Captivating Beauty 92 p1

Chapter 92 p1

Into the Dream was a hit, boosting the popularity of the entire cast, but none more so than Shen Shu.

Her name was trending on Weibo, and the term “The Shen Shu Effect” resurfaced, along with previous posts criticizing her acting and calling her a “flower vase,” now used to highlight her dramatic improvement.

Even some of the bloggers who had previously mocked her now praised her performance.

I stand corrected. She’s amazing!

Everyone needs to watch Into the Dream! You’ll regret it if you don’t! Especially the Qipao Beauty’s performance. She blew me away… truly impressive.

Help! Into the Dream is so good! Nightingale and V’s scenes are amazing! I’m shipping them! More, please!

Shen Shu’s Weibo follower count skyrocketed, the comments section of her latest post filled with praise and adoration.

Into the Dream‘s official Weibo account was also flooded with positive comments and requests for more episodes.

Even the CP super topic was thriving, though this time, it wasn’t about the real-life couple, but the characters in the drama.

They had even given Nightingale and V a ship name – YinWei (literally “because,” a play on their character names).

Xu Jinnan’s gaze lingered on the ship name, a faint smile playing on her lips, then she closed the app and loosened the top button of her shirt, the formal attire she had worn for her morning meeting with government officials suddenly feeling too restrictive.

She sent Shen Shu a message.

[Shu Shu, you have another CP super topic now.]

She reread the message, wondering if it sounded too… jealous, then decided to leave it.

After waiting for over an hour with no reply, she stood up from her desk, a sudden tingling sensation in her scent gland making her pause.

After a few seconds, the discomfort subsided.

While the Level C slow-release pheromone blockers had minimal side effects, they had still affected her body’s response to alcohol.

Like a few days ago, when she had gotten completely drunk after only a few drinks.

It was happening again.

She touched her scent gland; it felt slightly warm, a familiar heat spreading through her.

It was the precursor to a rut.

She had already taken her suppressants; her rut shouldn’t be starting so soon… Then she remembered Shen Shu’s irregular heat cycles, also affected by the pheromone blockers.

Perhaps her own cycle had also been disrupted?

It was possible.

Normally, Alphas and Omegas didn’t take suppressants during the initial stages of their ruts and heats, as they weren’t very effective then.

They usually waited until the symptoms intensified.

After finishing her work, she had a meeting with some investors, then a business trip to Lincheng. Before leaving, she called Shen Shu.

After waiting for a while, just as she was about to hang up, Shen Shu answered.

“Hello?”

“Miss Shen, you’re quite the busy bee, aren’t you?” Xu Jinnan asked, hearing the noise in the background – shouts of “Lights!”, “Makeup!”, “Scene… Take…”, the organized chaos of a film set. Shen Shu had clearly taken the call during a break.

“I am a little busy. What are you doing?” Shen Shu asked.

“Going on a business trip,” Xu Jinnan replied.

“Another one?”

“Since you’re not coming home anyway,” Xu Jinnan said, realizing her tone sounded slightly petulant, but she didn’t bother correcting herself.

She heard Shen Shu chuckle softly. “I’ll be free in a couple of days, after this project is finished. Xu Jinnan.”

“Yes?”

“Who are you going with?”

Xu Jinnan paused. “Viola, and a translator.” One of the investors was Italian, and while she didn’t need a translator herself, having one present for the more detailed discussions would be helpful.

“Male or female?”

Xu Jinnan’s earlier gloom lifted slightly, and she smiled. “Female.”

“Oh, then have a pleasant trip,” Shen Shu said.

Xu Jinnan leaned back in her chair, looking out the window at the autumn landscape, the trees bare, their leaves falling with each gust of wind.

“It won’t be pleasant,” she said softly. “I’ll miss you.”

—

Lincheng was only a short drive from the Yuhua Orphanage, and Xu Jinnan decided to visit after her business trip.

Little Crescent Moon’s leg had healed, but she still couldn’t run or play too vigorously.

Xu Jinnan sat with her, drawing.

She was a quick learner, like the original Xu Jinnan, easily picking up new skills.

Like drawing.

While she wasn’t an artist, she was definitely better than average.

Little Crescent Moon was using the same sketchbook, the first few pages still filled with the original Xu Jinnan’s drawings, all in black.

Xu Jinnan sat down at the desk, pulling Little Crescent Moon onto her lap. “What do you want to draw?”

