Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Lin Yue wrapped his arms around Su Yao's waist, his fingers tangling in her soft black hair as he greedily inhaled her breath. Just as they were lost in the sweetness of their reunion, a sudden, urgent knock on the door shattered their world.
Reluctantly, Lin Yue released her, and Su Yao immediately got up from the bedside, adjusting her slightly disheveled clothes. She tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, her cheeks still flushed with a light blush.
Lu Chen pushed the door open, his expression filled with apology. "Lin Yue, Jiang Rou just called me and said she would come to see you soon."
His gaze shifted between the two before settling on Su Yao. "Su Yao, why don’t you head back to the hotel to rest? You just got off the plane and came straight to the hospital; you must be exhausted from the time difference."
Su Yao glanced at Lu Chen, clearly understanding the deeper meaning behind his words. She smiled knowingly and leaned down, her lips close to Lin Yue's ear. "I’ll go rest at the hotel and come see you first thing tomorrow morning, okay?"
Lin Yue wanted to keep her there but could only nod helplessly, stubbornly trying to get out of bed to see her off.
"Just lie down," Su Yao pressed gently on Lin Yue's shoulder. "Your job right now is to rest well."
Lin Yue pouted, his eyes full of reluctance, but he obediently lay back down.
"I'll take Su Yao," Lu Chen said from the doorway, his tone carrying an implicit urgency.
Su Yao took one last look at Lin Yue and pressed a tender kiss on her lips. "See you tomorrow."
Lin Yue watched Su Yao leave with a heavy heart; as the door closed behind them, it felt as if all color drained from the hospital room. Yet recalling their earlier reunion and knowing she would see Su Yao again tomorrow filled her heart with sweetness.
Lying in bed, she smiled softly, her eyes sparkling with youthful anticipation and longing.
In the corridor, Lu Chen led Su Yao toward the elevator, walking side by side.
"Sorry for interrupting," Lu Chen murmured quietly, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.
"It’s fine; I understand," Su Yao replied with an empathetic smile.
"By the way," Lu Chen suddenly spoke up, "I forgot to tell you that I've talked to Jiang Rou about Dark River. She agreed not to change the script, so the crew can proceed as planned."
Su Yao stopped in her tracks, surprised and delighted. "Really? That’s wonderful!"
"I've informed Director Li; he’ll arrange for other actors' scenes first and will schedule your parts for when you return to the country," Lu Chen said with a sense of relief in his eyes. "Everyone recognizes your performance; this project is especially important for Lin Yue."
"Thank you so much, Manager Lu."
"No need to thank me; I should apologize on Jiang Rou's behalf for all the trouble this has caused you and the crew," Lu Chen sighed. "That girl can be quite headstrong sometimes and doesn’t consider the consequences of her actions."
"However, there might be some complications regarding the joint investment with Zhang Group. The agreement has already been signed; it depends on how Jiang Rou negotiates with Zhang Zihao."
"There’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you: Lin Yue knows nothing about the script changes or joint investment issues. Given her current health condition, she can't handle any more stress, so please..."
"Don’t worry; I won’t say anything," Su Yao interrupted understandingly. "These matters shouldn’t fall on me to tell her anyway."
Lu Chen visibly relaxed, his shoulders easing. "Thank you."
"I don’t want to see any rift between Lin Yue and Rou Rou; they both mean too much to me."
Su Yao looked at Lu Chen, envisioning a complex picture: this man had always stood between two girls, silently maintaining their delicate triangular relationship while shielding them from storms and mediating their conflicts.
"I completely understand, Manager Lu. Thank you so much for everything you've done."
As they reached the entrance of the hospital, Lu Chen said, "Which hotel are you staying at? Let me give you a ride back."
"No need," Su Yao shook her head, pointing to a nearby Maybach. "I'm staying at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. Zhang Zihao's driver is waiting for me there."
Lu Chen followed her point direction and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Wow, this Young Master Zhang really covers all bases."
Su Yao shrugged awkwardly, said her goodbyes, and walked towards the luxury car.
At that moment, a bright orange Ferrari SF90 zipped into the hospital parking lot like a flash of lightning, accompanied by the roar of its engine.
