Chapter 254: Utterly Meaningless
“Why are you so stubborn? Do you really think it’s good to torment yourself like this?”
Zhao Yuyan was a little angry. This girl really didn’t know how to take care of herself. She couldn’t even distinguish between when to rest and when to work. Overworking didn’t bring benefits; it was more of a harm to one’s body.
Although she was in no position to say anything, seeing her health deteriorate day by day, she knew that sooner or later, something would happen to her.
“This is my choice, Sister Yuyan,” Yu Linna replied faintly.
No matter what she did, what she wanted to do, or what she would do in the future, it was all her own decision, her own choice. Others had no right to interfere.
What’s more, Zhao Yuyan didn’t have a very special relationship with her. In the end, it was just a senior-junior relationship, not family. Zhao Yuyan had no right to interfere with her.
Zhao Yuyan was like a deflated balloon, at a loss for words.
“If you insist on this, then there’s nothing I can do.”
With that, Zhao Yuyan turned and left. At this point, it was impossible to persuade her to put down her work.
Yu Linna’s personality had become very stubborn, very extreme. She couldn’t even remember what her personality was like in the past. She now had only one goal: to climb up, to keep climbing up. Only by reaching the top could she appreciate the joy of being there. What she had wanted in the past was also what she wanted now. When she became famous and her name resounded throughout the world, that would be the moment she realized her dream.
But to achieve that step, it was still too difficult for now.
So she had to speed up, to reach that level in the shortest possible time. Once she reached that point, no one would dare to bully her. Look at her now—no one dared to look down on her, to belittle her. This was the difference between the her of the past and the her of today.
If she continued, she would surely become the most respected person in the world.
…
The holiday traffic in Guangnan City was still heavy, especially during the National Day holiday. During this period, many people came here to travel, and the buses and subways were also congested. After getting off the plane, Nangong Ying was almost crushed to death by the crowd. She had come back wearing sunglasses and a mask, having to be careful not to be recognized. Her popularity was too high now, her face too recognizable. If her face was seen, it would be worse than the congestion. To avoid this situation, she, like most celebrities, wore sunglasses and a mask.
Although Guangnan City was her home, she had not lived a stable life in this city until high school. Before that, Guangnan City could at most be considered her hometown. At that time, she often had to fly all over the country, to many cities, with no place to settle down. Later, she met Yu Linna, and she settled down in Guangnan. And because of her influence, she gave up the tennis she didn’t like and entered the entertainment industry instead.
Her achievements today were, in a sense, also related to Yu Linna.
But later, she had directly sold her out, betrayed her, and after that, she could never go back to the way things were.
She had found out that Yu Linna now lived in an area far from the city center. The geographical environment was very good, very suitable for creating. Following the information, she took a taxi over and found that this place was indeed nice. The environment was beautiful, the air was fresh, and most importantly, it was far from the city, with no noisy car horns, no bustling crowds. There weren’t even a few decent parking lots nearby, just a sea of green trees.
She got out of the car and looked at this place. She couldn’t help but think of the small house Yu Linna used to live in. When she knew her, Yu Linna was still very poor, living in a very small house, always behind on rent every month, and the environment was also very bad. At her saddest, she couldn’t even afford instant noodles and could only get by on a little salt water and a few pickled vegetables. Now, her net worth was completely different from then, and her standard of living was surely different too.
Nangong Ying looked at the address on her phone and walked to the front of a house. She rang the doorbell. She wasn’t sure if she would be inside.
“Coming.”
Yu Linna came and opened the door. She was wondering who would be looking for her at this time. When she opened the door and saw who it was, her face quickly darkened.
“How do you know I live here?”
“I always have ways of finding out where you live.”
“…”
Looking at this familiar face, Yu Linna felt an immense sense of unfamiliarity. A year ago, it was this very person who had brought her into the entertainment industry, thus beginning her tumultuous story. Who would have thought then that they would eventually part ways, becoming people on two different paths?
“Linna, may I come in?” she asked, standing at the doorway.
To be honest, Yu Linna didn’t welcome her at all, much less want to see her. This person, who had repeatedly said she would protect her for a lifetime, that she wanted to be her friend for a lifetime. Heh, in the end, wasn’t it still the same? In the face of benefits, she was willing to do anything. Nangong Ying was just that kind of person.
But…
To speak from the heart, the Nangong Ying of the past had been truly good to her. That selfless affection was genuine. At least before she betrayed her, she had been truly good to her.
Yu Linna still held a place in her heart for the kindness she had once shown her.
“Leave after you’ve had your look. There’s nothing to see here.”
She opened the door and let her in.
