Are There Any Good Sweet Bedtime Stories?

I had been married to my childhood sweetheart for a year, and he was constantly tangled up in romantic scandals.

Until the day his white moonlight returned to the country, and I didn’t go home.

Translator’s note: “White moonlight” is an idealized, often unattainable love who occupies a special place in someone’s heart.

He searched everywhere for me and nearly turned the whole city upside down.

When the call connected, his voice trembled.

“Yanyan, why aren’t you coming home?”

1

When I got home from work, laughter and playful commotion drifted down from the second floor.

I had just changed my shoes when a woman in a bathrobe came running downstairs.

She expertly helped herself to milk in the kitchen, so naturally that she seemed to be the mistress of the house.

I didn’t need to ask to know that Lu Yao had brought her home.

It was already the ninth time this month.

“Hello, Mrs. Lu. Home so late?”

The woman gave me a dazzling smile.

She looked a bit familiar, like some little starlet who was hot right now.

“Mm.”

I answered blandly and was about to return to my bedroom when footsteps sounded on the wooden stairs.

Lu Yao wore a white shirt, open at the chest, looking dissolute and unrestrained.

“Done yet? Our business isn’t finished.”

His voice was low, casually seductive.

What “business” he meant went without saying.

Lu Yao had an ascetic-looking face, yet his behavior was frivolous and cynical, like a scumbag’s.

“Coming, Lu-zong.”

Translator’s note: Zong is a respectful business title for a company head. Lu-zong addresses Lu Yao in that capacity.

The actress smiled ingratiatingly. The look she gave me was rather smug.

As though saying it wouldn’t be long before she really became the mistress of this villa.

I ignored them and headed straight for my room.

As I passed the living room, a familiar fragrance filled the air.

In the trash can lay fragments of the bottle of my favorite perfume.

I frowned.

“Who broke my perfume?”

None of the servants around me dared make a sound.

The actress stopped on the stairs.

Her playful voice came without the slightest apology.

“I did.”

“I accidentally bumped into it while fooling around with Lu-zong. I didn’t mean to.”

“You won’t mind, will you, Mrs. Lu?”

As she spoke, she held Lu Yao’s arm, as though she had found someone to back her up.

And my husband in name showed no intention of explaining.

Of course I wouldn’t oppose Lu Yao. My company still depended on him.

I smiled as though I didn’t care at all.

“Of course I don’t mind. Lu-zong will buy me a new one afterward anyway, won’t he?”

I looked at Lu Yao. His eyes were utterly cold.

Although I had long since grown used to him being like this, every time I saw it, my heart still gave an involuntary stab.

He snorted coldly, couldn’t be bothered with me, and went straight upstairs.

“Lu-zong, slow down. Wait for me.”

2

Lu Yao and I had a business marriage.

More precisely, my father had become seriously ill, and the company had run into trouble.

So he had me marry into the Lu family to find a powerful backer.

Lu Yao and I could be considered childhood sweethearts. He was a year younger than me.

But he had a girl he liked. She had gone abroad, and they hadn’t been able to be together.

He married me only under pressure from the elders.

In the year since our wedding, he had been extraordinarily cold to me.

Bringing women home was normal, and being surrounded by romantic rumors was nothing unusual.

This was his way of fighting back against the Lu family and me.

He hadn’t been this cruel to me before.

When my stepmother secretly punished me as a child, he would shield me if he saw it.

He told me to retaliate when I was bullied, and even helped me play tricks on my stepmother.

I had liked him since childhood, though he always complained that I was troublesome.

Later, in high school, his white moonlight appeared, and we gradually drifted apart.

I hid my feelings for him in the deepest, deepest corner.

No one could discover them.

3

Early the next morning, a brand-new bottle of perfume stood in the living room.

But Lu Yao was nowhere to be seen for several days. Who knew where he was fooling around?

I was busy with work and had no time to find out.

My father’s entertainment company had been riddled with problems. Only after I took over had I patched them up, one by one.

Heaven knew how I had survived that period.

I was reviewing a contract when my best friend Susu began bombarding me with calls.

“Hello. Keep it short. I’m busy—”

“Liang Wan is back.”

My fingers stiffened. I nearly dropped the phone.

Liang Wan was the woman Lu Yao cherished.

“Reliable information. She arrives at the airport tonight!”

“Hello? Xu Nanyan, did you hear me?”

Susu urged me, seeming even more anxious than I was.

“Got it,” I replied calmly, as though it had nothing to do with me.

“That’s it? Hey, she’s your actual rival in love. Aren’t you afraid of losing your position?”

“Ours is a marriage in form anyway. What he does is beyond my control.”

Besides, the position of Mrs. Lu had never truly been mine.

Using work as an excuse, I hung up.

Once I calmed down, I remembered that there was a banquet tonight which Lu Yao and I were supposed to attend together.

I opened our chat history.

The latest message was my notice about tonight’s banquet. He had never replied.

Since Liang Wan was back, I was destined to attend alone.

I gulped down a large cup of coffee, suppressed the bitterness in my heart, and continued working.

4

The banquet was held at the Xizhou Hotel, in which the Lu family held shares.

The guests all came from wealthy, prestigious families.

I moved through the crowd, skillfully playing the social butterfly.

Suddenly, I spotted a familiar figure.

Zhou Lin, the previous Best Actor winner.

I had watched his films in high school, when he was still a youthful idol. I had liked him very much.

My company had tried to sign him before without success. If I greeted him now, perhaps we could work together later.

“Hello, Mr. Zhou. I’m Xu Nanyan, CEO of Shidai Entertainment.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of you. Lu-zong is your husband, right?”

I smiled, accustomed to it.

Everyone knew I was Mrs. Lu. No one knew I was Xu Nanyan.

Still, the Lu family name was useful.

Zhou Lin was quite willing to chat for a while.

“Mrs. Lu, it’s too crowded here. Shall we find somewhere quiet to discuss things in detail?”

“I’ve wanted to work with the Lu family for some time. I never expected you to approach me yourself.”

Like a gentleman, Zhou Lin led me upstairs.

We exchanged business cards. He said he looked forward to working with me.

It was already very late when we left.

He offered to take me home, but I politely declined.

“Until next time, Mrs. Lu.”

“All right.”

Watching him enter his RV, I suddenly felt a surge of frustration.

The hierarchy of disdain in this circle was far too obvious.

If I hadn’t belonged to the Lu family, none of them would have wasted time on me.

The night was deep, and even the moon had hidden in the clouds.

I had been drinking and couldn’t drive. Since I didn’t want to go home anyway, I hailed a taxi and simply rode around.

