Chapter 73: Collapse
After sending Jiang Hu off, Jiang Mi went back to her room, took a shower, and curled up on the bed wrapped in a towel. Her mind was stuffy. Thinking about what had happened tonight, and Yan Wei, she felt a little listless.
She pursed her lips, then paused again. For a moment, she suddenly thought of the moment Yan Wei had kissed her. It wasn’t that dry touch, but it was a little wet. The look in her eyes in the restroom was like a starving deer—she knew that was all on the surface.
But the frequency of her heartbeat was another matter.
She couldn’t help but have her heart race for Yan Wei’s heat and wetness, and she felt a sense of pleasure and some palpitation.
Jiang Mi’s heart was in a mess.
Her phone suddenly vibrated at this moment, distracting her a little.
She opened WeChat and saw the greeting emoji sent by Jiang Yuying. The gloom lifted, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips. She replied with a: [Hi.jpg]
[What are you doing?]
[Lying down. You?]
apple sent a picture of her soaking her feet in a foot bath shop: [Just came out to relax. When you’re free, you find that there are so many things you can do.]
Jiang Mi turned over. She was really happy that apple could get out of that suffocating relationship: [That’s great. We must have a good get-together after I wrap up. Are you alone? It’s getting late. Be careful when you go back.]
apple: [I know.]
apple: [I saw online that it’s Director Zhao’s birthday today. Did everyone from your crew go to the birthday party?]
apple sent another message: [They also said that Yan Wei went.]
Jiang Mi paused when she saw those two words: [Yeah, I had a little bit to drink. I almost passed out.]
Her chest felt stuffy, and there was still a hint of the heat of her heat in her body. The heat that had been completely suppressed by the suppressor seemed to be always on the edge of something. Once she focused on it, the physiological desire brought by her heat was like an unstoppable spring.
Not to mention that in this process, the two words “Yan Wei” appeared in her mind.
Jiang Mi had already tried her best to take all her attention away from her body.
She glanced at the suppressor on the table. For some reason, even though she had already taken one today, she still felt a little uncomfortable. Thinking about it carefully, it had been like this the last two times, and each time was harder to endure than the last.
Jiang Mi was thinking that she would have to take another shot before going to bed, and she also had to take a dose of cold medicine. She had already foreseen how sad she would be when the alarm went off tomorrow morning.
She sighed and opened the voice message from apple: “If you can’t drink, then don’t drink next time. Just tell the director. They’ll understand. You can’t ruin your health.”
Jiang Mi hurriedly said yes, yes, yes. In fact, that sip of wine today, was it really just for the director’s face? It didn’t seem so… although Zhao Xi was serious, she was not the kind of director who would make things difficult for her actors.
She was just trying to provoke Yan Wei.
Jiang Mi added an extra explanation, saying that it had nothing to do with the director.
But for some reason, the topic returned to Yan Wei.
“The lawsuit in her family a while ago was quite a big deal, right? I wanted to ask her about her recent situation, but I was afraid of being too presumptuous… when you saw her, was she in a good state?”
Jiang Yuying’s voice came softly from the receiver, and it was particularly clear in the quiet room.
During that time, Jiang Mi rarely went online, and her source of information was mostly from Zhao Jia’s occasional mentions. By the time she learned about this matter, the storm had already passed for several days, and the hot search had long since been completely cleared. She had later specifically looked up the relevant reports and found that it was Mo Yun who had taken the initiative to leak the news to an entertainment media outlet.
The report said that Yan Wei had refused to fulfill her filial duties and had ignored her mother and her sister, who was still in school.
After that, Mo Yun had directly sued Yan Wei.
Although after the matter was exposed, most of the fans in the comment section still firmly stood by Yan Wei, and public opinion did not ferment excessively. Plus, the hot search was quickly taken down, and there were no more related news after that. Jiang Mi slowly relaxed and did not continue to pay attention.
It was just that for a few days later, she always had the same dream repeatedly.
She pushed open the door, and Yan Wei was holding a knife, and opposite her was Mo Yun.
She wanted to dissuade her, but she found that Yan Wei was covered in holes and blood. In the blink of an eye, Mo Yun and Mo Xi were standing opposite her. They threw the bloody knives in their hands to the ground and ran towards her, crying.
“Yan Wei is a lunatic. It’s all her fault!”
“It was Yan Wei who wanted to kill me!”
“Sister, sister is crazy!”
She looked at Yan Wei through the two of them. That face had not changed from beginning to end. It was still so cold, without any emotion. She looked at her as if she were used to it.
“Jiang Mi,” Yan Wei called her name.
“Are you going to run?” Yan Wei asked her.
Every time she woke up, she would forget the answer.
