Lady By The Pillow - Chapter 55
55 A Love Triangle (1)
“Sister Fei, what’s done is done.”
The film studio was located on flat land. The west bank of the river was lined with tall buildings. The setting sun hung slantwise in the west, being sliced into fragments by the towering buildings. Before the golden rays could spread, the sun had already completely set. As a result, the evenings were especially short. Just as one began to feel sentimental about the golden sunset, the darkness would take all the light back.
The twilight seemed to be mixed with soot, creating a hazy mist that blurred the outlines of objects into indistinct, thick lines. Streetlights lit up in clusters, forming a sprawling dragon that lay askew in the mist. The dragon’s spine stood tall, vaguely resembling a skeleton in the darkness.
A low-profile, gray-purple sedan slowly drove off the viaduct and parked by the river, where the night wind raged.
Screech.
The handbrake was pulled up, and the car came to a complete stop.
“It’s beautiful.”
Fei Ying opened the front passenger windows on both sides, then turned off the engine, her head turned to look at the shimmering starlight reflecting on the river.
“Sister Fei, can we close the windows?”
Shi Qing pressed the passenger window button, but the car was off. To close the window, she would have to restart the engine.
Fei Ying smiled faintly. “Afraid of being photographed? Let them take pictures. A scandal between a popular novelist and a rising female star would be quite a sensation.”
Shi Qing pursed her lips. “Being photographed would be a lot of trouble. You just released your new book; it’s better to have fewer scandals.”
Fei Ying said, “Scandals can also increase popularity, can’t they?”
Shi Qing didn’t say anything, she just let her hair down to cover both sides of her face.
This action hurt Fei Ying. Her finger tapped the steering wheel in displeasure as she called her out.
“You don’t want a scandal, you just don’t want a scandal with me, is that right?”
Shi Qing’s facial features were delicate, and the only part that showed deep emotion—her eyes—were now swallowed by the darkness.
“That’s not what I meant,” she said.
Fei Ying didn’t believe her. “You’re even using your back injury for publicity. I suspect you’ve been kidnapped.”
The first thing Sheng Qiao did after signing the “business couple” contract with Yihuang was to amplify the fated moment when Shi Qing fell from the horse and Wei Jiuyi rushed to her side. This was to further create a mutual affection storyline under the guise of one-sided salvation.
Shi Qing had been unwilling to do so. She hadn’t told anyone about her feelings, not even Wei Jiuyi. But that didn’t mean no one knew.
Fei Ying was the only person besides Xiao Jun who knew the truth about Shi Qing’s injury back then.
“You were a top student in classical dance, with a bright and promising future. That girl named Zhang Ke tampered with your wire to compete for a spot in the troupe. You fell from that high up and were bedridden for six months. Have you forgotten?”
The pain of the past resurfaced. Shi Qing turned her head to look out the window, only to see the yellow light cast by the tall streetlights on the road.
“I haven’t forgotten.”
“You haven’t?”
A bitter laugh came from deep within Fei Ying.
“You haven’t, so to promote your ‘business couple’ with Wei Jiuyi, you’re using your own pain? You’re letting the whole world see you fall from a horse, see you lying on the ground, so much in pain you almost fainted?”
Shi Qing looked at the spot of light, her brows twitching. Her voice was uncharacteristically firm.
“That was the company’s decision. I’m just an artist!”
Shi Qing had always been mild-mannered and never spoke harshly to anyone. Especially toward Fei Ying, her former crush, she had always been careful with her words.
Now that she had finally spoken harshly, Fei Ying was sure that the “business couple” wasn’t Shi Qing’s idea—
She was being forced.
“Alright, my bad. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
She looked at Shi Qing, but from the passenger side mirror, she saw a car parked not too far behind them. An Audi A8L. The only person who would follow them so closely and could afford that car was probably one person.
She started the car and turned on the interior lights. This way, the person behind them could see inside the car through the back windshield.