But there were few people on the streets. Only the streetlights passed over my face.

I had two homes, yet couldn’t return to either.

I didn’t want to see my stepmother’s sharp, spiteful face.

Still less did I want to see Lu Yao bring Liang Wan home.

I went to Susu’s bar and partied until dawn.

5

Early the next morning, Susu slapped me awake.

“Hey, your husband keeps calling me. It’s driving me crazy. Answer him!”

Half asleep, I took the phone. The person on the other end roared, his voice trembling.

“Xu Nanyan, where the fuck are you?”

“I… I’m at Susu’s bar.”

“Why didn’t you come home?”

His voice was hoarse, as though he hadn’t rested well.

My brain stalled for a moment. I was terribly dizzy.

“None of your business.”

I hung up irritably. Susu watched me with a melon-eating expression and gave me a thumbs-up.

“Sister, you finally grew a spine!”

Me: …

Oh no. Was Lu Yao going to take revenge?

Exhausted, I couldn’t worry about that much. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

By the time I got home, it was afternoon.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yao wasn’t with his white moonlight. He was actually home.

He looked at me darkly, then suddenly rushed over and pinned me against the door.

“Xu Nanyan, you’ve really grown bold. Staying out all night!”

His sinister gaze examined me. I didn’t know what he was checking.

“Lu-zong, I’m tired. Don’t disturb my rest.”

“Tired? You seemed to be having a wonderful chat with Zhou Lin. What, finally met your favorite idol and forgot who you were?”

Was there a trace of jealousy hidden in his tone?

“I only wanted to work with him, so we talked a little longer. Why do you care so much?”

“Why do you think? My friends sent photos of you two to the group last night. Do you know how humiliating that was?”

He flew into a rage, as though he had suffered a tremendous wrong.

So that was why.

Of course. How could he care about me?

“Lu Yao, aren’t your double standards a little excessive? You can bring women home, but I can’t even chat with a man?”

“That’s different!”

He moved closer, bringing a faint scent of cigarette smoke.

“Xu Nanyan, I’m warning you. If you dare mess around outside and put a green hat on me, I’ll never let you off.”

Hostility floated in his eyes. His icy presence seemed capable of freezing someone to death.

What a bastard. What kind of person did he think I was?

I loosened my clenched fingers and gave him a fake smile.

“Don’t worry. Even if I really wanted to, I’d wait until you were dead.”

“Then I could openly spend your money while being with someone else.”

I straightened the front of his shirt and smoothed its wrinkles.

Who didn’t know how to annoy someone?

“Xu Nanyan, you dare!”

He glared, gritting his teeth.

“Try dying and see whether I dare.”

I smiled at him and slipped into my room.

Outside, I heard a chair being kicked aside.

6

Only after it grew quiet outside did I go out to eat.

Lin-shen stood beside me, ladling soup. Seeing my expressionless face, she couldn’t help speaking.

“Madam, Sir looked for you all night. He really was worried.”

Translator’s note: Shen means “auntie,” a polite address for an older woman; Lin-shen is the housekeeper. She later gets called Lin-sao (sao, “elder sister-in-law”), same lady.

“Oh.”

I had thought he looked haggard because he had spent a passionate night with Liang Wan.

But so what? He had searched for me only because he feared I would embarrass him.

A bastard who valued face more than life.

Before I finished eating, a phone call summoned me to the company.

A celebrity had been exposed for buying sex, and the company’s phones were ringing off the hook.

I always required our managers to keep a strict watch. How could something so disgusting still happen?

Financial losses were one thing. How much time would it take to repair our reputation?

As soon as I arrived, I called a meeting and lost my temper.

“Have you been treating my words like wind past your ears? Didn’t I tell you to make them cherish their feathers? Are you all tired of living?”

The managers trembled, their faces pale, not daring to look at me.

I took a deep breath and asked them to report on the public reaction.

“Get PR moving. Don’t whitewash it. Terminate his contract directly, and have the company issue a statement of self-reflection.”

“Xu-zong, besides him, the allegations mention another unnamed artist who is also suspected…”

“Also from our company?”

“Yes.”

The manager’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s.

My stomach suddenly hurt. I nearly snapped the pen in my hand.

“Terminate it! Terminate all their contracts and make him compensate us for the losses!”

After the meeting, everyone filed out trembling.

I rarely lost my temper in front of them. They were probably creating a group chat to curse me right now.

I opened WeChat. It was overflowing with messages.

Some people wanted to watch me make a fool of myself. Others made veiled, sarcastic remarks.

Because they knew I was Mrs. Lu, they wanted to see this pretty vase tumble from the top.

That would be the finest after-tea gossip.

7

By the time I finished dealing with the company’s problems, it was ten at night.

I walked out, utterly exhausted. My assistant reminded me to use the back exit.

Those reporters were still blocking the front.

I took the elevator to the underground parking garage. Before I reached my car, a crowd suddenly surged toward me.

“Xu-zong, what do you think of popular idol Zhang Yan’s sex-buying scandal?”

“Doesn’t your company claim to have strict management? Why would something like this still happen?”

“Mrs. Lu, a national newspaper has already criticized you by name. Didn’t the Lu family help you before this happened?”

…

The barrage of questions and camera flashes made me dizzy.

“I’m sorry. It’s after working hours now. These questions…”

I retreated several steps and was driven into a corner.

My high heel seemed to catch on a pebble, and I nearly fell.

A figure suddenly pushed through and gathered me into his arms.

A faint scent of menthol cigarettes invaded my senses.

“Enough. My wife has no obligation to answer you. If you have questions, ask me.”

“You’re all so diligent. I’ve remembered the names of your newspapers. One of these days, I’ll definitely visit and present you with commendation banners.”

Lu Yao spoke slowly and forcefully, his flippant gaze sweeping over them.

The crowd fell utterly silent. A few seconds later, they fled one after another.

I tried to move out of his arms, but he tightened his grip on my shoulders.

“What are you dodging for? Don’t you know your ankle’s swollen?”

“I was wondering why you weren’t home yet. I thought someone had bewitched you again.”

He snorted, as though terrified I would plant a whole green prairie on his head.

Translator’s note: “Wearing a green hat” means being cheated on; a whole green prairie is that, but bigger.

I wanted to argue, but my vision went black, and I collapsed into his arms.

“Hey, are you trying to scam me?”

“Xu Nanyan!”

8

When I woke, the pungent smell of disinfectant surrounded me.

My assistant watched from beside the bed.

“Xu-zong, you’re finally awake.”

The young woman’s eyes were red. I nearly thought I had some terminal illness.