The moment Nangong Ying stepped into the house, she noticed that the living environment here was much better than the small house she used to live in. Although it was still small, at least it wasn’t as cramped as before. And the owner of this house was no longer the poor child who couldn’t get enough to eat.
In Yu Linna’s room, a few books lay on the floor: Ballad of the Enchantress and Zixuan and the Paper Airplane. The author’s pen name was Shion. She picked one up and looked at it. She knew of this person, Shion, who often competed with celebrities for top trending spots on Weibo and had a high level of popularity.
“You wrote this?” she asked, shaking the book in her hand.
Yu Linna gave it a cold glance, not wanting to answer. She didn’t even make tea, just stood there with her arms crossed, as if to say, Why aren’t you leaving yet?
Her actions were so obvious, but Nangong Ying clearly had no intention of leaving.
“You’re doing well now, beyond my imagination. I really didn’t expect you to be doing so well. When I first heard you were writing novels, I was worried you would be the same as you were in the entertainment industry. Now, I see you’re doing very well. I think you’ve chosen the right path.”
“And isn’t that thanks to you?”
“I’m sorry.”
Nangong Ying put down the book and said the three words she had said countless times.
If it had been the Yu Linna of a year ago, she might have softened, might have really had a change of heart, and just foolishly forgiven her. But she was not the person she used to be. Having been betrayed by her best friend, she had decided it was impossible to hold any expectations for Nangong Ying.
“I just wanted to see you, Linna. I miss you so much.”
“Can you leave after you’ve had your look? I have to work. I don’t have time to reminisce with you.”
“Linna…”
“Don’t call me that. My friend’s name is Nangong Ying, but you are not her.”
Nangong Ying’s heart was gouged out and brutally stabbed a few times. She felt a bone-chilling pain. She was the one who had made this choice, and now she had to bear the consequences.
But she just couldn’t let her go.
“Linna, I was wrong, I was really wrong, I…”
“Can you not play the victim in front of me? To be honest, I don’t want to believe anyone right now. Nangong Ying, can’t you understand human language? I didn’t expose you because I valued our past friendship. Since we both have our own lives, isn’t it better not to disturb each other and live our own lives? Why do you keep coming to interfere with my life? I said, it’s impossible for us to go back, because neither you nor I can bear it.”
Nangong Ying’s heart ached, to the point of suffocation. In the past, she thought she could bear it, that she could calmly accept such a result. But she found that she was too naive; everything was too simple in her mind.
She had tasted what it was like to lose. This feeling was really not good. How she wished she could go back to the past, to start over.
“I’ve discovered that I really miss you so much. How I wish nothing had ever happened. Linna, you have no idea, I…”
“And have you discovered, Nangong Ying, have you ever experienced my feelings? When I was bound by that unreasonable contract from Chenghe, did you come out to help me? The moment you betrayed me, did you know how much pain I was in? No, you don’t. You just want to use pity to make me forgive you. But you forgot, I’m not the person I used to be. The old Yu Linna is dead. She was killed by your own hands.”
Drip.
Nangong Ying shed a tear. She deeply felt the taste of heartbreak, and all of this was her own doing.
Since you’ve already decided to betray someone, why would you regret it, why would you want to act as if it never happened? It’s too naive. How can something that has been done be treated as if it never happened?
“You’ve really changed a lot.”
She wiped away her tears and gave a bitter laugh.
Indeed, her current appearance was very different from before. Her personality was much stronger, no longer wishy-washy, and she was no longer as naive as before. She wouldn’t even give her a proper smile.
The girl who used to have an overflowing heart of a saint, who would pity the villain in a family drama, could now ignore Nangong Ying, and she was capable of it.
She had really changed.
She had become a stranger to her, and she, in turn, felt like a stranger to her.
The two of them had become strangers.
“Nangong Ying, you can go back now. You’ve seen enough. I’m doing well. Your purpose has been achieved. Go.”
She gave the order to leave.
But Nangong Ying didn’t do so. She just reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards herself. Then she held her in her arms. Yu Linna tried to struggle for a moment, but it was useless. Her wrist was held tightly, and she couldn’t leave her body. Nangong Ying, after all, had been trained. Her foundation was different. How could Yu Linna be her opponent?
“What are you trying to do now?” Yu Linna glared.
Nangong Ying didn’t say anything, just rested her head on her shoulder. When was the last time she had held her like this? She could hardly remember. This feeling was so good.
“Let go! Have you no shame! Nangong Ying, how can you be so despicable and shameless? What do you take me for? If you think I should be controlled by you, listen to your words, then wasn’t it you who chose to abandon me?”
Nangong Ying said nothing, just rested her head on her. Even if it was shameless, even if it was contemptible, none of that mattered anymore. She just wanted to be with her for a short while, even if it was in this form.
