032 Utterly Humiliating

For the casting of her new drama, Gu Yan was constantly traveling between Hangzhou and Hengdian. As the screenwriter, her presence was mandatory at both the preliminary rounds and the grand finale. It came as no surprise that the preliminary rounds were such a resounding success.

"Cheers!" Inside the minimalist and elegant private room sat a group of people who were anything but ordinary.

"I must propose a separate toast to our most accomplished Gu-ren. Drink up!" Cai Mei held her glass high, her tone bold and unrestrained.

"To our reunion," Gu Yan replied, signaling with her glass before downing the drink in one go.

Off to the side, Li Min studied Gu Yan with a pensive expression. He never would have imagined that the "Gu-ren" Cai Mei spoke of was actually the playwright Alisa. Although the woman before him was all smiles, she radiated a sense of aloofness and cold detachment.

"Cai Mei, I'll toast you as well. May all lovers find their way to each other!" Cai Mei’s gaze darted between Zheng Yingqi and Gu Yan before she smiled and finished her drink. The "welcome banquet" went smoothly; throughout the evening, Gu Yan spoke only two words to Li Min: "Cherish blessings."

The following day, Gu Yan took Cai Mei back to Hengdian. Before leaving, she promised that the lead role would go to Li Min. One could hardly blame Gu Yan for the favoritism; such was reality. Connections would always be a vital component of one's strength.

Upon returning to their familiar hometown, Cai Mei chose to visit the hospital first.

The room was silent, save for the rhythmic beeping of the EKG monitor. After several days apart, Gu Yan felt the girl in the hospital bed looked even thinner. Cai Mei’s lips trembled, her expression etched with grief as tears streamed down her face.

"Daxian... Daxian... Chou-mei is here... Daxian, Chou-mei doesn't want Li Min anymore; she’s back. Gu-ren is the same—she doesn't want Shen Hong anymore. Please, wake up. It’s been so many years; don't let Jiang Yunkai torture you any longer. Don't make us look down on you. I know you can hear me. Wake up... please, wake up..."

Unable to bear watching the weeping Cai Mei, Gu Yan turned away, a single tear sliding down her cheek. What Gu Yan did not see, however, was that the moment she turned, a clear tear escaped the corner of the girl’s eye on the bed.

In the end, Cai Mei decided to stay at the hospital. She said, "Yan, like you, I have no home to return to. Just let me stay and take care of Daxian." Back at the hotel, Gu Yan collapsed into bed. She had been so busy lately without a moment’s rest, it was no wonder she was so exhausted.

"You stubborn woman, you return from Hangzhou and don't even come to see me. Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you?" Wei Hao muttered as he walked into the room. Upon seeing the soundly sleeping Gu Yan, his voice grew noticeably softer and less confident. "Fine, I’ll forgive you this once." As he spoke, his hand gently caressed her face.

"Dad... Mom..." A tear slipped from the corner of the woman’s eye.

Sitting by the bedside, Wei Hao felt as if his heart had been struck. He had seen Gu Yan at her most wild and unreasonable, her most talented and inspired, her most cold and aloof, and even her most distraught and weeping, but he had never seen her so fragile and helpless. In that moment, he suddenly realized that in their three years together, he had never truly understood her. He should have realized sooner: upon returning to the hometown where she grew up, she had visited her friends, yet she had not visited her closest family.

Wei Hao was suddenly filled with a deep, aching pity for this woman who was a few years his senior, wondering just how much suffering and heartbreak she had endured.