After The Forced Marriage, I Ended Up With The Top Celebrity - Chapter 22

The film set was in chaos. High pressure water jets moved swiftly, and everyone was fleeing the scene, except for Luo Nianshu, who was moving against the flow.

“Qiao Jinyan!” Luo Nianshu shouted.

“Senior is over there,” Tang Fu coughed as she crawled out of the smoke, pointing further inside.

Luo Nianshu’s expression hardened. Without hesitation, she covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve and rushed inward.

Flames burst out, lighting up the entire area.

“Qiao Jinyan! Qiao Jinyan!” Luo Nianshu called repeatedly, pushing aside the dark smoke.

The ground was scorching hot; the asphalt beneath her feet was nearly melting.

Luo Nianshu felt her skin burning. Though she wasn’t directly touching the fire, the heat waves made her suffer immensely. How could Qiao Jinyan bear it?

“I’m… here…”

Qiao Jinyan’s faint, weak voice came from nearby. Luo Nianshu’s senses sharpened immediately. She changed direction, kicking away the charred machine debris and saw Qiao Jinyan lying on the ground.

Qiao Jinyan’s face was blackened by smoke; her once pure white dress was covered in dust. Her arms and thighs bore deep and shallow wounds.

In panic, Luo Nianshu forced herself to stay calm. She quickly took off her jacket and wrapped it around Qiao Jinyan, then picked her up.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

Luo Nianshu’s voice trembled almost uncontrollably.

Qiao Jinyan leaned against her, half-conscious.

She gave a weak smile and looked at Luo Nianshu.

“Good to have you here,” Qiao Jinyan murmured before slipping into unconsciousness.

“Hurry, hurry, move her this way!”

In the distance, there was a commotion. Qin Yang and his team arrived, carrying stretchers and wet towels, and quickly located Qiao Jinyan’s position.

“Miss Luo, quickly put Qiao Jinyan on the stretcher. We’ll take her out,” Qin Yang wiped the sweat off his forehead and spat out a mouthful of black smoke.

Luo Nianshu didn’t dare hesitate, quickly laying Qiao Jinyan on the stretcher on her back and protecting her head with a wet towel.

Everyone fled the fire scene together.

Qin Yang and some others carried the stretcher while casually explaining to Luo Nianshu, “The machine exploded due to aging right where Qiao Jinyan was standing. But don’t worry, she won’t be seriously hurt.”

“How do you know the fire was caused by the machine aging?”

Luo Nianshu immediately became alert.

It had been only a few minutes since the explosion. Everyone was busy rescuing and escaping, with no time to investigate the cause.

Qin Yang paused, looking flustered: “Just a guess, all just a guess. Miss Luo, let’s not talk about this now saving lives is the priority.”

Yes, saving lives was the priority.

Luo Nianshu didn’t say anything else. Together with the others, they loaded the stretcher onto the ambulance. Luo Nianshu instinctively wanted to follow, but Molly stopped her with a firm grip.

Molly patted Luo Nianshu’s arm seriously: “I’ll take good care of her.”

Luo Nianshu’s body froze.

What could she do for Qiao Jinyan now? She couldn’t even escort her to the hospital.

She slowly nodded, no longer insisting: “Please, take care of her.”

The ambulance doors shut, and it emitted a piercing siren as it sped away.

Everyone from the crew had gone to the hospital, leaving only Luo Nianshu and the gatekeeper in the wooden building.

Luo Nianshu paced anxiously in her bedroom.

She wanted to visit Qiao Jinyan but didn’t know which hospital she was in.

How serious were Qiao Jinyan’s injuries?

Had she woken up?

Would she… die?

The word “die” popped into Luo Nianshu’s mind, and she immediately shook it away.

She repeatedly tapped her phone.

Why hadn’t Molly contacted her yet?

The phone screen lit up, ringing. Luo Nianshu answered without thinking, only realizing it was an unknown number.

“Hello, Luo Nianshu,” Zhang Weiyin’s voice appeared on the phone. “How do you like today’s little surprise?”

Luo Nianshu’s pupils tightened, quickly realizing what was happening: “You set this fire?”

Zhang Weiyin chuckled but gave no direct answer: “Want to see Qiao Jinyan? I’ll give you the hospital address. You can see her.”

“How do I know this isn’t a trap?”

“No need to doubt. My goal isn’t that.”

Luo Nianshu gritted her teeth, furious as if she wanted to devour the woman: “What exactly do you want to do before you let Qiao Jinyan go?”

Zhang Weiyin crossed her legs, looked out the window, and quietly said to someone on the phone: “I want you to leave Qiao Jinyan alone.”

Luo Nianshu was confused.

Zhang Weiyin sighed, mocking Luo Nianshu’s confusion: “Don’t you like heroic rescues? Last time you saved Qiao Jinyan, this time you can save her again. If you two break up, I swear I won’t hurt her anymore. I’ll guarantee her safety.”

“But before this, you already hurt her.”

Luo Nianshu’s tone turned cold.

“Oh, you mean that black fan attack incident? Yes, I wanted to destroy Qiao Jinyan. Now that she’s infamous, I’m delighted. But”

Zhang Weiyin dragged out the words: “Seeing her so happily with you, I just can’t stand it.”

What you can’t have, you must destroy.

The one you can’t have must feel deprived.

Luo Nianshu shivered, narrowing her eyes: “What if I refuse?”

Zhang Weiyin laughed: “Do you have any bargaining chips? If you don’t break up, prepare to bury her. You know I have the power.”

