A Time-Limited Romance with Movie Queen Ex - Chapter 42.1

In the confined space, Luo Mijin had no means of escape, completely at Rong Qingyao’s mercy.

The woman’s clean, icy fragrance enveloped her entirely, like invisible chains binding her in a dilemma.

Perhaps it was instinct, or perhaps Luo Mijin had always lacked resistance when it came to Rong Qingyao, she nearly lost herself in this kiss, one tinged with bitterness, possessiveness, and even a hint of moral transgression.

Only when their lips grew swollen, faint traces of blood staining the damp softness, did they taste each other’sand their own, metallic tang.

Sensing the overwhelming possessiveness radiating from Rong Qingyao, Luo Mijin’s mind replayed the words the woman had once spoken years ago.

That suppressed, trembling voice, nearly hoarse, each syllable spilling from sickly crimson lips:

“First, I’m a stubborn person. Once I’ve set my mind on something, I won’t change it. Once I’ve made a decision, I must have it otherwise, I’ll never stop fighting for it in this lifetime.”

“But since I’ve made my choice, I will never let go. You should prepare yourself, I will never leave you.”

Luo Mijin had always understood, had always known exactly what kind of person Rong Qingyao was. For a goal, the woman could endure bending her pride, humbling herself, even if she disliked it, she could suffer through it year after year for the sake of her ambitions.

Thus, what Rong Qingyao wanted, she would obtain without the slightest deviation.

Now that she had fame, wealth, and status, the only thing missing was a “promise” from her youth and naturally, she intended to collect.

“Miss Rong, is this another one of your tactics?” Luo Mijin leaned back against the leather seat, watching Rong Qingyao calmly.

They had once sealed their vow with a handshake, to never part. All of this was, in the end, something she owed Rong Qingyao.

“Yes,” Rong Qingyao admitted frankly, with no intention of evasion, pretense, or deceit. Perhaps it was slightly aggressive, but ever since their reunion, she had waited far too long especially after confirming that Luo Mijin and Lan Mingyu were merely friends.

At this thought, Rong Qingyao’s deep-set eyes, hidden in the shadows, gleamed with a dark crimson.

Perhaps she was capable of stealing someone’s love.

She finally admitted it, no matter what relationship Luo Mijin and Lan Mingyu had, she would have taken this step. And there would be more steps to come, until Luo Mijin returned to her side.

Besides, she could see how hard Luo Mijin’s life had been. Otherwise, the woman wouldn’t have been crouched beneath a traffic light outside a bar, living a life of endless toil, growing thinner by the day for Luo Zhiwen’s illness.

In her imagination, Luo Mijin should still have been the pampered young mistress perhaps not entirely free, but at least never needing to worry about money or survival.

She knew all too well the torment of financial struggle. The mere thought of Luo Mijin enduring such a life burned like scorching sunlight against her heart.

But now, everything had changed. No matter how much she restrained herself, she could no longer turn a blind eye.

There might have been other ways to help Luo Mijin, but after careful consideration, she still believed the best, the safest was to keep Luo Mijin by her side.

Perhaps it sounded selfish, but she had no other choice.

“Why?” Luo Mijin asked coldly, like a wind-up doll that had lost its key.

“You and I both know,” Rong Qingyao’s voice was soft and gentle, laced with patient persuasion, “this is the best choice for you and Zhiwen.”

“The best choice?” Luo Mijin clenched the poor little phone in her hand, wanting to demand how Rong Qingyao could possibly think that!

Making her move into the home of an ex who was about to get engaged, what kind of absurd, ridiculous thing was that?

Perhaps Rong Qingyao had completely moved on, able to extend so-called kindness without any reservations.

Maybe Rong Qingyao had even assimilated into this country’s so-called open atmosphere, thinking that occasional drunken kisses and embraces were no big deal.

But Luo Mijin couldn’t not in this lifetime.

