Distance Formula - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

After receiving the message, Su Shang clicked her tongue twice. She relayed the news to Hu Liyang: “Well, it’s just the two of us then.”

Hu Liyang was about to agree, but suddenly sensed something was off. She frowned and asked, “Have Yanshi and Teacher Bai known each other for a long time?”

Su Shang shrugged. “Nah, they just met a few days ago.”

She knew what Hu Liyang was implying, and winked ambiguously. “But what does that matter, right?”

Having spent time in the entertainment industry, Hu Liyang understood immediately. She was startled at first, then made an OK gesture. “Got it.”

Su Shang hooked her arm and led her forward. “A smart person. Let’s hang out for a bit and then head back. It wouldn’t be good if your assistant worried, and we definitely don’t want any gossip!”

Hu Liyang nodded. “Okay, alright.”

Bai Biqing trailed Su Yanshi by two steps. She looked at the Alpha, whose mood was excellent, and couldn’t help but smile. “So happy?”

Su Yanshi strolled along the sidewalk. The occasional sound of cars speeding past on the road was like background music. She looked back. “Yes, I’m really happy tonight. It’s been a long time since I felt this way.”

“Usually, it’s just filming and running announcements. Once I join a crew, it’s all about studying the script. Sometimes when I want to go out and look around, I can’t find anyone to accompany me.”

She lowered her head and looked at her shoes. “I don’t have a great personality, plus I’m not proactive in socializing, so I have very few friends. Some people who approach me just want to spread dating rumors, but I’m not willing, and Brother Nan (Li Zhuonan, her manager) won’t allow it. At most, my assistant would go out with me.”

“My popularity is growing now, and every little action is magnified. It’s unavoidable. When I go out, I’m always afraid of being recognized. Actually, I’m no different; I’m just an ordinary person, but once I’m labeled a celebrity, things change.”

Su Yanshi smiled through her mask. “I really like lively places. Brother Nan used to take me out, but after I became popular, his reputation grew, and he has many rising artists under him, so he gradually couldn’t pay as much attention to me.”

Bai Biqing recalled what Director Liu had said. She quickened her pace and lowered her voice slightly. “Director Liu said you don’t bring an assistant. Given how busy you must be, why don’t you have one?”

“Didn’t Li Zhuonan arrange one?”

Su Yanshi took a deep breath. She stopped and fell silent. Bai Biqing waited beside her. Just as she was about to say never mind, seeing the Alpha struggling to speak, she heard the person beside her say in a subdued tone: “I did.”

“But I didn’t want him. I was a bit scared.”

Su Yanshi resumed walking.

Bai Biqing was confused. “Scared?”

“Because I’m an Alpha, I couldn’t have an Omega assistant, and I couldn’t hire a fan. After my previous assistant resigned for family reasons, Brother Nan and I searched for a long time and finally found a suitable male Alpha. We thoroughly checked all his accounts, making sure he wasn’t a fan before he started.”

Su Yanshi sighed. “At first, he was quite responsible, always accommodating, and his attitude was normal. I thought he would last a long time until I joined a film crew.”

“The filming location was quite remote, and the living conditions weren’t great; many facilities were outdated. I started feeling like someone was watching me from the shadows. I asked the assistant to check, but he didn’t find anything, until one day I saw a post on a public account in my Moments about checking for hidden cameras in hotels. That’s when I realized something was wrong.”

“I bought tools online, planning to search carefully.”

Su Yanshi didn’t dare tell anyone. She first used the tools to check places where cameras were easily hidden, but found nothing. She was relieved, but a few days later, the feeling grew stronger, causing her anxiety and insomnia, severely affecting her acting.

One night, tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, she had a sudden thought. She grabbed the tool and casually scanned the ceiling, right up to the small lamp above her head.

Su Yanshi felt a chill run through her body. She saw a tiny red light inside the lampshade directly above her. She quickly realized it was a miniature camera. She didn’t know how long it had been monitoring her. It had been faulty for a while, and the hotel hadn’t replaced it. She hadn’t cared, but now it had become the biggest accomplice.

She was too scared to move for a long time. When she recovered, she didn’t dare turn on the light. She grabbed a coat and stumbled out, pale-faced. She initially wanted to find her assistant, but stopped before knocking. An impossible, yet surprisingly plausible, thought flashed through her mind.

Su Yanshi covered her mouth, forcefully suppressing the feeling of nausea. She hurried to another lead actor’s door, knocked, and called the police that night.

“But the matter was suppressed, so the outside world has no idea,” Su Yanshi said, still feeling lingering fear.

She gave a bitter smile. “Later, the police found many of my personal items in the assistant’s room. He had bribed the hotel’s surveillance staff, which is why I hadn’t noticed anything wrong. He was also incredibly careful. Every time he stole an item, he would buy an identical one, intentionally creating the impression of old clothing. I realized then that many of the things on my body were no longer mine.”

