After the Breakup, the Crazy Movie Queen Clings to Me Every Day (GL) - Chapter 3

“I don’t want it.” Lan Jingli looked at the check, her brows furrowing unconsciously.

******

Although Aunt Wan understood Lan Jingli’s feeling of being looked down upon, she still rationally urged her to accept the check. Tan You had asked her to investigate the girl, and that’s when she found out about Lan Jingli’s destitution. As a trainee who hadn’t debuted yet, her meals usually consisted of little more than steamed buns, bread, or frozen food. Her clothes were all under fifty yuan, and her shoes were worn and faded. The nice outfit she wore to the banquet must have been something her manager gave her to help her look the part. She was training so hard that she had even fainted from malnutrition before.

“She specifically instructed you to take it. She hopes you won’t disappoint her.”

Lan Jingli confirmed again, “Miss Tan Qi wants me to take this?”

“Yes.”

What did Tan You think she was?

Lan Jingli pushed the check aside, suddenly stood up, and left. “Just consider me ungrateful.”

The rash stubbornness of youth.

Aunt Wan shook her head, watching Lan Jingli rush out the door. Her eyes held a mix of pity and helplessness. All she could do was instruct the driver to take her away.

It was only when Lan Jingli returned to her dorm that she remembered that, while she had rejected the clothes Aunt Wan offered, she had changed into the fleece hoodie Tan You had prepared for her after her bath last night. Just by looking down, she could smell that clean, lingering scent, which was like the woman’s seductive, intoxicating presence from the night before.

She felt like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on and rushed into the bathroom, wanting to wash away the mark that person had left on her. The steam filled the room, and she saw her reflection in the mirror: her neck and collarbone were covered in bite marks from Tan You. They were so dense, like some greedy, insatiable creature repeatedly asserting its territory. Even after scrubbing for a long time, she couldn’t wash away the scent that seemed to be etched into her skin and her entire body.

She sadly thought about the check and couldn’t understand why. This was her sister, the sister who had once been the light of her life.

Her father had passed away early, and her mother remarried. Her stepfather disliked her, so her tearful mother sent her to the countryside with only 2,000 yuan a year for living expenses. One day, she was so hungry that she secretly “traded” a drawing she made of plants for a steamed bun from a neighbor. Calling it a “trade” was really just a polite way of saying she stole it.

Holding the bun, she was consumed by guilt. She ended up bumping into Tan You, who was standing among a patch of blue nigella flowers. The hazy, lush flowers were no match for the woman’s stunning, gentle, and dignified beauty. Yet, she still felt a sense of distance from Tan You, as if she were high above everyone else.

To this day, Lan Jingli wasn’t sure why Tan You was willing to talk to her and listen patiently as she explained what happened. But she would never forget the woman’s soft sigh, like a deity, taking her hand and leading her back to the neighbor’s house to buy that insignificant painting. The painting was a mountain she had pieced together from bamboo leaves, nigella, and pine branches—a symbol of the sacred beauty she could never reach.

Tan You took the painting and only said this to her: “Your destination isn’t here; it’s somewhere much farther away.” “You have to look to the future.”

Tan You’s eyes were firm, as if she was gambling that a sentimental orphan could overcome fate. She believed Lan Jingli would win, and so Lan Jingli also believed in herself. She would win.

What should she do? A feeling of reluctance pulled at her uncontrollably. She had to return the hoodie to Tan You.

Lan Jingli, lost in her thoughts, changed into her own clothes, came out of the bathroom, put the fleece hoodie away neatly, and lay down on her bed. She took out her MP3 and put on her headphones. There was only one “song” on it. It wasn’t really a song, but the sound of someone breathing at night. On the night she parted ways with Tan You, she had saved up her money to buy an MP3 and recorded a whole night of audio. It was just the sound of Tan You’s breathing.

Ever since she was a child, she was afraid of the dark because of her night blindness, and she was very sentimental. At night, the heavy darkness would swallow her like a tide, making her feel like the world had abandoned her again, surrounded by monsters and spirits lurking in the shadows. This anxiety was a constant companion, and only when she listened to that person’s breathing could she find some peace.

The lock on the dorm door clicked open, and Wei Yixi, a roommate she was close with, came in. She was also a trainee at Yunshu Entertainment and was from the same class as Lan Jingli.

