Chapter 172: No Going Back
Nangong Ying, focused on her upcoming exams, had stopped taking on acting roles or endorsements, her Weibo account dormant. Even her occasional appearances at the studio were brief. In April, she received her results for the university entrance exams, having passed the performance test for the Beijing Film Academy. With a good score on the gaokao, she would be attending her dream university in the fall.
Her fans, eager for her next project, flooded her Weibo with questions about her new movie, to which she simply replied that she was currently unavailable for new roles, though her film with Chenghe, filmed earlier, was scheduled for release in June, during the summer blockbuster season.
Having signed a multi-film contract with Chenghe, she couldn’t leave anytime soon. Back then, unknown and desperate for an opportunity, she had reluctantly signed their contract. Now, with her newfound fame, Chenghe treated her with respect.
She planned to leave as soon as her contract was fulfilled, unwilling to stay with a company notorious for its mistreatment of newcomers, a reality she and Yu Linna had both experienced. She had no fondness for Chenghe.
“Xiaoying, you have a package.”
While studying at home, Nangong Ying received a package from Beijing, the sender anonymous, addressed only to her. Curious, she took it to her room and opened it, revealing a collection of imported snacks, heating pads, hand cream, body lotion, coffee packets, and a small note.
“Xiaoying, the exams are coming up. Take care of yourself. I heard you passed the Beijing Film Academy exam. Congratulations! I hope you’ll become my junior. Good luck!”
The note was clearly from Li Yuexin.
Such a thoughtful gesture from her senior warmed Nangong Ying’s heart.
But her expression quickly turned somber. She wondered how Yu Linna was doing, if she was studying hard, if she was healthy. It had been so long since she last saw her.
She missed her.
She shook her head, dispelling the thought. She had pushed Yu Linna away; it was too late for regrets.
“Xiaoying, come and have some soup! It’s very nourishing! You need your energy for your studies.”
“Coming, Mom. It smells delicious!”
“Xiaoying, you haven’t been spending time with little Nana lately. I haven’t seen you two go out together. What happened? Did you have a fight?”
“…Yes, we had a fight.”
“That’s not good. You should make up with her.”
“It’s no use.”
“Why not?”
“Because I lost her.”
Nangong Ying had once considered Yu Linna her best friend, the closest friend she had ever had.
Until she lost her, realizing their connection was far deeper than friendship.
She had thrown away a precious treasure, a realization that came only after achieving her own success, a cruel irony.
Having abandoned Yu Linna when she was unknown, now, famous, she longed for her, but it was too late.
Nangong Ying returned to her studies, immersing herself in her textbooks and practice exams, a temporary escape from her guilt and regret. Li Yuexin and her bandmates, wanting to support her, sent her a video message from Beijing, wishing her luck on her exams, a gesture that touched her deeply.
Yu Linna, also studying for the gaokao, had no family to send her well wishes. But Zhao Yuyan, her senior, had procured expensive ingredients, including abalone, from Luo Nan, and Yu Linna, grateful for her support, prepared a feast for her.
Zhao Yuyan enjoyed the meal, showering Yu Linna with blessings and red envelopes via WeChat, wishing her luck on her exams.
Yu Linna, though amused by her enthusiasm, the exams still months away, gratefully accepted the red envelopes.
The day of the hundred-day pledge arrived, the senior students of First Municipal High School gathered at the flagpole, preparing for the ceremony. One representative from the liberal arts program and one from the science program would give speeches.
Yu Linna, despite her frequent absences, was the top student in the liberal arts program and their chosen representative, much to the frustration of the science program representative.
The science representative, Gao Yinglun, a bespectacled boy of average height and appearance, was a true academic prodigy. Before the classes were separated in their second year, he had always been second to Yu Linna, no matter how hard he tried. She was simply too good, excelling in every subject, her grades consistently high, despite her part-time jobs, which left her with less time to study.
Having moved constantly throughout her childhood, with no stable home and few friends, Yu Linna had found solace in her studies, developing efficient study habits, not requiring endless hours of cramming, simply utilizing her time effectively, focusing on her weaknesses, achieving high scores effortlessly.
This approach had carried her through high school.
After the classes were separated in their second year, Gao Yinglun finally had his chance to shine, becoming the top student in the science program, while Yu Linna reigned supreme in the liberal arts program.
Except for two instances of underperformance in her senior year, her position at the top had been unchallenged.
After all, she had been recruited from the Experimental High School by the principal himself, her tuition fees waived; she had to live up to the expectations.
Gao Yinglun’s speech was conventional, met with polite applause. Yu Linna’s speech, however, though read from a prepared script, her voice devoid of emotion, captivated the audience, her beauty and pleasant voice drawing their attention.
Yu Linna rarely spoke in public, avoiding even school performances, appearing on stage only to receive awards or as a representative of the liberal arts program. Simply hearing her speak was a treat; she was so adorable, her voice so soothing, easily comparable to a celebrity. Listening to her was far more enjoyable than listening to the science representative.
Nangong Ying, standing among the crowd, watched Yu Linna on stage, her expression calm, but her heart…
Yu Linna hadn’t changed much physically, but her demeanor was different, her gaze more resolute, her voice more confident, her movements less hesitant, her stage presence more assured.
Six months ago, at the singing competition, she had been a bundle of nerves. Now, she was poised and confident.
She had shed her naiveté, replaced by a quiet strength.
Nangong Ying knew she had found her path, no longer needing Nangong Ying’s guidance, forging her own way.
Unable to succeed in the entertainment industry, she had found another path, a path where she could shine.
“Now, for the hundred-day pledge.”
Yu Linna and Gao Yinglun, holding their scripts, raised their right fists and began reading, the students below echoing their words, their voices united in a solemn vow.
After the pledge, applause erupted. They bowed and left the stage, the principal then giving a motivational speech.
Nangong Ying, watching Yu Linna’s retreating figure, her heart ached. She wanted to keep looking at her, to hold onto that image.
She remembered their adventures together, exploring every corner of Guangnan City, their close friendship, sharing everything, their laughter echoing through the school hallways.
Now… they would never walk those halls together again.
The ceremony ended, the students returning to their classrooms, the excitement fading. Yu Linna, wanting to avoid attention, eager to escape the inevitable requests for her WeChat contact information from her classmates, bumped into someone.
“Sorry, I wasn’t looking… Nangong…”
Looking up to apologize, she saw a familiar face, the name escaping her lips before she could stop herself.
She instinctively stepped back, but Nangong Ying, anticipating her reaction, stepped forward.
“How… have you been?” she asked hesitantly.
The crowd dispersed, the space around them clearing, but they remained frozen in place.
“Does it matter to you… how I’m doing?” Yu Linna’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion.
She no longer cared about Nangong Ying, her past naiveté and trust replaced by a quiet indifference, neither anger nor resentment, just… emptiness.
“Linna…”
“Don’t call me that. You don’t deserve to.”
“…I… I’m sorry.”
“…”
Yu Linna blamed only herself, her naiveté, her misplaced trust.
“Goodbye.”
She turned and walked away, ignoring Nangong Ying, who reached out, her hand frozen in mid-air, then slowly lowering it, her heart sinking. Anger, tears, even a furious outburst… she could have handled. But Yu Linna’s indifference, treating her like a stranger… it was far more painful.
It was her own fault.
She didn’t follow, knowing she didn’t have the right.
“I’ve always felt there’s tension between you and Nangong. Weren’t you two close before?”
“We used to be.”
Fang Jiangning had always been curious about their relationship, their former closeness now replaced by a strange distance. Even she, despite her obliviousness, could sense something was wrong.
It wasn’t just a simple argument; it was something more…