No matter how she thought back, she couldn’t remember.
“Mimi, are you asleep? Why aren’t you talking?”
After listening to the WeChat message, Jiang Mi suddenly smiled. Yan Wei always felt that everyone was not sincere to her, but in fact, it was she who had never seriously looked at the people around her.
She replied, “She looks alright.”
Recalling Yan Wei’s appearance, she indeed couldn’t see any state of being troubled by Mo Yun’s matter. Perhaps Yan Wei was already used to it. Jiang Mi was silent for a moment, then got up and opened the window. The cool wind blew in, dispelling some of her agitation and gloom.
“Jiang Hu is with me recently,” Jiang Mi changed the subject.
“How did she get there?”
“To monitor me.” Jiang Mi blinked from the wind. “I was a little tired a while ago and lost a few pounds. I guess my mom was worried and sent her to watch me for a few days.”
“In Yudu? Sigh, why don’t I come and find you guys? We can have a get-together.”
Hearing this, Jiang Mi’s spirits lifted a little.
“Okay, you can come over in advance. I’ll have Jiang Hu pick you up. I’ve been so annoyed by her these past two days. She meddles in everything, even more than my mom.”
“Others would be envious. As long as Jiang Hu is around, I’ve never seen you get bullied.”
**
The two’s idle chat continued intermittently for an hour. Later, the effect of Jiang Mi’s medicine kicked in, and after replying to a message, she went silent.
Jiang Yuying sat up from the bed in the foot massage shop and looked at the thousands of lights of Huai City. She had never been lying when she said she was envious. Although her mother also loved her very much, a remarried family was always different.
The day she had suddenly returned home, she had pushed open the door of her own room. Everything around her had not changed, and even the arrangement of things was still in its original place, but there was always something different.
Especially once you entered a space of three people, the atmosphere would become silent. She was a person of few words to begin with, and whenever that happened, she would think of Jiang Mi—if it were Jiang Mi, it would definitely not have turned out like this.
She knew that this required a process.
They needed to adapt to her, and she also needed to re-adapt to this family.
So she was very envious of Jiang Mi, envious of her personality, so everyone would naturally like Jiang Mi.
Thinking of this, apple shook her head and then raised her hand to pat it.
It’s starting again.
You’re sick because you think too much.
Jiang Yuying, your world is also very good. Everyone has a different personality and will receive different kinds of love. The people around you also love you very much!
Jiang Yuying took a breath and fiercely shook off the negative emotions.
After leaving the foot bath room, Jiang Yuying put on a mask and opened a ride-hailing app. Suddenly, she heard someone talking behind her, “President Tan, come and find me again next time.”
“I can also come and find you. I’ll miss you.”
“I’m leaving.”
Jiang Yuying heard that voice, which was a little familiar. Her brow twitched, and she couldn’t help but turn her head. The next second, she met the woman’s gaze. She was taken aback, took a light breath, and for some reason, immediately turned her head back.
She then quickened her pace of leaving.
Until she walked out of the foot bath shop, she was frantically tapping her phone screen. Usually, someone would accept her order very quickly at this time. She didn’t know what was wrong today.
“Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Yuying bit her lip, took a deep breath, and turned back, giving Tan Zhaoxin a hesitant smile. “Tan, President Tan, what a coincidence.”
Tan Zhaoxin’s head office was in Jincheng. She couldn’t have predicted that she would run into Tan Zhaoxin at a foot massage shop.
Tan Zhaoxin approached and scanned her. “Why are you running?”
Actually, she didn’t seem to have to say too much to Jiang Yuying, but seeing her leave as if she had seen a ghost, she felt inexplicably unhappy. After all, she had helped Jiang Yuying a lot. And this?
Not even a greeting, what did it mean to just run away?
Yeah, why was she running?
Just now, when she had heard those two sentences, she didn’t know what was wrong with her. Afraid of hearing something else, she had subconsciously avoided it.
But how could she say that?
Jiang Yuying pursed her lips. “I just didn’t recognize you. I’m sorry, President Tan.”
This person really can’t lie.
Tan Zhaoxin’s lips twitched. She took two steps closer, her voice straightening. “You didn’t recognize me, or you were too embarrassed to recognize me?”
“…I didn’t.”
Jiang Yuying didn’t dare to speak, and was even a little guilty.
After thinking for a long time, Jiang Yuying could only lower her head and say, “President Tan, I’m sorry.”
Seeing this, Tan Zhaoxin paused and withdrew her sternness. How could she be so timid? She hadn’t said anything. Why did it seem like she was bullying her?
Tan Zhaoxin changed the subject. “Just kidding. Do you come here often?”
