The Paranoid Film Queen Doesn’t Want to Remarry - Chapter 43

Chapter 43

 

If Yan Muyu hadn’t looked over, Xu Weishuang might have still been able to deceive herself by secretly stealing glances at Yan Muyu for a moment. But when she realized Yan Muyu was staring at her, Xu Weishuang instantly wanted to look away.

 

Facing Yan Muyu’s gaze, she didn’t know what to say or how to explain her behavior.

 

As for Yan Muyu, noticing Xu Weishuang’s avoidance, her eyes paused slightly, then she smiled and reminded, “Xu Weishuang, you’re leaning on me.”

 

Xu Weishuang hurriedly moved back, still maintaining a hint of coldness on her face so that even though Yan Muyu kept watching her, she couldn’t see her true emotions.

 

Xu Weishuang heard Yan Muyu call her full name—a clearly distant form of address.

 

Although Yan Muyu smiled gently, she didn’t want to get close to her.

 

Xu Weishuang was keenly aware of this.

 

So she retreated further, sleeping on the innermost side, her back pressed against the wall, curling up slightly to ensure she wouldn’t touch Yan Muyu at all.

 

Yan Muyu just watched her retreat little by little, even though there was no more room to move backward, she still pushed herself to the edge as if she really didn’t want to be in contact.

 

Yan Muyu smiled carelessly and reached out to pull her back a bit, softly saying, “Don’t back away, you won’t crowd me.”

 

She even found a reason for her, gentle as a close sister.

 

Because of Yan Muyu’s action, Xu Weishuang was forced to look at her again, but this time she no longer saw any tenderness in Yan Muyu’s eyes.

 

Only cold indifference and detached aloofness.

 

Yan Muyu’s pretty words were for Tao Dao beside them, for the show’s microphones. Where the camera couldn’t capture, that was her real face.

 

To Xu Weishuang, there was unmasked coldness.

 

Xu Weishuang clearly saw it all. The bed was only so big—no matter how far she moved, the two were still close. She took in all of Yan Muyu’s expressions without missing a single detail.

 

She closed her eyes, unwilling to watch any longer, letting Yan Muyu pull her back.

 

She smelled a trace of bitter fragrance on Yan Muyu, and her heart seemed to be dyed with that intense bitterness.

 

…

 

The night passed restlessly. Xu Weishuang didn’t sleep well.

 

Last night, Tao Dao and Yan Muyu talked until late. Xu Weishuang mostly just listened quietly, only answering briefly when they asked about her.

 

In the second half of the night, she didn’t know how she fell asleep but knew she still felt uneasy even in dreams. She woke up early, forgetting what she dreamt but still remembered the uncomfortable emotions in the dream.

 

She woke up and even disturbed Yan Muyu, who slowly sat up, her blurry eyes looking at her with a helpless gaze. She remained silent for a long while.

 

Xu Weishuang couldn’t stand the atmosphere and coldly said “Sorry,” then got out of bed.

 

Yan Muyu’s eyes followed Xu Weishuang’s figure, then looked up at the still-dark sky, rubbing her temples as if she had a headache.

 

“What are you going to do?” she called softly.

 

Her voice was low, not wanting to wake Tao Dao who was still asleep.

 

Xu Weishuang stopped in her tracks, surprised that Yan Muyu called her. After a moment of hesitation, she turned and whispered back, “…Going to the bathroom.”

 

“…Then go ahead,” Yan Muyu was still half asleep, supporting her head as she spoke with a weak tone.

 

Xu Weishuang pursed her lips, thinking about the cameras and nodded slightly to respond.

 

After responding, she said no more and quickly walked out.

 

Outside it was still dark; the sun hadn’t risen in the east yet. The cold mountain wind blew, making Xu Weishuang shiver.

 

The farmhouse wasn’t convenient—the bathroom was a separate building. The original house had no bathroom, only an outhouse. The production team specially hired someone to build a bathroom.

 

Xu Weishuang had to walk a distance to get there. In the pitch-black darkness, there were no lights. The paths were already difficult to walk during the day, so the crew worried she might fall and gave her a flashlight.

 

Taking the flashlight, Xu Weishuang noticed the messy long hair of the crew member in front and the cameraman yawning nearby. She suddenly stopped and bowed.