“Jingli, there’s a banquet tomorrow night that invited us to sing two songs. They’re offering this much,” Wei Yixi held up three fingers, “so you’ll have enough for next semester’s tuition.”

“Okay,” At the mention of earning money, Lan Jingli temporarily cast aside her worries and climbed out of bed.

Wei Yixi handed her a cup of milk and hesitated before asking, “You were taken away by the manager today. Is everything alright?”

Lan Jingli tensed up almost imperceptibly, forcing a smile. “Everything’s fine.”

“Have you found your non-biological sister yet?”

Hearing Wei Yixi mention Tan You, Lan Jingli’s hand trembled, and she knocked over the cup of milk, which spilled all over the fleece hoodie. She froze for a moment, trying to salvage it, but a large stain was already there.

“That jacket looks like it’s made of really expensive material. How do you have it, Jingli?” Wei Yixi was even more confused, her gaze sweeping over Lan Jingli.

“Someone gave it to me.”

“You can’t even get this kind of cashmere clean with dry cleaning; it will ruin the fabric.”

Lan Jingli sighed.

“I’ll figure something out. I’ll just buy a new one.”

******

After a night of rain, a layer of soft, white frost covered the deep, verdant green of the winter mountain, giving it a distant, cold look.

Tan You had just taken over the domestic business of the Tan family and was also in charge of a biotechnology project in collaboration with the government. This was both a business partnership and a political task. The number of people who wanted to cozy up to her was endless. On top of that, there were a dozen half-siblings from home waiting to pounce. She couldn’t afford to relax for even a second.

This morning alone, there were three business meetings. Aunt Wan served her medicine and verified her schedule, not forgetting to ask, “Did you have a pleasant time last night?”

The white pill melted on the woman’s rosy tongue, giving off a distasteful bitterness. As if on purpose, Tan You slowly savored the process, her eyes indifferent.

“In what way are you asking?”

Aunt Wan was getting better at guessing her mistress’s intentions. Thinking of Lan Jingli’s stubborn figure as she left last night, she reinterpreted Tan You’s words from a different angle.

“Does that mean there were some pleasant aspects?”

Tan You drank her water at the perfect temperature and meticulously and calmly wiped her hands with a warm towel.

“What do you want to say?”

“She didn’t take the check you gave her. She left in the middle of the night, so she must be upset.”

Although Aunt Wan knew her place and shouldn’t pry into her mistress’s affairs, Tan You had always been a suspicious and anxious person, and ever since she contracted that strange, incurable illness, her desire for control had become even more extreme. Aunt Wan worried that this would be harmful in the long run.

“So ungrateful,” Tan You said, losing interest. “In your opinion, what does she want?”

“You two seem to know each other from a long time ago. Don’t you know what she wants?”

Tan You looked out at the snowy scenery, her eyes as clear as snow, calm and profound. “Instead of beating around the bush, why don’t you do something for me?”

Aunt Wan assumed a posture of obedience, and was surprised to hear Tan You ask her to find a few wild koi for her to choose from.

“Do you suddenly want to keep fish? Aren’t those plant and animal specimens enough to admire?” Aunt Wan didn’t dare ask the second part out loud.

Tan You’s reply was concise: “They’re interesting.”

“It seems you’re not very interested in Miss Lan.”

The woman didn’t deny it, she just instructed her to get the car ready to leave. Before they left, Aunt Wan thought it over and handed Tan You a valuable, jadeite-colored stone with a smooth, warm finish.

“This is the jade your biological mother prayed to the gods for. Wear it for protection and peace.” She knew that seeing the object would remind Tan You of her mother and cause long-lasting pain, but she was afraid that in a moment of need, Tan You wouldn’t be able to find it.

Tan You gave a half-smile. If there really were gods in the heavens, why didn’t they protect her mother from her illness? Fate was an illusion; only by holding everything in her own hands could she find peace of mind.

*****

The banquet hall was covered in a dark red carpet, and the gilded wallpaper on both sides was hung with classical, abstract oil paintings. Wisps of white mist drifted beneath the chandeliers. The hotel hosting the event belonged to the Shu family. Shu Su had always been a successful socialite, and her hotel chain was a leading enterprise with branches all over the world. She acted as the host, inviting celebrities from all walks of life to gather.

