Divorce Is An Absolute Must! - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: A Gentle Touch

◎A gentle touch falls.◎

Li Lan tucked her chipped fingernail into her palm and said, her expression unchanged, “Why are you asking about her all of a sudden?”

Zhu Qing couldn’t pinpoint what exactly flashed in her mind. She hesitated. “I just felt like her voice was familiar.”

“A sweet voice, a pure and innocent image,” Li Lan said in a low voice. “Is that it?”

Zhu Qing said, “Yes, exactly.”

There weren’t many people with this style around Zhu Qing. While most girls were cute, not many could use “sweet” as their unique style. The Chinese entertainment industry never lacked beautiful female celebrities. For example, in the older group on the show, Hu Xu and Liu Yini were in their sixties, but they looked no different from ordinary people in their forties. Their faces hadn’t aged, and you could still see clear traces of their beauty. The aesthetics of the 1980s and 1990s were simply “hand-picked by the motherland.” The actress, of course, was even more beautiful, with a dignified and elegant look that exuded a sense of national peace and prosperity.

Each of them was beautiful, but none of them had a style as distinct as Yu Ling’s. Her profile was cold, and the corners of her mouth turned down slightly when she wasn’t smiling, but when she smiled, her entire face became sweet and cute, a sweetness that could melt your heart at first glance. This harmless sweetness was very rare, and it somehow reminded Zhu Qing of those few lines of the song.

“Years ago, many singers sang sweet songs. People of all ages loved them. But ever since people started mocking baby voices online, fewer and fewer people have adopted this style. In reality, her style isn’t that unique,” Li Lan said blandly. “Most people who debut with a pure and sweet style will have a lot of popularity at the beginning, but…”

She didn’t finish her sentence. Zhu Qing pressed, “But what?”

Li Lan frowned slightly and shook her head. “It’s nothing. No matter what style it is, it’s just packaging and a persona.”

Zhu Qing said, “Oh,” and then, “So who is she?”

Li Lan was cutting vegetables with her back to Zhu Qing. Her tone was even and steady. “An old friend. We lost touch after I went abroad. She passed away from an illness a few years ago.”

Zhu Qing was a little shocked. For a moment, she didn’t know which part of the story she should focus on, but “an old friend who has passed away” could be interpreted in two ways. The first was a bit melodramatic, which could be called a “deceased true love.” The other was even more melodramatic, which could be called “a close friend we parted ways with, and their death erased all our grudges.” No matter which one, it brought a sense of regret and melancholy. Any living person or thing seemed insignificant in the face of death.

Zhu Qing didn’t know what had happened between Li Lan and this old friend. She could keenly sense that Li Lan wasn’t as calm as she appeared. Maybe they had a conflict, or maybe they had gone through something unforgettable. This was Li Lan’s past, a past that Zhu Qing didn’t participate in. She had even completely forgotten her own past with Li Lan.

Zhu Qing let out a sigh. This feeling was just… something else.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” Zhu Qing said.

Li Lan put the cut vegetables into a bowl, ready to be stir-fried. This was the last dish. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned to look at Zhu Qing seriously. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I’d rather you ask me than let you overthink things.”

Zhu Qing was stunned. Overthink?

“I wasn’t overthinking. I was just thinking normally. It was logical and well-founded,” Zhu Qing said.

Li Lan shook her head. “You were overthinking.”

“I’m not afraid of you getting to the bottom of things. Ask whatever you want. I’ll tell you everything I can,” Li Lan was half a head taller than Zhu Qing. Her eyes were dark and clear, and her face was cold and delicate. When she looked down at someone, there was always a kind of inexplicable tenderness. “But don’t overthink things and don’t convict me without asking me anything.”

Zhu Qing was a little speechless. She felt like she had been hit right where it hurt. She didn’t actually think Li Lan had done anything wrong, but she often let her mind wander and think of other possibilities. Given how serious Li Lan was, almost as if she had been bitten by a snake, Zhu Qing said in a low voice, “What did I convict you of before?”

Li Lan’s eyelashes trembled. Zhu Qing was still as blunt as ever.

Li Lan’s voice was low and quiet. “Are you sure you want to hear it?”

Zhu Qing thought for two seconds and shook her head frantically. “Never mind, never mind. I don’t remember the context, so there’s no way I can refute you when you defend yourself.”

“You always start things and then back down,” Li Lan said, a little helpless.

Zhu Qing said, “I don’t. I was just asking a normal question. I wasn’t starting anything. If you think I am, then you’re the one with the problem.” Zhu Qing said slowly, word by word, “You. Have. A. Problem.”

Li Lan pointed to the vegetables beside her. “Hurry up and make the soup. This is the last part of the day. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can rest. Stop overthinking things.”

Zhu Qing: “Okay.”