 

She didn’t have to stand up but couldn’t face Yan Muyu well, so she took the chance to find an excuse.

 

Having returned to work for some time, Xu Weishuang understood how reality shows worked—whenever guests made a move, the staff had to get up.

 

They were all workers, no one’s job was easier.

 

After bowing, Xu Weishuang didn’t explain anything, took the flashlight, and found her way to the bathroom.

 

After finishing, she stood in the courtyard for a while until she felt chilled to the bone and figured she might get sick if she stayed longer. Then she slowly returned inside.

 

The room was quiet, and Xu Weishuang didn’t turn on the lights, only using the flashlight’s glow to feel her way to the bed and crawl back under the covers.

 

Not wanting to wake Yan Muyu and Tao Dao, she moved carefully.

 

As she pulled the blanket over and slipped in, she heard a soft “hiss” sound beside her.

 

She stopped, realizing Yan Muyu was awake.

 

“Is it cold outside?” Yan Muyu whispered, probably feeling the cold radiating from Xu Weishuang, which caused that sound just now.

 

Xu Weishuang didn’t want to explain that she stood outside in the cold because she couldn’t face her, so she said nothing and closed her eyes.

 

Yan Muyu half-closed her eyelids and didn’t ask further.

 

Xu Weishuang’s body was still cold but now wrapped in warmth under the blanket. Combined with her poor sleep, she felt drowsy.

 

Although a strange scent lingered around her nose, the scent on Yan Muyu was familiar and brought her habitual comfort.

 

This bitter fragrance, she hadn’t noticed before, now she caught a faint, clear coolness mixed within the bitterness.

 

Her body warmed, drowsiness took over, and her mind grew fuzzy, still pondering the exact nature of the scent.

 

Unfortunately, she never figured it out, falling soundly asleep amid that unusual fragrance.

 

When Xu Weishuang woke again, she was alone in bed.

 

She thought she had overslept but looking outside the window saw the sky just beginning to brighten. Tao Dao and Yan Muyu had gotten up very early.

 

Xu Weishuang dressed and went out, seeing Tao Dao, Tongtong, and Shushu teachers preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

 

She hurried over but was sent out by Teacher Tongtong.

 

“Three of us are enough to make breakfast. Just wait to eat. Later we’ll go up the mountain to dig sweet potatoes. That’s when you young people can work hard.”

 

Xu Weishuang was not good with words and felt awkward being sent away, so she leaned against the door watching the three teachers cook.

 

She looked around but didn’t see Yan Muyu and wondered where she had gone.

 

Tao Dao noticed her and smiled, saying, “Xiao Yan went out for a morning run.”

 

Xu Weishuang suddenly remembered Yan Muyu’s habit of working out. She was very disciplined—even during filming, she made time to exercise.

 

Thinking this, Xu Weishuang also went to the courtyard to stretch.

 

Shi Yan had similarly ordered her to keep fit, saying the work would be hard and that she wouldn’t allow the artist to faint from poor health on set.

 

Before, Xu Weishuang kept exercising and even trained in martial arts while filming Tao Dao’s drama. Now she was much healthier than before. Shi Yan was satisfied but reminded her several times to persist and never stop.

 

Just like Yan Muyu.

 

While stretching, Xu Weishuang thought again about the puzzling scent she couldn’t identify before sleeping.

 

It was fresh and clear, more subtle than floral but lingered in the nose.

 

She thought about Yan Muyu just returning from the morning run, wet and warm.

 

The mountain morning was filled with mist; the air was very humid.

 

Yan Muyu returned sweating, with strands of damp hair stuck to her cheeks.

 

She tied her slightly curly long hair up, revealing a slender, graceful neck.

 

Xu Weishuang’s eyes fell there, suddenly remembering she had kissed that spot before.

 

Knowing she shouldn’t think this way, Xu Weishuang quickly looked away to cover it up.

 

Luckily, she always wore a cold, expressionless face, so neither Yan Muyu nor the cameras caught her emotions.

 

Yan Muyu, seeing Xu Weishuang exercising outside, paused briefly and inevitably greeted her.

 

After all, they were still filming the same show, in front of cameras, and Yan Muyu didn’t want Shi Yan to worry.