Hearing the grievance in Luo Mijin’s words, Rong Qingyao’s heart softened further, even beginning to doubt whether she had been too radical, leading to misjudgment and excessive actions.

The woman sighed softly at her own hopelessness, her already tender voice flowing like water, “Luo Mijin, if you don’t want to see me, I can stay out of your sight and not disturb you, alright?”

Luo Mijin’s eyes stung, warm liquid swirling in them. The kinder and gentler this person was to her, the more it reminded her that this person no longer belonged to her.

She thought Rong Qingyao was cruel, why was she doing this?

Why was she getting engaged to someone else?

No, she shouldn’t forget, it was she who had failed Rong Qingyao. The bitter fruit was of her own making.

“If you really mean what you say, if you can avoid seeing me and not disturb me, then why did you come here to find me without my consent?”

The car was filled with a long silence, so long that Luo Mijin snapped out of her sour, chaotic emotions and realized how selfish she still was someone was offering selfless help, and she was turning around to interrogate them because of her own feelings.

Ungrateful that was probably what she was.

Forcing down the surging emotions, Luo Mijin was about to apologize to Rong Qingyao when she heard the woman softly call her name.

“Luo Mijin, I’m sorry. I was too hasty and didn’t consider your feelings.”

Now it was Luo Mijin’s turn to fall silent. She forced herself to view Rong Qingyao with detachment, uprooting all fantasies.

Rong Qingyao’s charisma was naturally high, and it was common for conversations with her to feel comfortable and validating.

If she let herself read too much into such obvious politeness, the only one who would end up on the edge of pain was herself, a self-inflicted wound.

“I accept your proposal. Both Zhiwen and I are grateful to you.”

“Good,” Rong Qingyao waited quietly for Luo Mijin to continue.

Standing by the window of the small attic, the night breeze tousling her hair and the distant neon lights flickering, Luo Mijin’s mind conjured an image of the woman in a wedding dress beautiful, swaying in the light, hazy and grand.

The scene abruptly ended when someone slipped a ring onto Rong Qingyao’s finger.

That would be someone else’s wedding of the century with Rong Qingyao, while she would just be a supporting character playing music for the occasion.

Wake up. You have no right to be part of Rong Qingyao’s happiness.

“I’ll move in as soon as possible,” Luo Mijin’s gaze drifted aimlessly, like a deflated little balloon. “It’s your property, I have no right to shut you out. You don’t have to go that far.”

Rong Qingyao lowered her eyes, hiding a trace of inevitable darkness in their depths. She adjusted her silver-rimmed glasses and nodded casually.

Her Electronic Sheep was just such a kind-hearted and soft child responsive to gentleness but resistant to force.

“But I hope incidents like today can be avoided as much as possible. We’ve broken up. You have your new life, and I have mine. I don’t like dragging things out.”

The cold glow of neon lights outside the car window cast an even more aloof and reserved pallor over the woman’s already indifferent face. Her thick, long lashes lowered, revealing a silent, almost imperceptible sorrow.

Struggling to maintain the last shreds of her composure, she responded clearly:

“Fine. This is a fair transaction. You can discuss anything you want with me. Feel free to call me anytime with your requests.”

Luo Mijin curled her lips slightly, never expecting to receive such polite and considerate words from Rong Qingyao one day, as if their former bitter relationship had suddenly transformed into two parties negotiating at a table.

“If it’s negotiable, then I do have one request I’d like you to agree to.”

“What is it?” Rong Qingyao didn’t care what the request was. As long as Luo Mijin stayed close to her, anything would do.

“Rong Qingyao, the residence you’re providing me now, Zhiwen’s medical expenses, and all the other miscellaneous, unplanned expenditures, I’ll keep track of every penny and pay you back bit by bit. I’ll find work and try to settle the debt as soon as possible.”

Swallowing down the words “Must you be so distant with me?” Rong Qingyao bit her lower lip, reminding herself that she and Luo Mijin were indeed distant now.