Little Crescent Moon picked up a green crayon. “I want to draw the ocean!”

“Why green?”

“Because the ocean is green on TV!”

Xu Jinnan nodded. “Then let’s draw a green ocean.”

“Isn’t it green?” Little Crescent Moon asked, sensing her hesitation.

“It can be green,” Xu Jinnan said. “Even the same ocean looks different to different people. So, it can be any color, any shape. There are no rules. And Little Crescent Moon, you’re unique too. Just be yourself. That’s the best way to be.”

“I want to see the ocean! Birds can go to the ocean! And seagulls!” Little Crescent Moon exclaimed.

Xu Jinnan’s heart ached, and she thought, She can’t stay here forever. After resolving the Xu family situation, she would discuss adopting Little Crescent Moon with Shen Shu.

“I’ll take you to the ocean someday,” she said.

“Really?”

“Really. When have I ever lied to you?” She took out two bottles of nail polish from her pocket, one pink, one red. “Look what I have!”

Little Crescent Moon’s eyes lit up. “Nail polish! You didn’t forget! I thought you did!”

“Then why didn’t you ask?”

“I… I thought it would be rude,” she replied, clutching the bottles tightly. “Thank you, Auntie Nannan.”

Xu Jinnan smiled. “Then promise me, tell me whatever you’re thinking. Don’t keep secrets. Okay?”

Little Crescent Moon nodded obediently. “Okay.”

Xu Jinnan told her to give the nail polish to Lin Wei for safekeeping.

Little Crescent Moon’s face fell. “But Auntie Lin Wei is leaving…”

—

Lin Wei had been Little Crescent Moon’s caregiver for almost a year.

The director had assigned her to Little Crescent Moon because of her attentiveness and care.

Now that she was leaving, and with the orphanage already short-staffed, the director was struggling to find a replacement.

She had asked Lin Wei to stay until they found someone, but Lin Wei was determined to leave.

Xu Jinnan, hearing about this, had asked Viola to help find a replacement, and she also decided to talk to Lin Wei herself.

If it was about money, it could be easily resolved.

But children often formed strong attachments to their caregivers, and a sudden change could be disruptive for Little Crescent Moon. And with both her and Shen Shu so busy, they needed to ensure Little Crescent Moon’s stability.

—

Lin Wei, who had taken the day off, unexpectedly appeared at lunchtime, carrying a tray of food, and sat down beside Xu Jinnan.

“Miss Xu.”

Xu Jinnan nodded. She had been planning to talk to her anyway.

“Lin Wei, there’s something I wanted to discuss with you.”

Lin Wei, carefully removing the bones from a piece of fish and placing it on Little Crescent Moon’s plate, said, “I know what you’re going to ask. I didn’t tell the director the whole truth. Miss Xu, I’m leaving because my girlfriend is taking me abroad.”

Xu Jinnan paused.

If it was for personal reasons, she couldn’t ask her to stay.

“I see,” she said.

Lin Wei turned to Xu Jinnan, her gaze lingering on her face, her long eyelashes framing her sharp, almond-shaped eyes, her expression cool and aloof, a subtle warning to keep your distance.

Lin Wei lowered her gaze. She had known from their first meeting that they were from different worlds.

“Miss Xu, thank you,” she said softly.

Xu Jinnan didn’t understand.

Lin Wei gently wiped a grain of rice from Little Crescent Moon’s cheek. “I know you paid for my mother’s hospital bills. The director said it was from the orphanage, but I know they don’t have that kind of money. They spend everything on the children.”

Xu Jinnan was silent for a moment. She had never done such a thing; it must have been the original Xu Jinnan.

“That kindness… it made me… think things I shouldn’t have thought. I haven’t completely let go, but I believe that after leaving here, things will get better,” Lin Wei continued, her voice soft and slightly melancholic.

Xu Jinnan didn’t know what to say. Lin Wei’s gratitude wasn’t for her, but for the original Xu Jinnan.

But it showed her a different side of the original, a hint of kindness beneath the surface, a reminder that she wasn’t entirely heartless.

-With Lin Wei’s departure, another caregiver would have to take over Little Crescent Moon’s care, which would take time.

As Xu Jinnan was leaving, feeling slightly uneasy, Little Crescent Moon took her hand and walked her to the door, her voice sweet and reassuring. “Don’t worry, Auntie Nannan, I can take care of myself. I’m a big girl now.”

