Lady By The Pillow - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Apology

“I think I owe you an apology.”

After the official announcement of Empress, Shi Qing’s popularity increased, and her Weibo followers surpassed 2.8 million. Naturally, most of these new fans were drawn by the 97Time couple.

There is no such thing as a completely secret affair, especially when it comes to a production crew like the one Wei Jiuyi was in, which was constantly being watched by paparazzi and scalpers. That afternoon, videos of “Shi Qing collapsing on set” and “Wei Jiuyi carrying Shi Qing to the hospital” went viral on various websites.

“According to an industry insider, Shi Qing suddenly collapsed on set this morning due to physical exhaustion. Wei Jiuyi immediately carried her into the RV and rushed her to the hospital. Shi Qing is currently receiving medical treatment, and we hope she recovers soon.”

“This editor has put together some insider information from an extra on set. It’s said that Shi Qing was vomiting violently before she collapsed. You could hear her throwing up all the way from the hallway. Some netizens are speculating that Shi Qing, being 31 years old, might be secretly married. The vomiting might not be a symptom of an illness but rather a sign of pregnancy. What do you guys think?”

“Lately, I’ve been looking into the issue of female actors’ extreme dieting. I’ve heard that many female actors only eat one meal a day and only eat vegetables, no meat, eggs, or milk. This kind of diet takes a huge toll on their bodies. The slightest exposure to the sun or wind can make them sick. I want to call on everyone to lose weight responsibly and not to go to such extremes with their diets.”

The entertainment industry’s demands on female actors are harsh. They are expected to maintain a good figure while also being a role model for healthy eating. They can’t be too weak, but they can’t be too strong either. Older actresses can’t have wrinkles, and younger ones can’t look childlike. When they’re sent to the hospital, it’s “suspected of extreme dieting.” When they secretly go to the hospital, it’s “suspected of getting an abortion.” They are under constant scrutiny.

However, these rumors didn’t exist in the couple’s fan forum. What kind of people are fans of a celebrity couple? They treat the couple as their precious darlings and can’t bear to see either of them suffer. They don’t know when they’ll get fed, so they’ll chew on a single piece of food for three days before swallowing. If there’s no food at all, they’ll come back and lick the bowl for any leftover scraps. They’ll eat soft candy right away, and they’ll chew hard candy into pieces. If you give them a diamond, they’ll grind it into powder and call it rock sugar.

How could a group of people like this not go crazy after seeing the video of Wei Jiuyi carrying Shi Qing to the hospital?

[@79NotSeparatedByTime: Oh my goodness, am I dreaming? Did my favorite couple get married? Isn’t this what happens in a romance drama?]

[@EvilGoldenTabby: A lot of people online are saying the cat is pregnant. Yes, yes, I’m the one she’s carrying. I’m about to be born.]

[@97TimeFirstDaughter: My heart aches for my older sister. Did she get too tired lately? She needs to rest!]

[@OnlyLoveMy97: I don’t get what’s so special about this? Jiuyi just took a colleague to the hospital out of kindness. Why are you guys so excited about it?]

[@ProfessionalRuntud: Stop with your crazy talk! This is a fan forum for our couple. Mind your own business.]

[@BattleofRedCliffs: But anyone with eyes can see that your Jiuyi was the one who voluntarily carried Qing-jie! Our couple feeding us crumbs of affection is a plus 100 on the happiness scale, and your rage is a plus 1000.]

[@SevenFairiesSquad: Happy New Year! We’re giving away 99 red envelopes of 99 yuan each in the comments section of this post.]

[@KoiFishNumber1: Waaah, I want a girlfriend like that too.]

[+1] [+1] [+1]

—This is how people born in the 2000s find dates.

…

When Dong Ya came back from buying medicine, she heard that Shi Qing had collapsed and been taken to the hospital by Wei Jiuyi. She looked around and saw that the RV was gone, so she quickly hailed a taxi to follow them.

Halfway there, Dou Qinwen called. She had clearly seen the rumors online. “What’s this about her collapsing? And vomiting? The rumors online are already saying she’s pregnant.” Dou Qinwen was worried. After all, she had pulled strings for Shi Qing to get this role. If something happened to her on set, she would be in a difficult position.

Dong Ya quickly explained. “It’s not a pregnancy! Qing-jie was throwing up because of a stomach ache. Wen-jie, please help. Those are all false rumors!”

“How is she now?”

“I’m still on my way. Can I call you when I get there?”

“Just send me a picture of the medical report. Don’t call me. Take care of her first. I’ll handle the public relations.”

“Okay, okay, thank you, Wen-jie!”

