Chapter 31: A New Role and Lingering Feelings

Shen Jinglan told Zhou Jing about Yi Lan’s situation.
Zhou Jing was dumbfounded, waving her hands repeatedly: “No, no, absolutely not!

“I’ve worked so hard for a week, picking professional artists, and even they can’t handle this role.
“You want a complete amateur who’s never acted before to try it?
“Are you kidding me?!”

Shen Jinglan’s expression was calm: “Don’t I still have me to back her up?”

Zhou Jing, with her fox-like eyes, looked at her, scrutinizing her: “Ms. Shen, are you sure you’re serious?”

Shen Jinglan: “When have I ever joked with you, Teacher Zhou?”

Zhou Jing pulled out her phone and started scrolling through the old online photos of Yi Lan blocking Jiang Wenting, spraying passersby with a water gun.
She shook her head: “No, no, this is too outrageous.
“I just looked at it for a moment, and my mind is full of her water-spraying memes!”

Shen Jinglan: “That’s why it’s even more suitable for the werewolf role.
“Dumb and innocent, you remember her at first glance, don’t you?”

“But…” Zhou Jing hesitated for a long time, unable to pinpoint why it wasn’t suitable, but she still felt it was incredibly absurd.

Shen Jinglan spoke again: “Besides, Teacher Zhou, don’t you think the way she looks at Jiang Wenting has a lot of story?”

Zhou Jing: “…”

She zoomed in on the picture on the screen again but still couldn’t see the “story” Shen Jinglan was talking about.
She just felt… it was very comical, very outrageous, with more comedic effect than a comedy film.

“No,” she still shook her head, “I absolutely can’t empathize with it!”

Shen Jinglan was speechless.
She sighed and said: “Alright, well, I’m not sure if Jiang Wenting will be willing to let her perform anyway.“We’ll discuss it later.
“If she doesn’t act, then I will.
“But Teacher Zhou, I have to bring her along.”

Zhou Jing: “Ah, whatever, whatever!”

Her mind was a mess now.
As a director for so many years, it was the first time she had unintentionally misimagined a character from her script just by looking at an actor’s face.

Shen Jinglan didn’t say much more.
After saying, “Teacher Zhou, think about it,” she picked up her bag and left.
Outside, she sent a voice message to Beiye: “Beiye, ask Jiang Wenting if she’s willing to let her lover play the werewolf role?”

Beiye received the message and turned on the speakerphone.
Shen Jinglan’s voice came through the earpiece.

Jiang Wenting’s heart skipped a beat at the word “lover.”
She didn’t even react to what Shen Jinglan said right away.

At the same time, Yi Lan, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, seriously browsing her phone, also instinctively raised her gaze.

Beiye saw the two of them looking dazed.
She glanced at Jiang Wenting, then at Yi Lan, and repeated with emphasis: “My wife is asking if you’re willing to let her, your lover, play the werewolf role.”

Jiang Wenting not only understood this time, but a faint blush also crept onto her cheeks: “What lover?
“You and Lan Jie, you two are really…”

“Scumbag.” Just then, a clear, cold voice suddenly appeared, attracting both their attention.

Jiang Wenting and Beiye simultaneously looked at Yi Lan, who was holding her phone with both hands, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her fingertips seriously scrolling across the screen.

Beiye craned her neck to look, and in the search bar were clearly displayed a few words—”Frequently denying lover relationship.”

In the comments section, someone said this was scumbag behavior.
Yi Lan didn’t understand what a “scumbag” was, so she deleted the words in the search bar and re-entered: “What is a scumbag?”

A pile of descriptions about “scumbags” popped up on the interface.
She read them one by one, felt that Jiang Wenting fit every criterion, and nodded in approval.
When she looked up again, her gaze met the astonished eyes opposite her.
Her clear phoenix eyes met theirs.
A few seconds later, she slightly parted her thin lips, uttering two words: “Scumbag.”

Jiang Wenting: “…”

Beiye couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

Yi Lan tilted her head to look at her: “Was the textbook wrong?”

Beiye quickly waved her hand: “No, no, Yi Lan, you’re absolutely right!
“Jiangjiang, she’s slept in the same bed as you and frequently denies your lover relationship.
“That’s definitely scumbag behavior!”

Jiang Wenting: !!!

Yi Lan, seeing that someone was finally on her side, nodded in satisfaction and picked up her phone to continue her research.

Beiye was laughing so hard she couldn’t straighten up.
Jiang Wenting threw a pillow at her.
The two chased each other around the room.
Meanwhile, Yi Lan, having understood the concept of a “scumbag,” seemed to have opened a new world, holding her phone and searching incessantly.