They had been distant for seven years.

Apart from slowly melting the ice between them, she had no other recourse at this moment.

“Fine, whatever you want. Would you like to move into the house closest to the hospital? I’ll have housekeeping clean it thoroughly. There are five cooks you can decide which one suits your taste best and keep them, or keep them all if you prefer.”

“Anything is fine,” Luo Mijin’s voice choked up, barely managing to utter a quiet “Thank you.”

“Also, you can change the locks and the passcode on the door,” Rong Qingyao’s voice grew increasingly calm. “If anything comes up, you can contact me anytime. I’ll stay with you three days a week to ensure your living conditions. Is that acceptable?”

“Okay,” Luo Mijin lowered her eyes, her bangs obscuring her gaze.

A persistent ringing filled her ears. Just as her phone screen dimmed, another message from Rong Qingyao appeared.

It was Yan Si’s contact information phone number, WeChat ID, and email address.

“This is my assistant Yan Si’s contact details. If I’m unavailable, I’ll send her to assist you.” The woman instinctively wanted to touch Luo Mijin’s face but restrained herself, speaking instead from a position of detached authority. “If there are no issues, you can move in tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Luo Mijin turned her face toward the nightscape outside the window. “I still need to inform a friend.”

“Which friend?” Rong Qingyao’s lips curved faintly as she fixed her gaze on Luo Mijin.

“Lan Mingyu.”

Hearing this, Rong Qingyao let out a low chuckle. “A phone call will suffice. If you insist on making it complicated, I can help you move in right now.”

She studied Luo Mijin with slight scrutiny. Though she had personally heard Luo Mijin reject Lan Mingyu’s confession, the two still walked together intimately at least, in her eyes, going to the movies and returning home together was intimate enough.

“I’ll be very busy in the coming days, so it might be inconvenient. The sooner you move, the better,” she lowered her voice, employing a strategic retreat, confident that Luo Mijin would soften. “If it’s just friends, you can always meet up later, right?”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” Luo Mijin murmured in agreement, unable to find a reasonable counterargument.

“If you and your friend want to go somewhere quiet over the weekend, I happen to know a few secluded eco-parks with few visitors. I could accompany you.”

“No, that’s not necessary. We rarely go out on weekends.”

Rong Qingyao smiled gently. “I see. Then perhaps we can accompany Zhiwen together in the future.”

“Accompany Zhiwen?”

“Yes, Zhiwen will definitely get better.”

Luo Mijin fell silent. Over the years, she had heard many words of comfort from strangers, doctors, friends but there was something inexplicably convincing about Rong Qingyao’s words, making her believe that things would indeed improve.

“It’s almost eleven. You…” Rong Qingyao began, but Luo Mijin interrupted.

“I should head back,” Luo Mijin said, realizing she had spent too much time with Rong Qingyao today, which wasn’t a good sign. “Goodbye.”

“Mm, goodbye,” the woman replied, maintaining her composed and elegant demeanor as if everything was under control.

Pushing the car door open, Luo Mijin quickly stepped out and walked toward her attic without looking back.

Watching Luo Mijin’s retreating figure, Rong Qingyao repeatedly reminded herself to be patient. She had waited seven years, a few more days or weeks wouldn’t matter.

**

The streetlight below the attic was broken. Luo Mijin sat by the window all night, hugging her blanket, before hastily packing her belongings in the early hours of the morning.

Truthfully, she didn’t own much just a few clothes and some daily necessities. A 24-inch suitcase and a backpack were enough to hold everything.

By eight in the morning, just as she was about to call the moving company, Yan Si called.

“Miss Luo, are you awake?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Perfect. I’m downstairs. Director Rong asked me to help you move. Could you open the door so I can come in?”

“No need, no need. I’ve already packed everything,” Luo Mijin said, dragging her suitcase downstairs. She left a note for the landlord and placed the house key on the entryway cabinet.

