A Time-Limited Romance with Movie Queen Ex - Chapter 42.2

Sure enough, Luo Mijin nodded, a faint dimple appearing at the corner of her lips. “Alright.”

The private restaurant had a classical decor, adorned with carvings of landscapes, flowers, and birds. As soon as Yan Si entered, a familiar server moved to greet them, but she subtly signaled them to hold back.

“Miss Luo, take a look at what you’d like to eat. Order anything, I’ll just pick some dishes for CEO Rong to take away.”

“I’m not hungry. Just order for her,” Luo Mijin replied, having already drunk half a bowl of mushroom and chicken porridge earlier. She couldn’t eat another bite.

Yan Si picked up the menu and casually ordered a bowl of yam and poria cocos porridge, stir-fried seasonal greens, sautéed three delicacies, sweet and sour ribs, and Kung Pao chicken.

“Also, a chicken soup with morel mushrooms, make sure it’s the best-quality chicken.”

The restaurant served generous portions. The chicken soup alone came in a clean clay pot, while the other dishes were neatly packed in separate containers.

When her first plan failed, Yan Si had no choice but to lead Luo Mijin to a pharmacy. As soon as they entered, she listed off a few headache medications.

The clerk immediately went to the back shelves to fetch them. Out of the corner of her eye, Yan Si glanced at Luo Mijin, who still seemed indifferent, absorbed in her phone.

Had CEO Rong’s ex-girlfriend truly moved on? Was it a case of unrequited love, flowers willing, but the stream indifferent?

Just as the clerk was still searching for the medicine, Luo Mijin, who had seemed lost in thought, suddenly spoke as if to herself, “Are these all prescription drugs?”

Yan Si paused before realizing Luo Mijin was asking her.

“Yes, yes. They were prescribed by the doctor for CEO Rong. They’re safe to take.”

“Does she need to take them long-term?”

Though she’d been warned not to speak carelessly, Yan Si still hinted vaguely.

“Well, it’s an old issue of hers. It started seven years ago.”

“Does it hurt badly?” Luo Mijin’s voice rose slightly before she remembered they were in public and quickly lowered it again.

“I’m not sure about the specifics. CEO Rong isn’t one to share her feelings, she’s very reserved.” Yan Si cleared her throat. “Why don’t you ask her yourself, Miss Luo?”

There was no response for a long while. Yan Si stole another glance at Luo Mijin, only to find the girl had retreated back into her quiet, detached state.

But from the looks of it, Luo Mijin wasn’t completely indifferent at least she was searching up the effects of the medications on her phone. That meant she wasn’t entirely cold toward Rong Qingyao. It seemed there were still plenty of misunderstandings between them.

This would take some effort from a well-meaning third party.

While waiting for the clerk to ring up the purchase, Yan Si quickly sent a text to Rong Qingyao to report the situation.

[Yan Si: CEO Rong, I’ve picked up Miss Luo. We’ve packed some food for you. Should I bring her to the company so you two can have brunch together?]

Before Yan Si could even look up, Rong Qingyao’s reply came through.

[Rong Qingyao: The house has been cleaned. Take her there directly later. Let her choose new keys and a new passcode.]

Wait, why pass up such a perfect opportunity? Yan Si couldn’t make sense of it but had no choice but to follow Rong Qingyao’s instructions.

They got back into the car. Yan Si carefully placed the food and medicine aside, then after a moment’s consideration, said to Luo Mijin:

“Miss Luo, I’ll take you home now. Everything has been prepared there, and you can rest assured the environment is very comfortable. President Rong won’t be returning for now due to her busy schedule.”

Luo Mijin turned her face toward the car window, her voice muffled. “Remember to remind her to take her medicine even when she’s busy with work.”

Yan Si raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smile, and replied seriously, “Mm, I’ll relay that word for word to President Rong.”

The car stopped in front of an elegant building in the city center, and Yan Si led Luo Mijin inside.

“Miss Luo, don’t you think the environment is nice? There’s a very quiet garden, excellent natural lighting in the rooms, and complete facilities including a gym, swimming pool, and small golf course. It’s a spacious 500-square-meter flat with distant neighbors, so you don’t need to worry about noise.”

“Where will I be staying?” Luo Mijin asked cautiously.