The call was disconnected, and a message from the same number arrived: Qiao Jinyan is in Z Hospital. Do as I said.

Luo Nianshu breathed heavily, trembling all over.

What to do? What should she do?

At midnight.

A figure wrapped tightly in clothes, wearing a hat and mask, appeared in the hospital corridor.

Molly was guarding outside the ward and saw the sneaky figure heading towards Qiao Jinyan’s room. She immediately became alert: “Who’s there?”

“Shh, it’s me,” Luo Nianshu whispered, slightly lowering her mask to reveal her face.

“Assistant, why are you here? Go back quickly. What if reporters find out?”

Molly nervously looked around and tried to push her out.

“There won’t be any reporters,” Luo Nianshu shook her head firmly.

Zhang Weiyin had said she could come in unhindered tonight.

As long as… she followed the instructions.

“How can you be sure? Go quickly.”

“Let me see her, please,” Luo Nianshu grabbed Molly’s arm and blinked tears back into her eyes: “Maybe… it’s the last time.”

Molly was stunned and confused: Last time? What do you mean?

For a moment, she tightened her grip on Luo Nianshu’s shoulder: “What happened?”

Luo Nianshu just lowered her head and shook it: “Let me see her. Please. The last time.”

Luo Nianshu’s pain was too deep. Molly’s heart softened and she released her hold: “Go ahead, I’ll watch outside.”

Luo Nianshu gave a grateful look and hurried into the ward.

The smell of disinfectant was strong. The room was silent, with IV fluid dripping drop by drop.

Qiao Jinyan’s skin was red from the heat. Her arms were tightly wrapped in white gauze.

Luo Nianshu looked at the scars on Qiao Jinyan’s skin.

Those had once been flawless, fair skin.

Qiao Jinyan was famous for her fair beauty, recognized as the most beautiful actress in the entertainment industry.

But now, the most beautiful skin was scarred.

Qiao Jinyan, once an arrogant top star, was now slandered online and lying in the hospital with severe injuries.

Luo Nianshu felt sharp pain in her chest.

She gently sat by the bed, soft bedding sinking under her weight.

She reached out and held Qiao Jinyan’s hand, which was hanging by the blanket.

Qiao Jinyan’s hand twitched slightly at the touch. She opened her eyes as if touched by fire, and seeing Luo Nianshu sitting beside her, she relaxed and gave a soft smile: “You came.”

Luo Nianshu felt as if her heart was being torn apart.

She lowered her head and softly replied, “Mm,” then sniffed.

Sensing the strange atmosphere, Qiao Jinyan tried to talk more.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“The doctor said my scars are small. After discharge, plastic surgery can restore everything.”

“When I’m out, take me to meet your grandmother.”

“Let’s break up,” Luo Nianshu interrupted her.

Qiao Jinyan was stunned, as if she hadn’t heard clearly: “What?”

Luo Nianshu lifted her head and looked straight at her: “Let’s break up.”

Qiao Jinyan was dumbfounded for two seconds before she reacted. Furious, she struggled to sit up: “Are you crazy, Luo Nianshu?”

Luo Nianshu stepped forward and pushed her back onto the bed.

“Did someone say something to you?” Qiao Jinyan narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“No.”

“Then why all of a sudden…”

“I’ve been thinking about breaking up with you for a long time,” Luo Nianshu raised her head, her expression cold.

Acting?

She could do that too.

All those weddings before were just acting, and this time, she could act well too.

“You’re spoiled by favoritism, capricious and inconsiderate. I’m tired of you.”

Qiao Jinyan’s face paled. She supported herself and sat up: “Don’t lie to me, Luo Nianshu. If you wanted to break up, you would have said it earlier. Why wait until now?”

“Being with you cancels out my 30 million debt, and I don’t have to listen to your orders. Why wouldn’t I want that?”

“You’re lying.”

“You were a top star back then; who wouldn’t want to date a top celebrity? But now, you’re just a third-rate actress, and there’s something unclear between you and Tang Fu.”

“You’re lying.”

“I have no peace living with you. I just want a normal life now.”

“You’re lying.”

“Besides, you built your career on your beauty. Now your skin is burned. You don’t even have your beauty left.”

Smack!

Qiao Jinyan slapped her.

The slap drained all her strength. She soon collapsed back on the pillow, breathing heavily, eyes filled with disappointment, anger, resentment, and confusion.

Luo Nianshu covered her face and slowly endured the pain in her chest. Turning her face, she forced a smile with swollen muscles: “Still have strength. Looks like you’re healing well.”

A cold gleam flashed in Qiao Jinyan’s eyes.

Go quickly, Luo Nianshu told herself.

She was about to lose control.

Go quickly.

Luo Nianshu got up and quickly opened the door.

“Luo Nianshu!” Qiao Jinyan almost lunged off the bed, pulling the IV stand which wobbled: “If you dare take a step out that door, I will never forgive you!”

Luo Nianshu’s body stiffened, hesitated for a second, then quickly walked out.

“Luo! Nian! Shu!” Qiao Jinyan screamed sharply from inside.

Then came the sound of IV bottles crashing and glass breaking.

Luo Nianshu dared not linger, pushing past the arriving medical staff and ran out of the hospital.

When no one was around, she dialed a number coldly: “Zhang Weiyin, I did as you said. You have to keep your promise.”

Zhang Weiyin nodded with satisfaction: “Don’t meet her again, got it?”

“I know.”

After hanging up, Luo Nianshu finally lost her strength.

The streetlight cast her shadow on the wall as she leaned against it, slowly sliding down, sobbing quietly.