I looked around. He was already gone.

Just as a stifling feeling rose in my chest, Lu Yao entered carrying a heap of bags.

He tossed a payment slip onto the table and opened the bags.

“Awake? The doctor said your blood sugar was low and your stomach isn’t in good shape.”

“I didn’t know what you wanted, so I bought a little of everything.”

Clumsily, he opened the containers and nearly overturned the congee.

Since when had this young master, untouched by the smoke of ordinary life, learned to care for people?

Seeing him arrive, my assistant made an excuse and slipped out.

“No appetite.”

I shook my head, my mind full of tomorrow’s trending topics.

Lu Yao frowned, his tone allowing no argument.

“You have to eat! Grandpa came to see you earlier and said you’d lost weight. He thought I’d been neglecting you.”

So he had been scolded. I had wondered how his conscience had suddenly awakened.

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and looked at the needle in my right hand. The IV would take a long time yet.

“Put it there. I can’t eat like this anyway.”

He followed my gaze and clicked his tongue impatiently.

“Tsk. So troublesome.”

Then he picked up a bowl of millet congee and fed me.

He frowned, looking thoroughly unwilling. Yet he still waited until the congee cooled to warm before bringing it to my lips.

I couldn’t help wondering how much effort Liang Wan had spent to make this arrogant man so considerate.

Or perhaps he needed no teacher to learn kindness toward someone he loved.

After I finished the congee, he applied medicine to my ankle.

Held in his hand, the red, swollen joint looked very fragile.

My back stiffened. I felt uncomfortable all over.

Our rare moment of intimacy was, of all places, in a hospital.

He glanced at me, the corners of his lips lifting.

“Why are you so nervous? Afraid I’ll hurt you?”

His final syllables curled upward. Anyone who didn’t know better would think he was flirting.

Not wanting to embarrass myself, I stayed silent and tried to keep my breathing even so I wouldn’t blush.

He carefully picked up a cotton swab and moved gently, as though handling something breakable.

Watching his serious profile, I couldn’t help remembering him from before.

The proud, unrestrained youth. The moon above the clouds.

I had tried to pluck that moon too, but he was too far away.

A ringtone interrupted my thoughts.

Lu Yao answered, sounding particularly irritated.

Before leaving in a hurry, he told me, “Xu Nanyan, something’s come up at the company. I have to go.”

“If you need anything, call home and have Lin-sao bring you food.”

How strange. He had been rebellious since childhood, disliked following a set path, and rarely concerned himself with company matters.

9

The trouble at the company gradually settled.

Lu Yao stopped bringing women home, but he hadn’t appeared himself for several days either.

At noon, the family driver brought my meal. The food these past few days seemed a little strange.

Hadn’t Lin-sao’s cooking always been consistent? Why had it deteriorated lately?

I forced down today’s meal and received an email from Best Actor Zhou Lin, offering to work with us.

Our company had a new drama centered on revolutionary history. It suited him well.

Although he had come for the Lu family, I chose to overlook that.

At least his involvement would add a little luster to my company.

Happily, I replied and arranged a time to discuss the project.

Suddenly, a gossip notification appeared on my computer.

Its headline read:

“Young Master Lu Plays Hero Late at Night—A New Love Suspected.”

The accompanying photo showed Lu Yao shielding a woman behind him while confronting a man.

His ferocity and arrogance were obvious.

But my gaze was fixed on the woman’s blurred profile.

Even from her silhouette alone, I could recognize Liang Wan.

No wonder my assistant and employees had all looked as though they wanted to say something when I came in today.

The joy that had just risen plummeted to rock bottom.

Waves of dull pain followed.

Apparently, Lu Yao had spent these past few days busy being with her.

And I had naively thought he was busy with the company.

He stayed out all night himself, yet still tried to control me?

How laughable.

I looked at Zhou Lin’s reply. Here and there, it hinted that he wanted to meet Old Mr. Lu.

Clenching my fingers, I drew a deep breath.

Why could I only be Mrs. Lu?

I was Xu Nanyan ah!

The next second, I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

“Hello, Lawyer Zhang. Draft a divorce agreement for me.”

“Huh? This… Does Lu-zong know?”

“Why do I need his permission before deciding I want a divorce?”

Perhaps my voice was too cold. The person on the other end paused and said nothing more.

10

Lawyer Zhang worked very quickly.

On Friday, I had just finished a meeting when I saw several missed calls from Lu Yao.

I called back. The moment he answered, his cursing voice erupted.

“Xu Nanyan, what the fuck is this supposed to mean?”

“Lu-zong isn’t illiterate. You can read the words, can’t you?”

“Heh. Divorce? You think you can come and go from the Lu family as you please?”

I lowered my eyes, remembering how Old Mr. Lu had helped me.

“Don’t worry. I’ll leave with nothing. I won’t take a cent from you.”

“The Lu family helped me. If you need anything in the future, you can contact me.”

Lu Yao: …

Even over the phone, I could hear him grinding his teeth.

“Xu Nanyan, dream on.”

“You’re not leaving until I allow it!”

Childish.

I frowned and lowered my voice.

“Lu Yao, how much longer do you intend to humiliate me?”

He paused, seeming to choke on his words.

“Even if I needed your family’s help, I’m not your punching bag.”

“All this time, I’ve enjoyed many advantages under the title of Mrs. Lu. But I’ve also handled plenty of social obligations for the Lu family.”

“In the end, people can’t even remember my name, yet they still point fingers behind my back.”

I sighed.

“Lu Yao, I’m tired. I want to be myself.”

He was silent for so long that I thought none of it had sunk in.

“I tore up the divorce agreement. I don’t care what your reason is. If you want a divorce, come discuss it with me in person!”

He hung up.

I frowned, irritation rising.

I didn’t know whether I had imagined it, but his voice just now had sounded a little choked.

11

I took the divorce agreement home, but he didn’t return all night.

Not only that, he refused to answer my calls.

I had no time to keep struggling with Lu Yao. I decided to pack, move out, and pursue the divorce through litigation.

On Sunday, I sorted my things at home.

The servants wanted to help, but I stopped them.

They all looked at me timidly, not daring to speak.

I had thought there would be a lot. In the end, everything fit into two suitcases.

What remained in the room were clothes and jewelry Lu Yao had given me to keep up appearances.

Suddenly, the door was flung open with a deafening bang.

Lu Yao entered with a dark face, reeking of a hangover.

I didn’t want to know whose tender embrace he had just rolled out of.

He stared fixedly at me, his voice cold.

“Heh. Packed already?”

Me: …

I ignored him and fastened the suitcase.

