Chapter 15
The sound of the broadcast calling out numbers echoed around, and the spacious lobby was brightly lit.
Xu Qingtang quietly waited for Gu Yizhi to say, “I’m kidding,” but Gu Yizhi just looked at her with those gentle eyes, her fingers nonchalantly tugging at the cuff of her thin jacket. It was impossible to tell if she was joking or serious.
“Me? Kiss you?”
“Kiss me.”
Xu Qingtang was silent for two seconds. She leaned back in her chair and found the answer for Gu Yizhi herself. “Are you curious about what it’s like to kiss someone of the same sex?”
Ever since she had become clear about her sexual orientation, she had occasionally met a few frank straight girls who claimed she was good-looking and wanted to give it a try with her.
Of course, Xu Qingtang had told them all to get lost.
Gu Yizhi crossed her long legs, flicked her slightly curly long hair, her expression very calm. “If you say so.”
Xu Qingtang was very direct. “Let’s just have dinner.”
Then, she didn’t forget to maintain her straight-girl persona. “I can’t accept kissing a woman. It makes me feel uncomfortable all over.”
Gu Yizhi smiled and asked in return, “Is that so?”
Xu Qingtang was suddenly reminded of that night. Her ears grew slightly warm, but her expression remained composed. “Of course, I’m not interested in women.”
In the end, Gu Yizhi didn’t mention dinner after they left the hospital. After returning home, Xu Qingtang lay on the sofa for half an hour, took two days off from the theater, and contacted a moving company, planning to move out today or tomorrow. Then she talked to her landlord about terminating the lease. The landlord was very easygoing and returned her deposit in full.
Before the moving company arrived, Xu Qingtang went to Fengju again, first changing the lock, then carefully checking the room for any hidden cameras. After making sure everything was in order, she returned to her rental apartment.
Moving was not an easy task. Even though she didn’t have to do everything herself, Xu Qingtang’s two-day vacation was not spent lazing around at home like a salted fish.
On Wednesday, Xu Qingtang’s foot injury began to slowly heal, and she could walk normally without any problems. Teacher Qi’s condition at the hospital was good, and as long as there were no accidents, she could be discharged in a few days.
At noon, she went to the hospital as usual.
Just as she reached the ward door, she heard an angry roar. “What’s going on? What’s going on between you and him! Ah! Do you think I’m blind!”
Xu Qingtang could vaguely recognize the voice of the old lady in the next bed. Then, her son’s voice sounded, “Mom, don’t get angry first, listen to me. It’s not what you think between him and me. We’re just brothers. Sit down first…”
Slap.
The sound of something being smashed on the ground.
Xu Qingtang wasn’t a nosy person, but she was worried about Teacher Qi, so she had to brace herself and walk in. The old lady’s gaze immediately fixed on her, her cloudy eyes glowing with a strange light due to her rage. As if she had thought of something, she pointed at her son’s nose and cursed, “No wonder you don’t like any girl. It turns out, it turns out!” As she spoke, she got up to beat her son’s shoulder.
“…”
Xu Qingtang looked around the ward but couldn’t find Teacher Qi. She could only pretend she hadn’t seen anything and walk out, taking out her phone to call Teacher Qi. She learned that she and Auntie Zhou were on the lawn downstairs.
Not long after, the old lady’s commotion finally alerted the nurses, who all came to persuade her. This one-sided “beating” finally came to an end.
Xu Qingtang stayed with Teacher Qi at the hospital until the afternoon. Auntie Zhou was holding a book and asking Teacher Qi for advice. Teacher Qi was half-lying on the hospital bed, pushed up her glasses, and explained to her in a gentle tone. The sunlight streamed in from the window. Xu Qingtang watched from the side, feeling a sense of peaceful years.
Of course, she had to ignore the old lady’s complaints on the side.
Xu Qingtang herself was a lesbian, so she had nothing to say about it. Teacher Qi, on the other hand, asked casually, “Has your troupe leader been introducing you to anyone recently? Your troupe leader is also looking out for you. If it’s suitable, you can go and meet them.” After speaking, she coughed for a while.
Xu Qingtang patted her back and naturally changed the subject. “Why have you been coughing so much lately? Let’s do another check-up when you’re discharged on Friday.”
Teacher Qi took a sip of water and recovered a little. “It’s always like this when the seasons change. It’s not a big problem.”
Xu Qingtang nodded. “It’s better to be careful.”
*
Fenghé held a symbolic shareholder meeting every month, and this month was no exception. Xu Qingtang rarely participated, only vaguely hearing that there was a conflict between Youling and Lin Huaijia at this meeting, with disagreements.
The next day, after rehearsing “Boating on the Lake” from The Legend of the White Snake with her senior apprentice-sister in the afternoon, Xu Qingtang saw Youling’s car at the theater entrance. She waved from the window, smiling gently. “Qingtang, interested in a private driver?”
Xu Qingtang sat down in the passenger seat and joked, “I don’t actually earn much.”
Youling understood. “I also do volunteer work occasionally.”
On the way back, Xu Qingtang learned about the conflict between the two of them. Lin Huaijia wanted to transition into the film and entertainment industry. Youling felt that given Fenghé’s current situation, the investment cost and risk were too high, and Fenghé didn’t have the ability to withstand such risks. The vote at the meeting was a tie, and both sides still held their own ideas, refusing to back down.
Youling stopped at a crossroads, turned her head, and asked, “Qingtang, what do you think?”
Xu Qingtang didn’t answer directly but asked instead, “Why did she suddenly have this idea?”
Not long ago, when their relationship was still stable, Lin Huaijia had always wanted to make it big in the magazine industry.
