I Wish To Never Leave Your Side - Chapter 17

Qiu Yan sat wrapped in a blanket on the sofa, her face flushed so deeply it seemed about to emit steam.

After taking a moment to collect herself, she reached for the clothes she had discarded on the floor earlier and began putting them back on, piece by piece.

As she fastened her bra, she glanced down at the spot Mo Lishen had particularly focused on earlier, as if embarrassed by her own body, and her cheeks instantly burned crimson again.

She hurriedly finished dressing, not even bothering to straighten the edges of her clothes, before darting into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of cold water.

Mo Lishen, how could she be so…

The first word that popped into Qiu Yan’s mind was “gentle,” startling her so much that she quickly gulped down another large mouthful of water, shaking her head as if to physically discard the thought.

Mo Lishen was very beautiful.

Qiu Yan bit the rim of the glass, recalling the focused expression Mo Lishen had worn while applying medicine to her earlier. Unconsciously, the corners of her lips curved upward. When she realized what she was doing, she nervously glanced around, pressed her lips together to suppress the smile, and took another sip of water.

Qiu Yan wasn’t one to stay idle. When no film crews were hiring extras, she sought out work as a production assistant. Earning a little money through odd jobs was better than doing nothing.

Early the next morning, Qiu Yan unscrewed the cap of a white medicine box, applied some ointment to herself, tidied up, and headed out.

Working as a production assistant was busier than being an extra, mostly involving physical labor. During rare breaks, she would sneak glances at the main actors filming.

Coincidentally, this crew was working on Luo Xiao’s new film, scheduled to wrap up before the end of the year.

As she watched, she casually picked up a stick and observed the actors’ emotional shifts, sketching line graphs on the ground in her own way to help herself grasp the feeling of getting into character.

Emotions don’t shift abruptly; they require gradual buildup and layering, eventually culminating in a climax. Things that seem ordinary in daily life can appear stiff and unnatural in acting if the pacing of emotional transitions isn’t handled well.

As an extra, Qiu Yan never had access to such scenes. Without a platform to practice, she observed others’ performances and saved them for her own practice sessions at night. Whenever she watched a scene, her eyes functioned like a video recorder, after seeing it once during the day, she could replay it repeatedly at home, analyzing the gaps between her own skills and those of others.

She had once naively believed that appearing in a movie would fulfill her dreams, but she later realized there was a world of difference between being an extra and being an actor. Most people in the entertainment industry remained at the bottom of the pyramid; very few could endure like Song Suihan and eventually rise to prominence, and even fewer enjoyed smooth sailing like Luo Xiao.

“Production assistant, come help push this equipment over here.”

“Ah, coming!” Qiu Yan stood up, casually scuffing out the curves she had drawn with the tip of her shoe before running off.

That evening, as Qiu Yan walked home, she was lost in thought, replaying the scenes she had watched during the day, and didn’t notice the black Mercedes business van parked downstairs.

It wasn’t until she unlocked her door and entered that she spotted Mo Lishen sitting on the sofa, with Bai Hua standing beside her.

“President Mo?” Qiu Yan called out uneasily.

Bai Hua’s presence signaled that something important was likely afoot.

“Come here.” Mo Lishen didn’t turn to look at her but instead quickened her typing pace, closing her laptop just as Qiu Yan approached.

“Bai Hua.”

Bai Hua nodded and handed Qiu Yan a black garment bag with a hanger inside and a shoe box.

“Put these on,” Mo Lishen said, lifting her gaze, her tone indifferent.

Qiu Yan held the clothing bag with both hands, her expression slightly flustered as she bit her lip.

After a long silence with no response, Mo Lishen grew puzzled and looked up at her.

“What’s wrong?” Mo Lishen frowned slightly.

“Do I change here?” Qiu Yan lowered her head, her voice growing softer.

Upon hearing this, Bai Hua’s eyes widened in surprise, her face showing a hint of panic. She wished she could make herself as inconspicuous as possible and turned her head to the side.

Mo Lishen crossed her arms, let out a sigh, and said helplessly, “Go back to your room to change.”

Clutching the clothes, Qiu Yan noticed that Mo Lishen was on the verge of getting angry and immediately slipped away as if her feet were greased.

After waiting for more than ten minutes, Qiu Yan still hadn’t emerged.

“Go and help…” Mo Lishen started to say but stopped mid-sentence.

Bai Hua stood frozen in place, not daring to move.

Mo Lishen stood up herself and was about to walk over when the bedroom door opened.

She sat back down on the sofa.

Qiu Yan wore a white floor-length dress with a sweetheart neckline that elegantly revealed her delicate collarbones. The subtle V-neck design was both alluring and refined. Lace embroidery on the shoulders added a touch of grace to the overall look. Her slender arms extended gracefully from the sleeves, like a masterpiece meticulously crafted by nature, smooth, fluid, and radiant. The skirt was full but not exaggerated, reminiscent of a lotus blooming on a distant mountain.

A white pearl choker necklace above her collarbones accentuated her swan-like neck, her skin as flawless as jade and ice.

She walked forward gracefully, like an exquisite fairy from a painting or a hapless beauty from a dream.

A flicker of admiration passed through Mo Lishen’s eyes as she quietly watched her.

Qiu Yan lifted the hem of her skirt, standing shyly before Mo Lishen with her head lowered.

Bai Hua was also stunned by Qiu Yan’s beauty. The first time she saw Qiu Yan, she only knew she was pretty, but her plain clothing and modest demeanor had not left a striking impression. Now, however, she was truly captivated.

A faint smile appeared at the corners of Mo Lishen’s eyes as she said gently, “You look beautiful.”