The three of them recuperated at Grandma’s house for about a week.
The bandages on Yi Lan’s hands and knees were also removed.
Although the scabbing was noticeable, it was no longer as shocking as it had been initially.
Seeing her injuries improve, Jiang Wenting prepared to say goodbye to Grandma and take Yi Lan back to Yuncheng to live.

The elder was used to a lively household, and hearing that the children were suddenly leaving, she inevitably felt sad.
She followed them around, giving instructions, her words filled with reluctance.
Jiang Wenting and Beiye kept comforting her, saying they would take Yi Lan for a follow-up check-up first, and return sometime later.

Before leaving, Jiang Wenting, when Grandma wasn’t looking, secretly hid the bank card she had given her back in the room.
There were times when she had no choice, but now that she was an adult, how could she let the old woman continue to support her with pocket money?
For so many years, no matter how difficult it was, she had never bowed her head to life, and she wouldn’t now.

She wanted to earn money well, to honor Grandma, although Grandma never lacked money.
At the same time, she also wanted to make herself better, to be worthy.

Finally, the two clingy rascals still wanted to go and hug Grandma goodbye, but the elder picked up her cane and started shooing them away: “Hurry up and go!
“When you get back, if you two dare to make Lanlan sad, I’ll beat you with this stick…”

She said, feigning to raise her stick.
Jiang Wenting shrunk her neck, pulling Yi Lan and running to the car.

Yi Lan, who had always been distant, now also looked back reluctantly, her gaze sweeping over the old woman’s face.
Words of farewell unspoken.
She and Jiang Wenting got into the car.
Sitting in the passenger seat, she peered out the window.

A few seconds later, the car started.

“Bye, Grandma!”

“Drive safely on the road,” the old woman waved, giving her final instructions.

Jiang Wenting started the car.
Yi Lan pressed against the window, watching the aged figure remain standing there until the car disappeared at the village entrance, and she could no longer see that shadow…

In the car, Jiang Wenting and Beiye chatted carelessly.
Beiye said: “Good thing we were smart.
“Otherwise, if we didn’t say we were taking Yi Lan for a check-up, Grandma definitely wouldn’t have let us leave.
“Do you think she’d jump if she knew we were taking Yi Lan to film in the northwest?”

Jiang Wenting: “She would.
“Then we’ll just say Lan Jie instigated us.”

Beiye: “Then Grandma definitely wouldn’t believe us…”

Their sharp laughter entered Yi Lan’s ears.
She remained silently seated, her cold eyes devoid of emotion.

The car left the country road and entered the national highway, soon getting onto the expressway.
Jiang Wenting pressed the accelerator.
The two talked and chatted as they drove, reminiscing about old times.
Occasionally, they talked about the Jiang family.
Beiye didn’t shy away, gnashing her teeth as she cursed Jiang Ye: “That scumbag, don’t let me meet him!
“If I do, I’ll beat him until he’s spitting teeth!”

Jiang Wenting laughed: “Then Lan Jie would have to clean up your mess again, and besides, he’s so big, can you even beat him?”

Beiye “hmph-ed,” craning her neck to look at the passenger seat: “Then I’ll just have Yi Lan spray him with her water gun!”

Yi Lan closed her eyes.
She was a little carsick, but uncharacteristically, she hadn’t fallen asleep.
Leaning back in her seat, she listened to Beiye talking about Jiang Wenting’s past—the sad, the happy, the difficult times…

From these somewhat understated memories, she pieced together Jiang Wenting’s past.

“Are you asleep?” Beiye, seeing no reaction from her, unconsciously lowered her voice.

Jiang Wenting turned her head, glanced at the person beside her, and softly hummed “Mm.”

Beiye shifted forward, half her body squeezing into the gap between the driver’s and passenger’s seats: “Jiangjiang, it’s so amazing!”

Jiang Wenting looked at the road ahead, asking offhandedly: “What’s so amazing?”

She said: “You and Yi Lan, you two are so amazing.
“You know there were so many film crews back then, so many famous actresses, but she, with her horse and gun, specifically burst into your studio, isn’t that amazing?”

Jiang Wenting smiled, the image of Yi Lan in full armor snatching her from the male lead’s hands flashing through her mind.
She said: “Amazing, very amazing.”

Beiye sighed softly: “Perhaps that’s fate.
“The first time I met Shen Jinglan, I only had one thought in my heart.”

Jiang Wenting asked: “What thought?”

Beiye: “To kidnap her and make her my wife.”

Jiang Wenting was amused, saying: “Shouldn’t it be to get revenge for me?”

