Translator: Lynn
This chapter is too long T^T
I’m splitting this into two, sorry guys
South America, three months.
Those three months could be described as the longest and most agonizing period in Zhu Ling’s life. Thankfully, the movie later became a massive success, and his standing in the entertainment industry skyrocketed. Fans called him “a caterpillar turning into a butterfly” and “a fish leaping over the dragon’s gate.”
However, none of this mattered to him.
Amid the relentless applause and the harsh flashes of the camera, nobody knew what he had lost.
If he could have foreseen the outcome of his departure…
Certainly, even if a knife were held to his neck, he would never have left.
He would have remained by his baby bear’s side, shameless and unyielding. He would have gone to school every day, chased him at home, begged, and done his best to make amends and hug him.
In that case, there might have been a glimmer of hope.
…
Zhu Ling sometimes wondered if he was destined to be ill-fated.
Why did God send temptation his way when he had everything and was originally so happy? His good life had shattered into pieces.
And why was he so foolish? He turned a blind eye when he should have listened to his agent, followed blind faith when he shouldn’t have, and ultimately chose the wrong path.
Going to South America was entirely prompted by his manager, Sister Tong.
“Alas… I’ve been having a tough time with Tai Sui lately. The variety shows and new dramas we’d negotiated for were all snatched up by Qi Yang!”
“I inquired about it, and the price he offered was ridiculously low. He’s trying to undercut you intentionally. Targeting you! Zhu Ling! You just don’t listen to Sister Tong’s advice!”
“How many times have I told you that Ye Yin is associated with President Li of Prosperity! Keep your distance fhim;him; keep your distance!”
“It would have been better for you… I’ve been working so hard to network and connect people, thinking that one day I could get you on ‘Prosperity’ live broadcast. But you, you, you! Did you get divorced because of him? Li Weidu is extremely offended. Qi Yang is helping him apply pressure. Let’s see how you can turn things around!”
“After all, if you two are truly in love, I have nothing more to say!”
“But what’s happening now? It’s been over a week since the divorce, and you’re still… indecisive. Xiong Bao Bao, Xiong Bao Bao. If you truly love that person in your family, then what were you doing with Ye Yin all this time?”
In early September, facing the extremely dire situation, Sister Tong, the manager, was on the verge of collapsing.
During the short half-hour of waiting before the recording, Zhu Ling’s makeup had to be reapplied three times, much to the makeup artist’s frustration. His eyes were so swollen that no amount of makeup could cover it.
This was supposed to be a lighthearted variety show, and here he was with a gloomy face.
Were they going to pay him to be miserable and use him as a backdrop for criticism, just like the last time?
“Oh, by the way, haha, Ye Yin is still waiting for you outside, and you’re still avoiding him?”
That Ye Yin was also an expert in persistence.
For over a week now, he had been diligently bringing lunch for Zhu Ling every day. Whenever he saw her, it was like a reunion with a loved one. Every minute, he would inquire if Zhu Ling had eaten well and gotten enough rest. Worry and concern gleamed in his big eyes.
Sadly, it was a one-man show.
“…Sister Tong, just ignore him.”
Due to the divorce, Zhu Ling held a grudge against Ye Yin and refused to see him.
Sister Tong found this situation quite amusing.
Only a month ago, the two of them were inseparable and practically attached at the hip! Zhu Ling even skipped work to take him out to eat, go shopping, and buy flowers. He didn’t think he had much significance in his life, so why did he feel guilty now?
However, as soon as they got divorced, the other party’s love interest transformed into a romantic partner instantly. Suddenly, all the flowers and plants outside the window withered, leaving only the “baby bear.”
Is a man’s heart as unpredictable as the ocean?
Contemplating this, Sister Tong noticed Zhu Ling trembling once again, taking out “that little note” from his pocket and reading it.
Over the past few days, he had obtained a small palm-sized notepad from somewhere, and he would open it and read it when he had idle moments. It made him emotional.
This time, Sister Tong couldn’t resist her curiosity. She wanted to see what the second most popular idol in her care was reading!
