Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 25.1

Upon receiving Zheng Xinyue’s invitation for a celebrity interview, the two smoothly exchanged contact details and finalized the contractual terms.

On the appointed day, Yin Yunzhu packed her things and drove once more to the art center.

The circular open-air hall was quiet and deserted, lined with various transparent glass display stands. Fresh off the New Year’s holiday, the art center was severely understaffed.

Last time, she had unexpectedly run into Jiang Menghe. This time, no sooner had she parked than she spotted a familiar figure standing beside Zheng Xinyue, who was waiting at the entrance.

The woman wore a wide-brimmed hat, her long, straight black hair cascading down her back, tousled by the wind like swaying reeds in the distance.

Their eyes met through sunglasses, a flicker of surprise crossing Yin Yunzhu’s gaze before she calmly turned her attention to Zheng Xinyue.

“Professor Jiang!” Zheng Xinyue greeted warmly as she stepped forward. “My husband is inside overseeing the setup, so he asked me to come out and meet you.”

This had practically become her catchphrase, forming everyone’s first impression of her. After marriage, Zheng Xinyue had quit her previous job to become a full-time homemaker, occasionally stepping out to lend a hand when not tending to her child.

“No worries,” Yin Yunzhu replied, glancing at Jiang Menghe, who remained silent.

They hadn’t spoken in days, and she had assumed the other woman had forgotten about her. The grievances and misunderstandings from before had been cleared up on New Year’s Eve, and the two had since returned to their usual placid dynamic.

Only when they met and embraced did ripples stir in the calm.

Having learned her lesson, Yin Yunzhu would never again pester her with questions about why she hadn’t reached out. As long as Jiang Menghe wasn’t juggling a dozen relationships, Yin Yunzhu had no intention of interfering in her private life.

She refused to cast herself as some resentful, neglected lover.

As their gazes locked, Jiang Menghe curled her lips into a smirk, stirring the pot with an introduction.

“We’ve met before.”

With that, she extended her hand, her fair fingers adorned with a simple silver ring that caught the faint light, as if exposing their sinful deeds to the world.

Zheng Xinyue’s words caught in her throat. She shot Jiang Menghe a suspicious glance.

In her memory, the other woman wasn’t the type to be overly friendly at least not with strangers. She was usually far more reserved. So why today…

Meeting the outstretched hand, Yin Yunzhu gave it a perfunctory touch, shooting Jiang Menghe a frantic look from an angle no one else could see.

A silent warning not to cause trouble.

“You must know her, she’s a famous actress. We even chatted about her last time,” Zheng Xinyue said, brushing aside her doubts. After a brief introduction, she led the two into the exhibition hall.

The overcast sky resembled diluted ink, the air thick with the damp scent of impending rain. Yin Yunzhu stared at Jiang Menghe’s retreating figure, an uneasy feeling creeping over her.

Was Jiang Menghe planning to watch her throughout the entire interview?

This sensation of being under surveillance was like ants crawling over her skin, leaving her thoroughly unsettled.

As if reading her mind, Jiang Menghe suddenly stopped ahead. Yin Yunzhu, caught off guard, nearly collided with her.

“Speaking of which, Professor Yin seems to be a fan of mine?” The woman turned around, pulling a pen and paper from her inner pocket. “Last time, I forgot to bring anything for autographs, but today’s your lucky day.”

Her movements were fluid, her handwriting bold and sweeping as she wrote. In high spirits, she even hummed a tuneless melody under her breath.

Having a signature thrust into her hand, Yin Yunzhu reluctantly accepted it, baffled by the other party’s presumptuous addition to the script.

She had never agreed to this.

To Zheng Xinyue’s eyes, this scene became the perfect opportunity to break the ice. Walking ahead, she said, “Menghe is about to start filming soon, so we won’t be able to meet for a while. Since I had work outside today, I invited her along.”

“Teacher Yin, if you’re uncomfortable with this, you can let me know.”

In truth, when Jiang Menghe had contacted Zheng Xinyue, she had inadvertently learned over the phone that the art center was launching a new column, interviewing locally renowned figures in Quancheng. Seizing the opportunity, she recommended Yin Yunzhu.

“If you call out of the blue, they might not appreciate it. Last time we spoke, Teacher Yin mentioned she’s a fan of my films.”

Those were Jiang Menghe’s exact words. Under her deliberate guidance, Zheng Xinyue indeed invited her along, hoping it would make Yin Yunzhu more willing to cooperate.

When questioned, Yin Yunzhu stayed silent. How could she dare say she minded? She quietly accepted the label of “fangirl” that Jiang Menghe had stuck on her.

The interview was set in Hall No. 5 on the second floor. When the three of them pushed the door open, they found the crew already waiting, equipment prepped and ready.

A man in a button-up shirt approached as they entered. The warm air in the hall was stifling, so he had undone his collar and rolled his sleeves up to his forearms.

“Hello, is this Teacher Yin?” He quickly identified the unfamiliar face and respectfully ushered her to a nearby sofa.

