Gu Yixue's lips curled slightly. "Hmm."
Liang Shi: "..."
Although she knew this was beyond her control, she had heard that the Gu and Chen families were the two most powerful families in Haizhou City, so the marriage between the two families had nothing to do with her, a nobody.
But since she was fairly familiar with Gu Yixue, she couldn't help but blurt out, "How are you going to snatch it? It'll be very embarrassing later."
Judging from what was said that day, Liang Shi knew that Gu Yixue's identity was not good. Although Liang Shi did not care about her friend's moral bottom line, she felt that Gu Yixue would be despised because of this.
Being an illegitimate child and having to steal her sister's arranged marriage partner sounds incredibly far-fetched.
Anyone who sees this would surely curse it as wishful thinking.
Moreover, it seems unlikely that Gu Yixue will succeed.
Because Shen Fenghe is not the kind of person who would give up her career for a little romance, in some ways she is a bit like Lu Jiayi.
Gu Chunmian, on the other hand, looks timid and cowardly.
She bet that Gu Chunmian would definitely compromise and attend the wedding because of the inheritance rights.
So when the time comes, they will all be in pairs, and only Gu Yixue will be left alone, which would be so embarrassing.
Gu Yixue chuckled upon hearing this, "It doesn't matter if it's embarrassing."
She has always been independent and fearless of rumors.
Liang Shi stared at her for a moment, and could only say, "I wish you success."
"What if I don't succeed?" Gu Yixue asked back.
Liang Shi paused, then said, "Then I wish you would stop loving her."
Someone like Shen Fenghe would be difficult for Gu Yixue to handle.
Liang Shi explained his theory to Gu Yixue, who laughed so hard she cried. She looked at Liang Shi and patted her on the shoulder, saying, "Little sister, how much of a bias do you have against me?"
Liang Shi: "..."
“But you’re just so sentimental,” Liang Shi said. “People who can consistently produce those kinds of works are not the kind of competitors that can compete with those in the business world.”
Gu Yixue remained silent.
After a long silence, Gu Yixue looked at her and asked, "Have you experienced this before?"
Liang Shi: "..."
Liang Shi awkwardly turned his face away. "No."
Gu Yixue couldn't resist and lit a cigarette, her face shrouded in bluish-gray smoke.
"I don't know either," Gu Yixue said in a deep voice, "but I have to try."
If she doesn't try, she'll always belong to someone else.
After becoming an adult, Gu Yixue has been walking a tightrope.
Because her mother was constantly criticized for interfering in other people's marriages, Gu Yixue, who was raised as the illegitimate daughter of the Gu family, has only one bottom line in her life—not to destroy other people's marriages.
She didn't know how far she could go for Shen Fenghe.
But at least for now, she feels she still needs to retain a last shred of decency.
She wouldn't interfere in a marriage because it was a contract they had made, no matter how unhappy the marriage was or how bad Shen Fenghe's partner was.
During the dating phase, each person can rely on their own abilities.
It's also possible that a long time from now, Gu Yixue will abandon her principles for Shen Fenghe.
She thought that perhaps she, a wandering ghost, was not born to have any principles.
Gu Yixue was lost in thought.
Liang Shi said softly, "Some walls you have to hit yourself. When that happens, just call me and I'll take you away."
This is a unique way of comforting friends.
Gu Yixue chuckled upon hearing this, "Thanks."
//
Liang Shi calls Xu Qingzhu via video every day, but because their scenes have been filmed all at once recently, they have very little time to talk.
But Xu Qingzhu lost weight at a rate that was visible to the naked eye.
Liang Shi would always tell her to eat more, and even order takeout from a good restaurant near her home for her at night, but she still couldn't gain weight.
He even seemed mentally disoriented.
That feeling of helplessness was becoming increasingly tormenting.
As the competition drew to a close, Gu Yixue became increasingly excited.
It could also be that they have hope in their hearts.
Liang Shi also saw the wedding dress that Gu Yixue had ordered; it was beautiful and unique, and suited Gu Yixue very well.
If Gu Yixue had been the bride that day, she would have been a bride that everyone would admire.
But Liang Shi was always worried that she would fail miserably.