 

“Good morning,” she smiled beautifully, warm but distant, not intimate.

 

This fit their current relationship, fitting Yan Muyu’s earlier words about an amicable breakup.

 

Xu Weishuang knew it well and nodded slightly in response.

 

“I’ll go shower and change,” Yan Muyu said, then turned away, heading inside.

 

Once Yan Muyu left, the warmth in the courtyard disappeared, and the cold air returned, surrounding Xu Weishuang.

 

She felt no resentment; this was the proper ending for them, the best ending.

 

After a while, Jiang Qi woke up. After breakfast, Teacher Tongtong said, “It looks like it might rain today. We need to go up to the mountainside early to help Granny Wang harvest her sweet potatoes. We promised her earlier.”

 

“We’ll need everyone’s hard work,” Teacher Tongtong said, looking toward Tao Dao.

 

Tao Dao was no young man, and climbing the mountain and doing farm work might be tough for him. She worried something might happen.

 

But this was part of the show’s content—many guests had to work hard. The audience loved seeing glamorous celebrities working in the fields.

 

Fortunately, Tao Dao wasn’t delicate. Their generation could endure hardships, and for a director, hard labor was nothing. Being in the mountains working was easier than the stress and heartbreak on set.

 

After eating and cleaning up, they prepared tools and set off to the mountainside.

 

Granny Wang lived alone halfway up the mountain.

 

Many villagers lived this way. Perhaps long ago, there was no land planning. People took hoes and found empty mountain land to cultivate, which then counted as their own.

 

The flat land at the foot of the mountain was managed more uniformly, but the mountain land had no clear rules.

 

Anyway, the cultivatable area was small, the terrain poor, and crops didn’t grow well.

 

Granny Wang once had a daughter and raised her alone, but the daughter got sick and passed away, leaving Granny Wang all alone.

 

She lived in extreme poverty, and her old age was even more difficult. Only in recent years, with the help of dedicated poverty alleviation workers coming to look after her, had her situation somewhat improved.

 

The production team learned about Grandma Wang’s circumstances, and in the spirit of the show’s public welfare effect, arranged for the guests to help her.

 

Tong Tong, Teacher Shu Shu, and Jiang Qi naturally understood the show’s intention, but upon meeting Grandma Wang, they couldn’t help but genuinely want to assist her.

 

So they often went over to help.

 

The mountain path was indeed difficult to walk. When they arrived, Teacher Tong Tong knocked on the door while calling out loudly.

 

Before long, a hunched figure with white hair slowly walked out of the house.

 

Contrary to Xu Weishuang’s expectations, although the old woman appeared aged and her body clearly wasn’t in great condition, she was very spirited and warmly greeted everyone.

 

Her face was full of smiles as she came to open the door and kindly asked Jiang Qi if they had eaten breakfast.

 

Jiang Qi often came here to help; she was young, fair-skinned, well-behaved, and very much liked by Grandma Wang.

 

Grandma Wang didn’t know if they were some big stars; her house didn’t even have a TV, so she had never seen them before. She only knew they were like the other poverty alleviation girls — good people.

 

Grandma Wang knew they had come to help harvest the sweet potatoes, and had already agreed a few days ago. She didn’t refuse now, took her tools, and led everyone up the mountain.

 

“Don’t think I’m old—I have more strength than you young girls,” the old lady said non-stop on the way. Seeing Xu Weishuang and Yan Yanyu, two pretty new faces, she talked even more.

 

“When I was young, many people chased after me. With my makeup on, the village girls said I was beautiful.”

 

“But your city girls now are even prettier. Such delicate faces, anyone would like them.”

 

When Grandma Wang said this, she looked at Yan Yanyu with a somewhat sharp gaze, staring for a while. Yan Yanyu smiled silently upon hearing such praise.

 

“Have you started dating anyone? You look young, but these days girls don’t seem to want to start dating early,” Grandma Wang asked. Yan Yanyu was indeed very pretty and likable; compared to Xu Weishuang’s cold aura, Yan Yanyu felt more approachable.

 

She was good at making people happy and chatted with Grandma Wang for a while, which made the old lady like her even more and couldn’t help but ask about her personal life.