Young girls wear their hearts on their sleeves; when praised, Qiu Yan’s eyes brimmed with irrepressible joy.

Mo Lishen stood up, walked over to Qiu Yan, and knelt down.

She found Qiu Yan’s feet under the skirt, gently held them, and checked the back of her heels.

Beside them, Bai Hua looked on in disbelief, holding her breath and not daring to make a sound.

To make Qiu Yan more comfortable, Mo Lishen had deliberately chosen shoes with a relatively low heel. However, blisters were inevitable. After just a few steps, Qiu Yan’s heels were already slightly red and chafed.

With Mo Lishen holding her feet and Bai Hua watching, Qiu Yan felt even more embarrassed.

“Bring a pair of slippers,” Mo Lishen suddenly said.

The room fell into silence…

Mo Lishen turned her head and looked at Bai Hua, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes.

Only then did Bai Hua snap out of her repeated astonishment and hurriedly replied, “I’ll go get them right away.”

Bai Hua gently placed the slippers beside Mo Lishen’s hand and retreated to her original spot.

Mo Lishen took off the shoes from Qiu Yan’s feet and helped her into the slippers.

“Stretch these two parts with something,” Mo Lishen stood up, pointing to two areas on the high heels before handing them to Bai Hua.

Stuffing the shoes with newspaper or other materials in advance would make them much more comfortable to wear later.

“Yes,” Bai Hua took the shoes with both hands, memorizing the spots.

Qiu Yan clenched her hands tightly together, secretly watching Mo Lishen from behind, her heart pounding.

“I have a banquet the day after tomorrow. You’ll accompany me,” Mo Lishen said to Qiu Yan as she sat back down on the sofa.

“Can I… really?” The word “banquet” was unfamiliar to Qiu Yan, let alone attending one with Mo Lishen.

“Of course.” Mo Lishen’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Change back into your clothes and give them to Bai Hua.”

Qiu Yan nodded and turned toward the bedroom.

Bai Hua stole a glance at Mo Lishen from the corner of her eye. Her boss’s gaze followed Miss Qiu the entire way. She felt like she had discovered something significant.

When Qiu Yan emerged again, her face was as red as an apple. In addition to the evening gown, she held a white scarf in her hands.

After handing the gown to Bai Hua, she stood before Mo Lishen with the scarf.

“President Mo, this is your scarf. I’ve washed it and am returning it to you.” Qiu Yan offered the scarf with both hands, her heart warming as she looked at the knitted pattern.

Mo Lishen took the scarf and stood up.

“Keep it.” She gently draped the scarf around Qiu Yan’s neck, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips. “I’ll pick you up the evening after tomorrow.”

With that, she turned and left.

Qiu Yan stood motionless, staring at the closed door. After a few seconds, she covered her face with the scarf, inhaling deeply its faint, cool fragrance. Lying on the sofa, she muffled her joyful cries.

Mo Lishen was gentle, the gentlest person in the whole world! Qiu Yan recalled the tender touch on her feet, her heart fluttering like a startled deer.

…

Zhao Qiulin was truly frightened. In less than three days, Bai Hua had delivered the project proposal to Mo Lishen.

After reviewing it, Mo Lishen tossed the document into the shredder, watching as it was gradually ground into fragments.

“President Mo, what if this proposal is fake…” Bai Hua reminded from the side.

Mo Lishen remained silent until the shredder finished its work. Watching the intact papers being destroyed and crushed brought her a sense of satisfaction.

She spoke slowly, “It doesn’t matter. We’ll know once we meet Mo Licheng.”

A cunning glint flashed in Mo Lishen’s ink-black pupils.

…

On the evening of the banquet, Qiu Yan had already changed into her gown and was waiting in her room for Mo Lishen.

Bai Hua had delivered the gown the previous night. The shoes had been broken in, they couldn’t be called completely blister-free, but they were much more comfortable than the first time she wore them.

Before long, her phone rang. It was Bai Hua.

Qiu Yan quickly answered, but Mo Lishen’s calm voice came from the other end.

“Come downstairs.”

“Okay.” Qiu Yan hurriedly replied, about to hang up.

“Wait.” Mo Lishen suddenly spoke, pausing briefly. “Stay inside. I’ll have Bai Hua come get you.”

“…Alright.” Qiu Yan released the doorknob and obediently stood in place.

Soon after, the doorbell rang, and Qiu Yan immediately opened the door.

She startled Bai Hua on the other side.

“Sorry, Sister Bai Hua.” Qiu Yan, realizing she had been too hasty, lowered her head and cleared her throat softly.

“Shall we go, Miss Qiu?” Bai Hua nodded, politely inquiring.

Qiu Yan nodded and followed Bai Hua out.

Truth be told, Qiu Yan had secretly practiced walking in the heels for a long time the night before and could walk normally without any issues. But the fact that Mo Lishen had specifically sent Bai Hua to escort her filled her with a delicate sense of gratitude. The anticipation and nervousness of seeing Mo Lishen once again took hold of her heart.

The two took the elevator downstairs. A black business car was parked at the entrance. Qiu Yan adjusted her breathing, let out a soft sigh, and slowly walked toward it, holding up the hem of her gown.

Bai Hua glanced at the rear window of the business vehicle, then bent down, straightened her posture with a dignified gaze forward, and held up Qiu Yan’s skirt with an air of solemnity.

She was desperately afraid of being misunderstood by her boss.

As the two approached the car, Bai Hua opened the door for Qiu Yan. When Qiu Yan saw Mo Lishen inside, she froze in place.