There was only one last soup left to finish the meal. Zhu Qing was throwing radish chunks into the pot, her mind wandering. What Li Lan had just said seemed fine at first, but Zhu Qing couldn’t help but think about it more deeply. It wasn’t about a person or a situation. Zhu Qing was more concerned about their relationship.

When she woke up, Qian Can Can had drilled into her head that “their relationship was broken, but it was your fault. You were not only abusive, but you also neglected Li Lan.” Zhu Qing wanted to start over, but she had no idea how. Li Lan’s attitude towards her was also a little strange. If Zhu Qing had done something wrong, Li Lan had never criticized or complained. Either Li Lan didn’t care, or she didn’t think Zhu Qing had done anything wrong. But if Li Lan had no hard feelings, Zhu Qing felt that Li Lan was a little distant from her. They could eat and live together, but Li Lan wouldn’t take the initiative to get closer. If Zhu Qing took a step forward, Li Lan would take a step back.

So why was that? Why didn’t Li Lan dislike her but didn’t want to get close to her either? Was it really, as Li Lan said, because they moved too fast, which led to a bad ending, so they had to take things slowly? Or were there other issues that hadn’t been resolved?

“Hiss—”

Zhu Qing was so lost in thought that she extended her hand over the iron pot. The hot steam from the boiling water brushed against it, and she flinched in pain. As she flinched, the spoon in her hand tilted, and the contents fell into the pot, splashing up hot water. Just as the hot water was about to land on Zhu Qing’s hand, a hand reached over and blocked it. The hot water landed squarely on the back of Li Lan’s hand. She frowned, and her hand shook violently.

Zhu Qing was terrified. She immediately grabbed Li Lan’s hand and plunged it into the wooden bucket. The water had just been taken from the well and was very cold, which relieved the burning pain of the scalding. Li Lan soaked her hand for two minutes, and when the pain subsided, she said in a low voice, “I’m fine now.” Heat transfer took time. The water had already cooled down in the air, and there wasn’t a lot of it. And since she had immediately put it in cold water, it was only a little red and not a severe burn. The minor scalding Zhu Qing received from the steam was not a big deal and had already disappeared.

The production crew came over to check on them. Li Lan shook her head and said she was fine. “It’s a small thing. I get these all the time when I cook. It’s not a big deal, so don’t edit it in.” The director looked closely, confirmed that there was really no problem, and nodded. “Alright.”

Li Lan had a strong fan base. The production crew was afraid of the guests getting hurt, especially those with fans. They would be criticized and even reported. Li Lan herself said she didn’t want it to be broadcast or promoted, so of course, they wouldn’t deliberately edit it in.

Zhu Qing wanted to look at Li Lan’s hand, but Li Lan pulled it away. Zhu Qing’s lips drooped in a pout. She didn’t dare to follow her.

During dinner that night, Zhu Qing forced a smile and responded to everyone’s compliments, but her mind was on the back of Li Lan’s hand.

Her left hand is under the table. Is it hurting?

She only ate one bite of this dish. Is she uncomfortable?

Li Lan hasn’t said a word in a minute. Is she upset?

Is the back of her hand still red? Why is Li Lan clenching her fist?

…

After dinner, Hu Xu pulled Zhu Qing aside to chat. Zhu Qing looked left and right. The production crew had already finished for the day, and the other guests had returned to their rooms. She whispered to Hu Xu, “Teacher Hu, do you have any burn ointment?”

Hu Xu was surprised. “No. Did you get burned?”

Zhu Qing shook her head slightly and looked at Li Lan, who was talking to Liu Yini. “It was Teacher Li.”

“Is it serious? We don’t have any. You should go ask the production crew,” Hu Xu said, pretending to stand up.

Zhu Qing quickly grabbed her. Their movements attracted the attention of their partners, and they both looked over. Zhu Qing pulled Hu Xu outside until they were in the yard and then lowered her voice. “Teacher Hu, she doesn’t want the production crew to get involved.”

Hu Xu was stunned for a moment and then understood.

“The burn is one thing, but there’s another. I pulled you out here to ask you something,” Zhu Qing said slowly, but every word was clear. “When you first met Li Lan, what kind of person was she?”

Hu Xu thought back to what Li Lan was like back then. “Sharp, beautiful, and hardworking, but she was very reserved.”

Zhu Qing asked, “Reserved?”

“Yes. When she was resting, she would often get lost in her own thoughts. Most people her age were a little flighty. That’s just what people are like at that age, but Li Lan seemed to be under a lot of pressure. But I liked her like that. It showed that she was responsible, mature, and could handle things.”

A person who can handle things. But Li Lan was only in her twenties at the time, even younger than Zhu Qing.

Zhu Qing was silent for a few seconds and then said in a low voice, “Do you remember if she had any close friends?”

Hu Xu thought for a moment and shook her head seriously. “No. She was always alone.”

