Chapter 52 Song Ni Is Being Followed
The weather in Star City changed too quickly. Not long ago, a thin long shirt was enough, but now even a sweater couldn't ward off the chill. The sky had suddenly turned cold. During this time, Song Ni was not only familiarizing herself with the script but also studying with acting and martial arts teachers, leaving her completely overwhelmed. Fortunately, she had discussed her graduation thesis with her advisor long ago and didn't need to return to school during this period. She picked a day and completely moved into the apartment by the river. Qin Yang heard she was preparing for filming and planned to visit her for a few days. Song Ni put down her script, rubbed her temples, changed her clothes, and prepared to go downstairs to the supermarket to buy groceries. Too many things had happened recently; she and Qin Yang and Cheng Ling hadn't had a proper gathering. None of the three were great cooks; the only thing they knew how to do was buy ingredients, prepare them, get a pot, put in the hot pot base, and cook. The moment she opened the door, the wind rushed into her loose sweater, making Song Ni shiver. She sneezed unexpectedly. She hadn't gotten sick even after getting rained on and getting her period that day, but these past few days of staying up late and being busy had weakened her body. Song Ni went back inside, grabbed another jacket, and then left. The convenience of a high-end residential area was that everything was readily available, even the items in the in-house supermarket were almost on par with those in large shopping malls. Song Ni felt listless, mechanically putting items into the shopping cart according to the list Qin Yang had written. She specifically chose a time before work ended. Since not many people lived in the complex yet, the supermarket was empty. Besides Song Ni, in such a large space, there were only a few scattered individuals. Feeling colder, Song Ni pulled her windbreaker tighter, her brow furrowed, unable to understand why so many things were needed just for hot pot. Qin Yang's desired wine was placed on a high shelf. Song Ni released the shopping cart and stood on tiptoe to reach for it. Her footing was unstable, and she bumped the wheel, causing the cart to slide away. Seeing this, Song Ni abandoned the wine and quickly ran after the cart. The supermarket floor was too slippery, and the cart slid quite a distance, finally stopping when it collided with someone. Song Ni's gaze deepened, and she immediately stepped forward. "Excuse me, are you alright?" The person bumped into was wearing a baseball cap and a mask, dressed in a black trench coat, with a tall and slender build, like a jade tree and orchid. As Song Ni approached, she faintly heard a few small coughs. Her heart skipped a beat. Oh no, did she just bump into a sick person? "Sir, do you need me to take you to the hospital?" Su Jingxi looked down at the worried girl in front of him, raised his hand to cover his mouth, and coughed a few more times. "It's fine." His hand, like his person, was too thin. Song Ni almost thought the wind could blow the man over. "Are you really okay?" Song Ni asked again, as Su Jingxi bent over from coughing. "If... it's convenient for you... could you help me get... the grapefruit and pear juice." He said this haltingly, and just hearing his coughs made her heart ache. Song Ni quickly took down the can and handed it to him. Their hands touched, and the man's hand was surprisingly cold. Song Ni looked up a few more times, only then noticing that the man had a pair of beautiful eyes. They were typical phoenix eyes, narrow and long, with upturned corners. Due to his coughing, his eyes were moist, truly a sickly beauty. Su Jingxi nodded in thanks, turned, and left. He was so tall and so thin. Song Ni thought that if such a man had lived in ancient times, he would have been a stunning hermit living deep in a peach blossom spring. Song Ni didn't dwell on this small incident and continued to select ingredients. By the time she finished buying everything, it had taken nearly two hours. It was almost dark. Song Ni pushed her small cart home while calling Qin Yang. The other end picked up quickly. "Ni Ni, Cheng Ling and I just met up and are on our way to your place now." Song Ni's brow furrowed. "You guys are too slow." "It's not my fault. Cheng Ling had a patient come see him, which took a while. Did you finish buying things?" "Yeah, it took me two hours. You sure know how to pick things." Song Ni pushed the cart with one hand and talked on the phone with the other, feeling quite relaxed. As she reached a corner, Song Ni stopped, pulled her clothes tighter against the wind, and inadvertently glanced at the glass opposite. Her eyes paused, and Song Ni brought the phone closer, pretending to check a message, took a photo of her reflection in the glass, and then sent it to Song Jing. She had noticed this person in the supermarket and had been following her, maintaining a certain distance without getting too close. "Yang Yang." Song Ni's expression was calm, her tone flat. "Someone is playing a cat-and-mouse game with me." "What?" Qin Yang was stunned for a moment. Song Ni raised her eyelids, looking at the figure hidden behind her, and chuckled. "This cat is too stupid." Qin Yang's mind raced. The cat-and-mouse game was something they often played as children. Those were chaotic times, and there were frequent incidents of rival families hiring people for kidnappings. Song Ni and Qin Yang were clever from a young age and had once teamed up to trick a group of kidnappers. "Do you know who it is?" "I'm not sure." Qin Yang's heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition surfacing. "Ni Ni, don't do anything rash. Wait for us to come." It had been so many years without any kidnappings, why would someone suddenly be following her? Qin Yang had no clue. Cheng Ling, who had heard the entire conversation, immediately sped up. Song Ni lowered her head, her right foot idly kicking a small stone on the ground. Not many people lived in this complex; most were wealthy individuals who bought houses and left them vacant. The greenery was still small, making it easy to be tracked by someone. Song Ni pondered for a moment, unable to figure out which fool had sent someone after her. She slowly continued pushing her cart, but instead of going straight home, she circled the complex. Song Ni found a relatively spacious spot and stopped. She hadn't hung up the phone. She turned and stared at a patch of greenery. "Come out." Her expression was composed, her head slightly tilted. Due to the fatigue of recent days, her tone held a hint of impatience. There was no movement from the person. Song Ni casually tucked her hair behind her ear and asked, "Do you want me to drag you out?" A rustling sound came from behind a not-so-large tree, and a man, not entirely unfamiliar, walked out. Song Ni narrowed her eyes, thinking for a while before finally remembering that this was the thief they had caught with Qin Dang at the mall that day. She raised an eyebrow. "You're out so soon?" Logically, he should have been detained for about fifteen days for stealing items worth tens of thousands. It had only been a week. The man stared fiercely at Song Ni and walked closer step by step, spitting out foul words. "Bitch, you're going to die a horrible death." Song Ni frowned, not understanding why this man harbored such deep hatred for her, to the point of seeking her out immediately after being released from detention. She recalled the same hatred in his eyes at the mall that day. "What deep enmity do I have with you?" The man didn't speak, suddenly lunged forward, and took out his hand from inside his clothes. Song Ni's gaze sharpened. He was holding a knife. (End of chapter)