She leaned back in her chair and peered at the notebook more closely. It contained a torn page, seemingly ripped from an old book. The page was a bit yellowed, but the black ink writing was remarkably clear, consisting of just two sentences.
[Scarlett, I’ve never been like that.]
[I can’t patiently pick up the pieces, put them back together, and then tell myself that the mended thing is exactly the same as new. When something’s broken, it’s broken— I’d rather remember what it looked like at its best than fix it and then gaze at those broken marks for the rest of my life.]
“…” Well, what on earth? Isn’t this from “Gone with the Wind”?
Did the divorce turn Zhu Ling away from literature and the arts? Did he suddenly decide to study classic literature?
A whiff of a woman’s perfume wafted in from behind. Zhu Ling pouted, appearing extremely aggrieved, and his slender fingers began to tremble.
“Sister Tong, I’ve always thought books like these have slow plot development, numerous names, and are hard to remember. However, every household has a copy on their bookshelves, so I grabbed this one and placed it there. I’ve never flipped through it.”
“But you know… how he treated me that day?”
“He didn’t even want to talk to me! He just grabbed me and went to the bookshelf, pulled a book down, flipped through it, and then… He tore out a section and handed it to me!”
“Ugh, he knows that I was working before I even graduated from university. It’s not like he’s an associate professor and a researcher at the Institute of Civil Law. He’s read so many books, and he just takes these heartbreaking words out like this! He… he just thinks I’m uneducated and not up to his standards, so he teases me with this sort of thing, wu… wu wu…”
“Zhu Ling.” Sister Tong was exasperated.
From start to finish, you were the one teasing him, right?
And now you’re the one feeling aggrieved? Furthermore, he took this teasing so seriously!
Sister Tong was an industry elite, but she used to manage other idol groups, and she had only been Zhu Ling’s new manager for half a year.
She had only met Zhu Ling’s “ex-husband” once, but she remembered that he was handsome, dressed casually, and had a completely different style from the elegant Zhu Ling. What stood out most was his sincere eyes, which made people feel at ease, and his smile was very sweet, exuding a mature and gentle charm.
That was roughly two months ago.
During a four-day location shoot, Zhu Ling had forgotten to bring his stomach medicine, so Ye Yin drove over to deliver it. She accepted the medicine and asked, “Since you’re here, why don’t you come in and see me?”
“It’s fine. I bought it for you, and I know you’re busy with your work. I didn’t want to disturb you on set. We can catch up when I get back. Let’s head home.”
On that day, Sister Tong observed the man’s departure with mixed emotions. Xiao Zhu Ling, you’re fortunate to have found a caring and loving man.
However, you’re still engaging in other relationships. Don’t regret it later.
[If a man can tolerate your every whim, vanity, and arrogance, then he can also bring you so much sadness that you’ll cry and feel dehumanized.]
Sister Tong had seen this quote somewhere, and she never expected it to become so relevant to Zhu Ling’s situation.
“Please, Sister Tong… I just applied a cold compress!”
“Xiao Zhu Ling! You! You’re divorced, but your career remains. Don’t you care about your career?”
Lately, Sister Tong had been feeling extremely stressed. Qi Yang had taken the lead in isolating Zhu Ling and almost influenced half the entertainment industry. If this continued, it would be disastrous!
“Then don’t do it!” Zhu Ling remained stubborn and seemed unaware of the gravity of the situation. “I have nothing left now, so I might as well just end it all!”
“Yes, you can end it.”
“But I can’t just let you throw your career away with mine!” Sister Tong, as an agent, felt compelled to intervene.
“You stubborn kid! Can’t you think more positively? If you’ve lost everything, then go and earn it back. If your ex-husband has left, go and win him back. What good will crying do? You need to take action!”
“Sister Tong, you don’t understand,” Zhu Ling was even more despondent. “Brother Kai will never forgive me!”
Sister Tong raised her eyebrows and spoke louder than him, “Who said that? It’s not necessarily true!”
“…”
“Zhu Ling, have you ever heard of the concept of lovers rekindling their feelings? It’s called the ‘second attraction’.”