Shi Qing was taken directly to the emergency room. Wei Jiuyi described the symptoms to the on-duty doctor, who then wrote an order for a series of tests. Shi Qing was completely exhausted and felt like a block of ice. Wei Jiuyi held her, constantly rubbing her arms and back. Zhang Yulan also hurried to the hospital’s convenience store to buy a hot water bottle. She filled it with hot water, put a cover on it, and placed it by Shi Qing’s feet.

When Dong Ya arrived, the test results were already back. There were no perforations or growths in her stomach, but the inflammation was severe.

“Yes, she’s had gastritis before. This time, she just got a chill!” Dong Ya quickly described her physical condition to the doctor.

“A chill? When did the vomiting start? What did she eat before?”

“This morning around 3 a.m. I heard her get up to throw up. She said her stomach hurt a little at dinner, and she didn’t eat.”

“Then it’s probably not food poisoning. How many times did she throw up?”

“Four or five times. Yes, it’s not food poisoning. It’s… probably from the cold.”

“Did she not wear enough clothes, or did she eat something cold?”

Dong Ya’s expression became serious. She glanced at Wei Jiuyi, who was standing by the side, and her heart trembled. The doctor understood her hesitation and took her to an inner consultation room.

Wei Jiuyi stood there, feeling anxious. It was true that Shi Qing had gastritis before, but it wasn’t serious and was caused by a period of being overworked. She recovered quickly with medication and a regular diet. A chill? Dong Ya was usually very careful and even prepared hand warmers for Shi Qing. How could she have gotten a chill? Or… did something happen to Shi Qing during the past two days of filming?

At this thought, her mind followed a falling rock into a mist-shrouded valley. Her eyes darkened, and a miasma of anger surged within her. Beside her, Zhang Yulan kept her gaze on the ground, not saying a word, only gripping the strap of her backpack. If the hospital hadn’t prohibited loud noises, she would have been whistling to hide her inner turmoil.

After the anti-inflammatory medication was administered, Shi Qing’s complexion gradually improved. A little color returned to her pale lips. She opened her eyes slightly and saw Wei Jiuyi standing by the bed. “Hmm…” A weak sound came from her throat. Wei Jiuyi immediately trembled and leaned closer. “A-Qing, you’re awake?” she asked in a flustered voice, not having time to change her term of address.

Shi Qing blinked twice, and her gaze finally focused on Wei Jiuyi’s bright eyes. A faint smile appeared on her face. “Thank you.” The simple “thank you” made Wei Jiuyi’s eyes turn red.

After the forceful kiss that night, their relationship had become very strained. Even when Shi Qing had refused her morning tea, Wei Jiuyi’s first reaction was not that Shi Qing was unwell, but that she was still mad at her.

“It was… nothing,” Wei Jiuyi said, trying to hold back a sob in her throat. “You were already not feeling well, and you were so weak at the time, so I was worried.”

Shi Qing had recovered some of her strength. She propped herself up with the hand that wasn’t attached to an IV. Wei Jiuyi was quick to help her, placing a pillow behind her back. Shi Qing simply pushed her messy long hair back with her hand, tucking it behind one ear. She looked at Wei Jiuyi and said, “Mmm, so whether it’s for the sake of the crew or as a colleague, I should thank you.”

For the sake of the crew? Wei Jiuyi paused, then realized she was talking about the couple’s publicity that the crew had been pushing lately. The personal affection was reduced to a professional matter, and her concern immediately went cold. The distance between them suddenly grew. Her hand, which was on the edge of the bed, withdrew. Wei Jiuyi forced a strained smile. “Anyone who saw it would have done the same.”

Shi Qing lowered her gaze and, after a long silence, said, “Also, I think I owe you an apology.”

“An apology?” Wei Jiuyi was shocked. Shouldn’t I be the one saying that? I pushed her against the wall and kissed her, and I even tore her shirt. The words “I’m sorry” are still stuck in my throat like a fishbone.

Shi Qing looked at her with a calm expression. “I thought about it. Your losing control that night was largely my fault. Because you’re a mature person and wouldn’t do something so impulsive. So, I reflected on it. Maybe in that past year, I made you feel like you were inferior to me, and my way of handling things that last night wasn’t very good. I was a bit too decisive, and it created a rift in your heart.”

She had found a perfect reason for Wei Jiuyi’s loss of control, a reason that not even a team of professional public relations experts could have come up with. Wei Jiuyi felt like a stray dog that had finally found its owner who had survived a fire, yet she was too scared to go up to her, only keeping her distance.