“Of course, the master bedroom,” Yan Si replied, leading Luo Mijin to a room on the third floor. She pushed open the heavy cherrywood door to reveal the interior.

The afternoon sun streamed directly through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm rays across the polished wooden floor.

The breeze fluttered the sheer white curtains, revealing glimpses of cartoon bear-patterned bedsheets. Outside, verdant tree leaves rustled audibly as they swayed.

A few steps inside, one could see a silver Ferris wheel partially hidden among the maple trees in the distance.

Seeing Luo Mijin staring blankly, Yan Si guessed she liked the place.

“And next door is a combined study and entertainment room with computers, TVs, and excellent soundproofing.”

When Yan Si called her to the adjacent room, Luo Mijin’s eyes instantly reddened, forcing her to lower her head and hide behind her bangs.

This study had its upper and lower floors connected, with a massive skylight in the central atrium embedded with frosted glass and flanked by beautiful stained-glass windows covered with leaves and flowers.

Stairs and platforms of varying heights hugged the bookshelves, allowing easy access throughout this massive book-filled space.

The shelves were packed with all kinds of comic books, strikingly similar to those beautiful dreams from years past.

She had narrated these dreams, never imagining Rong Qingyao would bring them to life years later.

Seeing Luo Mijin seemed well-adjusted, Yan Si quietly withdrew. In the following days, she shuttled Luo Mijin between the hospital and this spacious apartment.

Until today, when she went to pick up Luo Mijin but couldn’t find her. Coincidentally, Rong Qingyao was returning from abroad, so Yan Si had to go to the airport first.

“President Rong, I couldn’t find Miss Luo at the hospital earlier. The doctors and nurses said she’d left long ago.”

“What about home?” Rong Qingyao had just disembarked when she received Yan Si’s call, surrounded by enthusiastic fans and admirers.

“Not there either. I called Miss Luo, but she didn’t answer.”

That feeling of losing something, of grasping at air, assaulted Rong Qingyao again. The world seemed to spin violently around her.

Yan Si hurriedly ended the call and rushed through the VIP passage to meet Rong Qingyao.

Several bodyguards formed a protective circle around Rong Qingyao, separating her from the crowd. The woman’s expression was grave, but with so many people around, she couldn’t vent her frustration.

Back in the car, Rong Qingyao wearily rubbed her temples and asked Yan Si to explain the situation again.

“Miss Luo has been following a regular routine these days – job hunting in the mornings, visiting her sister at the hospital in the afternoons. She’s been eating three meals normally and exercising by swimming or bowling in the evenings.”

Rong Qingyao pulled up Luo Mijin’s saved number and immediately sent three texts:

[Yan Si says you’ve disappeared. Where are you?]

[Why aren’t you answering your phone?]

[Luo Mijin, do you really enjoy playing vanishing games this much?]

Ten minutes later, Luo Mijin called.

“I’m at the amusement park near… your place. I wasn’t trying to disappear.”

“Fine.”

“I didn’t notice my phone earlier.”

“Mhm.”

“I really just wanted to take a walk at the amusement park today, not disappear.”

“Mhm, I understand. I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

The woman’s voice on the phone sounded weary and distant, reminding Luo Mijin of how Rong Qingyao used to look when exhausted from juggling studies and work vulnerable, asleep at her desk.

She wanted to say more, but the call had already ended.

Inside the Rolls-Royce, Yan Si turned to see the woman in the backseat sitting upright, thumb scrolling through her phone. Dressed in a basic white blouse with silver half-rimmed glasses, she gazed absently out the window.

“President Rong, have we found Ms. Luo?”

“Yes, she’s at the amusement park.” The woman’s voice was soft and faint, as if it might dissipate in the wind at any moment.

The helplessness of losing all contact with Luo Mijin again washed over her, leaving her too weak to even hold herself up.

The driver soon arrived at the park. Rong Qingyao, pale and distracted, walked without hesitation toward the roller coaster.

“I thought couples would prefer something like the Ferris wheel or carousel,” Yan Si remarked, eyeing the ride, which didn’t seem to suit Rong Qingyao’s usual reserved demeanor.

Rong Qingyao responded indifferently, “She should be here.”

“This park’s roller coaster is insanely thrilling, it’s themed around a yeti. As the ride speeds along, the yeti chases after it, even throwing snowballs and wrecking the tracks. It’s wild.”