I didn’t know what had struck a nerve. He strode over angrily and seized my arm.

“Xu Nanyan, do you want to die? I haven’t agreed to a divorce. Who said you could leave?”

I looked at his agitated expression.

The last time I had seen it was in the gossip news, when he was protecting Liang Wan.

Sorrow rose in me. I gazed at him expressionlessly.

“Lu Yao, since marrying you, not a single day has belonged to me, and I haven’t been truly happy for even one day.”

“How do you expect me to keep living like this?”

“Making me go on living in this swamp would be what really kills me.”

Lu Yao: …

His hand stiffened, as though my resolute gaze had frightened him.

“Lu-zong, let’s part on good terms.”

I pushed him away and lifted my suitcase.

He stood there like a lost child.

“Are you that unhappy being with me?”

Me: …

I didn’t know how he had the face to ask.

“Xu Nanyan, you were the one who said you wanted to marry me…”

Before he finished, his throat seemed to close up, and his eyes reddened.

I turned and spoke coldly.

“I misjudged you before. Satisfied?”

“You…”

He was furious, his face turning pale.

I dragged the suitcase out of the room. In a fit of anger, he shouted after me.

“Fine. Divorce it is.”

“Xu Nanyan, you’d better not regret it!”

12

Lu Yao had his secretary bring the divorce agreement.

As I signed, the secretary watched from beside me, looking as though he wanted to speak.

Lu Yao picked up the pen, hesitated for several seconds, then scrawled the two characters of his name.

At last, it was over.

In that moment, I felt incomparably light.

Like a balloon released from its string, free to fly far away.

I left with my luggage. Lu Yao stayed in the study and didn’t come out.

Throughout the signing, he had glared at me as though he wanted to devour me.

How strange. Now that we were divorced, he could openly be with Liang Wan.

“Mrs. Lu, may I take you?”

The secretary spoke politely and tried to help with my suitcase.

I moved it slightly out of his reach.

“No need. My car is here.”

“From now on, call me Miss Xu.”

His expression stiffened, and he nodded woodenly.

I got into the taxi, fastened my seat belt, and took one final look at the place where I had lived for a year.

The lavishly decorated villa was empty and cold.

I had a small apartment in the city center. It couldn’t compare with this place, but at least it belonged to me.

The car had traveled a few hundred meters when wind rushed through the open window.

I was about to close it when, in the rearview mirror, I suddenly saw a figure rush out through the villa gates.

Lu Yao?

He ran very fast, not even caring when a shoe fell off.

“Xu Nanyan…”

His voice was like the desperate cry of a young bird.

The words that followed scattered in the rushing wind.

His figure gradually grew smaller.

Sunlight fell on the white shirt fluttering around him, making him look so much like the proud moon I had secretly watched in my youth.

I closed the window and left the past behind.

“Shifu, drive a little faster.”

Translator’s note: Shifu, “master,” is the polite way to address a skilled worker, here the taxi driver.

13

Once I took off the hat of Mrs. Lu, losing some connections was inevitable.

But I hadn’t spent all these years in the industry for nothing.

Some sincere partners wanted to keep working with me, so I reciprocated by offering better terms.

In September, my high school invited me back to speak at its centenary celebration.

Since my schedule happened to be clear, I decided to visit.

If needed, I could donate some money to charity.

And, while I was there, give my company some positive publicity.

The day I returned happened to be registration day.

The youthful faces of the high school students passing me made it impossible not to reminisce.

Before the speech, I wandered around campus.

Lu Yao and I had attended the same school but different classes. That hadn’t stopped me from paying attention to everything he did.

I didn’t know why, but from the moment I entered, memories of him kept flooding up, impossible to stop.

I had intended to let him go.

I entered Class Six of the third year, my old classroom.

The students were still looking for their dorms and hadn’t come to register with their class yet.

I sat in my old seat. Even the desk was unchanged, with some of the scratches I had left.

Back then, TV dramas made it fashionable to carve the name of the person you liked into your desk, or write it somewhere hidden in a book.

A secret confession where no one would know, imitating the romance of idol dramas.

I had done that foolish thing too.

My confession was carved beneath the desk.

Even in such a hidden corner, I had been afraid someone might see.

So what I carved was:

I like Zhou Lin.

Zhou Lin had been the hottest idol of our youth. There wasn’t a girl who didn’t like him.

I liked him because of a film he had starred in. The character’s personality resembled Lu Yao’s.

So I used him in place of the name I couldn’t say.

I bent down to look beneath the desk, only to discover that someone had found the sentence.

The two characters of Zhou Lin’s name had been viciously crossed out. Beside them was written: Lu Yao.

I froze.

When had he discovered it? And when had he…

Something seemed about to surface, yet it was still separated by a layer of mist.

My head suddenly began to hurt.

I stood in a panic and hit my forehead on the desk. A dull pain spread through me.

“Xu Nanyan?”

A gentle voice sounded, full of surprise.

I turned and saw my former homeroom teacher standing outside the window.

“Aiyo, it really is you. I thought I had the wrong person.”

“Zeng-laoshi.”

Translator’s note: Laoshi means “teacher.”

I went out to exchange greetings. We talked about how things were going and why I was here.

Zeng-laoshi was close to retirement, but her face was as kind as ever.

She had taught Chinese language and literature. Her lessons had been my favorite.

“I heard you married Lu Yao. Sometimes I see news about you two online. Such a talented man and beautiful woman.”

Me: …

I smiled stiffly.

The divorce hadn’t made the news. Only people in our circle knew.

“I could tell back in high school. He cared about you very much.”

“High school?”

I frowned. Back then, Lu Yao and Liang Wan had been in the same class. He and I hadn’t interacted much.

“Yes. You don’t know this, but Lu Yao often went out fighting. His math teacher, who was also his homeroom teacher, was worried sick.”

“Even with good grades, he couldn’t keep skipping classes.”

“Later, while he was standing in the office as punishment, his math teacher pressed him for a long time, asking why he had to be so rebellious.”

“Every teacher in the office remembers what he said.”

“What did he say?” I asked.

“He said those people deserved it. No one was allowed to bully Yanyan!”

“Then he begged us not to tell anyone because he was afraid it would affect your grades.”

She smiled. Even the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes looked warm and kind.

I stared blankly, never having known any of this.

There had indeed been some obnoxious rich boys in high school, roaming around in packs like thugs.

Knowing that my mother had died young, they spread rumors all day.

Insulting me was routine. When they were in a bad mood, they locked me in a storage room.

Unfortunately, my father wasn’t as powerful as theirs. All he could do was tell me to endure it.

