I Wish To Never Leave Your Side - Chapter 2

Early the next morning, after finishing her morning routine, Qiu Yan sat on the sofa, waiting for the final verdict.

Soon, a knock sounded at the door. Before Qiu Yan could even stand to answer it, the door swung open from the outside.

It was Bai Hua, Mo Lishen’s assistant.

Qiu Yan stood up and nodded in acknowledgment.

“Good morning, Miss Qiu.” Bai Hua walked over, holding a file folder.

Once they were both seated, Bai Hua caught sight of the lingering slap mark on Qiu Yan’s face. With just a glance, she averted her gaze, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Qiu Yan lowered her head slightly, feeling a flicker of relief at his discretion. But then it occurred to her, perhaps he was already used to such scenes.

“Miss Qiu, this card contains 300,000 yuan,” Bai Hua said, opening the folder to reveal a bank card.

Qiu Yan looked up, puzzled. Didn’t Mo Lishen dislike her?

“This is the contract. It’s for one month initially,” Bai Hua continued in a strictly professional tone. “Starting today, you are Ms. Mo’s lover. You are to follow all of Ms. Mo’s arrangements. During the day, you may have your own work, but at night, you must return here and wait, whether Ms. Mo comes or not.”

“During this period, you are not to become emotionally involved with anyone else, nor are you to mention Ms. Mo’s name to anyone.”

“Ms. Mo dislikes talkative people. Do not gossip.”

“Lastly, Miss Qiu,” Bai Hua adjusted her glasses and looked at her sternly, “if the contract period is exceeded, it will automatically renew. You do not have the right to terminate the contract.”

The implication was clear: don’t even think about running away.

After what happened last night, Qiu Yan had already given up on the idea of becoming Mo Lishen’s lover. Even if Mo Lishen had wanted to keep her, she wasn’t sure she’d survive long enough to earn that money.

But when faced with the 300,000 yuan, Qiu Yan wavered.

Following her gaze, Bai Hua added, “This is just the beginning. If Mr. Mo is pleased, Miss Qiu, you will receive far more than this.”

Qiu Yan swallowed hard. “How long am I expected to stay here?”

Bai Hua thought for a moment. “On average, the others lasted about two weeks.”

“Alright, I’ll sign.” Qiu Yan skimmed through the contract and signed her name on the last page.

After checking the signature, Bai Hua closed the folder. “Miss Qiu, I hope we can cooperate smoothly.”

Qiu Yan nodded. After seeing Bai Hua out, she picked up the bank card from the table and clutched it tightly.

After a long while, Qiu Yan made a phone call.

…

At the hospital, Qiu Yan sat in the doctor’s office, waiting for the pathology results.

“You’re Qiu Yuan’s mother, right?” The doctor walked in, holding the test report.

Qiu Yan quickly stood up. “Yes, yes, Doctor. What are the results?”

“Based on the biopsy, it looks okay for now. But surgery must be performed immediately. Otherwise, the brain tumor will compress the optic nerve. We can’t delay any longer.”

“How much will it cost?” Qiu Yan still held the bank card tightly, its edges digging deeply into her palm.

“Including postoperative care, it will be around 500,000 yuan.”

Qiu Yan’s vision darkened, and she felt as if all her strength had drained away. She slumped back into the chair.

She was still 200,000 short. Where could she possibly get that much money?

“If Ms. Mo is pleased, Miss Qiu, you will receive far more than this.” Bai Hua’s words echoed in Qiu Yan’s mind.

Qiu Yan straightened up and pleaded, “Doctor, I only have 300,000 right now. Could you please arrange the surgery first? I’ll gather the remaining 200,000 as soon as possible.”

The doctor looked at Qiu Yan, then at the child’s age on the report, sighed after a long silence, and said, “I’ll try to apply with the hospital. I’ll do my best to help, but I can’t guarantee the application will be approved. You still need to gather the money as quickly as possible.”

As if clutching at a lifeline, Qiu Yan grabbed the doctor’s sleeve and hurriedly expressed her gratitude, “Thank you, Doctor. Thank you.”

After leaving the office, Qiu Yan walked to the door of the ward and peered inside through the small window. Yuanyuan was playing with the caregiver.

She took a mirror out of her bag, checked her reflection, wiped away the tear stains on her face, made sure the slap marks were still concealed with makeup, and forced a smile into the mirror before pushing the door open and entering.

“Mom!” Yuanyuan, sharp-eyed, spotted Qiu Yan immediately. Her childish voice echoed through the ward as she called out loudly for Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan’s heart softened. She walked over and gently pinched Yuanyuan’s little cheek. “Has my baby been listening to Auntie?”

“Yes, I’ve been very good. I missed you, Mom.” Yuanyuan wrapped her arms around Qiu Yan’s neck and refused to let go, insisting on being held.

Qiu Yan picked Yuanyuan up and asked the caregiver, “Sister Liu, how has Yuanyuan been eating lately?”

“Lately, she hasn’t been eating much. She keeps saying she misses you and often looks toward the door, hoping you’ll come.” Aunt Liu gently stroked Yuanyuan’s little hand as she replied.

Qiu Yan set Yuanyuan down and put on a slightly stern expression. “Why aren’t you eating more?”

Seeing her mother’s immediate displeasure, Yuanyuan quickly placed her little hand on her mother’s face and coaxed her softly, “Mom, don’t be angry. Starting today, I’ll eat more.”

Seeing her child like this, Qiu Yan felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. “Mom knows Yuanyuan feels unwell and can’t eat much, but if Yuanyuan doesn’t eat, Mom will feel sad too. Would Yuanyuan want Mom to feel sad?”

