Su Mo looked down at her, a slight smile playing on her lips, clearly in a comforting tone.
The accompanying text from the media mainly contained the following points.
[The first female celebrity to appear in a photo with Su Mo!]
Su Mo and Chi Lan chatted amiably at the awards ceremony; had they actually met before?
[Chi Lan stated that she and Su Mo have known each other for a long time and are rekindling their romance within the entertainment industry.]
When Shen Zaixi pushed the door open, he saw Jiang Jianhuan staring blankly at her phone. He angrily snatched the phone from her hand, rarely showing his temper.
"You collapsed from exhaustion, and you're still not calming down in the hospital!"
"I'm going to sleep." Jiang Jianhuan let him finish cursing, closed her eyes and whispered, then pulled up the blanket and slid down into it, making her pale face look even smaller.
Shen Zaixi, who thought she would talk back, was stunned for a moment, then bent down and tucked the blanket around her.
"Go to sleep, you'll be fine after a good night's sleep."
-
The road ahead suddenly became congested, and the bus braked sharply. Everyone in the carriage was thrown forward uncontrollably. Jiang Jianhuan touched his forehead, which was sore from the impact, and gripped the bag in his hand tightly.
The phone in her coat pocket vibrated at that moment. Jiang Jianhuan picked it up and saw an unfamiliar number on the screen. She stared at it for a few seconds, then swiped it open with a puzzled look.
A familiar female voice came from inside.
"Jianhuan, I heard you're back. I'm Chi Lan."
......
Perhaps it was just bad luck, as old acquaintances kept popping up in front of her. Jiang Jianhuan sighed, put her phone, whose screen had gone black, back into her pocket, and got off at the next stop.
Half an hour later, she arrived at the place Chi Lan had mentioned. In front of her was a very private club. A person was waiting at the door to guide her inside. The interior decoration was unique, and the courtyard was full of green plants. After walking through the corridor, the view suddenly opened up.
Not far away was a modern restaurant with empty tables and chairs, and soft light from the wall lamps. A person was sitting by the window.
She seemed somewhat unfamiliar, yet also strangely familiar. Chi Lan had become even more radiant and dazzling, giving off a slightly unsettling feeling at first glance, but her face hadn't changed much since her school days.
Jiang Jianhuan sat down opposite her with a polite smile on her face. Chi Lan's gaze lingered on her, composed and at ease.
"Jian Huan, it's been a long time."
"You haven't changed."
"You've become even more beautiful."
"I only found out you were back when I saw the Weibo post that Su Mo reposted. The designer's name was on the bottom of the poster, and I thought I was seeing things." Chi Lan chatted with her as usual.
"I never imagined you were a fashion designer."
"I never expected you to enter the entertainment industry."
"You know, I've always loved performing... Excuse me, I need to take this call."
The ringing interrupted their conversation, and Chi Lan picked up the phone that was on the table.
The person opposite her was probably her manager. Her tone had changed completely from before. Her attitude was unquestionable, and she was giving orders in her words. The gentleness in her eyes from back then was nowhere to be found. She was full of arrogance and acted like a big star.
She's right. Jiang Jianhuan remembered that although they were both studying art in college, Chi Lan was more interested in various cultural and recreational activities on campus and often represented their department in programs.
During her senior year of college, Su Mo began to gain popularity, and at the end of the same year, Chi Lan became a hot new actress in the industry with a period drama.
Her father was in the real estate business. After she went to university, his assets doubled due to the favorable economic environment, and he became a listed company. Jiang Xin, on the other hand, was in the traditional manufacturing industry, which had already begun to decline at that time. But Jiang Jianhuan was unaware of all of this.
The two were so close that they had both visited each other's homes and met each other's parents. Chi's father had the mentality of a complete nouveau riche, and his family owned a large villa decorated in a lavish style. Jiang Jianhuan was shocked when she first went there.
With Chi's father's business acumen, investing in two films for Chi Lan was a piece of cake. Coupled with her connections in the industry, Chi Lan's career progressed smoothly, step by step stepping into the spotlight, shining with dazzling brilliance.
Jiang Jianhuan, who was once her equal, embarked on a completely different life. His family business collapsed, he was burdened with huge debts, and he was forced to leave his hometown. His former glory had been completely exhausted and buried in the ordinary crowd.
"How have you been these past few years?" Lost in thought, Chi Lan finished the call and asked with concern in her eyes. Jiang Jianhuan nodded slightly.
"good."
The conversation ended there, and the air fell silent. Chi Lan hesitated before speaking.
"Jianhuan, I'm so sorry about what happened back then. I didn't know that something had happened to your family that day, and that you were with Su Mo..." She looked at Jiang Jianhuan, her beautiful eyes filled with apology and utmost sincerity.
Jiang Jianhuan smiled, his attitude very sincere.
"You don't need to apologize to me. Liking someone is your right."
The incident Chi Lan was referring to was the day Jiang Jianhuan and Su Mo broke up.
Jiang Xin's company had been keeping the problems from them, so when she was taken away by the police, it caught everyone off guard. Jiang Jianhuan was like a headless fly, trying to find someone to pull strings, just wanting to get in and see Jiang Xin. Unfortunately, all the uncles and elders who were once so close to her avoided her, and some even ignored her completely.
She wanted to call Su Mo, just to hear his voice, but his phone was always switched off, and she couldn't reach him no matter what she did.
The next day, the debt collectors arrived at the house first, looking fierce and menacing. They forcibly took away valuables and ransacked the house. Yi Qingxue couldn't bear it and her heart condition relapsed. Jiang Jianhuan, with trembling hands, called an ambulance.
Jiang Jianhuan was completely distraught at the hospital, and she still couldn't contact Su Mo. In her panic, Shen Zaixi rushed over and found her.
She had just returned home to pack clothes for Yi Qingxue's hospital stay when Shen Zaixi, having heard the news of Jiang Xin's accident, rushed over from out of town and bumped into her outside her house.
Jiang Jianhuan felt as if she had seen a relative at that moment, and she hugged him and cried uncontrollably. Shen Zaixi kept patting her back to comfort her. It was at this moment that Su Mo appeared.
Seeing the two embracing, he was so angry that he seemed to lose his mind. Without saying a word, he walked over and pulled Jiang Jianhuan away. Shen Zaixi held her wrist tightly, and the two were locked in a stalemate.
"Do you choose me or him?" Su Mo asked through gritted teeth. Jiang Jianhuan was preoccupied with family matters and had no energy to argue with him. Coupled with the panic and disappointment of not being able to contact him for two whole days, she broke free from his hand without thinking.
"Su Mo, something came up at home, I don't have time to talk to you right now..."