 

Yan Yanyu didn’t expect this question and replied helplessly, “Granny, I’m already 34.”

 

She paused, then pointed at Xu Weishuang and lightly laughed, “I just got divorced from her.”

 

Her frankness was startling, and the other guests instinctively glanced at Xu Weishuang, who was even more composed than Yan Yanyu, her expression cool and indifferent, not even blinking.

 

No wonder they could still act together and appear on the show after divorcing.

 

Now no one could doubt they parted on good terms.

 

But no matter how frank they were, Grandma Wang didn’t dare ask more. She kept looking around nervously, leaving her at a loss for words.

 

After walking for a while, they finally reached their destination. Most of the sweet potatoes had already been dug up. Grandma Wang originally planned to slowly transport them over two or three days, but the soil on the slope had blocked the road a few days ago, so they first cleared the path.

 

The path was cleared, but since rain was expected today, the sweet potatoes couldn’t stay buried and rot in the soil. So it was perfect timing for Xu Weishuang and the others to come and help.

 

Carrying sweet potatoes was simple work: put them in baskets and carry them down. But the constant trips and the weight of the potatoes really tested one’s strength.

 

There was no time to talk much. As the weather worsened, everyone hurried to carry the sweet potatoes back to Grandma Wang’s house.

 

After two trips, Xu Weishuang was already struggling. Though she had been exercising and her condition had improved, her foundation was still weak.

 

Going uphill was fine, but carrying a full basket downhill became increasingly difficult.

 

She was better off than Grandma Wang, Director Tao, and teachers Tong Tong and Shu Shu, who were older. Although they could do the physical work, the rough mountain path was hard on their knees. After some time, the four showed signs of exhaustion.

 

Yan Yanyu and Xu Weishuang noticed this. Young people could push through, though they’d be sore for days afterward. But for people their age, injuries could be serious. So they told Jiang Qi to persuade the elders to stop coming up and let the three younger women finish the work.

 

“But no, the three of you can’t carry this much alone. If it rains, the soil will soften and make going back up difficult,” Grandma Wang refused. The sweet potatoes were one of her few sources of income; she was unwilling to leave.

 

“I’ll carry as much as I can by myself,” she said. Having worked all her life, she was used to this. She couldn’t just quit because of some pain.

 

“We can handle it, and the crew will help us carry. You all go back first,” Yan Yanyu signaled to Director Tao, who immediately understood and persuaded Grandma Wang along with Tong Tong and Shu Shu.

 

Grandma Wang really couldn’t go on. Her strength was still okay, but her knees and waist couldn’t take the strain, so she had no choice but to listen.

 

After sending off the elders, Yan Yanyu called the crew to help carry the potatoes. They were the director and cameramen following the cast.

 

But the mountain weather was very unpredictable. Xu Weishuang first felt raindrops fall on her head, then looked up to see more drops hitting her face.

 

“It’s raining,” she said softly.

 

Yan Yanyu and Jiang Qi heard her, which was bad news.

 

The mountain rain came down with the force of a towering cliff, like a great wave rolling down with no warning.

 

The torrential rain, accompanied by strong wind, swept across the sweet potato field with nothing to block it, making everyone’s figures sway in the storm.

 

“We can’t stay here any longer. The road downhill was blocked by soil a few days ago, and with this heavy rain, if the soil slides again and blocks it, that will be trouble,” a crew member shouted to Yan Yanyu.

 

Xu Weishuang was not there at this moment. She had carried a basket down and looked exhausted, so Yan Yanyu told her to go drink some water and rest before coming back.

 

By now, she should have reached halfway, right at the section where the soil had previously blocked the road.

 

Yan Yanyu suddenly had a bad feeling. The next moment, a crew member shouted, “There’s been a landslide up ahead!”

 

Yan Yanyu’s heart stopped, her breath suddenly quickened. She was soaking wet in the heavy rain, cold seeping into her limbs, but it was nothing compared to the icy chill rising from the bottom of her heart.

 

“Where is Xu Weishuang?” She no longer cared about their relationship; she just turned to the crew anxiously.

 

The guests’ phones were collected by their assistants, but the crew could communicate. Since they knew about the landslide ahead, they should also know where Xu Weishuang was.