Yuanyuan shook her little head. “No.”

Qiu Yan planted a kiss on Yuanyuan’s cheek. “Then promise Mom you’ll eat well, okay?”

“Okay.” Yuanyuan made a funny face, trying to cheer Qiu Yan up.

Qiu Yan played with her for a while before holding Yuanyuan and lying down on the hospital bed. Gently patting her back, she asked, “Yuanyuan, are you scared of the surgery?”

Yuanyuan tightly grasped Qiu Yan’s finger. “No.”

Qiu Yan kissed Yuanyuan’s fingertip. “Yuanyuan is so brave.”

“Mom might be very busy lately and won’t be able to visit often. Yuanyuan must listen to Aunt Liu and eat well. After the surgery, when Mom is with Yuanyuan, Yuanyuan can go home.”

At the mention of going home, Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up, and she nodded emphatically. “Okay!”

Qiu Yan transferred some more money to Aunt Liu and reminded her to take good care of Yuanyuan.

On her way back, Qiu Yan buried her face in her coat collar, trudging forward against the wind.

She had taken the morning off from the film set, and in the afternoon, Qiu Yan planned to try her luck and see if there were any roles she could take on.

“Qiu Yan.” The assistant director spotted her and tossed her a costume. “Can you do a stunt double role?”

“There’s a fight scene that needs a double.”

A fight scene? Qiu Yan’s first thought was whether Mo Lishen would be upset if she got injured.

“Five hundred, you in or not?” the assistant director urged.

“Damn.” Qiu Yan gritted her teeth. Five hundred yuan could buy medicine for Yuanyuan twice.

…

By six in the evening, Qiu Yan had finally passed the scene she was filming. Ignoring the fresh bruises from her falls, she changed clothes and rushed back to the apartment.

When she returned to Qingshui Bay Apartments, the room was still pitch black. Qiu Yan breathed a sigh of relief, poured herself a glass of water, and sat on the sofa to calculate her remaining money.

She still had 3,800 yuan left. With the 500 yuan she just earned, that made 4,300. She needed to gather 200,000 yuan as soon as possible, otherwise, this money wouldn’t even cover a month’s living expenses for her and Yuanyuan.

Qiu Yan’s gaze shifted toward the door as she began to wonder when Mo Lishen would come. Since she had kept her here, did that mean Mo Lishen still wanted to sleep with her?

Qiu Yan went back to her room, took a quick shower, hastily applied some medicine to the injuries from filming, and, just like the previous night, wore only a bathrobe while waiting for Mo Lishen.

As she waited, drowsiness gradually set in. When Qiu Yan opened her eyes again, it was already the next morning.

Mo Lishen hadn’t come last night.

For a moment, Qiu Yan didn’t know whether to feel regret or relief.

For two consecutive nights, Mo Lishen didn’t show up. Qiu Yan gradually stopped waiting for her deliberately. On evenings when she had nothing to do, she would cook for herself and search online for university acting classes. Being alone in the apartment made it easier for her to practice.

One day, after finishing dinner and washing the dishes, Qiu Yan stored the leftovers in the refrigerator to eat for breakfast the next morning. She held a washed tomato in her mouth, planning to rehearse a scene for the next day’s shoot. If she performed well, she might even get a few extra shots. Perhaps she was too focused or something, but Qiu Yan didn’t hear any sound of the door unlocking. Turning around, she unexpectedly collided with a chest filled with a cold, fragrant scent.

The tomato in her mouth fell to the floor. Without looking up, Qiu Yan knew who it was. She had practiced many times before Mo Lishen’s arrival, but when her patron suddenly appeared, she froze, her hands and feet turning cold.

The moment she caught Mo Lishen’s scent, Qiu Yan was reminded of that night, and her heart began to tremble. Instinctively, she wanted to retreat.

Before Qiu Yan could brace herself, Mo Lishen pushed her away.

Three days earlier, Mo Lishen had left Qingshui Bay and returned to her own home.

“You can go. Wait for me downstairs at seven tomorrow morning.” Mo Lishen waved her hand, signaling Bai Hua to leave.

She didn’t turn on the lights and sat on the living room sofa, spinning a lighter in her hand.

Her thumb flicked the lighter open, producing a crisp sound in the darkness.

“Yan, as in ‘rich wine and strong spring.'”

The flint sparked, casting a brief flare of light in the dark.

“Twenty-four years old.”

“Actress.”

Her thumb snapped the lighter shut, and the only light in the room vanished instantly.

…

The next morning, Bai Hua picked Mo Lishen up to go to the company. Mo Lishen leaned back in her seat, massaging her temples, her mood clearly dark.

Bai Hua silently placed a bottle of ice water beside Mo Lishen and turned around, softening the sound of flipping through documents.

Mo Lishen unscrewed the cap and took a sip of the ice water.

“What’s my schedule today?” Mo Lishen frowned, twisting the ring on her middle finger.

“There’s a meeting in the morning, a quarterly summary in the afternoon, and tonight is the old chairman’s birthday. You need to return to the ancestral home for dinner.”

The slender blade on the ring sprang out abruptly. Bai Hua continuously observed Mo Lishen’s expression through the rearview mirror.

“Understood.” Mo Lishen retracted the blade. “What about that woman?”

“We just signed the contract with her this morning.” Bai Hua handed the document to Mo Lishen.

Mo Lishen flipped to the last page, her gaze lingering on Qiu Yan’s signature, her eyes revealing an unreadable emotion.