So the reason Lu Yao had often been covered in injuries was that he had been helping me?

But after we married, he bullied me too.

Before I left, my homeroom teacher asked for my autograph, saying her daughter liked me very much.

When had I become so famous?

14

On the flight back to the city, my finger hovered uncertainly over my phone.

I wanted to ask Lu Yao about what had happened today.

After thinking carefully, I decided it would be better to ask him in person.

I looked at the white clouds outside, my thoughts tangled.

Unfortunately, Heaven has unforeseen storms.

The plane encountered extreme weather and developed a fault.

My assistant panicked, clutching my hand and crying nonstop.

The cabin lights flickered on and off. Passengers began shouting and making a commotion.

My head started hurting again, and I grew abnormally agitated.

The captain took emergency measures, fighting desperately to bring the plane down on the nearest stretch of sea.

We floated on the surface in life jackets.

I was about to move closer to my assistant when an undercurrent dragged me under.

I panicked and struggled, gradually losing my strength…

15

When I woke, everything around me was unfamiliar.

The house was made of brick and earth. Dust lay everywhere, and the surroundings were old and dilapidated.

A plainly dressed middle-aged woman came in and smiled at me.

“You’re finally awake. Here, drink some medicine so your wounds don’t get infected.”

I tried to rise, but my whole body hurt.

My ribs seemed broken, and my foot was swollen like a pig’s trotter.

I looked at my hands. They were covered in small cuts.

The woman’s name was Manchun. She had found me on the shore.

She said that after the undercurrent swept me away, I must have hit many rocks to end up with so many injuries.

At first, she had thought I was dead. But since I looked familiar, she had brought me back. Unexpectedly, I still had a breath left.

This was a little fishing village backed by mountains and sea.

Most of the men worked elsewhere or fished. The women stayed home to wash clothes, cook, and farm.

For several days, Manchun took care of everything for me.

My body was cold and weak. My wounds wouldn’t heal, and I often slept in a muddled stupor.

Medical care here was limited. Reaching the city meant traveling a very, very long mountain road.

Had I not seen it myself, I might never have believed that, in an age of rapidly advancing technology, a place could still be so far behind.

Manchun fed me medicine. When I finished, she looked at me awkwardly.

“Yanyan, we know each other a bit now. Um… could you give me an autograph?”

“An autograph?”

I frowned. This was the second time I had heard such a request.

“My son works in town. I’ve seen you in magazines he brought back.”

“You’re a big star. I heard a star’s autograph can be sold for money. Is that true?”

She asked eagerly, then seemed to feel she had been too mercenary and avoided my eyes.

“Yanyan, I don’t mean anything else. I just want to save some money so my son can marry.”

I looked at her blankly.

“Manchun, have you mistaken me for someone else?”

As far as I remembered, I had never appeared in any magazine.

“No mistake. The dimples when you smile are exactly like that pretty actress’s.”

“I may not know much, but my eyes are still sharp.”

She even spent a long time searching the house and found that dirty magazine cover.

Coal grit clung to the stiff paper. I saw a face identical to my own.

The woman in the picture smiled with particular confidence, holding a carefully designed pose.

That feeling of something about to emerge rose again.

My head throbbed in waves.

It was as though some memories were locked in a box, and I could no longer find the key.

16

To repay Manchun as soon as possible, and for the sake of my recovery, I asked her to borrow a phone.

In the entire village, the people with phones could be counted on one hand. Even those were basic models for older users.

There was no signal inside the house.

Manchun was going up the mountain to cut firewood, so she took me along to look for reception.

She supported me the whole way. I was deeply grateful.

My ribs ached faintly, and I bit my lower lip.

Herbal medicine alone wasn’t going to heal these injuries.

Manchun went to cut wood. I slowly moved around, trying to find a signal.

Finally, on a small rise, I found two bars.

I called Susu, but no one answered.

Quickly, I texted her, asking her to come to my rescue.

I was waiting for a reply when a light rain began.

Manchun urged me to return, saying the mountain road would be difficult in the rain.

That night, the rain grew heavy. A landslide blocked the road.

Looking at the phone with no signal, I could only wait in silence.

I lay in bed, barely hanging on, praying for the rain outside to stop.

The mist was thick. Even the moonlight had grown weak.

I couldn’t help wondering what Lu Yao was doing at that moment.

Was he holding Liang Wan close, whispering intimately, or lying in some starlet’s arms?

And why had he done those strange things that made me overthink?

I felt cold all over. No matter how thick the blankets were, they didn’t help.

Then Manchun woke me.

It was still pitch-dark outside. I looked at her in confusion.

“Yanyan, my sister-in-law says some people have come to the mountain road. We don’t know if they’re here to repair it or just passing through.”

“But from the way they’re dressed, they look like outsiders.”

“Do you want to borrow a phone from them? Maybe city people’s things work better.”

A spark of hope rose in my eyes. Perhaps Susu had come for me.

I struggled up, and Manchun took me there beneath an umbrella.

17

I could faintly see flashlight beams near the mountain road. There seemed to be many people.

As we approached, a familiar figure came into view.

Lu Yao was digging through the earth with his hands, cursing as he worked.

“Fuck. A bunch of useless trash. You can’t even find one person.”

“Didn’t you say the signal was right here? Why is there no one?”

His subordinates dared not speak. They dug diligently, as though there were treasure buried inside.

A heap of broken shovels lay on the ground nearby.

I couldn’t imagine how much force their users had applied.

The bodyguard beside Lu Yao couldn’t stop him and could only hold an umbrella over him.

“Yanyan, I’ll find you soon. Wait for me. Wait…”

He muttered to himself, his voice gradually choking.

Weakly, I stepped forward.

“Lu Yao.”

He didn’t hear me and kept digging.

The pampered young master’s delicate hands had long since been scraped bloody by the earth.

“Lu Yao, I’m here.”

I raised my voice. His whole body jolted.

Slowly, he turned, as though doubting what he had heard.

When he saw my face, the hostility in his eyes instantly softened.

The bodyguards all looked over, not daring to move rashly.

“Yanyan?”

His tentative voice was so careful, as though afraid of frightening me away.

“It’s me.”

The words had barely left my mouth when he stumbled toward me.

He gently touched my face. Feeling its warmth, he finally confirmed that I was real.

The next second, a burning embrace wrapped tightly around me.

“Yanyan, I was wrong. Don’t leave me.”

“I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t do this to me. I’m begging you…”

He sobbed. Rain had soaked him through, and the chill seeped toward me.

He held me too tightly and pressed against my injuries.

