After Encountering My Deceased Wife, I Became the Male Lead's Love Rival - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Frivolous

The filming of the variety show Meeting You in the Ordinary was scheduled to wrap up in late September, and Director Chang had no plans for a second season. After completing the show, he realized he still preferred making movies and decided to return to his original profession.

Before the conclusion, the program team unexpectedly enabled a live stream. Long-starved viewers flocked in, nearly crashing the platform’s servers. The final task was “Leaping the Plum Blossom Stakes”—stakes set in a pond. The six guests started together, and the first to navigate them to the finish line would win the ultimate grand prize.

It was a task testing individual ability, but there are always one or two people who take the opportunity to flaunt their affection. Fang Ziyue’s real-world martial arts skills had been preserved by the system; she moved across the stakes as if on level ground, even steadily protecting Ling Qiu to ensure she didn’t fall. The stakes weren’t high and the water wasn’t deep, but it was murky.

Those present were glamorous stars with public images to maintain; none of them wanted to fall in.

Except, of course, for a fuming Lin Mengyan.

In the month since Lin Mingcheng left the show, Lin Mengyan had frequently spoken to him on the phone, but every time, he scolded her as a “useless waste.” The dark circles under her eyes couldn’t be hidden by even the thickest foundation; even though she loved Lin Mingcheng deeply, she couldn’t handle the constant abuse. After much thought, she blamed everything on Ling Qiu. If Ling Qiu hadn’t failed to satisfy Cheng-ge, he wouldn’t have met with disaster, nor would he be taking his anger out on her.

Lin Mengyan, who hadn’t stirred up trouble in a long time, suddenly “slipped” and collided with the newcomer next to her. She knew the girl was afraid of water, so she was certain the girl would struggle and drag Ling Qiu down with her. Before Ling Qiu’s “bed photos” were leaked, she wanted to vent some frustration and have a little fun.

As expected, the newcomer screamed and, in a panic, grabbed the hem of Ling Qiu’s jacket. Her entire weight dragged Ling Qiu violently to the side!

“Watch out!” “Ling-jie, be careful!” Cang Jinyu and Mei Yueling cried out almost simultaneously.

Only the woman who had been guarding her the whole time grabbed Ling Qiu by the waist, pulling her back. At that same moment, Ling Qiu reached out to grab the newcomer; the girl was so terrified of the water her face had turned iron-blue, and letting her fall could lead to an accident. But the newcomer was too scared; she screamed and scrambled up Ling Qiu’s arms and clothes. In her frantic struggle, she tore off the bracelet on Fang Ziyue’s left wrist.

The metal pendants fell into the pond with several splashes. Like the comments in the live stream, a new controversy erupted amidst the atmosphere of concern for the newcomer.

Holy crap! Look at Fang Ziyue’s left hand, what a huge scar! Ugh, that’s terrifying. It’s so ugly. Isn’t she a celebrity? Does she not have money for scar removal?] [Is the person above sick? If you’re ignorant, shut up. Is it fun to mock someone’s self-harm scars? But… er, she shouldn’t lack the money for surgery, right?

Why keep it? Unless… Enough with the conspiracy theories! If her bracelet hadn’t been torn off today, who would have seen it? Can’t you stop assuming the worst of people? Hilarious. She was the ‘other woman,’ how is she not malicious? People are really trying to whitewash this? Just because she’s ‘weak’ she’s right?

Ling Qiu was busy pulling the newcomer and didn’t notice Fang Ziyue’s hand or the comments. After the staff arrived and took the girl away, Ling Qiu breathed a sigh of relief. She instinctively gripped the hand Fang Ziyue had around her waist to reassure her she was okay. However, the moment her fingertips touched the cold wrist and felt the uneven scar, Ling Qiu’s head snapped down.

Fang Ziyue’s hands were beautiful slender, fair fingers with well-defined joints and thin yet strong wrists. This made the scar cutting across it look even more hideous. Furthermore, because she had borne the weight of Ling Qiu and the newcomer for a long time, her left hand was trembling from overexertion.

Ling Qiu unconsciously bit her lip until it left a deep red mark, her throat feeling dry and metallic. She held Fang Ziyue’s wrist, only to realize she was trembling even harder than the other woman.

Although she had once thought about utilizing this scar, seeing Ling Qiu’s reaction made Fang Ziyue’s heart ache. This wasn’t in her plan. Since the incident with Lin Mingcheng, she had resolved to shelf all her schemes and control herself to stop making redundant plans. She reached out and gently pinched the back of Ling Qiu’s neck, leaning her forehead against the other’s, whispering comfort: “I’m fine, don’t cry.”

“It’s an old injury, it hasn’t hurt for a long time. Don’t be sad, be good.”

Fang Ziyue’s slightly trembling left hand tidied Ling Qiu’s hair while her strong right hand firmly supported her on the stakes. Even if her left hand was failing, she still had her right; she could still protect her wife.

“I won’t be good…”

The woman who had dominated the screen for so many years nearly lost control of her tears in front of the camera. Ling Qiu clutched Fang Ziyue’s lapels, her whole body shivering with cold, her words broken: “We’re not filming anymore… ugh, let’s go back. Come home with me now.”

Who knew that under that cool black bracelet lay a blade scar?

That day, after returning to Dr. Chen’s estate, the doctor had told her more about Fang Ziyue’s life over the past four years in detail. She thought she understood Fang Ziyue’s suffering well enough; she thought she could protect her. But the comments in the live stream were like slaps to her face loud and stinging.