Jiang Yuying was relieved and shook her head. “Occasionally. Is President Tan here on a business trip?”
But in her heart, she was thinking, Tan Zhaoxin has helped her so much. It was rude of her to act like that just now. As a local of Huai City, shouldn’t she show some appreciation? Treat her to a meal or something…
But Tan Zhaoxin didn’t know that the other party was thinking so much. She said, “Where are you going? If it’s on the way, I can give you a ride.”
Jiang Yuying subconsciously refused, “No need, I’ll just take a taxi…”
She realized that the latter part of her sentence was not polite and added, “My home is very close.”
Hearing this, Tan Zhaoxin nodded in understanding. “Alright, then I’ll be going.”
She could see that the other party was quite resistant to talking to her, but she was used to it. She nodded in acknowledgment and turned to walk towards the car that was already waiting on the roadside.
A gentle breeze blew past.
Jiang Yuying looked at Tan Zhaoxin’s back, pursed her lips, and for some reason, she suddenly called out, “President Tan.”
Tan Zhaoxin’s back paused. She turned back in confusion, her long hair blowing. She was standing on the roadside and heard Jiang Yuying say, “If it’s convenient, can I treat you to a meal?”
She was afraid that Tan Zhaoxin would think she was being presumptuous or trying to build a connection, so she added, “I haven’t had a chance to thank you properly for your help last time. There’s a local restaurant in Huai City nearby. If you have time…”
It also took some courage for Jiang Yuying to say this.
After that incident, although she had come out of it, her personality had become more cautious than before. She was worried that Tan Zhaoxin would think she was trying to build a connection, but she also sincerely wanted to thank her and felt that she should do so.
Tan Zhaoxin: “Now?”
Jiang Yuying asked, “Do you have time tomorrow?”
It was so late. Of course, it wasn’t now.
Tan Zhaoxin lowered her head and looked at her phone. Jiang Yuying thought the other party was in a difficult position and was about to speak, but she heard Tan Zhaoxin say, “Let’s do it now.”
“Huh?”
“I haven’t had dinner yet. Miss Jiang, is it convenient for you?”
Jiang Yuying nodded dumbly. “It is.”
Many years later, when Jiang Yuying was looking at the wedding photo of the two of them on the wall, she would still remember that on an autumn night, because of one act of courage, she had met the second light in this world.
She had learned from Jiang Mi that one should live for oneself.
And she had learned from Tan Zhaoxin that she was worthy of being loved and did not need to envy anyone.
Jiang Mi, who was filming far away in Yudu, did not sleep well that night. When she woke up the next day, her whole person was drowsy. Perhaps it was because of her illness, and also because she had been too tired recently. The state of her heat this time could be described as extremely poor.
Her throat was dry and hoarse, and she had no strength in her body. Jiang Hu was not at ease and also went to the set.
Her state was not good, and filming was not so smooth. The number of NGs was more than usual. Fortunately, Director Zhao did not say much and instead gave her a day of sick leave.
Jiang Mi slept in the hotel for a whole day.
She dreamed of Yan Wei again, of Mo Yun and Mo Xi. Once or twice, she was even woken up by the scene of Yan Xiaotan’s death. She was subconsciously worried about Yan Wei, and whenever she woke up, she would glance at her phone and scroll to that strange but similar phone number.
She saw a new message from Yan Wei.
Are you sleeping?
What did you eat?
Are you still uncomfortable?
Scrolling up, the messages had not stopped since Yan Wei had called that night, but they were almost all from Yan Wei, as if their roles had been reversed.
The roles seemed to have been switched in an instant. Now, it was Yan Wei who was playing the role of the Jiang Mi who had actively approached her before.
But she had to admit that every time she was disturbed by a nightmare in the middle of the night and saw the real, flashing greetings from Yan Wei on the screen, her heart would inexplicably settle down a little.
This drowsy and uncomfortable state lasted for a full five days. And on the third day, Yan Wei’s messages suddenly stopped.
In the early morning, the alarm rang sharply.
Jiang Mi was almost startled awake. Her heart was beating heavily and chaotically, and her right eyelid was also twitching non-stop. She sat up, her forehead covered in a cold sweat. When she reached out to turn off the alarm, she vaguely saw that the screen was filled with missed calls and text messages.
She composed herself, unlocked the screen, and a message instantly seized her breath—Yan Wei’s image had collapsed.
Jiang Mi’s temple suddenly throbbed, a dull ache.
She opened the messages and read them one by one.
[You’ve filmed with Yan Wei. Is she really this kind of person?]
[Oh my god, I feel so sorry for you. You’ve filmed with that kind of person.]
[What a vicious woman. You should block Yan Wei quickly. Don’t get involved.]