“I never blamed you for that. I was the one who was aggressive from the start,” she said, shrugging her shoulders casually. “Besides, it was my fault that night. I was just about to apologize properly when you woke up, but you beat me to it.”

Shi Qing smiled with understanding. “Since we both feel the same way, what does it matter who says it first?”

Wei Jiuyi’s nod was a little stiff. “Right.”

“Since we’ve cleared the air, let’s just move on from the past, okay?”

“Of course. What’s past is past. There’s nothing to miss.”

A ray of sunlight streamed through the curtains, condensed by the facets of a glass vase into a spot of light, which burned a hole in the lead-gray floor. It felt hot to the touch and hot to step on. There was no way to patch it up.

They were silent for dozens of seconds, one looking at the wall and the other at the bedsheets. Finally, Wei Jiuyi broke the silence. “By the way, I misunderstood you that day, thinking you took me home because I looked like Fei Ying. What I said was ridiculous. I still think it’s ridiculous, but for some reason, I believed it at the time. So, I’m sorry.”

Shi Qing also breathed a sigh of relief. “I didn’t take it to heart because that’s not what happened.”

Wei Jiuyi patted her thigh. “Mmm, that’s good.”

“Thank you today. I’ll treat you to afternoon tea when we get back.”

“No need. It was no big deal. As colleagues, how could I not help you?”

“As colleagues, it’s also normal to treat someone to afternoon tea, isn’t it?”

Wei Jiuyi was speechless again. After a few hesitations, she finally said, “Okay.”

“You should rest. I have to go back to filming. Dong Ya has already asked for leave for you, so you can go back tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Her feet felt like they were filled with lead, and every step she took toward the door was incredibly difficult. She didn’t want Shi Qing to see, so she lifted her feet high and landed them gently, pretending to be relaxed.

When she reached the door, she stopped. She clenched and unclenched her hands before turning back. “What’s wrong?” Shi Qing asked.

“Nothing. I was just thinking that since we’re moving on from the past, I should give you back what you gave me.” Wei Jiuyi reached to the back of her neck and quickly unclasped a necklace. The pendant was a green crystal in the shape of a leaf. It was a 21st birthday present from Shi Qing. Shi Qing had said that Wei Jiuyi radiated vitality from the inside out, just like the crystal leaf. At the time, Wei Jiuyi loved it. She wore it around her neck and, mischievously, even put it inside Shi Qing’s mouth when she was eating her, asking, “A-Qing, can you feel it?” Shi Qing had pulled her ear, and she had behaved herself.

The memory fragments were right in front of her, as if a long time had passed, yet it felt like yesterday. Shi Qing hesitated and reached out to take it. The necklace landed lightly in her palm, but it felt as if it had made a deep hole, her palm lines cracking like a dry, parched land.

Wei Jiuyi left. Before she did, she said in a cheerful voice, “Teacher Shi, get some rest,” but the smile on her face disappeared the moment she turned around.

Let bygones be bygones.

—It’s not that easy.

“Dong Ya.” Wei Jiuyi caught Dong Ya, who had just come back from paying the bill, at the elevator and pulled her to the end of the hallway. “Did she run into some trouble during the ad shoot?”

Dong Ya had guessed that Wei Jiuyi would ask, but she didn’t expect to be cornered in the hallway. She tried to dismiss it by saying it was “not adapting to the new environment” and “gastritis,” but Wei Jiuyi wasn’t buying it.

“Can’t you just pretend she had a stomach ache? No matter the reason, she’s going to be on an IV for a day and will be back to filming tomorrow. The result is the same.” Dong Ya was a little angry in the end. Wei Jiuyi was 173 cm tall, more than ten centimeters taller than her. The natural height difference made Dong Ya feel three points weaker.

Wei Jiuyi said, “You can pretend to be clueless, but that person who wronged her once will do it a second and third time. Do you want her to get hurt every time she goes to a new gig?”

Dong Ya’s eyes turned red, and her voice became lower. “It’s not the first time anyway.”

“What did you say?” Wei Jiuyi asked.

“We started as extras and worked our way up. We don’t have any connections or background. Anyone can be rude to us. Scenes get cut, magazine covers get changed. It happens every month. Don’t you know that?”

Wei Jiuyi hesitated. “She never told me.”

Dong Ya’s expression was conflicted. She looked at Wei Jiuyi with a look that was a mix of blame and distance. “Haven’t you ever hurt her?”

“I—” Wei Jiuyi was embarrassed.

Dong Ya licked her canine tooth. Her tongue felt a sting. “But Qing-jie never held a grudge against you, did she? That day, when I asked her if you had bullied her, she was still defending you. Haha… 97, you should be grateful, grateful that she doesn’t hold grudges.”

