan Zheng, after a faint glance at her, turned to Song Ni and asked, "Is it her?"
Song Ni nodded. Yang Lan was completely ignored. She was a first-tier star, when had she ever been treated like this? Even when dining with investors, she could hold her own.
"Song Ni, what happened tonight was indeed my fault. I just made a mistake. There's no need to give up the role I worked so hard for just like that, is there? You're a newcomer, even if you have connections, you shouldn't be so arrogant." See, she was so foolish that she started lecturing with a senior's attitude. Chang Zi really couldn't bear to watch. She just couldn't bear to see Yang Lan's agent's years of hard work go to waste.
Song Ni acted as if she had heard a joke. "I shouldn't be arrogant? If I have connections, why shouldn't I be arrogant?"
"The entertainment industry isn't solely run by Lu's Corporation. Even if Mr. Lu backs you up, how far can you go like this?" Song Ni sneered, looking at her with cold contempt. "What right do you have?" She would be arrogant to the end. What kind of clown was Yang Lan to be jumping around in front of her? And to lecture her using Lu Fang's name, where did she get the nerve?
Yang Lan was provoked by the disdain in Song Ni's eyes, and her temper flared. She spoke without thinking. "Song Ni, you're just a cheap slut who hooks up with Mr. Lu. And now you're hiding a dog man in your room. If Mr. Lu finds out, what are you?" Yang Lan put one hand on her hip and pointed at Tan Zheng with the other, looking like she was catching someone in the act.
Chang Zi raised her hand to her forehead. This IQ was beyond saving.
(End of Chapter)