Lu Chen immediately recognized Jiang Rou's car and hurried over. As it came to a stop, he opened the door and flashed a brilliant smile at Jiang Rou.
Jiang Rou stepped out gracefully in high heels, wearing a light purple dress that accentuated her slender figure and complemented her porcelain-like skin.
"Wow, waiting specifically for me?" Jiang Rou raised an eyebrow, her charming demeanor making it hard to look away.
"Miss Jiang has arrived; how could I not come to personally greet you?" Lu Chen slightly bowed, his tone exaggerated.
Jiang Rou lifted her eyelids. "Where's Su Yao? Did she leave?"
"She left," Lu Chen replied nonchalantly, gesturing for them to move forward.
"How is Lin Yue doing?" Jiang Rou asked as they walked, her tone revealing her anxiety. "She..."
"She's doing well," Lu Chen deliberately misunderstood. "The test results show that all indicators have returned to normal. The doctor said she can be discharged after a few more days of observation."
Jiang Rou immediately snorted and shot him a glare. "Stop playing dumb." She cut straight to the point. "You know that's not what I meant."
Lu Chen smiled without answering; some things were too painful to say aloud, especially when it would hurt the girl he had grown up with.
The two entered Lin Yue's hospital room one after the other.
As soon as they stepped inside, a subtle tension filled the air. Lin Yue sat on the bed with an expressionless face, staring out the window. There was an indescribable loneliness in her features; she didn't even turn when she sensed someone had entered.
Jiang Rou stood at the door, her steps suddenly hesitant as if she was afraid to approach.
A nurse pushed in a food cart laden with exquisite dishes. "Miss Lin, lunch prepared by our Michelin chef has arrived."
Jiang Rou's gaze fell on the delicate dishes. "No need, take it away." Her voice carried an authoritative tone as she signaled for the nurse to leave immediately.
The nurse dared not defy her and retreated with the cart.
Lu Chen observed the standoff between the two women and quickly took the insulated lunch box from Jiang Rou's hands to break the silence. "Wow, is this Chef Jiang's handiwork? It smells delicious!"
He winked at Jiang Rou. "Lin Yue, hurry up and try this; it's a once-in-a-lifetime treat!"
Only then did Jiang Rou take a step forward cautiously and approached Lin Yue's bedside.
She gently opened the lunch box. "I made your favorite steamed cod with butter-poached white asparagus and black truffle soup."
Her voice was soft as if soothing a child, filled with careful affection in her eyes.
"Why don't I get that kind of treatment?" Lu Chen exaggeratedly complained, trying to lighten the mood. "Usually, asking you to make a meal feels like climbing to the heavens."
Jiang Rou shot him a glance, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.
Lin Yue observed their familiar banter, her tense body relaxing a little. Years of friendship and habit made it impossible for her to truly harden her heart against Jiang Rou. In her eyes, Jiang Rou would always be that considerate little girl, soft enough to evoke tenderness, even though she knew that sometimes Jiang Rou could show her claws.
Jiang Rou scooped up a spoonful of soup, gently blew on it, and carefully brought it to Lin Yue's lips. "Give it a try. This is black truffle flown in from France this morning. I know you love the original flavor of black truffles, so I only added a bit of butter, flour, and cream cheese."
Lin Yue stared at the spoon, hesitating for a moment. She saw the anticipation and nervousness in Jiang Rou's eyes and finally opened her mouth.
The familiar taste flowed down her throat—rich yet not overwhelming—reminding her of the past: every meal Jiang Rou had made for her, every moment of tender care, every night spent together.
"Is it good?" Jiang Rou's eyes sparkled with hope.
"Yeah, it's good. I haven't tasted your cooking in such a long time."
Joy immediately lit up Jiang Rou's eyes as she scooped another spoonful of soup from the bowl. Just as she was about to feed Lin Yue again, Lin Yue suddenly spoke up, "Why did you let Su Yao take Zhang Zihao's plane to America?"
Her gaze turned icy, her voice eerily calm. "Why did you meet with Su Yao privately? Why didn’t you tell me a word about this?"
The questions came like gunfire—relentless and merciless.
Jiang Rou's hand froze in mid-air, the spoon trembling slightly as a few drops of soup fell onto the bedsheet, leaving a dark stain. Her smile faltered.