After she said that, she turned to leave but was grabbed by the wrist. Wei Jiuyi’s tall body was split in two, and her eyes, which she dared not lift, were filled with tears.

Dong Ya regretted it immediately. She understood a little why Shi Qing would tolerate Wei Jiuyi again and again. There was a kind of magic about her. When she saw her in this vulnerable state, she couldn’t say anything mean. “Don’t overthink it. She won’t hold a grudge against you.”

“I wish she would,” Wei Jiuyi said, calming herself down and continuing with difficulty. “I was wrong that night. I don’t know what happened… I heard she used to like Fei Ying, and I look a little like Fei Ying, so… I promised her I wouldn’t bother her anymore. I just want to protect her, to pay her back. Please don’t tell her, okay?”

Wei Jiuyi was very young, only 23, a beautiful age. She was so innocent it was almost enviable. Even though Dong Ya was only a year older than her, she felt like she had experienced a lifetime of unpredictability.

Reluctantly, she finally told her. “It was only a few degrees below zero in Jiangcheng yesterday. It was especially cold. But the director, Tang Bin, made Qing-jie eat a lot of ice cream.”

“Qing-jie was only supposed to be the ambassador for the snack line, but he only filmed the ice cream. At first, he said her expression was wrong, then her movements, then the camera angle. Nothing was right. When she asked him what kind of expression he wanted, he just said, ‘Just feel it.'”

“Later on, Qing-jie started throwing up, but he still wouldn’t stop. It was the makeup artist who said she needed to fix her makeup, so they took a short break. When she came back, he said we were behind schedule and needed to speed up. She shot over twenty takes and ate more than ten ice creams, but in the end, he ended up using the very first one.”

Wei Jiuyi was furious. “He was deliberately making things hard for you guys. This is not a small matter. Did you tell the company?”

Dong Ya shook her head. “Even if we did, what would happen? Tang Bin has always worked with our company. The company prioritizes profit. Do you really think they’ll turn against a director for a small artist?”

Wei Jiuyi nodded, confirming with Dong Ya, “Tang Bin, right?”

Dong Ya said, “Yeah. We just have to accept our bad luck. Who knows if he was just in a bad mood and wanted to take it out on someone? At least the ad shoot went well. This is Qing-jie’s first endorsement.”

“Okay, I know.”

“What… are you going to do?”

“Nothing. Her IV is almost empty. Go take care of her. I’m leaving.”

The conversation that day was like a ticking time bomb in Dong Ya’s mind. She didn’t know when it would explode, but she knew it would one day.

In the evening, Shi Qing was discharged from the hospital with a large bag of medication. A few media outlets were waiting at the main entrance of the hospital. They had probably heard a rumor that Shi Qing was going to be discharged and thought they might catch Wei Jiuyi. Later, they heard from the crew’s internal channels that Wei Jiuyi had been filming until 8 p.m. It seemed she wasn’t coming to pick up Shi Qing, so they left in disappointment.

It was already dark when Wei Jiuyi finished work. She had been filming action scenes all day, and a bl00d blister had formed in her palm. Zhang Yulan broke it for her, disinfected it, and put a bandage on it. It still hurt when she moved.

She dragged her exhausted body back to the hotel, but she saw a familiar figure in the hallway—Fei Ying. She was holding two bags, one with skincare products and the other with snacks. She was walking gently beside Shi Qing, her upper body slightly leaning toward her. Their height, build, and demeanor were a perfect match.

“I was only gone for two days, and you’re already sick. If I hadn’t seen the news, would you have told me?” Her gentle words held a hint of reproach.

Shi Qing smiled. “It’s a minor illness. The media likes to exaggerate.”

Fei Ying held her arm. “I saw the video. You had no strength at all, and someone had to carry you to the car.”

“A colleague just happened to see me.”

No one mentioned Wei Jiuyi’s name, but everyone knew it was Wei Jiuyi.

When they reached the door, Shi Qing took out her key to open it. She caught a glimpse of someone in the hallway and looked. It was Wei Jiuyi, who was just returning from work. The hallway light was dim. Only the window at the end was open, and the light from behind Wei Jiuyi cast a shadow over her body.

A lump formed in her throat, and she couldn’t speak. Wei Jiuyi broke the silence. “Teacher Shi, you’re already discharged?” Her tone was light, neither too close nor too distant, somewhere between a regular colleague and a friend.

The polite tone snapped Shi Qing back into professional mode. She forced a polite, conversational smile. “Yes, the doctor said it’s nothing serious and that I can rest at home.”

