030 Begging on Bended Knee
It was an unprecedentedly grand opening ceremony, standing out starkly in the small town of Hengdian. Countless reporters and fans had surrounded the Splendor Hotel so completely that not even a drop of water could pass through. Most of the fans were holding signs bearing the names Wei Hao, Li Min, and Alisa. Although the weather had gradually begun to warm, the fans’ enthusiasm remained as high as ever.
“Ah—!”
“Wei Hao! Wei Hao! Wei Hao...”
“Li Min! Li Min! Li Min...”
“Alisa! Alisa! Alisa...”
The fans suddenly burst into excited cheers, while camera flashes and shutter clicks sounded in an unbroken, chaotic rhythm. At long last, the stars everyone had been waiting for arrived.
Apart from the male lead, Li Min, a popular Korean star, the female lead was an entirely ordinary, unknown person. Yet she was also the person most envied and resented that day. Perhaps only moments ago she had been completely obscure, but from that instant onward, her life was destined to shine brilliantly.
Why?
Because she had become the female lead in Alisa’s first production on the Chinese mainland—a role countless international actresses had fought desperately, yet failed, to obtain.
“Friends from the media, welcome to the opening ceremony of Alisa’s first inspirational production, *The Important Person*. Now, let us welcome the two leading actors, as well as Zheng Yingqi, the young heir of Zheng Enterprises, and our Alisa, to cut the ribbon for the new drama.”
Lan Ruo, the assistant, was long accustomed to such formalities.
“Clap, clap, clap—”
After the applause, the four of them stepped forward together, raised their scissors, and cut the red ribbon at the same moment.
“Alisa, what are your hopes for this production?”
“Why did you choose a Korean actor to play the male lead?”
“May I ask—”
“Country roads, take me home...”
At that moment, a familiar ringtone interrupted the reporters’ questions.
“Hello!” With Lan Ruo’s help, Alisa made her way out of the crowd of reporters.
“Hello your mother!”
The moment she heard that familiar voice—feeble with illness, yet as arrogant as ever—Gu Yan’s hand began to tremble around the phone. She was so overwhelmed that she did not know what to say.
“Hey, Ancient One, don’t tell me you got so excited that you fainted.”
The teasing voice on the other end finally brought Gu Yan back to her senses.
“You’d better stay right there and wait for me!”
Gu Yan hung up, then immediately ran to the hotel’s underground parking garage, ignoring the reporters staring at one another in confusion. Of course, quite a few quick-witted reporters had already captured images of her taking the call. If nothing unexpected happened, tomorrow’s entertainment headlines would read:
“Mysterious Phone Call Provokes Alisa to Curse; She Abandons Actors and Sponsor and Rushes Away.”
Gu Yan pushed the car to its top speed and hurried toward the hospital. She had no time to notice that another car was following close behind.
When Shen Hong saw Gu Yan’s car stop outside the hospital, all his doubts were instantly resolved. The two of them had spent two years living side by side, after all. There were things he never mentioned, but he had seen them all.
“You little brat. So you finally decided to wake up?”
The moment Gu Yan entered the hospital room, she saw Great Immortal, Show-off, Dawn Dream, and Ten laughing and teasing one another. Apparently, she was the last one to arrive.
“Look at those Louis Vuitton bags and Chanel dresses! Our Ancient One has struck it rich. Of course I had to wake up and fleece her a little!”
“Hoo—”
Gu Yan exhaled slowly, forcing herself to calm down.
“Forget it. Since you’ve risen from the dead today, I’ll let it go.”
“Hahaha!”
Seeing Gu Yan’s solemn expression, the girls could not help laughing. After three years apart, the five sisters had finally been truly reunited.
Leaning against the hospital-room door, Gu Yan listened to the laughter inside, then quietly walked away.
Just as when she had arrived, no one knew she had ever been there.