Then she unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned toward Shi Qing, gently running her fingers through her hair. She said softly,
“I’m sorry, okay? Xiao Qing, I’ve just been so busy lately, and I was so worried about not seeing you. I was afraid that you would never like me again and that you would fall for someone else. I won’t say that anymore, okay?”
She was just leaning close to Shi Qing to talk. From the angle of the car behind them, it looked very much like she was kissing Shi Qing.
The lyrics of Angkor Wat were a harsh stab at the heart. The hand gripping the steering wheel tightened suddenly, almost tearing the leather.
In front, Shi Qing’s neck felt a rush of air. She moved her shoulder uncomfortably and subtly shifted her upper body away, saying,
“Let’s go back. Xiao Ya and the others must be getting impatient.”
Fei Ying observed her expression. The soft lines of her face showed no emotion. She thought for a moment and said,
“Okay. Send me the address. I’ll use the GPS.”
Shi Qing opened her own GPS app on her phone and placed it on the console between them.
“Let’s just listen to this.”
Fei Ying’s eyes moved slightly, and a flash of displeasure was quickly hidden.
“Okay.”
The sedan slowly started moving. The black Audi A8L behind them also followed, staying a safe distance away, close enough to see the car’s direction but not close enough for the people inside to be noticed.
Twenty minutes later, the remaining twilight was completely swallowed, and under the pitch-black night sky, the streetlights were the only source of light.
The sedan finally stopped in the open-air parking lot outside the apartment complex. Fei Ying tried to drive in, but her license plate wasn’t on the residents’ list, and the security guard wouldn’t let her in.
She had to walk the last part of the way with Shi Qing.
The night gave rise to desire, and emotion trumped reason. The path within the complex was winding. Finally, as they passed through a wisteria-covered corridor, Fei Ying couldn’t hold back.
“Xiao Qing, my book signing is over now. I want to move here and find a place to live next to you.”
Shi Qing was taken aback. “Your studio is in Jiang City. You don’t have to.”
Fei Ying said in a relaxed tone, “But you’re here. And when I write novels, it doesn’t matter where I am. I just want to be closer to you.”
Shi Qing didn’t say anything. The streetlights shone through the gaps in the wisteria, casting dappled light on the ground, but not a single beam fell on her.
Fei Ying knew Shi Qing. When she was silent, she was trying to figure out how to refuse. She didn’t want Shi Qing to reject her like that, so she continued.
“Xiao Qing, I really like you. Otherwise, why would I have so many people pursuing me and only come for you?”
If she didn’t confess, Shi Qing would probably keep avoiding her.
But what she didn’t know was that with her confession, Shi Qing now had the chance to completely reject her.
“Sister Fei, I think I need to be clear about something.”
Shi Qing stopped and turned to face her.
“As you can see, Wei Jiuyi and I are about to start filming The Empress. Our two companies want to make us a ‘business couple.’ So, I can’t be entangled with anyone other than her at this time.”
The night wind stirred, and the wisteria above them swayed slightly. Small beams of starlight fell on Shi Qing’s face, a beautiful, starry sight.
Fei Ying stared at the beautiful face in front of her, and her possessiveness reached its peak.
“Being with someone you like isn’t ‘entanglement.’ Unless you don’t like me.”
Shi Qing admitted, “Yes, I don’t like you anymore.”
Fei Ying hesitated. “I told you I would give you time to fall for me again.”
Shi Qing shook her head. “Sister Fei, it’s too late. Now the two companies have a contract. If I get into a relationship or a scandal during the promotional period, I’ll have to pay triple the penalty.”
“How much? I’ll pay it for you.”
“It’s not about money.”
“Then what is it about?”
Shi Qing lowered her head and took a deep breath of the cold night air. She hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.
“Sister Fei, we’ve known each other for a long time. You know how much my back injury and being removed from the troupe hurt me. You also know how difficult it was for me to change careers and start from the bottom as an extra to get to where I am today. The Empress is an opportunity I’ve been waiting for for nine years. I don’t want anything to interfere with this show’s success.”