Fei Ying stood beside Shi Qing, her eyes fixed on Wei Jiuyi. The animalistic instinct at the core of humanity meant that animals of the same species would instinctively feel a warning when competing for prey. Even though her face was expressionless and her words were friendly, a torrent of undercurrents flowed beneath the placid surface of her eyes.

As soon as Wei Jiuyi walked closer and stood in front of Shi Qing, Fei Ying reached out and put her arm around Shi Qing’s shoulder. The moment her palm touched Shi Qing’s shoulder, she felt her tense up, but she didn’t let go, as if she always hugged her this way.

“Teacher Wei, I’ve heard a lot about you.” The kind look in her eyes turned into a knife when it landed on Wei Jiuyi.

Wei Jiuyi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and there was no smile on her lips. “And who is this?”

Shi Qing shifted her shoulder and took a small step forward, causing the hand on her shoulder to finally let go. “Let me introduce you. This is my friend, Fei Ying. She’s a very talented novelist. And this is Wei Jiuyi, Teacher Wei, the female lead of Empress, who recently won the Best Actress award.”

Wei Jiuyi’s eyes glanced at the wrinkles on Shi Qing’s right shoulder, and her gaze became even deeper, but there was no change in how she looked at Fei Ying.

“Fei Ying, I’ve heard of her. I heard you’re planning to release a new book soon?”

When the topic of her proud profession came up, Fei Ying’s face lit up. “Yes, the deadline is next week. If all goes well, it will be published by the end of the month.”

Wei Jiuyi said, “The time before the deadline should be the busiest.”

Fei Ying nodded. “It is. I still have some of the manuscript left.”

“Then you still have time to visit?”

“I have no choice. Xiao Qing got sick, and I had to come see her. She’s always like this, not taking care of herself. It’s worrying.”

“That’s true. It’s been freezing lately, and she ate so much ice cream. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gotten sick.”

“Ice cream?” Fei Ying clearly didn’t know the cause of Shi Qing’s illness. This greatly pleased Wei Jiuyi. She forced an innocent expression and countered, “What, didn’t Teacher Shi tell you?”

Fei Ying’s eyebrow twitched, but only for a second. “I told her not to. No matter what the reason for her illness is, the most important thing is to get better and get back to filming. Always look forward and don’t look back, right, Xiao Qing?”

Always look forward, both in terms of her health and her love life.

Most writers don’t like to be straightforward. Their words always have some deeper meaning. Confused people won’t get it, but smart people will know when to stop. This way, they can understand each other while maintaining their dignity.

Shi Qing nodded faintly. Always look forward. She and Wei Jiuyi had just reached this understanding.

Wei Jiuyi’s gaze was especially intense, fixed on Shi Qing, as if she wanted her to say something, anything, even just a simple “no.” She was so stupid. Why did she suddenly agree to “move on from the past” and even give back the necklace? Wei Jiuyi, you are the biggest idiot in the world!

Emotions surged within her, especially when she saw Fei Ying’s triumphant look. Her nose tingled with a sour feeling. A-Qing, I regret it. Can you please just look at me? Just once. You’re so gentle, and you’ve always tolerated me. You’ll definitely understand that what I said was just a moment of anger, right? I was lying. I don’t want to “move on” from you.

Shi Qing’s hands were in her coat pockets. Her fingers moved slightly, feeling the pendant that had been warmed by her body. She pressed the tip into the pad of her thumb, and the pain brought her back to her senses. She gently avoided the scorching gaze.

“Mmm, always look forward.”

When Fei Ying heard the answer, the stone in her heart finally fell to the ground, and her smile deepened. “It’s windy in the hallway. Let’s go in.” Then, she looked at Wei Jiuyi, her tone becoming three points harsher. “Teacher Wei, thank you for taking Xiao Qing to the hospital today.”

Wei Jiuyi didn’t dare to look at her own expression. She could clearly feel that all the facial expression management she had been taught by her company had disappeared. Her face was a mix of a smile and sadness, probably a bit of both, but it was definitely ugly.

She mumbled a goodbye and fled back to her room. Just before the door closed, she heard Fei Ying say to Shi Qing, “I’m thinking of moving here to take care of you. What do you think?”

The door closed, cutting off their lines of sight. A pointless rage burned in the silence, leaving only ashes.

That night, a seemingly unrelated piece of gossip went viral.

#TangBinAndWenYiRelationship#

Tang Bin, the director who made things difficult for Shi Qing on set.

Wen Yi, the top actress at Sheng Qiao Entertainment.