Beiye didn’t answer her question, saying seriously: “Jiangjiang.”

Jiang Wenting: “Mm?”

“What did you feel the first time you met Yi Lan?”

What feeling?
Jiang Wenting carefully recalled the feeling of Yi Lan’s spear against her neck, drawing blood, and couldn’t help but laugh: “It hurt a lot.
“My whole body was trembling, terrified that her hand would be unsteady and she’d impale my head with one thrust.”

Beiye: “Are you that afraid of death?”

She said: “Yes, I’m afraid, afraid of death, and also afraid of pain.
“The thought of forgetting all of you after being forced to drink that soup from Meng Po on the Yellow Springs road, it makes me very scared.”

Beiye “hehe-ed”: “Jiangjiang, it seems you still love us!”
Then she asked: “Then would you be willing to forget Yi Lan?”

Jiang Wenting’s fingertips, gripping the steering wheel, curled slightly.
She said casually: “No, I wouldn’t!”

At this moment, the person leaning in the passenger seat, feigning sleep with closed eyes, could no longer hold back the soreness in her eyes.

‘Unwilling to part, yet in the end, still chose betrayal, abandoning such a difficult situation, only to die and forget everything so cleanly, so thoroughly.’

She gritted her teeth, desperately holding back the tears in her eyes.
Jiang Wenting wasn’t unwilling to part.
The only one who was unwilling to part was herself.

The car sped down the highway.
Their conversation didn’t stop.
Beiye began to speak sentimentally: “Jiangjiang, no matter what, Shen Jinglan and I will always be your support.
“You don’t need to worry about this trip to the northwest either.
“Shen Jinglan has contacted the best cardiology specialist, who will come with us.
“You and Yi Lan, just focus on filming.”

Jiang Wenting gave a faint “Mm”: “Film well, to satisfy your desire to ship us, right?”

Beiye said: “So smart, you’re like a tapeworm in our stomachs!”

The two chatted and laughed all the way.
Three hours later, the car exited the highway.
Jiang Wenting slowed down, driving along the elevated ring road.

Yuncheng’s development was top-notch.
Both sides of the elevated road were lined with pink roses, a very pleasing sight.
Beiye pressed her face against the car window: “Wow, we’re finally home, it’s so beautiful!”

Jiang Wenting glanced at her: “Lower your voice a bit, Yi Lan is still sleeping!”

Beiye: “She’s been asleep the whole way.
“Even if I don’t wake her now, she’ll wake up when we get home anyway!”

She took out her phone, taking photos non-stop.
After snapping pictures, she sent them to Shen Jinglan, her tone affectionate: “Wifey, I’m home.
“All the roses on the elevated ring road are in bloom, aren’t they beautiful?”

Less than half a minute after sending the message, Shen Jinglan’s video call came in.
Beiye answered.
Shen Jinglan asked if she was coming home tonight.
Beiye feigned not wanting to return, and even asked Shen Jinglan: “Wifey, did you miss me?”

Shen Jinglan initially said no, but after being pestered, she said “I missed you” in a low, husky voice.
Beiye got a satisfying answer, and whimpered playfully: “I miss my wife too, so much, so much!”

Shen Jinglan asked again: “Are you still coming home tonight?”

She said “I’m coming back,” her voice sweet.

Shen Jinglan smiled: “I’ll come pick you up later.”

Beiye gave an “Mm”: “If Wifey is busy, I can just take a taxi myself.”

Shen Jinglan glanced at the unprocessed documents on the screen, her tone doting: “Not busy!”

But how could she not be busy?
Work matters needed to be handled properly before filming.
She had been working non-stop this past week, almost exhausted, but looking at the girl in the video, smiling foolishly with curved eyes, all her fatigue seemed so insignificant.

Jiang Wenting, still listening to the PDA, drove for another distance.
The car finally exited the elevated road.
Shortly after getting off, they arrived at Jialv Wenyuan, the small home Jiang Wenting had bought for herself after her first play.
It wasn’t a particularly luxurious neighborhood, but it was a place to call her own.

The car stopped.
The person in the passenger seat was still half-asleep and confused.
Beiye wanted to wake her, but Jiang Wenting stopped her.

She mouthed to Jiang Wenting: “How do we get her upstairs?”

Jiang Wenting smiled slightly, unbuckled her seatbelt, went around to the passenger side, opened the door, and carefully scooped Yi Lan into her arms, carrying her in a princess carry.

Beiye let out an “Awooh,” opened her phone, and filmed a video for Shen Jinglan: “Wifey, look, look at this person…”