Yan Si had just pulled the handbrake and looked surprised. “You’re so quick?”

“Yeah,” Luo Mijin replied tersely, feeling awkward around someone as naturally sociable as Yan Si.

Seeing Luo Mijin emerge from the house, Yan Si hurried out of the car and approached, intending to help with the luggage. But Luo Mijin was already carrying a backpack and pulling her suitcase, leaving Yan Si with nothing to assist with.

“Is this all your luggage?”

Her fluffy silver hair was slightly disheveled, and her eyes were red from lack of sleep. She didn’t look like someone moving to a better place but more like a stray cat or dog forced to leave home.

Expression calm, Luo Mijin followed Yan Si to the car. “I’ve moved a lot over the years. Having too many things just makes it harder. So, this is best.”

“That’s true,” Yan Si opened the trunk of the car for Luo Mijin to place her luggage, then pulled open the rear door. “Miss Luo, you probably haven’t had breakfast yet. I brought you some corn pancakes, mushroom chicken porridge, and two soft-boiled eggs. You can eat in the car my driving is quite steady, as you experienced last time.”

On the back seat lay a neatly arranged canvas bag, presumably containing the breakfast Yan Si had mentioned.

Luo Mijin picked up the warm bag and asked, “Was this meal… made by her?”

Realizing Luo Mijin was asking if Rong Qingyao had prepared the food, Yan Si circled back to the driver’s seat, fastening her seatbelt as she replied:

“No, President Rong left early for work today and will be away on business for several days. I took the initiative to buy breakfast from a fast-food place, it’s nothing special, just enough to fill your stomach.”

No wonder Rong Qingyao had unusually asked her to buy breakfast for Luo Mijin this morning. She must have anticipated that Luo Mijin wouldn’t eat anything she prepared.

One had to admit, President Rong really knew her ex-girlfriend well.

“Thank you. How much do I owe you? I’ll transfer it,” Luo Mijin murmured absently, moving slowly as she set the food on the tray. “And… have you eaten?”

“No need, President Rong covered it. I already had an iced coffee and a croissant.”

Hearing this, Luo Mijin silently calculated the cost of the meal and noted it in her memo of outstanding debts.

Starting the specially arranged limousine, Yan Si glanced back at Luo Mijin occasionally, noticing how quiet she was. The young woman only looked up when passing scenic views, pressing her hands against the window like a curious child.

“Moving in with President Rong should make things much more convenient, right?” Yan Si ventured, trying to strike up a conversation.

“I suppose,” Luo Mijin forced a faint smile.

“Oh, President Rong asked me to tell you that your sister has been transferred to a private hospital. The heart matching process is underway, and there should be good news soon.”

“Mmm.” Luo Mijin gripped the hem of her clothes nervously at the thought of living with Rong Qingyao. “Please thank her for me.”

“You’ll be living together, you can thank her yourself. Maybe cook a meal, watch a movie, or help her arrange flowers…”

Luo Mijin smiled but didn’t respond further.

After driving for a while, Yan Si suddenly pulled over in front of a renowned private restaurant.

“Miss Luo, I just remembered President Rong had a headache last night and barely ate or slept. As her personal assistant, I should get her some medicine and a proper meal to take to the office.”

After saying this, Yan Si deliberately unbuckled her seatbelt to observe Luo Mijin’s reaction. The young woman frowned slightly before lowering her eyes in silence.

What?!

Had her carefully devised sympathy tactic completely failed?

Didn’t this always work in novels?

She’d been racking her brain the entire trip, trying to spot any unusual signs of Luo Mijin’s lingering feelings for Rong Qingyao. Now it seemed her efforts might be in vain?

“Since I noticed you didn’t eat much for breakfast, let’s get off and check the menu together. You can help me carry the food boxes later they’re a bit heavy for me alone,” Yan Si refused to believe this wouldn’t work and decided to be straightforward, betting that Luo Mijin wouldn’t have the heart to refuse.

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