Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
In her memory, Xu Junxi was always wearing a white jersey with jeans. He was four years older than her. He would come to look for her at school with his college friends, and they would shove his shoulder and joke, “Not bad, Junxi. You’ve been hiding this beautiful girlfriend of yours.”
He would blush shyly as he looked at her with a warm, gentle gaze.
He was just like the boy next door, a sweet genteel young man.
But, what happened to him?
What happened to them?
It was as though a part of her heart had been hollowed. The name “Xu Junxi” always bore pleasant connotations during her youth, until she grew up and he changed. Things between them could never go back to the way they were before.
Ning Qing cried and wiped away her tears. As she was walking, her phone rang in her bag.
“Hello, Ning Qing. The film crew is looking for a temp. Are you free? One show for two hundred bucks?”
Ning Qing quickly wiped away her tears and replied, “Yes, I’m free. What’s the address? I’ll head over now.”
Life goes on. She wouldn’t be defeated nor would she let herself fall apart. Her mother was still lying in the hospital. The medical fees and tuition fees all fell upon her shoulders.
She would live well, to prove to everyone who trampled on her.
On the set of a film.
The director shouted “action.” The beautiful second female lead pointed at Ning Qing and scolded, “You shameless b*tch, how dare you seduce my husband.” Pak!
The second female lead slapped Ning Qing.
She slapped her so hard that Ning Qing teared up. She played along and closed her eyes, letting her tears flow. She said weakly, “Young mistress, it’s a misunderstanding. Young Master and I are innocent.”
“Cut.” The director shouted. He looked at both of them with a satisfied smile, “Great. Done in one take.”
The second female lead was soon covered with a jacket by her assistant. She held a cup of hot milk tea in her hand as she looked at the red mark that she left on Ning Qing’s cheek. She apologized with phoniness, “Ning Qing, I’m sorry. I was too absorbed in the role. I must have hurt you.”
Ning Qing felt her cheek and chose to ignore the mischievousness in the second female lead’s eyes. She shook her head lightly and said, “It’s okay.”
The second female lead burst out a smile. “Ning Qing, I’m out of here. I’m very busy lately. I think you did a great job in the slapping scene. Next time, if there’s a similar scene, I’ll let you know.”
Then she left with her assistant.
Xiao Zhou, who was close to Ning Qing, came out and passed her the two hundred bucks. She watched the second lead puff up with pride and arrogance, enraged. “Ning Qing, she hit you that hard intentionally. She even made such a sarcastic remark. Actually, your acting is much better than hers. It’s just that you haven’t had your break yet.”
Ning Qing put the two hundred bucks in her bag, shrugged at Xiao Zhou and smiled, “She did hit me hard. My face hurts but so does her hand. Plus, if she really hates me, why would she hit me so hard? It only enhanced my performance. She might as well hit me a dozen times to take revenge. I can’t say if she is smart or stupid.”
Xiao Zhou was cheered up by what Ning Qing said. Then, her colleague happened to invite her to a bar. Xiao Zhou dragged Ning Qing along. “Ning Qing, let’s go to grab a drink together and forget about everything negative. Inebriation is the solution for a thousand sorrows.”
In a private room at the bar, Ning Qing drank a few glasses of hard liquor, in the spirit of Xiao Zhou’s “Inebriation is the solution for thousand sorrows.”
Lightweight as her, she immediately felt light-headed after those few drinks. She stood up unsteadily, with the intention to head to the washroom.
Xiao Zhou wanted to keep her company but was kept by her colleagues. Ning Qing waved and said, “It’s okay.” She then left the private room.