Director Chang noticed something was wrong and stopped the live stream in time. However, hashtags like #FangZiyueSuicide, #WashedUpActorUsesSuicideToWhitewash, #FangTheOtherWomansRoadToRedemption, and #Shock!BestActressLingCriesForTheOtherWoman immediately hit the trending searches.

Ling-fans tried to lower the heat but found it useless. The people behind this had poured in a lot of money, determined to drag Ling Qiu down with her.

While the fans were frantic, Ling Qiu’s studio and Zhao Mumu were calm. Ling Qiu had wanted to clarify things earlier, but Fang Ziyue had stopped her. Looking back, it truly hadn’t been the right time then. Now, those in the know simultaneously realized this was the perfect moment to clear Fang Ziyue’s name. Once the matter grew large enough, they would strike.

But Ling Qiu, recording the show, was not so calm. She simply pulled Fang Ziyue and jumped into the pond, eyes red, and dragged her away after a quick apology to Director Chang. Director Chang waved them off; if the delay cost money, it was Fang Ziyue’s money, so he wasn’t worried.

Fang Ziyue, being dragged along, looked at the woman in front of her with a mix of heartache and amusement. Her wife was usually steady a dignified and quiet lady from an old painting, moving with a gentle and unhurried grace. How was she like this today? The hand on her wrist wouldn’t stop shaking, her pace was frantic, and she was on the verge of tears. Even when she was nearly forced by Lin Mingcheng, she had stayed strong and hadn’t panicked like this.

Ling Qiu pushed open the door and hurriedly shoved the woman, who was a head taller than her, onto the bed. The bed Fang Ziyue had provided for Ling Qiu was very soft; when she was pushed down, her body bounced uncontrollably twice. Caught off guard, she watched the grim-faced Ling Qiu sit on her waist and tried to cheer her up: “Ling Qiuqiu, it’s broad daylight, why are you so impatient?”

Ling Qiu, who had already pulled open Fang Ziyue’s shirt to check for other injuries, felt her already red eyes well up further. She knew she couldn’t out-talk this woman; moreover, if she didn’t hold her breath now, she really would cry. That scar… its hideous appearance… Ling Qiu couldn’t stop thinking: what if she had cut just a bit deeper back then?

Would Fang Ziyue be gone forever? There would be no Designer Z to coax her to eat and take medicine, no one to disregard their own illness to back her up on a show, and no Fang Ziyue to always look at her with such burning eyes.

Ling Qiu suddenly lost control of her emotions, and tears fell silently. They dripped onto Fang Ziyue’s shoulders and abdomen, so hot they made her curl her fingertips, her ten fingers spasming with tremors. Ling Qiu, eyes red, continued to strip Fang Ziyue’s clothes until she confirmed there were no other scars. Only then did she look up at Fang Ziyue.

However, seeing the other’s face, she was so surprised she forgot to cry. The woman with the striking features had tilted her head to hide half her face; a bashful pink crept from her slender neck to her cheeks, and a shimmering watery light glazed her eyes. Fang Ziyue’s long lashes fluttered, her misty eyes glancing up at the person sitting on her, her voice breathless with embarrassment.

The woman who only ever talked trash but never followed through hadn’t expected the “hunter to be pecked by the bird.” Not only was she stripped bare by her wife, but the person did it while crying.

Fang Ziyue asked with a breathless laugh: “What’s this? I’m the one who was stripped, so why do you have the piteous look of someone who’s been taken advantage of?”

Crying while making the first accusation Ling Qiuqiu, oh Ling Qiuqiu, where did your shyness go?

“Before, you wouldn’t even let me have a few extra kisses, and now you’re doing something even more extreme than kissing.” Since she was already stripped, the woman, half-exposed, simply shifted into a side-lying position. Her low, magnetic alto voice sounded lazily in Ling Qiu’s ear: “Not talking? Stunned? How about looking for another two dollars’ worth?”

The speed at which the disheveled woman “set herself free” left Ling Qiu dazed and unable to keep up. Her face was a total blank. Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?

What did she just do?!

Ling Qiu snapped out of it, and with a stiff face, she tried to run, springing off the bed like a rabbit. Unfortunately, a certain predator grabbed her by the “rabbit leg” and dragged her back.

“Ling Qiuqiu, you want to run after stripping me? You’re quite the scumbag, aren’t you?” Fang Ziyue nipped at Ling Qiu’s red, burning earlobe, humming as she left a light tooth mark.

Ling Qiu, held in her arms, didn’t dare struggle too much out of concern for Fang Ziyue’s left hand, but with Fang Ziyue blowing hot air into her ear, she was completely “cooked.” Not even the Flaming Mountains were as hot as she was. Ling Qiu wanted to beg for mercy and apologize, but the black-hearted Fang Ziyue gave her no chance, using her left hand to gently rub against her pink lips.

Ling Qiu didn’t dare speak; she could only listen as the person behind her teased her relentlessly.

“In broad daylight, under the bright sun, you actually did this and then tried to run? Is Best Actress Ling bullying me because I’m just a washed-up actor?”

Listen to her this woman actually dared to say such things.

“Hmm? Why is Best Actress Ling not speaking? Could it be you don’t want to take responsibility for me?” The woman behind her went into full drama mode, sounding piteously like she was about to sing a song of injustice.

Ling Qiu was sweating with anxiety, wishing she could bite off the fingers in her mouth. Talk! I’ll talk my head off! Move your hand and let me speak!

Support