Yan Si enthusiastically described the serpentine ride but grew concerned when she noticed Rong Qingyao’s pallor.

“President Rong, is your headache acting up again? Are the doctor’s prescriptions not working? Maybe you should rest in the car while I look for Ms. Luo.”

In the night sky, the crisscrossing tracks gleamed as steel-modeled mountain coaster cars raced past, screams echoing from the highest peaks.

“No need. She’s right there.”

Rong Qingyao spotted Luo Mijin gripping the railing in front of the roller coaster. The flashing lights of the speeding ride cast shadows across her delicate, pretty face. Her light-colored eyes were deep, their expression unreadable in the dark.

“Yan Si, take her home.”

“President Rong, aren’t you going to see her yourself?”

“No. She might not want to see me.” The woman watched Luo Mijin’s retreating figure. “I have matters to discuss with Jin Huai and Scott. You handle it.”

Just knowing Luo Mijin would be sleeping in the house that belonged to her eased the hollow ache of seven years of rootlessness.

She had plucked the rose from the distant moon and brought it back to her garden even if she could only observe it from afar.

She had always said she was especially patient with the things she truly wanted.

Yan Si stared blankly as Rong Qingyao walked away, sensing something ominous brewing beneath the surface.

“Ms. Luo?”

“Oh, Yan… Yan Si.”

“Ms. Luo, let’s go. Unless you’d like to ride the coaster first?”

“I just came to look, not to ride.” Luo Mijin checked her phone and winced apologetically. “Sorry, I wanted to visit since I didn’t have a bar performance today, but I lost track of time. It won’t happen again.”

Yan Si recalled how Rong Qingyao had been able to accurately locate Luo Mijin’s position in the amusement park, always feeling there was some hidden trick unknown to outsiders.

**

At the tingkle tea bar, Scott looked at the arrangements Rong Qingyao had texted him and asked Bai Jinhuai with concern.

“Do you think Qing needs to go this far? Even selling out a friend like me.”

Bai Jinhuai looked up from his computer screen and shrugged. “I’ve been reading a bit lately and learned one thing.”

“What?”

“Love is a game for the brave.”

“Pfft, the wise don’t fall in love,” Scott retorted stubbornly. “Then what do you think Qing will do next?”

“All I know is Qingyao definitely has more moves planned.” Bai Jinhuai glanced at the time. “You’d better go now. Riddle must already be at the bar. You know the consequences if you mess this up.”

Under Bai Jinhuai’s pressure, Scott reluctantly left the private room and headed straight for Luo Mijin, who had just entered the bar.

“What a coincidence, Riddle! Is your band performing today?”

Luo Mijin remembered her mute persona in the band and merely nodded reservedly, offering a faint smile.

Scott didn’t mind and deliberately added, “After your performance, come to my private room. I’d like to discuss that demo for the engagement ceremony.”

Since Luo Mijin had been sick before, the demo discussion had been postponed for over a week. It seemed perfectly normal to bring it up now.

After a brief pause, Luo Mijin nodded again, indicating she would come immediately after the performance.

Just then, Mike returned from the bar with cocktails. Seizing the opportunity, Scott introduced Mike to Luo Mijin.

“This is my friend Mike. He’s into music too, he’s the one who recommended I come watch you play the drums.”

Mike, a tall, handsome blonde with blue eyes, flashed a big, puppy-like smile at the introduction.

“Hey, Riddle. Your drumming has such vitality, it’s really unique.”

“We won’t keep you from your performance, but Riddle, remember to come find me after the show,” Scott said, slinging an arm around Mike’s shoulders as they headed upstairs to the private room, leaving Luo Mijin with a cheerful grin.

Luo Mijin slowly turned away, catching snippets of Scott’s words like “You’re so annoying” and “Whose place tonight?” things that sounded suspiciously like flirting.

Though their friendship seemed a bit odd, Luo Mijin, who had never formed deep connections with many people in her life, didn’t dwell on it. She pushed aside the bad mood and returned to the dressing room to change before heading onstage.

With Rong Qingyao’s engagement date drawing closer, her performance was distracted. After hastily playing three songs with the band and adding two improvised solos, she wrapped up for the night.

Following her agreement with Scott, Luo Mijin soon arrived at the private room door.

Through the crack, she saw Scott locked in an intimate kiss with the tall, handsome blonde.

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