“Hello.” When it came to work, Yin Yunzhu straightened up, sitting down stiffly.

“The host will ask you some questions later. You can review the list we emailed beforehand. If you need any adjustments, just let the crew know. Does that work for you?”

The man briefly outlined the process, and Yin Yunzhu nodded repeatedly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Should I freshen up a bit…?”

Zheng Xinyue was pouring water for them and was about to say it wasn’t necessary when Jiang Menghe suddenly stood up, circling behind the armchair.

A light, refreshing gardenia scent drifted into Yin Yunzhu’s senses. Then, the cool touch of fingers brushed against her neck as her hair was lifted. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jiang Menghe leaning against the backrest, carefully smoothing out her locks.

“Teacher Yin’s face is camera-ready, but since I’m here today, if you don’t mind, I can help?”

The woman’s voice was soft and melodious. In a spot hidden from view, her knuckles grazed the fine hairs at the nape of Yin Yunzhu’s neck.

Flirting in public only made it more forbidden. Yin Yunzhu tensed up, but thankfully, Jiang Menghe’s earlier words made her reaction seem like nothing more than nervousness in front of an idol.

“Exactly! Since Teacher Jiang is here, might as well make use of her!” The man laughed heartily, immediately instructing an assistant to clear out a break room for them.

In the middle of the break room, a few desks had been pushed together, topped with an elegant, high-end tea set clearly borrowed last minute.

Zheng Xinyue pulled out a makeup bag borrowed from next door and set it on the table. “Here, let me know if you need anything else. I’ll leave you two to it.”

Once the door clicked shut, only Yin Yunzhu and Jiang Menghe remained.

The woman removed one side of her mask and leisurely picked up a makeup brush, beckoning Yin Yunzhu over. “Come here.”

Yin Yunzhu dragged a chair over and obediently sat in front of her. Jiang Menghe stepped between her legs, cupping her face.

“Your skin is so fair, do you take care of it?”

The businesslike tone, devoid of any lingering sweetness, put Yin Yunzhu at ease. She responded vaguely, “No skincare routine.”

Early in her career, she had considered maintenance, but after going freelance, only irregular sleep patterns remained. Pulling all-nighters to meet deadlines became routine, sometimes even forgetting meals eventually, she simply stopped bothering.

Perhaps she had inherited Shan Songyue’s good genes. Even with a chaotic, day-and-night reversed lifestyle, Yin Yunzhu’s skin remained smooth and fair, with only faint freckles visible up close.

“So many people would envy you for this,” Jiang Menghe smiled, studying her features as an overwhelming emotion swelled in her chest.

It was as if she had been sculpted to fit Jiang Menghe’s exact preferences.

The entertainment industry was full of stunning celebrities, and over time, aesthetic fatigue was inevitable. Yet, every time she saw Yin Yunzhu, it felt like a fresh revelation.

Even Ren Yu, who shared a similar aura, had earned Jiang Menghe’s leniency because of it.

The thought of how hard Yin Yunzhu worked in bed, how she would pant beneath that red mole when exhausted, how she would obediently call her “sister” when pressed made Jiang Menghe’s heart melt into a puddle.

“You’re so perfect, I almost don’t want to touch you,” she murmured, lifting Yin Yunzhu’s chin with feigned regret.

“It’s fine. Beijiali’s done my makeup before, I won’t be uncomfortable,” Yin Yunzhu replied obediently.

The pale daylight filtering through the window frame divided the room into light and shadow. Jiang Menghe, backlit, lowered her eyes at the mention. “That friend of yours?”

“Yeah, she enjoys experimenting with this stuff.” Yin Yunzhu’s thoughts were sluggish, but she noticed the grip on her chin tighten before softening into a soothing caress.

“Is that so…” The woman’s voice trailed off, sinking into a muted mood.

She suddenly remembered the perfume she had gifted Yin Yunzhu, only for it to be casually passed on to this same friend. Their relationship seemed unusually close.

Beijiali.

“We grew up together. You saw her at the cinema,” Yin Yunzhu added.

Truthfully, if Beijiali hadn’t dragged her to Yuse Bar that night, she might never have gotten entangled with Jiang Menghe.

Amid the churning complexity of emotions, a faint trace of gratitude surfaced.

“Our first meeting was practically arranged by her.”

“Look up.”

The makeup brush swept across her cheek, sending tingles of itchiness. Yin Yunzhu tilted her head back under Jiang Menghe’s guidance, catching the shadows cast by her long lashes from this angle.

Jiang Menghe’s lips pressed into a thin line, her usually gentle eyes devoid of warmth. At this proximity, Yin Yunzhu could clearly see her own reflection in them.

The prolonged gaze, so close, felt like a teasing hint. Yin Yunzhu nervously clutched her sleeve, leaning in slightly.

Noticing the subtle movement, Jiang Menghe smiled without sincerity. Just as their breaths mingled, she suddenly covered Yin Yunzhu’s mouth and whispered, “Behave.”

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