“It hurts…”

I struggled slightly, frowning.

He immediately let go. Noticing my injuries, his eyes reddened with guilt.

Soon, he called in a helicopter and took me away.

Before we left, Lu Yao gave Manchun a large sum of money and promised to fund the little fishing village.

On the helicopter, I seemed to have developed a fever. I lay weakly in his arms.

Only under the bright lights did I see him clearly.

His clothes were torn and filthy. His face looked as though he had returned from mining coal, with bits of grass stuck to it.

There was no trace of the elegant young master. He looked scarcely better than the bedraggled bodyguards.

The mountain road was too narrow for cars. It seemed they had come searching on foot.

With the rain as well, who knew how many holes they had stumbled into, or how often sharp weeds had cut them?

My heart ached for him despite myself. In my muddled state, I clutched the front of his shirt.

“Lu Yao, who am I, really?”

He stiffened and looked at me searchingly.

“You’ve remembered?”

“You’re my wife, Xu Nanyan.”

18

When we reached the hospital, Lu Yao collapsed too.

He had many small injuries and had gone day and night without sleep or rest. Finally, he could no longer hold on.

The first thing he did upon waking was look for me.

During my recovery, he stayed with me every day and wouldn’t let me deal with company matters.

Whenever I mentioned Liang Wan, he looked helpless and repeatedly insisted that she wasn’t his white moonlight.

If I was an actress, what about Xu-zong of Shidai Entertainment?

I pressed Lu Yao, but he insisted on waiting until I recovered before telling me.

On Friday afternoon, my father, Xu Zhijie, came.

The moment he walked in, I nearly failed to recognize him.

It was as though that face didn’t exist in my memory.

But why hadn’t my father come looking for me when I had the accident?

Why had he waited until I had spent a week in the hospital to visit?

“Nanyan, I’ve been so busy. I only just found time to see you. You won’t blame me, will you?”

Xu Zhijie smiled kindly, but all I saw on his face was hypocrisy.

He exchanged pleasantries, yet every word was probing.

“I hear you and Lu Yao divorced. Why? Wasn’t he taking good care of you?”

“Doesn’t Old Mr. Lu like you very much? Why don’t you ask him? Perhaps he’ll persuade Lu Yao.”

I frowned, suddenly realizing something.

During my time as Xu-zong, I had never once seen Xu Zhijie.

A father knew nothing about his daughter’s life, yet cared about all those external things. What did that tell me?

All he cared about was profit.

Weary of him, I lowered my eyes.

“I’m tired. You can go now.”

His smile stiffened, but he said nothing.

Before leaving, he gave me a gold bank card.

He told me to dress myself up properly and stop making trouble. Even without Lu Yao, I should try to find a better man.

The hospital room door closed.

I stared at the gold card on the table. It seemed unbearably glaring.

If raising a daughter was only about marrying her to a rich man, what had all my years of education been for?

Indignation rose in me. I took the card and followed him out.

Xu Zhijie was waiting for the elevator. A gaudily dressed woman stood beside him.

My stepmother, Liu Wen.

Standing behind a potted plant, I heard her complain.

“Your daughter has nothing to do with the Lu family anymore. Why are you still giving her money?”

“Keep your voice down. I saw Lu family bodyguards nearby. I think Lu Yao may still have feelings for Nanyan.”

“All right, all right. So what if he does? They’re still divorced. I told you girls can’t be relied on.”

Liu Wen sneered. Xu Zhijie showed no intention of arguing. He even seemed to agree.

Looking at her belly, he sighed.

“Enough. Let’s check on the IVF situation in a bit.”

“Don’t worry. Even if I can’t give you a son, I’ll find someone who can.”

…

My eyes widened. Their values shocked me.

Fragments of memory flashed past, and the headache returned.

Liu Wen’s health was poor. After marrying him, she had never become pregnant. Two attempts at IVF had failed.

My father wanted a son because he believed only a boy could inherit the family business.

No matter how hard I studied, he wouldn’t give me a proper look.

So he had come only to see whether I had any remaining value, whether I could reconnect him with the Lu family.

He had never handed the company to me at all. Then where had the Shidai Entertainment I took over come from?

The headache kept spreading, the dull pain seeming to strike straight into my heart.

My eyes reddened, and I couldn’t breathe.

Suddenly, a hand covered my ears.

“Yanyan, don’t listen anymore.”

A faint scent of mint reached me. An embrace shut the clamor away.

19

My headaches began again, but this time I remembered many things.

The suffocation of living in the Xu family.

How Lu Yao had pursued me for a long time at university.

How a talent scout discovered me, and I became the nation’s goddess.

Anxious beside me, Lu Yao called a man over.

My former therapist, Li Yu.

He was also one of Lu Yao’s close friends.

Li Yu asked me to describe how I felt, then talked with me for a long time.

So long that I fell asleep.

In my dream, I was a dazzling actress.

It was as though I had found the key to that box of memories.

Everything inside surfaced.

20

My name was Xu Nanyan. I was a hugely popular celebrity.

And Lu Yao’s wife.

We were childhood sweethearts, each secretly in love with the other.

We dated at university and married after graduation.

He really was proud and contrary, always complaining that I was troublesome while giving in to me on everything.

I loved my work. I loved the version of myself who shone onstage.

I didn’t want people to call me a pretty vase who could only depend on Lu Yao.

I wanted to stand as his equal.

I wanted to prove to my father that I was no worse than a boy.

But no matter how hard I worked, people erased my effort with a single sentence: “Well, you are Mrs. Lu.”

As though I hadn’t earned those opportunities through ability, but the Lu family had bought them.

At first, I thought I didn’t need to care what others thought. I only had to let my ability speak.

But criticism and doubt kept pouring in.

Then I accepted a web drama called The Ex-Wife Returns, a satisfying face-slapping story in the “wife-chasing crematorium” genre.

Translator’s note: “Wife-chasing crematorium” describes a romance in which a man mistreats his partner, loses her, and then suffers while trying desperately to win her back.

Susu and Liang Wan were both actresses in it.

While filming, I felt as though the heroine’s mindset was practically my own alter ego.

The heroine divorced so she could be herself, built her company into a top entertainment business, and later slapped the scumbag’s face, trampling every doubt beneath her feet.

I wanted so badly to be like her too ah.

Gradually, each time filming ended, I became trapped in those emotions and couldn’t escape.

Even when I did emerge, I would feel dazed for a while.

Sometimes, I felt that the me inside the drama was the real me.

By the end, I could no longer distinguish the drama from life.

After filming wrapped, I still couldn’t come out of it and began behaving strangely.

