After Encountering My Deceased Wife, I Became the Male Lead's Love Rival - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Waking Up

On the day they returned to Chen Yueyu’s studio, Fang Ziyue’s condition stabilized. During the time Fang Ziyue was unconscious, Ling Qiu remained by her side to care for her. She also questioned Chen Yueyu repeatedly, learning many things about Fang Ziyue’s past.

“Best Actress Ling, as you know, this fool was a total idiot at the beginning. Lin Mengyan tricked her into being a scapegoat. After the incident, she was blacklisted, her contract was terminated by the company, and she was kicked out. Since she couldn’t develop her career domestically, she fled abroad.”

Chen Yueyu spread her hands and sighed. “At least abroad there was still room for her to grow. She always wanted to clarify the truth but lacked the evidence. Now that she’s finally succeeded abroad, she ran back just to uncover the truth of what happened back then.”

And to untie the knot in both your hearts, because she wants to chase you. Chen Yueyu didn’t dare say that last part out loud.

However, Ling Qiu keenly caught the information in her words and questioned: “As far as I know, there are no records of Fang Ziyue becoming famous in any field abroad. You said she developed very well, so what is her relationship with Z?”

To be able to commission that famous investigation firm to look into the past required not just money, but connections. Yet, in Ling Qiu’s own investigation, Fang Ziyue seemed to have vanished without a trace while abroad. It wasn’t until she suddenly returned this year, appearing with wealth and connections, that everything followed.

Chen Yueyu didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she paused for a moment and asked back: “Why does Best Actress Ling want to know this?”

Designer Z’s style was unique; it was impossible for Ling Qiu not to recognize it. But since she recognized it when they first met and didn’t ask then, what was her intention in asking now? She wasn’t interrogating; she was simply curious.

Having her suspicions confirmed, Ling Qiu didn’t know how to describe her feelings for a moment. Chen Yueyu’s reaction told her that the scapegoat who was pushed out years ago knew she had done wrong, so she went abroad to work hard and develop her career specifically to help Ling Qiu as much as possible. Back then, the original owner was just a brainless fool who took all the blame, but Fang Ziyue had arrived and done everything in her power to set things right.

Ling Qiu was silent for a while before sighing. Previously, she believed Fang Ziyue truly was “the other woman,” so she refused to forgive her, no matter how well she treated her or how much she did. But now… she felt lost and unsure.

“Her illness…” Ling Qiu looked at the unconscious person on the bed and somehow found herself asking.

“Well, there’s nothing that can’t be said.” Fang Ziyue didn’t mind Ling Qiu knowing about her condition, and Chen Yueyu had no intention of hiding it for her. “She probably stifled it out of herself while living alone abroad.”

“When I first met her, her situation was much more serious than this. She would climb onto a windowsill or a rooftop every other day. Best Actress Ling, you understand, right?”

She understood, but she hadn’t realized it was that severe.

Ling Qiu rubbed her temples and looked up. “Why did she join this variety show? Was it for me?” Fang Ziyue had once said she came for her, but Ling Qiu hadn’t taken it seriously; now, she had to.

“Yes.” The slender Dr. Chen suddenly changed her expression, gritting her teeth and glaring at the unconscious person on the bed. “She couldn’t be stopped; she insisted on coming back!”

There was no other choice. The Lin couple were going to meet Ling Qiu on the same show, and Fang Ziyue had to come back. How could she feel safe letting Ling Qiu face those two animals alone? Furthermore, when Ling Qiu had been chatting with “Z” during that period, she inadvertently revealed she had a cold and fever. Since she was taking on work without fully recovering, Fang Ziyue couldn’t possibly sit still abroad.

It was because of her. Though it wasn’t Ling Qiu’s intention, she was the cause.

Ling Qiu covered her lips with her hand. She remembered the time she told “Z” she was joining the show to repay a favor to Director Chang. Z had disagreed, telling her not to go since she wasn’t well. Ling Qiu told her it was fine, which made Z anxious. She had said: “If you’re going to that damn show while sick, I’m coming back to find you right now!”

Ling Qiu thought she was joking at the time and hadn’t taken it seriously, only offering a few soothing words. As it turned out…

Ring. The phone rang suddenly, pulling Ling Qiu out of her tangled thoughts. It was her manager calling.

“The data has been thoroughly checked. Are you ready to expose Lin Mingcheng’s crimes?” the manager asked. Previously, Ling Qiu had said she wanted to handle this personally, so the manager hadn’t intervened beyond gathering evidence. Now that all the evidence was gathered, they could make Lin Mingcheng lose his reputation forever at any moment.