“His private computer contained a full 20 GB of my private material. He was an obsessive sasaeng fan. Once his actions were exposed, he couldn’t maintain the pretense anymore. He said many vulgar things to me and threatened to ruin my reputation.”

Su Yanshi looked at Bai Biqing, her eyes filled with helplessness. “I don’t dare hire an assistant now. I’d rather exhaust myself, but this can’t go on forever. Brother Nan is still looking for someone, but we’re both afraid of finding someone like him. We haven’t found a suitable person yet, so I have to manage on my own for now.”

Bai Biqing remained silent for a long time after hearing the story. She didn’t know what to think, feeling both angry and powerless. The incident was long over, and everything that needed to be handled was done. There was no need for her intervention.

But anyone would be traumatized by the discovery of being constantly monitored.

The Beta tried her best to suppress her emotions. “Are you getting used to where you’re staying now?”

Su Yanshi chose her words carefully. “It’s only the first day. It’s normal not to be used to it.”

The Alpha pulled down her mask. She walked backward, facing Bai Biqing, with the moonlight scattered behind her like tiny stars.

She said nonchalantly, “I’m not scared anymore. Only when I think about it.”

Bai Biqing watched carefully to prevent her from falling. She lowered her eyes and said apologetically, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

Su Yanshi smiled. “It’s okay. I wanted to tell you.”

She turned around, pulling her hat low, hands behind her back. “I’ve dated several people before, Betas and Omegas. They were very enthusiastic when we first started dating, and I worked hard to maintain the relationship. But after a while, or when the passion faded, they found it boring. They gradually became distant, and I’m not an idiot, so how could I not feel it?”

Her topic suddenly changed abruptly. “Look! We’ve arrived!”

Bai Biqing just acknowledged her with an “Mhm.”

She quietly continued to listen to Su Yanshi.

The two walked toward the ocean in unison. The sound of the waves crashing was instantly relaxing.

Su Yanshi happily walked faster. She rolled up her pant legs and said, “They complained that I didn’t talk much, couldn’t find conversation topics, and said I was boring. Then they would cry. I’m clumsy, so I couldn’t find the problem, and all I could do was hand them tissues. But—”

The Alpha took off her shoes. She was particularly eager to share tonight. “Only we knew the real reason: they just stopped liking me. Neither of us changed; it was the heart that changed. When they broke up with me, most of them said I wasn’t romantic.”

Su Yanshi stepped onto the beach. “Teacher Bai, I don’t know how to make friends. I just follow my feelings, which is really strange.”

“It’s only been a few days, but I feel like I’ve known you for a long time. I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but I really wanted to talk to you.”

Su Yanshi walked into the seawater. The warm, soft liquid gently wrapped around her ankles.

She added, “I hope you don’t mind me. Just this once.”

The Alpha turned around, holding out her hand, as if begging. She made a “1” sign.

Bai Biqing pulled down her mask and quietly met Su Yanshi’s gaze. The night wind blew, connecting the sky with silver light.

She looked incredibly gentle. “I am very honored. Yanshi, what kind of person do you think I am?”

Su Yanshi thought for a moment. “Someone who is very comfortable to be around. I think you’re better at handling things than I am.”

Bai Biqing chuckled. “That’s true. I’ve had many admirers and have been in many relationships. I’ve never initiated a confession. Yet, no one has stayed by my side for more than three months. It’s simple: I didn’t feel anything. I’d say we could try it, but I wouldn’t guarantee feelings would develop.”

“I tried to maintain the image of a perfect lover: flowers, dates, sweet talk, and occasional small surprises. But I didn’t like it. I didn’t fall for them, so I was the one who usually initiated the breakups, because I didn’t want to waste their time.”

She also rolled up her pant legs and slowly walked toward Su Yanshi. “See? Someone like me also isn’t good at managing relationships.”

“Yanshi, I also enjoy spending time with you. It feels like we’ve known each other for a long time. Tell me, isn’t that a strange feeling?”

Su Yanshi’s eyes were slightly red. She nodded. “It is strange.”

Bai Biqing exhaled. She bent down, cupping her hands to scoop up some seawater. “What do you see?”

The Alpha looked at the water, only seeing her, Bai Biqing, and the close-by moon. She said, “The moon looks really beautiful tonight.”

“It’s hidden right in your palm.”

The wind billowed Su Yanshi’s clothes, and her hair barely concealed the tremor in her voice.

Bai Biqing laughed aloud at that. Su Yanshi joined in the laughter. The Beta continued, “Is that so? I didn’t even realize. Yanshi, the word ‘romantic’ cannot be defined. People aren’t born knowing these things. There’s no need to learn, because when you meet the right person, everything becomes romantic.”

“The moon is the sea’s best promise to you. Everything you want will become very simple.”

“The moonlight will illuminate the knight’s highest honor.”

“Su Yanshi, you really are—so beautiful tonight.”

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