In the following moments, Sister Tong recounted an inspiring story to Zhu Ling, a tale of overcoming adversity and finding love once more.
It was an extraordinary love story between Director Xia and his wife, Sister Xing. In their early days, they were a picture-perfect couple, but Director Xia was once a commitment-phobe who unilaterally canceled their wedding.
“At that time, Sister Xing fell for Director Xia first.”
“Director Xia was a man of great personality and talent. Sister Xing greatly admired him. When a beautiful woman takes the initiative to pursue a man and throws herself at him, how can an ordinary man resist such advances? So, they quickly became a couple.”
“Sister Xing was quite popular at the time, and her reputation and status were on par with Director Xia. But in the entertainment industry, beautiful women flock to directors. Stars are everywhere.”
“At the time, Sister Xing was madly in love with Director Xia, constantly following him around and showing her affection. Unfortunately, many people take their blessings for granted and don’t know how to appreciate what they have. Director Xia began to find Sister Xing immature, foolish, and lacking in spirit. He decided to break up with her. He was incredibly cruel, even announcing their wedding and then canceling it just one month before the ceremony.”
“At that time, my sister was Sister Xing’s assistant. Sister Xing was devastated, crying day and night just like you. She lost ten pounds in two weeks, refused to work, and didn’t want to go on with her life. She cried every day, threatening to jump into the river.”
“And do you know what Sister Xing did after that?”
“She went to Bali. She figured she might as well cry there. She couldn’t let go of the past and cried anyway, so why not do it in a tropical paradise, sobbing in front of coconut trees on a sunny beach?”
“The counterattack began from that point onward. The first step of this scientific process is ‘disconnection,’ which involves temporarily severing all ties with the past, finding a place to regroup, and improving one’s mental state. It entails focusing on one’s shortcomings in the previous failed relationship and engaging in self-improvement.”
Zhu Ling’s eyes welled up with tears, and his once-handsome face turned pale.
Sister Tong empathizes with him. To get through to this guy, who is often consumed by emotions, she needs to provide some straightforward facts.
For instance, Sister Xing calmly considered why Director Xia had grown distant during their time at the beach, then diligently worked on adjusting her mindset and changing herself.
“She reflected!”
Not independent, that’s absurd. How can a female star who’s on her own not be independent? She just takes things too seriously. If you think she’s too innocent and naive, then put on a gauze skirt and pretend to be coquettish on the beach. If you think she lacks her own life, then work hard to have one. In short, this improvement can encompass various aspects, including appearance, inner nature, quality of life, way of speaking, and more.
“Like you, Zhu Ling, do you know what issues you need to address?”
“…”
“Let me ask you, can you control your flirtatious behavior? Can you break the habit of being indecisive?”
“Yes! Yes!” Zhu Ling nearly fell off his chair due to his fervent response. “Sister Tong, I haven’t wavered. I love Brother Kai, only him! My involvement with Ye Yin was just a moment of confusion, I…”
Sister Tong interjected, “It’s irrelevant what you’re telling me. Let me ask you again, can you compensate for your lack of education and sophistication?”
“Yes! Yes! If it means turning things around with Brother Kai, I’ll do whatever it takes! I’m willing to do anything you ask!”
“So,” Sister Tong placed a notebook in front of him, “take a good look at this movie script. The subject matter is excellent, and the theme is very positive. Even if you’re heading to South America for a challenging three-month shoot, it’s your best option given the current circumstances. If others find it exhausting, Qi Yang won’t compete with you. This is your best choice – perhaps the only one.”
That year, Xia Tian’s mother had strolled on a sunny beach for three months before calmly returning to China.
Rather than immediately contacting Director Xia, she sent him various beautiful photos daily, showing her life as wonderful, rich, relaxed, and happy.
It turns out that some men can be quite spiteful. If they believe they’re not being taken seriously, they resort to sneaky screen-peeping, and the more they look, the more they find the other person’s life beautiful and enriching.
This engenders unhappiness and discontent. Two months later at an awards ceremony, the star sister wore a bright red deep V-neck dress. She appeared beautiful, lively, captivating, and indifferent. Director Xia was utterly captivated.