“Wait, I’ll go handle it right now.” Ling Qiu finished speaking and hung up, then turned to ask Chen Yueyu, “When will she wake up?”

Based on past experience, Chen Yueyu gave an approximate time: “Two or three days.”

Ling Qiu nodded. She had to settle things before Fang Ziyue woke up. However, neither of them expected that this time, Fang Ziyue would wake up so quickly.

Having guarded the bedside for a long time, Chen Yueyu finally stepped out for some fresh air, only to be summoned back by a call from a servant. Learning that Fang Ziyue had suffered another episode, she rushed into the studio only to see Fang Ziyue looking like a piece of dead wood. She was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, motionless like a puppet that had lost its soul.

The back of the hand receiving the IV drip was bloody; she had yanked the needle out, and it swung to the side, dripping liquid that gathered into a wet puddle on the floor. Many pills were scattered on the table beside her, and several medicine bottles had been overturned, as if she had frantically searched for medicine in a fit of desperation before being stopped by the servant, only to then fall into a state of resigned despair.

Chen Yueyu’s eyelid twitched. She rushed forward and grabbed Fang Ziyue’s collar, intending to take her to the hospital to have her stomach pumped.

“I didn’t eat them.” The listless woman brushed away Chen Yueyu’s hand, stubbornly lying back on the bed like a hibernating salted fish.

Chen Yueyu gritted her teeth. She knelt down and began picking up the pills, warning the idiot: “You’d better pray that I count every single pill, or you’re dead, Fang Ziyue!”

The woman with closed eyes remained unmoved, appearing both infuriating and helpless. Chen Yueyu counted the pills several times with trembling hands. Midway through, a pill rolled away, and the “idiot” actually got up to help her pick it up.

Nearly moved to tears by anger, Chen Yueyu took a few deep breaths before taking out her constantly vibrating phone to see who was so bored as to keep messaging her. However, the information coming from the other end made her hesitate for a moment.

“What is it?” The woman, who had seemed devoid of energy, suddenly asked in a low voice, startling Chen Yueyu.

She patted her chest and frowned. “My people say Best Actress Ling is investigating how Lin Mengyan induced you back then.”

“Induced me?” Fang Ziyue opened her eyes suddenly, looking surprised.

The IV drips had some effect, and the note Ling Qiu had specifically left on the bedside table had provided Fang Ziyue with immense comfort. It helped her stay calm, so the medicine hadn’t actually been swallowed. It was a close call; she was almost thrown into a stomach pump.

Feeling much better, Fang Ziyue thought that the previous file was clear enough: the original owner was just a fool who was simply used as a scapegoat. So why was Ling Qiu still investigating?

“Yes.” Chen Yueyu shook her head, making a bold guess. “Perhaps she wants to help you clarify what happened back then.”

Of course, it was also possible that Ling Qiu was just gathering more leverage to take down the long-active Lin Mengyan. But looking at the Best Actress’s attitude toward this “dog thing” behind her lately, it was likely the former.

“What did you two talk about?” Fang Ziyue felt something was amiss.

“She asked about your illness and found out you are Designer Z.” Chen Yueyu put away the medicine and locked it up, saying helplessly: “Your secrets have been exposed by Best Actress Ling, so you’d better confess everything honestly to her later.”

Fang Ziyue fell into silent thought. Initially, she wanted to keep her identity as Z and her illness as trump cards—leverage to make Ling Qiu pity her a little more and draw her closer.

Sigh…

But after Lin Mingcheng nearly forced himself on Ling Qiu, and seeing her trembling and distressed, Fang Ziyue suddenly didn’t want to do that anymore. She didn’t want to carry out any more “damn plans” or calculate emotions into the mix. There is no wall that doesn’t leak, and fire cannot be wrapped in paper; all calculated plans will eventually be exposed. When that day comes, would Ling Qiu not be hurt?

No, she would be heartbroken. And that was exactly what Fang Ziyue wanted to avoid most.

“What?! You actually don’t want to use your broken plan to stir things up anymore?” Chen Yueyu’s jaw nearly dropped at Fang Ziyue’s answer. She was stunned for a long time before closing her mouth and wiping the corner of it. Close call she almost drooled.

But the great Dr. Chen wasn’t angry; instead, she was very happy. “Doesn’t this mean you’re getting better?”

No longer simulating emotions and feelings step-by-step like a machine according to a plan—this was a return to normalcy. Chen Yueyu sighed sincerely: “Thank God, you finally live like a human being.”

Fang Ziyue, leaning against the headboard, frowned speechlessly. Although the words were correct, why did they sound so much like an insult?

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