 

The crew knew the history between the two and didn’t find it strange that Yan Yanyu’s first concern was her ex-wife; after all, they had loved each other once. It was reasonable to care in such a dangerous moment.

 

“Ms. Xu is safe. She passed that section before the landslide occurred. Our people have already taken her back to wait,” the crew answered immediately.

 

Yan Yanyu finally breathed a sigh of relief, her whole body weak and standing there as the rain dampened even her spirit.

 

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xu Weishuang did not feel joy after hearing about the landslide. Instead, she immediately thought of Yan Yanyu and the others still on the mountain.

 

The rain had fallen so suddenly and heavily that even the production team was caught off guard, with no immediate solution.

 

There was nowhere to take shelter on the mountain, and the landslide had trapped them.

 

The director anxiously watched the rain behind the gray curtain. It was beyond their control now, so they quickly called for rescue, not daring to delay even a minute.

 

Xu Weishuang felt even more uneasy. After putting down her things at Grandma Wang’s house, she wanted to go back up the mountain, but after just a few steps, she stopped before the crew could call her back.

 

What could she do?

 

She couldn’t cross the blocked mud path. If she went out now, she’d only be a burden.

 

But her mind was a mess, filled with worry that Yan Yanyu might be in trouble.

 

She had never encountered such a situation before. When someone she cared about was in danger, and she was powerless, she felt panicked and lost.

 

She was even angry at herself for going down alone first, or why the path wasn’t blocked earlier, forcing her to turn back up.

 

At least she wished she could be with Yan Yanyu right now.

 

She was truly going crazy.

 

Rescue came quickly with professional equipment. After learning the situation from the production team, they immediately headed up the mountain.

 

Xu Weishuang stared at their distant figures, but her anxiety did not lessen.

 

Her worry and emotions threatened to swallow her whole. She fought hard to resist the urge to follow them, sitting in the living room staring into the distance.

 

She sat like a statue, motionless, but her heart never found peace.

 

She waited until night fell and the rain lessened, yet there was still no news of the safe arrival of those on the mountain.

 

As the rain softened, the □□ in the fields started making noise again, their annoying sounds constantly echoing in her ears.

 

Finally, Xu Weishuang could no longer hold back and began to sob. She didn’t want to cry, but tears fell uncontrollably. She cried carefully and restrained herself, but someone still noticed.

 

Director Tao came behind her, silently comforting her with a gentle hand on her shoulder, seeming to understand her emotions.

 

Xu Weishuang trembled all over, and the silent comfort only made her break down more.

 

She truly couldn’t bear it anymore, suddenly stood up and rushed outside, intending to go out in the rain.

 

Director Tao immediately grabbed her, but she broke free and ran wildly outside.

 

“Xu Weishuang!” Director Tao shouted.

 

Xu Weishuang ignored everything and ran, not heading up the mountain, but to the general director’s office. She pushed the door open and stared at him coldly.

 

She had changed into dry clothes when she returned, leaving her wet clothes to dry. But now, after running in the rain, her long black hair hung down her back, looking icy cold.

 

Yet at this moment, her expression was… really something.

 

The general director was startled, not yet reacting to ask why she barged in. Xu Weishuang spoke coldly first.

 

“Help me contact them.”

 

She hadn’t dared to be a bother or contact Yan Yanyu herself before. Their current relationship stopped her from doing anything unnecessary.

 

She forced herself to endure, knowing rescuers were already on the mountain. No bad news so far was good news.

 

She shouldn’t trouble the production team with her anxiety. Everyone was waiting and worrying.

 

There were too many reasons to stop her from showing special emotion toward Yan Yanyu.

 

But Xu Weishuang could no longer bear it. She had to hear Yan Yanyu’s voice. She had to confirm that Yan Yanyu was okay.

 

Otherwise, she felt like a leaf torn apart by the raging storm, painfully torn and never at peace.

 

“Uh, okay.” The general director was a bit speechless—was it really that scary just to make a phone call?

 

He contacted the people on the mountain, explained the situation, then handed the walkie-talkie to Xu Weishuang.

 

Xu Weishuang took it carefully and called out softly, “Yan Yanyu.”

 

Static came through for a while before Yan Yanyu’s somewhat distorted voice answered, “Hmm.”