No friends, always alone. Zhu Qing nodded, feeling a little lost.

Hu Xu looked at Zhu Qing for a moment and then changed the topic. “You like her that much? You want to know all this? She must have had a hard life. It’s not easy for people to make a name for themselves. Don’t worry about her past. Little Li Lan likes you very much. You two must be happy.”

Zhu Qing said in a low voice, “She likes me very much?”

“She’s cold on the inside. People who have a hard life often lose their passion and enthusiasm. Look at her. She’s so distant with everything and doesn’t pay much attention to anyone. But she’s very attentive and gentle with you,” Hu Xu said, patting Zhu Qing’s shoulder meaningfully. “And, let’s take a step back, if she didn’t like you, why would she have married you?”

After a long time, Zhu Qing lowered her head and said, “Yeah.” Hu Xu was very observant and had noticed that something was off between her and Li Lan. Her words, both direct and subtle, were a strong hint.

Zhu Qing said, “Thank you, Teacher Hu. We’ll be fine.”

Later that night, in the bedroom.

“I got this burn ointment from Teacher Xu,” Zhu Qing said, walking over to Li Lan’s wooden couch. “I want to put it on for you.”

Li Lan lay there without moving, only lifting her eyelids to look at Zhu Qing.

Zhu Qing argued in a small voice, “I didn’t do anything wrong. You can’t just ignore me.”

Li Lan still didn’t say anything. Zhu Qing gave up and whined, “Fine, even if I was wrong, you should at least talk to me about it. Why are you suddenly ignoring me and not letting me put ointment on your hand?”

Li Lan was still just looking at her. Just when Zhu Qing thought Li Lan was determined to ignore her, she spoke in a low voice. “I’m not mad at you.”

Zhu Qing immediately said, “Then why are you unhappy? Don’t say it’s because I was hurt. I clearly wasn’t hurt. Unless you’re mad at me for getting you hurt, which is true, but I tried to fix it! I put your hand in cold water and got you ointment, but you’re still ignoring me. You can’t deal with problems like this. It makes you look immature, not like you’re eight years older than me. What’s wrong with you being older and giving in to me a little…”

Li Lan let out a sigh. Blaming others and finding fault with everything was Zhu Qing’s M.O.

“I’m really not mad at you.” She was just a little flustered and embarrassed. She was just scared when she found out that Zhu Qing was once again thinking about things related to her that she didn’t know about.

Zhu Qing was in this state before she broke up with her, often silent and thinking about things related to her that she didn’t know about. She was afraid that Zhu Qing would “convict” her and come to some conclusion that she couldn’t accept. Li Lan never knew what was going on in Zhu Qing’s little head, but she was always scared of it.

“Just pretend I’m in a bad mood and throwing a tantrum,” Li Lan said in a low voice. “Everyone has a temper. It’s normal. You can’t expect me to be emotionally stable all the time, can you? And I’m not being emotionally unstable. I just want to be alone for a while.” Giving Zhu Qing a taste of her own logic, Li Lan concluded, “Go to sleep. Everything will be fine in the morning.”

Zhu Qing stood there for half a minute. Suddenly, she lifted Li Lan’s mosquito net. The fresh scent of mosquito repellent, the fruity scent of shampoo, and Li Lan’s usual neutral scent mixed together to create a very private, unique smell that belonged only to Li Lan. Zhu Qing lifted Li Lan’s blanket and accidentally touched her waist. The skin was soft and plump, and Zhu Qing’s breathing suddenly quickened.

“Zhu Qing!” Li Lan exclaimed, trying to sit up. She was immediately pushed back down.

“Thump,” Li Lan fell back into the blanket.

“What are you doing?” Li Lan was completely flustered.

Zhu Qing knelt beside Li Lan, her hands propped on either side of her head. Her gaze swept over Li Lan’s face and finally settled on her lips. Zhu Qing’s voice was a little hoarse. “Nothing. Just looking at you.”

Li Lan raised her voice. “Is this how you look at people?!”

Zhu Qing put a finger to Li Lan’s lips. “Shh, there are people in the next room and a chicken. Don’t wake them up.”

Li Lan’s eyes widened as she looked at her.

Zhu Qing looked at Li Lan, frowned, and suddenly raised her hand to cover her eyes. Yes, it’s those eyes. They make me feel loved and cherished, but they’re also the same eyes that make me feel distant and rejected.

Li Lan felt a sense of danger, and alarm bells went off in her head. Zhu Qing was only 22, in the prime of her youth with a lot of energy and needs. She shouldn’t have ignored that. But she also didn’t expect Zhu Qing to do something like this.

Li Lan licked her lips and tried to stay calm. “This isn’t good. Let go of me. I don’t want to…”

The next moment, all of Li Lan’s words were cut short. A gentle touch fell, and Li Lan’s eyes widened slightly.