For instance, I would suddenly drive Lu Yao out to sleep in the living room, or call him a scumbag.

When I met Susu in the makeup room, I treated her as though she were my actual best friend.

Lu Yao realized something was wrong and asked Li Yu to help.

He diagnosed me with depression, saying I had become too deeply immersed in the role to emerge.

I had mixed fiction and life together, adapting them into a script of my own.

Lu Yao didn’t dare intervene recklessly. He tried to find a way to accompany me slowly out of it.

So he found a whole group of people to act along with me. He practically brought the entire entertainment industry over.

A voice sounded.

“The script for The Ex-Wife Returns is on your right.”

“Pick it up and tear it apart.”

“Xu Nanyan, it’s time to wake up.”

21

On the day I recovered, Lu Yao took me home.

He cooked for me himself. The food was barely passable.

I finally understood why the meals the driver had brought before tasted so bad.

He had made all of them.

I looked at him with reddened eyes. He told me not to cry.

But the moment he said it, my tears fell.

Lu Yao held me and kissed them away.

“I’m sorry…”

“Yanyan, you did nothing wrong. I did it all willingly. As long as you don’t leave me, never mind acting—I’d risk my life with you.”

His voice was hoarse, carrying the joy of regaining what he had lost.

Idiot.

I lifted my head and kissed him. He kissed me back fiercely.

That evening, he was showering, but his phone kept lighting up on the table.

“Lu Yao, someone’s messaging you. It looks urgent.”

“Reply for me.”

He had always been like that. All his passwords were my birthday.

I opened his phone and saw a string of messages from one of his friends.

Cheng Dong: Hey, Lu-ge, let me have that drone project, will you?

Cheng Dong: Stop playing dead!

Cheng Dong: If you don’t, I’ll send this video to Saozi, okay?

Translator’s note: Ge means “big brother,” a buddy-style address; saozi, “elder brother’s wife,” is what guys call a friend’s wife.

The video showed Lu Yao drinking with friends in a bar.

He slumped over the table, his face flushed. He seemed to have drunk a great deal.

“Wifey, wifey…”

He kept murmuring, like an abandoned puppy.

Someone came over and patted him. It was Li Yu, that terrible friend.

“Hey, wake up. Stop calling. Your wife ran off with someone else.”

“Bullshit! It’s all your fault, you bastards. What kind of fucking rotten idea was that? You actually told me to get divorced! If not for you, would my wife have left?”

He shouted, his voice full of grievance.

The single dogs laughed even harder.

Soon, they stopped laughing, because Lu Yao was crying so bitterly.

I had never seen him cry with such complete disregard for his image, so desperately miserable.

I remembered the clothes he wore in the video. They were the same ones from the day we signed the divorce agreement.

He had even run out after me then…

My heart turned sour. I felt wronged on his behalf.

I was the bastard, making him so miserable.

Lu Yao came out of the bathroom. Seeing my red eyes, he immediately grew anxious.

“What is it, Yanyan? Did I do something that upset you?”

I cried so hard I could barely breathe, saying “I’m sorry” over and over.

He saw the messages on his phone and understood at once.

“Yanyan, it’s all in the past.”

He patted my back soothingly.

“Lu Yao, why didn’t you send me to the hospital back then? Then I wouldn’t… wouldn’t have treated you like that…”

“My Yanyan is so afraid of the dark. How could I bear to leave you there alone?”

He pinched my earlobe and tenderly wiped my tears away.

But they wouldn’t stop. No matter how much he wiped, there were always more.

22

After a month with Lu Yao, my emotions had returned to normal.

During that time, he never mentioned remarrying me.

I knew my illness had made him cautious.

He was giving me time to work at being Xu Nanyan.

I decided to make a comeback and continue the acting career I loved.

Lu Yao still supported my decision unconditionally.

After my comeback press conference, not a single production or director contacted me.

Partly because I was no longer Mrs. Lu, and partly because my medical history put them off.

But that was all right. I took my studio and started over.

Without good roles, I would begin with bit parts.

No matter how small the role, I studied it diligently.

Lu Yao accompanied me quietly and never interfered.

Half a year passed like that. A director liked my performance as a maid and decided to cast me as the fourth female lead in his film, a vicious supporting character.

Before filming, I read the script over and over, thoroughly absorbing her psychology.

When the film came out, quite a few people recognized me.

Some fans edited together my few appearances.

Online comments changed from “She looks familiar” to “She used to be the nation’s idol.”

I regained some of my old fans.

Then small-budget short dramas began inviting me.

I grew busy, and even the time I could spend with Lu Yao dwindled.

It was exhausting, but at the end of the day, people said to me, “Nanyan, thank you for your hard work today.”

At last, I was no longer merely Mrs. Lu.

23

It took me five years to return to my peak.

Fans dug into everything, so meeting Lu Yao was like conducting espionage. We had to guard against discovery from every direction.

When we finally managed to meet at a hotel, he held me and complained petulantly.

“Big star, it’s really hard to see you.”

“What can I do? Your wife is ambitious.”

“Hmph. Then how will you compensate me?”

The corners of his mouth lifted in that familiar, roguish smile.

I cleared my throat awkwardly.

“I have an early flight tomorrow.”

“So?”

“So… don’t keep me up too late.”

Lu Yao suddenly laughed, his hand settling on my waist.

“The compensation I meant was remarriage. Who knew the big star’s mind was full of…”

I hurriedly covered his mouth. Cunning flashed in his eyes.

Bastard. He had deliberately baited me.

“I’m done talking to you. I’m going to sleep.”

“Don’t, baby. We finally get to meet, and we’ve barely said a few words.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“Then let’s use a different way to communicate.”

“You…”

His fierce kiss swallowed the rest.

Afterward, breathing hard, he pressed me.

“Yanyan, when are you going to give me an official status?”

“When I win Best Actress.”

“And when will that be?”

“I don’t know.”

Lu Yao: …

The look in his eyes changed, and so did the force of his movements.

After a bout of utter exhaustion, I was nearly asleep when I suddenly remembered something.

I was going deep into the mountains and forests to film, opposite Best Actor Zhou Lin. I needed to tell him.

The moment I finished, Lu Yao sat up, clearly unwilling.

Remembering the plane accident still frightened him.

I held him and tried to persuade him.

“Don’t worry. The facilities on that mountain are complete. It’s pretty safe.”

“After filming, I’d like to visit Manchun. I wonder how the little fishing village is doing now.”

He nodded.

“I’ll go with you.”

“All right. Let’s sleep.”

“Nothing else you want to say?”

“No.”

