Chapter 26: A Disturbance From the Past

Shen Jinglan asked Jiang Wenting if she wanted to stay at her place tonight.
Jiang Wenting thought about it and said she wanted to go back to the hospital.
Shen Jinglan didn’t stop her, reminding her to be careful on the road and to call if Yi Lan needed help after being discharged.
Jiang Wenting agreed.
The two were just about to say goodbye.

A familiar male figure swayed towards them: “Oh, isn’t this my half-sister?
Not filming, but seducing men here?”

The person who spoke was Jiang Ye, the eldest son of the Jiang family, and the nominal heir to the Jiang Group.
Other than being wicked, he had no other talents.
Years ago, when Jiang Wenting was expelled from the Jiang family, she was immediately blacklisted by the film industry, largely due to him and his mother.
Their father merely turned a blind eye, allowing his own flesh and blood to be bullied.

At this moment, Jiang Wenting felt a chill run down her spine upon seeing this man.

Shen Jinglan saw the man swagger over and instinctively stepped in front of Jiang Wenting, calling out in a slightly cold tone: “Young CEO Jiang.”

Jiang Ye smiled: “CEO Shen is here too?”

Shen Jinglan faintly “mm”-ed: “Came here to discuss some business.
Just saw CEO Qin from Lan Ling head down.
Is Young CEO Jiang here to intercept him?”

Recently, a business line of the Jiang family had been monopolized by Lan Ling.
Jiang Ye had been chasing CEO Qin of Lan Ling every few days, but the latter gave him no regard whatsoever.
Shen Jinglan, as Lan Ling’s closest partner, naturally knew this all too well.
Yet, she was always aloof, choosing to challenge him in such a setting purely to stand up for Jiang Wenting.

Jiang Ye’s face twitched.
He wanted to speak, but dared not, so he simply offered an awkward smile: “What are you saying, CEO Shen?
I just came here for a casual meal.”

Shen Jinglan linked Jiang Wenting’s arm, giving the fat man opposite a mocking look: “Then Young CEO Jiang, enjoy your meal and drinks.
We’ll be heading back now!”

Jiang Ye bowed: “CEO Shen, take care!”

Once the two were out of sight, Jiang Ye instantly darkened his face: “Two damn lesbians, be careful, I’ll find someone to make your lives hell!”

Jiang Wenting followed Shen Jinglan downstairs, her face pale.
Shen Jinglan turned her head to look at her: “Are you okay?”

She shook her head: “I’m fine, Lan Jie.
Thank you for helping me out just now.”

Shen Jinglan paused for a few seconds, then comforted her: “The Jiang family’s energy line has almost been completely swallowed by Lan Ling.
This rich playboy, Jiang Ye, won’t be living it up for much longer.”

She rarely gossiped about people behind their backs.
At this moment, to console Jiang Wenting, she even awkwardly spoke about the Jiang family’s current situation.

Jiang Wenting felt touched.
She remembered that the first time they met, Shen Jinglan, hearing the industry rumors that her mother was a mistress who ruined families, didn’t give her a good look.
At that time, they were acting together, Shen Jinglan was the protagonist and more famous, so she made things difficult for Jiang Wenting, who was merely cannon fodder.

The two almost couldn’t get along.
Additionally, during that period, Jiang Wenting was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, always secretly crying in corners when she returned home.
Beiye found out and rushed to the set to confront Shen Jinglan, but upon meeting her, she was deeply captivated by the other party’s looks.
The person who was supposed to stand up for Jiang Wenting was now constantly by Shen Jinglan’s side, calling her “Jiejie” this and “Jiejie” that.

Later, under Beiye’s persistent badgering, Shen Jinglan learned the truth.
She, who was naturally aloof and unyielding, bowed her head and apologized to Jiang Wenting for the first time.
That night, they had some drinks, and some heartfelt words were spoken openly.
Only then did Jiang Wenting learn that Shen Jinglan’s mother had been tormented to death by a mistress.

Everyone had unspeakable pasts, but from then on, they sympathized with each other, becoming friends in this world to whom one could entrust their heart.

“Thank you, Lan Jie!” Jiang Wenting repeated her previous thanks, but this time she said it with more sincerity.

Shen Jinglan heard it and her response remained indifferent: “Is your car in the basement?
Let’s go down together.”

Jiang Wenting: “Okay, then I’ll trouble Lan Jie to be my bodyguard for a bit.”

The two walked to the elevator and took the express elevator downstairs.

In the car, Xiao Ru had already fallen asleep waiting.
She suddenly woke with a start when she heard the car door open.

Seeing that the new arrivals were Jiang Wenting and Shen Jinglan, she tried her best to hide the anticipation on her face and greeted Shen Jinglan, then asked Jiang Wenting: “How did the talk go?”

Jiang Wenting, to lighten the mood, deliberately sighed in disappointment.
The girl’s mood also darkened, but Jiang Wenting immediately changed her tone, repeating in one breath: “It’s okay, it’s okay, Jiang Wenting.
If you weren’t chosen, then you weren’t chosen.
I’ll work harder later and help you get better scripts.”

As an assistant, Xiao Ru had truly done a lot for Jiang Wenting over the years, traversing countless occasions, accompanying her during her lowest points, desperately finding connections and scripts for her.
Jiang Wenting saw all of this.

Now, seeing her hear about her failed audition, Xiao Ru was clearly just as disappointed but still bravely cheered her on.

Jiang Wenting leaned over and unexpectedly hugged her for a moment, then released her, her eyes sparkling: “I’m kidding.
I had a great chat with Teacher Zhou.”

That burning gaze directly seared into the girl’s heart.
Xiao Ru froze for a long while before reacting, her almond eyes bulging as she glared at Jiang Wenting, but the curve of her lips was impossible to hide.