Xu Jinnan ruffled her hair. “Good girl.”

–

Shen Shu hadn’t eaten much for lunch, and with her busy schedule, Tong Jia had ordered a high-calorie afternoon tea for her.

“Just eat a little. You’ve lost weight again,” Tong Jia said, handing her a piece of cake. “Maintaining your figure is important, but your health is more important. Besides…”

Shen Shu took the cake.

Tong Jia, satisfied, continued, “Besides, you’ll lose your… assets if you get too skinny. What will Xu Jinnan do then? Where will she bury her face?”

Shen Shu: “…”

Remembering Xu Jinnan’s reaction, she chuckled softly, taking a few bites of the cake, then checked her phone.

Her last message from Xu Jinnan was from that morning, and assuming she was busy, she took a picture of the cake and sent it to her.

“Look at Cai Ying’s Moments post. She’s living her best life abroad,” Tong Jia said, scrolling through her phone. “And that girl she’s with is pretty cute. Tsk tsk, it’s good to be young, free, and wealthy…”

Shen Shu opened her Moments feed, but before she could find Cai Ying’s post, she saw one from Lin Wei.

Lin Wei: Arrived in autumn, leaving in autumn. Hoping to meet again in autumn.

The accompanying photo showed plates from the orphanage dining hall, a hand and arm visible in the corner.

She didn’t even have to look closely; she recognized Xu Jinnan’s hand.

The sweetness of the cake turned to ash in her mouth.

She put down the cake. “Not hungry anymore?” Tong Jia asked.

“No,” Shen Shu replied, turning off her phone.

She knew Lin Wei was interested in Xu Jinnan.

And while Xu Jinnan hadn’t shown any interest in Lin Wei, the thought of her spending time with another woman, sharing meals and conversations, laughing together…

It bothered her, a strange tightness in her chest.

She tried to suppress the feeling, reminding herself that Xu Jinnan’s work required her to interact with many different people, that she couldn’t always be by her side.

She had to be more understanding, more open-minded, less possessive.

After all, her own profession also required her to interact with other people.

And Xu Jinnan had never asked her to distance herself from anyone, not even Xia Chun. Even after their conversation, when Shen Shu had promotional events with Xia Chun, Xu Jinnan had simply teased her, never restricted her interactions.

So, she tried to be more understanding.

She didn’t want Xu Jinnan to feel suffocated, controlled.

But it still hurt, a dull ache in her chest.

She wanted to tell Xu Jinnan, I don’t want you to be with anyone else.

But she was also afraid, afraid that one day, Xu Jinnan would grow tired of her possessiveness.

Tong Jia, seeing her downcast expression, assumed she was tired. “Shu Shu, we’re going back to North City in a couple of days. There’s a large shopping mall near the roadshow venue. Want to go shopping for some new clothes? It’ll be a nice break,” she suggested. Shen Shu had mentioned not having gone shopping in a while.

It was a weekday, so the mall wouldn’t be too crowded.

And she wanted Shen Shu to enjoy her freedom, her anonymity, before she became too famous.

She also had another surprise planned.

“Jia Jia, after these next two days, I want a day off,” Shen Shu said.

“Are you that tired?” Tong Jia asked, her voice full of concern. “I’ll adjust your schedule. There are some really good scripts and endorsement deals… I want you to have the best opportunities.”

“I understand,” Shen Shu replied. “It’s not that I’m tired.”

She had simply realized that besides acting, there was something else, someone else, more important.

–

Xu Jinnan saw Shen Shu’s message after returning to North City. She replied: [I want some too.]

Shen Shu didn’t reply until that evening, and Xu Jinnan, initially assuming she was busy, then sensed a hint of coldness in her brief response.

Knowing Shen Shu was upset, Xu Jinnan’s own mood had been affected, her mind wandering during meetings, her fingers tapping impatiently on the desk, making the executives reporting to her sweat nervously.

She listened to their reports, her gaze fixed on her phone.

“CEO Xu… are there any changes you’d like to make?” one of the executives asked hesitantly after finishing his presentation.

Xu Jinnan didn’t reply, and the meeting room fell silent.

Just then, her phone vibrated softly.

She quickly dismissed the reminder for her pheromone blocker injection, assuming she would remember, then turned her attention back to the report.

…