Chapter 147: On the Road
For the casting of her new drama, Gu Yan was constantly traveling back and forth between Hangzhou and Hengdian. As the screenwriter, her presence was mandatory at both the preliminary selections and the grand finale. It came as no surprise that the preliminary round turned out to be such a massive success.
"Cheers!" Inside the minimalist yet elegant private dining room sat a gathering of remarkable individuals.
"I must propose a separate toast to our most accomplished Gu. Bottoms up!" Cai Mei said boldly, raising her glass.
"To our reunion." Gu Yan gestured with her glass and downed it in a single gulp.
Limin, sitting to the side, looked at Gu Yan thoughtfully. He could never have imagined that the "Gu" whom Xiao Mei spoke of was none other than the renowned playwright Alisa. Although the woman before him was smiling warmly, she emitted an air of cool detachment and pride.
"Cai Mei, I'll toast you as well. May all lovers in the world finally be wed!" Cai Mei's gaze drifted between Zheng Yingqi and Gu Yan before she smiled and finished the wine in her glass. This "welcome banquet" went very smoothly, and during the gathering, Gu Yan said only two words to Limin: "Cherish blessings."
The next day, Gu Yan brought Cai Mei back with her to Hengdian. Before leaving, she promised that the male lead role would definitely go to Limin. Gu Yan wasn't intentionally playing favorites; this was simply reality. Connections will always remain a crucial component of strength.
Returning to her familiar hometown, Cai Mei chose to head straight to the hospital.
The hospital room was quiet, save for the steady, rhythmic beeping of the electrocardiogram. Having not seen her for days, Gu Yan felt that the girl on the hospital bed looked even more emaciated. Cai Mei's lips trembled with deep sorrow as tears streamed down her face.
"Great Immortal... Great Immortal... Vain is here... Vain doesn't want Limin anymore, Vain has come back. Gu is the same, Gu doesn't want Shen Hong anymore. Wake up, please. It's been so many years, don't let Jiang Yunkai torture you anymore, and don't make us look down on you. I know you can hear me. Wake up... please wake up..."
Unable to bear watching Cai Mei cry into a sobbing mess, Gu Yan turned away, a single tear slipping down her cheek. What Gu Yan did not know, however, was that the moment she turned around, a single, clear tear also welled up and slipped from the corner of the hospital patient's eye.
In the end, Cai Mei decided to stay at the hospital. "Xiao Yan," she said, "like you, I have no home to return to. Just let me stay and take care of the Great Immortal." Back at the hotel, Gu Yan collapsed onto the bed and fell fast asleep. With how hectic and relentless these past few days had been, it was no wonder she was so exhausted.
"Damn woman, you came back from Hangzhou and didn't even come to see Your Lordship. Do you have any idea how much I've missed you?" Wei Hao said as he walked into the room. Upon seeing Gu Yan sound asleep, his voice noticeably lost its bold confidence. "Fine, I'll forgive you this once." With that, he gently stroked Gu Yan's face.
"Dad... Mom..." A tear slipped from the corner of the sleeping woman's eye.
Wei Hao, sitting by the bedside, felt as though his heart had been struck heavily. He had seen Gu Yan acting wild and unreasonable; he had seen Gu Yan brimming with talent; he had seen Gu Yan cold and aloof; he had seen Gu Yan weeping loudly—but he had never seen Gu Yan looking so fragile and helpless. At that moment, he suddenly felt that after three years of being together, he had never truly understood her at all. He should have realized sooner: upon returning to the hometown where she grew up, she had seen her friends, but uniquely, she had not visited her closest family.
Suddenly, Wei Hao felt a pang of deep heartache for this woman who was a few years older than him, wondering how much suffering and heartbreak she must have endured.