After the Breakup, the Crazy Movie Queen Clings to Me Every Day (GL) - Chapter 17

Lan Jingli’s mind felt hazy, as if she had entered a higher-dimensional realm, where time seemed to bend and nothing felt real.
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Her thoughts raced, a jumbled mess of memories.

Tan You had insisted she visit the villa every Saturday, sending her punctual “good morning” and “good night” messages. She had to wear the necklace at all times, never removing it, and memorize the names of the villa’s plants, with Tan You conducting regular quizzes.

Jujube, yew, iron holly, honeysuckle, agarwood, mimosa, silverleaf… Misremembering the order would earn her a playful nip from Tan You as punishment.

Once, Tan You had spoken of her past, saying she had been very lonely. But Lan Jingli didn’t feel that way. During the day, she attended school and studied, and in the evenings, after finishing her homework, she could stroll and ponder with Tan You. How could she be lonely?

If only the world could always stay like this.

But she had been too naive. Not everyone shared her desire to keep their first meeting frozen in time.

In truth, there was only one answer: Tan You was the lonely one, and Lan Jingli might not be the person who could dispel her loneliness.

Could it be that in Tan You’s eyes, I’m just an ignorant, useless, boring girl, burdened by her own worries? So insignificant that without this reunion, I would have been completely forgotten?

Lan Jingli mentally sketched Tan You: aloof yet gentle, distant and enigmatic, impossible to fathom or touch.

Sometimes she felt their reunion was fated, other times she saw it as a cruel mockery of her lingering memories.

For years, she had replayed the night before Tan You left, when they walked side by side under the moonlight. The courage to confess her feelings had eluded her. Had Tan You sensed her unspoken words, even for a moment?

Lan Jingli touched her chest, then rubbed her undoubtedly dejected face, forcing a smile.

Despite her doubts, she unconditionally trusted the woman who had urged her to “look toward the horizon.”

As the Lunar New Year approached, the company hosted numerous gatherings and parties, both large and small. As members of Syzygy, who were on the verge of their debut, Lan Jingli and her group were required to attend these events, ostensibly to “get their faces known.”

Lan Jingli watched the elegantly dressed attendees clink glasses and exchange toasts, forcing a smile as she raised her own glass before quickly retreating to a corner.

She unconsciously pulled out her phone, her fingers itching to text Tan You again.

She considered sending a simple, “Sister, what are you doing?” but it felt too trivial, like she was just looking for an excuse to bother Tan You.

Maybe I should say, “Just finished dance practice and came straight to the company’s year-end party. It’s so crowded.”

Staring at the WeChat chat window, she typed out a message, then deleted it all. Tan You isn’t my dance teacher. Why would she care about that?

How about, “It’s supposed to rain the next few days. Remember to bring an umbrella, Sister.”

Or, “I read an Edgar Allan Poe short story yesterday and wanted to share it with you.”

Still sounds like I’m bothering her.

It was only five in the afternoon, but the sky was as dark as the night of the apocalypse, as if lightning would soon strike and obliterate the world, reducing everyone to dust.

If I could oxidize into the wind with Tan You, we could become two adjacent bubbles in a ramune soda, or two clinging specks of dust in the breeze-swept willow branches.

As she pondered, Lan Jingli suddenly lowered her gaze and shook her head. Even if she were to oxidize into wind, she wouldn’t want Tan You to join her.

A woman should always remain pure and untainted. Only then could she find peace when she turned to ashes.

Clutching her phone, Lan Jingli leaned against the window. Outside, a torrential downpour pounded against the glass, causing it to hum faintly. She chuckled softly, realizing how fanciful her thoughts had become.

Sister, I’ll be passing by the flower shop later. The owner just got a new batch of weeping jasmine. Can I bring you some? She sent the message from the dark stairwell, still feeling like she was intruding.

After waiting a long time, the WeChat interface remained blank except for her message, mirroring the emptiness in her heart. It had been over half a month since they last spoke, and she knew nothing of Tan You’s current life.

Across the street, Aunt Wan spotted Lan Jingli from the Rolls-Royce and remarked, “Miss Lan is over there.”

The woman in the back seat sat with relaxed yet dignified posture. Her thick lashes filtered the dappled light, giving her the air of a cold, emotionless white jade statue.

Tan You hadn’t intended to call Lan Jingli over, but the pill she’d just swallowed offered no relief. She had no choice but to change her mind.

“Tell her to come here.”

Sensing the woman’s annoyance at being disturbed, Aunt Wan turned the car around and urgently ordered the staff to clear the area.

Lan Jingli, who had come out for some fresh air after drinking too much, idly kicked at small pebbles on the ground. She checked her phone—no new messages.

What’s Tan You doing right now?

Clutching her phone tightly, she hesitated, wondering if she should send another New Year’s greeting.

Just as she was staring at their pinned WeChat conversation, the familiar screech of brakes sounded, and a Rolls-Royce pulled up before her.

The window rolled down, revealing Tan You’s cool, aloof face.

“Jiejie, what are you doing here?”

Tan You lowered her lashes and said absently, “I came to pick you up.”

Lan Jingli’s palms grew clammy, feeling as if the overcast skies of the past few days had suddenly cleared.

“Li Li, have you been drinking?”

“Three glasses. It was required by the script,” Lan Jingli replied, flustered, like a child caught doing something wrong.

“So proud of yourself?”

“Actually, I prefer that marble soda.”

“Marble soda?” Tan You frowned. She never drank anything but water.

“You know, the kind where you push the glass marble down, and the clear soda fizzes to life, bubbling and lively, like fireflies on a summer night,” Lan Jingli gestured animatedly, then smiled sheepishly.

“Drink less next time.”

Tan You handed Lan Jingli a bottle of water and, with a detached expression, gestured for her to get in the car.

The partition between the front and back seats lowered. Before Lan Jingli could speak, Tan You gripped her chin, her gaze scrutinizing.

The woman’s aura was cool and composed, yet an unnatural flush gradually rose on her cheeks. Her dark hair cascaded like flowing water, and the thin white silk dress she wore revealed glimpses of skin beneath. Those petal-soft, crimson lips pressed gently against Lan Jingli’s.

This secret pleasure in the car had lasted only half an hour. Tan You’s skin still flushed, but her eyes were clear and icy as she pushed Lan Jingli away.

“Sister?” Lan Jingli asked, her breath coming in soft gasps, her expression puzzled.

“Get out.”

Though Tan You had never explicitly confessed her s3x addiction, their days together had made it an unspoken truth between them.

“Sister, did I do something wrong?”

“No. I’m tired. You don’t need to come this Saturday either.”
Lan Jingli desperately wanted to press for an explanation, but the woman’s indifferent, weary gaze robbed her of courage.

Controlling her expression, she forced herself to remain calm. “Alright. I’ll head back to school then.”

As the partition in the luxury car rose and Aunt Wan drove away, she couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, what about you and Miss Lan now? What will you do after you get married?”

Tan You’s expression remained calm, as if she were brushing off a speck of dust from her clothes.

“It’s over now, and that’s all that matters.”