Fei Ying stared at her face, illuminated by the lights. She looked so calm, but her words were so harsh.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to be a good actress? Then tell me, why are you willing to do this kind of publicity now when you never have before? Is it because the person is Wei Jiuyi that you’re willing to do it?”
Shi Qing turned her face away, toward a darker corner.
“That’s not it. Even if it wasn’t Wei Jiuyi, I would be willing. I didn’t do publicity before because I didn’t know an actress needed popularity. What did my nine years of hard work get me? I can go out without a mask or sunglasses, and no one would recognize me. I would go for months without work waiting for a good script, only to be replaced at the last minute. I’m tired of that life.”
Fei Ying found this ridiculous.
“You’re degrading yourself and saying you’re a materialistic person just to avoid admitting you like Wei Jiuyi, aren’t you? Xiao Qing, am I hearing things, or are you confused?”
Shi Qing put her hands in her pockets, her fingers clenched tightly, leaving red crescent marks on her palms.
“Sister Fei, I’ve made myself very clear. If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do. You’re so good. Don’t waste your time on me.”
A dry laugh came from deep in Fei Ying’s throat.
“Waste… Xiao Qing, do you know what a waste is? When you confessed to me, I didn’t respond and instead ran away to England, cutting off all contact with you. That was a waste. After I left, I did date. The first person I dated was a British guy. I later found out he was only interested in my body and didn’t love me at all.
Then, I was disgusted with men, so I dated a girl. And guess what? We dated for three years, and she cheated on me. The day I found out she cheated, I felt like my world was falling apart. I thought the love between two women was the purest, but she slapped me in the face and told me I had never really loved her.
I was so angry and hurt, but I didn’t cry. But when I got home and found the earrings you gave me back then, I cried. It was then that I realized that after all I’d been through, no one had ever loved me the way you did. My ex-girlfriend was right; I had never really loved her. Because all my feelings were left in that lotus pavilion where you confessed to me…”
Shi Qing listened as Fei Ying tore open her emotional wounds one by one. The sound of flesh tearing and bl00d gushing was like the magma that consumed a village after a volcanic eruption.
After a long silence, her thin lips moved.
“Sister Fei, what’s done is done.”
Those four simple words cut a deeper wound in Fei Ying’s heart. She squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth as she said three words.
“Impossible.”
She took a moment to compose herself before continuing.
“Xiao Qing, humans are emotional creatures. You loved me so much back then. It’s impossible for you to have no feelings for me now.”
Shi Qing remained rational. To comfort Fei Ying, her voice softened.
“Sister Fei, just think of me as an emotionless machine. Don’t waste your time on me.”
The repeated rejection extinguished her mature sense of reason. The darkness nurtured an unseemly desire, and a malicious emotion erupted at that moment.
“It’s because of Wei Jiuyi, isn’t it?”
Fei Ying took a step forward, a touch of mania in her voice.
“She’s held you, and she’s kissed you, so you can’t fall for anyone else, right?”
Shi Qing took a step back. “No.”
Fei Ying grabbed her hand. “I can, too, Xiao Qing. I can, too.”
Shi Qing pulled her hand away. “That’s not what I mean. Calm down.”
“I don’t want to calm down! I was too calm before! I was too considerate of your feelings, and that’s why that little girl, Wei Jiuyi, had a chance! Xiao Qing, just let me hold you once, okay? Just once!”
Shi Qing retreated, and Fei Ying advanced. This push and pull made her lose her mind. She pushed Shi Qing hard against the stone pillar of the corridor.
“Ah!”
Shi Qing’s back flared with pain. Her cry of rejection did not awaken Fei Ying’s reason. She pushed harder. Fei Ying was going crazy, grabbing her chin and trying to force a kiss on her.
The second before her lips touched Shi Qing’s, the grip loosened. Fei Ying was thrown back two meters. Shi Qing, carried by momentum, almost fell but was caught by a strong pair of arms.
The night wind carried the scent of wisteria as it blew through her hair. The gaps in the wisteria vines let through specks of starlight, illuminating the sharp contours of a face.
Wei Jiuyi.