At the mention of this, Youling sneered. “Lin Fengyi is planning to open a live-streaming company recently. Heh, it’s not the first time she’s tried to show off.”
Lin Fengyi’s family was in the jewelry design business. She was rich and beautiful, a true princess. She was also the stepsister Lin Huaijia had mentioned before. But Lin Huaijia’s mother was someone who couldn’t be seen in the light. In order to gain her father’s approval, she had been trying her best to follow in Lin Fengyi’s footsteps, vowing to surpass her.
Xu Qingtang had only recently learned about this old story. If it were her, would she still seek that old man’s approval? Heh, it would already be a sign of her good temper not to have slapped that immoral and bottomless creature into oblivion.
After speaking, Youling sneered again. “She has a father to back her up, but we have nothing. She doesn’t care if Fenghé lives or dies, but I do.”
Xu Qingtang quietly acted as an audience on the side.
She believed that Youling was probably not just here to vent her emotions.
But Youling just dropped her off at her doorstep, surprised at her change of address, and finally said apologetically, “Sorry, Qingtang, for making you listen to my complaints all the way.”
Xu Qingtang shook her head to show she didn’t mind.
Youling’s topic changed again, and she said with a smile, “Business is business, but we’re still friends. I’ll have a good talk with her. Qingtang, I remember your lease isn’t up yet. Why the sudden move?”
Xu Qingtang had always been one to care about her face, so she just said vaguely, “I wanted a change of scenery.”
Youling nodded thoughtfully, her gaze falling on the pearl-white qipao Xu Qingtang was wearing. A few fine strands of hair were caught on the frog button, making one want to gently brush them away for her, but in the end, she held back and just smiled. “A change of scenery is good too. I’ll be going now.”
Thursday.
Xu Qingtang left the theater in the evening and went to the hospital. When she heard a soft female voice coming from the ward, she frowned subconsciously. She strode in and, sure enough, saw that it wasn’t just Teacher Qi and Auntie Zhou inside.
“Xiao Zhi…”
Lin Huaijia looked at Xu Qingtang with a gentle expression.
Xu Qingtang ignored her, just placed the few boxes of pastries she had brought on the bedside table, said a few words to Teacher Qi, and then looked at Auntie Zhou. “You and Teacher Qi should try them first.”
Teacher Qi asked, “Have you eaten?”
Xu Qingtang said calmly, “We have something to talk about.”
Teacher Qi nodded. “Go on.”
Xu Qingtang’s gaze swept over Lin Huaijia, then she turned and walked out of the ward. Lin Huaijia immediately got up and walked side by side with her. “I just found out that Auntie has been hospitalized recently, so I thought I’d come and visit. Qingtang, why didn’t you tell me about such a big thing?”
They had known each other for a long time, and Lin Huaijia would occasionally show her face in front of Teacher Qi. But Xu Qingtang didn’t expect that she would still have the nerve to come here after they had broken up.
Xu Qingtang’s voice was like the cold frost of the night, devoid of any emotion. “I don’t have an obligation to tell my ex, do I?”
Lin Huaijia’s expression changed for a moment, but she still maintained a warm demeanor. “Alright, whatever you say. I sincerely want to make up with you, Xiao Zhi. I don’t want to give up on this relationship so easily.”
As they spoke, they had already reached the ground floor. Xu Qingtang sneered. “Don’t bother Teacher Qi again. I don’t think you want your family to know either.”
Lin Huaijia seemed to be covered in a layer of dust, her eyes lifeless. She sighed. “Xiao Zhi, I was wrong about what happened last time, but I couldn’t control my feelings. We’ve known each other for so long, been together for so long, and I’ve never done anything disrespectful to you. Doesn’t that prove anything?”
“We’ve finally come this far, and we’ve been through storms together. Are you just going to give up so easily and leave me?”
“Xiao Zhi, I never say these sentimental things, but I really don’t want to lose you.”
Xu Qingtang got goosebumps from this speech.
She said with disgust, “Do you think you can hide your dirty little secrets from anyone? If you have any shame left, you’d better get lost.”
Lin Huaijia’s face turned pale. Her eyes searched Xu Qingtang’s face. Remembering her strange attitude recently, she was stunned. “You know everything…”
“Yes,” Xu Qingtang said coldly. “So get lost and stop disgusting me.”
Besides her two friends, Xu Qingtang had never revealed to a third person the absurd and ridiculous fact that she was a substitute. Even when facing Lin Huaijia, she rarely mentioned it directly.
There was a bit of her worthless pride at play in this.
“Let me explain, Qingtang…” Lin Huaijia was clearly flustered. “She seduced me first, she…”
Xu Qingtang frowned slightly.
What kind of dog-shit is this thing spouting?
“Xiao Zhi, I was drunk at that time. I mistook her for you. I really didn’t know anything,” Lin Huaijia took a deep breath. “She actually mistook me for someone else too. After that night, I’ve been in agony every time I see you. You were busy with performances out of town at that time, and I was afraid of distracting you, so I didn’t dare to confess.”
“Xiao Zhi, everyone makes mistakes. I’m not a saint. I didn’t do it willingly. I couldn’t control what happened after I got drunk. I’m a victim too.”
Even cheating can be said in such a righteous way!
Xu Qingtang sneered repeatedly. “Your brain has grown into your fingers and can think independently about whether to sleep with someone else, is that it?”
She was about to vomit.
Xu Qingtang suppressed the urge to slap Lin Huaijia across the face. There were people around, and she didn’t want to cause a scene in front of Teacher Qi.
“Xiao Zhi, I’ve been in agony during this time too. I never thought of hiding it from you. Can you forgive me?”
