After the Breakup, the Crazy Movie Queen Clings to Me Every Day (GL) - Chapter 21

The evening’s performance had concluded, and many media outlets were already leaving. Lan Jingli stood alone in the narrow, deserted alley, clutching the hem of her dress as she watched Tan You depart.

********

A wave of confusion washed over her. She couldn’t tell which of Tan You’s words were true and which were false.

Rumors circulated within the industry about Tan You’s reputation as a flirtatious woman who juggled seven or eight lovers simultaneously, discarding them when she grew bored.

But Lan Jingli refused to believe her sister was that kind of person.

Why do I trust Tan You so much? she thought with a bitter smile. Perhaps because there’s nothing else left to believe in.

So, what was her… rightful place?

A clandestine lover, hidden in the shadows? Lan Jingli cut off her train of thought. The lingering warmth of Tan You’s kiss still lingered on her lips. Good dreams fade easily, and fleeting moments vanish like painted clouds.

She understood this truth deeply, her entire life a testament to it. But what if Tan You was her exception?

She asked for nothing else. Could she gamble on that one-in-a-million chance of happiness?

As expected, the media, cameras in hand, swarmed out. When they spotted Tan You, they froze momentarily before erupting into a frenzy of excitement.

Fortunately, Aunt Wan had anticipated this. The well-trained bodyguards swiftly and methodically maintained order in the company plaza, preventing the frenzied reporters from breaching the cordon around Tan You.

Under the silvery moonlight and the swirling snow and rain, Tan You held a still-warm, inexpensive umbrella and walked with unhurried steps, as if she were about to walk out of her own life.

Lan Jingli felt an unfamiliar, dull ache in her heart, recalling Tan You’s earlier, deeply meaningful words.

Are the worlds Tan You and I inhabit truly so distant?

So distant that not even a glimmer of light can penetrate the darkness?

Back in their company dormitory, Wei Yixi noticed Lan Jingli staring blankly as she fiddled with her Harry Potter Lego set. Puzzled, Wei Yixi wondered why Lan Jingli was so obsessed with this toy. For over half a year, she’d been treating it like a precious treasure.

“You don’t have to be this obsessed, do you?”

“I just like it,” Lan Jingli replied quickly, snapping out of her daze. She immediately realized she’d overreacted slightly.

When she was nine years old, her school showed them Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. From that moment on, she longed for her eleventh birthday, hoping to receive an owl-delivered letter inviting her to Hogwarts, a place that felt like home.

Yes, a castle that felt like home.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been so distracted since you got back.”

Lan Jingli lowered her gaze. “Nothing. I was just calculating how much money I’ve saved.”

Wei Yixi chuckled. “Saving up so young? What for? Saving up for marriage?”

Lan Jingli paused, then replied, “No, I wouldn’t dare think that far ahead.”

Wei Yixi’s eyes sharpened. Could it be true? Is Lan Jingli saving up to marry someone she likes?

It was a cliché, but sincerity was what mattered. Still, someone with such a wholehearted, all-in personality was bound to get hurt someday.

“Keep going! Once we debut, we’ll earn more, and your little savings will grow even faster.”

Amused by Wei Yixi’s words, Lan Jingli offered a rare smile. “I’m going to write songs now. You should get some rest.”
*******

A few days later, as Christmas approached, the sky remained perpetually overcast. The festive atmosphere on the streets was palpable, with colorful lights adorning the roadside trees.

Aunt Wan knocked and entered Tan You’s office. The woman cherished tranquility, and her office, situated at the pinnacle of Central’s skyline, was furnished with austere elegance.

“The photos of you and Miss Lan have been dealt with. The original files have been completely deleted. However…”

“However what?” Tan You calmly smoothed the rice paper with a white jade paperweight, dipped her brush in ink, and paused with the tip suspended in mid-air.

“One print was developed, and I couldn’t bear to throw it away. Would you like to keep it?” Aunt Wan retrieved the photograph from a kraft paper envelope and handed it to Tan You.

It was a stunning shot: a narrow alley bathed in golden light, the silent snow absorbing the world’s clamor. Tan You was cradled in Lan Jingli’s arms, their intertwined hair billowing in the tender evening breeze, drenched in moonlight, creating an ethereal, dreamlike quality.

It was too beautiful, too poignant.

Tan You put down her pen, glanced at the photo, and said dismissively, “Tear it up and throw it away.”

Aunt Wan was astonished. “It’s such a lovely photo! Why would you tear it up and throw it away?”

“There’s no need to keep it.”

“Even as a memento? It would be fun to look back on later,” Aunt Wan said, shaking her head, utterly unable to understand Tan You.

The night view outside the floor-to-ceiling window was breathtaking. A white cruise ship glided across the distant sea, its reflection shimmering in the harbor’s silent waves, mingling with the neon lights of the shore.

Yet the woman seemed even more silent, tearing the photo into pieces and tossing it into the trash.

“There’s nothing worth remembering.”

Aunt Wan sighed helplessly and let her be.

“I’ll go home and make you some soup. Remember to take your medication and get your hormone suppressants.”
Tan You’s expression remained indifferent. Suddenly remembering something, she sent Lan Jingli a WeChat message.

[Tan You: Li Li, will you come with me to look at wedding dresses on Christmas Day?]