He felt profound regret and yearning, and humbled himself, asking for forgiveness like a dog and seeking reconciliation. Lavish mansions, enormous diamond rings for proposals, heartfelt apologies, and dreamlike weddings in ancient castles followed. From then on, they became devoted husbands and fathers. Two decades have passed, but Director Xia still can’t hold his head high in front of Sister Xing.
Listening to Sister Tong’s story, Zhu Ling felt a mix of envy, tears, laughter, and bitterness.
“But don’t just focus on admiring other people’s successful comebacks. Do you know how harsh Sister Xing is about you behind your back? No one can achieve success overnight! During your three months in South America, in addition to hard work on the film, your free time should be spent reflecting, reading, self-improvement, and striving for a rebirth!”
“When the time comes, be a better version of yourself. Return to him and astonish him, making him attracted to you again. Zhu Ling, you have potential. Have confidence in yourself!”
“However, if you do get back together, remember to cherish her next time and not repeat the same mistakes.”
Zhu Ling nodded enthusiastically, as if he were pounding garlic.
After a moment, he hesitated, “But it’s been three months… what if he forgets about me?”
Sister Tong chuckled, “Zhu Ling, you don’t understand, do you? Your ex is like WIFI. As long as no one changes the password, you can always connect.”
“…”
“…”
Zhu Ling: “What if someone changes the password?”
“You’re being silly. It’s only been three months. Where could he possibly find someone better than you? Are you going?”
Zhu Ling appeared perplexed, saying, “…I’m not good enough.”
Sister Tong was so shocked that she nearly dropped her newly purchased lipstick—such a self-absorbed person! Is this the first time he’s ever said such a thing? Can’t he be reasoned with?
“No, no, considering your qualities, you’re still very good! He’s handsome, sweet-tongued, and willing to work hard, right? Moreover, he was the one who initiated the divorce because he found you too uncomfortable!”
“But I don’t think he was uncomfortable at all,” Zhu Ling expressed his confusion.
“…”
“He pushed for the divorce, and you have no idea how determined he was. He didn’t seem to dislike me at all. I cried and begged him, but he remained unmoved.”
“Goodness, he must be in an even worse condition than you!” Sister Tong was exasperated. “You’re simply… you should head to South America as soon as possible! With your current way of thinking, if you don’t act quickly and face significant challenges, I’m afraid that even if you have three more months, or even thirty years, you won’t be able to get him back!”
Hearing this, Zhu Ling was on the verge of tears once again.
Sister Tong hastily handed him another cotton pad to protect the makeup on his face. “Alright, don’t cry, don’t cry! Your makeup will get messed up if you cry, and it’s difficult to fix!”
As Zhu Ling’s plane slowly took off, following the guidance of the nighttime traffic lights over the Yellow Sea towards the American continent, he remained unaware that his baby bear was, at that very moment, on the sea beneath his plane, amid a rainy night.
Together with his lifelong adversary, Li Weidu, they sat in a small, swaying fishing boat, sharing a bowl of fish soup and a blanket.
While the password hadn’t been “changed” yet, it was perilously close to being “successfully altered.” However, this moment arrived silently, and no one realized it at the time.
Sitting in the cabin, Ji Kai felt a profound sense of bittersweet destiny, and Li Weidu shared in that feeling.
Their history was filled with an unending cycle of car accidents, detentions, being stranded, hospital visits, and sleepless nights. It seemed like there was never a time when the two of them met without something going awry. They couldn’t go out happily and return home safely.
Although most of the time, it was Li Weidu who initiated contact with Ji Kai; there was one instance when Ji Kai rear-ended Li Weidu’s car.
So, whose fault is it this time?
Li Weidu: It’s all Qi Yang’s fault!
Don’t insist on seeing “the savior from the tabloids who cured your mental issues and successfully broke up with you”! If it weren’t for his friend’s curiosity, who would have arranged to meet him when they had nothing better to do?
Ji Kai: Well, it’s all Qi Yang’s fault!
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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