Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 38

Thunderstorm happily rolled around twice beside Shen Xi. The next morning, she packed her small suitcase, took her cat, and drove to Yucheng.

Meanwhile, at the film studio, Han Ning did not see Shen Xi and was puzzled. She asked Chen Rong about her whereabouts. Chen Rong said she didn’t know either and could only reply, “She’s been quite busy lately. Maybe she’s taking a break for a couple of days…”

A break…

Han Ning nodded, returned to her seat, and sat gloomily on the sofa, resting her head on her hand. She thought to herself: She promised to stay by my side all the time, but now she’s sleeping at home without a care!

“Just wait till I get off work—I’ll catch you then!” Han Ning flipped a page of her script, saw Shen Xi’s signature in the lower right corner, and took a big bite of her sandwich.

“Huh? Shen the screenwriter isn’t here?” Cheng Nian sat beside her, looking around curiously.

“No…” Han Ning answered listlessly.

Cheng Nian smirked but didn’t ask further. She grabbed the script and started reading through it.

All morning, aside from rehearsing her lines, Han Ning barely spoke a word. Even during breaks, she just stared at Shen Xi’s profile picture on her phone, lost in thought.

“Missing her?” Cheng Nian finished lunch and handed Han Ning a cup of coffee, raising an eyebrow playfully. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but if you miss her, just call her! Otherwise, at this rate, when will you ever get to kiss her? You don’t seem like the hesitant type…”

Han Ning thought to herself: If I told you that we’ve already kissed and slept together, would you believe me?

“Of course not…” Han Ning turned off her phone, rested her chin on her hands, and rolled her eyes. Her tone was unusually prideful. “What if I reach out and she ignores me? If she doesn’t contact me, it means she isn’t thinking about me. So why should I make the first move?”

Cheng Nian set her cup down and, despite her young face, spoke with surprising wisdom. “You can’t think like that… You’re both girls—you should know how girls’ minds work. It’s okay to be a little clingy.”

“I’ve been there, you know,” Cheng Nian said, shaking her head knowingly.

Han Ning raised an eyebrow and teasingly asked, “Been there? Little sister, how old are you? If I remember correctly, you’re four years younger than me.”

“Ahem…” Cheng Nian cleared her throat awkwardly. “Details, details! But you have to admit, I am your senior in this regard. My wife and I are already happily together.”

Han Ning turned her head. “That’s true…”

“Also, what’s going on with you two? You even have matching couple bracelets now!

Normally, that should be a smooth transition into a relationship. But lately, you haven’t been talking much. What’s up?” Cheng Nian took a sip of coffee and frowned.

Han Ning sighed and explained, “You don’t understand her personality. If I take a step forward, she takes a step back. But if I step back, she suddenly becomes warm and affectionate… Sometimes, I feel like I must’ve owed her something in my past life.”

Cheng Nian nodded sympathetically. “My wife and I were the same. When I told her I liked her, she denied it. When I said she liked me, she insisted I was just confused and only grateful to her.”

“And then?” Han Ning’s curiosity was piqued.

“Then I packed my bags, ran home from school, and threatened to move out. That’s when she finally broke down,” Cheng Nian said, smiling sweetly. “She held me back, comforted me, and tested my feelings. In the end, I proved my love in the most direct way—I kissed her.”

Her eyes sparkled with love as she spoke.

Hearing this, Han Ning couldn’t help but smile.

She had read Cheng Nian’s heartfelt posts on Weibo before, but hearing her talk about it in person made it feel even more romantic and fulfilling.

“That’s so sweet…” Han Ning couldn’t help but say.

“That’s why, if one side isn’t responding, the other shouldn’t just stay silent. If you keep acting indifferent, things could go cold for good. You have to take the initiative!

If love is real, instincts will naturally take over. It’s that simple.”

Cheng Nian took another sip of coffee, and at that moment, her phone vibrated on the table. She glanced at the screen—it was a video call from Yu Xin. She walked to the door and answered in a sweet voice, “Wife~”

Han Ning watched her leave with a smile, then lowered her head and sent Shen Xi a message:

What are you doing?

At a hotel in Yucheng, Shen Xi’s phone vibrated beside the pillow. She was fast asleep and didn’t wake up until past 3 PM. When she checked her phone and saw Han Ning’s message, her eyes lit up. She replied: Sleeping.

Ten minutes passed, but there was no reply from Han Ning. Shen Xi figured she was probably busy, so she went downstairs to eat. While eating, she received a message from her editor:

Dear, meet at the hotel rooftop at 5 PM!

She replied “Okay,” checked the time, and saw it was getting late. She returned to her room, did her makeup, and chose a black long-sleeve shirt with loose-fitting black pants.

Feeling a bit stuffy, she tied her hair into a low ponytail, leaving a few strands loose, and accessorized with a thin silver pearl necklace. Satisfied with her look, she headed to the rooftop.

When she arrived, she realized her outfit was too conservative. The other female authors were wearing stylish summer dresses, making her shiver slightly.

The host picked up the microphone. “Next up—author Xi Rufen, please come forward!”

People turned their heads, and their eyes lit up.

“Wow! Xi Rufen is so pretty! I’ve never seen her before. This trip was worth it!”

“Which platform is she on? I need to follow her!”

“She writes for the Yuri channel! I’ve been following her stories for ages.”

“So many Yuri authors this year?! And they’re all stunning!”

Shen Xi felt nervous—it was her first time attending such a large in-person event. She hesitated for a moment before walking forward. A reader handed her flowers, and she accepted them with a polite smile. “Thank you.”

The girl covered her mouth in awe, her eyes following Shen Xi closely. The photographer asked her to pose for a picture, so she managed a small smile and signed her name on the board.

Just as she sat down, a group of excited readers rushed over, asking for autographs and hugs. Shen Xi was flustered but touched by their enthusiasm. She signed their notebooks, wiped away their tears, and hugged them one by one.

From a distance, her editor watched, muttering to herself, “Oh no… She’s been stolen by her fans!”

Meanwhile, back home, Han Ning wasn’t asleep. She was staring at a video of Shen Xi, who was happily hugging other girls. Her face darkened.

“I haven’t seen her all day, and when she does reply, it takes forever. Turns out, she’s busy hugging other girls!”

She threw her phone onto the bed angrily.

“That’s it, Shen Xi! If I talk to you first when you get back, I’m a fool!”