Jiang Wenting rubbed her head: “Let’s go, time to head back!”

Shen Jinglan stood beside the car, watching them.
Jiang Wenting settled into the passenger seat and waved to her: “Lan Jie, we’re heading back.
You too…”

She hummed in response: “Drive slowly on the way back, and call me when you get home!”

When Xiao Ru started the engine, she also turned her head to bid farewell to Shen Jinglan: “Then we’ll head back, Sister Jinglan, thank you!”

Shen Jinglan nodded, watching the car leave before taking out her phone.

The car drove slowly at night.
After getting in, Jiang Wenting chatted with Xiao Ru for a bit, then couldn’t resist falling asleep.
Perhaps it was due to the earlier exhaustion.
She dreamt…

She dreamt that after Jiang Ye found out she was lesbian, to disgust her, he bribed a company agent to arrange a dinner with a greasy male director in the film industry, using the excuse of filming.
The male director harassed her at the dinner table.
She sought help from her agent, but the agent ignored her, and afterwards, even tried to force her into the director’s room.

She fought desperately to escape the room, but they were surrounded by his people.
She stood by the window on the 18th floor, despairingly wanting to jump down, but a girl in a work uniform suddenly squeezed out beside her.
She pulled her to escape down the stairs.
The people behind chased them relentlessly.
The long staircase seemed endless.
She was trapped in a corner, unable to escape.

The girl escaped.
A moment later, she came out of the restroom and swung a mop onto the faces of her pursuers.
They couldn’t stand the smell of the mop and gave up the chase, then called the police.

Seeing his plan fail, the greasy director then falsely accused Jiang Wenting, claiming that new talents, with a little success, didn’t want to act properly and insisted on taking shortcuts.
His words implied that Jiang Wenting had seduced him.
Not long after the news broke, the fact that her mother, who had been dead for over ten years, was a mistress was also revealed.

Jiang Wenting was pushed by public opinion.
Flashbulbs flashed, snapping pictures directly at her face.
She instinctively covered her face with her hands, pleading in a trembling voice: “Stop taking pictures, please, stop!”

“Jiang Wenting, Jiang Wenting, wake up.”

On the highway, Xiao Ru couldn’t stop the car, so she kept calling her name.
Jiang Wenting was trapped in the dream, unable to wake up.
Soon, her phone vibrated frequently in her pocket.
She suddenly woke with a start, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

Xiao Ru was about to steer the car onto the emergency lane.
Seeing Jiang Wenting wake up, she turned off the turn signal, glanced at her, and asked with concern: “Are you okay?
Did you have a nightmare again?”

Jiang Wenting pursed her dry lips, and a weak smile appeared on her pale face: “I’m fine.”

The phone vibration, which had stopped for a few seconds, started again.
Jiang Wenting glanced at the screen.
It was a video call from Yi Lan.

She collected herself for a few seconds, then forcibly pulled herself out of her startled state, and slid the answer button.

Two familiar faces squeezed into the screen.
Beiye grinned, showing two sharp little canine teeth: – “Jiang Jiang, are you two coming back tonight?
Yi Lan I can’t coax anymore.
She insists on coming to find you, so I told her to video call you.”

Jiang Wenting saw Yi Lan’s cold phoenix eyes slightly widened.
Her previous bad mood was somewhat diluted.
She spoke, her voice hoarse: “We’re coming back, we’re on the road.”

Beiye then noticed the fine hairs on Jiang Wenting’s temples, soaked with sweat: “Jiang Jiang, what’s wrong with you?
Did your period come?”

Jiang Wenting shook her head: “No.
I was too tired just now and fell asleep in the car.
I had a dream.”

“It’s okay, Jiang Jiang, dreams are always the opposite.
Don’t be afraid.
I’ll cast a spell for you to drive it away!” Beiye said, beginning to make small gestures, while the other person on the screen looked noticeably solemn.

Jiang Wenting watched her eyes, which had been glaring a second ago, now filled with worry.
Somehow, she suddenly felt an uncontrollable sadness.
She bit her lip and hummed, two tears instantly sliding down her eyes.

Yi Lan’s heart ached in response.

Beiye was also a little bewildered.
The Jiang Wenting she knew would never shed tears so easily, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

The next second, the woman on the screen raised her arm.
The platinum clover bracelet with diamonds gleamed on her slender wrist.
She, through the screen, gently touched Jiang Wenting’s cheek.

“Don’t be afraid,” she called her name, repeating word by word, “Jiang Wenting, don’t be afraid.”

Jiang Wenting’s fingertips, holding the phone, tightened.
She tried her best to calm herself, and after a good while, she finally broke into a tearful smile: “Mm-hmm, I’m not afraid.
With Yi Lan here, I’m not afraid!”

On the screen, the woman’s slender eyelashes lowered slightly, as if considering how to comfort her next.

Jiang Wenting composed herself and said to the other party: “What has Yi Lan been doing today?
Did the doctor come to give baby an IV drip this afternoon?
Did you eat dinner?”

She asked many questions at once, unexpectedly, the other party answered them one by one at this moment.

“Today, I’ve been studying on my phone.
The doctor gave me an IV drip this afternoon.
For dinner, I ate Sanxian wontons.”

The answer was very concise, but her expression was extremely serious, so serious it was a little cute.
Jiang Wenting couldn’t help but smile, and repeated her answer: “Yi Lan is studying on her phone?
Did your hand hurt when the doctor gave you the IV drip?
Were the Sanxian wontons for dinner delicious?”

Beiye: – “Jiang Jiang, I feel like you went to Yuncheng and now you can’t even speak properly.”

Jiang Wenting: “Scram!”