Chapter 77: Lu Nan and I Can Go Public, Right?

In the hospital room, Lu Nan was nowhere to be seen. With two beds placed in the originally spacious room, it felt particularly cramped.

Song Wenwei sat across from her agent, Ran Li. She had just woken up, her face still carrying traces of sleepiness.

In contrast to her bright and cheerful expression, Ran Li’s face was grim, as if something major had happened. Yet she didn’t say a word extra; she just stared at Song Wenwei.

“Has the video been leaked?” Song Wenwei figured that at a time like this, the only video that could have surfaced was the one of her car accident. That explained why Ran Li’s face, usually unflappable even in a crisis, was so dark.

She asked, “What are people saying?”

“What else? Those idiots from your old company even hired water armies to say you’re washed up, that it was all self-directed, just a concussion and nothing serious. They’re really asking for trouble.” Ran Li’s face was so black it could drip ink. Such idiotic comments were clearly begging for backlash.

“That’s fine then. Let them curse; it’s not like it’ll cost me any flesh. Has Lu Nan been getting flak?” Song Wenwei asked.

Ran Li paused, then forced out two words: “No.”

This incident had nothing to do with Lu Nan, so there was no reason to criticize her. Ran Li didn’t want to mention it and add to Song Wenwei’s worries. She would handle the comments, especially those involving the two of them.

“You and Lu Nan…” Ran Li started, but didn’t know how to continue. She could only say dryly, “We owe Lu Nan big time this round. We should thank her. Do you have her contact info or anything?”

She asked obliquely. Though what she’d seen earlier had already given her the answer, she still had to play dumb.

Song Wenwei pointed to the bed next to them. “Of course. She’s right here.”

“Oh, like that.” Ran Li thought, As expected. Lu Nan, that sneaky little thief! Acting all nonchalant on the surface. “I remember this hospital only has single rooms, right?”

Song Wenwei didn’t catch on and said bluntly, “It’s fine. She’s been my girlfriend for years. What’s wrong with that?”

“What?!” Ran Li’s mind blanked for a moment. The news hit too fast; she hadn’t processed it.

Wasn’t it that Lu Nan disliked Song Wenwei, then cleared things up for her? How did filming one variety show turn them into girlfriends??

This progress was way too quick…

She blurted out in shock, “What did you say? She’s your ex-girlfriend? Huh?”

“Who? You and Lu Nan? You two have zero connection. Over all these years, you’ve only met a few days ago for that show. How did you become girlfriends already—or exes?”

Song Wenwei nodded, answering irrelevantly: “Not ex-girlfriend. Current girlfriend. We never broke up.”

She just remembered that Ran Li didn’t know about this yet.

No wonder Ran Li assumed it was an ex. Ran Li knew everyone around Song Wenwei over the years. For her to say this out of the blue, it had to be an ex.

Ran Li fell silent. She closed her eyes. Things were even more outrageous than she’d imagined.

“When did this happen?” Ran Li sighed heavily. “I’ve been managing you for two years, and I’ve never seen this Lu Nan. She blew up last year. When did you two even meet…?”

“Don’t tell me it’s from the last couple days. Or some hospital patient romance? You didn’t just have a one-night stand with her, did you?”

“Of course not.” Song Wenwei unusually lowered her gaze. Even when she’d done something wrong in the past, she never acted like this. She always held her head high, handling even tough reporter questions with poise.

“I’ve known Lu Nan for eight years. Six years ago, we started dating.” She paused, then said, “She’s my first love.”

“So what?” Ran Li frowned. “You two have some first-love obsession and had to get back together?”

“It’s not a first-love thing. We never broke up in the first place.”

“I’m not following.” Ran Li furrowed her brows tighter. The answer was on the tip of her tongue. She asked, “Don’t tell me you’re some online romance, didn’t know each other’s identities, and just reunited yesterday?”

“That does sound pretty absurd…”

It was the only way to explain why two people in the same industry had barely met. Ran Li’s head felt like it was going to explode. She couldn’t think straight anymore.

“What are you talking about? We got together on National Day six years ago. On our first date, I got hit by a car and ended up in the hospital. I recuperated for years before coming out. You know the rest.”

“Sounds made up.” Ran Li’s mouth moved faster than her brain. She pressed, “The odds are too low. You… she… Who are you fooling? Six years ago, you were still bedridden.”

After saying that, she suddenly recalled it had been National Day six years ago when Song Wenwei was hospitalized. Everything clicked…

Her words trailed off as she pondered the truth of Song Wenwei’s claim. Lu Nan’s pursuit on the variety show, the alt account comments, following Song Wenwei around—it didn’t seem fake. Anyone with eyes could see it, and the internet was buzzing.

Regardless, the assistant had been right: if Lu Nan hadn’t followed her, Song Wenwei might have died in that lake.

Figuring Lu Nan wasn’t some psycho, Ran Li breathed a sigh of relief. As for girlfriend or ex-girlfriend, whatever.

“We can go public, right?” Song Wenwei said it like a question, but with total certainty. To make sure Ran Li got it, she added, “Lu Nan and I—we can go public, right?”

Ran Li nodded. “Of course. Go public if you want. No one’s tying you down.”

Going solo to form her own studio was exactly to avoid those constraints. Song Wenwei was an actress; as long as her skills held up and she stayed out of trouble, dating was her freedom. Going public or not was too.

“Lu Nan’s company might not agree.” From what Ran Li knew, Lu Nan had signed some deal with her company—earn X billion in four years. Exact amount unknown, but her agent probably wouldn’t approve.

“Have you thought about the past six years? You can’t go back to how it was.” Ran Li sighed quietly. “Everyone has their own lives now. In these six years, how many people has Lu Nan met?”

“Is she really still in love with you, or has that love turned into some obsession in her mind?”

It was like a thunderclap by Song Wenwei’s ear. She reflexively retorted, “No way.”

“She looked for me for six years. She never gave up on me in all that time.” Song Wenwei said, “She came to the hospital to see me.”

“Yesterday, I asked if she’d been doing okay, and she said not at all. Do you know how much that hurt to hear?”

“I really regret taking that road that day. If I were fine, she and I wouldn’t have wasted six years like this. My dad wouldn’t have lived these four years in hell either.”

Ran Li pressed her lips together. “It’s not your fault. Blame the drunk driver. I’m not trying to split you up or stir trouble. Just be clear on what you want. Look at her clearly.”

She knew Song Wenwei was always pure about relationships. Like when Ran Li had suggested faking a CP before—she’d refused, calling it hypocritical.

If this relationship had changed, twisted into an obsession, Song Wenwei would suffer when it blew up.

So no matter what, Ran Li had to say it. A warning shot.