Lu Yao narrowed his eyes and enclosed me in his arms.

“No? I heard there are kissing scenes in this film. Two of them!”

“How do you know more about it than I do?”

He snorted and began making sarcastic remarks.

“If I didn’t look into it, you wouldn’t tell me. Am I supposed to go to the theater and personally inspect how thick my green hat is?”

“Oh, stop talking nonsense. It’s part of the job. It can’t always be avoided.”

I never used doubles, so when there were kissing scenes and the like, I told him.

Lu Yao understood me very well, but he also got very jealous.

“Xu Nanyan, you liked him before. Tell me honestly. Have you always been looking forward to working with him?”

“He’s a Best Actor winner. Who wouldn’t?”

I muttered, and his face grew darker.

“Don’t be angry. It’s not as though I took the role for the kissing scenes.”

But patching it up was already too late.

He pinned me down again and bit my lip.

“Xu Nanyan, if I don’t properly deal with you today, my surname isn’t Lu!”

Hiss—

When Lu Yao got jealous, he was truly ferocious.

I nearly missed my flight the next day.

24

At the end of the year, that film with Zhou Lin earned me a Best Actress nomination.

It marked my successful transition from a popularity-driven celebrity to an actress recognized for her craft.

My fans online cheered for me.

At last, everyone acknowledged my efforts, because they had watched me climb back up, little by little.

On the day of the awards ceremony, Lu Yao was even more excited than I was.

Whether we could remarry depended on tonight.

We sat separately. The host was particularly mischievous while reading the names, determined to keep everyone in suspense.

My heart raced, a little beyond my control.

Finally, at the very end—

“All right, I won’t tease you anymore. This year’s Best Actress award goes to…”

“Xu! Nan! Yan!”

Amid the cheers, I froze for two seconds. Only after confirming that I hadn’t misheard did I stand.

The lights converged on me at once. I waved to everyone, tears filling my eyes.

At the same time, the major apps crashed for more than ten seconds.

Comments about me suddenly increased by over a hundred thousand.

[May Xu Nanyan Walk a Flower Road: Amazing, amazing. Wuwuwu, I knew it would be her! Divorced women come with a built-in buff!!]

[Lu Yao’s Number One Rival in Love: Yanyan is the GOAT. The nation’s idol has fought her way back! Who says she’s the heroine of a wish-fulfillment story? She’s clearly the heroine of an inspirational story!!!]

[Yanyan’s Husband Outside the Industry: My wife is so beautiful. That’s my baby! Aaaah!!]

…

Once I went onstage, thunderous applause rang out. To my surprise, I felt a little nervous.

In the dark mass of the audience, I found Lu Yao exactly.

He smiled at me, looking even prouder than I was.

Stars may dim from time to time, but the moon is always there.

My lips curved, resolute and confident.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Xu Nanyan.”

(End of the Main Story)

Extra

My wife was a top idol who had won many newcomer awards.

And the wisest decision I ever made was winning her over at university.

After we married, I often visited her on set.

Once she finished this drama, she would be able to rest for a while.

But lately, she had become a little strange, often talking to herself.

She also said she had a company and needed to go to work.

One night in the dead of winter, she drove me out of the bedroom. Looking at me coldly, she said ours was a marriage in form, and there was no need to sleep together.

Later, she said Liang Wan was my white moonlight.

But from childhood until now, she was the only one I had ever liked.

I knew she was ill.

I brought Li Yu over. He said not to provoke her, or she would become even less able to distinguish reality from the script.

I began cooperating with her performance.

I didn’t know how, but I worked hard to learn.

I opened a subsidiary, Shidai Entertainment.

I hired a large group of actors and extras, creating a living environment tailored to her.

Even her phone and computer couldn’t access outside information.

I wrapped her in a vacuum world and accompanied her as she slowly found her way out.

My father called me a wastrel. But wasn’t making money all about spending it on your wife?

Yanyan no longer wanted to bother with me. Apart from working seriously, all she did was infuriate me.

She actually ran the company very well. Her dual degrees from university hadn’t gone to waste.

I also had to bring women home every day for show.

Seeing her smile at Zhou Lin nearly made me explode!

When would these days ever end ah?

I couldn’t even hug her. I had to pretend to despise her.

Then one day, Yanyan wanted a divorce.

I went out drinking, wanting somewhere to hide.

When I heard she was moving out, I hurried home.

I couldn’t bear to see her looking so wronged. In the end, we still divorced.

Fuck. A scumbag’s wife-chasing crematorium. Why did I have to suffer through this?

Which bastard screenwriter had written such a bizarre story?

Unwilling to accept it, I chased after her. I wanted her to take a proper look at me.

I was her husband, Lu Yao. She had clearly said she wouldn’t leave me.

But the car went faster and faster.

I couldn’t catch her anymore.

Li Yu said that some of this tendency reflected her genuine inner wishes.

She longed for independence and freedom.

I understood, but it hurt.

While she was winning all those honors, she had taken every outside doubt to heart.

After the divorce, the hardest thing was arranging actors to accompany her.

She wanted to give a speech, so the extras were put in place.

But security slipped up and accidentally let in her real high school homeroom teacher.

Fortunately, nothing went wrong when they met.

Yet my subordinates said she learned about what had happened in high school without much reaction.

Even that couldn’t stir her memories?

Yanyan, did you no longer love me?

Suddenly, I was afraid.

The plane crashed, and my subordinates lost her.

I sent those useless rice buckets to plant trees in the desert.

I searched the mountains and the sea.

But there was nothing.

Every day, I went without food or sleep, looking everywhere.

It was all my fault. This had happened because I hadn’t watched over her properly.

Susu said she had received a text.

At last, I found her in a remote mountain village.

I held her tightly and didn’t want to let go again.

Yanyan had lost so much weight. I cooked for her, but she wouldn’t eat.

She was beginning to recover her memories.

Then her father came to visit and stirred the deepest ones.

At last, she emerged from the script.

She said she wanted a comeback. I said yes.

She said she wanted to be herself. I said yes.

She said we could only remarry after she won Best Actress. I…

Fortunately, Yanyan worked so hard that she won it after all.

Watching her accept the award, I secretly cried.

In the middle of the night, too excited to sleep, I took out my phone and called Li Yu.

He thought something had happened and sounded anxious.

I told him nothing was wrong. My wife was a Best Actress winner!

He hung up.

Then I called Cheng Dong.

Today, Yanyan was in a good mood and went to the Civil Affairs Bureau with me.

With the little red marriage booklet lost and regained, I felt like crying.

At last, my Yanyan was back.

(The End)