"I…" Jiang Rou lowered her eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. "I knew you wanted to see her; getting her on a private plane was the fastest way."
She raised her head, a hint of grievance in her eyes as her voice quivered slightly. "Among the people I know, only Zhang Zihao's private jet could take off at any time…"
She cautiously observed Lin Yue's expression and continued softly, "As for talking to her, I just wanted her to understand your condition and situation first so that… so that she wouldn't be scared when she arrived..."
As she spoke, her voice grew quieter and tears welled up in her eyes. "Not telling you right away was meant to be a surprise..."
"Lin Yue," Lu Chen quickly interjected to mediate, "Xiao Rou had good intentions; don’t think too much about it."
Lin Yue stared at Jiang Rou for a long time before finally speaking coldly. "From now on, for anything you do—especially regarding Su Yao—you must discuss it with me first. No more acting on your own."
"Okay, okay! I promise." Jiang Rou nodded eagerly and then brought the spoon back to Lin Yue's lips with a softer tone, almost like coaxing. "Lin Yue, be good and drink some more; it won't taste good when it cools down."
Lin Yue obediently opened her mouth and took a sip of the hot soup. Her feelings for Jiang Rou were too complex—she hated her controlling nature and secretive maneuvers but loved her tenderness and thoughtfulness. This entangled relationship that had lasted over twenty years ran deep within her bones, harder to sever than any other bond.
After finishing the meal, Lin Yue looked up at the two of them and suddenly asked, "Su Yao has come to America; what about the filming of Dark River?"
Lu Chen exchanged glances with Jiang Rou.
"Don't worry," Lu Chen quickly replied, "I've already talked to Director Li. He will arrange to shoot other scenes first, and we'll reshoot Su Yao's parts once she returns to the country."
With that, he didn't glance at Jiang Rou.
"Mm." Lin Yue responded softly, then added, "We can't delay the progress of Dark River under any circumstances; this drama is too important for Yuexing Capital."
"Rest assured," Lu Chen assured, patting his chest. "I'll keep an eye on things; nothing will go wrong."
"Since the doctor said all my indicators have returned to normal, I want to be discharged," Lin Yue said, moving her wrist as if eager to get up.
"The doctor suggests observing you for a few more days," Jiang Rou quickly interjected, worry evident in her eyes. "Besides, you've just switched to a new antidepressant, and we’re not sure if there will be any side effects..."
"Xiao Rou is right," Lu Chen chimed in. "The company has us watching over things; you should just focus on getting better."
Seeing the concern in their eyes, Lin Yue could only nod helplessly.
"My phone should be returned to me now, right?" Lin Yue extended her hand towards Jiang Rou.
Reluctantly, Jiang Rou took Lin Yue's phone from her bag and handed it over.
Lin Yue took the phone, and as the screen lit up, she saw several unread messages and missed calls lined up.
Ignoring the other messages, she quickly found the one from Su Yao.
She skimmed through until she reached the latest one—Su Yao said she had returned to the hotel and reminded Lin Yue to eat well and rest properly. She would come to see her first thing in the morning.
Seeing this message made Lin Yue's lips unconsciously curve into a smile. She immediately replied: "Okay, I'll wait for you."
Jiang Rou noticed Lin Yue's reaction and suppressed the pain in her heart. She dared not mention anything about Su Yao for fear of upsetting Lin Yue.
"Lin Yue, make sure you rest well," Jiang Rou said, trying to maintain her calmness, though her voice was laced with emotion. "I'll head back now."
She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Lin Yue's forehead.
"Brother Chen, you should go back too," Lin Yue said as she looked at Lu Chen. "You don't need to stay here with me; I'm fine now."
"Alright then, I'll leave too," he nodded. "Take care of yourself; call me if you need anything."
After they left, Lin Yue leaned back against her bed, repeatedly reading each message Su Yao had sent.
She gently stroked the screen as if it held Su Yao's warmth.
Gradually, under the influence of the antidepressants, Lin Yue felt her eyelids growing heavier and drifted off into a dreamlike state.
The phone slipped from her fingers, but a serene smile lingered on her lips.
Comment 0 Comment Count