So I gave her warnings again and again beforehand, but one night she drank too much with Gu Yixue.
Gu Yixue smiled with red eyes, "Do you think I don't know? Shen Fenghe loves her family too much. She loves her parents and younger siblings more than anyone else. It doesn't matter to her who she marries."
Gu Yixue said, "Then why can't it be me?"
Liang Shi replied, "But she's engaged."
"Then let's just snatch it," Gu Yixue said. "Even if there's only a 1% chance, I still have to try, otherwise my life would be too boring."
"What kind of life is it without Shen Fenghe?" Gu Yixue chuckled. "I have to give it a try."
Liang Shi cried because Gu Yixue cried that day.
His head was buried in his knees, and he curled up in a ball.
It seems they finally realized their powerlessness.
Gu Yixue asked her, "Why are you crying?"
Liang Shi said, "My wife is dying."
Gu Yixue: "...Are you crazy? Why are you cursing your wife?"
Liang Shi closed his eyes briefly. "If she stays with me any longer, she'll die."
Gu Yixue paused: "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Liang Shi asked her, "If being with Shen Fenghe would cause her death or great suffering, would you still want to be with her?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Yixue sobered up halfway and remained silent for a long, long time.
It was only after Liang Shi had begun to doze off that Gu Yixue said, "Then I'd rather die."
Gu Yixue said, "I can die, but Shen Fenghe cannot."
Liang Shi's tears suddenly fell, and he asked, "Why?"
Gu Yixue ruffled her hair, suddenly becoming like a caring older sister, "Silly little sister, why didn't you know?"
“Shen Fenghe is my life.” Gu Yixue said, emboldened by the alcohol, “If I die, she can still live, and have a better life.”
“But if she dies, I won’t live either.” Gu Yixue rested her chin on her hand, a desolate smile curving her lips: “My life has no meaning.”
What kind of life is a life without meaning?
Liang cried so much that night that his eyes were swollen that he didn't even hear his phone ring.
//
On the night the filming of "The Journey of the Heart" wrapped up, Liang Shi drank quite a bit of wine with everyone at the wrap party.
She also received flowers ordered by Xu Qingzhu during the day, wishing her a happy wrap-up of filming.
Even the two young girls, Qi Tang and Tang Zui, are included.
In terms of etiquette on set, Xu Qingzhu was even more attentive than Liang Shi.
Fearing gossip, even Sun Chengcheng, whom Liang Shi disliked the most, received flowers sent by Xu Qingzhu, though they were clearly not of the same caliber as the flowers sent to them.
Liang Shi drank until almost midnight, wavering between going home and not going home.
In the end, I found a designated driver to take me home.
She parked her car downstairs and sat inside, patting her face repeatedly to force a smile.
Once he had recovered sufficiently, Liang went upstairs to go home.
Xu Qingzhu had already woken up, but the recurring nightmares she had been having for the past few days had not yet stopped.
Because of insomnia and vivid dreams, her memory has become increasingly poor. Her assistant retrieved her medication and put it in her office drawer, but she forgot to take it with her every day when she went home.
So I haven't had a good night's sleep for several days in a row.
She was still lying on the sofa waiting for Liang Shi to come back, but she waited and waited and waited and Liang Shi did not appear. She sent her a message asking when she would come back, but it went unanswered.
When I called her again, her phone was switched off.
He probably drank too much at the wrap party and his phone died.
Xu Qingzhu was alone at home, in a place so quiet you could hear a pin drop, which made her increasingly anxious.
I might as well take a bottle of wine out of the cupboard and let it breathe. Today is Liang Shi's wrap party, and if she comes back, I should celebrate with her.
Even if Liang Shi doesn't come back, he should be able to get a good night's sleep after drinking this bottle of wine by himself.
The strong smell of alcohol filled the room as Xu Qingzhu nestled on the sofa.
Normally, she would have been motivated to read a little more, but lately she just couldn't get anything done.
Even their emotions have become much more sensitive.
That day, she saw a short video that was only a few dozen seconds long, and she actually cried while watching it.
And she cried uncontrollably.
And she had a problem with her period; that day, her period should have started, but she only bled a little.