[Mimi, don’t look at anyone’s messages.]
She didn’t have time to look at the messages on Weibo.
Jiang Mi opened Zhao Jia’s WeChat.
She didn’t realize that her fingertips were trembling slightly. She felt that typing was too slow, so she exited the chat box and directly dialed the number.
Jiang Mi had already gotten up from the bed. Her body was still heavy, but her mind was like a suddenly taut string. She asked Zhao Jia in a hoarse voice, “What happened?”
Zhao Jia first comforted her, “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you slowly.”
“Go ahead.”
“Mo Yun found a big V reporter and exposed Yan Wei for abusing her. She even took a video, and there are injuries on her hands and body. I heard that the government has also gotten involved. Now it’s all over the internet. It’s been on the hot search all night, and several platforms have crashed. In the morning, several of Yan Wei’s big fans unfollowed and turned on her. Mo Xi also accepted an interview, and her words were ambiguous, more like adding fuel to the fire… in short, Mimi, Yan Wei is in big trouble this time.” Zhao Jia tried to tell her about the storm that had happened overnight as concisely as possible.
After listening, Jiang Mi’s throat moved, but she didn’t speak immediately.
After a few seconds, she finally asked, “Did the company not react? What about Tan Zhaoxin’s side?”
“How could they not suppress it? They can’t. This matter has blown up too much.” Zhao Jia sighed. “And the government has already gotten involved, so there’s not much room to operate. Mimi, I won’t make the decision for you on this, but someone might ask you to take a stand soon. You have to be prepared.”
“I see.”
Jiang Mi slowly sat down. She needed to calm her chaotic mind.
Zhao Jia was silent for a moment, then asked softly:
“Mimi, do you believe it?”
Jiang Mi asked in a low voice, “Do you believe me?”
Zhao Jia didn’t hesitate. “Of course I believe you.”
“She wouldn’t do that.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Zhao Jia’s tone was heavy. “But this time, Teacher Yan is probably going to ‘bleed a lot.’ Her fans are constantly leaving, and the scolding online has not stopped…”
This was an understatement.
A hot search that even Tan Zhaoxin couldn’t suppress, the storm behind it would only be more turbulent than what was on the surface.
Jiang Mi didn’t speak. Actually, without Zhao Jia saying it, she could probably guess what a bloodbath it was online. She had seen it a lot in this industry. When they liked you, you were so good. The moment they turned on you, they would be so ruthless.
After hanging up the phone.
Jiang Mi sat in her chair for a few minutes before she swiped her phone open and opened that strange number.
[You…]
She had typed halfway, but Jiang Mi deleted it all.
She went back and looked at Weibo.
On the Weibo homepage, there were four or five glaring “Explosion” words.
#YanWei’sImageCollapses#
#YanWeiAbusesBiologicalMother#
#YanWeiHasMentalIllness#
#MassUnfollowing#
Every hashtag pierced her eyes. She took a breath and clicked on one of them. The first thing she saw was Mo Yun’s interview video. If she hadn’t seen with her own eyes how Mo Yun had treated Yan Wei before, she would have almost believed the woman who was crying and complaining in the video.
Jiang Mi’s back was cold.
She opened the comments below.
‘I watched her rise, I watched her fall. I knew there was a problem long ago.’
‘Are you worthy of your fans?’
‘Go to hell, you psycho!!!’
‘Do you even deserve a mom? If you’re sick, go to the hospital. What are you pretending for in the entertainment industry?’
‘Finally collapsed. The feeling of a person I hate finally getting their comeuppance!’
Jiang Mi finished reading with her arms wrapped around herself.
She was covered in a cold sweat. She raised her hand and touched her eyes, only to realize that she was crying.
Zhao Jia hadn’t hung up the phone. She reminded Jiang Mi on the phone, “I know you must be very worried about Teacher Yan, but now is not the time to meet. It’s not good for her or for you.”
“I know.”
She hadn’t thought of meeting now. At a time like this, a single careless move would bring more trouble to Yan Wei.
“You still have to go to the set. Mimi, you have to take care of yourself first.”
Jiang Mi said she knew.
Half an hour later, Jiang Mi got into the nanny van and headed to the set. The weather at the end of September was stable, and the cool wind from the slightly open window hit Jiang Mi’s face.
She leaned against the window, looking at the flowing street scene outside, from the scattered low-rise buildings to the dense high-rises.
In the distance, an LED advertising screen was changing its image.
At this time, workers were dismantling the huge jewelry advertisement. Yan Wei’s exquisite and flawless face was already covered by a half-folded banner.
The wind “whooshed” by.
The entire advertisement fell completely.
That face could no longer be seen.