Although it was called a casual gathering, everyone knew who was coming, so they were all on high alert, craning their necks and waiting. Everyone was looking around, wondering: where was Miss Tan Qi? Had she left already, or had someone intercepted her on the way? The Tan family heiress had been too low-key since she left the entertainment industry, rarely appearing in public. This made them afraid of being blind and missing their chance to seize incredible wealth.

After finishing their performance, Wei Yixi nudged Lan Jingli with her elbow. “I heard that the Tan family’s heir is coming today.”

“Who?” Lan Jingli was already feeling distracted, and the word “Tan” made her even more irritable.

“She’s one of the top heirs of the Tan family, which has businesses all over the world. All these rich people, who think they’re so high and mighty, have been waiting here all afternoon just to see her. If they can just show their face to her, they’ll be set for life.”

“One of the heirs?”

“They say the Tan family has a lot of illegitimate children, and there’s a lot of dirty business involved in their power struggles. Miss Tan Qi is apparently so skillful that she became the ultimate winner. Before, there were countless people in the entertainment industry who wanted to sleep with her. They say this banquet is basically a selection for her harem.”

“She would never do that.” Lan Jingli instinctively defended Tan You.

“I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Miss Tan Qi was surrounded by young, beautiful girls. They all got in the car with her and went home. What else could they be doing, research?”

Just then, the banquet hall doors opened, and everyone’s expressions changed slightly, and they unconsciously straightened up. Lan Jingli’s heart also tightened for a moment, but behind the doors was only a waiter walking in from the cold, rainy night—not the Miss Tan Qi everyone had been waiting for.

“We got paid, a total of 10,000,” Wei Yixi said, smiling as she looked at her phone’s transfer notification. “You don’t have to ask the manager to borrow money anymore. This is enough for your tuition.”

The two of them left through the side door of the banquet hall. Lan Jingli was quite surprised. With their current popularity, their performance fee would only be one or two thousand at most. Why was it so much this time? Wei Yixi was so wrapped up in her joy that she didn’t notice Lan Jingli’s thoughtful expression.

“I forgot something. Wait for me.”

“Okay,” Lan Jingli, feeling hungry, started eating a steamed bun with some mineral water.

On the quiet street, under the dim light of a streetlamp, a black and silver *Rolls-Royce (a British luxury car) slowly came to a stop. Out of the corner of her eye, Lan Jingli caught a glimpse of a profile in the car, and it was vaguely visible that it belonged to an exceptional beauty. She didn’t know that the cold, serious woman in the car had looked at her one more time, and let out a faint, almost imperceptible laugh.

Aunt Wan, who was holding the steering wheel, was slightly stunned. She found Tan You’s thoughts too hard to guess. This morning she had seemed indifferent to Lan Jingli, but now she seemed to have taken an interest. The car window lowered, and Tan You, with a smile, her eyebrows soft, looked like a white moonflower blooming in the night. She said softly, “Li-Li, what a coincidence.”

A messy bush of flowers separated them. Lan Jingli met the woman’s clear, affectionate eyes and instinctively looked away. Because of her night blindness, her vision was blurry, and she didn’t know how to react.

Seeing this, Tan You’s expression didn’t change. Before Lan Jingli could escape, Tan You had already walked calmly in front of her. Seeing the steamed bun and mineral water, she unconsciously frowned.

“Is that all you’re eating?”

Lan Jingli’s thin eyelids were covered by her bangs. She said softly, “It’s convenient.” She lived a rough life. As long as she had something to eat, she wouldn’t starve. Besides, tuition was expensive, and as a trainee, she earned almost no salary, and sometimes even had to pay out of pocket. So, every penny she could save counted.

Tan You’s lips curled into a smile. This person had a face that looked like she was an expert at flirting, but her life was simple, and her character was pure, clean, and uncorrupted. And she didn’t even want her money. She didn’t love money, and she didn’t like to play games. So what did she love?

“Li-Li, last night was my fault. I made you unhappy.”

“No,” Lan Jingli said, her eyes downcast, her bangs ruffled by the night breeze, making her face look even more refined.

Tan You, who had lowered her guard, wasn’t annoyed. In fact, she was more interested. She took out a brand-new boxed toy from behind her back, as if she were coaxing a child.

“If you’re not mad, will you play this with me?”

It was the latest Harry Potter Deluxe Edition Lego set, Lan Jingli’s favorite movie.

“How did you know I liked it?”

Tan You’s lips curved into a gentle smile, with a quiet sense of determination.

“Would you honor me with your company for dinner?”